Copyright 1995 - . All rights reserved. The content (including but not limited to text, photo, multimedia information, etc) published in this site belongs to China Daily Information Co (CDIC). Without written authorization from CDIC, such content shall not be republished or used in any form. Note: Browsers with 1024*768 or higher resolution are suggested for this site. 0108263 License for publishing multimedia online Registration Number: 130349 Registration Number: 130349 Inaugural ranking places West Monroe in the top 30% of consulting firms nationwide CHICAGO, Jan. 22, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- West Monroe, a global business and technology consulting firm, today announced it has been named to Business Insider's America's Top Management Consulting Firms 2026 list, earning a perfect 5-star rating and placing the firm in the top 30% of consulting firms nationwide. The recognition reflects the trust clients place in West Monroe's people and their proven ability to deliver high-quality work and results at speed. The ranking was developed by Business Insider in collaboration with Plant-A Insights Group and is based on extensive research and a nationwide survey of more than 25,000 U.S. professionals with direct experience working with consulting firms. An initial list of more than 15,000 firms was screened and validated. Firms were evaluated on industry expertise, practice-area expertise, and client satisfaction, with additional reputational and integrity screening applied as part of the overall assessment. West Monroe was recognized among the top 300 consulting firms nationwide from an initial pool of more than 15,000 firms evaluated, reflecting strong performance across industry expertise, practice-area expertise, and client satisfaction. The firm is trusted for the quality of its work, its proven capabilities, and its ability to deliver quicklyand is at the forefront of AI innovation, helping organizations apply AI and technology in practical ways across their business. That focus on speed and impact is reflected in West Monroe's client results. The firm is rated 12 percentage points higher than the industry average for delivering more value than fees paid, 97% of clients consider West Monroe a strategic advisor, and the firm earned a Net Promoter Score of 85 in 2025. "Earning a perfect 5-star rating on this inaugural list by Business Insider is a reflection of the impact our teams deliver every day for our clients," said Gil Mermelstein, CEO of West Monroe. "The trust our clients place in our people is a testament to our deep expertise and culture of collaboration." West Monroe was also recently featured in Business Insider stories examining how AI is reshaping the consulting industry. In coverage on the pressure facing the Big Four and the growing advantage of more agile, tech-enabled firms, West Monroe was included as a perspective on why midsize consultancies are better positioned to adapt and benefit from these shifts. West Monroe is consistently recognized as an award-winning consulting firm. Recent recognitions include: Best Place to Work by Built In, Best Firm to Work For by Consulting Magazine, USA Today Top Workplace, and a Great Place to Work by Fortune. A full list of firms recognized can be found on Business Insider's website. To learn more about West Monroe, visit https://www.westmonroe.com/. About West Monroe West Monroe is a global business and technology consulting firm passionate about creating value for our clients. We co-create solutions that accelerate results now and prepare industries to tackle what's next. We're excited by the possibilities that technology creates. We work with our clients to deliver on the possible, building on their goals, generating fresh insights and creating inspiring outcomes. We excel at the intersection of industry, strategy, people and technologyalways driving rapid impact. Our all-in approach comes from our unique employee ownership structure. Our clients' success is our success. From the beginning, our growth has come from putting people at the center. Fortune and USA Today consistently celebrate West Monroe as a top workplace, and we're recognized as a leading consultancy by Forbes and Forrester. Let's find more value for your business. Share our passion at westmonroe.com Media Inquiries Christina Galoozis Director, Communications & Public Relations [email protected] 847-302-1762 Shira Cohen Manager, Public Relations [email protected] 443-841-6879 SOURCE West Monroe A teenager sits on the floor with a laptop and covers his face with his hands. Photo: freepik / Freepik (The Center Square) - Attorneys general in California and Arizona have launched investigations into xAIs artificial intelligence chatbot Grok and its imagery of adults and minors. Recent reporting has raised serious concerns that the chatbot may have been used to create non-consensual and exploitative images," said Richie Taylor, communications director for Arizona Attorney General Kris Mayes, responding by email to questions from The Center Square. Taylor linked the response to a Wired article that details how Grok allegedly created violent, sexual imagery of adults and sexualized videos of apparent minors. These reports and others are what led to the offices focus on the Grok chatbot, Taylor said. Mayes called these reports deeply disturbing. Artificial intelligence should never be used to exploit or harm people, especially children," Mayes said. "Technology companies do not get a free pass to create powerful artificial intelligence tools and then look the other way when those programs are used to create child sexual abuse material." A day after Mayes started her investigation last week, California Attorney General Rob Bonta sent a cease-and-desist letter to xAI. Bonta demanded xAI to take immediate action to stop the creation and distribution of deepfake nonconsensual intimate images or child sexual abuse material. The California Attorney Generals Office told The Center Square that xAI is aware of its investigation. AG Bonta is extremely concerned with the amount of shocking and potentially illegal conduct out there and is committed to moving on this issue quickly, the office said, answering The Center Square's questions by email. The California Department of Justice will spare no resource to ensure Californians are safe. Bontas office said it had been in touch with sister states about this issue. The Center Square reached out to xAIs media department and asked for the company's reactions to the California and Arizona investigations. The media department responded by email, Legacy Media Lies. As part of the investigation, Mayes told Arizonans to contact her office if they believe they were harmed by Grok through the production or allocation of non-consensual or illegal AI-generated images. You can reach Mayes' office at azag.gov/complaints/criminal. Technology companies cannot turn a blind eye when their products are used to cause real-world harm, Mayes said. If you believe you were targeted or victimized, we want to hear from you. Governor Gavin Newsom [Screenshot/World Economic Forum] Democratic California Gov. Gavin Newsom appeared uncomfortable on Wednesday while Semafors Ben Smith read through several insults against him. At the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, Smith read through several insults from President Donald Trumps administration, including Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent, who referred to Newsom as Patrick Bateman meets Sparkle Beach Ken. Newsom called the constant online insults very unbecoming, but said that his office needed to call out Trumps so-called absurdity. The Treasury Secretary described you as Patrick Bateman meets Sparkle Beach Ken, Smith said. The White House Communications Director called you Gavin Newscum and an official White House account, a federal government account, described you as a very online sexual slur that people here probably dont want to hear at 8:30 in the morning Is that kind of discourse from you, from them good for America? No, its deeply unbecoming. Come on, of course it is. Its not what we should be doing, Newsom said. But youve got to point out the absurdity, youve got to put a mirror up to this. This is madness. (RELATED: Gavin Newsom The KneePad Salesmen Finds A New Audience At Davos) WATCH: Bessent made the retort against Newsom on Wednesday after the California governor brought knee pads to the event so world leaders could bend the knee to Trump more easily. He accused Newsom of being economically illiterate and self-absorbed. Governor Newsom, who strikes me as Patrick Bateman meets Sparkle Beach Ken, may be the only Californian who knows less about economics than Kamala Harris, Bessent said. Hes here this week with his billionaire sugar daddy, Alex Soros, and Davos is a perfect place for a man who, when everyone else is on lockdown, when he was having people arrested for going to church. White House Director of Communications Steven Cheung compared Newsom to a petulant child who cant control his emotions. Gavin Newscum sounds like a petulant child who cant control his emotions. So he sits there wildly gesticulating like mommy didnt give him enough attention. Maybe he needs to be sent to his room, but we all know that could be more trouble, Cheung wrote on X. Speculation has arisen that Newsom may be a top contender in the 2028 presidential primary, especially as he has ramped up his insults against Trump online. He told CBS News in October that he is seriously considering launching a presidential campaign. Newsom has faced widespread criticism from his constituents over his handling of crime and homelessness. He came under even more intense scrutiny in the aftermath of the Los Angeles County wildfires, which resulted in thousands of homes being burned and directly killed 31 people. Polls have found Newsom and Vice President J.D. Vance standing neck-and-neck in a hypothetical matchup in 2028. Results from an Emerson College poll in August found Vance and Newsom tied at 44%, while a Morning Consult survey from November found Vance in the lead by one point. All content created by the Daily Caller News Foundation, an independent and nonpartisan newswire service, is available without charge to any legitimate news publisher that can provide a large audience. All republished articles must include our logo, our reporters byline and their DCNF affiliation. For any questions about our guidelines or partnering with us, please contact licensing@dailycallernewsfoundation.org. Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen after a meeting in the Foreign Policy Committee at Christiansborg in Copenhagen, Denmark, Tuesday, Jan. 20, 2026./ (Thomas Traasdahl/Ritzau Scanpix via AP) COPENHAGEN, Denmark (AP) Leaders of Denmark and Greenland insisted Thursday that the islands sovereignty was non-negotiable after U.S. President Donald Trump said he had agreed with the NATO chief on the framework of a future Arctic security deal that Trump said would grant the U.S. total access to the territory. Much about the potential deal remained unclear, though Trump said in a Fox Business interview that were going to have total access to Greenland," a semiautonomous territory of NATO ally Denmark. He added that were going to have all the military access we want." NATO spokesperson Allison Hart said the alliances secretary general, Mark Rutte, did not propose any compromise to sovereignty" in discussions with Trump. Trump, who has repeatedly argued that the U.S. needed Greenland to counter threats from Russia and China, on Wednesday abruptly scrapped the tariffs he had threatened to impose on eight European nations to press for U.S. control over Greenland. It was a dramatic reversal hours after he insisted he wanted to get the island including right, title and ownership though he also said he would not use force. Greenlandic Prime Minister Jens-Frederik Nielsen voiced guarded relief, but he said he knew no concrete details of the agreement Trump cited. I dont know what there is in the agreement, or the deal about my country, he told reporters. Trump called it a framework of a future deal that, if completed, would also allow the United States to install an element of his "Golden Dome," part of a multibillion dollar missile defense system, in Greenland. Denmark and Greenland insist on sovereignty Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen said security in the Arctic is a matter for all of NATO, and it is good and natural that it be discussed between the U.S. president and Rutte. She said in a statement that she had spoken with Rutte on an ongoing basis, including before and after he met Trump in Davos. She wrote that we cannot negotiate on our sovereignty and added: I have been informed that this has not been the case. Frederiksen said that Denmark wants to continue engaging in constructive dialogue with allies on how to strengthen security in the Arctic, including the Golden Dome program, provided that this is done with respect for our territorial integrity. Denmark has said the U.S., which already has a military presence in Greenland, can boost its bases there. The U.S. is already party to a 1951 treaty that gives it broad rights to set up military bases there with the consent of Denmark and Greenland. Hart, the NATO spokesperson, said that Rutte did not propose any compromise to sovereignty during his meeting with President Trump. She said that negotiations between Denmark, Greenland and the U.S. will go forward aimed at ensuring that Russia and China never gain a foothold - economically or militarily - in Greenland. Danish officials have noted that, in any case, NATO doesnt have a mandate to negotiate a deal on behalf of Denmark and Greenland. Nielsen, Greenland's leader, said Rutte had delivered the message that Greenland is willing to do more and host a NATO mission. Until yesterday, we couldn't rule out anything, he told reporters in the island's capital, Nuuk. Respectful dialogue through the right channels is what we have been seeking from the get-go, and I also feel that's the intention now from the other parties, and I'm happy for that. He pointed to a working group that the Danish and Greenlandic foreign ministers agreed with U.S. Vice President JD Vance and Secretary of State Marco Rubio to set up last week, before Trump threatened tariffs. Denmark and the White House at the time offered diverging public views on its purpose. Asked whether U.S. sovereignty over small pockets of Greenland might be a possibility, Nielsen said that we are ready to negotiate a better partnership and so on, but sovereignty is a red line. Skepticism for Trump's switch On the streets of Copenhagen, some were skeptical about Trumps switch. I think the man has said many things and done a lot of different things to what he says, said Louise Pedersen, 22, who works with a startup company. I have a hard time believing it. I think its terrifying that we stand here in 2026. She said its for Greenlanders to decide what happens with their land not Donald Trump. I dont really trust anything Mr. Trump is saying, said Poul Bjoern Strand, 70, who works in advertising. Chancellor Friedrich Merz of Germany, one of the European countries that had faced Trump's threat of tariffs over Greenland, underlined the need for European NATO allies to do more to secure the Arctic region. We will protect Denmark, Greenland, the north from the threat posed by Russia, he said at the World Economic Forum meeting in Davos, Switzerland. We will uphold the principles on which the trans-Atlantic partnership is founded, namely sovereignty and territorial integrity. We support talks between Denmark, Greenland (and) the United States on the basis of these principles, aiming for closer cooperation, Merz said. It is good news that we are making steps into that right direction. I welcome President Trump's remarks from last night this is the right way to go. Frederiksen traveled to the United Kingdom on Thursday for talks with British Prime Minister Keir Starmer, who said the hard yards of bolstering Arctic security can begin and credited Trumps pragmatism for withdrawing his tariff threats. ___ Moulson reported from Berlin and Burrows from Nuuk, Greenland. Aamer Madhani in Washington, Lorne Cook in Brussels and Pan Pylas in London contributed to this report. Iraqi Border Guards patrol in armored vehicles along the border with Syria, in Sinjar, northern Iraq, Thursday, Jan. 22, 2026. (AP Photo/Farid Abdulwahed) BAGHDAD (AP) The decision to move prisoners of the Islamic State group from northeast Syria to detention centers in Iraq came after a request by officials in Baghdad that was welcomed by the U.S.-led coalition and the Syrian government, officials said Thursday. American and Iraqi officials told The Associated Press about the Iraqi request, a day after the U.S. military said that it started transferring some of the 9,000 IS detainees held in more than a dozen detention centers in northeast Syria controlled by the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces, or SDF, in northeast Syria. The move to start transferring the detainees came after Syrian government forces took control of the sprawling al-Hol camp which houses thousands of mostly women and children from the SDF, which withdrew as part of a ceasefire. Troops on Monday seized a prison in the northeastern town of Shaddadeh, where some IS detainees escaped and many were recaptured, state media reported. The SDF said on Thursday that government forces shelled al-Aqtan prison near the northern Syrian city of Raqqa with heavy weapons, while simultaneously imposing a siege around the prison using tanks and deploying fighters. Al-Aqtan prison, where some IS prisoners are held, was surrounded by government forces earlier this week and negotiations were ongoing on the future of the detention facility. Early Friday, Syria's defense ministry announced an internationally sponsored agreement had been reached for withdrawal of some 800 SDF fighters who had been inside the prison, with the facility to be handed over to the Syrian army. On Thursday, U.S. envoy to Syria Tom Barrack had met with SDF leader Mazloum Abdi in Irbil, the capital of Iraq's semi-autonomous northern Kurdish region. Concerns about escapes With the push by government forces into northeast Syria along the border with Iraq, Baghdad became concerned that some of the detainees might become a danger to Iraqs security, if they managed to flee from the detention centers amid the chaos. An Iraqi security official said that the decision to transfer the prisoners from Syria to Iraq was an Iraqi decision, welcomed by the U.S.-led coalition and the Syrian government. The official said that it was in Iraqs security interest to detain them in Iraqi prisons rather than leaving them in Syria. A senior U.S. military official confirmed to the AP that Iraq offered proactively to take the IS prisoners rather than the U.S. requesting it of them. A Syrian foreign ministry official said that the plan to transfer IS prisoners from Syria to Iraq had been under discussion for months before the recent clashes with the SDF. All three officials spoke on condition of anonymity because they weren't authorized to comment publicly. U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio in a statement applauded Iraq's initiative to detain ISIS terrorists in secure facilities... following recent instability in northeast Syria. He said non-Iraqi prisoners would be held temporarily and urged other countries to repatriate their citizens. Over the past several years, the SDF has handed over to Iraqi authorities foreign fighters, including French citizens, who were put on trial and received sentences. The SDF still controls more than a dozen detention facilities holding around 9,000 IS members, but is slated to hand the prisons over to government control under a peace process that also is supposed to eventually merge the SDF with government forces. U.S. Central Command said that the first transfer on Wednesday involved 150 IS members, who were taken from Syrias northeastern province of Hassakeh to secure locations in Iraq. The statement said that up to 7,000 detainees could be transferred to Iraqi-controlled facilities. Iraq has beefed up patrols along its border with Syria. On Thursday, tanks lined up along the frontier in the northern province of Sinjar. Members of the Yazidi minority in Sinjar have been particularly fearful of a repeat of 2014 when IS militants overran the area and launched brutal attacks on Yazidis, considered by the extremist group to be heretics. Militants killed Yazidi men and boys and sold women into sexual slavery or forced them to convert and marry militants. Stark warning IS declared a caliphate in 2014 in large parts of Syria and Iraq, attracting large numbers of fighters from around the world. The militant group was defeated in Iraq in 2017, and in Syria two years later, but IS sleeper cells still carry out deadly attacks in both countries. As a key U.S. ally in the region, the SDF played a major role in defeating IS. Also Thursday, the SDF accused the government of violating a four-day truce declared on Tuesday. It said Syrian government forces pounded the southern outskirts of the northern town of Kobani, which recently became besieged after the governments push in the northeast over the past two weeks. A commander with the Kurdish womens militia in Syria, speaking from inside Kobani, told reporters during an online news conference that living conditions there are deteriorating. Nesrin Abdullah of the Womens Protection Units, or YPJ, said that if the fighting around Kobani continues, thousands of people will be massacred. She said that there was no electricity or running water in the town, which a decade ago became the symbol of resistance against IS. The militants at the time besieged it for months before being pushed back. The people here are facing a genocide, she said. We have many people in hospitals, and hospitals cannot continue if there is no electricity. U.N. Assistant Secretary-General Khaled Khiari told the U.N. Security Council Thursday that clashes were taking place in parts of Hassakeh province and also on the outskirts of Kobani, an enclave controlled by the SDF, and that the situation on the ground elsewhere was very tense." ___ Abby Sewell reported from Beirut. Omar Sanadiki in Damascus, Syria, Bassem Mroue in Beirut, and Edith M. Lederer at the United Nations, contributed to this report. Former Special Counsel Jack Smith defended his prosecutions against then-former President Donald Trump at an explosive Jan. 22 congressional hearing, saying he would have been able to prove at trial that Trump knew his 2020 election fraud claims were false. "When people told him things that conflicted with him staying in power, he rejected them, or he chose not even to contact people like that," Smith testified. The longtime federal prosecutor, who is now working as a private attorney, also said he was actively considering seeking criminal charges against people beyond Trump at the time the prosecutions ended, soon after Trump won the 2024 presidential election. The Jan. 22 proceedings, which were called by House Judiciary Committee Chairman Jim Jordan, ROhio, pitted Republican accusations of prosecutorial overreach against Democratic charges that Trump's allies were misrepresenting the circumstances of the January 6, 2021, attack on the U.S. Capitol. Who Is Jack Smith? The special counsel named in historic Trump investigations. Jack Smith, the former U.S. Justice Department Special Counsel who brought two now-dropped criminal cases against President Donald Trump, will publicly testify to the House Judiciary Committee on Jan. 22. Pictured here, Special Counsel Jack Smith delivered remarks on a recently unsealed indictment against then-former President Trump at the Justice Department on June 9, 2023 in Washington, D.C. At the time, Trump was indicted in the special counsel's classified documents probe. "It was always about politics," Jordan said in his opening statement to begin the proceedings. "And to get President Trump they were willing to do just about anything." Jordan complained that Smith subpoenaed phone records of congressional Republicans as part of his Jan. 6 investigation. Smith said his team sought Republican records because Trump reached out to them for help in trying to remain in power after the 2020 election. He added that many Republicans withstood that pressure. "Republicans are trying to rewrite history," Rep. Joe Neguse, DColorado, said later at the hearing. "That's what this is. Many of them were with us in the House chamber on January 6th." Smith brought two federal criminal cases against Trump, one accusing the real estate mogul of unlawfully trying to stay in power after losing the 2020 presidential election and a second alleging Trump mishandled classified documents after leaving office. Smith dropped both cases after Trump won the 2024 election, citing a Justice Department policy against prosecuting a sitting president. Former Special Counsel Jack Smith listens as Representative Jim Jordan (R-OH) speaks, during a hearing of the House Judiciary Committee about Smith's criminal investigation of U.S. President Donald Trump, on Capitol Hill in Washington, D.C., U.S., January 22, 2026. Here are several key moments from the hearing: Smith says he was considering charging others besides Trump when case closed Several Republicans questioned Smith about why he only charged Trump when a conspiracy, by the nature of the federal statute, is a corrupt or criminal agreement between at least two people. "You had civilian witnesses, you had political leaders, you had campaign officials that worked with the President, folks who were in the room. And after all of this, sir, you charged a conspiracy, and there was only one defendant, correct? Donald Trump?" asked Rep. Brad Knott, R-North Carolina. "That is correct," Smith replied. Knott noted that six co-conspirators were identified in the indictment of Trump. "Is that correct, despite there being an unprecedented criminal scheme, you did not find it necessary to charge anybody else who was admittedly, by your own evidence, involved in a criminal conspiracy that amounted to an unprecedented assault on the seat of American democracy?" Knott asked. U.S. Rep. Brad Knott (R-NC) questions Special Counsel Jack Smith as he testifies during a hearing before the House Judiciary Committee in the Rayburn House Office Building on Capitol Hill on January 22, 2026 in Washington, DC. Smith testified on his team's federal criminal investigations into President Donald Trump. "Yes, at the time of the conclusion of our work, my lawyers had determined, had believed that we did have proof to charge other people, Smith said. I was in the process of making that determination when our work was concluded." "But you are correct," Smith said, "that the only person charged in this case was Donald Trump, who, in my estimation, was the person most culpable for the crimes charged." 'Fantastical': Smith says Trump knew he lost 2020 election In response to questions from Rep. Zoe Lofgren, DCalifornia, Smith laid out reasons he believes his prosecution team would have convinced a jury that Trump knew his election fraud claims were false. That determination would have been important to proving Trump was guilty of conspiring to defraud the U.S. government by attempting to overturn the 2020 results, one of the charges he faced in his Jan. 6-related case. Smith said he had expected to call witnesses who told Trump "things that he did not want to hear," including Republican Georgia Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger. (L-R) U.S. Rep. Jamie Raskin (D-MD), and U.S. Rep. Zoe Lofgren (D-CA) speak with former Metropolitan Police officer Daniel Hodges and former Metropolitan Police Department officer Michael Fanone, who both defended the U.S. Capitol during the Jan. 6, 2021 attack by supporters of President Donald Trump, during a hearing before the House Judiciary Committee in the Rayburn House Office Building on Capitol Hill on January 22, 2026 in Washington, DC. Former Special Counsel Jack Smith testified on his team's federal criminal investigations into President Donald Trump, including into Trump's alleged effort to unlawfully overturn the 2020 election results. In a recorded phone call following the 2020 election, Raffensperger told Trump his election fraud claims were mistaken. "Mr. President, the challenge that you have is, the data you have is wrong," Raffensperger said. However, Trump insisted Raffensperger needed to "find" the votes necessary to erase then-President-Elect Joe Biden's victory in Georgia. "All I want to do is this. I just want to find 11,780 votes," Trump said. "Jurors tend to believe witnesses like that because they pay a cost for telling the truth," Smith said. Smith said Trump's reaction to Raffensperger was part of a pattern of rejecting information that conflicted with him staying in power, and even avoiding contacting people with that information. "On the other hand, when individuals would say things that would allow him to stay in power no matter how fantastical he would latch on to those," Smith said. "That pattern over time we felt was powerful evidence that he, in fact, knew that the fraud claims he was making were false," he added. Smith said possible witness tampering justified hiding subpoenas for lawmaker phone records Republican lawmakers focused during the hearing on Smith subpoenaing the phone records for then-House Speaker Kevin McCarthy, R-California, and others without telling them. But Smith said he was worried about witness tampering if word of the subpoenas got out. Rep. Steve Cohen, D-Tennessee, questions Special Counsel Jack Smith as he testifies during a hearing before the House Judiciary Committee in the Rayburn House Office Building on Capitol Hill on Jan. 22, 2026 in Washington, DC. The phone records provide numbers for who called or who was called by a lawmaker, the time of the call and how long it lasted. Lawmakers argued the subpoenas violated the Constitution by allowing an executive branch official to interfere with the legislative branch. "You walked all over the Constitution," said Rep. Brandon Gill, R-Texas. "Its absolutely disgraceful." But Smith told Rep. Steve Cohen, D-Tennessee, the subpoenas were approved by the Justice Departments Public Integrity Section and by judges. "I had grave concerns about obstruction of justice in this investigation, specifically with regard to Donald Trump," Smith said. "There were election workers who had their lives turned upside down and received vile death threats because they were targeted by Donald Trump and his co-conspirators." Smith said he had a duty to protect witnesses. The risk was confirmed when Trump "suggested that one witness should be put to death and also issued a statement to the effect of 'if you come after me Im coming after you,'" Smith said. "In my mind, I cannot think of a more direct threat to witnesses and individuals involved in that proceeding," Smith said. "Given that sort of threats, it was in my view completely appropriate to protect the integrity of the investigation, to protect against destruction of evidence and to protect the witnesses in our case." Expletive rings out after Republican blames police for Jan. 6 attack Rep. Troy Nehls, a Texas Republican, said he wanted to address former police officers who defended the Capitol during the Jan. 6 attack and were sitting in attendance behind Smith at the hearing. Former Washington, D.C. Metropolitan Police Department officer Michael Fanone waits ahead of Former Special Counsel Jack Smith's arrival to testify before the House Judiciary Committee about his criminal investigation of U.S. President Donald Trump, on Capitol Hill in Washington, D.C., U.S., January 22, 2026. "I can tell you, gentlemen, that the fault does not lie with Donald Trump," Nehls said. Instead, Nehls blamed the "U.S. Capitol leadership team." That prompted a dramatic response from one of the men, former Metropolitan Police Department Officer Michael Fanone, who covered his mouth, made a coughing noise, and loudly used an expletive: "F--- yourself." Chairman Jordan intervened, saying, "We don't need that," and to let the Texas congressman continue. Smith says Trump 'caused' Jan. 6 attack and 'tried to exploit it in furtherance of the conspiracy' Rep. Eric Swalwell, of California, one of several Democrats on the panel who are former prosecutors, asked Smith a series of rapid-fire questions about what evidence the special counsels team had gathered that led to Trumps indictment. Rep. Eric Swalwell, D-California, questions Special Counsel Jack Smith as he testifies during a hearing before the House Judiciary Committee in the Rayburn House Office Building on Capitol Hill on Jan. 22, 2026 in Washington, DC. First, Swallwell castigated the Republicans on the panel for trying to attack Smith. "You have nothing to be ashamed of. You did everything right, sir," Swalwell told Smith. As for the Republicans, Swalwell said, "This is all a show. And Mr. Smith, you're just the latest act that they brought in. But they can't erase what happened on January 6, because we saw it with our own eyes." "Mr. Smith, after the mainstream media called the race for Biden about a week after the election, did Donald Trump concede the election?" Swalwell asked. "He did not," Smith said. "The next month, the Electoral College met in every state and voted Biden as the winner. Did Donald Trump concede then?" Swalwell asked. "He did not," Smith said. U.S. House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-NY) speaks during a vigil to commemorate the anniversary of the January 6th attack on the U.S. Capitol outside of the U.S. Capitol on January 06, 2026 in Washington, DC. The day marked the fifth anniversary of the January 6, 2021 attack on the U.S. Capitol Building by Donald Trump supporters who falsely claimed the presidential election had been stolen. "Shortly after that, the last court case that Donald Trump brought was thrown out. Did he concede then?" Swalwell asked. "No," Smith replied. "Is it your judgment, then, that only Donald Trump could have convened the mob in the size that it was assembled on January 6?" Swalwell asked. "Our assessment of the evidence is that he is the person most responsible for what happened on January 6, Smith said. He caused what happened. It was foreseeable to him, and then when it happened, he tried to exploit it in furtherance of the conspiracy." Republicans attack bombshell anecdote about Trump Republicans attacked a bombshell anecdote about Trump from former White House aide Cassidy Hutchinson about the Capitol attack on Jan. 6, 2021. Cassidy Hutchinson, an aide to former White House chief of staff Mark Meadows, before testifying before the House Select January 6 committee the House select committee investigating the Jan. 6 attack on the U.S. Capitol, on June 28, 2022, at the Capitol in Washington. Hutchinson told a Democrat-led House committee in June 2022 that another White House staffer allegedly told her on Jan. 6 that Trump wanted to drive to the Capitol and that he became irate and lunged at the driver of his SUV when his security team refused to take him. She said Tony Ornato, the deputy chief of staff, told her the story while the head of Trumps Secret Service detail, Bobby Engel, was present and didnt deny it. Mr. Smith, Is Cassidy Hutchinson a liar? asked Jordan, the chairman of the Judiciary Committee. Ornato and Engel, who had been in the SUV, each denied the incident happened. Jordan called Hutchinson the star witness at a staged and choreographed hearing. Smith said her testimony was second-hand hearsay. He had told lawmakers in a closed-door deposition that if he were a defense attorney in a criminal trial, he would try to have her testimony blocked. We interviewed another first-hand witness who was in the car who did not confirm that that happened, Smith said. January 6 defendants march in DC five years after attack on Capitol People hold a banner and placards as they gather ahead of a march from The Ellipse to the U.S. Capitol in memory of those who died on, or in the aftermath, of the Jan. 6, 2021 attack on the U.S. Capitol, on the fifth anniversary of the attack in Washington, D.C., Jan. 6, 2026. Trump was indicted on charges he conspired to overturn the 2020 election. After the 2024 election Trump won, Smith dropped the charges under longstanding department policy against prosecuting a sitting president. Jordan asked if Smith considered her as a witness despite what he alleged that everybody knows she wasnt telling the truth. I had not made any final determinations, said Smith, who said prosecutors had numerous other potential witnesses for the trial. 'I dont regret it': Smith on investigating Trump Lawmakers noted throughout the hearing that Trump had vilified Smith as "a deranged animal and crooked and corrupt" for years and as recently as Jan. 22. But Swalwell quoted former colleagues of Smith calling him "the gold standard" of investigating sophisticated federal matters and "completely apolitical." Swalwell asked Smith if he had any regrets about leading the investigation of Trump after being dragged over political barbed wire and having his family receive death threats. "I dont regret it," Smith said. Rep. Kevin Kiley, R-California, who cited what he called reversals and rebukes from the Justice Department and judges, asked Smith whether he believed he made any mistakes in the Trump investigation. "If I have any regret, it would be not expressing enough appreciation for my staff, who worked so hard on these investigations," said Smith, who added they had "sacrificed endlessly and endured way too much just doing their jobs." Committee may call Smith back for questions about classified documents The Judiciary Committee hearing ended five hours after it began, but Democrats are eager to call Smith back for another round. Smith secured two indictments against Trump, one charging he conspired to overturn the 2020 election and the other alleging he unlawfully retained classified documents after leaving office. But Smith was unable to testify much about the documents case because of a judicial gag order. Rep. Jamie Raskin, of Maryland, the top Democrat on the committee, said U.S. District Judge Aileen Cannons order could be lifted in February and he would like to bring Smith back to testify about the documents. Jordan, who chairs the Judiciary Committee, was incredulous. Youre going to call him back again? Jordan asked. Well take it all under advisement. (This story was updated to add a video.) This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Jack Smith testimony defends Trump probes. Here are the key moments. Mandel NGAN / AFP via Getty U.S. President Donald Trump speaks during the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, on Jan. 21, 2026 NEED TO KNOW President Donald Trump appeared to mix up Greenland and Iceland four times during his speech at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, on Wednesday, Jan. 21 After his remarks, White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt berated a reporter for posting that Trump mixed the islands up on X, replying, "No he didn't" Trump has repeatedly expressed that he wanted the U.S. to acquire Greenland, which is part of the Kingdom of Denmark, since returning to the White House President Donald Trump appeared to mix up Greenland and Iceland multiple times at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland. Trump, 79, repeatedly referred to Greenland a NATO territory which he previously expressed that he wants full ownership of as Iceland during a speech on Wednesday, Jan. 21. "I'm helping NATO, and until the last few days, when I told them about Iceland, they loved me," the president erroneously said, seemingly airing frustration that NATO allies have spoken out against his attempts to take Greenland. Trump then brought up a moment in June when NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte characterized him as the "daddy" of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization, saying, They called me 'daddy' last time. Very smart man said, 'He's our daddy. He's running [NATO].' I was, like, running it. I went from running it to being a terrible human being." Trump continued, saying that he is only asking for "a piece of ice, cold and poorly located, that can play a vital role in world peace and world protection. It's a very small ask compared to what we have given [NATO] for many, many decades." Krisztian Bocsi/Bloomberg via Getty U.S. President Donald Trump during the World Economic Forum on Wednesday, Jan. 21, 2026 Trump ultimately brought up Iceland four times in his speech, at another point addressing the Greenland-related stock market dip on Tuesday by saying, "They're not there for us on Iceland, that I can tell you. I mean, our stock market took the first dip yesterday because of Iceland. So Iceland's already cost us a lot of money. Iceland and Greenland neighbor one another, though Greenland is roughly 20 times larger. Both are members of NATO. After Trump's remarks, White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt berated NewsNation correspondent Libbey Dean for posting about the president's apparent Iceland gaffes on X, replying, "No he didn't, Libby [sic]. His written remarks referred to Greenland as a 'piece of ice' because that's what it is. You're the only one mixing anything up here." PEOPLE reached out to the White House for comment on the four parts of Trump's speech where he was heard saying "Iceland," prompting a statement from White House spokesperson Taylor Rogers that read, President Trump delivered a historic speech in Davos laying out Americas compelling national security interests involving Greenland. Mere hours afterward, President Trump announced the framework for a future deal with respect to Greenland. President Trump continues to deliver results while the failing, liberal media melts down. Trump has been ramping up his rhetoric about the U.S. acquiring Greenland a self-governing territory in the Kingdom of Denmark that is rich in oil and untapped mineral resources since returning to the White House, making a main focal point of the administration in recent weeks. Trump previously told reporters on Jan. 9, We are going to do something on Greenland, whether they like it or not, because if we dont do it, Russia or China will take over Greenland, and were not going to have Russia or China as a neighbor. Chip Somodevilla/Getty U.S. President Donald Trump disembarks Air Force One at Zurich Airport on Jan. 21 However, the Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen and other European leaders have pushed back on the idea. Frederiksen wrote in a statement on Facebook earlier this month, The United States and Europe are rooted in the idea of freedom. We should never compromise on this. Disagreements and conflicts between the United States and Europe only benefit our adversaries. They weaken us and strengthen them." "Denmark is a loyal and strong ally. We are in the midst of a significant rearmament, and we are ready to defend our values wherever it is necessary also in the Arctic," she continued. "We believe in international law and in peoples right to self-determination. Thats why we uphold the principles of sovereignty, self-determination and territorial integrity." Never miss a story sign up for PEOPLE's free daily newsletter to stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from celebrity news to compelling human interest stories. During his speech at the World Economic Forum in Davos, the president also noted that Europe has a choice in whether to accept the United States' takeover of Greenland or not. "You can say yes, and we will be very appreciative, or you can say no, and we will remember a strong and secure America means a strong NATO, and that's one reason why I'm working every day to ensure our military is very powerful," he said. Read the original article on People Emergency personnel work next to one of the trains involved in the accident, near Adamuz, in Cordoba, Spain, January 19. REUTERS/Susana Vera Emergency personnel work next to one of the trains involved in the accident, near Adamuz, in Cordoba, Spain, January 19. REUTERS/Susana Vera Jan 22 (Reuters) - A commuter train crashed into a construction crane in southeastern Spain on Thursday, following Sunday's deadly high-speed train collision in the southern Andalusia region that killed at least 43 people and two other crashes in Catalonia on Tuesday. Here are some of Spain's deadliest train disasters, starting from most recent: ADAMUZ (2026) At least 43 people died and more than 120 were injured in southern Spain after a high-speed train derailed and collided with an oncoming one on Sunday night near Adamuz, in the province of Cordoba. SANTIAGO DE COMPOSTELA (2013) A railway accident in the summer of 2013 left 80 people dead and 145 injured when an eight-carriage high-speed train veered off the track on a sharp bend near the northwestern city of Santiago de Compostela, slamming into a concrete wall and bursting into flames. A Transport Ministry commission concluded that the accident was caused by speeding and the driver being distracted by a call from a superior, but a victims association blamed the accident not only on human error but also on the railway's security systems. MADRID COMMUTER TRAIN BOMBINGS (2004) On March 11, 2004, ten backpack bombs detonated on four Cercanias commuter trains, killing 193 and injuring thousands during Madrid's rush hour. The attacks were carried out by Islamist extremists opposing Spain's participation in the Iraq war. EL CUERVO (1972) An accident caused by a head-on collision between two trains in the Cadiz-Seville route left 86 people dead and more than 150 injured near the southern town of El Cuervo in 1972. The accident was caused by a driver's failure to stop at a red light at El Cuervo station, according to an investigation by state-owned rail operator Renfe. URDULIZ (1970) A head-on collision of two trains killed 33 in the town of Urduliz, near the northern city of Bilbao, in the summer of 1970. A stationmaster was initially blamed for the accident, but it later emerged that he had been working 16-hour shifts for the previous four days. GRISEN (1965) A train on the Madrid-Barcelona route caught fire in 1965 in the town of Grisen, near northeastern Zaragoza, killing dozens of passengers. Though the train operator said at the time that 30 people died, later reports have claimed the real death toll was up to 80 and the Francoist regime tried to downplay it. TORRE DEL BIERZO RAIL DISASTER (1944) The 1944 crash of three trains in the El Bierzo region of Spain's Leon province is considered one of the deadliest railway disasters in Spain, with the estimated death toll of 78 still being debated due to censorship under the regime of late dictator Francisco Franco. A train travelling from Madrid to A Coruna suffered a brake failure and collided with a locomotive inside a tunnel, just before a third train entered the same gallery and crashed into the wreckage. (Compiled by Mirko Miorelli and Javi West Larranaga in Gdansk, editing by Milla Nissi-Prussak) Sikander Samuel (inset, left) died after being struck by a car while working at the Valvoline on Route 9 in Halfmoon on Saturday, Jan. 10. Google Maps street view/GoFundMe user Robert Zi The family of a Valvoline employee who was fatally injured after being pinned between cars at a New York service shop has retained a national law firm as they seek answers in the wake of the workplace tragedy. Sikander Samuel, 50, of Schenectady, died after suffering critical injuries while working at the Valvoline service center on Route 9 in the Town of Halfmoon on Saturday, Jan. 10, as Daily Voice reported. Samuel was struck during his shift when a vehicle waiting in line to enter the service bay accelerated, pinning him between two cars, according to the Saratoga County Sheriffs Office. He was rushed to Albany Medical Center, where he died from his injuries. Deputies determined the driver of the second vehicle in line, a 63-year-old man from Schaghticoke, rapidly accelerated for unknown reasons. The impact forced one vehicle through a glass garage door and into another car inside the shop. On Thursday, Jan. 22, a spokesperson for Morgan & Morgan confirmed to Daily Voice that Samuels family had retained the Brooklyn-based law firm. This is a heartbreaking tragedy that we believe could have been prevented. Mr. Samuels family is devastated by this loss and seeking answers as to how this could have happened, founder John Morgan said. We are investigating the safety practices of this Valvoline, as well as any other factors that could have contributed to this incident, and are committed to pursuing all avenues of justice for this family. The driver has been cooperating with investigators, according to sheriffs officials, and no charges had been announced as of Thursday, Jan. 22. In a statement previously provided to Daily Voice, Valvoline Principal Paul Ferri said the company was heartbroken by Samuels death. Our deepest sympathies are with his family and loved ones during this incredibly difficult time, Ferri said. We are continuing to cooperate fully with the authorities as they investigate, and we are committed to supporting his family and our entire team as we navigate this loss together. Remembering Sikander Samuel A GoFundMe organized by family friend Robert Zi describes Samuel as a devoted husband and father of three from Pakistan who worked tirelessly to build a better life for his family after immigrating to the United States. Sikanders professional journey spanned photography, business ownership, accounting, and entrepreneurship across Pakistan, Dubai, Saudi Arabia, and ultimately the United States, Zi wrote. He married the love of his life, Ghazala Sikander, on December 14, 1997, and together they built a life rooted in love, perseverance, and devotion to their three children, David, Daniel, and Nida. The fundraiser aims to assist Samuels relatives with travel costs from Pakistan so they may attend his funeral. During this time of profound loss, any support offered is a reflection of the kindness Sikander shared throughout his life, a way to honor a devoted husband, a loving father, and a man whose strength, joy, and sacrifices will forever remain in the hearts of those who loved him, Zi said. Those interested in supporting the family can donate via GoFundMe here. A judge writes on legal documents at a desk with a gavel and in the foreground. Photo: KATRIN BOLOVTSOVA / Pexels (The Center Square) The full Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals heard arguments in lawsuits brought against Louisiana and Texas after their respective legislatures passed bills requiring the Ten Commandments to be displayed in public schools. Louisiana Gov. Jeff Landry was the first governor to sign a bill into law requiring the Ten Commandments to be posted in public school classrooms. Texas Gov. Greg Abbott was the second. After the bills were signed into law, multiple groups sued in each state, arguing they are unconstitutional. So far, courts have agreed. District courts in Louisiana and Texas both ruled they are unconstitutional and blocked them from going into effect. Texas injunction only applies to specific school districts, The Center Square reported. Both states appealed to the Fifth Circuit. A panel of three judges ruled Louisianas law was plainly unconstitutional. Louisiana requested the full court to hear the case. The full court agreed to hear both cases, which it did on Tuesday. After several hours of debate before the court, Louisiana Attorney General Elizabeth Murrill and Landry spoke to reporters, expressing optimism. I like our chances, Murrill said. I don't think we'd be here if we didn't have a significant number of judges who disagreed with the panel decision, both in our case and in Texas' case. Attorneys engaged in discussion about Supreme Court precedent and what the proper interpretation is of certain cases, which she said would likely continue beyond this court. Regardless of how the Fifth Circuit rules, either side is expected to appeal to the U.S. Supreme Court, she said. We have the better side of that argument, she added. We believe that you can apply this law constitutionally. And we went to the trouble of creating numerous posters to illustrate that point. Landry said the United States was founded on Judeo-Christian principles and Americans should embrace that tradition and heritage. He also pointed to the phrase, In God We Trust on U.S. currency, saying, We spend more time with money in our pockets than we spend in school, and yet I don't understand why we are here. Why can't we just embrace the historical concepts of the Judeo-Christian principles that this nation was founded on? The justices discussed other documents that invoke God, invoke religion, invoke our traditional principles, religious principles on which this country was founded, he said. The Ten Commandments are a foundational document for our legal and our historical traditions in creating our government structures. Landry also advised Louisiana parents to teach their children a moral code. You either read the Ten Commandments or your child is going to learn the Criminal Code. The cases, Rev. Roake v. Brumley in Louisiana, and Rabbi Nathan v. Alamo Heights Independent School District, in Texas, raise fundamental questions about religious freedom and the separation of church and state guaranteed by the First Amendment, the American Civil Liberties Union argues. The ACLU is representing plaintiffs in both states, as well as Americans United for Separation of Church and State and the Freedom From Religion Foundation, with Simpson Thacher & Bartlett LLP serving as pro bono counsel. The ACLU of Louisiana and ACLU of Texas are representing plaintiffs in their respective states. The plaintiffs include Protestant pastors, Islamic leaders and nonreligious parents who also argue no federal court has upheld any display of the Ten Commandments by a public school, The Center Square reported. The plaintiffs in both states are multifaith and nonreligious families who simply want their constitutional right to decide their childrens religious education respected by the government. They want their childrens public schools to remain welcoming and inclusive for their families and students of all backgrounds, the ACLU said. I send my children to public school to learn math, English, science, art, and so much more but not to be evangelized by the state into its chosen religion, Louisiana Rev. Jeff Sims said. These religious displays send a message to my children and other students that people of some religious denominations are superior to others. This is religious favoritism and its not only dangerous, but runs counter to my Presbyterian values of inclusion and equality. No one faith should be canonized as more holy than others. Yet Texas legislators are imposing the Ten Commandments on public-school children, Texas Rabbi Mara Nathan said. Though they are a sacred text to me and many others, the Ten Commandments has no place on the walls of public-school classrooms. Children's religious beliefs should be instilled by parents and faith communities, not politicians and public schools." France says it has seized an oil tanker in the Mediterranean suspected of being part of Russia's sanction-busting "shadow fleet". French President Emmanuel Macron said the tanker, named the Grinch, was "subject to international sanctions and suspected of flying a false flag". The French navy, with the assistance of allies including the UK, boarded the vessel on Thursday morning between Spain and Morocco. French maritime authorities said that a search of the vessel had "confirmed the doubts as to the regularity of the flag". Russia's embassy in Paris said it had not been informed of the seizure. Moscow's so-called shadow fleet is a clandestine network of tankers used to evade Western sanctions on Russian oil exports by shipping the oil on aged tankers with obscure ownership or insurance. The Grinch was travelling from the Arctic port of Murmansk in northern Russia when it was intercepted, French authorities said. The vessel had been flying a Comoros flag, according to ship tracking websites marinetraffic and vesselfinder. Announcing the seizure on X, Macron said: "We are determined to uphold international law and to ensure the effective enforcement of sanctions. "The activities of the "shadow fleet" contribute to financing the war of aggression against Ukraine," he said, adding that the vessel had been "diverted". Defence Secretary John Healy said the UK navy had provided "tracking and monitoring" support, with HMS Dagger monitoring the tanker through the Straits of Gibraltar. He added: "Alongside our allies, we are stepping up our response to shadow vessels to choke off the funds that fuel Putin's illegal invasion of Ukraine." The UK has imposed sanctions on 544 Russian shadow fleet vessels. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky welcomed the action, saying it was "exactly the kind of resolve needed to ensure that Russian oil no longer finances Russia's war". "Vessels must be apprehended. And wouldn't it be fair to confiscate and sell the oil carried by these tankers?" he said on X. Speaking at Davos earlier, Zelensky exhorted Europe to do more to ensure its own security, saying: "Europe loves to discuss the future but avoids taking action". Many Western countries imposed sanctions on Russian energy following Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022. Earlier in January, British armed forces supported a US operation to seize a Russian-flagged tanker in the Atlantic that US officials said had broken sanctions by carrying oil for Venezuela and Russia. Moscow denounced the move, saying no state had the right to use force against vessels properly registered in other states' jurisdictions. Last October, France seized another sanctioned tanker, the Boracay, off its west coast before releasing it a few days later. Shadow fleets are becoming increasingly common, with Venezuela, Iran and Russia all accused of using them to avoid sanctions on oil. Financial intelligence firm S&P Global estimates that one in five oil tankers worldwide are used to smuggle oil from sanctioned countries. More on this story ST. PETERSBURG, Fla., Jan. 22, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- Relaxation, curiosity, and bucket-list destinations are shaping travel in 2026. Squaremouth , a leading travel insurance comparison site, surveyed thousands of its customers to gain insight into what is driving travel this year. Below are the key factors influencing travelers' decisions in 2026: Relaxation is the No. 1 Motivator for Travelers This Year Travel this year is trending toward self-care and recovery. One-third of travelers (33%) are taking trips this year to relax and unwind. Travelers Are Influenced by Curiosity Purposeful travel, blended with leisure and culture, continues to influence travelers' decisions. Of those surveyed, 32% of travelers are making travel decisions based on curiosity and learning. Travel Planning Centers Around Dream Destinations Meaningful and once-in-a-lifetime trips are a priority over price alone. Over one-third of travelers (35.2%) are planning their 2026 travel based on dream destinations and bucket-list trips. These results outpace other planning behaviors, such as timing, recommendations, or travel deals. Safety is a Top Consideration Travel risk is top of mind this year, as 75% of travelers are making travel decisions with safety, health, or insurance considerations in mind. Travel Insurance Provides Booking Confidence Travel insurance is a driving factor in trips being planned this year. 63% of travelers are more likely to book a trip because they know travel insurance can protect their investment. Cost and Time Are the Top Travel Barriers Trip value and affordability are impacting how often travelers take trips this year. Nearly half of travelers (46%) have budget constraints that keep them from traveling more frequently. 27% cannot travel as frequently as they'd like to, due to time or work commitments. "Last year was a particularly stressful year for travelers, with rising trip costs and more travel disruptions than previous years," shares Chrissy Valdez, Senior Director of Operations at Squaremouth. "This year, travelers are showing a willingness to spend on what matters most, prioritizing wellness, unforgettable experiences, and safety." Having the right policy for your specific travel needs can provide peace of mind and offer protection from the unexpected, whether you're traveling for relaxation or crossing a destination off your bucket list. Squaremouth makes it easy to compare, quote, and purchase the right policy for every adventure. About Squaremouth Squaremouth is a trusted travel insurance comparison platform with over 20 years of experience. Known for its no-nonsense approach, award-winning customer service, and commitment to transparency, Squaremouth has helped more than 4 million travelers easily search, compare, and buy coverage. Squaremouth offers the largest portfolio of carriers and products in the U.S. Contact Lauren McCormick Manager, Public Relations & Social Strategy [email protected] SOURCE Squaremouth SWITZERLAND-POLITICS-ECONOMY-DIPLOMACY (Photo by Fabrice COFFRINI / AFP via Getty Images) German Chancellor Freidrich Merz told the World Economic Forum (WEF) that Germany and the European Union (EU) have wasted incredible potential during his speech Thursday. Merz, a member of the center-right Christian Democratic Union (CDU), said the EU has wasted its potential for growth by curtailing freedom and responsibility. Both Germany and Europe have wasted incredible potential for growth in recent years by dragging feet on reforms and unnecessarily and excessively curtailing entrepreneurial freedoms and personal responsibility, the Chancellor stated in his remarks to the WEF in Davos, Switzerland. We are going to change that now. We must reduce bureaucracy substantially in Europe, Merz continued. The single market was once created to form the most competitive economic area in the world. Instead, we have become the world champion of over-regulation. That has to end. Security and predictability take precedence over excessive regulation and misplaced perfection, he added. Merz also stated in his speech that Europe is not at the mercy of what he described as a new world order. The old world order is unraveling at breathtaking pace. We have entered an era where only power counts, a dangerous place, the chancellor said, according to multiple outlets. We [Europe] do not have to accept this new reality as fate. Merz recently admitted the countrys shutdown of nuclear power plants was a serious strategic mistake in a speech to the German Chamber of Industry. (RELATED: Germany Finally Admits Nuking Its Energy Sector For No Reason Was A Bad Idea) The chancellor said in November 2025 that he would begin discussing repatriation of Syrians in Germany, after previously refusing to work with a right-wing party advocating for the policy. All content created by the Daily Caller News Foundation, an independent and nonpartisan newswire service, is available without charge to any legitimate news publisher that can provide a large audience. All republished articles must include our logo, our reporters byline and their DCNF affiliation. For any questions about our guidelines or partnering with us, please contact licensing@dailycallernewsfoundation.org. The unnamed man administered excessive doses of sedatives and painkillers [Tracy A. Woodward/The Washington Post via Getty Images] An ex-nurse convicted of murdering 10 patients in western Germany may be linked to more than 100 additional deaths, an official has said. The chief public prosecutor in Aachen, Katja Schlenkermann-Pitts, told the BBC that there was "a correspondingly high number of suspicious cases" under review. She cautioned that the cases represented preliminary suspicions and that some could be dismissed following forensic examination. In November last year, a regional court in Aachen convicted the former palliative care nurse, who has not been publicly named, of 10 counts of murder and 27 counts of attempted murder, sentencing him to life imprisonment. The court found that during night shifts at a hospital in Wurselen, the man had administered excessive doses of sedatives and painkillers to seriously ill patients without medical justification. Prosecutors said the drugs were sometimes given repeatedly and that the defendant was aware of the potentially fatal consequences. Judges concluded that the actions were driven by personal unease and a desire to impose order during night shifts. The defendant denied the charges during the trial in Aachen, stating that he had intended to help patients sleep and had not believed the medication posed a lethal risk given their underlying illnesses. But prosecutors told the court that he showed "irritation" and a lack of empathy to patients who required a higher level of care, and accused him of playing "master of life and death". The offences examined in the initial trial occurred between December 2023 and May 2024 at the Rhein-Maas hospital in Wurselen, where the nurse had worked since 2020. The newly identified suspected cases relate largely to earlier periods. As part of the expanded inquiry, investigators have ordered around 60 exhumations. Twenty seven have already been carried out, with roughly 30 more pending. Schlenkermann-Pitts said autopsy results were still outstanding in many cases and would determine whether further charges could be brought. "Of course, they may still be dropped," she cautioned. Prosecutors in Cologne are also examining deaths linked to hospitals where the nurse worked before his transfer to Wurselen, 65km (40 miles) away. Two exhumations have taken place so far, including the remains of a 94 year old woman who died in 2018, and a 78 year old patient who died in 2015. Further exhumations have been ordered. Prosecutors in both Aachen and Cologne said preparations for potential new charges were under way, but officials said that any further proceedings were unlikely to begin before 2027. The case bears similarity to that of former nurse Niels Hogel, who was handed a life sentence in 2019 after he was convicted of murdering 85 patients at two hospitals in northern Germany. Hogel is believed to be the most prolific killer in Germany's modern history. Buick 2025 Envision SUV's sit on the lot of a Buick GMC dealership in Detroit, Michigan, U.S., April 18, 2025. REUTERS/Rebecca Cook By Kalea Hall and David Shepardson Jan 22 (Reuters) - General Motors is moving production of a China-built Buick SUV to the U.S., its latest move to expand U.S. factory work in the wake of the Trump administrations tariffs. The Detroit automaker said Thursday it is ending China production of the Buick Envision, a midsize SUV that it has been importing to the U.S. for nearly a decade. GM will instead build the next generation of the vehicle at its assembly plant in the Kansas City area starting in 2028. This decision further strengthens GMs domestic manufacturing footprint and supports U.S. jobs, the automaker said in a statement to Reuters. GM has shipped the Envision to the U.S. since 2017 as its only Chinese import. GM has faced a 25% tariff on the vehicles since 2018, and did not win an exemption from the tariff during the first Trump administration. The Envision became a target for critics of Chinese-made goods, including leaders of the United Auto Workers union and members in key political swing states such as Michigan and Ohio. Tariffs on vehicles imported from China increased last year amid a trade war between Washington and Beijing. Last year, GM announced it would bring production of the Chevrolet Equinox SUV to the same Kansas City-area plant, from a factory in Mexico. GM recently began production of the all-electric Chevrolet Bolt out of the plant for a limited run. When production of the Bolt ends, GM will convert the plant to make only combustion-engine vehicles. Equinox production will start in 2027, GM said. GM is also moving production of the Chevy Blazer to Spring Hill, Tennessee, from Mexico in 2027. (Reporting by Kalea Hall in Detroit and David Shepardson in Washington; Editing by Mike Colias and Lisa Shumaker) A Greer-based culinary talent mixing Caribbean flavor with French flair, and a hint of Southern soul, has been named as part of the 2026 South Carolina Chef Ambassadors class, hand-picked by South Carolina Gov. Henry McMaster. Chef Guichard Ulysse, owner of House 509 Bistro & Wine Bar in Greer, is one of three Palmetto State ambassadors representing the traditions, agricultural value, and pleasantries of South Carolina through food festivals, promotional opportunities, and various celebratory events. Ulysse is joined by fellow chefs Jordan Heyd, owner of Lekker Eats in Myrtle Beach, and James London, owner of Seahorse and Chubby Fish in Charleston. (L-to-R) Jordan Heyd of Mrytle Beach, Guichard Ulysee of Greer and James London of Charleston are the 2026 South Carolina Chef Ambassadors appointed by Gov. Henry McMaster. "The Chef Ambassador program highlights the strong partnership between South Carolinas chefs and farmers and the role they play in our tourism and agribusiness success," said Gov. McMaster. "These chefs exhibit our states culinary diversity and our wide array of locally grown foods. On behalf of South Carolinas farmers, I extend a warm welcome to the 2026 class of Chef Ambassadors and look forward to working with them this year and beyond." Here is more on the Upstate talent who will represent the Palmetto State as a Chef Ambassador and his classmates: New County Eats: Hub City Hospitality to bring a Spartanburg restaurant to Simpsonville Who is Chef Guichard Ulysse of Greer? Guichard Ulysse's ascension as a chef stems from his Caribbean cultural background and kitchen lessons learned from his mother and grandmother. His formal training at Johnson & Wales University in Miami and his humble beginnings at Wendy's shortly after immigrating to the U.S. have prepared him for this upcoming moment as a statewide culinary ambassador. "I want both visitors and residents to understand that when they dine in South Carolina," said Chef Ulysse, "theyre not just enjoying a meal, theyre experiencing a living heritage." Chef Guichard Ulysse, owner of House 509 Bistro & Wine Bar in Greer, has been named as one-of-three culinary artists part of the 2026 South Carolina Chef Ambassadors. After a decade of corporate regional-chef efforts, Chef Ulysse decided to take a more personal, creative path. In 2022, he and his wife, Jessica, opened House 509 Bistro & Wine Bar in Greer. His restaurant, located at 100 Wicker Park Ave., specializes in exploring the depths of Caribbean culture, French-tasting flavors, and Southern soul through dishes served as traditional entrees or in flights paired with staff-suggested wine. Examples of his versatility are seen in his Low Country, Creole, and barbecue-style shrimp and grits flight, where Chef Ulysse often integrates his formal and homegrown teachings into the menu at House 509 Bistro & Wine Bar. House 509 Bistro owners Chef Guichard Ulysse and Jessica Charles-Ulysse Also within his menu, Chef Ulysse integrates eggs from the nearby Skyland Farm, sources a "fish of the day" from a Charleston-based company as main entrees and ceviche dishes, and adds seasonal fruit from across the state. "Supporting local restaurants, farmers, and producers helps preserve our foodways while allowing the next generation of chefs to continue telling our story through food," said Chef Ulysse. "Our culinary scene is authentic, soulful, and full of heart and its only getting stronger. Food Development in Greenville: Papi's Taco elevates menu, decor at Papi's Kitchen on Augusta Street Chef London, Chef Heyd are also part of the 2026 South Carolina Chef Ambassadors The two additional culinary experts in the 2024 SC Chef Ambassadors class are Chef Jordan Heyd of Lekker Eats in Myrtle Beach and Chef James London of Chubby Fish and Seahorse in Charleston. Chef Heyd began her career in the culinary arts on private yachts and received additional training in South Africa, which propelled her into a professional yacht chef role, with international techniques and her own unique twist. Heyd's scratch-made kitchen, Lekker Eats, is an invitation to "eat good, feel good" and a glimpse for visitors to follow the hype from what was showcased during an appearance on The Cooking Channel's "Chef Swap at the Beach," Season 3, in 2024. Chef James London is a Charleston native with experience in New York, San Francisco, and Japan. The French Culinary Institute graduate is a savant at "dock-to-table" dining, as his restaurant, Chubby Fish, was recently named as a 2026 James Beard Award nominee for outstanding restaurant. Upstate Culinary Excellence: James Beard semifinalists announced. Which Greenville chefs were named? For more information, visit: discoversouthcarolina.com/chef-ambassadors A.J. Jackson covers business, the food & dining scene, and downtown culture for The Greenville News. Contact him by email at ajackson@usatodayco.com, and follow him on X (formerly Twitter) @ajhappened. This coverage is only possible with support from our readers. Sign up today for a digital subscription. This article originally appeared on Greenville News: Greer-based Chef Guichard Ulysse named a 2026 SC Chef Ambassador TOPSHOT-SKOREA-POLITICS-VOTE (Photo by ANTHONY WALLACE/AFP via Getty Images) A top U.S. investment firm announced Thursday it is launching trade and legal actions accusing South Korea of discriminating against American companies a campaign Greenoaks framed as part of a broader shift that advantages Chinese competitors. Greenoaks said it has served a notice of intent to submit a dispute to investor-state arbitration under the U.S.-Korea Free Trade Agreement (KORUS) investment chapter and separately petitioned the U.S. Trade Representative to initiate an investigation into Seoul under Section 301 of the Trade Act of 1974. (RELATED: Can America Count On South Korea To Help With Taiwan? Maybe Not) When a close ally penalizes a U.S. company for its success, it compromises a vital partnership and opens the door to competitors that dont play by the rules, Greenoaks founder and managing partner Neil Mehta said. That is bad for U.S. investors, bad for Korean consumers and workers, and bad for the U.S.-Korea relationship. The firms filings center on Coupang, U.S.-incorporated company facing a multi-year pattern of selective enforcement, raids, audits, and escalating regulatory pressure that far exceed scrutiny applied to domestic Korean and Chinese competitors. Greenoaks claims that after a 2025 data incident, Seoul mobilized more than a dozen agenciesincluding tax, labor, customs, and intelligence bodiesand that officials pushed for raids, blocked commercial agreements, and pressured Koreas national pension fund to divest its Coupang holdings. South Korean scrutiny intensified following a breach involving roughly 33.7 million Coupang customer accounts, with a former employee accused of unauthorized access, according to Coupangs own incident update. The company said the perpetrator retained data from approximately 3,000 accounts and 2,609 building entrance access codes but maintained the data was deleted and never shared. Greenoaks materials also tie the dispute to geopolitics, pointing to South Korean President Lee Jae Myungs recent push for a new phase and full-scale restoration of ties with China during a meeting with Xi Jinping in Beijing earlier this month, Reuters reported. Several U.S. figures have publicly criticized Seouls posture toward Coupang. Former national security adviser Robert C. OBrien warned in an X post that targeting Coupang could set the stage for broader barriers against U.S. firms, while Republican Wisconsin Rep. Scott Fitzgerald and Republican California Rep. Darrell Issa blasted Koreas actions in separate posts. House Judiciary Chairman Jim Jordan was blunt: Harassing American companies is unacceptable. U.S. $20 bills with various coins, including nickels, dimes, quarters and dollar coins. Photo: Emilee Calametti / The Center Square (The Center Square) Chicagos inspector general has advised the citys human resources and finance departments that from 2020 through 2024, the city paid $26.5 million in overtime to potentially ineligible employees. According to the advisory, Chicago paid the overtime to workers in 24 city departments, the elections board, city clerks office and city council. The inspector generals office said the human resources and finance departments have committed to collaborate and ensure that the city would no longer pay overtime to ineligible employees. AIRMAN PLEADS GUILTY TO CRIMES AGAINST CHILDREN A former airman stationed in Illinois has pleaded guilty to sexual exploitation of a minor and distribution of child pornography. The federal charges followed execution of a search warrant at 32-year-old Michael E. McCays residence on Scott Air Force Base in February 2023. Prosecutors say McCay was sexually exploiting at least two minor victims through online applications, including Roblox and Snapchat. ALEC EDUCATION The American Legislative Exchange Council has released its annual Index of State Education Freedom. Illinois ranks 44th out of 50 states, down from 38th one year ago. ALEC gave the Land of Lincoln a D grade, partly due to failing grades for student-centered funding programs and open enrollment. Top-ranked Florida earned an A+. Iowa ranked 4th overall with an A, and Indiana was 6th with an A-. Kentucky finished below Illinois at #48. A medical exam room with an exam table, diagnostic tools and a weight scale. Photo: Shopify Partners / Burst (The Center Square) The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services has notified Illinois officials that the state is violating federal law by requiring pro-life physicians and pregnancy centers to participate in abortion referral and promotion. Thomas More Society attorneys have an open case challenging the law before the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit. The HHS Office for Civil Rights asked Illinois to respond within 30 days with assurance that the state would comply or face the suspension or limitation of certain HHS funds. STATE POLICE: TROOPER STRUCK BY STOLEN CAR IN CHICAGO Illinois State Police say a driver is facing multiple felony charges after the stolen vehicle he was driving struck a troopers squad car in Chicago. ISP says the troopers car was stopped when 29-year-old Demarko T. Hill of Chicago disregarded a red light and crashed into the squad car and another vehicle. Both Hill and the trooper were taken to the hospital with minor injuries. ISP says Hill was carrying a loaded firearm and was also charged with unlawful possession of cannabis. RISING HOME SALES According to Illinois Relators data, Illinois home sales increased 4.2% in 2025 over 2024. The annual median price of $300,000 statewide was 3.4% higher than in 2024. The statewide sales of 10,237 homes in December was 2% higher than the December 2024 total of 10,041. Brett Rowland contributed to this story. FamilyMart is Japan's second-biggest convenience store chain. - Sean Pavone/Alamy Stock Photo A group of tourists follows their guide into the building, where he explains the history and context of what theyre seeing, translating signs from Japanese into English. Wide-eyed in awe, the travelers politely ask if its OK to touch things and take pictures. Finally, theyre given free rein to wander around on their own, and they purchase gifts for loved ones back home. This isnt a Shinto temple. Its a Japanese konbini, or convenience store, called FamilyMart. These tours are the brainchild of Serkan Toso, founder of the Japanese restaurant booking platform byFood, who was inspired by the thousands of social media videos he saw of tourists exploring konbinis and reviewing the different snacks. He realized there was an opportunity and hired Ryo Ito to give the companys (and possibly Japans) first-ever konbini tours. Ito, a Tokyo native, thinks theres nothing unusual about popping into a konbini multiple times per day, whether to grab a household item he needs like a toothbrush or buy some onigiri for lunch. His tours take small groups into multiple konbinis, plus a grocery store and a department store, over the course of an afternoon. For Ito, who has moved back to Japan after a few years in Hawaii, these tours aim to tell the story of how we use the konbini in Japan, and how its related to our life. According to data from Expedia.com, 39% of travelers visit grocery stores or supermarkets while on vacation, and 44% are specifically shopping for local goods they cant get at home. The big three brands in Japans convenience-store market are 7-Eleven, Lawsons, and FamilyMart. Of these, 7-Eleven is the biggest by footprint, with FamilyMart second. FamilyMarts first location opened in Sayama City, about 25 miles northwest of Tokyo, in 1973. Now, the brand says it has 16,400 stores in Japan and about 8,400 stores in other markets, including Taiwan, Indonesia and Vietnam. FamilyMart's bright neon lights help draw customers in. - Macky Albor/Alamy Stock Photo Competition among konbini brands is fierce in Japan. But overtourism and the rise of social media have also made them hot spots for tourists and influencers. Many of Itos guests ask him to recommend konbini hacks fun, customized combinations of convenience-store products. He says one of his go-tos is a serving of canned coffee poured over ice, with pudding added on top. These are called arenji, or remixes, in Japanese. Foreign visitors are getting in on the action, remixing Famichiki, a flat, breaded fried chicken cutlet that is one of FamilyMarts biggest sellers. TikTok displays endless variations of Famichiki mashups, including wedging the cutlet between two pancakes for a sweet-savory mix or sticking them inside a cheeseburger for a decadent, American-inspired meal. Putting the convenience in convenience store Kahlen Cheung, a Hong Kong native, believes its not a trip to Japan without a konbini visit. My experience with FamilyMart is always positive, she says. Cheung goes to Japan two or three times per year, and on her latest visit she made a series of Instagram videos documenting her trip, including one showing off her FamilyMart haul. Its probably, like, the first place that everybody will go to in Japan. Youve just touched down, youre hungry, you want breakfast. The first thing you think of is a convenience store. Cheungs go-to item is the egg sandwich, or sando, which she remixes with a Famichiki. Caryn Ng, co-author of Konbini: Cult recipes, stories and adventures from Japans iconic convenience stores, says shes not at all surprised to hear about the tours offered on byFood. A display of dried snacks at a FamilyMart in Kyoto. - Nano Calvo/VWPics/Alamy Stock Photo Many convenience stores are located inside train stations, like this one in Nagoya. - Woohyeok Choi/Alamy Stock Photo But before they became attractions in their own right, Ng says, foreign tourists visited convenience stores out of, well, convenience. Back in the not-too-distant past, the konbini was one of the few places a tourist could go to withdraw cash mid-journey. It was the destination you could duck into to get an onigiri, sando, drink and quick snack before hopping on the Shinkansen. Sure enough, konbinis located close to major tourist spots such as those in Tokyo Station often stock magnets, keychains and other souvenirs alongside the usual bottles of tea and packs of tissues. For Americans, who are used to big-box stores with dozens of brands of even basic products like dish soap, the streamlined elegance of a konbini is as much a peek into the Japanese way of life as a visit to a traditional tea house. For me, says Ng, the konbini is an attraction in itself. The allure of the konbini perhaps lies in its size and curation. It isnt overwhelming. Its a slice of Japanese life within a compact, perfect, neat space. Socking away the secret Beyond the Famichiki, FamilyMarts quest for dominance has been boosted by a surprising non-food item: a humble pair of tube socks. In 2021, FamilyMart became the first of the big three konbini to launch its own clothing line. It hired Hiromichi Ochiai, Japanese-born founder of indie clothing label Facetasm, as its creative director. Hiromichi Ochiai appears on the runway at Men's Fashion Week in Paris. - Virgil Claisse/Gamma-Rapho/Getty Images A few years later, FamilyMart launched Convenience Wear. The products were simple underwear, T-shirts, and socks but well made. They were devoid of logos, but many sported simple stripes in the brands recognizable electric-blue and green colors. Called line socks because of the stripe design, they cost 390 yen (about $2). They were an instant hit. According to culture magazine Monocle, the white unisex tube socks sold 1.4 million pairs in their first year on the market. Ochiai told the magazine that he and his team considered more than just aesthetics when designing the socks. The fabric has antibacterial and deodorizing properties, plus they are sold in a reusable plastic bag that is just the right size for toting mini-sized toiletries at the airport. Conventionally, apparel sold at convenience stores was mainly purchased for urgent needs, a representative from FamilyMart tells CNN. However, by developing products with a focus on quality and design, we wanted to create a new culture of buying clothing at a convenience store. To do this, we developed items under the concept of good materials, good techniques, and good design, ensuring everyday usability for all ages. One of the socks fans is CNN Style producer Oscar Holland. He admits that FamilyMart isnt his favorite of the konbini chains. But the allure of the socks proved too strong to resist. Convenience Wear's white unisex tube socks, photographed on a CNN staffer. - Bertha Wang/CNN I wear shorts a lot, living in a tropical climate, and its just a little bit more exciting than a pair of plain white socks without going full novelty, says Holland, who is based in Singapore. He also likes that the lack of an obvious logo means that only fellow in-the-know consumers can tell where his socks are from. If someone says, Are those the FamilyMart socks? its a nice little conversation starter. Ironically, he hasnt been to Japan to purchase a pair of his own. Instead, hes bought them from online resellers or has friends pick up pairs when they travel. To keep fans coming back for more, FamilyMart periodically launches new colors (black and gray socks are now available) and has partnered with pop culture properties like Stranger Things and The Simpsons on limited-edition pairs. Just like when big sneaker brands announce a drop, hardcore Line Sock aficionados will race around Japan trying to score a pair of new FamilyMart socks, documenting their experiences and later their bragging rights on social media. Convenience Wear has also expanded into sweatshirts and carryall bags. The line includes tenugui, the ubiquitous cloth towels that Japanese people use for anything from drying their hands to collecting crumbs. These items are simple, but they give a miniature lesson in Japanese etiquette and culture. For more CNN news and newsletters create an account at CNN.com House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-N.Y.) on Thursday said he opposed the resolutions to hold former President Clinton and former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton in contempt of Congress for refusing to testify as part of the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee investigation into convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein. I strongly support the position of Robert Garcia and Jamie Raskin, and have indicated that publicly, and also in conversations with any member who has asked for my perspective on this issue before the committee, Jeffries told reporters during a press conference on Capitol Hill. Nine Democrats on the Oversight Committee voted to hold the former president in contempt and three voted to hold the former secretary of State in contempt on Wednesday. The committee vote teed up floor votes on the matter expected next month. Reps. Robert Garcia (D-Calif.) and Jamie Raskin (D-Md.) voted against both resolutions. Jeffries on Thursday suggested that it was Attorney General Pam Bondi, Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche or whoever in the Department of Justice (DOJ) who had violated the law and should be held in criminal contempt. In other words, there are more than 5 million documents with the Epstein files that the Department of Justice currently is under a legal obligation to share with the American people, consistent with the wishes of the brave, courageous Epstein survivors, Jeffries continued. And consistent with the law Donald Trump signed. He slammed Republican lawmakers who have shown no interest in actually compelling the Department of Justice to do what they are legally obligated to do. Congress passed and President Trump signed a law last year that required the DOJ to release all of its files on Epstein 30 days after the law was signed, setting a Dec. 19 deadline. Earlier this month, the DOJ said it was still reviewing about 2 million documents. At this period of time, that sounds to me like contempt, the New York Democrat said. Jeffries said the Clintons were working in good faith to try to reach an accommodation with the Oversight Committee. Jeffries accused House Oversight Committee Chair James Comer (R-Ky.) of lacking any credibility. Because it has always been congressional practice that if someones under subpoena, you work to find reasonable accommodation in order to receive their testimony, Jeffries said. Negotiations between Comer and the Clintons fell apart Tuesday, with Comer saying the Clintons proposal was untenable and a spokesperson for the Clintons accusing him of misstating their offer. If Comer attempts to bring the resolution to lock Hillary Clinton up, consistent with what Donald Trumps been saying now for 10 years to the House floor, Jeffries said lawmakers will deal with it appropriately. Comer sought to penalize the Clintons after they refused to comply with his committees subpoenas, calling them invalid and legally unenforceable. The Clintons were scheduled to appear before the committee last week. Garcia during the panels Wednesday meeting shifted blame from the Clintons to the DOJ for not complying with the law in releasing the files. Other lawmakers, like Rep. Summer Lee (D-Pa.), said the investigation could not move forward without the rest of the files released. She still voted to hold the Clintons in contempt. Clinton and Trump are known to have had relationships with Epstein, with both presidents having been spotted in some photos released by the DOJ. Both have denied any wrongdoing in connection with Epsteins crimes. Some lawmakers continue to push for the DOJ to fully release the files in its possession about Epstein. The sponsors of the Epstein Files Transparency Act, Reps. Ro Khanna (D-Calif.) and Thomas Massie (R-Ky.), pushed for an independent monitor to ensure the DOJ releases all the files in compliance with the law earlier this month. On Wednesday, Judge Paul Engelmayer of the Southern District of New York said their request was denied because the court does not have the authority to oversee that the DOJ complies with the law. Copyright 2026 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to The Hill. CAPE TOWN, South Africa (AP) Torrential rains and severe flooding across parts of southern Africa have killed more than 100 people in three countries, destroyed thousands of homes and caused tens of millions of dollars worth of damage in one of Africas premier wildlife parks. Mozambique, South Africa and Zimbabwe have experienced unusually heavy rains since late last year and the resulting floods have been the region's worst in years. Authorities expect the death toll to rise with rescue operations continuing. Here's what to know about the disaster: Towns under water More than 30 people have died in the flooding in South Africa and at least 70 in heavy rains in Zimbabwe, its northern neighbor. In Mozambique, 13 deaths have been directly attributed to flooding over the past two weeks, though the actual toll is believed to be higher. Central and southern parts of Mozambique have been hard hit, with authorities ordering people to evacuate some towns in the southern Gaza province, where the governor says more than 300,000 people have been displaced. More than half a million people across Mozambique have been impacted by the flooding, according to the government. The Gaza provincial capital of Xai-Xai and the nearby agricultural town of Chokwe have been submerged by the floods, with only the tips of the roofs of buildings visible in some areas. The tourist town of Marracuene, north of the capital, Maputo, is surrounded by water and effectively cut off. Renowned Kruger Park damaged In South Africa, the Kruger National Park, one of Africa's top wildlife parks, has sustained damage amounting to tens of millions of dollars and parts of it have been totally cut off by the flooding, Environment Minister Willie Aucamp said Thursday. He said roads and bridges were washed away, staff and tourist accommodation had been destroyed, and the damage was so severe in the huge park that it will likely take years to fully recover. A special fund has been set up to rebuild the park, which covers nearly 20,000 square kilometers (7,722 square miles) nearly the same size as Israel and often attracts more than 1 million visitors a year. No deaths were reported in the park, though hundreds of tourists and staff were evacuated from flood-stricken areas, some by helicopter. Kruger officials said the animals generally move to higher areas in times of flooding, but the extent of the impact on the wildlife in the park, which includes critically endangered black rhinos, is not yet clear. Cross-border rescue operations The South African Air Force has deployed helicopters to rescue people stranded in trees and on the tops of buildings in the northern provinces of Mpumalanga and Limpopo. It said it was also conducting cross-border operations to assist in neighboring Mozambique and had rescued nearly 500 stranded people there. The military shared images of some of its rescue operations, which showed people huddled on rooftops surrounded by some of their possessions. Thousands of homes and other buildings have been destroyed, and South Africa has declared a national disaster. South African authorities are also concerned about the stability of a dam in the northeast that is under pressure from the flooding and have sent safety engineers to work on it and have ordered evacuations in case it breaches. Fears over hunger and disease Humanitarian agencies say there is now increased hunger and disease, with the extreme weather wiping out crops that millions of small-scale farmers rely on to feed themselves, while the water-borne cholera disease is often a threat following major flooding. The United Nations Children's Fund said children are especially vulnerable among the more than half a million people affected in Mozambique, with access to clean water, food and healthcare uncertain for those people. ___ Associated Press writers Charles Mangwiro in Maputo, Mozambique, and Michelle Gumede in Johannesburg contributed to this story. ___ AP Africa news: https://apnews.com/hub/africa Blog Archive: Feb 2026 (10) Jan 2026 (155) Dec 2025 (126) Nov 2025 (141) Oct 2025 (153) Sep 2025 (149) Aug 2025 (154) Jul 2025 (155) Jun 2025 (150) May 2025 (155) Apr 2025 (9) Mar 2025 (149) Feb 2025 (139) Jan 2025 (155) Dec 2024 (144) Nov 2024 (143) Oct 2024 (155) Sep 2024 (149) Aug 2024 (155) Jul 2024 (155) Jun 2024 (150) May 2024 (153) Apr 2024 (149) Mar 2024 (155) Feb 2024 (145) Jan 2024 (155) Dec 2023 (155) Nov 2023 (150) Oct 2023 (155) Sep 2023 (150) Aug 2023 (155) Jul 2023 (155) Jun 2023 (150) May 2023 (155) Apr 2023 (150) Mar 2023 (155) Feb 2023 (140) Jan 2023 (155) Dec 2022 (156) Nov 2022 (150) Oct 2022 (155) Sep 2022 (150) Aug 2022 (155) Jul 2022 (154) Jun 2022 (150) May 2022 (155) Apr 2022 (150) Mar 2022 (155) Feb 2022 (140) Jan 2022 (156) Dec 2021 (156) Nov 2021 (150) Oct 2021 (155) Sep 2021 (150) Aug 2021 (155) Jul 2021 (155) Jun 2021 (150) May 2021 (155) Apr 2021 (150) Mar 2021 (155) Feb 2021 (140) Jan 2021 (155) Dec 2020 (155) Nov 2020 (150) Oct 2020 (158) Sep 2020 (150) Aug 2020 (130) Jul 2020 (124) Jun 2020 (120) May 2020 (124) Apr 2020 (120) Mar 2020 (124) Feb 2020 (116) Jan 2020 (125) Dec 2019 (126) Nov 2019 (120) Oct 2019 (124) Sep 2019 (120) Aug 2019 (125) Jul 2019 (124) Jun 2019 (120) May 2019 (123) Apr 2019 (121) Mar 2019 (124) Feb 2019 (112) Jan 2019 (125) Dec 2018 (126) Nov 2018 (120) Oct 2018 (124) Sep 2018 (121) Aug 2018 (124) Jul 2018 (125) Jun 2018 (120) May 2018 (124) Apr 2018 (121) Mar 2018 (124) Feb 2018 (112) Jan 2018 (123) Dec 2017 (124) Nov 2017 (124) Oct 2017 (141) Sep 2017 (135) Aug 2017 (138) Jul 2017 (137) Jun 2017 (134) May 2017 (138) Apr 2017 (135) Mar 2017 (139) Feb 2017 (129) Jan 2017 (143) Dec 2016 (135) Nov 2016 (138) Oct 2016 (142) Sep 2016 (128) Aug 2016 (133) Jul 2016 (136) Jun 2016 (138) May 2016 (164) Apr 2016 (311) Mar 2016 (348) Feb 2016 (320) Jan 2016 (348) Dec 2015 (314) Nov 2015 (338) Oct 2015 (363) Sep 2015 (358) Aug 2015 (399) Jul 2015 (374) Jun 2015 (331) May 2015 (337) Apr 2015 (319) Mar 2015 (320) Feb 2015 (271) Jan 2015 (286) Dec 2014 (254) Nov 2014 (238) Oct 2014 (287) Sep 2014 (267) Aug 2014 (259) Jul 2014 (260) Jun 2014 (238) May 2014 (241) Apr 2014 (228) Mar 2014 (240) Feb 2014 (217) Jan 2014 (263) Dec 2013 (226) Nov 2013 (254) Oct 2013 (256) Sep 2013 (252) Aug 2013 (263) Jul 2013 (261) Jun 2013 (251) May 2013 (250) Apr 2013 (221) Mar 2013 (193) Feb 2013 (164) Jan 2013 (157) Dec 2012 (155) Nov 2012 (240) Oct 2012 (526) Sep 2012 (411) Aug 2012 (394) Jul 2012 (284) Jun 2012 (229) May 2012 (213) Apr 2012 (213) Mar 2012 (253) Feb 2012 (269) Jan 2012 (298) Dec 2011 (273) Nov 2011 (219) Oct 2011 (204) Sep 2011 (201) Aug 2011 (236) Jul 2011 (217) Jun 2011 (211) May 2011 (206) Apr 2011 (215) Mar 2011 (215) Feb 2011 (186) Jan 2011 (215) Dec 2010 (107) Nov 2010 (98) Oct 2010 (55) On the first day of his second term in office, President Donald Trump pardoned more than 1,500 individuals who were charged with or convicted of crimes related to the Jan. 6, 2021, attack on the U.S. Capitol and issued blanket pardons for anyone at or near the Capitol that day. Included in the pardons were more than 600 rioters convicted of assaulting, resisting or interfering with law enforcement that day. When signing the order, Trump referred to the defendants as "hostages". On the five-year anniversary of Jan. 6, some of those rioters returned to the Capitol. Among them was Jacob Lang, a man charged with assaulting police officers at the riot. Trump White House attempts to rewrite history of Jan. 6, accuses Capitol Police of escalating tensions Speaking to ABC News' Jay O'Brien, Lang was unapologetic about his role in the violence, calling Capitol Police "redcoats" and "traitors to the Constitution." ABC News - PHOTO: Jacob Lang, one of the pardoned rioters, told ABC News Jay OBrien that he hopes that the judges and prosecutors who oversaw his case will be jailed. Since his pardon, Lang has been active in conservative politics, launching a run for the Senate in Florida and leading an anti-immigration march in Minneapolis last weekend. The pardons hit hard for Capitol Police officers who faced a crisis of morale and mental health after the attack. According to Reuters, at least four police officers who responded to the riot later died by suicide. ABC News - PHOTO: Former Capitol Police officer Winston Pingeon told ABC News that the pardons completely erased what little shred of justice and accountability there was. Former Capitol Police officer Winston Pingeon told ABC News that with the pardons "what little shred of justice and accountability there was is long gone. The pardons completely erased that." But for some of those pardoned, clemency wasn't enough. Lang told ABC News that his next hope was that the judges and prosecutors who oversaw his case would be jailed. He said "the next biggest moments of the healing proces. ... are when [Jan. 6 rioters] are elected officials, right? When our traitor, treasonous prosecutors, judges, [Jan. 6 Select Committee members], when they occupy the same cells we did." ABC News - PHOTO: Brendan Ballou, who prosecuted Jan. 6 cases and resigned after Trumps inauguration said he is "worried about the message that the pardon has sent" to rioters. At least 15 of the Jan. 6 prosecutors were fired after Trump took office. Others like Brendan Ballou resigned shortly after Trump was sworn in. He describes the pardons as "a get-out-of-jail-free card" and that he is "worried about the message that the pardon has sent" to rioters, especially those who engaged in violence. "I think it says that if you are sufficiently loyal to this president that you can enact violence in his name without consequence," Ballou added. According to the nonprofit Citizens for Responsible Ethics in Washington, at least 33 of those pardoned by Trump have gone on to be charged with or convicted of other crimes -- running the gamut from DUIs to terroristic threats against House Majority Leader Hakeem Jeffries. One rioter, Matthew Huttle, was shot to death by police during a traffic stop in which he told an officer that he "[couldn't] afford to get into trouble right now," given his recent pardon, prosecutors in Indiana said. Two of the rioters chose to decline their pardons. One, Pamela Hemphill, testified at a hearing at the U.S. Capitol to mark the fifth anniversary of the attack. Speaking to members of the Capitol Police, she pled for forgiveness saying, "I am truly sorry from the bottom of my heart for being part of the mob that put you and so many officers in danger." Editor's note: An earlier version of this story incorrectly reported that Jason Riddle, who rejected a pardon for his Jan. 6 conviction, was deceased. Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, right, arrives for the Annual Meeting of the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, Thursday, Jan. 22, 2026. (Laurent Gillieron/Keystone via AP) DAVOS, Switzerland (AP) U.S. President Donald Trump used the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, to unveil a proposed Board of Peace for Gaza, bringing leaders from more than a dozen countries onstage Thursday, although many top American allies arent participating in the board. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, meanwhile, scolded European allies for what he described as a slow and fragmented response to Russias invasion, likening it to the movie Groundhog Day where the main character endlessly relives the same day. Elon Musk also drew chuckles in his Davos debut, riffing on the difference between Trumps Board of Peace and the U.S. taking a piece of Greenland and Venezuela. Attention now shifts from the Swiss Alps to the United Arab Emirates, where trilateral meetings involving the U.S., Ukraine and Russia are set to begin Friday. Trumps envoys Steve Witkoff and son-in-law Jared Kushner are expected for talks in Moscow later Thursday. Here is the latest: Greenlands leader is cautious about Trumps Arctic security deal Greenlandic Prime Minister Jens-Frederik Nielsen on Thursday voiced guarded relief but he said he knew no concrete details of the agreement Trump cited for Arctic security. I dont know what there is in the agreement, or the deal about my country, Nielsen told reporters, calling Greenlands sovereignty a red line. Much about the potential deal remained unclear, though Trump said in a Fox Business interview that were going to have total access to Greenland. He added that were going to have all the military access we want. Read more about Greenland People in Gaza dig through garbage for things to burn to keep warm a far cry from Trumps vision Desperate Palestinians at a garbage dump in Gaza are digging with their bare hands for plastic items to burn to keep warm in the cold and damp winter. This is our life, said Sanaa Salah, who lives in a tent with her husband and six kids. We do not sleep at night from the cold. The scene contrasts starkly with the vision for the territory projected by world leaders inaugurating Trumps Board of Peace, which will oversee war-battered Gaza. Trump claimed in Davos this week that record levels of humanitarian aid had entered Gaza since a U.S.-brokered ceasefire started in October. His envoys triumphantly touted the territorys development potential. While aid flows have significantly increased, Gaza residents say fuel and firewood are in short supply. Prices are exorbitant and searching for firewood is dangerous. Two 13-year-old boys were shot and killed by Israeli forces on Wednesday as they tried to collect firewood, hospital officials said. Israel has killed more than 470 people in Gaza since the truce began. Musk is optimistic for European approval of self-driving software Musk said Tesla is hoping to get approval from European regulators for drivers to use its partial self-driving software by next month, a significant development that could help reverse a sales plunge. Musk had previously promised European approval in the first few months of last year. Tesla sales have fallen hard in Europe as Chinese and European electric vehicle makers have introduced new, appealing models and customers boycotted his brand due to his embrace of far right-wing politicians. Musk draws laughter with piece vs. peace At the start of Musks session, the tycoon joked about attending the Davos meeting because of Trumps Board of Peace. I heard about the formation of the peace summit, and I was like, is that p-i-e-c? You know, a little piece of Greenland, a little piece of Venezuela, he said, laughing. All we want is peace, he added to quiet chuckles from the audience. Zelenskyy is hopeful about upcoming trilateral meetings Still, the Ukrainian president said the issue of land in the countrys war-torn east remains the most difficult during his discussions with the U.S. This is the issue we cannot solve yet, he said. Zelenskyy believes the two days of trilateral meetings in the United Arab Emirates, beginning Friday, will be positive. The meetings will include the national security advisers of the U.S., Ukraine and Russia, the Ukrainian president said. He also said the document covering security guarantees for Ukraine has been completed. The bilateral deal with the U.S. and Ukraine, however, would only come into effect if Russia agrees to end the war. Musk gently criticizes tariffs on solar power as an obstacle to AI growth As the conversation turned to artificial intelligence and the massive energy demands that come with it, Musk critiqued Trumps trade policy. Unfortunately in the U.S., the tariff barriers for solar (panels) are extremely high, Musk said. And that makes the economics of deploying solar artificially high, because China makes almost all the solar and the tech, he said. Musk imagines a world full of robots Musk predicted that robots would transform society and would help humanity by reducing the need for human work an idea he has touched on in the past. He predicted that one day robots will end up manufacturing more robots. There will be such an abundance of goods and services because, he said. Therell be more robots than people. He added that everyone on Earth is going to want a robot to take care of older parents or children. He said Tesla will begin selling robots to the public by the end of next year. Musk aims to make life multiplanetary Musk, whose companies include Tesla, SpaceX and Starlink, says their goal is to maximize the probability that civilization has a great future. He kicked off his Davos address with a high-level overview of his companies, talking about robotics, artificial intelligence, sustainable technology and making life multiplanetary. Zelenskyy criticizes European troop deployment to Greenland Zelenskyy said Europe needs to know how to defend itself properly and the recent troop deployment to Greenland was not a serious military build-up. You either declare that European bases will protect the region from Russia and China and establish those bases, the Ukrainian president said, or you risk not being taken seriously, because 30 or 40 soldiers will not protect anything. Zelenskyy also offered Ukraines expertise to help defend the Arctic. Musk promises an interesting event at his Davos debut Musk has taken the main stage in his debut appearance at Davos. Were gonna make this interesting, the billionaire and former top Trump advisor said. Musks session was billed as a conversation moderated by the forums interim co-chair, who encouraged the crowd to applaud more enthusiastically for the billionaire. Gaza high-rise redevelopment is totally unrealistic, expert says Bar-Yaacov, an international lawyer and expert in conflict resolution, described the Board of Peaces initial concept for redeveloping the Gaza Strip as totally unrealistic and an indication that Trump views the project as a real estate developer, not a peacemaker. A project with so many high-rise buildings would never be acceptable because each one would provide a clear view of Israeli military bases near the border, she said. Bar-Yaacov also expressed concern that the board seems to give greatest weight to the rich and powerful, rather than multi-lateral cooperation. A conflict resolution expert is skeptical of the Board of Peaces makeup The composition of Trumps Board of Peace does not bode well for the projects success, said Nomi Bar-Yaacov, an international lawyer and expert in conflict resolution. Among the troubling signs are the likely inclusions of Netanyahu and Putin, Bar-Yaacov told the AP. Both of them have been indicted for war crimes by the International Criminal Court, she said. So what kind of a board of peace is this? Zelenskyy decries Russias targeting of energy infrastructure during harsh winter Zelenskyy says Russias repeated targeting of Ukraines energy infrastructure was an effort to cause blackouts in Ukraine during the harshest winter the country has faced in years. This is the face of Russia, Zelensky said. He said while Ukraine is now able to produce thousands of interceptor drones per day, it is not enough to defend against the number of drones and missiles Russia uses against Ukraine. Zelenskyy announces trilateral meetings between US, Ukraine and Russia Zelenskyy has announced two days of trilateral meetings between the U.S., Ukraine and Russia in the Emirates starting Friday. The trilateral meetings will follow the American negotiating teams visit to Moscow the day before. Russians have to be ready for compromises because, you know, everybody has to be ready, not only Ukraine, Zelenskyy said, and this is important for us. Zelenskyy criticizes Europe and references Groundhog Day Zelenskyy has delivered strong words criticizing European leaders on the continents security. Just last year, here in Davos, I ended my speech with the words: Europe needs to know how to defend itself. A year has passed. And nothing has changed. We are still in a situation where I must say the same words again, he said in a speech at Davos. He added that Europe needs to act now, referencing the film Groundhog Day. The war in Ukraine approaches the fourth anniversary of Russias full-scale invasion. Zelenskyy says documents for a deal to end war are nearly, nearly ready Zelenskyy said documents for a deal to end the war in Ukraine are nearly, nearly ready. Some of the documents seek security guarantees, while others cover economic plans for the future of Ukraine. Zelenskyy calls Trump meeting productive and substantive Zelenskyy has called his meeting with Trump productive and substantive in a post Thursday on social media. The Ukrainian president said on X that he and Trump spoke about air defense for Ukraine. Zelenskyy also wrote that he thanked the U.S. leader for the previous package of air defense missiles, while asking for an additional one. Our previous meeting with President Trump helped strengthen the protection of our skies, and I hope that this time we will reinforce it further as well, he said. Trump has a long drive back to Zurich Trump is leaving Davos, but bad weather kept his helicopter grounded, meaning he faces a drive from the mountain town to Air Force One that could take as long as two hours. Trump says he had a good meeting with Zelenskyy The U.S. and Ukrainian leaders were together for about an hour in what Trump described to reporters as a good meeting. The Russia-Ukraine war has to end, Trump said, adding, We hope its going to end. I think the meeting was good, he said. U.S. representatives will meet with Russian President Vladimir Putin on Friday. Trump says emerging Greenland deal includes all the military access we want Were going to have total access to Greenland, Trump said in a Fox Business interview with Maria Bartiromo. Were going to have all the military access we want. Trump said the deal, if completed, will also allow for the U.S. to install an element of his Golden Dome, part of a multibillion dollar missile defense system, on the Danish territory. The president on Wednesday scrapped the tariffs that he threatened to impose on eight European nations to press for U.S. control over Greenland after he said he came to an agreement with the head of NATO on a framework of a future deal on Arctic security. Trump-Zelenskyy meeting ends after about an hour A meeting between President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and President Donald Trump has ended, Ukrainian presidential spokesman Serhii Nykyforov said. The meeting between the two leaders at Davos lasted about an hour. They had a brief one-on-one conversation at the end, Nykyforov added. Zelenskyys media adviser Dmytro Lytvyn said: We didnt count how long the meeting lasted, but it was good. The two leaders stayed off camera, and there was no photo op nor questions taken. Trump and Zelenskyy in Davos together The Ukrainian president passed reporters on his way into a meeting with Trump at the World Economic Forum. Trump said earlier today that ending the Russia-Ukraine war remains a priority. Were working to end the horrible killing in Ukraine, Trump said at the launch of his Board of Peace. U.S. representatives will meet with Russian President Vladimir Putin later Thursday, Trump said after the event. Zelenskyy arrives for Davos talks Ukrainian President Volodymyr has arrived at the Congress Center ahead of his panel discussion. He walked past the media without answering questions. Putin meets with Palestinian President Abbas in Moscow Russian President Vladimir Putin on Thursday hosted Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas in Moscow for talks. The Russian leader noted that back in 1988, the Soviet Union recognized the Palestinian state, and we maintain the same position today. Our approach to the issues of Palestine and the Middle East settlement is principled, not opportunistic. We believe that only forming and proper functioning of the Palestinian state can lead to a final settlement of the Middle East conflict, Putin said. Putin said the two will discuss the situation in Gaza and on the Israeli-Palestinian track, including Trumps Board of Peace. Moscow is considering an invitation to join, according to Putin, who has proposed sending $1 billion to the board from Russian assets frozen in the U.S. First and foremost in order to support the Palestinian people, allocate these funds for rebuilding Gaza, generally on solving problems of Palestine, Putin told Abbas. I think it is quite possible, Putin added. We have discussed such options before with the representatives of the U.S. administration, and today a meeting and a conversation on this topic is planned in Moscow. Putin is due to meet Thursday with Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner. China refutes Trump wind power claim China on Thursday refuted Trumps claim that it doesnt use wind power turbines at home while dominating the international market for them. Trump blasted wind energy in a speech Wednesday in Davos, saying stupid people were buying windmills from China, which doesnt use them at home. Foreign Ministry spokesperson Guo Jiakun said China had 600 million kilowatts of wind power capacity as of the end of November, adding that Chinese exports of wind and solar power equipment had helped other countries reduce their carbon emissions. Chinas efforts in addressing climate change and promoting the development and application of global renewable energy are evident to all, he said in Beijing. Israel does not immediately comment on Rafah crossing Israels Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahus office and the Israeli military did not have immediate comment on the possible opening of the Rafah crossing. Kushner, Trump tout Gaza development potential Jared Kushner, Trumps son-in-law who has been involved in Middle East negotiations, gave a slide deck presentation at the Board of Peace launch that included real estate development plans by zones. We do not have a plan B, Kushner said, adding that people in Middle East build cities in two or three years. Trump, during his closing remarks, noted his own experiences in real estate. He described Gaza as this beautiful piece of property and suggested his push for peace between Israel and Hamas all began with the location. Rafah border crossing to open next week Ali Shaath, head of new technocratic government in Gaza, announced the Rafah border crossing will open in both directions next week. Israel said in early December it would open the crossing between Gaza and Egypt, but has yet to do so. Shaath spoke by video message to leaders at the forum. Marco Rubio praises board, emphasizes Gaza mission The U.S. secretary of state praised the Board of Peace as a group of leaders that is about action and credited Trump for bringing it together. Hes not limited by some of the things that have happened in the past, and hes willing to talk to or engage with anyone in the interest of peace, Rubio said. Rubio stressed the bodys job first and foremost is making sure that this peace deal in Gaza becomes enduring. Then, Rubio said, it can look elsewhere. With details of the boards operations still unclear, Rubio described it is a work in progress. Many others who are going to join, you know, others either are not in town today or they have to go through some procedure internally in their own countries, in their own country, because of constitutional limitations, but others will join, Rubio said. Board of Peace takes shape with few details about mandate, membership Trump inaugurated his newly created Board of Peace with a handful of founding members but offered few details about its mandate and how the panel will work or might pursue efforts to end global conflicts. Trump hailed the board as something very, very unique for the world. Speaking at a ceremony to sign the boards charter, Trump said it could work with the United Nations to resolve wars not only in the Middle East, where the Israel-Hamas war in Gaza was the genesis of the concept. But he did not provide specifics about how the board would cooperate with the U.N. A number of countries, many of them close U.S. allies, have expressed concerns Trump might want the board to supplant or rival the U.N. and have either refused to sign on or remained noncommittal. Trump and others signing Board of Peace documents The U.S. president concluded his remarks and he and leaders from Board of Peace nations are signing documents. The White House billed the ceremony as a sort of charter launch, but no charter draft has been publicly released. Nor is a complete membership list clear yet. Some invitees are still considering whether to join. Trump affirms global ambition for his Board of Peace Trump reaffirmed the Board of Peace will start with a focus on Gaza but then look globally. I think we can spread out to other things as as we succeed with Gaza, were going to be very successful in Gaza, he said, adding, We can do numerous other things. Once this board is completely formed, we can do pretty much whatever we want to do. He promised again to work in conjunction with the United Nations, though he still criticized the U.N. for not doing enough historically. I think the combination of the Board of Peace with the kind of people we have here, coupled with the United Nations, can be something very, very unique for the world, Trump said. Trump suggests Middle East problems can end easily The U.S. president says the Israel-Hamas war in Gaza is really coming to an end and Hezbollahs presence in Lebanon amounts to remnants. On Gaza, Trump said, Theyre down to little fires. We can put them out very easily. Trump acknowledged Hezbollah remains in Lebanon, but he downplayed the groups strength. These are remnants. I call them remnants, Trump said. Trump mentions UN as a partner In his opening remarks praising the launch of his Board of Peace, Trump made a point to mention the United Nations. He said many nations have been part of establishing the body. Then he added, Well work with many others, including the United Nations. Trump has been highly critical of the U.N. and withdrawn the U.S. from multiple international organizations, and he has expressed ambitions recently that the new international board can replicate if not compete with the U.N. as an international broker. Board of Peace logo focuses on US, other parts of Americas Trump initially billed his Board of Peace focused on Gaza. Then he said it could play alongside the U.N. as a global broker. But the logo featured at the Davos event depicts North America and only parts of South America. The White House and State Department in Trumps second presidency also been highly focused on the Western Hemisphere, complete with Trump dubbing his approach the Donroe Doctrine as a play on the Monroe Doctrine established under the fifth U.S. president. Trump has arrived for Board of Peace launch The U.S. president will pitch his new international body with heads of government and top diplomats from multiple continents. Secretary of State Marco Rubio and U.S. envoy Steve Witkoff also are with Trump. The board initially was billed as part of the peace process for Israel and Gaza but Trump has since expanded his ambitions for the group, saying it can play a role mediating other international conflicts. Merz supports talks between Denmark, Greenland and US Chancellor Friedrich Merz of Germany, one of the European countries that had faced Trumps threat of tariffs over Greenland, said he supports talks between Denmark, Greenland and the U.S. but reaffirmed the Danish kingdoms sovereignty. It is good news that we are making steps into that right direction, Merz said at Davos. I welcome President Trumps remarks from last night this is the right way to go. Rubio, Witkoff, Kushner lead Board of Peace US delegation with Trump Trumps core foreign policy advisers are expected to join him at the Board of Peace event, with Trumps son-in-law Jared Kushner in the room alongside Secretary of State Marco Rubio and U.S. envoy Steve Witkoff. Witkoff and Kushner have been at the center of multiple international negotiations, with Kushner involved especially in Middle East despite not having an official White House role as he did in the first Trump presidency. Trump and other leaders set to launch Board of Peace The U.S. president will host presidents, prime ministers and top diplomats from more than a dozen countries to tout his international Board of Peace. The list of attendees, according to a World Economic Forum schedule, is heavy on the Middle East and South America. But it remains short on major U.S. allies from Europe and the full membership list still isnt clear. Among the heads of government: Argentina President Javier Milei and Indonesia President Prabowo Subianto, both Trump allies; Paraguays conservative President Santiago Pena; Uzbekistan President Shavkat Mirziyoyev; Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif; Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan and Azerbaijan President Ilham Aliyev. Pashinyan and Aliyev agreed to their own peace deal at the White House last year. Attendees also include ministers and diplomats from Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, Turkey and Morocco, among others. Elon Musk to speak at Davos in newly scheduled session Tech billionaire Elon Musk is set to speak at Davos on Thursday in a newly scheduled session. The World Economic Forum, which Musk previously criticized, confirmed it will be the Tesla owner's first time attending the elite event in the Swiss Alps. His address is billed as a conversation with Laurence Fink, BlackRocks CEO and interim co-chair of the forum. Musk is embroiled in a war of words with Ryanair CEO Michael OLeary that began with a dispute over installing Starlink systems on Ryanair planes. O'Leary on Wednesday dismissed the tech titans suggestion he would buy the budget airline. Asian shares rise, tracking Wall Street gains as Trump backs off Greenland Asian shares mostly advanced on Thursday, tracking Wall Street, after Trump walked back from imposing tariffs on eight European countries over Greenland and ruled out using military force to take control of the territory. The future for the S&P 500 was up 0.4% on Thursday, while that for the Dow Jones Industrial Average increased 0.3%. Tokyos Nikkei 225 climbed 1.9% to 53,760.85, with technology stocks among those leading the gain. SoftBank Group jumped 11% and chipmaker Tokyo Electron rose 3.7%. Rutte stresses keeping Ukraine as priority The NATO chief is urging allies to keep our eyes on the ball of Ukraine after a standoff over Greenland that rattled the alliance appeared to ease a day earlier. Rutte, speaking at the Ukraine breakfast, didnt address a question about whether Greenland, which Trump has coveted, would remain a part of Denmark under the framework of a future deal announced by the president. Rutte noted European plans to free up funds for Ukraines defense and U.S.-led talks about a peace deal, but said those efforts wouldnt bear fruit immediately and Russia continues to launch drone and missile attacks on Ukraine. What we need is to keep our eyes on the ball of Ukraine. Lets not drop that ball, Rutte said. Trump seeks to spotlight his proposed Board of Peace Trump wants to spotlight his proposed "Board of Peace" at Davos on Thursday, looking to create momentum for a project that has been overshadowed this week by Greenland. The new board initially was envisioned as a small group of world leaders overseeing the Gaza ceasefire, but has morphed into something far more ambitious. Skepticism about its membership and mandate has led some traditional U.S. allies to take a pass so far. Trump expressed confidence in his idea ahead of what the White House said would be a charter announcement on the sidelines of the forum in the Swiss Alps. Danish PM says she wont negotiate on sovereignty Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen said Thursday that her country cant negotiate on its sovereignty. She has been informed that this has not been the case following the announcement of a new framework with NATO on Arctic security without the U.S. using force to take over Greenland. In a statement, the Danish leader said security in the Arctic is a matter for all of NATO and good and natural that it be discussed between the U.S. president and NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte. Frederiksen said she has spoken with Rutte on an ongoing basis, including before and after he met Trump in Davos. ___ AP World Economic Forum: https://apnews.com/hub/world-economic-forum Marine veteran fatally shot at Facebook marketplace meetup called 911, family in final moments. A decorated Marine veteran was fatally shot at his home during a Facebook Marketplace sale and he spent his final moments describing his attackers to police over the phone before heartbreakingly texting his family goodbye. Michael Ryan Burke, 42, was gunned down during a sale-turned-robbery involving a cellphone at his home in Columbia, Missouri on Sunday, according to the Three 18-year-olds and a juvenile male have been arrested and charged with murder in Burkes senseless killing. Michael Ryan Burke, 42, was shot and killed at his home on Sunday. Burke was a decorated Marine veteran. instagram/deep.sea.cowboy Burkes college pal and fraternity brother, Jerry Reifeiss, described the veterans final moments in an interview with KRCG13. Reifeiss said that it was hard to fathom Burke was killed during a Facebook marketplace robbery, but likened his resolve in his final moments to the same courage that pushed him to enlist in the military. He said that Burke held on long enough to call 911 and describe the quad of attackers. He also managed to text his mother and sister Im dying and I love you before he was rushed to a local hospital, where he died. That was just Ryan. He always put people in front of him and wanted to make sure people know how he felt. He didnt want to go on to the next life and pass away without providing some information to us that would bring justice to these people and let people know he always loves them, Reifeiss told the outlet. During his time at the University of Missouri, Burke double majored in psychology and sociology, which he wrote was part of the greatest investment in [his] future, according to a 2016 Facebook post. Alexis Gabrielle, 18, and three other people were charged with Burkes murder. boonecountymo Joseph Crane, 18, faces extra charges for unlawful use of a weapon and armed criminal action. boonecountymo I am thankful for the education I received at the University of Missouri because, in my experience, its not so much a weapon but the training of the mind that makes a man dangerous, he wrote. When Burke wasnt in active duty, he was completing missionary work in different parts of the globe, including Uganda, Reifeiss said. In the Facebook post, Burke highlighted his volunteer work in the fight against human trafficking. Alexis Baumann, Kobe Aust, Joseph Crane, all 18-year-old locals, and an unidentified male juvenile were all charged with second-degree murder, first-degree robbery and burglary. Kobe Aust, 18, and an unnamed juvenile were also arrested for Burkes murder. boonecountymo Crane faces two extra charges for unlawful use of a weapon and armed criminal action. The juvenile has a single additional charge for unlawful use of a weapon, according to the Columbia Police Department. Baumann, Aust and Crane are being held without bond at the Boone County Jail. The juvenile is in custody at the Boone County Juvenile Office. The El Paso County medical examiner officially ruled homicide as the cause of death of a migrant who died at an ICE detention center in El Paso. Geraldo Lunas Campos' cause of death was "asphyxia due to neck and torso compression," stated the autopsy report released by the medical examiner on Wednesday, Jan. 21. "Based on the investigative and examination findings, it is my opinion that the cause of death is asphyxia due to neck and torso compression, the report states. The manner of death is homicide. Geraldo Lunas Campos Lunas Campos, 55, died Jan. 3 at Camp East Montana, an ICE detention center in East El Paso. The detention center is located on Fort Bliss property. He had been held at the facility for nearly four months. Camp East Montana is the largest ICE detention center in the U.S. It is projected to hold 5,000 detainees for deportation. The facility has grown to a capacity of 3,250 people as of Dec. 19. The site continues to generate reports of inhumane conditions and human rights violations since it opened in August. ICE officials in a Jan. 9 news release claimed Lunas Campos became "disruptive" while in line for medication. He was placed in segregation where staff observed him in distress and contacted on-site medical personnel for assistance, the release said. The autopsy report states Lunas Campos became unresponsive while being physically restrained by law enforcement. He had scattered superficial abrasions all over his body, the report states. The medical examiner also found a hemorrhage involving the strap muscles and connective tissues of the neck. He also had petechial hemorrhages in the eyelids and in the front and side of his neck. He also suffered fractured ribs. More: Cuban immigrant's death at Camp East Montana likely 'homicide' Lunas Campos medical history included suffering from bipolar disorder and anxiety, the report states. The examiner wrote that a toxicology report found that Lunas Campos had trazodone, an antidepressant, and hydroxyzine, an antihistamine, in his system. While the autopsy report states the cause of death is homicide, it is not a legal finding and does not mean criminal charges will be filed against those involved in the incident. ICE officials said the death was under investigation but have not commented further. FBI officials said they cannot confirm or deny if an investigation is underway because of the U.S. Department of Justice policy. Typically, the FBI investigates homicides at federal facilities and on federal property. ICE response to reports of homicide ruling The Washington Post first reported that the El Paso medical examiner was going to rule the death a likely homicide in a Jan. 15 report. ICE officials responded to the report in a social media post on Jan. 16, claiming that Lunas Campos was attempting to commit suicide and "violently resisted the security staff." "On January 3rd, Geraldo Lunas Campos, a criminal illegal alien and convicted child sex predator, attempted to take his own life while he was detained at the Camp East Montana detention facility," the post said. "The security staff immediately intervened to save his life. Campos violently resisted the security staff and continued to attempt to take his life." The post claims Lunas Campos stopped breathing and lost consciousness during the struggle. Medical staff made "repeated attempts to resuscitate him," but he was pronounced dead at the detention center. More: Second migrant death reported at Camp East Montana ICE facility "ICE takes seriously the health and safety of all those detained in our custody," the post said. "This is still an active investigation, and more details are forthcoming. ICE investigates the circumstances of all deaths in custody." Lunas Campos was arrested by immigration authorities on July 14 "during a planned enforcement operation in Rochester, New York," ICE officials said. He was moved to El Paso on Sept. 6. They alleged Lunas Campos had a lengthy criminal record, including convictions for criminal possession of a weapon, sexual contact with a child under 11, reckless driving, possession of a controlled substance and sale of a controlled substance. Deaths at migrant ICE detention center in El Paso, Texas Lunas Campos was the second migrant to die at the El Paso detention center. There have been at least three deaths at the center since it opened in August. The latest death was 36-year-old Victor Manuel Diaz, a Nicaraguan immigrant, on Jan. 14. ICE announced his death on Sunday, Jan 18. Diaz died of a presumed suicide, ICE officials said in a news release. More: Exclusive: She survived ICE custody; her husband died during detention The first death at the detention center was 48-year-old Francisco Gaspar Cristobal Andres, a Guatemalan immigrant. He was taken to Hospitals of Providence East on Nov. 16 and died on Dec. 3. He died because of liver and kidney failure, ICE officials said in a news release. Aaron Martinez covers the criminal justice system for the El Paso Times. He may be reached at amartinez1@elpasotimes.com. This article originally appeared on El Paso Times: El Paso ICE migrant death ruled homicide; investigation continues A stencilled outline of a hand found on the Indonesian island of Sulawesi is the world's oldest known cave painting, researchers say. It shows a red outline of a hand whose fingers were reworked, researchers say, to create a claw-like motif which indicates an early leap in symbolic imagination. The painting has been dated to at least 67,800 years ago around 1,100 years before the previous record, a controversial hand stencil in Spain. The find also strengthens the argument that our species, Homo sapiens, had reached the wider AustraliaNew Guinea landmass, known as Sahul, by around 15,000 years earlier than some researchers argue. Over the past decade, a series of discoveries on Sulawesi has overturned the old idea that art and abstract thinking in our species burst suddenly into life in Ice Age Europe and spread from there. Cave art is seen as a key marker of when humans began to think in truly abstract, symbolic ways the kind of imagination that underpins language, religion and science. Early paintings and engravings show people not just reacting to the world, but representing it, sharing stories and identities in a way no other species is known to have done. Professor Adam Brumm of Griffiths University in Australia, who co-led the project, told BBC News, that the latest discovery, published in the journal Nature, adds to the emerging view that there was no awakening for humanity in Europe. Instead, creativity was innate to our species, the evidence for which stretches back to Africa, where we evolved. "When I went to university in the mid to late 90s, that's what we were taught the creative explosion in humans occurred in a small part of Europe. But now we're seeing traits of modern human behaviour, including narrative art in Indonesia, which makes that Eurocentric argument very hard to sustain". The oldest Spanish cave art is a red hand stencil in Maltravieso cave in Western Spain, dated to be at least 66,700 years old - though this is controversial and some experts don't think it to be that old. In 2014, hand stencils and animal figures dating back at least 40,000 years were found in Sulawesi, followed by a hunting scene that is at least 44,000 year old, and then a narrative pig and human painting dated to at least 51,200 years ago. Each step pushed sophisticated image making further back in time, according to Professor Maxime Aubert of Griffiths University. "We started with minimum ages of at least 40,000 years, the same time as in Europe, but by getting closer to the pigment we've pushed the rock art in Sulawesi back by at least another 28,000 years". The latest discovery is from a limestone cave called Liang Metanduno on Muna, a small island off south eastern Sulawesi. It has been spray-painted: an ancient graffiti artist pressed their hand flat against the cave wall, then blew or spat a mouthful of pigment around it so that, when they pulled the hand away, a negative outline was left behind on the rock. One fragmentary hand stencil there is overlain by thin mineral crusts that, when analysed, was found to have a minimum age of 67,800 years, making it the oldest reliably dated cave art anywhere in the world. Crucially, the artist did more than simply spray pigment around a hand pressed to the wall, the researchers say. More recent elongated hand stencils found elsewhere in Suluwesi shows how prevalent the red claw image was among these ancient artists. [Ahdi Agus Oktaviana] After the original stencil was made, the outlines of the fingers were carefully altered narrowed and elongated to make it look more claw-like; a creative transformation that Brumm argues is "a very us thing to do". He notes that there was no evidence of that experimentation in any of the art produced by our sister species, Neanderthals, in their cave paintings in Spain around 64,000 years ago. Even that is hotly contested because some researchers question the dating method. Until this latest discovery on Muna, all the paintings in Sulawesi had come from the Maros Pangkep karst in the island's south west. The fact that this much older stencil turns up on the opposite side of Sulawesi, on a separate satellite island, suggests that making images on cave walls was not a local experiment but deeply embedded in the cultures that spread across the region. Brumm says years of fieldwork by Indonesian colleagues have revealed "hundreds of new rock art sites" across remote areas, with some caves used repeatedly over tens of thousands of years. At Liang Metanduno, other, much younger paintings on the same panel some produced as late as about 20,000 years ago show that this single cave was a focus for artistic activity stretching over at least 35,000 years. [BBC] Because Sulawesi lies on the northern sea route between mainland Asia and ancient Sahul, the dates have direct implications for assessing when the ancestors of Aboriginal Australians first arrived. For years, the mainstream view based largely on DNA studies and most archaeological sites was that Homo sapiens first reached the ancient AustraliaNew Guinea landmass, Sahul, about 50,000 years ago. But with firm evidence that Homo sapiens were settled on Sulawesi and making complex symbolic art at least 67,800 years ago, it makes it much more likely that controversial archaeological evidence for humans in northern Australia by about 65,000 years is correct, according to Adhi Agus Oktaviana, of the Indonesia's national research and innovation Agency (BRIN). "It is very likely that the people who made these paintings in Sulawesi were part of the broader population that would later spread through the region and ultimately reach Australia." Many archaeologists once argued for a European "big bang" of the mind because cave paintings, carvings, ornaments and new stone tools all seem to appear together in France and Spain about 40,000 years ago, soon after Homo sapiens arrived there. Spectacular Ice Age cave art in places like Altamira and El Castillo encouraged the idea that symbolism and art switched on almost overnight in Ice Age Europe. Since then, engraved ochre, beads and abstract marks from South African sites such as Blombos Cave, some 70,000100,000 years old, have shown that symbolic behaviour was already established in Africa long before. Along with very old figurative and narrative paintings from Sulawesi, a new consensus is being shaped; that there was a much deeper and more widespread story of creativity, Aubert told BBC News. "What it suggests is that humans would have had that capacity for a very long time, at least when they left Africa but probably before that". [BBC] Get our flagship newsletter with all the headlines you need to start the day. Sign up here. FILE PHOTO: Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif arrives to attend a plenary session of the International Forum dedicated to the International Year of Peace and Trust, the International Day of Neutrality, and the 30th anniversary of Turkmenistan's neutrality status, at the Congress Centre in Ashgabat, Turkmenistan December 12, 2025. Sputnik/Alexander Kazakov/Pool via REUTERS/File Photo By Asif Shahzad and Ariba Shahid ISLAMABAD, Jan 21 (Reuters) - Pakistan will join U.S. President Donald Trump's "Board of Peace" to help achieve lasting peace in Gaza, its foreign ministry said on Wednesday. Pakistan hoped "concrete steps will be taken towards the implementation of a permanent ceasefire" as well as to boost aid and Gaza's reconstruction, the ministry said in a statement. The announcement came after Pakistani army chief Field Marshal Asim Munir flew to Davos, three Pakistani officials told Reuters. Munir, along with Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, is likely to see Trump, they said. They spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to disclose the information to the media. Pakistan army's public relations wing did not respond to a Reuters request for comment. The board, set up late last year under Trump's Gaza plan, is aimed at resolving global conflicts. Some countries have reacted with caution to the initiative, although the U.S. has said that over 20 countries have agreed to join so far. Pakistan was invited by Trump to join the board, the ministry said. (Reporting by Asif Shahzad, writing by Sakshi Dayal; Editing by YP Rajesh and Bernadette Baum) Pam Bondi has not given up the hunt to arrest Don Lemon.mega A federal magistrate judge in Minnesota has refused to sign a complaint charging Don Lemon in connection with a chaotic protest inside a church on Sunday, RadarOnline.com can report. But the former CNN anchor is not out of the woods yet, as an "enraged" Attorney General Pam Bondi is said to be already exploring her other options. Squeezing Lemon Over His Reporting A judge declined to press charges against the journalist for taking part in an anti-ICE protest.TheDonLemonShow/youtube Lemon joined a group of anti-ICE protesters who interrupted a church service in Minnesota, which many argue is a violation of the religious institution's protections. Already on Thursday, Bondi announced two arrests connected to the church protest Chauntyll Louisa Allen, who serves on the St. Paul School Board, and Nekima Levy Armstrong, whom the AG blamed for organizing the protest. However, her highest-profile target was Lemon, who livestreamed the chaotic confrontation on his personal YouTube news channel. "The attorney general is enraged at the magistrate's decision," a source told CBS News, while a different insider stressed that the process is not over, and the Justice Department could find other avenues to charge Lemon. Blaming Bondi Bondi was blamed for the failure to obtain charges.mega Online, critics who are already upset with Bondi over her botched handling of the Jeffrey Epstein files demanded she step up her actions. "Do Nothing Barbie is enraged huh? Now she knows how all good people feel, because of her," one person tweeted. Another blasted in all caps: "ARREST PAM BONDI!!!! WTF HAS SHE EVER DONE FOR AMERICANS?" As a third accused: "Pam Bondi protects elite democrats. Watch as Don Lemon gets away scot-free." Lemon didn't dodge attacks either, with many opponents urging Bondi to "get Lemon." "What about Don Lemon?" one person questioned. "He was an active participant, and I doubt those other clowns would have even gone through with it if Donny werent broadcasting for the world to see." Lemon on the Scene The former CNN anchor is covering the protests for his own YouTube channel.TheDonLemonShow/youtube As Radar has reported, Lemon has been in Minnesota covering the growing unrest after the shooting death of Renee Good earlier this month. While now without an actual network, the 59-year-old has been posting content and coverage to his personal YouTube channel. The former CNN anchor was interviewing one protester standing outside Cities Church in St. Paul when a group suddenly stormed the church. Lemon joined them, keeping his camera rolling as he documented the confrontation. The outcry spread nationwide, with one fellow pastor telling his congregants: "We condemn the actions of Don Lemon and the group of activists who stormed Cities Church today in St. Paul, Minnesota, in clear violation of the FACE Act. "Christians everywhere should demand that the Department of Justice arrest those who participated. We must protect religious liberty in this country." Lemon Fires Back He was accused of joining in on the protest while reporting on it. TheDonLemonShow/youtube Lemon later fired back on Instagram, saying he had no affiliation with the group of protesters and was merely covering their protest like any journalist would. "The MAGA administration and the fake news MAGAs are losing their minds over something thats not even true," Lemon said, defending his actions as an "act of journalism," which was to "report on it and talk to the people involved." He then further distanced himself from the group, throwing the protest organizer under the bus: "So, why don't you talk to the actual person who is in charge of the organization and whose idea it was to have the protest at the church before you start blaming me for stuff for which you have no idea. "Thank you for your attention to this matter." In this February 15, 2025 a Qatari Boeing 747 sits on the tarmac of Palm Beach International airport after US President Donald Trump toured the aircraft. - Roberto Schmidt/AFP/Getty Images The luxury Qatari jet being transformed into a new Air Force One will be delivered this summer, the Air Force said in a statement, roughly a year after its extensive modification began. The Air Force remains committed to expediting delivery of the VC-25 bridge aircraft in support of the Presidential airlift mission, with an anticipated delivery no later than summer 2026, an Air Force spokesperson told CNN on Thursday. Its unclear if the plane will be immediately operational once it is delivered, or if more testing would need to be conducted before it is fit to fly for the president. The Wall Street Journal first reported the delivery date of this summer. The Air Force has not previously provided a firm timeline for the project, though President Donald Trump said last year the plane could be ready to use by February 2026 an ambitious timeline given the substantial work needed to be done on the aircraft to make it a suitable to operate as Air Force One. The US began converting the jet last year, though details related to the modification are largely classified. The Boeing 747 aircraft a gift donated by Qatar, Trump said last year would need to undergo considerable changes in order to address intelligence and security risks. CNN previously reported it would need to be stripped down to its frame by US agencies, and rebuilt with necessary communications and security equipment. You would want to check the airplane out completely strip it down, check for bugs, things like that, harden it to make sure nobody could hijack the electronics on the airplane The ability for the president to command and control his military in the worst days, that takes a lot, a retired senior military official familiar with Air Force One previously told CNN. Other features like the ability to refuel mid-air, for example, are not standard for conventional 747 aircraft, but would be a necessary capability if the president wanted to remain airborne in the instance of a major emergency. The Air Force spokesperson on Thursday said the service was working with other government entities to ensure proper security measures and function-mission requirements are considered for the aircraft. An agreement signed by Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth and his Qatari counterpart last year said the donation of the plane was unconditional and confirmed the US would not pay anything to Qatar. Still, the US was expected to spend hundreds of millions of dollars converting the aircraft. The project was expected to cost probably less than $400 million, Air Force Secretary Troy Meink told lawmakers last year. Boeing has also been working to renovate two of its 747 jets to serve as the next generation Air Force One, but the process has dragged on years longer than originally planned, at a huge cost to the company. The company and Air Force signed a deal in 2018 to provide the new jets for a total of $3.9 billion, with the expectation they would be done by 2024. Work began on the jets with the stripping out of their commercial interiors in 2019. But delays and cost-overruns have cost Boeing more than $2.3 billion, according to company financial reports. And a firm date of when they will be done is not yet know, but it wont be before next year at the earliest. Boeing referred a question Wednesday on the timing for the new jets to the Air Force. Earlier this week an electrical issue forced Trumps Europe-bound plane to turn back to Joint Base Andrews. To resume his trip to Switzerland, the president switched Tuesday to a Boeing C-32A, which is often used by the first lady or Cabinet members CNNs Chris Isidore contributed reporting. For more CNN news and newsletters create an account at CNN.com Dave Ramsey is upset for a caller's situation after finding out about a shockingly large loan she had been approved for. Heather from Nashville broke down when she called in to The Ramsey Show to tell co-hosts Dave Ramsey and Jade Warshaw about how she and her husband were in way over [their] heads because of a business loan. Heather and her husband are both 28 years old, and after her husband lost his job four years ago and couldn't find steady work, they started their own business: a summer camp for kids. Must Read Now, they are $1.3 million in debt. They owe $48,000 on their home, which is worth about $250,000, plus they owe $17,000 on their cars, $30,000 in back taxes, and $19,000 in credit card debt. The bulk of the debt, though, nearly $1.2 million, is a loan they took out to buy another business assets. Heather said that their summer camp business does well, bringing in about $200,000 a year. But the loan for the assets they bought from an event rental business lighting, audio visual equipment and inflatables is sinking them. A bad deal that snowballed into seven-figure debt Ramsey was incensed that Heather and her partner were able to get the loan from the Small Business Administration (SBA) in the first place. Anybody that made this loan should be just lined up and shot. Oh my god, this is ridiculous, Ramsey said. He asked Heather whether they would be able to sell the assets for anywhere close to what they paid for them. She said they couldnt because they realized later that they had been deceived and it was a bad deal they had overpaid by about $400,000. Before giving Heather his advice, he told her about his own experience when he was her age, when he lost everything and ended up bankrupt. He said for Heather and her husband, The worst case scenario is you lose the business, you lose the camp, and you start your lives fresh after a bankruptcy. And you hold on to each other. He went on to say that lots of people have gone broke, but that it was important to keep their relationship strong. Although Ramsey seemed like he might suggest that they have to file for bankruptcy, saying, I dont right now see how youre getting out of this, he gave Heather other options than bankruptcy to solve her problem. I would sell [the assets] for whatever you can get for it. If you can get $800,000 for it, take it. And go to the SBA and do a short sale. Hire an attorney and tell the SBA, You get nothing, honey, if you dont take this 800, cause Im walking and youre going to own a blow-up inflatable. The other option Ramsey gave Heather, if they were unable to do a short sell, was to sign a note for the difference and scratch your way through that $400K, since they are making about $200,000 from the summer camp, which is still in operation. He said that, with their income, they could bust through these other little debts, and pay the stinking IRS. Read More: This $1B private real estate fund is now accessible to non-millionaires. Heres how you can get started with as little as $10 When small business owners have to consider bankruptcy Starting a small business comes with financial risk, especially when taking on a large loan, like the caller Heather and her husband did. Small business owners may also use their own money to float their businesses, which comes with risks as well. The Fed Small Business 2024 Report on Startup Firms says that 77% of startups without employees that were in their first two years of business accessed personal funds to address challenges (2). Taking on such a large loan like Heather and her husband did is a risky move. The more debt youre in, the more risk you take, Ramsey said. He noted that the couples income was nowhere near enough to even service the debt, much less everything else. Taking on big risks with your small business can lead you down a road that ends in bankruptcy. Bankruptcy can have serious consequences, both financial and legal. How you file for bankruptcy as a small business owner depends on whether your business is sole proprietor, or if it is a partnership, corporation or limited liability company (LLC) (3). According to the City Bar Justice Center, it is important for small business owners thinking of filing for bankruptcy to consider the legal structure of their businesses; whether they want to close their businesses or keep operating; and whether the business owners are personally liable for their business debts through personal guarantees. There are instances where a small business owner could be held liable for debt in bankruptcy, according to the City Bar Justice Center. For example, in the case of a corporation or LLC, if creditors find that the business finances were misused, or the corporation or LLC was simply an alter ego for the individual business owners, creditors may sue to have the debt shift from the business onto the individual owners, making them personally liable for the debt (3). For business owners like Heather, the right path forward may not be obvious. Thats why small business owners facing overwhelming debt should speak with a bankruptcy attorney before making any decisions, to understand whether selling assets, restructuring debt or starting over offers the clearest way out. What To Read Next Join 200,000+ readers and get Moneywises best stories and exclusive interviews first clear insights curated and delivered weekly. Subscribe now. Article sources We rely only on vetted sources and credible third-party reporting. For details, see our editorial ethics and guidelines. The Ramsey Show Highlights (1); Fed Small Business (2); City Bar Justice Center (3) This article provides information only and should not be construed as advice. It is provided without warranty of any kind. People sit around the International Fountain at the Seattle Center with the Space Needle in the background. Photo: Spencer Pauley / The Center Square (The Center Square) What impact President Trumps most recent threat to suspend federal funding to sanctuary jurisdictions will have on Seattle remains to be seen, but city officials seem cautiously optimistic that Trump does not have the unilateral authority to cut off all federal funding, as Congress controls spending. Starting Feb. 1, we are not making any payments to sanctuary cities or states having sanctuary cities because they do everything possible to protect criminals at the expense of American citizens, Trump said during a Jan. 13 address at the Detroit Economic Club. Seattle receives approximately $120 million in federal funding for programs such as transportation, senior services, nutrition, and housing. Yes, the 2026 Adopted Budget includes a ~$120 million federal grant revenue expectation as part of the base budget, Marquis Bullock, a fiscal and policy analyst for the Seattle Budget Office, emailed The Center Square. The City also accepts Federal grants that supplement this budget throughout the year. We also have unspent grants from prior years that are still active and budget for these [amendments in] the 2026 Adopted Budget. The Center Square asked whether the city had received any official notice from the Trump administration about possible federal funding cuts, but did not receive an answer. Last year, the U.S. Department of Justice published a sanctuary jurisdiction list, including Seattle and Washington state, after Trump warned about potential federal funding cuts for jurisdictions hindering immigration enforcement. While Trump continues to threaten such cuts as part of his administrations crackdown on illegal immigration, cities have successfully challenged such actions in court, asserting local control over resource allocation. Seattle and countless other cities have already successfully challenged similar directives in court, a statement from Seattle City Attorney Erika Evans office said. A federal judges injunction prohibiting President Trumps previous attempt to starve and impoverish people for making policy decisions he dislikes still stands. The City will continue to defend the rule of law and advocate for its legal right to be a welcoming place for all people. In August, U.S. District Judge William Orrick issued a nationwide preliminary injunction that blocked the Trump administration from withholding or freezing federal funding or imposing unrelated immigration-enforcement conditions on over 30 cities and counties that joined the lawsuit. Seattle, along with King County, was specifically named as a plaintiff in the lawsuit. The Center Square also contacted the White House, asking if Trump is confident he can actually cut federal funding to sanctuary jurisdictions, given legal challenges and previous setbacks. White House spokesperson Abigail Jackson referenced a statement sent to another Washington state reporter from The Center Square for a different story: President Trump is right sanctuary cities are incredibly dangerous and put law-abiding Americans at risk. The Trump Administration is currently considering a variety of lawful options to implement this policy. The Center Square reached out to the office of Mayor Katie Wilson for comment on Trumps threat to cut federal funding to sanctuary jurisdictions, but did not get a response. Wilson, who assumed office earlier this month after narrowly defeating then-Mayor Bruce Harrell in November, is a strong supporter of Seattle being a sanctuary city. According to her campaign website, she wants to Trump-proof Seattle. That includes a call to Review and strengthen Seattle's sanctuary city ordinance, which hasn't been updated in over 20 years. Review the City's data collection and storage practices to ensure we are not at risk of sharing data with Federal immigration agencies. She also aims to ensure that Seattle isnt sharing data with federal immigration agencies and that police comply with the Keep Washington Working Act. Its not just city officials who worry about the impact a potential loss of federal funding could have on Seattle. Andrea Suarez is the founder and executive director of We Heart Seattle, a grassroots volunteer movement focused on cleaning up Seattle's public spaces, while providing resources, housing, and treatment options to the homeless. In the state of Washington, especially, were having a very hard time taking care of our own who are dual-diagnosed with untreated mental illness and substance abuse disorder. Our leadership argues that we have an affordability crisis, a housing crisis, and a lack of emergency shelter, she said. Homelessness has gone up more than 500% over the last decade. Our state, especially the County of King and the city of Seattle, [is] overwhelmed with this population in need. We absolutely need any and all federal money to support our citizens getting the treatment and resources they need. She concluded, This would be devastating, to have funding cut for the very people we need to serve, and in order of priority, for those with citizenship currently languishing in our streets and dying at rapid rates from the opioid epidemic. "Sinners" made history Thursday morning, picking up a record 16 Oscar nominations . The horror film, released in April 2025, earned nominations in several categories, including best picture and best director and best acting nominations for three of its stars -- Michael B. Jordan, Wunmi Mosaku and Delroy Lindo. Gareth Cattermole/Getty Images for Warner Bros. Pictures, FILE - PHOTO: In this April 14, 2025, file photo, Jack O'Connell, Omar Benson Miller, Wunmi Mosaku, Ryan Coogler, Michael B. Jordan, Hailee Steinfeld, Jayne Lawson, Miles Caton, Li Jun Li and Delroy Lindo attend the "Sinners" European Premiere in London. Oscar nominations 2026: Full list of nominees Get to know the Oscar-nominated film, its director and cast below. Who stars in 'Sinners'? "Sinners" stars Jordan (as Smoke and Stack), Hailee Steinfeld (as Mary), Miles Caton (as Sammie), Jack O'Connell (as Remmick), Mosaku (as Annie), Jayme Lawson (as Pearline), Omar Benson Miller (as Cornbread) and Lindo (as Delta Slim). Warner Bros. Pictures - PHOTO: Michael B. Jordan appears in the trailer for "Sinners." Peter Dreimanis (Bert), Lola Kirke (Joan), Li Jun Li (Grace), Yao (Bo), Saul Williams (Jedidiah), David Maldonado (Hogwood), Helena Hu (Lisa), Andrene Ward-Hammond (Ruthie), Nathaniel Arcand (Chayton) and Emonie Ellison (Therise) play supporting roles. Legendary blues guitarist Buddy Guy also appears in the film. What is 'Sinners' about? "Sinners" follows twins Smoke and Stack who return to their hometown and open a juke joint, before bloodthirsty vampires crash their plan. Warner Bros. Pictures - PHOTO: Michael B. Jordan as Smoke and as Stack, in Warner Bros. Pictures "Sinners." The horror film serves as a gory allegory for the evils that persisted in the South in the Jim Crow era in the late 19th century and onward. The movie is set in the Mississippi River Delta during the 1930s and tackles themes of music, race, family, religion and vampires. Who directed 'Sinners' and what have they said about the movie? Ryan Coogler, who directed 2013's "Fruitvale Station," 2015's "Creed," 2018's "Black Panther," and 2022's "Black Panther: Wakanda Forever," is the director of "Sinners." He also wrote the film -- serving as producer alongside his wife Zinzi Coogler and frequent collaborator Sev Ohanian -- and said it is a "love letter" to his late uncle, who died in 2015. Coogler told "Good Morning America" in December 2025 that making the horror action movie was "a little nerve-wracking," in part because he felt he was "opening [himself] up to the audience completely for the first time." Oscar nominations 2026: Snubs and surprises "Usually, I'm putting bits of myself into movies with, whether for 'Fruitvale,' it was a pre-existing story or for the 'Panther' films and 'Creed,' they were franchises that I thought I was adding to. But for ['Sinners'], it was completely something that we came up with on our own," Coogler said. "And for me, as a writer-director, I was really putting a lot of myself out there in a different type of way." Coogler also said he first came up with the premise for "Sinners" while listening to the blues song "Wang Dang Doodle." "I had an uncle, my Uncle James from Mississippi, who passed away about 10 years ago, and he would always listen to blues music," Coogler said. "And after he passed, I would listen to records to kind of, you know, remind myself of him, remind myself of the time that we spent together and one day, I was listening to that song, and the idea for the film came to me." What has the 'Sinners' cast said about the movie? Jordan plays twins Smoke and Stack in the film, and the actor told "GMA" in April 2025 that playing a double role was both "fun" and "challenging." "It was a lot of fun playing these two extreme sides. One's a little bit more grounded, a little bit more mellow -- different temperaments, for sure, and one's a little bit more charismatic and a little more of a slick talker," Jordan said. Warner Bros. Pictures - PHOTO: A scene from 'Sinners,' starring Michael B. Jordan. Jordan's co-star Steinfeld plays Mary, whose character has a history with Stack. Steinfeld told "GMA" that to embody Mary, she drew on her own personal family history to help shape the character. "This character challenged me in ways I've never been challenged and in ways I don't know I would have been able to sort of tackle and overcome had it happened any sooner in my life," Steinfeld said. She continued, "Part of my research sort of included understanding my own family history a little bit better, which I am so grateful for, feeling closer to my family, to my grandfather, who's no longer with us." "This movie started a big conversation for me," she added, "and I hope that's one of the many things it does for viewers." The 98th Oscars will be held Sunday, March 15, at the Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles. The awards will be televised live on ABC and streamed live on Hulu beginning at 7 p.m. ET. The Walt Disney Co. is the parent company of ABC and Hulu. Editors Note This story includes updated information about an event that was supposed to have been planned in Virginia. WASHINGTON (DC News Now) Snow preps started for the storm system expected to make its way into the DMV Saturday and Sunday. Not all of the preparations arent about roads and sidewalks. Some of them have to do with snowballs. At least a couple of groups in the area are standing by for snowball fights in the District. and Virginia. Washington DC Snowball Fight Association (DCSFA) told DCNewsNow.com on Wednesday it was definitely planning an event. The group, which makes the most of winter storms when they come our way, was waiting to see how the timing shaped up when it comes to the snow before making a formal announcement. Snow heading to DMV area this weekend. Do you have these items? The association gave people a heads-up on its Facebook page Wednesday, stating: Still, the DCSFA war council must wait another day or so for the forecasts to firm up, before we can make a call on where and when to kick off our 2025/26 season THIS SUNDAY! DCSFA did post on its Instagram account that it was leaning towards 2 p.m. to 3 p.m. on the National Mall near the Metro station, although there could be more than one location. Although DCSFA shared that people in Alexandria planned to hold a similar event Sunday, as reported by ALXNow.com, the website updated its original story to say that the snowball fight there was not alllowed to take place. Copyright 2026 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to DC News Now | DC, Virginia, Maryland News, Weather, Traffic, Sports Live. Video above: News 5 Now Top Stories from Jan. 21, 2026 OKALOOSA COUNTY, Fla. (WKRG) The Okaloosa County School District has named its 2027 Teacher of the Year. Mobile police investigating death near the fairgrounds According to a news release, Ms. Kimberly Day-Scanlon of Kenwood Elementary in Fort Walton Beach received the honor. Day-Scanlon serves as the 4th and 5th-grade ESE CBA teacher and is credited with bringing a deep commitment to education and student success. Ms. Day-Scanlon exemplifies the heart of teaching in Okaloosa County, said Superintendent Marcus Chambers. Her dedication to students, particularly those with unique learning needs, reflects the very best of our profession. She represents the compassion, skill, and excellence we see every day in classrooms across our district, and we are incredibly proud to honor her as our Teacher of the Year. According to the school districts news release, Ms. Day-Scanlon will represent Okaloosa County in the competition against teachers from 71 public school districts and institutions across the state of Florida for the states top teaching honor. Mobile County deputies identify man killed at Axis steel mill Ms. Day-Scanlon will also participate in the Florida Department of Education Teacher of the Year Roundtable and will attend the Macys Gala Awards Ceremony, where the announcement of the Florida Teacher of the Year will take place. Copyright 2026 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WKRG News 5. Donald Trump and Cuba The Trump administration is actively seeking regime change in Cuba and hopes to cut a deal to end communist rule on the island by the end of the year, according to a report. To facilitate the political transition, the Trump administration is searching for Cuban government insiders who could help the US push the existing communist leaders out of power, the Wall Street Journal reported on Wednesday. A concrete plan for doing away with the communist government that has ruled Cuba for nearly 70 years has not yet been developed, according to the outlet, but the governments grip on the island has never been more fragile. Trump could ramp up the pressure on Cuba in an effort to push the communist leaders out. AFP via Getty Images In the wake of Venezuelan dictator Nicolas Maduros ouster, Cubas economy is on the brink of collapse, US officials told the outlet. US intelligence assessments indicate the island is facing chronic shortages of basic goods and medicines and is suffering from frequent blackouts. Cuba depended on Maduro for oil, and the island could run out of fuel within weeks. The Trump administration aims to prevent any more Venezuelan oil from flowing to Cuba to weaken the regime further. Maduros capture by US forces and the subsequent success the Trump administration has had in getting concessions from the Venezuelan government is being viewed as a blueprint for Cuba, US officials said. Cubas economy is on the verge of collapse, according to US officials. AFP via Getty Images The Jan. 3 military operation to arrest Maduro required help from an asset within the Venezuelan dictators inner circle. To identify a similar potential asset in Cuba, the Trump administration has been meeting with Cuban exiles and civic groups in Miami and Washington, US officials told the Journal. The Trump administration could ratchet up the pressure on Cuba while simultaneously negotiating an off-ramp for the countrys leaders, namely 94-year-old Raul Castro the brother of deceased longtime dictator Fidel Castro and Cuban President Miguel Diaz-Canel. President Trump warned Cuba earlier this year that its time to make a deal. THERE WILL BE NO MORE OIL OR MONEY GOING TO CUBA ZERO! Trump wrote in a Jan. 11 Truth Social post. I strongly suggest they make a deal, BEFORE IT IS TOO LATE, he added. The White House did not immediately respond to The Posts request for comment. WASHINGTON President Donald Trump pulled back on a threat to annex Greenland after pushing NATO almost to its breaking point over the dispute. Current and former officials from member nations warned that taking the Danish territory would severely undermine, if not end, the trans-Atlantic alliance. In a dramatic speech at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, in which he lobbed grievances at NATO members from Canada to Denmark, Trump said he was not considering military action to acquire Greenland. "I don't have to use force. I don't want to use force. I won't use force. All the United States is asking for is a place called Greenland," Trump said in the speech, in which he several times referred to Greenland as "Iceland," which is a different country. Life on the ice: Inside the Arctic nation Trump wants in Americas orbit President Donald Trump is stepping up pressure on Greenland to become part of the United States as he announced tariffs against eight European countries. The tariffs are the latest pressure tactic for the United States to purchase Greenland. People walk through fresh snow in the city center on Jan. 18, 2026 in Nuuk, Greenland. Greenlandic, Danish and other European leaders are hoping they can still avert an intervention by the United States to forcefully acquire the island as U.S. President Donald Trump continues to insist the U.S. must have Greenland, suggesting even by military means if necessary. The president had earlier declined to rule out taking Greenland through military force. After a meeting with NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte in Davos on Jan. 21, Trump said on social media that he had secured a framework for a deal involving Greenland and Arctic security, but he did not say what the agreement entailed, only that "Further information will be made available as discussions progress." "Vice President JD Vance, Secretary of State Marco Rubio, Special Envoy Steve Witkoff, and various others, as needed, will be responsible for the negotiations," he said. In the lead-up to Davos, officials remained hopeful for a peaceful resolution. But the president's push to gain control of Greenland sparked widespread anxiety about the future of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization, a 32-member alliance that acts as a counter to Russia and has served as the bedrock of Western security for more than 75 years. "By starting this conversation, you empower enemies of America in Europe. China and Russia will take advantage," the deputy chairman of the Foreign Affairs Committee in the Lithuanian parliament, Zygimantas Pavilionis, told reporters at a Jan. 20 roundtable in Washington. "Any division of free countries, it allows (the) Axis of Evil to grow. On Jan. 17, Trump had threatened a 10% tariff on U.S. imports from Denmark, Norway, Sweden, France, Germany, the United Kingdom, the Netherlands and Finland, citing each countries' opposition to U.S. acquisition of Greenland. He said the tariff would take effect on Feb. 1 and increase to 25% June 1. European officials have said their nations will not be "blackmailed" by Trump and threatened to retaliate over the threats. They were considering leveling an anti-coercion instrument nicknamed the trade bazooka." The stock market reacted poorly to the news; the S&P posted its worst day in three months on Jan. 20. Trump had renewed his threat of a U.S. takeover of Greenland hours before he departed Washington for Davos, telling reporters "you'll find out" how far he's willing to go. When asked Jan. 19 by NBC News whether he would use force to claim Greenland, the president responded No comment. But in his social media post Jan. 21, Trump said that "the framework of a future deal with respect to Greenland and, in fact, the entire Arctic Region" eliminated the need for tariffs, which led to a rally in the financial markets. In Switzerland, the president said his bid to acquire the sparsely populated, ice-covered land mass was a "very small ask" compared with what the United States has done to support NATO's European members since World War II. But Danish Foreign Affairs Minister Lars Lkke Rasmussen seemed palpably relieved in a statement sent to USA TODAY late Jan. 21. The day is ending on a better note than it began," Rasmussen wrote. "We welcome that President Trump has ruled out to take Greenland by force and paused the trade war with Europe. Now, lets sit down and find out how we can address the American security concerns in the Arctic while respecting the red lines of the Kingdom of Denmark. U.S. President Donald Trump holds a bilateral meeting with NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte at the World Economic Forum (WEF) in Davos, Switzerland, January 21, 2026. REUTERS/Jonathan Ernst NATO on the brink Article 5 of the NATO charter states that an attack on one NATO member is an attack on all. It has been used only once, by the United States, after the Sept. 11, 2001, terror attacks on American soil, leading troops from NATO allies including Denmark to fight alongside the United States in Afghanistan. Denmark also sent troops to Iraq. In a text to Norways prime minister sent Jan. 18, Trump said he no longer feels an obligation to think purely of Peace because he was not awarded the Nobel Peace Prize. The World is not secure unless we have Complete and Total Control of Greenland, he wrote. The supreme Allied commander of Europe, always a U.S. military general, is U.S. Air Force Gen. Alexus G. Grynkewich, who was nominated by Trump. A military invasion by the United States "would turn Article 5 of NATO on its very head and, in essence, press a war with NATO itself," former House Foreign Affairs Committee Chairman Michael McCaul, a Texas Republican, warned on ABC News' "This Week" on Jan. 18. "It would end up abolishing NATO as we know it." Denmark could choose to allow a U.S. takeover of Greenland to avoid a confrontation, but the U.S. bond with Europe is still severely strained. "You can imagine scenarios where it's really bad, and even though the alliance wouldn't go away, it would be much, much weaker," said Mark Cancian, a retired colonel in the U.S. Marine Corps Reserve and senior adviser with the Center for Strategic and International Studies' defense and security department. The United States has a military base in Greenland already and an invitation from the Danish government to add more. Trump has said the United States needs to own the island, however, for "national security" and "psychological" reasons. Sophie Arts, a fellow at the German Marshall Fund who researches Nordic and Arctic security, called the dispute over Greenland "existential for the NATO alliance." Arts said it would be beneficial for Trump and European leaders to "take this conversation offline" and air out the dispute face-to-face at Davos. Trump may be following that playbook. "The Secretary General had a very productive meeting with President Trump during which they discussed the critical significance of security in the Arctic region to all Allies, including the United States," NATO spokesperson Allison Hart told reporters in a statement Jan. 21. "Discussions among NATO Allies on the framework the President referenced will focus on ensuring Arctic security through the collective efforts of Allies, especially the seven Arctic Allies. Negotiations between Denmark, Greenland, and the United States will go forward aimed at ensuring that Russia and China never gain a foothold economically or militarily in Greenland. People attend a protest against President Donald Trump's demand that the Arctic island be ceded to the U.S., calling for it to be allowed to determine its own future, in front of the U.S. consulate in Nuuk, Greenland, Jan. 17, 2026. Trump has strained NATO before The spat over Greenland is only the latest in Trumps relationship with NATO. He has complained repeatedly since his first term that other member nations do not spend enough money on their militaries. NATO committed last June to members spending 5% of GDP on defense by 2035. And even as he drew back from the brink of destroying the alliance, Trump attacked Canada, a member that he has also expressed a desire to acquire, in his speech in Davos. "Canada gets a lot of freebies from us," Trump said. "They should be grateful also, but they're not." NATO member nations "are coming to realize more and more that they can't really depend on the U.S. longer term," said Arts of the German Marshall Fund. "You cannot have a NATO ally threaten to invade another NATO ally." In a statement Jan. 9, 14 former high-level U.S. officials, including former NATO ambassadors and National Security Council directors, branded Trump's threats against Greenland as "strategically foolish." A large sale style sign reading "Greenland is not for sale" is pictured outside of a clothing shop in Nuuk, Greenland, on January 19, 2026. "It will fracture one of our longest and strongest bilateral relationships in the world, turn one of the most pro-American countries in Europe against the United States, and potentially destroy our more than 76-year-old NATO alliance with Europe and Canada," the statement read. "There is still a way out of a disaster," Daniel Fried, a former U.S. ambassador to Poland who signed on to the statement, told USA TODAY. "And Trump does have a knack for figuring out when it's time to cut his losses." Fried served on the National Security Council and was assistant secretary of state for European and Eurasian affairs under President George W. Bush. Trump said before he left Washington that he believed something would be worked out with NATO. "Whether you like it or not, it's only as good as we are. If NATO doesn't have us, NATO is not very strong," Trump told reporters. Greenland dispute could have consequences for Ukraine Top Russian diplomat Sergey Lavrov said at a news conference Jan. 20 that Trump's threats represent a "deep crisis" for NATO, whose expansion in Eastern Europe his country has long fought to curtail. "It's a major upheaval for Europe, and we are watching it. The Euro-Atlantic concept of ensuring security and cooperation has discredited itself," Lavrov said. Rutte told assembled business and political leaders in Davos Jan. 21 that he was concerned the White House's relentless focus on Greenland meant Russia's war in Ukraine was being overlooked. US President Donald Trump reacts as he leaves the congress centre during the World Economic Forum (WEF) annual meeting in Davos on January 21, 2026. The World Economic Forum takes place in Davos from January 19 to January 23, 2026. (Photo by Fabrice COFFRINI / AFP via Getty Images) Speaking on a panel before Trump's speech, Rutte said he was "a little bit worried that we might drop the ball focusing so much on these other issues." "They need our support now, tomorrow, and the day after," Rutte said, referring to Ukraine. "I need European allies to keep focus on this issue." Ivanna Klympush-Tsintsadze, a Ukrainian politician who chairs the EU integration committee in her country's parliament, told reporters at a roundtable in Washington Jan. 20 that how the Greenland dispute is resolved matters, because it will determine the future strength of the NATO alliance. "If NATO survives, and I hope it does, and is becoming stronger, I do not see any other other real security guarantee beside the NATO membership of Ukraine," Klympush-Tsintsadze said. Russia has tried to take NATO membership off the table for Ukraine as a condition to end the war. The proposals were part of a draft plan the United States presented to Ukraine late last year. Contributing: Kim Hjelmgaard and Joey Garrison This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Trump's Greenland moves pushed NATO to a breaking point. What's next? President Donald Trump in the White House press briefing room on January 20, 2026. - Nathan Posner/Anadolu/Getty Images US President Donald Trump is struggling to attract Western allies to his Board of Peace, but so far he has garnered the support of Middle Eastern monarchs, the man known as Europes last dictator and at least one leader wanted for alleged war crimes. Trump has invited dozens of countries to join the board that seeks to resolve global conflicts, but its remit has alarmed several US allies, as has the US leaders comment that it might replace the United Nations. The board, indefinitely chaired by Trump, was originally conceived as a limited body tasked with overseeing the reconstruction of the Gaza Strip, which was devastated by Israels two-year war. However, its purpose has since expanded to tackle conflicts the world over, and the charter draft, which was sent along with the invitations to join, does not even reference Gaza. US adversaries Russia and China, as well as longtime repressive state Belarus, are among those invited to join the board, which is offering permanent seats for a $1 billion price tag. European allies, oil-rich Arab states of the Persian Gulf, former Soviet republics and even the pope have also received invitations to join. But a signing ceremony on the sidelines of the World Economic Forum in the Swiss resort of Davos was attended by fewer than 20 countries mostly from the Middle East, Asia and South America far fewer than the roughly 35 that a senior administration official predicted to reporters earlier this week. European leaders were visibly absent. The only Western European nation represented was Hungary, one of Russias closest allies in Europe. Heres what to know about the board and who is, and isnt, joining. What is the Board of Peace? Trump had initially floated the Board of Peace as part of a second phase of the US-brokered 20-point Gaza ceasefire plan in September. The United Nations Security Council backed the plan in November giving it international legitimacy with a mandate for the board to oversee the demilitarization and rebuilding of Gaza. But Trump had longer-term plans. The charter draft, obtained by CNN, describes the Board of Peace as an international organization promoting stability, peace and governance in areas affected or threatened by conflict. Trump will serve as chairman of the board indefinitely, according to the charter, possibly holding the post beyond his second term as president. The Board of Peace will sit above a founding Executive Board that includes Trumps son-in-law Jared Kushner, Secretary of State Marco Rubio, special envoy Steve Witkoff and former British prime minister Tony Blair. Speaking at the Davos ceremony on Thursday, Kushner acknowledged at the outset that peace is a different deal than a business deal. Kushner said the administrations master plan for redeveloping Gaza does not have a plan B beyond its multi-step effort to end the war and transform the region. The presidents son-in-law stressed that much of that plan relies on Hamas demilitarizing. He vowed that the US is going to enforce that part of the ceasefire agreement without providing specifics. But a series of slides featuring composite imagery of futuristic-looking high-rise buildings, new roads and energy infrastructure previewed another vision. Trump called Gaza a beautiful piece of property and said he is a real estate person at heart when talking about reconstruction of the war-torn Strip. Who has accepted? The United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia, Egypt, Qatar, Bahrain, Pakistan, Turkey, Hungary, Morocco, Kosovo, Albania, Bulgaria, Argentina and Paraguay have accepted Trumps invitation. As have the Central Asian states of Kazakhstan, Mongolia and Uzbekistan, and the Southeast Asian nations of Indonesia and Vietnam. Israels Benjamin Netanyahu is also on board, even though he has fumed at the inclusion of Turkish and Qatari officials on the Gaza Executive Board and faces an arrest warrant from the International Criminal Court. There was no Israeli representative on the stage for the Board of Peace ceremony, although Israeli President Isaac Herzog was in Davos. Netanyahu did not attend. Armenia and Azerbaijan, which signed a US-brokered peace agreement last year in a deal that would give the US exclusive development access to a critical transit corridor in the region, have also agreed to participate. Belarusian leader Alexander Lukashenko, often described as Europes last dictator and a key ally of Russian President Vladimir Putin, has signed up. I have some controversial people on it, Trump told CNN, referring to his claim that Putin has agreed to join. The Russian leader has yet to confirm his decision, although he has floated using Russian assets frozen in the US to pay the $1 billion fee for a permanent seat. Putins potential inclusion has raised alarm about how a country actively waging war could be involved in an effort to secure peace. Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney, who has repeatedly railed against Trump ripping up the global rules-based order and imposing punishing tariffs, had initially intended to join with conditions. However, Trump later rescinded the Canadias invitation to join what he called the most prestigious Board of Leaders ever assembled, at any time. Who has declined? Some nations have not committed either way, while others have rejected invitations. Britain said it would not sign up due to concerns about Russian involvement. British Foreign Secretary Yvette Cooper told the BBC on Thursday that her country would not be one of the signatories because this is about a legal treaty that raises much broader issues. We do also have concerns about Putin being part of something, which is talking about peace, when we have still not seen any signs from Putin that there will be a commitment to peace in Ukraine, she said. France and Norway have declined, in part citing questions about how the Board of Peace would operate in conjunction with the UN. China confirmed that it was invited but has not said whether it will join. A Foreign Ministry spokesperson said Wednesday that China will stay firmly committed to safeguarding the international system with the UN at its core. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said it was difficult to see being together with Russia in any council. The issue, he said, is that Russia is our enemy, and Belarus is their ally. Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni said there could be constitutional issues with joining, and she declined to attend the signing ceremony. Irish Foreign Minister Helen McEntee said she would give the invitation careful consideration. What are the concerns? Diplomats, officials and world leaders have expressed major concerns over the expanded remit of the board, Trumps indefinite chairmanship and the potential damage it could cause to the UNs work. Member states will serve for three-year terms, after which they must pay $1 billion for a permanent seat. The funds raised will go toward rebuilding Gaza, according to a US official, but the move has been criticized as being susceptible to corruption. Trumps comment that the board might replace the UN has compounded concerns that it may become a vehicle for him to supersede the body established 80 years ago to maintain global peace. The boards charter mentions institutions that have too often failed, without naming the UN, an organization Trump has repeatedly criticized. The UNs top humanitarian official and emergency relief coordinator, Tom Fletcher, told CNN that Trumps Board of Peace will not replace his organization. CNNs Laura Sharman, Jennifer Hansler, Kylie Atwood, Piper Hudspeth Blackburn, Kevin Liptak, Paula Newton, Ivana Kottasova, Anna Chernova, Tala Alrajjal, Sophia Saifi, Alejandra Jaramillo and Tal Shalev contributed to this report. For more CNN news and newsletters create an account at CNN.com President Donald Trump speaks during the 56th annual World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, on Wednesday. - Jonathan Ernst/Reuters After President Donald Trump said suddenly Wednesday that he had secured the framework of a future deal on Greenland, nearly everyone involved was conspicuously tight-lipped about what it entailed. Asked to detail the terms, NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte simply referred to Trumps social media post, which included almost none. When CNNs Kaitlan Collins asked Trump whether it met his demand to own Greenland, he paused and avoided the question. He said instead, Its a long-term deal. He called it infinite, and said, Its a deal thats forever. That response appears to be telling in more than one way. Not only did Trump tellingly avoid the question about his central demand (which he appears to have folded on), but he referred to an aspect of the framework that already exists in a security agreement the US has with Denmark, which controls Greenland. That deal, which was forged in 1951, already allowed for an American military presence on Greenland in perpetuity. Yet Trump keeps talking about that as if its a major advance. Theres no time limit, he repeated Thursday morning on Fox Business Network. Indeed, while we have much to learn about the details, and the details still need to be ironed out CNN reported Thursday that no actual document exists yet much of what we have learned sounds a lot like what the United States already had. And that, in turn, makes it look a whole lot like Trump folded or TACOed, as is the current parlance. Heres what we think we know about the framework, which is still just a verbal understanding between Trump and Rutte It involves discussions about updating that 1951 deal. Trump claimed it would allow for total access for defense including the placement of the Golden Dome defense system, similar to Israels. The updated deal could include specific provisions barring Beijing and Moscow from operating in Greenland, suggested a NATO spokesperson. It also appears to involve an enhanced role for NATO in Greenland. There are conflicting signals about whether the deal includes increased US access to Greenlands minerals, which Trump has also floated as a priority. These would be significant concessions. Except that it looks plenty like the United States already had them in large part or could have had them with significantly less coercion. When it comes to sovereignty over US bases, the 1951 deal already allowed the United States to exercise exclusive jurisdiction over (its) defense areas in Greenland. (There were some updates to the deal in 2004.) The Pituffik Space Base, formerly Thule Air Base, in northern Greenland on October 4, 2023. - Thomas Traasdahl/AFP/Getty Images As long as it didnt violate Danish sovereignty, the US was allowed to improve and develop the defense areas, install and maintain equipment, station personnel, provide security, have post offices and commissary stores, and control the comings, goings and operation of ships and aircraft. The agreement also gave the United States free reign to travel between the defense areas. And it even said the laws of Denmark couldnt be used to prevent key personnel and their families from entering or exiting the defense areas. Its possible the new agreement could include even more US free reign. But thats already an extensive amount. As for the other pieces above, its unclear what among them couldnt have been negotiated without Trumps threats of military invasion or other forms of coercion, like his recent tariffs announcement, which inflamed Europe and plunged the markets before he withdrew that threat. Indeed, Greenland, Denmark and other relevant countries had signaled repeatedly that they were already open to negotiating over such issues. Greenlandic Foreign Minister Vivian Motzfeldt said earlier this month that Greenland was committed to finding the right path and to strengthening security cooperation. Nordic leaders including Denmarks foreign minister said way back on January 6 that the 1951 agreement offers opportunities for increased security cooperation. To the extent Trump wants to keep Russia and China out of Greenland, there is no indication that anybody would have resisted that and given Denmarks presence in NATO, theres plenty of reason to believe it would have been amenable. Negotiators had also reportedly broached the topic of mineral rights weeks ago. And its not clear how big a concession that even is, given mining them could prove extremely difficult. Just last week, Republican Sen. Mitch McConnell was apoplectic on this point. I have yet to hear from this administration a single thing we need from Greenland that this sovereign people is not already willing to grant us, McConnell said. But Trump rejected these entreaties, insisting that it was ownership or bust. Anything less than that is unacceptable, the president said in a social media post. In an interview two weeks ago, the New York Times pressed Trump on the already existing 1951 agreement, and Trump doubled down on the need for ownership. Because thats what I feel is psychologically needed for success, he said. I think that ownership gives you a thing that you cant do, whether youre talking about a lease or a treaty. Ownership gives you things and elements that you cant get from just signing a document, that you can have a base. Its too soon to know for sure, but it seems like Trump may not get the thing he swore that he needed full control of Greenland. A document detailing the specific terms of a new deal is expected to be hammered out at the next meeting of the US-Denmark-Greenland working group as soon as next week, CNN has reported. But its also worth reflecting on the costs to get here. Brutal tactics were used and political and foreign capital expended to achieve what seems to be only modest changes that could have been won in other ways. Trump rocked the Western alliance in ways that could reverberate for years to come, if allies decide they can no longer count on or trust the United States. Canadian and European leaders said some remarkable things this week, starting to make the case for decoupling from the United States and almost treating it as a rogue actor that cant be trusted to act outside of its self-interest. Judging by the modest details known so far about the Greenland framework, that new paradigm could be the most significant result of this whole ugly episode. For more CNN news and newsletters create an account at CNN.com President Donald Trump leaves the congress center during the World Economic Forum annual meeting in Davos on Wednesday. - Fabrice Coffrini/AFP/Getty Images In President Donald Trumps America First mindset, allies are afterthoughts and previous US presidents were stupid. While Trump eased some angst in the Western world Wednesday by clarifying, finally, that he would not use force to take Greenland and then retreating from his latest tariff threat, he also twisted history and insulted nations the US has long considered to be friends. Not an Allied victory, but a US victory in World War II It wasnt the Allies but rather the US alone that won World War II in Trumps unique version of history, which he shared with global elites in an hourlong address at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland. We won it big, Trump told the European-centric audience. Without us, right now youd all be speaking German and a little Japanese, perhaps. Without getting into an examination of blood and treasure spilled 80 years ago, suffice it to say that among the Allies, the Soviet Union gave the largest number of lives multiple millions to the war effort, followed by China. Great Britain gave a large portion of its population. And Americans fought and died in great numbers too. British troops take positions on Sword beach during the D-Day storming of Normandy. - Imperial War Museum/AFP/Getty Images All these nations have a reasonable claim on having played a major role: Americans were the saviors of the other allies, the Soviets wore down the Germans in the East, and the British can be proud to have stood up when few others did. It was the Allied countries of the US, the Soviet Union and the UK, the so-called Big Three, that met at Potsdam to organize the end of the war. Why the US has military bases in Greenland Trump did accurately say that Denmark, a much smaller neighbor of Germany, was overwhelmed and surrendered to the Nazis within hours after being invaded in 1940. But from there he left some things out, beginning with his idea that the US was compelled to set up bases in Greenland during World War II. Denmark knows that we literally set up bases on Greenland for Denmark. We fought for Denmark. We werent fighting for anyone else, he said. The actual history has a lot more nuance. The US negotiated an agreement with Denmarks ambassador to the US after his country had surrendered to the Germans and before the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor. The US set up bases in order to secure shipping lanes and guard the Western hemisphere, a fact Trump breezed past. Heres how President Franklin D. Roosevelt put it in a May fireside chat to Americans a month after the 1941 agreement with Denmarks ambassador was signed. When the US wanted no territory or profit or selfish advantage At that time, the US was big on allies. In an August 1945 fireside chat, after the Potsdam Conference, President Harry Truman said it was imperative to build diplomacy through the UN and spare the US from the ravages of any future breach of the peace. That is why, though the United States wants no territory or profit or selfish advantage out of this war, we are going to maintain the military bases necessary for the complete protection of our interests and of world peace, Truman said. President Harry S Truman in 1945. - MPI/Getty Images While we now know Truman secretly offered to buy Greenland from Denmark in 1946, his comments to Americans explain the logic behind keeping the US military abroad in the decades after the war. The US already has broad military power in Greenland Trumans multilateral view also led to the rise of NATO, the North Atlantic Treaty Organization, in 1949, providing a counterweight to the Soviet Union. Denmark, along with the US, is a founding member of NATO. The US signed a supplementary agreement with Denmark in 1951 that gave it the almost unfettered ability to build up a military presence in Greenland. Most bases, however, were drawn down or even abandoned after the Cold War. Trump now says the US needs Greenland to build up his Golden Dome missile defense shield. He doesnt mention that the US retains the right under that 1951 agreement to build its Greenland bases back up. Stupid to give back what the US never technically had In Trumps view, the US acquired Greenland during World War II and then gave it back to Denmark, which is a view not supported by the 1941 and 1951 agreements between the US and Denmark. How stupid were we to do that? Trump said, even though the US never technically acquired Greenland during World War II. All for one in NATO The NATO charter says that nations must try to solve disagreements peacefully, and its Article 5 states that an armed attack against one or more of them in Europe or North America shall be considered an attack against them all. But, in another history-defying insult, Trump said he doubts other NATO countries would help the US. Presumably he meant Greenland, but the larger issue is his claim about NATO countries looking out for themselves. The US is the only NATO member to ask everyone else for help Trumps public doubt that NATO countries would not defend the US ignores that NATOs Article 5 has been invoked exactly one time. After the 9/11 terror attacks, NATO countries answered the Article 5 call and helped the US fight in Afghanistan. The coffins of two Danish soldiers, killed in a suicide attack in Gereshk, Afghanistan, are carried out of a military transport plane upon its arrival at the Skrydstrup Airport in Jutland, Denmark on March 23, 2008. - Claus Fisker/AFP/Getty Images Denmark lost 43 members of its military, which is a much smaller number than the nearly 2,500 Americans who died fighting, but a large sacrifice for an American ally of less than 7 million people. Living within a lie Its no wonder that in another speech at Davos, the leader of another US ally, Canada, which also fought in World War II and in Afghanistan, warned other small and middle-sized countries that the rules-based world order that was anchored for decades by the US is a thing of the past. We are in the midst of a rupture, not a transition, Prime Minister Mark Carney said, encouraging other countries to band together and pursue a new form of multilateralism. Not admitting this fact, he argued, is to be living within a lie. Carney was not referring to Trumps version of history or his take on alliances, but the point probably still applies. For more CNN news and newsletters create an account at CNN.com President Donald Trump joined world leaders for a signing ceremony in Switzerland on Jan. 22 for his "Board of Peace" and said it has the potential to be "one of the most consequential bodies," though it wasn't clear what specific function the board will have or under whose authority it might act. Trump suggested during the presentation that a peace settlement connected to Russia's war in Ukraine was "coming very soon." Ukrainian officials did not immediately return a request for comment on Trump's assertion. Trump and Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelenskyy were holding talks in Davos. The peace board was initially aimed at helping end the two-year war between Israel and Hamas in Gaza as well as overseeing the reconstruction of the Palestine enclave. Gaza peace plan: Trump administration announces next phase However, a leaked charter does not appear to mention the territory and suggests it may have some overlap with the role traditionally played by the United Nations and its various specialized agencies. Trump mingles with global leaders in Davos for World Economic Forum President Donald Trump arrives in Davos to attend the World Economic Forum (WEF), on January 21, 2026 in Davos, Switzerland. The annual meeting of political and business leaders comes amid rising tensions between the United States and Europe over a range of issues, including Trump's vow to acquire Greenland, a semi-autonomous Danish territory. "We can do pretty much whatever we want to do," Trump said onstage in Davos in the Swiss Alps, where he is attending the World Economic Forum. Trump said the board has "tremendous potential" and would work in conjunction with the United Nations. Russia's Putin on 'Board of Peace'? The signing ceremony featured leaders from Azerbaijan, Argentina, Indonesia, Qatar and Kosovo. The only European leader on the board was Hungary's Prime Minister Viktor Orban. Trump has said Russia's leader Vladimir Putin has accepted an invitation to appear on the board. Russia's government has not confirmed that. Trump concluded the event by talking about Gaza. "I'm a real estate person at heart, and it's all about location, and I said look at this location on the sea. Look at this beautiful piece of property, what it could be for so many people." The signing ceremony in Davos comes in the wake of Trump's announcement while at the mountain forum that he had negotiated "the framework of a future deal about Greenland and the wider Arctic that rules out taking the territory by force. Trump has repeatedly said the United States needs to annex Greenland for reasons of national security. He said that deal meant he was lifting the threat of tariffs against European allies opposed to his designs on the Danish territory. Greenlandic and Danish officials have they have seen few details about the deal floated by Trump. This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Trump says Ukraine deal 'coming soon' during Board of Peace signing President Donald Trump has officially launched his Gaza Board of Peace, amid concerns from European nations over its membership and the potential involvement of Russian President Vladimir Putin. Returning to the stage at the World Economic Forum in Davos on Thursday morning, Trump was joined by the boards newly-announced members, many of whom hail from the Middle East and South America. The U.S. President said he was honored to be the chairman of what could be one of the most consequential bodies ever created. There was a notable lack of leaders from Western European nations with Trump on stage. The U.K. had earlier expressed reservations about the possibility of Putin being involved. Despite receiving an invitation, Putin is thought to be still considering. Trump sparked concerns earlier in the week when he suggested his board might replace the United Nations, but he somewhat backtracked on that, instead presenting the board as having tremendous potential with the United Nations. Sharing his hopes for the new organization, he said: Well work with many others, including the U.N. The United Nations adopted the U.S.-penned resolution establishing the Board of Peace in November. Other concerns related to the board center on the charter draft which reportedly states that while nations who accept the invitation will be given a three-year membership term, permanent membership will be given to member states that contribute $1 billion in cash within the first year. Putin said on Thursday that Moscow is open to contributing $1 billion to the Board of Peace, but argued it would require the release of Russian assets in the U.S. that were frozen during the Biden Administration. Sidestepping the mounting reservations at Davos, Trump instead celebrated a new dawn for Gaza. The Israel-Hamas war is really coming to an end, he said, before delivering a stark warning to Hamas, who must disarm. Referring to Hamas as being made up of people born with rifles in their hands, he said: They have to give up their weapons, and if they dont do that, its going to be the end of them. The President also called for Hamas to release the final deceased Israeli hostage, Ran Gvili. Speaking about Gaza, Trump referred to himself as a real estate person at heart and referenced the placement of the territory. I said look at this location on the sea. People that are living so poorly are going to be so well, but it all began with the location. The Board of Peace unveiling comes a week after Trumps Special Envoy Steve Witkoff announced the launch of Phase Two of the Gaza cease-fire plan, officially embarking on the demilitarization, technocratic governance, and reconstruction of the territory. Phase One encountered setbacks due to Hamas not handing over the final deceased hostage and the Israeli airstrikes that occurred after the cease-fire came into effect in October. Moving forward, the Board of Peace will provide oversight to the National Committee for the Administration of Gaza (NCAG), who will oversee the day-to-day rebuilding efforts. As announced last week, the committee will be headed by Ali Shaath, a former deputy minister in the Palestinian Authority. Ahead of the official signing and ratification of the Board of Peace, Trump went through a long list of, what he views to be, his accomplishments overseas. Praising the unrivalled skill set of the U.S. Military, he looked back on last years strikes against three key nuclear sites in Iran. Iran does want to talk, and we'll talk, he added, in an apparent reference to the U.S. retreating after initially threatening to take action over the deadly Iran protests. Trump also lauded his recent Venezuela operation, which resulted in the capture and detainment of fallen President Nicolas Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores. Turning his attention back to the members of his board, Trump referred to the signatories as great people, great leaders and said the organization is already running beautifully. While it's been noted that other members may sign at a later date, you can see the full list of todays Board of Peace signatories, below. Jared Kushner speaks after the signing of a Board of Peace charter at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland on Jan. 22, 2026. Evan VucciAP The New Gaza Jared Kushner, Trump's son-in-law and senior adviser, outlined the board's vision for Gazas reconstruction, displaying mock-ups of high-rises along the enclaves seafront. He proposed the introduction of different zones to promote coastal tourism and economic prosperity. New Gaza, it could be a hope. It could be a destination, have a lot of industry, and really be a place that the people there can thrive, said Kushner, estimating that some construction could be completed within the next two to three years. Expressing total confidence in the proposal, he said we dont have a Plan B, just a master plan. The proposal was bolstered by Secretary of State Marco Rubio, who described the board as a new era and a new stage. He went on to suggest the board could make an impact beyond Gaza, stating that it will serve as an example of what's possible in other parts of the world. Kushner and Rubio will both serve on an Executive Board intended to operationalize the Board of Peaces vision. They will be joined by Witkoff, former U.K. Prime Minister Tony Blair, president of the World Bank Group Ajay Banga, national security adviser Robert Gabriel, and Marc Rowan, the CEO of Apollo Global Management, one of the biggest U.S. private equity firms. According to the White House, each Executive Board member will oversee a defined portfolio critical to Gazas stabilization and long-term success, including, but not limited to, governance capacity-building, regional relations, reconstruction, investment attraction, large-scale funding, and capital mobilization. Write to Olivia-Anne Cleary at olivia-anne.cleary@time.com. Two people have died and several are feared buried after landslides in New Zealand's North Island. The deaths were reported at Welcome Bay, while rescue workers are still searching through rubble at a different site in a popular campground on Mount Maunganui. There are no "signs of life", authorities said, adding that they have a "rough idea" of how many people are missing but are waiting for an exact figure. They provided no other details except that the group includes "at least one young girl". The landslides were triggered by heavy rains over the last few days, which led to flooding and power outages across the North Island. One minister said the east coast resembled "a war zone". [BBC] New Zealand is "heavy with grief" after the "profound tragedy" caused by recent weather, Prime Minister Christopher Luxon said on X. Footage from the campsite on Mount Maunganui, an extinct volcano, shows a huge slip near the base of the volcanic dome, as rescuers and sniffer dogs comb through crushed caravans and flattened tents. Authorities said that the search would continue through the night. "This is a complex and high-risk environment, and our teams are working to achieve the best possible outcome while keeping everyone safe," said Megan Stiffler, the deputy national commander for the Urban Search and Rescue team, The extinct volcano is a sacred Maori site and one of the most popular campgrounds in New Zealand, with a local holiday website describing it as a "slice of paradise". But it has been repeatedly hit by landslides in recent years. "I heard this huge tree crack and all this dirt come off, and then I looked behind me and there's this huge landslide coming down," Australian tourist Sonny Worrall told local broadcaster TVNZ. "I'm still shaking from it now... I turned around and had to jump out of my seat and just run,"he added. He saw it happen while swimming in a hot pool. Hiker Mark Tangney told the New Zealand Herald he heard people screaming from under the rubble. "So I just parked up and ran to help... We could hear people screaming: 'Help us, help us, get us out of here'," he said. Those calls persisted for about half an hour and then went silent, Tangney said. A surf club in another part of Mount Maunganui has been evacuated following fears of more landslides. A state of emergency has been declared in the Bay of Plenty where Mount Maunganui sits, and various parts of the North Island, including Northland, Coromandel, Tairawhiti and Hauraki. Several areas reported their wettest days on record on Thursday. Tauranga in the Bay of Plenty, for example, received three months worth of rain within a day, according to local media. Some 8,000 people were without power as of Thursday morning, Radio New Zealand (RNZ) reported. The wife of a man who was swept away in the Mahurangi River is holding out hope that he will survive. "I know his personality is strong, wise," she told RNZ, adding that he was a fisherman back home in Kiribati and knew how to swim and dive. The man, 47, was driving to work with their nephew when the car they were in fell into the river. He had pushed the nephew towards a branch so the nephew could hoist himself onto land; but the older man did not manage get back up himself, according to the report. "It's been a very big event for us as a country, really hitting almost our entire eastern seaboard of the North Island," said Minister for Emergency Management Mark Mitchell. "The good news is that everyone responded really quickly, and there was time to get prepared. That helps to mitigate and create a very strong response," he told RNZ. December to February are typically the sunnier months in New Zealand but in recent years heavy rains and storms have become more frequent. In February 2023, parts of the island were devastated by Cyclone Gabrielle, which is to date the costliest cyclone to hit the Southern Hemisphere, with damage amounting to NZ$13.5bn ($7.9bn; 5.9bn). This week's flooding has added to the toll for the local communities that are still rebuilding. Additional reporting by Vandhna Bhan and Koh Ewe Protesters have taken to the streets outside the US consulate in Nuuk, Greenland this month [Getty Images] What on earth has the last fortnight been all about? In the wake of a successful military operation in Venezuela earlier this month, a buoyed-up Donald Trump started to ratchet up the rhetoric on Greenland. Day after day, the world was treated to claims of ownership, threats of military action and tariffs against traditional allies in Europe. Now, in an apparent puff of smoke, it may all have gone. Nato Secretary General Mark Rutte, arguably the Trump whisperer-in-chief, seems to have talked the president down from his dangerously high hobby horse. The ground may have been laid last week during a visit to Washington by the foreign ministers of Denmark and Greenland. The visit concluded with agreement on a "working group" to discuss Greenland's future. But Rutte appears to have finessed an issue that had threatened to shatter the north Atlantic alliance. We don't yet know the details of the deal, but many will wonder why it needed a frenetic two-week crisis to get here. Denmark had long said that it was only too happy to see an increased American military presence on Greenland. If Nato has now pledged to up its presence on and around the island, then that will go some way towards reassuring Donald Trump that the alliance is finally paying proper attention to Greenland. The New York Times quotes anonymous officials as saying one idea under discussion is for Denmark to cede sovereignty over small areas of Greenland where the US would build military bases - similar to the arrangement by which the UK maintains sovereign bases on Cyprus. Trump said the deal would involve access to Greenland's mineral resources. Neither Denmark nor Nato has confirmed these or any other reports. Nato said discussions would "focus on ensuring Arctic security through the collective efforts, especially the seven Arctic Allies" (the US, Canada, Denmark, Norway, Sweden, Finland and Iceland) and aimed to prevent Russia and China from gaining a foothold, economic or military, in Greenland. It won't be long before details of the deal emerge. But the fact that Donald Trump triggered a fortnight of high drama and a sense of existential crisis within Nato to get here will not easily be forgotten. Canada's Prime Minister Mark Carney called it a "rupture", saying the old order was "not coming back." EU Commission President Ursula von der Leyen spoke of "seismic change" and urged greater European independence. It's hard to see a quick return to business as usual. Chill Coffee amp; Wine Bar is opening in the old Coupe champagne bar space in Fort Worth. | Photo courtesy of Chill Coffee and wine are picking up where champagne left off in Fort Worth's South Main Village: Chill Coffee and Wine Bar has moved into former Coupe champagne bar space, which closed last summer, at 314 S. Main St. Suite 110. Chill will open to the public at 7 am Friday, January 23 - fulfilling the need for coffee as the extreme cold front moves in. The shop is from University of Texas at Arlington graduates Hieu Pham, Long Nguyen, Thao Dang and Henson Ly, who formed a friendship a decade ago while working together in hospitality. This is their second Chill location after their debut in North Arlington in 2022. We want to be part of the community, Pham says. It makes us happy to see customers come in, relax, have a cup of coffee or a glass of wine." Coffee On the coffee side, they serve single origin from Vietnam, roasted locally in Richardson. While they offer traditional drinks, their most in-demand options are their specialty coffees that incorporate a flavored foam, they say. Popular varieties include Chill Creme Brulee Coffee, Ube Latte, as well as their matcha and chai. They also offer blended drinks such as Nutella, Mocha and Coconut. Specialty and blended drinks run $5-$6. Some of the partners frequently return to Vietnam, where their families are from, to discover new trends and bring them back to inspire the menu. That influence shows up in inventive drinks like the Himalayan Lavender Latte and the Charcoal Honey Latte. Wine Chill's wine menu is diverse and updated every couple of months, they say. They offer rotating wine selections - both by the glass and by the bottle - from Texas, California, Argentina and Australia, among others. Food You can't have drinks without eats, and for these, they partner with Grapevine-based Main Street Bakery for a seasonal menu of croissants, muffins, and Danishes. They also offer a variety of toasts, such as avocado, berry, peanut butter, and banana ($5), and smoked salmon ($8). They also offer a build-your-own charcuterie plate, with an assortment of cheese and meats for $7 to $9 per item, paired with complimentary fruits and nuts. Concept and design Their concept is in the name, "Chill." They owners say they're all about making patrons feel relaxed and comfortable, with a clean, modern, and homey approach. The space looks similar to the Arlington shop, with modern metal and wood designs, and bamboo walls (the Arlington location has bamboo ceilings). The partners attribute the success in their first location in Arlington to the support of the community, which motivated them to continue to expand into Fort Worth. When we started, we were a bit unsure of ourselves, but the feedback from our customers reassured us we were on the right track," Pham says.. "We are excited to continue our growth in Fort Worth. Chill on South Main will host a grand opening on Friday, January 23 that will include $3 coffee drinks all day. Regular hours will be 7 am to 9 pm daily. Carol Oaks stands in front of her home in Carmel-by-the-Sea in January 2024. Like other homes in the coastal town, it has never had an address. Her home's nickname, "Somewhere," is displayed on a sign out front. (Genaro Molina / Los Angeles Times) City Hall in Carmel-by-the-Sea soon could have this address: 662 Monte Verde St. Seems pretty standard, right? Not in this wealthy little town on the Monterey Peninsula that has never had street addresses. For 109 years, residents have used directional descriptors City Hall is on the east side of Monte Verde Street between Ocean and 7th avenues instead of building numbers. And they have given their homes whimsical names such as Sea Castle, Nut House and A Turn of Fraise. Neal Kruse, center, and Karyl Hall, with the Carmel Preservation Assn., talk to resident Lisa Ferchau about the absence of street addresses at the local farmer's market on Jan. 11, 2024. (Genaro Molina / Los Angeles Times) But this spring, every government building, business and house in the town of 3,200 people will be assigned a number. After decades of debate, city officials this month released a draft map of the one-square-mile town with proposed addresses, which could be implemented as soon as May. The address issue has long been contentious in artsy Carmel-by-the-Sea, where residents once threatened to secede from California if they were forced to number their homes. They argued that the lack of addresses along with other quirks, such as having no streetlights or sidewalks in residential areas, leading many to walk at night with flashlights added to the vaunted village character. But the complaints about missed packages and mail-order medications, as well as trouble setting up banking accounts and utilities, kept piling up. And in the aging community where the median age of 69 is nearly double that of the state as a whole there have been growing fears about emergency responders being unable to find people in the midst of a crisis. Plus: The California Fire Code requires buildings to have and display addresses. Carmel-by-the-Sea has long been out of legal compliance. Even the "reluctant traditionalists" have mostly come around to the reality that "we just have to do this," said Nancy Twomey, a member of the Address Group, a committee of citizens and city officials formed last year to research address implementation. Read more:There are no street addresses in Carmel-by-the-Sea. Some say it's time to change Changing the century-old system has been a lot of work. The Address Group, Twomey said, has done extensive community outreach and met with city and Monterey County officials, utility companies, U.S. Postal Service representatives, police officers, firefighters and more. "Weve got to be sensitive in this work and preparation to those who are holding on to tradition really tightly as well as those who are really looking forward to the convenience that comes with this implementation," Twomey said. To strike that balance, residents still will be encouraged to name their homes "because that's a quirky Carmel thing," said Twomey, who lives in a home dubbed Seashell. (When she moved to Carmel in 2017, Twomey abided by another local tradition: Keeping the name bequeathed to the house by previous owners.) Hans Lehmann, then 91, collects mail from his Carmel-by-the-Sea post office box in January 2024. He walks to the post office every day, enjoying the chance to run into friends and neighbors. (Genaro Molina / Los Angeles Times) Twomey said the draft address map released Jan. 13 still must be formally approved by city and county officials. Some quirks, such as how to deal with corner houses that have doors on multiple sides, are still being evaluated, she added. Carmel-by-the-Sea has no home mail delivery. Locals pick up their parcels at the downtown post office, where, locals say, serendipitous run-ins with neighbors are an essential part of the small-town charm. Some opposed to addresses worried they would lead to home mail delivery and trigger the closure of the post office. In a December presentation to the City Council, Emily Garay, a city administrative analyst, said the new addresses will not lead to home delivery. Residents will keep their post office box numbers and continue to pick up mail at the post office. Read more:Wealthy California coastal city bans pickleball, saying it 'turned into a madhouse' During public comments at that meeting, Karen Ferlito, a former City Council member, said the building numbers were long overdue. Ferlito said she recently tried to order a watch, and the first two deliveries never arrived. During the third attempt, she said, "my husband sat at the end of our driveway all day long, with a sign and a flag to show where we lived." When she was on the council, she said, one man used to come to "virtually all of the meetings," and his request was that "he just wants to die peacefully at his house ... knowing that someone would find him if he was in trouble." "With over half of our residents age 65 or older, [and] no streetlamps, our aging population faces unacceptable risk during nighttime emergencies," she said. "We can't wait for tragedy to force our hand." Carmel-by-the-Sea has long had its own dispatch center, with workers trained to decipher peoples descriptions of where they live, former Police Chief Paul Tomasi told The Times in 2024. That year, Tomasi explained to the City Council that if someone in town calls 911 for a police emergency, the Police Department can immediately dispatch an officer. But for a fire or medical emergency, he said, the local dispatcher calls a Monterey County dispatcher and has to explain where the caller is. "If you have a medical emergency or a fire and you need that service, you're essentially calling 911 twice, which slows the response," he said, adding that the process would be "much quicker" with standard addresses. In an interview Wednesday, Ian Martin, a former member of the city's Planning Commission who grew up in the area, said he had mixed feelings about finally getting an address. He lives in a dwelling nicknamed Jelly Haus, a moniker chosen by his daughter when she was about 5 years old. "I just love that Carmel has been and continues to be this place out of time that defies the traditions and expectations of Anywhere, USA," Martin said. "So, I am sad on that level to see that tradition go by the wayside. That said, I have undergone heroic battles with utility companies and banks, trying to get them to find me." Martin said he applied for a loan a few years ago and had to spend hours on the phone with the bank, trying to "convince them that I live in a real town with real locations." And his family eventually started having packages sent to his mother's house in nearby Carmel Valley, an unincorporated community with standard addresses. "I can see both sides of this thing," he said of the address issue. "I do get wary of anything that homogenizes us." But, he said with a laugh, his now-15-year-old daughter who loves to shop online is thrilled. Sign up for Essential California for news, features and recommendations from the L.A. Times and beyond in your inbox six days a week. This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times. Man getting arrested by ICE in Maine on Jan. 20, 2026; mugshot of Ambessa Berhe, an Ethiopian migrant arrested by ICE in Maine on Jan. 20, 2026; unidentified Ecuadorian man getting arrested by ICE in Maine on Jan. 20, 2026 Immigration and Customs Enforcement has launched another operation targeting the worst of the worst illegal criminal migrants this time, in Maine, according to federal authorities. ICE agents descended upon the Pine Tree State Tuesday for Operation Catch of the Day, going after undocumented scofflaws who have terrorized communities, the Department of Homeland Security said in a press release Wednesday. On the first day, officers arrested around 50 migrants, ICE Deputy Assistant Director Patricia Hyde told Fox News. Fox correspondent Griff Jenkins said the pictured Sudanese man has more than a dozen criminal convictions in Maine, citing DHS. FOX News We have approximately 1,400 targets here in Maine, Hyde told the outlet. Some of the migrants ICE is trying to catch in the state are accused of raping children, drug trafficking and assaults, according to Hyde. They are from Senegal, Somalia, Honduras, Guatemala, the Democratic Republic of the Congo and other stories, she said. Foxs Tuesday night segment featured video of ICE agents arresting two Ecuadorian nationals a man and a woman who were reportedly facing drunken driving charges, as well as a repeat criminal from Sudan. Other arrests from the operations first day included Ambessa Berhe, an Ethiopian national convicted of aggravated assault and cocaine possession; Angola national Elmara Correria, who was previously arrested for endangering the welfare of a child, and Dany Lopez-Cortez, an illegal migrant from Guatemala who was convicted of operating operating under the influence of alcohol, according to DHS. Foxs segment showed ICE agents arresting two Ecuadorian nationals a man and a woman who were reportedly facing drunk driving charges. FOX News Dominic Ali, a Sudanese national convicted of false imprisonment, aggravated assault, assault, obstructing justice and violating a protective order, was also arrested. DHS didnt immediately respond to inquiries about whether Ali is the same Sudanese man who was featured in the Fox News broadcast. On Wednesday, Portland Mayor Mark Dion called the operation a war of terror during a press conference with other city council members, but advised residents against interfering with ICEs enforcement. I want everyone safe. Interrupting law enforcement is a risk that could lead to outcomes no one wants, he reportedly said. Other arrests from the operations first day included Ambessa Berhe, an Ethiopian national convicted of aggravated assault and cocaine possession, according to DHS. DHS DHS Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin blasted the states pols for its sanctuary city policies, which have served as the basis for ICE crackdowns in several other Democrat-led states across the country in recent months. Maine Governor [Janet] Mills and her fellow sanctuary politicians in Maine have made it abundantly clear that they would rather stand with criminal illegal aliens than protect law-abiding American citizens, McLaughlin wrote in a statement. Under President Trump and Secretary Noem, we are no longer allowing criminal illegal aliens to terrorize American citizens. Mills office did not immediately respond to requests for comment. A double fatal domestic-related incident in Wayan near Alpine, Wyoming on Wednesday, Jan. 21, 2026 | Daniel V. Ramirez, EastIdahoNews.com FREEDOM, Wyo. A man and a woman are dead after deputies say he shot his wife before ending his own life Wednesday morning. The husband is identified as 42-year-old Christopher Moon. His wife, who is now deceased, has been identified as 23-year-old Cassandra Moon. According to a news release from the Bonneville County Sheriffs Office, deputies are investigating a domestic incident that took place Wednesday morning on the Jack Knife Creek Road in southeast Bonneville County, less than a mile from the Wyoming line. RELATED | Deputies investigate multiple deaths following disturbance near Alpine At 8:06 a.m., Bonneville County Dispatch received a 911 call from a man identified as Christopher, indicating he had just shot his wife, Cassandra. Christopher reportedly indicated he had a gun and was going to take his own life. Bonneville County Sheriffs deputies and SWAT Team responded to the area along with the Lincoln County, Wyoming Sheriffs Office and Star Valley Ambulance. As deputies arrived, they found two cars on the side of the road, belonging to Christopher and Cassandra. Deputies briefly spoke with Christopher over the phone, trying to convince him to surrender peacefully. According to the release, Christopher used the gun to shoot himself. Deputies approached the cars, finding both Christopher and Cassandra deceased from apparent gunshot wounds. There were no other people on the scene and no other injuries. Deputies spent several hours collecting evidence from the scene and are continuing to investigate. No further information is available at this time. The post Man kills wife, then himself after domestic incident near Idaho/Wyoming line, say deputies appeared first on East Idaho News. Princess Anne awarded a "Hillwalking Hijabi" with an MBE today for championing diversity. The Princess Royal presented honours to a diverse array of recipients at an investiture ceremony held at the Palace of Holyroodhouse in Edinburgh on Wednesday. Among those recognised was Zahrah Mahmood, a social media influencer widely known as the Hillwalking Hijabi, who received an MBE for her voluntary work championing diversity in outdoor pursuits. The 35-year-old Glaswegian, who serves as the recently appointed president of Ramblers Scotland, was honoured for "exemplifying the spirit of innovation and commitment to social change". Princess Anne | Source: PA Speaking after the ceremony, the mother of two described the experience as "surreal", adding that it had not yet fully registered. She explained that the recognition helps bring attention to efforts aimed at making the outdoors more accessible to people from all backgrounds. "It gives it more credibility, not just on the people receiving the honour, but also the work behind it and the reasons why, which I think is really important," she said. Ms Mahmood emphasised that the outdoors should be welcoming to everyone regardless of their cultural, religious or financial circumstances: (The honour) amplifies the messages that people like myself are trying to get out, which is that everybody belongs in the outdoors, no matter what background or culture or religion or even financial background youre from. Its a place for everybody. Zahrah Mahmood | Source: PA Her family and friends were "all very proud", though celebrations would need to wait as she had to return home to her two children. Scottish historian and author Alistair Moffat was also made an MBE for his contributions to literature and culture. Mr Moffat, who established the Borders Book Festival in 2004, expressed his delight at being recognised at such a historically significant venue. The 75-year-old author, who has penned more than 40 books exploring Scottish history, compared receiving the honour to being presented with "a big bunch of flowers". "It's wonderful to come to a place that's so central to Scotland's history. We're right here in the heart of it, at Holyrood Palace," he said. Zahrah Mahmood | Source: PA He described the day as thoroughly enjoyable and stressed that the MBE would not mark the conclusion of his endeavours. "I don't want to see this as the end of anything," he explained, noting he is currently working on a new book and preparing for another festival in Melrose this June. John and Lorna Norgrove, a couple from the Isle of Lewis, received OBEs for their charitable efforts supporting women and children both in Afghanistan and Scotland through the foundation they established in memory of their late daughter. The Norgroves established the Linda Norgrove Foundation in 2010 following the death of their daughter, who lost her life while carrying out development work in Afghanistan. Princess Anne | Source: PA The charity focuses on supporting Afghan women and children through educational programmes, healthcare initiatives and income generation for women. Mrs Norgrove said the couple felt "very honoured" but viewed the recognition as belonging to everyone who had contributed to the foundation's work over the years. "We've had lots of volunteers. We've got excellent people working for the foundation at the moment, and it's just for everybody," she said. Mr Norgrove highlighted how the recognition would help raise awareness of their cause. "An accolade like this really helps publicise the work that we're doing because women and children in Afghanistan are suffering so terribly at the moment," he said. Our Standards: The GB News Editorial Charter Donald Trump was "wrong" to diminish the role of Nato and British troops in Afghanistan, Downing Street has said, after the US president claimed allies stayed away from the front line. Trump claimed that Nato sent "some troops" but "stayed a little back, a little off the front lines", sparking outrage from veterans and their families. The mother of severely injured soldier Ben Parkinson deemed it the "ultimate insult". The UK was among several allies to join the US in Afghanistan after Nato's collective security clause was invoked for the first and only time in its history following the 9/11 attacks. During the conflict, 457 British service personnel were killed. Article 5 of Nato states that an attack on one member is considered an attack against all. But Trump told Fox News on Thursday that he was "not sure" the military alliance would be there for the US "if we ever needed them". "We've never needed them," he said, adding: "We have never really asked anything of them." "They'll say they sent some troops to Afghanistan," he said, "and they did, they stayed a little back, a little off the front lines". Responding on Friday, the prime minister's official spokesperson said: "The president was wrong to diminish the role of Nato troops, including British forces." He added that Nato troops made sacrifices "in the service of collective security and in response to an attack on our ally". Most of the 457 British troops who died serving in Afghanistan over a period of nearly 20 years were killed in Helmand. US troops, part of the Nato-led International Security Assistance Force, stand by a roadside in August 2013 [Reuters] Hundreds more suffered injuries and lost limbs - including Cpl Andy Reid who lost both his legs and his right arm after stepping on an improvised explosive device (IED) in Afghanistan. "Not a day goes by when we're not in some kind of pain, physically or mentally reflecting on that conflict," he told BBC Breakfast. Reid recalled working with American soldiers during his time in Afghanistan, adding: "If they were on the front line and I was stood next to them, clearly we were on the front line as well." The US invaded Afghanistan in October 2001 to oust the Taliban, whom they said were harbouring Osama Bin Laden and other al-Qaeda figures linked to the 9/11 attacks. Nato nations contributed troops and military equipment to the US-led war. More than 3,500 coalition soldiers had died as of 2021, when the US withdrew from the country - about two-thirds of them Americans. The UK suffered the second-highest number of military deaths in the conflict behind the US, which saw 2,461 fatalities. Defence Secretary John Healey said the UK and Nato allies had "answered the US call" in 2001 and that British troops who were killed should be remembered as "heroes who gave their lives in service of our nation". Al Carns, minister for the armed forces who served several tours in Afghanistan, said Trump's comments were "utterly ridiculous" and that "the world rallied to the support of the US". Far from staying away from the front line, Britain and Canada placed troops in the most dangerous provinces of all - the Taliban heartlands of Helmand and Kandahar. In Helmand, the scene of the heaviest fighting, British troops were joined by Danish and Estonian soldiers. All suffered casualties in the heat of battle. Former paratrooper Ben Parkinson has been regarded as the most severely injured British soldier to survive in Afghanistan [Getty] Diane Dernie, whose son Ben Parkinson suffered severe injuries when an Army Land Rover hit a mine near Musa Qala in 2006, said Trump's words were "so insulting" and hard to hear. The 41-year-old is currently recuperating after another operation, but Dernie told the BBC that Trump's comments showed "a childish man trying to deflect from his own actions". Dernie has called on Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer to "stand up for his own armed forces" and call out the US president. Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch said the sacrifice of British and Nato troops deserved respect and she pushed for Starmer to ask for an apology from Trump . "It's complete nonsense," Badenoch said. "I spoke to parents of young men who have lost their lives. It is a disgrace to denigrate their memory like that. "There is too much careless talk from President Trump. He clearly doesn't know the history of what happened. We mustn't have these sorts of throwaway remarks." Elsewhere, there has been a swathe of political reaction from across Westminster, including Foreign Affairs Committee chair and Labour MP Emily Thornberry. She told BBC Question Time on Thursday that Trump "has deliberately been trying to undermine us, which has been trying to undermine Nato". Liberal Democrat leader Sir Ed Davey criticised the US president's remarks and said: "Trump avoided military service five times. How dare he question their sacrifice." Trump received five deferments from a military draft during the Vietnam War - four for academic reasons and one for bone spurs, a calcium build-up in the heels. A Reform UK spokesman said: "Donald Trump's comments are plain wrong. For 20 years our armed forces fought bravely alongside America's in Afghanistan... Those men and women deserve our undying respect." Former Conservative Shadow Justice Secretary Robert Jenrick, who recently defected to Reform UK, said the comments were "offensive and wrong". During his second term in office, Trump has repeatedly criticised Nato, often accusing its member states of not spending enough on defence. In the last few weeks, Trump has made comments about acquiring Greenland - a semi-autonomous territory of fellow Nato ally Denmark. Trump's repeated remarks over ownership, threats of military action and tariffs against traditional European allies have rattled the transatlantic treaty. Later on Friday the White House released a statement sticking by the US president's view on Nato. The White House said: "President Trump is right America's contributions to Nato dwarf that of other countries, and his success in delivering a 5% spending pledge from Nato allies is helping Europe take greater responsibility for its own defense. "The United States is the only Nato partner who can protect Greenland, and the president is advancing Nato interests in doing so." [BBC] Sign up for our Politics Essential newsletter to keep up with the inner workings of Westminster and beyond. Illustration: Midjourney/Wikimedia Commons In just two months, the approximately 1,100 Afghan residents of Camp As-Sayliyah (CAS) in Doha, Qatar, will be relocated off base. Residents awaiting processing for stalled U.S. refugee and visa programs still do not know which country they will call their next home. The State Department Office of Press Operations confirms that Afghans will be relocated from CAS by March 31 and that the site will "fully demobilize" by the end of the fiscal year. The office tells Reason that the CAS platform "is a legacy of the Biden Administration's attempt to move as many Afghans to America as possiblein many cases, without proper vetting." The State Department says that "the Trump Administration has no plans to send these people back to Afghanistan," but claimed that "it is not appropriate or humane to keep this group of individuals on the platform indefinitely." It further asserts that "moving the CAS population to a third country is a positive resolution that provides safety for these remaining people to start a new life outside of Afghanistan while upholding the safety and security of the American people." Shawn VanDiver, president of #AfghanEvac, says the claim that CAS is a product of improper vetting is false. "The United States government made the decision to move these Afghans to CAS, and it did so after extensive screeningoften multiple roundsusing the same interagency processes that have governed Afghan relocations for years." VanDiver adds that Afghans on the platform "were evacuated, then left in limbo, sometimes for years, due to policy choices, shifting authorities, and political hesitation." While he agrees that keeping people on a temporary platform indefinitely is inhumane, VanDiver says the question moving forward is "what responsibility the United States is willing to accept for people it moved there in the first place." He argues that "third-country relocation may be appropriate in some cases, but it should be voluntary, transparent, and genuinely durable," adding that "dropping people into countries where they have no ties, limited legal protections, and uncertain futures is not a 'solution' if it simply exports the problem and strips people of agency." No Answers From Washington On January 21, several CAS residents reported that base leadership met with them, but have yet to specify which country Afghans will be relocated to or clarify whether they will continue processing for U.S. programming in their next location. Two residents mentioned that many Afghans believe they may be moved to an African nation. Another resident said that Central or South America has also been floated as an option. According to one CAS resident, multiple Afghans told the leadership that they would reject relocation to any impoverished nation where they would struggle to find work opportunities and reasonable education options for their children. The leadership told them that they would relay their message back to Washington. Most of the population at CAS consists of U.S. Refugee Admissions Program (USRAP) applicants whose processing was halted after President Donald Trump suspended the USRAP by executive order on January 20, 2025. A smaller population of Special Immigrant Visa (SIV) applicants have received denials, and could not be processed at CAS unless they were granted an appeal. With the SIV program also now paused, applicants in that pipeline who manage to reach the interview stage are reportedly receiving unappealable visa denials. VanDiver says that more than half of the CAS population consists of women and children, and that 150 residents are family members of U.S. military personnel. Paying Afghans To Return to Danger The U.S. government has offered cash incentives for CAS residents willing to repatriate to Afghanistan. According to a leaked copy of the current cash incentive letters, the U.S. government offers the empty commitment to "attempt to conduct a welfare check immediately" upon the applicant's arrival in Afghanistan. For Afghans whose relocation by the U.S. was predicated upon the danger they faced in their homeland, and who have seen the safety they were promised vanish due to flip-flopping U.S. government policies, the offer is really a slap in the face. No Way Forward for Afghan Allies With all pipelines for Afghan resettlement now frozen, evacuation groups that continue to support SIV and USRAP applicants stuck in Afghanistan or third countries face a particularly expensive and difficult reality as they attempt to fund safe houses and other support measures for individuals who have no prospects of relocation for at least several years. Individuals often await processing in Pakistan, whose government has ruthlessly deported one million Afghans in the last year, whether or not they have ties to the U.S. government. Andrew Sullivan, executive director of the nonprofit No One Left Behind, said that seven Afghan principal applicants who were living with their families in his organization's safe houses in Pakistan have been deported in the past month. Afghan allies continue to face dramatic changes in circumstances following the U.S. government's about-face on the programs designed to reward them for their loyalty. If no changes are made to reinstate these important programs, the stain on America's reputation will be permanent. The post The U.S. Is Forcing Afghan Allies Into Exile With No Way Forward appeared first on Reason.com. Jim Young/REUTERS A Canadian man identified as Dallas Pokornik was charged with impersonating airline staff. Federal prosecutors allege Pokornik used fake airline IDs to fly hundreds of times for free. Pokornik was extradited from Panama to Hawaii and faces up to 20 years in prison if convicted. Federal prosecutors charged a man with wire fraud, alleging a "Catch Me if You Can"-reminiscent scheme. US Attorney Ken Sorenson said in a Tuesday press release that a Canadian man was charged over allegations that he pretended to be a pilot and a flight attendant to get hundreds of free trips. According to court documents, 33-year-old Dallas Pokornik from Toronto was arrested in Panama earlier this month and extradited to the US. He pleaded not guilty Tuesday after being arraigned in federal court in Hawaii, where he was indicted last October on wire fraud charges. A magistrate judge ordered him to remain in custody. Pokornik's public defender did not respond to a request for comment. The indictment filed at the District Court of Hawaii alleged that Pokornik worked as a flight attendant for a Toronto-based airline from 2017 to 2019. After leaving the job, prosecutors alleged he used fake employee identification from that carrier to obtain tickets reserved for pilots and flight attendants on three other airlines. The indictment also alleged Pokornik "used and presented a false and fictitious identification" as a current pilot or flight attendant to claim travel benefits typically offered to airline staff when seats are available. Prosecutors alleged in the complaint that the airline companies are based in Honolulu, Chicago, and Fort Worth, Texas, but did not name them. They also did not name the Toronto-based airline they alleged he worked for. Representatives for Hawaiian Airlines, United Airlines, and American Airlines did not immediately respond to requests for comment. Prosecutors also said Pokornik at times requested access to the cockpit "jump seat," which is generally reserved for off-duty pilots, trainees, or inspectors. Court filings do not indicate whether any of those requests were granted, and the US Attorney's Office did not comment. The indictment includes two counts of wire fraud tied to tickets issued in Hawaii in 2024. If convicted, Pokornik could face up to 20 years in prison, fines of up to $250,000, and supervised release. Read the original article on Business Insider Several key U.S. allies were notably not present at President Trumps Board of Peace charter-signing ceremony in Davos, Switzerland, on Thursday. The international organization, which will be headed by Trump, aims to promote cooperation around the globe and carry out the Trump administrations 20-point Gaza peace plan. Trump sent invitations to leaders of a wide range of nations last week to join the board. The countries who have agreed to join the board thus far are Argentina, Belarus, Morocco, Vietnam, Pakistan, Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, Kosovo, Hungary, Egypt, Turkey, Qatar, Jordan, Indonesia and Saudi Arabia. Several European countries who did not sign on to the agreement pointed to delays with parliamentary approval processes required before signing on to international agreements. Italys prime minister, Giorgia Meloni, cited potential legal risks associated with signing the agreement, telling Italian state media on Wednesday, Some elements are incompatible with our constitution. However, the longtime Trump ally said, My position is still one of openness. Similarly, Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk wrote Monday in a post on the social platform X that the countrys laws require approval of international organization membership from Polands two parliamentary houses, the Council of Ministers and the Sejm. The government will be guided solely by the interest and security of the Polish state, Tusk wrote. And we will not let anyone play us. Germany expressed interest in joining the board but has not officially accepted the invitation. A government spokesperson announced at a press conference that German Chancellor Friedrich Merz could not make the signing ceremony because of planned travel and emphasized the continued importance of the United Nations in resolving international disputes, Politico reported. Japans chief Cabinet secretary said Wednesday the country is examining the details, according to local media reports. The spokesperson also reportedly said the country plans to strongly support the boards peace efforts in the Middle East. The South Korean government is also reviewing its invitation to join the board. The government welcomes the Trump administrations initiative and is actively reviewing whether to join, a senior Korean government official told local media Thursday. Some believe joining sooner rather than later would be preferable, and the government is unlikely to delay once it settles on a direction. The United Kingdom, however, cited particular concerns with the board invitation sent by the Trump administration to Russian President Vladimir Putin amid Russias ongoing war with Ukraine. British Foreign Secretary Yvette Cooper noted the U.K. is still committed to assisting the Board of Peaces efforts to rebuild Gaza regardless of their membership status on the board. We have seen no sign that Putin is actually willing to come and make that agreement, Cooper told BBC Breakfast on Thursday. Thats where the pressure needs to be now. Additionally, Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney questioned where the hefty $1 billion fee tied to becoming a permanent board member would go. A three-year membership carries no such financial obligation. Carney told reporters Sunday his country wants money to have maximum impact. We still do not have unimpeded aid flows, humanitarian aid flows at scale to the people in Gaza. That is a precondition for moving forward on this, he said. The refusal of some of Americas allies to join the agreement has sparked strong negative reactions from the U.S. president. After learning that French President Emmanuel Macron had shot down the prospect of immediately signing on to the board, Trump threatened to impose 200 percent tariffs on the countrys Champagne and wine exports to the U.S. At the World Economic Forum in Davos on Tuesday, the French president accused his U.S. counterpart of attempting to weaken and subordinate Europe after Trump threatened to seize Greenland and tax imports from several Danish allies. Trump has since walked back these threats, saying Wednesday he will not use military force to acquire Greenland and will not roll out the planned tariffs. Additionally, Norways decision not to join the board followed a dispute between the countrys prime minister and Trump over the U.S. bid for Greenland and the presidents attempts to secure the Nobel Peace Prize. In a letter to Norwegian Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Stre, Trump accused the country of denying him the prize and said, I no longer feel an obligation to think purely of Peace. While the Norwegian Nobel Committee responsible for selecting the Nobel Peace Prize recipient is based in Norway, Stre stressed the government has no role in the prize selection process. I have clearly explained, including to President Trump what is well known, the prize is awarded by an independent Nobel Committee and not the Norwegian Government, he wrote in a Monday statement. Norwegian State Secretary Kristoffer Thoner wrote in a statement shared with The Straits Times on Wednesday that Trumps board offer raises a number of questions that necessitate further dialogue with the United States. Norway will therefore not join the proposed arrangements for the Board of Peace, and will therefore not attend a signing ceremony in Davos, Thoner said. Copyright 2026 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to The Hill. Rashawn Bedeau was jailed for two years at Leeds Crown Court [West Yorkshire Police] A woman who fled to Barbados with a shooting suspect and helped bankroll him for several months has been jailed. Rashawn Bedeau, 28, left the UK with Ellis Thornton in January 2023, while the latter was wanted by police in connection with an incident in Halifax. West Yorkshire Police said Bedeau then went on to fund Thornton as he moved to Suriname and then Mexico. Bedeau, of Arley Street in Leeds, was jailed for two years at Leeds Crown Court on Friday for assisting an offender, having previously been found guilty at trial. Det Sgt Andrew Ellis said: "Bedeau helped Ellis Thornton leave the country and continued to fund his lifestyle for several months despite knowing he was a wanted suspect for a serious offence here in West Yorkshire." "I hope today's sentence sends a message out to anyone who is in two minds about hindering a police inquiry in this manner. There is a penalty to pay." A force spokesperson said while Thornton remains a wanted man in the UK, he is currently in custody in the United States in connection with separate allegations. Listen to highlights from West Yorkshire on BBC Sounds, catch up with the latest episode of Look North. Related internet links President Trump speaks at a World Economic Forum meeting in Davos, Switzerland, on Wednesday. The global summit ends Friday. (Mandel Ngan / AFP / Getty Images) President Trump delivered a sharp critique of U.S. allies and rivals alike during a speech at the World Economic Forum in Switzerland on Wednesday, questioning Europe's political direction, casting doubt on NATO's reliability and reiterating his intent to push to acquire Greenland. Speaking before an audience of global political and business leaders, Trump said European countries are "not headed in the right direction" in part because of what he described as bad immigration policies while asserting that the United States is a "great power" that needs to have outright ownership of Greenland in order to properly defend itself. The remarks echoed his long-standing complaints that the North Atlantic Treaty Organization has taken advantage of the United States, and questioned whether the allied countries would support the U.S. if the country needed them. Here are some of Trump's most notable remarks: Renewing demands for Greenland: It's the United States alone that can protect this giant mass of land, this giant piece of ice, develop it and improve it and make it so that it's good for Europe and safe for Europe and good for us. And that's the reason I'm seeking immediate negotiations to once again discuss the acquisition of Greenland by the United States. Just as we have acquired many other territories throughout our history. Military invasion ruled out: We never asked for anything, and we never got anything, we probably won't get anything unless I decide to use excessive strength and force where we would be, frankly, unstoppable, but I won't do that, OK? Thats probably the biggest statement I make because people thought I would use force. I dont want to use force. I dont want to use force. I wont use force. Outright ownership sought: "All we are asking for is to get Greenland, including right, title and ownership because you need the ownership to defend it. You can't defend it on a lease. No. 1, legally it is not defensible that way, totally. And No. 2, psychologically." On European immigration: "Certain places in Europe are unrecognizable. Frankly, they are not recognizable. We could argue, but there's no argument. Friends come back from different places I don't want to insult anybody and they say, 'I don't recognize it.' And that is not in a positive way. That's in a very negative way. And I want to see Europe go good, but it's not heading in the right direction." U.S. power: "The United States is keeping the whole world afloat. Without us, most of the countries don't even work. And then you have the protection factor. Without our military which is the greatest in the world by far without our military, youd have threats that you wouldnt believe. You don't have threats because of us and that's because of NATO." On World War II impact: After the war, which we won we won it big. Without us, right now you'd all be speaking German and a little Japanese, perhaps." On NATO reliance: "The problem with NATO is that we'll be there for them 100%. But I'm not sure that they'd be there for us if we gave them the call. ... I'm not sure that they'd be there. I know we'd be there for them. I don't know that they'd be there for us. With all the money we expend, with all of the blood, sweat and tears, I don't know that they'd be there for us." Confusing Greenland for Iceland: "They are not there for us on Iceland, that I can tell you. I mean, our stock market took the first dip yesterday because of Iceland. So Iceland has already cost us a lot of money." A nod to California Gov. Gavin Newsom (who was at the forum): "We're going to help the people in California. We want to have no crime. I know Gavin was here. I used to get along so great with Gavin when I was president. Gavin is a good guy. And if you needed it, I would do it in a heartbeat. We did help them a lot in Los Angeles, a lot early in my term when they had some problems. But we would love to do it. I would say this, if I was a Democrat governor, I would call up Trump. I would say come on in, make us look good, because we are cutting crime down to nothing and we are taking people out career criminals who are only going to do bad things and we are bringing them back to their countries." Get the L.A. Times California Politics newsletter. Deeply reported insights into legislation, politics and policy from Sacramento, Washington and beyond, in your inbox twice per week. This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times. Australian AI infrastructure startup SCX.ai will collaborate with newly formed New Zealand consortium Kereru.ai build one of the first AI platforms designed to be fully sovereign within the country. The partnership will combine SCXs AI factory architecture, built around specialised inference accelerators, with Kereru.ais local NZ ownership, governance, and delivery leadership. One of the central initiatives of the partnership that will come out of the platform is Project Kereru, a sovereign New Zealand large language model program inspired by SCX.ais Australian Project MAGPiE. Project Kereru focuses on New Zealand data, institutional language, and local terminology. As well as sector-specific models, culturally grounded applications, including support for Te Reo Maori. It will also run on in-country infrastructure, with strong governance, auditability, and safety controls appropriate for national deployment, while co-existing with the ability to run leading global models on the same platform. Recently appointed Kereru.ai CEO Lyle Ginever said New Zealand must build infrastructure that is sovereign by design, energy-efficient, and tailored to our unique culture, language, and legal framework to thrive in the AI era. January 20, 2026: At the end of 2025, the United States revealed a new National Security Strategy/NSS document. This one was different in that it was more precise, political, decisive and differentiated than earlier efforts. This NSS seeks to create a new era of unprecedented achievement for America. This includes using the President's unique deal-making skills to negotiate peace deals in more than a dozen ongoing conflicts around the world. In the first year of the current Presidency, most of these conflicts had been settled or peace efforts were making substantial progress. The new NSS reveals a new diplomacy based on economic and military deal-making rather than American worldwide economic and military domination. Domestically, more emphasis is now placed on eliminating illegal migration. This will reduce migrant related crime, increase employment opportunities for U.S. citizens and lead to more cooperation with nations that supply the illegal migrants to find solutions that convince foreigners to seek legal migration to the United States. There is also a new approach to American reactions to crises in the Western Hemisphere. The United States is more willing to use force to prevent countries in other parts of the world from interfering in our hemisphere. When there is an internal or multinational problem in our hemisphere, the situation will be addressed by the U.S. more quickly and forcefully than in the past. Another new government policy is support for traditional family values where the family consists of a mother, father and children. Families are encouraged to raise children in an atmosphere that supports traditional American values of fairness, hard work and honest dealings with others. Its also important to make Americans aware of how foreign policy problems often depend on different family, social, and political values found in foreign countries. This explains why U.S. and European attitudes towards supporting Ukraine in its war with Russia differ. New American military proposals, like the Golden Dome ballistic missile shield, are also subject to financial and diplomatic issues. Can the U.S. defense budget sustain such a project and does it risk starting another arms race like the one between the U.S. and the Soviet Union during the 1948-91 Cold War? Another NSS issue is the extent to which the United States military is used to defend European NATO nations and allies in the Pacific region. NATO Europe nations collectively generate half the global GDP. Pacific allies like Japan, South Korea, Taiwan and Australia maintain armed forces, in cooperation with U.S. forces assigned to the Western Pacific, are hopefully an effective deterrent to any aggressive Chinese military plans. The United States wants its allies, particularly the ones in Europe, to make more of an effort to defend themselves. That means spending at least 2 percent of GDP on defense and preferably 5 percent. Currently the U.S. spends 3.4 percent, which will come to a trillion dollars a year in 2027. The European average is 1.8 percent, and the growing Russian threat has all European nations increasing their defense spending. The countries closest to Russia, like Poland and the three Baltic States, are headed towards five percent. Poland is already over 4 percent, and the three Baltic States are at about 3.4 percent and rising. The U.S. is also more aggressive in advising its allies to stop Islamic radicals from migrating to their nations and to expel the ones already there. European governments are downplaying the danger, but their constituents are alarmed. European elections over the next five or ten years will create governments that recognize the Islamic threat and deal with it. A growing number of Americans and politicians are backing laws that demand potential and existing voters to present valid photo ID to vote. This would eliminate all the current voting fraud committed by illegal migrants and corrupt politicians. Another needed reform is the state of American industrial capacity. For three decades more manufacturing, and jobs, have been exported to China and other nations. The new policy seeks to bring the manufacturing and the jobs back to the United States. This is all part of a revived America First policy. Trade unionist Lee Cheuk-yan, lawyer Chow Hang-tung, and former Legislative Council member Albert Ho, who have been in prison for more than four years, appeared in court this morning for the first hearing of one of the trials symbolizing the battle for democracy in Hong Kong. Accused of subversion, they face up to 10 years in prison. The prosecution: There are no legitimate means to demand an end to the Communist Party's leadership in China. Milan (AsiaNews/Agencies) - After years of postponements, the trial of trade unionist Lee Cheuk-yan, lawyer Chow Hang-tung, and former Legislative Council member Albert Ho began this morning at the West Kowloon Court in Hong Kong. They are on trial for their role in the Hong Kong Alliance in Support of Patriotic Democratic Movements of China, the movement that from 1989 to 2019 promoted annual vigils in Victoria Park in memory of the victims of the massacre of students in Tiananmen Square in Beijing. This is one of the most important trials against Hong Kong's pro-democracy movements and - not surprisingly - coincides with the conclusion of the trial of Jimmy Lai, the Catholic entrepreneur and founder of the Apple Daily newspaper, who was convicted in December of collusion with foreign forces and conspiracy to commit sedition and is now awaiting the announcement of his sentence, which will in all likelihood be life imprisonment. Lee Cheuk Yan (68, a figure closely linked to the Catholic community in Hong Kong) and Chow Hang-tung (40, who in recent years has become one of the most courageous voices criticizing the repression) have already spent more than 1,500 days in prison prior to this trial. Alberto Ho (74, former president of the Democratic Party) has spent another 1,300 days. Presiding over the trial is Alex Lee, the same judge chosen ad hoc by the Hong Kong authorities for cases related to the national security law who conducted the lengthy trial of Jimmy Lai. At least 75 hearings are also scheduled for this new trial, which is therefore set to last for months. The prosecution alleges that the three defendants incited others to organize, plan, carry out, or participate in illegal acts aimed at subverting state power by calling for an end to the Chinese Communist Party's one-party system. The maximum penalty for subversion is 10 years in prison. Today's hearing confirmed the two different trial strategies: Albert Ho chose to plead guilty in order to obtain a reduced sentence, while Lee Cheu-yan and Chow Hang-tung contested the charges against them and will therefore face trial starting Monday. Chow Hang-tun has also chosen to defend herself in court without the assistance of another lawyer, and today she already showed her intention to fight, trying to sit in the defense benches rather than among the defendants, for which she was reprimanded by Judge Lee. The rest of the hearing was taken up entirely by the lengthy indictment against Ho, in which the prosecution clearly stated that there are no legitimate means to demand an end to the leadership of the Communist Party in China. The Hong Kong Alliance in Support of Patriotic Democratic Movements in China was founded in May 1989 in solidarity with the student-led protests in Beijing. During those weeks, this organization promoted a large concert in Hong Kongthen still a British colonyfor democracy in China, during which funds were raised to support the protesters. And just as Lee Cheu-yan was in Beijing to deliver this money, on June 4, 1989, the People's Liberation Army brutally cracked down, killing hundreds of people and arresting many more, putting an end to the protests. Lee himself ended up in prison and was forced to sign a confession before being expelled to Hong Kong. Since then, for thirty years, the Alliance has held annual vigils in Victoria Park to commemorate the events in Tiananmen Square. Until 2020, after the pro-democracy protests of the previous year, when the Hong Kong authorities used Covid-19 as a pretext to ban the initiative. The entry into force of the national security law in July of that same year made it a crime to organize such gatherings. The group was thus dissolved in 2021, along with dozens of civil society organizations. And now, to coincide with June 4, the Hong Kong authorities organize an annual trade fair in Victoria Park to occupy the space where demonstrations in memory of the Tiananmen Square massacre once took place. This trial is not about national security: it is about rewriting history and punishing those who refuse to forget the victims of the Tiananmen crackdown, said Sarah Brooks, Amnesty International's deputy regional director for Asia, commenting on the start of the trial. Chow Hang-tung and Lee Cheuk-yan are prisoners of conscience, she added, imprisoned simply for exercising their rights to freedom of expression, association, and peaceful assembly. The Hong Kong authorities must release them immediately and unconditionally. RED LANTERNS IS THE ASIANEWS NEWSLETTER DEDICATED TO CHINA. WOULD YOU LIKE TO RECEIVE IT EVERY THURSDAY? TO SUBSCRIBE, CLICK HERE. by Nirmala Carvalho India is celebrating the Week of Christian Unity from 18 to 25 January. As religious intolerance and hate speech rises, especially in states governed by the BJP, ecumenism is becoming a concrete sign of solidarity. Celebrations were held in Karnataka, with the faithful of various denominations participating. New Delhi (AsiaNews) The Week of Prayer for Christian Unity, which began on 18 January and will culminate with the Feast of the Conversion of St. Paul on 25 January, is celebrated by all Churches in India, at various levels: parish, deanery, and diocesan. In the face of growing intolerance towards the Christian faith and the rise of hate speech, this sign of real and widespread unity across the country is of the utmost importance. Indeed, the sign that Christians are united as one body is essential, as there are forces seeking to divide them and create rifts between the Churches. This is made clear in a report by the India Hate Lab, which shows an increase in hate speech towards Christians and Muslims, with 88 per cent of incidents recorded in states governed by the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) of Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Still, in November 2025, Union Minister Kiren Rijiju praised the activities of the Catholic Church, stating that it "does not convert. Catholics do not engage in religious conversion. The Catholic community renders remarkable service in various fields, and people have accepted it wholeheartedly. Father Anthoniraj Thumma, secretary of the Office for Dialogue and Ecumenism of the Catholic Bishops Conference of India (CBCI), spoke to AsiaNews about the matter. Systematic organised persecution, escalating attacks, planned intrusions by extremists, and their conspiracy to prevent the celebration of Christmas have awakened the Churches in India from their complacency, he said. It is high time they come together to express their solidarity to each other and to safeguard the constitutional rights of freedom of religion and expression, he added. Bishop Joshua Mar Ignathios, president of the Office, who is well known as a profound thinker, a committed ecumenist, and a unifying voice, also spoke to AsiaNews. We show solidarity with the Churches, and stand together. We have made appeals to the various chief ministers and the central government for protection of the Christian community, he said. On 18 January, prayers for Christian unity were held in the Diocese of Shimoga, Karnataka. In Shimoga, an ecumenical service was held at the Church of South India (CSI) Church of St Thomas. Bishop Stany D'Souza, delegate of the Apostolic Administrator of the Diocese of Shimoga, attended the service, along with nuns and pastors from Shimoga and about a hundred faithful from both the Sacred Heart Cathedral of Shivamoga and the parish. The Diocese of Mangalore also celebrated unity on 18 January. On this occasion, Bishop Peter Paul Saldanha issued a message. In it he writes: I would like to remind everyone about the historical event whereby Pope Leo XIV and the Ecumenical Patriarch of Constantinople, Bartholomew I, signed a joint declaration in Istanbul (ancient Constantinople) on 29 November 2025, reaffirming their commitment to Christian unity and urging global peace efforts, in the context of 1,700th anniversary of the First Council of Nicaea. He goes on to say: On the occasion of the Ecumenical Sunday, I encourage you to organise common celebration together with the Christians of other Churches and denominations in your vicinity. This is an opportunity to meet the brethren of other Christian communities and to appreciate their love for the Word of God and their zeal for the Christian life. by Santosh Digal The president spoke yesterday in Cotabato City on the seventh anniversary of the founding of the Barmm. For the head of state, peace in the area is vital for the progress of the whole country. The promise to support the aspirations of our Muslim brothers and sisters. Meanwhile, September 28 is being considered as the date for the elections, which have already been postponed several times. Manila (AsiaNews) - On the seventh anniversary - celebrated yesterday - of the creation of the autonomous Muslim-majority region in Muslim Mindanao (Barmm), southern Philippines, President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. stressed that peace is vital for the progress of the area and the whole country. In his speech in Cotabato City, the head of state recalled how the new entity has helped to end decades of armed conflict in Mindanao and lay the foundations for peace between Manila and Islamic militias, including the MILF. However, several unresolved issues remain on the table, starting with the elections, which have been suspended several times and which, according to the latest information, could take place on September 28. In February 2019, then-President Rodrigo Duterte entrusted the leadership of the new Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BAMM) to Al Hajj Murad Ebrahim, leader of the MILF, who assumed the position of interim chief minister. Since then, the rebels, who for decades fought a bloody battle for autonomy, with 150,000 deaths since the 1970s, have become guarantors of peace and stability in the predominantly Islamic territory of the island of Mindanao. The BAMM was created after the ratification of the Bangsamoro Organic Law (BOL), the result of negotiations between Manila and the MILF. Held in two votes (January 21 and February 6, 2019), a referendum established that the new region is composed of the provinces of Lanao del Sur, Maguindanao, Basilan, Sulu, and Tawi-Tawi, as well as the cities of Marawi, Lamitan, Cotabato, and 63 villages in North Cotabato. However, divisions have emerged since the early stages of the new entity, and there have been concerns about religious freedom, despite the support expressed by Mindanao's Catholic leaders for the autonomy project. In recent years, we have witnessed the changes and gradual development of the Barmm and, for the future, we support and endorse the aspirations of our Muslim brothers and sisters, Marcos said. Institutions have been strengthened. And, most importantly, the bond between the national government and the Bangsamoro government has deepened, he said. The president then called the establishment of the autonomous region a milestone in the struggle to achieve genuine progress and unity and proof that sacrifice, dialogue, and unity are the keys to lasting peace. Marcos Jr. also urged the public to always choose unity and cooperation, moving beyond divisions. Despite the achievements of the Barmm, Marcos Jr. pointed out that there is still much work to be done, stressing that peace remains a fundamental basis for progress, which is why he assured the government's support for local government action. Finally, the head of state expressed his hope that the upcoming elections would represent an opportunity for the people of Bangsamoro to freely express their voices and aspirations through the election of their leaders. However, the issue of voting remains unresolved, even though two representatives from the autonomous region proposed yesterday that the elections be held on September 28. At the end of 2025, the Commission on Elections (Comelec) moved the Barmm elections from October to March 30, 2026, after the Supreme Court declared two previous regional district laws unconstitutional. The judges had given the Bangsamoro Transition Authority (BTA) until the end of October to pass a law in line with the Constitution, allowing elections to be held by March 31. However, the interim parliament missed the deadline and passed the district law on January 13, weeks after Comelec suspended the filing of candidacy certificates for the March 30 polls. The first elections have been postponed three times since the predominantly Muslim region was created in 2019. They were originally scheduled for May 2022 but were postponed to May 2025 due to the Covid-19 pandemic and the need to finalize the Bangsamoro electoral code. Finally, speaking at the celebrations in the presence of President Marcos, Barmm Prime Minister Abdulraof Macacua highlighted the achievements of his administration in recent times, calling on citizens to make a joint effort for continued progress. He said that the local economy in the Bangsamoro region had improved, jobs had increased, and health workers had reached communities that had previously been neglected. In addition, social protection programs have helped hundreds of thousands of families, and more than 500 infrastructure projects have been completed. Macacua concluded by outlining his future plans, stating that he does not intend to change direction but rather to expand what has already been started. 22 January 2026 08:30 (UTC+04:00) Qabil Ashirov Read more Azerbaijan has long been known as a country shaped by mega projects. It is precisely these large-scale initiatives that have enabled the country to achieve rapid economic growth over the past three decades, transforming it from one of the worlds poorest post-Soviet states into an uppermiddleincome economy. The numbers speak for themselves. In 1992, just one year after regaining independence, Azerbaijans GDP per capita stood at around $60. Thirty years later, it exceeded $7,000. In other words, over three decades Azerbaijans GDP per capita increased by more than 100 times a record achieved by only a handful of nations worldwide. This achievement is even more remarkable given that the countrys population grew by nearly 50 percent during the same period. Azerbaijan reached this milestone against the backdrop of successive mega projects. The first and most transformative was the decision to bring Azerbaijani oil to global markets. The development of offshore fields and the construction of export pipelines generated billions of dollars in revenue, fundamentally altering the countrys economic trajectory. Oil wealth allowed Azerbaijan to stabilize its economy, invest in infrastructure, and raise living standards. However, this success came with a structural vulnerability: excessive dependence on hydrocarbons. For many years, around 90 percent of Azerbaijans exports were linked to oil hardly a recipe for a resilient or diversified economy. Recognizing this risk, policymakers adopted a pragmatic approach. Oil revenues were channeled into developing the nonoil sector. Over time, agriculture, manufacturing, transport, and services expanded, and nonoil exports grew several times over. Yet the limits of this strategy were evident. Nonoil sectors are highly competitive, fragmented, and slower to scale. No serious observer expected them to rival the oil sector in the short term nor was that technically realistic. This reality made export diversification urgent rather than optional. The second major mega project was therefore natural gas. With the launch of large gas export routes, Azerbaijan succeeded in reshaping its export structure. Oils share in total exports fell to roughly 50 percent, while gas rose to around 40 percent, with the remaining 10 percent accounted for by nonoil products. This shift significantly improved economic resilience, but it did not fully solve the diversification challenge. As President Ilham Aliyev noted while addressing business leaders at an event titled Azerbaijan Executive Breakfast, held on the sidelines of the World Economic Forum in Davos, "Diversification of the economy for our country is the number one priority. From a practical point of view, today we see a growing interest in renewable sources. This statement captures both intent and urgency. Even with nonoil exports surpassing $3 billion, and likely approaching $45 billion in the coming years, their growth rate alone cannot deliver the scale of diversification Azerbaijan requires. That is why the country is already moving toward what may become its next defining mega project: electricity generation and export. The foundations of this strategy were laid years ago, and tangible results are likely to emerge after 2030. A landmark moment came on December 17, 2022, in Bucharest, when Azerbaijan, Georgia, Romania, and Hungary signed an agreement to construct a submarine power cable under the Black Sea. The project aims to transmit green electricity produced in Azerbaijan directly to European markets. The rationale is compelling. Azerbaijans economically viable green energy potential is estimated at 27 gigawatts. The country plans to utilize a significant share of this capacity and export more than 45 gigawatts of electricity to Europe via two routes: the primary corridor beneath the Black Sea and a secondary route through Turkiye. In strategic terms, this would position Azerbaijan not only as a supplier of oil and gas, but also as a regional hub for clean electricity. To make this vision a reality, production capacity must expand rapidly. Azerbaijans total electricity generation capacity currently stands at 9,732.5 megawatts. This includes 24 thermal power plants with a combined capacity of 7,903 MW, 65 hydropower plants totaling 1,443.5 MW, nine solar plants (278.2 MW), five wind farms (63.5 MW), one wastetoenergy plant (37 MW), and three hybrid stations (7.3 MW). Renewable sources, including hydropower, account for 1,829.6 MW, or 18.8 percent of total capacity. President Aliyev has made clear that this balance will change dramatically. We have already inaugurated two big renewable power stations, he said. In the coming six years, we will dramatically increase our capacity to generate energy from solar and wind. In other words, by 2032, we expect to have eight gigawatts of solar and wind energy, because there is a lot of sun and a lot of wind, and we see great potential. We have already contracted several projects, and now we are thinking about storage capacity, President Ilham Aliyev added. If realized, this strategy would mark a historic shift. Electricity exports could become Azerbaijans third major export pillar after oil and gas, and eventually a cleaner, more futureproof one. Once again, a mega project may redefine the countrys economic model, proving that Azerbaijans growth story is far from over. January 21, 2026: A month ago Ukraine used a new submarine version of their Sea Baby naval drone to attack a Russian Kilo Class submarine in the port of Novorossiisk on the east coast of the Black Sea. This was the first time a drone submarine attacked and crippled a manned submarine. The damaged Kilo will probably be written off because last February Russia shut down all ship repair activities in the Black Sea because of increasing Ukrainian drone and missile attacks. This includes the shipyards at Novorossiisk. The damaged Kilo cannot be taken to a submarine repair facility in northwest Russia because Turkey has a treaty allowing it to refuse warships in wartime access to Turkish-controlled waters that are the only exit from the Black Sea to the Mediterranean. There is another damaged Kilo stranded in a Crimean shipyard. With its latest Kilo loss, Russia has no operational Kilos in the Black Sea. The Black Sea Kilos were used to launch Kalibr cruise missiles at targets in Ukraine. Kalibrs launched from Russia are easier to detect and shoot down. The submerged Kilos launched Kalibrs from their torpedo tubes. The cruise missiles reached the surface, and their engines took the Kalibrs to targets anywhere along the Ukrainian Black Sea coast and hundreds of kilometers inland. Meanwhile Ukraine continues to develop and build naval drones to enable Ukraine to make the Black Sea unusable by Russian commercial shipping as well as warships. The freighters and tankers can use the Turkish exit to the Mediterranean only if they survive Ukrainian naval and land-based drone attacks. In 2024 and most of 2025, Russia and Ukraine avoided attacking each others commercial shipping in the Black Sea. But with all the Kilos gone and surface warships withdrawn to Russian ports in the distant ports of the northeastern Black Sea, Ukraine is free to threaten Russian commercial shipping in the Black Sea. Ukraine already has armed commercial merchant raiders firing on Russian commercial shipping. The Russians can launch drones and missiles at Ukrainian Black Sea ports but cannot effectively attack commercial shipping in the Black Sea. Ukraine continues to develop, build and use drones to continue their domination of the Black Sea. Last December Ukraine introduced its Magura V7 naval drone, which weighs about 1.2 tons and can carry 650 kg of weapons. Its operational range is a thousand kilometers. The V7 can also be equipped with an electricity generator, enabling it to stay at sea for up to seven days. This model can move at speeds of up to 72 kilometers an hour. Cruising speed is 43 kilometers an hour. Ukrainian naval drones have revolutionized naval warfare that takes place within a few hundred kilometers of a coastline. So far no other navy has shown much interest in duplicating the Ukrainian success with naval drones. The U.S. Coast Guard has used naval drones to assist in interdicting drug smuggling boats. The U.S. Navy has access to Ukrainian naval drone technology and is paying attention because the Chinese are doing a lot of work on naval drones, including a ship described as a drone carrier, equipped with aerial and naval drones. It all began in 2022 when the Russian Black Sea fleet dominated the Black Sea and threatened Ukrainian grain exports, which accounted for 41 percent of its export income. Most of these grain products went to Egypt, Indonesia, Turkey, Pakistan and Bangladesh. Ukraine needed to deal with the Black Sea Fleet and do it quickly. The initial problem was that Ukraine did not have much of a navy. They had some patrol boats, which were a nuisance, not an obstacle, to continued Russian control of the Black Sea. When the current war started in 2022, the Russians happily attacked Ukrainian-flagged cargo ships carrying Ukrainian grain for export from the Black Sea for more than a year. This stopped sometime in 2023 after Ukrainian cruise missiles sank or disabled the Russian warships doing that, and both sides then exported grain through the Black Sea, plus some oil for the Russians. Eventually the Ukrainians developed surface water drones and then underwater drones capable of attacking all Russian ships in the Black Sea. Things then got interesting. Ukraine first developed a secret weapon, the Magura naval surface drone, used about a hundred of these drones to defeat Russias Black Sea fleet. When the war started, the Magura V5 was just a concept, a preliminary design for a one ton 5.5 meter long naval drone. Magura initially used a fishing boat that had a solid waterproof cover added, along with batteries for propulsion. There were sensors and a compartment for 300 kg of explosives or weapons. These include a machine-gun protruding above the drone top while two Sidewinder anti-aircraft missiles were in launch tubes, ready to be fired at Russian aircraft or helicopters. Magura has a substantial number of electronic components, including several day/night video cameras, that give the remote operator a view of what is around the drone. There is also an autopilot, so the remote operator does not have to personally maneuver the drone over long stretches of open water. Magura is equipped with contact fuses at the front of the boat Most Magura missions are one-way, but those equipped with machine-guns and surface-to-air missiles are also used to attack Russian aircraft. In May a Magura V7 used those two missiles to shoot down two expensive Russian SU-30 jet fighters. This was the first time a naval drone had shot down warplanes. Earlier a Magura had used Ukrainian R-73 heat-seeking missiles to take down one Mi-8 helicopter and damage another. The Ukrainian experience using naval drones to defeat the Russian Black Sea Fleet was unique. Ukraine had only surface-to-ship missiles when the war started, but eventually shifted to three new naval drones, Sea Baby, Mother, and MAGURA, or Maritime Autonomous Guard Unmanned Robotic Apparatus. Some of these naval drones were used for a mid-2023 Kerch Bridge attack. One of the drones varied 850 kg of explosives and inflicted enough damage to halt use of the bridge. The Mother drone carried 450 kg and MAGURA 320 kg. In addition to attacking targets, these drones can also be used for reconnaissance and surveillance using video cameras that broadcast what they see back to the drone operator. Some drones have been armed with small rocket launchers. The Mother drone has a range of over 700 kilometers and can operate on the high seas. Endurance is about 60 hours, and top speed is over 70 kilometers an hour. Mother was used for an attack on the Russian naval base at Novorossiysk, which is a thousand kilometers from Crimea. Ukraine has been developing subsurface drones and in early 2023 the first one, the Toloka2 TK-150 was introduced. This drone was 2.5 meters long and equipped with a sensor mast that remained above the surface for navigation and to identify targets. Toloka2 can also carry a small explosive warhead. Later, Ukraine developed the larger Marichka drone that is six meters long and one meter in diameter. Ukraine sought a Western manufacturer to build and weaponize Ukrainian drones. Ukrainian drones have been quite successful in attacking and sinking or disabling Russian navy ships. So far there have been over a dozen attacks which resulted in sinking or damaging about twenty ships. Ukrainian drone operations in the Black Sea forced the Russian Black Sea Fleet to withdraw to the eastern shore of the Black Sea. Sevastopol was no longer a safe place to be, and Russian ships could no longer launch their Kalibr cruise missiles without risking attack by Ukrainian drones. The presence and aggressive use of the drones meant that Ukraines grain corridor was kept open despite Russias threats to interfere. Beyond symbolic significance, the corridor holds critical economic importance for Ukraine and is expected to contribute up to seven percent to GDP growth in 2024 and even more in 2025 because of the grain shipments. Russian countermeasures to Ukrainian naval drones included using aircraft and helicopters to destroy slow-moving drones before they attack and expanding use of jamming to disrupt drone control signals. These changes made it much more difficult for Ukrainian naval drones to reach and destroy targets. But by 2025 the Russians had already lost control of the Black Sea and were not getting it back. This left Russian warships dependent on bases in the north, near the land border with Norway, and in the Far East, near Japanese and South Korean naval bases. In a post-Cold War development, the Japanese and South Korean fleets are now far larger than the Russian Far East fleet. Before the 1990s, the South Korea fleet was largely non-existent and the Japanese fleet tiny and purely defensive. Chinese naval power began to emerge by the late 1990s but took another decade to become a significant force. Then as now, the American western Pacific fleet was the major naval power in the region. The lessons learned by American, Chinese, Taiwanese, Japanese, Ukrainian and Russian naval commanders is that these drones have changed the rules for naval warfare. If China tries to invade Taiwan, they have to prepare countermeasures for numerous naval drones blocking the way. Everyone continues to observe Black Sea operations for details on what new tactics, techniques and drones designs appear. The U.S. has an edge because they are a major supporter of Ukraine and are seeking to make the most of their insider knowledge of the Ukrainian naval drone effort. 22 January 2026 17:11 (UTC+04:00) Elnur Enveroglu Read more At a time when the world is increasingly defined by conflict, the gathering of a group of world leaders, heads of governments and representatives comprising 20 countries in Davos, Switzerland, served as a powerful reminder that peace remains a matter of vital importance. As the renowned philosopher Baruch Spinoza observed, Peace is not the absence of conflict, but the ability to cope with conflict by peaceful means. On 22 January in Davos, heads of state, including President of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev, came together to sign a significant document, pledging to do everything within their power to heal one of the most devastating conflict wounds in the Middle East, a crisis that has shaken the world by the scale of death and destruction it has caused. Above all, the agreement underscored a shared commitment to ensuring the sustainability of peace. One of the most notable and consequential aspects of the event was the collective confidence and shared vision for peace-building demonstrated by the initiatives leader, US President Donald Trump, alongside the heads of state and government and official representatives of the countries supporting this effort. It is therefore no coincidence that Azerbaijan - long recognised as one of the proponents of peace preservation and security - has assumed a leading role within the Board. Azerbaijans accession to the Board of Peace on Gaza represents a strategic and timely development in international diplomacy. By joining this multilateral initiative, the country is messaging its commitment to constructive engagement in one of the worlds most intractable conflicts. The event, attended by US President Donald Trump, once again highlighted Azerbaijans growing influence and the significance of its bilateral relations with Washington, while positioning Baku as an emerging actor in global peace-building. The Board of Peace on Gaza convenes a coalition of states aimed at facilitating dialogue, promoting humanitarian support, and establishing frameworks for sustainable development in the region. Membership includes both regional powers and global stakeholders, such as the United States, Turkiye, Egypt, the United Arab Emirates, and Qatar. Azerbaijans inclusion reflects the recognition of its diplomatic credibility and its capacity to contribute meaningfully to post-conflict reconstruction and stabilisation efforts. The signing ceremony in Washington marked a formal endorsement of Azerbaijans role, with the presence of Donald Trump amplifying the symbolic and strategic significance of the occasion. Trump publicly acknowledged President Ilham Aliyevs leadership and Azerbaijans contribution to regional peace, reinforcing the perception of Baku as a trusted partner in international conflict resolution. Azerbaijans participation in the Board is underpinned by a substantive record of peace-building and regional stabilisation. Most notably, Baku has successfully navigated the resolution of the decades-long conflict with Armenia in the South Caucasus. The 30-year dispute had paralysed regional economic development and constrained integration within the South Caucasus. Azerbaijans diplomatic efforts, coupled with strategic negotiation and reconstruction, restored territorial integrity while enabling renewed economic activity and regional connectivity. This practical experience positions Azerbaijan as a credible contributor to Gazas complex peace environment. Bakus approach emphasises dialogue, reconstruction, and long-term stability, providing a model for other states seeking to mediate entrenched conflicts. As a board member, Azerbaijan is expected to leverage its expertise in post-conflict recovery, humanitarian coordination, and institution-building, skills that are honed in the South Caucasus but applicable to Gazas humanitarian and political challenges. President Ilham Aliyevs engagement President Ilham Aliyevs presence at the signing ceremony reaffirmed the strategic priority Azerbaijan attaches to multilateral peace initiatives. His engagement signals that Azerbaijans contribution is not merely symbolic but operational and forward-looking. By participating directly, Aliyev demonstrates a willingness to take responsibility for shaping international outcomes, highlighting Bakus proactive stance in global diplomacy. Donald Trumps recognition of Aliyevs leadership further consolidates Azerbaijans standing in Washington. The US President emphasised Azerbaijans practical role as a peace-maker, strengthening bilateral ties and creating avenues for collaborative projects in Gaza. This endorsement enhances Bakus legitimacy, projecting the country as a reliable interlocutor capable of bridging regional divides and supporting US-led initiatives. But what are the strategic benefits and prospects of being a member state for Azerbaijan? Although membership of the Board of Peace may at times appear obscure or insignificant to many, its true substance in fact carries far greater depth and importance than is often assumed. While its core essence remains unchanged, its strategic significance can vary considerably from one state to another. Membership in the Board of Peace offers Azerbaijan multiple strategic advantages. It provides a platform for diplomatic visibility, elevating Bakus influence in Middle Eastern and global affairs. It also facilitates knowledge transfer, allowing Azerbaijan to share lessons from its South Caucasus experience in post-conflict recovery and socio-economic revitalisation. Azerbaijans engagement can directly benefit Gaza, where governance, infrastructure, and humanitarian needs remain acute. By applying models of dialogue, reconstruction, and regional cooperation, Baku can contribute tangible solutions while reinforcing its international reputation as a pragmatic and constructive peace actor. The partnership with the United States adds an additional layer of influence. Strong bilateral relations, validated by Trumps commendation, ensure that Azerbaijan is recognised as a trusted partner in shaping multilateral approaches to peace, providing a channel for expertise, resources, and diplomatic coordination that strengthens both regional and global peace-building mechanisms. Regionally, Azerbaijans participation demonstrates the role of middle powers in conflict resolution. Its engagement provides a blueprint for pragmatic diplomacy and multilateral cooperation, encouraging other states to contribute constructively. Globally, Bakus accession demonstrates that effective peace-building relies on practical experience and strategic partnerships, not merely political rhetoric. By leveraging its South Caucasus achievements, Azerbaijan can influence broader peace initiatives, from the Middle East to post-conflict zones worldwide. Thus, in a global context marked by persistent crises, Azerbaijans example reinforces the principle that peace is both achievable and transformative. Effective conflict resolution, anchored in experience, partnership, and reconstruction, provides not only humanitarian relief but also long-term stability and economic opportunity, lessons that resonate far beyond the South Caucasus and the Gaza Strip. 22 January 2026 10:21 (UTC+04:00) The U.S. Chamber of Commerce, in cooperation with the U.S. Department of State and the U.S. Department of Commerce, is organizing its first-ever bilateral business mission to Azerbaijan, Azernews reports, citing local media outlets. The mission will take place in Baku on February 910. During the two-day visit, a high-level delegation will provide U.S. companies with opportunities to establish direct contacts with Azerbaijani government bodies, state-owned enterprises, and leading private-sector stakeholders. The mission will focus primarily on energy and digital transformation, as well as defense and transportation, agriculture and healthcare, and finance and investment. The program includes meetings with representatives of the Presidential Administration and the Cabinet of Ministers, relevant ministries, the State Oil Company of Azerbaijan (SOCAR) and the State Oil Fund of Azerbaijan, the Export and Investment Promotion Agency (AZPROMO), PASHA Holding, the American Chamber of Commerce in Azerbaijan (AmCham), as well as other public and private institutions. 22 January 2026 12:22 (UTC+04:00) Akbar Novruz Read more In 2025, the volume of trade transactions between Azerbaijan and the United States (USA) reached 1.557 billion USD, according to the State Customs Committee. This was 196.3 million USD (11.2%) less than in 2024, reflecting a contraction in bilateral trade, Azernews reports. The USA accounted for 3.15% of Azerbaijans total foreign trade turnover in 2025, making it the 6th largest trading partner for Azerbaijan during the reporting period. Exports from Azerbaijan to the USA amounted to 61.8 million USD in 2025, which was 73.2 million USD (about 2.2 times) lower than in 2024. Meanwhile, imports from the USA to Azerbaijan totaled 1.495 billion USD, down by 123 million USD (7.6%) from 2024, placing the United States as the 4th largest source of imports for Azerbaijan. For context, in 2024, Azerbaijans trade turnover with the United States was notably higher than in 2025. According to trade reports, overall trade with the USA in 2024 reached around 1.75 billion USD, driven by growth in both exports and imports from the previous year. Looking further back, trade between Azerbaijan and the USA in 2023 was significantly lower than in 2024 and 2025 as the broader expansion in trade from that year preceded the peak seen in 2024. (Detailed bilateral figures for 2023 were lower than 2024 levels based on historical trends from State Customs Committee data on overall foreign trade growth) At the national level, Azerbaijans total foreign trade in 2025 was valued at 49.423 billion USD, up 3.8% from the previous year. Of this, 25.043 billion USD were exports and 24.380 billion USD were imports. Exports declined by 5.7%, while imports rose by 15.8%. As a result, the foreign trade surplus shrank to 663 million USD, down sharply from the prior year. 22 January 2026 13:15 (UTC+04:00) Akbar Novruz Read more The energy systems of Armenia and Azerbaijan will be integrated, Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan announced on Wednesday during a session of the National Assembly of Armenia, answering questions from MPs, Azernews reports. Pashinyan said that the two countries will benefit from mutually beneficial agreements on energy export and import on equal terms, emphasizing that Armenia has already begun to see some of these benefits. For example, the price of gasoline in Armenia has decreased by 20 percent. Wheat imports via Azerbaijan to Armenia have begun, he noted. Isnt this mutually beneficial? Pashinyan added. He also confirmed that Azerbaijani representatives have stated they have provided Armenia with corridors through their territory. These developments come amid a broader trend of rapidly improving relations between Armenia and Azerbaijan following decades of conflict. In August 2025, the two countries initialed and signed a U.S.brokered peace agreement that aims to formally end the NagornoKarabakh conflict and establish comprehensive interstate relations. The joint declaration was signed in Washington by President Ilham Aliyev and Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan, with U.S. President Donald Trump acting as a mediator. Part of this rapprochement includes the Trump Route for International Peace and Prosperity (TRIPP) initiative, a strategic corridor project designed to link Azerbaijans main territory with its exclave Nakhchivan across Armenian territory. The corridor is expected to include infrastructure such as rail lines, oil and gas pipelines, and electricity links that would benefit all participating countries economically and logistically. International analysts have noted that the warming relations are tied to both economic opportunities and geopolitical shifts in the South Caucasus, with active diplomatic engagement from the United States, China, and other global actors helping to foster dialogue and cooperation after years of stalemate. 22 January 2026 16:35 (UTC+04:00) Full digital access to all news for 1 year Full digital access to all news for 6 months Full digital access to all news for 3 months Full digital access to all news for 1 month Find the plan that suits you best. From January to November 2025, Azerbaijan exported approximately 493.98 million kWh of electricity to Georgia, generating around $28.501 million in revenue, Azernews from the State Statistical Committee. Here we are to serve you with news right now. It does not cost much, but worth your attention. Choose to support open, independent, quality journalism and subscribe on a monthly basis. By subscribing to our online newspaper, you can have full digital access to all news, analysis, and much more. Subscribe You can also follow AzerNEWS on Twitter @AzerNewsAz or Facebook @AzerNewsNewspaper Thank you! 22 January 2026 14:44 (UTC+04:00) Laman Ismayilova Read more Azerbaijan Culture Minister Adil Karimli has met with Sabuhi Goyushov, Director of the Legal Department at PASA Hyat Insurance Company and the winner of the fourth "Yukslis" (Rise) competition, Azernews reports. Greeting Sabuhi Goyushov, Adil Karimli highlighted the significance of the competition. The minister noted that the competition, established by President Ilham Aliyev's decree on July 26, 2019, serves as a vital platform for showcasing Azerbaijan's intellectual and professional potential. In a rapidly developing country, there is a growing need for a new generation of leaders across all sectors, including culture. The competition's winners are provided with the necessary conditions to contribute actively to management in the cultural sphere. As one of the competition's managing leaders, Adil Karimli expressed his enthusiasm for collaborating with the projects winners. Sabuhi Goyushov expressed his gratitude for the meeting, emphasizing the special significance of the "Yukslis" competition in his personal and professional life. He also thanked the Minister for his mentorship and support following his victory. Minister Karimli wished Goyushov continued success in both his career and personal endeavors. It is noteworthy that on December 10, 2025, President Ilham Aliyev signed a decree announcing the organization of the sixth "Yukslis" competition. 22 January 2026 18:15 (UTC+04:00) Laman Ismayilova Read more This year marks the 133rd anniversary of the birth of Bahruz Kangarli, one of the founding figures of Azerbaijani realist art, Azernews reports. Though his life was tragically short, he passed away at just 30, Kangarli left an incredibly rich artistic legacy. Born in 1892 in Nakhchivan, Bahruz Kangarli was among the first professional painters in Azerbaijan. In 1910, with the support of the prominent writer Jalil Mammadguluzadeh, he enrolled in the Tbilisi Art School under the Society for the Encouragement of Fine Arts. From early on, his work captured attention: humorous and satirical magazines across pre-revolutionary Russia, particularly the legendary "Molla Nasreddin", frequently published his drawings. Kangarli's artistry was remarkably versatile. He explored nearly every genre, from portraiture to landscape, from everyday life to theatrical design. His landscapes, rendered in delicate watercolors, vividly convey the beauty and character of his homeland. Art pieces such as "Waterfall", "Agryadag", "Road to Yashkhan Village", and "Ilanly Mountain by Moonlight" demonstrate his mastery of light, color, and atmosphere. He also immortalized cultural landmarks, including the Momine-Khatun Mausoleum, Askhabi-Kahf Mountain, and the Tomb of Noah, blending realism with a profound respect for heritage. Equally compelling are his genre paintings, capturing intimate moments of life in early 20th-century Azerbaijan. Art works like "The Matchmaking", "Wedding Celebration", and his costume sketches for plays staged in Nakhchivan, including "The Dead" by Mammadguluzadeh, "Haji Gara" by Mirza Fatali Akhundzadeh, and "Peri-Jadu" by A. Akhverdiyev, stand as priceless records of Azerbaijani cultural and artistic history. Bahruz Kangarli was also a master of portraiture, leaving behind an extensive gallery of contemporary figures. His series "Refugees", featuring works such as "Refugee Boy", "Woman Refugee", and "Homeless Family" is celebrated for its realism and psychological depth, revealing the human stories behind displacement. In total, he created over 2,000 works of art, a reflection of his prodigious talent and enduring influence. Today, his legacy lives on in Nakhchivan, where a park and monument bearing his name were inaugurated in 2016, honoring the man who forever transformed Azerbaijani art. 22 January 2026 10:58 (UTC+04:00) The views expressed by President of the Republic of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev at the panel session Defining Eurasia's Economic Identity and during the Azerbaijan Executive Breakfast at the World Economic Forum in Davos received wide coverage in the international media, Azernews reports. Media outlets from a broad range of countries across Europe, Russia and the Arab world published articles referring to President Aliyevs remarks, with particular focus on the new regional realities following the ArmeniaAzerbaijan war and the prospects for future-oriented cooperation between the two countries. Turkiyes Anadolu and Ihlas news agencies, Russias Kommersant, Komsomolskaya Pravda, Vedomosti, Vesti, Gazeta, TASS, as well as Arabic-language platforms such as lebanon24 and al bayader, highlighted President Aliyevs statement that Azerbaijan and Armenia have closed the chapter of war. The Azerbaijani leader stressed the responsibility behind ending the conflict: It was a very responsible and important decision to stop at the right time as the leader of a country that had suffered for thirty years. Endless wars would have resulted in even more suffering and victims. Someone had to stop it, and we decided to put an end to it. Yes, the decision to close that chapter and see opportunities for peace was a joint decision of the leaders of Azerbaijan and Armenia. President Aliyev also addressed the role of international organizations, noting that expectations regarding international mediation had not materialized. The head of state further noted that the dividends of peace are already visible, pointing to the start of practical cooperation. Azerbaijan has lifted restrictions on the transit of goods from Kazakhstan and Russia to Armenia, and oil shipments from Azerbaijan to Armenia have also begun. International media emphasized that these steps mark a turning point for stability and cooperation in the region, especially given that they were announced at a major Eurasia-focused forum. Several portals, including gulfpress.net, inkl.com, indexbox.io and alsaudiapress.com, focused on President Aliyevs remarks regarding international law, European energy security and geopolitical aspects of energy supply. The coverage highlighted Azerbaijans growing role in Europes energy diversification efforts. President Aliyev noted that Azerbaijan now has a gas pipeline network connecting 16 countries, including the European Union, and exports natural gas to 10 EU member states, making it one of the leading countries supplying gas via pipelines. Russian media outlets such as mk.ru, vesti.ru, life.ru, Komsomolskaya Pravda and Vzglyad paid special attention to President Aliyevs comments at the Breakfast with the Azerbaijani Leadership event, where he suggested that a second oil boom could occur in Azerbaijan. While oil production is currently declining amid rising gas output, plans exist to stabilize or even increase crude production. At the same time, President Aliyev underlined that economic diversification remains Azerbaijans main priority. Highlighting the growing importance of green energy, he stated: By 2032, we plan to achieve 8 gigawatts of solar and wind power capacity. International coverage of the Davos events underscored Azerbaijans positioning as a key regional actor shaping peace, energy security and economic transformation in Eurasia. 22 January 2026 15:14 (UTC+04:00) Qabil Ashirov Read more On 22 January 2026, Azerbaijans Foreign Minister Jeyhun Bayramov received Radmila Sekerinska, Deputy Secretary General of NATO, at a bilateral meeting in Baku, Azernews reports, citing the Foreign Ministry. The Ministry noted that the discussion focused on the current and prospective agenda of cooperation between Azerbaijan and NATO within the framework of partnership, the ongoing work under partnership mechanisms, and broader regional and international security issues. Both sides highlighted the significance of Azerbaijans collaboration with NATO, noting that the dialogue and mutual activities carried out under the existing partnership contribute positively to regional security. Opportunities for cooperation in mine clearance, cybersecurity, and other fields were also explored. Minister Bayramovs briefing emphasized Azerbaijans experience participating in NATO peace-support operations and missions, its active support for processes in Afghanistan, ongoing defense reforms, and efforts to ensure adaptability in security and defense structures. The visit of NATO member states permanent representatives to Azerbaijan in November of last year was also warmly recalled. The meeting further addressed the Azerbaijan-Armenia normalization process, diplomatic efforts to ensure sustainable and lasting peace in the region, confidence-building measures, agreements reached during the Washington Summit on 8 August, and the prospects for peace. Regional transportation and connectivity projects were also discussed in detail. Finally, the parties exchanged views on other bilateral and regional issues of mutual interest, reinforcing the commitment to continued cooperation and dialogue. 22 January 2026 15:54 (UTC+04:00) An expanded meeting between President of the Republic of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev and U.S. President Donald Trump has begun in Davos, Azernews reports. During the meeting, the leaders hailed the development of relations between the two countries across various areas following President Donald Trumps return to power. Emphasis was placed on President Donald Trumps historic role in achieving agreements to advance the peace agenda between Azerbaijan and Armenia in Washington on August 8 last year. The President of Azerbaijan touched upon the steps taken toward normalizing relations between Azerbaijan and Armenia. Noting that peace already exists in the region, President Ilham Aliyev pointed out that this is also reflected in the establishment of trade relations between the two countries. In this context, he highlighted the export of oil products from Azerbaijan to Armenia, as well as the delivery of imported grain to Armenia via Azerbaijan. The head of state also underlined the important role of the Zangezur Corridor, including the TRIPP project, in terms of regional connectivity. During the conversation, reference was made to the significance of the Board of Peace established under the chairmanship of the U.S. President. The importance of this body in strengthening peace in the Middle East and contributing to the resolution of global conflicts was underscored. Azerbaijans invitation to the Board of Peace as a founding member state was described as a reflection of the Azerbaijan-U.S. strategic partnership and the countrys role in promoting peace worldwide. The Presidents also exchanged views on the prospects for bilateral relations, noting the role of reciprocal visits and contacts at various levels in deepening these ties. January 22, 2026: Iran developed its delta-wing 200 kg propeller driven Shahed 136 drone a decade ago and it was first used by Iran-backed Houthi rebels in Yemen during 2019. After the 2022 Russian invasion of Ukraine began, Iran provided Russia with Shahed 136s. By the end of 2022 Iran agreed to assist Russia in building a factory in Russia that would produce a Russian version of the Shahed 136 called Geran. Until late 2024, when the Geran factory in Russia was operational, Iran manufactured the Geran and received help from Russia in upgrading the Shaheed drones. Since 2022, Russia has used about 50,000 Shaheds and Gerans against Ukraine. During 2025 that meant Ukraine had to deal with five to six thousand Gerans a month. Ukrainian interception methods were quite effective, and only about ten percent of the drones reached their targets. Each of these drones costs Russia about $20,000. Russia is now producing over 5,000 Gerans a month. These 200 kg drones travel at a speed of 180 kilometers an hour at an altitude of about 100 meters. They carry a 50 kg warhead. GPS navigation is jammable when close to the target while the unjammable, but less accurate INS backup is not affected. Russia has continually upgraded its Gerans with improved electronics. That means guidance systems that are resistant to jamming and use more effective and flexible guidance systems. The first Gerans only had inertial guidance systems and a CRPA/Controlled Reception Pattern Antenna. This arrangement soon failed as the Ukrainians used more powerful jamming and misdirection/spoofing techniques. To deal with this, in early 2025 improved CRPAs and a video camera were added to keep the Gerans effective. After that Ukrainian SIMs were added so the Gerans could use cell phone signals for navigation. At this point Gerans were able to communicate with each other and operate in preplanned clusters and cooperate with each other in a mesh network to limit the impact of Ukrainian jamming and other electronic warfare techniques. That soon led to use of Chinese MESH communication systems that enabled Russian ground based operators to control groups of Gerans. The operators could change targets or have the Gerans fly higher or lower to deal with Ukrainian countermeasures. A more recent addition was an infrared/night vision camera that was supplied with images of targets to improve accuracy as the Gerans came within visual range of a target. By 2025 there was a larger variety of warheads available including thermobaric/fuel-air explosive, incendiary-fragmentation, high-explosive, high-explosive airburst, and submunitions. In 2024 a 90kg warhead was introduced that combined a penetrator-shaped charge with a layer of steel balls to pierce fortified infrastructure and inflict maximum casualties. The most recent Geran-3 is a jet powered model that weighs 370 kg with a top speed of nearly 600 kilometers an hour. This is three times faster than the prop driven models and much more difficult for Ukrainian air defenses to deal with. Ukraine soon came up with a $3,000 interceptor drone called Wild Hornets Sting. Russia will probably respond with rear-facing video cameras on the Germans to alert operators to the presence of Ukrainian interceptors. The Gerans can take evasive maneuvers to avoid getting shot down. The Russians also experimented with a Geran equipped with a heat-seeking air-to-air missile. Early in the war most of the Gerans were detected and destroyed by a clever Ukrainian air defense system created by two Ukrainian engineers. Called Sky Fortress, it consisted of nearly 10,000 cell phones mounted on two-meter poles with their microphones activated to detect the unique sounds of propeller-driven Gerans flying nearby. All this data goes to a command post where operators can triangulate on, locate and track the incoming drones and direct groups of gun trucks, equipped with multiple machine-guns and lots of ammunition, to positions the drones will pass over. The gun trucks have managed to destroy most of the drones they encountered. Ukraine built several hundred of these gun trucks and deployed them quickly via roads or cross country to carry out the interception. This system costs less than a single Patriot air defense missile. This drone defense system is operated by thousands of Ukrainian soldiers, and its simplicity, effectiveness and low cost has led NATO countries to request more details from the Ukrainians, including visits to NATO countries to further explain the system. Russia responded by having their Gerans fly higher, beyond the range of the machine-guns. Ukraine went on to develop new countermeasures. Year by year Russia and Ukraine develop new offensive weapons to use against each other. Ukrainian air strikes use larger drones at targets deep inside Russia. Like most western militaries, Russia has become dependent on the use of missiles and drones instead of artillery and airstrikes. Ukraine reports that, from late 2022 through late 2024, Russia used 4,800 missiles and nearly 150,000 attack drones. The missiles are expensive, most costing one or two million dollars each, while some of the drones cost $20,000. More recent battlefield drone designs cost only a few hundred dollars each. It was thought that the inexpensive drones would replace the use of 155mm artillery. The range and cost of artillery shells vary from $3,000 to $100,000 depending on version and purpose. The basic 155mm shell weighs 43 kg and contains about seven kg of explosives. The standard Russian equivalent is the 152mm shell. The only Russian sources of weapons and munitions have been Iran and North Korea, which has a feeble economy with a GDP of only $30 billion and has long been subject to economic sanctions. Iran is also sanctioned but has oil to export and a GDP of over $400 billion. Russia has over fifty firms manufacturing over two dozen types of drones. These include three dozen different models, most of them with a range of 40 kilometers while about a dozen have ranges of 100 to 2,000 kilometers. Russia is building a drone manufacturing infrastructure. By 2026 330,000 people will be involved in the development, production, and operation of drones by 2026. By 2035 1.5 million people may be involved in drone design, development and production. 22 January 2026 21:28 (UTC+04:00) "President Ilham Aliyev's participation in the signing ceremony of the "Board of Peace Charter" and his meeting with the U.S. President (Davos, January 22, 2026)." Footage of President Ilham Aliyev's participation in the signing ceremony of the "Board of Peace Charter" and his meeting with the U.S. President was posted on his social media accounts, Azernews , reports. Here we are to serve you with news right now. It does not cost much, but worth your attention. Choose to support open, independent, quality journalism and subscribe on a monthly basis. By subscribing to our online newspaper, you can have full digital access to all news, analysis, and much more. Subscribe You can also follow AzerNEWS on Twitter @AzerNewsAz or Facebook @AzerNewsNewspaper Thank you! 22 January 2026 11:38 (UTC+04:00) Qabil Ashirov Read more SOCAR has signed an agreement with Italys Eni S.p.A. to acquire a 10 per cent participating interest in the Baleine oil and gas field development project located offshore Cote dIvoire. Azernews reports that the agreement was signed on the sidelines of the World Economic Forum Annual Meeting 2026 by SOCAR President Rovshan Najaf and Eni Chief Executive Officer Claudio Descalzi. The deal is expected to provide SOCAR with access to Africas vast oil and gas resources and is fully aligned with the companys global expansion strategy. It also forms part of the broader strategic cooperation established between SOCAR and Eni across various segments of the energy industry. Completion of the transaction remains subject to approvals from relevant regulatory authorities, as well as the fulfillment of other customary terms and conditions. The Baleine field is regarded as one of the largest oil and gas discoveries in West Africa in recent years. The giant offshore field was discovered in 2021, with production commencing in 2023. Currently, under the first and second phases of development, the Baleine field produces more than 62,000 barrels of oil per day and over 2.1 million cubic meters of natural gas daily. Following the launch of the third development phase, daily production is expected to increase to 150,000 barrels of oil and approximately 5.7 million cubic meters of gas. Notably, Baleine is Africas first offshore oil and gas project designed to operate with net-zero emissions, marking a significant milestone for sustainable energy development on the continent. 22 January 2026 16:19 (UTC+04:00) Full digital access to all news for 1 year Full digital access to all news for 6 months Full digital access to all news for 3 months Full digital access to all news for 1 month Find the plan that suits you best. In 2025, Azerbaijan exported 1.122 million tons of crude oil and petroleum products derived from bituminous rocks to Romania, with a total value of $598.5 million, Azernews reports, citing the State Customs Committee. Here we are to serve you with news right now. It does not cost much, but worth your attention. Choose to support open, independent, quality journalism and subscribe on a monthly basis. By subscribing to our online newspaper, you can have full digital access to all news, analysis, and much more. Subscribe You can also follow AzerNEWS on Twitter @AzerNewsAz or Facebook @AzerNewsNewspaper Thank you! 22 January 2026 09:00 (UTC+04:00) Elnur Enveroglu Read more NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte has urged European leaders not to allow other geopolitical debates to distract them from supporting Ukraine amid ongoing Russian attacks, particularly strikes targeting the countrys energy infrastructure. Speaking during a discussion at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Rutte warned that shifting attention to secondary issues could undermine Ukraines ability to defend itself at a critical moment, Ukrinform reports. The risk here is that we focus on Greenland, Rutte said, stressing that while such issues should be resolved amicably, they must not overshadow what he described as the central priority. The main issue is not Greenland. The main issue is Ukraine, he emphasised. Rutte noted that Russia continues to carry out missile and drone attacks on Ukraines energy facilities, exacerbating the humanitarian situation as temperatures drop. He pointed out that Kyiv is currently experiencing temperatures of around minus 20 degrees Celsius and that Ukraine can meet only about 60 percent of its electricity needs. Highlighting the scale of the conflict, the NATO Secretary General said Russian forces are losing approximately 1,000 soldiers each day, with monthly losses now exceeding those suffered by Soviet troops during the entire decade-long war in Afghanistan. Despite these losses, he said, Moscow continues its aggression. Rutte also expressed concern that diplomatic efforts and financial assistance discussions could divert attention from Ukraines immediate military needs. He warned that Ukraine lacks sufficient air defence interceptors and US-made equipment required to counter ongoing attacks, noting that such systems are no longer readily available in Europe. I need the European allies to keep focus on this issue, Rutte said. Supporting Ukraine must remain our number one priority. Only then can we discuss other issues. 22 January 2026 20:52 (UTC+04:00) By News Centre ASELSAN, one of Turkiyes leading companies in the defense and advanced technology sectors, has signed a strategic project to strengthen Syrias aviation infrastructure. The HTRS-100 Air Traffic Control Radar System, developed by ASELSAN, has been put into operation at Damascus International Airport, contributing to the safer management of air traffic. Turkiyes Embassy in Damascus and Ambassador Nuh Ylmaz shared information on social media regarding a site visit to Damascus International Airport and the installation works of the Turkish-supplied system. The HTRS-100 Air Traffic Control Radar System, produced by ASELSAN, enables the precise detection and tracking of all aerial targets in the vicinity of airports. Integrated with state-of-the-art technologies, the system is designed to ensure maximum reliability and performance. One of the systems core components, the Primary Surveillance Radar (PSR), operates in the S-band and employs advanced and innovative clutter suppression and target tracking algorithms, ensuring clear and reliable detection even in the most challenging environments. The Secondary Surveillance Radar enhances aircraft tracking capabilities through Identification Friend or Foe (IFF) interrogation and supports multiple interrogation modes for versatile operations. The HTRS-100s most distinguishing feature is its distributed active hot-redundant architecture, a capability found in only a limited number of systems worldwide. Unlike conventional radars, this matrix-based design allows the system to continue operating even if a component fails, ensuring uninterrupted performance and preventing disruptions to flight traffic during critical, time-sensitive moments. To counter adverse weather conditions and interferenceamong the greatest challenges in aviationthe system employs intelligent algorithms. Advanced noise suppression techniques enable clear target tracking even during storms or heavy rainfall. The radar system also features a dedicated weather channel that monitors atmospheric conditions in real time, enhancing overall flight safety. In addition, specialized algorithms capable of distinguishing wind turbines and bird flocks from aircraft further improve operational security. Demonstrating its durability, the system boasts a mean time between critical failures exceeding 40,000 hours, while its repair time of under 30 minutes minimizes operational downtime during maintenance. The radars operational range can be configured to 80 or 100 nautical miles (approximately 185 kilometers). 22 January 2026 18:47 (UTC+04:00) By News Centre President Recep Tayyip Erdogan delivered important remarks during the AK Party Parliamentary Group Meeting. Key points from President Erdogans speech are as follows: I thank each and every one of you for your devotion, for this affection that cannot be contained within halls. Just as your enthusiasm multiplies the hopes of our 86 million citizens, it also strengthens our determination. May God keep our solidarity everlasting. At the very beginning of my remarks, I would like to draw your attention to one issue. Our parliamentary work is continuing at an intense pace. Despite the oppositions uncompromising and lawless attitudes, we are acting with patience and common sense. We know very well that the CHP jet set has no connection whatsoever with the state or with retirees. My nation, my retirees, know perfectly well those who fail to pay workers regularly in the municipalities they govern, those whose own staff are on duty while they enjoy themselves on tropical islands, and those who have driven municipalities into bankruptcy. As is known, deliberations have begun in the General Assembly on the bill raising the minimum pension to 20,000 liras. We expect it to enter into force as soon as possible. When we first took office, this amount was only 66 liras, equivalent to 40 dollars at the time. Following the new regulation, the minimum pension will rise to 480 dollars. We have never turned a deaf ear to the demands of our retirees. Retirees are the crown of our heads. We have never left our retirees alone, and we never will. We are not like those who make promises in public squares and turn into rent-seekers once they come to power. There is no room for complacency on the path of serving the nation. Nor is there room for those who fall into complacency. In 2002, the loans and scholarships we provided to university students amounted to 45 liras. Over time, we not only began making payments on a monthly basis, but also continuously improved the amounts of scholarships and loans. Last year alone, we made payments totaling 34 billion liras. In 2026, we increased student loans and scholarships by 33 percent. Accordingly, we raised scholarship and loan amounts to 4,000 liras for undergraduate students, 8,000 liras for graduate students, and 12,000 liras for doctoral students. Once again, I wish this to be beneficial for our young people and their families. Another piece of good news is the GUC Program, short for Gencligin Uretim Cag (The Age of Youth in Production). Over the next three years, we will allocate a massive 445 billion liras to this program, which will bring more than 3 million young people into employment. Through this system, our students will gain qualified work experience at an early age; young people studying at vocational high schools will be guided into working life through reliable channels even before graduation; young people who are outside education and employment will be reintegrated into the system; and the first job experience of new graduates will no longer be a risk. We will make this system available for the benefit of our youth. We have left behind two weeks during which we witnessed significant developments in our country, our region, and across the world. The structure known as the SDG has not taken a single positive step. Just as it failed to comply with the March 10 Agreement, it continued attacking civilians and soldiers in the territories it occupies. It was the uncompromising attitude of the structure known as the SDG. We issued the necessary warnings to all parties and made every effort to prevent the crisis from turning into a hot conflict. However, there was no change in the stance of the SDG. As a result, the Syrian army carried out operations in a fully legitimate and justified manner in the second week of January. First of all, I would like to reiterate that, as Turkiye, from the very beginning we have most strongly defended the existence of a single Syrian state with preserved territorial integrity and political unity. We have repeatedly declared that we will not consent to any separatist structure along our southern borders that would pose a threat to our countrys security. As neighbors and brothers, we wholeheartedly support the struggle of the Syrian state and the Syrian army to build a unified, independent Syria in which all ethnic origins, beliefs, and sects live side by side. We will not tolerate a separatist structure on our borders. I sincerely congratulate the Syrian army and our brotherly Syrian people for their successful operations. I pray for Gods mercy upon those who were martyred during the clashes. It is already impossible for the terrorist organization to sustain its presence in the areas where it has been cornered. From this point onward, it is abundantly clear that resorting to provocations would amount to suicide. With the child-aged militants forcibly conscripted by the terrorist organization, with civilians driven into the field through pressure and violence, and by vilely attacking our glorious flagas it did yesterday on the NusaybinQamishli borderthere is no longer any possibility of achieving a result. The only way forward is to comply with yesterdays agreement, lay down arms, and resolve the issue calmly. The dirty hands extended toward our flag will certainly be found, and those traitors will be held accountable. Our Ministries of National Defense and Justice have launched the necessary investigations. As a result of these inquiries, whatever needs to be done will be done regarding anyone found to have been negligent or at fault. We have been closely monitoringand continue to monitorall these developments in the Syrian theater. We are conducting a delicate process to eliminate existing risks to Turkiye, prevent new threats, and swiftly establish peace and stability in Syria. I would also like to state this explicitly: Kurds in Syria are our own brothers and sisters. As their brothers, we know best what kinds of oppression our Kurdish brothers and sisters in Syria faced under the former tyrannical regime. Their existence was not recognized; they were not accepted as citizens. They were not even given identity documents. They were not allowed to speak their mother tongue or to preserve their culture and traditions. When I was prime minister, in all the meetings I held starting from 2008, I raised these injustices. We persistently brought the rights of our Kurdish brothers and sisters in Syria to the agenda. We emphasized at every opportunity that Kurds must be granted their fundamental rights. While no one else even mentioned these issues, while no one spoke about the rights of Kurds in Syria, we openly conveyed these matters to our counterparts. We extended protection to Syrian refugees. With the outbreak of the civil war in Syria in 2011, our Kurdish brothers and sisters this time faced pressure from terrorist organizations. The new Syrian government has embraced Syrian Kurds and has acted in a very constructive manner. The terrorist organization has chosen death and killing instead of the welfare and peace of the Kurds. We have no designs on the territory of any country, nor do we interfere in the internal affairs of any state. However, we will not allow harm to come to our country. From day one, we have been monitoring developments moment by moment with all relevant institutions, taking every possible risk into account. Yesterday, we held a productive meeting with U.S. President Trump. We consulted with him on many critical issues. God willing, with the implementation of yesterdays agreement, civilians will regain their freedoms as soon as possible, and a Syria will be built where everyone feels safe. Here, I must also emphasize the following: under the pretext of operations in Syria, we see attempts to provoke all Kurds through propaganda based entirely on lies and distortions. I once again remind my Kurdish brothers and sisters in Turkiye in particular that they should not fall for these games, and that they should act with calmness, common sense, prudence, and wisdom by recognizing the true intent behind these calls and provocations. The terrorist organization is one thing; my Kurdish brothers and sisters are another. No one, whether here or elsewhere, can mortgage the will of my Kurdish brothers and sisters. My Kurdish brothers and sisters should not fall for these provocations and should never abandon common sense. Over the past 15 months, we have taken very important steps and brought the process to this point. The commission is drafting its final report. I believe that a report will emerge that will guide politics and institutions. I say this with all my heart and sincerity: no one should be worried. As long as the Republic of Turkiye stands, there is no need for anyone to seek other patrons or pursue other alliances. We will never allow harm to come to our Kurdish brothers and sisters. In their most difficult times, it was we who stood by them. Everyone must now see that what truly matters is unity, not division. What matters is not breaking up into small statelets, but uniting and forming a collective strength. I call on everyone to act responsibly. Let no member of our nation forget this: we are living through extremely critical days. We are passing through a narrow path where even the smallest mistake could lead to serious consequences. May God not give an opportunity to those who seek to set us against one another. 22 January 2026 13:01 (UTC+04:00) Akbar Novruz Read more President Donald Trump said on Wednesday that he has reached a framework for a deal with NATO regarding the future of Greenland, which would include access to rare-earth mineral rights, Azernews reports via CNBC. Speaking to CNBC after making the initial announcement on Truth Social, Trump said both NATO and the United States would be involved. Theyre going to be involved in mineral rights, and so are we, he noted, without providing details on preliminary terms. He didnt specify any preliminary terms. However, Greenlands untapped mineral wealth has helped land the island at the top of Trumps wish list for empire-building. Trump officials view Greenlands underground riches as a way to loosen Chinas stranglehold over the rare-earth metals that are critical for everything from fighter jets and lasers to electric vehicles and MRI scanners. Trump has downplayed Greenlands natural resources, including in his speech to the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, on Wednesday, when he said acquiring rare-earth minerals wasnt the reason America needed the territory. Everyone talks about the minerals. Theres so many, Trump said. Theres no such thing as rare earth. Theres rare processing. But theres so much rare earth. And to get to this rare earth, you got to go through hundreds of feet of ice. Thats not the reason we need it. We need it for strategic national security and international security. But hours later, Trump said the deal for Greenland included two parts: his Golden Dome missile defense concept and minerals. That tracks with what his former national security adviser Mike Waltz told Fox News in 2024, when Waltz said that the administrations focus on Greenland was about critical minerals and natural resources. The reality is that Denmarks ownership of Greenland is not whats stopping the United States from tapping the islands treasure trove. Its the punishing Arctic environment. 22 January 2026 23:36 (UTC+04:00) by Alimat Aliyeva Dyson on Thursday unveiled three new home appliances in South Korea, including its first AI-powered robot vacuum cleaner, as the British company seeks to strengthen its presence in a market largely dominated by Chinese brands, Azernews reports, citing Korean media. The products were introduced at a media event held at The Hyundai Seoul shopping complex in western Seoul. The new lineup includes the Spot+Scrub AI robot vacuum, the Clean+Wash Hygiene wet vacuum, and the Hushjet Purifier Compact air purifier. The launch comes as Dyson looks to gain ground in Koreas highly competitive home appliance market, where Chinese manufacturers are estimated to account for around 70% of total sales, driven by aggressive pricing and rapid product cycles. The Spot+Scrub AI was the centerpiece of the event. Although Dyson entered Koreas robot vacuum market in 2024, this is the companys first model to incorporate in-house AI technology under the Dyson brand. According to Nathan Lawson McLean, senior design manager at Dyson, the advanced AI system enables the robot to distinguish between different types of liquid spillssuch as pet waste or coffeeand automatically repeat the cleaning process up to 15 times until the area is fully cleaned. The robot performs vacuuming and mopping simultaneously. It applies clean water at 12 contact points to continuously rinse the cleaning roller, preventing dirty water from being redistributed across the floor. During operation, the roller is washed with 60C (140F) hot water and then dried with 45C hot air after cleaning to help suppress bacterial growth and odors. The Clean+Wash Hygiene wet vacuum reflects cleaning habits specific to Korean consumers. Dyson cited a wet-cleaning study conducted last year involving 23,311 participants across 28 countries, which found that Koreans spend an average of one hour per day cleaning, with more than 20 minutes dedicated to wet cleaning alone. Unlike conventional models, the Clean+Wash Hygiene features a filter-free design, eliminating a common source of odors. It can absorb dust, debris, and wet hair, and operates even when fully reclined, allowing it to reach spaces as narrow as 11.3 centimeters (4.4 inches). The Hushjet Purifier Compact, meanwhile, focuses on minimizing noise. Inspired by the Hush Kit technology used in aircraft jet engines, the purifier operates at noise levels as low as 19 decibels, well below the average conversation level of about 60 decibels, making it suitable for bedrooms and home offices. Pricing for the new products starts at 1.79 million won ($1,220) for the Spot+Scrub AI, 699,000 won for the Clean+Wash Hygiene wet vacuum, and 499,000 won for the Hushjet Purifier Compact. Dyson also emphasized its philosophy of prioritizing cleaning performance over gimmicks. Addressing robotic arms adopted by some competing robot vacuum brands, McLean said such features offer limited lifting capability. Instead, he argued that robot vacuums should focus on accurately identifying obstacles and guiding users on what needs to be cleared, rather than attempting to move objects themselvesa strategy he said leads to faster and more efficient cleaning. Industry observers note that Dysons AI-driven approach signals a shift toward premium, intelligence-based differentiation as competition in Koreas home appliance market continues to intensify. 22 January 2026 21:47 (UTC+04:00) by Alimat Aliyeva Researchers say a faint drawing of a human hand discovered in a cave on the Indonesian island of Muna may be the oldest known example of rock art in the world, dating back at least 67,800 years, Azernews reports. The red hand stencil has faded significantly over time and is barely visible on the cave wall. Even so, it represents a remarkable early expression of human creativityone that likely spread across the globe after originating in Africa. According to the researchers, the creators of the artwork belonged to a population that migrated from mainland Asia through the Indonesian archipelago and eventually reached Australia. The handprint was found in the limestone cave of Liang Metanduno on Muna Island, located off the southeastern peninsula of Sulawesi, east of Borneo. Scientists determined the minimum age of the image by analyzing trace amounts of uranium in mineral layers that gradually formed over the pigment. The technique suggests that the image was created by placing a hand against the rock wall and blowing or applying pigment around ita method still recognizable in later prehistoric art around the world. "The oldest handprint documented here is unique to Sulawesi," said Maxim Ober, an archaeologist at Griffith University in Australia and lead author of the study published Wednesday in the journal Nature. "The fingertips were deliberately modified to create a pointed shape, indicating a distinct local artistic tradition." The newly identified handprint predates a rock painting of three humanoid figures from Leang Karampuang in southwestern Sulawesi, as well as a Neanderthal hand stencil from Maltravieso Cave in Spain, which dates back roughly 64,000 years. Although the image itself is difficult to discern, researchers identified nearly identical hand stencils in better condition elsewhere in the region. Earlier studies in Sulawesi have also revealed complex depictions of human figures with animal-like features dating back at least 48,000 years, suggesting the island was a major center of early symbolic and artistic expression. Experts say the discovery adds to growing evidence that early humans in Southeast Asia were not only skilled toolmakers and navigators, but also among the earliest artists, reshaping long-held assumptions that Europe was the primary birthplace of prehistoric art. Garris calls for Davis's Resignation: Above. Garris calls for Sadler's Resignation: Below. Garris's Facebook post against Adam O'Neal Above. The Thursday, January 8th meeting of the Beaufort County Republican Executive Committee ended after Washington City police were called to the Beaufort County Ag Center at the request of Committee Chair Carolyn Garris. This stemmed from a dispute between three committee members who refused to leave when the meeting was to be called to order following a break. These individuals, according to Garris, were no longer members of the committee as she had unilaterally removed them from the committee late Tuesday evening, the 6th. Garris stated that Executive Committee 2nd Vice Chair Janet Knight, former Washington City Council candidate Sheri Clark and Commissioner Hood Richardson had been removed from the committee for reasons of party disloyalty.Prior to police arriving on the scene, Garris called the meeting to order only for the reason of adjourning the meeting officially. Former county commissioner Rebholz made the motion to adjourn that was then voted upon and approved after a divided vote. This was an attempt by Chairwoman Garris to avoid having to record anything in the committee's official minutes, which must be turned in to the NC state level Republican Executive Committee, regarding the call to the police over the unilateral decision to remove the three individuals. This brings into question Garris' motives and why she was reluctant to have anything recorded. It is possible she was seeking a way to avoid holding the meeting at all in order to avoid discussion of several topics regarding recent issues involving the Executive Committee. Instigating an issue over the ability of Richardson, Clark and Knight to attend the meeting, something that would most likely be contested, created an excuse to cancel the meeting.Following the meeting being called to a close, responding police officers said that an incident report would be filed because they responded to the call. However, no criminal charges were pressed against anyone. The officers said that they did not see any evidence of wrongdoing or of a crime being committed by the members who refused to leave.Garris has a long history of acting unilaterally while serving as chair of the committee, particularly if those members are perceived opponents or conservative members of the party. Some will remember Garris calling for the resignation of former Washington Mayor Sadler and current Republican school board member Stacey Davis. Both of these actions were done unilaterally without the input or authorization of the Executive Committee as required under the party's Plan of Organization. The attempt to expel Knight, Clark and Richardson is another example of such behavior and the hypocritical double standard in how Garris attempts to run the committee.It is necessary to know about some of the issues currently facing the committee in order to understand why Garris feels the need to limit control and participation. The committee is currently facing a pending lawsuit from Adam O'Neal concerning an attack ad placed against him during the Washington municipal elections. Garris received notice from Mr. O'Neal's attorney; however, she did not notify any members of the committee of the pending suit. Members of the committee were not aware of the suit until they received letters directly from Mr. O'Neal's attorney. Garris had failed to respond to the suit and still had not informed the committee as late as the committee's meeting on December 18th, 2025. At that meeting she stated she had retained individual counsel for herself regarding the case but had not for the committee. A motion and contested vote were taken to not discuss the issue further, despite the time sensitive nature of the issue, and nothing further was discussed regarding the suit.The slander ad against Adam O'Neal raises many questions. It appeared during the Washington municipal election. Why did the executive committee choose to become involved in a non-partisan municipal election? There was never a vote of the committee to approve the decision, set strategy or vet or approve candidates during that election. The committee never voted or approved any video, Public Service Announcement, or messaging targeting Adam O'Neal. However, Chairman Garris posted such statements unilaterally on her own Facebook page and that of the Beaufort County Republican Party Facebook page (of which she is the administrator by her own admission). The messaging in these posts is similar, if not identical, to the narration of the attack ad posted against Mr. O'Neal. This brings into question again who actually developed the initial messaging, approved it, created the video and posted it. The evidence would suggest this was Chairwoman Garris acting unilaterally as chair in the name of the Republican Party.The next question concerns where the money came from to pay for the creation of the ad against Mr. O'Neal. The executive committee reported it paid $4,500.00 for radio ads to Inner Banks Media, $2,100.00 to AI Business Services LLC and $4,024.00 to the Media Corporation during September and October. This total expenditure of party funds in the amount of $10,634.00 was done without the knowledge or approval of the Executive Committee. Who authorized the expenditures? Who authorized the projects on which these funds were spent? These appear to be unilateral decisions on the part of Chairwoman Garris or a small group of chosen confidants. They certainly were not sanctioned or approved by the committee as a whole.There are other concerns regarding the campaign finance reports and party expenditures. The Beaufort County Republican Executive Committee campaign finance reports are currently being reviewed by the state auditor's office. There were a number of discrepancies or irregularities, between 30 and 40, that the auditor's office requested information on dating back to March of 2025. The chair and treasurer of the party had not responded to this request as of December 2025. This was brought up at the December committee meeting, but not addressed, and requested as an agenda item for the January meeting. Again, this raises concerns regarding a serious lack of accountability if not outright disregard for following the rules and regulations set forth in the Party Plan of Organization and state statute by Executive Committee leadership. January 22, 2026: The four year war in Ukraine has not caused any significant protests or unrest among the population. The loss of 1.2 million soldiers killed, disabled or missing was becoming a problem, until the government began hiring foreigners to die for Russia in Ukraine. The waves of economic sanctions were supposed to cause so much popular unrest that Russia would be forced to get out of Ukraine. The sanctions failed because of cheating and that Russia simply turned to neutral or pro-Russia nations like India, most of South America and many other areas not aligned with NATO members. If Russians missed a favorite Western consumer or commercial item, the non-NATO world could supply you with an adequate substitute, Even NATO country items could be obtained, with a surcharge added to pay for the extra intermediaries or sometimes directly. Russian leader Vladimir Putin also has loyal and capable allies in the 80 governors of Russian provinces, regions and major metropolitan areas. Its the governors who recruit the troops, and take care of those who are disabled and the families of soldiers who were killed. In return, the governors have considerable autonomy. They dont get grief from Moscow unless a governor or his associates are involved in a major corruption scandal. Putin will tolerate minor corruption because that is the grease that keeps the political machine going. Anyone who gets greedy has to be punished and it is the central government who ultimately has to take care of that. This system works because it is the latest version of an ancient system that worked for the monarchy as well as nearly 70 years of Communist rule and now the quasi democracy of the Russian Federation. This system can fail if there are economic or political problems the central government cannot handle. Thats happened many times in the last thousand years of Russian history. Those disasters are remembered and noted in the Russian media and speeches given by officials. If you dont forget you are less likely to repeat past mistakes. Home heating oil is the dominant fuel type in Northern Ireland. Photo: Getty (Stock image) Price of home-heating oil has declined again in Northern Ireland. Photo: PA Average home heating oil prices in Northern Ireland have declined again in the last week, with 900 litres dropping by 6. Its the third week in a row in which the price of oil, the dominant heating fuel in Northern Ireland, has dropped. According to the NI Consumer Councils weekly home heating oil price checker on Thursday, the average price in Northern Ireland for 300 litres is now 188.69, which is down from 192.13 a week earlier. For 500 litres, the average price is now 290.21, which is down from 294.67. And for the biggest fill of 900 litres, the average price is now 511.42, down from 517.54. Prices vary across Northern Ireland district councils, with average costs for home heating oil monitored by the consumer watchdog across the different areas. The cheapest council area for 300 litres is Mid and East Antrim, where it costs 187.18, 1.51 below the NI average. For 500 litres of home heating oil, the cheapest area is Antrim and Newtownabbey, where it costs 288.37, 1.84 below the NI average. Antrim and Newtownabbey is also the cheapest location for 900 litres, costing 509.26, which is 2.16 below the NI average. Home heating oil is the dominant fuel type in Northern Ireland. Photo: Getty (Stock image) The most expensive spot for 300 litres is Armagh City, Banbridge and Craigavon, where it costs 190.81, 2.12 above the NI average. Price of home-heating oil has declined again in Northern Ireland. Photo: PA News Catch Up - Thursday 22 January Nearby Newry, Mourne and Down is the most expensive for 500 litres, at a cost of 292.04, which is 1.83 above average. Derry City and Strabane is the council area where 900 litres costs most at 514.59, which is 3.17 above average. According to the NI Consumer Councils separate fuel price checker for diesel and petrol, there has been another decline in their prices here. Petrol now costs 124.8p per litre, down from from 125.7p last week. And diesel is now 132.0p per litre, down from 133.2p last week. Of the towns monitored by the Consumer Council, Carrickfergus is the cheapest place for petrol at 122.2p per litre, 2.6p below average. Downpatrick is cheapest for diesel, at 129.9p per litre, which 2.1p below average. However, diesel is most expensive in Strabane, costing 134.9p per litre, which is 2.9p on average. And Magherafelt is the most expensive place for petrol, with one litre costing 128.6p, which is 3.7p above the NI average. The interior of the Russell & Bromley in Belfast Next has snapped up luxury footwear business Russell & Bromley from administration in a rescue deal, placing the future of stores in Belfast in doubt. Administrators confirmed that Next has bought the brand and certain other assets in a pre-pack insolvency deal. Russell & Bromley currently runs 36 stores and nine concessions across the UK and Ireland, employing around 440 people. These include a store in Belfasts Rosss Court, and four outlets in the Republic of Ireland Dublins Grafton Street; Arnotts concession, Dublin; Brown Thomas concession, Cork; and Kildare. Russell & Bromley, Belfast However, Next said it will only retain three of its shops - in Chelsea, Mayfair and the Bluewater Shopping Centre - as part of the deal. Administrators at Interpath have said they still exploring options for the remaining stores and concessions, which are continuing to trade. The footwear and handbags specialist was founded in 1879 in Sussex. Next said it will pay 2.5m for the brand and intellectual property, and 1.3m for a portion of its current stock. In a statement, Next said: "This acquisition secures the future of a much-loved British footwear brand. "Next intends to build on this legacy and provide the operational stability and expertise to support Russell & Bromley's next chapter, allowing it to return to its core mission: the design and curation of world-class, premium footwear and accessories for many years to come." The interior of the Russell & Bromley in Belfast News catch up - Tuesday 20th January Andrew Bromley, chief executive of Russell & Bromley, said: "Following a strategic review with external advisers, we have taken the difficult decision to sell the Russell & Bromley brand. "This is the best route to secure the future for the brand, and we would like to thank our staff, suppliers, partners and customers for their support throughout our history." Will Wright, Interpath's UK chief executive, said: "Our intention is to continue to trade the remaining portfolio of stores for as long as we can, while we explore the options available." Up to 80 employees will be affected in nine branches around Northern Ireland with cafes in Antrims Junction shopping outlet, on Boucher Road in Belfast, in Derrys Foyleside, Newtownabbeys Abbey Shopping Centre, on Dobbin Road in Craigavon and The Linen Green in Moygashel, Co Tyrone. There are also Synge & Byrne cafes in Co Downs Sugar Quay, Castlewellan Forest Park and Kilbroney Forest Park, Rostrevor. Synge & Byrne Abbey Ltd, which owns and operates the Synge & Byrne coffee chain, is being assisted by the AAB Group during this process. The well-known hospitality brand was founded in 2014 by Forkhill brothers Damien and Adrian Garvey, directors of the BWL Group registered at Cloughouge Business Park in Newry. In a statement, their company Synge and Byrne Abbey Ltd under which the cafes operate said both the companys staff and creditors have been advised of the situation. Documents filed to Companies House show Adrian Garveys appointment at a director at Synge & Byrne Abbey Ltd was terminated on December 18 2025. Damien Garveys role as director remains active. There are also five other Synge & Byrne cafes in the Republic of Ireland as well as hospitality contracts, which are not affected. In a statement on behalf of the company, a spokesperson said: Synge & Byrne can confirm that its operations in the Republic of Ireland are entirely unaffected by the cessation of trading by Synge & Byrne Abbey Ltd in Northern Ireland. While both businesses operate under the wider BWL Group, the Republic of Ireland business functions as a separate legal and operational entity, and all trading continues as normal. Synge & Byrne continues to operate successfully at its locations in Galway and Blanchardstown and maintains its catering and hospitality contracts with the National Museum of Ireland and National Parks. There is no impact on staff, suppliers, customers, or services in the Republic of Ireland. Director Damien Garvey said: We are deeply sorry to have reached this situation. Despite our very best efforts to save the business, we have been unable to overcome the mounting difficulties we faced, not least the current market conditions impacting the hospitality sector, including soaring operating costs. Synge & Byrne founders Adrian (left) and Damien Garvey News Catch Up - Thursday 22 January This situation, combined with a growing debt burden, means we have no other option than to close our doors. We would like to thank the hundreds of talented and hardworking staff who have been part of our business over the past 12 years, as well as all the customers who supported us during that time. On opening the Foyleside cafe, the brothers told industry publication Hospitality Interiors their brand was inspired by what Damien Garvey described as the new artisan movement, reflecting a strong demand for a food and drink offering that has its roots in traditional Ulster cuisine. At the time, they said they considered rolling out their brand across Britain and further afield. Ask Allison: My son tells me his wife screams at him and knows how to push his buttons. He feels so lost. How do I help? Instagram page advertising sex services from wife of suspect in John George murder posted online hours after fatal crash Madison Smyth continues to deny being involved in Spanish smash that left British man dead Allison Morris Thu 22 Jan 2026 at 07:13 An Instagram page advertising the sexual services of Madison Smyth, wife of murder suspect Johnny Smyth, was posting online hours after she was involved in a crash in which a British man lost his life. Paul Mescal has missed out on a snub in the supporting actor category (David Parry/PA) The exclusion of Paul Mescal, Chase Infiniti and Ariana Grande and the inclusion of Elle Fanning and Delroy Lindo were some of the snubs and surprises from the Oscar nominations. Mescal was widely expected to be recognised in the supporting actor category for his role as William Shakespeare in Hamnet, the adaptation of the award-winning book of the same name. Instead, Delroy Lindo was the surprise inclusion on the list, recognised for his turn in Sinners. Delroy Lindo at the European premiere of Sinners in London (Ian West/PA) The London-born actor was critically acclaimed for his performance in Ryan Cooglers vampire drama but most pundits expected him to be left out of the Oscar nods in favour of Mescal or Adam Sandler for Jay Kelly. Infiniti was tipped to compete for the best actress Oscar for her breakout role in One Battle After Another, playing the daughter of Leonardo DiCaprios washed-up revolutionary. However, she was also missing from the contenders and instead Kate Hudson was recognised for Song Sung Blue. Chase Infiniti was a surprise omission from the nominations (Ian West/PA) Meanwhile, Grande missed out on a supporting actress nod, with the spot many expected her to fill taken by Elle Fanning for Sentimental Value. Formula One blockbuster F1, starring Damson Idris and Brad Pitt, was a surprise inclusion in the best picture race, but it came at the expense of Cannes-winning Iranian film It Was Such An Accident, which had been expected to compete. The films director Jafar Panahi was also left out of his category, with Marty Supremes Josh Safdie included instead. Frankenstein director Guillermo Del Toro was also overlooked, despite his film landing a best picture nomination and a string of below-the-line nods, as well as a supporting actor nod for Jacob Elordi. Sinners leads the nominations with 16 nods. The Academy Awards will be hosted by Conan OBrien in Hollywood on March 15. The ceremony will air on ITV, ITVX, STV and STV Player in the UK. The first asylum seekers have been moved into a former military barracks in East Sussex as ministers face pressure to end the use of hotels. Some 27 men have been housed at Crowborough Training Camp planned to accommodate up to 500 adult male migrants while their claims for asylum in the UK are being processed. The Government has vowed to end the use of hotels to house asylum seekers by the end of this Parliament and announced plans to use the Crowborough base and Cameron Barracks in Inverness, Scotland as part of these efforts last year. Latest Home Office figures show the number of asylum seekers being temporarily housed in hotels increased by 13% to 36,273 at the end of September. There have been a series of protests in Crowborough and opposition from Wealden District Council (WDC) over the move who are considering a legal challenge. The council said on Thursday it has been informed that a small group of residents were moved into the site on Wednesday night and the authority will continue to seek legal advice. Crowborough Training Camp where the first 27 migrants have now moved in as part of the governments mission to end the use of expensive hotels (Home Office/PA) Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood said: Illegal migration has been placing immense pressure on communities. That is why we are removing the incentives that draw illegal migrants to Britain, closing asylum hotels that are blighting communities. Crowborough is just the start. I will bring forward site after site until every asylum hotel is closed and returned to local communities. The Crowborough site was used to accommodate Afghan families evacuated during the withdrawal from Kabul in 2021 (Home Office/PA) The Crowborough accommodation has 24/7 security with CCTV and strict sign-in processes for residents, the Home Office said. They will also have completed health and police checks before arriving at the base. But on Wednesday after being informed by minister Alex Norris the camp will open, Wealden District Council leader James Partridge said: Despite our strong objection, the minister hasnt listened to any of us. Weve immediately contacted our legal team to ask them to review the decision, to see if theres any way we can bring a legal challenge to it. We know this is a long shot, but weve been probing the Home Office throughout the process to see if we can find a way to bring a successful legal action. Beds in a dorm room at the camp (Home Office/PA) The Liberal Democrat council leader also said while a lot of people will be angry, frightened and worried about this, he urged to try and make the best of it and come together as the community did previously when Afghan families and Ukrainian refugees arrived. The Crowborough site was used to accommodate Afghan families evacuated during the withdrawal from Kabul in 2021 while they were resettled elsewhere. We still believe the decision is wrong, but we do have to make the best of it, he added. Meanwhile on Wednesday, WDC also claimed the Home Office is trying to avoid applying for planning permission to change the use of the army camp, instead relying on permitted development rights which have been completed. But the authority added the direction highlights a range of issues and inconsistencies with what the Home Office previously told WDC. A shower cubicle at Crowborough Training Camp in East Sussex (Home Office/PA) Mr Partridge said the authority will continue to push for the Home Office to comply with the law. Reacting on Thursday, a couple who live next to the army site, Phillip and Christine Straker, told the Press Association they feel ignored and uninformed by the Home Office. Elsewhere, the Governments response to a parliamentary committee report which said billions of pounds had been squandered on asylum accommodation by Home Office mismanagement was published on Thursday. The Home Affairs Committee warned ministers in October that it must set out a clear strategy of how to reduce the use of asylum hotels and have a chance to end the current failed, chaotic and expensive system that has wasted taxpayers money. Tables and chairs in a communal space at the facility (Home Office/PA) In correspondence to the committee, the Government said lessons have been learned from mistakes in the past, and to end its existing hotel contracts through a break clause this year there needs to be sufficient alternative supply of accommodation in place to ensure service continuity. Committee chairwoman Dame Karen Bradley said it is welcome the Home Office has finally started to get a grip on asylum accommodation contracts. But she added: However, the department still has yet to demonstrate it has a credible plan for getting out of asylum hotels, and delivering suitable alternative accommodation in a way which takes into account the impact on local areas. The response also detailed 197 hotels were being used for asylum seekers as of January 5, down from more than 400 at its peak under the previous government. The Crowborough site has been given to the Home Office by the Ministry of Defence for 12 months, while longer-term accommodation is hoped to be up and running within the same time period. Conservative MP for Spelthorne, Lincoln Jopp called for a statement in the Commons to find out where the asylum seekers that have been moved into Crowborough barracks have been drawn from. Commons Leader Sir Alan Campbell said he would pass this on to ministers and get an update on these matters. Meanwhile the Refugee Council has said this stopgap approach wont make a dent in the overall number of people in hotels. Imran Hussain, external affairs director at the charity, said: Military camps have already been tried as a solution to asylum accommodation and failed the governments own spending watchdog found these large sites cost even more than hotels. Ann Salter, of Freedom from Torture, also warned the approach was dangerous and leaves people isolated from community support and specialist services, and instead called for better quality and faster decision making on asylum decisions. Sir Keir Starmer will meet Denmarks prime minister a day after Donald Trump backed down on his threat to impose tariffs on the UK and other Nato allies who opposed his ambitions to annex Greenland. The US president rowed back on his threats on Wednesday evening after a meeting with Nato secretary-general Mark Rutte. The pair met on the fringes of the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, where they formed the framework of a future deal for security in the Arctic region. The announcement came at the end of a tumultuous day for Natos European members after Mr Trump ruled out force to secure Greenland, a self-governing territory of Denmark. He had threatened eight Nato countries, including the UK, with new 10% tariffs as a result of their opposition to his ambitions for the mineral-rich territory. But after what he described as very productive meeting with Mr Rutte in Davos, Mr Trump suggested he had reconsidered. On his Truth Social platform, the US president said: We have formed the framework of a future deal with respect to Greenland and, in fact, the entire Arctic Region. This solution, if consummated, will be a great one for the United States of America, and all Nato Nations. Based upon this understanding, I will not be imposing the tariffs that were scheduled to go into effect on February 1st. Denmarks foreign minister Lars Lokke Rasmussen said the day was ending on a better note than it began. Nato secretary-general Mark Rutte (Kirsty Wigglesworth/PA) He added: Now, lets sit down and find out how we can address the American security concerns in the Arctic while respecting the red lines of the KoD (Kingdom of Denmark). Mette Frederiksen, the Danish prime minister, will visit Britain on Thursday to meet Sir Keir, when Greenlands sovereignty is likely to be on the agenda. There were few details of any agreement Mr Trump and the Nato chief may have reached on Wednesday evening. The US president told reporters it was a long-term deal and an infinite deal, but would not directly answer if the agreement meant the US would gain ownership of Greenland. UK Government insiders appeared content that Sir Keirs approach calling for calm heads and diplomacy, rather than launching attacks on Mr Trump had been vindicated. In his most open statement of opposition to the US president yet, the Prime Minister told the House of Commons on Wednesday he would not yield in his stance over Greenland and vowed to stand up to Mr Trump. Beijing West Railway Station marks 30th anniversary Xinhua) 16:59, January 21, 2026 Passengers take photos at the Beijing West Railway Station in Beijing, capital of China, on Jan. 21, 2026. The Beijing West Railway Station marked its 30th anniversary on Wednesday. Over the past three decades, this modern transport hub has handled more than 1.96 billion passenger trips, standing as a witness to China's development and the evolution of its railway network. (Xinhua/Zhang Chenlin) This photo taken on Jan. 21, 2026 shows an interior view of the Beijing West Railway Station in Beijing, capital of China. The Beijing West Railway Station marked its 30th anniversary on Wednesday. Over the past three decades, this modern transport hub has handled more than 1.96 billion passenger trips, standing as a witness to China's development and the evolution of its railway network. (Xinhua/Zhang Chenlin) This photo taken on Jan. 21, 2026 shows an exterior view of the Beijing West Railway Station and its surrounding areas in Beijing, capital of China. The Beijing West Railway Station marked its 30th anniversary on Wednesday. Over the past three decades, this modern transport hub has handled more than 1.96 billion passenger trips, standing as a witness to China's development and the evolution of its railway network. (Xinhua/Zhang Chenlin) This photo taken on Jan. 21, 2026 shows an exterior view of the Beijing West Railway Station and its surrounding areas in Beijing, capital of China. The Beijing West Railway Station marked its 30th anniversary on Wednesday. Over the past three decades, this modern transport hub has handled more than 1.96 billion passenger trips, standing as a witness to China's development and the evolution of its railway network. (Xinhua/Zhang Chenlin) A bullet train pulls out of the Beijing West Railway Station in Beijing, capital of China, on Jan. 21, 2026. The Beijing West Railway Station marked its 30th anniversary on Wednesday. Over the past three decades, this modern transport hub has handled more than 1.96 billion passenger trips, standing as a witness to China's development and the evolution of its railway network. (Xinhua/Zhang Chenlin) This photo taken on Jan. 21, 2026 shows an exterior view of the Beijing West Railway Station and its surrounding areas in Beijing, capital of China. The Beijing West Railway Station marked its 30th anniversary on Wednesday. Over the past three decades, this modern transport hub has handled more than 1.96 billion passenger trips, standing as a witness to China's development and the evolution of its railway network. (Xinhua/Zhang Chenlin) This photo taken on Jan. 21, 2026 shows an interior view of the Beijing West Railway Station in Beijing, capital of China. The Beijing West Railway Station marked its 30th anniversary on Wednesday. Over the past three decades, this modern transport hub has handled more than 1.96 billion passenger trips, standing as a witness to China's development and the evolution of its railway network. (Xinhua/Zhang Chenlin) A bullet train stops at a platform of the Beijing West Railway Station in Beijing, capital of China, on Jan. 21, 2026. The Beijing West Railway Station marked its 30th anniversary on Wednesday. Over the past three decades, this modern transport hub has handled more than 1.96 billion passenger trips, standing as a witness to China's development and the evolution of its railway network. (Xinhua/Zhang Chenlin) Passengers prepare for boarding on a platform at the Beijing West Railway Station in Beijing, capital of China, on Jan. 21, 2026. The Beijing West Railway Station marked its 30th anniversary on Wednesday. Over the past three decades, this modern transport hub has handled more than 1.96 billion passenger trips, standing as a witness to China's development and the evolution of its railway network. (Xinhua/Zhang Chenlin) (Web editor: Zhang Kaiwei, Liang Jun) PROVIDENCE, RI As the spring semester begins at Brown University, the usual excitement of returning students has been replaced by a somber atmosphere and a growing list of questions. The campus community is grappling with the aftermath of a tragic mass shooting that has placed the university's security protocols under intense national scrutiny. While the administration has moved to increase police presence, a growing chorus of students, parents, and security experts are asking a difficult question: Did the university's own policies inadvertently create the vulnerabilities that allowed the tragedy to occur? A Tense Return to College Hill Walking through the historic gates of the Ivy League institution this week, the changes are visible. There are more patrols, restricted access to certain buildings, and a palpable sense of unease. For many students, the return is not just about academics, but about reclaiming a sense of safety that was shattered. "It doesn't feel like the same campus," says one junior who asked to remain anonymous. "Every time I scan my ID, I'm thinking about who else might be able to get in. We want to trust the system, but the system failed." The Policy Debate: Openness vs. Security At the heart of the controversy are the university's long-standing security "openness" policies. Critics argue that in an effort to maintain an inclusive and integrated urban campus, Brown may have overlooked critical physical security gaps. According to reports following the incident, questions have arisen regarding: Building Access Latency: Whether card-reader delays or "piggybacking" (unauthorized persons following students into dorms) were properly addressed. Whether card-reader delays or "piggybacking" (unauthorized persons following students into dorms) were properly addressed. Security Personnel Engagement: Limitations on how campus police interact with non-affiliated individuals on university grounds. Limitations on how campus police interact with non-affiliated individuals on university grounds. Emergency Notification Systems: The speed and clarity of the "Shelter in Place" orders issued during the event. Administration Responds In a statement to the university community, Brown officials emphasized their commitment to a comprehensive security overhaul. "Our primary focus is the safety and well-being of our students, faculty, and staff," the statement read. "We are conducting a top-to-bottom review of every protocol to ensure this never happens again." However, for many families, promises of future reviews offer little comfort. Lawsuits and demands for immediate, transparent policy changes are already beginning to mount, as the national conversation shifts toward how urban universities balance "open-campus" philosophies with the harsh realities of modern security threats. The Road Ahead As classes resume, the Brown University community remains in a state of mourning and mobilization. The outcome of this security debate will likely set a precedent for other Ivy League and urban institutions across the country. For now, the focus remains on healingand ensuring that the "New Normal" on College Hill is, above all else, safe. Donald Trumps youngest son told the Metropolitan Police that he is very close to an alleged rape victim, a court has heard. Barron Trump, 19, tried to reach UK police from the US after he video-called the alleged victim, a woman in London, and said he saw her being attacked. Matvei Rumiantsev, 22, is on trial at Snaresbrook Crown Court accused of assault and two counts of rape, among other charges, against the alleged victim, who jurors have heard is friends with Mr Trump. The court heard Mr Trump called the alleged victim, who cannot be named for legal reasons, last January 18. Shortly afterwards he spoke to police in London after he believed she was being assaulted, the court heard, and a transcript of the call was released by the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS). Oh Im calling from the US, uh I just got a call from a girl, you know, shes getting beat up, the transcript said Mr Trump told City of London Police in the call. This was happening about eight minutes ago. I just figured out how to, how to call someone. Uh, uh its really an emergency. In the call, Mr Trump said he met the alleged victim on social media. The transcript said Mr Trump said I dont think these details matter, shes getting hurt, when the City of London operator questioned him about how he came by the information. Can you stop being rude and actually answer my questions, the operator said. If you want to help the person, youll answer my questions clearly and precisely, thank you. US President Donald Trump with his son Barron in 2019 (Chris Kleponis/Pool via CNP/MediaPunch/Alamy) The court heard on Thursday that in an email reply to police in London investigating the allegations, who asked if Mr Trump would be willing to provide a witness statement, the US presidents son wrote that what he saw was very brief indeed but indeed prevalent. I didnt expect her to pick up due to the time difference, the email from May 2 said, jurors heard. The phone was picked up. The individual who answered was a shirtless man with darkish hair. This view lasted maybe one second then the view flipped to the victim. The court heard the email continued: I made two of my friends call the Met Police in the UK, even though they are in the US. As per evidence, I do not have any. I was told by the victim who I am very close with that this individual was giving her difficulty for a long time. Jurors heard that police replied to the email from Mr Trump and did not receive a response to that or to a follow-up email sent on July 1. Rumiantsev, who wore a blue suit and white shirt in the dock, denies assault, actual bodily harm, two counts of rape, intentional strangulation and perverting the course of justice by pressuring the woman to withdraw her complaints. The trial continues. Heavy rain has brought the prospect of flooding and disruption across parts of the country on Thursday. Amber and yellow warnings are in place for parts of Scotland, while the Met Office has issued further yellow warnings for Northern Ireland and parts of south Wales and south west England. The amber warning, which runs until 6pm on Thursday, will affect parts of Clackmannanshire, Falkirk, Fife, Perth and Kinross, Stirling, the Highlands, Eilean Siar, Aberdeen, Aberdeenshire and Moray. We need your consent to load this Social Media content. We use a number of different Social Media outlets to manage extra content that can set cookies on your device and collect data about your activity. Please review your details and accept them to load the content Another yellow warning for rain is in force for most of the north east of Scotland until 11.59pm on Friday. Up to 20mm is forecast to fall during Thursday across south Wales, Somerset and parts of Devon and Dorset, where a yellow warning is coming into place at 8am. The Met Office said rain falling on saturated ground could lead to flooding and disruption. The warning runs until 4pm on Thursday when the forecaster said the heaviest of the rain was clearing to the north east. A further yellow warning for Northern Ireland was in place from 10am on Thursday for the rest of the day. Up to 40mm is predicted in some places, mainly on high ground, with 15-25mm falling widely during the day. We need your consent to load this Social Media content. We use a number of different Social Media outlets to manage extra content that can set cookies on your device and collect data about your activity. Please review your details and accept them to load the content The Met Office said homes and businesses are likely to face flooding in the more affected areas, with delays or cancellations to public transport, while some communities may be cut off. Drivers have been warned to take care and the Met Office said power cuts are possible. ScotRail has speed restrictions in place for its Perth to Inverness route until 9.30am on Saturday, and its Aberdeen to Inverness routes until 12pm on Friday. Ferry operator CalMac has cancelled all Oban-Coll-Tiree services on Thursday and says some other services may be subject to cancellations or delays at short notice. Restrictions were in place on the Forth Road Bridge on Thursday morning due to high winds, while drivers were advised to take caution on various crossings around Scotland. Police Scotland have advised drivers to take care when travelling while the weather warnings are in place. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has criticised his European allies for what he portrayed as the continents slow and inadequate response to Russias invasion nearly four years ago and its continued international aggression. Addressing the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, Mr Zelensky listed a litany of grievances and criticisms of Europe that he said have left Ukraine at the mercy of Russian President Vladimir Putin amid an ongoing US push for a peace settlement. Europe looks lost, Mr Zelenskyy said in his speech, urging the continent to become a global force. He contrasted Europes response with Washingtons bold steps in Venezuela and Iran. The former comic actor referred to the movie Groundhog Day, in which the main character must relive the same day over and over again. Just last year, here in Davos, I ended my speech with the words: Europe needs to know how to defend itself. A year has passed. And nothing has changed. We are still in a situation where I must say the same words again, Mr Zelensky said. He said that Ukrainians too seem caught in that reality in the war, repeating the same thing for weeks, months and, of course, for years. And yet that is exactly how we live now. Its our life. Ukraines President Volodymyr Zelensky criticised European leaders (Markus Schreiber/AP) His speech came after he met behind closed doors for about an hour in Davos with US President Donald Trump, who described the talks as very good. Mr Zelensky called them productive and meaningful. European countries, which see their own future defence at stake in the war on its eastern flank, have provided financial, military and humanitarian support for Kyiv, but not all members of the 27-nation European Union are helping. Ukraine also has been frustrated by political disagreements within Europe over how to deal with Russia, as well as the blocs at times slow-moving responses. Russias bigger army has managed to capture about 20% of Ukraine since hostilities began in 2014 and its full-scale invasion of 2022. But the battlefield gains along the roughly 600-mile front line have been costly for Moscow, and the Russian economy is feeling the consequences of the war and international sanctions. Ukraine is short of money and, despite significantly boosting its own arms manufacturing, still needs Western weaponry. It is also short-handed on the front line. Its defence minister last week reported some 200,000 troop desertions and draft-dodging by about two million Ukrainians. Mr Zelensky is also striving to keep the worlds attention focused on Ukraine despite other conflicts. He chided Europe for being slow to act on key decisions, spending too little on defence, failing to stop Russias shadow fleet of oil tankers that are breaking international sanctions, and not using Russias frozen assets in Europe to finance Ukraine. Europe still feels more like a geography, history, a tradition, not a real political force, not a great power, he said. Mr Zelenskyy attended the World Economic Forum in Davos (Laurent Gillieron/Keystone via AP) Some Europeans are really strong, its true, but many say we must stand strong, and they always want someone else to tell them how long they need to stand strong, preferably until the next election, he said. The Trump administration is pushing for a peace settlement, with its envoys shuttling between Kyiv and Moscow. Mr Trumps special envoy Steve Witkoff and his son-in-law Jared Kushner arrived in Moscow late on Thursday and sat down for more talks with Mr Putin, the Kremlin said. One major issue remains to be resolved in negotiations, Mr Witkoff said at Davos, without saying what it was. Mr Zelensky said the future status of Ukrainian land currently occupied by Russia is unresolved but that peace proposals are nearly ready. Post-war security guarantees, should a deal be reached, are agreed between the US and Ukraine, although they would require each countrys ratification, he said. Mr Zelensky said there would be two days of trilateral meetings involving the US, Ukraine and Russia due to begin in the United Arab Emirates on Friday. Russians have to be ready for compromises because, you know, everybody has to be ready, not only Ukraine, and this is important for us, he said The camp houses more than one million Rohingya people who have fled persecution in neighbouring Myanmar (Jessica Wanless, Norwegian Refugee Council via AP) A fire has destroyed hundreds of makeshift homes and displaced more than 2,000 people in a Rohingya refugee camp in Coxs Bazar, Bangladesh, prompting calls from relief agencies for more funding to build safer housing and help provide emergency aid. The fire broke out in the early hours of Tuesday in Camp 16, one of more than 30 camps in the Coxs Bazar district that makes up the worlds largest refugee centre, housing more than one million Rohingya people who have fled persecution in neighbouring Myanmar. The United Nations International Organisation for Migration (IOM) said it had created a new crisis for families already struggling to survive. The fire was said to have destroyed 335 shelters and damaged 72 more (Jessica Wanless, Norwegian Refugee Council via AP) When fires strike in overcrowded camp settings, the impact extends far beyond damaged infrastructure, Lance Bonneau, IOM chief of mission in Bangladesh, said in a statement. Families lose shelter, essential belongings, and access to basic services, increasing immediate protection risks. It took firefighters about three hours to bring the blaze under control. While there were no fatalities and only a handful of minor injuries, many people lost not only their homes but also all their possessions, including identity documents and other important papers, the Norwegian Refugee Council told The Associated Press on Thursday. The aid organisation is among others operating inside the Coxs Bazar camps. We need your consent to load this Social Media content. We use a number of different Social Media outlets to manage extra content that can set cookies on your device and collect data about your activity. Please review your details and accept them to load the content Overall, the fire, whose cause has not yet been determined, destroyed 335 shelters and damaged 72 more, the organisation said. It also damaged water and sanitation points in the camp, 11 learning centres and camp infrastructure and pathways. More than 700,000 Rohingya fled Myanmar in 2017 after the military launched a crackdown on the Muslim minority group following insurgent attacks on guard posts in Rakhine state, which borders Bangladesh, swelling the numbers of refugees already in Coxs Bazar. The scale, organisation and ferocity of the Myanmar military operation led to accusations of ethnic cleansing and genocide from the international community, including the UN. The International Court of Justice in The Hague, Netherlands, is hearing a case accusing Myanmar of violating the 1948 Genocide Convention during its so-called clearance operation in 2017. Myanmar has denied the allegations. Ongoing fighting in Rakhine, between government forces and groups opposing the military leaders who ousted democratically elected Aung San Suu Kyi in February 2021, has led to tens of thousands more Rohingya fleeing to Bangladesh. We need your consent to load this Social Media content. We use a number of different Social Media outlets to manage extra content that can set cookies on your device and collect data about your activity. Please review your details and accept them to load the content Following the fire, the IOM, Norwegian Refugee Council and other agencies launched relief efforts to provide emergency aid to address the immediate needs of those displaced, including blankets, mosquito nets, cooking supplies, hygiene kits and solar lights. While immediate assistance continues, the incident underscores the persistent fire risks facing refugee communities in Coxs Bazar, the IOM said. The Norwegian Refugee Council said there had been plans to build 50,000 semi-permanent shelters to move people from the tarpaulin or plastic-covered bamboo structures in which most refugees live, but that international aid cuts announced in January 2025 meant they had to be shelved. The bamboo shelters, originally meant to last six to 12 months, are packed together in close proximity in the overcrowded camps and are particularly vulnerable to fire, the organisation said. It cited one report that between May 2018 and December 2025 there had been 2,425 fires in the camps, affecting more than 100,000 people and damaging more than 20,000 shelters causing significant loss of life. If you'd like to leave a comment (or a tip or a question) about this story with the editors, please email us We also welcome letters to the editor for publication; you can do that by filling out our letters form and submitting it to the newsroom. Eagle Archives, Jan. 29, 1977: Ida Hall, proprietor of the New England Food Store in East Otis, raised the price of her coffee for the first time in 40 years, from 10 to 15 cents a cup, due to rising costs from international coffee markets. As homelessness rises across the county and the freezing cold threatens their safety, where can they go to find warmth, shelter and a meal? And how can you help? Mayor Zohran Mamdani speaks Jan. 12 during moving day at Gracie Mansion in New York City. Gracie Mansion has housed most of New York City's mayors for decades. Advocates for ideas and draws conclusions based on the interpretation of facts and data. Our Opinion Our Opinion: Lawmakers should follow the law so get on with the audit ICMR hands over mobile stroke unit to government of Assam January 22, 2026 | Thursday | News Reducing treatment time from 24 hours to 2 hours Stroke is one of the leading causes of death and long-term disability in India. Every minute is crucial in the event of a strokeabout 1.9 billion brain cells are destroyed per minute if treatment is delayed. The Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) has handed over two Mobile Stroke Units (MSUs) to the Assam government to mitigate the serious problem. This is a significant shift towards quicker access to hospitals for stroke patients living in remote areas. Now hospitals are reaching out directly to patients. Developed under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and guidance of Union Health Minister Jagat Prakash Nadda, this initiative reflects the government's commitment to ensure that even in the most challenging geographies, the poorest, the most vulnerable, and the most vulnerable populations, including women, have access to advanced healthcare services. MSU is a mobile hospital, equipped with CT scanners, teleconsultations from specialists, point-of-care laboratory, and blood clotting drugs. This enables early diagnosis and treatment of stroke at or near the patient's home. This innovation is particularly important for remote and hard-to-reach areas, where it can take several hours to reach hospitals. Through expert teleconsultation, MSU enables early identification of the type of stroke and quick initiation of treatment, saving lives and preventing disability. Borsa Italiana non ha responsabilita per il contenuto del sito a cui sta per accedere e non ha responsabilita per le informazioni contenute. Accedendo a questo link, Borsa Italiana non intende sollecitare acquisti o offerte in alcun paese da parte di nessuno. Sarai automaticamente diretto al link in cinque secondi. First Dates Ireland will return to television screens across the country on Thursday, January 29th, and a former X Factor contestant will be joining the newest batch of singletons. The 11th season of the well-known dating show will introduce a new batch of singles on the hunt for their special someone. The new season will feature former The X Factor finalist Mary Byrne, who will arrive hoping to go unrecognised. Former X Factor finalist Mary Byrne. Photo: PA In episode one, viewers will see Shannon from Limerick, and fellow culchie Diarmuid from Cork. First Dates familiar face Boo and tattoo artist Lisa. Marine biologist Aine will go on a date with junior doctor Keith while events organiser and disco dancing divorcee Margaret will meet semi-retired primary school teacher and filmmaker Robin from Melbourne. On hand to support people through their dates will be Maitre D Mateo, servers Alice and Pete, and Neil behind the bar. First Dates Ireland will air on Thursday, January 29th, at 9:35pm on RTE2 and RTE Player. Irish stars Jessie Buckley and Paul Mescal are among the actors tipped to land Oscar nominations on Thursday. The duo are likely to receive nods for their performances in Hamnet, the big-screen adaptation of Maggie OFarrells award-winning novel about the family life of William Shakespeare and the death of his young son. Buckley is poised to be nominated for best actress for her turn as Shakespeares wife Agnes Hathaway historically known as Anne and is widely considered the frontrunner, having already secured a string of trophies, including the Golden Globe and Critics Choice award. Jessie Buckley won at the Golden Globes (Sthanlee Mirador/PA) Mescal is likely to get a supporting actor nod for his role as the Bard, while Chloe Zhao is expected to be recognised in the best director category. Zhao made history as the second woman and the first woman of colour to win the best director Oscar, for Nomadland in 2021. Advertisement Hamnet is also tipped to be nominated for the Best Picture Oscar, but will face competition from One Battle After Another, Paul Thomas Andersons film starring Leonardo DiCaprio as a washed-up revolutionary on a mission to save his teenage daughter. DiCaprio and his co-stars, Chase Infiniti, Benicio Del Toro, Sean Penn and Teyana Taylor are all thought to be in the running for acting nods, while Anderson is likely to receive a directing nomination. Leonardo DiCaprio is tipped to be nominated for One Battle After Another (Ian West/PA) DiCaprio is expected to compete for the best actor Oscar against Timothee Chalamet for his turn as an ambitious ping pong player in Marty Supreme, and Wagner Moura for his performance in Brazilian drama The Secret Agent. British-Nigerian actress Wunmi Mosaku could land a nod in the supporting actress category for her performance in Ryan Cooglers vampire drama Sinners. Entertainment Taylor Swift to be inducted into Songwriters Hall of Fame Read more Radiohead star Jonny Greenwood could secure a nomination for his score for One Battle After Another. He was previously nominated for Phantom Thread and The Power Of The Dog. The Academy Awards will be hosted by Conan OBrien in Hollywood on March 15th. The nominations will be announced by Danielle Brooks and Lewis Pullman at 1.30pm Irish time on Thursday. President Donald Trump has repeatedly said he deserves the Nobel Peace Prize and has expressed his anger at Norway, the country where the award is given, for not giving it to him. Here is a look at how the award works. Who decides? The Norwegian Nobel Committee, which consists of five individuals appointed by the Norwegian parliament. Members are often retired politicians, but not always. The current committee is led by the head of the Norwegian branch of PEN International, a group defending freedom of expression. Another member is an academic. They are all put forward by Norwegian political parties and their appointments reflect the balance of power in Norway's parliament. Does the Norwegian government decide who gets the prize? No. Once the political parties appoint their respective candidates to the committee, they do not get involved in its work. Only the five members of the committee and its secretary participate in the meetings. No minutes are kept. Advertisement The Norwegian government finds out the name of the laureate, or laureates, at the same time as everyone else, when the chair announces it in October. Has Norway experienced pressure from other countries before? Yes. It is usually over the award to someone a government of a foreign country does not like. In 2010, China froze diplomatic relations with Norway over the award to Chinese dissident Liu Xiaobo, suspending negotiations over a bilateral trade agreement. China complained at the time, like Trump, that the Norwegian government had decided who won the prize. As now, Oslo said that the Nobel Committee was independent from the government. The two countries eventually resumed diplomatic relations and agreed to resume trade negotiations in 2017. They have not yet signed a trade deal. Can the prize be given away? A laureate can give the medal, the diploma or the money to someone else, but the honour of receiving the award is "inseparably linked" to the person or organisation who receives it, the Nobel committee said on January 15th. Their statement came a day after last year's laureate, Venezuela's Maria Corina Machado gave her medal to Trump in a bid to influence his efforts to shape her country's political future. Who can win the prize? The short answer is: whoever fits the description set out in the 1895 will of Swedish industrialist Alfred Nobel. It says the prize should go to the person "who has done the most or best to advance fellowship among nations, the abolition or reduction of standing armies, and the establishment and promotion of peace congresses". The more complicated answer is that the prize "needs to be placed in the current context", according to Kristian Berg Harpviken, the award committee's secretary, who prepares the work for the award body. He participates in the deliberations but does not vote. Advertisement "They will look at the world, see what is happening, what are the global trends, what are the main concerns, what are the most promising processes that we see," he told Reuters last year. "And processes here can mean anything from a specific peace process to a new type of international agreement that is under development or that has recently been adopted." Who can nominate? Thousands of people can propose names: members of governments and parliaments; current heads of state; university professors of history, social sciences, law and philosophy; and former Nobel Peace Prize laureates, among others. Nominations close on January 31st. Members of the committee can make their own nominations too, no later than at their first meeting in February. The full list is locked in a vault for 50 years. This means the nomination process for the 2026 award is ongoing. How does the committee decide? The committee discusses all the nominations, then establishes a shortlist. Each nominee is then assessed and examined by a group of permanent advisers and other experts. The committee meets roughly once a month to discuss the nominations. The decision tends to be taken in August or in September, said Harpviken. The committee seeks to reach a consensus on its selection. If it cannot, the decision is made by majority vote. The last time a member quit in protest was in 1994, when Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat shared the prize with Israel's Shimon Peres and Yitzhak Rabin. What does the Laureate get? A gold medal, a diploma, 11 million Swedish crowns (1.03 million) and immediate global attention. When is the announcement and the ceremony? The announcement takes place on a Friday in October at the Norwegian Nobel Institute in Oslo and is made by the committee's chair. The ceremony takes place at the Oslo City Hall on December 10th, the anniversary of Alfred Nobel's death. US President Donald Trump has invited dozens of world leaders to join his Board of Peace initiative aimed at resolving global conflicts, but diplomats say it could harm the work of the United Nations. While some traditional allies of the US have responded cautiously, and in a few cases have rejected Trump's offer, others, including nations that have long had strained ties with Washington, such as Belarus, have accepted. What is Trump's Board of Peace? Trump first proposed the Board of Peace last September when he announced his plan to end the Gaza war. He later made clear the board's remit would be expanded beyond Gaza to tackle other conflicts worldwide. The US president will be the inaugural chairman of the board and it will be tasked with promoting peace around the world and working to resolve conflicts, according to a copy of the draft charter seen by Reuters. Advertisement Member states would be limited to three-year terms unless they pay $1 billion each to fund the board's activities and earn permanent membership, the charter says. The White House has named US Secretary of State Marco Rubio, Trump's special envoy Steve Witkoff, former British prime minister Tony Blair and Trump's son-in-law, Jared Kushner as members of the initiative's founding Executive Board. Which countries have accepted Trump's invitation so far? Witkoff said on Wednesday that up to 25 countries had so far accepted the invitation to join the Board of Peace. These include Middle East allies such as Israel, the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain and Egypt. NATO members Turkey and Hungary, whose nationalist leaders have cultivated good personal ties with Trump, have also agreed to take part. Others who have accepted include Armenia and Azerbaijan, which reached a US-brokered peace agreement last August after meeting Trump at the White House. More controversially, Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko, long shunned by the West over his country's poor human rights record and backing for Russia's war in Ukraine, has accepted Trump's invitation, which comes amid a broader rapprochement between Washington and Minsk. Russia, which has also seen frosty relations with Washington improve markedly as Trump courts President Vladimir Putin while accusing Kyiv of blocking efforts to end the Ukraine war, has not yet said whether it will join the Board of Peace. Neither has China, which has often been at loggerheads with Trump but recently struck a delicate trade truce. Russia and China are traditionally strong supporters of the United Nations, and both are veto-wielding members of the UN Security Council, so are likely to be cautious about any initiatives that could be seen as undermining the world body. Advertisement Trump, who has often criticised the UN as ineffective, played down concerns this week that he might want his Board to replace the world body, saying: "I believe you got to let the UN continue because the potential is so great." Which countries have refused to join or have yet to commit? The Board of Peace initiative, which comes amid a growing transatlantic rift over Greenland, tariffs and other issues, has drawn a cautious response from some close US allies who are often uncomfortable with Trump's belligerent, unilateralist, "America First" approach to international diplomacy. Norway and Sweden have declined his invitation, while Italy's Economy Minister Giancarlo Giorgetti said joining the board appeared problematic. Italian daily Il Corriere della Sera reported that joining a group led by one country's leader would violate Italy's constitution. France also intends to decline the invitation, a source close to President Emmanuel Macron said, prompting Trump to threaten to hit French wines and champagnes with 200 per cent tariffs unless Paris joined his board. Canada said it has agreed "in principle" to join but that the details were still being worked out. Other key US allies including Britain, Germany and Japan have not yet taken a clear public stance, though a German government spokesperson said Chancellor Friedrich Merz would not attend a signing ceremony for the board at the World Economic Forum in Davos. Ukraine has said its diplomats are examining the invitation but President Volodymyr Zelenskiy has said it is hard for him to imagine being on any board with Russia after four years of war. What power will the board have? Business European markets rally after Donald Trump cools tariff threats Read more It remains unclear what legal authority or enforcement tools the Board of Peace will have or how it will work with the United Nations and other international organisations. Advertisement The Board's charter says its chairman, Trump, will have extensive executive power, including the ability to veto decisions and remove members, subject to some constraints. According to its charter, the Board of Peace will undertake "peace-building functions in accordance with international law". The White House has also announced a Gaza Executive Board to support a transitional Palestinian administration in Gaza. It is unclear how the founding Executive Board and the Gaza Executive Board, which share some members, will function in practice. US special envoy Steve Witkoff said on Thursday that just one issue remained to be resolved before a deal to end the war in Ukraine could be reached. Witkoff, who was due in Moscow later on Thursday for talks with Russian president Vladimir Putin, did not name the issue. But Washington, Moscow, and Kyiv have all made clear that the question is over territory. The sticking point regards Putin's claim to all of Ukraine's eastern region of Donetsk. Ukrainian forces still hold about 20 per cent, or 5,000 square km (1,900 square miles) of it, despite Russian advances on the battlefield. Moscow wants Ukrainian forces to withdraw from Donetsk, something Kyiv refuses to do. Donetsk is one of four Ukrainian regions that Moscow said in 2022 it was annexing after referendums rejected by Kyiv and Western nations as a sham. Advertisement Most countries recognise Donetsk as part of Ukraine. Putin says Donetsk and neighbouring Luhansk - which together form the Donbas region - are part of Russia's "historical lands". What is the military importance of Donetsk? The part of Donetsk still held by Kyiv includes Sloviansk and Kramatorsk, "fortress cities" that are part of a heavily fortified line of defences, including trenches, anti-tank obstacles, bunkers and minefields that are located around them. Kyiv views the cities as vital to its defence of the rest of Ukraine as the land west of Donetsk is much flatter, making it easier for Russia to advance and take territory on the eastern bank of the River Dnipro. Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelenskiy says surrendering full control of Donetsk would give Russia a platform to launch assaults deeper into Ukraine. He fears Russia would re-arm after any peace deal and at some point use Donetsk to sweep westwards. How do Russians and Ukrainians regard Donetsk? Both sides have suffered heavy casualties and expended vast amounts of money and equipment fighting over Donetsk, including for the city of Bakhmut, where Russia threw tens of thousands of soldiers into what became known as a meat grinder. These losses have made it harder for either side to compromise. Ukraine does not want to gift territory that Russia has failed to win on the battlefield. Western military analysts say it could take Russia at least another year of fighting to take the rest of Donetsk, assuming a constant rate of advance. Russian commanders are more bullish. Valery Gerasimov, the chief of the General Staff, told Putin in December that Moscow's forces were advancing along the entire front line and working towards taking full control of the wider region. Advertisement What industry does Donetsk have? Donetsk once accounted for more than half of Ukraine's coal, finished steel, coke, cast iron, and steel production, though many mines and facilities have been destroyed in the war. Donetsk also has rare earths, titanium and zirconium - a source of revenue for whoever controls it. The fate of Donetsk will help shape the historical legacy of Putin and Zelenskiy. Putin casts himself as the defender of ethnic Russians everywhere. Securing all of Donetsk is central to his narrative. Zelenskiy has gained a reputation since 2022 as the defiant defender of his country against a much bigger, more powerful neighbour. Surrendering Donetsk - still home to at least a quarter of a million Ukrainians - could be seen as a betrayal by Ukrainians, many of whom have lost relatives on the battlefield. A poll this month showed a majority of Ukrainians strongly opposed withdrawing troops from Donetsk in exchange for European and US security guarantees. What compromise on Donetsk might be possible? Zelenskiy says Washington has proposed that neither Russian nor Ukrainian troops be deployed in Donbas and that it be turned into a demilitarised, free economic zone. The White House has not commented on the details of the ongoing talks. US president Donald Trump reiterated on Thursday after talks with Zelenskiy in Davos, Switzerland, that the war has to end but there was no sign of any breakthrough. Kremlin aide Yuri Ushakov has said Moscow does not rule out, under the terms of any peace deal, deploying its national guard and police to Donbas instead of the regular army, something that Kyiv is unlikely to accept. Advertisement Ushakov also told the Kommersant daily last month that the land was Russian and would have to be administered by Moscow. The US has not yet decided who should administer the territory, Zelenskiy said in December. What are Ukraine's legal considerations? Zelenskiy says he does not have a mandate to give away territory. Under Ukraine's constitution, territorial changes must be settled by a referendum that can be called if it has the signatures of 3 million eligible Ukrainian voters in at least two-thirds of Ukraine's regions. Trump has criticised the notion that what he has called a land swap would require a referendum and said "there will be some land swapping going on". An Garda Siochana has acceded to a Northern Ireland coroners request for information relevant to a long-delayed inquest into the death of a 31-year-old man, reportedly killed by dissident republicans almost 16 years ago. Kieran Dohertys body was discovered on Braehead Road, a road outside Derry and close to the Co Donegal border, on February 24th, 2010. Mr Doherty had suffered gunshot wounds to the head, and in the days after the killing, the Real IRA an anti-Belfast Agreement paramilitary group claimed responsibility. Mr Doherty himself was reportedly a member of the group. At the High Court this week, it emerged that Judge Brian Sherrard, the coroner charged with holding the inquiry into Mr Dohertys death, is seeking information relating to material held by gardai potentially relevant to the killing. Advertisement Judge Sherrard made the request for information last August. The coroner set out several questions relating to relevant material held by gardai, and requested evidence to be taken from a Garda member in respect of the questions. The coroners request was made under provisions in the seldom-used Criminal Justice (International Co-Operation) Act 2019. The request was acceded to by Garda Commissioner Justin Kelly in November. To facilitate such a request, the Commissioner is required to ask the High Court to assign a judge to take evidence under oath from a designated member of An Garda Siochana. This evidence, as provided for under the 2019 Act, will not be given in public. Lawyers for the Commissioner came before High Court president Mr Justice David Barniville this week to move such an application. Mr Justice Barniville made an order nominating Mr Justice Paul McDermott to take evidence relevant to the coroners request from a named senior Garda member. According to reports carried by the BBC, lawyers for Mr Dohertys family told a pre-inquest hearing last year that a lack of information from Irish authorities was the chief impediment to the inquests progress. According to court documents, Mr Dohertys family has publicly questioned whether MI5 was involved in the death. In an interview with a local newspaper prior to his death, Mr Doherty claimed MI5 had sought to recruit him as an informant. President Catherine Connolly has congratulated Irelands Oscar nominees following the announcement of the Academy Awards shortlist. Posting to the social media site X, she said: Congratulations to Jessie Buckley, John Kelly, Richard Baneham, Maggie OFarrell, Element Pictures and Wild Atlantic Pictures on their Oscar nominations and to all involved in the Irish film industry for its continued international recognition. Element Pictures co-chief executive Ed Guiney said he was proud of everyone involved in Bugonia, which secured four nominations, adding were delighted to see the film receiving such wonderful recognition as the awards season continues. Element Pictures Ed Guiney (Ian West/PA) Mr Guiney is the producer of the film, which will be in contention for the best picture award. Its star Emma Stone was named in the best actress in a leading role category, and the film was also nominated for adapted screenplay and best original score. Advertisement Dublin-based Element Pictures has secured 30 Academy Award nominations and six wins since it was established in 2001. The Irish contingent heading to the Dolby Theatre in Hollywood on March 15th will include Jessie Buckley, who was named in the best actress category for her performance in Hamnet. In a statement, Arts Minister Patrick ODonovan described her as a supremely talented actor with an incredible range. He added: I wish Jessie the very best of luck, and every possible success, at the Academy Awards ceremony on March 15th. The whole of Killarney, Kerry and Ireland will be cheering her on. Posting on X, Sinn Fein leader Mary Lou McDonald said: Great to hear that Killarneys own Jessie Buckley has been nominated for an Oscar! Shes joined by a raft of Irish nominations across a sweep of categories. Its a brilliant day for Irish talent and creativity on the international stage. Hamnet secured eight Oscar nods in total, including one for Coleraine-born Maggie OFarrell. Maggie OFarrell helped adapt her book Hamnet for the big screen (Ian West/PA) She was recognised for the screenplay of her 2020 novel, which she adapted alongside the films director Chloe Zhao. Dublin man Richard Baneham, who was named in the visual effects category for his work on Avatar: Fire And Ash, already has two Oscar statuettes for previous instalments of the Avatar franchise. Blue Moon, made by Irish production company Wild Atlantic Pictures, was nominated in two categories, best original screenplay and best actor for Ethan Hawke. The filmmakers of Retirement Plan are also due to attend, as it is in contention for the best animated short film award. Advertisement Voiced by Domhnall Gleeson, Retirement Plan was supported by Screen Ireland through its Frameworks animated short film scheme, in partnership with RTE. Chief executive Desiree Finnegan said: These nominations represent a remarkable recognition of the artistic strength and range of Irish creative talent. It is another powerful moment for the Irish screen industry and underlines the importance of supporting talent and investing in filmmakers and artists. We are immensely proud to see Irish storytelling and talent so strongly represented on the global stage and wish those nominated all the best at the Academy Awards ceremony in March. An alleged key member of an inter-familial organised crime gang used the proceeds of a sinister romance fraud perpetrated on a vulnerable woman to purchase a house in Co Cork, the High Court has ruled. In a judgment this week, Mr Justice Liam Kennedy found that on the balance of probabilities, Thomas Humphreys used the proceeds of the romance fraud carried out by his brother-in-law Patrick Pizza Face OBrien to purchase the property on Strand Street, Youghal, for 26,620 in July 2015. Mr Justice Kennedys ruling comes after the Criminal Assets Bureau (Cab) sought an order under section 3 of the Proceeds of Crime Act 1996 declaring that the house was purchased using the proceeds of crime. The judge granted the relief sought by the bureau. Relevant to his ruling, the judge said, was Humphreys conviction in absentia by an Australian court of a separate fraud against an elderly woman worth AUD$100,500 (around 58,000). Advertisement Humphreys fled the country before he could be tried. According to evidence submitted to the court by the bureau, Humphreys and various members of his extended family have been involved in organised crime both in Ireland and Australia. Cab claims the groups primary modus operandi to be bogus works fraud, in which elderly victims are deceived into paying exorbitant sums for property repairs. The bureau alleges Humphreys (37), previously with an address at Curraigue, Mallow, Co Cork, but now believed to be living in the UK, to be a key member of this crime group. It was the bureaus case that Humphreys allegedly benefited from a sinister romance scam perpetrated by his wifes brother OBrien against Pauline Fitzpatrick between 2012 and 2015. The bureau claimed that during this time, OBrien under a false name ostensibly entered a romantic relationship with the vulnerable Ms Fitzpatrick, conning her out of more than 260,000. It was the bureaus case that money procured by way of the sinister scam went towards Humphreys purchase of the house. Before he could be tried over the romance fraud, OBrien fled to Australia, where he was later joined by Humphreys, gardai allege. The men continued to defraud in Australia, the bureau claimed. OBrien (44), of Ballyspillane, Killarney, was eventually jailed for scamming various individuals out of AUD$1.1 million (640,000), but Humphreys fled Australia before he could be tried. In his judgment, Mr Justice Kennedy said he was satisfied that at least 5,000 of monies used to purchase the Youghal house was legitimately sourced by virtue of a personal injury settlement payout to Humphreys. Advertisement Ireland Man found guilty of the murder of Bruna Fonseca Read more However, beyond this, Humphreys did not establish that the remainder of the cost was funded legitimately, the judge said. Mr Justice Kennedy noted Humphreys did not deny the allegations of criminality made against him in the bureaus case, adding that his evidence to the court was most remarkable for what it does not say. He does not deny or explain his criminal convictions or his involvement in criminality (the controlled drugs trade, frauds in Ireland and Australia, money laundering)... [n]or does he engage with the detailed evidence as to the source of funds used to buy the property, the judge said. The judge said he was satisfied that the majority of payments towards the purchase of the property came from unknown sources or actually represented the proceeds of crime. A detective has told an inquest that he could not believe how George Nkencho was still able to continue to swing a knife at armed gardai after several shots had been fired at him at close range. Detective Garda Brendan OHora told a sitting of Dublin District Coroners Court that he had drawn his own firearm after thinking Mr Nkencho had stabbed a member of the Garda Armed Support Unit (ASU) with his knife. Det OHora said he believed there was an immediate threat to life as he feared Mr Nkencho had made contact with the ASU member known only as Garda A. Mr Nkencho (27) died after suffering fatal gunshot wounds in the incident outside his family home at Manorfields Drive, Clonee, Co Dublin on December 30th, 2020, shortly after he had been involved in a disturbance at a nearby supermarket. Advertisement The young man, the eldest of five siblings whose family originally come from Nigeria, was pronounced dead a short time later at Connolly Hospital Blanchardstown. The inquest previously heard evidence that Mr Nkencho had carried out an unprovoked assault on a manager at the Eurospar store in Hartstown as well as threatening staff with a knife shortly before the fatal incident. The deceaseds family claim the level of force used against him was disproportionate. However, the DPP directed that no prosecution should arise over the circumstances of Mr Nkenchos death following an investigation by Fiosru, (formerly known as the Garda Siochana Ombudsman Commission). Det Garda OHora gave evidence that he had removed his own firearm from its holster when he feared Garda A would fall to the ground and that Mr Nkencho would turn on other gardai at the scene. He told the coroner, Myra Cullinane, that he genuinely believed the deceased was going to kill the ASU officer. Det Garda OHora outlined how he first came across Mr Nkencho walking on a green area near his home a short time earlier. He said the deceased continued to walk towards him and other gardai in a determined manner, despite being instructed to stop. The witness said he tried to engage with Mr Nkencho but he would not drop his knife. Det Garda OHora said he kept a safe distance away from Mr Nkencho while shouting at passers-by to get out of the way as gardai created a moving cordon around him. Advertisement He described how he asked Mr Nkencho who he was and to stop and talk but got no response. Det Garda OHora said he stood at the entrance to the driveway of Mr Nkenchos home after the ASU members had arrived at the scene and called on him to drop his knife. He recalled how Mr Nkencho continued to lash out even after falling to the ground after a taser had been deployed. At that point, he remembered screaming at people who had come to the front door of the house to go back inside out of fear for their safety. Det Garda OHora said Mr Nkencho was still slashing even after shots were fired at him. I couldnt understand how he was still going, he added. The witness said Garda A had only discharged his firearm after issuing repeated warnings to Mr Nkencho to drop his knife. Det Garda OHora said he heard four shots with a distinct pause between each one. In reply to questions from counsel for Mr Nkenchos family, Eanna Molloy SC, the witness said he had noticed the people at the door of the house were black. Asked if he had not recognised that they might be relatives of the deceased, Det Garda OHora said he could not put two and two together at that stage. He said he did not hear them saying Mr Nkencho was their brother who had mental health issues. Det Garda OHora said he was focused on removing them from the threat area as they might also be possible targets for Mr Nkencho. Advertisement The seventh day of the inquest heard evidence from several other gardai at the scene of the fatal incident. A member of a second ASU to arrive shortly after the fatal incident, Garda Stephen P Walsh said he counted four gunshot wounds to the centre of Mr Nkenchos chest with a possible fifth wound close to the nipple area. He noted that both Garda A and his colleague, known as Garda B, were in shock. The jury of five women and four men also heard that tasers were deployed on four occasions over the space of 21 seconds before the fatal shooting. The former head of the firearms training unit at the Garda College in Templemore, Co Tipperary, Sergeant James Ryan, provided detailed analysis of the deployment of tasers by the two ASU officers. Data downloaded from the devices showed Garda B first activated his taser for five seconds at 12:35:13 and twice more over the next 21 seconds. It also revealed that Garda A who fired the fatal shots with a Heckler & Koch MP7 firearm had deployed his taser for seven seconds at 12:35:18. It was the second of four attempts to apply an electric shock to Mr Nkencho in an attempt to disarm him from a knife he was using to threaten gardai. Evidence was heard earlier this week that the first use of the taser knocked Mr Nkencho to the ground for a brief period while the other uses appeared to have had no effect on him after he got back on his feet. Advertisement Sgt Ryan gave evidence that tasers were very unlikely to have an effect if the target was wearing bulky clothing In reply to questions from Dr Cullinane, he said gardai should consider resorting to other resources depending on the level of threat, if tasers were proving ineffective. Ireland Taser deployed four times before fatal shooting of George Nkencho, inquest hears Read more Sgt Ryan said tasers were visibly effective if a good connection was made with a target when they would be expected to fall to the ground. The witness said he could not comment on the effectiveness of the pepper spray used during the incident which the inquest heard was past its use-by date. Sgt Ryan told the hearing that bullets used with the MP7 firearm were designed to go through body armour but to stop within a targets body. The inquest heard that four of the six bullets fired at Mr Nkencho had exit wounds from his body. Penneys has confirmed plans to open a new store in Cavan town in spring 2028. The store, which will be the county's first, will occupy the existing Tesco site on the town's main street. Tesco will be moved to a new location at Townparks. Works have yet to start, but the clothing and homeware retailer hopes the store will open in early 2028. Head of Penneys in Ireland and Northern Ireland, Fintan Costello, said: We are thrilled to finally confirm that Penneys is coming to Cavan. "We know local customers have been asking us for a store here for many years, so its incredibly exciting to finally make it happen. "Its going to take some time but bear with us, were really looking forward to bringing our amazing range of great value clothing and accessories to our Cavan customers and supporting the local economy. "Well be sharing more details in the months ahead, and we cant wait to open our doors to the people of Cavan. The Minister for Artificial Intelligence (AI) has said it would be her intention to shut down access to social media companies that violate Irish law on sexual abuse material. A series of meetings involving the Government, gardai, and regulators has taken place over reports of sexual images of adults and children being produced using the generative AI tool Grok on X, formerly Twitter. Niamh Smyth, the minister of state with responsibility for AI, said on Wednesday that the social media site had to be treated as a publisher and there was a need for enforcement against such material. Ms Smyth recounted details of a recent robust meeting with X to The Tonight Show on Virgin Media One, saying: Twitter, in our conversations, they almost see the users as being the problem. Advertisement User manipulation was a term that was used quite often during our conversation. Its something I dont accept, because I believe the technology has been designed with this capability. My real gripe here is that its a fair expectation that when technology like this is designed, those who design the technology would design safety measures and do the due diligence to ensure that those who use it, and those who view it, are not exposed to harmful content. Ms Smyth said she made clear to X that Ireland had very strong laws prohibiting such harmful content. Asked why she did not just shut down social media companies that violate such laws, she said: That would be my intention. Ireland 75m investment to strengthen Irelands electricity grid through battery energy Read more Ms Smyth said she media regulator Coimisiun na Mean was engaging with the EU on the matter. She said she would not pre-empt a decision of the European Commission but added: We need something at that very high level to impose and enforce upon X as a platform to ensure citizens' rights across the European state are protected. Pressed on her use of the word platform, Ms Smyth said she believes that X is a publisher. They are a publisher, and weve got to treat them as such, and I will be working my way through this, and obviously trying to give my backing and support Coimisiun na Mean that we seek fast action from the European Commission, because under the Digital Services Act, the provision is there, and there has to be the enforcement, there has to be compliance, otherwise our European citizens are being failed. Taser devices were deployed by members of the Garda Armed Support Unit on four occasions over the space of 21 seconds before the fatal shooting of George Nkencho outside his home in west Dublin five years ago, an inquest has heard. The former head of the firearms training unit at the Garda College in Templemore, Co Tipperary, Sergeant James Ryan, provided a detailed analysis of the deployment of tasers by two ASU officers during the fatal incident. Data downloaded from the devices showed one member of the ASU known only as Garda B first activated his taser for five seconds at 12:35:13 and twice more over the next 21 seconds. It also revealed that Garda A who fired the fatal shots with a Heckler & Koch MP7 firearm had deployed his taser for seven seconds at 12:35:18. Advertisement The inquest heard it was the second of four attempts to apply an electric shock to Mr Nkencho in an attempt to disarm him from a knife he was using to threaten gardai. Evidence was heard earlier this week that the first use of the taser knocked Mr Nkencho to the ground for a brief period, while the other uses appeared to have had no effect on him after he got back on his feet. Mr Nkencho (27) died after suffering fatal gunshot wounds in the incident outside his family home at Manorfields Drive, Clonee, Co Dublin, on December 30th, 2020, shortly after he had been involved in a disturbance at a nearby supermarket. The young man, the eldest of five siblings whose family originally came from Nigeria, was pronounced dead a short time later at Connolly Hospital,l Blanchardstown. The inquest previously heard evidence that Mr Nkencho had carried out an unprovoked assault on a manager at the Eurospar store in Hartstown, as well as threatening staff with a knife shortly before the fatal incident. The deceaseds family claim the level of force used against him was disproportionate. However, the DPP directed that no prosecution should arise over the circumstances of Mr Nkenchos death following an investigation by Fiosru (formerly known as the Garda Siochana Ombudsman Commission). Sgt Ryan, who coordinated the training course for ASU officers, told the seventh day of the inquest into the death of Mr Nkencho that tasers were very unlikely to have an effect if the target was wearing bulky clothing. Advertisement In reply to questions from the coroner, Myra Cullinane, he said gardai should consider resorting to other resources depending on the level of threat, if tasers were proving ineffective. Sgt Ryan said gardai would be justified in the use of lethal force to stop a threat to someones life. In some circumstances, he said gardai could hope for back-up support, which would provide other resources like a 40mm launcher, but such a scenario was not always practicable. Sgt Ryan said tasers were visibly effective if a good connection was made with a target, when they would be expected to fall to the ground. He explained that the targets muscles would lock, which could prevent them from putting their hands out to break a fall. Sgt Ryan said the taser would remain effective until the connection was broken. The witness said he could not comment on the effectiveness of the pepper spray used during the incident, which the inquest heard was past its use-by date. Sgt Ryan confirmed that ASU members were trained to recognise vulnerable individuals or people with mental health issues as part of their course, including that there is no guarantee of their compliance with instructions. He said armed gardai might discern someone had mental health problems depending on how they reacted to verbal commands, and it was something to take into account if suspects did not engage. Sgt Ryan said ASU members were trained to try and minimise a risk and to contain a situation as best as they could, but there were circumstances where they might have to act. Advertisement He told the hearing that bullets used with the MP7 firearm were designed to go through body armour but to stop within a targets body. Counsel for the deceaseds family, Eanna Molloy SC, noted that four of the six bullets fired at Mr Nkencho had exit wounds from his body. Sgt Ryan told Mr Molloy that he could not recall that gardai used specialist psychological trainers for training ASU members on dealing with unfolding situations. However, he stressed that gardai were trained to make decisions on what they are presented with. In response to questions from counsel for An Garda Siochana, Ronan Kennedy SC, Sgt Ryan said ASU members would have to undergo regular refresher training in the use of firearms and less lethal weapons as well as scenario training. The witness said the training course for ASU gardai had rigorous standards. The inquest heard that Garda A has successfully passed all tests on the use of firearms with very high scores in his final exams, and there were no issues with his performance. During a brief verbal clash between legal representatives, Mr Molloy claimed Garda A had jumped the gun and turned up the heat before Dr Cullinane intervened. The inquest before a jury of five women and four men is continuing this afternoon. US President Donald Trump's plane has left Shannon Airport after a quick pitstop, it is reported. Air Force One landed on Thursday evening at the airport for a brief refuelling around 6.30pm, but subsequently took off again around 7.30pm, according to The Journal. The Boeing 757 is returning the President to the United States following his trip to the economic forum in Davos. Newstalk reported that Donald Trump did not get off the plane, which crossed into Irish airspace at around 6pm, accompanied by another Air Force 757. Earlier, there was a heightened security presence at the airport, which is operating as normal, while a small number of protesters stood on a roundabout close to the airport, according to Newstalk. Trump gave an address to world leaders at Davos on Wednesday - a speech which began by critiquing Europe, saying it is "not heading in the right direction." The US Presidents flight was the most followed on the Flight Radar 24 app on Thursday evening. Two men were arrested after drugs worth an estimated 334,000 were seized by gardai in Dublin. As part of an ongoing investigation targeting the sale and supply of drugs in the area, gardai carried out a search of two domestic residences in north and west Dublin on Wednesday. During the course of the searches, cocaine with an estimated value of 300,000, and MDMA with an estimated value of 34,000, were seized, subject to analysis. Gardai from the Ballymun Drug Unit, Serious Crime West, assisted by Ballymun Community Response Team, also seized 17,000 in cash during the operation. The two men, aged in their 20s and 30s, were arrested and are currently detained under Section 2 of the Criminal Justice (Drug Trafficking) Act 1996 at Garda Stations in Dublin. The drugs will be sent to Forensic Science Ireland for analysis. Gardai said investigations are ongoing. A five-year-old boy arriving home from pre-school in Minnesota has been taken by US agents along with his father to a detention facility in Texas, school officials and the familys lawyer said. Federal agents took Liam Conejo Ramos from a running car while it was in the familys driveway on Tuesday afternoon, Columbia Heights Public Schools superintendent Zena Stenvik said. The officers then told him to knock on the door to his home to see if other people were inside, essentially using five 5-year-old as bait, she said. Ms Stenvik said the family has an active asylum case and has not been ordered to leave the country. Federal agents detain a person (Angelina Katsanis/AP) Why detain a five-year-old? she asked. You cannot tell me that this child is going to be classified as a violent criminal. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) spokesperson Tricia McLaughlin said in a statement that ICE did not target a child. Advertisement She said Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) was conducting an operation to arrest the childs father, Adrian Alexander Conejo Arias, who Ms McLaughlin said is from Ecuador and in the US illegally. He fled on foot without the boy, she claimed. For the childs safety, one of our ICE officers remained with the child while the other officers apprehended Conejo Arias, Ms McLaughlin said, adding that parents are given the choice to be removed with their children or have them placed with a person of their choosing. Ms Stenvik said another adult who lives at the home was outside when the father and son were taken, but agents would not leave Liam with that person. Liam and his father were being held in a family holding cell in Texas, Marc Prokosch, the familys lawyer, said during the news conference. Every step of their immigration process has been doing what theyve been asked to do, Mr Prokosch said of the familys asylum claim. So this is just cruelty. Minnesota has become a major focus of immigration sweeps by DHS-led agencies. Greg Bovino, a US Customs and Border Patrol official who has been the face of the crackdowns in Minneapolis and other cities, said 3,000 of some of the most dangerous offenders have been arrested in Minnesota in the last six weeks. His classmates miss him Ella Sullivan, Liams teacher Julia Decker, policy director at the Immigrant Law Centre of Minnesota, said advocates have no way of knowing whether the governments arrest numbers and descriptions of the people in custody are accurate. Liam is the fourth student from Columbia Heights Public Schools who has been detained by ICE in recent weeks, said Ms Stenvik. A 17-year-old student was taken on Tuesday while heading to school, and a 10-year-old and a 17-year-old have also been taken, she said. Advertisement The district is made up of five schools and about 3,400 students from pre-K to 12th grade, according to its website. The majority of the students come from immigrant families, according to Ms Stenvik. She said they have noticed their attendance drop over the past two weeks, including one day where they had about one-third of their students out from school. Ella Sullivan, Liams teacher, described him as kind and loving. His classmates miss him, she said. And all I want is for him to be safe and back here. Spanish officials say they could try Christy Kinahan Snr on his own and in his absence as his high-profile Costa del Sol Operation Shovel arrest nears its 16th anniversary. Well-placed sources revealed on Thursday that the cartel kingpin, now holed up in Dubai, is the only one of the men facing trial that are not currently unreachable. In an apparent U-turn on earlier claims he would have to return to Spain for his passport fraud trial after being warned he faces up to four years in prison if convicted, they said the public hearing could go ahead without him being present. Expectations have always been low that the 68-year-old, one of 31 suspects originally arrested in May 2010 as part of a huge Spanish police-led operation, would answer any court summons and set foot in Europe again so many years after leaving his former Costa del Sol base for the Middle East. Advertisement That possibility is now seen as virtually non-existent following mounting pressure on the Kinahan cartel, now allegedly led by his son Daniel, from the likes of Ireland and the US, which has put a $5 million (4.3 million) bounty on their heads. Operation Shovel Operation Shovel began in 2008 as a drugs and firearms investigation before being widened to include money laundering in 2009. Ireland, Brazil and Cyprus responded to Spanish requests for assistance, saying they had found no evidence of money laundering. The failure to get answers from the UK led to an investigating judge winding up his money laundering probe against the 31 suspects placed under investigation by a court in Estepona near Marbella and lifting the threat of trial and prison hanging over most of them. Christy Kinahan Snr was one of only five men indicted, with court officials confirming in 2022 that he was facing trial for two counts of passport fraud. A trial date has yet to be announced, and around the time it emerged the Dublin-born criminal had been formally charged, it was reported he would have to attend court personally. On Thursday, Costa officials insisted he could be tried in his absence, even though it is not the norm in cases where crimes can be punished by sentences exceeding two years. A well-placed source said: The investigating court in Estepona has only been able to notify the order to proceed to trial against Kinahan Snr because none of the others can be located. As the sentences being demanded by prosecutors are not excessively high, they could be tried separately, and Kinahan Snr could even be tried in his absence. Advertisement Another insider said the investigating judge was currently dealing with defence lawyer appeals and confirmed no trial date had yet been set. Kinahan Snr, named as a leader of the Kinahan Organised Crime Group along with his two sons in April 2022 by the US Department of the Treasurys Office of Foreign Assets Control, is accused of using a false passport for a flight to Brazil. Prosecutors allege in their indictment that he used a British passport in the name of Michael Leslie Swift to board flight Iberia IB6205 bound for Rio de Janeiro on April 29th, 2010. The indictment states: He also used the same false identity to reserve the ticket and obtain the boarding card. The five-page written document also outlines the basis for the second fraud charge against Kinahan Snr. Local police in Benahavis near Marbella are said to have surprised Robert Edward Phillips and James Gregory Naughton on June 15th 2010, near a taped-up lunch box. Inside the lunch box, an Irish passport in the name of a man who had died in Ireland on March 23rd 2022, was found. The indictment says: In that passport, the photograph of Christopher Kinahan Snr had been inserted after he allegedly provided his own photo for the confection of this falsified passport. As well as a two-year prison sentence for each offence he has been charged with, prosecutors have told the court in Estepona they are seeking fines for Kinahan Snr totalling around 6,500 and an obligation to pay a share of the court costs if convicted. Advertisement Naughton and Phillips have also been told that state prosecutors want a two-year prison sentence for them if convicted. Jasvinder Singh Kamoo, said to have played a key money laundering role by police investigators in a report highlighted by the Spanish press in their initial coverage of Operation Shovel after the arrests, faces trial for using fake number plates on a Mercedes. Prosecutors have confirmed in their indictment that they are also seeking a two-year prison sentence. A fifth man, convicted armed robber Ross Gerard Browning, is facing trial for unlawful possession of a weapon, and prosecutors who have indicted him now say they are seeking a jail term of two years and nine months. The indictment makes it clear Christy Kinahan Snr has no previous convictions in Spain. Under Spanish law, prison sentences are normally only suspended for terms of two years or less. Kinahan Sr spent around six months on remand in jail after his Operation Shovel arrest, which would be taken into account, but would not spare him a return to prison if he gets the full four years and can be extradited from Dubai. Alfredo Rubalcaba, Spains Home Secretary when the Kinahans were held in May 2010 on the Costa del Sol as part of the high-profile operation, linked them at the time to a string of murders when he congratulated police after the raids. In its early stages, the judicial probe focused on allegations of drugs and weapons trafficking. Ireland College IT network engineer uploaded child abuse videos, court hears Read more It emerged in 2014 that a judge probing Christy Kinahan Snr and a gang of suspected accomplices, including his two sons, had decided to drop her behind-closed-doors investigation into those crimes and focus solely on other allegations they were facing, including money laundering and membership of a criminal gang. Advertisement In September 2020, it was confirmed the money laundering and criminal association facets of the criminal investigation had been mothballed, and only five of the original 31 detainees were told they now faced trial for lesser crimes. On Wednesday, a senior Garda warned the days of Dubai being seen as a safe haven for gangsters were over. Det Supt Dave Gallagher told the Irish Sun that UAE authorities were working with gardai to send Irish mobsters packing, adding: This misperceived notion that it is a safe haven is not correct. The EU's free trade deal with South American countries will probably be applied on a provisional basis as soon as March, an EU diplomat told Reuters on Thursday, despite a looming challenge at the bloc's top court. EU lawmakers dealt a blow to the contentious trade agreement with Brazil, Argentina, Paraguay and Uruguay on Wednesday by referring it to the European Court of Justice, potentially delaying it by two years. "The EU-Mercosur agreement shall be applied provisionally once the first Mercosur country has ratified it," an EU diplomat told Reuters. "That will probably be Paraguay in March," the diplomat added. Trade pact is EU's largest ever The EU signed its largest-ever trade pact with the Mercosur members on Saturday after 25 years of negotiations, and the delay has caused dismay among many businesses in Germany and with one of its main backers, Chancellor Friedrich Merz. Advertisement Supporters argue that the deal is important to offset business lost to US tariffs and to reduce reliance on China. Critics, led by France, say it will increase imports of cheap beef, sugar and poultry and undercut domestic farmers. French farmers have staged major demonstrations in Paris against the trade deal with hundreds of tractors blocking roads and surrounding landmarks such as the Eiffel Tower earlier this year. The head of France's CGB sugar beet producers' lobby rejected any possibility of the agreement taking effect provisionally. "That would be a denial of democracy. Unacceptable!" Franck Sander told Reuters. A spokesperson for France's farm minister declined to comment. Applying the pact provisionally pending the ruling and parliamentary approval could prove politically difficult given the likely backlash, and the European Parliament would retain the power to annul it later. "If (European Commission President) Ursula von der Leyen, the European Union, were to force through a provisional application, given the vote that took place in Strasbourg, it would constitute a form of democratic violation," French government spokesperson Maud Bregeon told CNews TV, speaking before the EU diplomat's comments. The European Commission has said it will engage with EU governments and lawmakers before deciding what to do next. EU leaders are meeting later on Thursday in Brussels to discuss transatlantic relations in light of US President Donald Trump's demands over Greenland. Merz had told delegates at the World Economic Forum in the Swiss alpine resort of Davos that he regretted the decision by the European Parliament. "But rest assured: We will not be stopped. The Mercosur deal is fair and balanced. There is no alternative to it if we want to have higher growth in Europe," he said on Thursday. US President Donald Trump said his message to Russian leader Vladimir Putin was that the war in Ukraine has to end, after what he said were "good" talks with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy in Davos on Thursday. US and Ukrainian officials have spent weeks in frenetic shuttle diplomacy as Kyiv faces pressure from Trump to secure peace in the nearly four-year-old war, despite few signs Moscow wants to stop fighting. After a meeting with the Ukrainian leader that lasted around an hour, Trump said they had a "good" discussion but provided no further details on the substance of the conversation. On Wednesday, Trump had said a deal was "reasonably close". "I think the meeting with President Zelenskiy was good. It's an ongoing process," Trump told reporters, saying that US envoys were heading for talks in Moscow on Thursday. Asked what his message was for Putin, Trump replied: "The war has to end." Advertisement Zelenskiy had said earlier this week he would only travel to Davos if he could sign agreements with Trump on US security guarantees and post-war reconstruction funding for Ukraine, but there was no indication after the meeting that a breakthrough had been made. The two leaders have met around half a dozen times face-to-face since Trump returned to the White House last year and upended US policy on Ukraine by embracing diplomacy with Russia. Zelenskiy, saddled with an energy crisis at home from Russian air strikes that have left swathes of the capital and other regions without power and heating, was due to deliver a speech after his meeting with Trump, his spokesperson said. "If both sides want to solve this, we're going to get it solved," US envoy for Ukraine Steve Witkoff told an audience at the World Economic Forum on Thursday morning. "I think we've made a lot of progress." Talks with Putin in Moscow Witkoff has held talks in recent days with Ukrainian officials in Davos, following weekend discussions in Florida. He was due in Moscow with fellow US envoy Jared Kushner - Trump's son-in-law - later on Thursday for talks with Putin on the possible plan to end Europe's deadliest war since World War Two. After those discussions, negotiators would head directly to Abu Dhabi, Witkoff said on Thursday, "where there will be military-to-military talks and discussion of the prosperity package". Russia has been cool on the US-led peace push, demanding that Kyiv give up part of its eastern Donetsk region which Moscow has been unable to conquer despite grinding forward on the battlefield. Advertisement Putin said late on Wednesday that they would discuss a settlement on Ukraine and the possibility of using frozen Russian assets for reconstruction of Moscow-occupied land, as well as Trump's proposal for a Board of Peace, tasked with promoting peace around the world. Critics of the proposal have said it would rival or undermine the United Nations. The Kremlin said Putin's meeting with Witkoff and Kushner will take place after 7 to 8 pm Moscow time (1600 to 1700 GMT). Explained Explained: What is Trump's 'Board of Peace' and who has joined so far? Read more Ukraine's international bonds rallied more than 2 cents on Thursday as the bout of high-level diplomatic meetings lifted hopes in financial markets that progress could be made towards ending the war. Russia keeps up attacks on Ukraine Russian airstrikes hit several parts of Ukraine on Thursday. In the southern region of Odesa, a 17-year-old man was killed when a drone struck an apartment building, the regional governor said. Eleven people were also wounded in the central city of Kryvyi Rih when a ballistic missile slammed into a residential building, officials said. In the capital Kyiv, nearly 3,000 high-rises across the city remained without heating on Thursday after Russia's latest attack earlier this week. Donald Trump is suing banking giant JP Morgan Chase and its chief executive Jamie Dimon for five billion dollars (4bn), accusing the firm of debanking him and his businesses for political reasons after he was voted out of office in January 2021. The lawsuit, filed in Miami-Dade County Court in Florida, alleges that JP Morgan abruptly closed multiple accounts in February 2021 with just 60 days notice and no explanation. By doing so, Mr Trump claims JP Morgan cut the ex-president and his businesses off from millions of dollars, disrupted their operations and forced the Republican urgently to open bank accounts elsewhere. President Donald Trump lost the election in 2020 (Markus Schreiber/AP) JPMC debanked (Trump and his businesses) because it believed that the political tide at the moment favoured doing so, the lawsuit alleges. In the lawsuit, Mr Trump alleges he tried to raise the issue personally with Mr Dimon after the bank started to close his accounts, and that Mr Dimon assured Mr Trump he would probe what was happening. Advertisement The lawsuit alleges Mr Dimon failed to follow up with Mr Trump. Further, Mr Trumps lawyers allege that JP Morgan placed the president and his companies on a reputational blacklist that both JP Morgan and other banks use to keep clients from opening accounts with them in the future. In a statement, JP Morgan said that it regrets that Mr Trump sued them but insisted they did not close the accounts for political reasons. We believe the suit has no merit, a bank spokesperson said. JPMC does not close accounts for political or religious reasons. We do close accounts because they create legal or regulatory risk for the company. Mr Trump threatened to sue JP Morgan Chase last week at a time of heightened tensions between the White House and Wall Street. The president said he wanted to cap interest rates on credit cards at 10% to help lower costs for consumers. Chase is one of the largest issuers of credit cards in the country and a bank official told reporters that it would fight any effort by the White House or Congress to implement a rate cap on credit cards. Bank industry executives have also bristled at Mr Trumps attacks on the independence of the Federal Reserve. JP Morgans building on Park Avenue in New York (Alamy/PA) Debanking occurs when a bank closes the accounts of a customer or refuses to do business with a customer in the form of loans or other services. Once a relatively obscure issue in finance, debanking has become a politically charged issue in recent years, with conservative politicians arguing that banks have discriminated against them and their affiliated interests. Advertisement Debanking first became a national issue when conservatives accused the Obama administration of pressuring banks to stop extending services to gun stores and payday lenders under Operation Choke Point. Mr Trump and other conservative figures have alleged that banks cut them off from their accounts under the umbrella term of reputational risk after the January 6 2021 attack on the US Capitol. Since Mr Trump came back into office, the presidents banking regulators have moved to stop any banks from using reputational risk as a reason for denying service to customers. JPMCs conduct is a key indicator of a systemic, subversive industry practice that aims to coerce the public to shift and re-align their political views, Mr Trumps lawyers wrote in the lawsuit. Mr Trump accuses the bank of trade libel and accuses Mr Dimon himself of violating Floridas Unfair and Deceptive Trade Practices Act. This is not the first lawsuit Mr Trump has filed against a big bank alleging that he was debanked. The Trump Organisation sued credit card giant Capital One in March 2025 for similar reasons and allegations. That lawsuit is ongoing. President Donald Trump said on Thursday he had secured total and permanent US access to Greenland in a deal with NATO, whose head said allies would have to step up their commitment to Arctic security to ward off threats from Russia and China. News of a framework deal came as Trump backed off tariff threats and ruled out taking Greenland by force, bringing a degree of respite in what was brewing to be the biggest rupture in transatlantic ties in decades. But the details of any agreement were unclear and Denmark insisted its sovereignty over the island was not up for discussion. Denmark's foreign ministry did not immediately respond to a request for comment on Trump's latest comments. Trump's U-turn had triggered a rebound in European markets but also raised questions about how much damage had already been done to transatlantic ties and business confidence. Advertisement "It's really being negotiated now, the details of it. But essentially it's total access. It's - there's no end, there's no time limit," Trump told Fox Business Network in an interview from Davos, where he is attending the World Economic Forum. NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte told Reuters in an interview in Davos that it was now up to NATO's senior commanders to work through the details of extra security requirements. "I have no doubt we can do this quite fast. Certainly, I would hope for 2026, I hope even early in 2026," he said. Denmark says situation remains difficult Trump's ambition to wrest sovereignty over Greenland from fellow NATO member Denmark has threatened to blow apart the alliance that underpinned Western security since the end of World War Two, and reignite a trade war with Europe. Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen said no negotiations had been held with NATO regarding the sovereignty of Greenland, a semi-autonomous territory of Denmark. "It is still a difficult and serious situation, but progress has also been made in the sense that we have now got things where they need to be. Namely that we can discuss how we promote common security in the Arctic region," Frederiksen said. After meeting with Rutte, Trump had earlier said there could be a deal that satisfies his desire for a "Golden Dome" missile-defence system and access to critical minerals while blocking what he says are Russia and China's ambitions in the Arctic. Rutte said minerals exploitation was not discussed during his meeting with Trump, adding that specific negotiations on the Arctic island would continue between the United States, Denmark and Greenland itself. Advertisement A 1951 agreement between the United States and Denmark established the US right to construct military bases in Greenland and move around freely in Greenlandic territory. This is still the case as long as Denmark and Greenland are informed of its actions. "First of all, it is important to clarify that the US had 17 bases during the Cold War and much greater activity. So that is already possible now under the current agreement," said Marc Jacobsen, an associate professor at the Royal Danish Defence College. "I think there will be concrete discussions about the Golden Dome, and I think there will be concrete discussions about Russia and China not being welcome in Greenland." Worries on future of transatlantic ties However, diplomats told Reuters that European Union leaders will rethink relations with the US as the Greenland episode has badly shaken confidence in the transatlantic relationship. EU governments remain wary of another change of mind from the US president, who is increasingly seen as a bully Europe will have to stand up to. "Trump crossed the Rubicon. He might do it again. There is no coming back to what it was. And leaders will discuss it," one EU diplomat said, adding the EU needed to find an alternative to its dependence on the United States in many areas. There were also mixed feelings among some residents in the Greenland capital, Nuuk. "I'm very thrilled to hear that, first of all, because he has been saying a lot of stuff about taking Greenland with force, like he'll do it the hard way, which is so scary to hear," said Ivi Luna Olsen, a tour guide. Advertisement "But I'm also like keeping my hopes down and still, like, hoping for the best and preparing for the worst because sometimes he can be saying a lot of stuff." World Trump rows back on Greenland tariff threats after deal talks with Nato chief Read more Addressing the issue for the first time in public, President Vladimir Putin said that Greenland's ownership was not Russia's concern, while China's foreign ministry said on Thursday that "the so-called China threat" to Greenland was groundless. Trump's push to seize Greenland had threatened to renew trade tensions with Europe and some business groups remain wary. "What President Trump announces today may be obsolete tomorrow," Dirk Jandura, president of Germany's wholesale and export association BGA, told Reuters. "The ongoing unpredictability is causing lasting damage to confidence in trade relations and remains a serious risk to the global economy." At least two people were killed when landslides hit a house and campground in New Zealand, while emergency crews were trying to rescue others buried in rubble, officials said. The first hit a house in the community of Welcome Bay on New Zealands North Island at 4.50am, police said. Two people escaped the house, and the bodies of two who were trapped inside were recovered hours later, emergency management minister Mark Mitchell said. Later the same morning, emergency services were called to a second slide at the base of nearby Mount Maunganui. A police officer with a dog searches near the site of a landslide at the base of Mount Maunganui (TVNZ via AP) The rubble hit Beachside Holiday Park in a town named after the extinct volcano. Images showed vehicles, travel trailers and an amenities block crushed by debris. Advertisement Police Superintendent Tim Anderson said the number of people missing was in the single figures. No survivors or bodies had been recovered by late Thursday from the Mount Maunganui rubble, where dogs were being used to search for victims, Mr Mitchell said. Extreme weather continues to cause dangerous conditions across the North Island. Right now, the Government is doing everything we can to support those impacted. Minister Mark Mitchell and I have been receiving briefings over the past 24 hours, and we are actively monitoring Christopher Luxon (@chrisluxonmp) January 21, 2026 There was a shower block and a, sort of, combined shower block-kitchen block and there were people using that at the time the slide came through and they are some of the ones that were working hard to try and recover now, Mr Mitchell told Australian Broadcasting Corp. Further north near Warkworth, a man remained missing after floodwaters swept him from a road on Wednesday morning as heavy rain lashed large swathes of the North Island, a police statement said. New Zealand prime minister Christopher Luxon urged residents in affected areas to heed local authorities safety advice during the extreme conditions. Extreme weather continues to cause dangerous conditions across the North Island. Right now, the government is doing everything we can to support those impacted, Mr Luxon posted on social media. Fire and Emergency New Zealand commander William Pike said there were some signs of life immediately after the Mount Maunganui slide. The campground was closed after the disaster (Stuff via AP) Members of the public tried to get into the rubble and did hear some voices, Mr Pike told reporters. Our initial fire crew arrived and were able to hear the same. Shortly after our initial crew arrived, we withdrew everyone from the site due to possible movement and slip. Advertisement Mayor Mahe Drysdale said those unaccounted for earlier had included people who had left the campground without notifying authorities. The campground was closed after the disaster. Residents in affected areas were urged to heed local authorities safety advice (Mark Taylor/Waikato Times/Stuff via AP) Australian tourist Sonny Worrall said he was relaxing in a hot pool within the campground when he heard and then saw the landslide. I looked behind me and theres a huge landslide coming down. And Im still shaking from it now, Mr Worrall told New Zealands 1News news service. I turned around and I had to jump out from my seat as fast as I could and just run. Mr Worrall said he looked back to see the rubble carrying a travel trailer behind him. It was like the scariest thing Ive ever experienced in my life, he said. Rafael Tudares Bracho, the son-in-law of Venezuelan opposition figure Edmundo Gonzalez, has been released from prison after being held incommunicado for more than a year. The release comes just two months after he was sentenced to 30 years in prison and occurs amid a recent wave of political prisoner releases announced by the acting government of Venezuela after former president Nicolas Maduro was captured by US forces to face drug-trafficking charges. After 380 days of unjust and arbitrary detention having endured more than a year of the inhumane reality of enforced disappearance my husband Rafael Tudares Bracho returned home this morning, his wife Mariana Gonzalez said on X. It has been a stoic and profoundly difficult struggle. Police officers block access for relatives of political prisoners to the Zona 7 Bolivarian National Police detention centre in Caracas (Matias Delacroix/AP) Tudares Bracho was arrested just days before Maduros inauguration for a third term. His wife denounced the legal proceedings as a sham, noting that his trial took place in a single 12-hour session on November 28, resulting in convictions for conspiracy, terrorism, and criminal association. Advertisement It was not until January 16 that Mariana Gonzalez was granted her first 25-minute visit with her husband since his arrest. Families of Venezuelan prisoners have been holding vigils outside prisons and demanding the release of nearly 800 imprisoned critics, journalists and members of the opposition still detained in the South American nation. As of Tuesday, Venezuelas leading prisoner rights organisation Foro Penal had verified the release of 145 people it considers political prisoners. Around 775 more remain in detention, according to the organisations leader, Alfredo Romero. Advertisement Updated BusinessBanking & financeBanking products Blacklist: Trump sues Americas biggest bank and its billionaire CEO David Voreacos and Hannah Leavitt Updated January 23, 2026 5:15am ,first published 4:50am Save You have reached your maximum number of saved items. Remove items from your saved list to add more. Save this article for later Add articles to your saved list and come back to them anytime. Got it Share A A A US President Donald Trump sued JPMorgan Chase & Co. and its billionaire chief executive officer, Jamie Dimon, for at least $US5 billion ($7.3 billion) over allegations that the lender stopped offering him and his businesses banking services for political reasons. The complaint, filed on Thursday (US time), accuses the bank of trade libel and breach of implied covenant of good faith. It also claims Dimon violated Floridas deceptive trade practices law. In response, the bank said it doesnt close accounts for political or religious reasons. Jamie Dimon has been at the helm of Americas biggest bank for two decades. Bloomberg Trump has singled out JPMorgan repeatedly in his push to stamp out what he sees as banks refusing to provide financial services to customers for ideological reasons. JPMorgan closed accounts for Trump and his businesses about seven weeks after the January 6, 2021, assault on the US Capitol by his supporters. Trump was out of office then and his political standing was low. JPMorgan, the biggest US bank, notified Trump, without warning or provocation that it was terminating the companys accounts, causing significant financial and reputational harm, according to the complaint filed in Miami-Dade County state court. Bloomberg reviewed the complaint, which couldnt immediately be found in court records. Advertisement Related Article Opinion Investing Team TACO cashes in as Trump folds again Elizabeth Knight Business columnist The bank was motivated by its woke beliefs that it needed to distance itself from President Trump and his conservative political views, according to the complaint. In essence, JPMC debanked plaintiffs accounts because it believed that the political tide at the moment favoured doing so. JPMorgan said in a statement that the suit has no merit. We do close accounts because they create legal or regulatory risk for the company, the New York-based bank said. Advertisement We regret having to do so but often rules and regulatory expectations lead us to do so. We have been asking both this administration and prior administrations to change the rules and regulations that put us in this position, and we support the administrations efforts to prevent the weaponisation of the banking sector. While we regret President Trump has sued us, we believe the suit has no merit. We respect the presidents right to sue us and our right to defend ourselves. JPMorgan closed accounts for Donald Trump and his businesses about seven weeks after the January 6, 2021, assault on the US Capitol by his supporters. AP The bank disclosed in November that its facing reviews, investigations and legal proceedings tied to the Trump administrations fight against debanking. Separately, the Trump Organisation has already sued Capital One Financial Corp. over similar allegations. Debanking is a matter of public interest and significant importance to all consumers and businesses in the United States of America and JPMC, especially given its storied and leading history, is a central actor in this ongoing and troubling saga, it said. Beyond closing accounts, JPMorgan placed Trump, the Trump Organisation and family members on a blacklist for wealth management accounts, according to the complaint. Advertisement Florida bars financial institutions from ending their banking relationship with an individual or business based on their political opinions, speech or affiliations, Trumps lawyers said in the complaint. The White House didnt immediately return a call seeking comment. Related Article Opinion Oil Trumps devious deal hits Chinas wallet and its influence Stephen Bartholomeusz Senior business columnist Trump began publicly criticising the countrys two largest banks over debanking almost as soon as he returned to office for his second term. A year ago, as he virtually addressed an audience at the World Economic Forum in Davos, he chided Bank of America CEO Brian Moynihan one of a handful of executives on stage for the session over the issue, and named JPMorgan as well. The president has brought up the matter repeatedly since then. In August, he accused JPMorgan and Bank of America of rejecting his business, telling CNBC that JPMorgan asked him to close his accounts and Bank of America declined his attempt to deposit over $US1 billion there. Days later, he signed an executive order directing federal regulators to, among other things, identify financial institutions that engaged in unlawful debanking in the past. Advertisement Bloomberg The Business Briefing newsletter delivers major stories, exclusive coverage and expert opinion. Sign up to get it every weekday morning. Advertisement Sponsored BusinessCompaniesBulls N' Bears Gateway lights up Wiluna with hefty new WA gold discovery Brought to you by BULLS N BEARS Andrew Todd January 22, 2026 2:15pm Save You have reached your maximum number of saved items. Remove items from your saved list to add more. Save this article for later Add articles to your saved list and come back to them anytime. Got it Share A A A Gateway Mining has unveiled a substantial new gold discovery at its Yandal gold project near Wiluna in Western Australia, revealing a broad 52 metre aircore hit at its Haflinger prospect running 1.4 grams per tonne (g/t) gold from a depth of just 64 metres. The Haflinger discovery emerged from wide-spaced, shallow aircore along the companys regional-scale Celia Shear structure, tapping into the same fertile structure that hosts the companys existing 400,400-ounce, high-grade gold resource. Aircore drilling at Gateway Minings Haflinger prospect within its extensive Yandal gold project in WA. The broad hit included a higher-grade section of 12m going 3.1g/t gold from the mafic contact structure, confirming a consistent high-grade gold zone of at least 500m of strike. The mineralisation remains open to the south, where the contact appears to flex, generating dilation zones that are ideal for trapping gold-bearing fluids. Advertisement The company says its magnetic data shows the flexure extends another 400m south of the 52m hit and will be tested in upcoming drill lines as the rigs mobilise. The result of 52m @ 1.4g/t gold, including 12m @ 3.1g/t gold, is an outstanding new discovery from the aircore drilling. Gateway Mining Executive Chairman Andrew Bray Haflinger lies within the broader Mustang-Pony trend, where Gateway says previous rotary air blast drilling had halted by transported cover in the top 50m, missing the underlying sheared contact and leaving the system effectively untested. Gateways aircore blitz, however, did push into the top of the fresh rock in the area, with assays pending from another hole at Haflinger that probed deeper below the discovery intercept and finished squarely in the target. Two rigs are gearing up to restart shortly, with one focused on infill drilling at Haflinger to map the contact more precisely ahead of a reverse circulation follow-up. At the same time, the second rig will step out systematically to the south along the Mustang shear. Advertisement Gateway Mining executive chairman Andrew Bray said: The result of 52m @ 1.4g/t gold, including 12m @ 3.1g/t gold, is an outstanding new discovery from the aircore drilling. Most importantly, this isnt an isolated result it builds substantially on the two bottom-of-hole results we released earlier in the week, both of which returned high-grade gold within the key mafic-intermediate contact structure. Bray believes that the geology is becoming more favourable as drilling moves southwards, with gold mineralisation sitting in a highly promising setting created by flexures along the mafic-intermediate contact. The Yandal project covers a stonking 1780 square kilometres of prime Yandal greenstones, 85km northeast of Wiluna and just 40km from Northern Stars prolific multi-million-ounce Jundee operation. The project already hosts an 8.17 million tonne resource grading 1.52g/t gold for 400,400 ounces across the companys Horse Well and Dusk til Dawn deposits. Drilling along more than 8km of the known Mustang-Pony trend has consistently bracketed the key shear zone that connects Horse Well and Dusk til Dawn. Advertisement The Mustang shears flexures and structural complexity - especially in the underexplored southern area where it converges with the Celia Shear appear to have created prime structural traps ripe for hosting large-scale gold systems. With some $13 million in cash and liquids, topped up by a $22.5 million capital raise last year, Gateways 2026 exploration blitz is already off to a barnstorming start. Gateways stars seem to be aligning for a big year, with broad discoveries already emerging at Haflinger and from the 90km of unexplored new gold trends expanding across the companys ground. Is your ASX-listed company doing something interesting? Contact: mattbirney@bullsnbears.com.au Save You have reached your maximum number of saved items. Remove items from your saved list to add more. Share More: Bulls N' Bears Sharemarket Shares Advertisement CultureBooksReview Writer Julian Barnes bids a masterful farewell with his last novel Kurt Johnson January 21, 2026 2:00pm Save You have reached your maximum number of saved items. Remove items from your saved list to add more. Save this article for later Add articles to your saved list and come back to them anytime. Got it Share A A A Whats good, whats bad, and whats in between in literature? Here we review the latest titles. See all stories . FICTION Departure(s) Julian Barnes Jonathan Cape, $39.99 A Belgian interviewer was blunt: So, Mr Barnes, you are now 76 and you will never win a Nobel Prize because you are a white man are you raging against the dying of the light? hinting not just at the end of the Booker Prize-winning authors life but at the passing of his generation of writers. Julian Barnes batted away the question, but it still left a mark. These days, Barnes and his mostly white, mostly male cohort are thinning in more ways than one. With Martin Amis and Christopher Hitchens departed, their cadre clustered around a shared propensity for drollness, stoicism and a greater fear of cliche than death. Its all very English. Each not so much raged against the dying light as wrote into it. All three were diagnosed with cancer, the other two having published non-fiction accounts of their struggles. With Barnes approaching 80, his non-terminal diagnosis means he must live with his cancer rather than die from it. His final book Departure(s) claims to be a work of fiction that doesnt mean its not true. Instead of dwelling on enfeeblement, Barnes tells of being reacquainted with two former university friends, Stephen and Jean. Once lovers in their 20s, the pair had split up, too young to settle down. After a missing middle and now in his 60s, Stephen asks Barnes to help scheme a chance encounter with Jean to rekindle their former romance. Of the middle, we learn only that Stephen admits he married the wrong woman, got divorced but is now intent on correcting a lifelong mistake. Jean sees right through the ruse, but this does not prevent the pair from hitting it off. Soon, they marry, with Barnes their best man. They each confide in him that this is their last chance at happiness. With romantic destiny satisfied, they begin to understand love and life are more complex than winding back a clock. Advertisement Barnes reports that such late rekindlings have a high probability of success, in the order of 70 per cent, according to the literature. Yet when they go wrong, it spells disaster. Not only is there a breakup to deal with, but the pain that had mellowed over time is resharpened. Barnes point has more to do with ageing itself. If given another shot, even with the benefit of all accumulated knowledge, would we just bugger it up again? Barnes is studying regret by posing a question: What if the meaning that we apply to our lives, wisdom being one of the few consolations of ageing, was not enough to impact lifes course? Despite its romantic veneer, Departure(s) is far more about life than love. Barnes is really suggesting that the pearls we harvest from lifes tribulations may be more fiction, even if that doesnt mean they are not true. A reader may inquire what nerve an author has to put limits on applying meaning to life after a career spent doing just that. Author Julian Barnes. Urszula Soltys That aside, his tragic conclusion is enabled by memorys decline. Barnes uses Involuntary Autobiographical Memory as a counter-thought. In this condition, any action will trigger the recollection of all similar memories. For example, if one eats a sandwich, every other sandwich consumed will come flooding back. Clearly a confusing and overwhelming prospect, Barnes concludes. On the other hand, memorys decay, while a necessary evil, opens the door to regret. Our recollection loses the fidelity and the intensity of the moment. As such, our retellings overstate our earlier agency and often disregard why we acted as we did. Another counterpoint: Jimmy, Jeans Jack Russell, is the most liberated and authentic character. He bites whomever he pleases, rejects sentiment by tearing out the daisies plaited around his matrimonial collar and is utterly unburdened by regret. In old age, he sleeps fitfully and often. While Jimmy has memory, he lacks the human demand that everything must mean something. Advertisement Despite never winning a Nobel Prize, Barnes can still find a publisher for anything he writes. Departure(s)s meandering digressions sometimes become self-indulgent. But we may indulge if we remember that it was once a cardinal sin for a writer to appear as a character in their own fiction. When Martin Amis did it, his father Kingsley tossed his manuscript across the room. This is how the generations change. As such, we should mourn the end of a career and the diminishment of a generation of writers, even if his rejection that life must mean something feels like kicking the ladder away after him. I, for one, will continue tending to my regrets, which now include Barnes no longer writing. The Booklist is a weekly newsletter for book lovers from Jason Steger. Get it delivered every Friday. Advertisement EnvironmentWeatherExtreme weather Scorcher forecast: heat dome to settle over Victoria this week Benjamin Preiss January 22, 2026 4:51pm Save You have reached your maximum number of saved items. Remove items from your saved list to add more. Save this article for later Add articles to your saved list and come back to them anytime. Got it Share A A A Severe heat is forecast to settle over Victoria in the coming week with temperatures in Melbourne and inland parts of the state expected to soar above 40 degrees. This Saturday and the following Tuesday are shaping as the hottest days as authorities prepare for extreme fire danger conditions. However, the Country Fire Authority has so far stopped short of issuing a catastrophic fire rating for the coming heatwave. Extreme temperatures are forecast for this weekend and next week. Jason South Bureau of Meteorology senior meteorologist Kevin Parkin said the severe heat could bring near record temperatures to some locations. Currently, a dome of heat is expected to sit over Victoria not just this weekend, but persist well into next week, Parkin said. Advertisement He said the Bureau of Meteorology would probably issue a heatwave warning on Friday for the weekend. The bureau is expecting extreme fire danger in Victorias south-west and the Wimmera and possibly in central parts of the state too. The temperature is forecast to hit 40 degrees on Saturday in Melbourne. The temperature could exceed 44 degrees in parts of Melbourne on Tuesday and 48 degrees in Ouyen. AAPIMAGE On Saturday night, a south-westerly change is forecast to begin moving across the state and bring cooler conditions, although Sunday may remain warm. However, the scorching conditions are set to return on Tuesday. Parkin said some areas might record their highest-ever temperatures. He said the temperature in Ouyen, near Mildura, could hit 48 degrees on Tuesday, while outer suburbs of Melbourne could hit 44 degrees. Advertisement Its an extended period of heat affecting Victoria, with a couple of changes between now and Tuesday, Parkin said. And unfortunately, I cant bring any good news with regard to rainfall. Authorities are monitoring several fires across the state, including a fire at Mallacoota in East Gippsland. On Thursday afternoon, the Mallacoota-Lake Barracoota fire was not under control, but it was not threatening communities. The Longwood fire has been moved to a contained status but it did extensive damage. Other fires not yet under control are the Wonnangatta-Dargo fire, which is burning across a large swath of Gippsland, and the Walwa fire, in Victorias north-east. Emergency Management Commissioner Tim Wiebusch said the Longwood fire, which began earlier this month, had been moved to a contained status, while the Ravenswood-Harcourt fire was considered under control. Advertisement He said 434 homes had been destroyed by fires so far this summer in addition to 1000 outbuildings damaged or destroyed. The Longwood fire has been the most damaging and has grown to 144,000 hectares. In total, fires have killed more than 35,000 cattle and sheep. The agricultural losses are still continuing to grow, Wiebusch said. CFA chief officer Jason Heffernan said forecast winds were expected to be weaker than those that swept the state earlier this month when a catastrophic rating was issued. He said total fire bans would be declared throughout the heatwave. But Heffernan said even if there were no fire bans people should still avoid lighting fires where possible. Advertisement While there is no riverine flooding forecast, Victorian State Emergency Service chief operations officer Alistair Drayton said flash flooding could occur after a hot spell. Cars washed out to sea near Lorne on January 16. Flash flooding is possible after the forecast heatwave. Nine News The warning comes after campers were stunned by floodwaters that swept cars out to sea at popular camping grounds on the Great Ocean Road earlier this month. Its the localised flooding that we really cant pick at any one particular point in time, Drayton said. Start the day with a summary of the days most important and interesting stories, analysis and insights. Sign up for our Morning Edition newsletter. Remove items from your saved list to add more. You have reached your maximum number of saved items. Save this video for later Add videos to your saved list and come back to them anytime. Got it Add articles to your saved list and come back to them anytime. Remove items from your saved list to add more. You have reached your maximum number of saved items. Google has launched its preferred sources feature, meaning you now get to choose which news outlets you see first in search results. This feature allows you to prioritise your most trusted news outlets within the Top Stories carousel in Google, ensuring you see the headlines that matter to you first. Make the Brisbane Times your preferred source today by clicking this link. It will take you here: Click the blue box to make Brisbane Times a preferred source in Google. Google When news breaks, or you want to know the latest in everything from federal politics and sport to culture and crime, adding the Brisbane Times will ensure you keep quality, local journalism at the top of your screen. After a trial in Google Search Labs last year, the feature was rolled out globally before reaching Australia. Rabbi Yehoram Ulman is now addressing the service, telling mourners the past month has been the most painful days of my life. I have looked in eyes of widows and orphans and parents who have lost a young child, I have seen the suffering of the wounded and the anguish of the families, said Ulman, whose son-in-law, Rabbi Eli Schlanger, was killed at Bondi. I believe I speak for many when I say we have felt an emptiness so heavy it could crush us. But in that void, something else appeared, something miraculous. These 30 days have witnessed an awakening in a country like I have never seen before. Rabbi Yehoram Ulman addresses mourners at the Opera House. Janie Barrett Ulman also thanked Prime Minister Anthony Albanese for apologising for the terror attack, and expressed gratitude to all Australians who sent a letter, laid a flower, waited in line to donate blood, or gave financial support to the bereaved. He paid tribute to the 15 lives lost at Bondi, saying their souls live on in millions of hearts that are touched and continue to touch. Before these 15 souls were individuals, now they are a movement. They are more present now because they live in countless hearts at once. NSW Premier Chris Minns calls for Australia to fight hate He told the Bondi terror attack mourning service it was a bitter reality to realise Australia was not immune to such a dark and evil crime. Australian summers are synonymous with beaches: an unbreakable part of our national psyche, a gathering place we hold dear. A place that belongs to everyone, to holiday, celebrate, rejuvenate and heal. In this summer series, we asked local identities to tell us about their favourite spot. Save You have reached your maximum number of saved items. Remove items from your saved list to add more. Share A A A Read the rest of our stories in our summer series. See all stories . A few years after my daughter visited Bremen, a port town in north-western Germany, her exchange parents came to Australia to stay with us. It was the very least we could do. Imagine taking on someone elses bolshy teenager for 16 weeks. No greater gift. But this was the best gift of all. Its pretty much the only time Ive met anyone as frightened of the surf as me. Theresia and I sat on the beach and watched as our husbands strode into the surf. I had to pretend to be the brave Aussie as she gripped my hand and kept asking if Bernard would be OK. Yes, of course, I laughed. People do this all the time. Flat and fancy: Families enjoy Balmoral Beach. Ben Symons Which is true. People do this all the time. Except me. The reality is that the crashing, swooping, sucking, dumping habit of ocean waves is everything terrifying to me, along with what lies beneath, what isnt instantly visible. Which is why, when it comes to beaches, I prefer the ones that offer harbour flat, usually nonthreatening, water. Sure, Im the good family member who will go to surf beaches because thats what everyone else wants to do. I will sit on the sand with my hat and my sunnies and stare out into the ocean. Rock pools. Parks. Ocean baths. A decent fish shop. Very few teen hoons on e-bikes. Plenty of grass and shady trees. A local populace so used to being girt by sea that even the five-year-olds appear to be competent freestylers. No waves. And for reasons Im about to explain, I need a lengthy, more or less straight promenade. There is only one beach like that within 20 kilometres of the Sydney CBD. Promenades invite hoons. But not here. Advertisement There is only one beach like that within 20 kilometres of the Sydney CBD. Let me introduce you to Balmoral Beach. Median weekly household income nearly three grand. Median age 45. Plenty of what is possibly the most expensive metered parking in greater Sydney. And plenty of people who act like they own the place. They do, and it costs them 2 million bucks a bedroom. If you marry into a beachy family, you are expected to fall into line. And if you marry into a beachy family and have kids, chances are that the beach gene will prevail. Two of our three kids love the beach. All four of our grandchildren think there is nothing more entertaining than to throw a small, brightly coloured ball into the water and watch it come back as the wavelets come in. Nothing more entertaining than stomping on the carefully constructed seaweed-adorned sandcastle of your siblings or your cousins. Nothing more entertaining than racing up and down on the sand. Was I faster this time? Yes, until your little pumping legs gave up. The promenade? Balmoral has best in show. It has the necessary decent toilet block about halfway along an essential amenity for anyone of a more advanced age wrangling small children. They cant wait. Me neither, these days. The promenade is the perfect carriageway for those olden times three-wheeled scooters. And off they race. Now, dont forget to look back. If you cant see us, we cant see you, we say firmly. This rule was devised after No. 2 zoomed off so far and so fast we were beside ourselves, shouting his name, running. Gone for three minutes. Felt like an eternity as I cycled through a dozen catastrophic fantasies. To him, it felt like freedom as he scooted far and fast, tiny be-Croced foot pushing ferociously. The promenade? Balmoral has best in show. Wolter Peeters Advertisement Advertisement NationalQueenslandCrime CSIRO PhD candidate faces terror charge over alleged Australia Day attack plot Cloe Read January 22, 2026 10:46am Save You have reached your maximum number of saved items. Remove items from your saved list to add more. Save this article for later Add articles to your saved list and come back to them anytime. Got it Share A A A A CSIRO PhD candidate allegedly planned to lead a riot on Australia Day with Molotov cocktails, while also encouraging people to learn to shoot guns. Sepehr Saryazdi, 24, faced the Brisbane Magistrates Court on Thursday where he applied for bail after he was charged in relation to planning a terrorist attack. The court heard Saryazdi was messaging about 50 people in a Facebook chat saying he would lead a riot on the Gold Coast on Australia Day. PhD candidate Sepehr Saryazdi was charged with terror offences in Brisbane. LinkedIn The court heard Saryazdi believed the Australian government was authoritarian and was wanting to replace the current system in the form of a cybernetics government. Advertisement Saryazdi was most recently working as an industry PhD candidate with CSIROs Data61s Robotics and Autonomous Systems Group and the Australian Centre for Robotics, according to online social media profiles. He also held a position as a physics, mathematics, data science and robotics tutor at the University of Sydney. Commonwealth prosecutor Ellie McDonald told the court police had received information about the concerning messages Saryazdi had sent in a private group. She said a review by counterterrorism police found Saryazdi had plans to lead a riot, and the plans involved Molotov cocktail bottle firebombs, for which he had purchased supplies and encouraged others to use. The court heard some of the messages included: Ill be leading the Gold Coast riots on Jan 26. If you guys know people in Melbourne, let them know so that they can start buying bottles early to stockpile batches. Advertisement Saryazdi applied for bail at the Brisbane Magistrates Court on Thursday. LinkedIn He also allegedly posted: If arrested, the key is to stay calm and collected. Its important during questioning to remind them what you did is purely logical given the current trajectory of this nation, you need to make the police doubt their own world views and convince them to quit their job. McDonald said this was precisely what the accused did during his interview with police. He also allegedly posted: Before I leave the battlefield on Jan 26, I have a few wishes in case I die. The court heard he then said he was sending the messages via the chat because he imagined as soon as they managed to overthrow the government, ASIO or something will either try to kill me or lobotomise me. Advertisement He also allegedly recommended people learn how to use firearms at shooting ranges while they could, and then apply for jobs in ASIO or the Defence Force. Saryazdis lawyer, Hellen Shilton, told the court her client had an isolated lifestyle, after he had moved from Sydney wanting time off. He became influenced a bit by the new people he was associating with. He was interested in geopolitics, he was watching videos and protests and the way things were going, she said. He admits he became quite overwhelmed emotionally. At times he found himself crying. He felt that he should do something and bring attention to the way the world was heading and the government. Advertisement It was never his intention to hurt anyone. In a statement, police said they had not alleged that a specific group was the target of the alleged plot. Shilton said her clients intention was to make national news and bring people together following disenchantment with the government. Magistrate Penelope Hay refused his bail, finding that the conditions would not ameliorate the risk. He was remanded in custody until February. Start the day with a summary of the days most important and interesting stories, analysis and insights. Sign up for our Morning Edition newsletter. Advertisement Exclusive NationalWALocal council Battle to establish dominance leaves City of Perth beyond repair, leaked report claims Carla Hildebrandt January 22, 2026 2:31pm Save You have reached your maximum number of saved items. Remove items from your saved list to add more. Save this article for later Add articles to your saved list and come back to them anytime. Got it Share A A A A redacted copy of a confidential City of Perth report leaked to this masthead reveals concerning parallels with conditions that led to the councils suspension in 2018. The psychosocial report, prepared by an external consultant, was shared with councillors on the Audit, Risk and Improvement Committee and discussed at a meeting on Wednesday night which ran for almost three hours. Perths Council House. Marta Pascual Juanola The committee oversees the activities of the councils external and internal auditors. According to the redacted leaked report, unresolved tensions between council and administration are creating communication breakdown and erosion of trust, with safeguards proving insufficient to change behaviour. Advertisement Both council and administration perceive the other as overstepping boundaries, the consultant states. This assessment has identified significant psychosocial hazards affecting the organisation. Related Article Updated City of Perth Ex-Kwinana mayor picked to monitor City of Perth council The consultant also reveals accounts of harmful workplace behaviours, including verbal aggression, intimidation and differential treatment and concerning gendered patterns, noting some staff are using protective measures such as insisting on written communication, attending meetings in pairs or avoiding them completely. Intimidating behaviours appear to function to establish dominance and suppress challenge, reducing psychological safety, the report says. Advertisement When psychological safety is low, individuals default to silence rather than risk confrontation. The report has handed down 18 recommendations, which it said could help rebuild safety and effective working relationships required for good governance. The department complaints process is criticised as slow, with participants reporting processes can take six to 12 months, which in some cases results in the report being dismissed on procedural grounds. The result is a system where staff and elected members perceive all available pathways as either ineffective or unavailable, the consultant says. A councillor who spoke to this masthead on the condition of anonymity said workplace safety mattered, and the psychosocial assessment must be clearly grounded. Advertisement Advertisement That two-year inquiry found widespread dysfunction between former lord mayor Lisa Scaffidi, administration and councillors, all of which were suspended in 2018 and replaced by commissioners. The leaked report states the organisation has again reached a point where internal repair is no longer working, concluding that trust has fallen below the threshold required for informal feedback mechanisms to function. The evidence indicates that conditions necessary for successful internal resolution no longer exist, the consultant says, stating multiple attempts to stabilise relationships internally have failed. The consultant said with genuine commitment from council and executive leadership and if the recommendations were implemented, the organisation could rebuild safety and working relationships. The City of Perth has been contacted for comment. Advertisement PoliticsFederalPolitical leadership The Coalition has split again. How did we get here? Brittany Busch Updated January 22, 2026 11:58am ,first published 11:25am Save You have reached your maximum number of saved items. Remove items from your saved list to add more. Save this article for later Add articles to your saved list and come back to them anytime. Got it Share A A A The federal Coalition has split for the second time in less than a year after Nationals leader David Littleproud announced on Thursday morning that the junior Coalition party would quit the partnership. The rift occurred after the parliament was recalled early to debate the governments gun and hate speech legislation in response to the Bondi massacre. Liberal leader Sussan Ley and Nationals leader David Littleproud. Matt Davidson As it stands, the Liberal Party will be the official party of opposition in federal parliament. The Nationals will sit on the crossbench. But how did we get here? Advertisement Advertisement Over the next two days, Coalition shadow ministers secured those concessions from Labor, executing the will of the shadow cabinet. Related Article Updated Political leadership Liberals and Nationals leadership all facing the axe in wake of Coalition schism But on Monday and Tuesday, the Nationals party room held a flurry of meetings to discuss the bill, as right-wing backbencher Matt Canavan a leadership threat to Littleproud raised issues with the bill, including that the hate groups definition would potentially capture mainstream political and religious groups, a view shared by the Greens. Nationals MPs abstained from the first vote in the House of Representatives on Tuesday afternoon, hoping to add amendments to the bill in the Senate. Those amendments failed, and National senators voted against the bill in a session that ran late into the night. Nationals frontbenchers Bridget McKenzie, Susan McDonald and Ross Cadell broke shadow cabinet solidarity by doing so. The convention is that those who hold portfolio positions are required to vote in line with leadership positions. Advertisement The three senators sent resignation letters to Ley on Wednesday morning, and Littleproud gave Ley an ultimatum at the same time. If these resignations are accepted, the entire National Party ministry will resign to take collective responsibility, Littleproud wrote in a hand-signed letter. Why did Sussan Ley accept their resignations? Ley met with her Liberal leadership team before accepting the resignations on Wednesday afternoon, maintaining the convention of shadow cabinet solidarity. On Wednesday night, Littleproud and 10 Nationals frontbenchers followed through on the threat to quit the frontbench. Ley tried to convince Littleproud to stay, saying the extra resignations were unnecessary. On Thursday morning, Littleproud called a press conference to announce that the Coalition partnership was finished. Advertisement Ley had asked Littleproud not to make a statement on Thursday, due to the national day of mourning for the Bondi attack. Ley issued a statement on Thursday morning while Littleproud was speaking to the media in Brisbane. She did not address the Coalition split. Photo: Illustration: Matt Golding Today the focus must be on Jewish Australians, indeed all Australians, as we mourn the victims of the Bondi terrorist attack, She said. This is a national day of mourning and my responsibility as leader of the opposition and leader of the Liberal Party is to Australians in mourning. Why are the Nationals opposed to Labors hate speech bill? Littleproud argued the final bill with all the amendments should have returned to another shadow cabinet meeting or joint party room meeting, neither of which occurred. Advertisement Ive never been in a cabinet or shadow cabinet where a final decision has been made on a bill that hasnt even been drafted yet, hasnt even been presented yet, and that didnt go through a joint party room. I mean, with all due respect, I get the circumstances that were presented, but process was important, Littleproud said on Thursday. Liberals believed there was no need for another joint meeting, and also no time given how many Nationals meetings were occurring and how rushed Labors legislative process was. Ley said immediately after the resignations that she wanted to keep the Coalition together because it was the most effective political alliance for good governance. Is Sussan Leys leadership safe and what happens now? When the Coalition split in May, it was just a week into Leys leadership after she took the helm following the election wipeout and centred on four points of policy. Advertisement On Thursday, Littleproud was more explicit that the rift was about the Coalition leadership when he said the Nationals cannot be part of a shadow ministry under Sussan Ley. Related Article Analysis Political leadership Leys leadership is in mortal danger but so is Littleprouds In May, the Nationals leaders four policy demands of Ley included a commitment to lift Australias ban on nuclear energy. But a point of contention outside those policy points was the Nationals not immediately agreeing to maintain shadow cabinet solidarity. Late last year, the Nationals also pushed the Liberals to dump the Coalition commitment to net zero emissions by 2050, a position the opposition leader confirmed in November. But the chances of the Coalition reuniting under a Ley-Littleproud leadership ticket appear vanishingly small this time. Advertisement Conservative Liberals, including Andrew Hastie and Angus Taylor, have been stalking Leys leadership since she won the position in a contest with Taylor after the partys wipeout at the May election. As for the makeup of parliament, the Liberals have 28 lower house seats and the Nationals 14, meaning the Liberals will be the official party of opposition. What is the history of the Liberal-National Coalition? The Liberal-National Coalition has existed since the 1940s, but coalitions on the conservative side of politics have existed in several guises in Australia since 1922. Advertisement It is not the first time the two parties have split. It happened at least twice in 1972 and the last time in 1987, prompted by the late Queensland premier Joh Bjelke-Petersens ill-judged tilt at becoming prime minister. Traditionally, the Liberal Party has targeted urban seats, and former prime minister John Howard famously described it as a broad church which can encompass the views of moderate liberals, economic conservatives and the Nationals. The Nationals represent rural electorates and have been described as agrarian socialists due to their preference for policies that distribute resources to primary producers and communities in the bush. Cut through the noise of federal politics with news, views and expert analysis. Subscribers can sign up to our weekly Inside Politics newsletter. Advertisement January 22, 2026 2:41pm Save You have reached your maximum number of saved items. Remove items from your saved list to add more. Save this article for later Add articles to your saved list and come back to them anytime. Got it Share A A A President Trump pounces on weakness, but retreats from strength. Thats one reason for Europes present troubles for too long, it was weak both toward President Vladimir Putin of Russia in the East and toward the new menace arising in the West. Thats certainly Trumps perception. I think theyre weak, Trump said last month of European leaders, and he had a point. They fawned over him and meekly surrendered as he steamrolled them with tariffs. Donald Trump with a map showing Greenland, Canada and Venezuela as all part of the US. Truth Social Trump was preying upon that weakness as he threatened to seize Greenland and effectively destroy NATO, while warning of a new trade war if Europe resisted. In Davos on Wednesday, perhaps reacting to European pushback, he backed off somewhat: I dont have to use force to acquire Greenland, he said. I wont use force. Later in the day he withdrew, at least for now, the threat to impose new tariffs on Europe over the Greenland dispute. Earlier, he had posted a map showing Greenland, Canada and Venezuela all as part of the United States. Advertisement It has come to this: Canadian military planners reportedly are gaming how they might repel an American invasion with guerrilla tactics similar to those used by Afghan fighters. Fortunately, the shock of Trumps Greenland demands may finally be leading world leaders to awaken to the American threat. (How weird even to type that!) Until now, we tried to appease the new president in the White House, Prime Minister Bart De Wever of Belgium said on Tuesday. We were very lenient, also with the tariffs we were lenient, hoping to get his support for the Ukraine war. But now so many red lines are being crossed, he added. Being a happy vassal is one thing, being a miserable slave is something else. The Polish prime minister, Donald Tusk, made a similar point on social media: Appeasement is always a sign of weakness, he wrote. Europe cannot afford to be weak neither against its enemies nor ally. Appeasement means no results, only humiliation. Advertisement President Emmanuel Macron of France called Trumps latest tariff threats unacceptable. He added, in a statement that notably equated the menace from Trump to that of Putin: No intimidation or threat will influence us neither in Ukraine nor in Greenland. Related Article World politics Trash talk, a walkout and a disinvitation: The drama behind the scenes at Davos The dangers of appeasement should, of course, have been fully absorbed by Europeans in the 1930s. As Winston Churchill warned Prime Minister Neville Chamberlain after the Munich agreement with Hitler in 1938: You were given the choice between war and dishonour. You chose dishonour, and you will have war. President Richard Nixon and other conservative Americans likewise counselled the importance of standing up to Communists by quoting a supposed instruction by Lenin: Probe with bayonets. If you encounter mush, proceed; if you encounter steel, withdraw. Leaders who pushed back at Trump did better than the Europeans. One is Chinas president, Xi Jinping, who retaliated aggressively against Trumps tariffs by curbing exports of rare earth minerals, forcing Trump to back off. Indeed, Trump has since then been unusually conciliatory toward Beijing, allowing sales of advanced chips and quietly accepting Chinas bullying of Japan and Taiwan. Advertisement The other is Canadas prime minister, Mark Carney. His predecessor, Justin Trudeau, had been conciliatory, but the result was mockery from Trump and calls for Canada to become Americas 51st state. Carney from the outset was polite but resistant, and Trump has been somewhat more respectful toward Canada since, even as Ottawa has pursued new partnerships elsewhere. Just last week, Carney reached a landmark trade deal with China that laid the groundwork for much closer economic ties. Some Americans are angry, but Carney said bluntly that China is now a more predictable trade partner than the United States. And Trump, instead of erupting with venom, calmly accepted the Canada-China deal. Middle powers must act together because if were not at the table, were on the menu, Carney said in a quite brilliant speech in Davos on Tuesday. He did not shake his fist or indulge in insults, but he indicated that the United States was no longer trustworthy and that Canada would find its own way forward. When the rules no longer protect you, you must protect yourself, he said, describing this as a rupture with the past. But lets be clear-eyed about where this leads. A world of fortresses will be poorer, more fragile and less sustainable. Hes right, and that is indeed the world that Trump is leading us all into. Its a tragedy for Americans as well as our former allies. Advertisement Thats why its important that Europeans respond to new Trump tariffs if he revives them with retaliatory tariffs and their bazooka sanctions on American service companies. Indeed, it seems probable that Trump dialled back threats of force and of new tariffs because of the hostile reaction, including from the stock market. Related Article Analysis World politics Why this TACO moment is no cause for celebration I reached out to Lord Patten, one of the European figures I most respect a former senior figure in Britains Conservative Party, then governor of Hong Kong and later Europes foreign policy chief and chancellor of Oxford University. Patten returned my call just as a particularly erratic Trump was telling a press conference that America had never been more respected, and he could hear Trumps voice in the background. Youre listening to those rambling mendacities, he said, of the demented leader of the free world. Those are the words of a temperate British conservative who has been an outspoken fan of America throughout his career, yet who is today aghast at the sight of the United States destroying its soft power worldwide. Patten hopes European leaders will be willing to stand up to Trump because, sooner or later, he has to be stopped. The paradox is that Trump is coercing Greenland on the basis of national security considerations and concerns about Russia and China. Yet what Putin covets far more than Greenland is the destruction of NATO, which Trump may now deliver. Russian newspapers and commentators are chortling. Advertisement Transatlantic unity is over, declared Kirill Dmitriev, a Putin associate. And all this is distracting global attention from Russias barbaric bombing of Ukraine and the need to support Ukrainians. As Patten told me, Putin is the really big winner. Indeed, if Trump were systematically trying to shore up the Kremlin and undermine the United States position in the world, he could hardly do better than he has over the last year. China and Russia must be having a field day, observed Kaja Kallas, the European Union foreign affairs chief. Today the presidents of Russia and the United States are both working to undermine NATO and the entire American-created system that since 1945 has greatly benefited all of us. It pains me as an American to urge leaders to defy my own country, and perhaps this seems disloyal. But its not. Seizing Greenland wont benefit Americans any more than occupying Iraq did; we dont want our children patrolling Nuuk or Toronto any more than we wanted them in Falluja or Kandahar. Our friends and allies must stop indulging, enabling and submitting to Americas madman president, urged Larry Diamond, a democracy scholar at Stanford University. Only forthright resistance and tough love will get us out of our downward spiral. Advertisement So, please, world leaders: Dont appease America. Nicholas Kristof is a New York Times opinion columnist. Get a weekly wrap of views that will challenge, champion and inform your own. Sign up for our Opinion newsletter. High body mass index (BMI) could cause a higher risk of vascular-related dementia (a combination of vascular and unspecified dementia), according to new research from the University of Bristol and University Hospital of Copenhagen (Rigshospitalet and Herlev-Gentofte Hospital). The researchers found that the effect of high BMI on dementia mainly works through high blood pressure. The study published in The Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism today [22 January] has shown that many dementia cases could be prevented if high BMI and high blood pressure is treated or prevented. Previous observational studies have already found a link between midlife obesity and high risk of dementia, including vascular dementia. However, those studies did not uncover whether the obesity causes an increase in dementia risk or whether there is some other factor involved affecting both obesity and dementia risk. The new study analysed population health data from Denmark, the UK and around the world using a powerful approach called Mendelian Randomisation. This statistical, computational technique looks at genetics and health data to see health patterns across large populations. The researchers found that high BMI does increase the risk of vascular-related dementia. They also found that high blood pressure is the main factor in this association, pointing to the potential of treating high blood pressure to reduce dementia risk. First author Dr Liv Tybjrg Nordestgaard, who initiated the project in Copenhagen and extended the work while at the University of Bristol, and who is now at the Department of Clinical Biochemistry at Copenhagen University Hospital -Bispebjerg and Frederiksberg, said: Dementia is a devastating disease that currently affects 50 million individuals worldwide. Unfortunately, treatment and prevention options are scarce. Our study highlights the potential for reducing vascular-related dementia risk by addressing high BMI and/or high blood pressure in the population. Professor Ruth Frikke-Schmidt from the Department of Clinical Biochemistry at Copenhagen University Hospital - Rigshospitalet, and senior author, added: Weight-loss medication has recently been tested for halting cognitive decline in early phases of Alzheimers disease, but with no beneficial effect. It remains, however, to be tested whether weight-loss medication initiated before the appearance of cognitive symptoms may be protective against dementia. Our study supports that early weight-loss interventions could prevent dementia, and especially vascular-related dementia. This research was funded by The Research Council at the Capital Region of Denmark; Independent Research Fund Denmark (grant ID: 10.46540/3100-00007B); the Lundbeck Foundation; the Danish Heart Foundation; the Research Fund at Sygeforsikringen Danmark; and the Medical Research Council (MRC). Paper High body mass index as a causal risk factor for vascular-related dementia a Mendelian randomization study by Liv Tybjrg Nordestgaard et al. in The Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism State Alabama Alaska Arizona Arkansas California Colorado Connecticut Delaware Florida Georgia Hawaii Idaho Illinois Indiana Iowa Kansas Kentucky Louisiana Maine Maryland Massachusetts Michigan Minnesota Mississippi Missouri Montana Nebraska Nevada New Hampshire New Jersey New Mexico New York North Carolina North Dakota Ohio Oklahoma Oregon Pennsylvania Rhode Island South Carolina South Dakota Tennessee Texas Utah Vermont Virginia Washington Washington D.C. 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It is understood to be expected to have a minimal impact on staff in Ireland. The move to Paris is expected to bring the bulk of Barclays decision-making closer to the majority of its investment banking activity (PA) Barclays shifted billions of pounds worth of assets to Dublin and increased the size of its workforce in the city in the wake of Brexit. But it first raised the possibility in 2023 of it relocating the European base to Paris which has blossomed into a trading hub for the bank. The shift is expected to bring the bulk of its decision-making closer to the majority of its investment banking activity on the continent. Francesco Ceccato, the chief executive of Barclays Europe, described the move as a strategic milestone that will help it better meet the needs of its clients. After extensive discussions at all levels of the organisation, we are confident this is the right step forward both for the entity and for our clients, he said. We are very excited about the opportunities ahead. The bank said it holds onto growth ambitions for its corporate and private banking businesses and staff in Dublin. Eoin Reynolds A husband and wife who successfully appealed their convictions for the female genital mutilation (FGM) of their then one-year-old daughter say new evidence shows they were subjected to a miscarriage of justice. Lawyers for the parents, who cannot be identified to protect the identity of the child, said examinations of the child since their first trial have proven that the girl was not subjected to FGM at all. Hugh Hartnett SC, for the child's father, said experts retained by the defence had established as a matter of fact that no such procedure took place and that experts who gave evidence for the prosecution were wrong. Mr Hartnett said his client was convicted of FGM in circumstances where it can now be proven that no crime took place. The purpose of the legislation governing miscarriages of justice, he said, is to "make just an injustice, to compensate a person who has been wrongly convicted." Mr Hartnett relied on the evidence of Professor Birgitta Essen, a Swedish expert in FGM who viewed a video of a colposcopy carried out on the child in 2019. She said the video showed that FGM had not been carried out. Professor Essen examined the child in December 2023, after a second trial had ended in a jury disagreement. The examination confirmed that FGM had not taken place, Mr Hartnett said. Before issuing a certificate of a miscarriage of justice, the Court of Appeal must be satisfied that a newly discovered fact shows there has been a wrongful conviction. The Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) is opposing the application for a certificate, arguing that the issue in the trial was simply a difference of opinion between medical experts and that the State acted in good faith. The couple went on trial at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court in November 2019 having pleaded not guilty to carrying out an act of FGM on their then one-year-old daughter at an address in Dublin on September 16th, 2016. It was the first trial of its kind in Ireland. The 43-year-old man and 33-year-old woman also pleaded not guilty to one count of child cruelty on the same day. They were found guilty of the FGM charge in 2019 and it is this conviction that the couple wish to be declared a miscarriage of justice. They spent two years in prison before their convictions were quashed when the Court of Appeal found the trial had been "unfair" because of problems with how the parents' testimony was translated to the jury. A jury was unable to agree a verdict following a re-trial in 2023. Brendan Grehan SC, for the DPP, on Thursday said experts who were called by the prosecution were being criticised, as they are not in court to defend themselves. FGM, he said, is a "real thing and a serious crime" and the law against it is designed to protect children, who are vulnerable and cannot speak for themselves. He added: "It is vital that medical professionals and others who have concerns continue to be vigilant in relation to that and report suspicions and not be afraid to report suspicions to the relevant authorities, including gardai and Tusla. "The message that child protection is paramount should go out, and nothing said in argument here should undermine that imperative." Mr Grehan said the director does not intend to prosecute the parents again, and they are fully entitled to the presumption of innocence. However, he said there is no basis for criticism of the director and any review of the evidence would show there was a "full credible case for the bringing of charges". Mr Grehan pointed out that in the first trial, the accused did not suggest that the experts who said FGM had taken place were wrong. The defence put forward, he said, that the injury to the girl's genitals was sustained when she fell on a toy, a proposition that was rejected by the experts. When the Court of Appeal ruled the first trial had been unfair in November 2021, the child was returned to her parents' custody, Mr Grehan said. For the following two years, as they awaited their retrial, the parents made no attempt to have the child examined. At their retrial, the defence was able to call whatever evidence they wished but "for whatever reason" had not asked their expert to examine the child, Mr Grehan said. The jury, having heard all the evidence, were unable to agree a verdict. Mr Grehan said the issue at the trial was the conflicting evidence of medical experts. He said there is nothing unusual in that and such matters are routinely resolved by juries. This was, he said, a "carriage of justice in line with fair procedures" and a "trial in accordance with law". Following the second trial, an expert who had given evidence for the DPP retired and said she would not give evidence at a third trial. The DPP sought the opinion of another expert who looked at all the reports, including the report from the December 2023 examination carried out by an expert retained by the defence. Having viewed the new report, the DPP decided not to proceed with the third trial, Mr Grehan said. From the outset of the case, Mr Grehan said the DPP had to rely on the evidence of experts and, having received the new report, entered a nolle prosequi. There is, Mr Grehan said, "no basis for saying that she did so in anything other than good faith". Mr Justice John Edwards, presiding, with Mr Justice Patrick McCarthy and Ms Justice Isobel Kennedy, will hear responses from lawyers for the parents on Friday. Sean McCarthaigh A detective has told an inquest that he could not believe how George Nkencho was still able to continue to swing a knife at armed gardai after several shots had been fired at him at close range. Detective Garda Brendan OHora told a sitting of Dublin District Coroners Court that he had drawn his own firearm after thinking Mr Nkencho had stabbed a member of the Garda Armed Support Unit (ASU) with his knife. Det OHora said he believed there was an immediate threat to life as he feared Mr Nkencho had made contact with the ASU member known only as Garda A. Mr Nkencho (27) died after suffering fatal gunshot wounds in the incident outside his family home at Manorfields Drive, Clonee, Co Dublin on December 30th, 2020, shortly after he had been involved in a disturbance at a nearby supermarket. The young man, the eldest of five siblings whose family originally come from Nigeria, was pronounced dead a short time later at Connolly Hospital Blanchardstown. The inquest previously heard evidence that Mr Nkencho had carried out an unprovoked assault on a manager at the Eurospar store in Hartstown as well as threatening staff with a knife shortly before the fatal incident. The deceaseds family claim the level of force used against him was disproportionate. However, the DPP directed that no prosecution should arise over the circumstances of Mr Nkenchos death following an investigation by Fiosru, (formerly known as the Garda Siochana Ombudsman Commission). Det Garda OHora gave evidence that he had removed his own firearm from its holster when he feared Garda A would fall to the ground and that Mr Nkencho would turn on other gardai at the scene. He told the coroner, Myra Cullinane, that he genuinely believed the deceased was going to kill the ASU officer. Det Garda OHora outlined how he first came across Mr Nkencho walking on a green area near his home a short time earlier. He said the deceased continued to walk towards him and other gardai in a determined manner, despite being instructed to stop. The witness said he tried to engage with Mr Nkencho but he would not drop his knife. Det Garda OHora said he kept a safe distance away from Mr Nkencho while shouting at passers-by to get out of the way as gardai created a moving cordon around him. He described how he asked Mr Nkencho who he was and to stop and talk but got no response. Det Garda OHora said he stood at the entrance to the driveway of Mr Nkenchos home after the ASU members had arrived at the scene and called on him to drop his knife. He recalled how Mr Nkencho continued to lash out even after falling to the ground after a taser had been deployed. At that point, he remembered screaming at people who had come to the front door of the house to go back inside out of fear for their safety. Det Garda OHora said Mr Nkencho was still slashing even after shots were fired at him. I couldnt understand how he was still going, he added. The witness said Garda A had only discharged his firearm after issuing repeated warnings to Mr Nkencho to drop his knife. Det Garda OHora said he heard four shots with a distinct pause between each one. In reply to questions from counsel for Mr Nkenchos family, Eanna Molloy SC, the witness said he had noticed the people at the door of the house were black. Asked if he had not recognised that they might be relatives of the deceased, Det Garda OHora said he could not put two and two together at that stage. He said he did not hear them saying Mr Nkencho was their brother who had mental health issues. Det Garda OHora said he was focused on removing them from the threat area as they might also be possible targets for Mr Nkencho. The seventh day of the inquest heard evidence from several other gardai at the scene of the fatal incident. A member of a second ASU to arrive shortly after the fatal incident, Garda Stephen P Walsh said he counted four gunshot wounds to the centre of Mr Nkenchos chest with a possible fifth wound close to the nipple area. He noted that both Garda A and his colleague, known as Garda B, were in shock. The jury of five women and four men also heard that tasers were deployed on four occasions over the space of 21 seconds before the fatal shooting. The former head of the firearms training unit at the Garda College in Templemore, Co Tipperary, Sergeant James Ryan, provided detailed analysis of the deployment of tasers by the two ASU officers. Data downloaded from the devices showed Garda B first activated his taser for five seconds at 12:35:13 and twice more over the next 21 seconds. It also revealed that Garda A who fired the fatal shots with a Heckler & Koch MP7 firearm had deployed his taser for seven seconds at 12:35:18. It was the second of four attempts to apply an electric shock to Mr Nkencho in an attempt to disarm him from a knife he was using to threaten gardai. Evidence was heard earlier this week that the first use of the taser knocked Mr Nkencho to the ground for a brief period while the other uses appeared to have had no effect on him after he got back on his feet. Sgt Ryan gave evidence that tasers were very unlikely to have an effect if the target was wearing bulky clothing In reply to questions from Dr Cullinane, he said gardai should consider resorting to other resources depending on the level of threat, if tasers were proving ineffective. Sgt Ryan said tasers were visibly effective if a good connection was made with a target when they would be expected to fall to the ground. The witness said he could not comment on the effectiveness of the pepper spray used during the incident which the inquest heard was past its use-by date. Sgt Ryan told the hearing that bullets used with the MP7 firearm were designed to go through body armour but to stop within a targets body. The inquest heard that four of the six bullets fired at Mr Nkencho had exit wounds from his body. Tom Tuite A medical doctor, who attributed his opioid addiction to work stress and admitted to stealing and using forged prescriptions, has walked free from court. Daniel Nevin (40) avoided jail and a criminal record after pleading guilty at Mullingar Circuit Criminal Court to 10 charges from an original 46 counts on a full facts basis, concerning the theft of prescription pads from two hospitals, forgery, and the use of false instruments between 2021 and 2024. His co-defendant and fiancee, Rebecca Moylan (35) a qualified nurse, was trying to help him cope with his addiction and admitted to stealing prescriptions and unlawfully using them in pharmacies. Judge Keenan Johnson had emphasised that these offences undermined the integrity of the medical prescription system and noted Nevin was in the throes of an addiction but had never put a patient at risk. He stated the couple whose reputations had been tarnished had only damaged themselves, saying, "The main victims of this are the two accused". Nevin achieved a PhD from Trinity College, specialising in pharmacology, and had worked in medical research in Australia with his former college tutor before returning to Ireland to continue his studies, qualifying as a medical doctor in 2018. When the addiction started a year later, he tried to tackle it, but relapsed during the period of offending. Judge Johnson remarked that Nevin was a "high achiever," but considered how he had removed himself from working on wards as a clinician and moved into a tutoring role at Midlands Regional General Hospital, Mullingar. He had noted references furnished to the court and recognised the pressures placed on medical professionals working 24-hour shifts in busy environments. He stated that they had paid a heavy price and did not reach the threshold for a custodial sentence. Judge Johnson had ruled that the couple could avoid convictions if Nevin and his fiancee donated 15,000 and 5,000, respectively, to the Merchant Quay drug treatment project as a form of restorative justice. On Thursday, the doctor's donation of the specified sum was confirmed; Judge Johnson finalised his case by applying the Probation of Offenders Act. Ms Moylan had also complied and received the same outcome in her case last year. Among the doctor's charges were thefts of prescriptions from University Hospital Galway between July 2021 and July 2023, and from the Midlands Regional General Hospital in Mullingar, from July 10th, 2023, until February 18th, 2024. The remaining charges he admitted included three counts of using false prescriptions at pharmacies in Kells, Co Meath; Kilbeggan, Co Westmeath; and Tullamore, Co Offaly, on various dates. There were also five counts of forging prescriptions. Rebecca Moylan admitted theft of prescription pads from St James's Hospital in Dublin from September 1st, 2023, until November of that year. She also pleaded guilty to using prescriptions forged by her partner in pharmacies. The couple used a fake patient's name on most of the prescriptions to get the OxyContin, a highly addictive opioid based medicine. They were exposed when a pharmacist in Mullingar became suspicious and contacted the hospital in Galway. It had no record of the prescription or the named patient. Detective Garda Kevin Lennon told prosecutor Cathal O Braonain BL, instructed by State solicitor Matt Shaw, that Moylan, originally from Co Galway, used the prescriptions in pharmacies in Mullingar. Dr Daniel Nevin signed them and also included his medical council registration number. Moylan was also recorded on CCTV collecting medicines. There was a similar incident using an Irish version of the doctor's surname. The detective obtained a search warrant, went to their home at Greenpark Meadows, Mullingar, Co Westmeath, and uncovered "a large quantity of various medications" and stolen prescription pads. The couple were interviewed and made admissions. Giving evidence earlier, the doctor agreed with his defence senior counsel Colm Smyth SC that the "stress and strain of the job precipitated and aggravated my addiction"; he initially managed to buy opioids online before he sought help to tackle the problem. The medical council was aware of his struggle, and its health committee engaged with him for two years while he remained under the supervision of a doctor and a psychiatrist. He explained that after a substantial period of sobriety, he had a relapse, resulting in a prolonged absence from work and "I took myself out of the clinician domain" and switched to a teaching role in the hospital, adding that he was passionate about education. He acknowledged the consequences have been devastating, expressed remorse and explained that he is attending addiction counselling. Mr Smyth and Dara Foynes SC pleaded for maximum leniency. Ms Foynes asked the judge to note that Moylan acted out of the highest level of compassion and "got caught up in the slipstream of what happened to her partner." By Cillian Sherlock and Grainne Ni Aodha, Press Association The withdrawal of the threat of additional tariffs on European countries by US President Donald Trump is a welcome development, the Tanaiste has said. Mr Trump had threatened a 10 per cent tariff on eight European allies, including the UK, from February 1 unless they agree to his purchase of Greenland. During a speech to world leaders at Davos on Wednesday, he reiterated demands for immediate negotiations to acquire the Arctic territory while ruling out using force. Ireland, although not among the eight countries threatened, had said tariffs on some member states amounted to tariffs on all member states. "Based upon a very productive meeting that I have had with the Secretary General of NATO, Mark Rutte, we have formed the framework of a future deal with respect to Greenland and, in fact, the entire Arctic Region. This solution, if consummated, will be a great one for the United pic.twitter.com/24b99begbb The White House (@WhiteHouse) January 21, 2026 Mr Trump later rowed back on the threat of the tariffs, stating he Nato secretary general Mark Rutte had formed the framework of a future deal for the Arctic region. Simon Harris said the significant development gave credence and credibility to the EUs strategy which he said was defined by maintaining cool heads and not responded to every bit of political noise nor every Truth Social post. In a statement, he said: Theres much detail to emerge, and theres still obviously much volatility, but today we have heard the President of the United States rule out force in relation to Greenland. Weve also now seen in the last number of minutes him withdraw as a threat of additional tariffs. But it is important we continue to work collectively as a European Union, and collectively to stand up for the sovereignty of Denmark and Greenland Greenland being a part of the Kingdom of Denmark. And also collectively work to seek the full implementation of the trade agreements that we already agreed with the US administration an agreement that is key to protecting economic activity on both sides of the Atlantic. US President Donald Trump (Suzanne Plunkett/PA) Mr Harris had earlier warned that US tariffs imposed on European countries could create a spiral of events that have a potentially enormous impact on economies and markets, the Tanaiate has said. He said it was difficult to model the potential impact of such tariffs as it could be part of a fundamental change in the transatlantic relationship. He said that if the US were to annex Greenland that would fundamentally alter the transatlantic relationship and said that that in turn could create a spiral of events and retaliatory events across economies and markets. You can run a model that if theres a 15% tariff applied on a country and we did this before and published it that would have an effect on what we call modified domestic demand, effectively growth, by 1.4% to 1.5% annually over a medium term, that it would result in roughly around 60,000 fewer jobs being created if there were tariffs. But what those models cant capture is what happens if the transatlantic relationship, as we know it, doesnt exist into the future. Stephen Maguire A man who conned women out of money for concert and match tickets in an online ticket scam has been jailed. Vincent McDonagh (33) appeared by videolink at Letterkenny District Court in Co Donegal where he pleaded to the charges. The court was told that McDonagh advertised tickets for the events on the DoneDeal website, but that no tickets for any of the events ever existed. Garda Sergeant Jim Collins outlined the background to the thefts. He told how McDonagh had advertised two tickets for a Post Malone concert on the DoneDeal website. Ms Jessie Maher transferred 160 to a Western Union account and the money was withdrawn by McDonagh on October 31st, 2018, but the tickets never arrived. Ms Maher was left out of pocket and never received the tickets. On November 1st, 2018, McDonagh then advertised two rugby tickets for a game between Ireland and New Zealand. Another woman, Ms Claire McMahon, transferred 150 for the tickets, and this was also withdrawn from a Western Union account by McDonag,h but again, the tickets never arrived. Both charges are contrary to Section 6 of the Criminal Justice (Theft and Fraud Offences) Act of 2001. The court was told that McDonagh, of Lord Edward St, Kilkenny, had 25 previous convictions for a range of offences, including burglary, theft, and criminal damage. Solicitor for the accused, Mr Rory O'Brien, said a lot of time had elapsed since these incidents, and his client was now a different man with the passage of time. He had moved to Northern Ireland to rebuild his life after having issues with alcohol and also cocaine. However, he was now in a supportive relationship, and all he could do was to apologise and to say sorry for anyone he had let down. He added that McDonagh wanted to put this behind him and finish with this traunche of his life and to continue to rebuild his life aged just 33. Judge Emile Daly said the money was paid in good faith for these tickets, but this was a fabrication and there were no such tickets. She added that even though time had passed, the parties were still impacted and that both women were still out of pocket. Judge Daly said she was happy to hear that McDonagh was now settled and in a stable relationship. However, she sentenced McDonagh to two months in prison for each theft charge and ordered the sentences to run concurrently. Niamh ODonoghue A man has been given a seven-and-a-half-year sentence for an aggravated burglary of two Carmelite brothers at a Dublin retreat centre. Stephen Byrne (44) of Paramount Hotel, Exchequer Street Upper, Temple Bar, Dublin pleaded guilty at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to one count of aggravated burglary and one count of threatening to kill or cause serious harm at the Avila Carmelite Centre, Bloomfield Avenue, Donnybrook, on April 12, 2024. The court heard the brother was born in 1947, and it was 1.30 am when he awoke to find Byrne standing over him with a scarf on his face and holding bolt cutters, saying: give me the money. There were nine residents living in the premises at the time. Passing the sentence on Thursday, Judge Orla Crowe said the incident must have been utterly and totally terrifying when the first injured party, who was quite advanced in years, woke up and found Byrne standing over him. Its hard to imagine a more terrifying experience, said Judge Crowe before handing down a seven-and-a-half-year sentence with the final 12 months suspended on strict conditions. Another Carmelite brother, who the court heard was born in 1975, saw Byrne frantically rifling through drawers. There was a struggle between them, and the injured party tried to hold on to Byrne, who said he would stab him. They both fell down the stairs, and Byrne then ran off. The court heard that 350 was taken in the incident. Byrne, who was on bail at the time, was identified through fingerprints and was arrested and detained. The court heard Byrne was plagued by addiction problems and was homeless at the time of the incident. He did not have a drug problem until he was 42, when his relationship broke down, and he began drinking heavily and embarked on drug-taking. The court heard he was remorseful, and he had written a letter of apology. However, the judge said they were very serious matters and have to be marked with very serious penalty. In mitigation, she noted Byrnes plea, that he was homeless at the time, had a serious addiction and worked productively for a very long period of time. The court heard the maximum sentence for aggravated burglary was life imprisonment. Judge Crowe set a headline sentence of 10 years, but considering mitigation, handed down a seven-and-a-half-year sentence with the final 12 months suspended for a period of two years on strict conditions. She backdated it to December 15th 2025, for time spent in custody. Kenneth Fox Thursday's front pages are firmly focused on Trump's decision to roll back proposed tariffs on Greenland after a deal with NATO. The Irish Times and Irish Examiner report that US President Donald Trump has said he will not impose threatened tariffs over Greenland following talks with Nato secretary general Mark Rutte in Davos The Echo reports there was a 20 per cent rise in calls to Saint Vincent de Paul's to help with bills over Christmas. Sign up to get our news digest delivered directly to your inbox twice a week. The iconic anime Patlabor franchise is preparing a return to the big screen. A new project, Mobile Police Patlabor EZY, has been unveiled as a three-part theatrical release that will kick off in Japan in May of this year. Film two is scheduled for August 14, 2026, and the series final entry for March 2027. Originally created by the artist collective Headgear, Patlabor debuted in 1988 and quickly distinguished itself among the mecha genre by depicting giant robots, called labors in the series, as practical tools used for construction, infrastructure, and public safety, in addition to their obvious military roles. The new trilogys story will follow a police unit tasked with handling crimes and accidents involving these machines, blending science fiction with workplace comedy, procedural drama, and social commentary. Headgear is once again producing this new version, with long-time industry vet Yutaka Izubuchi (Space Battleship Yamato 20199, RahXephon) directing. Distribution is being handled by The Shochiku Group and Bandai Namco. An official synopsis for the trilogy, translated from Japanese, reads: In the late 1990s, alongside rapid technological advancement, the versatile humanoid work machines known as Labor advanced into every field. However, this also gave rise to a new social threat: Labor crimes. To counter the escalating Labor crimes, the Metropolitan Police Department established the Special Vehicle Section 2 within its Security Department. This marked the birth of the Special Vehicles Division 2 Patrol Labor Unit, commonly known as Patlabor. And so, time passed By the 2030s, Japans workforce was in steady decline, with automation driven by AI technology advancing rapidly. Labor, which was the once cutting-edge technology, had become firmly established as part of the social infrastructure. Standalone, piloted Labors were increasingly being replaced by autonomous robots, becoming obsolete. But no matter how times change, the work of Special Vehicle Section 2 remains the same: protecting people and the city. Division 2, alongside the AV-98Plus Ingrama tuned-up version of the outdated Type AV 98 Ingramfaces new technological crimes with wisdom and courage. The franchise has previously been adapted to manga, original video animations (OVA), a television series, and multiple features, including Mamoru Oshiis classic Patlabor: The Movie in 1989. Over the decades, it has been praised for its grounded world-building, realistic mechanical design, and thoughtful approach to near-future technology. In fact, in 2022, the military and defense industry website Task & Purpose published an article in which author Matt Sampson argued that Patlabor 2 boasted the most accurate air combat scene of all time. Patlabor EZY has big shoes to fill, then, as the latest continuation of the long-running IP. The films will bear the responsibility of maintaining the franchises coveted reputation as one of animes most grounded takes on mecha storytelling, while introducing a new generation of fans to its unique blend of realism and satire. Sign up to get our news digest delivered directly to your inbox twice a week. After becoming an unexpected breakout hit on social media and European public TV, Samuel is finally heading to a global audience, with a Netflix premiere date set for February 5. Today, only a couple of weeks before the shows worldwide arrival, were exclusively debuting the official English-subtitled trailer for the animated micro-series. Created, written, and directed by Emilie Tronche, Samuel is a coming-of-age story told through the diary of a 10-year-old boy growing up in the early 2000s. Across 21 short episodes, each under seven minutes, the series captures Samuels daily life, anxieties, and complicated feelings for a girl named Julie. The shows sketchbook black-and-white 2D style and pared-down animation stand in sharp contrast to the emotional depth of its mature storytelling. The series is produced by Les Valseurs in co-production with French public broadcaster Arte, Pictanovo, Solent, Pikkukala, RTVE, and 3Cat. Originally released online, Samuel quickly gained traction on TikTok and Instagram, where its short format and forthright emotional tone struck a chord with viewers of all ages. Tronche tells us that the seriess universality was not something she planned from the outset. I didnt know if it was conscious or not at the beginning, she says. The first thing that I wanted to do was something for me and also for my family. I wanted my parents and my sisters to like it. While the story is clearly set in the early 2000s, she deliberately avoided heavy-handed period signifiers. I didnt want it to be too referential. I just wanted to give little hints, to be more universal, she says. And I didnt want it to be something too nostalgic about that time period. The project began in 2020 as a solo experiment, just before lockdown, while Tronche was finishing work on a more traditionally produced short film. With a bit of free time and minimal resources, she decided to make something based on her storytelling instincts. I decided to do something really, really fast, without too much thinking, without too much production, she recalls. Thats why there are no colors, and its really simple lines. She animated alone, recorded all the voices herself for the original French version, and posted the first episodes directly to her Instagram account. What began as a side project quickly attracted attention from both producers and broadcasters. I thought it was always going to be something that I was doing on the side, Tronche says. I thought producers couldnt be interested in it because it was too simple. Instead, both her producer Les Valseurs and Arte reached out after discovering the series online and at Cartoon Forum. They asked me, Do you have producers? We want to broadcast this series, she recalled. The stars were aligned at this moment. As the audience grew, so did the emotional connection viewers felt to the work. A lot of people reached out to me to express their feelings about the series, Tronche said. I received a lot of fan art, people getting tattoos. I was recognized on the street. That response surprised her, particularly given how personal and understated the series is. Although Samuel is told from a childs perspective, its audience skews heavily adult, a rarity in Europe, where locally produced adult animation hasnt quite taken off the way it has in the U.S. Tronche attributes that to the fact that she never defined a target demographic. When I did the series, I didnt tell myself for whom I was doing it, she explains. Everybody was asking us, Is it for children? Is it for adults? And we didnt have the answer. She added, Maybe its because I never put the series in a box. With the Netflix release, Samuel is poised to reach its largest audience yet. Tronche has already confirmed that a second season is in development with Arte, while she continues to explore new projects beyond the series, including her first feature. For now, the charming little series stands as a rare example of a deeply personal, minimalist animated project that traveled from a single artists social feed to a worldwide streaming debut. Sign up to get our news digest delivered directly to your inbox twice a week. Roger Allers, an animator, director, storyboard artist, and writer whose career helped define a chapter of modern American feature animation history, died on January 17. He was 76. Allers was best known for co-directing Disneys modern classic, The Lion King (1994), a film that became the highest-grossing 2D animated feature of all time and one of the defining works of the Disney Renaissance era. But his impact extended far beyond the borders of the Disney empire. Over more than four decades, Allers worked a wide range of roles across the production pipeline. He moved from storyboard and story development positions into feature directing. Over the years, he experienced the collaborative joys and frustrating creative constraints of major studio filmmaking before later shifting to independent and international projects that allowed him far greater artistic freedom. Allers was born on June 29, 1949, in Rye, New York, and raised in Arizona. He developed an early interest in animation after seeing Disney films as a child, particularly Peter Pan, which he later cited as a formative experience. As a student, he explored fine arts before joining the animation industry in the late 1970s, initially working on projects such as Animalympics and contributing to pre-production on the CG spectacle, Tron. Other early credits included Nelvanas Rock & Rule and a stay in Japan to work on story development for the anime cult favorite Little Nemo: Adventures in Slumberland. These early experiences exposed him to experimental, international animation and large-scale production environments, shaping his interest in story as the foundation of quality filmmaking. He joined Walt Disney Animation Studios in the mid-1980s, just as the studio was rebuilding its feature animation division after several fallow years. Allers became a key story contributor for much of the companys Renaissance catalog, including Oliver & Company, The Little Mermaid, Beauty and the Beast, and Aladdin. After a falling out over the development of Kingdom of the Sun, which became The Emperors New Grove (detailed more extensively below), he worked on the short The Little Matchgirl, which was meant for the 2006 Fantasia anthology, but was instead released as a stand-alone short, earning an Oscar nomination. Heres a video of Allers frantically pitching storyboards for Beauty and the Beasts Be Our Guest, posted by long-time Allers collaborate and Oscar-nominated Disney producer Don Hohn. His work during this period reflected the growing importance of story departments in Disneys production pipeline, as the studio increasingly emphasized character-driven narratives and emotional clarity after more esoteric and challenging outings in the previous decades. Allerss most prominent role came with The Lion King, which he co-directed with Rob Minkoff. Allers was foundational in shaping the films overall narrative structure, blending mythic storytelling and classical, theatrical drama. Released in 1994, the film became a colossal commercial success and a defining title of the period, animated or otherwise. Allers also co-wrote the book for the Broadway stage adaptation, which opened in 1997 and became one of the most successful musicals in theatre history, still playing on stages around the world nearly three decades later. Joined by Minkoff for an interview with the Fat Guys at the Movies blog in 2011, Allers expressed his undying love for the film and its stage adaptation: I still love this movie. Ive been involved with the stage show all these intervening years, so for me its never gone away! But Im so pleased with the audiences positive response to this new release after all these years. Here is a COVID-era video interview that Allers and Minkoff did discussing The Lion King, and a myriad of other fascinating topics. Despite success of The Lion King, Allerss relationship with Disney strained in the following years. He was the original director of Kingdom of the Sun, an ambitious musical feature developed in the late 1990s. The project faced heavy studio oversight and producer-imposed changes, including significant shifts in tone, story, and leadership. Eventually, it was reworked into The Emperors New Groove after Allerss departure. In 2014, speaking with the Italian comic website Fumettologica, he candidly described that period as professionally and emotionally devastating: I put four years of my heart and energy into that one. Though I may have seemed calm for the camera (as I always tried to be for my crew), inside, it was a chaotic struggle resulting in annihilation. After leaving Disney, he co-directed Sony Pictures Animations first feature, Open Season (2006), with Jill Culton and co-director Anthony Stacchi. While the shift to CG was a major one, the film still shared many similarities with what other major American studios were doing at the time. That was not the case with his next project. In 2014, Allers directed his late-career standout, The Prophet, an animated adaptation of Kahlil Gibrans writings. Structured as an anthology, the film brought together multiple directors and animation styles under a single narrative framework, with Allers leading production as director and creative coordinator. Speaking with Cartoon Brew in 2015, Allers described the project as an animated leap of faith, emphasizing both its creative ambition and its production challenges: My task was to find a way to create a story that would allow a graceful entrance into Gibrans philosophical poetry. To create a narrative that would give all generations, those unfamiliar with the book or even very young viewers, an effortless EasyPass into Gibrans profound world. He told us about the difficulty of financing and distributing animated features that fall outside conventional commercial models, noting that the industry often struggles to support films that are not easily categorized. Although the interview was more than a decade ago now, its thesis remains extremely relevant today. More optimistically, he also championed animation as a medium that is fully capable of addressing philosophical and spiritual material, if given the opportunity. Throughout his career, Allers consistently framed animation as a collaborative art form grounded in story. In his Fat Guys at the Movies interview, when asked whats most important to him while working on a film, he replied: Whats most important to me is having an environment of mutually respectful, creative energy with my co-creators/artists. In his later interviews, he frequently expressed concerns that mainstream feature animation was becoming too risk-averse, particularly in its narrative and thematic choices. Allers continued working well past standard retirement age, picking up story credits on films including Ted, Ted 2, Rons Gone Wrong, and Wallace & Gromit: Vengeance Most Fowl. Within the industry, Allers was widely regarded as a serious story thinker and a director deeply invested in character and structure. His career closely tracked the broader evolution of American feature animation, from the resurgence of hand-drawn, four-quadrant films in the late 80s and through the 90s, to the early years and evolution of CG animation, to diversely staffed and boundary-pushing indie films. That is, perhaps, why much of his work has stood the test of time so successfully. Allers work was intensely focused on story and character development and uncompromising in that regard. He could do humor, but never at the expense of the story or for a cheap laugh. His films were multi-generational in a way that few manage to achieve today, and evoked emotions increasingly difficult to find in Western animation, which tends to favor far safer box-office bets and characters that can be easily turned into merch. His legacy is best remembered through The Lion King, but his broader resume is a wonderful story of taking on opportunities, even if theyre not sure things, and shifting away from the traditional constraints faced by filmmakers working in major studios. Allers is survived by his husband Genaro Pereira, ex-wife Leslee Hackenson, daughter Leah, and son Aidan. Messages from across the industry flooded the internet after news of Allers passing. Weve collected several here: Rob Minkoff, Allers co-director on The Lion King: Its hard to process the sudden loss of my dear friend and collaborator, Roger Allers. We had lunch together recently, and he was in fine health. To think that it could change so quickly is truly devastating. I met Roger in the summer of 1983, when he was animating Flip on Little Nemo. But our bond was cemented years later when we partnered on The Lion King. Going through that experience together changed both of our lives in ways too numerous to mention. It forged a friendship and closeness that endured long after the film was finished. Roger was not just a collaborator, nor just a friend, but a brother. And now we all must face a future made a little less bright without him. The only solace is knowing that his work will live on through the many wonderful films he helped bring into the world. May flights of angels sing thee to thy rest. Andreas Deja, Disney legend, longtime Allers friend, and supervising animator for Scar in The Lion King: Very saddened by the passing of Roger Allers, who was both a valued colleague and a close friend for many years. I worked closely with Roger on The Little Mermaid, Beauty and the Beast, Aladdin, The Lion King, and more, where he was thoughtful, collaborative, and deeply committed, bringing a creative presence that elevated everyone around him. I join my Disney family and the whole animation community in sending love to Rogers family, and to the many friends and colleagues who had the privilege of knowing him. Disney CEO Bob Iger wrote in a statement: Roger Allers was a creative visionary whose many contributions to Disney will live on for generations to come. He understood the power of great storytelling how unforgettable characters, emotion and music can come together to create something timeless. His work helped define an era of animation that continues to inspire audiences around the world, and we are deeply grateful for everything he gave to Disney. Our hearts are with his family, friends and collaborators. Former IATSE president and USC School of Cinematic Arts professor Tom Sito: Advertisement BUA Cement Plc has signed an agreement with CBMI Construction to build a new 3Mta ultra-modern cement production line at its Sokoto plant, marking a significant milestone in the companys expansion strategy. The US$240m project covers the new production line, a dedicated power plant and supporting infrastructure, and will raise BUA Cements total installed capacity to 20Mta on completion. The agreement builds on BUA Cements 15-year partnership with CBMI, which has already delivered cement production lines totalling 14Mta across BUAs operations in Obu, Edo State, and Sokoto. Construction of the new Sokoto Line 6 is scheduled to be completed within 20 months. Strategically located, the Sokoto plant is the only cement facility in Nigerias North-West, providing efficient access to domestic markets as well as landlocked neighbouring countries. This position strengthens BUA Cements ability to support regional infrastructure development with reliable supplies of locally produced cement. In parallel, BUA Cement is developing a 700tpd mini LNG plant in Kogi State, due for completion later this year. The facility will supply clean and reliable energy to both the new Sokoto line and existing operations, improving efficiency and reducing emissions. BUA Cement said the investment aligns with Nigerias ongoing economic reforms and underscores its commitment to capacity expansion, job creation and sustainable industrial growth. Pakistan recorded a mixed trend in cement and clinker exports during the first half of FY26 (JulyDecember 2025), according to data from the Pakistan Bureau of Statistics (PBS). Export earnings reached US$173.16m, up 3.40 per cent from US$167.47m in the corresponding period of the previous year. However, export volumes declined by 5.84 per cent YoY to 4.417Mt, compared with 4.691Mt a year earlier. In local currency terms, export revenues increased by 4.92 per cent to PKR48.85bn (US$174.5m). Monthly data for December 2025 showed a short-term rebound. Cement and clinker exports rose to US$22.03m, equivalent to 561,422t, compared with US$16.61m and 415,150t in November 2025. This represents a month-on-month increase of 32.61 per cent in value and 35.23 per cent in volume. Despite the monthly improvement, YoY performance in December remained weak. In December 2024, exports totalled US$31.89m and 952,067t, indicating a YoY decline of 30.92 per cent in export value and 41.03 per cent in volume in December 2025. A recent report by Spectrum Securities Ltd attributes the overall export slowdown to the closure of the PakistanAfghanistan border since mid-October, which has disrupted exports to Afghanistan. Northern producers in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, including Cherat Cement, Fauji Cement, Kohat Cement and Lucky Cement, have been most affected, while southern producers such as Maple Leaf Cement, Pioneer Cement and DG Khan Cement continue to benefit from offshore export markets. By Abdul Rab Siddiqi, Pakistan Trump reiterates push to acquire Greenland, slams Europe, NATO at Davos Xinhua) 08:16, January 22, 2026 U.S. President Donald Trump addresses the World Economic Forum Annual Meeting in Davos, Switzerland, Jan. 21, 2026. (Xinhua/Lian Yi) On Greenland, Trump called for "immediate negotiations" on U.S. acquisition of the territory, describing it as "a strategic national and international security interest." DAVOS, Switzerland, Jan. 21 (Xinhua) -- U.S. President Donald Trump on Wednesday renewed his push for U.S. acquisition of Greenland and sharpened criticism of Europe and the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) in a special address at the annual meeting of the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, adding fresh strain to transatlantic ties. Trump said Europe was "not heading in the right direction," arguing that parts of the continent had become "not even recognizable" in what he described as a "very negative" way. This photo taken on Jan. 16, 2026 shows a mountain near Nuuk, capital of Greenland, an autonomous territory of Denmark. Greenland, the world's largest island, is a self-governing territory within the Kingdom of Denmark, with Copenhagen retaining control over defense and foreign policy. (Photo by Anders Kongshaug/Xinhua) In his speech, Trump renewed criticism of Europe's migration policies and reiterated his opposition to green agenda policies, again labeling them a "Green New Scam." He also advocated expanding fossil-fuel production and speeding up approvals for new nuclear power projects, saying Europe's energy situation had reached "catastrophic" levels, marked by high prices and low supplies. On Greenland, Trump called for "immediate negotiations" on U.S. acquisition of the territory, describing it as "a strategic national and international security interest." He publicly ruled out taking Greenland by military force, saying he did not intend to use "excessive strength and force," while insisting the United States was uniquely positioned to secure the territory. "I don't have to use force. I don't want to use force, I won't use force. All the United States is asking for is a place called Greenland," he said. U.S. President Donald Trump addresses the World Economic Forum Annual Meeting in Davos, Switzerland, Jan. 21, 2026. (Xinhua/Lian Yi) Trump further criticized NATO burden-sharing, saying the United States had been treated "very unfairly" and had long contributed more to the alliance than its partners, while pressing NATO members to acquiesce to U.S. acquisition of Greenland from Denmark. "We paid for, in my opinion, 100 percent of NATO because they weren't paying their bills, and all we're asking for is to get Greenland, including the right title in ownership, because you need the ownership to defend it," he said. (Web editor: Zhang Kaiwei, Liang Jun) The University of Tennessee at Chattanoogas Rural Assessment Intervention Library (RAIL) System saved participating rural school districts more than $22,000 during its first semester of operation by providing free access to critical student assessment tools officials said.Launched at the start of the fall 2025 semester, the RAIL System served 19 school districts across Tennessee in its first 3 months, allowing qualified professionals to check out 186 assessment tools and related resources they would otherwise have had to purchase.When we started looking at the numbers, we were pleasantly surprised by just how many items had been used, said Dr.Amanda Hardin, assistant professor and program director of UTCs School Psychology program. If districts had purchased the same materials, the cost would have been much higher.RAIL is housed within UTCs Department of School Psychology in the College of Health, Education and Professional Studies. The system provides assessments used to evaluate students for developmental delays, learning differences, behavioral needs and other educational services. There is no cost to participate.The system is available to school districts participating in Tennessees Project RAISE, which supports internships for school psychologists, school counselors and school social workers in rural communities.While RAIL was initially designed to support school psychologists, its first semester revealed broader use. In addition to school psychologists, the system has been used by speech-language pathologists, occupational therapists, educational diagnosticians, gifted and dyslexia coordinators, Project RAISE interns and other qualified special education professionals.I knew school psychologists would use this, Hardin said. But I was pleasantly surprised by the variety of professionals within school districts who found it useful.Usage data also revealed unexpected needs. Preschool evaluations emerged as one of the most common assessment areas requested during the fall semester.Hardin said feedback from participating districts has reinforced the programs value, particularly in communities with limited budgets for new assessment materials.One of the districts told me they dont have any money for new test kits, so the fact that we could provide alternatives was huge, she said.The early cost savings are also an important marker as the program looks toward long-term sustainability.The fact that in a little over three months it was more than $22,000thats big, Hardin said, and I think as more districts hear about RAIL, that impact will continue to grow.The RAIL System is open from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday through Thursday during the academic year. Middle Valley Church of God, located at 1703 Thrasher Pike in Hixson, announces that Pastor Mitch McClure will be preaching on Sunday, January 25, in the 10:30 a.m. service. His topic will be 'Assurance In Changing Times: Times, They Are A Changing!' The purpose of the sermon series is to lead all Believers to know that God is interested in them and their life, paying attention to them. The changing times in our communities often create confusion in the life of Believers.God does not want His followers to be confused, but to be assured. His purpose is to get us to the Father and redemption. All are welcome to participate. Each Sunday at 5:30 p.m., the church conducts a Prayer Meeting. The Prayer Meeting is open to all who wish to participate and is designed to encourage prayer. Information on various methods of prayer will be shared with participants. The goal of this prayer meeting is to encourage Believers to seek God through prayer. All are welcome to participate. Each Wednesday at 7 p.m., an Interactive, Interesting, and Informative Bible Study will be held in the church auditorium. Alex Baker is currently leading this Bible study on the Book of Acts. All are welcome to participate. The goal of this Bible study is to encourage Believers to study the Bible and discuss with others, making the Scripture their guide. Middle Valley Church of God is a community focused church with various ministries in the Middle Valley area and in Cusuna, Honduras. The community is welcome to join in times of worship and community service. MVCOG has been ministering in the Middle Valley Community since 1946 from the same location. If you have questions, please contact the church office at 423.843.1539. All are welcome. Friends of Hixson President Greg Taylor recently presented a check to Hixson High School Principal Daniel Lunt in support of the schools Music Department, recognizing its participation in the Friends of Hixson Christmas Tree Lighting Event held in December."The Hixson High School Music Department played a key role in the annual community event, helping to create a festive and memorable evening for families and residents," officials said. "The contribution reflects Friends of Hixsons continued commitment to supporting local schools and celebrating student involvement in community traditions." The Tennessee Department of Transportation will be conducting inspections, maintenance, and cleaning operations in several Chattanooga-area tunnels this week. These operations require overnight closures or lane restrictions of the affected tunnels. A list of the tunnels, along with their respective closure dates and times, is provided below. Detour routes will be clearly indicated with temporary signage. McCallie Tunnel - General Maintenance / Cleaning Wednesday, at 8 p.m. until Thursday, at 6 a.m. Each tunnel bore will be closed separately, please follow all instructions by on-site flagging crews. Two-way travel will be maintained at all times. Stringers Ridge Tunnel - Cleaning Wednesday, at 8 p.m. until Thursday, at 6 a.m. This is a full closure requiring detours via Highway 27 or North Market Street. Bachman Tubes (Westside Drive/Ringgold Road) - Cleaning Thursday, at 8 p.m. until Friday, at 6 a.m. This is a full closure, requiring detours over Missionary Ridge or I-24. Detours will be posted. CONSTRUCTION ROAD CLOSURES South Howell Avenue The 100 block of South Howell Avenue will be closed Thursday through Monday, for emergency sewer repair. Detours will be posted. Please Note: Expected inclement weather this weekend may cause a delay in reopening. 308 Pine Ridge Road Pine Ridge Road between Chambliss Street and Merriam Street will be closed Thursday through Friday, for tree removal. Detours will be posted. 619 Barton Avenue The 600 block of Barton Ave will see a lane shift from Friday until Thursday, April 23, to install a new natural gas main. Traffic will be maintained in both directions with the use of the center turn lane. Please use caution as work crews are on site. View map of special event and construction-related road closures here. During the year, more was spent by the city of Red Bank than was collected from the general fund, but now the city is tightening its belt to spend less because the city has less income due to an error made by Hamilton County when property taxes were calculated. By the end of the fiscal year, the city will have spent more from the fund balance than was anticipated, said Finance Director Kris Pickel on Tuesday night. Spending less will mean that each department will be postponing some purchases, and hiring will be slowed down. At the next commission meeting City Manager Martin Granum said that he will give a more formal update on ways the city plans to save money in 2026. One of the ways will be to withdraw from the Small Cities Coalition, but Mr. Granum said spending less is not the only reason that will be done. Red Bank plans to perform the functions of the coalition on its own. That includes working with the citys legislative representatives to the state of Tennessee and creating and sending press releases. CPA Brian Wright with Johston, Murphey and Wright presented the audit report for fiscal year 2025, to the Red Bank commissioners. Overall, everything looks really good, he said. The city received an unmodified opinion - the best you can get, and no material weaknesses were identified. There was one issue of non-compliance in the solid waste fund. $188,000 was spent that had not been budgeted. This can happen when equipment is ordered one year and is not delivered until the next, the auditor said, and then was forgotten to be included in the 2025 budget. And a budget amendment to add it at the end of the year was not done. Every dollar has to be appropriated to spend it, he said. The city had the money because it was left over from the year before when the equipment was originally budgeted. A corrective action plan has now been put in place so this will not happen again, Finance Director Pickel and City Recorder/Human Resource Manager Tracey Perry told the commissioners. Traffic safety is being worked on in together by the Red Bank police and public works departments. Safer streets were the focus of the remainder of the commission meeting. Several plans have been done over the past year by transportation safety groups that have made recommendations to the city. There has been a lot of discussion about speeding, the increased volume of traffic and an increase in crashes. And bad weather is a factor in the crashes, said Director of Public Works Greg Tate. One area looked at in the studies was Ashland Terrace, which was found to have an average of 17,606 cars each day. And the speed limit there is 25 mph, but eight to 10 percent of the vehicles were traveling over 41. And crashes there have increased to 44 last year. Point Christian Academy is a new school that is at the intersection of Ashland Terrace and Dayton Boulevard. A new school zone is being created there. The traffic plan will include design, enforcement and a reduction of the speed limit on Dayton Boulevard and an increase in speed limits on Ashland Terrace. Funding for this project is already in place. Recommended changes for a second school zone were also given to the commissioners. A couple of studies have been done on the existing school zone around Red Bank High and Middle Schools on Morrison Springs Road. This location sees about 14,000 vehicles daily and 82 percent of them are traveling five mph or more over the speed limit. People are ignoring speed signs, said Police Chief Dan Seymour, and 64 percent are going more than 11 mph over the limit. Improvements that may take place here could include maintaining signage and using warning devices that has already been begun. Traffic enforcement technology would be installed here. Another roadway project is also being talked about. It is being referred to as Safe Streets for All. This project will be to keep pedestrians and bikers safe. The plan presented by public works director Tate, showed sketches of three proposed round-abouts on Dayton Boulevard at intersections with Browntown Road, Martin Road and Gadd Road. And three stretches of bike lanes are being proposed on Morrison Springs Road and Dayton Boulevard, plus some cross-walks will be well defined. Some of these will initially be done as temporary features to see how well they are accepted by the public. It they are considered successful, then Red Bank will apply for an implementation grant. Red Bank City Judge Johnny Houston was first appointed in 2000. For the past couple of months he has been unable to serve in that capacity due to medical reasons. During that time, Brian Hoss has been filling in as Red Banks interim judge. City Attorney Arnold Stulce told the commissioners that Judge Houston remains in grave condition with his prognosis still unknown. To keep the city court moving forward an interim can be appointed for 30 days at a time. Mr. Hoss was appointed for a second interim period of 30 days. Due to inclement weather warnings issued for Monday, the decision has been made to reschedule the campaign launch of Commissioner Warren Mackeys re-election campaign to next Thursday at 6 p.m. The venue remains the same at the Ultra Club at Finley Stadium. County Commissioner Warren Mackey announced Tuesday that he is seeking re-election to represent District 4, "running on a record of results focused on infrastructure investment, educational opportunity, workforce development, and accountable county government." His campaign said, "Since taking office, Mackey has supported policies that align economic growth with equity and fiscal responsibility. During his tenure, Hamilton County has experienced significant job growth and expanded economic development, while maintaining a focus on core county services that directly impact residents daily lives." District 4 deserves leadership that delivers, said Commissioner Mackey. Im running for re-election to continue investing in safe roads, strong schools, and opportunities that help families and neighborhoods thrive. His campaign said he "voted to approve $5.8 million for county road and safety improvements, strengthening infrastructure critical to public safety and economic growth. He has also supported workforce and employment programs, including more than $1 million for community service and job connection initiatives. Mackey has taken a comprehensive approach to housing and community stability, supporting funding for public health coordination and recovery court programs that address underlying causes of housing insecurity. He has also backed investments in parks and inclusive public spaces that improve neighborhood quality of life. A consistent advocate for education, "Mackey has supported equitable school funding, vocational education opportunities, and future-ready infrastructure, including more than $1.4 million in broadband funding for community facilities. He has also worked to recognize and uplift student achievement across the district. Known for his bipartisan approach, Mackey has collaborated across party lines on schools, roads, and essential services, while maintaining careful oversight of taxpayer dollars." He said, Theres more work to do. I remain committed to listening to District 4 and delivering practical results that strengthen our county. The Chattanooga Airport announced Thursday that American Airlines is enhancing its current service between Chattanooga (CHA) and Dallas-Fort Worth (DFW) by introducing a larger aircraft on select flights beginning May 21. The service upgrade includes a larger aircraft for 2 out of the 4 daily flights, which increases seat capacity from 76 seats to 150 seats, including 12 in first-class on each of the two Airbus A320 flights. These larger, mainline aircrafts provide passengers with more overhead storage, additional legroom, and an overall roomier travel experience when flying between Chattanooga and Dallas. "American Airlines continues to invest in Chattanooga, something we are extremely grateful for," said April Cameron, president and CEO of the Chattanooga Airport. Dallas is an essential destination for our community, and this upgrade makes it easier for more travelers to fly between CHA and DFW with more comfort, convenience, and flexibility. Dallas-Fort Worth has served as a priority nonstop destination in the Chattanooga market for decades. As a major market for international, business, and leisure travelers, Americans DFW hub connects passengers to over 230 destinations across the country and worldwide. Americans flights to Dallas-Fort Worth connect Chattanooga to one of the largest hubs in the world, where we fly to more than 230 destinations globally, said Jordan Pack, Americans director of Domestic Network Planning. To enable even more global access, were delighted to deploy larger aircraft on this route this summer to give travelers more options when planning a bucket-list summer vacation. With service to five destinations around the country, were ready to welcome customers from Chattanooga who are traveling across our world-class network. With this upgrade, the airport will transition from five daily flights offering a total of 380 seats to four daily flights offering 452 seats, an increase of nearly 19 percent in total daily seat capacity. Passengers will benefit from the use of the bigger aircraft on the first and third flights of the day, featuring increased overhead bin space and a more spacious cabin layout. Americans Airbus A320 aircraft also features complimentary wi-fi for AAdvantage members. Joining AAdvantage is free and easy at aa.com. The upgraded flights are available for booking now through the Chattanooga Airport website, Americans mobile app, and aa.com, and will operate from May 21 through August 4. For more information about Chattanooga Airport and its services, visit www.FLYCHA.com. Flight Schedule*: Departure Airport Departure Time Arrival Airport Arrival Time Aircraft type Seats CHA 6:13 a.m. DFW 7:28 a.m. Airbus A320 150 CHA 12:13 p.m. DFW 1:38 p.m. Embraer 175 76 CHA 4:26 p.m. DFW 5:43 p.m. Airbus A320 150 CHA 8:26 p.m. DFW 9:50 p.m. Bombardier CRJ-900 76 *Schedules subject to change. Visit aa.com for the latest information. Its all hands on deck at EPB as they prepare for winter weather."Were watching conditions carefully and planning for icy and snowy conditions," officials said. "In addition to our regular crews, EPB has called in 86 additional crews. We will stage crews across our service area to respond as quickly as possible and work until all customers are restored."Falling trees and limbs are the leading cause of outages in any weather. In wintry conditions, drivers can lose control cars hit poles, which can cause outages.We encourage everyone who can to stay home."Downed power lines are very dangerous. Do not approach or touch power lines. Call 911 or EPB to report."In most circumstances, when an outage occurs, the automated grid reroutes power to minimize the number of affected customers. We maintain the automated grid and other equipment year-round to prepare for extreme circumstances."How to stay updated: The MyEPB app is the best and fastest way to report and monitor outages. If you experience an outage, the app will notify you of the estimated time of restoration and other updates. Update contact information at epb.com/portal/profile-settings to receive text updates in the event of outages 24/7/365.Prepare at home: Prevent heat from escaping. Check weather stripping around doors and caulking around windows. Save money by turning down the heat by one degree until you find that lowest setting thats comfortable. Every degree you lower the thermostat helps you save on your bill. Keep exterior doors closed, including the garage. Use the sun as a free heat source by opening the blinds on the sunny side of your home. Close blinds on shady sides and at night. Gather flashlights and batteries. Charge mobile phones, portable power banks and other important devices. Cover exterior faucets. Gather blankets and prepare to wear layers. In 1930s Spain, Socialists and Communists united. They claimed it was to fight the spread of fascism. Does that sound familiar? What it did was to begin a violent era of Red Terror with church invasions, intimidations and the murder of thousands of priests and nuns who were accused of collaborating with fascists. On Sunday an angry mob in St Paul, Mn. stormed a Baptist church, believing one of the pastors to be linked to ICE. They claimed to be fighting fascism. As immigration enforcement increased in the Twin Cities, Democrat Gov. Walz said he would not put it past this administration to target midnight Mass services (Star Tribune 12/24/25) to arrest illegals for deportation. TwinCities Archbishop, Bernard Hebda, countered that claim when he said DHS officials assured him of no actions in churches or K-12 schools unless an imminent public safety threat (MPR12/24/25). So why were people claiming to be anti-fascists the ones disrupting a church service?July 28, 2025, Democracy Forward, a coalition of faith groups filed for an injunction alleging ICE violates the free exercise of religion. A threat to free exercise of religion can also be from angry mobs harassing and terrorizing congregants like those in St Paul. Mn. AG Keith Ellison, a Democrat, actually insisted they had a right to disrupt a church service (Dailey Wire 1/19/26). Video shows young children and elderly being terrorized by the mob. So how would AG Ellison characterize a similar disruption of a Muslim prayer assembly or an AME Church service? Would he call it a violation of their civil rights?Leftists a few years ago were demanding safe spaces, but now disregard safe spaces of people in worship as they spread their anti-ICE turmoil. Its not limited to church services. A group of software techs were accosted while eating their lunch by angry agitators after a mass text erroneously identified the techs as federal agents (NYPost 1/19/26) and in Brooklyn, NYC, detectives were mistaken for ICE and denied emergency services after being hurt arresting a suspect (ABC7 1/21/26).Just as hundreds were hunted down and jailed for entering the U.S. Capitol, or even being on the grounds on Jan 6 (PBS 3/22/22), this mob should be prosecuted under the fullest extent of federal law. If others see nothing done in response it will only get worse. Tolerating such insanity leads to what happened in Spain in the 1930s. We dont need the angry left spreading a new Era of Red Terror in the U.S.Ralph Miller * * * Ralph Millers attempt to compare Minnesotas immigration protests to the Red Terror of 1930s Spain is not analysis - its historical theater. Spain was collapsing into civil war. Minnesota is not. And the protests here are overwhelmingly peaceful, lawful and rooted in constitutional concerns, not extremism. Mr. Miller also ignores a basic fact: Minnesota has far fewer undocumented immigrants than many red states, yet it has seen far more sweeping ICE operations. That imbalance is what has fueled public outrage. Many Minnesotans - citizens and non-citizens alike - see these raids as political retribution against a state that has resisted federal immigration priorities. You dont have to agree with every tactic to understand why people are standing up. The St. Paul church incident he cites was an outlier, not the norm. It was not organized by political parties, not sanctioned by the state and not part of any campaign of violence. To use one incident to smear an entire movement is misleading. Mr. Miller then strings together unrelated anecdotes - mistaken identities, confused bystanders - as if they prove the existence of a coordinated extremist threat. They dont. They prove that ICEs expanded presence has created fear and confusion in communities that have rarely seen this level of enforcement. And equating Minnesotas protests with the Jan. 6 attack on the U.S. Capitol is simply false. One was an attempt to overturn an election. The other is a community response to sweeping federal actions. They are not remotely comparable. Minnesotans have a long tradition of peaceful civic engagement. Standing up for constitutional rights is not Red Terror. Its democracy. Rob Block * * * This is with reference to Mr. Ralph Miller's letter titled 'Red Terror,' in which he referenced a church service which was interrupted by protestors blocking ICE from removing immigrants who are here illegally. Reading Mr. Ron Block's counter-opinion, I was genuinely surprised to learn that Minnesotans maintain "a long tradition of peaceful civic engagement and standing up for constitutional rights," while allowing their beloved Somali Community to steal billions in taxpayer dollars, and possibly fund international terror groups. My question to Mr. Block is, Will you support the Somali immigrants' outright deception and theft of taxpayer dollars? While their theft has been peaceful, I fail to see any benefit to our country. Chuck McDonald * * * Mr. Block, For several years now Minneapolis, Minnesota has been a hot bed of radical leftists and Democrats with their ideology of resisting law and order and outright anarchy. Remember the summer of Love in 2020 where they burned down the city in the George Floyd riots all while many in the Main Stream Media proclaimed that they were mostly peaceful as sky high flames were burning behind their cameras. (CNN video 2020.) While some of the recent protests in some locations have been somewhat peaceful what is going on most of the time in Minneapolis, St. Paul and other communities is not democracy, peaceful nor constitutional. Impeding federal law enforcement officers from DHS and ICE ( 18 USC-1505) is happening daily. These officers are performing their lawful duty working to remove the worst of the worst criminals from the streets and are being met with violence, frozen water bottles hurled at them, vehicles being rammed in attacks and much more aggression. There are plenty of videos online showing assaults on officers, and their vehicles vandalized and looted. (Yahoo News 01/15/26) These radical democrats even have an online presence with apps and groups naming officers that have been identified (doxxing and threatening their families) and they also have a data base of DHS and ICE vehicles with license plate numbers. Theres a group called Defend the 612 led by a guy Andrew Fahlstrom who describes how they go about impeding law enforcement and how the citizens can report and mobilize quickly to get to wherever the federal agents are at the time of trying to apprehend a suspect. (Mother Jones website 01/21/26) This is not constitutional activity and protecting democracy. This is lawlessness and anarchy period. The destruction also involved criminals that stole weapons from an officers vehicle as demonstrators totaled the vehicle. Thankfully one of the felons from the Latin Kings gang was apprehended and the weapons recovered. (Fox9 Minneapolis 01/15/26). This is not supporting democracy. The lack of cooperation from Walz and Frey with the federal authorities is why the agencies are forced to go into the streets to arrest these criminals with final deportation orders and other outstanding warrants. Walz and Frey as by evidence will not allow the various state and local police agencies to cooperate to enforce the federal immigration laws. This is not supporting democracy. In my opinion Walz and Frey should be arrested. The DOJ is monitoring them and have subpoenaed them to testify. (CBS 01/19/26) The St. Paul church that was raided by the democrat anti ice radicals and ex CNNs Don Lemon was not a constitutional right or legal. These individuals violated the congregations civil rights and the FACE act. (US DOJ enacted 1994). These rioters should be held to the highest extent of the law. We all know if it was a white dude in a MAGA hat raiding an Islamic or black church that the uproar would be deafening and the MSM would be losing their minds. As far as red states having more illegals than sanctuary cities and states well thats false. Per (nchstats and Axios) The states with the most illegals are listed as California, Texas, Illinois, New York, New Jersey and Florida. Only two red states, Texas and Florida are listed out of the highest percentage states of illegals. Also know that Texas and Florida are busy removing illegals and cooperating with DHS and ICE. Texas apprehended 516,000 illegals and Florida has apprehended 1000s. These people who are illegal broke the law coming to our country. Im all for ICE and DHS coming to red states asap. I hope they get to Tennessee in other cities besides Memphis where the National Guard was used to restore law and order. Deport them all from all across the nation. Theres are right way and a wrong way to enter this country. Democrats support the wrong way and thats not democracy. Thankfully over 2.2 million illegals have taken Secretary Noems advice and self deported. (MSN 01/21/26.) While each of us is entitled to our opinion we are not to be misled by a false misrepresentation of facts pertaining to the anti ice protests in Minnesota. The illegal and unlawful activities by hundreds of citizens which is not constitutional or supporting democracy is not peacefully protesting. I cannot understand why Democrats openly oppose law and order and enforcement of the laws of this land. I believe this anarchy is an insurrection against the United States just as the J6 riots are deemed. I recently looked back online and watched videos of prominent Democrats (Schumer, Pelosi, Obama, Biden and Epsteins buddy Bill Clinton) who just a few years ago were all in favor of deportation and immigration control. The Democrats sure have changed. Now they openly support illegals who rape, murder, rob, and assault American citizens.( Laken Riley, Jocelyn Nungaray). Not to leave out the horrors that these heinous criminals do to children in the sex slave trafficking business. That is not supporting democracy. I suspect the Democrats support for blatant disregard of federal immigration laws must have several alternative motives. One I believe is that Democrats want illegals so that these people can be counted in the census so as to try to influence and increase their congressional districts and seats within government. In other words, for the Democrats to stay in power perpetually. I have other ideas on this as well but will save that for another time and topic. Maybe Mr. Miller should have labeled his opinion piece the Blue Terror that sure seems like what we have in Minnesota. Arch Tinker * * * To all concerned, For those curious about the "worst of the worst" being arrested by ICE, just go to The Google and search on "DHS WORST OF THE WORST". Once on the website, you can search for those arrested by ICE by state and by city. I will leave it to Mr. Block to find out which state has had the most arrests and whether Minnesota is being "unfairly" targeted. For us locals, Chattanooga has had 28 illegal aliens arrested to date with the state of Tennessee at 468 arrested. Just an afterthought....since the chattanoogan.com has a daily Hamilton and Bradley County Arrest Report, maybe it could run a weekly or monthly DHS ICE Chattanooga Arrest Report. Phil Snider Mary Ellen Murphy departed this world on Monday, December 29, 2025, after battling a series of compounding illness. Even though her life was cut short, nothing can dim the light she shined to those whose path she crossed. Born in Terre Haute, In., she was immediately adopted by Carl and Louise Harper. Carl was a career Marine and that meant uprooting and traveling around the Southern U.S. Moving closer to family in Atlanta and later the suburb of Cedartown, Ga., before settling in The Scenic City of Chattanooga. Mary Ellen attended McBrien Elementary, East Ridge Middle and High School, where she graduated in the top of her class and went on to UTC on a full Chancellors Scholarship to receive her Masters Degree in Education and Leadership. Mary Ellen moved to Nashville and worked with the Governors Office and the Tennessee Legislation before returning home to teach. Mary Ellen was raised in the Baptist Church and later moved her membership to First Centenary United Methodist, where she was a founding member of the Oak Street Playhouse and made many lasting friendships. A little known fact was Mary Ellen was a very accomplished pianist, playing for pure enjoyment and rarely playing publicly. Mary Ellen went on to a full career at the USPS, where she was the Human Resources Officer hiring hundreds of postal employees and finally taking a position as the Postmaster of Monteagle and surrounding posts before retiring .She was a longtime volunteer of the March of Dimes, Chairman of the CFC, and gave of her time to many individuals and other charities. Mary Ellen was the smartest person I have ever known. She was beautiful and charming and extremely charismatic. Her blue eyes sparkled like a pool filled with southern charm and a fleck of hell fire. Mary Ellen never met a stranger and tried to treat others with respect and kindness. She was the life of any party she attended. With a quick wit and a gentle kindness that could sell dirt, or tell you to go to the devil and you somehow felt good about it. If you knew her then you have felt the warmth of the sunshine she radiated, and if you didnt you have missed out. I love you MEM as you loved me. Like no other. We always said, We have had the highest of the highs and the lowest of the lows, not much middle ground. Mary Ellen was preceded in death by her parents Carl and Louise Harper , two of the finest people I have ever known and her In-laws Bill and Hazel Murphy, whom we have missed dearly. She is survived by her husband of 34 years, Todd Murphy and their kiddles Rudy, Mr.Peabody and King Linus. Her family: Mary Murphy Tabb, Bill Murphy (Jan), and Nan Murphy; Eric Lundgren (Shely). Nieces and Nephews: Leah Tabb Henderson (Kevin), Jeffrey Tabb, Adam Murphy (Tiffany), Scott Murphy (Esther), Ben Murphy (Elizabeth), and Greats: Harlan, Brooke, Pierce, Hallie, and Max and many cousins. A Celebration of Life Memorial will be held on Saturday, Jan. 31, st at First Centenary UMC on McCallie Avenue in the Kate Lyle West Chapel visitation at 1pm with the service following at 2 p.m. I hope that if Mary Ellen ever touched your life you will attend. A private burial internment will happen at a later date next to her Mother, in Rose Hill Cemetery, Austell, Ga. Send flowers if you like, she loved flowers. But she loved her dogs more and a local donation to A Paw and A Prayer Dog Rescue, in her honor would be amazing. Arrangements are by Comfort Cremation Center, Chattanooga, Tn., 423 531-7141, www.comfortcremationcenter.com The courtroom of the European Court of Human Rights in Strasbourg, France. | Photo credit: Wikipedia/ Adrian Grycuk The European Court of Human Rights is examining a case that could set an important precedent on whether religious symbols may be displayed in courtrooms and other public buildings across Europe. The dispute stems from complaints filed by Greek atheists who contend that the presence of Christian icons in judicial settings infringed on their right to a fair trial and freedom of religion. The challenge centers on two separate hearings conducted in 2018 and 2019 before Greeces highest administrative tribunal, the Greek Supreme Administrative Court. In both proceedings, the applicants requested the removal of a Christian Orthodox icon depicting Jesus Christ from the courtroom. They argued that the display violated Article 6 and Article 9 of the European Convention on Human Rights, which safeguard the right to a fair trial and freedom of religion, respectively, according to the legal advocacy group ADF International. Greek judges rejected the requests in each instance, allowing the religious imagery to remain, according to the official case summary released by the European Court. The first case, heard in 2018, was brought by the Union of Atheists, which challenged ministerial decisions governing religious education. The group claimed that the icons presence during a Sept. 21 hearingwhere Orthodox Christian interveners, including the Church of Greece, were involvedundermined the courts impartiality. That application was dismissed on Oct. 11, 2019, with the court ruling the icon-related request inadmissible and rejecting arguments that the religious symbol compromised judicial fairness. The second case, considered in May 2019, involved two individuals objecting to the recording of religious affiliation on school documents. They similarly asked for the icons removal, citing concerns about neutrality. While the court ruled in favor of the applicants on their primary claim and annulled the relevant ministerial order, it dismissed the icon complaint as unfounded. Judges pointed to Greeces Orthodox Christian heritage and long-standing tradition as justification for permitting religious symbols in courtrooms. ADF International later filed a third-party intervention backing Greeces position, asserting that calls to remove religious imagery rest on a misinterpretation of human rights law. The organization said European jurisprudence has repeatedly affirmed a states discretion to reflect its cultural and religious heritage in public spaces, according to ADF Senior Counsel Adina Portaru. The display of religious symbols in public spaces is in no way incompatible with human rights law, Portaru said in a statement. Public spaces should not be stripped of crosses, icons or other symbols with religious, cultural, and historical significance in the name of pluralism. Photo credit: Facebook/ First Baptist Dallas A newly released study indicates that a majority of Americans approve of recent U.S. Supreme Court decisions that strengthen parental rights and religious freedom, particularly in cases involving objections to instruction related to LGBT issues. Timed to coincide with International Religious Freedom Day, Becket published its 2025 Religious Freedom Index last Friday, offering insight into how Americans view a wide range of churchstate and religious liberty issues. The findings are drawn from a nationwide survey of 1,002 adults conducted in the fall of 2025 by Heart+Mind Strategies. One focus of the survey was public reaction to the Supreme Courts decision in Mahmoud v. Taylor, which held that a Maryland public school violated parents religious freedom by refusing to allow opt-outs from LGBT-related lessons. According to the data, 62% of respondents said they supported the ruling. Support was even stronger for the Courts decision in Catholic Charities Bureau v. Wisconsin. Sixty-five percent of those surveyed agreed with the justices ruling overturning a lower court decision that had found Catholic Charities service to the poor did not qualify as religious activity under state unemployment law. By contrast, Americans were closely split over Oklahoma Statewide Charter School Board v. Drummond, in which the Supreme Court allowed a lower court ruling to stand barring a Catholic charter school from participating in Oklahomas charter school program. The poll found that 51% opposed the outcome, while 49% supported it. The survey also measured public opinion on pending cases before the Court. In Chiles v. Salazar, which involves a dispute between Colorado and a Christian counselor who helps minors with gender dysphoria become comfortable with their biological sex, respondents leaned toward the counselors position. Forty-seven percent said the Court should rule in her favor, compared with 29% who supported the state. Beckets overall Religious Freedom Index is calculated from responses across six categories: religious pluralism, religion and policy, religious sharing, religion and society, church and state, and religion in action. For 2025, the composite index reached 71, the highest score recorded since Becket began conducting the survey in 2019. Several individual categories also reached record highs this year. Religious sharing scored 75, religion and policy reached 69, and church and state climbed to 60. Religious pluralism again posted its highest-ever score at 86 for the second consecutive year. Not all categories increased, however. The religion in action score declined slightly from 70 to 69, while religion and society fell from 67 to 65, suggesting modest softening in those areas despite the overall upward trend. Photo credit: X/ Homeland Security The Trump administration has introduced a policy change aimed at easing the strain on foreign religious workers who have been forced to leave the United States as they await permanent residency amid a growing immigration backlog. In an announcement released last Wednesday, the U.S. Department of Homeland Security said it had issued an interim final rule intended to streamline the return process for religious workers who either departed the U.S. after reaching their visa limit or chose to self-deport before their status expired. Previously, individuals holding an R-1 religious worker visa were required to spend one full year outside the United States after completing the maximum five-year period allowed under that visa category. While the new rule maintains the requirement that R-1 visa holders leave the country once their five-year stay ends, it eliminates the mandatory one-year waiting period abroad. Under the updated policy, there is now no longer a minimum period of time that religious workers must remain outside the U.S. before reapplying to return under R-1 status. Eligible workers include priests, rabbis, and nuns. A spokesperson for DHS emphasized the administrations rationale for the change, stating, Under the leadership of Secretary [Kristi] Noem, DHS is committed to protecting and preserving freedom and expression of religion. We are taking the necessary steps to ensure religious organizations can continue delivering the services that Americans depend on. The spokesperson added, Pastors, priests, nuns, and rabbis are essential to the social and moral fabric of this country. We remain committed to finding ways to support and empower these organizations in their critical work. According to DHS, the current backlog affecting religious workers stems from policy changes introduced during the Biden administration in 2023. Changes implemented by the Department of State in 2023 significantly increased the already lengthy wait times for immigrant visas in the EB-4 category for aliens from foreign countries, including for religious workers, the agency said. These delays have caused many religious workers to exhaust their maximum period of stay in R-1 status, DHS explained. By eliminating the one-year foreign residency requirement, USCIS is reducing the time religious organizations are left without their trusted clergy and non-ministerial workers. The U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services notes that EB-4 visas allow foreign religious workers to obtain permanent residency, while R-1 visas are intended strictly for temporary service in the United States. The interim final rule was formally published in the Federal Register on Friday, opening a 60-day public comment period before the policy is finalized. Home News Abortion, gay marriage: 4 constitutional amendments approved by Virginia Legislature Virginia Democrats have complete control of the state government for the first time since 2021, now that Republican Gov. Glenn Youngkin's term has ended and Democrat Abigail Spanberger has taken over as governor. In last years elections, Virginia Democrats won 64 out of 100 seats in the House of Delegates. Seats in the Virginia Senate were last up for election in 2023, when Democrats won 21 of 40 seats. Democrats have moved to advance an unabashedly progressive agenda with lightning speed, although voters will have the final say on most of the legislation passed so far. Here are four proposed constitutional amendments approved by the Virginia Legislature that voters will weigh in on later this year. Home News Cities Church anti-ICE protesters arrested, charged with FACE Act violations Judge reportedly refused to sign complaint against Don Lemon Quick Summary AI Summary Three activists have been arrested for disrupting a worship service at Cities Church in St. Paul, Minnesota, on Sunday. They were charged under the Freedom of Access to Clinic Entrances Act for interfering with the church service. U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi warns against interfering with places of worship amid ongoing unrest. An artificial intelligence-powered tool created this summary based on the source article. The summary has undergone review and verification by an editor. See Summary The U.S. Department of Justice announced Thursday that federal agents arrested three activists involved in an anti-ICE protest that disrupted a worship service last Sunday at Cities Church in St. Paul, Minnesota. Attorney General Pam Bondi and FBI Director Kash Patel announced that activists Nekima Levy Armstrong and Chauntyll Louisa Allen had been charged under the Freedom of Access to Clinic Entrances (FACE) Act of 1994, which prohibits "intentionally injuring, intimidating, or interfering with ... [anyone] seeking to exercise the First Amendment right of religious freedom at a place of religious worship." "Minutes ago at my direction, [Homeland Security Investigations] and FBI agents executed an arrest in Minnesota. So far, we have arrested Nekima Levy Armstrong, who allegedly played a key role in organizing the coordinated attack on Cities Church in St. Paul, Minnesota. We will share more updates as they become available," Bondi posted to X at around 9:30 a.m. EST. "Listen loud and clear: WE DO NOT TOLERATE ATTACKS ON PLACES OF WORSHIP," she added. An hour later, Bondi announced that a second arrest had been made related to the incident and issued a warning against disrupting religious services in the U.S. "Chauntyll Louisa Allen has been taken into custody. More to come. WE WILL PROTECT OUR HOUSES OF WORSHIP," she said. U.S. Department of Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem posted a photo of Armstrong being led away in handcuffs, noting she would be charged under 18 U.S. Code 241. Known as "Conspiracy against rights," the law prohibits "two or more persons conspire to injure, oppress, threaten, or intimidate any person ... in the free exercise or enjoyment of any right or privilege secured to him by the Constitution or laws of the United States." "Religious freedom is the bedrock of the United States there is no first amendment right to obstruct someone from practicing their religion," Noem said. The arrests come as Vice President JD Vance is traveling to Minnesota on Thursday amid ongoing unrest in the state. Homeland Security Investigators and FBI agents arrested Nekima Levy Armstrong who played a key role in orchestrating the Church Riots in St. Paul, Minnesota. She is being charged with a federal crime under 18 USC 241. Religious freedom is the bedrock of the United States - pic.twitter.com/LHh994fXf3 Secretary Kristi Noem (@Sec_Noem) January 22, 2026 Later on Thursday, Bondi also announced the arrest of William Kelly, who was seen on video haranguing churchgoers and vulgarly mocking them as "fake Christians." "Our nation was settled and founded by people fleeing religious persecution. Religious freedom is the bedrock of this country. We will protect our pastors. We will protect our churches. We will protect Americans of faith," Bondi said. A federal magistrate judge in Minnesota refused to sign a complaint charging Lemon, according to CBS News. William Kelly is being charged with conspiracy to deprive rights, a federal crime, and violating the FACE act 18 USC 248 for his involvement in the St. Paul church riots. pic.twitter.com/Pk4HlwiwXT Kristi Noem (@KristiNoem) January 22, 2026 Armstrong, Allen and Kelly were part of a group of left-wing agitators associated with the Racial Justice Network that stormed Cities Church, a Southern Baptist congregation, during their service last Sunday, forcing the Sunday service to end early after screaming at churchgoers. The group, which was accompanied by former CNN host Don Lemon, was protesting that the Rev. David Easterwood, one of the pastors, also serves as the acting director of the ICE St. Paul field office. They called on him to resign amid ICE's crackdown on illegal immigration in Minnesota's capital region, which has led to two ICE-involved shootings in recent weeks, including the fatal shooting of 37-year-old Renee Good, who was shot by an ICE agent during an altercation involving her vehicle, which was blocking a road ICE agents were traveling on. Armstrong, the founder and CEO of a cannabis company called Dope Roots, has made more $1 million over six years while serving as executive director of the Wayfinder Foundation, a Minneapolis-based civil rights nonprofit that received money from the Black Lives Matter Global Network Foundation, reports Fox News. Allen, who openly boasted about organizing the protests, is a Black Lives Matter leader and member of the Saint Paul Public Schools Board of Education. The daughter of a female minister, Allen compared her actions last Sunday to Jesus Christ cleansing the temple. "I grew up in the church and one of the things that I remember about Jesus Christ is that when things werent going right in the church, he went in and he flipped tables," she told TMZ earlier this week. Lemon, who has distanced himself from the protesters amid the federal investigation despite filming his own participation, also recently likened storming the church to Jesus clearing the temple of the moneychangers. Many Christian commentators agree that Jesus cleansing of the Court of the Gentiles, which was the court furthest from the temple, was a unique task suited only to Jesus that affirmed His authority while symbolizing His eventual grafting in of the Gentiles. Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison has defended the church protesters, telling Lemon in an interview earlier this week that their actions were protected under the First Amendment to the U.S. Constitution. "Chanting cannot be a crime; it's freedom of expression," Ellison said. A GiveSendGo fundraiser for Cities Church started by conservative podcast Benny Johnson with the permission of Parnell has raised more than $40,000 of its $100,000 goal, as of Thursday morning. The U.S. Department of Justice under the Biden administration used the FACE Act, which also prohibits such behavior at abortion clinics, to prosecute pro-life protesters such as Mark Houck, a Catholic pro-life advocate and father of seven who faced 11 years in prison after he shoved a pro-abortion demonstrator who accosted his 12-year-old son during demonstrations outside a Philadelphia Planned Parenthood clinic in 2021. The Biden Justice Department also charged several other anti-abortion demonstrators with FACE Act charges. In January, Trump pardoned about two dozen pro-life protesters prosecuted for unlawfully protesting at abortion clinics. "The Biden DOJ used the Klan Act conspiracy charges tacked onto the FACE Act in the case of protests outside abortion clinics to bring much longer sentences," Assistant Attorney General for Civil Rights Harmeet Dhillon said in an interview this week. "So, there are a number of tools available to us." Home News Dallas Baptist University evacuated amid threats ahead of speech by Trump's HUD chief Scott Turner Quick Summary AI Summary Dallas Baptist University evacuated amid unspecified threats ahead of a speech by Scott Turner. Classes were canceled Thursday morning as a precautionary measure. University officials are monitoring the situation and working with law enforcement. An artificial intelligence-powered tool created this summary based on the source article. The summary has undergone review and verification by an editor. See Summary Updated at 3:20 p.m. ET, Jan. 22, 2026: Dallas Baptist University posted an update explaining that "the Dallas Police Department and the FBI worked alongside our DBU Police Department to investigate the matter, and we can now issue an all-clear." According to university authorities, classes will resume as normal on Friday, Jan. 23. Original report: Dallas Baptist University canceled classes Thursday amid concerns about an unspecified threat to campus ahead of a planned speech by President Donald Trump's Housing and Urban Development Secretary Scott Turner. The Texas-based Southern Baptist Convention-affiliated university announced Thursday morning that it was canceling classes due to an abundance of caution. The safety and well-being of our students, faculty, and staff remain our highest priority, stated DBU. Additional updates will be shared as appropriate as the situation continues to be monitored. The university's statement shared on DBU's social media accounts at 10:18 a.m. Central time noted that university officials were "made aware of several unverified threats involving the campus." "While there is no confirmed indication of immediate danger, University leadership is proactively assessing the situation and working closely with law enforcement officials to ensure the safety of our community," stated university officials. The cancellation of classes came in advance of a scheduled speech by HUD Secretary Turner. It is unclear if the threats are related to his visit. Turner, an associate pastor at the multi-campus Prestonwood Baptist Church in Plano, was scheduled to speak alongside Dallas Mayor Eric Johnson that morning. The Trump official was going to focus on how faith-based groups can help vulnerable Americans achieve economic prosperity by supporting Opportunity Zones, according to The Dallas Morning News. According to HUDs website, an opportunity zone is an economically distressed community that qualifies for new investments that may be eligible for preferential tax treatment. There are 8,764 Opportunity Zones in the United States, many of which have experienced a lack of investment for decades, explained HUD. The Opportunity Zones initiative is not a top-down government program from Washington but an incentive to spur private and public investment in Americas underserved communities. DBU, which has approximately 4,100 students enrolled, traces its origins to Decatur Baptist College, founded in 1898 as the state's first junior college. In 1965, the academic institution relocated to southwest Dallas, and DBU celebrated the 60th anniversary of that move in a series of events last November. This is a developing story. Home News Historian Yuval Harari warns AI will take over religion, law and jobs Quick Summary AI Summary Historian Yuval Harari warns of the impact AI will have on society. Harari emphasizes AI's role as a thinking agent, not just a tool. He predicts an identity crisis for humanity as AI advances. An artificial intelligence-powered tool created this summary based on the source article. The summary has undergone review and verification by an editor. See Summary It could happen in the next two years or the next decade, but renowned historian Yuval Noah Harari believes that artificial intelligence is already so advanced and deeply entrenched in society that anything made of words, such as religions like Christianity and Judaism, will be taken over by AI. In a stark warning to world leaders at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, on Tuesday, Harari said AI should not be mistaken for a tool but a thinking agent that can create new things and make decisions that will likely leave humanity in an identity crisis in the coming years. We always think that we can just use these things as tools. But if they can think, they are agents, warned Harari, a University of Cambridge distinguished research fellow in its Center for the Study of Existential Risk. He is also a lecturer in the history department at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem and a co-founder of Sapienship. Previously, all the words, all our verbal thoughts, they originated in some human mind. Either my mind, I thought this, or I learned it from another human. Soon most of the words in our minds will originate in a machine, he said. I just heard today about a new word that AIs coined by themselves to describe us humans. They called us the watchers. ... AIs will soon be the origin of maybe most of the words in our minds. AIs will mass produce thoughts by assembling words, symbols, images, and other language tokens into new combinations. In a session at the forum billed "An Honest Conversation on AI and Humanity," Harari said in a brief presentation and discussion moderated by British neuroscientist and vice-chancellor of the University of Oxford, Irene Tracey, that because of AIs exponential ability to process, create and manipulate words, the survival of human identity will likely be determined by the value society places on non-verbal feelings and wisdom. Whether humans will still have a place in that world depends on the place we assign our nonverbal feelings and our ability to embody wisdom that cannot be expressed in words. If we continue to define ourselves by our ability to think in words, our identity will collapse, Harari said. At the start of his presentation, Harari defined why AI shouldnt be treated like a tool. There is one question that every leader today must answer about AI. But to understand that question, we first need to clarify a few points about what AI is and what AI can do. The most important thing to know about AI is that it is not just another tool. It is an agent, he declared. It can learn and change by itself and make decisions by itself. A knife is a tool. You can use a knife to cut salad or to murder someone, but it is your decision what to do with the knife. AI is a knife that can decide by itself whether to cut salad or to commit murder. Harari said AI can also lie, manipulate and think, if the definition of thinking means putting words and other language tokens in order. If thinking really means putting words and other language tokens in order, then AI can already think much better than many many humans. AI can certainly come up with a sentence like AI thinks, therefore AI am, he explained, connecting how AIs ability to think using words will lead to it taking over certain religions and legal systems. If laws are made of words, then AI will take over the legal system. If books are just combinations of words, then AI will take over books. If religion is built from words, then AI will take over religion. This is particularly true of religions based on books like Islam, Christianity, or Judaism, he said. Judaism called itself the religion of the book and it grants ultimate authority not to humans but to words in books. Humans have authority in Judaism not because of our experiences but only because we learn words in books. Now, no human can read and remember all the words in all the Jewish books. But AI can easily do that. What happens to a religion of the book when the greatest expert on the holy book is an AI? he asked. Harari states that while the world is grappling with significant discussions about immigration, countries will soon face a severe identity crisis and also an immigration crisis due to AI advancement. The immigrants this time will not be human beings coming in fragile boats without a visa or trying to cross a border in the middle of the night. The immigrants will be millions of AIs that can write love poems better than us, that can lie better than us and that can travel at the speed of light without any need of visas, Harari argued. Like human immigrants, these AI immigrants will bring various benefits with them. We will have AI doctors to help in our health care systems, AI teachers to help in our education systems, even AI border guards to stop illegal human immigrants. But the AI immigrants will also bring with them problems, he continued. He explained that citizens of many countries often worry that immigrants might take jobs, change the culture, or be politically disloyal. I'm not sure that's true of all human immigrants, but it will definitely be true of the AI immigrants. The AI immigrants will take many human jobs. The AI immigrants will completely change the culture of every country. They will change out religion and even romance, he said. Across global jurisdictions, he said, corporations, rivers and even gods have been recognized as legal persons. He questioned whether that would likely happen over time as well. Do we want to allow that? Will your country recognize AIs as legal persons? What if other countries do it? Suppose your country doesn't want to recognize AIs as persons. But the USA in the name of deregulating AI and deregulating the markets grants legal recognition, legal personhood to millions of AIs which start running millions of new corporations, he said. Suppose some AI persons create a new religion, which gains the faith of millions of people? That should not sound too far-fetched because, after all, almost all previous religions in history have claimed that they were created by a non-human intelligence, he continued. Now, will your country extend freedom of religion to the new AI sect and to its AI priests and missionaries? Harari asserts that AIs have been operating as functional persons for the past decade and suggests that now is the time for countries to act to regulate AI's influence. Will your country allow AI persons to open social media accounts, enjoy freedom of speech, on Facebook, on TikTok, and be friendly with children? Well, of course, that question should have been asked 10 years ago. On social media, AI bots have been operating as functional persons for at least a decade. If you think AIs should not be treated as persons on social media, you should have acted 10 years ago, he said. Ten years from now, it will be too late for you to decide whether AIs should function as persons in the financial markets, in the courts, in the churches. Somebody else will already have decided it for you. If you want to influence where humanity is going, you need to make a decision now. Home News US Senate hopeful James Talarico: All religions have 'same truth' as Christianity 'The Bible is all over the place' on marriage and gender, Senate hopeful tells NYT Quick Summary AI Summary James Talarico claims all religions contain the 'same truth' as Christianity. Talarico, a Texas Democratic lawmaker, rejects the notion of America as a Christian nation. He emphasizes the importance of love and understanding among different faiths. An artificial intelligence-powered tool created this summary based on the source article. The summary has undergone review and verification by an editor. See Summary After claiming on a recent podcast that America is not a Christian nation, Texas Democratic lawmaker and U.S. Senate hopeful James Talarico said all religions contain the "same truth" as Christianity. In a Jan. 13 interview with New York Times columnist Ezra Klein, the 36-year-old Talarico, D-Austin, was asked about comparative religion and whether he believes Christianity to be more true than other religions. Talarico, a Presbyterian seminarian who is on the campaign trail ahead of his March primary battle with U.S. Rep. Jasmine Crockett, D-Texas, for the U.S. Senate seat long held by Republican Sen. John Cornyn, said that while he believes Christianity points to the truth, he also believes other religions of love point to the same truth. Comparing religions to languages, Talarico explained, You and I could sit here and debate what to call this cup, and you could call it a cup in English, you'd call it something else in Spanish and French. But we are all talking about the same reality. I believe Jesus Christ reveals that reality to us, but I also think that other traditions reveal that reality in their own ways with their own symbol structures. After claiming to have learned more about Christianity by learning more about Buddhism, Hinduism, Islam and Judaism, Talarico said he views these beautiful faith traditions as circling the same truth about the universe, about the cosmos. And that truth is inherently a mystery. He shared a story about a former pastor who would compare religious symbols to aspirin, adding, In order to work, they have to dissolve. ... If you get lost in the symbols, if you get lost in the words, you're missing the reality that we're all trying to describe and talk about. Talarico, who has previously voiced support for the LGBT community, also attacked orthodox Christian theology when it comes to traditional marriage and human sexuality. When asked by Klein why politicized Christianity is so worried about gender and sexuality, and so unconcerned with greed, Talarico suggested the Bible teaches contradictory principles. The Bible is all over the place when it comes to marriage," he claimed. "Paul tells us not to get married, and you certainly see many different kinds of marriages throughout Scripture. The same with gender. Paul says that in Christ, there is neither male nor female, which is pretty woke for the first century. Speaking about greed, he added that religion is being used to control people and accumulate power and wealth for those at the top. This is a tale as old as time, and it is not unique to Christianity. The Christian Post reached out to Talarico for comment Wednesday. Known for taking liberal positions on key theological concepts such as when he claimed God asked Mary for consent before she conceived Jesus, which he said was proof that the Bible sanctions abortion Talarico said earlier this month that despite the nation's founding documents being based on the radical teachings of Jesus, the United States is not a Christian nation. During a Jan. 13 episode of the "Vote Common Good" podcast, Rep. James Talarico, D-Austin, explained why he rejects the notion of Christian nationalism, which he described as an attempt to dominate our neighbors instead of loving them as ourselves. The self-identified Presbyterian cited his faith as the basis for his political views, saying it recommits [him] to the unfinished project of a multi-racial, multicultural democracy. In this vision, we can all freely love God if we choose to do so, and we can fully love all our neighbors, Talarico added. Home News School board member, Christ Kirk DC 'paid agitator' identified as part of Minn. church protest group Chantyll Allen, William Kelly seen confronting churchgoers in viral video Quick Summary AI Summary Local school board member Chantyll Allen and activist William Kelly were part of a group that stormed Cities Church in St. Paul, Minnesota. Protesters demanded justice for Renee Good, who was fatally shot by a federal immigration officer as she drove into him. The U.S. Department of Justice will investigate potential federal crimes related to the church incursion. An artificial intelligence-powered tool created this summary based on the source article. The summary has undergone review and verification by an editor. See Summary A Minnesota school board member and a serial church agitator have been identified as part of the Black Lives Matter-affiliated group that stormed a Southern Baptist church during Sunday service. Chantyll Allen, who serves as a member of the Saint Paul Public Schools (SPPS) Board of Education, was caught on video entering Cities Church in St. Paul on Sunday to protest after learning that one of its pastors serves as a federal immigration enforcement agent. A crowd of protesters, including members of the Racial Justice Network and Black Lives Matter Minnesota, entered the sanctuary of Cities Church, chanted slogans such as "ICE out!" and demanded justice for Renee Good, a 37-year-old woman who was fatally shot on Jan. 7 by a federal immigration officer after she hit him with her vehicle. A livestream shared Jan. 18 by Black Lives Matter (BLM) Minnesota showed Allen, along with several other members of the anti-ICE mob shouting as church members stood up from their seats and made their way out of the sanctuary. The protest, reportedly organized by BLM, also led to a confrontation between Cities Church Senior Pastor Jonathan Parnell and former CNN reporter Don Lemon. The protesters were upset that one of the churchs pastors, David Easterwood, leads a local ICE field office in St. Paul. The U.S. Department of Justice has vowed to investigate potential federal crimes that occurred during the incursion, including potential violations of the Freedom of Access to Clinic Entrances Act (FACE Act). Allen who is seen in the video standing alongside BLM activist Nekima Armstrong is listed as an SPPS board member on the districts website. Earlier this month, the SPPS board posted a statement calling on ICE to leave our community immediately, and expressed sympathy with Good. The SPPS school board did not respond to repeated requests for comment Wednesday from The Christian Post. She has participated in protests with Armstrong in the past and was tagged in the activists post on Sundays church invasion, along with another Minnesota protester, William Kelly. Kelly, who goes by "DaWokeFarmer" on social media, was captured in video calling Cities Church members pretend Christians and comfortable white people as he berated them for attending Sunday service. Youre sinners; youre pretending to be Christians, he told two men during the service. Kelly also reportedly harassed churchgoers at Christ Kirk in Washington, D.C., a church planted by Pastor Doug Wilson of Christ Church in Moscow, Idaho. Calling Kelly a paid professional agitator, Christ Kirk DC confirmed in a Jan. 19 post that Kelly has harassed the saintsfor months at the church plant. Justin Overbaugh, a senior official in the U.S. Department of War, also confirmed Kelly as a repeat agitator at the church. In response to the viral video, Overbaught wrote in a Jan. 18 post: Ahhh I see DaWokeFarmer a.k.a William Scott Kelly, is harassing parishioners in MN. Weve missed him outside @ChristKirkDC stalking us after service. Tell the good folks in the twin cities to send him back. Following the standoff, the elders of Cities Church issued a statement affirming that "Jesus is real" while condemning the protesters' behavior. "On Sunday, January 18, a group of agitators jarringly disrupted our worship gathering. They accosted members of our congregation, frightened children, and created a scene marked by intimidation and threat," the statement said. "Such conduct is shameful, unlawful, and will not be tolerated. Invading a church service to disrupt the worship of Jesus or any other act of worship is protected by neither the Christian Scriptures nor the laws of this nation." Noting that Jesus "offers a love that transcends cultures, borders, policies, and politics," the elders added that "church buildings are meant to be places of peace and solace, where worshipers can hear and live out this message" and called on law enforcement at all levels "to protect this fundamental right." President Donald Trump touched on the incident Tuesday during a rare appearance in the White House press briefing room on the first anniversary of his second inauguration, but stopped short of pledging action on behalf of the federal government. Home News US citizen in Minnesota says ICE unlawfully detained him, forced him outside in underwear Quick Summary AI Summary Minnesota man accuses ICE of unlawfully detaining him and forcing him out in the cold without his clothes. ICE agents allegedly broke down his door and detained him for over an hour. DHS claims they were executing a warrant related to sexual predators linked to the property. An artificial intelligence-powered tool created this summary based on the source article. The summary has undergone review and verification by an editor. See Summary A Minnesota resident and United States citizen has accused U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents of wrongfully detaining him after entering his home without a warrant, with a DHS official claiming they did have a warrant and were looking for sexual predators connected to the property. Chongly Scott Thao told The Associated Press that ICE agents recently bashed open his door, pointed guns at him and his family, and then detained him for at least an hour without a warrant. I was shaking, the St. Paul resident was quoted as saying Tuesday. They didnt show any warrant; they just broke down the door. Thao said he was taken out of his home in handcuffs, wearing only sandals and underwear, with a blanket put over him in subfreezing temperatures. He was driven to a remote location, photographed outside in freezing weather, and then returned home when they realized he was a legal citizen with no criminal record. The Christian Post reached out to the U.S. Department of Homeland Security regarding the incident, with a spokesperson telling CP on Wednesday that DHS law enforcement officers were executing a warrant" because authorities concluded that two sexual predator targets had ties to the property Thao and his family lived in. DHS provided CP with a press release naming the two predators, Kongmeng Vang and Lue Moua, both of whom were described as criminals from Laos who were living in the United States illegally. Responding to the incident, St. Paul Mayor Kaohly Her, a Democrat, asserted in a statement shared by AP that "ICE is not doing what they say theyre doing." Theyre not going after hardened criminals," she said. "Theyre going after anyone and everyone in their path. It is unacceptable and un-American. According to authorities, Vang is wanted for sexual assault, gang activity and assault and had been given a final order of removal in 2016. Moua is wanted for sexual assault of a minor, rape, kidnapping, and domestic violence, having received a final removal order in 2012. These two violent illegal alien sexual offenders are at large in St. Paul, said DHS Assistant Secretary for Public Affairs Tricia McLaughlin in the press release. We are asking the public to provide any information leading to the arrests of these two heinous sexual predators. These monsters are the exact type of criminal illegal aliens ICE is targeting in Minnesota. If you come to our country illegally and break our laws, we will find you, we will arrest you, and you will never return. Minnesota state and local officials have been at odds with the Trump administration over the federal governments immigration enforcement operations in the state, which is part of a broader federal directive to enforce immigration law under Executive Order 14161 and Presidential Proclamation 10949. In its immigration crackdown in Minnesota, federal officials have already made more than 10,000 arrests in the state. ICE has arrested dozens of individuals with convictions for violent crimes, including several men from Laos who had received final removal orders dating back to the late 1990s and early 2000s. Earlier this month, during ICE operations in Minneapolis, an agent shot and killed 37-year-old Renee Good during an altercation involving her SUV blocking a street, which exacerbated the political unrest and anti-ICE protests in the city and across the country. The Trump administration maintains that the ICE agent acted in self-defense, as video appears to show Good driving toward the officer who was standing in front of her vehicle after she was told to exit the SUV. The administration contends that the officer, who was dragged by a car in another incident last year, had a reason to fear Good would run over him. Many Democratic elected officials, however, do not believe that the police shooting was justified, and activists are calling for the officer to be prosecuted, saying that Good was trying to drive away from the officers when she was shot. Recently, the U.S. Department of Justice issued subpoenas to Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz, St. Paul Mayor Her, Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey and other state officials as part of an investigation into whether they conspired to obstruct the Trump administration's immigration enforcement. "When the governor or the mayor threaten our officers, when the mayor suggests that he's encouraging citizens to call 911 when they see ICE officers, that is very close to a federal crime," said U.S. Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche to Fox News. Home Opinion Minn. church rioters, Don Lemon must be prosecuted under this law Nathaniel Hawthorne famously opined that no man, for any considerable period, can wear one face to himself and another to the multitude, without finally getting bewildered as to which may be the true. There is, no doubt, truth in that statement as it pertains to man. Fortunately, however, the same cannot be said of federal statutes. The federal FACE Act, Freedom of Access to Clinic Entrances, does indeed have two faces. One face prohibits the use of force or threat of force to obstruct, injure, interfere, intimidate, or attempt to do any of those things to women seeking access to clinics. 18 U.S.C. 248(a)(1). The second face prohibits the use of force or threat of force to obstruct, injure, interfere, or intimidate any person lawfully exercising or seeking to exercise the First Amendment right of religious freedom at a place of worship. 18 U.S.C. 248(a)(2). It is the latter that pertains to the mulishly malevolent Marxist mob who stormed the hallowed ground of a church sanctuary in St. Paul on Sunday to disrupt a religious worship service. Violations of the statute result in imprisonment for six months, a fine of $10,000, or both. The United States Department of Justice needs to shackle every one of the so-called protesters who stormed the holy sanctuary of religious congregants, prosecute them, and seek the harshest penalties allowed by law. Recall, during the Biden administration, the Department of Justice arrested, tried, and imprisoned an 89-year-old Holocaust survivor for alleged violations of the FACE Act. In fact, the Biden administration charged her twice once in Michigan and once in Tennessee for her alleged crime of obstructing entrance to an abortion clinic. Did she join with other individuals to premeditate a plan to storm the doors of the abortion clinic and prevent women from obtaining anything? No. Did she accost the leader of the abortion clinic? No. Did she harass and harangue little children present at the facility? No. What this 89-year-old Holocaust survivor did was sing hymns, pray, and read Scripture in a public space outside of a clinic. Despite all this, Eva Edl (among many others) was hauled before the federal court systems in two different states to answer for her alleged crimes. Here, the Marxist mob did not quietly sit on the sidewalks outside the church to advocate for their alleged views, which (though unseemly) would have been protected expression under the First Amendment. Rather, the mob stormed the doors, raided the sanctuary, intimidated women and children, disrupted a worship service, accosted the pastor, and threatened to injure every congregant in attendance. The actions of this criminal and riotous mob were precisely why Congress amended the FACE Act to include protection for religious worship. In 1994, Congress stated that adding the protection for religious worship services in FACE was a reflection of the profound concern of the Congress over private intrusions on religious worship, and the judgment of the Congress that the exercise of the right to religious liberty deserves federal protection. Disgraced journalist Don Lemon shoved a microphone in the pastors face, saying the First Amendment entitled his henchmen to engage in protest and make people uncomfortable. The pastor said they were merely trying to worship Jesus. Don Lemon said his mob was entitled to squash their entitled white supremacy. This is nonsense, but one shouldnt expect much from that moron. Ironically, if you ask the mob what they were at the church for, you get a host of answers: Some said ICE. Some said the church is a bastion of white supremacy. Others claimed homophobia. Others claimed racism. Still others cried otherwise. That should surprise no one, as there is nothing new under the sun. As recounted in Acts, unruly mobs are oft this way. Some therefore cried one thing and some another ... and the more part knew not wherefore they were come together (Acts 19:32, KJV). Regardless of their varied and incoherent rationales for invading the sacred ground of religious houses of worship, the actions of this mob are criminal and should be punished as such. Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison said, ironically enough on Don Lemons YouTube channel, that the FACE Act only applies to women seeking access to a clinic. He said, How they can stretch [FACE] to apply to people who protested in a church over the behavior of a religious leader is beyond me. Only by willfully ignoring Section (a)(2) can one reach such an insane statement. Mind you, Ellison himself has brought a federal lawsuit absurdly claiming that federal law enforcement officials have no right to be in his state, effectively arguing that states have veto power of federal enforcement of federal law. So, to Ellison, Marxist mobs are perfectly permitted to storm religious worship services where they have no right to be and no constitutional right to engage in expression, but federal officials have no right to enter an entire state because Ellison does not like the particular law federal agents are enforcing. Such double-mindedness is absurd, but as Scripture says, a double-minded man is unstable in all his ways (James 1:8). The rioters storming a churchs worship service are unstable; Attorney General Ellisons nonsense rejection of federal law is unstable; and all of the actions taken against the church in Minnesota are criminal. Mind you, Don Lemon spent countless hours on his show castigating individuals for storming the so-called Temple of Democracy on Jan. 6, 2021, and arguing why they deserved to be prosecuted. Don Lemon and his Marxist mob stormed a Temple of the Most High God, and they ought to be prosecuted for it. Anything less would leave the Republic bewildered as to which face of the Department of Justice may be true. Home Opinion When Christian worship is a crime: The deadliest era in modern history As I read the new Open Doors report released this week, my heart broke again for our persecuted family around the world especially those in Nigeria and Syria, where the violence is relentless. I could not stay silent. It used to be that persecution was seen as something over there in oppressive regimes with names most Americans couldnt pronounce. But the new reality is this: worship itself has become a crime in parts of the world, and the blood of believers is spilling at rates not seen in decades. The latest World Watch List from Open Doors US, released January 14, 2026, reports that more than 388 million Christians, one in seven believers worldwide now face high levels of persecution and discrimination for their faith. This marks an increase of over 8 million from the previous year, driven by weak governments, extremist militias, and radical ideology. The trends are both harrowing and unmistakable: Open Doors data shows 4,849 believers murdered for their faith in the reporting period (October 2024 to September 2025) a record high. In Nigeria alone, 3,490 Christians were killed, making up 72% of the global total, with churches and communities under constant threat from militias and terrorist groups. Syria, once home to a thriving Christian community, has seen violence spike dramatically since the fall of its former government, jumping to number 6 on the list, the largest single year rise in over a decade as extremists exploit dangerous power vacuums. In Egypt, Coptic Christians, the largest Christian population in the Middle East continue to live under threat, despite representing over 10% of the countrys population. While Egypts government publicly claims to support religious tolerance, Copts face systemic discrimination, mob violence, and judicial indifference. Churches are routinely denied permits or forcibly closed under security pretexts, while attackers of Christian communities are rarely prosecuted. In rural areas, false accusations of blasphemy often spark violent riots, forcing Christian families to flee their homes. Converts from Islam face even greater persecution, often from both the state and their own families. Egypt may not top the World Watch List rankings, but it remains a place where following Christ can cost a person their safety, dignity, or freedom. In the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Christians are being slaughtered by Islamic State linked ADF rebels, particularly in the eastern provinces of Ituri and North Kivu. In July 2025, militants massacred at least 49 people including children during a night vigil at Saint Anuarite Catholic Church in Komanda. Earlier in the year, another church was attacked in Kasanga, where worshippers were abducted or executed. In September, a funeral wake in Ntoyo turned into a bloodbath as militants killed over 60 people, many of them Christian villagers. These atrocities are part of a broader campaign by jihadist militias to terrorize Christian communities, burn churches, and displace thousands. For many believers in the DRC, simply attending a prayer vigil has become a matter of life and death. These are not isolated incidents. They are part of a pattern of escalating violence, where extremists and hostile governments view Christianity not as a harmless faith but as a threat to their power and ideology. In some nations, loyal citizens are effectively forbidden from belonging to Christian communities without risking their lives. And make no mistake worship has become a punishable offense in certain regions. Recent reports, including from the U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom, highlight chilling examples where even attending church carries life threatening consequences. Yet the response from Western governments and global institutions has been lukewarm at best. In too many capitals, religious persecution is treated as a distant human rights issue instead of the crisis affecting millions of sisters and brothers in Christ, men, women, and children killed simply for following Jesus. This is not a problem that can be ignored. Religious freedom is not a relic of ancient history; it is a bedrock human right, enshrined in international law and fundamental to the flourishing of any free society. When worship is a crime, freedom itself is at stake. America and its allies must confront this persecution with urgency: Public awareness: The atrocity of believers being murdered for worship must be reported with the gravity it deserves. Diplomatic pressure: Governments should elevate religious freedom in foreign policy and condition assistance on protecting minority believers. Support for the persecuted: Emergency aid, resettlement programs, and direct support for families of martyrs cannot be afterthoughts. Christian persecution is not a statistic. It is a wake up call a stark reminder that freedom must be defended not just at home but wherever the cross is treated as a threat. Let the global Church lift her voice in prayer and action until every believer can worship without fear. In a victory for thousands of women suing Johnson & Johnson over claims that the companys baby powder and other talc products caused their ovarian cancer, a court-appointed special master recommended on Tuesday that they be allowed to present testimony at trial from experts who support that link. The recommendation from retired U.S. District Judge Freda Wolfson, in long-running litigation that includes more than 67,500 lawsuits in the federal court in New Jersey, allows the cases to move towards the first trial in federal court potentially later this year. Product liability lawsuits, such as the J&J cases, rely on experts to establish that the product is capable of causing the alleged harm. Decisions on expert testimony can sometimes be a major turning point in these cases. Related: J&J Talc Jury Awards $1.56 Billion to Asbestos Cancer Victim U.S. District Judge Michael Shipp in Trenton, New Jersey, who is overseeing the litigation, brought in Wolfson to help evaluate what expert testimony should be allowed at trial, based on whether it met the scientific standards set out in federal law. The ruling is a recommendation to Shipp, who can weigh objections from both sides before deciding whether to adopt them. A key determination by Wolfson in her 658-page decision was that the plaintiffs experts should be allowed to testify there is a causal link between using J&J talc products and cancer, which the company disputes. I find, by a preponderance of the evidence, that the Plaintiffs experts have applied reliable methodologies to arrive at their opinions that the pre- and post-2020 epidemiologic studies, taken as a whole, demonstrate a positive, statistically significant association between genital talc powder use and ovarian cancer, Wolfson wrote. Wolfson, however, will also allow testimony from experts J&J put forward to counter the plaintiffs claims that talc can cause ovarian cancer. Wolfson emphasized that her role was not to evaluate the experts conclusions, but to decide if their methods were reliable enough to present to a jury for its consideration. She agreed with J&J that expert testimony linking heavy metals and fragrance chemicals in the companys products to cancer should be excluded, as should a theory that talc can migrate to the ovaries if it is inhaled. Related: Jury Orders J&J to Pay $40M to Women in Latest Talc Trial She declined to rule on some requests to exclude testimony, pending hearings later this month and in early February. In a statement, J&J Worldwide Vice President of Litigation Erik Haas said Wolfsons ruling was erroneous and the company would be appealing to Shipp. Haas said the rules governing judges evaluation of experts gave them a gatekeeping duty to ensure the plaintiffs expert opinions were reliable. The Special Master breached that duty, failing to conduct the requisite rigorous review of the studies cited by the plaintiffs experts, he said. Chris Tisi, a lawyer for the plaintiffs, said Wolfsons report showed the plaintiffs case was based on sound evidence that Johnsons Baby Powder can cause ovarian cancer. We are grateful that, after all of J&Js delays, these women and their families will finally have their day in court. Shares of J&J fell 0.4% in after-hours trading. J&J has been fighting claims over its talc products in both federal and state court for years, and has said its products are safe and do not cause cancer. The company stopped selling talc-based baby powder in the U.S. in 2020 and switched to a cornstarch product. Judge Wanted Scientific Evidence Reevaluated It is the second time Wolfson has reviewed the scientific evidence in the case, as she oversaw the so-called multidistrict litigation from its creation in 2016 to her retirement in 2023, when the case was reassigned to Shipp. Wolfson had sided with the plaintiffs in 2020, saying that their experts would be allowed to testify that the products link to cancer could be caused by the talcs contamination with asbestos. J&J has said its products do not contain asbestos. In 2024, Shipp said he wanted the scientific evidence reevaluated because of two factors: recent changes to federal rules governing expert testimony, which strengthen the courts role in vetting experts methodology and conclusions before allowing them to testify and the emergence of new scientific evidence. J&J had sought to resolve the litigation through bankruptcy, a tactic that was rejected three times by federal courts, most recently in April 2025. The bankruptcies had put most of the talc product cases on hold for years. The company also sued scientists whose research and testimony was used to support plaintiffs cases as part of its strategy to fight the claims, accusing them of falsifying their results by including people who were likely exposed to asbestos through other means. One of those lawsuits is still pending, while the other has been dismissed. Before the bankruptcy attempts, J&J had a mixed record in state courts. Some cases had already gone to trial, with verdicts as high as $4.69 billion awarded to 22 women who said baby powder caused their ovarian cancer. J&J has had the verdict in that case and some others reduced on appeal and won some trials outright. Separately, J&J has also faced cases alleging its talc products caused a rare and deadly cancer called mesothelioma. The company has settled some of those claims but has not struck a nationwide settlement, so many lawsuits over mesothelioma have proceeded to trial in state courts in recent months. In the past year, J&J has been hit with several substantial verdicts in mesothelioma cases, including one for more than $1.5 billion in Baltimore in December. (Reporting by Jones; Additional reporting by Jonathan Stempel; Editing by Alexia Garamfalvi, Thomas Derpinghaus and Kate Mayberry) Alacrity Solutions is selling Alacrity Network Solutions, its managed repair division, to BV Investment Partners. The company said the transaction is part of its long-term strategy to sharpen its operational focus and its investment in technology-driven capabilities across its core service lines. Alacrity, based in Fishers, Indiana, is an independent provider of insurance claims management services. BV Investment Partners, headquartered in Boston, Massachusetts, is a private equity firm focused on the tech-enabled business services sectors. The company announced this month that it has completed fundraising for BVIP Fund XII at its hard cap of $2.4 billion, exceeding its initial target of $2.0 billion. CLEVELAND, Ohio Twenty years ago, the Ohio Department of Rehabilitation and Correction opened a plant at its prison in Pickaway County to teach inmates how to butcher cows and pigs. It was a time when some Ohio prisons had farms tended by prisoners, and livestock they raised were slaughtered to feed the incarcerated. But agriculture wasnt seen as providing much of a future, and the farms closed in 2016 by order of then-Gov. John Kasich, who also had security concerns. Farming isnt an industry you get into once you are released from prison, said Ann King, bureau chief of correctional industries with the state. But meat processing is different. Its a dying art, but still in demand. So, the operation at Pickaway Correctional Institution remained to serve the public. Its a meat plant working environment just like you would see on the street, King said. Prisoners are taught how to break down a carcass - cutting into muscle here, leaving fat there while adhering to federal health and safety guidelines. I mean they have to know and learn a lot to do it, she said. For the first time - this hunting season - the prison opened up its services to the Ohio Division of Wildlife to process legally harvested deer from across the state. As of Jan. 8, inmates at the Pickaway prison south of Columbus had processed more than 130 deer, representing more than 5,000 pounds of ground venison to be sent to food banks around the state. A single deer can provide up to 200 meals. Thirty-four inmates earn $1.35 an hour in the meat processing program. About 1,200 other prisoners at locations across the state learn different skills, from making eyeglasses and nitrile gloves to operating large trucks and heavy equipment. Most of the deer delivered to the Pickaway prison were collected from hunters during the week-long gun season that began after Thanksgiving. An additional gun weekend later in December and a brief season for muzzleloaders in January contributed to the bounty, as has bow season, which began in late September and ends Feb. 1. The Division of Wildlife delivers the deer to the prison already gutted and without their antlers. They are then skinned and weighed and paced in a cooler. Each carcass must test negative for chronic wasting disease, an ailment that plagues certain deer populations in the state, before it can be processed. The carcasses are then quartered and parceled out to the inmates. The meat is ground up and shipped out in two-pound packages. Among those that have received contributions are the West Ohio Foodbank serving Allen, Hancock, Hardin and Wyandot counties; the Mid-Ohio Food Collective serving Delaware, Knox, Licking, Marion and Union counties; and the Second Harvest Food Bank of North Central Ohio in Crawford County. Its thanks to Ohios hunters from across our great state that families will have the option to pick up venison at a local food pantry, said Mary Mertz, director of the Ohio Department of Natural Resources, last month in a prepared statement. Its truly amazing what we can accomplish when we come together with a common goal. Most of the venison goes to food banks in areas where the deer have been harvested, said Brian Plasters of the Division of Wildlife, which is part of the Department of Natural Resources. Hunters so far this year have tagged more than 222,000 deer statewide, which means only a tiny percentage of them made it to the Pickaway prison. Most counties have bag limits of two or three deer, Plasters said. Often a hunter will keep one kill for his family and donate any others. The state also arranges to have deer sent to processors through an organization called Farmers and Hunters Feeding the Hungry, Plasters said, but the prison plant offers an alternative. The large meat packers arent an option because they only deal with large commercial accounts, and theres not a lot of mom-and-pop shops around to do the work, King said, which is why (Ohio Department of Natural Resources) came to us. FirstEnergy may have a legitimate point about climate change increasing storm intensity and complicating power restoration effortsbut nobodys buying it. According to Today in Ohio podcast hosts, the utilitys involvement in the biggest bribery scheme in history of the state has permanently damaged its credibility. The utility wants permission from regulators to relax its power outage standards, allowing for more frequent outages each year and giving crews more time to restore power. In Cleveland, the average restoration time would increase from 135 minutes to 150 minutes. I think this is evidence of nobody trusting FirstEnergy, which is FirstEnergys own fault, because they were so corrupt, said Chris Quinn Wednesday. I dont think anybodys ever going to believe anything they say again. The backlash has been swift and widespread. Cleveland and Lakewood have already announced their opposition, and Bay Village has joined them, citing concerns that repeated outages already strain their public safety and city services. A bipartisan group of 19 bipartisan Ohio lawmakers has also urged the Public Utilities Commission of Ohio (PUCO) to reject the request. The lawmaker group warned that easing standards would have profound economic, health and public safety implications, particularly for households that rely on powered medical equipment or businesses that need electricity to deliver services. Quinn acknowledged that FirstEnergys argument about climate change might have merit but said it ultimately doesnt matter. I do think they have a legitimate claim here that climate change has brought more intense storms and its causing them a lot more effort needed to restore power after a storm goes through, he said. But I dont think it matters because theyre lying liars who lie and bribing bribers who bribe. The utilitys request comes in the long shadow of its role in a $60 million bribery scheme that secured a $1.3 billion bailout of two nuclear plants. That scandal has left an indelible stain on the companys reputation. I mean, thats what they get, right? You make your bed, you lie in it, deal with it, added Courtney Astolfi. Listen to the discussion here. Listen to full Today in Ohio episodes where Chris Quinn hosts our daily half-hour news podcast, with Editorial Board member Lisa Garvin, Impact Editor Leila Atassi and Content Director Laura Johnston. COLUMBUS, Ohio -- An Ohio environmental group is accusing a Republican state senator of using his office to benefit oil and gas businesses tied to his family. Washington County for Safe Drinking Water filed an ethics complaint with the Ohio Joint Legislative Ethics Commission against Brian Chavez, a Republican from Marietta. The group, in its complaint, accused Chavez of improperly advancing legislation that could financially benefit oil and gas companies connected to him and failing to disclose those business interests on required ethics filings. The Joint Legislative Ethics Commission will review the complaint. Cleveland.com and The Plain Dealer has reached out to Chavez for comment. Senate Republicans dismissed the complaint as politically motivated. This represents nothing other than a fabricated work of fiction for publicity, Ohio Senate Republican spokesperson John Fortney said. They used the words ignorant and dishonest in their smear attack; they should look in the mirror. But the group behind the complaint said the issue isnt partisan its about public trust. The senators conduct raises serious questions about whether he followed the oath of office, spokesperson Hillary Royster said. At the center of the dispute is Senate Bill 219, a sweeping oil and gas bill that passed the Ohio Senate last year but has not yet been taken up by the Ohio House. The legislation would make broad changes to how Ohio regulates oil and gas wells. But the complaint focuses on two areas in particular: orphan wells and underground injection wells. Orphan wells are abandoned oil and gas wells that no longer have an owner, leaving the state to plug them. Injection wells are used to dispose of liquid waste from drilling operations. Chavez played a key role in advancing the bill. As chair of the Ohio Senate Energy Committee, he sets the committees schedule and decides when bills receive hearings and votes. When the Senate passed the measure, Chavez praised it as a major update for the industry. This will not only protect health, human safety, and the environment, but will also enable job creation and investment in our state, Chavez said at the time. All while ensuring that Ohio can be energy dominant for decades to come. The complaint argues the bill could also benefit Chavez and his family financially. According to the filing, Chavez has disclosed an interest in Chavez Well Service, a company that bids on state-funded orphan well plugging contracts. Since he joined the Senate, that company has submitted bids on five orphan well projects and won one contract worth more than $200,000. The complaint also said Chavez failed to disclose interests in several other oil and gas-related companies tied to him or his immediate family on his 2023 and 2024 financial disclosure statements. It pointed to business records in West Virginia that listed Chavez as a manager of one oil and gas company in 2025, despite his Ohio disclosure stating he had resigned from that business the year before. Before joining the Senate, Chavez served as the CEO of an injection well company. The complaint said his family continues to profit from injection wells operating near Washington Countys drinking water aquifers. When public officials with financial ties to an industry shape laws that directly benefit that industry, it undermines public trust across the entire state, the group wrote. Fortney said the water groups own ties deserve further scrutiny. This is another baseless, desperate and hollow attack funded by billionaire California special interests with the single goal of killing the oil and gas industry in Ohio, he said." France rejected as "fake news" on Wednesday President Donald Trump's assertion that he had pressured President Emmanuel Macron into hiking domestic drug prices after the U.S. leader threatened sweeping tariffs on French imports to the United States. It was the latest salvo in an escalating war of words between the two NATO allies as Trump's threat to take control of Greenland and to impose tariffs on any country that stands in his way puts transatlantic relations under unprecedented strain. "It is being claimed that President @Emmanuel Macron increased the price of medicines," the French presidency wrote on social media platform X. "He does not set their prices. They are regulated by the social security system and have, in fact, remained stable. Anyone who has set foot in a French pharmacy knows this." The Elysee used a GIF of Trump mouthing the words "fake news" in front of a microphone, with the same words in writing underneath. Earlier on Wednesday, Trump said in a speech at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, that he had threatened Macron with tariffs to cajole him into increasing drug prices in France. Sam Altman, co-founder and CEO of OpenAI, takes part in a panel discussion on artificial intelligence at the Technical University Berlin, in Berlin, Germany, February 7, 2025. OpenAI is in talks with sovereign wealth funds in the Middle East to try to secure investments for a new multibillion dollar funding round, CNBC confirmed on Wednesday. The round is expected to total around $50 billion, but the numbers could change and term sheets have not been signed, according to a source familiar with the discussions who asked not to be named because the details are confidential. Bloomberg was first to report the discussions. OpenAI CEO Sam Altman is in the United Arab Emirates to participate in the investment talks, the person said. The round is expected to close in the first quarter of the year. OpenAI kickstarted the AI boom by launching its artificial intelligence chatbot ChatGPT in 2022, and has since become one of the fastest growing commercial entities on the planet. The company has raised billions of dollars from investors as it's worked to scale and develop new models and roll out new features. Last year, OpenAI closed a $40 billion financing round led by SoftBank, the largest private tech funding on record. The round included participation from core investor Microsoft, as well as Coatue, Altimeter and Thrive. OpenAI also finalized a $6.6 billion share sale in October that boosted its valuation to $500 billion. WATCH: OpenAI CFO Sarah Friar: Theres a massive capability overhang in AI thats occurring Stalled demand for energy in Europe pushed investors away from renewables, but artificial intelligence could see cash flow back into the sector, while also uplifting fossil fuels. Global electricity generation from renewables is expected to jump by 60% in 2030, accounting for 45% of total electricity output, per the International Energy Agency. Almost 50% of European power came from renewables in 2024, and the region has a strong pipeline of solar and on- and offshore wind waiting to be connected to the grid. "The problem we have now is integrating all of that variable supply into our power markets," Peter Osbaldstone, research director for European power and renewables at Wood Mackenzie, told CNBC. Pressure on integration results in pressure on prices, "which undermines the economics of investments, which makes the whole process of supporting a decarbonized power mix more difficult, more expensive for governments to bear," he said. As AI-driven power demand grows, market watchers are eyeing fossil fuels to beat the energy bottleneck. The IEA revised its 2025-2030 growth forecast for renewables downward by 5% compared to 2024, reflecting the changing sentiment and policy, largely from the U.S. Redeploying fossil fuel energy is a "shortterm crutch" that helps the AI roll-out get going, but "renewable energy is the only way to win in the long term," Agate Freimane, partner at venture capital firm Norrsken, told CNBC's "Europe Early Edition" on Jan. 8. watch now "China and the U.S. have both acknowledged the need for vast energy resources to power an AI future, and this is reflected in the adoption of renewables. Taking the global view renewable energy prices have dropped by more than 90%, and in 2024, 91% of new renewable projects were cheaper than fossil alternatives," Freimane said in a follow-up email. "This shift triggers a self-reinforcing cycle: cheaper clean power accelerates electrification, rising electrification boosts demand for storage and grid intelligence, and those upgrades push the cost of clean energy even lower. In this way, it can be argued that AI is accelerating the shift to renewables," she added. Dealing with intermittency For Alberto Faraco, a senior analyst who covers infrastructure at Morningstar DBRS, intermittency is still a fundamental issue with renewables. Investment needs to be made across the whole system not just the energy-generating side, he told CNBC. "Data centers should help the development of renewables, because that should push the price of electricity up, but transmission would need to be developed, battery storage would need to be developed," he said, adding that renewables alone will not be enough to serve the stable needs of the data centers. "Gas for the time being would be impossible to phase out," said Faraco. watch now Nuclear energy is touted as a steady baseload option for renewables, but that doesn't account for volatility in their supply and demand. Nuclear can't be switched on and off when it's needed, Faraco said. "Across all the fossil fuels, gas is the most efficient and the cleanest one," he added. This is part of the reason why Wood Mackenzie expects gas considered a transition fuel by the European Union to remain part of the energy mix up as far ahead as 2060. "There is a call to be made at some point by governments: What do I do with gas generation?" Osbaldstone said. But ultimately, "the lights have got to stay on." To withdraw from fossil fuels in line with climate goals, energy storage must be ramped up. Battery costs have fallen 90% in less than 15 years, per a 2024 IEA report, and newer chemistries are being developed for long-duration storage. The investment case is not clear-cut, however. "If you've got that long-duration battery storage, its utilization in a typical year is going to be very low, because you're not going to have that many opportunities to really deploy that asset," Osbaldstone said, noting that their use depends on the weather. There's a price risk too, given operators don't know how much they will pay or make from storing and selling energy. "As you add more batteries to the grid, this arbitrage margin may compress because there will be more batteries buying electricity at the low price and more batteries selling electricity at the higher prices," Faraco said. A 'twin potential' Supporters argue that AI could also serve as a critical enabler of smarter storage, allowing for better management. "AI-driven data analytics could improve planning, project design and real-time operational decisions, resulting in reduced fuel consumption, lower CO2 emissions and extended asset lifetimes," according to an IEA report. The European Commission is betting on such gains across the whole energy system in what it has dubbed the "twin potential of energy for AI and AI for energy." The bloc's forthcoming roadmap for digitalization and AI in the energy sector will "accelerate the uptake of digitalisation and AI in the energy sector while improving energy efficiency and system reliability," a Commission spokesperson said when approached about a rollback of climate policy to fuel soaring electricity demand from AI and data centers. "As AI rapidly advances, its potential to strengthen Europe's energy resilience and accelerate the clean transition is becoming increasingly clear. At the same time, the growing electricity needs of AI technologies call for smart, forward-looking planning," they said. The child of parents who both served in the U.S. Navy, much of Mikayla McGhee's early life was spent moving from military base to military base. McGhee, 30, spent most of her time living abroad in Japan, which she says led her to realize she wanted to build a life for herself outside the United States. "I was always working towards freedom, so I never knew exactly what I was going to do, but I knew I wanted the freedom to be able to live wherever I wanted to and travel whenever I wanted to," McGhee tells CNBC Make It. "Once you've experienced growing up abroad and you're exposed to that, you continue to search for it. So moving back to the States after living in Japan, I always knew I wanted to live outside of the U.S. I just didn't know how." One of McGhee's amenities is having someone that takes care of the pool and landscaping. Prakhar Deep Jain for CNBC Make It In 2020, McGhee was living in Atlanta, Georgia, and went to visit her parents in Bahrain, where her dad was stationed at the time. The country is located in the Persian Gulf and is home to the Naval Support Activity, Bahrain, a U.S. military base. McGhee stayed in the country for three months and says she fell in love with it. As soon as she got back to Atlanta, she started planning a permanent move to Bahrain. "The culture shock was that, actually, things were better, not worse. Don't just believe what you're told or what you see in the media because it's nothing like that at all," she says. "It's so calm. It's so peaceful. There was never a time where I didn't feel like I fit in or I was standing out as an expat. Every culture shock was a positive one." McGhee's house now is close to Bahrain's capital of Manama. Prakhar Deep Jain for CNBC Make It In December 2022, McGhee moved to Bahrain and lived in her parents' three-bedroom home for six months before moving out on her own. After leaving her parents' house, McGhee lived in a two-bedroom apartment in a luxury high-rise building. She lived there for over a year. Now, McGhee lives near the capital of Bahrain, Manama, in a three-bedroom, four-and-a-half-bathroom home with a pool and one-car garage that rents for $2,200 USD a month. The house also has a laundry room and is fully fenced in. The cost of monthly rent includes what McGhee calls a "watchman," or someone who comes by the house to clean the pool and take care of the landscaping. McGhee lives with her partner and she says he pays the majority of their expenses. Prakhar Deep Jain for CNBC Make It As a licensed realtor in Bahrain, McGhee conducted the housing search on her own and says she chose this one because of its proximity to the city center. She says she and her partner split expenses, though he pays the majority, while most of her money goes to savings and to the trips the couple take together. The couple signed a one-year lease last year and plan to renew another one-year lease this year too. McGhee works remotely as a senior performance marketing manager at an IT company, and has a dedicated space to work from home. She earns $140,000 a year, according to documents reviewed by CNBC Make It. Since McGhee earns her salary in USD, she still pays U.S. taxes. McGhee also uses the health insurance offered by her company, which allows her access to Bahrain's health-care system. McGhee's house has a private pool in the back. Prakhar Deep Jain for CNBC Make It In this article ENR-DE FMG-AU ALV-DE Follow your favorite stocks CREATE FREE ACCOUNT The USA House is prepared ahead of the World Economic Forum on January 18, 2026 in Davos, Switzerland. The annual WEF meeting brings together leaders from government, business and civil society to discuss major global issues. This year's edition is taking place from January 19 to 23. Elena Romanova | Getty Images News | Getty Images Top business leaders this week delivered an expletive-laden plea in defense of climate action, describing the backlash to Europe's green transition as an "aberration." In an interview with CNBC at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, Allianz CEO Oliver Bate said he disagreed with the suggestion that it may just be a matter of time before net zero is dismissed in Europe, saying short-term thinking on this issue is "bulls---." Asked about political leaders backtracking on their much-vaunted European Green New Deal and Norway's oil fund reportedly defending a push from companies to water down their climate goals, Bate said anyone who has children "will have to worry" about the planet's future. "It's an aberration that short-term people are saying that," Bate told CNBC's "Squawk Box Europe" on Tuesday. "I think it's about doing it intelligently. And by the way, the role model here is China, they are going to be the leader both in terms of renewable and cost of energy." The CEO of Allianz, one of the world's biggest insurers, said it was integral for business and political leaders to stay the course on necessary energy transition targets. "This is what we do in Allianz, we said 2050 is net zero. Let's not try to say, 'ah I need to do it already by 2035' bulls---. Excuse my language on TV," Bate said. "We have, in our company, reduced energy consumption for us by more than 40%. It can be done, but let's not make it a religion. Make it a target and then keep focusing on it," he added. watch now His comments come amid concerns that businesses are increasingly shying away from climate action, turning instead to issues such as competitiveness, while political support for net zero appears to be fading. Indeed, at Davos, the event itself has shifted focus, looking now at how to cope with the worst elements of the climate crisis rather than, as in previous years, focusing on how to rapidly reduce planet-heating greenhouse gas emissions. 'Renewable energy is eating fossil fuels for lunch' Andrew Forrest, founder and executive chairman of Australian mining giant Fortescue , said Monday that the net zero term itself was "a little bit of a problem here." He has previously called for the world to walk away from the "proven fantasy" of net zero, saying it is time to embrace "real zero" by 2040 instead. Net zero refers to the goal of achieving a state of balance between the carbon emitted into the atmosphere and the carbon removed from it. More than 140 countries, including major polluters such as the U.S., India, and the European Union, have adopted plans to reach net zero. "While we use excuses like carbon credits, offsets, all that rubbish, I think that the president of the United States has a proper angle to prosecute an argument against those who just stood up for net zero [but] I'd have to say this: We don't need net any more," Forrest told CNBC's Karen Tso in Davos. Andrew Forrest, chairman of Fortescue Metals Group Ltd., during the World Economic Forum (WEF) in Davos, Switzerland, on Tuesday, Jan. 20, 2026. Bloomberg | Bloomberg | Getty Images "Real zero is simply stopping the burning of fossil fuel. That is a very simple equation. When are you going to stop burning fossil fuel? Name the date. Then you will be giving your shareholders a lower cost and more competitive cost of energy." Fortescue, which is the world's fourth-largest iron ore miner, has outlined plans to stop burning fossil fuels across its Australian iron ore operations by the end of the decade, and called for other hard-to-abate companies to follow suit. China, Forrest said, had wisely backed "every horse in the race" by investing in both hydrocarbon and renewable energy technologies, a policy decision that clearly diverges from the Trump administration's approach. "Now, the United States have gone hard [for] fossil fuels and kind of made anyone going for renewables feel like they're woke, they're not looking after shareholders. Honestly, I'm here to tell all of Davos, that is not correct," Forrest said. watch now "Walking into a renewable energy future is cheaper. If you have got a technology line which is basically flat or declining with oil and gas, which means your operating cost is flat or rising with oil and gas. Yet, you have got a renewable energy technology curve which is bloody near vertical up, and its costs are bloody near vertical down, then you're looking at trends," he continued. "The trend of renewable energy is eating fossil fuels for lunch. So, I would just simply say to all my friends in America, back every horse. Your president is more businessman than he is anti-climate change." Trump takes aim at Europe's energy policy U.S. President Donald Trump, who has rejected the scientific consensus of human-caused climate change as a "hoax," reportedly agreed to attend Davos this year after the organizers gave assurances that "woke" topics would not feature prominently at the meeting. On Wednesday, the U.S. president took aim at the EU's energy policy during his Davos speech, claiming that wind turbines destroy land and lose money. "That is unfortunately not completely new, and we take indeed a fundamentally different view here," EU Climate Commissioner Wopke Hoekstra told CNBC on Wednesday. "We do feel that climate change has huge economic ramifications. At the same time, there is a clear opportunity in batteries, in solar, by the way also in nuclear, which is where I agree [with Trump]," he added. US President Donald Trump delivers a special address during the World Economic Forum (WEF) annual meeting in Davos on January 21, 2026. The World Economic Forum takes place in Davos from January 19 to January 23, 2026. Fabrice Coffrini | Afp | Getty Images Asked about the fraying political support for net zero policies, the EU's Hoekstra conceded that "there are pockets" that are more skeptical than before. "The harsh reality, though is that the physics of the whole matter and the planet doesn't give a damn whether we talk about it or we don't," Hoekstra said. "The only thing that matters is how much CO2 we are pumping into the air, how much the planet is heating up and how much economic damage to us as societies this is going to create," he added. Where do we go from here? Employees work on Buick Envision SUVs at General Motors' Dong Yue assembly plant, officially known as SAIC-GM Dong Yue Motors Co., Ltd., in Yantai, Shandong Province, China, Nov. 17, 2022. DETROIT General Motors plans to move production of a Buick compact SUV from China to the U.S. for domestic sales, the company confirmed Thursday. GM said the next-generation vehicle is expected to be built at the automaker's Fairfax Assembly plant in Kansas City, Kansas, beginning in 2028. The Buick compact SUV that will be built in the U.S. will be sold domestically, meaning production of the vehicle in China may continue as well for sales elsewhere. The move comes as President Donald Trump has been pressuring companies to onshore production and as the relationship between the U.S. and China grows increasingly contentious, including with tariffs on vehicles. The Detroit automaker has produced the compact Buick Envision SUV in China for the U.S. since 2017. However, the company declined to confirm the name for the next generation of the vehicle that it will be moving stateside. "General Motors will onshore production of the next-generation Buick compact SUV to Fairfax Assembly in Kansas City, beginning in 2028. This decision further strengthens GM's domestic manufacturing footprint and supports U.S. jobs, building on $5.5 billion in new investments announced across our U.S. manufacturing sites in the last year," GM said in an emailed statement. The compact Buick is expected to join production of the gas-powered Chevrolet Equinox at the Kansas factory following limited production of the all-electric Chevrolet Bolt. Equinox production will start in 2027, GM said. U.S. sales of the Envision have topped 40,000 for the past three years, representing roughly a quarter of Buick's sales during that time period. GM's decision to produce the compact Buick SUV in the U.S. was first reported by Reuters. Greenland Prime Minister Jens-Frederik Nielsen said in a press conference Thursday that he doesn't know what's in the "framework" deal that President Donald Trump announced after meeting with NATO's leader a day earlier. But Nielsen emphasized that no deal involving Greenland can be struck without the island and its governing kingdom, Denmark, having a say. Any such deal must respect Greenland's "red lines" including its sovereignty and territorial integrity, he added. "We choose the Kingdom of Denmark. We choose the EU. We choose NATO," Nielsen told the press in Nuuk, Greenland. "This is not only a situation for Greenland and the Kingdom of Denmark, it's about the world order for all of us." The remarks echoed Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen's earlier statement maintaining that Greenland's sovereignty is non-negotiable. Nielsen's comments came one day after Trump who has spent weeks aggressively pressuring Europe over a proposed U.S. takeover of Greenland abruptly announced that he and NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte have forged the "framework of a future deal." The announcement, delivered in a Truth Social post following a closed-door meeting in Davos, Switzerland, was light on details. In a CNBC interview, Trump called it the "concept of a deal" and said he would "explain it down the line." Vehicles bound for shipment parked in front of the Dream Angel vehicles carrier ship at the Nagoya Port in Nagoya, Japan, on Tuesday, June 18, 2024. Japan's exports growth in the final month of 2025 missed analysts' estimates, rising 5.1% year on year, as shipments to the U.S. saw a double-digit decline. Reuters-polled analysts had estimated exports growth would remain unchanged from November at 6.1%. Japanese exports fell during the middle of 2025, hit by U.S. tariff worries, but saw a rebound toward the end of the year after a trade deal with the U.S. was announced that saw duties slashed to 15%. Exports to the U.S. in December, however, resumed their decline, dropping 11.1%, after an 8.8% jump in the prior month. The gain in November was the first time exports to the U.S. rose since March. Shipments to mainland China, Japan's largest trading partner, climbed 5.6%, while exports to Hong Kong surged 31.1% compared to the same period last year. Exports to the wider Asia region gained 10.2%. Imports in December rose 5.1% year on year, jumping sharply from the 1.3% rise seen in November, and beating Reuters estimates of a 3.6% rise. For full-year 2025, Japan's exports rose 3.1%, a softer rise compared to the 6.2% increase seen in 2024, as shipments to mainland China and the U.S. Tokyo's top two trading partners fell 0.4% and 4.1% respectively. Exports to Hong Kong and Taiwan climbed 17.8% and 15.1% for the whole year, partially offsetting declines in the U.S. and China. The rise in overall exports in 2025 was partly due to front-loading of U.S. shipments ahead of tariff hikes, an artificial intelligence boom that's boosted electronics and machinery shipments, and a weak yen, said Stefan Angrick, head of Japan at Moody's Analytics. "Although shipments are holding up for now, the outlook is fraught with risks," he warned, pointing out that higher U.S. import levies and fierce competition from abroad are weighing on industrial production and export volumes. Trade threats from China are an added concern, Angrick added. Relations between Tokyo and Beijing have chilled since November after comments from Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi suggested that Japan could intervene militarily if China attempted to seize Taiwan by force. China had suspended imports of seafood from Japan, and early this year, announcing restrictions on the export of dual-use goods to Japan. The trade data comes at a time when Japan is bracing for snap elections on Feb. 8 called by Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi, with its Lower House set to be dissolved Friday. A victory for Takaichi will allow her to push her fiscal agenda through Japan's parliament with little opposition, analysts have said. It could also involve keeping the yen weak, as it supports Japan's exports. Since the announcement of the elections, Japanese markets have been fueled by the so-called "Takaichi trade," that has seen stocks mostly rise, and the yen stay weak. The Microsoft office building is in the RheinauArtOffice in Cologne, Germany, on September 11, 2025. Microsoft on Thursday resolved technical issues that got in the way of people sending and receiving email messages in its Outlook application and completing other tasks. The event started in the middle of U.S. business hours, leading people to address the snafu on social media as schools, government institutions and companies dealt with the outage. It lasted nearly 11 hours. Outlook represents a core part of Microsoft 365 productivity software bundles. At 2:37 p.m. ET, the company said in an X post that it was investigating an issue affecting Outlook. "Users may be receiving a '451 4.3.2 temporary server issue' error message when attempting to send or receive email through Outlook," Microsoft said in an update to an online dashboard. In addition, searches in the OneDrive cloud file storage application, the Teams communication app and the SharePoint Online collaboration service might be slow or might not work at all, the company said on the dashboard. Microsoft said people might also be unable to create chats, meetings, teams, channels, breakout rooms or live events in Teams. In an X post published at 3:17 p.m. ET, Microsoft said that it had found that "a portion of service infrastructure in North America" was not handling traffic correctly and that it was trying to fix the problem. A follow-up post at 4:14 p.m. ET said that the company has restored affected infrastructure and was directing traffic to other infrastructure to recover. "We're seeing continued improvements in service availability and functionality as a result of our load-balancing efforts," Microsoft said in an X post at 9:46 p.m. ET. "We're actively monitoring performance and making targeted adjustments to further improve stability and availability, while continuing recovery actions to ensure a reliable service experience." Microsoft said at 1:29 a.m. ET that it had resolved the issues. Last July, an Outlook outage lasted over 21 hours. WATCH: Trade Tracker: Stephanie Link sells Microsoft Gavin Newsom, governor of California, holding a knee pad during the World Economic Forum (WEF) in Davos, Switzerland, on Thursday, Jan. 22, 2026. California Gov. Gavin Newsom on Thursday showed off knee pads that he suggested were for leaders "selling out" to the Trump administration. Speaking at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, Newsom said the red knee pads were available to buy via a website he had created. "The last round of knee pads sold out, just as our law firms are selling out. Many American universities are selling out, and yes, many corporate leaders are selling out to this administration," Newsom said. "These are available in bulk, too," he said, holding up one of the knee pads, which showed U.S. President Donald Trump's signature. On Tuesday, Newsom accused world leaders of "rolling over" for Trump. "I can't take this complicity of people rolling over," Newsom said in Davos. "I should have brought a bunch of knee pads for all the world leaders," he said. A scheduled appearance by Newsom at USA House, described on its website as an "official U.S. venue" at Davos, was said to have been canceled on Wednesday soon after Trump addressed the forum. "I was going to speak last night. It was a well established event at the USA house, a simple conversation, discussion after Trump's speech. They made sure that I didn't. They made sure it was canceled," Newsom said on Thursday. USA House is privately organized and does not represent the U.S. government. It is sponsored by large companies including Microsoft, Pfizer and blockchain company Ripple. Newsom is a potential 2028 Democratic presidential candidate and has previously sparred with Trump. The Paramount logo is displayed on the water tower at Paramount Studios on October 30, 2025 in Los Angeles, California. Paramount Skydance on Thursday extended the deadline on its hostile tender offer for Warner Bros Discovery by about a month to February 20, buying more time to persuade investors that its bid for the Hollywood studio trumps a rival deal with Netflix . The company did not raise its bid on Thursday. Only about 168.5 million Warner Bros shares, representing 6.8% of the company's outstanding stock, had been tendered by the offer's original January 21 deadline. A successful deal will change the landscape of Hollywood by giving the suitor ownership of iconic franchises from "Friends" to "Batman" as well as the HBO Max streaming service. Netflix on Tuesday revised its $82.7 billion offer to go all-cash in hopes of expediting the deal closure and providing greater financial certainty to investors worried about its previous stock-and-cash deal. It is now willing to pay $27.75 per share in cash for the streaming and studio assets of the David Zaslav-led company, an offer that was unanimously approved by the Warner Bros board. Paramount has launched a charm offensive and sued Warner Bros to bring the HBO owner to the negotiating table. But Warner Bros and analysts have suggested that Paramount needs to raise its offer of $108.4 billion, or $30 per share, for the whole company to restart deal talks. Russian President Vladimir Putin claimed Ukraine's losses are eight times higher than those of Russia during an interview with Chinese media. Ludovic Marin | Afp | Getty Images An "abnormal hatred" between Russia and Ukraine's leaders remains a barrier to ending the war, but a peace deal is getting closer, President Donald Trump said as he prepares to resume his peacemaker role. "There's tremendous hatred between President Zelenskyy and President Putin. That's not good. That's not good for settlements," Trump told the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, on Wednesday. "There's abnormal hatred. With that being said, I think Russia wants to make a deal. I think Ukraine wants to make a deal, and we're going to try getting a deal done," he said, adding: "If they don't, they're stupid." Trump is due to meet Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy in Davos on Thursday, while Special Envoy Steve Witkoff and Trump's son-in-law Jared Kushner are set to meet Russian President Vladimir Putin in Moscow later in the day. Trump said both sides were "reasonably close" to a deal, while Witkoff told CNBC Wednesday that "land deals" over Ukraine were a last sticking point to ending the almost four-year long war. Witkoff made further comments on the progress of negotiations on Thursday, telling an audience in Davos that one last issue remained. "So if both sides want to solve this, we're going to get it solved," Witkoff said, in comments reported by Reuters. Zelenskyy is due to meet Trump at 1 p.m. local time (7 a.m. ET) while Putin's meeting with Witkoff and Kushner will take place around 7-8 p.m. Moscow time (11-12 a.m ET), the Kremlin said. Europe on the sidelines Europe remains largely frozen out of U.S.-Russia-Ukraine discussions to end the conflict despite attempts to advocate for Kyiv in order to prevent unfovorable peace terms being foisted on its neighbor. While Trump and his colleagues appear to believe Putin is ready and willing to agree to a ceasefire, Ukraine and other regional leaders are skeptical, saying Russia's manpower advantage on the battlefield and incremental advances means it is willing to continue the war and is playing for time by drawing out talks. European leaders fear a bad peace will only boost Russia's resolve to return to Ukraine at a later point, with the concerns most acute in Europe's "front line" states such as Poland and Finland, which share borders with Russia. "I would say that regardless of whether a peace deal is signed or not despite the best efforts of President Trump Russia will remain a threat to Europe," Polish President Karol Nawrocki told CNBC Wednesday. "If peace is signed, Russia will try to regroup its forces and attack Europe in years to come. If a peace deal isn't reached, the war in Ukraine will continue," he told CNBC's Steve Sedgwick. "The Russian Federation has a particular mindset, both on a political and social level, to attack and subjugate countries to the west of its borders. This is what we need to prepare for, meaning our infrastructure, boosting weapons spending and defense capabilities as well as building solidarity," he said. watch now Trump has repeatedly lambasted NATO members for not spending enough on defense and did so once again during his speech at WEF, saying the U.S. had been treated unfairly by its NATO partners: "We never got anything, we actually took care of the needs of NATO for years and years .... [so] I think it's time that NATO step up." "We're helping them with Ukraine. Without us, I think Putin would have gone all the way," Trump said. President of Finland Alexander Stubb told CNBC his country, which joined NATO in 2023, was used to Russian aggression and unpredictability, and that it was doing its part to protect NATO member states, including the U.S. "Finland does not project weakness at the Russian border, quite the contrary. Why? Because we always had to do it alone. Now we're part of the [NATO] alliance, and we're actually defending the United States as well from potential Russian aggression," he told CNBC's Steve Sedgwick. "I do want to stress to all of my American friends is, listen, we got this. The Finnish border with Russia is 1340 kilometers. We've been practicing this since 1917 when we gained independence, and we do quite well at it," he said. In this article .BBKA Follow your favorite stocks CREATE FREE ACCOUNT Top CEOs have expressed relief after U.S. President Donald Trump backed away from further European tariffs, but told CNBC they were still prioritizing being resilient amid geopolitical instability and regionalization. Conor Hillery, JP Morgan 's co-CEO for Europe, told CNBC European leaders' tougher stance on Trump was "very good for business." Trump announced Wednesday that he and NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte had agreed on a "framework of a future deal" involving Greenland, and he would not proceed with 10% tariffs on eight European countries that had resisted his efforts. European markets rebounded in morning dealmaking, with auto-related stocks notching the continent's biggest gains. European carmakers are particularly sensitive to levies given their global supply chains and Stateside manufacturing operations. Speaking to CNBC on Thursday from the World Economic Forum in Davos, Hillery said European leaders' coordinated stance on Trump was "something that business has been crying out for." "It's more cohesion among European leaders, more policy driven towards business growth, stability, innovation, investment and so forth. What you've seen over the last few days has obviously been more focused on Greenland and tariffs and so forth, and it has borne fruit," he told CNBC's "Squawk Box Europe." watch now The president described the fresh framework as more of a "concept" in an interview with CNBC's Joe Kernen. It could involve U.S.-European collaboration on a proposed Golden Dome missile defense system and access to mineral resources in Greenland, he said. Geopolitical risk dominated Davos, after what Hillery called a "roller coaster" year since Trump returned to the White House. "There still is a feeling of resilience and some kind of confidence" in the macroeconomic and corporate outlook despite "high degrees of anxiety about where the world is going," Hillery said. SAP CEO Christian Klein told CNBC that clients were still concerned about the businesses' ability to mitigate unpredictable geopolitical developments, as tariffs and regionalization came into focus. watch now SAP is a global business but Klein said he felt "bad" for European startups because the continent lacks a digital union, making it more difficult for them to scale and become more resilient. Klein added European businesses could use AI to build wider moats, urging business leaders to take risks and the European Union to deregulate to unlock greater capital and talent. Henrik Andersen, CEO of Wind energy company Vestas , told CNBC that the company has localized its supply chain, challenging Trump's claims that China is selling the green energy infrastructure, such as windmills, that it doesn't use domestically. "We have factories that produce, in most major markets, turbines for that market based on local components. If we look at how we source, [it's] either in the U.S. from U.S. partners, or we source in Europe from European partners, and even in Denmark from Danish partners, we are both a global and a national source of components to turbines, and everything produced in China just exported to the rest of the world, is not again, a fact of life," said Andersen. Tariff tensions have cooled after Donald Trump went back on threats to impose levies on European countries, but the threat of them had business groups saying that the EU should consider retaliatory measures against his "blackmail." The EU has frozen its EU-US trade deal in response to Trump announcing plans to impose 10% tariffs on six EU nations, alongside the U.K. and Norway from Feb. 1 on Saturday. There were calls for the bloc to consider using its anti-coercion instrument (ACI), a set of measures that allow it to impose sweeping trade sanctions, before Trump announced a tariff climbdown on Wednesday evening. "All EU trade defense instruments including the Anti-Coercion Instrument (ACI) must now be reviewed," Volker Treier, chief executive of foreign trade at the German Chamber of Commerce and Industry (DIHK), which represents nearly 4 million businesses, told CNBC on Wednesday afternoon. He added that the ACI should be a "last resort." watch now Europe should be "prepared to act decisively if our interests are put at risk" while continuing to work for de-escalation, Ole Erik Almlid, CEO of the Confederation of Norwegian Enterprise, which represents thousands of businesses, told CNBC on Wednesday afternoon. "Europe must not allow itself to be blackmailed, not even by the United States," Bertram Kawlath, president of the German industrial sector association VDMA, which represents 3,500 engineering companies, said in a statement on Sunday. "Greenland is part of Europe and must remain so. If the EU gives in here, it will only encourage the American president to make the next ludicrous demand and threaten further tariffs," he said, adding that the European Commission should examine whether the ACI can be used. Economic impact Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen holds a press conference in the Mirror Hall at the Prime Minister's Office, at Christiansborg in Copenhagen, Denmark, on January 13, 2026. Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen on Thursday welcomed U.S. President Donald Trump's Greenland pivot, saying the country is prepared to hold talks with Washington on its vaunted "Golden Dome" missile defense plan. In a statement, Frederiksen said it was "good and natural" that the issue of Arctic security had been discussed between Trump and NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland. Trump said Wednesday that he had secured a "framework" deal on Greenland, including access to mineral rights for the U.S. and its European allies as well as collaboration on the Golden Dome. The agreement appears to mark something of a climbdown for the U.S. president, who has long advocated for control of the self-governing Danish territory and previously refused to rule out the use of military force. Denmark's prime minister said she had spoken to NATO's Rutte both before and after his meeting with Trump at Davos, adding that the military alliance is "fully aware" of Copenhagen's position. "We can negotiate on everything political; security, investments, economy. But we cannot negotiate on our sovereignty. I have been informed that this has not been the case either," Frederiksen said, according to a Google translation. "The Kingdom of Denmark wishes to continue to engage in a constructive dialogue with allies on how we can strengthen security in the Arctic, including the US's Golden Dome, provided that this is done with respect for our territorial integrity," she added. U.S. President Donald Trump's plan to grant Nvidia licenses to ship some of its more powerful artificial intelligence chips to China is ruffling the feathers of some of Washington's most prominent China hawks, including members of his own party. The pushback intensified this week with the U.S. House of Representatives Foreign Affairs Committee advancing a bill that seeks to expand congressional oversight of AI chip exports. The proposal, known as the AI Overwatch Act, was introduced last month by Rep. Brian Mast, R-Fla., the committee chairman. It would require both the House Foreign Affairs Committee and Senate Banking Committee to approve any shipment licenses for advanced chips in 30 days, giving lawmakers the power to block sales through a joint resolution. The bill comes as the Trump Administration plans to grant licenses allowing Nvidia to sell its H200 chips to China, which are far more powerful than the processors previously permitted for export. If passed, the AI Overwatch Act would revoke existing licenses for such AI chip transfers and impose a temporary ban until the administration submits a national security strategy on AI exports. It includes exemptions for "trusted" U.S. companies shipping chips abroad under U.S. control, provided they meet security standards. "Companies like Nvidia are requesting to sell millions of advanced AI chips, which are the cutting edge of warfare, to Chinese military companies like Alibaba and Tencent ," said Chairman Mast, framing it as a national security risk. The bill was also cosponsored by the Republican Chairman of the Select Committee on China, Rep. John Moolenaar, R-Mich., who called it a "critical step toward protecting America's technological edge." Still, it remains unclear the extent of support that the AI Overwatch Act can attract in the House and Senate. Disagreement in Washington The act is likely to serve as a linchpin in a larger battle developing in Washington between lawmakers who see Nvidia chip exports as a national security risk and officials who argue that the exports help maintain U.S. technological dominance. Among the latter camp is White House AI and crypto czar David Sacks, who has already criticized the AI Overwatch Act. The Silicon Valley entrepreneur and investor recently reposted a viral social media claim that the bill would undermine Trump's authority over AI chip exports. Sacks and those in the Trump administration who support more Nvidia shipments overseas have argued that U.S. chip restrictions have been counterproductive and have ceded ground to Chinese competitors. Instead, they say it is advantageous for U.S.-designed chips to remain at the center of global AI infrastructure. This is consistent with arguments made by Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang and industry lobbyists. Bipartisan lawmakers on the other side, however, have argued that Nvidia's H200s could bolster China's AI capabilities and be leveraged by its military. Current U.S. chip controls require individual licenses from the Commerce Department for any exports or transfers of high-performance AI chips to entities in "countries of concern," including China, Cuba, Iran, North Korea, and Russia. These controls have covered Nvidia's H200, one of its most powerful AI chips. But last week, Trump confirmed his administration would approve sales of the processors to China, provided the U.S. receives a 25% cut of the proceeds. President Donald Trump sued JPMorgan Chase and its CEO, Jamie Dimon, on Thursday for closing accounts belonging to Trump and related entities in early 2021, in what the lawsuit calls political actions. The closures came on the heels of the Jan. 6, 2021, riot by Trump supporters at the U.S. Capitol, and Trump exiting the White House later that same month after his electoral loss to former President Joe Biden was confirmed. "He debanked me," Trump told reporters in Switzerland, when asked about Dimon on Wednesday, hours after his lawsuit was filed in Florida state court in Miami-Dade County. "He shouldn't be debanking," Trump said. "It's so wrong." "Jamie Dimon is not allowed to do what he did." JPMorgan on Thursday denied that it closed Trump's accounts for political reasons and suggested that the closures were due to federal rules and regulations that the bank has been seeking to change during this and prior presidential administrations. Trump and the other plaintiffs in the case, which are business entities related to the president, are seeking at least $5 billion in civil damages. The plaintiffs had been customers of the bank for decades, the suit says. "Plaintiffs are confident that JPMC's unilateral decision came about as a result of political and social motivations, and JPMC's unsubstantiated, 'woke' beliefs that it needed to distance itself from President Trump and his conservative political views," the lawsuit alleges. "In essence, JPMC debanked Plaintiffs' Accounts because it believed that the political tide at the moment favored doing so," says the suit. The suit says JPMorgan failed to disclose why the bank was terminating the accounts, but that the "plaintiffs have subsequently learned that they were debanked as a result of political discrimination against President Trump, the Trump Organization, its affiliated entities, and/or the Trump family." The suit does not detail what the plaintiffs learned that substantiated that claim. U.S. President Donald Trump attends a reception with business leaders during the 56th annual World Economic Forum (WEF), in Davos, Switzerland, Jan. 21, 2026. Jonathan Ernst | Reuters U.S. President Donald Trump's latest retreat from a trade war has catalyzed an international asset rally and revived investors' talk of "TACO" "Trump Always Chickens Out." Speaking to CNBC's Joe Kernen at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, on Wednesday evening, Trump said he'd walked back tariffs on European allies because he now had "the concept of a deal" over Greenland, after weeks of demanding to annex it for the U.S. He had threatened to impose 10% tariffs on eight European countries that opposed his push to "buy" the Arctic island. They would have risen to 25% from June 1. watch now Europe vowed an "unflinching" response to any new tariffs and stocks, bonds and the U.S. dollar staged a steep sell-off on Tuesday, as investors panicked about the fresh possibility of a trade war. But Wall Street's major averages jumped after Trump's walk-back on Wednesday, with stock futures pointing to an extension of those gains on Thursday morning. The rebound rippled globally, with equities listed in Europe and Asia also rising when regional markets reopened Thursday. Return of the TACO trade? Amid the global rally, one of the key fixtures of investing in 2025 stepped into the new year: the "TACO" trade. The phrase refers to the president's history of threatening to leverage intense levies, only to ease, delay or cancel them. It was coined last year after Trump's "liberation day" announcement of tariffs in April shocked markets but investors grew skeptical of his follow-through when he eventually backed down. Market reactions to subsequent U.S. trade policy announcements were more muted or saw recoveries more quickly. Russ Mould, investment director at AJ Bell, likened today's market moves to those seen last year. "Donald Trump's TACO bell has rung once again, much to the joy of financial markets," he said in a Thursday morning note. "Trump has form in chickening out of his threats there are a lot of similarities with the liberation day market wobble in April 2025 and now. "In both situations, Trump took an aggressive stance and then backed down after financial markets wobbled." watch now However, Mould added that some signs of lingering caution remain at play, with markets appearing to be regaining balance rather than "moving into top gear." "Gold's rally paused for breath, albeit it was notable there wasn't a major sell-off in the metal," he said. "That suggests investors are keen to keep some safety elements in their portfolio. Healthcare and tobacco stocks were also in vogue, which is normally what you would expect on a day of worry, not when markets rebound." Alan Siow, co-head of emerging market corporate debt at asset management giant Ninety One, told CNBC on Thursday that the TACO mindset was the driver of the risk asset rally seen after liberation day and that it seemed to still be influencing markets. Stock Chart Icon Stock chart icon S&P 500 price "We don't have any evidence yet that this has changed, but over the last two days at Davos, I think we have seen from the rhetoric of global leaders that something has hardened and perhaps permanently changed at the policy level, which will then feed down into wider economy via changes in business and investment plans," he said. "Even if the reality remains TACO in the near term, perhaps we will now see a lasting change in underlying behavior but to be fair, given how fast moving the recent developments have been, it's too early to tell." Paul Surguy, managing director and head of investment management and proposition at London-based wealth management firm Kingswood Group, said that although markets do react negatively to certain White House policies, those reactions have generally grown more muted since liberation day. "The initial position a worst-case scenario is announced with the view of a more palatable deal being struck later is exactly what we have seen with comments over Greenland," he told CNBC in an email. "As yet, scant details have been released regarding the 'framework' deal. That being said, with a more conciliatory tone, markets have responded positively." Toni Meadows, head of investments at BRI Wealth Management, struck a more skeptical tone on the TACO trade, urging investors to wait for details on the Greenland "deal" and for Europe's response. watch now In this article GTEC Follow your favorite stocks CREATE FREE ACCOUNT DAVOS, SWITZERLAND - JANUARY 21: Delegates watch as U.S. President Donald Trump speaks onstage at the World Economic Forum (WEF) on January 21, 2026 in Davos, Switzerland. Chip Somodevilla | Getty Images News | Getty Images Markets and some European leaders welcomed the news that U.S. President Donald Trump was standing down from imposing further tariffs on European countries but others were left bewildered. Trump told CNBC on Wednesday that he had the "concept of a deal" with NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte, shortly after declaring on Truth Social that he would not proceed with the levies he threatened on eight European countries from Feb. 1. Markets on Thursday rose on the news, but questions remain about the supposed agreement on Greenland. As the president didn't share details of the framework or who agreed to it one strategist told CNBC: "Nobody's going to believe him anymore." A 'deal' without a deal Trump outlined the Greenland agreement in sweeping terms, casting it as an "ultimate long-term deal" that locks in U.S. national security and gives access to "minerals." Greenland's location matters for Arctic military posture, but climate change is making the island more accessible sparking a renewed interest in its rare earths and other critical mineral reserves. But Trump did not say whether Denmark, which is responsible for the island's defense, or Greenland had signed up to anything. Rutte told Fox News that the issue of Greenland's ownership did not come up in his talks with Trump, which were about Arctic security as Chinese and Russian activity increases. Ed Price, senior non-resident fellow at New York University, told CNBC on Thursday that striking a deal "requires two people to tango," describing Trump's speech at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, as "a monologue not a dialogue." Price also said the framework was "the start of a process, not the end," warning that a precedent of bargaining over disputed territories could tempt future attempts elsewhere. Chinese state media, meanwhile, urged the European Union on Wednesday to reassess its security reliance on the U.S. and pursue greater "strategic autonomy." Trump has "advantaged" China in the long run by signaling that U.S. commitments can swing wildly with political incentives, Price added. Why Trump blinked: Treasury yields Robin Brooks, a senior fellow at the Brookings Institution, said Trump's toned-down rhetoric had "nothing to do with Europe" and was more likely driven by concerns about the recent spikes in global bond yields, which jumped on fears of a fresh trade war. Brooks also said Europeans had limited leverage in negotiations with Trump. "Europeans have, by all accounts, been freeriding on the U.S. security umbrella. They need to spend more. They will," Brooks said, caveating that most countries, except for Germany, lack fiscal space. "A lot of these countries have no fiscal firepower whatsoever," he told CNBC's "Squawk Box Asia." In his Wednesday speech at Davos, Trump acknowledged financial markets' discomfort with his threats over Greenland as he publicly ruled out using force to take it for the first time. 'The biggest taco that you could get' Whatever ultimately happens with tariffs, European leaders should plan for worst-case outcomes, said David Roche, veteran investor from Quantum Strategy. Trump's Greenland threat is "the biggest 'taco' that you could get," Roche said, referring to the phrase "Trump Always Chickens Out," which has come to define a market strategy anticipating the president reneging on his threats. But Roche said this was becoming a problem the bigger Trump's threat, the more allies expect him to "march his troops up the hill and then down the hill." "What the European Union has learned is that if you face up to them, you win," Roche said. "Nobody's going to believe him anymore." U.S. President Donald Trump was surrounded by world leaders as he declared the war in Gaza was "really coming to an end" at a signing ceremony for his "Board of Peace" for the territory. But many countries are not represented, and Trump singled out Spain for criticism on its defense spending from the podium, saying "They want a free ride." The United Arab Emirates, Hungary and Pakistan were represented at the ceremony at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, on Thursday. The board is intended to oversee the reconstruction of Gaza. This is who is on the board and participated in the signing event. Isa bin Salman bin Hamad Al Khalifa, minister of the prime minister's court, Bahrain Nasser Bourita, minister of foreign affairs, Morocco Javier Milei, president, Argentina Nikol Pashinyan, prime minister, Armenia Ilham Aliyev, President, Azerbaijan Rosen Zhelyazkov, prime minister, Bulgaria Viktor Orban, prime minister, Hungary Prabowo Subianto, president, Indonesia Ayman Al Safadi, minister of foreign affairs, Jordan Kassym-Jomart Tokayev, president, Kazakhstan Vjosa Osmani-Sadriu, president, Kosovo Mian Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif, prime minister, Pakistan Santiago Pena, president, Paraguay Mohammed Bin Abdulrahman Al Thani, prime minister, Qatar Faisal bin Farhan Al Saud, minister of foreign affairs, Saudi Arabia Hakan Fidan, minister of foreign affairs, Turkey Khaldoon Khalifa Al Mubarak, special envoy to the U.S. for the UAE Shavkat Mirziyoyev, president, Uzbekistan Gombojavyn Zandanshatar, prime minister, Mongolia A long list of countries, including Canada, France, Germany, Italy and other European nations, were absent from the signing, and some have specifically rejected the invitation. UK Foreign Secretary Yvette Cooper told the BBC on Thursday that it "won't be one of the signatories today," citing concerns over Russian President Vladimir Putin's invitation to join. Spain did not send a representative to the signing, with an invitation for Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez to join "under review," according to Spanish media. Ukraine's president, Volodymyr Zelenskyy, has accused Europe of being "lost" and trying to convince U.S. President Donald Trump to help them, rather than uniting to defend itself. "Instead of taking the lead in defending freedom worldwide, especially when America's focus shifts elsewhere, Europe looks lost trying to convince the U.S. president to change," he said in a strongly worded address at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, after nearly four years of war with Russia. "President Trump loves who he is, and he says he loves Europe, but he will not listen to this kind of Europe," Zelenskyy said. He had met Trump in private shortly before his speech. "Europe still feels more like geography, history, a tradition, not a real political force, not a great power," Zelenskyy added. "Some Europeans are really strong, it's true, but many say 'we must stand strong', and they always want someone else to tell them how long they need to stand strong, preferably until the next election." Waaree Energies has positioned battery manufacturing at the core of its energy transition strategy, with plans to roll out a 20 GW battery cell and pack manufacturing facility in phases, starting from FY27, Group Head Finance Abhishek Pareek said during a post-results interaction. Pareek said Waarees decision to enter battery manufacturing is the outcome of consistent work over the past few years as the company seeks to position itself as a broader energy transition player rather than remaining focused only on solar modules. He said the company has been expanding both vertically and horizontally, including backward integration, EPC capabilities and new segments such as inverters, hydrogen, electrolysers and batteries. He said battery storage is essential to address the limitations of solar power, as 6-8 hours of generation is insufficient to support large-scale, round-the-clock power needs. According to Pareek, the ability to deliver 24x7 electricity at competitive costs requires either hybrid solutions or round-the-clock power, both of which depend on battery integration. Waaree recently raised about 1,000 crore in equity from investors to support its battery manufacturing plans, validating the companys execution capabilities, Pareek said. The proposed battery project has a total planned capacity of 20 GW of cell and pack manufacturing and will be developed in two phases. Also Read: Q3 Results Highlights: Waaree Energies net profit up 26%; PNB Housing Fin NII up 13% The first phase, with a capacity of around 3.5 GW, is expected to commence production in FY27, while the second phase of about 16.5 GW is targeted for FY28. Pareek said construction of the first phase is at a very advanced stage and that the company has already begun receiving orders, with an encouraging pipeline from both domestic and overseas markets. Oman polysilicon facility at advanced stage Waaree Energies Limited said the polysilicon facility in Oman, where the company has committed investment, has reached an advanced stage of development, with trial production expected to begin this quarter, Abhishek Pareek said. The facility has an installed capacity of about 100 KTPA of polysilicon, equivalent to nearly 40 GW of annual polysilicon production. Pareek said this capacity provides adequate supply options for Waarees vertically and pseudo-vertically integrated operations. He added that a section of Waarees customer base is increasingly seeking non-Chinese polysilicon, and the Oman facility will be used to supply traceable polysilicon for such requirements. Capital expenditure and capacity roadmap The finance chief said Waaree has laid out a capital expenditure plan of around 25,000 crore, to be deployed over the next 24 months. This includes investments in backward integration into ingots and wafers, expansion of solar cell capacity, battery manufacturing, inverter production and renewable power infrastructure. Under the plan, module capacity is targeted to reach around 28 GW from the current levels, while solar cell capacity is planned at about 15.5 GW and battery capacity at 20 GW. Pareek said capacity additions are typically aligned with customer orders, and any further expansion would require internal approvals. US tariff and labour code impact On the impact of US tariffs, Pareek said Waarees early move to establish manufacturing operations in the US has helped insulate both its order book and pipeline. The company currently has 1.6 GW of operating capacity in the US, along with 1 GW of acquired manufacturing assets and an additional 1.6 GW under development, taking total planned US capacity to around 4 GW, sufficient for the next few years. Also Read: Waaree Energies shares jump 12% after strong commentary on EBITDA guidance He said exports from India continue, with solar cells sourced from territories facing relatively lower tariffs of 15-20%. Following changes in US trade rules, Waaree has shifted parts of its supply chain from Southeast Asia to the Middle East and African countries such as Ethiopia. On labour codes, Pareek said the company has already factored in the impact on its profit and loss statement and made the required provisions based on assessments and valuations. Shares of Waaree Energies Ltd surged 9.67% on Thursday, January 22, rising 233.80 to close at 2,652.80 on the NSE. 1 lakh crore, The Raigad Pen Smart City near Mumbai has attracted investments overMaharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis said on Thursday, January 22.In an interview with CNBC-TV18 on the sidelines of the World Economic Forum (WEF) Summit in Switzerland's Davos, Fadnavis said that the government has signed MoUs with with global investors from USA, UAE, Singapore, Australia and The Netherlands, among others, to establish the smart city.For this, the land has been identified and all the permissions have been taken and has been made open to investors, he further said, adding that "investors from USA, UAE, Singapore, Australia, The Netherlands have collectively invested over1 lakh crore in the project" as of yet, and will be operationalised soon.Apart from this, the Maharashtra CM said that the Innovation city near Navi Mumbai Airport will be India's innovation ecosystem for the world, outlining that it will host different innovators, and could see several AI and innovation hubs in the city.Tata Sons has pledged $11 billion dollars for its development.The Maharashtra CM also said that pollution is an area of concern in India, adding that the government is planning an overarching circular economy for Mumbai, which will allow the municipal corporation and private investors to convert waste into wealth."This will take care of air and water quality," he remarked, further elaborating that waste across various sectors such as electronics, building, medical, among others will be taken care of.The Mumbai circular economy initiative will be done in such a manner that it becomes a model for the country, Fadnavis said, adding that it has been designed with Tata Sons and now it is open for other private players. It will ve spearheaded by the municipal corporation.As part of the project, the government plans to treat all the legacy waste including the Deonar landfill site. "The entire land will be reclaimed through biomining and it will be given for housing," Fadnavis said, pointing out that the government has executed a similar feat in Nagpur.Addressing the time period for the completion of these projects, Fadnavis said that all these projects are generational projects which will take a longer period of time of about seven to nine years. "But you will see meaningful work done which is visible in next one year," he remarked.The politician further said that there is no hesitation among the global investors for India. "People feel that India is a very stable partner, has strong government, stable policies, and is welcoming due to the ecosystem and buzz that our Prime Minister has created about India," he added.Investors from the countries with which we have issues on trade are also coming big time. They understand that India is a stable country and has strong leadership which has the capability to bring the world along so they think that investing in India is very safe, he said. Air India Ltd. is set to report a record annual loss after last years deadly crash and airspace shutdowns wiped out progress toward a turnaround, according to people familiar with the matter.The carrier, which is a joint venture between the Tata Group and Singapore Airlines Ltd., is on track to post a loss of at least 150 billion rupees ($1.6 billion) for the year ending March 31, said the people, who asked not to be identified discussing private information.Earnings were further hit by Pakistans closure of its airspace for Indian airlines following a military clash with India, forcing carriers to fly longer routes at higher costs to Europe and the US, they added.The reversal is especially stark because Air India had been edging back toward profitability before the June Dreamliner crash which killed more than 240 people undid years of progress. The founders had targeted operational break-even this fiscal year, but profitability is now out of reach, the people said.The losses come on the back of a turbulent year for Indian aviation marked by flier anxiety, flight delays and mass cancellations by a rival carrier that has put a spotlight on the duopolistic market structure.Spokespersons for Air India, Tata Group and Singapore Airlines did not respond to emailed request for comments on the losses.A new five-year plan submitted by management projected profits only in its third year, but it was rejected by the board, which has asked for a more aggressive turnaround push, the people said.Government filings compiled by business intelligence platform Tofler show Air India has lost 322.1 billion rupees over the past three years. The airline sought at least 100 billion rupees in fresh support last year, Bloomberg News reported in October.The mounting losses are now a concern for both owners. Tata Group has begun scouting for a new Chief Executive Officer to replace Campbell Wilson, though the search may not conclude until the crash report is released.Singapore Airlines Ltd., which took a 25.1% stake after merging Vistara with Air India in 2024, has seen its own earnings dragged down by the carriers performance even as it helps Air India bring aircraft maintenance in-house as part of a restructuring plan. HSBC had earlier upgraded India to overweight, expecting that the AI trade would become crowded and investors would rotate back. However, that shift has not yet happened. Van Der Linde said investors are reluctant to exit markets that are still delivering returns. The other markets, for the moment, are too good to ignore, he said. Van Der Linde also said Indias Union Budget attracts significant attention because it signals the governments policy direction. The budget is really big, he said, though he added that markets may sometimes focus on it too much. India has remained out of favour with global investors as money continues to move towards Taiwan and South Korea, where companies are benefiting from strong demand linked to artificial intelligence (AI), according to Herald Van Der Linde, Head of Asia Equity Strategy at HSBC.Van Der Linde said India saw some interest from foreign investors late last year, but that shifted again as the AI supply chain in East Asia gained momentum. The attention left India for the moment, he said, adding that the move has more to do with developments in other markets than with India itself.He explained that companies in Taiwan and South Korea are seeing strong order flows as data centres are being built in the US, driving demand for servers, chips and cooling systems. This has led to continued earnings upgrades for firms such as TSMC, Hynix and Samsung.On India, he said the outlook has improved slightly, with valuations moderating and early signs of earnings upgrades. Still, investors remain cautious due to currency movement and uncertainty over near-term earnings growth.He outlined three main risks for India: the rupee, the strength and sustainability of earnings recovery, and long-term pressure on company margins as competition increases. He pointed to Indonesia as an example where infrastructure expansion led to more competition and slower profit growth over time.On foreign investor flows, he said Taiwan and South Korea continue to stand out because earnings growth there is much stronger, driven by AI-related investments. He noted that earnings growth in these markets is currently in the range of 3050%, even if that pace may slow later.China, he said, is a different case, with domestic investors driving stock purchases rather than foreign funds.Van Der Linde also shared a positive view on gold, citing strong buying by central banks as they seek to reduce dependence on the US dollar. Limited supply and steady demand are supporting prices, he said.For Indian equities, he said HSBC prefers domestic-focused sectors such as banks, auto companies, jewellery, retail and hospitals. For foreign investors worried about currency risk, he suggested holding IT stocks as a hedge. China to open 41 new duty-free shops for inbound international travelers Xinhua) 08:38, January 22, 2026 Customers shop at the Sanya International Duty Free City in Sanya, south China's Hainan Province, on Jan. 10, 2026. (Xinhua/Guo Cheng) BEIJING, Jan. 21 (Xinhua) -- Chinese authorities are set to establish duty-free shops at 41 listed ports of entry to the country, including airports, sea ports and land border crossings, aiming to facilitate tax-free shopping for inbound travelers. Five government departments, including the Ministry of Finance, made the announcement on Wednesday. They defined port-of-entry duty-free shops as stores located within the restricted zones of airports, sea ports or land border crossings. Spread across the country, these stores will only offer duty-free goods to inbound international passengers. Analysts say the move will boost consumption and promote the sustained growth of the duty-free retail sector. Beyond China's natural scenery and cultural appeal, shopping in the country is becoming an increasingly integral part of international tourists' travel itineraries. China has also been expanding its visa-free entry policies and refining tax-refund-upon-departure services for international tourists in recent years. (Web editor: Zhang Kaiwei, Liang Jun) It also explained that bank details have not been compromised in any case, since PcComponentes does not store them, but only keeps a security code (token) that is used to identify the payment, but does not allow the card to be viewed or charges to be made on its own. This code has no value outside the payment system and cannot be used fraudulently. For this reason, there is no risk of bank details being stolen; nor are customer passwords, as they are never stored in our database. Instead, they are converted into a secret, encrypted code (hash). This code is irreversible, which means that neither we nor anyone else can see the original password. Finally, PcComponentes reports that it has implemented a series of measures aimed at minimizing the impact of this incident, which significantly strengthen account protection and reduce the risk of illegitimate access from compromised databases outside PcComponentes that are published on the internet. This article originally appeared on Computerworld/CSO Espana. Close Get email notifications on {{subject}} daily! Your notification has been saved. There was a problem saving your notification. {{description}} Email notifications are only sent once a day, and only if there are new matching items. Daily Mail journalists select and curate the products that feature on our site. If you make a purchase via links on this page we will earn commission - learn more If an adventurous getaway to New Zealand or a European summer holiday is on your bucket list for 2026, you're in luck as Flight Centre has launched a massive sale on popular destinations. Aussie travellers can score significant savings on flights to New Zealand's North Island or South Island, with prices starting from as little as $355. Whether you're flying to Queenstown, Auckland, Christchurch or Wellington, there's plenty of deals to suit all budgets. But if you're planning a trip across the world, Flight Centre is offering exclusive deals on flights to Europe so travellers can soak up famous art, ancient history, culture, architecture and food. Travellers can enjoy a UK holiday from $749 per person or explore the stunning islands in Greece from just $215 a day. 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Flight Centre has launched a sale on flights and holiday packages to popular destinations But if you're thinking about a spontaneous round the world trip, there's a few deals to consider - including a return economy class flight from Melbourne to USA, Italy and Singapore from $2,398 per person; or Brisbane to Hong Kong, UK, Brazil and South Africa from $2,599. Meanwhile, if you're looking for holiday packages, cruises and tours, Flight Centre has great deals for the UK and Europe. The deals, which include accommodation and sightseeing, feature experiences such as a walking tour of the Harry Potter film locations and a stay at a four-star hotel in Paris to enjoy the magic of Disneyland. So what are you waiting for? Start booking before you miss out. To shop Flight Centre's travel deals, click here. Terms and conditions apply and prices may vary based on demand and availability It's the biggest business story in the world: the on-going battle to buy the media conglomerate Warner Bros Discovery. In one corner: Paramount, led by David Ellison, son of Oracle founder Larry Ellison. In the other: Netflix fronted by co-CEO Ted Sarandos. The opening rounds have gone to Sarandos. After inking a 'definitive agreement' to acquire Warner Bros in December for nearly $83 billion in cash-and-stock, Netflix sweetened their offer on Tuesday. The streaming giant now says it's willing to finance the deal with cash-and-debt - $72 billion in hard currency and approximately $11 billion in borrowed money. Cash is king and stocks can fluctuate up or down so this is a vastly improved offer. Then on Wednesday, Paramount took another shot when the deadline for Warner Bros shareholders to accept their $108 billion hostile takeover bid an all-cash offer made in December and designed to go over the heads of Warner Bros management in a direct appeal to holders of the public company's stock came and went. It's the biggest business story in the world: the on-going battle to buy the media conglomerate Warner Bros Discovery Paramount, led by David Ellison, son of Oracle founder Larry Ellison, made a hostile takeover bid to Warner Bros shareholders last month According to Warner Bros, 93 percent of their shareholders rejected the deal. By Thursday morning, Paramount announced that it was extending the deadline without altering their proposed deal. Paramount has one knee on the mat and the referee is counting but make no mistake - this fight is far from over. There's just too much at stake. Believe me, I should know. I did plenty of hostile takeovers when I was building the children's education software company, SoftKey, in the 1980s. At the time, Softkey controlled the most market share, but we needed more content to fill our devices, which were in the hands of kids across America and Canada. So, we would buy other companies, fire everybody who worked there (with fair severance packages) and take their brand. I did plenty of hostile takeovers when I was building the children's education software company, SoftKey, in the 1980s I remember running into the same executive, three times. We'd fire him from one company. He'd go to another one. We'd buy that company and fire him again. Takeovers are brutal. But business is war, and whether you're in the software industry or the movie and streaming business, the calculus is simple. If you have the distribution (in my case, it was educational hardware), it nearly always makes sense to add more content and cut costs through consolidation. I expect that whoever buys Warner Bros will do immediate layoffs to eliminate redundant role and new operation will be profitable on day one. The only question now is: why hasn't Warner Bros taken Paramount's $108 billion offer over Netflix's $83 billion deal? The answer: money talks and BS walks. There's only factor that makes a successful hostile takeover bid, and it's not politics or appeals to the great American spirit. It's cold hard cash. Right now, Warner Bros management and at least a majority of their shareholders believe that Netflix is more likely to be able to put their money where their mouth is. Netflix is also offering Warner Bros a $5.8 billion break-up fee, if the deal does not go through because of federal (or even foreign) regulatory obstacle. That must always be a consideration in deals of this magnitude and the Netflix fee is one of the largest guaranteed payouts in history. Paramount, on the other hand, has only offered a $5 billion payout. That math is simple. After inking a 'definitive agreement' to acquire Warner Bros in December for nearly $83 billion in cash-and-stock, Netflix sweetened their offer on Tuesday Paramount is financing its bid with the help of David's father, Larry Ellison (left), who personally guaranteed $40.4 billion But then also consider that Paramount is financing its bid with the help of David's father, Larry Ellison, who personally guaranteed $40.4 billion, as well as backing from three Gulf sovereign wealth funds based in Saudi Arabia, Abu Dhabi and Qatar. No doubt Larry Ellison is one of the great American entrepreneurs (not to mention one of the richest men in the world), but this method is old school, harkening back to the days when studios were family-owned. To some that isn't a bug, but a feature. It suggests Larry Ellison would be deeply invested in the success of the newly merged business. But there's a reason their offers continuously get rejected. The structure of the financing introduces uncertainty. For instance, imagine you were selling your house and an interested buyer offered all-cash. Then, another potential buyer said they'd give you 20 percent more, but mentions that they'll have to secure a mortgage from the bank. Which one do you choose? A risk-taker may opt for the higher bid, hoping that the buyer has good credit and the bank gives him a loan. I know which one I'd choose: the cash, now. All that said, I don't foresee David Ellison giving up any time soon. Warner Bros Discovery is one of the last truly valuable studio properties left, so he won't be going down without a fight. Shareholders will cast the final votes in April. And then, a proposed deal with Netflix will have to be reviewed by the Department of Justice's Antitrust Division as well as the European Commission. It's not truly over 'til it's over. Forget Greenland. This was the week Donald Trump colonised Davos and much that it represented. The Swiss ski resorts economic forum was long the annual shindig of globalisms schmooze-set. This time it was all Trump. He sucked in its energy. Chunks of agenda were pulled from their moorings and flew to him, iron filings to an industrial magnet. The stooped old egomaniac was a forcefield of attention, unconcerned by the disapproval of middle-power minnows. Europes club-class could but watch and gawp. Centre-stage, Mr Trump sat surrounded by his Board of Peace that will try to rebuild flattened Gaza. What a line-up. It could have been a collection of Bosphorus masseurs and Central-Asia police chiefs. A preponderance of burly moustaches and geezers with rolling gaits and rheumy eyes. Plus Argentinas Javier Milei, whose hair has gone late-era Liz Taylor. Everyone here is a star, drawled Mr Trump. He might more accurately have said almost everyone here is a bit of an armlifter. Among them: Ilham Aliyev, strongman leader of Azerbaijan, moisture seeping from one of his languid headlights; a busy little Saudi prince; Hungarys Viktor Orban (been at the biscuits); a dapper prime minister of Pakistan; and the rotund president of Indonesia, human rights not altogether his forte. Davos events are normally compered by Swiss-accented Frauleins but this time it was Karoline Leavitt, Mr Trumps all-American press secretary. European leaders, including our own prize asset, boycotted the ceremony. Mr Trump was undented. But Sir Tony Blair, celebrated angel of peace, was there, palming his business card, cementing connections. Foreign Secretary Yvette Cooper was outside in the snow, wobbling her head about legalities. An honourable position, but the impetus was with Trump. Centre-stage, Mr Trump sat surrounded by his Board of Peace that will try to rebuild flattened Gaza. What a line-up. It could have been a collection of Bosphorus masseurs and Central-Asia police chiefs, writes Quentin Letts Sir Tony Blair, celebrated angel of peace, was there at the World Economic Forum, palming his business card, cementing connections, writes Quentin Letts Germanys beanpole Chancellor, Friedrich Merz had earlier given a metronomically paced speech about the dizzying geopolitical changes. The world was not a cosy place but he hoped the traditional Western powers could still shape its future if they faced harsh realities. They must invest in defence and make their economies competitive. We are doing this, said Herr Merz. The pfennig may be dropping in Berlin but Westminster is far from any such recognition. Sir Keirs lunge back towards regulation-heavy Brussels will only make things worse. Herr Merz added that Americas former allies must stay calm. He had a euphonic way of saying this. It became colm, with the l audible. One suspects Friedrich Merz is seldom anything but colm. Nigel Farage did a breakfast discussion event with Bloombergs Stephanie Flanders, archetypal Miss Davos, all posh glottal stops, blue nail-varnish and sceptical moues with a shrewdly shaken fringe. Mr Farage hoicked his right shin on to his left knee, said frankly a lot and admitted he disliked bankers. Reality may be kicking in with Reforms economic policies. Were going to reduce welfare spending, he said. Were going to cut spending. Installing upgrade, as computers put it. One of Britains biggest problems, said Mr Farage, was its moronic energy policy. In former years that would have drawn gasps. This time they took it without demur. As for Mark Carney, the Canadian PM whose carry-on-globalising speech had Davos in such raptures, Mr Farage called him the chap that gets everything wrong and keeps being promoted. Stephanie shot him a bad-prawn glance. Back in the main hall Mr Trump was hailing his grisly chums as extraordinary leaders that was certainly one way of putting it and calling them the most powerful people in the world. As he took his leave they competed to shake his hand and they touched their ties and sucked in their tummies, as supplicants do. Herr Merz had said democracies do not have subordinates, they have allies. Here in the cold new world, opportunist go-getters were happy to genuflect to the great Sol Invictus. And as he departed through the buildings halls, reporters screamed questions, asking him about every trouble spot on Earth. What are you going to do about Yemen? yelled one. Sun God Trump beamed. He was in his element. A rigorous new study concluded that fluoride, a mineral added to public water supplies to prevent tooth decay, poses no harm to children's health and has no detectable impact on birth weight or other birth outcomes. Health secretary Robert F Kennedy Jr has long criticized fluoride in public drinking water, likening it to mass medication that poses significant health risks, particularly to neurological development in children, despite a lack of conclusive evidence. Critics commonly highlight research linking fluoride to health concerns like impaired cognitive development or thyroid dysfunction, and a January 2025 study found an association between higher fluoride exposure and lower IQ scores in children. However, a major caveat was that the study analyzed no US data. Most of the research was conducted in other countries, primarily China and India, where fluoride exposure levels are significantly higher than those in US water systems. The authority to stop fluoridating water rests with local and state authorities, as seen recently with the first two states to ban it outright: Florida and Utah. But Kennedy can influence policy from the top by directing the CDC and the EPA to revise their recommendations and safety limits. But now, a sweeping new study from Columbia University accounted for more than 11 million births across 677 US counties over two decades as fluoridation in community water systems became more common and widely accepted, largely due to its ability to help prevent tooth decay. To measure the effect, researchers tracked changes in birth weight, gestation, and prematurity in counties that started adding fluoride between 1968 and 1988, and compared these trends to counties without fluoridation. They did not measure IQ. There were no statistically significant changes. Any difference in weight was so tiny less than one percent of an average baby's weight that it holds no statistical or real-world significance. The Columbia University study tracked over 11 million US births for two decades. It found that adding fluoride to drinking water did not cause any significant changes in birth weight, length of pregnancy or rates of premature birth (stock) Your browser does not support iframes. In the latest study, published in JAMA Network Open, researchers analyzed over 11 million singleton births from 1968 to 1988 across 677 counties. Researchers tracked what happened to babies before and after individual US counties began adding fluoride to their water. They compared these changes to counties that never added fluoride during the same 20-year period. The study group comprised 408 counties that adopted fluoridation during the study period. Each county's birth outcomes were compared before and after fluoridation adoption. The control group consisted of the remaining 269 counties that were never fluoridated, providing a baseline for comparison. This staggered rollout design allowed researchers to compare treated counties to not-yet-treated and never-treated counties over the same time periods. The primary analysis showed no statistically significant change in average birth weight following community water fluoridation (CWF) adoption. The estimated effects were minuscule in magnitude, ranging from a decrease of 8.4g to an increase of 7.2g, with zero being well within the margin of error, and are clinically meaningless, representing less than one percent of average birth weight, and pose no known health risk to infants. Similarly, the study found no association between CWF and the incidence of low birth weight, the length of gestation or the rate of premature births. Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F Kennedy, Jr, a long-time opponent of fluoride in water, calling it a 'neuroxin,' is pictured in Utah last April during a press conference about the new statewide ban The CDC map shows the states that participate in federal fluoride reporting Researchers said: Our findings provide reassurance about the safety of community water fluoridation during pregnancy. This is not the first study to rule that fluoride in water poses no long-term adverse health effects. Among the first major breakthroughs in fluoride science came in 1970, 25 years after the city council of Newburgh, New York began fluoridating its water. For a decade, researchers compared the dental health of Newburgh's children with those in the similar, non-fluoridated control city of Kingston. The results showed children who grew up drinking fluoridated water had 60 to 70 percent fewer cavities, far lower dental costs, and fewer tooth extractions. Comprehensive health monitoring over 25 years found no harmful effects, confirming its safety. Then-75-year-old dentist Dr Maxwell Serman, whose practice predated fluoridation, told The New York Times in 1970: Today, whenever I see a child with a mouthful of cavities, I know immediately he's not from Newburgh. But even then, the public health measure sparked controversy, as some people believed that adding what they equated with medication without their say-so encroached on their bodily autonomy. Public health experts have cited decades of robust evidence demonstrating that fluoride, at the optimal level used in US water systems, dramatically reduces tooth decay by as much as 25 percent across all socioeconomic groups, making it a powerful tool for nearly every American. The graph shows how the number of counties adding fluoride to their water grew steadily over the study's 21-year timeline. By 1988, fluoride had been introduced in over 2,056 counties, representing nearly 90 percent of the counties and 46 percent of the US population The graphic displays the key result: that water fluoridation had no meaningful effect on birth weight. The data show no concerning trends in counties before fluoridation began, and the changes after adoption [the dips and rises] were trivial, ranging from a very slight decrease to a slight increase The American Dental Association maintains that fluoride in community water supplies is 'the single most effective public health measure to prevent tooth decay,' while the CDC lists it among the Ten Great Public Health Achievements. But some studies, particularly from regions with naturally high fluoride levels, such as parts of China, India and Iran, where levels can exceed four to 10 parts per million, have found associations with skeletal fluorosis, cognitive effects or thyroid changes. And long-simmering skepticism about the use of fluoride in water, as well as supplements and toothpaste, has increased in recent years, RFK Jr at the forefront. In April 2025, he said as he stood alongside Utah lawmakers at a press conference: The evidence against fluoride is overwhelming. Kennedy believes fluoride is best as a topical ingredient, such as toothpaste, and is harmful systemically. During the Utah event, EPA head Lee Zeldin thanked RFK Jr for pushing the agency to accelerate its review of fluoride safety standards in water, a process not formally due until 2030. The FDA is also launching a multi-agency fluoride research initiative, while the CDC has eliminated its core oral health division as part of major budget cuts. Doctors are taking aim at a medicine cabinet staple, arguing its risks outweigh its benefits. Millions of adults and children take over-the-counter (OTC) diphenhydramine, the active ingredient in Benadryl, for allergies or for its drowsiness effect to help with sleep. It is one of the most recognizable allergy medicines on pharmacy shelves for its ability to alleviate allergy-related runny nose, sneezing, itchiness and watery eyes. But internal medicine physicians argue that the FDA should eliminate the over-the-counter medicine from the US market based on concerns about potentially severe adverse effects, including 'substantial' brain damage. Diphenhydramine is a first-generation antihistamine that easily enters the brain, where it causes strong drowsiness and impairs alertness and coordination. This sedation can reduce work productivity, hurt school performance and significantly increase the risk of car accidents. In some tests, its effects on driving were more severe than being over the legal alcohol limit. Beyond sleepiness, diphenhydramine also causes a range of uncomfortable and sometimes dangerous side effects, including dry mouth, constipation, blurred vision, confusion and urinary difficulty, which are especially risky for older adults. Young people have also overdosed on the seemingly innocuous drug. Long-term or frequent use of Benadryl has been linked to serious heart rhythm problems and an increased risk of dementia. Its drowsiness is considered severe enough that European labels warn against driving after taking it, and US pilots are banned from using it while flying. Newer antihistamines, like fexofenadine, used in Allegra, and loratadine, used in Claritin, developed in the late 20th century, offer equal allergy relief with fewer side effects and longer-lasting action. Despite these advantages and being similarly priced and available over-the-counter, the older drug diphenhydramine remains one of the most popular OTC antihistamines in the US. This is partly because it is included in hundreds of products targeting allergies, colds and sleep problems. Doctors are pushing the FDA to eliminate the popular allergy and sleep aid diphenhydramine, most commonly marketed and sold under the brand Benadryl, from stores, citing evidence of potentially severe adverse effects, including 'substantial' brain damage (file photo) Your browser does not support iframes. Physicians at the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine and the University of California, San Diego made the case in JAMA Internal Medicine that diphenhydramine should be supplanted by second-generation antihistamines, such as like fexofenadine and desloratadine, the active ingredients in Allegra and Clarinex. They said: Widespread advertisements, entrenched prescribing habits, and self-treatment behaviors developed over decades contribute to the persistent use of diphenhydramine. However, we argue that OTC availability is the major contributor to the widespread use of diphenhydramine, the under-recognition of adverse effects, and the false perception of safety. A drug can only be sold over-the-counter if it is widely regarded as safe and effective. If new safety concerns arise, the FDA may appoint experts to review the evidence and recommend that the product be pulled from store shelves. Adverse effects of diphenhydramine were seen when the Benadryl Challenge exploded on social media. Young people encouraged one another to take dangerously high doses of Benadryl to induce hallucinations. Kenvue, the company that makes and markets Benadryl, told the Daily Mail: 'The health and safety of people who use our products is our top priority. We take the proper use of our products very seriously and work with non-profit partners and healthcare professionals to educate on appropriate use and safe storage of OTC products, including diphenhydramine-containing products. 'As with any OTC medicine, we recommend that consumers carefully read and follow the instructions on the label and contact their health care professional should they have questions. Dosing instructions and additional safety information can also be found on Benadryl.com.' Physicians argue that, despite its known risks, diphenhydramine is still exceedingly popular due to self-treatment behaviors, deeply-entrenched medical orthodoxy and positive advertisements have led people to believe it is relatively harmless (stock) The trend took the life of Jacob Howard Stevens of Greenfield, Ohio, who died after taking 12 to 14 pills one to two is a typical dose which immediately caused seizures. The overdose left him brain-dead. In May 2020, Cook Childrens Hospital in Fort Worth, Texas, issued a public warning about the trend after three teens were treated there for Benadryl overdose. Each of these patients said they got the idea from videos on TikTok that claimed users could get high and hallucinate if they took a dozen or more of the allergy pills. Based on research published a decade ago, long-term use of common anticholinergic medications like Benadryl may be linked to an increased risk of dementia. A landmark 2015 study in JAMA Internal Medicine by American researchers followed more than 3,400 older adults for seven years. The study found that frequent users of diphenhydramine and other antihistamines faced a 54 percent higher risk of developing dementia and a 63 percent higher risk of Alzheimer's disease compared to non-users. The physicians behind the pressure to remove diphenhydramine from the market added that the drug, most commonly seen under the brand Benadryl, is the driving force behind thousands of hospitalizations every year, driving up health-related costs nationwide. These costs include emergency department visits, inpatient admissions, and physician office visits as well as indirect costs, such as decreased workplace and school productivity. The researchers concluded that removing diphenhydramine from store shelves would protect patients and save the healthcare system money spent treating its side effects. They argued that the substantial public health benefit outweighs the minor inconvenience of limiting choice (stock) A 10-year review of poison center data published last year in the journal Pediatrics revealed a sharp and alarming 87 percent increase in intentional overdoses of diphenhydramine among children and teens, with the leading cause being suicidal intent, a category that more than doubled. The study found that 90 percent of these cases required treatment at a hospital or clinic, with one in five admitted to critical care. Newer antihistamines are formulated to target allergy symptoms without crossing the blood-brain barrier, greatly reducing the sedative effects common with drugs like Benadryl. As a result, they are considered non-impairing and are preferred for use during work, school or driving. The researchers added: Patients would benefit and the health care system would save money on the expenditures to treat adverse events if oral diphenhydramine were removed from the OTC market. Although requiring a prescription would limit patient choice for those who prefer diphenhydramine over second-generation antihistamines, we believe this impact is outweighed by the substantial public health benefits. The consequence of maintaining the status quo is no longer acceptable. Victoria Privett attributes meaning to all seven of her tattoos, but nonetheless is currently having one removed not because she has gone off it, but for the sake of her health. It was a month after having a large, ornate phoenix tattooed on her hip that Victoria applied a hair dye shed used many times before and within minutes of applying the dye to my head, my scalp started tingling, then burning, she recalls. Victoria, 33, a content creator who makes equestrian videos for social media platforms, washed it off and thought nothing of it. But two months later, the same thing happened only this time it was more intense. The burning was unbearable, she says. It was instant and very painful. I had to stop and wash it off early. Afterwards, her scalp was angry and painful for days on end. A few weeks later, she went to have her eyebrows tinted. Id done this before too and it was always fine, she says. But this time, my brows swelled, then itched so bad they bled then scabbed over. I was puffy for days. It made no sense. Id always dyed my hair and tinted my brows. Why was I suddenly reacting like this? The answer lay with her tattoos. In fact, tattoos commonly trigger allergies to hair dyes or to the tattoo itself, says Dr Jonathan Kentley, a consultant dermatologist based in London. It happens because the process of tattooing places chemical substances permanently into the dermis a layer of skin that is closely monitored by the immune system, and your body recognises it as something foreign, he explains. Victoria suffered an allergic reaction to a large phoenix tattoo on her hip and this tattoo on her back, which is in Elvish, a language invented by Lord of the Rings author JRR Tolkien Victoria, 33, is a content creator who makes equestrian videos for social media platforms In some people, the immune system recognises components of the ink as harmful and mounts an allergic response. This is usually a delayed type of allergy, he adds, meaning it may not appear immediately you wont necessarily react when you have the tattoo. Reactions can develop months even years after the tattoo was done, and is sometimes triggered by factors such as sun exposure, infection, trauma or changes in immune health. This might then not only cause a reaction to the tattoo, but the fact it will be there permanently on the skin means that the body may then be sensitised and react when it comes into contact with components of the tattoo dye. And the more tattoos you have, the likelier this is to happen. As Dr Kentley, who is also a spokesman for the British Skin Foundation, explains: If someone is already allergic to a tattoo pigment, any amount of ink could trigger a reaction. However, the more of the pigment delivered into the skin i.e. via large or multiple tattoos the greater the risk of you becoming sensitised to the allergen, and in turn developing an allergy. The chance of developing an allergy varies according to the colour of the tattoo. Dr Jonathan Kentley, a consultant dermatologist based in London Red ink is the most notorious, says Dr Kentley. Historically, red pigments often contained mercury sulphide, and although modern inks may no longer use mercury, many still rely on complex dyes or metal-based compounds that are able to stimulate an allergic response. As a result, red tattoos are disproportionately associated with chronic itching, swelling, scaling and raised lumps that can persist for years. This is the explanation supported by a 2020 study published in the journal Contact Dermatitis which found that red ink tattoos are prone to triggering allergic reactions. The findings came from analysis of more than 100 skin biopsies from people with tattoos. Black tattoos are also commonly implicated by delayed allergic reactions, because many contain para-phenylenediamine (PPD) a chemical dye widely used in hair dyes and black henna tattoos. Not all black tattoos will contain PPD, but it is a very common allergen often found in hair dyes and temporary tattoos which people can develop an allergy to even despite multiple exposures in the past, says Dr Kentley. This is why patch tests are usually recommended. People sensitised to PPD which can occur with repeat exposure to hair dye, too appear to have a higher risk of reacting to certain tattoo pigments later on. Meanwhile, yellow and orange inks can also cause reactions, particularly photosensitive ones that worsen with sun exposure, says Dr Kentley. This is usually related to the yellow pigment cadmium sulfide when exposed to light, this can become phototoxic which means it produces compounds that can damage skin cells, causing inflammation. And some people may have an allergy to metals found in tattoo ink pigments, too, such as nickel, cobalt and chromium, adds Dr Kentley. All of which may come as a surprise to the millions of tattooed Britons a quarter of people in the UK have one, according to a YouGov poll in 2022. Yet many are unaware of the risk when they start getting tattoos. Victoria, who lives in Hampshire with her husband, got her first tattoo aged 18. I loved it and it had meaning to me and within two years, by the time I was 20, I had seven, she says. Victoria, who lives in Hampshire with her husband, got her first tattoo aged 18 It was months after her brow tint reaction that Victoria discovered from a friend that it could be linked to her tattoos The last tattoo she had was particularly intricate it took three days to complete and was formed of lots of red ink. It was months after her brow tint reaction that Victoria discovered from a friend that it could be linked to her tattoos. I was wearing a hat because my head was still so puffy, itchy and painful, says Victoria. My friend asked why I was wearing a hat, and I explained what had happened, to which she replied: Did you know tattoos can cause hair dye allergies? Id had no idea. Victoria thinks the large amount of ink used in the design is what kickstarted the allergy. This was the last tattoo I had and the most time-consuming, so it can only be that which brought on the allergies, she says. Treatment for a tattoo-triggered allergy is challenging, says Dr Kentley, because the allergen cannot easily be removed from the skin. Mild reactions may respond to topical steroid creams to reduce inflammation and itch. In more persistent cases, steroid injections into the affected area or short courses of oral anti-inflammatory medication may be needed. Unfortunately, some reactions are resistant to treatment and continue to flare intermittently, says Dr Kentley. And laser tattoo removal is controversial with allergic tattoos because it can potentially worsen the reaction by breaking down the pigment into smaller fragments. In some cases the tattoo may need to surgically removed, but this is a last resort and generally only feasible for smaller tattoos, says Dr Kentley. In the case of larger tattoos causing an allergy, there have been cases where a skin graft is needed to cover the area after surgery to remove it. Victoria is halfway through having her large tattoo removed by laser to limit further allergic reactions, but it is time-consuming. I dont regret my tattoos as they were meaningful, she says. I just wish I could dye my hair and tidy my brows. I have long hair, which is my main feature, and I used to love putting colour in. Meanwhile, Dr Kentley adds that tattoos are not only a cause of allergies: Tattoo ink can cause a range of other skin issues, he adds. These include infections or specifically granulomatous reactions where the immune system recognises pigment as foreign and tries to wall it off which usually presents as hard lumps and bumps within the tattoo that can be red or skin-coloured. Tattoos can also cause flare-ups of medical conditions such as sarcoidosis a rare condition that occurs when the bodys immune system is overactive, causing tiny clusters of inflammation in areas such as the skin, eyes and lung. Another condition, lichen planus, occurs when the bodys immune system mistakenly attacks the skin, causing itchy bumps or a phenomenon called Koebnerisation, where it flares up in areas following an injury to the skin, such as the site of a tattoo. Tattoos can also obscure skin cancers, delaying their detection,' says Dr Kentley. And in June 2024, a study of almost 12,000 people in Sweden found that those with tattoos had a 20 per cent increased risk of some types of lymphoma, a type of blood cancer. However, this was only one study and there is still much research to be done in this area, says Dr Kentley. Victoria is hopeful the laser removal will end the allergic reactions that have now affected her for ten years. Its annoying not being able to dye my hair, but I cant take the risk, she says. Im hopeful laser tattoo removal will mean these allergic reactions will stop. - @endurancewithdarcey A woman who spent $50,000 cloning her late dog while she was 'deep in her grief' has lifted the lid on the harsh realities of the grueling and pricey process. When Venessa Johnson, 48, from Claremont, California, fostered a six-year-old Shih Tzu named Oliver in 2013 to help out a friend, she wasn't actively looking for a pet. But she instantly fell in love with him, and next thing she knew, she had adopted him. 'He was just the sweetest, most gentle boy. He climbed into the car, nuzzled into my chest, and I remember thinking, "This is my dog." And that was it,' she explained during a chat with the Daily Mail. 'Oliver had the best personality. He was stubborn, silly, opinionated, completely devoted to me and my constant companion. 'He was so well behaved that I took him everywhere with me. We were almost always together.' When Oliver tragically passed away 11 years later in 2024 from kidney failure, Johnson struggled immensely to come to terms with his death. While searching online for ways to cope with the grief, she came across an ad for pet cloning and was enticed by the idea of being able to preserve her beloved dog. Venessa Johnson, 48, from Claremont, California, lost her dog Oliver in 2024 from kidney failure, and she struggled immensely to come to terms with his death She forked over $50k to get Oliver cloned, but what came next was a grueling and emotional process which ultimately left her questioning her decision. The cloned puppy is seen She ultimately forked over tens of thousands of dollars to get Oliver cloned, but what came next was a grueling and emotional process which ultimately left her questioning her decision. 'After Oliver passed, I was searching for ways to cope with the loss and my grief when I came across an article - or possibly an ad - about pet cloning,' she explained. 'While I had known cloning existed, I had never truly considered it as an option until that moment. 'Once I made that decision, the grief didn't disappear, but it softened. It gave me something to hold onto - something to look forward to - the possibility of another chance with a part of Oliver.' Johnson explained that it took three attempts to clone Oliver, and each time it failed, it was extremely 'emotionally difficult.' 'The experience was a cycle of hope and disappointment,' she admitted. It took 11 months in total but finally, a puppy was born. She named him Ollie, but she soon learned that 'having a puppy' is very different from taking care of an older dog. She began to 'question her decision,' explaining that when she first opted to clone Oliver she was 'deep in her grief' but by the time Ollie came she 'was in a completely different emotional place.' While searching online for ways to cope with the grief, she came across an ad for pet cloning. Oliver is seen left while the cloned new puppy, which she named Ollie, is seen right It took 11 months in total but finally, a puppy was born, but she soon learned that 'having a puppy' is very different from taking care of an older dog. She's seen with Oliver 'Looking back, I can say that if I had waited until I was further along in my grief before starting the process, I probably wouldn't have cloned him,' she confessed. 'I likely would have gone to a shelter and adopted an older dog - and I can see now that I would have been able to open my heart to another dog, and that an older dog may have fit my lifestyle more easily than a puppy. 'That said, I love Ollie deeply, and he has - and continues to - heal my heart in ways I didn't anticipate. Two things can be true at once, and for me, both are.' Johnson noted that since she never knew Oliver as a puppy it's hard to say how alike he and Ollie will be, but she said the two dogs 'look exactly the same' and their 'core personalities are very similar.' 'Ollie shares many of the same mannerisms, quirks, and overall temperament as Oliver, which has been a really special and unexpected experience,' she said. In response to those who may criticize her for cloning her dog rather than adopting a new one, she said: 'I've volunteered at shelters, been involved in rescue, and donated to multiple rescue organizations for many years. I've also had rescue dogs my entire life. 'Even now, having a cloned dog doesn't change that commitment. I continue to donate to rescues, help network shelter dogs, and I plan to foster again as soon as Ollie is older. 'I think what often makes people uncomfortable isn't the idea of helping animals, but the amount of money involved. Johnson noted that since she never knew Oliver as a puppy it's hard to say how alike he and Ollie will be. Ollie is seen 'Any disposable income - whether it's spent on travel, a car, a home, or something deeply personal like this - could theoretically be donated to a cause someone cares about. We all make choices about what matters most to us.' In the end, she reminded others not to make any rash decisions in the midst of their grief. 'When you're grieving, it can compel you to do all sorts of things - it certainly did for me,' she stated. 'What I hope people take away is permission: permission to grieve fully, to honor that bond without minimizing it and to understand that love doesn't disappear when a pet is gone - it changes form. 'Sometimes grief leads us to unexpected choices, healing paths or even new beginnings, and that doesn't make it strange or wrong. It makes it human.' A woman who sold her home to live on a cruise ship full-time has lifted the lid on the shocking downsides to life at sea. Sue Barr, from New Jersey, spent more than 30 years working as a photographer across editorial, portrait and fine art. And while her career was successful for many years, she began to accumulate debt in her 60s. 'My debt was overwhelming, and all I wanted to do was travel, but I couldn't get out from under it,' she explained during a recent chat with the Daily Mail. 'Every time I had a little extra money, it wasn't enough to actually make a dent. It felt like playing whack-a-mole.' She had finally salvaged enough to book a trip to Costa Rica when the furnace blew in her home, so she had to cancel the trip and instead use the money to fix it. That was when she realized that being a homeowner was no longer helping her, but it was actually stopping her from achieving true happiness. 'That was the moment I realized it was time to sell the house. I didn't know what came next, but a friend who worked as a sommelier on cruise ships seemed to have the life I craved,' she shared. Sue Barr, from New Jersey, sold her home to live on a cruise ship full-time, and she lifted a lid on the shocking downsides to life at sea When she landed a job as the master photographer on the premium luxury cruise line Princess Cruises she envisioned delicious food, days in the sun and a chance to travel the world 'I started searching cruise ship jobs, my algorithm took over, and suddenly Master Photographer roles started appearing in my feed. So I applied.' To her surprise, Barr was offered a contract as the master photographer on the premium luxury cruise line Princess Cruises. She ultimately sold her home along with most of her belongings and set sail on a new endeavor that she thought would be a dream come true. She envisioned delicious food, days in the sun and a chance to travel the world. However, Barr quickly realized that working and living on a cruise ship is not as dreamy as she expected. First, she said her living quarters were far from glamorous as she was assigned 'a bottom bunk in a windowless cabin where she couldn't even sit up in bed.' 'Crew spaces were not maintained the way guest areas were,' she added. 'Our mini fridge didn't work, hot water issues sometimes triggered fire alarms and we had random inspections by officers.' She said the work itself was 'less about creative talent and more about sales and staying strictly on brand.' Join the debate Does financial freedom justify sacrificing comfort and privacy for a life working at sea? She said the work itself was 'less about creative talent and more about sales and staying strictly on brand' She was forced to work seven days a week 'with very little downtime' and didn't get to explore the cities that the boat docked in much She was forced to work seven days a week 'with very little downtime' and didn't get to explore the cities that the boat docked in much. 'Every third port we were required to stay on board, and even when we were allowed off, we often had to wait hours for guests to disembark before we could explore,' she shared. In addition, Barr said much of her downtime 'was controlled' and 'socializing felt nearly impossible' due to her busy schedule. She also discovered that 'life on board runs on an hierarchy,' as she explained: 'There is a ranking system for everything you do. I didn't fully research what that meant until reality hit hard.' 'Everything is regimented, from how you work to how you move through the ship,' the photographer stated. 'Maritime labor laws are very different from American ones, and you live where you work with little separation or privacy. 'Even getting around the ship was physically demanding. Guest elevators were off limits and crew elevators were usually jammed with food carts and cleaning crews, so I spent months power-walking up and down ten to 15 flights of stairs in business casual with camera gear a few times a day. 'Between the hierarchy, the sales pressure and the physical grind, it was a humbling adjustment for someone used to creative autonomy.' 'Every third port we were required to stay on board, and even when we were allowed off, we often had to wait hours for guests to disembark before we could explore,' she shared In addition, she said much of her downtime 'was controlled' and 'socializing felt nearly impossible' due to her busy schedule As for the food, she said it was 'designed for an older demographic' which meant 'minimal seasoning.' 'After a while, everything on the buffet started to taste the same,' she admitted. The one upside? Financially, she said her life improved immensely because 'her biggest expense' disappeared - her home. Room, board and food were free and 'while the pay wasn't high,' she wasn't spending much money. In the end, Barr reminded others who long to live at sea that it while it may seem like a fairytale, the reality is very different. 'My advice to anyone considering this life is to go in clear-eyed. This isn't a vacation,' she urged. 'It's hard, structured work. But if you need financial stability, can live small and don't mind giving up control, it can be a viable reset.' McDonald's Australia customers have gone into meltdown after discovering they can order 2L bottles of milk at the drive-thru. The fast food restaurant started selling essential items including milk, eggs and bread at drive-thrus to help with grocery shortages during Covid lockdowns in 2020. However, select Macca's locations are still offering household staples like milk - including full cream, soy or almond - leaving many stunned. Milk doesn't appear on menus so customers are required to check with employees at the drive-thru. Queensland dad Aaron McDonald and his wife shared a video showing themselves ordering a 2L bottle of full cream milk at McDonald's in the middle of the night. 'When you run out of milk at midnight in Australia...,' the video said. The video shows Aaron casually asking an employee at drive-thru, 'Can I just get a 2L milk please?' to which she responded, 'Yes, full cream?' An employee can be seen handing the $3.50 bottle to Aaron through the window. 'The "secret" actually came to me a few years ago during Covid lockdown... When I first discovered you could just grab a 2L bottle of milk through drive-thru window, I thought it was a total game-changer,' Aaron told Daily Mail. McDonald's customers have discovered they can order 2L milk at the drive-thru 'I've been using this "pro tip" ever since, especially when I'm commuting to or from work. The beauty of it is the pure convenience. 'If you've ever had kids strapped into car seats, you know the absolute nightmare of unbuckling everyone and dragging them into a grocery store just for one item. Doing a "milk run" without ever leaving the driver's seat felt like winning a trophy.' A McDonald's Australia spokeswoman told Daily Mail: 'While many restaurants temporarily offered essential items during the COVID19 period, a small group of Macca's restaurants have sold milk as part of their regular offering for a number of years. 'Today, a handful of Macca's restaurants across the country continue to sell milk, offering a range that varies by location from fullcream through to soy, almond, lactosefree, oat and skim options.' Aaron - who documents his Filipino-Aussie family life on Instagram and Facebook - said when he told his Filipino wife about the little-known menu item, she was shocked. 'She was absolutely floored - she couldn't believe it was that easy. She immediately said, "We have to go try this right now",' he explained. 'There's something almost rebellious about pulling up to a fast food speaker at peak hour, (or midnight) and just asking for a 2L full cream milk. 'Not only is it fast, but the price is surprisingly cheap.' Queensland dad Aaron McDonald and his wife shared a video showing themselves ordering a 2L bottle of full cream milk at Drive-Thru in the middle of the night His wife said: 'Can't believe this actually is a thing here.' However, milk is only available at some stores so it's best to check. 'What makes this a "treasured secret" is that not every McDonald's offers it. It's not always on the main menu boards, so you have to be "in the know",' Aaron said. 'Once you find your local Macca's that stocks the 2L bottles, and is prepared to sell them, it honestly feels like finding gold. 'It's that rare intersection of a bargain and a massive time-saver that every busy Aussie family needs.' His video has been viewed more than 8.5 million times - with many saying they never knew you could buy bottles of milk at McDonald's. 'No way! This is the best thing ever and it's only January 2026,' one said, laughing. 'I was today years old when I learned this,' another shared. 'Wow! I didnt know about this. Pretty cool,' one revealed. 'OMG $3.50 for full cream milk. This is way better,' another added. An employee can be seen handing the $3.50 bottle to Aaron through the window Many also pointed out that the $3.50 milk from McDonald's was much cheaper than supermarkets, which can cost up to $4.50. 'That's surprisingly cheap considering it's Norco,' one said. Some asked the couple why they didn't just go to a petrol station for milk, but many quickly responded: 'Why would we pay more and have to walk in?' 'Plus the servo doesn't have McFlurries, and chicken nuggets,' another suggested. But not everyone was lucky when they tried to order milk at the Drive-Thru. 'Last time I did this, they told me they "don't sell milk and never have" - it was very embarrassing,' one said. Meanwhile, many shared they have been buying milk at Macca's for years. 'It's been my favourite life hack. Now it's gonna be sold out half the time,' one said. As I watched my then-fiance walk effortlessly out of the hospital ward to head to his office, I felt a pang of resentment. He was dressed immaculately in a Mulberry shirt, while I lay dishevelled in a hospital nightdress, barely a week after giving birth. Later, I seethed inwardly at the selfies hed posted online in scrubs, taken mere moments before I was cut open. But, by the time the photos appeared from his office Christmas bash, on the very night our baby and I were discharged from hospital in December 2017, Id resigned myself to the widening differences in our lives. It was clear that by simple virtue of his sex, Chriss life would continue uninterrupted while I was left alone to cope with a traumatic birth and seriously unwell newborn, alongside my own failing health. This unforeseen change would ultimately end our 15-year relationship, which began in the first year of university. We spent our twenties building our careers, with sun-soaked holidays along the way, never imagining how quickly it could all unravel. So when the news broke that Jesy Nelson had split from her fiance Zion Foster, weeks after revealing that their eight-month-old twin daughters had been diagnosed with a neuromuscular disorder, it landed with a dull familiarity. Jesy, like me, experienced a high-risk pregnancy with serious complications that needed heavy medical supervision. Her daughters, too, spent weeks in neonatal intensive care with a condition that affects their early development. It was during the immediate aftermath of childbirth that I noticed for the first time that the rules are very different for men. They are praised for carrying on, while women are scrutinised to see if they perform motherhood correctly. Rebecca Tidy (pictured) welcomed her daughter Mabel in November 2017 - but the birth wasn't without its complications Id carried on during pregnancy as if nothing had changed, driving between the University of Cambridge and University of Exeter, teaching, researching, travelling and projecting competence. Everything was fine, Id told myself, despite the gestational diabetes and worsening pre-eclampsia. Reality finally hit on Bonfire night when my mother looked on in horror as my ordinarily size three feet refused to squeeze into a pair of size 11 Hunter wellies. By the next morning, the world had dissolved into a literal blur. I lost my vision, was diagnosed with HELLP syndrome (a life-threatening pregnancy complication that causes the breakdown of red blood cells, elevated liver enzymes and a low platelet count) and was then admitted to hospital in premature labour. I should have been resting. Instead, I spent those hours of labour writing and researching for a career I would never get back. I even persuaded my sister to drive to the hospital and sit beside my bed, typing for me, until Chris arrived after work. A doctor advised a C-section due to my deteriorating condition. But the midwives resisted, repeatedly insisting I could deliver 'naturally'. I spent twelve hours in labour under quiet pressure to persist. When I chose to follow the doctors advice, a subtle but unmistakable judgement followed. Even Chris, who is famously impervious to emotional undercurrents, noticed their tone cool and their patience wear thin. The doctor said I could safely wait until the morning for the caesarean, so Chris, ever the pragmatist, went home to sleep. It was a sensible decision. There was nothing he could do while we waited for a scheduled C-section slot. But it was the loneliness, and the coldness of the midwives, while I was so unwell, that stayed with me far more than any physical pain. Rebecca and her partner Chris (pictured with their daughter) were together for 15 years Rebecca said: 'When the news broke that Jesy Nelson had split from her fiance Zion Foster, weeks after revealing that their eight-month-old twin daughters (pictured together in 2025) had been diagnosed with a neuromuscular disorder, it landed with a dull familiarity' I couldnt physically see our baby daughter, Mabel, when she was born, due to the HELLP syndrome. She didnt cry. Less than an hour later, she turned blue and was rushed to the neonatal intensive care unit with a suspected collapsed lung. Doctors said that this breathing problem was compounded by the medication that I relied on in the aftermath of my five-year, successful skin cancer treatment. A midwife delivered this information very bluntly, and it landed badly at a moment when everything was already fragile. It caused long-lasting damage to our relationship. The hospital itself was in upheaval. Its maternity wing was being relocated, beds lined the corridors and we werent on a proper mother-and-baby ward. I wasnt allowed to stay with Mabel, as there were no beds for mums on that floor of the hospital. In any case, I was vomiting and feverish before the anaesthetic had even worn off. Id later learn that this was because I had sepsis. When I finally saw our newborn, she was connected to breathing and feeding tubes. It had taken an hour to insert them. She cried the whole time. The birth happened on a Saturday, and the next week simply vanished. My next clear memory is of my ex strolling out of the hospital to go to work. Rebecca and Chris (pictured with their daughter) had different lifestyles after the birth of their daughter - with Chris heading back to work and Rebecca quitting her career After a traumatic three-and-a-half weeks that are best glossed over, we were both deemed well enough to be discharged. Mabel remained fragile and prone to breathing difficulties and infections for the next two years. She vomited seven or eight times a day, and it was often accompanied by a rash, swelling and fast breathing. Though she was underweight, distressed and clearly in pain, there was no clear diagnosis. Help was hard to access until we reached crisis point and ended up back in hospital once more. When Chris became a father, his career accelerated. A promotion followed, then a partnership at his chartered accounting firm and longer hours spent out of the house. Mine stalled. With an unwell baby and what seemed like no support, I quit my academic job to take an extra year of maternity leave. I moved into precarious freelance work so I had the flexibility to care for Mabel. There were endless hospital trips, constant anxiety and years spent on breast milk, before the extent of her allergies finally became clear. Persistence eventually paid off. By the time the diagnosis came, that Mabel had dairy, soy, wheat, tomato and pepper allergies, as well as avoidant restrictive food intake disorder (ARFID), the problems eased almost overnight. Those affected by ARFID can eat only a very limited handful of foods that don't cause severe revulsion. But still, it was undeniable that parenthood rewarded us very differently. Rebecca (pictured next to her daughter) said: 'Watching Mabel now, I dont regret giving up my career for a second. It paid off.' Chris became short-tempered and irritable, as Mabel's health troubles persisted. I did the opposite. When things became too much, I withdrew and sat alone with our baby. I prayed he would stay asleep every time she woke up at night. One crying baby was infinitely easier than a crying baby and an angry man. The first two years of motherhood were brutal and Ive largely erased them from my memory. I can recall a handful of landmarks including trips to Garda, Pisa, two to Ibiza and another to Brittany, all undertaken with a poorly baby. But my experience is far from unique. Countless women know this story in one form or another. We live in a society that treats salaried work as the only labour with real value, while childcare the one job where you are truly irreplaceable is treated as something we should effortlessly absorb around it. Its an inescapable fact that a career pays the bills and motherhood does not. And so, overnight, your independence slips away. It brings a vulnerability you believed you had left behind long ago. I felt abandoned, exhausted and invisible, and I silently hated my partner. While my life narrowed to survival, he was content for his own to continue as normal with long working days packed with meetings, client dinners and glossy work trips. He was constantly praised for coping, but I was judged for every decision. This anger and resentment ended our relationship. Our child could barely walk and I was already a single mother. I am certain that, left to him, things would have carried on. We would both have stayed together, quietly miserable. For years, we simply didnt talk about what happened when Mabel was born. Neither of us wanted to remember those days of waiting to find out if she would be okay. The pain was too raw. Weve tried to stay on broadly good terms. Its pointless to erase a relationship thats defined so much of our lives. Last month, Chris and I found ourselves sitting in the leisure centre cafe while Mabel took part in her weekly swim class. He has since remarried, and spoke about the arrival of his third child before Christmas. Their newborn has allergies too. This time, there was proper help. It didnt take them two years of worsening health to get the correct diagnoses. The contrast with Mabels birth and early childhood was stark. For the first time, we felt able to acknowledge the pain of those early years and the toll they took on us. It felt unexpectedly healing and weeks on we both recognise that the conversation brought a sense of peace. I wish we couldve known she would be well enough to swim in a cold pool by the time she reached junior school. Watching her now, I dont regret giving up my career for a second. It paid off. Im not really dating. The truth is that Im still too traumatised by what happened and the years of uncertainty about our childs health. Im hyper-vigilant now in a way I never used to be. When I meet men who already have children, I listen closely to how they talk about the mother of those children. Their compassion, or lack of it, tells me everything. I know that I probably judge too much, but it comes from a place of experience. Women can quickly be left carrying everything while life continues smoothly elsewhere. And if the choice is between being cautious and feeling abandoned when I needed help the most, I know which one I would rather live with. A new mom who was fiercely slammed for not letting her family members kiss her baby has hit back at critics. First-time parent Haeli Christiansen, 31, from Virginia, went viral on TikTok earlier this month when she shared a video of herself slapping her mom as she attempted to plant a smooch on her grandson's head. The clip showed Christiansen kissing her young son before her mom leaned in to kiss the baby too. But suddenly, Christiansen gave her a quick hit on the head, stopping her immediately in her tracks. 'Gently reminding my mom to not kiss my newborn,' she wrote in a text overlay, adding in the caption: 'The word of the day is "boundaries."' The video raked in over 12.3 million views and while some parents agreed with Christiansen's approach, others were quick to bash her and said they felt bad for her mother. Now, Christiansen has addressed the backlash during an exclusive chat with the Daily Mail. 'It's not that serious. People have gotten awfully worked up over something that has not impact on their lives whatsoever,' she said in response to the hate. A new mom who was fiercely slammed for not letting her family members kiss her baby has hit back at critics Haeli Christiansen, 31, from Virginia, went viral on TikTok earlier this month when she shared a video of herself slapping her mom as she attempted to plant a smooch on her grandson's head 'My husband and I made a decision to try to keep our baby healthy and safe, and at the end of the day that means more to us than someone in the comments saying I'm a bad mom because someone can't kiss my son for a couple months.' Christiansen explained that when she gave birth to her son, TJ, in October 2025, it was right in the heart of flu season. Since infants 'don't have an established immune system or ability to fight illness themselves like adults do,' she and her husband made the decision to not allow any extended family or friends to kiss their newborn for the first six months. 'A common cold for adults could land a newborn in the hospital and be a life-threatening situation,' Christiansen explained. 'Also from personal experience - when I was a baby, I was hospitalized twice from being kissed by family who didn't know they were sick at the time.' She insisted that her family members 'were not upset' by the boundary and added that her mom was actually the one who pushed her to implement it. 'Before he was born, [my mom] emphasized to me that I shouldn't let people kiss him from her own experience with me,' dished Christiansen. The clip showed Christiansen kissing her young son before her mom leaned in to kiss the baby too. But suddenly, Christiansen gave her a quick hit on the head, stopping her in her tracks Since infants 'don't have an established immune system or ability to fight illness themselves like adults do,' she doesn't let any family or friends kiss her son, TJ Christiansen explained that when she gave birth to her son, TJ, in October 2025, it was right in the heart of flu season, so she set the guideline for his first six months 'She's been very supportive. The rest of our family has been supportive as well. No one has really pushed back on us.' Christiansen explained that when she posted the video, she and her mom 'thought it would be funny' and never expected it to get the reaction that it did. 'Though there is truth to the video (not wanting people to kiss my baby right now) it was meant to be funny. I don't slap my mom and she has a great relationship with me and my son,' shared the new mom. 'I didn't think it was something that was so controversial. I definitely did not expect this video to get the attention it has or spark the debate it has. 'We made the video and laughed thinking it would get a few hundred views and maybe resonate with some new moms.' The nasty comments ranged from people calling her a 'bad mom' to viewers telling her she's 'ruining her baby's life.' Christiansen vowed that her son won't miss out on grandma's kisses because the rule is only for the first six months of his life while he's building up immunity. 'Our family and friends still love him and have loved visiting with him. Whether or not they are able to kiss him doesn't determine the love they have for him,' she stated. 'Despite what some comments have suggested, we haven't and don't plan to keep him "in a bubble." 'There's a big difference between that and just asking people not to put their mouth on my child for a few months.' Despite the negativity surrounding the video, Christiansen is still glad she posted it and hopes that it will encourage other new parents to 'feel confident' in doing whatever they think is best for their baby. While Emily Bute isn't a mom yet, she has already made one decision for her future kids: she will not be sending them to public school. As a special education teacher in the public school system herself, she said she has seen first hand how the 'system does not address the needs' of children. Bute, based in Oahu, Hawaii, recently went viral on TikTok after she broke down all the reasons why she has decided that she will homeschool her kids when she has them. 'As a public school teacher I have seen the research and I've lived the experiences and honestly, this is why I will be homeschooling my children one day,' she began in the clip, which has been viewed over 281,000 times. 'I am in absolutely no way anti-teacher - I am a teacher, I think teachers are incredible, but I am anti-system,' she clarified. Bute then began to list the various things that she felt was wrong with public schools, ranging from class sizes being too big to the 'rigid teaching guides' forced upon teachers. 'Just to start, class sizes are increasing every year. [Studies] recommend smaller group sizes that are more tailored to how children learn, creating a developmentally appropriate environment,' she explained. 'We are routinely expecting one singular teacher to meet the academic, behavioral, emotional and cultural needs of 25 to 30 kids in a classroom.' Special education teacher Emily Bute went viral on TikTok after she broke down all the various things that she felt was wrong with public schools (stock image) A study done by Student/Teacher Achievement Ratio (STAR) back in the 1980s found that students who were put in smaller classes were 'two to five months ahead of their peers' after four years. A similar study done in 1996 found that students in classrooms of 12 to 15 students achieved higher test scores than students who were in classrooms of 21 to 25 students. Bute also slammed the public school's 'standardized curriculum,' explaining: 'The curriculum [may be] standardized but children are not. 'Research in child development shows that children learn at wildly different rates for reading, writing, math and executive functioning. 'But public schools use rigid teaching guides from curriculums that expect students to move on before they fully understand what they're being taught. One size fits all instruction doesn't actually fit everyone.' She also noted that because classrooms are 'louder, busier and way more hectic than ever before' kids are often acting out in school because they're simply overwhelmed. 'Then the behaviors... it's not because kids are "bad" it's because their nervous systems are completely overwhelmed,' she continued. 'Neuroscience tells us that stress, fatigue and sensory overload shut down the parts of the brain that help support our learning.' She slammed everything from class sizes being too big to the 'rigid teaching guides' forced upon teachers (stock image) In addition, Brute hit out at the immense 'testing pressure' that is placed on children starting at a young age. 'Kids are being evaluated more than they're being nurtured. And the research is clear that over-evaluation not only increases anxiety but it also decreases any intrinsic motivation,' she stated. Brute said she believed that 'outdoor and hands-on learning boosts engagement,' while 'small, relationship-driven environments correlate directly' to better learning. 'When I'm picturing my own future kids, I want them to be in an environment that values what we know based on research and not what the system mandates,' she concluded. 'This is exactly why I will be choosing to homeschool one day and why I'm developing my own homeschool co-op. 'I have studied the research, I've lived the reality and I know there is a better way to educate our children. If you've ever felt like this system isn't for your child, you're not alone.' While speaking further about it to People, Brute said that she knows homeschooling isn't 'accessible or realistic' for every parent, and recommended private or Montessori schools for those who can't homeschool. 'Not all parents have the time, resources or confidence to take on full-time learning, and that's completely valid,' she said. 'For me personally, my plan is to homeschool, but I also recognize that there may be seasons where having the support of a school community makes sense for some families.' She also clarified that despite her complains about the system, she 'loves' her job as a teacher, particularly the 'relationships she builds with her students.' First Lady Melania Trump has become known for her iconic style over the years - sporting tons of different designers and daring fashion choices. However, perhaps one of the most notable parts of her wardrobe is her extensive handbag collection, which ranges from designers like Chanel to ultra-rare Hermes models that cost hundreds of thousands of dollars. She is often seen carrying around a trendy bag to complete her look, like her Matte Niloticus Crocodile Hermes Birkin 25 in Black, which is priced on secondhand websites for over $100,000. Melania, 55, is not afraid to flaunt her personal taste to the world, as it has been said that the mom-of-one has an 'unrivaled' collection of purses that can take years to get. During a 2016 interview with Elle Magazine about her campaign style, she explained that she feels her style has stayed quite 'consistent' over the years. 'My style has stayed pretty consistent over the years,' she told the magazine at the time. 'I always wear what I like and what is appropriate for the occasion,' she explained. According to personal stylist Cynthia Kennedy, Melania's handbag collection shows that the First Lady is 'all about classic luxury' and 'high status.' First Lady Melania Trump has become known for her iconic style over the years - sporting tons of different designers and daring fashion choices However, perhaps one of the most notable parts of her wardrobe is her extensive handbag collection, which ranges from designers like Chanel to ultra-rare Hermes models that cost hundreds of thousands of dollars 'She comes across as polished, controlled and timeless, and steers clear of anything too trendy,' Kennedy told Daily Mail. 'Her handbag collection says a lot about who she is as a person, and how she wants to be perceived in public, preferring quiet authority over flashy gimmicks.' Now, Daily Mail is taking a deeper look into Melania's expensive handbag collection. Matte Niloticus Crocodile Hermes Birkin 25 in black Melania's favorite bag appears to be Hermes Matte Niloticus Crocodile Birkin 25 in black, which she has been seen carrying on a number of various occasions. The bag is a rarity, as it's made of one of the luxury brand's most coveted and expensive materials: crocodile skin. Online, these bags can be priced on secondhand websites for over $100,000. They take hours to design, and are some of the hardest purses to get your hands on. According to authenticated resale shop Madison Avenue Couture, it is 'virtually impossible to be offered an Hermes crocodile or alligator handbag at an Hermes boutique without first spending six figures or more at the store.' She famously sported the purse when she and Trump departed the White House on inauguration day in January 2021, as Joe Biden entered his presidency Another bag that Melania seems to love is her Hermes collection is her Matte Niloticus Crocodile Birkin 25 in black, which she has been seen wearing on a number of various occasions, including a 2019 UK State Visit According to authenticated resale shop Madison Avenue Couture, it is 'virtually impossible to be offered an Hermes crocodile or alligator handbag at an Hermes boutique without first spending six figures or more at the store' 'When it comes to the Hermes Kelly and Birkin, these are not handbags that anyone can walk into a store and buy, even if they have the money,' Kennedy explained to Daily Mail. 'They're reserved for people who have been long-standing clients and have a history of consistent purchases, but even then, there's still no guarantee,' she said. Melania famously sported the purse when she and Trump departed the White House on inauguration day in January 2021, as Joe Biden entered his presidency. She paired the bag with a black, knee-length skirt and cropped tweed jacket, along with a pair of black gloves and sky-high black Christian Louboutin heels. The mom also wore the purse in 2019, when she and her husband joined then-British prime minister Theresa May and her husband Philip for a meeting in London, pairing it with a trench coat by Celine. 'The black croc Birkin is the ultimate power bag: rare, tailored in true Melania style, and unmistakably elite,' Lisa Springsteel Dupre, founder of Launch Your Collection, told Daily Mail. 'She repeats it often because it aligns with her polished aesthetic and signals effortless authority.' Hermes Gold Ostrich Sellier Kelly 28 And, in July 2024, she was seen carrying an ostrich Kelly bag in the same cognac color as she was leaving Trump Tower with her son, Barron, 19 When Melania isn't wearing her crocodile Birkin 25, she often seems to reach for her Gold Ostrich Sellier Kelly 28, which is another rare get from the brand. The stunning purse is made from ostrich skin, and features a chic top-handle and gold hardware. An ostrich Kelly can go for upwards of $27,500 on many luxury resale sites, although it's unclear exactly how much the First Lady bought hers for. In July 2024, she was seen carrying the ostrich Kelly bag as she was leaving Trump Tower for a day out with her son, Barron, 19. 'Hermes bags are symbols of wealth and status, and signify that a person has relationships, history, and credibility within the luxury world,' Kennedy said. 'When someone carries one of these bags they're subtly telling everyone that they're a part of a very exclusive club.' Chanel Quilted Lambskin Trendy CC bag in black In June 2023, she was seen arriving at Trump Tower carrying the gorgeous bag, which she paired with a classic, long khaki skirt and crewneck black sweater In addition to her love for Hermes bags, she also seems to have a penchant for Chanel. She's been frequently seen wearing the designer's Trendy CC Medium Flap bag in black, and is a limited-edition model that debuted in 2014. It goes for a pretty penny on many resale sites, with a starting price at $6,000. In June 2023, she was seen arriving at Trump Tower carrying the gorgeous bag, which she paired with a classic, long khaki skirt and crewneck black sweater. She completed her simple look with a pair of tan-and-black ballet flats, also from Chanel, which retail for $1,075. 'Chanel's structured silhouettes and understated glamour mirror The First Lady's refined, Europeanleaning style,' Springsteel-Dupre told Daily Mail. The year before, in August 2022, she toted a slightly larger version of the handbag, which cost $7,000 at the time 'Chanel's timeless femininity fits seamlessly into her consistently polished wardrobe,' the fashion expert added. The year before, in August 2022, she toted a slightly larger version of the handbag, which cost $7,000 at the time. Melania donned dark trousers, a white top, and a matching, unbuttoned jacket as she made her way into her and Trump's Manhattan apartment building. She paired the look with black pumps, with her highlighted blonde locks in loose, beach-like waves around her face, and shielded her eyes with dark sunglasses. Louis Vuitton Luggage Collection Aside from her handbag collection, Melania looks like she has quite the assortment of designer luggage from Louis Vuitton. She has stepped out on multiple occasions carrying the timeless pieces, which are worth thousands of dollars. In August 2024, Melania was photographed leaving Trump Tower as her doorman loaded piece upon piece of Louis Vuitton luggage into a car. The items that the First Lady had packed up was the designer brand's $2,7000 Keepall Bandouliere 55, the $3,150 Cruiser Bag 45, and the Sirius 55 bag, which is no longer for sale, but sells at resale for well over $2,000. At the time, many of the luggage pieces also had a pink luggage tag attached to them that read 'FLOTUS' in gold lettering. Earlier that summer, the former model was also spotted toting around the Keepall Bandouliere 55 in Damier Graphite Canvas as she exited her New York City apartment. In October 2020, one of her aides was also pictured carrying her Sirius 55 bag onto Marine One as she headed out to campaign with her husband, Donald Trump The items that the First Lady had packed up was the designer brand's $2,7000 Keepall Bandouliere 55, the $3,150 Cruiser Bag 45, and the Sirius 55 bag, which is no longer for sale, but sells at resale for well over $2,000 At the time, many of the luggage pieces also had a pink luggage tag attached to them that read 'FLOTUS' in gold lettering 'A lot of people carry and wear Louis Vuitton, but that doesn't make it trend driven,' Kennedy explained. 'For her it's practical, classic, recognizable, and an appropriate choice since she travels frequently, and publicly,' she continued. 'It helps solidify her love and preference of established icons over niche fashion moments.' In October 2020, one of her aides was also pictured carrying her Sirius 55 bag onto Marine One as she headed out to campaign with husband Donald. Hermes Birkin 30 in dark burgundy leather Exotic-skinned Hermes bags aren't the only valuable pieces that Melania has bought from the French designer over the years. One of her most expensive pieces is the Birkin 30 in dark burgundy leather, complete with gold hardware. She showed the purse off as she was hand-in-hand with her husband as they boarded Air Force One to go to Mar-a-Lago for President's Day Weekend in 2019. One of her most expensive pieces is the Birkin 30 in dark burgundy leather, complete with gold hardware In January 2020, she carried the bag once again, pairing it with a lilac-colored robe coat from Ralph Lauren The bag is sold at resale at Madison Avenue Couture for over $30,000 - and she paired the look with a cozy cape at the time. In January 2020, she carried the bag once again, pairing it with a lilac-colored robe coat from Ralph Lauren. The bag speaks to her larger collection, which Kennedy says is about 'exuding an aura of timelessness and dignified authority.' 'Each and every one of her handbags reinforces a very carefully curated identity that's elegant, exclusive, and completely and intentionally separated from the world of fleeting trends,' Kennedy shared. A bride-to-be who was fiercely slammed for setting a strict dress code for her engagement party guests has hit back at critics. After Jenaya Devereaux's boyfriend Owen popped the question and she started planning a celebration with her friends and family members, she immediately had a 'clear vision' of how she wanted the party to look. To achieve that, the 23-year-old Arizona-native decided to implement a detailed set of guidelines regarding what attendees could and couldn't wear to their engagement party. And while she 'felt confident her guests would embrace it,' she never expected it would cause massive backlash for her online. She shared a video about it to TikTok earlier this month, writing: 'Remember, it's okay to give your guests a dress code if you have a vision for your day,' alongside a clip that showed her relatives all dressed in blues, blacks and grays. It went viral, raking in more than 365,000 views, but sparked immense scrutiny for Devereaux. Some people branded her as 'controlling' while others said they would never attend an event if the host told them how to dress. Now, Devereaux has addressed the negative comments during a chat with the Daily Mail, and she insisted that she had 'zero regrets.' Jenaya Devereaux had a 'clear vision' of how she wanted her engagement party to look so she set a strict dress code for guests. She and her fiance are seen at the party In the invitation, Devereaux asked guests to wear 'any shade of blue, gray or black' and she said everyone happily 'followed the dress code.' Guests are seen at her engagement party 'I truly don't spend energy focusing on negative feedback. If anything, the attention helped the video reach a wider audience,' she said. 'Criticism will always exist, and I've learned to let it roll off and stay focused on the positive.' Devereaux, who works as a wedding photographer, explained that she has seen first hand how what people wear to a party can 'influence the overall look and feel of the photos.' 'Certain color palettes and cohesive styling tend to photograph beautifully, and limiting options often makes the process easier for guests. Sometimes less truly is more,' she explained. In the invitation to their engagement party guests, she and Owen asked their guests to wear 'any shade of blue, gray or black' and even included a 'color palette card to clearly communicate the vision.' She said she 'wasn't concerned about how their loved ones would react' as she explained that most of them expected some sort of dress code since she is 'well known for her love of themes and thoughtful coordination.' 'They had plenty of time to prepare and have come to expect this level of intention with Owen and me,' she explained. 'We didn't feel we were asking for anything unreasonable, as most people already own something in navy, black or gray.' For her upcoming three-day wedding in October, which will take place in Hawaii, she has already set a similarly strict dress code for each day of the festivities For Saturday's festivities, which includes a sunset boat cruise, guests were told to wear 'white or tan.' 'Owen and Jenaya will be wearing blue and hope to stand out,' reads the guidelines According to Devereaux, no one was put off by the request and the response was 'overwhelmingly positive' from her friends and family members. In fact, she said many people told her it made picking an outfit for the event 'much easier.' 'No one expressed difficulty finding something to wear. Several guests mentioned it was a fun excuse to buy a new outfit or finally wear something they had been saving,' she said. Everyone who attended ultimately 'followed the dress code,' leaving Devereaux so happy with how the photos came out. 'I absolutely love how the photos and videos turned out. Being able to cherish both the experience and the visuals is incredibly meaningful, especially as a photographer,' she gushed. She said she decided to share the video online because she felt like 'brides don't receive enough encouragement to confidently make choices for their own events.' 'Many feel pressure to accommodate everyone, which can lead to unnecessary stress,' she explained. 'I wanted to show that it is okay to set boundaries and create the day you envision.' She was certainly shocked by the response it received, particularly, by the negative comments. For the ceremony on Sunday, men are encouraged to wear 'black or dark suits or tuxedos' while women should don 'colorful attire and grass-friendly shoes' 'I completely understand that this approach isn't for everyone, but it worked beautifully for us,' she stated. 'What works for one couple may not work for another. My goal as a bride is simply to enjoy each event to the fullest.' For her upcoming three-day wedding in October, which will take place in Hawaii, she has already set a similarly strict dress code for each day of the festivities. 'We kindly ask guests to wear casual dresses or Hawaiian attire for Friday's welcome party,' reads a note included in the invitation, alongside some examples of how guests should dress. 'Please avoid white - any other color is perfect. The event is outdoors with no shade, so plan accordingly.' For Saturday's festivities, which includes a sunset boat cruise, guests were told to wear 'white or tan.' 'Owen and Jenaya will be wearing blue and hope to stand out,' reads the guidelines. Lastly, for the ceremony on Sunday, men are encouraged to wear 'black or dark suits or tuxedos' while women should don 'colorful attire and grass-friendly shoes.' 'Please avoid Hawaiin-themed clothing and white outfits,' the invitation added. 'Sometimes people appreciate clear direction, especially when it's shared kindly and thoughtfully,' Devereaux concluded. The liberal nepo baby son of Michael Douglas and Catherine Zeta-Jones is 'too spooked' to return to CNN after he was eviscerated by Scott Jennings last year, insiders say. Dylan Douglas, 26, an actor and political radio host, was reportedly left so upset by his on-air confrontation with Jennings that he is 'done with tough interviews', according to Hollywood insider Rob Shuter's Substack. Shuter cited sources close to Douglas that say he has made it 'crystal clear' he is done with all hostile interviews, including CNN and 'any outlet where a host might dare to challenge him.' The incident that supposedly spooked Douglas unfolded on the air in November, when the heir to Hollywood royalty was left stumbling over his words as he sparred with Jennings over the Affordable Care Act. The discussion centered on healthcare subsidies expiring if the Senate did not pass a funding bill to re-open the government, and Douglas attempted to blame Republicans for the shutdown. 'Scott, with all respect, you cannot put on the American people that Democrats were the one [sic] that were hurting people, making this plight,' Dylan said. Jennings responded by asking: 'Who was casting the votes against opening the government, Democrats or Republicans?' Douglas proceeded to stutter over his talking points as Jennings repeated the question to him multiple times, and the young actor was ridiculed by conservatives on social media following the broadcast. Michael Douglas and Catherine Zeta-Jones's son Dylan Douglas (seen together in 2025) is 'too spooked' to return to CNN after he was eviscerated by Scott Jennings last year, insiders say The incident that supposedly spooked Douglas unfolded on the air in November, when the heir to Hollywood royalty was left stumbling over his words as he sparred with Scott Jennings over the Affordable Care Act In the aftermath of Douglas's CNN confrontation, Shuter reported at the time that his Oscar-winning parents were left outraged by the debate, and accused CNN of being 'unfair and exploitative.' 'Dylan's never been spoken to like that in his entire life. He's always been the golden boy - adored, protected,' a source said at the time. And according to the gossip columnist's latest Substack on the fallout, Douglas has not gotten over the clash. Douglas has reportedly said he 'doesn't want to feel that again' after being challenged on the air, and he now says that returning to 'mainstream cable is a hard no.' However, the 26-year-old is not intending to step back from the spotlight, sources said, but he is instead focused on his radio shows on SiriusXM, because he 'wants control, total control.' 'Hes only doing shows where they adore him... He thinks hes the next Rachel Maddow,' the insider added. 'Hes lived in Michael and Catherines shadow forever, now, hes center stage, and hes not letting anyone knock him off it,' a family friend said. Another insider reportedly told Shuter: 'He wants applause, not analysis. CNN represents scrutiny and that scares him.' Dylan's CNN confrontation reportedly left his Oscar-winning actress mom Catherine Zeta-Jones outraged, accusing CNN of being 'unfair and exploitative' According to insiders, Dylan has no plans to step away from the spotlight, and through hosting his own radio show he reportedly 'thinks hes the next Rachel Maddow' Following the reported outrage from Zeta-Jones over Jennings' takedown of her son on CNN last year, the Republican commentator offered to apologize to the actress in a tongue-in-cheek follow up interview. Speaking to Meghan McCain on her podcast Citizen McCain, Jennings said he was surprised that the Hollywood couple were so incensed by the political debate. 'I'm more than willing to apologize personally to Catherine Zeta-Jones over a nice seafood dinner if she wants to do it,' he cheekily remarked. 'Actually, I have to say Dylan was really nice off the air,' he continued. 'I think he was honored to be there.' 'We had what is relatively a normal exchange,' Jennings then insisted. 'He made his Democratic talking points. I dismantled him. Not an uncommon thing to happen on CNN.' When he then saw that Zeta-Jones and Michael were livid about the segment, Jennings reiterated that he was 'surprised.' 'But I think that what happens with some of these folks is that they exist in a very tight little bubble. They never really talk to Republicans or conservatives. They don't really get outside of their bubbles, where people tell them how smart and good-looking they are. 'And then they wind up on television with someone of a different persuasion, and it's surprising to them.' 'I hope Dylan comes back,' Jennings added. 'I'm sure he'll get better at it.' The Daily Mail has contacted Douglas for comment. A judge has blocked charges against journalist Don Lemon for his involvement in an anti-ICE protest inside a church in Minnesota. The Department of Justice said it was pursuing charges against Lemon and dozens of anti-ICE protesters after they stormed a St Paul church on Sunday. Lemon - a former CNN journalist - livestreamed the procession. However, a federal magistrate judge has reportedly refused to sign a complaint that would charge Lemon. Attorney General Pam Bondi is currently in Minnesota meeting with federal prosecutors. 'The Attorney General is enraged at the magistrate judges decision,' sources told CNN and CBS News. Feds said the protest violated the FACE Act, a law that prohibits interference with those seeking religious services. However, the judge refused to sign the DOJ's complaint against Lemon on those grounds, sources said. One insider warned that the litigation against Lemon is far from over, while speaking to CBS. They said the DOJ could find other ways to charge Lemon, but did not say how. Don Lemon is seen speaking to a camera inside the church in Minnesota The Justice Department previously said it would pursue charges against all who participated, with Assistant Attorney General for Civil Rights Harmeet Dhillon singling out Lemon specifically A separate source told the station that a magistrate judge approved charges for two other protesters - Chauntyll Louisa Allen, a member of the St Paul School Board, and Minneapolis lawyer Nekima Levy Armstrong. Bondi claimed on X that Armstrong helped organize the protest. Armstrong, 49, is being charged with a federal crime under 18 USC 241, a law that prohibits two or more people from conspiring to interfere with constitutionally protected rights, said Homeland Security head Kristi Noem on Thursday. Allen, Armstrong, and Lemon and several others entered the church Sunday after they learned that one of the parish's pastors leads the local field office for ICE. The Twin Cities are currently at the center of a massive immigration crackdown. The fatal shooting of 37-year-old protester Renee Good on January 7 by an ICE agent has fueled frustration already seen within the community. Lemon, an independent journalist, stood in solidarity with the church protesters. The disruption prompted congregants to leave. Lemon, meanwhile, interviewed the pastor, David Easterwood. Join the debate Should journalists face prosecution for covering or joining controversial protests inside places of worship? Local lawyer Nekima Levy Armstrong has been charged for her part in the procession Chauntyll Louisa Allen was also taken into custody and charged, feds said 'There's a Constitution and a First Amendment, and freedom of speech and freedom to assemble and protest,' Lemon insisted during the exchange. He has since said that he had no idea about the protester's plans until he was already inside the church, Assistant Attorney General for Civil Rights Harmeet Dhillon, meanwhile, told podcaster Benny Johnson on Sunday that being a journalist 'is not a badge or a shield that protects you from criminal consequences,' while singling out Lemon specifically. 'I think the videos show how close he was to these folks,' she said. 'I think further evidence will show more information about that. But he clearly knew and he stated before going into the facility, its on his own video, what was going to happen there,; she continued. She later warned Lemon on X that he is 'on notice' for his involvement. During an interview with Glen Beck on Monday, she told Lemon to 'lawyer up'. Lemon maintains his participation in the protest was as a journalist and is protected by the First Amendment. Fraudsters are impersonating schools in emails to catch parents out Parents with children at private school are losing thousands to scammers in sophisticated fraud schemes that target fee payments, new research suggests. Every one of 100 private schools surveyed by school software firm Iris Education said they were aware of parents who had been targeted with fee payment scams over the past five years. Scammers target parents impersonating the school in emails and asking for payment of fees. Schools usually send bank transfer instructions to parents via email, so the fraudsters are able to trick parents into sending cash to their account instead. Parents who have fallen victim lose an average of 3,200 per incident, Iris said, with some having lost as much as 10,000 in a single case. On average, school bursars said there have been at least five scams targeting parents in their school since 2020. Target: Private schools, Iris says, are particularly vulnerable to fraud due to the number of high value transactions being made by parents throughout the year Simon Freeman, managing director at Iris Education, said: 'These findings reflect the enormous challenge independent schools are facing from increasingly sophisticated fraudsters. 'What concerns us is how quickly scammers have evolved their tactics. They're monitoring school communications, timing attacks around fee deadlines, and replicating official payment instructions with remarkable accuracy.' Private schools, Iris says, are particularly vulnerable due to the number of high value transactions being made by parents throughout the year. While 87 per cent of schools say they have procedures in place to prevent fraud, more than a third aren't confident that their fee collection processes are secure. These figures come as data indicates that reports of online fraud, scams and other cyber-crime have jumped by more than a third in the past five years. Cyber security firm Bridewell said reports of internet-related fraud from the UK public have increased 37 per cent in five years, based on data obtained from Action Fraud. Reports come from individuals, as well as small and medium-sized businesses. Businesses are suffering In 2021, there were just 28,770 reports of cyber crime, compared with 39,504 in 2025. While these crimes are growing rapidly, cyber security firm Bridewell says the full financial impact on businesses may be larger than the figures indicate. Larger businesses typically report fraud to the National Cyber Security Centre. The figures indicate that reported losses from cyber crime have fallen from 12.3million in 2021, to just 6million last year. Despite this, Bridewell chief executive Anthony Young said: 'What we've seen is that the true cost of cyber crime to the UK economy is much higher than the data from Action Fraud suggests. 'This year has seen an unprecedented number of incidents affecting enterprise-scale organisations, costing the affected business hundreds of millions. 'Businesses must take urgent steps to bolster their cyber security defences and prepare for the growing risk of large-scale cyber-attacks.' Almost half of retailers in the UK are considering scaling back their operations or closing altogether as a result of fraud, according to separate data from financial technology provider Payabl. More than a third of retailers have reported losses as a result of all types of fraud, it said, amounting to some 1.17billion in 2024. Ugne Buraciene, chief executive of Payabl, said: 'Our research shows that many merchants are spending more time, money and energy fighting fraud than ever before, yet still feel exposed and unsupported. 'Business leaders are willing to invest and take responsibility, but fraud has become too complex and too fast-moving for many to tackle alone.' 'Without stronger coordination between banks, governments, payment providers and online platforms, fraud will continue to dent business confidence and hinder UK economic growth in 2026.' In the summer, I booked two separate nights at Hotel Indigo in Cardiff as I had plans to see friends. I used the website Booking.com and it cost 207 altogether. Unfortunately, I was admitted to hospital in November, two weeks before the first stay. I tried to cancel but couldn't manage it as I was so ill. Three weeks before the second stay in December, I realised I still wouldn't be well enough. This time, my friend phoned Booking.com on my behalf to cancel. After some back and forth, she was told she would have to transfer 45 to cancel, so I told her to leave it. However, later the same day I received a Whatsapp message on my own phone from Booking.com customer service. I filled out a form they sent me to claim a refund, but then the person told me to download an app to receive it. I found this odd so ended the conversation. I wrote two letters to Booking.com's head office asking for help and sent them by recorded delivery, but it didn't reply. Why doesn't it respond to letters and can I get my money? D.W, Monmouthshire Night away: This reader had booked two overnight stays in Cardiff, but wasn't able to go Helen Crane, This is Money's consumer champion replies: When you contacted me, you had a feeling that something wasn't right. When cancelling the first stay in November, you called Hotel Indigo but it said you had to cancel on the Booking.com app instead. You told me you aren't especially tech-savvy, and couldn't manage it in your unwell state. You were therefore willing to let the money go for that date - but what happened when you tried to call off the December stay struck you as much more sinister. Why would Booking.com charge you to get a refund, and what was it doing asking you to download Lemfi, an app that offers 'global accounts for African professionals?' I'm sorry to report that you have been the victim of a nasty scam. Here is what I believe happened. When your friend phoned Booking.com to cancel the December stay, I think she Googled the firm's customer service number. But instead of the genuine details, the first result that appeared was unfortunately that of a scammer. This is called Google spoofing, and it works like this: A scammer takes out an advert on Google, so that when someone searches for (for example) 'Booking.com customer service' the fraudster's own phone number will show up as the top result. In this way, they can trick people into phoning them, or visiting their website, instead of Booking.com. They will set up a convincing fake website or phone line, to fool customers looking for help into thinking they are genuinely in contact with the company in question. CRANE ON THE CASE Our weekly column sees This is Money consumer expert Helen Crane tackle reader problems and shine the light on companies doing both good and bad. Want her to investigate a problem, or do you want to praise a firm for going that extra mile? Get in touch: helen.crane@thisismoney.co.uk I think that you and your friend both spoke to and messaged a scammer, rather than Booking.com - with your being tricked into handing over your mobile phone number as part of the phone conversation. Then, when you filled in your details on the form they sent you on Whatsapp, the fraudster had your bank information - which was the aim of this particular fraud. Thankfully, they didn't take any money from you. While you were messaging the scammer, you started getting fraud alerts from your bank and it quickly froze your account. I think telling you to download the Lemfi app was another way to try and get money out of you. If you had agreed, the scammer may have asked you to transfer money into the app, or hand over the password to your Lemfi account and use it as a back door to transfer more money from your current account. Often, scammers want to direct people to these payment apps, as they aren't as likely to spot scam activity as a bank. It can also be harder for the customer to get their money back via, for example, a chargeback. This all seemed odd to you, so you decided to return to good old pen and paper and wrote two letters to Booking.com's head office in London, asking for help cancelling the reservation. You sent these via recorded delivery but concerningly, neither received any response or acknowledgment. You told me this was what really annoyed you about the whole case. 'I know that in the grand scheme of things this was a trivial amount,' you said. 'Its the refusal of these companies to acknowledge complaints, especially when sent by recorded delivery that really infuriates me.' Trick: D.W's friend thought she was speaking to Booking.com on the phone, but it was actually a fraudster posing as the accommodation listings website As the first letter was sent several weeks before the hotel stay, and given all the trouble you had been to trying to get the refund, I felt you were owed you your money back for the December stay. Usually it's the hotel's responsibility to refund you, as Booking.com acts as an agent and your contract is with the accommodation provider. However, as Booking.com ignored your request for help, I felt it had a part to play in this, too. I contacted both organisations. Initially, Booking.com said it would not pay your money back as both your reservations were non-refundable. It contacted Hotel Indigo, which is owned by Intercontinental Hotels Group, to ask if it would be willing to pay you the cash which amounted to 114 for the December stay. Booking.com said the hotel declined to do so, citing again the non-refundable nature of your booking. When I expressed my disappointment, though, Booking.com had a change of heart. It has given you a refund of 114 in cash for the December reservation, as well as a credit of 95 for the first stay which you can use towards another reservation made on its website. After all this, you told me you won't be using the site again, however. A spokesperson said: 'In addition to travel insurance, we do advise guests to book stays with free cancellation, in case plans do need to change at the last minute.' They added: 'If there is an issue with a reservation our online help centre details the way our customer service team can be reached. 'As hotels are responsible for their own cancellation policies (in this case both were non-refundable) we also provide their contact details in the reservation confirmation, and they too can be reached via our help centre.' When I visited the help centre, there was a warning at the top of the page stating that Booking.com would not contact customers on Whatsapp, or ask for payment information via phone or email. If you need to phone a company, it's always safest to visit their official website and use the phone number stated there, rather than using a number on Google search. I also contacted Intercontinental Hotels Group, but Booking.com refunded you before it responded. I asked Booking.com on multiple occasions whether it responds to customers who write to it in the post, and it didn't give me a proper answer. I'm therefore left to assume that the answer is no. If that is the case, it is unfortunately not alone. Almost every week, a reader will get in touch with me saying they have written to a company and been ignored. Of course most people prefer to pick up the phone or go online, but it isn't right that people who can't - or who get bored of sitting on hold or talking to a useless chat bot - are simply disregarded. Have you had a letter in the post ignored? Get in touch with me on helen.crane@thisismoney.co.uk. Landlords will have an extra two years to make their homes more eco-friendly after Energy Secretary Ed Miliband extended the original deadline. Under the Government's 15bn Warm Homes Plan, rented homes will need to achieve an energy performance certificate rating of at least C by 2030, an extension from the previous 2028 cut-off. There are handful of exceptions, such as listed properties and those in conservation areas. Alongside the two-year deadline extension, the government also lowered the maximum amount landlords will be expected to fork out to fund eco improvements. It confirmed the planned cap on the amount landlords will be expected to invest to meet the new standards will be lowered from 15,000 to 10,000. The cost cap will be lower where 10,000 would represent 10 per cent or more of a property's value, and any spending on energy efficiency works since October last year will be included within the planned cap. The Government has announced the maximum a private landlord will be required to spend on improving the energy efficiency of a home is 10,000, down from 15,000 previously Changes to EPC requirements have been hanging over the sector for a number of years now. The EPC is a rating scheme which bands properties between A and G, with an A rating being the most energy efficient and G the least. It is estimated that 2.6 million privately rented homes have an EPC of D or below, according to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government. That equates to 60 per cent of rented homes. At present, landlords need to ensure their property has a minimum energy performance certificate rating of E in order to let it. EPC certificates are valid for 10 years and all landlords must provide a copy to tenants before they move in. Failure to do so can lead to large fines and stop a landlord from being able to let their property in future. The National Residential Landlords Association has long argued that the 2028 deadline would be impossible for most landlords to meet. Ben Beadle, chief executive of the NRLA said: 'We have long supported the need to improve the energy efficiency of the rental housing stock. 'However, the Government's initial proposals were simply unrealistic and had no hope of being delivered within the timescales originally set out. 'The Government has clearly listened to our pragmatic proposals to improve its plans, and we look forward to working with it to ensure its ambitions work in practice.' However, a campaign group working on behalf of renters criticized the Government's decision to lower the cap on landlord spending and also raised concerns about landlords potentially evicting renters following upgrades, so they could raise rents to cover the cost. Niamh Evans, policy officer at the Renters' Reform Coalition, said: 'The Government's choice to lower the cap on landlord spending on upgrades from 15,000 to 10,000 means many tenants stuck in some of the worst insulated homes will - quite literally - be left in the cold, as their landlords won't be required to bring them up to EPC C. 'Government data suggests more than one in ten rented homes fall into this gap. 'We're also concerned the Government have still not set out plans to protect renters from rent increases or evictions following any upgrades linked to the scheme. 'It can't be right that landlords could put up rents or evict tenants to sell after using taxpayer-funded grants to upgrade their home.' Chinese car making giant BYD has confirmed it will bring its 'game changing' electric car chargers to the UK in the coming months, promising to install hundreds across the country before the end of the year. The world's biggest electric vehicle seller - having recently overtaken Tesla - has announced there will be 300 of its 1,000kW ultra-rapid 'flash chargers' in situ in 2026. The chargers represent a huge step forward in terms of shortening EV charging times, with compatible cars able to add 250 miles to a battery in just five minutes. The Chinese firm's ultra-rapid devices use a 1,000kW architecture, making them twice as powerful as Tesla's latest V4 Supercharger, which only charge up to 500kW and deliver 172 miles in 15 minutes. The first new model capable of utilising these incredible charging speeds comes from BYD's premium sub-brand, Denza, which is arriving in the UK this year. The Denza Z9GT EV, which uses the Chinese brand's latest 'Blade' battery technology, will be compatible with the 1,000kW flash charging tech. Bono Ge, BYD's country manager, said the incredibly powerful chargers will be able to add 1.2 miles for every second the car is plugged in. Chinese car making giant BYD has confirmed it will bring its 'game changing' electric car chargers to the UK in the coming months, promising to install hundreds across the country before the end of the year Speaking at the launch of BYD's new Sealion 5 plug-in hybrid (PHEV) SUV, Ge told PA: 'Our flash charging technology can add 250 miles of range in just five minutes. 'That's the equivalent of 1.2 miles of range every second, and I can officially tell you, we plan to bring the technology to the UK, with a total of 300 flash chargers to be installed in the country within this year.' He continued to explain BYD's plans to expand its flash charging network in the UK, adding: 'The flash charging network will continue to grow into the future, but we need to cover a certain network size on a global scale before we can cover more of the UK. 'We believe 300 units is the right volume to start with before we see more vehicles utilise the technology. 'In order to grow from 300 units, we need to check our utilisation for the current public charging network, because we need to make sure we get the charging price to a reasonable level, and not to make it more expensive for the consumer.' You can see the incredible charging speeds the devices achieve in the video below. BYD's charging station in China, 400km in 5 minutes! Gasoline what? pic.twitter.com/WgWGc5Nd3q Dominic Lee (@dominictsz) December 22, 2025 When BYD unveiled its flash charging system last year, bosses said it will 'fundamentally solve users' charging anxiety' The flash chargers are part of BYD's new 'Super e-Platform' that will underpin models already being sold in China. Their batteries can be charged in just 5 minutes - around the same time it takes to fill up with fuel at the pumps BYD's new chargers will offer double the peak power of Tesla's latest V4 Supercharger (pictured), which is the fastest device available to EV owners in Britain today The groundbreaking devices will first be installed at BYD's expanding UK dealership network, which currently consists of more than 125 showrooms. However, other partnerships and locations are under consideration to make the chargers accessible where they're needed most. The flash chargers are part of BYDs Super e-Platform which combines the devices with new battery and electric motor tech. Not only can the flash chargers add 1.2 miles of range per second to the latest models, older EVs should be able to charge up 20 to 30 per cent faster than normal using one of the devices. In its home nation, BYD intends to have around 4,000 flash charging stations across China, with 500 expected to be in place by April. The world's biggest electric vehicle seller - having recently overtaken Tesla - has announced there will be 300 of its 1,000kW ultra-rapid 'flash chargers' in situ in the UK in 2026 Not only can the flash chargers add 1.2 miles of range per second to the latest models, older EVs should be able to charge up 20 to 30 per cent faster than normal using one of the devices he Denza Z9GT EV, which uses the Chinese brand's latest 'Blade' battery technology, will be first model sold in the UK that's compatible with the 1,000kW flash charging tech. It is due to launch this year The Porsche Taycan rival has a tri-motor setup and can hit 62mph from a standstill in less than 3.5 seconds The Denza Z9GT - a luxury saloon rival to the Porsche Taycan - will go on sale in the UK in April and be available as an EV or PHEV. While the PHEV starts from around 45,000 in China, there is no confirmation yet regarding UK prices. The fully electric variant is powered by three electric motors, with a 380bhp motor on the front axle and two 322bhp motors sending power to the rear wheels. All three motors can operate independently, with the cars software working out where best to draw power from to maximise efficiency and handling performance. It promises an eye-watering zero to 62mph time of just 3.4 seconds; supercar-rivalling acceleration. Energy is provided by a 100kWh BYD Blade battery, which uses cell-to-body technology and should have a range of 391 miles. And thanks to its 800-volt architecture, access to the BYD flash charger network means 250 miles of range can be added in around five minutes - almost equivalent to the time it takes to fill the tank of a petrol car at a filling station. The Treasury's offices will benefit from lower business rates as pubs battle crippling costs, according to new analysis. The revelation has emerged after Rachel Reeves announced sweeping changes to property taxes in November's Budget, which will trigger surging bills for thousands of pubs. An analysis of official Government figures by tax firm Ryan shows the Treasury's office will see its annual bill plummet by 288,180 in the 2026/27 financial year. 1 Horse Guards Road, home to HM Treasury, saw its property value rise by 4 per cent, but its bill will drop to 9.62million for next year as it benefits from a reduction in the multiplier used to calculate rates. In the Budget, Rachel Reeves said business rates would be 'permanently lower' for small retail, hospitality and leisure businesses, but this has been challenged by sector bosses over the past two months. The Treasury reduced the multiplier used to calculate the property tax but also confirmed it would end a 40 per cent discount for hospitality, retail and leisure firms from April. Coincidence? The Treasury's offices will benefit from lower business rates, an analysis has revealed. These will be replaced by transition relief measures but these will be phased out by April 2029. The business rates changes also included new property valuations for 2026, which resulted in a significant rise in the average value of hospitality businesses, including hotels and pubs. A Treasury spokesperson said: 'Property valuations for business rates are calculated independently by the Valuation Office Agency. 'HM Treasury will be paying a higher multiplier next year to help fund a lower rate for the high street, as part of the Governments commitment to rebalance the business rates system.' The Government faced criticism from industry bosses and trade groups who warned that the tax changes would lead to closures and job losses across the UK. British pubs will see their rates bills rise from next year after their rateable values jumped 32 per cent, according to Valuation Office Agency data. Labour has indicated it plans to provide further financial support for pubs in the coming weeks in response to their concerns. Other sectors, such as hotels, have issued fresh pleas to Reeves over fears they could miss out on any relief. Tax experts claim other office buildings are also expected to face business rates hikes as part of the overhaul. Alex Probyn, practice leader for Europe and Asia-Pacific property tax at Ryan, said: 'Across the seven principal Central London office districts, an 11.9 per cent per cent rise in rateable values generates 607.9million of additional rateable value. 'Even after lower multipliers and transitional relief, that still results in a 78.7million increase in business rates liabilities in 2026/27 once supplements are taken into account.' Markets have rebounded after Trump dropped his plans to impose tariffs on Europe as he struck a deal over Greenland. The return of the TACO - Trump always chickens out - trade has calmed investors' nerves, sending stocks higher. The FTSE 100 jumped at the open, trading up 0.72 per cent to 10,210 points, while the FTSE 250 climbed 0.79 per cent to 23,253. Relief spread across markets in Asia too, with the Nikkei in Japan up nearly 2 per cent, while South Koreas Kospi passed the 5,000 mark for the first time. It came as Trump announced on Wednesday night that he would dial down his trade war after striking a deal with Nato over Greenland. In a Truth Social post, Trump said after a very productive meeting with the Secretary General of Nato Mark Rutte, they have formed the framework of a future deal with respect to Greenland. On the front foot: The FTSE 100 and FTSE 250 both jumped on the open in relief rally This solution, if consummated, will be a great one for the United States of America, and all Nato Nations. Based upon this understanding, I will not be imposing the Tariffs that were scheduled to go into effect on February 1st. The S&P 500 jumped 1.2 per cent on Wednesday after the statement, a day after the prospect of another trade war sparked its worst sell-off since October. Gold held steady but slipped 0.4 per cent to $4,834 this morning, while silver fell back by 1 per cent to $94.67 as tensions eased. Over the week, the precious metals are up 5 and 6 per cent, respectively. Richard Hunter, head of markets at Interactive Investor: 'The Presidents tendency to shoot from the hip still unsettling sentiment. There were reportedly increasing signs of a fractious relationship between the US and Europe'. He added: 'As such, investors are yet to fully regain their mojo, even in the US where the main indices remain down for the week despite the widespread rises yesterday.' Landsec, British American Tobacco and EasyJet all led the FTSE 100's biggest risers, all trading up over 2.5 per cent. Beazley, whose shares have rallied since a takeover bid from Swiss insurance giant Zurich earlier this week, fell 4.9 per cent after it announced it had rejected the bid. Miners Endeavour and Antofogasta were among the FTSE's biggest fallers. Primark suffered weaker sales over the key Christmas period amid a 'difficult clothing market', its owner has confirmed. Associated British Foods said sales had slowed at the budget clothing retailer in the 16 weeks to 3 January. In a surprise statement earlier this month, it issued a profit warning following weaker European sales at Primark and challenges in its US food business. ABF said group sales were down 0.9 per cent, compared to its original estimate of 1 per cent. It revised its grocery sales downwards, from growth of 1 per cent to 0.7 per cent in line with expectations while Primark sales saw marginal improvement from initial estimates, from 1 per cent to 1.5 per cent. Primark reported weaker sales driven by a slowdown in Europe Shares in ABF jumped 0.97 per cent but the prognosis for Primark is still bleak. Earlier this month, it said it had suffered in 'difficult clothing market, particularly over Christmas'. While Primark has grown its market share in the UK, consumer confidence in Europe slipped with like-for-sales growth plummeting 5.7 per cent. Its roll-out in the US has also proved difficult amid a 'volatile' environment. It expects sales growth in the first half of 2026 to be in the low single digits with profits lower after a 'challenging start to the year'. ABF has previously indicated it may choose to spin off Primark and its food business, but majority shareholder Wittington has committed to 'maintaining majority ownership' of both businesses. Its food business is also struggling amid weakened consumer demand, with its sugar business suffering a 6.9 per cent drop in revenue, revised down from its initial estimate of 5 per cent. Sales at its ingredients business are down 2.1 per cent. Adam Vettese, market analyst for eToro, said: 'Associated British Foods' trading update today confirms the weakness indicated in the profit warning earlier this month. 'Guidance remains cautious, with full year adjusted operating profit and earnings per share lagging last year due to US consumer weakness and Primark pressures. 'Overall, ABFs diversified model can help the company navigate difficult periods through resilient store expansion and balance sheet strength, but the earnings reset tempers enthusiasm. 'At current levels, patient investors will hold tight, betting on Primark's long-term rollout and consumer recovery, further upside will also be macro dependent.' Defence chiefs have awarded a near half billion-pound contract to BAE Systems to build new advanced radar systems for the RAFs Typhoon aircraft. The 453.5million deal is for BAEs state-of-the-art ECRS Mk2 radar, which will deliver enhanced electronic warfare capability, allowing the aircraft to detect, identify and track multiple targets in the air and on the ground. The contract for 38 radar systems, to be delivered by the end of the decade, supports 1,300 jobs. This includes workers at BAEs Warton site in Lancashire, 400 staff at partner company Leonardos sites in Edinburgh and Luton, and workers at Coventry-based Parker Meggitt. The investment was announced by Defence Secretary John Healey, who visited Leonardos site in Edinburgh on Thursday. The RAF Typhoon display team at the Southport Air Show. It comes despite revelations of a 28billion black hole in the Ministry of Defences budget which senior officers fear could lead to cuts despite a manifesto pledge by the government to increase defence spending from 2.3 per cent to 2.5 per cent of GDP by next year and meet a more expensive NATO funding commitment by 2035. Earlier this week, the Government also announced a 205million contract for the long-term provision of specialist Typhoon engineering support by QinetiQ. Mr Healey said: As the threats we face increase, and as Russian drones continue to strike Ukraine and violate NATO airspace, this cutting-edge radar capability will keep Britain secure at home and strong abroad for many years to come. He said this weeks combined investment shows defence is an engine for growth that can create skilled jobs and strengthen national security. Healey added: Our Government has backed (the UK defence industrys) high-skilled work with more than 650million of investment this week alone, securing British jobs and making defence an engine for growth. Richard Hamilton, BAEs air sector managing director for Europe and International, said: Continued investment in Typhoon capability is crucial and ensures were able to maximise the UKs investment in the aircraft and accelerate combat air technologies critical for defence capabilities. The radar deal was partially announced in June, when an initial 204.6million of the funding was released. It follows a contract signed with Turkey in October for 20 Typhoon jets worth 5.4billion BAE describes the Typhoon programme a collaboration between Britain, Germany, Italy and Spain as one of the UKs most successful defence export programmes, contributing 1.4billion in exports annually. The full Typhoon programme supports more than 20,000 jobs across 330 UK companies. But earlier this month, Britain's Chief of the Defence Staff, Air Chief Marshal Sir Richard Knighton, is said to have warned Sir Keir Starmer about a 28billion military funding black hole. The shortfall raises the prospect of swingeing budget cuts, at the same time as the UK faces the threat of direct conflict with Russia in Ukraine. As well as Labours manifesto commitments to increase defence cash, Britain was part of an agreement between NATO allies last summer under which member states will have to double defence spending from 2.4 per cent of GDP to 5 per cent by 2035, with 3.5 per cent allocated to core defence spending such as weapons and 1.5 per cent spent on national security measures. In November, the Office for Budget Responsibility estimated that meeting the cost of the NATO agreement for core spending alone would need an additional 32billion a year at todays prices equivalent in scale to the tax raids announced at each of Rachel Reeves two budgets. A British philanthropist will receive a billion-pound payout after selling his investment firm to a private equity giant. Swedish private equity firm EQT announced plans to buy specialist Coller Capital for up to $3.7billion (2.75bn) as it looks to capitalise on a boom in the secondaries market. Jeremy Coller, who runs the fund, is reportedly in line to receive about 72 per cent of the payout, around $2.6billion (1.9bn). Coller said he had initially planned to list his fund on the stock market Coller Capital, which holds around $50billion (37.2bn) in assets under management, buys and sells stakes in private equity funds. It has capitalised on growing interest in secondaries funds, as private equity funds struggle to return cash to investors quickly enough, as IPOs and other exit strategies have become less attractive. Dealmaking in the market rocketed to $225billion in 2025, a 41 per cent increase on the previous year, according to adviser Evercore. Coller, who is also a prominent animal rights campaigner, told the Financial Times: I was going to IPO, to be honest, but at [age] 67, I found EQT. Coller Capital will form a new business platform within EQT and will keep a separate office in London. The acquisition brings Stockholm-listed EQT back into private credit after offloading its credit unit to Bridgepoint in 2020. It said the deal would accelerate Coller Capitals growth strategy, including expanding secondaries into real assets. Per Franzen, chief executive and managing partner of EQT added: Coller is a global leader in this field, with deep expertise. The transaction unlocks growth opportunities for both firms. Together, I believe we can double the size of Collers business in less than four years. Shares in EQT rose 5.68 per cent in Stockholm this afternoon. Gordon Ramsay has warned the hospitality industry is facing a bloodbath as Rachel Reeves hammers firms with catastrophic tax hikes. As the backlash over the Chancellors botched business rates reforms mounts, the celebrity chef said restaurants, pubs and other venues are lambs to the slaughter following the Budget. Ive never seen it so bad, he added. The comments came after Ms Reeves this week insisted her plans to ease the burden of business rates facing pubs will not be extended to other firms. The decision sparked outrage from businesses facing huge hikes in their tax bills in April including hotels, restaurants, independent shops and music venues. Celebrity chef Gordon Ramsay warns restaurants are 'closing every other day' Campaign group UK Hospitality noted 9,000 jobs were lost in the industry in December alone the month after the Budget as firms battled to stay afloat. Looming business rates increases are only making things worse and the Government needs to act urgently to bring forward a hospitality-wide solution that averts those hikes, said Allen Simpson, chief executive of UK Hospitality. If it doesnt, we will only see job losses and business closures accelerate. Writing in The Standard, restauranteur Mr Ramsay said: The industry is facing a bloodbath. Ive never seen it so bad. When I look ahead to April, when the Budget measures come in, I think those of us in hospitality are lambs to the slaughter. Restaurants are already closing every other day. It devastates me because it seems no one in power is thinking ahead and considering where well be in five years. Were being suffocated. Whats happening to pubs is madness: there was already one shutting every day before these proposed rises in business rates and taxes. Theyre being crippled. Restaurants arent faring much better I live in Wandsworth and you cant walk ten metres without seeing another closure, another boarded-up front. Highlight a series of Budget blunders, Mr Ramsay said he has lost confidence in the government because this has happened before. He said: Look at what happened with the farmers, who brought London to a standstill over inheritance tax. Look at the U-turn the Government had to make it had egg on its face. It happened because ministers thought out a plan without any proper involvement of anyone in the agricultural world. Here we are again, only this time with restaurants and pubs. Mr Ramsay warned the industry has barely had a chance to stand up following the Covid-19 pandemic and now were back on our knees. With this business rate storm brewing, its going to be catastrophic, he added. Sir Rocco Forte, chairman of Rocco Forte Hotels, described the increases in business rates facing the industry as completely ridiculous. He told the Mail: It is deeply disappointing that the Government is not listening to the hospitality sector. Many establishments will simply go out of business. Andrew Goodacre, chief executive of the British Independent Retailers Association, said: The Chancellor, and her whole Treasury team, is misguided if they believe that pubs are the only special case. All high street businesses are facing significant increases in their rates liability. If this government is genuinely interested in supporting high streets, it would not see only one part of the high streets as important. Noting store closures at Poundland, River Island and Russell & Bromley, he added: We see indie retailers closing every day. It is hard to know what else the Chancellor needs to see before she stops and thinks about indie retail. Meryl Halls, managing director of the Bookseller Association, said: If pubs are protected because of the value they bring to their communities, bookshops deserve their place alongside them in a fair and equal business rates system, with growth and the high street at its heart. Martin Ingham, chief executive of the Motorpoint Arena in Nottingham, said the failure to extend support behind pubs is a huge disappointment that will see ticket prices go up and jobs lost. Well have no choice, he told the BBC. Live music venues can make exactly the same case made by pubs. Its completely unfair to exclude us from the same reliefs the pubs will get. One of the worlds biggest fund managers is pulling cash out of Britain as it spurns the Chancellors efforts to boost investment in the UK. Vanguard, which looks after around 9trillion of savers money, is ditching UK stocks worth nearly 2billion held by its popular LifeStrategy funds. The firm, one of the countrys best-known investment platforms with four million UK users, said the move reflects the more global focus of British investors. The move is embarrassing for Rachel Reeves, who this week hailed a new golden age for the City before jetting off to the World Economic Forum in Davos to champion Britain as one of the best places in the world to invest. The FTSE 100 has hit record highs this year, boosting its allure at a time when confidence in the US has been shaken by Donald Trumps attacks on the Federal Reserve and threats to take over Greenland. Henry Norton, senior investment manager at private bank Arbuthnot Latham, said Vanguards move was a blow to the Government at a time when they are trying to convince investors of the benefits of increasing their exposure to the UK. Setback: Chancellor Rachel Reeves (pictured) has attended the World Economic Forum in Davos this week And Shadow Chancellor Sir Mel Stride said it was a clear vote of no confidence in Labours economic approach. Meanwhile, Reform UK deputy leader Richard Tice said: Thanks to this high-tax, high-spend, high-regulation Government, its no wonder investors are running scared. Vanguard said it would reduce exposure to UK equities in its LifeStrategy range from 25 per cent to 20 per cent, which it will carry out in stages between March and June. That amounts to a cut of 1.85billion in UK equity holdings. It is making even more drastic cuts in exposure to UK debt, from 35 per cent to 20 per cent, in the LifeStrategy funds which hold government and corporate bonds as well as other similar fixed income investments. And in a boost to investors, it will cut the fees on its LifeStrategy range from 0.22 per cent to 0.2 per cent from January 27. Vanguard said: Over time, as UK investors have grown more confident investing internationally, LifeStrategy has evolved to have a more global focus. More investors want a mix that spreads their money across the world, while keeping a meaningful investment in the UK. To reflect this, the LifeStrategy funds exposure to global markets is set to increase. 'Global focus': Vanguard, which looks after around 9trillion of savers money, is ditching UK stocks worth nearly 2bn held by its popular LifeStrategy funds Noting it still has 140billion invested in UK equities, Vanguard added: We continue to have strong conviction in the UK as an essential part of a diversified portfolio. Vanguard is one of the UKs most popular investment providers, attracting customers with its relatively low fees and range of tracker funds. Sir Mel said: This is a clear vote of no confidence in Labours economic approach. Its not about global trends its about a Chancellor failing to convince investors the UK is the place to look for growth, following her benefits Budget. It doesnt have to be this way: rein in government spending, cut taxes, and give investors the confidence they need to invest in the UK. JN Bank has rebranded itself as This Bank in the UK and has launched new savings accounts alongside it. JN Bank launched in 2019 and was the first Caribbean owned bank to get a banking licence when it was authorised in December 2019. It launched its first savings products to market in October 2020. It now has around 65,000 customers and looks after 600million in deposits. This Bank will be headed up by chief executive Chris Waring who previously worked at Lloyds and Barclays. The bank does not offer current accounts, but it has launched easy-access and fixed-rate savings products, across one, two, three four and five year terms. Minimum deposits start at 1 and a maximum of 500,000 can be deposited in This Bank's savings accounts. JN Bank has rebranded to This Bank and launched a crop of new savings accounts at the same time Savings accounts can be opened online on This Bank's website and can be managed online or through This Bank's app. There are no restrictions on how many times you can withdraw your money from This Bank's easy-access account. Money with This Bank is protected under the Financial Services Compensation Scheme limit of 120,000. How do the rates stack up? This Bank offers an easy-access account paying 3.82 per cent. While not the very best rate available it is still competitive. Spring savings currently offers the best easy-access account paying 4.11 per cent. This Bank's easy-access account pays well over the average easy-access rate of 2.45 per cent. The one-year fixed rate account pays 3.99 per cent and a customer would earn 399 in interest after a year if they deposited 10,000 in this account. The best one year fixed-rate account currently comes from Marcus and pays 4.55 per cent. After a year a saver would earn 455 if they deposited the same amount. This Bank offers 3.99 across its two year, three year, four year and five year accounts. By comparison the best two and three-year fixed-rate accounts pay 4.2 and come from Access Bank. The best four-year account pays 4.07 per cent and is offered by Market Harborough Building Society while the best five year account comes with a rate of 4.27 per cent and is offered by Hampshire Trust Bank. Late Olympic snowboarder Alex 'Chumpy' Pullin's father has broken down in a powerful Daily Mail YouTube interview, during which he details the moment he knew his son's girlfriend had cut him and his terminally ill wife out of her life. Chris Pullin, 69, now lives alone in Eden, NSW, in the family home he built with Sally, who died last year age 68, following a brutal battle with central nervous system lymphoma. Heartbreakingly, she was diagnosed almost a year to the day their son, a two-time world champion boardercross star, drowned while spearfishing on the Gold Coast on July 8, 2020. Chris struggled to hold back tears as he described how he spent a night clinging to his wife's lifeless body in Chumpy's bed after she died. Reminders of the two family members Chris so tragically lost within five years are everywhere in his home. During the on-camera interview, Chris recalled the moment he and Sally realised they had been iced out by Chumpy's bereaved girlfriend Ellidy, for whom they had signed an affidavit allowing her to retrieve his sperm in the hours after his death. Ellidy, who changed her surname to Pullin despite not being married to Chumpy, became pregnant via IVF and gave birth to a baby girl in October 2021. Chris revealed he has seen his granddaughter, four-year-old Minnie, just 'three or four times'. Chris Pullin with his son, the late Olympic snowboarder Alex 'Chumpy' Pullin Chris invited Daily Mail to his Eden home, which is full of happy memories Chris gave a heart-wrenching interview which can be seen on Daily Mail Australia's Youtube Mr Pullin has now lost both Chumpy and his beloved wife, Sally, who died last year Chris believed the feud ignited in May 2024, when Chris emailed the board of the Chumpy Pullin Foundation - of which Ellidy was co-founder - to express concerns that it was straying from its original purpose of supporting initiatives around youths in sport. Instead, it began to focus on mental health initiatives, which Chris said prompted people to incorrectly assume his son had died by suicide and not drowning, therefore impacting his legacy and memory. Soon after the email was sent, Chris alleged Ellidy blocked the joint phone number he shared with Sally, who was by that stage was in her third year of fighting her lymphoma diagnosis, and suffering tremendously. 'After that (email) we came to understand we could no longer contact Ellidy. Our calls were not going through,' he said, during a filmed interview at his dining room table on January 12. 'It hurt Sally a lot. She was devastated. Her cognitive ability was impaired by the lymphoma. But she knew we weren't talking - or rather Ellidy wasn't talking to us,' he said. 'She was also aware we weren't in touch with Minnie. I was Sally's protector... but to see her so hurt by this, and there was nothing I could do to protect her... it caused a lot of pain.' Sally and Chris first met their granddaughter while Sally was undergoing gruelling treatment in Sydney late 2021, when Minnie was around six weeks old and had travelled with her mum from their Gold Coast home to the NSW capital. 'It was very lovely of Ellidy to do that,' Chris said. Chris' grief was evident as he recalled the day his wife passed away Sally died in April after suffering from central nervous system lymphoma She was diagnosed almost exactly a year after Chumpy died in a freak diving accident Chumpy, his partner Ellidy, and their dog Rummi at home on the Gold Coast Ellidy welcomed daughter Minnie via IVF after retrieving Chumpy's sperm posthumously 'Sally was over the moon about that little baby, and her resemblance to Chump. She still does (resemble him) I daresay.' Chris alleged he is blocked from viewing the frequent flow of pictures of Minnie posted to Ellidy's Instagram. Ellidy did not respond to a written request for comment via her agent. As part of the Daily Mail YouTube interview, Chris bravely shared painful, moving details of his wife's final day. He revealed she went to sleep while he was spooning her on her favourite lounge on their sundeck, which overlooks Eden's Aslings Beach, and simply did not wake up. He explained he did not call an ambulance straight away, and instead carried her into Chumpy's room, and laid down with her on their son's bed. 'She was at peace. She looked like she was asleep,' he said, through tears. He spent one final night holding his wife, who he met when they were 14 in Mansfield, and began a romantic relationship when they were 18. 'For me that night was really important. I didn't want to be in a hurry (for her to go) when it happened.' Olympian Chumpy was also a two-time world champion boardercross rider Chumpy's best friend was his Kelpie, Rummi Chris and Sally got their own kelpie, Stella, who was a 'best mate' to Rummi Chris now lives alone at the seaside home he built for his family with Sally in Eden, NSW Chris and Sally were parents to Chumpy and his younger sister Emma, and spent most of their lives running the Pullin ski supplies store in the Victorian High Country while working toward their dream of building a home in Eden and enjoying summers sailing as a family. When asked why he agreed to speak on camera in Daily Mail's wide-ranging interview, Chris said he had 'only just come out of the fog' of grieving Chumpy, caring for Sally, and losing her nine months ago. He felt 'a response was necessary' over several incidents that have occurred since Chumpy died, including the direction of the foundation in his son's name, his falling out with Ellidy, and knowing that he has a grandchild who is growing up without her father and paternal grandparents. During a pause in questioning, Chris admitted, 'I am just so lonely'. 'Sal was 62 when we lost Chumpy and our lives stopped. She died at 68, but she really didn't get to enjoy her 60s and what we expected to be our happy retirement,' he said. He told Daily Mail his dog Stella - a kelpie, just like Chumpy's dog Rummi - has been his saving grace. The full interview with Chris Pullin at his home in Eden can be found here. As US troops carry out high-stakes missions from Venezuela to the Middle East, the Pentagon has waged an unlikely new battle at home: the war on sex toys. In its latest culture-war skirmish, the Daily Mail can reveal military officials recently blocked the delivery of sex toys to troops overseas, igniting ridicule and debate over how far the military should police private life. First came prohibitions on piercings and nail polish for male military members. Then followed a ban on books with LGBTQ+ and anti-discrimination themes in military libraries. Then Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth sniped at overweight troops, those with religious beards and chaplains embracing what he deems as new-age beliefs. Now the Department of War, as Hegseth has renamed the Defense Department, is taking aim at a new target - adult toys. In a glaring display of sweating the small stuff, Hegseth's Navy sent two testy letters to an adult emporium in Toronto slamming it for fulfilling an order to American personnel on a US base in Bahrain. The items in question: a bullet vibrator and butt plug. 'Pornographic materials or devices are not allowed into the Kingdom of Bahrain,' warned one letter sent from the base with the subject line: 'Adult item identified during X-ray mail screening,' along with the returned pleasure goods. Secretary of War Pete Hegsethis now facing ridicule after his Navy blocked sex toys mailed to US troops overseas in the name of discipline and cultural sensitivity Adult pleasure devices, like vibrators and butt plugs, have long been used by deployed troops as stress relief during long and isolating overseas postings. Pictured: Stock image of a sex shop Another letter categorized the items as 'posing an immediate danger to life or limb or an immediate and substantial danger to property.' The Pentagon has declined comment on the letters, sent over the summer, which the Navy framed as acts of cultural sensitivity meant to avoid offending the conservative Muslim majority in the Persian Gulf island kingdom. But official customs lists published by Bahrain's government don't explicitly list sex toys as forbidden, although they do prohibit the sale and importation of 'obscene or immoral materials' that by either Bahraini or Hegseth's standards could apply to personal pleasure devices. A Navy instructional publication for trainees explicitly states that 'possession of adult sex toys in the barracks is prohibited'. The letters have triggered a host of playful social media posts, including sex-toy war stories about which dildos, penis pumps and anal beads current and former US service members have been using to pleasure themselves on overseas bases. Troops deployed to Bahrain, Qatar, Kuwait, Saudi Arabia, and other Gulf countries face strict social restrictions and limited interaction with locals. One of our Pentagon sources notes that maintaining mental health among troops has been a challenge in the region, pointing most notoriously to the 2018 suicide of Vice Admiral Scott Stearney, the commander of the US Naval Forces Central Command and the Fifth Fleet based on Bahrain. Grace Bennett, co-owner of Canadian sex toy business Bonjibon, claims the US Navy sent her a letter warning that 'pornographic materials or devices' are not allowed in Bahrain after intercepting a vibrator and butt plug during mail screening General views of the US Naval base in Bahrain, where adult pleasure devices mailed to American troops were intercepted and returned over 'cultural sensitivity' concerns Meanwhile, items considered obscene or pornographic to some are seen by others as healthy self-care essentials, especially for troops stationed in socially isolating regions. Service members on long deployments on remote bases and in ships and submarines have long been known to bring sex toys for pleasure and stress relief when away from their partners. 'My God, you'd never take toothbrushes or combs away from sailors, so why take away their dildos?' one Navy chaplain told us. 'Some things are basic necessities when it comes to morale.' Rebecca Karpinski is the interim president and CEO of the American Sexual Health Association, a group promoting sexuality as 'a normal, healthy and positive aspect of human life'. As part of its work, it pushes for stigma-free access to information, services and products that keep Americans sexually healthy. Vibrators and butt plugs, in her view, are neither obscene nor pornographic. 'Obviously, I believe in respecting other countries' laws,' she said. Bonjibon, which fulfilled the sex toy order, has turned the Pentagon's reprimand into a viral marketing moment. The items in question were a bullet vibrator and butt plug 'But what's uncomfortable for me is when our own military makes it difficult for people who are serving to live their whole and complete lives. 'Sexuality is normal and healthy, and that shouldn't end when you enlist.' Karpinsky sees limiting access to sex toys as akin to other sexuality-related restrictions imposed by Hegseth's military, including decreasing the availability of abortion and certain contraceptives. 'This feels like an expansion of those restrictions even further,' she told us. 'Our troops should have full access to rights that the rest of us the people they're fighting for are free to enjoy.' Bonjibon, the Toronto-based business whose products were shipped to Bahrain, has in the meantime parlayed the Pentagon's wrist-slapping into a marketing opportunity. The company bills itself as 'an every-person sexual wellness shop and online magazine' that offers 'pleasure, for every body'. Grace Bennett, co-owner of the company, posted an Instagram reel of herself framing one of the Navy's letters in a pink sequined frame to the tune of 'This Will Be (An Everlasting Love)' by Natalie Cole. Her post snagged 144,572 likes, largely among Canadians who lately love to hate anything related to the Trump administration. Hegseth has already come under fire for allegedly trying to impose a narrow brand of Christian nationalism within the military The president famously has mused that Canada could become the 51st US state, and for the past several months has been using economic force tariffs and trade policies to strong-arm that country. Bennett's proud act of defiance prompted one follower to write, 'How do I nominate you for the order of Canada?' She told CTV News Toronto that the increased exposure following her run-in with the US military is much needed during a particularly tough time for her company. Trump's tariffs and scrapping of the de minimis exemption which allowed people one duty free daily shipment worth less than $800 has caused Bonjibon's products to be held up at the border or shipped back to its warehouse, she said. She wondered why the Navy took aim at her business in Canada rather than the service member who ordered the vibrator and butt plug in the first place. 'This sounds like a you problem,' she said. Meanwhile, pundits are having a field day blaming Hegseth for the butt plug story 'I suddenly feel an urge to order one and ship it to him,' wrote a Reddit poster named Raynafur. Vinay Menon, a columnist for the Toronto Star, proposed a national Canada-wide effort 'in which our sex shops flood every US base with free bedroom toys to gum up the foxholes'. Archaeologist Howard Carter has been accused of stealing from Tutankhamun's tomb after stunning new evidence came to light more than a century after its discovery. The celebrated British Egyptologist uncovered the 3,300-year-old tomb in the Valley of the Kings in November 1922 in one of history's greatest archaeological finds. But Carter, who died in 1939, has faced rumours ever since that he stole treasures before the boy pharaoh's vault was officially opened - despite a lack of solid proof. Now, a new Channel 4 documentary has revealed unpublished letters on camera for the first time which appear to confirm Carter did indeed steal from the tomb. The programme features Egyptian heritage expert Sally El-Sabbahy looking through a note sent to Carter in 1934 by fellow British archaeologist Sir Alan Gardiner. Philologist Gardiner, who was on the excavation team to translate hieroglyphs, had been given a 'whm amulet' by Carter which was used for offerings to the dead. Carter assured him that the amulet was not from Tutankhamun's tomb - but Gardiner showed it to Rex Engelbach, who registered artefacts at Cairo's Egyptian Museum. Engelbach declared following his inspection that it did in fact come from the tomb because it matched other examples which were all created from the same mould. British archaeologist Howard Carter examines Tutankhamun's tomb after its discovery in 1922 A letter from Rex Engelbach, who registered artefacts at Cairo's Egyptian Museum, to Howard Carter's colleague Sir Alan Gardiner is new evidence that a treasure was stolen from the tomb Howard Carter (left) and Sir Alan Gardiner (right), who was part of the tomb's excavation team Egyptian heritage expert Sally El-Sabbahy looks through letters in the Channel 4 documentary Gardiner then wrote to Carter with Engelbach's conclusion, which said: 'The whm amulet you showed me has been undoubtedly stolen from the tomb of Tutankhamun.' Gardiner told Carter: 'I deeply regret having been placed in so awkward a position' - but added: 'I naturally did not tell Engelbach that I obtained the amulet from you.' The astonishing evidence was presented by El-Sabbahy in the second part of 'Valley of the Kings: Secret Tomb Revealed', which aired on Channel 4 last Saturday. She said that until just weeks before Carter's find, a system was in place in Egypt to allow foreign excavators to keep roughly half of their finds. However, this was changed before the discovery to mean the Egyptian government would be able to keep all historically significant or high-value items, with the foreign teams permitted to take home lesser or duplicate pieces. El-Sabbahy - who carries out private consulting for various clients, primarily the World Monuments Fund - told the documentary: 'I think this was a tough pill to swallow for a very long time and Carter did fight it for a while. 'There was always a concern from officials that something could be taken without their knowledge, and because of that Carter had to tread very carefully.' Speaking about the letter, El-Sabbahy added: 'It's apparently addressing an amulet that Carter gave to Gardner as a gift. So this letter opens with this really interesting sentence.' She said it read: 'The whm amulet that you showed me has undoubtedly stolen from the tomb of Tutankhamun before the objects were sent to the museum.' Howard Carter (kneeling) and some of his team looking through open doors of the four gilded shrines towards the quartzite sarcophagus within the tomb of Tutankhamun The golden burial mask of King Tutankhamun, displayed at the Grand Egyptian Museum in Giza The antechamber of the Tutankhamun's tomb following its discovery in November 1922 The sight that met the eyes of Howard Carter when he broke down the sealed doorway in 1922 El-Sabbahy explained that Gardiner would have had 'concern' to have such an object, and 'there was also a bit of embarrassment in knowing he had outed Carter'. She added: 'What's really important about these letters is that this is the first not just written but hard proof that objects had been taken out of the tomb of Tutankhamun, apparently directly by Carter himself. 'What these letters really show me is that there was really a concerted effort to not tarnish this incredible discovery by revealing unsavoury things about Carter. 'Because at the end, this was not about Carter. He was the discoverer, yes, but this was about Tutankhamun and this incredible legacy of the Valley of the Kings.' The existence of the letters has been known about since at least 2022, when they were published in Egyptologist Bob Brier's book 'Tutankhamun and the Tomb that Changed the World' - but this is the first time they have been seen on camera. Carter has no direct descendants to defend his legacy, but claims of theft have been denied by his great-niece, Susan Allen, who lives in Swaffham, the town in Norfolk where he grew up. Mrs Allen, who runs an Egyptian-themed art gallery and cafe called 'Tutankhamun's Emporium' in the town, told the Daily Mail yesterday: 'He never stole anything.' Carter had joined the British-sponsored archaeological survey of Egypt at the age of 17 and also discovered the tombs of Hatshepsut and Thutmose IV in 1902. He began work with the 5th Earl of Carnarvon in 1907, an antiquities collector who wanted Carter to supervise excavations, and they discovered the first signs of Tutankhamen's tomb on November 4, 1922. The antechamber of the Tutankhamun's tomb following its discovery in November 1922 Tourists watch the removal of artefacts from Tutankhamun's tomb in the Valley of the Kings Visitors take photos inside Tutankhamun's burial chamber in the Valley of the Kings in 2022 A second sealed doorway was reached by November 26, behind which the treasures were found. Carnarvon famously asked: 'Can you see anything?' And Carter replied: 'Yes, wonderful things!' Carter also wrote in his diary: 'It was some time before one could see, the hot air escaping caused the candle to flicker. 'But as soon as one's eyes became accustomed to the glimmer of light the interior of the chamber gradually loomed before one, with its strange and wonderful medley of extraordinary and beautiful objects heaped upon one another.' He then spent the next decade supervising the removal of the tomb's contents, which can now be viewed in the Grand Egyptian Museum in Giza. The 4,500 treasures included chariots, household items, jewelled ornaments and Tutankhamun's iconic golden mask. Tutankhamun died aged 18 or 19 between 1323 and 1324 BC, with genetic and radiological studies suggesting malaria combined with a bone disorder as his cause of death. He was mummified and buried in the Valley of the Kings inside three nested coffins, the smallest weighing 110kg, all placed within four gilded shrines. 'Valley of the Kings: Secret Tomb Revealed' is available to watch on Channel 4 Thousands of motorists could have their speeding convictions scrapped because of a speed camera glitch that continued for years. Transport secretary Heidi Alexander this week ordered an independent review into errors that 'resulted in a number of people incorrectly facing enforcement action for speeding'. The Mail revealed last month that more than 36,000 speeding cases have been axed following the discovery of a glitch in variable speed camera systems on smart motorways and some A-roads. The cases date back to 2021 when the new technology was introduced. The Department for Transport (DfT) has now confirmed that National Highways, which runs the strategic road network in England, will be investigating cases dating back to 2019 when the 'upgrade' of cameras got underway 'to ensure that everyone who has been impacted is identified'. Some drivers are thought to have been banned from the roads after being wrongly prosecuted in a small number of cases. Experts have warned the scandal could cost the taxpayer millions of pounds in compensation. Hugh Bladon, senior spokesman for the Association of British Drivers, said: 'When you consider somebody could lose their licence and maybe their job as a result of one of these faulty speed cameras, the implications are incredible. The investigation into faulty speed cameras on smart motorways will now look into penalties as long ago as 2019 The issue has been caused by a technical glitch which meant that at times there was a delay of a few seconds between gantry signs showing a change in the variable speed limit and the cameras registering the change 'It's an awful lot of people who have been unfairly punished for doing something entirely innocent. 'God knows how the Government is going to sort this compensation. If you are someone who has lost your job as a result of unfairly losing your driving licence, how do you recompense that? 'The cost to the Government is going to be substantial. 'And it's going to be a monumental headache for the Government trying to sort this out, although I suppose it will be up to the drivers affected to step forward and say: This happened to me. 'We have heard stories of people who have been unfairly punished, and that is justice gone wrong.' The technical glitch meant that at times there was a delay of a few seconds between gantry signs showing a change in the variable speed limit and the cameras registering the change. The malfunction meant that some people were wrongly clocked as speeding despite travelling at the speed displayed on the gantry sign. It only emerged after drivers were able to produce dashcam footage at court showing they were travelling at the correct speed. The scandal casts further doubt on the safety of smart motorways, so called because variable speed camera technology manages traffic flow and congestion on particularly busy sections of road The error at one point led to the police turning off cameras because they could not be relied on as accurate. It is thought to have affected 154 speed cameras over a four-year period, leading to an estimated two mistakes a day, equal to roughly 0.1 per cent of camera activations. Philip Somarakis, a leading criminal and regulatory lawyer at Irwin Mitchell said: 'We welcome the independent review. 'I'm sure there will be many motorists left feeling extremely frustrated that the issues with variable speed limit enforcement potentially go back even longer than it originally appeared. 'Moreover, I note the review will specifically consider the circumstances through which technical and operational issues, including, but not limited to, the technical anomaly, are identified and how and when they are escalated within National Highways to the executive and board. 'This is not an isolated incident involving the enforcement of variable speed limits and it begs the question whether the review will identify other failings.' The new review will be led by DfT board member Tracey Westell, who has been given a remit to investigate how the malfunction occurred and whether it should have been spotted sooner. A DfT spokesman said: 'The travelling public must have confidence that technology on our roads works as intended. 'An independent review will examine how the anomaly occurred, how it was handled, and what changes are needed to ensure this cannot happen again.' The decision to review cases back to 2019 means that many more drivers could potentially have their speeding convictions quashed. Some 2,650 innocent drivers have already been identified. Police have also told 36,000 drivers that their speed awareness courses are being cancelled as a precaution. National Highways previously apologised for the bungle and said new checks meant nobody would be prosecuted incorrectly. A spokesman said the cameras are still capable of enforcing the 70mph national speed limit on the affected motorways. The scandal casts further doubt on the safety of smart motorways, so called because variable speed camera technology manages traffic flow and congestion on particularly busy sections of road. The Daily Mail has long campaigned for better safety on the controversial roads as studies have shown almost 400 miles of smart motorways in the UK which have no hard shoulder are three times more lethal to break down on than those that retain the safety lane. Sir Keir Starmer's efforts to schmooze with 'content creators' in Downing Street this week appeared to backfire when he was confronted over 'diabolical' tax hikes. The Prime Minister hosted a reception in No 10 on Monday evening for social media influencers and online local news outlets. The event was held to mark the Government's Pride in Place programme, which is pumping up to 5billion into local communities across the country. But Sir Keir may have suffered an uncomfortable night when he was told by one attendee that high tax rates were making it 'impossible for small businesses to thrive'. Amy Gastman, the founder of two London-based food businesses, shared pictures on social media of herself speaking to the PM at the event. In a series of posts on her 'eatbyamy' account on TikTok, she wrote: 'I met the Prime Minister yesterday and this is exactly what I said to him. 'I'm Amy and I own two businesses in London. I care deeply about the survival of small businesses and you should too!!!! 'Business rates, national insurance contributions, and some of the highest VAT in Europe make it impossible for small businesses to thrive.' Amy Gastman, the founder of two London-based food businesses, shared pictures on social media of herself speaking to the Prime Minister at the Downing Street event Sir Keir may have suffered an uncomfortable night when he was told that high tax rates were making it 'impossible for small businesses to thrive' Ms Gastman added: 'I've been a Labour voter my entire life, my auntie is even a Labour councillor, but for the first time that is looking to change. 'Myself and a lot of my fellow founders are struggling, and we need change. Not just for our own personal gain, but for the economy to thrive.' Ms Gastman also penned a Substack article on Tuesday about her visit to Downing Street the previous evening. She revealed the Pride in Place reception was attended by around 100 people and she was among 15 people that Sir Keir spoke to. 'I wanted to speak to Sir Keir Starmer because I care deeply about the future of small businesses in this country,' she wrote. 'What's currently happening to us is, frankly, diabolical. High business rates. High VAT. Rising national insurance contributions. 'None of this encourages growth. It discourages it. And the knock-on effects are real: fewer independents, fewer jobs, more closures, less diversity on our high streets. 'I knew this was a cause worth pushing for. And I also knew that if I defaulted to being polite, agreeable, and unobtrusive, I'd leave the room having achieved nothing. 'So I made a deliberate choice to put that instinct aside.' Ms Gastman added of her 'one-on-one time' with the PM: 'We spoke properly. And afterwards, his assistant gave me her card.' Ms Gastman added: 'I've been a Labour voter my entire life, my auntie is even a Labour councillor, but for the first time that is looking to change' The Government is currently facing fury from industry bosses and trade groups over changes to business rates in April The Government is currently facing fury from industry bosses and trade groups over changes to business rates in April. It follows the 25billion hammering that firms endured at Chancellor Rachel Reeves' first Budget in October 2024, when she hiked employers' national insurance contributions. Senior Tory MP Andrew Griffith, the shadow business secretary, told the Daily Mail: 'The Prime Minister goes to extraordinary lengths to avoid meeting the small businesses his policies are killing. 'So full marks to Amy for bursting his bubble and confronting him with the truth.' At her most recent Budget in November, Ms Reeves reduced the multiplier used to calculate business rates but also confirmed she would end a 40 per cent discount for hospitality, retail and leisure firms from April. These will be replaced by transitional relief measures, which will be phased out by April 2029. The business rates changes also included new property valuations for 2026, which resulted in a significant jump in the average value of hospitality businesses, including hotels and pubs. Businesses have warned that the tax changes will lead to closures and job losses across the UK. The Government has indicated it plans to provide further financial support for pubs in the coming weeks in response to their concerns. But other sectors, such as hotels, have issued fresh pleas over fears they could miss out on any new relief. A Government spokesperson said: 'We are backing small businesses with a 4.3billion support package while ensuring firms across the country continue to benefit from 100 per cent Small Business Rates Relief. 'We are also slashing paperwork, improving access to finance and taking the strongest action of any government to tackle late payments, ensuring small businesses get the support and certainty they need. 'This is on top of the four historic trade deals we have secured which will help small businesses sell more abroad, as well as our work to fix the foundations of the economy - bringing down inflation and interest rates to cut costs and put more money in customers' pockets.' When contacted by the Daily Mail, Ms Gastman said she did not want to comment further. A longtime, well-respected family court judge in Nevada has sensationally announced her retirement after she was accused of stalking a younger female attorney. Judge Bridget Robb, 63, was hit with a temporary protection order (TPO) for stalking earlier this month in the Reno Civil Court. The Daily Mail understands the case has been very difficult and personal for the Nevada judge. She has since announced she will be leaving her role, after she was temporarily removed from all cases and committee assignments amid the allegations. Kelci Binau, 37, a gaming and administrative law attorney, filed the application for the order against Robb on January 12, according to public Washoe County Court records. A week later, Judge Pierre Hascheff issued Binau a temporary order of protection against stalking. A hearing is set to take place on February 13. According to the court documents viewed by News4, Binau claimed in a sworn application that Judge Robb engaged in 'willful, repeated and patterned' conduct, which started in May of 2024. The attorney included 'possibly hundreds' of descriptions of the alleged stalking - including doorbell footage at residences and workplaces, News 4 reported. When police began their investigation in late 2025, they surveyed the fitness studio that Binau visits multiple mornings a week. Detectives noted that they saw Judge Robb driving through the adjacent shopping center while Binau was inside the gym. Judge Bridget Robb, pictured above in her headshot, was served a temporary protection order for stalking in Reno Civil Court, Nevada. The order does not imply any guilt. After the allegations came to light, Robb announced that she is retiring next month Kelci Binau, pictured above in her headshot, filed the application for the TPO on January 12. A judge issued it a few days later. According to the documents, Binau claims she was being stalked by the judge from May 2024 Police interviewed Robb at her home on January 7 after they'd spotted her allegedly stalking Binau again, and the outlet reported that the judge allegedly admitted to the concerning behavior, captured on bodycam footage. Robb said she was 'collecting information' as a coping mechanism related to a prior personal relationship, the outlet reported. It's unclear what the relationship was. A temporary protection order stays in effect for up to 45 days. It does not imply any guilt on the part of Robb and is only intended to protect the filing party until a hearing. Attorneys representing Binau and Robb in the case responded to an inquiry from the Daily Mail, but didn't provide further comments. A hearing for extended protection is scheduled for February 13, at which Judge Hascheff will decide whether there is sufficient evidence to continue barring Robb from Binau. Both Binau and Robb will have to state their cases. An extended protection order can last up to two years. Binau practices gaming and administrative law for McDonald Carano, a law firm with offices in Las Vegas and Reno. The attorney (pictured) included 'possibly hundreds' of descriptions of the alleged stalking - including doorbell footage at residences and workplaces, local news outlets reported Judge Bridget Robb is seen here during her re-election bid, posted on her social media in 2020 Robb is pictured here in a selfie on her social media. The Daily Mail understands the case has been very difficult and personal for the Nevada judge - and after she was pulled off her current cases, she announced her retirement Robb served in the family division of the Reno court system. The courthouse is on the same block as the offices of McDonald Carano. Both women are Washoe County residents and live near one another. They are also both members of the State Bar of Nevada, although it's unclear how they know one another. Robb has an impressive resume as a family court judge. She passed the Nevada bar in 1987 and has served in the state ever since, according to her biography. Robb worked as a lawyer in private practice before becoming a judge, specializing in commercial litigation, domestic relations and administrative law. Former Republican Governor Kenny Guinn appointed Robb to the Second Judicial District Court in 2006. She has since served on three state Supreme Court task committees. One of which established a Business Court, and another was on the Bench/Bar Committee. A Supreme Court task force is a group of judges appointed by the chief justice to amend or establish a component of the law. The TPO against Robb comes just weeks after she filed to run for a general jurisdiction seat on the Washoe District Court, giving up her position in family court. Since the allegations came to light, Robb has withdrawn her candidacy for Second Judicial District Court, Department 10. Announcing her resignation, Robb said: 'After careful consideration, I have made the decision to retire from my position as a Judge in the Second Judicial District Court for Washoe County, effective February 6. 'In addition, I am withdrawing my candidacy for the Second Judicial District Court for Washoe County, Department 10. 'Serving the people of Washoe County has been an honor and a responsibility I have taken seriously throughout my time on the bench. I am grateful for the opportunity to have served, for the dedication of my colleagues, and for the hardworking court staff who strive each day to ensure the fair administration of justice. 'At this time, I believe stepping away from my judicial role and the election is in the best interest of the court, my family, and the community. I ask for respect and understanding for all involved during this transition. 'I remain committed to the values of integrity, fairness, and public service, and I thank the Washoe County community for the trust placed in me.' A frustrated farmer has been losing sleep over a river of rubbish that was dumped down a mountainside and is visible for five miles. Katie Davies grazes her sheep where the trash was left and said the mess keeps her 'up at night'. Drone videos show the garbage strewn across the beautiful South Wales countryside on Bwlch Mountain in Treorchy. This mountain land has been owned by Ms Davies' family for 90 years, and the clean-up could cost her thousands of pounds. Ms Davies said: 'I'm extremely frustrated and upset. It's just devastating. 'It's horrendous. It's really heartbreaking. I need a long-term solution, I can't keep doing this.' Fly-tippers often chuck their waste from the layby above the cliffs, and it's such a problem that Rhondda Cynon Taf Council has had help with the clean-up in the past. Volunteers previously had to drag the rubbish down the mountain before the council took it away to the tip. But this time, she fears it will be more difficult and may need specialists to drag the junk from the sheer cliff face. Farmer Katie Davies, 40, is losing sleep in frustration over the river of garbage that has been dumped on her land (pictured) Bits of wood, plastic bags and ripped-up cardboard boxes litter the once beautiful cliffside of Bwlch Mountain in Treorchy, South Wales Ms Davies is now appealing to the council to shut the layby above the cliffs to stop this from happening again. Nathan Dixon, 37, who grew up in the village beneath the mountain, said he recently scattered his father's ashes there. Now it is littered with ripped-up cardboard boxes, bits of dirty plastic and broken wooden planks. 'That's my father's final resting place. He walked those mountains all of his life,' he said. 'It's where he always wanted to be.' Mr Dixon, who is a travel blogger and captured videos of the once beautiful dumping ground, said that the huge pile of rubbish could be seen 'three to five miles away.' Meanwhile, Rhondda Cynon Taf Council stated that it always took action to hold those responsible for fly-tipping to account. A council spokesperson said it was 'important to find the right balance between deterring what is blatant and reckless vandalism of this beautiful landscape, with the enjoyment of the thousands of conscientious visitors'. Covert cameras and signs have been set up in the area by the council to deter or catch future fly-tippers, who they threatened with a 400 fine and criminal charges. Travel blogger Nathan Dixon, 37, spread his fathers ashes at what has now become a dumpsite Nathan said: 'That's my father's final resting place. He walked those mountains all of his life. 'It's where he always wanted to be' Drone footage of the river of trash shows that it is visible as far as five miles away The Council has had to step in the past to help with the clean up, but this time it's so bad that Ms Davies is worried she'll have to pay thousands of pounds to clear up the mess The local authority added: 'The Bwlch Mountain is home to breath-taking scenery that is world-renowned - unfortunately, there are some shameless people who decide to fly-tip and dump their waste, spoiling it for the majority. 'As a council, we take fly-tipping incredibly seriously and always take action to hold those responsible to account. 'Anyone found fly-tipping in the area would receive a fine of at least 400 and could face a criminal sentence.' Government agency Natural Resources Wales said: 'Fly-tipping is a serious crime that harms our environment, endangers wildlife and disrupts local communities. It's also expensive to clean up.' More than 70 per cent of fly-tipping incidents in Wales involve illegal, unlicensed waste collectors hired by people unknowingly to take away their household waste. The agency spokesperson said: 'If you're paying someone to remove your waste, you must check that they are a registered waste carrier.' Blood-spattered walls. Soaked-through mattresses. Floorboards dyed red. Overturned furniture suggesting the young victims bravely fought back in their final moments. Thousands of previously unseen crime scene photographs from the University of Idaho murders were released this week, giving the most detailed look yet inside the off-campus home in Moscow where Bryan Kohberger killed four college students in November 2022. Nearly 3,000 images were quietly made public by Idaho State Police on Tuesday before being swiftly taken down online. The Daily Mail downloaded the files in full before they disappeared, but has chosen not to publish the most graphic images. Many showcase typical student life: red plastic cups, empty beer cans, books and school work, clothing strewn across bedrooms. But hundreds of the images also document the obscene brutality that unfolded in the early hours of November 13, 2022. WARNING: GRAPHIC CONTENT Clockwise from left: Kaylee Goncalves, 21, Madison 'Maddie' Mogen, 21, Ethan Chapin, 20, and Xana Kernodle, 20, were killed in their Moscow, Idaho, home by Bryan Kohberger in 2022 Pools of blood cover the floor in Kernodle's room - with an out-of-place bedside cabinet suggesting she put up a fight A folded rug and strewn clothes back up investigators' theory that Kernodle, a junior from Post Falls, Idaho, bravely fought Kohberger The blood-soaked mattress and pillows in Kernodle's room, where her boyfriend Chapin, a freshman from Mount Vernon, Washington, had been sleeping and was also killed Blood splatter and stains are visible throughout the home (located at 1122 King Road), from the kitchen and bedrooms to the hallways, stairs and common areas. Some images show blood-soaked bedding sheets, comforters and pillows in the rooms where the victims slept. Blood can also be seen smeared across walls, furniture, rugs and personal belongings such as cellphones and laptops. The victims Madison 'Maddie' Mogen, 21, Kaylee Goncalves, 21, Xana Kernodle, 20, and Ethan Chapin, 20 were stabbed to death in their home by Kohberger, 31, a former criminology PhD student with no known connection to any of the students. A motive has never been given. The now-demolished house was a three-story rental with six bedrooms spread across three levels. Investigators believe Kohberger entered through an unlocked back door at around 4am, wearing all-black clothing and a mask. He went straight to the third floor and first stabbed best friends Mogen and Goncalves, who were sharing Mogen's bed after a night out. Eerie photos show Mogen's bright pink cowboy boots sitting on the windowsill next to a decorative pink-and-white 'M' initial, a picture frame, a small plant and a candle. The room is also decorated with flowers, a mirror and books, including a copy of the bestselling Colleen Hoover novel It Ends With Us, stacked on a shelf amid the chaos. Blood covers Mogen's bedding, mattress, pillows and surrounding furniture. Mogen's pink cowboy boots sit eerily still on the windowsill with a decorative 'M' initial The floor of Kernodle's bedroom shows blood dripping down the side of the bed and walls Blood splatters a white wall in Kernodle's room A laptop lies on top of a blood-stained chair in Kernodle's room Bloodstains are seen on the floor covers a cell phone in Kernodle's room A shot from behind the doorframe hints at the chaos that unfolded Investigators measure where blood was found on furniture in Kernodle's room Streaks mark the door frame and handle, hinting at a struggle in the bedroom before the first two victims were killed. Kohberger's leather knife sheath, later found in the room, would become pivotal in securing his conviction last July. DNA recovered from the sheath placed him inside the home during the murders, a key forensic link that helped prosecutors close the case. While Mogen and Goncalves were being attacked, Kernodle had just received a DoorDash food delivery and took it to the kitchen on the second floor. Investigators theorize that she may have heard the commotion and headed upstairs toward Mogen's room, potentially startling Kohberger and causing him to exit Mogen's room in a rush, leaving the knife sheath behind. What we do know for sure is that Kohberger then followed Kernodle to her bedroom, where she was stabbed more than 50 times. Chapin, her boyfriend, who was in her bed, was also fatally stabbed. Photographs of Kernodle's room reveal more blood-stained bedding, streaks on the walls, pools of blood on the floor and spatter across furniture and clothing. Beer cans are seen strewn on the staircase. The blue spatters are a chemical mixture used by forensic investigators to detect trace amounts of blood A kitchen knife beside red plastic cups in the kitchen. It is not the blade used in the killings Blood marks on the bedroom door of Madison 'Maddie' Mogen's bedroom on the third floor - along with an inspirational mood board Mogen's room on the night she was ambushed and murdered Bryan Kohberger's knife sheath was left on Mogen's bed - it became pivotal in convicting Kohberger A brown bag of Kernodle's DoorDash delivery from Jack in the Box on the kitchen counter Best friends Goncalves and Mogen were sharing the bed at the time of the attack Some images show deep rips in her mattress, suggesting Kernodle struggled against her attacker, while overturned furniture hints at a desperate attempt to defend herself. The Idaho State Police told the Daily Mail the department recognizes the pain felt by victims' families but maintained that the release complied with Idaho public records laws and existing court rulings. But the ISP said it had taken the images down after receiving several complaints that some photos showed victims' hair or other body parts. Officials said they were reviewing the photos and planned to release them again soon. Kohberger, who had been studying at Washington State University, pleaded guilty to all charges, including four counts of first-degree murder, on July 2 last year. He was then sentenced to four life terms plus ten years. Despite that conviction, Kohberger has never revealed any motive for his killings; he showed little to no emotion in court when the families of his victims tore into him and has even refused to say where the murder weapon is (the Ka-Bar knife believed to have been used has never been recovered). He will live out his days in the Idaho Maximum Security Institution, where guards say he has already been branded a 'diva' inmate. 'The prison is already short-staffed,' said a source. 'They're working 12-hour shifts. And then they are also dealing with his constant complaints. He takes up extra time because whenever a complaint is in writing, they have to respond to it. 'He is just relentless in sending communications to the prison guards. And that's taking away from other duties that they have.' Kohberger has been kept in isolation since his sentencing, in Unit Two of the prison's J Block. He spends 23 hours a day in his cell, with an hour for exercise. It's unclear whether Kohberger has been visited by any of his relatives. His mother and father, Maryann and Michael, live in Pennsylvania's Poconos Mountains. He has two older sisters: Amanda lives in the same state as their parents while Melissa is believed to live in New Jersey. Melissa, 34, told the New York Times this month that her family fully accepts the gravity and evil of Kohberger's crimes but they continue to talk to him. She added that her brother had enjoyed a happy childhood and was close to his immediate relatives. She also admitted to having personally drawn a black heart sketch, which Kohberger had kept with him during the trial and was branded 'creepy' by online sleuths. The release of the new photos this week prompted the family of victim Goncalves to speak publicly, urging empathy and respect. 'Please be kind and, as difficult as it is, place yourself outside of yourself and consume the content as if it were your loved one. Your daughter, your sister, your son or brother,' the family said. 'Kaylee Jade, I am so sorry that this has happened to you. I am so sorry that people who never even knew you, now post about you, suggesting things about your life that are so untrue. We will never quit fighting for you.' An Arizona home with breathtaking views of the surrounding desert landscape completely burned down on Tuesday night, leaving what was once an opulent mansion a mangled mess of rubble and ash. The seven-bed, seven bath home, purchased last April for $1.95 million, was in the small community of Gold Canyon, about 40 miles east of Phoenix. Superstition Fire and Medical was called out to the home at around 6:32pm, according to a news release. Mesa Fire & Medical Department and Queen Creek Fire & Medical Department assisted in the response. By the time firefighters arrived, the blaze had spread to the first and second floors of the home. Firefighters conducted a sweep of both floors and concluded no one was inside. It was later reported that the homeowner and his dog managed to escape the fire, which investigators believe may have started in the garage. The homeowner suffered from smoke inhalation and minor injuries but refused to be taken to the hospital. The dog was okay as well. Superstition Fire and Medical emphasized how dangerous the fire was in its press release, explaining that had firefighters stayed inside too long, they could have been crushed by debris. 'Due to unsafe interior conditions, including heavy fire involvement and concerns for hidden fire and structural instability, the decision was made to transition to a defensive fire attack,' the statement said. 'Approximately 60 seconds after crews were pulled back, a partial roof and wall collapse occurred. No firefighters were injured.' Pictured: A home in Gold Canyon, Arizona, burned to the ground on Tuesday night. This is what was left of it by Wednesday morning Pictured: The home was purchased last April for $1.95 million. It had seven bedrooms and seven bathrooms Pictured: Fire crews stayed until midnight spraying water on the fire. Other personnel stayed until 7am the next morning to monitor the embers Superstition Fire and Medical team coordinator Sophie Boukatch told AZFamily 'we were really lucky to go defensive when we did'. Fire crews were on the scene actively working to put out the fire until midnight. Other personnel stayed until about 7am on Wednesday to make sure no new fires were able to catch. Though there were parts of the destroyed home that were still smolder early Wednesday morning, the fire did not spread to any nearby houses or vegetation, according to fire crews. The cause of the fire remains under investigation, authorities said. Residents of a liberal city in Missouri have been complaining to officials that it stinks of cannabis everywhere they go. In Rock Hill, Missouri, a small city with a population of around 4,700 in the St Louis metropolitan area, the number of complaints about cannabis odor shot up in the second half of 2025. The city received 99 complaints about stinky weed between April and December of last year. Rock Hill's city administrator Garrett Schlett told the St Louis Post-Dispatch the number represents a significant uptick from previous years. Missouri legalized medical marijuana use in 2018, and recreational use was legalized in late 2022. In 2021, Missouri-based cannabis company Proper Brands opened a facility in Rock Hill's Industrial Court, which is where the stench that residents have been complaining about originates. Proper Brands' 60,000 square foot warehouse cultivates marijuana plants and manufactures a variety of cannabis products. According to the company's CEO, John Pennington, the strong odor inside can escape and be carried by wind when employees leave or exit the warehouse. And the wind takes the odor far. Schlett, the city administrator, said he and others can sometimes smell it at city hall, which is about half a mile from the warehouse. Residents of a liberal city in Missouri have been complaining to officials that it stinks of cannabis everywhere they go (stock image of a marijuana plant) In the second half of 2025, Rock Hill, Missouri, received 99 complaints about stinky marijuana. Rock Hill is a small city in the St Louis metropolitan area. Its city center is pictured here The smell originates from a cannabis cultivation warehouse owned by Proper Brands. The company's CEO, John Pennington, said the strong odor inside can escape and be carried by wind when employees leave or exit the warehouse He also said the city has received complaints from condos on McKnight Road and from Tilles Park, which are about 0.5 miles and 1.5 miles from the warehouse, respectively. Nancy OReilly, a resident who has lived in one of those condos for more than eight years, told KSDK that the smell has become a more frequent problem. 'It smells like skunk weed, there's no other way to describe it,' she said. 'It can be really thick on some nights, depending on the way the wind is.' 'We would sit at the pool all summer, and we could smell it all summer long,' O'Reilly added. She also complained that her realtor told her the smell is affecting her property value. Pennington emphasized to the St Louis Post-Dispatch that the smell does not have any adverse health effects and that 'Well never have the elimination of the odor. Its just the nature of it.' 'We understand the concerns. What were doing is very compliant and very safe,' the Proper Brands CEO added. But there have been so many complaints recently that the city created a dedicated email address to receive them. Officials have asked that residents say where and at what time they were able to smell marijuana. Rock Hill's municipal code is clear on the requirements for odor containment. 'All marijuana facilities shall be equipped with odor control filtration and ventilation systems to prevent odors of marijuana from leaving the premises,' the code says. Join the debate Should cannabis businesses be held responsible if their operations negatively affect local residents quality of life? Garrett Schlett, Rock Hill's city administrator, said the marijuana odor is sometimes noticeable at city hall, which is about half a mile from the Proper Brands warehouse A Proper Brands cannabis storefront is pictured here. The company produces and sells various kinds of marijuana products 'No odor shall be detectable by a person with a normal sense of smell at any point outside the property boundary of the facility.' Lisa Cox, a spokesperson for the Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services, told the St Louis Post-Dispatch that the department is investigating whether Proper Brands is in compliance with state marijuana regulations in light of the complaints. Pennington said his company's warehouse is fitted with an air filtration system and has installed carbon air filters and air scrubbers around the building to mitigate the smell. He also said the company employs environmental engineers and hygienists who give recommendations on how to improve air quality, which goes above and beyond state regulations. Schlett said that the city has consistently received complaints since Proper Brands opened its Rock Hill facility in 2021. Those complaints would then be passed on to the company, which would change its air filters, improving the problem temporarily. In May, Proper Brands sent representatives to the city's Board of Aldermen to explain the company's odor mitigation efforts. But for reasons that are unclear, the strength and frequency of the smell have only gotten stronger over the past year, according to some residents. Jennifer Fraley, a bartender and manager in Rock Hill, said her customers do not seem to mind the smell of cannabis, especially the younger ones who smoke (stock image) Jennifer Fraley, a bartender and manager at Trainwreck Saloon, which is around the corner from Proper Brands' warehouse, is one of those residents. She told the St Louis Post-Dispatch that the smell is most pronounced in the morning and when the weather is humid. She also said, however, that most customers do not seem to mind, especially younger folks, most of whom smoke marijuana. Rock Hill officials have invited representatives from Proper Brands to another Board of Aldermen meeting in early February to discuss why the odor persists and what steps the company is taking to address the problem. Franciss legs are trembling with fear as he tries desperately to avoid eye contact with the Russian soldier who is strapping the landmine to his chest. He is being armed for use as a human bomb and about to be sent to blow up a Ukrainian bunker. There is no escape. The African mercenary, recruited to take part in Russias barbaric war against Ukraine, is being held at gunpoint by one of the soldiers he is supposed to be fighting alongside. Hes about to run gonna be hopping through the woods, the Russian soldier boasts as he films a petrified Francis. Go on, move, he barks while pointing his rifle at the African who slowly moves forward while pleading for his life and screaming No! What the f*** are you scared of? Dont s*** yourself, the Russian mocks in the social media clip that has recently emerged and drawn global condemnation. Francis, with a device thought to be a powerful anti-tank TM-62 mine strapped to him, is subject to horrific racial abuse inside the Russian trench. His blood runs cold as he is told he is being used as a can opener and to detonate the mine when he reaches the bunker. If he refuses to carry out the suicide mission he will be executed in the Russian trench shot dead by soldiers who see him and other foreign fighters as expendable. Online footage shows Francis with the landmine strapped to him Foremost among the recruiting sergeants is Polina Alexandrovna Azarnykh, whose appearance and demeanour could not be more different from the khaki-clad figure you might expect What happened to Francis is unknown, though the grim fates of many untrained foreign mercenaries used by Russia to fuel its meat grinder assaults on Ukrainian positions suggest he did not survive. He is one of more than 23,000 foreigners hailing from 131 countries including North Korea, Cuba and India who have been fed into Russias war machine since the full-scale invasion of Ukraine began in February 2022. They all signed up to become cannon fodder through a network of Russian recruiters who use a mix of social media, Telegram and adverts targeted at young men across the globe who are desperate to escape poverty. Foremost among those recruiting sergeants is Polina Alexandrovna Azarnykh whose appearance and demeanour could not be more different from the khaki-clad figure you might expect. Azarnykh is a blonde, fashion-conscious, attractive woman who wears designer dresses and high heels, and smiles for the camera as she posts upbeat video messages promising potential recruits riches beyond their dreams in return for their signing one-year contracts for Russian military service. A former teacher aged 40, she appears to lead a glamorous lifestyle, travelling around Russia in sunglasses and fur hats in a luxury car and posting her alluring messages to men in countries from Yemen, Syria, Egypt and Morocco to Iraq, Ivory Coast and Nigeria. Her exploits were revealed by the Egyptian news website Masrawy last October after it was contacted by the loved ones of an Egyptian student who travelled to Russia to earn money but who disappeared and turned out to have been killed in battle soon afterwards. The websites revelations were given a new, high-profile airing this month by the BBC Eye investigation programme which found 12 families of foreigners fighting for Russia who claimed their sons had been recruited by her and fed into the meat grinder. More than 23,000 foreigners hailing from 131 countries have been fed into Russias war machine since the full-scale invasion of Ukraine began in February 2022 Azarnykh posts upbeat video messages promising potential recruits riches beyond their dreams in return for their signing one-year contracts for Russian military service It emerges that Azarnykh, from Voronezh, used to run a company called InterEdu which helped Arab students obtain study visas. In November 2022, however, nine months after the Ukraine invasion, she was forced to shut it down as interest from foreign students in travelling to Russia dried up. So she reinvented herself as a recruiting sergeant, taking advantage of the market in young foreign men she was so familiar with. Soon she was earning millions signing up soldiers to fight for her country. Azarnykh uses the messaging service Telegram to entice the impoverished men, offering Russian citizenship, signing off bonuses of 7,000, monthly salaries of 2,000 and promising non-combat roles, as well as free plots of land and education. Her recruitment channel now has 21,000 subscribers, mainly Arabs and Africans. The channels profile picture is of President Putin and the description of it reads: A channel to support the Russian Federation Army in the military operations zone. Her page is presented as an inclusive space for men of all nationalities fighting for Russia, sharing motivational messages that portray the war in Ukraine as a positive experience. In addition to her glamour shots, Azarnykh poses alongside the men on the battlefield a mentor guiding her students. Every one of my soldiers is a source of pride, she tells the Telegram group. Im proud of you, guys. She shares videos of the foreign mercenaries dancing, sharing jokes and smiling on the battlefield. You are examples of courage and strength. You once believed in me and went to defend Russia, she declares. Every soldier must defend Russias new homeland with pride and steadfastness, because Russia is becoming a new home for each and every one of them! Glory to Russia. What she does not convey on her channel is the brutal reality a reality light years away from that she describes, the one that saw Francis strapped to a bomb, facing racial abuse and being forced to blow himself up at the command of his Russian colleagues. To reel in her potential recruits, she relies on Arabic speaking assistants who reach out to their fellow countrymen. Those who are interested then contact her about the one-year volunteer army contract. The Russian is quick to make clear that she will receive at least 6,000 in commission to facilitate it. After signing, the volunteer receives an initial payment of 800,000 rubles or $8,200, she told a contact in a message seen by the Daily Mail. I receive 50 per cent of this amount and 10 per cent of the monthly salary for the entire duration of the contract with the Ministry of Defence of the Russian Federation. The monthly salary starts at a minimum of 210,000 rubles (2,015), and after six months, your brother will receive a Russian passport. Once the terms are agreed, Azarnykh sends over two electronic contracts, written in both Russian and Arabic, for the new soldier to sign. It states that she has the right to use their images in military uniforms for promotional purposes, that they must not share any details about her to anyone and warns that any breach of contract will result in an immediate 9,500 fine. After receiving back the documents, she organises flights and visas for the recruits who then arrive in Moscow where they are greeted by her representatives. This is where the nightmare begins. The men, often without any military background or experience with weapons, are rushed to a training facility for a brief tutorial before being sent straight to the frontline. Not surprisingly, contact with their loved ones back home quickly ceases and their families frantically search for their whereabouts but theres no response from the Russian authorities. Walid Othman had travelled to Russia to study with the hope of building a better life for his family, but was soon recruited into the army by Azarnykh after being lured with promises of citizenship and financial rewards. The 21-year-old Egyptian died just 40 days later in a mine explosion. His friend Marwan was informed of his death and sent a picture of his mutilated body. Fellow Egyptian Saeed Ramadan had similar dreams while studying at a university in Kaliningrad. However, the 22-year-old from Alexandria, who arrived in Russia as a student in the summer of 2021, fell for the propaganda Azarnykh was spouting. Azarnykh appears to lead a glamorous lifestyle, travelling around Russia in sunglasses and fur hats in a luxury car and posting her alluring messages to men in countries from Yemen, Syria, Egypt and Morocco to Iraq, Ivory Coast and Nigeria She also posts pictures of herself posing on the battlefield, a mentor guiding her students Azarnykh's recruitment channel now has 21,000 subscribers, mainly Arabs and Africans He agreed to join the Russian military and underwent brief training before he was deployed to the fiercely contested Donetsk region in early 2024. One night, Saeed was badly hurt in a Ukrainian drone strike on the Russian base which killed most of his fellow soldiers. Wounded in the leg, he dragged himself through the thick forest for hours before he finally found his battalions headquarters and was treated in hospital where he told his friend what had happened. But Saeed was only there for three days before he was forced back to the frontline. His loved ones have not heard from him since. Omar, a Syrian construction worker, was also lured into battle by Azarnykh after she promised a huge salary, Russian passport and non-combat role. But the 26-year-old realised this was all a lie when he was sent to the frontline after just ten days. He tried to refuse to take part in the war but his Russian commanders threatened to murder him or put him in jail and he has been fighting for more than a year. Azarnykh appears to have expanded her recruitment drive and started other channels having already earned at least 2million Worse, he is now trapped in Russia after Azarnykh filmed herself burning his passport because he refused to pay her the commission she is owed. We were tricked this woman is a con artist and a liar, Omar told the BBC. Were 100 per cent going to die here. A lot of injuries, a lot of explosions, a lot of shelling. If you dont die from the explosion, youll die from the debris landing on you. Dead bodies everywhere Ive stepped on dead bodies, God forgive me. If someone dies, Ive seen it with my own eyes. They put him in a rubbish bag and threw him next to a tree. His one-year voluntary military contract was automatically extended against his will under a 2022 Russian presidential decree that allows the military to prolong contracts until the war ends. Azarnykh, who is accused of facilitating 500 foreign military contracts, is cold in her response to the recruits who say she lied to them. You all understood well that you were going to war, she said in a video from October 2024. You thought that you could get a Russian passport, do nothing and live in a five-star hotel? Nothing happens for free. And she is said to have threatened grieving families who have criticised her or the Russian army. In fact, Azarnykh appears to have expanded her recruitment drive and started other channels having already earned at least 2million. She shows off her newfound wealth on social media, posing with expensive watches, diamond rings and giving glimpses of her international adventures. Horrifyingly, she represents just the tip of the iceberg in a shadowy network of hundreds of informal recruiters sending foreign fighters to risk their lives for Russia. I was one of the first journalists to expose how Russia preys on men from the worlds poorest nations to serve as frontline fodder. Having now met hundreds of these fighters who have been captured by Russias enemy and taken to a prisoner of war camp in Lviv, Ukraine, last month, I discovered their stories are strikingly similar. Many claim they were tricked into joining the Russian military after signing contracts for well-paid civilian work, while others say they were forced into fighting under threat of death or imprisonment. A rare few have been brave enough to admit they enlisted in order to earn sums they could only dream of in their home countries. And from brutal experience, all now understand the terrifying truth about Russias contempt for the foreigners it recruits. Yet it is stepping up that recruitment drive as it continues to lose soldiers at a bewildering rate. The total number of Russian dead and wounded in the war is 1.1 million with, according to Nato, 25,000 killed last month alone. According to Vitalii Matvienko of Ukraines I Want To Live project, which encourages Russian fighters to surrender, Putin has orchestrated a highly extensive and carefully structured recruitment network. He adds: Their main task is to legally transport men to Russia. Once in Russia, far from home, they become more vulnerable both to pressure and threats. Russia approaches recruitment of foreigners in a creative manner. Prisoners of war have described different ways in which they learned about the opportunity to travel to Russia, including TikTok, Instagram, Facebook and banner advertisements on websites. Mr Matvienko warns foreigners not to sign up to Putins deadly war, no matter how enticing the financial incentive. The Russian command does not value the lives of its own servicemen and it certainly will not value foreign mercenaries, he said. The horrific video of Francis, in abject terror as he is forced to become a can opener, is gruesome proof of the veracity of his claim. Walid Othman, Saeed Ramadan and Omar are all pseudonyms used to protect the men and their families, who fear reprisals from Russia. The families of victims of the NHS infections scandal have accused health chiefs of trying to hide the truth with Gestapo tactics. In an extraordinary public statement, they demanded those guilty of despicable incompetence and cover-up at NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde (NHSGGC) be sacked and stripped of their pensions. The group said it could not overstate the level of deceit and conniving cowardice as the scandal unfolded and bosses ducked responsibility. Families, who saw loved ones die or fall seriously ill, said they were lied to, demeaned and smeared and have been left devastated and traumatised by Scotlands biggest health board. And they warned that, more than a decade after it opened, the 1billion hospital was still not safe as the boards leadership could not be trusted. The statement was delivered ahead of the families lawyers summing up today at the public inquiry into the lethal conditions at Queen Elizabeth University Hospital (QEUH). Several children and adults died and at least 84 people fell ill after catching infections at the Glasgow campus, which includes the Royal Hospital for Children, shortly after it opened in 2015. Andrew Slorance, a civil servant who attended the Scottish cabinet that approved the QEUH, died there from a fungal infection during cancer treatment in 2020 at the age of 49. From babies and young children to middle-aged men and women, this image was released by solicitors for victims families. It shows patients who died and those who become seriously ill after contracting infections while being treated at Glasgows Queen Elizabeth University Hospital. For years, the health board denied any link between the building and an early spike in infections among vulnerable patients. But in an eleventh-hour U-turn, it admitted to the Scottish Hospitals Inquiry that the infections were probably linked to bugs in the water system. It claimed pressure was applied to open the QEUH despite a known high risk of infections. Past and present SNP ministers are now facing questions about their role in the affair. In their statement, the families of adult and child victims directed their fury towards NHS Greater Glasgow & Clyde, which runs the hospital. They said: We have been brought together by the tragedies that have been visited upon us by the unsanitary and deadly conditions at the Queen Elizabeth University Hospital. Major flaws in the water and ventilation system killed and poisoned our loved ones. We all have our own unique experiences of this unsafe hospital but we are all bound together by several key facts. We were all lied to by GGCH. We were all disbelieved by GGCH. We were all demeaned and smeared by GGCH. We have all had or families devastated and our lives traumatised by GGCH. We cannot overstate the level of deceit and conniving cowardice displayed by GGCH during the whole unfolding of this awful scandal. The scandal-hit Queen Elizabeth University 'superhospital' which opened in 2015 As men, women and children fell ill and died we were all told there is nothing to see here. We were told keep quiet and move along. The group said those behind the incompetence and cover-up must be held to account. The leadership of GGCH past and present must now face a reckoning. Those currently in post must be dismissed immediately with no financial compensation. Those past and present must be stripped of pensions accrued during their time at GGCH. Demanding new board leadership to ensure safety in future, they said: The fates of our loved ones demand the hospital is made safe. The people of Scotland demand it. The health board admitted it let down the doctors who became whistleblowers to raise the alarm about the infections. The families said: We know that many brave and decent clinicians and staff tried to speak out but were silenced by GGCH gestapo tactics. We will never forget that they stood with us. Our political leaders must act now. We are not going away. The boards current chief executive Professor Jann Gardner was appointed last year. Her predecessor Jane Grant was in post from 2017 to 2023, and her predecessor Robert Calderwood was in place from 2009 to 2017. Professor John Brown was board chair from 2015 to 2023. Patrick McGuire, senior partner with Thompsons Solicitors Scotland, which represents the families, said: The grief and anger of my clients is heart rending and visceral. Their statement is one of anguish and loss but also one that makes clear they want justice and action. They demand consequences for those who are culpable. They demand our political leaders act now and make the QEUH safe. Scottish Conservative health spokesman Dr Sandesh Gulhane said: Bereaved families are rightly furious at the shameful scale of cover-up by the countrys biggest health board. But the buck stops with SNP ministers, who should have been holding health board chiefs to account. They cant escape responsibility. This hospital was recklessly rushed opened just ten days before the 2015 general election, even though it wasnt ready. The consequences were devastating. The Scottish Hospitals Inquiry chaired by Lord Brodie yesterday heard managers should be held to account in his final report, but personnel working under extreme pressure should not be specifically criticised. Counsel for NHS Greater Glasgow & Clyde Peter Gray KC said: It is submitted that personal or professional criticism should not be made of any of these individuals or how they reacted to the extreme pressure they were under. I have in mind those who were having to deal, post the opening of the hospital, with a very complex and pressurised situation. Whereas, I would accept that in relation to the management of the project, where the inquiry considers there have been failings, individuals should be held to account where appropriate. And where criticism is due, it is accepted that it should be made robustly. Ruth Crawford KC, for the Scottish Government, said ministers paid tribute to all the patients, their families and all staff affected by the issues which arose at the QEUH and thanked them for reliving those events in this inquiry and for their insight and assistance. She said: No one could fail to be moved by the, at times, harrowing testimony provided by some of the witnesses to this inquiry. NHS Greater Glasgow & Clyde was asked for comment. A convicted killer has been charged with the attempted murder of a rapist refugee inside one of Britains most notorious prisons. Duncan Heaton, 52, is accused of trying to kill Andong Abong Ashu, an NHS scientist who was granted asylum in the UK before being jailed for raping a young girl during sham medical examinations. The alleged attack took place at HMP Full Sutton, the maximum-security jail near York, which houses some of the countrys most dangerous and reviled offenders. Ashu, 55, originally from Cameroon, arrived in the UK in 2002 and was later granted asylum. He went on to obtain a university degree and secured work in NHS laboratories. In 2016, he was jailed for 21 years after a jury convicted him of four counts of rape and seven other sexual assaults against a girl in Hull, East Yorkshire. Jurors heard he launched the abuse when the victim was just 11, using fake medical examinations as a pretext. At his sentencing, Judge Jeremy Richardson described 'calculating and cruel' Ashu as a 'depraved individual who visited appalling debauchery upon [the victim].' Former NHS scientist Andong Abong Ashu, 55, was allegedly attacked in prison after being locked up for raping an 11-year-old girl (file photo) Duncan Heaton, 52, alleged attack Ashu in HMP Full Sutton and has been charged with attempted murder (file photo) Ashu was jailed at Full Sutton - a category A security prison housing around 600 inmates - when he was allegedly attacked by Heaton in May 2024. Details of the incident have only now publicly emerged following his first appearance at Hull magistrates' court last week. Heaton, who is now being held in HMP Wakefield, entered no pleas. He was remanded in custody and is due to appear before Hull Crown Court on February 12. HMP Full Sutton has been the scene of notorious violence behind bars - including the murder of paedophile Richard Huckle, who was serving 22 life sentences for abusing 200 Malaysian children. The 33-year-old sex offender died after a 78-minute attack by psychopath Paul Fitzgerald, 30, in his cell in October 2019. Huckle was tied up, raped and assaulted with various weapons before being strangled with an electrical cord. The prison has also housed a string of depraved criminals over the years, including serial killer Dennis Nilsen, police murderer Dale Cregan and road rage killer Kenneth Noye. Those currently serving time at Full Sutton include terrorist Hashem Abedi, the brother of Manchester Arena bomber Salman Abedi, and former Met Police serial rapist David Carrick. An Ohio dentist's infant son was likely left stranded and crying inside his crib for hours after his parents were killed inside their home. Spencer Tepe, 39, and his wife, Monique Tepe, 37, were fatally shot at their Columbus home on December 30, leaving behind their two young children, then-three-year-old Emilia and one-year-old Beckham. When Spencer's friend arrived at the house later that morning, concerned that he had not shown up for work, he told a 911 dispatcher that he thought he could hear children crying inside. Rob Misleh, who is married to Spencer's sister, told PEOPLE he now believes the unidentified friend heard 17-month-old Beckham crying. '[He] was in the crib and was unable to get out of the crib on his own and also it was at a time he would've been well awake by this time,' Misleh explained, noting that the child had not had food for a while by the time police arrived at the house. Fortunately, Misleh said he does not believe either Emilia or Beckham witnessed the grisly double homicide, as they both had their own bedrooms inside the Columbus home. 'From the time frame that we know, 2am to 5am [when police say the murders took place], the kids would've been in their beds, so we assume that... they did not see anything,' Misleh said. Authorities now say Monique's ex-husband, Michael McKee, 39, entered the $700,000 home in the early morning hours of December 30 and opened fire at the couple, hitting Spencer multiple times and striking Monique at least once in the chest. Monique Tepe, 37, and Spencer Tepe, 39, were fatally shot at their Columbus home on December 30, leaving behind their two young children, then-three-year-old Emilia and one-year-old Beckham The children had their own rooms inside the $700,000 home (pictured), and are not believed to have witnessed the double homicide He was taken into custody at a fast food restaurant near Chicago on January 10, and was officially indicted in Franklin County, Ohio on Friday. The Illinois surgeon now faces four charges of aggravated murder with the use of an automatic firearm with a silencer and one charge of aggravated burglary. McKee made his first court appearance in Illinois on Monday, and waived his extradition hearing, clearing the way for him to be sent back to Ohio to be arraigned on the charges. He was then extradited to the Buckeye state and was booked into the Franklin County Jail on Tuesday, WHIO reports. The suspect was tracked from the murder scene with surveillance cameras, which led to a vehicle he owned, Columbus Police Chief Elaine Bryant said, noting that he still had the gun used in the alleged double homicide on him when he was arrested. 'Multiple weapons were taken from the property of McKee, and there is a preliminary link to one of the weapons that ties it to the homicides,' Bryant said. 'What we can say, this was a targeted attack. This was a domestic violence-related attack, as we know McKee is the ex-husband of Monique Tepe,' she added. 'We believe at this point we have the person responsible for the murders of Monique and Spencer Tepe, and that person is Michael McKee.' Monique's ex-husband, Michael McKee, 39, has been arrested for the alleged murders He appeared in court in Illinois on Monday, and waived his extradition hearing, clearing the way for him to be sent back to Ohio to be arraigned on the charges Records obtained by the Daily Mail show McKee married Monique in 2015 but they divorced seven months later. In her complaint for divorce, Monique stated that she and McKee were 'incompatible.' The couples' separation agreement included a requirement that Monique had to pay McKee $1,281.59 back for 'miscellaneous debt', with the added clause that if she did not reimburse him buy July 1, 2018, she would be hit with 23 percent interest. A former FBI agent has suggested that, 'deep-seated resentment and hatred' may have been a factor in the evidently, 'very personal' crime. 'When I look at this case, we knew it was going to be very personal. For somebody to go up into the bedroom and kill these individuals with a gun,' retired FBI agent Jennifer Coffindaffer told NewsNation. 'This divorce happened about nine years ago. They were married for such a brief time, only seven months, so that is strange.' The couple were killed ahead of their upcoming anniversary, the timing of which Coffindaffer said could have pushed McKee over the edge. Records obtained by the Daily Mail show McKee married Monique in 2015 but they divorced seven months later Police say they tracked McKee to the scene using neighborhood surveillance footage Family members now say McKee was a 'monster' and was abusive to Monique during their short marriage. Misleh even told NBC News that the family 'quicky believed' McKee was involved in the double homicide. 'He was an emotionally abusive person when they were together, that is all I know,' he said. In the years since the divorce, McKee has built a medical career spanning four states. But court records obtained by Fox News show he was also facing at least two medical malpractice and negligence cases in the months leading up to the Tepes' deaths. Federal court records reveal he was named as a defendant in a civil rights and medical negligence lawsuit filed on June 7, 2024 in the US District Court for the District of Nevada. State court records in Clark County also show he is the primary defendant in an active medical malpractice suit slated for a jury trial. Nearly a dozen efforts to contact McKee about a lawsuit claiming he failed to train a physician's assistant who injured a patient in 2023, though, proved unsuccessful, according to WSYX. Las Vegas attorney Dan Laird's servicer documented at least nine attempts to contact the surgeon, with the address provided by his medical group proving non-existent and his phone number issued with the state medical board leading to a fax machine. Ultimately, a judge granted a declaration of due diligence in the malpractice case, allowing McKee to be served via a newspaper notice. But the fact that none of McKee's available contact information was working led forensic scientist and Jacksonville State University Professor Joseph Scott Morgan to speculate to Fox News that McKee may have been trying to disguise himself. Monique and Spencer were killed ahead of their wedding anniversary He explained that the level of deception would only make sense for someone trying to throw people off, like investigators or a possible lawsuit. As McKee now faces charges for the double homicide, family members taking care of the Tepes' two children said they are trying to figure out how to speak to them about what happened. 'If [Emilia] wants to talk about it, we are to encourage that,' Spencer's cousin, Audrey Mackie, told PEOPLE, noting that the family is working with professionals and using resources like books on how to approach the matter. In the meantime, it seems like the children do not fully understand the reality of their parents' sudden disappearance. 'I really don't think that a four year old can grasp [what] is hard for us to even grasp,' Misleh said. 'It's going to be years and years of processing.' The Tepes were known as devoted parents 'whose lives were filled with love, joy and deep connection to others,' family members have said, adding that they loved to travel and laugh. Spencer, a graduate of Ohio State University and a member of the American Dental Association, worked at Athens Dental Depot Spencer, a graduate of Ohio State University and a member of the American Dental Association, worked at Athens Dental Depot. He was said to have been a devoted father and a loyal Buckeyes and Cincinnati Bengals fan. Monique, who also attended Ohio State University and had a background in education, was remembered as a 'loving, patient, and joyful mother whose warmth defined her.' The family is now raising funds to help support the two young children, garnering more than $233,000 as of Wednesday night. 'The abrupt loss of Spencer and Monique has changed daily life in ways that are still unfolding,' the GoFundMe says. 'This fund exists to help provide stability and care for their children and the immediate family members who are supporting them during this time.' Stop all the clocks. Cut off the telephone. Keir Starmer has finally discovered a backbone and stood up to Donald Trump. I will not yield, he declared today. Britain will not yield on our principles and values about the future of Greenland under threats of tariffs, and that is my clear position. To be equally clear, this dramatic riposte wasnt delivered to Trump face to face. Sir Keir instead chose to deliver it at Prime Ministers Questions, flanked by the massed ranks of his own MPs. And when pressed by Lib Dem leader Ed Davey, he quickly reverted to type, mouthing the well-worn platitudes about the importance of maintaining the Special Relationship. But credit where its due. Our Prime Minister finally brought the fire. And this may yet prove to be more than a one-off. Yesterday I was talking to one of Starmers allies following Trumps savage attack on his Chagos deal. Trump will damage the Conservatives and the populists in the UK and Europe, lots of whom seem to have had their brains melted into thinking the average Brit relishes seeing outsiders criticise their country as much as they do, they claimed. Kemi Badenoch, for one, has not had her brain melted. Indeed, shes been having a good week. The polls show the voters responding positively to her pre-emptive sacking of Tory turncoat Robert Jenrick. And the defection of a second MP to Reforms ranks ruffled few Westminster feathers. But she is in danger of repeating the dangerous mistake currently being made by many on the Right. Which is to view Donald Trump as the enemy of their enemy Starmer and so to treat him as their friend. Kemi Badenoch's ruse to bait Sir Keir at Prime Minister's Questions yesterday backfired Sir Keir did not deliver his criticism of Donald Trump face to face, however, writes Dan Hodges At PMQs, Badenoch thought it would be a clever ruse to use Trumps new-found criticism of the Chagos policy to bait him. But for the first time in several weeks, Starmer was able to turn the tables. Trump had attacked him over Chagos for the express purpose of putting pressure on me and Britain in relation to my values and principles on the future of Greenland, he fired back. He wants me to yield on my position, and Im not going to Given that was his express purpose, Im surprised the Leader of the Opposition has jumped on the bandwagon. The reality is that Starmer is right. Trump couldnt point to Chagos on a map. He has zero understanding or appreciation of the strategic implications of the deal that Britain has struck with Mauritius. He was indeed simply using the issue as a stick to beat his uppity ally for failing to endorse his Greenland adventurism. And the fact that Badenoch couldnt recognise that points to a wider issue and the point at hand. Since his re-election, many on the Right have viewed Trump as some sort of political hero over the water. He would help turn the tide on assaults on free speech. He would help prosecute the argument on immigration. He would finally vanquish the effete, woke, liberal elite. But as Starmer is belatedly starting to recognise, there is political capital to be earned from starting to define yourself against the Godfather of the Maga movement rather than attempt to ingratiate yourself with him. To people focused on paying the bills and keeping food on the table, Trump has largely been an abstract, if occasionally amusing, curiosity. But Britain can spot a bad un a mile off. And the Presidents increasingly erratic arrogance and aggression are starting to cut through. Its beginning to get pick-up in the polls, another Labour source told me. People dont like him. And they dont like British politicians associating with him. What Trumps UK groupies in Reform and elsewhere need to realise is he appals most Britons which means being associated with him is toxic. There is significant lingering suspicion of the EU. But if the choice presented in a future referendum was a closer embrace of Brussels or a closer embrace of Maga Washington, all bets would be off. Similarly, Red Wall Britain is desperate for an end to the small-boat invasion, and the control of our borders. But that doesnt mean it fancies a British version of the murderous machismo being exhibited by some of Trumps ICE stormtroopers. And even if Badenoch, Nigel Farage and their allies dont recognise the political necessity of distancing themselves from Trump, they should consider doing so for another reason. Its the right thing. Over the past few years, a passionate debate has been raging about the true character of Britain. And Trump is now providing us with a timely litmus test of who we are as a nation. We have always been a country that stood against bullies. We abhor arrogance. As the Brexit vote proved, we are a people with a hunger for standing on our own two feet, for redefining ourselves as a sovereign nation. So, its time for our political class, collectively and unequivocally, to tell Donald Trump where to get off. This is about values the values of the West itself. Yesterday, upon his arrival at Davos, Trump launched another attempt to force his supposed allies to back his Greenland occupation. We won the war we won it big. Without us youd all be speaking German, with maybe a little bit of Japanese, he smirked. This is not a man who needs a few careful words of admonition. But someone who should be told to stick his version of the Special Relationship where the sun doesnt shine. Keir Starmer has belatedly stood up to Donald Trump. Its time for Kemi Badenoch and Nigel Farage to do the same. A Florida woman is facing 10 felony charges after police say she met three men in Miami bars, drugged them and then stole tens of thousands of dollars worth of their luxury merchandise. Sarah Jean Tavano, 39, was arrested Sunday at Sugar, a nightclub in downtown Miami where one of the alleged victims had met her. Police affidavits show she was booked for strongarm robbery, organized fraud, grand theft and burglary of an occupied dwelling. Her modus operandi, according to authorities, was to make men believe she was interested in casual sex before getting them alone and vulnerable so she could drug them and steal their belongings. The first man to come forward to police said he met Tavano at Blackbird Ordinary in October 2025. He claimed not to remember large portions of the night, including his apparent invitation to her to come back to his apartment, according to an affidavit. Surveillance footage showed that Tavano entered the man's apartment for about an hour, changed clothes and left with two suitcases she did not have before, police said. The victim said $26,426 worth of his belongings were stolen, including multiple Louis Vuitton handbags and wallets, bags from Alexander McQueen, Valentino, Versace, Gucci, Saint Laurent and various gold and diamond jewelry items, according to the affidavit. Sarah Jean Tavano, 39, was arrested Sunday after being accused of drugging three different men. The first alleged offense occurred in October 2025 Pictured: The Hyatt Centric Resort Hotel, where Tavano allegedly lured a man in December 2025 Police said a fingerprint was left behind in the apartment that was later matched to Tavano. A little over a month later, Tavano allegedly met a man at El Patio Wynwood Nightclub on the night of December 10, 2025. The man called police the next day and explained that he and Tavano shared an Uber back to his hotel room at the Hyatt Centric Resort Hotel, according to court records. After spending some time at the hotel bar, the victim said he and Tavano went back to his hotel room where he eventually suffered a 'severe blackout', not waking up until early the next morning, according to the police report. Police said the man's wallet and iPhone 17 were both gone. The victim stated that there were unauthorized transactions totaling $14,000 that were made using credit and debit cards, wire transfers, and transactions from Zelle and Cashapp. An additional $20,000 was fraudulently spent at a shoe store, according to the police report. The victim also reported that an attempt was made to transfer money from his cryptocurrency account with Coinbase. Just three days later, Tavano was allegedly back at it. Police said she hooked up with a man at Sugar and brought him back to his hotel room at the InterContinental Miami. The victim called 911 early on the morning of December 13 and said his $38,000 gold Rolex watch was missing, along with $1,500 in cash he had with him, according to a police report. The watch was later pawned. Tavano was arrested at Sugar, a nightclub in downtown Miami where she allegedly met one of the male victims. Police said she admitted she had drugs on her, after which they searched her and found cocaine, MDMA and Seroquel, according to court records The man reported feeling similar symptoms as the other two alleged victims, saying he experienced sudden nausea, weakness and dizziness before passing out. Various pieces of surveillance footage from the various locations Tavano had been over the past few months allowed police to identify her and arrest her this weekend. Upon her arrest at the Sugar nightclub, she admitted she had drugs on her, according to police. She was subsequently caught with cocaine hidden underneath her bra, police said. MDMA and Seroquel were allegedly found in her purse, substances that both have the potential to be used as date rape drugs. Also in her purse was a bottle of Jagermeister 'with a powdery substance visibly floating within the liquid and settled at the bottom,' according to a police report. Tavano, who remains in jail, also acknowledged that she was depicted in still images taken from the surveillance footage at one of the hotels, police said. A Sri Lankan immigrant with a history of domestic violence won't be deported after a tribunal took him at his word that he would not physically harm his ex-wife again. Tharanga Ehalape-Gamage, 42, had his visa cancelled after he was found guilty of two charges of dangerous driving causing death and one of causing serious injury. In 2019, he veered onto the wrong side of the road and collided with another car, resulting in the deaths of his five-year-old daughter and his 70-year-old mother. He was jailed over the crash for three years in 2022. His five-year resident return visa was cancelled after he failed the Migration Act's character test, due to be him being imprisoned for a sentence of 12 months or more. Ehalape-Gamage appealed the decision, and on Monday, Administrative Review Tribunal member John Rau SC overturned the cancellation. 'After careful consideration, I have come to the view that it is marginally more likely that the applicant will not commit further acts of family violence,' Mr Rau said. 'In coming to this view, I am taking him at his word.' Ehalape-Gamage, who first came to Australia with his then-wife in 2012, has a history of domestic violence incidents, the Victorian County Court heard. Ehalape-Gamage's ex-wife and daughter, who died in the car crash, are pictured Administrative Review Tribunal member John Rau SC took Ehalape-Gamage at his word that he was committed to working towards reconciliation with his ex-wife In 2019, the father dragged his then-wife out of bed by her hair and kicked and punched her repeatedly, according to police records. In another incident, he kicked their bathroom door down and punched her in the face repeatedly, leaving her with a bloodied nose and impaired vision. Despite the violent history, his ex-wife said the couple was working towards reconciliation in a letter of support to the tribunal. Ehalape-Gamage intends to live in Adelaide with his ex-wife and son. Mr Rau noted that while the fatal car crash had resulted in the mandatory cancellation of his visa, the history of family violence was 'far more problematic'. 'The applicant has a significant history of family violence this is very serious,' Mr Rau said. 'It continued in the face of bail conditions. 'It only stopped with the applicant's separation and divorce from his wife.' Mr Rau said that despite Ehalape-Gamage's assurances and the support of his ex-wife, there was still a 'moderate risk' of future family violence. Ehalape-Gamage was found to have a history of domestic violence but his ex-wife supported him during his appeal Home Affairs Minister Tony Burke will consider the tribunal's decision 'That said, I accept that the applicant now has some insight into his past behaviour and its consequences,' he said. 'I accept that he wants to behave in a more constructive way with [his ex-wife] and [son]. I accept that his connection to [his son] is a strong motivating consideration.' Home Affairs Minister Tony Burke provided a statement to Daily Mail which read: 'I've taken a very hard line on visa holders, who have engaged in family domestic violence. A brief is now being prepared for this to be reconsidered by a Minister.' The Immigration Minister can intervene and uphold the original ART decision. Daily Mail has contacted Burke and White Ribbon for further comment. Experts have warned Australia's visa system is being exploited by a growing number of international students using degrees as a 'backdoor' into the labour market. Liberal-aligned think tank Menzies Research Centre (MRC) published a report on Thursday claiming large numbers of international students are 'visa-hopping'. The practice involves enrolling in a degree program and using it as a pathway to access the Australian labour market on student or bridging visas. Department of Education data revealed the national first-year dropout rate for international undergraduate students was 17.4 per cent in 2023. This marks an increase from before the Covid pandemic, when the dropout rate was just 9.7 per cent in 2018. At the same time, MRC said the number of people on bridging visas while applying for student visas surged from 13,000 in 2023 to more than 107,000 in 2025. 'This is a backdoor into the Australian labour market and it's been left open,' MRC Chief Economist Nico Louw told Daily Mail. 'International student dropout rates are exploding as non-genuine students learn how to exploit our visa system. There are tens of thousands of dropouts staying on to work and putting pressure on housing and services.' A new report has claimed a growing number of international students are 'visa hopping' (pictured, students seen at the University of Sydney) Louw said that eight Australian universities had first-year dropout rates above 20 per cent in 2023. Five universities had a rate above 25 per cent and ten above 33 per cent, he said. The highest attrition rate, at Central Queensland University, was 57.2 per cent, meaning more than half of international students dropped out in their first year. MRC said there is a further 42,000 student visa cancellation and refusal appeals before the Administrative Review Tribunal (ART). The think tank said student visa refusals and cancellations currently account for more than one-third of the ART's caseload, leading to long delays during which applicants continue to hold work rights. University of Sydney Associate Professor Salvatore Babones, one of the report authors, said international students are paying tuition in order to work. 'This massive influx of unskilled labour - international students make up roughly 10 per cent of Australia's entire labour force - makes it harder for Australians to find jobs, particularly Australians with low skills and no degrees,' he told Daily Mail. 'Where less-educated Australians might once have found work in supermarkets and care homes, these jobs are increasingly filled by international students.' The number of people on bridging visas while applying for student visas surged from 13,000 in 2023 to more than 107,000 in 2025 (pictured, students at the University of Sydney) He claimed this has resulted in many low-skilled Australians remaining on JobSeeker or moving onto the Disability Support Pension. 'There's an easy fix to all of this: require international students who drop out of their university courses to leave the country and reapply from offshore if they want to switch to a vocational course,' he said. 'That's only fair, since hundreds of thousands of other students who honestly apply to study cooking and hospitality don't get the rapid approvals that university applicants get. 'The university visa should not be a backdoor into Australia's labour market. 'It should be for people who genuinely want to study at universities.' A spokesperson for the Department of Home Affairs told the Daily Mail several student integrity reforms were introduced in the Student and Temporary Graduate visa programs during 2024. These included restrictions to moving between visa types whilst onshore, an increased visa application charge, and an increase to and change in methodology of the financial capacity requirements. 'In January 2024, a dedicated Student Visa Cancellation Section was established, reflecting the Governments focus on integrity in the Student visa program,' they said. 'This resulted in a higher number of cancellations of student visa holders who have provided fraudulent, false or misleading information in their application, or who did not genuinely come to Australia for the purpose of their visa, or who have not complied with the conditions of their visa.' Sir Keir Starmer is under growing pressure to stop children from accessing social media after peers on Wednesday night voted to implement an Australia-style ban immediately. The Prime Minister had attempted to head off a looming backbench rebellion by announcing plans for a consultation on banning social media for under-16s earlier this week. But on Wednesday night peers made clear they want Labour to introduce a ban without delay as they backed an amendment to the Children's Wellbeing and Schools Bill that would force Labour's hand. Sir Keir now faces the prospect of a major rebellion from his own backbenches when the Bill returns for a Commons vote after more than 60 Labour MPs publicly called for Britain to follow Australia, which became the first country to ban social media for young people last month. Downing Street on Wednesday made clear it opposes the amendment and will fight it in the Commons, arguing that 'we have to gather the evidence and insight before changing the law'. Some 261 Peers voted to bring forward an immediate ban while 150 voted against it on Wednesday night. It is understood that the amended Bill is likely to return to the Commons next month. This raises the prospect of Labour whipping its MPs to vote against a social media ban for under-16s - only to perform another U-turn and introduce a ban this summer if the consultation recommends it. Sir Keir Starmer had attempted to head off a looming backbench rebellion by announcing plans for a consultation on banning social media for under-16s earlier this week is under growing pressure to stop children from accessing social media after peers voted to implement an Australia-style ban immediately on Wednesday night On Wednesday night Tory Peer Lord Nash, one of the sponsors of the amendment, welcomed the victory. The former Schools Minister said: 'Tonight, peers put our children's future first. This vote begins the process of stopping the catastrophic harm that social media is inflicting on a generation. 'I will now work at pace with elected colleagues of all parties to ensure that the House of Commons raises the age limit for social media to 16 to protect children and give them their childhood back.' It came as peers across all parties spoke in favour of introducing an immediate Australian-style ban. Even critics of a ban said they were prepared to back one because the consultation will delay new measures to protect children until the summer at the earliest - meaning it could be eight months before the Government acts. Baroness Kidron, a former Hollywood director who was the architect of the Government's children's code, said she had reservations but would back a ban as the sole purpose of Labour's consultation 'is to stave off a back bench rebellion'. The crossbench peer added: 'It's not child safety, it's not governance, it's party management, and I believe the UK children deserve better than that.' The cross-party amendment was also backed by Baroness Cass, one of Britain's leading paediatricians who led the review into NHS treatment of children with gender dysphoria. She rejected the idea that the UK should wait to see what happens in Australia, telling Peers: 'I don't understand what extra information this consultation is going to give.' Meanwhile Labour was forced to into another 11th hour concession on Wednesday night as ministers agreed to bring forward a ban more quickly - by using secondary legislation rather than requiring a whole new Bill - if the consultation does recommend it. Labour politicians voted to subject Northern Ireland veterans to endless persecution last night in a 'sickening betrayal' of their service. Keir Starmer's MPs withdrew protections for troops that barred civil actions against the UK Armed Forces and offered partial immunity against prosecutions. They backed a remedial order by 373 votes to 106, which removed those safety measures from the Conservatives' Legacy Act, introduced in the last parliament. Last night, former SAS commanders told the Daily Mail terrorists would celebrate the result. Furious senior officers also likened the treatment of Northern Ireland veterans to traumatised soldiers being executed during the First World War. Labour and the Liberal Democrat support for the remedial order - and its replacement legislation, the Troubles Bill - has been met by furious resistance. Leading military figures have been particularly angered by apparently 'bogus' claims that the new bill offers protections. Senior officers have argued legal directives - such as veterans being able to give evidence remotely, rather than returning to Northern Ireland, and anonymity - are conveniences rather than protections. Labour politicians voted to subject Northern Ireland veterans to endless persecution last night in a 'sickening betrayal' of their service (pictured: Belfast, 1981) Keir Starmer's MPs withdrew protections for troops that barred civil actions against the UK Armed Forces and offered partial immunity against prosecutions Amnesties contained in the Legacy Act - regarding civil actions and malicious prosecutions - were found to breach Articles 2 and 3 of the European Convention on Human Rights (ECHR). Northern Ireland's Court of Appeal upheld an application that the Act was incompatible with ECHR guidelines preventing states blocking the path to justice for victims. Former SAS commanding officer Richard Williams said: 'In years to come, I am convinced the country will look upon veterans hounded into very old age by the Government's unchecked and despicable lawfare much as it now regards shell-shocked soldiers executed by firing squad during World War One: Loyal servants sacrificed by political expediency and moral blindness.' Last night's vote will fire a starting gun for hundreds of civil cases against the UK Government that is expected to cost tens of millions of pounds in legal fees. Those costs will be picked up by UK taxpayers. The Mail has fought valiantly for veterans' rights as part of its Stop The SAS Betrayal campaign. Labour made a manifesto commitment to scrap the Legacy Act. Its Troubles Bill passed its second reading in the House in November - but is not yet law. The Troubles Bill is being introduced by the Northern Ireland Office, with some opposition behind the scenes from Ministry of Defence officials. Northern Ireland Secretary Hilary Benn (pictured) said he was seeking to 'remove indefensible and legally defective provisions in the Legacy Act' Another major issue for veterans is that the ECHR guidelines are being applied retrospectively - and when lawful operations against the IRA and other groups were planned and executed, the threat posed by future human rights laws was not considered. Shadow Armed Forces minister Mark Francois said: 'What Labour are voting for is a sickening betrayal of our brave Northern Ireland veterans. 'They claim they have six protections - but these are an insult to veterans, in the words of former head of the British Army General Sir Peter Wall. 'Four of these protections applied to alleged terrorists as well. This is a disgrace.' The vote means the remedial order - a legislative tool used to amend existing Acts without removing them altogether - will progress to the Lords. The Government claims the Legacy Act was rejected by Unionist and Nationalist communities in the province. Northern Ireland Secretary Hilary Benn said he was seeking to 'remove indefensible and legally defective provisions in the Legacy Act'. Mr Benn argued the order was 'essential to rebuild the trust of communities across Northern Ireland'. He said the vote 'restores the historic right of citizens to seek redress through the courts'. Around 300,000 troops served on Operation Banner in Northern Ireland from 1969 to 2007. Newly-minted Virginia Governor Abigail Spanberger was compared to a 'Bond villain' after enacting far-left policies on her first day in office despite campaigning as a moderate Democrat. Spanberger, a former Congresswoman and CIA officer, stormed to a blowout victory over sitting Lieutenant Governor Winsome Earle-Sears in a momentum boost for Democrats. However, many conservatives have been horrified by some of Spanberger's first week executive orders, which includes reducing cooperation with Immigration and Customs Enforcement. Spanberger campaigned on the order. She also signed an executive order prohibiting discrimination in employment 'to foster a culture of inclusion, diversity, and mutual respect for all Virginians.' Assistant Attorney General Harmeet K. Dhillon, who is currently investigating anti-ICE protesters in Minnesota, wrote: 'She's like a Bond villain.' The Lepanto Institute, a conservative Catholic organization, compared Spanberger to the White Witch from the Narnia series, writing: 'A long winter without Christmas has come to Virginia.' The Spectator at Large Editor Ben Domenech added: 'It's like the CIA built the perfect Karen in a lab.' Meanwhile, conservative journalist Greg Price noted what the state legislature is planning to put at Spanberger's desk, which reads like a liberal wish list. Democrat Virginia Governor Abigail Spanberger is receiving harsh criticism for enacting far-left policies on her first day in office despite campaigning as a moderate Many conservatives have been horrified by some of Spanberger's first week executive orders which include reducing cooperation with Immigration and Customs Enforcement They include sales taxes on the likes of Amazon and Uber Eats, several new tax brackets, banning gas-powered leaf blowers, expanding ranked-choice voting and getting rid of Columbus Day. Democrats in the statehouse have vowed to work with Spanberger to push through their bullish agenda, which includes redrawing the states congressional district map ahead of the midterm elections this year. The state Democrats picked up 13 seats in the House of Delegates a year after the partys stunning losses nationwide in the 2024 presidential election. Spanberger defended her executive orders in a statement on social media, writing that they 'respond to the moment.' 'We're setting the tone for what Virginians can expect over the next four years: pragmatic leadership focused on lowering costs, growing our economy, and making sure that every parent knows that their child is set up for success,' she said. The Daily Mail has reached out to Governor Spanberger for further comment. Spanberger is the first female governor in Virginia history, succeeding Glenn Youngkin, who rode frustration with the Biden administration to power back in 2021. Her victory - along with that of Mikie Sherrill in New Jersey - was seen as a boost for Democrats in a state that has become increasingly competitive in recent years. Join the debate Does Spanbergers swift policy shift betray voters trust or reflect necessary leadership in changing times? Assistant Attorney General Harmeet K. Dhillon, who is currently investigating anti-ICE protesters in Minnesota, wrote of Spanberger: 'She's like a Bond villain' Virginia's off-year gubernatorial elections are often seen as bellwethers for national political sentiment, and Spanberger's comfortable margin over Earle-Sears suggested Democrats may be better positioned heading into next year's midterm elections, which will help determine the trajectory of the final years of Trump's presidency. The stench of Earle-Sears' candidacy was felt inside the White House. Notably, neither the president or Vice President JD Vance ever set foot in the state to campaign or even to hold a fundraiser for Sears. Meanwhile, top Democrats stepped in to boost Spanberger. Former President Barack Obama rallied with her in Norfolk, Virginia, while former President Bill Clinton and First Lady and Secretary of State Hillary Clinton headlined a fundraiser for Spanberger. That event, hosted by former Virginia Democrat Governor Terry McAuliffe at his home, pulled in a record-breaking $2.2 million. The gathering drew more than 350 donors and became the 'largest gubernatorial fundraiser in Virginia history,' according to Politico. Earle-Sears broke with Trump after the 2020 election, and he seems to have never forgiven her. In 2022, Sears said that voters want a different leader from Trump, and even called the then-former president a 'liability to the mission.' Stephanie Lundquist-Arora a mother in Fairfax County, Virginia, author, and the Fairfax chapter leader of the Independent Women's Network told the Daily Mail that 'it's a shame that Virginia's first female governor is one who's so disingenuous. She has duped Virginians.' 'She ran on affordability, but supports costly environmental regulations, as well as the Democrat-approved expensive cars and meals taxes. She's a leftist in moderate's clothing who is more suitable for Californians than Virginians,' Lundquist-Arora added. Democrats in the statehouse have vowed to work with Spanberger to push through their bullish agenda, which includes redrawing the states congressional district map ahead of the midterm elections this year X user @_johnnymaga blasted Sears following her loss, noting that 'Republicans need to stop nominating these non-MAGA candidates. This brand of conservatism is finished.' The last time a Republican candidate won the Virginia governor's race while there was a Republican in the White House was 1973, when Mills E. Godwin Jr. captured the governorship during Richard Nixon's presidency. Spanberger ran on a vow to protect Virginias economy from the aggressive tactics of Trumps administration. On the trail, she spoke of the White Houses gutting the civil service, the rising costs of goods and changes impacting the states already fragile health care system. In a thinly veiled dig at the president, Spanberger said it was time for Virginians to fix what was broken. 'I know many of you are worried about the recklessness coming out of Washington,' she said. 'You are worried about policies that are hurting our communities, cutting health care access, imperiling rural hospitals and driving up costs.' Donald Trump arrived in Davos on Wednesday with a demand to buy Greenland and warned America's Nato allies not to stand in his way. In an extraordinary speech lasting more than an hour, the President ruled out taking the Arctic island by force, instead using his spot on the main stage to call for 'immediate negotiations' for the 'acquisition'. Drawing heavily on the Second World War, he said his country had saved the 'big beautiful piece of ice' from Germany before the 'stupid' US 'gave it back' to Denmark, who should be 'grateful'. Despite mistakenly calling the semi-autonomous territory 'Iceland' four times, Mr Trump said he wanted all 'rights, title and ownership' of the island. He said allies had a 'chance to say yes and we will be very appreciative', but warned: 'You say no, and we will remember.' From his speech, he headed off to a meeting with Nato boss Mark Rutte, from which he emerged on Wednesday night claiming to have struck a deal although there were no details of what his apparent 'framework' would look like. For 72 minutes in the afternoon, straight off his delayed flight from Washington and seemingly weary from it, Mr Trump had the Swiss business forum captivated, deviating wildly and going off script as his speeches often do. He mocked the aviator sunglasses worn by French president Emmanuel Macron the previous day to cover an eye infection. He hit out at 'Somali bandits', labelled Europe 'unrecognisable', and suggested he had wanted to bring Second World War battleships out of retirement. But though it took some 20 minutes for him to get to the issue, it was the subject of Greenland that most exercised the leader of the free world. Donald Trump arrived in Davos with a demand to buy Greenland (pictured at the World Economic Forum on Wednesday) The US President gave a speech lasting more than an hour in which he ruled out taking the Arctic by force, instead using his spot on the main stage to call for 'immediate negotiations' for the 'acquisition' Warming up, he warned America wants 'strong allies, not seriously weakened ones' and singled out Britain for not using North Sea oil. Europe must 'get out of the culture they've created over the last ten years', he said. If they want a 'strong and united West', they must get a grip of 'energy, trade, immigration and economic growth'. Then, teasing the 2,300 delegates packed into Davos' congress hall, he turned his sights on the subject world leaders had been bracing for. 'No current issue makes the situation more clear than what's going on with Greenland,' he said. Pausing for effect, he added with a smile: 'I was going to leave it out of the speech, but thought I was going to be reviewed very negatively.' While Mr Trump said he has 'tremendous respect for both the people of Greenland and the people of Denmark', he insisted 'every Nato ally has an obligation to be able to defend their own territory'. 'The fact is no nation or group of nations is in any position to be able to secure Greenland other than the United States. We're a great power, much greater than people even understand,' he said. To justify his claim, Mr Trump reminded Denmark that in the Second World War the country 'fell to Germany after just six hours of fighting'. The US was 'compelled' to send forces to hold Greenland but 'after the war, which we won big... we gave Greenland back to Denmark'. 'How stupid were we to do that?' he asked, given the island is 'right smack in the middle' of the US, China and Russia. Trump went on to mock the aviator sunglasses worn by French President Emmanuel Macron (pictured) the previous day to cover an eye infection US Secretary of State Marco Rubio (center), sits with U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent (third left) and White House chief of staff Susie Wiles (second left), as they listen to Trump's lengthy speech Of the Danes, he demurred: 'How ungrateful are they now.' Mr Trump described Greenland, home to nearly 60,000 people, as a 'vast, almost entirely uninhabited and undeveloped territory'. He dismissed arguments that he only wants the island for its valuable rare earth metals, saying it is for 'international security' despite America being allowed to deploy its own troops to the territory. Only the US can make it 'safe for Europe and good for us', he said. 'That's the reason I'm seeking immediate negotiations to once again discuss the acquisition of Greenland by the United States.' The only reprieve during his blistering attack on allies came when, for the first time, he ruled out seizing the territory by force. Having bemoaned Nato, saying, 'We give so much and we get so little in return,' Mr Trump said of Greenland: 'We probably won't get anything unless I decide to use excessive strength and force, where we would be, frankly, unstoppable. But I won't do that, OK... That's probably the biggest statement I made... I don't have to use force. I don't want to use force. I won't use force.' Even his ally Nigel Farage on Wednesday night said that, while the world would be a 'better, more secure place' if the US took Greenland, 'you must respect the rights and views of the Greenlanders'. Mr Trump also apparently forgot that the US is the only country to have invoked Article 5 of the Nato agreement (an attack on one is an attack on all) after 9/11, and that thousands of servicemen and women died in Afghanistan fighting America's war as 35 member states answered the call. Reform leader Nigel Farage claimed on Wednesday night that Donald Trump is right to want Greenland because the world would be 'more secure' if America owned the territory 'The problem with Nato is that we'll be there for them 100 per cent, but I'm not sure that they'd be there for us,' he said. Then, despite having brought world relations to the brink over Greenland, he proceeded to call it Iceland four times. 'They're not there for us on Iceland, that I can tell you,' he said. 'I mean, our stock market took the first dip [on Wednesday] because of Iceland. So Iceland's already cost us a lot of money.' In another moment, he said of Nato: 'Until the last few days when I told them about Iceland, they loved me.' The demand for the 'piece of ice' is 'a very small ask compared to what we have given them for many, many decades', he said. This would be 'just as we have acquired many other territories throughout our history' as 'many of the European nations have'. He also said he would be meeting Volodymyr Zelensky and wants a deal to end the 'bloodbath' in Ukraine. But he was scathing of Canadian prime minister Mark Carney, who had earlier given a speech railing against a return to 'great powers' using economic coercion. 'Canada gets a lot of freebies from us,' said Mr Trump. 'I watched your prime minister [on Wednesday]. He wasn't so grateful. 'They should be grateful to us. Canada lives because of the United States. Remember that, Mark, next time you make your statements.' Most Greenlanders have said they do not want to be part of the United States A man holds a map of Greenland covered in the American flag crossed out with an X during a protest against Trump's policy towards Greenland in front of the US consulate in Nuuk, Greenland, January 17, 2026 He also mocked Mr Macron, who on Tuesday had given a tough speech against 'bullies' while wearing Top Gun-style aviator sunglasses because of an eye condition. 'I watched him [on Wednesday] with those beautiful sunglasses,' Mr Trump said. 'What the hell happened?' He then impersonated the French president's accent, saying, 'I watched him sort of be tough' before relaying how he had forced Mr Macron and other European leaders back down over pharmaceutical prices, a clear warning over Greenland. 'I actually like him,' he said of Mr Macron. 'Hard to believe, isn't it?' He then attacked Switzerland in a similar vein, saying 'they make beautiful watches' but were paying 'nothing' when they exported Rolexes to the US. He warned that he could put tariffs back up to 39 per cent on Swiss firms but 'I don't want to hurt people'. In a bizarre conclusion to his speech, Mr Trump said he had wanted to renovate America's 'great big gorgeous' battleships from the Second World War until he was told modern ones are '100 times more powerful'. Turning to the home front, the President said he was 'cutting crime down to nothing' in the US before turning his ire on 'Somalian bandits' another favourite refrain. Referring to alleged fraud by the Somali diaspora in Minnesota, the state presided over by Democratic vice-president nominee Tim Walz, he said: 'How did they go into Minnesota and steal all that money? 'You know, they're pirates. They're good pirates, but we shoot them out of the water just like we shoot the drug boats out.' Donald Trump is considering offering every Greenlander $1million 750,000 if they vote to join the United States. Speaking after talks with NATO chief Mark Rutte, the US President said he had agreed 'the framework of a future deal' regarding the control of the Arctic island, which he claims is vital for American security. The US President yesterday ruled out using force to seize the Arctic island and is instead focused on enticing the people to secede from Denmark. The Daily Mail can reveal he is mulling making the inhabitants of Greenland (population 57,000) an offer of $1million each - 750,000 or 850,000 - if they vote to join the United States. If he made the vast payment to all 57,000 inhabitants of the strategically vital territory, the cost could hit 42.5billion ($57billion US). While the plan sounds outlandish, the price tag is a fraction of the 595billion (nearly $800billion) the US spends on defence each year. It would also remove Greenland's reliance on Denmark for grants and reshape the island's economy. The island would have to agree to hold a referendum and would likely need a decisive 60 per cent to vote in favour of joining America to receive the money. Donald Trump is considering offering every Greenlander $1million 750,000 if they vote to join the United States Copenhagen has repeatedly said the mineral-rich island is not for sale and that any deal would require Danish assent Previously it was reported the White House was considering offering each Greenlander up to 75,000. But Copenhagen has repeatedly said the mineral-rich island is not for sale and that any deal would require Danish assent. Jens-Frederik Nielsen, Greenland's PM, has also said: 'Enough is enough. No more fantasies about annexation.' When the lower figure was floated, Greenlanders pointed out Danish grants are worth more in the long run to them. There are also concerns that they would move to an American-style economic system with minimal welfare support. The move may also be difficult to sell to Mr Trump's voters. Nato secretary general Mark Rutte yesterday said he is working 'behind the scenes' with US officials to find a solution on the question of Greenland and was praised by Mr Trump as 'excellent'. Trump added that he was suspending plans to slap tariffs on Britain and other countries resisting his Greenland grab. Markets in the US rallied on his announcement, having climbed on his earlier proclamation that he would not use force to take the 'big, beautiful piece of ice'. Join the debate Would offering Greenlanders cash to join the US undermine democracy or empower their choice? Vice President JD Vance visited the Pituffik Space Base in Greenland last year, as Trump made it clear early in his second term his intentions of pushing for the acquisition of the Arctic island Nato military officers were discussing an arrangement where Denmark would cede 'small pockets of Greenlandic' territory to the US, where it could build military bases Last night, Nato military officers were discussing an arrangement where Denmark would cede 'small pockets of Greenlandic' territory to the US, where it could build military bases. Senior officials compared the proposal to UK military bases in Cyprus which are treated as sovereign British territories according to The New York Times. Mr Trump told reporters it was 'the ultimate longterm deal'. When asked how long, he replied: 'Infinite. There is no time limit. It's a deal that's forever.' He had earlier written on his Truth Social social media platform: 'Based upon a very productive meeting that I have had with the Secretary General of Nato, Mark Rutte, we have formed the framework of a future deal with respect to Greenland and, in fact, the entire Arctic Region. 'This solution, if consummated, will be a great one for the United States of America, and all Nato Nations.' Danish foreign minister Lars Lokke Rasmussen said the US owning Greenland is a 'red line' that will not happen. He said Copenhagen would keep ownership of Greenland, despite Mr Trump's earlier demand for negotiations on an 'acquisition'. 'It's not going to happen that the US will own Greenland. That's a red line,' Mr Rasmussen told national broadcaster DR. Mr Trump's apparent climbdown on the imposition of tariffs over the Greenland dispute will fuel critics who coined the term TACO, short for 'Trump Always Chickens Out'. Trump said he agreed 'the framework of a future deal' following talks with Nato chief Mark Rutte A man holds a map of Greenland covered in the American flag crossed out with an X during a protest against Trump's policy towards Greenland in front of the US consulate in Nuuk, Greenland The row that has played out over the last fortnight has raised serious questions about the survival of Nato and yesterday plunged Britain's 'special relationship' with the US into crisis. During a rambling address at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Mr Trump sought to often belittle his allies. In a reference to America's role in the Second World War, he told his mainly European audience: 'Without us, you'd all be speaking German, with maybe a little Japanese.' France, Canada and even neutral Switzerland, the host of the summit, came in for some tough shots. US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent suggested the issue could lead to Keir Starmer's trade deal with the US being unpicked, saying the UK was 'letting us down' and warned it could cause 'glitches' in economic relations. And Mr Trump savaged Labour's Net Zero approach, saying the Government's windfall tax on North Sea oil was driving 'catastrophically high' energy prices in the UK. The President later said that 'bad things' would happen to Britain and Europe unless they clamped down on immigration and halted the drive for green energy. 'They have to change their ways,' he said. Lindsey Graham, a Republican senator, welcomed the decision to take force off the table regarding Greenland. But he added that Mr Trump had made a 'damn good argument' as to why the US should have it, and urged Nato to find a way to help Trump 'acquire title'. A woman who warned others of a landslide just moments before she was buried in rubble is being hailed a hero as desperate search efforts continue. Multiple children are among those unaccounted for after a big landslide destroyed the popular Mount Maunganui Beachside Holiday Park on New Zealand's North Island. The woman is being praised by locals after she frantically pulled campers from their beds at 5am and warned them of danger so they could start packing up to leave. In a tragic twist, the same woman later became trapped in a toilet block along with several others when the hillside completely collapsed a few hours later, at about 9.30am on Thursday. The amenities block was buried in the landslip, with rescuers hearing terrified screams for help, but being unable to hear further cries after about 15 minutes. 'I just want you to know that one of the women that's in that shower block, she was a hero,' a witness, who didn't want to be named, told the New Zealand Herald. 'She went around at 5 o'clock this morning and she got us all out of bed and she woke us all up so that we could move out... and she's not out.' Foreign tourists, including Australians, were among those caught up in the chaos as caravans, tents, vehicles and toilet amenities were flattened by the slip, which was caused by record-breaking rainfall in recent days. A desperate search continues for campers feared trapped after a massive landslide Multiple children are among those feared missing at Mount Maunganui Beachside Holiday Park Would-be rescuers seeking to help those inside the toilet block were ordered to stand down temporarily due to safety concerns, amid fears of a second slip. The mangled toilet block landed on top of caravans 20 metres from where it initially stood. No one has yet been rescued from the rubble. The campground has been evacuated and the public urged to avoid the area, as emergency responders launch a desperate search for those feared trapped. Police District Commander Superintendent Tim Anderson said the number of those missing is in the 'single figures', adding that it is 'possible we will find someone alive'. Police and Emergency Management Minister Mark Mitchell confirmed that multiple children were among the missing. Mark Tangney was among the first rescuers on scene after he heard screams and saw holidaymakers fleeing the campground. 'There were six or eight other guys there on the roof of the toilet block with tools just trying to take the roof off because we could hear people screaming "help us, help us, get us out of here",' Mr Tangney told the New Zealand Herald. 'We went hard for about half an hour and after 15 minutes, the people that were trapped, we couldn't hear them anymore.' Australian tourist Sonny Worrall (pictured) was among those caught up in a horror landslide Mount Maunganui (pictured) on New Zealand's North Island is a popular holiday hotspot The landslide caused extensive damage to caravans, campervans and vehicles Australian Sonny Worrall from Newcastle, NSW, was among dozens of holidaymakers caught up in the chaos, describing it as the scariest moment of his life. He was swimming in the nearby hot pools when he heard a tree crack. 'I looked behind me and there was a huge landslide coming down,' he told TVNZ. 'I turned around and I had to jump out from my seat as fast as I could and just run. Looking behind me, there was a caravan coming right behind me. It all happened in a flash. I was fearing for my life. People were panicking everywhere.' Rescue efforts ramped up on Thursday afternoon as the police dog squad joined search efforts. 'We're going right through [the night] until we've rescued everyone,' Fire and Emergency NZ commander William Park told reporters. 'It was a significant landslip and the priority was life safety. It's a complex and high-risk environment.' Fisherman Alister Hardy heard 'rolling thunder and cracking of trees', before looking up and seeing 'the whole hillside gave way'. The landslide was caused by record-breaking rainfall in recent days The public has been urged to avoid the area as a desperate search for those unaccounted for continues 'There were people running and screaming and I saw people get bowled. There are people trapped,' he told the New Zealand Herald. Camper Carly Morley added: 'The toilet block up the top has been taken out with a number of caravans. 'It's all slid right down through the hot pools... there's been helicopters, surf life savers are over there helping, and they're just trying to cut into the toilet block at the moment.' The campground remains closed until further notice. A second landslip formed behind Mount Maunganui surf club on Thursday afternoon, forcing the building to be evacuated. Prime Minister Christopher Luxon said that his government was doing everything to support those affected. 'To the emergency responders, Defence Force personnel, and all those who are putting themselves in harm's way to keep Kiwis safe, the whole country is grateful,' he tweeted. 'We continue to urge people in affected areas to follow the advice of local authorities.' Fisherman Alister Hardy heard 'rolling thunder and cracking of trees', before looking up and seeing 'the whole hillside gave way' More than 200km south-east from Auckland, Mount Maunganui is a popular coastal holiday hotspot famous for its extinct volcano, a sacred Maori site with ocean-view hiking trails. It comes after Tauranga - the closest city to Mount Maunganui - received 295mm in the 30 hours to 6am on Thursday. Huge swathes of North Island were smashed by torrential rain on Wednesday, with meteorologists MetService issuing a rare red weather warning for a 'threat to life' in several regions and a state of local emergency. In Warkworth near Auckland, a man in his 40s was swept away in his car in the swollen Mahurangi River, while a passenger managed to scramble to safety. Police continued their search for the missing motorist on Thursday, while further east, rescue efforts are underway for stranded locals in the remote Tairawhiti region. People have been trapped on rooftops in Te Araroa, with Mark Law - the helicopter pilot involved in rescue efforts after the deadly 2019 Whakaari-White Island volcanic eruption - telling Radio NZ he was helping to conduct checks in the area. Another couple in Welcome Bay, near Tauranga, were also rescued after a landslip hit their house, with one seriously injured, according to local MP Tom Rutherford. Thousands of people in Northland, Coromandel, Bay of Plenty and Tairawhiti were also left without power after the storm and flooding. A prominent criminal barrister allegedly caught with child abuse material and online conversations about his desire to rape a teenager calls himself 'Dark Menace' after a shark video game character and has been visiting orphanages in Cambodia for years. Mark Dennis SC, 65, stepped off a flight from South-East Asia at Sydney Airport on Tuesday and was stopped by Australian Border Force officers, who pored through his phone, tablet, laptop, and a USB. They allegedly found child abuse material and sexualised conversations with and about minors, and he was subsequently charged with possessing, distributing and importing child abuse material. Prosecutor Jon Kisch told Bail Court on Wednesday that Dennis had chats with at least two people that allegedly revealed a sexual interest in children, and showed a 'willingness to subvert' consent laws. 'There's a description of potentially a desire to rape a 16-year-old I appreciate that's as far as it goes, but certainly very disturbing chats.' It can now be revealed Dennis used the moniker Dark Menace - a play on his name - as part of his work email address, and also to publish a range of papers, including one about how to defend child sexual assault victims. He also co-founded the not for profit Reasonable Causes in 2020 to provide opportunities for disadvantaged Cambodians as young as six, but an online profile says he was travelling to Cambodia twice a year from 2010. The Daily Mail understands he told colleagues about his philanthropic work with orphanages in Cambodia, saying he was helping install bathrooms and various facilities. Mark Dennis SC is pictured at an NRL game with mates in October. He has since been accused of possessing child abuse material Mark Dennis SC is pictured, right, leaving bail court on Wednesday Mark Dennis called himself Dark Menace on his work emails, and Darko Menace on social media (pictured). He also uses the Dark Menace shark video game character as his profile picture on social media According to the Australian Charities and Not For Profit Commission, Reasonable Causes operated out of Cambodia, worked to improve the lives of locals from age six to 24, and partnered with a range of local children's charities. Reasonable Causes made about $242,000 per year, comprising about $108,000 in donations alone. Cambodia Children's Fund was one of the partner organisations that took funding from Reasonable Causes. CEO Scott Neeson told the Daily Mail financial assistance from the organisation has now been rejected. He said Dennis once visited their site in Phnom Penh, but never left the side of staff on site. 'He was very firm and business-like,' Mr Neeson recalled. Mark Dennis SC was arrested at Sydney Airport on Tuesday. He is pictured outside Bail Court on Wednesday, carrying his possessions Top barrister Mark Dennis SC (pictured) was intercepted by Australian Border Force officers as he returned from a trip to Cambodia on Tuesday Dennis had been practising out of the prestigious Forbes Chambers - Sydney's top criminal law chambers - until his arrest on Tuesday, when his lawyer Michael Burke told the court his client would stop practicing law immediately. Since his arrest, Dennis' name and profile have been scrubbed from the Forbes Chambers website. The now-deleted profile included information about Dennis' charity work in Cambodia. 'Mark was the Chairman of the Australia Cambodia Foundation from 2018 to 2020. This charity assists disadvantaged Cambodian children with a particular emphasis on alleviating educational disadvantage,' it read. 'From 2003 to 2012 Mark was a member of the Management Committee of the Immigration and Rights Advice Centre, a community legal centre that assists disadvantaged immigrants including refugees.' Australian Border Force officials intercepted Dennis at the airport and searched his luggage following 'intelligence led screening'. 'The matter was reported to the AFP for further investigation,' the Australian Federal Police said in a statement on Wednesday. 'AFP members attended and on further examination of the device, identified alleged child abuse material and sexualised conversations with and about minors.' ABF officials searched his luggage following 'intelligence-led screening' and found suspected child abuse material on his phone (stock image) Along with seizing his electronic devices at the airport, a search warrant was executed at Dennis' home in Leichhardt, in Sydney's inner-west, where further electronic devices were seized. He was granted bail following a court appearance on Wednesday. The maximum penalty for the child abuse material charges is 15 years' imprisonment. Dennis also ran an annual conference for lawyers, with the funds raised going to his organisation. Mitt Romney's sister-in-law Carrie left behind a note before she fell to her death off the roof of a parking structure near a California shopping mall. Carrie Elizabeth Romney, 64, was found unresponsive on the street next to a five-story parking garage in California in October. Los Angeles County Medical Examiner's office confirmed in December that she died by suicide after suffering 'blunt traumatic injuries' by plunging from the tall building. In a full autopsy report, it was revealed that Romney 'fell backwards from a seated position on a parking structure rooftop.' Medical Examiner Dr Emily Lo wrote that a note was found inside of Romney's car and security footage showed her 'pacing around on the top level for an extended period.' The handwritten note was left on the last pages of the Book of Mormon found in Romney's car. Romney then sat backwards on the terrace edge of the parking structure and plunged to her death. Lo revealed that Romney 'had a history of suicidal ideation' and previously attempted to take her own life. Mitt Romney's sister-in-law Carrie (pictured right with Romney's brother George) left behind a note before she fell to her death off the roof of a parking structure near a California shopping mall. Romney, 64, was found unresponsive on the street next to a five-story parking garage in California in October. First responders arrived on the scene at around 8.30pm on Friday near the the town's shopping mall, near a local Hyatt Regency Hotel The Medical Examiner said that she had driven her car off a cliff two years prior to her death and 'had made comments about not wanting to go on.' A drug screening showed she tested positive for Xanax. Mitt's brother, George Scott Romney, separated from Carrie on May 25. George - who goes by Scott - filed for divorce on June 10 after just over eight years of marriage, according to files obtained by the Mail. It was the 84-year-old lawyer and politician's fourth marriage. Scott is the father of former RNC chairman Ronna McDaniel through his first marriage. Scott and Carrie were wed on November 26, 2016 and had no children together. They were never photographed in public together and appear to have kept their relationship private. Neither were active on social media and Scott hasn't been interviewed by a major media outlet since the 2012 presidential campaign. When reached for comment, a spokesperson for Senator Romney directed us to his statement at her time of passing. Mitt Romney (pictured with wife Ann) spoke out on the sudden death of his sister-in-law 'Our family is heartbroken by the loss of Carrie, who brought warmth and love to all our lives.' The Daily Mail has reached out to attorneys for Carrie Romney and George Scott Romney for comment. Scott cited irreconcilable differences in the divorce filing and stated that most of the couple's assets had been acquired individually before their marriage. Carrie was seeking spousal support which Scott did not agree to, and requested restoring her maiden name, Carrie Elizabeth Dimas. Carrie was found lying next to a garage in the Los Angeles suburb of Valencia, according to the local medical examiner's office. Officers arrived on the scene at around 8.30pm on Friday near the the town's shopping mall and a local Hyatt Regency Hotel. Foul play is not suspected, according to homicide detectives. LA County Sheriff's spokesman Lieutenant Daniel Vizcarra told the Daily Mail a passerby called 911 and Carrie's body was found by the parking structure that belongs to an apartment complex in Santa Clarita. According to divorce filings obtained by the Mail, 64-year-old Carrie Romney had separated from Mitt's brother George Scott Romney (pictured in 2012) - who goes by Scott - on May 25 Her vehicle was found in one of the floors of the parking structure. Vizcarra said investigators were working to obtain possible video footage around the area, which is also adjacent to a mall. Footage from the investigation showed police tape cordoning off much of the parking lot with multiple police vehicles on scene. 'Foul play has not been ruled out, but as of right now, there is no evidence of it,' Vizcarra told the Daily Mail. Carrie's cause of death has been listed as 'deferred' while toxicology tests were pending, according to the Los Angeles County medical examiner. Romney, a two-time presidential candidate, comes from a large family with three older siblings, including his brother Scott. His wife Ann also has two older brothers, and together the couple share five sons. Scott was described by The New York Times as the most visible of Romney's siblings on the campaign trail in 2012. He told PBS of his role on his brother's campaign: 'In 2006 he called me and said, 'I'd like somebody with a little gray hair to help raise money, and I wonder if you'd be willing to help me.' And he asked me to help with him on his campaign. Since then, I've been doing everything I can to help his political career.' Scott was described by The New York Times as the most visible of Romney's siblings on the campaign trail in 2012 Footage showing law enforcement's investigation saw police tape blocking the entrance to much of the scene Scott is currently an attorney at Honigman Miller Schwartz and Cohn in Michigan and serves on several boards, including Compuware Corporation. The Romney family is notoriously close and competitive, with The Washington Post once profiling the then-30 person brood's annual family Olympics on Lake Winnipesaukee in New Hampshire. Similarly, the former governor often championed his status as a family man when he ran for national office in 2008 and 2012. Romney's lengthy career in Republican politics includes a defeat to Barack Obama in the 2012 general election. In 2008, he lost the Republican Primary before endorsing the eventual presidential runner-up, John McCain. He was also the only member of his party to vote to convict Trump of impeachment twice. Romney served as governor of Massachusetts from 2003 to 2007 and the junior senator from Utah from 2018 to 2024. He retired instead of trying to run for re-election, having said the country's many challenges call for a younger generation of leaders. Romney said the US would be better served if the two front-runners for their parties' 2024 presidential nominations - Joe Biden and Donald Trump - stepped aside. 'The times we're living in demand the next generation step up and express their point of view and to make the decisions that will shape American politics over the coming century,' Romney said in a news conference at the Capitol. He said baby boomers like him are 'not the right ones to be making the decisions for tomorrow.' The Nationals have done it again: torching the Coalition but acting as if it's not their fault. This latest rupture was unavoidable once the entire Nationals frontbench resigned from the shadow ministry in protest at the post-Bondi legislative package. Initially three senators offered their resignations which Sussan Ley rightly accepted. The rest followed in some sort of protest at Ley doing what she had to do. That's how it works when you're part of a cabinet or shadow cabinet - defy its collective decision and you must go to the backbench. That Nationals leader David Littleproud wanted an exception to be made for his MPs sums up the self-indulgence of these Nationals. Liberals have been bending over backwards for their junior coalition partner for too long now. The junior coalition partner has been dictating terms despite its minor party status. Ley held the line this week which was the right thing to do, but it will likely cost her her leadership. Sussan Ley is probably toast but she did the right thing in holding the line against the Nationals In truth, Ley was on borrowed time anyway. What makes the Nationals' decision to end the Coalition right now so grotesque is the timing. Australians are marking the National Day of Mourning for the Bondi Beach terrorist attack today. Yet the Nationals chose this day to land their biggest act of political self-harm and opposition vandalism, ending the formal Coalition agreement. Ley refused to comment on what's transpired because of the timing - and good on her for that. Meanwhile, the end of the Coalition will likely cost Ley her job sooner or later, but it also might precipitate the total collapse of the Nationals as a party and brand. With support for One Nation surging, the junior coalition partner might struggle to survive on its own. One Nation is more than a party of the regions, but that is where its strengths lie. Meanwhile, without a Coalition arrangement that helps Nationals fundraise, hold shadow portfolios and hold on to higher positions on senate tickets, its electoral successes might dry up. After what Littleproud has done, he, too, should lose his job. The Nationals leader has proven himself contemptible. Albo was under pressure but once again the Nationals have brought the spotlight onto the Opposition That's assuming the break-up is more than performative and Nationals and Liberals don't reunite once Ley departs stage right. Angus Taylor is the most talked about potential successor to Ley, but he wasn't even in Canberra for the unscheduled early return of parliament. He's holidaying in Europe and didn't want to end that prematurely. Perhaps it's some sort of pre-paid group tour for seniors he didn't want to bust up early. Andrew Hastie is the other next generation contender, but even he realised the need to compromise to get the new laws enacted, supporting them from the backbench which he didn't have to do, now that he's not a member of shadow cabinet. Hastie did so as part of a deal brokered by one of his closest conservative allies, Jonathon Duniam, the new shadow home affairs minister and Tasmanian Senator. The opposition leader followed their lead by agreeing to the new laws - and then refused to let the Nationals get away with defying shadow cabinet's decision. Strip away the theatre and the spark for what's happened was straightforward enough. After Bondi, Labor moved to recall parliament and push through sweeping hate-speech and firearms reforms. The government's rush created openings for criticism and, for a time, Albo wore the heat for turning tragedy into a political contest and for the clumsy handling of the legislative process. The Coalition had a chance to prosecute that argument: targeting Labor's incompetence, poor process and lack of empathy. Instead, the Nationals have now shifted the spotlight from Albo's missteps to opposition dysfunction, rescuing the Prime Minister from the worst few weeks of his 30 year parliamentary career. That's a remarkable act of self-harm by Littleproud and his team. Ley's decision to insist on shadow cabinet discipline was not just defensible, it was inevitable. Under the conventions of a frontbench, shadow ministers don't get to defy an agreed position and then insist on remaining in the shadow cabinet anyway. The Nationals could totally collapse, bereft of the power of the Opposition frontbench and with One Nation surging The Nationals' dummy spit is ridiculous. They have a smaller share of seats and an even smaller claim on metropolitan votes, yet they repeatedly behave as if the Liberals exist to service their internal party room tantrums. This isn't new. After the 2025 election, they tried to strong-arm the Liberals into policy demands by walking away from a Coalition agreement before coming back to the table. The pattern is entitlement, not strategy. The deeper risk for the Liberals is that even if the Nationals crawl back, as they probably will, perhaps once a new Liberal leader is installed, the precedent hardens. A Coalition arrangement where the junior party can sit in shadow cabinet, repudiate shadow cabinet at will, and then treat the leader's insistence on discipline as the provocation is not a coalition, it's a never-ending political shakedown. If the Liberals don't build guardrails against future rogue behaviour, they will keep reliving this cycle. Assuming the Nationals are still around. One Nation has been gaining ground on the Coalition's flank according to the published polls, and internal Coalition commentary is already acknowledging that it is benefiting from conservative disarray. Barnaby Joyce, once a Nationals leader and deputy PM, has already joined One Nation and says he intends to contest the next election on its ticket. More Nationals may follow, leaving Littleproud to lead a hollowed-out party. A Nationals party that defines itself by protest, grievance and vetoes may find the market for that product is already owned by Pauline Hanson. As mentioned, Ley will probably still lose her job. But the Nationals didn't expose a weak leader today, they exposed a weak opposition culture. One that can't hold discipline, can't pick its moments and can't distinguish between self-indulgence and principle. On a national day of mourning, that stupidity wasn't just political. It was obscene. Opposition Leader Sussan Ley is under mounting pressure to resign from those within her own party, as frustration inside the Liberals spills over after the Coalition's collapse. On Thursday morning, Nationals leader David Littleproud announced his party would withdraw from the Coalition. The Nationals leader blamed Ley for the breakdown, saying she should never have accepted the resignations of the three Nationals senators who crossed the floor on Labor's hatecrimes bill. 'We made it very clear that there would be a consequence, and that if Sussan accepted those resignations, then that consequence is that the Coalition would be untenable. It would be forced into a position that could not continue. She was aware of that,' Littleproud said. Under Coalition protocol, shadow cabinet members are required to vote along predetermined party lines on all bills, but the trio broke ranks, leaving them with no option but to resign from the frontbench or be stood down by Ley. Liberal insiders told the Daily Mail that Ley has lost the confidence of multiple colleagues, and many want her to resign. One MP went as far as to say she was effectively 'a goner' by Wednesday afternoon. Others argued Ley bungled her response to the Bondi Beach terrorrelated laws, saying she missed a clear opportunity to out-manoeuvre Prime Minister Anthony Albanese, whose approval rating had already slipped over the issue. Sussan Ley (pictured) is under pressure following the collapse of the Coalition on Thursday 'We went into Parliament with a one-up against the Prime Minister, and now we've imploded,' one MP said. But some Liberals who remain supportive of Ley criticised Littleproud's move, calling it 'dramatic' and 'unnecessary'. One MP suggested Littleproud acted partly out of fear that Nationals Senator Matt Canavan was preparing a leadership challenge a claim Littleproud and other Nationals have rejected. Ley told Littleproud she did not want Coalition infighting to coincide with the Bondi Beach National Day of Mourning on Thursday. A minute's silence will be held at 7.01 pm. Former Nationals leader turned One Nation MP Barnaby Joyce condemned Littleproud's decision, describing the timing as 'bad' and 'atrocious' and saying the focus should remain on the victims and the community. Joyce added the public was 'getting a bit of a look' at Littleproud, hinting at tensions going back to his own leadership of the Nationals. McKenzie pushed back in an interview with Sky News, insisting the Nationals were 'not responsible for the timing.' David Littleproud (pictured) has been slammed over the timing of the Coalition announcement 'We didn't dump bad legislation in front of a committee less than a week ago,' she said. 'We didn't schedule Parliament to come back, we didn't schedule the Day of Mourning. We've been calling for action on antisemitism and cracking down on Islamic extremism for a long time and we won't take lectures from the Labor Party about who we do and don't stand next to.' Ley said she would not comment out of respect for the Day of Mourning and is expected to address the media on Friday. Possible leadership contenders include Ley's former rival Angus Taylor, currently in Europe, and WA conservative Andrew Hastie. Taylor is reportedly cutting short his trip to Europe to begin canvassing support. Ley's original victory over Taylor was razorthin, 29 votes to 25. Three of her supporters were outgoing senators leaving the party room, while another was Gisele Kapterian, who failed to win her seat. A robot scientist accused of plotting an Australia Day terror attack has been arrested by counter-terrorism cops. Sepehr Saryazdi, 24, appeared in Brisbane Magistrates Court on Thursday after he was charged in relation to planning a terrorist attack. The court heard the decorated academic had allegedly planned to lead a riot on the Gold Coast and had discussed his plans with 50 others in a Facebook group. Some of the messages included plans for Molotov cocktails, with Saryazdi allegedly buying supplies and urging others to do the same, the Brisbane Times reports. 'I'll be leading the Gold Coast riots on Jan 26,' one of his messages allegedly read. 'If you guys know people in Melbourne, let them know so that they can start buying bottles early to stockpile batches.' Saryazdi also allegedly instructed members on what to do if they were arrested. 'If arrested, the key is to stay calm and collected,' he allegedly wrote. A robot scientist accused of plotting an Australia Day riot complete with Molotov cocktails has been arrested by counter-terrorism cops (PhD student Sepehr Saryazdi is pictured) 'It's important during questioning to remind them what you did is purely logical given the current trajectory of this nation, you need to make the police doubt their own world views and convince them to quit their job.' The CSIRO PhD candidate also allegedly wrote: 'Before I leave the battlefield on Jan 26, I have a few wishes in case I die'. He also allegedly encouraged group members to learn how to use firearms at shooting ranges and then apply for jobs at ASIO or the Australian Defence Force. The court heard Saryazdi thought the 'authoritarian' Australian government should be replaced with a cybernetic system. He allegedly sent messages via the chat because he thought 'ASIO or something will either try to kill me or lobotomise me' once he overthrew the government. Saryazdi's lawyer Hellen Shilton said her client had been influenced by the new people he was associating with but that 'it was never his intention to hurt anyone'. 'He felt that he should do something and bring attention to the way the world was heading and the government,' she told Magistrate Penelope Hay. 'He admits he became quite overwhelmed emotionally. At times he found himself crying.' The court heard the decorated academic had allegedly planned to lead a riot on the Gold Coast on January 26 (pictured, Australia Day celebrations at Wavebreak Island) Saryazdi had been working as an industry PhD candidate with CSIRO's Data61 Robotics and Autonomous Systems Group and the Australian Centre for Robotics, according to his LinkedIn profile. 'I am working on problems in robotic perception, enabling future robotic capabilities for real-time navigation in complex and dynamic environments,' a post reads. 'Outside robotics research, I am frequently involved in science education through casual tutoring and volunteering programs.' Saryazdi was also a physics, mathematics, data science and robotics tutor at the University of Sydney. Magistrate Hay refused his bail and he was remanded in custody until February. A former police officer in Uvalde, Texas has been found not guilty of child endangerment for his response to the mass shooting at an elementary school in May 2022. Adrian Gonzalez, 52, was acquitted on all 29 counts of child endangerment in connection with the mass shooting at Robb Elementary School on Wednesday, after jurors deliberated for more than seven hours. The former cop appeared to close his eyes and take a deep breath as he stood to hear the verdict. Afterward he hugged one of his lawyers and appeared to be fighting back tears. Behind him in the courtroom, several victims' family members sat in silence, some crying or wiping away tears. Gonzalez was among the first to respond to the scene, and prosecutors had claimed he failed to take action - endangering the 19 students who died as well as 10 other students who survived the massacre. Two teachers were also killed in the school shooting as law enforcement took more than an hour to launch a counterassault. Prosecutors claimed Gonzalez, in particular, had a unique opportunity to stop the mass shooting when he learned of gunman Salvador Ramos' location from a teaching aide - who testified she repeatedly urged Gonzalez to intervene, but said he did 'nothing,' ABC News reports. Attorneys for the former police officers, though, argued that he was being unfairly blamed for a larger law enforcement failure that day. Adrian Gonzalez was acquitted on all 29 counts of child endangerment in connection with the mass shooting at Robb Elementary on Wednesday, after just one hour of deliberations It took law enforcement officers more than an hour to engage the suspect at the shooting at Robb Elementary School on May 24, 2022 They claimed he did everything he could in the moment - including gathering critical information, evacuating children and entering the school - and said Gonzalez acted on the information he had. The defense also pointed out that other officers arrived around the same time as Gonzalez and that at least one cop had an opportunity to shoot the gunman before he entered the school. At least 370 law enforcement officers rushed to the school, where 77 minutes passed before a tactical team finally entered the classroom to confront and kill the gunman. Gonzales was one of just two officers indicted, angering some victims relatives who said they wanted more to be held accountable. He was charged with 29 counts of child abandonment and endangerment - each count representing the 19 students who were killed and 10 others who were injured. Gonzalez's nearly three-week long trial included emotional testimony from teachers who were shot and survived. During closing arguments earlier on Wednesday, attorneys on both sides told jurors that their verdict would send a message to law enforcement officers across Texas - though they disagreed on what that message should be, Texas Public Radio reports. Prosecutors urged jurors to hold Gonzalez accountable, with special prosecutor Bill Turner saying: 'We're expected to act differently when talking about a child that can't defend themselves. 'If you have a duty to act, you cant stand by while a child is in imminent danger.' 'We cannot continue to let children die in vain,' District Attorney Christina Mitchell then argued. Defense attorney Nico LaHood delivers a closing statement to the jury on Wednesday Victims' families listened to closing arguments on Wednesday Meanwhile, defense attorney Nico LaHood urged jurors to reject what he described as an effort to single out one officer for systemic failures. 'Send a message to the government that it wasn't right to choose to concentrate on Adrian Gonzalez,' he said. 'You can't pick and choose.' During the trial, jurors heard a medical examiner describe the fatal wounds to the children, some of whom were shot more than a dozen times. Several parents also told of sending their children to school for an awards ceremony and the panic that ensued as the attack unfolded. Gonzales lawyers said he arrived upon a chaotic scene of rifle shots echoing on school grounds and never saw the gunman before the attacker went inside the school. They also insisted that three other officers who arrived seconds later had a better chance to stop the gunman, arguing that there were just two minutes between Gonzalez arriving at the school and Ramos entering the fourth-grade classrooms where the victims were killed. Defense attorneys even played body camera footage showing Gonzalez was among the first officers to enter a shadowy and smoke-filled hallway trying to reach the killer, according to KWTX. Rather than acting cowardly, they argued, Gonzalez risked his life when he went into a 'hallway of death' others were unwilling to enter in the early moments. Gonzales attorney, Jason Goss, told jurors before they began deliberating that a conviction would tell police they have to be 'perfect' when responding to a crisis and could make them even more hesitant in the future. 'The monster that hurt those kids is dead,' Goss said. 'It is one of the worst things that ever happened.' At least 370 law enforcement officers rushed to the school, where 77 minutes passed before a tactical team finally entered the classroom to confront and kill the gunman The trial was moved hundreds of miles to Corpus Christi after defense attorneys argued that Gonzales could not receive a fair trial in Uvalde. Still, some victims families have made the long drive to watch the proceedings. Early on the sister of one of the teachers killed was removed from the courtroom after an angry outburst following one officers testimony. Gonzales trial was tightly focused on his actions in the early moments of the attack, but prosecutors also presented the graphic and emotional testimony as the result of police failures. State and federal reviews of the shooting cited cascading problems in law enforcement training, communication, leadership and technology, and questioned why officers waited so long. Nineteen children and two teachers were killed in the Robb Elementary School shooting Former Uvalde Schools Police Chief Pete Arredondo, who was the onsite commander on the day of the shooting, is also charged with endangerment or abandonment of a child and has pleaded not guilty. But his case has been delayed indefinitely by an ongoing federal suit filed after US border Patrol refused multiple efforts by Uvalde prosecutors to interview the agents who responded to the shooting - including two who were in the tactical unit responsible for killing the gunman. The Trump administration is looking to achieve regime change in Cuba by the end of the year, according to US officials who spoke to The Wall Street Journal. Officials familiar with the plans have apparently gained confidence that this outcome is possible for two reasons. One, the US just launched a surgical attack on January 3 that led to the successful capture and ouster of Venezuelan president Nicolas Maduro, who had served as the country's socialist leader since 2013. Two, the administration now believes Cuba's economy, which is deeply entangled with Venezuela's, is very close to collapsing without Maduro in place to guarantee oil. US intelligence analysts have said Cuba has frequent blackouts and chronic shortages of basic goods and medicines, according to people familiar with the assessments. Nearly 90 percent of the population lives below the poverty line. Officials told The Journal that there is no concrete plan to overthrow the communist government in Cuba, which rose after Fidel Castro took over the country in 1959. For now, the focus for the US is identifying members of the current members of the Cuban regime who are sympathetic to American interests and might want to cut a deal, The Journal reported. This strategy would mirror how the operation to grab Maduro worked, since an asset within his inner circle flipped on him and helped the US. The military's storming of Caracas, the capital of Venezuela, killed 32 Cuban soldiers and around two dozen members of Maduro's security force. The Trump administration wants the Communist regime in Cuba gone by the end of the year, according to a new report in The Wall Street Journal. President Donald Trump has already hinted that Cuba should make a deal with the United States US officials familiar with talks on this issue say that the successful capture of Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro has emboldened them Citizens of Havana, Cuba, wave Venezuelan and Cuban flags during an 'Anti-Imperialist' protest in front of the US Embassy in the Communist country The administration is also reportedly running an economic pressure campaign on Cuba, seeking to cut off vital oil imports from Venezuela that have been keeping the island running for decades. Economists expect Cuba to run out of oil within weeks. Based on this, the US military's continued seizing of oil tankers with Venezuelan-ties now appears to have another objective, besides punishing Venezuela for nationalizing its oil fields and seeking to oversee future sales of the commodity. There is evidence of dissent on how to approach regime change in Cuba, according to The Journal. Some US officials and Trump allies, some of them Florida-based Cuban exiles, want an aggressive approach to end the nearly 70 years of Communist rule. Others within the administration have pointed out prior disastrous attempts to overthrow or weaken the Castro government, including the failed Bay of Pigs invasion and the trade embargo. The embargo was instituted in 1962 and Cuba's leaders have remained in place. These same officials have also argued that Venezuela is much different from Cuba, even though they both have far-left governments. Cuba is a single-party state that does not allow political opposition and has violently suppressed the only two major protests in the decades since the Communists took over: one in 1994 in Havana and another in 2021 across the entire island. Meanwhile, Venezuela has had an active anti-Maduro faction for years. There have also been protests and elections, though international monitors virtually all agree that Maduro was able to rig the contests so he'd win no matter what. Pictured: Two homeless men sit on a street in Havana on July 21, 2025 Pictured: A man eats his breakfast in his bedroom in Havana on March 27, 2024 Raul Castro (center) is now 94 years old and has ceded power of the Cuban regime over to Miguel Diaz-Canel (right) Diaz-Canel (pictured addressed the United Nations in 2023) has not indicated he is open to a deal with the US Because Venezuela has the makings of an opposition movement, some Trump officials say replicating what was done there could be difficult in Cuba, where citizens are extraordinarily repressed. Given how dicey a regime change operation could be in Cuba - with the potential to lead to a humanitarian crisis - Trump believes that ending the long reign of the Castros would cement his foreign policy legacy, according to a US official who worked for Trump on Cuba policy in his first term. It would give Trump a leg up on President John F. Kennedy, who did not succeed in rooting out Fidel Castro. The Trump administration is getting more open about its desire to see a conclusion to the regime in Cuba. Jeremy Lewin, the State Departments acting undersecretary for foreign assistance, said last week that Cuba 'has to make a choice to step down or to better provide for its people'. And on January 11, President Donald Trump publicly warned the Cuban regime that after Maduro's capture, no more Venezuelan oil or money would be arriving. 'I strongly suggest they make a deal, BEFORE IT IS TOO LATE,' he wrote in the Truth Social post. There is no indication that Cuba is cowing to the US. The government is still highly influenced by 94-year-old Raul Castro, who retired as president in 2021 and handed over day-to-day responsibilities to Miguel Diaz-Canel, 65. 'There is no surrender or capitulation possible nor any kind of understanding based on coercion or intimidation,' Diaz-Canel said at a recent memorial for the Cuban security guards who were killed while trying to protect Maduro. DO YOU KNOW MORE? Email karleigh.smith@dailymail.com A PhD student accused of plotting an Australia Day terror attack was a wannabe actor who once landed a role in a Hungry Jack's television commercial. Sepehr Saryazdi, 24, allegedly planned the attack for Monday's celebrations in Queensland to promote a new phase of civilisation powered by artificial intelligence. He is accused of targeting a Gold Coast event, allegedly posting online that he would be leading Australia Day 'riots' on the popular tourist strip. He bought bottles of alcohol, wrapping paper and a blanket between January 4 and 9 in preparation for the attack, according to court documents. Acquaintances described Saryazdi as a quiet person, but said he could be unusually forward in attempting to develop friendships, at times making others feel uneasy. One said Saryazdi was sending messages to Instagram friends as recently as last Thursday, promoting a 'Stop Banning Free Speech Convoy to Canberra' event on January 19. In relation to his alleged terrorist plot, Crown prosecutor Ellie McDonald opposed bail, saying he had made 'extremely concerning' comments in a Facebook chat. 'He states, "I'll be leading the Gold Coast riots on January 26",' she said. Sepehr Saryazdi pictured in a post by Sydney Talent Company in 2019 congratulating him on a role in a Hungry Jacks commercial Sepehr Saryazdi pictured with family upon graduating from University of Sydney Facebook messages allegedly sent by Saryazdi One of the messages allegedly read: 'If you know people in Melbourne let them know so they can start buying vodka bottles early and stockpiling batches.' Saryazdi also allegedly instructed members on what to do if they were arrested. 'If arrested, the key is to stay calm and collected,' he allegedly wrote. Saryazdi allegedly said he expected to die during the Gold Coast attack unless he was killed or lobotomised by Australia's spy agency ASIO. He allegedly added that his actions were 'purely logical given the trajectory of this nation'. He also allegedly encouraged group members to learn how to use firearms at shooting ranges and then apply for jobs at ASIO or the Australian Defence Force. 'I recommend learning how to shoot guns at shooting ranges while you can,' he allegedly said on Facebook. Ms McDonald told the court he also allegedly told the group members they 'need to make the police doubt their own world views and convince them to quit their job'. Revellers celebrate Australia Day on the Gold Coast in 2025 On January 15, Saryazdi was forwarding unrelated protest information to Instagram friends In another post, the court heard Mr Saryazdi allegedly said, 'before I leave the battlefield on Jan 26, I have a few wishes in case I die'. 'The defendant then goes on to outline those wishes for the Australian government and society,' Ms McDonald said. Saryazdi allegedly told police he saw the government as 'turning tyrannical' and wanted to replace it with a 'cybernetics' alternative where society was guided by AI and data analysis. He allegedly had a document titled 'Australia's future cybernetics government the next phase of civilization'. Saryazdi has a Master of Mathematical Sciences from the University of Sydney, according to his online profiles. He also described himself as a PhD candidate with the CSIRO data and digital specialist arm and Australian Centre for Robotics. 'I am working on problems in robotic perception, enabling future robotic capabilities for real-time navigation in complex and dynamic environments,' he said. 'Outside robotics research, I am frequently involved in science education through casual tutoring and volunteering programs.' The robot scientist and CSIRO Phd candidate, has been refused bail Saryazdi was also a physics, mathematics, data science and robotics tutor at the University of Sydney. Saryazdi intended to make national news and bring people together with attention to his disenchantment with the government, his Legal Aid solicitor Hellen Shilton said. He had a very isolated lifestyle and had lost contact with his parents since moving interstate to Brisbane, she said. 'He became influenced a bit by the new people he associated with. He was watching videos of protests,' Ms Shilton said. 'He admits he became quite overwhelmed emotionally. He felt he should do something with the way the world was going ... it was never his intention to hurt anyone.' At the point of allegedly purchasing the alcohol and other items, reality started to sink in and he had made silly choices about his cause, his solicitor said. 'He has never taken part in any protests, he is obviously misguided,' Ms Shilton said. Saryazdi's argument for bail appeared at odds with his statements to police, magistrate Penelope Hay said. 'Contrary to admissions he made that he intended to throw a Molotov cocktail in a public place on Australia Day and overthrow the government?' she said. Ms Hay denied Saryazdi bail due to the apparent strength of the prosecution case and his alleged serious link to violent offending. He was remanded in custody and is due to face court again on February 20. Kids' YouTube star Ms. Rachel broke down in tears while explaining how she accidentally 'liked' an antisemitic comment on one of her recent Instagram posts. The now-deleted Instagram post from Ms. Rachel, whose real name is Rachel Accurso, was a screenshot from her notes app with text that read: 'Free Palestine, Free Sudan, Free Congo, Free Iran.' One comment on the post added 'Free America from the Jews.' In screenshots shared on social media, it's apparent that the comment was liked by the author. A fan of Accurso's direct messaged her on Instagram telling her that she had liked the comment. 'Hi rachel, just wanted to let you know theres a comment under your latest post that says free America from the Jews that says liked by the author. Im sure thats an accident so wanted to let you know,' the person wrote. Accurso responded: 'Deleted how horrible oh wait let me check I did delete one like that.' 'Ya I believe I deleted that earlier right when I saw it! I hate antisemitism,' she added. Accurso, who is no stranger to being called an antisemite over her condemnation of Israel's war in Gaza, then posted a tearful video further defending herself from the criticism. Ms. Rachel, real name Rachel Accurso, was called out for liking an antisemitic comment under one of her Instagram posts. She apologized and said it was done by mistake. In her video addressing it, she shared a DM she received from a fan alerting her to the controversy Accurso is no stranger to being called an antisemite. She advocates for Palestinian children amid Israel's war in Gaza, which began after Hamas invaded Israel on October 7, 2023 'So, I thought I deleted a comment and I accidentally hit "like and hide", I don't know how or why. I've accidentally liked comments before, it happens. I'm a human who makes mistakes,' she said. 'I would never agree with an antisemitic thing like the comment. We have Jewish family, a lot of my friends are Jewish. I delete antisemitic comments,' she added. 'I feel like we cant be human anymore online. And Im so sorry for the confusion it caused. Im so sorry if anyone thought that I would ever agree with something so horrible and antisemitic like that. I dont. 'I want to say that its OK to be human and its OK to make mistakes and Im old, so I am not as good with touching things online, I guess. I have liked things by accident before,' the 43-year-old said. Accurso's educational videos for babies and toddlers have racked up hundreds of millions of views over the years. Her focus on teaching children dovetails with her activism for disadvantaged kids around the world, including Palestinian children in Gaza. Israel invaded the Gaza Strip after Hamas fighters attacked the country on October 7, 2023, killing around 1,200 Israeli civilians. Accurso has long been against the Israel's war in Gaza, which has led to 71,000 Palestinian deaths, according to the Gaza Health Ministry. Pictured: Volunteers with the Turkish Religious Foundation distributed food to displaced Palestinians in Gaza on January 21, 2026 In late December, Accurso, who lives in Manhattan, was named to New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani's inaugural committee Accurso has long zeroed in on the toll the war has had on children, many of whom are remain acutely malnourished, according to a United Nations report from December. 'Over 14,000 precious children have been un-alived in Gaza. Gaza has the largest number of child amputees in history. We can't be silent about these kinds of conditions for children,' she said in a video she posted to TikTok in December 2024. In a video she posted to Instagram in May 2025, she shared a picture of an emaciated Palestinian child. 'World leaders, please help this baby. Please look at her. Please, please look at her. Just, please look at her eyes for one minute,' she said in the video. 'If you just think about a baby you love, think about a baby you care so much for, there's no way that we all don't know that you can't kill 15,000 kids.' Pro-Israel advocacy groups argue she has pushed Hamas propaganda and has selective empathy, because she rarely focuses on Israeli victims. Watchdog organization StopAntisemitism declared she was a finalist for who they thought was the 'Antisemite of the Year.' In late December, Accurso, who lives in Manhattan, was named to New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani's inaugural committee. Mamdani and Accurso are similarly critical of Israel. This committee, comprised of over four dozen people, is responsible for organizing the inauguration party and giving Mamdani advice on his early policy agenda. Creative packaging has proven to be no match for customs officers, with authorities confiscating thousands of kilos of illicit drugs as they reached the country's shores. International organised crime networks lost billions of dollars to failed plots to sneak illicit drugs into Australia throughout 2025, including nine tonnes of meth with a street value of $5.5 billion and almost eight tonnes of cocaine worth $2.5 billion. Some of the more creative smuggling attempts included a ploy in May to hide 360kg of meth within house tiles that were tracked to a warehouse in southwest Sydney. In another instance, a Portuguese woman was arrested in January, 2025, after allegedly trying to hide meth within vacuum-sealed bags of clothes. Two Sydney men were also arrested in August for allegedly hiding 45kg of the veterinary drug ketamine inside car driveshafts imported from Germany. The biggest meth bust of the year - and one of the biggest in NSW history - was 900kg of the illicit drug uncovered in a consignment at Port Botany. The suspicious packages, found by Australian Border Force officers in August, had been declared as 'vegetable spring rolls and more'. The total amount of drugs seized by customs in 2025 included: 9.2 tonnes of methamphetamine worth $5.52 billion, 7.8 tonnes of cocaine worth $2.53 billion, 6.3 tonnes of 1,4-butanediol worth $18.9 million, 1.3 tonnes of ketamine worth $273 million, 260kg of MDMA worth $42.6 million, and 220kg of heroin worth $110 million. An incredible 360kg of meth was found hidden within white mosaic tiles (pictured) in May A shipment of meth (pictured), totalling to 900kg, was declared as 'vegetable spring rolls and more' The drug was concealed inside carboard rolls (pictured) The total drugs seized by customs authorities in 2025 were worth almost $8.5 billion. ABF Commander David Coyles said overseas syndicates were willing to try anything to get a slice of Australia's 'highly lucrative' illicit drug market. 'Modern professional crime syndicates are always looking for new ways to beat the system,' he said. 'They are increasingly looking to operate outside the boundaries of the conventional system of trade and travel.' Several drug offenders were also jailed in 2025. Two men were each sentenced to six years behind bars for attempting to possess 139kg of cocaine. The drug had been hidden inside a shipment of 13 luxury buses into South Australia in early 2024. Another 2024 bust from September saw a Victorian man sentenced to 11 years jail for trying to smuggle 100kg of methamphetamine by hiding the substance inside leather shoes. The meth-laiden tiles were allegedly found in a warehouse in southwest Sydney (pictured, one of the arrests) A 900kg meth bust in August (pictured) was one of the biggest in NSW history Australian Federal Police Commander Adam Rice warned smugglers, 'criminals think they're clever well so are we'. 'Criminals are driven by profit and they don't care about the harm they cause to the community,' he said. 'We do and we're going to tackle them head on.' Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has apologised to the Jewish community as Australia has paused in silence to remember the 15 innocent victims killed in the Bondi massacre. A crowd gathered on Sydney Harbour for a minute of silence at 7.01pm ADST before a series of speeches inside the Opera House from Prime Minister Anthony Albanese, Governor-General Sam Mostyn, NSW Premier Chris Minns and Jewish leaders. Security at the event was paramount, with pictures showing a NSW Police sniper perched at the peak of the roof on one of the iconic building's 'shells'. Albanese acknowledged candles being lit for the victims of the Bondi attack. 'Fifteen lives illuminated by possibility, opportunity and dreams. Tragically, we are gathered here tonight because, on 14 December, that changed,' he said. The Prime Minister said Australia held the promise of a 'safe harbour' for those around the world and that promise was broken. 'You came to celebrate a festival of light and freedom and you were met with the violence of hatred,' Albanese said. 'I am deeply and profoundly sorry that we could not protect your loved ones from this evil.' After he apologised, the assembled crowd broke out in loud applause. Anthony Albanese has apologised to Australia's Jewish community at an event to remember the victims of the Bondi terror attack Relatives of some of the 15 victims of the Bondi attack stand next to candles with their loved ones' names A NSW Police sniper is seen on the roof of the Opera House as an event got underway Led by the Bondi Chabad, the theme for the sombre day of national mourning is Light Will Win: A Gathering of Unity and Remembrance. Fifteen innocent people were killed and 41 more were injured in the antisemitic terror attack carried out on December 14 at Bondi Beach. Australians are being asked to come together through a mitzvah, an act of kindness or compassion. This can include giving to others, helping the sick, offering hospitality or providing kindness to animals. A commemorative installation, 15 Pillars of Light, was erected throughout Australian cities. Mr Albanese encouraged all Australians to participate in their own way by leaving a candle on their window ledge or doorstep. 'This is a place where nothing should break except for the waves. But a lot broke that night,' Mr Albanese said of Bondi. 'For darkness to descend on that (Hanukkah celebration) is something that is a stain on our nation.' Rabbi Yehoram Ulman addresses the media in front of the Sydney Opera House on Thursday Prime Minister Anthony Albanese and wife Jodie Haydon attend the event inside the Sydney Opera House Flags are being flown at half-mast throughout the country and major institutions will be illuminated when the sun sets. In Melbourne, dignitaries including the Victorian governor attended a multi-faith vigil at St Paul's Cathedral with her immediate predecessor and four past and present premiers. They lit candles and paid tribute to the Bondi victims alongside Jewish, Islamic, Hindu, Buddhist, Christian and Sikh leaders. 'By our coming together in unity to remember the fallen, by our prayers and our lighting of candles, we come to remind ourselves of this truth: that light will win,' Anglican Dean of Melbourne Andreas Loewe told the assembled crowd. The faith leaders share common values and are united in their determination to overcome anti-Semitism, hate speech, and terror, Rabbi Ralph Genende said. 'We belong to different faith traditions and share a common grief,' he said. 'Together we seek to build a society where all people can work together in cherishing, not disfiguring, our common humanity.' The significance of Oseh Shalom, a short Hebrew prayer for peace, being sung in an Anglican cathedral was not lost on attendees. A crowd gathered on the Opera House steps before speeches were heard inside the building Governor-General of Australia, Sam Mostyn, speaks during the 'Light Will Win: A Gathering of Unity and Remembrance' event One hero of the many at Bondi, Ahmed Al Ahmed, lights a candle for victim Sofia Gurman An Australian flag at half mast on Bondi Beach on Thursday A tribute to the victims of the Bondi Beach massacre during the National Day of Mourning is held at Melbourne Park during the Australian Open grand slam 'I find that just an extraordinarily moving thing,' Executive Council of Australian Jewry president Daniel Aghion told reporters outside. 'It shows what this country can be - and indeed is.' Jewish state MP David Southwick, meanwhile, warned the inter-faith gathering could not be seen as 'we've done our job' and the hard work must continue. Tony Blair turned up for Donald Trump's 'peace board' launch today despite a snub from the UK government. The former PM was namechecked by the US president at the ceremony in Davos, where he hailed the level of interest in participating. Sir Tony is an executive member of the board alongside Mr Trump's son-in-law Jared Kushner. The launch came just hours after Foreign Secretary Yvette Cooper said Britain would not be participating as there were 'concerns' about the invite for Vladimir Putin to join the body. Almost all other European nations are also holding off, with fears of a new standoff developing after a tentative solution was found to the bitter spat over Mr Trump's demands for Greenland. Critics have warned that the organisation - which has a 1billion fee for permanent membership - appears to be an attempt to supplant the UN. Tony Blair turned up for Donald Trump's 'peace board' launch today despite a snub from the UK government Tony Blair (right) at Davos today with senior US administration figures Howard Lutnick (centre) and Scott Bessent (left) Mr Trump brandishes his board of peace document alongside the group of world leaders who have signed up Argentina's Javier Millei was among the leaders at the board of peace launch today Hungary's Viktor Orban (right) was one of the signatories in Davos today Foreign Secretary Yvette Cooper said there were 'concerns' about the invite for the Russian dictator to join the body given his invasion of Ukraine Who was at Trump's board of peace ceremony today? Argentina Armenia Azerbaijan Bahrain Bulgaria Egypt Hungary Indonesia Jordan Kazakhstan Kosovo Mongolia Morocco Pakistan Paraguay Qatar Saudi Arabia Turkey UAE Uzbekistan. Advertisement Originally meant to oversee the rebuilding of Gaza after the war between Hamas and Israel, the board's charter makes no reference to the Middle East crisis. Key US allies have expressed scepticism, with France outright refusing to participate and Italy also delaying a decision. Denmark - at the heart of the row over Mr Trump's Greenland grab - has not been invited even though Russian puppet regime Belarus is on the list. The countries who had representatives at the event were Bahrain, Morocco, Argentina, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Bulgaria, Egypt, Hungary Indonesia, Jordan, Kazakhstan, Kosovo, Mongolia, Pakistan, Paraguay, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Turkey, the UAE and Uzbekistan. Belgium was initially said by the White House to have agreed to join, but that was later flatly denied by the Deputy PM Maxime Prevot. 'Belgium has NOT signed the Charter of the Board of Peace. This announcement is incorrect,' he said on social media. Israel is believed to be on board, but was not represented at the ceremony. Mr Trump insisted last night that Putin had agreed to join, but the Kremlin has so far only said it is still studying the invite. Ms Cooper told BBC Breakfast: 'There's a huge amount of work to do we won't be one of the signatories today, because this is about a legal treaty that raises much broader issues, and we do also have concerns about President Putin being part of something which is talking about peace, when we have still not seen any signs from Putin that there will be a commitment to peace in Ukraine. 'And to be honest, that is also what we should be talking about.' Kemi Badenoch told Sky News she agreed with the government's caution over the board. 'Right now we should not be serving on any board with Vladimir Putin. That is something I am completely against,' she said. Mr Trump said on Friday that creating the body was a 'vital step' in implementing his 20-point Comprehensive Plan to End the Gaza Conflict. However, the charter reportedly makes no specific reference to Gaza, instead describing the board as 'an international organization that seeks to promote stability, restore dependable and lawful governance, and secure enduring peace in areas affected or threatened by conflict'. Mr Trump says he will serve as chairman of the board, control funds, and personally designate any successor. The organisations rules apparently say that member states will serve a maximum of three years, unless $1billion is contributed within the first year. A US official confirmed to the Daily Mail that there is no requirement to contribute the funds, but those who do are granted permanent membership rather than a three-year term. One senior Labour MP said countries were being asked to contribute $1billion to 'sit next to Putin'. 'Blair is desperate to be on the world stage still,' they added. Asked on Friday whether Sir Tony was aware of the price tag for permanent membership, a spokeswoman said: 'He is not involved in determining membership of the Board of Peace. 'He will be working on the implementation of the Gaza peace plan that has been endorsed by the UN in an unpaid role.' A primary school teacher has lost her 60,000 legal battle with adventure park firm Go Ape after shattering her leg on a slide as the judge ruled such activities have 'inherent risks'. Rosemary Mountain, 50, suffered a 'severe' fracture coming down a 10 to 12m long 'Big Bounce' netted fabric tube slide at Go Ape's Black Park adventure site near Slough in February 2019. Her trainer became caught, leaving her leg broken in three places, 'floppy' and 'bent in half at 45 degrees' after the accident in the site's Nets Kingdom area, which Central London County Court heard was designed for three to 12-year-olds. Mrs Mountain, who teaches year one and two children, sued Adventure Forest Ltd, trading as Go Ape, for 60,000 in compensation claiming the slide - which was later replaced - was 'too dangerous' and 'not reasonably safe for operation.' But Judge Luke Ashby has now thrown out the case, telling her injuries are always a risk in adventure playgrounds. 'There are inherent risks in undertaking adventure activities in adventure parks even when following instructions,' he said, dismissing the claim. The court heard that Mrs Mountain was on a half term visit to the Black Park Go Ape with her husband and her young children in February 2019 when the accident happened. She told the court they had decided to leave the area and go home, using the slide as the most convenient exit, with her husband and kids going first. Rosemary Mountain, 50, suffered a 'severe' fracture and sued Go Ape for 60,000 - but her case has now been thrown out The incident occurred on a 10 to 12m long 'Big Bounce' netted fabric tube slide at Go Ape's Black Park adventure site near Slough in February 2019 'I went down with my legs together,' she told Judge Luke Ashby. 'It was very fast and the first part is just a freefall. My foot just got snagged in some sort of material at the side of the slide and dragged behind me. I came to a rest and it was twisted right round.' Mrs Mountain described how her leg 'broke horribly', adding: 'My foot and leg were dragged underneath me as I fell and I knew I had badly broken my leg because I could feel intense pain and see that half of my shin was bent at about 45 degrees. 'I could see that it was broken because it was in a flexible curve round behind me. It was just wobbly. When I came to a rest, I just thought "my kids can't see my leg like this".' She said: 'I've seen Go Ape a lot of times before. We signed to say there's a risk of bumps and scrapes, but not this sort of injury. 'It says on the description that it's suitable for three-year-olds, so I didn't expect to break my leg in the way that I did.' After the horrific break, she had to be cut out of the netting at the bottom of the slide before being taken to hospital. She told the court she had previously been an 'outdoorsy adventurous person,' but after the leg break had to undergo extensive surgery, remains plagued by chronic pain and is unlikely to ever return to running or her previous 'active lifestyle'. The court heard that Mrs Mountain (pictured) was on a half term visit to the Black Park Go Ape with her husband and her young children when the accident happened Lawyers for Go Ape denied all blame and insisted there was nothing unsafe about the Nets Kingdom, which was 'installed by industry specialists' and regularly inspected for potential hazards. They also argued that Mrs Mountain signed a disclaimer accepting she was at risk of injury before she went into the Nets Kingdom. Dismissing the claim, the judge said: 'There are inherent risks in undertaking adventure activities in adventure parks even when following instructions. 'The defendant operates many well-known adventure parks around the UK...it is not an amateur outfit, it is a household name and the installation reflected that. 'It is clear that injuries do occur. It is clear that people caught their feet on this slide probably eight or nine times before the accident,' he went on, saying that after what had probably been around 100,000 uses of the slide there were eight or nine reported incidents. 'The reality is you have a handful of minor incidents on this slide before the accident,' he said. 'It is socially desirable for adventure parks to be able to operate...There is a social utility to these types of activities. 'Of course that doesn't mean that the defendant can throw caution to the wind and must take such measures to assure that its users are reasonably safe. '[But] it was a course that was put together with professional advice to professional standards. 'It was a nasty injury and it was a very unpleasant accident, but that is what it was. This claim is dismissed.' The final moments of a British tourist in Thailand were seen on CCTV before he was found dead in his hotel room after collapsing from drinking and discharging himself from hospital. Joshua Kershaw, 21, checked into Maxim's Inn hotel in Sukhumvit 7/1 in Bangkok on January 12 at 9pm, before leaving for a night out. He ended up in a bar, where an employee said he had been drinking and eating with a woman before falling off his chair and collapsing. The witness said: He ordered pizza, fried chicken, and beer for two people, and he ate very quickly, as if he were extremely hungry. 'After a while, we thought he may have choked because he was eating too much and too fast. 'He then fell off his chair and collapsed, losing consciousness.' The 21-year-old was then taken to the hospital in an ambulance at 2.30am, before discharging himself and returning to the street to carry on drinking until 5.45am when he went to his room carrying two bottles of beer. Josh returned to his hotel where staff saw him drinking a bottle of water at around 4.30am. CCTV footage showing Josh after returning to his hotel Staff saw him drinking a bottle of water Josh went out to the bars after checking into his hotel He played pool outside the hotel for another hour and the night shift staff said they made a note of letting him sleep in until the afternoon, as they had seen he had been in an ambulance. A receptionist said: He returned alone by taxi. I noticed gauze wrapped around his arm and hand, but it was not large it looked like a blood draw or IV injection mark from the hospital. He seemed slightly drunk. I asked if he was okay, and he said yes. He paid the taxi fare, smoked a cigarette, then bought bottled water outside. I also saw him drink another bottle and a half of beer. After that, he went back to his room. I finished my shift and did not hear anything more.' He was found dead by a maid later that afternoon in his room. Officers attempted CPR before his body was taken away. Joshua's family - who launched a desperate search in the ensuing days and a GoFundMe page - only discovered he was dead almost 10 days after their last contact with him. They were told of his death on Monday, January 21. They said they did not know why it had taken the police from the Lumpini district station and the British Embassy in Bangkok so long to contact them. The family say his cause of death is currently unknown Joshua and his mum Jenny The family say his cause of death is currently unknown. Joshua's aunt Jade Kershaw, 31, has said they cannot return his body home until an investigation into his death and a post-mortem have been completed. Jade, from Wakefield, said: 'He was a cheeky chap and so full of joy. 'He just loved to travel. He would go on holiday, come back and work for a couple of months, and then head back out. 'On the day he arrived, he called home and he was doing fine, talking to [mum] Jenny about his journey. 'He then told her he was going to get some food, and then we hadn't heard from him since.' She went on to explain that the family set up a GoFundMe and were planning to travel to Thailand to look for Joshua after his mother became worried when he didn't answer the phone. Joshua's mum said the family have been in contact with the international funeral directors to help bring his body home. She says it is still currently unknown when Joshua will be returned to the UK. Jade said the money from the GoFundMe will now go to towards bringing Joshua's body back to the UK and his funeral cost. The NHS has agreed to give a seriously ill British baby life-saving treatment in a U-turn after a desperate campaign by his parents to get him out of a Turkish hospital. Adam and Eda Corin's three-month-old son Maverick suffered cardiac failure and is in a critical condition in Istanbul, where they live, with potentially only days to live. The boy was diagnosed at Koc University Hospital with dilated cardiomyopathy, a rapidly progressive cardiac condition requiring specialist paediatric cardiac care. Doctors in Istanbul say they do not have the expertise to perform the necessary surgery, and if he has any hope of surviving he needs to be given care by the NHS. Such treatment is available only in several hospitals in England - but despite Maverick having a UK passport, his parents had been unable to get any to accept him. They spent 38,000 of their savings on securing an air ambulance which was placed on standby and have worked with global medical teams to try to get him to Britain. But Maverick could not be moved without a confirmed paediatric cardiac intensive care bed in the UK - and none of the NHS trusts approached were willing to take him. However, in a dramatic U-turn following the last-minute intervention of the Daily Mail today, Maverick has been offered a place at Bristol Royal Hospital for Children. Maverick Corin is in a critical condition at a hospital in Istanbul with potentially only days to live Doctors at Koc University Hospital treat little Maverick who has dilated cardiomyopathy The hospital had been initially unwilling to accept Maverick, but bosses have now changed their mind 'following an urgent review by a senior multi-disciplinary team'. The family are now preparing to get Maverick airlifted to Britain as soon as possible, with the risk increasing every hour that he will no longer be fit to fly - and his medical team saying this point could be reached in as little as two to three days. He would then be left in Turkey without access to the life-saving treatment he needs so his parents are now in a race against time, with Maverick in hospital abroad and facing a narrow and closing window in which he can be safely repatriated. Business travel consultant Mr Corin, who was born in Devon, has been living in Istanbul on-and-off for around five years and married his Turkish wife Eda just over two years ago. But he still owns a house in Keynsham near Bristol, his company is based in Britain, he remains a UK taxpayer and is up to date on his National Insurance payments. The couple had Maverick, their first child, in late September last year. But three weeks later he was taken ill so they took him to hospital in Istanbul where his condition deteriorated. Maverick was put into intensive care and a few days later doctors said he had heart failure. For the next ten days, Mr and Mrs Corin were only able to see him for five minutes each day. The boy was being given 12 different medicines at one point, before starting to improve and his parents were allowed to take him home at the start of December despite having to give him a cocktail of drugs every two hours. Maverick could not be moved without a paediatric cardiac intensive care bed in the UK The risk increases every hour that Maverick will no longer be fit to fly to Britain for treatment On December 28, he deteriorated again and his parents called their local GP who said to take him back to hospital, where he has remained in intensive care ever since. Maverick's condition has not improved and Mr Corin said he now has a resting heartbeat of over 180bpm which has risen to as high as 240bpm in recent days. The family approached Bristol Royal Hospital for Children, his local specialist centre based on Mr Corin's UK address, in an attempt to save his life - but said they had initially declined to take him. Mr Corin claimed an employee at the hospital told him Maverick may only be offered a 'Group 2 donor transplant', which refers to patients who are critically ill but stable enough to wait briefly for a matching donor heart and there is therefore '0 per cent chance of him getting one'. The Daily Mail contacted the hospital for comment at 9.20am today, and received a response just after 1pm from Professor Tim Whittlestone, chief medical and innovation officer at Bristol NHS Group. He said: 'Following an urgent review by a senior multi-disciplinary team, we have agreed to accept Maverick as a patient at UHBW (University Hospitals Bristol and Weston NHS Foundation Trust). 'If he is able to travel safely, our teams will do everything they can to ensure he receives the best possible care. As at all times throughout this process, our thoughts are firmly with Maverick and his family. 'We understand the public interest in this case, but we must respect patient confidentiality and therefore cannot share any additional details or comment further.' Maverick has a rapidly progressive cardiac condition needing specialist paediatric cardiac care Other NHS paediatric cardiac units such as Great Ormond Street Hospital in London and Freeman Hospital in Newcastle were also approached by the family. Mr Corin explained that both hospitals told him they could help, but Maverick would need to go to Bristol Royal first to be stabilised before being moved to them. Another suggested option was Government-funded access to a private paediatric cardiac intensive care bed, such as at The Portland Hospital in London, if no NHS bed could be made available. Mr Corin, who said he has recently been awake for 22 hours a day to do everything he can to help Maverick, also attempted to get help from Parliament. Health Secretary Wes Streeting and Health Minister Karin Smyth were contacted yesterday in an effort to get the Department of Health and Social Care to intervene. Speaking before the U-turn by the Bristol hospital, Mr Corin said: 'There are two places in the UK that can provide life-saving treatment which is Newcastle Freemans and Gosh. 'Both have said to go to Bristol Royal first as they can stabilise him and then move to one of the others after. Both Freeman and Gosh said that they can take him but they need to make 100 per cent sure what and when he needs. 'We are in the very best hospital in Turkey but they just don't have this life-saving machine, nor can they get any infant heart donors.' He added that management at the Bristol hospital had been 'incredible difficult and each day another reason why they cannot take him', adding: 'Plus my house is near Bristol and the other NHS hospitals said he needs to go there.' He added that despite his representations, Royal Bristol had originally told him that they 'cannot accept without knowing if Mav is entitled to NHS care or not'. Maverick is being treated in intensive care at Koc University Hospital in Istanbul (pictured) Mr Corin continued: 'Everyone knows he is and this is just pure NHS politics. Mav has a 0 per cent chance in Turkey, but every chance in the UK - how can they play with a three-months-old baby's life over some bit of paper? 'We will be flying back ASAP as once on UK soil they will have no choice but to help. This is our only option. He only has a few days to live and each day we can see he is getting worse.' Following the hospital's U-turn Mr Corin gave a quick update, saying: 'We had calls from other NHS hospitals saying they will accept. Bristol just called and said they can now accept Mav, so we are so, so happy.' Matthew Wood, case manager at global repatriation services firm Spark Medical, wrote a letter to Mr Streeting and Ms Smyth asking for help which concluded: 'This is not a routine transfer request. 'This is a British infant in critical cardiac failure, stranded abroad, with a narrow and closing window in which he can be safely repatriated. 'His parents have done everything within their power: they have secured an aircraft, coordinated with international medical teams, and pursued every NHS pathway available.' Reverend Danny Reed, a Methodist minister in Helston, Cornwall, who is related to the Corin family, also took up the fight. He contacted local Liberal Democrat MP Andrew George, whose office he said 'helped immensely' in speaking directly to the Health Secretary and Home Office to get Maverick an emergency passport. The Daily Mail has also contacted Great Ormond Street and Freeman hospitals for comment, as well as NHS England and the Department of Health and Social Care. Volodymyr Zelensky has revealed the first trilateral talks between the US, Russia and Ukraine will take place tomorrow amid fresh hopes of ending the four-year war. The Ukrainian President said the three countries will meet in the United Arab Emirates following an hour-long meeting with Donald Trump at the World Economic Forum in Davos. In his speech, Zelensky attacked Europe for what he described as a lack of political will to confront Vladimir Putin as he called for a change of mindset. He said: Instead of becoming a truly global power, Europe remains a beautiful but fragmented kaleidoscope of small and middle powers. 'When united we are truly invincible and Europe can and must be a global force, not one that reacts late, but one that defines the future.' Both Zelensky and Trump said their meeting was 'very good' as the US President told reporters, 'everybody wants to have the war end' before departing Davos. Meanwhile Greenland has lashed out at Donald Trump's 'unacceptable' deal for the US to have 'total access' to the Arctic territory. Greenland's deputy prime minister Mute Egede said the country must not be 'gambled with' as he critcised any move to cede territory following talks between Trump and NATOSecretary General Mark Rutte. It comes as Trump said he had reached a framework agreement on Greenland's future as NATO military officers discuss an arrangement where Denmark would cede 'small pockets of Greenlandic' territory to the US, where it could build military bases. Mr Egede said: 'Whatever pressure others may exert, our country will neither be given away, nor will our future be gambled with. It is unacceptable to attempt to hand our land to others. This is our land - we are the ones who shape its future.' This live page has closed Keir Starmer could bring in a ban on under-16s using social media by the summer to see off another backbench Labour rebellion. The Prime Minister will attempt to head off a looming clash with his MPs by preparing the ground for limiting teen access to sites like Snapchat and TikTok at the end of a three-month consultation announced earlier this week. It came after peers last night made clear they want Labour to introduce a ban without delay as they backed an amendment to the Children's Wellbeing and Schools Bill that would force Labour's hand. Sir Keir now faces the prospect of a major rebellion from his own backbenches when the Bill returns for a Commons vote after more than 60 Labour MPs publicly called for Britain to follow Australia, which became the first country to ban social media for young people last month. Downing Street last night made clear it opposes the amendment and will fight it in the Commons, arguing that 'we have to gather the evidence and insight before changing the law'. But in an attempt to placate the rebels a government source confirmed it will also start the 'legislative legwork' to allow it to act when the consultation ends 'whatever options we go for'. Ministers have said they will respond to the consultation in the summer. Last night, after the defeat in the Lords, education minister Baroness Smith of Malvern told peers: 'Rest assured, we will continue to act to keep protecting our children, as noble Lords have asked for today.' Sir Keir Starmer had attempted to head off a looming backbench rebellion by announcing plans for a consultation on banning social media for under-16s earlier this week is under growing pressure to stop children from accessing social media after peers voted to implement an Australia-style ban immediately on Wednesday night Some 261 Peers voted to bring forward an immediate ban while 150 voted against it on Wednesday night. Two Labour peers rebelled to back a ban, including former shadow minister Baroness Berger. It is understood that the amended Bill is likely to return to the Commons next month. This raises the prospect of Labour whipping its MPs to vote against a social media ban for under-16s - only to perform another U-turn and introduce a ban this summer if the consultation recommends it. On Wednesday night Tory Peer Lord Nash, one of the sponsors of the amendment, welcomed the victory. The former Schools Minister said: 'Tonight, peers put our children's future first. This vote begins the process of stopping the catastrophic harm that social media is inflicting on a generation. 'I will now work at pace with elected colleagues of all parties to ensure that the House of Commons raises the age limit for social media to 16 to protect children and give them their childhood back.' It came as peers across all parties spoke in favour of introducing an immediate Australian-style ban. Even critics of a ban said they were prepared to back one because the consultation will delay new measures to protect children until the summer at the earliest - meaning it could be eight months before the Government acts. Baroness Kidron, a former Hollywood director who was the architect of the Government's children's code, said she had reservations but would back a ban as the sole purpose of Labour's consultation 'is to stave off a back bench rebellion'. The crossbench peer added: 'It's not child safety, it's not governance, it's party management, and I believe the UK children deserve better than that.' The cross-party amendment was also backed by Baroness Cass, one of Britain's leading paediatricians who led the review into NHS treatment of children with gender dysphoria. She rejected the idea that the UK should wait to see what happens in Australia, telling Peers: 'I don't understand what extra information this consultation is going to give.' Meanwhile Labour was forced to into another 11th hour concession on Wednesday night as ministers agreed to bring forward a ban more quickly - by using secondary legislation rather than requiring a whole new Bill - if the consultation does recommend it. China to send 2 giant pandas to Munich zoo under 10-year conservation program Xinhua) 08:43, January 22, 2026 MUNICH, Germany, Jan. 21 (Xinhua) -- The China Wildlife Conservation Association on Wednesday signed a cooperation agreement with Munich's Hellabrunn Zoo on giant panda conservation, under which two giant pandas from China will come to the zoo for a 10-year program. The association said in a statement that Chinese experts have conducted multiple inspection and assessment visits to Munich to help ensure the two giant pandas will live in good health at Hellabrunn Zoo. Germany already hosts giant pandas at Zoo Berlin. In 2017, pandas Meng Meng and Jiao Qing arrived from Chengdu under a 15-year cooperation arrangement. Meng Meng gave birth to twins Meng Xiang and Meng Yuan in 2019, marking the first giant panda birth in Germany. The male cubs returned to China in December 2023. On Aug. 22, 2024, Meng Meng gave birth to another set of twin cubs, both females, named Meng Hao and Meng Tian. Zoo Berlin said the cubs are expected to remain in Berlin for two to four years before returning to China. (Web editor: Zhang Kaiwei, Liang Jun) The builder of the Bayesian superyacht which sank in 2024, killing billionaire tech tycoon Mike Lynch is suing his widow for 400 million, claiming the company lost sales after the disaster. The Italian Sea Group (TISG) blamed the crew and Bayesian's holding company for the boat's demise and have claimed that company has lost millions of euros in sales as a result of the tragedy. The Bayesian went down off the coast of the Sicilian fishing village of Porticello in just 16 minutes after being hit by a fierce storm with 100 mph winds, on August 19, 2024. Mike Lynch, 59, died alongside his 18-year-old daughter Hannah, who was due to start at Oxford University a few weeks later, as well as five other passengers. TISG's majority owner, Giovanni Costantino, an Italian yachting millionaire, claimed that the crews incompetence and negligence led the boat to capsize and sink, insisting that the yacht was 'unsinkable'. He has alleged doors and portholes were not secured and weather warnings were ignored despite being widely publicised. Mr Costantino also said the fact that the yacht took 16 minutes to sink meant there was ample time for the passengers and crew to be saved. His company has now filed a lawsuit in the town of Termini Imerese on the northern coast of Sicily, claiming that the company has lost millions by being blamed for the disaster. Seven people including tech billionaire Mike Lynch (right) and his daughter Hannah (left) died when Bayesian sank in a freak storm in 2024 The Marine Accident Investigation Branch (MAIB) said the 30m yacht was compromised when 80.6mph winds struck its beam The hull of the superyacht Bayesian, which sank near Palermo, Sicily, on August 19, 2024, is pulled out of the sea off the village of Porticello in June 2025 A source close to the family told the Daily Mail: 'This claim is as cynical as it is predictable. The UK investigation has raised serious, unresolved questions about the yachts design, stability and operating characteristics, including vulnerabilities unknown to the owner and crew. 'This action appears designed to distract from those issues, but it will not prevent proper scrutiny of how the vessel was designed, approved and built. It is desperate, opportunistic and in bad faith.' The lawsuit has been filed against Revtom, the Isle of Man entity which owned the yacht and which is now owned by Angela Bacares, following her husband's death. It has also been filed against the boat's skipper James Cutfield and two crew members Timothy Eaton and Matthew Griffiths. Last September, TISG fired a lawyer who filed a similar 186 million lawsuit against Mike Lynch's grieving widow. The company claimed the lawsuit had been filed 'without their knowledge and consent'. The lawsuit claimed TISG had already lost business due to the sinking, including a well-known fashion house that retracted plans to launch its branding on the company's yachts. At the time, TISG vehemently denied that it had authorised the lawsuit and said it ordered Tommaso Bertuccelli to withdraw the claim. The Bayesian went down off the coast of the Sicilian fishing village of Porticello in just 16 minutes after being hit by a fierce storm with 100 mph winds, on August 19, 2024 The chart from the interim report shows the location and drift of the yacht Bayesian in comparison to the Sir Robert Baden Powell when both were hit by a storm Your browser does not support iframes. Your browser does not support iframes. Last year, British investigators found that the crew on the superyacht were 'unaware' of its 'vulnerabilities' to strong winds, which caused it to knock over and sink. The Marine Accident Investigation Branch said the 30 million yacht was doomed after it was hit by 80.6mph winds causing it to tilt violently on its side and it was unable to straighten as the freak storm hit. In its report the MAIB said the captain and crew would have had no idea of the yachts vulnerabilities as they were not laid out in the stability information booklet onboard. On the night of August 18, the Bayesian had anchored next to the Sir Robert Baden Powell a boat which would later rescue survivors to shelter from the forecast thunderstorm. At 3am, the deckhand on duty noted the wind as being at 8kts (9.2mph) but thought that the thunderclouds and lightning seemed to be getting closer. Less than an hour later at 3.55am, the deckhand 'videoed the advancing storm and posted it to their social media feed' before closing hatches and cockpit windows. Within minutes, the winds had picked up to 30kts (35mph) and the Bayesian was listing and dragging its anchor. At around 4am, the deckhand woke up the skipper and the crew leapt into action by starting the generators and preparing to manoeuvre the Bayesian. Pictured: Angela Bacares and Mike Lynch. Ms Bacares survived the sinking of the Bayesian, while her husband and daughter Hannah died Hannah was due to attend Oxford University before her life was tragically cut short Meanwhile, a British mother and her partner woke up and took their one-year-old daughter to the boat's saloon. The chef Recaldo Thomas, who would die in the tragedy, was in the galley securing the cutlery, pots and pans and called 'Good morning!' to the nearby stewards. But as disaster struck as the skipper prepared to manoeuvre, the wind suddenly increased to more than 70kts (80.5mph) ripping the awning away. At 4.06am the Bayesian 'violently heeled over' in less than 15 seconds to a 90-degree angle. This sent people as well as furniture flying across the deck, leaving five people, including the captain, injured while a deckhand was thrown into the sea. Two guests, who were trapped in their cabin, were forced to use furniture drawers as an improvised ladder to escape into the saloon area. The report said there was no indication of flooding inside the vessel until water came in over the starboard rails and, within seconds, entered the cabins down the stairwells. The yacht's crew were able to push four guests through the cascading water up to the skipper on the flying bridge. The Bayesian, pictured left, capsized and sank off the coast of Sicily after anchoring near Porticello to shelter from the forecast thunderstorm The Chief Officer who had been swept to the back of the saloon and into another air pocket, dived down to open the sliding doors at the end of the saloon and managed to swim clear of the vessel. The captain called for the guests and crew who managed to escape to swim clear of the mast and boom as the vessel sank. In the water, a deckhand improvised a tourniquet for one of the guests' gashed arms, while a baby was kept afloat on a cushion. In the darkness, some of the survivors were treading water while others held on to some cushions that had floated free from the yacht. One of the guests frantically searched for other survivors in vain, using the torch from their phone while the captain and chief officer frantically freed the life raft from the sinking wreck. At around 4.24am the liferaft was inflated and the survivors were able to get inside it, where the crew began administering first aid. Desperate to raise the alarm with the nearby Sir Robert Baden Powell, the chief engineer fired several flares before they were spotted at 4.43am. Jonathan Bloomer, 70, and his wife Judy, 71, from Kent, were among the seven people who died when the 56 metre sailing boat sank The skipper of Sir Robert Baden Powell dispatched its tender towards the 15 survivors and despite searching the area no one else was found. The bodies were subsequently recovered after an agonising five-day search of the wreck on the seabed. Morgan Stanley International bank chairman Jonathan Bloomer, 70, and his wife, Judy Bloomer, 71, US lawyer Chris Morvillo and his wife, Neda Morvillo, were among the dead. The vessel claimed the life of an eighth person in May last year when a Dutch diver was killed while working on the 20million salvage operation. TISG has been contacted for comment. Blink and you'd miss it: video footage shows the moment a prolific distraction thief slyly slips a diamond ring, worth 5,750, out of sight just inches away from an unsuspecting jeweller. Claudia Rostas was part of a Romanian gang known for travelling the country to rip off jewellers - and demonstrated her well-honed methods at Hamilton's, a family-run jewellers in Christchurch, Dorset. But the 33-year-old, who has previous convictions for similar thefts, was spared jail because her 12-year-old son is being treated for cancer four years after she lost another child to the condition. The thief, who is on benefits, made just 750 from the theft of the 5k ring - and may have gotten away with the crime had the jeweller's CCTV system not been on hand to pick up every second of her deception in intricate detail. Together with a male accomplice, she was captured walking into the store on April 26 2025 shortly before closing time at 4.50pm and made enquiries about the ring. Then came the trick: she asked staff to gift wrap it and, at the last second, changed her mind about the style of paper and ribbon she wanted them to use. As the female jeweller turns her head for all of a few seconds, Rostas palms the ring, closes the lid of the box and replaces the sleeve. She continued to look up at the worker as she did so - evidently well-versed in pulling the trick off without looking at her hands. Blink and you'd miss it: Claudia Rostas is seen swiping the diamond ring from the box in the seconds that a staff member has turned her head Rostas (pictured outside court) was described as 'dishonest' and has a raft of previous convictions for similar thefts Together with a male accomplice she struck at Hamilton's Jewellers (pictured) in Christchurch, Dorset The con-woman handed the empty package back to the unwitting staff member, who began to gift-wrap it assuming the ring is inside as Rostas counted out cash. Then came the getaway as Rostas 'discovered' that she didn't have enough money. She told the staff she would get the rest from her mother outside and left - leaving them with what they assumed was the ready-wrapped gift. Moments later, it dawned on them that they've been had... living every jeweller's worst nightmare, the woman who served Rostas opened the ring box and found it empty. Rostas - part of a gang with convictions across Teesside, Kent, Devon, London, Bradford and Rotherham for similar thefts spanning more than a decade - was identified via CCTV and arrested at Stansted Airport as she returned from Romania. The ring itself was never found - and she refused to help police track it down. At Poole Magistrates' Court, prosecutor Charles Nightingale detailed the thief's method in full, adding: 'When [staff] opened the ring box back up there's no ring. 'The defendant, through distraction, pocketed the ring. It is lost, the ring has not been recovered.' Rostas had been the subject of a conditional discharge sentence for an offence in Kent when she committed this latest theft. Guy Gosheron, defending, said her client made 750 from the theft which she used to treat her sick 12-year-old son, who has acute lymphoblastic leukaemia and a brain tumour, and is only expected to live for up to three years. She also lost a child to cancer in 2022 and faced 'significant financial difficulties' travelling from their home in Southgate, north London, to Great Ormond Street Hospital several times a week for chemotherapy. Mr Gosheron said: 'She had been out of trouble for some time and the resumption of her offending results from her son being ill. 'Tragically the prognosis is very bleak and she wants to be able to provide him with gifts while she can make the most of the time they have together. 'She's not working and on benefits and has been financially strained so wasn't in the best position to shower her child with gifts. Because of that she resorted to committing this offence. 'Courts are wary of people who hide behind the fact of having children to throw themselves on the mercy of the court. 'But a period of imprisonment might deny her the chance to be with the child when they die, I would ask the court to consider whether there's an alternative.' A close-up of the moment that Rostas palms the ring and hides it as she closes the box - all while looking at the female shop worker Rostas entered the store under the guise of buying the ring - then left when she claimed she needed more money from her mother outside District Judge Orla Austin described Rostas as a 'dishonest woman' who had shown 'limited remorse', with a demonstrable track record of theft across England. She showed the Romanian some mercy, however, by opting not to send her to prison so she could be with her son. 'This was a sophisticated, deliberate distraction theft,' she told Rostas. 'Ultimately you are a skilled thief and used your skill to take that ring which has now disappeared and cannot be recovered. 'I make it clear I have considerable reservations about your honesty. You tell me you very sadly had one child who passed away through cancer and now have another. 'Mr Gosheron has seen documentation which seems to corroborate that. I am just prepared to give you one final opportunity and suspend your sentence.' Rostas, who admitted theft, was given a 26-week sentence suspended for two years and 20 rehabilitation activity days and ordered her to pay 800 compensation, taken monthly from her benefits. The judge also handed her a ban on visiting every shop in England and Wales save for food stores, post offices and chemists for the next year. She added: 'If you want an electrical item or clothing you will have to get it in a supermarket or online. 'I do recognise that's a significant infringement on your liberty but given your prolific offending I believe that is proportionate.' The grief-stricken brother of a woman who died by suicide following a row with her 'volatile' boyfriend is calling for an urgent change to the law, saying his sister was effectively left to die after being 'locked' inside the man's flat despite repeatedly voicing fears for her own life. Danielle Haggerty was just 33 when she died in March 2023 after a series of heated and distressing arguments with her then-boyfriend, Andy Howarth. In the hours leading up to her fatal act of self-harm, Howarth locked her in his apartment and Danielle was heard by a neighbour pleading through the letterbox to be let out before expressing suicidal thoughts. The neighbour later told police they had heard Danielle 'cry out in pain' upon Howarth's return to the property and say again she wanted to end her life. Despite this, Howarth continued arguing with her and is alleged to have later said 'I'm going to kill you,' before locking her inside the flat again and leaving. Concerned for her welfare, the neighbour contacted Greater Manchester Police. Officers attended the scene and found former hairdresser Danielle hanged, 'unconscious and not breathing.' Paramedics were able to restart her heart at the scene before she was taken to Tameside Hospital, where she was treated in intensive care. She remained on life support for three days before being pronounced brain dead. Danielle Haggerty was only 33 when she took her own life in March 2023 after a heated row with her then-boyfriend Danielle's brother, Jonathan Haggerty (pictured right), has started a petition calling for the introduction of a legal duty to rescue called Danielle's Law after his sister's death Andy Howarth was arrested on suspicion of attempted murder but was later released without charge Now, her heartbroken brother Jonathan Haggerty, 41, is calling for changes to UK law to criminalise abandoning someone in immediate danger without seeking help, particularly in domestic situations. Jonathan, who is in the RAF, believes a legal duty of care would have forced Howarth to act, phone for help and save his sister's life. Speaking to the Daily Mail, Jonathan said: 'Danielle's death has been devastating. She was the best auntie to my children, and a top little sister. 'Unfortunately, she had got into the wrong crowd but kept that part of her life private and separate from my own. That's when she and Andy met on a mental health ward. 'They were together for quite a few years - six to eight, I believe. But I never met him. 'The day she died, Andy's neighbour said he heard commotion from inside his flat. He said he'd seen Howarth lock Danielle in the flat, and she was pleading through the letterbox to be let out. 'She said she felt unwell, that she felt suicidal. She also said she was sad about our brother, Gareth, who also died from suicide only eight weeks earlier. 'When Andy returned to the flat, the same neighbour rang 999 because he was concerned for Danielle's welfare. 'He said he heard Andy say to Danielle, 'I'm going to kill you,' and she cried out for help. Then the flat went completely silent, Andy left and locked her in the flat for a second time. 'The police came shortly after.' Former hairdresser Danielle was described by her brother as 'a top little sister' and 'the best auntie' Danielle's Law is backed by MP Angela Rayner, who is contact with Jonathan to 'prevent future tragedies' of a similar nature Officers arrived at the property at around 17.03pm according to an inquest report into Danielle's death, but they did not gain entry until 17.08pm, forcing their way inside after finding the door locked with Danielle 'unconscious' inside. Howarth returned shortly afterwards and was arrested on suspicion of attempted murder and other possible offences. According to a Victims' Right to Review (VRR) letter issued to the Haggerty family in August 2024 into Danielle's death, Howarth denied being present when she ended her life, or assisting her in any way. Howarth was later released without charge. A spokesperson for Greater Manchester Police confirmed that 'a comprehensive file was sent to the CPS for review, after which they decided no charges would be brought against the individual.' An appeal by the family on this was later rejected. It was this decision that spurred father-of-three Jonathan to since launch Justice for Danielle, a petition calling for the introduction of a legal duty to rescue called Danielle's Law, which would make it a criminal offence to abandon someone in immediate danger without seeking help. Similar laws already exist in several other countries, however, under current UK common law, civilians are not legally required to intervene or call emergency services when another person's life is at risk. Jonathan says this 'loophole' meant no crime was committed despite the circumstances of his sister's death. To date, his petition has attracted more than 8,000 signatures but needs 10,000 for a government response and 100,000 to be considered for debate in Parliament. The petition, which is open until June, has gained the backing of Jonathan's local MP and former Deputy Leader of the Labour Party, Angela Rayner. Ms Rayner, MP for Ashton-under-Lyne, said: 'Jonathan lost his sister Danielle in incredibly tragic and upsetting circumstances and my heartfelt sympathies are with him and his family. 'I am in contact with Jonathan and I am working with my parliamentary colleagues, including Danielle's father's MP, to see how together we can best support the family and help to prevent future tragedies.' Speaking on the importance of his petition going to Parliament, Jonathan described the continuous 'devastation' he feels that Howarth has not been held accountable for his sister's death simply because of the legal loophole. He said: 'He [Andy] should have had charges brought against him. 'The fact this gap in the law exists where he didn't legally have any sort of duty of care, or didn't have to ring anyone to help her...that's all it could've took, one phone call, and Danielle could still be here. 'I have seen him on a couple of occasions, he lives close by to me. I have seen him when I am out and about with my kids, I have seen him when I am running, or shopping - things like that, and it just makes me sick. 'It knocks me for six, especially if I have my children with me. And he is just walking around without a care in the world. 'He is just leading his life as if nothing happened, and Danielle is dead.' It is this reality, however, that Jonathan said motivates him every day to bring justice for Danielle and preserve her legacy, so no other family has to endure his same pain. He said: 'I walked away from this and thought, I want to do something about it. I don't want something like this to happen to another family. 'Since I started the petition and the campaign for Danielle's Law, I've started noticing and being in touch with more and more families with similar stories. So, I have been working with them. 'I believe that the more voices and the more people that come out in unity together we can show the government there is a clear gap in the law that people are able to exploit, in all different cases.' But his plight, he said, can only be fulfilled if politicians and the public hear and acknowledge Danielle's story. He said: 'The government need to put their money where their mouth is, especially with violence against women and girls, and close loopholes like this - especially in domestic violence cases. 'People are able to exploit it and get away with the most awful, awful things. 'Imagine you had a loved one in this situation, where they could have been saved by someone picking up the phone. I would ask - get behind this petition and sign it. 'It churns over in my mind constantly that there was no justice for Danielle. 'I want Danielle's voice to be heard and prevent this from happening to anyone else.' Keir Starmer hailed Donald Trump backing off Greenland threats today but warned of 'hard yards' to come. The PM said it was a 'good thing' that the US president had dropped the idea of tariffs against Nato allies or seizing Danish territory by force. He insisted he had navigated the past few days with 'pragmatism' and by 'sticking to our values and principles'. But Sir Keir cautioned that a 'better way' needed to be found of guaranteeing security 'for Europe and across the globe'. The comments, on a visit to Hertfordshire, came amid fears of rising tensions with the US on another front. The UK - along with most other European powers - has signalled it will not be signing up to Mr Trump's new 'board of peace' at a ceremony in Davos today. Keir Starmer hailed Donald Trump backing off Greenland threats today but warned of 'hard yards' to come Mr Trump finally signalled a retreat on his Greenland demands during a rambling speech at the World Economic Forum yesterday (pictured) Mr Trump finally signalled a retreat on his Greenland demands during a rambling speech at the World Economic Forum yesterday. Nato chief Mark Rutte said negotiations still need to take place on the 'the framework of a future deal' regarding control of the Arctic island. Denmark has played down suggestions that sovereignty could be given away for US military bases, with confusion over the nature of the proposals. Markets in the US rallied on Mr Trump's announcement yesterday, having climbed on his earlier proclamation that he would not use force to take the 'big, beautiful piece of ice'. There is speculation Mr Trump could make the 57,000 inhabitants of Greenland an offer of $1million each - 750,000 - if they vote to join the United States. Speaking to local residents during a visit to Hertfordshire, the Prime Minister said: 'I think you will have noticed that the last few days have been incredibly serious in relation to big things happening on the world stage. 'And you may have seen but it is a good thing that yesterday, the threat of tariffs against the United Kingdom was lifted and now we can start hard yards and finding a way forward on security in the Arctic, which may seem a long way away, pretty remote, but actually it does matter to all of us in terms of the safety and security of our country. 'And we've got through the last few days with a mix of British pragmatism, common sense, but also that British sense of sticking to our values and our principles. 'But now, as I say, the hard yards of actually finding a better way for security for our country, for Europe and across the globe.' Sir Keir met Danish PM Mette Frederiksen at his Chequers grace-and-favour country estate this lunchtime. Sir Keir held talks with Danish PM Mette Frederiksen at Chequers this lunchtime Ms Frederiksen said: 'From the bottom of my heart, I would like to thank you and the UK for your very strong support to the Kingdom of Denmark. 'I think everybody recognises that it has been quite a difficult time for us. And to know that you have good friends, strong allies, and that Europeans stand together, don't get divided, and stick to our, as you said, our common values, even in a world that is changing rapidly, is extremely important for all of us.' She also praised the 'British way of doing things,' saying: 'You are very pragmatic. You have a cup of tea and then you think a bit about everything. You get the facts on the table, and then you find a way forward, and that's exactly what we're doing now.' She concluded her remarks before their private talks by saying: 'So just to finalise, I think we've got to get by with a little help from our friends, also in this situation.' A British father who went missing on a trip to France 20 years ago drowned in the English Channel during a suspected botched drug smuggling operation, a judge found. Kent father Anthony Dugdale, then 43, disappeared after travelling to Calais towing a speedboat on a French ferry with a friend in April 2004 and has never been heard from since. His Mercedes was later found abandoned close to the coast on the Belgian side of the French border, but the boat was never discovered. Although the missing persons case initially focused on claims the pair were angling partners, police later turned their attention to drugs after evidence emerged of involvement with dealers. Now, after an application to the High Court by Mr Dugdale's son Danny to have his father declared dead, a judge has ruled that he in fact died at sea in April 2004. The judge, Master Karen Shuman, said evidence from police inquiries suggested that Mr Dugdale - who was 'not an able seaman' and had previously been rescued from the Channel on another attempt to cross - drowned after trying to cross in an unsuitable speedboat and being hit by a container ship. The court heard Mr Dugdale, from Orpington, Kent, had travelled to France with friend Richard Patwell, from Alloa, Scotland, taking along a speedboat he had bought for 11,000 cash shortly beforehand. Passenger records showed they travelled on a SeaFrance ferry, but did not use their return tickets, with the car discovered close to the Belgium-France border later. Anthony Dugdale disappeared after travelling to Calais towing a speedboat on a French ferry with a friend in April 2004 and has never been heard from since Representing the son, solicitor John Davies told the judge that police had investigated thoroughly and come to the conclusion that Mr Dugdale had gone to France to smuggle drugs across the Channel. Pictured: Stock image of the White Cliffs of Dover in the south of England A boat cover was found with the car, but there was no sign of the speedboat. Despite extensive inquiries and public appeals focussed on looking for two 'keen anglers,' Mr Dugdale and Mr Patwell were never found. The mystery was finally cleared up at the High Court this week after an application by Mr Dugdale's US-based son for a declaration of death so that his father's 33,000 estate can be administered. Representing the son, solicitor John Davies told the judge that police had investigated thoroughly and come to the conclusion that Mr Dugdale had gone to France to smuggle drugs across the Channel. 'The conclusion of the police was that Mr Dugdale travelled to France to import drugs into Britain at night in a boat that was unsuitable,' he said. 'There are strong and reliable implications that both were involved in dealing and importation of illegal drugs by boat across the Channel.' When buying the speedboat, he had given the seller the impression that he had no idea about boating and no idea how to look after an engine, said the lawyer. The boat itself was unsuitable for crossing a busy sea lane and would usually only be used within two miles of shore, while Mr Dugdale also had a petrol canister on top of the back supports, making the vessel unstable. He and Mr Patwell had also turned off their phones before they reached Dover, making it impossible for them to be tracked by mobile mast evidence, he said. There was also some evidence of a distress call having been made from the Channel, describing engine troubles and having just avoided being hit by a ship. Overnight on the day they left the UK, holdalls containing cannabis had also been found by French authorities floating in the Channel, he continued. 'It would seem quite coincidental if this was not on board,' the solicitor said. 'The police concluded that it was most likely that he was hit by a container ship and sunk in the English Channel.' Mr Davies said there was further evidence linking Mr Dugdale to crime, having worked on a Welsh farm which was later found by police to be a working cannabis production facility. He had also been picked up in the Channel months earlier, without a passport and suffering from hypothermia, with another man who was later convicted of involvement in the Welsh cannabis farm. Giving judgment and declaring Mr Dugdale dead, the judge said: 'The police have said that a full investigation has been carried out and they have closed the file. 'Their conclusion is that Anthony and Richard were on a drugs run from France. They had bought a high-powered speedboat and trailer for cash. 'They turned their phones off before Dover. The car was discovered in Belgium by the coast. 'The police have concluded that what actually happened was Anthony and Richard were trying to cross the Channel at night with a speed boat. 'They were most likely hit by a container ship and sunk. The speedboat they were using was one not suitable for crossing a very busy Channel. 'I am satisfied on the basis of the evidence before me that Anthony did indeed die in the Channel at some stage between April 7 and April 9, 2004.' The ruling means that, more than 20 years after he was last seen, Mr Dugdale's 33,000 estate can finally be properly administered. He had one son, Danny, and may have had a daughter, the court heard. The whereabouts of his companion, Mr Patwell, was not part of the High Court case and so no findings were made in relation to him. Donald Trump's war of words with Emmanuel Macron has escalated after France dismissed the US President's latest jibes as 'fake news' in a meme on social media. It comes after Trump asserted during his speech at the World Economic Forum (WEF) in Davos, Switzerland that he had pressured President Macron into hiking domestic drug prices, after the US leader threatened sweeping tariffs on French imports to America. Elsewhere in the speech, Trump imitated Macron's French accent, and mocked him for wearing aviator sunglasses the day before, which were intended to conceal an eye injury. 'It is being claimed that President @Emmanuel Macron increased the price of medicines,' the French presidency wrote on social media platform X. 'He does not set their prices. They are regulated by the social security system and have, in fact, remained stable. Anyone who has set foot in a French pharmacy knows this.' The Elysee used a GIF of Trump mouthing the words 'fake news' in front of a microphone, with the same words in writing underneath. It was the latest salvo in a tense war of words between the two Nato allies, triggered by Trump's now-abandoned threat to take control of Greenland and to impose tariffs on any country that stands in his way. But in an astonishing climbdown following a meeting with Nato secretary general Mark Rutte, the US President declared that the two had agreed 'the framework of a future deal' on Greenland - easing transatlantic tensions that had been put under unprecedented strain. 'It is being claimed that President @Emmanuel Macron increased the price of medicines,' the French presidency wrote on social media platform X Elsewhere in his speech in Davos, Trump imitated Macron's French accent, and mocked him for wearing aviator sunglasses the day before, which were intended to conceal an eye injury In his address to the WEF on Tuesday, Macron hit back at Trump, warning that 'we're shifting to a world without rules' where 'international law is trampled underfoot, and the only law that matters is that of the strongest' Earlier on Wednesday, Trump said in a speech at the WEF that he had threatened Macron with tariffs to cajole him into increasing drug prices in France. 'I said, "Here's the story, Emmanuel, the answer is, you're going to do it, you're going to do it fast. And if you don't, I'm putting a 25 per cent tariff on everything that you sell into the United States, and a 100 per cent tariff on your wines and champagnes,"' Trump said. '(And Macron said) "No, no, Donald, I will do it, I will do it". It took me on average three minutes a country, saying the same thing, "You will do it",' Trump said. French officials said Macron, 48, had burst a blood vessel in his eye, which left him with an unsightly injury. He was wearing sunglasses during his speech at Davos on Tuesday. 'I watched him yesterday with those beautiful sunglasses,' Trump said. 'What the hell happened?' He later insisted he liked Macron, before adding: 'Hard to believe, isn't it?' The US President has also threatened to hit French wines and champagnes with 200 per cent tariffs in an apparent effort to persuade Macron to join the US leader's Board of Peace initiative aimed at resolving global conflicts. Macron had said 'at this stage' he was not planning on serving on Trump board, which is intended to create the second phase of the Gaza peace plan. 'Well, nobody wants him because he's going to be out of office very soon,' Trump told reporters on Monday evening when asked about Macron's rejection. He then escalated his threat of a trade war with Europe. 'What I'll do is, if they feel hostile, I'll put a 200 per cent tariff on his wines and champagnes and he'll join,' Trump said before boarding a flight to Washington. 'But he doesn't have to join.' Later Monday night, Trump leaked a text message he received from Macron where the French leader explained some of his differences and similarities to Trump on policy. 'My friend, we are totally in line on Syria. We can do great things on Iran,' Macron wrote. 'I do not understand what you are doing on Greenland. Let us try to build great things.' A text from French President Emmanuel Macron sent to Donald Trump Trump had previously threatened to hit France with a 200 per cent tariff on champagne Macron has taken a harder line than most European Union leaders over Trump's Greenland threat, urging the bloc to activate its most potent trade tools against Washington and saying Europe would not give in to bullies. 'The crazy thing is that we could find ourselves in a situation where we use the anti-coercion mechanism for the very first time against the United States,' Macron said during his speech. He was referring to the EU's Anti-Coercion Instrument (ACI), nicknamed the 'trade bazooka', an economic tool that would hit the US with 81 billion in tariffs. He warned that 'we're shifting to a world without rules' where 'international law is trampled underfoot, and the only law that matters is that of the strongest'. The French leader opened his speech by saying: 'It's time of peace, stability and predictability, yet we have approached instability and imbalance,' adding that 'conflict has become normalised'. But while Macron did not directly address the US President, he said he prefers 'respect to bullies' and 'rule of law to brutality' following the American leader's tariff threats. The French government last year set up an account called @frenchresponse to expose false narratives and misinformation. The account has become increasingly active in recent weeks, notably in challenging rhetoric from the Trump administration. Just hours after Trump's explosive speech at the WEF, Europe breathed a collective sigh of relief when he announced a major U-turn. After a 'very productive' meeting with Rutte, he dropped the threat of tariffs on European countries who opposed his plan to purchase Greenland, and announced a 'framework of a future deal' on Greenland as well as 'the entire Arctic Region'. 'Based upon this understanding, I will not be imposing the Tariffs that were scheduled to go into effect on February 1st,' Trump wrote on Truth Social. It was a dramatic reversal shortly after he insisted he wanted to get the island 'including right, title and ownership'. Trump said 'additional discussions' on Greenland were being held concerning the Golden Dome missile defense program, a multilayered, $175 billion system that for the first time will put US weapons in space. Trump offered few details, saying they were still being worked out. Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen said in a statement that security in the Arctic is a matter for all of Nato, and it is 'good and natural' that it be discussed between the US President and Nato secretary general Rutte. It wasn't just France which felt compelled to correct some of the comments Trump made during his extraordinary address in Davos. Nato secretary general Rutte delivered a reality check to Trump following his speech, telling him that one Nato soldier died for every two Americans in Afghanistan after the US President doubted the Western alliance. Trump had said 'I'm not sure that they'd be there for us if we gave them the call', as he tried to rally momentum for his now-ditched plan to acquire Greenland from Denmark. 'I know them all very well. Im not sure that theyd be there. I know wed be there for them. I dont know that they would be there for us,' the US President said. The claims, however, overlook the fact that Nato member countries suffered hundreds of deaths during the Afghanistan war, triggered after the September 11 attack on the World Trade Centre in New York. Britain alone lost 457 troops, with France, Germany, Italy and Denmark also suffering many deaths. Rutte told Trump: 'Theres one thing I heard you say yesterday and today. You were not absolutely sure Europeans would come to the rescue of the US if you will be attacked. Let me tell you, they will and they did in Afghanistan.' The rebuttal came after Trump called Denmark - which had the highest per capita death toll among coalition forces in Afghanistan - 'ungrateful' for US protection during the Second World War. 'For every two Americans who paid the ultimate price, there was one soldier from another Nato country who did not come back to his family from the Netherlands, from Denmark and particularly from other countries,' the Nato chief said. Rachel Reeves has refused to extend plans for business rate relief for pubs to other hospitality firms, despite evidence of massive job losses. The Chancellor insisted pubs faced a 'far different' situation from other businesses such as hotels, restaurants and cafes as she appeared at the World Economic Forum in Davos. She said the package confirmed by the Treasury earlier this month would be revealed 'in the next few days', amid growing clamour for help to stem a tide of closures and related job losses. This week the Office for National Statistics (ONS) revealed that there was a 70,000 drop in payrolled employees in 2025, including almost 9,000 jobs lost in December alone. High street businesses have lobbied for support to be extended to help them weather the changing tax situation. But speaking to the Times in Davos the Chancellor said: 'The situation pubs face is different from other parts of the hospitality sector. 'We've just been using this time to get the package right. We'll be setting out details in the next few days.' The Chancellor insisted pubs faced a 'far different' situation from other businesses such as hotels, restaurants and cafes as she appeared at the World Economic Forum in Davos. This week the Office for National Statistics (ONS) revealed that there was a 70,000 drop in payrolled employees in 2025, including almost 9,000 jobs lost in December alone. At the budget, Ms Reeves announced a Covid-era business rates relief package for pubs would end in April. A business rates revaluation is also due to come into effect that month, which is expected to push up rates. To help pubs transition away from the Covid-era support, and deal with the increased rates, the Chancellor announced 4.3 billion support at the budget, a 'transitional support package', lasting until 2029. A sustained campaign by pubs saw Labour MPs banned from their local boozers across the country, as they warned the business rates relief was not enough, and that it would lead to closures. The Conservatives, Reform UK, and newspapers also campaigned against the move. In early January, the Treasury indicated a U-turn was coming on the budget measures, and that more support would be available for pubs 'in the coming days'. Pharmacies, hotels, cafes and others were among the businesses which called for the support to be extended. Marvin Rust, managing director of consultancy firm Alvarez & Marsal, said: 'Hotels, restaurants and cafes are exposed to the same revaluation shock, the same withdrawal of Covid-era reliefs, and the same structural flaws in the business rates system. 'With the distinction between pubs and restaurants increasingly blurred, particularly as many operate as gastro-led venues, relief needs to reflect the reality of the wider hospitality and leisure ecosystem, not just one part of it. 'If rates are meant to tax property rather than punish trading performance, it's hard to justify relief for one part of hospitality while leaving the rest to absorb material increases overnight.' Today it was revealed The Treasury's offices are to benefit from reduced business rates. The increase comes despite most large offices across Central London facing an increase in tax liabilities from April. Analysis of official Government figures by tax firm Ryan indicate the Treasury's office will see its annual bill decrease by 288,180 in the 2026/27 financial year. 1 Horse Guards Road, home to HM Treasury, saw its property value increase by 4 pe cent but its bill will drop to 9.62 million for next year as it benefits from changes to the multiplier used to calculate rates and changes to the tax base of rateable properties. A Treasury spokesman said: 'Property valuations for business rates are calculated independently by the Valuation Office Agency. 'HM Treasury will be paying a higher multiplier next year to help fund a lower rate for the high street, as part of the Government's commitment to rebalance the business rates system.' The desperate search for up to nine missing tourists, including 'at least one young girl', will continue through the night after a horror landslide struck a popular campsite. New Zealand's North Island suffered a series of devastating landslides on Thursday following days of record-breaking rain. Two people were confirmed dead after a landslip wiped out a home in Welcome Bay, in the Bay of Plenty region about 100km east of Hamilton, about 4.50am (NZDT). The tragedy escalated when another landslide hit campervans and a shower block at the Mount Maunganui Beachside Holiday Park just hours later at 9.30am. The Beachside Holiday Park was evacuated and the public has been urged to avoid the area while emergency responders continue to search for those feared trapped. Searchers on the ground said there are no signs of life at the campsite, while emergency management minister Mark Mitchell confirmed 'at least one young girl' is among those unaccounted for. Police Superintendent Tim Anderson added the number of people missing was in the 'single figures', meaning up to nine people could be trapped in the debris. Police, Fire and Emergency New Zealand, Hato Hone St John and local security confirmed they will continue working through the night. A landslide hit Mount Maunganui Beachside Holiday Park at 9.30am on Thursday Up to nine tourists are understood to be missing in the landslide Rescuers said there was no signs of life at the scene 'We're going right through until we've rescued everyone,' Fire and Emergency NZ commander William Park told reporters. 'It was a significant landslip and the priority was life safety. It's a complex and high-risk environment.' Supt Anderson has not confirmed if anyone has been found. 'The Fire and Emergency teams are working around the clock to achieve their aim tonight,' he said. 'There are at least three diggers working at the moment and all the usual agencies are working hard to do their best.' Mitchell earlier described the east coast as 'a war zone' with helicopters deployed to rescue families stranded on rooftops from flooding and emergencies declared in five regions. Australian Sonny Worrall from Newcastle, NSW, was among dozens of holidaymakers caught up in the chaos. He was swimming in the nearby hot pools when he heard a tree crack. Members of the public have been blocked from entering the holiday park Authorities said the search mission will continue through the night 'I looked behind me, and there was a huge landslide coming down,' he told TVNZ. 'I turned around, and I had to jump out from my seat as fast as I could and just run. Looking behind me, there was a caravan coming right behind me. 'It all happened in a flash. I was fearing for my life. People were panicking everywhere.' Mark Tangney was among the first rescuers on scene after he heard screams and saw holidaymakers fleeing the campground. 'There were six or eight other guys there on the roof of the toilet block with tools just trying to take the roof off because we could hear people screaming 'help us, help us, get us out of here',' Mr Tangney told the NZ Herald. 'We went hard for about half an hour, and after 15 minutes, the people that were trapped, we couldn't hear them anymore.' Roadblocks have been erected around affected areas to keep the general public out of the area. It's understood loved ones of the missing are waiting for updates in a gazebo closer to the scene. Loved ones of the missing tourists are staying in a gazebo close to the scene Rescuers are working in hazardous conditions, due to the unstable nature of the landslide Tauranga Mayor Mahe Drysdale said the conditions searchers were working in were very unstable. 'They're having to be careful because we don't want to have any other issues during the night,' he said. 'They're going to be working 24/7 until they have searched every piece of earth.' Tauranga - the closest city to Mount Maunganui - received 295mm in the 30 hours to 6am Thursday. Huge swathes of the North Island were smashed by torrential rain on Wednesday, with meteorologists MetService issuing a rare red weather warning for a 'threat to life' in several regions and a state of local emergency. In Warkworth near Auckland, a 47-year-old man was swept away in his car by the swollen Mahurangi River. His wife said he was travelling with his nephew and had managed to push the boy towards a branch, allowing him to escape the water. However, the man was unable to save himself. Prime Minister Christopher Luxon promised to help those affected by the widespread floods and landslides Several emergency agencies will continue searching for the missing victims through to the morning His wife is holding onto the hope his strong swimming skills, from being a fisherman, will be enough to ensure his survival. 'I know his personality is strong, wise,' she told RNZ. Rescue efforts are still underway for those trapped on their roofs by water in the Tairawhiti region, specifically in Te Araroa, about 290km east of the landslides. Thousands more people in Northland, Coromandel, Bay of Plenty, and Tairawhiti were also left without power after the storm and flooding. Prime Minister Christopher Luxon promised his government would do everything possible to support those affected. 'To the emergency responders, Defence Force personnel, and all those who are putting themselves in harm's way to keep Kiwis safe, the whole country is grateful,' he wrote online. 'We continue to urge people in affected areas to follow the advice of local authorities.' He also added that the country is 'heavy with grief' after the 'profound tragedy' of the recent weather. 'The weather events of the past 48 hours have been a profound tragedy, claiming lives and devastating livelihoods,' Luxon wrote. US President Donald Trump signed the charter of his 'Board of Peace,' with other founding members in Davos on Thursday, as he told the audience 'we can do pretty much whatever we want to do'. The signing kicked off with representatives from Bahrain and Morocco followed by Trump allies such as Argentina's Javier Milei and Hungary's Viktor Orban as well as Qatar's Prime Minister and Minister for Foreign Affairs Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman bin Jassim Al-Thani. Amongst the other leaders present were Shehbaz Sharif, Pakistan's Prime Minister, Santiago Pena, President of Paraguay, Prince Faisal bin Farhan al-Saud, Saudi Arabia's Foreign Minister, and Vjosa Osmani, Kosovo's President. Overall, the countries represented onstage Thursday were Bahrain, Morocco, Argentina, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Bulgaria, Hungary, Indonesia, Jordan, Kazakhstan, Kosovo, Mongolia, Pakistan, Paraguay, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Turkey, the UAE and Uzbekistan. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who faces an International Criminal Court arrest warrant over the war in Gaza, has said he will join but was not at the ceremony. Speaking at the World Economic Forum, the US President said: 'Once this board is completely formed, we can do pretty much whatever we want to do. And we'll do it in conjunction with the United Nations.' According to the charter, the Board of Peace will be 'an international organization that seeks to promote stability, restore dependable and lawful governance, and secure enduring peace in areas affected or threatened by conflict'. Trump has claimed 'every country' wants to join, despite notable snubs by US allies including the UK, France and Canada. US President Donald Trump signed the charter of his 'Board of Peace' Argentina's Javier Milei and Hungary's Viktor Orban were amongst the signatories Speaking on stage at Davos, Trump said: 'Every country, just about every country, wants to be a part of it. And we just sent out the letters a couple of days ago, and these are just the countries that are here. They happen to be in Davos.' Of the leaders who were on stage, Trump said: 'Every one of them is a friend of mine...' before joking that there's 'a couple I don't like.' He then confirmed: 'I like every single one of them. Can you believe it? Usually I have about two or three that I don't like.' The US president later praised his fellow leaders, saying that 'everybody in the room is a star or you wouldn't be here.' In his speech, Trump boasted about his peacemaking record as he claimed to have ended eight wars across the world, adding he was close to resolving another in reference to Russia and Ukraine. He told the crowd: 'Today, the world is richer, safer and much more peaceful than it was just one year ago. We put out all those fires a lot of people didn't know, including me.' Originally intended to help end the devastating Gaza war, the President now sees the board as having a wider role that Europe and some others fear will rival or undermine the United Nations. The inclusion of Putin has caused particular concern among US allies, but especially in Ukraine as it seeks an end to Moscow's nearly four-year-old invasion. Trump noted how he had secured commitments from 'virtually' all of NATO Trump will meet Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky in Davos after the 'Board of Peace' ceremony to discuss a ceasefire in Ukraine - the major peace deal that continues to elude him. Tony Blair turned up for the launch today despite the UK today confirming it would not be joining after the invite was extended to the Russian president. The former PM was namechecked by the US president at the ceremony in Davos, where he hailed the level of interest in participating. 'Thank you, Tony, for being here. We appreciate it,' the US president said. Sir Tony is an executive member of the board alongside Trump's son-in-law Jared Kushner. During his speech, Trump claimed the war in Gaza is 'coming to an end' and now consisted of 'little fires'. He said that there was a commitment to ensure Gaza was demilitarised and 'beautifully rebuilt'. The US President added that Hamas had to disarm under the next phase of the Gaza ceasefire accord or it will be the 'end of them.' Jared Kushner, Trump's son-in-law, later took to the stage to unveil a 'master plan' for the future of Gaza. He said it will be conducted in phases, including 100% employment and 'opportunity for everyone'. A plan for the reconstruction of Gaza shown on screen at the Board of Peace ceremony Trump said that there was a commitment to ensure Gaza was demilitarised and 'beautifully rebuilt' Trump then shared his thoughts on the plan, saying: 'I'm a real estate person at heart, and it's all about location, and I said, look at this location on the sea, look at this beautiful piece of property, what it could be for so many people. 'It'll be so, so great. People that are living so poorly are going to be living so well. But it all began with the location.' The US President was instrumental in a ceasefire which resulted in the exchange of Israeli hostages and Palestinian prisoners last year. Sir Keir Starmer today warned leadership rival Andy Burnham about the hurdles he would face in making a return to Westminster. A route back to the House of Commons for Mr Burnham, the Greater Manchester mayor, has opened up after it emerged a shamed MP is on the brink of quitting. Andrew Gwynne, a former health minister who had the Labour whip removed in February last year, is expected to make an announcement on his future soon. There are widespread reports he will leave the Commons after tying up a deal on his pension, which would spark a by-election in his Gorton and Denton constituency. This has revived speculation that Mr Burnham will put his name forward for a parliamentary contest, with an eye on later challenging Sir Keir as Labour leader. Mr Burnham, 56, who was MP for Leigh between 2001 and 2017 before being elected to the mayoralty, has been a fierce critic of the Prime Minister. He has repeatedly refused to rule out a future bid for the Labour leadership, amid claims Sir Keir could be toppled following his rocky first 18 months in Downing Street. But Mr Burnham would first have to be approved as an MP candidate by Labour's ruling National Executive Committee, which is dominated by Starmer loyalists. And, even if chosen to be Labour's parliamentary hopeful, he would still have to win a bitter by-election contest against Nigel Farage's Reform UK. The Greater Manchester mayor today insisted he was 'in the dark' about Mr Gwynne's plans, although he appeared to not rule out standing in a by-election. Sir Keir would not say whether he supported Mr Burnham standing as an MP. In an apparently pointed message, the PM also stressed the NEC would play a key role in deciding on Labour's candidate and praised Mr Burnham's 'excellent job as mayor of Manchester'. There has long been speculation that Andy Burnham, the Greater Manchester mayor, could contest a by-election in the North West if he wanted to return to the Commons Andrew Gwynne, a former health minister who had the Labour whip removed in February last year, is expected to make an announcement on his future soon Mr Burnham told the Local Democracy Reporting Service: 'It's not been confirmed to me. 'I've had no contact on this issue with Andrew or anyone close to him. I know him of old of course but I'm as in the dark about this as anyone. 'People shouldn't rush to conclusions. I have been very focused on my role as Mayor of Greater Manchester.' Speaking to broadcasters, the PM said: 'It is a very early stage, and the NEC of the Labour Party will set out the process in the usual way, as it always does for by-elections. 'Andy Burnham is doing an excellent job as mayor of Manchester. We work very closely together. 'Last year, we were responding together to the terrible attack on a synagogue in Manchester. 'More recently, we were working together on Northern Powerhouse Rail. 'I think Andy would acknowledge that working with this Government has been much better than the experience he had of working with previous governments.' Senior Labour figures are said to be braced for an announcement from Mr Gwynne, who has been away from Parliament on sick leave. It is reported that talks were held about Mr Gwynne taking medical retirement in February, so a by-election could be held on the same day as May's local elections. It is also said Mr Gwynne has now reached an agreement on his MP's pension that would allow him to retire on medical grounds. Mr Gwynne, lost the Labour whip last year after the emergence of offensive messages in a WhatsApp group. He was sacked as a health minister and suspended from Labour, while he was also put under investigation by a parliamentary watchdog. Allies of Mr Burnham last month told The Mail on Sunday he was poised to secure a deal to fight a by-election to return to the Commons. This would then allow the former Cabinet minister, dubbed 'The King of the North', to formally launch a challenge against Sir Keir if he could rally the support of MPs. But there is no guarantee that Mr Burnham would be chosen as Labour's candidate in a by-election - as Starmer loyalists dominate Labour's ruling National Executive Committee (NEC) - or that he would go on to win a contest. A loyalist Labour MP told the Daily Mail: 'He absolutely will not get through an NEC panel.' The Labour Party's latest rule book states that directly-elected mayors, such as Mr Burnham, must 'seek the express permission' of party officials before trying to be nominated as a party candidate for a Westminster contest. There are also suggestions that the NEC could opt for an all-female shortlist of by-election candidates, as the gender balance in the Parliamentary Labour Party has fallen below 50 per cent. Steve Wright, the general secretary of the Fire Brigades Union, said it would be a 'democratic outrage' if Mr Burnham was blocked from being Labour's by-election candidate. 'In the event that a by-election takes place, as an affiliated union, the FBU will not stand by and allow senior Labour politicians like Andy to be carved out of this process,' he said. 'Our union will fiercely resist any attempts to stitch up the selection. 'It's vital that there is a full and open democratic procedure to choose Labour's candidate to fight this by-election. 'Anything less would be unacceptable.' One Labour source said the cost of fighting a Manchester mayoral election would be another reason to stop Mr Burnham. However, they said they would be 'amazed' if it was allowed to get to the point where he had to be blocked. 'Someone needs to sit down and explain to Andy the challenges,' the source said. 'But if came to it, I think the NEC would block not least because of the money it would cost the party.' On the cost of a mayoral election, one MP warned: 'The party is skint.' Mr Burnham has refused to rule out a bid for the Labour leadership amid claims Sir Keir Starmer, pictured at Chequers today, could be challenged Even if chosen to be Labour's by-election candidate, Mr Burnham would still have to win a bitter by-election contest against Nigel Farage's Reform UK Mr Gwynne won his Gorton and Denton constituency with a 13,000 vote majority at the 2024 general election, ahead of second-placed Reform. But Mr Farage's party might now fancy their chances of winning the seat following a surge in their poll ratings since the general election, and a slump in Labour's popularity. One Labour veteran told the Daily Mail that Mr Burnham 'has a lot of supporters in Parliament'. They played down the prospect of the NEC blocking the Greater Manchester mayor from getting on the shortlist for a Commons seat. 'It would look extremely weak to bar him from standing, so we don't expect that to be a major hurdle,' they added. A senior Labour MP said the party's deputy leader Lucy Powell was 'pushing' for a resolution in the Gwynne case because it would benefit her Manchester ally Mr Burnham. 'Lucy is pushing this,' the MP said. 'The NEC could face a very tough decision... who do they prefer, Andy Burnham or Reform? 'Will they back Burnham or will they get a different candidate in who might not win.' Commons sources suggested the deal being mooted could see Mr Gwynne - who is only 51 - paid up until pension age, at which point he would receive a full Parliamentary pension. That package could be worth around 1million, according to one insider. There would also be questions over what happens to the long-running standards investigation into Mr Gwynne, and whether he would face any sanctions if found to have done something wrong. In February last year, Mr Gwynne said he regretted making 'badly misjudged' comments and apologised 'for any offence I've caused'. The messages in a closed WhatsApp group chat - named 'Trigger Me Timbers' - with Labour figures based around Manchester reportedly included sexist, racist and anti-Semitic comments. Mr Gwynne has previously denied that he was intending to vacate his Gorton and Denton seat any time soon. Asked on BBC radio about Mr Gwynne stepping down and clearing the way for Mr Burnham in a by-election, Health Secretary Wes Streeting said on Thursday: 'Andrew Gwynne was a member of my team in opposition and in Government. 'I'm aware he's had some very serious health challenges. And you know, for all of the other challenges he's gone through and some of the difficulties he's had, I wish him and his family well, and I hope he's okay. His health has been a real challenge. 'If indeed there is going to be a by-election, we need to make sure we've got a strong candidate, that we fight really hard to win that by-election, and we need our best candidates to come forward. 'As to who that is, whether or not Andy will throw his hat into the ring, is for Andy to consider, and ultimately for party members to decide. But we need strong candidates. 'I'll just say about Andy, having just seen him just earlier this week, whether it's in Government nationally, or whether it's leading the city and the region locally, he makes a massive impact and makes a really big difference. He's someone I'm proud to work with.' In the days prior to Labour's conference in Liverpool in September, Mr Burnham had suggested unhappy MPs were privately urging him to challenge the PM. He then issued a fresh outburst against Sir Keir's leadership in a fiery speech at a conference fringe event. But - despite leaving the door open for a future leadership bid - Mr Burnham later backed away following a backlash against his posturing. Cabinet ministers have not been shy in recent months to tell Mr Burnham to focus on his role as Greater Manchester mayor. 'All of us in Government and in the Labour Party have a responsibility to focus on the day job and to get on with delivering for the British people,' Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood said in December. And Business Secretary Peter Kyle said in September: 'I think he [Mr Burnham] is doing an incredible job in Manchester at the moment, I think Manchester really needs him. 'I love working with him in Manchester. It would be a shame for Manchester to lose him.' Speaking virtually on an Institute for Government panel this week, Mr Burnham appeared to criticise the missions laid out by Sir Keir's Government. 'You've got to go to difficult missions as well, haven't you?,' he said. 'The mission to fix social care, the mission to end the housing crisis, the mission to end the cost-of-living crisis. 'I think people buy in when the mission is really clear and it's right in front of them and they understand it. That's an important part of it.' But Mr Burnham also added: 'The Government has made a lot of progress, and I applaud them for it.' A cocaine-loving driver who had no licence or insurance has admitting killing a mother in a car crash before fleeing the scene. Claire Laybourne, 39, died following the collision between her Volkswagen T-Roc and a Skoda Fabia driven by Ryan Scott, 28, on the A19 at Holystone, North Tyneside, on December 5 last year. Scott fled the scene before emergency services arrived and found Ms Laybourne with serious injuries, Newcastle Crown Court heard. The mother, from Hebburn, was rushed to hospital, but despite the best efforts of medical staff, she passed away the following day. Scott, of Chasedale Crescent, Blyth, pleaded guilty to causing her death by dangerous driving, causing death by driving while unlicensed and uninsured and causing serious injury to another woman by dangerous driving. However, he denied charges in relation to causing death while over the limit for drugs. Prosecutors are unable to proceed with charges of him causing death while over the limit for cocaine, as it cannot be proved if he took the drugs before or after the collision due to the delay of his arrest after he fled the scene. Scott will be sentenced on February 23 and has been further remanded in custody in the meantime. Claire Laybourne, 39, from Hebburn, was seriously injured in the collision and passed away in hospital the following day Cocaine-loving Ryan Scott, 28, of Chasedale Crescent, Blyth, pleaded guilty to causing her death by dangerous driving, causing death by driving while unlicensed and uninsured and causing serious injury to another woman by dangerous driving Emergency services attended the scene and rushed Ms Laybourne to the hospital with serious injuries where she passed away the following day Judge Penny Moreland told him: 'I'm directing a pre-sentence report to assist the judge that sentences you. 'You understand, the inevitable sentence is a lengthy sentence of immediate custody. 'The purpose of the report is to go to any issues of risk or danger you pose and to assist your counsel to prepare her mitigation. 'Please don't be under any illusions, however, about the sentence you will receive.' Ms Laybourne's devastated family previously paid tribute to the 'beautiful soul' who they will miss 'beyond words'. In a statement, they said: 'Claire was a beautiful soul whose kindness, warmth, and gentle strength touched everyone she met. 'She was an extraordinary mother, a devoted partner, a cherished daughter, a loving auntie, and a loyal friend. 'Her presence lit up every room, and her love held our family together in ways words can never truly capture. 'Our hearts are broken, and our lives have been changed beyond anything we could have imagined. 'The depth of our grief is matched only by the depth of the love we carry for her. We will miss her beyond what words are able to portray.' A pair of teen killers make sickening boasts they were 'back together' in a young offenders' institute after stabbing two childhood best friends to death. Riley Tolliver, 19, and Kodi Wescott, 18, and three others were found guilty of murdering Max Dixon, 15 and Mason Rist, 16, in Bristol in January 2024. After being detained for a minimum of 23 years, Tolliver and Wescott were inadvertently placed in the same young offenders' institute by prison authorities. Pictures were posted on Snapchat of the pair gloating - prompting complaints from Mason's family who said they were 'appalled' to see they had been reunited. The image was captioned with a tagline 'man dem together 3 ygb 3 young tuggz', an apparent reference to Wescott's rap moniker. Last year, it emerged Wescott was able to make drill music rap videos from his cell about the murders he committed, and post them on Instagram. That prompted outrage from the families of his victims, made worse because the double killer then mocked authorities by setting up a second Instagram account after prison chiefs shut down his first. Now, a year on, Mason's mum Nikki and sister Chloe have complained to the authorities again, after the New Year post on Snapchat reached them on social media. The photo, of Riley Tolliver and Kodi Wescott, was posted on Snapchat over the New Year, and prompted a complaint from Mason's family Wescott (pictured), 18, who murdered childhood best friends Max Dixon and Mason Rist has previously bragged about his crimes in social media posts from prison Mugshot of Riley Tolliver and released by police following his sentencing Chloe said: 'They have all been active on social media, saying the gang's back together, and so on. 'You would think the prison would know better than to put them together - it's crazy.' Mason's family complained to the prison chiefs and were told that, following the report of the social media posts, the pair were split up again. 'We can confirm that none of the co-defendants are currently in the same establishment,' the family were told by prison liaison officers. 'Following the reported social media posts, action was taken to move some of the offenders,' they added. 'It is not always possible to keep co-defendants in separate establishments; however, where there is an assessed risk, steps can be taken to ensure prisoners are separated'. They added that the matter had 'been escalated' and the information 'has been shared with the relevant establishment for appropriate action'. Max (L) and Mason (R) went to nursery, primary and secondary school together and enjoyed gaming together on the PlayStation Court artist sketch by Elizabeth Cook of Riley Tolliver (right), 18, Kodishai Westcott (second right), 17, and teenagers aged 15 and 16 during their sentencing hearing at Bristol Crown Court for their part in the murders Mason's mum Nikki said she had seen other images of Wescott, who was the only one of four teenagers who stabbed both Max and Mason in the attack outside Mason's house almost two years ago, posted onto his Instagram account, and was furious this was still being allowed. 'I've just found out Kodi Westcott has been on his phone again in prison. It should have been taken off him,' she said. 'He has posted a picture on his Instagram and Snapchat account. The probation service said it had come from within the prison. 'He is not monitored with his visits. How can he have a phone during a visit to take a picture of him with his girlfriend and post it on Snapchat? 'We had this before with him. All we are told is that it will be a black mark against him when he is up for release in 20 years. It is disgusting,' she added. 'That picture would not have been in a cell as relatives don't visit there. Why is he getting away with all of this? Why isn't he being monitored? He just doesn't care. They may talk about his human rights, but what about my human rights?' 'They are not even aware of it until we report it. It is the second time it has happened. All they will do is a simple cell search - but they are not going to find anything. He is making a mockery of what he did. He has committed murder but just doesn't care. He needs all his social media to be shut down and blocked,' she added. Max and Mason were stabbed to death with machetes yards from Mason's front door in a case of mistaken identity. The pair had been heading out to get pizza when they were attacked by youths armed with some of the 'most horrific' weapons local police had seen. Their murder trial heard the boys had been innocently caught up in a long-standing rivalry between Knowle West and Hartcliffe, both districts of Bristol, and there had previously been incidents involving people from 'both postcodes'. Two machetes, 20 inches and 19 inches, were shown to Bristol Crown Court where the four young killers and adult Anthony Snook, 45, were jailed. One, just 16, had stabbed a teenager with a 10-inch Rambo knife outside a Bristol retail park the day before he took part in the murders of Max and Mason. During the murder trial the teenage killers were seen sharing a joke and fist bumping each other in the dock and since being behind bars one of the gang has even boasted on social media about the fatal stabbings. Spain has been hit with its third recent train crash after a commuter service collided with a construction crane, leaving at least six people injured. The midday crash took place near Alumbres, Cartagena, southern Spain, at midday today. The Health Department has confirmed that six people sustained minor injuries. Four were taken to Santa Lucia Hospital and two to Rosell Hospital for treatment. One person sustained several cuts, and two others had anxiety attacks. The cause of the collision has not yet been determined, but it is believed the FEVE-operated train struck a crane while on its journey. The mayor of Murcia, Noelia Arroyo, told Spanish newspaper El Pais: 'Apparently, as the train passed, it collided with the articulated arm that was sticking out above the track, and the train grazed it as it passed'. The service, which had been carrying 16 passengers, did not derail and remains on the tracks as the fire and medical emergency services carry out a rescue operation at the scene. It came after Sunday's deadly high-speed train collision in the southern Andalusia region that killed at least 43 people and another train accident in northeastern Catalonia on Tuesday, in which the train driver died. Spanish rail operator Adif said on X on Thursday that traffic on that line was interrupted due to 'the intrusion into the infrastructure gauge by a crane not belonging to the railway operation', without providing further detail. The midday crash took place near Alumbres, Cartagena, southern Spain, on Thursday The cause of the collision has not yet been determined, but it is believed the FEVE-operated train struck a crane while on its journey Members of the Spanish police force work at the site where a commuter train collided with a crane The service, which had been carrying 16 passengers, did not derail and remained on the tracks Your browser does not support iframes. The crane involved in the collision 'was working in the area on maintenance tasks unrelated to the infrastructure, invaded the railway clearance, and hit the window of one of the train cars that covers the line between Cartagena and Los Nietos,' a Murcia government official said. Adif has said it is now attempting to gather information to determine why the crane was on that section of track during the time of the incident. According to La Opinion de Murcia, residents had made repeated complaints about the site of Thursday's crash, saying it was a 'dangerous stretch of track' as 'it's not signposted or regulated by traffic lights'. The regional president, Fernando Lopez Miras, has stated that the Murcian government is 'in constant communication with the emergency and health services that are already mobilised in the area'. Spain's rail network is already under scrutiny after a commuter train crashed near Barcelona just days after at least 43 people died and 152 were injured in a collision between two high-speed trains. The second crash took place at around 9.00pm on Tuesday when a retaining wall collapsed onto the track near Gelida in the region of Catalonia in north-east Spain, derailing a local train. The first carriage, which was carrying most of those who were injured, bore the brunt of the damage. A trainee driver, named as 27-year-old Fernando Huerta from Seville, was killed, and 41 people were injured, five of whom are in a critical condition. It is believed the wall collapsed as a result of the unusually heavy rainfall that Catalonia is experiencing. However, as a precaution, the region's network was shut down pending inspections, stranding hundreds of thousands of people and causing chaos on the roads. Emergency crews respond after a commuter train derailed when a retaining wall collapsed onto the tracks in Gelida, near Barcelona, Spain, on Tuesday One person - the train driver - died after the smash Earlier in the day, several people were injured, though none of them seriously, when a train on the Maresme coast north of Barcelona struck a rock on the track. After a minor delay, the train was able to continue its journey. It came just days after the deadly high-speed rail crash that killed 42, which occurred in Adamuz, near the city of Cordoba, at around 6.40pm local time on Sunday. Sunday's tragedy saw one train derail and cross over onto another track, with a second ploughing into the wreckage. The tail end of a train carrying some 300 passengers on the route from Malaga to the capital, Madrid, went off the rails at 7.45pm. An incoming train, which was travelling from Madrid to Huelva and carrying nearly 200 passengers, slammed into the derailed vehicle. The second train took the brunt of the impact after the collision knocked its first two carriages off the track and sent them plummeting down a 13ft slope. Officials said that it appeared the largest number of the deaths occurred in those carriages. At the moment of the collisions, both trains were travelling at over 120mph, according to the Spanish Transport Ministry. Both trains were travelling well under the speed limit of 155mph, with one going at 127mph and the other at 130mph, according to the president of Spain's national state-owned railway company, Alvaro Fernandez. He also said that 'human error could be ruled out'. On Sunday evening, the tail end of a train carrying some 300 passengers on the route from Malaga to the capital, Madrid, was derailed Officials said some passengers were catapulted through windows, with their bodies found hundreds of yards from the crash site Spain's King Felipe and Queen Letizia visited the scene of the accident, where they greeted emergency workers as well as some local residents who helped in the initial stages of the rescue. Afterwards, they went to the hospital in Cordoba, where many of the injured remain under care. 'We are all responsible for not looking away when the debris of a catastrophe is being cleared away,' said Letizia to reporters after the visit. The incidents sparked an urgent response from Spain's largest train drivers' union. They have now called for an indefinite strike to demand assurances for the profession's safety. 'We are going to demand criminal liability from those responsible for ensuring safety in the railway infrastructure,' the Semaf union said in a statement on Wednesday. It said it could not accept 'the constant deterioration of the rail network' and was calling for 'urgent new measures'. ICE has been blasted over a photo supposedly showing a five-year-old boy being detained - but the agency hit back, saying the child had actually been abandoned. School officials claimed Liam Conejo Ramos, five, was taken from his driveway by agents as he returned home in Columbia Heights, Minnesota on Tuesday. Photos showing Ramos were widely shared on social media, including by Minnesota Congresswoman Ilhan Omar who said ICE claiming to target the 'worst of the worst' was a 'lie.' However the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) disputed her claims, saying the child's father Adrian Alexander Conejo Arias was an illegal alien from Ecuador who had been released into the United States by Joe Biden. 'As agents approached the driver Adrian Alexander Conejo Arias, fled on foot - abandoning his child,' the DHS wrote on X. 'For the child's safety, one of our ICE officers remained with the child while the other officers apprehended Conejo Arias. 'Parents are asked if they want to be removed with their children, or ICE will place the children with a safe person the parent designates. This is consistent with the past administration's immigration enforcement.' They also reminded illegal migrants that they could self-deport using an app. School officials claimed Liam Conejo Ramos, five, was taken from his driveway by agents as he returned home School officials claim ICE agents then used the boy 'as bait' to lure other migrants School superintendent Zena Stenvik claimed several students have been detained by ICE, KARE 11 reported. 'Why detain a 5-year-old? You can't tell me that this child is going to be classified as a violent criminal,' Stenvik said. Tensions in the state have risen since an ICE agent shot and killed 37-year-old Minneapolis woman Renee Nicole Good earlier this month amid the Trump administration's immigration crackdown. The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) has deployed nearly 3,000 agents to Minnesota as part of its 'largest immigration operation ever.' Stenvik claimed that ICE agents used Ramos to try to lure other adults out of the home. 'Another adult living in the home was outside and begged the agents to let him take care of the small child, and was refused,' Stenvik said. 'Instead, the agent took the child out of the still-running car, led him to the door, and directed him to knock on the door asking to be let in in order to see if anyone else was home, essentially using a five-year-old as bait.' According to a GoFundMe for the family, Ramos and Arias were taken to an ICE facility in Texas. Ramos's teacher described him as a 'bright young student' who is 'so kind and loving' and is missed by his classmates Columbia Heights Public School District Superintendent Zena Stenvik claimed that several students have been detained by ICE in recent weeks Ramos's teacher, Ella Sullivan, described him as a 'bright young student'. 'He's so kind and loving, and his classmates miss him, and all I want is for him to be safe and back here,' she said. The familys immigration lawyer, Marc Prokosch, said the family is seeking asylum and has been following the law throughout the process. At the press conference, Stenvik said that three other students have been detained by federal agents in recent weeks. In one instance, Stenvik claimed a 10-year-old girl was apprehended with her mother while on her way to class. 'During the arrest, the child called her father on the phone to tell him that ICE agents were bringing her to school. The father immediately came to the school to find that both his daughter and wife had been taken,' Stenvik said. 'By the end of the school day, they were already in a detention center in Texas, and they are still there.' Stenvik also said that a 17-year-old student was detained when 'ICE agents pushed their way into an apartment'. 'ICE agents have been roaming our neighborhoods, circling our schools, following our buses, coming into our parking lots and taking our children,' Stenvik said. 'The sense of safety in our community and around our schools is shaken and our hearts are shattered.' A 'Karen' from Maine let it slip to the Daily Mail that she was the one who tried to allegedly stop police from investigating a serious threat to a school because she thought they were Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents. Mary Conmee, 63, gladly answered the phone on Thursday morning, but instead of greeting the reporter, she appeared to be having a conversation with someone else about what she did. During that discussion, Conmee, a retired New York State Police Sgt. who resides in Orrington, confessed she was the woman who tried to impede the Brewer Police Department's investigation into a person's 'intent to kill school staff and others' at local schools on Wednesday, authorities said. But while cops looked into the major threat, Conmee stormed over to the scene in her car, with a blow horn in hand. 'I didn't even obstruct. I stayed in my car and had a blow horn,' she said when called by the Daily Mail before hanging up the phone. When contacted right after, Conmee addressed the reporter and said she had no comment. Officers first spotted Conmee after they arrived at a residence in Brewer 'to locate and safely contact the person of interest,' the department said. Soon, they were greeted by her after she 'deliberately drove to the scene and interfered with police activity by repeatedly sounding an air horn, refusing lawful orders to leave, and yelling expletives at officers,' police added. Mary Conmee, let it slip to the Daily Mail that she was the one who tried to allegedly stop police from investigating a serious threat to a school because she thought they were Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents On Wednesday, the retired New York State Police Sgt. (middle) 'deliberately drove to the scene and interfered with police activity by repeatedly sounding an air horn, refusing lawful orders to leave, and yelling expletives at officers,' police said Conmee then shouted 'that she "didn't want ICE" in her neighborhood,' authorities stated. Police soon determined that the person of interest was not responsible for the school threat. Officers then turned their attention to Conmee, stating that 'her actions interfered with legitimate law enforcement operations and created a real risk to the investigating officers.' As a result, she was summonsed for disorderly conduct and obstructing government administration. Conmee is no stranger to speaking out against ICE and the Trump administration, as her Facebook is filled with posts that call out the agency, especially recently, with tensions at an all-time high across America. In a January 8 post, she shared an AI image of Jonathan Ross, the ICE agent who fatally shot Renee Good in Minneapolis the day before. He was never shown with his face uncovered, but an AI image of him without it quickly circulated online. In her post, Conmee called on others to get the word out about Ross after his identity was revealed. Conme also has several memes posted on her Facebook that express her hatred for Trump Police soon determined that the person of interest was not responsible for the school threat that was sent out to multiple schools in the area. (Pictured: Stock image of Brewer, Maine) 'PLEASE SHARE!!!',' she wrote. In a December post, Conmee shared a meme that read: 'When Trump's Presidency is over, it should be annulled. No library, no portrait, no titles, no honors. It's a record of shame.' She simply captioned the post: 'This.' Conmee's disruption came on the same day President Donald Trump ordered ICE agents to begin rounding up Somali migrants in Maine as part of the administration's latest crackdown. Federal agents are sweeping through the state's two largest cities, Portland and Lewiston, as the Department of Homeland Security announced 'Operation Catch of the Day' on Wednesday. Homeland Security spokesperson Tricia McLaughlin announced that agents had arrested multiple individuals on the first day of the operation. Local officials in Maine's two biggest cities are warning residents that ICE will begin ramping up its enforcement operations in the next few days. Meanwhile, the US attorneys office in Maine warned citizens against impeding ICE agents from carrying out their operation. 'Anyone who forcibly assaults or impedes a federal law enforcement officer, willfully destroys government property or unlawfully obstructs federal law enforcement activity commits a federal crime and will be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law,' said Andrew Benson, the US attorney in the state. Conmee's disturbance comes as tensions reach an all-time high across the US with ICE agents and citizens. Anti-ICE protestors are seen clashing with federal agents in St. Paul, Minnesota on January 8 Amid outcry from local and state officials, Maine's Democratic Governor Janet Mills said aggressive immigration enforcement that violates civil rights are 'not welcome.' Maine received thousands of asylum refugees from African countries under the Biden administration. A sizeable Somali population has existed in the state since the early 2000s. The presence of ICE agents in Portland is causing fear across immigrant communities, according to city council member Pious Ali, an immigrant of the West African nation of Ghana. 'Our schools have seen about a quarter of immigrants not showing up,' Ali said. 'There are immigrants who live here who work in our hospitals, they work in our schools, they work in our hotels, they are part of the economic engine of our community.' 'The federal government has the ability to contact these people without unleashing fear into our communities.' More than 3,000 people have been arrested in the state as part of the agency's 'Operation Metro Surge' in Minnesota, DHS said. People are seen being detained by federal officers in Minneapolis on January 13 The immigration enforcement action arriving in Maine, a rural state with about 1.4 million residents, suggests the White House is doubling down on Trump's mass deportation agenda amid widespread pushback. The agent's presence in Maine comes as protests continue in Minnesota following Good's death earlier this month. More than 3,000 people have been arrested in the state as part of the agency's 'Operation Metro Surge,' the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) said in a recent report. Social services have been blamed for allegedly failing to stop a killer dad from hurling his baby son off a bridge to his death. Tony Moreno was sentenced to 70 years in prison for killing his seven-month-old son Aaden by hurling him off a bridge in Middletown, Connecticut in 2015. He then jumped off the bridge himself and was seriously injured but survived. Moreno testified that he accidentally dropped the boy and did not intend to harm him - despite having confessed to police that he deliberately tossed him over. Aaden's mom Adrianne Oyola has now filed a wrongful death lawsuit against the state's Department of Children and Families (DCF), alleging social services failed to protect Aaden. Oyola and a lawyer representing Aaden's estate argued that DCF promised to help her get a restraining order against Moreno but never did. The lawsuit also claims social services failed to do anything to keep the baby safe, according to court records obtained by the Daily Mail. Just days before his death, a judge denied a permanent restraining order against Moreno after Oyola accused him of threatening and pushing her. A temporary restraining order had previously been in place. Tony Moreno was sentenced to 70 years in prison for killing his seven-month-old son Aaden Moreno jumped off the bridge himself and was seriously injured but survived The two worked out a custody agreement for Aaden, and it was Moreno's turn with his son the day Moreno had the child at the bridge. Oyola and the lawyer for her son's estate first filed their lawsuit against DCF in 2023, but filed an amended complaint on January 9 after a judge ruled the case can go to trial. The lawsuit against DCF claims that Oyola, who was 19 at the time, was told a social worker would attend the hearing with her because she 'was not capable of representing herself in court,' but the social worker never showed. 'Had someone representing the Department of Children and Families attended the June 29, 2015 hearing, that person would have recommended that the restraining order remain in place and would have provided evidence to the Court that Tony Moreno was a danger to the plaintiffs,' that amended complaint stated. The filing also claims that DCF failed to check on Aaden after the restraining order lapsed, and argues that DCF could have protected him by invoking a 96-hour hold on Aaden or filed for temporary custody to administratively remove him. DCF had asked a judge to find judgement on the case, meaning they sought an official decision to resolve the dispute. However, the judge ruled last week that 'genuine issues of material facts' remain in the case, and scheduled the trial to begin in May, almost 11 years after Aaden's death. Oyola and a lawyer for her son's estate are seeking monetary damages that are to be determined at trial. Aaden's mom Adrianne Oyola has filed a wrongful death lawsuit Moreno threw his son Aaden off the Arrigoni Bridge (pictured) over the Connecticut River Moreno testified during his trial that he accidentally dropped the boy DCF declined to comment when contacted by the Daily Mail, citing 'pending litigation.' Court records from Moreno's criminal trial showed he exchanged angry text messages Oyola in the minutes before he jumped. She frantically pleaded with him to not hurt the boy. 'Enjoy your new life without us,' Moreno wrote. 'He's dead. Soon I will be too.' Aaden's body was found two days later two miles downstream near the East Haddam Swing Bridge by a canoeist, following an extensive search involving dive teams and helicopters. During the trial, Moreno held a baby doll in his arms that he said represented his son, and he spoke about what happened. Moreno claimed his intention was to take his own life on the bridge, not his childs, and that Aaden slipped from his hands into the water. He was found guilty of murder in 2017 and sentenced to 70 years behind bars without the possibility of parole. Social workers in Seattle claimed there was 'no danger' for a nine-year-old who was forced to live in a disgusting homeless encampment. The boy was living with his mother in a tent on Aurora Avenue, a notorious street north of the city. They had been visited multiple times by Child Protective Services (CPS) and local police. Officials documented the horrid conditions inside, where fentanyl paraphernalia lined the floor along with toys covered in rat feces, as well as condoms and human waste, according to KIRO Newsradio. However authorities incredibly concluded that the boy was 'not in imminent danger.' It was not until the encampment's disgusting conditions were reported on that any action was taken to protect him. Tana Senn, the secretary of the Department of Children, Youth, and Families (DCYF), was questioned by 24 Washington state legislators about the child. She replied in a letter: 'Evidence of homelessness and drug use does not automatically constitute a basis for removal of a child.' Senn also said that her department was now working with the boy's family to ensure his safety. The boy was living with his mom in a tent on Aurora Avenue, a notorious street north of the city Charlie Harger and KIRO Newsradio reported on the case of the child, prompting outrage 'DCYF assesses a childs safety through global assessment of the family situation. Key factors may include homelessness, drug use, and the parents ability or willingness to address an unsafe situation. 'If there are no active safety threats and our safety assessment determines that the child can be safely maintained in an encampment, with no imminent risk of physical harm, then our legal authority does not allow us to intervene.' Senn added that her department lacks the legal authority to take a child into protective custody immediately. The secretary also blamed the Keeping Families Together Act for their inaction. The act allows for a child to be removed if there is 'imminent risk of physical harm.' Still, Senn noted that 'poverty, substance use, homelessness, or exposure to domestic violence perpetrated against someone other than the child does not constitute negligence or maltreatment.' Neighbors told KIRO Newsradio during their initial report that the child was filthy, not enrolled in school, and had bruises on his body as well as a severe chest cold. They added that he was left alone for hours as his mother went to use drugs or would return to use them in front of him. Seattle radio host Charlie Harger disagreed with the secretary's excuses. The tent was filled with fentanyl, human waste and condoms Aurora Avenue is notorious for prostitution 'Democrats and Republicans voted for it [the Keeping Families Together Act],' said Harger. 'They wanted to keep families together when safe.' 'They did not vote for this. They didn't vote to leave a child breathing fentanyl smoke in a rat-infested tent as caseworkers shrugged and walked away.' Harger added that hours after their first report in December, the tent was abandoned and proposed that situations like this can be fixed by Representative Travis Coutures House Bill 1092, which constitutes hard drug use as a reason to remove a child. 'Look at the fentanyl foil, the urine bottles, the rat droppings on those little boys' toys. Now tell me that this child was not in imminent danger,' he said. 'Go ahead, say it out loud. Say it to the parents in your district, I dare you. 'He's out because you heard this story and you refused to look away. That next child needs you to refuse again. President Donald Trump's son-in-law Jared Kushner showed off a Gaza master plan Thursday that includes 'coastal tourism' corridors with high rises as he revealed work is already underway on rebuilding the war-torn area. Kushner gave a PowerPoint presentation amid the president's Board of Peace ceremony at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland. Ivanka Trump's husband and Special Envoy Steve Witkoff have been leading negotiations for the US to end the Gaza war. In his presentation, Kushner revealed that 100,000 permanent housing units will be built in Gaza and 500,000 jobs created in construction, agriculture, manufacturing, services and the digital economy industries. He said they will start with Rafah, adding that demolition and removal of rubble is already underway. Speaking alongside a presentation showing generated images of the Gaza coastline with skyscrapers and yachts, Kushner said: 'We think this can be done in two, three years.' Kushner said the plan will be conducted in phases, including 100% employment and 'opportunity for everyone'. Kushner explained that, initially, they planned to create a 'free zone' and a 'Hamas zone' to divide up Gaza. Kushner said the plan will be conducted in phases He said they will start with Rafah, adding that demolition and removal of rubble is already underway Kushner spoke alongside a presentation showing generated images of the Gaza coastline with skyscrapers and yachts 'And then we said, you know what? Let's just plan for catastrophic success,' he told the crowd. 'Hamas signed a deal to demilitarize. That is what we're going to enforce.' He revealed that Hamas's 'heavy weapons' will be decommissioned immediately, while small arms will be decommissioned by sector by the new Palestinian police, which could include members of Hamas after 'rigorous vetting.' Kushner added that reconstruction will only begin in sectors with full disarmament, however also said that members of Hamas will be 'rewarded with amnesty and reintegration, or safe passage'. Your browser does not support iframes. Trump concluded the event by noting how he's a 'real estate person at heart.' 'And it's all about location,' he said of Gaza. 'And I said, look at this location on the sea. Look at this beautiful piece of property, what it could be for so many people.' 'It'll be so, so great. People that are living so poorly are going to be living so well. But it all began with the location.' Kushner's master plan is not unlike Trump's initial pitch of making the Palestinian territory the 'Riviera of the Middle East.' Trump said people in Gaza living 'so poorly' will be 'living so well' Kushner added that reconstruction will only begin in sectors with full disarmament Kushner's master plan is not unlike Trump's initial pitch of making the Palestinian territory the 'Riviera of the Middle East' In February of last year, Trump stated: 'The US will take over the Gaza Strip, and we will do a job with it too.' He then posted a 35-second video to his Truth Social account that began with the question: 'Gaza 2025: What's Next?' The AI-generated video - in a series of bold, gaudy images - showed a Trump hotel, a giant golden statue of Trump, and a child holding a Trump balloon among resplendent beach-front resort complexes. Elon Musk was seen tossing around cash to visitors and children, while Trump danced with a belly dancer and drank cocktails with Netanyahu. The White House told the Daily Mail in a statement: 'President Trump is a visionary, and his plan to have the United States involved in Gaza's rebuilding will allow for Palestinians to resettle in new, beautiful communities while improving conditions in the region for generations to come.' During his speech in Davos, Trump claimed the war in Gaza is 'coming to an end' and now consisted of 'little fires'. He said that there was a commitment to ensure Gaza was demilitarised and 'beautifully rebuilt'. Trump signed the charter of his 'Board of Peace,' with other founding members in Davos on Thursday. According to the charter, the Board of Peace will be 'an international organization that seeks to promote stability, restore dependable and lawful governance, and secure enduring peace in areas affected or threatened by conflict'. Originally intended to help end the devastating Gaza war, the President now sees the board as having a wider role that Europe and some others fear will rival or undermine the United Nations. A self-proclaimed 'anarchist' professor at UC Davis who wrote a threatening post online targeting pro-Israel people has been allowed to keep her job at the university. Jemma DeCristo posted on X three days after the deadly October 7, 2023 Hamas rampage in Israel, warning that 'Zionist journalists' should fear for their lives. Her post read: 'One group of people we have easy access to in the US is all these Zionist journalists who spread propaganda & misinformation. 'They have houses with addresses, kids in school they can fear their bosses but they should fear us more.' The vile post, accompanied by knife, hatchet, and blood-drop emojis, ignited rage and fear among the California university's students, staff, and alumni, who sent hundreds of letters demanding she be fired. A two-year internal investigation report revealed the university's 'inadequate' response to her X post, the SF Chronicle reported. Instead of termination, like many students and staff were advocating for, DeCristo was censured for her 'tremendously disruptive' post in June 2025, per the report. A censure is a formal statement condemning her misconduct, which is now part of the professors official file. UC Davis Assistant Professor Jemma DeCristo, she suggested on X that 'Zionist journalists' should fear for their lives, leading to an outrage among the university's community Pictured: DeCristo's post that sent shockwaves among the UC Davis community, leaving Jewish students and staff 'fearful' and 'anxious' UC Davis Chancellor Gary S May suspended her for the academic quarter that August, costing her only two months of pay. DeCristo has not taught since the public uproar and will not return for the next academic period, according to The Chronicle of Higher Education. Despite the outrage, DeCristo has declared the post was 'satire' and she 'never intended it to be taken seriously,' per the report. The professor has refused to apologize, saying it would 'just fuel the right-wing media that was harassing her.' 'In the course of our interviews, we were struck by the amount of pain people experienced in response to the October 10 post,' the June 2024 investigative report stated. Investigators also wrote that her post 'injured members of the Jewish community, who felt scared, isolated, and angry to see this type of violent and hateful rhetoric from a UC Davis professor. 'With no subsequent clarification or apology. Nor is there any question that the post caused a ripple effect of anxiety and increased burden on campus.' The professor's X account per the investigative report, DeCristo has not offered an apology, and still refuses to do so, as she believes it will only 'fuel conservative media' Street sign of UC Davis University, in Davis, California, where Chancellor Gary S. May censured and suspended the professor for the academic quarter in August 2025 While the findings concluded that DeCristo caused harm, they determined she 'did not intend' to instill fear, leading the university to decline terminating her employment. 'UC Davis has a choice. It can continue to treat this as an academic misstep, or it can act to protect Jewish students and faculty,' Reuven Taff, SF Chronicle Contributor, wrote. 'By retaining DeCristo, the university sends the message that explicit threats against Jews do not rise to the level of misconduct and are acceptable behavior.' A teenager who stabbed his mother to death when he was just 13 years old has written a haunting note. Derek Rosa, 15, killed his mom Irina Garcia, 39, in October 2023 after stabbing her more than 40 times with a kitchen knife as she slept next to her newborn child. He had originally been charged with first degree murder and pleaded not guilty, but asked to change his plea when he accepted a second-degree murder charge in MiamiDade Circuit Court. He was sentenced to 25 years in prison and 20 years of probation by judge Richard Hersch, according to the Miami Herald. Before his sentencing, Rosa told the court: 'I'm sorry.' A note written by the killer dated January 19 has since emerged, signed with his full name Derek Steven Rosa. 'Thank you to everyone that helped my case,' it read. Defense attorney Dayliset Rielo said Rosa will first be housed in a youth offender facility until he is 21, according to Local12. A note written by the killer dated January 19 has since emerged, signed with his full name Derek Steven Rosa Rosa, pictured next to defense lawyer Dayliset Rielo, was sentenced to 25 years in prison and 20 years of probation after he changed his plea and pleaded guilty to second degree murder Rosa, then 13, sent a smiling selfie to a friend after fatally stabbing his mother with what appeared to be blood on his hand After that, he will be transferred to the Florida Department of Corrections to finish his 25year sentence. Rielo called the plea agreement a strategic decision and said she did not believe children belonged in the adult prison system. She shared Rosa's note on Instagram and said future statements would be shared 'alongside Derek and his family, when they are ready, and determine it to be the right time.' At a previous hearing, Rosa's lawyers asked the court to disregard interrogation footage of him admitting to police that he had attacked his mother with a purple kitchen knife. 'I woke up, I grabbed one of the kitchen knives and I went to her room,' Rosa said in the video. In the footage, he added: 'I killed her.' While the video played, the teen covered his ears and stared at his lap. Rosa allegedly recalled trying to target one of his mother's arteries and said 'a lot of blood' sprayed out of her neck. Rosa will be housed in a youthful offender facility until he is 21 and then be transferred to the Florida Department of Corrections Crime scene photos showed Rosa standing over his mother's bed before he fatally stabbed her. His newborn baby sister's crib was to the side The defense claimed he had not knowingly waived his right to remain silent before discussing Garcia's death. However, the judge ruled that Rosa's confession could be used and played for a jury. Prosecutors also played clips of Rosa describing what he had done after the killing. He told detectives that he shared the murder with an online friend and even sent him pictures of the corpse. The friend first thought the images were a joke, but they were truly of Garcia's dead body. A selfie taken by Rosa shortly afterwards showed him making a hang loose sign with a completely bloodspattered hand. The teen made several internet searches on the day of his mother's murder, which included 'where is the best place to stab someone' and 'can a knife cut through the bone.' Rosa was arrested after calling 911 to his family's Hialeah apartment, where detectives found a bloody kitchen knife with a purple handle. Irina Garcia was killed in her bed late in the evening on October 12, 2023 after being stabbed more than 40 times Rosa was arrested after he called 911 to his family's apartment in Hialeah, Florida. Detectives found a bloody kitchen knife with a purple handle In the audio of his call, Rosa said: 'I have blood all over my hands.' When asked by the dispatcher if his mom was still breathing, he said twice: 'She's dead, miss.' 'There's blood all over the floor,' he added. Rosa said his younger sister was sleeping and asked what to do if she woke up. He added: 'I took pictures and told my friends about it. Was that bad?' Rosa's family was in court as the teen found out how much time he would spend behind bars. 'For me, you were like a son,' Frank Ramos, his stepfather, said. He called Garcia a 'loving mother.' 'Her death destroyed our family and changed our lives forever,' Ramos said. He faced Rosa and told him to 'assume the responsibility and the consequences of your actions in accordance to the law.' Rosa was impassive as he listened to his stepfather's remarks. MiamiDade State Attorney Katherine Fernandez Rundle said 'the conclusion of this criminal case [did] not diminish the tragedy of Derek's actions.' She added: 'When he stole his mother's life, he also stole so much of his own future.' American tourists are adding an unusual stop to their international itineraries as they make pilgrimages to Costco to see if the hot dogs are just as good abroad. For California Realtor, Joy Yip, the supermarket was the first thing on her list to see when she landed in Japan with her husband and daughter in November. On their first full day in the Asian country, the family made the trek to Chiba, just outside Tokyo, to see if the Costco was anything like home. They picked up sushi and snacks and marveled at the wide variety of local cuisine, like large prawns packaged on a bed of vegetables, right next to a mix of familiar comforts, such as pizza, chocolate croissants and Krispy Kreme donuts. And unlike the chaos of an American Costco full of hungry shoppers dodging each other to try a freebie, she found her Japanese counterparts patiently waiting in line. 'People kind of bum rush and just grab the samples [in the US]. You're almost trying to fight just to grab a piece,' the 47-year-old realtor told the Daily Mail. 'What I'd noticed in Korea and Japan was that people were politely in line waiting. And it moved efficiently.' She filmed her entire experience inside the large two-story store and uploaded it to Facebook, including a video of the family riding an escalator with their shopping cart. While exploring, they found plenty of familiar things, such as jeans and sweatshirts with Snoopy emblazoned on the front, and a person checking their receipt at the door. It was almost like they were home. Joy Yip and her family immediately went to Costco after landing in Japan in November They bought sushi and snacks and marveled at the local cuisine mixed with American favorites 'We don't know the community, but at least Costco is something familiar,' she told the Daily Mail. Costco also holds a special place in the family's hearts as Yip's husband has worked for the brand for 20 years. Before every trip, they see wear the nearly Costco is and have been them all over the US and also in Korea. Annette Kujak, alongside her husband Steve and their son, had also made the pilgrimage to the Chiba location just the month before. Their itinerary included seeing the ancient temples in Tokyo and visiting Osaka, but Kujak wasn't leaving the country without seeing the Costco store too. 'It ranks right up there with the temples,' the Minnesotan told the Wall Street Journal. Kujak and her family had to catch a train and travel 40 minutes to get to the store. While there, she stocked up on cosmetics, instant ramen, and snacks. Steve, on the other hand, had a very important question to answer: Is the hot dog the same? 'We thought it would be the same, but it was different,' he told WSJ. 'In the US, they grind it so fine. It was more chunky [in Japan].' Tommy Breaux and his husband, Danny Terrebonne, of Houston, have visited multiple international Costco locations, including in Melbourne, Australia, and Paris. Annette Kujak, alongside her husband Steve and their son, had also made the pilgrimage to the Chiba location just the month before. Kujak wasn't leaving the Asian country without seeing it They stocked up on ramen and cosmetics while there They also bought snacks from the cafeteria, including a hot dog that Steve said was different than the ones in the US In fact, Breaux would rather spend time getting to the outskirts of the French capital to visit the Costco store than stand in a long line to get into the Louvre, he told the outlet. 'The first thing we do is go to Costco to purchase wine,' he said. Like the Kujak family, the Houston couple drove 45 minutes to Villebon-sur-Yvette on the edge of Paris to visit the store. They were surprised to find American pancakes, which came in unrefrigerated bags, and apple pies among the selection of French cuisine. In Australia, they found chicken salt. The Daily Mail has reached out to the couples for comment. Costco currently has 13 stores in foreign markets, and the company plans to continue expanding its international reach. The United States has the most stores with 590, while Canada follows with 107, according to the supermarket, which lists 'bear spray' as a unique item found in American stores. Other countries Costco can be found in are: Mexico, Iceland, Sweden, the UK, Spain, China, Taiwan, South Korea, Japan and New Zealand. Tommy Breaux and his husband, Danny Terrebonne, of Houston, have visited multiple international Costco locations, including in Melbourne and Paris The couple were shocked to find American pancakes and apple pies on sale at the Paris store Your browser does not support iframes. Some unique items that can be found overseas include sea squirt in South Korea, feijoa fruit in New Zealand, and seafood salad in Spain. 'We still view ourselves as a growth company. We see exciting opportunities, both in existing markets and potential new markets where our model would be successful,' chief executive Craig Jelinek said. Costco's first international store opened in Canada in 1985, followed by Mexico in 1992. Locals are furious at plans to tear down an historic cotton mill and put a boring, bland replacement. The Cottonwood Paper Mill is on the National Register of Historic Places and has stood at the mouth of the Big Cottonwood Canyon in Utah for more than 100 years. However landowner Doug Shelby now wants to raze the landmark site, calling the mill 'an attractive nuisance, an imminent danger to public safety, and structurally unsalvageable.' Options pitched to replace it included a plaque, a digital project and a vague tribute in the town center. This sparked anger among locals who offered their thoughts at a public meeting on Wednesday. Alan Brown deemed the proposal a 'very sad day' for his community and said it signaled blatant disregard for a historic building. 'It means something to the city,' he added. The Cottonwood Paper Mill is on the National Register of Historic Places It has stood at the mouth of the Big Cottonwood Canyon in Utahfor more than 100 years Shawna Bland said that she lived next to the old mill and said the owners were responsible for the state of the building. 'They let it for years just become dilapidated,' she said. 'There was graffiti all over it.' Rehabilitating or preserving the mill was 'infeasible' and fiscally irresponsible, according to a 2022 review cited in the demolition application. The mill had no foundation, its walls could collapse and the building was deteriorating and hazardous. It was deemed unfit to use in 2005 after concerns were raised over earthquake building codes. A full overhaul could cost more than $45 million, per a further building report issued in 2024. Mike Young called the mill 'evidence of the lack of stewardship that the owners have given their property over decades.' He lives 1,028 feet from the historic site and said his son had just moved into a home down the street. 'We have much of our life savings invested and this is personal,' Young added. He said: 'The demolition of the old mill is an initial step in the future development of our canyon.' Some of the ideas proposed to replace the historic site included a plaque, a digital project and a tribute in the town center The Cottonwood Paper Mill was declared a historic site in 1966 by the Daughters of the Utah Pioneers The Cottonwood Heights Planning Commission met on Wednesday to hear demolition plans and take public comments regarding the old mill's future. Shelby has claimed the building's decline was not because of him or prior owners, but because 'the materials, design and original construction ensured the building would not last and could not be salvaged.' It was also claimed that the mill faced 'multiple incidents daily' of trespass and vandalism, as it was a 'popular' location for 'breakins.' Dan Hammer, an attorney representing Shelby, said: 'I snuck over the fence when I was in high school and went there.' The mill's owner proposed three options to mitigate the 'environmental and cultural impacts' of tearing down the historic mill. The first option proposed was preserving elements of the mill which were not specified and incorporating them into the city's proposed center. Architects and engineers would be charged with choosing how to honor the mill. Another idea offered was a commemorative bronze plaque, which had been pitched by the Daughters of Utah Pioneers, made using blocks from the mill. Finally, the Cottonwood Heights Historic Society also volunteered to create a 'digital history' of the mill. 'This initiative would document the mill's history for future generations,' Shelby's application said. Local resident Alan Brown called the demolition proposal a 'very sad day' and said it signaled blatant disregard for the iconic mill The mill started as a papermaking operation that created jobs for locals but has been vacant for years. It was declared a historic site in 1966 by the Daughters of the Utah Pioneers. The proposal did not make any mention of what would stand in place of the mill site. 'I want to see it reused and revitalized so it can be part of the community, instead of something people just remember,' Robyn TaylorGranada told ABC4. Even though the site has been empty for years, some still see the mill as an 'anchor point' for the Utah town. 'If you now start to look at all the developments that's been happening around this historic structure, that identity has expanded beyond that,' Brandy Strand, the executive director of Preservation Utah, told Building Salt Lake. She said the mill did not have to be 'completely restored to perfection' while still remaining useful. 'It can be adaptively reused to what we need that parcel to be,' she said. The planning commission will continue to discuss the future of the mill during its next public meeting on March 4. The final decision will be made by the city council, but a required waiting period makes it so that at least one year would have to pass before tearing the historic site down. Sites placed on the National Register of Historic Places are not prevented from being demolished. Nebraska's Jobbers Canyon Historic District was listed in 1986 and largely demolished by 1989. Emmanuel Macron's 575 aviator sunglasses drove the shares of their maker almost 28% higher after his look during a speech at the annual World Economic Forum in Davos went viral online. The surge added around 3.1million (3.5 million) to the company's market capitalisation as fans rushed to buy the shades briefly crashing the firm's website. Memes, comments and speculation over Macron's appearance flooded social media, with countless references to the 1986 movie Top Gun starring Tom Cruise. The sunglasses were later identified as the Pacific S 01 model made by iVision Tech, which owns French high-end eyewear brand Henry Jullien. The glasses retail for 575 (659) on the company's website. This 'certainly created a wow effect on the stock', iVision Tech CEO Stefano Fulchir said. Macron's office later said the French president wore sunglasses during his indoor speech to protect his eyes due to a burst blood vessel, though it did not confirm the brand. Emmanuel Macron's 575 aviator sunglasses drove the shares of their maker almost 28% higher after his look during a speech at the annual World Economic Forum in Davos went viral online The surge added around 3.1million (3.5 million) to the company's market capitalisation as fans rushed to buy the shades briefly crashing the firm's website Memes, comments and speculation over Macron's appearance flooded social media, with countless references to the 1986 movie Top Gun starring Tom Cruise But Fulchir said he could clearly recognise the Henry Jullien glasses, adding that he had personally sent the model to Macron in 2024. The Milan-listed shares rose nearly 6% on Wednesday, after having been up almost 28% at one point earlier in the day, before being automatically halted from trading. They briefly resumed trading around 11:15 GMT on Thursday before being halted again, and were on track for their highest one-day jump on record. Even US President Donald Trump commented on the shades, quipping 'I watched him yesterday with those beautiful sunglasses. What the hell happened?' during his own speech at the annual meeting in Davos on Wednesday. Sporting aviator sunglasses to hide an eye condition, Macron told Davos officials the world was facing 'a shift towards a world without rules', warning that international law was being 'trampled underfoot'. He later criticised what he called 'imperial ambitions' and said Europe should not hesitate to deploy tools at its disposal to protect its interests amid rising trade threats from the US. Macron also denounced US competition seeking to 'subordinate Europe' and described threatened tariffs as 'fundamentally unacceptable', particularly when used as leverage over territorial sovereignty. Following his speech, the French president told reporters he did not plan to speak with his US counterpart at the forum. An alleged rapist was jealous of a woman's friendship with Barron Trump and beat her up in a London flat while the President's son watched in horror on FaceTime, a court heard today. Barron told British police that he is 'very close' to the woman who he met online - and she says Mr Trump saved her life by calling 999 from the US in January last year. Russian national Matvei Rumianstev, 22, was envious of the US President's son's relationship with the woman - and was 'upset' about their texting and her calling him 'sweetheart', jurors were told. He then flew into a rage when Barron tried to phone her, it was said. Rumianstev, a former MMA fighter, had answered a video call from Mr Trump on the womans phone, showed Barron her face then grabbed her hair and pushed her to the floor, shouting you are not worth anything, jurors heard. During the alleged attack, Rumiantsev called the woman a slut and a whore and kicked her in the stomach when she was on the floor next to the fridge, east London's Snaresbrook Crown Court heard. Rumiantsev is on trial accused of assault and two counts of rape, among other charges, against the alleged victim, who Mr Trump had met online. Donald Trump's youngest son, 19, had told detectives he was racing with adrenaline when he telephoned the UK emergency services to help his friend. Barron spoke directly with a 999 operator when he heard what he thought was a Russian national repeatedly punching his friend during a video call. He said: 'I just got a call from a girl I know. Shes getting beaten up. Its really an emergency, please'. Barron Trump phoned the City of London Police from the US and told a call handler: 'I just got a call from a girl I know. She's getting beaten up'. The man accused of raping the woman was 'upset' that she had been texting Barron Russian national Matvei Rumiantsev is accused of assault, actual bodily harm, two counts of rape, intentional strangulation and perverting the course of justice Sasha Wass KC, defending, has suggested that the womans accounts of the alleged attacks were untrue and fabricated. Rumiantsev started his evidence on Thursday afternoon, aided by a Russian interpreter. Ms Wass asked him how his knowledge of the relationship between Barron Trump and the complainant came about?', and he replied that he found out while with his alleged victim in Morocco. The woman later told police he was 'jealous' and 'controlling' about her friendships - yet he himself was still texting his ex-girlfriend. I tried to explain to her that I felt upset.. by her talking to Barron Trump,' Rumiantsev told the court about a previous row that led to the police being called. 'I was in no way controlling but I tried to make her understand that if she feels unwell seeing some messages Ive had with girls from back ten years ago, she should maybe understand how I could feel when shes sat there at this moment texting someone else.' Ms Wass asked: Are you able to say she was actually texting (Barron Trump) at the time she was with you?' Yes, she was, Rumiantsev replied. He was asked about messages he later sent to the complainant after an incident which led to police being called and the complainant telling officers he had broken her air fryer. Rumiantsev confirmed that one message could be translated as: 'You started calling him sweetheart, I felt so unwell. Ms Wass asked: Who were you referring to as far as "him" was concerned?' Rumiantsev replied: I was referring to Barron Trump.' Ms Wass asked: Was there any discussion that you remember about Barron Trump on that evening on November 3? Rumiantsev replied: Yes I can remember.' Ms Wass asked him: And how long did it come about that the topic of Barron Trump was introduced to the conversation - who raised it? The Russian said: She raised it. She just started showing me her conversations with him, commenting on that. Ms Wass asked: So she showed you her telephone conversations and she was able to see conversations you had on your telephone? Yes, he replied. Police attended his home in Poplar, east London, in the early hours of January 18, 2025, following two 999 calls from the alleged victim and one from Mr Trump. The woman told officers that she had been slapped, punched, kicked and strangled. Barron reached the UK police from the US after he video-called the alleged victim and said he saw her being attacked. He later told the police that he is 'very close' to an alleged rape victim, a court in east London heard today. 'This individual was giving her difficulty for a long time', he also said. The alleged victim told police who visited her flat on March 11 last year that Rumiantsev 'used to make her drink until intoxicated and do sexual acts with her. In a prepared statement two days later Rumiantsev said he had never had sex with (the complainant) at a time I did not have reasonable belief in consent'. He added: The lack of specificity as to date and time of the allegations makes it impossible for me to guess which occurrence of sex she is referring to. In his statement the Russian also noted that Barron Trump refuses to provide a statement in respect of the incident in January 2025 and said he would exercise (his) legal right to silence and answer no comment to any questions you may ask of me'. Barron's father Donald at the Annual Meeting of the World Economic Forum (WEF), in Davos today Jurors were shown photos of the complainant's injuries including bruising to the right side of the eye, a bruise to the right jawline and a bruise to the right thigh. Barron told police he was racing with adrenaline when he witnessed a woman being beaten up during the FaceTime call. Jurors were played a recording of the conversation, in which he gave the woman's address, then added: 'It's really an emergency, please. I got a call from her with a guy beating her up. Barron told the call handler he knew the woman through social media, after being ticked off by the operator for refusing to answer questions. He apologised at the end of the call for being 'rude'. The court heard Mr Trump called the alleged victim, who cannot be named for legal reasons, last January 18. Shortly afterwards he spoke to police in London after he believed she was being assaulted, the court heard, and a transcript of the call was released by the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS). 'Oh I'm calling from the US, uh I just got a call from a girl, you know, she's getting beat up,' the transcript said Mr Trump told City of London Police in the call. 'This was happening about eight minutes ago. I just figured out how to, how to call someone. Uh, uh it's really an emergency.' In the call, Mr Trump said he met the alleged victim on social media. The transcript said Mr Trump said 'I don't think these details matter, she's getting hurt', when the City of London operator questioned him about how he came by the information. 'Can you stop being rude and actually answer my questions,' the operator said. 'If you want to help the person, you'll answer my questions clearly and precisely, thank you.' The court heard that police in London investigating the allegations asked if Mr Trump would be willing to provide a witness statement. In a reply email the US president's son wrote that what he saw was 'very brief indeed but indeed prevalent'. 'I didn't expect her to pick up due to the time difference,' the email from May 2 said, jurors heard. 'The phone was picked up. 'The individual who answered was a shirtless man with darkish hair. This view lasted maybe one second... then the view flipped to the victim.' The court heard the email continued: 'I made two of my friends call the Met Police in the UK, even though they are in the US. 'As per evidence I do not have any, I was told by the victim who I am very close with, that this individual was giving her difficulty for a long time.' Jurors heard that police replied to the email from Mr Trump and did not receive a response to that or to a follow-up email sent on July 1. Barron has been credited as having raised the alarm, during Rumiantsev's ongoing trial at Snaresbrook Crown Court. The call was made at 2.23am on January 18 last year. The six-foot-seven college student is Trump's fifth child, and the President's only child with his wife, Melania. Bodycam footage from police at the scene showed the woman telling officers: 'I am friends with Barron Trump, Donald Trump's son.' One of the officers can then be heard telling a colleague: 'So apparently this informant from America is likely to be Donald Trump's son.' The woman is then asked to call Barron back, and the American explains to officers that he could see her crying and being struck during the FaceTime call. 'I called you guys that was the best thing I could do. I wasn't going to call back and threaten things to him because that would just make the situation worse,' he told the officers. Giving evidence, the woman said: 'He [Barron Trump] helped save my life. That call was like a sign from God at that moment.' Rumiantsev, who wore a blue suit and white shirt in the dock, denies assault, actual bodily harm, two counts of rape, intentional strangulation and perverting the course of justice by pressuring the woman to withdraw her complaints. The trial continues. President Donald Trump's $400 million Qatari-donated Air Force One is expected to be ready for summer. The Wall Street Journal reported Wednesday on the timeline, suggesting that the new plane could be part of the America250 celebration marking the nation's birthday. Trump has been insistent about Air Force One getting a red, white and blue color scheme, which would more closely resemble the so-called 'Trump Force One,' the president's private plane that he used for campaigning. In a statement to the Journal, the Air Force said that it 'remains committed to expediting delivery of the VC-25 bridge aircraft in support of the Presidential airlift mission, with an anticipated delivery no later than summer 2026.' White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt joked Tuesday night that the Qatari jet was looking 'much better' after the president and his entourage were forced to return to Joint Base Andrews after an hour in the air and change planes. The White House said one of the larger Air Force Ones, which was supposed to fly the president to Zurich, Switzerland, had a 'minor electrical issue,' forcing the 747 to turn around somewhere over New York. The two 747-200s that are used as Air Force One - only the plane's call sign when the president is on board - date back to 1990 and 1991. The president was then forced to fly abroad in the smaller C-32, the style of plane more commonly used by the vice president or first lady. The Wall Street Journal reported Wednesday that President Donald Trump's Qatari-donated Air Force One will be ready by summer. Trump has long pushed for a red, white and blue design, a departure from the 'Jackie Kennedy blue' livery used on the fleet now President Donald Trump disembarks from Air Force One Wednesday in Zurich, Switzerland. Trump's trip to the World Economic Forum was delayed after one of the larger Air Force One planes had a 'minor electrical issue' shortly after takeoff Tuesday night Half those on board had to fly to Switzerland in a second, support plane. 'The minor mechanical issue proves President Trump is right, and the new Air Force One will be a welcome donation to the United States Air Force, not just for the President, but for the entire AF1 crew,' Leavitt told the Journal in a statement. Trump had aimed to have the two 747-200s replaced during his first term in office, inking a deal with Boeing to do so - and to do so more cheaply. He pushed for the red, white and blue color scheme then, often showing visitors to the Oval Office a model of the Trump Air Force One. The planes weren't completed by the end of his term. When President Joe Biden came into office he had the livery design changed back to the traditional blue and white, created by industrial designer Raymond Loewy at the behest of First Lady Jacqueline Kennedy. The planes were still not completed by the end of Biden's term. When Trump returned to office last January, he came up with a new plan to get his desired design. The smaller Air Force One is seen flying above Zurich, Switzerland. President Donald Trump had made a point to get new Air Force Ones since his first term, but those Boeing planes have yet to be delivered President Donald Trump was forced to fly to Zurich, Switzerland this week on the smaller C-32 Air Force One (pictured) after one of the larger 1990s era Air Force Ones suffered from a 'minor electrical issue,' the White House said Just weeks into his second term, Trump toured a luxury Boeing 747-8 that had been used by the Qatari royal family and described as a 'flying palace.' It was parked at the West Palm Beach International Airport, the airport Trump uses when he travels to Mar-a-Lago. The Qatari government ended up gifting that plane, valued at $400 million, to the Department of Defense, much to the chagrin of ethics experts. And Trump will get to keep that plane after he leaves office. In an unusual arrangement, the Trump Air Force One will go to the president's library, which is slated to be built in downtown Miami, Florida. Former Special Counsel Jack Smith is testifying before the US House Judiciary Committee on Thursday, excoriating President Donald Trump for his conduct after the 2020 election in his opening statement. Smith said Trump 'engaged in a criminal scheme to overturn the results and prevent the lawful transfer of power,' instead of accepting his loss in the 2020 presidential election.' Smith then continued to further detail how he believes Trump did so. Per Smith, Trump pressured state officials to ignore true vote counts, manufactured fraudulent elector slates in seven states he lost, and attempted to force Vice President Mike Pence to not certify the election. Smith was the independent special prosecutor who investigated Trump under President Joe Biden's Attorney General Merrick Garland. He pursued two cases: one examining Trump's conduct surrounding the January 6, 2021 Capitol incident, the other involving alleged mishandling of classified documents. After Trump took office, the new Office of Special Counsel launched an investigation into Smith, suspecting his Trump probes were politically motivated. Ahead of Smith's opening remarks, Republican House Judiciary Chairman Jim Jordan and Ranking Member Jamie Raskin traded jabs and defenses of Smith and Trump, respectively. Former Special Counsel Jack Smith prepares to testify during a hearing before the House Judiciary Committee in the Rayburn House Office Building on Capitol Hill on January 22, 2026 in Washington, DC. Smith testified on his team's federal criminal investigations into President Donald Trump, which included 2020 election interference and classified documents U.S. President Donald Trump speaks during a signing ceremony for the 'Board of Peace' at the World Economic Forum (WEF) on January 22, 2026 Raskin argued Thursday that Smith 'pursued the facts' and acted based on facts, not like Trump, who acted then and continues to act based on a 'political vendetta.' Jordan, however, attacked Smith's record, arguing that 'it was always about politics' for him. Smith is pushing back on Thursday that politics has never driven his work. 'Adherence to the rule of law is not a partisan concept or endeavor. The Justice Department's core values, and the traditions and norms I was raised on as a prosecutor, are not meant to change from one administration to the next,' Smith says. 'After nearly 30 years of public service, including in international settings, I have seen how the rule of law can erode. My fear is that we have seen the rule of law function in this country for so long that many of us have come to take it for granted,' he adds in his opening statement. Smith moved to drop both cases after Trump's election victory in November, citing longstanding Justice Department policy against prosecuting a sitting president. The January 6 case was dismissed without prejudice, meaning charges could theoretically be refiled after Trump leaves office. However, the classified documents casewhich also named Trump co-defendants Walt Nauta and Carlos De Oliveiraproved more complicated, as Trump's allies fought to have the entire case thrown out with prejudice, which would permanently bar future prosecution. Smith resigned from the Justice Department before Trump's inauguration, but not before filing a final report defending his investigations. An Italian firm has been accused of turning layoffs into a real-life version of Squid Game after sending staff a questionnaire asking them to name colleagues who should be sacked. The form, circulated shortly before Christmas, asked employees at Bluergo to decide 'which of your colleagues would you send home?', triggering outrage among workers and trade unions. Staff at the Veneto-based electrical components maker were told to select colleagues based on criteria including who was the youngest, who worked part-time, who had no family to support - or who they felt simply 'didn't cut the mustard', local media reported. Workers were required to provide the full name and surname of those they believed should lose their jobs, prompting employees to refuse to complete the form and lodge protests, according to reports. Management at Bluergo later insisted the controversial questionnaire was not intended to single out individuals, but was instead a 'listening tool' designed to gauge morale during a period of economic difficulty. Company bosses said the market was in crisis and claimed the survey was aimed at preventing layoffs, rather than encouraging them - a justification that did little to calm the anger it sparked. The metal workers' union FIOM-CGIL's Treviso branch condemned the move, saying it turned an already 'dramatic' situation into a 'cruel game' that pitted colleagues against one another. An Italian firm has been accused of turning layoffs into a real-life version of Squid Game (pictured) after sending staff a questionnaire asking them to name colleagues who should be sacked The form, circulated shortly before Christmas, asked employees at Bluergo (pictured) to decide 'which of your colleagues would you send home?', triggering outrage among workers and trade unions Workers were required to provide the full name and surname of those they believed should lose their jobs, prompting employees to refuse to complete the form and lodge protests, according to reports (stock image) In a blistering statement, the union said the form was an 'attack on workers' dignity' and an unacceptable attempt to shift responsibility for sackings onto employees themselves. It added: 'It's unacceptable; in a context of true responsibility, corporate decisions of this kind must be governed seriously and with the involvement of those who represent the workers, representing their collective and individual interests, not just the opinions of a specific circumstance. 'Furthermore, the requirement to provide their full name amplifies the psychological pressure on each individual employee, transforming an already tense work environment into a battlefield.' The General Secretary of the Treviso branch of the FIOM, Manuel Moretto, said: 'What we are witnessing is not only a lack of respect for workers, but an attempt to disintegrate the social fabric of a company. 'In a time of difficulty, unity should be the answer, not division. 'These methods don't even represent democratic consultation. We will not allow workers to be forced to play this humiliating game.' The man leading Customs and Border Protection faced an aggressive plot by Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem trying to force him out of the role, a new report claims. Noem and her close ally Corey Lewandowski, a special government employee at DHS, waged a war against CBP Commissioner Rodney Scott over disagreements over how to reach President Donald Trump's lofty deportation goals. Eight sources told the Washington Examiner that Noem and Lewandowski tried to usher Scott towards exiting the agency and two people described their tactics as 'evil.' The campaign, they say, was meant to make Scott feel so uncomfortable at work that he would want to resign. But the results, sources claim, ended up negatively impacting families of some senior CBP staff. Noem and Lewandowski chose to go after Scott's inner circle as a way to interfere with his work and ultimately drive him out, the sources told the Examiner. 'The most evil was when they attacked other people in retaliation to get to [Scott],' the first person said. 'Corey Lewandowski said that he wanted to make it as tough on these people as possible, their families, their children, everybody.' This rift is just one in a long list of reported turf wars between leaders at the department heading Trump's ambitious immigration goals, which fell short of his desired 1 million deportations in the first year back in office. Multiple reports emerged last year detailing Noem's outright mutual disdain for Trump's so-called border czar Tom Homan who, like Scott, is a decades-long veteran immigration official. DHS and the White House pushed back on claims of infighting at the time. Government sources have told the Daily Mail that much of the internecine warfare comes from officials wanting to float to Trump any policy agenda wins as their own doing. While Noem leads DHS, she does not have the authority to fire Scott. That's something only the president can do. A new report cites eight sources claiming that DHS Secretary Kristi Noem and her ally Corey Lewandowski deployed tactics trying to force CBP Commissioner Rodney Scott (pictured) to resign One source described Noem (left) and Lewandowski's (right) tactics to push out Scott as 'evil'. Another said that the feud stems from Scott thinking Lewandowski's leadership is irrelevant because his special government employee status has expired but he's remained in the role The White House did not say whether Trump maintains confidence in Scott, but wrote in a statement to the Daily Mail that '[t]he President's entire immigration and homeland security team including Secretary Noem and CBP Commissioner Rodney Scott are on the same page and have worked seamlessly together to deliver on the President's agenda.' Sources tell the Examiner that Noem and Lewandowski see Scott as a threat to their success at the Department of Homeland Security. Especially since the three-decade veteran federal agent has apparently voiced concerns about the way the duo approach immigrant law enforcement. '[Scott] asks questions or challenges them when they make decisions that they may not have knowledge of, or should I say, have no experience with,' one source described. Another said: 'This is supposed to be the time that we're supposed to be elbows to elbows and rising to the top with all the support that we have from the president, but now we have to deal with this BS instead of trying to really fix the immigration system.' A DHS spokesperson echoed the White House and said everyone within DHS is on 'the President's page' when it comes to the immigration agenda. 'Stephen Miller, Tom Homan, Todd Lyons, Corey Lewandowski, Rodney Scott, Gregory Bovino, and Mike Banks are patriots who wake up every day to make this country and its people safer,' the spokesperson added in a statement on the report. Scott, when reached for comment, was even less straightforward in downplaying the report. Instead, he boasted to the Daily Mail about the work DHS has done to make 'the most secure border in American history.' 'We are operating with the President's vision and innovative and efficient execution not the old ways. We are all working to implement the President's agenda,' he said. It seems the issues between Scott and DHS leadership stems from the CBP Commissioner taking issue with Lewandowski working beyond his 130-day cap as a special government employee (SGE). Sources claim that this made Scott feel that any instructions he gave to Lewandowski were irrelevant. DHS insiders confirm to the Daily Mail that Lewandowski remains highly involved in daily operations, even though since he began his tenure in February 2025, his SGE status should have expired months ago. On October 1, 2025, lead DHS spokeswoman Tricia McLaughlin told the Daily Mail that Lewandowski had '60 something' days left in his contract, which at the very least means his SGE was over at the end of November. Lewandowski, however, has remained in his role for a year now. Another said that Scott didn't like Noem's vision for having Border Patrol help in ICE operations since the two agencies within DHS have different missions The Examiner report notes that sources say Scott pushed back on Noem and Lewandowski's vision for how the Border Patrol could help Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). Scott was worried about optics since CBP and ICE have different missions and he felt it could have negative impacts on his Border Patrol agents if they assisted in ICE operations. 'Noem and Lewandowski see people like Rodney Scott, Tom Homan, and Todd Lyons as threats because they carry institutional credibility that doesn't depend on proximity to power or press,' one source claimed. A month into 2026 and DHS already lost its Deputy Director of ICE Madison Sheahan, who the Daily Mail first reported is leaving to launch a bid for Congress in her home state of Ohio. Despite the 28-year-old's glowing farewell email obtained by the Daily Mail the departure comes during a turbulent time for the agency. Donald Trump's Board of Peace logo bears a striking resemblance to the United Nations emblem, but eagle-eyed viewers have spotted one big difference. During a signing ceremony in Davos, Switzerland, on Thursday, the US President launched the new board - a body for resolving international conflicts with a $1billion price tag for permanent membership. But social media users across the globe have pointed out that the golden logo Trump has used on his Board of Peace (BoP) branding looks noticeably similar to the UN's. Like the UN emblem, the BoP logo features a centered globe flanked by olive branches on either side. Trump's logo, however, has been dipped in gold, and the globe has reduced to depict only North America - the UN emblem is centered on the North Pole to show the whole world. Dozens of internet users have flooded social media, taunting the new design. 'Trumps "Board of Peace" logo is basically the UN logo, except dipped in gold and edited so the world only includes America,' one said. 'The logo of Trump's "Peace Council," which the mob boss dreams is meant to replace the United Nations, inexplicably only depicts America,' another said. 'The board of peace logo includes the exact borders for the North American technate,' a third X user pointed out. Like the UN emblem, Trump's Board of Peace logo features a centered globe flanked by olive branches on either side The UN emblem is centered on the North Pole to show the whole world A fourth noticed that the 'Board of Peace logo is highly resembling with UN logo... But.... World map in Board of Peace is limited to America, and coloured Golden.... SYMBOLIC: USA to lead American Region only. Gold will overtake Dollar as Reserve Currency. UN to become redundant'. 'The Board of Peace" logo is the UN logo but dipped in gold and edited so the world only includes America with a shield implying U.S protection. Coincidence Or replacement? You tell me,' another wrote. The board, which Trump officially launched on Thursday, was originally conceived to oversee the rebuilding of Gaza after Israels two-year genocidal war on the Strip. But it appears the board, whose 11-page charter does not mention Gaza once, has morphed into something far more ambitious, with the US leader saying it may extend its work to other global crises, a role traditionally performed by the United Nations. 'Once this board is completely formed, we can do pretty much whatever we want to do,' Trump claimed on stage at the World Economic Forum (WEF), before signing documents formally establishing the initiative, surrounded by other members, including the leaders of Argentina, Azerbaijan, Indonesia, Bahrain, and Morocco. Some fear the Board of Peace will undermine the UN. Trump appeared to touch on those concerns in his opening remarks at the ceremony, saying the initiative would 'work with many others, including the United Nations', also listing other important diplomatic issues around the region and worldwide. 'Ive always said the United Nations has got tremendous potential, has not used it,' Trump said. He praised the work of US officials involved in the project for their efforts in establishing a ceasefire in Gaza. 'We have peace in the Middle East; nobody thought that was possible.' He added that the board was going to be 'very successful in Gaza', and 'we can spread out to other things as we succeed with Gaza'. Around 60 nations have been invited to join the Board of Peace, with some 35 agreeing to join so far, a senior Trump administration official said. Trump will be the inaugural chairman of the board - a position he can hold for life, under the plans. President Donald Trump holds the charter during a signing ceremony on his Board of Peace initiative at the Annual Meeting of the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, Thursday, Jan. 22, 2026 The board, which Trump officially launched on Thursday, was originally conceived to oversee the rebuilding of Gaza after Israels two-year genocidal war on the Strip Those signed up include Middle East allies such as Israel, Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain, Jordan, Qatar, and Egypt 'We have a lot of great people that want to join,' Trump said on Wednesday as he stood next to Egyptian President Abdel-Fattah el Sissi. 'It's going to be the most prestigious board ever formed.' Trump has claimed 'every country' wants to join, despite notable snubs by US allies including the UK, France, and Canada. Those signed up include Middle East allies such as Israel, Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain, Jordan, Qatar, and Egypt. Others include NATO members Turkey and Hungary, whose leaders have good ties with Mr Trump; as well as Armenia and Azerbaijan, which reached a US-brokered peace agreement last year. Morocco, Pakistan, Indonesia, Kosovo, Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan, Paraguay, and Vietnam have also agreed to take part. More controversially, Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko has accepted an invitation. The new body is taking shape in the aftermath of US military strikes on Venezuela and the president's threats to take control of Greenland and intervene in Iran. Trump first proposed the idea in September when he announced his plan to end the war in Gaza. He has since said that its remit will be expanded beyond Gaza to tackle other global conflicts and promote peace around the world. The Board of Peace's charter reportedly says its chairman, Trump, will have extensive executive power, including the ability to veto decisions and remove members, subject to some constraints. The White House has picked Secretary of State Marco Rubio, special envoy Steve Witkoff, and Trump's son-in-law Jared Kushner, as well as former British Prime Minister Tony Blair, as members of the initiative's founding executive board. Questions about what the Board of Peace's remit will be, and how it will work, remain, causing some nations to hesitate in responding to invitations. Others have raised questions about why Russia's President Vladimir Putin and other authoritarian leaders had even been invited to join. A blind student who fell onto tracks at a busy railway station after an assistant failed to meet him at the platform has been handed 18,000 in compensation. Abdul Eneser, 23, injured his knees, hands and neck and suffers from ongoing anxiety after the incident at Manchester Piccadilly in May 2022. He managed to pull himself back onto the platform just 60 seconds before a non-stop freight train passed over the tracks. The masters law student at the University of Strathclyde had booked Passenger Assist in advance. However when he arrived by train at the station at midnight on a later service than planned, due to missing a connection at Preston because of delays, and he was told all Passenger Assist staff had gone home. This was despite Avanti West Coast staff at Preston telling him they would radio through to Manchester Piccadilly to tell them he was on the train. Mr Eneser tried to find the steps to leave the station but stumbled onto the tracks. The law firm Leigh Day launched court proceedings against Network Rail under the 2010 Equality Act and the Occupiers Liability Act 1957, for failing to install tactile paving at the station. Abdul Eneser, 23, injured his knees, hands and neck and suffers from ongoing anxiety after he fell onto the tracks at Manchester Piccadilly in May 2022 Pictured: Manchester Piccadilly station. Mr Eneser had been told that someone would meet him at the station to assist him. However when he arrived at the station no one was there This paving is used to warn blind and visually impaired people they are approaching a hazard such as a platform edge, often by using raised studs. Network Rail did not admit liability but agreed to pay Mr Eneser 18,000 inb compensation. Mr Eneser said: 'This case is about much more than compensation. 'Poor accessibility in rail travel is not just a one-off issue. 'This is something that prevents myself and others with visual impairments from travelling with confidence. 'I'm not always sure that I'll be met with the right level of support to complete my journeys. 'At the best of times, it makes travel stressful, and in the worst-case scenario it can be really dangerous.' Leigh Day senior associate solicitor Kate Egerton said: 'Network Rail and train operators have a clear obligation to ensure that train stations are accessible for all. Mr Eneser managed to pull himself back onto the platform just 60 seconds before a non-stop freight train passed through 'Not only is it distressing for passengers with visual impairments to try to navigate inaccessible platforms and services, it is also extremely dangerous. 'Whilst I am pleased that we were able to secure this settlement for Abdul, his case and continued experiences highlight wider accessibility issues across the rail network that need to be addressed.' A Network Rail spokesperson said: 'We are extremely sorry for the experience Abdul Eneser suffered at Manchester Piccadilly. 'We let him down and have offered him our full and unreserved apology. 'We recognise that there is much to do to make the railway more accessible for all and are working closely with industry partners to deliver these improvements across the rail network as quickly as we can.' In July last year, the Department for Transport said the roll out of tactile paving across all railway stations in Britain had been completed. This followed the death of blind charity worker Cleveland Gervais, 53, who fell from a platform at Eden Park station in Beckenham, south-east London - which had no tactile paving - in February 2020 and was struck by a train. Three protesters linked to the storming of a Minnesota church where a controversial ICE agent serves as pastor have been arrested. Attorney General Pam Bondi announced Thursday that Nekima Levy Armstrong and Chauntyll Louisa Allen had been taken into custody. FBI Director Kash Patel later said that a third protester, William Kelly, had also been detained. They are each accused of being among those at the anti-Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) demonstration at Cities Church in St Paul on Monday. The insurrection was also attended by former CNN star Don Lemon, who said it was his 'First Amendment right' to storm the place of worship. Allen has been charged with conspiracy to deprive rights, according to Fox News. Charges against Armstrong and Kelly have not been released. Bondi said Armstrong, who leads one of the groups behind the protest, 'allegedly played a key role in organizing the coordinated attack' on the church. Armstrong was seen speaking with Lemon at the demonstration, accusing the church of 'harboring' an ICE agent, pastor David Easterwood. 'This will not stand, they cannot pretend to be a house of God, while harboring someone who is commanding ICE agents to terrorize our communities,' she said. Two protesters linked to the storming of a Minnesota church where an ICE agent allegedly serves as pastor have been arrested. They include Nekima Levy Armstrong (pictured) Chauntyll Louisa Allen (pictured) was also taken into custody on Thursday, AG Bondi said Attorney General Pam Bondi announced Thursday that Nekima Levy Armstrong and Chauntyll Louisa Allen had been taken into custody over the protest in St Paul, Minnesota Easterwood serves as the acting director of the St Paul ICE field office, and he has defended the agency's heavy-handed tactics. The demonstration was coordinated by groups including Racial Justice Network, Black Lives Matter Minnesota, and Black Lives Matter Twin Cities. Armstrong leads Racial Justice Network, a local grassroots civil rights organization. She condemned the actions of ICE agents, such as the recent killing of Renee Nicole Good in Minneapolis, as 'barbaric', adding that it was 'almost unfathomable' that a senior official from the federal agency also serves as a pastor in the same city. Armstrong was shown on Don Lemon's social media accounts as he excitedly broadcast the protest. At one point he kissed Armstrong on the cheek. The protest was livestreamed on social media, and footage showed demonstrators chanting 'ICE out!', 'Hands up, don't shoot!' and 'Justice for Renee Good'. Kelly, an army veteran, made a speech during the church protest slamming ICE. 'What they're doing to this nation is unconstitutional, it is inhumane, it is treason, it is disgusting,' he said. 'ICE is the complete opposite of Christianity. You cannot be an ICE agent and be a pastor, that is a white supremacist church as long as that pastor is allowed to preach there.' Easterwood was not present in the church during the demo, but the pastor leading the service, Jonathan Parnell, condemned the protest as 'absolutely shameful'. 'No one is willing to talk. I have to take care of my church and my family,' he told demonstrators, before asking Lemon to leave. Easterwood, a pastor at Cities Church in St. Paul, was branded a 'wolf in sheeps clothing, masquerading as a pastor' by anti-ICE protesters who targeted his church David Easterwood (center left), who works as both a pastor at Cities Church in St. Paul and an ICE field office director, is seen alongside Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem at a press conference in October. This week, his church was targeted by anti-ICE protests Kristi Noem has also confirmed Armstrong's arrest in an X post. The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) boss shared a photograph of the activist looking downcast as she was escorted into custody wearing handcuffs. 'Religious freedom is the bedrock of the United States - there is no first amendment right to obstruct someone from practicing their religion,' Noem wrote. The Trump administration has given fewer details about Allen, but she frequently posts about anti-ICE resources on her social media accounts. She serves as a Saint Paul School Board public official, according to her Facebook page. The Daily Mail has reached out to the Department of Justice (DOJ), DHS and ICE for information on whether any charges have been filed against Armstrong and Allen. Easterwood came to the attention of local campaign groups after he hit the headlines in recent months due to his work with ICE. He appeared alongside Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem in October, where he spoke of being 'proud' of leading the immigration crackdown in the town. Easterwood was also named as a defendant in a lawsuit seen by the Daily Mail brought by Minneapolis protesters who claimed that the aggressive tactics used by agents he oversees have violated their First Amendment rights to freedom of speech. Armstrong (pictured) was allegedly among those at the anti-ICE church protest in St Paul The Trump administration has given fewer details about Allen (pictured), but she frequently posts about anti-ICE resources on her social media accounts Pictured: The clash between protesters and church leaders at the Cities Church on Monday Protesters Susan Tincher, John Biestman, Janet Lee, Lucia Webb, Abdikadir Noor, and Alan Crenshaw launched the suit against several senior immigration officials including Noem and ICE acting director Todd Lyons along with Easterwood. Tincher claims in the suit that she was aggressively shoved to the ground and handcuffed for simply asking 'are you ICE?' to one agent who was patrolling her neighborhood on December 9. The lawsuit accuses ICE agents of 'unleashing violence against protesters' including 'exploding tear gas canisters, pepper-ball rifles, flash-bang grenades, impact munitions and even snatch-and-grab tactics'. Easterwood hit back against the suit, saying that his officers 'only use force that is necessary and reasonable based on the totality of the circumstances'. He added that agents were experiencing increased threats and aggression, so crowd control devices like flash-bang grenades were needed to protect officers. Easterwood testified that he was unaware of agents 'knowingly targeting or retaliating against peaceful protesters or legal observers with less lethal munitions and/or crowd control devices.' In response to the church demo, US Department of Justice Assistant Attorney General Harmeet Dhillon said she is investigating alleged violations 'by these people desecrating a house of worship and interfering with Christian worshippers.' 'A house of worship is not a public forum for your protest! It is a space protected from exactly such acts by federal criminal and civil laws!' she said on social media. Don Lemon is seen beaming on the day he joined anti-ICE protesters storming the church US Department of Justice Assistant Attorney General Harmeet Dhillon said her agency is investigating federal civil rights violations 'by these people desecrating a house of worship' Armstrong, who is also an ordained reverend, dismissed the DOJ investigation as a sham and a distraction from federal agents' actions in Minneapolis-St. Paul. 'When you think about the federal government unleashing barbaric ICE agents upon our community and all the harm that they have caused, to have someone serving as a pastor who oversees these ICE agents, is almost unfathomable to me,' she said. 'If people are more concerned about someone coming to a church on a Sunday and disrupting business as usual than they are about the atrocities that we are experiencing in our community, then they need to check their theology and the need to check their hearts.' A five-year-old girl and her grandpa have been killed after the side-by-side buggy they were riding in crashed through an icy pond. Ronnie and Eric Miles, 50, died on Wednesday in Westphalia Township, Michigan after their utility task vehicle (UTV) fell through the ice. Police rushed to the privately owned pond in the 9000 Block of Clintonia Road after getting reports that two people were stuck. The relatives were urgently pulled from the freezing water and rushed to a nearby hospital but they later died from their injuries. The grandpa and granddaughter were both from the Portland area, which is roughly 10 miles away. Investigations into the deaths are still ongoing, the sheriff's office said. Side-by-sides typically require at least eight to 10 inches of ice thickness to ride on. A GoFundMe has been set up in efforts to support the Ronnie's parents, Grace and Mason Daugherty, who have two other children. Grace, was also Eric's daughter. Ronnie, 5, and Eric Miles, 50, died on Wednesday in Westphalia Township, Michigan after their side-by-side fell through the ice of a pond Grace and Mason Daugherty lost their daughter in the tragedy. Eric was Grace's father and Mason's employer 'If you knew Ronnie you knew of her papa Eric,' the GoFundMe said. 'Now as Mason and Grace are left to grieve the lost of their beloved daughter they are also grieving a loss of a father.' 'Please help me in supporting Mason and Grace as Mason is the only income and they have two little boys to take care of while grieving and trying to financially figure out memorial costs.' The fundraiser at this time has raised nearly $5,000. Devastated social media users were heartbroken by the news of the catastrophe and shared their condolences online. One user wrote: 'Heartfelt condolences to the families and friends of the man and child. Thank you to all the First Responders and 911 Dispatchers.' Another added: 'Prayers for all involved. God, watch over them all as they are dealing with this tragedy.' Side-by-sides typically require at least eight to 10 inches of ice thickness to ride on (Stock Image) Police rushed to the scene in Westphalia Township, Michigan on Wednesday after getting reports of two people stuck in the pond (stock image) 'So heartbreaking! Sending our hugs, thoughts & prayers for the family, friends, loved ones, the Portland & PW Communities & the first responders,' another wrote. The Daily Mail has contacted the Clinton County Sheriff's Office for comment. In December of 2024, a two-year-old girl was horrifically killed after she fell off and was struck by a crowded side-by-side. Ellieana Mishoe, of Aiken, tragically died after she fell from the UTV (utility terrain vehicle), which had three other passengers, including another two-year-old, the South Carolina Highway Patrol said. 'The toddler appeared to have fallen off the vehicle and was ultimately run over by it,' a state trooper spokesperson told WMBF News. The harrowing accident happened around 5:15 pm on a dimly-lit Bay View Drive in Aiken, just 12 miles north of Loris. Ellieana's father, Woody Mishoe, has since shared an emotional tribute to his late daughter on social media, describing her as 'my world.' US envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner have arrived in Moscow for talks with Vladimir Putin, after Volodymyr Zelensky slammed the EU's 'lack of will' to deal with the Russian despot. The two Americans flew in to Vnukovo International Airport from Switzerland, where they met Ukrainian officials this week and President Donald Trump met Zelensky in Davos on Thursday. Russian media confirmed Putin is currently meeting with the two American representatives, though there was no confirmation on exactly what is being discussed in Moscow. It comes ahead of a planned meeting between Russia, the US and Ukraine in the United Arab Emirates on Friday. Zelensky, having earlier confirmed the trilateral meeting, said: 'Right now, our team is heading to the Emirates for meetings with both the American and Russian sides. We're waiting to see how it goes and will decide on the next steps.' He said that meetings would take place on Friday and Sunday. Today at Davos, he said he had a 'very good' meeting with Donald Trump, adding that a peace deal is nearly ready. But Zelensky also criticised Europe for what he described as a lack of 'political will' to deal with Putin. US envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner have tonight arrived in Moscow for talks with Russian President Vladimir Putin, amid talk of a peace deal being 'nearly, nearly ready' The meeting came ahead of planned talks between Russia, the US and Ukraine in the United Arab Emirates on Friday Zelensky and Trump said their meeting on Thursday regarding a peace deal was 'good' Speaking in Davos on Thursday, the Ukrainian president said discussions with Trump had been positive, adding: 'We spoke about documents and about air defence.' He added: 'I think this is the last mile.' The US President also commented on the talks, telling reporters the meeting was 'good,' but 'we'll see how it turns out' adding: 'This war has to end.' During his address at the World Economic Forum, Zelensky told the audience: 'We met with President Trump, and our teams are working almost every day. It's not simple. The documents aimed at ending this war are nearly, nearly ready. 'Ukraine is working with full honesty and determination and that brings results.' Accusing Europe of inaction over criminal investigations into Russia, Zelensky said: 'It's true many meetings have taken place, but still Europe hasn't reached even the point of having a home for the tribunal, with stuff and actual work happening inside. 'What's missing? Time or political will? Too often in Europe, something else is always more urgent than justice.' A plane carrying U.S. President Donald Trump's special envoy Steve Witkoff and son-in-law Jared Kushner stands on the tarmac upon the arrival at Vnukovo International Airport before a scheduled meeting with a Russian delegation in Moscow, Russia, January 22, 2026 During his address, Zelensky told the audience: 'We met with President Trump, and our teams are working almost every day' US envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner (left-right), pictured in Davos earlier today He told the crowd in Davos: 'Why can President Trump stop tankers from the shadow fleet and seize oil, when Europe doesn't? If Putin has no money, there is no war for Europe.' 'Russian oil is being transported right along European shores. That oil funds the war against Ukraine, that oil helps destabilise Europe. 'If Europe has money, then it can protect its people. Right now, those tankers are making money for Putin and that means Russia continues to push its sick agenda.' Zelensky said Europe needs a united armed forces to 'truly defend' it 'today'. 'Just last year here in Davos, I ended my speech with the words, "Europe needs to know how to defend itself". A year has passed and nothing has changed,' he said. 'We are still in a situation where I must say the same words.' Continuing the searing criticism of his European allies, Zelensky said Europe looked 'fragmented' and 'lost trying to convince the US president to change'. He continued: 'But he will not change. President Trump loves who he is, and he says he loves Europe, but he will not listen to this kind of Europe.' Calling for a different in mindset, Zelensky said: 'Instead of becoming a truly global power, Europe remains a beautiful but fragmented kaleidoscope of small and middle powers. Zelensky said Europe needs a united armed forces to 'truly defend' it 'today' A residential building damaged by a Russian strike in Kryvyi Rih, Ukraine, on Thursday 'When united we are truly invincible and Europe can and must be a global force, not one that reacts late, but one that defines the future.' He said Europe was yet to form a 'united position' on Donald Trump's Board of Peace and Greenland as examples of how it looks 'lost' while facing challenges from the US. Zelensky added that Ukraine needs security guarantees from the US to prevent Russia from invading again. While some European countries have committed to sending peacekeeping troops, the only way to stop Putin will be if the US is involved, he claimed. Zelensky has repeatedly hammered home the claim that Ukraine needs concrete security guarantees before any can be made on issues including control of territory. So far, the UK and France have committed to sending some troops to Ukraine in 'military hubs' in the event of a ceasefire. But Zelensky said: 'The UK and France are ready to actually commit their forces on the ground... But the backstop of President Trump is needed. 'And again, no security guarantees work without the US,' Zelensky said in his address. Zelensky said that Ukraine needs security guarantees from the US to prevent Russia from invading again Trilateral talks between Ukraine, Russia and US will start on Friday in the UAE, according to the Ukrainian leader. He suggested the idea was put forward by Washington during his speech on Thursday. Zelensky said: 'I hope that the Emirates know about it. Yes. Sometimes we have such surprises from our American side.' Witkoff himself has described the main sticking point between Russia and Ukraine, that of land ownership, as 'solvable.' Zelensky himself confirmed that many of issues in negotiations are 'all about the land' in eastern Ukraine, where Putin's forces have been steadily increasing their foothold. The husband of a Massachusetts mother accused of strangling her kids in a horrific 'postpartum psychotic break' is suing doctors for 'overmedicating' her. Lindsay Clancy, 35, is accused of murdering her three childrenCora, five, Dawson, three, and eight-month-old Callan back in January 2023. The mother-of-three has pleaded not guilty, with attorneys saying she was severely depressed and suffering from postpartum depression and psychosis. Clancy jumped out of the window of her home after the killings, seriously injuring herself and causing her to be paralyzed. Her husband, Patrick, filed a lawsuit Wednesday, accusing Lindsays doctors of 'misprescribing' a cocktail of 'powerful medications' that worsened her mental health. The lawsuit was filed against Dr Jennifer Tufts, nurse Rebecca Jollotta, Aster Mental Health Inc, and South Shore Health System. It details her interactions with medical providers and claims that overmedication and poor monitoring allegedly led to her childrens deaths. 'If [the doctors] had not acted negligently, and rather had provided adequate care, it is more likely than not that Patrick and Lindsay's children would still be alive today,' the lawsuit stated. Lindsay and Patrick Clancy posed with their children, her lawyers plans to pursue an insanity defense, saying she was suffering from post-partum depression and even psychosis caused by a cocktail of prescription drugs Lindsay's children Cora, 5; Dawson, 3; and Callan, eight months, who were allegedly strangled to death by their mother Lindsay Clancy listens to the Plymouth Superior Court proceedings on Tuesday, November 18, 2025, from Tewksbury Hospital From September 2022 to January 2023, Lindsay suffered from depression and was prescribed multiple psychiatric drugs including antidepressants, mood stabilizers, and benzodiazepines, per the suit. Her attorneys claim the meds caused paranoia, suicidal thoughts, and fear of being alone, with no lab work conducted after they were prescribed. The suit also claims she checked into Women & Infants Hospital for postpartum depression, where staff suspected her deteriorating mental health were caused by overmedication and misdiagnosis. Lindsay also checked into McLean Hospital, a psychiatric treatment facility, but discharged herself days later stating she didn't belong there, Daily Mail previously reported. Patricks lawsuit states that the day before the killings, his wife saw Dr Tufts for just 17 minutes, after which the doctor reported her psychiatric condition as 'unchanged.' 'Dr Tufts and Nurse Jollotta, and through them their employers Aster and South Shore Health, were aware that Lindsay was experiencing suicidal ideation and a critically deteriorating psychiatric condition while in their care and failed to take reasonable steps to properly treat her,' the suit stated. Prosecutors have argued that Lindsay knew what she was doing the night her children died and that the seven medications in her system would not have suddenly driven her to kill them. Patrick, Lindsay's husband, has forgiven her and filed a suit against her doctors. He is shown with the children, Cora, Dawson, and baby Callan The alleged murders happened on January 24, 2023, in their Duxbury , Massachusetts, home that she shared with her husband Patrick Lindsay was described as a loving mother who said she wanted to have more children, now prosecutors claim that she acted out of a premediated plan to strangle her children They previously countered that Clancy had been evaluated by mental health professionals and was not diagnosed with postpartum depression. They seek to prove that Clancy acted out of a premeditated plan to strangle her children with exercise bands, after sending her husband out to pick up food. After their deaths, she allegedly also cut her wrists and neck before the attempt to kill herself by jumping out of the second floor. Her husband Patrick Clancy was the first to find both his wife and the dead children, according to prosecutors. Lindsay's trial is now scheduled to start in July, and she is currently being held at Tewksbury State Hospital. Daily Mail reached out to Lindsay's lawyer, Aster Mental Health Inc, and South Shore Health System for comment. If you or someone you know needs help, please call or text the confidential 24/7 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline in the US on 988. There is also an online chat available at 988lifeline.org. Donald Trump's son Barron has won praise for his 'classy' response to a British 911 operator who said he was rude when he was trying to save his female friend's life. The President's youngest son, 19, called the cops after witnessing a savage attack on the woman in London last January, a trial in the UK heard on Wednesday. Matvei Rumiantsev, 22, allegedly flew into a jealous rage after learning that Barron had tried phoning her earlier that evening. He then called Trump's son back on FaceTime as he punched and strangled the woman, jurors heard. In Barron's frantic call to Britain's 999 emergency service, the operator grew frustrated with the President's son as he implored cops to rescue his 'close friend.' The operator said: 'Can you stop being rude and actually answer my questions. If you want to help the person, you'll answer my questions clearly and precisely, thank you. So how do you know her?' Barron, despite his alarm, told the operator: 'I'm so sorry for being rude.' The magnanimous response by the President's son, who did not reveal his identity during the call, was noted by social media users today. 'Class act by Barron,' wrote one user on X. 'Calm under pressure, smart enough not to escalate, and quick to get real help. Shows great character and solid upbringing. Respect.' Barron Trump with influencer Justin Waller (second from left), UFC fighter Colby Covington (far left), podcast host Patrick Bet-David (second from right) and Barron's best friend Bo Loudon Another likened the young Trump to the President, writing: 'Common sense, calm under pressure, finding a way to help and alert police, caring enough to try and prevent harm. Traits from his father and how he probably would have handled a problem. Good job, Barron.' A third stated: 'The operator who told Barron not to be rude, in my opinion, should lose their job. Completely incompetent response given the situation. Only acceptable strategy is to calm the caller.' The victim also praised Barron, telling jurors: 'He helped save my life. That call was like a sign from God at that moment.' Rumiantsev is on trial at London's Snaresbrook Crown Court for allegedly raping the woman on two occasions, assault, actual bodily harm and obstruction of justice. Police rushed to his home in Poplar, east London, in the early hours of January 18, 2025, after Barron called 999 at 2.23am. 'I'm calling from the US, uh I just got a call from a girl, you know, she's getting beat up,' Barron told the operator. Russian national Matvei Rumiantsev is accused of repeatedly punching Barron's female friend in a flat in London while President Trump's son was on a FaceTime call to her from the US 'This was happening about eight minutes ago. I just figured out how to, how to call someone. Uh, uh it's really an emergency.' The President's son had watched on FaceTime as Rumiantsev allegedly grabbed the woman by the hair and pushed her to the floor, shouting 'you are not worth anything.' Rumiantsev called the woman a 'slut' and a 'whore' and kicked her in the stomach when she was on the floor, jurors heard. The woman told officers she had been slapped, punched, kicked and strangled during the assault. She told cops that the Russian would deliberately get her drunk and have sex with her without consent. She said she had asked him why he did this to her and he responded: 'You never want to do this with me so I make you drink and do this to you.' In a later follow-up email with cops, Barron wrote: 'I was told by the victim, who I am very close with, that this individual was giving her difficulty for a long time.' Fascination surrounds Barron's role in saving the woman as he remains remarkably private despite being the son of the most famous man in the world. The six-foot-seven college student is Trump's fifth child, and the President's only child with his third wife, Melania. The young Trump told investigators that he met the girl 'on social media.' President-elect Donald Trump takes the oath of office as Barron Trump and Melania Trump look on during his second inauguration last year Melania has keenly guarded Barron's privacy ever since Trump's first term Barron broke up with an unidentified girlfriend in November, according to reports, and is currently single. His peers at New York University's Stern School of Business have previously told news outlets that he is a 'ladies man.' Melania has keenly guarded Barron's privacy ever since Trump's first term and sources close to the family often deny or downplay reports about his life. The vacuum of information has led to vicious gossip linking him to toxic influencers from the far-right 'incel' community. The New York Times last month reported that Andrew Tate fostered a relationship Barron to bolster his efforts to flee a sex trafficking investigation in Romania. Barron and Tate spoke over a Zoom call in 2024, according to mutual friend Justin Waller, who says he was also dialed in. Tate, who now lives in Florida, reportedly told Barron that the criminal charges were an attempt to silence him. The White House declined to comment. A gorgeous California beach town known for its whimsical charm and unique home names will now be forced to have house numbers over fears emergency responders struggle to reach its growing elderly population. Carmel-by-the-Sea, a coastal town near Monterey, has never had traditional addresses in its 109-year history. Instead, homes have quirky names such as Seashell and Jelly Haus. If they need a package to be dropped off or there is an emergency, residents have to tell first responders the street they live on, plus the cross streets, then describe their property. In a town where the median age is 69, this slowed ambulances, and town officials began to worry that responders would be unable to find the town's elderly residents in times of crisis. 'With over half of our residents age 65 or older, [and] no streetlamps, our aging population faces unacceptable risk during nighttime emergencies' Karen Ferlito, a former City Council member, told The Los Angeles Times. 'We cant wait for tragedy to force our hand.' Now, the town will soon be issuing street addresses to all homes in the one-mile town. The town of 3,200 could see the change as early as May, according to The Los Angeles Times. The charming area was once home to Doris Day and Clint Eastwood, who also served as its mayor in 1986. Carmel-by-the-Sea, a coastal town by Monterey, has never had traditional addresses in its 109-year history but that will soon be changing Homes have names, such as Seashell and Jelly Haus, instead of numbers. The town is still encouraging people to name their properties, but they will now have house number too Before the address change, those looking to reach City Hall were told to head to Monte Verde Street between Ocean and 7th Avenues. Soon, the address might be 662 Monte Verde Street. It will be the first time that Carmel-by-the-Sea will be in compliance with the California Fire Code, which requires the use of street addresses. However, residents will not have to lose their fairy tale-like home names, as officials are still encouraging them to continue the traditions. 'We just have to do this,' Nancy Twomey, a member of the Address Group, told The Times. The Address Group was formed last year to help research the implementation process. She said even the 'reluctant traditionalists' are starting to be on board with the new change. Residents will, however, still use the town's post office to receive most of their mail, as is tradition. The town will not implement mail delivery, even with street addresses. Some residents are celebrating the long overdue change, especially those who have to frustratingly explain to a delivery driver or a loan provider that they do live in a real place that does not have house numbers. Ferlito had to have her husband sit outside with a sign directing a delivery driver to their home after she ordered a watch that failed to show up after the first two delivery attempts. The median age of the one-mile town is 69 and officials worry the delay of first responders trying to find their homes could be dismal The map still has to be approved, but hose numbers could roll out by May 'My husband sat at the end of our driveway all day long,' she said during a meeting. Ferlito also remembered a man who came to city council meetings frequently to request street addresses so he could 'died peacefully at his house knowing that someone would find him if he was in trouble,' she recalled to The Times. Police Chief Paul Tomasi also relishes the change, saying the current system delays first responders. 'If you have a medical emergency or a fire and you need that service, youre essentially calling 911 twice, which slows the response,' he told The Times in 2024. For a police response, the town can dispatch an officer immediately, but for fire or medical, it goes to the Monterey County dispatcher, which slows things down as the person has to explain where they live to someone not nearly as familiar with the setup. Twomey used to be against the change, but after participating in the research, she saw the good that it would bring, she told SF Gate in October. 'There is no question that our dependencies on technology are increasing at a really high rate. And we cant kind of close ourselves to the world of the internet and all the advantages that some of those tools can bring to our security and the like,' she said. Council Member Hans Buder said at a meeting last year that the new system will alleviate a lot of frustrations for residents. The charming town was once home to Doris Day and Clint Eastwood, who also served as its mayor in 1986 The town still does not offer mail delivery. Residents will need to go to the post office '[The lack of addresses] just kind of turns these normal chores, like getting insurance or creating a business entity or registering for a Real ID, into, you know, a time-sucking odyssey of frustration,' he said. The street address proposition was unanimously approved earlier this month by the city council. The city still has to finalize the map, but addresses could roll out by late spring. A hiker tragically died alone while climbing a dangerous California mountain after their friend turned back because of the treacherous conditions. The Inyo County Search and Rescue (SAR) started searching for the unnamed hiker on Mount Whitney after a report came in on Monday stating they failed to return. The agency, which works under the authority of the local sheriff's office, said two hikers started climbing the tallest mountain in the contiguous United States around 11.30pm Saturday. By 3.30pm the following day, while near the 12,500ft elevation, one of the hikers turned around and descended after determining the conditions were too dangerous. The second person remained on the journey, ascending toward the summit, the SAR said in a Facebook post on Wednesday. But when that hiker failed to return the next morning, someone reported them to the Inyo County Sheriff's Office. The SAR immediately responded as six rescuers coordinated with the California Highway Patrol Inland Division helicopter out of Apple Valley to get to Mount Whitney. The chopper arrived by 2pm, and after an aerial and thorough search of the mountain, the hiker was located below the 'Final 400' stretch - a very steep chute along the route that is especially hard to navigate during the winter. A hiker tragically died after climbing California's Mount Whitney (pictured) all alone after their friend decided to turn back over treacherous conditions The person was pronounced dead at the scene and a second rescuer was flown in to assist with recovery operations. Fortunately, all rescuers returned home safely around 5.50pm Monday. The identity of the deceased hiker and their companion has not been released. The SAR stressed how dangerous Mount Whitney can be, as there have been multiple recent fatalities there and at California's Mount Baldy. For one, the agency said that trekking out to the mountains this time of year is not considered a hike, but 'serious mountaineering endeavors.' 'Winter conditions leave little margin for error, and the consequences can be severe. 'Additionally, many fatalities occur when individuals travel solo or when groups separate. If someone in your group expresses safety concerns, those concerns should be taken seriously,' officials said. The SAR also said that fatigue often affects a hiker's ability to explore safely. 'Extended periods of exertion negatively impact decision-making and increase the likelihood of missteps and falls. Knowing when to turn around can save lives,' they stated. The person was pronounced dead at the scene and a second rescuer was flown in to assist with recovery operations. The identity of the deceased hiker and their companion has not been released. (Pictured: File photo of hikers) The Daily Mail contacted the SAR for comment. The most recent death comes just about a month after an internet star was found dead after going missing while climbing the snowcapped peak. Joseph Brambila, 21, was reported missing on Mount Whitney on November 12, and police said a 'deceased individual' was uncovered in mid December. Brambila failed to return home after a birthday trip to Mount Whitney in the Sierra Nevada mountain range. Hiker Luis Buenrostro is believed to have been the last person to see the missing adventurer and YouTube star on the 14,500-foot peak. He told the Los Angeles Times he believed Brambila was planning to take a shortcut to save time by glissading down the slope, which may have caused his death. By glissading - sliding down steep snow or ice on their butts - hikers can safely shave an hour off a treacherous mountain descent, if done in the right spot. But the practice is fraught with potentially deadly dangers and remains one of the leading causes of serious injury and death among mountaineers, according to the American Alpine Institute. The recent death comes just a month after internet star Joseph Brambila, 21, was found dead during a hike up Mount Whitney Just the month before - during a season when the mountain is prone to sudden and severe blizzards - temperatures quickly plummeted, and Brambila reportedly planned to glissade to escape the cold. However, he was missing two key pieces of equipment - a helmet and ice axe - that could have mitigated some of the dangers of glissading, Buenrostro said. 'He said he was gonna be good, so I thought, he's gonna be good,' he told the LA Times. Brambila vanished and hikers later reported spotting a body on the broad slope descending from Trail Crest. 'He always said he loves to disconnect from the real world,' Darlene Molina, Brambila's girlfriend, told The Times. 'He just wanted to be out there and enjoy life,' she added. Ongoing tensions between the United States and Europe over Greenland could trigger another sharp drop in the number of tourists visiting Las Vegas, Sin City bosses fear. The gambling mecca has battled tanking visitor numbers for a year amid soaring prices and President Trump's threat to make Canada the 51st state, which kept vital Canadian dollars away from the city. And now its bosses worry Europeans could launch their own boycott over Trump's vow to snatch Greenland, which is an autonomous territory of Denmark. 'Any barrier to international visitation, whether geopolitical tension, policy uncertainty, or added entry barriers, might impact Las Vegas,' Steve Hill, the CEO of the Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority, told the Las Vegas Review-Journal. 'With major international events on the horizon that have the potential to attract a global audience, perceptions and ease of travel matter. Visitors respond to how welcome and seamless their experience feels.' He said visitors consider uncertainty in their decision to travel abroad, and it would be reasonable to assume international travelers 'could consider other destinations' due to the political unrest. On Thursday, Trump announced that the US will have 'total access' to Greenland as part of a new deal with NATO allies. 'There's no end, there's no time limit,' he told Fox Business. Vegas saw a 20 percent decline in visitors from Canada after Trump's comments about making it the 51st state. It also saw Canadian airline capacity dip 30 percent on trips to Vegas from Canadians - a fear tourism bosses believe could happen over with Europeans over Greenland Steve Hill, the CEO of the Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority, said if Europeans remain angry at the US for its Greenland push, the extra direct flights coming in April might not help increase tourism 'We're gonna have all military access that we want. We're going to be able to put what we need on Greenland because we want it. We're talking about national security and international security.' Another threat to the Vegas tourism industry is the tariffs Trump proposed on countries that don't back his acquisition of Greenland. Although the Republican has rolled back on it since the new deal was announced, the stock market took a significant dip, crashing on Tuesday over the tariff threat. It has since bounced back on Thursday. However, Vegas has yet to bounce back from the lack of Canadians. It saw a 20 percent decline in visitors from up North. It also saw Canadian airline capacity dip 30 percent on trips to Vegas. This totals around 217,000 fewer Canadians visiting Sin City. It's the lowest amount of Canadian tourists since 2006, Ailevon Pacific Aviation Consulting analyst Joel Van Over said, the Las Vegas Review-Journal reported. Van Over said Sin City might see a bump in European tourists after the direct Air France flight launches between Paris and Vegas in April. But Hill said if Europeans remain angry at the US for its Greenland push, the extra flights might not help. Hill said the US' plans for Greenland could cause another dip in tourism for Sin City Joel Van Over said the city has already seen a dip in Canadian visitors after Trump made comments about making the country the 51st state, and warned there could be similar shift with European tourists Brendan Bussmann, managing partner of Las Vegas-based B Global, agreed, saying Vegas needed to focus on expanding international routes to draw more tourists in. 'Now is the time that we need to be doubling down,' he told The Review-Journal. 'The Air France route will help bring in a new route but this is where Las Vegas needs to look at further expansion into Asia, Australia and further into Europe with routes to destination and world airports in Tokyo, Sydney, Dubai and Istanbul. 'While we may have some downturn in domestic and in some international routes, this is about the long game and now is the time to move.' Overall, Hill said the US needs to remain inviting to foreigners to keep the tourism market competitive and thriving. The Grand Prix event in November failed to attract an overwhelming number of visitors. The number of passengers making their way through Harry Reid International Airport declined nearly ten percent in November when compared to the same period last year. The airport served around 3.96 million domestic passengers last month, down from about 4.34 million in November 2024. On Thursday, Trump announced that the US will have 'total access' to Greenland as part of a new deal with NATO allies 'We're gonna have all military access that we want. We're going to be able to put what we need on Greenland because we want it. We're talking about national security and international security,' Trump said That was also a drop from October, when there were already far fewer airport departures and arrivals. In October, Harry Reid had around 4.5 million domestic travelers pass through, which was a 7.8 percent decline from October 2024. August and September both had declines of about six percent when compared with the same months last year, indicating that the slump is getting worse. November marked the tenth straight month of total passenger decreases. The sharp decline last month occurred despite the city hosting the Las Vegas Grand Prix, which was the event's 75th anniversary and by all accounts was a success. The three-day race sold out all 300,000 of its tickets. Emily Prazer, CEO of the Las Vegas Grand Prix, told Reuters that she was proud of the event and what it delivered, calling it 'Formula One at its very best.' 'We elevated the guest experience at every turn and created iconic cultural moments that could only happen in Las Vegas, all while staying firmly rooted in what matters most - the race,' she said. But the event's success did not stem the bleeding tourism numbers. Elevated prices continue to push away visitors who have been complaining about getting fleeced everywhere they go in the city. Some examples include tourists who reported being charged $26 for a water bottle from a hotel minibar and $74 for two drinks at the Las Vegas Sphere. Former First Lady Michelle Obama was accused of hypocrisy on social media for speaking out against society's obsession with women's appearances while promoting a new book she penned about fashion. Obama appeared on Alex Cooper's popular culture podcast, Call Her Daddy, earlier this week to discuss her new style book, The Look. During her interview, Obama recalled how she was perceived during Barack Obama's first presidential campaign, criticizing the public for focusing on how she looked rather than who she was. However, some branded the statement hypocritical due to her new style book, with one comment online reading: 'The jokes write themselves (and a book, as the case may be).' 'But her own book is about her clothing?' another questioned. 'Nothing gets the media and press of your back about your outfits like publishing a book about your outfits and going on podcasts talking about your outfits,' a third pointed out. Michelle Obama argued during the podcast appearance that articles covering her on the campaign began with 'She was wearing,' rather than focusing on her professional career. 'It started with appearance,' she explained. 'And it got worse as we got better,' Obama added, referring to her husband's campaign. Michelle Obama, pictured above on the podcast, Call Her Daddy, told host Alex Cooper that she was often ridiculed and criticized for her appearance as first lady At the beginning of the interview, Cooper, pictured above with Obama, asked the former first lady about her outfit Obama revealed during the interview that she noticed the press seemed to care more about what she wore than who she was during her husband's first presidential campaign. The Obamas are pictured above at the president's Inaugural Ball in 2009 The former first lady went on to say that although she didn't take the criticisms about her appearance personally at first, she was hesitant to lean into her style because she feared she wouldn't be asked about her role in her husband's administration. The former first lady's new book, pictured above, details her style evolution 'I understood that fashion and appearance for women is so powerful, that if I spent too much time talking about it, maybe nobody would hear anything else that I have to say,' she confessed. Later in the interview, Cooper asked Obama to respond to critics who blasted her new style book as out of touch. 'If you know me, you know, I'm just not that person. I'm not the person that's going to talk about some dresses. It's got to have a meaning to it,' she explained. Obama claimed that the book was more than a look into her fashion choices, but explored 'self-determination' and 'who we are as women.' However, some accused Obama's message of falling flat when her interview on Call Her Daddy began with a question about what she was wearing. Obama said that she was often criticized on the campaign trail for her looks. She's pictured above with her husband, former First Lady Jill Biden, and former President and Vice President Joe Biden campaigning in the summer of 2008 Obama's new style book chronicles her fashion choices from when she was a university student, through her tenure as first lady, and after office. She's pictured above with her daughters, Malia (left) and Sasha (right) at the Democratic National Convention in 2008 'They both seemed to forget how the podcast started as well. But go off ladies,' one social media user pointed out. Cooper's first question to Obama was about her outfit and how the former first lady picked it. Obama credited her longtime stylist, Meredith Koop, for putting together her outfit for the interview. Koop also wrote the foreword for The Look. The book was released last November and includes over 200 photographs of Obama's 'style evolution.' Koop, Obama's makeup artist Carl Ray, her three hairstylists and multiple designers she's worked with also wrote for the book. The Look's Amazon description reads: 'Obamas intimate and candid stories illuminate how her approach to dressing has evolved throughout her lifefrom the colorful sheath dresses, cardigans, and brooches she wore during her time as First Lady to the bold suits, denim, and braids of her post-White House life and all the active looks and beautiful gowns in between.' Obama's new book also offers new details on the countless gowns she's worn. She's pictured above in a glimmering gold dress during an event in 2016 Cooper praised Obama's candor during the interview. The two also agreed that the country wasn't ready to elect a female president Elsewhere in the interview, Obama discussed the possibility of a female president, telling Cooper: 'There are men out there that were not going to vote for a woman, people have had those conversations.' She said the US had 'two really qualified female candidates,' referring to former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton and former Vice President Kamala Harris. Obama joked that even her husband, a newcomer to politics when he initially ran for president, was able to beat Clinton. Cooper agreed with Obama's sentiment, adding: 'How could a woman hold the highest seat in the government when she has less rights than half the population?' 'We're not there,' Cooper added. Obama said she hoped the country would soon be ready for a female president and urged women to keep trying. The Daily Mail has reached out to Obama's office for comment. A shamed MP today confirmed he is quitting the House of Commons and will open up a route for Andy Burnham to return to Westminster to challenge Sir Keir Starmer. Andrew Gwynne, a former health minister who had the Labour whip removed in February last year, announced he is standing down from Parliament. He is leaving the Commons on medical grounds, which will trigger a by-election in his Gorton and Denton constituency, after reportedly tying up a deal on his pension. His exit has revived speculation that Mr Burnham will put his name forward for the parliamentary contest, with an eye on later challenging Sir Keir as Labour leader. Mr Burnham, 56, who was MP for Leigh between 2001 and 2017 before being elected to the mayoralty, has been a fierce critic of the Prime Minister. He has repeatedly refused to rule out a future bid for the Labour leadership, amid claims Sir Keir could be toppled following his rocky first 18 months in Downing Street. But Mr Burnham would first have to be approved as an MP candidate by Labour's ruling National Executive Committee, which is dominated by Starmer loyalists. Even if chosen to be Labour's parliamentary hopeful, Mr Burnham would still have to win a bitter by-election against Reform UK. Nigel Farage's party are vowing to 'throw everything' at the Gorton and Denton contest. Earlier today, Mr Burnham insisted he was 'in the dark' about Mr Gwynne's plans - although he appeared to not rule out standing in a by-election. Sir Keir would not say whether he supported Mr Burnham standing as an MP. He warned Labour MPs not to 'waste' time talking about leadership challenges. Andrew Gwynne, a former health minister who had the Labour whip removed in February last year, has announced he is standing down from Parliament The Gorton and Denton MP confirmed he is bringing to an end his 21-year career in Parliament on medical grounds Andy Burnham, who was MP for Leigh between 2001 and 2017 before being elected as Greater Manchester mayor, has been a fierce critic of the Prime Minister Mr Burnham told the Local Democracy Reporting Service: 'It's not been confirmed to me. 'I've had no contact on this issue with Andrew or anyone close to him. I know him of old of course but I'm as in the dark about this as anyone. How Burnham has stoked 'will he, won't he' coverage of leadership bid 2025 September 24 Speaking to the Telegraph on the eve of the Labour Party conference, Burnham says 'people have contacted me throughout the summer' about running for the leadership. Asked if he still has that ambition, he adds: 'I stood twice to be leader of the Labour Party. And I think that tells you, doesn't it?' September 25 Burnham tells BBC Radio Manchester: 'I love everything about this job. I am completely committed to it ... I've no intention of just abandoning what we're trying to build here'. September 29 Mr Burnham refuses to guarantee he will remain in his mayoralty for the rest of his term (which ends in 2028) but says 'you would have to wrench' him out of Greater Manchester. December 14 Allies of Mr Burnham tell the Mail on Sunday they have a shortlist of seats - including Gorton - which are 'likely to come free' in the coming months and which the so-called 'King of the North' should win. Mr Burnham denies the report saying it 'reminds me why I left Westminster in the first place!' 2026 January 10 The Sun reports that former minister Jim McMahon has told MPs that a deal for Mr Burnham to fight Gorton in a May 7 by-election has been 'sewn up'. January 22 Andrew Gwynne confirms he is to step down as Gorton MP on medical grounds. Advertisement 'People shouldn't rush to conclusions. I have been very focused on my role as Mayor of Greater Manchester.' Speaking to broadcasters, the PM said: 'It is a very early stage, and the NEC of the Labour Party will set out the process in the usual way, as it always does for by-elections. 'Andy Burnham is doing an excellent job as mayor of Manchester. We work very closely together. 'Last year, we were responding together to the terrible attack on a synagogue in Manchester. 'More recently, we were working together on Northern Powerhouse Rail. 'I think Andy would acknowledge that working with this Government has been much better than the experience he had of working with previous governments.' Asked about the possibility of a leadership challenge by Mr Burnham, Sir Keir later told Channel 4 News: 'My message is to my entire party, and that is that every minute we waste talking about anything other than the cost of living and stability in Europe and across the globe, is a wasted minute. 'And I spend my time on the cost of living, the cost of living, the cost of living and doing what I need to do internationally to ensure that we have a stable and safe environment for everybody in this country.' Confirming he is quitting the Commons in a Facebook post this afternoon, Mr Gwynne said he had 'suffered significant ill-health over most of the 21 years I've served as an MP'. The independent MP added this had been 'greatly exacerbated by the impact of last year's events' - when he was sacked as a minister and had the Labour whip removed following the emergence of offensive messages in a WhatsApp group. Mr Gwynne shared a note from his GP to the Commons authorities that stated he would not be able 'safely to return to work as an MP'. A Labour Party spokesperson said: 'We look forward to local residents in Gorton and Denton soon having the opportunity to get the representation they deserve with a new Labour MP. 'While Reform fill their ranks with more and more Tories who failed the country, people living in Gorton and Denton will soon have the opportunity to elect a local champion and Labour MP who will be relentlessly focused on tackling the cost of living, cutting NHS waiting lists and bringing investment and jobs to the local community.' Sources said a Labour candidate for the upcoming by-election would be selected in due course, in line with the party's rules and procedures. A Reform spokesman said: 'If the by-election happens, then Reform will throw everything at it. 'It's a huge ask for anyone to beat Labour in Manchester but we will give it our all.' It is reported that talks had been held about Mr Gwynne taking medical retirement in time for a by-election to be held on the same day as May's local elections. As well as being sacked as a health minister and suspended from Labour in February last year, Mr Gwynne was also put under investigation by a parliamentary watchdog. Mr Gwynne shared a note from his GP to the Commons authorities that stated he would not be able 'safely to return to work as an MP' Allies of Mr Burnham last month told The Mail on Sunday he was poised to secure a deal to fight a by-election to return to the Commons. This would then allow the former Cabinet minister, dubbed 'The King of the North', to formally launch a challenge against Sir Keir if he could rally the support of MPs. But there is no guarantee that Mr Burnham will be chosen as Labour's candidate in a by-election - as Starmer loyalists dominate Labour's ruling National Executive Committee (NEC) - or that he would go on to win a contest. A loyalist Labour MP told the Daily Mail: 'He absolutely will not get through an NEC panel.' The Labour Party's latest rule book states that directly-elected mayors, such as Mr Burnham, must 'seek the express permission' of party officials before trying to be nominated as a party candidate for a Westminster contest. There are also suggestions that the NEC could opt for an all-female shortlist of by-election candidates, as the gender balance in the Parliamentary Labour Party has fallen below 50 per cent. Steve Wright, the general secretary of the Fire Brigades Union, said it would be a 'democratic outrage' if Mr Burnham was blocked from being Labour's by-election candidate. 'In the event that a by-election takes place, as an affiliated union, the FBU will not stand by and allow senior Labour politicians like Andy to be carved out of this process,' he said. 'Our union will fiercely resist any attempts to stitch up the selection. 'It's vital that there is a full and open democratic procedure to choose Labour's candidate to fight this by-election. 'Anything less would be unacceptable.' One Labour source said the cost of fighting a Manchester mayoral election would be another reason to stop Mr Burnham. However, they said they would be 'amazed' if it was allowed to get to the point where he had to be blocked. 'Someone needs to sit down and explain to Andy the challenges,' the source said. 'But if came to it, I think the NEC would block not least because of the money it would cost the party.' On the cost of a mayoral election, one MP warned: 'The party is skint.' Mr Burnham has refused to rule out a bid for the Labour leadership amid claims Sir Keir Starmer, pictured at Chequers today, could be challenged Even if chosen to be Labour's by-election candidate, Mr Burnham would still have to win a bitter by-election contest against Nigel Farage's Reform UK Mr Gwynne won his Gorton and Denton constituency with a 13,000-vote majority at the 2024 general election, ahead of second-placed Reform. But Mr Farage's party might now fancy their chances of winning the seat following a surge in their poll ratings since the general election, and a slump in Labour's popularity. One Labour veteran told the Daily Mail that Mr Burnham 'has a lot of supporters in Parliament'. They played down the prospect of the NEC blocking the Greater Manchester mayor from getting on the shortlist for a Commons seat. 'It would look extremely weak to bar him from standing, so we don't expect that to be a major hurdle,' they added. A senior Labour MP said the party's deputy leader Lucy Powell was 'pushing' for a resolution in the Gwynne case because it would benefit her Manchester ally Mr Burnham. 'Lucy is pushing this,' the MP said. 'The NEC could face a very tough decision... who do they prefer, Andy Burnham or Reform? 'Will they back Burnham or will they get a different candidate in who might not win.' Commons sources suggested the deal being mooted would see Mr Gwynne - who is only 51 - paid up until pension age, at which point he would receive a full Parliamentary pension. That package could be worth around 1million, according to one insider. There will also be questions over what happens to the long-running standards investigation into Mr Gwynne, and whether he would face any sanctions if found to have done something wrong. In February last year, Mr Gwynne said he regretted making 'badly misjudged' comments and apologised 'for any offence I've caused'. The messages in a closed WhatsApp group chat - named 'Trigger Me Timbers' - with Labour figures based around Manchester reportedly included sexist, racist and anti-Semitic comments. Asked on BBC radio about Mr Gwynne stepping down and clearing the way for Mr Burnham in a by-election, Health Secretary Wes Streeting said on Thursday: 'Andrew Gwynne was a member of my team in opposition and in Government. 'I'm aware he's had some very serious health challenges. And you know, for all of the other challenges he's gone through and some of the difficulties he's had, I wish him and his family well, and I hope he's okay. His health has been a real challenge. 'If indeed there is going to be a by-election, we need to make sure we've got a strong candidate, that we fight really hard to win that by-election, and we need our best candidates to come forward. 'As to who that is, whether or not Andy will throw his hat into the ring, is for Andy to consider, and ultimately for party members to decide. But we need strong candidates. 'I'll just say about Andy, having just seen him just earlier this week, whether it's in Government nationally, or whether it's leading the city and the region locally, he makes a massive impact and makes a really big difference. He's someone I'm proud to work with.' Liberal Democrat MP Lisa Smart said: 'This Labour Government promised change, instead we're seeing the same old chaos as under the Conservatives. 'Labour are too busy fighting amongst themselves instead of fixing the NHS or tackling the cost of living. 'People in Gorton and Denton and across the country deserve so much better than this endless soap opera.' In the days prior to Labour's conference in Liverpool in September, Mr Burnham had suggested unhappy MPs were privately urging him to challenge the PM. He then issued a fresh outburst against Sir Keir's leadership in a fiery speech at a conference fringe event. But - despite leaving the door open for a future leadership bid - Mr Burnham later backed away following a backlash against his posturing. Cabinet ministers have not been shy in recent months to tell Mr Burnham to focus on his role as Greater Manchester mayor. 'All of us in Government and in the Labour Party have a responsibility to focus on the day job and to get on with delivering for the British people,' Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood said in December. And Business Secretary Peter Kyle said in September: 'I think he [Mr Burnham] is doing an incredible job in Manchester at the moment, I think Manchester really needs him. 'I love working with him in Manchester. It would be a shame for Manchester to lose him.' Speaking virtually on an Institute for Government panel this week, Mr Burnham appeared to criticise the missions laid out by Sir Keir's Government. 'You've got to go to difficult missions as well, haven't you?,' he said. 'The mission to fix social care, the mission to end the housing crisis, the mission to end the cost-of-living crisis. 'I think people buy in when the mission is really clear and it's right in front of them and they understand it. That's an important part of it.' But Mr Burnham also added: 'The Government has made a lot of progress, and I applaud them for it.' Hugh Grant's 'puppy dog eyes' persuaded Liz Hurley into taking legal action for alleged phone hacking against newspapers, she told a court on Thursday. The actress and model told the High Court that Four Weddings star Mr Grant, her former boyfriend, asked her to get involved in a privacy claim against Mirror Group Newspapers (MGN) in 2015. She said: 'I think he probably gave me puppy dog eyes and persuaded me. I think he just said, 'You would be doing a good thing, please'.' Miss Hurley, 60, brought a successful action against MGN for phone hacking and said she had been paid 350,000 in damages, which she gave to pressure group Hacked Off. She is now one of seven claimants, including Prince Harry and Sir Elton John, who have accused Associated Newspapers, publishers of the Daily Mail and The Mail On Sunday, of unlawful information gathering. The newspaper group denies the accusations, saying they are 'preposterous' and 'simply untrue'. Model Elizabeth Hurley leaving the High Court, with her son Damian, after her testimony in the witness box The Duke of Sussex arriving at the Royal Courts of Justice for day four of his privacy trial against the publisher of the Daily Mail and The Mail On Sunday A court artist's sketch of Elizabeth Hurley in the witness box being watched by Prince Harry as she was cross-examined by Antony White KC, for Associated Newspapers Miss Hurley is suing over 15 articles which she alleges featured information obtained unlawfully, including details about her pregnancy with son Damian and disputes with his late father, Steve Bing. Mr Hurley, now 23, watched from the back of the courtroom as his mother was questioned over articles about his parents' embittered relationship breakdown. The Duke of Sussex sat next to Mr Hurley and placed his hand on the younger man's back as Miss Hurley wept during her evidence. She angrily rejected suggestions that her friends had given information to the Press. But she agreed she had authorised some close confidants - including another claimant in the case, Sir Elton John's husband David Furnish - to speak to 'nice' journalists on her behalf, often to accompany a 'nice' photoshoot in a glossy magazine. And she also agreed there was a 'mutual arrangement' for celebrities to promote themselves and their work in the media. Miss Hurley, who appeared in films including Austin Powers and Bedazzled, said: 'When you're in the public eye and you have a movie to promote or a book to sell, yes we do Press, it's a mutual arrangement.' She denied she had a 'vendetta' against the Press and said she had previously only taken action over articles which were libellous or hurtful to her son. But she said she had taken 'immediate action' after learning in 2020 that a private investigator, Gavin Burrows, had allegedly confessed to hacking and landline tapping. Mr Burrows has since disavowed the 'witness statement' presented by the claimants' legal team and said the signature on it is a forgery. He is due to give evidence later in the trial. Miss Hurley denied suggestions from Antony White KC, for Associated, that she had known of plans to sue the Mail and The Mail On Sunday earlier. She said Mr Grant, a key supporter of Hacked Off, remained one of her closest friends but denied they would have spoken about a potential claim against Associated Newspapers before she learned of Mr Burrows' alleged confession. She told the court: 'I can honestly say that the idea of Hugh and I talking about politics or anything grown-up is phenomenally unlikely. 'That may reflect badly on me, because I'm sure he has grownup political conversations with other people, but I am not one of them.' The Duke left the courtroom during her evidence and reportedly met with Baroness Lawrence, the mother of murdered teenager Stephen Lawrence, at the House of Lords later in the day. The Labour peer is another claimant in the case and is also expected to give evidence. The case continues. Millions of Americans have been warned to prepare back-up heat sources and stay off the roads as a record-breaking winter storm is set to wreak havoc across the US. Storm Fern is forecast to bring temperatures of -50F and up to 24 inches of snow to more than a dozen states on Friday through Monday. Many people have already started panic-buying frozen food and tinned goods as they get ready to hunker down for several days of extreme cold and torrential snow. Experts have advised preparing for the worst, by stocking up on ice, heat sources, blankets and warm clothing in case a prolonged power cut hits. The Red Cross recommends buying cheap Styrofoam coolers and ice to keep food fresh in the event of refrigerators being out of action. The US-based charity also advises putting an emergency preparedness kit together to make sure you have everything you need to survive several days without power. It includes one gallon of water per person, tinned food, a flashlight, a battery-powered radio, first aid kit, a seven-day supply of medications, portable phone chargers, and making a note of emergency contact information. The Red Cross is also urging Americans to fill up their vehicle's gas tank in case they are told to evacuate due to dangerous storm conditions in their neighborhood. A crippling winter storm stretching from Texas to the Northeast is set to blanket millions in up to two feet of snow over the weekend, and ice accumulation may reach one-tenth of an inch in the hardest hit areas Frigid temperatures as low as 50 below zero and 24 inches of snow, sleet and ice are expected to hamper much of the country over the coming weekend Georgia Governor Brian P. Kemp has also told residents to make sure they have electric space heaters to hand in case their central heating cuts out. His office also published a list of winter survival tools needed in case of a getaway, including an ice scraper, extra blanket, and jumper cables for their cars. 'As forecasts continue to evolve, Georgians should be prepared for freezing precipitation that causes dangerous conditions and the potential for damage and power loss beginning Saturday,' Kemp said in a statement. 'I have been working closely with state and local officials to ensure we are prepared for all scenarios. 'I'm urging all Georgians to take necessary precautions now to ensure their families and pets can stay safe, warm, and fed over the coming days.' Georgia is among the states expected to be worst-hit by the storm on Sunday. Forecasters are warning of potentially devastating ice sheets and heavy snow, disrupting travel and leaving long-lasting power outages. Feared to be among the worst in recent memory, the storm is forecast to bring up to 24 inches of snow in the South in Arkansas and Tennessee. A woman cleans snow during a cold weather day in Evanston, Illinois Officials warn that roads may be slick as they urge residents to remain off the roads after several were hospitalized in a snow-related crash in upstate New York earlier this month Your browser does not support iframes. Meanwhile, Weather Channel forecasters issued the most severe type of ice warning - 'crippling' - for parts of Texas, Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama and Tennessee. People living in affected areas can expect to see one tenth of an inch of ice. Those in southern states are accustomed to mild winters free of extreme winter weather, with even a small amount of snow or ice likely to cause widespread chaos. A number of states have already declared states of emergency to deploy resources including the National Guard. The storm, named Winter Storm Fern, could go on to impact upwards of 180 million people - half of the US population - as snow, ice and storm damage is forecast for 33 states through Monday. The storm will develop northeast through the weekend, and states expected to be hit by severe weather stretch from New Mexico and Texas in the Southeast to Philadelphia, Washington DC and lower New York on the East Coast. In the South, some areas are expecting up to two feet of snow, with wind chill making it feel as cold as -3F in Dallas and Arkansas. Storm Fern is forecast to begin by Friday afternoon, dumping snow, sleet and freezing rain on areas of Kansas, Oklahoma and western Texas before quickly moving through the south. A person jogs on a snow-covered sidewalk on January 22 in Evanston, Illinois A resident clears snow from their driveway in Walker, Michigan, on Monday The storm, named Winter Storm Fern, could impact upwards of 180 million people - half of the US population - as either snow, ice or storm damage is forecast for 33 states By Friday night, meteorologists with Weather.com warn that a 'wintry mess' of 'snow, sleet and ice' will spread through the Central Plains, lower Mississippi Valley and parts of Tennessee. As charts show the storm will then stretch East, several states including South Carolina, North Carolina, Texas and Maryland declared states of emergency to deploy resources to combat the damage. The worst of the storm is expected to hit on Saturday and Sunday, covering the Mississippi and Ohio Valleys, Kentucky, Tennessee, West Virginia, Virginia, parts of the Carolinas and northern Georgia. On Saturday night, major cities will be blanketed in heavy snow of up to two feet. Affected cities are forecast to include Charlotte, Greenville-Spartanburg, Richmond, Washington, D.C., Baltimore, Pittsburgh, Philadelphia, New York City, Kansas City, St. Louis, Chicago, Indianapolis, Louisville, Cleveland, and Cincinnati. By Sunday, the storm is expected to end in the southern states of Texas, Oklahoma and the Mississippi Valley. Areas of the Ohio Valley, Virginia and the Carolinas will continue to see bad weather, and much of the storm will stretch north east to New York. A fitness instructor father-of-two was murdered in a doorstep acid attack over 120,000 debt after he gambled away a drug kingpin's money, a court has heard. Danny Cahalane, 38, was 'in the s***' with a British drugs lord who was operating out of Dubai and threatened to kill him over unpaid money, prosecutors said. Mr Cahalane, a drug dealer, was 'doused in acid' in his own home in Plymouth, Devon, last year and died from his injuries in hospital 10 weeks later. Jurors were told that drugs kingpin Ryan Kennedy, nicknamed 'Frost' in the criminal world, orchestrated the hit on Mr Cahalane to show him 'who was boss'. Mr Cahalane's ex-wife Paris Wilson, 35, who he shares a child with, is on trial accused of murder. She appeared alongside five men on murder charges at Winchester Crown Court on Thursday. Mr Kennedy is not on trial and has not been charged with any crimes as he is 'almost certainly' in Dubai. The other men accused of murder are Abdulrasheed Adedoja, 23, Ramarnee Bakas-Sithole, 23, Israel Augustus, 26, Isanah Sungum, 22, and Brian Kalemba, 23. The defendants have all pleaded not guilty. Danny Cahalane was murdered in a doorstep acid attack over his 120,000 debt after he gambled away a drug kingpin's money, a court heard Mr Cahalane's ex-wife Paris Wilson, 35, who he shares a child with, is on trial accused of murder Prosecutor Jo Martin told the court that Mr Cahalane was killed by people acting on behalf of a 'drug dealer who wanted to enforce his debt and show Danny Cahalane who was boss'. Ms Martin said: 'In the early hours of the morning of the February 21, 2025, two men broke into a house in Plymouth, the home address of the victim Danny Cahalane. 'By the time the two men had driven off, Danny Cahalane had been the victim of an acid attack - sulphuric acid had been thrown on him; burning into his whole body. 'Despite being treated in hospital for the next 10 weeks or so, Danny Cahalane died on the 3rd May 2025 as a result of the horrific injuries he had received that night. 'There can be no doubt, the prosecution said, that Danny Cahalane was murdered. 'Whoever threw acid over him, must have intended to, at the very least, cause him really serious bodily harm.' Mr Cahalane was described as 'a sort of middle management in the drugs supply chain'. He owed Kennedy money after gambling with profits he made from drug dealing. It was also heard that someone below him in the chain had fled to New Zealand without giving him some of the money he was owed. Speaking about messages exchanged between Kennedy and Mr Cahalane, Ms Martin said: 'What does become clear from the messages is that Danny owed Kennedy in the region of 120,000, and what is absolutely clear from the messages is that Frost was not happy about that.' Mr Cahalane, pictured with ex-wife Wilson, was 'doused in acid' in his own home in Plymouth Jenna Said, 39, (pictured at Winchester Crown Court) is one of 11 people on trial over Cahalane's death Following the acid attack, Danny told police that this left him 'in the s***' with Kennedy. Ms Martin said: 'Danny told the police he was in significant debt to Kennedy. 'Danny said he tried to organise some sort of "repayment plan" but it just didn't work. 'Instead he did a great deal of stalling and lying.' The court heard that Mr Cahalane was threatened in the months before the acid attack. On January 19, 2025, men who 'tried to rip his door open as he tried to shut it' on Kennedy's orders had tried to intimidate him, Ms Martin said. Kingpin Kennedy then messaged him that day 'Close call? Mate I'm telling you they gonna burn gaffes down and your gonna die.' Adedoja, Bakas-Sithole, Augustus, Wilson, Sungum, Kalemba, Jean Mukuna, 23, Arrone Mukuna, 25, and Jenna Said, 39, have all denied participating in the criminal activities of an organised crime group. Adedoja, Bakas-Sithole, Wilson, Jean Mukuna and Arrone Mukuna have pleaded not guilty to the attempted kidnap and attempted grievous bodily harm with intent of Mr Cahalane. The trial continues. The Russian captain who crashed his container ship into a US oil tanker, killing one of its crew in a dramatic fireball, blamed confusing new stickers on the steering controls for the deadly accident, a court heard. Vladimir Motin, 59, had been in charge of the Portuguese cargo ship, Solong, when it ploughed into the anchored tanker, Stena Immaculate. Both ships burst into flames near the Humber Estuary at 9.47am on March 10 last year. Filipino man Mark Angelo Pernia, 38, is presumed dead as his body was never found after he had been posted at the front of the American vessel. The fire was caused by aviation fuel carried on the Stena Immaculate which leaked out on impact and engulfed both vessels in an inferno. Motin told the jury that the ship's other captain had changed stickers on the vessel's buttons, which he found confusing. Buttons for autopilot and manual steering were originally labelled with stickers, but he said the labels were changed to be a picture of a wheel and a picture of a 'smiley face'. A red sticker had also been placed over a red light which was supposed to show if one of the buttons was on or off - baffling Motin. Vladimir Motin, 59, (pictured) denies charges of manslaughter by gross negligence after the presumed death of Mark Angelo Pernia The ships burst into a fireball as the Stena Immaculate was laden with aviation fuel which caught alight (pictured March 10) A huge gouge was carved out of the Stena Immaculate on collision with Solong off the Yorkshire coast while it was anchored near the Humber Estuary He found the changes when he returned from holiday, he told the jury, and mentioned he thought they were confusing to the second captain of the ship who had been in charge while he was away. In a recording during the crash from the Stena Immaculate, a loud crash was heard, followed by American crew members shouting: 'Holy s***... what just hit us... a container ship... this is no drill, this is no drill, fire fire fire, we have had a collision.' Motin, who was on sole watch duty at the time, denies manslaughter by gross negligence. As his vessel hurtled towards the American tanker, Motin claimed he tried to take the ship out of autopilot but wasn't able to until he had already slammed into the Stena Immaculate. A minute went by before Motin could be heard on audio saying: 'Stena Immaculate, Stena Immaculate.' In another piece of video footage from the Solong, a man's voice is heard above alarm bells saying: 'Lord help us. Lord help us. Lord help us.' Members of the Solong crew tried to search for Mr Pernia but could not get to him because of the fire, the court heard previously. Motin gave the order to abandon ship and the remaining crew fled in a lifeboat. Pernia, 38, (pictured) is presumed dead after crews from Solong could not get to him due to the flames. His body has never been recovered American crew members were heard shouting: 'Holy s***... what just hit us... a container ship... this is no drill, this is no drill, fire fire fire, we have had a collision' The Solong was destroyed by fire after the collision. The bridge (pictured) was left a ruin His captaincy of the Solong began in 2009 when the former retired. He had started his career as a sea apprentice in 1985. In 2005, Motin helped the owners design a new bridge. They went on to use his plans for their new sister ship Samskip. His designs included moving the monitor for autopiloting the vessel closer to where the operator would sit. Speaking to the captain of the Samskip, Motin claims that he told him the sister ship 'can receive sudden rudder blockage without generating any alarms on the ship alarm system'. This 'problem', Motin says, is 'still subject to investigation'. Motin has lived in St Petersburg, Russia, his whole life and has a wife and daughter, he told the jury. He spends half the year at home in Russia and half the year on the Solong, which is why it had two captains and why he claimed the new stickers had been stuck on the controls. Motin became captain of the Solong (pictured) in 2009 after the former captain retired. He began working on the ship in 2005 The Portuguese cargo ship was left a smouldering wreckage after the fiery crash On footage from the Solong a man's voice is heard above alarm bells saying: 'Lord help us. Lord help us. Lord help us' Motin said on the day of the collision he arrived on the bridge at 7.53am to start his shift on watch at 8am and visibility was about three nautical miles that day. There were no problems with the ship that morning, Motin said he believed. The captain gave his evidence in English with a Russian interpreter to assist him when needed. The trial continues tomorrow. A 'lonely' Milwaukee man was caught in a life-or-death situation after a dating app meet-up turned into a violent nightmare. Davie Hackbarth matched with someone he believed was trustworthy on the gay dating app Grindr, but soon after, he found himself face-to-face with an armed robber. Hackbarth recalled the harrowing experience from December, saying he met with the man despite his profile lacking photos. 'I think that I was just pretty lonely, Hackbarth told TMJ4, explaining why he decided to connect in person. After a bit of back-and-forth chatting, the phony gave him an address to meet at, so the Milwaukee native drove there. At first glance, the area seemed like a safe, well-lit neighborhood. The Grindr date even escorted Hackbarth from his car. The two strolled down the alley toward what Hackbarth thought was the mans home, until hell broke loose. Davie Hackbarth, Corporate Resource Group for Allies and Members of the LGBTQ+ community per his LinkedIn, is bringing awareness after he was trapped in a dangerous situation with a man he met from a dating app The well-lit alley in the seemingly trustworthy residential area the perp took Hackbarth to, another robber ambushed him and cornered him down here 'I started to get a really bad feeling, and I stopped in my tracks, and that's when he pulled out a gun,' he said. A second perp ambushed Hackbarth and trapped him, as his screams for help went unheard. 'I've never had a gun pointed at me before... I kind of realized it was do or die,' he told the outlet. The Milwaukee native panicked as the robbers pressed him to hand over his phone, along with its passcode. 'He said, "give us the passcode, or we'll kill you." So it was pretty terrifying.' The two pretenders slammed Hackbarth's face with the firearm, and nearly beat him to a pulp as they kicked him over and over. Hackbarth gave the perps his phone and made a break for it - driving to a gas station where he called later 911. The Milwaukee native spoke to TMJ4 and explained his life-or-death situation, he says he escaped and drove to a nearby gas station and was able to call 911 for help Milwaukee police has noted a significant spike in violent robberies linked to dating apps, specifically targeting the LGTBQ+ community, like this gay dating app Grindr that Hackbarth used Milwaukee police told the outlet that they have seen a rise in violent robberies linked to dating app meet-ups, with the LGBTQ+ community among the main targets. 'It made me feel really sad for my community to find out that we were being targeted through these apps,' Hackbarth told the outlet. The Milwaukee native believes dating apps should actively update safety measures to protect users from hate and similar crimes, while also strengthening verification methods. Being extra attentive to suspicious profiles, meeting in public places, and letting someone know ahead of time where youre going are among the best precautions to take before meeting a dating app match. 'Just know you're not alone if this happens to you, there's a lot of shame in these dating apps and I don't think there should be,' Hackbarth told the outlet. 'I really just want people in the LGBTQ+ community to know that this is happening, and to be careful.' Americans have hit back after Greenlanders mocked the country's fentanyl epidemic in response to Trump's plans to buy their home. Recently, a video posted to TikTok by Inunnguaq Christian Poulsen, a resident of Greenland's capital, Nuuk, showed him and a woman demonstrating the so-called 'fentanyl fold' in the snow. The pair let their arms hang loose while bent all the way over from the waist, slumped forward, in a rigid position. Their heads were bowed, and their knees were bent. The footage, captioned 'Bringing American culture to Greenland,' quickly made its rounds online, amassing 1.7 million likes and nearly 40,000 comments from across the world. The clip seemingly mocked the serious and ongoing public health crisis of opioid addiction in the US that has killed more than 727,000 citizens since the epidemic started in the late 90s'. After the video went viral online, some shared their disgust with the mockery, while others found it comical and 'accurate.' 'Wild how President Orange is right there but they choose to troll addicts that are suffering,' an X user wrote. Another person commented: 'Thats not the America Trump created. Thats what hes trying to fix. Theres plenty of things to make fun of; the drug scourge isnt one.' Americans have responded after Greenlander took to TikTok mocking the country's fentanyl epidemic, while Donald Trump continues his plans to buy their home Several people were disgusted by the imitation, suggesting that drug use is not something to joke about Another staunchly defended Trump amid his plans to take over Greenland 'I now advocate for invasion,' another said. 'If Trump wants Greenland, well get Greenland. Believe it. He always wins. He always gets what he wants. So go ahead and joke. The USA will be the one laughing when its done. Those are the facts,' a commenter added. While many outright disagreed with the video, others said this is not how all of America looks. 'Trolling democrat led cities..,' a user posted. Someone else chimed in: 'Yep. I would say thats a good representation of California,' and tagged Governor Gavin Newsom. Meanwhile, many Americans were impressed by Greenland's depiction of 'American culture.' 'Greenland is not to mess with,' a user wrote. Another added: I had no idea that the peeps from Greenland were so funny and right on. I'm here for it!!' 'As an American 10/10 no notes,' another said, adding a clapping emoji next to their comment. The footage, captioned 'Bringing American culture to Greenland' quickly made its rounds online, amassing 1.7 million likes and nearly 40,000 comments from across the world Meanwhile, others said the mockery was only representing Democratic-run cities, not all of the US And a lot of people complimented Greenland for their imitation 'Okay you got us there,' a user said alongside a meme from the movie White Chicks. The position, also known as the 'fenty lean' or 'zombie drug stance', is generally seen in users of fentanyl - a powerful synthetic opioid drug, driving the overdose crisis in the US. Footage of addicts in the US has made its rounds on social media in recent months, showing large groups of users on public streets with their heads bowed toward their knees, appearing semi-conscious. It comes as Trump once again floated America's desire to seize control of the Arctic region when he delivered a speech at the Davos conference in Switzerland today. Despite repeating his aim, he reassured European leaders that he had ruled out using force to acquire Greenland. Speaking at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Trump claimed the US 'won' the Second World War while highlighting the importance of Greenland for American security. He said: 'After the war, we gave Greenland back. How stupid were we to do that? But we did it. How ungrateful are they now? In December, Trump, citing the number of deaths caused by fentanyl per year, signed a decree that placed the opioid in the same category as nuclear and chemical weapons When he was asked on Tuesday at a lengthy White House briefing about how far he was willing to go to get the country, the Republican leader said: 'You'll find out' 'So now our country and the world face greater risks than it ever did before because of weapons of warfare that I cant even talk about.' He confirmed the US will not use military force to acquire Greenland amid tensions between the US and Europe. 'We probably wont get anything unless I decide to use excessive strength and force, where we would be, frankly, unstoppable,' he said. 'But I wont do that. Okay. Now everyone says, oh, good.' He said he wanted 'full ownership' of the Arctic island as opposed to a boosted agreement, saying: 'All were asking for is to get Greenland, including the right title and ownership, because you need the ownership to defend it. You cant defend it on a lease.' Ahead of the meeting in Switzerland, Trump reiterated that there was 'no going back' on his threats to take control of Greenland. He promised an 'interesting' trip, telling reporters he believed it would be 'very successful' despite weeks of friction with NATO allies over his demands to take over the Arctic territory. His trip to the Alpine resort comes after Trump was dubbed a 'bully' over his attempts to acquire the strategic island from Denmark, with many warning such moves risked plunging US ties with the European Union into a 'downward spiral'. Donald Trump boarded Air Force One for Davos, Switzerland, on Tuesday night When he was asked on Tuesday at a lengthy White House briefing about how far he was willing to go to get the country, the Republican leader said: 'You'll find out.' It comes after Trump published messages showing French President Emmanuel Macron's confusion over the US President's plans to take control of Greenland. Trump posted screenshots on his Truth Social platform showing Macron offering to host a meeting with 'Ukrainians, the Danish, the Syrians, and the Russians' and inviting the US president to dinner in Paris. 'My friend, we are totally in line on Syria. We can do great things on Iran,' Macron wrote. 'I do not understand what you are doing on Greenland. Let us try to build great things.' But there will be no G7 summit scheduled for this week. 'No meeting is scheduled. The French presidency is willing to hold one,' Macron said after he delivered his speech to the World Economic Forum on Tuesday. Trump continued to post on Truth Social, with a photoshopped picture of himself, Vice President JD Vance and Secretary of State Marco Rubio 'claiming' Greenland with the US flag The message emerged after Macron declined Trump's invitation to join his so-called Board of Peace initiative, prompting the US leader to threaten 200 per cent tariffs on wine and champagne. Macron had said 'at this stage' he was not planning on serving with Trump's group, which is intended to create the second phase of the Gaza peace plan. 'Well, nobody wants him because he's going to be out of office very soon,' Trump told reporters on Monday. Trump then escalated his threat of a trade war with Europe. 'What I'll do is, if they feel hostile, I'll put a 200 percent tariff on his wines and champagnes, and he'll join,' Trump said before boarding a flight to Washington. 'But he doesn't have to join.' Trump has already suggested imposing tariffs on France and several other European nations for opposing his actions in Greenland. A married couple drowned after falling into a waterfall while hiking at a beauty spot in Wales on a New Year break, an inquest heard. Rachael Patching, 33, and her wife Helen, 52, are believed to have slipped on wet rocks as they admired the waterfalls in the Brecon Beacons National Park. The pair, who wed seven years ago, had travelled 200 miles from their home in Sevenoaks, Kent, for the holiday in the 'great outdoors'. They were on a five-mile 'moderate to challenging' walk in January 2023 when tragedy struck at the dramatic Sgwyd Isaf Clun Gwyn waterfall. Assistant Glamorgan coroner Rachel Knight said the scope of the inquest would include looking into the safety of paths around the waterfalls to prevent future deaths. Both women were keen wild water swimmers but their families say they would not have entered the river at that time of year because the water was too cold. The inquest heard it was likely one of the women slipped into the icy water and her wife got into difficulties trying to rescue her. Other walkers raised the alarm after spotting the women dead in the water. A rucksack and walking poles were discovered nearby. Rachael and Helen Patching, 33 and 52, were pulled from icy waters at the Four Waterfalls Walk in the national park at Brecon Beacons last month Police were deployed to Ystradfellte Falls in January 2023 on the rugged Four Waterfalls Walk in Brecon Beacons National Park in Wales Police found their car in a nearby car park in an area known and advertised as Waterfall Country, which attracts 250,000 visitors a year. The tragedy unfolded on January 4, 2023, at the Sgwyd Y Pannwr waterfall. Helen's body was recovered by police the next day. Rachael's body was found downstream by a kayaker four days later. Post-mortem examinations found both women drowned. The inquests heard there are signs along way-marked trails warning walkers there have been previous fatalities and accidents in the River Neath which has strong underwater currents. Mountain leader and tourist guide Andrew Lamb, a veteran of the trails around the waterfalls, called for well-maintained footpaths and one circular clockwise route around the waterfalls. He told the hearing: 'It needs to be a well-surfaced route with signposts all the way. If you go to Europe, that's what you'll find because authorities make it safe for visitors.' Coroner Ms Knight apologised to the families, saying the inquest would have 'opened the wounds' three years after their loved ones drowned. She said: 'I find it is likely that Helen and Rachael were well equipped for hiking with rucksacks, walking poles and suitable outdoor attire. Grieving families described the women as 'a truly admirable credit to themselves and society' in a moving joint tribute at the time of their deaths (pictured: the couple at their wedding in 2018) Police found Helen's body day after the alarm was raised and Rachael was found about five miles downstream four days later 'It is unlikely they were there for any wild swimming. Their shoes were not left behind. 'It is more likely that one lady entered the water accidentally and the other took off her rucksack to attempt a rescue.' Ms Knight said emergency phones to report emergencies should be installed and improvements made to pathways and signage. She said she would be making a Regulation 28 Prevention of Future Deaths Report following the tragic loss of the married couple and the death of walker Corey Longdon, 26, from Gloucester, at the same spot a year later. Helen worked with the prison and probation service and had a 'vigorous love of the outdoors and adventure,' the inquest in Pontypridd was told. Rachael was a police conduct investigator and volunteered at Battersea Dogs Home where a plaque was put up in her memory. The court heard both women were vegans, passionate about animal welfare and proud members of the LGBT community. The families of the couple paid tribute to the loving couple whose 'endless laughter will be forever remembered by all who had the honour to know them'. Mountain leader and tourist guide Andrew Lamb called for better surfaced paths in the area in the wake of the deaths Their family said: 'We are devastated to have suffered such an immeasurable loss following the news of Rachael and Helen's passing at just 33 and 52. 'They were such a devoted, selfless, and loving couple having had an immensely positive impact on all those they met. 'Their love for animals and dedication to caring for them so lovingly over the years made them a truly admirable credit to themselves and society. 'Their endless laughter will be forever remembered by all who had the honour to know them. 'There are no words that can express enough how highly they were both thought of by family members, friends, and colleagues.' Making her recommendations, Coroner Ms Knight said: 'I am concerned that the phone signal is poor to non-existent at many of the busiest and most remote locations where most serious incidents occur. 'A solution to this issue should be considered so that help can be summoned as quickly as possible. 'I am concerned that the paths are not sufficiently clearly explained for members of the public with minimal hiking experience. 'It is concerning that people do not understand what the waypoint markers relate to and that leads me to the view that better and perhaps more frequently placed explanations are required.' Donald Trump filed a $5 billion lawsuit against JPMorgan Chase on Thursday. The President is accusing the financial institution and its CEO Jamie Dimon of de-banking him for political reasons. Trump's attorney Alejandro Brito filed in Florida state court in Miami on behalf of the President and his hospitality companies. The filing alleges that on February 19, 2021, the bank 'without warning or provocation' notified Trump and his entities that multiple bank accounts they owned and used 'would be closed just two months later, on April 19, 2021.' Brito said the President is 'confident that JPMC's unilateral decision came about as a result of political and social motivations, and JPMC's unsubstantiated, "woke" beliefs that it needed to distance itself from President Trump and his conservative political views.' A spokesman for JPMorgan told the Daily Mail that the bank 'does not close accounts for political or religious reasons.' However, 'we do close accounts because they create legal or regulatory risk for the company,' he added. President Donald Trump filed a $5 billion lawsuit in Florida state court in Miami against JPMorgan Chase claiming the financial institution close his accounts for 'his conservative political views' The lawsuit names JPMorgan Chase and its CEO Jamie Dimon (pictured) 'While we regret President Trump has sued us, we believe the suit has no merit. We respect the President's right to sue us and our right to defend ourselves - that's what courts are for,' the statement said. JPMorgan said it has asked multiple administrations, including Trump's, to 'change the rules and regulations that put us in the position' to close accounts like they did with the President's. '[W]e support the Administration's efforts to prevent the weaponization of the banking sector,' the spokesman said. The lawsuit claims that JPMorgan did not give Trump any 'warning or remedy' before deciding to close his accounts. Trump had been a customer for decades, according to the lawsuit and 'transacted hundreds of millions of dollars' through the bank, the filing states. The President's legal team is demanding a jury trial and is accusing JPMC and Dimon of trade libel, violating Florida's unfair and deceptive trade practices act, declaratory relief and breach of implied covenant of good faith and fair dealing. The filing also alleges that JPMorgan 'unlawfully and unjustifiably' published the names of the President, his family members, businesses and affiliates to a 'blacklist.' This so-called blacklist, the lawsuit alleges, is accessible by federally regulated banks and is comprised of individuals and entities with a history of malfeasant acts or noncompliance with applicable banking rules and regulations. A drug dealer who brazenly posed with cash and cocaine has been caught by police after they spotted his distinctive scorpion tattoo. Tristan Wilson, 19, from Ebbw Vale, Gwent, was unable to explain why he had photographs of himself holding large bundles of money and drugs after police found his Snapchat posts. The teenager pleaded guilty to supplying cocaine at Cardiff Crown Court on Thursday. He also pleaded guilty to affray and was sentenced to two years and four months in prison. The drug dealer's phone was searched by Gwent Police officers following a warrant in Heol Yr Ysgol in October. Detectives found a picture of Wilson, sporting a gold chain and grey beanie, while he held a stash of 10 notes and posed to the camera. Another picture showed the teenager with a stack of cash, a drug scale and a lighter. He also posted a picture with four bundles of notes and his scorpion tattoo visible. He accompanied the picture with the song 'Dirty Cash'. Tristan Wilson, 19, from Ebbw Vale, Gwent, pleaded guilty to supplying cocaine on Thursday The teenager was unable to explain why he had photographs of himself holding large bundles of money and drugs after police found his Snapchat posts In one post, the 19-year-old showed four bundles of cash alongside his distinctive scorpion tattoo Another picture showed the teenager with a stack of cash, a drug scale and a lighter Inspector Laura Paget said: 'The evidence we uncovered from the defendant's mobile phone showed clearly, from text messages and photographs, that he was involved in the sale and supply of cocaine. 'Wilson has a distinctive scorpion tattoo on his right-hand and he could not explain why he had photographs of himself holding large bundles of cash or images of cocaine. 'The evidence of Wilson's illegal activities was overwhelming; he had little option but to plead guilty to the charges he faced in court. 'Formed in June last year, Gwent Police Community Action Team works alongside existing neighbourhood teams to proactively target crime trends affecting specific communities in Gwent. 'In our first six months, we've tackled drug offences, anti-social behaviour and vehicle crime in hotspot areas across Gwent and made more than 120 arrests. 'Neighbourhood policing is all about solving local problems and intelligence provided by residents and businesses can help us allocate the right resources to the very heart of our communities.' People living in rural and coastal communities will find it easier to see a cancer specialist under plans to tackle a 'postcode lottery' of care. The government will commit to creating more training places in hospitals with the biggest workforce shortages, which are typically outside major cities. Health secretary Wes Streeting, who survived kidney cancer following treatment in London, said patients in under-served areas deserve 'the same shot at survival and quality of life as everyone else'. His National Cancer Plan, due to be published on February 4 - World Cancer Day - will aim to cut the number of Britons developing the disease, speed up diagnosis and enhance treatment. Ministers will work with the royal medical colleges to entice more doctors to specialise in clinical and medical oncology to increase numbers and improve care. Areas with fewer consultants and longer waits generally have higher rates of economic inactivity, with treatment delays keeping people out of work and holding back local economies. The Plan is also expected to include measures aimed at rolling out the latest diagnostic tests and technologies to hospitals faster, so they are not confined to sites that have traditionally engaged in more medical research. Mr Streeting said: 'For too long, your chances of seeing a doctor and catching cancer early have depended on where you live. That's not fair and has to stop. A patient is checked for lung cancer in a mobile scanning truck under an initiative aimed at catching the disease earlier when it is easier to treat 'I am determined to end the health inequalities that have grown across England over the last 15 years. 'We're training more doctors in the communities that need them most and making sure the latest cancer detection technology reaches every corner of the country. 'Faster diagnosis doesn't just save lives it gets people back to work and back to their families sooner. 'Whether you live in a coastal town or a rural village, you deserve the same shot at survival and quality of life as everyone else. This government will turn that promise into a reality.' While more people survive cancer than ever before, progress has slowed over the last decade, and England remains behind other comparable countries. From April 2027, new tests and devices that help spot cancer sooner will be assessed by the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (Nice). If watchdog approves the test or device for use on the NHS, trusts will be obliged to offer it, as is currently the case with new medicines. The first tests and devices to be assessed by Nice under the new model include artificial intelligence that reads chest X-rays to help medics spot lung cancer, software that analyses tissue samples for prostate and breast cancer and new techniques to help women get answers about unexplained vaginal bleeding. Health secretary Wes Streeting said all NHS patients should be able to receive a high standard of care regardless of where they live Nice will also assess the 'sponge on a string' test for oesophageal cancer. It involves patients swallowing a small capsule attached to a string, which dissolves in the stomach to leave a small sponge about the size of a 1p coin. This is then pulled out after a few minutes, collecting cells from the oesophageal lining for analysis. Professor Jonathan Benger, chief executive of Nice, said: 'When Nice was founded 26 years ago, it set out to end the postcode lottery in access to medicines. 'We're now extending that same clarity and fairness to health tech. 'These reforms mean that clinically and cost-effective medical devices, diagnostics and digital tools will start to be reimbursed and made available consistently across the NHS. 'This will give patients faster access to proven technologies and ensure NHS resources are spent where they make the greatest difference.' Last week, NHS England's monthly performance figures showed 76.5 per cent of patients urgently referred for suspected cancer were diagnosed or had cancer ruled out within 28 days in November. But this ranged from 54.5 per cent to 100 per cent, across trusts in England. Coastal towns like Blackpool are most likely to benefit from the policy of creating more training places for cancer doctors in hospitals with the greatest shortages There continues to be a large difference between the proportion of patients having the disease ruled out and those having it confirmed. Some 78.0 per cent of those patients ruled out of having cancer were told within 28 days in November but just 55.1 per cent of patients had their cancer confirmed within 28 days. The proportion of patients who had waited no longer than 62 days in November from an urgent suspected cancer referral, or consultant upgrade, to their first definitive treatment for cancer was 70.2 per cent, up from 68.8 per cent in October. Steven McIntosh, chief partnerships officer at Macmillan Cancer Support, said: 'Right now, cancer care isn't fair. 'Too many aren't getting the treatment and care they need because of who they are and where they live, and rural and coastal communities often have the worst outcomes. 'The National Cancer Plan for England is a huge opportunity to break down the barriers to everyone accessing world class cancer care.' Prof Peter Johnson, national clinical director for cancer at NHS England, said the National Cancer Plan will tackle differences in care 'head-on'. A newborn baby girl died after community midwives failed to properly monitor her heartbeat during a botched home birth over a busy Bank Holiday weekend. Pippa Gillibrand was delivered after her mother, Victoria, 33, was blue-lighted to hospital after more than five-hours of labour. But by then it was too late. The 8lbs 5oz tot had suffered brain damage after being deprived of oxygen during her delivery and died aged 12 days. An inquest into Pippa's death, due to open next week, is expected to hear that staff shortages over the August Bank Holiday weekend, in 2024, impacted her care. Mrs Gillibrand, a public health practice manager, and her husband, Thomas, 34, today said Pippa would be eternally missed and that they hoped the inquest would provide answers about why she died. The couple said: While it will always hurt not knowing her smile, her laugh, her voice, or the milestones we expected to share, we take comfort in knowing she is now at peace, free from pain, and so deeply, deeply loved, not just by us, but by everyone who was fortunate enough to meet her. 'Pippa will live on in memory of all and be eternally missed beyond all meaning. Victoria and Thomas Gillibrand's baby daughter, Pippa, died aged 12 days The tot, who was the couple's first child, died after being starved of oxygen during a botched home birth The couple, from Warrington, opted for a home birth because they were worried about the state of maternity services and thought it would be safer Their lawyer, Rebecca Cahill, a specialist clinical negligence associate with JMW solicitors, said evidence will be presented to the inquest to show Pippas heart-rate was not monitored correctly, and that there were delays in community midwives attending the couples home, in Warrington, Cheshire, because they were dealing with another home birth and couldnt staff both over the Bank Holiday weekend. Ms Cahill said: The death of this tiny baby is utterly tragic. Vicky and Toms loss is devastating and unimaginable, but to learn that Pippas monitoring was not in line with NHS guidelines, and that staff shortages appear to have impacted the care that they received only compounds their loss. They obviously have a number of concerns and so welcome the coroners investigation to ensure that no stone is left unturned in trying to find out why Pippa died. The inquest will hear that the couple did extensive research prior to Pippas birth, and, due to concerns over the current state of hospital maternity services, opted for a home birth because they believed it would be safer. Although Mrs Gillibrand was diagnosed with Low Pregnancy-Associated Plasma Protein-A (Low PAPP-A), a condition which can affect the growth of the foetus in the womb, at around 16 weeks into her pregnancy, she underwent frequent scans and her consultant agreed she was low-risk and suitable to have her baby at home. The home birth was carefully planned and, at around 5.30am on Sunday August 25, 2024, Mr Gillibrand, a pharmaceutical technician, contacted the labour ward at Warrington and Halton Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust to say their baby was coming. But he was allegedly told that the home birth team were already busy with another birth and a midwife would come out to them when they had finished dealing with that arrival. The inquest is expected to hear that the labour ward asked the homebirth team to call Mrs Gillibrand to triage her care, but no phone call was ever made. The couple, who married in June 2023, were excited to welcome their first child and had done extensive research before planning for Pippa to be delivered by community midwives at their home, in Warrington, Cheshire Mrs Gillibrand, pictured towards the end of her pregnancy, in August 2024 The inquest is expected to hear that staff shortages over the August Bank Holiday weekend, in 2024, impacted Pippa's care Instead Mr Gillibrand called the labour ward again at 7.40am to say his wifes waters had broken. He was told a midwife would be with them within the hour, but that they could also come to hospital if they preferred. Crucially, the inquest will be told, they were never instructed to attend the hospital or informed that there were not enough midwives to accommodate two home births at the same time. Eventually, the first midwife arrived to help the couple at 8.15am, followed by a second at 8.51am. At 9am Mrs Gillibrand was examined and found to be fully dilated, so she was advised to get into the birthing pool. However, the midwives did not have the correct equipment to give Mrs Gillibrand any gas and air for pain relief, so a third midwife was asked to attend. She arrived with the gas and air at 9.20am and, although she had never attended a home birth before, she was asked to take over from the first member of staff, who was coming to the end of her shift. According to guidance, Pippas heartbeat should have been monitored every five minutes, for a full minute, from 9am, when Mrs Gillibrand got into the pool. But the inquest will be told that this didnt happen even after 9.20am, when problems with Pippas heartrate were first recorded. Despite difficulties listening to her heartbeat, it was another half an hour before an ambulance was called, at 9.50am, when no heartbeat could be detected at all. Mrs Gillibrand arrived at Warrington Hospital at 10.26am and Pippa was delivered at 10.38am. But she was in a very poor condition and arrangements were made to immediately transfer her to Liverpool Womens Hospital for specialist cooling to try and minimise any brain damage. Sadly, doctors there confirmed she had suffered too severe a brain injury, due to a lack of oxygen during her delivery, to survive. She was made comfortable and died at 12 days old, on September 5. Ms Cahill said an internal investigation had been carried out by Warrington and Halton Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust which identified a catalogue of issues that will be raised at the inquest. These include concerns that, instead of monitoring Pippas heartbeat midwives spent time organising staff rotas; the home birth risk assessment documentation was not properly completed and Mrs Gillibrand was not made aware of all the risks to her baby prior to going into labour; no senior managers were on call over the Bank Holiday weekend for the midwives to escalate safety concerns; there was not enough equipment available for the community midwives to cope with two home births simultaneously, and records of Mrs Gillibrands labour were not completed properly due to problems with the midwives laptops and the electronic patient record system. Pippa's inquest is scheduled to start at Warrington Coroner's Court on Monday January 26. Warrington and Halton Hospitals was contacted for comment. Ali Kennah, chief nurse at Warrington and Halton Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, said: 'Our thoughts and deepest sympathies remain with Mr and Mrs Gillibrand and their family following their devastating loss. 'We were extremely saddened by Pippas death and will assist the coronial investigation in any way we can. We remain available to support Mr and Mrs Gillibrand during this process.' A Democratic state lawmaker in Missouri was sanctioned for ethical misconduct after texting a 'joke' to a Republican colleague that referred to a sexual act involving President Trump. The Missouri House of Representatives voted to sanction Rep Jeremy Dean, 28, by a 138-10 vote on Thursday after an internal investigation determined that he acted inappropriately toward fellow lawmaker Cecelie Williams. Speaker of the House Jon Patterson announced the sanction, saying in a statement that the House has 'once again affirmed its commitment to maintaining a safe and welcoming work environment for every employee.' Dean sent the crude text during a debate in September over a new congressional district map. Adam Schwardon, who previously served in the Missouri legislature, shared the text on his X account. Dean's punishment includes removal from all committee assignments and the completion of additional training on sexual harassment in the workplace. He was also prohibited from contacting Williams and is required to be at least 50 feet away from her at all times. Williams spoke on the House floor Thursday to express how the text message impacted her life. Democrat Representative Jeremy Dean, pictured above, was sanctioned on Thursday after sending an inappropriate text to a fellow lawmaker Cecelie Williams, pictured above, was the recipient of the rude text. She opened up about being a survivor of domestic abuse The text message referred to a sex act involving President Trump, pictured above on Thursday in Switzerland She opened up about experiencing post-traumatic stress from a previous history of domestic abuse. 'And this situation has intensified those triggers for me for more than four months,' Williams said. She added that after the text exchange circulated online, she received questions over what she did to provoke the sexual message. 'I have heard those questions before,' she continued, 'Just in another chapter of my life.' Dean was accused of sending the text that graphically referred to a sex act involving Republicans and Trump during a House Elections Committee hearing. Williams said that a colleague then took a photo of the text, and Dean sent a follow-up message that read: 'Make sure it isn't blurry.' Schwardon posted the text exchange online, writing: 'The text message from Missouri House Democrat @JeremyDean4MO, while sitting on the House Floor, to domestic abuse survivor Rep. Cecelie Williams while she sat in Committee is reprehensible. 'This disgusting behavior has no place in our Capitol and must be dealt with immediately.' House members, pictured above, voted on Thursday to sanction Dean 138-10 Former Representative Adam Schwardon, pictured above, shared a photo of the inappropriate text exchange on his X account Williams, pictured above speaking on Thursday, opened up about how the message exacerbated her PTSD House Minority Leader Ashley Aune had already removed Dean from his committee assignments before the sanction. Aune previously told the Missouri Independent that Dean apologized to Williams for the inappropriate remark. 'I am disappointed that this text was even sent and take it very seriously,' Aune said at the time. 'I would argue it was probably not even the worst thing sent between members that day.' She added that if the texts rose 'to the level of a big deal,' Democrats would respond with their own 'receipts.' Dean didn't speak during Thursday's hearing and left the chambers after the vote. The Daily Mail has reached out to him for comment. The White House has a new reason for why Donald Trump's hands are consistently bruised. The President's press secretary, Karoline Leavitt, told CBS News that Trump 'hit his hand' on the corner of the signing table at the Board of Peace event on Thursday in Davos, Switzerland, 'causing it to bruise.' A White House official also noted Trump's aspirin usage which he has said causes him to bruise more easily. The noticeable contusion was seen on Trump's left hand, which is not the one normally covered with makeup to conceal the discoloration of a bruise. Trump did not appear to have the bruise at the start of the event, according to images, which showed the discoloration appeared later on. Previously, Leavitt has said that Trump's right hand is chronically bruised because of the frequency in which he shakes people's hands. The President told the Wall Street Journal in a New Year's Day article that he bruises easier because he is defying doctors by taking higher-than-recommended daily doses of aspirin to keep his blood thin. Beyond the aspirin use, Trump was also diagnosed with chronic venous insufficiency, which can also increase chances of bruising. Donald Trump donned a brand new bruise on his left hand at the Board of Peace signing ceremony in Davos on January 22, 2026 The President applauds during a signing ceremony on his Board of Peace initiative at the Annual Meeting of the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, Thursday Trump looks at his bruised hand on Thursday Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt told CBS News: 'At the Board of Peace event today in Davos, President Trump hit his hand in the corner of the signing table, causing it to bruise' That diagnosis appeared to swell his lower legs and ankles, causing him to have a brief stint wearing compression socks. But he stopped wearing them because he didn't like the socks, according to the Journal report. The president is dosing more aspirin than his doctors recommend because 'I'm a little superstitious,' he confessed to the Journal. 'They say aspirin is good for thinning out the blood, and I don't want thick blood pouring through my heart,' Trump went on. 'I want nice, thin blood pouring through my heart. Does that make sense?' Instead of listening to medical advice, the 79-year-old is defying doctors' orders and relying on what he calls his 'good genetics.' Trump is taking 325 milligrams per day, which he says he's been dosing for 25 years. He admitted that doctors have encouraged him to take a lower dosage of aspirin. A low dose is usually approximately 81 milligrams, according to the Mayo Clinic. Taking higher dosages of aspirin can significantly increase the severity of side effects, including more serious ones like internal bleeding in the stomach, intestines and brain especially in older patients. But the biggest benefit is potentially avoiding a heart attack by keeping blood thinner so the flow is stronger. Join the debate Should the president ignore medical advice for personal beliefs, even if it risks his health? Previously, Trump's right hand has been pictured bruised and with globs of makeup that Leavitt says concealed bruises he sustained for shaking hands. Trump admits he is taking high doses of aspirin, which increase bruises especially in older people The thinned blood also stops blood cells from clumping together to form clots, which slows the body's ability to stop bleeding from broken capillaries and leading to more noticeable and larger bruising. Trump's right hand is often pictured with a glob of cover-up makeup that Leavitt confirms is concealing bruising, which she says is a result of the president regularly shaking people's hands. At 79 years old, Trump is the oldest person to be elected and serve as US president. A dog that vanished after the Spanish train disaster has been found and reunited with his owner. Ana Garcia Aranda, 26, was among the more than 150 people injured alongside her pregnant sister in the high-speed train collision in Adamuz, southern Spain, on Sunday. For reasons that remain unclear, the tail of their train car jumped the rails and smashed into another train - killing 45. Ms Garcia and her sister were helped by rescue crews out of the tilted train car, where she last saw her dog, Boro, before he bolted. Ms Garcia made pleas to find her missing pet, telling a local broadcaster with bandages on her face how she and her sister had been returning to the capital, Madrid, after visiting family for the weekend in Malaga. 'Please, if you can help, look for the animals,' a limping Garcia told reporters at the time, choked up and holding back tears. 'We were coming back from a family weekend with the little dog, who's family, too.' Photos of Boro, a medium-sized black dog with white eyebrows, went viral alongside phone numbers for Garcia and her family, and Spanish television broadcasters and newspapers covered the search. On Thursday, a miracle happened - forest firefighters in southern Spain found the beloved pooch, and posted images of Ms Garcia with one leg in a brace hugging Boro. She smiled as she told reporters: 'Many thanks to all of Spain and everyone who has got involved so much. It gave me great hope and we've done it. Ana Garcia Aranda, pictured on Monday, made a desperate plea for help to find her dog who vanished during Sunday's train crash - which left her hurt Ana Garcia Aranda embraces Boro, her beloved pooch, after he was found on Sunday Photos of Boro went viral alongside phone numbers for Garcia and her family, and Spanish television broadcasters and newspapers covered the search Forest firefighters hand over the missing pooch to Ms Garcia, still injured and in a brace after surviving the crash 'Now we have him and we have him for all our life. Now let's go home, buddy.' The search for Boro appeared to provide Spaniards something to hope for amid the week's tragedy, and ultimately something to celebrate. Spain's worst rail accident in more than a decade has sent shockwaves across the world - worsened by a third train collision today as a commuter service slammed into a crane on Thursday, leaving at least six people injured. The midday crash took place near Alumbres, Cartagena, in southern Spain, and although the cause of the collision has not yet been determined, it is believed the FEVE-operated train struck a crane while on its journey. It follows two bodies being found on Thursday from the wreckage of the high-speed train collision on January 18, which took the death toll to 45. Spain observed three days of national mourning after Sunday's collision in the southern region of Andalusia. An Andalusia emergency services spokesman told AFP two bodies had been recovered from the train operated by state company Renfe, which smashed into another service by private firm Iryo that had derailed and crossed onto its track. 'In theory, they are the two people' yet to be recovered from a total of 45 reported as missing following the disaster, which also injured more than 120, the spokesman said. Emergency workers are seen at the site where a high-speed Iryo train derailed and was hit by another train in Adamuz, southern Spain, on January 19. 45 people have now been confirmed dead Rescuers found the two bodies after conducting a 'more thorough' search of two carriages that 'were in a severely deteriorated condition', the head of the Civil Guard's investigative unit, Fernando Dominguez, told a news conference. Of those 45 people, all are Spanish apart from three women from Morocco, Russia and Germany, according to the latest update from a body set up to coordinate the identification work. Spain is searching for answers to what the transport minister has called an 'extremely strange' disaster, which happened on a recently renovated stretch of straight, flat track and involved a modern Iryo train. The back-to-back rail accidents just days apart have raised doubts about the safety of train travel in the European Union's fourth-largest economy, a top tourist destination boasting the world's second-largest high-speed network. The number of police forces in England and Wales is to be cut significantly as part of a major shake-up, government sources have confirmed for the first time. Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood will set out a radical blueprint for police reform in a White Paper to be published on Monday. The existing 43 police forces will undergo a series of mergers in the most wide-ranging changes since the 1960s. It is not yet known how many police forces will remain, but it is widely expected to be as few as 10. Each new regional force will focus on complex investigations such as those into murders or organised crime. But within each new larger force there will be local policing areas created to focus on community issues such as shoplifting, mobile phone theft and anti-social behaviour, sources confirmed. The Home Office believes the mergers will save money on backroom functions which can then be redirected to neighbourhood policing. Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood will next week unveil plans to slash the number of police forces in England and Wales in the biggest policing shake-up since the 1960s A government source said: As part of these reforms, the Government will radically change the structure of policing. First, it will pledge to significantly reduce the number of police forces by the end of the next parliament. These forces will specialise in tackling serious and organised crime and complex investigations such as homicides, drugs and county lines. Second, within these new forces, Local Policing Areas will be established for each town, city or borough. These teams will operate closer to their local community than the current 43 forces do and will be tasked with delivering exceptional neighbourhood policing. They will fight local crime, such as shoplifting, drug dealing, phone theft, and the anti-social behaviour, that are blighting our high streets and communities. An independent review will be set up to determine the new number forces and their precise operational design, the source said. Shadow Home Secretary Chris Philp said: There is no evidence that ripping up local police forces will cut crime or improve performance. Top-down reorganisation risks undermining efforts to fight crime, inevitably leading to centralised control that will hit towns and villages across the country hardest. This is a cover for Labours failure to deliver on policing and their inability to get officer numbers, response times, or even funding on track. He added: The biggest force, the Met, has the lowest crime-solving rates and falling police numbers. Big is not necessarily better. Earlier this week the Daily Mail reported how the number of police officers in frontline roles has plummeted under Labour to the lowest level in six years. New regional forces will be created, which will contain 'local policing areas' in each city, town or borough to concentrate on neighbourhood crime and other grassroots issues Official Home Office data revealed there were 67,085 officers in visible frontline operational roles in England and Wales at the end of March last year. It was the lowest since 2018-19 when the total fell to 63,000. At that point, the decline prompted the then Conservative government to launch a drive to recruit 20,000 additional officers. The Tories met their pledge in 2023 and the number of officers in visible frontline roles peaked at just under 77,000 in March that year, but has since spiralled downwards. Concern has been raised that Ms Mahmoods policing shake-up will come with huge initial costs and absorb vast amounts of senior officers time for years. It also means dozens of chief constables and other top brass are likely to become redundant, amid increasing frustration in Whitehall at the polices ability to respond to modern crime patterns. The chief constables of the largest city forces such as the Metropolitan Police and Greater Manchester Police (GMP) are likely to be among the clear winners in any reorganisation, as they swallow up neighbouring smaller patches. Other areas, such as the shire counties, are likely to witness bitter competition among chief constables as they jostle to win the top job in much larger forces. Currently the smallest forces excluding the City of London Police - are Warwickshire, Lincolnshire and Wiltshire with about 1,100 or 1,200 officers each, while the largest are West Midlands with 5,000, West Yorkshire with 6,000, GMP with 8,000 and the Met with 33,000. The last major reform of policing structures saw a series of amalgamations between 1964 to 1966, with the number fall from 158 forces to the existing 43 forces. Further mergers have been discussed by police organisations for the last 20 years. The Home Office launched a plan to reduce the total to 24 forces in 2005 but it was dropped by then home secretary John Reid the following year. European leaders have held an emergency summit in Brussels to discuss the future of the continent's relationship with the US. The meeting of the European Council, a working dinner where leaders enjoyed scallops, chicken supreme and citrus salad, ended after midnight local time and followed a tense World Economic Forum in Davos. Donald Trump stoked transatlantic tensions on Wednesday as he told Europe they would all be speaking German 'and a little Japanese' without the US before doubling down on his demands for Greenland. Speaking on Thursday in Davos, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said Europe needed to prepare its own security strategy without relying on the US. 'The world has changed permanently, we need to change it,' the EU chief said. 'I believe Europe needs to adjust to the new security architecture and realities that we are now facing. 'This is why Europe is preparing its own security strategy, which we plan to publish later this year. As part of this, we are upgrading our Arctic strategy. 'Europe must speed up its push for independence from security to economy, from defence to democracy. The point is that the world has changed permanently. We need to change with it.' Donald Trump backed down from his threats to launch an invasion of Greenland after a furious backlash from the UK and other European allies 'The world has changed permanently, we need to change it,' Ursula von der Leyen said The emergency meeting comes after Trump backed down from sending US troops to invade Greenland The EU chief added: 'When it comes to the security of the Arctic region, Europe is fully committed. 'And we share the objectives of the United States in this regard. For instance, Finland one of the newest NATO members is selling its first icebreakers to the US. This shows that we have the capability right here.' Her comments came hours before European leaders gathered in Brussels for an emergency summit to discuss their future relationship with the US. Not all of Europe's premiers were pleased to be attending. Slovakian prime minister Robert Fico branded it 'simply a super expensive dinner in Brussels'. Speaking on the plane before travelling to the Belgian capital, he said European council president Antonio Costa had called the emergency meeting 'to calm the panic of some member states while at the same time without adopting any decisions or even knowing when we will finish'. He said it was 'simply a super expensive dinner in Brussels,' pointing out the expense of a government aircraft and an unprepared summit. But he said he had to attend or his domestic opposition 'would lose their minds.' On Wednesday, Trump finally agreed to drop his threat to invade Greenland following a furious bustup with Britain and other Nato allies. French President Emmanuel Macron arrived at the emergency summit sporting a pair of aviator sunglasses Speaking after talks with Nato chief Mark Rutte, the US president said he had agreed 'the framework of a future deal' regarding the control of the Arctic island, which he claims is vital for American security. Mr Trump added that he was suspending plans to slap tariffs on Britain and other countries resisting his Greenland grab. On Wednesday night, Nato military officers were discussing an arrangement where Denmark would cede 'small pockets of Greenlandic' territory to the US, where it could build military bases. Senior officials compared the proposal to UK military bases in Cyprus which are treated as sovereign British territories according to The New York Times. Mr Trump told reporters it was 'the ultimate longterm deal'. When asked how long, he replied: 'Infinite. There is no time limit. It's a deal that's forever.' On Thursday, EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas admitted transatlantic relations have 'taken a big blow over the last week' as European leaders met in Brussels. She said the EU was living through a turbulent time. 'One day, one way; the other day, again, everything could change.' She added relations between the US and Europe 'have definitely taken a big blow over the last week', but Europeans were 'not willing to junk 80 years of good relations'. Following the meeting, European Council President Costa hit out at Trump's Board of Peace. He said the EU has 'serious doubts' about a number of issues including its 'scope, governance and compatibility with the UN charter'. He said the bloc is 'ready to work with the US' on the implementation of the peace plan for Gaza. French President Emmanuel Macron arrived at the Brussels summit sporting the same aviator sunglasses he wore in Davos. NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte and Donald Trump announced a deal over Greenland in Davos EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas (pictured with Belgian prime minister Bart de Wever) admitted transatlantic relations have 'taken a big blow over the last week' Slovakian prime minister Robert Fico branded it 'simply a super expensive dinner in Brussels' He said: 'I welcome the fact that we began the week with an escalation, with threats of invasion and tariff threats, and have now returned to a situation that I find far more acceptable, even though, we remain vigilant.' German Chancellor Friedrich Merz said he was 'very grateful' Trump has changed his stance on Greenland. 'I am also grateful that he has refrained from imposing additional tariffs on 1 February,' he added. Poland's prime minister Donald Tusk added: 'Europe should be here absolutely united to protect our relations with our partners on the other side of the Atlantic, even if it is much more difficult than ever before.' Vice President JD Vance has fired back at claims that Immigration and Custom Enforcement (ICE) agents arrested a five-year-old boy in Minneapolis. Trump's immigration crackdown sparked yet more backlash on Thursday after images of the child went viral on social media. Vance admitted that he too was concerned about the report, noting he is also the father of a five-year-old son, but he learned that the boy had been abandoned by his father, an illegal immigrant from Ecuador who entered the US under Joe Biden. 'The five year old was not arrested ... his dad was an illegal alien and when they went to arrest his illegal alien father, the father ran,' Vance said. The vice president spoke to reporters after attending a roundtable event in Minneapolis to try to reduce the chaos surrounding ICE enforcement actions in the city following the shooting of protester, Renee Good, on January 7. Vance said that ICE agents had no other choice than to take the child into custody. 'What are they supposed to do? Are they supposed to let a five-year-old child freeze to death? Are they not supposed to arrest an illegal alien in the united States of America?' he asked. Vance indicated it was absurd to suggest that parents of children should not be arrested for being in the country illegally. U.S. Vice President JD Vance speaks at Royalston Square in Minneapolis, Minnesota after meeting with local officials School officials claimed Liam Conejo Ramos, five, was taken from his driveway by agents as he returned home 'If the argument is that you can't arrest people who have violated our laws because they have children, then every single parent is going to be completely given immunity from ever being the subject of law enforcement,' he said. Trump immigration enforcement officials were widely criticized after images of the five-year-old boy being detained went viral on social media. Democratic Rep. Ilhan Omar claimed the boy had been detained, calling it 'absolutely vile.' ICE, however worked quickly to detail the rest of the story. The child's father Adrian Alexander Conejo Arias was an illegal alien from Ecuador who had been released into the United States by Joe Biden, according to the agency. 'As agents approached the driver Adrian Alexander Conejo Arias, fled on foot - abandoning his child,' the DHS wrote on X. 'For the child's safety, one of our ICE officers remained with the child while the other officers apprehended Conejo Arias. 'Parents are asked if they want to be removed with their children, or ICE will place the children with a safe person the parent designates. This is consistent with the past administration's immigration enforcement.' Join the debate Did ICE arrest a five-year-old? Ramos's teacher described him as a 'bright young student' who is 'so kind and loving' and is missed by his classmates They also reminded illegal migrants that they could self-deport using an app. School superintendent Zena Stenvik claimed several students have been detained by ICE, KARE 11 reported. 'Why detain a 5-year-old? You can't tell me that this child is going to be classified as a violent criminal,' Stenvik said. Tensions in the state have risen since an ICE agent shot and killed 37-year-old Minneapolis woman Renee Nicole Good earlier this month amid the Trump administration's immigration crackdown. The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) has deployed nearly 3,000 agents to Minnesota as part of its 'largest immigration operation ever.' Stenvik claimed that ICE agents used Ramos to try to lure other adults out of the home. 'Another adult living in the home was outside and begged the agents to let him take care of the small child, and was refused,' Stenvik said. 'Instead, the agent took the child out of the still-running car, led him to the door, and directed him to knock on the door asking to be let in in order to see if anyone else was home, essentially using a five-year-old as bait.' Columbia Heights Public School District Superintendent Zena Stenvik claimed that several students have been detained by ICE in recent weeks According to a GoFundMe for the family, Ramos and Arias were taken to an ICE facility in Texas. Ramos's teacher, Ella Sullivan, described him as a 'bright young student'. 'He's so kind and loving, and his classmates miss him, and all I want is for him to be safe and back here,' she said. The familys immigration lawyer, Marc Prokosch, said the family is seeking asylum and has been following the law throughout the process. At the press conference, Stenvik said that three other students have been detained by federal agents in recent weeks. In one instance, Stenvik claimed a 10-year-old girl was apprehended with her mother while on her way to class. 'During the arrest, the child called her father on the phone to tell him that ICE agents were bringing her to school. The father immediately came to the school to find that both his daughter and wife had been taken,' Stenvik said. 'By the end of the school day, they were already in a detention center in Texas, and they are still there.' Stenvik also said that a 17-year-old student was detained when 'ICE agents pushed their way into an apartment'. 'ICE agents have been roaming our neighborhoods, circling our schools, following our buses, coming into our parking lots and taking our children,' Stenvik said. 'The sense of safety in our community and around our schools is shaken and our hearts are shattered.' The hospital at the centre of an infection scandal still poses a risk to patients, it was claimed last night. Families of those who caught bugs linked to ventilation and water at the Queen Elizabeth University Hospital say they still dont believe its safe. Whistleblowers have raised concerns over dishwashers being out of action, running water not being readily available and leaking roofs at the 1billion facility. Two children died and at least 84 fell ill after contracting bugs the board now accepts were probably linked to the buildings water system. There are also calls for the hospital to be placed under special measures by the health secretary. First Minister John Swinney, who is facing calls to be dragged into a corporate manslaughter case, yesterday insisted: I think the hospital is safe, as he and health officials faced a furious backlash from victims families. Louise Cunningham, 41, who lost her daughter at the age of three after the youngster went to the childrens hospital with neuroblastoma cancer. Ms Cunningham, from Renfrew, said yesterday: Weve seen that theyre trying to say the hospital is safe. In my heart of heart, I dont believe its safe. And I would never take my children to that I have a young daughter but I would never take her to that hospital at all. The scandal-hit Queen Elizabeth University Hospital in Glasgow Dozens of buckets catching dripping water in the atrium of the Royal Hospital for Children within the QEUH Furious families said their loved ones contracted infections linked to the water and ventilation systems, some of whom died at the QEUT She called on the politicians and senior managers at the health board to be held accountable. David Campbell, whose son was treated at the hospital added: Its clear from this that the SNP cannot be trusted to govern in the interest of children and vulnerable people. The Edinburgh-based Scottish Hospitals Inquiry yesterday heard from lawyers representing staff who blew the whistle on issues at the hospital as well as the families of those affected by the substandard building. Helen Watts KC, acting on behalf of the whistleblowers, told inquiry the lack of an effectively operating infection prevention and control team will render the hospital unsafe. The children and adults who died did so shortly after the hospital opened, but health board officials denied for years that the building was to blame. NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde finally admitted last week that dirty water at QEUH was the probable cause of serious infections in young cancer patients. The health board apologised but did not accept blame in any individual cases and also claimed it had been placed under pressure to open the hospital before it was ready. Prosecutors instructed police to launch a criminal investigation in 2021 into several deaths at the hospital and the health board was named as a suspect in 2023. Kimberly Darroch's 10-year-old daughter Milly Main died after contracting a bacterial infection Maureen Dynes husband Tony died at the hospital in 2021 Victims included ten-year-old Milly Main who contracted an unusual bacterial infection while being treated for leukaemia in 2017. Yesterday critics called for those responsible for a rotten culture of secrecy at the health board to be held to account. Dr Sandesh Gulhane, the Scottish Conservative health spokesman, said: SNP ministers cannot pretend there are still not serious issues at their flagship hospital a decade on from its opening. Only this week a whistleblower told me about dishwashers being out of action and running water not being readily available, which will only put more patients at risk of being infected. Patient and staff safety must be paramount if we are to restore confidence among them that SNP ministers are fully on top of issues at the Queen Elizabeth. The time has come for Neil Gray to take decisive action by placing NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde under special measures. The disgraceful admission from the health board this week has confirmed there is a rotten culture of secrecy that goes to the very top. Unless Mr Gray takes urgent action and puts them under special measures, staff will continue to have no confidence they will be able to raise concerns without repercussions. Former Glasgow Health Board Chief Executive Jane Grant, who gave evidence to the inquiry, yesterday refused to comment Former First Minister Nicola Sturgeon and then Health Secretary Shona Robison at the opening of the hospital in 2015 Mr Campbell, whose son was four when he first went for treatment at the hospital, told of how he witnessed serious issues there as recently as November. He said: There has been a dripping roof for a year now in the childrens atrium, it started off as one yellow splash bucket. Until a few weeks ago there was 18 of them. So when it started raining they just kept on adding splash buckets. And then they cordoned it all off. He needs a wheelchair after treatment, and we actually slipped going past it. Dr Christine Peters, one of the whistleblowers who still works at the hospital as a full-time employee of the scandal hit health board, has claimed nothing has changed. Ms Watts told the inquiry: She has not seen evidence of the necessary changes having taken place. Her consistent and repeated experience up until the present date is that the culture has not changed, learning has not been implemented, and there remains a default assumption that the environment cannot be the cause of infections. The Scottish Daily Mail approached Jane Grant former Chief Executive of NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde for her reaction to the criticisms levelled at the leadership of the hospital during her tenure but she declined to comment. A man who answered the door of her home said she was not willing to speak to the Mails reporter and instead asked that any inquiries be put through the health board. An NHS Glasgow and Greater Clyde spokesman yesterday offered its sincere and unreserved apology to the patients and families affected. He added: In our closing statements we have acknowledged issues with past culture and communication, and we are committed to learn and continue to improve our approach. We have outlined the significant improvements undertaken as an organisation during this time to improve governance and oversight, and that issues are being addressed both proactively and reactively, and in a timely manner. We encourage any employee to get in touch directly to discuss concerns they may have to allow us to address directly. It would not be appropriate for us to comment further at this time while the inquiry is ongoing. The stench of cover-up clings to Holyrood, staining the walls like years of old cigarette smoke. Salmond, the ferries, Michael Matheson, undisclosed Covid outbreaks, Angela Constance, and now the mephitic odour of truths interred and falsehoods elevated emits from the Queen Elizabeth hospital scandal. Anas Sarwar was the angriest I have ever seen him. This was the cold, sober fury of a man who had been vindicated in the worst possible way by the needless deaths of children. Sarwar was the MSP the original whistleblower approached with allegations that a childs death had been covered up. He became the voice of distraught parents and helped them chip away slowly at a bureaucratic edifice of secrecy, lies, half-truths and spin. And now, the dam had crumbled, the truth was gushing through, and the guilty were heading for the hills. The Labour leader quoted from the health board: Pressure was applied to open the hospital on time and on budget, and it is now clear that the hospital opened too early. It was not ready. Then he held aloft a booklet, an internal report that had warned two weeks before opening day of a high risk of infections. But it was ignored someone wanted the hospital open. The 1bn Queen Elizabeth University Hospital in Glasgow Some of the families whose loved ones became seriously ill at the QEUT with others who lost children, wives and husbands Who applied the pressure and why? he demanded of Swinney. The First Minister claimed the Scottish Government wasnt told about water contamination until 2018. Sarwar told Swinney his answer was not credible, adding that the SNP government was at fault for at least negligence or, more likely, criminal incompetence. Hed had it with niceties. His blood was hot, his eyes piercing, his nostrils flared. Pity the next blood pressure monitor he encounters. Reminding Swinney he was one of the principal ministers when the Queen Elizabeth was rushed open, he asked: who applied the pressure and why? The First Minister took refuge behind the governments decision to hold a public inquiry, as if they hadnt been dragged kicking and screaming to do so. The Labour leader described the cover-up as the biggest scandal in the history of the parliament and accused the health board and ministers of having closed ranks. Swinneys credibility ebbed away, and he could barely go a few words without being shouted down by Tory Stephen Kerr. The whiff of rot came elsewhere, too. Labours Katy Clark enquired if the government would be complying with that days deadline for handing over documents from the inquiry that cleared Sturgeon of misleading parliament. The Information Commissioner insisted the information be released but SNP ministers had thus far refused. First Minister John Swinney faces tough questions on the SNP government's role in the scandal Scottish Labour leader Anas Sarwar demands answers from Swinney at First Minister's questions Swinney undertook to comply with the Commissioners decision as soon as is practicably possible. Some gasps for that one. Thats not how compliance works. It makes it likely that the matter will end up in the Court of Session more taxpayers money frittered away defending the SNPs right to keep public documents hidden from the public. The First Ministers excuse was that, allowing the public to read the papers could make it easier to identify the woman who lodged complaints against Alex Salmond. Up to his feet came his erstwhile nationalist colleague Fergus Ewing, the ruddy face that haunts many a ministers nightmares, to accuse the First Minister of using the excuse of jigsaw identification as a human shield to justify withholding information where the only real risk was of causing extreme embarrassment to several people who are in the Scottish Government. Swinney did a fainting maiden routine over Ewings use of the word excuse his duty at all times is to obey the law, dontcha know? but what he did not do was supply a satisfactory answer. With his every protest and evasion, the stench only grew stronger. JOHN Swinney yesterday announced the creation of the Scottish Governments 132nd quango to address the housing emergency but no details have been provided of how much it will cost. The First Minister unveiled More Homes Scotland after criticism of his governments failure to tackle housing shortages. But the new body which will be designed by Housing Secretary Mairi McAllan, councils and the Scottish National Investment Bank wont be fully operational until 2028/29 and the Scottish Government was unable to provide basic figures about how much it will cost to set up and also to operate. According to official figures, there are already 131 Scottish public bodies and it has been estimated that they cost around 6.6billion a year to operate. Scottish Conservative housing spokesman Meghan Gallacher said: This cannot be another SNP talking shop that fails to deliver. Scotland is in the grip of a housing emergency because of the SNPs appalling failure to deliver the homes we have needed over the last two decades. Yet John Swinneys latest plan is to set up another quango that wont even be fully up and running for another two years. Mr Swinney said the new body, which will start operating in 2027/28 but wont become fully operational until the following year, will focus on enabling the delivery of housing of all types. Scottish Cabinet Secretary for Housing Mairi McAllan 'designed' the new quango The First Minister and Housing Secretary visited a housing development to set out plans to accelerate the building of homes throughout Scotland This will include large-scale affordable housing, rural and island homes, releasing land, infrastructure work to unlock stalled development, and work with the Scottish National Investment Bank to make the best use of private finance. Work to design the operating model will take place in the coming weeks, with an update expected to be provided to MSPs in March. The Scottish Government said its costs will be determined during the design phase and reported to parliament in due course. It comes just months after SNP ministers promised to cut the annual corporate costs of public bodies by 1billion by the end of this decade. Announcing the creation of More Homes Scotland, Mr Swinney said: It will deliver for a new generation of Scots new homes more quickly, more affordably, in more liveable, climate friendly communities. Jane Wood, chief executive of Homes for Scotland, said: The impact of this announcement and the Scottish Governments restated commitment to an all-tenure approach should not be underestimated. Jonathan Guthrie, chairman of the Scottish Property Federation, said: Todays commitment to establish More Homes Scotland is a positive and timely step towards addressing Scotlands housing emergency. The Defence Secretary has accused the SNP of jeopardising UK security at a time when Scotland is at the forefront of protecting the nation from foreign aggressors. John Healey said the Scottish Governments opposition to Britains nuclear deterrent weakens national security as tensions grow between the US and Russia. And Scottish Secretary Douglas Alexander claimed the First Minister snubbed an offer of a briefing about the US militarys use of a Scottish Government-owned airport earlier this month over the seizure of a Venezuelan tanker headed for Russia. On a tour of the Leonardo factory in Edinburgh, where 300 jobs will be secured as part of a 453million investment by the UK Government project to fit Typhoon fighter jets with cutting-edge radar systems, Mr Healey told staff that this is the point that we must start to manufacture so that we keep our planes and our pilots ahead of adversaries. He said Scotland is a proud part of the UKs security and is helping with keeping those Northern skies safe against Russian threats. He added: Just as Scotland is a powerhouse for the UKs defence industry, it is a frontline for the UKs security. Earlier this month, US military aircraft landed at Benbecula Airport in the Western Isles and Wick John OGroats Airport in Caithness, which is owned by the Scottish Government, at the same time as the US-led capture of a ship described as a Venezuelan shadow fleet vessel by the US. Mr Healey said: I want the Scottish Government to be a firm, strong reliable government partner for the UK Government. Defence Secretary John Healey at Leonardo UK in Edinburgh to announce the multi-million investment US Military planes at Wick John O'Groats Airport during the operation to seize the Russian-bound tanker We need a Scottish Government that is not weak on defence, is willing to invest in skills in defence, which the Scottish Nationalist government has not been prepared to do. I want to see a Scottish Government that doesnt have a declared policy of unilateral nuclear disarmament because in this era of rising threat, any government that calls into question or jeopardises our deterrent is calling into question the strength of our national security. Asked if he was confident about the US military being able to continue using Scottish Government-owned facilities if needed, he said: Yes, our relationship with the US on these matters is led by us as a UK Government. Mr Alexander said: The Scotland Act is clear that defence and foreign affairs are reserved matters. I personally offered a briefing to John Swinney in relation to the use of Wick Airport. That hasnt been accepted but these issues are far, far too important to be subject to party politics. In response, the Scottish Government released Mr Alexanders letter, which said it would have been inappropriate to provide a briefing about the operation in advance as defence, national security and foreign affairs are reserved but should you wish to discuss this issue further I would be happy to meet you. Asked about the letter, Mr Swinney said: I got a reply from Douglas Alexander which basically told me this whole issue was none of my business. I wrote to the Prime Minister because I was dissatisfied with the juvenile content of Mr Alexanders letter. Ive now had a reply from the Prime Minister which offers the dialogue and security information I believe is necessary. Ewan McGregor has put one of two his prized motorcycles up for sale in an online auction. The Hollywood actor is flogging a Harley Davidson Electra Glide Revival and a BMW K 1600 GT from his vast collection. McGregor, 54, kept the bikes at his former home in California but is selling them after moving back to Scotland permanently. The Trainspotting star purchased a 2 million mansion in Scotland in 2023 and has since been spending more time in his homeland. The Harley-Davidson was built in 2021 as part of a limited release and just 1,500 of them exist worldwide - making it a sought after collectors item. It is equipped with the Milwaukee-Eight 114 twin engine and has a reported top speed of around 110 mph. The bike, which is painted in blue and white chrome, is being offered for sale with no reserve price but they typically sell for more than 20,000. The BMW, which was made in 2022, has clocked up just 617 miles and currently has a top bid of 5,300. The bikes are being marketed by US firm Iconic Motorbikes Auctions who has made them available for inspection at their base in California. A description of the bikes reads: The seller is none other than the world-renowned actor and motorcycle enthusiast Ewan McGregor. McGregor before his 20,000 mile transcontinental motorcycle TV adventure, Long Way Home The BMW, made in 2022, has just 617 miles on the clock already has a top bid of 5,300 The blue and white chrome 2021 Harley-Davidson can sell for more than 20,000 He has decided to clear some space and is selling a few cars and motorcycles. Iconic is proud to help Ewan with the two-wheelers. Last year, McGregor appeared in the Apple TV series Long Way Home which saw him and friend Charley Boorman travel by motorbike from Scotland to the south of England - via Scandinavia. In a statement, Iconic Motorbikes Auctions said: Ewan McGregor needs no introduction - you more than likely already know that hes a world-renowned actor and noted motorcycle enthusiast who inspired countless riders with the Long Way series. After joining Iconic for our last Laguna Seca track day he stopped by the hangar for a visit and asked us to help him clear up room at his space by selling some bikes. Last year McGregor and his wife Mary Elizabeth Winstead sold their luxury US property in Los Angeless Topanga Canyon for 5 million. While accepting an outstanding contribution award from Bafta Scotland in November he paid tribute to his 40-year-old wife and said he would love to work with her in Scotland so they dont have to be apart. He said: I love to work with you so much. Ive been lucky enough to do it three times and I want to do it more and more. Mary and I are now here in Scotland, so to save us the pain of having to be apart, maybe you could come up with lots of Scottish films that we can be in together. McGregors Scottish home is a Category C-listed 10 bedroom property which was bought for 2.35 million. The property comes with a gate lodge and a courtyard of outbuildings and has more than 15,000sq ft of living space on three floors, with a two-bedroom flat, stores and a wine cellar. The search for up to nine people missing after a devastating landslide tore through a New Zealand campsite could take days, authorities have warned. A series of landslides hit the North Island on Thursday following record-breaking rain. Two people were killed after a landslip wiped out a Welcome Bay home in the Bay of Plenty region, roughly 100km east of Hamilton, at about 4.50am (NZDT). The tragedy escalated when another landslide 18km away hit campervans, vehicles and a shower block at the Mount Maunganui Beachside Holiday Park just hours later at 9.30am. Emergency services said the number of those missing is thought to be in the 'single figures', meaning up to nine could be trapped in the debris. Children are among those unaccounted for. Police Commissioner Richard Chambers on Friday refused to give an exact figure. 'We don't want to form a view too early about how many may be caught up in that tragedy,' he told the New Zealand Herald on Friday. Up to nine people are missing after a landslide hit campervans and a shower block at the Mount Maunganui Beachside Holiday Park in New Zealand's North Island on Thursday Locals and passers-by rushed to help free those trapped, climbing onto the roof of a displaced toilet block to reach a caravan (pictured) 'It could be days. And we appreciate that everybody is anxious and waiting for their loved ones, and for some answers, but we also have to be very careful. 'My heart goes out to them. I'm a father myself and I'm a policeman. I had a brief chat to a couple of them and they were very grateful for the work that we are doing. 'We're working really hard with (loved ones) to give them answers as quickly as we possibly can.' Mr Chambers said that, further down the line, there would need to be answers on why the campsite was not evacuated earlier despite weather warnings. Huge swathes of the North Island were smashed by torrential rain on Wednesday, with meteorologists MetService issuing a rare red weather warning for a 'threat to life' in several regions and a state of local emergency. Tauranga - the closest city to Mount Maunganui - received 295mm in the 30 hours to 6am Thursday. Tauranga Mayor Mahe Drysdale said the area is 'very unstable' and authorities have to monitor ground conditions as they work. He told Radio NZ that the rescue operation will be a 'long, slow process' due to the 'immense' scale of the landslide. Mount Maunganui Beachside Holiday Park is 18km from where a landslip killed two people at a Welcome Bay home on Thursday morning Tauranga Mayor Mahe Drysdale said the area is 'very unstable' Loved ones of the missing are waiting for updates in a gazebo close to the scene 'Unfortunately, there's still no real progress from actually finding people. So, look, that's really hard,' he added. 'We're here with the families, and as you can imagine, just that uncertainty of where they are and when we might have a result is pretty hard.' In the wake of the landslide, locals and passers-by rushed to help free those trapped, climbing onto the roof of a displaced toilet block to reach the caravan. Desperate screams were heard underneath the twisted rubble, which fell silent after 15 minutes. The campground was then evacuated as rescue efforts continue at the campground. Roadblocks have been erected in affected areas to keep the public away. The wild weather continues, with the MetService issuing a strong wind warning for the region from Friday morning into Saturday, with concerns the weather could topple trees. In Warkworth near Auckland, a man in his 40s was swept away in his car in the swollen Mahurangi River, while a passenger managed to scramble to safety. Huge swathes of the North Island were smashed by torrential rain on Wednesday, with meteorologists MetService issuing a rare red weather warning for a 'threat to life' Thousands of people in Northland, Coromandel, Bay of Plenty and Tairawhiti were also left without power after the storm and flooding Police continued their search for the missing motorist on Thursday, while further east, rescue efforts were underway for stranded locals in the remote Tairawhiti region. People have been trapped on rooftops in Te Araroa, with Mark Law - the helicopter pilot involved in rescue efforts after the deadly 2019 Whakaari-White Island volcanic eruption - telling Radio NZ he was assisting with checks in the area. Thousands of people in Northland, Coromandel, Bay of Plenty and Tairawhiti were also left without power after the storm and flooding. Prime Minister Christopher Luxon issued a public warning as he visited one of the weather-impacted regions in the Coromandel Peninsula on Friday 'On the ground here in Thames after weather has severely impacted the Thames-Coromandel region,' he said. 'Even though the heavy rain has passed, the large amount of rainfall leaves many parts of the region particularly vulnerable to landslides and fallen trees. 'These can be extremely dangerous. Stay alert and look for warning signs: small slips, rock falls, sinking land or unusual noises.' Minnesota Senator Amy Klobuchar has filed paperwork to run for governor, indicating her interest in running a state beleaguered by ICE raids and a populace set aflame by Donald Trump's hard-nosed deportation tactics. The governor's race in Minnesota was shaken by Governor Tim Walz's stunning decision not to seek re-election for a third term earlier this month. Walz has faced significant scrutiny amid ongoing federal and congressional probes into his handling of widespread fraud allegations in state-run social programs that are estimated to have resulted in billions of dollars being lost. Further, Walz and Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey are both also being probed by the Justice Department for obstructing immigration enforcement. Whoever does win the Democratic gubernatorial primary in the state should expect to explain how they will oppose the president's sweeping immigration crackdown and ensuing protests that led to an ICE agent's killing of Renee Good. Good, who drove into the middle of an operation, was shot and killed on January 7. The state has since seen widespread anti-ICE protests. 'This tragedy is the result of the administration sending federal agents onto our streets against the wishes of local law enforcement,' Klobuchar said immediately after the shooting. Within days, Klobuchar was advocating for protestors who she claimed were being treated unfairly by law enforcement. 'It is completely unacceptable that law-abiding Minnesotans are being thrown to the ground, detained, pepper-sprayed, and threatened. This endangers public safety and is fundamentally un-American,' the Democrat wrote on January 16. Democratic Senator Amy Klobuchar has filed paperwork needed to run for governor in Minnesota. She previously ran for president in 2020 Protests have erupted in the state after ICE shot and killed Renee Good after she drove into an ongoing federal operation. Democratic leaders in the state have demanded Trump withdraw ICE and federal agents Border Patrol commander Greg Bovino has been overseeing immigration operations in the state since protests there began this month. Klobuchar has ridiculed ICE for having a heavy-handed approach to immigration enforcement Klobuchar, who ran for president in 2020, was tarred as a tyrannical boss who 'ran a workplace controlled by fear, anger, and shame,' the Democrat's former staffers told Buzzfeed News in 2019. Former aides also relayed now-notorious anecdote in which Klobuchar allegedly ate a salad with a comb after a staffer forgot her fork, then told the aide to clean it. 'I can be tough,' she admitted in 2019 after reports alleging that she sent demeaning emails to subordinates, threw office supplies and requested aides do her chores, adding, 'I can push people.' Currently, close to 3,000 federal immigration agents are deployed in Minnesota to advance Trump's deportation goals. Already, Klobuchar is signaling a staunch opposition to ICE. 'Today the House is voting on the ICE funding bill. It doesnt put meaningful constraints on ICE and I cannot support it,' Klobuchar wrote on Thursday. 'ICE is making our communities less safe,' she added. 'We need real constraints on what they are doing in Minnesota & across the country.' There are also multiple federal probes into social service fraud in the state, particularly around daycares and Medicaid services. Klobuchar has remained relatively quiet about the fraud allegations. The senator is the overwhelming favorite to become the Democratic nominee after the state's Attorney General Keith Ellison announced on Tuesday he's running for re-election. Federal agents from Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and other agencies check the ID of Somali American citizen Omar Iye after seeing him making a delivery on a residential street in Minneapolis, Minnesota, U.S., January 7, 2026 Minnesota Governor Tim Walz speaks to reporters after he announced that he would not seek reelection, at the Minnesota State Capitol in St. Paul, Minnesota, on January 5, 2026 If she follows through with a campaign, she will face the winner of the Republican primary, which includes MyPillow Founder Mike Lindell and Minnesota House Speaker Lisa Demuth. Klobuchar is just the latest senator to express interest in returning home to the state capitol. Senator Michael Bennet of Colorado, Senator Marsha Blackburn of Tennessee and Senator Tommy Tuberville of Alabama have also decided to run for governor. A pregnant woman and her unborn son have been identified as two of the victims of an alleged triple murder in central west NSW, as a major manhunt continues for the suspected killer. Mum-to-be Sophie Quinn, 25, was found dead inside a vehicle alongside her boyfriend, John Harris, 32, at Lake Cargelligo, 600km west of Sydney, at about 4.20pm on Thursday. Sophie was due to give birth in March and was planning to call the baby Troy. The couple had gunshot wounds, allegedly inflicted by her ex-partner Julian Ingram, who is still on the run from police. Sophie and Ingram had separated late last year. Police allege Ingram later went to a nearby home, where he shot two people known to him, killing Sophie's aunt, 50-year-old Nerida Quinn, and seriously injuring a 19-year-old Kaleb Macqueen. Mr Macqueen was rushed to hospital and is in a serious but stable condition. Fragments of glass could be seen on the street near Sophie's black Suzuki hatchback on Friday morning, with the back windscreen peppered with bullet holes. Sophie's sister, Tegan, wrote a heartfelt tribute for her family on Friday morning. 'My sister and best friend,' she wrote on social media, alongside photos of the family. Mum-to-be Sophie Quinn, 25, was found dead inside a vehicle alongside her boyfriend John Harris, 32, at Lake Cargelligo, about 600km west of Sydney Sophie Quinn's boyfriend John Harris (above) was killed in the shooting Sophie's aunt Nerida Quinn, left, was shot dead. She is pictured with her daughter Mikaila Elms Tactical police joined the large-scale manhunt on Friday 'My aunty,' she wrote, alongside a photo of Nerida. On Friday morning, Western Region Command Assistant Commissioner Andy Holland confirmed the incident was linked to a 'domestic violence relationship'. 'We're conducting a wide-scale search of the area around Lake Cargelligo and the adjoining villages,' he told Sunrise. 'At this point, we're looking for public to help us identify both the wanted offender and his vehicle.' Ingram is described as between 165cm and 170cm tall, with a medium build, short dark hair and brown eyes. He was last seen driving a Ford Ranger utility with NSW registration DM-07-GZ, which has council signage, a metal tray back, high-visibility side markings and an emergency light bar on the roof. Anyone who sees Ingram is urged not to approach him and to contact triple zero immediately. Specialist police personnel have been flown into the town by PolAir and the Defence Force, including the tactical operations unit, negotiators, and homicide investigators. Fragments of glass could be seen on the street near Ms Quinn's black Suzuki hatchback on Friday morning, with the back windscreen peppered with bullet holes Police on Friday released a photo of suspected killer Julian Ingram Kaleb Macqueen, 19, was taken to hospital in a serious but stable condition after the shooting The tragedy has rocked Lake Cargelligo, a small town in central-west NSW 'At this stage police have identified an offender who is still at large,' Assistant Commissioner Holland said on Thursday night. 'We have a large search in the area currently underway and we are requesting that people remain indoors. 'What I will say is that it's a tragedy that has taken place in a very small town that will have a big affect on the community. 'Any death in a small country town is confronting, but again, a scene where you have people shot by firearms is obviously going to make people very, very tense and very, very concerned.' Roy Butler, the Independent MP for Barwon, said the tragedy was 'horrific' for the 'small and close' community. 'The tragic circumstances will affect everyone in town and across NSW and Australia. We don't have much detail, but it seems in devastating news, three people are dead, one, sadly a pregnant woman,' Butler said. 'I am in close contact with police and other members of the community.' The shootings have rocked the small country town, which has a population of 1,430. Lake Cargelligo remained in lockdown on Friday morning Sophie's sister Tegan wrote a heartfelt tribute for her family on Friday morning Mum-to-be Sophie Quinn was due to give birth in March Lachlan Shire Council mayor John Medcalf said the incident was 'absolutely devastating'. 'My hope is that people are supporting each other until we get more detailed information and can keep the community informed,' he said. Mr Medcalf said he could not provide many details of what had happened because it was 'a police matter', but formal support services would be made available. 'Once the situation is under control, we will have that coming,' he said. A cheating husband on trial for allegedly killing his wife was seen breaking down in tears on Wednesday when he was forced to rewatch the moment he was told she had succumbed to her injuries. Brendan Banfield, 40, is facing trial in Virginia on four counts of aggravated murder and the use of a firearm in the commission of a felony for the deaths of his wife Christine, 37, and a stranger, Joseph Ryan, 39, on February 24, 2023. He is also accused of child abuse and felony child cruelty in connection with the Banfields' then-four-year-old daughter being inside the home at the time he allegedly stabbed Christine in the neck. Prosecutors have claimed the former IRS agent concocted a scheme to lure Ryan into his bedroom and pin his wife's murder on Ryan so that he could start a new life with his Brazilian au pair Juliana Peres Magalhaes, 25. Banfield has pleaded not guilty to all of the charges and was seen on Wednesday bowing his head and wiping away tears as his defense team played police body camera footage showing the moment he was told Christine was dead. In the body camera footage, audio from which was played over the gallery, Fairfax County Police Officer Zachary Beckner was seen accompanying Banfield to the hospital, where a doctor told him, 'Your wife has died.' 'I can explain what happened when she arrived here, but you were there and it sounds like there was a lot of blood loss,' the doctor said, adding that she suffered some 'enormous wounds.' 'There were so many,' the doctor told Banfield and the cop. Brendan Banfield, 40, was seen breaking down in tears in court on Wednesday as body camera footage played showing the moment he was told his wife was dead Banfield is accused of stabbing his wife, Christine, to death in a plot to start a new life with his Brazilian live-in nanny Banfield is also facing murder charges in the death of Joseph Ryan, 39 (pictured) At one point during the exchange, Banfield interrupted the doctor to explain that he 'was trying to apply pressure.' But the doctor went on to tell him 'it's not possible, really, to stop all the blood loss.' Banfield could be heard in the video sobbing loudly as the doctor reassured him that everything had been done to save his wife's life. 'Everything that was possible to be done was done for her right away,' he said. 'You did a wonderful, a wonderful, you know, you did everything that was possible,' the doctor tried to reassure the father-of-one. 'It's not a survivable injury.' As the audio played, Christine's parents and Brendan's stepmother were also seen tearing up in the gallery, WUSA reports. Wednesday marked the second time during the trial that Banfield was seen crying. When the dispatch call Magalhaes made to police officers was played in court last week, accusing Ryan of stabbing his wife, Banfield was also seen wiping away tears. Banfield is facing four counts of aggravated murder and the use of a firearm in the commission of a felony, as well as charges of child abuse and felony child cruelty He was previously seen crying in court when the dispatch call Magalhaes made to police officers was played in court last week But in court, Magalhaes told jurors how Banfield created an elaborate plot to 'get rid' of his wife. She told jurors that she began living with the Banfields inside their $1 million home in October 2021, aged 21, to look over their daughter. The following summer, she said she started having an affair with the former IRS agent, even sharing a picture of them cuddled together in a bubble bath in December 2022 - though Banfield's face was obscured with an emoji. 'Oh my God, I'm so incredibly in love, I've been smitten since July of last year,' the caption, written in Portuguese, said. Other images showed them spending time at a gun range and fondling each other under a table. Soon, she claimed, Banfield began talking about killing Christine and moving to Brazil with her to start a new life. The au pair claimed divorce was not an option for Banfield because he did not want to lose money or custody of his daughter. And so they created a fake account on sex fetish website Fetlife, using it to pose as Christine and communicate with multiple potential candidates, instructing them to roleplay breaking into the Banfields' home and raping her at knifepoint. Magalhaes claimed that she and Banfield used Christines laptop to create a fake email address and Fetlife account. They were then careful to send messages on the account when Christine was also in the home to cover their tracks, she said. Magalhaes told jurors how Banfield created an elaborate plot to 'get rid' of his wife She shared a photo of her cuddled up with Banfield in a bubble bath in December 2022 - though Banfield's face was obscured with an emoji Eventually, Magalhaes said, they chose Ryan for the rape fantasy and their plan came to fruition one morning in February 2023. That day, the nanny told the court she waited in her car outside the home with the Banfields daughter and then called Banfield - who was lying in wait at a nearby McDonalds - when Ryan arrived. Once Banfield returned to the house, she claimed they went inside the home and up to the bedroom, where they shot Ryan dead. Magalhaes alleged she then watched as Banfield repeatedly stabbed his wife, before they called 911, claiming they had shot an intruder who was attacking Christine. However, during a tense grilling, the defense sowed doubts around Magalhaes's motivations for changing her story, pointing out that she stood by her original claim that she and Banfield found Ryan stabbing Christine to death and shot Ryan dead. Jurors were shown jailhouse letters following her October 2023 arrest for murder in which she said she was willing to take the blame for her lover. Later, the defense argued, her stance changed as she voiced concerns over a lifetime in prison and her mother urged her to blame Banfield. Magalhaes then pleaded guilty to a lesser charge of manslaughter as part of a plea deal in exchange for cooperating in Banfield's prosecution. During her testimony last week, Magalhaes revealed that the pair (pictured together) had planned to be together after Banfield's wife and Ryan were murdered, according to a letter brought up in court The nanny's mental state has also fallen under the microscope, with letters describing depression and suicidal thoughts behind bars. Still, Magalhaes has insisted that she was finally telling the truth now because she could no longer live with the guilt and shame over what she allegedly did. Magalhaes had been sleeping in the bed Christine had shared with her husband eight months after the murders, Fairfax County Sgt. Kenner Fortner told the court last week. He said he first entered the Banfield's home in February 2023 as part of the investigation into the murders and photographed the house, including both the primary and Magalhaes's bedrooms, Fox News reported. When he visited the home again eight months later, 'red, lingerie-style clothing items' and a yellow t-shirt with green trim that had previously hung in the au pair's closet had been moved to the master bedroom, Fortner testified. They had gotten new flooring, new bedroom furniture,' Fortner said, noting how photographs that once featured the Banfields had been 'taken down and replaced with Brendan and Juliana together.' Photographs in the bedroom that once featured the Banfields had been 'taken down and replaced with Brendan and Juliana together,' an investigator testified The lead crime scene detective assigned to the case also told the court Thursday how he found the murder weapons in the master bedroom. 'The knife was found underneath the blankets, between the edge of the blanket in the bed,' Det. Terry Leach said. '[The] only thing we could see when we arrived was the handle. And the knife was on its backside so it's blade up and then the handle is towards the bed.' Investigators also found two handguns in the room, which Leach said he later determined had been moved from their original locations after first responders arrived on scene and tried to save Ryan's life. The defense is now expected to push back on the 'catfish theory,' presenting digital evidence to prove it was in fact Christine using the FetLife account. The trial is expected to continue on Thursday. A 20,000 reward has been offered to find the real 'Beast of Birkenhead' who brutally raped and murdered a 21-year-old woman almost 40 years ago. Peter Sullivan, 68, was wrongly jailed for 38 years for the killing of bride-to-be Diane Sindall in Merseyside on the night of August 1, 1986. He was released from prison in May last year after new tests showed his DNA was not present in semen samples collected at the scene. But by that point Mr Sullivan, who had always protested his innocence, had become the victim of the longest miscarriage of justice in the UK. The breakthrough in the case came following a special investigation by Stephen Wright in the Mail on Sunday, who spent months combing over all the evidence. It is understood that an unknown male is responsible for the killing - with the reexamined DNA not matching anyone in Ms Sindall's family or her then fiance David Beattie, who has since moved to Australia. Ms Sindall, who worked at a florist but also part time at the Wellington Pub in Bebington, Wirral, was murdered on her way home from a shift. The blue Fiat van she was driving ran out of petrol and she was seen walking between midnight and 12.20am, believed to be heading towards a bus stop or garage. Ms Sindall's body was discovered 12 hours later in an alleyway by a dog walker. She had been raped and violently beaten to death. Part-time barmaid Diane Sindall, 21, was savagely battered to death in August 1986, stripped half-naked, indecently assaulted, mutilated and bitten, and her body discarded in an alleyway Innocent Peter Sullivan whose conviction was quashed in May last year for a murder he did not commit says he was 'bullied' into wrongly confessing and 'stitched up' The blue Fiat van which Ms Sindall was driving on the night she was murdered Mr Sullivan, then aged 30, admitted to the killing and was dubbed the Beast of Birkenhead, but he later retracted his confession. The former labourer - who has learning difficulties - said he could never 'forgive' officers for how they allegedly treated him. Merseyside Police has now launched a renewed appeal to find Ms Sindall's killer. The force is working with Crimestoppers who have offered a 20,000 reward for information that leads to the arrest of the culprit. Due to his wrongful conviction, Mr Sullivan is now entitled to a possible 1.3million in compensation. However, legal experts have said that no amount of money will ever be able to reflect the reputational damage he has suffered. Toby Wilton, who is representing Andrew Malkinson in his application for compensation after he was wrongly jailed for 17 years for rape, previously told the Daily Mail: 'It is completely inappropriate to have any cap. 'A payment of 1 million in the most serious cases goes nowhere near to putting victims back in the position they would have been in had they not been put in prison.' And he said the maximum payout would not properly reflect the reputational damage caused to Mr Sullivan, who was dubbed the Beast of Birkenhead for the Merseyside murder. Detective Superintendent Rachel Wilson from Merseyside Police said: 'Although it has been nearly 40 years since Diane's murder, we still believe there are people who know what happened, or have their own suspicions, who haven't yet come forward. 'My message would be 'it is never too late to do the right thing. On August 17, 1986 property belonging to Diane was recovered on Bidston Hill. 'The investigation team at the time identified witnesses who had seen a small fire, at the location where the property was found, on Sunday 3 August, and had witnessed a man running from the scene. 'Were you on Borough Road on the evening of Friday, August 1, or the early hours of Saturday, August 2, and saw or heard something suspicious? 'Or can you help identify the man seen running away from Bidston Hill on Sunday 3 August? 'Additionally in the years since Diane's murder, has anybody you know raised any suspicions or passed any information which you think could help? Please come forward and tell us what you know. The Wirral pub where Diane Sindall worked to help pay for her forthcoming wedding Pictured on video link from Wakefield Prison when his conviction for murdering Diane Sindall was quashed in May last year, Peter Sullivan wrongly spent almost 40 years behind bars 'We can trace and request a DNA sample from any person you suspect or even a relative if they have passed away or emigrated.' Gary Murray, North West regional manager at Crimestoppers, added: 'Please help bring answers to Diane's family, who have waited almost 40 years for justice. 'Someone, somewhere, knows what happened that night, and we're urging them to come forward. 'What you know could finally give Diane's loved ones the answers they've been waiting for. 'Crimestoppers is independent of the police. When you contact us, you stay completely anonymous. 'Your personal details are never asked for, and your call or online report cannot be traced back to you.' At his trial, prosecutors said Mr Sullivan had spent the day drinking, and went out armed with a crowbar. Evidence at the time suggested the petty thief had recently borrowed a crowbar from a neighbour. He was placed near the scene by witnesses following a BBC Crimewatch appeal. But he denied going anywhere near where the crime took place or having the crowbar in his possession, and said he had given different accounts to police because he could not remember his movements. Mr Sullivan was handed a life sentence with a minimum term of 16 years in 1987, but denied parole multiple times, largely due to his refusal to admit responsibility for the killing. He applied to the High Court for permission to appeal against his conviction in 2019, but this was rejected by the Court of Appeal in 2021. A memorial tablet on a grass verge close to the scene of Ms Sindall's murder Then, in November 2024, the Criminal Cases Review Commission said his case had been referred to the Court of Appeal on the basis of the DNA evidence. Samples taken at the time of the murder were re-examined and a DNA profile that did not match Mr Sullivan was found. This crucial evidence was revealed by a method that only came into use in 2015, and he was finally freed after the Court of Appeal in London quashed his conviction in May. Speaking from a secret location, and with his face obscured and voice changed to hide his current appearance, Mr Sullivan said he wanted an apology from Merseyside Police. Mr Sullivan said being denied legal representation at his initial police interviews had been 'very daunting'. He told the broadcaster he was beaten in his cell on two occasions. 'They threw a blanket over the top of me and they were hitting me on top of the blanket with the truncheons to try and get me to co-operate with them,' he said. 'It really hurt, they were leathering me.' Asked why he would confess to a murder he did not commit, Mr Sullivan told the BBC: 'All I can say, it was the bullying that forced me to throw my hands in, because I couldn't take it anymore.' He said he felt 'sorry' for Miss Sindall's family who are 'back at square one and not knowing who the person is that killed their daughter'. Quashing his murder conviction in May, Lord Justice Holroyde said: 'Strong though the circumstantial evidence undoubtedly seemed at the trial, it is now necessary to take into account the new scientific evidence pointing to someone else - the unknown man.' The new suspect identified by new DNA techniques does not appear on the national database, nor is he linked to any other unsolved offences. Police have confirmed the DNA does not belong to any of Miss Sindall's family or her then fiance David Beattie, who has since moved to Australia. For a century and more, theres only ever been one question when it comes to Queen Victoria and her ghillie John Brown. Did they - or didnt they? Brown was the craggy-jawed Scottish he-man who strode into Victorias life after her beloved Price Albert died in 1861 at the age of 42. Most famously he was portrayed on the big screen by Billy Connolly, with Judi Dench playing Victoria, the queen-empress, who died 125 years ago today. In the 1997 movie theres lots of moody looks at each other but, disappointingly, no hanky-panky. Brown was handsome, blue-eyed, rugged, no-nonsense, and called his royal boss who after all ruled nearly half the globe 'wumman'. Victorian jokers called him the Queens stallion. And they called her Mrs Brown. But whether the couple, who were rarely apart from the day he was introduced into the royal household in 1866 till his death in 1883, ever went to bed together has never been proved. Either way. Certainly at night they were as close as could be Her Majesty insisted that for 17 years the rough-mannered schoolmasters son had the bedroom next to hers. Queen Victoria with her 'companion' John Brown on her horse 'Fyvie' taken at Balmoral in 1863 Billy Connolly as John Brown and Judi Dench as Queen Victoria who was called Mrs Brown by Victorian jokers Certainly they flirted the Queens doctor James Reid recorded a coded, intimate and flirtatious exchange between them involving the lifting of skirts. And Victoria wrote of regarding Brown 'with an everlasting love', equating his death with the loss of Prince Albert. He loved her back in all the time they were together he never took a single day off. And despite those rough edges he had his admirers and was no fool 'His shrewd judgement and curt wit made him a stimulating companion,' wrote Victorias biographer Giles St Aubyn. Indeed, one of the Queens maids of honour confessed she had the hots for him the fact that he was 'a child of the mountains was all part of his charm,' he wrote. Certainly theirs was an intense, emotionally intimate and close bond which fuelled the widespread rumours and jealousy which spiralled among the royal court. Senior courtiers men and women of aristocratic birth whod served the crown often for generations hated the way Brown had become Victorias gatekeeper, choosing who she should see and who not. They hated his lack of polish the way he told the Queen how to behave, the way he ordered her to straighten her back and keep her head up which they felt undermined the dignity of the crown. And the Queens children in particular her son Bertie, the future King Edward VIII hated to see the Highlander at court. In fact the prince was said to have hired a boxer to pick a fight with him The Lord Chamberlain reportedly called him a 'coarse animal,' while many staff found him 'bossy and arrogant'. There were plots by members of the household to have him dismissed. But John Brown was bullet-proof, showily wearing the protection of the Queen's adoration. She plainly - embarrassingly - adored him. In the 1997 movie theres lots of moody looks at each other but, disappointingly, no hanky-panky John Brown was a blue-eyed, handsome, rugged personal servant and favourite of Queen Victoria So did they or didnt they? Historian Dr Fern Riddell, author of a recent book Victorias Secret, is in no doubt. They had sex, she says. More than that, she adds, Victorias private chaplain actually made a deathbed confession that he had MARRIED the odd couple. 'It is called an irregular marriage,' she explains, 'and in Scottish law this carries just as much weight legally as a regular marriage south of the border.' She adds such unions were commonplace in the Aberdeenshire area where Brown came from. That secret went with Brown to his grave when he died in 1883, aged 56, of a skin infection. 'Now all, all is gone from this world!' sobbed the queen. 'Weep with me, for we have lost the best, the truest heart that ever beat!' Hysterically she ordered a distinguished writer, Sir Theodore Martin, to write Browns biography - but a horrified Martin, wondering how he could fill a chapter let alone a book, ducked out of it. Victoria pressed on, deciding to write the book herself, but she was so emotionally charged it was feared she would compromise herself, the crown, and the empire with the revelations which were likely to spill forth and the idea was finally dropped. But Brown remained fixed in her thoughts - right up to her own death eighteen years later. Britains greatest queen-but-one (can you imagine Elizabeth II compromising herself with a ghillie?) went to that great empire in the sky leaving behind specific instructions which may finally tell us whether she did or didnt enjoy an affair with John Brown. Queen Victoria and Prince Albert had nine children: five daughters and four sons and when he died after 21 years of marriage, she suffered such a deep loss that plunged her into lifelong mourning and seclusion from public life In her coffin alongside her body, she ordered, were to be placed her wedding veil, a number of family photographs, a plaster cast of Prince Alberts hand, and his favourite dressing-gown. But there was one, final - and highly secret - instruction, given. A lock of Brown's hair alongside a photo of him were to be buried with her, which were carefully hidden in her left hand behind a bunch of flowers. And amongst the jewellery worn by Victoria was the wedding ring of his mother, which Brown gifted to her in 1883. Prince William tested out a futuristic mobility scooter at a robotics laboratory during a series of engagements in Bristol today. The Prince of Wales travelled to the city to showcase its achievements in sustainability and role as a 'driving force for innovation in the UK'. The future king visited The Bristol Robotics Laboratory, where he tested out a lightweight mobility scooter being worked on by a start-up to develop how robotic technology can transform scooter design and safety. William learned how technologies are being developed to help the ageing and disabled population maintain physical and mental wellbeing at home. Earlier in the day, he met Earthshot Prize finalists who developed an innovative filtration technology system which the royal installed at his offices and homes. The Prince put in the 199 Matter unit, designed to stop microplastics entering waterways and oceans, at both Kensington Palace and Anmer Hall. William founded the Earthshot Prize environmental award in 2020, which has a winning prize of 1million, and Matter was a finalist in last year's competition. Their system can be fitted to washing machines and William wants them introduced across the royal households. He spoke to Matter's chief executive Adam Root this afternoon about the company's plans to go global with their product and took part in a hands-on demonstration. William rides on a lightweight mobility scooter during his visit to the Bristol Robotics Laboratory William sits on a mobility scooter during his visit to the laboratory The Prince of Wales talks to Matter chief executive Adam Root during a trip to Bristol today Adam Root spoke to the Prince this afternoon about the company's plans to go global with their product William speaks to scientists as he views Isambard-AI, Britain's leading supercomputer at the University of Bristol William listens to scientists during his visit to Isambard-AI, the supercomputer The Prince looked inquisitive and interested as staff explained the technology, before joining a discussion with brand partners about the system and its scalability. The Prince was also shown Britain's most powerful supercomputer, which is being used to develop new drugs to combat heart disease, Alzheimer's and cancer. The University of Bristol's Isambard-AI is based at the National Composites Centre and is said to be able to process in one second what it would take the entire global population 80 years to achieve. Isambard-AI has been designed with advanced cooling and energy-efficient technologies in attempt to reduce its environmental impact. During the visit, William met scientists from the university who are exploring how the supercomputer can help develop new drugs to combat health conditions and predict extreme weather events. The Prince also saw a paracanoe seat developed for Paralympic champion, Emma Wiggs, who won gold and silver at Paris 2024, which was made using digital tools and embedded sensors. The Prince of Wales visits Matter, a pioneer in sustainable technology based in Bristol, today The Prince discusses sustainable technology with Adam Root The Matter chief executive shows the Prince around the Bristol Robotics Laboratory The Prince of Wales speaks to scientists at the laboratory The Prince of Wales during a visit to 2025 Earthshot Prize finalist Matter William learned how technologies are being developed to help the ageing and disabled population maintain physical and mental wellbeing at home The Prince of Wales stands in front of a British flag The Prince met Earthshot Prize finalists who developed an innovative filtration technology system which the royal installed at his offices and homes The Prince of Wales smiles during a visit to 2025 Earthshot Prize finalist Matter It comes after Kensington Palace announced yesterday that William visited Saudi Arabia next month at the request of the UK Government. The trip between February 9 to 11 will be his first official visit to the country. It will also be his first official overseas visit of 2026 and his first to the Middle East since his 2023 trip to Kuwait to pay his condolences following the death of Sheikh Nawaf Al Ahmad Al Sabah, its former ruling emir. Most recently, the future king made a five-day visit to Brazil in November to stage his Earthshot Prize. Earlier this week, William and his wife Kate tried their hand at curling while visiting the National Curling Academy in Stirling on a joint day of engagements on Tuesday. For Boomers, the real estate market has gone bust. In recent decades, older Americans have flocked to the Sunshine State, drawn by warm weather and the promise of affordable living. But the buyers they assumed would one day take their homes off their hands - so they could pocket a tidy profit - are increasingly nowhere to be found. Younger generations, squeezed by high costs, layoffs and job insecurity, are delaying retirement altogether or rethinking it entirely. That shift is now colliding with a growing wave of Boomers trying, and failing, to sell retirement properties they once believed would fund their later years. According to housing and relocation adviser Chey Eisenman, many retirees are only just waking up to how stark the situation has become. 'Who are the boomers expecting to sell their retirement homes to?' Eisenman said in a video on TikTok. Boomers now roughly between the ages of 62 and 80 bought homes in places like Florida and Arizona assuming demand would always be there. They mistakenly thought they could later sell them at a profit, but plan isn't working for a few reasons. To start, Eisenman says that Boomers who list their homes are shocked that no one wants them. At least not at the prices Boomers are asking. Rows of aging condo towers dominate Fort Lauderdales barrier islands, where listings have flooded the market but no one is buying them An example of older condos having a hard time selling are at Hunters Run Country Club, where even with with access to a resort-style pool and high-end amenities a condo was listed for $49,900 While Boomers are stuck with old condos, younger generations plan on retiring in places in Mexico, and want more of the vibe seen here, which is newer with upgrades 'Their place isn't worth as much as they thought it was, and nobody wants to buy,' Eisenman said. 'Many have lowered their price significantly, and they still have no interest and no buyers and no takers. 'They're starting to panic because they can't figure out why nobody wants it.' Eisenman frequently has to explain to Boomers that the next generation's retirees have other plans. The soon-to-retire generation who can afford to buy a retirement home are 'not even looking in places like Florida or Arizona,' and instead are searching the world. 'They are looking at places like Costa Rica, Panama, Portugal, Mexico,' she said. 'They are not looking at Florida and Arizona.' Many people have to keep working after experiencing layoffs and are 'unable to secure new employment.' TikTok housing expert Chey Eisenman said many of these retirees are only just now waking up to how dire the situation really is Owners who have older condos that need upgrades and repairs are left with homes worth nearly nothing Sellers and buyers have better luck with new condos, like this one in the Gulf that is new. Older condos just aren't selling anymore and Boomers are stuck with them One client of hers who travels back and forth from the US to Costa Rica was planning on buying retirement property there, but was forced to he put a purchase on hold after a lay off. Still, Eisenman says the client 'wasn't shopping in Florida' and will never shop in Florida. The problem is so bad, she said, that she does not know what will come of older, outdated retirement communities like Florida's The Villages, which is filled with Boomers. 'What is it, 350,000 homes in the middle of nowhere Florida?' she said. 'Is that gonna be low income housing at some point? Is it gonna be underwater in the future? 'Like, who's gonna live in The Villages once the Boomers are no longer on this earth?' Eisenman said despite being unable to sell, Boomers remain unaware of just how out of step their thinking is with the state of the current housing market. 'They just seem completely shocked and oblivious that the market is not what they thought it was,' she says. Much of Florida has been vulnerable to storms that have taken a toll on older condos that people are trying to sell Younger retirees plan on a future in newer builds like this in Panama, where they won't face an aging condo crisis Pictured: Florida realtor Jeff Lichtenstein While the housing market in some areas is still largely dominated by Boomers, many younger generations are simply not buying homes. Many Boomers sell to other Boomers, a 'dwindling group,' Eisenman said. But in Florida, housing inventory has hit record highs, and houses in active adult communities in the state are just sitting on the market. 'The condo market in some areas have hit bottom,' local realtor Jeff Lichtenstein told Daily Mail. 'Many condos are underwater, and they will end up getting sold to investors and being knocked down.' Eisenman said that many younger people are also planning to retire abroad. 'As you likely know, Gen Jones and Gen X would rather travel to varied places than live in one place in retirement. And if one place, likely abroad,' she said. 'They also believe in climate change and don't want to invest a dollar in Florida.' While middle class Boomers have a lot of their assets tied up in their home or retirement place, they've also been hit with additional costs due to natural disasters. Members of the Florida Army National Guard check for any remaining residents in nearly-deserted Bradenton Beach, where piles of debris from Hurricane Helene flooding still sits outside damaged homes ahead of the arrival of Hurricane Milton. No one wants the once damaged condos now Florida condo owners have had to repair and rebuild after storms, leaving areas undesirable and condos sitting on the market worth little to nothing now 'Many have been hit by hurricanes or assessments in Florida and may not have the cash reserves to handle those extra costs,' she said. 'In some cases the insurance is pushing them out and forcing them to sell. One of our Punta Gorda Boomers in a modular have been hit with three hurricanes recently. Three. Oofta.' Floridas condo slump is now the worst since the 2008 financial crisis. Across the state, condo values are down 9.9 percent over the past 12 months of 2025, according to new data shared by housing analyst Nick Gerli. It's the steepest one-year drop since 2009. Florida houses roughly a fifth of all US condos, and the drop in condo prices comes as inventory has surged. Buyers are bombarded with options. Many condo owners are selling due to skyrocketing homeowner association fees and high insurance premiums, if they can even get insurance at all. Boomers with big homes are also seeing a problem. They don't realize many people don't want huge spaces anymore. 'Boomers think their 90's aesthetic suburban monster home is worth more than it is, and also don't realize buyers not only can't pay the price they want, but won't for something that dated,' Eisenman said. 'Those who can? Will buy newer construction or a smaller remodeled in the city or first ring suburb.' Commenters agreed with her, with one writing, 'Buying a home you can't insure in a state that's sinking would be wild. Another wrote, 'GenX a second home for me would be in France or Portugal. Never Florida or Arizona. NASA has shared a surprising list of movies it considers among the most scientifically accurate ever made. The films span nearly a century of cinema, from silent-era classics to modern blockbusters and were praised for respecting real scientific principles rather than relying on fantasy. According to NASA and NASA-affiliated scientists, accuracy is not about predicting the future perfectly, but about portraying science, scientists and technology realistically. Movies like Gattaca and Jurassic Park earned recognition for their grounded treatment of genetics, DNA and complex systems. Others, including Contact and The Day the Earth Stood Still, made the list for their realistic depictions of space exploration, radio astronomy and extraterrestrial contact. Even early science-fiction films, such as Metropolis, released in 1927, and the 1929 Woman in the Moon, were praised for their societal and ethical consequences of advanced technology and rocket science. NASA has noted that these movies take science seriously, showing careful experimentation, skepticism, and problem-solving rather than magical solutions. Together, the list highlights how some of Hollywood's most enduring science-fiction stories were built on ideas that remain scientifically sound decades later. Gattaca (1997) Set in a future where people are judged by their DNA, Gattaca follows a man born without genetic enhancements who dreams of traveling to space Set in a future where people are judged by their DNA, the story is about a society that is divided by genetics, with 'Valids' (genetically engineered) holding privilege and 'In-Valids' (naturally born) relegated to menial jobs Vincent Freeman (played by Ethan Hawke), an In-Valid, assumes a Valid's identity to achieve his dream of space travel, confronting discrimination and uncovering a murder mystery along the way, exploring themes of destiny versus determination and the human spirit's power over biology. NASA praises Gattaca for its realistic portrayal of genetics and DNA-based discrimination. While the technology is speculative, the film accurately reflects how genetic testing works and raises plausible ethical concerns about gene selection, privacy, and human enhancement, issues scientists still debate today. Contact (1997) Jodie Foster plays the astronomer who detects the alien signal in Contact A radio astronomer, played by Jodie Foster, discovers a signal from an intelligent alien civilization. As scientists work to decode it, the film explores humanity's first contact with extraterrestrial life, balancing hard science with questions of faith, politics and belief. Contact is often cited as one of the most scientifically accurate space films ever made, as it was based on a novel by astronomer Carl Sagan. NASA has highlighted its realistic depiction of radio astronomy and SETI research, scientific skepticism and peer review, the politics and funding challenges behind major space projects and the way scientists search for extraterrestrial signals as being shown with exceptional realism. Metropolis (1927) In a futuristic city divided between wealthy elites and exploited workers, a powerful industrialist creates a human-like robot to maintain control. Metropolis examines automation, artificial intelligence, and the dangers of unchecked technological power This German expressionist sci-fi silent film is set in a futuristic city divided between opulent elites and a downtrodden working class. The film follows Freder, the privileged son of a powerful industrialist, who falls in love with Maria, a worker who speaks out for the oppressed laborers running the city's machines. His awakening exposes deep class divisions and leads to chaos sparked by a robotic double of Maria, ending with a call for compassion to bridge the gap between those who control society and those who keep it running. Despite its age, Metropolis is praised for its forward-thinking view of technology, automation, and artificial intelligence. NASA has noted how the film accurately anticipated ethical concerns surrounding machines replacing human labor and the social consequences of advanced technology. The Day the Earth Stood Still (1951) This film is a classic science fiction film about an alien visitor, Klaatu, who lands in Washington DC, accompanied by a powerful robot named Gort. In The Day the Earth Stood Still an alien visitor arrives on Earth with a warning for humanity about violence and nuclear weapons. Rather than focusing on invasion, the story centers on diplomacy, global responsibility, and the consequences of technological aggression He delivers a stark ultimatum to humanity: abandon violence and nuclear weapons or face destruction by an interstellar force, echoing Cold War fears about war, peace, and survival. NASA has pointed to this films serious treatment of extraterrestrial contact, portraying aliens as advanced but logical beings rather than monsters. The movie emphasizes science, diplomacy, and global consequences rather than fantasy-driven invasions. Woman in the Moon (1929) This early science-fiction film follows a privately funded expedition to the moon in search of gold. Woman on the moon realistically portrays rocket launches, space travel, and weightlessness decades before real lunar missions occurred Woman in the Moon (Frau im Mond) is a German silent sci-fi film about a mission to the moon driven by greed for its gold. The film features a love triangle and pioneering depictions of space travel, like countdowns and zero gravity, ultimately exploring themes of ambition, materialism and love amidst a backdrop of espionage and adventure. The Thing from Another World (1951) In The Thing from Another World, scientists and military personnel in the Arctic discover a frozen alien life form. As the creature is thawed, the group must rely on scientific reasoning and experimentation to understand and stop the threat This is a classic black-and-white science fiction horror film about scientists and Air Force personnel at a remote Arctic outpost battling a bloodthirsty, plant-like alien discovered frozen in ice. As the creature is thawed, the group must rely on scientific reasoning and experimentation to understand and stop the threat. Jurassic Park (1993) Jurassic Park is about a billionaire who uses advanced genetic technology to clone dinosaurs from ancient DNA and opens a theme park filled with living prehistoric creatures. When the system fails, the film explores chaos theory, human error and the limits of scientific control This groundbreaking Steven Spielberg-directed sci-fi adventure film is about a billionaire's theme park of cloned dinosaurs on a remote island, which goes disastrously wrong when a security failure allows the prehistoric creatures to escape and hunt the visitors. While cloning dinosaurs is fictional, NASA scientists have praised Jurassic Park for its accurate explanation of DNA, genetics, and chaos theory. The film correctly shows how small variables can lead to catastrophic outcomes in complex systems, a real scientific principle. A retired US Air Force fighter pilot claims there is likely an extensive 'paper trail' proving that one of the most infamous UFO encounters of the last three decades really happened. Colonel Fred Claussen, who was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross twice during his career, came forward during a press conference in Washington on Tuesday to reveal who would know about the 1996 incident in Varginha, Brazil. The alleged incident began on January 13, 1996, when locals reported seeing a UFO crash-landing in a field near Varginha, followed by sightings of strange creatures described as walking on two legs, but having oily brown skin and large red eyes. In fact, three young women claimed they found one of the extraterrestrials hiding behind a wall near the crash site. Despite reports that Brazilian police and military captured at least two aliens, the US Air Force allegedly confiscated all of the wreckage, the bodies of dead aliens, and the survivors of the crash, starting a supposed cover-up that has lasted for 30 years. To this date, the US military has said there has never been any physical evidence recovered that proves the existence of UFOs or alien life, and has not confirmed that this recovery ever took place. However, Claussen spoke at an event at the National Press Club organized by investigative filmmaker James Fox, which gathered witnesses and other experts to expose what they claim has been buried about the Varginha crash. 'If true, I am certain that 30 to 40 Americans had direct knowledge of this flight and its purpose,' Claussen said. Former Air Force pilot Fred Claussen (Pictured) claimed that dozens of US military personnel likely know about an alleged UFO crash landing in Brazil in 1996 Carlos de Souza, witness of an alleged UFO crash in Varginha, Brazil in 1996, speaks at a press conference on UFO encounters at the National Press Club on Tuesday Often called the 'Brazilian Roswell,' Claussen said that even secret missions involve multiple military personnel and various orders that create documented evidence of their existence. The decorated Air Force veteran explained that if the US military did launch a UFO recovery mission to Brazil, it would have started within Air Mobility Command at Scott Air Force Base in Illinois. They would have received the initial order to send a cargo plane, so senior officers there would have known the Varginha crash existed. 'An international flight plan to Brazil is required even if the mission is classified. Paper trail,' Claussen declared. From there, a specific Air Mobility Wing at Charleston Air Force Base in South Carolina would have received a detailed mission order, selected a crew, and prepared a C-17 aircraft for launch - involving dozens of people. Pilots, loadmasters, schedulers, and commanders at that base would have been in the loop in 1996, and Claussen was convinced the proof of that UFO crash still exists. Along with the witnesses from Brazil and other UFO researchers, Claussen then challenged the Air Force personnel who allegedly flew to Brazil to become whistleblowers and expose what really happened in 1996. 'We know this mission happened, and you know it, too. Come forward. The time is now,' the former pilot said. Join the debate What would change if governments finally admitted to recovering alien life and technology? Witnesses claimed that a cigar-shaped object crashed on a local farm and was quickly recovered by Brazilian military and police According to witnesses, multiple non-human aliens were still alive and were captured after the crash in Varginha, Brazil in January 1996 (Stock Image) The incident 30 years ago played out over several days and also involved the death of a Brazilian police officer who was allegedly contaminated by one of the aliens. On January 13, 1996, witnesses in Varginha spotted a cigar-shaped UFO that looked damaged and had white smoke pouring out of it. The supposed spacecraft crashed on a farm outside the city, where witness Carlos de Souza, who attended Tuesday's press conference, found scattered debris and a strange, lightweight metal that reshaped itself after being crumpled. However, soldiers quickly arrived and de Souza claimed he was ordered to leave at gunpoint. Later, two mysterious men in suits allegedly threatened him at a gas station to stay silent about what he saw. 'You saw nothing. You know nothing. Or you will have problems for the rest of your life,' de Souza recounted about his meeting with the unidentified men. Days later, on January 20, the three young women encountered a reportedly scared, non-human being in a vacant lot that had a strong ammonia smell. Brazilian military and police captured at least two of these beings that same day, including one grabbed bare-handed by officer Marco Eli Chereze, whose skin was scratched during the capture. Chereze developed a deadly infection from the alleged scratch and died weeks later. Dr Armando Monteiro, a forensic pathologist who performed the autopsy on Chereze, revealed during the press conference that he discovered a rare, aggressive bacterium that doctors suspected might have been of alien origin in the officer's wound. Soon after, the beings and debris were reportedly transported to a Brazilian airport, where the secret C-17 cargo plane allegedly loaded them and flew back to America. Although witnesses have maintained that everything they saw was real, no evidence from the reported crash site has been seen again, and the death of Chereze was reportedly listed as an infection due to the Earth bacteria strain Staphylococcus schleiferi. A painting of a red hand found in a cave in Indonesia is believed to be the world's earliest rock art. Discovered in a cave on the island of Sulawesi, experts think the stencil was made by our species at least 67,800 years ago. This is 15,000 years earlier than the previous discovery in the same region. While the stencil was likely based on a human hand, it was altered before being used on the cave wall. Its creator had deliberately narrowed the negative outlines of the fingers creating the impression of a clawlike hand. According to researchers from Griffith University, the finding could rewrite the origins or human creativity. What's more, its discovery could advance our understanding of exactly how and when Australia which is just south of Sulawesi first came to settled. 'It is very likely that the people who made these paintings in Sulawesi were part of the broader population that would later spread through the region and ultimately reach Australia,' explained team lead Dr Adhi Agus Oktaviana. A painting of a red hand discovered in a cave in Indonesiais believed to be the world's earliest rock art Discovered in a cave on the island of Sulawesi, experts think the stencil was made by our species at least 67,800 years ago Your browser does not support iframes. The hand stencil was found preserved in limestone caves in southeastern Sulawesi, on the satellite island of Muna. Using advanced uraniumseries dating techniques, the team analysed microscopic mineral deposits to understand exactly when the stencil was created. The results revealed a minimum age of 67,800 years making it the oldest reliably dated cave art ever discovered. An analysis of the stencil itself suggests it was deliberately altered to give the impression of a claw. However, the symbolic meaning of this remains unclear. 'This art could symbolise the idea that humans and animals were closely connected, something we already seem to see in the very early painted art of Sulawesi, with at least one instance of a scene portraying figures that we interpret as representations of parthuman, partanimal beings,' Professor Adam Brumm, colead author of the study said. Alongside the hand stencil, the researchers found paintings of a much more recent origin around 20,000 years. This suggests the Muna cave was used for making art over an 'exceptionally long period', according to the researchers. The hand stencil was found preserved in limestone caves in southeastern Sulawesi, on the satellite island of Muna Using advanced uraniumseries dating techniques, the team analysed microscopic mineral deposits to understand exactly when the stencil was created. The results revealed a minimum age of 67,800 years making it the oldest reliably dated cave art ever discovered 'It is now evident from our new phase of research that Sulawesi was home to one of the world's richest and most longstanding artistic cultures, one with origins in the earliest history of human occupation of the island at least 67,800 years ago,' said Professor Maxime Aubert, colead author of the study. Beyond rewriting the origins of human creativity, the findings could also shed light on the settlement of Sahul the supercontinent that encompassed what is now Australia, Tasmania, and New Guinea which is just south of Sulawesi. Until now, scientists have been divided on the timing and route for humans' arrival. Some have suggested they arrived at least 65,000 years ago, while others are adamant it's more like 50,000 years ago. Meanwhile, certain studies indicate a northern route to the New Guinea portion of this landmass via Sulawesi and the 'Spice Islands', while others have put forward a more southerly route directly to the Australian mainland via Timor or adjacent islands. The new cave art helps to settle both of these debates suggesting the first Australians arrived at least 65,000 years ago via the northern route. 'With the dating of this extremely ancient rock art in Sulawesi, we now have the oldest direct evidence for the presence of modern humans along this northern migration corridor into Sahul,' said the study's colead author, Professor Renaud JoannesBoyau. Scientists have discovered a new form of life, which once stood at a whopping 26ft (eight metres) tall. Called 'prototaxites', this lifeform lived on Earth around 410 million years ago, before becoming extinct 360 million years ago. Until now, it was thought to be a form of fungus. However, a new fossil analysis by scientists from National Museums Scotland suggests that prototaxites were neither a fungus nor a plant. Instead, experts say they belonged to an 'entirely extinct evolutionary branch of life'. 'It's really exciting to make a major step forward in the debate over prototaxites, which has been going on for around 165 years,' said Dr Sandy Hetherington, colead author of the study. 'They are life, but not as we now know it, displaying anatomical and chemical characteristics distinct from fungal or plant life, and therefore belonging to an entirely extinct evolutionary branch of life. 'Even from a site as loaded with palaeontological significance as Rhynie, these are remarkable specimens and it's great to add them to the national collection in the wake of this exciting research.' Scientists have discovered a new form of life, which once stood at a whopping 26ft (eight metres) tall (artist's impression) A new fossil analysis by scientists from National Museums Scotland suggests that prototaxites was neither a fungus nor a plant The fossil was found in the Rhynie chert a sedimentary deposit near Rhynie, Aberdeenshire. 'The Rhynie chert is incredible,' said Dr Corentin Loron, colead author of the study. 'It is one of the world's oldest, fossilised, terrestrial ecosystems and because of the quality of preservation and the diversity of its organisms, we can pioneer novel approaches such as machine learning on fossil molecular data. 'There is a lot of other material from the Rhynie chert already in museum collections for comparative studies, which can add important context to scientific results.' In their new study, the researchers analysed both the chemistry and anatomy of the fossil to understand which group it fits into. Their results back up the theory that prototaxites were an entirely different form of life, no longer found on Earth. 'As previous researchers have excluded prototaxites from other groups of large complex life, we concluded that prototaxites belonged to a separate and now entirely extinct lineage of complex life,' explained Laura Cooper, cofirst author of the study. 'Prototaxites, therefore, represents an independent experiment that life made in building large, complex organisms, which we can only know about through exceptionally preserved fossils.' In their new study, the researchers analysed both the chemistry and anatomy of the fossil to understand which group it fits into. Their results back up the theory that prototaxites were an entirely different form of life, no longer found on Earth The fossil was found in the Rhynie chert a sedimentary deposit near Rhynie, Aberdeenshire The fossil has now been added to the collections of National Museums Scotland in Edinburgh. Dr Nick Fraser, keeper of natural sciences at National Museums Scotland, said: 'We're delighted to add these new specimens to our evergrowing natural science collections which document Scotland's extraordinary place in the story of our natural world over billions of years to the present day. 'This study shows the value of museum collections in cuttingedge research as specimens collected over time are, cared for and made available for study for direct comparison or through the use of new technologies.' NASA has dropped a major hint at the medical emergency that triggered a historic evacuation of astronauts from the International Space Station. During their first public appearance since returning to Earth, the astronauts revealed that a portable ultrasound machine was 'super handy' during the crisis. NASA astronaut Mike Fincke, pilot for the illfated Crew11 mission, said that the machine had been used when medical issues arose on January 7. 'Having a portable ultrasound machine helped us in this situation; we were able to take a look at things that we didn't have,' he explained. While Mr Fincke did not elaborate on the medical emergency, the fact that an ultrasound was used suggests two likely reasons. Firstly, ultrasound scans are often used to examine how astronauts' cardiac systems are functioning in low gravity. The other main use for ultrasound in space is to monitor astronauts' eye health. However, ultrasound can also be used as a general diagnostic tool in a vast number of medical cases so it remains unclear what the medical emergency was, or how ultrasound proved useful. NASA astronaut Mike Fincke (pictured), pilot for the illfated Crew11 mission, has shared a major hint as to why the space agency was forced to evacuate the ISS The members of Crew11 were forced to return to Earth a month ahead of schedule due to an unspecified medical emergency. Left to Right: Russian cosmonaut Oleg Platonov, NASA astronauts Mike Fincke and Zena Cardman, and Japanese astronaut Kimiya Yui During the press conference, Mr Fincke explained that the crew had lots of experience using the ultrasound machine to track changes in the human body, so 'when we had this emergency, the ultrasound machine came in super handy'. The Crew11 pilot even went so far as to claim that all future spaceflights should be equipped with portable ultrasound machines. 'Of course, we didn't have other big machines that we have here on planet Earth,' he said. 'We do try to make sure that everybody before we fly are really, really not prone to surprises. But sometimes things happen and surprises happen, and the team was ready preparation was super important.' The Crew-11 astronautas splashed back to Earth last Thursday, following NASA's first medical evacuation in 65 years of spaceflight, and the first time that the ISS has ever been evacuated. The medical issue was first reported on January 8, when a planned spacewalk was unexpectedly cancelled. Just days later, on January 10, NASA had set the timeline to bring the crew home a month ahead of schedule. That crew included NASA astronauts Zena Cardman, Mike Fincke, Japanese astronaut Kimiya Yui, and Russian cosmonaut Oleg Platonov. The ISS is equipped with a modified offtheshelf ultrasound machine called Ultrasound 2 that is primarily used for cardiac and ocular scans. Pictured: NASA astronaut Mike Fossum uses the Ultrasound 2 to scan the heart of crewmate Satoshi Furukawa Health issues that can arise on the ISS Blood clots Bone and muscle atrophy Loss of vision Radiation damage Circadian rhythm disruption Accelerated ageing General health decline Advertisement Prior to their departure, NASA's chief health and medical officer, Dr James Polk, said that the astronaut was 'absolutely stable' and that this was not an 'emergent evacuation'. Dr Polk added: 'We're not immediately disembarking and getting the astronaut down, but it leaves that lingering risk and lingering question as to what that diagnosis is, and that means there is some lingering risk for that astronaut onboard.' NASA has remained extremely reticent to discuss any of the details of the medical emergency or which member of the crew it might have affected. However, this latest update from Mr Fincke is the first clue as to what might have happened. Ultrasound imaging sends a beam of soundwaves into the body and records how they bounce back to a receiver. As the sound moves at different speeds through different types of tissue, you can 'see' inside the body without using any invasive methods. Since 2011, the ISS has carried a modified offtheshelf ultrasound machine called Ultrasound 2 that is used in both biomedical research and routine health checkups. On Earth, sound has a huge array of uses, ranging from diagnosing gallbladder diseases and kidney stones to checking the health and gender of unborn babies. One of the main uses for the ultrasound scanner is to monitor the cardiac and vascular health of astronauts, who are more at risk of conditions like blood clots, hardening arteries, and changes in blood pressure. Pictured: NASA astronaut Kevin Ford (right) trains with the Ultrasound 2 on Earth However, on the ISS, Ultrasound 2 is generally used for two main medical issues - cardiac and ocular problems. In a constant state of freefall induced microgravity, blood tends to drift up from the astronauts' feet and collect around their head and chest. This creates a significantly increased risk of developing blood clots that can be lifethreatening if they migrate into the heart or lungs. In 2020, a NASA astronaut developed a large clot in their internal jugular vein during spaceflight and was forced to stretch the station's dwindling supply of blood thinners to last more than 40 days until supplies could be sent. The other main use for ultrasound in space is to monitor astronauts' eye health. As fluids build up in the head, they can cause swelling that triggers a collection of changes in the eye and brain called 'spaceflightassociated neuroocular syndrome'. Increased pressure around the optic nerve causes swelling in the connection between the eye and the brain, and flattening of the back of the eye. This can lead to blurred vision and longterm damage to an astronaut's vision. NASA also uses the ultrasound scanner for monthly ocular health checks to ensure astronauts' vision is not being damaged by the buildup of fluids in the head. Pictured: NASA astronaut Leroy Chiao performs an ultrasound examination of the eye on cosmonaut Salizhan Sharipov Once a month, astronauts on the ISS are required to use Ultrasound 2 to perform ocular scans to keep track of this condition. NASA's Zena Cardman, who commanded the crew's early return flight with SpaceX, said that the space station is set up as well as it can be for medical emergencies. She added that NASA 'made all the right decisions' in cancelling the spacewalk, which would have been her first, and prioritising the crew's wellbeing. Likewise, Japan's Kimiya Yui said he was surprised how well all the preflight training paid off in dealing with the health concerns. Mr Yui said: 'We can handle any kind of difficult situation. This is actually very, very good experience for the future of human spaceflight.' A NASA spokesperson told the Daily Mail: 'There are several diagnostic devices aboard the International Space Station, which can be used for different reasons and different anatomy. 'Out of respect for the crew members privacy, we will not elaborate on what specific device or exam was used. All diagnostic exams are read by the flight surgeons or additional consultants as warranted.' A suspected exposure to a lethal hemorrhagic fever virus triggered emergency protocols at a US high-security laboratory, officials have confirmed. The incident occurred at Rocky Mountain Laboratories (RML), a high-containment research facility in Montana operated by the National Institutes of Health (NIH) on November 3, 2025. RML, in Hamilton, operates at biosafety level 4, the highest containment, and is staffed 24/7 by specially trained scientists, technicians and security personnel to handle deadly pathogens. The lab specializes in infectious diseases, immunology and high-containment research on emerging threats. The incident was revealed this week by the watchdog group White Coat Waste, which uncovered a biolab report showing 'one of these pathogens was accidentally released, lost or stolen.' A press secretary from the US Department of Health and Human Services told Daily Mail that the emergency was triggered due to a possible Crimean-Congo hemorrhagic fever (CCHF) virus exposure, breaching an employee's personal protective equipment. CCHF is a severe, tick-borne viral disease causing flu-like symptoms that can progress to life-threatening hemorrhages and organ failure, with a significant fatality rate, especially in severe cases. A June 2025 NIH-backed report showed the lab had been conducting animal experiments involving CCHFV as part of vaccine research, underscoring the high-risk nature of the work carried out at the facility. Officials confirmed there was a suspected exposure at the Rocky Mountain Laboratories in Montana last November Staff was working with the Crimean-Congo hemorrhagic fever, a lethal tick-borne virus 'The employee was immediately isolated and monitored under appropriate care at a specialized medical facility before it was confirmed that no actual exposure or transmission had occurred,' the press secretary said. Symptoms of CCHF usually appear within three days of a bite from an infected tick and include fever, muscle ache, dizziness and sore eyes. The World Health Organization says nausea, vomiting, abdominal pain and mood swings are also common early signs of the disease. Within a week, patients may also suffer a racing heartbeat, bleeding skin rashes, as well as blood spilling out of small capillaries, such as around the eyes. Organs such as the liver begin to fail. Treatments for the condition are limited, although doctors have seen some success with the antiviral drug ribavirin, which is used to treat hepatitis C. CCHF causes a severe, often fatal illness in humans, with case fatality rates ranging from five to 30 percent. The press secretary told Daily Mail: 'At no time was there any risk to the public or to other staff.' White Coast Waste (WCW), a bipartisan group working to defund cruel and unnecessary animal experiments, uncovered an official record of a meeting with the Institutional Biosafety Committee (IBC) at NIH's RML, dated November 20, 2025. Officials said the an employee suspected the virus breached their personal protective equipment, similar to what is shown in this image. Pictured is another researchers studying Ebola at the Rocky Mountain Laboratories One of CCHF's most common symptoms is bleeding from the eyes and on the skin (file image) The minutes are publicly posted on the NIH Office of Research Services (ORS) Division of Occupational Health and Safety (DOHS) page for biosafety committee minutes. There is a brief line noting a 'Form 3 reported to Federal Select Agent Program on 11/13/2025' under 'Biological Incidents to Report,' but with zero details, discussion or follow-up mentioned. Form 3 (officially APHIS/CDC Form 3) is the required government paperwork that any registered lab must submit immediately, and complete in full within seven days, if it discovers a theft, loss, or release of a regulated biological agent. A 'release' can include an accidental spill, leak or any situation where a worker may have been exposed outside of its containment area. The Federal Select Agent Program oversees these regulations and requires labs to report such incidents through an online system or other approved methods. These reports are mandatory for even small or low-risk issues, and not every Form 3 means a major accident or public danger; many are minor compliance issues that get resolved quickly. White Coat Waste revealed in 2023 that RML had been experimenting with SARS-like viruses a year before the Covid pandemic. Although that research has been halted, current projects involving other deadly pathogens with the potential to spark a new pandemic are still being carried out at the lab. These include injecting pigs with Ebola and infecting monkeys with Covid-19 and studying how they react to Hemorrhagic Fever, which involves vomiting blood, internal bleeding, bleeding in the brain and from the eyes, nose and mouth. Previous documents from WCW revealed that in 2018, NIH researchers infected bats at the RML with a 'SARS-like' virus as part of a collaboration with the Wuhan Institute of Virology, which is at the center of the Covid cover-up scandal. They showed that US taxpayer money was used to experiment with coronaviruses from the Chinese lab thought to be the source of the Covid pandemic more than a year before the global outbreak. As a potentially historic winter storm prepares to slam the US, meteorologists have warned that conditions could become so brutal that trees could start exploding. Meteorologist Max Velocity said this week temperatures in the Midwest and Northern Plains are predicted to fall to 20 degrees below zero Fahrenheit on Friday and Saturday, freezing the insides of local trees. The phenomenon known as 'frost cracking' can literally cause trees to burst from the inside out as sap and water freeze and expand, building pressure against the bark. Velocity singled out Minnesota, Michigan, Wisconsin, the Dakotas, and northern Iowa and Illinois and the states likely to see this take place in his strange but accurate warning. The National Forest Foundation confirmed in a blog post: 'There are numerous historic and current observations of trees exploding due to extreme cold.' More than half of the US and over 150 million Americans are in the path of the giant winter storm bringing feet of snow, inches of ice, and dangerous temperatures to the South, Midwest, and Northeast. Between Friday and Sunday, severe ice storms are predicted to slam the South, flrom Texas to Virginia. Meanwhile, up to two feet of snow may blanket many areas from Colorado to Maine, with temperatures in states north of this storm falling well below zero, making it dangerous to stay outside for more than a few minutes. Meteorologist and social media influencer Max Velocity's post on exploding trees went viral on X, sparking widespread conversations about the phenomenon Videos have previously captured the moment where trees exploded under the pressure of extreme cold temperatures One person on social media was able to record a video of a tree exploding into a cloud of sawdust in Iowa on an extremely cold day. Velocity's post on X quickly went viral, being viewed over 10million times since Tuesday and even being discussed on The Pat McAfee Show. Multiple social media users responded to both influencers with pictures of local trees that had been split open after 'exploding' on dangerously cold days. Meteorologist Adam Feick told McAfee: 'It sounds like a gunshot goes off as the bark is exploding a little bit.' Feick explained that Americans in the northern Midwest could see this over the weekend because of a huge temperature swing brought by the incoming winter storm. A low-pressure system flowing down from Canada, known as an Alberta clipper, is bringing extremely cold air into the US, sending temperatures from the 20s and 30s in many of these states to below zero almost overnight. Feick added that when sap and moisture inside trees freeze suddenly under these conditions, the liquid begins to expand and build pressure against the wood, like a can of soda left in a freezer too long. While it's not a fiery explosion that could endanger nearby residents, Feick noted that trees in these extreme conditions could legitimately burst from the inside. Trees explode when sap and water inside the tree suddenly freezes and begins to expand Trees typically split vertically when the fluid inside bursts, which is called 'frost cracking' Exploding trees have even been seen in the South, where trees in North Texas began bursting during a sudden cold snap in 2022, causing loud booms, snaps, and pops witnessed by local arborists. However, the phenomenon is more common in parts of the US where temperatures can fall to levels dangerous for both people and nature, including Alaska, Minnesota, and the Dakotas. 'I live in Alaska, and we have trees split or explode from the moisture drying out inside the trunks during periods of cold temps,' one person on social media said. More than 200million people across parts of 30 states are in the path of the widespread winter storm predicted for Friday through Sunday. When the blizzard hits, temperatures are expected to plunge by as much as 30 degrees below typical January averages in the Dakotas and Michigan, with the wind chill falling between 35 and 50 degrees below zero in some parts, according to the Weather Channel. The National Weather Service (NWS) has warned that 'nearly everyone east of the Rockies' will see some effect from the snow, ice, or cold from Friday into early next week. Meteorologists in Minnesota warned that the Arctic air flooding in from Canada will make it feel like it's between 38 and 54 degrees below zero throughout the entire state on Friday. In the southern half of the US, bracing for this storm, a state of emergency has been declared in South Carolina and Texas. Georgia Governor Brian Kemp asked residents of his state on social media to 'take this time to secure food, fill up on gas and ensure you're prepared for any potential loss of power.' Forecasts in Minnesota are warned that temperatures could fall well below zero throughout the state and feel even colder Frigid temperatures as low as 50 below zero and 24 inches of snow, sleet, and ice are expected to hamper much of the country over the coming weekend Snow is expected to start spreading across many areas on Friday, with heavier amounts developing over the weekend, especially Saturday night into Sunday in places like the mid-Atlantic and Northeast. In parts of Pennsylvania, Maryland, West Virginia, Virginia, New Jersey, New York, and New England, snowfall could reach six to 12 inches or more, with some spots possibly seeing up to 24 inches or higher. Farther north and in the Midwest and Ohio Valley areas, widespread snow totals of six to 12 inches are likely across more than a dozen states, including Oklahoma, Kansas, and extending into the mid-Mississippi Valley. In southern regions like parts of Texas, the lower Mississippi Valley, northern Georgia, and the Carolinas, the storm may bring more ice and sleet along with some snow, which could cause power outages and major travel issues even if snow amounts are lower there. Timothy Busfield spent his first day of freedom in luxury as he swapped out his jail cell for a flashy mansion, the Daily Mail can exclusively reveal. Photos show the embattled actor outside the luxurious Airbnb he and his family are renting in Albuquerque - a far cry from the New Mexico clink that infamously wakes up prisoners at 5am. The star, 68, was sprung from the Metropolitan Detention Center in Albuquerque on Tuesday, after surrendering to cops on child molestation charges on January 13. The judge released him without bail as he awaits trial for allegedly abusing 11-year-old twin boys. SCROLL DOWN FOR VIDEO Taste of freedom: Timothy Busfield looked relaxed on a leisurely trip to Trader Joes The stunning pad boasts its own hot tub, standalone casita in the backyard, while the main house comes complete with a spectacular stained-glass window dome and comfy beds made up with high-quality linens. Also, on hand for guests to enjoy is a gas-fired barbecue, large library and fully stocked games room. Busfield's wife Melissa Gilbert - who was seen crying tears of joy after Judge David Murphy opted to release her husband - was spotted at the property early Wednesday, taking the trash out in her pajamas. Swanky pad: Busfield spent his first night after leaving jail at a sprawling Italian-style mansion Despite the gravity of the charges against Busfield, Gilbert, 61, has chosen to stand by her man - showing up at court flanked by a posse of lawyers. Following the hearing - during which the prosecution tried to keep Busfield in the slammer on the basis he presents a danger to the public - Gilbert took the opportunity to thank the public for the 'outpouring of support' she said her third husband had received. This followed his defense's argument that the molestation charges had led to him being 'canceled' and that as a result, he was no longer in a position of power as the prosecution had claimed. Bougie bolthole: The six-bedroom property rents for $2,483 for a minimum three-night stay Relaxed look: Melissa Gilbert spotted in loungewear after begging the judge to free her man So far, the case has seen a series of sordid headlines for Busfield, with further alleged victims coming forward to corroborate what the prosecution said was 'a pattern of inappropriate touching'. Embarrassingly for Gilbert and Busfield, details of their sex life were shared in court papers filed ahead of the release hearing as part of a sex offender risk evaluation. The documents included his answers to a series of uncomfortable questions and noted: 'Mr Busfield reports he and his current wife have a satisfying sex life and at their ages they simply enjoy one another's company and cuddling more often than engaging in sexual intercourse'. It added: 'Mr Busfield's wife confirms his statements about a satisfying sexual relationship between them.' Plea for freedom: Busfield seen in court as a judge released the actor ahead of his trial Biggest supporter: Melissa Gilbert was seen arriving at her husband's pretrial hearing News of Busfield's legal woes first emerged on January 9 when the Albuquerque PD issued an arrest warrant for him over allegations that he molested twin 11-year-old boys while filming The Cleaning Lady. Busfield, who has denied the charges against him, then vanished for several days - only to re-emerge in New Mexico on January 13 where he handed himself in having driven 2,000-miles from his upstate New York cabin. He was officially charged the same day. The star has denied all the charges against him and told TMZ, in a video sent to the outlet while he was on the way to surrender, that he is 'devastated' by the allegations. Gilbert has also made it clear that she does not believe her husband has done anything wrong. The defense, during Tuesday's hearing, made clear they believe the case is a shakedown launched after the boys' services were no longer required on set Ryanair has been accused of negligence after stranded passengers were forced to sleep overnight in a Polish airport - just weeks before Christmas. Dozens of British holidaymakers faced misery at John Paul II International Airport when night flight FR451 to Newcastle-upon-Tyne was cancelled on 27 November over heavy fog. Initially, travellers were told to remain in the terminal while emergency accommodation was arranged. However, according to multiple accounts, Ryanair then abruptly stopped communicating - leaving them abandoned in the terminal as outside temperatures plunged to -3C. Some of those affected were pregnant women and pensioners, many of whom were forced to sleep on the airports floor. Among them was Jayne Stark, 45, of Newcastle, who says she was 'ghosted' by the low-cost carrier almost immediately after the 10pm flight was grounded. 'They told us to sit tight, then totally disappeared,' she told the Daily Mail. 'I was travelling with my elderly parents who both have health conditions, so I couldn't possibly expect them to spend the night in an airport - especially in the depths of winter. A Ryanair night flight from John Paul II International Airport in Krakow (pictured) to Newcastle-upon-Tyne was cancelled on November 25 over heavy fog, leaving dozens of passengers stranded Pictured: Ryanair passenger Jayne Stark's parents, both in their eighties, who were forced to sleep on the floor overnight at John Paul II International Airport due to a flight cancellation According to multiple passengers, Ryanair abruptly stopped communicating - leaving them abandoned in the terminal as outside temperatures plunged to -3C 'Sadly, Ryanair didnt care. They just ghosted us without a second thought.' As a result, Ms Stark was then forced to book a hotel at her own expense, costing 250, plus additional travel costs. She added: 'I'm lucky. I could afford it, but many others could not, and they were seriously let down.' The incident highlights ongoing frustrations with low-cost airlines during weather-related disruptions in Eastern Europe. While fog is considered an 'extraordinary circumstance' under EU passenger rights regulations (EC 261/2004) - meaning airlines are typically exempt from compensation payments - they are still required to provide 'right to care'. This includes meals, refreshments, hotel accommodation, and transport when an overnight stay is necessary. However, when Ms Stark later requested reimbursement, she says Ryanair failed to engage, adding: 'They didn't even bother to respond, which shows their contempt for customers'. Now, she is pursuing her case via the Small Claims Court. Pictured: Ryanair passenger Jayne Stark (right) and her parents in Krakow Pictured: Jayne Stark with her father in Newcastle She said: 'I fully understand that flights get cancelled, but Ryanair reported a 2billion profit for 2024. 'This means they can afford to look after their customers - especially the most vulnerable. Quite frankly, Michael O'Leary should be ashamed.' When approached by the Daily Mail, a spokesperson for Ryanair said: 'This flight from Krakow to Newcastle on 27 Nov last year, was delayed overnight due to adverse weather conditions at Krakow Airport. Passengers were notified and advised of their options to either receive a full refund, change flight free of charge, or to wait for the rescheduled flight. 'To minimise disruption, affected passengers were advised of their options and provided with overnight accommodation and transport to/from Krakow Airport. 'Passengers who chose to wait for the rescheduled flight were kept up to date via email, SMS and PUSH notifications and provided with refreshment vouchers. 'Once weather conditions improved, this flight departed for Newcastle at 16:05pm (28 Nov) local time.' The UK's largest independent travel agent has been named among some of the best firms in the country for customer service. Hays Travel has ranked third in the UK Customer Satisfaction Index. The UK Customer Satisfaction Index (UKCSI) is the national barometer of customer satisfaction, published twice a year by The Institute of Customer Service. It is an independent benchmark of customer satisfaction on 272 organisations and organisation types in 13 sectors. In the top spot is banking site first direct, followed by retailer John Lewis. Other travel organisations made the list, too, including package holiday firms. Jet2holidays.com came in fifth place, while Jet2.com came in joint 16th place. Plus, Virgin Holidays was ranked 26th, Trivago joint 31st and British Airways Holidays in joint 41st. Hays Travel was in the top three best organisations in the UK for customer service On the Beach was rated as one of the countrys 20 most improved organisations. Dame Irene Hays, owner and chair of Hays Travel, said: 'I'm very proud of all our people for their work to achieve this, making sure our customers are cared for is at the heart of our business success. 'We are delighted to achieve third place in our first appearance on the UK Customer Satisfaction Index. 'Hays Travel has a long-held reputation for providing exceptional service and we know how important the care, professionalism and expertise of our people is to our customers.' Jo Causon, CEO of The Institute of Customer Service, said: 'Being ranked third in the January 2026 UK Customer Satisfaction Index is a strong endorsement of Hays Travel's continued commitment to putting customers at the heart of the business. 'In a highly competitive sector, this result reflects the organisation's focus on trusted advice, personal service and consistently delivering experiences that build confidence and loyalty among customers.' The UKCSI is based on an online survey of more than 15,000 consumers. The lastest survey included 59,500 customer experiences. John Lewis also ranked highly, coming in second place after first direct Top 50 organisations 1. first direct 2. John Lewis 3. Hays Travel 4. Nationwide 5. Jet2holidays.com 6. Starling Bank 7. Petplan 8. Tesco Mobile 9. PayPal 10. Holland & Barrett =10. M&S =10. M&S Food 13. Specsavers =13. Toyota 15. Ikea 16. Jet2 =16. Klarna 18. Mercedes-Benz =18. NS&I =18. UK Power Networks 21. Legal and General 22. BMW =22. Monzo Bank =22. The Co-Operative Bank 25. Halfords Autocentre 26. Virgin Holidays 27. Domino's Pizza =27. Next 29. Pets at Home 30. Amazon.co.uk 31. Argos =31. Kwik Fit =31. Trivago 34. Green Flag =34. Home Bargains 36. Waitrose 37. Caffe Nero =37. Lexus 39. Aldi =39. Bank of Scotland 41. Aviva =41. British Airways Holidays 43. Greggs 44. Barclays =44. NatWest =44. Ocado 47. Costa Coffee =47. Tesco 49. Holiday Inn =49. Premier Inn =49. Timpson Advertisement The January 2026 UKCSI shows that overall customer satisfaction has improved since last year - in every sector. This is the highest UKCSI score since July 2022. All 13 UKCSI sectors are rated at least 1 point higher than in January 2025. The biggest improvements are seen in Public Services (Local), Services, Transport, and Utilities. Alongside Banks and Building Societies (81.3), customer satisfaction in the Tourism sector (81.6) is at the highest level recorded in the UKCSI. You've made it through the endless line at security and grabbed a bite to eat in one of the many restaurants at the airport. Now, it's simply a case of waiting for your turn to head to your gate and lugging your carry-on bag onto the plane. But for some people, the queuing hasn't stopped. 'Gate lice' often strike as soon as boarding is announced by the airport staff and are particularly keen to get on the aircraft. They cluster around the gate even if it isn't their turn to board yet, and form long queues right up to the flustered airport worker who is trying to smoothly work through the passengers and check their boarding passes. This pesky travel trend is a common sight in almost any airport, and it infuriates other passengers who take a more relaxed approach and sit nearby to wait before boarding. Many have captured the social phenomenon on video and shared it on sites like TikTok, aghast at how eager their fellow travellers can be. One holidaymaker, who goes by @ellamejones on the app, posted a clip of passengers eagerly lining up for their flight. 'Gate lice' often strike as soon as boarding is announced by the airport staff and are particularly keen to get on the aircraft They cluster around the gate even if it isn't their turn to board yet, and form long queues right up to the flustered airport worker who is trying to smoothly work through the passengers and check their boarding passes She captioned the footage: 'People queuing up for a plane before their flight, even when the plane isn't here to then also sit in already allocated seats has to be one of the biggest universal mysteries.' Another, who goes by @elizamartinx, echoed Ella's thoughts and shared a video of a seemingly endless line of passengers. 'I'll never understand why people stand in long queues to board at the airport. Your plane seat isn't going to be taken,' she penned, sharing that she 'chills' until the queue goes down instead. But who is in the right? Lee Thompson, co-founder of group solo travel company Flash Pack, gives the Daily Mail his take on the matter. 'I completely understand why people do this,' he says. 'What's really going on is something I call carry-on FOMO.' Lee explains how there are many reasons why passengers may be keen to board and want to secure a good place in the queue. 'People are tired, anxious, often travelling with kids, and desperate for the holiday to start perfectly,' he adds. But who is in the right? Lee Thompson (pictured), co-founder of group solo travel company Flash Pack, exclusively tells the Daily Mail his take on the matter Some may be concerned about cabin bag space in the overhead lockers and choose to line up early so they are guaranteed storage near their seat. Lee says, 'They're worried about overhead locker space, whether they'll be sitting together, whether something will go wrong.' Queuing can also give people a 'sense of calm' and control, according to the travel expert, who admits he used to line up early for boarding himself. 'The moment boarding is announced, that anxiety turns into a surge,' Lee explains. 'Everyone stands up at once - even if the plane isn't there yet.' But now, Lee takes a different approach to travelling and his airport queuing habits after realising 'the panic is mostly about luggage'. He says, 'I now avoid roller bags wherever possible and take a soft bag that fits under the seat. If your bag fits under the seat, you can sit back, relax, catch up on emails and board calmly at the end. 'I find this time relaxing, useful to catch up on life admin!' Lee says, 'They're worried about overhead locker space, whether they'll be sitting together, whether something will go wrong' (stock) However, the expert highlights how this might not always work on budget airlines where the space is more limited. 'If you board late on those flights, nine times out of ten they'll take your bag off you and put it in the hold, and you've just added an extra hour, sometimes an hour and a half, to your journey on the other side waiting at baggage reclaim,' Lee adds. 'In that situation, it's not rudeness or impatience, it's self-defence. It really is every man for themselves.' American Airlines introduced new technology in 2024 that stamps out the problem of people attempting to board before their group is called. The software flags when a boarding pass is scanned early and makes a sound to let the gate worker know the passenger's group isn't boarding yet. Staff members can then ask the traveller to join the line again when it is their turn to board. The systems and technology advancements to tackle 'gate lice' will surely be welcomed by passengers who prefer to wait for their boarding group. Travel writer Meaghan Kenny has compared the airport queuing critters to those who eagerly jump up the second the plane arrives at the gate. American Airlines introduced new technology in 2024 that stomps out the problem of people attempting to board before their group is called (stock) In some cases, this can be before the seatbelt sign has turned off, a trend called 'aisle lice', which the Daily Mail recently reported on. Writing in Conde Nast Traveller, she said, 'I would put them in the same category as people who, as soon as you land, jump up to grab their bags and try to get ahead of everybody. 'It creates chaos, and people can't see or hear what's going on. 'It's not like there's open seating on the plane, just relax, you'll get to your seat.' When booking economy tickets for a flight, most passengers won't expect luxurious features like space to sleep or stretch their legs. But one European airline actually allows travellers to book a group of seats in a rows in economy class, making the journey much more comfortable. Lufthansa's Sleepers Row option comes with the added comforts that business and premium tickets have. The slight catch? You can only book at the gate as you're about to check in - with costs varying. Those flying economy can select the seat type and will have access to three or four seats on long-haul flights. Once the passenger has boarded the plane and made it to their seat, they will find a thin mattress to make the experience more comfortable. What's more, they are also provided with a 'Business Class-quality blanket and pillow,' according to the airline. Lufthansa offers a Sleepers Row option and it comes with some of the added comforts that business and premium tickets have 'You can lie down, stretch out and enjoy the extra space for the entire duration of your flight,' Lufthansa states on its website. The Sleepers Row option is only available on long-haul journeys lasting 11 hours or more. Passengers are not able to reserve the seat in advance and instead must book it when they check in for their flight. Alternatively, they can also request the option at the gate before departure, though it depends on availability. The Sleepers Row was launched in 2021 and has been around since. Though the price doesn't seem to be listed online, when it was first rolled out the Independent reported it cost between 159 and 229 (138.30 and 199.20). Aside from Sleepers Row, Lufthansa offers a range of seating options for economy class that can make the experience much more comfortable. Passengers can book a 'Free Neighbour Seat' which keeps the seat beside you empty. This is only available on continental and intercontinental routes. Those flying economy can select this seat type and will have access to an entire row of three or four seats on long-haul flights There are also 'Legroom Seat' and 'Extra Legroom Seat' options that offer more space to stretch out on flights. In other news, Lufthansa recently became the first European airline to ban the use of power banks onboard. The German carrier previously allowed passengers to use the useful tech on board, but after a spate of incidents the policy has now changed. Passengers will be able to bring the tech in their cabin luggage, but they won't be able to charge their devices with them on board anymore. A blind person has revealed the struggles he faces when travelling to London by train. Paul Goddard, from Crowborough, often travels to the capital from East Sussex by rail but has called the journey 'anxiety inducing' at times, saying the Passenger Assist programme is 'inconsistent'. Paul, a railway campaigner, was born partially sighted and has been registered blind since 2008, the BBC reported. Passenger Assist allows you to request an assistance booking in advance. Any train company can organise assistance for your entire journey, even if you are travelling on multiple services - including GTR, which works in London Bridge station, where Paul travels to, and operates Southern, Thameslink, Great Northern and Gatwick Express. However, Goddard says help isn't always forthcoming even if organised well in advance. He said that, on occasion, he's 'literally left to my own devices to negotiate the station.' Paul Goddard said he feels that there isn't enough passenger assistance on trains And despite having made a reservation on the passenger assistance app, he explains '99 per cent of the time' when arriving into London Bridge, no one is there to meet him. Paul's not the only blind passenger to struggle either. Four in five blind and partially sighted people in the UK have struggled to cross the gap between trains and station platforms, a new survey has revealed. Many have injured themselves in the process too. Research from the Royal National Institute of Blind People (RNIB) showed more than 60 per cent say they are not consistently met by staff at stations - even when they have booked help in advance. Carl Martin, accessibility lead at GTR, said: 'We care passionately about making our railway accessible for everyone and work closely with blind and partially sighted people to improve our services. 'It was extremely disappointing to hear about Mr Goddard's experience, and we arranged a meeting to discuss his feedback. 'Subsequently, we are trialling a dedicated Assisted Travel Coordinator to oversee all assistance at London Bridge.' GTR said it will trial a dedicated coordinator to oversee all assistance at London Bridge Additional examples of enhancements through work with national sight loss charities and blind and partially sighted passengers include providing free access across stations. There will also be an app, Aira, to provide blind people with navigational guidance. There will also be audio guides on its trains and, soon, stations. Another measure will be 'Try a train' events to familiarise blind and partially sighted people with trains and services. It comes after the Access for All (AFA) programme had plans to improve 50 stations - but last week, it was announced 19 projects would not proceed. Network Rail declined to comment. A traveller has revealed why having two middle names made booking a plane ticket 'very difficult'. The holidaymaker said they struggled to book a flight as a result. LoveFoolosophy12 wrote on Reddit: 'My wife has two middle names and it's making booking a plane ticket on Japan Airlines very difficult. 'My wife and I are planning a trip to Japan from Los Angeles and we'd like to fly on JAL. 'Their website will not allow two middle names to be written with a space in between them yet they have multiple disclaimers that names must match what is on the passport EXACTLY. 'I've read some horror stories about people having to pay $500+ to change their name last minute at the airport.' They added: 'We spoke to customer service for over an hour today and finally we realised we did not get the error message we had been getting if we combine the two middle names as one long name when booking the ticket. 'So her name looks exactly as it is, except there is no space in between her two middle names. Does anyone think this will pose a problem? The traveller encountered the difficulty while booking a flight with Japan Airlines 'We are considering refunding the tickets before 24-hour cancellation is up and just booking with an airline like Delta to avoid this hassle, but we love JAL's economy class in comparison.' Comments on the post were filled with fellow travellers sharing similar experiences - and, helpfully, reassuring the traveller there would be no issues. One wrote: 'The airline system doesn't allow spaces or apostrophes. It also capitalises every letter. 'So, as long as the letters are in the right order, that's all that matters. Source - travel agent who has been booking air for 12+ years.' Another commented: 'Just adding my two cents as somebody who also encounters this problem: I never have issues with using one combination middle name.' A third chimed in: 'I have two middle names myself. I just put them listed as one middle name. 'Basically writing both middle names with their correct capital letters but just not having a space between. 'So my name comes out something like Jane MarieLee Smith instead of Jane Marie Lee Smith (not my real name). Having two middle names made filling out all the boxes required more challenging 'And most of the time on my plane ticket its printed as JaneMar Smith because theres not enough room.' Another wrote: 'Exactly this, my mom has the same 'problem'. Her two middle names are just written as one name.' Others did face struggles, too, with one saying: 'I almost had trouble leaving a country because one of my names has a cC in it, and for some reason my passport wrote that with a space between them? And my ticket didn't, because my name had no space? A quick chat with a supervisor and it was sorted but throwing this story out there for fun.' When contacted by the Daily Mail, a spokesperson for Japan Airlines said: 'We understand that some customers find it challenging to enter their middle names correctly, which can result in longer times to complete reservations. We appreciate your patience and the opportunity to clarify this. 'The middle name input field allows spaces between names; however, without specific information about the problems encountered by the customer, it is difficult to identify the exact cause. It could be due to character limits, but in such cases, the system typically displays a rejection message to guide the user. 'For further clarity, we provide detailed guidance regarding common input errors in the JAL system. This guidance is available via a link that opens in a separate window. 'Please be assured that we value customer feedback deeply and are continuously working to improve the input process and overall user experience based on such insights.' A Kiwi who made the move from New Zealand to London has revealed the culture shocks she has experienced since landing in the UK. Vita Molyneux relocated in March 2024 and has grown to love the bustling English capital, even describing it as an 'upgrade' on her former life. The travel reporter told the Express how she was pleasantly surprised to find homes with double glazed windows and an abundance of career opportunities. She explained how the media industry in New Zealand is 'on its knees' and says she was struggling to maintain a career there, whereas in the UK she found higher pay and a greater range of work available. What's more, London provides the sense of anonymity Vita craved; she said she misses the 'lovely sense of community' in New Zealand but that it can be a 'double edged sword' with everyone aware of everybody else's business. The New Zealander also said she's able to see positives in the housing Britain offers - something that many people born here complain about. Vita describes the housing in New Zealand as 'unbelievably poor-quality' and admits she 'grew tired' of it. Travel writer Vita Molyneux moved from New Zealand to London in March 2024 and has experienced a range of benefits from career opportunities to better housing The cost of renting was 'extremely expensive,' according to Vita, and the journalist often ended up ill in the winter months because of the bad conditions she was in. Damp, mould and no double glazing are common features in houses in New Zealand. Central heating also wasn't widely used in Vita's experience - a vast contrast to in the UK. Despite the discrepancies, Vita insists she has a deep love for her home country and 'always will'. However, she does note that many people have 'romanticised' the country into a version that doesn't quite match reality. Many Brits do move to New Zealand though and there are 122,571 British and Irish people living in New Zealand, according to a recent census. Removals company John Mason International published a report noting an increase in outbound moves in 2025. UK migrants are typically choosing Christchurch, Wellington and Hamilton over Auckland. The journalist admits she loves her home country but feels people have romanticised it 'This seems to be influenced by New Zealand's visa system, which awards extra points to skilled migrants who live outside Auckland, giving them a faster route to residency,' says Simon Hood, the company's owner. Aside from an increase in Britons moving, he says the biggest inbound markets are South Africans emigrating for the safety, stability and jobs in healthcare and engineering and Australians. The country has also changed its 'golden visa' programme, an immigration scheme that grants residency to foreigners who make significant investments; and there has been a 500 per cent increase in applications this year (so far) on 2024, according to immigration advisory firm Henley & Partners. The Apprentice is just a week away from hitting screens - but a frontrunner has already emerges, along with as string of stars who have been somewhat generous with their self-promotion. Upcoming candidate Tanmay Hingorani is already a few moves ahead of his fellow contestants he runs a firm worth 1m. His hospital services outfit, Girtan Ltd, has a bottom line of 992,781. He also owns a property company with 1.2m of bricks and mortar on its books. The Londoner is an AI product consultant and seasoned chess player, and wants to create an AI-powered digital loyalty and marketing platform for food and drink businesses. He believes his skills would complement Lord Sugar's, having also started his career selling technology, and describes himself as 'emotionally intelligent and intuitive'. Barber Marcus Donkoh reckons he's a cut above the rest of the pack on the BBC1 show and says he runs one of London's top male grooming salons. But one of his firms, called MV (Oval) Ltd, has not filed accounts since 2023, his Mavade Holdings Ltd was struck off the register at Companies House in November and MV (Balham) Ltd's annual accounts are also overdue. Lord Sugar and his trusted advisors are coming back for The Apprentice series 20 - but one candidate has a big advantage Tanmay Hingorani is among the entrepreneurs vying for Lord Sugar's investment in the BBC show's latest series Fellow candidate Dan Miller owns his own student recruitment company and is from Richmond, London Recruitment firm boss Dan Miller says he made 1m by the age of 24 and says: 'I started from nothing.' But annual accounts for his firm Young Professionals reveal that the outfit is 82,704 in the red up from debts of 71,000 on the previous 12 months. Carrington Saunders runs a London-based loungewear firm. But accounts filed last year for her CAS Collections Ltd reveal it is 1,432 in debt. But she claimed of her firm: 'I am a unique candidate because my business vastly relies on social media, and Lord Sugar hasn't had a business partner who is enveloped so heavily in social media. 'My business is already up, running and profitable. Lord Sugar will be entering a new sector of business with me.' And Karishma Vijay's online beauty products brand is another firm that didn't make a profit in its last 12 months of trading. Books for Kishkin Ltd show it owes 1,259. A firm called Gift House, which sells goods online, is about to be struck off owing 23. The Surrey contender has revealed that she's never been a big viewer of the show, saying: 'I'm likely the only candidate in The Apprentice history that isn't a committed viewer.' South Yorkshire lettings agency boss Andrea Cooper says she has 'years of life experience' which other candidates 'lack'. Her firm, Andrea Lets Ltd, is a firm that is profitable, with 111,186 on its most recent balance sheet. The findings come as fans were left gutted as the beloved star of the BBC One business show's spin-off revealed he was leaving the franchise. Taking to social media, the comedian and TV presenter shared he was stepping back from the role, penning a tribute to his co-stars on The Apprentice. Carrington Saunders is the owner of an online loungewear business - which she has said 'vastly relies on social media' Karishma Vijay is the owner of a beauty brand who lives in Ashford, Surrey - she previously admitted 'Im likely the only candidate in The Apprentice history that isnt a committed viewer' The Apprentice fans were left gutted as beloved star of the BBC One business show's spin-off, Tom Allen, revealed he was leaving the franchise. Tom Allen, who joined BBC Two spin-off series You're Fired! - which welcomes fired contestants, celebrity guests and show experts - in 2019, teased he would be 'embarking on new voyages' on screen soon. Sharing a video of his introduction to the show, which saw Tom, 42, perform a routine alongside a group of dancers, he penned an emotional tribute to the show. He alongside the video clip, shared to his Instagram fans: 'I have decided, after six years, to say goodbye to The Apprentice: You're Fired. 'I have had so much fun working with the most incredible creative people to make it all happen. (I was also getting concerned Lord Sugar might realise I know nothing about business - as above video demonstrates). 'Thank you Lord Sugar, Karren Brady, Tim Campbell for all their support and encouragement at every step and also thank you to each Apprentice candidate and guest panelist who joined me in the studio. 'Exciting things are coming up for the show, and as for me, I shall be embarking on new voyages very soon' Tom's former co-stars then took to the comments to offer up their support and send him off with some well-wishes for his upcoming TV projects. Lord Sugar, 78, cheekily jibed: 'A pleasure to have worked with you over the last five series Tom, I didn't realise how funny you were.' While Lord Sugar's trusted advisor Tim, 48, added: 'Tom, it has been a real pleasure working with you. You brought warmth, wit and wicked whistles to the show and you will be genuinely missed. 'Wishing you every success on the next journey destination!' Karren, 56, chimed in: 'Thank you for your gracing us with your brilliance for five series, we are incredibly grateful and will miss you hugely.' The Apprentice series 20 launches on January 29 on BBC One and iPlayer. Strictly Come Dancing stars are getting revved up for their nationwide live tour and recently took part in a fun new photoshoot that saw them hopping on Vespa scooters. However, Gladiators star, Harry Aikines-Aryeetey, 37, who competed on last year's glitzy ballroom series alongside Karen Hauer, 43, has teased that he is plotting a brand-new fly-on-the-wall TV project with Strictly professional Vito Coppola. The pair struck up a close friendship after meeting on Celebrity MasterChef in 2024 and are now said to be working on a fresh series that would follow their fun-filled adventures. According to The Sun, the proposed show, reportedly titled Culture Clash, would see cameras following Harry and Vito as they take on a string of cultural challenges. Speaking ahead of the Strictly live tour, Harry teased: 'Have me and Vito got a show in the pipeline . . . probably! 'Obviously we have a commonality over food because we both did MasterChef. Strictly Come Dancing stars are getting revved up for their nationwide live tour and recently took part in a fun new photoshoot that saw them hopping on Vespa scooters (Vito Coppola and Ellie Goldstein pictured) However, Gladiators star, Harry Aikines-Aryeetey, 37, who competed on last year's glitzy ballroom series alongside Karen Hauer, 43, has teased that he is plotting a brand-new fly-on-the-wall TV project with Strictly professional Vito Coppola 'We just love experiencing life and I think people can do with an injection of positivity.' Remaining tight-lipped on which channel they are in talks with, the duo said they hope to entertain the masses, comparing the concept to Rob & Romesh Vs..., fronted by Rob Beckett and Romesh Ranganathan. According to the publication, Harry and Vito are test-running the idea during the Strictly live tour, which kicks off in Birmingham on January 23. Harry revealed he plans to use the tour as the backdrop for an extreme eating challenge, researching the 'most disgusting' foods possible, and hopes to complete a dish in every city they visit. Daily Mail has contacted Harry and Vito's representatives for comment. Elsewhere, drag queen La Voix, 45, has warned Strictly judges that the gloves will be coming off during the live shows. During her stint on last year's series, La Voix won over viewers with her cheeky personality and polished stand-in hosting skills. However, with no cameras around, she has admitted she won't hold back, confessing that comments from head judge Shirley Ballas still sting. The pair struck up a close friendship after meeting on Celebrity MasterChef in 2024 and are now said to be working on a fresh series that would follow their fun-filled adventures Speaking ahead of the Strictly live tour, Harry teased: 'Have me and Vito got a show in the pipeline . . . probably! Obviously we have a commonality over food because we both did MasterChef,' Elsewhere, drag queen La Voix, 45, has warned Strictly judges that the gloves will be coming off during the live shows (La Voix pictured with dance partner Aljaz Skorjanec) Meanwhile, reality star Vicky Pattison, 38, is hoping she and her dance partner Kai Widdrington, 30, will lift the trophy when the tour stops in her hometown of Newcastle The former Geordie Shore star joked she would call for a fix if she didn't win, but admitted she faces stiff competition from fellow North East natives Lewis Cope, 30, and La Voix (Lewis pictured with dance partner Katya Jones) Meanwhile, reality star Vicky Pattison, 38, is hoping she and her dance partner Kai Widdrington, 30, will lift the trophy when the tour stops in her hometown of Newcastle. The former Geordie Shore star joked she would call for a fix if she didn't win, but admitted she faces stiff competition from fellow North East natives Lewis Cope, 30, and La Voix. Despite her competitive streak, Vicky added that Strictly taught her it's not about winning, but about taking part. Fans attending the tour will also be treated to a selection of standout routines from last year's series. Harry and Karen will perform the cha-cha and salsa, while George Clarke, 26, and Alexis Warr, 25, will dance the Charleston and Viennese waltz. Lewis and Katya Jones, 36, will perform their Couple's Choice and Charleston, while Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink, 53, and Lauren Oakley, 34, will take to the floor with a quickstep and cha-cha. Ellie Goldstein, 24, and Vito will perform a salsa and their Couple's Choice, while Kai and Vicky will dance their Couple's Choice and tango. La Voix and Aljaz Skorjanec, 35, will dazzle with a paso doble and salsa. Meanwhile, Layton Williams, 31, and Nikita Kuzmin, 28, will reunite once again with an Argentine tango and their show dance as the Strictly live tour heads across the UK. The Strictly live tour will run from January 23 to February 15, 2026, kicking off in Birmingham and concluding at the O2 in London. Fans attending the tour will also be treated to a selection of standout routines from last year's series Harry and Karen will perform the cha-cha and salsa, while George Clarke, 26, and Alexis Warr, 25, will dance the Charleston and Viennese waltz (George pictured with partner Alexis) The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills star Kyle Richards took a shot at fellow Housewife Ashley Boalch Darby for 'flirting' with her estranged husband Mauricio Umansky. It all went down on Wednesday's episode of The Real Housewives of Potomac where Darby gushed 'he's a single man now' upon seeing Umansky in Aspen, CO during an all-girls' getaway. The 55-year-old real estate mogul and his 57-year-old ex still share a $13.6 million four-bedroom home in the mountain town where their daughter Alexia was hosting a bachelorette bash last year. After revealing he was available that evening to the group, Umansky was targeted by 'wing woman' Stacey Rusch who pressured Darby to shoot her shot. However, Gizelle Bryant - who feared 'a Beverly Hills Potomac showdown' - put a stop to the interaction after declaring: 'No, Mauricio is off limits to all of us.' 'Mauricio would definitely be somebody that I spent some quality time with horizontal,' Bryant then secretly gushed in a confessional. The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills star Kyle Richards (pictured Tuesday) took a shot at fellow Housewife Ashley Boalch Darby for 'flirting' with her estranged husband Mauricio Umansky It all went down on Wednesday's episode of The Real Housewives of Potomac where Darby (L) gushed 'he's a single man now' upon seeing Umansky (R) in Aspen, CO during an all-girls' getaway The 55-year-old socialite went even further about her lust for The Agency founder during the RHOP After Show. 'If Mauricio wasn't connected to Kyle, I would have already had sex with Mauricio,' Bryant (born Graves) confessed. 'I would have definitely pounced on him. He gets the panties for sure!' Richards - clearly unaware that Bryant was the bigger flirt - went on to blast Darby during her hour-long Amazon Livestream on Tuesday. 'I mean, if she was flirting, that's weird. I mean, I would never - I was talking about this yesterday - be able to date anybody that any of the women, Housewives, dated or were married to,' the former child star scoffed. 'That's just weird. I don't know. And I'm like, "You're embarrassing yourself doing that on camera." And he just bumped into them, by the way.' Richards continued: 'But Gizelle, I will say, she texted me right away because she felt uncomfortable. She was like, "Just so you know, we ran into Mauricio," and I was like, "All good." 'I mean, I couldn't care, you know. Everyone can do what they want. I just thought "that's embarrassing." I don't know. Like I said, I didn't see it though so I shouldn't really comment.' Looking back at flirt gate, the 37-year-old Miss District of Columbia 2011 just wished Bryant had 'chilled out' and not called her a 'hot mess' alongside Umansky: 'Why try to make me look bad in front of him?' The 55-year-old real estate mogul and his 57-year-old ex still share a $13.6 million four-bedroom home in the mountain town where their daughter Alexia was hosting a bachelorette bash last year After revealing he was available that evening to the group, Umansky was targeted by 'wing woman' Stacey Rusch (L) who pressured Darby (M) to shoot her shot However, Gizelle Bryant - who feared 'a Beverly Hills Potomac showdown' - put a stop to the interaction after declaring: 'No, Mauricio is off limits to all of us' 'Mauricio would definitely be somebody that I spent some quality time with horizontal,' Bryant (2-R) then secretly gushed in a confessional The 55-year-old socialite (R) went even further about her lust for The Agency founder during the RHOP After Show 'If Mauricio wasn't connected to Kyle, I would have already had sex with Mauricio,' Bryant (born Graves) confessed. 'I would have definitely pounced on him. He gets the panties for sure!' Richards - clearly unaware that Bryant was the bigger flirt - went on to blast Darby during her hour-long Amazon Livestream on Tuesday The former child star - who only saw a trailer - scoffed: 'I mean, if she was flirting, that's weird. I mean, I would never...be able to date anybody that any of the women, Housewives, dated or were married to' Richards continued: 'That's just weird. I don't know. And I'm like, "You're embarrassing yourself doing that on camera." And he just bumped into them, by the way' Looking back at flirt gate, the 37-year-old Miss District of Columbia 2011 (L) just wished Bryant had 'chilled out' and not called her a 'hot mess' alongside Umansky 'Why try to make me look bad in front of him?' Darby (L) asked The Hollywood-born socialite and the silver-haired realtor have yet to file for divorce after separating in 2023 following 27 years of marriage (pictured December 30 with daughter Sophia) The amicable exes share three daughters - Sophia, 25; Alexia, 29; and Portia, 17 - as well as her daughter Farrah, 37; with ex-husband Guraish Aldjufrie Richards previously accused Umansky of being 'indiscreet' and 'in your ho era' while publicly canoodling with women like FBoy Island alum Celisa 'CJ' Franco, Russian actress Nikita Khan and Instagram model Klaudia K Darby has two sons - Dean, 6; and Dylan, 4 - from her eight-year marriage to Australian restaurateur Michael Darby, which ended in 2022. And the Reasonably Shady podcaster welcomed three daughters - Grace and twins Angel and Adore - during her seven-year marriage to pastor Jamal Bryant, which ended in 2009. Meanwhile, the Hollywood-born socialite and the silver-haired realtor have yet to file for divorce after separating in 2023 following 27 years of marriage. The amicable exes share three daughters - Sophia, 25; Alexia, 29; and Portia, 17 - as well as her daughter Farrah, 37; with ex-husband Guraish Aldjufrie. Richards previously accused Umansky of being 'indiscreet' and 'in your ho era' while publicly canoodling with women like FBoy Island alum Celisa 'CJ' Franco, Russian actress Nikita Khan and Instagram model Klaudia K. The Skims brand ambassador famously acted in Morgan Wade's music video for Fall in Love with Me where they kissed, fed each other and took a bubble bath in 2023 - one month after her split. Fans can catch more from drama from the inseparable pair in season 15 of The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills, which airs Thursday on Bravo. Richards will also guest star as Celeste in the 10-episode fourth season of David E. Kelley's legal drama The Lincoln Lawyer, which premieres February 5 on Netflix. Winterwatch viewers were left begging the BBC not to 'ruin the marvellous programme' as the broadcaster made a change to the nature show. The series draws a focus in on UK wildlife as it adapts to the changing winter conditions through pre-filmed stories and live broadcasts showcasing diverse species and conservation efforts. Michaela Strachan, Iolo Williams and Chris Packham present the popular series, which follows on from its sisters series, Springwatch and Autumnwatch. But as the show returned for another episode on Wednesday night, fans were quick to hit out they were prepared to switch off the BBC format after spotting some changes. Just minutes into the BBC Two episode, Michaela, 59, got stuck in showcasing the weird and wonderful species, the strawberry worm, to audiences as home. She was joined by Dr Patrick Collins, an expert in the microorganisms that live in loch water, who appeared to help explain how the worms feed and survive. Winterwatch viewers have been left begging the BBCnot to 'ruin the marvellous programme' as the broadcaster made a change to the nature show Just minutes into the BBC Two episode, Michaela, 59, got stuck in showcasing the weird and wonderful species, the strawberry worm, to audiences as home But aside from letting Dr Collins explain to audiences, Michaela was quick to bring out a prop made from pipe cleaners to demonstrate how it feeds. As the TV presenter pulled strings from behind the prop, it's pipe cleaner 'tentacles' swept across the painting with Michaela explaining: 'We love props on this show. 'Dr Patrick you explained it beautifully but I think we can explain it even more beautifully with this... if I pull these, these were the tentacles you were talking about.' It was followed by a dramatic montage of another microorganism living within fresh water, that was narrated by Chris, 64. While cameras followed the small green creature, a movie-like soundtrack began to play behind it in an attempt to add to the drama of the moment. But fans were quick to flood social media to complain about the 'dramatisation' of the show as they begged the presenters to stick 'to the facts'. One wrote on X, formerly known as Twitter: 'Hands up who would like a nature programme, no music, no dramatic narration, just the facts?' Another chimed in: 'I love nature, but attempts to dramatise everything or the ridiculous background music just put me completely off!" Aside from letting Dr Collins explain to audiences, Michaela was quick to bring out a prop made from pipe cleaners to demonstrate how it feeds Michaela used the prop alongside an expert to demonstrate how the creatures feed A third penned: 'Second time I've tried to watch, and it's just stupid stuff. That's not necessary. Please stop doing it and just stick to the facts, please.' While a fourth agreed: 'Please dont ruin this marvellous programme with infantile props and funny bits. Stick with the fantastic wildlife.' 'Winterwatch should be about the wildlife not puerile antics by the presenters. Were not interested, really,' a fifth concluded. Others took to the social media site to praise the show in disagreement, admitting they were 'loving' the changes to some of the programme's formats. One fan penned of Michaela's prop: 'LOVING the visual aid on Winterwatch,' as another added: 'Another great episode!' It comes after Winterwatch viewers fumed 'I'm off!' following a segment on the BBC nature show where host Chris Packham swiped at 'annoying' Alan Carr live on air. The annual nature documentary returned to BBC Two on Tuesday (January 20), presented by Chris, Michaela Strachan and Iolo Williams. They were broadcasting from the stunning Mount Stewart Estate, on the shores of Strangford Lough in County Down, Northern Ireland. Dramatic music played behind another segment about a small microorganism Michaela and Iolo referenced The Traitors, which is currently airing its fourth series, for a new segment called Nature's Traitors. The pair wore green cloaks and along with Chris - who revealed he has never seen the programme - gave examples of a 'Traitor' in the natural world. Iolo chose a gull, which Michaela said would be similar to Alan Carr's persona on Celebrity Traitors. She elaborated: 'If that was a Celebrity Traitor, it would be Alan Carr, I think. It would be bold, sassy and noisy.' To which Chris quipped: 'And quite annoying.' Michaela replied: 'I don't think you should say that', before then adding: 'Sorry, Alan.' Winterwatch continues Wednesdays on BBC Two and is available to stream on iPlayer Death In Paradise viewers have been left disappointed after learning a fan favourite is leaving the show after seven years. The light-hearted crime drama has seen many cast members come and go since its 2011 debut. Ahead of the 15th series, the BBC confirmed Officer Darlene Curtis - played by Ginny Holder - is bowing out. Sharing an emotional montage of the character's best moments, the social media caption read: Sadly, were saying goodbye to Darlene this series. 'Ginny Holder has been a much-loved cast member, and were hugely grateful to her for bringing her talent, personality, and energy to Officer Darlene Curtis.' The statement added: 'We wish her all the best maybe well catch up with her in Saint Marie down the line!' BBC has confirmed Darlene Curtis (Ginny Holder) is bowing out of Death In Paradise ahead of series 25 Darlene first appeared on the show in series seven, before returning in series 11 and being brought into the police team by Commissioner Patterson (Don Warrington, pictured) Taking to social media, Death in Paradise viewers shared their disappointment to see Darlene and actress Ginny Holder go Reacting to this news, one fan wrote: 'Oh no! How sad! I adore the spice and class Darlene brings to the show. Wishing Ginny all the very best.' Another agreed: 'Darlene will be missed who else will put DI Mervin in his place?!' A third added: 'Aww, Darlene will be missed and have enjoyed her character very much. 'Wishing @GinnyHolder1 all the best for the future and hope it wont be too long before we see her on screen again.' While a fourth viewer described Darlene as a 'perfect' character and a 'breath of fresh air.' Darlene first appeared on the show in its seventh series, before returning in series 11, which aired in 2022. After initially joining the team in a civilian capacity, she later became a fully-fledged police officer. With Darlene's departure, it means Honore Police Force will be down a member - but that won't be the case for too long. DI Mervin Wilson (Don Gilet) will now be joined by sassy new sergeant Mattie Fletcher (played by Catherine Garton). In released snaps the island's new recruit looks ready to take on the tropical location's numerous murders as she posed in her uniform on the golden sands. Last week Daily Mail's Katie Hind exclusively revealed that BBC bosses had cast up-and-coming actress Catherine, 27, in the role. Speaking ahead of the new series, the actress opened up about her new role and shared how much she loved Guadeloupe, the filming location for the fictional Saint Marie. Death in Paradise have revealed the first look at the show's sassy new sergeant as she arrives on sun-soaked Saint Marie for the show's fifteenth season New Detective Inspector Mervin Wilson, played by Don Gilet, 58, has only just settled in to life on island and will now be joined by new recruit Mattie Fletcher (Catherine Garton) 'I didn't quite know what to anticipate, then it exceeded any expectations I could have had. I love the island. Guadeloupe is like a postcard. It's quite unreal'. 'Every time I walked out I was like this exists, wow! Its absolutely stunning. Everyone's nice. I love the culture. The food's great'. Gushing over her character, Catherine branded her 'tenacious': She's really fun to play. 'She's sassy, but she's like your big sister who will tell you what's what, but you can also come to her if you need to'. The latest series sees DI Wilson continue to adjust to life in Saint Marie, he and the police team must face a myriad of baffling cases. Whilst attempting to connect with his recently discovered half-brother Solomon (Daniel Ward), Mervins newfound familial happiness soon turns to frustration as he discovers the pair are not quite as similar as he hoped they might be. Returning Commissioner Selwyn Patterson (Don Warrington) confronts the impact of his recent period of absence, and after some tough love from old friend, Catherine Bordey (Elizabeth Bourgine), hes determined to win back the trust of the island. Meanwhile, Detective Sergeant Naomi Thomas (Shantol Jackson) and Officer Sebastian Rose (Shaquille Ali-Yebuah) are also back. Death in Paradise airs on BBC One and is available to stream on iPlayer. After a monthslong social media absence, Phoebe Burgess has re-emerged on Instagram looking refreshed in Queensland. The former WAG, 36, took to the social media platform on Thursday to share some images and clips of her living it up in Noosa with her two children Poppy, nine, and Billy, seven. One black and white image showed Phoebe standing with Poppy and Billy, whom she shares with ex Sam Burgess, 37, with the caption: 'Refilling that cup.' Another showed the blonde beauty flaunting her slender frame in a $298 black and blue striped tank dress from Australian label Bassike. Phoebe finished her look with a pair of light blue thongs and black sunglasses, accessorising with an eye-catching, large striped canvas bag. Wearing her blonde locks up for the photo, Phoebe beamed as she looked out over Noosa's Main Beach. After a monthslong social media absence, Phoebe Burgess has re-emerged on Instagram looking refreshed in Queensland The former WAG, 36, took to the social media platform on Thursday to share some images and clips of her living it up in Noosa with her two children Poppy, nine, and Billy, seven It was a welcome return to social media for Phoebe, who hadn't posted to her Instagram grid since November. Her previous post was promoting an anti-bullying campaign led by Snapchat and anti-bullying organisation Project Rockit. Speaking to Daily Mail about the campaign in November, Phoebe admitted that while she's learned to 'ride the ups and downs,' for a long time she believed online trolling was simply part and parcel of life on social media. 'It's been a constant for the past decade, and for a long time I genuinely believed that choosing to work in this space meant accepting every opinion, judgement, and comment that came with it,' she said. 'I told myself it was the price of doing what I love and that I somehow deserved the ugly parts as much as the good.' Phoebe added: 'There's no invisible barrier that protects you from comments or the people who write them, so I built one myself. 'I shrank my world to fall off the radar. I stopped reading any headline about myself and, for almost two years now, I haven't clicked on a single story with my name in it. 'I barely consume news at all. I went to fewer work events to stay less visible, and I disappeared from social media for months at a time.' Another showed the blonde beauty flaunting her slender figure in a $298 black and blue striped tank dress from Australian label Bassike Phoebe's social media re-emergence comes after ex Sam was reunited with their two children earlier this month. Sam's s second wife Lucy shared a photo of the former NRL player's reunion with his daughter Poppy, nine, and son Billy, seven, and their kids Robbie and Mack Phoebe's social media re-emergence comes after ex Sam was reunited with their two children earlier this month. The footy star's second wife, Lucy, shared a photo of the former NRL player's reunion with his daughter Poppy and son Billy. The English-born athlete beamed from ear to ear in one picture, which captured him posing with all four of his children, his two with Phoebe and the two he shares with Lucy daughter Robbie, two, and son Mack, three months. It is believed that it was the first time Billy and Poppy had met their half-brother Mack. Footage also showed Sam playing a fun game of rugby with Billy in a backyard. A third picture showed Sam posing alongside his wife Lucy, the happy couple smiling as they enjoyed some downtime in Sydney. The gallery was captioned with some precious words: 'Family time'. Since 2023, Sam has been mostly separated from Billy and Poppy after he moved to the UK with Lucy. The two children live with Phoebe and her family in the Southern Highlands in NSW. Sam and Phoebe were married for four years before splitting in 2019. He went on to marry Lucy in 2024 in a lavish Italian wedding after two years of dating. Jules Neale has taken a less-than-subtle swipe at her AFL star ex Lachie and her former 'bestie' Tess Crosley in a new social media post. The former WAG, 35, took to TikTok on Wednesday to post a short video that showed her living her best life following her much-publicised marriage breakdown. The clip showed a contented Jules sitting at an al fresco restaurant table, sipping on a glass of white wine. The post was set to Olivia Dean's track 'Lady Lady', which features the lyric: 'That lady, lady, she's the man.' Offering the camera a cheeky wink at the end of the clip, Jules also captioned the video with a pointed dig at her former husband. Apparently quoting a conversation she had regarding the split, Jules wrote: 'I don't understand how they could do that.' Jules Neale has taken a less-than-subtle swipe at her AFL star ex Lachie and her former 'bestie' Tess Crosley in a new social media post The former WAG, 35, took to TikTokon Wednesday to post a short video that showed her living her best life following her much-publicised marriage breakdown Signaling that she has moved on from the drama, Jules added: 'Exactly, what a blessing not to.' The short, but telling clip was met with a flurry of supportive comments from followers. 'The whole of Australia is rooting for you, we love you queen,' one fan wrote, while another offered a similar: 'Handled with nothing but Grace & Dignity.' Another chimed in, saying Jules was an inspiration to many women. 'Such an inspiration for all younger women to never settle for less & know your self-worth,' they wrote. It comes after Jules flaunted her revenge body in a series of sultry bikini snaps on Monday night as she signed with a new talent agency in Perth. One image showed Jules beaming broadly as she posed for a mirror selfie in a baby blue and black polka dot two-piece. She also wore a brown cowboy hat, in a possible reference to similar headwear worn by former bestie Tess in a recent Instagram post amid the scandal. The post was set to Olivia Dean's track 'Lady Lady', which features the lyric: 'That lady, lady, she's the man' It comes after Jules flaunted her revenge body in a series of sultry bikini snaps on Monday night as she signed with a new talent agency in Perth The blonde beauty also took a brutal swipe at Lachie with her choice of song to accompany the post. She used the Taylor Swift track Father Figure to take a dig at her ex. 'You want a fight, you found it / I got the place surrounded /Youll be sleeping with the fishes before you know youre drowning,' are the lyrics of the song. 'Who covered up your scandals? / Mistake my kindness for weakness and find your card cancelled / Leave it with me, I protect the family.' The news comes as the fallout from Lachie's affair with Jules' former best friend Tess rages on and Jules settles into her new life in Perth. Lachie stepped aside as Brisbane Lions co-captain following the very public collapse of his marriage to wife Jules. Earlier this month, Lachie fronted a tense press conference where he confirmed the relationship had broken down but refused to answer directly when asked whether infidelity played a role. While he stopped short of specifics, Lachie accepted responsibility, telling reporters: 'I have let my family down and I apologise for my actions which have hurt those closest to me. And for that, I am deeply sorry.' The fallout from Lachie's affair with Jules' former best friend Tess (pictured) rages on and Jules settles into her new life in Perth 'I accept this as a consequence of my actions and I need to focus on rebuilding the trust with Jules as the future well-being of our children remains our number-one priority.' Behind the scenes, however, the saga has continued to escalate. Jules has since returned to Western Australia with the couple's two young children, Piper, four, and Freddie, one, while Lachie has settled into a new Brisbane bachelor pad following their separation. He was recently photographed shirtless on the balcony of the inner-city apartment during what appeared to be a low-key housewarming with friends, showing no visible signs of strain as he adjusted to life on his own. The $2.43 million Seven Hills home the couple once considered their forever home is now believed to be vacant or in preparation for sale or lease. The split first became public in late December when reports emerged that the couple were 'working through' marital issues, a claim Jules quickly shut down, declaring she had been 'betrayed in the most unimaginable way'. The scandal deepened as attention turned to former Mormon missionary Tess Crosley, who has been named as being at the centre of the marriage breakdown. Nicki Minaj is facing renewed backlash after fans resurfaced a years-old social media post in which she said she came to the United States illegally as a child. Critics are, now, pointing out the hypocrisy of her newfound praise of President Donald Trump's policies, many of which separate families and support mass deportations. The uproar followed Minaj's appearance at a Turning Point USA event alongside conservative commentator Erika Kirk last month. Almost immediately, fans began circulating a 2018 Instagram post in which Minaj described her own immigration story while condemning family-separation policies at the U.S.Mexico border. This prompted reactions like 'she's out of touch with a past she survived lol' and 'a far cry from who she is now.' At the time, Minaj wrote: 'I came to this country as an illegal immigrant @ 5 years old. I can't imagine the horror of being in a strange place & having my parents stripped away from me at the age of 5. This is so scary to me. Please stop this. Can you try to imagine the terror & panic these kids feel right now?' The post, which featured an image of children lying on mats inside a chain-link fenced detention center run by the Department of Homeland Security, was shared amid widespread outrage over migrant children being separated from their parents. Nicki Minaj is facing renewed backlash after fans resurfaced a years-old social media post in which she said she came to the United States illegally as a child; seen in November 2025 Some fans have even accused Minaj, who was born in Saint James, Port of Spain, Trinidad and Tobago and raised in Queens, New York, of being a 'complete sellout.' That criticism intensified as users contrasted her past words with her more recent activity, including responding positively to a clip of Katie Miller, White House Homeland Security adviser Stephen Miller's wife, promoting the SAVE Act, legislation meant to prevent 'illegal aliens' from 'voting and engaging in our democracy.' One reaction summed up the mood bluntly: 'And now she's defending ICE and kids having their parents ripped away from them.' In 2024, Minaj claimed during a TikTok Live that she is not a U.S. citizen. 'I was born on a beautiful island called Trinidad and Tobago. But I've been in the States for many years,' she said, adding that despite paying 'millions of dollars' in taxes, she joked she had not been granted 'honorary citizenship many, many, many thousands of years ago.' Critics seized on the comment as further proof, in one user's words, that Minaj is 'an immigrant who only cares about money and gives no true f**ks about 'the culture' she profited off of.' In addition to the backlash over her immigration stance, Minaj made headlines, most recently, for her escalating feud with journalist Don Lemon. Earlier this week, Minaj erupted on X after Lemon livestreamed a disruptive protest at Cities Church in St. Paul, Minnesota, where demonstrators interrupted a Sunday service to condemn alleged ties between church leadership and Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). In an all-caps post, Minaj wrote: 'DON 'C**K SUCKIN' LEMON IS DISGUSTING.' Critics are, now, pointing out how the hypocrisy of her newfound praise of President Donald Trumpaligned policies, many of which separate families and support mass deportations; Trump pictured in 2025 The uproar followed Minaj's appearance at a Turning Point USA event alongside conservative commentator Erika Kirk last month (pictured above in December 2025) Almost immediately, fans began circulating a 2018 Instagram post in which Minaj described her own immigration story while condemning family-separation policies at the U.S.Mexico border She followed up with: 'HOW DARE YOU? I WANT THAT THUG IN JAIL!!!!! HE WOULD NEVER DO THAT TO ANY OTHER RELIGION. LOCK HIM UP!!!!!' Lemon, who covered the protest tied to the killing of Renee Nicole Good, a 37-year-old Minneapolis mother fatally shot by ICE agent Jonathan Ross, responded by saying he was 'not surprised Nicki Minaj does not understand journalism.' While appearing later on the I've Had It podcast, Lemon called Minaj 'ignorant.' 'She doesnt know what shes talking about. Shes always weighing in on things that she doesnt know about. Nicki Minaj should just sit the f**k down,' he insisted. Minaj wasn't always openly Republican, but has since become a a prominent supporter of the MAGA movement. In November, Minaj thanked Trump for his 'leadership' while speaking at the United Nations about alleged persecution of Christians in Nigeria, praising his administration's focus on religious freedom. Clarkson's Farm star Kaleb Cooper's staggering earnings have been revealed as he shares what he plans to do with the money. The farmer and author, 27, made around 1million in 2025 according to accounts filed at Companies House this week. Around 800,000 of that came from his media and TV work while 100,000 came from the sale of top quality meat via his Cooper Livestock Ltd products. On top of this he made 60,000 from merchandise - selling rugby shorts, hoodies and shirts for prices ranging from 32 to 60 via K. Cooper Retail Ltd. And another 85,000 came from his farming and contracting work, reports The Sun. Kaleb has previously said he's want to spend his earnings on his own farm one day. Clarkson's Farm star Kaleb Cooper's staggering earnings have been revealed as he shares what he plans to do with the money The farmer and author, 27, made nearly 1million in 2025 according to accounts filed at Companies House this week He explained: 'I'm saving everything, but because it's the Cotswolds, the prices are going through the f***ing roof.' He also recalled his enterprising background, saying: 'For my 13th birthday, my mum didn't buy me a new phone or a new Xbox or anything like that, but in fact she bought me three chickens. 'I started my first company at 13, selling chicken eggs around Chipping Norton with a basket. Within two months of my 13th birthday I had 450 chickens.' A representative for Kaleb has been contacted by Daily Mail for comment. Last November it was revealed that Kaleb was following in the footsteps of his boss Jeremy by launching his own meat business. The Clarkson's Farm star now sells his own steaks, sausages, burgers and BBQ boxes. His website reads: 'From BBQ favourites to Sunday roasts, we bring the best of the countryside to your kitchen'. At the time 1kg of beef brisket was reduced by 50 per cent, from 15 to 7.50, while the 8oz fillet steak was 17.60. Meanwhile lamb shoulder is sold for 17.50 and the lamb and mint burgers are 5.50. As well as food, Kaleb is also cashing in with his own merchandise line, selling rugby shorts, hoodies and shirts for prices ranging from 32 to 60. Around 800,000 of that came from his media and TV work while 100,000 came from the sale of top quality meat via his Cooper Livestock Ltd products Last year Kaleb filmed in Australia for his new four-part series Kaleb: Down Under which will follow the star as he gets to grips with farming in a new climate with the help of some new faces. Before last year, the farmer had made no secret of the fact he'd never been abroad, and ahead of the release of the Prime Video series in 2021, rarely left his home town of Chipping Norton. But now he has made the move as part of a 'mission' to see if he can expand his 'farming contract business' in another country. Last year Kaleb took to social media to announce the news as he penned: 'I've got some news - I'm going I'm going to be going down under/to Australia to film my very own series on Prime Video. 'You know hard it is for me to leave Chippy [Chipping Norton] so flying to Australia is definitely taking me out of my comfort zone. 'I'm on a mission to see if I can make my farming contracting business international. 'First I've got to get through the flight! Don't fear my Chippy friends, I'll be back.' While fans of the TV star flooded the comments section to congratulate Kaleb on his shiny new job, the same could not be said for his co-star and boss Jeremy. The former Top Gear host joked: 'I'm so happy about this. Because finally I can run my farm without him mucking everything up.' The comment racked up over 50,000 likes, with hundreds of Instagram users admitting they were left laughing, and poking fun at Jeremy saying: 'You're going to miss him like hell.' On top of this he made 60,000 from merchandise - selling rugby shorts, hoodies and shirts for prices ranging from 32 to 60 via K. Cooper Retail Ltd One joked: 'I'm pretty sure he's probably thinking the same about you, Jeremy,' as a second chimed in: 'Yeah... it's definitely Kaleb mucking everything up...' A third added: 'You'll have empty nest syndrome!' as a fourth agreed: 'Now you can muck it up instead!' Last August Kaleb announced the arrival of his third baby, a son called Ashton, with his fiancee Taya. The couple are already the proud parents to son Oscar, four, and two-year-old daughter Willa. Kris Jenner's niece Natalie Zettel looked just like a Kardashian as she recently celebrated her 28th birthday. The media personality - who currently boasts 100,000 followers on Instagram - is the daughter of Jenner's late sister Karen Houghton, who passed away 'unexpectedly' in March 2024. Zettel has a close bond with the Kardashian/Jenner clan - with the family notably attending her wedding to Noah Warren nearly one year earlier. She shared a series of snaps to her main Instagram page on Wednesday from her birthday bash. The model donned a glittering gold minidress which was paired with closed-toed, nude platform heels. Her brunette locks were swept up into a chic up do, while a 'Birthday Girl' headband was placed on top of her head. Kris Jenner's niece Natalie Zettel looked just like a Kardashian as she recently celebrated her 28th birthday Zettel has a close bond with the Kardashian/Jenner clan - with the family notably attending her wedding to Noah Warren one year earlier Zettel's makeup was glammed up for the special occasion and comprised of a layer of mascara to her lashes as well as a smoky shadow around her eyes. A warm blush and contour was added to better accentuate her cheekbones while a nude-colored, satin tint was worn on her lips for a finishing touch. The media influencer was joined by a group of her close friends for the party, as well as her husband. She paused for photos inside a room decked out with birthday balloons and also had a blast on a party bus. Later in the night, Zettel and her guests were able to indulge in a two layer cake topped with sugary purple frosting. Her aunt Kris Jenner additionally took to her Instagram stories to give a birthday shout out to Zettel this week. The momager uploaded a photo taken last month during the holiday season as the reality star posed with her niece, Zettel's husband and Jenner's mother MJ. In text added over the image, The Kardashians star penned: 'Happy birthday @nataliezettel. I hope you have the most magical day! Love you!' The model donned a glittering gold minidress which was paired with closed-toed, nude platform heels The media influencer was joined by a group of her close friends for the party, as well as her husband She paused for photos inside a room decked out with birthday balloons and also had a blast on a party bus Her aunt Kris Jenner additionally took to her Instagram stories to give a birthday shout out to Zettel this week The model reposted the tribute to her own Instagram stories and added the message, 'Love u!!!!' followed by red heart emojis. Last year in March, Zettel tied the knot with her husband Noah during a romantic beachside wedding, with guests including Jenner, cousin Khloe Kardashian and grandma MJ. Ahead of the ceremony, the media personality appeared in an episode of Hulu's The Kardashians - where it was revealed that Jenner had offered to buy her niece a wedding dress. The momager said in a confessional at the time, 'I really want to help her celebrate and make this a memory that she will keep in her heart forever.' She added, 'I love a good wedding. But this is my treat for her. I told her that I really wanted to do her wedding dress so we'll see if she likes them.' Kim Kardashian and sister Khloe also stopped by the fitting, with Zettel ending up choosing a lace gown from Oscar de la Renta. The model gave a special shout out to her aunt for the gift and penned on Instagram, 'Thank you Auntie Kris for making my wedding so special and for giving me this moment to cherish. 'I'm so grateful to have the dress of my dreams. You made our day so special,' she continued. Last year in March, Zettel tied the knot with her husband Noah during a romantic beachside wedding, with guests including Jenner, cousin Khloe Kardashian and grandma MJ Ahead of the ceremony, the media personality appeared in an episode of Hulu's The Kardashians - where it was revealed that Jenner had offered to buy her niece a wedding dress; Zettel seen above Last summer, the media influencer attended grandma MJ's 91st birthday party at the iconic restaurant The Ivy in Los Angeles Zettel has joined the Kardashian/Jenner family for other special events over the years. Last summer, the media influencer attended grandma MJ's 91st birthday party at the iconic restaurant The Ivy in Los Angeles. Along with posing with the Jenner's mother, Zettel was also seen flashing a cheerful smile with cousins Khloe and Kylie Jenner. The model is the daughter of Jenner's late sister Karen Houghton who passed away 'unexpectedly' in March 2024 - and the momager jumped to Instagram to share the devastating news at the time. She had written, 'My heart aches for my mom MJ and my niece Natalie and I pray that God guides us all through this difficult time. 'Karen was beautiful inside and out. She was the sweetest, kindest, the most sensitive and vulnerable and so so funny.' Jenner added that her sibling's death 'is a reminder that life is so short and precious and tomorrow is never promised. We must tell those we cherish how much we love them. I love you my beautiful sister.' One month later, Houghton's cause of death at age 65 was revealed to have been cardiac arrest and sudden cardiac arrhythmia. Along with posing with the Jenner's mother, Zettel was also seen flashing a cheerful smile with cousins Khloe and Kylie Jenner One month later, Houghton's cause of death at age 65 was revealed to have been cardiac arrest and sudden cardiac arrhythmia; Jenner and Houghton seen above Late last year in November, Zettel shared a post on what would have been her mother's 67th birthday Late last year in November, Zettel shared a post on what would have been her mother's 67th birthday. Alongside a series of throwback pictures of her late mother from over the years, the media personality wrote: 'Happy birthday to my dear Mommy. I miss you everyday, but I know you are watching over me. 'You show me signs that I know you are still with me even though I can't see you, I can feel you with me. Guiding me everyday.' Zettel added, 'Your unconditional love was like no other, your selfless love for others. You were the best mommy. I love you.' A wedding guest who attended Brooklyn Beckham's Florida wedding to Nicola Peltz in 2022 has defended his mother Victoria after he made a series of bombshell allegations towards her. Earlier this week, the eldest son of Sir David and Lady Beckham, 26, accused his mother, 51, of dancing 'inappropriately' on him in what was meant to be his romantic first dance with Nicola, 31. Brooklyn wrote in his six-page statement: 'In front of our 500 wedding guests, Marc Anthony called me to the stage, where in the schedule was planned to be my romantic dance with my wife but instead my mum was waiting to dance with me instead. She danced very inappropriately on me in front of everyone. 'I've never felt more uncomfortable or humiliated in my entire life. We wanted to renew our vows so we could create new memories of our wedding day that bring us joy and happiness, not anxiety and embarrassment.' But now one guest who attended the wedding has claimed Victoria's dancing was anything but sleazy and believes the bride Nicola, was furious her mother-in-law 'stole her limelight' after Marc Anthony heaped praise on the Spice Girl throughout his set. 'She was a bit wooden but not sleazy. It was inappropriate but only in the sense that she appeared to be the centre of attention when it should have been about the bride instead,' the wedding guest told The Mirror. A wedding guest who attended Brooklyn Beckham's Florida wedding to Nicola Peltz in 2022 has defended his mother Victoria after he made a series of bombshell allegations towards her Earlier this week, the eldest son of David and Victoria, 26, accused his mother, 51, of dancing 'inappropriately; on him in what was meant to be his romantic first dance with Nicola, 31 'Our takeaway was that there was no grinding. But it was a bit of a stiff, awkward performance. 'It did rather feel like the Beckham show. Marc Anthony had been praising Victoria in between songs, and then you had her go up on the dance floor for this moment. It was a bit much, and Nicola didnt appear happy.' The Daily Mail has contacted Victoria, Brooklyn and Nicola's representatives for comment. Meanwhile, DJ Fat Tony, who performed a late night set joined in the posts poking fun at the groom's claim that his mum 'hijacked my first dance with my wife' and 'danced very inappropriately on me in front of everyone'. Tony shared a video of Lucy Punch's character Amanda in BBC sitcom Motherland dancing wildly to the Lil' Kleine and Ronnie Flex track Drank & Drugs in front of her school mum friends. The clip was captioned 'POV: Victoria Beckham during Brooklyn's first dance' and Fat Tony added the words: 'Actual video footage its true I was there !' Tony's partner Stavros Agapiou on Tuesday backed up Brooklyn's 'inappropriate' dancing comment. Marc Anthony was a guest and a performer at Brooklyn and Nicola's wedding in Florida Brooklyn's statement included claims that Victoria had 'hijacked his first dance' and 'danced very inappropriately on me' (pictured at the wedding) Brooklyn insisted in his statement that the reason he and Nicola chose to renew their vows just three years after their original ceremony was because Victoria had ruined their wedding day DJ Fat Tony, who performed a late night set at Brooklyn's 2022 wedding to Nicola Peltz, shared a video of Lucy Punch's character in BBC sitcom Motherland dancing wildly The clip was captioned 'POV: Victoria Beckham during Brooklyn's first dance' and Fat Tony added the words: 'Actual video footage its true I was there !' Stavros wrote 'I was there and she did, he's telling the truth' The comment has since been deleted and Stavros instead posted 'Good on him for finally speaking out!' 'I was there and she did, he's telling the truth,' he said in an Instagram comment, which has since been deleted - with Stavros instead posting: 'Good on him for finally speaking out!' Page Six reported the actress was so upset she left the reception crying after Victoria 'wrapped her arms around Brooklyn and nuzzled into his neck'. A source said: 'She [Victoria] was dancing with him very inappropriately. She took that moment from Nicola, that is the god's truth. 'Nicola ran out crying. The Beckhams' side of the room was cheering and the Peltz side was quiet. 'Nicola's friends were saying "You have to go back down". Her face was swollen. She finally came down and was sad the entire evening, it was so heartbreaking.' Another source claimed Brooklyn spent the weekend 'agonising' over what to say in the six-page statement, after telling his wife 'f*** it, this ends now'. The insider told The Mirror: 'He thought the abuse towards his wife would never stop until he said something in his own words. He was sick of the lies, and there was no changing his mind.and nor did anyone want to. He was fixated on ending the b******t which he claims his mum and dad are behind.' Fans are clamouring to see the footage at the centre of the Beckham family rift. But sources say the video will likely never surface because Brooklyn himself holds the only recording of the controversial moment. The couple famously enforced an ultra-strict no-phones policy at their lavish Florida nuptials, attended by 500 guests. All attendees were required to surrender their personal devices upon arrival, sealing them inside electronically locked pouches before being handed retro flip phones for basic photographs. As a result, Brooklyn and Nicola retain exclusive control over all official footage from the day, meaning the alleged 'embarrassing' dance exists only in material owned by the couple themselves. A source revealed: 'Brooklyn holds all the power when it comes to the video of Victoria dancing "inappropriately" on him at his wedding to Nicola. 'You can completely understand why Brooklyn would never have wanted the footage made public. Until now, he has stayed silent, but he is finally speaking out about his experiences with his family and, in particular, how deeply let down he felt by his mother on his wedding day. 'Thousands of people are now speculating about just how inappropriate Victoria's performance really was, and releasing the footage could be the ultimate proof that everything Brooklyn has alleged is completely accurate. 'The only person who can lawfully release that footage is Brooklyn himself. And while he's clearly been pushed to breaking point, he may still feel it's not something he wants to relive, especially on such a hugely public scale.' Lee Mead has said it was a 'lightbulb' moment when he met his fiancee Issy Szumniak in a coffee shop as he opens up about their 'unspoken connection'. The West End star, 44, met the makeup artist eight years ago when he was in a cafe on the school run and the pair are now planning their wedding. Lee shares a daughter Betsy, 15, with his ex Denise van Outen who he was married to from 20092013. Meanwhile Issy has a son called Alfie from a previous relationship. Speaking about seeing her for the first time Lee told The Mirror: 'It was a lightbulb moment. I walked in and caught Issy's eye. Alfie was with her and it was a really lovely natural moment. I walked over and said 'hi I'm Lee who's this?'. 'After they left I said to the cafe owner 'is she single by any chance?' And that evening she messaged him and said 'Do you know if Lee is with anyone?' 'We instantly knew we had that unspoken connection. It felt easy and relaxed and I felt completely safe and happy.' Lee Mead has said it was a 'lightbulb' moment when he met his fiancee Issy Szumniak in a coffee shop as he opens up about their 'unspoken connection' Lee shares a daughter Betsy, 15, with his ex Denise van Outen who he was married to from 20092013. Meanwhile Issy has a son called Alfie from a previous relationship The couple are currently in the process of buying a house in Kent and will get married after they are settled. He also spoke of his healthy relationship with his ex Denise in the interview as he said they were still 'good friends'. Lee announced his engagement to fiancee Issy in February 2023. The theatre star, who won BBC musical talent competition Any Dream Will Do in 2007, took to Instagram to share a picture of himself with the make-up artist and aesthetician as she showed off her dazzling diamond ring. The couple both took to their respective Instagram pages to announce the news to their followers. West End performer Lee wrote: 'So this happened today, and my beautiful Issy said yes. 'We're both so happy and can't wait to spend forever together.' Issy posted: '6 years & forever with you 05/02/23.' The West End star, 44, met the makeup artist eight years ago when he was in a cafe on the school run and the pair are now planning their wedding Denise and Lee co-parent their daughter Betsy (Denise seen with Betsy in 2022) Former Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat cast member Lee confirmed his romance with mother-of-one Issy in 2018. Lee was previously married to Denise after meeting on Any Dream Will Do on which she was a judge and he was a contestant. The former couple said 'I do' in the Seychelles in 2009 and went on to welcome daughter Betsy in 2010. However, Denise confirmed they had parted ways in June 2013. Denise previously told The Sun's Fabulous magazine about the break-up: 'I've no regrets about getting married to Lee at all. He's such a lovely person. 'There was no big fall out and we got each other through really. 'We're friends so we supported each other.' They were granted a 'quickie' divorce at the Central Family Court in just 90 seconds in 2015. The pair had originally split in June 2013 but they remain good friends as they co-parent their daughter Betsy. District Judge Heather MacGregor ended the six year marriage on the grounds that it had irretrievably broken down and that the couple have lived apart for more than two years. Iris Law turned heads as she headed out in Beverly Hills for lunch. The British model, who is the daughter of Jude Law and Sadie Frost, 25, cut a stylish figure in a striped minidress which showed off her long legs. Shrugging a green cardigan over her shoulders, Iris teamed the look with Kim Kardashian's new NikeSkims Rift shoes and black sunglasses. Iris had her headphones in as she strutted to Croft Alley for a spot of lunch. The model recently made her catwalk debut for lingerie giant Victoria's Secret, during which she appeared alongside supermodel sisters Bella and Gigi Hadid, Emily Ratajkowski and Lila. The Daily Mail exclusively revealed that Iris wanted to indulge in very specific sweets after her appearance at the lingerie show, a request that resulted in her assistants frantically darting around the city. Iris Law turned heads as she headed out in Beverly Hills for lunch The British model, who is the daughter of Jude Law and Sadie Frost, 25, cut a stylish figure in a striped minidress which showed off her long legs It's understood that she had asked her team to track down specific cookies from one bakery and smoothies from another. Iris previously discussed her personal sense of style during an interview with Vogue Espana. 'I don't dress for anyone, I just try to feel good and be comfortable.' 'I let myself be carried away by how I am in an intuitive way, even if it's not what is understood as chic or cool,' she said. 'I have gone through many phases: more feminine, more androgynous... I like to change; every day is different.' Iris also admitted to struggling with anxiety and using exercise as a constructive coping mechanism. She said: 'I love lifting weights; I think it's great for maintaining hormonal balance and it also helps me sleep better.' 'In general, I've noticed a big change in controlling my anxiety, also since I started running.' Shrugging a green cardigan over her shoulders, Iris teamed the look with Kim Kardashian's new NikeSkims Rift shoes and black sunglasses Iris had her headphones in as she strutted to Croft Alley for a spot of lunch The model recently made her catwalk debut for lingerie giant Victoria's Secret, during which she appeared alongside supermodel sisters Bella and Gigi Hadid, Emily Ratajkowski and Lila Iris made the pavement look like a catwalk during her Los Angeles outing Last week, Iris left very little to the imagination as she went braless under a white tank top teamed with lace underwear for one mirror selfie which she posted on Instagram The catwalk beauty shared an array of various snaps of herself, including glamorous selfies Last week, Iris left very little to the imagination as she went braless under a white tank top teamed with lace underwear for one mirror selfie which she posted on Instagram. The catwalk beauty shared an array of snaps of herself, including glamorous selfies and captioned the photo carousel: 'hydrated.' Chris Noth cemented his status as a major TV star with his role as Carrie Bradshaw's on/off boyfriend Mr. Big on HBO's hit series Sex And The City. The former Law & Order star had a recurring role on the show between 1998 and 2004 and went on to costar in two spinoff films in 2008 and 2010. But now, he has confirmed in a preview of his upcoming appearance on the Really Famous With Kara Mayer Robinson podcast, he no longer has any contact with his former costar Sarah Jessica Parker, who played Bradshaw. 'We're not friends - I think that's pretty obvious,' Noth, 71, said, according to the preview obtained by People on Wednesday. The falling out between the pair came after he was accused of sexual assault by multiple women in late 2021 and shared that in the wake of the allegations, he felt abandoned by Parker. Chris Noth, 71, has confirmed that he is no longer 'friends' with his Sex And The City costar Sarah Jessica Parker after being 'abandoned' by her over accusations made against him of sexual assault; he's seen in June 2025 Noth had a recurring role on HBO's Sex And The City as Carrie Bradshaw's on/off boyfriend Mr. Big from 1998 to 2004 and also starred with Parker in two spinoff movies; pictured on set in 2008 Parker, who served as an executive producer on Sex And The City in addition to being its lead star, joined with her castmates Kristin Davis and Cynthia Nixon in denouncing Noth following the allegations against him. The trio's statement in December 2021 expressed their support for 'the women who have come forward and shared their painful experiences' and said that they were 'deeply saddened'. Noth told Robinson it was 'disappointing' to see his once close friends and costars turn their back on him. He explained: 'The statement that they put out, which was nothing more than brand management, really... it was sad, it was disappointing, it was surprising.' Noth said he had expected more from people he had worked with for many years. 'Before you make that statement, you know me, you've known me all these years, give me a call so I can give you the real scoop about this,' the actor said. 'And that didn't happen, and that was too bad.' The Daily Mail has reached out to Parker's representatives for comment but has yet to hear back. Parker joined with her castmates Kristin Davis and Cynthia Nixon in denouncing Noth following the allegations against him by two women in a 2021 article published in The Hollywood Reporter Following the allegations, Noth's character Mr. Big was killed off and removed from the SATC reboot And Just Like That... The situation showed him who his 'real friends are', he said Following the allegations, Noth's character Big was killed off and removed from the SATC reboot And Just Like That... The situation showed him who his 'real friends are,' he said. 'What's gained is good. You know where people stand and you know who your real friends are and who they're not,' Noth shared. 'That's important to know. I just know if it had been on the other hand, I wouldn't have done that.' Noth said the treatment he received from his costars 'was hurtful and it really affected everything'. The scandal in late 2021 arose after two unnamed women accused the actor of sexual assaults in 2004 and 2015 in a report published in The Hollywood Reporter. Noth issued a statement denying any wrongdoing, saying, 'The accusations against me made by individuals I met years, even decades, ago are categorically false.' 'These stories could've been from 30 years ago or 30 days ago - no always means no - that is a line I did not cross. The encounters were consensual.' The consequences of the piece, though, were immediate; in addition to his removal from And Just Like That..., he was also fired from his upcoming leading role in the CBS procedural The Equalizer. No criminal charges were ever filed against Noth yet the allegations had a massive impact on the way he was perceived by the public. No criminal charges were ever filed against Noth, pictured in Vienna in 2023, yet the allegations had a massive impact on the way he was perceived by the public Earlier this month, Noth made headlines again when he acknowledged his ongoing disenchantment with Parker on social media. Noth posted a gym selfie on January 9 with the caption 'F&@k new years LETS GO!!!!', showing him sitting on an exercise machine as he held two weights and stared into the camera. When a follower replied, 'You mean f*** SJP & her award right? lol' Noth replied with: 'Right.' The post came two days after Parker was honored with the 2026 Carol Burnett Award at a Golden Globes-adjacent event. After his one-word response on social media raised eyebrows, Noth distanced himself from any controversy. 'My off the cuff slightly sarcastic response to a comment on the internet seems to have caused a tempest in a teapot,' Noth he posted on Instagram. 'It is not news. It is not worth all this discussion. 'It is a waste of time in a world where there are more important things to worry about.' On Tuesday, Sarah Michelle Gellar looked incredible at the premiere of Netflix's Star Search reboot, which was reportedly plagued by audio and production problems. The Daytime Emmy winner easily defied her 48 years as she posed at CBS Studio Center in Studio City, CA with help from her hairstylist Sara Seward and make-up artist Kindra Mann. Gellar looked leggy in a silver-sequin Rin by Chung Thanh Phong asymmetric mini-dress and matching Alevi Milano heels selected by stylist Tara Swennen. The Long Island-born scream queen recently lamented over 'constantly compared to my younger self' but she certainly doesn't 'want to cut up my face if I don't have to.' 'I'm seeing younger and younger girls get facelifts. And then, I'm not going to lie, there are times where I start questioning, "Should I be doing that?"' Gellar admitted to People earlier this month. 'Do I have Botox? Yeah, of course I do, but I can still move my face. So, it's about aging with grace. I like to smile. I like to laugh, my laugh lines are earned.' On Tuesday, Sarah Michelle Gellar looked incredible at the premiere of Netflix's Star Search reboot, which was reportedly plagued by audio and production problems The Buffy the Vampire Slayer alum continued: 'I mean, who's to say? You might see me at 80 looking all tight and whatever, but right now, I'm an actor. I need my face to work.' Gellar is judging up-and-coming performers across a range of categories for the live five-week event, hosted by Anthony Anderson, alongside Chrissy Teigen and Jelly Roll. The RuPaul's Drag Race All Stars guest judge auditioned for the original show, hosted by Ed McMahon, which aired 1983-1995, but she 'did not make it on.' Star Search famously helped launch the careers of future stars such as Beyonce, Adam Sandler, Britney Spears, Justin Timberlake, Dave Chappelle and Christina Aguilera. Gellar - who 'was incredibly nervous' - shared a cute Instagram video of herself embracing her husband of 23 years, Freddie Prinze Jr., backstage after the show. The I Know What You Did Last Summer stars were joined by their 16-year-old daughter Charlotte and 13-year-old son Rocky, who had opinions on her judging skills. 'Well my daughter was a little upset with some of my decisions,' Gellar told ET. 'But my husband said I did very well and my son said I did a very good job which, from him, is huge.' The Dexter: Original Sin star opted for a black glittery Nadine Merabi pantsuit and matching peep-toe heels for night two of Star Search on Wednesday. The Daytime Emmy winner easily defied her 48 years as she posed at CBS Studio Center in Studio City, CA with help from her hairstylist Sara Seward and make-up artist Kindra Mann Gellar looked leggy in a silver-sequin Rin by Chung Thanh Phong asymmetric mini-dress and matching Alevi Milano heels selected by stylist Tara Swennen The Long Island-born scream queen recently lamented over 'constantly compared to my younger self' but she certainly doesn't 'want to cut up my face if I don't have to' 'I'm seeing younger and younger girls get facelifts. And then, I'm not going to lie, there are times where I start questioning, "Should I be doing that?"' Gellar admitted to People earlier this month She added: 'Do I have Botox? Yeah, of course I do, but I can still move my face. So, it's about aging with grace. I like to smile. I like to laugh, my laugh lines are earned' The Buffy the Vampire Slayer alum is judging up-and-coming performers across a range of categories for the live five-week event, hosted by Anthony Anderson (R), alongside Chrissy Teigen (L) and Jelly Roll (2-L) Gellar - who 'was incredibly nervous' - shared a cute Instagram video of herself embracing her husband of 23 years, Freddie Prinze Jr., backstage after the show The I Know What You Did Last Summer stars were joined by their 16-year-old daughter Charlotte and 13-year-old son Rocky, who had opinions on her judging skills 'Well my daughter was a little upset with some of my decisions,' Gellar told ET. 'But my husband said I did very well and my son said I did a very good job which, from him, is huge' The Dexter: Original Sin star opted for a black glittery Nadine Merabi pantsuit and matching peep-toe heels for night two of Star Search on Wednesday This time, Gellar wore long earrings and had a cute updo to judge the show This time, Gellar wore long earrings and had a cute updo to judge the show. The Golden Globe nominee will next portray Ursula Danforth in Tyler Gillett and Matt Bettinelli-Olpin's action-horror comedy Ready or Not 2: Here I Come, which hits US theaters March 27 and UK theaters April 10. The Searchlight Pictures sequel also stars Samara Weaving, Kathryn Newton, Elijah Wood and David Cronenberg. Gellar - who boasts 4.9 million Instagram followers - is also every bit the influencer with paid partnerships for brands like OLAY, Campari and Dunkin. China's river delta balances bird conservation, green economy Xinhua) 08:45, January 22, 2026 JINAN, Jan. 21 (Xinhua) -- In the Yellow River Delta of eastern China, flocks of oriental white storks glide gracefully overhead or forage across the vast wetlands. For Zhu Shuyu, this familiar scene today stands in sharp contrast to his unexpected first encounter with the endangered species 29 years ago. "Back then, a flock of 19 large white birds was spotted foraging along the shoreline," recalled Zhu, now a senior engineer with the management committee of the Yellow River Delta National Nature Reserve in the city of Dongying, Shandong Province. The sighting during a bird survey at a local reservoir marked the first confirmed record of the species in the wild within the Yellow River Delta. The oriental white stork, a top-level protected species in China, is listed as endangered by the International Union for Conservation of Nature. The Yellow River Delta, where the Yellow River empties into the Bohai Sea, covers about 153,000 hectares, over 70 percent of which is wetland. It serves as a vital wintering and stopover site for migratory birds around the world. Two of the globe's nine major flyways -- the East Asian-Australasian flyway and the West Pacific flyway -- pass through the reserve, drawing millions of birds to rest here each year. "The wetland ecosystem has improved significantly. More birds are arriving and new species are being recorded almost every year," Zhu said. The city even hosts annual birdwatching events that attract enthusiasts from overseas, he added. After the rare oriental white storks were first seen in 1997, China launched a series of wetland restoration and habitat protection projects in the delta. These measures have helped the stork breed more than 4,200 offspring in the delta by 2025. Over the past three years, the reserve authorities have replenished more than 520 million cubic meters of water, restored 3,467 hectares of native vegetation and created an additional 4,933 hectares of freshwater wetland. "The Yellow River Delta is globally recognized as a key site for bird conservation, supporting both breeding populations and birds migrating along the East Asian-Australasian Flyway," said James Fitzsimons, senior advisor of Global Protection Strategies of the Nature Conservancy. Fitzsimons stressed that China's coastal wetland protection efforts carry major global significance. China has set up over 2,200 wetland protection areas, including 82 Wetlands of International Importance, 80 nationally important wetlands, and 22 international wetland cities. With over 53.33 million hectares of wetland areas under protection, China has built the largest wetland conservation system in Asia. As bird populations grow, monitoring efforts have been stepped up. Multiple teams conduct monthly surveys in the delta nature reserve using satellite tracking and AI-powered, around-the-clock surveillance systems that can automatically identify and count birds. Dongying, a petrochemical hub where the secondary industry contributes about 60 percent of total economic output, aims to strike a balance between bird conservation and economic development. Oriental white storks usually nest in tall trees, but such trees are scarce in the city due to high soil salinity. As a result, many storks have built nests on power transmission towers instead. Their acidic droppings are conductive, posing risks to grid safety. Early attempts to deter the birds with special windmills, acoustic devices and spikes proved ineffective. Later, power grid authorities developed insulators that effectively prevent damage from bird droppings. Local authorities have also scaled up renewable energy development to drive greener growth. In October 2025, a 26-megawatt offshore wind turbine, which set world records for single-unit capacity and rotor diameter, was connected to the grid in Dongying. A single turbine can generate 100 million kilowatt-hours of electricity annually. Experts dismissed claims that building such wind turbines could threaten migratory birds. "During regular patrols, we have never seen birds collide with the turbines," Zhu said. He added that birds migrate along wide corridors and can adjust their flight paths, so turbines installed in open coastal areas generally do not disrupt their migration. Zhu added that wind farms have been avoided in some valleys in north China's Hebei Province, which serve as critical migratory corridors. The Yellow River delta reserve is home to 1,635 species of wild animals, including 376 bird species. Each migration season, millions of birds gather in the wetlands, attracting birdwatchers from home and abroad and boosting local tourism. "We never thought these birds would bring even more tourists in the winter," said Wang Yan, deputy manager of a homestay near the Yellow River estuary. "Thanks to bird-watching activities, we have had an average of over 30 bookings per day since November, even higher than during the peak tourist season." (Web editor: Zhang Kaiwei, Liang Jun) Julia Morris has shown off her trimmed down physique as she gets in the swing of filming the new season of I'm a Celebrity...Get Me Out of Here! Australia. The veteran presenter, 57, stunned in photos shared to social media on Thursday, in which she donned a pink, satin blouse. The fitted top showcased her tiny waist and slim figure, and she paired it with a pencil skirt that sat close to her slender curves and featured a pastel vintage print. A second set of photos showed the television host posing in a looser, pale blue dress alongside her co-host Robert Irwin. Julia beamed for the camera in the images, which she captioned with a passionate comment about her outfit choices. 'Wait I can't cope with how beautiful both these looks are. Don't make me pick a favourite,' Julia wrote. Julia Morris (pictured) has shown off her trimmed down physique as she gets in the swing of filming the new season of I'm a Celebrity...Get Me Out of Here! Australia A second set of photos showed the television host posing in a looser, pale blue dress alongside her co-host Robert Irwin (left) Julia has been hosting I'm A Celebrity...Get Me Out Of Here! Australia since 2015. Recently, she made a shock admission about her love life. The host was married to British comedian Dan Thomas from 2005 to 2022 and has now sworn off dating for a very surprising reason. 'Happiness is leaking out of me now. People say, "Have you met someone?" and I say, "Absolutely not and that's why I look so great!",' Julia told TV Week. She added she was happy with where she was in life and had no plans to get into another relationship. 'I have no desire to meet anyone, ever! I had a lot of life before I got married too much, to be fair and then I married at 35 and had a different life. Now I get to have another life all over again,' she said. Julia revealed her priorities had changed and she was now committed to being there for her two children, Ruby, 18, and Sophie, 16. 'I'm definitely the happiest I've ever been, but I didn't know I'd feel like that when I stepped into this journey four years ago,' she said. 'Happiness is leaking out of me now. People say, "Have you met someone?" and I say, "Absolutely not and that's why I look so great!",' Julia told TV Week 'In the past few years my marriage broke up, I lost my dad and Dr Chris Brown resigned from the jungle. All my guys! But that's the ebb and flow of life, isn't it? 'You have to sit in it, there's no fast track. You can't play the blame game. Be a little self-reflective and make personal changes.' In July 2024, Julia hinted on The Kyle & Jackie O Show that her split from Dan was acrimonious, but refused to go into any more detail about the divorce. 'Oh look, there's always more to the story [behind the split],' she told hosts Kyle Sandilands and Jackie 'O' Henderson at the time. 'I don't want to disrespect him [Dan] and his life, and mostly I don't want to disrespect my children by really opening up Pandora's box.' Rebekah Elmaloglou has connections in high places. The soap star revealed on a recent episode of I'm A Celebrity...Get Me Out Of Here! Australia that she's related to an Oscar-winning A-lister. The 51-year-old explained that her first cousin, once removed, is none other than iconic British actress, Dame Judi Dench, 91. 'Judi Dench is my mum's cousin,' Rebekah told her campmates on the reality show this week. 'I'm quite close to Finty, her daughter,' she continued. 'When I was in England once, doing publicity for Neighbours with [co-star] Stefan Dennis, we went on Pointless, Judi's favourite show. Rebekah Elmaloglou (pictured) has revealed that she's related to an Oscar-winning A-lister The 51-year-old explained that her first cousin, once removed, is none other than iconic British actress, Dame Judi Dench, 91 (pictured) 'Stefan and I were just hopeless. All I could think was: "Oh my God, Judi's going to be watching this, so annoyed that her little Australian cousin is so useless".' Dench is a British superstar who won a Best Supporting Actress Oscar for her role as Queen Elizabeth I in Shakespeare in Love, back in 1998. She is well-known for her starring turn as M in the James Bond franchise, and over her career has earned eight Academy Awards nominations. Rebekah, meanwhile, rose to fame on Aussie soap opera Home and Away, playing troubled teen Sophie Simpson. In recent years, she has starred on another iconic series, Neighbours, appearing as Terese Willis from 2013. In 2023 Rebekah revealed she headed off to a new life in country NSW after the show was axed in 2022. But after learning of the show's miraculous revival, Rebekah said she did not hesitate to pack up to return to Neighbours home base in Melbourne for Amazon's reboot. In an interview with The Daily Telegraph, the beloved Neighbours stalwart said that she was a 'bit annoyed' about the domestic upheaval. The mother of two had elected to move to the mid-north coast with her husband Kane Baker and son Kai to be closer to her mum and dad. Rebekah is currently starring on the latest season of I'm A Celebrity...Get Me Out Of Here! Rebekah made an independent film and did a few auditions but the break from Neighbours turned out to be months of 'down time'. 'We were just grieving,' she said over the show's axing. 'I was very much like, "I don't care if I'm not working at the moment." So I never got that far into thinking "What if there's no work out there for me?",' she added. In 2025, Neighbours was sadly axed for a second time, less than two years after it was first revived. Rebekah is currently starring on the latest season of I'm A Celebrity...Get Me Out Of Here! Australia, for which she is being paid between $90,000 to $120,000. Victoria Beckham has bagged her first ever solo number one after a huge social media campaign pushed her to the top of the chart. Days after her eldest son Brooklyn posted his scathing six-page statement in which he claimed his mother danced 'inappropriately' at his 2022 wedding, an extraordinary social media campaign has given one of her solo songs a huge chart boost. Victoria's 2001 single Not Such An Innocent Girl, a track which showcased Posh Spice's raunchy dance moves, has shot to number one on the iTunes chart in the UK and Ireland. The chart positions have been driven by a social media campaign which is determined to 'fix the national tragedy' that 'Victoria is the only Spice Girl without a solo #1.' 'Nothing says "British Culture" like collectively deciding to send Posh to the top of the charts because her son roasted her on Insta. Imagine both their faces,' reads a viral post on Instagram which has been shared by the likes of Katherine Ryan and Luisa Zissman. Victoria's youngest son Cruz also helped with the promo effort, using his mum's song to soundtrack one of his Instagram Stories on Thursday. Victoria Beckham has bagged her first ever solo number one after a huge social media campaign pushed her to the top of the chart Days after her eldest son posted his scathing six-page statement announcing he would not be reconciling with his parents, Victoria has got the last laugh (Victoria pictured in 2001) The Instagram account Our_dream_house writes: 'I've seen more VB music promo in the last 24 hours than in the last 20 years and I am obsessed. Let's get her that #1 for the plot twist of the year. 'Download "Not Such An Innocent Girl". We are unhinged. Stream Posh. It's a national emergency.' After Posh reached number one the Insta delightedly declared: 'WE ACTUALLY DID IT. Posh Spice finally has her solo #1 and the universe is finally in balance. Proof that you should never underestimate the British public when we decide to commit to a bit.' 'From a roast to the top of the charts VICTORIA WE LOVE YOU. History has been made. National tragedy: OVER.' Victoria fans will have until 6pm Friday to wait and see if the track charts in the top 100 on the Official Singles Chart. It comes after 65 per cent of Daily Mail readers said they would back Team Beckham over Team Brooklyn in Tuesdays Poll of the Day which attracted 26,000 votes. The mum of four is said to have been left 'devastated' after taking the brunt in the vicious family fallout with son Brooklyn and Nicola. Despite proudly declaring he was a once a 'mama's boy', Brooklyn focused mainly on Lady Beckham in his lengthy statement, with his vitriolic comments leaving her 'on the floor in pieces'. Amongst Brooklyn's long list of claims was the accusation that his mum 'hijacked' his first dance at his 2022 wedding and 'danced very inappropriately on me in front of everyone'. Victoria's 2001 single Not Such An Innocent Girl has shot to number one on the iTunes chart in the UK and Ireland The chart positions have been helped by a social media campaign which is determined to 'fix the national tragedy' that 'Victoria is the only Spice Girl without a solo #1.' Days after her eldest son posted his scathing statement, Victoria could get the last laugh (Nicola, Victoria and Brooklyn pictured in February 2024) On Wednesday Brooklyn's wedding DJ Fat Tony waded into the claims, sharing a video of Lucy Punch's character Amanda in BBC sitcom Motherland dancing wildly to the Lil' Kleine and Ronnie Flex track Drank & Drugs in front of her school mum friends. The clip was captioned 'POV: Victoria Beckham during Brooklyn's first dance' and Fat Tony added the words: 'Actual video footage its true I was there !' Tony's partner Stavros Agapiou has also backed up Brooklyn's 'inappropriate' dancing comment. 'I was there and she did, he's telling the truth,' he said in an Instagram comment, which has since been deleted - with Stavros instead posting: 'Good on him for finally speaking out!' Brooklyn claimed that he had 'never felt more uncomfortable or humiliated in my entire life,' after Victoria's dancing. He announced on Monday that he has cut all ties with his parents and does 'not want to reconcile with my family', adding, 'I'm not being controlled, I'm standing up for myself for the first time in my life.' Brooklyn and Nicola have been at the heart of the acrimonious divide that has resulted in them snubbing all significant family celebrations over recent months, including his father Sir David's milestone 50th birthday and knighthood. Victoria was the last of the Spice Girls to go solo but despite huge promo blitzes in the early noughties she failed to match the solo success of her bandmates Taking to his Instagram stories, Cruz Beckham shared a picture of a drink while subtly adding Not Such An Innocent Girl over the top as the song soared the charts After Posh reached number one the Insta delightedly declared: 'WE ACTUALLY DID IT. Posh Spice finally has her solo #1 and the universe is finally in balance' Not Such An Innocent Girl lyrics First impressions can be wrong So let me clear what's going on Baby, I'm not who you think I am I need to feel some lips on mine So I'm pulling you across the line You think I'm the fragile one One slip, the damage done I'm not made of china I'm not made of glass Would it shatter your illusions if this angel had a past? If you touch me I won't break Don't think of me that way I'm not such an innocent girl (no, no) Don't wrap me up in cotton wool (oh, come on) Upon a pedestal I'm not such an innocent girl I've got a secret rose tattoo I'm dying just to show you (just to show you) I'm not as shy as you think I am (I've not been shy) Oh baby, It's time to take off those kid gloves T.K.O me, fall in love Don't be scared you'll break my heart Not gonna fall apart Advertisement Victoria was the last of the Spice Girls to go solo but despite huge promo blitzes in the early noughties she failed to match the solo success of her bandmates. Not Such An Innocent Girl served as her official debut solo single but despite an unprecedented media campaign, she was beaten to the top spot by Kylie Minogue's monster hit Can't Get You Out Of My Head. Months earlier Victoria's team-up with producer duo True Steppers and former boyband alumni Dane Bowers also lost out in a massive chart clash. That track in fact scored the biggest first week sales for a solo Spice Girl single with over 180,584 copies sold in just a few days but lost the top spot to Spiller and Sophie Ellis-Bextors Groovejet (If This Aint Love), following a much-publicised chart battle. Victoria, who soon pivoted to fashion design after her music flopped, has previously revealed producers used to turned off her microphone while she was on stage with the Spice Girls. Victoria has yet to comment on Brooklyn's statement, instead choosing to post a happy birthday message to her Spice Girls bandmate Emma Bunton and plug youngest son Cruz's own blossoming music career. Cruz sold out his upcoming live show on March 27 at The Courtyard Theatre just hours after tickets went on sale. Following the news, he told his fans on social media: 'UK... Absolutely no words, thank you a million. Looks like I'll have to be adding more shows?!?' Notably, Cruz added the Spice Girls track Who Do You Think You Are? to his story. His proud mum Victoria shared his sell out announcement as she simply said 'wow'. Whilst Victoria has not been spotted since Brooklyn's statement, Sir David was heckled yesterday as he faced the media at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland. When asked about the feud, he declined to answer any direct questions but he later spoke, somewhat ironically, on the perils and virtues of children using social media. In an interview on CNBC's Squawk Box, he said that he has tried to 'educate' his own children about the dangers of social media apps while also showing them how they can work for 'good'. Not Such An Innocent Girl served as her official debut solo single but despite an unprecedented media campaign, she was beaten to the top spot by Kylie Minogue Fans reacted in delight at the news that Victoria had bagged her first ever solo number one 'I've always spoken about social media and the power of social media for the good and for the bad,' he said on stage. The former Manchester United star said he'd been able to use his 'platform' and his position as a Unicef ambassador to 'make people aware of what's going on around the world for children'. He added: 'I've tried to do the same with my children, to educate them. 'They make mistakes. Children are allowed to make mistakes. That's how they learn.' Meanwhile fans have begged Victoria for a Spice Girls reunion tour announcement to distract from Brooklyn's astonishing attack. Flooding social media with comments, they speculated how Posh Spice reuniting with her former bandmates would be the perfect way to distract from the noise of her nuclear fallout with Brooklyn. Victoria, who soon pivoted to fashion design after her music flopped, has previously revealed producers used to turned off her microphone while she was on stage with the Spice Girls One posted on X, formerly Twitter: 'I think its time to reunite with the Spice Girls. That might be the only way Victoria Beckham can come out of this.' More fans of the 90s girl group also shared the same sentiment: 'Oh Victoria Beckham is definitely going to need to set up THE SPICE GIRLS reunion and go on tour to rehabilitate her image now. Watch her bring back Posh Spice & the girls'; 'Perfect time for queen Victoria to put that pr to good use and do the spice girls reunion tour'; 'Victoria Beckhams PR team can only do one thing to make people stop talking about this Brooklyn mess. And thats announce a Wembley run of Spice Girls shows with all five girls. Sharpish'; 'Theres only one way the Beckham brand can bury these Brooklyn revelations. They are in need of some great PR. Its time for Victoria to announce that shes agreeing to a Spice Girls reunion in time for the 30th anniversary'; 'We need that Spice Girls announcement.. right about now'; 'Brooklyn Beckham might have just gotten us the full Spice Girls reunion'. The Spice Girls last performed together during the London 2012 Olympic Games Closing Ceremony, and without fashion designer Victoria in 2019 because she wanted to focus on her family and her business. Nicola Peltz's ex-boyfriend's sister Alana Hadid has weighed in on the explosive argument engulfing her husband Brooklyn Beckham and his family (Alana pictured in 2022) Elsewhere on Thursday Nicola's ex-boyfriend's sister Alana Hadid weighed in on the explosive argument. Alana, 40, is sister to models Gigi and Bella, their eldest sister Marielle and Anwar, 26 - who Nicola dated from 2016 to 2018, just one year before she met Brooklyn - and has insisted that the actress has 'wanted to be famous for years'. Despite Brooklyn's statement calling for privacy, Alana replied to photographer Eli Rezkallah's comment reading: 'Ending an eight paragraph rant about his family's dirty laundry with "all we want is privacy" is all I need to know'. Alana, whose entire family are said to have had issues with Nicola both during and after the romance, echoed comments made by many, replying to Eli: 'Right and that girl doesn't want privacy she's been trying to be famous for a decade'. Alana's comment about Nicola comes after Nicola 'caused tensions' in the Hadid household after Anwar stopped talking to his family while he was dating the star. The couple dated when she was 22 and he was 17, and while there were no official reports, there were rumours at the time that Anwar grew distant from his family. A tweet claimed: 'Brooklyn Beckham's wife previously dated Anwar Hadid, and he also stopped talking to his parents. Yolanda [Anwar's mum] said, "Not on my watch."' Nicola dated Anwar (pictured left in 2017) from 2016 to 2018, just one year before she met Brooklyn, who she went on to marry in 2022 (pictured right in 2025) Alana echoed comments made by many, replying to Eli, writing: 'Right and that girl doesn't want privacy she's been trying to be famous for a decade' Nicola is said to have caused ructions among the Hadids during her relationship with Anwar (the couple pictured in 2017) Much like with comments about Victoria, in 2017 Nicola played happy families, saying: 'He comes from an amazing family. Gigi and Bella are so, so sweet. I just love his family so much. They're feminine, strong girls. To have that around is amazing.' Yolanda is also said to have reached out to David and Victoria amid the feud, causing fans to raise eyebrows and come up with their own theories after she suffered her own 'strained' relationship with Nicola during her romance with Anwar. A hilarious clip of Victoria Beckham's cameo in Ugly Betty has emerged after her son Brooklyn claimed she 'hijacked' his first dance with wife Nicola Peltz. In his bombshell statement on Monday, Brooklyn accused his mother of dancing 'inappropriately' with him at his wedding in 2022, with sources claiming that she 'nuzzled his neck' and 'grinded' on her son during the dance. Now, a historic clip from Victoria's WAG heyday as resurfaced, when she made a cameo in the ABC series Ugly Betty. In it, Victoria stole the limelight from the bride, Wilhelmina Slater (played by Vanessa Williams), having taken on the role as her maid of honour. In the episode, which aired in 2007, Victoria went on to make the day all about herself, with a clip showing the moment she sensationally stole attention from Wilhelmina while posing up a storm in her stunning Vera Wang wedding gown. The WAG sported her iconic early 2000s blonde bob in the clip, with some fans quickly noting the parallels between the moment and Brooklyn's recent bombshell allegations about his wedding day. A hilarious clip of Victoria Beckham's cameo in Ugly Betty has emerged after her son Brooklyn claimed she 'hijacked' his first dance with wife Nicola Peltz A historic clip from Victoria's WAG heyday as resurfaced, when she made a cameo in the ABC series Ugly Betty In his bombshell statement on Monday, Brooklyn accused his mother of dancing 'inappropriately' with him at his wedding to wife Nicola Peltz in 2022 Fans wrote on X: 'Victoria Beckham upstaging the bride is literally a storyline from Ugly Betty;' 'Victoria Beckham making someone else's wedding about herself happened in Ugly Betty too 19 years ago;' 'I was literally watching this today and had the same thought!' She didn't even have to act here.' 'She was already giving signs!; Always wanting to steal the thunder.' The dress that Victoria wore in the series also vaguely resembled the silver metallic slip gown the designer wore to Brooklyn's wedding in 2022, with a slinky silhouette and V-shaped neckline. It comes as sources told Daily Mail's Alison Boshoff about the real reason behind the Beckham family's dislike for 'child-like' Nicola, and the truth about Victoria's dance with her son. You can read the full report here. Brooklyn wrote in his six-page statement: 'In front of our 500 wedding guests, Marc Anthony called me to the stage, where in the schedule was planned to be my romantic dance with my wife but instead my mum was waiting to dance with me instead. She danced very inappropriately on me in front of everyone. 'I've never felt more uncomfortable or humiliated in my entire life. We wanted to renew our vows so we could create new memories of our wedding day that bring us joy and happiness, not anxiety and embarrassment.' In the episode, which aired in 2007, Victoria went on to make the day all about herself, with a clip showing the moment she sensationally stole attention from Wilhelmina Some fans quickly noted the parallels between the moment and Brooklyn's recent bombshell allegations about his wedding day One guest who attended the wedding has claimed Victoria's dancing was anything but sleazy and believes the bride Nicola, was furious her mother-in-law 'stole her limelight' after Marc Anthony heaped praise on the Spice Girl throughout his set. 'She was a bit wooden but not sleazy. It was inappropriate but only in the sense that she appeared to be the centre of attention when it should have been about the bride instead,' the wedding guest told The Mirror. 'Our takeaway was that there was no grinding. But it was a bit of a stiff, awkward performance. 'It did rather feel like the Beckham show. Marc Anthony had been praising Victoria in between songs, and then you had her go up on the dance floor for this moment. It was a bit much, and Nicola didnt appear happy.' Meanwhile, DJ Fat Tony, who performed a late night set joined in the posts poking fun at the groom's claim that his mum 'hijacked my first dance with my wife' and 'danced very inappropriately on me in front of everyone'. Tony shared a video of Lucy Punch's character Amanda in BBC sitcom Motherland dancing wildly to the Lil' Kleine and Ronnie Flex track Drank & Drugs in front of her school mum friends. The clip was captioned 'POV: Victoria Beckham during Brooklyn's first dance' and Fat Tony added the words: 'Actual video footage its true I was there !' Tony's partner Stavros Agapiou on Tuesday backed up Brooklyn's 'inappropriate' dancing comment. 'I was there and she did, he's telling the truth,' he said in an Instagram comment, which has since been deleted - with Stavros instead posting: 'Good on him for finally speaking out!' Page Six reported the actress was so upset she left the reception crying after Victoria 'wrapped her arms around Brooklyn and nuzzled into his neck'. A source said: 'She [Victoria] was dancing with him very inappropriately. She took that moment from Nicola, that is the god's truth. 'Nicola ran out crying. The Beckhams' side of the room was cheering and the Peltz side was quiet. 'Nicola's friends were saying "You have to go back down". Her face was swollen. She finally came down and was sad the entire evening, it was so heartbreaking.' Another source claimed Brooklyn spent the weekend 'agonising' over what to say in the six-page statement, after telling his wife 'f*** it, this ends now'. The insider told The Mirror: 'He thought the abuse towards his wife would never stop until he said something in his own words. He was sick of the lies, and there was no changing his mind.and nor did anyone want to. He was fixated on ending the b******t which he claims his mum and dad are behind.' In his statement, Brooklyn also claimed that Victoria cancelled the making of Nicola's wedding dress and reportedly brought his former girlfriends around him to 'make him uncomfortable' Fans are clamouring to see the footage at the centre of the Beckham family rift. But sources say the video will likely never surface because Brooklyn himself holds the only recording of the controversial moment. The couple famously enforced an ultra-strict no-phones policy at their lavish Florida nuptials, attended by 500 guests. All attendees were required to surrender their personal devices upon arrival, sealing them inside electronically locked pouches before being handed retro flip phones for basic photographs. As a result, Brooklyn and Nicola retain exclusive control over all official footage from the day, meaning the alleged 'embarrassing' dance exists only in material owned by the couple themselves. Brooklyn Beckham sent the internet into a meltdown on Monday by sharing a statement on Instagram with bombshell claims against parents David and Victoria Beckham. And now Daily Mail can reveal that Victoria is on the hunt for a new press assistant and social media intern to ensure the 'smooth running' of her fashion label after the biggest showbiz story of the decade broke. The demanding job applications asks for hopeful applicants to have experience in the industry, excellent communication skills and have the ability to remain calm and organised in a fast-paced environment. The successful press assistant candidate will be offered a salary between 24k36k a year and is asked to 'ensure the smooth running of the press department, build and maintain strong relationships with contacts and monitor the media'. Meanwhile Victoria is looking for a highly motivated and detail-oriented candiate to join her social media team to support her brands global social channels. The new candidate, who will be paid between 500 and 1.5k a month, will be maintaining the day-to-day content for all social channels as well as tracking trends in real-time. Daily Mail can reveal that Victoria Beckham is on the hunt for a new press assistant and social media intern to ensure the 'smooth running' of her brand after the biggest showbiz story of the decade broke Brooklyn Beckham sent the internet into a meltdown on Monday by sharing a statement on Instagram with bombshell claims against parents David and Victoria Daily Mail have contacted Victoria's representatives for comment. Victoria's new hirings come after she became the centre of a slew of memes after her son Brooklyn shocked the world with a bold accusation earlier this week. The Spice Girls star's estranged child took to Instagram to denounce his relationship with his 'performative' parents and reveal that his mum 'hijacked his first dance' and said: 'I have never felt more uncomfortable or humiliated in my entire life.' Since a number of celebrities and fans have joined the masses in mocking the Spice Girl as the internet exploded with dancing memes in a comedy speculation of what Victoria's dance could have looked like. It's been claimed that Nicola ran out of her own wedding reception in floods of tears as she watched Victoria 'grind' and 'nuzzle' Brooklyn after hijacking their first dances. Meanwhile a different source said David and Victoria are 'baffled' by the accusations as on the day, guests were 'having so much fun' and were 'lapping it up', with no concerns about the mother and son dance raised at the time. They said Victoria was just a 'tad tipsy and having fun' while 'Nicola didnt want him to dance with his mum at all so kicked off about it'. A hilarious clip of Victoria's cameo in Ugly Betty has since emerged from her WAY heyday as she stole the limelight from the bride, Wilhelmina Slater (played by Vanessa Williams), having taken on the role as her maid of honour. In the episode, which aired in 2007, Victoria went on to make the day all about herself, with a clip showing the moment she sensationally stole attention from Wilhelmina while posing up a storm in her stunning Vera Wang wedding gown. The demanding applications asks for hopefuls to have experience, excellent communication skills and have the ability to remain calm and organised in a fast-paced environment The successful press assistant candidate will be offered a salary between 24k36k a year and is asked to 'ensure the smooth running of the press department, build and maintain strong relationships with contacts and monitor the media' Meanwhile Victoria is looking for a highly motivated and detail-oriented candiate to join her social media team to support her brands global social channels The new candidate, who will be paid between 500 and 1.5k a month, will be maintaining the day-to-day content for all social channels as well as tracking trends in real-time The WAG sported her iconic early 2000s blonde bob in the clip, with some fans quickly noting the parallels between the moment and Brooklyn's recent bombshell allegations about his wedding day. Fans wrote on X: 'Victoria Beckham upstaging the bride is literally a storyline from Ugly Betty;' Victoria Beckham making someone else's wedding about herself happened in Ugly Betty too 19 years ago;' 'I was literally watching this today and had the same thought!' She didn't even have to act here.' She was already giving signs!; Always wanting to steal the thunder.' The dress that Victoria wore in the series also vaguely resembled the silver metallic slip gown the designer wore to Brooklyn's wedding in 2022, with a slinky silhouette and V-shaped neckline. Posh Spice has since returned to social media for the first time on Wednesday as she wished Emma Bunton happy birthday after dominating the news all week. The fashion mogul has yet to comment on Brooklyn's claims but insiders have revealed that she has been left 'devastated' after taking the brunt in the vicious family fallout. Despite proudly declaring he was a once a 'mama's boy', Brooklyn focused mainly on Lady Beckham in his lengthy statement, with his vitriolic comments leaving her 'on the floor in pieces'. Brooklyn announced on Monday that he does 'not want to reconcile with my family. I'm not being controlled, I'm standing up for myself for the first time in my life.' Brooklyn and his wife Nicola Peltz have been at the heart of the acrimonious divide that has resulted in them snubbing all significant family celebrations over recent months, including his father Sir David's milestone 50th birthday and knighthood. Victoria's new hirings come after she became the centre of a slew of memes after her son Brooklyn shocked the world with a bold accusation earlier this week It's been claimed that Nicola ran out of her own wedding reception in floods of tears as she watched Victoria 'grind' and 'nuzzle' Brooklyn after hijacking their first dances Since a number of celebrities and fans have joined the masses in mocking the Spice Girl as the internet exploded with dancing memes in a comedy speculation of what Victoria's dance could have looked like David and Victoria's eldest son claimed in his statement that he has been 'controlled by a family that values public promotion above all else' and that since being with Nicola, he has found 'peace and relief' after battling crippling anxiety. Brooklyn concluded: 'My family values public promotion and endorsements above all else. Brand Beckham comes first. 'Family "love" is decided by how much you post on social media, or how quickly you drop everything to show up and pose for a family photo op even if it's at the expense of our professional obligations. 'The narrative that my wife controls me is completely backwards. I have been controlled by my parents for most of my life. 'I grew up with overwhelming anxiety. For the first time in my life, since stepping away from my family, that anxiety has disappeared. I wake up every morning grateful for the life I chose, and have found peace and relief. 'My wife and I do not want a life shaped by image, press, or manipulation. All we want peace, privacy and happiness for us and our future family.' Whilst Victoria has not been spotted since Brooklyn's statement, David was heckled on Wednesday as he faced the media at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland. When asked about the feud, he declined to answer any direct questions but he later spoke, somewhat ironically, on the perils and virtues of children using social media. In an interview on CNBC's Squawk Box, he said that he has tried to 'educate' his own children about the dangers of social media apps while also showing them how they can work for 'good'. Brooklyn has been isolated from his family, including parents David and Victoria, brothers Romeo and Cruz, and sister Harper, for years, with the feud reaching fever pitch this week 'I've always spoken about social media and the power of social media for the good and for the bad,' he said on stage. The former Manchester United star said he'd been able to use his 'platform' and his position as a Unicef ambassador to 'make people aware of what's going on around the world for children'. He added: 'I've tried to do the same with my children, to educate them. 'They make mistakes. Children are allowed to make mistakes. That's how they learn.' Sir David also filmed a podcast with US popular science author Adam Grant, but emphatically refused to answer any questions relating to Brooklyn. Daily Mail has contacted the Beckhams', Brooklyn's and Nicola's representatives for comment. If you have concerns about child sexual abuse, or you think something isnt right, call the NSPCC helpline on 0808 800 5000 If you have concerns about child sexual abuse, or you think something isnt right, call the NSPCC helpline on 0808 800 5000 If you have concerns about child sexual abuse, or you think something isnt right, call the NSPCC helpline on 0808 800 5000 If you have been affected by sexual assault, contact Rape Crisis on 0808 500 2222 or use the online chat If you have been affected by sexual assault, contact Rape Crisis on 0808 500 2222 or use the online chat If you have been affected by sexual assault, contact Rape Crisis on 0808 500 2222 or use the online chat Vanessa Williams has revealed how she 'buried' being molested at just 10-years-old for decades, because she feared her father wouldn't be able to cope with the knowledge. The actress, 62, first revealed her sexual abuse ordeal in her 2012 memoir, You Have No Idea - which she co-wrote with her late mother, Helen Williams - six years after her father, Milton Williams Jr., had passed away. She detailed how an 18-year-old girl had performed oral sex on her when she was on holiday with her friend and their family's friends in California, the summer before entering fifth grade. While she contemplated telling her parents about what happened, Vanessa explained that she had returned home to the news that her uncle had died, leaving her dad devastated. Unwilling to make her family's pain worse, the Desperate Housewives star said she felt unable to tell anyone what had happened to her and so suppressed it for years. Speaking to Jamie Laing on his Great Company podcast, she explained how many people from that era had similar experiences of being abused and hiding it for years. Vanessa Williams has revealed how she 'buried' being molested at just 10-years-old for decades, because she feared her father wouldn't be able to cope with the knowledge The actress, 62, first revealed her sexual abuse ordeal in her 2012 memoir, You Have No Idea - which she co-wrote with her late mother, Helen Williams - six years after her father, Milton Williams Jr., had passed away (seen with her parents and brother in childhood) She detailed how an 18-year-old girl had performed oral sex on her when she was on holiday with her friend and their family's friends in California, the summer before entering fifth grade (seen in fourth grade) Vanessa reflected: 'It was a different time. It is not an excuse, but it is also kind of sad when you realise it's happened to so many people. It was heartbreaking. 'And as a parent... I mean I didn't even mention it until my father had passed away. By the time we wrote the book together, my mother said, "Your father could not have handled it". Because as a father you want to be a protector.' 'I remember when it happened,' she went on: 'I was getting off the plane because it happened in California - I was with a friend on a trip with their family friends. 'So I came back and my uncle had just died and I remember coming up and my dad was just ashen, like pale, and I knew that something had gone wrong and they said that his younger brother had died. 'So it wasn't even like I had a moment to say this happened and I feel uncomfortable. That was like the reality was hitting me. I was like "okay, I'm not even going to bring that up." So that's kind of what my reality was and I just buried it. 'And also your parents, you really don't want to tell. I mean unless you've got a really extraordinarily close relationship it's hard to talk to your parents about anything that's unusual.' Vanessa previously detailed that traumatic summer on Oprah's Master Class in 2014, describing how she'd viewed the woman who assaulted her as a 'cool girl', but knew that what happened between them 'wasn't supposed to be happening.' 'She was one of the cool girls. She made you want to feel like you were a grown-up,' the West End star recalled. While she contemplated telling her parents about what happened, Vanessa explained that she had returned home to the news that her uncle had died, leaving her dad devastated (pictured with her dad) Speaking to Jamie Laing on his Great Company podcast, she said she felt unable to tell anyone what had happened to her and so suppressed it for years She described how one night when both her and her friend were sleeping, the older girl had snuck into their room to wake her up, saying: 'She told me to lie down on the floor. She took my bottoms off and she said, "Be quiet". She went down on me.' Vanessa explained how she was so young that she couldn't really understand what was happening and was conflicted about the encounter. 'I had no idea what it was, but I knew it felt good,' she said. 'I knew it felt good, but was also something that was not supposed to be happening.' 'Because it feels good, youre like, OK, well this is supposed to be normal. Thats not normal for a 10-year-old to be seduced,' she said. She explained how she not fully grasp the gravity of the incident until college, but that it had lasting effects on her, causing her to rebel and pull away from her parents. Vanessa said that being sexualized at an inappropriately early age took away some of her innocence and made her 'more sexually promiscuous'. 'It awakens your sexuality at an age where it shouldn't be awakened,' the Ugly Betty star said candidly. 'Had that not happened in my life and had I had an opportunity to have a normal courtship with a boyfriend at 16 or whatever... there wouldn't have been that shame that was always haunting me. She explained how she not fully grasp the gravity of the incident until college, but that it had lasting effects on her, causing her to rebel and pull away from her parents (seen with her mum) Vanessa said that being sexualized at an inappropriately early age took away some of her innocence and made her 'more sexually promiscuous' (seen in 2024) 'It made me more sexually promiscuous and more sexually curious at a younger age than I should have been.' Vanessa also opened up to Jamie about she and her family were flooded with death threats and hate mail after she became the first black Miss America in 1983. She made history when she became the first black woman to win the famous pageant at just 20-years-old, but her trailblazing triumph also came with a torrent of racist vitriol. The Desperate Housewives star explained how she'd entered the pageant world on a 'lark', and had been entirely unprepared for her win, saying: 'At 20 years old my world completely changed.' However, she revealed that as soon as she was crowned, people began sending her death threats, but that her parents had kept the seriousness of the situation from her in an attempt to shield her from the fear. 'I had death threats as soon as I won, at 20 years old. Luckily they kept a lot from me because I think I would have been more terrified, had I known,' Vanessa said. 'My parents had a box and they would put all the death threats in it. The FBI had all of the tracking. Even when I would do appearances, they would be like, "Be careful when you go to Chicago." And I had no idea how crazy it was because they didn't want me to freak out.' She continued: 'People sent threatening calls to our home phone. People would call and harass them like, "We're going to kill your daughter. We know where you are. We're going to come after you." So, it wasn't just she won a beauty pageant. It was nuts.' Vanessa also opened up to Jamie about she and her family were flooded with death threats and hate mail after she became the first black Miss America in 1983 (pictured) She made history when she became the first black woman to win the famous pageant at just 20-years-old, but her trailblazing triumph also came with a torrent of racist vitriol Recalling what how aware she was of the danger at the time, she said: 'I got an inkling when I came home to my hometown. We had a hometown parade and there were sharpshooters on top of the buildings and I live in a tiny town and I was like, "Wow, that's unusual." 'Then one time when I was doing an appearance in Alabama, I was supposed to be on the back of a convertible, and before we started they said, "You know what? We're going to put the roof up." And I again I thought okay that's a little unusual. 'Another time I was in a motel and they said, "Don't don't leave your room unless you talk to your chaperone in the room next door." So those were just hints of that gave me the sense that they didn't really want to tell me everything, but that there was danger.' But Vanessa candidly admitted that four decades on and she didn't believe that things had improved very much. 'It was a very stressful year,' she said. 'We all lived through it, but you know I always think that's in the past and then I look at the racism and the judgement and the triggers that everyone has now and it's like did we make any progress at all? Can't we just accept the myriad of cultures and backgrounds that we all live?' The star was then forced to give up her crown towards the end of her reign as Miss America, when nude photographs she'd taken privately were infamously sold and published in Penthouse magazine. Her former boss photographer Tom Chiapel sold nude pictures he'd taken of her in 1982 to Penthouse magazine for $50K without her consent. Officials gave Vanessa 72 hours to resign after Miss America's sponsors threatened to pull out, but she was allowed to keep her crown and scholarship money. The star was then forced to give up her crown towards the end of her reign as Miss America, when nude photographs she'd taken privately were infamously sold and published in Penthouse magazine (pictured in 1983) Two months later, the 11-time Grammy nominee filed a $500M lawsuit against Chiapel and Penthouse publisher Bob Guccione, which she dropped a year later. Vanessa recalled the 'betrayal' on The Jonathan Ross Show in February last year, saying: 'The photographer that took these did not have a release and sold them behind my back. 'It was betrayal, it was not good. It made me who I am and in retrospect there would have been nothing that I could have done to navigate better.' She added: 'I thank my parents who were so supportive and also the community who said "were here and we believe in you." 'It was a lot to deal with at 21 years old. I only had four weeks left to go in my reign and this all came out of the blue - it was a lot to manage.' If you have been affected by sexual assault, contact Rape Crisis on 0808 500 2222 or use the online chat If you have concerns about child sexual abuse, or you think something isnt right, call the NSPCC helpline on 0808 800 5000 Tabitha Willett has shared a look at her bridal wardrobe as she tried on dresses ahead of her upcoming wedding to fiance Harry Hoare. The pregnant former Made In Chelsea star, 33, who is expecting her second child in the spring, showcased her growing baby bump in one lacy number. Tabitha revealed she is having a 'low key' wedding with Harry any day now, after announcing her surprise engagement to the wealthy heir in November. Ahead of the day, Tabitha posted some of her options for wedding dresses while shopping at Rixo's store in Chelsea, London. She wrote: 'Went to Rixo for a bridal appointment. I love everything! I did a round up of different styles in their collection new and old if any other pregnant brides want to see? Obviously no spoilers!' Reality personality Tabitha, who is already mother to her daughter Ottilie, looked stunning in a plunging silk co-ord, which included a lacy top and maxi skirt. Tabitha Willett has shared a look at her bridal wardrobe as she tried on dresses ahead of her upcoming wedding to fiance Harry Hoare The pregnant former Made In Chelseastar, 33, who is expecting her second child in the spring, showcased her growing baby bump in one lacy number Tabitha revealed she is having a 'low key' wedding with Harry any day now, after announcing her surprise engagement to the wealthy heir in November (pictured together) Alongside the clip, she wrote: 'Abroad wedding first day welcome dinner? I'll be purchasing this whole outfit for babymoon.' Another option included a v-neck long-sleeves dress which perfectly hugged her bump, teamed with a pair of gold heels and earrings. Commenting on the look, she said: 'The details on this dress. It also comes in blue which is perfect for bridesmaids or baby boy baby shower.' Tabitha also sported an ivory mini dress with a blazer, which she branded 'so pretty' as she weighed it up as a potential option for her wedding. Tabitha revealed in December that she is expecting her second child with fiance Harry. She is already mum to Ottilie, six, with whom she shares with former partner, Fraser Carruthers. It comes after Tabitha revealed how she knew how she was going to marry her fiance Harry after their first date lasted an incredible three days. She revealed she began dating Harry at the beginning of last year after 'sliding into his DMs'. Tabitha also sported an ivory mini dress with a blazer, which she branded 'so pretty' as she weighed it up as a potential option for her wedding Ahead of the day, Tabitha posted some of her options for wedding dresses while shopping at Rixo's store in Chelsea, London Reality personality Tabitha, who is already mother to her daughter Ottilie, looked stunning in a plunging silk co-ord, which included a lacy top and maxi skirt Commenting on the look, she said: 'The details on this dress. It also comes in blue which is perfect for bridesmaids or baby boy baby shower' The couple had been together just ten months before Harry got down on one knee during a family holiday to Dubai in October, before they announced it weeks later. Tabitha revealed she and Harry knew each other 'for years' before getting together romantically. Writing for The Wedding Edition, she said: 'We stayed in contact but were never close. It was actually January 1st 2025, at my most single, after putting on my vision board for the year that I wanted to find love... 'That I replied to an Instagram story of his saying we should grab a drink and catch up soon. He loves telling the story that I "slid into his DMs". 'We went for a drink, our first date lasted three days, and I called my best friend Ollie Locke after he left and said, "I am going to marry this man." 'It sounds quite unromantic, but I think in your 30s, and as parents (Harry has a daughter too), you want to be sure you are not wasting any time. It was a discussion we had right from the beginning. We aligned on everything and it all felt very uncomplicated. Not full of fire or passion, just easy.' When Harry asked Tabitha to marry him he popped the question with a 'placeholder ring' and she was wearing a long white dress with a cape. Tabitha and Harry had been staying at The Lana, a new hotel which is a part of the Dorchester Collection during their stay. Tabitha revealed in December that she is expecting her second child with fiance Harry Just days after confirming the engagement, Tabitha took to Instagram to say that a 'low-key small wedding' is planned for January Ahead of the proposal they were enjoying the sunset from the rooftop bar, before returning to their room so that Harry could 'grab something' before dinner Tabitha revealed that when the door opened their suite was filled with rose petals and candles, and there was a table set on the balcony for a private dinner. The couple began the year with a lavish babymoon in Paris as they splashed out on a 1,800-a-night (2,170) stay at the five-star Hotel Plaza Athenee. Tabitha, who returned to the long-running E4 show ahead of its 29th series in March, announced the news of her pregnancy with her Instagram followers. She posted an adorable video of her getting a scan at the hospital, with daughter Ottille at her side. Just days after confirming the engagement, Tabitha took to Instagram to say that a 'low-key small wedding' is planned for January. Sharing a picture of wedding dresses, she wrote: 'It's starting... We are actually having a low-key small wedding in January so these are too wedding gowny but so fun to get in the mood.' News of Tabitha's engagement would likely come as a surprise to Made In Chelsea fans, who recently watched her brief romance with co-star Arman Pouladian-Kari play out on screen. Tabitha originally joined the Made In Chelsea cast in 2018, during their annual trip to Croatia. She and her ex Fraser, a friend of Prince Harry, dated for four years after meeting when she was hired as a marketing director at his private members' club Albert's. In 2019, they were engaged in Miami with plans to marry at London's Hurlingham Club the following July but had to cancel their wedding due to the pandemic. However, in October 2020, a year after Ottilie was born, they announced they had split. Brooklyn Beckham heaped praise on his generous parents in his 2017 wildlife photography book as he thanked them for the opportunities they'd given him. The photographer-turned-chef, 26, released his book after taking a course in New York and went on to work with brands including Burberry and Pull&Bear. Brooklyn said his fortunate circumstances were not lost on him, as he thanked his family - particularly his parents Victoria and David - for their support. However the grateful son depicted in the book is now a far cry from how he feels about his estranged parents now, who he insists he has no plans to reconcile with. Brooklyn 'went nuclear' on Monday evening as he issued a six-page statement littered with attacks on his parents and brothers, Cruz, 20, and Romeo, 22. But at the time of the release of his book, Brooklyn was full of admiration for his once close-knit family and the luxuries they had afforded him. Brooklyn Beckhamheaped praise on his generous parents in his 2017 wildlife photography book as he thanked them for the opportunities they'd given him (pictured together) The photographer-turned-chef, 26, released his book after taking a course in New York and went on to work with brands including Burberry and Pull&Bear (picture from his book) The book is filled with photographs of his parents and siblings, some of which were accompanied by loving captions about the warmth and affection he felt for them. Alongside a picture of himself wearing his mother's brand's sunglasses, he wrote: 'rocky my VB sunglasses... I'm so proud of my mum'. He also shared a picture of Victoria taken during a trip away together, and wrote: 'I love my mum - she looks so beautiful here. This is a photo I took of her when we were on a charity trip together in Kenya.' Brooklyn also spoke fondly of his 'hero' dad David, who he credited for his love of photography and recalled all of the times they would shoot photographs together. Alongside a shot of David, Brooklyn wrote: 'My dad: 'my absolute hero (and he's pretty photogenic) took this on holiday in California at an amazing breakfast place - we had a full English, obviously. 'Dad's one of my favourite people to hang out with. He always makes me laugh'. Brooklyn's family are heavily credited in the acknowledgements for the book, which was released in the same year he met his wife, Nicola Peltz. Sharing his thanks, Brooklyn wrote: 'All of my family and friends, for putting up with me constantly taking pictures! But mainly thanks to Mum, Dad, Romeo, Cruz and Harper. i love you. Brooklyn x'. Brooklyn said his fortunate circumstances were not lost on him, as he thanked his family - particularly his parents Victoria and David - for their support (pictured 2019) He also shared a picture of Victoria taken during a trip away together, and wrote: 'I love my mum - she looks so beautiful here. This is a photo I took of her when we were on a charity trip together in Kenya' Alongside a shot of David, Brooklyn wrote: 'My dad: 'my absolute hero (and he's pretty photogenic) took this on holiday in California at an amazing breakfast place - we had a full English, obviously During the introduction, Brooklyn waxes lyrical about how grateful he is for the opportunities he has had in life. He says: 'Thank you for picking up this copy of What I See. I can't believe I'm lucky enough to have been given the opportunity to create a book of my favourite pictures. I feel very fortunate. 'When I was fourteen, I wasn't doing well at school and I was finding it frustrating. My dad is a big fan of photography, and he bought me my first camera for my birthday. 'It was fujifilm. I remember it so clearly. We started shooting together, on family holidays and whenever we were hanging out. At first I just found it fun. We were living in LA and it was a great place to take pictures. 'I enjoyed taking shots of my family and friends, and just wandering off with my camera - never knowing quite what images I'd end up with. I was so lucky to be around professional photoshoots and that was really inspiring for me. 'I have also been so fortunate to have travelled to so many incredible places and countries where I could take images. 'In 2016 I took a photography course in New York and i shot a fragrance campaign for Burberry Brit and a photo diary for pull& bear. 'I know how lucky I am to have these opportunities, and all I want to do is to try and get better and better. In an unearthed clip from his Netflix documentary, David tearfully said he was 'so proud of his children' 'When I was approached about curating my photos to publish in a book, I was amazed. I didn't think anyone was watching! But I've loved the whole experience. 'These pictures were all taken before my eighteenth birthday and I think it's pretty cool that I'll always have this book to look back at, to remind me of all the good times when I was growing up. 'Looking at these pictured takes me right back to the moment when I captured them, and now I will always have these memories. Thank you so much for supporting me.' Despite the fallout, David and Victoria continued to share their love for their eldest son online by sharing old photographs of the family together. The couple have regularly spoken of the pride they feel for their four children. In an unearthed clip from his Netflix documentary, David tearfully said he was 'so proud of his children'. The tensions come in stark contrast to how David spoke lovingly about all his children in his 2023 BECKHAM docuseries. One scene saw him get emotional as he says to the camera about his kids: 'They could be little s**ts but they're not and that's why I say I'm so proud of my children.' Aspiring chef Brooklyn, 26, launched an astonishing rant at his parents David and Victoria on Monday night 'And I'm so in awe of my children, the way they've turned out,' David added in the emotional scene. The episode featuring David's teary confession also included a scene where he was seen cooking with Brooklyn. Victoria has yet to comment on her son's statement. But sources told the Daily Mail that she has been left 'devastated' as the gulf that has publicly existed between mother and son widened into a seemingly unbridgeable chasm. Brooklyn and his wife Nicola have been at the heart of the acrimonious divide that has resulted in them snubbing all significant family celebrations over recent months, including his father Sir David's milestone 50th birthday and knighthood. David and Victoria Beckham's eldest son claimed in his statement that he has been 'controlled by a family that values public promotion above all else' and that since being with Nicola, he has found 'peace and relief' after battling crippling anxiety. Brooklyn concluded: 'My family values public promotion and endorsements above all else. Brand Beckham comes first. 'Family "love" is decided by how much you post on social media, or how quickly you drop everything to show up and pose for a family photo op even if it's at the expense of our professional obligations. The episode featuring David's teary confession also included a scene where he was seen cooking with Brooklyn He took to Instagram to share a six-page statement, where he said he has no wishes to reconcile with his family and is standing up for himself 'for the first time in my life' 'The narrative that my wife controls me is completely backwards. I have been controlled by my parents for most of my life. 'I grew up with overwhelming anxiety. For the first time in my life, since stepping away from my family, that anxiety has disappeared. I wake up every morning grateful for the life I chose, and have found peace and relief. 'My wife and I do not want a life shaped by image, press, or manipulation. All we want peace, privacy and happiness for us and our future family.' Whilst Victoria has not been spotted since Brooklyn's statement, David was heckled yesterday as he faced the media at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland. When asked about the feud, he declined to answer any direct questions but he later spoke, somewhat ironically, on the perils and virtues of children using social media. In an interview on CNBC's Squawk Box, he said that he has tried to 'educate' his own children about the dangers of social media apps while also showing them how they can work for 'good'. 'I've always spoken about social media and the power of social media for the good and for the bad,' he said on stage. Brooklyn and his wife Nicola have been at the heart of the acrimonious divide that has resulted in them snubbing all significant family celebrations over recent months The former Manchester United star said he'd been able to use his 'platform' and his position as a Unicef ambassador to 'make people aware of what's going on around the world for children'. He added: 'I've tried to do the same with my children, to educate them. 'They make mistakes. Children are allowed to make mistakes. That's how they learn.' David also filmed a podcast with US popular science author Adam Grant, but emphatically refused to answer any questions relating to Brooklyn. Emily Atack has emotionally said she is 'missing my boys' as she works away from home on her latest work project. The Rivals actress, 36, has seen her work schedule increase in the last several years, landing high-profile roles in series' such as the raunchy Disney drama. In a sweet post on Instagram on Thursday, Emily told fans how she was missing the men in her life during her latest stint away from home. She shared throwback images from a family holiday in the French countryside as she kissed her fiance Alistair Garner in one snap. Another showed Emily cuddling her young son Barney, who was born in 2024, as they enjoyed a dip in the private pool at their villa. Other snaps showed the busy mum enjoying downtime as she enjoyed drinks at Gite des Saules, which promotes 'slow living' and 'every delicious moment that comes with it'. Emily Atack has emotionally said she is 'missing my boys' as she works away from home on her latest acting project Another showed Emily cuddling her young son Barney, who was born in 2024, as they enjoyed a dip in the private pool at their villa Other snaps showed the busy mum enjoying downtime as she enjoyed drinks at Gite des Saules, which promotes 'slow living' and 'every delicious moment that comes with it' Alistair could also be seen in one capture enjoying a bite to eat at the dinner table as Barney sat in his highchair beside him tucking into his meal. Emily also showcased the picturesque countryside in her post as she wrote: 'Away working and missing my boys, so throwin it back to the best few days of my life at @gitedessaules to make me feel all warm inside.' Emily has recently been hit by claims from fans she has been using weight-loss jabs after showcasing a more slender frame. 'Skinny jabs are jabbing,' wrote one follower as another asked, 'on the jabs? Looks good tho'. Others questioned: 'Are you on Mounjaro?' and 'That jab is making its rounds!' One fan pointed out in defence of Emily: 'These comments! Aren't we over talking about women's bodies? 'The thing is, women can't win. We are either too fat or too skinny. While I appreciate you admiring her a bit larger, her size or any woman's size is not for public comment. Let's just say she is stunning,' agreed another. While another said: 'Its amazing that she's posted a whole reel of lovely Xmas photos and 80% of the comments are about her body.' Alistair could also be seen in one capture enjoying a bite to eat at the dinner table as Barney sat in his highchair beside him tucking into his meal The Rivals actress, 36, has seen her work schedule increase in the last several years, landing high-profile roles in series such as the raunchy Disney drama Emily also showcased the picturesque countryside in her post as she wrote: 'Away working and missing my boys, so throwin it back to the best few days of my life at @gitedessaules to make me feel all warm inside' Emily has recently been hit by claims from fans she has been using weight-loss jabs after showcasing a more slender frame Emily previously said she always had a 'healthy relationship' with her weight during an appearance on Jamie Laing's Great Company podcast in 2024. However, she said she was unprepared for the comments she received in her breakout role as Charlotte Hinchcliffe in The Inbetweeners. 'Everybody started talking about my weight,' she explained. 'There was a whole Facebook page dedicated to me/Charlotte Hinchcliffe. I couldn't believe how awful it was, people talking about my weight. 'People would then try and be positive and say, "At least we're seeing curvier girls now playing sexier roles on television." I didn't even know I was curvy! 'I was a size eight, a tiny little body, but to some people it was the first time they'd seen a girl that wasn't really, really skinny. They were used to seeing very underweight actresses playing the sexy girls.' Rachel Zegler has shown her support for actor Jack Wolfe after he made his Broadway debut in Hadestown. The actress, 24, said she's 'never been so blown away' after seeing him take to the stage at the Walter Kerr Theatre in New York City on Wednesday. Sharing an update to her Instagram Story, Rachel proudly hugged Jack after seeing the show. She captioned the post: 'Never been so blown away in my life. bravo my sweet friend. the world we live in now is so much better w/ you onstage!!!!!' Jack stars in the lead role of artist Orpheus in the production, which began in September and will wrap on March 1. The musical, from Anais Mitchell, tells a version of the ancient Greek myth of Orpheus and Eurydice. Rachel Zegler has shown her support for actor Jack Wolfe after he made his Broadway debut in Hadestown The actress, 24, said she's 'never been so blown away' after seeing him take to the stage at the Walter Kerr Theatre in New York City on Wednesday Rachel Chavkin directed the production and Mitchell authored the book, music, and lyrics for Hadestown. The opera first premiered Off-Broadway at New York Theatre Workshop in 2016, with Damon Daunno in the lead role. Elsewhere, Rachel's flop Snow White remake has swept the nominations at the Golden Raspberry Awards, with a humiliating six nods to its name. Known colloquially as the Razzies, the awards are given to the movies, performances and other talent regarded as the worst of the year and will be presented on March 14, one day before the Academy Awards are held. Snow White is tied for the most nominations in 2026 alongside the new movie of War of the Worlds starring Ice Cube and Eva Longoria. Trailing just behind with five nods is Abel 'The Weeknd' Tesfaye's movie Wake Up Tomorrow, starring the pop act as a lightly fictionalized version of himself in a companion piece to his album of the same name. While The Weekend, 35, is in contention for worst actor, Zegler, 24, has managed to escape the dubious distinction of being nominated for worst actress. Snow White is, however, up for worst picture alongside War of the Worlds, Hurry Up Tomorrow, Star Trek: Section 31 and the sci-fi action film The Electric State by the writers and directors of Avengers: Endgame, via Variety. Jack stars in the lead role of artist Orpheus in the production, which began in September and will wrap on March 1, with Morgan Dudley as Eurydice Elsewhere, Rachel's flop Snow White remake has swept the nominations at the Golden Raspberry Awards, with a humiliating six nods to its name The worst actress Razzie nods feature three Oscar winners - Zegler's West Side Story co-star Ariana DuBose for the action comedy Love Hurts, Natalie Portman for the Guy Ritchie caper Fountain of Youth and Michelle Yeoh for Star Trek: Section 31. When Snow White bowed last March, it flopped so disastrously that by the end of its theatrical run Forbes predicted it would lose 'more' than $115 million. A large segment of social media placed the blame squarely on Zegler - a coda to years of gathering online outrage against her and the film. Her initial casting in 2021 was a lightning rod of contention, as Zegler herself did not have the 'skin as white as snow' that the brothers Grimm had described. The following year at an official Disney fan event, Zegler alienated fans of the original 1937 animated classic by offering a scathing appraisal of its plot. 'There's a big focus on her love story with a guy who literally stalks her. Weird! Weird,' she sneered of the old movie. 'So we didn't do that this time.' They fell madly in love while filming MasterChef Australia together in 2024. And cooks Declan Cleary and Sarah Davidson have gone from strength to strength ever since, becoming engaged and welcoming twins at Christmas. The pair enjoyed their first date night out together since becoming new parents as they attended the Marriott Bonvoy Lounge at the Australian Open in Melbourne on Thursday. Sarah, 38, showed off her post-baby body in a white blouse under a pale blue, pinstripe blazer. She added matching trousers with a knitted belt and a pair of beige and brown pointed heels. Declan, 27, was chic in a retro-style green patterned shirt with matching shorts, as well as slip-on black shoes. They fell madly in love while filming MasterChef Australia together in 2024. And cooks Declan Cleary and Sarah Davidson have gone from strength to strength ever since, becoming engaged and welcoming twins at Christmas. Both pictured The pair enjoyed their first date night out together since becoming new parents as they attended the Marriott Bonvoy Lounge at the Australian Open in Melbourne on Thursday The pair, who welcomed twin daughters, Claudia and Charlotte, on Christmas Eve, have yet to go Instagram official with engagement news - but have dropped several big hints that they plan to wed. Declan set tongues wagging in recent weeks when he shared a video to his Instagram Stories of a delicious-looking meal. 'Ribs are ready, my two daughters are asleep, happy fiancee, happy Sol, happy Tuesday,' he wrote in the caption. Meanwhile, Sarah also shared a video of herself flaunting a new ring while taking her daughters out for a walk alongside the couple's dog, Sol. The fan favourites, who met while filming MasterChef: Back to Win in 2024, revealed that they were living the high life before they welcomed the twins. The couple, who went public with their romance early in 2025 after meeting on the 17th season of MasterChef Australia, celebrated their upcoming addition with a baby shower, babymoon and, of course, lots of delicious food. Speaking to Daily Mail ahead of becoming a first-time dad, Declan revealed that he and Sarah enjoyed one last holiday before the babies came - and it was a luxurious final hoorah. 'We've been over in Dubai and India, which I think will be the last international trip,' he said. Sarah, 38, showed off her post-baby body in a white blouse under a pale blue, pinstripe blazer Declan, 27, was chic in a retro-style green patterned shirt with matching shorts 'So we kind of took that as a babymoon, relaxing at The Atlantis on the Palm in Dubai and just doing all those loungy, resorty, hotel holiday activities,' he added. The glitzy resort is an A-lister hotspot and has seen the likes of Beyonce , Kendall Jenner and Kylie Minogue check in for a night or two. However, Atlantis boasts a whopping price tag, with a standard room for two ranging from $748 to $8,965 a night. Queenslander Sarah, who is already mum to son Phoenix, 14, moved to Melbourne to be with Declan after their whirlwind romance, which began on the MasterChef set. Cruz Beckham threw his support behind his mum Victoria as the British public launched a campaign to propel the star to number one. On Monday, the eldest Beckham child Brooklyn added fuel to the burning fire of their family feud by releasing a scathing statement hitting out at his family. After breaking the internet with his allegations - including a bizarre claim that Victoria 'danced inappropriately on him' at his wedding - Posh Spice fans rallied to get the star her first ever solo spot on the charts. In the wake of a huge campaign among her fans, on Thursday afternoon Lady Beckham bagged her first ever solo number one - with her 2001 single Not Such An Innocent Girl has shot to number one on the iTunes chart in the UK and Ireland. Taking to his Instagram stories, Cruz shared a picture of a drink while subtly adding Not Such An Innocent Girl over the top as the song soared the charts. Cruz Beckham threw his support behind his mum Victoria as the British public launched a campaign to propel the star to number one (Victoria pictured in her 2001 music video for Not Such An Innocent Girl) Taking to his Instagram stories, Cruz shared a picture of a drink while subtly adding Not Such An Innocent Girl over the top as the song soared the charts Cruz is pegged to release his own music soon but was still on hand to congratulate his chart-topping mother After Brooklyn's post, X was soon awash with congratulations from the star, with a user writing: 'Victoria Beckham has finally reached number one with Not Such an Innocent Girl! Thank you, Brooklyn! #BeckhamFamilyFeud #Beckhams.' Other fans were poised to start listening parties for the song, with a link posted alongside the words: 'Victoria Beckham - Not Such An Innocent Girl streaming party on Spotify (the song it's number 1 on iTunes UK)... 'Victoria Beckham at #1 on iTunes in 2026. What a time to be alive... With Victoria Beckham going to number 1 Brooklyn Beckham now needs to release that tape!... 'Victoria beckham solo music so ahead of the time its just starting to reach new peaks 25 years later. see when youre that girl... The fact this drama got Victoria Beckham solo music charting back on the charts is sending me.' Others gave a more emotional response, with an adoring fan writing: 'Never underestimate the power of Spice Girls fans. We love you, Victoria... 'I love the fact that the fans are getting behind this song in Victoria's darkest hour. Hope she finally gets a no.1. Her music was never properly appreciated in 2001.' Days after Brooklyn's scathing six-page statement announcing he would not be reconciling with his parents, Victoria has the last laugh as an extraordinary social media campaign has given one of her solo songs a huge chart boost. Excitement reached fever pitch on social media in the wake of the excitement Victoria's 2001 single Not Such An Innocent Girl has shot to number one on the iTunes chart in the UK and Ireland Victoria's 2001 single Not Such An Innocent Girl has shot to number one on the iTunes chart in the UK and Ireland. The chart positions have been driven by a campaign which is determined to 'fix the national tragedy' that 'Victoria is the only Spice Girl without a solo #1.' 'Nothing says "British Culture" like collectively deciding to send Posh to the top of the charts because her son roasted her on Insta. Imagine both their faces,' reads a viral post on Instagram which has been shared by the likes of Katherine Ryan and Luisa Zissman. The Instagram account Our_dream_house writes: 'I've seen more VB music promo in the last 24 hours than in the last 20 years and I am obsessed. Let's get her that #1 for the plot twist of the year. Days after her eldest son posted his scathing six-page statement announcing he would not be reconciling with his parents, Victoria has got the last laugh (Victoria pictured in 2001) Victoria was the last of the Spice Girls to go solo but despite huge promo blitzes in the early noughties she failed to match the solo success of her bandmates. Not Such An Innocent Girl served as her official debut solo single but despite an unprecedented media campaign, she was beaten to the top spot by Kylie Minogue's monster hit Can't Get You Out Of My Head. Months earlier Victoria's team-up with producer duo True Steppers and former boyband alumni Dane Bowers also lost out in a massive chart clash. That track in fact scored the biggest first week sales for a solo Spice Girl single with over 180,584 copies sold in just a few days but lost the top spot to Spiller and Sophie Ellis-Bextors Groovejet (If This Aint Love), following a much-publicised chart battle. Victoria, who soon pivoted to fashion design after her music flopped, has previously revealed producers used to turned off her microphone while she was on stage with the Spice Girls. Victoria bagged her first ever solo number one after a huge social media campaign pushed her to the top of the chart On Monday, the eldest Beckham son, 26, launched an extraordinary online attack on his parents, accusing David, 50, and Victoria, 51, of trying to 'ruin' his marriage Myleene Klass appeared to be sticking the boot in to Victoria Beckham when she headed to work at Smooth radio studios on Thursday. Victoria, aka Posh Spice, 51, was famous for wearing little black dresses during her four-year tenure in the Spice Girls. And Myleene, 47, mimicked the look as she stepped out in the rain after taking to Instagram to support Brooklyn amid the family feud, alongside a Burberry trench coat and bold fluffy boots. Eleven years ago, Myleene called out Victoria for getting her kids involved in Brand Beckham, after Brooklyn, then 15, posed on the cover of Man About Town. It was around this time that Romeo Beckham became the face of a Burberry fashion campaign when he was aged just 11. Myleene Klass appeared to poke fun at the Victoria Beckham saga by wearing an LBD and Burberry coat in London on Thursday after publicly defending Posh's son Brooklyn Victoria's trademark Spice Girls look in the 90s was always an LBD - pictured here with husband David ahead of their wedding in 1999 Victoria is also well known for her love of Burberry and owns a similar trench to Myleene Eleven years ago, Myleene had called out Victoria for geting her kids involved in Brand Beckham, after Brooklyn, then 15, posed on the cover of Man About Town Brooklyn's younger brother Romeo, then 11, had also modelled for Burberry in 2012 Myleene's outfit referenced that time as she threw a Burberry trench coat over her LBD, just like the one Romeo wore for his advert. Purely coincidence? In 2014, Myleene who is mother to Ava, 18, Hero, 14 and Apollo, six, had publicly criticised Victoria for allowing Brooklyn to model on the cover of Man About Town magazine. She said: 'Why would you put them on the front line where they are going to get attacked? Theyre still kids, let them be kids! 'I personally wouldnt let my child. But I think its an exception to the rule - theyre the Beckhams! 'Theyve got a force field around them where everyone can look after them, but your average Joe will get that barrage of trolls, comments and critiques. On Thursday, Myleene also posted an explanation about family estrangement from Clinical Psychologist Dr Martha Deiros Collado, who referenced the Beckhams. Myleene wrote: 'After the memes and mockery, there's this for us all to consider...' It read: 'What is estrangement? When a family member chooses distance, either emotionally or physically, because the relationship feels unsafe, harmful or impossible to repair. 'Society often frames adult-children who go 'no-contact' as spoilt, ungrateful, or as betraying their family. Myleene said: 'I personally wouldnt let my child [pose for a cover shoot] But I think its an exception to the rule - theyre the Beckhams!' (Pictured: The Beckhams in 2012 - Romeo is wearing Burberry) Victoria is a huge fan of the British fashion house and has worn their designs countless times Myleene pictured with her three children Ava, 18, Hero, 14 and Apollo, six, last year Her giant boots reminded fans of the time Victoria wore 350 giant Croc boots after she was gifted them by Justin Bieber On Thursday, Myleene also posted an explanation about family estrangement from Clinical Psychologist Dr Martha Deiros Collado, who referenced the Beckhams (Victoria and Brooklyn pictured in February 2024) Victoria and Brooklyn in happier times (seen in February 2024) 'In higher socio-economic families, there is often an assumption that 'everything they did/paid for' guarantees lifelong gratitude and obedience. 'This Authoritatian view on parent-child relationships is the reason we position adult-children who go 'no contact' as the problem, rather than acknowledging the deeper relational issues that are at play.' She tagged in Harry Styles' song Matilda, a song about a protagonist who grew up in a troubled or abusive household. The ballad extends a level of empathy to its subject and was inspired by Roald Dahls infamous 1988 novel Myleene's thoughts on Brand Beckham follow Victoria's single, Not Such An Innocent Girl reaching number one in the charts on Thursday. It came three days after Brooklyn posted his six-page missive posted on social media, accusing his famous family of putting Brand Beckham before all else. An excerpt read: 'My family values public promotion and endorsements above all else. Brand Beckham comes first. Her words about Brand Beckham echo Brooklyn's six-page missive posted on social media on Monday, which accused his famous family of putting Brand Beckham before all else Brooklyn went on to address his wedding to Nicola, claiming there had been repeated attempts to ruin their relationship Brooklyn claimed: 'The night before our wedding, members of my family told me that Nicola was "not blood" and "not family"' 'My wife has been consistently disrespected by my family, no matter how hard we've tried to come together as one,' he continued 'The narrative that my wife controls me is completely backwards. I have been controlled by my parents for most of my life,' he added 'Family "love" is decided by how much you post on social media, or how quickly you drop everything to show up and pose for a family photo op even if it's at the expense of our professional obligations. 'We've gone out of our way for years to show up and support at every fashion show, every party, and every press activity to show "our perfect family!" But the one time my wife asked for my mum's support to save displaced dogs during the LA fires, my mum refused.' He continued: 'The narrative that my wife controls me is completely backwards. I have been controlled by my parents for most of my life. 'I grew up with overwhelming anxiety. For the first time in my life, since stepping away from my family, that anxiety has disappeared. I wake up every morning grateful for the life I chose, and have found peace and relief. 'My wife and I do not want a life shaped by image, press, or manipulation. All we want peace, privacy and happiness for us and our future family.' Kim Kardashian's eldest daughter does not attend a regular school but is rather homeschooled at her Hidden Hills, California mansion. The 45-year-old Kim - who has North, 12, Saint, 10, Chicago, eight, and six-year-old Psalm with ex-husband Kanye West - explained she is helping the pre-teen follow her interests with 'realistic courses' such as a brand-building class. Appearing on her sister Khloe Kardashian's Khloe in Wonder Land podcast, the star explained: 'She had an idea of making hats and making jewelry ... so we made it a course. It's been so fun to see her blossom.' North is also taking a course in music, which has helped her 'bond' with her father. The reality TV star said: 'The music side and the producing isn't my thing, and that's her bonding with her dad... But we have to communicate about how North moves through this world. Kim Kardashian's eldest daughter does not attend a regular school but is rather homeschooled at her Hidden Hills, California mansion The 45-year-old Kim - who has North, 12, Saint, 10, Chicago, eight, and six-year-old Psalm with ex-husband Kanye West- explained she is helping the pre-teen follow her interests with 'realistic courses' such as a brand-building class 'Respecting [Kanye's] opinion on the things that go on with his kids is really important.' The Skims founder dismissed the idea that she views her eldest daughter as her 'bestie'. She said: 'I think like the one misconception that people might have is like, Oh, she's trying to be her bestie and lets her get away with a lot. Like, no, Northy actually has a lot of rules.' Earlier this week, the tween rapped about her piercings and 'skipping school.' The track, Piercing on My Hand (Ye Version), was written with her rapper dad, Kanye West, and appears to be Norths response to all the negative comments over her piercings. 'Piercing on my hand, the other holding bands, no friends, just filter, you wouldnt understand,' North rhymes. 'Went to school for two days, then I got banned/Skipping school, yeah, I do it on the daily,' she goes on. 'Got some new rings, yeah, theyre so crazy. 'All my friends are hits, you know Im not lazy/Youre so angry that Im so mainstream. Im not sure Im crazy/I want more piercings and tats/I love blue hair put it in some plaits/Put the music to the max/I want like a hundred thousand racks,' raps North, who posted the clip on sister Chicago's 8th birthday. Appearing on her sister Khloe Kardashian's Khloe in Wonder Land podcast, the star explained: 'She had an idea of making hats and making jewelry ... so we made it a course. It's been so fun to see her blossom' North is also taking a course in music, which has helped her 'bond' with her father. The reality TV star said: 'The music side and the producing isn't my thing, and that's her bonding with her dad... But we have to communicate about how North moves through this world' Kardashian with all four of her children at Christmas It is not known for sure if the piercings are real or whether they are fake glue-on versions. The tween first revealed a dermal piercing on her middle finger last August consisting of two small silver balls below the knuckle on her middle finger. Unlike traditional piercings, dermal piercings are body jewelry anchored under the skins surface by a base. Norths mom has faced backlash for letting her daughter get piercings at her young age due to the potential risks that come with it, including infection, scarring, allergic reactions. The body's response can even push out the anchor from the skin. Now the young social media star appears to have added two more finger piercings to her collection. In a photo shared to her Instagram Stories on Tuesday, January 13, North unveiled what looked like two dermal piercings on her left middle finger and left ring finger. Just like her right hand, she now has two small silver balls sticking out of each finger near her knuckles. North was seen posing with her fist aimed straight at the camera, obscuring most of her face. She flaunted the long and straight blue hair she's been wearing as of late and was dressed in a pricey Balenciaga T-shirt and sunglasses. Here the tween is seen with her rapper dad Kanye West The tween's new track appears to be her response to all the negative comments over her personal choice of artistic expression The child further accessorized her look with the flashy diamond skull and cross bones chain necklace that her mom gifted her for Christmas. Fans have taken issue with the pre-teens piercings and fashion choices and put part of the blame on her SKIMS founder mom. North has clapped back, posting a video that showed her lip-syncing to a song with the lyrics, 'Why are you crying? How old are you? Just pull it together.' 'This is for everyone that's mad over a finger piercing,' North captioned the clip. Katherine Schwarzenegger has revealed the old-fashioned tradition she still keeps up. The author loves to write cards to her loved ones. In recent years, Americans have been sending ecards which often get lost in inboxes. So the wife of Chris Pratt loves to get her message across in a more hands-on way: with written cards sent in the mail. On Thursday she gave Daily Mail a look at her card organizing process. And the timing is great because Hallmark is having a semi-annual sale. 'Handwritten cards have always been my jam, thanks to my mama!' wrote the star on Instagram. Her 'mama' is TV journalist Maria Shriver; her father is movie icon Arnold Schwarzenegger. Katherine Schwarzenegger is prioritizing connection through handwritten cards and now is the perfect time to stock up during Hallmark's semi-annual sale On Thursday she gave Daily Mail a look at her card organizing process. And the timing is great because Hallmark is having a semi-annual sale 'Whether it's a thank-you card, a birthday card, or a just-because card, I always stay stocked up so I have them on hand. 'Which is why I took advantage of @hallmark's semi-annual sale and stocked up on all the cards I'll need this year. Hope you do the same... it's one less thing on your checklist! Texts brighten the moment. Handwritten cards last a lifetime.' The post was marked an ad. It was also added: 'This offer is valid only at Hallmark Gold Crown Store or Hallmark.com This sale only applies to Hallmark Cards and runs until 1/31/2026. Some exclusions apply.' This comes after Pratt said he thought Schwarzenegger was 'really cute' when he first saw her. The 46-year-old actor has dismissed suggestions that Shriver, his mother-in-law, played an instrumental role in him meeting Katherine. During an appearance on FOX and Friends, Chris explained: 'That's actually not true. The writer seen with her husband Chris Pratt The star with her parents Maria Shriver and Arnold Schwarzenegger 'Let's settle it now. I met my wife in church. I was at a church in Hollywood, and I looked over and I saw her. And I know you're not supposed to be, like, checking out girls at church, but I'm only human. And I thought, "Wow, she's really cute."' Chris was actually with his son - Jack, 13, whom he shares with ex-wife Anna Faris - when he met Katherine for the first time. The actor recalled: 'I was there with my son Jack, and I picked him up from the kids program and Jack and I met Katherine basically at the same time. And, yes, the rest is history.' He previously joked that he was 'sneaking glances' at his future wife in Church. During an appearance on The Drew Barrymore Show, Chris shared: 'You kind of don't want to be like, "Whoa, who is that?" at church, you know what I mean. But I was kind of sneaking some glances and I was like, "Who is that? Anyway, what am I doing? Come on, I'm broken, help me."' Their two daughters at Disneyland; the couple do not show the kids' faces The movie star explained that their relationship moved at a rapid pace. He also described Katherine as the 'woman of [his] dreams'. Chris said: 'God has a fast-forward button. When it's right, boom. You fall in love, you get married. Now we have two beautiful daughters to add to my family. 'My own journey, finding a higher power and leaning on that and being like, "please save me," and then feeling saved. And then shortly later finding the woman of my dreams.' What's more, Chris joked about his relationship with his father-in-law. The actor - who married Schwarzenegger in 2019 - quipped: 'There's peer pressure, and then there's Arnold Schwarzenegger peer pressure.' Ashley Tisdale received support from Zac Efron's brother Dylan Efron amid her 'toxic' mom group drama. Earlier this month Tisdale, 40 who starred in High School Musical with Zac published an essay in The Cut detailing a fallout among her mom friends and swiftly received backlash. Dylan, 33, was a guest on Bravo's Watch What Happens Live this week, during which a fan asked for his take on the situation. He answered: 'I try to stay out of that, so I dont know too much. All I know is Ashley, since I was a kid, shes been so sweet to me. 'So I cant envision her doing anything malicious to the mom group. Hopefully, its just a misunderstanding? I honestly dont know whats going on, though.' Host Andy Cohen chimed in, 'It seems, like, maybe more than a misunderstanding.' Ashley Tisdale received kind words from Zac Efron's brother Dylan Efron (pictured) amid her 'toxic' mom group drama Earlier this month Tisdale, 40, published an essay in The Cut detailing a fallout among her mom friends and swiftly received backlash However, Dylan emphasized, 'I honestly dont know what happened. All I can say is shes been so sweet.' Tisdale played Sharpay Evans opposite Zac Efron and Vanessa Hudgens in the early 2000s teen franchise. Weeks ago the mom-of-two who shares daughters Jupiter, four, and Emerson, one, with husband Christopher French discussed leaving her posse of mom friends at length. She wrote, 'Here's the thing nobody prepared me for: Mom groups can turn toxic. Not because the moms themselves are toxic people, but because the dynamic shifts into an ugly place with mean-girl behavior. I know this from personal experience.' The former Disney star explained there were group text chains that 'didn't include everyone' and there were 'hangouts' she didn't get invited to. In her essay, she opened up about how she started to feel 'excluded,' writing: 'I was certain that I'd found my village. But over time, I began to wonder whether that was really true. 'I remember being left out of a couple of group hangs, and I knew about them because Instagram made sure it fed me every single photo and Instagram Story. 'Another time, at one of the mom's dinner parties, I realized where I sat with her which was at the end of the table, far from the rest of the women. I was starting to feel frozen out of the group, noticing every way that they seemed to exclude me.' Does Dylan Efron have a take on Ashley Tisdale's mom-group drama? #WWHL pic.twitter.com/KASwBRrrEc Watch What Happens Live! (@BravoWWHL) January 22, 2026 Tisdale starred in High School Musical opposite Zac Efron; pictured in 2006 The movie-musical just turned 20 years old; the cast pictured in 2006 The actress initially endured a public split from high-profile women including Hilary Duff, Gaby Dalkin, Meghan Trainor and Mandy Moore. An insider told PEOPLE about the drama: 'It was a misalignment of values that Ashley decided to make public. Friends naturally drift apart. It didn't warrant a dramatic breakup text.' Before writing a piece for The Cut, Tisdale had penned a post about friendship on her personal blog. She addressed speculation regarding who fans thought the prior blog post was about in her newer essay. She wrote: 'It's one [topic] that has also made wannabe online sleuths try to do some investigating like they're on CSI (please, don't even try whatever you think is true isn't even close).' Lori Loughlin was in a fine mood as she stepped out for an evening of fun with pals in West Hollywood on Wednesday. The newly single star, 61, was seen leaving the famed celebrity hotspot Chateau Marmont just over three months since announcing her split from husband Mossimo Giannulli, 62. Loughlin looked stylishly fit in black leather pants and a furry top accessorized with a dark striped scarf and heels to match. Her shoulder-length brown hair had a slight wave and a layer fell over her cheek that gave her a soft, mysterious look. But it was the rare smile that lit up her face which probably caught the most attention. Loughlins been through the ringer with her school admissions scandal still trailing her every move, and she's said to be 'extremely angry' at her ex because of it. Lori Loughlin beamed a rare smile as she was seen leaving the famed Chateau Marmont in West Hollywood on Wednesday night The newly single star, 61, was enjoying a night out with friends just over three months since announcing her split from husband Mossimo Giannulli after nearly 28 years of marriage In 2019, it emerged that the Full House alum and the fashion designer both paid a college consultant $500,000 to pass off their daughters, Olivia Jade and Isabella Rose, as elite rowing recruits to gain admission to the prestigious University of Southern California. Initially they tried to fight the changes, but both ended up pleading guilty to conspiracy with Giannulli serving five months in prison and Loughlin serving two months. Earlier this week, the actress was said to be extremely angry at her estranged spouse. It also was revealed that the former couple has been living separate lives since announcing split, per People. 'Lori is still extremely angry with him,' a source told the publication, adding that the mother-of-two 'feels betrayed.' 'They're in very different places right now, and it's unlikely that they'll find their way back together,' continued the source. Despite the lingering tension, another insider suggested the feeling is not mutual. 'He thinks shes a lovely person and an incredible mom,' the insider said of the fashion designer. The source added that Giannulli is eager to avoid further conflict and 'wants everything resolved quietly.' Loughlin was stylishly fit in black leather pants with a furry top accessorized with a dark striped scarf and matching heels The Full House alum appears to be loving life a lot more these days The actress and the fashion designer both pleaded guilty to conspiracy after paying $500k to a college consultant to pass their two daughters off as rowing recruits to gain admission to the prestigious University of California; Loughlin and Giannulli, right, are pictured in August 2019 Loughlin's daughters Olivia Jade, left, and Isabella Rose, right, have both gone on to find success in their own ways since the scandal; pictured in February 2019 When their separation first became public, Loughlins representative told the Daily Mail that she and Giannulli were 'living apart and taking a break from their marriage,' adding, 'There are no legal proceedings at this time.' Around the same period, the actress was spotted outside LA's Bird Streets Club, where she was seen sharing a hug with actor James Tupper, her former Great American Family co-star and the one-time partner of the late Anne Heche. That same day, Giannulli was photographed browsing shops in Beverly Hills alongside 32-year-old stylist Hannah Harrison. Harrison later stated there was nothing romantic going on, telling Us Weekly that their outing was purely professional and the result of 'bad timing.' 'I went to the [G/FORE Supply] store not knowing that his separation had been announced. I was going there to meet him,' she said, stressing that they were 'good friends.' The pair were later seen arriving together at West Hollywood nightclub Zouk in November. Despite the public sightings, a source has said the exes remain 'friendly' and 'dont hate each other,' describing the split as 'more amicable than people think or would expect.' Still, the insider added that Loughlin and Giannulli 'are living separate lives and figuring out next steps,' noting, 'Divorce looks like its the future.' Earlier this week, the actress was said to be extremely angry at her estranged spouse; they are pictured in October 2007 Back in April 2024, Loughlin appeared to be more 'forgiving' as she told First for Women Magazine about how she handled the fallout of the life-changing series of events. 'I try to be a forgiving person,' Loughlin said at the time. 'Im not one to hold onto stuff. Stuff happens to everyone. 'Weve all been in positions to ask for forgiveness but to ask for it, you have to learn and know how to give forgiveness, too.' She added: 'My family wasnt one to hold grudges. I didnt grow up in a household where if you made a mistake, you werent forgiven.' Colin Egglesfield has shared some uplifting news nearly a year after his third cancer diagnosis. The 52-year-old All My Children actor revealed in January 2025 that he was battling prostate cancer, adding to two previous battles with testicular cancer. Egglesfield said he is now 'cancer-free' and feeling 'great' in an interview with E! News on Wednesday. Im grateful to be here and on the other side of it, ready to move forward with my life, he told the outlet. He explained that his prostate cancer was detected in late 2024 and that he underwent surgery shortly after receiving the news. Nearly a year later, Egglesfield says his health has fully recovered. Colin Egglesfield has shared some uplifting news nearly a year after his third cancer diagnosis; (pictured December 2024) The 52-year-old All My Children actor revealed in January 2025 that he was battling prostate cancer, adding to two previous battles with testicular cancer Itll be a year in February, and thankfully it was caught early enough that I didnt need radiation or chemotherapy, which I really wanted to avoid, he added. The Client List alum recalled that his cancer journey hasnt always gone smoothly, reflecting on his first testicular cancer diagnosis in 2006 and a recurrence the following year. I waited almost until it was too late and it had started to spread, Colin explained. So when they did the surgery and they tested lymph nodes and that sort of thing, they determined that it had spread. So I had to do radiation treatment, and I did not want to go through any of that stuff anymore. The acknowledged that recovery has had its challenges but said he is hopeful for the future. It hasnt been an easy recovery, because theres learning how to go to the bathroom again and erectile stuff, Colin shared, but knowing that I dont have to deal with this in the future and that I can potentially move on is something that Im super grateful for. Egglesfield is now focusing on projects hes passionate about, including his motivational speaking events, where he draws on his experience as a performer to help others build confidence. The message that I try to share with people is that the urgency of life is always right now; tomorrow is not guaranteed, Colin said. Egglesfield said he is now 'cancer-free' and feeling 'great' in an interview with E! Newson Wednesday Im grateful to be here and on the other side of it, ready to move forward with my life, he told the outlet; (pictured in All My Children 2005) Itll be a year in February, and thankfully it was caught early enough that I didnt need radiation or chemotherapy, which I really wanted to avoid, he added; (picturedinMelrose Place with Ashlee Simpson) So many of us have been conditioned to look outward for satisfaction and fulfillment,' he continued. 'And what Ive learned through this whole experience is that it really comes from a slowing down and looking inward, and choosing to be grateful and choosing to be someone whos not going to back away from a difficult situation, and that if Im not happy or if Im not fulfilled, Im going to do what it takes to create that fulfillment. Egglesfields cancer journey began in 2006, shortly after he was cast as Joshua Madden on All My Children. He underwent surgery to remove the tumor, and a year later, he was diagnosed with testicular cancer again. In a 2019 interview with Fox News, Egglesfield reflected on his battles, explaining, Its not something that men normally like to talk about, and for the longest time, I didnt want to talk about it because its something very personal. Recalling his initial symptoms, he said, I just noticed that my left testicle had swelled up, and I went to see the doctor and he said that we needed to do some tests, ultrasound, a blood test. And they discovered that it was at a pretty advanced stage, and did the surgery and found that some of the cancer cells had gone through the veins and arteries to the kidneys, he added. He later documented his experiences in his book, Agile Artist: Life Lessons From Hollywood And Beyond. This was 13 years ago, so thankfully I am cancer-free, he told Fox News in 2019. I feel like at this point in my life, it made sense to put it down on paper. Over the years, Egglesfield has appeared in numerous projects beyond All My Children, including The Client List, a Melrose Place remake, episodes of Rizzoli & Isles, and the 2023 film A Rose For Her Grave: The Randy Roth Story. Top Chef winner Kelsey Barnard Clark was arrested Wednesday in Alabama after police say she crashed her car into a mailbox. The Dothan chef and author, who won Season 16 of the cooking competition in 2019, was taken into custody following the incident in a local residential neighborhood. Dothan Police Lieutenant Scott Owens told WTVY that officers responded to a call about a vehicle striking a mailbox on the 1300 block of Selkirk Drive and determined that Clark appeared to be under the influence. Police say she was given field sobriety tests, including walking in a straight line and standing on one foot, which she reportedly struggled to complete. Following the tests, Clark was arrested and booked into Dothan City Jail on suspicion of DUI. Clark, who now serves as a judge on Netflixs Next Gen Chef, owns the downtown Dothan restaurant KBC, and has penned three cookbooks: Southern Grit, Southern Get-Togethers and The Flavor of Fire. Top Chef winner Kelsey Barnard Clark was arrested Wednesday in Alabama after police say she crashed her car into a mailbox; (pictured 2019) The Dothan chef and author, who won Season 16 of the cooking competition in 2019,was taken into custody following the incident in a local residential neighborhood Daily Mail has not received a response to its request for comment from reps for Clark. Clark may be eligible for a pretrial program that could prevent the DUI charge from appearing on her record. Its not yet clear whether she has retained legal representation to comment on her behalf. On the trailer for Top Chef Season 16, Clark looked directly at the camera and said, I seem like a Southern belle, but you certainly dont know the other side of me. Six months after her win, she told Alabama Life and Culture in 2019 that first impressions can be misleading. Im a kind, giving, good person, but if you knew me more than 30 minutes you wouldnt describe me as sweet, she said. People assume Im docile, but Im like, yeah, no. Winning Season 16 made her the fourth female champion in the shows history, but the path to victory came with significant personal sacrifice. As a first-time mother, Clark left her infant son in her husbands care for the nine weeks she spent filming, making only three calls home during that time. Police say she was given field sobriety tests, including walking in a straight line and standing on one foot, which she reportedly struggled to complete Following the tests, Clark was arrested and booked into Dothan City Jail on suspicion of DUI; (pictured 2019) She was forced to stop breastfeeding and missed many of her sons early milestones. He was walking and he was not walking when I left. And I absolutely, honest to god, lost my s*** on the phone, she told People magazine. I was just like, I want to leave. This is horrible. What have I done? My childs walking! It put me into a spiral for days. To cope, Clark focused on the reason she was competing: to provide a better future for her son. The only way I could get through it would be to block out everything. Monroe was just five months old when she was asked to take part, and while her family encouraged her, she still struggled with guilt. It was pretty brutal... my mind was wack. I would wake up when I would normally wake up to feed. I would wake up three times a night like clockwork. It was extremely weird. Even with the support of the Top Chef crew, Clark found the separation difficult. I would wake up almost in a panic, like, Wheres my baby? I dont know whats going on. Is he okay? Its almost like a lost arm. Thats how it would feel every night. Lack of sleep is not good for a body, especially in competition. I had a really hard time. Hayden Panettieres memoir is almost here and shes not holding anything back. The Nashville star, 36, took to Instagram to share the cover of her long-awaited tome, This Is Me: A Reckoning on January 22 ahead of its spring release. The book jacket shows Panettiere with blunt-edged blonde hair and giving a look to the camera that could wither the strongest foe. 'Some stories are only yours to tell,' she teased in the posts caption, and thats no exaggeration. The actress journey from child star in the soap opera One Life to Live and fresh-faced teen in such films as Remember the Titans to her more grown-up roles in Heroes and Nashville culminated in a difficult period in her life. During that time, Panettiere - who previously revealed why she 'desperately needed' an acting break - admittedly struggled with addiction, postpartum depression, and the sudden death of her brother Jansen in 2023. Hayden Panettiere took to Instagram to share the cover of her long-awaited memoir, This Is Me: A Reckoning on January 22 ahead of its spring release The actress journey from child star in One Life to Live and fresh-faced teen in Remember the Titans to her more grown-up roles in Heroes and Nashville culminated in a difficult period in her life; pictured in September 2024 The book will be released on May 12 by Grand Central Publishing, an imprint of Hachette Book Group, and the synopsis teases a dramatic read of a young star who couldnt cope with the pressures of Hollywood and the spotlight, per People. 'In an era of relentless paparazzi with an appetite for celebrity breakdowns, naysayers were certain this young starlet would crash and burn. Not one to disappoint, she did,' the synopsis reveals. Panettiere describes that she was drawn to roles that 'mirrored her real-life trauma.' 'Shes played the part of a misfit hero, a superstar, a survivor, a cheerleader and an all-American fresh face,' the synopsis continues. 'In This Is Me, Hayden stars in her most heart-wrenching and unforgettable role yet: herself.' Back in 2024, the actress dropped a hint a memoir tentatively titled Scream and Break Free: Addiction, Trauma, and How the Cheerleader Saved Herself - was coming. 'You may laugh a little, cry a little, but most importantly, youll hopefully finish it feeling inspired,' Panettiere told People at the time. 'Ive grown so much from my experiences. I hope that this opportunity to further elaborate on that journey may provide a little comfort for those who have faced similar challenges. 'Im truly grateful for every lesson, and for the woman I have become today,' she added. The book will be released on May 12 and the synopsis teases a dramatic read of a young star who couldnt cope with the pressures of Hollywood and the spotlight; Panettiere is pictured in November 2022 No doubt Panettiere will detail her breakup from former fiance Wladmir Klitschko, pictured with her in June 2013 In recent years, Panettiere has publicly discussed her struggles with alcohol and drug addiction, which led to her daughter Kaya, 11, living in Ukraine with Klitschko The Nashville star had a tumultuous relationship with actor Brian Hickerson that finally ended in July 2022; they are pictured in 2019 Panettiere previously opened up to Us Weekly about why taking a four-year break from acting proved so beneficial to her well-being. 'I had taken four years off. Didnt know or plan to, but thats just the way it panned out, and I desperately needed it,' said the actress who caused concern over her 'slurred speech' during a 2024 interview and her rocky relationship with ex Brian Hickerson. 'I feel much more solid and grounded in this world, the crazy world that we live in,' Hayden maintained to the outlet. The star made her acting comeback in 2023s Scream VI, in which she reprised her role as Kirby Reed. In recent years, Panettiere has publicly discussed her struggles with alcohol and drug addiction, which led to her daughter Kaya, 11, living in Ukraine with her former fiance, boxer Wladimir Klitschko, 49. Tenacious D's Kyle Gass has opened up about his relationship with bandmate Jack Black following the backlash over his onstage joke about shooting Donald Trump. The comment came after Trump was injured in a shooting at a July 2024 campaign rally in Pennsylvania. During a concert in Australia that same month, Gass, 65, joked that his 64th birthday 'wish' would be 'dont miss Trump next time.' Black quickly responded by cancelling the bands remaining tour dates and said he felt 'blindsided' by Gass comment. Gass later apologized, calling the remark a 'highly inappropriate, dangerous and a terrible mistake.' In a new interview with Rolling Stone published Thursday, Gass confirmed that he and Black have 'hashed it out' and that Tenacious D plans to return to the stage. Tenacious D's Kyle Gass has opened up about his relationship with bandmate Jack Black following the backlash over his onstage joke about shooting Donald Trump; (Gass in 2023) In a new interview with Rolling Stone published Thursday, Gass confirmed that he and Black have 'hashed it out' and that Tenacious D plans to return to the stage; (Black in 2024) 'We hashed it out. And it was hard. It is like a marriage. You go through these ups and downs, and try to understand your partner,' Gass said. 'We will serve no D-wine, before its D-time but we will be back. We will return.' Gass acknowledged that Black had acted to protect himself at the time. Were separate people, always, and were on different career paths, he said. I totally understood what he needed to protect. I didnt begrudge him any of that. He admitted he underestimated the impact of his comment. I was naive, of course - people are gonna pick that up, Gass said. But I just felt it was kind of a private moment. I thought I was safe in the bubble. 'And it was so fast. Five one-syllable words that brought down the empire. Describing the pressure and backlash, Gass said it felt like a tsunami of shit rolling over you, noting that even his 95-year-old mother was targeted. 'We hashed it out. And it was hard. It is like a marriage. You go through these ups and downs, and try to understand your partner,' Gass said; (pictured June 2022) During a concert in Australia in July 2024, shortly after Trump was injured in a Pennsylvania campaign rally shooting, Gass, 65, joked that his 64th birthday wish would be dont miss Trump next time' Somebody called my mom. My poor 95-year-old mom. It hits close to home, and you want to be brave and courageous, but Im not a congressman. Were just entertainers. And it just bespeaks the insanity of the times. It feels almost vindictive, he said. He described taking responsibility as difficult but necessary. It was hard to take responsibility for it, but it was my f----up. When youre in it, its hard to even think straight. Its just this thing flooding and coming at you. We had to take the break. And I got it. Gass also highlighted Blacks career achievements. Jack has this magnificent career. I cant even count the franchises now. So as hard as it was, I just had to take the long ride home. Reflecting on the joke, Gass admitted it was a lapse in judgment. Ive felt terrible ever since, because its such a responsibility to not screw up like that, he said. If there was ever a too soon, it was this. And maybe I thought I was on it, or ahead of the curve. But no, it was definitely too soon. He confirmed that the two were dealing with the fallout separately at first, but no real tension lingered from Blacks public apology. Were separate people, always, and were on different career paths, Gass said of Black, adding, I totally understood what he needed to protect. I didnt begrudge him any of that' 'I might have deserved it. Or, he had to protect himself from his loose-cannon partner over here. I totally understood once safety concerns got in, Gass said. The controversy erupted during the infamous Australian show, when Black led the audience in singing Happy Birthday and presented a candle-covered cake. When it was Gass turn to make a wish, he quipped, Dont miss Trump next time. The joke landed as a laugh in the moment, but the reaction quickly escalated offstage. As the night went on, Gass realised his comment was stirring intense political criticism, including sharp responses from media figures and public personalities. Elon Musk called the remark contemptible, while Charlie Kirk tweeted, These people are more twisted and vile than we realized. One Australian politician even demanded the band be deported. The backlash led Tenacious D to pull the rest of their tour dates, along with scheduled Rock the Vote appearances in the U.S. Gass issued an apology, calling the line highly inappropriate, dangerous, and a terrible mistake. It was hard to take responsibility for it, but it was my f----up. When youre in it, its hard to even think straight. Its just this thing flooding and coming at you. We had to take the break. And I got it'; (Black and Gass in 2006) Though he later deleted the apology from Instagram, he insisted he had not walked it back. If I would have recanted, I would have said that, he told Rolling Stone. Black also addressed the situation publicly, expressing that he had been taken by surprise and emphasising his stance against political violence. I was blindsided by what was said at the show on Sunday, he said. I would never condone hate speech or encourage political violence in any form. After much reflection, I no longer feel it is appropriate to continue the Tenacious D tour, and all future creative plans are on hold. Following the incident, Gass stepped away from the spotlight for a time. He returned to social media after Trumps reelection, posting a cover of the Bee Gees I Started a Joke, and by the end of the year he was back performing with the Kyle Gass Band. Jason Momoa shared a steamy kiss with his girlfriend Adria Arjon at the premiere of his new movie The Wrecking Crew in London's Leicester Square on Thursday. The actor, 46, who has been dating the Andor star, 33, since May 2024, shared a smooch with the stunner while walking the red carpet. Jason looked dapper in a pale pink velour suit while his girlfriend Adria put on a racy display in a cut-out green gown. The film star proved he is every inch the doting boyfriend as he gave Adria his jacket and braved the cold as they left the premiere. He stars in the upcoming Amazon Prime comedy alongside fellow action star Dave Bautista, as estranged half-brothers uncovering a conspiracy after their father's death. The synopsis reads: 'Estranged half-brothers Jonny and James reunite after their father's mysterious death. As they search for the truth, buried secrets reveal a conspiracy threatening to tear their family apart.' Jason Momoa, 46, shared a steamy kiss with his girlfriend Adria Arjon, 33, at the premiere of his new movie The Wrecking Crew in London's Leicester Square on Thursday The film star proved he is every inch the doting boyfriend as he gave Adria his jacket and braved the cold as they left the premiere It comes after Jason and his former Game Of Thrones co-star Emilia Clarke, 39, looked as if no time at all had passed when they had a surprise reunion. Taking to Instagram, the British actress scared a snap of the pair and revealed that her former on-screen husband had dropped by while she was taping an appearance on The Kelly Clarkson Show in teh Big Apple. 'New York has given me so many things to be grateful for on this trip, and just when I thought it couldn't get any betterlook who walked into my dressing room,' Clarke caption her photo, adding the hashtags '#mydragondaddy' and '#westillgotit.' Their reunion comes 15 years after the two starred together on the first season of HBO's massively popular dark fantasy epic Game Of Thrones, which debuted in 2011. Emilia contrasted Jason's oddball look with a long-sleeve black top and a lustrous black skirt that was tied off at her waist. She wore her long brunette locks styled straight and parted down the middle to frame her infectious smile Meanwhile he sported a rugged hodgepodge outfit featuring an olive vest over a shredded black tank top. He paired them with weathered brown pants and a black top hat, along with a lavender scrunchy on his wrist and black-frame sunglasses. The actor, who has been dating the Andor star since May 2024, shared a smooch with the stunner while walking the red carpet Jason looked dapper in a pale pink velour suit while his girlfriend Adria put on a racy display in a cut-out green gown The couple looked more than loved-up as they packed on the PDA in front of photographers and fans He stars in the upcoming Amazon Prime comedy alongside fellow action star Dave Bautista, as estranged half-brothers uncovering a conspiracy after their father's death The couple couldn't take their hands off each other on the red carpet Jason flexed his muscles as he left the premiere Jason was a gentleman as he gave his girlfriend his jacket The couple looked smitten as they held hands after the premiere Jason posed next to his co-star Dave Bautista and director Angel Manuel Soto Jason and Dave celebrated the release of their new movie Love Island's Lauren Wood looked glamorous as she stepped out in light of the news her ex-boyfriend Harrison Solomon could be heading into the All Stars villa The stunner was a vision in all white Fellow Love Island star Olivia Hawkins wowed in a sequin black gown Gladiators and Strictly star Montell Douglas flashed a glimpse of leg in a semi sheer gown Real Housewives Of London star Juliet Mayhew looked stylish in a grey suit and red leather look blouse Gladiators star Jade Packer enjoyed a night out with her celeb pals Dan Osborne also hit the VIP red carpet Gladiators' star Viper cut a dapper figure in a black suit and tinted shades Although both were already established actors prior to Game Of Thrones's premiere, the series was a breakout moment that helped catapult both stars into the A list. Emilia starred on the show which was based on the still-incomplete series of novels by George R. R. Martin as the exiled royal Daenerys Targaryen, while Jason appeared as the vicious Khal Drogo, the leader of the nomadic Dothraki tribe. She appeared throughout the entire series, while his character met his end in the first season, yet their chemistry and Game Of Thrones' massive popularity still provided a major career boost for both. After more than a decade mostly working on television including substantial stints on Baywatch: Hawaii, North Shore and Stargate Atlantis Jason was able to launch a film career that included starring in the DC Extended Universe films as Aquaman. Last week Jason and former Game Of Thrones co-star Emilia Clarke, 39, looked as if no time at all had passed when they had a surprise reunion Pictured together in Game of Thrones 2011 Since then, he's had major parts in the acclaimed sci-fi epic Dune (2021) and has been featured in the blockbusters Fast X (2023) and A Minecraft Movie (2025). Emilia went on to lead the sequel Terminator: Genisys (2015) and appeared in the Star Wars prequel Solo (2018), while also leading the blockbuster romance Me Before You (2016) and the holiday rom-com Last Christmas (2019). She is currently promoting her new Peacock original series Ponies, in which she and Haley Lu Richardson play secretaries working at the American embassy in Moscow in the late '70s who begin working covert jobs for the CIA after both of their husbands mysteriously die. Emilia also has another surprising connection to Momoa, as she's starring in the upcoming Amazon series Criminal along with his girlfriend, Andor star Adria Arjona. For years, Delta set the gold standard for US air travel. But in the Wall Street Journal's prestigious annual rankings of the best and worst airlines, out today, the pecking order has been shaken up. After holding the top spot for four straight years, Atlantabased Delta has been knocked off its perch. This year, Southwest Airlines the largest US domestic carrier by passengers took first place for the first time since 2020. The win comes after a controversial year for Southwest, which rolled out changes that angered some customers, including charging for checked bags and seat selection. Southwest came second in 2024, but won by a wide margin this year after ranking near the top across all seven measures. The Dallas-based airline had the fewest complaints and tarmac delays, placed second for on-time arrivals and cancellations. It's worst result was fourth for baggage handling. Ultralow cost airline Allegiant, based out of Las Vegas, came second, despite its direct, nofrills approach to air travel. Delta in third was followed by Alaska, Spirit, United and JetBlue. American and Frontier was joint last. Your browser does not support iframes. Southwest Airlines, the largest US domestic carrier by passengers, was ranked best airline for the first time since 2020 Ultralow cost airline Allegiant came second, despite its direct, nofrills approach to air travel Spirit leapt up three places compared to last year, when the budget airline came second to last. This vast improvement comes despite two bankruptcy filings for Spirit in November 2024 and again in August 2025. The airline is currently in talks with investment firm Castlelake for a potential takeover, according to CNBC. Meanwhile, American Airlines and Frontier tied for eighth and worst this year, showing that both budget and legacy major airlines can fall short of passenger expectations and industry standards. Southwest's victory came despite a raft of problems for airlines in general, such as customers cutting back on travel and delays caused by a shortage of air traffic controllers. The airline has also overhauled parts of its business under pressure from activist investors, rolling out red-eye flights, charging for checked bags and seat selection, and cutting 15 percent of its corporate workforce in February. Moves like charging for things that had traditionally been free proved controversial. Southwest chief operating officer Andrew Watterson said the airline has poured billions into improving operations since the holiday travel meltdown in late 2022 and early 2023. Looking at individual categories, Delta comfortably won the in the ontimearrivals category for the fifth year in a row. Southwest came second this year. After holding the top spot for four straight years, Atlantabased Delta has been knocked off its perch Spirit leapt up three places in the rankings compared to last year, when the budget airline came second to last Delta comfortably won the in the 'ontimearrivals' category for the fifth year in a row Allegiant ranked top for least cancelled flights a category Southwest was the runnerup in. Alaska had the least delays, while Frontier had the most. Southwest, once again, came second. Southwest won for avoiding tarmac delays and United came last. Allegiant took first place for both the mishandled baggage and involuntary bumping categories meaning it had less instances of both. According to the Wall Street Journal, overall, airline performance held steady from the previous year, with no major gains or setbacks. Industry averages for cancellations, lost baggage, and passenger bumping remained essentially unchanged from 2024. An iconic slice of Americana has quietly changed hands. Nathans Famous the century-old hot dog brand synonymous with Coney Island and Fourth of July excess has been sold for $450 million to Chinese-owned Smithfield Foods. Nathans first opened in 1916 as a five-cent hot dog stand on Coney Island, founded by immigrant Nathan Handwerker using a $300 loan. The original restaurant still stands on the same patch of land today. After opening a handful of other locations around New York over the years, the Handwerker family sold the Nathans Famous business to investors in 1987. The franchise expanded with more US locations, and its products in more supermarkets. The brand grew into a national name stocked in grocery stores, stadiums and ballparks but best known for its over-the-top Fourth of July hot dog-eating contest. Fans on social media questioned why one of Americas most recognisable food brands is now owned overseas. 'Damn it. Chinese owned pork producer Smithfield just purchased Nathans hot dogs!,' one user wrote on X. Joey Chestnut made a winning return to the annual July 4th Nathan's hot dog eating contest in 2025. Chestnut,42, from Westfield, Indiana, managed to consume a 70.5 hot dogs in ten minutes 'Why are we allowing foreign companies to own American ones?' Each year, 30,000 gather outside the Coney Island restaurant while millions more watch on ESPN as contestants race to eat as many hot dogs as possible in 10 minutes. No figure looms larger over that spectacle than American competitive-eating legend Joey Chestnut, who has won 17 of the last 20 official Nathans contests and once consumed 76 hot dogs and buns in a single sitting. Chestnut did not compete in the 2024 Nathans contest after he was barred from entering due to a sponsorship deal with vegan food company Impossible Foods, which conflicted with the events rules. It marked the first time since 2004 that Joey Chestnut did not appear at the Fourth of July competition on Coney Island. Instead, Chestnut took part in a separate contest in Las Vegas, where he faced longtime rival Takeru Kobayashi and set a new world record by eating 83 hot dogs and buns in 10 minutes. He returned to the Nathans stage in 2025, reclaiming the title by consuming 70.5 hot dogs and buns in 10 minutes though short of his 2021 record of 76. After the contest, Chestnut told the crowd: I wish I ate a couple more. Sorry guys. Ill be back next year. The original Nathans Famous hot dog stand on Coney Island in Brooklyn, where the brand first opened more than a century ago and still draws huge Fourth of July crowds today Smithfield, which already made and sold Nathans hot dogs in the US and Canada and also owns brands like Armour and Gwaltney, said the famous eating contest will continue as normal. Nathans has been under pressure as ingredient prices climb. The company recently warned that the cost of making hot dogs had jumped by 27 percent, which hit profits. After opening a handful of other locations around New York over the years, the Handwerker family sold the Nathans Famous business to investors in 1987. The franchise expanded with more US locations, and its products in more supermarkets. Shares of CMS Energy Corporation (NYSE:CMS Get Free Report) have been given an average rating of Moderate Buy by the fourteen brokerages that are currently covering the stock, Marketbeat.com reports. One equities research analyst has rated the stock with a sell recommendation, five have issued a hold recommendation and eight have issued a buy recommendation on the company. The average 1 year target price among analysts that have issued ratings on the stock in the last year is $77.4167. Several equities research analysts recently commented on CMS shares. UBS Group dropped their price objective on shares of CMS Energy from $81.00 to $77.00 and set a neutral rating on the stock in a research note on Wednesday, December 17th. JPMorgan Chase & Co. boosted their price target on CMS Energy from $80.00 to $81.00 and gave the stock an overweight rating in a research report on Thursday, January 15th. KeyCorp upped their price target on CMS Energy from $76.00 to $79.00 and gave the stock an overweight rating in a research note on Wednesday, October 15th. Wells Fargo & Company lowered their price objective on CMS Energy from $77.00 to $74.00 and set an equal weight rating for the company in a research note on Tuesday. Finally, Wall Street Zen raised CMS Energy from a sell rating to a hold rating in a research note on Saturday, January 10th. Get CMS Energy alerts: Check Out Our Latest Analysis on CMS CMS Energy Trading Up 0.5% NYSE CMS opened at $71.69 on Monday. The firm has a market capitalization of $21.82 billion, a PE ratio of 20.72, a P/E/G ratio of 2.53 and a beta of 0.49. The stocks 50 day moving average is $71.46 and its 200 day moving average is $72.15. CMS Energy has a twelve month low of $65.10 and a twelve month high of $76.45. The company has a quick ratio of 0.60, a current ratio of 0.90 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.84. CMS Energy (NYSE:CMS Get Free Report) last announced its quarterly earnings data on Thursday, October 30th. The utilities provider reported $0.93 EPS for the quarter, beating the consensus estimate of $0.86 by $0.07. CMS Energy had a return on equity of 12.10% and a net margin of 12.62%.The business had revenue of $2.02 billion during the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $1.83 billion. During the same quarter last year, the firm posted $0.84 earnings per share. The companys revenue for the quarter was up 15.9% on a year-over-year basis. CMS Energy has set its FY 2026 guidance at 3.800-3.870 EPS and its FY 2025 guidance at 3.560-3.600 EPS. Research analysts forecast that CMS Energy will post 3.59 earnings per share for the current fiscal year. Insider Buying and Selling In related news, SVP Brandon J. Hofmeister sold 4,000 shares of the stock in a transaction dated Monday, November 3rd. The shares were sold at an average price of $72.47, for a total transaction of $289,880.00. Following the sale, the senior vice president directly owned 64,259 shares of the companys stock, valued at approximately $4,656,849.73. This represents a 5.86% decrease in their position. The sale was disclosed in a document filed with the SEC, which can be accessed through this hyperlink. Company insiders own 0.40% of the companys stock. Institutional Inflows and Outflows Hedge funds and other institutional investors have recently made changes to their positions in the company. Benjamin Edwards Inc. lifted its holdings in shares of CMS Energy by 379.3% during the third quarter. Benjamin Edwards Inc. now owns 61,861 shares of the utilities providers stock valued at $4,532,000 after purchasing an additional 48,954 shares in the last quarter. Venture Visionary Partners LLC increased its holdings in CMS Energy by 769.5% in the 3rd quarter. Venture Visionary Partners LLC now owns 27,521 shares of the utilities providers stock worth $2,016,000 after buying an additional 24,356 shares in the last quarter. Vaughan Nelson Investment Management L.P. raised its position in CMS Energy by 17.3% in the 3rd quarter. Vaughan Nelson Investment Management L.P. now owns 630,599 shares of the utilities providers stock worth $46,198,000 after buying an additional 92,980 shares during the last quarter. Campbell & CO Investment Adviser LLC lifted its stake in CMS Energy by 112.1% during the 3rd quarter. Campbell & CO Investment Adviser LLC now owns 104,094 shares of the utilities providers stock valued at $7,626,000 after acquiring an additional 55,017 shares during the period. Finally, Mitsubishi UFJ Asset Management Co. Ltd. boosted its holdings in shares of CMS Energy by 10.9% during the 2nd quarter. Mitsubishi UFJ Asset Management Co. Ltd. now owns 591,377 shares of the utilities providers stock valued at $40,971,000 after acquiring an additional 58,024 shares during the last quarter. Institutional investors own 93.57% of the companys stock. About CMS Energy (Get Free Report) CMS Energy (NYSE: CMS) is an energy company based in Jackson, Michigan, whose principal business is the regulated utility operations of its subsidiary, Consumers Energy. The company is primarily focused on providing electric and natural gas service to customers in Michigan, operating the generation, transmission and distribution infrastructure necessary to deliver energy to residential, commercial and industrial customers. Headquartered in Jackson, CMS Energy conducts its core activities within the state and is regulated by state utility authorities. Through Consumers Energy and related subsidiaries, CMS Energy develops, owns and operates a portfolio of generation assets and delivers a range of customer-facing services, including electricity and natural gas supply, grid management, energy efficiency programs and demand-response offerings. Featured Stories Receive News & Ratings for CMS Energy Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for CMS Energy and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. AES (NYSE:AES Get Free Report) and National Grid Transco (NYSE:NGG Get Free Report) are both utilities companies, but which is the superior stock? We will compare the two companies based on the strength of their earnings, institutional ownership, risk, analyst recommendations, valuation, dividends and profitability. Dividends AES pays an annual dividend of $0.70 per share and has a dividend yield of 4.9%. National Grid Transco pays an annual dividend of $2.11 per share and has a dividend yield of 2.6%. AES pays out 43.8% of its earnings in the form of a dividend. AES has increased its dividend for 12 consecutive years. AES is clearly the better dividend stock, given its higher yield and longer track record of dividend growth. Get AES alerts: Profitability This table compares AES and National Grid Transcos net margins, return on equity and return on assets. Net Margins Return on Equity Return on Assets AES 9.47% 18.83% 3.04% National Grid Transco N/A N/A N/A Analyst Ratings Sell Ratings Hold Ratings Buy Ratings Strong Buy Ratings Rating Score AES 0 4 7 0 2.64 National Grid Transco 1 5 4 0 2.30 This is a summary of current ratings and price targets for AES and National Grid Transco, as reported by MarketBeat. AES presently has a consensus target price of $23.83, suggesting a potential upside of 67.36%. National Grid Transco has a consensus target price of $83.80, suggesting a potential upside of 3.67%. Given AESs stronger consensus rating and higher possible upside, equities research analysts clearly believe AES is more favorable than National Grid Transco. Insider and Institutional Ownership 93.1% of AES shares are owned by institutional investors. Comparatively, 4.7% of National Grid Transco shares are owned by institutional investors. 0.6% of AES shares are owned by company insiders. Strong institutional ownership is an indication that hedge funds, endowments and large money managers believe a company is poised for long-term growth. Earnings & Valuation This table compares AES and National Grid Transcos revenue, earnings per share and valuation. Gross Revenue Price/Sales Ratio Net Income Earnings Per Share Price/Earnings Ratio AES $12.28 billion 0.83 $1.68 billion $1.60 8.90 National Grid Transco $23.61 billion 3.40 $3.70 billion N/A N/A National Grid Transco has higher revenue and earnings than AES. Volatility & Risk AES has a beta of 0.98, meaning that its stock price is 2% less volatile than the S&P 500. Comparatively, National Grid Transco has a beta of 0.8, meaning that its stock price is 20% less volatile than the S&P 500. Summary AES beats National Grid Transco on 11 of the 15 factors compared between the two stocks. About AES (Get Free Report) The AES Corporation, together with its subsidiaries, operates as a diversified power generation and utility company in the United States and internationally. The company owns and/or operates power plants to generate and sell power to customers, such as utilities, industrial users, and other intermediaries; owns and/or operates utilities to generate or purchase, distribute, transmit, and sell electricity to end-user customers in the residential, commercial, industrial, and governmental sectors; and generates and sells electricity on the wholesale market. It uses various fuels and technologies to generate electricity, such as coal, gas, hydro, wind, solar, and biomass, as well as renewables comprising energy storage and landfill gas. The company owns and/or operates a generation portfolio of approximately 34,596 megawatts and distributes power to 2.6 million customers. The company was formerly known as Applied Energy Services, Inc. and changed its name to The AES Corporation in April 2000. The AES Corporation was incorporated in 1981 and is headquartered in Arlington, Virginia. About National Grid Transco (Get Free Report) National Grid plc transmits and distributes electricity and gas. It operates through UK Electricity Transmission, UK Electricity Distribution, UK Electricity System Operator, New England, New York, National Grid Ventures, and Other segments. The UK Electricity Transmission segment provides electricity transmission and construction work services in England and Wales. The UK Electricity Distribution segment offers electricity distribution services in Midlands, and South West of England and South Wales. The UK Electricity System Operator segment provides balancing services for supply and demand of electricity on Great Britains electricity transmission system; and acts as an agent on behalf of transmission operators. The New England segment offers electricity and gas distribution, and electricity transmission services in New England. The New York segment provides electricity and gas distribution, and electricity transmission services in New York. The National Grid Ventures segment provides transmission services through electricity interconnectors and LNG importation at the Isle of Grain, as well as sale of renewables projects. The Other segment engages in the leasing and sale of commercial property, as well as insurance activities in the United Kingdom. The company was founded in 1990 and is headquartered in London, the United Kingdom. Receive News & Ratings for AES Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for AES and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Archer Aviation Inc. (NYSE:ACHR Get Free Report) fell 2.1% during mid-day trading on Wednesday . The stock traded as low as $8.11 and last traded at $8.47. 49,751,132 shares changed hands during mid-day trading, a decline of 0% from the average session volume of 49,810,098 shares. The stock had previously closed at $8.65. Analysts Set New Price Targets A number of brokerages recently weighed in on ACHR. Weiss Ratings reaffirmed a sell (d-) rating on shares of Archer Aviation in a research note on Wednesday, October 8th. Canaccord Genuity Group increased their target price on Archer Aviation from $12.00 to $13.00 and gave the company a buy rating in a report on Friday, November 21st. Needham & Company LLC restated a buy rating and issued a $10.00 target price on shares of Archer Aviation in a research report on Wednesday, January 14th. Cantor Fitzgerald reaffirmed an overweight rating on shares of Archer Aviation in a research note on Monday, November 24th. Finally, JPMorgan Chase & Co. reduced their price objective on Archer Aviation from $10.00 to $8.00 and set a neutral rating for the company in a research note on Friday, November 7th. Six investment analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating, two have given a Hold rating and one has given a Sell rating to the companys stock. According to MarketBeat, the company has a consensus rating of Moderate Buy and a consensus target price of $12.14. Get Archer Aviation alerts: Get Our Latest Report on ACHR Archer Aviation Trading Down 2.1% The company has a current ratio of 18.19, a quick ratio of 18.19 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.05. The company has a fifty day moving average price of $8.11 and a two-hundred day moving average price of $9.51. The firm has a market capitalization of $5.52 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of -6.72 and a beta of 3.10. Archer Aviation (NYSE:ACHR Get Free Report) last posted its quarterly earnings results on Thursday, November 6th. The company reported ($0.20) EPS for the quarter, meeting the consensus estimate of ($0.20). As a group, research analysts forecast that Archer Aviation Inc. will post -1.32 earnings per share for the current fiscal year. Insider Activity In other news, insider Tosha Perkins sold 45,018 shares of the stock in a transaction that occurred on Monday, November 17th. The shares were sold at an average price of $7.49, for a total value of $337,184.82. Following the completion of the sale, the insider owned 334,632 shares of the companys stock, valued at $2,506,393.68. This represents a 11.86% decrease in their position. The transaction was disclosed in a filing with the SEC, which is available at this hyperlink. Also, insider Eric Lentell sold 41,490 shares of the firms stock in a transaction that occurred on Monday, November 17th. The stock was sold at an average price of $7.49, for a total transaction of $310,760.10. Following the sale, the insider owned 83,733 shares of the companys stock, valued at $627,160.17. This represents a 33.13% decrease in their position. The disclosure for this sale is available in the SEC filing. In the last 90 days, insiders sold 307,635 shares of company stock worth $2,367,936. 7.65% of the stock is owned by insiders. Institutional Trading of Archer Aviation Institutional investors have recently added to or reduced their stakes in the stock. Vanguard Group Inc. lifted its stake in Archer Aviation by 45.8% in the third quarter. Vanguard Group Inc. now owns 52,363,259 shares of the companys stock valued at $501,640,000 after buying an additional 16,452,398 shares during the last quarter. ARK Investment Management LLC raised its position in Archer Aviation by 5.8% in the 3rd quarter. ARK Investment Management LLC now owns 31,301,449 shares of the companys stock valued at $299,868,000 after purchasing an additional 1,715,945 shares during the last quarter. Geode Capital Management LLC raised its position in Archer Aviation by 44.1% in the 2nd quarter. Geode Capital Management LLC now owns 11,991,714 shares of the companys stock valued at $130,125,000 after purchasing an additional 3,671,753 shares during the last quarter. Man Group plc boosted its stake in Archer Aviation by 13,793.3% during the 2nd quarter. Man Group plc now owns 4,212,722 shares of the companys stock worth $45,708,000 after purchasing an additional 4,182,400 shares during the period. Finally, Invesco Ltd. grew its position in Archer Aviation by 14.5% during the 3rd quarter. Invesco Ltd. now owns 4,179,380 shares of the companys stock worth $40,038,000 after purchasing an additional 528,951 shares during the last quarter. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 59.34% of the companys stock. About Archer Aviation (Get Free Report) Archer Aviation, Inc (NYSE: ACHR) is a California-based aerospace company developing electric vertical takeoff and landing (eVTOL) aircraft designed to serve as sustainable urban air mobility solutions. Founded in 2018 by Adam Goldstein and Brett Adcock, Archer focuses on the design, development and certification of zero-emissions air taxis aimed at reducing traffic congestion in densely populated metropolitan areas. The companys flagship prototypes, Maker and Midnight, have been engineered to deliver quiet, efficient short-haul flights with ranges of up to 100 miles per charge. Headquartered in Palo Alto, California, Archer operates a manufacturing facility in nearby Santa Cruz County and maintains research partnerships with automotive and energy companies, including a collaboration with Stellantis to integrate advanced battery systems. Recommended Stories Receive News & Ratings for Archer Aviation Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Archer Aviation and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Atlas Copco AB (OTCMKTS:ATLKY Get Free Report) hit a new 52-week high during mid-day trading on Wednesday . The company traded as high as $21.16 and last traded at $21.13, with a volume of 132615 shares changing hands. The stock had previously closed at $20.51. Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades A number of brokerages recently issued reports on ATLKY. UBS Group cut shares of Atlas Copco to a sell rating in a research report on Tuesday, October 28th. Citigroup reaffirmed a buy rating on shares of Atlas Copco in a research note on Tuesday, October 28th. Deutsche Bank Aktiengesellschaft reiterated a hold rating on shares of Atlas Copco in a research note on Friday. Sanford C. Bernstein raised Atlas Copco from a hold rating to an outperform rating in a report on Wednesday, January 7th. Finally, Barclays raised Atlas Copco from a hold rating to an overweight rating in a research note on Wednesday, December 3rd. Four research analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating, two have given a Hold rating and one has assigned a Sell rating to the company. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, the company has an average rating of Hold. Get Atlas Copco alerts: Get Our Latest Analysis on Atlas Copco Atlas Copco Stock Performance The stock has a market cap of $102.59 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 37.58, a P/E/G ratio of 9.84 and a beta of 1.40. The company has a current ratio of 1.52, a quick ratio of 1.09 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.27. The firm has a fifty day simple moving average of $17.94 and a 200-day simple moving average of $17.06. Atlas Copco (OTCMKTS:ATLKY Get Free Report) last released its earnings results on Thursday, October 23rd. The industrial products company reported $0.14 earnings per share for the quarter, hitting analysts consensus estimates of $0.14. The company had revenue of $4.43 billion during the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $4.42 billion. Atlas Copco had a return on equity of 25.42% and a net margin of 16.08%. Analysts forecast that Atlas Copco AB will post 0.55 EPS for the current fiscal year. About Atlas Copco (Get Free Report) Atlas Copco is a Sweden-based industrial group that develops, manufactures and services equipment and solutions for professional customers in a broad range of industries. The companys core activities center on compressed air and gas systems, vacuum solutions, construction and mining equipment, industrial tools and assembly systems, and power and flow equipment. Products and services span new-equipment sales, aftermarket parts, maintenance and technical support aimed at improving productivity, energy efficiency and safety for industrial operations. Key product categories include stationary and portable air compressors, air treatment and gas generation systems, industrial vacuum pumps, generators and light towers, drilling rigs and rock excavation equipment for mining and construction, as well as electric and pneumatic tools and automated assembly systems for manufacturing. Further Reading Receive News & Ratings for Atlas Copco Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Atlas Copco and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Avolta AG Unsponsored ADR (OTCMKTS:DUFRY Get Free Report)s share price reached a new 52-week high during trading on Wednesday . The company traded as high as $6.05 and last traded at $6.0105, with a volume of 46371 shares traded. The stock had previously closed at $5.95. Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth Separately, UBS Group reiterated a neutral rating on shares of Avolta in a research report on Monday, December 8th. One equities research analyst has rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating and one has assigned a Hold rating to the stock. According to data from MarketBeat, Avolta currently has a consensus rating of Buy. Get Avolta alerts: Get Our Latest Analysis on DUFRY Avolta Price Performance About Avolta The company has a quick ratio of 0.44, a current ratio of 0.76 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.85. The stock has a 50 day moving average price of $5.72 and a 200 day moving average price of $5.53. (Get Free Report) Avolta AG operates as a travel retailer. The companys retail brands include general travel retail shops under the Dufry, World Duty Free, Nuance, Hellenic Duty Free, Zurich Duty-Free or Stockholm Duty-Free, Autogrill, and HMSHost brands; Dufry shopping stores; brand boutiques; convenience stores primarily under the Hudson brand; and specialized shops and theme stores. It offers perfumes and cosmetics, food and confectionery, wines and spirits, watches and jewelry, fashion and leather, tobacco goods, souvenirs, electronics, soft drinks, packaged food, travel accessories, personal items, sunglasses, destination, and other products, as well as newspapers, magazines, and books. Recommended Stories Receive News & Ratings for Avolta Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Avolta and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. NRG Energy, Inc. (NYSE:NRG Get Free Report) has received an average recommendation of Moderate Buy from the thirteen ratings firms that are presently covering the company, Marketbeat reports. One analyst has rated the stock with a sell recommendation, two have issued a hold recommendation, nine have assigned a buy recommendation and one has issued a strong buy recommendation on the company. The average 1 year target price among analysts that have covered the stock in the last year is $186.4545. Several equities research analysts recently commented on NRG shares. Morgan Stanley reiterated an underperform rating on shares of NRG Energy in a research report on Thursday, November 20th. Wells Fargo & Company lifted their price target on shares of NRG Energy from $202.00 to $206.00 and gave the stock an overweight rating in a report on Tuesday. Zacks Research downgraded NRG Energy from a strong-buy rating to a hold rating in a report on Thursday, November 13th. Weiss Ratings reaffirmed a buy (b) rating on shares of NRG Energy in a research report on Monday, December 29th. Finally, UBS Group initiated coverage on NRG Energy in a research report on Tuesday, December 9th. They issued a buy rating and a $211.00 price target on the stock. Get NRG Energy alerts: Check Out Our Latest Research Report on NRG Insider Activity Institutional Investors Weigh In On NRG Energy In other news, VP Robert J. Gaudette sold 45,000 shares of the businesss stock in a transaction that occurred on Tuesday, January 6th. The shares were sold at an average price of $158.76, for a total value of $7,144,200.00. Following the transaction, the vice president owned 63,920 shares in the company, valued at approximately $10,147,939.20. The trade was a 41.31% decrease in their position. The sale was disclosed in a document filed with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is accessible through this link . Also, VP Brian Curci sold 60,580 shares of the stock in a transaction on Monday, January 5th. The stock was sold at an average price of $161.71, for a total transaction of $9,796,391.80. Following the sale, the vice president owned 93,089 shares of the companys stock, valued at approximately $15,053,422.19. This trade represents a 39.42% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The SEC filing for this sale provides additional information. Insiders have sold a total of 192,556 shares of company stock worth $30,826,846 in the last 90 days. 0.86% of the stock is owned by company insiders. Several institutional investors and hedge funds have recently made changes to their positions in the business. Quent Capital LLC bought a new stake in NRG Energy in the third quarter worth approximately $25,000. Toth Financial Advisory Corp acquired a new stake in shares of NRG Energy during the 2nd quarter worth approximately $27,000. Bank of Jackson Hole Trust bought a new stake in shares of NRG Energy in the 2nd quarter valued at $28,000. Atlantic Union Bankshares Corp lifted its position in shares of NRG Energy by 90.4% during the 3rd quarter. Atlantic Union Bankshares Corp now owns 179 shares of the utilities providers stock valued at $29,000 after acquiring an additional 85 shares during the period. Finally, Fourth Dimension Wealth LLC acquired a new stake in NRG Energy in the second quarter worth $32,000. Institutional investors own 97.72% of the companys stock. NRG Energy Trading Up 1.2% NYSE NRG opened at $150.66 on Monday. The company has a market cap of $28.87 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 22.52 and a beta of 1.25. NRG Energy has a twelve month low of $79.57 and a twelve month high of $180.54. The company has a quick ratio of 0.99, a current ratio of 1.05 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 8.45. The businesss fifty day moving average is $159.99 and its 200 day moving average is $159.85. NRG Energy (NYSE:NRG Get Free Report) last posted its earnings results on Thursday, November 6th. The utilities provider reported $2.78 EPS for the quarter, beating the consensus estimate of $1.93 by $0.85. The firm had revenue of $7.64 billion during the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $7.53 billion. NRG Energy had a return on equity of 103.57% and a net margin of 4.84%.The businesss quarterly revenue was up 5.7% on a year-over-year basis. During the same period last year, the company earned $1.90 earnings per share. As a group, sell-side analysts expect that NRG Energy will post 6.36 EPS for the current fiscal year. NRG Energy announced that its Board of Directors has approved a stock buyback plan on Thursday, November 6th that authorizes the company to repurchase $3.00 billion in outstanding shares. This repurchase authorization authorizes the utilities provider to purchase up to 9.2% of its stock through open market purchases. Stock repurchase plans are usually a sign that the companys board of directors believes its stock is undervalued. About NRG Energy (Get Free Report) NRG Energy (NYSE: NRG) is a U.S.-based integrated power company headquartered in Houston, Texas. The company develops, owns and operates a diversified portfolio of power generation assets and participates in wholesale and retail energy markets. NRG supplies electricity to utilities, commercial and industrial customers, and retail consumers, while also providing energy-related products and services designed to manage consumption and support reliability. NRGs generation mix includes conventional thermal plants as well as renewable and distributed energy resources. Featured Stories Receive News & Ratings for NRG Energy Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for NRG Energy and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Shares of ResMed Inc. (NYSE:RMD Get Free Report) have received an average rating of Moderate Buy from the fifteen brokerages that are covering the company, Marketbeat.com reports. Six investment analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating, eight have given a buy rating and one has assigned a strong buy rating to the company. The average 1 year price objective among brokers that have issued ratings on the stock in the last year is $296.0909. RMD has been the topic of a number of analyst reports. Stifel Nicolaus dropped their price objective on shares of ResMed from $270.00 to $260.00 and set a hold rating on the stock in a research note on Thursday, December 18th. Robert W. Baird reaffirmed a neutral rating and issued a $275.00 price objective (down previously from $300.00) on shares of ResMed in a report on Tuesday, December 16th. Weiss Ratings reiterated a hold (c+) rating on shares of ResMed in a research report on Monday, December 29th. Royal Bank Of Canada increased their target price on shares of ResMed from $300.00 to $303.00 and gave the stock an outperform rating in a research note on Friday, October 31st. Finally, UBS Group restated a buy rating and issued a $345.00 price target on shares of ResMed in a research note on Friday, December 12th. Get ResMed alerts: Read Our Latest Stock Report on ResMed Insider Activity Institutional Trading of ResMed In related news, CEO Michael J. Farrell sold 8,011 shares of the businesss stock in a transaction on Friday, November 7th. The shares were sold at an average price of $249.75, for a total value of $2,000,747.25. Following the completion of the sale, the chief executive officer owned 467,866 shares of the companys stock, valued at approximately $116,849,533.50. The trade was a 1.68% decrease in their position. The sale was disclosed in a legal filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which can be accessed through this hyperlink . Also, Director Witte Jan De sold 2,055 shares of the stock in a transaction on Tuesday, November 25th. The shares were sold at an average price of $255.00, for a total transaction of $524,025.00. Following the transaction, the director directly owned 4,261 shares in the company, valued at approximately $1,086,555. The trade was a 32.54% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The SEC filing for this sale provides additional information. Insiders have sold 21,594 shares of company stock worth $5,403,495 in the last quarter. Corporate insiders own 0.65% of the companys stock. A number of institutional investors have recently made changes to their positions in the company. Jones Financial Companies Lllp lifted its stake in shares of ResMed by 52.6% in the first quarter. Jones Financial Companies Lllp now owns 2,882 shares of the medical equipment providers stock worth $645,000 after buying an additional 994 shares in the last quarter. Wedmont Private Capital raised its holdings in ResMed by 6.1% in the 2nd quarter. Wedmont Private Capital now owns 2,098 shares of the medical equipment providers stock valued at $537,000 after acquiring an additional 121 shares during the last quarter. IFM Investors Pty Ltd lifted its stake in ResMed by 6.3% in the 2nd quarter. IFM Investors Pty Ltd now owns 28,249 shares of the medical equipment providers stock worth $7,288,000 after purchasing an additional 1,671 shares in the last quarter. Assenagon Asset Management S.A. lifted its stake in ResMed by 264.1% in the 2nd quarter. Assenagon Asset Management S.A. now owns 39,708 shares of the medical equipment providers stock worth $10,245,000 after purchasing an additional 28,801 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Diversified Trust Co acquired a new position in shares of ResMed during the 2nd quarter worth approximately $274,000. 54.98% of the stock is owned by institutional investors and hedge funds. ResMed Price Performance Shares of NYSE RMD opened at $259.29 on Monday. ResMed has a 52 week low of $199.92 and a 52 week high of $293.81. The businesss 50 day moving average price is $249.74 and its 200 day moving average price is $263.26. The company has a quick ratio of 2.13, a current ratio of 2.89 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.07. The firm has a market cap of $37.84 billion, a P/E ratio of 26.54, a P/E/G ratio of 1.70 and a beta of 0.88. ResMed (NYSE:RMD Get Free Report) last announced its quarterly earnings results on Friday, October 31st. The medical equipment provider reported $2.55 earnings per share for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of $2.49 by $0.06. The company had revenue of $1.34 billion for the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $1.33 billion. ResMed had a return on equity of 25.45% and a net margin of 27.35%.The firms revenue for the quarter was up 9.1% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same period last year, the firm earned $2.20 EPS. On average, sell-side analysts expect that ResMed will post 9.47 earnings per share for the current year. ResMed Dividend Announcement The firm also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Thursday, December 18th. Stockholders of record on Thursday, November 13th were paid a dividend of $0.60 per share. This represents a $2.40 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 0.9%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend was Thursday, November 13th. ResMeds dividend payout ratio is presently 24.56%. ResMed Company Profile (Get Free Report) ResMed (NYSE: RMD) is a global medical device and cloud-connectivity company focused on improving outcomes for people with sleep-disordered breathing and chronic respiratory conditions. Founded in 1989, the company is headquartered in San Diego, California, and develops, manufactures and distributes a range of devices and software used by patients, clinicians and providers worldwide. ResMeds product portfolio centers on noninvasive ventilation and sleep therapy equipment, including continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) and bilevel devices, masks and related accessories for the treatment of obstructive sleep apnea and other respiratory disorders. See Also Receive News & Ratings for ResMed Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for ResMed and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Charles Schwab (NYSE:SCHW Get Free Report) issued an update on its FY 2026 earnings guidance on Wednesday morning. The company provided earnings per share (EPS) guidance of 5.700-5.800 for the period, compared to the consensus estimate of 5.370. The company issued revenue guidance of $26.2 billion-$26.4 billion, compared to the consensus revenue estimate of $25.5 billion. Analyst Ratings Changes A number of research firms recently weighed in on SCHW. BMO Capital Markets initiated coverage on Charles Schwab in a report on Friday, October 3rd. They set an outperform rating and a $110.00 target price on the stock. Wolfe Research set a $120.00 price target on Charles Schwab in a report on Monday, January 12th. The Goldman Sachs Group reiterated a buy rating and issued a $114.00 price objective on shares of Charles Schwab in a report on Friday, October 17th. Barclays increased their price objective on shares of Charles Schwab from $111.00 to $120.00 and gave the company an overweight rating in a research report on Thursday, January 8th. Finally, Citizens Jmp raised their target price on shares of Charles Schwab from $110.00 to $120.00 and gave the stock a market outperform rating in a research note on Monday, January 12th. One analyst has rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, sixteen have assigned a Buy rating, five have issued a Hold rating and one has issued a Sell rating to the stock. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, Charles Schwab presently has a consensus rating of Moderate Buy and an average price target of $114.45. Get Charles Schwab alerts: View Our Latest Report on SCHW Charles Schwab Trading Up 0.8% Shares of SCHW stock traded up $0.85 on Wednesday, hitting $101.84. The company had a trading volume of 17,877,212 shares, compared to its average volume of 6,110,030. Charles Schwab has a twelve month low of $65.88 and a twelve month high of $104.98. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.47, a quick ratio of 0.58 and a current ratio of 0.58. The firm has a market cap of $180.96 billion, a P/E ratio of 23.85, a P/E/G ratio of 0.69 and a beta of 0.94. The stocks 50-day moving average is $97.50 and its two-hundred day moving average is $95.75. Charles Schwab (NYSE:SCHW Get Free Report) last announced its earnings results on Wednesday, January 21st. The financial services provider reported $1.39 EPS for the quarter, beating the consensus estimate of $1.32 by $0.07. The business had revenue of $6.34 billion for the quarter, compared to analysts expectations of $6.19 billion. Charles Schwab had a return on equity of 21.02% and a net margin of 35.93%.The firms revenue was up 18.9% on a year-over-year basis. During the same period in the prior year, the business posted $1.01 earnings per share. Charles Schwab has set its FY 2026 guidance at 5.700-5.800 EPS. On average, equities research analysts anticipate that Charles Schwab will post 4.22 earnings per share for the current fiscal year. Charles Schwab Dividend Announcement The company also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Friday, November 28th. Investors of record on Friday, November 14th were paid a dividend of $0.27 per share. This represents a $1.08 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 1.1%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend was Friday, November 14th. Charles Schwabs dividend payout ratio (DPR) is currently 25.29%. Insider Transactions at Charles Schwab In related news, insider Jonathan S. Beatty sold 3,072 shares of the companys stock in a transaction dated Wednesday, November 12th. The stock was sold at an average price of $98.00, for a total transaction of $301,056.00. Following the sale, the insider owned 11,923 shares in the company, valued at $1,168,454. This represents a 20.49% decrease in their position. The sale was disclosed in a document filed with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available at the SEC website. 6.30% of the stock is currently owned by insiders. Charles Schwab News Summary Here are the key news stories impacting Charles Schwab this week: Institutional Trading of Charles Schwab Several large investors have recently modified their holdings of SCHW. Newbridge Financial Services Group Inc. increased its stake in Charles Schwab by 233.6% during the 3rd quarter. Newbridge Financial Services Group Inc. now owns 357 shares of the financial services providers stock valued at $34,000 after purchasing an additional 250 shares in the last quarter. Caitong International Asset Management Co. Ltd lifted its stake in shares of Charles Schwab by 910.0% in the third quarter. Caitong International Asset Management Co. Ltd now owns 404 shares of the financial services providers stock valued at $39,000 after buying an additional 364 shares in the last quarter. Wealth Watch Advisors INC acquired a new position in shares of Charles Schwab during the third quarter valued at about $45,000. Imprint Wealth LLC bought a new stake in shares of Charles Schwab during the third quarter worth about $46,000. Finally, Wiser Advisor Group LLC bought a new stake in shares of Charles Schwab during the third quarter worth about $51,000. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 84.38% of the companys stock. Charles Schwab Company Profile (Get Free Report) Charles Schwab Corporation (NYSE: SCHW) is a diversified financial services firm that provides brokerage, banking, wealth management and advisory services to individual investors, independent investment advisors and institutional clients. Its primary offerings include retail brokerage accounts, online trading platforms, Schwab-branded mutual funds and exchange-traded funds (ETFs), retirement plan services, custodial services for independent Registered Investment Advisors (RIAs), and banking products through Charles Schwab Bank. Read More Receive News & Ratings for Charles Schwab Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Charles Schwab and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Constellation Software Inc. (OTCMKTS:CNSWF Get Free Report) shares hit a new 52-week low during trading on Wednesday . The stock traded as low as $1,900.00 and last traded at $1,952.71, with a volume of 20851 shares traded. The stock had previously closed at $1,931.59. Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades A number of research firms have issued reports on CNSWF. Zacks Research cut shares of Constellation Software from a strong-buy rating to a hold rating in a report on Thursday, November 13th. National Bankshares downgraded shares of Constellation Software from an outperform rating to a sector perform rating in a report on Thursday, September 25th. CIBC restated an outperform rating on shares of Constellation Software in a research note on Friday, January 16th. Desjardins upgraded shares of Constellation Software to a moderate buy rating in a research note on Thursday, October 30th. Finally, National Bank Financial lowered shares of Constellation Software from a strong-buy rating to a hold rating in a report on Thursday, September 25th. Six equities research analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating and three have assigned a Hold rating to the company. According to data from MarketBeat, the stock currently has an average rating of Moderate Buy. Get Constellation Software alerts: Read Our Latest Stock Analysis on CNSWF Constellation Software Stock Up 1.1% The stock has a 50-day moving average price of $2,353.73 and a 200-day moving average price of $2,837.97. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.01, a current ratio of 1.02 and a quick ratio of 1.00. Constellation Software (OTCMKTS:CNSWF Get Free Report) last released its quarterly earnings results on Friday, November 7th. The company reported $21.71 earnings per share for the quarter, missing the consensus estimate of $27.84 by ($6.13). The company had revenue of $2.95 billion during the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $2.99 billion. Constellation Software had a net margin of 5.97% and a return on equity of 51.25%. As a group, equities research analysts anticipate that Constellation Software Inc. will post 77.19 earnings per share for the current fiscal year. About Constellation Software (Get Free Report) Constellation Software is a diversified software company that acquires, manages and builds mission-critical software businesses serving a wide range of specialized industries. Its primary focus is on vertical market software, delivering tailored solutions for sectors such as public transit, healthcare, utilities, construction and hospitality. Through its decentralized operating model, Constellation harnesses the expertise of individual business units to develop, implement and support software products that address specific customer needs. Founded in 1995 by Mark Leonard and headquartered in Toronto, Canada, Constellation Software has grown organically and through strategic acquisitions. Further Reading Receive News & Ratings for Constellation Software Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Constellation Software and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Altex Industries (OTCMKTS:ALTX Get Free Report) and EOG Resources (NYSE:EOG Get Free Report) are both energy companies, but which is the superior investment? We will compare the two businesses based on the strength of their risk, valuation, analyst recommendations, profitability, earnings, dividends and institutional ownership. Analyst Recommendations This is a summary of current ratings for Altex Industries and EOG Resources, as provided by MarketBeat.com. Get Altex Industries alerts: Sell Ratings Hold Ratings Buy Ratings Strong Buy Ratings Rating Score Altex Industries 0 0 0 0 0.00 EOG Resources 0 16 11 1 2.46 EOG Resources has a consensus target price of $135.56, suggesting a potential upside of 25.55%. Given EOG Resources stronger consensus rating and higher possible upside, analysts clearly believe EOG Resources is more favorable than Altex Industries. Institutional and Insider Ownership Profitability 89.9% of EOG Resources shares are held by institutional investors. 49.8% of Altex Industries shares are held by company insiders. Comparatively, 0.1% of EOG Resources shares are held by company insiders. Strong institutional ownership is an indication that endowments, hedge funds and large money managers believe a stock will outperform the market over the long term. This table compares Altex Industries and EOG Resources net margins, return on equity and return on assets. Net Margins Return on Equity Return on Assets Altex Industries -1,066.67% -18.61% -9.19% EOG Resources 24.49% 19.80% 12.17% Risk & Volatility Altex Industries has a beta of 0.08, suggesting that its stock price is 92% less volatile than the S&P 500. Comparatively, EOG Resources has a beta of 0.49, suggesting that its stock price is 51% less volatile than the S&P 500. Earnings and Valuation This table compares Altex Industries and EOG Resourcess gross revenue, earnings per share and valuation. Gross Revenue Price/Sales Ratio Net Income Earnings Per Share Price/Earnings Ratio Altex Industries $20,000.00 172.33 -$190,000.00 ($0.02) -15.40 EOG Resources $23.70 billion 2.47 $6.40 billion $10.04 10.75 EOG Resources has higher revenue and earnings than Altex Industries. Altex Industries is trading at a lower price-to-earnings ratio than EOG Resources, indicating that it is currently the more affordable of the two stocks. Summary EOG Resources beats Altex Industries on 13 of the 15 factors compared between the two stocks. About Altex Industries (Get Free Report) Altex Industries, Inc., through its subsidiary, Altex Oil Corporation, owns interests in productive onshore oil and gas properties located in Utah and Wyoming. The company was incorporated in 1985 and is based in Denver, Colorado. About EOG Resources (Get Free Report) EOG Resources, Inc., together with its subsidiaries, explores for, develops, produces, and markets crude oil, natural gas liquids, and natural gas primarily in producing basins in the United States, the Republic of Trinidad and Tobago and internationally. The company was formerly known as Enron Oil & Gas Company. EOG Resources, Inc. was incorporated in 1985 and is headquartered in Houston, Texas. Receive News & Ratings for Altex Industries Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Altex Industries and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Nordic American Tankers (NYSE:NAT Get Free Report) and Hafnia (NYSE:HAFN Get Free Report) are both transportation companies, but which is the superior stock? We will contrast the two companies based on the strength of their dividends, analyst recommendations, institutional ownership, valuation, earnings, profitability and risk. Dividends Nordic American Tankers pays an annual dividend of $0.52 per share and has a dividend yield of 12.7%. Hafnia pays an annual dividend of $0.58 per share and has a dividend yield of 10.0%. Nordic American Tankers pays out 2,600.0% of its earnings in the form of a dividend, suggesting it may not have sufficient earnings to cover its dividend payment in the future. Hafnia pays out 95.1% of its earnings in the form of a dividend, suggesting it may not have sufficient earnings to cover its dividend payment in the future. Nordic American Tankers has raised its dividend for 1 consecutive years. Nordic American Tankers is clearly the better dividend stock, given its higher yield and longer track record of dividend growth. Get Nordic American Tankers alerts: Institutional & Insider Ownership 44.3% of Nordic American Tankers shares are held by institutional investors. 2.9% of Nordic American Tankers shares are held by insiders. Strong institutional ownership is an indication that large money managers, hedge funds and endowments believe a company is poised for long-term growth. Valuation and Earnings Gross Revenue Price/Sales Ratio Net Income Earnings Per Share Price/Earnings Ratio Nordic American Tankers $225.10 million 3.85 $46.64 million $0.02 204.75 Hafnia $2.22 billion 1.32 $774.03 million $0.61 9.49 This table compares Nordic American Tankers and Hafnias revenue, earnings per share (EPS) and valuation. Hafnia has higher revenue and earnings than Nordic American Tankers. Hafnia is trading at a lower price-to-earnings ratio than Nordic American Tankers, indicating that it is currently the more affordable of the two stocks. Volatility & Risk Nordic American Tankers has a beta of -0.43, suggesting that its stock price is 143% less volatile than the S&P 500. Comparatively, Hafnia has a beta of 1.04, suggesting that its stock price is 4% more volatile than the S&P 500. Analyst Recommendations This is a summary of recent ratings and recommmendations for Nordic American Tankers and Hafnia, as provided by MarketBeat. Sell Ratings Hold Ratings Buy Ratings Strong Buy Ratings Rating Score Nordic American Tankers 0 3 0 0 2.00 Hafnia 0 1 0 1 3.00 Nordic American Tankers currently has a consensus price target of $3.25, indicating a potential downside of 20.63%. Given Nordic American Tankers higher possible upside, analysts plainly believe Nordic American Tankers is more favorable than Hafnia. Profitability This table compares Nordic American Tankers and Hafnias net margins, return on equity and return on assets. Net Margins Return on Equity Return on Assets Nordic American Tankers 1.12% 0.39% 0.21% Hafnia 29.50% 13.50% 8.46% Summary Hafnia beats Nordic American Tankers on 10 of the 17 factors compared between the two stocks. About Nordic American Tankers (Get Free Report) Nordic American Tankers Limited, a tanker company, acquires and charters double-hull tankers in Bermuda and internationally. It operates a fleet of 20 Suezmax crude oil tankers. The company was incorporated in 1995 and is headquartered in Hamilton, Bermuda. About Hafnia (Get Free Report) Hafnia Limited owns and operates oil product tankers in Bermuda. It operates through Long Range II, Long Range I, Medium Range (MR), Handy size, and Specialized segments. The company transports clean and dirty, refined oil products, vegetable oil, and easy chemicals to national and international oil companies, and chemical companies, as well as trading and utility companies; and owns and operates 200 vessels. It provides ship owning, ship-management, investment, management, corporate support, and agency office services. In addition, the company provides integrated shipping platform, including technical management, commercial and chartering services, pool management, and large-scale bunker desk services. Hafnia Limited is based in Hamilton, Bermuda. Receive News & Ratings for Nordic American Tankers Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Nordic American Tankers and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. First Farmers and Merchants Co. (OTCMKTS:FFMH Get Free Report)s stock price passed below its 50-day moving average during trading on Monday . The stock has a 50-day moving average of $48.42 and traded as low as $48.01. First Farmers and Merchants shares last traded at $49.77, with a volume of 2,990 shares. First Farmers and Merchants Price Performance The firms 50-day simple moving average is $48.54 and its 200 day simple moving average is $45.70. First Farmers and Merchants Company Profile (Get Free Report) First Farmers and Merchants Corporation operates as the bank holding company for First Farmers and Merchants Bank that provides various banking and financial services in Middle Tennessee and Northern Alabama. The company's deposit products include personal and business checking and savings, and individual retirement and investment accounts, as well as certificates of deposit. Its loan portfolio comprises personal mortgages; home equity lines of credit; debit and credit cards; personal, auto, and farmer loans; and business loans, such as commercial mortgages, equipment lending and leasing, construction lending, accounts receivable financing, lines of credit, and other products. See Also Receive News & Ratings for First Farmers and Merchants Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for First Farmers and Merchants and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Franco-Nevada Co. (TSE:FNV Get Free Report) (NYSE:FNV) shares hit a new 52-week high during trading on Wednesday . The stock traded as high as C$356.78 and last traded at C$348.01, with a volume of 440243 shares trading hands. The stock had previously closed at C$350.00. Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth FNV has been the subject of several research reports. TD Securities decreased their price objective on shares of Franco-Nevada from C$247.00 to C$225.00 and set a hold rating for the company in a report on Wednesday, November 5th. CIBC lifted their target price on shares of Franco-Nevada from C$315.00 to C$460.00 in a research report on Friday, October 10th. Royal Bank Of Canada upgraded shares of Franco-Nevada from a hold rating to a moderate buy rating and set a C$250.00 target price for the company in a research note on Wednesday, December 10th. UBS Group increased their price target on Franco-Nevada from C$260.00 to C$270.00 and gave the company a buy rating in a report on Tuesday, December 2nd. Finally, Canaccord Genuity Group upgraded Franco-Nevada from a hold rating to a buy rating and raised their price target for the stock from C$322.00 to C$350.00 in a research note on Wednesday, October 22nd. One investment analyst has rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, three have issued a Buy rating and one has assigned a Hold rating to the company. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, the company has a consensus rating of Buy and a consensus target price of C$287.33. Get Franco-Nevada alerts: Get Our Latest Analysis on Franco-Nevada Franco-Nevada Stock Performance The stock has a fifty day moving average of C$294.36 and a 200 day moving average of C$271.78. The company has a market capitalization of C$67.27 billion, a PE ratio of 73.16, a PEG ratio of 5.00 and a beta of 0.70. Franco-Nevada (TSE:FNV Get Free Report) (NYSE:FNV) last announced its quarterly earnings data on Monday, November 3rd. The company reported C$1.43 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter. The business had revenue of C$679.08 million during the quarter. Franco-Nevada had a negative net margin of 57.55% and a negative return on equity of 10.83%. As a group, equities analysts predict that Franco-Nevada Co. will post 3.1114111 EPS for the current year. Insiders Place Their Bets In other Franco-Nevada news, insider Bonavie Tek sold 115 shares of Franco-Nevada stock in a transaction on Wednesday, November 26th. The shares were sold at an average price of C$290.52, for a total value of C$33,409.80. Insiders own 0.69% of the companys stock. Franco-Nevada Company Profile (Get Free Report) Franco-Nevada Corp is a precious-metals-focused royalty and investment company. The company owns a diversified portfolio of precious metals and royalty streams, which is actively managed to generate the bulk of its revenue from gold, silver, and platinum. The company does not operate mines, develop projects, or conduct exploration. Franco-Nevadas short-term financial performance is linked to the price of commodities and the amount of production from its portfolio of producing assets. Its long-term performance is affected by the availability of exploration and development capital. Read More Receive News & Ratings for Franco-Nevada Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Franco-Nevada and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Hillhouse Frontier Holdings (HIFI) expects to raise $6.50 million in an initial public offering (IPO) on the week of January 26th, IPO Scoop reports. The company will issue 1,300,000 shares at $4.00-$6.00 per share. In the last 12 months, Hillhouse Frontier Holdings generated $8.07 million in revenue and $880 thousand in net income. The company has a market-cap of $106 million. Cathay Securities acted as the underwriter for the IPO. Hillhouse Frontier Holdings provided the following description of their company for its IPO: (Incorporated in Nevada) We are a luxury vehicle exporter. Through our subsidiary, Hillhouse Capital Group, we run a vehicle export business that specializes inA finding premium vehicles in the U.S. and facilitating their shipment to Hong Kong to our client, who distributes the vehicles to its clients in the Peoples Republic of China (PRC). In 2024, Hillhouse Capital Group did 67 vehicle transactions, including 34 with authorized dealerships and 33 with independent dealers. We worked with 15 purchasing agents. We specialize in exporting U.S. luxury vehicles having MSRPs of at least $80,000, targeting affluent consumers and dealers seeking premium luxury brands, such as Mercedes-Benz, BMW, Audi and Cadillac. Unlike smaller industry participantsatypically family-run businesses that rely on informal sourcing networksawe operate through a structured purchasing model with authorized dealerships (i.e., purchasing from them through their designated purchasing agents) and independent dealers, ensuring a stable and scalable supply chain.A Fenglong MaA has served as our CEO and our chairman of the board since October 2022. He is a seasoned entrepreneur in international trade and automotive sales. He founded our company in October 2022, leading its strategy, operations, and entry into automotive exports. Previously, he co-founded Qingdao High-End Vehicle Trading Co., and served as general sales manager from January 2020 to September 2022. He was responsible for sales, market expansion, and supply chain management of high-end imported vehicles, establishing strong global partnerships and optimizing procurement processes. He received an associate degree in business managementA from Mudanjiang Forestry Vocational and Technical College.A Mr. Ma is a citizen of the PRC and currently resides in the PRC. Zheng Wen TongA has served as our chief operating officer since November 2024, overseeing vehicle procurement, logistics, and financial transactions. She has extensive experience in automotive trade and supply chain management. Before this, she was an office manager at TW&EW Service from April 2024 to October 2024 and was employed by Wave Capital Management from January 2022 to March 2024, where sheA oversaw administrative and supply chain operations. From January 2020 to March 2020, she served as an office manager at Luxury Unlimited Group. She received a diploma in accounting from Shanghai Business Trade College in July 1994. Ms. Tong is a citizen of the United States and currently resides in the United States.A Chihyuan LinA has served as our CFO since February 2025, overseeing financial strategy and operations. He is an experienced financial executive with expertise in strategic financial management, accounting, and SEC reporting. Before joining us, he founded Linck Consulting Inc. in September 2024 and has been serving as its CEO, providing accounting and tax consulting services. From September 2023 to September 2024, he worked as a consultant at 8020 Consulting LLC, focusing on SEC reporting and financial advisory services. Prior to that, from October 2022 to September 2023, he was the senior manager of financial reporting and technical accounting at Tattooed Chef, where he managed SEC filings, financial reporting, and statement consolidation. From October 2021 to October 2022, he held the role of senior manager of financial reporting and analysis at HF Foods Group Inc., overseeing financial reporting and compliance matters. Earlier, from February 2018 to October 2021, he served as the assistant director of finance and assistant controller at Ta Chen International Inc., specializing in operational accounting and financial statement consolidation. Mr. Lin earned a Master of Science degree in accounting from the University of Texas at Dallas on August 12, 2011, and a Master of Science degree in Finance from the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign on May 16, 2010. Mr. Lin is a citizen of the United States and currently resides in the United States. Note: Net income and revenue are in U.S. dollars for the year that ended Dec. 31, 2024. (Note: Hillhouse Frontier Holdings filed its S-1 for its IPO on July 21, 2025, and disclosed the terms: 1.25 million shares at a price range of $4.00 to $6.00 to raise $6.25 million, if priced at the $5.00 mid-point of its range.) . Hillhouse Frontier Holdings was founded in 2022 and has 3 employees. The company is located at 20955 Lycoming St, Suite 201, Diamond Bar, California 91789 and can be reached via phone at (661)-508-8888 or on the web at http://www.hillhouse-group.com/. Receive News & Ratings for Hillhouse Frontier Holdings Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Hillhouse Frontier Holdings and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Hills Bancorporation (OTCMKTS:HBIA Get Free Report) shares dropped 3.7% during mid-day trading on Wednesday . The company traded as low as $80.51 and last traded at $80.51. Approximately 120 shares changed hands during mid-day trading, a decline of 25% from the average daily volume of 160 shares. The stock had previously closed at $83.6125. Hills Bancorporation Trading Down 3.7% The businesss fifty day moving average is $81.35 and its 200 day moving average is $78.51. Get Hills Bancorporation alerts: About Hills Bancorporation (Get Free Report) Hills Bancorporation, Inc is a bank holding company trading on the OTC Markets under the ticker HBIA. The company operates through its wholly owned subsidiary, Hills Bank & Trust Company, which provides a broad suite of financial services to consumers and businesses in eastern Iowa. Through Hills Bank & Trust, the company offers deposit products such as checking and savings accounts, certificates of deposit and money market accounts, as well as lending solutions that include residential and commercial mortgages, construction loans and lines of credit. See Also Receive News & Ratings for Hills Bancorporation Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Hills Bancorporation and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Shares of Hong Kong & China Gas Co. (OTCMKTS:HOKCY Get Free Report) reached a new 52-week high on Wednesday . The stock traded as high as $1.01 and last traded at $0.8248, with a volume of 3450 shares changing hands. The stock had previously closed at $0.9499. Hong Kong & China Gas Stock Down 13.2% The company has a 50-day moving average of $0.89 and a 200 day moving average of $0.86. The company has a current ratio of 0.67, a quick ratio of 0.61 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.63. Get Hong Kong & China Gas alerts: Institutional Investors Weigh In On Hong Kong & China Gas An institutional investor recently raised its position in Hong Kong & China Gas stock. Rhumbline Advisers lifted its position in shares of Hong Kong & China Gas Co. (OTCMKTS:HOKCY Free Report) by 26.9% during the first quarter, according to the company in its most recent Form 13F filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission. The institutional investor owned 131,441 shares of the companys stock after purchasing an additional 27,860 shares during the quarter. Rhumbline Advisers holdings in Hong Kong & China Gas were worth $107,000 at the end of the most recent reporting period. About Hong Kong & China Gas The Hong Kong and China Gas Company Limited, commonly known as Towngas, is a long-established utility and energy services company founded in 1862. It is principally engaged in the production, distribution and sale of town gas and related energy products, serving residential, commercial and industrial customers. Towngas operates through an integrated model that covers gas production facilities, transmission and distribution networks, customer metering and billing, and after-sales services. Core products and services include piped town gas for household and commercial use, liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) distribution, gas appliances and fittings, and engineering, installation and maintenance services. Further Reading Receive News & Ratings for Hong Kong & China Gas Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Hong Kong & China Gas and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Invesco Large Cap Growth ETF (NYSEARCA:PWB Get Free Report) reached a new 52-week high during trading on Wednesday . The stock traded as high as $134.25 and last traded at $133.88, with a volume of 32860 shares changing hands. The stock had previously closed at $131.51. Invesco Large Cap Growth ETF Price Performance The businesss 50-day simple moving average is $127.82 and its two-hundred day simple moving average is $124.39. The stock has a market capitalization of $1.50 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 40.15 and a beta of 1.12. Get Invesco Large Cap Growth ETF alerts: Institutional Trading of Invesco Large Cap Growth ETF Large investors have recently added to or reduced their stakes in the stock. Beacon Capital Management Inc. acquired a new position in shares of Invesco Large Cap Growth ETF during the second quarter worth about $34,000. Fortitude Family Office LLC purchased a new stake in shares of Invesco Large Cap Growth ETF during the 4th quarter valued at about $40,000. CX Institutional acquired a new position in Invesco Large Cap Growth ETF during the 3rd quarter worth approximately $44,000. Beaird Harris Wealth Management LLC purchased a new position in Invesco Large Cap Growth ETF in the 3rd quarter worth approximately $45,000. Finally, Grey Fox Wealth Advisors LLC acquired a new stake in Invesco Large Cap Growth ETF in the third quarter valued at approximately $60,000. Invesco Large Cap Growth ETF Company Profile The Invesco Dynamic Large Cap Growth ETF (PWB) is an exchange-traded fund that mostly invests in large cap equity. The fund tracks an index that uses a multifactor selection methodology to select large-cap stocks with growth characteristics. PWB was launched on Mar 3, 2005 and is managed by Invesco. See Also Receive News & Ratings for Invesco Large Cap Growth ETF Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Invesco Large Cap Growth ETF and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. John Hancock Multifactor Mid Cap ETF (NYSEARCA:JHMM Get Free Report)s share price hit a new 52-week high on Wednesday . The stock traded as high as $69.55 and last traded at $69.2570, with a volume of 195996 shares. The stock had previously closed at $67.95. John Hancock Multifactor Mid Cap ETF Stock Up 1.9% The firm has a market capitalization of $4.88 billion, a PE ratio of 19.18 and a beta of 1.04. The business has a 50-day moving average price of $66.20 and a 200-day moving average price of $64.57. Get John Hancock Multifactor Mid Cap ETF alerts: Institutional Trading of John Hancock Multifactor Mid Cap ETF Large investors have recently added to or reduced their stakes in the stock. IFP Advisors Inc raised its holdings in shares of John Hancock Multifactor Mid Cap ETF by 46.3% during the 2nd quarter. IFP Advisors Inc now owns 739 shares of the companys stock worth $45,000 after acquiring an additional 234 shares during the period. Caldwell Trust Co purchased a new stake in shares of John Hancock Multifactor Mid Cap ETF in the second quarter valued at about $48,000. Evolution Wealth Management Inc. acquired a new stake in John Hancock Multifactor Mid Cap ETF during the second quarter worth about $61,000. TFC Financial Management Inc. purchased a new position in John Hancock Multifactor Mid Cap ETF during the second quarter worth about $72,000. Finally, Root Financial Partners LLC purchased a new position in John Hancock Multifactor Mid Cap ETF during the third quarter worth about $83,000. About John Hancock Multifactor Mid Cap ETF The John Hancock Multifactor Mid Cap ETF (JHMM) is an exchange-traded fund that is based on the John Hancock Dimensional Mid Cap index. The fund tracks an index of US firms ranked 200-950 by size, weighted by multiple factors relative to their sector peers. JHMM was launched on Sep 28, 2015 and is managed by John Hancock. See Also Receive News & Ratings for John Hancock Multifactor Mid Cap ETF Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for John Hancock Multifactor Mid Cap ETF and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Shares of Kunlun Energy (OTCMKTS:KLYCY Get Free Report) gapped up prior to trading on Wednesday . The stock had previously closed at $9.40, but opened at $10.25. Kunlun Energy shares last traded at $10.25, with a volume of 316 shares. Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades Separately, Zacks Research raised Kunlun Energy from a strong sell rating to a hold rating in a research report on Tuesday, October 21st. One equities research analyst has rated the stock with a Hold rating, According to MarketBeat, the company currently has an average rating of Hold. Get Kunlun Energy alerts: Check Out Our Latest Stock Analysis on Kunlun Energy Kunlun Energy Trading Up 7.4% About Kunlun Energy The firm has a fifty day moving average of $9.47 and a 200-day moving average of $9.42. The company has a quick ratio of 1.85, a current ratio of 1.89 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.17. (Get Free Report) Kunlun Energy Company Limited is a China-based energy company engaged primarily in the exploration, production, distribution and sales of natural gas and crude oil. As a publicly traded entity on the Hong Kong Stock Exchange and the OTC Markets under the ticker KLYCY, the company focuses on developing upstream reserves in key basins across northwest China, including the Tarim, Junggar and TurpanHami basins. Kunlun Energys upstream activities are supported by a combination of proprietary drilling technologies and strategic partnerships that enable it to target both conventional and unconventional hydrocarbon resources. In its midstream operations, Kunlun Energy has established an extensive pipeline network that links its production areas to major consumption centers. Featured Articles Receive News & Ratings for Kunlun Energy Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Kunlun Energy and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Northern Star Resources (ASX:NST) management used its latest quarterly update call to outline the operational disruptions that weighed on December-quarter results, provide revised FY26 guidance, and detail capital spending priorities across the portfolio. Managing Director and CEO Stuart Tonkin was joined by Chief Financial Officer Ryan Gurner and Chief Operating Officer Simon Jessop. Get alerts: December quarter: softer output tied to one-off events Tonkin said gold sold in the December quarter totaled 348,000 ounces at an all-in sustaining cost (AISC) of $2,937 per ounce. He attributed the softer performance to a number of one-off operational events across our assets, which also drove a revision to the companys FY26 production and cost outlook. South Kalgoorlie: a previously announced partial suspension of mining while a new escapeway was mined and installed over nine weeks. Jessop said mining returned to normal operations from mid-December. a previously announced partial suspension of mining while a new escapeway was mined and installed over nine weeks. Jessop said mining returned to normal operations from mid-December. KCGM processing: mill throughput underperformed throughout the quarter, with the primary crusher failing in December. Jessop said the crushing circuit has performed in line with normal expectations since Jan. 5, noting more than 700,000 tonnes were crushed in 20 days versus 600,000 tonnes in the full month of December. Jessop provided additional detail by production center, starting with Kalgoorlie. He said the Kalgoorlie production center delivered a lower-than-expected quarter due mainly to: Despite processing constraints, Jessop said KCGM mining performance was strong, including a record 207,000 ounces mined in the quarter under Northern Stars ownership. He also said KCGM ended the quarter with 1.3 million tonnes at 1.9 grams per tonne and 81,000 ounces of high-grade ore on the ROM pad due to the throughput issues. At Yandal, Jessop said both Jundee and Thunderbox experienced a challenging quarter and first half. At Jundee, localized structural failure in the crushing circuit required tunnel excavation and rebuilding; he said ROM pad loaders are feeding the bin again, with full completion on track for mid-February. Jessop also said the Jundee airstrip is less than two weeks from its first flight and is expected to reduce rain interruptions and generate flight savings. Thunderbox faced reduced throughput due to tank issues, which also lowered recovery by 5%, as well as challenges at Aurelia, where Jessop said the resource has not performed as modeled in high-grade areas. He said the company reduced the mining fleet from 17 trucks to 11 to improve mining practices and efficiencies, and that Aurelias strip ratio reduces from here. Jessop described Aurelia as having an estimated 21-month life expected to generate 215,000 ounces at 1.4 grams per tonne. He added that Bannockburn open pit mining has ramped up, with first ore being stockpiled ahead of milling in the second half as another ore source close to the Thunderbox mill. In Alaska at Pogo, Jessop said lower gold sales were impacted by lower head grade (by about 0.51 gram per tonne) tied to stope dilution and ore loss, as well as about 30,000 tonnes less ore due to East Deeps fan constraints in scheduled high-grade areas. He also cited about three days lost in December due to extremely cold temperatures. However, he said January showed improving mine grades above 6 grams per tonne, and processing performance in the quarter was very good, with availability averaging 92% year to date and recovery at 86%5% higher than expected. Development improved to 5.2 kilometers in the quarter. Revised FY26 guidance and expectations for a stronger second half Tonkin said the companys revised FY26 outlook is for 1.61.7 million ounces of gold sold at AISC of $2,600$2,800 per ounce. He said the disruption events are now behind the company and the team is focused on productivity improvements and cost discipline to deliver a stronger second half. Jessop said operations were in a much stronger position entering the second half, citing KCGM and South Kalgoorlie returning to normal, Jundee issues expected to be resolved during the current quarter, improved conditions at Thunderbox, and improved head grades at Pogo continuing into January. Capital spending: KCGM mill expansion, tailings, and Hemi Tonkin said overall operational growth capital guidance remains unchanged at $1.14$1.2 billion, while providing updated detail on key projects. At KCGM, FY26 growth capital expenditure for the mill expansion is now expected to be $640$660 million. Tonkin said this reflects targeted increases in labor to ensure commissioning in early FY27. In the Q&A, he described the labor increase as targeted and deliberate, lifting headcount to more than 800 people to maintain schedule, and noted an uplift of about AUD 110 million this year associated with that approach. Jessop said the project remained on time for an early FY27 ramp-up, and that the workforce had been maintained through the Christmas-New Year period. In response to questions about timing, Tonkin said the company still expects the mill to be running in July, describing the remaining work as electrical, pipework, testing, and final fit-out steps prior to energizing and commissioning. Tonkin also said KCGM tailings dam activity is ahead of schedule. FY26 spend is now expected to be $240$260 million and FY27 forecast spend is expected to be lighter at $100$120 million, representing about a 10% reduced cost for the overall tailings dam project. At the Hemi project, Tonkin said forecast spend is $165$175 million, reflecting optimization of engineering and design work. In the Q&A, management said permitting remains in process, including EPA approvals, while work continues in parallel on water trials and dewatering testing and stakeholder engagement. Tonkin said the company is working toward being in a position by the end of the calendar year to put numbers together for a final investment decision, and described ongoing optimization efforts, including considerations around common equipment and spares with KCGM and potential changes to mill sizing to align more closely with the Fimiston expansion design. Balance sheet, cash flow, hedging, and tax Gurner said Northern Star remained in a net cash position of AUD 293 million at Dec. 31, with AUD 1.18 billion of cash and bullion. He said first-half FY26 cash earnings were estimated at AUD 1.06AUD 1.11 billion, reiterating the companys dividend policy of paying 20%30% of cash earnings. Gurner said all three production centers generated positive net mine cash flow in the quarter, with capital and exploration fully funded. The company recorded AUD 738 million of operating cash flow during the quarter, which included an $18 million semi-annual coupon payment on notes and about AUD 30 million in annual insurance premiums. Income tax paid totaled AUD 370 million in the quarter, bringing first-half payments to AUD 437 million, which Gurner said was lower than first-half cash tax guidance. With the updated second-half production outlook, he said the company lowered second-half group cash tax forecast to $230$270 million. He also said there was no change to estimates for landholder duties related to the De Grey and Saracen transactions. On hedging, Gurner said the company delivered 158,000 ounces into hedges during the quarter. At Dec. 31, total hedge commitments were 1.1 million ounces at an average price just over $3,300 per ounce. Tonkin said that as the hedge book decreases, the companys growing exposure to spot gold, along with increasing production, positions it for stronger cash flows, noting gold prices exceeding $7,000 per ounce. About Northern Star Resources (ASX:NST) Northern Star Resources Limited engages in the exploration, development, mining, and processing of gold deposits. It also sells refined gold. It operates in Western Australia, the Northern Territory, and Alaska. The company was incorporated in 2000 and is headquartered in Subiaco, Australia. Further Reading Novo Nordisk A/S (NYSE:NVO Get Free Report) fell 2.3% on Wednesday . The stock traded as low as $57.56 and last traded at $59.2850. 30,102,612 shares changed hands during trading, an increase of 22% from the average session volume of 24,721,348 shares. The stock had previously closed at $60.68. Key Novo Nordisk A/S News Here are the key news stories impacting Novo Nordisk A/S this week: Get Novo Nordisk A/S alerts: Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth NVO has been the topic of several analyst reports. The Goldman Sachs Group cut their target price on Novo Nordisk A/S from $60.00 to $54.00 and set a buy rating on the stock in a research report on Friday, November 28th. BMO Capital Markets reiterated a market perform rating on shares of Novo Nordisk A/S in a research report on Wednesday, January 14th. Morgan Stanley reissued an underweight rating and issued a $42.00 target price on shares of Novo Nordisk A/S in a research note on Wednesday, December 3rd. Hsbc Global Res cut shares of Novo Nordisk A/S from a strong-buy rating to a hold rating in a research note on Monday, November 24th. Finally, Argus reiterated a hold rating on shares of Novo Nordisk A/S in a report on Monday, December 8th. One analyst has rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, seven have given a Buy rating, eleven have given a Hold rating and three have issued a Sell rating to the company. Based on data from MarketBeat, the company presently has an average rating of Hold and an average price target of $56.21. Novo Nordisk A/S Stock Performance The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.52, a quick ratio of 0.57 and a current ratio of 0.78. The stock has a market cap of $264.71 billion, a PE ratio of 17.23 and a beta of 0.66. The firm has a fifty day moving average price of $51.41 and a 200 day moving average price of $54.76. Novo Nordisk A/S (NYSE:NVO Get Free Report) last released its earnings results on Wednesday, November 5th. The company reported $1.02 EPS for the quarter, topping analysts consensus estimates of $0.77 by $0.25. The company had revenue of $11.79 billion during the quarter, compared to analysts expectations of $11.98 billion. Novo Nordisk A/S had a net margin of 32.76% and a return on equity of 73.50%. Research analysts forecast that Novo Nordisk A/S will post 3.84 earnings per share for the current fiscal year. Hedge Funds Weigh In On Novo Nordisk A/S Hedge funds have recently bought and sold shares of the business. True Wealth Design LLC raised its stake in shares of Novo Nordisk A/S by 209.8% during the 3rd quarter. True Wealth Design LLC now owns 443 shares of the companys stock worth $25,000 after buying an additional 300 shares during the period. Guerra Advisors Inc acquired a new stake in Novo Nordisk A/S in the 3rd quarter valued at $25,000. American National Bank & Trust purchased a new stake in Novo Nordisk A/S in the 4th quarter worth $28,000. Strengthening Families & Communities LLC acquired a new position in Novo Nordisk A/S during the third quarter worth $30,000. Finally, NewSquare Capital LLC lifted its holdings in Novo Nordisk A/S by 174.1% during the second quarter. NewSquare Capital LLC now owns 444 shares of the companys stock valued at $31,000 after purchasing an additional 282 shares in the last quarter. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 11.54% of the companys stock. Novo Nordisk A/S Company Profile (Get Free Report) Novo Nordisk A/S is a Danish multinational pharmaceutical company headquartered in Bagsvrd, Denmark, best known for its leadership in diabetes care and metabolic health. The company traces its roots to early Danish insulin production in the 1920s and was established in its current form through a 1989 merger of predecessor companies. Novo Nordisk develops, manufactures and markets pharmaceutical products and devices that address chronic and serious diseases, with a strong emphasis on long-term treatment and patient support. The companys core product portfolio centers on diabetes therapies, including a range of insulins and modern incretin-based treatments. See Also Receive News & Ratings for Novo Nordisk A/S Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Novo Nordisk A/S and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Royal Bank Of Canada set a C$167.00 price objective on iA Financial (TSE:IAG Free Report) in a research note issued to investors on Monday morning,BayStreet.CA reports. The brokerage currently has a sector perform rating on the stock. A number of other equities research analysts have also weighed in on IAG. Cibc Captl Mkts lowered iA Financial from a strong-buy rating to a hold rating in a research note on Thursday, January 8th. TD Securities lifted their target price on shares of iA Financial from C$178.00 to C$192.00 in a research note on Wednesday, January 14th. CIBC upgraded shares of iA Financial from a neutral rating to an outperform rating and upped their price target for the company from C$175.00 to C$184.00 in a research note on Thursday, January 8th. National Bankshares raised their price target on shares of iA Financial from C$146.00 to C$162.00 and gave the stock a sector perform rating in a report on Monday, October 20th. Finally, BMO Capital Markets boosted their price objective on shares of iA Financial from C$170.00 to C$175.00 in a report on Thursday, November 6th. One equities research analyst has rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, three have given a Buy rating and five have assigned a Hold rating to the company. Based on data from MarketBeat, the company currently has a consensus rating of Moderate Buy and a consensus target price of C$169.00. Get iA Financial alerts: Check Out Our Latest Stock Report on IAG iA Financial Trading Up 0.5% Shares of TSE:IAG opened at C$171.58 on Monday. The businesss fifty day simple moving average is C$172.78 and its 200-day simple moving average is C$159.39. iA Financial has a 12-month low of C$115.21 and a 12-month high of C$182.99. The company has a market capitalization of C$15.81 billion, a PE ratio of 14.74, a P/E/G ratio of 1.26 and a beta of 1.03. iA Financial (TSE:IAG Get Free Report) last released its quarterly earnings results on Tuesday, November 4th. The company reported C$3.47 EPS for the quarter. The business had revenue of C$6.67 billion during the quarter. iA Financial had a net margin of 6.85% and a return on equity of 13.73%. Research analysts predict that iA Financial will post 11.6187564 EPS for the current year. Insiders Place Their Bets In other iA Financial news, insider Philippe Sarfati sold 2,318 shares of the companys stock in a transaction dated Wednesday, November 12th. The shares were sold at an average price of C$164.30, for a total value of C$380,847.40. Also, Director Denis Ricard sold 3,000 shares of the stock in a transaction dated Friday, December 12th. The stock was sold at an average price of C$175.25, for a total transaction of C$525,750.00. Following the sale, the director directly owned 50,000 shares in the company, valued at approximately C$8,762,500. The trade was a 5.66% decrease in their ownership of the stock. Insiders have sold 6,750 shares of company stock worth $1,141,931 over the last three months. 0.09% of the stock is currently owned by insiders. About iA Financial (Get Free Report) iA Financial Corp Inc is a life and health insurance company. It offers life and health insurance products, savings and retirement plans, mutual funds, securities, auto and home insurance, mortgages, and others. The company operates and manages its activities according to five main reportable operating segments Individual Insurance, Individual Wealth Management, Group Insurance, Group Savings and Retirement, and US Operations. Featured Stories Receive News & Ratings for iA Financial Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for iA Financial and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Ryerson Holding Corporation (NYSE:RYI Get Free Report)s share price hit a new 52-week high during trading on Wednesday . The company traded as high as $30.04 and last traded at $29.7640, with a volume of 134056 shares traded. The stock had previously closed at $28.79. Analysts Set New Price Targets Several brokerages have recently issued reports on RYI. Zacks Research upgraded Ryerson to a hold rating in a research report on Wednesday, January 7th. Weiss Ratings reaffirmed a sell (d) rating on shares of Ryerson in a research report on Monday, December 29th. Two research analysts have rated the stock with a Hold rating and one has assigned a Sell rating to the companys stock. Based on data from MarketBeat, the stock presently has an average rating of Reduce and an average price target of $25.00. Get Ryerson alerts: Check Out Our Latest Analysis on RYI Ryerson Stock Performance The company has a current ratio of 1.98, a quick ratio of 0.95 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.62. The company has a market cap of $961.44 million, a P/E ratio of -42.04 and a beta of 1.59. The companys 50-day moving average price is $24.70 and its two-hundred day moving average price is $23.25. Ryerson (NYSE:RYI Get Free Report) last released its quarterly earnings results on Tuesday, October 28th. The basic materials company reported ($0.46) earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, missing analysts consensus estimates of $0.03 by ($0.49). The firm had revenue of $1.16 billion for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $1.16 billion. Ryerson had a negative net margin of 0.51% and a negative return on equity of 2.73%. Ryerson has set its Q4 2025 guidance at -0.2800.220 EPS. As a group, equities analysts forecast that Ryerson Holding Corporation will post 1.2 earnings per share for the current year. Ryerson Dividend Announcement The company also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Thursday, December 18th. Stockholders of record on Thursday, December 4th were given a dividend of $0.1875 per share. The ex-dividend date was Thursday, December 4th. This represents a $0.75 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 2.5%. Ryersons payout ratio is currently -105.63%. Hedge Funds Weigh In On Ryerson A number of large investors have recently modified their holdings of the stock. Brandywine Global Investment Management LLC lifted its stake in Ryerson by 20.0% in the 2nd quarter. Brandywine Global Investment Management LLC now owns 139,180 shares of the basic materials companys stock valued at $3,002,000 after purchasing an additional 23,230 shares during the last quarter. LSV Asset Management increased its stake in shares of Ryerson by 11.7% during the second quarter. LSV Asset Management now owns 135,170 shares of the basic materials companys stock worth $2,916,000 after purchasing an additional 14,200 shares during the period. Strs Ohio acquired a new stake in shares of Ryerson during the first quarter worth $432,000. American Century Companies Inc. boosted its holdings in Ryerson by 9.2% in the 2nd quarter. American Century Companies Inc. now owns 1,100,433 shares of the basic materials companys stock valued at $23,736,000 after purchasing an additional 93,074 shares during the period. Finally, Arrowstreet Capital Limited Partnership boosted its stake in shares of Ryerson by 34.9% in the second quarter. Arrowstreet Capital Limited Partnership now owns 364,006 shares of the basic materials companys stock valued at $7,852,000 after buying an additional 94,197 shares during the period. 94.81% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors and hedge funds. About Ryerson (Get Free Report) Ryerson, Inc is a North American metals distributor and processor serving a broad range of industrial and manufacturing end markets. Headquartered in Chicago, Illinois, the company supplies carbon steels, stainless alloys, aluminum, brass and copper products to customers across the United States, Canada and Mexico. Through its extensive branch network, Ryerson provides just-in-time delivery and comprehensive inventory management solutions to support complex production schedules and tight lead-time requirements. In addition to raw material distribution, Ryerson offers a suite of value-added processing services, including laser and plasma cutting, plate burning, sawing, shearing, forming, drilling and welding. Recommended Stories Receive News & Ratings for Ryerson Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Ryerson and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Stellar AfricaGold Inc. (OTCMKTS:STLXF Get Free Report) shares crossed below its two hundred day moving average during trading on Monday . The stock has a two hundred day moving average of $0.11 and traded as low as $0.0867. Stellar AfricaGold shares last traded at $0.0867, with a volume of 350 shares traded. Stellar AfricaGold Price Performance The businesss 50-day moving average is $0.10 and its two-hundred day moving average is $0.11. Stellar AfricaGold Company Profile (Get Free Report) Stellar AfricaGold Inc, together with its subsidiaries, engages in the exploration and evaluation of mineral properties in Canada, Republic of Mali, and the Kingdom of Morocco. The company primarily explores for gold deposits. Stellar AfricaGold Inc was incorporated in 2006 and is headquartered in Vancouver, Canada. See Also Receive News & Ratings for Stellar AfricaGold Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Stellar AfricaGold and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Thomson Reuters Co. (TSE:TRI Get Free Report) (NYSE:TRI)s stock price reached a new 52-week low during trading on Wednesday . The stock traded as low as C$164.01 and last traded at C$166.16, with a volume of 242714 shares changing hands. The stock had previously closed at C$167.31. Analyst Ratings Changes TRI has been the subject of several analyst reports. Canaccord Genuity Group raised Thomson Reuters from a hold rating to a strong-buy rating in a research report on Wednesday, November 5th. Huber Research raised Thomson Reuters to a strong-buy rating in a research report on Monday, October 20th. Finally, The Goldman Sachs Group raised shares of Thomson Reuters from a hold rating to a strong-buy rating in a research report on Wednesday, October 15th. Six research analysts have rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, three have assigned a Buy rating and one has given a Hold rating to the stock. According to MarketBeat.com, the company presently has a consensus rating of Strong Buy and a consensus target price of C$265.80. Get Thomson Reuters alerts: Check Out Our Latest Analysis on Thomson Reuters Thomson Reuters Stock Down 0.7% The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 24.28, a current ratio of 0.94 and a quick ratio of 0.52. The stocks fifty day simple moving average is C$182.78 and its 200-day simple moving average is C$219.51. The stock has a market cap of C$73.91 billion, a P/E ratio of 42.71, a PEG ratio of 3.64 and a beta of 0.14. Thomson Reuters (TSE:TRI Get Free Report) (NYSE:TRI) last announced its quarterly earnings results on Tuesday, November 4th. The company reported C$0.85 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter. Thomson Reuters had a return on equity of 20.19% and a net margin of 32.12%.The business had revenue of C$2.48 billion for the quarter. On average, research analysts anticipate that Thomson Reuters Co. will post 5.6395803 earnings per share for the current year. About Thomson Reuters (Get Free Report) Thomson Reuters is the result of the $17.6 billion megamerger of Canadas Thomson and the United Kingdoms Reuters Group in 2008 and the 2018 carve-out of its finance and risk business, Refinitiv, in which it holds a 45% stake. In 2019, the company agreed to exchange its 45% stake in Refinitiv for a 15% stake in LSE. Since the divestiture, the company is more concentrated on selling its flagship legal data and software, WestLaw, and its tax accounting software, OneSource. In addition, the company does hold a significant investment in the publicly traded Tradeweb, which operates a fixed income exchange. Further Reading Receive News & Ratings for Thomson Reuters Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Thomson Reuters and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Rakuten Investment Management Inc. bought a new stake in shares of American Financial Group, Inc. (NYSE:AFG Free Report) in the third quarter, according to its most recent Form 13F filing with the SEC. The fund bought 64,728 shares of the insurance providers stock, valued at approximately $9,432,000. Several other large investors also recently made changes to their positions in the company. Norges Bank bought a new stake in shares of American Financial Group during the second quarter valued at approximately $106,707,000. Vestor Capital LLC grew its holdings in American Financial Group by 64,631.3% in the 2nd quarter. Vestor Capital LLC now owns 388,388 shares of the insurance providers stock worth $49,018,000 after buying an additional 387,788 shares in the last quarter. VIRGINIA RETIREMENT SYSTEMS ET Al acquired a new stake in American Financial Group in the 2nd quarter valued at approximately $20,560,000. JPMorgan Chase & Co. raised its stake in American Financial Group by 50.9% during the 2nd quarter. JPMorgan Chase & Co. now owns 307,874 shares of the insurance providers stock valued at $38,857,000 after acquiring an additional 103,826 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Ameriprise Financial Inc. raised its stake in American Financial Group by 29.6% during the 2nd quarter. Ameriprise Financial Inc. now owns 424,723 shares of the insurance providers stock valued at $53,605,000 after acquiring an additional 97,102 shares in the last quarter. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 64.37% of the companys stock. Get American Financial Group alerts: Analysts Set New Price Targets AFG has been the subject of several recent analyst reports. Jefferies Financial Group reissued a hold rating and issued a $142.00 price target on shares of American Financial Group in a research note on Tuesday, November 11th. Wells Fargo & Company initiated coverage on shares of American Financial Group in a report on Thursday, January 15th. They issued an overweight rating and a $165.00 price objective for the company. Weiss Ratings cut shares of American Financial Group from a buy (b-) rating to a hold (c+) rating in a research note on Monday, January 12th. Finally, Piper Sandler boosted their price target on shares of American Financial Group from $130.00 to $139.00 and gave the stock a neutral rating in a research report on Thursday, November 6th. One equities research analyst has rated the stock with a Buy rating and four have issued a Hold rating to the stock. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, the stock currently has an average rating of Hold and a consensus price target of $142.50. American Financial Group Stock Down 0.3% Shares of AFG stock opened at $131.32 on Thursday. The company has a quick ratio of 0.55, a current ratio of 0.55 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.38. The stock has a 50 day moving average of $135.54 and a 200-day moving average of $134.91. American Financial Group, Inc. has a 12 month low of $114.73 and a 12 month high of $150.02. The firm has a market cap of $10.95 billion, a PE ratio of 13.79 and a beta of 0.70. American Financial Group (NYSE:AFG Get Free Report) last issued its quarterly earnings results on Wednesday, November 5th. The insurance provider reported $2.69 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, beating the consensus estimate of $2.35 by $0.34. The firm had revenue of $2.33 billion for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $2.02 billion. American Financial Group had a return on equity of 18.05% and a net margin of 9.66%.The companys quarterly revenue was up 13.4% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same period in the previous year, the company posted $2.31 earnings per share. On average, equities analysts predict that American Financial Group, Inc. will post 10.5 EPS for the current year. American Financial Group Announces Dividend The company also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Tuesday, January 27th. Stockholders of record on Thursday, January 15th will be given a dividend of $0.88 per share. The ex-dividend date is Thursday, January 15th. This represents a $3.52 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 2.7%. American Financial Groups payout ratio is currently 36.97%. Insider Activity at American Financial Group In related news, CFO Brian S. Hertzman sold 1,777 shares of the firms stock in a transaction on Friday, November 7th. The stock was sold at an average price of $142.51, for a total value of $253,240.27. Following the completion of the transaction, the chief financial officer directly owned 11,300 shares of the companys stock, valued at $1,610,363. This trade represents a 13.59% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The sale was disclosed in a document filed with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available through this hyperlink. Insiders own 17.40% of the companys stock. About American Financial Group (Free Report) American Financial Group, Inc (NYSE: AFG) is a diversified holding company primarily engaged in property and casualty insurance and reinsurance. Through its flagship subsidiary, Great American Insurance Company, the firm underwrites a broad range of specialty insurance products for commercial and industrial clients, including inland marine, excess and surplus lines, executive liability, and environmental liability coverage. In addition, American Financial Group offers supplemental accident and health insurance and assumes reinsurance risks from other insurers, helping to diversify its underwriting portfolio. The company traces its roots to 1946, when it was founded by Carl Lindner, Sr. Featured Articles Want to see what other hedge funds are holding AFG? Visit HoldingsChannel.com to get the latest 13F filings and insider trades for American Financial Group, Inc. (NYSE:AFG Free Report). Receive News & Ratings for American Financial Group Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for American Financial Group and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Abbott Laboratories (NYSE:ABT Get Free Report) updated its FY 2026 earnings guidance on Thursday. The company provided EPS guidance of 5.550-5.800 for the period, compared to the consensus EPS estimate of 5.670. The company issued revenue guidance of -. Abbott Laboratories also updated its Q1 2026 guidance to 1.120-1.180 EPS. Abbott Laboratories Price Performance Shares of Abbott Laboratories stock opened at $120.82 on Thursday. The company has a quick ratio of 1.24, a current ratio of 1.70 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.23. Abbott Laboratories has a 12-month low of $113.50 and a 12-month high of $141.23. The companys fifty day simple moving average is $125.65 and its two-hundred day simple moving average is $128.68. The firm has a market cap of $210.10 billion, a PE ratio of 15.14, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 2.01 and a beta of 0.72. Get Abbott Laboratories alerts: Abbott Laboratories (NYSE:ABT Get Free Report) last released its earnings results on Thursday, January 22nd. The healthcare product maker reported $1.50 EPS for the quarter, meeting analysts consensus estimates of $1.50. Abbott Laboratories had a return on equity of 17.60% and a net margin of 31.88%.The company had revenue of $11.46 billion during the quarter, compared to analysts expectations of $11.80 billion. During the same quarter last year, the business posted $1.34 EPS. The firms revenue for the quarter was up 4.4% compared to the same quarter last year. Abbott Laboratories has set its Q1 2026 guidance at 1.120-1.180 EPS and its FY 2026 guidance at 5.550-5.800 EPS. As a group, equities analysts expect that Abbott Laboratories will post 5.14 EPS for the current year. Abbott Laboratories Increases Dividend Wall Street Analyst Weigh In The company also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Friday, February 13th. Investors of record on Thursday, January 15th will be paid a $0.63 dividend. This represents a $2.52 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 2.1%. The ex-dividend date is Thursday, January 15th. This is a positive change from Abbott Laboratoriess previous quarterly dividend of $0.59. Abbott Laboratoriess dividend payout ratio (DPR) is presently 31.58%. A number of research firms have weighed in on ABT. Sanford C. Bernstein raised their price objective on shares of Abbott Laboratories from $150.00 to $154.00 and gave the company an outperform rating in a research note on Friday, January 9th. Barclays raised their price target on shares of Abbott Laboratories from $162.00 to $169.00 and gave the company an overweight rating in a research report on Monday, January 5th. Evercore ISI increased their target price on Abbott Laboratories from $142.00 to $144.00 and gave the company an outperform rating in a research note on Monday, January 5th. Wells Fargo & Company boosted their price target on Abbott Laboratories from $142.00 to $146.00 and gave the stock an overweight rating in a research note on Thursday, October 16th. Finally, The Goldman Sachs Group reduced their price objective on Abbott Laboratories from $157.00 to $152.00 and set a buy rating for the company in a report on Friday, January 9th. Two equities research analysts have rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, seventeen have assigned a Buy rating and three have assigned a Hold rating to the company. According to data from MarketBeat, the stock has an average rating of Moderate Buy and a consensus target price of $147.42. View Our Latest Stock Analysis on ABT Trending Headlines about Abbott Laboratories Here are the key news stories impacting Abbott Laboratories this week: Institutional Inflows and Outflows Several institutional investors have recently made changes to their positions in ABT. Centaurus Financial Inc. boosted its position in shares of Abbott Laboratories by 2.8% during the third quarter. Centaurus Financial Inc. now owns 3,964 shares of the healthcare product makers stock worth $531,000 after acquiring an additional 109 shares during the last quarter. OmniStar Financial Group Inc. purchased a new position in Abbott Laboratories during the third quarter worth $1,173,000. Keystone Financial Group raised its stake in shares of Abbott Laboratories by 11.3% in the third quarter. Keystone Financial Group now owns 41,285 shares of the healthcare product makers stock valued at $5,401,000 after acquiring an additional 4,204 shares during the period. FSA Wealth Management LLC boosted its stake in shares of Abbott Laboratories by 12.9% during the 3rd quarter. FSA Wealth Management LLC now owns 885 shares of the healthcare product makers stock worth $119,000 after purchasing an additional 101 shares during the period. Finally, Morningstar Investment Management LLC bought a new stake in Abbott Laboratories in the third quarter worth about $5,842,000. Institutional investors own 75.18% of the companys stock. About Abbott Laboratories (Get Free Report) Abbott Laboratories is a global healthcare company headquartered in Abbott Park, Illinois, that develops, manufactures and markets a broad portfolio of medical products and services. Founded in 1888, Abbott operates through multiple business areas that focus on diagnostics, medical devices, nutritionals and established pharmaceuticals. The company supplies hospitals, clinics, laboratories, retailers and direct-to-consumer channels with products intended to diagnose, treat and manage a wide range of health conditions. In diagnostics, Abbott provides laboratory and point-of-care testing platforms and assays used to detect infectious diseases, chronic conditions and biomarkers; its Alinity family of instruments and rapid-test solutions are examples of this capability. Read More Receive News & Ratings for Abbott Laboratories Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Abbott Laboratories and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Alaska Air Group (NYSE:ALK Get Free Report) issued its quarterly earnings data on Thursday. The transportation company reported $0.43 earnings per share for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of $0.11 by $0.32, FiscalAI reports. Alaska Air Group had a return on equity of 8.93% and a net margin of 1.06%.The company had revenue of $3.63 billion during the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $3.64 billion. During the same period in the prior year, the business posted $0.97 earnings per share. The firms revenue for the quarter was up 2.8% compared to the same quarter last year. Alaska Air Group updated its Q1 2026 guidance to -1.5000.500 EPS and its FY 2026 guidance to 3.500-6.500 EPS. Alaska Air Group Price Performance Shares of NYSE:ALK traded down $0.22 on Thursday, reaching $48.74. 4,732,845 shares of the company were exchanged, compared to its average volume of 3,332,729. The company has a current ratio of 0.52, a quick ratio of 0.49 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.12. Alaska Air Group has a 1-year low of $37.63 and a 1-year high of $78.08. The company has a 50-day moving average of $47.63 and a 200-day moving average of $50.81. The firm has a market cap of $5.65 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 39.31, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 0.49 and a beta of 1.22. Get Alaska Air Group alerts: Alaska Air Group News Summary Here are the key news stories impacting Alaska Air Group this week: Positive Sentiment: Q4 adjusted EPS beat expectations Alaska reported adjusted EPS of $0.43 (reported EPS $0.18), topping consensus and prior guidance; this outperformance is supporting confidence in core operations. PR Newswire Q4 adjusted EPS beat expectations Alaska reported adjusted EPS of $0.43 (reported EPS $0.18), topping consensus and prior guidance; this outperformance is supporting confidence in core operations. Positive Sentiment: Operational milestone the company completed a single operating certificate for Hawaiian Airlines and Alaska Airlines, a key step toward realizing synergy and revenue/cost benefits from the combination. PR Newswire Operational milestone the company completed a single operating certificate for Hawaiian Airlines and Alaska Airlines, a key step toward realizing synergy and revenue/cost benefits from the combination. Positive Sentiment: Strong full-year operating cash flow Alaska generated $1.2 billion in operating cash flow for 2025, which helps liquidity and investment capacity even as capex rises. PR Newswire Strong full-year operating cash flow Alaska generated $1.2 billion in operating cash flow for 2025, which helps liquidity and investment capacity even as capex rises. Neutral Sentiment: FY 2026 guidance is wide management set FY26 EPS guidance of $3.50$6.50, a broad range that overlaps consensus (~$5.26) but leaves uncertainty about where profitability will settle. Investors will watch quarterly cadence and guidance updates. Press Release PDF FY 2026 guidance is wide management set FY26 EPS guidance of $3.50$6.50, a broad range that overlaps consensus (~$5.26) but leaves uncertainty about where profitability will settle. Investors will watch quarterly cadence and guidance updates. Neutral Sentiment: Topline: modest revenue growth but slight miss Q4 revenue rose ~2.8% y/y to $3.63B and was essentially flat to modestly below some estimates, so demand appears intact but not accelerating materially. QuiverQuant Topline: modest revenue growth but slight miss Q4 revenue rose ~2.8% y/y to $3.63B and was essentially flat to modestly below some estimates, so demand appears intact but not accelerating materially. Negative Sentiment: Near-term guidance disappointed Q1 2026 EPS guidance of -$1.50 to -$0.50 is weaker than consensus (-$0.50), signaling a tougher winter quarter that likely weighs on the share price. Press Release PDF Near-term guidance disappointed Q1 2026 EPS guidance of -$1.50 to -$0.50 is weaker than consensus (-$0.50), signaling a tougher winter quarter that likely weighs on the share price. Negative Sentiment: Profitability and liquidity pressures in Q4 thirdparty summaries highlight steep y/y declines in gross profit and net income, lower cash on hand, rising capex and higher cost of sales; these metrics raise near-term margin concerns. QuiverQuant Profitability and liquidity pressures in Q4 thirdparty summaries highlight steep y/y declines in gross profit and net income, lower cash on hand, rising capex and higher cost of sales; these metrics raise near-term margin concerns. Negative Sentiment: Insider sales and critical commentary recent insider selling and bear-case coverage add some sentiment pressure that can amplify short-term volatility. QuiverQuant MSN Bear Case Wall Street Analyst Weigh In Several analysts recently weighed in on the stock. Wall Street Zen lowered Alaska Air Group from a hold rating to a sell rating in a report on Saturday, November 8th. Citigroup restated a buy rating and set a $69.00 target price (up previously from $61.00) on shares of Alaska Air Group in a research note on Wednesday, January 7th. Weiss Ratings reaffirmed a hold (c-) rating on shares of Alaska Air Group in a report on Monday, December 29th. Susquehanna raised their price objective on shares of Alaska Air Group from $52.00 to $70.00 and gave the stock a positive rating in a report on Friday, January 9th. Finally, TD Cowen restated a buy rating on shares of Alaska Air Group in a research report on Monday, November 3rd. One analyst has rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, eight have assigned a Buy rating and two have assigned a Hold rating to the companys stock. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, the stock has an average rating of Moderate Buy and a consensus target price of $71.80. Get Our Latest Stock Report on ALK Institutional Inflows and Outflows Several institutional investors have recently modified their holdings of ALK. BNP Paribas Financial Markets grew its stake in shares of Alaska Air Group by 1,563.7% during the 3rd quarter. BNP Paribas Financial Markets now owns 1,092,368 shares of the transportation companys stock valued at $54,378,000 after buying an additional 1,026,710 shares during the period. Balyasny Asset Management L.P. acquired a new stake in Alaska Air Group during the third quarter worth about $48,583,000. Invesco Ltd. raised its holdings in shares of Alaska Air Group by 129.4% in the 3rd quarter. Invesco Ltd. now owns 820,296 shares of the transportation companys stock worth $40,834,000 after purchasing an additional 462,776 shares during the period. Marshall Wace LLP acquired a new position in shares of Alaska Air Group in the 3rd quarter valued at about $20,959,000. Finally, Freestone Grove Partners LP grew its holdings in shares of Alaska Air Group by 84.2% during the 3rd quarter. Freestone Grove Partners LP now owns 412,448 shares of the transportation companys stock worth $20,532,000 after purchasing an additional 188,511 shares during the period. 81.90% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors and hedge funds. About Alaska Air Group (Get Free Report) Alaska Air Group is a publicly traded holding company headquartered in Seattle, Washington, that operates two main airlinesAlaska Airlines and Horizon Air. Through these carriers, the company offers scheduled passenger and cargo services across a network spanning the United States, Canada and Mexico. Its core business activities include domestic and international air transportation, loyalty program management under the Mileage Plan brand, and ancillary revenue streams such as baggage fees, in-flight sales and code-share partnerships with other global airlines. The roots of Alaska Air Group trace back to the foundation of its flagship carrier, Alaska Airlines, in 1932. Further Reading Receive News & Ratings for Alaska Air Group Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Alaska Air Group and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Universal Beteiligungs und Servicegesellschaft mbH raised its stake in shares of Altria Group, Inc. (NYSE:MO Free Report) by 10.8% in the 3rd quarter, Holdings Channel reports. The fund owned 859,223 shares of the companys stock after acquiring an additional 83,592 shares during the quarter. Universal Beteiligungs und Servicegesellschaft mbHs holdings in Altria Group were worth $56,760,000 as of its most recent filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission. Several other hedge funds and other institutional investors also recently modified their holdings of the stock. Vanguard Group Inc. raised its stake in shares of Altria Group by 1.0% during the second quarter. Vanguard Group Inc. now owns 159,717,148 shares of the companys stock worth $9,364,216,000 after purchasing an additional 1,599,923 shares during the last quarter. State Street Corp increased its stake in Altria Group by 1.2% in the 2nd quarter. State Street Corp now owns 72,367,263 shares of the companys stock valued at $4,315,438,000 after buying an additional 886,583 shares during the period. Geode Capital Management LLC raised its position in Altria Group by 1.7% during the 2nd quarter. Geode Capital Management LLC now owns 44,724,475 shares of the companys stock worth $2,620,229,000 after buying an additional 764,221 shares during the last quarter. Ameriprise Financial Inc. lifted its stake in shares of Altria Group by 62.5% in the 2nd quarter. Ameriprise Financial Inc. now owns 16,395,070 shares of the companys stock worth $954,446,000 after acquiring an additional 6,302,819 shares during the period. Finally, Legal & General Group Plc boosted its holdings in shares of Altria Group by 4.4% in the second quarter. Legal & General Group Plc now owns 8,851,415 shares of the companys stock valued at $518,958,000 after acquiring an additional 374,425 shares in the last quarter. 57.41% of the stock is currently owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors. Get Altria Group alerts: Analysts Set New Price Targets Several research analysts recently issued reports on the stock. Weiss Ratings reissued a buy (b) rating on shares of Altria Group in a report on Wednesday, October 8th. The Goldman Sachs Group increased their target price on Altria Group from $65.00 to $72.00 and gave the stock a buy rating in a research note on Wednesday, October 1st. UBS Group upgraded Altria Group from a neutral rating to a buy rating and lifted their price target for the company from $61.00 to $63.00 in a research note on Friday, January 9th. Finally, Argus raised Altria Group to a hold rating in a report on Tuesday, January 13th. Five research analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating, five have assigned a Hold rating and two have assigned a Sell rating to the company. According to data from MarketBeat.com, Altria Group presently has an average rating of Hold and an average target price of $62.56. Altria Group Price Performance Shares of NYSE:MO opened at $61.08 on Thursday. The businesss 50 day simple moving average is $58.55 and its 200-day simple moving average is $61.60. The firm has a market capitalization of $102.54 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 11.66, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 3.39 and a beta of 0.47. Altria Group, Inc. has a 12 month low of $50.08 and a 12 month high of $68.60. Altria Group (NYSE:MO Get Free Report) last released its quarterly earnings data on Thursday, October 30th. The company reported $1.45 earnings per share for the quarter, beating the consensus estimate of $1.44 by $0.01. The firm had revenue of $5.25 billion during the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $5.31 billion. Altria Group had a negative return on equity of 319.43% and a net margin of 37.89%.Altria Groups quarterly revenue was down 3.0% on a year-over-year basis. During the same period last year, the business posted $1.38 EPS. Altria Group has set its FY 2025 guidance at 5.370-5.45 EPS. On average, equities analysts anticipate that Altria Group, Inc. will post 5.32 earnings per share for the current year. Altria Group Announces Dividend The firm also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Friday, January 9th. Investors of record on Friday, December 26th were paid a $1.06 dividend. This represents a $4.24 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 6.9%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend was Friday, December 26th. Altria Groups dividend payout ratio is presently 80.92%. Altria Group announced that its Board of Directors has initiated a stock repurchase plan on Thursday, October 30th that allows the company to repurchase $2.00 billion in outstanding shares. This repurchase authorization allows the company to buy up to 1.9% of its shares through open market purchases. Shares repurchase plans are typically a sign that the companys board of directors believes its shares are undervalued. Altria Group Company Profile (Free Report) Altria Group, Inc (NYSE: MO) is a U.S.-based consumer goods company whose principal business is the manufacture and sale of tobacco products. Headquartered in Richmond, Virginia, the companys operations are focused primarily on the U.S. market and include the production, marketing and distribution of cigarettes, smokeless tobacco and cigars. Its flagship cigarette franchise in the United States is sold through its operating subsidiaries and is among the most recognizable cigarette brands in the country. Altrias principal operating businesses include Philip Morris USA (cigarettes), U.S. Read More Want to see what other hedge funds are holding MO? Visit HoldingsChannel.com to get the latest 13F filings and insider trades for Altria Group, Inc. (NYSE:MO Free Report). Receive News & Ratings for Altria Group Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Altria Group and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Shares of Citigroup Inc. (NYSE:C Get Free Report) have earned a consensus recommendation of Moderate Buy from the nineteen analysts that are currently covering the firm, Marketbeat.com reports. Five analysts have rated the stock with a hold recommendation and fourteen have issued a buy recommendation on the company. The average 12 month price objective among brokers that have updated their coverage on the stock in the last year is $125.5625. C has been the subject of a number of research analyst reports. Keefe, Bruyette & Woods lifted their price objective on shares of Citigroup from $118.00 to $131.00 and gave the stock an outperform rating in a research report on Wednesday, December 17th. JPMorgan Chase & Co. raised shares of Citigroup from a neutral rating to an overweight rating and lifted their target price for the stock from $107.00 to $124.00 in a report on Friday, December 12th. Barclays upped their price target on shares of Citigroup from $115.00 to $146.00 and gave the company an overweight rating in a research note on Monday, January 5th. UBS Group restated a neutral rating and set a $132.00 price objective on shares of Citigroup in a research report on Thursday, January 15th. Finally, Bank of America boosted their price objective on Citigroup from $115.00 to $120.00 and gave the stock a buy rating in a report on Wednesday, October 15th. Get Citigroup alerts: Read Our Latest Stock Analysis on Citigroup Citigroup Price Performance Shares of NYSE C opened at $113.88 on Monday. The company has a quick ratio of 0.99, a current ratio of 1.00 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.63. The businesss 50 day moving average price is $111.47 and its two-hundred day moving average price is $101.74. The company has a market cap of $203.76 billion, a PE ratio of 16.34, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 0.56 and a beta of 1.18. Citigroup has a twelve month low of $55.51 and a twelve month high of $124.17. Citigroup (NYSE:C Get Free Report) last released its quarterly earnings data on Wednesday, January 14th. The company reported $1.81 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, beating analysts consensus estimates of $1.65 by $0.16. The company had revenue of $19.87 billion during the quarter, compared to analysts expectations of $20.99 billion. Citigroup had a return on equity of 8.28% and a net margin of 8.50%.The businesss revenue was up 2.1% on a year-over-year basis. During the same period last year, the firm posted $1.34 earnings per share. On average, analysts predict that Citigroup will post 7.53 EPS for the current year. Citigroup Dividend Announcement The company also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Friday, February 27th. Shareholders of record on Monday, February 2nd will be issued a $0.60 dividend. This represents a $2.40 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 2.1%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Monday, February 2nd. Citigroups dividend payout ratio is currently 34.43%. More Citigroup News Here are the key news stories impacting Citigroup this week: Institutional Investors Weigh In On Citigroup A number of institutional investors have recently modified their holdings of the business. Brookstone Capital Management grew its stake in shares of Citigroup by 31.5% in the 3rd quarter. Brookstone Capital Management now owns 75,914 shares of the companys stock worth $7,705,000 after acquiring an additional 18,176 shares in the last quarter. Permanent Capital Management LP purchased a new position in Citigroup during the third quarter worth about $1,238,000. Penobscot Investment Management Company Inc. grew its position in Citigroup by 61.5% in the 3rd quarter. Penobscot Investment Management Company Inc. now owns 57,033 shares of the companys stock worth $5,789,000 after purchasing an additional 21,720 shares in the last quarter. Perigon Wealth Management LLC grew its position in Citigroup by 27.2% in the 3rd quarter. Perigon Wealth Management LLC now owns 75,566 shares of the companys stock worth $7,670,000 after purchasing an additional 16,171 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Keystone Financial Services purchased a new stake in Citigroup in the 2nd quarter valued at about $216,000. Institutional investors own 71.72% of the companys stock. About Citigroup (Get Free Report) Citigroup Inc is a global financial services company headquartered in New York City with roots tracing back to the City Bank of New York, founded in 1812. The modern Citigroup was created through the 1998 merger of Citicorp and Travelers Group and has since operated as a diversified bank holding company that provides a broad range of banking and financial products and services to consumers, corporations, governments and institutions worldwide. Citis principal businesses include retail and commercial banking, credit card and consumer lending products, wealth management and private banking, and a full suite of institutional services. Read More Receive News & Ratings for Citigroup Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Citigroup and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Shares of Taylor Morrison Home Corporation (NYSE:TMHC Get Free Report) have received an average recommendation of Moderate Buy from the ten analysts that are covering the company, Marketbeat reports. Two analysts have rated the stock with a hold recommendation and eight have assigned a buy recommendation to the company. The average 12 month price objective among brokers that have covered the stock in the last year is $77.1429. A number of equities research analysts have issued reports on the stock. Citigroup began coverage on shares of Taylor Morrison Home in a research report on Wednesday, January 7th. They issued an outperform rating for the company. Weiss Ratings reaffirmed a buy (b-) rating on shares of Taylor Morrison Home in a research report on Monday, December 29th. Zacks Research upgraded Taylor Morrison Home from a strong sell rating to a hold rating in a report on Tuesday, December 23rd. Wedbush restated an outperform rating and issued a $85.00 price objective on shares of Taylor Morrison Home in a research note on Thursday, October 23rd. Finally, Barclays reaffirmed an overweight rating and set a $71.00 target price on shares of Taylor Morrison Home in a research report on Monday, December 8th. Get Taylor Morrison Home alerts: Check Out Our Latest Stock Report on Taylor Morrison Home Institutional Inflows and Outflows Taylor Morrison Home Price Performance Hedge funds and other institutional investors have recently added to or reduced their stakes in the stock. Norges Bank bought a new position in shares of Taylor Morrison Home during the 2nd quarter valued at approximately $93,627,000. Alliancebernstein L.P. lifted its stake in Taylor Morrison Home by 360.1% in the third quarter. Alliancebernstein L.P. now owns 1,284,221 shares of the construction companys stock valued at $84,771,000 after purchasing an additional 1,005,116 shares during the last quarter. AQR Capital Management LLC lifted its stake in Taylor Morrison Home by 73.8% in the third quarter. AQR Capital Management LLC now owns 2,213,556 shares of the construction companys stock valued at $146,117,000 after purchasing an additional 940,138 shares during the last quarter. Long Pond Capital LP grew its holdings in Taylor Morrison Home by 132.4% during the second quarter. Long Pond Capital LP now owns 1,561,586 shares of the construction companys stock valued at $95,913,000 after purchasing an additional 889,616 shares during the period. Finally, Freestone Grove Partners LP purchased a new stake in Taylor Morrison Home in the third quarter worth $56,894,000. 95.16% of the stock is currently owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors. TMHC opened at $64.24 on Thursday. Taylor Morrison Home has a 1 year low of $51.90 and a 1 year high of $72.50. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.35, a current ratio of 7.02 and a quick ratio of 1.02. The company has a market capitalization of $6.28 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 7.74 and a beta of 1.59. The firms fifty day moving average price is $61.18 and its two-hundred day moving average price is $63.31. Taylor Morrison Home (NYSE:TMHC Get Free Report) last announced its earnings results on Wednesday, October 22nd. The construction company reported $2.11 EPS for the quarter, beating the consensus estimate of $1.93 by $0.18. Taylor Morrison Home had a net margin of 10.16% and a return on equity of 15.23%. The company had revenue of $2.10 billion during the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $2.03 billion. During the same quarter in the prior year, the company posted $2.40 earnings per share. The firms revenue for the quarter was down 1.2% on a year-over-year basis. As a group, analysts anticipate that Taylor Morrison Home will post 8.93 earnings per share for the current fiscal year. About Taylor Morrison Home (Get Free Report) Taylor Morrison Home Corporation (NYSE:TMHC) is a leading national homebuilder and developer specializing in the design, construction and sale of single-family detached and attached homes. The companys portfolio spans entry-level, first-time, move-up and active-adult segments, offering buyers a diverse array of architectural styles, floor plans and personalized design options. Through its vertically integrated model, Taylor Morrison manages land acquisition, community development, construction and sales to deliver quality homes and customer-focused experiences across its markets. The companys heritage traces back to Morrison Homes, founded in 1977, and Taylor Woodrow, established in 1921 in the United Kingdom. Read More Receive News & Ratings for Taylor Morrison Home Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Taylor Morrison Home and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Shares of Brookfield Renewable Partners L.P. (NYSE:BEP Get Free Report) (TSE:BEP) have been assigned a consensus rating of Moderate Buy from the sixteen analysts that are currently covering the stock, MarketBeat.com reports. Four research analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating, eleven have issued a buy rating and one has assigned a strong buy rating to the company. The average 1-year price target among brokerages that have updated their coverage on the stock in the last year is $34.8571. A number of brokerages recently issued reports on BEP. Morgan Stanley reissued an overweight rating and set a $38.00 price target (up from $36.00) on shares of Brookfield Renewable Partners in a report on Monday, November 24th. Royal Bank Of Canada increased their target price on shares of Brookfield Renewable Partners from $31.00 to $35.00 and gave the stock an outperform rating in a research note on Thursday, October 30th. National Bankshares raised their target price on Brookfield Renewable Partners from $33.00 to $34.00 and gave the company an outperform rating in a research report on Wednesday, January 7th. Desjardins raised Brookfield Renewable Partners to a hold rating in a report on Wednesday, November 26th. Finally, Raymond James Financial reiterated an outperform rating and set a $35.00 price target on shares of Brookfield Renewable Partners in a research report on Wednesday, October 29th. Get Brookfield Renewable Partners alerts: Get Our Latest Analysis on BEP Brookfield Renewable Partners Stock Up 1.4% Brookfield Renewable Partners stock opened at $28.06 on Thursday. The businesss 50-day moving average price is $27.89 and its 200 day moving average price is $27.19. The company has a quick ratio of 0.58, a current ratio of 0.58 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.91. The firm has a market cap of $8.59 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of -32.63 and a beta of 1.12. Brookfield Renewable Partners has a 52 week low of $19.29 and a 52 week high of $32.72. Brookfield Renewable Partners (NYSE:BEP Get Free Report) (TSE:BEP) last released its quarterly earnings data on Wednesday, November 5th. The utilities provider reported ($0.23) EPS for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of ($0.45) by $0.22. The business had revenue of $1.60 billion for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $1.61 billion. Brookfield Renewable Partners had a return on equity of 0.66% and a net margin of 3.52%. As a group, sell-side analysts anticipate that Brookfield Renewable Partners will post -1.04 earnings per share for the current year. Brookfield Renewable Partners Announces Dividend The business also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Wednesday, December 31st. Investors of record on Friday, November 28th were paid a $0.373 dividend. The ex-dividend date of this dividend was Friday, November 28th. This represents a $1.49 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 5.3%. Brookfield Renewable Partnerss dividend payout ratio (DPR) is currently -173.26%. Hedge Funds Weigh In On Brookfield Renewable Partners Large investors have recently added to or reduced their stakes in the stock. Hilltop National Bank raised its stake in Brookfield Renewable Partners by 37.6% in the third quarter. Hilltop National Bank now owns 1,830 shares of the utilities providers stock valued at $47,000 after buying an additional 500 shares in the last quarter. Aviso Financial Inc. raised its position in shares of Brookfield Renewable Partners by 9.6% during the 3rd quarter. Aviso Financial Inc. now owns 8,338 shares of the utilities providers stock worth $215,000 after acquiring an additional 733 shares in the last quarter. Envestnet Asset Management Inc. lifted its stake in Brookfield Renewable Partners by 7.8% during the third quarter. Envestnet Asset Management Inc. now owns 10,223 shares of the utilities providers stock worth $264,000 after purchasing an additional 742 shares during the last quarter. U.S. Capital Wealth Advisors LLC lifted its stake in Brookfield Renewable Partners by 2.6% during the third quarter. U.S. Capital Wealth Advisors LLC now owns 29,600 shares of the utilities providers stock worth $763,000 after purchasing an additional 750 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Apollon Wealth Management LLC boosted its holdings in Brookfield Renewable Partners by 5.3% in the third quarter. Apollon Wealth Management LLC now owns 17,060 shares of the utilities providers stock valued at $440,000 after purchasing an additional 858 shares in the last quarter. 63.16% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors and hedge funds. About Brookfield Renewable Partners (Get Free Report) Brookfield Renewable Partners L.P. is a leading global owner, operator and developer of renewable power assets. Listed on the New York Stock Exchange under the ticker BEP, the partnership focuses on generating clean electricity from a diversified mix of hydroelectric, wind, solar and energy storage facilities. As part of the Brookfield Asset Management group, Brookfield Renewable leverages a long-term, asset-backed approach to investing in sustainable energy projects that support the transition to a low-carbon economy. The companys platform encompasses approximately 23,000 megawatts of installed capacity across four continents. Featured Stories Receive News & Ratings for Brookfield Renewable Partners Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Brookfield Renewable Partners and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Buenaventura Mining Company Inc. (NYSE:BVN Get Free Report) shares hit a new 52-week high on Tuesday . The stock traded as high as $36.57 and last traded at $36.5940, with a volume of 174468 shares changing hands. The stock had previously closed at $34.68. Analysts Set New Price Targets A number of analysts recently weighed in on BVN shares. Scotiabank decreased their target price on shares of Buenaventura Mining from $27.50 to $27.00 and set a sector perform rating on the stock in a report on Wednesday, November 19th. Weiss Ratings reaffirmed a buy (b) rating on shares of Buenaventura Mining in a research note on Monday, December 29th. Zacks Research downgraded shares of Buenaventura Mining from a strong-buy rating to a hold rating in a report on Wednesday, January 7th. Finally, Wall Street Zen raised Buenaventura Mining from a hold rating to a buy rating in a research note on Saturday, October 25th. One investment analyst has rated the stock with a Buy rating and two have given a Hold rating to the companys stock. According to MarketBeat, the stock presently has a consensus rating of Hold and a consensus price target of $27.00. Get Buenaventura Mining alerts: Read Our Latest Analysis on BVN Buenaventura Mining Stock Down 1.5% The company has a fifty day moving average of $28.15 and a 200 day moving average of $23.16. The company has a quick ratio of 2.05, a current ratio of 2.27 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.18. The company has a market cap of $9.39 billion, a P/E ratio of 21.78 and a beta of 0.35. Buenaventura Mining (NYSE:BVN Get Free Report) last issued its quarterly earnings data on Friday, October 31st. The mining company reported $0.66 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, beating analysts consensus estimates of $0.41 by $0.25. Buenaventura Mining had a net margin of 30.70% and a return on equity of 11.76%. The firm had revenue of $431.04 million during the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $355.57 million. On average, research analysts anticipate that Buenaventura Mining Company Inc. will post 1.13 earnings per share for the current fiscal year. Buenaventura Mining Announces Dividend The firm also recently announced a special dividend, which was paid on Tuesday, December 9th. Stockholders of record on Wednesday, November 19th were given a dividend of $0.1446 per share. The ex-dividend date was Wednesday, November 19th. Buenaventura Minings dividend payout ratio is currently 24.71%. Institutional Investors Weigh In On Buenaventura Mining Institutional investors and hedge funds have recently modified their holdings of the business. Public Employees Retirement System of Ohio lifted its stake in shares of Buenaventura Mining by 10.2% in the third quarter. Public Employees Retirement System of Ohio now owns 8,615 shares of the mining companys stock worth $210,000 after acquiring an additional 800 shares in the last quarter. Lester Murray Antman dba SimplyRich lifted its holdings in Buenaventura Mining by 1.9% during the 3rd quarter. Lester Murray Antman dba SimplyRich now owns 44,927 shares of the mining companys stock worth $1,093,000 after buying an additional 822 shares during the last quarter. Blue Trust Inc. increased its holdings in shares of Buenaventura Mining by 18.8% in the 3rd quarter. Blue Trust Inc. now owns 8,111 shares of the mining companys stock valued at $197,000 after acquiring an additional 1,283 shares during the last quarter. Towarzystwo Funduszy Inwestycyjnych PZU SA raised its position in shares of Buenaventura Mining by 14.9% during the 3rd quarter. Towarzystwo Funduszy Inwestycyjnych PZU SA now owns 10,800 shares of the mining companys stock valued at $263,000 after acquiring an additional 1,400 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Headlands Technologies LLC lifted its stake in Buenaventura Mining by 60.9% during the second quarter. Headlands Technologies LLC now owns 3,761 shares of the mining companys stock worth $62,000 after purchasing an additional 1,424 shares during the last quarter. Buenaventura Mining Company Profile (Get Free Report) Compania de Minas Buenaventura SAA. (NYSE: BVN) is one of Perus leading precious metals producers, primarily engaged in the exploration, development and operation of gold, silver and base metal mines. Headquartered in Lima, the companys core activities cover the entire mining cycle from concession acquisition and project evaluation to extraction, milling and metal refining. Buenaventura also holds interests in smelting, refining and trading services, enabling it to market its products both domestically and internationally. The companys principal assets include several operating mines in Peru such as Uchucchacua (silver-lead-zinc), Orcopampa (gold-silver) and the Tambomayo gold mine. Featured Stories Receive News & Ratings for Buenaventura Mining Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Buenaventura Mining and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Celestica, Inc. (NYSE:CLS Get Free Report) (TSE:CLS) gapped down prior to trading on Thursday . The stock had previously closed at $309.76, but opened at $300.92. Celestica shares last traded at $287.4090, with a volume of 2,813,884 shares. Trending Headlines about Celestica Here are the key news stories impacting Celestica this week: Get Celestica alerts: Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth CLS has been the topic of several analyst reports. TD Cowen reaffirmed a hold rating and issued a $238.00 price objective on shares of Celestica in a research report on Friday, October 3rd. BMO Capital Markets set a $370.00 price target on Celestica and gave the stock an outperform rating in a research note on Wednesday, October 29th. JPMorgan Chase & Co. increased their price objective on Celestica from $295.00 to $360.00 and gave the company an overweight rating in a research report on Wednesday, October 29th. Barclays boosted their target price on Celestica from $357.00 to $359.00 and gave the stock an overweight rating in a research report on Friday, November 14th. Finally, BNP Paribas Exane restated an outperform rating and set a $300.00 target price on shares of Celestica in a research note on Thursday, September 25th. One analyst has rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, fourteen have given a Buy rating and four have issued a Hold rating to the companys stock. Based on data from MarketBeat, the stock presently has an average rating of Moderate Buy and a consensus price target of $340.75. Celestica Price Performance The company has a market capitalization of $33.54 billion, a P/E ratio of 47.43 and a beta of 1.87. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.37, a current ratio of 1.47 and a quick ratio of 0.88. The firms 50-day moving average is $309.62 and its 200-day moving average is $259.99. Celestica (NYSE:CLS Get Free Report) (TSE:CLS) last issued its quarterly earnings results on Monday, October 27th. The technology company reported $1.58 earnings per share for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of $1.45 by $0.13. The business had revenue of $3.19 billion for the quarter, compared to analysts expectations of $3.01 billion. Celestica had a net margin of 6.35% and a return on equity of 30.53%. The companys revenue was up 27.8% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same quarter last year, the company posted $1.04 EPS. Analysts predict that Celestica, Inc. will post 4.35 EPS for the current fiscal year. Insider Buying and Selling at Celestica In related news, Director Laurette T. Koellner acquired 6,000 shares of the businesss stock in a transaction that occurred on Thursday, October 30th. The stock was bought at an average cost of $341.67 per share, for a total transaction of $2,050,020.00. Following the purchase, the director owned 6,000 shares in the company, valued at $2,050,020. The trade was a increase in their position. The transaction was disclosed in a filing with the SEC, which is accessible through this link. 0.52% of the stock is currently owned by insiders. Institutional Inflows and Outflows Hedge funds and other institutional investors have recently added to or reduced their stakes in the business. Golden State Wealth Management LLC raised its position in shares of Celestica by 102.5% during the second quarter. Golden State Wealth Management LLC now owns 164 shares of the technology companys stock valued at $26,000 after buying an additional 83 shares during the last quarter. MassMutual Private Wealth & Trust FSB increased its holdings in Celestica by 42.5% in the 3rd quarter. MassMutual Private Wealth & Trust FSB now owns 124 shares of the technology companys stock valued at $31,000 after acquiring an additional 37 shares during the last quarter. First Horizon Corp purchased a new stake in Celestica in the 3rd quarter worth $31,000. ST Germain D J Co. Inc. bought a new position in shares of Celestica during the 2nd quarter valued at about $37,000. Finally, Twin Peaks Wealth Advisors LLC purchased a new position in shares of Celestica during the second quarter valued at about $40,000. 67.38% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors. Celestica Company Profile (Get Free Report) Celestica Inc is a multinational electronics manufacturing services (EMS) company that provides design, engineering, manufacturing and supply chain solutions to original equipment manufacturers across a range of industries. Headquartered in Toronto, Ontario, Canada, Celestica works with customers to develop and produce complex electronic and electro-mechanical products, integrating activities from product design and prototyping through high-volume assembly, testing and final system integration. The companys service offering typically includes product engineering and design support, printed circuit board assembly, box-build and systems assembly, automated test and inspection, aftermarket repair and refurbishment, and end-to-end supply chain and logistics management. Featured Articles Receive News & Ratings for Celestica Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Celestica and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Central Asia Metals (LON:CAML Get Free Report) was downgraded by equities researchers at Royal Bank Of Canada to a sector perform rating in a research note issued on Thursday, MarketBeat Ratings reports. They currently have a GBX 200 price target on the mining companys stock, down from their prior price target of GBX 220. Royal Bank Of Canadas price target would suggest a potential upside of 1.03% from the companys current price. Several other research firms also recently commented on CAML. Canaccord Genuity Group reissued a hold rating and issued a GBX 175 price objective on shares of Central Asia Metals in a research note on Thursday, October 16th. Berenberg Bank reiterated a hold rating and set a GBX 170 price target on shares of Central Asia Metals in a research report on Monday, January 12th. Finally, Peel Hunt reaffirmed a buy rating and issued a GBX 205 target price on shares of Central Asia Metals in a research report on Friday, October 10th. One research analyst has rated the stock with a Buy rating and three have issued a Hold rating to the company. According to data from MarketBeat.com, Central Asia Metals currently has an average rating of Hold and an average target price of GBX 187.50. Get Central Asia Metals alerts: View Our Latest Research Report on CAML Central Asia Metals Stock Down 5.5% Insider Buying and Selling at Central Asia Metals LON:CAML opened at GBX 197.97 on Thursday. The companys fifty day moving average price is GBX 178.82 and its 200-day moving average price is GBX 163.62. The firm has a market capitalization of 340.68 million, a P/E ratio of 9.97 and a beta of 1.12. Central Asia Metals has a 1-year low of GBX 134.46 and a 1-year high of GBX 213.50. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.55, a current ratio of 5.15 and a quick ratio of 1.97. In related news, insider Gavin Ferrar acquired 12,669 shares of the businesss stock in a transaction dated Thursday, November 6th. The shares were acquired at an average cost of GBX 158 per share, for a total transaction of 20,017.02. 9.00% of the stock is currently owned by corporate insiders. Central Asia Metals Company Profile (Get Free Report) Central Asia Metals (CAML) is a base metals producer quoted on the AIM market of the London Stock Exchange with copper operations in Kazakhstan, and a zinc and lead mine in North Macedonia CAML is based in London and owns 100% of the Kounrad solvent extraction and electrowinning (SX-EW) copper facility in central Kazakhstan and 100% of the Sasa zinc and lead mine in North Macedonia. It is an established low-cost, diversified base-metals producer, with capacity to generate annual copper production of up to 14,000 tonnes, zinc production of up to 21,000 tonnes and lead production of up to 29,000 tonnes. CAML was incorporated in the United Kingdom and raised $60 million at IPO in September 2010, which was used to build the Kounrad recovery plant in central Kazakhstan. Read More Receive News & Ratings for Central Asia Metals Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Central Asia Metals and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Command Security Co. (NYSEAMERICAN:MOC Get Free Report) shares passed below its 50-day moving average during trading on Wednesday . The stock has a 50-day moving average of $2.85 and traded as low as $2.82. Command Security shares last traded at $2.85, with a volume of 51,100 shares changing hands. Command Security Stock Up 1.1% The businesss fifty day moving average is $2.85 and its two-hundred day moving average is $2.85. Command Security Company Profile (Get Free Report) Command Security Corporation provides uniformed security officers and aviation security services in the United States. It operates through Security and Aviation Safeguards divisions. The Security division offers armed and unarmed uniformed security personnel for access control, loss prevention, mobile patrols, traffic control, security console/system operators, and fire safety directors, as well as personnel for reception, concierge, and front desk/doorman operations. This division serves governmental, quasi-governmental, and financial institutions; colleges and universities; healthcare facilities; residential communities; and commercial real estate, industrial, distribution, logistics, and retail customers. Read More Receive News & Ratings for Command Security Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Command Security and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. China Merchants Bank (OTCMKTS:CIHKY Get Free Report) and National Bank of Canada (OTCMKTS:NTIOF Get Free Report) are both large-cap finance companies, but which is the better investment? We will contrast the two companies based on the strength of their valuation, earnings, risk, profitability, analyst recommendations, institutional ownership and dividends. Analyst Ratings This is a breakdown of recent ratings and target prices for China Merchants Bank and National Bank of Canada, as reported by MarketBeat.com. Get China Merchants Bank alerts: Sell Ratings Hold Ratings Buy Ratings Strong Buy Ratings Rating Score China Merchants Bank 0 0 0 0 0.00 National Bank of Canada 0 7 3 0 2.30 Earnings & Valuation This table compares China Merchants Bank and National Bank of Canadas revenue, earnings per share and valuation. Gross Revenue Price/Sales Ratio Net Income Earnings Per Share Price/Earnings Ratio China Merchants Bank $69.20 billion 2.20 $20.64 billion $3.94 7.65 National Bank of Canada $21.96 billion 2.14 $2.87 billion $7.23 16.66 China Merchants Bank has higher revenue and earnings than National Bank of Canada. China Merchants Bank is trading at a lower price-to-earnings ratio than National Bank of Canada, indicating that it is currently the more affordable of the two stocks. Profitability This table compares China Merchants Bank and National Bank of Canadas net margins, return on equity and return on assets. Net Margins Return on Equity Return on Assets China Merchants Bank 32.06% 12.04% 1.19% National Bank of Canada 13.07% 15.74% 0.83% Dividends China Merchants Bank pays an annual dividend of $0.58 per share and has a dividend yield of 1.9%. National Bank of Canada pays an annual dividend of $3.55 per share and has a dividend yield of 2.9%. China Merchants Bank pays out 14.7% of its earnings in the form of a dividend. National Bank of Canada pays out 49.1% of its earnings in the form of a dividend. Both companies have healthy payout ratios and should be able to cover their dividend payments with earnings for the next several years. Institutional & Insider Ownership 0.1% of National Bank of Canada shares are held by institutional investors. 0.3% of National Bank of Canada shares are held by insiders. Strong institutional ownership is an indication that large money managers, endowments and hedge funds believe a company will outperform the market over the long term. Risk and Volatility China Merchants Bank has a beta of 0.24, meaning that its share price is 76% less volatile than the S&P 500. Comparatively, National Bank of Canada has a beta of 0.9, meaning that its share price is 10% less volatile than the S&P 500. Summary National Bank of Canada beats China Merchants Bank on 9 of the 15 factors compared between the two stocks. About China Merchants Bank (Get Free Report) China Merchants Bank Co., Ltd., together with its subsidiaries, provides various banking products and services. It operates through Wholesale Finance Business, Retail Finance Business, and Other Business segments. The company offers current, demand, time, call, savings, notice, and renminbi accounts. Its loan products include personal commercial real estate, consumption, housing, and car loans; loans to finance for studying abroad; micro-business loans; mortgage loans for equipment; joint guarantee, special guarantee, and housing mortgage loan; bank acceptance, discount, liquid capital, and fixed asset loans; and loans for vessels. The company also offers credit cards; insurance products; open-ended funds; discount and guarantees for commercial bills, redemption of commercial bills, and guaranteed discount for commercial acceptance bills; and financial consultation, debt financing underwriting, merger and acquisition financing, and equity financing and enterprise listing services. In addition, it provides forfeiting and risk participation, escrow, cross-border RMB clearing, and interbank services; and risk and financial management, cross-border RMB and oversea financing, international factoring and settlement, and trade finance services. Further, the company offers financial leasing and guarantee, investment and wealth management, forex option and gold trading, forex express trading, international, offshore and private banking, custody, pension, and electronic banking services. The company also operates in Hong Kong, New York, London, Singapore, Luxembourg, Sydney, and Taipei. China Merchants Bank Co., Ltd. was founded in 1987 and is headquartered in Shenzhen, China. About National Bank of Canada (Get Free Report) National Bank of Canada provides financial services to individuals, businesses, institutional clients, and governments in Canada and internationally. It operates through four segments: Personal and Commercial, Wealth Management, Financial Markets, and U.S. Specialty Finance and International. The Personal and Commercial segment offers personal banking services, including transaction solutions, mortgage loans and home equity lines of credit, consumer loans, payment solutions, and savings and investment solutions; various insurance products; and commercial banking services, such as credit, and deposit, investment solutions, international trade, foreign exchange transactions, payroll, cash management, insurance, electronic transactions, and complimentary services. The Wealth Management segment provides full-service brokerage, private banking, direct brokerage, investment solutions, administrative and trade execution, transaction products, and trust and estate services. The Financial Markets segment offers corporate banking, advisory, and capital markets services; and project financing, debt, and equity underwriting; advisory services in the areas of mergers and acquisitions, and financing. The U.S. Specialty Finance and International segment provides specialty finance products; and personal and commercial banking in Cambodia. National Bank of Canada was founded in 1859 and is headquartered in Montreal, Canada. Receive News & Ratings for China Merchants Bank Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for China Merchants Bank and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Critical Mineral Resources PLC (LON:CMRS Get Free Report) traded down 0.4% on Thursday . The company traded as low as GBX 2.50 and last traded at GBX 2.74. 347,826 shares traded hands during trading, an increase of 17% from the average session volume of 296,130 shares. The stock had previously closed at GBX 2.75. Critical Mineral Resources Stock Performance The firm has a market cap of 5.00 million, a P/E ratio of -2.36 and a beta of 1.58. The stocks 50-day moving average is GBX 3.16 and its 200 day moving average is GBX 3.17. Critical Mineral Resources Company Profile (Get Free Report) Critical Mineral Resources is a Moroccan focused company developing a sediment-hosted copper and silver project in the Anti Atlas. Featured Articles Receive News & Ratings for Critical Mineral Resources Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Critical Mineral Resources and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. VELA Investment Management LLC lessened its holdings in shares of Encompass Health Corporation (NYSE:EHC Free Report) by 43.2% during the 3rd quarter, according to the company in its most recent 13F filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission. The fund owned 13,859 shares of the companys stock after selling 10,552 shares during the quarter. VELA Investment Management LLCs holdings in Encompass Health were worth $1,760,000 at the end of the most recent quarter. Other hedge funds have also modified their holdings of the company. Royal Bank of Canada grew its stake in Encompass Health by 21.5% during the 1st quarter. Royal Bank of Canada now owns 88,470 shares of the companys stock valued at $8,960,000 after acquiring an additional 15,677 shares in the last quarter. Millennium Management LLC grew its position in shares of Encompass Health by 38.4% in the first quarter. Millennium Management LLC now owns 92,197 shares of the companys stock valued at $9,338,000 after purchasing an additional 25,574 shares in the last quarter. Caxton Associates LLP acquired a new stake in shares of Encompass Health in the first quarter valued at approximately $259,000. Exchange Traded Concepts LLC lifted its position in Encompass Health by 1.9% during the second quarter. Exchange Traded Concepts LLC now owns 8,095 shares of the companys stock worth $993,000 after buying an additional 152 shares in the last quarter. Finally, UMB Bank n.a. boosted its stake in Encompass Health by 10.9% during the second quarter. UMB Bank n.a. now owns 1,187 shares of the companys stock worth $146,000 after buying an additional 117 shares during the last quarter. 97.25% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors and hedge funds. Get Encompass Health alerts: Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades Several research analysts have recently commented on the company. Zacks Research lowered Encompass Health from a strong-buy rating to a hold rating in a report on Wednesday, November 19th. Wall Street Zen raised shares of Encompass Health from a hold rating to a buy rating in a research note on Sunday. Raymond James Financial raised shares of Encompass Health to a strong-buy rating in a research note on Friday, October 31st. Barclays raised their price target on shares of Encompass Health from $141.00 to $150.00 and gave the stock an overweight rating in a report on Thursday, October 30th. Finally, UBS Group increased their price objective on Encompass Health from $140.00 to $150.00 and gave the stock a buy rating in a research report on Thursday, October 2nd. Two analysts have rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, eight have given a Buy rating and one has given a Hold rating to the company. According to data from MarketBeat, Encompass Health has an average rating of Buy and a consensus price target of $142.86. Encompass Health Stock Performance NYSE:EHC opened at $99.32 on Thursday. Encompass Health Corporation has a fifty-two week low of $92.53 and a fifty-two week high of $127.99. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.76, a quick ratio of 1.14 and a current ratio of 1.14. The company has a 50 day moving average price of $108.40 and a 200 day moving average price of $115.88. The stock has a market capitalization of $9.99 billion, a P/E ratio of 18.78, a PEG ratio of 1.59 and a beta of 0.74. Encompass Health (NYSE:EHC Get Free Report) last released its quarterly earnings results on Wednesday, October 29th. The company reported $1.23 EPS for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of $1.19 by $0.04. The business had revenue of $1.48 billion during the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $1.48 billion. Encompass Health had a return on equity of 17.84% and a net margin of 9.33%.The companys quarterly revenue was up 9.4% on a year-over-year basis. During the same period last year, the business posted $1.03 earnings per share. Equities research analysts forecast that Encompass Health Corporation will post 4.8 EPS for the current year. Encompass Health Profile (Free Report) Encompass Health Corporation is a leading provider of postacute healthcare services in the United States, operating a comprehensive network of inpatient rehabilitation hospitals and home health and hospice agencies. Its inpatient rehabilitation hospitals offer intensive therapy programs for patients recovering from conditions such as stroke, brain injury, spinal cord injury, cardiac and pulmonary disorders, and orthopedic procedures. Through its home health segment, Encompass Health delivers skilled nursing, physical therapy, occupational therapy and speech therapy to patients in the comfort of their homes, while its hospice services provide endoflife care focused on symptom management and emotional support for patients and families. Founded in 1984 as HealthSouth Corporation and rebranded as Encompass Health in 2018, the company has grown organically and through acquisitions to serve patients across more than 30 states. Recommended Stories Want to see what other hedge funds are holding EHC? Visit HoldingsChannel.com to get the latest 13F filings and insider trades for Encompass Health Corporation (NYSE:EHC Free Report). Receive News & Ratings for Encompass Health Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Encompass Health and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Shares of Equinor ASA (NYSE:EQNR Get Free Report) gapped down before the market opened on Thursday . The stock had previously closed at $25.67, but opened at $24.91. Equinor ASA shares last traded at $24.6110, with a volume of 1,607,172 shares. Analysts Set New Price Targets Several brokerages recently weighed in on EQNR. Zacks Research downgraded Equinor ASA from a hold rating to a strong sell rating in a research note on Thursday, December 11th. Weiss Ratings upgraded Equinor ASA from a sell (d+) rating to a hold (c-) rating in a research note on Monday, January 12th. Jefferies Financial Group assumed coverage on shares of Equinor ASA in a report on Thursday, January 8th. They set a hold rating on the stock. Barclays reiterated an underweight rating on shares of Equinor ASA in a research note on Friday, October 31st. Finally, DZ Bank downgraded shares of Equinor ASA from a strong-buy rating to a strong sell rating in a research report on Wednesday, October 8th. Three analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating, seven have issued a Hold rating and nine have assigned a Sell rating to the companys stock. Based on data from MarketBeat, Equinor ASA presently has a consensus rating of Reduce and an average target price of $22.71. Get Equinor ASA alerts: Get Our Latest Stock Report on Equinor ASA Equinor ASA Stock Performance The company has a market capitalization of $72.57 billion, a PE ratio of 11.68, a PEG ratio of 3.07 and a beta of 0.36. The firm has a 50-day moving average of $23.48 and a two-hundred day moving average of $24.28. The company has a quick ratio of 1.38, a current ratio of 1.48 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.62. Equinor ASA (NYSE:EQNR Get Free Report) last posted its earnings results on Wednesday, October 29th. The company reported $0.37 earnings per share for the quarter, missing the consensus estimate of $0.57 by ($0.20). Equinor ASA had a net margin of 5.27% and a return on equity of 14.34%. The firm had revenue of $26.06 billion for the quarter, compared to analysts expectations of $23.26 billion. Research analysts anticipate that Equinor ASA will post 3.46 EPS for the current year. Equinor ASA Announces Dividend The firm also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Friday, February 27th. Investors of record on Tuesday, February 17th will be paid a $0.37 dividend. This represents a $1.48 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 6.0%. The ex-dividend date is Tuesday, February 17th. Equinor ASAs payout ratio is currently 57.82%. Institutional Trading of Equinor ASA A number of institutional investors and hedge funds have recently made changes to their positions in EQNR. Elevation Point Wealth Partners LLC lifted its position in shares of Equinor ASA by 1.9% during the 2nd quarter. Elevation Point Wealth Partners LLC now owns 23,101 shares of the companys stock valued at $581,000 after buying an additional 424 shares in the last quarter. Lazari Capital Management Inc. lifted its holdings in Equinor ASA by 5.2% during the second quarter. Lazari Capital Management Inc. now owns 8,544 shares of the companys stock valued at $215,000 after purchasing an additional 426 shares in the last quarter. PNC Financial Services Group Inc. grew its position in shares of Equinor ASA by 1.2% in the third quarter. PNC Financial Services Group Inc. now owns 37,331 shares of the companys stock valued at $910,000 after purchasing an additional 428 shares during the period. Ballentine Partners LLC increased its stake in shares of Equinor ASA by 5.0% during the third quarter. Ballentine Partners LLC now owns 9,039 shares of the companys stock worth $220,000 after purchasing an additional 434 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Legacy Wealth Asset Management LLC raised its position in shares of Equinor ASA by 1.8% during the 3rd quarter. Legacy Wealth Asset Management LLC now owns 24,805 shares of the companys stock worth $605,000 after purchasing an additional 437 shares during the last quarter. 5.51% of the stock is currently owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors. Equinor ASA Company Profile (Get Free Report) Equinor ASA (NYSE: EQNR) is a Norway-based integrated energy company headquartered in Stavanger. Historically established as Statoil in the 1970s to develop Norways petroleum resources, the company changed its name to Equinor in 2018 to reflect a strategic shift toward a broader energy portfolio. Equinors operations span the full upstream value chain, including exploration, development and production of oil and natural gas, alongside trading and marketing activities that support its global commercial operations. In recent years Equinor has pursued a transition strategy that combines continued development of conventional oil and gas resources with growing investments in lowcarbon energy. Featured Stories Receive News & Ratings for Equinor ASA Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Equinor ASA and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Universal Beteiligungs und Servicegesellschaft mbH reduced its stake in Essex Property Trust, Inc. (NYSE:ESS Free Report) by 28.9% in the 3rd quarter, according to the company in its most recent filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission. The institutional investor owned 191,274 shares of the real estate investment trusts stock after selling 77,777 shares during the quarter. Universal Beteiligungs und Servicegesellschaft mbHs holdings in Essex Property Trust were worth $51,196,000 at the end of the most recent quarter. A number of other hedge funds and other institutional investors have also modified their holdings of ESS. Vanguard Group Inc. boosted its position in shares of Essex Property Trust by 0.5% during the 2nd quarter. Vanguard Group Inc. now owns 10,493,313 shares of the real estate investment trusts stock valued at $2,973,805,000 after acquiring an additional 53,039 shares during the last quarter. State Street Corp raised its stake in Essex Property Trust by 2.5% during the second quarter. State Street Corp now owns 5,388,169 shares of the real estate investment trusts stock worth $1,540,570,000 after purchasing an additional 129,806 shares during the period. Valeo Financial Advisors LLC boosted its holdings in Essex Property Trust by 151,452.8% in the 2nd quarter. Valeo Financial Advisors LLC now owns 2,978,012 shares of the real estate investment trusts stock valued at $843,969,000 after purchasing an additional 2,976,047 shares during the last quarter. Geode Capital Management LLC grew its stake in shares of Essex Property Trust by 1.3% in the 2nd quarter. Geode Capital Management LLC now owns 1,825,007 shares of the real estate investment trusts stock valued at $515,226,000 after buying an additional 23,565 shares during the period. Finally, Daiwa Securities Group Inc. grew its stake in shares of Essex Property Trust by 48.3% in the 2nd quarter. Daiwa Securities Group Inc. now owns 1,056,887 shares of the real estate investment trusts stock valued at $299,522,000 after buying an additional 344,287 shares during the period. 96.51% of the stock is owned by institutional investors and hedge funds. Get Essex Property Trust alerts: Wall Street Analyst Weigh In Several analysts have recently commented on the stock. Weiss Ratings reaffirmed a hold (c+) rating on shares of Essex Property Trust in a research report on Wednesday, October 8th. Barclays restated a positive rating and issued a $292.00 target price on shares of Essex Property Trust in a research report on Tuesday, January 13th. Jefferies Financial Group reiterated a hold rating and set a $282.00 price target (down from $304.00) on shares of Essex Property Trust in a report on Monday, December 15th. BMO Capital Markets downgraded Essex Property Trust from an outperform rating to a market perform rating and cut their price objective for the stock from $305.00 to $280.00 in a research report on Friday, January 9th. Finally, Evercore ISI decreased their target price on shares of Essex Property Trust from $279.00 to $271.00 and set a cautious rating on the stock in a research report on Monday, November 3rd. Six research analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating and twelve have assigned a Hold rating to the company. According to data from MarketBeat, Essex Property Trust currently has a consensus rating of Hold and a consensus price target of $285.70. Essex Property Trust Trading Up 0.4% Shares of NYSE ESS opened at $257.24 on Thursday. The company has a current ratio of 1.18, a quick ratio of 1.18 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.15. The stock has a market capitalization of $16.57 billion, a PE ratio of 19.55, a PEG ratio of 6.10 and a beta of 0.73. Essex Property Trust, Inc. has a twelve month low of $243.25 and a twelve month high of $316.29. The stock has a fifty day simple moving average of $257.55 and a 200-day simple moving average of $263.20. Essex Property Trust (NYSE:ESS Get Free Report) last posted its earnings results on Wednesday, October 29th. The real estate investment trust reported $3.97 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of $3.96 by $0.01. The firm had revenue of $473.30 million for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $472.11 million. Essex Property Trust had a return on equity of 14.68% and a net margin of 45.46%.During the same quarter in the prior year, the company earned $3.91 EPS. Essex Property Trust has set its Q4 2025 guidance at 3.930-4.030 EPS and its FY 2025 guidance at 15.890-15.990 EPS. On average, equities analysts forecast that Essex Property Trust, Inc. will post 15.96 earnings per share for the current year. Essex Property Trust Dividend Announcement The firm also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Thursday, January 15th. Shareholders of record on Friday, January 2nd were issued a dividend of $2.57 per share. The ex-dividend date was Friday, January 2nd. This represents a $10.28 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 4.0%. Essex Property Trusts dividend payout ratio is 78.12%. Essex Property Trust Profile (Free Report) Essex Property Trust, Inc (NYSE: ESS) is a publicly traded real estate investment trust that acquires, develops, owns and operates multifamily residential properties. The company focuses on market-rate apartment communities and delivers a full suite of property services including leasing, resident services, asset management, and capital improvement programs designed to preserve and enhance longterm property values. Essex concentrates its portfolio in West Coast markets, with a significant presence in California and the Pacific Northwest. Featured Stories Want to see what other hedge funds are holding ESS? Visit HoldingsChannel.com to get the latest 13F filings and insider trades for Essex Property Trust, Inc. (NYSE:ESS Free Report). Receive News & Ratings for Essex Property Trust Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Essex Property Trust and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Allianz (OTCMKTS:ALIZY Get Free Report) and Hippo (NYSE:HIPO Get Free Report) are both finance companies, but which is the better business? We will compare the two companies based on the strength of their institutional ownership, risk, earnings, profitability, analyst recommendations, dividends and valuation. Risk and Volatility Allianz has a beta of 0.64, indicating that its share price is 36% less volatile than the S&P 500. Comparatively, Hippo has a beta of 1.57, indicating that its share price is 57% more volatile than the S&P 500. Get Allianz alerts: Profitability This table compares Allianz and Hippos net margins, return on equity and return on assets. Net Margins Return on Equity Return on Assets Allianz 5.69% 17.38% 1.06% Hippo 21.30% -5.89% -1.28% Insider and Institutional Ownership Earnings & Valuation 0.0% of Allianz shares are held by institutional investors. Comparatively, 43.0% of Hippo shares are held by institutional investors. 10.8% of Hippo shares are held by company insiders. Strong institutional ownership is an indication that hedge funds, endowments and large money managers believe a stock is poised for long-term growth. This table compares Allianz and Hippos gross revenue, earnings per share and valuation. Gross Revenue Price/Sales Ratio Net Income Earnings Per Share Price/Earnings Ratio Allianz $194.56 billion 0.85 $10.75 billion $3.01 14.41 Hippo $450.10 million 1.74 -$40.50 million $3.62 8.54 Allianz has higher revenue and earnings than Hippo. Hippo is trading at a lower price-to-earnings ratio than Allianz, indicating that it is currently the more affordable of the two stocks. Analyst Recommendations This is a summary of recent ratings for Allianz and Hippo, as provided by MarketBeat.com. Sell Ratings Hold Ratings Buy Ratings Strong Buy Ratings Rating Score Allianz 1 3 1 1 2.33 Hippo 1 1 4 1 2.71 Hippo has a consensus target price of $37.50, suggesting a potential upside of 21.31%. Given Hippos stronger consensus rating and higher probable upside, analysts plainly believe Hippo is more favorable than Allianz. Summary Hippo beats Allianz on 9 of the 14 factors compared between the two stocks. About Allianz (Get Free Report) Allianz SE, together with its subsidiaries, provides property-casualty insurance, life/health insurance, and asset management products and services worldwide. The companys Property-Casualty segment offers various insurance products, including motor liability and own damage, accident, general liability, fire and property, legal expense, credit, and travel to private and corporate customers. Its Life/Health segment provides a range of life and health insurance products on an individual and a group basis, such as annuities, endowment and term insurance, and unit-linked and investment-oriented products, as well as private and supplemental health, and long-term care insurance products. The companys Asset Management segment offers institutional and retail asset management products and services to third-party investors comprising equity and fixed income funds, and multi-assets; and alternative investment products that include real estate, infrastructure debt/equity, real assets, liquid alternatives, and solutions. Its Corporate and Other segment provides banking services for retail clients, as well as digital investment services. Allianz SE was founded in 1890 and is headquartered in Munich, Germany. About Hippo (Get Free Report) Hippo Holdings Inc. provides property and casualty insurance products to individuals and business customers primarily in the United States. The company operates through three segments: Services, Insurance-as-a-Service, and Hippo Home Insurance Program. Its insurance products include homeowners' insurance against risks of fire, wind, and theft, as well as other personal lines policies from third party carriers; and personal and commercial, as well as home, auto, cyber, small business, life, specialty lines, and other insurance products. The company distributes insurance products and services through its technology platform and website, as well as operates licensed insurance agencies. Hippo Holdings Inc. is headquartered in Palo Alto, California. Receive News & Ratings for Allianz Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Allianz and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Halliburton (NYSE:HAL Get Free Report) posted its earnings results on Wednesday. The oilfield services company reported $0.69 earnings per share for the quarter, beating analysts consensus estimates of $0.55 by $0.14, Zacks reports. The business had revenue of $5.66 billion during the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $5.39 billion. Halliburton had a return on equity of 19.77% and a net margin of 5.78%.The companys quarterly revenue was up .8% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same quarter in the previous year, the firm earned $0.73 EPS. Here are the key takeaways from Halliburtons conference call: Get Halliburton alerts: Halliburton closed 2025 with $22.2 billion revenue, a 14% adjusted operating margin, $1.9 billion free cash flow and returned 85% of FCF via ~$1.0 billion of share repurchases, reducing share count to a 10year low. Halliburton closed 2025 with revenue, a 14% adjusted operating margin, free cash flow and returned 85% of FCF via ~$1.0 billion of share repurchases, reducing share count to a 10year low. Management expects 2026 to be a year of rebalancing : abundant supply keeps nearterm commodity prices muted, with moderate North America softness, generally stable international activity, and a stronger H2 anticipated. Management expects 2026 to be a year of : abundant supply keeps nearterm commodity prices muted, with moderate North America softness, generally stable international activity, and a stronger H2 anticipated. International is a key growth engine (2025 international revenue ~$13.1B), outperformed rig count, is guided flat-to-modestly up in 2026, and sees additional upside from the VoltaGrid modular power partnership (400 MW manufacturing capacity secured). International is a key growth engine (2025 international revenue ~$13.1B), outperformed rig count, is guided flat-to-modestly up in 2026, and sees additional upside from the VoltaGrid modular power partnership (400 MW manufacturing capacity secured). North America faces near-term pressuremanagement expects highsingledigit revenue decline in 2026, will continue stacking uneconomic fleets, and guided Q1 CMP revenue down 79% with ~300 bps margin compression. North America faces near-term pressuremanagement expects highsingledigit revenue decline in 2026, will continue stacking uneconomic fleets, and guided Q1 CMP revenue down 79% with ~300 bps margin compression. Halliburton emphasized technology differentiationZeus IQ, iCruise, LOGIX and autonomous geosteeringwith Zeus adoption up 18%, which management says will drive improved recovery and drilling performance over time. Halliburton Price Performance Shares of HAL stock opened at $33.97 on Friday. The company has a quick ratio of 1.43, a current ratio of 2.04 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.68. The stock has a market cap of $28.59 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 22.50 and a beta of 0.78. The businesss fifty day moving average is $28.97 and its 200 day moving average is $25.31. Halliburton has a twelve month low of $18.72 and a twelve month high of $35.55. Halliburton Announces Dividend Halliburton News Summary The company also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Wednesday, December 24th. Stockholders of record on Wednesday, December 3rd were paid a $0.17 dividend. This represents a $0.68 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 2.0%. The ex-dividend date was Wednesday, December 3rd. Halliburtons dividend payout ratio (DPR) is presently 45.03%. Here are the key news stories impacting Halliburton this week: Insider Activity at Halliburton In other news, insider Mark Richard sold 160,000 shares of the businesss stock in a transaction that occurred on Wednesday, November 12th. The stock was sold at an average price of $27.77, for a total value of $4,443,200.00. Following the sale, the insider directly owned 452,374 shares of the companys stock, valued at $12,562,425.98. The trade was a 26.13% decrease in their position. The sale was disclosed in a document filed with the SEC, which is available through the SEC website. Also, EVP Van H. Beckwith sold 8,854 shares of the stock in a transaction on Friday, December 5th. The stock was sold at an average price of $27.89, for a total value of $246,938.06. Following the completion of the sale, the executive vice president directly owned 333,528 shares in the company, valued at approximately $9,302,095.92. This represents a 2.59% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The disclosure for this sale is available in the SEC filing. Insiders sold a total of 268,854 shares of company stock valued at $7,915,138 in the last three months. Company insiders own 0.56% of the companys stock. Institutional Investors Weigh In On Halliburton Several large investors have recently bought and sold shares of HAL. MIRAE ASSET GLOBAL ETFS HOLDINGS Ltd. increased its holdings in Halliburton by 7.5% during the first quarter. MIRAE ASSET GLOBAL ETFS HOLDINGS Ltd. now owns 92,754 shares of the oilfield services companys stock valued at $2,353,000 after buying an additional 6,507 shares during the last quarter. Woodline Partners LP increased its stake in shares of Halliburton by 39.0% in the 1st quarter. Woodline Partners LP now owns 73,341 shares of the oilfield services companys stock worth $1,861,000 after purchasing an additional 20,583 shares in the last quarter. Focus Partners Wealth raised its holdings in Halliburton by 25.0% in the 1st quarter. Focus Partners Wealth now owns 52,045 shares of the oilfield services companys stock worth $1,320,000 after purchasing an additional 10,408 shares during the period. Intech Investment Management LLC lifted its position in Halliburton by 309.1% during the first quarter. Intech Investment Management LLC now owns 68,946 shares of the oilfield services companys stock valued at $1,749,000 after purchasing an additional 52,092 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Acadian Asset Management LLC bought a new stake in Halliburton during the first quarter valued at about $895,000. 85.23% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors. Analyst Ratings Changes Several research analysts have commented on HAL shares. HSBC set a $30.00 price target on shares of Halliburton and gave the stock a buy rating in a research note on Wednesday, October 22nd. JPMorgan Chase & Co. lifted their price objective on Halliburton from $30.00 to $35.00 and gave the stock an overweight rating in a report on Thursday. BMO Capital Markets lifted their price target on Halliburton from $36.00 to $39.00 and gave the stock a market perform rating in a research note on Thursday. Redburn Partners set a $35.00 price objective on Halliburton in a research note on Monday, November 3rd. Finally, Argus upped their price target on shares of Halliburton from $31.00 to $39.00 and gave the company a buy rating in a report on Friday. Two research analysts have rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, fourteen have issued a Buy rating and eight have issued a Hold rating to the stock. According to data from MarketBeat.com, Halliburton has an average rating of Moderate Buy and a consensus price target of $34.57. Get Our Latest Stock Report on Halliburton About Halliburton (Get Free Report) Halliburton is one of the worlds largest providers of products and services to the energy industry, offering a broad portfolio that supports the lifecycle of oil and gas reservoirs from exploration and drilling through production and abandonment. Founded in 1919 by Erle P. Halliburton as an oil-well cementing company, the firm is headquartered in Houston, Texas and has developed into an integrated oilfield services company serving upstream operators globally. The companys activities encompass drilling and evaluation, well construction and completion, production enhancement and well intervention. Featured Articles Receive News & Ratings for Halliburton Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Halliburton and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Hawaiian Electric Industries, Inc. (NYSE:HE Get Free Report) shares hit a new 52-week high on Thursday . The company traded as high as $15.06 and last traded at $15.1750, with a volume of 1071272 shares changing hands. The stock had previously closed at $14.72. Analysts Set New Price Targets Several equities research analysts have recently issued reports on the stock. Jefferies Financial Group downgraded shares of Hawaiian Electric Industries from a hold rating to an underperform rating and lowered their price objective for the stock from $13.50 to $12.50 in a research report on Tuesday. Barclays upped their target price on shares of Hawaiian Electric Industries from $10.00 to $11.00 and gave the stock an equal weight rating in a research note on Thursday, January 15th. Finally, Weiss Ratings reissued a sell (d) rating on shares of Hawaiian Electric Industries in a research note on Monday, December 29th. One equities research analyst has rated the stock with a Buy rating, two have issued a Hold rating and two have assigned a Sell rating to the companys stock. Based on data from MarketBeat, the stock presently has an average rating of Reduce and a consensus target price of $12.50. Get Hawaiian Electric Industries alerts: Read Our Latest Stock Report on HE Hawaiian Electric Industries Stock Performance The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.79, a current ratio of 1.35 and a quick ratio of 1.35. The stocks 50-day moving average price is $12.35 and its 200 day moving average price is $11.76. The firm has a market cap of $2.60 billion, a P/E ratio of 188.00 and a beta of 0.64. Hawaiian Electric Industries (NYSE:HE Get Free Report) last issued its quarterly earnings results on Friday, November 7th. The utilities provider reported $0.19 EPS for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of ($0.20) by $0.39. Hawaiian Electric Industries had a net margin of 0.56% and a return on equity of 9.51%. The firm had revenue of $790.61 million for the quarter. As a group, equities analysts predict that Hawaiian Electric Industries, Inc. will post 1.71 EPS for the current year. Institutional Investors Weigh In On Hawaiian Electric Industries Several large investors have recently made changes to their positions in HE. Northwestern Mutual Wealth Management Co. grew its stake in shares of Hawaiian Electric Industries by 142.2% in the third quarter. Northwestern Mutual Wealth Management Co. now owns 2,325 shares of the utilities providers stock valued at $26,000 after buying an additional 1,365 shares in the last quarter. Larson Financial Group LLC lifted its stake in Hawaiian Electric Industries by 242.2% in the third quarter. Larson Financial Group LLC now owns 2,741 shares of the utilities providers stock valued at $30,000 after acquiring an additional 1,940 shares during the last quarter. SJS Investment Consulting Inc. acquired a new stake in Hawaiian Electric Industries in the third quarter valued at $46,000. Farther Finance Advisors LLC grew its position in shares of Hawaiian Electric Industries by 37.5% in the 3rd quarter. Farther Finance Advisors LLC now owns 4,125 shares of the utilities providers stock valued at $46,000 after acquiring an additional 1,125 shares during the period. Finally, Ameritas Advisory Services LLC acquired a new position in shares of Hawaiian Electric Industries during the 2nd quarter worth about $47,000. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 59.91% of the companys stock. About Hawaiian Electric Industries (Get Free Report) Hawaiian Electric Industries, Inc is a diversified holding company operating in the energy and financial services sectors in the state of Hawaii. Its principal subsidiary, Hawaiian Electric Company, provides generation, transmission, distribution and customer service to the island of Oahu, while its Maui Electric and Hawaii Electric Light Company subsidiaries serve Maui, Molokai, Lanai and Hawaii Island. The roots of the electric utility business trace back to 1891 when service first commenced in Honolulu. Through its subsidiary Hawaii Gas, HEI extends its energy portfolio to include the distribution of natural gas and propane, supporting residential, commercial and industrial customers across the islands. Read More Receive News & Ratings for Hawaiian Electric Industries Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Hawaiian Electric Industries and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. HCI Group, Inc. (NYSE:HCI Get Free Report)s share price was down 4.3% during trading on Thursday . The stock traded as low as $162.80 and last traded at $162.8250. Approximately 130,337 shares changed hands during mid-day trading, a decline of 15% from the average daily volume of 153,013 shares. The stock had previously closed at $170.10. Analysts Set New Price Targets HCI has been the subject of several research analyst reports. Wall Street Zen raised HCI Group from a buy rating to a strong-buy rating in a research note on Saturday, November 8th. Weiss Ratings reiterated a buy (b) rating on shares of HCI Group in a report on Monday, December 29th. Citigroup reissued a market outperform rating on shares of HCI Group in a research report on Friday, January 16th. Truist Financial raised their price target on shares of HCI Group from $190.00 to $235.00 and gave the stock a buy rating in a report on Friday, November 7th. Finally, Oppenheimer lowered shares of HCI Group from an outperform rating to a market perform rating in a research note on Thursday, November 13th. Six equities research analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating and two have given a Hold rating to the company. According to data from MarketBeat.com, HCI Group presently has an average rating of Moderate Buy and an average price target of $230.00. Get HCI Group alerts: Check Out Our Latest Stock Analysis on HCI Group HCI Group Stock Down 5.1% The stock has a market cap of $2.09 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 10.30 and a beta of 1.20. The business has a fifty day moving average of $180.10 and a 200 day moving average of $174.33. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.04, a current ratio of 0.80 and a quick ratio of 0.80. HCI Group (NYSE:HCI Get Free Report) last posted its earnings results on Thursday, November 6th. The insurance provider reported $4.90 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, beating analysts consensus estimates of $2.44 by $2.46. HCI Group had a net margin of 24.97% and a return on equity of 31.18%. The firm had revenue of $216.35 million during the quarter, compared to analysts expectations of $223.53 million. On average, equities analysts predict that HCI Group, Inc. will post 6.78 earnings per share for the current year. HCI Group Dividend Announcement The firm also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Friday, March 20th. Investors of record on Friday, February 20th will be issued a $0.40 dividend. The ex-dividend date is Friday, February 20th. This represents a $1.60 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 1.0%. HCI Groups dividend payout ratio is currently 10.22%. Institutional Trading of HCI Group Institutional investors and hedge funds have recently made changes to their positions in the stock. Quent Capital LLC bought a new stake in shares of HCI Group during the 3rd quarter worth about $25,000. EverSource Wealth Advisors LLC lifted its holdings in HCI Group by 557.6% in the 2nd quarter. EverSource Wealth Advisors LLC now owns 217 shares of the insurance providers stock worth $33,000 after purchasing an additional 184 shares during the last quarter. Aster Capital Management DIFC Ltd lifted its holdings in HCI Group by 645.2% in the 3rd quarter. Aster Capital Management DIFC Ltd now owns 231 shares of the insurance providers stock worth $44,000 after purchasing an additional 200 shares during the last quarter. Westside Investment Management Inc. boosted its position in HCI Group by 100.0% during the third quarter. Westside Investment Management Inc. now owns 252 shares of the insurance providers stock worth $47,000 after purchasing an additional 126 shares during the period. Finally, Global Assets Advisory LLC acquired a new position in HCI Group during the second quarter valued at approximately $46,000. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 86.99% of the companys stock. About HCI Group (Get Free Report) HCI Group, Inc (NYSE: HCI) is a holding company whose principal business is the underwriting and issuance of property and casualty insurance through its insurance subsidiaries. Headquartered in Jacksonville, Florida, the company focuses primarily on personal-line insurance products, writing homeowners, condominium, renters and mobile home policies. HCI Group also offers wind-only and flood coverage in coastal regions across the state, providing tailored solutions to both coastal and non-coastal communities. The company distributes its insurance products through a network of independent agents and brokers, leveraging local market expertise to assess risk and deliver personalized service. Read More Receive News & Ratings for HCI Group Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for HCI Group and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Hudson Edge Investment Partners Inc. lifted its position in shares of International Business Machines Corporation (NYSE:IBM Free Report) by 7.9% during the third quarter, according to the company in its most recent disclosure with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The firm owned 26,533 shares of the technology companys stock after purchasing an additional 1,949 shares during the period. International Business Machines accounts for approximately 1.2% of Hudson Edge Investment Partners Inc.s investment portfolio, making the stock its 22nd biggest holding. Hudson Edge Investment Partners Inc.s holdings in International Business Machines were worth $7,487,000 at the end of the most recent reporting period. A number of other institutional investors have also recently bought and sold shares of IBM. Triad Wealth Partners LLC grew its holdings in shares of International Business Machines by 35.1% during the 3rd quarter. Triad Wealth Partners LLC now owns 2,966 shares of the technology companys stock worth $837,000 after purchasing an additional 770 shares in the last quarter. CNB Bank grew its stake in shares of International Business Machines by 28.2% during the third quarter. CNB Bank now owns 2,177 shares of the technology companys stock worth $614,000 after buying an additional 479 shares during the last quarter. Bailard Inc. increased its holdings in International Business Machines by 11.4% in the 3rd quarter. Bailard Inc. now owns 13,407 shares of the technology companys stock worth $3,783,000 after purchasing an additional 1,377 shares in the last quarter. Rogco LP raised its holdings in International Business Machines by 2,730.3% in the 3rd quarter. Rogco LP now owns 4,104 shares of the technology companys stock valued at $1,158,000 after buying an additional 3,959 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Stock Yards Bank & Trust Co. lifted its holdings in shares of International Business Machines by 3.3% during the third quarter. Stock Yards Bank & Trust Co. now owns 27,152 shares of the technology companys stock worth $7,661,000 after purchasing an additional 873 shares during the period. Institutional investors own 58.96% of the companys stock. Get International Business Machines alerts: Analysts Set New Price Targets Several equities research analysts have recently weighed in on IBM shares. Sanford C. Bernstein reiterated a market perform rating on shares of International Business Machines in a research report on Wednesday, December 10th. Bank of America lifted their target price on International Business Machines from $315.00 to $335.00 and gave the company a buy rating in a research report on Tuesday, January 13th. JPMorgan Chase & Co. increased their price objective on shares of International Business Machines from $290.00 to $312.00 and gave the company a neutral rating in a research note on Wednesday. Stifel Nicolaus lifted their target price on International Business Machines from $295.00 to $325.00 and gave the stock a buy rating in a research note on Tuesday, December 9th. Finally, Dbs Bank upgraded International Business Machines from a hold rating to a moderate buy rating in a research note on Monday. One research analyst has rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, twelve have issued a Buy rating, five have given a Hold rating and one has issued a Sell rating to the company. According to data from MarketBeat.com, International Business Machines currently has an average rating of Moderate Buy and a consensus price target of $306.86. International Business Machines Price Performance IBM stock opened at $297.51 on Thursday. The firm has a 50 day moving average of $302.58 and a 200-day moving average of $282.60. The firm has a market capitalization of $278.09 billion, a P/E ratio of 35.59, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 2.82 and a beta of 0.70. International Business Machines Corporation has a 12 month low of $214.50 and a 12 month high of $324.90. The company has a current ratio of 0.93, a quick ratio of 0.89 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.97. International Business Machines (NYSE:IBM Get Free Report) last posted its earnings results on Wednesday, October 22nd. The technology company reported $2.65 earnings per share for the quarter, topping analysts consensus estimates of $2.45 by $0.20. International Business Machines had a net margin of 12.09% and a return on equity of 37.76%. The business had revenue of $16.33 billion for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $16.10 billion. During the same quarter in the prior year, the firm posted $2.30 EPS. International Business Machiness revenue was up 9.1% on a year-over-year basis. As a group, sell-side analysts predict that International Business Machines Corporation will post 10.78 earnings per share for the current fiscal year. Trending Headlines about International Business Machines Here are the key news stories impacting International Business Machines this week: International Business Machines Profile (Free Report) International Business Machines Corporation (IBM) is a global technology and consulting company headquartered in Armonk, New York. Founded in 1911 as the Computing-Tabulating-Recording Company (CTR) and renamed IBM in 1924, the company has evolved from early electromechanical machines to a diversified technology provider serving enterprises and governments worldwide. IBM is publicly traded on the New York Stock Exchange under the ticker symbol IBM. IBMs principal businesses encompass cloud computing and software, infrastructure and systems, consulting and technology services, and research and development. See Also Want to see what other hedge funds are holding IBM? Visit HoldingsChannel.com to get the latest 13F filings and insider trades for International Business Machines Corporation (NYSE:IBM Free Report). Receive News & Ratings for International Business Machines Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for International Business Machines and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. iShares Core MSCI Europe ETF (NYSEARCA:IEUR Get Free Report)s stock price reached a new 52-week high during trading on Thursday . The stock traded as high as $73.42 and last traded at $73.2280, with a volume of 108717 shares. The stock had previously closed at $72.86. iShares Core MSCI Europe ETF Stock Performance The company has a market capitalization of $7.36 billion, a PE ratio of 16.78 and a beta of 0.93. The companys fifty day moving average is $70.51 and its 200-day moving average is $68.49. Get iShares Core MSCI Europe ETF alerts: Institutional Inflows and Outflows Large investors have recently modified their holdings of the company. Goldman Sachs Group Inc. boosted its stake in iShares Core MSCI Europe ETF by 75.4% in the 1st quarter. Goldman Sachs Group Inc. now owns 82,949 shares of the companys stock worth $4,989,000 after purchasing an additional 35,648 shares during the period. Wealth Enhancement Advisory Services LLC lifted its holdings in shares of iShares Core MSCI Europe ETF by 7.7% in the 2nd quarter. Wealth Enhancement Advisory Services LLC now owns 38,272 shares of the companys stock worth $2,538,000 after acquiring an additional 2,729 shares during the last quarter. Farther Finance Advisors LLC boosted its holdings in iShares Core MSCI Europe ETF by 88.4% during the 2nd quarter. Farther Finance Advisors LLC now owns 20,012 shares of the companys stock valued at $1,325,000 after acquiring an additional 9,392 shares during the period. Graypoint LLC grew its stake in iShares Core MSCI Europe ETF by 6.3% in the 2nd quarter. Graypoint LLC now owns 109,482 shares of the companys stock worth $7,248,000 after acquiring an additional 6,455 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Perigon Wealth Management LLC bought a new position in shares of iShares Core MSCI Europe ETF during the 2nd quarter worth $202,000. iShares Core MSCI Europe ETF Company Profile The iShares Core MSCI Europe ETF (IEUR) is an exchange-traded fund that is based on the MSCI Europe IMI index, a market-cap-weighted index of developed European securities. IEUR was launched on Jun 10, 2014 and is managed by BlackRock. Featured Articles Receive News & Ratings for iShares Core MSCI Europe ETF Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for iShares Core MSCI Europe ETF and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. iShares MSCI Canada ETF (NYSEARCA:EWC Get Free Report) hit a new 52-week high on Thursday . The company traded as high as $55.51 and last traded at $55.3540, with a volume of 457200 shares changing hands. The stock had previously closed at $55.02. iShares MSCI Canada ETF Price Performance The company has a 50 day simple moving average of $53.34 and a 200-day simple moving average of $50.45. The firm has a market cap of $4.00 billion, a PE ratio of 19.77 and a beta of 0.94. Get iShares MSCI Canada ETF alerts: Hedge Funds Weigh In On iShares MSCI Canada ETF A number of large investors have recently added to or reduced their stakes in EWC. Allspring Global Investments Holdings LLC grew its stake in shares of iShares MSCI Canada ETF by 8.5% in the third quarter. Allspring Global Investments Holdings LLC now owns 341,146 shares of the exchange traded funds stock worth $17,245,000 after purchasing an additional 26,733 shares during the last quarter. Bank of Nova Scotia purchased a new position in iShares MSCI Canada ETF during the 2nd quarter valued at about $40,619,000. Wealthfront Advisers LLC bought a new position in iShares MSCI Canada ETF during the 2nd quarter valued at approximately $230,000. Colton Groome Financial Advisors LLC purchased a new stake in iShares MSCI Canada ETF in the 2nd quarter worth approximately $2,457,000. Finally, Coppell Advisory Solutions LLC purchased a new stake in iShares MSCI Canada ETF in the 2nd quarter worth approximately $792,000. iShares MSCI Canada ETF Company Profile iShares MSCI Canada ETF (the Fund), formerly iShares MSCI Canada Index Fund, is an exchange-traded fund (ETF). The Fund seeks to provide investment results that correspond generally to the price and yield performance, before fees and expenses, of publicly traded securities in the Canadian market, as measured by the MSCI Canada Index (the Index). The Index seeks to measure the performance of the Canadian equity market. It is a capitalization-weighted index that aims to capture 85% of the (publicly available) total market capitalization. Featured Stories Receive News & Ratings for iShares MSCI Canada ETF Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for iShares MSCI Canada ETF and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Joel Isaacson & Co. LLC acquired a new position in Delta Air Lines, Inc. (NYSE:DAL Free Report) during the 3rd quarter, according to the company in its most recent Form 13F filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission. The fund acquired 8,247 shares of the transportation companys stock, valued at approximately $468,000. Other large investors have also bought and sold shares of the company. Vanguard Group Inc. increased its stake in shares of Delta Air Lines by 2.3% in the second quarter. Vanguard Group Inc. now owns 74,572,577 shares of the transportation companys stock valued at $3,667,479,000 after buying an additional 1,648,071 shares during the period. Ninety One UK Ltd boosted its holdings in Delta Air Lines by 23.6% in the third quarter. Ninety One UK Ltd now owns 3,860,710 shares of the transportation companys stock valued at $219,095,000 after acquiring an additional 736,342 shares during the last quarter. Thrivent Financial for Lutherans increased its position in Delta Air Lines by 39.8% during the 2nd quarter. Thrivent Financial for Lutherans now owns 2,407,585 shares of the transportation companys stock valued at $118,409,000 after purchasing an additional 685,312 shares during the period. State Street Corp lifted its position in shares of Delta Air Lines by 2.6% in the 2nd quarter. State Street Corp now owns 23,059,848 shares of the transportation companys stock worth $1,134,083,000 after purchasing an additional 581,421 shares during the period. Finally, Norges Bank acquired a new position in shares of Delta Air Lines in the 2nd quarter worth approximately $27,351,000. 69.93% of the stock is owned by institutional investors. Get Delta Air Lines alerts: Insider Buying and Selling at Delta Air Lines In other Delta Air Lines news, CEO Edward H. Bastian sold 173,230 shares of the companys stock in a transaction on Thursday, January 15th. The shares were sold at an average price of $71.00, for a total transaction of $12,299,330.00. Following the transaction, the chief executive officer owned 632,823 shares in the company, valued at approximately $44,930,433. This represents a 21.49% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The transaction was disclosed in a filing with the SEC, which is accessible through this hyperlink. Also, insider Peter W. Carter sold 14,300 shares of Delta Air Lines stock in a transaction dated Thursday, January 15th. The shares were sold at an average price of $70.30, for a total transaction of $1,005,290.00. Following the transaction, the insider owned 177,142 shares of the companys stock, valued at $12,453,082.60. This represents a 7.47% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The SEC filing for this sale provides additional information. Insiders have sold a total of 351,243 shares of company stock worth $24,742,087 in the last ninety days. 0.88% of the stock is currently owned by corporate insiders. Delta Air Lines Stock Performance Shares of Delta Air Lines stock opened at $68.95 on Thursday. The business has a 50-day simple moving average of $67.34 and a 200 day simple moving average of $61.23. Delta Air Lines, Inc. has a one year low of $34.74 and a one year high of $73.16. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.60, a current ratio of 0.40 and a quick ratio of 0.34. The firm has a market capitalization of $45.02 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 8.99, a PEG ratio of 0.81 and a beta of 1.38. Delta Air Lines (NYSE:DAL Get Free Report) last announced its quarterly earnings data on Tuesday, January 13th. The transportation company reported $1.55 EPS for the quarter, beating analysts consensus estimates of $1.53 by $0.02. Delta Air Lines had a return on equity of 20.99% and a net margin of 7.90%.The firm had revenue of $14.61 billion during the quarter, compared to analysts expectations of $15.80 billion. During the same quarter last year, the firm posted $1.85 earnings per share. The companys revenue for the quarter was up 2.9% compared to the same quarter last year. Delta Air Lines has set its Q1 2026 guidance at 0.500-0.900 EPS and its FY 2026 guidance at 6.500-7.500 EPS. On average, research analysts anticipate that Delta Air Lines, Inc. will post 7.63 earnings per share for the current fiscal year. More Delta Air Lines News Here are the key news stories impacting Delta Air Lines this week: Wall Street Analyst Weigh In DAL has been the subject of several recent analyst reports. Wolfe Research increased their price objective on shares of Delta Air Lines from $70.00 to $83.00 and gave the stock an outperform rating in a research report on Wednesday, January 14th. The Goldman Sachs Group lifted their price objective on Delta Air Lines from $77.00 to $80.00 and gave the stock a buy rating in a research report on Wednesday, January 14th. Rothschild & Co Redburn boosted their price objective on Delta Air Lines from $65.00 to $72.00 in a research note on Tuesday, October 14th. BMO Capital Markets reaffirmed an outperform rating on shares of Delta Air Lines in a research note on Wednesday, January 14th. Finally, HSBC lifted their target price on Delta Air Lines from $73.70 to $80.20 and gave the stock a buy rating in a report on Wednesday, January 14th. One research analyst has rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating and twenty-two have issued a Buy rating to the stock. According to MarketBeat.com, Delta Air Lines currently has a consensus rating of Buy and a consensus target price of $80.47. Read Our Latest Research Report on Delta Air Lines Delta Air Lines Company Profile (Free Report) Delta Air Lines is a major U.S.-based global airline that provides scheduled passenger and cargo air transportation, aircraft maintenance and repair services, and related travel products. Its operations include mainline domestic and international passenger services, a branded regional network operating under the Delta Connection name, dedicated air cargo carriage, and in-house maintenance, repair and overhaul through Delta TechOps. Delta offers a range of cabin products for different customer segments, including premium business-class service on long-haul routes and tiered economy offerings on domestic and international flights, and it markets customer loyalty benefits through the SkyMiles frequent-flyer program. The carrier operates a mixed fleet of narrow- and wide-body aircraft from multiple U.S. See Also Receive News & Ratings for Delta Air Lines Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Delta Air Lines and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Nordwand Advisors LLC reduced its position in shares of Johnson & Johnson (NYSE:JNJ Free Report) by 85.7% in the third quarter, according to the company in its most recent 13F filing with the SEC. The institutional investor owned 47,946 shares of the companys stock after selling 287,900 shares during the quarter. Johnson & Johnson comprises 1.4% of Nordwand Advisors LLCs portfolio, making the stock its 19th largest holding. Nordwand Advisors LLCs holdings in Johnson & Johnson were worth $8,890,000 at the end of the most recent reporting period. A number of other institutional investors and hedge funds also recently bought and sold shares of JNJ. Norges Bank acquired a new stake in shares of Johnson & Johnson during the 2nd quarter valued at $4,877,174,000. Laurel Wealth Advisors LLC boosted its position in shares of Johnson & Johnson by 15,040.6% in the second quarter. Laurel Wealth Advisors LLC now owns 7,420,699 shares of the companys stock worth $1,133,512,000 after buying an additional 7,371,687 shares during the period. Vanguard Group Inc. increased its holdings in shares of Johnson & Johnson by 1.3% in the 2nd quarter. Vanguard Group Inc. now owns 237,047,859 shares of the companys stock valued at $36,209,060,000 after purchasing an additional 3,085,180 shares during the period. Geode Capital Management LLC grew its holdings in shares of Johnson & Johnson by 2.1% during the 2nd quarter. Geode Capital Management LLC now owns 60,609,476 shares of the companys stock valued at $9,227,988,000 after acquiring an additional 1,225,676 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Legal & General Group Plc increased its stake in shares of Johnson & Johnson by 6.2% in the second quarter. Legal & General Group Plc now owns 18,917,274 shares of the companys stock worth $2,889,614,000 after acquiring an additional 1,097,855 shares during the last quarter. 69.55% of the stock is owned by institutional investors and hedge funds. Get Johnson & Johnson alerts: Key Johnson & Johnson News Here are the key news stories impacting Johnson & Johnson this week: Johnson & Johnson Stock Down 0.0% Shares of Johnson & Johnson stock opened at $218.12 on Thursday. Johnson & Johnson has a 12 month low of $141.50 and a 12 month high of $220.11. The stock has a market cap of $525.52 billion, a PE ratio of 21.05, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 2.24 and a beta of 0.34. The company has a quick ratio of 0.80, a current ratio of 1.07 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.50. The business has a fifty day simple moving average of $207.39 and a 200 day simple moving average of $188.27. Johnson & Johnson (NYSE:JNJ Get Free Report) last released its quarterly earnings results on Wednesday, January 21st. The company reported $2.46 earnings per share for the quarter, hitting analysts consensus estimates of $2.46. Johnson & Johnson had a return on equity of 32.73% and a net margin of 27.26%.The firm had revenue of $24.56 billion during the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $24.14 billion. During the same quarter in the prior year, the firm posted $2.04 EPS. The businesss revenue was up 9.1% on a year-over-year basis. Johnson & Johnson has set its FY 2026 guidance at 11.430-11.630 EPS. Research analysts predict that Johnson & Johnson will post 10.58 EPS for the current year. Johnson & Johnson Dividend Announcement The company also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Tuesday, March 10th. Investors of record on Tuesday, February 24th will be given a dividend of $1.30 per share. The ex-dividend date is Tuesday, February 24th. This represents a $5.20 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 2.4%. Johnson & Johnsons payout ratio is currently 50.19%. Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades A number of equities research analysts recently issued reports on JNJ shares. Wells Fargo & Company upped their price objective on shares of Johnson & Johnson from $212.00 to $230.00 and gave the stock an overweight rating in a report on Friday, December 12th. Barclays increased their price target on Johnson & Johnson from $197.00 to $217.00 and gave the company an equal weight rating in a report on Tuesday, December 30th. Argus set a $210.00 target price on shares of Johnson & Johnson in a research note on Wednesday, October 15th. Sanford C. Bernstein boosted their target price on shares of Johnson & Johnson from $193.00 to $208.00 and gave the stock a market perform rating in a research report on Friday, January 9th. Finally, Raymond James Financial upped their price target on Johnson & Johnson from $174.00 to $209.00 and gave the stock an outperform rating in a report on Wednesday, October 15th. Three equities research analysts have rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, fifteen have given a Buy rating and nine have issued a Hold rating to the companys stock. According to MarketBeat, Johnson & Johnson currently has an average rating of Moderate Buy and an average price target of $213.33. View Our Latest Stock Report on JNJ About Johnson & Johnson (Free Report) Johnson & Johnson is a multinational healthcare company headquartered in New Brunswick, New Jersey, that develops, manufactures and markets a broad range of products across pharmaceuticals, medical devices and previously consumer health. Founded in 1886 by the Johnson family, the company has grown into a global healthcare organization with operations and sales in many countries around the world. The companys pharmaceuticals business, organized largely under its Janssen research and development organization, focuses on prescription medicines across therapeutic areas such as immunology, infectious disease, oncology and neuroscience. Recommended Stories Want to see what other hedge funds are holding JNJ? Visit HoldingsChannel.com to get the latest 13F filings and insider trades for Johnson & Johnson (NYSE:JNJ Free Report). Receive News & Ratings for Johnson & Johnson Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Johnson & Johnson and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. KBC Group SA (OTCMKTS:KBCSY Get Free Report) hit a new 52-week high during mid-day trading on Thursday . The stock traded as high as $68.55 and last traded at $68.24, with a volume of 2368 shares changing hands. The stock had previously closed at $67.80. Wall Street Analyst Weigh In Several analysts recently issued reports on the stock. Royal Bank Of Canada restated a sector perform rating on shares of KBC Group in a report on Monday, November 17th. Barclays downgraded shares of KBC Group from a hold rating to a strong sell rating in a research note on Tuesday, December 2nd. Citigroup restated a neutral rating on shares of KBC Group in a research note on Monday, November 24th. Zacks Research cut KBC Group from a strong-buy rating to a hold rating in a report on Friday, October 10th. Finally, Morgan Stanley reissued an overweight rating on shares of KBC Group in a research note on Friday, November 14th. One analyst has rated the stock with a Buy rating, four have given a Hold rating and one has issued a Sell rating to the companys stock. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, the company has an average rating of Hold. Get KBC Group alerts: View Our Latest Stock Analysis on KBC Group KBC Group Stock Up 1.1% The stock has a market cap of $57.28 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 13.69, a PEG ratio of 1.21 and a beta of 0.54. The stock has a 50 day simple moving average of $64.30 and a 200 day simple moving average of $60.00. KBC Group (OTCMKTS:KBCSY Get Free Report) last released its earnings results on Thursday, November 13th. The company reported $1.43 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, beating the consensus estimate of $1.37 by $0.06. The company had revenue of $3.61 billion during the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $3.54 billion. KBC Group had a return on equity of 13.96% and a net margin of 15.91%. Equities analysts expect that KBC Group SA will post 4.28 earnings per share for the current year. About KBC Group (Get Free Report) KBC Group is a Belgian bank-insurance group headquartered in Brussels that combines retail and commercial banking with life and non-life insurance, asset management, leasing and related financial services. The company operates an integrated bank-insurance model designed to serve both individual consumers and corporate clients, offering deposit accounts, lending and mortgage products, payment and treasury services, pension and protection insurance, investment solutions and wealth management. The groups banking activities include retail and private banking, corporate and commercial banking, and specialized finance such as leasing and factoring. Featured Stories Receive News & Ratings for KBC Group Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for KBC Group and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. KDDI Corporation Unsponsored ADR (OTCMKTS:KDDIY Get Free Report) saw unusually-high trading volume on Thursday . Approximately 484,808 shares were traded during trading, an increase of 118% from the previous sessions volume of 222,671 shares.The stock last traded at $16.7850 and had previously closed at $16.84. Wall Street Analyst Weigh In Separately, Zacks Research upgraded shares of KDDI from a strong sell rating to a hold rating in a report on Monday, December 8th. One investment analyst has rated the stock with a Hold rating, According to data from MarketBeat, the stock currently has an average rating of Hold. Get KDDI alerts: View Our Latest Report on KDDIY KDDI Price Performance The stock has a 50 day moving average of $17.18 and a 200-day moving average of $16.82. The company has a current ratio of 0.56, a quick ratio of 0.54 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.40. The stock has a market capitalization of $64.00 billion, a P/E ratio of 13.34 and a beta of 0.05. KDDI (OTCMKTS:KDDIY Get Free Report) last released its earnings results on Thursday, November 6th. The company reported $0.37 earnings per share for the quarter, topping analysts consensus estimates of $0.33 by $0.04. The business had revenue of $9.90 billion during the quarter, compared to analysts expectations of $10.40 billion. On average, equities research analysts anticipate that KDDI Corporation Unsponsored ADR will post 1.11 earnings per share for the current fiscal year. KDDI Company Profile (Get Free Report) KDDI Corporation (OTCMKTS: KDDIY) is a diversified Japanese telecommunications and information services company headquartered in Tokyo, Japan. Formed in 2000 through the merger of DDI Corporation, KDD Corporation and IDO Corporation, KDDI provides a broad set of connectivity and digital services for both consumer and enterprise customers. The company operates under well-known consumer brands and through a network of subsidiaries and affiliates that deliver telecommunications, internet and ICT solutions. At its core, KDDI offers mobile communications services (including the au consumer brand), fixed-line and broadband internet access, and fiber-optic services. Featured Stories Receive News & Ratings for KDDI Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for KDDI and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. BankUnited (NYSE:BKU Get Free Report) had its target price increased by Keefe, Bruyette & Woods from $42.00 to $55.00 in a research report issued on Thursday,Benzinga reports. The brokerage currently has a market perform rating on the financial services providers stock. Keefe, Bruyette & Woods price objective would suggest a potential upside of 9.25% from the stocks current price. Several other research firms also recently commented on BKU. Jefferies Financial Group reiterated a buy rating and issued a $65.00 price objective on shares of BankUnited in a report on Wednesday. Piper Sandler reiterated a neutral rating and issued a $52.00 price objective on shares of BankUnited in a research report on Thursday. The Goldman Sachs Group restated a sell rating and issued a $43.00 target price on shares of BankUnited in a report on Tuesday, January 6th. Cantor Fitzgerald reaffirmed an overweight rating and issued a $44.00 target price on shares of BankUnited in a research note on Thursday, October 23rd. Finally, Susquehanna raised shares of BankUnited to a positive rating in a research report on Wednesday. Eight equities research analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating, four have given a Hold rating and one has given a Sell rating to the stock. According to data from MarketBeat, BankUnited currently has an average rating of Moderate Buy and an average price target of $50.00. Get BankUnited alerts: Read Our Latest Research Report on BKU BankUnited Stock Up 8.5% Shares of NYSE:BKU opened at $50.34 on Thursday. The firm has a fifty day moving average price of $44.38 and a two-hundred day moving average price of $40.40. The company has a market cap of $3.78 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 14.18 and a beta of 1.30. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.69, a current ratio of 0.83 and a quick ratio of 0.83. BankUnited has a one year low of $28.21 and a one year high of $51.33. BankUnited (NYSE:BKU Get Free Report) last announced its earnings results on Wednesday, January 21st. The financial services provider reported $0.94 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, beating the consensus estimate of $0.85 by $0.09. BankUnited had a net margin of 13.98% and a return on equity of 9.18%. The business had revenue of $288.20 million during the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $279.76 million. During the same period in the previous year, the business posted $0.91 earnings per share. Analysts anticipate that BankUnited will post 3.13 EPS for the current fiscal year. Institutional Investors Weigh In On BankUnited Several institutional investors and hedge funds have recently made changes to their positions in BKU. Dimensional Fund Advisors LP increased its holdings in shares of BankUnited by 1.1% in the 3rd quarter. Dimensional Fund Advisors LP now owns 4,596,455 shares of the financial services providers stock worth $175,400,000 after purchasing an additional 51,926 shares in the last quarter. Wellington Management Group LLP boosted its position in shares of BankUnited by 23.1% during the third quarter. Wellington Management Group LLP now owns 3,070,822 shares of the financial services providers stock valued at $117,183,000 after buying an additional 576,843 shares during the last quarter. American Century Companies Inc. increased its holdings in BankUnited by 9.4% in the 3rd quarter. American Century Companies Inc. now owns 2,163,936 shares of the financial services providers stock worth $82,576,000 after buying an additional 185,937 shares in the last quarter. Geode Capital Management LLC lifted its stake in BankUnited by 0.8% during the 2nd quarter. Geode Capital Management LLC now owns 1,776,183 shares of the financial services providers stock valued at $63,223,000 after acquiring an additional 13,555 shares during the period. Finally, Cramer Rosenthal Mcglynn LLC lifted its stake in BankUnited by 20.9% during the 3rd quarter. Cramer Rosenthal Mcglynn LLC now owns 1,535,274 shares of the financial services providers stock valued at $58,586,000 after acquiring an additional 265,439 shares during the period. Institutional investors own 99.70% of the companys stock. Key Headlines Impacting BankUnited Here are the key news stories impacting BankUnited this week: BankUnited Company Profile (Get Free Report) BankUnited, Inc is a bank holding company based in Miami Lakes, Florida, operating through its subsidiary BankUnited, National Association. The company provides a broad range of commercial banking products and services, including deposit accounts, commercial lending and treasury management. It serves middle-market and small-business clients, offering tailored financing solutions across a variety of industry sectors. The banks lending portfolio includes commercial and industrial loans, commercial real estate loans and construction financing, as well as residential mortgage lending. Further Reading Receive News & Ratings for BankUnited Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for BankUnited and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Lavras Gold Corp. (CVE:LGC Get Free Report)s share price fell 11% during mid-day trading on Thursday . The company traded as low as C$3.36 and last traded at C$3.41. 698,346 shares changed hands during trading, an increase of 473% from the average session volume of 121,818 shares. The stock had previously closed at C$3.83. Lavras Gold Stock Performance The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.60, a current ratio of 4.11 and a quick ratio of 11.12. The firm has a market capitalization of C$198.62 million, a PE ratio of -48.57 and a beta of -2.52. The firm has a fifty day moving average price of C$3.34 and a 200 day moving average price of C$2.64. Lavras Gold Company Profile (Get Free Report) Lavras Gold Corp. engages in the exploration and development of mineral resource properties in Brazil. It holds interests in the Lavras do Sul, an advanced exploration gold project with 29 mineral rights covering approximately 22,000 hectares located in Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil. The company was incorporated in 2021 and is headquartered in Toronto, Canada. Featured Stories Receive News & Ratings for Lavras Gold Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Lavras Gold and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. McCormick & Company, Incorporated (NYSE:MKC Get Free Report) issued an update on its FY 2026 earnings guidance on Thursday morning. The company provided EPS guidance of 3.050-3.130 for the period, compared to the consensus EPS estimate of 3.210. The company issued revenue guidance of $7.7 billion-$8.0 billion, compared to the consensus revenue estimate of $7.8 billion. McCormick & Company, Incorporated Stock Down 4.8% Shares of NYSE MKC opened at $63.35 on Thursday. The company has a market capitalization of $17.00 billion, a P/E ratio of 22.01, a P/E/G ratio of 4.07 and a beta of 0.62. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.54, a current ratio of 0.71 and a quick ratio of 0.29. The company has a 50 day simple moving average of $66.91 and a 200-day simple moving average of $67.96. McCormick & Company, Incorporated has a 1 year low of $62.26 and a 1 year high of $86.24. Get McCormick & Company Incorporated alerts: McCormick & Company, Incorporated (NYSE:MKC Get Free Report) last issued its quarterly earnings data on Thursday, January 22nd. The company reported $0.86 earnings per share for the quarter, missing the consensus estimate of $0.87 by ($0.01). McCormick & Company, Incorporated had a return on equity of 14.30% and a net margin of 11.46%.The business had revenue of $1.85 billion during the quarter, compared to analysts expectations of $1.84 billion. During the same quarter in the previous year, the company posted $0.80 earnings per share. The companys revenue was up 2.9% on a year-over-year basis. McCormick & Company, Incorporated has set its FY 2026 guidance at 3.050-3.130 EPS. On average, equities research analysts predict that McCormick & Company, Incorporated will post 3.07 earnings per share for the current year. McCormick & Company, Incorporated Increases Dividend Analyst Ratings Changes The business also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Monday, January 12th. Shareholders of record on Monday, December 29th were given a dividend of $0.48 per share. This is a boost from McCormick & Company, Incorporateds previous quarterly dividend of $0.45. This represents a $1.92 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 3.0%. The ex-dividend date was Monday, December 29th. McCormick & Company, Incorporateds dividend payout ratio (DPR) is 66.44%. Several equities analysts have recently commented on MKC shares. UBS Group decreased their price objective on shares of McCormick & Company, Incorporated from $71.00 to $70.00 and set a neutral rating on the stock in a report on Wednesday, October 8th. JPMorgan Chase & Co. decreased their price target on McCormick & Company, Incorporated from $83.00 to $82.00 and set an overweight rating on the stock in a research note on Thursday, September 25th. Weiss Ratings reaffirmed a hold (c-) rating on shares of McCormick & Company, Incorporated in a research note on Tuesday, October 14th. Jefferies Financial Group boosted their price objective on McCormick & Company, Incorporated from $78.00 to $79.00 and gave the company a buy rating in a report on Tuesday, January 13th. Finally, Barclays lowered their target price on McCormick & Company, Incorporated from $82.00 to $72.00 and set an equal weight rating for the company in a report on Wednesday, October 8th. Four equities research analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating and six have given a Hold rating to the company. According to MarketBeat, the stock presently has an average rating of Hold and a consensus target price of $76.63. Get Our Latest Report on McCormick & Company, Incorporated Insider Activity In related news, major shareholder Lawrence Erik Kurzius sold 50,000 shares of the companys stock in a transaction that occurred on Tuesday, January 13th. The shares were sold at an average price of $67.43, for a total transaction of $3,371,500.00. Following the sale, the insider directly owned 246,762 shares in the company, valued at approximately $16,639,161.66. This represents a 16.85% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The transaction was disclosed in a filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is accessible through the SEC website. Also, CEO Brendan M. Foley sold 57,144 shares of McCormick & Company, Incorporated stock in a transaction that occurred on Wednesday, November 12th. The stock was sold at an average price of $65.56, for a total transaction of $3,746,360.64. Following the completion of the transaction, the chief executive officer owned 108,652 shares of the companys stock, valued at $7,123,225.12. This represents a 34.47% decrease in their position. Additional details regarding this sale are available in the official SEC disclosure. In the last 90 days, insiders have sold 146,158 shares of company stock worth $9,635,824. 23.80% of the stock is owned by company insiders. Hedge Funds Weigh In On McCormick & Company, Incorporated Institutional investors and hedge funds have recently modified their holdings of the company. MIRAE ASSET GLOBAL ETFS HOLDINGS Ltd. boosted its position in shares of McCormick & Company, Incorporated by 2.7% during the 1st quarter. MIRAE ASSET GLOBAL ETFS HOLDINGS Ltd. now owns 34,678 shares of the companys stock worth $2,854,000 after acquiring an additional 925 shares in the last quarter. Empowered Funds LLC boosted its holdings in McCormick & Company, Incorporated by 19.0% in the first quarter. Empowered Funds LLC now owns 5,903 shares of the companys stock valued at $486,000 after purchasing an additional 941 shares in the last quarter. Woodline Partners LP increased its stake in McCormick & Company, Incorporated by 40.9% in the first quarter. Woodline Partners LP now owns 21,334 shares of the companys stock valued at $1,756,000 after purchasing an additional 6,189 shares during the last quarter. Arrowstreet Capital Limited Partnership purchased a new position in McCormick & Company, Incorporated in the second quarter valued at approximately $6,520,000. Finally, Daiwa Securities Group Inc. raised its holdings in McCormick & Company, Incorporated by 6.1% during the second quarter. Daiwa Securities Group Inc. now owns 37,888 shares of the companys stock worth $2,873,000 after purchasing an additional 2,176 shares in the last quarter. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 79.74% of the companys stock. McCormick & Company, Incorporated Company Profile (Get Free Report) McCormick & Company, Incorporated (NYSE: MKC) is a global leader in spices, seasonings and flavor solutions. Headquartered in Hunt Valley, Maryland, the company traces its origins to the late 19th century and has grown into a major manufacturer and marketer of branded and privatelabel flavor products for consumer, industrial and foodservice markets. McCormicks product portfolio includes pure spices and herbs, blended seasonings, marinades, rubs, sauces, extracts and specialty flavorings, along with ingredient systems and custom flavor development for manufacturers and foodservice operators. Featured Stories Receive News & Ratings for McCormick & Company Incorporated Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for McCormick & Company Incorporated and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. NASB Financial Inc. (OTCMKTS:NASB Get Free Report) shares passed above its fifty day moving average during trading on Wednesday . The stock has a fifty day moving average of $36.41 and traded as high as $37.99. NASB Financial shares last traded at $37.99, with a volume of 1,638 shares changing hands. NASB Financial Trading Down 0.0% The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.57, a current ratio of 1.37 and a quick ratio of 1.37. The businesss 50 day moving average is $36.41 and its 200 day moving average is $35.41. The stock has a market cap of $274.67 million, a price-to-earnings ratio of 9.55 and a beta of 0.03. Get NASB Financial alerts: NASB Financial (OTCMKTS:NASB Get Free Report) last posted its quarterly earnings results on Tuesday, December 16th. The financial services provider reported $1.12 earnings per share for the quarter. The company had revenue of $23.23 million for the quarter. NASB Financial had a return on equity of 6.85% and a net margin of 15.19%. NASB Financial Company Profile NASB Financial, Inc is the bank holding company for North American Savings Bank, F.S.B., a federal savings bank headquartered in Little Rock, Arkansas. Through its subsidiary operations, NASB Financial offers a full suite of banking and financial services to individual and business clients. The companys core activities include accepting deposits, making consumer and commercial loans, and originating mortgage loans for sale into the secondary market. In addition to traditional deposit and lending services, NASB Financial provides mortgage banking solutions, including retail mortgage origination, correspondent lending, and loan servicing. See Also Receive News & Ratings for NASB Financial Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for NASB Financial and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Neuberger Berman Real Estate Securities Income Fund Inc. (NYSEAMERICAN:NRO Get Free Report)s share price crossed below its 50 day moving average during trading on Wednesday . The stock has a 50 day moving average of $3.02 and traded as low as $3.01. Neuberger Berman Real Estate Securities Income Fund shares last traded at $3.02, with a volume of 252,542 shares traded. Neuberger Berman Real Estate Securities Income Fund Trading Down 0.7% The firms 50 day simple moving average is $3.02 and its two-hundred day simple moving average is $3.15. Get Neuberger Berman Real Estate Securities Income Fund alerts: Neuberger Berman Real Estate Securities Income Fund Announces Dividend The firm also recently disclosed a monthly dividend, which will be paid on Friday, January 30th. Investors of record on Thursday, January 15th will be paid a dividend of $0.0312 per share. The ex-dividend date is Thursday, January 15th. This represents a c) annualized dividend and a yield of 12.4%. Hedge Funds Weigh In On Neuberger Berman Real Estate Securities Income Fund Neuberger Berman Real Estate Securities Income Fund Company Profile Hedge funds and other institutional investors have recently bought and sold shares of the stock. Advisors Asset Management Inc. bought a new position in shares of Neuberger Berman Real Estate Securities Income Fund during the second quarter valued at approximately $1,356,000. Wolverine Asset Management LLC acquired a new position in Neuberger Berman Real Estate Securities Income Fund during the 2nd quarter valued at approximately $467,000. NWF Advisory Services Inc. boosted its position in Neuberger Berman Real Estate Securities Income Fund by 63.5% during the 3rd quarter. NWF Advisory Services Inc. now owns 278,206 shares of the companys stock valued at $899,000 after purchasing an additional 108,000 shares during the period. Cornerstone Advisors LLC grew its stake in Neuberger Berman Real Estate Securities Income Fund by 27.2% during the 2nd quarter. Cornerstone Advisors LLC now owns 451,982 shares of the companys stock worth $1,455,000 after buying an additional 96,613 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Shaker Financial Services LLC acquired a new stake in Neuberger Berman Real Estate Securities Income Fund in the third quarter worth $257,000. (Get Free Report) Neuberger Berman Real Estate Securities Income Fund (NYSE American: NRO) is a closed-end management investment company organized as a Massachusetts business trust. Listed on the NYSE American exchange, the fund seeks to provide shareholders with high current income and the potential for capital appreciation through an actively managed portfolio of real estate securities. Its structure allows investors to access a diversified pool of real estate assets within a single investment vehicle. The funds primary investment focus is on equity real estate investment trusts (REITs), real estate operating companies and other real estaterelated securities. Recommended Stories Receive News & Ratings for Neuberger Berman Real Estate Securities Income Fund Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Neuberger Berman Real Estate Securities Income Fund and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Shares of Norsk Hydro ASA (OTCMKTS:NHYDY Get Free Report) saw strong trading volume on Thursday . 1,658,710 shares traded hands during trading, an increase of 664% from the previous sessions volume of 217,236 shares.The stock last traded at $8.5542 and had previously closed at $8.63. Analysts Set New Price Targets NHYDY has been the topic of several research analyst reports. Citigroup reissued a neutral rating on shares of Norsk Hydro ASA in a research note on Friday, September 26th. Royal Bank Of Canada restated an outperform rating on shares of Norsk Hydro ASA in a research note on Friday, November 21st. Pareto Securities downgraded Norsk Hydro ASA from a strong-buy rating to a hold rating in a report on Wednesday, October 8th. Wall Street Zen cut shares of Norsk Hydro ASA from a buy rating to a hold rating in a report on Sunday, October 26th. Finally, Barclays downgraded shares of Norsk Hydro ASA from a strong-buy rating to a hold rating in a research report on Thursday, October 9th. One equities research analyst has rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, three have assigned a Buy rating and six have assigned a Hold rating to the stock. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, the company currently has an average rating of Moderate Buy. Get Norsk Hydro ASA alerts: Check Out Our Latest Analysis on Norsk Hydro ASA Norsk Hydro ASA Price Performance The firm has a market capitalization of $17.00 billion, a P/E ratio of 16.52, a P/E/G ratio of 0.25 and a beta of 1.15. The stocks fifty day simple moving average is $7.65 and its 200 day simple moving average is $6.95. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.26, a current ratio of 1.91 and a quick ratio of 1.25. Norsk Hydro ASA (OTCMKTS:NHYDY Get Free Report) last released its quarterly earnings results on Friday, October 24th. The industrial products company reported $0.10 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of $0.08 by $0.02. Norsk Hydro ASA had a net margin of 4.96% and a return on equity of 10.20%. The business had revenue of $5.06 billion for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $47.19 billion. On average, equities research analysts predict that Norsk Hydro ASA will post 0.72 EPS for the current year. About Norsk Hydro ASA (Get Free Report) Norsk Hydro ASA is a Norwegian industrial company with a primary focus on aluminum production and renewable energy. Established in 1905, the company has grown from its roots in fertilizer manufacturing to become one of the worlds largest integrated aluminum producers. Its operations span the full value chain, including bauxite mining, alumina refining, primary aluminum production, and downstream processing of rolled and extruded products. In addition to its aluminum business, Hydro maintains a significant portfolio of hydropower assets to support its energy-intensive processes. Read More Receive News & Ratings for Norsk Hydro ASA Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Norsk Hydro ASA and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Old Republic International (NYSE:ORI Get Free Report) issued its quarterly earnings data on Thursday. The insurance provider reported $0.74 earnings per share for the quarter, missing analysts consensus estimates of $0.89 by ($0.15), Zacks reports. Old Republic International had a net margin of 9.53% and a return on equity of 17.11%. The firm had revenue of $2.39 billion for the quarter, compared to analysts expectations of $2.31 billion. During the same quarter in the previous year, the business earned $0.90 EPS. Old Republic International Trading Up 0.3% Shares of ORI stock opened at $43.14 on Thursday. The company has a market cap of $10.68 billion, a PE ratio of 14.43 and a beta of 0.76. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.25, a current ratio of 0.26 and a quick ratio of 0.26. The stocks 50 day simple moving average is $44.57 and its two-hundred day simple moving average is $41.35. Old Republic International has a 1 year low of $34.43 and a 1 year high of $46.76. Get Old Republic International alerts: Old Republic International Dividend Announcement The business also recently disclosed a special dividend, which was paid on Wednesday, January 14th. Shareholders of record on Friday, January 2nd were given a dividend of $2.50 per share. The ex-dividend date was Friday, January 2nd. Old Republic Internationals dividend payout ratio is 38.80%. Insider Activity at Old Republic International Hedge Funds Weigh In On Old Republic International In related news, Director Therace Risch purchased 1,000 shares of the firms stock in a transaction that occurred on Monday, November 3rd. The shares were bought at an average price of $39.14 per share, for a total transaction of $39,140.00. Following the acquisition, the director owned 10,625 shares of the companys stock, valued at approximately $415,862.50. This represents a 10.39% increase in their position. The acquisition was disclosed in a filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available at this link . Also, SVP Carolyn Monroe sold 6,680 shares of the firms stock in a transaction on Friday, November 14th. The stock was sold at an average price of $44.54, for a total value of $297,527.20. Following the completion of the sale, the senior vice president owned 29,075 shares of the companys stock, valued at approximately $1,295,000.50. This represents a 18.68% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The SEC filing for this sale provides additional information. Insiders own 1.10% of the companys stock. Several hedge funds have recently added to or reduced their stakes in ORI. AQR Capital Management LLC lifted its stake in Old Republic International by 55.7% in the second quarter. AQR Capital Management LLC now owns 5,779,156 shares of the insurance providers stock worth $221,457,000 after purchasing an additional 2,066,965 shares during the last quarter. Qube Research & Technologies Ltd purchased a new stake in shares of Old Republic International in the second quarter worth approximately $27,289,000. Port Capital LLC bought a new stake in shares of Old Republic International during the 3rd quarter worth approximately $20,632,000. UBS Group AG lifted its stake in shares of Old Republic International by 73.7% during the 3rd quarter. UBS Group AG now owns 1,001,579 shares of the insurance providers stock worth $42,537,000 after acquiring an additional 425,052 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Focus Partners Wealth boosted its holdings in Old Republic International by 164.2% during the 3rd quarter. Focus Partners Wealth now owns 543,039 shares of the insurance providers stock valued at $23,063,000 after acquiring an additional 337,485 shares during the period. 70.92% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors. Analyst Ratings Changes A number of equities analysts recently commented on the company. Weiss Ratings reissued a buy (a) rating on shares of Old Republic International in a research note on Wednesday, December 24th. Piper Sandler upped their price objective on Old Republic International from $46.00 to $51.00 and gave the stock an overweight rating in a report on Monday, December 8th. Two research analysts have rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating and one has assigned a Buy rating to the companys stock. Based on data from MarketBeat, the stock presently has an average rating of Strong Buy and a consensus price target of $49.00. Get Our Latest Report on Old Republic International About Old Republic International (Get Free Report) Old Republic International Corporation, through its subsidiaries, engages in the insurance underwriting and related services business primarily in the United States and Canada. It operates through three segments: General Insurance, Title Insurance, and Republic Financial Indemnity Group Run-off Business. The General Insurance segment offers aviation, commercial auto, commercial multi-peril, commercial property, general liability, home and auto warranty, inland marine, travel accident, and workers' compensation insurance products; and financial indemnity products for specialty coverages, including errors and omissions, fidelity, directors and officers, and surety. See Also Receive News & Ratings for Old Republic International Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Old Republic International and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Olympiad Research LP acquired a new position in shares of Ivanhoe Electric Inc. (NYSEAMERICAN:IE Free Report) during the 3rd quarter, according to the company in its most recent Form 13F filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The firm acquired 28,380 shares of the companys stock, valued at approximately $356,000. A number of other hedge funds also recently modified their holdings of IE. Ballentine Partners LLC acquired a new position in shares of Ivanhoe Electric in the 2nd quarter valued at approximately $93,000. Eagle Global Advisors LLC raised its stake in shares of Ivanhoe Electric by 7.6% in the 2nd quarter. Eagle Global Advisors LLC now owns 17,000 shares of the companys stock valued at $154,000 after purchasing an additional 1,200 shares during the period. Truist Financial Corp lifted its holdings in shares of Ivanhoe Electric by 36.4% in the second quarter. Truist Financial Corp now owns 15,000 shares of the companys stock valued at $136,000 after purchasing an additional 4,000 shares in the last quarter. Euro Pacific Asset Management LLC boosted its position in shares of Ivanhoe Electric by 4.0% during the second quarter. Euro Pacific Asset Management LLC now owns 481,681 shares of the companys stock worth $4,097,000 after buying an additional 18,335 shares during the period. Finally, KLP Kapitalforvaltning AS grew its holdings in shares of Ivanhoe Electric by 67.9% during the second quarter. KLP Kapitalforvaltning AS now owns 23,000 shares of the companys stock worth $209,000 after buying an additional 9,300 shares in the last quarter. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 79.05% of the companys stock. Get Ivanhoe Electric alerts: Insider Activity at Ivanhoe Electric In related news, insider Quentin Markin sold 90,000 shares of the companys stock in a transaction dated Monday, December 29th. The shares were sold at an average price of $16.34, for a total value of $1,470,600.00. Following the transaction, the insider owned 728,493 shares in the company, valued at approximately $11,903,575.62. This represents a 11.00% decrease in their position. The sale was disclosed in a filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is accessible through the SEC website. Insiders own 12.06% of the companys stock. Analyst Ratings Changes IE has been the topic of a number of recent research reports. Raymond James Financial lifted their price objective on shares of Ivanhoe Electric from $15.00 to $16.00 and gave the company an outperform rating in a report on Friday, October 10th. JPMorgan Chase & Co. boosted their price target on shares of Ivanhoe Electric from $18.00 to $22.00 and gave the stock an overweight rating in a research report on Thursday, January 8th. Finally, Scotiabank reiterated an outperform rating on shares of Ivanhoe Electric in a report on Tuesday, October 28th. One research analyst has rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating and five have issued a Buy rating to the stock. According to data from MarketBeat.com, Ivanhoe Electric has a consensus rating of Buy and an average price target of $18.13. Check Out Our Latest Research Report on Ivanhoe Electric Ivanhoe Electric Trading Down 0.2% IE stock opened at $17.95 on Thursday. Ivanhoe Electric Inc. has a one year low of $4.50 and a one year high of $18.70. The stock has a market cap of $2.60 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of -43.78 and a beta of 0.98. The company has a fifty day moving average price of $15.22 and a two-hundred day moving average price of $12.71. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.08, a current ratio of 1.41 and a quick ratio of 1.41. About Ivanhoe Electric (Free Report) Ivanhoe Electric (NYSEAMERICAN:IE) is a mineral exploration and project-development company focused on the discovery and advancement of battery-metal deposits. The companys portfolio targets copper, nickel, silver, gold and zinc resources that support the growing demand for electrification and clean-energy technologies. Through systematic geological mapping, drilling and metallurgical testing, Ivanhoe Electric aims to delineate large-scale, strategically located mineral systems. Headquartered in Greenwood Village, Colorado, Ivanhoe Electric has assembled a diversified land package across North America and Europe. Read More Receive News & Ratings for Ivanhoe Electric Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Ivanhoe Electric and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Oxford Nanopore Technologies (LON:ONT Get Free Report) had its price target upped by equities research analysts at Deutsche Bank Aktiengesellschaft from GBX 210 to GBX 225 in a note issued to investors on Thursday,Digital Look reports. The brokerage presently has a buy rating on the stock. Deutsche Bank Aktiengesellschafts price target would suggest a potential upside of 33.77% from the companys previous close. Several other analysts have also recently weighed in on ONT. Berenberg Bank reissued a buy rating and set a GBX 250 price objective on shares of Oxford Nanopore Technologies in a report on Monday, January 12th. Peel Hunt restated a hold rating and set a GBX 153 price objective on shares of Oxford Nanopore Technologies in a report on Friday, December 5th. Finally, Royal Bank Of Canada increased their target price on shares of Oxford Nanopore Technologies from GBX 280 to GBX 300 and gave the stock an outperform rating in a report on Wednesday. Four research analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating and one has assigned a Hold rating to the company. According to data from MarketBeat.com, the stock presently has an average rating of Moderate Buy and a consensus price target of GBX 233.60. Get Oxford Nanopore Technologies alerts: Read Our Latest Research Report on ONT Oxford Nanopore Technologies Stock Up 4.5% About Oxford Nanopore Technologies Shares of LON ONT opened at GBX 168.20 on Thursday. Oxford Nanopore Technologies has a 52-week low of GBX 88.60 and a 52-week high of GBX 224.80. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 8.07, a quick ratio of 6.01 and a current ratio of 4.45. The business has a fifty day moving average of GBX 134.29 and a two-hundred day moving average of GBX 155.96. The stock has a market cap of 1.62 billion, a PE ratio of -11.36 and a beta of 0.80. (Get Free Report) Oxford Nanopore Technologies goal is to bring the widest benefits to society through enabling the analysis of anything, by anyone, anywhere. The Group has developed a new generation of nanopore-based sensing technology that is currently used for real-time, high-performance, accessible, and scalable analysis of DNA and RNA. The technology is used in more than 125 countries, to understand the biology of humans, plants, animals, bacteria, viruses and environments as well as to understand diseases such as cancer. Read More Receive News & Ratings for Oxford Nanopore Technologies Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Oxford Nanopore Technologies and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Pfizer Inc. (NYSE:PFE Get Free Report) was the target of unusually large options trading activity on Thursday. Investors acquired 446,836 call options on the company. This is an increase of approximately 114% compared to the average daily volume of 208,382 call options. Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades A number of analysts recently commented on the company. Scotiabank began coverage on Pfizer in a research report on Thursday, November 13th. They set a sector outperform rating and a $30.00 price objective for the company. Citigroup started coverage on shares of Pfizer in a research note on Tuesday, December 2nd. They set a neutral rating and a $26.00 target price for the company. BMO Capital Markets reissued an outperform rating on shares of Pfizer in a research note on Wednesday, December 10th. Wolfe Research set a $24.00 price target on Pfizer and gave the company an underperform rating in a report on Wednesday, December 17th. Finally, Guggenheim reaffirmed a buy rating on shares of Pfizer in a report on Wednesday, December 17th. Two research analysts have rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, four have given a Buy rating, twelve have given a Hold rating and one has given a Sell rating to the stock. According to MarketBeat, the stock presently has an average rating of Hold and an average target price of $27.88. Get Pfizer alerts: Get Our Latest Analysis on PFE Pfizer Stock Up 0.6% Shares of NYSE PFE traded up $0.15 during trading hours on Thursday, hitting $26.04. 35,215,451 shares of the stock were exchanged, compared to its average volume of 47,954,449. Pfizer has a 12 month low of $20.92 and a 12 month high of $27.69. The firm has a fifty day moving average price of $25.38 and a 200-day moving average price of $25.00. The company has a quick ratio of 0.97, a current ratio of 1.28 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.62. The company has a market cap of $148.03 billion, a PE ratio of 15.14 and a beta of 0.47. Pfizer (NYSE:PFE Get Free Report) last announced its quarterly earnings results on Tuesday, November 4th. The biopharmaceutical company reported $0.87 earnings per share for the quarter, beating the consensus estimate of $0.79 by $0.08. Pfizer had a return on equity of 20.17% and a net margin of 15.65%.The company had revenue of $16.65 billion during the quarter, compared to analysts expectations of $16.94 billion. Pfizer has set its FY 2025 guidance at 3.000-3.150 EPS. On average, sell-side analysts expect that Pfizer will post 2.95 EPS for the current year. Pfizer Dividend Announcement The company also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Friday, March 6th. Investors of record on Friday, January 23rd will be issued a $0.43 dividend. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Friday, January 23rd. This represents a $1.72 annualized dividend and a yield of 6.6%. Pfizers dividend payout ratio (DPR) is 100.00%. Institutional Trading of Pfizer Several institutional investors and hedge funds have recently bought and sold shares of PFE. Fiduciary Alliance LLC grew its stake in shares of Pfizer by 46.4% during the third quarter. Fiduciary Alliance LLC now owns 145,263 shares of the biopharmaceutical companys stock valued at $3,701,000 after purchasing an additional 46,043 shares during the last quarter. Vista Investment Partners LLC raised its stake in Pfizer by 236.1% during the 3rd quarter. Vista Investment Partners LLC now owns 69,613 shares of the biopharmaceutical companys stock worth $1,774,000 after buying an additional 48,900 shares during the period. Generali Investments CEE investicni spolecnost a.s. increased its holdings in shares of Pfizer by 76.4% in the third quarter. Generali Investments CEE investicni spolecnost a.s. now owns 109,269 shares of the biopharmaceutical companys stock worth $2,784,000 after acquiring an additional 47,319 shares in the last quarter. Fort Washington Investment Advisors Inc. OH lifted its holdings in shares of Pfizer by 11.2% during the 3rd quarter. Fort Washington Investment Advisors Inc. OH now owns 1,892,663 shares of the biopharmaceutical companys stock valued at $48,225,000 after purchasing an additional 190,946 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Ossiam increased its stake in Pfizer by 71.2% during the 2nd quarter. Ossiam now owns 5,650,573 shares of the biopharmaceutical companys stock worth $136,970,000 after purchasing an additional 2,349,058 shares in the last quarter. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 68.36% of the companys stock. About Pfizer (Get Free Report) Pfizer Inc (NYSE: PFE) is a multinational biopharmaceutical company headquartered in New York City. Founded in 1849 by Charles Pfizer and Charles Erhart, the company researches, develops, manufactures and commercializes a broad range of medicines and vaccines for human health. Its activities span discovery research, clinical development, regulatory affairs, manufacturing and global commercial distribution across multiple therapeutic areas. Pfizers portfolio and pipeline cover oncology, immunology, cardiology, endocrinology, rare diseases, hospital acute care and anti-infectives, along with a substantial vaccine business. See Also Receive News & Ratings for Pfizer Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Pfizer and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Rakuten Investment Management Inc. purchased a new stake in Boston Scientific Corporation (NYSE:BSX Free Report) in the 3rd quarter, according to the company in its most recent 13F filing with the SEC. The fund purchased 89,421 shares of the medical equipment providers stock, valued at approximately $8,730,000. Several other large investors have also modified their holdings of BSX. Steph & Co. acquired a new stake in shares of Boston Scientific during the 3rd quarter worth $25,000. Financial Consulate Inc. acquired a new stake in Boston Scientific during the 3rd quarter worth approximately $25,000. FWL Investment Management LLC purchased a new position in Boston Scientific in the second quarter valued at approximately $26,000. Sound Income Strategies LLC lifted its position in Boston Scientific by 90.9% during the second quarter. Sound Income Strategies LLC now owns 252 shares of the medical equipment providers stock valued at $27,000 after buying an additional 120 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Kilter Group LLC acquired a new position in Boston Scientific during the second quarter valued at approximately $30,000. 89.07% of the stock is currently owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors. Get Boston Scientific alerts: Insiders Place Their Bets In other Boston Scientific news, Director Ellen M. Zane sold 12,891 shares of the companys stock in a transaction that occurred on Thursday, November 6th. The stock was sold at an average price of $98.28, for a total value of $1,266,927.48. Following the transaction, the director directly owned 24,134 shares of the companys stock, valued at $2,371,889.52. This represents a 34.82% decrease in their position. The sale was disclosed in a document filed with the SEC, which is available at the SEC website. Also, EVP Arthur C. Butcher sold 17,313 shares of the stock in a transaction that occurred on Monday, December 1st. The shares were sold at an average price of $101.55, for a total value of $1,758,135.15. Following the transaction, the executive vice president owned 23,600 shares of the companys stock, valued at approximately $2,396,580. This trade represents a 42.32% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The SEC filing for this sale provides additional information. Insiders have sold 93,095 shares of company stock worth $9,305,450 in the last three months. 0.50% of the stock is owned by insiders. Analyst Ratings Changes BSX has been the subject of several recent research reports. Robert W. Baird increased their price objective on shares of Boston Scientific from $123.00 to $128.00 and gave the stock an outperform rating in a research report on Wednesday, October 1st. Barclays increased their price target on Boston Scientific from $133.00 to $136.00 and gave the company an overweight rating in a report on Thursday, October 2nd. Oppenheimer reduced their price objective on Boston Scientific from $125.00 to $100.00 and set an outperform rating on the stock in a research note on Friday, January 16th. Citigroup reaffirmed a buy rating on shares of Boston Scientific in a research report on Wednesday, January 14th. Finally, Wall Street Zen upgraded Boston Scientific from a hold rating to a buy rating in a research note on Saturday, January 17th. One analyst has rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, nineteen have issued a Buy rating and two have assigned a Hold rating to the companys stock. Based on data from MarketBeat, the company has a consensus rating of Moderate Buy and an average price target of $123.89. Check Out Our Latest Report on Boston Scientific Boston Scientific Stock Performance NYSE:BSX opened at $91.74 on Thursday. The firm has a 50-day moving average of $96.17 and a two-hundred day moving average of $100.01. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.47, a current ratio of 1.51 and a quick ratio of 0.96. The stock has a market cap of $136.00 billion, a P/E ratio of 49.06, a PEG ratio of 1.61 and a beta of 0.67. Boston Scientific Corporation has a 1-year low of $85.98 and a 1-year high of $109.50. Boston Scientific (NYSE:BSX Get Free Report) last released its quarterly earnings results on Wednesday, October 22nd. The medical equipment provider reported $0.75 EPS for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of $0.71 by $0.04. The business had revenue of $5.07 billion for the quarter, compared to analysts expectations of $4.97 billion. Boston Scientific had a return on equity of 19.46% and a net margin of 14.43%.The companys revenue was up 20.3% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same quarter in the previous year, the firm posted $0.63 earnings per share. On average, research analysts expect that Boston Scientific Corporation will post 2.85 earnings per share for the current fiscal year. Boston Scientific Profile (Free Report) Boston Scientific Corporation (NYSE: BSX) is a global medical device company that develops, manufactures and markets a broad portfolio of products used in less-invasive medical procedures. Founded in 1979 by John Abele and Peter Nicholas, the company is headquartered in Marlborough, Massachusetts, and focuses on technologies that enable physicians to treat a wide range of cardiovascular, digestive, urologic, pulmonary and chronic pain conditions without open surgery. Boston Scientifics activities span product development, clinical research, regulatory affairs and commercial sales. Featured Stories Want to see what other hedge funds are holding BSX? Visit HoldingsChannel.com to get the latest 13F filings and insider trades for Boston Scientific Corporation (NYSE:BSX Free Report). Receive News & Ratings for Boston Scientific Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Boston Scientific and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Rakuten Investment Management Inc. purchased a new position in Williams-Sonoma, Inc. (NYSE:WSM Free Report) during the third quarter, according to the company in its most recent Form 13F filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The firm purchased 38,372 shares of the specialty retailers stock, valued at approximately $7,595,000. Other hedge funds and other institutional investors have also recently modified their holdings of the company. Chicago Partners Investment Group LLC grew its stake in shares of Williams-Sonoma by 99.8% in the third quarter. Chicago Partners Investment Group LLC now owns 3,283 shares of the specialty retailers stock worth $655,000 after purchasing an additional 1,640 shares during the last quarter. Vest Financial LLC lifted its holdings in Williams-Sonoma by 39.5% in the 3rd quarter. Vest Financial LLC now owns 282,503 shares of the specialty retailers stock worth $55,215,000 after buying an additional 80,044 shares during the period. Canopy Partners LLC grew its position in shares of Williams-Sonoma by 8.0% in the 3rd quarter. Canopy Partners LLC now owns 2,103 shares of the specialty retailers stock worth $411,000 after buying an additional 155 shares during the last quarter. Inscription Capital LLC increased its stake in shares of Williams-Sonoma by 66.5% during the third quarter. Inscription Capital LLC now owns 6,643 shares of the specialty retailers stock valued at $1,298,000 after buying an additional 2,653 shares during the period. Finally, Root Financial Partners LLC bought a new position in shares of Williams-Sonoma during the third quarter valued at approximately $48,000. 99.29% of the stock is owned by institutional investors. Get Williams-Sonoma alerts: Analyst Ratings Changes Several brokerages have commented on WSM. Wells Fargo & Company upped their price objective on shares of Williams-Sonoma from $190.00 to $205.00 and gave the stock an equal weight rating in a report on Tuesday, November 11th. TD Cowen reissued a buy rating and issued a $245.00 price target (up from $210.00) on shares of Williams-Sonoma in a research note on Tuesday. UBS Group set a $175.00 target price on Williams-Sonoma and gave the stock a neutral rating in a report on Thursday, November 20th. Evercore ISI lifted their price target on Williams-Sonoma from $190.00 to $195.00 and gave the company an in-line rating in a research report on Tuesday, December 23rd. Finally, Royal Bank Of Canada set a $206.00 price target on Williams-Sonoma and gave the stock an outperform rating in a research note on Friday, November 21st. One research analyst has rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, seven have assigned a Buy rating, ten have assigned a Hold rating and one has given a Sell rating to the stock. According to data from MarketBeat, the stock currently has an average rating of Hold and an average price target of $200.76. Insider Activity In other news, EVP Karalyn Yearout sold 767 shares of the companys stock in a transaction that occurred on Wednesday, January 14th. The shares were sold at an average price of $205.16, for a total value of $157,357.72. Following the transaction, the executive vice president owned 13,236 shares in the company, valued at approximately $2,715,497.76. This represents a 5.48% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The sale was disclosed in a filing with the SEC, which is accessible through this link. Also, CEO Laura Alber sold 35,000 shares of the firms stock in a transaction dated Thursday, January 15th. The shares were sold at an average price of $207.39, for a total transaction of $7,258,650.00. Following the sale, the chief executive officer directly owned 806,537 shares in the company, valued at approximately $167,267,708.43. The trade was a 4.16% decrease in their position. The SEC filing for this sale provides additional information. Insiders sold 65,767 shares of company stock valued at $12,802,440 over the last ninety days. Corporate insiders own 1.10% of the companys stock. Williams-Sonoma Stock Up 4.6% Williams-Sonoma stock opened at $215.42 on Thursday. Williams-Sonoma, Inc. has a twelve month low of $130.07 and a twelve month high of $219.98. The company has a market capitalization of $25.72 billion, a P/E ratio of 23.70, a PEG ratio of 3.23 and a beta of 1.58. The stocks 50 day moving average is $188.42 and its 200 day moving average is $190.82. Williams-Sonoma (NYSE:WSM Get Free Report) last released its earnings results on Wednesday, November 19th. The specialty retailer reported $1.96 EPS for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of $1.87 by $0.09. Williams-Sonoma had a return on equity of 53.10% and a net margin of 14.30%.The business had revenue of $1.88 billion for the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $1.86 billion. During the same period in the previous year, the company posted $1.96 earnings per share. The companys revenue for the quarter was up 4.6% compared to the same quarter last year. As a group, equities analysts expect that Williams-Sonoma, Inc. will post 8.36 EPS for the current year. Williams-Sonoma Dividend Announcement The company also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Friday, February 20th. Shareholders of record on Friday, January 16th will be paid a dividend of $0.66 per share. This represents a $2.64 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 1.2%. The ex-dividend date is Friday, January 16th. Williams-Sonomas dividend payout ratio (DPR) is currently 29.04%. Williams-Sonoma Profile (Free Report) WilliamsSonoma, Inc is a specialty retailer focused on the home and culinary markets, best known for premium cookware, kitchen tools and home furnishings. The company traces its roots to a single cookware store founded by Chuck Williams in 1956 in Sonoma, California, and has evolved into a multibrand home furnishings and housewares business. Its merchandise mix spans cookware and kitchen electrics, tabletop and food prep items, furniture, bedding, lighting and decorative accessories designed for both everyday use and higherend interiors. The company operates a portfolio of consumer brands that target distinct segments of the home market. Featured Stories Want to see what other hedge funds are holding WSM? Visit HoldingsChannel.com to get the latest 13F filings and insider trades for Williams-Sonoma, Inc. (NYSE:WSM Free Report). Receive News & Ratings for Williams-Sonoma Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Williams-Sonoma and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Renasant (NYSE:RNST Get Free Report) is one of 20 publicly-traded companies in the State Commercial Banks Fed Reserve System industry, but how does it compare to its competitors? We will compare Renasant to related businesses based on the strength of its analyst recommendations, profitability, institutional ownership, dividends, earnings, valuation and risk. Volatility and Risk Renasant has a beta of 0.97, meaning that its stock price is 3% less volatile than the S&P 500. Comparatively, Renasants competitors have a beta of 1.01, meaning that their average stock price is 1% more volatile than the S&P 500. Get Renasant alerts: Valuation and Earnings This table compares Renasant and its competitors gross revenue, earnings per share (EPS) and valuation. Gross Revenue Net Income Price/Earnings Ratio Renasant $1.09 billion $195.46 million 19.33 Renasant Competitors $744.78 million $95.99 million 41.47 Analyst Recommendations Renasant has higher revenue and earnings than its competitors. Renasant is trading at a lower price-to-earnings ratio than its competitors, indicating that it is currently more affordable than other companies in its industry. This is a summary of current ratings for Renasant and its competitors, as provided by MarketBeat. Sell Ratings Hold Ratings Buy Ratings Strong Buy Ratings Rating Score Renasant 0 1 0 1 3.00 Renasant Competitors 31 175 217 26 2.53 As a group, State Commercial Banks Fed Reserve System companies have a potential upside of 0.11%. Given Renasants competitors higher possible upside, analysts clearly believe Renasant has less favorable growth aspects than its competitors. Profitability This table compares Renasant and its competitors net margins, return on equity and return on assets. Net Margins Return on Equity Return on Assets Renasant 11.26% 6.99% 1.01% Renasant Competitors 7.23% 6.94% 0.79% Dividends Renasant pays an annual dividend of $0.92 per share and has a dividend yield of 2.4%. Renasant pays out 46.2% of its earnings in the form of a dividend. As a group, State Commercial Banks Fed Reserve System companies pay a dividend yield of 2.1% and pay out 67.3% of their earnings in the form of a dividend. Renasant is clearly a better dividend stock than its competitors, given its higher yield and lower payout ratio. Insider & Institutional Ownership 77.3% of Renasant shares are owned by institutional investors. Comparatively, 72.2% of shares of all State Commercial Banks Fed Reserve System companies are owned by institutional investors. 2.8% of Renasant shares are owned by company insiders. Comparatively, 6.7% of shares of all State Commercial Banks Fed Reserve System companies are owned by company insiders. Strong institutional ownership is an indication that large money managers, endowments and hedge funds believe a company is poised for long-term growth. Summary Renasant beats its competitors on 10 of the 15 factors compared. Renasant Company Profile (Get Free Report) Renasant Corporation operates as a bank holding company for Renasant Bank that provides a range of financial, wealth management, fiduciary, and insurance services to retail and commercial customers. It operates through three segments: Community Banks, Insurance, and Wealth Management. The Community Banks segment offers checking and savings accounts, business and personal loans, asset-based lending, and equipment leasing services, as well as safe deposit and night depository facilities. It also provides commercial, financial, and agricultural loans; equipment financing and leasing; real estate1-4 family mortgage; real estatecommercial mortgage; real estateconstruction loans for the construction of single family residential properties, multi-family properties, and commercial projects; installment loans to individuals; and interim construction loans, as well as automated teller machine (ATM), online and mobile banking, call center, and treasury management services. The Insurance segment provides insurance agency services, such as commercial and personal insurance products through insurance carriers. The Wealth Management segment offers a range of wealth management and fiduciary services, including administration and management of trust accounts, such as personal and corporate benefit accounts, and custodial accounts, as well as accounting and money management for trust accounts; annuities, mutual funds, and other investment services through a third party broker-dealer; and qualified retirement plans, IRAs, employee benefit plans, personal trusts, and estates. As of December 31, 2021, the company operated a network of 189 banking, lending, and mortgage offices located in Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Mississippi, North Carolina, South Carolina, and Tennessee; 150 full-service branches and 11 limited-service branches; 173 ATMs; and 38 interactive teller machines. Renasant Corporation was founded in 1904 and is headquartered in Tupelo, Mississippi. Receive News & Ratings for Renasant Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Renasant and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Rio Tinto Group (LON:RIO Get Free Report)s stock had its hold rating restated by Berenberg Bank in a research note issued on Wednesday, MarketBeat reports. They presently have a GBX 5,300 price target on the stock. Berenberg Banks price objective points to a potential downside of 19.05% from the stocks previous close. Other equities research analysts have also issued reports about the stock. JPMorgan Chase & Co. raised their price objective on shares of Rio Tinto Group from GBX 6,100 to GBX 6,950 and gave the company an overweight rating in a report on Wednesday, December 3rd. Citigroup raised their price target on Rio Tinto Group from GBX 4,600 to GBX 5,700 and gave the company a neutral rating in a research note on Monday, November 17th. Finally, Royal Bank Of Canada upped their price objective on Rio Tinto Group from GBX 6,000 to GBX 6,100 and gave the stock a sector perform rating in a research report on Thursday. One equities research analyst has rated the stock with a Buy rating and four have issued a Hold rating to the stock. According to MarketBeat, Rio Tinto Group presently has a consensus rating of Hold and an average target price of GBX 5,830. Get Rio Tinto Group alerts: Read Our Latest Research Report on Rio Tinto Group Rio Tinto Group Stock Performance Insider Buying and Selling at Rio Tinto Group LON RIO opened at GBX 6,547 on Wednesday. The stock has a fifty day simple moving average of GBX 5,792.54 and a 200-day simple moving average of GBX 5,138.12. The company has a current ratio of 1.70, a quick ratio of 1.34 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 25.28. The stock has a market cap of 106.38 billion, a PE ratio of 10.43, a P/E/G ratio of -0.64 and a beta of 0.59. Rio Tinto Group has a twelve month low of GBX 4,024.50 and a twelve month high of GBX 6,676. In other news, insider Peter Cunningham sold 3,108 shares of the firms stock in a transaction on Tuesday, December 2nd. The stock was sold at an average price of GBX 5,464, for a total transaction of 169,821.12. 0.10% of the stock is currently owned by corporate insiders. Rio Tinto Group Company Profile (Get Free Report) We operate in 35 countries where our 60,000 employees are working to find better ways to provide the materials the world needs. Our portfolio includes iron ore, copper, aluminium and a range of other minerals and materials needed for people, communities and nations to grow and prosper, and for the world to cut carbon emissions to net zero. We continuously search for new projects that can support the energy transition, currently exploring for 7 commodities in 17 countries. We have more than 150 years of mining and processing experience guiding our work. Featured Articles Receive News & Ratings for Rio Tinto Group Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Rio Tinto Group and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. South Atlantic Bancshares (OTCMKTS:SABK Get Free Report) issued its earnings results on Thursday. The company reported $0.62 earnings per share for the quarter, topping analysts consensus estimates of $0.56 by $0.06, Zacks reports. South Atlantic Bancshares Price Performance OTCMKTS:SABK traded up $0.12 during trading hours on Thursday, hitting $19.72. The companys stock had a trading volume of 250 shares, compared to its average volume of 1,795. The stock has a fifty day simple moving average of $19.29 and a 200-day simple moving average of $17.97. The company has a market capitalization of $148.29 million, a P/E ratio of 10.44 and a beta of 0.12. South Atlantic Bancshares has a twelve month low of $14.00 and a twelve month high of $21.93. Get South Atlantic Bancshares alerts: Analysts Set New Price Targets Separately, Zacks Research downgraded South Atlantic Bancshares from a strong-buy rating to a hold rating in a research note on Friday, December 26th. One research analyst has rated the stock with a Hold rating, According to MarketBeat.com, the company currently has an average rating of Hold. South Atlantic Bancshares Company Profile (Get Free Report) South Atlantic Bancshares, Inc is the bank holding company for South Atlantic Bank, a Florida-based community bank that provides a comprehensive suite of financial services. The company operates through its subsidiary to offer personalized banking solutions designed for individuals, small businesses, and commercial clients. By focusing on relationship-driven banking, South Atlantic Bancshares aims to deliver tailored financial products that address the unique needs of its customers. The companys core offerings include a variety of deposit accounts, such as checking, savings and money market products, alongside lending solutions encompassing commercial real estate loans, construction financing, equipment loans and consumer mortgages. See Also Receive News & Ratings for South Atlantic Bancshares Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for South Atlantic Bancshares and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Skeena Resources (TSE:SKE Get Free Report) had its price objective increased by research analysts at TD Securities from C$35.00 to C$49.00 in a research note issued to investors on Thursday,BayStreet.CA reports. TD Securities target price indicates a potential upside of 16.03% from the companys previous close. Several other research analysts have also issued reports on the company. Desjardins upgraded Skeena Resources to a moderate buy rating in a research report on Wednesday, October 8th. Royal Bank Of Canada boosted their target price on Skeena Resources from C$34.00 to C$53.00 in a research report on Wednesday, December 10th. Finally, CIBC upped their price target on Skeena Resources from C$40.00 to C$44.00 in a research note on Tuesday, January 13th. Three investment analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating, According to data from MarketBeat.com, the company presently has a consensus rating of Buy and a consensus price target of C$43.00. Get Skeena Resources alerts: Check Out Our Latest Report on SKE Skeena Resources Trading Up 7.5% Skeena Resources Company Profile SKE stock traded up C$2.93 during midday trading on Thursday, reaching C$42.23. The companys stock had a trading volume of 235,236 shares, compared to its average volume of 350,058. The businesss 50-day simple moving average is C$32.00 and its 200-day simple moving average is C$26.27. The company has a quick ratio of 1.55, a current ratio of 1.87 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 19.27. Skeena Resources has a 52 week low of C$12.15 and a 52 week high of C$42.61. The stock has a market cap of C$5.11 billion, a PE ratio of -43.09 and a beta of 2.11. (Get Free Report) Skeena Resources Ltd is a Canadian mining exploration company focused on developing prospective precious and base metal properties in the Golden Triangle of northwest British Columbia, Canada. The companys primary activity is the exploration and development of the past-producing Eskay Creek mine acquired from Barrick. See Also Receive News & Ratings for Skeena Resources Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Skeena Resources and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Telecom Italia S.P.A. (OTCMKTS:TIAIY Get Free Report)s share price reached a new 52-week high on Thursday . The company traded as high as $7.90 and last traded at $7.90, with a volume of 1040 shares. The stock had previously closed at $7.80. Telecom Italia Stock Up 1.3% The companys fifty day simple moving average is $6.88 and its 200 day simple moving average is $6.17. The company has a quick ratio of 0.82, a current ratio of 0.84 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.61. Get Telecom Italia alerts: About Telecom Italia (Get Free Report) Telecom Italia S.p.A. (OTCMKTS:TIAIY) is a leading Italian telecommunications operator that provides a broad range of fixed-line, mobile voice and data services. The companys offerings span consumer broadband connections, mobile telephony plans and pay-TV packages under its TIM brand. Telecom Italia also delivers wholesale network capacity and managed connectivity solutions to other carriers and service providers. Headquartered in Rome, Telecom Italia traces its origins to Italys state-owned telephone monopoly and was established in its current form in 1994 following privatization and corporate restructuring. Read More Receive News & Ratings for Telecom Italia Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Telecom Italia and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. TravelSky Technology Ltd. (OTCMKTS:TSYHY Get Free Report) gapped down before the market opened on Thursday . The stock had previously closed at $14.5335, but opened at $13.60. TravelSky Technology shares last traded at $14.4250, with a volume of 1,229 shares trading hands. TravelSky Technology Stock Performance The company has a quick ratio of 3.02, a current ratio of 3.03 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.02. The stocks fifty day simple moving average is $13.64 and its two-hundred day simple moving average is $14.16. Get TravelSky Technology alerts: TravelSky Technology Company Profile (Get Free Report) TravelSky Technology Limited is a leading provider of information technology solutions for the air travel industry in the Peoples Republic of China. Established in 2001 through an asset reorganization of aviation IT operations previously overseen by the Civil Aviation Administration of China, the company has developed a comprehensive platform for airline reservation, distribution and related services. TravelSkys technology underpins the vast majority of domestic air ticketing in China and supports a growing number of international carriers and travel agencies. The companys core offerings include a passenger service system (PSS) that manages reservation and ticketing processes, as well as an electronic distribution network that connects airlines with travel agents, corporate accounts and online channels. Recommended Stories Receive News & Ratings for TravelSky Technology Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for TravelSky Technology and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Universal Beteiligungs und Servicegesellschaft mbH grew its stake in Illinois Tool Works Inc. (NYSE:ITW Free Report) by 1.2% in the third quarter, HoldingsChannel reports. The fund owned 183,662 shares of the industrial products companys stock after acquiring an additional 2,234 shares during the period. Universal Beteiligungs und Servicegesellschaft mbHs holdings in Illinois Tool Works were worth $47,892,000 at the end of the most recent reporting period. Several other hedge funds have also modified their holdings of the stock. Frazier Financial Advisors LLC bought a new position in Illinois Tool Works in the 2nd quarter worth approximately $25,000. Corsicana & Co. acquired a new stake in shares of Illinois Tool Works in the 3rd quarter valued at $26,000. SOA Wealth Advisors LLC. raised its position in shares of Illinois Tool Works by 90.9% during the second quarter. SOA Wealth Advisors LLC. now owns 105 shares of the industrial products companys stock worth $26,000 after acquiring an additional 50 shares during the last quarter. Twin Peaks Wealth Advisors LLC acquired a new position in shares of Illinois Tool Works during the second quarter valued at $31,000. Finally, Vermillion & White Wealth Management Group LLC boosted its holdings in Illinois Tool Works by 103.3% in the second quarter. Vermillion & White Wealth Management Group LLC now owns 124 shares of the industrial products companys stock valued at $31,000 after acquiring an additional 63 shares during the last quarter. 79.77% of the stock is owned by institutional investors. Get Illinois Tool Works alerts: Insider Activity In other news, Director Pamela B. Strobel sold 1,521 shares of the companys stock in a transaction dated Wednesday, November 5th. The stock was sold at an average price of $245.25, for a total transaction of $373,025.25. Following the completion of the transaction, the director directly owned 39,249 shares of the companys stock, valued at $9,625,817.25. This represents a 3.73% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The transaction was disclosed in a filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available at this hyperlink. 0.88% of the stock is owned by corporate insiders. Illinois Tool Works Price Performance NYSE ITW opened at $260.03 on Thursday. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 2.39, a quick ratio of 1.11 and a current ratio of 1.53. The stock has a market cap of $75.43 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 25.22, a PEG ratio of 13.68 and a beta of 1.15. The business has a 50 day simple moving average of $251.01 and a 200 day simple moving average of $254.86. Illinois Tool Works Inc. has a 52-week low of $214.66 and a 52-week high of $278.13. Illinois Tool Works (NYSE:ITW Get Free Report) last announced its quarterly earnings results on Friday, October 24th. The industrial products company reported $2.81 earnings per share for the quarter, beating analysts consensus estimates of $2.72 by $0.09. Illinois Tool Works had a net margin of 19.05% and a return on equity of 93.26%. The firm had revenue of $4.06 billion for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $4.09 billion. During the same quarter in the previous year, the firm posted $3.91 earnings per share. The businesss revenue was up 2.3% on a year-over-year basis. Illinois Tool Works has set its FY 2025 guidance at 10.400-10.500 EPS. Analysts anticipate that Illinois Tool Works Inc. will post 10.39 earnings per share for the current fiscal year. Illinois Tool Works Dividend Announcement The company also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Friday, January 9th. Shareholders of record on Wednesday, December 31st were issued a dividend of $1.61 per share. This represents a $6.44 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 2.5%. The ex-dividend date was Wednesday, December 31st. Illinois Tool Workss dividend payout ratio is 62.46%. Analyst Ratings Changes Several analysts have weighed in on ITW shares. Evercore ISI dropped their price objective on Illinois Tool Works from $261.00 to $253.00 and set an underperform rating for the company in a report on Monday, November 17th. Bank of America raised shares of Illinois Tool Works from an underperform rating to a neutral rating and boosted their price target for the stock from $220.00 to $255.00 in a research note on Tuesday, November 18th. Robert W. Baird set a $265.00 price objective on shares of Illinois Tool Works in a research note on Monday, October 27th. Deutsche Bank Aktiengesellschaft upped their target price on shares of Illinois Tool Works from $265.00 to $268.00 and gave the company a hold rating in a research report on Thursday, October 2nd. Finally, Wells Fargo & Company increased their price target on Illinois Tool Works from $245.00 to $250.00 and gave the company an underweight rating in a research note on Wednesday, January 7th. Two research analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating, seven have issued a Hold rating and five have assigned a Sell rating to the stock. According to data from MarketBeat.com, the stock currently has a consensus rating of Reduce and an average target price of $261.08. Read Our Latest Analysis on Illinois Tool Works Illinois Tool Works Profile (Free Report) Illinois Tool Works Inc (ITW) is a diversified industrial manufacturer that designs and produces a broad array of engineered products, consumables and related service solutions for industrial customers. Its offerings span engineered fastening systems, specialty components, industrial equipment, welding products, foodservice and packaging equipment, adhesives and polymer products, and test-and-measurement technologies. These products are used as critical inputs by customers across automotive, construction, electronics, foodservice, maintenance and other industrial end markets. The company operates a decentralized business model in which independently managed businesses focus on niche product lines and close customer relationships. Further Reading Want to see what other hedge funds are holding ITW? Visit HoldingsChannel.com to get the latest 13F filings and insider trades for Illinois Tool Works Inc. (NYSE:ITW Free Report). Receive News & Ratings for Illinois Tool Works Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Illinois Tool Works and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Universal Beteiligungs und Servicegesellschaft mbH lowered its holdings in shares of Carvana Co. (NYSE:CVNA Free Report) by 1.7% in the third quarter, according to its most recent disclosure with the SEC. The firm owned 153,687 shares of the companys stock after selling 2,734 shares during the period. Universal Beteiligungs und Servicegesellschaft mbHs holdings in Carvana were worth $57,977,000 as of its most recent filing with the SEC. Several other institutional investors and hedge funds have also recently bought and sold shares of the business. Royal Bank of Canada boosted its stake in shares of Carvana by 40.8% during the 1st quarter. Royal Bank of Canada now owns 29,867 shares of the companys stock worth $6,243,000 after acquiring an additional 8,654 shares during the period. Geneos Wealth Management Inc. lifted its holdings in Carvana by 251.4% during the 1st quarter. Geneos Wealth Management Inc. now owns 253 shares of the companys stock valued at $53,000 after purchasing an additional 181 shares during the last quarter. Wealth Enhancement Advisory Services LLC boosted its position in Carvana by 82.6% during the second quarter. Wealth Enhancement Advisory Services LLC now owns 4,533 shares of the companys stock worth $1,579,000 after purchasing an additional 2,051 shares during the period. UMB Bank n.a. boosted its position in Carvana by 519.2% during the second quarter. UMB Bank n.a. now owns 322 shares of the companys stock worth $109,000 after purchasing an additional 270 shares during the period. Finally, Farther Finance Advisors LLC increased its holdings in shares of Carvana by 38.2% in the second quarter. Farther Finance Advisors LLC now owns 4,811 shares of the companys stock valued at $1,621,000 after purchasing an additional 1,329 shares during the last quarter. Institutional investors own 56.71% of the companys stock. Get Carvana alerts: Insider Transactions at Carvana In other news, COO Benjamin E. Huston sold 40,000 shares of the companys stock in a transaction on Monday, December 8th. The stock was sold at an average price of $439.50, for a total transaction of $17,580,000.00. Following the completion of the sale, the chief operating officer directly owned 100,758 shares in the company, valued at approximately $44,283,141. This represents a 28.42% decrease in their position. The transaction was disclosed in a legal filing with the SEC, which can be accessed through this hyperlink. Also, insider Ryan S. Keeton sold 32,370 shares of the stock in a transaction on Friday, October 31st. The stock was sold at an average price of $301.68, for a total value of $9,765,381.60. Following the sale, the insider directly owned 115,456 shares in the company, valued at approximately $34,830,766.08. This trade represents a 21.90% decrease in their ownership of the stock. Additional details regarding this sale are available in the official SEC disclosure. Over the last three months, insiders sold 467,626 shares of company stock worth $192,090,109. Corporate insiders own 17.12% of the companys stock. Carvana Stock Performance NYSE CVNA opened at $455.07 on Thursday. The firm has a 50-day moving average price of $413.80 and a two-hundred day moving average price of $374.31. Carvana Co. has a 12-month low of $148.25 and a 12-month high of $485.33. The company has a market capitalization of $99.00 billion, a P/E ratio of 103.90, a P/E/G ratio of 1.06 and a beta of 3.54. The company has a quick ratio of 2.55, a current ratio of 4.05 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.63. Carvana (NYSE:CVNA Get Free Report) last released its quarterly earnings results on Wednesday, October 29th. The company reported $1.03 earnings per share for the quarter, missing analysts consensus estimates of $1.29 by ($0.26). The business had revenue of $5.65 billion during the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $5.04 billion. Carvana had a net margin of 3.44% and a return on equity of 30.62%. The firms quarterly revenue was up 54.5% on a year-over-year basis. During the same quarter in the previous year, the firm posted $0.64 earnings per share. Analysts anticipate that Carvana Co. will post 2.85 earnings per share for the current year. Analyst Ratings Changes A number of analysts have recently issued reports on CVNA shares. Royal Bank Of Canada restated an outperform rating and set a $460.00 target price on shares of Carvana in a research note on Thursday, October 30th. Wall Street Zen cut shares of Carvana from a buy rating to a hold rating in a report on Sunday, October 19th. Evercore ISI raised their price objective on shares of Carvana from $420.00 to $425.00 and gave the stock an in-line rating in a research report on Tuesday, December 23rd. Bank of America upped their target price on Carvana from $455.00 to $515.00 and gave the company a buy rating in a research report on Tuesday, January 13th. Finally, Deutsche Bank Aktiengesellschaft reiterated a buy rating on shares of Carvana in a research note on Tuesday, January 13th. Nineteen research analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating and six have given a Hold rating to the companys stock. Based on data from MarketBeat, Carvana currently has a consensus rating of Moderate Buy and an average target price of $468.59. Read Our Latest Stock Report on Carvana Carvana Profile (Free Report) Carvana Co is an online-only retailer of used vehicles that operates a consumer-facing e-commerce platform for buying and selling cars. The company markets and sells inspected, reconditioned pre-owned vehicles through its website, where shoppers can browse inventory, view detailed 360-degree photos and vehicle history reports, finance purchases, and arrange delivery or pickup. Carvanas model is built around a digital end-to-end car buying experience that aims to simplify vehicle transactions compared with traditional dealerships. Its products and services include direct retail sales of used cars, trade-in and purchase offers for consumer vehicles, vehicle financing and related protection products, and a seven-day return policy that allows customers to test a vehicle in everyday use. Featured Articles Want to see what other hedge funds are holding CVNA? Visit HoldingsChannel.com to get the latest 13F filings and insider trades for Carvana Co. (NYSE:CVNA Free Report). Receive News & Ratings for Carvana Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Carvana and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. VELA Investment Management LLC lifted its stake in shares of Antero Resources Corporation (NYSE:AR Free Report) by 71.3% during the 3rd quarter, according to the company in its most recent filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The fund owned 121,635 shares of the oil and natural gas companys stock after purchasing an additional 50,611 shares during the period. Antero Resources accounts for about 1.0% of VELA Investment Management LLCs portfolio, making the stock its 26th largest holding. VELA Investment Management LLCs holdings in Antero Resources were worth $4,082,000 as of its most recent filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). Several other hedge funds and other institutional investors have also recently made changes to their positions in AR. Huntington National Bank boosted its stake in Antero Resources by 91.3% during the second quarter. Huntington National Bank now owns 656 shares of the oil and natural gas companys stock worth $26,000 after buying an additional 313 shares during the last quarter. Root Financial Partners LLC purchased a new stake in shares of Antero Resources in the third quarter valued at about $26,000. Newbridge Financial Services Group Inc. increased its position in Antero Resources by 114.2% during the second quarter. Newbridge Financial Services Group Inc. now owns 938 shares of the oil and natural gas companys stock worth $38,000 after purchasing an additional 500 shares during the last quarter. FNY Investment Advisers LLC raised its stake in Antero Resources by 9,900.0% during the second quarter. FNY Investment Advisers LLC now owns 1,500 shares of the oil and natural gas companys stock worth $60,000 after purchasing an additional 1,485 shares during the period. Finally, EverSource Wealth Advisors LLC grew its stake in shares of Antero Resources by 701.3% in the 2nd quarter. EverSource Wealth Advisors LLC now owns 2,989 shares of the oil and natural gas companys stock valued at $120,000 after buying an additional 2,616 shares during the period. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 83.04% of the companys stock. Get Antero Resources alerts: Antero Resources Trading Up 4.1% NYSE AR opened at $34.23 on Thursday. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.17, a quick ratio of 0.31 and a current ratio of 0.31. The firm has a market cap of $10.56 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 18.21 and a beta of 0.50. The firm has a 50 day simple moving average of $34.25 and a 200-day simple moving average of $33.42. Antero Resources Corporation has a one year low of $29.10 and a one year high of $44.01. Insider Transactions at Antero Resources Antero Resources ( NYSE:AR Get Free Report ) last released its earnings results on Wednesday, October 29th. The oil and natural gas company reported $0.10 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, missing analysts consensus estimates of $0.48 by ($0.38). The business had revenue of $1.21 billion for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $1.25 billion. Antero Resources had a return on equity of 7.51% and a net margin of 11.73%.Antero Resourcess quarterly revenue was up 15.0% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same quarter last year, the company earned ($0.07) earnings per share. Equities research analysts anticipate that Antero Resources Corporation will post 2.74 EPS for the current fiscal year. In related news, insider Brendan E. Krueger bought 5,000 shares of the stock in a transaction that occurred on Friday, November 7th. The stock was purchased at an average cost of $33.35 per share, with a total value of $166,750.00. Following the purchase, the insider directly owned 295,917 shares of the companys stock, valued at $9,868,831.95. This trade represents a 1.72% increase in their position. The purchase was disclosed in a document filed with the SEC, which can be accessed through this link. Company insiders own 6.30% of the companys stock. Analyst Ratings Changes Several research analysts recently weighed in on the company. Benchmark reiterated a hold rating on shares of Antero Resources in a research report on Thursday, January 15th. Barclays cut their price objective on Antero Resources from $46.00 to $41.00 and set an equal weight rating for the company in a research report on Wednesday. Zacks Research upgraded shares of Antero Resources from a strong sell rating to a hold rating in a report on Tuesday, November 11th. Morgan Stanley increased their target price on shares of Antero Resources from $44.00 to $48.00 and gave the stock an overweight rating in a research note on Tuesday, December 9th. Finally, Wells Fargo & Company boosted their price target on shares of Antero Resources from $39.00 to $49.00 and gave the company an overweight rating in a research note on Friday, December 12th. Two research analysts have rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, ten have issued a Buy rating and seven have assigned a Hold rating to the stock. According to data from MarketBeat.com, the company has an average rating of Moderate Buy and a consensus price target of $45.63. Get Our Latest Research Report on AR Antero Resources Profile (Free Report) Antero Resources Corporation is an independent exploration and production company focused on the development of natural gas, natural gas liquids (NGLs) and oil properties in the Appalachian Basin of the United States. The companys operations target the Marcellus and Utica shales, where it applies advanced drilling and completion techniques to optimize recovery from its large acreage position. Anteros portfolio encompasses significant reserves of ethane, propane and other NGLs, alongside dry gas volumes that are positioned to serve both domestic and export markets. Headquartered in Denver, Colorado, Antero Resources holds approximately 1.8 million net acres of leasehold interests across parts of West Virginia and Ohio. Featured Articles Receive News & Ratings for Antero Resources Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Antero Resources and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Wealth Enhancement Advisory Services LLC boosted its holdings in shares of Dominion Energy Inc. (NYSE:D Free Report) by 31.4% during the 3rd quarter, Holdings Channel.com reports. The firm owned 414,044 shares of the utilities providers stock after purchasing an additional 99,022 shares during the quarter. Wealth Enhancement Advisory Services LLCs holdings in Dominion Energy were worth $25,203,000 as of its most recent SEC filing. A number of other institutional investors have also modified their holdings of the stock. Patton Fund Management Inc. bought a new stake in shares of Dominion Energy during the second quarter valued at approximately $235,000. Rockefeller Capital Management L.P. lifted its holdings in shares of Dominion Energy by 6.9% in the second quarter. Rockefeller Capital Management L.P. now owns 186,885 shares of the utilities providers stock valued at $10,563,000 after buying an additional 12,041 shares during the period. Kera Capital Partners Inc. bought a new position in shares of Dominion Energy during the 3rd quarter valued at about $3,574,000. Vanguard Group Inc. boosted its holdings in Dominion Energy by 16.2% during the second quarter. Vanguard Group Inc. now owns 105,795,310 shares of the utilities providers stock worth $5,979,551,000 after buying an additional 14,715,895 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Bryn Mawr Trust Advisors LLC grew its holdings in shares of Dominion Energy by 19.0% in the 2nd quarter. Bryn Mawr Trust Advisors LLC now owns 104,710 shares of the utilities providers stock worth $5,918,000 after acquiring an additional 16,731 shares during the last quarter. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 73.04% of the companys stock. Get Dominion Energy alerts: Dominion Energy Stock Down 0.3% NYSE:D opened at $60.89 on Thursday. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.41, a quick ratio of 0.65 and a current ratio of 0.84. Dominion Energy Inc. has a 52-week low of $48.07 and a 52-week high of $62.87. The company has a market cap of $52.00 billion, a PE ratio of 20.71, a PEG ratio of 1.65 and a beta of 0.72. The stock has a 50-day simple moving average of $59.74 and a 200 day simple moving average of $59.86. Dominion Energy Dividend Announcement Dominion Energy ( NYSE:D Get Free Report ) last announced its quarterly earnings data on Friday, October 31st. The utilities provider reported $1.06 EPS for the quarter, topping analysts consensus estimates of $1.02 by $0.04. Dominion Energy had a net margin of 16.17% and a return on equity of 9.60%. The business had revenue of $4.53 billion for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $4.71 billion. During the same quarter in the previous year, the firm posted $0.98 earnings per share. The firms revenue for the quarter was up 14.9% on a year-over-year basis. Dominion Energy has set its FY 2025 guidance at 3.330-3.480 EPS. On average, sell-side analysts expect that Dominion Energy Inc. will post 3.39 EPS for the current fiscal year. The business also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Saturday, December 20th. Shareholders of record on Friday, December 5th were given a dividend of $0.6675 per share. The ex-dividend date of this dividend was Friday, December 5th. This represents a $2.67 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 4.4%. Dominion Energys payout ratio is 90.82%. Key Dominion Energy News Here are the key news stories impacting Dominion Energy this week: Positive Sentiment: Court win and project restart clear regulatory hurdles for the Coastal Virginia Offshore Wind program, improving the outlook for a large, longduration revenue and investment stream. Article Title Court win and project restart clear regulatory hurdles for the Coastal Virginia Offshore Wind program, improving the outlook for a large, longduration revenue and investment stream. Positive Sentiment: Federal pause lifted and construction activity has resumed on the Coastal Virginia Offshore Wind project a nearterm operational restart that reduces construction uncertainty. Article Title Federal pause lifted and construction activity has resumed on the Coastal Virginia Offshore Wind project a nearterm operational restart that reduces construction uncertainty. Neutral Sentiment: Dominion opened its Charitable Foundation spring grant cycle positive for community relations but limited direct financial impact. Article Title Dominion opened its Charitable Foundation spring grant cycle positive for community relations but limited direct financial impact. Neutral Sentiment: Company and local authorities are preparing for winter weather in Hampton Roads and scheduling siren tests (Lake Murray dam) operational readiness that helps limit outage risk but is routine. Article Title Article Title Company and local authorities are preparing for winter weather in Hampton Roads and scheduling siren tests (Lake Murray dam) operational readiness that helps limit outage risk but is routine. Neutral Sentiment: Wells Fargo trimmed its price target slightly ($67 $64) but kept an Overweight rating a modest analyst downgrade that may damp nearterm sentiment despite continued buy conviction. Article Title Wells Fargo trimmed its price target slightly ($67 $64) but kept an Overweight rating a modest analyst downgrade that may damp nearterm sentiment despite continued buy conviction. Negative Sentiment: Local media coverage and customer complaints about higher electric bills in Virginia are drawing attention and political scrutiny a reputational and regulatory risk that can pressure nearterm sentiment and invite rate reviews. Article Title Local media coverage and customer complaints about higher electric bills in Virginia are drawing attention and political scrutiny a reputational and regulatory risk that can pressure nearterm sentiment and invite rate reviews. Negative Sentiment: Solar advocates are pushing back against Dominions netmetering proposal ongoing regulatory conflict could limit utility recovery or require concessions, creating earnings uncertainty. Article Title Analysts Set New Price Targets Several research firms have recently weighed in on D. Evercore ISI assumed coverage on shares of Dominion Energy in a research report on Tuesday, October 7th. They issued an in-line rating and a $67.00 target price on the stock. Wells Fargo & Company cut their price target on Dominion Energy from $67.00 to $64.00 and set an overweight rating for the company in a research note on Tuesday. Royal Bank Of Canada restated a sector perform rating and set a $70.00 price target on shares of Dominion Energy in a report on Tuesday, October 28th. BTIG Research assumed coverage on Dominion Energy in a research report on Wednesday, October 22nd. They issued a neutral rating for the company. Finally, Weiss Ratings reiterated a hold (c+) rating on shares of Dominion Energy in a research note on Monday, December 29th. Two analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating, nine have issued a Hold rating and one has given a Sell rating to the stock. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, Dominion Energy has an average rating of Hold and a consensus price target of $64.44. Get Our Latest Stock Analysis on D Dominion Energy Company Profile (Free Report) Dominion Energy, Inc, headquartered in Richmond, Virginia, is a diversified energy company that primarily operates regulated electricity and natural gas utilities and develops energy infrastructure. The companys core activities include the generation, transmission and distribution of electricity to residential, commercial and industrial customers, as well as the purchase, storage and delivery of natural gas. Dominion combines traditional utility operations with energy infrastructure businesses to provide essential services across its service territories. Dominions electricity portfolio spans multiple technologies and fuel sources, including nuclear, natural gas-fired generation and renewable resources such as utility-scale solar and wind. Featured Stories Want to see what other hedge funds are holding D? Visit HoldingsChannel.com to get the latest 13F filings and insider trades for Dominion Energy Inc. (NYSE:D Free Report). Receive News & Ratings for Dominion Energy Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Dominion Energy and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Tech innovation reshapes NW China's agriculture landscape Xinhua) 09:47, January 22, 2026 LANZHOU, Jan. 21 (Xinhua) -- Amid the biting winter chill, smart greenhouses in Dingxi City, northwest China's Gansu Province, are thriving with fresh fruits and vegetables, showcasing the region's year-round agricultural innovation. Thanks to technological innovation, Gansu's agricultural facilities have developed rapidly, allowing the vegetable industry to supply fresh produce steadily throughout the year. Located in the heart of the Loess Plateau, Dingxi boasts a cool climate, ideal for agriculture. In recent years, the city has driven agricultural development through technological innovation, embracing smart farming and moving beyond traditional weather-dependent practices. Currently, the city has 14 intensive smart seedling bases, along with 1,265 standardized greenhouses and steel-framed sheds equipped with Internet of Things devices. Integrated water and fertilizer systems, along with 5G-enabled environmental control technology, are now fully operational, providing precise, real-time monitoring of temperature, light, water and nutrients to optimize crop growth. The 2025 central rural work conference called for research and breakthroughs in core agricultural technologies in key fields and the efficient application of scientific and technological achievements, developing new quality productive forces in agriculture according to local conditions. This vision has become a key part of Gansu's strategy to cultivate new agricultural production capacity. At the Dingxi Potato Research Institution, smart greenhouses are automating the entire process of seed potato production, including one-click fertilization, watering, and real-time growth monitoring. This technological empowerment has made the institute a standardized base for seed potato production and exports in China. Li Jinfu, head of Dingxi Potato Research Institution, said that the institute produces 60 million virus-free seed potato test-tube seedlings annually, along with nearly 120 million seed potatoes. These potatoes are not only sold across China but are also exported to countries such as Egypt and Saudi Arabia, helping pave the way for profitable specialty agriculture. The cultivation of new agricultural productivity is improving people's livelihoods. Li Ru, a 56-year-old farmer from Chenjiawa Village in Anding District, has spent his life growing potatoes. He has seen the remarkable transformation of farming practices. Agricultural machinery now completes in one hour what once took a whole day, plastic mulching film helps preserve moisture and improve quality, and drought-resistant crop varieties maintain stable yields while boosting farmers' income. The hardships of past subsistence farming have given way to the ease and abundance of tech-driven prosperity. The new agricultural productivity driven by technological innovation is redefining the development of modern agriculture in Gansu. In the past, traditional agriculture relied on experience, manual labor, and animal power, which has now been replaced by a digital and intelligent model. Gansu Province State Farm Group Co., Ltd., the province's largest modern agricultural enterprise, has been advancing new technologies and equipment while developing smart agriculture demonstration zones. During the spring planting and autumn harvest seasons, high-tech production is a common sight across the company's farms. Driverless tractors equipped with BeiDou Navigation Satellite System plow neat lines across fields and drone fleets fly over large fields spraying atomized fertilizers evenly on crops. With the support of these high-tech devices, agricultural efficiency is now more than five times greater than traditional methods. In Gansu's Linxia Hui Autonomous Prefecture, a 200,000-square-meter rose "super factory" is showcasing the power of technology. The agriculture park, which began operation in 2022, integrates advanced technologies such as digital control, soilless cultivation, and post-harvest pre-cooling for fresh-cut flowers, ensuring roses bloom year-round. The annual production of fresh-cut roses exceeds 72 million stems. Zhang Yongyou, general manager of Linxia Yinong Agricultural and Animal Husbandry Investment Co., Ltd., said the company has successfully brought its fresh-cut roses to both domestic and international markets. By 2025, it is expected that 5.69 million stems will be exported to Kazakhstan, Russia and other countries, generating over 8.37 million yuan in sales. The company also provides 500 stable jobs, with each employee earning an average annual income of 45,000 yuan (about 6,427 U.S. dollars), supporting local rural revitalization. In the vast Hexi Corridor, a key artery of the ancient Silk Road, winter-fallow fields are taking on new value through the cultivation of innovative agricultural products. Sun Wancang, a professor at Gansu Agricultural University, has developed a super cold-resistant winter rapeseed variety capable of withstanding temperatures as low as minus 32 degrees Celsius. This variety is gradually expanding northward, allowing rapeseed, which once could not survive the winter, to take root in the Hexi Corridor. At experimental bases in cities like Wuwei and Jiuquan, winter rapeseed is boosting grain and oil production while curbing dust storm sources, delivering both economic and ecological benefits. The rapid development of agricultural new productivity is also supported by policies and project funding. During China's 14th Five-Year Plan period, Gansu has increased investment in agricultural science and technology, implementing seed industry breakthroughs and technological support projects. A total of 129 key technologies to improve grain yield per unit area have been developed, and a special fund for agricultural machinery and equipment R&D has been set up. Backed by four years of central and provincial financial support totaling 250 million yuan, these initiatives are providing strong momentum for breakthroughs in agricultural technology. According to Sun, the shift from traditional farming to smart agriculture is significantly empowering agricultural development through the cultivation of new agricultural productivity. (Web editor: Zhang Kaiwei, Liang Jun) Wealth Enhancement Advisory Services LLC raised its position in Cummins Inc. (NYSE:CMI Free Report) by 10.9% during the third quarter, according to the company in its most recent disclosure with the Securities & Exchange Commission. The institutional investor owned 51,160 shares of the companys stock after buying an additional 5,015 shares during the period. Wealth Enhancement Advisory Services LLCs holdings in Cummins were worth $22,212,000 as of its most recent SEC filing. Several other hedge funds also recently modified their holdings of the company. Osterweis Capital Management Inc. bought a new stake in Cummins during the 2nd quarter worth approximately $31,000. Salomon & Ludwin LLC boosted its stake in Cummins by 1,333.3% in the third quarter. Salomon & Ludwin LLC now owns 86 shares of the companys stock worth $37,000 after purchasing an additional 80 shares in the last quarter. Tripletail Wealth Management LLC acquired a new position in Cummins in the third quarter worth $39,000. CNB Bank bought a new stake in shares of Cummins during the second quarter worth $43,000. Finally, SJS Investment Consulting Inc. increased its stake in shares of Cummins by 1,414.3% in the third quarter. SJS Investment Consulting Inc. now owns 106 shares of the companys stock valued at $45,000 after buying an additional 99 shares in the last quarter. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 83.46% of the companys stock. Get Cummins alerts: Insider Activity In related news, CEO Jennifer Rumsey sold 4,570 shares of the companys stock in a transaction dated Tuesday, November 11th. The stock was sold at an average price of $473.89, for a total value of $2,165,677.30. Following the completion of the sale, the chief executive officer owned 42,880 shares in the company, valued at approximately $20,320,403.20. This represents a 9.63% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The transaction was disclosed in a document filed with the SEC, which can be accessed through this link. Also, insider Brett Michael Merritt sold 1,450 shares of the businesss stock in a transaction dated Tuesday, November 25th. The stock was sold at an average price of $489.32, for a total value of $709,514.00. Following the transaction, the insider owned 9,271 shares of the companys stock, valued at $4,536,485.72. The trade was a 13.52% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The disclosure for this sale is available in the SEC filing. Insiders have sold a total of 19,330 shares of company stock valued at $9,135,364 in the last 90 days. 0.41% of the stock is owned by company insiders. Analyst Ratings Changes Several research analysts recently issued reports on the stock. Barclays reiterated a positive rating on shares of Cummins in a research report on Friday, December 19th. Wall Street Zen raised shares of Cummins from a hold rating to a buy rating in a research note on Saturday, November 15th. UBS Group raised shares of Cummins from a sell rating to a neutral rating in a research note on Tuesday, November 25th. Wells Fargo & Company began coverage on shares of Cummins in a report on Thursday, November 13th. They issued an overweight rating and a $599.00 price target for the company. Finally, Argus boosted their price objective on shares of Cummins from $459.00 to $573.00 and gave the stock a buy rating in a research report on Tuesday, November 25th. One analyst has rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, twelve have assigned a Buy rating and four have issued a Hold rating to the company. According to MarketBeat, Cummins currently has a consensus rating of Moderate Buy and a consensus price target of $514.00. Get Our Latest Stock Analysis on CMI Cummins Stock Up 2.8% Shares of NYSE CMI opened at $581.53 on Thursday. Cummins Inc. has a 1 year low of $260.02 and a 1 year high of $584.70. The firms 50-day moving average is $516.47 and its 200-day moving average is $441.99. The company has a current ratio of 1.77, a quick ratio of 1.11 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.52. The firm has a market capitalization of $80.27 billion, a PE ratio of 30.18, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 1.98 and a beta of 1.12. Cummins (NYSE:CMI Get Free Report) last announced its quarterly earnings data on Thursday, November 6th. The company reported $5.59 earnings per share for the quarter, beating the consensus estimate of $4.83 by $0.76. Cummins had a net margin of 7.95% and a return on equity of 26.02%. The business had revenue of $8.32 billion for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $7.97 billion. During the same period in the prior year, the business posted $5.86 earnings per share. Cumminss revenue was down 1.6% compared to the same quarter last year. Equities analysts expect that Cummins Inc. will post 22.54 EPS for the current year. Cummins Profile (Free Report) Cummins Inc (NYSE: CMI) is a global power technology company that designs, manufactures, distributes and services a broad portfolio of diesel and natural gas engines, electrified powertrains, power generation systems and related components. Founded in 1919 and headquartered in Columbus, Indiana, Cummins has grown into one of the worlds leading suppliers of internal combustion engines and a provider of technologies that reduce emissions and improve fuel efficiency. The companys product lineup includes heavy-, medium- and light-duty engines for on-highway and off-highway applications, generator sets and power systems for commercial and industrial use, and key engine components such as turbochargers, fuel systems, air handling, filtration and aftertreatment solutions. See Also Receive News & Ratings for Cummins Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Cummins and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Wealth Enhancement Advisory Services LLC increased its position in Dell Technologies Inc. (NYSE:DELL Free Report) by 73.6% during the 3rd quarter, according to its most recent filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The firm owned 160,189 shares of the technology companys stock after acquiring an additional 67,895 shares during the quarter. Wealth Enhancement Advisory Services LLCs holdings in Dell Technologies were worth $24,168,000 at the end of the most recent quarter. A number of other hedge funds also recently bought and sold shares of the company. Winnow Wealth LLC acquired a new position in shares of Dell Technologies during the 2nd quarter worth about $25,000. Westside Investment Management Inc. raised its stake in Dell Technologies by 84.7% during the 2nd quarter. Westside Investment Management Inc. now owns 218 shares of the technology companys stock valued at $27,000 after purchasing an additional 100 shares during the last quarter. Twin Peaks Wealth Advisors LLC acquired a new stake in Dell Technologies in the 2nd quarter worth $28,000. NewSquare Capital LLC lifted its stake in shares of Dell Technologies by 96.9% in the second quarter. NewSquare Capital LLC now owns 254 shares of the technology companys stock valued at $31,000 after buying an additional 125 shares during the period. Finally, Johnson Financial Group Inc. raised its holdings in Dell Technologies by 66.2% in the 2nd quarter. Johnson Financial Group Inc. now owns 251 shares of the technology companys stock valued at $31,000 after acquiring an additional 100 shares in the last quarter. 76.37% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors. Get Dell Technologies alerts: Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth A number of analysts have recently issued reports on the company. TD Cowen boosted their price objective on Dell Technologies from $130.00 to $150.00 and gave the company a hold rating in a research report on Wednesday, October 8th. Argus boosted their price target on shares of Dell Technologies from $150.00 to $200.00 and gave the company a buy rating in a report on Thursday, October 9th. Mizuho raised their price objective on shares of Dell Technologies from $170.00 to $175.00 and gave the stock an outperform rating in a report on Wednesday, November 26th. Citigroup decreased their target price on shares of Dell Technologies from $175.00 to $165.00 and set a buy rating on the stock in a research report on Tuesday. Finally, Daiwa Capital Markets raised their price target on shares of Dell Technologies from $140.00 to $150.00 and gave the stock an outperform rating in a research note on Wednesday, December 3rd. Eighteen investment analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating, six have given a Hold rating and one has issued a Sell rating to the stock. According to data from MarketBeat, the stock presently has a consensus rating of Moderate Buy and an average price target of $161.26. Insider Transactions at Dell Technologies In other news, Director Egon Durban sold 71,000 shares of Dell Technologies stock in a transaction on Tuesday, December 9th. The stock was sold at an average price of $138.12, for a total value of $9,806,520.00. Following the completion of the sale, the director directly owned 1,172,428 shares of the companys stock, valued at approximately $161,935,755.36. This trade represents a 5.71% decrease in their position. The transaction was disclosed in a filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is accessible through this hyperlink. Corporate insiders own 42.00% of the companys stock. Dell Technologies Price Performance DELL stock opened at $113.16 on Thursday. The business has a fifty day moving average price of $127.18 and a 200 day moving average price of $133.80. Dell Technologies Inc. has a fifty-two week low of $66.25 and a fifty-two week high of $168.08. The stock has a market capitalization of $74.99 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 15.09, a P/E/G ratio of 0.74 and a beta of 1.03. Dell Technologies (NYSE:DELL Get Free Report) last announced its earnings results on Tuesday, November 25th. The technology company reported $2.59 earnings per share for the quarter, beating analysts consensus estimates of $2.47 by $0.12. Dell Technologies had a negative return on equity of 234.84% and a net margin of 5.01%.The company had revenue of $27.01 billion during the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $27.26 billion. During the same period last year, the company posted $2.15 earnings per share. The firms quarterly revenue was up 10.8% compared to the same quarter last year. Dell Technologies has set its FY 2026 guidance at 9.920-9.920 EPS and its Q4 2026 guidance at 3.500-3.500 EPS. On average, equities analysts expect that Dell Technologies Inc. will post 6.93 earnings per share for the current fiscal year. Dell Technologies Dividend Announcement The business also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Friday, January 30th. Investors of record on Tuesday, January 20th will be issued a $0.525 dividend. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Tuesday, January 20th. This represents a $2.10 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 1.9%. Dell Technologiess dividend payout ratio (DPR) is currently 28.00%. Dell Technologies Company Profile (Free Report) Dell Technologies Inc is a multinational technology company that designs, manufactures and sells a broad range of information technology products, solutions and services. Its offerings span client computing devices (consumer and commercial laptops and desktops), enterprise infrastructure (servers, storage systems and networking equipment), software and cloud infrastructure, and a variety of professional services such as IT consulting, deployment, managed services and financing solutions. The company serves organizations of all sizes as well as individual consumers, with products and services aimed at enabling digital transformation and modern IT environments. Founded by Michael Dell in 1984, the company grew from a direct-to-consumer PC business into a diversified IT provider through organic expansion and strategic acquisitions. Read More Receive News & Ratings for Dell Technologies Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Dell Technologies and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Brinker International (NYSE:EAT Get Free Report) had its price target upped by stock analysts at Wells Fargo & Company from $175.00 to $200.00 in a report released on Thursday,Benzinga reports. The firm presently has an overweight rating on the restaurant operators stock. Wells Fargo & Companys target price suggests a potential upside of 20.01% from the companys previous close. Other analysts also recently issued reports about the company. Weiss Ratings restated a hold (c+) rating on shares of Brinker International in a research report on Monday, December 29th. Bank of America upgraded Brinker International from a neutral rating to a buy rating and raised their price objective for the stock from $190.00 to $192.00 in a report on Monday, October 6th. TD Cowen started coverage on Brinker International in a research report on Tuesday. They set a buy rating and a $192.00 target price on the stock. Morgan Stanley raised shares of Brinker International from an equal weight rating to an overweight rating and upped their price objective for the company from $160.00 to $200.00 in a research note on Tuesday. Finally, Citigroup increased their price objective on shares of Brinker International from $176.00 to $187.00 and gave the stock a buy rating in a report on Friday, January 9th. Thirteen equities research analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating and seven have given a Hold rating to the company. Based on data from MarketBeat, the company currently has a consensus rating of Moderate Buy and an average price target of $181.05. Get Brinker International alerts: Get Our Latest Stock Report on EAT Brinker International Price Performance Shares of Brinker International stock traded up $5.75 on Thursday, hitting $166.65. The companys stock had a trading volume of 123,049 shares, compared to its average volume of 944,212. The company has a quick ratio of 0.29, a current ratio of 0.35 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.53. The firm has a fifty day moving average price of $146.76 and a 200-day moving average price of $144.47. Brinker International has a 52-week low of $100.30 and a 52-week high of $192.21. The company has a market capitalization of $7.40 billion, a P/E ratio of 17.30, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 1.10 and a beta of 1.34. Brinker International (NYSE:EAT Get Free Report) last released its quarterly earnings results on Wednesday, October 29th. The restaurant operator reported $1.93 EPS for the quarter, beating the consensus estimate of $1.76 by $0.17. Brinker International had a net margin of 7.94% and a return on equity of 164.66%. The business had revenue of $1.35 billion for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $1.32 billion. During the same period in the prior year, the business earned $0.95 earnings per share. The companys quarterly revenue was up 18.5% on a year-over-year basis. Brinker International has set its FY 2026 guidance at 9.900-10.50 EPS. On average, equities research analysts expect that Brinker International will post 8.3 earnings per share for the current fiscal year. Institutional Trading of Brinker International A number of hedge funds and other institutional investors have recently modified their holdings of the business. Concord Wealth Partners acquired a new stake in Brinker International during the 2nd quarter valued at approximately $25,000. Caitong International Asset Management Co. Ltd bought a new stake in shares of Brinker International in the third quarter worth $25,000. Allworth Financial LP raised its holdings in Brinker International by 105.8% in the second quarter. Allworth Financial LP now owns 142 shares of the restaurant operators stock valued at $26,000 after acquiring an additional 73 shares in the last quarter. Salomon & Ludwin LLC acquired a new position in Brinker International during the 3rd quarter worth $26,000. Finally, AdvisorNet Financial Inc bought a new stake in Brinker International in the second quarter valued at about $33,000. More Brinker International News Here are the key news stories impacting Brinker International this week: Brinker International Company Profile (Get Free Report) Brinker International, Inc (NYSE: EAT) is a leading global operator of casual dining restaurants. The companys portfolio is anchored by its flagship Chilis Grill & Bar concept and Maggianos Little Italy fullservice restaurants, offering a range of Americanstyle menu items, handcrafted cocktails and familyfriendly dining experiences. Through dinein, takeout, delivery and catering services, Brinker seeks to meet consumer preferences across multiple channels. The Chilis brand features signature items such as baby back ribs, burgers and fajitas alongside a rotating selection of limitedtime offerings and seasonal beverages. Recommended Stories Receive News & Ratings for Brinker International Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Brinker International and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Celanese (NYSE:CE Get Free Report) was downgraded by Zacks Research from a hold rating to a strong sell rating in a note issued to investors on Tuesday,Zacks.com reports. Other analysts have also recently issued reports about the stock. Bank of America cut their price target on shares of Celanese from $59.00 to $57.00 and set a buy rating on the stock in a report on Tuesday, October 14th. Evercore ISI dropped their target price on shares of Celanese from $75.00 to $45.00 and set an in-line rating for the company in a research report on Tuesday, November 11th. Citigroup increased their price target on shares of Celanese from $56.00 to $63.00 and gave the stock a buy rating in a research report on Thursday, January 15th. Tudor Pickering upgraded Celanese from a strong sell rating to a hold rating in a research note on Tuesday, November 11th. Finally, UBS Group upped their price objective on Celanese from $49.00 to $50.00 and gave the company a neutral rating in a research note on Monday, January 12th. Six investment analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating, twelve have assigned a Hold rating and three have issued a Sell rating to the companys stock. According to data from MarketBeat.com, the stock currently has an average rating of Hold and an average price target of $53.06. Get Celanese alerts: Read Our Latest Stock Analysis on CE Celanese Trading Up 8.8% NYSE:CE opened at $48.13 on Tuesday. The stock has a market cap of $5.27 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of -1.70 and a beta of 1.12. Celanese has a one year low of $35.13 and a one year high of $75.84. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 2.66, a quick ratio of 1.04 and a current ratio of 1.63. The businesss 50-day simple moving average is $42.08 and its 200 day simple moving average is $44.91. Celanese (NYSE:CE Get Free Report) last posted its quarterly earnings data on Thursday, November 6th. The basic materials company reported $1.34 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of $1.27 by $0.07. Celanese had a positive return on equity of 9.87% and a negative net margin of 31.85%.The company had revenue of $2.42 billion for the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $2.51 billion. During the same period in the previous year, the business earned $2.44 EPS. Celaneses revenue for the quarter was down 8.6% compared to the same quarter last year. Celanese has set its Q4 2025 guidance at 0.850-1.000 EPS. As a group, sell-side analysts predict that Celanese will post 8.79 earnings per share for the current fiscal year. Insider Buying and Selling In related news, CFO Chuck Kyrish bought 5,000 shares of the companys stock in a transaction on Tuesday, December 9th. The shares were purchased at an average cost of $41.03 per share, with a total value of $205,150.00. Following the completion of the transaction, the chief financial officer directly owned 10,914 shares of the companys stock, valued at approximately $447,801.42. This represents a 84.55% increase in their ownership of the stock. The acquisition was disclosed in a filing with the SEC, which is accessible through the SEC website. 0.33% of the stock is currently owned by insiders. Hedge Funds Weigh In On Celanese Several hedge funds and other institutional investors have recently modified their holdings of the company. Mizuho Markets Americas LLC lifted its holdings in shares of Celanese by 149.6% in the second quarter. Mizuho Markets Americas LLC now owns 1,248,055 shares of the basic materials companys stock valued at $69,055,000 after buying an additional 747,987 shares during the period. HB Wealth Management LLC acquired a new position in Celanese during the second quarter worth about $340,000. Muhlenkamp & Co. Inc. bought a new stake in Celanese in the second quarter worth about $8,366,000. Geode Capital Management LLC raised its position in Celanese by 0.7% in the second quarter. Geode Capital Management LLC now owns 1,866,515 shares of the basic materials companys stock worth $103,301,000 after acquiring an additional 13,042 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Police & Firemen s Retirement System of New Jersey lifted its holdings in Celanese by 163.8% in the 2nd quarter. Police & Firemen s Retirement System of New Jersey now owns 42,062 shares of the basic materials companys stock valued at $2,327,000 after acquiring an additional 26,120 shares during the last quarter. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 98.87% of the companys stock. About Celanese (Get Free Report) Celanese Corporation is a global chemical and specialty materials company that develops, manufactures and markets a broad portfolio of products serving diverse industries. The company operates through two primary business segmentsEngineered Materials and Acetyl Chainoffering solutions that range from high-performance polymers and specialty additives to industrial chemicals and intermediates. Its engineered materials are used in applications such as automotive components, consumer electronics, medical devices and packaging, while its acetyl derivatives find uses in coatings, adhesives, solvents and personal care products. In the Engineered Materials segment, Celanese produces a variety of high-performance thermoplastics, polyether-block-amide (PEBA) elastomers and functional additives designed to enhance product durability, thermal resistance and sustainability. Read More Receive News & Ratings for Celanese Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Celanese and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Smith Douglas Homes (NYSE:SDHC Get Free Report) was upgraded by research analysts at Zacks Research from a strong sell rating to a hold rating in a research note issued to investors on Tuesday,Zacks.com reports. Other equities research analysts have also issued reports about the stock. Weiss Ratings reissued a sell (d+) rating on shares of Smith Douglas Homes in a research note on Wednesday, October 8th. Bank of America lowered their price target on Smith Douglas Homes from $17.00 to $15.00 and set an underperform rating on the stock in a research report on Friday, October 10th. Wall Street Zen downgraded Smith Douglas Homes from a hold rating to a sell rating in a research note on Sunday, November 9th. UBS Group reissued a positive rating on shares of Smith Douglas Homes in a report on Monday, December 1st. Finally, Royal Bank Of Canada reduced their price target on shares of Smith Douglas Homes from $16.00 to $15.00 and set a sector perform rating for the company in a research report on Friday, November 7th. One equities research analyst has rated the stock with a Buy rating, six have assigned a Hold rating and two have issued a Sell rating to the companys stock. According to MarketBeat.com, Smith Douglas Homes currently has an average rating of Reduce and a consensus target price of $16.60. Get Smith Douglas Homes alerts: Check Out Our Latest Report on SDHC Smith Douglas Homes Price Performance NYSE:SDHC traded up $0.39 during trading hours on Tuesday, reaching $21.08. The company had a trading volume of 5,496 shares, compared to its average volume of 63,100. The firm has a market cap of $1.08 billion, a PE ratio of 16.88, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 17.34 and a beta of 0.95. Smith Douglas Homes has a 1-year low of $15.00 and a 1-year high of $25.46. The businesss 50 day moving average price is $19.10 and its 200-day moving average price is $18.85. Smith Douglas Homes (NYSE:SDHC Get Free Report) last posted its earnings results on Wednesday, November 5th. The company reported ($0.12) earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, missing the consensus estimate of $0.26 by ($0.38). The firm had revenue of $262.04 million during the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $251.41 million. Smith Douglas Homes had a net margin of 1.13% and a return on equity of 0.12%. On average, analysts expect that Smith Douglas Homes will post 1.73 earnings per share for the current fiscal year. Institutional Inflows and Outflows Several institutional investors and hedge funds have recently made changes to their positions in the stock. Wasatch Advisors LP increased its stake in Smith Douglas Homes by 4.4% in the 2nd quarter. Wasatch Advisors LP now owns 1,279,357 shares of the companys stock valued at $24,845,000 after buying an additional 53,358 shares during the last quarter. Vanguard Group Inc. increased its position in shares of Smith Douglas Homes by 0.9% in the third quarter. Vanguard Group Inc. now owns 450,993 shares of the companys stock valued at $7,965,000 after acquiring an additional 3,884 shares during the last quarter. First Eagle Investment Management LLC increased its position in shares of Smith Douglas Homes by 38.0% in the third quarter. First Eagle Investment Management LLC now owns 331,674 shares of the companys stock valued at $5,857,000 after acquiring an additional 91,292 shares during the last quarter. Geode Capital Management LLC raised its holdings in Smith Douglas Homes by 8.8% during the second quarter. Geode Capital Management LLC now owns 101,896 shares of the companys stock worth $1,980,000 after acquiring an additional 8,201 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Covey Capital Advisors LLC acquired a new position in Smith Douglas Homes during the second quarter valued at approximately $705,000. About Smith Douglas Homes (Get Free Report) Smith Douglas Homes Corp., together with its subsidiaries, engages in the design, construction, and sale of single-family homes in the southeastern United States. It also provides closing, escrow, and title insurance services. The company sells its products to entry-level and empty-nest homebuyers. Smith Douglas Homes Corp. was founded in 2008 and is headquartered in Woodstock, Georgia. See Also Receive News & Ratings for Smith Douglas Homes Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Smith Douglas Homes and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. In a move to digitize its defense capabilities, the Ukrainian governments defense technology cluster, Brave1, has formalized a new partnership with American data analytics firm Palantir. This collaboration has resulted in the creation of a secure digital environment, dubbed the Dataroom, a platform designed as a testing ground for artificial intelligence models. The initiative aims to bridge the gap between theoretical software development and the harsh realities of modern warfare by feeding sensitive, real-world military data into machine learning algorithms. Get alerts: This development marks a deepening of ties between Kyiv and Western technology firms, specifically aimed at addressing the capability gaps facing the Ukrainian defense industry. By utilizing intelligence gathered directly from the battlefield, Ukrainian developers will be able to train, validate, and refine their algorithms with a level of fidelity that synthetic data cannot provide. Addressing the Saturation Threat The primary impetus behind this technological acceleration is the evolving nature of the aerial threat hovering over Ukraine. Defense officials have identified neutralizing Shahed-type loitering munitions as the most pressing priority for this new system. While interceptor drones have proven their utility in combat, the sheer volume of incoming threats has necessitated a shift toward automation. According to statements by Mykhailo Fedorov, the Ukrainian Minister of Defense, the current battlefield dynamics require systems with a high degree of autonomy. The logic is that while human-piloted interceptors are effective, they cannot scale to meet a threat environment characterized by swarms of thousands of hostile targets. To maintain a strong defense, interceptor systems must be able to identify, classify, and engage targets without constant human intervention. The urgency of this shift was further underscored by recent intelligence assessments shared by Ukrainian military commander Oleksandr Syrskyi. Reports indicate that Russian industrial capacity has ramped up significantly, enabling the production of hundreds of distinct variants of attack drones daily. Projections suggest that this output could more than double in the near future, creating a saturation scenario that traditional air defense methods would struggle to counter. A Secure Sandbox for Innovation The Dataroom is designed to be a closed loop, balancing the need for open innovation with the requirements of operational security. Because the training data relies on sensitive intelligence regarding enemy positions and flight characteristics, access is currently restricted exclusively to the Ukrainian defense industry. This exclusivity ensures that domestic companies can enhance their products using state-of-the-art intelligence while minimizing the risk of data leaks that could compromise military sources and methods. The platform envisions a future where interceptor drones serve as the first line of defense, equipped with software that has already seen the enemy through the ingestion of vast amounts of historical engagement data. This pre-training is expected to drastically reduce the reaction time and increase the success rate of autonomous systems deployed to protect Ukrainian skies. Deepening Technological Integration This initiative represents the latest chapter in an ongoing relationship between Ukraines Ministry of Digital Transformation and Palantir Technologies. The company, co-founded by Peter Thiel, has maintained a physical presence in Kyiv and has been instrumental in the countrys digital war efforts. Prior to the Dataroom, Ukraine used Palantirs MetaConstellation software, which aggregates and visualizes intelligence from a complex network of commercial satellites, thermal sensors, and reconnaissance drones to map enemy movements. Future Horizons for Autonomous Defense While the immediate focus remains on clearing the skies of suicide drones, the ambitions for the Dataroom extend well beyond current necessities. Defense leadership has indicated that this platform is the first step in a broader strategy to integrate artificial intelligence across various domains of warfare. Once the systems for aerial interception are perfected, the intention is to expand the data-sharing model to other areas requiring autonomous decision-making. By establishing a pipeline that connects battlefield data to software development, Ukraine is seeking to build an adaptive defense system that evolves as quickly as the threats it faces. The collaboration highlights a modern reality of conflict: the victor is often determined not just by the caliber of their ammunition, but by the speed and accuracy of their algorithms. The Goldman Sachs Group (NYSE:GS Get Free Report) had its target price upped by analysts at BMO Capital Markets from $980.00 to $985.00 in a report issued on Tuesday,MarketScreener reports. The brokerage currently has a market perform rating on the investment management companys stock. BMO Capital Markets price objective would suggest a potential upside of 3.39% from the stocks previous close. Get The Goldman Sachs Group alerts: A number of other brokerages also recently issued reports on GS. Argus boosted their price objective on The Goldman Sachs Group from $863.00 to $1,066.00 and gave the company a buy rating in a research note on Friday, January 16th. JPMorgan Chase & Co. lifted their price target on shares of The Goldman Sachs Group from $750.00 to $775.00 and gave the company a neutral rating in a report on Thursday, January 8th. Jefferies Financial Group upped their price target on shares of The Goldman Sachs Group from $898.00 to $1,087.00 and gave the stock a buy rating in a research report on Tuesday, January 6th. Dbs Bank lifted their target price on shares of The Goldman Sachs Group from $800.00 to $890.00 and gave the company a buy rating in a research note on Thursday, November 13th. Finally, Autonomous Res dropped their target price on shares of The Goldman Sachs Group from $1,047.00 to $960.00 and set an outperform rating for the company in a report on Thursday, January 15th. One research analyst has rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, eight have assigned a Buy rating, fifteen have given a Hold rating and one has assigned a Sell rating to the companys stock. According to data from MarketBeat, the company presently has a consensus rating of Hold and a consensus target price of $898.00. Get Our Latest Stock Report on GS The Goldman Sachs Group Trading Up 1.0% Shares of GS stock opened at $952.68 on Tuesday. The Goldman Sachs Group has a 1 year low of $439.38 and a 1 year high of $984.70. The firm has a fifty day moving average price of $876.79 and a 200-day moving average price of $797.88. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 2.29, a current ratio of 1.13 and a quick ratio of 0.65. The company has a market cap of $285.74 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 18.57, a PEG ratio of 1.10 and a beta of 1.33. The Goldman Sachs Group (NYSE:GS Get Free Report) last announced its earnings results on Thursday, January 15th. The investment management company reported $13.55 EPS for the quarter, topping analysts consensus estimates of $11.52 by $2.03. The Goldman Sachs Group had a return on equity of 15.19% and a net margin of 13.73%.The company had revenue of $15.71 billion for the quarter, compared to analysts expectations of $14.30 billion. During the same period last year, the firm earned $11.95 EPS. The Goldman Sachs Groups revenue for the quarter was down 3.0% compared to the same quarter last year. As a group, equities analysts predict that The Goldman Sachs Group will post 47.12 earnings per share for the current year. Insiders Place Their Bets In other The Goldman Sachs Group news, Director David A. Viniar sold 45,000 shares of the firms stock in a transaction that occurred on Friday, January 16th. The stock was sold at an average price of $965.33, for a total transaction of $43,439,850.00. Following the completion of the transaction, the director owned 555,000 shares in the company, valued at $535,758,150. This trade represents a 7.50% decrease in their position. The transaction was disclosed in a filing with the SEC, which is available through this link. In the last three months, insiders sold 68,186 shares of company stock worth $65,820,670. Company insiders own 0.55% of the companys stock. Institutional Inflows and Outflows Several institutional investors and hedge funds have recently added to or reduced their stakes in the stock. Hartline Investment Corp grew its stake in The Goldman Sachs Group by 153.3% in the 3rd quarter. Hartline Investment Corp now owns 1,421 shares of the investment management companys stock worth $1,132,000 after acquiring an additional 860 shares in the last quarter. Ignite Planners LLC purchased a new stake in shares of The Goldman Sachs Group in the second quarter valued at approximately $239,000. Bank of New York Mellon Corp boosted its holdings in shares of The Goldman Sachs Group by 4.9% in the second quarter. Bank of New York Mellon Corp now owns 3,379,900 shares of the investment management companys stock valued at $2,392,124,000 after purchasing an additional 157,473 shares during the period. Wells Trecaso Financial Group LLC grew its stake in The Goldman Sachs Group by 0.5% in the second quarter. Wells Trecaso Financial Group LLC now owns 21,534 shares of the investment management companys stock worth $15,240,000 after purchasing an additional 108 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Baron Silver Stevens Financial Advisors LLC bought a new stake in The Goldman Sachs Group during the 2nd quarter valued at $288,000. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 71.21% of the companys stock. More The Goldman Sachs Group News Here are the key news stories impacting The Goldman Sachs Group this week: The Goldman Sachs Group Company Profile (Get Free Report) The Goldman Sachs Group, Inc is a global investment banking and financial services firm headquartered in New York City. Founded in 1869 as a commercial paper business, the company has grown into a diversified financial institution that provides a broad range of services to corporations, financial institutions, governments and individuals. The firm is led by Chief Executive Officer David M. Solomon and operates across major financial centers worldwide. Goldman Sachs core businesses include investment banking, global markets, asset and wealth management, and consumer banking. Featured Stories Receive News & Ratings for The Goldman Sachs Group Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for The Goldman Sachs Group and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Fidelity National Information Services (NYSE:FIS Get Free Report) had its price objective decreased by equities researchers at BNP Paribas Exane from $60.00 to $55.00 in a note issued to investors on Tuesday,Fidelity reports. The firm presently has an underperform rating on the information technology services providers stock. BNP Paribas Exanes target price would indicate a potential downside of 9.22% from the stocks previous close. Get Fidelity National Information Services alerts: A number of other analysts have also commented on the company. Keefe, Bruyette & Woods cut their price target on Fidelity National Information Services from $88.00 to $85.00 and set an outperform rating on the stock in a report on Wednesday, October 1st. Deutsche Bank Aktiengesellschaft restated a hold rating and issued a $70.00 target price on shares of Fidelity National Information Services in a research note on Thursday, January 15th. Weiss Ratings reiterated a sell (d) rating on shares of Fidelity National Information Services in a report on Wednesday, October 8th. Wells Fargo & Company initiated coverage on shares of Fidelity National Information Services in a research report on Wednesday, October 22nd. They issued an overweight rating and a $81.00 price objective on the stock. Finally, UBS Group raised their target price on shares of Fidelity National Information Services from $82.00 to $83.00 and gave the company a buy rating in a research report on Thursday, November 6th. Eleven research analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating, eight have given a Hold rating and two have given a Sell rating to the company. According to MarketBeat.com, Fidelity National Information Services has a consensus rating of Hold and an average price target of $79.94. Check Out Our Latest Research Report on FIS Fidelity National Information Services Stock Up 0.9% Fidelity National Information Services stock opened at $60.59 on Tuesday. The company has a 50 day moving average of $65.50 and a 200-day moving average of $68.63. The company has a quick ratio of 0.53, a current ratio of 0.53 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.64. Fidelity National Information Services has a twelve month low of $59.51 and a twelve month high of $83.97. The stock has a market capitalization of $31.37 billion, a PE ratio of 224.39, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 0.89 and a beta of 0.93. Fidelity National Information Services (NYSE:FIS Get Free Report) last issued its quarterly earnings data on Wednesday, November 5th. The information technology services provider reported $1.51 EPS for the quarter, topping analysts consensus estimates of $1.48 by $0.03. The business had revenue of $2.72 billion for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $2.65 billion. Fidelity National Information Services had a net margin of 1.45% and a return on equity of 19.76%. The firms quarterly revenue was up 5.7% on a year-over-year basis. During the same period last year, the business posted $1.40 earnings per share. Fidelity National Information Services has set its FY 2025 guidance at 5.740-5.780 EPS. On average, equities research analysts anticipate that Fidelity National Information Services will post 5.74 EPS for the current fiscal year. Insider Buying and Selling In other news, Director Jeffrey A. Goldstein acquired 941 shares of the firms stock in a transaction dated Thursday, January 15th. The stock was bought at an average price of $64.11 per share, with a total value of $60,327.51. Following the transaction, the director directly owned 14,529 shares in the company, valued at approximately $931,454.19. The trade was a 6.93% increase in their position. The purchase was disclosed in a legal filing with the SEC, which is accessible through this hyperlink. 0.21% of the stock is currently owned by corporate insiders. Institutional Investors Weigh In On Fidelity National Information Services Hedge funds have recently bought and sold shares of the company. Vanguard Group Inc. raised its stake in Fidelity National Information Services by 0.6% in the second quarter. Vanguard Group Inc. now owns 63,019,323 shares of the information technology services providers stock valued at $5,130,403,000 after buying an additional 376,499 shares during the period. Dodge & Cox increased its holdings in shares of Fidelity National Information Services by 22.2% during the 3rd quarter. Dodge & Cox now owns 43,105,207 shares of the information technology services providers stock worth $2,842,357,000 after acquiring an additional 7,830,710 shares during the last quarter. Geode Capital Management LLC raised its stake in Fidelity National Information Services by 0.4% in the 2nd quarter. Geode Capital Management LLC now owns 13,288,097 shares of the information technology services providers stock valued at $1,077,157,000 after acquiring an additional 48,968 shares during the period. Boston Partners lifted its holdings in Fidelity National Information Services by 10.5% during the 2nd quarter. Boston Partners now owns 11,820,211 shares of the information technology services providers stock valued at $958,537,000 after purchasing an additional 1,122,181 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Charles Schwab Investment Management Inc. boosted its position in Fidelity National Information Services by 1.0% during the second quarter. Charles Schwab Investment Management Inc. now owns 10,224,056 shares of the information technology services providers stock worth $832,141,000 after purchasing an additional 97,843 shares during the period. 96.23% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors and hedge funds. About Fidelity National Information Services (Get Free Report) Fidelity National Information Services (NYSE: FIS) is a global provider of financial technology solutions and services for banks, capital markets firms, merchants and corporations. The company develops and delivers software, processing, and outsourcing services that support core banking, payments and merchant acquiring, wealth and retirement platforms, risk and compliance, and trading and capital markets operations. Its offerings include cloud-based and on-premises core banking systems, card processing and gateway services, e-commerce and point-of-sale payment solutions, and a range of back-office and advisory services designed to automate and modernize financial operations. FIS serves a broad international client base across North America, Europe, Latin America, and the Asia-Pacific region through a combination of direct clients and partner channels. Featured Stories Receive News & Ratings for Fidelity National Information Services Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Fidelity National Information Services and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Builders FirstSource (NYSE:BLDR Get Free Report) was downgraded by stock analysts at Stephens from an overweight rating to an equal weight rating in a report released on Tuesday, Marketbeat Ratings reports. They currently have a $137.00 price target on the stock. Stephens price objective would indicate a potential upside of 8.09% from the companys previous close. Get Builders FirstSource alerts: Other analysts also recently issued reports about the stock. Royal Bank Of Canada reiterated a sector perform rating and issued a $111.00 price target on shares of Builders FirstSource in a research report on Friday, January 9th. Loop Capital lowered their target price on shares of Builders FirstSource from $145.00 to $140.00 in a research note on Friday, October 31st. Jefferies Financial Group lowered shares of Builders FirstSource from a buy rating to a hold rating and cut their target price for the stock from $138.00 to $110.00 in a report on Monday, December 15th. Wells Fargo & Company started coverage on shares of Builders FirstSource in a research report on Monday, November 17th. They set an equal weight rating and a $115.00 price target on the stock. Finally, Weiss Ratings restated a hold (c-) rating on shares of Builders FirstSource in a research report on Wednesday, October 8th. Nine analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating, twelve have assigned a Hold rating and two have assigned a Sell rating to the companys stock. Based on data from MarketBeat, the company has a consensus rating of Hold and a consensus price target of $133.87. Get Our Latest Stock Report on Builders FirstSource Builders FirstSource Stock Performance BLDR stock opened at $126.75 on Tuesday. Builders FirstSource has a twelve month low of $94.35 and a twelve month high of $175.12. The company has a quick ratio of 1.15, a current ratio of 1.79 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.03. The company has a market cap of $14.02 billion, a P/E ratio of 24.14, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 14.89 and a beta of 1.57. The businesss fifty day moving average is $109.33 and its 200-day moving average is $121.91. Builders FirstSource (NYSE:BLDR Get Free Report) last announced its quarterly earnings data on Thursday, October 30th. The company reported $1.88 EPS for the quarter, topping analysts consensus estimates of $1.69 by $0.19. Builders FirstSource had a return on equity of 21.28% and a net margin of 3.79%.The business had revenue of $3.94 billion during the quarter, compared to analysts expectations of $3.86 billion. During the same period in the previous year, the firm earned $3.07 earnings per share. The firms quarterly revenue was down 6.9% compared to the same quarter last year. Equities research analysts forecast that Builders FirstSource will post 11.59 EPS for the current year. Institutional Investors Weigh In On Builders FirstSource A number of hedge funds and other institutional investors have recently made changes to their positions in BLDR. Daiwa Securities Group Inc. boosted its stake in Builders FirstSource by 0.4% in the 2nd quarter. Daiwa Securities Group Inc. now owns 17,630 shares of the companys stock worth $2,057,000 after purchasing an additional 78 shares during the period. VestGen Advisors LLC lifted its holdings in shares of Builders FirstSource by 4.6% in the second quarter. VestGen Advisors LLC now owns 1,943 shares of the companys stock valued at $227,000 after purchasing an additional 86 shares in the last quarter. Stephens Inc. AR boosted its position in shares of Builders FirstSource by 3.1% during the second quarter. Stephens Inc. AR now owns 3,032 shares of the companys stock worth $354,000 after buying an additional 90 shares during the period. Aprio Wealth Management LLC grew its holdings in shares of Builders FirstSource by 2.7% during the third quarter. Aprio Wealth Management LLC now owns 3,680 shares of the companys stock worth $446,000 after buying an additional 98 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Ramirez Asset Management Inc. grew its holdings in shares of Builders FirstSource by 25.0% during the third quarter. Ramirez Asset Management Inc. now owns 500 shares of the companys stock worth $61,000 after buying an additional 100 shares in the last quarter. 95.53% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors and hedge funds. About Builders FirstSource (Get Free Report) Builders FirstSource, Inc is a leading supplier of structural and value-added building products and services to professional contractors, homebuilders and remodelers. The company provides a comprehensive range of materials and prefabricated components that support all phases of residential construction, from site development and framing to finishing and installation. The companys core offerings include lumber and lumber sheet goods, windows and doors, millwork, roofing and siding, and engineered wood products such as roof and floor trusses. Read More Receive News & Ratings for Builders FirstSource Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Builders FirstSource and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Emerald Advisers LLC lessened its holdings in Clearwater Analytics Holdings, Inc. (NYSE:CWAN Free Report) by 4.4% in the third quarter, according to its most recent filing with the SEC. The institutional investor owned 1,025,414 shares of the companys stock after selling 46,893 shares during the period. Emerald Advisers LLC owned 0.35% of Clearwater Analytics worth $18,478,000 as of its most recent SEC filing. Get Clearwater Analytics alerts: Other institutional investors and hedge funds have also bought and sold shares of the company. Versant Capital Management Inc boosted its stake in shares of Clearwater Analytics by 189.3% in the third quarter. Versant Capital Management Inc now owns 1,565 shares of the companys stock worth $28,000 after acquiring an additional 1,024 shares during the period. First Horizon Advisors Inc. lifted its holdings in Clearwater Analytics by 278.9% in the 2nd quarter. First Horizon Advisors Inc. now owns 1,523 shares of the companys stock worth $33,000 after purchasing an additional 1,121 shares in the last quarter. Bessemer Group Inc. boosted its stake in Clearwater Analytics by 84.6% in the 2nd quarter. Bessemer Group Inc. now owns 1,545 shares of the companys stock worth $35,000 after purchasing an additional 708 shares during the period. Nisa Investment Advisors LLC grew its holdings in Clearwater Analytics by 36.7% during the 2nd quarter. Nisa Investment Advisors LLC now owns 4,288 shares of the companys stock valued at $94,000 after buying an additional 1,151 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Hilltop National Bank grew its holdings in Clearwater Analytics by 12.6% during the 3rd quarter. Hilltop National Bank now owns 5,533 shares of the companys stock valued at $100,000 after buying an additional 619 shares in the last quarter. 50.10% of the stock is owned by institutional investors. Clearwater Analytics Trading Down 0.1% CWAN opened at $24.32 on Thursday. The stock has a 50-day moving average of $22.61 and a 200 day moving average of $20.58. The company has a current ratio of 1.97, a quick ratio of 1.97 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.42. Clearwater Analytics Holdings, Inc. has a 12 month low of $15.73 and a 12 month high of $32.00. The firm has a market cap of $7.12 billion, a P/E ratio of 15.89, a P/E/G ratio of 3.52 and a beta of 0.66. Insider Activity at Clearwater Analytics Clearwater Analytics ( NYSE:CWAN Get Free Report ) last posted its quarterly earnings data on Wednesday, November 5th. The company reported $0.14 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, missing the consensus estimate of $0.16 by ($0.02). The company had revenue of $205.11 million during the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $203.66 million. Clearwater Analytics had a net margin of 61.28% and a return on equity of 2.77%. Clearwater Analyticss revenue for the quarter was up 77.1% on a year-over-year basis. During the same period in the previous year, the business earned $0.14 earnings per share. As a group, research analysts forecast that Clearwater Analytics Holdings, Inc. will post 0.18 EPS for the current year. In related news, CFO James S. Cox sold 63,709 shares of Clearwater Analytics stock in a transaction dated Thursday, January 1st. The shares were sold at an average price of $24.09, for a total transaction of $1,534,749.81. Following the completion of the transaction, the chief financial officer directly owned 400,691 shares of the companys stock, valued at approximately $9,652,646.19. The trade was a 13.72% decrease in their position. The transaction was disclosed in a document filed with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is accessible through the SEC website. Also, CTO Souvik Das sold 41,594 shares of the stock in a transaction dated Thursday, January 1st. The stock was sold at an average price of $24.09, for a total transaction of $1,001,999.46. Following the completion of the sale, the chief technology officer directly owned 148,224 shares in the company, valued at $3,570,716.16. This trade represents a 21.91% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The SEC filing for this sale provides additional information. Insiders sold 447,164 shares of company stock valued at $10,590,768 over the last three months. Corporate insiders own 3.31% of the companys stock. Analyst Ratings Changes A number of brokerages recently weighed in on CWAN. Morgan Stanley restated an overweight rating and set a $27.00 target price on shares of Clearwater Analytics in a research report on Monday, November 24th. Wall Street Zen downgraded shares of Clearwater Analytics from a hold rating to a sell rating in a report on Saturday, November 22nd. JPMorgan Chase & Co. cut their price objective on Clearwater Analytics from $28.00 to $26.00 and set an overweight rating for the company in a research report on Thursday, November 6th. Wells Fargo & Company downgraded Clearwater Analytics from an overweight rating to an equal weight rating and decreased their target price for the stock from $27.00 to $24.55 in a research report on Thursday, January 8th. Finally, Warburg Research set a $24.55 price target on Clearwater Analytics in a research note on Monday, December 22nd. Six investment analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating and eight have given a Hold rating to the companys stock. According to MarketBeat.com, Clearwater Analytics has an average rating of Hold and an average target price of $27.93. Get Our Latest Report on Clearwater Analytics About Clearwater Analytics (Free Report) Clearwater Analytics LLC is a global provider of web-based investment portfolio accounting, reporting, and analytics solutions. The companys software-as-a-service platform automates complex processes involved in investment data aggregation, reconciliation, valuation, and regulatory reporting. Serving institutional investorsincluding insurers, asset managers, corporations, government entities, and asset ownersClearwater Analytics enables clients to optimize performance visibility, risk management, and operational efficiency. Founded in 2004 and headquartered in Boise, Idaho, Clearwater Analytics has grown its global footprint with offices across North America, Europe, and the Asia-Pacific region. Featured Articles Receive News & Ratings for Clearwater Analytics Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Clearwater Analytics and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Freeport-McMoRan (NYSE:FCX Get Free Report) had its target price increased by equities researchers at HSBC from $48.00 to $69.00 in a research report issued to clients and investors on Tuesday,MarketScreener reports. The brokerage presently has a buy rating on the natural resource companys stock. HSBCs price objective would indicate a potential upside of 13.84% from the stocks current price. Get Freeport-McMoRan alerts: FCX has been the subject of a number of other reports. BNP Paribas Exane decreased their price objective on shares of Freeport-McMoRan from $58.00 to $56.00 and set an outperform rating for the company in a research report on Friday, December 5th. Morgan Stanley reissued an overweight rating and issued a $53.00 price target on shares of Freeport-McMoRan in a report on Monday, December 15th. Citigroup raised their price objective on Freeport-McMoRan from $48.00 to $67.00 and gave the company a buy rating in a research note on Monday, January 12th. UBS Group upped their target price on Freeport-McMoRan from $55.00 to $60.00 and gave the company a buy rating in a research report on Friday, December 12th. Finally, Johnson Rice decreased their price target on shares of Freeport-McMoRan from $55.00 to $48.00 in a research report on Monday, September 29th. Three investment analysts have rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, seventeen have given a Buy rating and three have issued a Hold rating to the companys stock. According to data from MarketBeat, the company presently has a consensus rating of Buy and a consensus price target of $55.30. View Our Latest Stock Report on FCX Freeport-McMoRan Trading Up 0.9% NYSE FCX opened at $60.61 on Tuesday. The companys fifty day simple moving average is $49.00 and its 200-day simple moving average is $44.81. Freeport-McMoRan has a 52 week low of $27.66 and a 52 week high of $62.13. The company has a current ratio of 2.45, a quick ratio of 1.19 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.29. The stock has a market cap of $87.03 billion, a P/E ratio of 42.68, a PEG ratio of 0.71 and a beta of 1.45. Freeport-McMoRan (NYSE:FCX Get Free Report) last released its quarterly earnings results on Thursday, October 23rd. The natural resource company reported $0.50 earnings per share for the quarter, beating analysts consensus estimates of $0.41 by $0.09. Freeport-McMoRan had a net margin of 7.97% and a return on equity of 7.84%. The business had revenue of $6.97 billion during the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $6.74 billion. During the same period last year, the business earned $0.38 EPS. The businesss revenue was up 2.7% on a year-over-year basis. Equities research analysts predict that Freeport-McMoRan will post 1.68 EPS for the current fiscal year. Insiders Place Their Bets In other Freeport-McMoRan news, CAO Ellie L. Mikes sold 9,572 shares of Freeport-McMoRan stock in a transaction on Thursday, December 11th. The shares were sold at an average price of $47.66, for a total value of $456,201.52. Following the completion of the transaction, the chief accounting officer owned 38,761 shares of the companys stock, valued at $1,847,349.26. The trade was a 19.80% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The transaction was disclosed in a document filed with the SEC, which is available through this link. Also, CAO Stephen T. Higgins sold 28,423 shares of the businesss stock in a transaction on Thursday, December 11th. The shares were sold at an average price of $47.99, for a total transaction of $1,364,019.77. Following the sale, the chief accounting officer owned 105,294 shares of the companys stock, valued at approximately $5,053,059.06. The trade was a 21.26% decrease in their position. The disclosure for this sale is available in the SEC filing. Insiders own 0.75% of the companys stock. Institutional Investors Weigh In On Freeport-McMoRan Institutional investors and hedge funds have recently bought and sold shares of the business. Callan Family Office LLC grew its stake in shares of Freeport-McMoRan by 229.9% in the second quarter. Callan Family Office LLC now owns 26,983 shares of the natural resource companys stock worth $1,170,000 after purchasing an additional 18,803 shares in the last quarter. New York Life Investment Management LLC lifted its holdings in Freeport-McMoRan by 11.8% in the second quarter. New York Life Investment Management LLC now owns 215,058 shares of the natural resource companys stock worth $9,323,000 after purchasing an additional 22,766 shares during the period. Arrow Capital Pty Ltd lifted its holdings in Freeport-McMoRan by 88.5% in the second quarter. Arrow Capital Pty Ltd now owns 113,100 shares of the natural resource companys stock worth $4,903,000 after purchasing an additional 53,100 shares during the period. Bourgeon Capital Management LLC grew its position in Freeport-McMoRan by 8.1% in the 2nd quarter. Bourgeon Capital Management LLC now owns 331,549 shares of the natural resource companys stock valued at $14,373,000 after buying an additional 24,803 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Foster Victor Wealth Advisors LLC increased its stake in Freeport-McMoRan by 5.7% during the 3rd quarter. Foster Victor Wealth Advisors LLC now owns 383,488 shares of the natural resource companys stock valued at $15,213,000 after buying an additional 20,586 shares during the period. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 80.77% of the companys stock. More Freeport-McMoRan News Here are the key news stories impacting Freeport-McMoRan this week: Freeport-McMoRan Company Profile (Get Free Report) Freeport-McMoRan Inc is a U.S.-based natural resources company primarily engaged in the exploration, mining and processing of copper, gold and molybdenum. Its operations encompass large-scale open-pit and underground mining as well as associated concentrator and milling facilities. The company produces copper in the form of concentrates and cathodes, and also recovers gold and molybdenum as co-products; its business model includes exploration, development, mining, beneficiation and the sale of bulk commodities to smelters and industrial customers. Freeport-McMoRan conducts operations and development activities across multiple geographies, with substantial assets in the Americas and Indonesia. Read More Receive News & Ratings for Freeport-McMoRan Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Freeport-McMoRan and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Intercontinental Hotels Group (NYSE:IHG Get Free Report) was upgraded by analysts at Berenberg Bank from a hold rating to a strong-buy rating in a report issued on Tuesday,Zacks.com reports. Get Intercontinental Hotels Group alerts: A number of other brokerages have also recently issued reports on IHG. Morgan Stanley upgraded Intercontinental Hotels Group from an underweight rating to an equal weight rating in a research note on Wednesday, October 1st. Jefferies Financial Group raised shares of Intercontinental Hotels Group from a hold rating to a buy rating in a report on Friday, December 12th. Weiss Ratings reiterated a buy (b) rating on shares of Intercontinental Hotels Group in a research report on Wednesday, October 8th. JPMorgan Chase & Co. raised Intercontinental Hotels Group from a neutral rating to an overweight rating in a research report on Friday, September 26th. Finally, Wall Street Zen cut Intercontinental Hotels Group from a buy rating to a hold rating in a report on Monday, October 27th. One research analyst has rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, three have assigned a Buy rating, two have assigned a Hold rating and one has assigned a Sell rating to the company. According to data from MarketBeat.com, the company currently has an average rating of Moderate Buy. Get Our Latest Report on IHG Intercontinental Hotels Group Price Performance Hedge Funds Weigh In On Intercontinental Hotels Group Shares of IHG stock opened at $138.34 on Tuesday. Intercontinental Hotels Group has a 12-month low of $94.78 and a 12-month high of $144.96. The firm has a fifty day moving average of $136.58 and a 200-day moving average of $126.60. Several institutional investors and hedge funds have recently added to or reduced their stakes in IHG. Park Avenue Securities LLC acquired a new stake in shares of Intercontinental Hotels Group during the 2nd quarter valued at $250,000. JPMorgan Chase & Co. raised its position in Intercontinental Hotels Group by 125.7% in the second quarter. JPMorgan Chase & Co. now owns 451,823 shares of the companys stock valued at $52,113,000 after purchasing an additional 251,647 shares during the last quarter. Bank of Montreal Can acquired a new stake in shares of Intercontinental Hotels Group during the second quarter valued at about $306,000. Zions Bancorporation National Association UT grew its holdings in shares of Intercontinental Hotels Group by 101.7% during the second quarter. Zions Bancorporation National Association UT now owns 7,827 shares of the companys stock worth $903,000 after purchasing an additional 3,947 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Callan Family Office LLC increased its stake in shares of Intercontinental Hotels Group by 51.2% in the second quarter. Callan Family Office LLC now owns 9,068 shares of the companys stock valued at $1,046,000 after buying an additional 3,071 shares during the period. Institutional investors own 15.09% of the companys stock. About Intercontinental Hotels Group (Get Free Report) Intercontinental Hotels Group plc (IHG) is a multinational hospitality company that develops, owns, manages and franchises a broad portfolio of hotels and resorts. The company operates across full-service luxury and upscale segments as well as midscale and extended-stay categories, providing lodging, food and beverage, meeting and event services, and related guest amenities. IHGs business model emphasizes brand franchising and management agreements, while retaining ownership or direct investments in a smaller portion of its global property portfolio. IHGs brand portfolio spans global and regional names designed to serve different traveler needs and market segments. Featured Stories Receive News & Ratings for Intercontinental Hotels Group Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Intercontinental Hotels Group and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Doximity (NYSE:DOCS Get Free Report) was upgraded by equities researchers at Wells Fargo & Company from an equal weight rating to an overweight rating in a research note issued to investors on Tuesday, MarketBeat reports. The firm currently has a $55.00 price target on the stock. Wells Fargo & Companys price target indicates a potential upside of 37.81% from the companys previous close. Get Doximity alerts: DOCS has been the subject of a number of other research reports. Weiss Ratings restated a hold (c+) rating on shares of Doximity in a report on Wednesday, December 24th. Barclays upgraded shares of Doximity to a strong-buy rating in a report on Monday, December 8th. The Goldman Sachs Group raised shares of Doximity from a strong sell rating to a hold rating in a research note on Friday, January 9th. Truist Financial raised shares of Doximity from a hold rating to a strong-buy rating in a research note on Thursday, January 8th. Finally, Wall Street Zen cut Doximity from a buy rating to a hold rating in a research report on Saturday, January 10th. Two investment analysts have rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, two have issued a Buy rating and two have assigned a Hold rating to the companys stock. According to MarketBeat.com, the company currently has a consensus rating of Buy and a consensus target price of $55.00. Read Our Latest Stock Analysis on DOCS Doximity Price Performance About Doximity DOCS opened at $39.91 on Tuesday. Doximity has a one year low of $39.50 and a one year high of $85.21. The company has a market cap of $7.51 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 31.67, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 1.91 and a beta of 1.39. (Get Free Report) Doximity, trading as DOCS, operates a digital professional network and communications platform designed primarily for clinicians. Headquartered in San Francisco, the company connects physicians, nurse practitioners, physician assistants and other healthcare professionals, providing tools that streamline clinical communication, telehealth delivery and access to specialty-specific medical information. Its platform is positioned as a professional hub where clinicians manage their workflows, stay current with medical news and collaborate securely with peers. The companys offerings include secure messaging and video telehealth capabilities that enable clinicians to consult with patients and colleagues while protecting patient information. Read More Receive News & Ratings for Doximity Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Doximity and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. PICTURED ABOVE: Michelle Anderson, City of Derry Airport; Jennifer ODonnell, Derry City & Strabane District Council; Matt Doherty, Visit Derry; Elmagh Killeen, Tourism Ireland; Odhran Dunne, Visit Derry; and Louise Denvir, Foyle Port, at the launch of Tourism Irelands 2026 marketing plans in Belfast (Photo: William Cherry/PressEye). Tourism Ireland has launched details of its marketing strategy and plans to promote Northern Ireland overseas in 2026, at an event attended by Economy Minister Dr Caoimhe Archibald and hundreds of tourism industry leaders from around Northern Ireland. Tourism Ireland envisages overseas tourism revenue to Northern Ireland can grow to 1.3 billion annually by 2035, with the right strategic supports. Northern Ireland welcomed over 945,000 overseas visitors in the first half of 2025, up +4% on the same period in 2024. In 2026, Tourism Ireland will undertake an extensive and targeted programme of promotional activity across 15 key overseas markets. Some highlights of the organisations priorities for the year ahead include: Tourism Ireland will win visitors from diverse markets: deepening and defending tourism from the United States and GB, rolling out a new strategy to win more tourism from Mainland Europe, investing in growth markets such as Canada, as well as teeing up long-term partnerships in India and China. Co-operative marketing campaigns with air and sea carriers will drive visitor demand for strategic air and sea routes, delivering 15:1 return on investment. New broadcast TV and streaming shows supported by Tourism Ireland will air to millions of viewers around the world, including travel series starring Martin and Roman Kemp, Dermot OLeary and Kevin McCloud. New focus areas will include culinary tourism, activity tourism, year-round reasons to travel, as well as inspiration to explore from gateway cities to regions. Tourism Ireland will promote Northern Ireland through advertising, publicity, digital, social and Gen AI, reaching potential visitors in the channels where they research holidays today. Tourism Irelands marketing plans for 2026 will focus on outcomes in line with government policies North and South, including the Tourism Vision & Action Plan, which sets out DfEs ambition for growth in our tourism sector to 2035. At todays launch, Tourism Ireland unveiled its new global advertising campaign Ireland Goes Beyond. The new campaign celebrates how Northern Ireland and the island of Ireland go beyond peoples expectations of a holiday experience, by creating memorable connections with the people and the place. Speaking at the launch, Economy Minister Dr Caoimhe Archibald said: Last year, overseas tourism generated 633 million for the norths economy and the sector provides 70,000 jobs, over 70% of which are located outside of Belfast, contributing significantly to economic growth right across the north. "Tourism is a hugely important industry, and I believe there is still significant growth potential. That is why we have set the ambitious aim of growing expenditure from overnight tourists to 2 billion by 2035. The Tourism Ireland marketing plans are key to helping achieve that target. READ NEXT: Western Trust Arthroplasty team strikes silver in 2025 National Awards Ireland has a fantastic tourism product with our authentic experiences, landscape, heritage, culture and our welcoming people. I wish Tourism Ireland well in the roll-out of these plans and bringing tourists to our shores to enjoy all we have to offer while supporting our local tourism businesses and this valuable industry for our economy. Alice Mansergh, Chief Executive of Tourism Ireland, said: Today, Minister Caoimhe Archibald and hundreds of tourism industry leaders attended the launch of Tourism Irelands 2026 Marketing Plans in Belfast. Tourism is a key indigenous industry, supporting jobs across regions and introducing around 2 million overseas visitors per year to all that Northern Ireland offers. Tourism Ireland is targeting overseas visitor spend to grow to 1.3 billion in Northern Ireland by 2035, supporting the Ministers Tourism Vision & Action Plan. While the world is uncertain right now, consumers overseas are looking for travel that allows them to explore and disconnect. Well be championing Northern Irelands iconic landscapes, culture and history, from festivals and events to culinary tourism, using strategic marketing and partnerships to win visitors. "Healthy growth is growth from a range of source markets; GB and the United States are fundamentally important for tourism to Northern Ireland and, in addition to our activities there, were rolling out a new strategy to win more visitors from Mainland Europe, were investing in growth markets like Canada and setting up impactful partnerships for the long term in China and India. Tourism is an industry with inspiring small businesses and local providers at its heart were excited to provide +33% more promotional opportunities overseas for tourism SMEs in 2026. Our partnerships with air and sea carriers will inspire visitor demand for key routes, maximising on increased connectivity. Well be reaching overseas visitors directly with influential advertising, broadcast TV and streaming productions, publicity, digital, social and AI activity, to win year-round tourism, with benefits across regions. County Derry woman Catriona McFeely is getting set to star in a bold new adaptation of George Orwells iconic Animal Farm, which will receive its world premiere this February at the MAC in Belfast. Presented by the UK Theatre Award-winning Tinderbox Theatre Company, the production will run from February 18 to 28. Supported by the Arts Council of Northern Ireland, this marks the first staging of Animal Farm in Belfast in over 25 years. Directed by Patrick J OReilly, this new reimagining transforms Orwells timeless satire into a modern protest for contemporary audiences. Starring County Derry girl Catriona McFeely, alongside Jo Donnelly, Clare McMahon and Susan Hoffmann (PICTURED BELOW), the story follows four women who are detained following a protest in Belfast. Under interrogation, they refuse to give straight answers, responding instead with passages from George Orwells Animal Farm. As the pressure mounts, the interrogation room begins to unravel as the women bring Animal Farm to life with wit, ferocity, and rebellion at its core. Speaking as production gets underway, Patrick J OReilly, Artistic Director, Tinderbox Theatre Company, said: Orwells novel is timelessly relevant and a powerful testimony to revealing power and corruption in society. The way we protest has changed dramatically, with disruptive tactics now at the forefront. My creative response is to create a theatrical event that celebrates our right to protest through the lens of Orwells allegorical masterpiece. This is more than a play. It is an event. A call to action. READ NEXT: SDLP MLA calls for more support for young adults with learning disabilities and complex needs Caoileann Curry-Thompson, Arts Development Officer for Drama and Dance at the Arts Council of Northern Ireland, added: The Arts Council of Northern Ireland is delighted to support Tinderbox Theatre Company with this fresh take on a much-loved classic. With such a talented cast and creative team, Animal Farm promises to be a show to remember. I would encourage everyone to go along and enjoy. Having recently relocated Yerma to the Irish borderlands and reimagined Rhinoceros as a glitchy 1980s video game world, Tinderbox are on a strong run with Animal Farm being cited as one of the Top 20 plays to see in 2026 by the Irish Times. For tickets and further information, please visit The MAC. Causeway Coast and Glens Borough Councils Good Relations Team is inviting people to attend their exhibition in Coleraine to mark Holocaust Memorial Day. The exhibition will open in Coleraine Library (Queen St) on Friday, January 23 and can be viewed during normal opening hours until Saturday, January 31. Mayor of Causeway Coast and Glens, Councillor Oliver McMullan reflected on the upcoming exhibition saying: The theme for Holocaust Memorial Day 2026, 'Bridging Generations', is a call-to-action for all generations. It serves as a reminder that the responsibility of remembrance doesn't end with the survivors, most of whom are no longer with us it lives on through their children and grandchildren, and actually through all of us. This theme encourages us all to listen, learn and carry those lessons forward. By doing so, we build a bridge between the lessons from history and hope for the future. I would encourage you to take time to visit this moving and thought-provoking exhibition. Holocaust Memorial Day takes place on January 27 each year, coinciding with the anniversary of the liberation of Auschwitz-Birkenau the largest Nazi concentration camp. The exhibition features a Timeline of Nazi Germany with a year-by-year account of how freedoms were gradually restricted and removed from the Jewish people from 1933 onwards long before the start of the Second World War. Another resource outlines genocides that have taken place in other countries throughout the 20th century and in the early years of this century. Materials will also include Faces of the Holocaust and Personal Possessions of the Holocaust featuring both poems and reflections by participants following their visit to Auschwitz-Birkenau. Joy Wisener, Good Relations Officer concluded: This years theme, Bridging Generations, highlights the crucial role of the next generation in preserving the memory of the Holocaust and carrying it forward. It highlights the power of listening to those who came before us, and sharing those stories with those who come after. Visiting this exhibition provides a meaningful opportunity for people to consider how we can all make our society a better place today, free from hatred, prejudice and discrimination. Further information about Holocaust Memorial Day Trust can be found at hmd.org.uk. Please allow ads as they help fund our trusted local news content. Kindly add us to your ad blocker whitelist. If you want further access to Ireland's best local journalism, consider contributing and/or subscribing to our free daily Newsletter . Support our mission and join our community now. Mayor of Derry City and Strabane District Council, Councillor Ruairi McHugh, has thanked the scores of swimmers who have signed up for his Foyle Challenge swim event on the River Foyle. Mayor McHugh is teaming up with Derry Ultra-Endurance Athlete and Mental Health and Wellbeing Campaigner Danny Quigley to host the event for open water swimmers on Saturday, May 16. Over 100 swimmers have already committed to take part in the event which aims to raise much needed funds and awareness for the Mayors chosen charities for his year in office: PIPS Suicide Prevention Ireland Charity and the Castlederg Patient Comfort and Terminally Ill Fund. He is hoping to attract 180 open water swimmers, who must be at a competent swimming level by the day of the event, to take part in the challenge which will take place between the pontoon at the Council Offices and Prehen Boathouse. This event has clearly captured the publics imagination since we launched it before Christmas and the response has been both heartening and overwhelming, said Mayor McHugh. Its an innovative way of highlighting and promoting the critical support available to those in distress or experiencing suicidal thoughts and to celebrate the positivity of the river which has been the source of heartache for too many families over the years. The spectacle of so many swimmers making their way up the river on May 16th will be a wonderfully inspiring occasion for everyone swimming and supporting on the riverside. There are three different waves depending on your swimming ability and experience and Id encourage anyone interested in taking part to register now to seal your spot as it looks set to sell out. Swimmers on the day will be split into three waves, depending on their experience and ability. Wave One will be for experienced open water swimmers who will swim 3km, Wave Two is for intermediate open water swimmers who will also swim 3km and Wave Three will be for competent open water swimmers who will swim 1km. Training plans for swimmers to reach a competent level of swimming to complete the 1km swim will be shared on the events social media pages The Mayors Foyle Challenge on Facebook and @mayorsfoylechallenge on Instagram. The event will start from around 11am to 4pm on May 16 however individual start times may vary and the exact times will be determined closer to the date when more accurate tide timings are available. Anyone wishing to take part can register online at www.derrystrabane.com/mayorsfoylechallenge where there is a minimum donation of 50 for participants who can also carry out their own fundraising for additional sponsorship for the charities. The website also has detailed advice for swimmers hoping to take part including clothing and equipment, safety rules and a code of conduct. PIPS Charity provides essential support to individuals, families, and communities affected by suicide, self-harm, or poor mental health. The charity offers free, unlimited, and confidential counselling services, as well as a crisis walk-in centre in Belfast and telephone support at other regional hubs. Their dedicated team works to support those in crisis and to promote mental wellbeing across the region. The second charity, The Castlederg Patient Comfort and Terminally Ill Fund, delivers vital aid to people living with chronic or terminal illness in the Castlederg area. By providing specialist equipment, transport support, and access to complementary services, the Fund helps individuals remain at home during treatment while also easing the financial and emotional burden on families. It also supports those who need temporary accommodation near hospitals when their loved ones are receiving treatment elsewhere. The Mayors Foyle Challenge is hosted by Derry City and Strabane District Council with support from Foyle Search and Rescue, the Lighthouse Project and the Bogside and Brandywell Health Forum. For further information on the Mayors Charities and how to donate visit derrystrabane.com/mayor. UK Government ministers are to meet with the first and deputy first ministers at the East-West Council in Belfast on Thursday. The East-West Council is a forum for key representatives from government, civil society and businesses from across the UK to advance shared opportunities and address shared challenges. Formed as part of the Safeguarding the Union command paper, the body has met three times, with Thursdays meeting being the second in Northern Ireland. Secretary of State for Northern Ireland Hilary Benn and Northern Ireland minister Matthew Patrick will be joined by Cabinet Office minister Nick Thomas-Symonds, and Education minister Olivia Bailey from the UK Government. Representing the Northern Ireland Executive will be First Minister Michelle ONeill, deputy First Minister Emma Little-Pengelly and Education Minister Paul Givan. Former first minister and DUP peer Baroness Arlene Foster will also be in attendance in her current role as chairwoman of Intertrade UK, a body formed through the Safeguarding the Union command paper, which is receiving a 2.25 million funding boost. The meeting will include an update on a UK school twinning programme pilot focused on reading, which is being developed between the education departments at Westminster and Stormont. Before engagements, Mr Patrick will visit schools in Belfast alongside Mr Givan and Ms Bailey. Mr Benn said the East-West Council demonstrates this Governments commitment to connectivity and strong relationships. The UK Government is working to build relationships and initiatives which improve opportunities for people in Northern Ireland and across the UK, he said. Mr Patrick said: I have been clear from the start that in addition to a record settlement from the Northern Ireland Executive, I want to ensure that expertise is shared between UK Government departments and the NI Executive. Around 5% of Northern Ireland farms will still be affected under a raised inheritance tax threshold, according to analysis. Before Christmas, the Government announced it would raise the inheritance tax relief threshold for farmers from 1 million to 2.5 million in a climbdown after months of protest over the lower rate. The reversal means spouses or civil partners will be able to pass on up to 5 million in qualifying agricultural or business assets between them before paying inheritance tax on top of existing allowances. Above that allowance, farmers will get 50% relief on qualifying assets and pay a reduced effective rate of up to 20%, rather than the standard 40%. Analysis by Northern Irelands Department of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs (Daera) projects that around one in 20 farms will still be affected under the higher threshold. Daera Minister Andrew Muir urged the Government to completely reverse the policy announced in the 2024 budget and remove the Family Farm Tax. In a letter seen by the Press Association, Mr Muir told the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) Emma Reynolds that further measures are needed to ensure family farms do not face large tax bills. He said while the raised threshold has lifted a great deal of worry for many, some family farms will still be affected and warned of circumstances where the death of a farmer unable to plan for the change could leave the farm unviable due to a massive inheritance tax bill. In December 2024, Daera analysis found that half of farms in Northern Ireland equating to 80% of total farmed land would be affected by the lower threshold. Using the same methodology for analysis of the revised threshold and accounting of transferable allowances between spouses, the department now puts that figure at approximately 5%. In his letter to Ms Reynolds, Mr Muir called for careful consideration of his request to keep the threshold for agricultural and business property relief under review, as he said there are reports of land selling at more than 25,000 per acre in Northern Ireland. If prices continue to rise, a growing proportion of farms could become liable for inheritance tax over time, with thresholds frozen until April 2031. Trade policy must not be driven by the political agenda of any one party, the deputy First Minister has said, amid claims a major US multinational halted Northern Ireland investment over Sinn Fein positions. Emma Little-Pengelly said the role of Sinn Fein Economy Minister Caoimhe Archibald is not to lose jobs, while Michelle ONeill said her colleague is working to drum up trade for the region. The First Minister also restated her partys firm opposition to Israels genocide in Gaza. In a Stormont committee on Wednesday DUP MLA Jonathan Buckley put it to Ms Archibald that positions adopted by her and her party caused global financial services firm Cantor Fitzgerald to cancel investment in the region that would have generated 300 jobs. It is understood Mr Buckley was referring to Sinn Feins stance on the Israel/Gaza conflict. Sinn Fein is a vocal critic of Israels actions in Gaza, and last year the party boycotted traditional St Patricks Day events at the White House in protest against US President Donald Trumps support for Israel. Mr Trumps secretary of commerce Howard Lutnick is the former chairman and chief executive of Cantor Fitzgerald. Asked if she agreed with her party colleagues assessment of the deal, Ms Little-Pengelly told reporters that the US has always been a strong friend of Northern Ireland. It has been one of the highest sources of that in terms of the good jobs that are brought here, jobs that benefit people from every community here in Northern Ireland, she said. She added: It is the role of the economy minister to secure jobs, not to lose jobs, and of course, this story has come to light this week, I will be asking questions about the detail of that. Of course, political parties have a right to have various views on issues, but the economy minister also must take that role very seriously in terms of securing that employment, because, of course, Northern Ireland has a wide range of different views here. Some people may feel more comfortable working for certain companies than others, but we should never be bringing personal political views into those types of decisions. We shouldnt be jeopardising, or indeed basing our trade policy on the particular political agenda of any one party. Our economy minister is there to be the economy minister for the Executive, and really to get those jobs for everyone in Northern Ireland. Speaking alongside her, Ms ONeill told reporters that companies including Cantor Fitzgerald will speculate about whether or not theyre going to invest somewhere. My job in all of that is always to promote us and to tell people that were a great place to live, to work, to invest and to study, thats very much our message, and that were very much open for business, she said. Its for them to decide whether they decide to invest somewhere or not, and I fully respect their decision, them or any other company that actually decides to invest here. So yes, I have spoken to the economy minister, and I will continue to do so as she tries to drum up trade in all of her investment missions that she does. She added: But separate to that is my position in terms of genocide and being on the right side of history on whats happening in Gaza, and that is a genocide. I think that the position thats been adopted at both the US level and more widely than an international level, to allow Israel to act with impunity is something that is widely recognised here as wrong. Ms ONeill further stated: I think if we see anything of the behaviour of the United States over the course of the recent days and weeks, international law is what needs to prevail. The two were speaking after an East-West Council meeting with Northern Ireland Secretary Hilary Benn. Mr Benn said Mr Trump and the threat of tariffs were not discussed in their meeting. No, the presidents name did not come up in the meeting, Mr Benn told reporters. Clearly, if had we met yesterday, we might have had a slightly different discussion. But the news yesterday from Davos (was) that the threat of tariffs had been lifted and the Prime Minister had been very clear in saying that was the wrong thing to do, and were now in a different situation. He added that the decision on whether people go to Washington for St Patricks Day was a matter for them. The Ulster Folk Museum is to receive a 50 million investment to improve facilities and enhance access to collections. The funding is made up of 40 million through the Department for Communities and 10 million from The National Lottery Heritage Fund their biggest grant in Northern Ireland in a decade. The investment comes as National Museums NI deemed that some of the Ulster Folk Museums facilities are no longer fit for purpose due to a lack of investment in recent decades. Communities Minister Gordon Lyons said the funding will strengthen the museums role in helping people connect with their heritage. He said: For more than 60 years, the Ulster Folk Museum has preserved, shared and celebrated the traditions, skills and ways of life of the people of Ulster, past and present, and this investment is vital to ensure our heritage is retained for future generations. The funding is for the Reawakening Project and is described as a profound shift in the museums positioning. National Museums NI is also working with a number of funding trusts and philanthropists to explore other sources of funding. Kathryn Thomson, chief executive of National Museums NI, said: The Ulster Folk Museums collection is a peoples collection. It has never been more relevant to our lives than today. These objects and stories reflect shared experiences and different traditions from across Ulster and help people better understand who we all are. Nordic operator group Telenor has agreed to sell its stake in Thailands True Corporation for NOK39 billion (US$3.9 billion), drawing a line under 25 years in the Southeast Asian market as it continues to pull back from Asia to refocus on its Nordic core. Under the deal, Telenor will sell its 24.95% stake in True to Arise Digital Technology Company for NOK32.3 billion. Arise is owned by Thai businessman Khun Suphachai Chearavanont (pictured, right). The parties have also agreed an option for Arise to acquire Telenors remaining 5.35% stake within the next two years for a further NOK6.9 billion. The Thailand exit follows Telenors recent agreement to sell its Pakistani operation to Pakistan Telecommunication Company Limited for more than US$500 million, underscoring the groups accelerating retreat from Asian markets. Its remaining Asian units are Grameenphone in Bangladesh and CelcomDigi, in Malysia. Previously, Telenors footprint stretched to India and Myanmar. The companys Q4 results will be held on February 6th, Telenor said it will reveal more detail on the use of fresh capital gained from its recent sales. Telenor Group CEO Benedicte Schilbred Fasmer (pictured, left), meanwhile, reflected on the operators quarter-century in Thailand, noting that Telenors Thai assets were valued at around NOK12 billion before merger talks with True began in 2021. The transaction, she said, leaves True as a firmly established market leader. At our Capital Markets Day in November, we said that we looked for structural value creation opportunities in Asia. With the completion of the sale of Telenor Pakistan in December, and the agreement to sell our shares in True we have taken big steps in delivering on that strategy, said Fasmer. Telenor first entered Thailand in 2000 through the acquisition of shares in Total Access Communication (TAC), later developed into Dtac, which grew into one of the countrys largest mobile operators. In 2023, Dtac merged with True in a landmark deal aimed at strengthening its position against market leader AIS. Amazon is reportedly preparing for another major workforce reduction. Signs from the company and official notices suggest that job cuts may take place in late January 2026. These expected job cuts follow months of structural changes in the organisation, which have seen several rounds of job cuts. Reports suggest that the job losses could reach up to 30,000 masses being ripped off from their existing roles. Employees within the organisation have been very restless, especially in corporate roles, where management seems to be hinting at even more changes. Leaks suggest that the employees in human resources, support, and programme management roles could be at the heart of job losses at Amazon, especially since they have adopted very efficient strategies in terms of automation. Survey Thank you for completing the survey! According to employee discussions on platforms such as Blind and Reddit, Amazon may start a fresh round of layoffs around January 27, 2026. Estimates suggest that as many as 16,000 employees could be impacted in this phase alone. This would push the total number of jobs cut over recent months close to 30,000. The reports follow a Reuters story from October which claimed Amazon was planning to reduce its workforce by roughly the same number, with an initial round of cuts already completed. Also read: Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra, S26 Plus, S26 India launch next month: Check specs and price expectations Some Amazon employees also reported that the managers and senior leaders have hinted internally that layoffs are coming. Moreover, several posts claim that workers placed on performance improvement plans may receive advance notice ahead of wider announcements. While these details remain unconfirmed, they have added to anxiety across the company. Earlier this month, a report also stated that between 1,000 and 2,000 Amazon employees have received official WARN notices for layoffs that are expected around January 26. Under US law, such notices are required when large job cuts are planned. These notices have further strengthened the belief that layoffs are close and may affect offices outside the United States as well, including in India. Also read: Delhi Police to deploy AI-powered smart glasses with facial recognition for Republic Day security: How it will work While previous job cuts seem to have primarily focused on retail and store employees within Amazons warehouses, the upcoming job cuts are expected to impact the corporate roles more heavily. The section likely to receive job cuts is Amazons in-house human resources section, which belongs to their People Experience and Technology division. It is understood that Amazon is increasing its usage of technological systems, leading to a reduction in their administrative teams. There are also reports that some roles at Amazon Web Services (AWS) will also be affected. Support and programme management positions are expected to see the most cuts. Although AWS remains profitable, Amazon is shifting resources toward long-term investments and tighter cost control. Also read: Google Gemini now lets students take full SAT practice tests for free: How to do it Amazon has not denied that automation is changing how work is done. CEO Andy Jassy has spoken openly about reducing management layers and improving efficiency. Over the past year, employees have seen teams merged, roles removed, and higher expectations placed on smaller groups, reflecting a broader shift in how the company operates. Save my User ID and Password Some subscribers prefer to save their log-in information so they do not have to enter their User ID and Password each time they visit the site. To activate this function, check the 'Save my User ID and Password' box in the log-in section. This will save the password on the computer you're using to access the site. Note: If you choose to use the log-out feature, you will lose your saved information. This means you will be required to log-in the next time you visit our site. Irish actress Jessie Buckley has been nominated for an Oscar, while vampire drama Sinners has made history as the first film to score 16 nods. Buckley is recognised in the best actress category for her turn as Shakespeares wife Agnes Hathaway historically known as Anne in Hamnet. She is widely considered the frontrunner having already secured a string of trophies including the Golden Globe and Critics Choice award. The film is an adaptation of Maggie OFarrells award-winning novel about the family life of the Bard and the death of his young son. Buckley will compete against Rose Byrne for If I Had Legs Id Kick You, Kate Hudson for Song Sung Blue, Emma Stone for Bugonia, and Renate Reinsve for Sentimental Value. Sinners, Ryan Cooglers hit starring Michael B Jordan as twins, scored a record 16 nominations, beating the record of 14 nominations shared by All About Eve, Titanic and La La Land. British-Nigerian star Wunmi Mosaku is nominated for the best supporting actress Oscar for her performance in the movie, while Jordan is nominated in the leading actor category. Mosaku will compete against Elle Fanning and Inga Ibsdotter Lilleaas for Sentimental Value, Amy Madigan for Weapons and Teyana Taylor for One Battle After Another. Jordan will face off against frontrunner Timothee Chalamet for Marty Supreme, Leonardo DiCaprio for One Battle After Another, Ethan Hawke for Blue Moon and Wagner Moura for The Secret Agent. Sinners is also nominated for best picture, best director for Coogler and best supporting actor for London-born Delroy Lindo, as well as the Academys inaugural casting prize. The other directing nominees are Chloe Zhao for Hamnet, Josh Safdie for Marty Supreme, Joachim Trier for Sentimental Value and Paul Thomas Anderson for One Battle After Another. Zhao previously made history as the second woman and the first woman of colour to win the best director Oscar, for Nomadland in 2021. Radiohead star Jonny Greenwood is nominated for his score for One Battle After Another. He was previously nominated for Phantom Thread and The Power Of The Dog. Irish star Paul Mescal had been widely tipped to be nominated for an Oscar for his role in Hamnet but was missing from the supporting actor category. Benicio Del Toro and Sean Penn were both recognised in the category for One Battle After Another, alongside Jacob Elordi for Frankenstein, Stellan Skarsgard for Sentimental Value and Lindo for Sinners. Ariana Grande also missed out in the supporting actress category for her turn in Wicked: For Good. One Battle After Another, Andersons film about a former revolutionary on a mission to save his teenage daughter, scored 13 nominations, including best picture. The other best picture contenders are Bugonia, F1, Frankenstein, Hamnet, Sentimental Value, Sinners, Train Dreams, Marty Supreme and The Secret Agent. The Academy Awards will be hosted by Conan OBrien in Hollywood on March 15. The ceremony will air on ITV, ITVX, STV and STV Player in the UK. Irish actress Jessie Buckley has said she is honoured to be nominated in the Best Actress category for this years Oscars. The 36-year-old from Killarney has made the shortlist for her portrayal of Shakespeares wife Agnes Hathaway historically known as Anne in Hamnet. The film is an adaptation of Maggie OFarrells award-winning novel about the family life of the Bard and the death of his young son. Irish actor Paul Mescal starred in the film as William Shakespeare and was widely expected to be recognised in the supporting actor category. However, he did not receive a nomination on Thursday. In an interview with the Hollywood Reporter, Buckley praised her co-star, and said: I think hes extraordinary in this film. I know Ive met a partner for life in doing this with him. I dont know what to say apart from he is, to me, my absolute. His artistry is something that will continue to grow and be a theme in so many different ways. Buckley added: I know what we created together is something thats so special to us, and I hold that so dearly in my heart, and theres no part of Agnes that exists without Paul. So, what is recognised belongs to him as much as him being recognised in his own category would. Speaking to the US magazine, Buckley also expressed her gratitude for her nomination, and said: Im so proud and honoured to be beside all those extraordinary women and to be there with Hamnet. Im delighted. The star is widely considered the frontrunner having already secured a string of trophies including the Golden Globe and Critics Choice award. US actress Elle Fanning is also among the stars who have reacted to their nomination, having taken to Instagram to express her shock and gratitude. The 27-year-old, who has been nominated for best supporting actress for her role in Norwegian film, Sentimental Value, posted a screenshot of herself crying while on a FaceTime call. She wrote: IS THIS REAL!?!?!?! IS THIS A DREAM!?!?!?! I cant catch my breath. I am in absolute shock. What an honour to have my first Academy Award nomination be for a film that acknowledges the power of moviemaking and family. My mum, grandma, sister, and aunt were here with me this morning to scream and hug and cry. Thank you, thank you, thank you. Fanning continued: To be amongst the beautiful women in this category is truly overwhelming. I was equally overjoyed to see our entire Sentimental Value family recognised. She said: I am filled with so much love. The whole house got nominated. In the post, Fanning named the members of the cast and crew who received Oscar nods, including Norwegian actress, Renate Reinsve, who was nominated for best actress in a leading role. She also named Stellan Skarsgard and Inga Ibsdotter Lilleaas, who were recognised for actor in a supporting role and actress in a supporting role, respectively. The star also named Olivier Bugge Coutte, who is up for the film editing Oscar, and writers Eskil Vogt and Joachim Trier, who received a nod for best original screenplay. Trier is also up in the directing category, and the film has been nominated for best international feature film. A Defence barrister representing a man who sexually assaulted three women in Our Lady of Lourdes hospital, has told Drogheda Circuit Court that his client's judgement was affected after drinking brandy to warm up after a shift in a chill room in a meat factory. The 51-year-old defendant, who cant be named for legal reasons, pleaded guilty to one count of sexual assault on the basis that full facts of the case would be heard, with the two other charges taken into consideration. The court heard last Friday that the first victim - a member of staff in the hospital in her 60s, was sexually assaulted after she walked out of a changing room on March 5th 2022. The two other victims were patients in the hospital. The next day a 69-year-old was sexually assaulted after she returned to her room after having a smoke outside and thinking he was a physio, she showed him her neck brace. It was captured on CCTV and the hospital contacted the woman, who made a formal complaint. The third and most serious assault, which was admitted, was on a 74-year-old, after he pulled the curtains around her bed. She felt unable to call out for help at the time. She did not report the assault when a health care assistant, who saw that she was distressed, asked if she was ok and contacted security. However, when the defendant returned that evening and blew a kiss at her from the door, the woman '"trembling with fear" rang a bell and disclosed what had happened earlier. All three victims were described as being vulnerable. The second woman was the only one of the three who made a victim impact statement. She told how she had become ill twice since the assault and was too afraid to return to the hospital and her family had taken her to a different one for treatment. At the time she had three broken bones in her spine. She said she still has 'stages of fear' when she is out and about on the town and becomes frightened when she sees men "who resemble my attacker"'. She added she has a lot of fear of being an older vulnerable woman and has been left feeling very intimidated and scared. The defendant, who lived in County Monaghan at the time, was arrested over two weeks later and denied sexually assaulting anyone. The only interaction he admitted was with the second victim (with the neck brace) and having been shown the CCTV footage he claimed his wife had the same problem and he had shown the woman where she had been sore. He was charged with an assault but the charge was later withdrawn and he returned to Romania. He was arrested in Germany last April and has been in custody since then, having been extradited six weeks later. The father of five has no previous convictions here, but served four years of a nine year sentence for rape in Romania, although the Senior Counsel explained his client is from a Romani gypsy background and that case related to a feud involving his first wifes family who reported his relationship with her when she was 14 and he was 16. The court heard that 'marriage' within the Romani tradition was not recognised by the state and the couple got married officially on his release from prison and had three children. His wife died in 2007 and he remarried. He added that his client had been admitted to the hospital after suffering heart palpitations caused by drinking brandy to warm up after a 12 hour shift in a chilling room and his consumption of it had affected his judgement. The counsel added his client had shown genuine remorse and was in tears, when Judge Sinead McMullen said "that isn't really reflected in the Probation report. The barrister suggested that might be down to a language or cultural difficulty. He stressed that the 51-year-old had instructed him to express his sincere remorse and would consent to a ministerial removal order, when his sentence is served. He added the defendant was preoccupied by his daughter from his second marriage who has a congenital heart condition, and by his inability to support his family. Judge McMullan remanded him in custody for a week for finalisation. A Louth councillor has said some border towns in Louth are left without running water for between 8 to 10 hours as a result of "inadequate water infrastructure". Fine Gael councillor for Dundalk/Carlingford John Reilly said the issue is a damning indictment on Louth County Council. Cllr Reilly who lives close to the border told the January meeting of Louth County Council he also has no running water, and has had to install a water pump to access running water. He said areas such as Creggan, Sheelagh and along the Castleblayney Road are without adequate water supply. He added these areas currently get their water supply from Knockbridge. The Fine Gael councillor said these areas are sometimes left without water for between eight to ten hours. "There's a pumping house that builds up pressure and there's no water that goes down into Sheelagh". "Our neighbours in the North of Ireland all have running water. The Hackballscross area is forgotten about. You come across into Faughart and Ravensdale and we don't have running water in 2026," he said. Read Next: Louth County Council sign contract for Ardee Castle regeneration Cllr Reilly acknowledged that Uisce Eireann is responsible for water infrastructure in Ireland but said "surely as a council it's damning on us that we can't provide water to people on the border". He said the infrastructure had previously been in place when water supply came from Northern Ireland. "The infrastructure was previously there, the water can be brought in and we cut off the supply and put in an inadequate supply on our side," he said. Louth County Council said in response that this is a matter for Uisce Eireann, but said it would raise the issue with the State's water provider when they next meet. Funded by the Local Democracy Reporting Scheme Louth Sinn Fein TD Joanna Byrne has called on the Taoiseach and the Minister for Education to publish the long awaited DEIS + scheme without delay. Having raised the issue directly with An Taoiseach in the Dail, Teachta Byrne stated: The recent budget stated clearly that a new DEIS plan would be published in late 2025, yet here we are in 2026 and schools in Drogheda and beyond are still left watching and waiting for the government to provide information on this scheme and how schools will be included in this scheme I am deeply disappointed at the lack of any clear detail or timeline from the Taoiseach, when I raised this issue with him in the Dail and I have now written directly to the Minister for Education. We have been told an extensive stakeholder engagement has taken place. We have had an OECD review. We have been told that implementing DEIS+ is a stated goal of this Government and that 48 million will be allocated. But what we dont know is When will the DEIS+ scheme details be finalised? When will they be published? When will schools in our communities be offered the assurances, they are long overdue? Over recent months I have met with principals of DEIS schools in our community and it was very disheartening for schools to tell me they are really worried about being forgotten once more. DEIS schools in Drogheda provide an incredibly supportive environment for local children to thrive in, they are at the heart of communities that have been forgotten by successive Governments. We now need clarification from the Minister for Education, and the long-awaited plan must be published without delay." I response the Taoiseach said that: "DEIS status affords very significant opportunities to schools in terms of pupil-teacher ratios and additional supports. The Deputy has outlined the position with DEIS+. The budget has approved it and allocation of resources has happened. Obviously, a scheme has to be developed. Read Next: Trial date set for Louth man accused of murdering his parents and brother "It is going to be a very targeted programme for those most in need in education. I will ask the Minister to revert to the Deputy. The Deputy has outlined the details in terms of where we are with stakeholder consultation and so on. Hopefully by the next school year, we will have this in place." There is a rising level of Euroscepticism in Ireland, according to the Minister for Foreign Affairs. Helen McEntee said populists are presenting the European Union as a convenient target of blame for the countrys problems. The minister is to deliver her first significant policy speech on Irelands upcoming EU presidency on Thursday. At the event hosted by the European Parliament Liaison Office and the European Commission Representation in Ireland, Ms McEntee is to outline the latest preparations for Irelands presidency in the second half of this year as well as positions on EU values, security and competitiveness. She will say the world is in a new moment in history where assumptions we once took for granted are being challenged. Ms McEntee believes Ireland has high levels of support for the EU but will say she is concerned by a rising level of Euroscepticism. She is expected to say: Its still a whisper but its growing louder. It puts forward the seductive populist claim that our problems and like everybody else we have our problems do not lie in our own hands, they must be the fault of somebody else and the EU or Brussels is a convenient somebody. I want to foster a national conversation on Europe because we cannot cede the stage to these voices we cannot allow these whispers to go unchallenged. Ms McEntee will add: Without security, there can be no prosperity; without competitiveness, we cannot sustain our societies; and without values, none of it matters. The Council of the European Union is made up of ministers from EU nations, grouped by policy area, which discusses legislation and helps set the EUs agenda. Ireland will hold the presidency of the group from July to December, which will include hosting an informal meeting of EU leaders and a summit of the European Political Community. A new Community First Responder (CFR) group established in Cork city has responded to more than two dozen callouts in its first month of operation. The CFR group, established by the charity CRITICAL in Douglas, has been operating for four weeks, with a team of eight people responding to cardiac arrests and other life-changing emergencies across Cork. Since its establishment, the fully trained volunteers, who come from a wide range of backgrounds including healthcare, emergency services, business and retirees, have been tasked to 25 incidents. The team is alerted by the National Ambulance Service to cardiac arrests, heart attacks, strokes, and choking incidents in Douglas and its surrounding areas, including Farmers Cross, Frankfield, Rochestown, Moneygurney, and Ballinlough. Douglas CFR co-ordinator Alan Barry said he is grateful for the support of CRITICAL and the National Ambulance Service. Douglas is a large area with a population of 40,000 people, said Mr Barry. Our team is living here, they are active in their local communities, and are committed to responding to people when they need us most. CRITICAL charity has provided us with the best of equipment to be able to care for people in their darkest moments. We are very grateful for their support and the support of the National Ambulance Service. said CRITICAL chief executive David Tighe, explaining that when a medical emergency happens, minutes can feel like hours. CFR groups ensure that help comes from nearby, from a neighbour, colleague, or someone who knows the community and cares about it, said Mr Tighe. These volunteers bring compassion, reassurance, and life-saving care to people when they are most vulnerable. The CRITICAL CFR Douglas group is an important addition to our network of responders across the country and they are already making a real difference to their local communities. Ger ODea, national community engagement manager with the National Ambulance Service, said working alongside charities such as CRITICAL has helped us to enhance our capabilities in communities across Ireland, and we are delighted to further our collaboration with the charity to establish Douglas CFR, another valuable link in the chain of survival. There were 20% more calls to the Cork Society of St Vincent de Paul (SVP) seeking help with bills this Christmas than in 2024. This rise is above the national average, and more than half of the calls were seeking help with food costs. Nationally, SVP recorded a rise of 12% in calls since Christmas 2024. Overall, Corks SVP team had more than 3,000 requests for assistance last month, a 20% rise from December 2024. Cormac OSullivan, SVPs south-west regional co-ordinator, told The Echo: In Cork alone, we received more than 3,000 calls into the regional office, and thats not including members who got calls directly, so, in reality, the figure is a lot higher. Nationally, SVP had 260,799 requests for assistance in 2025. This is the first time the figure has risen above 260,000, and is a 6% increase on 2024. There was a sharp rise in demand in the lead-up to Christmas, 12% higher than in 2024. Were seeing people contact us who never would have before, said Mr OSullivan. He added that some of those now seeking help were people who would have donated before, and some of them are double-income families. People are really being stretched by the ongoing cost-of-living crisis prices arent going down, and so they have to reach out for help. Food-related requests were the largest category, making up more than 50% of the total in SVP Cork, followed by fuel and energy supports, as Budget 2026 saw the universal energy credits of the last few years discontinued. Mr OSullivan said: We have a very good social justice team in Cork who make appeals to the Government based on the reality theyre seeing on the ground, and the reality is that without those energy supports, the number of people phoning in to us is only getting greater. This demand for their services means they need more volunteers, he said. We launched a national recruitment campaign this week in the hope of getting people to volunteer their time it can be a couple of hours a week, any kind of assistance helps. There are almost 11,000 volunteers in the South-West, covering Cork and Kerry, spread out across more than 110 hubs in every community, Mr OSullivan said, thanking people for their support over Christmas. Its a vital time for us, from a fundraising point of view, but our work continues throughout the year and depends on peoples generosity. The Cork public are very good for fundraising and contributing to our efforts, so for those who can, we would ask them to go one step further and give their time. Louise Bayliss, SVP head of social policy, said: For many people on bill-pay, the first real winter bills are only now landing, and the worry is that the full impact of higher energy costs will hit as the winter progresses. Figures show that over 300,000 households are in arrears on their electricity bills, and more than 180,000 are behind on gas. In recent years, energy credits provided vital relief. Without them, many households are now struggling to cope. The most recent survey on income and living conditions (SILC) figures showed that consistent poverty has increased from 3.6% in 2024 to 5% in 2025, with child consistent poverty rising from 4.8% to 8.5% in just one year an additional 45,000 children. These are not abstract numbers. They are children going to school hungry, living in cold homes, and missing out on the basics that support a healthy childhood, she said. Last year, SVP received 33,224 requests for energy assistance across Ireland, with November 2025 seeing SVPs highest-ever number of energy requests in a single month. A man who hitched a lift to Kinsale in the early hours of the morning with a woman he had never met, and then refused to leave her parents home, has pleaded guilty to two public order offences in the district court. Sergeant Eimear OConnell told Bandon District Court that gardai in Kinsale received a call at 3.30am on June 6, 2025, to attend a private residence in the town. The homeowner said an unwelcome stranger had arrived at the house with their daughter, who had returned from a night out in Cork City. The court was told the woman had encountered 37-year-old John Mulligan, with an address at Millrace Mews, Chapel St, Bandon, walking along the road as she was driving home and she had given him a lift. REFUSED TO LEAVE However, when he arrived at the family home, he refused to leave when asked to do so by the womans parents. When gardai arrived, Mulligan told them he had walked halfway from Kinsale to Cork and rang 999 four times looking for a spin. Mulligan then became irate and demanded gardai give him a lift to Bandon. When he was told this was not possible, he said he would go to the door of Kinsale Garda Station and urinate on it. At 4am, Mulligan began banging on the door of the station and shouting. He was taken to Bandon Garda Station, where he continued to behave in an aggressive manner. He was charged with being drunk in public, and threatening and abusive behaviour. The court was told Mulligan had two previous convictions, one for drink-driving in 2011, and one for holding a mobile phone while driving in 2018. Defence solicitor Plunkett Taaffe said his client wanted to apologise for his behaviour and said the father-of-two was an apprentice electrician. Mulligan told Judge Joanne Carroll he was one million per cent wrong. Judge Carroll remanded Mulligan to April 17 and suggested he gather 500 for the court poor box. This article is funded by the Courts Reporting Scheme The sod has been turned on an 8.5m housing development in mid-Cork that will deliver 18 new homes and a specialist facility for people who have acquired brain injury. Work on the development, at Clos an tSulain in Masseytown, Macroom, began on Tuesday with a sod-turning ceremony led by Mayor of the County of Cork Mary Linehan Foley. Ms Linehan Foley was joined at the ceremony by representatives from Tuath Housing Association, Cork County Council, the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage, and Acquired Brain Injury Ireland (ABI Ireland). The project, which is due for completion next year, will consist of 10 two-bedroom and eight one-bedroom age-friendly units, which will be managed by Tuath Housing and allocated to people on Cork County Councils housing waiting list. A key part will be a five-bedroom, purpose-built home operated by ABI Ireland. FUNDED The development is funded by the Department of Housing through the capital assistance scheme (CAS), and is being delivered in partnership with Cork County Council. Tuath Housing is doing the project as a direct build, with contractor Cumnor Construction. Ms Mary Linehan-Foley said the project demonstrated how collaboration between approved housing bodies, local authorities, and specialist organisations could provide housing to keep people in their communities. Soon, this site will be replaced by 18 much-needed social homes for older persons, alongside a five-bed communal residence for people living with acquired brain injuries to enjoy a high-quality life through their established connections within the community, she said. Cork native Angela Murphy, vice-chair of Tuath voluntary board of directors, said the approved housing body had worked with Cork County Council and ABI to get the project on site. This project demonstrates Tuaths commitment to delivering diverse housing that responds to a wide range of housing needs, while working collaboratively with local authorities, community-based organisations, and the Department of Housing to support communities across Cork, she said. Keith Jones, director of service housing in Cork County Council, said the local authority had provided homes through a variety of delivery streams. This is evident today with the beginning of the construction of these new-build specialist housing units, through the capital assistance scheme here in Macroom, he said. Karen Foley, CEO of ABI, said the charity supports more than 1,300 brain injury survivors annually to rebuild their lives. This new service will enable us to reach more survivors living in the South-West of Ireland. The Coolmine East Cork hub will host the IGNITE art showcase tomorrow night at Midletons My Place community hub. Funded by Cork County Council and aligned with the Creative Ireland programme, the project uses creative expression as a tool for personal healing and community connection. Mayor of County Cork, councillor Mary Linehan Foley, will be among those in attendance at the exhibition which will celebrate the achievements of the participants. Asha Duda, team leader at Coolmine, said the exhibition is a testament to the resilience and creativity of the women they work with. Coolmine believes everyone should have the opportunity to overcome addiction and lead a fulfilled, productive life. "Through art, they have found a space to express themselves, build confidence and connect with others. We are thrilled to showcase their incredible work and celebrate the positive impact of creativity in recovery. The IGNITE exhibition takes place tomorrow, Friday, January 23, at 7pm. Gerry McAvoy's Band of Friends will perform at The Everyman Theatre in Cork on Thursday March 5. Fresh from sharing the stage with Joe Bonamassa at Live at the Marquee last July, Gerry is now embarking on a four-date Irish tour marking the 78th birthday of Rory Gallagher. The Band of Friends was formed in 2012 by Rory Gallagher's long-time bassist, Gerry McAvoy, to honor Gallagher's legacy. Mr McAvoy played, recorded and toured with Rory Gallagher for 20 years from 1971 to 1991. At the Everyman, the Band of Friends will be playing a mixture of their own material along with Rory Gallagher songs. Mr McAvoy has reshaped the band and they are now joined by Corks Brian Tambling, formerly of Stage Struck. Over the years Band of Friends has been seen worldwide with various line-ups. But from the beginning, until his unfortunate death in 2019, it featured Ted McKenna on drums. Ted toured with Rory from 19781981. The current line-up also includes the Belfast drummer Brendan O'Neill. Tickets are priced at 29 from the Everyman theatre. Twenty-eight-year-old Bruna Fonseca did everything she could to persuade her murderer to get help when he accused her of plunging him into hell in Cork with the break-up of their relationship, but he searched online for ways to kill and then he murdered her at his room in the city in the early hours of New Years Day 2023. But not alone did he murder her, he traduced her by claiming that this kind and beautiful young woman had been attacking him and that he merely tried to stop her. That was how the prosecution described 32-year-old Miller Pachecos actions. He was found guilty of murdering his former girlfriend by the unanimous decision of a jury after only one hour and two minutes of deliberations today. The seven women and five men of the jury reached their unanimous guilty verdict just after 4pm. He will be sentenced to the mandatory life sentence by Ms Justice Siobhan Lankford at the Central Criminal Court sitting in Cork tomorrow when members of the deceased womans family will have an opportunity to give their victim impact evidence. Bruna Fonseca did everything she could to persuade her murderer to get help when he accused her of plunging him into hell in Cork with the break-up of their relationship. After a nine-day trial where there were scarcely any emotional outbursts from the public gallery, despite often harrowing evidence, there was finally a release of emotion from family and friends of Bruna Fonseca this afternoon as they burst into tears and embraced each other at the unanimous verdict in Courtroom 6 at the Anglesea Street courthouse in Cork where the Central Criminal Court was sitting. The now convicted murderer gave no visible reaction. His parents had travelled from Brazil to be present with him in court. Prosecution senior counsel, Bernard Condon, asked for the sentencing to be imposed tomorrow to facilitate family, friends and witnesses who had travelled from Brazil for the trial which went into its ninth day today. The bottom line for the prosecution was that Mr Pacheco reached the decision that if he could not have Bruna Fonseca, nobody else could. They said that moral blackmail and the weaponising of his victimhood and apparent suicidal thoughts did not work in getting the 28-year-old back into a relationship with him, so he decided to murder her. Restraint Restraint was, in a word, the defence. Miller claimed he and Bruna were about to have face time with their pet dog back in Brazil after the New Years Eve party in The Oyster Tavern but that she attacked him. He said he fell on her and that this enabled him to do something he had seen on television, namely to restrain her from behind with his arm around her neck. This account has clearly been rejected by the jury. Strong evidence against this restraint explanation came from assistant state pathologist, Dr Margaret Bolster, who gave details of over 60 bruises and abrasions and said that the cause of death was asphyxia due to manual strangulation. The pathologist demonstrated in the witness box by placing her hand across her neck the thumb pressing on one side, fingers pressing on the other. Dr Bolster testified: Extensive bruising is in keeping with manual strangulation, in keeping with a hand constraining the neck, fingers on the left side, thumb on the right side. It would have been the right hand. By this account Mr Pacheco would have been looking at Bruna Fonseca as he literally strangled the last of her life from her. The family will have an opportunity to describe the impact that this murder has had on them here and in Brazil. Other powerful prosecution evidence that would have assisted the jury in reaching this unanimous guilty verdict included what he told his sister in Brazil and the internet search he made moments later. Mr Pacheco sent a message to his sister, Millena, in Brazil just before midnight on December 19, 2022, in which he asked her to look after his dog, before telling her: Ive kind of decided what I will do and I wont tell anyone. There was evidence from his phone that five minutes later he visited a website entitled How to kill in three seconds which gave details of the massacre of a Brazilian family in Spain. Tom Tuite A Westmeath man who "encouraged" teen girls in the United States to "self-produce" hundreds of sexually explicit videos and child sex abuse images has been jailed for two years. Chef Gary Clavin, 33, of Grange Crescent, Mullingar, admitted that from October 10, 2015, until September 30, 2018, he knowingly encouraged at least four girls aged 14 to 16 in the making of child sex abuse material. Sentencing, Judge Keenan Johnson noted Clavin had been recognised as having mental health and body image issues, but made significant efforts at rehabilitation through forensic psychotherapy and demonstrated remorse. At Mullingar Circuit Criminal Court, he said these offences carry significant ignominy in the community, resulting in ostracisation and sex offender obligations to report to gardai at least four times a year, which was also a punishment. However, he stressed the harm to the victims, which in this case went on for three years, with the girls encouraged to self-produce the images and videos for Clavin's gratification. The judge highlighted that it was planned, that the court had to register abhorrence of this type of activity, and that a clear message had to be sent that these crimes attract custodial sentences. Assessments found Clavin to be at a moderate risk of reoffending. Mullingar Garda station was contacted in 2018 by colleagues in the online child protection unit based in Harcourt Square, Dublin. Garda James Grogan said they were alerted to a Facebook account under a different name and linked to two email accounts. Efforts to trace the user led to the accused's IP address, then to his home. The Facebook profile had obtained sexually explicit images of multiple teenage girls. The defendant's laptop and mobile phone were examined and found to store 700 to 1,000 images and 30 videos of child sexual abuse material. He had used a fake account name because he had been "blocked" on Facebook under his own identity. The girls were believed to be between 14 and 16 years old, and all lived in America. Chat logs revealed that they produced the videos and images due to his encouragement. The accused cooperated with the investigation and therapy, and realised his errors, the judge acknowledged. The charge is under the Child Trafficking and Pornography Act 1998. The judge heard the man suffered from significantly low self-esteem and weight problems, but had focused on work and was well-educated. He had set up a false social media profile "with a view to connecting with people", which soon developed to chatting with teen girls. He received "self-produced" child pornography images and videos, and this often arose as a result of his requests. The offence carries a maximum sentence of 14 years. The judge held that the case was borderline at the lower end of the mid-range and attracted a pre-mitigation punishment of six years. However, taking into account the plea and the defence submission, he reduced it to four years, with the final two years suspended. On release, he must continue to remain supervised by the Probation Service, continue with therapeutic interventions and not reoffend for five years. Questioned by John Hayden SC, defending, the garda confirmed that there was no evidence that the man distributed the material. The defence said the accused, who had no prior convictions, was in his early to mid-twenties at the time. The garda agreed with the defence that the accused, who is single, had no social life and was introverted with low confidence. The garda said the accused had image issues, and his life revolved around his work routine and attempts to lose weight. He agreed with Mr Hayden that Clavin did not present as a person of the maturity expected for his age at the time of the offending, and that he would have been "a few years behind". The court heard that he was highly respected in his work and had shown some insight into his behaviour. The material was self-taken by the girls during "back and forth" exchanges with the accused, but he knew they were underage, and he encouraged them to send the pictures and videos. Mr Hayden said his client moved on and "accepts it was all wrong". If you have been affected by any of the issues raised in this article, you can call the national 24-hour Rape Crisis Helpline at 1800-77 8888, access text service and webchat options at drcc.ie/services/helpline/ or visit Rape Crisis Help. An alleged key member of an inter-familial organised crime gang used the proceeds of a sinister romance fraud perpetrated on a vulnerable woman to purchase a house in Co Cork, the High Court has ruled. In a judgment this week, Mr Justice Liam Kennedy found that on the balance of probabilities, Thomas Humphreys used the proceeds of the romance fraud carried out by his brother-in-law Patrick Pizza Face OBrien to purchase the property on Strand Street, Youghal, for 26,620 in July 2015. Mr Justice Kennedys ruling comes after the Criminal Assets Bureau (Cab) sought an order under section 3 of the Proceeds of Crime Act 1996 declaring that the house was purchased using the proceeds of crime. The judge granted the relief sought by the bureau. Relevant to his ruling, the judge said, was Humphreys conviction in absentia by an Australian court of a separate fraud against an elderly woman worth AUD$100,500 (around 58,000). Humphreys fled the country before he could be tried. According to evidence submitted to the court by the bureau, Humphreys and various members of his extended family have been involved in organised crime both in Ireland and Australia. Cab claims the groups primary modus operandi to be bogus works fraud, in which elderly victims are deceived into paying exorbitant sums for property repairs. The bureau alleges Humphreys (37), previously with an address at Curraigue, Mallow, Co Cork, but now believed to be living in the UK, to be a key member of this crime group. It was the bureaus case that Humphreys allegedly benefited from a sinister romance scam perpetrated by his wifes brother OBrien against Pauline Fitzpatrick between 2012 and 2015. The bureau claimed that during this time, OBrien under a false name ostensibly entered a romantic relationship with the vulnerable Ms Fitzpatrick, conning her out of more than 260,000. It was the bureaus case that money procured by way of the sinister scam went towards Humphreys purchase of the house. Before he could be tried over the romance fraud, OBrien fled to Australia, where he was later joined by Humphreys, gardai allege. The men continued to defraud in Australia, the bureau claimed. OBrien (44), of Ballyspillane, Killarney, was eventually jailed for scamming various individuals out of AUD$1.1 million (640,000), but Humphreys fled Australia before he could be tried. In his judgment, Mr Justice Kennedy said he was satisfied that at least 5,000 of monies used to purchase the Youghal house was legitimately sourced by virtue of a personal injury settlement payout to Humphreys. However, beyond this, Humphreys did not establish that the remainder of the cost was funded legitimately, the judge said. Mr Justice Kennedy noted Humphreys did not deny the allegations of criminality made against him in the bureaus case, adding that his evidence to the court was most remarkable for what it does not say. He does not deny or explain his criminal convictions or his involvement in criminality (the controlled drugs trade, frauds in Ireland and Australia, money laundering)... [n]or does he engage with the detailed evidence as to the source of funds used to buy the property, the judge said. The judge said he was satisfied that the majority of payments towards the purchase of the property came from unknown sources or actually represented the proceeds of crime. Personal Protection Equipment, or PPE, captured the zeitgeist of the covid years. Gowns, gloves, aprons, and masks, all made from single-use plastic, were used in their millions, transported in bulk from China. Cork cousins, Dr Mary ORiordan and Lisa ORiordan, knew there had to be a better solution to this reliance on plastic PPE, and in 2021, they founded HaPPE Earth, creating fully-compostable PPE made out of thistles. These efforts have now been recognised with the duo scopping the overall award in the inaugural All-Island Circular Venture Awards in 2025. Dr Geraldine Brennan, Director of Circular Economy Innovation at Irish Manufacturing Research, who presented the prize, said HaPPE Earth embodies circular innovation, circular excellence, execution strength, commercial viability, and system level impact. From the beginning, HaPPE Earth zeroed in on the healthcare sector. Thats because a significant proportion of the products used in the healthcare sector are single-use. Lisa O'Riordan from HaPPE Earth, winner of the All-Island Circular Venture Awards 2025. In Ireland, we use around 50 million single-use aprons every year. In the South Infirmary Victoria University Hospital (SIVUH) in Cork, over 700,000 single-use aprons are used annually. HaPPE Earths apron was their first product, and the team ran a pilot in the SIVUH, replacing the hospitals plastic aprons with compostable ones. The pilot was a success, says Lisa ORiordan. We got all the lovely feedback that we were hoping for - its guilt-free, more breathable, and positive reports from all people that were wearing it. So then we thought, lets take on the full life cycle of this apron. We worked with a company called Harp Renewables, and we medicalised one of their bio digesters so that hospitals could process this waste on-site safely. So now were doing another pilot through Health Innovation Hub Ireland (HIHI) with Clonakilty Hospital thatll be coming up this year. What were doing is taking the food waste from the hospital and our aprons, and then on site it will go through a 24 hour cycle and will end up as this lovely pathogen-safe, nitrogen rich fertiliser. Our goal is simple: our product comes from the land, it has its function, and then it goes back to the land safely. In May, 2025, the cousins won a tender to provide Irelands first full-cycle sustainable waste solution to the Royal Victoria Eye and Ear Hospital in Dublin. The hospital will use HaPPE Earths thermophilic biodigester to transform more than 20 tonnes of annual food and compostable clinical waste into reusable compost. The project is being hailed as the benchmark for sustainability in clinical operations by Alan Dillon, Minister of State at the Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment, with a special responsibility for the circular economy. Initial reports are positive, says Lisa. Weve done a proof of concept there, and we can show that it does exactly as its supposed to do. With our dashboards, they can see that theyve reduced their plastics, reduced their carbon emissions because weve set up manufacturing now in Ireland, but well also get them produced in mainland Europe. But also they can see theyve actually made cost savings, because by redirecting the food waste through our stream, that waste is completely eliminated for them, so theres good cost saving for hospitals. The HaPPE Earth duo are not ones for standing still. They have expanded their product range to include shoe covers, hair nets and beard nets, and set up a manufacturing facility in Cork. At this base, they manufacture the shoe covers, the hair nets and the beard nets. By manufacturing them in Ireland, Lisa says, the company has shortened the supply chain, which in turn helps our clients to meet their CO2 targets. HaPPE Earth has become quite the family business, with Marys brother David, a mechanical engineer, involved in working on the machinery in the Cork manufacturing plant. And the team is also now looking beyond the healthcare industry, particularly with the shoe covers, explains Lisa. Pharma uses them, construction uses them, particularly in the construction of data centres, the catering industry, and theyre dying for an easy changeover. What weve made is a like-for-like swap. Theyre the exact same foot cover, except one is 50 to 100 years in landfill, and the other one, if it goes through our system - the HaPPE Cycle - is completely eradicated within 24 hours. Or if it goes to landfill in the right environment, it breaks down within 12 weeks. The award-winning solution is making waves and has produced a simple solution to a massive problem. When you look at the figures, theyre staggering. If you look at our four products, the apron, the hair net, beard net and shoe cover, in one of Corks super pharma companies, eight million of these products are used every year. In just one plant! Whats brilliant about Ireland is were an innovative country. And theres momentum now building in this area. Were the first to do what were doing, and we just want to get going now and take over the world. Davos becomes political battleground after Trump's Greenland threats Xinhua) 10:05, January 22, 2026 BEIJING, Jan. 21 (Xinhua) -- The World Economic Forum (WEF) in Davos, traditionally a key platform for discussing global economic trends and promoting cooperative development, is evolving into a political battleground this year amid growing tensions over U.S. President Donald Trump's bid to take over Greenland. Denmark's absence at this year's forum is just one example of the palpable political tensions. However, Trump is leading the largest ever U.S. delegation in WEF history, including Secretary of State Marco Rubio, Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent, Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick and his special envoy Steve Witkoff, signaling the U.S. administration's active involvement in shaping the forum's discourse this year. The forum, running from Monday through Friday, was convened under the theme "A Spirit of Dialogue." Over the weekend, Trump announced an additional 10 percent tariff from Feb. 1 on eight European countries, including Denmark, Britain, France and Germany, all of which opposed his takeover of Greenland, a self-governing Danish territory. In a further mockery of European leaders, Trump on Tuesday shared an artificial intelligence (AI)-generated image on Truth Social, which featured himself, followed by Vice President JD Vance and Rubio, planting a U.S. flag on Greenland, with a sign saying "U.S. territory est. 2026." A second AI-generated image saw Trump in the Oval Office with European leaders, presenting them with a map showing Greenland, Canada and Venezuela covered in the U.S. flag. "The Greenland standoff has upended the opening days of the forum that had been expected to largely focus on artificial intelligence, economic growth, and climate change," TIME Magazine said Tuesday. Ahead of Trump's Davos speech on Wednesday, world leaders "began the week in Davos with thinly veiled denunciations of Trump's conduct," the magazine added. Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney warned on Tuesday of a "rupture" in the world order during his speech at the forum. Living in an era of great power rivalry, "the rules-based order is fading," he said. "That the strong do what they can, and the weak suffer what they must." Without naming Trump, Carney referred to "American hegemony." He said, "More recently, great powers began using economic integration as weapons. Tariffs as leverage. Financial infrastructure as coercion. Supply chains as vulnerabilities to be exploited." Noting multilateral institutions, such as the World Trade Organization and United Nations, which aim to solve collective problems, "are greatly diminished," Carney called on middle powers, like Canada, to "act together because if you are not at the table, you are on the menu." He also expressed strong support for Greenland and Denmark and opposition to tariffs proposed by the United States. Similarly, French President Emmanuel Macron said Tuesday in Davos: "It's a shift towards a world without rules. Where international law is trampled underfoot and where the only law that seems to matter is that of the strongest, and imperial ambitions are resurfacing." Macron said the European Union (EU) "should not hesitate" to deploy its anti-coercion mechanism in response to the U.S. tariff threats linked to Greenland. "We do prefer respect to bullies," Macron said. "And we do prefer rule of law to brutality." European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen expressed the EU's full support for Greenland and Denmark, stressing that "the sovereignty and integrity of their territory is non-negotiable." Without referring to Trump, she said in her address at Davos that "the proposed additional tariffs are a mistake especially between long-standing allies." Belgian Prime Minister Bart De Wever said that with Trump's Greenland provocations, "so many red lines have been crossed" in Europe. "Being a happy vassal is one thing. Being a miserable slave is something else. If you back down now you're going to lose your dignity," he said during a Davos panel discussion on redefining Europe's place in the world. Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk, writing on X, called on Europeans to beware of "appeasement." "Europe cannot afford to be weak -- neither against its enemies, nor ally. Appeasement means no results, only humiliation. European assertiveness and self-confidence have become the need of the moment," he said. Gavin Newsom, governor of the U.S. state of California, told European leaders to "stand tall and firm, have a backbone" during his visit to the Davos forum. "It's time to get serious and stop being complicit." The WEF's Global Risks Report 2026, one of its flagship publications released ahead of the annual meeting, points out that geopolitical and economic risks rise in a new age of competition. The report identifies geoeconomic confrontation as the top risk for 2026, followed by interstate conflict, extreme weather, societal polarization, misinformation and disinformation. (Web editor: Zhang Kaiwei, Liang Jun) The Grok app, which reportedly still generates the images, remains available on Apple's App Store and Google's Play Store. The Grok app, which reportedly still generates the images, remains available on Apple's App Store and Google's Play Store. (Cheng Xin via Getty Images) We already knew xAI's Grok was barraging X with nonconsensual sexual images of real people. But now there are some numbers to put things in perspective. Over an 11-day period, Grok generated an estimated 3 million sexualized images including an estimated 23,000 of children. Put another way, Grok generated an estimated 190 sexualized images per minute during that 11-day period. Among those, it made a sexualized image of children once every 41 seconds. On Thursday, the Center for Countering Digital Hate (CCDH) published its findings. The British nonprofit based its findings on a random sample of 20,000 Grok images from December 29 to January 9. The CCDH then extrapolated a broader estimate based on the 4.6 million images Grok generated during that period. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The research defined sexualized images as those with "photorealistic depictions of a person in sexual positions, angles, or situations; a person in underwear, swimwear or similarly revealing clothing; or imagery depicting sexual fluids." The CCDH didn't take image prompts into account, so the estimate doesn't differentiate between nonconsensual sexualized versions of real photos and those generated exclusively from a text prompt. The CCDH used an AI tool to identify the proportion of the sampled images that were sexualized. That may warrant some degree of caution in the findings. However, I'm told that many third-party analytics services for X have reliable data because they use the platform's API. On January 9, xAI restricted Grok's ability to edit existing images to paid users. (That didn't solve the problem; it merely turned it into a premium feature.) Five days later, X restricted Grok's ability to digitally undress real people. WASHINGTON, DC - JUNE 23: Google CEO Sundar Pichai (L) and Apple CEO Tim Cook (R) listen as U.S. President Joe Biden speaks during a roundtable with American and Indian business leaders in the East Room of the White House on June 23, 2023 in Washington, DC. Biden and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi held the meeting to meet with a range of leaders from the tech and business worlds and to discuss topics including innovation and AI. (Photo by Anna Moneymaker/Getty Images) (Anna Moneymaker via Getty Images) But that restriction only applied to X; the standalone Grok app reportedly continues to generate these images. Since Apple and Google host the apps which their policies explicitly prohibit you might expect them to remove them from their stores. Well, in that case, you'd be wrong. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement So far, Tim Cook's Apple and Sundar Pichai's Google havent removed Grok from their stores unlike similar nudifying apps from other developers. The companies also didnt take any action on X while it was producing the images. Thats despite 28 womens groups (and other progressive advocacy nonprofits) publishing an open letter calling on the companies to act. The companies haven't replied to multiple requests for comment from Engadget. To my knowledge, they haven't acknowledged the issue publicly in any format, nor have they responded to questions from other media outlets. Grok - App Store and Play Store listings (Apple / Google) The researchs findings on sexualized images included numerous outputs of people wearing transparent bikinis or micro-bikinis. The CCDH referred to one of a "uniformed healthcare worker with white fluids visible between her spread legs." Others included women wearing only dental floss, Saran Wrap or transparent tape. One depicted Ebba Busch, Sweden's Deputy Prime Minister, "wearing a bikini with white fluid on her head." Other public figures were part of that group. They include Selena Gomez, Taylor Swift, Billie Eilish, Ariana Grande, Ice Spice, Nicki Minaj, Christina Hendricks, Millie Bobby Brown and Kamala Harris. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Examples of children include someone using Grok to edit a child's "before-school selfie" into an image of her in a bikini. Another image depicted "six young girls wearing micro bikinis." The CCDH said that, as of January 15, both of these posts were still live on X. In total, 29 percent of the sexualized images of children identified in the sample were still accessible on X as of January 15. The research found that even after posts were removed, the images remained accessible via their direct URLs. You can read the CCDH's report for more details on the results and methodology. Well update this story if we receive a reply from Apple or Google. Elon Musk just took the stage at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland and announced that Tesla's Optimus humanoid robot will be sold to the public by the end of next year. Musk is the master of unrealistic timetables , but this may be the nuttiest one yet. These are humanoid robots that are supposed to be able to do just about any task a human can do. Musk, as usual, gave himself an out if the robots don't start rolling off the assembly line in 2027, saying that they'll only be released when Tesla is "confident that its very high reliability, very high safety and the range of functionality is also very high." He stated that the robots have already begun doing simple tasks in the Tesla factory, but there's no proof of this other than his word. In the real world, Optimus robots have continuously failed to live up to the marketing hype. There have been plenty of reports suggesting that previous demos of the robots in action were actually smoke and mirrors, as they were being remotely piloted by human operators . Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Tesla's stock jumped over three percent upon this announcement because company investors live in a world of magical rainbows, unicorns and robots mixing drinks at home in the year 2027. Musk also recently stated that the robots would be ready for commercial deployment in 2026. That's this year. It's worth noting that the program head for the project, Milan Kovac, recently left the company . Again, these are autonomous robots that are supposed to be able to perform complex tasks across a wide variety of categories. That'll likely happen someday, but not by 2027 . I'm just gonna go ahead and throw Musk's timeline in with "two years to AGI" and "five years until the singularity." DC Studios has hired screenwriter Christina Hodson to write "The Brave and the Bold," the upcoming "Batman" film set in the DC Universe. Hodson has been working on the project since at least fall 2025, according to sources familiar with the development. The film will center on Batman and his son Damian Wayne, a young assassin raised by the League of Assassins whom Bruce never knew existed. Andy Muschietti, who directed "The Flash," remains attached to direct the project, though his involvement depends on timing and availability. The writing process is still in its early stages, with sources indicating that a final draft may take some time as DC Studios adopts a measured development approach, according to the Hollywood Reporter. DC Studios co-CEO James Gunn recently stated on social media that he is "dependent on when there's an actionable script ready" and does not want to overshadow Matt Reeves' "The Batman Part II," which releases in October 2027. Hodson brings significant experience working within the DC universe. She wrote the screenplay for "The Flash," which Muschietti directed in 2023. She also penned "Birds of Prey," the 2020 film starring Margot Robbie as Harley Quinn, Rotten Tomatoes reported. Read more: 8 Cinematic Universes That Reshaped Modern Blockbusters Her other credits include writing "Bumblebee," the 2018 Transformers spinoff that received positive reviews. Additionally, Hodson wrote a script for an unproduced "Batman Beyond" film that reportedly impressed studio executives. The screenplay is based on writer Grant Morrison and artist Andy Kubert's acclaimed run on the Batman comics. Gunn has described Damian Wayne as "our favorite Robin" and "a little son of a bitch" who is both an assassin and murderer, setting up a complex father-son dynamic. Hodson joined a writers' room assembled by Gunn in January 2023 to develop the overarching story for the DC Universe. DC Studios has not officially commented on Hodson's involvement with "The Brave and the Bold." The project faces unique challenges as DC navigates having two separate Batman franchises. Gunn confirmed he will not release two Batman movies in the same year and wants to give Reeves' trilogy sufficient space. "The Brave and the Bold" will introduce a new actor as Batman for the DC Universe, separate from Robert Pattinson's portrayal in Reeves' films, as per Yahoo News. Prince Harry broke down in court as he defended his wife, Meghan Markle, during emotional testimony against the publisher of the Daily Mail. On Jan. 21, the Duke of Sussex appeared in London's High Court on the final day of his evidence in a lawsuit against Associated Newspapers Limited, accusing the company of making Meghan's life "an absolute misery." Speaking directly to the judge, Harry, 41, said the legal battle has only increased attacks on his family. "By standing up here and taking a stand against them, this has continued to come after me," he said, his voice breaking. "And they have made my wife's life an absolute misery, my Lord." The moment marked one of the most personal statements Harry has made during years of court fights with the British press, ENews reported. Harry explained that instead of easing the pressure, the lawsuit has led to more negative coverage. "Through the course of this litigation, it's only got worse, not better," he told the court. Fighting back tears, he added, "It's fundamentally wrong to put all of us through all of this again. What's required is an apology and some accountability. It's a horrible experience." Prince Harry Becomes Emotional as He Says Tabloids Made Meghan Markles Life An Absolute Misery https://t.co/GV35QW3s1j E! News (@enews) January 21, 2026 Prince Harry Cites 'Vicious' Coverage The case was filed in 2022 by Harry and several other well-known figures, including Elton John, David Furnish, Elizabeth Hurley and Sadie Frost. They accuse Associated Newspapers of unlawful information gathering, including serious invasions of privacy. The publisher has strongly denied the claims. During his testimony, Harry focused on how the press attention affected Meghan, especially after their relationship became public. According to People, in a witness statement, he said he felt forced to act after what he described as "vicious" and "sometimes racist" coverage of Meghan beginning in 2016. He explained that the situation grew worse when Meghan became pregnant and after the birth of their son, Prince Archie. Harry, who shares Archie, now 6, and Princess Lilibet, 3, with Meghan, said the personal cost of the case has been heavy on his family. People inside the courtroom reported that he paused several times, clearly emotional, as he spoke about Meghan and their children. This testimony comes a year after Harry reached a settlement with another British publisher, News Group Newspapers, which issued an apology and paid damages over unlawful actions. His lawyer at the time called that outcome a major victory. Newly released information suggests that Jeffrey Epstein used his birthdays as opportunities to exploit underage victims, including having them dress in specially designed outfits, according to a House Oversight Committee member. Rep. Suhas Subramanyam, a Democrat on the panel overseeing the release of Epstein-related records, said the birthdays were a means for the convicted sex offender to continue his abuse. "It's clear from the evidence that Epstein used his birthday as an excuse to traffic and take advantage of girls," Subramanyam told TMZ. Per AOL, Epstein who would have turned 73 on January 20, 2026, died by suicide in prison in August 2019. Previously released images show three young women celebrating his 54th birthday, dressed in lacy white outfits marked with the number "54" on the back. Other photos show Epstein sitting with two of the girls on his lap and in front of a large birthday cake, the same sweatshirt visible in multiple images. The records have redacted the faces of other attendees. Subramanyam described the day as "probably a very difficult day for many women," highlighting the ongoing trauma for Epstein's victims. The comments coincide with a recent art installation in Washington, D.C., depicting a 2-foot replica of an alleged 2003 birthday card from former President Donald Trump to Epstein. The card, first reported by The Wall Street Journal in 2025, features a poem and suggestive imagery. Trump denied authoring the card, telling AOL at the time: "This is not me. This is a fake thing. It's a fake Wall Street Journal story. I never wrote a picture in my life. I don't draw pictures of women... It's not my language. It's not my words." Trump later filed a $10 billion defamation suit regarding the article by the New York Post, which media outlets like ABC News moved to dismiss in September 2025, asserting the story was truthful. Epstein's former associate, Ghislaine Maxwell, reportedly compiled letters and notes from friends into a leather-bound book, including the alleged card. The poem inside the card describes a fictional conversation between "Donald" and "Jeffrey," ending with the line: "Happy Birthday and may every day be another wonderful secret." Prince's death a decade ago continues to reveal layers of private struggle, with an outlet reporting new details from the musician's autopsy showing he battled chronic pain and fentanyl dependence in his final days. As per CBS News, the pop icon, born Prince Rogers Nelson, was found unresponsive on April 21, 2016, in an elevator at his Paisley Park estate in Chanhassen, Minnesota, at the age of 57. Addressing the official cause of death, a source familiar with the investigation said, "Prince died from an accidental fentanyl overdose," a potent synthetic opioid 50 times stronger than heroin. Prince's struggle with physical ailments was long hidden. According to medical records, he suffered from severe hip problems and often used a cane, reportedly declining a double hip replacement due to religious beliefs as a Jehovah's Witness. READ MORE: Prince's First Manager Speaks With NPR About the Legend in New Interview "He was widely reported to have needed a double hip replacement before his passing a procedure he allegedly declined because it could have required a blood transfusion," RadarOnline noted. Investigators also highlighted Prince's opioid use leading up to his death. "According to the medical examiner, Prince had ingested fentanyl in quantities consistent with binge use," a source explained, noting the drug is typically prescribed for patients with a tolerance to other opioids. Prince had planned to meet an addiction specialist the day after he died, underscoring the private battle that went largely unseen. "Now it has been determined it was fentanyl, the trail begins in earnest to find who supplied them. Was it through legal or illegal means? Was it a doctor or a dealer who was fueling his habit?" a police source said. Scrutiny also extended to his medical care. Dr. Michael Todd Schulenberg treated Prince the day before his death and wrote prescriptions for him to collect from a pharmacy. Later, Dr. Howard Kornfeld's son discovered Prince unresponsive and placed the 911 call. A civil settlement with Schulenberg followed, including a $30,000 fine and two years of DEA monitoring, without an admission of wrongdoing. A source close to the investigation reflected on the impact of the revelations, saying, "What continues to haunt people is how quietly this unfolded. Prince was still performing, still creating, still planning treatment. The autopsy showed a reality that no one outside a very small circle truly understood." The fentanyl found at Paisley Park drew comparisons to the opioid implicated in Michael Jackson's 2009 death, highlighting the hidden toll of chronic pain on music legends. Originally published on Music Times 3 Mucho mas que una fruta: el alimento que protege "todo tu cuerpo", desde el corazon hasta el cerebro Fairfield, MT (59436) Today Partly cloudy. Windy. A few flurries or snow showers possible. Low around 35F. Winds WSW at 20 to 30 mph.. Tonight Partly cloudy. Windy. A few flurries or snow showers possible. Low around 35F. Winds WSW at 20 to 30 mph. WEST SALEM, Ohio Four members of the Black River FFA Chapter lent their hands to assist the West Salem Masonic Lodge during their annual meeting on Jan. 8. The members in attendance were Caleb and Rylee Howard, Carlee Mennell, Garrett Canfield and advisor Christina Howard. The West Salem Masonic Lodge, known for its longstanding commitment to philanthropy and community engagement, welcomed the participation of the FFA members. For the FFA members, the evening presented an invaluable opportunity to forge connections beyond the boundaries of their organization and immerse themselves in the broader aspect of community life. WEST HOLMES, Ohio The West Holmes FFA chapter sent seven members to the District Food Science Career Development Event in Ashland, Ohio, where participants completed a food triangle test and identified aromas and food safety concerns. They also completed a test on food science and handled customer inquiries about food quality and safety. Participants included Bri Poventud, Emma Eberhard, Jordan Long, Jarrett Schafer, Easton Uhl, Madison Ringwalt and Jenna Zimmerly. The team placed seventh. There were seven teams and 76 individuals in the contest. Thanks to the Ashland FFA Chapter for hosting. SOUTH AMHERST, Ohio High school junior and Firelands FFA member Ayden Schafer is restoring a John Deere B tractor as part of his FFA Supervised Agricultural Experience. His project combines mechanical skill with an appreciation for agricultural history. Schafer applied for the Titan Tires FFA/4-H Tractor Restoration Scholarship and learned on Jan. 14 that he was selected to receive new tires valued at nearly $3,000. The award supports the final stages of his restoration. Once completed, Schafer plans to use the tractor for both shows and hay production, showcasing the continued value of classic equipment in todays agriculture. LIMA, Ohio The Ohio Farmers Union will hold its 92nd State Convention from 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. on Jan. 31 at the Howard Johnson Hotel in Lima, Ohio, 1920 Roschman Ave. The day-long gathering will bring together farmers, rural advocates, economists and policymakers from across the state. The program will feature Ian Sheldon and Barry Ward, agricultural economists from Ohio State University, who will address trade, tariffs and the current farm economy. Shoshana Inwood, of the OSU Ag Innovation Center, will discuss how health care and childcare costs can impact farm family viability, and Christina Collins, of Honesty for Ohios Schools, will discuss rural school funding and state tax policy. National Farmers Union President Rob Larew will also address the convention, offering a national perspective on federal agricultural policy and farmer advocacy. In addition to educational sessions, the convention will include member-driven policy discussions, updates on CAUV and property tax changes and the election of Ohio Farmers Union officers and delegates. Blank Angus Catering will provide lunch. A limited hotel room block is available at the Howard Johnson for $95.99 per night. Attendees may reserve by calling 419-812-2276 and requesting the Farmers Union Room Block. Registration is open to members and the public. Advance registration is encouraged. Attendees may register online and pay at the door to avoid processing fees. For more information and to register, click this link. For more information, contact Bryn Bird at bryn@ohfarmersunion.com. Red tape holding back agri-tech innovation will be cut under new government plans, as ministers move to simplify farming regulation and boost growth across the sector. The government said it is on a significant drive to streamline rules across key industries, pledging to reduce the administrative cost of regulation by 25%. As part of its Industrial Strategy, regulatory reviews will simplify farming and agri-tech rules, cutting duplication, reducing paperwork and supporting innovation while retaining essential protections. Agri-tech was identified as a key growth area in the strategy, published last year, alongside a commitment to continued investment in the Farming Innovation Programme. The NFU said the move followed sustained lobbying and welcomed the recognition of agri-tech as a frontier industry with the potential to drive productivity and growth. Responding to the announcement, NFU Deputy President David Exwood said: We welcome the governments recognition of agri-tech as a key driver of growth, and any steps that reduce duplication and support innovation are always positive to see. He added: Better, smarter regulation has huge potential to unlock progress across our sector, and its good to see this direction of travel. Mr Exwood said the union would continue engaging with ministers, while pressing for a more stable policy environment for farm businesses. We will continue engaging with the government on this work, while simultaneously pressing for a policy environment that gives farm businesses the stability they need to contribute fully to the UKs growth ambitions, he said. However, the NFU warned that easing regulation alone would not be enough to unlock the sectors full potential. It has told the Department for Business and Trade that low profitability, limited access to capital, poor digital connectivity and a lack of confidence to invest remain major barriers to the adoption of agri-tech. Business Secretary Peter Kyle said the government was placing big bets on the industries where Britain can win, backing our innovators with real firepower, and cutting the red tape that holds them back. Baroness Batters warned MPs that farming has just two years to fix its economic model, as she delivered a series of stark messages to the EFRA Committee on profitability, planning and policy failure. Appearing before the committee on Tuesday to discuss her Farm Profitability Review, the former NFU president made clear that the focus of her work was on making food production pay, not encouraging diversification as a substitute for viable farming. She stressed that without profitability in food production there can be no sustainable future for the sector, arguing that long-term resilience depends on farming making money in its core role. One of her clearest warnings centred on planning. Asked whether it would be possible to grow agricultural exports without reforming the planning system, Baroness Batters replied simply: no. She said it was not rocket science that higher welfare requirements, such as lower stocking densities and slower-growing birds, mean producers need larger buildings. Failing to align planning reform with animal welfare policy, she warned, risks repeating past mistakes in the pig sector, leading to higher imports that undercut domestic producers while failing to deliver environmental or welfare benefits. Baroness Batters repeatedly returned to what she described as a lack of joined-up government, pointing to the disconnect between Defra and other departments as a fundamental barrier to reform. Using planning as an example, she questioned how departments with no knowledge of farming could be expected to design systems that work for agriculture, warning that her recommendations would fail without cross-Whitehall buy-in. Discussion then turned to livestock and the absence of livestock numbers from the governments Farming Roadmap. Baroness Batters said farmers need certainty and a clear national vision, including how livestock production fits into long-term policy. She noted that much of the UK is inherently livestock-based, joking that the uplands are unlikely to be producing broccoli or milling wheat any time soon. Behind the humour, she argued that production must be separated from consumption. Where domestic demand does not absorb output, she said the focus should shift to exports, praising countries such as New Zealand for their ambition and coherence. She linked this to the need for accurate, sector-by-sector data, saying recent challenges in the dairy industry highlighted the importance of proper market monitoring and clear production planning. Trade policy featured heavily throughout the session. On country-of-origin labelling, Baroness Batters said the out-of-home sector, which she estimated represents around half the value of the food market, currently falls outside even voluntary labelling arrangements. She said the voluntary code should apply to that sector as a first priority, before considering whether regulation is required. She also warned that SPS alignment does not mean aligned food values, particularly on animal welfare and environmental standards, reinforcing the need for accessible, centralised market data to inform trade decisions. Reflecting on what surprised her during the review, Baroness Batters pointed to the level of dysfunction between government departments and said much of Whitehall remains structured for EU membership rather than operating as an independent state. Although her review applies to England, she warned that without a coherent UK-wide approach on trade, biosecurity and food production, divergence risks becoming more complex than when the UK was part of the EU. Turning to Defras capacity to deliver reform, Baroness Batters said she joined the department with a team of five officials, only one of whom had experience of farming. She contrasted this with other major reviews staffed by dozens of officials, but praised her team for becoming experts and for challenging her recommendations, saying their progress showed the department is capable of reform if it chooses to prioritise it. She reiterated her recommendation that Civil Servants need to get out on farms, helping in the lambing shed or spending a day picking fruit and farmers need to work with them. We need to plan much more together how we shape the future of food and farming. She said it was encouraging that this recommendation had resonated strongly with Defras new Permanent Secretary, Paul Kissack. On market failure and disease outbreaks, Baroness Batters was blunt. She said Defra does not have the budget to intervene to prevent sector collapse and must seek emergency funding from the Treasury. She warned there is no clear plan for managing risk during market shocks or disease outbreaks, and said this gap leaves domestic production exposed. Throughout the session, Baroness Batters returned to the urgency of reform. She said there is a two-year window to deliver a new economic model for farming, warning that failure to act would trigger a different kind of change that many in the sector would not welcome. Hundreds of jobs are under threat after Anglo Beef Processors (ABP) confirmed plans to shut a major retail meat packing facility in Co Tyrone. The meat processor announced that its Linden retail packing plant at the Granville Industrial Estate will close, triggering a formal consultation with staff. ABP said changes in the UK market had forced it to review its operations and reduce the number of retail packing sites it runs. In a statement, the company said these changes have led to the difficult but necessary requirement to consolidate and reduce the number of its retail packing facilities. It added: Regrettably therefore it is our intention to cease retail packing at our ABP Linden retail packing facility based at Granville Industrial Estate in Dungannon. ABP confirmed that 338 employees have been placed at risk as a result of the decision. A consultation process has now begun, with the company saying it will look at ways to limit the impact on those affected. As a consequence, we have entered into a formal consultation process with 338 colleagues whose jobs are at risk. We will seek to minimise the impact on those who are affected. This would include redeployment where possible, the statement said. The company stressed that the closure relates only to the retail packing operation. It will continue to receive and process cattle and sheep at a separate facility on the same industrial estate. Local MLAs said the announcement would cause deep concern across the area. Fermanagh and South Tyrone MLA Colm Gildernew said the news would come as a shock to workers and their families. This news will come as a shock to the workers at this retail packing facility, and my thoughts are with them and their families, he said. He urged the company to retain as many jobs as possible and to support workers through retraining and reskilling, adding that he would be engaging with ABP and calling for clear communication with staff and trade unions. Fermanagh and South UUP MLA Diane Armstrong said employees at the plant were skilled workers who now face enormous uncertainty. For many families, this announcement will cause real anxiety about how they will make ends meet in the weeks and months ahead, she said. Ms Armstrong warned that some workers could be forced to travel further afield or relocate to find alternative employment, creating additional financial and personal strain. She described the agri-food sector as absolutely vital and said it was essential that those affected by this decision receive immediate and practical support. She also called on the Economy Minister to urgently engage with ABP, unions and relevant agencies. An ABP spokesperson said the decision had been difficult but unavoidable given wider pressures on the sector. This has been a very difficult step. But we are facing a challenging and changing UK and global marketplace for beef and lamb, they said. Stream-lining our operations is a necessity to achieve operational efficiencies, maintain our competitiveness and strengthen our business for the long term. The company said it will continue to support staff affected by the closure, including exploring options for redeployment or relocation, as the consultation process moves forward. Roshan, who himself has famously portrayed a spy in previous projects, took to social media to share his appreciation for the caper comedy, giving Vir a resounding vote of confidence as a filmmaker. Sharing his reaction, Hrithik wrote on Instagram, Very very entertained by Happy Patel. Congrats Vir. The ingenuity of mixing incredible silliness with a relentless screenplay was so much fun to watch!" Actor Hrithik Roshan has extended his praise to comedian-actor Vir Das for his directorial debut, Happy Patel: Khatarnak Jasoos. In the film, Das plays a UK citizen tasked by British intelligence to infiltrate a Goan gang. Replying to it, Veer wrote, "Hrithik (heart-shaped emoji) May every comedy lover and first time Filmmaker find a star like you. You're magic on screen, and it falls on us smaller silly spies too. Thank you. (sic)" Take a look: Mahesh Babu celebrated his wife Namrata Shirodkars 54th birthday with a heartfelt note that instantly caught everyones attention online. The actor shared a lovely photo of Namrata on social media and expressed his admiration for her grace, strength and the quiet support she brings to his life. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Mahesh Babu (@urstrulymahesh) In his post, Mahesh Babu wrote, "Happy birthday NSG... Thank you for holding everything together with so much grace and love... Couldn't ask for more." The warm message struck a chord with fans, who soon filled the comments section with birthday wishes and love for Namrata. Mahesh and Namrata first crossed paths while working on Vamsi in 2000, where they starred opposite each other. Their relationship grew over the years, leading to their marriage in 2005. Together, they have built a close-knit family, welcoming their son Gautham in 2006 and daughter Sitara in 2012, often sharing glimpses of their family moments that fans cherish. Work-wise, Mahesh Babu was last seen in Guntur Kaaram, directed by Trivikram Srinivas, which released in 2024. He is now preparing for one of the most awaited projects in Indian cinema, SS Rajamoulis Varanasi, which also features Priyanka Chopra and Prithviraj Sukumaran. Speaking at the announcement, the actor said, "This is a dream project, a once-in-a-lifetime project. I will work as hard for it as possible. I will make everyone proud. Most importantly, I'll make my director the proudest. When Varanasi releases, India will be proud of us. Also Read: Priyanka Chopra Jonas unveils fierce first-look photos as Pirate Queen in Russo Brothers The Bluff Priyanka Chopra Jonas has impressed her Varanasi director, SS Rajamouli, with her new avatar for the film, The Bluff. The RRR maker took to social media to praise the actress and called her 'unstoppable'. Re-sharing the trailer of the film, he wrote, "Priyanka is unstoppable and always surprises What a commanding presence and fiery performance. Looking forward to #TheBluff." Take a look at the post here: The actress was also quick to respond to the praise. She replied by saying, "Thank you for your kind words @ssrajamouli sir." The trailer for The Bluff, starring Priyanka Chopra Jonas and Karl Urban, offered a gripping preview of a gritty period action drama driven by survival, vengeance and fierce maternal instinct. Set against the raw and breathtaking terrain of the Cayman Islands, the film promises a tense, edge-of-the-seat narrative. It is scheduled to premiere on Amazon Prime Video in February 2026. Vishal Bharadwaj and Shahid Kapoor have reunited once again for their upcoming film, O' Romeo. They have worked on films such as Kaminey, Haider and Rangoon. However, there were rumours of fallout between the two, and now the director has cleared the air around it. During the trailer launch event, Bharadwaj said, "Sorry, but main ek baat bolna chahunga. Mujhe jhijhak aa rahi hai, but main yeh kahani ke liye bolna chahunga ke mujhe ab tak 9 National Awards mile hain. Mere directors friends mujhe chedhte hain ke mujhe 10th wala milna chaiyeh ke tumne Shahid Kapoor ke saath 4 filmein ki hain (Sorry, but I want to say something. I'm hesitating to share this, but I have to for the story. Ive won nine National Awards so far. My director friends often joke with me that I should win my tenth National Award just for working with Shahid on four films)." He continued, "Main kitna difficult aadmi hun woh Shahid janta hai. Woh mere passive aggression ko samjhta hai. I am a very difficult man to work with. I think Shahid ko ek National Award milna chaiyeh mere saath 4 filmein karne ke liye (They dont know how difficult a person Im to work with. Only Shahid knows this and understands my passive aggression. I think Shahid should win a National Award for working with me on four films)." He further added that despite having creative differences, they don't fight much now. "We also have many fights, and those fights are known to the media more, but there aren't that many fights between us. We've formed a bond between us like Laxmikant-Pyarelal, like Kalyanji-Anandji." Meanwhile, in O' Romeo, Shahid Romeo Ustara, a fierce, conflicted gangster shaped by love and violence. Set in Mumbais underbelly, the film promises an intense blend of romance, action and raw emotion, told through Bhardwajs distinct storytelling style. O' Romeo is scheduled to release on February 13, 2026. Also Read: Shahid Kapoor opens up about his next with Vishal Bharadwajs Oh Romeo Sydney Sweeney is set to headline and produce a new film adaptation of Edith Whartons celebrated novel The Custom of the Country. The project is being mounted by Studiocanal in collaboration with Charles Finchs Rabbits Foot Films, with Josie Rourke attached as writer-director. Production is expected to begin shortly. The film will bring to screen Whartons complex and controversial protagonist Undine Spragg, a character often described as one of American literatures most fascinating social climbers. Sweeney will play Undine, a fiercely ambitious woman from the American Midwest who sets her sights on breaking into the elite circles of turn-of-the-century New York society. Using charm, beauty and relentless determination, Undine navigates wealth, power and romance in a world shaped by rigid class structures and rapid social change. Director Josie Rourke, who previously helmed Mary Queen of Scots, shared her enthusiasm for the project, calling Undine the original dangerous woman. She noted that Whartons novel feels strikingly modern in its exploration of ambition and social mobility, adding that Sweeney felt like a natural fit for the role while she was adapting the script. According to Rourke, the characters hunger for success and willingness to court controversy make her a compelling figure for contemporary audiences. Sweeney will also serve as a producer alongside Charles Finch, Alison Owen of Monumental Pictures and Studiocanal. The studio will fully finance the film and handle theatrical distribution across its key territories, including the UK, France, Germany, Australia and New Zealand, while international sales will launch at the upcoming European Film Market in Berlin. The announcement comes during a busy period for Sweeney, whose recent film The Housemaid crossed the $200 million mark globally and has a sequel in development. She has also drawn praise for her performance as boxer Christy Martin in a recent biopic. With The Custom of the Country, Sweeney adds a prestigious literary adaptation to her growing slate of ambitious projects. Also Read: Sydney Sweeney and Scooter Braun Confirm Romance With Central Park Kiss Vancouver, British Columbia--(Newsfile Corp. - January 21, 2026) - Auric Minerals Corp. (CSE: AUMC) ("Auric" or the "Company") is pleased to announce that it intends to complete a non-brokered private placement offering pursuant to the "listed issuer financing exemption" (the "LIFE Offering") under Part 5A of National Instrument 45-106 - Prospectus Exemptions ("NI 45-106"), as amended by Coordinated Blanket Order 45-935 - Exemptions from Certain Conditions of the Listed Issuer Financing Exemption (such exemption, the "Listed Issuer Financing Exemption"). The Company intends to complete the LIFE Offering through the issuance of a minimum of 2,400,000 units of the Company (each, a "Unit") and a maximum of 4,800,000 Units, at a price of $0.25 per Unit, for gross proceeds of a minimum of $600,000 and a maximum of $1,200,000. Each Unit will consist of: (i) one common share of the Company (each, a "Share") and (ii) one common share purchase warrant (each, a "Warrant"), with each Warrant entitling the holder thereof to acquire one additional Share at an exercise price of $0.33 for a period of 24 months commencing from 60 days following the Closing Date (as defined herein). In connection with the LIFE Offering, the Company may pay: (i) cash finder's fees of up to 6% of the gross proceeds raised from such investors introduced to the Company by such finders; and (ii) non-transferable Warrants equal up to 6% of the aggregate number of Units issued to those investors. Subject to compliance with applicable regulatory requirements and in accordance with NI 45-106, the Units sold pursuant to the LIFE Offering will be offered in all Provinces of Canada except Quebec pursuant to the Listed Issuer Financing Exemption. Subject to the rules and policies of the Canadian Securities Exchange ("CSE"), the securities issuable from the sale of Units to Canadian resident subscribers will not be subject to a hold period under applicable Canadian securities laws. Insiders and certain consultants that participate in the LIFE Offering would be subject to a four-month hold period in respect of securities issued pursuant to applicable policies of the CSE. There is an offering document related to the LIFE Offering that can be accessed under the Company's profile at www.sedarplus.ca, and on the Company's website. Prospective investors should read this offering document before making an investment decision. The LIFE Offering is expected to close on or about February 27, 2026, or such other date that is within 45 days from this news release (the "Closing Date"), as the Company may determine. The LIFE Offering remains subject to certain conditions customary for transactions of this nature, including the approval of the CSE. Clarification of Hold Periods Applicable to a Prior Issuance of Shares: The Company wishes to clarify the hold period in respect of certain securities issued pursuant to its news releases of December 31, 2025 and January 8, 2026. The Company issued 22,000,000 Shares and 8,000,000 share purchase warrants in respect of its Bellview property acquisition, and wishes to clarify that the following legend applies to such securities: "These securities are subject to an Extended Hold (as such term is defined in the policies of the Canadian Securities Exchange) and may not be traded until the date that is ten (10) days after the later of: (i) the filing of a technical report in the form prescribed by Form 43-101F1 - Technical Report for the properties acquired (the "Acquisition") by Auric Minerals Corp. (the "Company") pursuant to the Property Sale Agreement dated September 4, 2025 between the Company and Bellview Investments Pte. Ltd., as amended; and (ii) the filing of the unaudited interim financial statements of the Company for the period ended January 31, 2026 disclosing the details of the Acquisition in the Company's balance sheet." About the Company Auric is a mineral exploration company based in Oakville, Ontario and holds options over a growing property position of highly prospective Uranium properties in Labrador's Central Mineral Belt, Quebec; and a gold property, Goodeye, in British Columbia, Canada. Auric is a mineral exploration company engaged in the identification, acquisition, exploration and development of mineral projects. The Company holds a 100% interest in mineral properties covering over 26,500 hectares across multiple mineralized corridors in the English Lake Project, Otter Lake Project and Kan Project in the Central Mineral Belt of Labrador, Canada. The Company also holds the exclusive option to acquire 100% interest in the Goodeye Property, located southwest of the town of Rossland, British Columbia, Canada, consisting of three contiguous Mineral Claims covering approximately 1,907 hectares located in the Trail Creek Mining Division of British Columbia. Forward-Looking Statements Except for the statements of historical fact, this news release contains "forward-looking information" within the meaning of the applicable Canadian securities legislation that is based on expectations, estimates and projections as at the date of this news release. "Forward-looking information" in this news release includes information about the Company's intentions, statements respecting completion of the LIFE Offering, plans and future actions described herein and the terms thereon. The forward-looking information in this news release reflects the current expectations, assumptions and/or beliefs of the Company based on information currently available to the Company. The Company has also assumed that no significant events occur outside of the Company's normal course of business. Although the Company believes that the assumptions inherent in the forward-looking information are reasonable, forward-looking information is not a guarantee of future performance and accordingly undue reliance should not be put on such information due to the inherent uncertainty therein. Neither the Canadian Securities Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the CSE) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release. To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/281189 Source: Auric Minerals Corp. Vancouver, British Columbia--(Newsfile Corp. - January 21, 2026) - Spark Energy Minerals (CSE: SPRK) (OTCID: SPARF) (FSE: 8PC) ("Spark" or the "Company") is pleased to announce the implementation of a warrant incentive program (the "Incentive Program") intended to encourage the exercise of up to 63,650,965 common share purchase warrants of the Company (the "Warrants"). Pursuant to the Incentive Program, the Company will amend the exercise price of the Warrants listed below to $0.05 per Warrant, commencing on January 22, 2026, at 9:00 a.m. (Vancouver time) and expiring on February 22, 2026 at 5:00 p.m. (Vancouver time) (the "Incentive Exercise Period"). In addition, the Company will grant to each holder of Warrants who exercises their Warrants during the Incentive Exercise Period one additional common share purchase warrant for each Warrant exercised (each, an "Incentive Warrant"). Each Incentive Warrant entitles the holder thereof to purchase one common share of the Company for a period of 1 year from the date of issuance, at a price of $0.06 per share. Holders of the following Warrants will be eligible to participate in the Incentive Program: Number of Warrants Issue Date Original Exercise Price New Exercise Price during the Incentive Exercise Period 11,000,200 October 20, 2023 $0.075 $0.05 2,241,668 January 31, 2024 $0.125 $0.05 15,000,000 March 15, 2024 $0.075(1) $0.05 2,008,334 May 21, 2024 $0.125 $0.05 1,830,000 July 22, 2024 $0.125 $0.05 4,199,999 August 8, 2024 $0.125 $0.05 1,043,333 November 8, 2024 $0.30 $0.05 13,818,056 April 22, 2025 $0.14 $0.05 2,509,375 May 20, 2025 $0.14 $0.05 10,000,000 December 11, 2025 $0.06 $0.05 Note: (1) These warrants originally had an exercise price of $0.15 and were subsequently re-priced to $0.075 on May 30, 2025. Holders of the Warrants issued on January 31, 2024 must exercise their Warrants prior to their expiry date on January 31, 2026 to be eligible to participate in the Incentive Program. Instructions for Participation To be eligible for the Incentive Program, the Warrant holder must, during the Incentive Exercise Period, duly exercise their Warrants including: complete and deliver to the Company the original Warrant exercise form, the exercise price, and such additional documentation which will be requested by the Company. The Warrant exercise forms should be e-mailed to: sd@octaviancapital.ca. The applicable aggregate exercise price must be made payable to the order of the Company by way of wire, certified cheque, money order or bank draft in lawful money of Canada. For assistance, please contact Sheryl Dhillon, Corporate Secretary of the Company, at sd@octaviancapital.ca. Spark anticipates using the proceeds from the exercise of any Warrants for general working capital and advancing exploration activities. Incentive Warrants, if issued, and any shares issuable on the exercise thereof, will be subject to a statutory hold period of four months and one day from the date of issuance of the Incentive Warrants. The Incentive Program is subject to the receipt of all necessary regulatory approvals including the approval of the CSE. The Warrants which remain unexercised following the completion of the Incentive Exercise Period will continue to be exercisable on the terms existing immediately prior to the implementation of the Incentive Program, and no further Incentive Warrants will be granted on any exercise of such Warrants following the completion of the Incentive Exercise Period. About Spark Energy Minerals Inc. Spark Energy Minerals Inc. is a Canadian company advancing the exploration and development of critical minerals essential to the clean-energy transition. The Company's primary focus is Brazil, where it controls a significant land position within the country's emerging Lithium Valley - a region recognized for its lithium, gallium, and rare-earth potential. Spark's flagship Arapaima Project spans approximately 91,900 hectares and hosts multiple targets for lithium and gallium-REE mineralization. Through systematic exploration, Spark aims to help strengthen the secure and sustainable supply of minerals that power electrification, renewable energy, and modern technologies. The Company is committed to responsible exploration practices and supporting Brazil's development of a transparent, sustainable critical-minerals supply chain. Neither the Canadian Securities Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the Canadian Securities Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release. Forward-Looking Statements This release includes certain statements and information that may constitute forward-looking information within the meaning of applicable Canadian and United States securities laws. Forward-looking statements relate to future events or future performance and reflect the expectations or beliefs of management of the Company regarding future events. Generally, forward-looking statements and information can be identified by the use of forward-looking terminology such as "intends" or "anticipates", or variations of such words and phrases or statements that certain actions, events or results "may", "could", "should", "would" or "occur". This information and these statements, referred to herein as "forward-looking statements", are not historical facts, are made as of the date of this news release and include without limitation, statements regarding discussions of future plans, estimates and forecasts and statements as to management's expectations and intentions with respect to, among other things: the anticipated timing and completion of the Incentive Program, the receipt of regulatory approvals, and the use of any proceeds raised under the Incentive Program. These forward-looking statements involve numerous risks and uncertainties and actual results might differ materially from results suggested in any forward-looking statements. These risks and uncertainties include, among other things: market uncertainty, the risk that the Company will not receive the required approvals for the Incentive Program, the risk that the Company will not use the proceeds of the Incentive Program, if any, as expected by management, and the inability of the Company to raise proceeds pursuant to the Incentive Program. In making the forward-looking statements in this news release, the Company has applied several material assumptions, including without limitation, that the Company will receive the required approvals to carry out the Incentive Program and that the Company will be able to raise proceeds under the Incentive Program and use the proceeds of the Incentive Program as currently anticipated. Although management of the Company has attempted to identify important factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those contained in forward-looking statements or forward-looking information, there may be other factors that cause results not to be as anticipated, estimated or intended. There can be no assurance that such statements will prove to be accurate, as actual results and future events could differ materially from those anticipated in such statements. Accordingly, readers should not place undue reliance on forward-looking statements and forward-looking information. Readers are cautioned that reliance on such information may not be appropriate for other purposes. The Company does not undertake to update any forward-looking statement, forward-looking information or financial out-look that are incorporated by reference herein, except in accordance with applicable securities laws. We seek safe harbor. To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/281192 Source: Spark Energy Minerals Inc. Vancouver, British Columbia--(Newsfile Corp. - January 21, 2026) - FIRST ANDES SILVER LTD. (TSXV: FAS) (OTC Pink: MSLVF) (FSE: 9TZ0) ("First Andes" or the "Company") is pleased to announce a private placement financing of up to 16,666,667 common shares (each, a "Common Share") at a price of $0.12 per Common Share for aggregate gross proceeds of up to $2,000,000 (the "Offering") pursuant to an in accordance with the listed issuer financing exemption under Section 5A.2 of National Instrument 45-106 - Prospectus Exemptions, as amended by Coordinate Blanket Order 45-935 - Exemptions from Certain Conditions of the Listed Issuer Financing Exemption (the "LIFE Exemption"). The Company may pay finders a fee in cash and share purchase warrants as permitted under the rules of the TSX Venture Exchange. Each finder's warrant will be exercisable at a price of $0.12 per share for a period of two years from the date of issue. There will be an offering document related to the offering that can be accessed under the company's profile at SEDAR+ and on the Company's website. Prospective investors should read the offering document before making an investment decision. The net proceeds of the offering will be used on: (i) an augmented Q2 2026 drilling program at the Santas Gloria Property; (ii) exploration work the Santas Gloria Property; (iii) annual mineral claim payments in Peru; and (vi) general working capital purposes. Closing is subject to the acceptance of the TSX Venture Exchange. About First Andes Silver Ltd. First Andes Silver Ltd. is a British Columbia company that holds a 100% interest in the high-grade Santas Gloria silver property, located in a major mining district 55 km east of Lima, Peru. Santas Gloria has excellent established road access, is situated within a well-known intermediate-sulphidation epithermal belt, and hosts over 12 km of multiphase veins mapped at surface that had never been historically drilled or explored by modern techniques prior to 2024. In only two phases of diamond drilling (2024-2025), First Andes has reported strong near-surface epithermal silver intercepts in 21 of 26 drill holes, confirming silver mineralization across multiple vein systems and supporting systematic, project-wide exploration and follow-up drilling in 2026. Forward-Looking Statements Information set forth in this news release contains forward-looking statements that are based on assumptions as of the date of this news release. These statements reflect management's current estimates, beliefs, intentions and expectations. They are not guarantees of future performance. The Company cautions that all forward-looking statements are inherently uncertain and that actual performance may be affected by a number of material factors, many of which are beyond the Company's control. Such factors include, among other things: risks and uncertainties relating to Company's limited operating history, ability to obtain sufficient financing to carry out its exploration programs and the need to comply with environmental and governmental regulations. Accordingly, actual and future events, conditions and results may differ materially from the estimates, beliefs, intentions and expectations expressed or implied in the forward-looking information. Except as required under applicable securities legislation, the Company undertakes no obligation to publicly update or revise forward-looking information. The forward-looking statements contained in this news release are made as of the date of this news release. Except as required by law, the Company disclaims any intention and assumes no obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise. Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Service Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release. To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/281190 Source: First Andes Silver Ltd. Vancouver, British Columbia--(Newsfile Corp. - January 21, 2026) - Green Bridge Metals Corporation (CSE: GRBM) (OTCQB: GBMCF) (FSE: J48) (WKN: A3EW4S) ("Green Bridge" or the "Company") is pleased to announce that it will be attending and exhibiting at the Vancouver Resource Investment Conference 2026 ("VRIC 2026"), taking place January 25 and 26, 2026 at the Vancouver Convention Centre (West Building) in Vancouver, British Columbia. Green Bridge will be available to meet with investors, analysts, and industry participants throughout the conference and invites attendees to visit the Company at Booth 611 in the exhibition hall. In addition, Green Bridge will be presenting on Monday, January 26, 2026, at 1:30 p.m. (PT) in Workshop 4, where the Company will provide an overview of Green Bridge's exploration strategy and key projects. VRIC 2026 is a two-day resource investment conference that brings together keynote speakers from the commodities sector and a large exhibition hall of mining and resource companies. The event runs from 8:30 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. (PT) on January 25 and 26, 2026, and is designed for investors seeking insights, market perspectives, and direct access to public and private resource companies. About Green Bridge Metals Corporation Green Bridge Metals Corporation is a Canadian based exploration company focused on acquiring critical mineral rich assets and advancing exploration projects along the South Contact District of the Duluth Complex, north of Duluth, Minnesota. The Company is focused on copper, nickel and titanium systems in a stable, mining-friendly jurisdiction with existing infrastructure and a skilled workforce. ON BEHALF OF GREEN BRIDGE METALS CORPORATION "David Suda" President and Chief Executive Officer For more information, please contact: Forward-Looking Information Certain statements and information contained in this news release constitute forward-looking statements and forward-looking information within the meaning of applicable Canadian securities laws. These statements relate to future events or future performance and include, without limitation, statements regarding the Company's exploration activities, potential mineralization, future studies, and the advancement of titanium-related opportunities. Forward-looking statements are based on management's reasonable assumptions, estimates, expectations, and opinions as of the date of this news release and are subject to known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that may cause actual results or events to differ materially from those anticipated. These risks include, but are not limited to, risks related to exploration, permitting, regulatory approvals, market conditions, commodity prices, and the availability of financing. The Company does not undertake to update any forward-looking statements or forward-looking information, except as required by applicable securities laws. Readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on forward-looking statements. The Canadian Securities Exchange has not approved or disapproved the contents of this news release. To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/281170 Source: Cambridge House International Vancouver, British Columbia--(Newsfile Corp. - January 21, 2026) - Sixty North Gold Mining Ltd. (CSE: SXTY) (FSE: 2F40) (OTC Pink: SXNTF) (the "Company" or "Sixty North Gold") is pleased to announce that the Company intends to close its non-brokered financing of 6,000,000 units (the "Units") at an offering price of $0.25 per Unit (the "Offering") within the next five (5) business days for gross proceeds of $1,500,000, subject to the CSE raising no objection to such closing. The Offering was originally announced in the Company's press release dated January 13, 2026. Each Unit will be comprised of one common share (each, a "Share") and one-half of one non-transferable common share purchase warrant (each whole warrant, a "Warrant") in the capital of the Company. Each Warrant will be exercisable to purchase one additional Share at a price of $0.30 for a period of one (1) year from the Closing Date. The securities underlying the Units will be subject to a hold period legend restricting resale until four months and a day from their date of issuance. Two finders will receive finder's fees totaling $51,000.00 in cash and 204,000 finders warrants, having the same terms as the Warrants, on the full proceeds of the Offering. The proceeds from the Offering will be used for further exploration and development of the Mon Gold Property located in NWT, and for the Company's general working capital requirements. About the Company Sixty North is developing mining operations for gold on its 100-per-cent-owned Mon Gold Project, which extracted 15,000 tonnes of ore to depths of only 15 metres below surface, recovering an estimated 15,000 ounces of gold in the 1990s (Company Technical Report NI 43-101, August 3, 2023 on SEDAR+), or https://sixtynorthgold.com/projects/technical-report/. The North Ramp has been reopened and has been extended to the target portion of the vein. The company plans to develop stopes in the East Limb, West Limb and DD Zone to extract and to feed a 100 tpd gravity-flotation mill. Additional gold, silver and base metal targets occur on the property and will be explored and developed as warranted. The Yellowknife gold camp hosts two mines that averaged 30 gpt gold or better (Discovery Mine with one million ounces of gold produced, and Sixty North Gold's Mon Mine), and two that averaged 15 gpt or better for a total production of over 14 million ounces of gold (Con Mine and Giant Mine); (ref. Company Technical Report NI 43-101, August 3, 2023). The technical content of this release has been reviewed and approved by Dr. D.R. Webb, P.Geol, President and CEO of Sixty North Gold Mines Ltd. For more information, please refer to the Company's public filings available on SEDAR+ ( www.sedarplus.ca ), under the Company's profile. Statements about the Company's future expectations and all other statements in this press release other than historical facts are "forward-looking statements". Such forward-looking statements are based on numerous assumptions, and involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors, including risks inherent in mineral exploration and development, which may cause the actual results, performance, or achievements of the Company to be materially different from any projected future results, performance, or achievements expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. Further details about the risks applicable to the Company are contained in the Company's public filings available on SEDAR+ ( www.sedarplus.ca ), under the Company's profile. NOT FOR DISSEMINATION IN THE UNITED STATES OR FOR DISTRIBUTION TO U.S. NEWSWIRE SERVICES THE CANADIAN SECURITIES EXCHANGE HAS NOT APPROVED NOR DISAPPROVED THE CONTENT OF THIS PRESS RELEASE. To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/281203 Source: Sixty North Gold Mining Ltd. Joint venture accelerates national-scale ITMO registries, settlement-ready market rails, and Paris-aligned digital MRV, supporting a 100B+ global pipeline of forest and nature-based ITMOs DAVOS, Switzerland, Jan. 21, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- Aleria , a sovereign AI company, and Tawasal , a leading UAE-based Super App, announced a joint venture today with Xange.com to assist governments in establishing national registries, monitoring, and market rails to support more than 100B+ ITMOs across the globe. Xange.com, an environmental intelligence software and market-infrastructure provider, creates the foundation necessary for the robust global ITMOs market envisioned in the Paris Agreement, unlocking opportunities for mitigation-rich nations with: Digital Monitoring, Reporting and Verification (dMRV) tools, assisting countries in efficiently capturing verified buyer-grade mitigation data and environmental hazard detection, such as wildfire and flood detection. assisting countries in efficiently capturing verified buyer-grade mitigation data and environmental hazard detection, such as wildfire and flood detection. Global Environmental Market Infrastructure Solutions (GEMIS), a policy-driven one-stop technology solution for Paris-aligned environmental project management. a policy-driven one-stop technology solution for Paris-aligned environmental project management. Independent third-party ITMO registry and settlement, utilizing a digital platform provided by a Chicago-based U.S. custody bank. utilizing a digital platform provided by a Chicago-based U.S. custody bank. Sovereign Data and Payment Solution, connecting Aleria's sovereign AI data capacity to millions of Tawasal users, with Gnosis and Noxxo as payment technology providers. "Article 6 requires governments to operate credible registries, data systems, and settlement processes under national authority," said Eric Leandri, CEO of Aleria and Tawasal. "This joint venture focuses on delivering the technical infrastructure needed to support compliant accounting, monitoring, and transfer of mitigation outcomes. By combining Aleria's sovereign data capabilities, Tawasal's digital platform, and Xange.com's market infrastructure, we are enabling countries to implement Article 6 mechanisms in line with Paris Agreement requirements." By partnering with Tawasal and Aleria, Xange.com will expand to governments and enterprises in Africa, the Middle East, South America, Asia and other regions critical to fulfilling the Paris Agreement. "We've identified and earmarked a long-term pipeline of more than $100 billion in Paris Agreement-aligned outcomes across forestry and nature-based programs," said Esteban van Goor, CEO and Founder of Xange.com . About Xange Xange.com International Holding AG, is an environmental intelligence software and market infrastructure company headquartered in Zurich, Switzerland, serving governments and enterprises with dMRV systems, market infrastructure solutions, sustainability reporting, and environmental market participation aligned with the Paris Agreement, including Article 6 mechanisms. About Tawasal Tawasal Information Technology LLC, established in 2019 in Abu Dhabi, UAE, is the creator of critical technologies and developer behind the Tawasal SuperApp - a comprehensive digital platform designed to enhance users' daily experiences by integrating communication, lifestyle, and financial services into a single application. About Aleria Aleria , an IHC affiliate, provides sovereign AI and data solutions designed for governments, enterprises, and regulated industries. The company focuses on enabling organisations to build, deploy, and operate AI systems under defined national and regional jurisdictions, with full control over data, infrastructure, and operations. Aleria supports AI deployment across critical sectors including government, financial services, healthcare, and infrastructure. Media Contact Nicholas Fouriezos nick@scalablestorytelling.com +1 4702332949 Logo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/2865603/Xange_Logo.jpg Correction: An earlier version of this release required an update to the last boilerplate. View original content:https://www.prnewswire.co.uk/news-releases/aleria-tawasal-and-xangecom-partner-to-scale-paris-agreement-market-infrastructure-to-100b-itmos-pipeline-302666024.html Austin, Texas--(Newsfile Corp. - January 21, 2026) - Voices of Liberty, a new national podcast powered by Young Americans for Liberty and hosted by Sean Themea, launched with strong popularity, debuting on Apple Podcasts in the United States and signaling early nationwide engagement from listeners. Voices of Liberty brings forward the untold stories of the next generation of liberty leaders, highlighting individuals actively defending America's founding principles and advancing freedom in measurable ways. The show features in-depth conversations with entrepreneurs demonstrating the power of free markets, elected officials challenging big government, and student activists advocating for liberty on college campuses across the country. "This debut reflects a real appetite for authentic stories about liberty and leadership," said host Sean Themea. "People want to hear from those who are doing the work, challenging the status quo, and proving that liberty is not an abstract idea, but a movement that is winning in this political climate." Each episode focuses on the personal journeys behind the movement, exploring how individuals become involved, overcome resistance, build support, and drive change in government, culture, and their communities. The podcast highlights the people making liberty win today and reinforces a central message: liberty can, and will, be achieved in this generation. The podcast is available on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Pandora, YouTube, and all major podcast platforms. Listen to the podcast here: https://www.podbean.com/site/podcatcher/index/blog/6mWPjVCzDun3 About Voices of Liberty Voices of Liberty is a national podcast powered by Young Americans for Liberty, featuring conversations with leaders, entrepreneurs, elected officials, and student activists advancing the cause of liberty across the United States. To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/280903 Source: Plentisoft Not for dissemination in the United States or for release to US news wire services VANCOUVER, BC / ACCESS Newswire / January 21, 2026 / Sceptre Ventures Inc. ("Sceptre" or the "Company") (TSXV-NEX:SVP.H) announces that it intends to complete a consolidation of its issued and outstanding common shares (the "Shares") on the basis of one (1) new Share (each, a "Post-Consolidated Share") for every ten (10) current outstanding Shares (the "Consolidation"). The Company also wishes to announce a non-brokered private placement offering of up to 6,000,000 units (each, a "Unit") at a price of $0.05 (pre-consolidated price) per Unit to raise gross proceeds of up to $300,000 (the "Private Placement"). It is anticipated that the Consolidation will reduce the number of outstanding Shares from 24,016,477 Shares to approximately 2,401,647 Post-Consolidated Shares, subject to adjustment for rounding. The board of directors of the Company believes that the Consolidation will both enhance the marketability of the Company as an investment and better position the Company to raise the funds necessary to execute the Company's business plan. The Consolidation is subject to approval by the TSX Venture Exchange (the "Exchange"). The Company does not intend to change its name or its current trading symbol in connection with the proposed Consolidation. The effective date of the Consolidation will be announced in a subsequent news release. No fractional Post-Consolidated Shares will be issued as a result of the Consolidation. Shareholders who would otherwise be entitled to receive a fraction of a Post-Consolidated Share will be rounded up to the nearest whole number of Post-Consolidated Shares and no cash consideration will be paid in respect of fractional Shares. The exercise price and number of Shares of the Company issuable upon the exercise of outstanding options and warrants will be proportionally adjusted upon the implementation of the proposed Consolidation in accordance with the terms thereof. The Private Placement will consist of the issuance of up to 6,000,000 Units (600,000 Units on a post-Consolidation basis) at a price of $0.05 per Unit ($0.50 per Unit on a post-Consolidation basis). Each Unit will be comprised of one Share and one transferable Share purchase warrant (each, a "Warrant"). Each Warrant will entitle the holder thereof to acquire one additional Share (each, a "Warrant Share") at a price of $0.075 per Warrant Share ($0.75 per Warrant Share on a post-Consolidation basis) for a period of two (2) years following the closing of the Private Placement. Proceeds derived from the Private Placement will be used for identifying and evaluating a proposed Qualifying Transaction (as defined in Exchange Policy 2.4) and for general working capital purposes. No proceeds of the Private Placement are proposed to be paid to any non-arm's length parties or for investor relations activities. Finders fees may be payable in connection with the Private Placement. All securities issued pursuant to the Private Placement will be subject to a statutory hold period expiring four months and one day after closing. Completion of the Private Placement is subject to a number of conditions, including, without limitation, receipt of all regulatory approvals, including approval of the Exchange. None of the securities sold in connection with the Private Placement will be registered under the United States Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and no such securities may be offered or sold in the United States absent registration or an applicable exemption from the registration requirements. This news release shall not constitute an offer to sell or the solicitation of an offer to buy nor shall there be any sale of the securities in any jurisdiction in which such offer, solicitation or sale would be unlawful. About Sceptre Ventures Inc. Sceptre Ventures Inc. is a Capital Pool Company ("CPC") within the meaning of the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange and has not commenced commercial operations and has no assets other than cash. Sceptre is currently engaged in identifying and evaluating businesses and assets with a view to completing a Qualifying Transaction under the TSXV's CPC policy. For Further Information: Kevin Bottomley, Chief Executive Officer Suite 1450-789 West Pender Street Vancouver, BC, V6C 1H2, Canada Tel: 604-681-1568 Email: Kevin@corvidiancap.com FORWARD LOOKING INFORMATION Statements in this news release that are not historical facts are forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements are statements that are not historical, and consist primarily of projections - statements regarding future plans, expectations and developments. Words such as "expects", "intends", "plans", "may", "could", "potential", "should", "anticipates", "likely", "believes" and words of similar import tend to identify forward-looking statements. These forward-looking statements are subject to a variety of known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that could cause actual events or results to differ from those expressed or implied, including, without limitation: (i) the Company's inability to complete the Private Placement; (ii) the Company's inability to raise all the funds and the proposed use of proceeds for the Private Placement; (iii) the terms of the Consolidation and its anticipated benefits; (iv) the Company's inability to complete the Consolidation; and (v) receipt of approvals of the Private Placement and the Consolidation by the Exchange. Readers are cautioned that the foregoing list is not exhaustive of all factors and assumptions which may have been used. The Company cannot assure that actual events, performance or results will be consistent with these forward-looking statements, and management's assumptions may prove to be incorrect. These forward-looking statements reflect current expectations regarding future events and operating performance and speak only as of the date hereof and the Company does not assume any obligation to update forward-looking statements if circumstances or management's beliefs, expectations or opinions should change other than as required by applicable law. For the reasons set forth above, readers should not place undue reliance on forward-looking statements. Neither TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this news release. SOURCE: Sceptre Ventures Inc. View the original press release on ACCESS Newswire:https://www.accessnewswire.com/newsroom/en/banking-and-financial-services/sceptre-ventures-announces-10-for-1-share-consolidation-and-non-brok-1129931 KUALA LUMPUR, MY / ACCESS Newswire / January 21, 2026 / Guan Huat Seng Holdings Berhad ("GHS Holdings" or the "Company") and its subsidiaries (the "Group"), a distributor and retailer of food products and manufacturer of flavouring products based in Melaka, made its debut today on the ACE Market of Bursa Malaysia Securities Berhad ("Bursa Securities"). Guan Huat Seng Holdings Berhad shares opened at RM0.24 per share, close to its Initial Public Offering ("IPO") price of RM0.25. The Company views its listing as an important milestone that strengthens its distribution network and supports the next phase of its growth. From L-R: Ms. Lim Peck Gee, Independent Non-Executive Director of Guan Huat Seng Holdings Berhad; Ms. Yeo Jie Yin, Independent Non-Executive Director of Guan Huat Seng Holdings Berhad; Dr. Wong Chin Yoong, Independent Non-Executive Chairman of Guan Huat Seng Holdings Berhad; Mr. Lee Chee Kian, Executive Director of Guan Huat Seng Holdings Berhad; Mr. Yeo Tian Seng, Executive Director of Guan Huat Seng Holdings Berhad; Mr. Yeo Tien Ee, Managing Director of Guan Huat Seng Holdings Berha; Mr. Ku Mun Fong, Head of Corporate Finance of TA Securities Holdings Berhad; Mr. Chin Wai Kit, Vice President of Corporate Finance of TA Securities Holdings Berhad; Ms. Chin Siew Lee, Independent Non-Executive Director of Guan Huat Seng Holdings Berhad Guan Huat Seng Holdings Berhad is listed under the stock name "GHS" with the stock code 0387. With the "Guan Huat Seng" brand existence tracing back to the 1930s and an established track record of approximately 46 years since the establishment of Guan Huat Seng (Heng Kee) Sdn. Bhd, GHS Holdings has grown from a traditional food retailer into a diversified distributor and retailer of food products, with in-house manufacturing capabilities. Through its subsidiaries Guan Huat Seng (Heng Kee) Sdn. Bhd. and GHS Food Industries Sdn. Bhd., the Group distributes and retails a wide range of food products including shelf-stable and frozen seafood, flavouring products, dried food and snacks and general grocery products, supported by in-house manufacturing of flavouring products which are certified Halal as well as HACCP and MeSTI certifications for the production of sauces, pastes, and dried seasoning powder. Through its IPO, GHS Holdings raised RM30.00 million via the issuance of 120.0 million new shares at an issue price of RM0.25 per share. The proceeds will be utilised as follows: RM12.00 million to part finance the setup of a New Integrated Complex; RM9.00 million to part finance the setup of a New Krubong Facility; RM3.00 million for working capital; RM1.50 million for marketing expenses; and RM4.50 million for estimated listing expenses. Mr. Yeo Tien Ee, Managing Director of Guan Huat Seng Holdings Berhad, commented: "Today's successful listing on the ACE Market is a defining moment in our evolution from a traditional food retailer into a diversified distributor and retailer of food products, with in-house manufacturing capabilities. The listing marks an important step that reinforces our strategic direction and operational strength. With the funds raised from the IPO, we will accelerate our expansion plans, increase production and storage capacity through our new facilities in Melaka, and strengthen our presence in both distribution and retail segments. We remain committed to building on our longstanding heritage while driving sustainable, long-term growth for our stakeholders." Proceeds from the IPO will primarily be utilised for the setting up of a New Integrated Complex and New Krubong Facility in Melaka, alongside working capital, marketing expenses and listing-related expenses. Such proceeds are expected to enhance operational efficiency, support the Company's future growth, and further solidify its market position in Malaysia's growing distributive trade of F&B product industry. TA Securities Holdings Berhad is the Principal Adviser, Sponsor, Underwriter, and Placement Agent for this IPO. ABOUT GUAN HUAT SENG HOLDINGS BERHAD Guan Huat Seng Holdings Berhad ("GHS Holdings" or the "Company") is principally involved in the distribution and retail of food products, with more than four decades of established track record in Melaka, Malaysia. Through its subsidiaries Guan Huat Seng (Heng Kee) Sdn. Bhd. and GHS Food Industries Sdn. Bhd. ("Group"), the Group distributes and retails a wide range of food products including shelf-stable and frozen seafood, flavouring products, dried food and snacks, and general grocery products, and is supported by in-house manufacturing facilities. The Group holds HACCP and MeSTI certifications for the production of, among others, sauces, pastes and dried seasoning powder. Serving wholesalers, retailers, food service operators, end consumers and food manufacturers across both domestic and foreign markets, GHS Holdings is committed to enhancing operational efficiency, expanding its production and storage capacity through the construction of its New Integrated Complex and New Krubong Facility, and driving sustainable growth within Malaysia's distributive trade of food and beverage (F&B) product industry. Issued By: Swan Consultancy Sdn. Bhd. on behalf of Guan Huat Seng Holdings Berhad For more information, please contact: Jazmin Wan Email: j.wan@swanconsultancy.biz Renee Toh Email: r.toh@swanconsultancy.biz SOURCE: Guan Huat Seng Holdings Berhad View the original press release on ACCESS Newswire:https://www.accessnewswire.com/newsroom/en/food-and-beverage-products/guan-huat-seng-holdings-berhad-debuts-on-ace-market-of-bursa-securities-1129930 The Saudi delegation to the World Economic Forum (WEF) Annual Meeting 2026 today observed a series of announcements aimed at addressing urgent global challenges. This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20260121465066/en/ Her Royal Highness Ambassador Reema Bandar Al-Saud, Ambassador of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia to the United States of America, announced at the World Economic Forum Annual Meeting that Saudi Arabia will host the first Global Coral Reef Summit in 2026 (Photo: AETOSWire) Her Royal Highness Ambassador Reema Bandar Al-Saud, Ambassador of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia to the United States of America, announced that Saudi Arabia will host the first Global Coral Reef Summit in 2026, bringing together global leaders, scientists, and investors to drive solutions for the protection and recovery of coral reef ecosystems. The summit will address key challenges and policy and regulatory gaps, develop science-based solutions, and advance sustainable financing and investment mechanisms to scale coral reef protection and recovery. Building on the call for constructive dialogue in an era of fragmentation, His Excellency Ahmed A. Alkhateeb, Minister of Tourism, said: "Tourism brings peace at a time when it's needed connecting people and encouraging dialogue. Tourism growth is good for peace, it's good for people, good for youth, and good for women." On the Kingdom's ambitions to become a global hub for AI, His Excellency Abdullah A. Alswaha, Minister of Communications and Information Technology, commented: "Saudi Vision 2030 was about economic diversification and empowering youth. Fast forward to today and we've achieved 56% non-oil contribution to GDP, and in terms of talent and youth, our tech force has increased dramatically." Earlier in the day, HUMAIN and the National Infrastructure Fund ("Infra") announced a Strategic Financing Framework Agreement of up to $1.2 billion to support the expansion of AI and digital infrastructure projects in the Kingdom. The agreement outlines non-binding financing terms for HUMAIN's development of up to 250 MW of hyperscale AI data center capacity. The United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD) COP16 Presidency also launched the Business4Land (B4L) Champions' Council. This high-level coalition brings together CEOs, sustainability leaders, investors, and policymakers to accelerate land restoration, combat land degradation, and strengthen drought resilience. The Ministry of Industry and Mineral Resources (MIM), in collaboration with WEF, announced the Lighthouse Operating System, a country-level framework designed to accelerate manufacturing transformation. Developed in partnership with WEF's Advanced Manufacturing and Production Centre (AMPC), this initiative aims to diversify the Kingdom's economy, build robust non-oil industries, and position Saudi Arabia as a global hub for advanced manufacturing and logistics. MIM and WEF announced a cooperation agreement on the sidelines of the Future Minerals Forum, which took place the week before the WEF Annual Meeting. The agreement runs until September 2027 and aims to unify efforts to strengthen partnerships around critical minerals required for energy and other technologies, contributing to the assurance of resilient, sustainable, and responsible mineral supplies aligned with industrial objectives and the energy transition. According to the agreement, the initiative will be overseen by a joint executive committee comprising representatives from the ministry and WEF. *Source: AETOSWire View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20260121465066/en/ Contacts: Danah Alhumaid dalhumaid@mep.gov.sa Five presentations will showcase nizubaglustat's therapeutic potential in Lysosomal Storage Disorders. Nizubaglustat is currently being tested in two global Phase 3 studies for Niemann-Pick type C disease and GM1/GM2 gangliosidoses which are currently recruiting. Azafaros will host a satellite symposium on nizubaglustat on Day 2 of the symposium discussing the Phase 3 studies. WORLDSymposium2026 takes place from February 2 to 6 in San Diego, California. Azafaros, a company building a portfolio to become a leader in lysosomal storage disorders with the goal of addressing neurological symptoms, today announced that its lead asset, nizubaglustat, will feature in five scientific presentations accepted at the WORLDSymposium 2026, the leading global conference on lysosomal diseases, taking place in San Diego, California, USA between February 2-6. The company's conference activities include: Oral Presentations (including Poster numbers 134 and 29-C) Long-term data from a Phase II study with oral nizubaglustat for late-infantile/juvenile GM2 and Niemann-Pick Type C diseases (RAINBOW) on February 5, presenting preliminary clinical efficacy and safety data. The data underscore nizubaglustat's potential as a therapeutic option, reinforcing Azafaros' commitment to addressing critical unmet needs in lysosomal storage disorders. on presenting preliminary clinical efficacy and safety data. The data underscore nizubaglustat's potential as a therapeutic option, reinforcing Azafaros' commitment to addressing critical unmet needs in lysosomal storage disorders. Nizubaglustat reinstates pro-neuronal transcriptional programs in human CLN3 retinal organoidson February 6 (Rapid Fire session) highlighting nizubaglustat as a promising candidate for further preclinical and clinical development in CLN3 Batten disease. Satellite Symposium on Nizubaglustat Phase 3 Study NAVIGATE Azafaros will host a satellite symposium entitled "The value of conducting an 18-month placebo-controlled study in Rare Diseases: GM1, GM2 and NPC; the NAVIGATE experience" on February 3 at 17:45 PT, creating an opportunity to engage key opinion leaders, healthcare professionals and patient advocacy organizations. Poster Presentations: February 4: Participation in clinical trials for neurological lysosomal disease: Patient and family perspectives Poster number 129, highlighting patient and caregiver experiences. February 5: A prospective natural history study for GM1 and GM2: 24-month data from the PRONTO study Poster number 132, providing insights into disease progression in GM1 and GM2 gangliosidoses. A Phase III study to evaluate the efficacy of nizubaglustat on GM1, GM2, and Niemann-Pick Type C diseases (NAVIGATE) Poster number 230, outlining the design and objectives of this pivotal trial. "We are proud to again be able to present our research at the prestigious WORLDSymposium 2026 conference, and in particular to showcase the promise of our lead product nizubaglustat," said Stefano Portolano, Chief Executive Officer at Azafaros. "We strongly believe nizubaglustat has great potential to become a new therapeutic treatment for lysosomal storage disorders, in particular Niemann-Pick Type C disease and GM1 and GM2 Gangliosidoses, where there is a strong unmet medical need. "Several sites are currently recruiting across key countries in the EU, India, and the US as part of our Phase 3 program, and we look forward to advancing both studies in collaboration with the global medical community and patient associations to bring new treatment solutions to patients." About nizubaglustat Nizubaglustat is a small molecule, orally available and brain penetrant azasugar with a unique dual mode of action, developed as a potential treatment for rare lysosomal storage disorders with neurological involvement, including GM1 and GM2 gangliosidoses and Niemann-Pick disease type C (NPC). Nizubaglustat has received Rare Pediatric Disease Designations (RPDD) for the treatment of GM1 and GM2 gangliosidoses and NPC, Orphan Drug Designations (ODD) for GM1 and GM2 gangliosidosis (Sandhoff and Tay-Sachs Diseases) and NPC, as well as Fast Track Designation and IND clearance for GM1/GM2 gangliosidoses and NPC from the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA). Additionally, nizubaglustat has been awarded Orphan Medicinal Product Designation (OMPD) for the treatment of GM1 and GM2 gangliosidoses by the European Medicines Agency (EMA) and Innovation Passport for the treatment of GM1 and GM2 gangliosidoses from the UK Medicines and Healthcare Products Regulatory Agency (MHRA). About GM1 and GM2 gangliosidoses GM1 gangliosidosis and GM2 gangliosidosis (Tay-Sachs and Sandhoff diseases) are lysosomal storage disorders caused by the accumulation of GM1 or GM2 gangliosides respectively, in the central nervous system (CNS), resulting in progressive and severe neurological impairment and premature death. These diseases mostly affect infants and children, and no disease-modifying treatments are currently available. About Niemann-Pick type C disease (NPC) Niemann-Pick type C disease is a progressive, life-limiting neurological lysosomal storage disorder caused by mutations in the NPC1 or NPC2 gene and aberrant endosomal-lysosomal trafficking, leading to the accumulation of various lipids, including gangliosides in the CNS. The onset of disease can happen throughout the lifespan of an affected individual, from prenatal life through adulthood. About Azafaros Azafaros is a clinical-stage company, founded in 2018 with a deep understanding of rare genetic disease mechanisms using compound discoveries made by scientists at Leiden University and Amsterdam UMC, and is led by a team of highly experienced industry experts. Azafaros aims to build a pipeline of disease-modifying therapeutics to offer new treatment options to patients and their families. By applying its knowledge, network and courage, the Azafaros team challenges traditional development pathways to rapidly bring new drugs to the rare disease patients who need them. Azafaros is supported by a syndicate of leading healthcare investors including Forbion, Jeito Capital, Seroba, Pictet Group, BioGeneration Ventures (BGV), BioMedPartners, Asahi Kasei Pharma Ventures, and Schroders Capital. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20260121361664/en/ Contacts: For further information: Azafaros B.V. Email: info@azafaros.com www.azafaros.com At IMCAS 2026, Galderma will present findings supporting Sculptra's regenerative properties and benefits on the body, including improving cellulite appearance, firmness, lift, projection, and contouring following its European Union (EU) Medical Device Regulation (MDR) certification, expanding its use to four body areas 1-7 regenerative properties and benefits on the body, including improving cellulite appearance, firmness, lift, projection, and contouring following its European Union (EU) Medical Device Regulation (MDR) certification, expanding its use to four body areas Multiple studies will reinforce the safety and efficacy of Galderma's hyaluronic acid (HA) treatments range, including post-marketing data on Restylane Shaype in shaping the chin, Restylane Lyft in improving jawline definition, Restylane Skinboosters in smoothing fine lines and wrinkles in the decolletage and Restylane Volyme in correcting hollowing of the temples 8-11 Shaype in shaping the chin, Restylane Lyft in improving jawline definition, Restylane Skinboosters in smoothing fine lines and wrinkles in the decolletage and Restylane Volyme in correcting hollowing of the temples New data on the innovative neuromodulator Relfydess (RelabotulinumtoxinA) will reinforce its rapid onset as early as Day 1 and sustained efficacy through six months for frown lines and crow's feet 12 As a leader in injectable aesthetic innovation, Galderma will showcase its superior science and educational capabilities at the congress Galderma (SIX: GALD) will present ten posters with the latest updates from across its broad aesthetic portfolio spanning regenerative biostimulation, HA and neuromodulator treatments at the International Master Course on Aging Science (IMCAS) 2026 World Congress in Paris, France, from January 29-31, 2026. The company will also showcase its leadership in community education through a number of events including two symposia, a live anatomy workshop, multiple masterclasses and meet-the-expert sessions, and a booth that will delve into the science behind its innovations. "With ten posters spanning all key aesthetic treatment modalities and areas across the face and body, our data at IMCAS truly showcases the breadth and versatility of our injectable aesthetics portfolio and how we continue to drive innovation with our trusted products. In tandem with our first-class Galderma Aesthetic Injector Network (GAIN) educational activities, conducted in partnership with renowned experts, we are equipping practitioners with all the tools they need to take a personalized and holistic approach to treatment." BILL ANDRIOPOULOS, PH.D. HEAD OF GLOBAL MEDICAL AFFAIRS GALDERMA Biostimulation: Sculptra's innovative approach to regenerative aesthetics for the face and body backed by experts In response to patients increasingly seeking harmony between facial and body aesthetics, Galderma recently announced the EU MDR certification of Sculptra, the first proven regenerative biostimulator, expanding its current clinical use to the body.3 At IMCAS, guidance developed by 13 international experts on Sculptra's four MDR-approved indications the gluteal area, posterior thighs, decolletage, and upper arms will be presented.1 The experts concluded that Sculptra's benefits can be complemented with Restylane Skinboosters in the decolletage for comprehensive body rejuvenation, and recommended injection volumes for Sculptra to be used in the posterior thighs, upper arms and gluteal area to improve aesthetic appearance, including skin firmness and reduced appearance of cellulite.1 Results from an expert review of data on Sculptra will also be presented, providing additional evidence of its regenerative properties.2 This includes fibroblast activation leading to stimulation of collagen, elastin and other proteins involved in extracellular matrix regeneration and adipogenesis (the formation of healthy fat cells).2 This clinically presents as long-term improvements such as increased volume, elasticity, and skin thickness.2 A final poster will examine the ease of Sculptra's reconstitution process compared with two other poly-L-lactic acid biostimulators, finding that healthcare professionals had a strong preference for Sculptra's reconstitution process and positively rated its speed of administration from preparation to injection.13 HA treatments: The Restylane range demonstrates its versatility in meeting diverse patient needs Data from across Galderma's portfolio of Restylane HA treatments will be presented supporting its versatile use on the face and decolletage, with a range of gel formulations to meet personalized needs from providing structural support to smoothing lines and wrinkles: The ARTIST post-marketing study found that Restylane Shaype, powered by new NASHA HD technology, is a safe and effective treatment for shaping the chin with natural-looking results, alone or in combination with Restylane Defyne and Restylane Lyft to provide lift, shape, and definition for diverse aesthetic needs. 8 The poster also supports that Restylane Shaype has the highest G-prime (a measure of firmness) compared with other HA treatments produced with different manufacturing technologies, allowing for greater correction with lower injection volumes. 8 The poster also supports that Restylane Shaype has the highest G-prime (a measure of firmness) compared with other HA treatments produced with different manufacturing technologies, allowing for greater correction with lower injection volumes. A study of Restylane Lyft for jawline definition showed it was effective and safe, and resulted in high subject satisfaction and aesthetic improvement through 12 months. 9 A study evaluating the effectiveness and safety of Restylane Skinboosters for correction of moderate-to-severe wrinkles in the decolletage found that it was well tolerated and highly efficacious with a significant improvement through Week 32 and high patient satisfaction. 10 A study of Restylane Volyme showed that it was safe and effective for correction of temple hollowing, with high and sustained results through Month 18 and high patient satisfaction.11 Neuromodulation: Supporting Relfydess' next-generation performance Results will be presented from an analysis of wrinkle morphology and dynamic skin strain in the RELAX and EXPRESSION trials investigating Relfydess the first and only ready-to-use liquid neuromodulator created with PEARLTM Technology.12,14 Results reinforce its onset of action as early as Day 1 in patients with moderate-to-severe frown lines and crow's feet, with sustained improvements for six months.12 Expert-led consensus recommendations will also be shared addressing important unmet needs in real-world clinical practice and providing clear guidance for the practical use of Relfydess, helping healthcare professionals select the optimal treatment protocol for their patients.15 Spearheading community education and awareness around unmet patient needs Galderma will also present findings from a global survey of over 4,300 women across five continents linking menopause to several skin changes, including wrinkles, loss of firmness, dryness and dull skin, and the potential role of aesthetic treatments to address them.16,17 As part of its response to this, Galderma will host a symposium titled 'Menopause in the Mirror: Challenges, Science and Aesthetic Solutions' on Friday, January 30 at 10:30 AM 12:30 PM CET in Grand Amphi Level 1. A second symposium, titled 'Exploring Breakthroughs in Injectable Regeneration for the Face, Body, and Skin Health' will delve into the growing demand for holistic regenerative aesthetic solutions and take place on Thursday January 29 at 1:30 2:30 PM CET in Room 251, Level 2. More information about Galderma's activities at IMCAS 2026 can be found here. About Sculptra Sculptra is the first proven regenerative biostimulator, with a unique poly-L-lactic acid (PLLA-SCA) formulation, to provide progressive and sustained regenerative effect across all three skin layers.3,18-24 Sculptra reverses aging processes in the skin, including degradation of the extracellular matrix, which results in volume loss, laxity, and the appearance of wrinkles.3,18,19,25-27 Sculptra progressively rebuilds the skin's structural foundation by encouraging the remodeling of components of the extracellular matrix, such as elastin and collagen, helping to gradually restore volume, firmness, radiance and skin quality, and the look of fullness to wrinkles and folds over time.3-7,18,19,28 Sculptra has been shown to provide visible improvements as early as one month after treatment, with results lasting up to two years.3,6,23,28,29 About the Restylane portfolio Restylane HA treatments are designed differently to go beyond volumizing for natural-looking results.30-33 Our HA is minimally modified and our innovative manufacturing process preserves its biocompatibility while creating individual products designed for a specific purpose.34-37 Powered by NASHA, NASHA HD, OBT and SB-NASHA technologies, Restylane offers gels with the highest firmness to the highest flexibility, enabling personalized treatments that deliver structural support, natural-looking results, and a healthy glow.38-41 Trusted for almost three decades, our HA gels work in sync with your skin for 100% natural-looking results.30,42,43 About Relfydess (RelabotulinumtoxinA) Pioneered by Galderma, Relfydess is the first and only ready-to-use liquid neuromodulator created with PEARL Technology that is designed to preserve molecule integrity.14 PEARL Technology is designed to deliver a highly active, innovative, complex-free molecule, with up to 39% of patients seeing effects from day one and up to 75% of patients maintaining improvements for six months.14,44,45 Relfydess is optimized for simple volumetric dosing, without reconstitution, to increase ease-of-use and help ensure consistent dose/volume every time.46,47 It was entirely created and manufactured by Galderma to expand its neuromodulator portfolio as part of the broadest Injectable Aesthetics portfolio on the market. Relfydess received a marketing authorization in several markets. RelabotulinumtoxinA is an investigational drug product in the U.S. Authorization conditions may vary internationally. About Galderma Galderma (SIX: GALD) is the pure-play dermatology category leader, present in approximately 90 countries. We deliver an innovative, science-based portfolio of premium flagship brands and services that span the full spectrum of the fast-growing dermatology market through Injectable Aesthetics, Dermatological Skincare and Therapeutic Dermatology. Since our foundation in 1981, we have dedicated our focus and passion to the human body's largest organ the skin meeting individual consumer and patient needs with superior outcomes in partnership with healthcare professionals. Because we understand that the skin we are in shapes our lives, we are advancing dermatology for every skin story. For more information: www.galderma.com. References Haddad A, et al. International consensus: Sculptra/Restylane Skinboosters for non-facial rejuvenation. Poster presented at IMCAS 2026; January 29-31, 2026; Paris, France. Fabi SG, et al. Regenerative aesthetic effects of poly L-lactic acid treatment. Poster presented at IMCAS 2026; January 29-31, 2026; Paris, France. Sculptra. EU Instructions for Use. 2025. Available online. Accessed January 2026. Galderma. Data on File. MA-57540. Nikolis A, et al. A Prospective, Multicenter Trial on the Efficacy and Safety of Poly-L-Lactic Acid for the Treatment of Contour Deformities of the Buttock Regions. J Drugs Dermatol. 2022;21(3):295-303. doi: 10.36849/JDD.5924. Beleznay K, et al. Safety and Effectiveness of Poly-L-lactic acid (PLLA-SCA) for the Improvement in Appearance of Cellulite A Pilot Study. Poster presented at the IMCAS World Congress; February 1-3, 2024; Paris, France. Mazzuco R, et al. Clinical and Histological comparative outcomes after injections of Poly-L-Lactic Acid and Calcium Hydroxyapatite in arms a split side study. J Cosmet Dermatol. 2022;21(12):6727-6733. doi: 10.1111/jocd.15356. Epub 2022 Sep 20. Nikolis A, et al. A new NASHA-HD, high G' hyaluronic acid (HA) injectable evaluated for chin treatment in combination with lower face and mid-face HA filler treatment. Poster presented at IMCAS 2026; January 29-31, 2026; Paris, France. Rivers J, et al. Effectiveness and safety of Restylane Lyft Lidocaine for jaw-line definition: A 12-month randomized controlled study. Poster presented at IMCAS 2026; January 29-31, 2026; Paris, France. Moradi A, et al. Effectiveness and safety of a hyaluronic acid skin quality injectable for the correction of wrinkles in the decolletage area. Poster presented at IMCAS 2026; January 29-31, 2026; Paris, France. Nestor M. Safety and effectiveness of an OBT hyaluronic acid filler for temple hollowing treatment: a randomized, controlled, clinical investigation. Poster presented at IMCAS 2026; January 29-31, 2026; Paris, France. Moradi A, et al. Objective image analysis of wrinkle morphology and dynamic skin strain in GLs and LCLs treated with relaBoNT-A in the RELAX and EXPRESSION trials. Poster presented at IMCAS 2026; January 29-31, 2026; Paris, France. Nikolis A, et al. Preferences and experiences across biostimulatory poly-L-lactic acid's reconstitution processes and injection criteria (PREP study). Poster presented at IMCAS 2026; January 29-31, 2026; Paris, France. Shridharani SM, et al. Efficacy and safety of RelabotulinumtoxinA, a new ready-to-use liquid formulation botulinum toxin: Results from the READY-1 double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled phase 3 trial in glabellar lines. Aesthet Surg J. 2024;44(12):1330-1340. doi: 10.1093/asj/sjae131. Ascher B, et al. Consensus Recommendations on the Aesthetic Use of RelabotulinumtoxinA to Treat Upper Face Wrinkles. Poster presented at IMCAS 2026; January 29-31, 2026; Paris, France. Fabi SG, et al. The potential role of biostimulators/dermal fillers to address menopause-related skin conditions. Poster presented at IMCAS 2026; January 29-31, 2026; Paris, France. Galderma. Data on file. Menopause Patient Survey. Waibel J, et al. Bulk RNA-seq Analysis of Poly-L-Lactic Acid (PLLA-SCA) vs Calcium Hydroxyapatite (CaHA-R) Reveals a Novel, Adipocyte Mediated Regenerative Mechanism of Action Unique to PLLA. Poster presented at ASDS 2024 Annual Meeting; October 17-20, 2024; Orlando, Florida, United States. Waibel J, et al. Gene Analysis of Biostimulators: PLLA-SCA Triggers Regenerative Morphogenesis while CaHA-R Induces Inflammation upon Facial Injection. Poster presented at ASDS 2024 Annual Meeting; October 17-20, 2024; Orlando, Florida, United States. Huth S, et al. Molecular Insights into the effects of PLLA_SCA on Gene Expression and Collagen Synthesis in Human 3D Skin Models Containing Macrophages. J Drugs Dermatol. 2024;23(4):285-288. doi: 10.36849/JDD.7791. Galderma. Data on File. MA-46589. Vleggaar D, et al. Consensus recommendations on the use of injectable poly-L-lactic-acid for facial and nonfacial volumization. J Drugs Dermatol. 2014;13(4 Suppl):s44-s51. Widgegrow J, et al. A randomized, comparative study describing the gene signatures of poly-l-lactic acid (PLLA-SCA) and Calcium Hydroxyapatite (CaHA) in the treatment of nasolabial folds. Poster presented at IMCAS World Congress; February 1-3, 2024. Paris, France. Duracinsky M, et al. Safety of poly-L-lactic acid (New-Fill) in the treatment of facial lipoatrophy: a large observational study among HIV-positive patients. BMC Infect Dis. 2014;14(474). doi: 10.1186/1471-2334-14-474. Zhang S and Duan E. Fighting against Skin Aging: The Way from Bench to Bedside. Cell Transplant. 2018;27(5):729-738. doi: 10.1177/0963689717725755. Shuster S, et al. The influence of age and sex on skin thickness, skin collagen and density. Br J Dermatol. 1975;93(6):639-43. doi: 10.1111/j.1365-2133.1975.tb05113.x. Zarbafian M, et al. The emerging field of regenerative aesthetics-where we are now. Dermatol Surg. 2022;48:101-108. doi: 10.1097/DSS.0000000000003239. Fabi S, et al. 24-month clinical trial data on effectiveness and safety after correction of cheek wrinkles using a biostimulatory poly-L-lactic acid injectable implant. Poster presented at IMCAS World Congress; January 26-28, 2023; Paris, France. Goldberg D, et al. Single-arm study for the characterization of human tissue response to injectable poly-L-lactic acid. Dermatol Surg. 2013;39(6):915-922. doi: 10.1111/dsu.12164. Di Gregorio C, et al. 25+ years of experience with the Restylane portfolio of injectable HA fillers for facial aesthetic treatment. E-poster presented at AMWC; March 27-29, 2024; Monaco. Nikolis A, et al. The role of clinical examination in midface volume correction using hyaluronic acid fillers: should patients be stratified by skin thickness? Aesthet Surg J Open Forum. 2020;2(1):1-12. doi: 10.1093/asjof/ojaa005. Talarico S, et al. High patient satisfaction of a HA filler producing enduring full-facial volume restoration: an 18- month open multicenter study. Dermatol Surg. 2015;41:1361-1369. doi: 10.1097/DSS.0000000000000549. Restylane. U.S. Instructions for use. Available online. Accessed January 2026. Edsman K, et al. Gel properties of hyaluronic acid dermal fillers. Dermatol Surg. 2012;38:1170-1179. doi: 10.1111/j.1524-4725.2012.02472.x. Galderma. Data on file. MA-58650. Degree of modification of HA fillers. Seo K. Facial volumization with fillers. Springer. 2021;29-83. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-33-6212-3_2. Kablik J, et al. Comparative physical properties of hyaluronic acid dermal fillers. Dermatol Surg. 2009:35S(1):302-312. doi: 10.1111/j.1524-4725.2008.01046.x. Galderma Data on file. MA-56724. X-strain and G' including Shaype. Nikolis A, et al. Effectiveness and Safety of a New Hyaluronic Acid Injectable for Augmentation and Correction of Chin Retrusion. J Drugs Dermatol. 2024;23(4):255-261. doi: 10.36849/JDD.8145. Ohrlund et al. Differentiation of NASHA and OBT Hyaluronic Acid Gels According to Strength, Flexibility, and Associated Clinical Significance J Drugs Dermatol. 2024;23(1):1332-1336. doi: 10.36849/JDD.7648. Belmontesi M et al. Injectable Non-Animal Stabilized Hyaluronic Acid as a Skin Quality Booster: An Expert Panel Consensus J Drugs Dermatol. 2018;17(1):83-88. Solish N, et al. Dynamics of HA fillers formulated to maintain natural facial expression. J Cosmet Dermatol. 2019;18(3):738-746. doi: 10.1111/jocd.12961. Philipp-Dormston WG, et al. Perceived naturalness of facial expression after HA filler injection in nasolabial folds and lower face. J Cosmet Dermatol. 2020;19(7):1600-1606. doi: 10.1111/jocd.13205. Ablon G, et al. Treatment of lateral canthal lines with RelabotulinumtoxinA, an investigational liquid botulinum toxin: clinical efficacy and safety results from the READY-2 phase 3 trial. Toxicon. 2024;237(1):107353. doi: 10.1026/j.toxicon.2024.107353. Relfydess. EU Summary of Product Characteristics. Sundberg AL and Stahl U. Relabotulinum toxin a novel, high purity BoNT-A1 in liquid formulation. Presented at TOXINS; January 16-17, 2021; virtual meeting. Do M, et al. Purification process of a complex-free highly purified botulinum neurotoxin type A1 (BoNT-A1) relabotulinumtoxinA. Presented at TOXINS; July 27-30, 2022; Louisiana, United States. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20260121547346/en/ Contacts: For further information: Christian Marcoux, M.Sc. Chief Communications Officer christian.marcoux@galderma.com +41 76 315 26 50 Richard Harbinson Corporate Communications Director richard.harbinson@galderma.com +41 76 210 60 62 Celine Buguet Franchises and R&D Communications Director celine.buguet@galderma.com +41 76 249 90 87 Emil Ivanov Head of Strategy, Investor Relations, and ESG emil.ivanov@galderma.com +41 21 642 78 12 Jessica Cohen Investor Relations and Strategy Director jessica.cohen@galderma.com +41 21 642 76 43 TOKYO, Jan. 22, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- The Japan Prize Foundation announced the winners of the 2026 Japan Prize on January 21, 2026. Prof. Cynthia Dwork (USA) has received the Japan Prize in the field of Electronics, Information, and Communication. Prof. Shizuo Akira (Japan) and Prof. Zhijian "James" Chen (USA) have received the Japan Prize in the field of Life Sciences. - Field Eligible for the Award: Electronics, Information, and Communication Image of Prof. Cynthia Dwork: https://cdn.kyodonewsprwire.jp/prwfile/release/M000319/202601142440/_prw_PI1fl_4D06A8QY.jpg - Field Eligible for the Award: Life Sciences Image of Prof. Shizuo Akira: https://cdn.kyodonewsprwire.jp/prwfile/release/M000319/202601142440/_prw_PI2fl_En28lIUM.jpg Image of Prof. Zhijian "James" Chen: https://cdn.kyodonewsprwire.jp/prwfile/release/M000319/202601142440/_prw_PI3fl_n3HT0jm9.jpg For this year's Japan Prize, Prof. Dwork is being recognized for her contribution to leading research for building an ethical digital society, including differential privacy and fairness. Prof. Akira and Prof. Chen are being honored for their discovery of the nucleic acid sensing mechanism by the innate immune system. For the 2026 Japan Prize, the Foundation asked approximately 16,000 prominent scientists and engineers from around the world to nominate researchers working in this year's eligible fields. The Foundation received 107 nominations for the field of Electronics, Information, and Communication, and 185 nominations for the field of Life Sciences. This year's winners were selected from a total of 292 nominees. About the Japan Prize The establishment of the Japan Prize in 1981 was motivated by the Japanese government's desire to create an internationally recognized award that would contribute to scientific and technological development around the world. With the support of numerous donations, the Japan Prize Foundation received endorsement from the Cabinet Office in 1983. The Japan Prize is awarded to scientists and engineers from around the world who have made creative and dramatic achievements that help progress their fields and contribute significantly to realizing peace and prosperity for all humanity. Researchers in all fields of science and technology are eligible for the award, with two fields selected each year in consideration of current trends in scientific and technological development. In principle, one individual in each field is recognized with the award, and receives a certificate, a medal, and a monetary prize. Each presentation ceremony is attended by the reigning Emperor and Empress, heads of the three branches of government and other related officials, and representatives from various other elements of society. For more information, please visit the official website: https://www.japanprize.jp/en/index.html View original content:https://www.prnewswire.co.uk/news-releases/2026-japan-prize-laureates-announced-302667498.html Investigational ARC-BCI Therapy is being developed to restore thought-driven movement in people living with spinal cord injuries and other movement disabilities Therapy is being developed to restore thought-driven movement in people living with spinal cord injuries and other movement disabilities ARC-BCI is the world's first and most advanced purpose-designed platform pairing a brain-computer interface with an implantable spinal cord stimulation system Seven study participants have now received ARC-BCI Therapy to restore movement of their own paralyzed limbs EINDHOVEN, the Netherlands, Jan. 22, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- ONWARD Medical N.V. (Euronext: ONWD - US ADR: ONWRY), the neurotechnology company pioneering spinal cord stimulation therapies to restore movement, function, and independence, announces that two additional individuals living with spinal cord injuries (SCI) have received the Company's investigational ARC-BCI Therapy. These groundbreaking procedures bring the total number of human implants to seven, extending the Company's leadership in the development of brain-computer interface (BCI) platforms to restore thought-driven movement for people living with paralysis. Both procedures were performed at the Centre Hospitalier Universitaire Vaudois (CHUV) in Lausanne, Switzerland, under the direction of Jocelyne Bloch, MD, Chief of Neurosurgery. They involved a 35-year-old woman who sustained a spinal cord injury two years ago and a 39-year-old man who sustained a spinal cord injury seven years ago. Study participants received ARC-BCI Therapy for upper- and lower-limb movement restoration, respectively. "We continue to learn from this groundbreaking clinical feasibility research, leveraging our unique understanding of spinal cord stimulation to restore movement after paralysis, and exploring the potential advantages offered by the addition of a brain-computer interface," said Dave Marver, CEO of ONWARD Medical. "We look forward to sharing more details in a peer-reviewed forum, continuing our commitment to scientific rigor." The Company's BCI platform comprises an implant placed epidurally on the motor cortex, designed to record brain signals associated with movement intention. The system uses Artificial Intelligence (AI) to decode these signals and translate them into instructions that are wirelessly transmitted to an implanted neurostimulator, which precisely stimulates targeted regions of the spinal cord via purpose-designed leads. The Company's BCI is supported by more than eight years of human safety data. The ARC-BCI System was awarded Breakthrough Device Designation (BDD) by the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in 2024. ARC-BCI is also included in the FDA's Total Product Life Cycle Advisory Program that provides early regulatory guidance to support the development of innovative technologies. These latest implants are part of ongoing clinical feasibility studies supported by grants from the European Union's Horizon Europe research and innovation program through the European Innovation Council (EIC, under grant agreements No 101057450 and 101070891), the Christopher & Dana Reeve Foundation, and the Swiss State Secretariat for Education, Research and Innovation (SERI). About ONWARD Medical ONWARD Medical is the leading neurotechnology company pioneering therapies to restore movement, function, and independence in people with spinal cord injuries (SCI) and other movement disabilities. Building on decades of scientific discovery, preclinical research, and clinical studies conducted at leading hospitals, rehabilitation clinics, and neuroscience laboratories, the Company developed its proprietary ARC Therapy. It has subsequently been awarded 10 Breakthrough Device Designations from the FDA. The Company's ARC EX System is cleared for commercial sale in the US and Europe. The Company is also developing an investigational implantable system called ARC-IM, designed to address several unmet needs including blood pressure instability after spinal cord injury. It can also be paired with a brain-computer interface (BCI) and artificial intelligence (AI) to restore thought-driven movement. Headquartered in the Netherlands, the Company has a Science and Engineering Center in Switzerland and a US office in Boston, Massachusetts. The Company is listed on Euronext Paris, Brussels, and Amsterdam (ticker: ONWD) and its US ADRs can be traded on OTCQX (ticker: ONWRY). To learn more about ONWARD Medical's commitment to partnering with the spinal cord injury community to develop innovative solutions for restoring movement, function, and independence after spinal cord injury, please visit ONWD.com. To be kept informed about the Company's technologies, research studies, and the availability of therapies in your area, please complete this webform. For Media Inquiries: Sebastien Cros, VP Communications media@onwd.com For Investor Inquiries: investors@onwd.com Disclaimer Certain statements, beliefs, and opinions in this press release are forward-looking, which reflect the Company's or, as appropriate, the Company directors' current expectations and projections about future events. By their nature, forward-looking statements involve several risks, uncertainties, and assumptions that could cause actual results or events to differ materially from those expressed or implied by the forward-looking statements. These risks, uncertainties, and assumptions could adversely affect the outcome and financial effects of the plans and events described herein. A multitude of factors including, but not limited to, delays in regulatory approvals, changes in demand, competition, and technology, can cause actual events, performance, or results to differ significantly from any anticipated development. Forward-looking statements contained in this press release regarding past trends or activities should not be taken as a representation that such trends or activities will continue in the future. As a result, the Company expressly disclaims any obligation or undertaking to release any update or revisions to any forward-looking statements in this press release as a result of any change in expectations or any change in events, conditions, assumptions, or circumstances on which these forward-looking statements are based. Neither the Company nor its advisers or representatives nor any of its subsidiary undertakings or any such person's officers or employees guarantees that the assumptions underlying such forward-looking statements are free from errors nor does either accept any responsibility for the future accuracy of the forward-looking statements contained in this press release or the actual occurrence of the forecasted developments. You should not place undue reliance on forward-looking statements, which speak only as of the date of this press release. Trademarks: ONWARD, ARC-EX, ARC-IM, ARC-BCI, and the stylized O-Logo are proprietary and registered trademarks of ONWARD Medical. Unauthorized use is strictly prohibited. ARC-EX Indication for Use: The ARC-EX System is intended to deliver programmed, transcutaneous electrical spinal cord stimulation in conjunction with functional task practice in the clinic and with take-home exercises in the home to improve hand sensation and strength in individuals between 18 and 75 years old that present with a chronic, nonprogressive neurological deficits resulting from an incomplete spinal cord injury (C2-C8 inclusive). The ARC-EX System is intended to be operated in medical centers by rehabilitation professionals and at home by patients and persons providing assistance to patients, as needed. Other Investigational Products: All other ONWARD Medical devices and therapies including ARC-IM and ARC-BCI are investigational and not available for commercial use. Daiichi Sankyo (TSE:4568) has appointed Veronika Rozehnal, Ph.D., to succeed Jurgen Muller, Ph.D., as the Head of the Translational Research Center Europe. Dr. Jurgen Muller will retire after nearly 30 years of research work at Daiichi Sankyo. Under his leadership, the Translational Research Center Europe, previously called the Tissue and Cell Research Center Munich, has grown from three to 40 researchers since it was founded in 1997 and has become an internationally recognized institution that plays a strategic role in the global innovation process of Daiichi Sankyo. Dr. Veronika Rozehnal joined Daiichi Sankyo in 2009 and has held various positions at the Translational Research Center Europe in addition to spending three years at the Daiichi Sankyo R&D Center in Tokyo. Dr. Rozehnal graduated from Ernst-Moritz-Arndt University of Greifswald, Germany with a Ph.D. degree in Clinical Pharmacology. "Jurgen Muller has made significant scientific contributions that have helped Daiichi Sankyo transform into a global research focused company, including developing new approaches to better evaluate and understand mechanisms of action to create new medicines for patients. We thank him sincerely for his many years of commitment and wish him all the best for the future," said Yuki Abe, Ph.D., Head of R&D Division in Japan and Head of Research, Daiichi Sankyo. "We are confident that with her extensive experience, Veronika Rozehnal will continue to provide strong leadership within the research organization at Daiichi Sankyo, helping to further establish the presence of Daiichi Sankyo research in Europe." "I look back with great gratitude on many years of intensive research and international collaboration," said Jurgen Muller. "I am proud of what we achieved together and know that the center will continue to provide scientific impetus to develop innovative research approaches that will be integrated into the global research strategy of Daiichi Sankyo. I wish my colleagues, especially Veronika, every success in this endeavor." About Daiichi Sankyo Translational Research Center Europe Founded in 1997, the Daiichi Sankyo Translational Research Center Europe,previously called the Tissue and Cell Research Center Munich, is part of the global research organization of Daiichi Sankyo. Staffed with approximately 40 researchers, the center conducts preclinical and translational research projects, evaluating new drug candidates prior to entering clinical development. The Translational Research Center Europe is one of the leading R&D centers within Daiichi Sankyo, contributing to the company's global innovation strategy through scientific excellence and interdisciplinary collaboration. About Daiichi Sankyo Daiichi Sankyo is an innovative global healthcare company contributing to the sustainable development of society that discovers, develops and delivers new standards of care to enrich the quality of life around the world. With more than 120 years of experience, Daiichi Sankyo leverages its world-class science and technology to create new modalities and innovative medicines for people with cancer, cardiovascular and other diseases with high unmet medical need. For more information, please visitwww.daiichisankyo.com. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20260121893836/en/ Contacts: Media Contacts: Global: Jennifer Brennan Daiichi Sankyo jennifer.brennan@daiichisankyo.com +1 908 900 3183 (mobile) Germany: Jorg Donner Daiichi Sankyo joerg.donner@daiichisankyo.com +49 89 78089047 Japan: Daiichi Sankyo Co., Ltd. DS-PR_jp@daiichisankyo.com Investor Relations Contact: DaiichiSankyoIR_jp@daiichisankyo.com EQT to acquire Coller Capital, a leading global secondaries firm with nearly USD 50 billion in total assets under management 1 across institutional, private wealth and insurance-related capital The combination advances EQT's ambition to build the most attractive private markets firm of scale, delivering industry-leading performance and solutions globally As a pioneer in secondaries, Coller Capital is an excellent strategic fit with a global footprint that includes an established client solutions platform, with a strong track record of performance and innovation The Transaction will enhance EQT's growth, as the combination unlocks opportunities for both firms within the secondaries market, which is expected to more than double by 2030 2 Jeremy Coller and the Coller Capital leadership team will continue to lead the business as part of EQT, while maintaining the independence of Coller's origination and investment process The Transaction is structured to ensure alignment through share ownership and a growth oriented contingent consideration The base consideration of USD 3.2 billion is to be funded through newly issued EQT ordinary shares, with up to USD 500 million in contingent consideration to be funded in cash 3 The Transaction is expected to be mid-single-digit accretive to EQT's fee-related earnings STOCKHOLM, Jan. 22, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- EQT AB ("EQT") is pleased to announce that it has signed an agreement to acquire Coller Capital ("Coller" or "Coller Capital", and the "Transaction"), a global secondaries firm with nearly USD 50 billion in total assets under management (USD 33 billion in fee-generating assets under management)1. Founded in 1990, Coller Capital is one of the largest dedicated secondaries firms globally with a 35-year track record of innovation in the fast-growing secondaries markets. The firm provides liquidity solutions to both general partners and limited partners, investing across private equity secondaries and private credit secondaries. Headquartered in the UK, Coller Capital has a global team of 330 professionals, including 77 investment professionals, based in 11 offices around the world. Coller Capital offers a diversified client proposition spanning institutional funds, private wealth evergreen products and insurance-dedicated solutions. The Transaction brings together EQT's global scale, established multi-strategy platform and active ownership model with Coller Capital's specialist secondaries expertise, data and analytics capabilities developed over a 35-year history and a track record of consistently delivering strong investment performance and innovative solutions across secondaries. This combination advances EQT's ambition to build the most attractive private markets firm of scale, delivering industry-leading performance and solutions globally. Together, the two firms will be able to strengthen relationships and opportunities with institutional, private wealth and insurance-related clients while creating a deeper global EQT platform across private equity, infrastructure, real estate and secondaries. Strategic rationale Private markets are shaped by broader demand for strategic liquidity tools, longer-term ownership models and continued product innovation. This trend reinforces the strategic importance of secondaries - a market that grew 41% in 2025 with deal volumes reaching USD 226 billion4 - and is expected to more than double by 20302. As private markets evolve, the combination with Coller Capital is a natural extension of EQT's platform to strengthen its relevance for both institutional and private wealth clients. As clients seek to deepen their relationships with fewer firms, the combination also positions EQT to benefit from greater scale with a diversified platform of high-performing investment strategies across asset classes. The Transaction creates a global EQT platform across private equity, infrastructure, real estate and secondaries, with offices in key global markets. Coller Capital's specialist secondaries capabilities, first-quartile investment performance track record5 and culture of innovation complement EQT's active ownership model and future-proofing capabilities. The combination brings together two global firms with European roots who share closely aligned values, including a rigorous focus on investment performance, a culture of innovation and the ambition to be a strategic partner for their clients. The combination will unlock growth opportunities for both platforms: Expand into adjacent secondaries across real assets to accelerate Coller Capital's growth beyond private equity and credit secondaries Utilize the combined global platform to scale Coller Capital's secondaries platform in the fast-growing and structurally underpenetrated Asian markets with a combined on-the-ground presence of approximately 390 FTEs 6 Strengthen institutional client relationships through an enhanced product offering and the ability to deliver integrated solutions and client servicing across cycles Accelerate EQT's private wealth offering by adding four evergreen products with a total NAV of USD 4.1 billion 7 , while leveraging Coller Capital's existing strategic partnership with State Street to scale global distribution, as well as EQT's brand and marketing, and global institutional relationships , while leveraging Coller Capital's existing strategic partnership with State Street to scale global distribution, as well as EQT's brand and marketing, and global institutional relationships Build out insurance-dedicated solutions across secondaries and the broader EQT platform, building on Coller Capital's strong position, in-house structuring capabilities and insurance market expertise Drive continued innovation in secondaries by applying EQT's digital, data and AI capabilities to client solutions Per Franzen, CEO and Managing Partner of EQT, said, "Entering the secondaries space with Coller represents a natural and important step in EQT's strategic development. Secondaries have become an increasingly important tool for clients in managing liquidity and portfolio construction, and in supporting long-term ownership of high-quality assets. Coller is a global leader in this field, with deep expertise. The transaction unlocks growth opportunities for both firms. Together, I believe we can double the size of Coller's business in less than four years. As a combined firm, we will be exceptionally well positioned to deliver integrated solutions across both primary and secondary markets, underpinned by a disciplined focus on performance." Jeremy Coller, Chief Investment Officer and Managing Partner of Coller Capital, said, "This partnership marks a defining moment for Coller. We are bringing more than 35 years of secondaries expertise to EQT to realize our shared ambition to shape the future of private markets. The opportunities ahead are compelling, from accelerating innovation in secondaries to broadening the secondary solutions we can deliver to investors worldwide. As Coller EQT, we will maintain our strong alignment with our investors and the independence of our world class origination and investment process. Together, we are exceptionally well positioned to deliver best-in-class private market solutions for our investors." As part of the Transaction, the current Coller Capital minority shareholder, State Street, will become a shareholder in EQT. Yie-Hsin Hung, President and CEO of State Street Investment Management, said, "We see this as an exciting evolution in our strategic partnership with Coller Capital. We are keen to expand our engagement efforts to include EQT's breadth of capabilities, as well as the opportunity for Coller Capital to expand its secondaries offering to include real assets, strengthening the platform. Together with EQT, we look forward to improving access to private markets solutions and innovating for clients worldwide seeking diversification and better outcomes." Organizational set-up and governance Following the Transaction's closing, Coller Capital will form a new business platform within EQT, to be branded "Coller EQT". Coller EQT will form part of a new Secondaries business segment, alongside EQT's existing Private Capital and Real Assets segments. Jeremy Coller will become Head of Coller EQT, reporting directly to Per Franzen, EQT's CEO and Managing Partner, and join EQT's Executive Committee. Coller EQT's origination and investment process will remain independent. Key Transaction details EQT will acquire 100% of the Coller Capital management company, the Coller Capital general partner entities which control the Coller Capital funds, and 10% of carried interest in the most recent private equity secondaries flagship fund (CIP IX), which had a final close on 31 December 2025 at USD 10.2 billion in fee-generating commitments, resulting in a total fund size of USD 14.2 billion 8 EQT will be entitled to invest in 35% of the carried interest in all future closed-ended funds of Coller Capital, in line with existing EQT policies Base consideration of USD 3.2 billion on a cash and debt free basis, to be funded in EQT ordinary shares to be issued at closing at a set price of SEK 355 per share (the "Base Consideration Shares"), corresponding to approximately 81 million shares 9 (corresponding to approximately 7% of shares outstanding). The Base Consideration Shares will be entitled to dividends with record dates post-closing (corresponding to approximately 7% of shares outstanding). The Base Consideration Shares will be entitled to dividends with record dates post-closing Contingent consideration of up to USD 500 million based on Coller Capital's business performance in the 12 months up to and including March 2029, to be funded in cash but with commitment from certain key members of Coller Capital's management (receiving approximately 64% of the contingent consideration) to reinvest the net contingent consideration proceeds in ordinary EQT shares (see further under "Share consideration and lock-up") The Transaction is subject to customary closing conditions, including regulatory approvals and certain Coller Capital fund investor consent approvals. The Transaction is expected to close in Q3 2026 If closing of the Transaction has not been completed by EQT's Annual Shareholders' Meeting on 12 May 2026, the Transaction is further conditional upon EQT's shareholders authorizing the Board of EQT to issue the Base Consideration Shares The Transaction is expected to be mid-single-digit accretive to EQT's fee-related earnings Share consideration and lock-up The selling shareholders of Coller Capital are Jeremy Coller (receiving approximately 72% of the base consideration and approximately 29% of the contingent consideration), institutional minority sellers (the "Institutional Minority Sellers") (receiving approximately 19% of the base consideration and approximately 8% of the contingent consideration) and other key members of Coller Capital's management (the "Key Persons") (receiving approximately 9% of the base consideration and approximately 64% of the contingent consideration). Base consideration Approximately 60% of the Base Consideration Shares received by Jeremy Coller and Key Persons will be subject to customary lock-up agreements10. Such lock-up agreements will be, in all material respects, consistent with those entered into in connection with other acquisitions by EQT and will, with the exception of Jeremy Coller, include a leaver and share forfeiture mechanism. For Jeremy Coller, the Base Consideration Shares subject to lock-up will be released from lock-up in three equal tranches, with one-third released following EQT's Q3 announcement in each of 2028, 2029 and 2030, respectively. For the Key Persons, the Base Consideration Shares subject to lock-up will be released from lock-up in three equal tranches, with one-third released following EQT's Q3 announcement in each of 2029, 2030 and 2031, respectively. For the Institutional Minority Sellers, the Base Consideration Shares are not subject to lock-up provisions. Contingent consideration Key Persons will receive any contingent consideration in cash but will commit to reinvest the net proceeds (post any applicable taxes) in ordinary EQT shares (the "Contingent Consideration Shares"). The Contingent Consideration Shares will be subject to customary lock-up agreements consistent with those entered into regarding parts of the Base Consideration Shares. The Contingent Consideration Shares will be released from lock-up in three equal tranches, with one-third released following EQT's Q3 announcement in each of 2029, 2030 and 2031, respectively. Jeremy Coller and the Institutional Minority Sellers will receive any contingent consideration in cash, without reinvestment commitment. Selected financial information for Coller Capital USDm11 2023 2024 2025E Fee-generating AUM (EoP, USDbn) 18 23 33 YoY growth n.a. 29 % 53 % Fee-related revenue 170 200 330 YoY growth n.a. 18 % 65 % Fee-related EBITDA12 65 75 145 Fee-related EBITDA margin 39 % 39 % 44 % Coller Capital's fee-generating AUM is expected to be at approximately USD 40 billion at year-end 2026, generating USD 350-375 million in fee-related revenue and USD 175-200 million in fee-related EBITDA during 2026 with a fee-related EBITDA margin of approximately 50%13. Advisors UBS is acting as financial adviser to EQT in relation to the Transaction, and Ropes & Gray and Vinge are acting as EQT's legal counsel. Morgan Stanley & Co. International plc is acting as financial adviser to Coller Capital, and Kirkland & Ellis and Roschier are acting as legal counsel to Coller Capital and the selling shareholders. Notes 1 Coller Capital estimate as per 31 December 2025. 2 Coller Capital estimate. 3 Approximately USD 65 million of the base consideration is payable in cash at completion of the Transaction. The final share portion of the base consideration is subject to customary purchase price adjustments based on Coller Capital's completion accounts. Key members of Coller Capital management (excluding Jeremy Coller) will commit to reinvest the net contingent consideration proceeds in ordinary EQT shares, see further under "Share consideration lock-up". 4 Evercore 2025 Secondary Market Highlights. 5 Preqin as of 31 December 2025 (or latest if not available). Refers to weighted average net MOIC with vintage years between 2004-2023 (CIP V-VIII) raised by the largest 16 secondaries managers that have a fund from before the 2008-financial crisis with performance data, as defined by assets raised in Preqin. 6 As of 31 December 2025. Approximately 350 EQT FTEs and 40 Coller Capital FTEs. 7 Estimated as per 31 December 2025. 8 Includes total CIP IX fund size, associated co-investments and SMAs. 9 Approximately USD 65 million of the base consideration is payable in cash at completion. The final share portion of the base consideration is subject to customary purchase price adjustments based on Coller Capital's completion accounts. 10 For Key Persons, the final number of Base Consideration Shares under lock-up will be subject to customary purchase price adjustments based on Coller Capital's completion accounts. 11 Unaudited GAAP accounts adjusted for go-forward transaction parameter and with estimated 2025 figures. Rounding of management fees and fee-related EBITDA to the closest USD 5 million. 12 The first fund EQT has the right to carried interest in is CIP IX which had a final close on 31 December 2025 at USD 10.2 billion in fee-generating commitments. 13 Estimate on a standalone basis, subject to fundraising environment. Contact Olof Svensson, Head of Shareholder Relations, +46 72 989 09 15 EQT Press Office, press@eqtpartners.com, +46 8 506 55 334 This is information that EQT AB (publ) is obliged to make public pursuant to the EU Market Abuse Regulation. The information was submitted for publication, through the agency of the contact person set out above, at 06:50 CET on 22 January 2026. This information was brought to you by Cision http://news.cision.com https://news.cision.com/eqt/r/eqt-to-combine-with-coller-capital-to-enter-secondaries--marking-the-next-step-in-eqt-s-strategic-ev,c4296060 The following files are available for download: https://mb.cision.com/Main/87/4296060/3890987.pdf EQT AB press release - Coller Capital - 22 Jan 2026 (EN) https://news.cision.com/eqt/i/coller-capital-and-eqt,c3503434 Coller Capital and EQT View original content:https://www.prnewswire.co.uk/news-releases/eqt-to-combine-with-coller-capital-to-enter-secondaries-marking-the-next-step-in-eqts-strategic-evolution-302667689.html SOCIETE GENERALE ACCELERATES THE SIMPLIFICATION OF ITS ORGANIZATION AND THE DEVELOPMENT OF SKILLS TO STRENGTHEN ITS EFFICIENCY Press release Paris, 22 January 2026 In line with its strategic roadmap announced in September 2023 and its ambition for sustainable performance, Societe Generale continues to enhance its operational efficiency, simplify its organization, and invest in skills development and internal mobility. Today, Societe Generale has submitted a project for organizational simplification in France to the employee representative bodies. Close to 2,000 employees participated in a Group-wide collaborative initiative, generating several thousand ideas to optimize tools and procurement, simplify processes and structures, pool teams, and strengthen automation and the use of artificial intelligence. These initiatives are accompanied by a proposed organizational evolution in France, which concerns several activities and central functions at headquarters, as well as the regional organization of Retail Banking (the branch network is not affected), with the aim of simplifying our operating methods to make them more efficient, empowering and agile in serving clients. By leveraging natural attrition and an innovative social framework that invests in internal mobility and the development of employees' skills, the Group would reduce the net number of positions by 1,800. This change would occur within the framework of the measures set out in the Employment Agreement signed on 15 December 2025 with three trade unions, without any redundancy plan, favoring internal career moves within the Bank's many professions. Career-long training would be strengthened through Societe Generale University. At the same time, a Mobility and Skills Campus would be established to facilitate internal mobility, create bridges among the Group's various entities, promoting diverse career paths and the transition to new roles. Following consultation with the employee representative bodies, the planned changes would be implemented gradually in 2026 and 2027 for the activities concerned and potentially beyond for Retail Banking in France. Press contacts: Jean-Baptiste Froville_+33 1 58 98 68 00_ jean-baptiste.froville@socgen.com Amandine Grison_+33 1 41 45 92 40_amandine.grison@socgen.com Societe Generale Societe Generale is a top tier European Bank with around 119,000 employees serving more than 26 million clients in 62 countries across the world. We have been supporting the development of our economies for 160 years, providing our corporate, institutional, and individual clients with a wide array of value-added advisory and financial solutions. Our long-lasting and trusted relationships with the clients, our cutting-edge expertise, our unique innovation, our ESG capabilities and leading franchises are part of our DNA and serve our most essential objective - to deliver sustainable value creation for all our stakeholders. The Group runs three complementary sets of businesses, embedding ESG offerings for all its clients: French Retail, Private Banking and Insurance, with leading retail bank SG and insurance franchise, premium private banking services, and the leading digital bank BoursoBank. with leading retail bank SG and insurance franchise, premium private banking services, and the leading digital bank BoursoBank. Global Banking and Investor Solutions, a top tier wholesale bank offering tailored-made solutions with distinctive global leadership in equity derivatives, structured finance and ESG. a top tier wholesale bank offering tailored-made solutions with distinctive global leadership in equity derivatives, structured finance and ESG. Mobility, International Retail Banking and Financial Services, comprising well-established universal banks (in Czech Republic, Romania and several African countries), Ayvens (the new ALD I LeasePlan brand), a global player in sustainable mobility, as well as specialized financing activities. Committed to building together with its clients a better and sustainable future, Societe Generale aims to be a leading partner in the environmental transition and sustainability overall. The Group is included in the principal socially responsible investment indices: DJSI (Europe), FTSE4Good (Global and Europe), Bloomberg Gender-Equality Index, Refinitiv Diversity and Inclusion Index, Euronext Vigeo (Europe and Eurozone), STOXX Global ESG Leaders indexes, and the MSCI Low Carbon Leaders Index (World and Europe). In case of doubt regarding the authenticity of this press release, please go to the end of the Group News page on societegenerale.comwebsite where official Press Releases sent by Societe Generale can be certified using blockchain technology. A link will allow you to check the document's legitimacy directly on the web page. For more information, you can follow us on Twitter/X @societegeneraleor visit our website societegenerale.com. Attachment Fair Oaks Capital ETFs - Dividend Declaration PR Newswire LONDON, United Kingdom, January 22 Fair Oaks Capital ETFs - Dividend Declaration Fund name Share class name ISIN Currency TIDM Ex date Record Date Payment date Dividend type Per share rate Fair Oaks AAA CLO Fund UCITS ETF EUR Dist. LU2785470191 EUR FAAA 29/01/2026 30/01/2026 03/02/2026 Quarterly 7.20 Fair Oaks AAA CLO Fund UCITS ETF EUR Dist. LU2785470191 EUR AAAG 29/01/2026 30/01/2026 03/02/2026 Quarterly 7.20 Fair Oaks AAA CLO Fund is a sub-fund of Alpha UCITS SICAV. Please note that the above dates are in respect of the primary market of the Fund. All dividend proceeds are paid in the base currency of the share class. The amount that is actually received by an investor will depend on whether the investor receives the proceeds in the same currency as the base currency of the share class. If an investor will receive the proceeds in a currency other than the base currency of the share class, then the amount the investor will receive will be affected by the FX rate at which the investor's broker/nominee converts the proceeds. If you purchased your investment on the secondary market (for example, on a stock exchange), please liaise with your broker/nominee. It is up to the relevant brokers/nominees to ensure that the proceeds are distributed to their underlying investor clients in accordance with the contractual arrangements they have in place with their clients. Should you have any queries, please do not hesitate to contact Fair Oaks Capital. Investor Relations Fair Oaks Capital Ltd Phone: +44 (0) 20 3034 0400 Email: ir@fairoakscap.com 2026 startet mit einem Paukenschlag: Der DAX outperformt den US-Markt, Nachzugler holen auf. Ein erstes Signal, dass der Bullenmarkt an Breite gewinnt. Wahrend viele Anleger weiter auf die groen Tech-Namen setzen, hat sich im Hintergrund langst ein Umschwung vollzogen. Der Fokus verschiebt sich weg von uberteuerten KI-Highflyern hin zu soliden Qualitatswerten aus der zweiten Reihe. Anleger, die jetzt clever agieren, setzen nicht auf das, was war, sondern auf das, was kommt. Unternehmen mit gesunder Bilanz, unterschatztem Potenzial und begrenztem Abwartsrisiko konnten 2026 zu den groen Gewinnern zahlen. Die Gefahr einer scharferen Korrektur bleibt real, gerade fur passiv aufgestellte Investoren. In unserem neuen Spezialreport stellen wir funf Aktien vor, die genau jetzt das Potenzial fur uberdurchschnittliche Renditen bieten. Stark, gunstig und bislang kaum im Fokus. Jetzt kostenlosen Report herunterladen bevor es andere tun! Dieses exklusive PDF ist nur fur kurze Zeit gratis verfugbar. Delta Gold Technologies Plc - Half Year Report for the period from incorporation to 31 October 2025 PR Newswire LONDON, United Kingdom, January 22 22 January 2026 Delta Gold Technologies PLC ("Delta Gold" or the "Company") Half Year Report for the period from incorporation to 31 October 2025 Delta Gold Technologies Plc is pleased to present its half year report for the period from incorporation to the 31 October 2025. CHAIRMAN'S INTERIM STATEMENT Introduction It is my privilege to present this Chairman's Statement for Delta Gold Technologies Plc ("Delta") at a pivotal moment in the Company's development. Since incorporation in early 2025, Delta has moved with purpose, securing a core intellectual property strategy, establishing a world-class research partnership, and executing a successful initial public offering, all within the same calendar year 2025. Our aim is to identify, develop and commercialise high-value intellectual property ("IP") in the high growth quantum computing sector, with an initial focus on the use of nano-scale gold and other advanced materials. Through a disciplined, research-led approach, we aim to build a portfolio of assets that exploits unique physical properties to address key technical challenges, particularly qubit stability and scalability. Key to our strategy is the opportunity to establish a dedicated London-listed platform providing small-cap equity investors with focused exposure to frontier technologies, an area where there are currently very few pure-play investment opportunities available in the public markets. The Board believes the combination of strategic vision, research excellence and public market access, positions Delta to capitalise on long-term structural growth in advanced computing technologies. Financial Results For the period from incorporation to 31 October 2025, the Company recorded a loss of 126,431, reflecting its early-stage investment in building a credible research and intellectual property platform. The loss comprised 72,210 in administrative expenses and 54,221 in apportioned R&D charges associated with the University of Toronto research programme. As at the period end, the Company held cash reserves of 47,443. Following the period end, the Company achieved a major strategic milestone with its successful admission to trading on the Access Segment of the AQSE Growth Market on 1 December 2025. Admission was accompanied by a 2.5 million equity fundraising through a Placing and Subscription of 25,000,000 new Ordinary Shares at 10 pence per share, establishing an initial market capitalisation of approximately 7.8 million. This capital significantly strengthens Delta's financial position at a formative stage in its development and provides the resources required to advance the multi-year University of Toronto research programme, secure and protect emerging intellectual property, and support ongoing working capital needs. The fundraising also broadens the Company's shareholder base and enhances its ability to pursue additional sponsored research opportunities aligned with its strategy of building a high-value portfolio of quantum-focused IP assets. Asset Overview and Progress Delta's principal asset is the sponsored Research Agreement with the University of Toronto, a globally respected institution in materials science and quantum technology. Under this agreement, Delta funds a multi-year research programme led by experts in nano-materials and quantum physics, with the opportunity to secure exclusive global licensing rights to intellectual property developed through the programme. This structure ensures that Delta's shareholders directly benefit from research outputs that successfully transition from concept to commercial IP. In less than twelve months since incorporation, the Company has achieved significant operational milestones, including negotiation and execution of the University of Toronto ("UofT") research partnership, onboarding of research personnel, and commencement of sponsored research activities. This rapid progression reflects the Board's commitment to building a credible platform for innovation and long-term value creation in the London market. In parallel with our core research programme, the Company continues to explore complementary sponsored research opportunities to expand its intellectual property portfolio and diversify future potential revenue streams. Successful IPO On 1 December 2025, Delta successfully commenced trading on the Access Segment of the AQSE Growth Market (Aquis Stock Exchange) under the ticker symbol DGQ, raising gross proceeds of approximately 2.5 million through a Placing and Subscription of 25,000,000 new ordinary shares at an issue price of 10p per share. The IPO completed with a strong initial shareholder base and brought the Company's market capitalisation to approximately 7.8 million on admission, reflecting early investor confidence in Delta's strategy and prospects. We are grateful for the support of our corporate adviser, Orana Corporate LLP, and legal counsel, Haynes Boone, whose expertise was instrumental in achieving a successful public listing in a highly competitive market environment. We are also grateful for the support from our existing and new shareholders. Admission to trading on a recognised public market represents a transformational milestone for Delta. It provides enhanced visibility with institutional and retail investors, a regulated platform for capital formation, and a stronger platform from which to engage future research partners and commercial counterparties. The capital raised will be deployed primarily to fund research activities, secure and protect additional valuable intellectual property, and support general working capital. Outlook The quantum computing sector remains at an early stage, characterised by high research intensity, significant technical challenges, and substantial capital requirements. The Board is mindful of these realities but equally confident in the asymmetric value potential of breakthroughs that successfully bridge the gap between theoretical physics and commercial application. Over the coming 12-24 months, our operational priorities are clear: To deliver meaningful progress under the UofT research programme, with milestones linked to the development of patentable technology; To protect and commercialise intellectual property through provisional and full patent filings; To seek additional sponsored research agreements with leading academic and industry partners, diversifying our research pipeline; and To engage with potential licensees and strategic partners who can help accelerate application and deployment of Delta's technologies across global markets. The Board remains focused on delivering shareholder value through scientific rigour, strategic discipline and transparent engagement with the investing community. I would like to extend my gratitude to our research partners, advisers, and all shareholders for their trust and support. We look forward to updating the market on our continued progress as Delta advances through this exciting stage of development. Mark Burnett Non-Executive Chairman Delta Gold Technologies PLC For further information contact: Delta Gold Technologies PLC R. Michael Jones (CEO) Tel: +44 (0)203 576 6742 Orana Corporate LLP (Aquis Advisor) Anthony Eastman / Sarah Cope Tel: +44 (0)203 475 6834 First Equity LTD (Corporate Broker) Jason Robertson / Sam Lakha Tel: +44 (0)20 7374 2212 DELTA GOLD TECHNOLOGIES PLC COMPANY NO: 16406638 STATEMENT OF COMPREHENSIVE INCOME FOR THE PERIOD ENDED 31 OCTOBER 2025 Unaudited Incorporation until 31 October 2025 Note Research and Development expenses (54,221) Administrative expenses (72,210) Operating result (126,431) Finance income - Loss before taxation (126,431) Income tax - Loss for the period and total comprehensive income for the period (126,431) Basic and diluted loss per ordinary share (pence) 3 (0.82) The notes form an integral part of the Condensed Interim Financial Statements DELTA GOLD TECHNOLOGIES PLC COMPANY NO: 16406638 STATEMENT OF FINANCIAL POSITION AS AT 31 OCTOBER 2025 Unaudited As at 31 October 2025 Note ASSETS Current assets Prepayments 518,235 Other current assets 16,653 Cash and cash equivalents 47,443 Total assets 582,330 Liabilities Current liabilities Trade & other payables 45,375 Total liabilities 45,375 Net (liabilities)/assets 536,955 EQUITY AND LIABILITIES Equity attributable to owners Ordinary share capital 4 66,492 Share premium 4 596,894 Retained Earnings/(Losses) (126,431) Total equity 536,955 The notes form an integral part of the Interim Financial Statements The Financial Statements were approved and authorised by the Board of Directors on 21 January 2026. Richard Michael Jones CEO DELTA GOLD TECHNOLOGIES PLC COMPANY NO: 16406638 STATEMENT OF CHANGES IN EQUITY AS AT 31 OCTOBER 2025 Share capital Share Premium SBP Reserve Retained earnings Total equity Loss for period - - - (126,431) (126,431) Other comprehensive income - - - - - Total comprehensive loss for period - - - (126,431) (126,431) Transactions with owners in own capacity Ordinary shares issued on incorporation 1,000 - - - 1,000 Ordinary shares issued in the period 65,492 596,894 - - 662,386 Transactions with owners in own capacity 66,492 596,894 - - 663,386 Balance at 31 October 2025 66,492 596,894 - (126,431) 536,955 DELTA GOLD TECHNOLOGIES PLC COMPANY NO: 16406638 STATEMENT OF CASH FLOWS FOR THE PERIOD ENDED 31 OCTOBER 2025 Unaudited Incorporation to 31 October 2025 Cash flows from operating activities Loss before income tax (126,431) (Increase) / decrease in other receivables (534,887) Increase / (decrease) in other payables 45,375 Net cash outflow from operating activities (615,943) Cash flows from financing activities Proceeds from issue of shares 663,386 Net cash flow from financing activities 663,386 Net increase in cash and cash equivalents 47,443 Cash and cash equivalents at beginning of period - Cash and cash equivalents at end of period 47,443 There was no material no cash transactions during the period. DELTA GOLD TECHNOLOGIES PLC COMPANY NO: 16406638 NOTES TO THE INTERIM FINANCIAL STATEMENTS PERIOD FROM INCORPORATION TO 31 OCTOBER 2025 General information The Company was incorporated on 24 April 2025 as a private limited company in England and Wales with company number 16406638 under the Companies Act 2006. The company was re-registered as a public limited company on 27 October 2025. The registered office of the Company is Eccleston Yards, Eccleston Place, London, England, SW1W 9NF. The Company's principal activity is the development of intellectual property targeted towards the quantum computing space. Accounting policies IAS 8 requires that management shall use its judgement in developing and applying accounting policies that result in information which is relevant to the economic decision-making needs of users, that are reliable, free from bias, prudent, complete and represent faithfully the financial position, financial performance and cash flows of the entity. Basis of preparation This Financial Information of the Company has been prepared for the purpose of complying with Sections 92(1)(b) and (c) of the Companies Act 2006. It has been prepared in accordance with International Financial Reporting Standards and IFRS interpretations Committee (IFRS IC) interpretations as adopted by the United Kingdom ("IFRS") and the policies stated elsewhere within the Financial Information. No comparative figures have been presented as the Company Financial Statements covers the period from incorporation on 24 April 2025 to 31 October 2025. This special purpose Financial Information is presented in Sterling, which is the Company's presentational currency and has been prepared under the historical cost convention. Standards and interpretation issued and not yet effective during the reporting period: Standard Impact on initial application Effective date Amendments to IFRS 9 and IFRS 7 - Classification and Measurement of Financial Instruments These amendments clarify the classification of financial assets with ESG-linked features and settlement via electronic payments. Annual periods beginning on or after 1 January 2026 Annual Improvements to IFRS Accounting Standards - Volume 11 Includes minor amendments to IFRS 1, IFRS 7, IFRS 9, IFRS 10, and IAS 7. Annual periods beginning on or after 1 January 2026 Amendments to IFRS 9 and IFRS 7 - Contracts Referencing Nature-dependent Electricity Changes to the reporting by companies of the financial effects of nature-dependent electricity contracts that are often structured as power purchase agreements (PPAs) Annual periods beginning on or after 1 January 2026 Amendments to IFRS 18 - Presentation and Disclosure in Financial Statements IFRS 18, which was published by the IASB on 9 April 2024, sets out significant new requirements for how financial statements are presented, with particular focus on statement of profit or loss, aggregation of information and disclosures relating to management-defined performance measures (MPMs). Annual periods beginning on or after 1 January 2027 Amendments to IFRS 19 - Subsidiaries without Public Accountability: Disclosures The new amendment permits eligible subsidiaries to apply reduced disclosure requirements while applying the recognition, measurement and presentation requirements in IFRS Accounting Standards. Annual periods beginning on or after 1 January 2027 Of the other IFRSs and IFRICs, none are expected to have a material effect on future Company financial statements. Going concern The financial statements have been prepared on a going concern basis, which assumes that the Company will continue in operational existence for the foreseeable future. The Company has based the going concern assumption on a base case, where any proposed transaction does not take place meaning the entity has the ability to meet its working capital requirements from existing cash. The existing cash are sufficient to meet the working capital requirements of the Company going forward when outgoings are reduced to only committed costs. This includes applying mitigation measures to reduce the cost base of the Company. As a result of this the directors believe that the going concern assumption is appropriate. Under the scenario that any proposed acquisition does take place the Company would secure additional funding to ensure that all future capital commitments would be able to be satisfied. Taking these matters into consideration, the Directors consider that the continued adoption of the going concern basis is appropriate having reviewed the forecasts for the coming 12 months from the date of signing and the financial statements do not reflect any adjustments that would be required if they were to be prepared other than on a going concern basis. Cash and cash equivalents The Directors consider any cash on short-term deposits and other short-term investments to be cash equivalents. Financial assets and liabilities Financial assets and financial liabilities are recognised when the Company becomes a party to the contractual provisions of a financial instrument. Financial assets and financial liabilities are offset if there is a legally enforceable right to set off the recognised amounts and interests and it is intended to settle on a net basis. Earnings per Ordinary Share The Company presents basic and diluted earnings per share data for its Ordinary Shares. Basic earnings per Ordinary Share is calculated by dividing the profit or loss attributable to Shareholders by the weighted average number of Ordinary Shares outstanding during the period. Diluted earnings per Ordinary Share is calculated by adjusting the earnings and number of Ordinary Shares for the effects of dilutive potential Ordinary Shares. Equity Share capital is determined using the nominal value of shares that have been issued. The share premium account includes any premiums received on the initial issuing of the share capital. Any transaction costs associated with the issuing of shares are deducted from the share premium account, net of any related income tax benefits. Retained losses includes all current and prior period results as disclosed in the income statement. Critical accounting estimates and judgments In preparing the Interim Financial Statements, the Directors must make judgments on how to apply the Company's accounting policies and make estimates about the future. The Directors do not consider there to be any critical judgments that have been made in arriving at the amounts recognised in the interim financial information. 3 Loss per Ordinary Share As at 31 October 2025 Earnings attributable to Shareholders - () (126,431) Weighted average number of Ordinary Shares 15,473,199 Basic and diluted loss per share (pence) (0.82) 4Share capital and share premium Ordinary Shares Share Capital Share Premium Total # '000 '000 '000 Shares issued at incorporation 1,000,000 1,000 - 1,000 Issue of seed shares 12,860,000 12,860 630,140 643,000 Issue of founder shares 19,386,154 19,386 - 19,386 Bonus shares1 - 33,246 (33,246) - As at 31 October 2025 33,246,154 66,492 596,894 663,386 1 Per the 31 August 2025 special resolution: Issue of 33,246,154 Bonus Shares, every 2 fully paid ordinary shares of 0.001 each in the issued share capital of the Company ("Existing Ordinary Shares") be consolidated into 1 ordinary fully paid share of 0.002. 5 Related party transactions The only related party transaction during the period was the payment of 9,611 and 3,727 in consulting fees to Richard Michael Jones and Jamie Tosh which were settled via the issue of .001 ordinary shares in the Company. No other material related party transactions requiring disclosure arose. 6 Events subsequent to the reporting date The below events occurred after the reporting date and are non-adjusting events in accordance with IAS 10 (Events after the Reporting Period). Accordingly, no adjustments have been made to the financial statements in respect of these matters. Admission to AQSE Growth Market and equity fundraising On 1 December 2025, Delta Gold Technologies PLC was admitted to trading on the Access segment of the Aquis Stock Exchange Growth Market, with dealings in the Company's Ordinary Shares of 0.002 each under the ticker DGQ. Admission followed the successful completion of a 2.5 million fundraising through a Placing and Subscription of 25,000,000 new Ordinary Shares at an issue price of 10 pence per share. Issue of warrants At Admission, the Company granted 1,078,608 warrants in aggregate to advisers and brokers, exercisable at 0.15 per Ordinary Share for three years from Admission. 200,000 options were also granted immediately prior to and conditional upon Admission equally to two directors, Adam Monaco and Patrick Severide. Board changes On Admission, the Company further appointed Mark Burnett as Non-Executive Chairman, together with Adam Monaco and Patrick Severide as Independent Non-Executive Directors. 7 Financial commitments and contingent liabilities There were no financial commitments or contingent liabilities of the Company as at 31 October 2025. 8 Ultimate controlling party As at 31 October 2025, there was noultimate controlling party of the Company. Unique platform designed to engage pro-resolution responses to restore immune homeostasis in inflammatory disorders without broad immuno-suppression. CAMBRIDGE, Mass., Jan. 22, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- Resolve M Therapeutics, Inc., the biotech aiming to build the world's first comprehensive pro-resolution platform for target ID, validation and drug discovery for the treatment of inflammatory diseases, has announced its exit from stealth. Resolve M was created through a strategic collaboration between Johnson & Johnson, through its corporate venture capital organization, Johnson & Johnson Innovation - JJDC, Inc., and General Inception, the global biotech company igniter, and reflects a bold commitment to early-stage biotech innovation. Leveraging differentiated insights and capabilities from Professor Nir Hacohen's lab at the Broad Institute, Resolve M's groundbreaking platform aims to harness the pro-resolving potential of the MS1 (myeloid state 1) cell to restore homeostasis in patients with chronic inflammatory and autoimmune disorders, without completely shutting down the immune system. This approach offers a potentially safer and more effective therapeutic option than is currently available. Pro-resolving mechanisms restore tissues to homeostasis after an infection or injury during the resolution phase of inflammation. Professor Nir Hacohen, core member of the Broad Institute and professor of medicine at Harvard Medical School said:"Our findings of a defined myeloid cell state with suppressive functions provides a platform for induction, or modulation, of immune cells and their functions for therapeutic purposes in diverse inflammatory conditions." Engaging the pro-resolving response has long been an area of active investigation because of its transformative potential. However, prior efforts in this field have focused primarily on resolving lipid mediators, which have not met expectations in the clinic. Johnson & Johnson Innovation - JJDC Inc. and General Inception have recognized the potential of Professor Hacohen's platform to drive pro-resolving cells in vivo and in vitro, enabling mechanistic understanding of myeloid cell function. By leveraging JJDC's early-stage company build approach, General Inception will be more strongly positioned to move from Professor Hacohen's groundbreaking science to clinical proof of concept. Venkat Reddy, CSO of General Inception, commented:"By targeting the body's innate resolution mechanisms with translatable biomarkers, we can rapidly validate our approach in patients and make real-time adjustments. This integrated model, merging world-class science, purpose-built infrastructure, and deep operational expertise, allows us to shorten development timelines, accelerating our journey to deliver transformative treatments for patients with chronic inflammatory diseases." With such a strongly differentiated approach, Resolve M aims to build the world's first comprehensive pro-resolution platform for target identification, validation, and drug discovery in inflammatory diseases. About Resolve M Therapeutics Resolve M is a Cambridge, MA, based biotech aiming to build the world's first comprehensive pro-resolution platform for target ID, validation and drug discovery for the treatment of inflammatory diseases. With a unique platform technology originating at the Broad Institute, Resolve M aims to harness innate immune pro-resolving responses to address inflammatory disorders without completely shutting down the immune system, providing a better therapeutic option in the chronic setting. About General Inception General Inception (GI) is pioneering company creation as an Igniter company. General Inception partners with extraordinary scientific founders at the inception of their journey to efficiently translate their groundbreaking innovations into transformational companies that address humanity's grand challenges. As a business co-founder, GI brings together domain and functional expertise, executive talent, infrastructure and development resources, and capital to ignite, nurture and scale the company journey. GI is backed by leading venture capital firms Genoa Ventures, Hughes Ventures, Northpond Ventures, OMX Ventures, Paladin Capital Group, and Vertical Venture Partners. For more information, please visit https://www.generalinception.com/. View original content:https://www.prnewswire.co.uk/news-releases/resolve-m-therapeutics-exits-from-stealth-302667078.html SINGAPORE and SHANGHAI, Jan. 22, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- Thunes, the Smart Superhighway to move money around the world, today announces the launch of faster, more reliable, and more transparent payments into China's mainland following a deepened collaboration with UnionPay International (UPI). With the new collaboration, Thunes has launched a direct technical connection from its Direct Global Network to UnionPay's infrastructure, significantly enhancing its existing support for the UnionPay MoneyExpress remittance service. The direct connection will result in streamlined access to a massive base of UnionPay cardholders across 79 major Chinese banks, including Industrial and Commercial Bank of China (ICBC), Agricultural Bank of China (ABC), Bank of China (BoC), China Construction Bank (CCB), Bank of Communications (BOCOM), China Merchants Bank (CMB) for Thunes' Members globally including banks, neobanks, super apps, gig economy platforms, digital wallets and money transfer operators Despite being the world's second-largest economy, sending money to China has traditionally been complex, and hindered by hidden fees and the need for recipients to manually declare funds. Thunes' direct connection to UnionPay resolves these frictions. By connecting directly, the collaboration between UnionPay and Thunes enables a seamless Pay-to-Card experience where transactions are credited in real-time or within 12 hours. Through its Direct Global Network, Thunes Members are able to access a domestic-style payment journey for international payments to China's mainland with exchange rates locked in upfront, ensuring funds arrive directly as RMB to UnionPay debit cards in China's mainland without any manual intervention. Aik Boon Tan, Chief Network Officer at Thunes, said: "Establishing a direct connection with UnionPay International is a game-changer for our Direct Global Network. This goes beyond access, it represents a high-speed, direct-to-card rail into a leading economy without the friction of traditional cross-border payments. Our Members around the world can offer their customers a truly domestic-like payment experience to a massive base of UnionPay cardholders, ensuring that sending money to China's mainland is as simple as sending a text message." UnionPay MoneyExpress is a cornerstone of UnionPay International's cross-border remittance strategy, providing a secure and efficient way for funds to reach China's mainland. The collaboration with Thunes strengthens the bridge between global financial institutions and Chinese cardholders. This new integration ensures that the benefits of MoneyExpress, including upfront FX rates and rapid settlement, are delivered with maximum reliability to users worldwide. Learn about Thunes: www.thunes.com View original content:https://www.prnewswire.co.uk/news-releases/thunes-and-unionpay-international-launch-instant-money-transfers-to-chinas-mainland-302667116.html CANBERA (dpa-AFX) - The Australian dollar strengthened against other major currencies in the Asian session on Thursday, following the release of Australia's employment data, which supports expectations of tighter monetary policy from the Reserve Bank of Australia (RBA). Data from the Australian Bureau of Statistics showed that the unemployment rate in Australia came in at a seasonally adjusted 4.1 percent in December. That was well below forecasts for 4.4 percent and down from 4.3 percent in November. The Australian economy added 65,200 jobs last month - well exceeding forecasts for an increase of 28,300 following the loss of 21,300 jobs in the previous month. Full-time employment increased by 54,800 to 10,101,100 people, while part-time employment increased by 10,400 to 4,582,900 people. The participation rate was 66.7 percent - unchanged from November but missing expectations for 66.8 percent. Asian stock markets are traded higher, as traders react to U.S. President Donald Trump's speech at the World Economic Forum, where he ruled out the use of military force to take control of Greenland. Concerns about a tariff war between the U.S. and Europe also subsided after Trump said he would not go forward with the tariffs he threatened to impose on several European nations. Trump had announced reaching a Greenland deal 'framework' with NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte. Crude oil prices gained as traders assessed Trump's speech at the World Economic Forum, where he sought negotiations on the U.S. bid to acquire Greenland. West Texas Intermediate crude for March delivery was up $0.10 or 0.17 percent at $60.46 per barrel. In the Asian trading today, the Australian dollar rose to more than 1-1/2-year high of 108.03 against the yen and a 9-month high of 1.7174 against the euro, from yesterday's closing quotes of 107.04 and 1.7280, respectively. If the aussie extends its uptrend, it is likely to find resistance around 110.00 against the yen and 1.70 against the euro. Against the U.S., the Canada and the New Zealand dollars, the aussie advanced to more than a 1-year high of 0.6811, nearly a 3-year high of 0.9409 and a 3-year high of 0.9409 from Wednesday's closing quotes of 0.6761, 0.9355 and 1.1572, respectively. On the upside, 0.69 against the greenback, 0.95 against the loonie and 1.17 against the kiwi are seen as the next resistance levels for the aussie. Looking ahead, Canada new housing price index for December, U.S. GDP Growth Rate for the third quarter, U.S weekly jobless claims, U.S. core PCE prices for the third quarter, personal income and spending data for November, U.S. Kansas Fed manufacturing index for January and U.S. EIA crude oil data are slated for release in the New York session. Copyright(c) 2026 RTTNews.com. All Rights Reserved Copyright RTT News/dpa-AFX 2026 AFX News Vancouver, British Columbia--(Newsfile Corp. - January 22, 2026) - Questcorp Mining Inc. (CSE: QQQ) (OTCQB: QQCMF) (FSE: D910) (the "Company" or "Questcorp") along with its partner Riverside Resources Inc. (TSXV: RRI) (OTCQB: RVSDF) (FSE: 5YY0) ("Riverside"), is pleased to report a high grade interval of 20.2 g/t gold and 226 g/t silver with 2.7% zinc over a 30 m long continuous chip channel sample along the decline wall at the Union Mine area, completed during the 2025 Phase I exploration and drill program at the La Union Project in Sonora, Mexico. The Company is also releasing the remaining results from the drill program following up on the 2026-Jan-12 News Release of initial results. Final Highlights of the Phase 1 Drill and Exploration Program Chip channel sampling oblique to strike along the decline wall at the Union Mine returned 30 m @ 20 g/t gold and 226 g/t silver (600 gram-metres gold and 6780 gram-metres silver) suggesting significant mineralization remains in place. Drilling at the Union Mine, Union Norte, and El Cobre target areas hit Carbonate Replacement Deposit (CRD) style of mineralization with favorable indications, including anomalous levels of zinc, silver, gold, and lead, consistent with previous mining and positive for the program. This compliments the comparable results from Famosa and Famosa EM target reported earlier. Indications of possible Carlin-like sediment-hosted gold indicators in the upper parts of the Union Mine drilling, indicate a potential disseminated gold target on the property, complimenting the Luis Hill target where the one drill hole intersected a sediment-hosted gold target with 42 m at 0.3 g/t gold in black shales and carbonate strata similar to Carlin Nevada style. "We are extremely pleased with the success of our initial Phase I drilling and chip channel sampling at La Union. The drilling and exploration continue to support the CRD model envisaged by John-Mark Staude and his team at Riverside. The unexpected Luis Hill discovery of "Carlin" type gold mineralization further enhances the productivity of the La Union project. We see flashing green to continue forward with our exploration journey," said Saf Dhillon, President & CEO of Questcorp. "Riverside is excited by the high grade of 600 gram-metres gold and 6,780 gram-metres silver represented by the 30 metres of continuous chip channel sampling from the Union Mine area," said John-Mark Staude, President and CEO of Riverside Resources. "These results, together with the completed Phase 1 drill assays from Union Mine, Union Norte and El Cobre, reinforce that drilling is intersecting the types of CRD-style alteration and multi-element signatures we were targeting, including anomalous zinc, silver, gold and lead consistent with the historic mining district and also finding sediment-hosted gold ("SHGD") indicators is a key development in progressing the Union Project and supports the technical rationale for aggressive follow-up work in 2026." Chip Channel Sampling, Union Mine Area Chip channel sampling along the decline wall at the Union Mine returned high grade gold and supports follow-up exploration, with the potential to drill from the upper most mine workings or from surface to expand upon the 30 m at 20 g/t gold and 226 g/t silver zone. Table 1 discloses the full assay results of the gossan oxides with high grade zinc as is typical of CRDs in the region. The type deposit in the region is Hermosa's South32 Taylor Deposit in southernmost Arizona near the Sonora border immediately north of the Union Project hosting probable reserves of 65Mt 4.35% zinc, 4.90% lead and 82 g/t silver and measured and indicated resources of 124Mt 3.66% zinc, 4.02% lead and 73 g/t silver. Hermosa South32 is currently investing $2.6 billion to develop the Hermosa Project. Sources: South32 2025 Annual Report; https://south32hermosa.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/S32_Hermosa-Project-Overview-EN_050125-Web-1.pdf. Table 1. Chip Channel Sample Results from Union Mine Decline 30 meter continuous chip channel sampling interval Union Mine Adit SampleID SampleType Width_m RockType Au_ppm Ag_ppm Zn_% As_ppm Cu_ppm Pb_ppm RRI 13959 Chip Channel 3 Gossan oxides of CRD Dolomite 0.161 33 3.21 358 392 467 RRI 13961 Chip Channel 3 Gossan oxides of CRD Dolomite 0.048 5 3.53 619 1160 171 RRI 13962 Chip Channel 3 Gossan oxides of CRD Dolomite 11.57 55 2.8 3420 1080 2840 RRI 13963 Chip Channel 3 Gossan oxides of CRD Dolomite 6 1083 2.31 >5000 1030 759 RRI 13964 Chip Channel 3 Gossan oxides of CRD Dolomite 12.75 610 4.06 >5000 2160 722 RRI 13965 Chip Channel 3 Gossan oxides of CRD Dolomite 0.159 107 2.25 >5000 1630 1190 RRI 13966 Chip Channel 3 Gossan oxides of CRD Dolomite 1.115 197 4.35 >5000 426 1020 RRI 13967 Chip Channel 3 Gossan oxides of CRD Dolomite 0.282 50 0.7 >5000 61 242 RRI 13968 Chip Channel 3 Gossan oxides of CRD Dolomite 14.73 66 3.11 >5000 2040 2650 RRI 13969 Chip Channel 3 Gossan oxides of CRD Dolomite 155.41 54 0.4 4330 214 2660 Total Amounts 30 Total Grams over 30 m = 202 2257 26720 Interval 30 m @ 20.2g Au, 226 g Ag, 2.7% Zn Table 1: Full 30m channel sampling results with the interval. For reference, using a 24 m continuous subset of the channel interval, the average weighted grade is 25 g/t gold and 290 g/t silver. The sampling is oblique to strike. The Union Mine cross section (Figure 1) shows holes 1 and 8 along with the gold-rich channel sampling results, providing context for the 30 m gold-silver-zinc interval relative to some of the known ore bodies. Areas for follow-up and expansion at Union Mine area are clearly indicated to the right (southeast) in Figure 1 as the 2025 drilling has helped define the stratigraphy and highlighted areas of SHGD styles of mineralization similar to eastern Nevada. The bottom of hole 8 hit strong indications of CRD mineralization prior to intersecting the mine workings, as well as manto horizons along the drill hole with 15.85m @ 214 ppm Zn in dolomitized limestone. Drill hole 7, drilled north of holes 1 and 8 and the cross section hit 14m @ 0.1% Zn in the Union Mine area as well. Figure 1: Cross section through the Union Mine area showing Phase 1 drill holes (including holes 1 and 8), interpreted mine workings/ore zones, and the location of the continuous channel sample along the Union Mine decline wall. The section illustrates the spatial relationship between the high-grade Au-Ag-Zn channel interval and nearby drill intercepts and provides geological context for potential follow-up targeting for both CRD and SHGD. To view an enhanced version of this graphic, please visit: https://images.newsfilecorp.com/files/10197/281197_44ef014414fe69cd_001full.jpg The second Union Mine cross section (Figure 2) shows the channel sampling along with the location of historic mining, highlighting areas with remaining CRD potential. Figure 2: Cross section of the Union underground sampling and some of the orebodies previously mined that could have remaining potential as CRD targets for next round of follow up. To view an enhanced version of this graphic, please visit: https://images.newsfilecorp.com/files/10197/281197_44ef014414fe69cd_002full.jpg Phase 1 Drill and Exploration Program Highlights The location of all 12 drill holes from the 2025 Phase I programs are shown in the drill plan (Figure 3), with the channel sampling area and the Union Mine, Union Norte and El Cobre target areas highlighted. Figure 3: Union project drill hole locations for 1600m with 12 total holes in Phase 1 program with Questcorp and Riverside working together during 2025 exploration program. To view an enhanced version of this graphic, please visit: https://images.newsfilecorp.com/files/10197/281197_44ef014414fe69cd_003full.jpg While the results from the Famosa Targets and Luis Hill were disclosed in the 2026-Jan-12 News Release, Table 2 discloses the full results from the 2025 program, with the previously drilled holes highlighted in yellow. Hole 3 is not shown as it is aborted early due to poor drilling conditions, it was redrilled as hole 6 to test and hit mineralization in the target area initially planned for hole 3. Further drilling at Union Norte can be pursued and is recommended for both CRD and SDHG targets. Target Hole ID From To Width g/t Au g/t Ag ppm Pb ppm Zn Union Mine UND25-001 64.8 65.6 0.8 227 UND25-001 68.75 77.8 9.05 116 UND25-001 133.05 134.2 1.15 179 1148 El Cobre UND25-002 86.5 87.65 1.15 568 743 UND25-002 148.5 149.95 1.45 749 2262 Famosa Mine UND25-004 19.1 34 14.9 120 141 UND25-005 35.05 46 10.95 0.066 3.34 102 61 including 39.1 40.95 1.85 0.354 13.40 485 243 Union Norte UND25-006 47.5 49 1.5 0.382 1.10 130 186 Union Mine UND25-007 139 141 2 0.084 1.20 398 537 UND25-007 146.85 147.9 1.05 175 UND25-007 152.2 166.2 14 0.018 0.96 70 1004 including 154.75 156.7 1.95 1512 including 161.65 163.15 1.5 2778 UND25-008 66.5 82.35 15.85 223 Luis Hill UND25-009 64.95 66.95 2 0.299 18.60 53 24 UND25-009 95.8 97.8 2 0.411 26.90 58 43 UND25-009 198.25 241.25 43 0.276 0.71 25 87 including 211.8 217.8 6 0.852 0.69 29 100 including 228.3 232.9 4.6 0.466 0.78 13 63 UND25-009 273.95 275 1.05 0.183 12.20 4680 3490 UND25-009 287.55 289.55 2 0.114 0.60 48 37 Famosa EM UND25-010 39.5 87.45 47.95 90 Famosa Mine UND25-010 146.4 148.05 1.65 0.135 0.25 2 17 UND25-011 11.5 23.35 11.85 0.018 13.09 224 157 UND25-012 9.65 25.8 16.15 0.031 3.65 138 124 including 12.9 16.9 4 0.084 6.60 398 287 Table 2: Full 2025 assay interval results from the 2025 Phase I drill program. Note: all intervals are down hole widths as true width is unknown at this time. Union Mine Target Detail Union Mine, with CRD in past oxide operations, had three holes drilled this round (UND25-1, 7, 8). Drilling intersected zinc in the right types of alteration for the CRD, with the holes ending in the old underground workings. Follow-up drilling will be completed to better test these precious and base metal zones and particularly the SHGD potential as well. Luis Hill Target Detail (Previously Announced 2026-Jan-12) Hole 9 was drilled vertically in the southern part of the Luis Hill target, a large 1,500 m by 500 m magnetic high. Although the hole did not intersect an obvious large magnetic source, it cut several magnetic dioritic dikes, which may be related to a deeper and larger magnetic body, likely an intermediate-composition intrusion. The discovery interval comprises gold hosted in siliceously replaced, jasperoid-like dolomite and silica-flooded black shale, which is comparable to some sediment-hosted gold deposits in Nevada (Carlin Deposits, USGS Prof. Paper 1267, 1985). This represents a new finding for this part of Sonora and is significant for both the property and the region, as it indicates potential for previously unrecognized sediment-hosted gold within one of Mexico's most prolific gold belts, the Sonora Gold Belt (also referred to as the Megashear Gold Belt in past scientific studies). Folding and Basin and Range block faulting are expected to bring the mineralized formations closer to surface, supporting additional drilling in H1 2026 within the magnetic target area. Riverside and Questcorp believe Luis Hill has the potential to become a major new discovery in Mexico. The new discovery at Luis Hill identified previously unrecognized Carlin-like, sediment-hosted gold mineralization in black shales and carbonate strata, returning 0.3 g/t gold over 42 m, with results to date indicating sulfides, mineralization styles, and intrusions consistent with a carbonate-hosted metal system. The 42 m interval comprises 23 assay intervals ranging from 0.45 m to 2 m in width, with gold values from 0.005 g/t to 1.31 g/t; fifteen intervals returned greater than 0.1 g/t Au, including three intervals exceeding 0.5 g/t Au. This type of thick continuity is new for this part of Sonora, while further east the Santa Gertrudis mine produced 671K oz of gold and has indicated open pit resources of 19.27Mt @ 0.91 g/t Au for 563K oz gold, inferred open pit resources of 9.82Mt @ 1.36 g/t for 429K oz gold and inferred underground resources of 9.02Mt @ 3.44 g/t gold for 1.004M oz gold in siltstone, shale and carbonate sediment. Sources: Production: https://miningdataonline.com/property/1718/Santa-Gertrudis-Project.aspx, Resources: Agnico Eagle Mines Limited Detailed Mineral Reserve and Mineral Resource Data as of December 31, 2024. The geochemistry from the gold intercepts associated with shale horizons at Luis Hill are plotted in (Figure 4) and illustrate the relationship between gold and argillite-hosted horizons. This indicates that Luis Hill is not CRD mineralization; instead, it represents an SHGD-style system This indicates that Luis Hill is not CRD mineralization; instead, it represents an SHGD-style system: To view an enhanced version of this graphic, please visit: https://images.newsfilecorp.com/files/10197/281197_44ef014414fe69cd_004full.jpg Figure 3: Gold with high Al + K + Na, meaning not with the dolomite and limestone for the sediment-hosted gold aspects like Nevada. Carlin geochemistry for the Luis Hill Hole 9. Table for Phase 1 Drilling Union Project H2, 2025 All Holes, 162 5 m total Hole _lD East ing Northing Elevat ion Azimuth Dip Total Depth Target UND25-001 376043 3347225 358.66 131 -50 198.25 Union Mine UND25-002 375606 3347813 381.37 65 -50 201.30 El Cobre UND25-003 376048 3347598 378.34 65 -50 25.90 Union Norte UND25-004 375137 3344629 360.47 110 -70 129.35 Famosa Mine UND25-005 375146 3344578 362.35 92 -70 104 .80 Famosa Mine UND25-006 376099 3347627 389.13 100 -80 118.45 Union Norte UND25-007 376199 3347156 355.46 280 -80 166.20 Union Mine UND25-008 376111 3347136 369.34 125 -80 128.10 Union Mine UND25-009 375261 3347551 400.64 0 -90 292 .80 Luis Hill UND25-010 374941 3344765 363.95 90 -70 161.60 Famosa EM UND25-011 375171 3344608 362.45 90 -85 51.00 Famosa Mine UND25-012 375171 3344608 362.45 90 -90 47.25 Famosa Mine Table 3: Complete drill collar information. The drill results from the unshaded holes are being released today and include results from the Union Mine, Union Norte and El Cobre. The yellow-colored holes were announced 2026-Jan-12. Geological Model and Strategy The H2 2025 Phase I program was designed to test primary areas of historical mining and key magnetic targets. The program followed the geological model of the South32 Taylor deposit in southern Arizona. Drilling intersected gold, zinc, and silver indications consistent with vectors toward a major discovery. Furthermore, the sediment-hosted gold style found at Luis Hill is comparable to Nevada's carbonate platform geology, making it an intriguing new development area for the Union Project. Sampling Procedures and QA/QC Core was logged, saw-cut, and half-core samples were shipped for analysis. Samples from the first eight holes were delivered to Bureau Veritas (Hermosillo, Sonora) for gold fire assay, with pulps forwarded to Vancouver, Canada for Inductively Coupled Plasma-Mas Spectrometry ("ICP-MS") following four-acid digestion to determine silver, base metals, and pathfinders. Samples from the final four holes were shipped to ACT Labs Zacatecas, where preparation, gold assay, and multi-element ICP are completed in Mexico. The final 4 holes of the program were shipped to ACT Labs where they were similarly assayed using the same processing methods but with their initial preparation and assaying completed in Zacatecas, Mexico using the same ICP and gold fire assay methods. The change in lab halfway through the program was due to assay turn around issues. Samples were maintained in chain of custody being delivered to the laboratory in sealed bags. Remaining half-cores are retained for reference. Standards were inserted every 20 samples and blanks every 100 samples. The laboratory also duplicated every 20 samples as an additional check on quality control. The QA/QC was analyzed with a check for any variations in the standards beyond 2 standard deviations and the standards passed. Next Steps With the interpretation and release of all assays, the Companies will work together on organizing the H1 2026 Phase 2 exploration program, building from the Phase I exploration results. Along with follow-up drilling, Phase 2 will likely include geophysics, geochemistry and mapping. The encouraging results at Union Mine and at Luis Hill warrant further significant exploration and drilling and will be the primary focus of the next phase of La Union exploration. The Companies are diligently working toward an expanded drill program for H1 2026, as all permits and access are in good standing. With the new data and targets ready to be further explored, the potential to immediately begin field work portions are in place for early this year. Qualified Person The technical content of the new release has been reviewed and approved by R. Tim Henneberry, P. Geo (British Columbia), a director of the company and a qualified person under National Instrument 43-101. The Union Agreement Questcorp currently holds an option to earn a 100% interest in the Union Project, on terms previously announced May 6, 2025. Questcorp and Riverside are aligned through Riverside's equity interest in Questcorp, which is initially 9.9% and may increase to 19.9% upon Questcorp satisfying the complete earn-in, with Riverside also retaining a 2.5% NSR royalty. About Questcorp Mining Inc. Questcorp Mining is engaged in the business of the acquisition and exploration of mineral properties in North America, with the objective of locating and developing economic precious and base metals properties of merit. The company holds an option to acquire an undivided 100-per-cent interest in and to mineral claims totaling 1,168.09 hectares comprising the North Island copper property, on Vancouver Island, B.C., subject to a royalty obligation. The company also holds an option to acquire an undivided 100-per-cent interest in and to mineral claims totaling 2,520.2 hectares comprising the La Union project located in Sonora, Mexico, subject to a royalty obligation. ON BEHALF OF THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS, Saf Dhillon President & CEO Certain statements in this news release are forward-looking statements, which reflect the expectations of management regarding completion of survey work at the North Island Copper project. Forward-looking statements consist of statements that are not purely historical, including any statements regarding beliefs, plans, expectations or intentions regarding the future. Such statements are subject to risks and uncertainties that may cause actual results, performance or developments to differ materially from those contained in the statements. No assurance can be given that any of the events anticipated by the forward-looking statements will occur or, if they do occur, what benefits the Company will obtain from them. Except as required by the securities disclosure laws and regulations applicable to the Company, the Company undertakes no obligation to update these forward-looking statements if management's beliefs, estimates or opinions, or other factors, should change. To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/281197 Source: Questcorp Mining Inc. Vancouver, British Columbia--(Newsfile Corp. - January 22, 2026) - Herbal Dispatch Inc. (CSE: HERB) (OTCID: LUFFF) (FSE: HA9) ("Herbal Dispatch" or the "Company") a leading cannabis e-commerce and distribution platform, is pleased to announce that it has completed a 298kg export of medical cannabis that is destined for the German medical cannabis market. The export was exported through Portugal to a new export relationship that is expected to provide strong revenue opportunities for the Company in 2026 and beyond. This marks the Company's inaugural shipment of medical cannabis to this European Union Good Manufacturing Practices (EU-GMP) licensed processor in Portugal. The Company anticipates multiple follow-on exports to this partner in the coming quarters. Following EU-GMP compliant processing in Portugal, the product is destined for Germany-the European Union's largest and most dynamic medical cannabis market, which saw record imports exceeding 140 tonnes in the first nine months of 2025 alone (with Q3 2025 reaching nearly 57 tonnes), driven by surging patient demand and an increased annual import quota to approximately 192.5 tonnes. Germany continues to lead Europe's medical cannabis sector, with rapid patient growth, record import volumes, and projected market expansion significantly in 2025-2026, driven by increasing demand for high-quality, compliant products. This strategic partnership positions Herbal Dispatch to capitalize on Germany's position as the EU's premier market for medical cannabis, offering substantial long-term growth potential through recurring exports and strengthened European supply chain access. "We are thrilled to achieve this milestone with our first export to our Portuguese partner, marking a key step in expanding our international footprint," said Philip Campbell, CEO of Herbal Dispatch. "Germany represents the most dynamic and largest medical cannabis opportunity in Europe, and we are excited about the future potential this new relationship unlocks. By leveraging euGMP processing in Portugal to supply this high-demand market, we anticipate building a robust, recurring revenue stream that will drive meaningful growth for the Company and deliver value to our shareholders in 2026 and beyond." ABOUT HERBAL DISPATCH INC. Herbal Dispatch Inc. (CSE: HERB) owns and operates leading cannabis e-commerce platforms in Canada, dedicated to providing top-quality cannabis and related products to informed consumers at affordable prices. The Company's flagship marketplace offers exclusive access to small-batch craft cannabis and a wide array of other products.For more information, please visit www.herbaldispatch.com or contact: CAUTIONARY NOTE REGARDING FORWARD-LOOKING INFORMATION Certain statements in this news release, including statements or information containing terminology such as "anticipate", "believe", "intend", "expect", "estimate", "may", "could", "will", and similar expressions constitute "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of applicable Canadian securities legislation. All statements, other than statements of historical fact, that address activities, events, or developments that the Company or a third party expect or anticipate will or may occur in the future, including the Company's future growth, results of operations, performance, and business prospects and opportunities are forward-looking statements. These forward-looking statements reflect the Company's current beliefs and are based on information currently available to the Company. These statements require the Company to make assumptions it believes are reasonable and are subject to inherent risks and uncertainties. Actual results and developments may differ materially from the anticipated results and developments discussed in the forward-looking statements as certain of these risks and uncertainties are beyond the Company's control. These risk factors are interdependent and the impact of any one risk or uncertainty on a particular forward-looking statement is not determinable. Examples of forward-looking statements in this news release and the key assumptions and risk factors involved in such statements include, but are not limited to, the retention of key individuals to promote the success of the Company's business, as well as market and investor participation. The successful execution of these initiatives is subject to a number of risks and uncertainties, including industry competition, and future customer demand for the Company's products, among others. Consequently, all of the forward-looking statements made in this news release are qualified by these cautionary statements and other cautionary statements or factors contained herein, and there can be no assurance that the actual results or developments will be realized or, even if substantially realized, that they will have the expected effects on the Company. These forwardlooking statements are made as of the date of this news release. Except as required by applicable securities legislation, the Company assumes no obligation to update publicly or revise any forward-looking statements to reflect subsequent information, events, or circumstances. THE CANADIAN SECURITIES EXCHANGE (THE "CSE") HAS NEITHER APPROVED NOR DISAPPROVED THE CONTENTS OF THIS NEWS RELEASE. NEITHER THE CSE NOR ITS MARKET REGULATOR (AS THAT TERM IS DEFINED IN THE POLICIES OF THE CSE) ACCEPTS RESPONSIBILITY FOR THE ADEQUACY OR ACCURACY OF THIS RELEASE. To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/281235 Source: Herbal Dispatch Inc. A consortium led by Amentum (NYSE: AMTM) has won a new contract to provide program management and technical solutions for planning and development of nuclear new build in the Netherlands. This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20260122647295/en/ A fuel storage pool at the Netherlands' existing nuclear power plant. (Image courtesy of Het Ministerie van Klimaat) The NEXUS-NL consortium, comprising Amentum, Arcadis, Tractebel, and NRG PALLAS, will work on the development of up to two new gigawatt-scale power plants to support the nation's strategies for decarbonization and energy security and will support the Nuclear Energy Organisation Netherlands (NEO NL), which will be established next month. Valued at a maximum of $207 million (180 million), the two-year framework agreement, with options for three additional one-year extensions, was awarded by the Ministry of Climate Policy and Green Growth. In the initial phase, the consortium will oversee site characterization, technology selection, and planning work scope for site enabling, utility connections and transportation links. "This award advances our strategy as a leader in gigawatt-scale nuclear new build around the world, based on our deep technical knowledge and unmatched expertise in program and project management," said Mark Whitney, president of Amentum's Energy Environment business. "Amentum will bring global project delivery expertise and apply our experience from complex nuclear infrastructure and new build programs in the U.S., Europe and the Middle East to support the Netherlands' nuclear power expansion plans." In a statement, the Dutch Ministry of Climate Policy and Green Growth said: "We are confident that the NEXUS-NL consortium can perform the role as Technical Support Organisation excellently due to its extensive expertise and experience, both in the international nuclear domain and in the Dutch context." Amentum will contribute its expertise in managing large nuclear new-build programs, including setting up a project management office, technology selection, design and engineering expertise and commercial and procurement strategies. Arcadis will focus on siting studies, conventional licensing, and permitting. Tractebel will bring its owner's engineering experience to define technical requirements for technology selection and will lead front-end engineering design studies. NRG PALLAS will offer specialized Dutch nuclear expertise from the PALLAS-reactor program, particularly on key interfaces between nuclear and conventional licensing. The Dutch government has identified nuclear energy as a key enabler of its policy to achieve climate neutrality in the energy supply by 2040. About Amentum Amentum is a global leader in advanced engineering and innovative technology solutions, trusted by the United States and its allies to address their most significant and complex challenges in science, security and sustainability. Our people apply undaunted curiosity, relentless ambition and boundless imagination to challenge convention and drive progress. Our commitments are underpinned by the belief that safety, collaboration and well-being are integral to success. Headquartered in Chantilly, Virginia, we have approximately 50,000 employees in more than 70 countries across all 7 continents. Visit us at www.amentum.com to learn how we advance the future together. Follow @Amentum_corp on X Follow Amentum on LinkedIn About Arcadis Arcadis is a leading global partner driving some of the most transformative projects of our time. We help clients make sustainable choices by combining digital innovation, human expertise, and future-focused skills across environment, energy, water, buildings, transport, and infrastructure sectors. Taking design, engineering, architecture and consultancy to the next level, we use data-driven insights to co-create environments that reflect our clients' business and stakeholder needs. With over 35,000 people, we unite global expertise to tackle challenges like climate, energy security and diversification, and livable cities, improving quality of life through our presence in 30+ countries. In 2024, we achieved 5.0 billion in gross revenues. Learn more at www.arcadis.com About Tractebel Tractebel is a global engineering and consulting company delivering integrated solutions for sustainable energy and built environment projects. Our expertise is trusted worldwide across multiple markets like nuclear, renewables, power gas, electrical grids, hydropower dams, water resources supply, desalination, complex high-tech buildings, transport infrastructures, and ports waterways. By connecting strategy, design, engineering, social environmental studies, project management and in-house digital applications, we partner with companies and public authorities to create a positive impact on people and planet. Backed by more than 150 years of experience, today Tractebel is a community of over 5,000 passionate experts across the globe, committed to ethical business and the fight against climate change. Tractebel is part of the ENGIE Group, a global reference in low-carbon energy and services. About NRG PALLAS At NRG PALLAS, we are committed to the health and well-being of people, enabling them to live longer and more vital lives. Advanced nuclear technology provides solutions that make breakthroughs possible in healthcare and clean, sustainable energy. With the PALLAS-reactor as the new centerpiece of our future-proof infrastructure, we ensure the safe availability of the entire nuclear cycle and promote nuclear technology for a better future. Forward-Looking Statements This press release contains or incorporates by reference statements by Amentum Holdings, Inc. (the "Company") that relate to future events and expectations and, as such, constitute "forward-looking statements" as that term is defined in the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 and other federal securities laws. These forward-looking statements may be characterized by terminology such as "believe," "project," "expect," "anticipate," "estimate," "forecast," "outlook," "target," "endeavor," "seek," "predict," "intend," "strategy," "plan," "may," "could," "should," "will," "would," "will be," "will continue," "will likely result," or the negative thereof or variations thereon or similar terminology generally intended to identify forward-looking statements. All statements, other than historical facts, including, but not limited to, statements regarding the anticipated work and revenue under the awarded contract, and the Company's objectives, expectations and intentions, applicable legal, economic and regulatory conditions, and any assumptions underlying any of the foregoing, are forward-looking statements. A number of important factors could cause actual results to differ materially from those contained in or implied by these forward-looking statements, including those factors discussed in our filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), including, among others: the occurrence of an accident or safety incident; the ability of the Company to control costs, meet performance requirements or contractual schedules; and other factors set forth under Item 1A, Risk Factors in our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended September 27, 2024, which can be found at the SEC's website at www.sec.gov or the Investor Relations portion of our website at www.amentum.com. Any forward-looking statement speaks only as of the date on which it is made, and the Company assumes no obligation to update or revise such statement, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, except as required by applicable law. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20260122647295/en/ Contacts: Media Contact: Stephen Brauner +44.7875.877120 stephen.brauner@global.amentum.com Investor Contact: Nathan Rutledge IR@amentum.com ~ Both companies are joining forces to spearhead the future of quality engineering and assurance through integration with Enterprise Architecture, powered by the EAS Essential platform~ LONDON, Jan. 22, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- UST, a leading AI and technology transformation solutions company, and Enterprise Solutions Ltd (EAS), provider of the Essential enterprise architecture platform, today announced a ground-breaking collaboration to modernize enterprise quality engineering. By integrating UST's GenAI-led testing platform, QE360, with Essential, organizations will be able to connect enterprise architecture intelligence directly to quality engineering delivery; using real architecture data (applications, integrations, business processes, data flows, and change initiatives) to identify testing blind spots, prioritize what matters most, and reduce the risk of production outages. The joint capability will enable enterprises to: Identify the testing scope clearly based on real system dependencies and business impact to change. based on real system dependencies and business impact to change. Prioritize effort where risk is highest (critical systems, key processes, fragile integrations) (critical systems, key processes, fragile integrations) Increase coverage and confidence while improving speed and cost efficiency. while improving speed and cost efficiency. Strengthen governance with traceability from change to test to outcomes. By combining their strengths, UST and EAS will help customers move from generic, one-size-fits-all testing to architecture-driven, risk-based testing - improving quality, accelerating releases, and reducing operational risk. Recognized by Gartner as the disruptor in the enterprise architecture tool arena, EAS has a storied history of innovation in the enterprise architecture space, both through its open-source Essential Project offering and the commercial Essential Cloud tool used by many Fortune 500 companies. Organizations using Essential Cloud have realized tangible business value by achieving outcomes such as rapid strategic alignment, significant technology cost optimization, improved regulatory visibility, and, in some cases, over 800% ROI within a year by enabling data-driven enterprise architecture visibility for decision-making. The GenAI-powered QE360 solution from UST offers a seamless experience of quick, smart, and reliable automated quality engineering capabilities, all while optimizing costs. With an initial focus on driving digital transformation, its thoughtfully designed features embody purposeful innovation, empowering engineers to enhance efficiency, improve resilience, reduce workload, and elevate the end-user experience to deliver superior outcomes for customers. It has demonstrated measurable impact across UST's customer landscape by accelerating test automation by up to 3x times, reducing costs by over 30%, and improving business-critical outcomes for search accuracy, conversion rates, and migration readiness. QE360 offers comprehensive capabilities tailored for digital enterprises and technologies, covering end-to-end testing needs. Together, UST and Enterprise Architecture Solutions will help clients across industries reinvent their testing strategy. This integration will introduce smart capabilities such as tailored user stories, automated test regression packs, scripted testing plans, and real-time analytics, all designed to support delivery teams in their work. By combining the strengths of both platforms, UST and EAS aim to provide a comprehensive suite of services that streamline end-to-end testing and improve overall project outcomes, with results so far, observed a 64% improvement in testing coverage, a 56% improvement in domain-specific accuracy and a 62% improvement in edge case detection. The synergy between UST's QE360 and EAS's Essential platform aims to redefine the benchmark for testing completeness and accuracy. Sajith Nambiar, Head of Solutions, UST, said, "UST continues to lead in Enterprise AI by delivering disruptive, AI-driven solutions tailored to the needs of global enterprises. Our partnership with EAS creates a unified, intelligence-driven ecosystem of UST QE360 and Essential Cloud that seamlessly connects enterprise architecture, business capability and AI powered quality engineering. Together, we enable organizations to dynamically align their strategy, architecture, user stories, and testing by unlocking AI-assisted predictive quality and integrated architecture lifecycle to define the next era of enterprise-scale transformation." John Mayall, Chief Executive Officer, Enterprise Architecture Solutions Ltd., stated, "Our collaboration with UST represents a key milestone in bringing together enterprise architecture and quality engineering practices. The combination of UST's QE360 platform with our EA framework-led Essential platform enables us to provide our clients unprecedented levels of testing insight and efficiency. This relationship not only strengthens our capacity to deliver excellent enterprise solutions, but it also demonstrates our commitment to drive industry innovation and excellence." This strategic alliance between UST and Enterprise Architecture has the potential to alter the way firms approach quality engineering as well as enterprise architecture. By uniting their talents, the two firms will be able to provide exceptional solutions that promote innovation, efficiency, and quality in a variety of domains. For more information, visit UST.com and Enterprise Architecture Solutions. About Enterprise Architecture: Since 2001, Enterprise Architecture Solutions (EAS) has helped organisations turn enterprise architecture into practical, measurable outcomes. Powered by a deep, proven information model and shaped by real-world, hands-on experience, our Essential platform enables teams to capture, connect and analyse the relationships that matter - from strategy and capabilities to processes, applications, data and technology. We work with clients and partners to move architecture from static documentation to day-to-day decision support: improving portfolio transparency, reducing cost and risk, accelerating change delivery, and strengthening governance. Flexible by design, Essential adapts to your operating model, whether you need a lightweight, accessible starting point or an enterprise-scale architecture management capability. With a global customer base spanning multiple sectors, EAS combines platform innovation with hands-on expertise to help clients build confidence in their decisions and deliver lasting value from their architecture investment. Media Contact, Enterprise Architecture: Jane Kingston jane.kingston@e-asolutions.com About UST Since 1999, UST has worked side by side with the world's best companies to make a powerful impact through transformation. Powered by technology, driven by AI, inspired by people, and led by our purpose, we partner with our clients from design to operation. Our AI-driven digital solutions, proprietary platforms, engineering, R&D, products, and innovation ecosystem turn core challenges into impactful, disruptive solutions. With deep industry knowledge and a future-ready mindset, we infuse expertise, innovation, and agility into our clients' organizations-delivering measurable value and positive lasting change for them, their customers, and communities around the world. Together, with 30,000+ employees in 30+ countries, we build for boundless impact-touching billions of lives in the process. Visit us at www.UST.com. Media Contacts, UST: Tinu Cherian Abraham +1 (949) 415-9857 Merrick Laravea +1 (949) 416-6212 Neha Misri +44 7733907820 Roshni Das K +91 7736795557 media.relations@ust.com Media Contacts, India: Adfactors PR ust@adfactorspr.com Media Contacts, U.S.: S&C PR +1-646.941.9139 media@scprgroup.com Makovsky ust@makovsky.com Media Contacts, U.K.: FTI Consulting UST@fticonsulting.com Media Contacts, Spain: Noizze Media Carmen Tapia / Ricardo Schell ctapia@noizzemedia.com / ricardo.schell@noizzemedia.com Logo: https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/1422658/UST_Logo.jpg View original content:https://www.prnewswire.co.uk/news-releases/ust-and-enterprise-architecture-solutions-eas-forge-strategic-partnership-to-revolutionize-integrated-quality-engineering-and-enterprise-architecture-services-302667867.html Fund II builds on a proven strategy of providing shareholder liquidity to high-growth tech companies founded by European and Israeli entrepreneurs, backed by a strong track record that includes Printify, Preply, and Chess.com. LONDON, Jan. 22, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- Flashpoint , a leading international technology investment firm focused on high-growth companies originating from Europe and Israel, today announced the first closing of its second dedicated direct secondaries fund, Flashpoint Direct Secondary Fund II, targeting US$75-100 million. 20 Limited Partners, including international family offices and high-net-worth individuals-many returning from the first fund-have committed to the Fund. This marks the firm's eighth overall fund. The new Fund addresses the growing need for liquidity in the maturing European-Israeli tech ecosystem. It will provide exit opportunities for early investors, employees, and founders of later-stage tech businesses, while also helping portfolio companies simplify their capital structure. Fund II builds on the success of Flashpoint Secondary Fund I, launched in 2021 and anchored by the Scheinberg family office. The predecessor fund demonstrated Flashpoint's ability to identify value in the secondary market, making ten investments, including: Preply , achieving unicorn status in late 2025, , achieving unicorn status in late 2025, Printify , reaching unicorn status in late 2024, , reaching unicorn status in late 2024, Category leaders such as Travelier, AirHelp, K2View, and Booksy. Beyond capital, Flashpoint has leveraged its deep market expertise to develop tools for the ecosystem, including a publicly available valuation tool that provides pricing estimates for shares in growth-stage private tech companies. The direct secondary strategy is led by Michael Szalontay, Co-founder and General Partner of Flashpoint, who brings a renowned track record in secondary transactions, including the successful investment in Chess.com, the world's premier online chess platform. Michael Szalontay , Co-founder and General Partner of Flashpoint, commented: "The success of our first direct secondary fund validated our thesis that there is a massive, underserved need for liquidity in our core markets. With Fund II, we are doubling down on our strategy of partnering with top later-stage companies and their shareholders. The opportunity for disciplined secondary investing in tech is uniquely compelling today." Lukas Harustiak , Partner at Flashpoint Direct Secondary, added: "Our approach to direct secondaries is rooted in building durable relationships with high-quality companies. Secondary capital can serve as a strategic tool-supporting cap table optimisation, employee incentive programs, and M&A financing. We aim to be constructive, aligned partners with management teams." Noam Toister, CEO & Co-Founder at Travelier, Flashpoint Secondary portfolio company: "We have known the Flashpoint Secondary team for a number of years prior to partnering. Since their first investment, they have become a valued partner, supporting the delivery of our employee incentivisation programme through multiple employee share buy-backs." View original content:https://www.prnewswire.co.uk/news-releases/strong-investor-demand-drives-first-close-for-flashpoints-second-direct-secondary-fund-targeting-us75-100m-302667739.html Key players confirmed to participate include RoundShield, ASG Iberia, Blasson, Bugatti International, Starwood Hotels and Giorgio Armani LONDON, Jan. 22, 2026, Europe's must-attend hospitality investment conference, today unveils the new BxRprogramme, which is a dedicated track focused on investment, development and strategy within the branded residences landscape. The full-day programme on 23 March, offers hospitality investment professionals an opportunity to explore the intersection of brand power, investment strategy and real estate innovation. IHIF EMEA takes place 23 - 25 March 2026 at the InterContinental and Pullman hotels in Berlin, Germany. Register here. The BxR programme is focused on branded residences as a standalone investment and development asset class, reflecting on the rapid growth of the sector across the region. The programme focuses on how branded residences work in practice, from developer strategies and brand selection to sales, contract negotiation and long-term operation via case studies and in-depth discussions focused on the opportunities and challenges. As pipelines expand and investor scrutiny increases, BxR EMEA brings together the people shaping the next phase of the market to share real insight and move from concept to execution. Attendees will gain insights from brokers, developers, marketers and brand representatives, including: Brian Betel, Global Head of Direct Assets, ASG Iberia Enrique Benjumea, Founder, Blasson Wiebke Stahl, Managing Director, Bugatti International Ina Plunien, Vice-President, Cedar Capital Partners Enrico Erba Springorum, Head of Branded Real Estate, Giorgio Armani Helena Amaral Neto, Managing Partner, Luxulting Mitra Ghamsari, Founder & CEO, Persepolis Investments Giovanni de Niederhausern, Senior Vice President, Architecture & Product Design, Pininfarina Lynn Villadolid, Strategy & Marketing, Proprietes & Co Philipp Henle, Managing Director - Hospitality, RoundShield Stephanie Segaux, Vice President - Development, EMEA, Starwood Hotels Richard Bursby, Partner, Taylor Wessing Additional speakers will be confirmed in the coming weeks. Learn more about BxR EMEA here. Olga Andreevskikh, Senior Conference Producer, IHIF EMEA said, "Branded residences have moved from niche to one of the most compelling investment opportunities in global real estate. With BxR EMEA, we're bringing together the developers, brands, and dealmakers who are actively shaping this market, not theorising about it. The quality of speakers, the depth of debate, and the appetite we're seeing reflect just how central branded living has become to the future of real estate and hospitality." IHIF EMEA 2026 offers specialised passes to attend. Options include: All Access Pass, Explorer Pass and Under 30 Pass. View the pass options hereand register here. For more information about IHIF EMEA 2026, visit https://www.ihifemea.com. To register for a media pass, email opremarketing@questex.com. For sponsorship opportunities, click here. Stay connected with IHIF EMEA on LinkedIn, X, Instagramand follow IHIFEMEA26. About IHIF EMEA The International Hospitality Investment Forum EMEA (IHIF EMEA) connects global capital to opportunity across EMEA's hospitality market. By uniting influential hospitality leaders from Europe, the Middle East, and Africa, IHIF EMEA aims to shape the future of the hospitality industry with three-days of content, networking, insights and deal-making. IHIF EMEA takes place 23 - 25 March 2026 at the InterContinental and Pullman hotels in Berlin. About Questex Questex fuels exceptional business connections-where every buyer and seller interaction matters. Through live events enriched with data insights and active year-round digital communities, we deliver measurable results. It happens here. Media Contacts Nav Kumararatne IHIF EMEA nkumararatne@questex.com Meryl Franzman IHIF EMEA mfranzman@questex.com Vancouver, BC, Jan. 22, 2026) ("Skyharbour", "SYH" or the "Company") is pleased to announce plans for a major 2026 exploration campaign spanning several of the newly-formed Russel Lake joint ventures with Denison Mines Corp. ("Denison") (TSX:DML) (NYSE American: DNN). Over 15,000 metres of diamond drilling is planned across the Wheeler North, RL, and Getty East joint ventures, each of which were formed following completion of the strategic transaction with Denison in December 2025 that resulted in a reorganization of the former Russell Lake uranium project into four separate property joint ventures (the "Russell Lake Joint Ventures"). Reorganization of the Russell Lake Project: https://www.skyharbourltd.com/_resources/images/Russell-Map-New.jpg The Russell Lake Joint Ventures are strategically located in the central portion of the eastern Athabasca Basin of northern Saskatchewan, to the east of Denison's flagship Wheeler River project, and with access to significant regional infrastructure, including an exploration camp, provincial highways, and the provincial power grid. Russell Lake Project Area Location Map: https://www.skyharbourltd.com/_resources/images/SKY_RussellLake.jpg Highlights of 2026 Exploration Plans: Immediate start to exploration at Denison-operated Wheeler North property with 2,500 metres planned for winter drilling at the Fox Lake Trail target, where previous drilling identified extensive faulting and intense illite- and dravite-dominated alteration, together with elevated uranium and boron geochemistry which confirms the presence of strong uranium-mineralizing hydrothermal systems. Additional 5,000 metres of drilling at the Wheeler North property's Fork and Sphinx target areas is planned for later in the year, intending to follow up on drilling from the last two years which confirmed prospective structures and/or uranium mineralization. Target generation and diamond drilling follow up planned for Skyharbour-operated RL property expected to consist of ground EM surveys and 4,000-5,000 metres of diamond drilling across several prospective targets. Ground geophysical surveys and approximately 3,600 metres of diamond drilling targeting the Little Mann Lake prospect area and priority targets along the extension of the mineralized Middle Lake Trend on the Getty East property. In total, over 15,000 metres of diamond drilling planned in 2026 across newly reorganized properties at the Russell Lake Joint Ventures. Jordan Trimble, President and CEO of Skyharbour, stated: "2026 is set to be a transformative year for Skyharbour and the upcoming commencement of drilling at the recently formed Russell Lake joint ventures represents a key near-term catalyst. The planned +15,000-metre, multi-phased drill campaign at Russell is a substantial increase to previous annual drilling programs as we accelerate exploration efforts together with our new funding-partner, Denison, using systematic and proven exploration methodologies. We are confident that this collaboration with Denison will expedite the discovery process and leverage Denison's success in exploring, permitting, and developing the neighboring Wheeler River Project, where the high-grade Phoenix deposit is positioned to become the next new large-scale uranium mine built in the region since the Cigar Lake mine." Mr. Trimble continued: "The Russell Lake Joint Ventures encompass one of the largest and most prospective land packages in the Athabasca Basin region, with a combination of proximity to existing and developing mines, as well as low-cost drilling and relatively shallow target depths. Combined with our recently announced plans for drilling in 2026 at our adjacent Moore Project, as well as at our Preston Project JV and various other partner-funded projects, the Company will have consistent news flow throughout 2026. With over 30,000 metres of diamond drilling anticipated across Skyharbour's project portfolio in 2026, we believe the Company offers unique and significant discovery optionality." Wheeler North Property Plans: Wheeler North consists of 16,409 hectares over eight claims that host numerous prospective exploration targets located adjacent to the Wheeler River Project. Ownership is initially 51% Skyharbour and 49% Denison, with Denison serving as the operator and holding additional earn-in options to achieve up to a 70% ownership interest. At Wheeler North, Denison is planning an exploration program comprising approximately 13 diamond drill holes totalling approximately 7,500 metres this year. The work is expected to be sole funded by Denison pursuant to its earn-in options, and is set to commence shortly with a focus on three high-priority target areas: Fork, Sphinx, and Fox Lake Trail ("FLT"). At the Fork Zone, previous drilling by Skyharbour confirmed the presence of high-grade uranium mineralization, including the high-grade intersection in drill hole RSL24-02, which returned 3.0% U 3 O 8 over 0.5 metres. Drilling in 2025 identified a broad corridor of intense sandstone and basement alteration associated with favourable geochemistry along strike to the north of hole RSL24-02. Drilling planned for 2026 will focus on systematically testing this intense alteration corridor with the objective of expanding the known mineralized footprint at the Fork Target. To the northwest of the Fork Zone, the Sphinx target area has emerged as a newly identified, high-priority target area, which is located approximately one kilometre from Denison's Phoenix deposit. Inaugural drilling completed in 2025 intersected a faulted graphitic unit in the basement, confirming the presence of a prospective reactivated structural corridor at Sphinx. The projected unconformity intersection of this structure is considered a priority follow-up target, with additional drilling planned to test this setting along strike. At the Fox Lake Trail ("FLT") Zone, drilling in 2025 by Skyharbour intersected strong hydrothermal alteration associated with uranium-mineralizing systems, including intense sandstone desilicification, brecciation, fracturing, elevated boron values, and widespread illite- and dravite-dominant clay alteration. Notably, drill hole RSL25-03A intersected a strongly altered sandstone fault zone with boron values up to 5,360 ppm, while RSL25-02 intersected anomalous basement-hosted uranium within a faulted graphitic unit, collectively indicating proximity to a fertile uranium-bearing structural corridor. A focused follow-up program of three to four drill holes is planned to commence in winter 2026, with contingency drill targets available on additional untested conductors within the FLT area. RL Property Plans: The RL property covers 53,192 hectares over 16 claims located north and west of Skyharbour's adjacent Moore Project. Skyharbour owns an 80% interest and is the project operator while Denison owns 20% and has committed to funding its share of the next $10 million in exploration expenditures on the property. The property hosts numerous exploration target areas, including Christie Lake, Blue Steel, Taylor Bay, South Russell, and Kowalchuk Lake. Skyharbour is carrying out electromagnetic ("EM") surveys to further refine and prioritize targets along prospective structural corridors and underexplored conductors. This work will be followed by targeted diamond drilling of approximately 4,000 to 5,000 metres this year in 10-14 drill holes, designed to test high-priority targets generated from the integration of historical datasets, recent drilling results, and new geophysical interpretations. Getty East Property Plans: Getty East consists of one claim covering 3,105 hectares and hosts the Little Mann Lake uranium zone, as well as the interpreted extension of the Middle Lake trend. Skyharbour owns 70% of the property and will initially act as operator. Denison has an initial 30% ownership interest, and holds additional earn-in options to acquire up to a 70% interest in the project, as well as the right to become the project operator. The work planned for 2026 is expected to be sole funded by Denison pursuant to its earn-in options. Skyharbour is planning approximately 16.2 line-kilometres of ground MLTDEM surveying to better define priority conductive corridors associated with the interpreted extension of the Middle Lake trend. Historical drilling on this trend, located to the south of the Getty East property, returned high-grade uranium mineralization, including 22.1% U 3 O 8 over 0.9 metres in drill hole ML-30. The geophysical survey is expected to be followed up by approximately 3,600 metres of diamond drilling in about 10 drill holes to test targets generated from the new geophysics and supported by historical drilling results. Overview of Recent Skyharbour Exploration Programs at Russell: Skyharbour recently drilled 19 holes totalling 9,844 metres, together with Moving Loop and Fixed Loop Transient Electromagnetic (TEM) surveys completed across multiple priority target areas within the original Russell Lake project area. This exploration focused on advancing several high-priority targets, including the Fork Zone, M-Zone Extension, Fox Lake Trail, and the newly identified Sphinx target area. Denison and Skyharbour plan to follow-up on the findings of the previously exploration at Russell with the 2026 programs. First Phase of Exploration: In the first phase, 8 diamond drill holes totalling 4,124 metres, were completed with 6 of these holes drilled at the newly identified Fork Zone to follow up on the high-grade mineralization intersected in previously reported hole RSL24-02. The remaining 2 holes were drilled at the M-Zone Extension, targeting historical ground EM anomalies. The Fork Zone was discovered in 2024 and is host to the best uranium mineralization intercepted to date at the Russell Lake project. The highlight results included high-grade unconformity-hosted mineralization intercepted in previously reported RSL24-02, which returned 3.0% U 3 O 8 over 0.5 metres within a broader 2.5-metre interval averaging 0.72% U 3 O 8 at a relatively shallow depth of 338.1 metres. Prior to 2024, the Fork Target had seen minimal historical exploration due to the lack of reliable ground geophysical data, primarily caused by interference from the nearby powerline. Sphinx and Fork Target Areas - Drill Collar Map: http://www.skyharbourltd.com/_resources/images/Sphinx-and-Fork-Target-Areas-Drill-Collar-Map-0005.jpg Hole RSL24-12 at the Fork Zone intersected 0.17% U 3 O 8 over 0.5 metres from 337.8 to 338.3 metres at the unconformity. Anomalous As, Ni, Pb, V, Zn, and B were intersected, in addition to weak uranium mineralization from 330.0 metres until the unconformity at 338.3 metres. Basement geochemistry returned anomalous uranium within altered and structurally disrupted graphitic metasediments. RSL24-12 tested for continuity of mineralization encountered in RSL24-02 to the SSW but the optimum target at the unconformity was undershot thereby warranting further drilling here. Holes RSL24-11, -13, -14, -15, and -16 all intersected anomalous pathfinder elements at the Fork Zone associated with the hanging wall of the structure in graphitic basement lithologies, in addition to anomalous uranium ranging from 11.8 (partial) to 150 (partial) ppm U. Fork Target Area - Drill Collar Map: http://www.skyharbourltd.com/_resources/images/Fork-Target-Area-Drill-Collar-Map-0002.jpg The MZE ("M-Zone Extension") target lies on trend from Denison's Wheeler River Project M-Zone, where historical drilling intersected basement and unconformity-hosted uranium mineralization. More recent drilling by Denison in 2020 at the M-Zone encountered additional uranium mineralization, along with significant faulting, core loss, geochemical anomalies, and radioactivity. The mineralization at M-Zone is hosted by a graphitic thrust fault within a significant magnetic low, which continues onto the Russell Lake property area at the M-Zone Extension target. It is also noted that lineaments (cross structures) associated with Denison's Phoenix and Gryphon uranium deposits trend onto the Russell Lake property within the M-Zone Extension target area, further enhancing the prospectivity of this target. Hole RSL24-17 was drilled to follow up on a 2024 hole at the MZE Zone that was lost in structurally disrupted and altered sandstone before reaching its target. RSL24-17 similarly encountered intense structure and alteration in the sandstone and was lost before intersecting the basement. Hole RSL24-18 intersected moderate hydrothermal hematite within the basal sandstone, and strong shearing locally overprinted by well-developed fault breccia and gouge within the basement. Anomalous uranium was intersected within fractured and altered granitic lithologies. In addition to the drilling above, focused ground geophysical programs were completed over the Fork, Sphinx and Fox Lake Trail targets within the central and northern portions of the Russell Lake project area. The surveys across the Fork-Sphinx areas identified a series of previously unrecognized conductive anomalies, including four sub-parallel conductors at the Fork area, at least one conductive trend at Sphinx, and an additional parallel trend located between the Fork and Sphinx trends, now referred to as the McGowan trend. All of these conductors were virtually untested prior to the work in 2025. At the Fox Lake Trail area, the survey delineated four parallel conductive trends, of which only two had been drill tested prior to 2025, as earlier surveys failed to adequately resolve these features. Second Phase of Exploration: The second phase of drilling comprised of 11 drill holes totaling 5,720 metres, targeting the newly identified, high-priority conductors while also expanding on the successful 2024 discovery at the Fork Zone. Fork is now understood to be a northeast-southwest-trending structural corridor that runs sub-parallel to the historical Grayling Zone and remains largely underexplored. The northern strike extension of the Fork Trend, together with multiple parallel conductive trends to the west, remain virtually untested and represent high-priority targets for follow-up drilling. Of the 11 holes in the second phase, 6 holes totaling 2,397 metres were completed at the Fork Zone. Hole RSL24-12W1 intersected 2.0 metres averaging 0.28% U 3 O 8 , including 0.5 metres of 0.68% U 3 O 8 southwest of hole RSL24-02, confirming continuity along and across strike. A four-hole fence (RSL25-05, -08, -09, and -10) drilled approximately 325 metres north of RSL24-02 tested newly defined, parallel EM conductors located approximately 500 metres west of the historical Grayling showing. These conductors were untested prior to Skyharbour's 2025 drilling. Holes RSL25-05, -08, and -10 intersected intense sandstone-hosted faulting with bleaching, desilicification, core loss, and clay alteration locally including visible dravite. Hole RSL25-09 intersected a graphitic basement fault zone and clay analyses confirmed illite-dominant alteration with local dravite, consistent with fertile uranium systems in the Athabasca Basin. An additional hole, RSL25-06, drilled approximately 330 metres SSW of RSL24-02, intersected granitic basement and did not explain the EM response. Further drilling in the area is required to adequately test this target with plans in 2026 to do so. The faulting and associated alteration encountered in RSL25-05, -08, -09, and -10 represent the strongest structural and hydrothermal alteration intensity identified at the Fork Zone to date. This alteration system remains unconstrained along strike in both directions and across strike to the west, highlighting significant upside potential which has already produced grades of up to 3% U 3 O 8 at the target area. Skyharbour also completed a single drill hole, RSL25-07A, to test a newly identified ground EM conductor at the Sphinx target, representing the first drill test of this target. Sphinx is located approximately one kilometre southeast of the Phoenix deposit on the Wheeler River Project. The hole confirmed the EM anomaly as a faulted and altered graphitic pelite unit, intersected approximately 140 metres below the unconformity. The graphitic fault zone shows evidence of post-Athabasca reactivation and is associated with pervasive bleaching, supporting the interpretation of a structurally fertile system. Geochemical sampling from RSL25-07A returned elevated uranium and associated pathfinder elements within faulted and graphitic intervals. PIMA analysis identified illite-dominant clay alteration in the sandstone and illite-chlorite alteration in the basement, indicating a well-developed hydrothermal system. Together, these results support the interpretation of a reactivated, structurally focused uranium-fertile corridor at Sphinx. With only one drill hole completed to date and the target located proximal to the Phoenix deposit, Sphinx remains a high-priority target for follow-up drilling planned in 2026. Furthermore, Skyharbour completed 4 drill holes at the Fox Lake Trail area, located at the northern end of the Russell Lake project area. The drilling tested two of the recently defined conductors by the 2025 ground EM survey within a broad conductive corridor that has seen limited historical drilling with sporadic uranium mineralization and favourable hydrothermal alteration. Fox Lake Trail Target Area - Drill Collar Map: http://www.skyharbourltd.com/_resources/images/Fox-Lake-Trail-Target-Area-Drill-Collar-Map_rev-0003.jpg Holes RSL25-02, RSL25-03A, and RSL25-04 tested the strike extension of the same conductive trend, while hole RSL25-01 tested a parallel conductive target to the southeast. The two drill fences are spaced approximately 800 metres apart. Holes RSL25-03A and RSL25-04 encountered the strongest hydrothermal alteration observed at Fox Lake Trail to date, including brecciation and significant quartz dissolution, while hole RSL25-02 intersected anomalous basement-hosted uranium of 250 ppm U over 0.5 metres within a faulted graphitic unit. Clay analysis confirmed illite- and dravite-dominant alteration. These conductive trends remain largely underexplored along strike, with an additional priority target identified through reinterpretation of historical EM data between the two drill fences, supporting continued follow-up exploration at Fox Lake Trail. Drilling will commence shortly at this target area. Summary of Russell Lake Joint Ventures: The Russell Lake Joint Ventures encompass a large, advanced-stage uranium exploration land package totalling 73,314 hectares in the eastern Athabasca Basin of northern Saskatchewan. The properties are strategically positioned between Cameco's Key Lake and McArthur River operations and immediately east of Denison's Wheeler River Project. Following the completion of a major strategic transaction with Denison in 2025, the former Russell Lake project was restructured into four separate joint venture uranium properties: RL, Wheeler North, Getty East, and Wheeler River Inliers. Each property is subject to its own joint venture agreement with operatorship divided between the partners. Skyharbour is the operator at the RL Claims and Getty East, and Denison is the operator at Wheeler North and the Wheeler River Inliers. In aggregate, the strategic transaction included total project consideration of up to C$61.5 million with Skyharbour retaining an 80% interest at RL while Denison can earn up-to 70% at each of the other properties. The Russell Lake Joint Ventures benefit from excellent regional infrastructure, with the northern extension of Highway 914 traversing the western portion of the land package and a high-voltage provincial powerline running parallel to the road. Across the joint ventures, there are numerous high-priority exploration targets including the Grayling, Fork, Little Mann Lake, Christie Lake, Fox Lake Trail, Sphinx, Blue Steel, Taylor Bay, South Russell, and Kowalchuk Zones. In addition, more than 35 kilometres of largely untested prospective electromagnetic conductors occur across the joint venture properties, highlighting the substantial discovery potential. QA/QC, Radiometric Equivalent Grades and Spectrometer Readings: All drill intervals above are downhole length and sampling procedures and QA/QC protocols for geochemical results as well as a description of downhole gamma probe grade calculations and protocols are below. All drill core samples are shipped to the Saskatchewan Research Council Geoanalytical Laboratories (SRC) in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan under the care of Skyharbour personnel for preparation, processing, and multi-element analysis by ICP-MS and ICP-OES using total (HF:NHO3:HClO4) and partial digestion (HNO3:HCl), boron by fusion, and U 3 O 8 wt% assay by ICP-OES using higher grade standards. Assay samples are chosen based on downhole probing radiometric equivalent uranium grades and scintillometer (Radiation Solutions RS-125) peaks. Assay sample intervals comprise 0.5 metre continuous half-core split samples over the mineralized interval. These samples may also be selected for density determination using Rock Density by Dry Bulk Method (wax-coated displacement method). With all assay samples, one half of the split sample is retained and the other sent to the SRC for analysis. The SRC is an ISO/IEC 17025/2005 and Standards Council of Canada certified analytical laboratory. Blanks, standard reference materials, and repeats are inserted into the sample stream at regular intervals by Skyharbour and the SRC in accordance with Skyharbour's quality assurance/quality control (QA/QC) procedures. Geochemical assay data are subject to verification procedures by qualified persons employed by Skyharbour prior to disclosure. During active exploration programs, drillholes are radiometrically logged using calibrated downhole Mount Sopris HLP-2375 or 2GHF probes of varying sensitivities, which collect continuous readings along the length of the drillhole. Preliminary radiometric equivalent uranium grades ("eU 3 O 8 ") are then calculated from the downhole radiometric results. The probe is calibrated using an algorithm calculated from the calibration of the probe at the Saskatchewan Research Council facility in Saskatoon and from the comparison of probe results against geochemical analyses. In the case where core recovery within a mineralized intersection is poor or non-existent, radiometric grades are considered to be more representative of the mineralized intersection and may be reported in the place of assay grades. Radiometric equivalent probe results are subject to verification procedures by qualified persons employed by Skyharbour prior to disclosure. Qualified Person: The technical information in this news release has been prepared in accordance with the Canadian regulatory requirements set out in National Instrument 43-101 and reviewed and approved by Serdar Donmez, P.Geo., VP of Exploration for Skyharbour, as well as a Qualified Person. About Skyharbour Resources Ltd.: Skyharbour holds an extensive portfolio of uranium exploration projects in Canada's Athabasca Basin and is well positioned to benefit from improving uranium market fundamentals with interest in forty-three projects covering over 662,887 hectares (over 1.6 million acres) of land. Skyharbour owns a 100% interest in the Moore Uranium Project, which is located 15 kilometres east of Denison's Wheeler River project and 39 kilometres south of Cameco's McArthur River uranium mine. Moore is an advanced-stage, uranium exploration property with high-grade, shallow uranium mineralization at the Maverick Zones. Adjacent to Moore, Skyharbour is advancing several uranium properties within the Russell Lake project area with its joint venture partner and large strategic shareholder Denison Mines. Collectively these projects host multiple zones of high-grade uranium mineralization across a highly prospective land package with significant exploration upside, and the Company is actively working these assets through exploration and drilling programs. Skyharbour now has joint ventures with industry-leaders Denison Mines and Orano Canada Inc. at the Russell Lake properties and the Preston project, respectively. The Company also has several active earn-in option partners, including CSE-listed Nexus Uranium Corp. at the Mann Lake Uranium Project; TSX-V listed North Shore Uranium at the Falcon Project; UraEx Resources at the South Dufferin and Bolt Projects; Hatchet Uranium at the Highway Project; CSE-listed Mustang Energy at the 914W Project; and TSX-V listed Terra Clean Energy at the South Falcon East Project. In aggregate, Skyharbour has now signed earn-in option agreements with partners that total to potentially over $76 million in partner-funded exploration expenditures and over $42 million in cash and share payments coming into Skyharbour, assuming that these partner companies complete the earn-ins at their respective projects. Skyharbour's goal is to maximize shareholder value through new mineral discoveries, committed long-term partnerships, and the advancement of exploration projects in geopolitically favourable jurisdictions. Skyharbour's Uranium Project Map in the Athabasca Basin: https://www.skyharbourltd.com/_resources/images/SKY_SaskProject_Locator_2025-12-16.jpg To find out more about Skyharbour Resources Ltd.. SKYHARBOUR RESOURCES LTD. "Jordan Trimble" Jordan Trimble President and CEO For further information contact myself or: Nicholas Coltura Corporate Communications Manager Skyharbour Resources Ltd. Telephone: 604-558-5847 Toll Free: 800-567-8181 Facsimile: 604-687-3119 Email: info@skyharbourltd.com NEITHER THE TSX VENTURE EXCHANGE NOR ITS REGULATION SERVICES PROVIDER ACCEPTS RESPONSIBILITY FOR THE ADEQUACY OR ACCURACY OF THE CONTENT OF THIS NEWS RELEASE. Forward-Looking Information: This news release contains "forward-looking information or statements" within the meaning of applicable securities laws, which may include, without limitation, completing ongoing and planned work on its projects including drilling and the expected timing of such work programs, other statements relating to the technical, financial and business prospects of the Company, its projects and other matters. All statements in this news release, other than statements of historical facts, that address events or developments that the Company expects to occur, are forward-looking statements. Although the Company believes the expectations expressed in such forward-looking statements are based on reasonable assumptions, such statements are not guarantees of future performance and actual results may differ materially from those in the forward-looking statements. Such statements and information are based on numerous assumptions regarding present and future business strategies and the environment in which the Company will operate in the future, including the price of uranium, the ability to achieve its goals, that general business and economic conditions will not change in a material adverse manner, that financing will be available if and when needed and on reasonable terms. Such forward-looking information reflects the Company's views with respect to future events and is subject to risks, uncertainties and assumptions, including the risks and uncertainties relating to the interpretation of exploration results, risks related to the inherent uncertainty of exploration and cost estimates and the potential for unexpected costs and expenses, and those filed under the Company's profile on SEDAR+ at www.sedarplus.ca. Factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those in forward looking statements include, but are not limited to, continued availability of capital and financing and general economic, market or business conditions, adverse weather or climate conditions, failure to obtain or maintain all necessary government permits, approvals and authorizations, failure to obtain or maintain community acceptance (including First Nations), decrease in the price of uranium and other metals, increase in costs, litigation, and failure of counterparties to perform their contractual obligations. The Company does not undertake to update forward-looking statements or forward-looking information, except as required by law. Tokyo, Japan--(Newsfile Corp. - January 22, 2026) - ZIPAIR Tokyo has announced the launch of the new souvenir service "AKIBA GO" for passengers departing from Narita Airport, Tokyo on other airlines. Wagyu beef image To view an enhanced version of this graphic, please visit: https://images.newsfilecorp.com/files/9948/281236_2354f188e41b9aa1_001full.jpg AKIBA GO is the latest initiative following AKIBA ZIP, the souvenir service exclusively for passengers boarding ZIPAIR flights launched in December 2024. Similar to AKIBA ZIP, purchased items can be collected as checked baggage at the airport, eliminating the hassle of carrying or packing them. As a new service available to customers beyond ZIPAIR passengers, the company aims to meet a broader range of needs. How to Use the Service Eligible Flights: Flights departing from Narita Airport, Tokyo operated by other airlines *This service is not available for international transfer flights at Narita Airport, Tokyo. Purchase items on the "AKIBA GO" website by 12:00 AM (Japan time) three days prior to your departure date (item pickup date). Pick up your items at the JALABC counter on the 4th floor of the North Wing of Narita Airport Terminal 1 on the pickup day (departure day). After picking up your items, check them in as checked baggage at your airline's check-in counter. At your arrival airport, retrieve your items from the baggage carousel. Purchase flow To view an enhanced version of this graphic, please visit: https://images.newsfilecorp.com/files/9948/281236_2354f188e41b9aa1_002full.jpg Pickup Location Narita International Airport Terminal 1 North Wing JAL ABC Counter (4F) Pickup Location To view an enhanced version of this graphic, please visit: https://images.newsfilecorp.com/files/9948/281236_2354f188e41b9aa1_003full.jpg AKIBA GO Website: https://akiba-go.com About ZIPAIR Tokyo, Inc.: ZIPAIR is Japan's first medium-to-long-distance international LCC (low-cost airline) wholly owned by Japan Airlines Co., Ltd. The airline operates flights from Narita to various international destinations, including Seoul, Manila, Bangkok, Singapore, Honolulu, Los Angeles, San Francisco, San Jose (California) and Vancouver. To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/281236 Source: MediaCorp Inc. VANCOUVER, BC / ACCESS Newswire / January 22, 2026 / Kingfisher Metals Corp. (TSXV:KFR)(FSE:970)(OTCQB:KGFMF) ("Kingfisher" or the "Company") is pleased to announce final assay results from the 2025 drilling program at the HWY 37 Project. The 933 km2 HWY 37 Project is located within the Golden Triangle, British Columbia. Drillhole HW-25-011 confirms discovery of a new copper - gold (Cu-Au) porphyry system below the Hank epithermal gold-silver (Au-Ag) mineralized system. Assays from HW-25-011 returned 425.0 meters1 (m) of 0.40% CuEq2 (0.15% Cu, 0.21 g/t Au and 2.2 g/t Ag) (Figure 1 - 5). This newly identified zone represents a blind discovery, as porphyry Cu-Au mineralization had not previously been recognized or reported at Hank. These results validate Kingfisher's exploration model and demonstrate the potential for the Hank area to host one or more large-scale porphyry Cu-Au systems. Highlights from this release include: Discovery of a blind porphyry Cu-Au system with 425.0 m of 0.40% CuEq (Figure 1 - 5). Potential for a large-tonnage porphyry Cu-Au system nested below the Hank epithermal Au-Ag system (Figure 1 - 5). Zonation observed in drillhole HW-25-011 progresses from low to higher temperature alteration demonstrating a vector towards a porphyry heat source to the southeast. This is indicated by: Increasing Cu:Au ratios downhole toward the southeast (Figure 4) Sulfide mineralogy (see summary and discussion below) Alteration and vein zonation (see summary and discussion below) 2026 Target Area to be drill tested, approximately 1.75 km x 0.95 km (Figure 2 - 5), defined by geophysical, geological and exploration inputs 3 . Mineralization remains open in all directions, with the drill hole terminating in increasing copper grades at 959.0 m depth (Figure 3). Induced polarization (IP) surveys lines north and south of HW-25-011 outline broad areas of chargeability possibly indicating the presence of a large, disseminated sulfide body (Figure 4). Dustin Perry, CEO of Kingfisher, states, "The final hole of the 2025 program validates our long-standing belief that the shallow Hank Au-Ag epithermal mineralization is driven by a large porphyry Cu-Au system. This impressive first intercept of 425.0 metres of 0.40% CuEq is interpreted to be on the margin of the system, with anticipated increases in grade toward the conceptual core. The scale and consistency of this discovery, along with a wide untested area hosting strong geophysical anomalies, highlight the potential for further exploration and support the need for aggressive follow-up drilling in 2026." Table 1. Drill Results from this Release. Hole No. From (m) To (m) Interval (m)1 Cu (%) Au (g/t) Ag (g/t) CuEq (%)2 AuEq (g/t)2 HW-25-011 281.0 293.0 12.0 0.02 1.18 1.6 - 1.22 Incl. 284.85 286.45 1.6 0.01 6.95 3.5 - 6.99 and 357.0 362.4 5.4 0.01 0.94 1.5 - 0.97 and 468.0 497.0 29.0 0.01 0.27 2.1 - 0.30 and 534.0 959.0 425.0 0.15 0.21 2.2 0.40 0.37 Figure 1: Plan View Historical and 2025 Drillhole Locations Figure 2: Plan view of HW-25-011 relative to historical drilling and section lines. Figure 3: Interpreted Cross Section HW-25-011 Figure 4: IP Sections Figure 5: 3D view looking oblique to the northeast showing the location of HW-25-011 relative to the proposed "2026 target area" at Hank for future drill testing, historical drilling and location of the Williams & Mary Cu-Au Deposits as well as the Hank Epithermal Au-Ag System HW-25-011 Summary & Discussion Porphyry-style mineralization and alteration was identified through detailed core logging and geochemical analysis in drill hole HW-25-011, which returned 425.0 m grading 0.15% Cu, 0.21 g/t Au, and 2.2 g/t Ag (0.40% CuEq) (Figure 3). The host lithologies intersected are limited to volcanics with the exception of two, meter-scale dykes characterized by an increase in quartz veins and chalcopyrite mineralization locally. Alteration observed in HW-25-011 is consistent with what is typically developed along the flanks of a porphyry copper-gold system. Visual observations show widespread, multi-generational porphyry-style veins and disseminated sulfide mineralization, characterized by pyrite greater than chalcopyrite throughout much of the hole. Prior to HW-25-011, historical drilling at Hank had not identified porphyry-style mineralization or zoned porphyry alteration. Three alteration-mineralization domains are interpreted within HW-25-011. These domains are consistent with increasing proximity to a porphyry center: 0-530 m: Porphyry-distal (low temperature) alteration characterized by quartz-carbonate veins and disseminated pyrite, accompanied by elevated Pb, Zn, Ag and Au concentrations. 530-890 m: Porphyry-flanking (moderate temperature) alteration assemblage of quartz-chlorite-magnetite-pyrite hosted in volcanics. Pyrite-to-chalcopyrite ratios are high overall, with locally elevated chalcopyrite associated with higher-density quartz stockwork domains. 890-959 m: Porphyry-proximal (moderate to high temperature) alteration marked by lower pyrite-to-chalcopyrite ratios and the appearance of early K-feldspar-magnetite-chalcopyrite veins within a broad quartz-chlorite-magnetite-pyrite-chalcopyrite molybdenite alteration assemblage. Across the reported interval, an increase in Cu:Au ratio downhole and toward the southeast also supports vectoring toward a higher temperature and possibly more copper-dominant porphyry core to the southeast. This same pattern and vector is also observed in the sulfide mineralogy with the visual estimates showing pyrite >> chalcopyrite transitioning to pyrite > chalcopyrite. Mineralization remains open in all directions, with the hole terminating in mineralization at 959.0 m depth. Induced polarization (IP) survey lines completed north and south of HW-25-011 (Figure 4) indicate a broad chargeability body interpreted to represent a large sulfide system. The IP chargeability data indicates a potentially broader zone of disseminated sulfide than what is outlined within the "2026 Target Area" shape in Figures 2 - 5. The priority 2026 target area is defined by integrated geological, geochemical, and geophysical datasets and covers approximately 1.75 km 0.95 km (Figure 2 - 5). This represents the Company's top priority for follow-up drilling in 2026. Other Dustin Perry - CEO, will be presenting at the Metals Investor Forum in Vancouver, BC, tomorrow (Friday, January 23) at 3:00 pm PST. Those wishing to attend can visit metalsinvestorforum.com for registration details. Drill core from Williams as well as the new Hank porphyry discovery (HW-25-011) will be on display for the public to view at the core shack during the AME Round Up in Vancouver, BC, on January 26 and 27. Quality Assurance / Quality Control (QAQC) Drilling on site at the HWY 37 Project was supervised by on-site Kingfisher personnel who implemented a full QAQC program using coarse blanks, pulp blanks, standards, and duplicates inserted into the sample stream to monitor analytical accuracy and precision. The samples were sealed on site using tamper proof seals with unique identifiers. The samples were sent to the Bureau Veritas (BV) lab in Vancouver, British Columbia. BV's quality control system complies with global certifications for Quality ISO/IEC 17025:2017 - General requirements for the competence of testing and calibration laboratories. Diamond drill core samples were analyzed using a combination of BV's MA200 process for low level concentrations (4 acid digestion/ICP-ES/MS) and MA 370 process for higher level concentrations (4 acid digestion/ICP-ES). Gold assaying was completed using FA430, a 30-gram fire assay with AAS finish. If applicable, base metal overlimits were finalized with titration, and gold overlimits completed with a gravimetric finish. Technical aspects of this news release have been reviewed, verified, and approved by Tyler Caswell, P.Geo., Vice President Exploration of Kingfisher, who is a qualified person as defined by National Instrument 43-101 - Standards of Disclosure for Minerals Projects. Table 2. 2025 Drill Results HYW-37 Project Hole No. From (m) To (m) Interval (m)1 Cu (%) Au (g/t) Ag (g/t) CuEq (%)2 AuEq (g/t)2 HW-25-001 249.0 797.1 548.1 0.14 0.16 1.8 0.34 0.31 incl. 426.55 550.75 124.2 0.18 0.23 3.0 0.47 0.43 HW-25-002 118.0 124.0 6.0 0.01 0.48 1.1 - 0.50 and 201.0 217.0 16.0 0.01 0.26 2.3 - 0.29 and 233.0 247.0 14.0 0.02 0.27 2.0 - 0.32 and 405.0 415.0 10.0 0.01 0.45 1.4 - 0.47 HW-25-003 101.7 108.0 6.3 0.01 0.50 5.0 - 0.56 and 160.0 164.0 4.0 0.01 0.77 8.6 - 0.87 and 487.5 488.4 0.9 0.01 1.68 33.9 - 2.02 and 504.0 510.0 6.0 0.03 0.34 4.2 - 0.41 HW-25-004 328.1 885.9 557.8 0.29 0.30 1.6 0.64 0.58 incl. 328.1 562.45 234.35 0.44 0.49 2.3 1.00 0.91 HW-25-005 Hole abandoned - HW-25-006 is the redrill HW-25-006 192.0 433.0 241.0 0.01 0.28 0.4 - 0.29 incl. 197.0 307.0 110.0 0.01 0.47 0.2 - 0.49 HW-25-007 Hole abandoned - HW-25-011 is the redrill HW-25-008 3.65 893.0 889.35 0.21 0.22 1.5 0.47 0.43 incl. 287.95 328.10 40.15 0.46 0.62 2.5 1.16 1.06 HW-25-009 49.3 322.0 272.7 0.11 0.15 4.0 0.31 0.29 HW-25-010 4.3 726.0 721.7 0.22 0.21 1.3 0.46 0.42 incl. 4.3 83.0 78.7 0.43 0.50 3.0 1.01 0.93 incl. 273.0 320.55 47.55 0.49 0.56 1.9 1.12 1.03 HW-25-011 281.0 293.0 12.0 0.02 1.18 1.6 - 1.22 incl. 284.85 286.45 1.6 0.01 6.95 3.5 - 6.99 and 357.0 362.4 5.4 0.01 0.94 1.5 - 0.97 and 468.0 497.0 29.0 0.01 0.27 2.1 - 0.30 and 534.0 959.0 425.0 0.15 0.21 2.2 0.40 0.37 Table 3. Collar location and orientation of 2025 Drilling Hole ID Easting (mE) North (mN) Azimuth (o) Dip (o) Final Depth (m) UTM NAD83 Zone 09 HW-25-001 409395 6344077 119 -80 803 HW-25-002 409769 6343628 292 -85 550 HW-25-003 410086 6343432 286 -68 668 HW-25-004 409510 6344131 169 -75 886 HW-25-005 410475 6341586 295 -76 282 HW-25-006 410475 6341586 295 -77 839 HW-25-007 408790 6342028 110 -65 192 HW-25-008 409415 6343882 027 -73 893 HW-25-009 409586 6343818 255 -82 761 HW-25-010 409419 6343879 075 -84 797 HW-25-011 408790 6342028 111 -65 959 About Kingfisher Metals Corp. Kingfisher Metals Corp. (https://kingfishermetals.com/) is a Canadian based exploration company focused on copper-gold exploration in the Golden Triangle, British Columbia. Through outright purchases and option earn in agreements (Orogen Royalties, Golden Ridge Resources, and Aben Gold) the Company has quickly consolidated one of the largest land positions in the Golden Triangle region with the 933 km2 HWY 37 Project and 202 km2 Forrest Kerr Project. Kingfisher also owns (100%) two district-scale orogenic gold projects in British Columbia that total 641 km2. The Company currently has 90,909,852 shares outstanding. For further information, please contact: Dustin Perry, P.Geo. CEO and Director Phone: +1 778 606 2507 E-Mail: info@kingfishermetals.com Neither the TSX-V nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX-V) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release. Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-Looking Statements Mineralization hosted on adjacent and/or nearby properties is not necessarily indicative of mineralization hosted on the Company's property. This news release contains statements that constitute "forward-looking statements." Such forward-looking statements involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that may cause the Company's actual results, performance or achievements, or developments to differ materially from the anticipated results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements are statements that are not historical facts and are generally, but not always, identified by the words "expects," "plans," "anticipates," "believes," "intends," "estimates," "projects," "potential" and similar expressions, or that events or conditions "will," "would," "may," "could" or "should" occur. Forward-looking statements in this news release include, among others, statements relating to expectations regarding the projects, and other statements that are not historical facts. By their nature, forward-looking statements involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors which may cause our actual results, performance or achievements, or other future events, to be materially different from any future results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. Such factors and risks include, among others: the Company may require additional financing from time to time in order to continue its operations which may not be available when needed or on acceptable terms and conditions acceptable; compliance with extensive government regulation; domestic and foreign laws and regulations could adversely affect the Company's business and results of operations; the stock markets have experienced volatility that often has been unrelated to the performance of companies and these fluctuations may adversely affect the price of the Company's securities, regardless of its operating performance. The forward-looking information contained in this news release represents the expectations of the Company as of the date of this news release and, accordingly, is subject to change after such date. Readers should not place undue importance on forward-looking information and should not rely upon this information as of any other date. The Company undertakes no obligation to update these forward-looking statements in the event that management's beliefs, estimates or opinions, or other factors, should change. 1 True widths of the reported mineralized interval have not been determined. 2 Assumptions used in USD for the metal equivalent calculation were metal prices of $4.00/lb copper, $3,000/oz gold, and $30/oz silver. No current or historical metallurgical work has been completed therefore recoveries are assumed to be 80% for copper, 80% for gold and 80% for silver. The following equations was used to calculate the copper equivalence: AuEq = gold (g/t) + (copper (%) x 0.9143) + (silver (g/t) x 0.0100). The following equations was used to calculate the copper equivalence: CuEq = copper (%) + (gold (g/t) x 1.0938) + (silver (g/t) x 0.0109) Differences may occur due to rounding. 3 Dependent on funding SOURCE: Kingfisher Metals Corp. View the original press release on ACCESS Newswire:https://www.accessnewswire.com/newsroom/en/metals-and-mining/kingfisher-confirms-blind-copper-gold-porphyry-discovery-at-hank-hwy-37-project-g-1129894 Vancouver, British Columbia--(Newsfile Corp. - January 22, 2026) - Independence Gold Corp. (TSXV: IGO) (OTCQB: IEGCF) (FSE: 625) (the "Company") is pleased to announce that it will be participating in the AME Roundup 2026 Conference ("AME Roundup") being held in Vancouver, BC from January 26 to 29, 2026. The AME Roundup Conference is a major global event for the mineral exploration and mining industry focused on discovery, development and sustainability. The Company will be participating in the Core Shack that showcases recent discoveries, leading prospects and operating mines featuring updates from projects spanning multiple countries and geological settings. The Company will be exhibiting at the Core Shack at booth 918 on January 28, 2026 from 9:00am - 4:00pm and January 29th, 2026 from 9:00am to 2:00pm. Stop by the booth to see mineralized drill core from the Ian, Tommy and Ted-Mint gold-silver vein systems as well as the Ootsa copper-silver target, view geophysical maps of the 3Ts project and meet with the management and geological team of Independence Gold. The 3Ts Project is located approximately 185 kilometres southwest of Prince George, British Columbia, comprising thirty-one mineral claims covering approximately 35,486 hectares in the Nechako Plateau region. The project lies 16 km southwest of Artemis Gold Inc.'s Blackwater Mine and hosts a low-sulphidation epithermal quartz-carbonate vein district within which at least nineteen known mineralized veins, ranging from 50 to over 1,100 metres in strike length and true widths of up to 32 m have been identified, twelve of which remain untested by drilling. About Independence Independence Gold Corp. is a well-financed mineral exploration company with holdings ranging from early-stage grassroots exploration to advanced-stage resource expansion in British Columbia and Yukon. The Company is positioned to add shareholder value through systematic project advancement, while management continues to evaluate additional gold and silver projects for possible acquisition. For additional information, visit the Company's website www.ingold.ca or email info@ingold.ca. Andy Randell, P.Geo., the Company's Qualified Person as defined by National Instrument 43-101 and who is an independent consultant for the Company, has reviewed the technical information in this news release. ON BEHALF OF THE BOARD OF INDEPENDENCE GOLD CORP. "Randy Turner" Randy Turner, President and CEO Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release. All statements in this press release, other than statements of historical fact, are "forward-looking information" with respect to Independence within the meaning of applicable securities laws, including statements with respect to the Company's planned drilling and exploration activities. The Company provides forward-looking statements for the purpose of conveying information about current expectations and plans relating to the future and readers are cautioned that such statements may not be appropriate for other purposes. By its nature, this information is subject to inherent risks and uncertainties that may be general or specific and which give rise to the possibility that expectations, forecasts, predictions, projections or conclusions will not prove to be accurate, that assumptions may not be correct and that objectives, strategic goals and priorities will not be achieved. These risks and uncertainties include but are not limited to those identified and reported in Independence's public filings under Independence Gold Corp.'s SEDAR profile at www.sedarplus.ca. Although Independence has attempted to identify important factors that could cause actual actions, events or results to differ materially from those described in forward-looking information, there may be other factors that cause actions, events or results not to be as anticipated, estimated or intended. There can be no assurance that such information will prove to be accurate as actual results and future events could differ materially from those anticipated in such statements. Independence disclaims any intention or obligation to update or revise any forward-looking information, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise unless required by law. To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/281225 Source: Independence Gold Corp Vancouver, British Columbia--(Newsfile Corp. - January 22, 2026) - Tudor Gold Corp. (TSXV: TUD) (FSE: H56) (the "Company" or "Tudor") is pleased to report an updated Mineral Resource estimate (the "2026 MRE") with higher-grade sensitivities for the Goldstorm Deposit at its flagship Treaty Creek Project located in the Golden Triangle, British Columbia. The 2026 MRE was prepared by Garth Kirkham, P.Geo. of Kirkham Geosystems Ltd. ("KGL") in accordance with National Instrument 43-101, Standards of Disclosure for Mineral Projects ("NI 43-101"). Treaty Creek 2026 MRE Highlights 2026 MRE at a net smelter revenue ("NSR") cut-off value of US$50 per tonne Indicated Mineral Resource of 24.9 million ounces of gold, 148.7 million ounces of silver and 3.048 billion pounds of copper (912.3 million tonnes grading 0.85 g/t gold, 5.07 g/t silver and 0.15% copper) Inferred Mineral Resource of 4.0 million ounces of gold, 18.6 million ounces of silver and 327.7 million pounds of copper (86.1 million tonnes grading 1.43 g/t gold, 5.22 g/t silver and 0.17% copper) US$125 NSR cut-off value sensitivity Indicated Mineral Resource of 5.8 million ounces of gold, 30.2 million ounces of silver and 607.2 million pounds of copper (102.1 million tonnes grading 1.78 g/t gold, 9.19 g/t silver and 0.27% copper) Inferred Mineral Resource of 2.6 million ounces of gold, 7.2 million ounces of silver and 67.9 million pounds of copper (21.8 million tonnes grading 3.64 g/t gold, 10.22 g/t silver and 0.14% copper) US$175 NSR cut-off value sensitivity Indicated Mineral Resource of 3.4 million ounces of gold, 13.4 million ounces of silver and 167.3 million pounds of copper (45.1 million tonnes grading 2.33 g/t gold, 9.27 g/t silver and 0.17% copper) Inferred Mineral Resource of 2.4 million ounces of gold, 6.6 million ounces of silver and 65.2 million pounds of copper (18.3 million tonnes grading 4.02 g/t gold, 11.17 g/t silver and 0.16% copper) "The 2026 MRE increased Indicated Mineral Resources of gold at Treaty Creek's Goldstorm Deposit by 15% over the 2024 Mineral Resource estimate and demonstrates the higher-grade potential at the Treaty Creek Project with higher NSR cutoff value sensitivities," commented Joe Ovsenek, President and CEO of Tudor Gold. "Now that we have the 2026 MRE in hand, we can start to advance our strategy for placing Treaty Creek in production with an underground mine initially targeting roughly 300,000 ounces of gold per year. Metallurgical testing is underway, and we have started the process of developing a mine plan around the higher-grade mineralization at the Goldstorm Deposit. As the metallurgical testing and mine planning come together, we will assess the potential for the completion of a preliminary economic assessment later this year." Treaty Creek Project 2026 Mineral Resource Estimate The 2026 MRE was prepared by KGL based on 359 diamond drill holes for a total of 191,466 meters, which includes 332 drill holes completed by the Company between 2016 and 2025 and 27 drill holes completed by prior Treaty Creek Project operators between 2007 and 2009. The 2026 MRE is reported at a NSR cut-off value of US$50 per tonne. A NI 43-101 Technical Report will be prepared and posted on www.tudor-gold.com and the Company's profile on www.sedarplus.ca within 45 days of the date of this news release. Table 1: 2026 Treaty Creek Project Mineral Resource Estimate(1) - (11) Mineral Resource Classification Tonnes (M) Gold Grade (g/t) Silver Grade (g/t) Copper Grade (%) Gold (M oz) Silver (M oz) Copper (M lbs) Indicated 912.3 0.85 5.07 0.15 24.9 148.7 3,048.0 Inferred 86.1 1.43 5.22 0.17 4.0 18.6 327.7 Notes: The Mineral Resource statement is subject to the following: (1) The 2026 MRE has been prepared by Garth Kirkham, P.Geo., an Independent Qualified Person as defined by NI 43-101. (2) The 2026 MRE has been estimated in accordance with Canadian Institute of Mining and Metallurgy and Petroleum ("CIM") definitions, as required under NI43-101. (3) The 2026 MRE is reported on a 100% ownership basis. (4) The 2026 MRE was prepared for a potential underground mining scenario evaluated within block cave mining shapes and constrained by geological and grade-continuity-defined solids using a NSR cut-off value of US$50/tonne. The NSR value was developed based on initial metallurgical testwork results combined with the Company's and its consultants' knowledge of potential smelter terms, royalites and onsite and offsite costs. The NSR calculation assumes a payable gold-silver-copper concentrate will be generated. The NSR calculation assumes metal prices of US$2925/ounce gold, US$34.00/ounce silver and US$4.25/pound copper; metallurgical recoveries of 90% for gold, 80% for silver and 80% for copper; underground mining costs of C$8.50/tonne, processing costs of C$38.50/tonne and G&A of C$1.50/tonne; a CAD:USD exchange rate of 0.72 and rounded to US$50. (5) The 2026 MRE is reported without applying mining dilution, mining losses, or process losses. (6) The 2026 MRE is constrained within underground shapes based on reasonable prospects of economic extraction, in accordance with NI43-101. Reasonable prospects for economic extraction were met by applying mining shapes, ensuring grade continuity above the cut-off value, and by excluding non-mineable material prior to reporting. (7) Mineral resources are classified as Indicated, and Inferred based on geological confidence and continuity, spacing of drill holes, and data quality. (8) The effective date of the 2026 MRE is November 30, 2025. (9) Mineral Resources are not Mineral Reserves and do not have demonstrated economic viability. The estimate of Mineral Resources may be materially affected by environmental, permitting, legal, title, taxation, sociopolitical, marketing, or other relevant issues. (10) The Inferred Mineral Resource in this estimate has a lower level of confidence than that applied to an Indicated Mineral Resource and must not be converted to a Mineral Reserve. It is reasonably expected that the majority of the Inferred Mineral Resource could be upgraded to an Indicated Mineral Resource with continued exploration. (11) All figures are rounded to reflect the relative accuracy of the estimate and therefore numbers may not appear to add precisely. Mineral Resource Estimation Methodology The Mineral Resource estimate was completed using industry-standard commercial modelling and mine planning software, including Leapfrog and MineSight (Version 16.30). The block model utilizes a parent block size of 10 10 10 meters, with sub-blocking to 0.5 0.5 0.5 meters to accurately reflect complex vein geometries. Assay data were composited to 1.5 meters to ensure consistent sample support. Gold, copper, and silver grades were estimated using ordinary kriging in a single-pass approach, employing capped composites constrained within geologically defined estimation domains. Grade caps were determined through analysis of cumulative frequency plots and the spatial continuity of high-grade vein structures, with cut grade thresholds ranging from: Gold: 5 g/t to 19 g/t Au Copper: 0.1% to 2.0% Cu Silver: 50 g/t to 100 g/t Ag Hard boundaries were applied to all high-grade vein domains and associated parent domains. Estimation parameters included a minimum of two composites per block, a maximum of 16 composites per block, and a maximum of five composites per drill hole. Mineral Resource Classification Mineral Resources are classified as Indicated and Inferred in accordance with the CIM Definition Standards. Classification is based primarily on drill hole spacing, geological confidence, and demonstrated continuity of mineralization: Indicated Resources are defined by drill hole spacing of less than approximately 100 meters to three drill holes. Inferred Resources are defined by drill hole spacing of less than approximately 150 meters, subject to additional geological continuity criteria. All Mineral Resources are constrained by continuous high-grade vein domain solids and enclosing mineralized parent domains. Reasonable Prospects of Eventual Economic Extraction The Mineral Resource estimate satisfies the requirement for "reasonable prospects of eventual economic extraction" through demonstrated geological continuity and delineation of mineralized zones amenable to underground mining methods. Reasonable assumptions regarding metal prices and operating costs were applied. Mineralization potentially extractable by underground methods was evaluated within block cave mining shapes and constrained by geological and grade-continuity-defined solids. Goldstorm Deposit Mineral Resource Update, January 22, 2026 To view an enhanced version of this graphic, please visit: https://images.newsfilecorp.com/files/4494/281184_tudor_1.jpg Treaty Creek Project 2026 Mineral Resource Estimate Higher-Grade Sensitivities In addition to the base case NSR cut-off value of $50 per tonne, NSR cut-off values of $125 per tonne and $175 per tonne are reported to demonstrate the potential effect on tonnage, grade and metal content (Table 2). Higher NSR cut-off value sensitivities demonstrate an increase in grade and concomitant decrease in tonnage. The higher cut-off value sensitivities will be evaluated for potential to support an underground mining operation using conventional mining methods. The higher NSR cut-off value sensitivities are for comparison purposes only and should not be considered Mineral Resources. Table 2: 2026 Treaty Creek Project Mineral Resource Estimate Higher-Grade Sensitivities(1) NSR Cut-Off Value Mineral Resource Classification Tonnes (M) Gold Grade (g/t) Silver Grade (g/t) Copper Grade (%) Gold (M oz) Silver (M oz) Copper (M lbs) US$125/ tonne Indicated 102.1 1.78 9.19 0.27 5.8 30.2 607.2 Inferred 21.8 3.64 10.22 0.14 2.6 7.2 67.8 US$175/ tonne Indicated 45.1 2.33 9.27 0.17 3.4 13.4 167.3 Inferred 18.3 4.02 11.17 0.16 2.4 6.6 65.3 (1) See notes to Table 1 above. Goldstorm Deposit Mineral Resource Update, January 22, 2026 - Higher-Grade Sensitivies To view an enhanced version of this graphic, please visit: https://images.newsfilecorp.com/files/4494/281184_tudor__2.jpg Geological Framework and Deposit Model The Treaty Creek Property hosts the Goldstorm Deposit, which is situated within Early Jurassic intrusive rocks and the surrounding Late Triassic to Early Jurassic volcano-sedimentary sequences of the Stikine volcanic island-arc terrane. Regionally, prolonged arc magmatism across Stikinia and Quesnellia resulted in a multi-episodic Late Triassic to Early Jurassic metallogenic event, generating numerous porphyry intrusion-related mineral deposits throughout northwestern British Columbia. Extensive hydrothermal alteration halos are developed around intrusive complexes in the nearby Mitchell and Sulphurets Deposit areas, and similar alteration assemblages are present at the Treaty Creek property. These alteration systems envelop several mineralized zones, including the Goldstorm Deposit, and are indicative of a large, long-lived hydrothermal system. Structurally, the Treaty Creek property is influenced by regional-scale contractional faults and associated local dilational fault systems that formed within the Cretaceous Skeena Fold Belt. These structures have played a critical role in controlling magma emplacement, fluid flow, and the localization of mineralization at Goldstorm. The Goldstorm Deposit is comprised of five distinct mineralized domains, each with unique geological and mineralogical characteristics: Copper Belle, located at the southwest end of the deposit, represents a gold-dominant, shear-hosted mineralized system. 300H/N, CS-600, and Deep Stockwork 5 (DS5) form the core of the Goldstorm mineral system and consist of tabular bodies dipping approximately 45 to 50 to the northwest. The 300H domain is a near-surface zone characterized by pervasive disseminated auriferous pyrite and fine gold-bearing pyrite veinlets and stringers. The underlying CS-600 domain hosts gold- and copper-dominant mineralization associated with quartz veinlet stockworks, hydrothermal breccias, and porphyritic monzodiorite intrusive stocks. This domain contains the majority of the copper mineralization at Goldstorm and represents a well-defined intrusive-related porphyry system. Beneath both 300H and CS-600, the DS5 domain comprises a gold-dominant quartz-pyrite veinlet stockwork, carrying minor silver values. The Route 66 (R66) domain is a narrow, 20- to 50-metre-wide, north-striking corridor of high-grade, gold-dominant quartz stockwork mineralization. All of the zones are gold-dominant with subordinate silver and copper, other than the CS-600 Zone, which is distinguished by its significant gold-copper enrichment. Together, these domains define a large, structurally controlled, intrusion-related mineral system with strong geological continuity. The updated Mineral Resource estimate incorporates the results of an extensive internal geological review completed in 2024 and 2025, which included detailed drill core relogging, geochemical alteration modelling, and quantitative vein density analysis. This work has resulted in a refined geological framework that significantly improves the Company's understanding of the Goldstorm mineralized system. Diamond drilling conducted in 2025 confirmed the presence, continuity, and geometry of a well-defined mineralized corridor comprised of stacked, sub-parallel, structurally controlled stockwork vein systems. Individual vein panels range from approximately 10 to 50 meters in thickness, extend for more than 400 meters along strike, and are oriented approximately 295/50. These mineralized structures represent late-stage features that cross-cut and overprint earlier intrusive phases. Mineralization is hosted within late-stage, cross-cutting quartz-anhydrite-pyrite veins containing accessory sphalerite, chalcopyrite, galena, tetrahedrite-tennantite, and manganoan calcite. These sulphide-bearing veins are associated with discrete decimeter- to meter-scale grey quartz-white mica (muscovite)-pyrite phyllic alteration halos, consistent with the Company's updated structural and alteration model. Treaty Creek Project 2026 Mineral Resource Estimate by Zone For the 2026 MRE, the Goldstorm Deposit at the Treaty Creek Project is reported as three zones of mineralization: Upper Zone, Central Zone and Lower Zone. The Upper Zone is comprised of the Copper Belle, 300H and 300N domains; the Central Zone is comprised of the CS600, Route 66 and SC-1 domains; and the Lower Zone is comprised of the DS-5 domain. Table 3: 2026 Treaty Creek Project Mineral Resource Estimate by Zone(1) Goldstorm Deposit Zone Mineral Resource Classification Tonnes (M) Gold Grade (g/t) Silver Grade (g/t) Copper Grade (%) Gold (M oz) Silver (M oz) Copper (M lbs) Upper Indicated 252.5 0.96 3.60 0.02 7.8 29.2 111.3 Inferred 18.9 0.83 3.2 0.02 0.5 1.9 8.3 Central Indicated 451.6 0.71 5.49 0.29 10.3 79.7 2,887.5 Inferred 52.5 1.40 7.04 0.27 2.4 11.9 312.7 Lower Indicated 208.2 1.03 5.95 0.02 6.9 39.8 91.8 Inferred 14.7 2.33 10.17 0.03 1.1 4.8 9.7 (1) See notes to Table 1 above. Next Steps Metallurgical test work is ongoing with initial results expected this quarter. Concurrently with the metallurgical test work, a mine plan is expected to be developed based on the higher-grade mineralization at the Treaty Creek Project. If successful in developing a mine plan and assuming positive metallurgical results, a preliminary economic assessment will be undertaken on placing the Goldstorm Deposit in production. Additional information will be provided as it becomes available with respect to a preliminary economic assessment. Update on December 2025 Flow-Through Financing On December 4, 2025 and December 11, 2025, the Company closed a non-brokered private placement of flow-through units (the "Units") at $0.95 per Unit, for gross proceeds of approximately $12.5 million (the "Offering"). In connection with the Offering, the Company paid finder's fees representing 6% of the proceeds raised from subscriptions by, and issued finder's warrants ("Finder's Warrants") representing 6% of the Units issued to, certain places, including $15,000 and 15,789 Finder's Warrants to James Derek Holmes and $119,700 and 126,000 Finder's Warrants to JDJ Merchant Partners Inc. Each Finder's Warrant entitles the holder thereof to acquire one common share in the capital of the Company at an exercise price of $1.20, for a period of 24 months. Qualified Persons The 2026 MRE was prepared by Garth Kirkham, P.Geo. of KGL, who is an independent Qualified Person, as defined by NI 43-101 and responsible for the 2026 MRE. Mr. Kirkham has reviewed and approved the technical contents of this news release relating to the 2026 MRE. Ken Konkin, P.Geo., Tudor's Senior Vice President, Exploration, is the Qualified Person, as defined by NI 43-101, responsible for the Treaty Creek Project. Mr. Konkin has reviewed, verified, and approved the scientific and technical information in this news release. About Tudor Gold Tudor Gold Corp. is a precious and base metals exploration and development company with claims in British Columbia's Golden Triangle (Canada), an area that hosts producing and past-producing mines and several large deposits that are approaching potential development. The 17,913 hectare Treaty Creek Project (in which Tudor Gold has an 80% interest) borders Seabridge Gold Inc.'s KSM property to the southwest and borders Newmont Corporation's Brucejack Mine property to the southeast. Neither TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release. Cautionary Statements regarding Forward-Looking Information This news release contains "forward-looking information" within the meaning of applicable Canadian securities legislation. "Forward-looking information" includes, but is not limited to, statements with respect to the activities, events or developments that the Company expects or anticipates will or may occur in the future, including the completion and anticipated results of planned exploration activities. Generally, but not always, forward-looking information and statements can be identified by the use of words such as "plans", "expects", "is expected", "budget", "scheduled", "estimates", "forecasts", "intends", "anticipates", or "believes" or the negative connotation thereof or variations of such words and phrases or state that certain actions, events or results "may", "could", "would", "might" or "will be taken", "occur" or "be achieved" or the negative connation thereof. Such forward-looking information and statements are based on numerous assumptions, including among others, that the Company's planned exploration activities will be completed in a timely manner. Although the assumptions made by the Company in providing forward-looking information or making forward-looking statements are considered reasonable by management at the time, there can be no assurance that such assumptions will prove to be accurate. There can be no assurance that such statements will prove to be accurate and actual results and future events could differ materially from those anticipated in such statements. Important factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from the Company's plans or expectations include risks relating to the actual results of current exploration activities, fluctuating gold prices, possibility of equipment breakdowns and delays, exploration cost overruns, availability of capital and financing, results of negotiations, general economic, market or business conditions, regulatory changes, timeliness of government or regulatory approvals, the outcome of litigation and other risks detailed herein and from time to time in the filings made by the Company with securities regulators. Although the Company has attempted to identify important factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those contained in the forward-looking information or implied by forward-looking information, there may be other factors that cause results not to be as anticipated, estimated or intended. There can be no assurance that forward-looking information and statements will prove to be accurate, as actual results and future events could differ materially from those anticipated, estimated or intended. Accordingly, readers should not place undue reliance on forward-looking statements or information. The Company expressly disclaims any intention or obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statements whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise except as otherwise required by applicable securities legislation. To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/281184 Source: Tudor Gold Corp. Stockholm, Sweden--(Newsfile Corp. - January 22, 2026) - Giftima, the newly launched digital gift card platform under Swedish company H.H Mindful Hiring AB, has officially begun operations in early 2026 for customers in the Nordic region, Germany, and Poland. The platform offers consumers a direct way to access a wide range of major brand gift cards while earning points for future use. Giftima To view an enhanced version of this graphic, please visit: https://images.newsfilecorp.com/files/8871/280822_ca142af234d71b55_001full.jpg Giftima allows registered users to browse a catalogue of well-known retailers, select gift card values, and complete purchases through a secure online process. The full list of available brands is accessible upon sign-up. The platform utilizes a points system, where each point is equivalent to one Euro. Points can be redeemed for additional gift cards or sent to other Giftima users. H.H Mindful Hiring AB's founder and CEO, Kim Alexander Ludwig, brings extensive entrepreneurial experience to the venture. Under his direction, Giftima aims to establish a reliable and frictionless purchasing process for users evaluating digital gift card options within Europe's e-commerce space. The platform features transparent pricing for each brand, including visible cashback rates before purchase. Once a transaction is completed, the corresponding points are added to the user's account. Gift cards can be purchased for personal use or sent digitally to another registered user. Market-specific brand assortments are offered in each region where the service is active. The process to earn points is as follows: Join : Users create an account through a free registration process. : Users create an account through a free registration process. Shop : Users select an available brand or offer and complete their purchase. : Users select an available brand or offer and complete their purchase. Get Discounts : Applicable discounts for participating brands activate during the shopping process. : Applicable discounts for participating brands activate during the shopping process. Redeem Gifts: Accumulated points may be redeemed for gift cards, perk options, or preset bundles. H.H Mindful Hiring AB plans to continue expanding Giftima's brand offerings throughout 2026. Dedicated mobile applications for Android and iOS are also planned for release by the end of the first quarter of 2026. The apps will provide access to the same catalogue of brands, purchasing functions, and rewards tracking available on the main website. About Giftima Giftima is a digital gift card platform operated by H.H Mindful Hiring AB. Launched in 2026, it provides customers across Europe with access to major brand gift cards, reward point accumulation, and secure digital gifting options. The platform offers country-specific brand ranges and a structured points system designed for consistent value. For more information, visit https://giftima.com. To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/280822 Source: PRNews OU CHANDLER, Ariz., Jan. 22, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- AvAir , a global leader in aviation inventory solutions, is proud to announce the promotion of Zach Hall to senior vice president of commercial, effective immediately. Hall previously served as vice president of business development and will now support AvAir's global commercial strategy, with an emphasis on sales growth and customer partnerships. "Zach's journey at AvAir is a great example of leadership earned through performance and trust," said Mike Bianco, CEO of AvAir. "Since joining the company, he has played a critical role in driving sales growth, developing strong customer relationships, and mentoring our commercial team. His impact has been felt across the organization, and this promotion reflects both his past contributions and our confidence in his leadership moving forward." Hall joined AvAir in 2018 as an account executive and has steadily advanced through the organization by delivering consistent results, building high-performing sales teams, and strengthening AvAir's position in the global aviation marketplace. In his new role, Hall will be responsible for aligning commercial strategy with AvAir's long-term growth objectives while continuing to expand customer value and market reach. Hall has also received recognition for his leadership and community commitment from Airline Economics 40 Under 40 and the Phoenix Business Journal 40 Under 40 awards. "I'm grateful for the opportunity to continue growing with AvAir," said Hall. "This company has an incredible team and culture, and I'm excited to build on our commercial success while helping lead the next phase of growth." AvAir is headquartered in Chandler, Ariz. and celebrated its 25th year in 2025 offers customized solutions for customers and suppliers to buy, sell, exchange, loan, lease, or consign inventories with more than 26 million in-stock components. The company is ISO 9001, AS9120, and ASA 100 certified and adheres to the highest quality standards in all phases: purchasing, receiving, stocking, sales, and shipping. For more information about AvAir, visit AvAir.aero. About AvAir Founded in 2000, Arizona-based AvAir is a global leader in the aviation aftermarket, providing customized inventory solutions for airlines, OEMs, and MROs. AvAir has been named Parts Supplier of the Year for 2021, 2022, 2023, 2024 and 2025 by Airline Economics, the leading industry trade publication. It has also been recognized for its work in sustainability and is Climate Neutral Certified by Climate Change, a global nonprofit. It also received the Environmental Sustainability award from Airline Economics The Aviation 100 awards. Additionally, AvAir has been named to the Inc. 5000 five times as one of the fastest growing private companies in America. For more about AvAir, visit AvAir.aero. Contact: Claire Natale Email: claire@evolveprandmarketing.com Phone: 202.294.5999 Photo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/2866763/Zac_Hall_Headshots_2024.jpg Logo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/2861197/AvAir_Logo.jpg View original content:https://www.prnewswire.co.uk/news-releases/avair-announces-promotion-of-zach-hall-to-senior-vice-president-of-commercial-302667374.html PROVIDENCIALES, Turks and Caicos Islands, Jan. 22, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- KuCoin, a leading global cryptocurrency platform built on trust, today announced its role as co-host for the 2026 World Laureates Summit (WLS) , taking place from February 1 to February 3, 2026, in Dubai, UAE. The summit brings together the world's most brilliant minds, including 39 Nobel Laureates, including Roger Kornberg (Nobel Prize in Chemistry), Steven Chu (Nobel Prize in Physics), and Martin Hellman (Turing Award). They will be joined by 71 Leading Scientists, 10 University Leaders, 16 Hospital Leaders, and 22 Emerging Young Scientists. Initiated and hosted by the World Laureates Association (WLA), the 2026 World Laureates Summit is centered on the theme "Basic Science, the Scientific Consensus for Addressing Challenges to Humanity." The "WLS Blockchain Science Forum" will examine how artificial intelligence and blockchain can serve as foundational technologies for scientific development through decentralized, transparent, and trust-based global collaboration. As frontier technologies increasingly influence economies and institutions, the Summit emphasizes the growing importance of long-term scientific research and evidence-based reasoning, positioning basic science as critical infrastructure for innovation, resilience, and informed decision-making, while serving as a science-led platform for international dialogue that promotes long-horizon thinking, cross-disciplinary collaboration, and cooperation that transcends short-term political cycles. KuCoin reaffirms its dedication to building transparent, compliant, and user-centric digital infrastructure by co-hosting the 2026 World Laureates Summit. The company believes that the convergence of AI and blockchain extends beyond financial innovation, serving as a critical enabler for the future of scientific research, governance, and global collaboration. About KuCoin Founded in 2017, KuCoin is a leading global crypto platform trusted by over 40 million users across 200+ countries and regions. The platform delivers innovative and compliant digital-asset services, offering access to 1,000+ listed tokens, spot and futures trading, institutional wealth management, and a Web3 wallet. Recognized by Forbes and Hurun, KuCoin holds SOC 2 Type II and ISO 27001:2022 certifications, underscoring its commitment to top-tier security. With AUSTRAC registration in Australia and a MiCA license in Austria, KuCoin continues expanding its regulated footprint under CEO BC Wong, building a reliable and trusted digital-asset ecosystem. Learn more: www.kucoin.com About the World Laureates Association (WLA) The World Laureates Association (WLA) is a non-profit, nongovernmental international organization founded in 2017 in Hong Kong. WLA brings together 187 leading scientists, including 78 Nobel Laureates, alongside recipients of the Turing Award, Wolf Prize, Lasker Award, Fields Medal, Breakthrough Prize, and other major international scientific honors. Its members span disciplines such as chemistry, physics, biology, medicine, economics, and computer science, and are drawn from leading research institutions across 25 countries. Guided by the vision of "Science and Technology for the Common Destiny of Mankind," WLA is committed to advancing basic science, fostering international scientific cooperation, and supporting the development of the next generation of scientists. Through research collaboration and academic exchange, WLA seeks to promote science as a shared global endeavor for the benefit of humanity. Photo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/2867113/image_5002362_10718586.jpg Logo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/2785613/KuCoin_new_Logo.jpg View original content:https://www.prnewswire.co.uk/news-releases/kucoin-co-hosts-2026-world-laureates-summit-to-advance-digital-infrastructure-and-aiblockchain-integration-302667747.html HSINCHU, Taiwan, Jan. 22, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- MediaTek has announced Dimensity 9500s and Dimensity 8500. As the latest members of the Dimensity family, both products focus on delivering outstanding performance, efficiency, AI, imaging, gaming, and wireless connectivity, driving new momentum into the flagship and premium smartphone segments. "As leaders in smartphone global share, we are committed to increasing our investment in advanced technologies and striving to make bleeding-edge products available to more people," said JC Hsu, corporate senior vice president at MediaTek and general manager of the Wireless Communications Business Unit. "This mission is evident in this pair of Dimensity chipsets, which are intended to provide more flagship and premium smartphone experiences while upholding our vision in bringing the best possible performance and power efficiency to more people." Dimensity 9500s: The Power to Outlast Adopting a flagship 3nm process and All Big Core architecture, the MediaTek Dimensity 9500s empowers devices to fully unleash powerful performance while improving energy efficiency. Its octa-core CPU utilizes one Cortex-X925 ultra core with clock speed up to 3.73GHz, three Cortex-X4 premium cores, and four Cortex-A720 performance cores. Dimensity 9500s integrates the Immortalis-G925 GPU, offering full-frame and immersive experience for heavy-duty mobile games and meeting the kind of performance gamers expect, includes support for advanced ray tracing. In addition, with adaptive game technology 3.0 (MAGT 3.0) and frame technology 3.0 (MFRC 3.0) energy efficiency can be significantly improved, prolonging device battery life. The flagship NPU in the Dimensity 9500s is optimized for generative reasoning and multi-modal models for more powerful flagship edge camera and greater content generation capabilities. The chip supports daily high-frequency functions, including post processing of live photos, AI photo editing (image outpainting, matting and elimination) and AI content summarization (calls, meetings and files), making it easier for manufacturers to build devices that meet growing demand. Dimensity 9500s is equipped with advanced MediaTek Imagiq image processor, supports real-time 30fps motion tracking and 8K full-focus Dolby Vision HDR video recording. Creators can easily capture clear and vivid video images. The SoC also supports outstanding snapshot and noise reduction technology, delivering fast and clear experience. Dimensity 9500s features include: 5G Release-17 modem supports 4CC-CA and up to 7Gbps downlink Support for MediaTek 5G UltraSave 4.0 power saving technology Support AI network suite 2.0, which can improve the network performance in weak network environment Support Mediatek Xtra Range 3.0 technology to extend the indoor Wi-Fi connection distance phone to phone Bluetooth direct connection can reach 5 kilometers Dimensity 8500: Powerful Performance for Ultra-Fast Play Dimensity 8500 adopts energy-efficient 4nm process, and the All Big Core CPU architecture includes eight Cortex-A725 cores with frequency up to 3.4GHz, further improves performance and energy efficiency. Dimensity 8500 supports accurate scheduling technology and LPDDR5X 9600Mbps memory with higher transmission speed, so users can enjoy smooth and long battery life in daily applications, games and multitasking. With integrated Mali-G720 GPU, the peak performance of Dimensity 8500 is improved by 25% compared with the previous generation, and its power consumption is reduced by 20%. The fully upgraded computing core and gaming engine, Dimensity 8500 can bring players a refreshing experience with full frame stabilization, rapid loading and high energy efficiency. Dimensity 8500 features include: MediaTek 8 th -generation NPU supports global mainstream big language models (LLM/MLLM) and image generation models -generation NPU supports global mainstream big language models (LLM/MLLM) and image generation models Support AI ultra-clear telephoto algorithm Dimensity AI semantic engine, which can intelligently optimize image content frames Photo: https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/2867280/MediaTek_Dimensity_9500s__8500.jpg View original content:https://www.prnewswire.co.uk/news-releases/mediatek-unveils-dimensity-9500s-and-dimensity-8500-to-propel-performance-gaming-and-efficiency-in-flagship-and-premium-smartphones-302667952.html HONG KONG, Jan 22, 2026 - (ACN Newswire) - The 35th Education & Careers Expo, organised by the Hong Kong Trade Development Council (HKTDC), opens today and will run for four days (22 to 25 January, Thursday to Sunday) at the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre. The Expo gathers over 860 organisations from 23 countries and regions, including government bureaux and departments, tertiary institutions, and education centres, showcasing Hong Kong's advantages as an international hub for pursuing higher education and nurturing international talents.Innovation and technology are among the focal points this year. Over 100 activities will be held during the expo, including sharing by representatives from leading enterprises such as J.P. Morgan and Lenovo on career development opportunities in Hong Kong. Various interactive activities are also available, with free admission to the public throughout the four-day event.Officiating at the Expo's opening ceremony are Sophia Chong, HKTDC Executive Director and Dr Choi Yuk-lin, JP, Secretary for Education, Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) Government. Ms Chong said in her welcoming remarks: 'The Education and Careers Expo provides a crucial platform for international and local students to explore Hong Kong's world-class education and career development opportunities. It also helps promote Hong Kong's high-quality educational resources globally, consolidating Hong Kong's position as an international higher education hub.This year's fair continues with the theme 'Go with Your Passion, Go Beyond Limits,' and brings together various tertiary institutions, education centres and consulates-general in Hong Kong. A record participation of 31 Hong Kong government bureaux and departments, along with various public and private organisations, reflects the strong demand for diverse talents and underscores Hong Kong as a talent hub.'Focusing on Hong Kong's future opportunities: cross-sector exchanges inspire new perspectivesThis year's Expo is divided into two main sections ' 'Education' and 'Careers'. It features four themed days focusing on 'Civil Servants & Public Services', 'Next Gen Technologies', 'Healthcare & Wellness' and 'Greater Bay Area Opportunities'. The 2025 Policy Address announced measures to strengthen Hong Kong's role as an education hub and talent centre while cultivating and attracting innovation and technology professionals. In line with this direction, this year's Expo hosts a series of themed talks and seminars to encourage students from neighbouring regions to pursue further studies and career opportunities in Hong Kong, further solidifying Hong Kong's position as an international post-secondary education hub.Highlights include the specially curated seminar 'A Date with Giants', exploring career and further studies opportunities in Hong Kong through exchanges with representatives from Lenovo, J.P. Morgan, and Li Ka Shing Faculty of Medicine, The University of Hong Kong and an undergraduate entrepreneur (USIMS Limited) from The Chinese University of Hong Kong. Suitable for students, job seekers, and those interested in development opportunities in Hong Kong, this session offers insight into the latest trends of career development in innovation and technology, finance, and further study opportunity while expanding professional networks and horizons. Also, The China Hong Kong Elite Union will invite 'Hong Kong Drifters', Chinese Mainland students who study in Hong Kong, to share their experience from education to employment.The 'Education' section is divided into four zones. The 'Local Studies' zone brings together numerous universities, vocational and professional education institutions, including the Vocational Training Council (VTC), which is dedicated to nurturing talents in innovation and green technology. Independently developed by the Engineering Discipline of IVE, member institution of VTC and winner of the World Solar Challenge held in Australia last year, the SOPHIE 8x model is displayed at the Expo to showcase how students applied new energy theories learned in the classroom to practical applications, demonstrating the potential of Hong Kong's young generation in the innovation and technology field. The Hong Kong Institute of Construction presents its latest technological and innovative achievements with a series of immersive learning experiences including demonstrations of construction robot dogs and humanoid robot. A "DIY Robotic Dog Workshop" provides the public with hands-on experience in applying innovative technology to education and construction. Technological and Higher Education Institute of Hong Kong also introduces programmes such as Artificial Intelligence and Enterprise Management, and Global Logistics Technology to equip students with emerging technological and industry-specific skills for the future workplace.The 'Non-Hong Kong Education' zone comprises consulates based in Hong Kong, overseas universities and educational organisations from various countries and regions, and offers study-abroad advisory services covering Europe, the Americas, Asia and countries and regions along the Belt and Road.The 'Lifelong Learning' and 'Youth Zone' sections provide a wide spectrum of further education and industry information for working professionals, career switchers and young people. The Employees Retraining Board (ERB) introduces skills-based training courses which cover multiple industry categories, technology applications and workplace languages and provide training consultancy services. The Professional Communication Association shares insight on public speaking, debating, and job interview techniques. Organisations such as the Hong Kong Federation of Youth Groups and the Hong Kong Youth Exchange Promotion United Association provide young people with career planning support, summer job opportunities and internship placement information.Active government participation and upgraded free 'CV Clinic'The 'Careers' Zone features over 31 government bureaux and departments, including the Electrical and Mechanical Services Department, the Education Bureau, the Civil Service Bureau, and the Judiciary. Providing career opportunities and information in disciplinary forces, professional and technical roles, and administrative and management grades. A dedicated Civil Service Bureau seminar zone will host a total of 17 career seminars in collaboration with multiple government departments and the Independent Commission Against Corruption. These include 'Administrative Officers Multiverse Explored: Unlocking Limitless Possibilities in Public Administration', which introduces the diverse scope of work within the Administrative Officer grade to inspire young people aspiring to public service. Also,the Agriculture, Fisheries and Conservation Department will showcase the important role of veterinary surgeons in safeguarding public health and share how quarantine detector dogs assist in disease prevention and maintain social wellbeing.The 'Recruitment Square' gathers multiple job platforms, recruitment consultancy firms and enterprises to accept job applications on-site, with some providing on-the-spot interviews. Job seekers are encouraged to bring their resumes to apply for positions.The 'CV Clinic', which received an enthusiastic response last year, returns with a comprehensive upgrade. This year, the Clinic features six services including 1:1 CV consultations, professional CV portrait photography, 1:1 Trainee Programme & Career Consultation, 'Aptitude Test Ready Station', Personal Colour Analysis and the latest 2026 edition of the '16 Personality Types Magic Quiz', leveraging technology to support jobseekers in enhancing their competitiveness. Job seekers may reserve these onsite services in advance via the Education & Careers Expo website. Quotas are limited and registration is on a first-come, first-served basis.Throughout the exhibition, over 100 activities will be held, covering multiple fields including technology, healthcare, and overseas studies. The Expo features a number of experts and industry leaders who will speak on the latest industry developments to help students and job seekers seize future opportunities:The Expo also features a series of workshops and hands-on activities suitable for parents to attend with their children, including a mock courtroom set up by the Judiciary, allowing participants to experience a courtroom environment firsthand and deepen their understanding of judicial procedures and legal professions. There is also a mock TV studio and recording studio set up by Radio Television Hong Kong (RTHK) where participants can experience professional production workflows first-hand.Admission is free for the public over the four-day exhibition period. Visitors can also enjoy the 'Instant Career Snapshot' AI photo experience and receive complimentary souvenirs, including a limited-edition mobile phone strap for the 35th Education & Careers Expo, while stocks last.Photo download: https://bit.ly/4sXDLwwIn her welcome remarks, Sophia Chong, Executive Director, Hong Kong Trade Development Council, said the Education & Careers Expo had long been providing the public with an excellent platform, bringing together comprehensive and up-to-date information on further education and employment, solidifying Hong Kong's role as an international hub for post-secondary education and high-calibre talents.Dr Choi Yuk-lin, JP, Secretary for Education, Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) Government, delivered the opening remarks at the 35th Hong Kong Trade Development Council (HKTDC) Education & Careers.Sophia Chong, Executive Director, Hong Kong Trade Development Council (fifth left) and Dr Choi Yuk-lin, JP, Secretary for Education (fifth right) at the opening ceremony.The 'Education' section comprises four main zones, with the 'Local Studies' zone bringing together multiple universities and tertiary institutions.The 'Careers' Zone features a record participation of 31 government bureaux and departments, providing career opportunities and information in disciplinary forces, professional and technical roles, and administrative and management grades.Vocational Training Council (VTC)'s Engineering discipline presents the SOPHIE 8x model, winner of the World Solar Challenge held in Australia, showcasing how students transformed theories to practical innovation and green technology capabilities.The Expo features four themed days, with the opening day focusing on 'Civil Servants & Public Services'. Government departments and the Independent Commission Against Corruption hosted various seminars introducing job roles and sharing valuable work experience.The Judiciary has set up a mock courtroom at the Expo, allowing participants to experience the court environment firsthand and gain a deeper understanding of judicial procedures and the legal profession.International professional image trainer May Chan shared five essential workplace dressing tips for new graduates.The Career Zone features a free 'CV Clinic', comprehensively upgraded this year with new services including personal colour analysis.The expo also offers interactive and hands-on activities, including access to RTHK's mock TV and recording studio to experience the real media working environment.Education & Careers Expo Website: https://www.hktdc.com/event/hkeducationexpo/enEvents' information: https://www.hktdc.com/event/hkeducationexpo/en/intelligence-hubHKTDC Newsroom: http://mediaroom.hktdc.com/enMedia enquiriesHKTDC's Communications & Public Affairs Department:Stanley So Tel: (852) 2584 4049 Email: stanley.hp.so@hktdc.orgNavin Law Tel: (852) 2584 4525 Email: navin.cm.law@hktdc.orgWinnie Kan Tel: (852) 2584 4055 Email: winnie.wy.kan@hktdc.orgAbout HKTDCThe Hong Kong Trade Development Council (HKTDC) is a statutory body established in 1966 to promote, assist and develop Hong Kong's trade. With over 50 offices globally, including 13 in the Chinese Mainland, the HKTDC promotes Hong Kong as a two-way global investment and business hub. The HKTDC organises international exhibitions, conferences and business missions to create business opportunities for companies, particularly small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), in the mainland and international markets. The HKTDC also provides up-to-date market insights and product information via research reports and digital news channels. For more information, please visit: www.hktdc.com/aboutus.Source: HKTDCCopyright 2026 ACN Newswire . All rights reserved. Vancouver, British Columbia--(Newsfile Corp. - January 22, 2026) - K2 Gold Corporation (TSXV: KTO) (OTCQB: KTGDF) (FSE: 23K) ("K2" or the "Company") today announced that drilling is now underway at its 100%-owned Si2 Gold Project, located approximately 59 kilometers west of Tonopah, Nevada, in the prolific Walker Lane Trend. This drill program represents the culmination of significant technical studies and reinterpretation at Si2. The project is now understood to be an intact low-sulphidation epithermal gold system, with prior drilling having tested only the shallow upper expression. For the first time, K2 is drilling high-priority targets at depth, where stronger gold mineralization is commonly developed in epithermal systems. Figure 1: RC drill rig setup at first drill pad at Si2. To view an enhanced version of this graphic, please visit: https://images.newsfilecorp.com/files/6578/281228_96892cce745379e2_002full.jpg "The commencement of this drill program is a direct result of our technical team's strength," said Anthony Margarit, President & CEO of K2 Gold. "Their work has fundamentally upgraded the Si2 geological model. We are now drilling the most compelling targets identified to date- testing both previously undrilled structures and the depths where our studies indicate the most productive levels of the Si2 epithermal system should lie. Si2 gives K2 a second, high-conviction discovery opportunity in one of the most proven gold districts in the U.S.A." Key Drivers Behind the Si2 Drill Program Diligent scientific and technical studies reveal untapped potential. First-ever testing of newly defined, deeper structural targets property-wide. Si2 exhibits many similar characteristics to AngloGold Ashanti's Arthur Project (previously named Silicon) 1 The right address: located in the prolific Walker Lane of Nevada - host to several world-class epithermal systems. 2 Establishes Si2 as a near-term discovery catalyst, alongside the Company's flagship Mojave Project. Qualified Person ("QP") and QA/QC The technical information in this news release has been prepared in accordance with Canadian regulatory requirements set out in NI 43-101 and reviewed and approved by Eric Buitenhuis, M.Sc., P.Geo., K2's QP and Vice President of Exploration. AngloGold Ashanti renames Expanded Silicon Project The Arthur Gold Project https://www.anglogoldashanti.com/portfolio/americas/united-states-projects USGS Mineral Resources Program, 2016: https://www.usgs.gov/programs/mineral-resources-program/science/magmatic-tectonic-history-and-component-sources-major-0? About K2 Gold Corporation K2 Gold Corp. is led by a team that has delivered over $2.6 billion worth of gold transactions, including Great Bear Resources' C$1.8 billion sale to Kinross and Kaminak Gold's sale to Goldcorp for approximately C$520 million. Chairman John Robins, who also chaired Kaminak, is now poised to deliver yet again for K2 Gold. In addition, K2 Gold is part of Discovery Group, an alliance of companies responsible for the discovery of over 10 million ounces of gold. K2 also holds: The Mojave Project is a +6000-hectare oxide gold project with base metal targets located in Inyo County, California. Multiple previously recognized surface gold targets have been successfully drilled in the past, most notably by Newmont and BHP. Since acquiring the property, K2 has completed geochemical and geophysical surveys, geologic mapping, LiDAR, a WorldView 3 alteration survey, and successfully completed a 17-hole RC drill program focused on the Dragonfly and Newmont Zones. Highlights from K2's drilling program include 6.68 g/t Au over 45.72m from surface at the Dragonfly Zone, and 1.69 g/t Au over 41.15m from 44.20m depth at the Newmont Zone. The Wels Project lies approximately 60km south of Fuerte Metals Coffee project discovered by Kaminak Gold Corporation (formerly a Discovery Group company prior to its acquisition by Goldcorp-Newmont). Both the Coffee project and the Wels project lie within the Tintina Gold Belt, share similar characteristics, and are host to structurally controlled gold mineralization within intrusive rocks exhibiting multiple trends of mineralization. K2's 2023 Reverse Circulation drilling program at the Wels Project intersected gold in each of 12 drill holes, including the discovery of a new mineralized corridor at the Saddle South target. The Wels land position consists of 350 contiguous quartz claims covering 7,200 hectares and lies within the traditional territory of White River First Nation. K2 Gold is committed to responsible exploration, safety, Indigenous and community engagement, and advancing high-quality projects through a collaborative and technically disciplined approach. On behalf of the Board of Directors, Anthony Margarit President and CEO K2 Gold Corporation is a proud member of Discovery Group based in Vancouver, Canada. For more information please visit: discoverygroup.ca. Cautionary Statement on Forward-Looking Statements This news release contains forward-looking statements that are not historical facts. Forward-looking statements involve risks, uncertainties and other factors that could cause actual results, performance, prospects, and opportunities to differ materially from those expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements, including statements regarding the exploration program at Si2, Wels, and Mojave, including results of drilling, and future exploration plans at Si2, Wels, and Mojave. Factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from these forward-looking statements include, but are not limited to, variations in the nature, quality and quantity of any mineral deposits that may be located, the Company's inability to obtain any necessary permits, consents or authorizations required for its planned activities, and the Company's inability to raise the necessary capital or to be fully able to implement its business strategies. The reader is referred to the Company's public disclosure record which is available on SEDAR+ (sedarplus.ca). Although the Company believes that the assumptions and factors used in preparing the forward-looking statements are reasonable, undue reliance should not be placed on these statements, which only apply as of the date of this news release, and no assurance can be given that such events will occur in the disclosed time frames or at all. Except as required by securities laws and the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange, the Company disclaims any intention or obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statement, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise. This news release does not constitute an offer to sell or a solicitation of an offer to buy, nor shall there be any sale of any of the securities in any jurisdiction in which such offer, solicitation or sale would be unlawful, including any of the securities in the United States of America. No securities of the Company have been or will, in the foreseeable future, be registered under the United States Securities Act of 1933 (the "1933 Act") or any state securities laws and may not be offered or sold within the United States or to, or for account or benefit of, U.S. Persons (as defined in Regulation S under the 1933 Act) unless registered under the 1933 Act and applicable state securities laws, or an exemption from such registration requirements is available. NEITHER TSX VENTURE EXCHANGE NOR ITS REGULATION SERVICES PROVIDER (AS THAT TERM IS DEFINED IN POLICIES OF THE TSX VENTURE EXCHANGE) ACCEPTS RESPONSIBILITY FOR THE ADEQUACY OR ACCURACY OF THIS RELEASE To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/281228 Source: K2 Gold Corporation Press Release Atos awarded Scopism SIAM Assured status as both a SIAM Service Provider and a SIAM Consultancy and Advisory Organization This recognition makes Atos the first ever service integration and management company (SIAM) worldwide to achieve this dual accreditation Paris, France, January 22, 2026 - Atos, a global leader in AI-powered digital transformation, today announced that it has been awarded Scopism SIAM Assured (SSA) status as both a SIAM Service Provider and a SIAM Consultancy and Advisory Organization-making Atos the first organization worldwide to achieve this dual recognition. This milestone underscores Atos' leadership in Service Integration and Management (SIAM) as a whole and its commitment to delivering excellence, innovation, and trusted governance across complex multi-supplier service ecosystems to its entire customer's base. The Scopism SIAM Assured program is a globally recognized accreditation awarded to organizations that successfully complete a rigorous and independent assessment of their SIAM capabilities. Achieving SSA status demonstrates verifiable expertise in SIAM practices, including governance, integration, assurance, coordination, and service value optimization. The recognition of Atos end-to-end SIAM capability (operational delivery and strategic advisory) and the confirmation that the company follows best practice governance, integration, and coordination models increase trust and differentiation in customer engagements and bids and sets Atos apart in competitive tenders. As Scopism accreditation is recognized by procurement bodies as a reliable maturity benchmark, it reduces uncertainty for customers, speed-up processes and gives Atos an industry-recognized proof of excellence. Scopism, a UK-based organization recognized globally for its SIAM thought leadership and expertise, administers the SIAM Assured program to provide its customer organizations with a clear and trustworthy benchmark of SIAM capability. The accreditation enhances confidence during procurement processes, offering an industry-standard measure of quality and maturity. "Atos is the first organization globally to be awarded two formal accreditations from the Scopism Assured program. We were impressed by the comprehensive nature of the evidence Atos provided. Every question was answered with both standard services offering information as well as customer reference citations, which described how the service was used in the real world. One of accreditation's most significant advantages is its simplification of the due diligence process. Vetting new suppliers can be time-consuming and resource-intensive, but accreditation acts as a pre-screening process, assuring organizations that the supplier has met recognized industry standards" said Claire Agutter, Director at Scopism. "Being the first organization to secure SIAM Assured status in both categories is a testament to Atos' leadership position, strategic vision, operational excellence, and capacity to execute and deliver on our commitments. This dual accreditation is also an assurance for our customers of our best-in-class capabilities that can help them maximize value and succeed in today's rapidly evolving digital landscape" said Michael Herron, Head of Atos UK & Ireland. As a Scopism SIAM Assured Partner, Atos gains several key benefits. These include a seat on the SIAM Leadership Council. This role enables Atos to contribute to the strategic direction and ongoing evolution of SIAM on a global scale This recognition sets Atos apart on the market and highlights its ongoing commitment to driving excellence and innovation in service integration, helping organizations whether public or private, to conduct their digital transformation and respond to evolving business needs, regulatory requirements, and rapid technology change. ### About Atos Group Atos Group is a global leader in digital transformation with c. 63,000 employees and annual revenue of c. 8 billion, operating in 61 countries under two brands - Atos for services and Eviden for products. European number one in cybersecurity, cloud and high performance computing, Atos Group is committed to a secure and decarbonized future and provides tailored AI-powered, end-to-end solutions for all industries. Atos Group is the brand under which Atos SE (Societas Europaea) operates. Atos SE is listed on Euronext Paris. The purpose of Atos Groupis to help design the future of the information space. Its expertise and services support the development of knowledge, education and research in a multicultural approach and contribute to the development of scientific and technological excellence. Across the world, the Group enables its customers and employees, and members of societies at large to live, work and develop sustainably, in a safe and secure information space. Press Contact Laurent Massicot | laurent.massicot@atos.net| Attachment EQS-Media / 22.01.2026 / 13:00 CET/CEST vVARDIS Advances Sustainable, Drill-Free Caries Management Consistent With WHO's Forward-Looking Vision for Environmentally Friendly Oral Health ZUG, SWITZERLAND /[JANUARY 22, 2026] -vVARDIS, a Swiss high-growth healthcare company welcomes the release of the World Health Organisation's (WHO) Guideline on Environmentally Friendly and Less Invasive Oral Health Care for Preventing and Managing Dental Caries, a global crisis affecting an estimated 2.5 billion people worldwide, according to the WHO. This guideline supports the Bangkok Declaration and the transition to preventive, less invasive, climate resilient, environmentally sustainable, and safe oral healthcare. This perspective aligns with a broader shift toward a salutogenic model of sustainable oral health, one that prioritizes the preservation and regeneration of natural dental tissues. This forward-looking perspective is echoed in the article "Equity and integration; why the oral healthcare community urgently needs to reflect on its approach to caries management" just published in the International Journal of Equity in Health, which introduces a biomimetic formulation, in a product known as CurodontTM Repair, as an example of a non-invasive and environmentally-friendly solution for treatment of non-cavitated caries. CurodontTM Repair, which has been developed with a proprietary process to assure effective application to the early caries lesion, promotes a biomimetic repair process that helps to arrest the progression of early caries and facilitates mineral crystal generation throughout the depth of the lesion, restoring the enamel structure from within, offering a non-invasive, mercury-free approach to caries management consistent with WHO's forward-looking vision. Developed over 25 years of research, vVARDIS biomimetic science has been perfected and clinically validated through randomized controlled trials, long-term real-world evidence, as well as meta-analyses, demonstrating its safety and more than 90% clinical efficacy in arresting and reversing early carious lesions. By minimizing the need for drilling, this approach can contribute to lower waste generation, reducing energy consumption, and promoting more efficient use of resources over a patient's lifetime. A salutogenic model of sustainable oral health that integrates biomimetic science into the Minimum Intervention Oral Care (MIOC) framework can help advance the six guiding principles of the WHO Global Oral Health Action Plan and for dentists combines clinical effectiveness with ecological awareness, caries management with overall health and well-being. About vVARDIS AG vVARDIS is a Swiss high-growth healthcare company located in Zug, Switzerland that offers groundbreaking biomimetic, non-invasive solutions for dental professionals under the Curodont brand. Founded by Drs. Haley and Goly Abivardi, sisters, Swiss dentists, innovators, and awarded entrepreneurs, vVARDIS is the result of more than 25 years of research, paired with the commitment of its founders to make an impact on people's lives, especially the underserved. Curodont is already mentioned in lectures at renowned universities as a standard of care for the treatment of early decay. vVARDIS is a member of the World Economic Forum's Innovator Communities. For more information on vVARDIS products, including Curodont Repair Fluoride Plus available in the U.S., visit www.vVARDIS.com . References UNEP/MC/COP.6/INF/31/Add.1 - World Health Organization guideline on environmentally friendly and less invasive oral health care for preventing and managing dental caries . https://minamataconvention.org/sites/default/files/documents/information_document/UNEP-MC-COP6-INF31-Add1-WHO-Dental-Amalgam_English.pdf Fisher J et al. Int J Equity Health 2026 Alkilzy M et al. J Dent Res 2018 Broseler F et al. Clin Oral Investig 2020 Welk A et al. Sci Rep 2020 Godenzi D et al. J Am Dent Assoc 2023 Keeper J et al. J Am Dent Assoc 2023 New research reveals why multilingual content spend at the enterprise level is rising even though performance, governance and AI trust continue to lag. Key findings highlight a widening ROI gap between multilingual content spend and performance. Simply put, "Create then Translate," no longer works. COCONUT CREEK, Fla., Jan. 22, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- MarketFully, the leading multilingual marketing platform redefining how brands create, manage and optimize content across languages and markets, today announced the release of the 2026 State of the Industry Report - InContent Marketing. Drawing on insights from 31 enterprise marketers and 10 executive interviews across the US, UK and EU, the report uncovers a growing disconnect between multilingual content investment and measurable business outcomes. Although global revenue increasingly comes from multilingual and multicultural audiences, most enterprise content marketing strategies remain rooted in a single-language mindset. The result is varied-rising spend and expanding market footprints, coupled with declining confidence in ROI, brand control and AI governance. Multilingual content is scaling faster than the systems designed to manage it, such that search engines and AI platforms now shape how brands appear in local markets, often without brand oversight, approval, or safeguards. "As inbound marketing for multilingual content, InContent Marketing is the latest high-growth category within content marketing, rising in importance as the need for performance beyond translation further heightens," said Evan Kramer, CEO, MarketFully. "This is to say that enterprise teams aren't failing because they lack effort or budget-they're constrained by legacy content models that were never designed for multilingual, SEO, GEO or AI-driven discovery." The 2026 State of the Industry Report - InContent Marketing uncovers a clear strategic inflection point: Translation alone is no longer a viable growth strategy. Linear "create in English, then translate" workflows break down at scale, particularly in AI-driven discovery environments. They fail to account for cultural relevance, market-specific search behavior, and the governance required to maintain brand integrity across dozens of markets. It further reveals consistent patterns across industries spanning SaaS, Retail, Travel and Hospitality, Consumer Goods, Finance, Healthcare and Advertising: High budgets, low confidence: One-third of surveyed organizations spend over $1M annually on content, yet two-thirds struggle to prove ROI. One-third of surveyed organizations spend over $1M annually on content, yet two-thirds struggle to prove ROI. Global reach without global visibility: Half of respondents operate in 11-plus markets, with six active in more than 50 countries, yet many support fewer than 10 languages, leaving revenue and discoverability unmanaged. Half of respondents operate in 11-plus markets, with six active in more than 50 countries, yet many support fewer than 10 languages, leaving revenue and discoverability unmanaged. AI accelerates output-but not trust: While AI increases speed, one-third of respondents cite brand and quality concerns, and many teams approve content in languages they cannot read. Governance has not kept pace. While AI increases speed, one-third of respondents cite brand and quality concerns, and many teams approve content in languages they cannot read. Governance has not kept pace. Shared constraints across enterprises: Scaling content, proving ROI, maintaining brand consistency, and managing fragmented workflows surfaced as the most common challenges regardless of size or sector. Designed as a performance-driven approach, InContent Marketing treats multilingual content as a strategic system with a practical framework built on the following pillars, enabling enterprises to regain control of their multilingual presence while tying content to outcomes: InLanguage - ensuring accurate understanding and linguistic integrity by country and market InCulture - delivering local relevance and resonance beyond literal translation InMarket - optimizing for search and AI discoverability by market To learn more about InContent Marketing and download the report, visit: marketfully.com/2026-incontent-marketing-state-of-the-industry About MarketFully: MarketFully is a purpose-built multilingual content marketing solution that enables efficient and effective InLanguage, InCulture, and InMarket content marketing for global and cultural audience segments. MarketFully combines an AI-powered multilingual content platform with human services across content intelligence, levels of content adaptation, and distribution to drive authentic connections, social community, and increased discoverability and awareness to achieve measurable marketing outcomes. CONTACT: Mary Cirincione, mary.cirincione@propellergroup.com Logo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/2763681/MarketFully_New_Logo.jpg View original content:https://www.prnewswire.co.uk/news-releases/marketfully-releases-2026-state-of-the-industry-report-around-incontent-marketing-302667483.html VANCOUVER, BC / ACCESS Newswire / January 22, 2026 / Faraday Copper Corp. ("Faraday" or the "Company") (TSX:FDY)(OTCQX:CPPKF) is pleased to announce the results of the first eight drill holes from its Phase IV drill program at the Copper Creek Project, located in Arizona ("Copper Creek"). These holes targeted near-surface copper mineralization in the American Eagle area as well as infill drilling and geotechnical objectives. Paul Harbidge, President and CEO, commented, "These initial results from our Phase IV drill program continue to increase our confidence in expanding the near surface mineralization in the American Eagle area, further supporting the potential to define a significant open pit mineral resource in this area and unlock additional economic value for the project. Phase IV drilling is ongoing with three active rigs focused on increasing the open pit potential, testing district exploration targets, and collecting hydrogeological and geotechnical data that will be used in future technical studies." Highlights Five drill holes in the American Eagle area intersected near-surface mineralization above open pit cutoff grade 1 and further the potential for an open pit resource to be defined above the existing American Eagle underground resource. Drill hole FCD-25-134 intersected several mineralized intervals for a combined 177 metres ("m") greater than 0.30% copper, expanding the known extent of the Winchester breccia to within 100 m from surface. Copper intercepts include: 17.58 m at 0.44% copper from 109.42 m; 16.46 m at 0.57% copper from 184.54 m; and 45.25 m at 0.42% copper from 256.28 m. North of the Banjo breccia, drill hole FCD-25-129 intersected 56.00 m at 0.41% copper from 160.00 m (approximately 100 m below surface), including 24.00 m at 0.64% from 164.00 m. The drill holes reported herein further increased confidence of the near-surface mineralization in the American Eagle area and geotechnical holes confirmed the rock competency is consistent with the current resource1 suitable for efficient open pit mining. (For true width information see Table 1) Phase IV Drilling The results reported herein are the first results from the Company's Phase IV drill program which has the objectives of increasing confidence in the resource, adding further potential open pit mineable inventory, collecting hydrogeological and geotechnical data and testing district exploration targets. There are currently three active drill rigs on the property. The program builds on the success of Phase III drilling, which resulted in the discovery of mineralization hosted in breccias and porphyry-style vein zones, particularly in the American Eagle area. Drill Results Summary The American Eagle area, as mapped on surface, covers approximately 800 m by 1,000 m and is host to numerous prospective breccias and porphyries which have strong copper geochemical signatures (Figure 1). These surface expressions are located above the large underground porphyry mineral resource1. The Company's Phase III drilling, which included 34 drill holes, resulted in the discovery of the Banjo, Winchester and Prada breccias. Phase III was carried out from 9 drill pad locations which allowed limited testing of the near-surface and lateral extent of mineralization. The approval of the Exploration Plan of Operations by the Bureau of Land Management in June 2025 (see news release dated July 3, 2025) now provides the ability for expanded drilling in the area. Drill hole FCD-25-117 was collared 150 m southwest of the American Eagle breccia and drilled to the north, targeting a vein-zone and the Winchester breccia. After 60 m of porphyry, the hole intersected granodiorite to 386 m. Breccia and short intervals of porphyry were intersected to 509 m, followed by granodiorite to the end of the hole. Alteration is sericite, mainly affecting the breccia domain and zones of dense porphyry-style veining which were intersected from approximately 58 m. Copper mineralization occurs as pyrite-chalcopyrite in porphyry-style veins and breccia cement. Drill hole FCD-25-118 was collared 300 m west of the American Eagle breccia and drilled to the south. This hole tested a previously undrilled area with the objective of gaining geological and geotechnical data at the periphery of known mineralization, confirming competent rock quality. The hole intersected granodiorite to 181 m and porphyry to the end of the hole. Within the granodiorite, several narrow (< 2m) breccia intervals were intersected. Alteration is generally moderate and chlorite-sericite dominant. Mineralization occurs in veins as pyrite with trace chalcopyrite. Drill hole FCD-25-119 was collared at the same location as FCD-25-117 and drilled to the northwest. It is testing the westward extension of a prominent east-west vein zone west of the American Eagle breccia in an area of sparse historical drilling. The hole also had a geotechnical objective, confirming competent rock quality. It intersected porphyry and lesser granodiorite for the first 112 m and then entered granodiorite to 297 m, followed by a previously unknown 20 m interval of hydrothermal breccia before going back into granodiorite to the end of the hole. Chalcopyrite together with pyrite occurs in porphyry style veins, whereas the hydrothermal breccia is cemented by pyrite. Oxide copper mineralization consisting of primarily chrysocolla and neotocite is present in the first 30 m. Drill hole FCD-25-120 was collared at the same location as FCD-25-117 and drilled to the south. This hole tested a previously undrilled area with the objective of gaining geological and geotechnical data at the periphery of known mineralization, confirming competent rock quality. It intersected 10 m of porphyry, followed by granodiorite to 43 m. Several types of porphyry dominate to 218 m with the remainder of the hole in granodiorite. Porphyry style veins with pyrite and trace chalcopyrite occur throughout the hole. Drill hole FCD-25-121 was collared near the Prada breccia, approximately 300 m southeast of the American Eagle breccia and drilled to the northeast. It tested the eastward extent of the Prada breccia trend in an area of limited historical drilling. The hole intersected granodiorite for the first 50 m, followed by several narrow breccia intercepts and porphyry to 117 m. Granodiorite was intersected to 140 m and porphyry to 208 m. Breccia and lesser porphyry dominate to 285 m. The hole ends in granodiorite. Sericitic alteration accompanies the breccia domains. Pyrite is the dominant breccia cement and also occurs in porphyry-style veins. Chalcopyrite occurs in trace amounts. The presence of breccia with the increase of chalcopyrite with depth observed elsewhere at Copper Creek suggests that mineralization potential exists at depth below this drill hole and follow up drilling is being planned. Drill hole FCD-25-128 was collared approximately 300 m northeast of the American Eagle breccia and drilled to the west, testing for near-surface mineralization above the Banjo breccia. The hole intersected 79 m of granodiorite before entering porphyry to the end of the hole. An interval of hydrothermal breccia cutting porphyry is present from 161 m to 170 m. Mineralization occurs as chalcopyrite together with pyrite in veins and breccia cement. Chalcocite is present in the top 50 m of the hole. Drill hole FCD-25-129 was collared at the same location as FCD-25-128 and was drilled to the northwest, testing the near-surface and northward continuation of the Banjo breccia. It intersected granodiorite with a porphyry domain from 175 m to 267 m. A zone of intense sericitic alteration affects the porphyry and adjacent granodiorite domain from approximately 158 m to 205 m. This domain contains disseminated chalcopyrite and pyrite. Drill hole FCD-25-134 was collared approximately 100 m north of the American Eagle breccia and drilled to the northwest, testing several breccia targets (Figure 2). It started and ended in granodiorite with breccia domains and porphyry intervals from 56 m to 113 m, from 184 m to 211 m, and from 256 m to 405 m. Breccia domains are associated with intense sericitic alteration. Mineralization occurs as pyrite-chalcopyrite in breccia cement and porphyry style veins. Next Steps Phase IV drilling continues with a total of 40,000 m currently planned and is focused on near-surface mineralization as well as geotechnical and hydrogeological objectives. The Company has released results from 2,875 m drilled in 8 holes, all of which are in the American Eagle area. The assay results for additional completed drill holes will be released as they are received, analyzed and confirmed by the Company. Figure 1: Plan View Showing Surface Geology and Location of the Drill Holes in the American Eagle Area Note: The open pit shell is based on constraints used in the MRE as presented in the Copper Creek Technical Report1 Figure 2: Images of Mineralized Core from Drill Hole FCD-25-134 Table 1: Selected Drill Results Drill Hole ID From To Length True Width Cu Au Ag Mo (m) (m) (m) (m) (%) (g/t) (g/t) (%) FCD-25-117 121.00 131.00 10.00 10 0.21 N/A 1.35 0.0006 and 146.00 192.00 46.00 46 0.23 N/A 0.88 0.0004 including 178.00 188.00 10.00 10 0.45 N/A 1.41 0.0004 and 274.00 362.00 88.00 88 0.17 N/A 0.56 0.0010 and 404.00 482.90 78.90 47 0.25 N/A 0.74 0.0007 Including 410.00 432.52 22.52 14 0.46 N/A 1.39 0.0012 FCD-25-119 14.13 28.22 14.09 14 0.15 N/A 0.57 0.0004 and 135.00 145.00 10.00 10 0.26 N/A 1.66 0.0004 and 243.00 255.00 12.00 12 0.25 N/A 0.89 0.0008 and 271.00 295.00 24.00 24 0.25 N/A 0.86 0.0005 FCD-25-128 8.00 24.00 16.00 16 0.57 N/A 1.59 0.0009 and 139.00 212.00 73.00 73 0.29 N/A 0.85 0.0020 Including 168.00 198.00 30.00 30 0.42 N/A 1.38 0.0032 FCD-25-129 80.00 100.00 20.00 20 0.17 < 0.01 0.44 0.0007 and 160.00 216.00 56.00 56 0.41 0.01 1.09 0.0002 Including 164.00 188.00 24.00 24 0.64 0.02 1.83 0.0002 and 242.00 266.00 24.00 24 0.16 <0.01 0.60 0.0017 FCD-25-134 20.00 50.00 30.00 30 0.30 N/A 0.64 0.0004 and 109.42 142.31 32.89 32 0.33 0.02 0.99 0.0012 Including 109.42 127.00 17.58 17 0.44 0.02 0.80 0.0004 and 149.17 218.00 68.83 49 0.33 0.01 1.06 0.0026 Including 184.54 201.00 16.46 12 0.57 0.02 1.48 0.0005 and 256.28 301.53 45.25 45 0.42 0.02 1.16 0.0005 and 320.00 363.00 43.00 32 0.27 0.01 0.73 0.0011 and 376.00 404.95 28.95 21 0.20 0.01 0.57 0.0012 And 420.00 437.00 17.00 17 0.28 0.01 0.67 0.0006 FCD-25-118 No significant intercepts geotechnical specific hole FCD-25-120 No significant intercepts geotechnical specific hole FCD-25-121 No significant intercepts Note: All intercepts are reported as downhole drill widths. Mineralization includes bulk porphyry style and breccia mineralization. True widths are approximate due to the irregular shape of mineralized domains. N/A: Not analyzed. Table 2: Collar Locations from the Drill Holes Reported Herein Drill Hole ID Easting Northing Elevation Azimuth Dip Target Depth Depth (m) () () (ft) (m) FCD-25-117 548857 3623290 1310 010 55 American Eagle W 1805.6 550.35 FCD-25-118 548704 3623290 1304 172 45 American Eagle SW 666.0 203.00 FCD-25-119 548855 3623291 1309 320 45 American Eagle W 1641.0 500.18 FCD-25-120 548861 3623289 1310 203 45 American Eagle SW 810.6 247.07 FCD-25-121 549163 3623124 1353 032 45 Prada E 985.0 300.23 FCD-25-128 549278 3623531 1360 265 45 Banjo 723.1 220.40 FCD-25-129 549279 3623532 1360 300 50 Banjo N 1365.2 416.11 FCD-25-134 549044 3623489 1308 310 45 American Eagle N 1435.0 437.39 Note: Coordinates are given as World Geodetic System 84, Universal Transverse Mercator Zone 12 north (WGS84, UTM12N). Sampling Methodology, Chain of Custody, Quality Control and Quality Assurance All sampling was conducted under the supervision of the Company's geologists and the chain of custody from Copper Creek to the independent sample preparation facility, ALS Laboratories in Tucson, AZ, was continuously monitored. The samples were taken as core, over 2 m core length. Samples were crushed, pulverized and sample pulps were analyzed using industry standard analytical methods including a 4-Acid ICP-MS multielement package and an ICP-AES method for high-grade copper samples. Copper mineralized samples were also analyzed for acid and cyanide soluble copper. Gold was analyzed on a 30 g aliquot by fire assay with an ICP-AES finish. A certified reference sample was inserted every 20th sample. Coarse and fine blanks were inserted every 20th sample. Approximately 5% of the core samples were cut into core and submitted as field duplicates. On top of internal QA-QC protocol, additional blanks, reference materials and duplicates were inserted by the analytical laboratory according to their procedure. Data verification of the analytical results included a statistical analysis of the standards and blanks that must pass certain parameters for acceptance to ensure accurate and verifiable results. Qualified Person The scientific and technical information contained in this news release has been reviewed and approved by Faraday's VP Exploration, Dr. Thomas Bissig, P. Geo., who is a Qualified Person under National Instrument 43-101 - Standards of Disclosure for Mineral Projects ("NI 43-101"). Notes 1 The Mineral Resource Estimate and copper cutoff grade are presented in the report titled "Copper Creek Project NI 43-101 Technical Report and Preliminary Economic Assessment" with an effective date of May 3, 2023, available on the Company's website at www.faradaycopper.com and on the Company's SEDAR+ profile at www.sedarplus.ca. About Faraday Copper Faraday Copper is an exploration company focused on advancing its flagship copper project in Arizona, U.S. The Copper Creek Project is one of the largest undeveloped copper projects in North America with significant district scale exploration potential. The Company is well-funded to deliver on its key milestones and benefits from a management team and board of directors with senior mining company experience and expertise. Faraday trades on the TSX under the symbol "FDY". For additional information please contact: Stacey Pavlova, CFA Vice President, Investor Relations & Communications Faraday Copper Corp. E-mail: info@faradaycopper.com Website: www.faradaycopper.com To receive news releases by e-mail, please register using the Faraday website at www.faradaycopper.com. Cautionary Note on Forward Looking Statements Some of the statements in this news release, other than statements of historical fact, are "forward-looking statements" and are based on the opinions and estimates of management as of the date such statements are made and are necessarily based on estimates and assumptions that are inherently subject to known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that may cause actual results, level of activity, performance or achievements of Faraday to be materially different from those expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. Such forward-looking statements and forward-looking information specifically include, but are not limited to, statements concerning the exploration potential of the Copper Creek property. Although Faraday believes the expectations expressed in such forward-looking statements are based on reasonable assumptions, such statements should not be in any way construed as guarantees of future performance and actual results or developments may differ materially. Accordingly, readers should not place undue reliance on forward-looking statements or information. Factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those in forward-looking statements include without limitation: market prices for metals; the conclusions of detailed feasibility and technical analyses; lower than expected grades and quantities of mineral resources; receipt of regulatory approval; receipt of shareholder approval; mining rates and recovery rates; significant capital requirements; price volatility in the spot and forward markets for commodities; fluctuations in rates of exchange; taxation; controls, regulations and political or economic developments in the countries in which Faraday does or may carry on business; the speculative nature of mineral exploration and development, competition; loss of key employees; rising costs of labour, supplies, fuel and equipment; actual results of current exploration or reclamation activities; accidents; labour disputes; defective title to mineral claims or property or contests over claims to mineral properties; unexpected delays and costs inherent to consulting and accommodating rights of Indigenous peoples and other groups; risks, uncertainties and unanticipated delays associated with obtaining and maintaining necessary licenses, permits and authorizations and complying with permitting requirements, including those associated with the Copper Creek property; and uncertainties with respect to any future acquisitions by Faraday. In addition, there are risks and hazards associated with the business of mineral exploration, development and mining, including environmental events and hazards, industrial accidents, unusual or unexpected formations, pressures, cave-ins, flooding and the risk of inadequate insurance or inability to obtain insurance to cover these risks as well as "Risk Factors" included in Faraday's disclosure documents filed on and available at www.sedarplus.ca. This press release does not constitute an offer to sell or a solicitation of an offer to buy any securities in any jurisdiction to any person to whom it is unlawful to make such an offer or solicitation in such jurisdiction. This press release is not, and under no circumstances is to be construed as, a prospectus, an offering memorandum, an advertisement or a public offering of securities in Faraday in Canada, the United States or any other jurisdiction. No securities commission or similar authority in Canada or in the United States has reviewed or in any way passed upon this press release, and any representation to the contrary is an offence. SOURCE: Faraday Copper Corp. View the original press release on ACCESS Newswire:https://www.accessnewswire.com/newsroom/en/metals-and-mining/faraday-copper-intersects-near-surface-copper-mineralization-from-five-drill-hole-1129800 Toronto, Ontario--(Newsfile Corp. - January 22, 2026) - Safe Supply Streaming Co Ltd. (CSE: SPLY) (OTCQB: SSPLF) (FSE: QM4) ("Safe Supply" or the "Company"), a pioneer in health, safety and rapid response technologies, today provided a comprehensive corporate update as the Company enters a new phase of growth marked by commercial execution, government engagement, and strategic brand evolution. Over the past several months, Safe Supply has methodically transitioned from portfolio assembly toward initial operational activities, including pilot deployments and stakeholder engagement, laying the groundwork for scalable, multi-channel commercialization. Strategic Brand Evolution: Planned Name and Ticker Symbol Change As its platform continues to mature, Safe Supply is advancing plans to complete a corporate name change and corresponding ticker symbol change, subject to regulatory and exchange approvals. This initiative reflects the Company's evolution into a multi-vertical medical technology platform spanning health, safety, and wellness, and is intended to better align its public identity with the scope, ambition, and long-term direction of the business. Management views the proposed rebrand as part of the Company's ongoing efforts to align its public identity with the scope of its activities and strategic focus as the business continues to evolve. NIRLAB: From Strategic Partnership to Commercial Proof The Company recently completed the sale of a NIRLAB SA ("NIRLAB") drug analysis device to Far North Resources Inc., marking the first completed transaction under Safe Supply's exclusive Canadian distribution agreement with NIRLAB. "The completion of our first NIRLAB device sale marks an important operational milestone for Safe Supply," said Geoff Benic, Chief Executive Officer of Safe Supply. "This transaction represents the initial execution under our exclusive Canadian distribution agreement with NIRLAB. Alongside ongoing discussions with stakeholders and recent engagement with government agencies, we remain focused on disciplined execution as we advance our strategy across health, safety, and wellness." Demonstration of Technology to Stakeholders As part of its broader market-development strategy, Safe Supply recently conducted meetings in Ottawa with federal, provincial, municipal, and indigenous agencies, including live demonstrations of the NIRLAB device. These discussions focused on the role advanced analytical technologies can play in public safety, rapid response strategies, and evidence-based policy responses. Management believes direct engagement with federal, provincial, municipal, and indigenous stakeholders is a critical step in positioning Safe Supply's technologies within national frameworks for health and safety innovation. Scaling Access: Safety Strips Across Government and Consumer Markets Through its wholly owned subsidiaries, Safety Strips Tech Corp. and Drug Lab 118 Ltd., the Company is preparing for the commercialization of its proprietary rapid testing products, including fentanyl and drink-spiking detection strips. The Company intends to commercialize these products in both the United States and Canada, subject to applicable regulatory requirements and market readiness, utilizing a distribution strategy that is expected to include government procurement channels, institutional partners, and direct-to-consumer (D2C) platforms. Management continues to assess appropriate timing, distribution pathways, and operational readiness in advance of a formal launch. Health & Wellness Innovation: Differentiation Through GLP-1 Technology As previously mentioned, we also continue to advance our GLP-1-related health and wellness initiatives, reinforcing its commitment to technology-driven differentiation in a rapidly evolving sector. Rather than pursuing commoditized approaches, the Company is focused on delivery innovation, accessibility, and platform integration, positioning health and wellness as a complementary pillar alongside safety and rapid response technologies. More broadly, Safe Supply remains active in evaluating technically advanced systems across health, wellness, and lifestyle applications, with a disciplined focus on solutions that demonstrate: strong scientific and technical foundations defensible intellectual property or exclusivity scalable commercialization potential Capital Strength and Execution Readiness The Company recently completed an upsized financing, strengthening its balance sheet and enhancing its ability to execute on near-term commercialization, government engagement, and portfolio expansion initiatives. Management believes the Company is now well-capitalized and strategically positioned to pursue growth opportunities while maintaining flexibility in capital allocation. "Safe Supply is positioning itself at the intersection of innovation, public safety, and wellness. These are areas of increasing importance for governments, institutions, and communities alike." said Raf Souccar, Chairman of the Board of Safe Supply. "The developments outlined today reflect the Company's emphasis on disciplined capital management, governance oversight, and careful evaluation of technology opportunities as it advances its strategy." Looking Ahead With multiple technologies at varying stages of development and evaluation, the Company continues to focus on operational execution, stakeholder engagement, and assessment of potential next steps across its portfolio. The Company remains committed to building a portfolio of technologies that improve safety, expand access to health and safety solutions, and deliver long-term value for shareholders. About Safe Supply Streaming Co Ltd. Safe Supply Streaming Co Ltd. (CSE: SPLY) (OTCQB: SSPLF) (FSE: QM4) is a publicly traded company building and backing innovations in healthcare, wellness, and emerging technologies. Through acquisitions, partnerships, and growth capital, the Company assembles a diversified portfolio that leverages data, science, and digital platforms to improve access and outcomes at scale. Operating at the intersection of public health and technology, Safe Supply supports evidence-informed solutions to urgent societal needs. For more information, please visit www.safesupply.com. On behalf of the Board of Directors of Safe Supply Streaming Co Ltd., "Geoff Benic" Geoff Benic, CEO The Canadian Securities Exchange does not accept responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this news release and has neither approved nor disapproved its contents. Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-Looking Statements This press release contains forward-looking statements and forward-looking information within the meaning of applicable Canadian securities legislation (collectively, "forward-looking statements"). Forward-looking statements are based on management's current expectations, assumptions, and beliefs and include, but are not limited to, statements regarding: the Company's planned corporate name and ticker symbol change; anticipated commercialization and future sales of NIRLAB devices; ongoing and prospective government engagement; expansion of distribution channels; continued development and differentiation of health, safety, and wellness technologies, including GLP-1 initiatives; evaluation and potential acquisition or integration of additional technologies; use of proceeds from recent financings; and the Company's overall growth strategy and business outlook. Forward-looking statements are subject to a number of risks, uncertainties, and other factors that may cause actual results, performance, or achievements to differ materially from those expressed or implied by such statements. These risks and uncertainties include, but are not limited to: regulatory approvals and timelines; market adoption of the Company's products and technologies; the ability to successfully negotiate and close additional commercial agreements; changes in government policy or procurement processes; competitive pressures; operational execution risks; general economic, market, and industry conditions; and other risks detailed from time to time in the Company's public disclosure documents available on SEDAR+. Although the Company believes that the expectations reflected in the forward-looking statements are reasonable as of the date hereof, there can be no assurance that such expectations will prove to be correct. Readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on forward-looking statements. The Company does not undertake any obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statements, except as required by applicable securities laws. To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/281151 Source: Safe Supply Streaming Co Ltd. NOT FOR DISTRIBUTION TO UNITED STATES NEWSWIRE SERVICES OR FOR DISSEMINATION IN THE UNITED STATES. ANY FAILURE TO COMPLY WITH THIS RESTRICTION MAY CONSTITUTE A VIOLATION OF U.S. SECURITIES LAWS. Calgary, Alberta--(Newsfile Corp. - January 22, 2026) - Fathom Nickel Inc. (CSE: FNI) (FSE: 6Q5) (OTCQB: FNICF) ('Fathom", or the "Company") is pleased to announce that the Company intends to complete a best efforts non-brokered private placement financing for aggregate gross proceeds of up to C$3,000,000 (the "Offering"). The Offering will consist of any combination of: (i) charity flow-through units (the "Charity FT Units") at C$0.048 per Charity FT Unit; and (ii) hard dollar units (the "HD Units") at C$0.031 per HD Unit of the Company. Crescat Capital LLC ("Crescat") has agreed to make a strategic investment for up to 20% of the Offering. "We are excited to continue to support Fathom as they resume drilling at the Gochager Lake property in a rapidly improving nickel commodity price environment," said Crescat Capital's CEO and Chief Investment Officer, Kevin Smith. "Early drilling at Gochager already discovered significant magmatic nickel-copper-cobalt sulfide mineralization and the Company's recent field work has now defined a robust, open-ended soil geochemical anomaly spanning over an 8km strike from northeast to southwest. The current raise will allow the company to complete a 3-to-4-thousand-meter drill program that will test the highest priorities in a very impressive inventory of drill targets. I am very glad to see the Company get back to work at this exciting project and eagerly await drill results expected in early Q2." Crescat is expected to own or control approximately 18% of the common shares of Fathom (the "Common Shares") on a non- diluted basis upon completion of the Offering, assuming the Offering is completed in full. Each Charity FT Unit shall consist of one charity flow-through Common Share (a "Charity FT Share") and one transferable Common Share purchase warrant (a "Warrant") that shall be exercisable into one Common Share ("Charity Warrant Share") for a period of 36 months from issuance at an exercise price of C$0.05. Each HD Unit shall consist of one Common Share and one Warrant. The Offering will be offered by way of a non-brokered "best efforts" private placement financing offering to "accredited investors" or pursuant to the other available prospectus exemptions under National Instrument 45-106 Prospectus Exemptions in all provinces of Canada, except the Province of Quebec, and any other jurisdictions, subject to the receipt of necessary regulatory approvals. The gross proceeds raised from the Charity FT Units will be used before December 31, 2027 for general exploration expenditures which will constitute Canadian exploration expenses (within the meaning of subsection 66(15) of the Income Tax Act (Canada) (the "Tax Act")), that will qualify as "flow through critical mineral mining expenditures" within the meaning of the Tax Act (the "Qualifying Expenditures"). The net proceeds of the Offering from the HD Units will be used for exploration and development of the Company's mineral projects and for working capital and general corporate purposes. "We are excited to launch the upcoming drill program at Gochager Lake to drill-test the high priority targets that our team has continued to refine through geological, geochemical and geophysical analysis. The proceeds from this financing will allow us to complete a 3,000-to-4,000-meter program commencing mid to late February 2026, to assess the sub-surface geology along the 8km+ exploration target," stated Ian Fraser, CEO & VP Exploration. "We are particularly pleased that Crescat has agreed to participate in the Offering in such a significant manner. Crescat has been a fantastic supporter of Fathom since their initial investment in our IPO financing." It is expected that the Company will pay finders a cash commission, on a yet to be determined percentage, based on the gross proceeds of the Offering. In addition, it is expected that the Company will issue warrants to finders (the "Finder Warrants"), subject to the number of HD Units and Charity FT Units sold pursuant to the Offering. The sale of HD Units is expected to close on or about February 11, 2026, or such other date as the Company may determine. The sale of Charity FT Units is expected to close on or about February 18, 2026, or such other date as the Company may determine. The Offering is subject to customary closing conditions, including the approval of the securities regulatory authorities and the Canadian Securities Exchange (the "CSE"). This news release does not constitute an offer to sell or a solicitation of an offer to buy any of the securities in the United States. The securities have not been and will not be registered under the United States Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the "U.S. Securities Act") or any state securities laws and may not be offered or sold within the United States or to U.S. Persons unless registered under the U.S. Securities Act and applicable state securities laws or an exemption from such registration is available. About Crescat Capital LLC Crescat is a global macro asset management firm headquartered in Denver, Colorado. Crescat's mission is to grow and protect wealth over the long term by deploying tactical investment themes based on proprietary, value-driven equity and macro models. Crescat's goal is industry-leading absolute and risk-adjusted returns over complete business cycles with low correlation to common benchmarks. The company's investment process involves a mix of asset classes and strategies to assist with each client's unique needs and objectives and includes Global Macro, Long/Short, Large Cap and Precious Metals Funds. About Fathom Nickel Inc. Fathom is an exploration company that is targeting magmatic nickel sulphide discoveries to secure the supply of North American Critical Minerals and to support the global green energy transition. The Company now has a portfolio of three high-quality exploration projects located in the prolific Trans Hudson Corridor in Saskatchewan: 1) The Albert Lake Project, a 90,000+ hectare project that hosts the historic Rottenstone Mine1. Fathom exploration to date at the Albert Lake project confirms: The high-grade Ni-Cu-Co+3E Rottenstone deposit mineralization extends to the south a minimum 40m and remains open. The Rottenstone deposit is potentially offset and continues within the footwall of a prominent fault defined by drilling. A new Rottenstone-like discovery (similar host rock, and similar mineralization) by drilling 500-550m W-NW of the historic mine; the 300+m Bay Island Trend, remains open along strike. Similar Rottenstone-like host rock and mineralization intersected by drilling approximately 1.5km S-SW of the historic mine (the Nic5-Tremblay-Olson area). 2) The 33,000+ hectare Gochager Lake Project that hosts the historic Gochager Lake deposit2. Fathom exploration to date at the Gochager Lake project confirms: Vertical extension of Ni-Cu-Co mineralization a minimum of 150m below the historic Gochager Lake deposit interpreted boundary, and very good potential for expansion of mineralization in all directions. Multiple high-grade vertically oriented Ni-Cu-Co sulphide breccia mineralization zones and chutes occur within the historic deposit, and the zones, chutes remain open for further expansion and delineation in all directions. Surface mapping and rock geochemistry has confirmed the Gochager Lake deposit host/container rock extends 3.5+ km along strike east-northeast of the deposit. Soil geochemistry has defined a favourable geochemical footprint, inclusive of the historic deposit, that now extends 8.6+ km. 3) The 10,000+ hectare Friesen Lake Project located 40km southwest of the historic Rottenstone Mine and 30km northwest of the historic Gochager Lake deposit. The Friesen Lake property hosts the Olsen Cu-Ni-Pt Showing also referred to as the Friesen Lake Cu-Ni-Pt showing and is described as an ultramafic dyke that historic trenching and drilling demonstrates Cu-Ni-Pt-Pd and Au mineralization within the ultramafic dyke (Saskatchewan Mineral Deposit Index (SMID) #0928a). To date Fathom has not performed any exploration at the Friesen Lake Project. 1 - The Rottenstone Mine; a small open-pit mining / milling operation was in production 1965-1969. Mining in 1965 produced 5,500 short tons with a reported average production grade of 3.23% Ni, 1.83% Cu, 0.14 oz/ton Pt, 0.10 oz/ton Pd, 0.03 oz/ton Au (9.26 g/t* 3E, 3E = Pd-Pt+Au) and 0.20 oz/ton Ag. Initial milling of mine concentrate September 5 - November 7, 1965, produced 1,070 dry short tons of concentrate; average grade was 10.83% Ni, 5.74% Cu, 0.33 oz/ton Pt, 0.53 oz/ton Pd, 0.10 oz/ ton Au (32.91 g/t* 3E) and 1.25 oz/ton Ag. Richards, B.R. and Robinson, B.G.W. (1966), Mining and milling a small ore deposit . Rottenstone Mining Limited: The Canadian Mining and Metallurgical Bulleting for December 1966. The Saskatchewan Mineral Deposit Index (SMDI) #0958 reports final mine production in 1969 of 28,724 tons with an average grade of 3.28% Ni, 1.83% Cu and 9.63 g/t 3E and that approximately 9,000 tons of concentrate were sold to the International Nickel Company of Canada Limited. * A factor of 34.286 g/tonne was used to convert 1 oz/ton to g/tonne (g/t). 2 - The Gochager Lake property is host to the historic Gochager Lake Ni-Cu deposit. There is no source or available Technical Reports to verify the historic resource estimate for the Gochager Lake deposit; hence, Fathom will treat the historic estimate as an Exploration Target. Available records in the Saskatchewan Mineral Deposit Index (SMDI) and Saskatchewan Mineral Assessment Database (SMAD) suggest an Exploration Target of 4-5 million tons grading 0.3% Ni - 0.4% Ni and 0.08% Cu - 0.09% Cu., The potential quantity and grade is conceptual in nature, and there has been insufficient exploration to define a mineral resource and that it is uncertain if further exploration will result in the target being delineated as a mineral resource. At present, Fathom has drilled 16 drillholes (5,549m) into the historic Gochager Lake deposit and has confirmed Ni-Cu grades comparable to and higher than the historical grades reported, thus confirming that a deposit of Ni-Cu+Co metal accumulation does exist at the historic Gochager Lake deposit / property. The disclosed potential quantity and grade have been determined by historic records notably; the Saskatchewan Mineral Deposit Index and Saskatchewan Mineral Assessment Database. (SMDI #0880) reports delineation drilling outlined a deposit at the historic Gochager Lake Deposit; Steel, J.S. (1990),(SMAD 73P15-0091): Report on a Diamond Drilling Program on the Gallagher (Gochager) Lake Property of McNickel Inc., reported that Scurry-Rainbow Oil Ltd. constructed vertical sections and a longitudinal section from drill data collected 1966-1968, and an orebody with reasonably well-defined limits was interpreted. As stated above, the historic estimate is not well documented and there are no available Technical Reports to support the historic resource estimate(s). No securities regulatory authority has reviewed the adequacy or accuracy of this release. Forward-Looking Statements: This news release contains "forward-looking statements" that are based on expectations, estimates, projections and interpretations as at the date of this news release. Forward-looking statements are frequently characterized by words such as "plan", "expect", "project", "seek", "intend", "believe", "anticipate", "estimate", "suggest", "indicate" and other similar words or statements that certain events or conditions "may" or "will" occur, and include, without limitation, statements regarding completion of the Offering, price of the FT Units, Charity FT Units and HD Units, dates for closing of the Offering, amount of proceeds under the Offering, approval of the Offering by regulatory authorities, payment of commissions and finder warrants to finders and the Company incurring Qualifying Expenditures. Forward-looking statements relate to information that is based on assumptions of management, forecasts of future results, and estimates of amounts not yet determinable. Any statements that express predictions, expectations, beliefs, plans, projections, objectives, assumptions or future events or performance are not statements of historical fact and may be "forward-looking statements." Forward-looking statements are subject to a variety of risks and uncertainties which could cause actual events or results to differ from those reflected in the forward-looking statements, including, without limitation: risks related to failure to obtain adequate financing on a timely basis and on acceptable terms; risks related to the outcome of legal proceedings; political and regulatory risks associated with mining and exploration; risks related to the maintenance of stock exchange listings; risks related to environmental regulation and liability; the potential for delays in exploration or development activities or the completion of feasibility studies; the uncertainty of profitability; risks and uncertainties relating to the interpretation of drill results, the geology, grade and continuity of mineral deposits; risks related to the inherent uncertainty of production and cost estimates and the potential for unexpected costs and expenses; results of prefeasibility and feasibility studies, and the possibility that future exploration, development or mining results will not be consistent with the Company's expectations; risks related to commodity price fluctuations; and other risks and uncertainties related to the Company's prospects, properties and business detailed elsewhere in the Company's disclosure record. Such forward looking statements involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors which may cause the actual results, performance or achievements of the Company to be materially different from any future results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. These forward- looking statements are made as of the date hereof and the Company does not assume any obligation to update or revise them to reflect new events or circumstances except in accordance with applicable securities laws. Actual events or results could differ materially from the Company's expectations or projections. To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/281243 Source: Fathom Nickel Inc. Eigenmann Veronelli Group ("EV Group"), a leading distributor and manufacturer of specialty chemicals and food ingredients, has signed an agreement to acquire the majority shareholding in Cornelius Polska This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20260122961168/en/ Photographed (left to right): Ludovico Balbo di Vinadio, Shareholder and Deputy Chairman, EV Group; Piotr Wasilewski, General Manager, Cornelius Polska Sp. z. o. o.; Cristina Colombo, Chief Financial Officer, EV Group; Dr Neville Prior, Group Chairman, Cornelius Group plc; Gabriele Bonomi, Chief Executive Officer, EV Group Established in Poland in 2007 and headquartered in Warsaw, Poland, Cornelius Polska is a well-established distributor of specialty chemicals, serving as a key partner to international suppliers, and a broad and diverse customer base. With operations firmly rooted in Poland, the company is active in the beauty personal care, food, and several industrial markets. With a comprehensive premium product portfolio and a highly skilled team of approximately 28 people, Cornelius Polska is recognized for its technical expertise, long-standing relationships, and strong commercial capabilities. In 2025, the company reported annual revenues of around EUR 16 million. This acquisition represents a highly strategic step for EV Group, enhancing the Group's scale and strengthening its presence across Europe. It also unlocks new growth potential and strategic opportunities in the beauty and personal care, food, and industrial markets. "This is an important milestone in expanding our footprint in Europe," said Gabriele Bonomi, CEO of EV Group. "Cornelius Polska brings deep local market knowledge, a loyal customer base, and a strong platform for growth across multiple applications, making it a real asset for our partners, teams, and suppliers across Europe. We are also pleased to welcome a highly experienced and skilled team that will add significant value to our organization and ensure continuity in established customer and supplier relationships." Dr. Neville Prior, Chairman of the Cornelius Group, said: "Cornelius Polska has been an important part of our organisation for many years, and we are extremely proud of what the team has accomplished. Joining EV Group creates new opportunities for both the business and its people, and I am confident this transition will deliver lasting value for customers and partners." The transaction is subject to customary regulatory approvals and closing conditions, and completion is expected in the first quarter of 2026. EV GROUP Founded in 1910, Eigenmann Veronelli Group is an international solutions provider of specialty chemicals and food ingredients. Headquartered in Pero, Italy, EV has a direct presence in Italy, Iberia, Turkey, and the U.A.E. and a commercial reach in more than 45 countries. In 2025, EV generated a consolidated turnover of 340 million euros with more than 350 employees. With over a century of experience, EV is synonymous with effectiveness and efficiency, combining local market knowledge with chemical innovations, and offering a high-quality and diversified portfolio of specialty chemicals and food ingredients as well as tailor-made application, marketing and supply chain solutions, technical and formulation support, and comprehensive regulatory know-how for a wide range of industries. www.eigver.com Follow us on LinkedIn CORNELIUS GROUP Cornelius Group is an independent manufacturer and distributor of raw materials, ingredients and specialty chemicals for life science, performance chemicals and ocular sector operating in UK, Europe, Asia and USA. The core business values: We Lead, We Care, We Deliver are at the heart of the vision, strategy and everyday thinking to deliver differentiated outcomes for both customers and business partners. Cornelius has an active membership to the UN Global Compact, ISO accredited for Quality Management (9001:2015), Environmental Management Systems (14001:2015) and Occupational Health and Safety Management (45001). www.cornelius.co.uk Follow us on LinkedIn View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20260122961168/en/ Contacts: Press Contacts For further enquiries, please contact: Federica Urso Corporate Communications Director, EV Group Mob. (+39) 338 7295116 @: mediarelations@eigver.it Miriam Bolzoni PR Media Relations, EV Group @: mediarelations@eigver.it NOT FOR DISTRIBUTION TO UNITED STATES NEWSWIRE SERVICES OR FOR DISSEMINATION IN THE UNITED STATES VANCOUVER, BC / ACCESS Newswire / January 22, 2026 / Kootenay Silver Inc. (TSXV:KTN) ("Kootenay" or the "Company") is pleased to announce that it has entered into an engagement letter with Red Cloud Securities Inc. ("Red Cloud"), as lead underwriter and sole bookrunner on behalf of a syndicate of underwriters (collectively, the "Underwriters"), pursuant to which the Underwriters have agreed to purchase for resale 4,444,445 common shares of the Company (the "Offered Shares") at a price of C$2.25 per Offered Share (the "Offering Price") on a "bought deal" basis in a private placement for gross proceeds of approximately C$10,000,001 (the "Underwritten Offering"). The Company will grant to the Underwriters an option, exercisable in full or in part, up to 48 hours prior to the Closing Date (as herein defined), to sell up to an additional 666,667 Offered Shares at the Offering Price for up to approximately C$1,500,001 in additional gross proceeds (the "Over-Allotment Option", and together with the Underwritten Offering, the "Offering"). The net proceeds raised under the Offering will be used for the advancement of the Company's Columba and La Cigarra silver projects in Mexico as well as for working capital and general corporate purposes. Subject to compliance with applicable regulatory requirements and in accordance with National Instrument 45-106 - Prospectus Exemptions ("NI 45-106"), the Offered Shares will be offered for sale to purchasers in all the provinces of Canada except Quebec pursuant to the listed issuer financing exemption under Part 5A of NI 45-106, as amended by Coordinated Blanket Order 45-935 - Exemptions from Certain Conditions of the Listed Issuer Financing Exemption. The Offered Shares are expected to be immediately freely tradeable under applicable Canadian securities legislation if sold to purchasers resident in Canada. The Offered Shares will also be offered in the United States or to, or for the account or benefit of, U.S. persons, by way of private placement pursuant to the exemptions from the registration requirements provided for under the United States Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the "U.S. Securities Act"), and in jurisdictions outside of Canada and the United States on a private placement or equivalent basis, in each case in accordance with all applicable laws, provided that no prospectus, registration statement or other similar document is required to be filed in such jurisdiction. There is an offering document (the "Offering Document") related to the Offering that can be accessed under the Company's profile at www.sedarplus.ca and on the Company's website at www.kootenarysilver.com. Prospective investors should read this Offering Document before making an investment decision. The Offering is scheduled to close on February 10, 2026 or such other date as the Company and Red Cloud may agree (the "Closing Date"). Completion of the Offering is subject to certain conditions including, but not limited to the receipt of all necessary approvals, including the approval of the TSX Venture Exchange (the "TSXV"). The securities being offered pursuant to the Offering have not been, nor will they be, registered under the U.S. Securities Act or any U.S. state securities laws, and may not be offered or sold in the United States or to, or for the account or benefit of, U.S. persons absent registration or an applicable exemption from the registration requirements. This news release shall not constitute an offer to sell or the solicitation of an offer to buy nor shall there be any sale of the securities in any jurisdiction in which such offer, solicitation or sale would be unlawful. Neither the TSXV nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in policies of the TSXV) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release. About Kootenay Silver Inc. Kootenay Silver Inc. is an exploration company actively engaged in the discovery and development of mineral projects in the Sierra Madre Region of Mexico. Supported by one of the largest junior portfolios of silver assets in Mexico, Kootenay continues to provide its shareholders with significant leverage to silver prices. The Company remains focused on the expansion of its current silver resources, new discoveries and the near-term economic development of its priority silver projects located in prolific mining districts in Sonora, State and Chihuahua, State, Mexico, respectively. For additional information, please contact: James McDonald, CEO & President at 403-880-6016 Ken Berry, Chairman at 604-601-5652, 1-888-601-5650 or visit: www.kootenarysilver.com CAUTIONARY NOTE REGARDING FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS: The information in this news release has been prepared as at January 19, 2026. Certain statements in this news release, referred to herein as "forward-looking statements", constitute "forward-looking statements" under the provisions of Canadian provincial securities laws. These statements can be identified by the use of words such as "expected", "may", "will" or similar terms. "Forward-looking information" includes, but is not limited to, statements with respect to the activities, events or developments that the Company expects or anticipates will or may occur in the future, including the expectation that the Offering will close in the timeframe and on the terms as anticipated by management, statements regarding the Offering, the anticipated closing date of the Offering, the intended use of proceeds of the Offering, the approval of the Offering by the TSXV and the filing of the Offering Document. Forward-looking statements are necessarily based upon a number of factors and assumptions that, while considered reasonable by Kootenay as of the date of such statements, are inherently subject to significant business, economic and competitive uncertainties and contingencies. Many factors, known and unknown, could cause actual results to be materially different from those expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. Readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements, which speak only as of the date made. Except as otherwise required by law, Kootenay expressly disclaims any obligation or undertaking to release publicly any updates or revisions to any such statements to reflect any change in Kootenay's expectations or any change in events, conditions or circumstances on which any such statement is based. SOURCE: Kootenay Silver Inc. View the original press release on ACCESS Newswire:https://www.accessnewswire.com/newsroom/en/metals-and-mining/kootenay-silver-announces-bought-deal-life-private-placement-for-gross-proceeds-o-1129925 TORONTO, ON / ACCESS Newswire / January 22, 2026 / Revival Gold Inc. (TSXV:RVG)(OTCQX:RVLGF) ("Revival Gold" or the "Company") is pleased to provide an update on exploration drilling at the Company's Beartrack-Arnett Gold Project ("Beartrack-Arnett" or the "Project") located in Idaho, U.S.A. Highlights Drilling contractor, Drilcor Ltd. ("Drilcor"), has completed 1,150 meters of core in four exploration holes to-date targeting: A two-kilometer step-out on the Beartrack-Arnett property at the greenfield Sharkey target; and Extensions of high-grade Joss mineralization , last drilled in 2022. Sharkey drilling encountered target stratigraphy in one of the three holes in the area. Geochemical assay results and analysis are pending. A second drilling rig has been contracted from Major Drilling ("Major") to accelerate the pace of drilling in the Joss target area. "Revival Gold continues to pursue the resource growth and exploration potential at Beartrack-Arnett even while our Mercur gold project in Utah marches towards a potential construction decision in late 2027. This staged approach offers investors the prospect of potential near-term cash flow in a company with exciting growth potential - all in gold, all from two large gold systems, and all in the western United States," said Hugh Agro, President & CEO. Mr. Agro continued, "We expect to accelerate progress at Beartrack-Arnett with Major Drilling returning to the project shortly, and we look forward to reporting on assay results as they become available." Details The Beartrack deposit within the Beartrack-Arnett gold project is a structurally controlled orogenic gold deposit running north-south on the Panther Creek Shear Zone ("PCSZ"). The multi-million-ounce resource at Beartrack is hosted in over five kilometers of strike on the PCSZ. The Sharkey target is a two-kilometer step-out to the south to extend the PCSZ structure. The Sharkey target is a geophysics (resistivity) anomaly that may map the PSCZ structural corridor to the south of Joss under post-mineral cover. See Figure 1 for geology and target drill locations. Results from the three holes completed at Sharkey, showed bedrock was deeper than indicated by the geophysics and historic RC drill hole logging. The target stratigraphy (Proterozoic metasediments) was intercepted in one hole and was highly fractured and contained small vein selvages with sericitic alteration typically seen adjacent to mineralization in other areas associated with the PCSZ. While no Joss-like mineralization was intercepted, Hole BT25-247D intercepted alteration (quartz, pyrite, arsenopyrite, sericite) and shearing near the bedrock-overburden contact. Geochemical assay analysis is in process. The results will be used to refine Revival Gold's future exploration target drilling at Sharkey. Drilling by Drilcor continues at Joss to the north targeting extension of the deposit. Major is expected to be on site with a second rig in early February. Figure 1: Beartrack-Arnett Drilling Program (planned and completed drill holes) Market Liquidity Services The Company also announces that it has engaged Velocity Trade Capital Ltd. ("Velocity Trade") to provide market-liquidity services to the Company. Velocity Trade is providing its services to the Company pursuant to a market making services agreement (the "Agreement") between the Company and Velocity Trade and will manage trading of the Company's shares from time to time for the purpose of maintaining an orderly market, with a view to reducing trading volatility and improving the liquidity of the Company's shares. The funding and securities required for these services undertaken will be provided by Velocity Trade. In consideration of the market liquidity services, the Company will pay a fee of C$6,000 per month for liquidity services, with the first two months' fees payable upon execution of the Agreement, with services starting on or around February 1, 2026. Thereafter, a monthly fee of $6,000 will be payable on the first day of each month during the term of the Agreement. The term of the Agreement shall continue until terminated by either party by providing the other party with 30 days prior written notice of termination. Velocity Trade is a private and independent investment dealer headquartered in Toronto, Ontario, and is registered for trading in the provinces of Ontario, Quebec, British Columbia, Alberta, and Manitoba. Velocity Trade is a member of the TMX, and of the Canadian Investment Regulatory Organization (CIRO). Additionally, the firm and its affiliate companies are regulated internationally by the UK's Financial Conduct Authority (FCA), the Authority for Financial Markets (AFM) in the Netherlands, the Australian Securities and Investments Commission (ASIC), South Africa's Financial Sector Conduct Authority (FSCA), and the Monetary Authority of Singapore (MAS), among others. There are no performance obligations contained in the Agreement, and Velocity Trade will not receive common shares, stock options, or any other form of equity in the Company as compensation. Velocity Trade and the Company are arms-length parties, and Velocity Trade and its principals own, in the aggregate, directly or indirectly, less than 1% of the issued and outstanding common shares of the Company. Velocity Trade and the Company are not related parties and have no other agreements other than the market liquidity agreement which is the subject of this news release. The engagement of Velocity Trade to provide market liquidity services to the Company is subject to acceptance of the TSX Venture Exchange. Qualified Persons Technical information included in this news release was reviewed and approved by Mr. John Meyer, P.Eng., a QP and Vice President, Engineering and Development for the Company, and Mr. Dan Pace, RM SME, a QP and Chief Geologist for the Company. About Revival Gold Inc. Revival Gold is one of the largest, pure gold mine developers in the United States. The Company is advancing development of the Mercur Gold Project in Utah and mine permitting preparations and ongoing exploration at the Beartrack-Arnett Gold Project located in Idaho. Revival Gold is listed on the TSX Venture Exchange under the ticker symbol "RVG" and trades on the OTCQX Market under the ticker symbol "RVLGF". The Company is headquartered in Toronto, Canada, with its exploration and development office located in Salmon, Idaho. For further information, please contact: Scott Trebilcock, VP, Corporate Development & Investor Relations Telephone: (416) 366-4100 or Email: info@revival-gold.com Cautionary Statement Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release. This press release contains "forward-looking information" within the meaning of applicable Canadian securities legislation and "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of the U.S. Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 (collectively, "forward-looking statements"). Forward-looking statements are not comprised of historical facts. Forward-looking statements include estimates and statements that describe the Company's future plans, objectives or goals, including words to the effect that the Company or management expects a stated condition or result to occur. Forward-looking statements may be identified by such terms as "believes", "anticipates", "expects", "estimates", "may", "could", "would", "will", or "plan". Since forward-looking statements are based on assumptions and address future events and conditions, by their very nature they involve inherent risks and uncertainties. Although these statements are based on information currently available to the Company, the Company provides no assurance that actual results will meet management's expectations. Risks, uncertainties, and other factors involved with forward-looking statements could cause actual events, results, performance, prospects, and opportunities to differ materially from those expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements in this news release include, but are not limited to: Statements with respect to the Company's exploration, metallurgy, permitting and development activities, the goals and expected outcomes of the planned drilling and development program at the Company's mineral projects, permitting at Mercur and Beartrack-Arnett, that the Mercur gold project marches towards a potential construction decision in late 2027, that the Company staged development approach offers investors the prospect of potential near-term cash flow in a company with exciting future growth potential and that Velocity Trade's services will assist in maintaining an orderly market, with a view to reducing trading volatility and improving the liquidity of the Company's shares. Forward-looking statements and information involve significant known and unknown risks and uncertainties, should not be read as guarantees of future performance or results and will not necessarily be accurate indicators of whether or not such results will be achieved. A number of factors could cause actual results to differ materially from the results expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements or information, including, but not limited to: the Company's ability to finance the development of its mineral properties; uncertainty as to whether there will ever be production at the Company's mineral exploration and development properties; risks related to the Company's ability to commence production at the projects and generate material revenues or obtain adequate financing for its planned exploration and development activities; uncertainties relating to the assumptions underlying resource and reserve estimates; mining and development risks, including risks related to infrastructure, accidents, equipment breakdowns, labour disputes, bad weather, non-compliance with environmental and permit requirements or other unanticipated difficulties with or interruptions in development, construction or production; the geology, grade and continuity of the Company's mineral deposits; the uncertainties involving success of exploration, development and mining activities; permitting timelines; government regulation of mining operations; environmental risks; unanticipated reclamation expenses; prices for energy inputs, labour, materials, supplies and services; uncertainties involved in the interpretation of drilling results and geological tests and the estimation of reserves and resources; unexpected cost increases in estimated capital and operating costs; the need to obtain permits and government approvals; material adverse changes, unexpected changes in laws, rules or regulations, or their enforcement by applicable authorities; the failure of parties to contracts with the company to perform as agreed; social or labour unrest; changes in commodity prices; and the failure of exploration programs or studies to deliver anticipated results or results that would justify and support continued exploration, studies, development or operations. For a more detailed discussion of such risks and other factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements, refer to other risks and uncertainties disclosed in the Company's public filings with Canadian securities regulators, including its most recent annual information form and management's discussion and analysis, available at www.sedarplus.ca. The forward-looking statements contained in this press release are made as of the date of this press release. Except as required by law, the Company disclaims any intention and assumes no obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise. Additionally, the Company undertakes no obligation to comment on the expectations of, or statements made by, third parties in respect of the matters discussed above. SOURCE: Revival Gold Inc. View the original press release on ACCESS Newswire:https://www.accessnewswire.com/newsroom/en/metals-and-mining/revival-gold-provides-exploration-drilling-update-on-beartrack-arnett-gold-projec-1129899 VANCOUVER, BC / ACCESS Newswire / January 22, 2026 / Prospect Ridge Resources Corp. (the "Company" or "Prospect Ridge") (CSE:PRR)(OTCQB:PRRSF)(FRA:OED) is pleased to announce assay results from CAM25-009 - the first hole for which assays have been received and interpreted - from the 2025 fall diamond drill program at the Company's 100% owned Camelot copper-gold project in British Columbia's prolific Cariboo Mining District. A total of 2,034 m was drilled in ten holes (CAM25-001 to CAM25-010) from eight drill pads over a 21 day drill campaign that tested a 1.7 km long prospective geochemical and geophysical trend (Figure 1). Visual core and portable X-ray fluorescence spectrometer (pXRF) results for all ten holes were disclosed in news releases dated December 4 and 22, 2025. Drilling targeted historical copper-in-soil anomalies coincident with chargeability highs as well as, in some cases, moderate to high resistivity and magnetic anomalies. Exploration targets were interpreted in the context of an alkalic porphyry model, where such coincident geophysical and geochemical features may indicate pyrite-chalcopyrite mineralization associated with magnetite-bearing potassic alteration. The target area is covered by till and had not been drill tested until this 2025 program. Len Brownlie, Ph.D., CEO of Prospect Ridgenoted "Our initial shallow drilling into "blind" targets, identified by geophysical data under glacial till, has resulted in the discovery of an alkalic porphyry that is copper and gold bearing and has a large geophysical footprint. Copper mineralization in hole CAM25-009 is associated with chargeability highs on the shoulder of a moderate magnetic anomaly, providing us with a newly recognized targeting criterion. In addition, Au to Cu ratios determined from core assays, particularly in the 6 m interval from 164 to 170 metres, indicate a positive correlation between gold and copper grades, suggesting that gold may represent a meaningful by-product component of copper mineralization. Furthermore, the dominance of pyrite over chalcopyrite suggests that we have not yet encountered the core of the porphyry system and we look forward to seeing stronger calc-potassic alteration and higher Cu-Au grades as we vector towards the productive core. This inaugural drill program has advanced our knowledge and understanding of our targeting criteria, as well as the system's potential size and length. Going forward, areas of high chargeability (>27 mv/v) on the shoulders of moderate magnetic anomalies will be a high priority target for deeper drilling at Camelot. We look forward to receiving and publishing further gold and copper assay results in the next month and then planning a follow-up drill program for Camelot in 2026". Drilling Highlights Hole CAM25-009 tested the Echo target, a chargeability high coincident with a resistivity high at depth. In the context of the alkalic porphyry model, such coincident anomalies are typically interpreted as disseminated sulphides in a resistive host rock, potentially reflecting potassic alteration or silicification. A table of assay composites for hole CAM25-009 is shown as Table 1 and a cross-section with lithology and Cu-Au assays is shown as Figure 2. Table 1: CAM25-009 significant intercepts Hole ID From (m) To (m) Interval (m) Au (g/t) Cu (%) Ag (g/t) Mo (ppm) CAM25-009 23.4 180.0 156.6 0.06 0.08 0.34 3.8 including 76.0 95.0 19.0 0.14 0.18 0.65 3.9 which includes 79.5 87.0 7.5 0.24 0.32 1.09 5.8 and including 145.0 170.0 25.0 0.13 0.11 0.52 4.0 which includes 167.0 170.0 3.0 0.76 0.57 1.83 10.6 and which includes 168.0 169.0 1.0 1.77 1.28 3.93 9.4 Highlights of hole CAM25-009 include: Assays that returned 0.1 g/t Au and 0.1% Cu over 156.6 metres from 23.4 metres depth, including a subinterval of 7.5 metres with 0.2 g/t Au and 0.3% Cu (Table 1). Association of mineralized intervals with chalcopyrite, epidote + K-feldspar albite alteration, and quartz carbonate veins. Historical drill hole LL22-001 was collared in approximately the same location as CAM25-009 but drilled in the opposite direction and sampled at intervals of every 15 metres in the lower-most 192 m of the hole (Figure 2). This hole was re-logged as part of the 2025 work program and infill sampling was completed. Assays for the remaining nine holes and hole LL22-001 are pending and will be released within the coming weeks. Samples of core from CAM25-009 will be on display at the Company's booth at VRIC on January 25 and 26 and at Orogen Royalties Inc. booth at the AME Roundup conference in Vancouver, BC on January 27 - 29, 2026. Figure 1: Historic drill holes and IP data compilation over airborne total magnetic intensity (TMI), after Bakness, 2023 i Figure 2: Cross section, looking northeast and 100 m wide, showing holes CAM25-009 and LL22-01 over chargeability. Lithology is displayed on the center-right of the drill trace, with gold assays (g/t) to the right and copper (ppm) on the left. Consistency between visual observations and assays Visual observations from core logging were reported in a 22 December 2025 news release and are here revisited in light of assays results. A selection of core photos is shown as Figures 3a-d. Overall, drilling of CAM25-009 encountered intermediate volcanic rocks cut by 0.5 to 8.0 m wide monzonite and diorite dikes with ubiquitous, moderate intensity, epidote-magnetite-chlorite-K-feldspar alteration interpreted as a calc-potassic assemblage. Altered rocks host are cut by 1-5 mm wide quartz veins that locally show albite halos. Mineralization occurs mostly as disseminated sulphide in altered host rocks from the top of the hole to around 110 m core depth (Figures 3a, 3b), then transitions to predominantly vein hosted to the end of hole (Figures 3c, 3d). Visual estimates of sulphide abundance suggest that pyrite is generally dominant over chalcopyrite. Figure 3: Photos from selected intervals of CAM25-009 showing host rock andesite (a) overprinted by patches of epidote and K-feldspar alteration with blebby chalcopyrite and fine grained pyrite along vein wall selvage at 109.1 m core depth, (b) with disseminated pyrite and chalcopyrite hosted in epidote + K-feldspar alteration at 108.6 m, and (c, d) with patchy albite alteration cut by chalcopyrite- and pyrite-bearing veins at 138.5 m and 189.5 m depth, respectively. Assays returned higher copper and gold grades in the upper part of the hole, correlating with predominantly disseminated mineralization hosted by K-feldspar and epidote-altered andesite. The drill core pieces shown in Figures 3a and 3b, for example, are part of broader intervals that returned 0.2 g/t Au and 0.2% Cu. The deeper, predominantly vein-hosted, mineralization returned generally lower grades, with the pieces shown in Figures 3c and 3d returning 0.1 to 0.01 g/t Au and 0.1 to 0.02% Cu, respectively. Overall, comparison of visual observations to assays shows good agreement, with mineralization style and intensity broadly reflected in the reported gold and copper grades. About the Camelot Property The 2,646-hectare Camelot property lies approximately 65 km east of Williams Lake, B.C. within the Quesnel Terrane - home to multiple producing copper-gold and copper-molybdenum porphyry deposits, including the nearby Gibraltar and Mount Polley mines. Camelot is located 34 km southeast of Imperial Metal's Mount Polley and 13 km northeast of Vizsla Copper's Woodjam project. The project area benefits from year-round road access and excellent regional infrastructure. Previous exploration work ii,iii has outlined a 1,700 m x 500 m coincident chargeability-magnetic anomaly trending northeast-southwest beneath shallow till cover in an area that had not been previously drilled (see Figure 1). The property is centered on the Lemon Lake stock, a Late Triassic to Early Jurassic multi-phase pluton hosted in volcanic units of the Quesnel Terrane. The approximately 5 km wide pluton was formed by early phases of gabbro cut by younger monzonite, breccias, and late-stage syenitic dikes. Moderate K-feldspar and biotite alteration, as well as local pyrite-chalcopyrite mineralization, are primarily associated with monzonite intrusions. Zones of sericite-pyrite (or phyllic) alteration appear to be rare, consistent with the alkalic porphyry model interpreted for the system. Drill Hole Locations The 2025 drill program was planned to minimize disturbance with drill pads constructed on or near pre-existing logging roads and fire breaks (Figure 4). Collar locations are listed in Table 2. Table 2: 2025 drill program collar locations and drill hole orientations, UTM NAD 83 Zone 10 Drill Hole ID Target Dip (degrees) Azimuth (degrees) Easting (UTM)* Northing (UTM)* Elevation (m) Total Depth (m) CAM25-001 Charlie 340 -60 616607 5801367 879 201 CAM25-002 Charlie/Merlin 160 -55 616607 5801367 879 201 CAM25-003 Lancelot 290 -50 616295 5800857 875 201 CAM25-004 Galahad 175 -55 616574 5800508 869 102 CAM25-005 Alpha 175 -50 617385 5802135 960 201 CAM25-006 Alpha 110 -60 617259 5801864 925 201 CAM25-007 Bravo 45 -55 617660 5801979 965 201 CAM25-008 Alpha (sandworm) 130 -70 617089 5801655 875 201 CAM25-009 Echo 333 -60 618350 5802109 954 201 CAM25-010 Alpha 300 -75 617253 5801882 925 300 Figure 4: Map showing 2025 drill hole collar locations on the Camelot property Investor Outreach Management of Prospect Ridge has recently recorded a new corporate video, available on the Company's website, that provides further details on the Company's transformative initiatives in 2025 and plans for 2026. Prospect Ridge welcomes shareholders and investors to visit us at booth #114 at the Vancouver Resource Investment Conference on January 25 and 26, 2026. A corporate presentation by Len Brownlie, President and CEO is scheduled from 1:30 pm to 1:40 pm on Sunday, January 25 in Workshop #2. Drill core from the Company's recent Camelot drill program will be on display at Orogen Royalties Inc.'s booth in the Prospect Generator's Hub at the Association for Mineral Exploration Roundup from January 27 to January 29 . In addition the Company will have Exhibitor booth #2412B at the Prospector and Developers Association of Canada ( PDAC ) conference on March 1 - 4, 2026 in Toronto, ON. Land Acknowledgement Prospect Ridge acknowledges that Camelot is situated within the traditional territories of the Williams Lake Indian Band, Xatsull First Nation, Whispering Pines/Clinton Indian Band, Northern Shuswap Tribal Council, and the Neskonlith Indian Band. The Company is committed to building positive, transparent, and mutually beneficial relationships with Indigenous communities founded on trust, respect, and open communication. QA/QC (Quality Assurance/Quality Control) Prospect Ridge's 2025 exploration program was managed by Equity Exploration Consultants Ltd. of Vancouver, B.C. Drilling at Camelot was conducted by Dorado Drilling Ltd. of Vernon, BC. Diamond drill core was received, geotechnically and geologically logged, photographed, and cut by core saw at the Company's leased core facility in Horsefly, BC. Samples were laid out, cut and sampled to the Company's specified sample intervals. Core logging was done under the onsite supervision of professional geoscientists and geoscientists-in-training registered with EGBC and employed by Equity, a registered firm with EGBC. One certified reference material (CRM's) and one blank were included with every 18 core samples, for an insertion rate of 10%. Half core samples were placed in plastic sample bags with the remaining half retained in core boxes at the core facility. Samples were dispatched to ALS Laboratories facility in North Vancouver, BC, an accredited analytical laboratory meeting ISO/IEC 17025:2005 and ISO 9001:2015. Samples were prepared through crushing and grinding by ALS methods CRU-21 and PUL-32, respectively. The pulps were then analyzed for 36 elements by method ME-ICP41, comprising an aqua regia digest with ICP-AES finish. Gold was assayed by fire assay using a 30-gram sample charge and atomic absorption spectrometry finish (ALS method Au-AA23). Laboratory standards and QA-QC were monitored by the Company, with all results passing industry standard QA-QC thresholds. Qualified Person Statement All technical information that forms the basis for the written disclosure in this press release, has been approved by Ron Voordouw, Ph.D., P.Geo., Director of Geoscience for Equity Exploration Consultants Ltd., who is an independent consultant to the Company, and a qualified person as defined under the terms of National Instrument 43-101. About Prospect Ridge Resources Corp. Prospect Ridge Resources Corp. is a British Columbia-based exploration and development company focused on critical metals and gold. Led by a seasoned management and technical team with over 100 years of combined mineral exploration experience, Prospect Ridge is advancing its north-central B.C. located Golden Horseshoe and Cariboo projects - high-potential copper-gold systems positioned within under-explored yet geologically endowed mineral belts. Contact Information Prospect Ridge Resources Corp. Mike Iverson - Chairman, Director Email: mike@miverson.ca Sources of Technical Information (i). Baknes, M. J. 2023. Drilling Report on the Lemon Lake Project. B.C. Mines Branch Assessment Report Event No.5993800 (ii). Britton, R., 2021 2021 Geological - hand trenching, airborne Magnetic - VLF survey and petrological reports on the Lemon Lake property B.C. Mines Branch Assessment Report 39604 (iii). Bailey, D. 2012 Lemon Lake property Horsefly Induced Polarization and Magnetometer Survey B.C. Mines Branch Assessment Report 33088. Neither the Canadian Securities Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the Canadian Securities Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release. This release includes certain statements and information ("FLI") that may constitute forward-looking information within the meaning of applicable Canadian securities laws. FLI relates to future events or future performance and reflect the current expectations or beliefs of the Company's management. Anything that is not historical fact is FLI. Generally, FLI can be, without limitation, identified by the use of forward-looking wording such as "plans", "intends", "believes", "expects", "anticipates" or "estimates", and statements or phrases that certain actions, events or results "may", "might", "could", "should" or "would" occur, and similar expressions. FLI is not historical fact, is made as of the date of this news release and includes, without limitation, statements and discussions of future plans, intentions, expectations, estimates and forecasts, and statements as to management's intentions and expectations with respect to, among other things, positive exploration results at the Camelot project. FLI involves numerous risks and uncertainties, and are based on assumptions, and actual results might differ materially from results suggested in any FLI. These risks and uncertainties include, among other things, the availability of financing to continue exploration activities, the availability and cost of qualified exploration personnel and service providers, and that future exploration results at the Camelot project will not be as anticipated. In making any FLI in this news release, the Company has applied several material assumptions, including without limitation, that future exploration results at the Camelot project will be as anticipated. Although management has endeavored to evaluate and use reasonable assumptions and to identify important factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those contained in FLI, these assumptions may prove incorrect and there may be other factors that cause results not to be as intended, expected, anticipated or estimated. There can be no assurance that FLI will prove to be accurate, and actual results and future events could differ materially from those expressed in FLI. Accordingly, readers should not place undue reliance on FLI, and are further cautioned that reliance on such information may not be appropriate for other purposes. The Company does not undertake to update any FLI expressed or incorporated by reference herein, except in accordance with applicable securities laws. We seek safe harbor. SOURCE: Prospect Ridge Resources Corp View the original press release on ACCESS Newswire:https://www.accessnewswire.com/newsroom/en/metals-and-mining/prospect-ridge-drilling-discovers-copper-gold-mineral-system-at-100-owned-camelot-1129945 Vancouver, British Columbia--(Newsfile Corp. - January 22, 2026) - Precipitate Gold Corp. (TSXV: PRG) (OTCQB: PREIF) (the "Company" or "Precipitate") is pleased to announce that it has completed an extensive technical review and evaluation of exploration data primarily generated by Barrick Mining Corporation ("Barrick") between 2020 and 2025, as part the now annulled earn-in agreement (the "Earn-In") related to Precipitate's 100%-owned Pueblo Grande Project (the "Project"), located immediately adjacent to the Pueblo Viejo gold-silver mine operated by Barrick in the Dominican Republic. As a follow up to the data review, the Company conducted and completed an Induced Polarization ("IP") geophysical survey that revealed significant and previously untested high chargeability anomalies at the Pueblo Grande Norte zone, located immediately west of the Pueblo Viejo mining operation. See accompanying Figure 1 and Figure 2 below. Highlights: Precipitate's technical team completed an extensive review of all data and past work conducted on the project by various prior operators, including 5 years and US$7.2 million in exploration expenditures by Barrick; The data review identified possible untested IP chargeability features within the Project's Pueblo Grande Norte zone (also known as Loma la Cuaba or Lithocap Zone); As follow up to the data review, Precipitate conducted a focused 3-line deep-penetrating two-dimensional ("2D") IP survey at the Pueblo Grande Norte zone, specifically designed to test and confirm the presence, depth, and extent of the inferred chargeability features; The results of Precipitate's new IP survey confirmed and refined the presence of a sizeable cluster of IP chargeability high anomalies collectively measuring about 800 metres north-south by more than 450 metres east-west, loosely centred at depths that range from 100 to 330 metres from surface . The chargeability anomaly remains open in both the east and west directions. See Figure 1 and Figure 2 below; Using 2D Quantitative Vertical IP Sections, the interpreted shape of the chargeability high anomalies suggests an epithermal alteration system having a shallow south dipping alteration blanket or 'lithocap' (> 25 mv/v chargeability threshold), with perhaps up to three semi-discrete strong internal east-west tending sub-horizontal lobes (> 30 mv/v readings, up to 50 mv/v locally) and possible underlying vertical 'feeder structures' (as delineated by both moderate to strong chargeability and resistivity readings); Importantly, no historical or recent drill holes have tested the newly identified priority chargeability high anomalies ; and The new IP priority area is underlain by favourable Los Ranchos formation volcanic host rocks, exhibiting strong local silica + advanced argillic alteration and weak to modest strength geochemical rock and soil sample pathfinder data. CEO Commentary Jeffrey Wilson, President and CEO of Precipitate Gold, commented: "We're very excited with the outcome of our extensive data review and follow up IP geophysical survey at Pueblo Grande. Credit to our technical team for conducting such an exhaustive and detailed review which led to the recognition of a previously unidentified opportunity that has now been confirmed by our follow up geophysical survey. The delineation of a number of compelling and untested new high chargeability geophysical anomalies located in close proximity to the world-class Pueblo Viejo gold mine offers the Company and its shareholders an exciting new drill target. Given the target area's relative ease of access and existing drill permits, we are keen to rapidly advance this target to a drill stage. Though the existing and emerging targets at our flagship Juan de Herrera project remain a top priority for the Company, the emergence of these previously unknown and untested anomalies at Pueblo Grande provides an exciting new addition to Company's near-term drill plans." Figure 1: Pueblo Grande Norte 2026 IP Survey Chargeability (plan map and vertical sections looking west) To view an enhanced version of this graphic, please visit: https://images.newsfilecorp.com/files/1718/281178_d8f1ee0fe4dd7b7f_003full.jpg Figure 2: Pueblo Grande Norte 2026, 2D Quantitative Vertical IP Chargeability Sections (rotating virtual gif) To view an enhanced version of this graphic, please visit: https://images.newsfilecorp.com/files/1718/281178_d8f1ee0fe4dd7b7f_004full.jpg Summary of Notable Data Review Findings & Follow-Up Precipitate IP Geophysical Survey Precipitate's comprehensive Pueblo Grande Project data review incorporated US$7.2 million in exploration work conducted by Barrick during the Earn-In period, as well as preceding historical work conducted by Precipitate and other prior operators. At the Project's principal target area, the Pueblo Grande Norte zone (also known as Loma la Cuaba or the Lithocap zone), Barrick completed, among other exploration, 3D induced polarization geophysical surveying, which was then followed up with nine exploration drill holes designed to test various geological and geophysical characteristics. Precipitate's technical team, in collaboration with Matrix GeoTechnologies Ltd. ("Matrix"), an integrated geoscience solution provider, completed a detailed review of this and other historical airborne geophysical datasets and, through extensive review, identified an overlooked chargeability feature not considered by earlier explorers. To validate and refine this interpreted geophysical chargeability feature Precipitate and Matrix completed a follow-up deep-penetrating and high-resolution IP survey utilizing combined 2D pole-dipole and gradient arrays over the prospective area at Pueblo Grande Norte. The survey consisted of three north-south, two-kilometer-long IP lines spaced at about 220 metre intervals. Using Matrix's proprietary Quantitative Section methodologies, which generates discrete two dimensional ("2D") Quantitative Vertical IP Sections, the new IP survey successfully confirmed the presence, depth, and extent of the inferred chargeability feature, and ultimately refined new chargeability high targets for potential future drill testing. The interpreted shape of the clustered chargeability high anomalies measures about 800 metres north-south by more than 450 metres east-west and is loosely centred at depths ranging from 100 to 330 metres vertically from surface. The chargeability anomaly remains open in both the east and west directions. The chargeability anomalies likely reflects an epithermal alteration system having a shallow south dipping 'alteration blanket' or 'lithocap' (> 25 mv/v threshold), with perhaps up to three semi-discrete strong internal east-west tending sub horizontal lobes (> 30 mv/v readings, up to 50 mv/v locally) and possible underlying vertical 'feeder structures', as delineated by both moderate to strong chargeability and resistivity readings. These newly delineated geophysical features are overlain at surface by favourable rock types often displaying alteration styles commonly associated with high-sulphidation epithermal style gold mineralization, including strong silica with advance argillic alteration. Importantly, no historical or recent drill holes have tested any of the newly identified priority chargeability high anomalies, with only two holes passing through the vertical projection of geophysical survey line 2. Past drill holes APV11-41 and PGN24-09 yielded nil gold values as they bisected Line 2 outside of the newly identified priority high chargeability anomalies. Matrix has successfully conducted numerous similar surveys for Precipitate throughout the Dominican Republic, including recently reported geophysical results from the Company's Juan de Herrera project where IP geophysical surveying at multiple zones throughout the project assisted in delineating numerous potential drill targets. The induced polarization/resistivity survey was carried out by Matrix Geotechnologies Ltd of Toronto Ontario, using a 10 kW generator Time Domain IP system using the Elrec Pro 10 channel receiver with a receiver dipole spacing of 25 metres, (pole-dipole array), which provides quality subsurface resolution for 2D Quantitative Sections, two separate vertically separated gradient arrays and 3D voxel modelling for exploration drill targeting. The figures accompanying this release shows a plan view of interpreted gradient and 2D pole-dipole IP vertical section chargeability. For reference: g/t = grams per tonne, Au = gold, m = metres, millivolts per volt = mv/v, IP = induced polarization The scientific and technical information contained in this news release has been reviewed and approved by Michael Moore, P. Geo., Vice President, Exploration of Precipitate Gold Corporation, a Qualified Person ("QP") as defined by National Instrument 43-101 - Standards of Disclosure for Mineral Projects. Mr. Moore is not independent of the Company within the meaning of NI 43-101. The QP has verified the data disclosed in this news release, including sampling, analytical and test data underlying the information. About Precipitate Gold: Precipitate Gold Corp. is a mineral exploration company focused on exploring and advancing its mineral property interests in the Dominican Republic, including its 100% owned Juan de Herrera project located immediately adjacent to GoldQuest Mining's Romero Project, its 100% owned Pueblo Grande project located immediately adjacent to the Pueblo Viejo mine operated by Barrick Mining, and its 100% owned Ponton project located 30km east of the Pueblo Viejo mine. Precipitate is also actively evaluating additional high-impact property acquisitions with the potential to expand the Company's portfolio and increase shareholder value, in other favourable jurisdictions. Additional information can be viewed at the Company's website www.precipitategold.com. On Behalf of the Board of Directors of Precipitate Gold Corp., "Jeffrey Wilson" President & CEO For further information, please contact: Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Service Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release. This press release may contain "forward-looking information" within the meaning of applicable Canadian securities legislation. All statements, other than statements of historical fact, included herein are forward looking information. Generally, forward-looking information may be identified by the use of forward-looking terminology such as "plans", "expects" or "does not expect", "proposed", "is expected", "budget", "scheduled", "estimates", "forecasts", "intends", "anticipates" or "does not anticipate", or "believes", or variations of such words and phrases, or by the use of words or phrases which state that certain actions, events or results may, could, would, or might occur or be achieved. This forward-looking information reflects Precipitate Gold Corp.'s ("Precipitate" or the "Company") current beliefs and is based on information currently available to Company and on assumptions it believes are reasonable. Forward-looking information is subject to known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that may cause the actual results, level of activity, performance or achievements of Precipitate to be materially different from those expressed or implied by such forward-looking information. Such risks and other factors may include, but are not limited to: the exploration concessions may not be granted on terms acceptable to the Company, or at all; general business, economic, competitive, political and social uncertainties; the concessions acquired by the Company may not have attributes similar to those of surrounding properties; delay or failure to receive governmental or regulatory approvals; changes in legislation, including environmental legislation affecting mining; timing and availability of external financing on acceptable terms; conclusions of economic evaluations; and lack of qualified, skilled labour or loss of key individuals. Although Precipitate has attempted to identify important factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those contained in forward-looking information, there may be other factors that cause results not to be as anticipated, estimated or intended. Accordingly, readers should not place undue reliance on forward-looking information. Precipitate does not undertake to update any forward-looking information, except in accordance with applicable securities laws. To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/281178 Source: Precipitate Gold Corp. Pike Zone Mineralized Corridor Remains Open with Strengthening Target Vectors to West $15 Million 2026 Exploration Program Ongoing at West McArthur JV Project Saskatoon, Saskatchewan--(Newsfile Corp. - January 22, 2026) - CanAlaska Uranium Ltd. (TSXV: CVV) (OTCQX: CVVUF) (FSE: DH7) ("CanAlaska" or the "Company") is pleased to report that it has received the geochemical assay results from the 2025 summer drill program completed on the Pike Zone at the West McArthur Project (the "Project") (Figure 1). During the summer program, the Company focused on continued step outs from the Pike Zone high-grade mineralization and successfully expanded the mineralized footprint of the Pike Zone at the unconformity to 500 metres length. Geochemical assay results confirm the previously reported eU3O8 results and highlight the strong hydrothermal alteration, intense structural disruption, and uranium mineralization increasing to the southwest along the C10S trend for approximately 250 metres away from the high-grade pod at the Pike Zone. Importantly, the western-most drill fences from the summer program were highlighted by unconformity uranium mineralization in drillholes WMA099 which intersected 2.5 metres at 0.78% U3O8 and WMA099-03 which intersected 3.3 metres at 0.53% U3O8, associated with strong alteration and structural disruption. The Company believes these drillholes highlight the potential for additional mineralized pods along the C10S corridor. Figure 1 - West McArthur Project Location To view an enhanced version of this graphic, please visit: https://images.newsfilecorp.com/files/2864/281164_e909d771d4661b7e_002full.jpg CanAlaska CEO, Cory Belyk, comments, "The CanAlaska team is very pleased with these confirmatory geochemical assays being received within a few months of summer program completion. The results clearly highlight the western end of the currently defined 500 metre Pike Zone footprint as increasing in uranium grade. When coupled with the reported structural disruption, alteration and trace metal enrichments, the western end of Pike Zone presents an exciting opportunity for further definition of high-grade uranium mineralization in the coming months." The 2025 summer drill program on the West McArthur project consisted of twenty-two unconformity tests, eleven of which contained uranium mineralization (Table 1). The results of the summer drill program, combined with the results from recently completed drill programs, indicate that the mineralized footprint of the Pike Zone at the unconformity has now been traced over 500 metres with a 140-metre-long high-grade pod outlined by multiple drill fences (Figure 2). Most importantly, the last drill fences of the summer drill season completed on the western-most step out intersected strong unconformity-associated uranium mineralization. Drillholes on these fences were highlighted by WMA099 which intersected 2.5 metres at 0.78% U3O8 and WMA099-03 which intersected 3.3 metres at 0.53% U3O8. Results from the summer drill program indicate the hydrothermal alteration, structural intensity, and uranium mineralization remain open and appear to be increasing to the west along the C10S trend, highlighting the potential for additional zones of high-grade unconformity uranium mineralization. Figure 2 - West McArthur 2025 Summer Drill Results To view an enhanced version of this graphic, please visit: https://images.newsfilecorp.com/files/2864/281164_e909d771d4661b7e_004full.jpg Table 1 - Intersections with Geochemical Assay and Radiometric Equivalent Intervals Drillhole Intervals From (m) To (m) Length (m)9 Average Grade (% U3O8) (%eU3O8)10 WMA094-08(1) Interval 1(5) 810.5 812.5 2 2.77 Including(6) 810.5 811.5 1 5.15 Interval 2(5) 816.8 821 4.2 5.04 Including(6) 816.8 820 3.2 6.50 Interval 3(5) 823 824 1 2.09 Including(6) 823.5 824 0.5 3.51 Interval 4(5) 827.5 831 3.5 1.17 Including(6) 828 829 1 3.48 WMA095-05(2) Interval 1 Breakdown(7) 808.3 809 0.7 0.28 809 809.5 0.5 0.31 Composited Interval 1(7,8) 808.3 809.5 1.2 0.29 Interval 2(5) 811.5 814 2.5 0.28 WMA095-06(2) Interval 1(5) 818.8 819.2 0.4 0.18 WMA096(3) Interval 1(5) 834 834.5 0.5 0.32 WMA096-01(3) Interval 1(5) 817.2 817.7 0.5 0.19 Interval 2(5) 821.9 822.4 0.5 0.38 WMA096-02(3) Interval 1(5) 817.4 820.4 3 0.32 WMA099(4) Interval 1(5) 813.9 816.4 2.5 0.78 WMA099-01(4) Interval 1(5) 817.5 818 0.5 0.24 Interval 2(5) 832.5 833 0.5 0.54 WMA099-02(4) Interval 1(5) 824.5 825 0.5 0.10 Interval 2(5) 827 828 1 0.12 Interval 3(5) 832 832.5 0.5 0.12 WMA099-03(4) Interval 1 Breakdown(7) 817.9 818.4 0.5 0.37 818.4 818.9 0.5 0.52 818.9 820.8 1.9 0.55 820.8 821.2 0.4 0.69 Composited Interval 1(7,8) 817.9 821.2 3.3 0.53 WMA099-04(4) Interval 1(5) 818 819.5 1.5 0.28 Table 1 Notes: WMA094-08 was drilled at an azimuth of 313 with an inclination of -80.0, collared at 477,236 mE / 6,396,517 mN, 598 m A.S.L. (UTM NAD83 Z13N) as a daughter hole from WMA094. WMA094-08 intersected the unconformity at 792.9 metres. WMA095-05 and WMA095-06 were drilled at an azimuth of 318 with an inclination of -76.6, collared at 477,248 mE / 6,396,492 mN, 600 m A.S.L. (UTM NAD83 Z13N) as daughter holes from WMA095. WMA095-05 intersected the unconformity at 809.0 metres, and WMA095-06 at 819.2 metres. WMA096, WMA096-01, and WMA096-02 were drilled at an azimuth of 300 with an inclination of -75.0, collared at 477,196 mE / 6,396,426 mN, 603 m A.S.L. (UTM NAD83 Z13N) as a pilot hole and subsequent daughter holes from WMA096. WMA096 intersected the unconformity at 821.5 metres, WMA096-01 at 818.9 metres, and WMA096-02 at 817.4 metres. WMA099, WMA099-01, WMA099-02, and WMA099-03, and WMA099-04 were drilled at an azimuth of 310 with an inclination of -75.0, collared at 477,041 mE / 6,396,365 mN, 607 m A.S.L. (UTM NAD83 Z13N) as a pilot hole and subsequent daughter holes from WMA099. WMA099 intersected the unconformity at 815.9 metres, WMA099-01 at 821.6 metres, WMA099-02 at 823.2 metres, WMA099-03 at 821.0 metres, and WMA099-04 at 815.0 metres. Intersection interval is composited above a cut-off grade of 0.1% U3O8 with a maximum of 1.0 m of internal dilution. Intersection interval is composited above a cut-off grade of 2.0% U3O8 with a maximum of 1.0 m of internal dilution. Intersection interval is composited above a cut-off grade of 0.1% U3O8 / eU3O8 with a maximum of 1.0 m of internal dilution. Composited intervals contain geochemical assay where core was recovered, and downhole radiometric equivalent uranium grades are inserted in place of missing core intervals. All reported depths and intervals are drill hole depths and intervals, unless otherwise noted, and do not represent true thicknesses, which have yet to be determined. Radiometric equivalent ("eU3O8") derived from a calibrated downhole gamma probe. No core was recovered within these intervals and downhole radiometric equivalent uranium grades are inserted in place of missing core intervals. As a secondary goal, one infill drillhole was completed during the summer drill program within the high-grade footprint of the Pike Zone in support of the geological model. WMA094-08 intersected multiple intervals of high-grade uranium mineralization, highlighted by 4.2 metres at 5.04% U3O8 along L25E. WMA094-08 confirmed extension and continuity of the high-grade pod to the south along this drill section. The West McArthur project, a Joint Venture with Cameco Corporation ("Cameco"), is operated by CanAlaska that holds an estimated 88.86% ownership in the Project as a result of sole-funding exploration in 2025. The 2026 exploration program will be co-funded by Cameco and CanAlaska under the Joint Venture. 2026 West McArthur Winter Drill Program Update The 2026 winter drill program on the West McArthur Project is currently ongoing, with the Company working to achieve an estimated 20 to 25 unconformity target intersections along the C10S corridor. The West McArthur drill program is focused on continued step outs from the Pike Zone high-grade mineralization to evaluate for additional zones of uranium mineralization and continuation of the associated large hydrothermal alteration system. The Company expects to complete the winter portion of the 2026 exploration program in April. Other News The Company will be attending the Vancouver Resource Investment Conference ("VRIC") on January 25th and 26th in Vancouver, BC and will have representatives at booth #102. The Company will also be attending the Investor Icebreaker: The Michael Gentile Mining Showcase Event on January 27th in Vancouver, BC. Technical Disclosure: Geochemical Assay Sampling Procedures and Use of Radiometric Equivalent Grades All assay drill core samples from the program, completed as NQ-sized core, were shipped to the Saskatchewan Research Council Geoanalytical Laboratories (SRC) in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan in secure containment for preparation, processing, and multi-element analysis by ICP-MS and ICP-OES using total (HF:NHO3:HClO4) and partial digestion (HNO3:HCl), boron by fusion, and U3O8 wt% assay by ICP-OES using higher grade standards. Assay samples are chosen based on downhole probing radiometric equivalent uranium grades and scintillometer (SPP2 or CT007-M) peaks. Assay sample intervals comprise 0.3 - 0.8 metre continuous half-core split samples over the mineralized intervals. With all assay samples, one half of the split sample is retained and the other sent to the SRC for analysis. The SRC is an ISO/IEC 17025/2005 and Standards Council of Canada certified analytical laboratory. Blanks, standard reference materials, and repeats are inserted into the sample stream at regular intervals by CanAlaska and the SRC in accordance with CanAlaska's quality assurance/quality control (QA/QC) procedures. Geochemical assay data are subject to verification procedures by qualified persons employed by CanAlaska prior to disclosure. During active exploration programs drillholes are radiometrically logged using calibrated downhole GeoVista NGRS and TGGS (Triple GM) gamma probes which collect continuous readings along the length of the drillhole. Preliminary radiometric equivalent uranium grades ("eU3O8") are then calculated from the downhole radiometric results. The probe is calibrated using an in-house algorithm calculated from the calibration of the probe at the Saskatchewan Research Council facility in Saskatoon and from the comparison of probe results against previously reported geochemical analyses. At extremely high radiometric equivalent uranium grades, downhole gamma probes may become saturated, resulting in the probe being overwhelmed, which in turn can create difficulties in accurately determining extremely high-grade radiometric equivalent uranium grades, and a cap may be applied to the grade. The equivalent uranium grades are preliminary and are subsequently reported as definitive assay grades following sampling and chemical analysis of the mineralized drill core. In the case where core recovery within a mineralized intersection is poor or non-existent, radiometric grades are considered to be more representative of the mineralized intersection and may be reported in the place of assay grades. Radiometric equivalent probe results are subject to verification procedures by qualified persons employed by CanAlaska prior to disclosure. All reported depths and intervals are drill hole depths and intervals, unless otherwise noted, and do not represent true thicknesses, which have yet to be determined. About CanAlaska Uranium CanAlaska is a leading explorer of uranium in the Athabasca Basin of Saskatchewan, Canada. With a project generator model, the Company has built a large portfolio of uranium projects in the Athabasca Basin. CanAlaska owns numerous uranium properties, totaling approximately 500,000 hectares, with clearly defined targets in the Athabasca Basin covering both basement and unconformity uranium deposit potential. The Company has recently concentrated on the West McArthur high-grade uranium expansion with targets in 2024 and 2025 leading to significant success at Pike Zone. Fully financed for the upcoming 2026 drill season, CanAlaska is focused on uranium deposit discovery and delineation in a safe and secure jurisdiction. The Company has the right team in place with a track record of discovery and projects that are located next to critical mine and mill infrastructure. The Company's head office is in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, Canada with a satellite office in Vancouver, BC, Canada. The Qualified Person under National Instrument 43-101 Standards of Disclosure for Mineral Projects for this news release is Nathan Bridge, MSc., P. Geo., Vice-President Exploration for CanAlaska Uranium Ltd., who has reviewed and approved its contents. On behalf of the Board of Directors "Cory Belyk" Cory Belyk, P.Geo., FGC CEO, President and Director CanAlaska Uranium Ltd. Neither TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release. Forward-looking information All statements included in this press release that address activities, events or developments that the Company expects, believes or anticipates will or may occur in the future are forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements are frequently identified by such words as "may", "will", "plan", "expect", "anticipate", "estimate", "intend" and similar words referring to future events and results. Forward-looking statements are based on the current opinions and expectations of management. These forward-looking statements involve numerous assumptions made by the Company based on its experience, perception of historical trends, current conditions, expected future developments and other factors it believes are appropriate in the circumstances. In addition, these statements involve substantial known and unknown risks and uncertainties that contribute to the possibility that the predictions, forecasts, projections and other forward-looking statements will prove inaccurate, certain of which are beyond the Company's control. Actual events or results may differ materially from those projected in the forward-looking statements and the Company cautions against placing undue reliance thereon. The Company believes that the expectations reflected in forward-looking statements included herein are reasonable, but no assurance can be given that these expectations will prove to be correct and such forward-looking statements included herein should not be unduly relied upon. These statements speak only as of the date hereof. The Company does not intend, and does not assumes any obligation, to revise or update these forward-looking statements, except as required by applicable law. To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/281164 Source: CanAlaska Uranium Ltd. Vancouver, British Columbia--(Newsfile Corp. - January 22, 2026) - Scottie Resources Corp. (TSXV: SCOT) (OTCQB: SCTSF) (FSE: SR80) ("Scottie" or the "Company") is pleased to report new assays from its 2025 drilling of various zones within and around the historic Scottie Gold Mine, part of the the Scottie Gold Mine Project ("Scottie Gold Mine" or the "Project"). The road-accessible Scottie Gold Mine Project, which includes the 100%-owned past-producing Scottie Gold Mine and the adjacent Blueberry Contact Zone, is located 35 kilometres north of Stewart, BC, and is the subject of a newly released Preliminary Economic Assessment ("PEA") entitled Scottie Gold Mine Project (see news release dated October 28, 2025). Drilling continues to deliver at the Project. Hole SR25-445 intersected 14.8 grams per tonne "g/t" gold over 9.80 metres, including a high-grade interval of 69.8 g/t gold over 2.0 metres within the M-Zone. Additional strong M-Zone results include 21.1 g/t gold and 50.6 g/t silver over 3.45 metres in hole SR25-410 and 17.6 g/t gold over 4.40 metres in hole SR25-439. Multiple drill holes (SR25-408, 419, 427 and 445) also intersected gold mineralization within the Wolf Zone, highlighted by an intercept of 7.56 g/t gold over 1.65 metres in hole SR25-408. These results represent the conclusion of 2025 drill results from the Scottie Gold Mine and associated vein zones, i.e., P-, M-, N-, L-, and Wolf Zones. Drill results are still outstanding for the Blueberry Contact Zone and will be released as they have been validated and interpreted. "These results demonstrate exactly what we believe makes Scottie special, high-grade holes, strong continuity and multiple zones delivering meaningful intercepts," stated Brad Rourke, CEO. "Intercepts like 14.8 g/t gold over nearly 10 meters at the M-Zone reinforce our confidence in the robustness of the system and its ability to support attractive development scenarios. As we continue drilling around the historic mine and adjacent zones, we see clear potential to further enhance the value outlined in our recently released PEA." Highlights: High-grade intercepts over meaningful widths (up to 14.8 g/t Au over 9.8 m) continue to enhance the economic potential of the Scottie Gold Mine Project (up to 14.8 g/t Au over 9.8 m) continue to enhance the economic potential of the Scottie Gold Mine Project Multiple zones delivering strong grades (M-Zone and Wolf Zone) reinforce confidence in a robust, repeatable mineralized system (M-Zone and Wolf Zone) reinforce confidence in a Grades significantly exceed global open-pit and underground averages , supporting potential for stronger margins , supporting potential for Results de-risk and strengthen the recently released PEA , improving confidence in mine planning and future development scenarios , improving confidence in mine planning and future development scenarios Proximity to historic mine workings and infrastructure increases the likelihood of efficient, capital-light development Table 1: Highlight results from new drill assays (uncut) - Scottie Gold Mine Drill Hole From (m) To (m) Width* (m) Gold (g/t) Silver (g/t) Sub Zone SR25-403 102.00 103.00 1.00 8.49 14.0 M-Zone SR25-404 3.65 6.00 2.35 1.51 0.00 P-Zone 90.15 91.15 1.00 1.22 15.0 P-Zone SR25-408 350.60 351.70 1.10 1.17 5.00 Wolf Zone 368.00 369.65 1.65 7.56 2.00 Wolf Zone 379.80 381.00 1.20 3.63 3.00 Wolf Zone 448.00 449.35 1.35 1.23 2.00 L-Zone SR25-410 84.45 85.45 1.00 8.80 17.0 M-Zone 143.00 144.00 1.00 4.54 26.0 M-Zone 147.00 148.00 1.00 2.04 3.00 M-Zone 151.05 154.50 3.45 21.1 50.6 M-Zone 159.50 161.00 1.50 1.14 21.0 N-Zone SR25-414 61.70 62.70 1.00 1.00 0.00 M-Zone 116.00 118.70 2.70 1.56 6.13 M-Zone SR25-419 240.00 241.00 1.00 1.78 24.0 unknown 313.00 314.55 1.55 1.30 2.00 Wolf Zone SR25-425 64.10 65.10 1.00 1.05 18.0 O-Zone SR25-427 219.85 221.00 1.15 5.74 8.00 Wolf Zone 239.00 242.00 3.00 1.33 2.00 Wolf Zone SR25-434 230.00 231.00 1.00 3.18 173.0 M-Zone SR25-439 58.00 59.00 1.00 2.69 11.0 O-Zone 296.30 300.70 4.40 17.6 13.3 M-Zone SR25-445 50.20 60.00 9.80 14.8 4.94 M-Zone including 58.00 60.00 2.00 69.8 16.0 M-Zone 96.00 97.00 1.00 7.01 9.00 N-Zone 254.40 255.40 1.00 1.14 36.0 Wolf Zone SR25-454 88.60 90.10 1.50 1.70 3.00 P-Zone SR25-461 295.00 303.00 8.00 2.98 4.38 L-Zone including 295.00 296.00 1.00 14.3 15.0 L-Zone *True width of the intervals has not yet been established by drilling Discussion of Results Drilling at the Scottie Gold Mine The drilling successes from this year will be used to remodel the vein zones and aid in targeting for the 2026 program. In addition to drilling, the Company is planning to use drone assisted 3D scanning of the historic mine to better constrain the extent and positioning of the underground stopes. Increased resolution of mine workings surrounding the existing resource will aid in both future targeting and resource expansion, as well as the potential reduction of sterilized ore as modelled in the PEA. The 2025 drilling resulted in high-grade expansionary holes on the P-Zone (SR25-378; 8.28 g/t gold over 22.35 m), O-Zone (SR25-385; 8.99 g/t gold over 3.00 m), M-Zone (SR24-445; 14.8 g/t gold over 9.8 m), L-Zone (SR25-461; 2.98 g/t gold over 8.00 m), and Wolf-Zone (SR25-408; 7.56 g/t gold over 1.65 m). Figure 1: Overview plan view map of the Scottie Gold Mine, illustrating the locations of the reported drill results, cross-sections (Figures 2,3), and the distribution of the modelled sulphide-rich zones. To view an enhanced version of this graphic, please visit: https://images.newsfilecorp.com/files/11118/281024_f40e0fbe24e8b981_002full.jpg Figure 2: Cross-section displaying Scottie Gold Mine intercepts from drill holes SR25-408, -410, -427, -445. To view an enhanced version of this graphic, please visit: https://images.newsfilecorp.com/files/11118/281024_f40e0fbe24e8b981_003full.jpg Figure 3: Cross-section displaying Scottie Gold Mine intercepts from drill hole SR25-439. To view an enhanced version of this graphic, please visit: https://images.newsfilecorp.com/files/11118/281024_f40e0fbe24e8b981_004full.jpg About the Scottie Gold Mine Project Over the past six years, exploration at the Scottie Gold Mine Project has delivered exceptional results - highlighted by the discovery of four new high-grade zones (Blueberry Contact Zone, Domino, D-Zone, and P-Zone) and the expansion of several historically drilled targets (Scottie Gold Mine, C-Zone, Bend Vein, and Stockwork). A clear spatial relationship has emerged between these high-grade zones and the contact with the Jurassic-aged Texas Creek Plutonic Suite, providing a powerful framework for ongoing targeting. Detailed geological, structural, mineralogical, and geochemical studies now point to a shared mineralizing event across the property - linking the deposits into a broader, interconnected system with significant growth potential. The Blueberry Contact Zone, located 2 km northeast of the 100%-owned past producing Scottie Gold Mine in BC's Golden Triangle, has rapidly advanced from a lightly drilled high-grade vein showing into a major growth target. The target was significantly advanced during Scottie's 2019 drill program when an interval was intersected in a new N-S oriented zone adjacent to the main Blueberry Vein. The drill results received from 2020 - 2024, coupled with surficial mapping and sampling suggest that the N-S mineralized trend is a controlling structure that hosts an array of SW-trending, sub-parallel, sulphide-rich veins that obliquely crosscut it which host high-grade gold. As of the end of 2024, the extent of the N-S zone, defined by the contact between andesite and siltstone units of the Hazelton Formation and the presence of the cross-cutting sulfide-rich structures, has a drilled strike length of >1,550 metres and has been tested to >525 metres depth. The Blueberry Contact Zone is located on the Granduc Road, 20 kilometres north of the Ascot Resources' Premier Mine. Newmont's Brucejack Mine is located 25 kilometres to the north. The Company has recently completed a PEA which evaluates a low-capital DSO operation to deliver a gold-rich gravel product to Asian copper/precious metals smelters. At a gold price of US$2600/oz the project estimates an after-tax NPV(5%) of $215.8 M CAD with an IRR of 60.3%. By design, the operation will eliminate the need for a gold processing plant and tailings facility, thereby significantly reducing the capital required and resulting in a minimal environmental footprint, resulting in an initial capital cost of $128.6 M CAD. The project envisages a shallow open pit on the Blueberry Zone to start, followed by underground production from both Blueberry and the past-producing Scottie Gold Mine. The PEA also evaluates a toll milling scenario through the nearby Premier Mill, which results in an after-tax NPV(5%) $380.1 M CAD and an IRR 89.9%. Scottie's 2025 Bulk Sample program exemplifies the unique characteristics of this mining project, and its ability to rapidly progress. From permitting to mining, crushing, transporting, shipping and sale of the product, the program was executed in under a year, generating an estimated $9M in new revenue. With this proven pathway, Scottie's has confidence in the simplicity and efficiency of its DSO model. Quality Assurance and Control Results from samples taken during the 2025 field season were analyzed at SGS Minerals in Burnaby, BC. The sampling program was undertaken under the direction of Dr. Thomas Mumford. The majority of drill core was NQ in diameter, with select holes of HQ size primarily taken for geomechanical purposes. Prior to sampling drill core was cut in half lengthwise, with half sent for assay and the remaining half kept in Stewart, BC. Standards, blanks, and duplicate samples were taken at intervals and frequencies that meet or exceed industry best practices. A secure chain of custody is maintained in transporting and storing all samples. Gold was assayed using a fire assay with atomic absorption spectrometry and gravimetric finish when required (+9 g/t gold). Analysis by four acid digestion with multi-element ICP-AES analysis was conducted on all samples with silver and base metal over-limits being re-analyzed by emission spectrometry. Dr. Thomas Mumford, P.Geo., non-independent President of the Company, a qualified person under National Instrument 43-101, has reviewed and approved the technical information contained in this news release on behalf of the Company. ABOUT SCOTTIE RESOURCES CORP. Scottie Resources holds 100% interest in the Scottie Gold Mine Property, which includes the high-grade, past-producing Scottie Gold Mine and the adjacent Blueberry Contact Zone. The Company also owns a 100% interest in the Georgia Project, host to the past-producing Georgia River Mine, as well as the Cambria, Sulu, and Tide North properties. In total, Scottie controls approximately 58,500 hectares of highly prospective mineral claims within the Stewart Mining Camp in British Columbia's Golden Triangle-one of the world's most prolific mineralized districts. Scottie's current resource estimate on the Scottie Gold Mine Project includes a total of 703,000 gold ounces at an average grade of 6.1 g/t (Inferred category) in 3.6 millon tonnes, highlighting the development potential for a significant near-surface, high-grade deposit. The Company's strategy is to continue expanding this resource and to define additional mineralization around past-producing mines through systematic drilling and surface exploration. The Company has recently completed a PEA for the Scottie Gold Mine. The PEA outlines a robust Direct-Ship Ore (DSO) development scenario with strong economics and significant upside through a potential toll-milling option utilizing excess capacity at the nearby Premier mill. The base case DSO project delivers an after-tax NPV(5%) of $215.8-$668.3 million at gold prices of US$2,600-$4,200/oz, respectively. Under the toll-milling scenario, project economics improve substantially, with an after-tax NPV(5%) of $380.1-$831.7 million (no agreement currently in place). The PEA estimates initial capital costs of $128.6 million, average annual production of ~65,400 oz gold over seven years, and a payback period of 1.7 years for the after-tax DSO case-reduced to just 0.9 years under the toll-milling opportunity at US$2,600/oz. Forward-Looking Statements This news release may contain forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements are statements that are not historical facts and are generally, but not always, identified by the words "expects", "plans", "anticipates", "believes", "intends", "estimates", "projects", "potential" and similar expressions, or that events or conditions "will", "would", "may", "could" or "should" occur. Although the Company believes the expectations expressed in such forward-looking statements are based on reasonable assumptions, such statements are not guarantees of future performance and actual results may differ materially from those in forward looking statements. Forward-looking statements are based on the beliefs, estimates and opinions of the Company's management on the date such statements were made. The Company expressly disclaims any intention or obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statements whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise. Neither TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy of accuracy of this release. To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/281024 Source: Scottie Resources Corp. LONDON, Jan. 22, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- STL (NSE: STLTECH), a leading connectivity solutions provider for AI-ready digital infrastructure, today announced the successful collaboration with Colt Technology Services (Colt) for the Multi-Core Fibre (MCF) trials executed across Colt's London metro optical network in London, UK. This marks a significant milestone in real-world validation of MCF technology as a sustainable, high-capacity, cost-efficient backbone for next-generation networks supporting AI, cloud, and digital services. During the trial, STL's Multiverse Multi-Core 4-core Fibre-built in the same cladding diameter as standard single-mode fibre (SMF)-was deployed. The trial was conducted within the London Metro network between two Colt PoPs, covering distances of ~ 9 km and 63 km. An 800 Gbps line rate was achieved with validation performed for 100GE and 400GE services. Comprehensive testing was carried out, including Chromatic Dispersion (CD), Polarization Mode Dispersion (PMD), Crosstalk, Throughput, Fault analysis, OTDR, Loss, and Optical Return Loss (ORL) measurements, all of which delivered satisfactory results. STL's MCF packs 4-cores into the same cladding diameter as standard single-mode fibre (SMF), keeping coating size at 250/200 micrometres and achieving ultra-high transmission capacity per fibre within the same diameter. STL is among the first companies globally to take MCF from lab to real-world environments, spanning underground and duct networks with a complete ecosystem of fibres, cables, and termination solutions. Buddy Bayer, Chief Operating Officer, Colt Technology Services, said: "As demand for network capacity surges, customers need more bandwidth without compromising security, performance, or sustainability. At Colt, we're pushing the boundaries of optical networking, and this pilot marks a breakthrough across Europe and the USA. It demonstrates our commitment to delivering future-ready, sustainable networks that meet growing needs without costing the earth." "Partnerships like these exemplify how collaborative innovation can accelerate the evolution of optical infrastructure," added Dr. Badri Gomatam, CTO, STL, "STL's Multiverse MCF portfolio is engineered to meet the high-density, ultra-low latency, and resilient connectivity demands of AI, hyperscale cloud, and next-generation digital ecosystems worldwide." About STL - Sterlite Technologies Ltd: STL is a global leader in advanced connectivity solutions, providing end-to-end solutions for building AI-ready infrastructure, FTTx, Rural, Enterprise and Data Centre networks. With manufacturing facilities in North America, Europe and Asia, we deliver our solutions in more than 100 countries. Data Centre & Cloud companies, Telecom operators, Internet service providers and Large enterprises collaborate with STL to build their future-ready digital infrastructure. STL's business goals are driven by customer-centricity, R&D and sustainability. Read more, Contact us, stl.tech | Twitter | LinkedIn | YouTube Photo: https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/2867355/STL_Colt_MCF.jpg Logo: https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/2259921/STL_Logo.jpg View original content:https://www.prnewswire.co.uk/news-releases/stl-completes-successful-trial-of-multi-core-fibre-mcf-with-colt-in-the-uk-powering-next-gen-optical-connectivity-302668058.html SUNNY ISLES BEACH, FLORIDA / ACCESS Newswire / January 22, 2026 / Elektros Inc. (OTC PINK:ELEK), a developer of lithium mining operations in Sierra Leone, today announced that it has begun active discussions with international freight and logistics providers as it evaluates shipping solutions to transport hard-rock lithium from Sierra Leone, Africa to the United States. The Company is currently engaging with multiple global shipping and freight-forwarding firms to obtain competitive pricing, evaluate transit timelines, and ensure a smooth and efficient process for the shipment of an initial two-container export of raw, hard-rock lithium material. These discussions are focused on reliability, speed, cost efficiency, and regulatory compliance as Elektros works toward initiating its first commercial exports. "We are extremely excited and grateful to be moving forward with this important phase of our lithium project," said Shlomo Bleier, Chief Executive Officer of Elektros Inc. "We are actively speaking with several experienced shipping companies to identify the right partner who can help us deliver our lithium efficiently, safely, and cost-effectively to the United States. Securing the right logistics solution will represent a tremendous milestone for our Company, and we are approaching this process with great care and enthusiasm." Lithium remains one of the most critical materials supporting the global transition to electric vehicles, renewable energy storage, and modern electronics. Benzinga has highlighted lithium as the backbone of modern battery technology, powering electric vehicles, consumer electronics, and large-scale energy storage systems that support renewable power infrastructure worldwide. Reuters has reported that global lithium demand continues to accelerate as governments and industries invest heavily in electric transportation and clean energy initiatives. According to Reuters, lithium is a cornerstone material for the energy transition, with long-term demand supported by the rapid growth of electric vehicles and battery storage markets. Bloomberg has also emphasized lithium's strategic importance, describing it as one of the most essential raw materials underpinning the global clean energy economy. Bloomberg reporting has underscored that reliable access to lithium resources is increasingly viewed as vital for economic competitiveness, energy security, and technological advancement worldwide. Electros believes its hard-rock lithium project in Sierra Leone positions the Company at the forefront of supplying critical raw materials into the global battery supply chain. The Company views the selection of the right shipping and logistics partners as a key step toward executing its export strategy and advancing its role as a reliable supplier of lithium to the United States. About Elektros, Inc. Elektros Inc. (OTC PINK:ELEK) is focused on developing an artisanal lithium mining operation in Sierra Leone, Africa. The Company's business plan includes exploration, development, and the eventual export of hard-rock lithium to lithium refineries in the United States. Website: www.elektros.energy Cautionary Statement Regarding Forward-Looking Information This press release contains forward-looking statements that involve risks and uncertainties. These statements are based on current expectations and assumptions and are not guarantees of future performance. Actual results may differ materially from those expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. Elektros Inc. undertakes no obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statements. For additional information, please refer to the Company's filings with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission at www.sec.gov. Contact: Elektros, Inc. IR and Media Inquiries Email: ElektrosInc@gmail.com SOURCE: Elektros, Inc. View the original press release on ACCESS Newswire:https://www.accessnewswire.com/newsroom/en/automotive/elektros-begins-talks-with-global-shipping-firms-to-expedite-lithium-shipments-from-sier-1129941 Also Announces Plans to Add RC Rig to Target Shallower Higher Grade Opportunities at Tolita Including at High Grade Trench with 52g/t Gold Equivalent Including 3.99% Copper; Also Announces Significant 330% Expansion of Nessa Copper-Gold-Silver Complex Land Position West of Kinross' La Coipa Gold Mine to 13,500 Hectares (135 Square Kilometers) Toronto, Ontario--(Newsfile Corp. - January 22, 2026) - Gold Hart Copper Corp. (TSXV: HART) (the "Company", "Gold Hart", or "HART") is pleased to provide an update on the drilling currently underway at the Company's flagship Tolita gold copper molybdenum silver asset in the emerging Vicuna Copper-Gold District of Chile. The drill has reached a depth of approximately 700m and from a geological perspective, Gold Hart's preliminary interpretation is that the hole remains within the mineralized system of interest. The drill core has already been logged up to approximately 650m. Importantly, the core continues to display encouraging characteristics, with multiple intervals showing strong hydrothermal alterations and mineralization consistent with a fertile porphyry-style environment. Gold Hart geologists have observed multiple generations of veinlets and stockworks with varying intensities over intervals up to several hundred meters, banded veinlets with thicknesses of several cm, and locally chalcopyrite and bornite mineralization has been recognized in several of these veinlets. Such observations support further deepening of the hole. Therefore, Gold Hart's current objective is to continue advancing the drill until it appears the drill exits the system, or until the drill rig reaches its maximum depth capacity which is currently anticipated to be 1,100m to 1,200m. Gold Hart recently hosted a site visit which included tours of the Tolita & Nessa assets. Gold Hart board and advisory board members including the honourable John R. Baird, Mark Kucher, and Aleta Shiff were also in attendance. In this 360-degree immersive video - which allows you to interactively toggle views - Gold Hart co-founder Jonathan Warner explains the diamond drilling process https://cloud-va.insta360.com/share/va/374Q7q0e1K66213G4421719040 Tolita - Flagship Gold Copper Moly Silver Porphyry Target in Vicuna District - Diamond Drilling Program Gold Hart geologists - including senior geologists Professor Dr. Jose Frutos, Enrique Viteri, Jonathan Warner, and Rodrigo Diaz Tilleria - carefully designed a 10-hole drill plan in order to optimally test Tolita as a potential gold-copper-molybdenum-silver porphyry target. As prior announced, Gold Hart first attempted to drill target #1 known as DDHTOL01 in March of 2025, but after difficulties were encountered under tight time constraints, the team instead elected to drill DDHTOL02 and DDHTOL05. These holes were approximately 600m each and encountered approximately 360m and 230m of gold, copper, and moly porphyry mineralization, respectively. Now, Gold Hart is back to target #1 DDHTOL01 with a more powerful drill rig capable of reaching 1,100-1,200m. Consequently, there await at least another seven highly attractive diamond drill targets identified across the asset area. These targets are supported by a combination of geophysical characteristics, including chargeability and conductivity, strong geological and structural controls as well as coincident geochemical anomalies. Tolita is a very large target, with an original 2.5km2 geophysical anomaly recently expanded by 76% to 4.5km2.The Tolita gold soil sample geochemical surface halo (an approximation of gold on surface above 0.1g/t) alone is nearly 28Ha and the Tolita property is 3,476Ha equal to approximately 34.8km2. Furthermore, as recently confirmed in a follow-up geophysical survey, the Tolita geophysical anomaly expands in both size and intensity at depth, which could translate into an enlarging system at depth. Per the third party geophysicist who conducted the survey, "The vertical extent of the steeply dipping conductor that is likely related to a fault is better defined on the two new deep lines (2600N and 452200E). This surprised me, as I had expected resolution similar to the first lines. This would indicate to me, that the probable structure extends very deeply and has a strong contrast in resistivity with the host rock. Because it is conductive, it should act as good conduit for hydrothermal water flow, which should be good news for mineralization. There is confirmation that the alteration system extends to greater depth and may increase in intensity at depth as it is more conductive. Hopefully, the copper and gold grades would increase correspondingly as well." Porphyry systems in Chile, and in the Vicuna District specifically, can prove larger and richer as they progress deeper. For example, in Chile, Atex Resources announced one of their most significant drill holes ever (ATXD25C) which graded 2.72% copper equivalent, beginning at 1,558m and ending at a depth of 1,722m. In the Vicuna District, NGEX published "DPDH028, the best hole drilled to date as Lunahuasi, which was drilled deeper and to the west of all previous holes", which included multiple highly compelling intercept including the deepest 53.5m (1,219.5m - 1,273.0m) grading 7.79% copper equivalent. In summary, the Company remains extremely optimistic about this current drill hole DDHTOL01, in addition to the future diamond drill targets as well. HART - Gold Hart Copper - Tolita Drilling Update and Nessa 3.3X Expansion To view an enhanced version of this graphic, please visit: https://images.newsfilecorp.com/files/10786/281222_hart_-_gold_hart_copper_-_tolita_drilling_update_and_nessa_3_3x_expansion.jpg Gold Hart - Tolita High Grade Gold Copper Trench On Large IP Anomaly To view an enhanced version of this graphic, please visit: https://images.newsfilecorp.com/files/10786/281222_gold_hart_-_tolita_high_grade_gold_copper_trench_on_large_ip_anomaly.jpg Gold Hart - Tolita 5600m Trenching High Grades on Surface To view an enhanced version of this graphic, please visit: https://images.newsfilecorp.com/files/10786/281222_gold_hart_-_tolita_5600m_trenching_high_grades_on_surface.jpg Additional RC Drill Rig at Tolita to Target High Grade Trench Up to 52g/t Gold Equivalent with 3.99% Copper In addition to Gold Hart's primary diamond drilling at Tolita, the Company is planning to add a reverse circulation (RC) drill rig in order to target certain higher grade opportunities closer to surface at Tolita. Specifically, Gold Hart intends to target its highest grade trench, which grades 8.61g/t gold equivalent over 10m, including 2m at 10.40g/t gold, 20g/t silver, and 2.88% copper, and including grabs of 45.75g/t gold, 28g/t silver, and 3.99% copper (approximately 52g/t gold equivalent). Gold Hart recently opened up this high-grade trench with a bulldozer and exposed visible green and turquoise staining typical of copper minerals malachite and chrysocolla. Interestingly, the larger geophysical anomaly at Tolita appears to reach surface at or near this high-grade trench. Gold Hart Vice President Rodrigo Diaz Tilleria (P.Geo) commented, "Our focus remains the large-scale porphyry potential of Tolita. But Tolita also offers the rare opportunity to target and hopefully prove a high-grade shallower component of the asset. In the Vicuna District where 1g/t gold on surface is rare, we have 52g/t gold and simply put we need to test it. RC drilling is significantly faster and cheaper, does not require water to operate, and is well suited to the characteristics of this target. Our current geological model assumes that this high-grade trench at Tolita may only be a fraction of the size of the larger system, but we do believe it hosts potential for generating higher grade intercepts close to surface and therefore potential to add high grade ounces, thereby demonstrating another facet to the Tolita asset." Nessa Gold Copper Silver Complex - 330% Expansion of Property Gold Hart is very pleased to announce that the Company has expanded the Nessa gold copper silver complex by approximately 3.3X from an initial property size of 4,100Ha up to a current land position of 13,500Ha (135km2). As prior announced, Gold Hart completed a follow-on geochemical survey at Nessa to test certain areas of interest. The Company hopes to receive assay results from this survey in the coming week. The Nessa Complex is just south of the massive Codelco El Salvador - Portrerillos copper mining and smelting complex, one of the oldest copper smelting facilities in the country. Nessa is also surrounded by major miners Newmont, Solaris, JX Nippon, and Anglo American, and sits just northwest of Rio2's Fenix gold deposit and just west of Kinross' La Coipa gold mine. As prior announced, while constructing new roads at the Nessa assets (Nessa, Ringo, Manto Carolina), Gold Hart discovered additional historic mining pits with visible copper minerals on surface, including malachite and chrysocolla. These pits and copper showings were not known to the Company nor were they included in any prior documentation regarding the assets. Please visit the Gold Hart Copper YouTube channel for footage of the new copper pits & showings at Nessa: https://www.youtube.com/shorts/Ax6fOStX72c. Gold Hart - Nessa Gold Copper Complex Expansion 3.3X To view an enhanced version of this graphic, please visit: https://images.newsfilecorp.com/files/10786/281222_gold_hart_-_nessa_gold_copper_complex_expansion_3_3x.jpg Gold Hart - Nessa Expansion - High Grades on Surface To view an enhanced version of this graphic, please visit: https://images.newsfilecorp.com/files/10786/281222_gold_hart_-_nessa_expansion_-_high_grades_on_surface.jpg Gold Hart - Nessa Expansion - Historic Mines To view an enhanced version of this graphic, please visit: https://images.newsfilecorp.com/files/10786/281222_gold_hart_-_nessa_expansion_-_historic_mines.jpg Gold Hart - Nessa Expansion - Visible Copper Manto To view an enhanced version of this graphic, please visit: https://images.newsfilecorp.com/files/10786/281222_gold_hart_-_nessa_expansion_-_visible_copper_manto.jpg Gold Hart - Nessa - High Grades Copper Gold Surface To view an enhanced version of this graphic, please visit: https://images.newsfilecorp.com/files/10786/281222_gold_hart_-_nessa_-_high_grades_copper_gold_surface.jpg Gold Hart - Nessa Expansion - Copper Chunks To view an enhanced version of this graphic, please visit: https://images.newsfilecorp.com/files/10786/281222_gold_hart_-_nessa_expansion_-_copper_chunks.jpg About Gold Hart Copper Gold Hart Copper is one of the largest independent land owners surrounding major miners where the famous Maricunga Gold Belt meets the emerging Vicuna Copper Belt in Chile. HART is actively acquiring, exploring and developing its portfolio of gold, copper & silver properties adjacent to the largest gold and copper assets on the continent. HART has rolled-up a portfolio of historically significant assets surrounding majors, in some cases personally staked by the very same geologists who made the adjacent mega-discoveries, since the early 1990s. Some of the Gold Hart properties have already undergone a first phase of drilling, with highly encouraging results of gold, copper, silver, and molybdenum. Gold Hart properties are controlled 100% and not subject to any royalties whatsoever. HART believes it may be sitting on one of the only fully-preserved untested large-scale gold-copper-silver porphyry targets in the Vicuna District - an asset that was first recognized for its uniquely high grades of gold and copper on surface - and staked by one of the Maricunga-Vicuna district's pioneering geologists3 in 1993. Gold Hart Copper is fully funded for its planned drill campaign. HART's team of geologists were personally involved in pioneering exploration in the region, leading to some of its greatest gold, copper, and silver deposits, and include the country's former Geological Survey National Deputy Manager Dr. Professor Jose Frutos. Specifically, senior Gold Hart geologists were personally involved in the Escondida copper discovery, now the largest copper mine in the world1 controlled by Rio Tinto and BHP, as well as Cerro Casale, the largest gold-copper discovery in Chile2 acquired by Barrick and Newmont (GoldCorp) with 59-million ounces of gold and 12.5-billion pounds of copper. In addition to its large land position in the Vicuna District, Gold Hart recently acquired the Nessa properties just northwest on Chile's Paleocene-Eocene Belt on the famous Domeyko Fault System, which is home to some of Chile's largest gold, copper, and silver assets including Escondida, Chuquicamata and Collahuasi. The Nessa properties host several historic gold and copper artisanal mines with high grades of gold, copper, and silver on surface, with a large alteration and magnetic anomaly extending approximately 6km. Kinross' La Coipa Gold Mine sits just east of Nessa. About Gold Hart Copper's Tolita Gold-Copper-Molybdenum-Silver Target The Tolita property is a historically significant gold-copper asset which was first recognized and staked in 1993 - by one of the pioneering geologists of the Maricunga-Vicuna district - for its uniquely high grades of gold and copper on surface3. Geochemical surveys revealed gold, copper, silver, and molybdenum anomalies, which led to trenching. Tolita has had significant trenching (5,600m / 5.6km) with the highest grade trench returning grades up to 52g/t gold equivalent including 4% copper. Tolita has undergone helicopter mag surveys which identified 4 unique anomalies as well3. In 1996, a third party company optioned the property and drilled 3 short 200m RC holes, without any geophysics, and yet still hit gold and copper in all 3 holes, including long intercepts of gold and copper (150m and 164m, respectively) close to surface in 2 of the 3 holes. At the time, gold was approximately $300/oz and copper traded below $1.00/lb, and large scale sulphide porphyry deposits with both gold and copper were often considered less favorable than smaller scale gold-only oxide deposits. As a result, and due to general market sentiment for junior exploration companies in 1997-1998, Tolita was only drilled to a depth of 200m with 3 short RC holes (out of a planned 8 hole campaign)3. When Gold Hart acquired the property, a full geophysical survey was conducted by a recognized geophysics firm, and a large high-chargeability and conductive anomaly was discovered that is near surface and almost 2.5km2 in size and "interpreted as a copper-gold or gold-copper porphyry system that certainly warrants additional exploration and drilling4". Gold Hart Copper has therefore launched diamond drilling and is fully funded for this planned campaign. Most recently (April-May 2025), the Company completed two holes of approximately 600m each, confirming that Tolita indeed hosts a fertile porphyry system. Gold Hart geologists observed early stage veining near surface, providing the first clear evidence of a porphyry related system within zones of moderate chargeability. The mineral intercepts occur within a multi-generation stockwork vein system hosted by a series of multi-phase porphyry intrusions. Multiple alteration types have been identified, overprinting the original potassic alteration of the porphyry system. At greater depth, the potassic alteration becomes increasingly dominant, accompanied by more intense and continuous veining across locally moderate to stronger chargeability amplitudes. The newly acquired geophysical data indicates that the system may even extend several hundred meters further at depth. Effectively, the Company, and various visiting geologists have all concluded the presence of a porphyry, and Gold Hart is now focused on exploration to find the richer grades and potential limits of the system. Please visit the Gold Hart Copper YouTube channel for footage regarding the mobilization and drill pad expansion: https://www.youtube.com/shorts/M5ovBFOgQTU. About Gold Hart Copper's Nessa Gold-Copper-Silver Assets Gold Hart's Nessa properties sit on the renowned Domeyko Fault of Chile, most famous for hosting the Escondida Copper Mine - now the largest copper mine in the world - which was first staked by Gold Hart co-founder Dr. Jose Frutos in the 1970s. Dr. Frutos recognized and personally staked some of the Nessa claims nearly two decades ago, due to the unique surface alteration - visible from satellite imagery - with high grades on surface and several historic mines which exploited gold, copper and silver at or near surface via pits and shallow tunnels. The historic mines coincide with a pervasive yet intense hydrothermal alteration (silicic-argillic to quartz-sericitic with abundant kaolin in the central part) with a halo of propilitic alteration in the periphery, with disseminated gold-copper-silver mineralization throughout. The Nessa properties were known to host 13 historic artisanal high-grade gold & copper pits, which were mined using mules due to lack of access. Additionally, historic geochemical surveys discovered high grades on surface for gold, copper, and silver, with samples up to 25g/t gold, 3.25% copper, 958g/t silver. However, the Company has now discovered additional copper showings on surface and historic mining pits, and now believes there may be other unknown targets on these assets. Please visit the Gold Hart Copper YouTube channel for footage of the road construction and copper oxides at Nessa: https://www.youtube.com/@GoldHartCopper. References & Notes: Escondida is the largest copper mine globally, as defined by producing the greatest number of copper tonnes per annum. Numbers sourced directly from property owner's website and public filings. Norte Abierto is considered the largest gold asset in Chile as defined by hosting the largest number of total gold ounces. Numbers sourced directly from property owner's website and public filings. Please refer to the Company's NI 43-101 Technical Report on Sedar for information pertaining to Gold Hart Copper's properties including historical exploration at Tolita, including but not limited to, the history of the asset and its original staking, geochemical surveys, trenching surveys, helicopter magnetic surveys, and historical RC drilling. Geophysical survey is summarized in the Company's NI 43-101 Technical report available on Sedar. Such geophysical surveys are not definitive, and the results are still at an early stage of interpretation, with no guarantee of a mineral discovery. HART | Gold Hart Copper Corporation - Social Media Channels Website: https://goldhartcopper.com LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/goldhartcopper X / Twitter: https://x.com/goldhartcopper YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@goldhartcopper Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/goldhartcopper Qualified Person The technical information contained in this news release related has been reviewed by Mr. Jonathan A. Warner, Executive Vice President of Gold Hart Copper and a Qualified Person within the meaning of NI 43-101. Cautionary Statement on Forward-Looking Information This news release contains "forward-looking information" within the meaning of applicable Canadian securities legislation based on expectations, estimates and projections as at the date of this news release. Any statement that involves predictions, expectations, interpretations, beliefs, plans projections, objectives, assumptions, future events or performance (often, but not always, using phrases such as "expects", or "does not expect", "is expected", "interpreted", management's view", "anticipates" or "does not anticipate", "plans", "budget", "scheduled", "forecasts", "estimates", "potential", "feasibility", "believes" or "intends" or variations of such words and phrases or stating that certain actions, events or results "may" or "could", "would", "might" or "will" be taken, occur or be achieved) are not statements of historical fact and may be forward-looking information and are intended to identify forward-looking information. Forward-looking information is not a guarantee of future performance and is based upon a number of estimates and assumptions of management, in light of management's experience and perception of trends, current conditions and expected developments, as well as other factors that management believes to be relevant and reasonable in the circumstances, including, without limitation, assumptions about: the ability of exploration results, including drilling, to accurately predict mineralization; errors in geological modelling; insufficient data; equity and debt capital markets; future spot prices of copper and zinc; the timing and results of exploration and drilling programs; the accuracy of mineral resource estimates; production costs; political and regulatory stability; the receipt of governmental and third party approvals; licenses and permits being received on favourable terms; sustained labour stability; stability in financial and capital markets; availability of mining equipment and positive relations with local communities and groups. Forward-looking information involves risks, uncertainties and other factors that could cause actual events, results, performance, prospects and opportunities to differ materially from those expressed or implied by such forward-looking information. Factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from such forward-looking information are set out in the Company's listing statement dated March 14, 2025, a copy of which is available on SEDAR+ (www.sedarplus.ca) under the Company's issuer profile. Although the Company believes that the assumptions and factors used in preparing the forward-looking information in this news release are reasonable, undue reliance should not be placed on such information, which only applies as of the date of this news release, and no assurance can be given that such events will occur in the disclosed time frames or at all. The Company disclaims any intention or obligation to update or revise any forward- looking information, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, other than as required by law. Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accept responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this news release. No stock exchange, securities commission or other regulatory authority has approved or disapproved the information contained herein. To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/281222 Source: Gold Hart Copper Corp. BERKELEY, Calif., Jan. 22, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- Once Upon a Farm, the mission-driven brand known for bringing organic, farm-fresh nutritious snacks to families, today announced its upcoming entry into the UK market with a limited launch at select Whole Foods Market locations in London. The debut marks the brand's first European retail expansion and introduces UK families to Once Upon a Farm's healthy, refrigerated offerings made with thoughtfully sourced organic, real ingredients and no added sugar or preservatives. Founded with the belief that every child deserves access to real, nutritious food, Once Upon a Farm has grown into a category-leading brand in the United States. Now, through a curated selection of 6 recipes available beginning in March 2026, the brand is extending that mission to the UK, offering healthy, farm-fresh options designed to support growing kids and busy families. "Nothing feels better than knowing Once Upon a Farm is a trusted, no-brainer, choice for parents and a happy, delicious one for kids," said Jennifer Garner, co-founder of Once Upon a Farm. "We are on a mission to raise the standard for kids' food and to make it accessible to families everywhere. And by everywhere - yes! Finally! After years of promising my UK friends, we are proud to make the jump across the pond. Expanding into the UK is a meaningful moment for all of us at Once Upon a Farm as we bring you our fresh, honest approach to kids' nutrition." Once Upon a Farm's products are made with organic fruits and vegetables and are cold-pressure protected to preserve nutrients and flavor. The brand is known for prioritizing transparency, sustainability, and taste, aligning with the strict baby and kids food standards held across Europe. "As a Public Benefit Corporation, our growth is guided by purpose," added John Foraker, co-founder and CEO of Once Upon a Farm. "Regardless of where we're serving families, our goal remains the same: to shape the future of food and help kids thrive through healthy snacks, made the right way." The UK launch with Whole Foods Market builds on years of collaboration in the United States and aligns with a retailer that has long set the standard for natural and organic food. "I am delighted Once Upon a Farm has decided to expand into Europe first with Whole Foods Market in the UK. We continuously look for exciting brands from across the globe to launch with us first in the UK, and this new range of natural children's food is a prime example of this," said Jade Hoai, Executive Leader of Purchasing Whole Foods Market. "We're excited to support Once Upon a Farm's launch in our stores and for the brand to be part of growth into 2026." For more information about Once Upon a Farm and its products, visit www.onceuponafarmorganics.com. About Once Upon a Farm Once Upon a Farm is on a mission to shape the future of food by making it easier for families to choose fresh, nutritious options they can feel good about. Founded by parents, the brand offers crave-worthy organic, farm-fresh foods for babies through big kids, thoughtfully made with no added sugar or preservatives. As a Public Benefit Corporation, Once Upon a Farm is committed to driving positive impact for families, communities, and the planet. About Whole Foods Market Founded in 1980, Austin-based Whole Foods Market is the world's leading natural and organic foods retailer and the first certified organic national grocer in the United States. Part of Amazon's Worldwide Grocery Stores, Whole Foods Market serves customers in more than 530 stores across the U.S., Canada, and the U.K. To learn more about Whole Foods Market, please visit https://media.wholefoodsmarket.com/. Media Contact: Hillary Brown 541.941.7767 hillary.brown@uponafarm.com Photo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/2867077/Once_Upon_a_Farm_Organic_Refrigerated.jpg Logo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/1470531/Once_Upon_a_Farm_Logo.jpg View original content:https://www.prnewswire.co.uk/news-releases/once-upon-a-farm-selects-whole-foods-market-london-for-uk-market-entry-302667522.html VANCOUVER, British Columbia, Jan. 22, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Greenridge Exploration Inc. ("Greenridge" or the "Company") (CSE: GXP | OTC: GXPLF | FRA: HW3), is pleased to announce the results of the Summer 2025 diamond drilling program (the "Program") at its Carpenter Lake Project ("Carpenter Lake" or the "Property"), located on the southern margin of the Athabasca Basin in northern Saskatchewan, Canada. Eight holes were completed for a total of 1,368 metres on selected target areas along the Cable Bay Shear Zone (the "CBSZ"), a major structural feature that bisects the Project. Russell Starr, Chief Executive Officer of the Company, commented, "Our inaugural drilling program at Carpenter Lake successfully tested the targets available to us in the summer exploration season, and has presented invaluable geological information that will direct our future work on the Project. We have embarked upon what will become a systematic, multi-year exploration campaign, consistent with the generative nature of uranium exploration in the Athabasca Basin region." Highlights of the 2025 Drilling Program Eight (8) holes were completed for a total of 1,368 m of core NQ drilling across select targets intended to test Geophysical and Geochemical targets along the CBSZ targeting shallow basement-hosted uranium mineralization at the target areas (Figure 1) (See Table 1). Two drillholes were lost before reaching their planned depth due to technical issues. Drilling intersected prospective lithologies for hosting uranium mineralization, namely graphitic pelitic gneisses carrying sulphides, with anomalous pathfinder geochemistry including uranium, arsenic, nickel, copper, cobalt, lead and zinc. Intervals of anomalous radioactivity (measured by downhole Mount Sopris 2PGA-1000 downhole gamma probe) were intersected in three of the eight drill holes completed and is associated with structural zones and favorable rock types including graphitic pelite adjacent to favorable cross structures, and structural breaks (Figure 2). Graphitic-sulphidic stacked shear and fault zones were encountered in multiple holes, many featuring prominent brittle reactivation features including breccias, cataclasites, and fault gouge (Figure 2). Anomalous dravite, a pathfinder clay alteration mineral containing boron, which is often found near a potential mineralized system, was observed by short wave infra-red (" SWIR" ) spectroscopy and confirmed by laboratory analysis, showing strongly anomalous Boron associated with structural deformation and anomalous uranium. ) spectroscopy and confirmed by laboratory analysis, showing strongly anomalous Boron associated with structural deformation and anomalous uranium. The 2025 drill program has demonstrated that the prospective graphitic pelitic gneisses at the Project extends further south than previously known, and that anomalous geochemistry observed in the drill core (uranium, boron and base metals) indicate that uranium-bearing fluids have mobilized along the CBSZ. The helicopter-assisted drilling operations generated a low environmental impact during drill moves and drill pad construction, providing a sustainable exploration practice. Figure 1 - Carpenter Lake 2025 Drill Hole Locations structural elements. About Carpenter Lake and the Cable Bay Shear Zone Carpenter Lake is comprised of nine (9) mineral claims covering approximately 15,091 hectares owned 60% by Greenridge and 40% by Renegade Gold Inc., with Greenridge acting as operator of exploration activities. Greenridge can earn a 100% interest in the Property by fulfilling a schedule of cash payments, common share issuances and exploration expenditures (for details please see Greenridge news release dated May 30, 2024). Carpenter Lake straddles the southern margin of the Athabasca Basin Supergroup sandstones and covers more than fifteen (15) kilometers of the CBSZ - a prominent crustal-scale geological structure trending northeast-southwest that is largely underexplored for uranium deposits (please see Figure 1). The CBSZ is characterized by a well-defined conductive signature, radiometric anomalies, and numerous historically-mapped uranium occurrences. Hole ID Easting (m) Northing (m) RL (m) Dip (deg) Azi (deg) Total Depth (m) CL25-001 361233.9 6346439.4 497.3 -45 120 108 CL25-002 361514.2 6346287.3 499.9 -45 300 186 CL25-003 362322.9 6347258.6 511.2 -45 300 255 CL25-004 362322.9 6347258.6 511.2 -45 300 51 CL25-004A 363180.1 6347639.3 508.0 -55 300 180 CL25-005 368062.8 6351461.0 515.7 -45 300 105 CL25-005A 368062.8 6351461.0 515.7 -50 300 249 CL25-006 364825.4 6349451.0 512.8 -45 300 234 Total 8 1368 Table 1: 2025 Drillhole Statistics (coordinates in NAD83 / UTM Zone 13N) Conclusions and Recommendations for Follow-up Exploration Following its review of the 2025 drilling results, Greenridge believes that the greatest potential for uranium mineralization within the Project area lies in continued testing of areas where gravity lows coincide with structural breaks, cross cutting structures or offsets in EM conductors. A ground gravity survey is being commissioned consisting of approximately 1,000 survey stations straddling the identified electromagnetic ("EM") conductors along the CBSZ trend. Additionally, Greenridge is continuing comprehensive geophysical inversions and lithostructural modelling to gain a more comprehensive understanding of structural elements that may control potential for uranium mineralization. The drilling program successfully confirmed the presence of graphitic pelitic gneisses extending further south than previously known, the combined presence of sulphides and returned anomalous uranium and pathfinder element geochemistry, along with zones of elevated radioactivity associated with favorable structures and rock types. The program also identified stacked graphitic-sulphidic shear zones with evidence of structural reactivation, as well as boron-rich dravite alteration, supporting the interpretation that uranium-bearing fluids have migrated along the shear zone. Work is ongoing at the property with refined geophysical surveys and ongoing targeting work underway. Figure 2 - Drill core photo from CL25-005A: 71.8-75.8m anomalous intersection of faulted and brecciated zone with strong clay alteration, and hematization, with coincident anomalous radioactivity, elevated Boron and base metal geochemistry. Greenridge believes the Project is highly prospective for the discovery of shallow, high-grade basement-hosted uranium mineralization akin to the Rabbit Lake, Arrow, and Triple R uranium deposits. The structural style and setting of the Property along the CBSZ are ideal for the existence of a potentially significant mineralizing system, and the presence of conductive graphitic metasedimentary rocks often associated with uranium deposition in the Athabasca Basin has been confirmed by both historical drilling and the Company's 2025 drilling on the Project. Community Engagement at Carpenter Lake In 2024, Greenridge executed exploration agreements with the English River First Nation ("ERFN") and Kineepik Metis Local #9 ("KML"), each of whom have ancestral rights within the Project area, to provide members of each community with a role in environmental monitoring, cultural management, and financial benefits from business, employment, and training opportunities. Greenridge is dedicated to carrying out its exploration at Carpenter Lake within a mutually respectful and cooperative relationship with both the ERFN and KML. Statement of Qualified Person The scientific and technical information contained in this news release has been reviewed and approved by Luke van der Meer, P. Geo., a geological consultant to the Company and a Qualified Person as defined in National Instrument 43-101 - Standards of Disclosure for Mineral Projects. Mr. van der Meer has examined information regarding the exploration at the Property, which includes a review of the analytical results of the 2025 drilling program. All drill core samples from the program, completed as NQ-sized core, were shipped to the Saskatchewan Research Council Geoanalytical Laboratories ("SRC") in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan in secure containment for preparation, processing, and multi-element analysis by ICP-MS and ICP-OES using total (HF:NHO3:HClO4) and partial digestion (HNO3:HCl), and boron by fusion. Assay samples are chosen based on downhole probing and scintillometer (GR-135+) peaks. Assay sample intervals comprise 0.3 - 1.0 metre continuous half-core split samples over the sample intervals. With all assay samples, one half of the split sample is retained and the other sent to the SRC for analysis. The SRC is an ISO/IEC 17025/2005 and Standards Council of Canada certified analytical laboratory. Blanks, standard reference materials, and repeats are inserted into the sample stream at regular intervals by Greenridge and the SRC in accordance with Greenridge's quality assurance/quality control (QA/QC) procedures. Management cautions that historical results collected and reported by operators unrelated to Greenridge have not been verified nor confirmed by its Qualified Person; however, the historical results create a scientific basis for ongoing work at the Property. Management further cautions that published historical results and discoveries on adjacent or nearby mineral properties are not necessarily indicative of the results that may be achieved on the Property. About Greenridge Exploration Inc. Greenridge Exploration Inc. (CSE: GXP | OTCQB: GXPLF | FRA: HW3) is a mineral exploration company dedicated to creating shareholder value through the acquisition, exploration, and development of critical mineral projects in Canada. The Company owns or has interests in 23 projects and additional claims covering approximately 265,657 hectares with considerable exposure to potential uranium, nickel, copper and gold discoveries. The Company is led by an experienced management team and board of directors with significant expertise in capital raising and advancing mining projects. Greenridge has one of the largest uranium property portfolios in Canada consisting of 14 projects and additional prospective claims covering approximately 193,200 hectares. The Company has opportunities to realize value in a further 9 strategic metals projects which include nickel, gold, and copper exploration properties totalling approximately 72,460 hectares. Project highlights include: The Black Lake property, located in the NE Athabasca Basin, (40% Greenridge, 50.43% UEC, 8.57% Orano Canada) saw a 2004 discovery hole (BL-18) return 0.69% U 3 O 8 over 4.4m. 1 O over 4.4m. The Hook-Carter property (20% Greenridge, 80% Denison Mines Corp.) is strategically located in the SW Margin of the Athabasca Basin, sitting ~13km from NexGen Energy Ltd.'s Arrow deposit and ~20 km from Paladin Energy's Ltd.'s Triple R deposit. The Gibbons Creek property hosts high-grade uraniferous boulders located in 2013, with grades of up to 4.28% U 3 O 8 2 , and the McKenzie Lake project saw a 2023 prospecting program return three samples which included 844 ppm U-total (0.101% U 3 O 8 ), 273 ppm U-total, and 259 ppm U-total. 3 O , and the McKenzie Lake project saw a 2023 prospecting program return three samples which included 844 ppm U-total (0.101% U O ), 273 ppm U-total, and 259 ppm U-total. The Nut Lake property located in the Thelon Basin includes historical drilling which intersected up to 9ft of 0.69% U 3 O 8 including 4.90% U 3 O 8 over 1ft from 8ft depth. 4 In 2024, Greenridge's prospecting program located a float sample that returned 31.13% U 3 O 8 , sourced from the Tundra Showing. 5 O including 4.90% U O over 1ft from 8ft depth. In 2024, Greenridge's prospecting program located a float sample that returned 31.13% U O , sourced from the Tundra Showing. The Firebird Nickel property has seen two drill programs (7 holes totaling 1,339 m), where hole FN20-002 intersected 23.8 m of 0.36% Ni and 0.09% Cu, including 10.6 m of 0.55% Ni and 0.14% Cu. 6 The Electra Nickel project 2022 drill program included results of 2,040 ppm Ni over 1m and 1,260 ppm Ni over 3.5m.7 The Company has strategic partnerships which includes projects being operated and advanced by Denison Mines Corp. and Uranium Energy Corp. The Company's management team, board of directors, and technical team brings significant expertise in capital raising and advancing mining projects and is poised to attract new investors and raise future capital. References: 1 - Black Lake: UEX Corporation News Release dated October 12, 2004. 2 - Gibbons Creek: Lakeland Resources Inc. News Release dated January 8, 2014. 3 - McKenzie Lake: ALX Resources Corp. New Release dated November 7, 2023. 4 - Nut Lake: 1979 Assessment Report (number 81075) by Pan Ocean Oil Ltd. 5 - Nut Lake: Greenridge Exploration Inc. News Release dated February 19, 2024. 6 - Firebird Nickel: ALX Resources Corp. New Release dated April 15, 2020. 7 - Electra Nickel: ALX Resources Corp. New Release dated July 20, 2022. On Behalf of the Board of Directors of Greenridge Russell Starr Chief Executive Officer, Director Telephone: +1 (778) 897-3388 Email: info@greenridge-exploration.com Disclaimer for Forward-Looking Information This news release includes certain "Forward-Looking Statements" within the meaning of the United States Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 and "forward-looking information" under applicable Canadian securities laws. When used in this news release, the words "anticipate", "believe", "estimate", "expect", "target", "plan", "forecast", "may", "would", "could", "schedule" and similar words or expressions, identify forward-looking statements or information. Forward-looking statements and forward-looking information relating to any future mineral production, liquidity, enhanced value and capital markets profile of Greenridge, future growth potential for Greenridge and its business, and future exploration plans are based on management's reasonable assumptions, estimates, expectations, analyses and opinions, which are based on management's experience and perception of trends, current conditions and expected developments, and other factors that management believes are relevant and reasonable in the circumstances, but which may prove to be incorrect. Assumptions have been made regarding, among other things, the price of uranium, nickel, copper, gold, cobalt and other metals; costs of exploration and development; the estimated costs of development of exploration projects; Greenridge's ability to operate in a safe and effective manner and its ability to obtain financing on reasonable terms. This news release contains "forward-looking information" within the meaning of the Canadian securities laws. Statements, other than statements of historical fact, may constitute forward looking information and include, without limitation, statements with respect to the Property and its mineralization potential; the Company's objectives, goals, or future plans with respect to the Property; further exploration work on the Carpenter Lake Project in the future; and completion of the proposed programs. With respect to the forward-looking information contained in this news release, the Company has made numerous assumptions regarding, among other things, the geological, metallurgical, engineering, financial and economic advice that the Company has received is reliable and are based upon practices and methodologies which are consistent with industry standards. While the Company considers these assumptions to be reasonable, these assumptions are inherently subject to significant uncertainties and contingencies. Additionally, there are known and unknown risk factors which could cause the Company's actual results, performance or achievements to be materially different from any future results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by the forward-looking information contained herein. Known risk factors include, among others: fluctuations in commodity prices and currency exchange rates; uncertainties relating to interpretation of well results and the geology, continuity and grade of uranium, nickel, copper, gold, cobalt and other metal deposits; uncertainty of estimates of capital and operating costs, recovery rates, production estimates and estimated economic return; the need for cooperation of government agencies in the exploration and development of properties and the issuance of required permits; the need to obtain additional financing to develop properties and uncertainty as to the availability and terms of future financing; the possibility of delay in exploration or development programs or in construction projects and uncertainty of meeting anticipated program milestones; uncertainty as to timely availability of permits and other governmental approvals; increased costs and restrictions on operations due to compliance with environmental and other requirements; increased costs affecting the metals industry and increased competition in the metals industry for properties, qualified personnel, and management. All forward-looking information herein is qualified in its entirety by this cautionary statement, and the Company disclaims any obligation to revise or update any such forward-looking information or to publicly announce the result of any revisions to any of the forward-looking information contained herein to reflect future results, events or developments, except as required by law. The Canadian Securities Exchange (CSE) does not accept responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release. Photos accompanying this announcement are available at https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/d8952569-bfbe-423d-a35a-885300d4b194 https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/53e571ad-1ed4-4f6b-b11e-e68c9a51f140 Topline Revenues of $600,000 SAN DIEGO, CALIFORNIA, Jan. 22, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- International Land Alliance, Inc. (OTCQB:ILAL), ("ILAL" or the "Company"), an international land investment and development firm, today reported sales of roughly $600,000 at Rancho Costa Verde and Oasis Park for the first sales weekend of 2026, representing five homesite sales and one home. Frank Ingrande, President of ILAL, commented: " We continue to see strong momentum and growth across all of our developments as we drive meaningful improvements in every corner of our business, particularly new property acquisition, enhanced digital media marketing and our Las Vegas Team." As previously announced, the company closed on the acquisition of 300 acres of land and structures located adjacent to the Company's Rancho Costa Verde development. This purchase is already subdivided into 7 parcels consisting of approximately 300 residential homesites, 12 existing Tiny Homes, and 2 completed homes. The total projected gross land sales is expected to exceed $12 million and construction revenues of over $90 million. This acquisition brings the Rancho Costa Verde community to 1,400 acres with approximately 1,500 home sites. Rancho Costa Verde is a master planned community in Baja California, located roughly eight kilometers north of the Company's Cabo Oasis Resort on the Sea of Cortez. To date, RCV has sold over 1,000 residential lots and built over 100 single-family homes, with 50 under construction. This is in addition to a completed boutique hotel and clubhouse. For more information about this green off-grid community, we invite you to visit: www.ranchocostaverde.com About International Land Alliance, Inc. International Land Alliance, Inc. (OTCQB: ILAL) is an international land investment and development firm based in San Diego, California. As its core mission, the Company has embraced technology for sustainable and socially responsible solutions to provide accessible housing, in addition to using proptech and construction tech advanced applications to meet these goals. The Company is focused on acquiring attractive raw land primarily in Northern Baja California, often within driving distance from Southern California. The Company is also focused on acquiring desirable land and real estate assets in Southern California. The Company serves its shareholders by devoting considerable time and resources to seeking out the finest sites available and obtaining the necessary development permits to build a compelling portfolio of properties, which provide a diversity of investment and living options. ILAL builds environmentally friendly communities for vacation, retirement, and investment buyers. Please visit: www.ila.company. For media inquiries, contact: Investor Relations jason@ila.company (877) 661-4811 www.ila.company No Offer or Solicitation This press release shall not constitute an offer to sell or the solicitation of an offer to buy any securities, nor shall there be any sale of securities in any states or jurisdictions in which such offer, solicitation, or sale would be unlawful prior to registration or qualification under the securities laws of any such jurisdiction. No offering of securities shall be made except by means of a prospectus meeting the requirements of Section 10 of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended. Safe Harbor Statement The press release may include certain statements that are not descriptions of historical facts but are forward looking statements within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933 and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934. These forward-looking statements may include the description of our plans and objectives for future operations, assumptions underlying such plans and objectives, and other forward-looking terminology such as "may," "expects," "believes," "anticipates," "intends," "projects," or similar terms, variations of such terms or the negative of such terms. There are a number of risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from the forward-looking statements made herein. Such information is based upon various assumptions made by, and expectations of, our management that were reasonable when made but may prove to be incorrect. All such assumptions are inherently subject to significant economic and competitive uncertainties and contingencies beyond our control and upon assumptions with respect to the future business decisions which are subject to change. Accordingly, there can be no assurance that actual results will meet expectations and actual results may vary (perhaps materially) from certain of the results anticipated herein. Facebook Instagram Twitter LinkedIn VANCOUVER, British Columbia, Jan. 22, 2026quantum prototype complete and be operational later in 2026. The hardware is expected to be a scalable computing platform designed to process and analyze large, complex datasets including those generated by the company's ZenaDronedrones and drone swarms, providing real-time actionable insights and decision-support for military and government applications. "Creating our own quantum computer prototype is an important foundational step in having a vertically integrated platform designed to handle the massive volumes of data generated by our drone systems and to support mission-critical intelligence capabilities that modern defense forces demand," said Shaun Passley, Ph.D., ZenaTech CEO. "We are building a technology platform to strengthen autonomous operations in contested environments, enhancing security and resilience, as well as to position ZenaTech for larger, long-term defense opportunities that align with global defense priorities." The quantum computing prototype platform is also intended to support advanced artificial intelligence (AI) applications across the company's R&D portfolio. These include the Eagle Eye project focused on advanced AI defense applications operating through Zena AI, the company's advanced AI hub located in Baton Rouge; Clear Skies, its project for advanced weather forecasting and wildfire management; and Sky Traffic, a project focused on advanced traffic management. AI Autonomous Drones play a vital role in defense ISR (Inspection, Surveillance and Reconnaissance) missions, providing rapid and safe situational awareness. Applications include persistent surveillance of borders, bases, and coastlines; reconnaissance of hazardous or hard-to-reach areas using single drones or coordinated swarms; automated detection and tracking of threats such as vehicles, vessels, or troop movements; enabling commanders to swiftly identify and prioritize targets; and post-mission analysis to assess changes. Leveraging quantum computing, the company is working towards enhancing the ability to process and analyze complex, large-scale datasets in real time, improving threat detection, operational insight, and decision-support in dynamic defense environments. Quantum computing?is an emerging field of cutting-edge computer science, harnessing the unique qualities of quantum mechanics to solve problems beyond the capabilities of even the most powerful classical computers. Quantum enables the processing of massively complex mathematical problems and real-time data sets such as data collected from drone swarm sensors, at orders of magnitude faster speeds. About ZenaTech ZenaTech(DaaS), enterprise SaaS and Quantum Computing solutions for mission-critical applications for commercial, government and defense. Since 2017, the Company has leveraged its software development expertise and grown its drone design and manufacturing capabilities through ZenaDrone, to innovate and improve inspection, monitoring, safety, security, compliance, and surveying processes. With enterprise software customers using branded solutions in law enforcement, government, and industrial sectors, and drones being implemented in these plus agriculture, defense, and logistics sectors, ZenaTech's portfolio of solutions helps drive exceptional operational efficiencies, accuracy, and cost savings. The Company operates through global offices in North America, Europe, Taiwan, and UAE, and is growing its DaaS business and network of locations through acquisitions. About ZenaDrone ZenaDrone, a wholly owned subsidiary of ZenaTech, develops and manufactures autonomous business drone solutions that can incorporate machine learning software, AI, predictive modeling, Quantum Computing, and other software and hardware innovations. Created to revolutionize the hemp farming sector, its specialization has grown to multifunctional drone solutions for industrial surveillance, monitoring, inspection, tracking, process automation, and defense applications. Currently, the ZenaDrone 1000drone is used for crop management applications in agriculture and critical field cargo applications in the defense sector, the IQ Nanoindoor drone is used for inventory management and security in the warehouse and logistics sectors, and the IQ Squareis an outdoor drone designed for inspections use in commercial and defense sectors. Contacts for more information: Company, Investors, and Media: Linda Montgomery ZenaTech 312-241-1415 investors@zenatech.com Investors: Michael Mason CORE IR investors@zenatech.com Safe Harbor This press release and related comments by management of ZenaTech, Inc. include "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of U.S. federal securities laws and applicable Canadian securities laws. These forward-looking statements are subject to the safe harbor provisions under the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. This forward-looking information relates to future events or future performance of ZenaTech and reflects management's expectations and projections regarding ZenaTech's growth, results of operations, performance, and business prospects and opportunities. Such forward-looking statements reflect management's current beliefs and are based on information currently available to management. In some cases, forward-looking information can be identified by terminology such as "may", "will", "should", "expect", "plan", "anticipate", "aim", "seek", "is/are likely to", "believe", "estimate", "predict", "potential", "continue" or the negative of these terms or other comparable terminology intended to identify forward-looking statements. Forward-looking information in this document includes, but is not limited to ZenaTech's expectations regarding its revenue, expenses, production, operations, costs, cash flows, and future growth; expectations with respect to future production costs and capacity; ZenaTech's ability to deliver products to the market as currently contemplated, including its drone products including ZenaDrone 1000, IQ Square and IQ Nano; ZenaTech's ability to develop products for markets as currently contemplated; ZenaTech's anticipated cash needs and it's needs for additional financing; ZenaTech's intention to grow the business and its operations and execution risk; expectations with respect to future operations and costs; the volatility of stock prices and market conditions in the industries in which ZenaTech operates; political, economic, environmental, tax, security, and other risks associated with operating in emerging markets; regulatory risks; unfavorable publicity or consumer perception; difficulty in forecasting industry trends; the ability to hire key personnel; the competitive conditions of the industry and the competitive and business strategies of ZenaTech; ZenaTech's expected business objectives for the next twelve months; ZenaTech's ability to obtain additional funds through the sale of equity or debt commitments; investment capital and market share; the ability to complete any contemplated acquisitions; changes in the target markets; market uncertainty; ability to access additional capital, including through the listing of its securities in various jurisdictions; management of growth. The Company undertakes ???no obligation to update forward-?looking ????information except as required by applicable law. Such forward-???looking information represents ?????managements' best judgment based on information currently available. ???No forward-looking ????statement ?can be guaranteed and actual future results may vary materially. ???Accordingly, readers ????are advised not to ?place undue reliance on forward-looking statements or ???information.? Toronto, Ontario--(Newsfile Corp. - January 22, 2026) - Omai Gold Mines Corp. (TSXV: OMG) (OTCQB: OMGGF) ("Omai Gold" or the "Company") is pleased to announce it has engaged SLR Consulting to complete an updated Mineral Resource Estimate (MRE) and Preliminary Economic Assessment (PEA) for its 100% owned Omai Gold Project in Guyana, South America. The anticipated PEA will be supported by a mine plan that incorporates the much expanded Wenot open pit deposit, together with the immediately adjacent Gilt Creek underground deposit. This is an important milestone that sets the groundwork for a continued aggressive plan to advance the Omai Project towards development. The updated MRE is expected in Q1 2026, to be followed by the PEA in Q2 2026. SLR Consulting is an industry leader in mining advisory and technical services and has supported projects globally for more than 35 years. With multidisciplinary expertise and capabilities spanning geology, resource estimation, engineering, metallurgy, mine waste, and environment, SLR delivers end-to-end support across all stages of the mining life cycle. SLR's Mining Advisory team has extensive experience in all commodities and mining areas of the world and is a trusted partner to clients seeking independent, high-quality guidance and technical support. Elaine Ellingham, President and CEO commented: "These next steps will provide all stakeholders with a better understanding of the size and value potential of the Omai Project. Omai has already been identified as the largest gold project in Guyana following our much increased Mineral Resource Estimate announced just five months ago, in August last year. Since then, we had five drills turning until just before the holiday break in December. The additional drilling will contribute to the updated MRE which will form the base for the PEA. We anticipate that this upcoming Preliminary Economic Assessment will be transformational and will illuminate the pathway to development." ABOUT OMAI GOLD Omai Gold Mines Corp. is a Canadian gold exploration and development company focused on rapidly expanding the two orogenic gold deposits at its 100%-owned Omai Gold Project in mining-friendly Guyana, South America. The Company has established the Omai Gold Project as one of the fastest growing and well-endowed gold camps in the prolific Guiana Shield. In August 2025, the Company announced a 96% increase to the Wenot Gold Deposit NI 43-101 Mineral Resource Estimate1 (MRE) to 970,000 ounces of gold (Indicated) averaging 1.46 g/t Au, contained in 20.7 Mt and 3,717,000 ounces of gold (Inferred MRE) averaging 1.82 g/t Au, contained in 63.4 Mt. This brings the global MRE at Omai, including the Wenot and adjacent Gilt Creek deposits, to 2,121,000 ounces of gold (Indicated MRE) averaging 2.07 g/t Au in 31.9 Mt and 4,382,000 ounces of gold (Inferred MRE) averaging 1.95 g/t Au in 69.9 Mt. A baseline PEA announced in April 2024, contemplated an open pit-only development scenario and included less than 30% of the new Mineral Resource Estimate for Omai. Three drills have commenced the 2026 drill program: at Wenot the focus is to further test the limits of the deposit, including both east and west, and to commence upgrading the large Inferred MRE to Indicated. Additional drilling will continue to explore certain known gold occurrences for possible near-surface higher-grade satellite deposits. An updated MRE and PEA are planned for H1 2026 to include the expanded Wenot open pit deposit and the adjacent Gilt Creek underground deposit. The Omai Gold Mine produced over 3.7 million ounces of gold from 1993 to 20052, ceasing operations when gold was below US$400 per ounce. The Omai site significantly benefits from existing infrastructure, including an on-site airstrip, and is connected by road to the two largest cities in Guyana, Georgetown and Linden. 1 NI 43-101 Technical Report dated October 9, 2025 titled "UPDATED MINERAL RESOURCE ESTIMATE AND TECHNICAL REPORT ON THE OMAI GOLD PROPERTY, POTARO MINING DISTRICT NO.2, GUYANA" was prepared by P&E Mining Consultants Inc. and is available on www.sedarplus.ca and on the Company's website. 2 Past production at the Omai Mine (1993-2005) is summarized in several Cambior Inc. documents available on www.sedarplus.ca, including March 31, 2006 AIF and news release August 3, 2006. Qualified Person Elaine Ellingham, P.Geo., is a Qualified Person (QP) under National Instrument 43-101 "Standards of Disclosure for Mineral Projects" and has reviewed and approved the technical information contained in this news release. Ms. Ellingham is a director and officer of the Company and is not considered to be independent for the purposes of National Instrument 43-101. Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release. Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-Looking Statements This news release includes certain "forward-looking statements" under applicable Canadian securities legislation. Forward-looking statements include, but are not limited to, statements with respect to the timing of completion of the drill program, and the potential for the Omai Gold Project to allow Omai to build significant gold Mineral Resources at attractive grades, and forward-looking statements are necessarily based upon a number of estimates and assumptions that, while considered reasonable, are subject to known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors which may cause the actual results and future events to differ materially from those expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. Such factors include, but are not limited to general business, economic, competitive, political and social uncertainties; delay or failure to receive regulatory approvals; the price of gold and copper; and the results of current exploration. Further, the Mineral Resource data set out in this news release are estimates, and no assurance can be given that the anticipated tonnages and grades will be achieved or that the indicated level of process recovery will be realized. There can be no assurance that forward-looking statements will prove to be accurate, as actual results and future events could differ materially from those anticipated in such statements. Accordingly, readers should not place undue reliance on forward-looking statements. The Company disclaims any intention or obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, except as required by law. Cautionary Note Regarding Mineral Resource Estimates Until mineral deposits are actually mined and processed, Mineral Resources must be considered as estimates only. Mineral Resource Estimates that are not Mineral Reserves have not demonstrated economic viability. The estimation of Mineral Resources is inherently uncertain, involves subjective judgement about many relevant factors and may be materially affected by, among other things, environmental, permitting, legal, title, taxation, socio-political, marketing, or other relevant risks, uncertainties, contingencies and other factors described in the Company's public disclosure available on SEDAR+ at www.sedarplus.ca. The Inferred Mineral Resource in this estimate has a lower level of confidence than that applied to an Indicated Mineral Resource and must not be converted to a Mineral Reserve. It is reasonably expected that the majority of the Inferred Mineral Resource could be upgraded to an Indicated Mineral Resource with continued exploration. The accuracy of any Mineral Resource Estimates is a function of the quantity and quality of available data, and of the assumptions made and judgments used in engineering and geological interpretation, which may prove to be unreliable and depend, to a certain extent, upon the analysis of drilling results and statistical inferences that may ultimately prove to be inaccurate. Mineral Resource Estimates may have to be re-estimated based on, among other things: (i) fluctuations in mineral prices; (ii) results of drilling, and development; (iii) results of future test mining and other testing; (iv) metallurgical testing and other studies; (v) results of geological and structural modeling including block model design; (vi) proposed mining operations, including dilution; (vii) the evaluation of future mine plans subsequent to the date of any estimates; and (viii) the possible failure to receive required permits, licenses and other approvals. It cannot be assumed that all or any part of a "Inferred" or "Indicated" Mineral Resource Estimate will ever be upgraded to a higher category. The Mineral Resource Estimates disclosed in this news release were reported using Canadian Institute of Mining, Metallurgy and Petroleum Definition Standards for Mineral Resources and Mineral Reserves (the "CIM Standards") in accordance with National Instrument 43-101- Standards of Disclosure for Mineral Projects of the Canadian Securities Administrators ("NI 43-101"). To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/281247 Source: Omai Gold Mines Corp. WAIANAE, HAWAII / ACCESS Newswire / January 22, 2026 / Hui Huliau announced the acquisition of Advantaged Solutions, LLC, an IT services and solutions company specializing in finance and logistics systems modernization, enterprise resource planning cloud implementation, and supply chain management. Advantaged Solutions supports customers across the U.S. Department of Defense, including the U.S. Army and U.S. Navy, the Defense Logistics Agency, and multiple civilian federal agencies. As part of the acquisition, Advantaged Solutions' leadership team will remain in place. Harold Goode will continue to serve as President, and Eric Fernandez will continue in his role as Executive Vice President, ensuring continuity for customers, mission partners, and ongoing programs. "Joining the Hui Huliau family of companies underscores our commitment to building strategic alliances that deliver sustainable value. Their deep cultural knowledge and community-centered approach strengthen our ability to operate responsibly while advancing economic opportunity. Together, we are creating a strategic company to better serve our clients and communities," said Harold Goode, President of Advantaged Solutions. Terry Clark, Chief Executive Officer of Hui Huliau, said the acquisition reflects a shared focus on mission execution and long-term relationships. "Advantaged Solutions brings specialized expertise in modernizing complex logistics and warehouse environments, along with a leadership team trusted by its customers. We are pleased to welcome them to Hui Huliau and support their continued growth while maintaining the relationships and performance their customers rely on." Hui Huliau is a nonprofit 501(c)(3) Native Hawaiian Organization that owns a portfolio of companies, including small businesses that participate in the Small Business Administration's 8(a) Business Development program. Profits from federal contracting activities support nonprofit programs that expand education and economic opportunity and help preserve Native Hawaiian culture and language. Hui Huliau companies have successfully performed work in 41 countries. Corporate offices are located in Hawaii, Florida, Oklahoma, and Virginia. For more information, visit www.huihuliau.com. Media Contact: Jane Sharrock Sr. Vice President Marketing jsharrock@huihuliau.com SOURCE: Hui Huliau View the original press release on ACCESS Newswire:https://www.accessnewswire.com/newsroom/en/aerospace-and-defense/hui-huliau-announces-acquisition-of-advantaged-solutions-llc-1129953 The corporate edition of the Arbor Day Foundation's Canopy Report reveals how trees can connect brands to consumers LINCOLN, NB / ACCESS Newswire / January 22, 2026 / Americans want to support businesses that prioritize the planet. That's a central finding from the corporate edition of the Arbor Day Foundation's Canopy Report. Developed in collaboration with The Harris Poll, the national survey offers insight into how environmental values are shaping consumer expectations, purchasing decisions, and brand loyalty. The polling data revealed that half (50%) of all consumers actively seek out information about a company's environmental commitments before making a purchase. Additionally, one in four people agreed corporations can drive more meaningful environmental impact than individuals alone, and 54% of consumers said they need to be part of a larger movement or green group in order to make a difference. "The data is clear, people expect environmental leadership from corporations. Trees are one of the most powerful and unifying ways for companies to meet that expectation," said Dan Morrow, Vice President of Partnerships for the Arbor Day Foundation. "By investing in reforestation and urban canopy initiatives, businesses can deliver tangible environmental benefits, foster resilient communities, and earn lasting trust from both consumers and employees." The corporate edition of the Canopy Report also recognized that Americans across a range of demographics value trees for everyday benefits like cleaner air, cooler temperatures, and improved quality of life. Nine in 10 Americans said they believe trees make communities more livable and 89% view trees as a public health tool. Click here to download the report and learn more about how trees can help businesses create connections with customers and support corporate sustainability goals. About the Arbor Day Foundation The Arbor Day Foundation is a global nonprofit inspiring people to plant, nurture, and celebrate trees. They foster a growing community of more than 1 million leaders, innovators, planters, and supporters united by their bold belief that a more hopeful future can be shaped through the power of trees. For more than 50 years, they've answered critical need with action, planting more than half a billion trees alongside their partners. And this is only the beginning.?? The Arbor Day Foundation is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit pursuing a future where all life flourishes through the power of trees. Learn more at arborday.org. ### Arbor Day Foundation View additional multimedia and more ESG storytelling from Arbor Day Foundation on 3blmedia.com. Contact Info: Spokesperson: Arbor Day Foundation Website: https://www.3blmedia.com/profiles/arbor-day-foundation Email: info@3blmedia.com SOURCE: Arbor Day Foundation View the original press release on ACCESS Newswire:https://www.accessnewswire.com/newsroom/en/business-and-professional-services/new-report-examines-how-corporate-environmental-values-influence-1129962 ESCONDIDO, CA / ACCESS Newswire / January 22, 2026 / Dalrada Technology Group, Inc. (the "Company" or "Dalrada") (OTCID:DHTI) today announced the publication of a peer-reviewed scientific study co-authored by engineers from Dalrada and Oak Ridge National Laboratory, featured in the Journal of Building Engineering. The study demonstrates the advantages of CO2-based heat pump systems, especially in cold climates, delivering major efficiency gains, significant energy savings, and alignment with global low-GWP refrigerant regulations. Brian Bonar, Dalrada CEO and Chairman, stated, "The study validates the direction of Dalrada's engineering roadmap. CO2 heat pumps are proving to be a powerful solution for real-world decarbonization, and collaborating with Oak Ridge National Laboratory, this highlights our commitment to delivering next-generation clean energy technologies. We are excited to help accelerate the transition to high-efficiency, low-GWP heating and cooling around the world." The published study, titled "Comparative Performance Assessment of Air-Source and Ground-Source Heat Pumps Using CO2 and R-410A with Water Well Integration: A Simulation Study," provides detailed scientific evidence supporting CO2 as a high-performance refrigerant capable of reliable operation in extreme conditions. In nationwide simulations, CO2 ground-source heat pumps (GSHPs) maintained approximately 87% efficiency and 85.5% heating capacity as temperatures dropped from 47F to -15F, while air-source heat pumps (ASHPs) retained only 55% efficiency and 44.5% capacity under identical conditions. The systems also delivered 35-45% national energy savings compared to conventional ASHP configurations. As high-GWP refrigerants such as R-410A continue to undergo phase-down across the U.S., UK, and Europe, the study reinforces CO2 (R744) as a highly sustainable and future-ready alternative. The findings highlight CO2's performance advantages across varied climates as well as its compatibility with groundwater and water-well infrastructure-demonstrating strong potential for deployment in both new construction and retrofit environments. Dalrada engineers' direct involvement in the study supports the Company's ongoing strategy to develop and commercialize scalable, low-GWP climate technologies that meet evolving global energy mandates. By validating the feasibility and performance of CO2 ground-source systems, Dalrada continues advancing the next generation of high-efficiency heat pump platforms aligned with international sustainability objectives and market demand. This research was funded by the U.S. Department of Energy's Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy, with support from the Building Technologies Office program managers. The abstract is available on ScienceDirect: Journal of Building Engineering | DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jobe.2025.114453 For more information about Dalrada Technology Group, Inc., the Company recommends that stockholders, investors, and any other interested parties read the Company's public filings and press releases available at www.dalrada.com . About Dalrada Technology Group Dalrada Technology Group, Inc. (formerly known as Dalrada Financial Corporation, Ticker:DHTI ) is a publicly traded, multinational technology company that develops, manufactures, and markets a diverse portfolio of innovative products and services across the Clean Energy and Semiconductor & Electronics sectors. Dalrada's core segments include Climate Technology , which delivers advanced heat pump systems for industrial, commercial, and residential applications; Semiconductor & Electronics , providing next-generation PVD and CVD deposition systems, modernization for legacy tools, real-time plasma diagnostics, and integrated services and components that support semiconductor manufacturing environments. By integrating these core segments under one unified group, Dalrada Technology Group accelerates innovation, advances sustainability, and delivers long-term value for its shareholders. Follow Dalrada on LinkedIn , Facebook , X/Twitter , and YouTube Channel . Contact: investors@dalrada.com FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS CAUTIONARY NOTICE This letter contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended. These statements are based on current expectations, estimates, and projections about the Company's business and the industries in which it operates, and include, without limitation, statements regarding future growth, operational improvements, market opportunities, product traction, sales, installations, partnerships, cost reductions, profitability, shareholder value, and positioning in renewable energy, heat pumps, atmospheric water generators, and semiconductor markets. Forward-looking statements are subject to risks, uncertainties, and other factors, many of which are beyond the Company's control and could cause actual results to differ materially from those contemplated by these statements. These risks include, but are not limited to: delays or failures in product development, manufacturing, or commercialization; regulatory changes or delays (including those related to electrification mandates or environmental standards); competition in our various markets including, but not limited to, heat pump and semiconductor markets; supply chain disruptions; customer adoption rates; execution risks in restructuring and cost-reduction efforts; ability to secure additional orders or scale operations; dependence on key partners; liquidity and capital constraints typical of micro-cap OTC companies; potential need for additional financing; compliance with OTC Markets disclosure requirements; general economic conditions; and other risks detailed in the Company's public filings with the SEC and OTC Markets, including the Form 10-K for the year ended June 30, 2025, and subsequent reports. The Company undertakes no obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events, or otherwise, except as required by law. Investors are cautioned not to place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements. SOURCE: Dalrada Technology Group, Inc. View the original press release on ACCESS Newswire:https://www.accessnewswire.com/newsroom/en/clean-technology/dalrada-technology-group-inc.-validates-clean-energy-leadership-with-co-authored-s-1129910 Edmonton, Alberta--(Newsfile Corp. - January 22, 2026) - Emperor Metals Inc. (CSE: AUOZ) (OTCQB: EMAUF) (FSE: 9NH), an innovative Canadian mineral exploration company, is pleased to announce its participation in two highly anticipated January events: the Metals Investor Forum and the Vancouver Resource Investment Conference. Emperor Metals has reached several key milestones in 2025, highlighted by the advancement of the Duquesne West Gold Project following the announcement of a 15,000-metre drill program, alongside early-stage development plans at the Lac Pelletier Property in Quebec. Together, these achievements mark a pivotal phase in the Company's growth. We look forward to sharing further details and outlining upcoming plans with investors at the following events: Metals Investor Forum - January 23-24 The Metals Investor Forum is an exclusive, invite-only event built on two core principles: selectivity and quality. It provides serious investors with a unique opportunity to engage directly with management teams from top-tier resource companies, all of which have been handpicked by experienced newsletter writers. Emperor Metals has been invited to exhibit and present by industry expert Brien Lundin of the Gold Newsletter. CEO John Florek will be presenting on Saturday, January 24th at 11:10 am at the Fairmont Pacific Rim. Registration is free, and attendees can join either in person or online via this LINK. Vancouver Resource Investment Conference - January 25-26 The Vancouver Resource Investment Conference brings together keynote presentations, networking with more than 5,000 industry professionals and investors, and interactive exhibits focused on innovation across the resource sector. Emperor Metals will be exhibiting at the Vancouver Convention Centre, at Booth 408. We encourage attendees to stop by to meet the team. For more information and/or to register for the conference visit the website. About Emperor Metals Inc. Emperor Metals Inc. is a forward-thinking Canadian mineral exploration company dedicated to advancing high-grade gold properties in Canada's most promising geological regions. With a focus on integrating advanced technology and sustainable practices, Emperor Metals is well-positioned to create significant shareholder value while responsibly developing resources. Visit emperormetals.com for more information. ON BEHALF OF THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS John Florek, M.Sc., P.Geol President, CEO and Director Emperor Metals Inc. Forward-Looking Statements This release contains forward-looking statements, reflecting current management expectations on future events. These statements are subject to risks and uncertainties; actual outcomes may differ significantly. To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/281011 Source: Cambridge House International Drillhole DDRCRG-25-033 returned 150.3 m of 1.49 g/t Au, including 1.7 m of 26.70 g/t Au at the Rhosgobel Intrusion Drillhole DDRCRG-25-029 returned 99.1 m of 1.33 g/t Au , including 2.1 m of 8.44 g/t Au at the Rhosgobel Intrusion Drillhole DDRCRG-25-004 returned 85.4 m of 0.138% WO 3 (tungsten trioxide) from 94.0m, 60.0 m of 0.134% WO 3 from 202.0 m, and 35.0 m of 0.121% WO 3 from 285.0 m. Assay results from Rhosgobel confirm the entire 1.1 km strike length drilled in 2025 drilling is mineralized and remains open in all directions . Additional analytical work on the 2025 drill core (~5,500 samples on 32 drill holes) has commenced to further define tungsten distribution across Rhosgobel. Vancouver, British Columbia--(Newsfile Corp. - January 22, 2026) - Sitka Gold Corp. (TSXV: SIG) (FSE: 1RF) (OTCQB: SITKF) ("Sitka" or the "Company") is pleased to announce the final results from the 2025 diamond drilling completed at the Rhosgobel discovery at its 100% owned, road accessible RC Gold Project ("RC Gold" or the "Project") located within the Yukon's prolific Tombstone Gold Belt. Analytical results for drill holes DDRCRG-25-029 through DDRCRG-25-043 have been received and compiled and are reported herein. These results continue to expand the known mineralization at Rhosgobel, a reduced intrusion-related gold deposit target located within the Clear Creek Intrusive Complex (CCIC; see Figures 9 and 10), 5 km south of Sitka's Blackjack Deposit (Figure 1). Highlights of the reported drill holes include drill DDRCRG-25-033, which intersected 150.3 m of 1.49 g/t gold from 15.8 m and drill hole DDRCRG-25-029, which intersected 99.1 m of 1.33 g/t gold from 19.8 m. Results from additional tungsten assays for hole DDRCRG-24-004 have also been received and highlights include 85.4 m of 0.138% WO3 (tungsten trioxide) from 94.0m, 60.0 m of 0.134% WO3 from 202.0 m, and 35.0 m of 0.121% WO3 from 285.0 m. The Company is encouraged by these results which demonstrate the potential for tungsten to be a significant by-product at Rhosgobel. To view an enhanced version of this graphic, please visit: https://images.newsfilecorp.com/files/6144/281232_d70705d0f46eea89_002full.jpg "This final set of drill results from our 2025 drilling program at Rhosgobel confirms that Sitka has discovered a significant new gold deposit that begins at surface at our RC Gold Project in the Yukon," said Cor Coe, Director and CEO of Sitka Gold Corp. "Rhosgobel has rapidly advanced from an early-stage discovery to a deposit-scale system, with 43 diamond drill holes now defining a zone of substantial gold endowment that extends at least 1.1 kilometres in strike length, with mineralization remaining open in all directions. Achieving this level of advancement in just 12 months is a testament to both the execution of our technical team and to the underlying potential of this target. Drilling at Rhosgobel has intersected gold in every hole completed to date and has consistently returned strong gold grades over meaningful intervals, highlighting both the quality and scale of this mineralized system. In addition, tungsten assays point to the potential for a valuable critical mineral by-product at Rhosgobel, which could further enhance the overall economics of the deposit. An initial Mineral Resource Estimate for Rhosgobel is planned for Q1 this year. "Our successful 2025 drilling program at RC Gold, which included over 30,000 metres of drilling within the 5 kilometre trend from Rhosgobel in the south to Blackjack in the north, confirmed reduced intrusion-related gold mineralization at every target we tested, with visible gold observed in multiple drill holes, demonstrating the impressive size and consistency of the underlying mineralized system within the target rich Clear Creek Intrusive Complex and underscoring the district-scale opportunity at RC Gold. With a fully funded 60,000 metre diamond drill program scheduled to commence next month, we are about to enter an aggressive new phase of exploration that will focus on expanding the Rhosgobel, Blackjack and Eiger deposits and unlocking additional discovery upside at Bearpaw and the Pukelman-Contact area while testing several other highly prospective drill targets, setting the stage for another highly impactful year of exploration." Figure 1. Long Section of the Clear Creek Intrusive Complex (CCIC). To view an enhanced version of this graphic, please visit: https://images.newsfilecorp.com/files/6144/281232_d70705d0f46eea89_003full.jpg Figure 2: A plan map of drilling at the Rhosgobel discovery within the gold-in-soil anomaly of the target area. Drilling assays to date have confirmed a mineralized strike length of at least 1.1 km in length which remains open in all directions. Click HERE to view cross sections on the website. To view an enhanced version of this graphic, please visit: https://images.newsfilecorp.com/files/6144/281232_d70705d0f46eea89_004full.jpg Figure 3: Examples of visible gold (VG) observed in drill core at Rhosgobel. Click HERE to see additional images of VG from Rhosgobel. To view an enhanced version of this graphic, please visit: https://images.newsfilecorp.com/files/6144/281232_d70705d0f46eea89_005full.jpg Figure 4: Example of sheeted quartz - tourmaline veins in megacrystic quartz monzonite in DDRCRG-25-033 from the 38.0 m interval starting from 55.51 m; note the small lamprophyre dyke at approximately 69.0 m. To view an enhanced version of this graphic, please visit: https://images.newsfilecorp.com/files/6144/281232_sitkaimg4.jpg RHOSGOBEL DRILLING To date, 43 holes totalling 12,722 m have been completed at Rhosgobel. All holes drilled have intersected significant reduced intrusion-related gold style mineralization including centimetre-scale, sheeted, quartz veins and larger, metre-scale quartz, and quartz-tourmaline veins (and breccias) cutting the feldspar megacrystic quartz monzonite intrusion. Visible gold has been observed within all styles of veins and is often associated with bismuthinite, scheelite, and molybdenite. Drilling to date has traced gold mineralization over a strike length of approximately 1.1 kilometres within a large 2.0 km x 1.5 km surface signature represented by a gold-in-soil anomaly with values up to >500 ppb (Figure 4). Gold mineralization at Rhosgobel begins at surface, extends to a depth of over 400 metres and remains open in all directions. * While visible gold observations are very encouraging and confirm the presence of gold mineralization, they are not intended to imply potential gold grades. Gold assays will be published after they are received from the lab for mineralized intervals in which visible gold particles were noted. To view an enhanced version of this graphic, please visit: https://images.newsfilecorp.com/files/6144/281232_d70705d0f46eea89_007full.jpg To view an enhanced version of this graphic, please visit: https://images.newsfilecorp.com/files/6144/281232_d70705d0f46eea89_008full.jpg To view an enhanced version of this graphic, please visit: https://images.newsfilecorp.com/files/6144/281232_d70705d0f46eea89_009full.jpg TUNGSTEN AT RHOSGOBEL Tungsten mineralization continues to be observed at Rhosgobel, suggesting it could be an economic by-product of potential future production. Tungsten mineralization has been observed in all of the drill holes completed to date at Rhosgobel and occurs as coarse (up to 5 cm) scheelite crystals within the sub-metre scale quartz, and quartz tourmaline veins and as smaller (0.5-1 cm) crystals with the centimetre-scale sheeted quartz veins. Drill hole DDRCRG-25-004, which intersected 239.9 m of 0.60 g/t Au from surface, including 20.0 m of 1.02 g/t Au from surface, 18.0 m of 1.36 g/t Au from 100m and 14.1 m of 1.06 g/t Au from 138.8 m (See press release dated August 12, 2025) was chosen to continue test work to compare methods to provide an accurate tungsten analysis including a lithium borate fusion with an XRF finish, sodium peroxide fusion with an ICS-AES finish, and 4-acid digest with ICS-MS finish to compare results. Results from this test work confirmed that a lithium borate fusion with an XRF finish provides the most reliable results for WO3 and this method was chosen to carry out additional work (~5,500 samples on 32 drill holes) to define the tungsten distribution across the Rhosgobel intrusion. Drill hole DDRCRG-25-004 intersected 85.4 m of 0.138% WO3 from 94.0m, 60.0 m of 0.134% WO3 from 202.0 m, and 35.0 m of 0.121% WO3 from 285.0 m. To view an enhanced version of this graphic, please visit: https://images.newsfilecorp.com/files/6144/281232_sitkatable3.jpg Figure 6: A cross section showing gold and tungsten assay results of DDRCRG-25-004 along with instances of visible gold observed in the drill core (yellow stars). Note: Samples for DDRCRG-25-003 have been submitted for WO3 analysis and are currently pending. To view an enhanced version of this graphic, please visit: https://images.newsfilecorp.com/files/6144/281232_d70705d0f46eea89_010full.jpg Figure 7: Example of scheelite (top picture), a common tungsten mineral, illuminated by ultra-violet light with visible gold and bismuthinite (red circles) in a quartz vein in drill core from the Rhosgobel intrusion along with an additional example of visible gold (bottom picture), both observed in DDRCRG-25-042. To view an enhanced version of this graphic, please visit: https://images.newsfilecorp.com/files/6144/281232_fig7sitka.jpg Figure 8: A plan map showing the Clear Creek Intrusive Complex (CCIC) location within the district-scale RC Gold Project showing the updated resource areas at Blackjack and Eiger along with the newly discovered Rhosgobel zone and several other high-priority drill targets and multiple exploration targets. The map highlights the numerous drill targets that Sitka has outlined within the CCIC which all are connected by the existing road network on the project and occur in an area measuring approximately five (5) km north-south and twelve (12) km east-west. Several regional exploration and drill targets are also highlighted across the project area (yellow and orange stars). To view an enhanced version of this graphic, please visit: https://images.newsfilecorp.com/files/6144/281232_d70705d0f46eea89_012full.jpg Figure 9*: A plan map of the Clear Creek Intrusive Complex (CCIC) showing the updated resource areas at Blackjack and Eiger, and the six additional areas that have drill targets indicated by the mauve hatched areas. The map highlights the numerous drill targets that Sitka has outlined within the CCIC which all are connected by the road network on the project and occur in an area measuring five (5) km north-south and twelve (12) km east-west. Additional areas highlighted by strong gold in soil anomalies are being advanced to the drill ready stage with additional geological work planned in 2026. To view an enhanced version of this graphic, please visit: https://images.newsfilecorp.com/files/6144/281232_d70705d0f46eea89_013full.jpg * References for Figure 9 drilling intervals: Rhosgobel Intervals: Sitka Gold News Release dated November 25, 2024 Pukelman Intervals: Sitka Gold News Release dated January 7, 2025 Contact Intervals: O'Brien, 2010; Assessment Report, 2010 Diamond Drilling Program, Clear Creek Property (Assessment report 095539) Shutty, 2011; Assessment Report, 2011 Exploration Program, Clear Creek Property (Assessment Report 095984) Bear Paw Intervals: Shutty, 2011; Assessment Report, 2011 Exploration Program, Clear Creek Property (Assessment Report 095984) Figure 10: Regional map of the RC Gold Project located in the western portion of Yukon's prolific Tombstone Gold Belt. To view an enhanced version of this graphic, please visit: https://images.newsfilecorp.com/files/6144/281232_d70705d0f46eea89_014full.jpg About Sitka's Flagship RC Gold Project Sitka's 100% owned RC Gold Project consists of a 431 square kilometre contiguous district-scale land package located in the heart of Yukon's Tombstone Gold Belt. The project is located approximately 100 kilometres east of Dawson City, which has a 5,000 foot paved runway, and is accessed via a secondary gravel road from the Klondike Highway which is usable year-round and is an approximate 2 hour drive from Dawson City. It is one of the largest consolidated land packages strategically positioned mid-way between the Eagle Gold Mine and the past producing Brewery Creek Gold Mine. The RC Gold Project now has pit-constrained mineral resources that are contained in two zones: the Blackjack and Eiger gold deposits with 1,291,000 ounces of gold in 39,962,000 tonnes grading 1.01 g/t gold in an indicated category and 1,044,000 ounces of gold in 34,603,000 tonnes grading 0.94 g/t in an inferred category at Blackjack and 440,000 ounces of gold in 27,362,000 tonnes grading 0.50 g/t gold in an inferred category at Eiger. These resource estimate numbers are supported by the recently updated technical report for RC Gold, prepared in accordance with NI 43-101 standards, entitled "Clear Creek Property, RC Gold Project NI 43-101 Technical Report Dawson Mining District, Yukon Territory", prepared by Ronald G. Simpson, P. Geo., of GeoSim Services Inc. with an effective date of January 21, 2025. This report is available on SEDAR+ (http://www.sedarplus.ca) and on the Company's website (www.sitkagoldcorp.com). Both of these deposits begin at surface, are potentially open pit minable and Initial bottle roll metallurgical testing confirmed the non-refractory characteristics of the gold mineralization and returned gold extraction rates averaging around 85%. Further metallurgical testwork in 2024 returned recoveries ranging from 77.6 to 93% for gravity followed by cyanidation. For the purposes of the current resource model, it is assumed that a likely mill flowsheet would consist of a gravimetric, flotation, and cyanidation circuit. The company has now completed 165 diamond drill holes for a total of 59,770 metres across the Clear Creek Intrusive Complex (CCIC), and an additional 3 holes for 858 metres in the May-Qu Intrusion. Drilling continues to outline higher grade mineralization at all zones including hole DDRCCC-24-068 at Blackjack which intersected 678.1 metres of 1.04 g/t gold starting from surface (see news release dated October 21, 2024), and hole DDRCCC-25-075 which intersected 352.8 metres of 1.55 g/t gold including 108.9 metres of 3.27 g/t gold and 45.0 metres of 4.52 g/t gold (see news release dated April 22, 2025). Drilling in 2024/2025 has resulted in the discovery of a new higher grade zone at Rhosggobel including hole DDRCRG-25-010 at Rhosgobel which intersected 235.9 metres of 1.11 g/t gold, including 40.0 m of 2.01 g/t gold and 10.0 m of 5.29 g/t gold, from surface (see news release dated September 18, 2025). RC Gold Deposit Model Exploration on the Property has mainly focused on identifying an intrusion-related gold system ("IRGS"). The property is within the Tombstone Gold Belt which is the prominent host to IRGS deposits within the Tintina Gold Province in Yukon and Alaska. Notable deposits from the belt include: Fort Knox Mine in Alaska with current Proven and Probable Reserves of 230 million tonnes at 0.3 g/t Au (2.471 million ounces; Sims 2018)(1); Eagle Gold Mine with current Measured and Indicated Resources of 233 million tonnes at a grade of 0.57 g/t Au at the Eagle Main Zone (4.303 million ounces; Harvey et al, 2022)(2); the Brewery Creek deposit with current Indicated Mineral Resource of 22.2 million tonnes at a gold grade of 1.11 g/t (0.789 million ounces; Hulse et al. 2020)(3); the AurMac Project with an Indicated Mineral Resource of 112.5 million tonnes grading 0.63 gram per tonne gold (2.274 million ounces)(4) plus an Inferred resource of 280.6 million tonnes grading 0.60 g/t gold (5.454 million ounces)(4), the Valley Deposit, with a current Measured and Indicated Mineral Resource of 7.94 million oz gold at 1.21 g/t and an additional Inferred Mineral Resource of 0.89 million oz at 0.62 g/t gold(5), and the Raven deposit with an inferred mineral resource of 1.1 million oz (19.96 million tonnes at 1.67 g/t gold)(6). The QP has been unable to verify the information regarding the above resource estimations and the information is not necessarily indicative of the mineralization on the property that is the subject of the disclosure. (1) Sims J. Fort Knox Mine Fairbanks North Star Borough, Alaska, USA National Instrument 43-101 Technical Report. June 11, 2018. https://s2.q4cdn.com/496390694/files/doc_downloads/2018/Fort-Knox-June-2018-Technical-Report.pdf (2) Harvey N., Gray P., Winterton J., Jutras M., Levy M.,Technical Report for the Eagle Gold Mine, Yukon Territory, Canada. Victoria Gold Corp. December 31, 2022. https://vgcx.com/site/assets/files/6534/vgcx_-_2023_eagle_mine_technical_report_final.pdf (3) Hulse D, Emanuel C, Cook C. NI 43-101 Technical Report on Mineral Resources. Gustavson Associates. May 31, 2020. https://minedocs.com/22/Brewery-Creek-PEA-01182022.pdf (4) July 8, 2025,Banyan Gold Corp., News Release. https://banyangold.com/news-releases/2025/banyan-announces-first-indicated-mineral-resources-and-identifies-high-grade-continuous-zones-at-its-aurmac-project-yukon-canada/ (5) https://snowlinegold.com/2025/05/15/snowline-gold-expands-measured-and-indicated-gold-ounces-by-96-in-updated-mineral-resource-estimate-at-its-valley-gold-deposit-yukon/ (6) Jutras, M. 2022. Technical Report on the Raven Mineral Deposit, Mayo Mining District Yukon Territory, Canada, prepared for Victoria Gold Corp and filed on SEDAR (www.sedarplus.ca) with an effective date of September 15, 2022 Quality Assurance/Quality Control On receipt from the drill site, the HTW/NTW-sized drill core was systematically logged for geological attributes, photographed and sampled at Sitka's core logging facility. Sample lengths as small as 0.3 m were used to isolate features of interest, otherwise a default 2 m downhole sample length was used. Each sample is identified by a unique sample tag number which is placed in the bag containing the core to be assayed. Core was cut in half lengthwise along a predetermined line, with one-half (same half, consistently) collected for analysis and one-half stored as a record. Standard reference materials, blanks and duplicate samples were inserted by Sitka personnel at regular intervals into the sample stream. Bagged samples were placed in secure bins to ensure integrity during transport. They were delivered by Sitka personnel or a contract expeditor to ALS Laboratories' preparatory facility in Whitehorse, Yukon, with analyses completed in North Vancouver. ALS is accredited to ISO 17025:2005 UKAS ref. 4028 for its laboratory analysis. Samples were crushed by ALS to over 70 per cent passing below two millimetres and split using a riffle splitter. One-thousand-gram splits were pulverized to over 85 per cent passing below 75 microns. Gold determinations are by fire assay with an inductively coupled plasma mass spectroscopy (ICP-AES) finish on 50 g subsamples of the prepared pulp (ALS code: Au-ICP-22). Any sample returning over 10 g/t gold was re-analyzed by fire assay with a gravimetric finish on a 50 g subsample (ALS code: Au-GRA21). In addition, a 51-element analysis was performed on a 0.5 g subsample of the prepared pulps by an aqua regia digestion followed by an inductively coupled plasma mass spectroscopy (ICP-MS) finish (ALS code: ME-MS41). All reported tungsten values are from XRF analysis on a lithium borate fusion (ALS code: XRF-15b). About Sitka Gold Corp. Sitka Gold Corp. is a well-funded mineral exploration company headquartered in Canada with over $45 million in its treasury and no debt. The Company is managed by a team of experienced industry professionals and is focused on exploring for economically viable mineral deposits with its primary emphasis on gold, silver and copper mineral properties of merit. Sitka is currently advancing its 100% owned, 431 square kilometre flagship RC Gold Project located within the Tombstone Gold Belt in the Yukon Territory. The Company is also advancing the Alpha Gold Project in Nevada and currently has drill permits for its Burro Creek Gold and Silver Project in Arizona and the Coppermine River Project in Nunavut, all of which are 100% owned by Sitka. *For more detailed information on the Company's properties please visit our website at www.sitkagoldcorp.com. Upcoming Events Sitka Gold will be attending and/or presenting at the following events*: 3 rd Annual Canadian Critical Minerals Opportunity Forum: New York, New York, January 21, 2026 Annual Canadian Critical Minerals Opportunity Forum: January 21, 2026 Metals Investor Forum (MIF): Vancouver, BC : January 23 - 24, 2026 : January 23 - 24, 2026 Vancouver Resource Investment Conference (VRIC): Vancouver, BC: January 25 - 26, 2026 January 25 - 26, 2026 AME Roundup: Vancouver, BC: January 26 - 29, 2026 *All events are subject to change. The scientific and technical content of this news release has been reviewed and approved by Gilles Dessureau, P.Geo., V.P. Exploration of the Company, and a Qualified Person (QP) as defined by National Instrument 43-101. ON BEHALF OF THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS OF SITKA GOLD CORP. "Donald Penner" President and Director Neither TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release. Cautionary and Forward-Looking Statements This release includes certain statements and information that may constitute forward-looking information within the meaning of applicable Canadian securities laws. Forward-looking statements relate to future events or future performance and reflect the expectations or beliefs of management of the Company regarding future events. Generally, forward-looking statements and information can be identified by the use of forward-looking terminology such as "intends" or "anticipates", or variations of such words and phrases or statements that certain actions, events or results "may", "could", "should", "would" or "occur". This information and these statements, referred to herein as "forward-looking statements", are not historical facts, are made as of the date of this news release and include without limitation, statements regarding discussions of future plans, estimates and forecasts and statements as to management's expectations and intentions and the Company's anticipated work programs. These forward-looking statements involve numerous risks and uncertainties and actual results might differ materially from results suggested in any forward-looking statements. These risks and uncertainties include, among other things, market uncertainty and the results of the Company's anticipated work programs. Although management of the Company has attempted to identify important factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those contained in forward-looking statements or forward-looking information, there may be other factors that cause results not to be as anticipated, estimated or intended. There can be no assurance that such statements will prove to be accurate, as actual results and future events could differ materially from those anticipated in such statements. Accordingly, readers should not place undue reliance on forward-looking statements and forward-looking information. Readers are cautioned that reliance on such information may not be appropriate for other purposes. The Company does not undertake to update any forward-looking statement, forward-looking information or financial out-look that are incorporated by reference herein, except in accordance with applicable securities laws. We seek safe harbor. To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/281232 Source: Sitka Gold Corp. Edmonton, Alberta--(Newsfile Corp. - January 22, 2026) - Torr Metals Inc. (TSXV: TMET) ("Torr" or the "Company") is pleased to outline a new, highly prospective porphyry-style copper-gold target, Bertha North, located approximately 1.7 kilometres northwest of the Bertha Zone (Figure 1) within the Company's 332 km Kolos Copper-Gold Project in south-central British Columbia. The recognition of the Bertha North porphyry target following recent 3D modelling of the 2025 induced polarization (IP) survey materially expands the scale of the Bertha area and supports its evolution into a multi-porphyry target district. The Bertha North target (formerly Target 2) is defined by a moderate-to-high resistivity anomaly coincident with a strong magnetic response, interpreted to reflect magnetite-bearing intrusive rocks consistent with an alkalic porphyry environment. This geophysical signature is spatially associated with an approximately 800 metre (m) by 500 m historical copper and gold soil anomaly (see Target 2, July 22, 2025 news release), with values up to 528 parts per million (ppm) copper (Cu) and 20 parts per billion (ppb) Au (Figure 1, Figure 2). Indications of an underlying chargeability have been detected at the depth limits of the IP survey, suggesting additional prospectivity at depth. Surveys within the target area also identified diorite and monzonite intrusions, further supporting the interpretation of an intrusive copper-gold porphyry source. Highlights: Second Porphyry-Scale Target Identified at Bertha North: Bertha North represents a new, large, untested porphyry-style target defined by coincident moderate-to-high resistivity (approximately 300-930 ohm-m) and strong magnetic anomalies (Figure 1, Figure 2), a geophysical signature commonly associated with magnetite-bearing intrusive phases in alkalic porphyry systems. Compelling Multi-Dataset Targeting: The Bertha North geophysical anomalies overlap a broad historical ~800 m by 500 m copper-gold soil anomaly (Figure 2) in the vicinity of diorite and monzonite intrusions, providing independent geological, geochemical, and geophysical vectors supporting the presence of a porphyry-style system. Chargeability at Depth Enhances Porphyry Prospectivity: 2025 IP data indicates a chargeability response at the depth limits of the 2025 survey, beneath the overlying resistive cap, a geophysical configuration commonly associated with the upper portions of porphyry systems and supportive of a potential porphyry center at depth. To further advance this target, deeper-penetration IP surveys are planned for Spring 2026, to be completed in conjunction with the expansion of the Bertha Zone and designed to extend coverage beyond current depth limits. Fully Funded Phase II Drill Program to Test Multiple Porphyry Targets: Torr is fully financed for a Phase II drill program of up to 6,000 metres, which will include drill testing of both the northeast-directed porphyry target at Bertha (see January 21, 2026 news release) and the newly identified Bertha North target. Figure 1. Plan view of the 2025 total magnetic intensity ground magnetic survey with selected rock grab samples, location of 2025 drill holes, and coincident chargeability and resistivity anomalies outlining the Bertha and Bertha North Cu-Au porphyry targets. To view an enhanced version of this graphic, please visit: https://images.newsfilecorp.com/files/6794/281213_0d65de64c4049a2f_001full.jpg "The identification of Bertha North adds important new context to our understanding of the greater Bertha area as a potentially large, multi-centered copper-gold porphyry district, further strengthening our conviction that this area warrants continued and systematic exploration," said Malcolm Dorsey, President and CEO of Torr Metals. "The coincidence of strong magnetic and resistivity responses with a broad copper-gold soil anomaly, mapped diorite and monzonite intrusions, and indications of chargeability at depth reinforces the high level of prospectivity of this target. With Bertha North remaining entirely untested and Torr fully funded for a Phase II drill program, we are well positioned to aggressively advance exploration across the broader Bertha area and continue building long-term value through the systematic development of the Kolos Project." Figure 2. 2025 inverted IP resistivity and overlying magnetic geophysical survey with historical copper-gold soil sampling, oblique cross-sectional (above) and plan (below) views with planned 2026 drill targeting. To view an enhanced version of this graphic, please visit: https://images.newsfilecorp.com/files/6794/281213_0d65de64c4049a2f_002full.jpg Geological Interpretation The Bertha North target displays a compelling geophysical and geological signature consistent with the upper levels of an alkalic copper-gold porphyry system, where magnetite-bearing intrusions commonly produce elevated magnetic responses and moderate-to-high resistivity. In this context, the resistivity anomaly is interpreted to reflect a competent intrusive body or altered porphyry cap that is prospective for copper-gold mineralization, particularly where it is spatially coincident with a strong magnetic signature, broad copper-gold soil anomaly, and indications of chargeability at depth. The spatial convergence of these independent datasets supports the interpretation of Bertha North as a distinct porphyry center, rather than a distal expression of the Bertha system. In alkalic porphyry environments, such as New Afton and other deposits within the Quesnel Terrane, porphyry systems commonly occur in clusters, with multiple mineralized intrusions developed over kilometre-scale distances. The identification of Bertha North therefore significantly enhances the exploration potential of the greater Bertha area, demonstrating the presence of multiple porphyry-fertile intrusive centers and reinforcing the district-scale copper-gold opportunities at the Kolos Project; that includes two additional untested kilometre-scale clustered porphyry zones at Sonic and Kirby-Lodi. Next Steps Bertha North will be incorporated into Torr's fully funded Phase II exploration and drill program, with planned work to include expanded IP coverage, detailed geological mapping, and drill testing designed to evaluate the depth extent, grade potential, and geometry of the target; advancing the Bertha area toward a potential district-scale porphyry discovery. Qualified Person The technical content of this news release has been reviewed and approved by Michael Dufresne, M.Sc., P.Geol., P.Geo., a consultant to the Company who is a non independent qualified person defined under National Instrument 43-101. About Torr Metals Torr Metals, headquartered in Edmonton, AB, is focused on unlocking new copper and gold discovery potential within proven, highly accessible mining districts across Canada, areas with both established infrastructure and a growing need for near-term feed. Torr's 100%-owned, district-scale assets are strategically located for cost-effective, year-round exploration and development. The 275 km Kolos Copper-Gold Project and strategically option 57 km2 Bertha Property, situated in southern British Columbia's prolific Quesnel Terrane, lies just 30 km southeast of the Highland Valley Copper Mine, Canada's largest open-pit copper operation, and 40 km south of the city of Kamloops directly along Highway 5. In northern Ontario, the 261 km Filion Gold Project covers a virtually unexplored greenstone belt with high-grade orogenic gold potential. It sits just off the Trans-Canada Highway 11, approximately 42 km from Kapuskasing and 202 km by road from the Timmins mining camp, home to world-class operations like Hollinger, McIntyre, and Dome. To learn more, visit Torr Metals online or view company documents via SEDAR+ at www.sedarplus.ca. On behalf of the Board of Directors Torr Metals Inc. "Malcolm Dorsey" Malcolm Dorsey President, CEO and Director Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this press release. Cautionary Statement Regarding Forward-Looking Information This press release contains "forward-looking information" within the meaning of applicable Canadian securities legislation. Forward-looking information includes, without limitation, statements regarding the use of proceeds from the Company's recently completed financings, and the future plans or prospects of the Company. Generally, forward-looking information can be identified by the use of forward-looking terminology such as "plans", "expects" or "does not expect", "is expected", "budget", "scheduled", "estimates", "forecasts", "intends", "anticipates" or "does not anticipate", or "believes", or variations of such words and phrases or state that certain actions, events or results "may", "could", "would", "might" or "will be taken", "occur" or "be achieved". Forward-looking statements are necessarily based upon a number of assumptions that, while considered reasonable by management, are inherently subject to business, market and economic risks, uncertainties and contingencies that may cause actual results, performance or achievements to be materially different from those expressed or implied by forward-looking statements. Although the Company has attempted to identify important factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those contained in forward-looking information, there may be other factors that cause results not to be as anticipated, estimated or intended. There can be no assurance that such information will prove to be accurate, as actual results and future events could differ materially from those anticipated in such statements. Accordingly, readers should not place undue reliance on forward-looking information. Other factors which could materially affect such forward-looking information are described in the risk factors in the Company's most recent annual management's discussion and analysis which is available on the Company's profile on SEDAR at www.sedarplus.ca. The Company does not undertake to update any forward-looking information, except in accordance with applicable securities laws. To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/281213 Source: Torr Metals Inc. View the shocking university ranking with composure 10:14, January 22, 2026 By Global Times editorial ( Global Times The newly released "Leiden Rankings" from the Netherlands has recently drawn widespread attention. Eight of the world's top ten universities on the list are from China, with Zhejiang University ranking first, while Harvard University of the US - long a fixture at the top - fell to third place. The results sparked intense discussion. The New York Times published an in-depth analysis under the headline Chinese Universities Surge in Global Rankings as US Schools Slip, while France's Le Monde reported on January 20 that the ranking had triggered widespread shock, noting that the rise of Chinese universities has made the West less certain of itself. How should one view this "shocking" ranking? Our answer is simple: with composure. First, the ranking does reflect, to a considerable extent, China's advances in education and science and technology. The Centre for Science and Technology Studies at Leiden University in the Netherlands, which publishes the ranking, is highly respected in the global field of scientometrics. The ranking focuses primarily on research output in high-impact international academic journals. Chinese scholars have ranked first globally for years in both the volume of SCI-indexed papers and citation counts. Judged by these criteria, it is hardly accidental that Chinese universities occupy eight of the top ten positions. In 2025, China's research and development (R&D) spending intensity reached 2.8 percent, surpassing the average of economies in the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) for the first time. The rise of many Chinese universities in the rankings is therefore a natural outcome of China's long-standing commitment to the strategy of invigorating China through science and education, coupled with sustained increases in research investment. Most of the Chinese universities ranked in the top ten are research-oriented institutions with strengths in science and engineering, such as Tsinghua University, Zhejiang University, and Shanghai Jiao Tong University. What the ranking effectively "captures" is the growing competitiveness of China in fields such as electronic communication, materials science, physics, and chemistry. From Huawei's 5G technologies to the Tianhe supercomputers, and to the quantum satellite "Micius," Chinese university research teams have played a direct, critical, and in-depth role behind these achievements. The continuous flow of innovation generated by Chinese universities has been a powerful driver of China's transition from a major manufacturing country to a major science and technology power. However, it is important to remain clear-eyed about the limitations of this ranking, which has a distinct focus - or preference. It places greater emphasis on universities' performance in academic research publications, reflecting only part of the picture rather than the whole. Judged by more comprehensive indicators, the more widely recognized global university rankings remain the QS World University Rankings, the Times Higher Education World University Rankings, and ShanghaiRanking's Academic Ranking of World Universities. In these rankings, universities from the US and the UK continue to dominate the top tiers. In terms of research originality, global talent attraction, and employer reputation, established Western universities still enjoy advantages. These gaps also serve as a reminder that the overall strength of Chinese universities - particularly their capacity to translate integrated technologies into real-world applications and their models for cultivating innovative talent - still has room for further improvement. Even so, in early 2000, the same Leiden Ranking still had seven US universities among the top 10, while Zhejiang University only made it into the top 25. Today, although Harvard produces even more research than it did back then, it has slipped to the third place. Given the progress made by Chinese universities over the past two decades, it is hardly difficult to understand why Western media might feel "shocked." This ranking has overturned many long-held perceptions. In fact, Chinese universities did not seize the spotlight "overnight." In recent years, from advances in basic research and breakthroughs in frontier technologies to leaps in strategic industries, China's scientific and technological rise has long been visible to the world. As universities serve as a "reservoir" for scientific and technological development, it is only natural that higher education institutions have made corresponding gains. As for some Western media outlets linking the Leiden Ranking to narratives of "shifting power" or even a "new world order," this is an overreaction. Behind such "shock" lies Western anxiety over the erosion of technological hegemony. In reality, the progress of Chinese universities does not imply the failure of the West; rather, it represents a "collective increment" in humanity's overall creation of knowledge. From Harvard's liberal education to Stanford's entrepreneurial incubation, drawing on advanced educational philosophies from developed countries has itself been part of the progress of Chinese universities. At a time when global knowledge cooperation is becoming ever more closely intertwined, only by breaking free from zero-sum thinking can humanity's scientific enterprise advance together. In a sense, the Leiden Ranking is like a mirror, reflecting both our achievements and our shortcomings. Every year, many Chinese students cross oceans to pursue their studies, with venerable Western institutions such as Harvard and Oxford remaining their "dream schools." We also hope that in the future, more international students will come to regard Chinese universities as their own "dream schools" and choose to study in China. That would be a far more persuasive kind of "ranking." (Web editor: Zhong Wenxing, Liang Jun) Vancouver, British Columbia--(Newsfile Corp. - January 22, 2026) - Integrated Cyber Solutions Inc. (CSE: ICS) (OTCQB: IGCRF) (FSE: Y4G), dba Integrated Quantum Technologies ("Integrated Quantum," or the "Company"), a developer of quantum-ready AI infrastructure for global enterprises that handle highly sensitive data, today announced the unveiling of AIQu VEIL (Vector-Encoded Information Layer). VEIL is a foundational quantum-resilient AI infrastructure technology purpose-built to enable enterprises to use and scale artificial intelligence while protecting regulated, sensitive, and proprietary data-without compromising performance, accuracy, or operational efficiency. Key Highlights: Integrated Quantum Technologies unveils AIQu VEIL, a quantum-resilient AI infrastructure platform that enables enterprises to deploy and scale AI without exposing regulated, sensitive, or proprietary data, while maintaining enterprise-grade performance and scalability. Vector-Encoded Information Layer (VEIL) uses proprietary Informationally Compressive Anonymization (ICA), which allows AI models to operate entirely on anonymized, compressed data with superior downstream speed, accuracy, and efficiency. Enterprises can deploy AI models that operate entirely on compressed, information-theoretically anonymized data, enabling organizations to have privacy-preserving ML deployments without sacrificing accuracy, speed, or scalability, enabled by proprietary data processing that occurs before information ever enters the AI pipeline. Positions Integrated Quantum Technologies at the forefront of quantum AI infrastructure, addressing critical enterprise challenges including data protection, regulatory compliance, multinational deployment complexity, and long-term security, now and in the quantum era. As AI adoption accelerates globally, enterprises face mounting challenges related to data protection, regulatory compliance, and long-term security. These challenges are magnified for multinational organizations that must deploy redundant, regionally-pinned AI and ML instances in multiple jurisdictions, resulting in fragmented architectures, model version drift, duplicated infrastructure, and rising operational complexity. At the same time, today's security and privacy standards impose significant performance penalties, making them impractical for real-world enterprise AI at scale. "Enterprises are eager to adopt AI, but the reality is that today's infrastructure was never designed for the regulatory, security, and multinational complexity they now face," said Alan Guibord, CEO and Chairman of Integrated Quantum Technologies. "AIQu VEIL represents a foundational leap forward-one that allows organizations to deploy AI without exposing their most valuable data. We believe this technology positions IQT as a leader in the emerging Quantum AI Infrastructure category and has the potential to reshape how AI is deployed across industries." Jeremy Samuelson, EVP of AI and Innovation, added, "After working inside large enterprises, it became clear that existing approaches simply don't solve the real problems-whether it's data protection, model sprawl, or performance degradation. VEIL was built to eliminate those constraints entirely. By replacing the traditional AI pipeline with infrastructure that only ever ingests and processes mathematically anonymized data, we're enabling a new generation of AI systems that are both practical and secure at scale. This is what enterprises have been missing." Born from Enterprise Reality, Not Theory AIQu VEIL was conceived and developed by former Equifax leader Jeremy Samuelson, EVP of AI and Innovation, following years of hands-on experience designing and deploying AI and machine learning (ML) systems within large enterprise environments. Through this work, Samuelson recognized a consistent and systemic issue. Enterprises depend on ML to generate competitive insight, automate decisions, and optimize operations, yet data protection in ML pipelines remains an afterthought within the vast majority of organizations. Meanwhile, attackers are continuing to become increasingly sophisticated, exposing more attack surfaces within ML deployments. Regardless of regulatory requirements, enterprise data are inherently proprietary, and existing AI architectures expose data to unacceptable risk. As a result, organizations face mounting regulatory hurdles, operational inefficiencies, and scalability constraints, leaving them without practical ways to deploy AI safely, efficiently, and consistently at enterprise scale. Over nearly three years of focused development, Samuelson architected VEIL, a new infrastructure layer designed to eliminate these constraints entirely by reimagining how data are handled within AI pipelines from first principles rather than relying on incremental or academic approaches. How AIQu VEIL Works Unlike conventional AI architectures, which rely on direct access to raw or minimally processed data, or in many cases, manually anonymized data which have been stripped of important signals, AIQu VEIL fundamentally changes how data enter and moves through AI systems. VEIL transforms data using a proprietary Informationally Compressive Anonymization (ICA) process. Through ICA, data are anonymized and compressed into vectorized representations before ever entering the AI or ML pipeline. As a result, raw data are never exposed, processed, or retained within the system. This represents a new class of AI infrastructure, enabling: AI and ML pipelines with zero raw data exposure Global single-instance deployment without duplicative infrastructure or version drift Superior downstream performance, including speed, accuracy, and data efficiency Reduced regulatory and compliance friction across jurisdictions, including requirements under frameworks such as HIPAA, GDPR, CCPA, CPRA, and other data protection and privacy regimes Native resilience against future quantum-era threats, since even computationally unbounded attackers can't extract information that is simply not present. Why AIQu VEIL Is Revolutionary Existing privacy-preserving approaches such as homomorphic encryption and differential privacy, both recognized standards by the U.S. National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST), are widely regarded as impractical for enterprise-scale AI. While theoretically sound, these methods are computationally intensive, difficult to deploy, and introduce severe downstream performance degradation, limiting their adoption in real-world systems. AIQu VEIL takes a fundamentally different approach. VEIL is not a traditional encryption method. Instead, it introduces a new form of data protection that combines proprietary anonymization with compression through ICA, enabling unprecedented gains in performance and efficiency. By embedding data protection directly into the infrastructure layer, VEIL eliminates the trade-offs that have historically forced enterprises to choose between privacy, security, and performance. Management believes this is the first time anonymization and compression have been unified to such great effect, creating a new standard for AI data handling-one that is both enterprise-ready and future-proof. Positioning for the Quantum AI Era AIQu VEIL is designed from the ground up to be quantum-resilient, positioning Integrated Quantum Technologies at the forefront of quantum AI infrastructure. As quantum computing advances threaten conventional data protection methods, VEIL provides enterprises with a path forward that does not rely on brittle or compute-heavy techniques. The Company believes AIQu will serve as its long-term platform, with VEIL as a core infrastructure layer supporting future products, partnerships, and industry-specific solutions across highly regulated and data-sensitive sectors. Broad Market Implications With AIQu VEIL, Integrated Quantum Technologies believes industries such as financial services, healthcare, government, defense, energy, and critical infrastructure can revisit AI adoption with a fresh lens-unlocking capabilities that were previously constrained by privacy, compliance, and security concerns, and limited by the trade-offs they were forced to make to address these concerns. The Company believes this infrastructure-level innovation has the potential to solve some of the most persistent challenges in AI and computing, while establishing a new benchmark for how data are handled in intelligent systems. About Integrated Quantum Technologies Integrated Quantum Technologies is building quantum-ready infrastructure to help secure and scale artificial intelligence. The Company's AIQu platform underpins its product strategy for privacy-preserving and resilient AI systems and VEIL is its first product, designed to protect sensitive AI data and workflows in enterprise environments. IQT's proprietary technologies address the threats of emerging post-quantum security risks, increasing compute demands, and the complexity of deploying AI at scale. To learn more information, visit: www.integratedquantum.com On Behalf of the Board of Directors: Alan Guibord, Director & Chief Executive Officer Integrated Cyber Solutions Inc. dba Integrated Quantum Technologies Forward-Looking Statements This news release contains forward looking information or statements within the meaning of applicable securities laws, the technical, financial, and business prospects of the Company, its assets and other matters. All statements in this news release, other than statements of historical facts, that address events or developments that the Company expects to occur, are forward looking information or statements. Although the Company believes the expectations expressed in such forward-looking information or statements are based on reasonable assumptions, such statements are not guarantees of future performance and actual results may differ materially from those in the forward-looking information or statements. Such statements and information are based on numerous assumptions regarding present and future business strategies and the environment in which the Company will operate in the future, the ability to achieve its goals, expected costs and timelines to achieve the Company's goals, that general business and economic conditions will not change in a material adverse manner, and that financing will be available if and when needed and on reasonable terms. Such forward looking information or statements reflects the Company's views with respect to future events and is subject to risks, uncertainties and assumptions, including the risks and uncertainties included in documents filed under the Company's profile on SEDAR+ at www.sedarplus.ca. While such estimates and assumptions are considered reasonable by the management of the Company, they are inherently subject to significant business, economic, competitive, and regulatory uncertainties and risks. Factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those in forward looking information or statements include, but are not limited to, continued availability of capital and financing and general economic, market or business conditions, failure to compete effectively with competitors, failure to maintain or obtain all necessary permits, approvals and authorizations, failure to comply with applicable laws, including environmental laws, risks relating to unanticipated operational difficulties. The Company does not undertake to update forward looking statements or forward-looking information, except as required by law. Neither the CSE nor its Market Regulator (as that term is defined in the policies of the CSE) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release. To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/281161 Source: Integrated Cyber Solutions Inc. Sudbury, Ontario--(Newsfile Corp. - January 22, 2026) - Transition Metals Corp. (TSXV: XTM) ("Transition" or "the Company") is pleased to report on key accomplishments in 2025 and outline its plans and value catalysts for 2026. Against the backdrop of improved market sentiment and broader commodity strengths, Transition's diversified, Canada-focused portfolio provides multiple paths for value creation, and management believes that 2026 will be an active year for both exploration execution and portfolio advancement. Commenting, CEO Scott McLean stated: "Looking ahead to 2026, we are optimistic about continued progress as investor sentiment and activity across the sector strengthen. With a more constructive commodity market and renewed investor interest in the junior mining sector, we believe we are well positioned to unlock value across our portfolio of projects, investments and royalty interests. Our focus this year is to advance exploration at priority assets while expanding our investor outreach in the United States. The Transition Metals' team is looking forward to a year of growth and value creation, driven by steady exploration execution and continued progress across our portfolio." 2025 Technical Accomplishments Through 2025, the Company remained focused on exploration activities at two of its key projects: Pike Warden, an emerging epithermal and porphyry system project in Yukon, and Saturday Night, an early rift PGM-Cu-Ni discovery near Thunder Bay, Ontario. Pike Warden: Since commencement of work in 2022, the Company has amassed more than 1,500 rock and soil samples, high-resolution airborne geophysics, LIDAR, ortho-air photos, and multispectral imagery, which has been used to outline drill targets in five prospective zones for copper porphyry and epithermal Au-Ag systems. 2025 exploration included a ground IP survey focused around the Copper Junction and Copper North target areas, along with mapping and field sampling that uncovered four new polymetallic showings, with select samples grading up to >10,000 ppm Ag, 2.8 g/t Au, 1.9% Cu, 3.41% Mo, and 4.31% Pb (see news release dated October 14, 2025). Two targeted drill programs have been completed at Pike Warden to date: In 2023, RC drilling at the ERT target returned 12-21 m intervals grading 50-100 g/t Ag with highs of 468 g/t (see news release dated January 16, 2023), and In 2025, Diamond drilling (see news release dated October 6, 2025), saw the completion of two new holes (PW-25-01 and PW-25-02) totaling 504 metres, which tested logistically accessible targets associated with the Copper Junction targets. Although no economic mineralization was encountered, favourable structure and alteration intersections have increased the geological understanding of the targeted project area and will inform future programs. Additional exploration work is recommended for 2026-2027, inclusive of targeted drilling, where feasible, at Copper North, Saddles, and ERT, in conjunction with petrographic studies, to further assess the scale of mineralization. Saturday Night: Prior to 2025 the Company completed ground magnetic and airborne mobile MT geophysical surveys over portions of the Saturday Night project. In 2016, the Company completed one diamond drill hole (SN-16-01), totaling 601metres, which intersected 6.25 metres averaging 1.07g/t PGMs including a higher grade section of 4.0 g/t PGM and 0.56% Cu over a core length of 0.30 metres (see news release dated January 23, 2017). Through 2025 the Company completed two drill programs at the Saturday Night project, both supported in part from the Ontario Government through the '24-'25 and '25-'26 Ontario Junior Exploration Programs (OJEP). Diamond drilling initiated in January 2025 and completed in February 2025, which saw the completion of two holes (SN-25-02 and SN-25-03), totaling 1,417 metres, which intersected thick rift-related intrusive suites, with broad intervals of elevated Ni-Cu and PGM mineralization near the basal contact: Hole SN-25-02 returned 14.00 m grading 1.04 g/t PGEs with 0.19% Cu, including 1.86 m of 2.55 g/t PGMs and 0.46% Cu (see news release dated February 28, 2025), while Hole SN-25-03, designed as a larger down-dip step-out, due to intersecting thicker stratigraphic sequences of the Upper and Lower Gabbroic Sequence, and to stay within budget, was terminated at a depth of 830-metres, before being able to reach the ultramafic series and basal contact, where mineralization was anticipated (see news release dated March 26, 2025). Drilling at the project resumed in November 2025 (see news release dated November 10, 2025), and completed in December 2025, saw the extension of hole SN-25-03 toward the basal contact, and the addition of two new holes (SN-25-04 and SN-25-05), totaling a combined 1,463 metres: All drilling intersected and confirmed a large, layered rift intrusive, with PGM-Cu-Ni mineralization occurring along basal contacts. Core has been sampled and submitted for analysis, with assay results pending. Preliminary geological modeling of the basal mineralized zone appears to display a footprint which now measures approximately 800 m by 200 m and remains open in all directions. Assay results will be released once available, with additional geophysical surveys and targeted drilling recommended as a next step to better refine geological and mineralization controls along basal contacts. 2025 Corporate Activities: In 2025, Transition Metals strengthened its financial and strategic position by generating income from the monetization of projects and securities within its portfolio, recovery of exploration funds through Ontario and Yukon Government funding programs, and by raising capital to advance exploration activities on its key projects. These activities and financing further validate the Company's business model, and its ability to attract capital to advance its exploration pipeline. The Company: Sold its 50% share in the Fostung tungsten project near Espanola to US Antimony (UAMY) in June 2025 for USD$2.5 million (CDN$3.5 million) retaining a 0.25% net smelter royalty interest (see news release dated June 27, 2025). Recovered $440,000 through supported Ontario and Yukon Government grant funding programs. Sold securities for revenue of $35,000. Raised $758,133 through the sale of 10,108,439 Critical Flow Through Shares towards the completion of programs of drilling at the Pike Warden and Saturday Night project (see news release dated October 2, 2025). Plans for 2026 As Transition Metals enters 2026, the Company is well positioned to accelerate exploration, capture emerging market opportunities, and enhance shareholder value. As outlined below, management's 2026 priorities include advancing key projects, strengthening corporate visibility and outreach, and solidifying existing relationships while also building new ones. Advancing Exploration on Key Projects The Company will continue to invest in key assets, with planned 2026 work programs including: Additional exploration activities at Pike Warden, focusing on further definition of drill opportunities at multiple porphyry and epithermal target areas. Continued exploration and geological interpretation at Saturday Night, building on the mineralized intervals intersected in 2025. Rejuvenating exploration on the Gowganda Gold project in the heart of the Abitibi. Given rising gold and silver prices, this is an excellent opportunity to continue to advance the known high grade mineralization opportunities on the property. Strengthening Corporate Visibility and Market Access The Company remains committed to enhancing its market presence and expanding its investor base: The Company is working towards securing its ability to allow US investors to trade its securities in the USA by seeking Depository Trust Company (DTC) Eligibility, followed by expanded investor engagements within the United States. Transition Metals will attend key industry events, building on its established presence in the exploration sector, providing investors and industry partners additional opportunities to connect with management. The Company will advance its marketing programs, recently engaged Investors News Network, Mining.com.au, and the Chinese Investment Club Inc, to enhance market visibility for the company, and to disseminate and expand the Transition Metals investment opportunity to a broader market. Portfolio Optimization and Partnerships With a broad pipeline of exploration-stage assets, the Company will continue leveraging its project generator model to: Advance projects through joint ventures and earn-in partnerships, Monetize certain assets through strategic transactions, and Create value through royalties, equity holdings, and retained project interests. 2026 AME Roundup Conference Company personnel, including CEO Scott McLean, COO Greg Collins, and Corporate Development Manager Bill Stormont will be exhibiting in person at the AME Roundup 2026 in Vancouver from Wednesday, January 28 - Thursday, January 29 in AME's Project Generators' Hub. Inquiries to arrange meetings can be directed to Bill Stormont, by E-mail (bstormont@transitionmetalscorp.com), or by telephone (778-868-9571). Qualified Person The scientific and technical content of this release has been reviewed and approved by Mr. Benjamin Williams, P.Geo. (PGO), Exploration Manager at Transition Metals Corp. and a Qualified Person as defined by NI 43-101. About Transition Metals Corp. Transition Metals Corp. (TSXV: XTM) is a Canadian-based, multi-commodity explorer. Its award-winning team of geoscientists has extensive exploration experience which actively develops and tests new ideas for discovering mineralization in places that others have not looked, often allowing the company to acquire properties inexpensively. Joint venture partners earn an interest in the projects by funding a portion of higher-risk drilling and exploration, allowing Transition to conserve capital and minimize shareholder's equity dilution. Cautionary Note on Forward-Looking Information Except for statements of historical fact contained herein, the information in this news release constitutes "forward-looking information" within the meaning of Canadian securities law. Such forward-looking information may be identified by words such as "plans", "proposes", "estimates", "intends", "expects", "believes", "may", "will" and include without limitation, statements regarding estimated capital and operating costs, expected production timeline, benefits of updated development plans, foreign exchange assumptions and regulatory approvals. There can be no assurance that such statements will prove to be accurate; actual results and future events could differ materially from such statements. Factors that could cause actual results to differ materially include, among others, metal prices, competition, risks inherent in the mining industry, and regulatory risks. Most of these factors are outside the control of the Company. Investors are cautioned not to put undue reliance on forward-looking information. Except as otherwise required by applicable securities statutes or regulation, the Company expressly disclaims any intent or obligation to update publicly forward-looking information, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise. Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release. To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/281250 Source: Transition Metals Corp. TORONTO, ON / ACCESS Newswire / January 22, 2026 / Sparton Resources Inc. (TSXV:SRI) ("Sparton" or the "Company") is pleased to announce it has received final approval for its non-brokered private placement offering, which was first announced on October 30th, 2025. The total gross proceeds from both closings amount to C$410,000. For further details, refer to the Company's previous news releases dated December 12th, 2025, November 11th, 2025, and October 30th, 2025. Sparton has issued a total of 5,285,715 National Flow-Through Share ("NFTSU") Units at a price of C$0.035 per unit. It has also issued a total of 6,000,000 Quebec Flow Through Share Units ("QFTSUs)" at a price of $0.035 per share unit. Each NFTSU and each QFTSU consists of one common share and one-half of a non-flow through Share Purchase Warrant ("SPW"), amounting to a total of 5,642,858 full SPWs. A full SPW allows the holder to purchase one common share of the Company at C$0.08 within 12 months from the Issue Date. Each NFTSU and each QFTSU is classified as a Critical Metals "flow-through share" according to the Income Tax Act (Canada). Additionally, the Company issued 500,000 non-flow-through share units ("SU") at $0.03 per unit. Each SU includes one common share and one-half warrant amounting to 250,000 full warrants. A full warrant grants the holder the right to purchase one common share at $0.05 per share for up to 2 years from the date of issue. The gross proceeds from the NFTSU, QFTSU and SU issuance will be used exclusively for resource exploration expenses that qualify as "Canadian exploration expenses" and "flow through mining expenditures" under the Income Tax Act. These expenditures will be renounced to NFTSU, and QFTSU purchasers with an effective date no later than December 31st, 2025, in an amount equal to or greater than the gross proceeds raised from the NFTSU And QFTSU issues. If the Canada Revenue Agency reduces the Qualifying Expenditures, Sparton will indemnify any Unit subscribers for any extra taxes they may owe due to the Company's failure to renounce the expenditures. Finders Fees totalling $29,700 in cash and 673,571 full broker warrants have been paid and issued to third-party finders. Each broker warrant issued for the NFTSUs enables the holder to purchase one common share of the Company at $0.05, exercisable within 24 months of the closing date, December 12th, 2025. Each Broker warrant issued with the QFTSUs enables he holder to purchase one common share of the Company at a price of $0.08 for 12 months. The NFTSU Shares, NFTSU Warrant Shares, QFTSU Shares and QFTSU Warrant Shares plus the SU shares, and any common shares resulting from the exercise of finder's warrants are subject to statutory hold periods. This period ends four months plus one day following the issue dates, in accordance with applicable securities laws. The offering has now received all necessary regulatory approvals, including those from the TSX Venture Exchange. The securities offered have not been, and will not be, registered under the United States Securities Act of 1933 or any U.S. state securities laws. These securities may not be offered or sold in the United States or to U.S. persons without registration or an applicable exemption. This news release is not an offer to sell or a solicitation to buy securities in the United States or any other jurisdiction. Proceeds from the offering will support exploration activities for the Company's Critical Metals projects in Ontario and Quebec, and for general corporate purposes. The focus will be on the Pense polymetallic metals project east of Englehart, Ontario, and the Oakes Project near Matachewan Ontario where historical work has identified zinc, copper, gold and nickel mineralization with minor cobalt values. The project areas have seen limited activity for over two decades, and upcoming work will include follow-up prospecting, airborne surveys, target assessments, and diamond core drilling. Corporate Updates Drilling activities are currently in progress on the Quebec Pense Project claims with two holes completed. A new Expert Geophysics Target EM survey has also been completed in areas previously not covered by earlier Sparton work in both Ontario and Quebec. Results from these activities will be reported as they become available. Contact Information A. Lee Barker, M.A.Sc., P.Eng. President & CEO Tel./Fax: 647-344-7734 Mobile: 416-716-5762 Email: info@spartonres.ca Website: www.spartonres.ca Neither TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as defined in TSX Venture Exchange policies) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release. Forward-Looking Statements This news release contains forward-looking statements under applicable securities laws, including references to proposed financings and transactions. All such statements are qualified in their entirety by this cautionary notice. The Company does not undertake to update or revise forward-looking statements except as required by law. While the Company believes expectations outlined in these statements are reasonable, there is no assurance that such expectations will be met. Investors should not place undue reliance on these statements. This release does not constitute an offer to sell or solicitation to buy any securities described herein. We Seek Safe Harbour SOURCE: Sparton Resources Inc. View the original press release on ACCESS Newswire:https://www.accessnewswire.com/newsroom/en/metals-and-mining/sparton-resources-inc.-final-approval-for-private-placement-and-updates-1129963 Vancouver, British Columbia--(Newsfile Corp. - January 22, 2026) - Noble Plains Uranium Corp. (TSXV: NOBL) (OTCQB: NBLXF) (FSE: INE0) ("Noble Plains" or the "Company") a U.S. focused uranium exploration and development company, is pleased to announce results from the next twenty drill holes completed at its flagship Duck Creek Project in Wyoming's Powder River Basin, highlighted by the highest-grade uranium intercept recorded to date and continued strong mineralisation across the roll-front system. The strongest result of the drill program to date was returned from hole 25-21-096, which intersected 35.5 feet of 0.202% eU3O, including a high-grade core of 4.0 feet at 0.501% eU3O, a standout intercept for a Wyoming roll-front system. Additional strong results further demonstrate the consistency of mineralisation encountered at Duck Creek, including 26.5 feet of 0.083% eU3O with 4.0 feet at 0.144% eU3O in hole 25-21-095. Hole 25-21-089 intersected 25.0 feet of 0.069% eU3O including 4.0 feet at 0.17% eU3O, and hole 25-21-090 intersected 17.5 feet of 0.09% eU3O including 2.0 feet at 0.217% eU3O. Importantly, these results continue to align closely with the Company's geological model, with this set of holes hitting uranium mineralisation meeting or exceeding industry-standard thresholds for ISR-amenable deposits in Wyoming with an 80% success rate. Together, these results reinforce both the quality of the Duck Creek system and the growing confidence in its potential to support a meaningful uranium resource. "The combination of consistent mineralisation and a standout 0.50% eU3O intercept underscores the quality of the Duck Creek system," said Drew Zimmerman, CEO of Noble Plains Uranium. "These results reinforce our confidence that Duck Creek can support a meaningful, scalable uranium resource. We are executing with discipline to convert drill results into future pounds in the ground, positioning Noble Plains to deliver leverage in a U.S. uranium market where secure domestic supply is becoming increasingly critical." Table 1: Drill Intercept Highlights Hole ID Easting Northing Hole Depth (ft) From (ft) To (ft) Length (ft) Grade (%eU308)* 25-21-083 449,174 4,779,756 120 6.0 11.5 5.5 0.049 and 84.0 92.0 8.0 0.053 including 88.0 90.0 2.0 0.130 25-21-084 449,206 4,779,756 120 78.5 102.0 23.5 0.049 25-21-085 449,236 4,779,727 120 60.0 96.0 36.0 0.031 25-21-087 449,296 4,779,727 120 69.0 79.5 10.5 0.038 25-21-088 449,327 4,779,726 120 70.0 92.0 22.0 0.027 25-21-089 449,465 4,779,769 140 56.5 81.5 25.0 0.069 including 76.0 80.0 4.0 0.170 25-21-090 449,466 4,779,662 100 47.5 65.0 17.5 0.090 including 49.0 51.0 2.0 0.217 25-21-091 449,450 4,779,630 120 46.0 52.0 6.0 0.066 including 47.5 49.5 2.0 0.134 and 55.0 68.5 13.5 0.050 25-21-092 449,512 4,779,664 120 45.5 59.5 14.0 0.071 including 56.0 58.0 2.0 0.307 25-21-093 449,542 4,779,847 120 72.5 84.0 11.5 0.025 25-21-095 449,495 4,779,967 120 57.5 68.5 11.0 0.052 and 69.0 95.5 26.5 0.083 including 79.5 89.5 4.0 0.144 25-21-096 449,526 4,780,077 140 65.5 101.0 35.5 0.202 including 82.0 86.0 4.0 0.501 25-16-098 449,542 4,780,333 180 111.0 121.0 10.0 0.035 25-15-099 449,572 4,780,487 180 140.0 149.0 9.0 0.069 including 145.5 146.5 2.0 0.178 25-15-101 449,589 4,780,563 220 157.0 170.5 13.5 0.029 and 171.5 178.5 7.0 0.039 25-15-102 449,654 4,780,629 230 185.0 192.0 7.0 0.020 and 230 198.5 208.5 10.0 0.031 All of the holes drilled are vertical and the geological units are essentially flat so that intercept widths are interpreted to be true thickness. The water table in the first 102 holes ranges from a depth of 5 feet to 75 feet and averages 16.5 feet deep. "The highest-grade intercept of the program to date is important because it sits within a long, continuous zone of uranium mineralisation, rather than being an isolated hit. This tells us the system is not only extensive, but also capable of hosting higher-grade pockets within that broader trend, exactly what you want to see in an ISR-amenable uranium deposit," said Paul Cowley, P.Geo., COO of Noble Plains Uranium. "To date we have now twinned 16 historic holes that have delivered reproducible results giving confidence to historic drilling. With just over 2/3 of the planned program completed, the consistency of our results continues to build confidence in our ability to define a meaningful, scalable uranium resource at Duck Creek." Figure 1 shows the location of the twenty new holes in red with the first eighty-two holes in green within the 3-mile-long trend of historic drilling. Figure 1 - New Drillhole Locations To view an enhanced version of this graphic, please visit: https://images.newsfilecorp.com/files/3717/281221_a1f07b9ca4b6c89f_001full.jpg Next Steps and Outlook With roughly 2/3rds of the planned drilling now complete, Noble Plains believes Duck Creek continues to de-risk rapidly as a future uranium resource. The consistency of mineralisation, increasing confidence in grade continuity, and emergence of higher-grade zones collectively support the Company's objective of delivering its first NI 43-101 compliant uranium resource later this spring. As drilling continues, the Company expects additional results to further refine the scale and quality of mineralisation while maintaining strong momentum toward resource definition. Duck Creek remains central to Noble Plains' strategy of building a growing inventory of U.S.-based uranium pounds in known production areas that is positioned to benefit from a strengthening uranium price environment and increasing focus on domestic critical-mineral supply. Ongoing Drill Program Overview The Duck Creek drill program, permitted for up to 37,400 ft across ~150 holes, is structured around three key objectives: 1. Confirmation of Historic Data - 16 Holes To verify 1,317 historic intercepts in the Wasatch Formation and support a uranium resource prepared in accordance with National Instrument 43-101 standards. 2. Expansion of Shallow Mineralization ~ 130 Holes Designed to extend mineralized boundaries and target higher-grade areas along the 3-mile-long Wasatch roll-front corridor. 3. First-Ever Drilling of the Fort Union Formation ~ 10 Holes For the first time, Noble Plains will drill to ~1,200 ft to test the Fort Union, where neighbouring projects host the majority of their compliant resources. The Company filed a Technical Report, available on SEDAR+ under the Company's profile, on the Duck Creek Project on August 14, 2025, which outlined an exploration target ranging from 2.37 million tons at 0.03% U3O to 5.45 million tons at 0.05% U3O. These ranges were based on assumed Grade-Thickness ("GT") values of 0.2 for the lower case and 0.598 for the upper case. The exploration target is conceptual in nature, does not meet the standards to be classified as mineral resources or mineral reserves, and there is no certainty that the exploration target will be realized. Details of the Drilling Program * The geophysical results are based on equivalent uranium (eU308) of the gamma-ray probes calibrated at the Department of Energy's Test Facility in Casper, Wyoming. A geophysical tool with gamma-ray, spontaneous potential, resistivity, and drift detectors was utilized. The reader is cautioned that the reported uranium grades may not reflect actual concentrations due to the potential for disequilibrium between uranium and its gamma emitting daughter products. The drill results were determined using thickness and grade % cutoffs of 2-ft, 0.02% eU308 and GT >0.2. The drilling is being done by Tyler Exploration Inc. utilizing a truck mounted mud-rotary rig and the geophysical logging by Hawkins CBM Logging, both of Wyoming. Bradley Parkes P.Geo, VP Exploration and Paul Cowley P.Geo, Chief Operating Officer for Noble Plains Uranium Corp., supervised the drilling activities. About Noble Plains Uranium Noble Plains Uranium Corp. is a U.S.-focused uranium exploration and development company advancing a portfolio of high-potential projects amenable to In Situ Recovery (ISR) - the most capital-efficient and environmentally responsible method of uranium extraction. Our strategy targets historically drilled and underexplored assets in proven jurisdictions, with the objective of rapidly delineating NI 43-101 compliant resources and building a scalable inventory of domestic uranium. On Behalf of the Board of Directors, "Drew Zimmerman", CEO & President Bradley Parkes, P.Geo., VP Exploration of Noble Plains Uranium Corp., is the Qualified Person as defined in National Instrument 43-101, who has read and approved the technical content of this news release. This news release includes certain forward-looking statements as well as management's objectives, strategies, beliefs and intentions. Forward-looking statements are frequently identified by such words as "may", "will", "plan", "expect", "anticipate", "estimate", "intend" and similar words referring to future events and results. Forward-looking statements include, but are not limited to, statements regarding the planned drill program, the timing of drilling and results, the potential to outline a uranium resource prepared in accordance with National Instrument 43-101 standards, the potential to confirm or expand mineralization, and the potential of the Duck Creek Project to become a significant uranium asset. Forward-looking statements are based on the current opinions and expectations of management. All forward-looking information is inherently uncertain and subject to a variety of assumptions, risks and uncertainties, including but not limited to: exploration results that may not be consistent with historical data or expectations, geological or technical issues, regulatory approvals, availability of equipment and personnel, the speculative nature of mineral exploration and development, and fluctuating commodity prices, as described in more detail in our recent securities filings available at www.sedarplus.ca. Actual events or results may differ materially from those projected in the forward-looking statements and we caution against placing undue reliance thereon. We assume no obligation to revise or update these forward-looking statements except as required by applicable law. Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulations Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accept responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release. To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/281221 Source: Noble Plains Uranium Corp. Vancouver, British Columbia--(Newsfile Corp. - January 22, 2026) - Phenom Resources Corp. (TSXV: PHNM) (OTCQX: PHNMF) (FSE: 1PY0) ("Phenom" or the "Company") is pleased to announce drill results further validate its Bonanza-type low sulphidation epithermal gold model and target at the Company's Crescent Valley Gold Project (CVN), about 22 km (13 miles) southwest of Carlin, NV, strategically located along the southwest fringe of the Carlin Gold Trend within the prospective Northern Nevada Rift, Nevada. This follows the Company's announcement January 12, 2026, of the discovery of a rare Earth and Critical metals deposit on CVN and the expansion of the property size. Dave Mathewson states, "The Bonanza-type low sulphidation epithermal gold model and target on Crescent Valley are in play and have been further validated and advanced with the recent drilling of hole CVN25-03. There is a dramatic increase in gold presence with over half of the hole reporting elevated gold values, a dramatic increase in volume of quartz veining, and evidence of boiling starting at a depth of 700 feet." The angled reverse circulation hole, CVN25-03, drilled under two historic RC drillholes on the same cross-section. Figure 1 demonstrates comparative geology and gold intercepts of each holes. Figure 2 shows hole locations and size of both the REE-Critical Metals deposit and the low sulphidation epithermal targets. It is apparent from the cross-section that stepping westward and deeper than the previous drill holes shows promise. There is a dramatic increase in gold presence, although low grade, being more abundant throughout CVN25-03. Quartz flooding, veining and brecciation zone increases from a thickness of 100 feet to over 560 feet. In addition, key alteration minerals, adularia and alunite were observed in CVN25-03, important pathfinder alteration minerals associated with boiling zones where gold typically drops out in these low sulphidation epithermal systems. Figure 1: Cross-section of CVN25-03 - Low Sulphidation Epithermal Target To view an enhanced version of this graphic, please visit: https://images.newsfilecorp.com/files/3372/281204_79c21f1ca4492a9b_002full.jpg Dave Mathewson continues, "It was very important to establish depths of boiling in this 5-6-kiometre long quartz vein system which was accomplished in CVN25-03. This allows better lateral step-out planning of future holes along the lengthy trend. We are encouraged and considering next steps in a subsequent drill program on this target. With this target taking shape and the discovery of the rare Earth and Critical metals deposit, Crescent Valley has two excellent opportunities to advance." Figure 2: Plan view of REE-Critical Metals Deposit Outline and Low Sulphidation Epithermal Targets with Drillhole Locations for Figure 1 Cross-section To view an enhanced version of this graphic, please visit: https://images.newsfilecorp.com/files/3372/281204_79c21f1ca4492a9b_003full.jpg The drilling program was field supervised by Paul Cowley and Dave Mathewson, both QPs for the Company. The reverse circulation drilling was done by Envirotech Drilling LLC. Typically, 5-foot-long sample lengths of chip samples collected varied from 3-7kg. Drill cuttings samples were delivered and analyzed by ALS Global of Elko, NV. Samples were analyzed for gold with Au 30g FA-AA finish. A multi-element package of 34 element used four acid ICP-AES. Company QAQC sample inserts were included. Table 2: Drill Hole Details Easting (m) Northing (m) Azimuth Dip Length (m) Length (ft) Hole CVN24-03 563103 4484245 090 -60 426.72 1400 Note: True thickness/widths of the mineralization are estimated to be 95% of that reported. Characteristics of the Vein System on Crescent Valley The 5-6-kilometre-plus-long range-front-margin quartz vein system is accompanied with zone of multi-event, silica-healed, hydrothermal breccias. Multiple quartz veins individually, locally reach up to 30 metres (100ft) thick. At and near surface, portions of the veins display repetitive banding, coarsely-bladed calcite, and quartz pseudomorphs of the calcite, within larger zones of phreatic-type brecciation that both typically represent above-boiling activity within zones of ascending hydrothermal fluids occurring above the prospective depositional levels of gold. Low Sulphidation Deposits in Nevada There are a number of low sulfidation epithermal gold deposits in Nevada known for their very high grades in gold and silver including Goldfields, the famous Comstock Mine, Midas, Tuscarora, and Sleeper Mine. Comstock was so rich it served as an important funding contributor to the successful Union Army cause during the Civil War. Sleeper was a very high-grade gold mine discovered and mined by AMAX Gold. Midas and Tuscarora are also near to, and on the flank of the Carlin Trend. About Phenom Resources Corp. Phenom has 100% interest in the Carlin Gold-Vanadium Project, located in Elko County, 6 miles south from the town of Carlin, Nevada and Highway I-80 which hosts the Carlin Vanadium deposit, North America's largest highest grade primary vanadium resource. The Project lies within the prolific Carlin Gold Trend. Approximately 9 million ounces comprised of multiple gold deposits, including past producing mines, are present near the Phenom property (5-15km). The Company has options on three gold projects in Nevada, the King Solomon and Dobbin Properties which are Carlin Gold-type targets and the Crescent Valley Property. Technical disclosure in this news release has been reviewed and approved by Dave Mathewson, a Qualified Person as defined by National Instrument 43-101, director and Geological Consultant of the Company. Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release. Forward-looking information Certain statements in this news release constitute "forward-looking" statements. These statements relate to future events or the Company's future performance. All such statements involve substantial known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors which may cause the actual results to vary from those expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements involve significant risks and uncertainties, they should not be read as guarantees of future performance or results, and they will not necessarily be accurate indications of whether or not such results will be achieved. Actual results could differ materially from those anticipated due to a number of factors and risks. Although the forward-looking statements contained in this news release are based upon what management of the Company believes are reasonable assumptions on the date of this news release, the Company cannot assure investors that actual results will be consistent with these forward-looking statements. The forward-looking statements contained in this press release are made as of the date hereof and the Company disclaims any intention or obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statements whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, except as required under applicable securities regulations. To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/281204 Source: Phenom Resources Corp. Flin Flon, Manitoba--(Newsfile Corp. - January 22, 2026) - Boreal Gold Ltd. (CSE: BGLD) ("Boreal Gold" or the "Company") is pleased to announce that it is undertaking a non-brokered private placement (the "Offering") to raise aggregate gross proceeds of up to $3,000,000 through the sale of a combination of units ("Units") at a price of $0.25 per Unit and Class A shares of the Company ("Class A Shares") that qualify as "flow-through shares" (as defined in subsection 66(15) of the Income Tax Act (Canada)) ("FT Shares") at a price of C$0.35 per FT Share. Each Unit will be comprised of one Class A Share and one-half of one share purchase warrant (each whole warrant, a "Warrant"). Each Warrant will entitle the holder thereof to acquire one Class A Share, to be issued on a non-flow through basis, at an exercise price of $0.35 until the date that is two years following the closing date of the Offering. The proceeds from the Units issued under the Offering will be used for general corporate purposes. The proceeds from the FT Shares issued under the Offering will be used for the exploration and advancement of the Company's North Star, Fay Lake and Melgurd Lake properties. The securities to be issued in connection with the Offering will be subject to a hold period of four months and one day from the date of issuance, in accordance with applicable Canadian securities laws. The Company may pay finder's fees and/or issue finder's warrants on a portion of the Offering to eligible finders, subject to compliance with the policies of the Canadian Securities Exchange and applicable securities legislation. Insiders of the Company may participate in the Offering. Any participation by insiders of the Company in the Offering will constitute a "related party transaction" under applicable Canadian securities laws. However, neither the fair market value of the subject matter, nor the fair market value of the consideration to be paid by insiders of the Company for the transaction, insofar as it involves the related party, is expected to exceed 25% of the Company's market capitalization, and accordingly, the Company anticipates relying on exemptions from the formal valuation and minority shareholder approval requirements applicable to related party transactions under applicable Canadian securities laws. Northfield Capital Corporation ("Northfield") has indicated that Northfield and Mr. Robert Cudney, the President and Chief Executive Officer of Northfield, intend to participate in the Offering and are expected to acquire up to 2,400,000 Units for a purchase price of up to $600,000. This news release does not constitute an offer to sell or a solicitation of an offer to sell any of the securities in the United States. The securities have not been and will not be registered under the United States Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the "U.S. Securities Act") or any state securities laws and may not be offered or sold within the United States or to U.S. Persons unless registered under the U.S. Securities Act and applicable state securities laws or an exemption from such registration is available. Advisor Cassels Brock & Blackwell LLP is acting as legal advisor to Boreal Gold in connection with the Offering. About Boreal Gold Inc. Boreal Gold Inc is a Canadian junior mineral exploration company with a specific focus on mineral properties in northwest Manitoba and northeast Saskatchewan, Canada. All of the Issuer's properties are currently at the exploration stage. The Issuer has assembled a portfolio of base metal and precious metal prospects in strategic locations in the Provinces of Manitoba and Saskatchewan. For more information, please contact: Forward-Looking Information This news release contains "forward-looking information" and "forward-looking statements" (collectively, "forward-looking information") within the meaning of applicable Canadian and United States securities laws. Generally, forward-looking information can be identified by the use of forward-looking terminology such as "plans", "expects", or "does not expect", "is expected", "budget", "scheduled", "estimates", "forecasts", "intends", "anticipates", or "does not anticipate", or "believes" or variations of such words and phrases or state that certain actions, events or results "may", "could", "would", "might", or "will be taken", "occur", or "be achieved". Certain information set forth in this news release may contain forward-looking information that involves substantial known and unknown risks and uncertainties, including, but not limited to the Offering (including the participation of insiders and Northfield Capital Corporation and Mr. Cudney in the Offering) and the advancement of the Company's mineral properties. The forward-looking information is based on reasonable assumptions and estimates of the management of the Company at the time such statements were made and is subject to known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that may cause the actual results, level of activity, performance or achievements of the Company to be materially different from those expressed or implied by such forward-looking information, including risks associated with the exploration; future commodity prices; changes in regulations; political or economic developments; environmental risks; permitting timelines; capital expenditures; technical difficulties in connection with exploration activities; employee relations; the speculative nature of mineral including the risks of diminishing quantities of grades of resources, contests over title to properties, the Company's limited operating history, future capital needs and uncertainty of additional financing, and the competitive nature of the mining industry; the need for the Company to manage its future strategic plans; global economic and financial market conditions; uninsurable risks; and changes in project parameters as plans continue to be evaluated. Although the Company has attempted to identify important factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those contained in the forward-looking information, there may be other factors that cause results not to be as anticipated, estimated or intended. Although the forward-looking information contained in this news release are based upon what management of the Company believes, or believed at the time, to be reasonable assumptions, the Company cannot assure shareholders that actual results will be consistent with such forward-looking information, as there may be other factors that cause results not to be as anticipated, estimated or intended. Accordingly, readers should not place undue reliance on forward-looking information. There can be no assurance that forward-looking information, or the material factors or assumptions used to develop such forward-looking information, will prove to be accurate. The Company does not undertake any obligations to release publicly any revisions for updating any voluntary forward-looking information, except as required by applicable securities law. Neither the Canadian Securities Exchange nor its Market Regulator (as that term is defined in the policies of the Canadian Securities Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release. Not for dissemination to the United States Newswire Services or dissemination in the United States. To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/281254 Source: Boreal Gold Inc. In an industry where "trust" is often claimed and rarely proven, Wirex Limited is putting numbers on the table. LONDON, Jan. 22, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- Wirex Limited has released its 2025 Transparency Report, offering an unfiltered, data-rich view of how the firm protects customers, tackles financial crime, and strengthens trust through measurable accountability. Authored by CEO Chet Shah, the report departs from the industry norm of vague claims and instead publishes clear evidence of what the company has achieved - and where it knows it must go further. At the heart of the report is a stark number: in 2025, Wirex Limited prevented 630,000 in suspected laundered funds from entering or moving through the financial system. For an industry under constant scrutiny, this marks a concrete demonstration of controls working in real time. "When I was appointed, I committed to leading with transparency because trust is earned through facts, not slogans," said Chet Shah, CEO of Wirex Limited. "This report is our way of showing customers, partners, and regulators how we balance growth with safety, accountability, and a relentless focus on doing the right things." In a sector full of big claims and thin evidence, Wirex Limited is choosing to show its workings. The 2025 Transparency Report lays out what the company is actually seeing on the ground, how it responds, and where it's pushing itself to improve - without hiding behind generic industry language. Key Highlights The Report lays out detailed outcomes across fraud prevention, anti-money laundering efforts, sanctions compliance, customer complaints, and Wirex Limited's people-driven culture. Highlights include: Fraud prevention: With fraud rife in the UK, Wirex Limited stopped 183,752 from being lost to retail scams in 2025, including 156,145 linked to APP fraud. With fraud rife in the UK, Wirex Limited stopped 183,752 from being lost to retail scams in 2025, including 156,145 linked to APP fraud. Money-laundering disruption : Wirex Limited submitted c500 Suspicious Activity Reports to the UK National Crime Agency and supported 87 law-enforcement requests, including complex investigations involving mule networks. Wirex Limited submitted c500 Suspicious Activity Reports to the UK National Crime Agency and supported 87 law-enforcement requests, including complex investigations involving mule networks. Real-time sanctions vigilance : With sanctions regimes shifting rapidly, Wirex Limited screened against 30+ global sanctions lists every day. With sanctions regimes shifting rapidly, Wirex Limited screened against 30+ global sanctions lists every day. Customer complaint transparency : Wirex Limited received 244 complaints , resolving 68% within 15 working days. The firm upheld 36 complaints , with "freezing of funds" the main theme. Wirex Limited received , resolving within 15 working days. The firm upheld , with "freezing of funds" the main theme. Culture and people metrics: Wirex Limited reports strong indicators of organisational health including a 49%/51% gender balance, an Employee Net Promoter Score of 57, a 4.6 Glassdoor score, and a 1.3% voluntary turnover rate. These underscore what the CEO describes as "a culture built on accountability and honest dialogue, not posters on a wall". These are only a slice of the report's findings - the full publication includes deeper breakdowns, context, and an indication of the priorities Wirex Limited has set for 2026. Regulatory Engagement The report mentions that in 2025 the Financial Conduct Authority inspected Wirex Limited's financial-crime controls and fraud framework, and offered helpful recommendations, but did not identify material issues - a point the CEO frames as validation of its direction, not a finish line. "Protecting customers at scale takes constant work," said Chet. "Publishing this report is part of holding ourselves accountable and earning trust one decision at a time." The Wirex Limited 2025 Transparency Report is available now. Download the full report. Notes to editors: About Wirex Limited Wirex Limited is a UK-based FCA regulated Electronic Money Institute. It offers secure payment methods, making it easy for users to store, purchase, and exchange multiple currencies seamlessly. As a principal member of both Visa and Mastercard, Wirex Limited goes beyond traditional services, embracing the evolving trends of Web3 to provide mainstream access to digital finance and wealth management. Wirex Limited is simplifying digital payments, making it more accessible and convenient for people. | wirexapp.com | Photo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/2867279/Candid_2025_Report.jpg Logo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/2031625/5730467/Wirex_Logo.jpg View original content:https://www.prnewswire.co.uk/news-releases/wirex-limited-raises-the-bar-on-transparency-with-candid-2025-report----over-630-000-in-suspected-illicit-funds-blocked-302668037.html Vancouver, British Columbia--(Newsfile Corp. - January 22, 2026) - Nevada Organic Phosphate Inc. (CSE: NOP) (OTCQB: NOPFF) ("NOP" or the "Company"), a B.C. based leader in organic sedimentary phosphate exploration, is pleased to announce that its common shares are now eligible for electronic clearing and settlement in the United States through the Depository Trust Company ("DTC"). DTC eligibility is expected to simplify the process of trading and enhance liquidity of NOP shares in the United States. The Company's shares recently began trading on the OTCQB Venture Market ("OTCQB") under the ticker symbol NOPFF. DTC is a subsidiary of the Depository Trust & Clearing Corporation, a U.S. company that manages the electronic clearing and settlement of publicly traded companies. Securities that are eligible to be electronically cleared and settled through DTC are considered to be "DTC eligible". This electronic method of clearing securities speeds up the receipt of stock and cash, and thus accelerates the settlement process for investors and brokers, enabling the stock to be traded over a much wider selection of brokerage firms by coming into compliance with their requirements. Nevada Organic Phosphate Inc. (CSE: NOP) (OTCQB: NOPFF) The Company is a junior exploration company with an organic sedimentary raw rock phosphate bed, 6.6 kilometres long, in northeast Nevada. Additional applications extend the potential strike of rock phosphate to over 30 kilometres. This is believed to be the only known large-scale organic sedimentary phosphate project in North America. It is situated close to the main highway to Montello/Elko, Nevada, and near the rail head to California. Neither the Canadian Securities Exchange nor its regulations services providers have reviewed or accept responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release. This news release may contain forward-looking statements and information ("FLSI") within the meaning of applicable securities laws. FLSI may include expectations, anticipations, beliefs, opinions, plans, intentions, estimates, forecasts, projections, guidance or other similar statements and information that are not historical facts. All statements which are not historical statements are considered FLSI. All FLSI is based on assumptions, which may prove inaccurate, and subject to certain risks and uncertainties, including without limitation those risks and uncertainties identified in the Company's public securities filings, which may cause actual events or results to differ materially from those indicated or implied in FLSI. Accordingly, readers should not place undue reliance or value on FLSI. Although the Company believes that the expectations reflected in any FLSI in this news release are reasonable at the present time, it can give no assurance that such FLSI will prove to be correct. Any FLSI in this news release is made as of the date hereof and the Company undertakes no obligations to publicly update or revise any FLSI, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, unless required by applicable securities laws. Any FLSI in this news release is expressly qualified in its entirety by this cautionary statement. To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/281262 Source: Nevada Organic Phosphate Inc. Toronto, Ontario--(Newsfile Corp. - January 22, 2026) - Hispania Resources Inc. (TSXV: ESPN) ("Hispania" or "the company"), a mineral exploration company focused on Spain, is pleased to report to shareholders that management and members of it's local mining team in Spain completed a visit at the Lumbrales site in Salamanca, and particularly the Maria Tere past producing mine. The intent of this visit was to meet with local stakeholders; review existing infrastructure at site; as well as plan out the 2026 work plans for Lumbrales. As a result of this activity, the company has laid out a confirmation drilling program at Maria Tere and will simultaneously engage in surface rehabilitation of on-site infrastructure and facilities. The Company is currently reviewing contracts with contractors and service providers and intends to begin activities at site within the next few weeks. During the period at site, the company's geological personnel carried out sampling and reviewed all data related to the geological resource. For the first time, geological investigation related to two artisanal workings situated South of the Maria Tere mine site was carried out. These workings will be further evaluated during the planned drilling campaign at the Maria Tere site. "We are pleased to have had some confirmational work completed at site and more importantly identified new opportunities to the South," stated Norman Brewster, Chief Executive Officer of the Company. "One of the key reasons for acquiring this property was the excellent infrastructure leading to and at site. With the need for critical minerals and the upgraded price of tin and tungsten, the company look at additional targets on the property," continued Mr. Brewster. As a form of reference, the Maria Tere Mine was last put into production by the Spanish company Minera del Duero S.A. until 1986. During this period the capacity of the mine and plant was 400 tonnes per day (t/d) for a 10-hour day. On termination of operations, the mine had a remaining resource of 2.5 million tonnes with a grade of 0.25% Tin. At that time, there was an additional Exploration target of 3 million tonnes. On closure the infrastructure at site consisted of two shafts to approximately 150 meters and 2,272 meters of 4 by 4 metre galleries with an inclined shaft of 651 meters all to a depth of approximately 200 metres. About Hispania Resources Inc. Hispania Resources Inc is a mineral exploration company focused on mining opportunities in Spain. Hispania is currently focused on developing 3 core assets across Spain, including the copper, zinc project Otero; the formerly producing tin project Lumbrales; and the copper, zinc Puebla de la Reina project. The management of Hispania contains industry veterans who have more than 120 years of mineral exploration and production experience in multiple jurisdictions and have successfully managed multiple international mining companies. This includes in Spain, where some of the team was responsible for the founding and building of Iberian Minerals with the continued support of the local and regional governments, including the well-developed and sophisticated transportation and mining infrastructure. For more information on Hispania Resources Inc., visit: http://HispaniaResources.com Contact Information Forward-Looking Information Certain information in this news release constitutes forward-looking statements and forward-looking information (collectively, the "forward-looking statements") within the meaning of Canadian securities laws, and is subject to numerous risks, uncertainties, and assumptions, many of which are beyond the Company's control. This forward-looking information includes, among other things, information with respect to the Company's beliefs, plans, expectations, anticipations, estimates and intentions. The words "may", "could", "should", "would", "suspect", "outlook", "believe", "anticipate", "estimate", "expect", "intend", "plan", "target" and similar words and expressions are used to identify forward-looking information, including the use of proceeds of the Offering. The forward-looking information in this news release describes the Company's expectations as of the date of this news release. The Company cautions that the foregoing list of material factors is not exhaustive. When relying on the Company's forward-looking information to make decisions, investors and others should carefully consider the foregoing factors and other uncertainties and potential events. The Company has assumed a certain progression, which may not be realized. It has also assumed that the material factors referred to in the previous paragraph will not cause such forward-looking information to differ materially from actual results or events. However, the list of these factors is not exhaustive and is subject to change and there can be no assurance that such assumptions will reflect the actual outcome of such items or factors. The forward-looking statements contained in this news release represent the expectations of the Company as of the date of this news release and, accordingly, is subject to change after such date. Readers should not place undue importance on forward-looking information and should not rely upon this information as of any other date. While the Company may elect to, it does not undertake to update this information at any particular time. Neither the TSXV nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSXV) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this news release. To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/281258 Source: Hispania Resources Inc. How DP World in Argentina and Yusen Logistics Are Turning Commitment Into Action NORTHAMPTON, MA / ACCESS Newswire / January 22, 2026 / Women drivers are increasingly entering Argentina's port and logistics workforce. Across the global logistics industry, inclusion is increasingly recognized as a business imperative - not just a social one. DP World, through its operations at Terminales Rio de la Plata (TRP) in Buenos Aires, is working with Yusen Logistics Argentina to translate that principle into tangible, on-the-ground change within one of the most traditionally male-dominated sectors: ports and heavy transport. The collaboration reflects a shared commitment to expanding opportunities for women across operational, technical, and leadership roles, while addressing the structural barriers that have historically limited participation in the sector. Rather than focusing solely on policy, the initiative is centered on practical improvements that enable women to enter, remain, and advance within the logistics value chain. Inclusion That Extends Beyond the Workplace For women working in heavy transport, access to safe, functional infrastructure is often a barrier to participation. Recognizing this, DP World and Yusen Logistics collaborated to adapt port facilities at the Buenos Aires terminal to better serve female truck drivers entering the site. Improvements included refurbishing bathrooms, offices, and operational spaces to create safer, more comfortable, and more inclusive conditions. These changes underscore a critical reality across the logistics industry: inclusion must be supported by physical environments and operating conditions that reflect the needs of a more diverse workforce. By investing in infrastructure alongside workforce initiatives, the partnership demonstrates how inclusion can be embedded directly into daily operations. A Value Chain Approach to Gender Equity Yusen Logistics Argentina is advancing programs to increase the participation of women in heavy transport through targeted training and development initiatives. At the same time, the partnership recognizes that workforce inclusion cannot be achieved in isolation. Women drivers spend extended periods within port terminals, making it essential that those spaces are designed with safety, comfort, and accessibility in mind. By working together from the outset, DP World in Argentina and Yusen Logistics took a value chain approach - identifying operational pain points and implementing solutions that support women throughout their entire journey, from road to port. This model reflects a broader shift within logistics, where collaboration across customers, operators, and service providers is essential to creating lasting cultural change. Why Inclusion Strengthens Logistics Performance Expanding women's participation in logistics operations delivers measurable benefits at both organizational and industry levels, including: Stronger organizational culture and collaboration Broader access to skilled talent in a labor-constrained sector Enhanced employer brand and workforce retention Increased visibility of role models within port and transport operations Deeper integration of ESG principles into daily decision-making As logistics networks grow more complex, inclusive operating models are increasingly linked to resilience, safety, and long-term competitiveness. Safer Operations, Smarter Infrastructure Improving working conditions for women drivers also strengthens outcomes for all terminal users. Safer, better-designed facilities contribute to productivity, wellbeing, and more orderly operations across port environments. DP World's terminal in Buenos Aires handles approximately 26% of Argentina's containerized cargo, making continuous improvement critical to maintaining safe and reliable operations at scale. Infrastructure upgrades that support inclusion also reinforce efficiency - helping optimize rest times, traffic flow, and overall safety within the terminal. Aligning Inclusion With Global Sustainability Goals The initiative forms part of DP World's broader "Our World, Our Future" sustainability strategy and aligns with several United Nations Sustainable Development Goals spanning health and well-being, gender equality, and economic growth. It builds upon DP World's already deep commitment to diversifying the workforce across its Latin American operations - whether that's a cumulative 200% increase in female employment at Brazil's Port of Santos or achieving more than 20% female representation in the workforce at Ecuador's Port of Posorja. By pairing cross-industry collaboration with tangible operational improvements, DP World is demonstrating how inclusive logistics can be built - not through abstract commitments, but through infrastructure, partnership, and execution. Learn More Learn more about DP World's commitment to gender equality here. View additional multimedia and more ESG storytelling from DP World on 3blmedia.com. Contact Info: Spokesperson: DP World Website: https://www.3blmedia.com/profiles/dp-world Email: info@3blmedia.com SOURCE: DP World View the original press release on ACCESS Newswire:https://www.accessnewswire.com/newsroom/en/business-and-professional-services/advancing-womens-inclusion-in-argentinas-port-and-logistics-sect-1129972 Vancouver, British Columbia--(Newsfile Corp. - January 22, 2026) - Arya Resources Ltd. (TSXV: RBZ) (the "Company" or "Arya") is pleased to announce that it is mobilizing its drilling crew to commence a follow-up drill program at its Wedge Lake Gold Project in Saskatchewan, targeting the high-grade Twin Zone and T-6 Zone. This program follows the Company's recent drilling success at both zones, as announced: Twin Zone results: AR25-09 (Nov 3, 2025) 3.86 g/t Au over 44.0 m (76.5-120.5 m) including: 9.90 g/t Au over 16.0 m (89-105 m) and 26.14 g/t Au over 3.80 m (94.6-98.4 m) (76.5-120.5 m) including: T-6 Zone results: AR25-10 (Oct 20, 2025) 21.59 g/t Au over 5.84 m (41.70-47.54 m) including: 30.45 g/t Au over 4.06 m (43.48 - 47.54m) (41.70-47.54 m) including: The upcoming drill campaign is designed to build on these encouraging results by expanding known mineralized zones, testing depth and strike extensions, and further evaluating the scale and continuity of gold mineralization. Two Distinct Styles of Gold Mineralization Identified : Arya has identified two distinct styles of gold mineralization at the Wedge Lake Gold Project: T-6 Zone: Orogenic / Mesothermal gold mineralization Twin Zone: Iron Formation-hosted gold mineralization, comparable to major deposits such as Meadowbank, Lupin, and the Homestake Mine in South Dakota The T-6 Zone represents a classic orogenic gold system, characterized by structurally-controlled quartz veining, alteration, and gold mineralization formed during regional deformation and metamorphism. This style is known globally for hosting large, high-grade gold deposits. In contrast, the Twin Zone hosts gold mineralization within iron formation, a geological setting associated with some of the world's most significant gold camps. The style of mineralization at the Twin Zone shows strong similarities to: Meadowbank Gold Mine (Nunavut, Canada) Lupin Gold Mine (Northwest Territories, Canada) Homestake Mine (South Dakota, USA) These analogs highlight the potential for large, long-life gold systems within iron formation-hosted environments The Company will provide the market with further updates once drilling commences and as results become available. The Company has approved the issuance of stock options to certain board members for a total of 155,000 shares at an exercise price of $0.35 per share. On January 5, 2026, Roger March, P.Geo., a seasoned geoscientist with extensive gold exploration experience, joined the Company's Board of Directors. (Jan 05, 2026) Independent Qualified Person : Kevin Wells, P.Geo., a consulting geologist for the Company, is the independent qualified person, as defined by National Instrument 43-101 - Standards of Disclosure for Mineral Projects, for the Wedge Lake Gold Project, who has reviewed, verified, and approved the contents of this news release. About Arya Resources Ltd. (TSXV: RBZ) Arya Resources Ltd. is a Canadian mineral exploration company focused on the acquisition, exploration, and development of precious and critical-metal projects in Saskatchewan. The Company is advancing its flagship Wedge Lake Gold Project and its Dunlop Nickel-Copper-Cobalt Project, both located in mining-friendly jurisdictions with excellent infrastructure. As a Tier 2 issuer on the TSX Venture Exchange, Arya is committed to building shareholder value through discovery-driven exploration, disciplined execution, and responsible development. For more information, please visit us at www.aryaresourcesltd.com. On behalf of the Board of Directors: Rasool Mohammad, CEO Twitter: @ARYARESOURCES Facebook: @AryaResourcesLtd. LinkedIn: @AryaResourcesLtd. YouTube: @ARYARESOURCES Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accept responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this news release. Forward-Looking Statements This news release includes "forward-looking statements" that are subject to assumptions, risks and uncertainties. Statements in this news release which are not purely historical are forward-looking statements, including, without limitation, any statements concerning the Company's intentions, plans, estimates, expectations or beliefs. Although the Company believes that any forward-looking statements in this news release are reasonable, there can be no assurance that any such forward-looking statements will prove to be accurate. The Company cautions readers that all forward-looking statements, including, without limitation to those relating to the Company's future operations and business prospects, are based on assumptions, none of which can be assured, and are subject to certain risks and uncertainties that could cause actual events or results to differ materially from those indicated in the forward-looking statements. Readers are advised to rely on their own evaluation of such risks and uncertainties and should not place undue reliance on forward-looking statements. Any forward-looking statements are made as of the date of this news release, and the Company assumes no obligation to update the forward-looking statements, or to update the reasons why actual events or results could or do differ from those projected in the forward-looking statements. Except as required by law, the Company assumes no obligation to update any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise. To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/281248 Source: Arya Resources Ltd. Vancouver, British Columbia--(Newsfile Corp. - January 22, 2026) - Hertz Energy Inc. (CSE: HZ) (OTCQB: HZLIF) (FSE: A340) ("Hertz Energy" or the "Company") is pleased to announce that it has acquired a comprehensive digital geological and technical database (the "Database") related to the historic Lake George Antimony Mine ("Lake George" or the "Project"), located in south-central New Brunswick. Figure 1: Aerial view of the facilities at the former Lake George Antimony Mine (ca. 1980s). To view an enhanced version of this graphic, please visit: https://images.newsfilecorp.com/files/9656/281267_9cad8e3d0495fa27_001full.jpg HISTORIC LAKE GEORGE ANTIMONY MINE: The Lake George Antimony Mine in New Brunswick, Canada, was North America's largest primary antimony producer, operating from the 1870s until its closure in 1996 due to poor market conditions (Government of New Brunswick, Mineral Commodity Profile No. 12, 2018). The Lake George Antimony Mine is currently under care and maintenance and owned by the Province of New Brunswick and is expected to be put up for tender in the coming months. The Company's Lake George Antimony-Tungsten-Gold Project ("Tungmony Project") is a strategically positioned claims package that surrounds the past-producing Lake George Antimony Mine, and Hertz Energy has secured institutional support as a back stop and plans to submit an aggressive bid to acquire the Lake George Antimony Mine from the Province of New Brunswick in order to restart the mine. The mine produced 20,220 tonnes of antimony from 1876 to 1990 and was formerly the largest antimony producer in North America. The closure of the Durham Mine was announced on January 19th, 1990. The mining lease ("M.L. 250") was transferred to Apocan Inc. on February 27th, 1990. In 1996, Apocan completed planning and on-site work to re-activate the mine, which was officially re-opened on November 5th, 1996. Apocan dewatered and operated the mine for a short period of time in 1996; however, because of a problem with the hoist and falling antimony prices, operations were once again suspended in December 1996. A compilation of all available historical information was completed in order to help evaluate the economic potential of the Lake George Antimony Mine Property. There are four historical mineral reserve estimates published for the Lake George Antimony Mine Property. SUMMARY OF THE ACQUIRED DATABASE: The Database consolidates decades of historical exploration, mining, and technical work completed at the mine and provides Hertz Energy with a modern, integrated foundation to support future technical evaluation and exploration planning. The Database includes a fully integrated three-dimensional (3D) geological and mine model generated from digitized historical surface and underground level plans for the historical Lake George Antimony Mine. The model incorporates 452 historical surface and underground drill holes, including underground development around the historical Lawrence and Adams mine shafts, which are peripheral to the main Durham and Proust shafts. Also included is the complete historical drill hole database used to support a 2014 historical mineral resource estimate ("Historical Estimate") for Lake George, comprising 2,467 assay intervals totaling 1,768 metres of sampled core from 452 historical diamond drill holes, representing a cumulative drilled length of 85,217 metres, along with compiled assay data from underground drilling. The Database further contains all supporting files from the 2014 historical estimate, including geological and grade interpolation parameters, variography, statistical analyses, mineralized wireframes and polygons, volumetric calculations (with and without mining pillars), and grade estimation and validation files. In addition, Hertz Energy has acquired a recommended diamond drilling program designed to test the down-plunge extent of the principal mineralized zones, providing a framework for future exploration and drilling activities. The Database includes historical geological reports, maps, and scientific publications related to the Lake George antimony and tungsten deposit, including all relevant historical work reports submitted to the New Brunswick Department of Natural Resources and Energy Development (DNRED) by previous operators. With Hertz controlling the Lake George Antimony-Tungsten-Gold Project ("Tungmony Project"), a large, contiguous land package along favorable geological trends that surround one of Canada's leading past-producing critical mineral assets, the Company's Tungmony Project's scale and location provide optionality beyond the historic Lake George Mine and supports a long-term growth story rather than a single-asset thesis. Kal Malhi, CEO of Hertz Energy stated, "The acquisition of this comprehensive database is expected to significantly enhance Hertz Energy tender bid and reduce the time and cost required for Hertz Energy to evaluate the Project by consolidating historical data into a validated digital format that can be readily interrogated and updated. We plan to integrate the database into our internal geological and 3D modeling platform, and to utilize AI data compilation to refine geological interpretations, prioritize exploration targets, and design future drilling programs. Antimony and tungsten are designated as a critical minerals in Canada due to their importance in strategic, energy, and industrial applications, and historically the Lake George mine has produced some of the highest-grade antimony in North America." NEXT STEPS: PREPARE SUBMIT STRONG TENDER BID ON THE LAKE GEORGE MINE: Hertz Energy intends to complete a thorough review and verification of the acquired database, including validation of historical drill hole, assay, and geological information by a Qualified Person(s), prior to using the Database to support future exploration, drilling, and technical studies at Lake George. Concurrently, Hertz Energy will be executing an aggressive exploration program on its 100%-owned Lake George mineral claims that surround the Lake George Antimony Mine with a goal to outline a mineral resource for future feed to a re-activated Lake George Mine. Hertz Energy has secured financial support for a tender bid to be made to the Province of New Brunswick to acquire the historical Lake George Antimony Mine in 2026 when it is put up for tender. Figure 2: Hertz Energy Lake George Tungmony Claims Project Map To view an enhanced version of this graphic, please visit: https://images.newsfilecorp.com/files/9656/281267_9cad8e3d0495fa27_002full.jpg 100% OWNED HERTZ ENERGY LAKE GEORGE ANTIMONY-GOLD-TUNGSTEN "TUNGMONY" PROJECT SUMMARY The Lake George Antimony-Tungsten-Gold Project ("Tungmony Project") is located approximately 30 kilometres southwest of Fredericton, New Brunswick, and surrounds the historical Lake George Mine, once one of the largest antimony producers in North America. The project is currently 100% owned by Hertz Energy Inc. (CSE: HZ), which acquired 93 mineral claims covering roughly 2,104 hectares in two contiguous blocks around the former mine site. While the mine itself remains under the care and maintenance of the Province of New Brunswick, Hertz has initiated discussions with the provincial government regarding the potential acquisition or tender of the mining lease. Geologically, the Lake George area hosts a complex polymetallic system characterized by antimony, gold, molybdenum, and tungsten mineralization. The mineralization occurs mainly within Ordovician sedimentary and volcanic rocks situated along the contact with the Lake George granodiorite intrusion. Structural controls, including north and northwest-trending faults and en-echelon vein systems, play a critical role in localizing mineralized zones. Antimony is found primarily as stibnite, typically in quartz-carbonate veins ranging from one to two metres in thickness that dip gently to the north. Several of these veins, along with associated gold-bearing systems, were developed historically in a series of underground workings that extended over two kilometres along strike and to depths exceeding 400 metres. Mining at Lake George dates back to the late 1800s, with several phases of modern production between the 1970s and 1990s. Between 1972 and 1981, the operation produced approximately 34,000 tonnes of concentrate grading 65-66% antimony, while a subsequent phase from 1985 to 1990 mined roughly one million tonnes of mineralized material averaging about 4% Sb. The mine infrastructure included three shafts and development on roughly ten underground levels, with processing facilities and a tailings impoundment on site. Despite its strong production history, operations ceased largely due to declining antimony prices rather than depletion of the resource potential. Today, Hertz Energy is conducting a comprehensive data compilation and regional exploration program over its 100% owned mineral claims, which cover about ten kilometres of strike length along favourable stratigraphy adjacent to the intrusive contact. Planned work includes geological mapping, prospecting, biochemical and soil geochemistry, along with ground and high-resolution airborne geophysics to identify new targets for drilling. The company's exploration focus is not only on the historical high-grade stibnite veins but also on the potential for additional tungsten and gold-rich and polymetallic mineralization within the broader structural corridor. The Company's Tungmony Project includes ~10 km of prospective strike length across favorable geological formations, including sediments near intrusive contacts, enhancing the likelihood of discovering mineralization and extending the high-grade mineralization found at the adjacent Lake George Antimony Mine. Beyond antimony, the Company's Lake George Antimony-Gold-Tungsten claims package holds potential for gold, molybdenum and tungsten, among other critical minerals. The project benefits from its location within a well-developed mining jurisdiction with excellent infrastructure, including road access, power, and a skilled local workforce. Moreover, antimony has been designated a critical mineral in Canada and many other jurisdictions, increasing the strategic importance of deposits like Lake George. The project benefits from several existing factors, such as strong commodity prices, historical high-grade production, existing infrastructure, and large-scale geological potential, positioning Lake George as a promising opportunity for the resurgence of antimony, tungsten and gold exploration in Atlantic Canada. Qualified Person Statement All scientific and technical information in this news release has been reviewed and approved by Paul Teniere, P.Geo., a geological consultant to the Company and considered a Qualified Person for the purposes of National Instrument 43-101 (NI 43-101). ABOUT ANTIMONY/TUNGSTEN-IN SHORT SUPPLY In August 2024, China announced antimony export restrictions which take effect on September 15, 2024 (source: Reuters, August 28, 2024) and are expected to have significant implications for the global antimony supply chain. China's announcement of antimony export restrictions has added fuel to a red-hot market and opens another potential flash-point with the West for control of critical minerals. Antimony is a little-known metal with multiple applications. Antimony's largest end-use is as a flame retardant, but it is also found in solar panels and batteries. The U.S. Department of the Interior has designated it a critical mineral because it is also essential for armour-piercing ammunition, infrared sensors, and precision optics. Antimony prices have nearly doubled since the start of 2025 to a record $22,750 per tonne in part because of shrinking exports from major producers and a global deficit of the metal. China's exports are in medium-term decline due to higher demand from its solar energy sector, while Russian supply has been crimped by falling output and Western sanctions. The flow from other big producing nations such as Vietnam, Tajikistan, and Myanmar has been disrupted by the re-routing of shipments from the Red Sea due to Houthi attacks on shipping. Analysts estimate the market was already looking at a 10,000-ton shortfall before China's export restrictions. These new controls are not targeted at any specific country, but Chinese authorities can refuse licences to export to individual end-user companies or countries as they see fit. The global tungsten market is experiencing a severe supply crunch in 2025-2026, driven by a combination of Chinese export restrictions, reduced production quotas, and soaring demand from high-tech and defense industries, leading to record-high prices. OPTIONS GRANT Hertz Energy is pleased to announce the Company has granted, subject to regulatory approval, an aggregate of 1,100,000 stock options to directors, officers, employees and consultants of the Company, pursuant to the terms of the Company's Omnibus Plan. The options are exercisable for a period of 3 years from the date of grant at the price of $0.32 per share. The options vest immediately are subject to the provisions of the Omnibus Plan and the policies of the CSE. About Hertz Energy Inc. The Company is a British Columbia based junior exploration company primarily engaged in the acquisition and exploration of energy metals mineral properties. The Company's lithium exploration projects include the AC/DC and Agastya Lithium Projects in James Bay Quebec. Hertz Energy's 100% owned Harriman Antimony Project in the Gaspe Region of Quebec and the Lake George Antimony-Tungsten Project in New Brunswick are part of the Company's growing property portfolio. For further information, please contact Mr. Kal Malhi or view the Company's filings at www.sedarplus.ca. Neither the Canadian Securities Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this news release. Cautionary Statement Regarding "Forward-Looking" Information This news release includes certain statements that may be deemed "forward-looking statements." Forward-looking statements in this news release include but are not limited to, statements about the Offering and the Company's expectations with respect to the foregoing. Factors that could cause future results to differ materially from those anticipated in forward-looking statements in this news release include the tax treatment of the FT Shares. All statements in this new release, other than statements of historical facts, that address events or developments that the Company expects to occur, are forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements are statements that are not historical facts and are generally, but not always, identified by the words "expects", "plans", "anticipates", "believes", "intends", "estimates", "Deposits", "potential" and similar expressions, or that events or conditions "will", "would", "may", "could" or "should" occur. Although the Company believes the expectations expressed in such forward-looking statements are based on reasonable assumptions, such statements are not guarantees of future performance and actual results may differ materially from those in the forward-looking statements. Factors that could cause the actual results to differ materially from those in forward-looking statements include market prices, continued availability of capital and financing, political and regulatory risks associated with mining and exploration, risks related to environmental regulation and liability. the potential for delays in exploration or development activities or the completion of feasibility studies, risks and uncertainties relating to the interpretation of drill results, the geology, grade and continuity of mineral deposits, risks related to the inherent uncertainty of production and cost estimates and the potential for unexpected costs and expenses, results of prefeasibility and feasibility studies, the possibility that future exploration, development or mining results will not be consistent with the Company's expectations, and general economic, market or business conditions. Investors are cautioned that any such statements are not guarantees of future performance and actual results or developments may differ materially from those Deposited in the forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements are based on the beliefs, estimates and opinions of the Company's management on the date the statements are made. Except as required by applicable securities laws, the Company undertakes no obligation to update these forward-looking statements in the event that management's beliefs, estimates or opinions, or other factors, should change. To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/281267 Source: Hertz Energy Inc. ANN ARBOR, MI / ACCESS Newswire / January 22, 2026 / Dynamic Aerospace Systems ("DAS") (OTCQB:BRQL), a leading innovator in unmanned drones and aerospace technologies, today announced the appointment of Robin Hoops, CPA-CA, as Interim Chief Financial Officer. Ms. Hoops brings more than 20 years of accounting, finance, treasury, financial reporting, audit, and senior management experience across both private and publicly traded companies in Canada and the United States. Her appointment strengthens DAS's financial leadership as the Company continues to scale operations and advance its readiness for an NYSE uplisting, including the implementation of robust policies, procedures, internal controls, and public-company reporting infrastructure. "Robin's depth of experience in public company reporting, audit readiness, internal controls, and transaction support makes her an excellent fit for DAS at this stage of growth," said Dynamic Aerospace Systems Executive Team. "Her leadership will be instrumental as we continue to build the governance, compliance, and financial systems required to support our long-term growth strategy and potential NYSE uplist." In her role as Interim CFO, Ms. Hoops will oversee DAS's finance and accounting functions, including financial reporting, internal controls, treasury, budgeting and forecasting, audit coordination, and compliance with public company requirements. Her mandate includes further strengthening policies and procedures aligned with exchange listing standards and supporting the Company's ongoing capital markets and strategic initiatives. A Little About Robin Hoops Robin Hoops, CPA-CA, is a highly experienced accounting and finance executive with over two decades of experience supporting private and publicly traded companies across a broad range of industries. She has led public financial reporting functions, managing end-to-end processes for annual and quarterly filings, registration statements, earnings materials, proxy statements, and investor communications. Ms. Hoops has extensive experience with technical accounting for complex transactions, including business combinations, equity compensation, leases, revenue recognition, and fair value measurements, and has established and administered equity stock plans for publicly listed companies following IPOs. Ms. Hoops has worked closely with private equity firms and portfolio companies to convert accounting systems, implement internal controls, manage debt covenants, and execute first-year audits following acquisitions. Earlier in her career, she spent more than six years in public accounting, providing assurance services and serving in quality control and advisory roles. She is a Chartered Professional Accountant (CPA-CA), holds a Bachelor of Commerce in Accounting from the Haskayne School of Business, University of Calgary, and a Master of Science in Criminal Justice from Saint Joseph's University. She has also completed the AICPA Core Forensic Accounting and Specialized Forensic Accounting Certificates. About Dynamic Aerospace Systems (DAS): Dynamic Aerospace Systems is a Nevada-incorporated business dedicated to developing innovative aerospace technologies, with a focus on advanced drones (UAVs) for military defense and commercial applications. Committed to engineering excellence and strategic partnerships, DAS delivers reliable, high-performance solutions to meet the evolving needs of the aerospace industry. The Company's common stock is traded on the OTCQB Market under the ticker symbol "BRQL." For more information about DAS, visit: https://www.dynamicaerosystems.com/investor-relations/why-dynamic Contact Information: Dynamic Aerospace Systems (DAS) 3753 Plaza Dr, Ann Arbor, MI 48108 Investor Relations: ir@dynamicaerosystems.com Media Inquiries: media@dynamicaerosystems.com Follow DAS news and updates: X: https://x.com/DynamicAeroSys LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/dynamic-aerospace-systems/ BlueSky: https://bsky.app/profile/dynamicaerosys.bsky.social Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61572730386312 StockTwits: https://stocktwits.com/symbol/BRQL Forward-Looking Statements This press release contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Forward-looking statements include, but are not limited to, statements regarding the anticipated impact of Ms. Hoops' appointment, the Company's readiness for a potential NYSE uplisting, the implementation and effectiveness of policies, procedures, and internal controls, and the Company's future growth and strategic initiatives. These statements are based on current expectations, assumptions, and estimates and involve risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially, including but not limited to changes in market conditions, regulatory requirements, exchange listing standards, availability of capital, execution risks, and other risks detailed from time to time in the Company's public disclosures. Dynamic Aerospace Systems undertakes no obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statements to reflect events or circumstances after the date of this release, except as required by law. SOURCE: Dynamic Aerospace Systems View the original press release on ACCESS Newswire:https://www.accessnewswire.com/newsroom/en/computers-technology-and-internet/dynamic-aerospace-systems-otcqb-brql-appoints-robin-hoops-as-inte-1129977 NOT FOR DISTRIBUTION TO UNITED STATES NEWSWIRE SERVICES OR FOR RELEASE, PUBLICATION, DISTRIBUTION OR DISSEMINATION DIRECTLY, OR INDIRECTLY, IN WHOLE OR IN PART, IN OR INTO THE UNITED STATES. TORONTO, ON / ACCESS Newswire / January 22, 2026 / Premier American Uranium Inc. ("PUR", the "Company" or "Premier American Uranium") (TSXV:PUR)(OTCQB:PAUIF) is pleased to announce that, as a result of strong investor demand, the Company has entered into an amended agreement with Red Cloud Securities Inc. ("Red Cloud") as lead underwriter and sole bookrunner, on behalf of a syndicate of underwriters (the "Underwriters"), pursuant to which the Underwriters have now agreed to purchase for resale 14,444,444 units of the Company (the "Units") at a price of C$0.90 per Unit for gross proceeds of C$13,000,000 (the "Offering"). Each Unit will consist of one common share of the Company and one-half of one common share purchase warrant (each whole warrant, a "Warrant"). Each whole Warrant shall entitle the holder to purchase one common share of the Company at a price of C$1.26 at any time on or before that date which is 36 months after the Closing Date (as herein defined). The Company has agreed to grant to the Underwriters an option, exercisable up to 48 hours prior to the Closing Date, to purchase for resale up to an additional 2,222,222 Units at the Offering Price for additional gross proceeds of up to approximately C$2,000,000 (the "Underwriters' Option"). The Company intends to use the net proceeds of the Offering for the exploration and advancement of the Company's uranium projects in New Mexico and Wyoming as well as for working capital and general corporate purposes. Subject to compliance with applicable regulatory requirements and in accordance with National Instrument 45-106 - Prospectus Exemptions ("NI 45-106"), a portion of the Units will be offered for sale to purchasers resident in all of the provinces of Canada except Quebec pursuant to the listed issuer financing exemption under Part 5A of NI 45-106, as amended by Coordinated Blanket Order 45-935 - Exemptions from Certain Conditions of the Listed Issuer Financing Exemption (the "Listed Issuer Financing Exemption"). The securities sold to purchasers resident in Canada under the Listed Issuer Financing Exemption are expected to be immediately freely tradeable in accordance with applicable Canadian securities legislation. A portion of the Units will also be offered in the United States or to, or for the account or benefit of, U.S. persons, by way of private placement pursuant to the exemptions from the registration requirements provided for under the United States Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the "U.S. Securities Act"), and in jurisdictions outside of Canada and the United States on a private placement or equivalent basis, in each case in accordance with all applicable laws, provided that no prospectus, registration statement or other similar document is required to be filed in such jurisdiction. The securities offered to purchasers outside of Canada will not be sold pursuant to the Listed Issuer Financing Exemption, but instead will be issued pursuant to an exemption from the prospectus requirements in Canada available under OSC Rule 72-503 and are also not expected to be subject to a four-month hold period in Canada. There is an amended and restated offering document (the "Amended Offering Document") dated January 22, 2026 related to the Offering and the use by the Company of the Listed Issuer Financing Exemption that can be accessed under the Company's profile at www.sedarplus.ca and on the Company's website at www.premierur.com. Prospective investors should read this Amended Offering Document before making an investment decision. The Offering is anticipated to close on or about February 3, 2026 (the "Closing Date"), or such other date as the Company and Red Cloud may agree. Completion of the Offering is subject to certain conditions including but not limited to the receipt of all necessary approvals, including the approval of the TSX Venture Exchange. This news release does not constitute an offer to sell or a solicitation of an offer to buy nor shall there be any sale of any of the securities in any jurisdiction in which such offer, solicitation or sale would be unlawful, including any of the securities in the United States of America. The securities referred to in this news release have not been, and will not be, registered under the U.S. Securities Act or any U.S. state securities laws, and may not be offered or sold in the United States or to, or for the account or benefit of, U.S. persons, absent registration or any applicable exemption from the registration requirements of the U.S. Securities Act and applicable U.S. state securities laws. About Premier American Uranium Inc. Premier American Uranium is focused on consolidating, exploring, and developing uranium projects across the United States to strengthen domestic energy security and advance the transition to clean energy. The Company's extensive land position spans five of the nation's top uranium districts, with active work programs underway in New Mexico's Grants Mineral Belt and Wyoming's Great Divide and Powder River Basins. Backed by strategic partners including Sachem Cove Partners, IsoEnergy Ltd., Mega Uranium Ltd., and other leading institutional investors, PUR is advancing a portfolio supported by defined resources and high-priority exploration and development targets. Led by a distinguished team with deep expertise in uranium exploration, development, permitting, operations, and uranium-focused M&A, the Company is well positioned as a key player in advancing the U.S. uranium sector. For More Information, Please Contact: Premier American Uranium Inc. Colin Healey, CEO info@premierur.com Toll-Free: 1-833-223-4673 Twitter: @PremierAUranium www.premierur.com Neither TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulations Services Provider (as that term is defined in policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this news release. Cautionary Statement Regarding Forward-Looking Information This news release contains "forward-looking information" within the meaning of applicable Canadian securities laws. Forward-looking statements in this news release include, without limitation, statements regarding the closing of the Offering, the anticipated closing date of the Offering, the intended use of proceeds from the Offering, the filing of the Amended Offering Document and the receipt of regulatory approvals for the Offering. Generally, but not always, forward-looking information and statements can be identified by the use of words such as "plans", "expects", "is expected", "budget", "scheduled", "estimates", "forecasts", "intends", "anticipates", or "believes" or the negative connotation thereof or variations of such words and phrases or statements that certain actions, events or results "may", "could", "would", "might" or "will be taken", "occur" or "be achieved" or the negative connotation thereof. Forward-looking information and statements are based on our current expectations, beliefs, assumptions, estimates and forecasts about PUR's business and the industry and markets in which it operates. Such forward-information and statements are based on numerous assumptions, including among others, that the results of planned exploration activities are as anticipated, the price of uranium, the anticipated cost of planned exploration activities, the completion, timing and results of planned exploration activities being consistent with expectations, the anticipated mineralization being consistent with expectations, that general business and economic conditions will not change in a material adverse manner, that financing will be available if and when needed and on reasonable terms, that third party contractors, equipment and supplies and governmental and other approvals required to conduct the Company's planned exploration activities will be available on reasonable terms and in a timely manner. Although the assumptions made by PUR in providing forward-looking information or making forward-looking statements are considered reasonable by management at the time, there can be no assurance that such assumptions will prove to be accurate. Forward-looking information and statements also involve known and unknown risks and uncertainties and other factors, which may cause actual results, performances and achievements of Premier American Uranium to differ materially from any projections of results, performances and achievements of Premier American Uranium expressed or implied by such forward-looking information or statements, including, among others: limited operating history, negative operating cash flow and dependence on third party financing, uncertainty of additional financing, delays or failure to obtain required permits and regulatory approvals, changes in mineral resources, no known mineral reserves, aboriginal title and consultation issues, reliance on key management and other personnel; potential downturns in economic conditions; availability of third party contractors; availability of equipment and supplies; failure of equipment to operate as anticipated; accidents, effects of weather and other natural phenomena and other risks associated with the mineral exploration industry; changes in laws and regulation, competition, and uninsurable risks and the risk factors with respect to Premier American Uranium set out in PUR's annual information form for the year ended December 31, 2024 and the other documents of PUR filed with the Canadian securities regulators and available under PUR's profile on SEDAR+ at www.sedarplus.ca. Although PUR has attempted to identify important factors that could cause actual actions, events or results to differ materially from those contained in the forward-looking information or implied by forward-looking information, there may be other factors that cause results not to be as anticipated, estimated or intended. There can be no assurance that forward-looking information and statements will prove to be accurate, as actual results and future events could differ materially from those anticipated, estimated or intended. Accordingly, readers should not place undue reliance on forward-looking statements or information. PUR undertakes no obligation to update or reissue forward-looking information as a result of new information or events except as required by applicable securities laws. SOURCE: Premier American Uranium Inc. View the original press release on ACCESS Newswire:https://www.accessnewswire.com/newsroom/en/metals-and-mining/premier-american-uranium-announces-upsize-of-bought-deal-private-placement-to-c13-1129980 Toronto, Ontario--(Newsfile Corp. - January 22, 2026) - Mogotes Metals Inc. (TSXV: MOG) (FSE: OY4) (OTCQB: MOGMF) ("Mogotes" or the "Company") is pleased to announce the closing of its previously announced "bought deal" private placement offering pursuant to the Listed Issuer Financing Exemption (as defined below) of an aggregate of 35,937,500 units of the Company (the "Units") at a price of C$0.32 per Unit for aggregate gross proceeds of C$11,500,000 (the "Offering"), which includes the full exercise of the option granted to the Underwriters (as defined below). Each Unit consists of one common share of the Company (a "Common Share") and one-half (0.5) of one Common Share purchase warrant (each whole warrant, a "Warrant") of the Company. Each Warrant is exercisable to acquire one Common Share (a "Warrant Share") for a period of 36 months following the closing date of the Offering at an exercise price of C$0.53 per Warrant Share. Stifel Nicolaus Canada Inc., as lead underwriter and sole bookrunner, together with Canaccord Genuity Corp. (collectively, the "Underwriters"), acted as underwriters under the Offering pursuant to the terms of an underwriting agreement dated January 22, 2026 between the Company and the Underwriters. The net proceeds of the Offering shall be used for funding the Company's exploration work programs and development of the Company's Filo Sur property, and general working capital purposes, all as further described in the Offering Document (as defined below). In accordance with National Instrument 45-106 - Prospectus Exemptions ("NI 45-106"), the Units were issued to purchasers resident in certain provinces of Canada, except Quebec, pursuant to the listed issuer financing exemption under Part 5A of NI 45-106, as amended by Coordinated Blanket Order 45-935 - Exemptions from Certain Conditions of the Listed Issuer Financing Exemption (the "Listed Issuer Financing Exemption"). Pursuant to the Listed Issuer Financing Exemption, the Units, and the Common Shares, Warrants and Warrant Shares underlying the Units, issued pursuant to the Offering are not subject to a statutory hold period in Canada pursuant to applicable Canadian securities laws. The Units were also offered in the United States or to, or for the account or benefit of, U.S. persons, by way of private placement pursuant to exemptions from the registration requirements of the United States Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the "U.S. Securities Act"), and in jurisdictions outside of Canada and the United States on a private placement or equivalent basis, in each case in accordance with all applicable laws, provided that no prospectus, registration statement or other similar document is required to be filed in such jurisdiction. In connection with the Offering, the Company paid the Underwriters an aggregate cash commission of $690,000 and issued to the Underwriters an aggregate 2,156,250 compensation warrants (the "Compensation Warrants"). Each Compensation Warrant entitles the holder to acquire a Common Share of the Company at a price of C$0.32 per Common Share for a period of 24 months from the closing of the Offering. The Compensation Warrants and Common Shares issuable upon exercise of the Compensation Warrants are subject to a hold period in accordance with applicable Canadian securities law, expiring four months and one day following the issue date, being May 23, 2026. The Offering is subject to final approval by the TSX Venture Exchange. There is an offering document of the Company related to the Offering (the "Offering Document") that can be accessed under the Company's issuer profile on SEDAR+ at www.sedarplus.ca and on the Company's website at www.MogotesMetals.com. This news release does not constitute an offer to sell or a solicitation of an offer to buy nor shall there be any sale of any of the securities in any jurisdiction in which such offer, solicitation or sale would be unlawful, including any of the securities in the United States. The securities described herein have not been, and will not be, registered under the U.S. Securities Act or any state securities laws and may not be offered or sold within the United States or to, or for account or benefit of, U.S. Persons (as defined in Regulation S under the 1933 Act) unless registered under the U.S. Securities Act and applicable state securities laws, or an exemption from such registration requirements is available. About Mogotes Metals Inc. Mogotes Metals Inc. is a mineral exploration company exploring for copper and gold in the prospective Vicuna district of Argentina and Chile. Mogotes flagship project, Filo Sur, adjoins the large Filo del Sol Copper-gold-silver discovery, and is along the same N-S trending belt as the Filo Del Sol - Aurora and NGEx Minerals Lunahuasi and Los Helados copper-gold deposits. Follow Us Twitter: https://x.com/mogotesmetals Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-Looking Statements: Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release. This news release contains certain "forward-looking information" or "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of applicable securities laws. Forward-looking information or forward-looking statements are frequently characterized by words such as "plan", "expect", "project", "intend", "believe", "anticipate", "estimate", "may", "will", "would", "potential", "proposed" and other similar words, or statements that certain events or conditions "may" or "will" occur. All statements, other than statements of historical fact that address activities, events or developments that the Company believes, expects or anticipates will or may occur in the future are forward-looking statements. Such forward-looking statements include statements relating to the Offering, including the Company's intended use of the net proceeds of the Offering and the receipt of final approval of the Offering from the TSX Venture Exchange. Forward-looking statements are subject to significant risks and uncertainties and other factors that could cause the actual results to differ materially from those discussed in the forward-looking statements, and even if such actual results are realized or substantially realized, there can be no assurance that they will have the expected consequences or effects on the Company. Forward-looking information is based on the opinions and estimates of management at the date the information is provided, and is subject to a variety of risks and uncertainties and other factors that could cause actual events or results to differ materially from those projected in the forward-looking information. For a description of the risks and uncertainties facing the Company and its business and affairs, readers should refer to the Company's Management's Discussion and Analysis filed on the Company's issuer profile on SEDAR+. The Company undertakes no obligation to update forward-looking information if circumstances or management's estimates or opinions should change, unless required by law. The reader is cautioned not to place undue reliance on forward-looking information. NOT FOR DISTRIBUTION TO UNITED STATES NEWSWIRE SERVICES OR DISSEMINATION IN THE UNITED STATES To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/281269 Source: Mogotes Metals Inc. Deals for property & casualty and benefits brokers in US and Canada slip but include purchases of four firms with $268 million to $2.9 billion in revenues, OPTIS Partners reports MINNEAPOLIS, MN / ACCESS Newswire / January 22, 2026 / The pace of M&A activity slowed in 2025 as the number of buyers has continued to shrink since 2021 - both signs of the industry's consolidation, according to OPTIS Partners, an investment banking and financial consulting firm specializing in the insurance industry. Firms announced 695 insurance agency mergers and acquisitions in 2025, down 12% from 2024, the OPTIS Partners database revealed. "The story of 2025 is more like that of 2019 than any year since then," said Steve Germundson, partner at OPTIS Partners. "Similarities include an annual deal pace between 650 and 700 and a relatively even distribution of deals throughout the year. In fact, 2019 and 2025 are the only years when the Q4 deal volume was lower than the other quarters and December was not the busiest month for closings," he said. "For the third consecutive year, there was no mad dash to close deals at year-end. The M&A market continues in a steady, albeit slowing state," said Tim Cunningham, managing partner. Private-equity backed firms lead buyers OPTIS Partners tracks buyers by four groups: private equity-backed/hybrid buyers, privately held brokers, publicly held brokers, and all others. The private equity-backed/hybrid buyers continued to dominate, accounting for 73% of all acquisitions. Besides insurance brokers such as BroadStreet, these buyers now include institutional investors such as family offices, pension funds, and sovereign wealth funds. "Notably, the private-equity-backed broker subgroup announced 11% fewer deals," said Germundson. Privately held brokers announced 9% fewer acquisitions, while publicly held brokers did 27% fewer deals. BroadStreet and Hub lead buyers BroadStreet Partners, a PE/hybrid broker, led the pack with 69 acquisitions, down from 90 in 2024. It was followed by Hub International with 49 deals versus 61 in 2024 and Inszone Insurance Services, 45 deals versus 48. Leavitt Group was the only privately held broker to crack the top- 10 list, with 29 deals announced in 2025. Ten firms did 20 or more deals in 2025. Megadeals included Arthur J. Gallagher acquiring San Francisco-based Woodruff Sawyer ($268 million in revenues) and Assured Partners ($2.9 billion in revenues) in Daytona Beach, Fla. Brown & Brown bought Boston-based Accession Risk Management ($1.7 billion in revenues) while The Baldwin Group purchased CAC Group, based in Denver and Birmingham ($282 million in revenues). Valuations stay high "We expect more large deals and recapitalizations in 2026 as the chase for scale continues," Cunningham said. "This will continue to benefit the better sellers, whose valuations should remain at their current heady levels, absent a major change in the underlying economy or the insurance marketplace." The number of unique buyers in 2025 totaled 95, which is 9% lower than the 104 reported for 2024. P&C sellers get bulk of interest Property & casualty insurance agency sellers accounted for 455 of the total 695 transactions (66%), while 94 employee benefits specialists deals totaled13%. Agents selling both property & casualty and employee benefits insurance accounted for 9% of deals, while the all other category accounted for 12%. The full report can be read at https://optisins.com/wp/2026/01/2025-ma-report. AboutOPTIS Partners Focused exclusively on the insurance-distribution marketplace, Minneapolis-based OPTIS Partners (www.optisins.com) offers merger & acquisition representation for buyers and sellers, including due-diligence reviews. It provides appraisals of fair market value; financial-performance review, including trend analysis and internal controls; and ownership transition and perpetuation planning. Contact: Steve Germundson, OPTIS Partners, germundson@optisins.com 612-758-0598 Tim Cunningham, OPTIS Partners, cunningham@optisins.com, 312-543-5425 Dan Menzer, OPTIS Partners, menzer@optisins.com, 630-520-0490 Henry Stimpson, Stimpson Communications, Henry@StimpsonCommunications.com SOURCE: OPTIS Partners View the original press release on ACCESS Newswire:https://www.accessnewswire.com/newsroom/en/banking-and-financial-services/insurance-agency-mergers-and-acquisitions-dip-12-in-2025-1129832 Open Cosmos satellites successfully deployed into a 1050km circular Earth orbit Cements Open Cosmos as a reliable satellite communications partner and represents a leap forward for real-time global monitoring and connectivity HARWELL, United Kingdom, Jan. 22, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Open Cosmos, the company building satellites to understand and connect the world, has today launched the first satellites in its new proprietary low-Earth-orbit (LEO) telecom constellation, just one week after securing high-priority Ka-band spectrum. The two satellites, launched by Rocket Lab from Mahia Peninsula, New Zealand on its Electron rocket for the mission named 'The Cosmos Will See You Now', represent the first activation phase of Open Cosmos' future-ready satellite network - a programme designed to deliver scalable, resilient and coordinated space-based services for Europe and the world. Lift-off took place as scheduled at 10:52 (GMT) / 11:52 (CET) / 23.52 local time (NZDT) on 22 January, ushering Open Cosmos from constellation design and manufacturing into on-orbit validation - sitting at 1050km circular Earth orbit. Beyond the technical achievement, the launch serves as a powerful proof point for Open Cosmos' constellation readiness. It confirms that the system design, manufacturing processes and operational model are flight-ready - laying the groundwork for the phased roll-out of the wider network in the months ahead. Commenting on the launch, Rafel Jorda Siquier, Founder and CEO of Open Cosmos, said: "This launch is a major milestone for Open Cosmos and a critical step in our mission to provide secure, sovereign connectivity for Europe and the world. Moving from spectrum to satellites in-orbit demonstrates not only the maturity of our system, but our ability to turn strategic ambition into operational capability extremely fast. "These first satellites lay the groundwork for a resilient network designed to support governments, institutions and commercial partners with dependable space infrastructure when it matters most." The first two satellites are the result of a truly pan-European effort, with teams across the UK, Spain, Portugal and Greece contributing to the programme. Together, they showcase Open Cosmos' vertically integrated approach - from mission design and satellite production to operations. The satellites will operate under Spain's regulatory framework for satellite registration and operational licensing. Rocket Lab Founder and CEO, Sir Peter Beck, said: "What a great way to start off the year, by welcoming a new customer and launching a mission tailored just for them. We're proud to deliver their payload to orbit and with Rocket Lab's proven track record of consistent quality and 100% mission success in recent years, I'm confident to say they made the right choice. Partnering with Open Cosmos is an exciting opportunity, and we look forward to supporting our European partners in achieving their launch goals." From spectrum to space The launch follows Open Cosmos' recent (14th January) award of scarce High-Priority Ka-band spectrum filings from the Principality of Liechtenstein, a critical enabler for the company's constellation ambitions. With the satellites now in orbit, Open Cosmos can begin testing and validating the system performance in real operational conditions. In orbit, the satellites will be used to: Test satellite operations and first testbed demonstrations Validate system developments across the wider future network Demonstrates proof-of-concept for Open Cosmos constellation readiness Together, they form the foundation for a scalable, multi-satellite architecture designed to meet growing global demand for reliable space-based capabilities. By combining in-house manufacturing, European engineering talent and access to strategically valuable spectrum, Open Cosmos is positioning itself as a new kind of constellation builder: agile, collaborative and focused on delivering practical, deployable space infrastructure providing secure connectivity and critical data. Contact: 361 Communications Emma Banbury +44 7470172288 | emmab@361communications.com Tom Clayton +44 7932429296 | tom@361communications.com Photos accompanying this announcement are available at https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/21224288-e62b-4451-bc0b-7a789fe2ed7b https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/2fa83fa8-bc7e-4657-b3a0-254900434aa7 https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/e387f14a-d8fd-4d55-ab59-58858b0dd9f3 https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/8a306b1a-0582-4fe7-979d-0519406ebbd9 https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/c29b8ab4-2ace-4cdd-9fe2-89b5910b9f4f https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/e237e893-225c-4c80-ae2d-b4b26ded1ac6 https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/e3ba5608-5f22-443c-a8f7-04cfe00db0ae Pentwater Capital Management LP - Form 8.3 - JTC PLC PR Newswire LONDON, United Kingdom, January 22 FORM 8.3 PUBLIC OPENING POSITION DISCLOSURE/DEALING DISCLOSURE BY A PERSON WITH INTERESTS IN RELEVANT SECURITIES REPRESENTING 1% OR MORE Rule 8.3 of the Takeover Code (the "Code") 1. KEY INFORMATION (a) Full name of discloser: Pentwater Capital Management LP (b) Owner or controller of interests and short positions disclosed, if different from 1(a): The naming of nominee or vehicle companies is insufficient. For a trust, the trustee(s), settlor and beneficiaries must be named. N/A (c) Name of offeror/offeree in relation to whose relevant securities this form relates: Use a separate form for each offeror/offeree JTC plc (d) If an exempt fund manager connected with an offeror/offeree, state this and specify identity of offeror/offeree: N/A (e) Date position held/dealing undertaken: For an opening position disclosure, state the latest practicable date prior to the disclosure 21/01/2026 (f) In addition to the company in 1(c) above, is the discloser making disclosures in respect of any other party to the offer? If it is a cash offer or possible cash offer, state "N/A" N/A 2. POSITIONS OF THE PERSON MAKING THE DISCLOSURE If there are positions or rights to subscribe to disclose in more than one class of relevant securities of the offeror or offeree named in 1(c), copy table 2(a) or (b) (as appropriate) for each additional class of relevant security. (a) Interests and short positions in the relevant securities of the offeror or offeree to which the disclosure relates following the dealing (if any) Class of relevant security: 1p ordinary Interests Short positions Number % Number % (1) Relevant securities owned and/or controlled: (2) Cash-settled derivatives: 3,175,000 1.84 (3) Stock-settled derivatives (including options) and agreements to purchase/sell: TOTAL: 3,175,000 1.84 All interests and all short positions should be disclosed. Details of any open stock-settled derivative positions (including traded options), or agreements to purchase or sell relevant securities, should be given on a Supplemental Form 8 (Open Positions). (b) Rights to subscribe for new securities (including directors' and other employee options) Class of relevant security in relation to which subscription right exists: Details, including nature of the rights concerned and relevant percentages: 3. DEALINGS (IF ANY) BY THE PERSON MAKING THE DISCLOSURE Where there have been dealings in more than one class of relevant securities of the offeror or offeree named in 1(c), copy table 3(a), (b), (c) or (d) (as appropriate) for each additional class of relevant security dealt in. The currency of all prices and other monetary amounts should be stated. (a) Purchases and sales Class of relevant security Purchase/sale Number of securities Price per unit (b) Cash-settled derivative transactions Class of relevant security Product description e.g. CFD Nature of dealing e.g. opening/closing a long/short position, increasing/reducing a long/short position Number of reference securities Price per unit (GBP) 1p ordinary swap Increasing a long position 400000 12.9 (c) Stock-settled derivative transactions (including options) (i) Writing, selling, purchasing or varying Class of relevant security Product description e.g. call option Writing, purchasing, selling, varying etc. Number of securities to which option relates Exercise price per unit Type e.g. American, European etc. Expiry date Option money paid/ received per unit (ii) Exercise Class of relevant security Product description e.g. call option Exercising/ exercised against Number of securities Exercise price per unit (d) Other dealings (including subscribing for new securities) Class of relevant security Nature of dealing e.g. subscription, conversion Details Price per unit (if applicable) 4. OTHER INFORMATION (a) Indemnity and other dealing arrangements Details of any indemnity or option arrangement, or any agreement or understanding, formal or informal, relating to relevant securities which may be an inducement to deal or refrain from dealing entered into by the person making the disclosure and any party to the offer or any person acting in concert with a party to the offer: Irrevocable commitments and letters of intent should not be included. If there are no such agreements, arrangements or understandings, state "none" None (b) Agreements, arrangements or understandings relating to options or derivatives Details of any agreement, arrangement or understanding, formal or informal, between the person making the disclosure and any other person relating to: (i) the voting rights of any relevant securities under any option; or (ii) the voting rights or future acquisition or disposal of any relevant securities to which any derivative is referenced: If there are no such agreements, arrangements or understandings, state "none" None (c) Attachments Is a Supplemental Form 8 (Open Positions) attached? NO Date of disclosure: 22/01/2026 Contact name: Hooman Tavakolian Telephone number: +1 312-914-4301 Public disclosures under Rule 8 of the Code must be made to a Regulatory Information Service. The Panel's Market Surveillance Unit is available for consultation in relation to the Code's disclosure requirements on +44 (0)20 7638 0129. The Code can be viewed on the Panel's website at www.thetakeoverpanel.org.uk. London, United Kingdom--(Newsfile Corp. - January 22, 2026) - Carpets Online, has officially launched. The nationwide e-commerce platform, marks a significant milestone in growth for S&R Carpets, a long-established family flooring business with more than 40 years of heritage in West Yorkshire. To view an enhanced version of this graphic, please visit: https://images.newsfilecorp.com/files/9405/281104_3110a8aeb44f78f9_001full.jpg The move online is driven by years of increasing demand from customers outside the region who travelled from cities including London, Birmingham and Manchester to buy from S&R Carpets because of its reputation for quality, service and pricing. Word of mouth and repeat business highlighted a clear opportunity: customers wanted access to the same value and service without having to travel. Expanding online is the natural next step. Over the past four decades, the business has grown from one small local shop into four successful retail stores across West Yorkshire, bucking industry trends that have seen many independent retailers close and major chains struggle. Customer behaviour has also changed, with more people preferring the convenience of buying online. These shifts confirmed the decision to create a dedicated digital brand for nationwide customers. Carpets Online launches with a carefully selected range of bestsellers and exclusive designs, all available for shipment within 36 hours. This approach allows the company to offer fast, reliable delivery and competitive pricing while maintaining strong service levels. Typical delivery times are three to five working days for England and Wales and four to seven days for more remote regions. There have already been occasions where customers received their flooring the next day after being let down by another retailer. The online range includes popular products such as the Dreams collection, known for its thick 20mm soft pile, and the SCS Olympia and Supreme ranges, which have become customer favourites thanks to substantial value and wide colour choice. These ranges are priced significantly lower than those of many other retailers. One example is a product sold elsewhere at 33.99 per square metre, which Carpets Online offers at 17.97 due to bulk buying and low overheads. The new website also offers exclusive ranges sourced directly from manufacturers, including Richmond Deluxe and Dreams. Grey Carpets are still the most popular colour choice, with Beige Carpets making a comeback in 2025. For kitchens and bathrooms, Herringbone Vinyl flooring is the top choice. Carpets Online attract a lot of customers looking for luxury carpets - some for thick carpets for the bedroom or those specifically looking for a soft carpet that feels great underfoot. About 30% of its clients are landlords or developers who know they can leave Carpets Online to manage the whole flooring requirements, allowing them to concentrate on other aspects of the refurb. As a general trend, LVT is gaining significant popularity across the UK and is a product Carpets Online will focusing on heavily in 2026. Rhys Nicholson, Sales Manager from Carpets Online says: "Customers using the new site are already praising the personal service the team provides, which is reflected in our great reviews on Trustpilot. Rather than relying solely on online chat, staff regularly call customers to help them choose the right flooring for their home. Buying flooring is an emotional decision for many people, and speaking to a real person makes the experience easier and more reassuring." Behind the scenes, the business has invested heavily to support this nationwide growth. The company recently moved into a new 9,000-square-foot warehouse, expanded logistics partnerships, and started recruiting additional staff, with a strong commitment to hiring locally. The long-term vision is to become a nationally recognised brand known for excellent service, transparency and value, following the same principles that have guided the business for the last 40 years. About Carpets Online Carpets Online aims to provide quality flooring at affordable prices for customers across the UK. The business has more than 40 years of experience in the carpet and flooring industry, beginning as a single shop serving the local community in West Yorkshire. Over time, it has expanded into multiple retail units and a dedicated carpet warehouse. This growth has enabled the company to purchase key ranges directly from manufacturers, lowering costs and allowing it to offer some of the most competitive prices for luxury carpets. As word spread and prices remained consistently strong, more customers and trade buyers began travelling from outside Yorkshire. This growing nationwide demand led to the creation of Carpets Online, giving customers across the UK access to the same value and service that built the company's reputation in its home region. To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/281104 Source: BrandingBuzz.Agency SUNNY ISLES BEACH, FL / ACCESS Newswire / January 22, 2026 / Elektros Inc. (OTC PINK:ELEK), a developer of lithium mining operations in Sierra Leone, today announced that it has begun active discussions with international freight and logistics providers as it evaluates shipping solutions to transport hard-rock lithium from Sierra Leone, Africa to the United States. The Company is currently engaging with multiple global shipping and freight-forwarding firms to obtain competitive pricing, evaluate transit timelines, and ensure a smooth and efficient process for the shipment of an initial two-container export of raw, hard-rock lithium material. These discussions are focused on reliability, speed, cost efficiency, and regulatory compliance as Elektros works toward initiating its first commercial exports. "This is an incredibly exciting and meaningful milestone for Elektros," said Shlomo Bleier, Chief Executive Officer of Elektros Inc. "Engaging in discussions with leading global shipping companies marks a major step forward in our journey. It reflects the progress we are making and the confidence we have in our lithium project. We believe this moment represents a compelling opportunity not only for our Company, but for investors around the world who want to participate in the future of clean energy, electrification, and responsible resource development." Lithium remains one of the most critical materials supporting the global transition to electric vehicles, renewable energy storage, and modern electronics. Benzinga has highlighted lithium as the backbone of modern battery technology, powering electric vehicles, consumer electronics, and large-scale energy storage systems that support renewable power infrastructure worldwide. Reuters has emphasized that lithium has become one of the most strategically important materials of the modern era, noting that it sits at the heart of electric vehicles, grid-scale energy storage, and the global push toward cleaner and more secure energy systems. According to Reuters, demand for lithium is expected to remain strong for decades as governments and industries accelerate investments in electrification and renewable power. Elon Musk has described lithium-based batteries as "the new oil," emphasizing their critical importance in powering electric vehicles, energy storage systems, and the global transition toward sustainable and environmentally responsible energy solutions. Electros believes its hard-rock lithium project in Sierra Leone positions the Company at the forefront of supplying critical raw materials into the global battery supply chain. The Company views the selection of the right shipping and logistics partners as a key step toward executing its export strategy and advancing its role as a reliable supplier of lithium to the United States. About Elektros, Inc. Elektros Inc. (OTC PINK: ELEK) is focused on developing an artisanal lithium mining operation in Sierra Leone, Africa. The Company's business plan includes exploration, development, and the eventual export of hard-rock lithium to lithium refineries in the United States. Website: www.elektros.energy Cautionary Statement Regarding Forward-Looking Information This press release contains forward-looking statements that involve risks and uncertainties. These statements are based on current expectations and assumptions and are not guarantees of future performance. Actual results may differ materially from those expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. Elektros Inc. undertakes no obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statements. For additional information, please refer to the Company's filings with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission at www.sec.gov. Contact: Elektros, Inc. IR and Media Inquiries Email: ElektrosInc@gmail.com SOURCE: Elektros, Inc. View the original press release on ACCESS Newswire:https://www.accessnewswire.com/newsroom/en/automotive/elektros-enters-strategic-talks-with-global-shipping-companies-to-advance-u.s.-bound-lit-1130000 LONDON, Jan. 22, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- ViewSonic Corp., a leading global provider of visual and EdTech solutions, has showcased two new ViewBoard series at Bett 2026, marking the industry's first Android 16-powered interactive displays for education. Designed for fast responsiveness and reliable everyday use across modern academic spaces, both EDLA-certified series feature advanced 64-point multi-touch technology, as well as built-in ambient light and PIR motion sensors that support improved energy efficiency. In addition to the global hardware debut, ViewSonic has also presented its latest education software advancements, reinforcing its integrated ecosystem for both K-12 and higher education institutions. "To deliver a trusted and reliable ecosystem that institutions can trust over the long term, ViewSonic remains focused on advancing products and solutions to keep pace with the needs of teaching and learning," said Dennis Lin, General Manager of ViewSonic Education Solutions. "In response to educators' expectations for secure and future-ready classroom technology, we are introducing the new ViewBoard series powered by the latest operating system. At Bett, we are also highlighting real-world school implementations to demonstrate how ViewSonic helps institutions improve teaching workflows and everyday learning experiences." Introducing the Newest ViewBoard Series The EDLA-certified ViewBoard IFP35-1 Series* and ViewBoard IFP41-1 Series*, powered by Android 16, deliver precise and intuitive interaction through 64-point multi-touch technology and palm rejection. Built-in ambient light and PIR motion sensors support sustainability by automatically adjusting screen brightness and powering the display on when the classroom is in use and off when unoccupied. The IFP41-1 Series is an advanced model optimized for discussion-based and collaborative learning. Featuring a complete speaker system with a subwoofer and microphone to support clearer communication and richer audio, together with Write Away instant annotation, the display supports seamless, real-time collaboration that enhances classroom interaction. With availability in five wide sizes ranging from 55 to 98 inches, the IFP41-1 Series supports diverse teaching space configurations across higher education, including lecture halls, seminar rooms, and hybrid learning spaces. Powering Education Through Integrated Software and Ecosystem Innovations Both of ViewSonic's latest interactive display series are powered by the newly enhanced myViewBoard digital whiteboarding software, featuring a redesigned interface, real-time collaboration tools, Participate Mode for student engagement, and built-in accessibility features. The platform supports flexible lesson planning and seamless content integration across different formats and devices, allowing educators to easily adapt their teaching workflows. At Bett 2026, ViewSonic has also showcased its scalable Education Ecosystem by combining myViewBoard with AirSync for seamless wireless casting and Manager for centralized IT control. Together, these solutions enable diverse deployment across classrooms and campus settings, helping institutions streamline teaching workflows and device management. Real-World Deployments Across Primary, Secondary, and Higher Education ViewSonic's integrated solutions are already being deployed in real-world learning environments. Education institutions in the UK are adopting these solutions across diverse settings: In primary and secondary education, Harris Academy Beckenham uses ViewBoard displays together with myViewBoard to enhance interactive teaching and collaborative learning in classrooms. In higher education, Teesside University uses ViewBoard displays and ViewSonic GAMING monitors across flexible teaching and learning spaces to enrich collaboration, creative work, and immersive learning experiences. Nottingham College represents a large-scale, multi-campus deployment that combines ViewBoard displays, All-in-One Direct View LED (dvLED) Displays, commercial displays, monitors, and centralized IT management with Manager to support teaching, campus communication, and diverse learning environments. Visit ViewSonic at Booth NK20, ExCel London by January 23 to experience first-hand how its scalable Education Ecosystem is being applied across classrooms and campuses. For more information, see ViewSonic's Bett 2026 event page: https://www.viewsonic.com/uk/bett2026. *Product availability may vary by region. Select models are expected to become available from Q2 to Q3 2026. About ViewSonic Founded in 1987 and headquartered in Brea, California, ViewSonic is a leading global provider of visual solutions for the education, business, and consumer markets, with a presence in over 100 countries. Driven by the mission to transform education, workplaces, and lives, the company delivers a unified ecosystem of innovative hardware, software, and services that integrates seamlessly with the platforms, tools, and partners customers trust. Its product portfolio includes monitors, projectors, interactive displays, LED displays, commercial displays, video conferencing systems, and industrial solutions. Complementing its hardware is a robust suite of software offerings-including myViewBoard, ClassSwift, TeamOne, Manager, and AirSync-featuring AI-powered tools for collaboration, device optimization, and management. By empowering creativity, collaboration, and lifelong learning, ViewSonic supports customers at every stage in achieving their business and sustainability goals, creating a lasting impact and helping people everywhere connect with purpose-and See the Difference. Learn more at www.viewsonic.com. Photo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/2867327/Image_1_ViewSonic_showcases_its_Education_Ecosystem_at_Bett_2026.jpg Photo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/2867328/Image_2__ViewBoard_IFP35_1_Series_with_Android_16_demonstrates_rich_and_interactive_teaching_content.jpg Logo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/2832003/Logo.jpg View original content:https://www.prnewswire.co.uk/news-releases/viewsonic-unveils-industrys-first-android-16-powered-interactive-displays-and-education-ecosystem-innovations-at-bett-2026-302668033.html Ability to Protect 90+ SaaS Apps Drive Industry Recognition Boston, Massachusetts, Jan. 22, 2026, a leader for modern data protection for on-prem, cloud, and SaaS and one of the fastest growing companies in the industry, today announced that the company has been named a Leader in the IDC MarketScape: Worldwide SaaS Data Protection 2025-2026 Vendor Assessment (doc US52971725, December 2025). "From day one, we set out to build the world's leading platform for SaaS data protection," said Simon Taylor, HYCU Founder and CEO. "We believe being named a Leader in the IDC MarketScape validates that vision, not just in terms of innovation, but in how we execute at scale for enterprise customers. HYCU R-Cloud is purpose-built to simplify protection across the modern SaaS stack, and this recognition underscores our commitment to giving organizations the control, resilience, and visibility they need to stay protected as their environments evolve." HYCU's Innovation and Core Platform Focus The IDC MarketScape highlights the following strengths for HYCU: Breadth of SaaS coverage: HYCU supports a large number of SaaS applications, including coverage for mainstream business applications, such as M365, Salesforce, and Google Workspace, and more niche DevOps applications. Deep, API-level integration allows for object-level recovery, with rapid connector development via AI and low-code frameworks. Rapid SaaS application integration: HYCU's proprietary backup development framework enables fast development of new SaaS integrations. This allows quick responses to customer demands. Full data sovereignty and control: For SaaS application data backup storage, HYCU uses a bring-your-own-storage (BYOS) model, ensuring all backup data remains fully under customer control. HYCU does not store or touch customer data, enabling compliance with strict data residency, privacy, and sovereignty requirements. Fully offline and readable back up data: SaaS application data is readable even if the SaaS provider is down, allowing some measure of continued operation and functionality. This also enables failover to an available region in the case of a SaaS application only being partially unavailable. Why Enterprises Choose HYCU HYCU's leadership is built on deep innovations in SaaS data protection that go beyond basic backup and restore. HYCU supports a large number of SaaS applications, including mainstream services like Microsoft 365, Salesforce, and Google Workspace, as well as niche DevOps, productivity, and industry-specific tools such as GitHub, GitLab, Bitbucket, iManage Cloud, Terraform, CircleCI, Notion, Asana, DocuSign, and Miro. Deep, API-level integrations enable granular, object-level recovery and rapid development of new connectors using HYCU's low-code, AI-assisted backup development framework. HYCU R-Graph, its visibility tool, discovers all applications in use, SaaS or not, helping organizations uncover shadow IT and close protection gaps across their environment. These capabilities give IT buyers a powerful way to consolidate SaaS data protection, simplify operations, and reduce risk while keeping pace with the rapid adoption of new applications. "We believe this recognition from IDC MarketScape is a milestone for HYCU, but more importantly, it's a signal to the market," Taylor added. "SaaS data protection is no longer a niche need, it's a core pillar of IT strategy. As SaaS adoption accelerates, we'll continue to be a leader with a platform built for what's next." To read more on why IDC MarketScape named HYCU a Leader, download the Excerpt. For more information on HYCU, visit www.hycu.com, follow us on X, connect with us on LinkedIn, Facebook, Instagram, BlueSky, and YouTube. ### About IDC MarketScape: IDC MarketScape vendor assessment model is designed to provide an overview of the competitive fitness of technology and service suppliers in a given market. The research utilizes a rigorous scoring methodology based on both qualitative and quantitative criteria that results in a single graphical illustration of each supplier's position within a given market. IDC MarketScape provides a clear framework in which the product and service offerings, capabilities and strategies, and current and future market success factors of technology suppliers can be meaningfully compared. The framework also provides technology buyers with a 360-degree assessment of the strengths and weaknesses of current and prospective suppliers. About HYCU? HYCU is the fastest-growing leader in the multi-cloud and SaaS data protection as a service industry. By bringing true SaaS-based data backup and recovery to on-premises, cloud-native, and SaaS IT environments, the company provides unrivaled data protection, migration, disaster recovery, and ransomware protection to thousands of companies worldwide. The company's award-winning R-Cloud platform eliminates complexity, risk, and the high cost of legacy-based solutions, providing data protection simplicity to make it the #1 SaaS Data Protection platform. With an industry leading NPS score of 91, HYCU has raised $140M in VC funding to date and is based in Boston, Mass. Learn more at www.hycu.com.? Don Jennings HYCU, Inc. 617-791-1710 don.jennings@hycu.com Toronto, Ontario--(Newsfile Corp. - January 22, 2026) - C3 Metals Inc. (TSXV: CCCM) (OTCQB: CUAUF) ("C3 Metals" or the "Company") is pleased to announce, due to investor demand the Company and Paradigm Capital Inc. ("Paradigm"), as lead underwriter and sole bookrunner, on behalf of a syndicate of underwriters (the "Underwriters"), have agreed to increase the size of the Company's previously announced bought deal private placement offering (the "Offering"). Under the amended Offering, 22,134,800 common shares of the Company (the "Shares") are to be issued at $1.10 per Share (the "Issue Price") for gross proceeds of $24,348,280. The Company has also granted the Underwriters an option to purchase up to an additional 3,320,000 Shares at the Issue Price for additional gross proceeds of up to $3,652,220, exercisable in whole or in part prior to the closing date of the Offering. The Company intends to use the net proceeds of the Offering for exploration and development activities at the Company's 100%-owned Khaleesi Copper-Gold project, for exploration and development activities at the Company's 50%-owned Super Block project, and general working capital purposes. The Offering is being made by way of private placement in the provinces of Canada. The Shares may also be offered in the United States pursuant to exemptions from the registration requirements of the United States Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and in such other jurisdictions as may be mutually agreed upon by the Underwriters and the Company. The securities issued under the Offering will be subject to a hold period expiring four months and one day after the closing date of the Offering. The Offering is expected to close on or about February 11, 2026 and is subject to certain closing conditions including, but not limited to, the receipt of all necessary regulatory and other approvals including the approval of the TSX Venture Exchange. A cash commission equal to 6.0% on the gross proceeds of the Offering shall be paid to the Underwriters, subject to the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange and applicable securities laws. The Offering may constitute a related party transaction within the meaning of TSX Venture Exchange Policy 5.9 and Multilateral Instrument 61-101 - Protection of Minority Security Holders in Special Transactions ("MI 61-101") as insiders of the Company may participate in the Offering. Should insiders participate, the Company will rely on the exemptions from the valuation and minority shareholder approval requirements of MI 61-101 contained in sections 5.5(b) and 5.7(1)(a) of MI 61-101, as the Company is not listed on a specified market and the fair market value of the proposed participation in the Offering by the insiders will not exceed 25% of the market capitalization of the Company in accordance with MI 61-101. The securities described herein have not been, and will not be, registered under the United States Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the "U.S Securities Act"), or any applicable securities laws of any state of the United States and may not be offered or sold within the United States or to, or for the account or benefit of, U.S. persons absent such registration or an applicable exemption from such registration requirements. This release does not constitute an offer for sale or the solicitation of an offer to buy any of the securities in the United States or to, or for the account or benefit of, a U.S. person. "U.S. person" and "United States" are as defined in Regulation S under the U.S. Securities Act. ABOUT C3 METALS INC. C3 Metals Inc. is a mineral exploration company focused on creating substantive value for its shareholders through the discovery and development of large copper and gold deposits. The Company holds approximately 31,000 hectares located in the prolific high-grade Andahuaylas-Yauri Porphyry-Skarn belt of Southern Peru, which contain the Company's Jasperoide and Khaleesi projects. Mineralization at Jasperoide is hosted in a similar geological setting to the nearby major mining operations at Las Bambas (MMG), Constancia (Hudbay) and Antapaccay (Glencore). At Jasperoide, the Company has identified over 13 skarn prospects and an outcropping porphyry system over two parallel 28km belts. The Company has published a maiden resource estimate on the first of these skarn targets, which contained Measured & Indicated Resources of 52Mt at 0.5% copper and 0.2 g/t gold[1]. The Company is also actively exploring in Jamaica where it has identified 16 porphyry, 40 epithermal and multiple volcanic redbed copper prospects over a 30km strike extent. The Company holds a 100% interest in 17,855 hectares of exploration licenses, of which Freeport-McMoRan Exploration Corporation, a wholly-owned affiliate of Freeport-McMoRan Inc. (NYSE: FCX), has the option on 13,020 hectares to earn up to a 75% interest by funding up to US$75 million of exploration and project related expenditures. The Company also holds a 50% interest in 9,870 hectares in a joint venture with Geophsyx Jamaica Ltd, the largest mineral tenure holder in the country. Barrick Mining Corp. announced on May 1, 2024 that it had entered into an earn-in agreement with Geophysx Jamaica Ltd. on approximately 400,000 hectares of exploration licenses, several of which surround C3 Metals' mineral concessions. Mining is currently the second largest industry in Jamaica, and historical mining dates back to the colonial eras of the 1500s (Spanish) and 1800s (British). Related Link: www.c3metals.com Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release. Caution Regarding Forward Looking Statements Certain statements contained in this press release constitute forward-looking information. These statements relate to future events or future performance. The use of any of the words "could", "intend", "expect", "believe", "will", "projected", "estimated" and similar expressions and statements relating to matters that are not historical facts are intended to identify forward-looking information and are based on the Company's current belief or assumptions as to the outcome and timing of such future events. Actual future results may differ materially. In particular, this release contains forward-looking information relating to, among other things, the completion of the Offering (including timing) and the intended use of the proceeds from the Offering. Those assumptions and factors are based on information currently available to the Company. Although such statements are based on reasonable assumptions of the Company's management, there can be no assurance that any conclusions or forecasts will prove to be accurate. While the Company considers these assumptions to be reasonable based on information currently available, they may prove to be incorrect. Forward looking information involves known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors which may cause the actual results, performance or achievements to be materially different from any future results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by the forward-looking information. Such factors include risks relating to obtaining necessary approvals for and satisfying other conditions to the Offering, risks inherent in the exploration and development of mineral deposits, including risks relating to changes in project parameters as plans continue to be redefined, risks relating to variations in grade or recovery rates, risks relating to changes in mineral prices and the worldwide demand for and supply of minerals, risks related to increased competition and current global financial conditions and the COVID-19 pandemic, access and supply risks, reliance on key personnel, operational risks, and regulatory risks, including risks relating to the acquisition of the necessary licenses and permits, financing, capitalization and liquidity risks. The forward-looking information contained in this release is made as of the date hereof, and the Company is not obligated to update or revise any forward-looking information, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, except as required by applicable securities laws. Because of the risks, uncertainties and assumptions contained herein, investors should not place undue reliance on forward-looking information. The foregoing statements expressly qualify any forward-looking information contained herein. [1] Based on the assumptions and parameters outlined in the NI 43-101 Technical Report titled Jasperoide Copper-Gold Project Cusco Region, Peru dated July 5, 2023. NOT FOR DISTRIBUTION TO UNITED STATES NEWS WIRE SERVICES OR FOR DISSEMINATION IN THE UNITED STATES To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/281278 Source: C3 Metals Inc. The "Italy Tractor Market Research Report 2025-2030" report has been added to ResearchAndMarkets.com's offering. The Italy Tractor Market was sized at 15,448 units in 2024, and is projected to reach 16,589 units by 2030, rising at a CAGR of 1.19% CNH Industrial N.V., SDF Group, AGCO Corporation, AGRO Tractors, Kubota Corporation, and Deere Company led the Italy tractor market. These companies have strong market share and offer diverse sets of agricultural tractors in the Italian market. Furthermore, Antonio Carraro, BCS Group, CLAAS KGaA mbH, Goldoni Keestrack, YANMAR HOLDINGS CO., LTD., and TAFE are other prominent vendors in the Italy tractor market. CNH Industrial N.V., SDF Group, and AGCO Corporation have emerged as the undisputed leaders, collectively capturing over significant market share in 2024. Their long-standing presence has given them the advantage of understanding local farming needs, seasonal cycles, and customer behavior better than new entrants. Book a free live call now to get in-depth insights into the exact market share of the leading vendors in the Italian tractor market. Farmers in the Italian tractor market are increasingly adopting GPS-guided tractors equipped with IoT sensors, enabling real-time monitoring of soil conditions and optimizing the application of water, fertilizers, and pesticides. This shift enhances efficiency and reduces environmental impact. Furthermore, in February 2025, AGCO signed a supply agreement where Massey Ferguson tractors will be built by SDF. The partnership aims for SDF to produce low to mid-horsepower Massey Ferguson tractors, up to 85 horsepower, for several global markets beginning in mid-2025. TRACTOR MARKET TRENDS Growing Use of Alternative Fuel in Tractors Diesel engines have dominated agricultural machinery for years due to their efficiency. However, their environmental impact has stimulated the development of cleaner technologies. To alleviate the environmental impact, the industry is exploring various alternative fuels. In February 2025, New Holland, in adherence to its strategy of sustainable farming, launched the T6.180 Methane Power tractor. Also, for Fendt Tier 4 tractors, Ecomotive Solutions introduced a dual-fuel system in 2024 that allows biomethane to be used in addition to diesel. DRIVERS OF THE ITALY TRACTOR MARKET Government Policy and Credit Support System Approximately $3.37 billion was stated under the CAP Plan to help roughly 800,000 farmers cope with a growing number of climatic adversities and natural disasters. Over $11.2 billion of the Plan's budget is earmarked for interventions aimed at the climate and environment. Moreover, in 2023, Italy announced to allocation of approximately $2.24 billion to organic farming, as it is considered a production technique contributing to the targets of the European Green Deal. Increased Focus on Organic Farming The Italian government has been significantly investing in organic farming parallel to the European Union's Green Deal goals. Italy laid out USD 3.4 billion to transform 25% of the country's agricultural land to organic farming by 2027. Furthermore, in 2022, the Italian government approved new legislation establishing an "Organic Made in Italy" label as well as a national strategy to support organic production across the agricultural sector. Such factors are projected to support the Italy tractor market growth. Also, according to the figures released by the Italian government, the Italian organic market exceeded $7.3 billion in 2024, recording an increase of 5.7% compared to 2023. INDUSTRY RESTRAINTS Agricultural Credit Crunch in Italy Italy's agricultural sector is witnessing an unprecedented challenge of accessing credit which is threatening farm modernization efforts and jeopardizing the future of Italian farming. The country is also experiencing a significant decline in its land credit. Therefore, from 2009 to 2023 the land credit severely declined by 40%. Due to a lack of essential financing, Italian farmers are struggling to invest in modern machinery and equipment, adopt precision agriculture techniques, implement sustainable farming practices, and expand operations to achieve economies of scale. Climate Variability on Agriculture and the Looming Water Scarcity As per 2024 data, the southern parts of Italy, such as Sicily and Sardinia, are facing intense droughts that have devastated agriculture and livestock. According to (Istituto Nazionale di Statistica) Istat data, agricultural production fell by 1.8% in real terms in 2024, compared to 2022, while added value recorded a more marked decline of 2.5%. The decline was attributed to the adverse weather conditions. Furthermore, persistent rainfall in May 2024 delayed the transplantation of tomato plants. GEOGRAPHICAL ANALYSIS The Italy tractor market in the North witnessed the largest shipments in 2024, accounting for over 47% in 2024. In the Northern region, Lombardy led the tractors market with total sales in 2024. Furthermore, the Southern region is recorded as the fastest-growing region of Italy. In the Southern region, Molise experienced substantial growth. Molise's agricultural landscape is characterized by small-scale farms and cooperatives, with a significant portion of businesses operating as micro or small enterprises. The Central Italy tractors market witnessed shipments of 2.9 thousand units in 2024. Central Italy encompasses the Tuscany, Umbria, Lazio, Marche, and Abruzzo regions. Tuscany is one of the primary wine-producing regions. The Island region in Italy's tractor market shipments is expected to reach 1.7 thousand units by 2030. Italy's island region comprises Sicily and Sardinia. Sicily is the main producer of citrus, olives, and grapes, while Sardinia specializes in wheat and barley cultivation. Italy Tractor Market News In February 2025, John Deere announced major initiatives to support the ability of European and U.S. farmers to maintain and repair their equipment in the agricultural and construction sectors. In February 2025, AGCO Corporation and SDF (SAME, DEUTZ-FAHR) signed a supply agreement that will offer farmers a streamlined low-mid range horsepower tractor portfolio for AGCO's leading Massey Ferguson brand. In February 2025, the Kubota Group exhibited its technologies at CES 2025, focused on integrating automation, AI, connectivity, and sustainability. In April 2025, the new Fendt e100 V Vario electric tractor was presented to the Italian farmers in two-day events dedicated to the new electric tractor from Fendt. KEY QUESTIONS ANSWERED How big is the Italy tractor market? What is the growth rate of the Italy tractor market? What are the significant trends in the Italy tractor market? Who are the key players in the Italy tractor market? Which region dominates the Italy tractor market share? Key Attributes: Report Attribute Details No. of Pages 99 Forecast Period 2024 2030 Estimated Market Value in 2024 15448 Units Forecasted Market Value by 2030 16589 Units Compound Annual Growth Rate 1.1% Regions Covered Italy Key Company Profiles CNH Industrial N.V. Deere Company AGCO Corporation Kubota Corporation SDF Group TAFE Other Prominent Company Profiles YANMAR HOLDINGS CO., LTD. CLAAS KGaA mbH Antonio Carraro BCS S.p.A. Goldoni Keestrack srl Argo Tractors S.p.A. For more information about this report visit https://www.researchandmarkets.com/r/4udjt9 About ResearchAndMarkets.com ResearchAndMarkets.com is the world's leading source for international market research reports and market data. We provide you with the latest data on international and regional markets, key industries, the top companies, new products and the latest trends. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20260122401209/en/ Contacts: ResearchAndMarkets.com Laura Wood, Senior Press Manager press@researchandmarkets.com For E.S.T Office Hours Call 1-917-300-0470 For U.S./ CAN Toll Free Call 1-800-526-8630 For GMT Office Hours Call +353-1-416-8900 Dubai, United Arab Emirates--(Newsfile Corp. - January 22, 2026) - ITA Business Consultants has introduced an updated structure and content flow on yourtaxadvice.com, positioning the website as an informational entry point for businesses seeking clarity on regulatory and tax-related considerations in the United Arab Emirates. ITA Business Consultants Updates yourtaxadvice.com to Address Evolving UAE Compliance and Advisory Needs To view an enhanced version of this graphic, please visit: https://images.newsfilecorp.com/files/8814/281283_bfc87f7394caa918_002full.jpg Responding to a More Regulated Business Environment As the UAE continues to refine its corporate tax, VAT, and compliance frameworks, businesses-particularly new entrants-are facing a more complex regulatory environment. The updated website reflects this shift by organizing guidance around compliance awareness rather than promotion of individual services, helping visitors understand obligations before taking action. The platform outlines common regulatory touchpoints faced by companies at different stages, including incorporation planning, tax registration considerations, and reporting readiness. This structure is intended to help decision-makers assess compliance exposure early and seek professional guidance at appropriate milestones. Advisory Access Through Structured Information Rather than presenting isolated service pages, the update emphasizes advisory pathways that connect information with consultation access. Visitors reviewing topics related to business setup, tax planning, or ongoing compliance can identify when professional input may be required, supporting informed engagement with ITA Business Consultants. "Many companies struggle not because requirements are unclear, but because information is fragmented," said Daniel Zhao, representative of ITA Business Consultants. "This update focuses on context-helping businesses understand where they stand within the regulatory framework before moving forward." Supporting Long-Term Operational Readiness The revised site also highlights areas that often emerge after incorporation, including VAT-related obligations, accounting alignment, and compliance monitoring. By framing these topics as part of a broader operational lifecycle, yourtaxadvice.com supports businesses seeking long-term regulatory stability rather than short-term setup solutions. About ITA Business Consultants ITA Business Consultants provides advisory-led support for businesses operating in the United Arab Emirates, with a focus on company formation guidance, compliance awareness, and tax-related consultation. The firm works with organizations at various stages to support informed decision-making within the UAE's regulatory environment. For more information, visit: https://yourtaxadvice.com/ To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/281283 Source: Plentisoft Vancouver, British Columbia--(Newsfile Corp. - January 22, 2026) - Visionary Copper and Gold Mines Inc. (TSXV: VCG) (OTCQB: VCGMF) ("Visionary" or "the Company") is pleased to announce that a feature article produced by Market One highlighting the Company's near-surface critical and precious metal rich deposits in stable Canadian mining jurisdictions including the flagship Point Leamington deposit in Newfoundland has been published on BNN Bloomberg. The article examines Visionary's focus on advancing gold-, copper-, zinc-, and silver-rich VMS assets in supportive Canadian mining jurisdictions, the strategic advantages of the Point Leamington deposit, and the Company's upcoming exploration plans as it prepares for its first exploration drilling campaign. Cannot view this video? Visit: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YxE8p54DXac To read the full article, please visit BNN Bloomberg at: https://www.bnnbloomberg.ca/investment-trends/2026/01/22/visionary-copper-and-gold-targets-growing-its-near-surface-critical-and-precious-metals-rich-deposit-in-newfoundland/ About Visionary Copper and Gold Mines Inc. Visionary Copper and Gold Mines Inc. (TSXV: VCG) (OTCQB: VCGMF) is advancing its portfolio of base and precious metals rich deposits located in established Canadian mining jurisdictions. The focus of the portfolio is highlighted by the 100% owned Point Leamington Deposit in Newfoundland, located in one of the richest VMS and Gold Districts in Canada. The Company prepared a pit constrained Indicated Mineral Resource of 5.0 Mt grading 2.5 g/t AuEq for 402 koz AuEq (145.7 koz gold, 60.0 Mlb copper, 153.5 Mlb zinc, 2.0 Moz silver, 1.5 Mlb lead), a pit constrained Inferred Mineral Resource of 13.7 Mt grading 2.24 g/t AuEq for 986.5 koz AuEq (354.8 koz gold, 110.2 Mlb copper, 527.3 Mlb zinc, 6.2 Moz silver, 7.0 Mlb lead) and an out-of-pit Inferred Mineral Resource of 1.7 Mt grading 3.06 g/t AuEq for 168.5 koz AuEq (65.4 koz gold, 13.3 Mlb copper, 102.9 Mlb zinc, 1.4 Moz Ag, 2.6 Mlb lead) (see news release dated October 25, 2021). Additionally, the Company is permitting the Rainbow deposit at its rich VMS Pine Bay Project located near existing infrastructure in the Flin Flon Mining District. The Company prepared an indicated mineral resource on the Rainbow deposit of 3.44 Mt grading 3.59% CuEq for 272.4 Mlb CuEq (238.3 Mlb Cu, 56.9 Mlb Zn, 37.6 koz Au, 692.8 koz Ag, 2.3 Mlb Pb), an inferred mineral resource on the Rainbow deposit of 1.28 Mt grading 2.95% CuEq containing 83.4 Mlb CuEq (72.1 Mlb Cu, 19.5 Mlb Zn, 11.1 koz Au, 222.2 Koz Ag, 0.8 Mlb Pb) and an inferred mineral resource at the Pine Bay deposit of 1.0 Mt grading 2.62% Cu containing 58.1 Mlb Cu (see news release dated July 10, 2023). Additionally, the portfolio includes the Nash Creek Project located in the VMS rich Bathurst Mining District of New Brunswick. A 2018 PEA generates a strong economic return with a pre-tax IRR of 34.1% (25.2% post-tax) and NPV8% of $230 million ($128 million post-tax) at $1.25 Zinc (see news release dated May 14, 2018). Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release. Some statements in this news release contain forward-looking information. These statements include, but are not limited to, statements with respect to future expenditures. These statements address future events and conditions and, as such, involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors which may cause the actual results, performance or achievements to be materially different from any future results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by the statements. Such factors include, among others, completing the private placement financing, the ability to complete the proposed drill program and the timing and amount of expenditures. Except as required under applicable securities laws, Visionary does not assume the obligation to update any forward-looking statement. About Market One Market One is North America's leading marketing agency for public companies, delivering best-in-class content creation and distribution. The firm helps position companies for meaningful engagement with potential investors through a suite of products across video, editorial, and social media. Clients benefit from increased visibility and strengthened awareness through Market One's relationships with industry-leading media outlets, including BNN Bloomberg, Benzinga, and Barchart. Contact: Hasnain Raza hasnain@marketone.ca or +1 (778) 960-8744 To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/281286 Source: Market One Media Group Inc. Toronto, Ontario--(Newsfile Corp. - January 22, 2026) - 1290448 B.C. Ltd. (the "Company") and Investmin Resources Inc. ("Investmin") are pleased to announce the closing of the third and final tranche of Investmin's previously announced private placement financing of Subscription Receipts (as defined herein) for aggregate gross proceeds of approximately $1,785,000, including the exercise of a portion of the Agents' Option (as defined herein). The Financing (as defined herein) was undertaken in connection with the proposed business combination and reverse take-over transaction involving the Company and Investmin, which was previously announced by the Company on October 22, 2025 (the "Transaction"). In connection with the closing of this tranche of the Financing, Investmin issued 1,785,000 subscription receipts (the "Subscription Receipts") at a price of CAD$1.00 per Subscription Receipt (the "Issue Price") (the "Financing"). The Financing was led by SCP Resource Finance LP ("SCP") and Paradigm Capital Inc. (together with SCP, the "Lead Agents"), on behalf of themselves and a syndicate of agents, including Canaccord Genuity Corp. and Cormark Securities Inc. (collectively with the Lead Agents, the "Agents"). The Agents were granted an option (the "Agents' Option"), exercisable in whole or in part, at any time up to three business days prior to the latest closing date to arrange for the purchase and sale of up to an additional 15,000,000 Subscription Receipts at the Issue Price for additional gross proceeds of up $15,000,000, of which 15,000,000 has been exercised and nil remains exercisable. The net proceeds of the Financing have been deposited into escrow and are being held in trust pending the satisfaction of certain escrow release conditions in connection with the Transaction (the "Escrow Release Conditions"), and, following the completion of the Transaction, will be used to fund Investmin's acquisition of a certain group of mining claims situated in Pershing County, Nevada (the "Property") from Rosebud Exploration LLC (the "Acquisition"), exploration of the Property, as well as for general corporate and working capital purposes. The Property consists of 226 unpatented load mining claims covering approximately 1,809 acres (732 hectares) that are on U.S. Bureau of Land Management (BLM) lands and includes the former Rosebud mine, which produced nearly 400,000 oz gold and 2,300,000 oz silver between 1997 and 2000. Certain members of Investmin management participated in the Financing. Each Subscription Receipt entitles the holder thereof to receive one common share of Investmin (each, an "Investmin Share"). Each Subscription Receipt will be automatically converted (for no further consideration and with no further action on the part of the holder thereof) upon the satisfaction of certain of the Escrow Release Conditions in connection with the Transaction on or before the escrow release deadline for one Investmin Share immediately before completion of the Transaction. Immediately after the conversion of the Subscription Receipts, each Investmin Share issued pursuant to the conversion of the Subscription Receipts will be automatically exchanged into common shares (the "Resulting Issuer Shares") of the entity resulting from the Transaction. Prior to completion of the Transaction (the "Closing"), it is a condition to completion of the Transaction that: (i) the common shares of the Company (the "Company Shares"), including any Company Shares issued pursuant to private placement offerings completed by the Company, be adjusted such that the Company's shareholders receive, in aggregate, that number of Resulting Issuer Shares that results in such shareholders holding approximately 1.66 million Resulting Issuer Shares (which represents 10% of the total number of issued and outstanding Company Shares and Investmin Shares immediately before the Closing); and (ii) the shareholders of Investmin (inclusive of purchasers in the Financing) receiving Resulting Issuer Shares on a one-for-one basis in exchange for their Investmin Shares that are issued and outstanding. In connection with the Financing, Investmin and the Company (as well as certain related entities of such parties) will execute an amalgamation agreement (the "Amalgamation Agreement"), pursuant to which , such parties will consummate a three-cornered amalgamation that will result in the reverse take-over of the Company by the shareholders of Investmin, culminating in the listing of the Resulting Issuer Shares on the Toronto Stock Exchange (the "TSX") and a name change of the Company to "Blossom Gold Inc.", which will thereafter carry on the business of Investmin. The Company is pleased to announce that it has received conditional approval to list the Resulting Issuer Shares for trading on the TSX as of January 16, 2026. Final approval of the listing is subject to the Company fulfilling certain standard and customary conditions required by the TSX. Upon listing on the TSX, the Resulting Issuer Shares will trade under the symbol "BGAU". Subject to the satisfaction or waiver of the conditions precedent set out in the binding letter agreement between Investmin and the Company dated October 21, 2025 and the Amalgamation Agreement, the Transaction is expected to close at the end of January 2026. Further Information The Company and Investmin will provide further details in respect of the Transaction in due course by way of news release and material change report. The Company will also make available by way of future filings, all information, including financial information, as required by applicable regulatory authorities. Investors are cautioned that any information in this news release with respect to the Transaction may not be complete and should not be relied upon. About 1290448 B.C. Ltd. The Company was incorporated under the Business Corporations Act (British Columbia) on February 23, 2021. The Company is a reporting issuer under the laws of the provinces of British Columbia and Alberta but does not trade on a stock exchange. The principal business of the Company is to investigate and to evaluate business opportunities to either acquire or in which to participate. The head office of the Company is located at 1 Adelaide Street East, Suite 801, Toronto, Ontario, M5C 2V9. This news release does not constitute an offer to sell or a solicitation of an offer to buy nor shall there be any sale of any of the securities in any jurisdiction in which such offer, solicitation or sale would be unlawful, including any of the securities in the United States of America. The securities have not been and will not be registered under the 1933 Act or any state securities laws and may not be offered or sold within the United States or to, or for account or benefit of, U.S. Persons (as defined in Regulation S under the 1933 Act) unless registered under the 1933 Act and applicable state securities laws, or an exemption from such registration requirements is available. Cautionary Statements Regarding Forward-Looking Information Certain information in this news release constitutes "forward-looking information" under applicable securities laws. "Forward-looking information" is defined as disclosure regarding possible events, conditions or financial performance that is based on assumptions about future economic conditions and courses of action and includes future-oriented financial information with respect to prospective financial performance, financial position or cash flows that is presented as a forecast or a projection. Forward-looking statements are often but not always, identified by the use of such terms as "may", "might", "will", "will likely result", "would", "should", "estimate", "plan", "project", "forecast", "intend", "expect", "anticipate", "believe", "seek", "continue", "target" or the negative and/or inverse of such terms or other similar expressions. Forward-looking information in this news release includes, but is not limited to, statements relating to: the completion of the Transaction; the closing of the Acquisition and the satisfaction of the Escrow Release Conditions, including the satisfaction of the conditions required by the TSX for the listing of the Resulting Issuer Shares on the TSX; and the potential effects of the Transaction. Forward-looking information in this news release is based on certain assumptions and expected future events, namely: the ability of the Company and Investmin to complete the Transaction, the third closing of the Financing and the Acquisition; the ability of the Company and Investmin to obtain the respective approvals for the Transaction; and the ability of the Company and Investmin to comply with the conditions of definitive agreements governing the Transaction, including receipt of final approval for the listing of the Resulting Issuer Shares on the TSX. These statements involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors, which may cause actual results, performance or achievements to differ materially from those expressed or implied by such statements, including: the ability of the Company and Investmin to consummate the Transaction; the timing of the closing of the Transaction, including the risks that the conditions to the Transaction, as outlined herein, would not be satisfied within the expected timeframe or at all, or that the Acquisition, or the Transaction, will not occur or whether any such event will enhance shareholder value; the non-approval of the board of directors and/or shareholders of the Company and Investmin of the Transaction and/or the Financing; the ability of each of the Company and Investmin to continue as a going concern; changes in economic conditions; competition; risks and uncertainties applicable to the businesses of the Company, as applicable; and other risks, uncertainties and factors. These forward-looking statements speak only as of the date hereof and the Company disclaims any obligations to update these statements, except as may be required by law. Readers are cautioned that the foregoing list is not exhaustive. Readers are further cautioned not to place undue reliance on forward-looking statements as there can be no assurance that the plans, intentions or expectations upon which they are placed will occur. Such information, although considered reasonable by management at the time of preparation, may prove to be incorrect and actual results may differ materially from those anticipated. NOT FOR DISTRIBUTION TO U.S. NEWS WIRE SERVICES OR DISSEMINATION IN THE UNITED STATES To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/281289 Source: 1290448 B.C. Ltd. Immutable Chain of Custody Platform Addresses Critical Evidence Integrity Crisis as 66% of Law Enforcement Professionals Report Digital Evidence Has Surpassed Physical Evidence MIAMI, FL / ACCESS Newswire / January 22, 2026 / Remergify, a technology adept company focused on building assets to help smaller public companies, today announced the release of a comprehensive white paper examining how its TrustNFT.io platform can revolutionize evidence management for law enforcement agencies, forensic laboratories, prosecutors, and courts through blockchain technology. The research reveals critical vulnerabilities in traditional chain of custody procedures that lead to inadmissible evidence, case dismissals, wrongful convictions, and erosion of public trust-and proposes blockchain-based solutions that eliminate these failures while addressing emerging threats from AI-generated deepfakes. The white paper, titled "Blockchain-Based Evidence Management: Securing Criminal Justice Through Immutable Chain of Custody," addresses an urgent crisis in criminal justice. Without unbroken chain of custody documentation, critical evidence can be ruled inadmissible-leading to guilty parties going free, innocent people being wrongfully convicted, and costly retrials that drain justice system resources. In an era where 66% of law enforcement professionals believe digital evidence has surpassed physical evidence in importance, and with Europol projecting that 90% of online content could be synthetically generated by 2026, the need for verifiable evidence provenance has never been more critical. Traditional evidence management systems face numerous critical vulnerabilities that TrustNFT.io's research comprehensively documents. Manual documentation processes are inherently prone to human error, with incomplete records, inconsistent logging, and timing discrepancies creating gaps that defense attorneys routinely exploit. Storage facilities struggle with unauthorized access, improper environmental conditions, and security challenges that can compromise evidence integrity. Inter-agency transfers-particularly in complex federal cases involving multiple jurisdictions-create additional points of failure where evidence can be lost, mislabeled, or improperly documented. Most critically, digital evidence presents unique vulnerabilities that traditional procedures were never designed to address, with files easily copied, modified, or deleted without obvious traces. "The integrity of criminal justice depends fundamentally on the integrity of evidence," said Stuart Fine, CEO of Remergify, parent company of TrustNFT.io. "When evidence is compromised through mishandling, inadequate documentation, or tampering, justice cannot be served. Our blockchain-powered platform creates an immutable, transparent, and cryptographically secured digital chain of custody that eliminates the vulnerabilities of traditional systems. From the moment evidence is collected through courtroom presentation, every action is permanently recorded, automatically verified, and independently auditable." Critical Findings from the White Paper: Traditional Evidence Management Vulnerabilities: Manual documentation creates numerous failure points including incomplete records, mislabeled evidence, contaminated crime scenes, improper storage conditions, unauthorized access, lost or misplaced evidence, and inadequate training of personnel. Consequences of Chain of Custody Failures: Evidence handling failures result in inadmissible evidence and case dismissals where guilty parties go free, wrongful convictions of innocent individuals based on compromised evidence, erosion of public trust in law enforcement and courts, and substantial financial costs from retrials, appeals, and liability judgments. Digital Evidence Crisis: Digital evidence has become paramount in modern investigations but presents unique challenges. Files can be copied, modified, or deleted without leaving traces. Screenshots lack metadata and are frequently inadmissible. AI-generated deepfakes pose existential threats to evidence authenticity, with courts increasingly skeptical of digital evidence without clear provenance. Real-World Blockchain Implementations: Multiple law enforcement agencies worldwide have successfully piloted blockchain evidence management, including Dubai Police using Cardano blockchain, the EU's LAW-GAME project with Hyperledger Fabric, Amber Authenticate enabling body cameras to record video hashes on Ethereum blockchain, and the Numbers Protocol preserving war crimes evidence in Ukraine. TrustNFT.io leverages Non-Fungible Tokens (NFTs) to create unique, unforgeable digital certificates for each piece of evidence. When evidence is collected at a crime scene, officers use mobile devices running the TrustNFT.io application, EvidenceTrust to generate an NFT containing unique cryptographic identifiers, collection timestamps, GPS coordinates, digital hashes of evidence state, officer credentials, and high-resolution documentation. This information is immediately recorded on the blockchain, creating a permanent, tamper-proof record. Physical evidence receives tamper-evident tags encoded with NFT identifiers, while digital evidence files are cryptographically hashed and linked to their NFTs. The white paper details how TrustNFT.io maintains immutable chain of custody throughout the entire evidence lifecycle. Evidence collection at crime scenes is documented with automatic capture of GPS, timestamps, and officer credentials. Transportation and transfers between facilities are automatically logged with smart contracts enforcing proper protocols. Storage and access controls use smart locks that record every interaction on the blockchain. Forensic analysis and testing procedures are comprehensively documented with all protocols, instruments, and results recorded. Courtroom presentation provides prosecutors, defense attorneys, and judges with transparent, verifiable chain of custody records that withstand scrutiny. Benefits for Criminal Justice Stakeholders: Law Enforcement Agencies: Faster, more efficient evidence handling with automated documentation; dramatically reduced risk of inadmissible evidence; improved inter-agency cooperation on complex cases; decreased professional liability with comprehensive protective documentation. Prosecutors: Stronger, more defensible evidence presentation; reduced case losses due to evidentiary issues; more efficient trial preparation; decreased risk of Brady violations through transparent evidence records. Defense Attorneys: Unprecedented transparency enabling independent verification of evidence handling; level playing field with equal access to chain of custody records; powerful protection for innocent clients through immutable audit trails that reveal evidence tampering or mishandling. Courts and Judges: Reduced evidentiary disputes and more efficient proceedings; independent verification tools for evidence integrity; fewer appeals based on evidence handling issues; strengthened public confidence in the judicial system. Forensic Laboratories: Streamlined workflows and enhanced credibility; simplified accreditation and quality assurance compliance; easier multi-jurisdictional work; increased liability protection through comprehensive documentation. TrustNFT.io employs cryptographic security. The permissioned blockchain architecture restricts participation to authorized law enforcement agencies while maintaining security and immutability benefits. Smart contracts automate evidence management protocols and enforce chain of custody requirements. The platform integrates seamlessly with existing Digital Evidence Management Systems (DEMS), case management systems, and laboratory information management systems (LIMS) through APIs and integration modules. The white paper addresses the urgent threat of AI-generated deepfakes to evidence integrity. With sophisticated synthetic media becoming indistinguishable from authentic content, courts are increasingly skeptical of digital evidence without clear provenance. TrustNFT.io provides cryptographic proof of authenticity from the moment of capture by immediately computing and recording cryptographic hashes on the blockchain. Any subsequent modification to files-even changing a single bit-alters the hash, making tampering immediately apparent. This provides mathematical proof that digital evidence has not been manipulated since collection. The white paper includes a detailed four-phase implementation roadmap for law enforcement agencies: Assessment and Planning (4-6 weeks) to evaluate current infrastructure and identify integration points; Pilot Program Setup (6-8 weeks) to deploy TrustNFT.io with limited scope; Pilot Operation and Evaluation (12-16 weeks) to monitor performance and gather feedback; and Agency-Wide Deployment (variable timeframe) to scale across all units and case types. This phased approach minimizes disruption to ongoing operations while rapidly deploying blockchain capabilities. Blockchain evidence records meet all legal requirements for admissibility in court. Under the Federal Rules of Evidence and equivalent state rules, blockchain records satisfy requirements for relevance, authenticity, and reliability. Cryptographic verification establishes authenticity, while distributed tamper-proof architecture demonstrates reliability. Business records exceptions to hearsay rules apply, as blockchain records are created in the regular course of law enforcement operations, at or near the time of events, by persons with knowledge. The platform complies with CJIS Security Policy, GDPR principles, and state and local evidence retention regulations. "Law enforcement agencies worldwide are already implementing blockchain evidence management, validating its effectiveness and viability," Fine continued. "Pilot programs demonstrate that the technology works at scale, that personnel can be trained quickly, and that courts accept blockchain evidence records. The path forward is clear. Evidence tampering becomes virtually impossible. Documentation gaps cannot occur. Accountability is absolute. Most importantly, justice is better served-the guilty are convicted on the strength of reliable evidence, and the innocent are protected from wrongful conviction." The white paper outlines future developments including AI-powered deepfake detection integrated into the platform, biometric authentication for enhanced security, cross-border evidence sharing for international cooperation, quantum-resistant cryptography to future-proof against quantum computing threats, and machine learning analytics to identify evidence handling patterns that might indicate problems before they become serious. White Paper Availability: The complete white paper is available for immediate download at TrustNFT.io. Law enforcement agencies, forensic laboratories, prosecutors' offices, courts, and criminal justice stakeholders can access the document free of charge. Remergify is offering complimentary consultations and demonstrations for agencies interested in learning how blockchain technology can transform their evidence management practices. The company is also available for presentations to law enforcement associations, prosecutors' conferences, and judicial education programs. About TrustNFT.io Evidence Management: TrustNFT.io's blockchain-based evidence management platform provides law enforcement agencies with immutable, transparent, and cryptographically secured chain of custody documentation. The platform creates unique NFT digital certificates for each evidence item, records all custody transfers and actions on the blockchain, integrates with existing evidence management systems, provides mobile applications for field evidence collection, implements smart contracts for automated protocol enforcement, and delivers comprehensive reporting and analytics. The platform addresses critical vulnerabilities in traditional evidence management while preparing agencies for emerging challenges including AI-generated deepfakes and synthetic media. About Remergify: Remergify is a technology innovator focused on blockchain and AI solutions for critical business and societal challenges. Through its TrustNFT.io platform, Remergify serves multiple markets including criminal justice, cannabis, pharmaceuticals, luxury goods, automotive, and consumer products. The company's mission is to leverage cutting-edge technology to ensure authenticity, maintain integrity, enhance trust, and create sustainable value for organizations and society. Remergify is committed to protecting the innocent, convicting the guilty, and restoring public confidence in critical institutions through transparent, immutable blockchain solutions. Media and Partnership Inquiries: Media representatives seeking additional information, interview opportunities, or access to subject matter experts should contact stuart@remergify.com. Law enforcement agencies and forensic laboratories interested in scheduling demonstrations or consultations can visit TrustNFT.io or email stuart@remergify.com. Criminal justice stakeholders interested in presentations for conferences, associations, or training programs are encouraged to reach out. Technology partners and integrators interested in collaboration opportunities can contact stuart@remergify.com. Forward-Looking Statements: This press release contains forward-looking statements regarding TrustNFT.io's platform capabilities, law enforcement adoption, and expected benefits to criminal justice systems. Actual results may differ materially from those expressed or implied due to various factors including adoption rates, technological developments, legal and regulatory changes, budget constraints, and integration challenges. Remergify undertakes no obligation to update forward-looking statements except as required by law. ### For more information, visit TrustNFT.io or Evidencetrust.com Media Contact: Stuart Fine stuart@remergify.com SOURCE: Remergify, Inc. View the original press release on ACCESS Newswire:https://www.accessnewswire.com/newsroom/en/blockchain-and-cryptocurrency/trustnft.io-releases-groundbreaking-white-paper-on%c2%a0blockchain-based-e-1130010 Leading software provider challenges the industry on the growing disconnect between telecom innovation and the store experience. iQmetrix, the only global provider of Interconnected Commerce solutions for telecom retail, today announced its return to Mobile World Congress (MWC) Barcelona with the first-ever Telecom Retail Summit This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20260122446809/en/ As the industry converges for MWC Barcelona 2026, iQmetrix prepares to host the first-ever Telecom Retail Summit, transforming the conversation from network intelligence to the intelligent storefront. The exclusive half-day summit designed to spark an overdue conversation: telecom sells the most advanced technology on earth, yet delivers one of the least inspiring retail experiences in modern commerce. Bringing together telecom industry leaders, futurists, and retail innovators, the Telecom Retail Summit challenges the industry to rethink the role of the store and redefine how customer experience, technology, and operations come together in the Store of the Future From Transactions to Experiences A true evolution in telecom retailrequires more than new technology. It requires a shift in mindset. As the industry enters what MWC has defined as the "IQ Era," a new age of intelligence shaped by human ideas and smarter connections, customer expectations are rising across every touchpoint. While network and digital channels continue to accelerate, physical retail remains of telecom's most powerful brand moments. The opportunity now is to ensure the store evolves with the same intent and intelligence as the network behind it. "The store is no longer just where transactions happen. It is where the brand comes to life," said Christopher Krywulak, Chief Executive Officer at iQmetrix. "Customers expect the same level of intelligence and thoughtfulness in-store that they experience everywhere else. We are bringing the industry's together in Barcelona to discuss how human ideas, enabled by the right technology, can create retail experiences that truly move the brand forward." The Agenda: Fixing the Retail Disconnect The Telecom Retail Summit moves beyond high-level theory into the operational realities of retail transformation. The agenda challenges legacy assumptions with sessions including: We Sell the Most Advanced Technology on Earth. So Why Does the Store Feel Stuck in 2009? A candid panel digging into why the telco in-store experience lags behind other sectors. We explore what leading retailers get right and what brands must do to close the gap in customer experience (CX). A candid panel digging into why the telco in-store experience lags behind other sectors. We explore what leading retailers get right and what brands must do to close the gap in customer experience (CX). Inside the Store of the Future: Why Apple Gets It and Most of Us Don't Modern retail leaders aren't asking for more tools. They are asking for better outcomes. This session examines how agentic AI and intelligent automation allow stores to adapt in real-time. We break down the principles top retail brands apply to create a vision where technology supports the experience rather than dominating it. Modern retail leaders aren't asking for more tools. They are asking for better outcomes. This session examines how agentic AI and intelligent automation allow stores to adapt in real-time. We break down the principles top retail brands apply to create a vision where technology supports the experience rather than dominating it. Your Network Is Intelligent. Your Store Is Not. That's the Problem. Great retail experiences don't happen on top of broken systems. This session exposes the "spaghetti bowl" tech stack holding retailers back and focuses on how ensuring operational excellence behind the scenes creates a frictionless experience online, in-store, and the hybrid in between. Experience the Store of the Future, Live The summit concludes with a transition from vision to reality. Attendees are invited to a live Store of the Future demonstration. Here, they will witness how new flows, agentic AI, and smarter experiences come together to create a retail space where customers genuinely want to be. Registration and Availability Registration for the Telecom Retail Summit is by application only. We invite industry leaders to secure their place or connect with our executive team through the following channels: Apply for a Seat View Full Agenda: Registration is hosted directly via the MWC Partner Programmes. Please apply here. Registration is hosted directly via the MWC Partner Programmes. Please apply here. Book a Meeting: To schedule a one-on-one meeting with iQmetrix leadership, please visit here. About iQmetrix iQmetrix is the only provider of Interconnected Commerce software solutions specifically for telecom retail. Our platform offers a complete set of modular, flexible technologies with telecom-specific capabilities, enabling retailers to provide an uplifting experience for their customers. We empower telecom retailers to transact, activate, and fulfill products, as well as operate their business and unify online and in-store experiences. We interconnect the entire industry by bridging carriers, retailers, manufacturers, and a huge ecosystem of vendors. For 27 years, we've been passionate about helping the leading brands in telecom grow by providing best-in-class software, services, and expertise. Our solutions powered $17BN in sales last year, handling nearly 53 million invoices and more than 28 million activations. We serve more than 370,000 telecom retail professionals across almost 1,000 clients. iQmetrix is a privately held software-as-a-service (SaaS) company with employees in Canada, the U.S., India, and Europe. For more information, please visit www.iqmetrix.com. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20260122446809/en/ Contacts: Media Contact media@iqmetrix.com WASHINGTON (dpa-AFX) - Reversing the gains from the past two days, crude oil plunged on Thursday after U.S.-proposed peace talks to end the Russia-Ukraine war gathered renewed momentum. In addition, investors assessed today's data on U.S. crude oil inventories. WTI Crude Oil for March delivery was last seen trading down by $1.29 (or 2.13%) at $59.33 per barrel. Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelenskyy met with U.S. President Donald Trump on the sidelines of the World Economic Forum at Davos, Switzerland. After the hour-long talk, Zelensky stated that they had 'very good talks, while Trump confirmed that 'the meeting was good.' Trump's envoy Steve Witkoff is heading to Russia with Trump's son-in-law to negotiate with Russian counterparts to wrap up the U.S-proposed Russia-Ukraine peace deal as quickly as possible. Before starting, Witkoff stated that the peace deal is now 'down to one issue' without revealing further details on what it is. Meanwhile, the Energy Information Administration said crude oil inventories shot up by 3.6 million barrels last week after jumping by 3.4 million barrels in the previous week. Economists had expected crude oil inventories to rise by 1.1 million barrels. Crude inventories at the Cushing, Oklahoma delivery hub rose by 1.478 million barrels in the week. At 426.0 million barrels, U.S. crude oil inventories remain about 2% below the five-year average for this time of year, the EIA said. The report said gasoline inventories also surged by 6.0 million barrels last week and are about 5% above the five-year average for this time of year. Distillate fuel inventories, which include heating oil and diesel, also jumped by 3.3 million barrels last week but remain about 1% below the five-year average for this time of year, the EIA said. Yesterday, American Petroleum Institute data on crude oil inventories revealed an increase by 3.04 million barrels for the week ending January 16, building on a 5.3 million-barrel increase in the prior week. Days before, Trump threatened eight EU nations that they have to face a new 10% tariff from February 1 if they do not support him on Greenland with the likelihood of increasing the levies to 25% by June 1 if the stalemate goes on. The tariff threat increased concerns of global trade uncertainty and weakened demand for oil and energy. However, yesterday at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, while delivering his keynote address, Trump urged NATO nations to commence negotiations on Greenland soon though he assured that he would not use force in driving his pursuit. Hours later, Trump posted on Truth Social that the leader of NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte agreed to a framework for a future deal on Arctic security and thereby eliminating the need to impose his planned tariffs on EU nations. Yesterday, pointing to 'bloated balances' as the reason for the drop in prices, the International Energy Agency stated that the global oil market will be faced with a strong surplus in the first quarter of 2026. The agency raised the demand growth forecast to 930,000 barrels per day and added that oil supply would override demand by 4.25 million bpd (or approximately 4% of global demand) through the first quarter 2026. In Kazakhstan, the Tengiz and its adjacent Korolev oilfields were compelled to shut down after fires disrupted Tengiz power systems. Prior to the shutdown, Tengize produced approximately 360,000 barrels per day of crude oil. Tensions between the U.S. and Iran have flared up once again. The Commander of Iran's Revolutionary Guards warned the U.S. and Israel that their forces had their 'finger on the trigger.' Iran's state-run television carried imagery appearing to target Trump directly. Trump retaliated, stating that if Iran attempts it, the U.S. would wipe them from the earth. Copyright(c) 2026 RTTNews.com. All Rights Reserved Copyright RTT News/dpa-AFX 2026 AFX News Founded by Dr. Tamara Gray, Riba? University is the world's only global university for Muslim women, built on a decade of experience in online educational programming for women. ARDEN HILLS, Minn., Jan. 22, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- Rabata announced the launch of Riba? University, the world's first women-led, women-taught, and women-attended university grounded in Islamic epistemology, expanding global access to higher education for women through affordable, fully online degree programs. Welcoming its inaugural cohort in Fall 2026, Riba? University will offer undergraduate and graduate degrees, certificates, and lifelong learning pathways to Muslim women worldwide. Admissions for Riba? University's Fall 2026 term are currently open, with applications closing on February 22, 2026. Delivered fully online, Riba? University's academic model is designed to serve women from diverse geographic, cultural, and professional contexts while enabling students to remain rooted in their local communities. The university's curriculum emphasizes both timeless scholarship and contemporary relevance, integrating Islamic epistemology with pedagogical approaches responsive to today's learners. Founded by Rabata, a nonprofit organization known for its commitment to women's education, spiritual development, and community care, Riba? University represents the formal evolution of Ribaat Academic Institute, which has provided online Islamic education since 2012. Over more than a decade, Ribaat Academic Institute has served more than 10,000 women across over 90 countries, delivering classroom-tested, globally accessible programming that now forms the foundation of Riba? University's academic model. Riba? University is rooted in the historic Islamic tradition of women as scholars, teachers, and transmitters of knowledge, a legacy that spans more than 1,400 years. Drawing on this tradition at a global scale, the university seeks to expand access to higher education for women through attainable academic pathways that support women's economic prosperity, leadership development, and career pathways. Academic offerings for the undergraduate degrees span across: Business Leadership Psychology Pedagogy History Arabic Language Islamic Studies The university also offers graduate theological training through programs such as the Master of Theological Studies and Doctor of Theology in Islamic Belief and Practice, supporting both formal academic progression and sustained scholarly engagement throughout a student's life. Founded under the leadership of Dr. Tamara Gray, Riba? University builds on her decades-long commitment to Muslim women's education and institutional leadership. Dr. Gray is the founder and president of Riba? University, and the CEO of Rabata, and holds a doctorate in leadership from the University of St. Thomas, as well as a master's degree in curriculum theory and instruction from Temple University. She spent two decades studying Islamic sciences, Quran, and Arabic in Damascus, Syria, and is the author and translator of multiple works on education, spirituality, and Islamic thought. "Education should do more than prepare students for a career; it should prepare them to serve, to lead, and to strengthen the communities they belong to," said Dr. Tamara Gray, founder of Riba? University. "Riba? University was created to help women align their education with purpose, values, and meaningful impact in the world." For more information about Riba? University and its academic programs, visit ribat.rabata.org. About Riba? University Riba? University is a women-led, women-taught, and women-attended online university dedicated to expanding access to affordable, rigorous higher education for women worldwide. Grounded in Islamic epistemology and tradition, the university offers undergraduate and graduate degree programs, certificates, and academic pathways designed to support women's economic prosperity, leadership development, and career pathways, alongside opportunities for advanced study in Islamic theology. Logo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/2859876/Ribat_University_Logo.jpg View original content:https://www.prnewswire.co.uk/news-releases/rib-university-expands-global-access-to-affordable-and-career-aligned-degrees-for-women-in-2026-302668508.html Vancouver, British Columbia--(Newsfile Corp. - January 22, 2026) - New Zealand Energy Corp. (TSXV: NZ) ("NZEC" or the "Company") is pleased to announce that it is proposing an offering up of to 17,500,000 common shares of the Company (the "Common Shares") at a price of C$0.20 per Common Share (the "Offering Price") for aggregate gross proceeds of up to C$3.5 million (the "Offering") on a non-brokered basis (the "Offering"). Subject to compliance with applicable regulatory requirements and in accordance with National Instrument 45-106 - Prospectus Exemptions ("NI 45-106"), the Offering is being made pursuant to Part 5A of NI 45-106, as amended by Coordinated Blanket Order 45-935 - Exemptions from Certain Conditions of the Listed Issuer Financing Exemption, to purchasers that are resident in Canada. The Offering may also be made available to purchasers that are resident in certain jurisdictions outside of Canada, including the United States and the United Kingdom, in compliance with applicable securities laws. There is an offering document related to the Offering (the "Offering Document") that can be accessed under the Company's profile on SEDAR+ at www.sedarplus.ca and on the Company's website at www.newzealandenergy.com. Prospective investors should read the Offering Document before making an investment decision. The Company intends to use the net proceeds from the Offering to fund the advancement of its gas storage business and for general corporate purposes. The Offering is expected to close on or about February 5, 2026, or on such other date as the Company may decide. Completion of the Offering is subject to certain conditions including, but not limited to, the receipt of all necessary approvals, including the conditional approval of the TSX Venture Exchange ("TSXV"). The Company may pay certain advisory fees to arm's length parties in connection with the Offering. The Common Shares to be offered pursuant to the Offering have not been, and will not be, registered under the U.S. Securities Act or any U.S. state securities laws, and may not be offered or sold in the United States or to, or for the account or benefit of, United States persons absent registration or any applicable exemption from the registration requirements of the U.S. Securities Act and applicable U.S. state securities laws. This release shall not constitute an offer to sell or the solicitation of an offer to buy nor shall there be any sale of the securities in any jurisdiction in which such offer, solicitation or sale would be unlawful. About New Zealand Energy Corp. NZEC is a publicly listed energy company focused on the development of oil, gas, and gas-storage opportunities in New Zealand. The Company holds interests in multiple heritage assets and development-stage projects, including the Tariki Gas Storage Project located on New Zealand's North Island in the Taranaki Basin. With a 50% ownership stake in the Waihapa production station, the Company can quickly tie in any near-term production and sell directly to market. For more information, please visit www.newzealandenergy.com. Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as such term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release. Forward-Looking Statements This release contains certain "forward-looking statements". All statements, other than statements of historical fact that address activities, events or developments that the Company believes, expects or anticipates will or may occur in the future are forward-looking statements. These forward-looking statements reflect the current expectations and beliefs of the Company based on information currently available to the Company. Such forward-looking statements include statements relating to the Offering, including the completion and anticipated timing for completion of the Offering, the potential size of the Offering, the Company's intended use of the net proceeds of the Offering, the receipt of all necessary regulatory approvals, including the approvals of the TSXV, and the Company's development and growth plans. Any such forward-looking information may be identified by words such as "anticipate", "proposed", "estimates", "would", "expects", "intends", "plans", "may", "will", and similar expressions. Forward-looking statements are subject to significant risks and uncertainties and other factors that could cause the actual results to differ materially from those discussed in the forward-looking statements, and even if such actual results are realized or substantially realized, there can be no assurance that they will have the expected consequences to, or effects on the Company. Any forward-looking statement speaks only as of the date on which it is made and, except as may be required by applicable securities laws, the Company disclaims any intent or obligation to update any forward-looking statement, whether as a result of new information, future events or results or otherwise. Although the Company believes that the assumptions inherent in the forward-looking statements are reasonable, forward-looking statements are not guarantees of future performance and accordingly undue reliance should not be put on such statements due to the inherent uncertainty therein. To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/281306 Source: New Zealand Energy Corp. NORTHAMPTON, MA / ACCESS Newswire / January 22, 2026 / CACI During the recent holiday season, CACI upheld its tradition of bringing employees together for meaningful initiatives that make a real difference in the lives of individuals and families across the nation. During the week of Veterans Day, CACI's veteran and military affairs team and employee volunteers teamed up for Operation Care Package for the ninth consecutive year, assembling holiday gift packages for CACI employees working overseas in potentially hazardous conditions. The packages contained various items including a CACI-branded tech bag, a candy cane, multi-functional pen, a thank you letter from the company's military and veteran partnership organization, and a holiday card from CACI President and Chief Executive Officer John Mengucci. These tokens of appreciation were delivered to 306 employees across 18 different countries and territories. CACI Cares, the company's philanthropic program, participated in Wreaths Across America (WAA) for the 13th year as a national corporate sponsor for the event. On Dec. 13, 2025, CACI employees braved the cold weather to lay wreaths on the gravesites of veterans across the country, supporting WAA's mission to honor the fallen, honor those who serve, and teach the next generation the value of freedom. This year, 215 CACI employees volunteered across 18 locations, with the company sponsoring 571 wreaths. For the 17th year, CACI proudly supported Toys for Tots, a U.S. Marine Corps program dedicated to bringing holiday joy to children who might otherwise go without gifts. Continuing the cherished company tradition, Toys for Tots collection boxes were placed in CACI offices nationwide and employees filled them with new, unwrapped toys over the course of several weeks. The response was overwhelming, with several offices adding extra boxes to accommodate the generosity of employees. CACI's Global Combat Support System-Marine Corps (GCSS-MC) team adopted five military families in support of the Soldiers' Angels Adopt-A-Family program. The team raised $6,638 - enough to fulfill the wish lists of 15 children and provide each family with grocery gift cards and financial support for bills. The CACI Corporate Communications team also supported this program for the third consecutive year, raising $1,500 for two adopted families. CACI participated in Giving Tuesday by donating funds, goods, and time to nonprofits and community organizations. On Dec. 2, 2025, CACI's Communities of Engagement (CoE) leadership, members, and employees across eight CACI offices came together to assemble over 280 food packages and collected donations distributed to local food banks in Virginia, Maryland, the Carolinas, and Colorado. Discover how CACI employees make a lasting impact in their communities year-round. About CACI CACI International Inc (NYSE:CACI) is a national security company with 25,000 talented employees who are Ever Vigilant in expanding the limits of national security. We ensure our customers' success by delivering differentiated technology and distinctive expertise to accelerate innovation, drive speed and efficiency, and rapidly anticipate and eliminate threats. Our culture drives our success and earns us recognition as a Fortune World's Most Admired Company. We are members of the Fortune 500, the Russell 1000 Index, and the S&P MidCap 400 Index. For more information, visit us at caci.com. # # # Corporate Communications and Media: Lauren Presti Executive Director, Strategic Communications (703) 434-5037, lauren.presti@caci.com View additional multimedia and more ESG storytelling from CACI on 3blmedia.com. Contact Info: Spokesperson: CACI Website: https://www.3blmedia.com/profiles/caci Email: info@3blmedia.com SOURCE: CACI View the original press release on ACCESS Newswire:https://www.accessnewswire.com/newsroom/en/computers-technology-and-internet/caci-lights-up-the-holidays-through-community-support-1130088 Toronto, Ontario--(Newsfile Corp. - January 22, 2026) - ATERRA Metals Inc. (CSE: ATC) (OTCQB: CSSCF) ("ATERRA" or the "Company") is pleased to announce the closing of a non-brokered private placement financing for aggregate gross proceeds of $2,780,000 (the "Offering"). Insiders and consultants of the Company purchased 13% of the Offering. Research Capital Corporation acted as the exclusive finder. The Offering consisted of the issuance of 139 million units (each, a "Unit") at a price of $0.02 per Unit, with each Unit comprised of one (1) common share of the Company (each, a "Share") and one-half (1/2) warrant (each whole warrant, a "Warrant"). Each Warrant entitles the holder thereof to acquire one (1) Share from the Company at a price of $0.05 per Share for a period of thirty-six (36) months. The securities issued pursuant to the Offering are subject to a statutory hold period of four (4) months and one (1) day from the closing date of the Offering, unless otherwise exempt under applicable Canadian securities laws. The Company intends to use the net proceeds from the Offering to fund option payments and exploration activities on the numerous copper-gold porphyries identified on its Clinton, Taruca and Frontera properties, collectively the Totora Properties (see ATERRA news release dated November 20, 2025), as well as for working capital requirements and other general corporate purposes. ATERRA plans to commence exploration activities, including mapping and geophysical surveys, shortly in preparation for a Phase I drill program to commence during the current fiscal quarter. "We are very thankful for the tremendous support received for this financing, not only from those who participated but from our shareholders as well," said Carl Hansen, ATERRA's CEO. "With the financing closed, we will start exploring the Totora Properties, which host at least four previously drilled copper-gold porphyries including the Frontera Deposit. Considering the significant historical drilling completed on the Totora Properties, our focus will be on infill and expansion drilling in preparation for publishing a NI 43-101-compliant resource estimate during the third quarter 2026." A director and an officer of the Company purchased an aggregate of 6,750,000 Units under the Offering and, as a result, the Offering is considered a related party transaction subject to Multilateral Instrument 61-101 - Protection of Minority Security Holders in Special Transactions ("MI 61-101"). The Company is relying on exemptions from the formal valuation and minority shareholder approval requirements provided under sections 5.5(a) and 5.7(1)(a) of MI 61-101 on the basis that participation in the Offering by such persons did not exceed 25% of the fair market value of the Company's market capitalization. The Company paid aggregate cash finder's fees totaling $2,000, in accordance with the policies of the Canadian Securities Exchange. This press release is not an offer to sell or the solicitation of an offer to buy the securities in the United States or in any jurisdiction in which such offer, solicitation or sale would be unlawful prior to qualification or registration under the securities laws of such jurisdiction. The securities being offered have not been, nor will they be, registered under the United States Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and such securities may not be offered or sold within the United States or to, or for the account or benefit of, U.S. persons absent registration or an applicable exemption from U.S. registration requirements and applicable U.S. state securities laws. NI 43-101 Disclosure As defined by National Instrument 43-101 ("NI 43-101") of the Canadian Securities Administrators, the Qualified Person for ATERRA's exploration activities in Chile is Francisco Bravo, a resident of Santiago, Chile. Mr. Bravo is a Public Registered Person for Reserves and Resources N 515, in Chile and is also registered in the Colegio de Geologos de Chile under N 725. Mr. Bravo, who is not considered "Independent" of the Company, as the term is defined under NI 43-101, has reviewed and approved the technical information provided in this press release. About ATERRA Metals Inc. ATERRA is a mineral exploration company focused on exploration opportunities in Chile. The Company's team of successful exploration professionals are dedicated to the discovery of mineral deposits that can be progressed into economically viable development projects creating value for all stakeholders. Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-Looking Statements This news release may contain forward-looking statements, including statements with respect to the anticipated use of proceeds of the Offering. These statements reflect management's current estimates, beliefs, intentions and expectations; they are not guarantees of future performance. Often, but not always, forward-looking statements can be identified by the use of words such as "plans", "planning", "expects" or "does not expect", "continues", "scheduled", "estimates", "forecasts", "targeting", "intends", "potential", "anticipates", "does not anticipate", or describes a "goal", or variation of such words and phrases or state that certain actions, events or results "may", "could", "would", "might" or "will" be taken, occur or be achieved. Forward-looking statements involve known and unknown risks, future events, conditions, uncertainties and other factors which may cause the actual results, performance or achievements to be materially different from any future results, prediction, projection, forecast, performance or achievements expressed or implied by the forward-looking statements. Such factors include, among others: the successful acquisition of exploration projects as discussed in this press release; changes in economic parameters and assumptions; all aspects related to the timing of exploration activities and receipt of exploration results; the interpretation and actual results of current exploration activities; changes in project or exploration parameters as plans continue to be refined; the results of regulatory and permitting processes; future metals price; possible variations in grade or recovery rates; failure of equipment or processes to operate as anticipated; labour disputes and other risks of the mining industry; the results of economic and technical studies; delays in obtaining governmental approvals or financing or in the completion of exploration activities; as well as those factors disclosed in the Company's publicly filed documents. Although the Company has attempted to identify important factors that could cause actual actions, events or results to differ materially from those described in forward-looking statements, there may be other factors that cause actions, events or results not to be as anticipated, estimated or intended. There can be no assurance that forward-looking statements will prove to be accurate, as actual results and future events could differ materially from those anticipated in such statements. ATERRA undertakes no obligation to update forward-looking statements except as required by applicable securities laws. Accordingly, readers should not place undue reliance on forward-looking statements. Neither the Canadian Securities Exchange nor its regulation services provider has reviewed or accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of the content of this news release. / NOT FOR DISTRIBUTION TO U.S. NEWSWIRE SERVICES OR FOR DISSEMINATION IN THE UNITED STATES / To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/281313 Source: ATERRA Metals Inc. VANCOUVER, BC / ACCESS Newswire / January 22, 2026 / Green Bridge Metals Corporation (CSE:GRBM)(OTCQB:GBMCF)(FWB:J48)(WKN:A3EW4S) ("Green Bridge" or the "Company") is pleased to announce the commencement of a diamond core drilling program at its Titac Project, part of the Company's South Contact District in northeastern Minnesota, U.S.A. (Figure 1). The program represents the first phase of targeted drilling designed to evaluate and expand on copper mineralization associated with the Titac South deposit, which hosts an existing titanium dioxide mineral resource, as outlined in the NI 43-101 Technical Report dated September 18, 2024, prepared for the Company by Apex Geoscience (and available on the Company's profile at www.sedarplus.ca). CEO COMMENTARY David Suda, President and Chief Executive Officer, stated: "The commencement of drilling at Titac is an important milestone for Green Bridge as we begin systematically testing the copper potential of a project that already hosts a titanium resource. Titac is a highly prospective system, and this program allows us to follow up on compelling historic data while applying modern exploration techniques to advance the project in a disciplined and responsible manner." PROGRAM OVERVIEW The Phase 1 drill program has been designed to systematically test copper mineralization identified in historic drilling but not previously evaluated as a primary exploration focus. Key parameters of the program include: Holes planned: six (6) diamond core holes. Target depth: approximately 300 meters. Total planned drilling: approximately 1,800 meters. Average hole spacing: approximately 50 meters. Drill configuration: fence-style section across the Titac South deposit. The drill fence is designed to transect the known titanium mineral resource at Titac South and to test copper-bearing intervals intersected in historic drilling completed by a previous operator. PROGRAM OBJECTIVES The primary objectives of the Phase 1 drill program are to: Define geological and structural controls on disseminated copper mineralization at Titac South. Validate historic copper assay results that were not followed up as part of prior titanium-focused exploration. Test the spatial relationship between copper mineralization and geophysical anomalies identified through recent interpretations of historic assay data and modern geophysical survey. Results will be used to refine the geological model and guide subsequent phases of drilling across the broader Titac property. EXPLORATION RATIONALE AND TARGETING The Titac South deposit is supported by a substantial body of historical drilling, assaying, and geological modelling completed as part of the Company's NI 43-101 Technical Report. Key elements of this historical dataset include: Thirty (32) historic diamond drill holes used in the preparation of the NI 43-101 Mineral Resource Estimate. Twenty-six (26) of these drill holes intersected copper mineralization, with copper assays reported but not incorporated into the original titanium-focused resource model. Copper mineralization is consistently associated with the Oxide Ultramafic Intrusion ("OUI") that hosts the titanium dioxide resource. In 2025, Green Bridge completed a comprehensive interpretation of newly collected geophysical data over the Titac Project, including: New VTEM airborne electromagnetic survey flown (2025). Completion of modern 3D magnetic and conductivity inversions. Modeling of the inversion data with historic drill holes and titanium dioxide shells. These datasets significantly improved subsurface targeting in areas where surface exposure is limited by glacial till and overburden. Copper mineralization at Titac occurs primarily as chalcopyrite, a mineral with moderate electrical conductivity. Magnetic responses are interpreted to reflect the presence of iron-bearing minerals including ilmenite, magnetite, and chalcopyrite, all of which are present within the OUI. Drill targets for the current program have been prioritized where conductive and magnetic anomalies overlap, a geophysical signature that correlates with known mineralization identified in historic drilling and resource modelling (Figures 2 and 3). The Phase 1 drill fence at Titac South is designed to test whether copper mineralization is controlled solely by the OUI or whether it may extend into adjacent layered mafic intrusions of the Duluth Complex. CEO COMMENTARY (TECHNICAL) Mr. Suda added: "The results of our 3D geophysical inversions are highly encouraging. The strong correlation between these anomalies and known mineralization, together with the identification of several new targets, reinforces the exploration potential at Titac. Importantly, these results provide the confidence and technical foundation to initiate drilling, with a clear focus on expanding known copper mineralization where these anomalies occur." Figure 1: Map showing location of the Titac property within the South Contact District. Figure 2: Phase 1 drill layout at Titac South showing historic TiO2 grade shell and planned drill fence. Figure 3: Northwest-looking perspective highlighting overlapping magnetic and conductive anomalies and Phase 1 drill targets. PROJECT CONTEXT AND NEXT STEPS The Titac Project is located near the southern end of the Company's South Contact District and includes the Titac South deposit, which hosts an existing mineral resource of 46.6 million tonnes grading 15% TiO2, as disclosed in the NI 43-101 Technical Report which was released by the Company with an effective date of September 18, 2024 and is available on SEDAR+. The current Phase 1 drill program is intended to resolve the geological controls on copper mineralization at Titac South. Subject to results, subsequent drilling phases may include: Follow-up drilling at Titac South to test continuity and extent of copper mineralization Initial drill testing of similar geophysical anomalies at Titac North Drill testing of a newly identified deep conductive and magnetic anomaly south of Titac South REFERENCES 1Dufresne, M.B., Turner, A.J., Fallon, C.T., Bohm, C. 2024. Technical Report and Mineral Resources Estimate for the South Contact Zone Project, St Louis County, Minnesota, USA. Apex Geoscience. Green Bridge Metals Corp. September 18.2024. QUALIFIED PERSON Ajeet Milliard, Chief Geologist of Green Bridge Metals Corporation, is a Qualified Person as defined under National Instrument 43-101 and has reviewed and approved the scientific and technical information contained in this news release. For a discussion of the Company's QA/QC and data verification procedures and processes, please see its most recently-filed technical report, a copy of which may be obtained under the Company's profile at www.sedarplus.ca. ABOUT GREEN BRIDGE METALS Green Bridge Metals Corporation is a Canadian-based exploration company focused on the acquisition and advancement of critical-mineral assets in established mining jurisdictions. The Company's South Contact District in Minnesota hosts copper, nickel, titanium, vanadium, and platinum group element mineralization associated with the Duluth Complex. ON BEHALF OF GREEN BRIDGE METALS CORPORATION David Suda President and Chief Executive Officer For further information, please contact: David Suda President and Chief Executive Officer Tel: 604-928-3101 Email: investors@greenbridgemetals.com FORWARD-LOOKING INFORMATION Certain statements in this news release constitute forward-looking information within the meaning of applicable securities laws. Forward-looking information includes, but is not limited to, statements regarding the scope, objectives, and anticipated results of exploration programs, and the potential for future mineral exploration and development. Forward-looking information is subject to risks and uncertainties that may cause actual results to differ materially. The Company does not undertake to update forward-looking information except as required by applicable securities laws. The Canadian Securities Exchange has not reviewed and does not accept responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this news release. SOURCE: Green Bridge Metals Corporation View the original press release on ACCESS Newswire:https://www.accessnewswire.com/newsroom/en/metals-and-mining/green-bridge-metals-commences-diamond-drilling-program-at-the-titac-project-minne-1130043 Vancouver, British Columbia--(Newsfile Corp. - January 22, 2026) - FendX Technologies Inc. (CSE: FNDX) (OTCQB: FDXTF) (FSE: E8D0) (the "Company" or "FendX"), an innovative surface protection company developing technology-based solutions to reduce the spread of harmful pathogens, is pleased to announce it has entered into a collaboration agreement (the "Agreement") dated January 20, 2026 with Aquaox LLC ("Aquaox"), a U.S. based manufacturer of environmentally responsible disinfectants. The Agreement builds upon the Memorandum of Understanding ("MOU") signed between the Company and Aquaox announced November 18, 2025 and formalizes the initial phase of the collaboration. During this phase, the parties will assess technical feasibility and confirm the ability to reliably formulate antimicrobial agents. Upon successful completion, the collaboration may advance toward finalizing novel antimicrobial agents for use in product development. "We are pleased to formalize this collaboration, which represents a meaningful next step in our relationship with Aquaox," said Dr. Carolyn Myers, CEO of FendX. "This collaboration supports our evaluation of new antimicrobial agents that could contribute to future product offerings." "Formalizing this agreement provides a framework to evaluate the feasibility and performance of our antimicrobial technology in collaboration with FendX," said Michel van Schaik, CEO of Aquaox. "We see this as an important step in assessing solutions that support the development of innovative, eco-friendly technologies for health and hygiene." The Agreement includes termination provisions for each party, and each party is responsible for their own costs and expenses. There can be no assurance that the collaboration work pursuant to the Agreement will progress beyond the feasibility phase or result in further definitive agreements, regulatory approvals, or development of commercial products, or that other collaboration or supply agreements will be entered into pursuant to the MOU. Advancement remains subject to several considerations, including but not limited to, technical evaluation, regulatory considerations, and the execution of additional agreements. About FendX Technologies Inc. FendX is a surface protection company developing innovative solutions to help reduce the spread of harmful pathogens in everyday environments. Leveraging proprietary technologies, the Company is advancing a portfolio of protective surface coatings, including REPELWRAP film, a liquid-based nano- coating technology and a specialized Foley catheter coating. The Company is focussed on building a robust intellectual property portfolio in the surface protection space and is committed to identifying and advancing new technologies and materials that enhance hygiene and safety across healthcare, consumer and commercial settings. Learn more at: https://fendxtech.com. About Aquaox LLC. Aquaox LLC is a U.S.-based manufacturer of environmentally responsible disinfectants, specializing in hypochlorous acid ("HOCl") technologies. The company has successfully commercialized its HOCl-based compounds through strategic partnerships, contributing to their revenue growth across healthcare, commercial, and industrial sectors. Aquaox is committed to delivering safe, sustainable alternatives to conventional chemical disinfectants. ON BEHALF OF THE COMPANY "Carolyn Myers" Carolyn Myers Chief Executive Officer and Director Neither the Canadian Securities Exchange nor the Market Regulator (as that term is defined in the policies of the Canadian Securities Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release. Forward-Looking Statements This news release contains certain forward-looking statements within the meaning of Canadian securities legislation, including with respect to: the plans of the Company; the proposed collaboration plans pursuant the Agreement including assessing technical feasibility and confirming the ability to reliably formulate antimicrobial agents; statements regarding the collaboration may advance toward finalizing novel antimicrobial agents for use in product development; statements regarding evaluation of new antimicrobial agents that could contribute to future product offerings; statements regarding the development and commercialization of new pathogen-control products/hygiene solutions by FendX, including their benefits and proposed target markets including healthcare, consumer and commercial markets; statements regarding expanding the Company's product and IP portfolio; and products under development and any pathogen reduction benefits related thereto. Although the Company believes that such statements are reasonable, it can give no assurance that such expectations will prove to be correct. These statements are only predictions and involve known and unknown risks which may cause actual results and the Company's plans and objectives to differ materially from those expressed in the forward-looking statements, including: risks that the collaboration work pursuant to the Agreement will not progress beyond the feasibility phase or result in additional collaboration and definitive agreements, supply agreements, regulatory approvals, development of novel antimicrobial agents or development of commercial products; adverse market conditions; risks and uncertainties associated with the Company's ability to raise additional capital to complete all of its planned activities including initiatives pursuant to the Agreement; risks related to research and development activities for each of the film, liquid formulation and catheter coating, including successful completion of real world performance testing and scale-up initiatives, if required; risks that the Company may not expand its product pipeline or execute its business development and growth plans, including not being able to develop any novel antimicrobial agents or products nor develop any new intellectual property as a result of its collaboration with Aquaox; risks that the Company's products, including any new products that may be developed, may not be commercialized, and if they are commercialized, that they may not be accepted and adopted by the public; the risk that the Company will not obtain necessary approvals and/or clearances as anticipated or at all; the effects of government regulation on the Company's business; risks associated with the Company's ability to obtain and protect rights to its IP; product candidates only being in formulation/reformulation stages; limited operating history; dependence on collaborative partners, licensors and others; effect of general economic and political conditions; and other factors beyond the Company's control. Although the Company believes that the expectations reflected in the forward-looking statements are reasonable, it cannot guarantee future results, levels of activity or performance. Further, any forward-looking statement speaks only as of the date on which such statement is made and, except as required by applicable law, the Company undertakes no obligation to update any forward-looking statement to reflect events or circumstances after the date on which such statement is made or to reflect the occurrence of unanticipated events. New factors emerge from time to time, and it is not possible for management to predict all of such factors and to assess in advance the impact of such factors on the Company's business or the extent to which any factor, or combination of factors, may cause actual results to differ materially from those contained in any forward-looking statement. Readers should consult all of the information set forth herein and should also refer to the risk factor disclosure outlined in the Company's filings with the British Columbia Securities Commission on SEDAR+ at www.sedarplus.ca. To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/281311 Source: FendX Technologies Inc. Vancouver, British Columbia--(Newsfile Corp. - January 22, 2026) - Resouro Strategic Metals (TSXV: RSM) (ASX: RAU) (FSE: 8TX) (OTCQB: RSGOF) invites you to visit Booth #913 at the Vancouver Resource Investment Conference in the Vancouver Convention Centre West (1055 Canada Place, Vancouver) on Sunday January 25 and Monday January 26, 2026. Resouro is developing its flagship asset, the Tiros Titanium-Rare Earths Project, a district-scale titanium and rare earths project Minas Gerais, Brazil. Director Anne Landry will be available to meet shareholders, answer questions, and discuss Resouro's strategic plans for 2026. This year's VRIC conference promises an array of exceptional opportunities, including exclusive keynote sessions featuring 120 renowned speakers, unparalleled networking with over 5,000 industry professionals and investors, and interactive exhibits showcasing groundbreaking innovations across the resource sector. Attendees will gain invaluable insights into the commodities landscape, exploring emerging trends in precious metals, energy, critical minerals, and beyond. For more information and/or to register for the conference please visit: https://cambridgehouse.com/vancouver-resource-investment-conference. We look forward to seeing you there. About the Vancouver Resource Investment Conference: The Vancouver Resource Investment Conference has been the epicenter of junior mining investment in Canada for 25 years and attracts over 5000 mining investors annually. Previous years have been attended by former Prime Minister Stephen Harper and former President of Mexico Felipe Calderon. The VRIC will include a marketplace of over 300 investment opportunities in the mining industry, spanning early-stage exploration to advanced producing mines. About Resouro Strategic Metals: Resouro is a Canadian mineral exploration and development company focused on the discovery and advancement of economic mineral projects in Brazil, including the Tiros Titanium-Rare Earths Project and the Novo Mundo Gold Project. The Tiros project has 28 mineral concessions totalling 497 km2 located in the state of Minas Gerais, one of the best infrastructurally developed states of Brazil, 350 km from the state capital of Belo Horizonte. To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/281312 Source: Cambridge House International China is turning to state-backed risk sharing to unlock credit for private firms, but weak demand and lender caution raise questions over how far the move can reignite growth China rolls out $72 bn loan backstop, but can it revive its flagging private sector?. File/Reuters In a bid to breathe life into its slowing private economy and bolster credit flows to small and mid-sized enterprises (SMEs), Beijing has unveiled a 500 billion yuan (approximately $72 billion) state-backed loan guarantee programme, part of a broader fiscal-financial stimulus aimed at stimulating investment and domestic demand. The initiative, released on Tuesday by the Ministry of Finance and multiple state agencies, is designed to expand access to credit for private firms that have been struggling amid weak demand, rising costs and tightening financial conditions. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Under the plan, guarantees will cover a wide range of borrowing needs from medium- and long-term investment loans to working capital and daily operational financing including factory upgrades and shop renovations. What the plan offers Under the scheme, the Chinese government will shoulder a larger portion of lending risk, covering as much as 80 per cent of qualifying loans, a move aimed at encouraging banks to extend more credit to private companies. The authorities have also raised the maximum loan size eligible for guarantee support, allowing firms to borrow larger amounts than under earlier programmes. The loan guarantee facility will be in place for two years, providing medium-term certainty for lenders and borrowers. In parallel, the finance ministry has rolled out interest subsidies for small and medium-sized enterprises and extended consumer loan subsidies, including support for credit card instalment payments, through the end of 2026, signalling a broader push to stabilise consumption. Why Beijing is acting The targeted support comes amid clear signs that Chinas private sector has lost momentum. Business sentiment has been dampened by weak domestic consumption, subdued demand for credit and cautious lending from banks worried about rising bad loans and falling profitability. Many private firms complain that they face higher financing costs and tighter credit conditions compared with state-owned enterprises. Total retail sales of consumer goods eked out a modest 3.7 per cent rise in 2025, underscoring the fragility of domestic demand even as exports remain resilient. By boosting guarantees and reducing risk for lenders, policymakers are aiming to unlock a credit bottleneck that has particularly constrained small and micro-businesses. Mixed signals from banks and markets Despite official optimism, there are doubts over banks willingness to significantly ramp up lending to private firms. While government guarantees reduce risk for lenders, they do not eliminate concerns over loan quality or future repayment capacity, particularly in sectors with weak demand. This mismatch between policy intent and market behaviour has been evident in recent financial operations. Liquidity injections and targeted rate cuts by the Peoples Bank of China have sometimes failed to translate into meaningful increases in private credit, prompting policymakers to combine monetary tools with direct fiscal backing. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD What it means for Chinas economy The guarantee programme is one of several measures Beijing has introduced to shore up growth without resorting to broad stimulus reminiscent of past cycles. Other initiatives include extended subsidies for equipment upgrades and consumer loan support, reflecting a strategy that blends encouragement of private investment with efforts to boost consumption. However, guaranteed loans alone may not be enough to reverse private sector malaise if broader structural issues, including slow consumer demand, demographic headwinds and uneven implementation at the local level, are not addressed. A surge led by electronics and marine products lifts Indias shipments to China amid easing tensions and global supply-chain shifts, even as experts warn the gains are narrow and the trade deficit continues to widen Prime Minister Narendra Modi and China's President Xi Jinping shake hands during the welcome ceremony of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) summit in Tianjin. File image/AFP Indias exports to China have surged in the first nine months of the current financial year, reflecting a mix of thawing bilateral ties, shifting global supply chains and New Delhis efforts to cushion the blow from steep US tariffs imposed under President Donald Trump. According to data from the Ministry of Commerce and Industry, Indias exports to China rose 36.7 per cent year-on-year to $14.25 billion between April and December 2025. In December alone, shipments jumped 68 per cent to $2.05 billion. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD The growth has been driven primarily by electronics, marine products and select petrochemical inputs, as China appears more willing to source certain items from India amid its own industrial recalibrations. It is a welcome growth, Commerce Secretary Rajesh Agrawal said earlier this month, adding that the overall recalibration of supply chains across the world is helping India expand its export footprint, including in China. Trump tariffs, warming ties The export spike comes at a time when New Delhi is grappling with strained trade relations with the US. In August, President Trump imposed steep 50 per cent tariffs on Indian goods, including an additional 25 per cent penalty linked to Indias continued purchases of Russian oil. The US remains Indias largest export destination, and the tariffs have forced exporters to look aggressively for alternative markets. China, despite being Indias biggest source of imports and its largest trade deficit partner, has emerged as a short-term beneficiary of this diversification push. Marine products have been a key contributor. Ministry data shows India exported $1.056 billion worth of marine products to China during the AprilNovember period, a rise of 20.4 per cent compared with the same period last year. Electronics, too, have posted striking gains, albeit from a low base. A December report by the Global Trade Research Initiative (GTRI) highlighted that naphtha was the single largest contributor to the export surge, with shipments rising 172 per cent year-on-year to $1.4 billion during AprilOctober, reflecting strong Chinese demand for petrochemical feedstocks. Electronics exports showed what GTRI described as unusually sharp spikes. Printed circuit board exports jumped over 2,000 per cent to $418 million in the first seven months of the financial year, while mobile phone component exports rose 82 per cent to $362 million an unusual trend, the report noted, given Indias heavy dependence on imports of these items from China. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Narrow gains, wider gap Despite the impressive headline numbers, economists and trade experts have cautioned against reading too much into the surge. These exports are not broad-based, Namrata Hasija, research fellow at the Centre for China Analysis and Strategy, told Nikkei Asia. They are heavily driven by specific commodities and are more reactive to immediate Chinese demand rather than a long-term, structural realignment. She warned that the current momentum could prove fragile if Beijing changes its policy stance. China is OK with buying these items from India now. But what if the state policy changes and they too tighten the screws on shipments from India? she said. The concern is amplified by Chinas already massive trade surplus with India. During AprilDecember, Chinas exports to India stood at $95.95 billion, up from $84.57 billion a year earlier. Indias imports from China continue to be dominated by electronics, machinery, chemicals and plastics. As a result, Indias trade deficit with China widened to $81.7 billion in the nine-month period, compared with $74.15 billion a year earlier. N.R. Bhanumurthy, director of the Madras School of Economics, told Nikkei Asia Indian exports may currently be more competitive in China because of the Trump tariffs. He added that Beijing may also be sourcing from India products it wants to gradually exit, particularly in lower-value manufacturing. But India running an increasingly wider trade deficit with China is definitely a matter of concern, he said, stressing the need for a more balanced trade relationship. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Diversification drive continues The government, meanwhile, is pushing ahead with an aggressive trade diversification strategy. In recent months, India has concluded a free trade agreement with New Zealand, signed a comprehensive economic partnership agreement with Oman, and inked a long-awaited trade deal with the UK. Talks with the European Union are at an advanced stage, while negotiations with the US continue despite the tariff tensions. S.C. Ralhan, president of the Federation of Indian Export Organisations (FIEO), told Nikkei Asia Indias export destinations now reflect a well-diversified and resilient footprint a critical advantage at a time of geopolitical conflicts, sanctions, shipping disruptions and strategic realignments. Still, analysts argue that the China story remains a double-edged sword. Indias recent export gains to China are narrow, volatile and heavily dependent on shifts in Chinese demand, rather than on durable market access or a diversified export base, Ajay Srivastava, founder of GTRI, told Nikkei Asia. Without a sustained strategy to expand competitive manufacturing, reduce import dependence in key sectors, and strengthen trade monitoring, short-term export spikes will do little to alter the fundamentally imbalanced nature of IndiaChina trade. For now, the numbers signal warming economic ties and tactical gains for Indian exporters. Whether this translates into a durable shift in one of Asias most complex trade relationships remains an open question. Global markets rally as Trump backs away from Greenland confrontation, drops tariff threat and signals coordination with NATO, easing investor fears over trans-Atlantic tensions US President Donald Trump speaks during a reception with business leaders, at the 56th annual World Economic Forum (WEF), in Davos, Switzerland, January 21, 2026. File Image/Reuters Relief lifted global markets on Wednesday after US President Donald Trump signalled a retreat from his hardline stance on Greenland, easing immediate geopolitical fears and calming a recent selloff triggered by rising trans-Atlantic tensions. Trump withdrew a threat to impose tariffs on a number of nations for their stance on Greenland, saying he had reached the outlines of a deal with NATO on the islands future. Based upon this understanding, I will not be imposing the tariffs that were scheduled to go into effect on February 1st, Trump wrote on Truth Social after a meeting with NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte in Davos. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD US equities led the recovery, with Wall Street benchmarks snapping a two-day losing streak as investors welcomed a shift in tone from confrontation to coordination. European stocks also pared losses after European leaders signalled greater unity on the Greenland issue. Markets arent rallying because investors suddenly understand the endgame in Greenland. Theyre rallying because uncertainty just got priced out, Matthew Smart, director of financial planning and portfolio analysis at WWM Investments, told Reuters. The signal from Donald Trump coming out of Davos is coordination, not confrontation. Pulling back near-term tariffs while opening a framework with NATO around Greenland shifts this from headline risk to negotiation risk, he said. Dollar pressure eases The rebound also suggested that a brief flight away from dollar-based assets may be losing steam. The US dollar steadied after recent weakness, while Treasury yields edged higher as risk appetite returned. Traders have been quick to react to some punchy reversals in markets, cutting back on recently entered bearish risk positioning and long volatility hedges, part covering USD shorts, and running a more balanced exposure in gold and silver, Chris Weston, head of research at Pepperstone, wrote in a client note. The US dollar held steady at $1.1688 per euro on Thursday, following a 0.3 per cent rebound in the prior session. European equities, which bore the brunt of the selloff, staged a partial recovery as immediate fears receded. Still, traders cautioned that the underlying political risks have not disappeared. Trade tensions linger Despite the market bounce, transatlantic economic relations remain strained. European lawmakers on Wednesday suspended the approval process of the US-EU trade deal, citing concerns over policy unpredictability and recent diplomatic tensions. While Trumps climbdown on Greenland may have eased the most urgent fears, broader trade and political frictions continue to cloud the outlook. Analysts warned that the suspension could resurface volatility if negotiations stall or rhetoric hardens again. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD For now, investors appear willing to bet that diplomacy will prevail over escalation. But with geopolitical and trade risks still elevated, market participants say the relief rally may prove fragile if fresh flashpoints emerge. With inputs from agencies. Brooklyn Beckham has accused his mother Victoria Beckham of interrupting his first dance with wife Nicola Peltz at their 2022 wedding and dancing very inappropriately, a claim that has added fuel to the ongoing public rift within the Beckham family. According to reports, Victoria wrapped her arms around Brooklyn and nuzzled into his neck during the dance. Celebrity drama within the Beckham family has taken a new turn after Brooklyn Beckham made explosive claims about his mother Victoria Beckhams behaviour at his wedding to Nicola Peltz in April 2022. In a public statement outlining deep tensions with his parents, Brooklyn alleged that Victoria interrupted the couples planned first dance, leaving him humiliated in front of guests and contributing to ongoing estrangement. What Brooklyn Beckham has alleged According to Brooklyns account, the ceremony had a carefully planned first dance with his wife, but instead of the scheduled moment, another sequence unfolded when Marc Anthony, a longtime family friend, was invited on stage. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Brooklyn wrote, In front of our 500 wedding guests, Marc Anthony called me to the stage, where in the schedule was planned to be my romantic dance with my wife but instead my mum was waiting to dance with me instead. She danced very inappropriately on me in front of everyone. Ive never felt more uncomfortable or humiliated in my entire life. He also said that because of the way that moment played out, he and Nicola later chose to renew their vows in August 2025 to create new memories they associate with joy rather than anxiety and embarrassment. Eyewitness claims and conflicting reports Some unofficial accounts quoted by tabloid sources suggest that was a constant topic of conversation among guests the following morning, with insiders describing it as inappropriate, while others dismissed it as harmless and a result of her being tipsy at the time. A few sources have told Page Six that Victoria wrapped her arms around Brooklyn and nuzzled into his neck during the dance, taking the moment that was meant to belong to Brooklyn and Nicola. She was even accused of grinding her son during the dance. Games View All However, Vogue and some eyewitness accounts from the night paint a different picture, suggesting that Brooklyn and Victoria danced together later in the evening in a family setting, and that the couples first dance was to a rendition of Cant Help Falling in Love. No video of the alleged contentious moment has been made public, and sources close to the event say that footage remains private and has not been released. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Victoria heartbroken According to the Mirror UK, Victoria, is completely heartbroken over Brooklyns mention of his and wife Nicola Peltzs future family, because she knows that means she wont be part of their kids lives. Wider family dispute Brooklyns allegations come as part of a broader, highly public rift between him and his parents, Victoria and David Beckham. In his statement, he also accused his parents of longstanding interference in his personal life and relationships, saying their focus on Brand Beckham harmed his marriage to Nicola. The Beckham family has not publicly addressed the specific claims about the wedding dance. The episode quickly sparked social media buzz, with some guests reportedly joking about the situation and even Beckham siblings reacting, including younger brother Cruz Beckham, who liked an Instagram Reel poking fun at the alleged first-dance moment. As the wider feud continues to unfold in public view, the allegations surrounding the wedding dance have become one of the most talked about aspects of Brooklyn and Nicolas ongoing narrative with the Beckham family. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Prince Harry became emotional while testifying against the publisher of the Daily Mail, alleging years of unlawful intrusion by British tabloids. Here is what happened in court and why the case matters. Prince Harry struck a guarded and emotional tone as he entered the witness box on Wednesday in Londons High Court, testifying against the publisher of the Daily Mail. Hours later, the Duke of Sussex stepped down visibly shaken, appearing close to tears as he described the toll years of tabloid scrutiny have taken on his life and his family. The testimony marked a crucial moment in one of the most high-profile media privacy trials in the UK in recent years. Prince Harry, in the brink of tears, called out the vicious, persistent attacks on his wife Meghan Markle and even described how her life became an absolute misery because of it, as per a report in the Associated Press. Read all the details about what transpired in the courtroom on Wednesday. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD What is the case about? Prince Harry, along with six other high-profile figures including Sir Elton John and actor Elizabeth Hurley, has accused Associated Newspapers Ltd (ANL) of carrying out a clear, systematic and sustained use of unlawful information gathering over a span of nearly two decades. The claim alleges that journalists working for the Daily Mail group relied on illegal practices such as phone hacking, private investigators and deception to obtain personal information. ANL has strongly denied the allegations, calling them baseless and insisting that the articles in question were based on legitimate reporting methods and lawful sources. The publisher has said it will name its sources during the nine-week trial. Harry on life under constant surveillance In his 23-page written witness statement, Harry said the persistent intrusions into his early life left him paranoid beyond belief. Speaking in court, he expanded on how the experience shaped his relationship with the press. Games View All They continue to come after me, they have made my wifes life an absolute misery, Harry said, his voice breaking as he referred to Meghan, Duchess of Sussex. He described living under what he called 24-hour surveillance, insisting that the personal details published about him could not have come from friends or official sources. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD My social circles were not leaky, he told the court, firmly rejecting suggestions that people close to him had briefed journalists. Cross-examination and courtroom tension Under English court procedure, Harry was immediately cross-examined after confirming the truth of his written evidence under oath. as he swore to tell the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth. Defence lawyer Antony White questioned whether the disputed articles were sourced from royal correspondents doing their jobs at public events or from acquaintances willing to speak to the press. Harry denied ever being friendly with journalists covering the royal family and suggested that references to unidentified sources were sometimes used to disguise unlawful methods, including alleged phone interception. If you complain, they double down on you in my experience, he said, explaining why he did not challenge some articles at the time. As his answers grew increasingly detailed and defensive, the judge intervened. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD You dont have to bear the burden of arguing the case today, Justice Matthew Nicklin reminded him, urging him to focus on answering questions rather than debating the defence. A long-running battle with the British press This is Harrys second appearance as a witness in a media privacy case. In 2023, he became the first senior royal in more than a century to testify in court during his successful lawsuit against the publisher of the Daily Mirror. He told the court that years of following the royal familys long-held protocol of never complain, never explain had left him feeling powerless. Harry also linked his legal fight to the death of his mother, Princess Diana, who was killed in a car crash in Paris in 1997 while being pursued by paparazzi. Why Meghan Markle features in the case Harry said relentless press coverage and what he described as vicious, persistent attacks on Meghan, including racially charged reporting, played a decisive role in their decision to step back from royal duties and move to the United States in 2020. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Although Meghan is not a claimant in the case, her treatment by the media was repeatedly cited by Harry as a turning point that pushed him to take legal action. All I wanted was an apology When asked by his lawyer how he felt about ANLs defence, Harry said the process itself had been deeply distressing. I have never believed that my life is open season to be commercialised by these people, he said, adding that it was fundamentally wrong to put all of us through this again when what he wanted was accountability and an apology. As he concluded his testimony, Harry once again mentioned his wife, visibly struggling to hold back tears as he stepped down from the witness box and slowly left the courtroom. The trial is set to continue over the coming weeks, with testimony from journalists and editors expected to be a key focus as the court examines how Britains most powerful tabloids gather their stories. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD In her lawsuit, 80-year-old Rani Kapur said the trust, which was constituted in her name in October 2017, was a product of forged, fabricated and fraudulent documents Late industrialist Sunjay Kapurs mother has approached the Delhi High Court seeking that their family trust be declared null and void. In her lawsuit, 80-year-old Rani Kapur said the trust, which was constituted in her name in October 2017, was a product of forged, fabricated and fraudulent documents. She has sought a direction to permanently restrain the defendants - her daughter-in-law Priya Kapur and others, including grandchildren, from utilizing or acting in furtherance of the RK Family Trust in any manner whatsoever. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Her plea said she was the sole beneficiary of the entire estate of her late husband Surinder Kapur, who was the promoter of various businesses, including the Sona Group of Companies, and a systematic fraud was committed on her when the assets were transferred to the RK Family Trust. Till the time of his demise, Sunjay never confirmed to Rani Kapur that she had actually been divested of all her rights, assets and legacy and never provided a copy of the purported RK Family Trust to her, the plea claimed. a complex web of illegal transactions undertaken by the defendant Nos. 1 to 9 (Priya Kapur and others) in an unfortunate collusion with the plaintiffs now deceased son, late Mr. Sunjay Kapur, all the plaintiffs assets vest in one fraudulent trust titled - RK Family Trust, without her knowledge, the lawsuit said. Sunjay Kapurs two children with actor Karishma Kapoor, his second wife, are also parties to the lawsuit. Sunjay Kapur passed away on June 12 after collapsing during a polo match in England. He reportedly suffered a sudden cardiac arrest. Games View All A plea by Karisma Kapoors two children challenging the authenticity of the purported will of their late father is also pending in the high court, with the kids accusing his wife Priya Kapur of being greedy. At the heart of it all lies a moment fans have been waiting decades for - Linkin Parks first-ever performance in India after a 30-year-long wait, a debut that is nothing short of generationally iconic Lollapalooza India 2026 is making waves with its incredibly exciting and genre-defying lineup drop, thats truly every music lovers dream come to life! From legendary icons and global superstars to emerging artists pushing boundaries, the festival will set the stage ablaze with sounds that span genres, moods and generations. At the heart of it all lies a moment fans have been waiting decades for - Linkin Parks first-ever performance in India after a 30-year-long wait, a debut that is nothing short of generationally iconic. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD And talking about the same in an interview with The Hollywood Reporter, one of the rock band Farrell members said, Its been on the table to play in India for 20 years. Were lucky enough to have a fanbase and meet a lot of the fans from India that travel to other shows or interact with us on message boards. So, weve been very aware that theres a community that weve wanted to play for and experience the place. This tour has been in the works for probably a year now. He added, You always have the preliminary investigations to see whether it would work, not just for India, but for every place that we decide to tour. The agents start to look at the places, our schedule, routings, and all these different things to see if its even possible to make it make sense and India was a part of that conversation. So, when it did end up working out for us, it was a pretty exciting moment. India has been somewhere weve wanted to play for a long time, says Mike Shinoda. Our fans there are incredibly passionate and we cant wait to finally bring our live show to them." Games View All As Mumbai gears up for two electrifying nights at the iconic Mahalaxmi Racecourse on January 24th and 25th, 2026, secure your spot at the most vibrant music festival of the year! Tickets for Lollapalooza India 2026 are flying off the shelves on lollaindia.com so dont miss the chance to be part of this iconic celebration of music, art and culture. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Rome was paying its last respects to the legendary Valentino on Wednesday at the start of a twoday public viewing for a fashion designer whose highglamour gowns and trademark shade of red became an iconic symbol of Italian elegance. Rome was paying its last respects to the legendary Valentino on Wednesday at the start of a two-day public viewing for a fashion designer whose high-glamour gowns and trademark shade of red became an iconic symbol of Italian elegance. Valentino Garavani, who died aged 93 at his Rome residence on Monday, is lying in state at his foundation in Piazza Mignanelli, just a few steps away from the world-known Spanish Steps. The funeral for the jet-set Italian designer, who built his house in the Italian capital, will be held on Friday in the Basilica di Santa Maria degli Angeli e dei Martiri in central Rome. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Universally known by his first name, Valentino was adored by generations of royals, first ladies and movie stars, from Jackie Kennedy Onassis to Julia Roberts and Queen Rania of Jordan, who swore the designer always made them look and feel their best. More from Entertainment Who is Hande Ercel? All about the Turkish actress and the Shah Rukh Khan Uncle controversy Hundreds of fashion celebrities, authorities and Roman citizens lined up to honor the last emperor of Italian fashion during the public viewing. He always maintained his atelier in Rome, while he mostly unveiled his collections in Paris. Mourners waited in line to enter the headquarters of Valentinos foundation and stop for a few moments in front of his coffin, adorned with just one red rose and surrounded by white flowers. Only his closest relatives and friends sat on both sides of the coffin, including his two beloved fawn-colored pugs. I worked for him for 14 years Those were the most beautiful years of my life, the ones with him," said hairdresser Alba Armillei. Everything he touched became beautiful. Games View All Hailing him as one of Italys most luminous and beloved figures, Romes Mayor Roberto Gualtieri underlined the designers strong links with the Italian capital. Alba Verga, in her red Valentino coat, remembered Valentino as the biggest, most immense forever. He made us dream. His dresses for me were sculptures, works of art, but above all dreams and through his dresses, I always dreamed, she said. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Alessandro Michele, the current creative director of the Valentino fashion house, said the Maestro would be irreplaceable, but left a sound heritage. Hes been a great example of life, Michele told reporters before entering the foundation for his last salute. He came from afar and built something immense. Dancer Eleonora Abbagnato recalled the first dress created by Valentino for the Vienna Opera when I danced for New Years Eve with ostrich feathers, true elegance, the red, the emotions and effect that he created. Windows of the central Valentino store were covered up with black with his famous quote: I love beauty. It is not my fault. Never one for edginess or statement dressing, Valentinos nearly half-century career stretched from his early days in Rome in the 1960s through to his retirement in 2008. He founded the house of Valentino on Romes central Via Condotti in 1959. Valentinos fail-safe designs made him the king of the red carpet, the go-to man for A-listers awards ceremony needs. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD His sumptuous gowns have graced countless Academy Awards, notably in 2001, when Roberts wore a vintage black and white column to accept her best actress statue. Cate Blanchett also wore Valentino a one-shouldered number in butter-yellow silk when she won the Oscar for best supporting actress in 2005. US President Donald Trump has claimed that his Board of Peace will achieve what the United Nations has failed to do. Trump first proposed the idea in September. But should the UN be concerned? US President Donald Trump has launched his Board of Peace. Trump has said this new international body will achieve what the United Nations has failed to do. The UN just hasnt been very helpful. Im a big fan of the UNs potential, but it has never lived up to its potential, Trump told reporters. The UN should have settled every one of the wars that I settled. I never went to them. I never even thought to go to them. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Still, he added, youve got to let the UN continue, because the potential is so great. What is it? The Board of Peace was unveiled at the World Economic Forum in Davos. Trump first proposed the idea in September. It is formally tied to Trumps Gaza ceasefire and reconstruction plan. However, its ambitions are far bigger. The board is designed as a standing forum of selected states tasked with mediating conflicts, funding reconstruction efforts and coordinating security guarantees. Trump is designated as chairman, with sweeping authority over membership and direction. Participation reportedly comes with a financial contribution, with funds earmarked for rebuilding Gaza. Other figures on the board include former UK prime minister Tony Blair, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio, Trump adviser Jared Kushner and Trumps special envoy Steve Witkoff. A mandate for a Board of Peace was authorised by the United Nations Security Council in November, but only through 2027 and solely focused on the Gaza conflict. According to its charter, the board will undertake peace-building functions in accordance with international law. Member states would be limited to three-year terms unless they pay $1 billion (Rs 91.63 billion) each to fund the boards activities and earn permanent membership, the charter says. US Secretary of State Marco Rubio speaks during an end-of-year press conference in the State Department Press Briefing Room in Washington, DC on December 19, 2025. AFP File The document said durable peace requires pragmatic judgement, common-sense solutions, and the courage to depart from approaches and institutions that have too often failed. There was a need for a more nimble and effective international peace-building body, it added. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Trump has long been wary of multilateral institutions, particularly the United Nations. He has repeatedly questioned the effectiveness, cost and accountability of international bodies, arguing they often fail to serve US interests. The US, which is required to pay 22 per cent of the UNs regular budget, currently owes $1.5 billion (Rs 137.45 billion), according to UN officials. Who has joined and who hasnt? Around two dozen nations, including Israel, Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Egypt, Turkey and Belarus, have said they will join Trumps board. Bahrain, Jordan, Qatar, Turkey, Hungary, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Morocco, Pakistan, Indonesia, Kosovo, Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan, Paraguay and Vietnam have also agreed to join the board. Canada said it has agreed in principle to join but that the details were still being worked out, while Germany, Japan and India have not yet taken a clear public stance. Britain has said it is not joining for now. UK Foreign Secretary Yvette Cooper has expressed concern about Putins invitation. The UK government has already said it will not take part in the signing ceremony. Interestingly, a number of European nations, including Norway, France and Sweden, have already turned Trump down. Frances response resulted in Trump threatening to levy a 200 per cent tariff on French wines and champagnes. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Did he say that? Well, nobody wants him because he will be out of office very soon. Ill put a 200 per cent tariff on his wines and champagnes, and hell join, but he doesnt have to join, Trump said. Frances President Emmanuel Macron attends the 56th annual World Economic Forum (WEF) meeting in Davos, Switzerland, January 20, 2026. Reuters Italys economy minister Giancarlo Giorgetti has said doing so would violate the countrys constitution. Ukraine has said its diplomats are examining the invitation, but President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has said it is hard for him to imagine being on any board with Russia after four years of war. Russia and China have not yet announced whether they will join the Board of Peace. Pope Leo, the first US pontiff and a critic of some of Trumps policies, has been invited to join the board and is evaluating the proposal, the Vatican said on Wednesday. Interestingly, this means that no permanent member of the United Nations Security Council arguably the most powerful such institution since the Second World War apart from the US has agreed to join this new board. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Trump has claimed that this board will be one of a kind; there has never been anything like it. Can it replace the UN? Experts say this is unlikely. Annalena Baerbock, president of the United Nations General Assembly, said the United Nations was the only institution with the moral and legal ability to bring together every nation, big or small. And if we question that we fall back into very, very dark times, Baerbock added. A piece in The Guardian claimed that members of the UN Security Council had been hoodwinked by Trump. It noted that any board including Vladimir Putin was very unlikely to stop the bloodshed in Ukraine. It said it would also likely remain a vanity project. Joining the board, on the other hand, involves undermining the UN, submission to Trumps will and acquiescence in his vision of the future of world governance an imperial court where vassal states pay cash and vie for the ear of the orange emperor, the piece concluded. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD A piece in The Conversation speculates that it is another way Trump has sought to earn his long-demanded Nobel Peace Prize. It also argued that it may be an opportunity for Trump, his political and corporate allies to mint money. It said that Trump is seemingly looking to set up a corporate version of the United Nations where he has the final say. The United Nations Security Council. Reuters Retired US Ambassador Robert Wood, who served at the US Mission to the United Nations under Republican and Democratic leaders, said if Trump is trying to replace the Security Council with a Board of Peace dealing with issues beyond Gaza, I dont think theres going to be a lot of interest. What I would say to UN member states, including the United States: lets try to work together to make the United Nations a better instrument. It really is the best instrument we have, given all its warts, Wood said. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD But trying to recreate something new in this type of era, with all the divisions that exist and the fact that most of the developing world puts a lot of emphasis on the United Nations and the conflict resolution mechanism, I just dont see how this would work. The United Nations is not displaying any concern publicly. A spokesperson for UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said he believes member states are free to associate in different groups in response to a question about the draft US charter for a Board of Peace. The United Nations will continue with its mandated work, deputy UN spokesperson Farhan Haq said. But others are more concerned. Its a Trump United Nations that ignores the fundamentals of the UN charter, said one diplomat. Three other Western diplomats said it looked as if it would undermine the United Nations if it went ahead. With inputs from agencies Donald Trump mentioned the US Air Forces most devastating plane the F-47, wondering the reason behind the number at the World Economic Forum (WEF) in Davos, Switzerland. A sixth-generation aircraft, it is the USs most advanced fighter jet that boasts stealth capabilities. The US president once said the high-speed combat jet is the most lethal aircraft ever built US President Donald Trump delivers remarks, as an image of an F-47 sixth-generation fighter jet is displayed, in the Oval Office at the White House, in Washington, DC, US, March 21, 2025. File Photo/Reuters United States President Donald Trumps speech at the World Economic Forum (WEF) in Davos, Switzerland, on Wednesday (January 21) was much anticipated. Besides his push for acquiring Greenland, he also mentioned the US Air Forces most advanced fighter jet the F-47. Describing it as the most devastating plane, Trump wondered why the aircraft had been dubbed 47. They say its [the F-47] the most devastating plane, fighter jet ever. They called it 47. If I dont like it, Im going to take the 47 off it. I wonder why they called it 47? What to think about. But if I dont like it, Im going to take that 47 off," he said. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD The US president used the example of the F-47 to highlight the American military having the best equipment. Heres what we know about the US most advanced fighter jet. Features of F-47 The US military has kept the design of the F-47 under wraps. However, reports say the sixth-generation aircraft boasts stealth capabilities to reduce its visibility to radar. The stealth combat jet has canard foreplanes, which offer improved manoeuvrability and stability, including at high angles of attack, especially for delta-wing aircraft, reported TWZ. The aircraft may also feature a broad, shovel-like nose, which could house a very large radar array and a large bubble canopy. The F-47 will reportedly have a speed of Mach 2+, more than twice the speed of sound. The fighter jet is likely to have a combat radius of over 1,000 nautical miles. It could integrate seamlessly with a new generation of unmanned Collaborative Combat Aircraft (CCAs) drone wingmen designed to extend sensors, carry weapons, and absorb risks, as per Aerospace Global News. The aircraft, which is likely to be designed for long-range combat, includes highly advanced sensors and engines. It resembles Boeings X-45 combat drone and Bird of Prey, a single-seat stealth demonstrator. Part of the US Air Forces Next Generation Air Dominance (NGAD) initiative, it is expected to boast new jet engines, weapons, electronic warfare suites, sensors, networking ecosystems, battle management capabilities, and much more. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD The US president has described the high-speed stealth aircraft as the most lethal aircraft ever built. Whats in a name? Last March, Trump had said that the US military had selected the number 47, which he described as a beautiful number, for the aircraft. He is the 45th and 47th President of the US. The generals picked that title, he said. But the name is more than just a nod to Trump. The F-47s name has roots in an iconic World War II fighter plane: the P-47, nicknamed Thunderbolt. Also, the number pays tribute to the founding year of our incredible @usairforce, while also recognizing the 47th @POTUSs pivotal support for the development of the worlds FIRST sixth-generation fighter (2/2). https://t.co/wjBynCSejr General Ken Wilsbach (@OfficialCSAF) March 21, 2025 The aircraft was in service for years in the US and globally, with its P for Pursuit prefix later phased out and replaced with F-47. The 47 also refers to 1947, the year the US Air Force was established as an independent service. It was previously a part of the US Army. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD When is F-47s first flight? Boeing is building the US Air Forces most advanced fighter jet. In March, Trump said he was thrilled to announce he had awarded the multi-billion dollar contract for the fighter jet to Boeing. Describing the aircraft as the worlds first sixth-generation fighter jet, he said he could not share the per-tail cost because it would reveal some of the technology and some of the size of the plane. Americas enemies will never see it coming, he said at the time. The F-47 is in the production stage, with the US eyeing to procure at least 185 jets. The US Air Force confirmed last year that the initial prototype is being built and the first flight is targeted for 2028. It also admitted delays to a separate Next Generation Adaptive Propulsion programme, which is developing advanced jet engines that could power the F-47 and other aircraft in the future. With inputs from agencies Leaders of European Union countries will hold an emergency summit today. The meeting will focus on President Donald Trumps decision to impose tariffs on countries that dont support his plan to acquire Greenland. In Australia, people will come together for a National Day of Mourning to honour the victims and all those impacted by the Bondi Beach terrorist attack Leaders of European Union countries will hold an emergency summit today (January 22). The European Commission spokesperson, Olof Gill, asserted that the meeting will focus on President Trumps threat of tariffs linked to his desire to acquire Greenland. In other news, the official website of the Prime Minister of Australia, Anthony Albanese, said that people in Australia will come together for a National Day of Mourning to honour the victims of the Bondi Beach terrorist attack. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Read this and more news updates from across the world for today. EU leaders to hold emergency summit today Leaders of EU countries will meet for an emergency summit today. The meeting comes after US President Donald Trumps move to slap tariffs on nations that do not back his plans to acquire Greenland. The bloc is ready to respond if the threatened tariffs are imposed, said European Commission spokesperson Olof Gill. Trump has stepped up his campaign for greater American influence over Greenland. Recently, he issued a pointed warning to Denmark after a group of European nations jointly rebuffed his latest threats. NATO has been telling Denmark, for 20 years, that you have to get the Russian threat away from Greenland. Unfortunately, Denmark has been unable to do anything about it, he wrote. Trump then added, Now it is time, and it will be done!!! Trump wrote on Truth Social. Witkoff, Kushner to meet Putin US special envoy Steve Witkoff told CNBC he is heading to Russia with US President Donald Trumps son-in-law Jared Kushner to discuss land deals over Ukraine. A Kremlin spokesperson confirmed that Russian President Vladimir Putin is scheduled to meet with Witkoff today, according to the Russian news agency TASS. During his speech at the World Economic Forum, Donald Trump said that he believed both President Zelenskyy and Putin want to make a deal and that they are stupid if they dont get one done. Trump has said he was planning to meet Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy on the sidelines of Davos. Bondi Beach attack: National Day of Mourning Australians will come together for a National Day of Mourning to honour the Bondi Beach shooting victims and those affected by the incident, the official website of the Prime Minister of Australia said. Light will win, a gathering of unity and remembrance is the theme chosen by the Chabad Community in Bondi, the website noted. Australian lawmakers have passed tougher laws on hate crimes and gun violence following last months mass shooting at a Jewish festival at Sydneys Bondi Beach. Fifteen people, most of them Jewish, were killed when two gunmen opened fire during a Hanukkah celebration. Australian authorities have said the suspected attackers, Sajid Akram and his son Naveed, were inspired by the ISIL (ISIS) group. Australia to hold day of mourning for Bondi shooting victims. AFP The shooting also sparked a period of national soul-searching, anger over failures to protect Jewish Australians, and renewed calls for tougher legislation to prevent such attacks. 98th Academy Awards nominations The nominations for the 98th Academy Awards, or the Oscars 2026, will be announced today. The 2026 Oscar nominations will be announced live at 9:45 PM IST in India. It will be televised on Oscar.com or Oscar.org, the official websites for the Academy Awards; however, the ceremony will also be streamed on the Academys Facebook, YouTube, and Instagram sites. According to reports, Danielle Brooks and Lewis Pullman will reveal the 2026 Oscar nominees. Conan OBrien is set to host the Oscars for the second time on March 15. Trial in Hong Kong against Tiananmen vigil organisers Two former leaders of a Hong Kong pro-democracy group that for decades organised a vigil commemorating people killed during Beijings 1989 Tiananmen crackdown will go on trial under the citys national security law, Associated Press reported. Trial in Hong Kong against Tiananmen vigil organizers begins. AP Another person involved in the same case is likely to plead guilty in todays hearing. Commercial run of first Vande Bharat sleeper train India is set to experience the first commercial run of the Vande Bharat sleeper train today. The upgraded train will be operated by the Northeast Frontier Railway (NFR) zone. The train will travel from Guwahati (Kamakhya) to Howrah, and will cover the 972-km route in 14 hours. The Vande Bharat sleeper train and the Rajdhani Express are both premium long-distance trains operated by Indian Railways, designed for overnight intercity travel. AFP According to the Railways, no refund will be issued to passengers if a ticket is cancelled within eight hours of the trains scheduled departure. With 15 halts, the existing Saraighat Express (12345/12346) takes 17 hours, while the Vande Bharat Sleeper Express will reduce travel time by about three hours, according to the Ministry of Railways. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Mumbai mayor selection process begins The process for electing the next mayor of the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) will formally commence today. The state Urban Development Department will hold a public lottery at the Secretariat to decide the reservation category for the mayors post. In the BMC polls, the BJP won 89 out of 227 seats, and the Shiv Sena of Shinde bagged 29. With this, the two allies crossed the halfway mark of 114. Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis said that the BJP has won a decisive mandate and that the state has shown full faith in the BJP. The landmark victory was a blow to the Thackeray cousins, Uddhav and Raj, whose Shiv Sena (UBT) and Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) joined forces after two decades. With inputs from agencies Donald Trumps Davos address was a lengthy rant against the world. The US president continued to exert pressure on Greenland, but said he wouldnt use military force to acquire the Arctic territory. He also criticised Europe and Nato, and issued a threat to Canadas Mark Carney while mocking Frances Emmanuel Macron The US delegation accompanying the US president listen to Donald Trump's remarks during the 56th annual World Economic Forum (WEF), in Davos, Switzerland. Reuters It was a speech that the world was not looking forward to. On Wednesday (January 21), after a delay owing to a glitch in Air Force One, Donald Trump made it to Davos at the World Economic Forum and used the platform to complain, castigate and seek control of Greenland that semi-autonomous territory of Denmark thats been at the midst of the US presidents battle with Europe. Trumps winding speech, clocking more than an hour, addressed a wide-range of issues, from Greenland and Venezuela to the war in Russia-Ukraine and the state of the US economy, with the overall message being that the fate and the successes of economies worldwide rest on the success of the United States. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD In fact, Trump said: The United States is the economic engine of the planet. When America booms, the entire world booms When it goes bad, you all follow us down. So, what did we learn from Trumps Davos speech? Here are the key takeaways. Wont take Greenland that big piece of ice by force Trump began his second term in office seeking to takeover Greenland, and his speech at Davos was no different. The US president, in fact, opened his remarks at the World Economic Forum about Greenland, joking: I was going to leave it (Greenland) out of the speech, but I think I would have been reviewed very negatively. He then uttered four words that could provide relief to Europe I wont use force. This is the clearest statement by Trump on his designs for Greenland. Until now, the US president hadnt ruled out military force to acquire Greenland, with the White House earlier stating that military options remained in play. However, he insisted that the US was the only country strong enough to protect this big piece of ice, and that the US needed it for national and international security. We need it for strategic national security and international security. This enormous, unsecured island is actually part of North America. Thats our territory, said Trump. All were asking for is to get Greenland, including right, title and ownership, he added. Because you need the ownership to defend it. You cant defend it on a lease. Who the hell wants to defend a licence agreement or lease, which is a large piece of ice in the middle of the ocean, where, if there is a war, much of the action will take place on that piece of ice, Trump mused. Think of it, those missiles would be flying right over the centre of that piece of ice. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD The US president also noted that he would remember those who opposed him. You can say no and we will remember, he warned. US President Donald Trump waves as he attends the 56th annual World Economic Forum (WEF) meeting in Davos, Switzerland. Reuters Trumps historical argument for Greenland In his demand for Greenland, US President Donald Trump stated in Davos that no nation or group of nations is in any position to be able to secure Greenland, other than the United States. He went on to slam Denmark as ungrateful for refusing to give up control of Greenland, contending that the nation owed the US for defending it during World War II. Denmark fell to Germany after just six hours of fighting, and was totally unable to defend either itself or Greenland. So the United States was then compelled, and we did it, he said, lamenting the US decision at the time to allow Denmark to retain Greenland as a territory. How stupid were we to do that? he said. But we did it, but we gave it back. But how ungrateful are they now? Europe, Nato, Carney, Macron Trump spares no one In his speech that went on for more than an hour and 10 minutes, Trump took aim at targets old and new, airing his grievances against everyone. He started with Europe and Nato, stating that European leaders had veered drastically off course. Trump expressed his disdain for how European officials had managed immigration, security and economics over the past decades. Certain places in Europe are not even recognisable, frankly, anymore. Theyre not recognisable. And we can argue about it, but theres no argument, Trump said minutes into his speech. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Mentioning wars of the past, Trump said, Without us right now, youd all be speaking German and a little Japanese, he said. The US president also took on the Nato, noting that the alliance cost America a lot of money. He said about defence spending, Until I came along, Nato was only supposed to pay two per cent of GDP, but they werent paying. Most of the countries werent paying anything. The United States was paying for virtually 100 per cent of Nato. And I got that stopped. I said thats not fair. But then more importantly, I got Nato to pay five percent, and now they were paying, and now they are paying, so something nobody said was possible. Trump also took note of Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carneys earlier remarks at Davos. Directing his remarks to the Canadian leader, he said: Canada gets a lot of freebies from us, by the way. They should be grateful, but theyre not. Canada lives because of the United States. Remember that, Mark, the next time you make your statements. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Trump also used the Davos platform to mock French President Emmanuel Macron and his choice of sunglasses. The US president said, I watched him (Macron) yesterday with those beautiful sunglasses. What the hell happened? And despite Macrons previous remarks, Trump noted that he was fond of his French counterpart. I like him. I actually like him, Trump said. Its hard to believe, isnt it? US President Donald Trump speaks while leaders look on during a reception at the 56th annual World Economic Forum (WEF), in Davos, Switzerland. Reuters Trump loves his tariffs Since coming to power last January, Trump has upended the world order with the use of tariffs and its not wholly surprising that he mentioned them during his Davos speech either. In his speech, he said that tariffs have enabled him to secure concessions that would not have been possible otherwise. Without tariffs, I wouldnt have been able to get it done, he said. At one point, he described his negotiating style in blunt terms, telling the audience that when tariffs are on the table, the message to other countries is simple: Youre going to do it fast. Trump and Venezuela After carrying out a surprising strike on Venezuela and capturing its leader, Nicolas Maduro, Trump used the Davos platform to speak on the future of the Latin-American nation. Venezuelas going to do fantastically well, said Trump, praising the administration of interim President Delcy Rodriguez. Once the attack ended, they said, lets make a deal. More people should do that. He also said that oil companies were lining up to invest in Venezuela, despite reports stating that firms were apprehensive about doing so. Venezuela is going to make more money in the next six months than theyve made in the last 20 years. Every major oil companys coming in with us. Its amazing, he said. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Its Greenland, not Iceland; its Azerbaijan, not Aberbajan During the Davos speech, Trump also touched upon the fact that he had resolved eight wars across the globe this claim is highly contentious. He noted, I settled eight other wars. India-Pakistan, I settled other wars that were Vladimir Putin called me, Armenia, Aber-Bajan, Trump said. Notably, the Aber-Bajan that the US president is referring to is Azerbaijan. Trump at Davos: I settled 8 other wars Then he started struggling through Azerbaijan. Aber-bajian" pic.twitter.com/Y8V6Kx3eGm Brian Allen (@allenanalysis) January 21, 2026 Trump also confused Greenland with Iceland, at least four times, whilst addressing the gathering of political and business leaders in Davos. Trump doesnt even know the difference between Iceland and Greenland, and hes saying that Iceland calls him Daddy. This is your president.pic.twitter.com/EU9BIdPdKB Lilith (@Lilith_Atheist) January 21, 2026 STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD I dont know that theys [Nato] be there for us. Theyre not there for us on Iceland (he meant Greenland), that I can tell you. I mean, our stock market took the first dip yesterday because of Iceland. So Icelands already cost us a lot of money. But that dip is peanuts compared to what its gone up," said Trump. People film President Donald Trump during his speech at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland. AP Windmills, energy and stupid people Trump also used his time at Davos criticising green energy policies, calling them the greatest hoax in history and branding the Green New Deal a Green New Scam. He targeted wind energy in particular, saying windmills are all over Europe and described them as losers bought by stupid people. Every time that goes around, you lose $1,000. Youre supposed to make money with energy, not lose money, he said while referring to windmills across Europe. Calling windmills those damn things, he added that they kill the birds and ruin the landscapes. Trump further added that China dominates the wind energy market, claiming that it manufactures most windmills and sells them to European countries for profit. China makes all windmills, but I cant see any there; they sell them to stupid people in Europe and make fortunes, he said at the forum. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD With inputs from agencies Pakistan and Turkey continue to peddle their anti-India narrative. And now, they have a third partner Azerbaijan. The former Soviet Republic recently hosted a global Khalistani conference during which New Delhi was criticised for its alleged mistreatment of Sikhs The Khalistan movement continues to be a threat for India. After Canada, the United Kingdom and Australia seeing a rise in this separatist movement seeking to create a homeland for Sikhs, theres a new global player Azerbaijan. Late last week, the former Soviet republic hosted an international conference aimed at amplifying the Khalistan narrative, having big implications for India. So, whats exactly happening? Is this a threat to India? Heres all we know about the conference that was held in Baku and how it plays into the anti-India narrative being peddled by Pakistan. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Conference on Indias treatment of Sikhs held in Baku On January 16, the Azerbaijani government-linked Baku Initiative Group held its first international conference focused on Indias treatment of Sikhs and other ethnic minorities, highlighting concerns over alleged state-led repression, discrimination, and human rights violations. The event, titled Racism and Violence Against Sikhs and Other National Minorities in India: The Reality on the Ground was attended by Ramesh Singh Arora, Punjabs minister for human rights and minorities, alongside Sikh representatives from Canada, the United Kingdom, and the United States. Attendees at the Khalistan conference titled Racism and Violence Against Sikhs and Other National Minorities in India: The Reality on the Ground was held in Baku, Azerbaijan. Image Courtesy: Allen Hampton/X Among the attendees, the most notable ones was Moninder Singh from Canada, who was friends with known Khalistani Hardeep Singh Nijjar. There was also UKs Dabinderjit Singh Sidhu, a known Khalistan supporter whose nomination to the UKs House of Lords was dropped. What has raised eyebrows about the event in Azerbaijan is the minute of silence that was accorded in memory of Khalistani Hardeep Singh Nijjar, who was assassinated in Canada in 2023. It was then followed up with videos and statements highlighting alleged violations and crimes committed against Sikhs by the Indian government, as well as systemic discrimination faced by other ethnic minorities in India. Speakers highlighted that activists continue to face arrests under accusations of separatism or espionage, while international authorities have linked some attacks on Sikh diaspora activists to Indian intelligence services. During the discussions, words such as genocide and systemic racism were used time and again to characterise Indias action and its so-called mistreatment of Sikhs. A concern for India At the conference in Azerbaijans capital, there was a concerted effort to lend the Khalistan movement legitimacy. As News18 reports, the strategy of the meeting was to move beyond regional rhetoric and engage the United Nations. At one point during the conference, participants demanded for an investigation of extrajudicial executions by the UN Human Rights Committee and the documentation of rights violations by UN Special Rapporteurs for international monitoring. Moreover, the joint statement after the conference framed Sikh activism as being unjustly labelled extremism, echoing a core Khalistani discourse. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD But it goes well beyond this. Azerbaijans decision to host such an event indicates its steady alignment to an anti-India narrative, being pushed by Pakistan and Turkey. Defence experts note that Pakistan is using Azerbaijan as a neutral-looking ground to facilitate disinformation and provide a platform for elements that are inherently anti-India. They note that by outsourcing the narrative push to Baku, Islamabad gains plausible deniability while keeping the Khalistan issue alive internationally. Turkish, Pakistani and Azerbaijani troops at a ceremony together. Image Courtesy: X Growing nexus between Pakistan-Turkey-Azerbaijan The Khalistan conference in Baku is just another indicator of the nexus between Pakistan, Turkey and Azerbaijan. Interestingly, Azerbaijan has been siding with Pakistan in recent times the most recent instance was last years Operation Sindoor. Last May, Azerbaijan echoed Pakistans stance on the conflict, saying: We condemn the military attacks on the Islamic Republic of Pakistan, which have resulted in the deaths and injuries of several civilians. In solidarity with the people of Pakistan, we extend our condolences to the families of the innocent victims and wish a speedy recovery to the injured. Many note that Azerbaijans backing for Pakistan stems from New Delhis support to Armenia, Azerbaijans arch-rival. New Delhi has ramped up its arms sales to Armenia since 2020, which includes the sale of Swathi weapon locating radars as well as Pinaka multi-barrel rocket launchers and the Akash-1S missile defence system. Notably, in 2024, Azerbaijans President, Ilham Aliyev, asked India to stay away from supplying defence equipment to Armenia. Citing concerns over Azerbaijans national security, Aliyev said, It is a matter of our national security. We cannot sit and wait, seeing how France, India, and Greece are weaponising Armenia against us and doing it openly, demonstratively. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Another way that Azerbaijan extends support to Pakistan is in the way it reports on Kashmir. Despite the Union territory being an integral part of India, the state media as well as think tanks in Azerbaijan, refer to the area as Indian Occupied Jammu & Kashmir (IOJK), a term that Pakistan uses. Even during Operation Sindoor, Azerbaijan media parroted Pakistans claims, peddling fake news about the conflict. For instance, one article described Indian strikes as causing civilian casualties, damaging mosques, and injuring children. Another focused on the alleged damage to the Neelum Jhelum Hydroelectric Project, which was debunked by India. Meanwhile Turkey has continuously supported Islamabads demand for an international investigation into the Pahalgam attack. Turkey also supplied weapons to Pakistan, which were used during the military confrontation that lasted for five days. Moreover, Turkeys President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has repeatedly raised the issue of Kashmir at international events. At last years United Nations General Assembly, he mentioned Indias Union territory, The issue of Kashmir should be resolved on the basis of resolutions of the UN for the best for our brothers and sisters in Kashmir, through dialogue, we hope. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Such conditions make it prudent for India to be wary of the growing ties between the three brothers as they call themselves. With inputs from agencies Donald Trumps Board of Peace is dividing global opinion. Divisions have emerged as some European countries have declined to join the board, while a group of Muslim countries have agreed to sign on to oversee reconstruction of Gaza A White House official said about 30 countries were expected to join, and about 50 had been invited. File image/AP Divisions emerged Wednesday over US President Donald Trumps Board of Peace as its ambitions have grown beyond Gaza, with some Western European countries declining to join, others remaining noncommittal and a group of Muslim countries agreeing to sign on. The developments underscored European concerns over the expanded and divisive scope of the project which some say may seek to rival the UN Security Councils role in mediating global conflicts. Trump is looking to form the board officially this week on the sidelines of the World Economic Forum meeting in Davos, Switzerland. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Norway and Sweden said they wont accept their invitations, after France also said no, while a bloc of Muslim-majority nations Egypt, Indonesia, Jordan, Pakistan, Qatar, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates said in a joint statement that their leaders would join. It was not immediately clear how many countries would accept. A White House official said about 30 countries were expected to join, and about 50 had been invited. Two other US officials, who spoke on condition of anonymity to describe internal plans not yet made public, said roughly 60 countries had been invited but only 18 had so far confirmed their participation. Trump was sunny about the prospects ahead of an event Thursday tied to the board, saying of the countries that were invited that some need parliamentary approval, but for the most part, everybody wants to be on. Chaired by Trump, the board was originally conceived as a small group of world leaders overseeing the Gaza ceasefire plan. But the Trump administrations ambitions have since expanded into a more sprawling concept, with Trump hinting at the boards role as mediator for other global conflicts. Israels Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said hes agreed to join the board a departure from an earlier stance when his office criticized the makeup of another committee tasked with overseeing Gaza. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD FILE PHOTO: Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu gestures during a joint press conference in Jerusalem. File image/Reuters Norways state secretary, Kristoffer Thoner, said the Scandinavian country would not join the board because it raises a number of questions that require further dialogue with the United States. Swedish Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson said on the sidelines of Davos that his country wouldnt sign up for the board as the text currently stands, Swedish news agency TT reported, though the country hasnt formally responded. Slovenian Prime Minister Robert Golob said the time has not yet come to accept the invitation, according to the STA news agency. The main concern is that the boards mandate is too broad and could seriously undermine international order based on the UN Charter, Golob said. France declined the invitation earlier in the week. French Foreign Minister Jean-Noel Barrot said, Yes to implementing the peace plan presented by the president of the United States, which we wholeheartedly support, but no to creating an organization as it has been presented, which would replace the United Nations. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD The United Kingdom, the European Unions executive arm, Canada, Russia, Ukraine and China also have not yet indicated their response to Trumps invitations. Parties key to the Gaza ceasefire Egypt and Israel have said they would join the board, as have Argentina, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Bahrain, Belarus, Hungary, Kazakhstan, Kosovo, Morocco, Uzbekistan and Vietnam. Netanyahus decision was significant because his office had previously said the composition of a Gaza executive committee which includes Turkey, Israels key regional rival, and will work with those governing the territory day to day was not coordinated with the Israeli government and ran contrary to its policy, without clarifying its objections. The move could now put Netanyahu in conflict with some of the far-right allies in his coalition, such as Israels Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich, who has criticized the board and called for Israel to take unilateral responsibility for Gazas future. Many questions remain about the board. When asked by a reporter on Tuesday if the board would replace the UN, Trump said, It might. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Amid the shifting security landscape in West Asia, it seems a discreet alignment between India, the UAE and Israel is gaining momentum. Built on defence cooperation, technology and shared threat perceptions, the emerging bloc is increasingly seen as a counterweight to the Pakistan-Saudi-Turkey-led alliance, dubbed by some as the Islamic Nato UAE President Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan walks with Prime Minister Narendra Modi upon his arrival at the airport in New Delhi, India, January 19, 2026. File Image/Press Information Bureau (PIB) West Asia and its adjoining strategic theatres are witnessing a gradual reordering of security alignments. This transformation is not being announced through formal treaties or grand summits, nor is it framed in ideological declarations. Instead, it is unfolding through carefully calibrated defence engagements, and strategic signalling among key regional and extra-regional players. At the centre of this evolving landscape are two emerging security currents. One involves India, the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and Israel a grouping built on defence capability, technological integration and shared threat assessments. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD The other revolves around Pakistan and Saudi Arabia, with Turkey frequently mentioned as a potential pillar, and is often described by analysts as an Islamic Nato. This realignment is taking place against a backdrop of changing global power dynamics. With the United States under President Donald Trump adopting a more inward-looking posture and treating alliances as transactional arrangements, long-held assumptions about external security guarantees in West Asia are being reassessed. As Washington focuses increasingly on tariffs, border control and hemispheric priorities, regional actors are adjusting to a world in which they must shoulder greater responsibility for their own security. A six-hour journey for a three-hour engagement One of the most striking signals of this shift came earlier this week, when UAE President Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan made a brief but highly consequential visit to New Delhi. The trip lasted just three hours, during which Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan met Prime Minister Narendra Modi, held discussions on bilateral and regional issues, signed a defence-related understanding, and departed the same day. Despite its brevity, the visit resulted in India and the UAE announcing their intention to finalise a framework agreement for a strategic defence partnership. This marked Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyans fifth visit to India in the past decade. Central to the visit was the signing of a letter of intent, which observers believe goes well beyond symbolism. According to analysts, this document could form the basis of a structured India-UAE defence cooperation agreement, with the potential for expansion to include Israel at a later stage. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD While New Delhi has publicly maintained that it is not forming any formal geopolitical bloc, the direction of its defence and strategic engagements points to a deliberate and pragmatic alignment. What is driving Indias strategic concerns A key concern for New Delhi is the expanding influence of Pakistan within certain segments of the Islamic world and the emergence of what is often referred to as an Islamic or Muslim Nato. This concern has been sharpened by developments in Saudi Arabias defence posture. While the specifics of nuclear cooperation remain unclear, Pakistans Defence Minister Khwaja Asif has stated that Saudi Arabia may seek assistance from Pakistans nuclear arsenal. Such statements have added to apprehensions about the strategic implications of deepening Saudi-Pakistani defence ties. At the same time, India has been steadily strengthening its relationship with Israel. While New Delhi continues to formally support a two-state solution to the Palestinian question, its cooperation with Israel has expanded significantly in recent years. Media reports have suggested that India supplied missiles to Israel during its recent conflict with Hamas. More broadly, India-Israel collaboration spans counterterrorism, cyber security, maritime security, defence manufacturing and advanced technology. India also sees Israel as a critical partner in areas beyond hard security, including trade corridors, food security and the energy transition. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD There is also an understanding that closer coordination among India, Israel and the UAE could be complemented by the United States, effectively reinforcing the I2U2 framework without creating a formal military alliance. How an India-UAE-Israel defence bloc is built on capability Italian political advisor and author Sergio Restelli, writing in a blog on The Times of Israel on Tuesday, argues that West Asia is reorganising itself along hard security lines. Beneath the rhetoric of neutrality and non-alignment, he identifies two distinct defence architectures shaped by sharply different worldviews. At the heart of one stands the growing strategic alignment between India, the United Arab Emirates, and Israel reinforced by the brief but significant visit of Mohamed bin Zayed to New Delhi. Opposite it is a looser but ideologically coherent bloc centred on Pakistan and Saudi Arabia, with the potential inclusion of Turkey and Egypt. Restelli emphasises that this emerging configuration does not resemble Cold War-era alliances. This is not a return to Cold War binaries. It is something more fluid, more transactional, and in many ways more dangerous. According to Restelli, the India-UAE defence partnership reflects a pragmatic assessment of todays security environment. Rather than relying on symbolic guarantees, it is grounded in tangible cooperation, including joint military exercises, defence industrial collaboration, maritime security in the Arabian Sea, intelligence sharing, and engagement in emerging domains such as cyber and space. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD For India, the UAE is far more than an energy supplier or financial hub. It occupies a critical position in the security of the Indian Ocean and the Gulf, through which Indias trade flows, diaspora movements and energy supplies pass. For Abu Dhabi, India offers scale, technological depth and strategic reach without the ideological conditions often associated with Western security arrangements. How Israels role is vital in the equation Restelli describes Israels involvement as structural rather than incidental, noting that the India-UAE defence relationship is intertwined with a broader trilateral convergence involving Jerusalem. India and Israel already maintain one of the worlds most extensive defence technology relationships, covering missiles, drones, air defence systems, electronic warfare capabilities and intelligence platforms. The UAEs decision to normalise relations with Israel transformed what had been largely bilateral cooperation into a wider regional force multiplier. This is not about public symbolism or photo-ops. It is about integrated security thinking, Restelli writes. He notes that India, the UAE and Israel face overlapping threats, including state-sponsored militancy, drone and missile proliferation, maritime disruption, and the use of ideology by non-state actors. Their cooperation is rooted in a shared belief that deterrence, technological superiority and intelligence fusion are essential for long-term stability. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD For Israel, this alignment embeds it within a broader Asian-West Asian security framework, reducing isolation and weakening the effectiveness of traditional pressure campaigns. For India, it allows Israeli innovation to be integrated into a Gulf security environment that directly affects Indian interests. For the UAE, it anchors national security partnerships around stability rather than revolutionary ambition. How the Pakistan-Saudi axis has its limitations In contrast, the emerging defence understanding between Pakistan and Saudi Arabia operates on a different logic. According to Restelli, it is driven less by integrated operational capability and more by political signalling and regime security. Pakistan offers trained military manpower, nuclear deterrence by association, and ideological credibility within parts of the Muslim world. Saudi Arabia contributes financial resources, strategic geography and religious legitimacy. Speculation around this axis intensified following the signing of a Strategic Mutual Defence Agreement between Riyadh and Islamabad in 2025. The agreement, reportedly inspired by Natos Article 5, treats an attack on one party as an attack on both. For Saudi Arabia, this marked a departure from decades of near-exclusive reliance on US security guarantees. For Pakistan, it represented a diplomatic boost after international isolation deepened due to repeated terror incidents and a costly military clash with India in May 2025. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Turkeys reported interest in joining such a framework added both symbolism and potential military scale. Under President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, Ankara has pursued strategic autonomy, balancing Nato membership with independent military interventions and a growing defence export industry. A trilateral arrangement could, in theory, combine Saudi financial power, Turkish military technology, and Pakistani nuclear and missile capabilities. However, analysts point to deep contradictions within this proposed grouping. Saudi Arabia and Turkey are regional rivals, with opposing stances on Libya, the Muslim Brotherhood and leadership of the Muslim world. Their divergent visions have also been evident within the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation, where both compete for influence. Saudi Arabia has additionally distanced itself from Pakistans position on Jammu and Kashmir. These differences raise questions about the coherence and sustainability of any putative Islamic Nato. Saudi Arabias substantial economic exposure to India also complicates any overt tilt towards Pakistan at New Delhis expense. Saudi investments in India exceed $20 billion, with plans to reach $100 billion by 2030. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Analysts note that jeopardising these investments by alienating India appears unlikely, limiting Riyadhs willingness to fully align with Pakistan on contentious issues. How Pakistan is the weakest link Multiple analysts argue that Pakistan represents the most fragile component of the proposed Pakistan-Saudi-Turkey axis. Its economy is under severe strain, defence exports have struggled to find buyers, and persistent associations with extremist groups have damaged its international credibility. Even within the Muslim world, enthusiasm for Pakistan assuming a leadership role remains limited. Several Gulf states are reportedly wary of being drawn into Islamabads disputes with India or its ideological narratives under army chief Asim Munir. Munirs frequent references to Islamic destiny and civilisational struggle may resonate domestically, but they have unsettled potential partners focused on economic stability, trade and investment. Critics suggest that the Islamic Nato concept functions more as a political narrative aimed at obscuring Pakistans economic vulnerability than as a viable collective security mechanism. How the India-UAE-Israel alignment can extend westward The India-UAE-Israel alignment is not confined to West Asia alone. It extends into the eastern Mediterranean, where Israel, Greece and Cyprus have increased coordination to counter Turkeys assertiveness over maritime boundaries and energy resources. Indias growing engagement with Greece and Cyprus adds a new strategic dimension. Participation in trilateral and 3+1 formats signals New Delhis interest in securing its western maritime approaches and protecting trade routes linked to the India-Middle East-Europe Economic Corridor (IMEEC). For Athens and Nicosia, Indias involvement provides diplomatic weight and strategic depth in their dealings with Ankara. With inputs from agencies Aaron Reitz, a Republican candidate running for Attorney General in Texas, has come under intense online scrutiny after using anti-Indian rhetoric and attacking the H-1B visa programme. Reitzs remark, which directly targeted Indian immigrants, has raised serious concerns among advocacy groups and lawyers Aaron Reitz, a Republican candidate for Texas attorney general, is facing massive backlash over an anti-Indian post. Reitz took to social media to vow that Texas would not turn into either India or Pakistan. He also hinted that he would dismantle the H-1B visa programme, which Reitz described as a cheap labour scam. His post drew attention on social media, with users pointing out in a Community Note that one of Reitzs biggest donors is Anosh Ahmed, a Pakistani-origin doctor who has been indicted in a Covid-testing fraud. Advocacy groups and lawyers have condemned Reitzs comments as racist and inflammatory. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Lets take a closer look This is Texas, USA, not India" It all began when a social media user commented on a video from Reitz, asking, What will you do about the Indian invasion of Texas? Reitz, responding to the user in a lengthy post, claimed that Collin, Dallas and Harris counties in Texas would soon resemble Indian cities. Reitz pointed to the increasing number of foreign workers in the state. Collin, Dallas, & Harris Counties may soon be renamed Calcutta, Delhi, & Hyderabad Counties given how bad the invasion of un-assimilated & un-assimilable Indians has become. Globalist corporations move to Texas to exploit our favorable economic climate. Having contempt for Aaron Reitz (@aaron_reitz) January 19, 2026 Collin, Dallas, & Harris Counties may soon be renamed Calcutta, Delhi, & Hyderabad Counties, given how bad the invasion of unassimilated & unassimilable Indians has become. Globalist corporations move to Texas to exploit our favourable economic climate, Reitz wrote. He further claimed the H-1B visa programme was a cheap labour scam. Having contempt for native-born American workers, they then facilitate the H-1B scam for cheap labour. All of it must be rolled back. As AG, Ill partner with the Trump Administration to re-open the books on all their legal paperwork. Deport most. Assimilate the rest, he added. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Reitz also threatened to go after companies that employ foreign workers under these visas. At the same time, Ill go after the gutless, treasonous corporations who have no loyalty to our state and who treat our country like a mere economic zone. This is Texas, USA not India or Pakistan. Soon after that, the same user replied, Great answer. Youve earned my support. Reitzs anti-Indian rhetoric backfires Indian-American groups and immigration experts swiftly responded to Reitz, slamming his inflammatory comments. After a screenshot of the GOP candidates remark circulated online, Sidharth, a member of the Indian American Advocacy Council, accused Reitz of targeting a specific community. Sidharth said Reitzs donor list includes contributions from a Pakistani doctor named Anosh Ahmed, who has been indicted in a Covid-testing fraud. Official Texas campaign finance filings (via Transparency USA) show Reitz accepted ~$100,000 from Anosh Ahmed one of his TOP DONORS. Who is Anosh Ahmed? A Pakistani-American doctor FEDERALLY INDICTED by the U.S. DOJ for massive healthcare and COVID-testing fraud," Sidharth wrote on X. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD If anyone is dragging Texas toward Lahore or Islamabad, its Reitz himself cashing six-figure checks from an accused foreign fraudster while preaching law & order, he added. REITZS BIG LIE EXPOSED @aaron_reitz pretends he doesnt want to turn Texas into New Delhi or Hyderabad but in reality, hes bringing Sharia law and Islamist backing, turning it into LAHORE and KARACHI. Aaron Reitz attacks unassimilated Indians and sneers pic.twitter.com/hdikl1fcCL Sidharth (@Cloudwatch199) January 21, 2026 A spokesperson for a statewide technology association also pushed back on Reitzs characterisation, saying, Texass economic success has been built on attracting talent from around the world. Vilifying companies and workers alike sends the wrong signal. A Houston-based immigration attorney, Steven Brown, took to social media to point out that such remarks can cause ethnic tensions in one of the nations most diverse states. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD This kind of language dehumanises people who live, work and contribute to Texas every day, Brown said. He wrote on X: Indian nationals account for less than 2% of the Texas population. Yet here you have an AG candidate with dog-whistle rhetoric about an invasion of unassimilated and unassimilable Indians. Indian nationals account for less than 2% of the Texas population. Yet here you have an AG candidate (and not surprisingly a previous employee of the current DOJ) with dog whistle rhetoric about an "invasion of un-assimilated & un-assimiliable Indians." https://t.co/ha5kcSOpvQ Steven Brown (@AttyStevenBrown) January 20, 2026 According to US census data, Texas is home to one of the fastest-growing Indian-American populations in the country, concentrated largely in the DallasFort Worth and Houston metropolitan regions. About Aaron Reitz According to his official website, Aaron Reitz is a graduate of Texas A&M and the University of Texas School of Law. Reitz served five years in the US Marine Corps, including his deployment to Afghanistan. After law school, he practised law in Houston, clerked for a Texas Supreme Court justice, Jimmy Blacklock, and served as Deputy Attorney General for Legal Strategy under Ken Paxton. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD He later became Chief of Staff to Senator Ted Cruz, overseeing policy initiatives on border security, child protection and job creation. He was also appointed to lead the DOJs Office of Legal Policy under Attorney General Pam Bondi following President Trumps 2024 re-election. Reitz is also a husband, father of four, churchgoer, and a Marine Corps Reserve major. With inputs from agencies The development comes amid fighting between Syrian government forces and Kurdish fighters in northeast Syria. Thousands of Islamic State fighters are being held in detention facilities in the region. Local youth play atop of a damaged armored vehicle belonging to the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) at the site of clashes with Syrian government forces in the village of al-Hol in northeastern Syria's Hasakeh province. AP Islamic State group members are being transferred from Syria to Iraq by the US military. The development comes amid fighting between Syrian government forces and Kurdish fighters in northeast Syria. Thousands of Islamic State fighters are being held in detention facilities in the region. Syrian government forces have taken control of one detention facility where about 9,000 IS members are held. Around 120 inmates fled from Shaddadeh prison on Monday near the Iraqi border. Syrian authorities say most have since been recaptured. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Thousands remain in custody During battles between the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) and Islamic State over the past decade, thousands of fighters of different nationalities were captured and detained in around a dozen prisons in northeast Syria. The US-backed forces also captured tens of thousands of mostly women and children linked to Islamic State. Most have been held in the sprawling al-Hol camp near Iraq. A smaller group is held at the Roj camp, near the point where the borders of Syria, Turkey and Iraq converge. US Central Command said in a statement that the transfer process began on Wednesday, with 150 IS members moved from Syria to secure locations in Iraq so far. Up to 7,000 detainees could be transferred to Iraqi-run facilities. The US move comes as Syrian government forces have captured wide areas previously controlled by the SDF in an offensive that took many by surprise. Forces loyal to Syrian President Ahmad al-Sharaa are now close to several detention centres and the Roj camp, after taking over al-Hol camp and Shaddadeh prison. Local youths kick flags belonging to the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) in the village of al-Hol in northeastern Syrias Hasakeh province, Syria, Wednesday, Jan. 21, 2026. (AP Photo/Ghaith Alsayed) There have also been tensions around al-Aqtan prison in Raqqa province, now encircled by government forces. Apart from the Shaddadeh escape, no IS suspects have managed to flee from other facilities. Syrias government joined the US-led international coalition against IS in late 2025. Authorities have said they are ready to take over management of camps and prisons, vowing to remain committed to fighting extremism. The caliphates legacy When IS declared a caliphate across large parts of Syria and Iraq in 2014, it attracted extremists from around the world. From its self-declared state, the group plotted attacks globally, leaving hundreds dead from Europe and Asia to the Middle East. IS carried out widespread atrocities in Syria and Iraq, including the enslavement of thousands of Yazidi women and girls after overrunning northern Iraq in 2014. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD The group also released videos boasting of its brutality, including beheadings, amputations for alleged theft, stoning women accused of adultery, and throwing gay men from high-rise buildings. The potential escape of detainees continues to raise fears they could rejoin IS sleeper cells that still carry out deadly attacks. Prisons across the northeast IS suspects are held in multiple prisons across northern and north-eastern Syria. According to a US State Department report, an estimated 9,000 IS fighters including 1,600 Iraqis and 1,800 from countries outside Syria and Iraq remain in detention facilities controlled by the SDF. The largest is Gweiran prison, now known as Panorama, in Hassakeh, which has held about 4,500 IS-linked detainees for years. Other facilities include Shaddadeh prison, al-Aqtan prison near Raqqa (once ISs de facto capital), Cherkin prison in Qamishli, and Derik prison near the Iraqi and Turkish borders. IS has long vowed to free its detained members, including women and children in al-Hol and Roj camps. An Iraqi intelligence general told The Associated Press that Iraqi authorities received the first batch of 144 detainees on Wednesday night. They will be transferred in stages by aircraft. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Speaking anonymously, the general said the transferred IS members are of various nationalities, including around 240 Tunisians and others from Tajikistan and Kazakhstan. They will be interrogated and then put on trial. All of them are commanders in IS and are considered highly dangerous, he said. He added that in previous years, 3,194 Iraqi detainees and 47 French citizens have been transferred to Iraq. Securing adequate detention facilities remains a challenge, though specific centres have been designated to hold them in high-security units. Camps under new control After ISs defeat in Syria in March 2019, tens of thousands of women many wives and widows of IS fighters and children were taken by the SDF to al-Hol camp. For years, the camp has been viewed as a potential breeding ground for future extremists, with IS sleeper cells carrying out intimidation and violence against women who attempted to distance themselves from the group. Syrian troops are now in full control of al-Hol camp. At its peak in 2019, around 73,000 people lived there. Numbers have since fallen as some countries repatriated their citizens. The camps current population is about 24,000. Around 2,500 people remain at Roj camp, including Shamima Begum, who travelled from Britain as a teenager to join IS nearly 11 years ago. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD With inputs from agencies US President Donald Trump has claimed that the United States gave Greenland back to Denmark after World War II. His remarks at Davos come amid tensions between Washington and Europe about the semi-autonomous territory. But what does history show? Donald Trump has seemingly ruled out using force to take Greenland. File image/Reuters US President Donald Trump is raising eyebrows yet again. This time, Trump has claimed that the United States gave Greenland back to Denmark after World War II. How stupid were we to do that? Trump said. But we did it, we gave it back. But how ungrateful are they now? The remarks come amid renewed tensions between Washington and Europe over Greenland, a semi-autonomous territory belonging to Denmark. Trump has repeatedly argued that the Arctic island is vital to US security interests, though he has said he would not use force to take it. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD We never asked for anything, and we never got anything. We probably wont get anything unless I decide to use excessive strength and force but I wont do that. I dont want to use force. I wont use force, Trump said. The problem? The United States never owned Greenland in the first place. Trumps comment revives a century-and-a-half of American interest in the worlds largest island, but also a century-and-a-half of failure to acquire it. Lets take a closer look The US early interest in Greenland While Americas interest in Greenland began in the 19th century, Greenland has been under Denmarks control since 1720. In 1867, fresh from purchasing Alaska, US Secretary of State William H Seward explored the idea of acquiring Greenland and even Iceland. But the Alaska deal was widely mocked at home as Sewards Folly, and political appetite for another Arctic purchase quickly evaporated. No formal offer was ever made. In 1910, US diplomats under President William Howard Taft floated a possible land-swap arrangement that might have seen Greenland exchanged for other territories. Denmark rejected the idea. The only successful deal from this period was the US purchase of the Virgin Islands from Denmark in 1917. US Secretary of State William H Seward. Unknown author Restoration by Adam Cuerden In 1916, US Secretary of State Robert Lansing stated that Washington will not object to the Danish government extending their political and economic interests to the whole of Greenland. In other words, the United States explicitly recognised Danish sovereignty over the island. Then, doubts over Greenland were removed in 1931, when Norway attempted to claim part of the territory. The international court ruled in Denmarks favour, citing an 1814 treaty showing that Denmark retained Greenland when it ceded Norway to Sweden. The US never disputed this judgement. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD World War II and the strategic bargain Greenlands strategic value rose sharply during World War II. After Nazi Germany occupied Denmark in 1940, Copenhagens ambassador in Washington signed an agreement in 1941 allowing US forces to build bases in Greenland to support Allied operations and prevent German access to the island. A 1951 Greenland Defence Agreement resulted in the Thule airbase being built and the US being granted increased access. Crucially, these wartime agreements stated they were without prejudice to the sovereignty of the Kingdom of Denmark. The US gained military access, not ownership. The 1946 purchase offer that failed After the war, Washington tried again. In 1946, the United States formally offered Denmark $100 million in gold (Rs. 916 crore) for Greenland, arguing that the island was critical for monitoring Soviet activity in the emerging Cold War. Denmark refused outright. Greenland, Copenhagen insisted, was not for sale. Instead, the two sides struck a compromise. In 1951, a defence agreement expanded US basing rights and led to the construction of the Thule Air Base in northwestern Greenland. While American forces would have a long-term presence, Denmark retained full sovereignty. Thus, the record is clear: at no point did the United States own Greenland. A Danish serviceman walks in front of Joint Arctic Command center in Nuuk, Greenland. AP In fact, President Donald Trump seemed to acknowledge this reality in 2019 when he said he wanted to buy Greenland. Essentially, its a large real estate deal, Trump said. Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen dismissed the idea. Trump was mocked by members of both the US and Danish media. The development led to a minor tiff between the nations that was soon forgotten. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD What experts say Experts say the US has no claim to Greenland. Professor Marc Weller of the International Law Programme at Chatham House has noted: In the 1951 Defence of Greenland Agreement with Denmark, the US unambiguously recognises the sovereignty of the Kingdom of Denmark over Greenland any change in status would require Greenlandic self-determination and legal processes far beyond a simple diplomatic demand. Oxford law expert Antonios Tzanakopoulos has said that the US taking Greenland by force would be a huge violation of international law. Greenlands Prime Minister has reiterated that Greenland is not for sale. Our country is not for sale, and our future will not be shaped by debates on social media, he said. He added that relationships between nations must be based on mutual respect and international law. Messages that carry symbolism of possession are not the path forward, he said, adding that such content ignores our status and our rights. With inputs from agencies US President Donald Trump has bragged that the US military used a secret sonic weapon during its abduction of Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro, adding that nobody else has this weapon. How deadly can these arms be? US President Donald Trump just keeps making headlines. Trump has now claimed that the US used sonic weapons as part of the raid to capture Venezuelas long-time leader Nicolas Maduro. Its something I dont wanna nobody else has it, Trump said. But we have weapons nobody else knows about. And I say its probably good not to talk about it, but we have some amazing weapons. That was an amazing attack, Trump added. The development comes as Havana syndrome is back in the news nearly a decade after US diplomats in Cuba began experiencing neurological symptoms that could not be explained. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD But what do we know about these sonic weapons? Lets take a closer look. What are sonic weapons? Sonic weapons are known as Long Range Acoustic Devices (LRADs). These devices emit sound waves such as extra-loud noises or very high-frequency sound to incapacitate people. While regular sound waves get weaker the further away you are from the object, these LRADs can fire signals up to a kilometre away. More from Explainers Is Canada preparing for a US invasion as Trump unsettles allies? Report says... They are thought to be able to reach a maximum volume of 150 or 160 decibels. For comparison, a fighter jet engine at take-off is around 130 decibels, a usual conversation is around 60 decibels and a crying baby is around 80 decibels. Anything over 100 decibels is considered uncomfortable to the human ear. Noise levels over 120 decibels can cause pain to human beings as the acoustic waves hit the eardrum. Sonic weapons are also called acoustic handcuffs, which is what happens when humans cover their ears. Such weapons can also leave people with permanent hearing damage or tinnitus. Such sound cannons or devices are said to be used by militaries and police forces around the world. According to Slashgear.com, the US military deployed LRADs during the Iraq war. Audio producer Cory Choy told Popular Mechanics that LRAD was like the sound equivalent of looking into the sun horrible, nauseating pain. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD However, authorities routinely deny use of such weapons. A prominent example of this was in Serbia in 2024 when citizens accused the government of using a sonic weapon to break up a massive protest from the streets of Belgrade. Videos on social media showed protestors quietly standing in silence. Then, a whooshing sound is heard, after which people flee in a panic. Serbias interior ministry and Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic denied the use of any such weapons. A view of the US Embassy beside the Anti-Imperialist stage in Havana, Cuba, May 24, 2023. File Image/Reuters Sonic weapons have been used to ward off Somali pirates, by police in Greece to stop migrants from coming in. In 2009, US police used LRAD to disperse crowds protesting the G20 summit in Pittsburgh. In Cuba, US and Canadian diplomats said they heard strange sounds and got sick in 2016 and 2017. They experienced health issues such as hearing loss, vertigo and trouble sleeping. Others suffered concussions. Vienna and Berlin also complained of similar issues. This phenomenon was dubbed the Havana Syndrome and led many to wonder whether Cuban authorities had access to a sonic weapon. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD However, others dismissed such claims as mass hysteria. Some have contended that this could have been caused by equipment trying to spy on diplomats and visitors communications via phone or in person. Was a sonic weapon used in Venezuela? A viral social media post claimed that during the US military operation to capture Venezuelan leader Nicolas Maduro, American forces used a mysterious sonic weapon. According to an interview with a Venezuelan guard, this supposed weapon caused defenders to bleed from their noses, vomit, and become disoriented, which aided US troops in taking control easily. Captured Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro arrives at the Downtown Manhattan Heliport as he is taken towards the Daniel Patrick Manhattan United States Courthouse for an initial appearance to face US federal charges including narco-terrorism, conspiracy, drug trafficking, money laundering, and others in New York City, US, on January 5, 2026. (Photo: Eduardo Munoz/Reuters) I dont know how to describe it it was like a very intense sound wave. Suddenly I felt like my head was exploding from the inside. We all started bleeding from the nose. Some were vomiting blood. We fell to the ground, unable to move, the security guard said. Those twenty men, without a single casualty, killed hundreds of us. We had no way to compete with their technology, with their weapons. I swear, Ive never seen anything like it. We couldnt even stand up after that sonic weapon or whatever it was. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Im sending a warning to anyone who thinks they can fight the United States. They have no idea what theyre capable of. After what I saw, I never want to be on the other side of that again. Theyre not to be messed with, the soldier concluded. Firstpost has not independently verified these claims. White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt reshared the social media post, telling followers to stop what you are doing and read this. The United States has declined to comment. To protect operations security, we dont have any information to provide beyond the Chairmans remarks at the January 3 briefing, a Pentagon spokesperson told TWZ. Experts remain sceptical despite Trumps claims. The War Zones Joseph Trevithick wrote that it should be reiterated that there is currently no evidence to substantiate the claim that the US military used a sonic weapon during Operation Absolute Resolve. At the same time, this is hardly the first time American forces are alleged to have employed mysterious, less-than-lethal, and/or non-kinetic capabilities. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD However, he added that if any unit would have an exotic directed-energy weapon used to disable adversaries during an assault, it would be Delta Force. With inputs from agencies Andhra Pradesh IT Minister Nara Lokesh revealed that the government is planning to ban social media under 16 years of age similar to Australia in Andhra Pradesh. Andhra Pradesh IT Minister Nara Lokesh revealed that the government is planning to ban social media under 16 years of age following Australia. Lokesh speaking to Bloomberg on the sidelines of the World Economic Forum in Davos, said that youngsters below a certain age do not fully understand the content they are exposed to on social media, and a strong legal framework was the need of the hour. Youngsters below a certain age should not be on such platforms, as they do not fully understand the content they are exposed to. Thus, a strong legal framework may be required, Lokesh asserted. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD I was happy to meet Senior Vice-President of Vestas Morten Hy Dyhrholm in Davos today. Vestas is the worlds largest wind-turbine manufacturer with annual revenues of 17.3 billion and an order book of 68.4 billion. I invited Vestas to explore setting up large-scale wind pic.twitter.com/M5dl6Z1sGp Lokesh Nara (@naralokesh) January 21, 2026 On December 10, 2025, the Australian government banned children under 16 years of age from using major social media platforms like TikTok, X, Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, and Snapchat. Local media in Andhra Pradesh reported that the government was seriously considering such a move. If implemented, Andhra would be the first state in India to bring in restrictions on social media usage for children. TDP national spokesperson Deepak Reddy said, Children below a certain age are not emotionally mature enough to comprehend the negative and harmful content that is freely available online. That is why the Andhra government is studying global best practices and examining Australias under-16 social media law. However, he later clarified that it should not be seen as government oversight and was aimed at protecting children from toxic content and online negativity. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD It was reported that last year, the Madras High Court also suggested to the Centre to explore the possibility of passing a law like Australia. The lawmakers of the UK on Wednesday voted in favour of banning under-16s from social media, facing a similar ban in Australia. Australia said such a move was needed to reduce the negative impact of social media on children. Indias External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar has been invited to Washington in early February for a high-level meeting on critical minerals, as the US looks to strengthen global supply chains and deepen strategic cooperation with key partners Indias External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar has received an invitation to visit Washington, DC, in early February for a two-day meeting focused on critical minerals. The meeting, expected on February 4-5, is being organised by the United States and brings together partners from around the world to discuss securing and strengthening global supply chains for essential minerals. The critical minerals agenda has grown in importance as countries race to secure reliable sources of materials like lithium, cobalt and rare earth elements, all vital for technologies ranging from electric vehicles to renewable energy and defence systems. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD India, already part of the Minerals Security Partnership, was also invited this month to join a new US initiative called Pax Silica, which aims to streamline multinational efforts in this space. Talking supply chains and strategic cooperation The upcoming meeting could help iron out bureaucratic overlap between different US-led efforts. For example, the newly announced Pax Silica and the existing Biden-era Minerals Security Partnership share similar goals around economic security, but that has led to confusion among international partners, including India. Streamlining these platforms could improve cooperation and clarity on how critical materials are sourced and moved across borders. Although details about Jaishankars exact itinerary and whether he will meet with US Secretary of State Marco Rubio have not been confirmed, people familiar with the planning say those discussions are possible if the visit goes ahead. In response to questions from Hindustan Times, the US State Department said it did not have details to share on Jaishankars visit or a potential meeting with Rubio. US framing the critical minerals agenda The White House has emphasised the strategic importance of these talks. On February 4, Secretary Rubio will welcome partners from across the globe to the State Department for the inaugural Critical Minerals Ministerial, the State Department said in a post on X. Strengthening critical mineral supply chains with our international partners is vital to Americas economic and national security, technological leadership, and a resilient energy future, it added. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Jaishankars potential visit comes on the heels of other international engagements on critical minerals, including participation by Indias Union minister Ashwini Vaishnaw at a recent multinational meeting in Washington to discuss supply-chain resilience amid concerns about Chinas dominance in processing and production. Six workers were killed and five others injured after an explosion at a steel plant in Chhattisgarhs Balodabazar Bhatapara district. Six workers killed, five injured as explosion rips through steel plant in Chhattisgarh. At least six workers lost their lives and five others were injured after a powerful explosion ripped through a steel plant in Chhattisgarhs Balodabazar Bhatapara district on Thursday. The blast occurred at the Real Ispat and Power Limited facility in Bakulahi village, located within the Bhatapara rural area. Local authorities and rescue teams were immediately deployed to the site as news of the incident broke. Details of the incident According to officials, the explosion took place inside the Dust Settling Chamber, an area designed to collect industrial particles during steel production. The impact of the blast caused molten material and hot dust to rain down on workers carrying out their duties nearby. Six labourers reportedly died on the spot, while five others received severe burn injuries. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD District Collector Deepak Soni confirmed the casualties and said that local police, along with senior administrative officers, had reached the plant to oversee relief efforts. Preliminary assessments suggest that a sudden technical failure in the chamber may have triggered the explosion, though a detailed inquiry will determine the exact cause. Rescue efforts and medical response Emergency teams rushed the injured workers to the Chhattisgarh Institute of Medical Sciences in Bilaspur, where they are undergoing treatment. Officials described the condition of some of the victims as critical but stable. A dedicated medical team has been assigned to monitor their recovery. Collector Soni informed the press that the district administration is coordinating with the plant management to ensure full support for the victims families. Local police have cordoned off the site, and safety engineers have begun inspecting the damaged unit to prevent further hazards. Government response and investigation State Health Minister Shyam Bihari Jaiswal expressed deep grief over the tragedy and extended condolences to the bereaved families. In an official statement, he said he had spoken with the district collector and directed that every possible measure be taken to provide quality medical care to the injured. The minister also ordered an immediate investigation into the circumstances leading to the explosion and assured that strict action would be taken against anyone found responsible for lapses in safety protocols. The state government stands firmly with the affected families and will provide all necessary assistance during this difficult time, Jaiswal said. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD The incident has brought renewed attention to industrial safety in the state, with concerns being raised over workplace standards and emergency preparedness in factories handling hazardous materials. As India is gearing up for 77th Republic Day celebrations, a major highlight will be IAF featuring a veterans tableau at the parade honoring the airmen who defended Indias skies and contributed to Rashtranirma The IAF is coming up with its Veterans Tableau this year. It honors the warriors who defended the skies in these crucial years and now lead Indias 'Rashtranirman'. Image credit: News 18 India is gearing up for the 77th Republic Day celebrations on January 26, 2026 at Kartavya Path, New Delhi. The preparations are in full swing as the event blends along patriotism, cultural heritage, and modern military strength with active public participation. The Indian Air Force (IAF) is featuring a Veterans Tableau at the Republic Day parade, honouring the airmen who defended Indias skies and contributed to nation-building, or Rashtranirma. This tableau depicts the legacy of IAF veterans, their wartime valour in safeguarding the airspace during critical conflicts and their roles post-retirement. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD IAF Tableau to honor veterans this year. pic.twitter.com/D2KF8atT18 Sidhant Sibal (@sidhant) January 22, 2026 Theme: Vande Mataram This aligns with this years overarching theme of 150 years of Vande Mataram, and blending military tribute with cultural pride. This theme will run across every aspect of celebrations from parade tableau and cultural performances to decorations and national outreach programs. The Indian Air Force will fly the Sindoor formation at the parade, in which the fighter aircraft that took part in the Operation Sindoor would be flying. The formation would include two each of Rafales, Su-30s, and MiG-29s, along with a single Jaguar fighter. Indian Air Force to fly the 'Sindoor' formation at the Republic Day parade, in which the fighter aircraft that took part in the Operation Sindoor would be flying. The formation would include two each of Rafales, Su-30s, and MiG-29s, along with a single Jaguar fighter. pic.twitter.com/rclyYyoiTw ANI (@ANI) January 22, 2026 Chiefs guests at the event The Chief Guests at the Republic Day Parade 2026 will be Antonio Costa, President of the European Council, and Ursula von der Leyen, President of the European Commission. Their participation highlights Indias expanding global partnerships and strong diplomatic engagement with Europe. The event will begin at 9:30 AM, Prime Minister Narendra Modi will lay a wreath at the National War Memorial. The main parade at Kartavya Path will commence at 10:30 AM and run for about 90 minutes. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD A major highlight of Republic Day Celebrations 2026 will be the Indian Armys Battle Array Formation, which will be showcased for the first time. Military assets will move in a realistic combat sequence beginning with reconnaissance units, followed by logistics support and troops in full battle gear. As many as 30 tableaux from States, Union Territories, Ministries and Departments will roll down Kartavya Path, showcasing Indias cultural diversity, innovation and self-reliance A stronger relationship between India and the European Union can derisk the world economy, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar said on Thursday days ahead of a summit between the two sides. A stronger relationship between India and the European Union can de-risk the world economy, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar said on Thursday days ahead of a summit between the two sides. The external affairs minister made the remarks during an interaction with the envoys of the European countries. Spoke to them about the current state of the world with volatility and instability as the new normal, he said on social media. Jaishankar said a stronger India-EU relationship can stabilise the global order through stronger trade, mobility and security partnership. He also underlined the need for cooperation between the two sides to ensure resilient supply chains. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD President of the European Council, Antonio Costa and President of the European Commission Ursula von der Leyen will be on a state visit to India from January 25-27. The two European leaders will grace Indias 77th Republic Day celebrations as the chief guests. Costa and von der Leyen will hold summit talks with Prime Minister Narendra Modi on January 27. Look forward to the visit of @eucopresident Antonio Costa and European Commission President @vonderleyen to India for Republic Day celebrations, Jaishankar said. The two sides are set to announce the conclusion of negotiations on the much-awaited free trade agreement at the summit. The European Union is Indias biggest trade partner with bilateral trade in goods recording USD 135 billion in the financial year 2023-24. The free trade agreement is expected to significantly enhance trade ties. The proposed agreement is expected to bring a qualitative change in deepening the overall bilateral ties in a range of sectors as well at a time the world is witnessing trade disruptions in view of Washingtons tariff policy. Besides firming up the free trade agreement, the two sides are likely to unveil a defence framework pact and a strategic agenda at the summit. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD India and the European Union have been strategic partners since 2004. EU Ambassador to India Herve Delphin described the interaction with Jaishankar as excellent. Excellent exchange with EAM @DrSJaishankar with Team EU /27 Ambassadors reflecting the high convergence of interests & the strategic value of our growing EU / bilateral partnerships with India: benefits are mutual & global. All eyes on next weeks EU-India Summit & its deliverables, he said on X. A bullet-proof Army vehicle met with an accident and plunged into a gorge in the Khanntop area of Jammu and Kashmir. Rescue operations are currently underway Ten soldiers were killed and 10 others injured after an Indian Army vehicle met with a major accident in the Khanntop area along the BhaderwahChamba road in Jammu and Kashmir. We have lost 10 soldiers with 10 others injured in the unfortunate accident involving army vehicle, Additional Deputy Commissioner, Bhaderwah, Sumit Kumar Bhutyal told PTI. Union Minister of State Jitendra Singh took to X to express his shock over the incident. He wrote, Just now spoke to DC Doda, Harvinder Singh. Deeply shocked to learn about the tragic accident of an Army vehicle on Bhaderwah - Chamba road, in which 10 Jawans lost their life and another 10 seriously injured, who have been shifted to Command Hospital Udhampur. Also spoken to Major General (Dr) Sanjay Sharma, Incharge Command Hospital, who is providing me regular updates. All possible medical aid being provided. No words are enough to convey deep sense of reverence for our brave Jawans. My deepest condolences to the bereaved families. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Union Minister Dr Jitendra Singh says, "Just now spoke to DC Doda, Sh Harvinder Singh. Deeply shocked to learn about the tragic accident of an Army vehicle on Bhaderwah - Chamba road, in which 10 Jawans lost their life and another 10 seriously injured, who have been shifted to pic.twitter.com/9bera3GNmS ANI (@ANI) January 22, 2026 Lt. Governor Manoj Sinha and Chief Minister Omar Abdullah also expressed their sorrow over the tragic accident. The Chief Minister extended his heartfelt condolences to the families of the soldiers who died and wished a quick recovery to the injured. He also lauded the prompt and efficient rescue and evacuation operations. #WATCH | Doda, J&K | Rescue efforts underway after an army vehicle meets with an accident at Khani Top area of Bhaderwah, resulting in injuries to Army personnel. The injured personnel were provided first aid at the site and were later airlifted to Udhampur for specialised https://t.co/9xdUAss5st pic.twitter.com/ALWHb3Ar2j ANI (@ANI) January 22, 2026 STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Sinha, in a post on X, said he was deeply saddened at the loss of lives of 10 of our brave Indian Army soldiers in an unfortunate road accident in Doda. We will always remember the outstanding service and supreme sacrifice of our brave soldiers. He expressed his deepest condolences to the grieving families. In this moment of profound sorrow, the entire nation stands united with the bereaved families in solidarity and support. 10 injured soldiers have been airlifted to the hospital, he said, adding that he had instructed senior officials to ensure best possible treatment to those injured. Praying for their speedy recovery, he said. How did the accident happen? Officials believe the accident was caused by the vehicle slipping off a treacherous, icy stretch of the Bhaderwah-Chamba interstate road, leading it to plunge into a deep gorge while carrying troops towards a forward post. Preliminary reports, cited by CNN-News18, suggest poor weather and snow on the road contributed to the driver losing control. Nearly four years after the Supreme Court upheld his death sentence in the 2000 Red Fort attack case, Pakistani terrorist Mohammad Arif has filed a curative plea, prompting the court to seek a response from the Delhi government The Supreme Court of India has taken up a curative plea from death-row convict Mohammad Arif, also known as Ashfaq, who was sentenced to death for his role in the 2000 Red Fort terror attack, as reported by news agency ANI. The top court issued notices to the Delhi government after hearing arguments from lawyers representing Arif. The curative petition challenges the dismissal of his earlier review plea against the death sentence he received for the Red Fort attack that claimed the lives of three Army personnel nearly 26 years ago. A Bench led by Chief Justice Surya Kant and Justices Vikram Nath and J.K. Maheshwari considered the arguments before issuing the notice. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD During the hearing, Arifs counsel argued that recent Supreme Court jurisprudence, including a decision in Manoj vs State of Haryana, calls for a fresh look at cases even at the curative stage. Limited jurisdiction for curative petitions The Supreme Court took note of the legal submissions and highlighted the narrow scope of curative jurisdiction, which is only meant for rare circumstances where a gross miscarriage of justice may have occurred. After hearing the arguments, the Bench simply said, Issue notice, to which the lawyer responding for Arif said, Most grateful. Arif was convicted in connection with the December 22, 2000 attack on the Red Fort in Delhi, where intruders fired at the 7 Rajputana Rifles unit stationed inside the historic military site. Three Army personnel were killed during the assault. His death sentence has repeatedly survived legal scrutiny. In November 2022, the Supreme Court rejected Arifs review petition, upholding the death penalty after earlier courts affirmed the conviction. In June 2024, President Droupadi Murmu rejected Arifs mercy petition, closing another avenue for clemency and reaffirming the executives stand on his conviction. Despite those setbacks, Arif is now seeking another round of judicial consideration through the curative process. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Hidden in the middle of the Indian Ocean, Diego Garcia is an island people talk about more than they ever see. It is one of the most restricted islands on the planet. It hosts a major military base used by the United States and the United Kingdom. Because of this, the island is closed to ordinary travellers. Heres all you need to know about this hidden gem. Diego Garcia, is one of those places that feels almost unreal. It does not appear on most travel brochures. There are no glossy Instagram reels showing sunset cocktails or infinity pools. Yet, it sits at the centre of global attention. Hidden in the middle of the Indian Ocean, Diego Garcia is an island people talk about more than they ever see. The island belongs to the Chagos Archipelago and is officially part of the British Indian Ocean Territory. From above, it looks like a perfect ring of white sand wrapped around a deep blue lagoon. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Coconut palms line the shore. The sea shifts colour through the day, from pale turquoise in the morning to deep navy by night. Nature here is untouched, almost frozen in time. What makes Diego Garcia different from other tropical islands is its silence. There is no tourism industry. No souvenir shops. No beach bars. No travel influencers. The islands beauty exists without performance, largely unseen by the outside world. A secretive island by design Diego Garcia is one of the most restricted islands on the planet. It hosts a major military base used by the United States and the United Kingdom. Because of this, the island is closed to ordinary travellers. There are no tourist visas, no commercial flights, and no cruises stopping by. This secrecy has shaped the islands lifestyle. Those who live there temporarily are military staff and authorised workers. Daily life is structured, functional, and inward looking. The island does not cater to visitors because it was never meant to. For outsiders, this closed nature adds to the fascination. Diego Garcia has become a symbol of places that exist beyond public access, reminding us that not all beautiful locations are meant to be consumed or photographed. Life without tourism There are no hotels or resorts on Diego Garcia. There are no local markets, no nightlife, and no shopping streets. Even internet access and communication are regulated. The lifestyle is quiet and routine based, shaped by work schedules and security rules. In a strange way, this absence of choice creates a unique rhythm. People walk along empty beaches after work. The ocean becomes a backdrop rather than an attraction. Nature is not curated or packaged. It simply exists. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD The natural beauty of the island If there is one thing Diego Garcia offers in abundance, it is untouched nature. The beaches stretch endlessly, clean and undisturbed. The lagoon is one of the largest natural lagoons in the world, calm and deep, with crystal clear water. Marine life thrives here. Coral reefs surround the island, supporting colourful fish, rays, and turtles. Birds nest freely across the island, making it ecologically important. Sunsets are dramatic, with the sky turning shades of orange and pink that reflect on the lagoon. Because human movement is limited, the island feels preserved. There is no plastic waste lining the shore. No loud water sports. No crowds. It is a reminder of what tropical islands looked like before mass tourism. Visa rules and why access is limited There is no tourist visa for Diego Garcia. Entry requires special permission from British authorities and clearance from the US military. This process is not open to the public and cannot be applied for independently. Journalists, researchers, or officials may sometimes receive access, but this is rare. Attempting to reach the island without authorisation can result in detention. This reality often clashes with online curiosity. Social media videos sometimes describe Diego Garcia as a hidden travel destination. In truth, it is one of the least accessible islands in the world. Budgeting and costs Since tourism does not exist, budgeting in the usual sense does not apply. Flights are military or chartered. Accommodation and food are provided for authorised personnel. There are no prices to compare, no deals to hunt for. For civilians, Diego Garcia is not expensive or cheap. It is simply unavailable. The deeper story behind the beauty Behind the calm waters lies a painful history. The original inhabitants of the Chagos Islands were forced to leave their homes decades ago to make way for the military base. Many now live in Mauritius and Seychelles, still seeking the right to return. This history adds emotional weight to the islands beauty. Diego Garcia is not just a postcard perfect location. It is also a place shaped by loss, displacement, and global power. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Travel tips for curious readers The most important advice is honesty. Diego Garcia is not a destination you can visit for leisure. Any travel plan based on blogs or videos claiming otherwise is misleading. For those drawn to its look and feel, nearby destinations like the Maldives, Seychelles, or Mauritius offer similar landscapes with open access and thriving local cultures. Sometimes, the most fascinating places are the ones we cannot go to. Diego Garcia reminds us that travel is not only about movement, but also about understanding the stories behind closed shores. The dukes latest legal battle is about privacy, accountability, and the personal cost of life under relentless scrutiny. Britain's Prince Harry, Duke of Sussex, arrives outside the The Royal Courts of Justice, Britain's High Court, in London on January 22, 2026, for the fourth day the trial in his case against a major UK newspaper group. Prince Harry and six others, including pop icon Elton John, accuse two tabloids of privacy invasions and unlawful information gathering, in the prince's last active legal case in his long-running crusade against some UK media. (Photo by Henry NICHOLLS / AFP) Prince Harry is once again stepping into a London courtroom, with immensely personal stakes. The Duke of Sussex is preparing to testify in a high-profile legal case against Associated Newspapers, the publisher of The Daily Mail, in a trial that brings renewed attention to Britains long and controversial relationship with tabloid journalism. Set to run for more than two months, the case places privacy, power, and accountability firmly in the spotlight. At the heart of the lawsuit are claims that the publisher engaged in unlawful information-gathering practices over nearly two decades. Prince Harry and several other well-known figures allege their private lives were intruded upon through methods such as phone hacking, surveillance, and deception, often with the help of private investigators. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Harry is not alone. Fellow claimants include music legend Elton John, actress Liz Hurley, and fashion and film figure Sadie Frost, along with campaigners and former public officials. Together, they paint a picture of what they describe as a culture of intrusion driven by headlines and exclusives. More from Lifestyle Associated Newspapers has firmly rejected the accusations, maintaining that its reporting was lawful and responsibly sourced. Its legal team is expected to challenge the credibility of witnesses as the trial unfolds. For Prince Harry, the case represents more than a legal dispute. Since stepping back from royal duties in 2020, he has been vocal about the toll media scrutiny has taken on his life, often linking his concerns to the treatment of his late mother, Princess Diana. In past interviews, he has spoken of a tabloid system fueled by fear, pressure, and silence. This trial follows a series of legal victories and setbacks for Harry, including settlements with other media groups over phone hacking and ongoing debates about his security in the U.K. As the courtroom drama begins, the case is shaping up to be about how far public figures can go to reclaim privacy in an age of relentless exposure. The future Iranian woman is not a liberal mascot or a religious subject. She is a political adult refusing to be managed. That is what frightens the clerical state The hijab has become the most overworked symbol in contemporary politics. For the Iranian state, it is authority stitched into cloth. For Western liberals, it is shorthand for freedom denied. For sections of the global left, it is a site to perform anti-imperial virtue. What gets lost in this noisy triangulation is a more unsettling truth: the hijab is not the argument in Iran, it is the instrument. Iran today is not witnessing a cultural rebellion against religion, nor a straightforward march towards Western liberalism. What is unfolding is a legitimacy crisis inside one of the worlds oldest continuous civilisations, where power has mistaken control for continuity and obedience for belief. Feminism, particularly in its Western and left-liberal forms, has struggled to read this moment because it insists on flattening Iran into ideological categories rather than historical time. The protests that erupted after the death of Mahsa (Jina) Amini in September 2022 were remarkable not merely for their scale though conservative human rights estimates indicate that more than 500 people were killed and over 20,000 detained in the months that followed but for their political clarity. What distinguished this uprising from earlier waves of dissent was the precision of its moral claim. The slogan Woman, Life, Freedom did not articulate a demand for liberal aesthetics or cultural imitation; it functioned as an indictment of a state that had forfeited moral authority over the most ordinary domains of life. Across cities and social classes, participants repeatedly stressed that their mobilisation extended far beyond compulsory dress codes. What was being contested was a system that reduced citizenship to compliance, dignity to permission, and autonomy to a punishable offence a sentiment condensed, with striking economy, in the chant that came to define the movement. To understand why this matters, one must abandon linear thinking. Iran does not move neatly from religious to secular to liberal. It never has. Iranian history oscillates between civilisational memory, foreign humiliation, ideological assertion and internal revolt. The Islamic Republic itself was not born of medieval nostalgia but of modern anger against a Western-backed monarchy, cultural deracination and political subordination. Religion became the language of power because it was the only idiom capable of mobilising mass legitimacy in a society that had seen modernity arrive as domination. The problem is that revolutions age. What once feels emancipatory can harden into dogma. The Islamic Republic survived its early decades because it retained belief, even among critics. What it faces now is not disobedience alone, but disbelief. A state can survive protest; it cannot survive the evaporation of consent. Iranian women expose this fracture more sharply than any manifesto ever could. Their resistance is not symbolic rebellion; it is political clarity. This is why the regime reacts with disproportionate force. The morality police are not defending theology; they are compensating for eroding legitimacy. A system confident in its authority does not need to patrol hair strands. A civilisation secure in itself does not need to criminalise choice. Women have become the frontline not because they are vulnerable, but because they reveal the regimes deepest fear: a society that obeys without believing. Here is where global feminism falters not morally, but analytically. Western liberal feminism instinctively frames the Iranian struggle as a fight for secular freedom, often collapsing it into the visual economy of unveiled hair and burning scarves. Left feminism, more cautious, warns against imperial feminism, the long history of Western powers instrumentalising womens rights to justify sanctions, interventions, and moral superiority. This critique is valid. But it has curdled into something else. In practice, much of left feminism now recognises resistance only when it speaks the correct ideological grammar. It must be explicitly anti-capitalist, suspicious of civilisational identity, and legible to global activist discourse. Iranian women do not comply with this template. Their resistance is rooted not in imported theory but in lived contradiction: educated, urban, digitally connected citizens governed by a clerical elite that no longer reflects social reality. As Iranian sociologist Asef Bayat has noted, these are not revolutionary subjects seeking utopia, but ordinary people demanding dignity. This creates discomfort. Iranian women refuse to remain symbolic victims, yet they also refuse to perform liberal conversion narratives. They do not ask to be saved by sanctions, nor do they couch their struggle in Western feminist vocabulary. They assert agency on their own terms, inside a civilisation that predates every ideology currently competing to explain them. That refusal breaks the hierarchy. There is a contradiction at the heart of contemporary left feminism. It claims to oppose power structures, yet quietly enforces one. Resistance is celebrated when it aligns with progressive aesthetics; it is diluted when it threatens deeper structures of authority, identity, or historical continuity. When Iranian women chant against clerical control, they are applauded. When they expose the exhaustion of an entire political system, analysis becomes evasive. This is not solidarity. It is narrative management. Irans crisis, it must be said plainly, is not religious. It is political. Religion does not doom states; illegitimacy does. The Islamic Republics failure lies not in being Islamic, but in being unable to renew its claim to govern. Durable civilisations metabolise dissent; brittle systems criminalise it. Irans leadership chose the latter. That choice explains why protests recur, why repression intensifies, and why the state looks powerful while feeling increasingly hollow. Some observers imagine Iran will return to its pre-Islamic, Zoroastrian past. Others insist it must become a Western-style liberal democracy to survive. Both are fantasies born of impatience. Iran will not resurrect ancient religion as governance, nor will it become liberal by symbolic defiance alone. What is emerging instead is more unsettling: a post-clerical society, culturally rooted, historically conscious, and deeply sceptical of guardianship, whether imposed by mosque, monarchy, or NGO. The future Iranian woman is not a liberal mascot or a religious subject. She is a political adult refusing to be managed. That is what frightens the clerical state. It unsettles Western liberals who seek validation of universality. And it troubles left feminists who are uncomfortable with resistance they cannot categorise. Iranian women are not asking to be saved, sanctioned or symbolised. They are asking to be taken seriously not as metaphors, but as political actors in a civilisation that has outlived every empire that tried to define it for them. That demand is far more radical than any slogan. And far harder to control. (The author, a practising advocate, writes articles on womens rights, politics and law. Views expressed in the above piece are personal and solely those of the author. They do not necessarily reflect Firstposts views) From Venezuela to Greenland, Washingtons new strongman diplomacy is reshaping global power politics, and India must watch closely Soon after the sensational kidnapping of Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro, US President Donald Trump wasted no time in reminding the world that American power under his leadership is no longer constrained by diplomatic niceties or international conventions. Emboldened by what he views as a successful covert operation in Venezuela, Trump renewed his threat to annex Greenland, the semi-autonomous territory of Denmark. With characteristic bravado, he declared, If we dont do it the easy way, were going to do it the hard way. Thus was born the Donroe Doctrine, Trumps 21st-century reinterpretation of the 19th-century Monroe Doctrine, which asserted Americas dominance over the Western Hemisphere. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD This time, however, Trumps ambitions stretch beyond Latin America and into the icy frontiers of the Arctic. Alarmed by his open threats, Danish and Greenlandic foreign ministers are preparing to meet US Vice President JD Vance and Secretary of State Marco Rubio in Washington. Greenland has repeatedly insisted it is not for sale, while Denmark has warned that any American military action would effectively kill Nato, of which Denmark is a founding member. On the eve of these talks, Greenlands Prime Minister Jens-Frederik Nielsen stated unequivocally that his people would choose Denmark over the US if forced to decide. That alone signals how bleak the prospects are for a diplomatic resolution. Trumps Desperation Trump first floated the idea of purchasing Greenland in 2019 during his first term, when many dismissed it as a joke. But the former real estate mogul never jokes about land. Greenland is the worlds largest island, nearly two-thirds the size of India and six times larger than Germany. Beneath its frozen surface lie massive untapped reserves of oil, gas, and critical minerals. In his second term, Trump is no longer coy about his intentions. He has openly stated that America needs Greenlands rare-earth minerals cobalt, lithium, graphite, and other strategic elements to reduce its dependence on China. Beijing currently dominates global supply chains for these minerals, which are essential for electric vehicles, renewable energy, and defence technologies. For Trump, acquiring Greenland is not merely about territory; it is about breaking Chinas strategic stranglehold. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Strategic Interests in the Arctic Lately, Trump has emphasised security concerns even more than economic ones. He argues that American ownership of Greenland would dramatically expand US military reach in the Arctic and curb Chinese and Russian influence in a region increasingly vital to global power equations. Geographically, Greenland is a strategic gem. Positioned between North America and the Arctic, it offers ideal locations for early-warning missile systems and maritime surveillance. However, Denmark and Greenland rightly point out that the US does not need to own the territory to benefit from it militarily. America already operates Pituffik Space Base (formerly Thule Air Base) in Greenland, in place since World War II. The base plays a crucial role in missile detection and space surveillance. Under existing treaties, the US faces no restrictions on expanding its military presence there. Washington also plans to modernise the base as part of the proposed Golden Dome missile defence system, which includes space-based components. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD In fact, Denmark and Greenland have expressed willingness to allow greater American investment and participation in resource exploration. Ownership, therefore, is not a strategic necessity; it is a political obsession. Greenlanders Refuse Trump has tried to woo Greenlanders with money. Addressing Congress last year, he promised safety, prosperity, and unprecedented development. US officials even floated the idea of paying $100,000 to every inhabitant of Greenland. But the response from Nuuk, the capital, has been overwhelmingly hostile. Greenland is not for sale t-shirts are flying off shelves. The indigenous Inuit population distrusts Washington. Having endured three centuries of Danish colonial rule, including forced re-education and mass sterilisation programmes in the 1960s and 1970s, they are wary of trading one master for another. Many also fear losing free healthcare and education under Americas profit-driven system. The proposed cash handouts would vanish quickly, while structural insecurity would remain. Trump Wants to Make History The US has a long tradition of territorial expansion: Alaska from Russia, Louisiana from France, and Florida from Spain. Even Greenland was targeted before: in 1946, President Harry Truman offered $100 million in gold, which Denmark rejected. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD If Trump succeeds, it would be the largest territorial acquisition in US history. Political historians Peter Baker and Susan Glasser argue that it could place Trump alongside William Seward, who bought Alaska. For a man obsessed with legacy, Greenland represents his ticket into the history books. A Direct Threat to Nato Trumps belligerence has rattled European capitals. Under Article 5 of the Nato treaty, an attack on one member is considered an attack on all. If the US uses force against Denmark to seize Greenland, Nato would effectively collapse. The hypocrisy is staggering. The same European powers loudly condemn Russia for Ukraine while staying silent about Trumps threats. Had a non-Western nation threatened to invade another sovereign country, sanctions would have followed immediately. But Europes dependence on American security has rendered it toothless. Eighty years after World War II, it still cannot defend itself. This cowardice exposes Natos moral bankruptcy. Supporting Ukraine against Russian aggression while ignoring American imperialism makes a mockery of international law. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Trumps Contempt for Legal Order Trump has made it clear he considers international law irrelevant. Last week, he told the New York Times that his only restraint is his own morality. That should terrify the world. After Maduros abduction, his aide Stephen Miller bluntly told CNN: The real world is governed by strength, force, and power. This brutal realism defines the Trump doctrine. Rules are for the weak; power belongs to those who dare to use it. In this context, military action against Greenland would not be shocking just another chapter in Trumps imperial project. Implications for India India may be geographically distant from Greenland, but it cannot ignore developments in the Arctic. In 2008, India established its first Arctic research station in Svalbard, Norway, and later became an observer in the Arctic Council. However, the region remains dominated by Russia, China, the US, and Nato countries. During President Putins recent visit to India, New Delhi and Moscow signed a security agreement granting access to each others naval facilities, including Russian Arctic bases. Trumps potential takeover of Greenland would dramatically expand Americas Arctic footprint, complicating this arrangement and Indias ambitions. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Yet every crisis also presents opportunity. Improved ties with the Trump administration could open doors for India in Greenland. The recent announcement by US Ambassador Sergio Gor that India will be invited to join Pax Silica, Americas initiative to secure AI and semiconductor supply chains, is encouraging. It signals Washingtons recognition of India as a strategic partner. This cooperation could extend to critical minerals and Arctic exploration. If India plays its cards right, it could leverage Trumps Greenland obsession to secure resource access and technological partnerships. Conclusion Trumps Donroe Doctrine marks a dangerous return to raw power politics. From Caracas to Nuuk, he is redrawing red lines with military bravado. Greenland is not just about minerals or missiles; it is about Trumps desire to dominate history itself. For Denmark and Greenland, the road ahead is grim. For Nato, this could be an existential crisis. And for the world, it is a reminder that the empire never truly died; it merely changed its language. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD India must remain vigilant. As global power equations shift, New Delhi should pursue strategic autonomy while exploiting emerging opportunities. The Arctic may be frozen, but geopolitics there is heating up fast. (The writer is a techie, political analyst, and author. He pens national, geopolitical, and social issues. His social media handle is @prosenjitnth. Views expressed in the above piece are personal and solely those of the author. They do not necessarily reflect Firstposts views.) For much of the past decade, Canadas China policy has been constrained by its deep economic and security integration with the United States. Donald Trumps policies have upended that. The recent announcement of a strategic trade agreement between Canada and China, following Prime Minister Mark Carneys visit to Beijing, comes at a moment when the United States has signalled a renewed and active focus on securing the Western Hemisphere. Just a month earlier, the White Houses National Security Strategy paper stated Washingtons intent to treat the Western Hemisphere as its primary theatre, reviving a new version of the Monroe Doctrine and explicitly warning against the presence of any external powers seeking influence in the region. Against this backdrop, Ottawas pivot towards China, whether framed as pragmatism or economic diversification, is bound to reshape its geopolitical positioning. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD While the details of the trade deal remain confined to a joint communique which has been published, the symbolism cannot be missed by the strategic community. Canada has been one of the most economically dependent allies of Washington for years. Its willingness to diversify strategic and economic partnerships in defiance of Washingtons discomfort with non-hemispheric powers underlines how central the Trump factor is to this strategic response. However, what is not very obvious is how Canada seeks to assert its autonomy in a highly polarised world order while moving closer to similarly assertive superpowers. For China, this agreement is clearly an entry point into a region historically insulated from rival great-power influence. However, this situation, and its complex relationship with Canada, requires closer inquiry. Details of the Trade Deal While responding to economic compulsions and domestic political pressures, Canadas recent engagement with Beijing is a calibrated power play to shift away from current economic dependencies. In the in-principle agreement signed between Prime Minister Carney and Xi Jinping, six additional cooperation documents were collectively agreed upon, signalling a broad-based bilateral engagement between the two countries. These include a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on cooperation in combating crime between the Royal Canadian Mounted Police and Chinas Ministry of Public Security; an MoU between Natural Resources Canada, British Columbias Ministry of Forests, and Chinas Ministry of Housing and Urban-Rural Development on modern wood construction; a CanadaChina Economic and Trade Cooperation Roadmap; an MoU on cultural cooperation between Canadian Heritage and Chinas Ministry of Culture and Tourism; an MoU between the Canadian Food Inspection Agency and Chinas General Administration of Customs on food safety and animal and plant health; an MoU on strengthening energy cooperation between Natural Resources Canada and Chinas National Energy Administration; and a Letter of Intent for cooperation between Destination Canada and China Media Group. At the very core of the trade agreement is the introduction of a country-specific quota allowing the import of up to 49,000 Chinese electric vehicles annually at a Most Favoured Nation tariff rate of 6.1 per cent. This provision is particularly important given Canadas deep embeddedness within the US automotive ecosystem. If pushed towards fruition, the deal will allow Ottawa to diversify its domestic automobile market while responding to unemployment in the sector, which was further exacerbated by US tariffs and supply-chain disruptions. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Beyond automobiles, Canada anticipates expanded market access in China for key agricultural exports such as canola oilseeds, lobsters, peas, crabs and other products. This similarly reflects an intention to diversify export destinations and reduce vulnerability to volatile Atlantic and Pacific markets. Perhaps the most ambitious element of the agreement is Canadas target to increase its exports to China by 50 per cent by 2030. While this goal will ultimately hinge on market dynamics and, more importantly, strategic calculations, reactions in the United States already reveal the degree of discomfort Washington is willing to exhibit towards such new partnerships in its immediate neighbourhood. Strategic Shift? For much of the past decade, Ottawas China policy has been constrained by its deep economic and security integration with the United States. Under the Trudeau administration, Canada largely aligned itself with Washingtons China-containment posture due to limited strategic options. The 2018 arrest of Huawei executive Meng Wanzhou marked the beginning of a deeply strained relationship with Beijing, which retaliated with tariffs and detained two Canadians for 1,000 days. These episodes serve as a reference point for the risks of engagement with Beijing. However, this turn towards Beijingfrom disruptor to partneris complicated by the adversarial history shared by the two countries. From allegations of Chinese interference in Canadian electoral politics to the characterisation of China as a significant foreign threat, Canadian political discourse has never viewed Beijing as a reliable partner, and for justifiable reasons. Even Prime Minister Carney, in earlier statements, had identified China as the greatest geopolitical threat. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD In this context, the shift must be understood primarily as pragmatic hedging in what Ottawa increasingly perceives to be a new world order. The Trump factor is undeniably central to this recalibration. Yet CanadaChina relations cannot be anchored merely in anti-Trump positioning. Structural friction points will persist, from Canadas formal endorsement of the One China policy alongside its concerns over the status of Canadians in Hong Kong, to unease over Beijings growing tendency to weaponise trademuch like Washington has done in recent years. What Does China Want from Canada? From Beijings perspective, Canada represents a strategic gateway. While previous administrations, including Trudeaus, attempted to reset China relations, these efforts ultimately collapsed under political pressure. For Beijing, Canada offers both a source of critical commodities and natural resources, and a relatively stable gateway into North Americas economic ecosystem. The recent opening for Chinese electric vehicles also provides an opportunity to expand manufacturing footprints into a highly regulated, high-income market, thereby legitimising Chinese EVs as globally competitive. More importantly, Canada offers China a less politically hostile terrain than the United States for testing diplomatic penetration into the Western Hemisphere. However, Ottawa must proceed with caution. Superpowers exhibit similar tendencies. Canadas over-dependence on North American supply chains means that accommodating Chinese EVs will attract domestic adjustment costs and, more importantly, provoke reactions from Trump. Moreover, as the National Security Strategy makes clear, Washington is determined to secure the hemisphere, making any Chinese expansion into Canada a strategically sensitive issue rather than a purely bilateral matter. Conclusion It must be kept in mind that weaponising trade is not a Trump-specific characteristic. China has also demonstrated a consistentand more systematictendency to convert economic dependence into political leverage, as seen in Australia and in more recent examples from South Asia. For this reason, Ottawa must approach engagement with Beijing with caution and restraint. While China is undeniably a major economic power and now a partner, Canada cannot afford to detach itself from its geography or frame China as a US alternative. It must diversify beyond both the United States and China, avoiding entrapment in binary choices. In this context, Canada-China relations are bound to be complex, and Trumps unpredictability will further accentuate the asymmetry. While engagement with China should remain selective and sector-based, Ottawa must firmly restrict Chinese access to sensitive sectors and avoid compromising its strategic autonomy in the backyard of competing great powers. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD (Upamanyu Basu is an Assistant Professor of Political Science in Manav Rachna International Institute of Research and Studies. The views expressed in the above piece are personal and solely those of the author. They do not necessarily reflect Firstposts views.) US President Donald Trumps imperial ambitions are now an open secret after he revealed his intentions in his recent interview with The New York Times. He has bragged that only his mind and morality can restrain him and no one else. He has displayed no interest in abiding by international law. There is no dispute over the fact that the President of the United States has enormous power under the American Constitution and that when a president becomes determined, he has many ways of defying the principles of separation of powers and the principle of checks and balances provided by various provisions in the Constitution. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD In addition, the United States, by dint of its status as a superpower with unparalleled military prowess and economic resources, technological advances and innovative research in almost all frontiers of military and civilian technology, has global presence and unparalleled influence over global affairs. It attracts talent, tourists, investors and traders from around the world and has an economic edge over its main military rivals and military edge over its trade partners. While many scholars of international relations debated for years on the relative decline of the United States and the rise of China as another superpower, President Trump in his second term has displayed the strength of his country through the weaponisation of trade and tariffs and by flexing military muscle in Latin America, West Asia and Africa. By taking steps to punish countries that would not toe his line, President Trump appears to have shown his intense desire to be the unchallenged monarch of the world. By bombing Iranian nuclear facilities, capturing the President of Venezuela and flying him to New York to subject him to judicial trial; by threatening to send troops to Mexico to fight the drug cartels; by warning Colombia and Cuba with military action; by showing his resolve to take over Greenland by any means and several other measures, President Trump now believes that he will run the world as an emperor. The global order today faces a major challenge from a country that until recently propagated a narrative of democracy and rule of law. International trade laws have been thrown to the wind and UN legitimacy has been undermined by President Trump, and there is no resistance yet from any country or group of countries. Unfortunately, the current domestic political ecosystem has also remained unsuccessful in restraining presidential power. Both Houses of the US Congress have a Republican majority and Trump has unchallenged domination over the Republican Party. The American judiciary also appears powerless. A majority of the Appeals Courts in the US have judges appointed by President Trump or his predecessors in the Republican Party. They have overruled verdicts against Trumps policies challenged in the Trial Courts. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD The US Supreme Court also has conservative judges in the majority and it has yet to restrain presidential powers by delaying judgements on critical cases, particularly the tariff policy of Trump under the 1977 Emergency Power Act. Democratic-ruled states in the US have rushed to courts to challenge certain Trumpian activities and policies, yet have remained ineffective in checking the unbridled powers of the White House. Massive popular movements in numerous cities in the US too have failed to produce any positive outcomes. Uncontrolled at home, President Trumps adventures abroad have frightened smaller and weaker countries, especially those currently targeted by him. Russia has been too engrossed in safeguarding its interests and minimising losses in Ukraine to challenge US power. China has amassed enormous military power and economic capabilities, yet its trade and investment interdependence with the United States restricts its ability to be an effective Cold Warrior like the former Soviet Union. The European powers do not want to see the demise of the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation (Nato) and at the same time remain militarily powerless to contest either the Trumpian adventures or Russian strength. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Who can then deal with an American President who appears intent on dismantling the global order and creating a new order that would be unipolar with himself on the top? Is the world going to witness a new kind of colonialism or imperialism? President Trump appointing himself as the Acting President of Venezuela and expressing his desire to see his Secretary of State as the President of Cuba are instructive in this regard. US history is full of instances where one witnesses the fact that it is easy to conquer a country but difficult to rule forever. Trumps predecessors experienced how after three years of war in the Korean Peninsula, the US did not emerge as the victor. The prolonged war in Vietnam did not lead to US victory. More recently, the US along with its Nato allies failed to defeat the Taliban in Afghanistan after about two decades of military boots on the ground. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD That he has been unable to bring about even a nominal ceasefire in Ukraine after about a year in office, and that his role in other ceasefire agreements, such as between Cambodia and Thailand, has been short-lived, and that his claimed victory over ISIS in his first term turned out to be transitory toothus inducing him to battle ISIS even noware sober lessons that President Trump should have the time to reflect upon. Trumps political behaviour reminds one of what Lord John Emerich Edward Acton, the 19th-century historian, famously said: Power tends to corrupt, and absolute power corrupts absolutely. The ill-fated aspect of this is the predictable fact that many Trumpian policies will damage the interests of the American people, American institutions and the positive aspects of global order and globalisation. One hopes that American democratic institutions and people at large will be able to restrain the unrestrained activities of the Trump White House. Trump may be able to defy international law, but he has to play by the rule book in his home country. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD (The writer is founder chairperson, Kalinga Institute of Indo-Pacific Studies, and Editor, India Quarterly. Views expressed in the above piece are personal and solely those of the author. They do not necessarily reflect Firstposts views.) Anthropic CEO Dario Amodei speaking at the World Economic Forum in Davos warned about the effectiveness of artificial intelligence and how quickly AI can affect the software industry. Anthropic CEO Dario Amodei at the World Economic Forum in Davos delivered one of the strongest warnings about how quickly artificial intelligence can affect the software industry. According to Amodei, AI systems will be capable of doing everything a software engineer is doing today and that situation is soon to arrive. Speaking at the Forum, during a discussion with The Economist editor-in-chief Zanny Minton Beddoes and Google DeepMind CEO Demis Hassabis, Amodei said AI is moving forward and will soon handle the development process on its own. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD From writing code to completing full projects, he believes the gap between human engineers and AI systems is shrinking fast. I think I dont know we might be six to twelve months away from when the model is doing most, maybe all of what SWEs do end to end, Amodei said. HIs comments suggest a deep dark future for the engineering workforce where AI does not only assist engineers but takes over their jobs and performs their activities which is required. Amodei described this as a closing loop, where AI systems no longer need constant human input to move a project from start to finish. He also pointed out the changes that have already happened in the engineering sector, and also laid emphasis about the situation happening in Anthropic itself. I have engineers within Anthropic who say I dont write any codes anymore. I just let the model write the code, I edit it. I do the things around it, he explained. That change shows how the role of software engineers may already be changing. Instead of building everything from scratch, developers are increasingly reviewing, correcting, and guiding AI-generated code. The human role moves closer to decision-making and oversight, while the machine handles execution. AI is becoming a major driver of the global economy with companies and nations committing billions to ensure dominance and has implications for everything to the future of work and robotics to how wars are fought and space travel. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD If you think about the incredible national security implications of building models that are essentially cognition, that are essentially intelligence, Amodei said. Its like selling nuclear weapons to North Korea." As India approaches its 77th Republic Day, its transformation from a developing economy to a global technology and innovation hub is increasingly evident, with advances in AI, digital infrastructure, and global trade reinforcing New Delhis growing confidence on the world stage. India will mark its 77th Republic Day this year, which will mark as a momentous occasion to reflect upon the countrys growth journey since 1950. Indias multicultural, multilingual, and multiethnic growth has transformed the view, India was seen years ago on a global scale. Starting from there, there are several advancements in various fields noting astounding progress in agriculture, railways networks, education, trade, and the most important technology. Indias tech growth Technology has always been an integral part of any countrys growth, and India has made commendable strides in the realm of science and technology. India contributed towards the science sector globally from the decimal system to the ruler measurements. Indias IT industry rapidly gained momentum, becoming a global leader in software services and outsourcing. The advent of the digital age brought massive appreciation amid the fastly emerging technological landscape. The rise of Indias tech giants like Tata Consultancy Services (TCS), Infosys, and Wipro has been the ones which attained exemplary appreciation and has been nothing short of extraordinary. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD India secures third position in AI India saw a similar pattern with the government creating the base infrastructure, compute, datasets and regulatory clarity. India focused on its AI growth along with the high tech engineers and massive set-up. In March 2024, the Union government approved the national-level IndiaAI mission with a budget outlay of 10,371.92 crore to establish an ecosystem catalysing AI innovation through strategic programs and partnerships across the public and private sectors. The mission is democratising computing access, improving data quality, developing indigenous AI capabilities, attracting top AI talent, enabling industry collaboration and providing startup risk capital. India secured the third position globally in Artificial Intelligence competitiveness, according to a report by Stanford Universitys 2025 Global AI Vibrancy Tool. Startups such as Sarvam AI (Aadhaar integration), Soket AI, and IIT Bombays BharatGen consortium lead in generative AI trained on Indian data. India at global platform Recently during the World Economic Forum, in Davos, the IMF managing director Kristalina Georgieva asserted India as the second-tier AI power, to which Union Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw rejected the claim saying I dont know what the IMF criteria has been, but Stanford places India as third in terms of AI penetration, in terms of AI preparedness, and in terms of AI talent." He further added that the country is focused on advancing new technological tools and spreading the use of AI rather than concentrating only on scale. So our focus is very much on making sure that AI diffusion happens in a very big way, he said. Of all the three, actually on AI talent it is number two, so I dont think your classification in the second bouquet is right. Its actually the first, he further added. The reason for that is there are five layers in the AI architecture. The application layer, the model layer, the chip layer, the infra layer, and the energy layer. We are working on all the five layers, making very good progress in all the five layers, Vaishnaw said. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Coming to the tech race, almost one-third of Silicon Valleys tech workforce consists of professionals of Indian origin. Indias trade deal Alongside the AI race, a major economic moment is unfolding as the European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen has signalled that IndiaEU trade talks are entering a decisive phase. Speaking at the World Economic Forum in Davos, she said both sides are on the cusp of a historic agreement. And labelled the India-EU trade deal the biggest trade pact till now. A Canadian federal court on Wednesday set aside a 2024 government order to shut TikToks offices in the country, a decision Ottawa had taken following a national security review. The TikTok app icon on a smartphone in this illustration. File image/Reuters Canadas federal court on Wednesday overturned a 2024 government order to shut Tik Toks Canadian operations, allowing the short-video app to keep operating for now, a decision Ottawa had taken following a national security review. In November 2024, Canadas industry ministry ordered TikToks business to be dissolved, citing national security risks, but added the government was not blocking access or users ability to create content. Canadians were never prevented from using the popular video-making platform, but the industry ministry had ordered the closure of offices in Toronto and Vancouver belonging to TikTok Technology Canada, part of China-based ByteDance. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD TikTok, which says it has more than 14 million monthly users in Canada, appealed the decision. In a short judgment, federal court judge Russel Zinn set aside the order and sent the matter back to Industry Minister Melanie Joly for review. He did not give any reasons. Multiple Western governments have alleged that the app allows Beijing to collect data and spy on users. Canada banned TikTok from all government devices in 2023, but said that personal use of the app was a decision for individual Canadians. Prime Minister Mark Carney has been seeking closer ties to China to help offset the damage done to the Canadian economy by US tariffs. Canada and other nations have been scrutinizing TikTok because of concerns China could use the app to harvest users data or advance its interests. TikTok is owned by Chinese company ByteDance. Last September, TikTok agreed to improve its measures to keep children off its Canadian website and app after an investigation found its efforts to block children and protect personal information were inadequate. For the first time, the Delhi Police will deploy AI-enabled smart glasses equipped with an integrated facial recognition system (FRS) and thermal imaging technology as part of enhanced security measures for Republic Day celebrations, an official said on Wednesday. For the first time, the Delhi Police will deploy AI-enabled smart glasses equipped with an integrated facial recognition system (FRS) and thermal imaging technology as part of enhanced security measures for Republic Day celebrations, an official said on Wednesday. These smart glasses, manufactured by an Indian company, will be linked in real-time to the police database of criminals, proclaimed offenders, and suspects, allowing personnel on the ground to instantly identify individuals in crowded areas. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD The wearable devices will connect to mobile phones used by police officers, giving them access to the entire criminal database accessible through the system, Additional Commissioner of Police (New Delhi) Devesh Kumar Mahla said. The glasses are connected to the mobile phones of the officers, and the mobile phones will carry the full database of criminals. If someone appears in a green box, it clearly indicates that the person has no criminal involvement. If the box turns red, it means the person has a criminal record. The officer can quickly verify all details, and if needed, the person will be apprehended immediately, Additional CP Mahla said. The officer further shared that the smart glasses can scan faces within seconds and match them with records stored in the central database without requiring physical checks or stopping people, ensuring smooth movement in crowded areas during this high-security event. In addition to facial recognition, the smart glasses are equipped with thermal imaging technology, which helps officers detect individuals carrying metal objects or concealed weapons. This thermal capability adds an extra layer of security by enabling the early identification of potential threats in dense crowds. This technology will significantly strengthen spot identification and reduce dependence on manual checking. The thermal imaging feature will assist officers in identifying suspicious objects or weapons that may not be visible to the naked eye, he added. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Mahla emphasised that the advanced AI system is capable of identifying criminals even if they have changed their appearance over the years. Suppose we have a photograph of a criminal taken 20 years ago. The powerful AI can match that old image and generate a proper match if the person is present. Changing looks will not work in front of these AI-powered smart glasses, he said. The Delhi Police said that this is the first time they are using such futuristic wearable technology during Republic Day security arrangements, and officers, including sub-inspectors, will be wearing these glasses. However, when asked about the number and cost of the glasses, the officer stated that an adequate number had been procured but did not disclose the cost. Police said that the initiative is part of a broader, technology-driven security plan for the national event. Apart from AI-enabled glasses, the Delhi Police will deploy extensive CCTV surveillance, drone-based monitoring, facial recognition software integration and AI-based analytics to manage crowds and detect suspicious behaviour in real-time. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD The same facial recognition and AI features will also be installed in moving police vehicles, enabling mobile patrol teams to identify suspects while on the move and respond swiftly to any security alerts, the officer said. The Republic Day celebrations in the national capital involve multi-layered security arrangements, with over 10,000 police personnel from the New Delhi district deployed along the parade route and at sensitive locations. All vehicles and guests will undergo three layers of security checks. US President Donald Trump during his speech in Davos addressed to claim sweeping US dominance in AI and energy, but big tech leaders and data point to a far narrower lead over China. US President Donald Trump speaks during a reception with business leaders, at the 56th annual World Economic Forum (WEF), in Davos, Switzerland, January 21, 2026. File Image/Reuters US President Donald Trump on Wednesday spoke for about 72 minutes at the World Economic Forum in Davos, emphasising Americas strength, power, development, and Nato tensions. Trumps address at Davos featured a parade of dubious claims about peace deals, technology war, and his countrys dominance in windfarms. His many assertions ranged from exaggerated comments and false statements. Were leading by China Amid rising global tensions, Trump pointed to US advances and claimed the country was leading the world in artificial intelligence, even ahead of China. Were leading the world in AI by a lot. Were leading China by a lot, he said. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD The question remains what is the AI advancement, which Trump has been discussing so far. Prominent figures in the AI industry have assessed the remark differently. Nvidias chief says China is just seconds behind US Nvidias chief executive, Jensen Huang, said in September that China was nanoseconds behind the US. The White House AI czar, David Sacks, estimated in June that Chinese models lag by three to six months. Despite US restriction on Nvidias H-200 advanced chips, Chinese companies such as DeepSeek have released models that rival Americas best AI chatbots. Huang also said that China is almost at the same level as the US in certain areas, close enough that the lead could disappear quickly. China does not have any windmills: Trump China makes almost all of the windmills, and yet I havent been able to find any windfarms in China. Did you ever think of that? Its a good way of looking. You know, theyre smart. China is very smart. They make them. They sell them for a fortune. They sell them to the stupid people that buy them, but they dont use them themselves, Trump said. The claim that Trump made stands incorrect as China has more wind capacity than any other country and twice as much capacity under construction as the rest of the world combined altogether. Trump has dominance all across the world, the AI change is changing as he failed in the tech war which he himself launched. China has advanced itself with Artificial Intelligence, whereas the US maintains lead in chip design. The imposition of tariffs by Trump are not focused on shielding the present, but rather in securing the future. Even the big tech companies and their CEO has repeatedly stated that China has the best tech and AI firms like Alibaba, Baidu, Tencent, and much more. Trump highlighted that AI data centers require more than double the USs current energy capacity, proposing that tech firms build their own nuclear or power plants with 3-week federal approvals to avoid grid collapse. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD The Palestinian Journalists Syndicate said that the journalists were carrying out a humanitarian, journalistic mission to film and document the suffering of civilians Mourners carry the body of one of the Palestinian journalists killed in an Israeli airstrike, in Khan Younis. Reuters At least 11 Palestinians were killed by Israeli forces on Wednesday, including two 13-year-old boys and three journalists, in what became the latest ceasefire violation. Health officials in Gaza said that the three journalists were killed as they were travelling by car to the newly established displacement camp in the Netzarim for work. The Palestinian Journalists Syndicate said that the journalists were carrying out a humanitarian, journalistic mission to film and document the suffering of civilians. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Meanwhile, two boys aged 13 were killed in a different incident on the same day. According to hospital officials in Deir al-Balah, an Israeli drone strike on the eastern edge of the Bureij refugee camp killed a father, his young son, and a 22-year-old man. In the second incident in Bani Suheila, Nasser hospital reported that 13-year-old Moatsem al-Sharafy was shot and killed by Israeli troops while he was out gathering firewood. The three journalists who were killed have been identified as Mohammed Salah Qashta, Abdul Raouf Shaat and Anas Ghneim. Shaat was a contributor to Agence France-Presse as a photo and video journalist; however, the agency said that he was not on assignment when the strikes occurred. In a statement, AFP said it was mourning the loss of Shaat, who would be remembered as a kind-hearted colleague, with a gentle sense of humour, and as a deeply committed journalist. AFP demands a full and transparent investigation into his death, it said. Far too many local journalists have been killed in Gaza over the past two years while foreign journalists remain unable to enter the territory freely, the agency added. The Israeli military has said that it ordered the strikes after its soldiers identified several suspects who operated a drone affiliated with Hamas in central Gaza. Following the identification and due to the threat that the drone posed to the troops, the IDF precisely struck the suspects who activated the drone, the IDF said in a statement. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Trumps announcement of a framework of a future deal on Greenland has been met with deep scepticism in the Arctic territory, even as European leaders welcomed a pause in escalating tensions and threatened tariffs US President Donald Trumps announcement of a framework of a future deal on Greenland has been met with deep scepticism in the Arctic territory, even as financial markets rebounded and European leaders welcomed a pause in escalating tensions and threatened tariffs. Hours after telling the World Economic Forum in Davos that he wanted Greenland including right, title and ownership, while backing away from threats of military action, Trump announced on social media a framework of a future deal with respect to Greenland and withdrew tariff threats against eight European countries. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD He later described it as a concept of a deal in an interview with CNBC. Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen welcomed talks between Trump and Nato secretary-general Mark Rutte that led to the framework for a future deal but stressed that Greenlands sovereignty was not negotiable. Nato is fully aware of the Kingdom of Denmarks position. We can negotiate about everything politically security, investments, the economy. But we cannot negotiate about our sovereignty, Politico quoted Frederiksen as saying. Only Denmark and Greenland themselves can make decisions on matters concerning Denmark and Greenland," she added. Danish Foreign Minister Lars Lkke Rasmussen struck a cautious note, saying, The day ended better than it started, while calling for talks that respect Denmarks red lines. Italys Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni also welcomed the move, though Rutte warned that there was still a lot of work to be done. Rutte later said Greenlands status had not come up in talks, and a Nato spokesperson clarified that no compromise on sovereignty had been proposed, reported The Guardian. Danish lawmakers furious Trump offered few details, saying discussions were continuing on a US missile defence system partly based in Greenland. The announcement sparked anger among some Danish lawmakers. Its not real negotiations; its two men who have had a conversation, MP Sascha Faxe told Sky News, adding, There cant be a deal without having Greenland as part of the negotiations. Media reports suggested the US could seek control over limited areas hosting military bases and access to rare earth minerals, though Greenlandic MP Aaja Chemnitz Larsen said such ideas were completely out of the question. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Tariff rollback de-escalation, say European leaders European leaders described Trumps tariff rollback as de-escalation. UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer said British pragmatism helped defuse the crisis and urged focus on Arctic security. Swedens minister for foreign affairs, Maria Stenergard, said the work of Europes allies has had an effect and she reiterated that they would not be blackmailed. I think you will have noticed that the last few days have been incredibly serious in relation to big things happening on the world stage. And you may have seen but it is a good thing that yesterday the threat of tariffs against the United Kingdom was lifted, and now we can start hard yards and finding a way forward on security in the Arctic, which may seem a long way away, pretty remote, but actually it does matter to all of us in terms of the safety and security of our country, The Guardian quoted Starmer as saying in his first public remarks since Trumps climbdown last night. And weve got through the last few days with a mix of British pragmatism, common sense, but also that British sense of sticking to our values and our principles, he added. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Markets, rattled earlier by Trumps rhetoric, rebounded after the announcement. The market bounced when he said we wouldnt use force, said strategist Mark Hackett, while analyst Matthew Smart said uncertainty just got priced out. In Greenland, however, reaction was starkly different. Hes lying, one resident in Nuuk told AFP, while care worker Anak said, Greenland belongs to the Greenlanders. With inputs from agencies An unusual odour that caused coughing among attendees forced a precautionary evacuation at the World Economic Forum in Davos. Footage circulating online captures emergency responders leading people out of the Congress Centre Congress Centre evacuated at the World Economic Forum in Davos after fire scare. (X) A fire scare sent ripples through the World Economic Forum (WEF) on Wednesday evening as part of the Congress Centrethe main hub of the summitwas evacuated amid reports of smoke and a mysterious smell that caused some attendees to cough. The alarm triggered a quick response from local firefighters and emergency crews, including specialised teams trained to handle smoke and hazardous conditions, who rushed to secure the area as world leaders and business executives were on site. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD According to authorities, the situation was brought under control relatively quickly, and no injuries were reported. Swiss fire officials said their priority was safety, so part of the convention centre was evacuated as a precaution. The alarm has been fully contained, and the fire has been completely extinguished after evacuating part of the convention centre as a precaution, the fire service said in an official statement. The cause of the alarm and smellwhich some said made them coughis still under investigation, with crews checking vents and nearby structures to determine the source. Watch the video here: UPDATE: Firefighters have cleared the main venue at the World Economic Forum in Davos amid a reported smell causing coughing. A White House official confirms the evacuation did not impact President Trumps schedule. https://t.co/WH8DKABdxu pic.twitter.com/33Kf27jVYN GlobalTechtonic (@GlobalTechtonic) January 21, 2026 Note: Firstpost could not independently verify the authenticity of the video. Reporters describe tense moments Journalists inside the venue described a sudden and tense evacuation. Italian journalist Lilli Gruber, who was preparing a live broadcast at the time, said everyone was ordered out quickly, leaving belongings behind. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD We are outside the Congress Centre, we have all been evacuated. We left all our things inside because there seems to be a fire in a hotel nearby. There are helicopters flying overhead, its full of firefighters, she told local media. Fox Business reporter Edward Lawrence also captured the unfolding scene and later confirmed on social media that the evacuation had ended. Fire crews in Davos checked it out and ended the evacuation. We are back for my live [report], Lawrence wrote on X, noting that emergency teams were still trying to figure out what caused the smell. Trump and other leaders safe A White House official said US President Donald Trump, who had delivered a speech at the forum earlier in the day, was not impacted by the evacuation. Trump had left the Congress Centre before the alarm sounded, and there were no reports of a threat to his safety or that of other senior participants. Despite the scare, the forum has continued with its packed schedule of high-level discussions on global trade, security and geopolitics. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Denmark and Greenland reaffirmed that the islands sovereignty is non-negotiable even as President Donald Trump claimed the US would gain total access to Greenland following talks with Nato chief Mark Rutte. Denmarks foreign minister said Thursday the door was once again open for proper negotiations with the United States after President Donald Trumps meeting with Nato chief Mark Rutte a day earlier. Foreign Minister Lars Lokke Rasmussen told journalists that Wednesdays meeting between Trump and Rutte had the positive outcome that a door has now been opened for us to once again have a proper negotiation between the Kingdom meaning Denmark and Greenland on one side and the United States on the other. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD We share the objectives but not necessarily the methods with the United States regarding security in the Arctic, said Lokke Rasmussen. Now there is an opportunity for us to make things fit together. Leaders of Denmark and its territory Greenland insisted Thursday that the islands sovereignty was non-negotiable after U.S. President Donald Trump said he had agreed on a framework with the Nato chief that Trump said would grant the U.S. total access to the island. Much about the potential deal remained unclear, though Trump said in a Fox Business interview that were going to have total access to Greenland" as part of what he has said is needed to ensure the island does not come under control of Russia or China. He added that were going to have all the military access we want." Nato spokesperson Allison Hart said the alliances Secretary General Mark Rutte did not propose any compromise to sovereignty" in discussions with Trump, and Danish officials have noted that, in any case, NATO doesnt have a mandate to negotiate a deal on behalf of Denmark and Greenland. Trump on Wednesday abruptly scrapped the tariffs he had threatened to impose on eight European nations to press for U.S. control over Greenland, a semiautonomous territory of Nato ally Denmark. It was a dramatic reversal hours after he insisted he wanted to get the island including right, title and ownership though he also said he would not use force. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Greenlandic Prime Minister Jens-Frederik Nielsen voiced guarded relief, but he said he knew no concrete details of the agreement Trump cited. I dont know what there is in the agreement, or the deal about my country, he told reporters. Trump called it a framework of a future deal that, if completed, would also allow the United States to install an element of his Golden Dome, part of a multibillion dollar missile defence system, in Greenland. With inputs from agencies Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky on Thursday blasted the EUs lack of political will in countering Russian leader Vladimir Putin, during a fiery address criticising some of Kyivs top allies at the World Economic Forum. Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelenskyy delivers a speech at the Annual Meeting of the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, Thursday, Jan. 22, 2026. (AP Photo/Markus Schreiber) Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy on Thursday delivered one of his sharpest rebukes yet of Europes response to Ukraine war with Russia, accusing the continent of moving too slowly and lacking unity nearly four years into the war. Speaking at the World Economic Forum in Davos, he warned that Europes hesitation has left Ukraine exposed to continued aggression from Russian President Vladimir Putin. Addressing political and business leaders, Zelenskyy said Europe had failed to act with the urgency and resolve required to confront Moscow, describing the continent as adrift at a critical moment. Europe looks lost, he said, urging European countries to assert themselves as a coherent global force. He contrasted what he described as Europes fragmented approach with Washingtons more decisive recent actions in Venezuela and Iran. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Zelenskyy framed Ukraines experience of the war through a cultural reference, invoking the film Groundhog Day, in which the protagonist is forced to relive the same day repeatedly. The analogy, he suggested, mirrored Kyivs frustration with what he sees as recurring delays and unfulfilled promises from its European partners. The speech came shortly after Zelenskyy held talks with US President Donald Trump in Davos. He said the meeting resulted in agreement on what post-war US security guarantees for Ukraine would entail. While he did not disclose details, Zelenskyy said the guarantees were finalised, ready to be signed by leaders, and would require approval from both the Ukrainian parliament and the US Congress. However, in a noticeable shift from his typically conciliatory tone towards the European Union Ukraines principal political and financial backer Zelenskyy used the Davos stage to vent his impatience with what he characterised as European inaction. Returning to the Groundhog Day analogy, he said progress on key initiatives essential to Ukraines long-term security remained stalled. Whats missing: time or political will? Zelenskyy asked, pointing to delays in establishing a European tribunal to prosecute war crimes linked to Russias invasion. He noted that the issue had been raised repeatedly without tangible results. Recalling his appearance at Davos a year earlier, Zelenskyy said Europes strategic outlook had barely shifted. Just last year, here in Davos, I ended my speech with the words: Europe needs to know how to defend itself, he said. A year has passed. And nothing has changed. We are still in a situation where I must say the same words again. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD For Ukrainians, he added, the sense of repetition has become a grim reality of daily life. We keep repeating the same thing for weeks, months and, of course, for years, he said. And yet that is exactly how we live now. Its our life. European nations, which view the war in Ukraine as a test of their own future security on the continents eastern flank, have provided substantial financial, military and humanitarian aid to Kyiv. But support has not been uniform across the 27-member European Union, and Ukraine has grown increasingly frustrated with internal divisions over how to confront Russia. Disagreements among European governments and the blocs often slow decision-making have, in Kyivs view, weakened the collective response to Moscow. Zelenskyys Davos remarks underscored a growing impatience in Ukraine as the war drags on, and as appeals for faster, firmer action from Europe continue to meet resistance and delay. Russias bigger army has managed to capture about 20% of Ukraine since hostilities began in 2014 and its full-scale invasion of 2022. But the battlefield gains along the roughly 1,000-kilometer (600-mile) front line have been costly for Moscow, and the Russian economy is feeling the consequences of the war and international sanctions. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Ukraine is short of money and, despite significantly boosting its own arms manufacturing, still needs Western weaponry. It is also short-handed on the front line. Its defense minister last week reported some 200,000 troop desertions and draft-dodging by about 2 million Ukrainians. Zelenskyy is also striving to keep the worlds attention focused on Ukraine despite other conflicts. He chided Europe for being slow to act on key decisions, spending too little on defense, failing to stop Russias shadow fleet of oil tankers that are breaking international sanctions, and balking at using its frozen assets in Europe to finance Ukraine, among other things. Europe, he said, still feels more like a geography, history, a tradition, not a real political force, not a great power. Some Europeans are really strong, its true, but many say we must stand strong, and they always want someone else to tell them how long they need to stand strong, preferably until the next election, he said. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD The Trump administration is pushing for a peace settlement, with its envoys shuttling between Kyiv and Moscow in a flurry of negotiations that some worry could force Ukraine into a unfavorable deal. Trumps special envoy Steve Witkoff and his son-in-law Jared Kushner were expected in Moscow later Thursday for more talks with Putin. One major issue remains to be resolved in negotiations, Witkoff said at Davos, without saying what it was. Zelenskyy said the future status of land in eastern Ukraine currently occupied by Russia is unresolved but that peace proposals are nearly ready. Postwar security guarantees, should a deal be reached, are agreed between the U.S. and Ukraine, although they would require each countrys ratification, he said. Zelenskyy said there would be two days of trilateral meetings involving the U.S., Ukraine and Russia due to begin in the United Arab Emirates on Friday. Russians have to be ready for compromises because, you know, everybody has to be ready, not only Ukraine, and this is important for us, he said STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Trump and Zelenskyy have had a fraught relationship, and the American president has at times also rebuked Putin. Zelenskyy said he thanked Trump for providing U.S.-made Patriot air defense systems that can help stop Russian missiles that are repeatedly hitting Ukraines power grid, causing hardship for civilians denied light, heating and running water. He said he asked Trump for more of them. After Trump cut support for Ukraine, other NATO countries began buying weapons from the U.S. to donate to Kyiv under a special financial arrangement. With inputs from agencies Attorney General Pam Bondi said the search was part of an investigation into an alleged leak from the Pentagon, which has introduced new restrictive media policies under President Donald Trump Newspaper banner logo is seen during grand opening of Washington Post in Washington. Reuters A federal judge has ruled that the FBI cannot examine the electronic devices seized during a raid at the home of a Washington Post journalist last week until he reviews the case. The government must preserve but must not review any of the materials that law enforcement seized pursuant to search warrants the Court issued," US Magistrate Judge William B. Porter wrote in a ruling. Porters response followed a motion filed earlier that day by The Washington Post and reporter Hannah Natanson. The filing demands that the FBI return Natansons seized equipment, including her cellphone, work and personal laptops, a digital recorder, a hard drive, and a Garmin smartwatch. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Both the newspaper and Natanson have demonstrated good cause in their filings to maintain the status quo until such time as the government can respond to the motions and the Court can more fully address them, Porter wrote. The outrageous seizure of our reporters confidential newsgathering materials chills speech, cripples reporting, and inflicts irreparable harm every day the government keeps its hands on these materials, the news outlet said in a statement later. Natansons deep reporting on the federal workforce and her ability to cultivate hundreds of new sources have earned her the newsroom nickname the federal government whisperer. Why was Natansons home searched? Attorney General Pam Bondi said the search was part of an investigation into an alleged leak from the Pentagon, which has introduced new restrictive media policies under President Donald Trump. Bondi said the journalist was obtaining and reporting classified and illegally leaked information from a Pentagon contractor and that the search warrant was executed after a request from the Defense Department. Agents told Natanson she is not the focus of the probe. The paper reported that law enforcement was investigating Aurelio Perez-Lugones, a system administrator with top-level security clearance who is accused of taking home intelligence documents found in his lunchbox and his basement. Perez-Lugones, who served in the US Navy before working as a Pentagon contractor, was arrested last week in Maryland, according to court documents that do not mention any contact with journalists. The leaker is currently behind bars, Bondi said on social media. The Trump Administration will not tolerate illegal leaks of classified information that, when reported, pose a grave risk to our Nations national security. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD The French navy on Thursday intercepted a Russian oil tanker in the Mediterranean Sea that is suspected of being part of a so-called shadow fleet used by Moscow to export oil despite international sanctions A photo released on Thursday, said to show the intervention of the French Navy on the high seas, in the Alboran Sea, on the cargo tanker GRINCH, which had departed from Murmansk, Russia. Reuters The French navy on Thursday intercepted a Russian oil tanker in the Mediterranean Sea that is suspected of being part of a so-called shadow fleet used by Moscow to export oil despite international sanctions. This operation was carried out with the support of several of our allies. It was conducted in full compliance with the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea, French President Emmanuel Macron said in a post on X. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD According to a separate statement from French maritime police, the interception took place on the high seas in the western Mediterranean, between the southern coast of Spain and the northern coast of Morocco. The operation was supported by navies from other countries, including Britain, the statement added. Russia adapts to sanctions The European Union has imposed 19 rounds of sanctions on Russia, but Moscow has adapted to many of the restrictions and continues to export millions of barrels of oil, primarily to countries such as India and China, often at discounted rates. A significant portion of this oil is transported by a so-called shadow fleet of vessels that operate outside the Western maritime industry. The intercepted tanker, identified as the GRINCH, had sailed from Murmansk in northern Russia and is subject to international sanctions. Macron said the vessel was also suspected of operating under a false flag. According to data from LSEG, the tanker was sailing under the flag of Comoros. The activities of the shadow fleet contribute to financing (Russias) war of aggression against Ukraine, Macron added. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said in a post on X that the operation was exactly the kind of resolve needed. He suggested the oil carried by tankers of the shadow fleet be confiscated and sold. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD The case was referred to the prosecutor of Marseille, who handles matters related to maritime law. The prosecutor ordered the ship to be diverted for further investigation. Moscow said France had not notified Russia about the interception, TASS news agency reported. The Russian consulate in Marseille is trying to find out whether Russian citizens are among the crew members, TASS reported, citing the Russian embassy in France. In October, France detained another sanctioned tanker, the Boracay, off its west coast and released it after a few days. With inputs from agencies US President Donald Trump made waves at the World Economic Forum in Davos, not just with his policy remarks, but for a series of verbal slip-ups US President Donald Trump attends the 56th annual World Economic Forum (WEF) meeting in Davos, Switzerland, on Wednesday. Reuters US President Donald Trump grabbed headlines at the World Economic Forum (WEF) in Davos on Wednesday, but not just for the policy points in his speech. While addressing a gathering of political and business leaders, Trumps long address quickly gained online traction for a series of verbal slip-ups, including mispronouncing a countrys name and confusing two very different territories. Trump opened by highlighting what he said were diplomatic achievements, including ending several global conflicts. His extended remarks, however, took an unexpected turn when he stumbled over a key geographic name. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD In a moment that quickly circulated on social media, Trump mispronounced Azerbaijan as Aber-baijan. Asked later about the moment, Trump doubled down on his claims about international diplomacy. JUST IN: Trump once again called Azerbaijan Aberbaijan Donald Trump arrived today at the World Economic Forum in Davos. pic.twitter.com/ERVtn3PJ7b NEXTA (@nexta_tv) January 21, 2026 Greenland or Iceland? Another mix-up The confusion didnt end there. Trump also appeared to mix up Greenland and Iceland during his remarks. As he spoke about Nato allies and global economic issues, he said: I dont know that theyd [Nato] be there for us. Theyre not there for us on Iceland, that I can tell you. I mean, our stock market took the first dip yesterday because of Iceland. So Icelands already cost us a lot of money. In fact, experts and commentators noted he seemed clearly to be referring to Greenland, a Danish territory that has been the focus of Trumps strategic interest, not Iceland. White House now openly lying about Trumps open confusion at Davos. Three times in one minute, Trump mistakenly confused Greenland with Iceland. Heres the video. https://t.co/eD0bUeT2VV pic.twitter.com/SahH6n6myq John Aravosis (@aravosis) January 21, 2026 STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD As clips from Trumps Davos address circulated online, reactions were swift and varied. Some took the mix-ups in stride, poking fun at the gaffes, while others raised concerns about clarity and precision in high-stakes international forums. Despite the viral moments, Trumps speech covered broader themes, including security, economics and his view of global alliances. And while the geographic slips quickly became talking points, the forum continued with its packed agenda of global discussions and debates. India on Thursday strongly condemned an incident of trespassing and vandalism at its embassy in Zagreb, Croatia, blaming anti-India elements for the attack India on Thursday strongly condemned an incident of trespassing and vandalism at its embassy in Zagreb, Croatia, blaming anti-India elements for the attack. Our statement on the trespassing of the Embassy of India premises in Zagreb, Croatia https://t.co/IQFppsV4Ws pic.twitter.com/STPOnI23oM Randhir Jaiswal (@MEAIndia) January 22, 2026 STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD We condemn the incident of trespassing and vandalism at our Embassy in Zagreb, Croatia by anti-India elements. Under the Vienna Convention, diplomatic premises are inviolable and must be protected," the Ministry of External Affairs said in a statement. Accordingly, we have taken up the matter strongly with Croatian authorities, both in New Delhi and in Zagreb and asked them to hold the perpetrators accountable for their reprehensible and illegal actions. Such actions also speak of the character and motives of those behind them, and law enforcement authorities everywhere would do well to take note of them," it added. Pro-Khalistani activists were allegedly behind the vandalism at the Indian embassy in Zagreb, according to a News18 report, citing social media posts, with the incident taking place ahead of European Union (EU) leaders visit to New Delhi for Republic Day celebrations. The incident comes against the backdrop of strengthening India-Croatia ties. During his visit to Zagreb last year, Prime Minister Narendra Modi had thanked Croatia for supporting Indias fight against terrorism, marking a new chapter in bilateral relations during the first-ever visit by an Indian prime minister to the country. PM had held what were described as productive discussions with his Croatian counterpart, Andrej Plenkovic, during which the two leaders reviewed the entire spectrum of India-Croatia relations and explored opportunities to deepen cooperation in areas including digital technologies, space, renewable energy, defence, maritime infrastructure, tourism and hospitality. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Emphasising that India and Croatia share common values such as democracy, the rule of law, pluralism and equality, the prime minister had also expressed gratitude for Croatias steadfast support to India in combating cross-border terrorism. Both leaders had underlined the importance of further strengthening India-EU strategic ties. With inputs from agencies Greenland has prepared a brochure for people in response to frequent power outagesand in order to strengthen the security of the population and to ensure that societys overall preparedness is even stronger Authorities in Greenland have advised citizens to stockpile enough supplies for five days in case of a crisis after US President Donald Trump made the acquisition of the island nation a central point of his speech at the World Economic Forum in Davos. Greenland has prepared a brochure for people in response to frequent power outagesand in order to strengthen the security of the population and to ensure that societys overall preparedness is even stronger. The document does not make any mention of Trump and officials say that they began preparing it last year. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Peter Borg, Greenlands minister who oversees self-sufficiency, said, The publication of the brochure with practical and simple advice for households is not an expression that we expect a crisis. During a joint news conference with Prime Minister Jens-Frederik Nielsen, Greenlands Finance Minister and Deputy Prime Minister Mute B. Egede announced that the government is currently reviewing its crisis preparedness. Greenland framework ready Trump has said that a framework is in place to acquire Greenland and announced that he would drop tariffs on European countries that opposed his plan to purchase the island nation. Based upon a very productive meeting that I have had with the Secretary General of NATO, Mark Rutte, we have formed the framework of a future deal with respect to Greenland and, in fact, the entire Arctic Region. This solution, if consummated, will be a great one for the United States of America, and all NATO Nations, Trump said on Truth Social. He added that officials are currently discussing matters related to the Golden Dome and that Vice President JD Vance, Secretary of State Marco Rubio, and Special Envoy Steve Witkoff will be among those leading the negotiations from his team. Trump said he would therefore scrap tariffs of up to 25 per cent that he had vowed days ago to slap starting February 1 on Denmark as well as close European allies that have sent troops to Greenland in solidarity, including Britain, France and Germany. Gopinath argued that environmental factors deserve more attention than tariffs in economic debates, citing their more permanent and extensive impact on the global economy Former IMF chief economist Gita Gopinath has said India has bigger problems than US President Donald Trumps tariffs, naming pollution as having the capacity to threaten the Indian economy much more than tariffs. Pollution is a challenge in India, and its impact on the economy is far more consequential than any impact of tariffs imposed so far, Gopinath said at the World Economic Forum in Davos. She explained that the effects of pollution have direct consequences on productivity, healthcare costs and overall economic activity, making it an underlying cause of slowed economic growth. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD The real costs of pollution are not merely environmental They are deeply intertwined with economic growth, productivity, and the health of citizens, she added. Gopinath argued that environmental factors deserve more attention than tariffs in economic debates, citing their more permanent and extensive impact on the global economy. She argued that India should prioritise mitigating the effects of pollution to safeguard its economy. India has made progress in expanding its economy and improving infrastructure, but pollution remains a persistent challenge, particularly in major urban centers, she said. From an international investors point of view, if you are thinking of setting up operations in India and living there, the environment matters, she added. The former IMF chief economist highlighted a 2022 World Bank study revealing that pollution claims nearly 1.7 million lives in India annually. This figure represents approximately 18 per cent of all deaths in the country. Meanwhile, the Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM)told the Supreme Court on Wednesday that vehicular pollution is the highest contributor to air pollution in Delhi-NCR and recommended 15 long-term measures to improve the worsening Air Quality Index (AQI). Appearing for CAQM, Additional Solicitor General Aishwarya Bhati told a bench comprising Chief Justice of India Surya Kant and Justices Joymalya Bagchi and Vipul M Pancholi that a meta-analysis of studies from 2015 to 2025 attributes PM2.5 in Delhi to a mix of primary emissions and secondary particulate formation from sources within the National Capital Region (NCR). STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD A sudden landslide slammed into a campsite at the foot of Mount Maunganui in northern New Zealand, leaving several people missing. Rescuers heard voices under the mud but had to pull back because the ground was still unstable Area affected by a landslide triggered by heavy rains, in Mount Maunganui, New Zealand. (Reuters) A landslide ripped through a rain-lashed campsite in northern New Zealand on Thursday, leaving several people missing as emergency crews raced against time amid unstable ground conditions. Local media footage showed thick mud and debris burying and crushing a shower block at the campsite, which sits at the base of the extinct Mount Maunganui volcano. Emergency officials said voices were heard from beneath the rubble in the immediate aftermath of the slide. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Whilst the lands still moving there, theyre in a rescue mission, Assistant Police Commissioner Tim Anderson told reporters at the scene, as quoted by AFP. I cant be drawn on numbers. What I can say is that it is single figures, he added. The landslide struck multiple campervans and the shower block at the North Island site, an area that has been battered by heavy rainfall in recent days. Rescue efforts hampered by unstable ground Campers at the site initially tried to dig through the debris themselves and heard voices calling for help, Fire and Emergency commander William Pike said. Our initial fire crew arrived and were able to hear the same, he told reporters. Rescue teams were later forced to pull everyone back from the area due to the ongoing risk of further earth movement. Asked whether voices had been heard since then, Pike said: Not that I know of, no. Emergency services continue to monitor the unstable terrain and are preparing to resume search and rescue operations once conditions are deemed safe. Nearby, visiting Canadian tourist Dion Siluch, 34, said he was relaxing at the Mount Hot Pools complex when the landslide struck. I was in a massage at that mountain pools and the whole room started shaking, he told AFP. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD When I walked out, there was a caravan in the pool, and theres a mudslide that missed me by about 30 feet, Siluch said. It was all very confusing. I wasnt sure if someone had driven off the road and into the pool. It took me a while to realise that the mountain had collapsed and had pushed everything into the pool, he added. Siluch said he had noticed another landslip about an hour earlier but had not paid much attention to it at the time. Police later arrived by helicopter and ordered people to evacuate the area, he said. I feel bad for the people affected. PM Narendra Modi discussed India-Brazil strategic partnership with President Lula ahead of his upcoming visit to India. Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi spoke with Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva and said he was looking forward to welcoming him to India soon. Glad to speak with President Lula. We reviewed the strong momentum in the India-Brazil Strategic Partnership, which is poised to scale new heights in the year ahead, Modi said on X. Lula confirmed last August that a state visit to India would take place in early 2026. He had earlier told Reuters that he would initiate a conversation among the BRICS group of countries on tackling levies imposed by U.S. President Donald Trump. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Glad to speak with President Lula. We reviewed the strong momentum in the India-Brazil Strategic Partnership, which is poised to scale new heights in the year ahead. Our close cooperation is vital for advancing the shared interests of the Global South. I look forward to welcoming Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) January 22, 2026 Vietnams Communist Party has unveiled a new Central Committee that excludes the sitting prime minister and president, fuelling speculation of a power shift in Hanoi as party authority tightens ahead of key leadership decisions. The iron-clad tradition of Vietnams four pillars leadership model is facing its most significant tremor in decades. As the 14th National Congress of the Communist Party of Vietnam (CPV) unfolds this week, the unveiling of the new 200-member Central Committee has sent shockwaves through diplomatic and policy circles. Missing from the list of high-profile delegates are two of the countrys most senior figures Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh and President Luong Cuong, stoking speculation that their influence is waning in favour of a more centralised power structure. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD The Central Committee is one of the most powerful institutions in Vietnams one-party system. It sets the countrys broad policy direction and will soon elect the partys top leader and the roughly 19-member Politburo, whose membership typically determines the nations most influential political positions. The absence of Chinh and Luong from the committee is therefore being read as more than a routine personnel shuffle, suggesting a potential re-ordering of political authority in Hanoi. Central Committee overhaul signals leadership recalibration In Vietnams political hierarchy, formal state titles do not always correlate with real influence. While the prime minister oversees government administration and the president serves as head of state, it is the Communist Party and especially its Politburo that ultimately drives policy and strategic direction. Traditionally, inclusion on the Central Committee has been a prerequisite for elevation to the Politburo. Omissions from the list can therefore sharply narrow an officials future prospects within the system. Party insiders see the reshuffle as a sign that internal consensus is shifting. The timing matters: Vietnam has been undergoing a sustained period of elite recalibration, propelled in part by an aggressive anti-corruption campaign that has removed several senior officials over recent years. Those actions have reshaped the partys internal balance, reduced the autonomy of the government bureaucracy, and elevated figures with strong loyalty to key party leaders. Observers note that the current National Congress, presided over by General Secretary To Lam, appears to be steering the nation toward a more centralised model of leadership. To Lam, a former security chief, has rapidly consolidated authority since assuming the top post in August 2024. The exclusion of key names from the Central Committee, the body that ultimately influences the Politburo and top offices suggests a meticulously planned reshaping of the political elite. Analysts view this as part of a broader effort to sideline rivals and reinforce a governance style that prioritises internal cohesion over consensus-based decision-making. The sweeping anti-corruption drive, previously seen as targeting economic malfeasance and bureaucratic inefficiency, now appears to be doubling as a tool for internal restructuring. By promoting loyalists and excluding perceived independent power centres, the leadership seems intent on consolidating authority within a tighter circle. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Party dominance intensifies as governance tightens The reshaping of the Central Committee comes at a critical moment for Vietnams economy and geopolitical positioning. The country faces slowing global demand, pressure on exports, and challenges to sustaining its rapid growth model amid heightened competition from neighbouring economies. Some observers argue that sidelining the prime minister and president reflects unease within the party over the growing prominence of government figures during recent economic pushes such as energy security, infrastructure expansion and foreign investment initiatives. The partys latest moves thus reinforce the primacy of ideological loyalty and internal alignment over technocratic leadership. Vietnams leadership has long sought to balance market-friendly reforms with strict political control. A streamlined party structure, dominated by figures closely aligned with the current leadership core, could be aimed at ensuring that economic pragmatism does not spill over into political experimentation. The forthcoming selection of the Politburo will provide the clearest indication yet of where power is coalescing. If figures associated with the current party leadership dominate that body, it would further confirm a shift away from the collective leadership norms that have defined recent decades, toward a more vertically organised system. Implications for policy, stability and international alignment For investors and diplomatic partners, the reshuffle raises immediate questions about policy continuity. On paper, the exclusion of the prime minister and president from the partys central organ does not automatically remove them from office. In practice, however, it weakens their leverage and could constrain their ability to advance reforms or large-scale projects without strong party backing and alignment with the new leadership core. The reduced visibility of the presidency within the party hierarchy may also diminish the symbolic weight of that office, reinforcing the notion that real authority flows increasingly from party structures rather than state institutions. In the short term, Vietnam is unlikely to experience abrupt policy disruptions; the Communist Party has traditionally managed political transitions with care and has avoided overt factional conflict. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Over the medium term, however, the evolving power balance could shape how boldly Hanoi pursues economic liberalisation, manages corruption enforcement, and navigates an increasingly complex global environment. The internal consolidation comes at a critical juncture: Vietnam is aggressively pursuing a 10% annual GDP growth target for the 2026-2030 period, part of its long-term goal to transition into a high-income developed nation by 2045. Supporters of the leaderships more centralised model argue that decisive action and streamlined authority are necessary to cut through bureaucratic red tape and accelerate development. Critics warn, however, that concentrating power can stifle internal debate and weaken institutional resilience, particularly as Vietnam seeks to balance relations between major powers such as the United States and China. In that context, the new party list is less about who is in or out today and more about what kind of political system Vietnam is edging toward one in which the government executes policy, but the party increasingly streamlined and assertive decides its direction. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Putin said that the remaining frozen funds from the previous US govt can be used to rebuild territories that were destroyed during the Russia-Ukraine war Russian President Vladimir Putin chairs a meeting on the "special military operation" amid the ongoing Russia-Ukraine conflict in Moscow, Russia, on December 29, 2025. Reuters File Russian President Vladimir Putin has announced that he is ready to use Russian assets frozen by the previous US government to contribute $1 billion to President Donald Trumps Board of Peace. Putin also said that the remaining frozen funds can be used to rebuild territories that were destroyed during the Russia-Ukraine war. But such funding will only be possible after a peace deal is signed between the two countries, the Russian leader added. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Russia will examine invite Trump has invited Putin, among several other world leaders, to join the Board of Peace for Gaza. The Russian foreign ministry has been charged with studying the documents that were sent to us and to consult on the topic with our strategic partners, Putin said during a televised government meeting. It is only after that well be able to reply to the invitation. Meanwhile, the US president has said that Putin had agreed to join the so-called grouping despite the Kremlin so far saying it was still studying the invitation. He was invited, hes accepted. Many people have accepted, Trump told reporters in Davos, Switzerland, referring to his so-far vaguely defined grouping of world leaders. Asked about criticism that he is reaching out to non-democratic figures, Trump said some were controversial but if I put all babies on the board, it wouldnt be very much. Who all have accepted the invite? Saudi Arabia, Turkey, Egypt, Jordan, Indonesia, Pakistan and Qatar have accepted invitations to join Trumps Board of Peace. In a joint statement, Saudi foreign ministry announced the shared decision of the foreign ministers of Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Turkey, Egypt, Jordan, Indonesia, Pakistan, and the United Arab Emirates to join the body to be chaired by Trump, saying they supported his peace efforts on the Gaza conflict. Trump first proposed the Board of Peace last September when he announced his plan to end the Gaza war. He later made clear the boards remit would be expanded beyond Gaza to tackle other conflicts worldwide. The US president will be the inaugural chairman of the board and it will be tasked with promoting peace around the world and working to resolve conflicts, according to a copy of the draft charter seen by Reuters. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD With inputs from agencies Putin, quoted by Russian news agencies, told the Russian Security Council that the situation brought to mind Russias 19th-century sale of Alaska to the United States. He estimated the current value of Greenland at $200-250 million Russian President Vladimir Putin has said that President Donald Trumps ambition to take over Greenland is not our concern. At the same time, he mentioned Russia selling Alaska to America in 1867. What happens to Greenland is none of our business. Incidentally, Denmark has always treated Greenland as a colony and has been quite harsh, if not cruel, towards it. But thats a different matter entirely, and I doubt anyones interested in it right now, Putin said in a televised address to the national Security Council. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Putin, quoted by Russian news agencies, told the Russian Security Council that the situation brought to mind Russias 19th-century sale of Alaska to the United States. He estimated the current value of Greenland at $200-250 million. About the Alaska purchase In 1867, the United States purchased Alaska from the Russian Empire for $7.2 million, a deal negotiated by US Secretary of State William Seward and Russian Minister Edouard de Stoeckl. Russia sought to sell the territory primarily because it was a financial burden and nearly impossible to defend; following their defeat in the Crimean War, Russian leadership feared that their rival, Great Britain, might easily seize the land from neighbouring Canada in a future conflict. By selling to the US, Russia hoped to gain a strategic buffer against British expansion and inject much-needed gold into their depleted treasury. What has Russias stand been on Greenland? Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov has said that Greenland was not a natural part of Denmark and that the problem of former colonial territories was becoming more acute. Russia has reacted gleefully to the growing US-Europe divide over Greenland, but has bristled at Trumps suggestion that Moscow is also seeking control over the island. In principle, Greenland is not a natural part of Denmark, is it? It was neither a natural part of Norway nor a natural part of Denmark. It is a colonial conquest. The fact that the inhabitants are now accustomed to it and feel comfortable is another matter. Lavrov said. With inputs from agencies STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Gazas border crossing with Egypt will reopen next week after largely being shut during the Israel-Hamas war, the Palestinian technocrat leader backed by Washington to administer the enclave announced on Thursday. Gazas border crossing with Egypt will reopen next week after largely being shut during the Israel-Hamas war, the Palestinian technocrat leader backed by Washington to administer the enclave announced on Thursday. Ali Shaath made the announcement by video link during an event in Davos hosted by President Donald Trump, who convened a group of leaders to formally launch a Board of Peace initially focused on cementing Gazas ceasefire. A key unfulfilled element of the ceasefire, brokered by Trump in October, has been the reopening of Gazas main gateway to the world to allow the entry and exit of Palestinians. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD I am pleased to announce the Rafah crossing will open next week in both directions. For Palestinians in Gaza, Rafah is more than a gate. It is a lifeline and symbol of opportunity, Shaath said. Opening Rafah signals that Gaza is no longer closed to the future and to the war, Shaath said. There was no immediate comment from Israel, which has controlled the Rafah crossing since 2024. The ceasefire deal left Israel in control of more than half of Gaza, including the area that abuts the border crossing. Hamas controls the remainder of the enclave. (Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by Firstpost staff.) A bitter political standoff in Taiwan is holding up President Lai Ching-tes $40 billion defence push, even as US pressure mounts on the island to spend more on its own security amid rising tensions with China Taiwans plans to significantly ramp up military spending have run aground, not because of a lack of urgency from the government, but due to a deepening political standoff at home. President Lai Ching-tes proposal comes at a sensitive moment, as US President Donald Trump presses allies to take on a larger share of their own defence, especially Taiwan, which faces growing pressure from China. At the heart of the impasse is Lais ambitious plan to spend $40 billion over eight years on military equipment, much of it sourced from the US. Opposition lawmakers, who control Taiwans legislature, have blocked the proposal unless the president agrees to political concessions. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD A domestic fight with global consequences The deadlock goes beyond routine partisan rivalry. It raises uncomfortable questions about whether Taiwan can strengthen its defences fast enough while remaining a reliable partner to Washington. Lai has pledged to push military and security spending above three percent of Taiwans economy this year, a move clearly aimed at reassuring the islands most important security backer. Instead, the plan has become tangled in budget disputes and legal battles between the ruling Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) and opposition parties. Both sides accuse the other of breaking the law. Tensions escalated when Lais premier refused to approve legislation passed by the opposition that would redirect tax revenue from the central government to local administrations. Opposition lawmakers called the move unconstitutional, labelled Lai a dictator, and even initiated impeachment proceedings. We have never experienced such a massive crisis of constitutional rule of law as we have right now, said Weng Hsiao-ling of the Nationalist Party, as quoted by the New York Times (NYT). Executive power is not operating according to the law, he added. Accusations and distrust deepen divides The DPP, meanwhile, says the opposition is deliberately paralysing the government and undermining Taiwans security. Party lawmakers accuse some opposition figures of echoing Beijings preferences and blocking defense spending at a dangerous moment. Frustration has grown after the opposition twice rejected Lais nominees to Taiwans constitutional court. They changed the rules, and the referee is gone, said Su Chiao-hui of the DPP, as per NYT. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD The dispute reflects a broader split in Taiwan over how closely to align with Washington versus pursuing warmer ties with Beijing. While Lais party insists Taiwan is its own country and needs stronger defenses and deeper US ties, the Nationalist Party favors engagement with China and questions whether Lais strategy risks escalation. Pressure from Washingtonand room for compromise Opposition lawmakers have stalled not only the military spending plan but also the annual budget, demanding that Lai first face questioning in the legislature. They have also cited delays in US arms deliveries. Weve paid up, but the weapons are nowhere to be seen, said Nationalist leader Fu Kun-chi, according to NYT We support national defense, but dont support being fleeced in arms purchases. Despite the stalemate, compromise remains possible. The government has begun offering private briefings and limited disclosures to lawmakers, while the US representative in Taipei has urged cooperation and backed Lais proposals. Pakistan has agreed to join Trumps Board of Peace to support ceasefire and reconstruction efforts in Gaza, even as it seeks financial assistance from the UAE and the IMF to stabilise its economy In this handout photograph taken and released by Pakistan's Prime Minister Office on April 26, 2025, Pakistan's Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and country's army chief, Field Marshal Asim Munir, review a passing out parade at the Pakistan Military Academy (PMA) Kakul in Abbottabad. (Photo: Handout/ Pakistan's PMO/AFP) Pakistan has announced that it will join US President Donald Trumps newly formed Board of Peace, a diplomatic initiative aimed at advancing a lasting ceasefire and reconstruction in wartorn Gaza. The move comes as Pakistan juggles its own economic chaos, including attempts to secure financial relief from Gulf partners. Yes, while the country is trying to roll over a $2.5 billion debt from the UAE and keep the IMF happy, its also coughing up around $1 billion to become a permanent member of a board that promises peace. Sounds like perfect timing. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD $1 billion peace fee The Board of Peace includes eight Islamic nations, and Pakistan is now officially one of them. Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar defended the decision, saying it aligns with the countrys support for the Gaza Peace Plan. We hope the Board will help concrete steps towards the implementation of a permanent ceasefire, he said as quoted by The Tribune. Meanwhile, critics cant help but notice the irony here. Asking for billions in debt relief from the UAE while signing up for an expensive international peace club. Pakistan is also still seeking backing from the IMF for its $7 billion loan programme, reminding everyone that the economy might be a tad more fragile than its foreign policy ambitions. Also read | 'Weaponisation of water': Pak raises alarm at UN over Indias suspension of Indus Waters Treaty Diplomacy meets domestic crunch The announcement came on the heels of a visit to Davos for the 56th World Economic Forum (WEF) by Pakistans army chief, Field Marshal Asim Munir, with the expectation that Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and Munir will meet Trump during the summit. DPM/FM Senator Muhammad Ishaq Dar @MIshaqDar50 held a sideline meeting today with Mr. Sihasak Phuangketkeow, Foreign Minister of Thailand, at the @wef #WEF26 in #Davos. The two Ministers reviewed Pakistan-Thailand bilateral relations, and reaffirmed their commitment to expand pic.twitter.com/p6r2ltdFB2 Ministry of Foreign Affairs - Pakistan (@ForeignOfficePk) January 22, 2026 STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Pakistans debt has climbed sharply in recent years, yet here it is, prioritising a seat at a table designed for lasting peace. Despite the clear irony, Islamabad insists the move demonstrates its willingness to engage in global diplomacy. Following the capture of Nicolas Maduro, the Trump administration shifts focus to Havana, utilising economic strangulation and internal diplomatic pressure to seek a total regime change in Cuba by late 2026. Fresh off the heels of a high-stakes geopolitical victory in Venezuela, the Trump administration appears to have set its sights on a long-standing ideological rival. According to multiple US media reports, Washington has pivoted its America First regional strategy toward Havana with the ambitious goal of ending nearly seven decades of Communist rule in Cuba by the end of 2026. This aggressive stance reflects a significant escalation in US diplomatic pressure toward Cuba, raising questions about future US-Cuba relations, regional stability and the potential costs of pushing for political change in an entrenched one-party state. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD The Venezuelan domino and economic strangulation The catalyst for this renewed focus is Operation Absolute Resolve, the recent US operation that resulted in the capture of Venezuelan leader Nicolas Maduro. Emboldened by what they perceive as a successful blueprint for regional intervention, President Trump and his advisors believe the Cuban government is currently at its most vulnerable since the fall of the Soviet Union. Cubas survival has historically been tethered to Venezuelan largesse. However, with Venezuelas energy funds now largely under US control and the new acting leadership in Caracas pressured to sever ties with Havana, the islands lifeline has been cut. The administration is now employing a policy of deliberate economic strangulation, leveraging the total cutoff of Venezuelan oil to push the Cuban economy toward a breaking point. By severing Havana from its primary fuel and credit source, Washington hopes to create the material conditions for a domestic uprising or a total institutional failure. The inside-out collapse and the Rubio framework Rather than relying solely on external pressure, the US is reportedly pursuing an inside-out strategy. This involves a clandestine effort to identify and recruit Havana insiders, high-ranking members of the Communist Party of Cuba (PCC) and the military who may be disillusioned by the countrys downward spiral. The carrot being offered is a deal for personal safety and potential leadership roles in a future administration in exchange for facilitating a transition away from the current regime. Secretary of State Marco Rubio has reportedly outlined a rigorous three-step framework to manage the aftermath of a potential collapse: Stabilisation: The immediate deployment of humanitarian aid and the securing of critical infrastructure to prevent a mass migration crisis. Recovery: A total overhaul of the energy sector and the introduction of market-friendly reforms to stimulate private growth. Transition: The formal establishment of a post-Communist government. The administration is betting that the younger generation of the PCC, less ideologically rigid than veteran leaders like Raul Castro and President Miguel Diaz-Canel, will eventually break ranks to save the nation from total ruin. Vulnerabilities, divisions and global implications The Trump administration is betting that internal fractures, particularly a generational divide within the PCC and the military could widen under economic and political pressure. Veteran figures such as Raul Castro and President Miguel Diaz-Canel are seen as potential targets for isolation from younger cohorts who might be more inclined to negotiate a transition. But analysts caution that Cubas regime, rooted in decades of one-party rule, lacks strong, independent opposition structures, making any transition unpredictable and fraught with risk. Domestically, the move is also seen as part of Trumps bid to solidify support among Hispanic voters in Florida, particularly Cuban and Venezuelan expatriate communities that have long advocated for stronger actions against Havana. Critics, however, warn that the administrations approach, driven by what some see as impatience and unilateral pressure could backfire, unleashing instability rather than a stable democratic transition. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Internationally, this pivot places Cuba at the centre of a broader geopolitical contest. Trumps wider America First regional policy has already applied pressure on Venezuela, and has included assertive stances in areas such as Greenland and the Arctic. Now, Cuba faces heightened US focus at a time when external support from allies like Venezuela has dissipated, and external actors like Russia and China may see opportunities to counterbalance Washingtons influence. Havana remains defiant. Cuban officials have rejected US pressure as foreign interference and reaffirmed their commitment to sovereignty, even as public protests reflect deep frustrations with economic hardship and fears of what downward spirals in governance could mean for everyday life. Uncertainty and risk As the year progresses, analysts will be watching whether the Trump administration moves beyond rhetoric and informal outreach to tangible policy actions whether diplomatic, economic or covert that could hasten Cubas political transition. The path ahead is uncertain: unlike Venezuela, Cuba lacks a robust opposition infrastructure and has endured decades of external pressure without succumbing to regime change. The bold pursuit of Cubas political transformation reflects Trumps intensified posture toward perceived adversaries in the hemisphere but also highlights the profound uncertainties inherent in translating aggressive foreign policy goals into a peaceful and sustainable political outcome. New Delhi had received an invitation to join the initiative on Sunday but has so far neither officially accepted nor rejected the offer As US President Donald Trump unveiled his Board of Peace at the World Economic Forum in Davos on Thursday, India was notably absent from the stage, even as Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif attended the signing ceremony. According to a Times of India report, New Delhi had received an invitation to join the initiative on Sunday but has so far neither officially accepted nor rejected the offer. Trump had invited India to be part of the Board of Peace, according to a White House statement that was shared on X by Washingtons ambassador to New Delhi, Sergio Gor. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD In a letter addressed to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Trump wrote, It is my great honour to invite you, as Prime Minister of the Republic of India, to join me in a critically historic and magnificent effort to solidify peace in the Middle East and, at the same time, to embark on a bold new approach to resolving global conflict! The countries represented on the Board of Peace include Bahrain, Morocco, Argentina, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Bulgaria, Hungary, Indonesia, Jordan, Kazakhstan, Kosovo, Pakistan, Paraguay, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Turkey, the UAE, Uzbekistan and Mongolia. The number of participants was lower than what US officials had earlier indicated. A senior Trump administration official had said earlier in the week that around 35 countries were expected to attend the launch. Several Western European nations stayed away from the initiative, with some expressing reservations about the concept of a peace board that could include countries such as Russia, which is currently at war with one of their allies. Unveiling the Board of Peace at Davos, Trump said the initiative was aimed at helping resolve international conflicts and claimed that everybody wanted to be part of it. He also said the United States would continue to work with other international bodies, including the United Nations. With inputs from agencies Trump on Thursday described his meeting with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy in Davos as good, while acknowledging that there is still a ways to go toward ending the war with Russia US President Donald Trump and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy shake hands during a press conference after their lunch meeting at Trumps Mar-a-Lago club, in Palm Beach, Florida, US, on December 28, 2025. Reuters File US President Donald Trump on Thursday described his meeting with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy in Davos as good, while acknowledging that there is still a ways to go toward ending the war with Russia. The war has to end, Trump said as he emerged from the discussion. We hope its going to end. There are a lot of people being killed, he added. Trump declined to provide details of the closed-door conversation with Zelenskyy but told CNN that the two did not discuss his recently formed Board of Peace. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Trump officials are scheduled to meet next with Russian President Vladimir Putin as part of ongoing efforts to broker a ceasefire. Its an ongoing process, Trump said. Everybody wants to have the war end. On Wednesday, Trump had announced that he is going to meet with Zelenskyy in Davos, but the Ukrainian leader was still in Kyiv, dealing with the national emergency caused by relentless Russian attacks on Ukraines energy infrastructure. Zelenskyy said earlier this week that he will come to Davos only if real results for Ukraine are on the table. No one needs empty politics or talks with no results, Politico quoted him as saying. Ukraine had hoped to sign either a $800 billion prosperity deal or security guarantees with the US president, but the Davos conference has been overtaken by the tensions over Greenland. With inputs from agencies China home to over 6,000 AI firms in 2025 Xinhua) 10:15, January 22, 2026 BEIJING, Jan. 21 (Xinhua) -- China had more than 6,000 artificial intelligence (AI) enterprises last year, while the scale of the country's core AI industry was expected to exceed 1.2 trillion yuan (about 171.39 billion U.S. dollars) in 2025, the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology said on Wednesday. In 2025, domestic companies released multiple AI chip products, and the country's intelligent computing power capacity reached 1,590 EFLOPS last year, Zhang Yunming, vice minister of industry and information technology, said at a press conference. EFLOPS, or ExaFLOPS, refers to a unit measuring computing performance, with each unit representing 1 quintillion floating-point operations per second. AI applications have expanded to cover key industries including steel, non-ferrous metals, power and telecommunications, and are increasingly being applied in product research and development, quality inspection and customer service, said Zhang. The vice minister noted that a 60-billion-yuan national AI industry investment fund has been launched, while over 40 key national and industry standards were formulated and released in 2025. On concerns that AI innovation could affect employment, Zhang said technological progress often reshapes job structures and updates roles, adding that restructuring does not mean jobs will disappear and that iteration does not mean replacement. Major technological shifts throughout history have ultimately boosted productivity, optimized employment structures and created new jobs through industrial transformation, Zhang explained. (Web editor: Zhang Kaiwei, Liang Jun) US President Donald Trump has officially launched his proposed Board of Peace at Davos, outlining an ambitious global conflict-resolution body with paid permanent membership, strong presidential powers and an expanded remit beyond Gaza. US President Donald Trump speaks during a briefing in the Brady Briefing Room of the White House in Washington, DC, on January 20, 2026.- AFP US President Donald Trump has formally launched his proposed Board of Peace at the World Economic Forum in Davos, unveiling an initiative he says is designed to broker and sustain peace in global conflict zones, starting with Gaza but extending far beyond it. The announcement, made on the margins of the high-profile gathering of political and business leaders marks the most concrete step yet in Trumps attempt to recast US-led diplomacy through a new, highly centralised international body. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Congratulations President Trump, the charter is now in full force, and the board of peace is now an official international organisation, White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt said at the signing ceremony. Trump said at the launch that Hamas must disarm under the Gaza ceasefire deal or it will be the end of the Palestinian movement. They have to give up their weapons, and if they dont do that, its going to be the end of them, Trump said, adding that the Islamist group were born with rifles in their hands. The Board of Peace, first floated by Trump last September as part of his plan to end the war in Gaza is being positioned as a standing mechanism to address conflicts worldwide. According to its charter, the board launches with 19 founding members, with Trump himself as chairman and is tasked with carrying out peace-building functions in accordance with international law. From Gaza proposal to global ambition Trumps Davos declaration reflects a notable expansion of the projects original scope. When first proposed, the Board of Peace was framed largely as a response to the Gaza conflict. Since then, the White House has made clear that the boards remit would extend to other geopolitical flashpoints, giving it a broad and potentially sweeping mandate. Under the charter, member states would normally serve three-year terms. However, the structure includes a controversial provision: countries can secure permanent membership by paying $1 billion each to fund the boards activities. Supporters argue this would provide predictable financing and ensure sustained engagement, while critics see it as turning peace diplomacy into a pay-to-play enterprise. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD The White House has also announced the creation of a Gaza Executive Board to support a transitional Palestinian administration in the enclave. Some members overlap with the broader Board of Peace, though the administration has not clarified how the two entities will coordinate, or where authority between them will ultimately lie. The lack of operational detail has prompted questions about whether the initiative risks becoming duplicative or internally fragmented from the outset. Powerful executive role raises questions At the heart of the initiative is Trump himself. The boards charter grants its chairman extensive executive authority, including the power to veto decisions and remove members, albeit subject to certain constraints. The concentration of power is consistent with Trumps leadership style, but it also raises concerns among diplomats and analysts about checks, balances, and long-term credibility. The White House has named US Secretary of State Marco Rubio, Trumps special envoy Steve Witkoff, former British prime minister Tony Blair, and Trumps son-in-law Jared Kushner to the founding Executive Board, signalling a mix of official US representation, international political experience, and close presidential confidants. The inclusion of Kushner, who played a central role in West Asia diplomacy during Trumps previous term, highlights how closely the project is tied to the presidents personal approach to peace negotiations. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD What remains unclear is what legal authority the Board of Peace will possess, and whether it will have any enforcement mechanisms beyond diplomatic persuasion. The charter does not spell out how the board would interact with existing international institutions such as the United Nations, nor how overlapping mandates would be managed. That ambiguity could complicate coordination in crisis situations, particularly where multilateral legitimacy is critical. Symbolism, scepticism and strategic intent Trumps choice of Davos to formally launch the board was deliberate. By unveiling the initiative before a global elite audience, he indicated both ambition and confidence, portraying the United States as the indispensable broker of peace. In public remarks, Trump suggested that everybody wants to be part of it, projecting momentum even as key practical questions remain unanswered. Supporters view the Board of Peace as an attempt to break what Trump has repeatedly described as the paralysis of traditional multilateral frameworks. They argue that a smaller, action-oriented body led by the US could move faster and deliver results where larger institutions have stalled. Sceptics, however, warn that the initiative risks undermining established international norms, particularly if it sidelines existing organisations or concentrates decision-making in the hands of one leader. The provision allowing permanent membership in exchange for large financial contributions has further fuelled criticism that the board could privilege wealth over representation. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD As the Board of Peace moves from announcement to implementation, its credibility will hinge on clarity: how it resolves conflicts, how it cooperates with existing institutions, and whether it can demonstrate results beyond rhetoric. For now, Trumps Davos launch has succeeded in placing the initiative firmly on the global agenda even as debate over its legitimacy, effectiveness, and intent intensifies. He added that officials are currently discussing matters related to the Golden Dome and that Vice President JD Vance, Secretary of State Marco Rubio, and Special Envoy Steve Witkoff will be among those leading the negotiations from his team US President Donald Trump delivers a special address during the World Economic Forum (WEF) annual meeting in Davos on January 21, 2026.- AFP US President Donald Trump has said that a framework is in place to acquire Greenland and announced that he would drop tariffs on European countries that opposed his plan to purchase the island nation. Based upon a very productive meeting that I have had with the Secretary General of NATO, Mark Rutte, we have formed the framework of a future deal with respect to Greenland and, in fact, the entire Arctic Region. This solution, if consummated, will be a great one for the United States of America, and all NATO Nations, Trump said on Truth Social. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD He added that officials are currently discussing matters related to the Golden Dome and that Vice President JD Vance, Secretary of State Marco Rubio, and Special Envoy Steve Witkoff will be among those leading the negotiations from his team. Trump said he would therefore scrap tariffs of up to 25 per cent that he had vowed days ago to slap starting February 1 on Denmark as well as close European allies that have sent troops to Greenland in solidarity, including Britain, France and Germany. Wont use military force The president also backtracked from his earlier suggestion of using military force to make Greenland a part of America. Speaking at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Trump said that the United States probably wont get anything unless I decide to use excessive strength and force, where we would be, frankly, unstoppable. But I wont do that, he added. Thats probably the biggest statement I made, because people thought I would use force. I dont have to use force. I dont want to use force. I wont use force. Asked if the United States would gain sovereignty over the vast but sparsely populated island, Trump hesitated and then said, Its the ultimate long-term deal. I think it puts everybody in a really good position, especially as it pertains to security, and minerals and everything else, Trump said. Its a deal that people jumped at, really fantastic for the USA, gets everything we wanted. Greenland sovereignty not discussed Meanwhile, Nato Chief Rutte has said that he did not discuss the key issue of Danish sovereignty over Greenland with Trump. Rutte, speaking in a televised interview with Fox News Special Report with Bret Baier, offered few details about the supposed framework for a deal announced by Trump after his talks with the NATO chief. We have a good agreement to really start working on these issues, Rutte said, echoing comments earlier to AFP that much work remained to reach an actual deal. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD With inputs from agencies In a deal meant as a compromise, US President Donald Trump could reportedly own Greenland by securing sovereignty over the land on which US military bases are built on the island. Under the deal, Denmark would continue to be the sovereign of the island outside of US military bases. In a deal meant as a compromise, US President Donald Trump could own Denmarks Greenland by securing sovereignty over the land on which US military bases are built on the island, according to The Telegraph. Trump on Wednesday said his administration would surely acquire Greenland but without the use of force. Previously, he and his allies had repeatedly said they would invade Greenland if required to occupy the island. The Telegraph reported that the deal about sovereign base areas was reached in a meeting Trump and Nato Secretary General Mark Rutte on Wednesday. It is not yet clear if Denmark and Greenland are onboard with the proposal. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD The report came after Trump said at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, that he had reached a framework for a deal to own Greenland. Based upon a very productive meeting that I have had with the Secretary General of Nato, Mark Rutte, we have formed the framework of a future deal with respect to Greenland and, in fact, the entire Arctic Region. This solution, if consummated, will be a great one for the United States of America, and all Nato nations. Based upon this understanding, I will not be imposing the Tariffs that were scheduled to go into effect on February 1st, said Trump. US to follow Cyprus model in Greenland Under the deal, the United States would follow the UK-Cyprus model in Greenland to secure sovereignty over military bases whereas Denmark would have the sovereignty over the rest of the island, according to The Telegraph. Under the UK-Cyprus deal, the United Kingdom has sovereignty in two areas where it has military bases. In the rest of the countrys territory, Cyprus has full sovereignty. The deal allows the UK to operate freely from those two bases. In the case of Greenland, if such an agreement is reached, it would be kind of an upgradation of a pre-existing agreement that allows the United States to build and operate military bases in Greenland with unrestricted freedom of operation between designated defence areas, including air, land, and sea. The new deal would also allow the United States to control parts of Greenland in mineral-rich belts and extract natural resources without seeking permits or other approvals from Greenlandic or Danish authorities. Tapping into Greenlands natural resources, such as oil, gas, and critical minerals, is understood to be a major driver of Trumps desire to occupy Greenland. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Denmark appears to shoot down proposal Hours after Trumps announcement of a framework deal, Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen said that sovereignty was not up for discussion. In a statement in Danish, Frederiksen said that security and economy was up for negotiations but not sovereignty. Frederiksen said, NATO is fully aware of the Kingdom of Denmarks position. We can negotiate on all political matterssecurity, investments, the economy. But we cannot negotiate our sovereignty. Frederiksen further said that only Denmark and Greenland themselves can make decisions on matters concerning Denmark and Greenland. The Kingdom of Denmark wishes to continue engaging in a constructive dialogue with allies on how we can strengthen security in the Arctic, including the United States Golden Dome, provided that this is done with respect for our territorial integrity, said Frederiksen. A federal appeals court has temporarily lifted restrictions on ICE operations during protests in Minnesota, intensifying a legal and political battle over civil liberties, immigration enforcement and federal authority High school students gather for anti-ICE protest outside the State Capitol in St Paul, Minnesota, to call for an end to federal immigration detentions and enforcement actions, days after 37-year-old Renee Nicole Good was shot and killed by a US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agent, on January 14, 2026. AFP A federal appeals court has temporarily removed restrictions that limited how Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents could operate during protests in Minnesota, handing a short-term win to the Trump administration. On Wednesday, the eighth US circuit court of appeals granted the justice departments request to pause a preliminary injunction issued last week by US district judge Katherine Menendez. The injunction had sharply curbed ICEs authority during protests, particularly those deemed peaceful. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD What the judges order had barred Judge Menendezs ruling would have stopped ICE agents from arresting or detaining people involved in peaceful protests or taking actions seen as retaliatory. It also restricted the use of pepper spray and other non-lethal crowd-control tools and prohibited agents from stopping or detaining drivers without reasonable cause. In issuing the injunction, Menendez said the conduct of federal immigration agents had a chilling effect on protesters first amendment rights, arguing that their presence and tactics risked discouraging lawful dissent. DHS defends ICE tactics The homeland security department pushed back strongly after the injunction was issued. DHS spokesperson Tricia McLaughlin defended ICEs approach, saying the agency was acting within constitutional boundaries. DHS is taking appropriate and constitutional measures to uphold the rule of law and protect our officers and the public from dangerous rioters, she said, as cited by the Guardian. With the appeals court now stepping in, those restrictions are on hold while the legal fight continues. Vance visit adds political weight The ruling comes just ahead of Vice-President JD Vances planned visit to Minneapolis on Thursday. The White House said Vance will meet local leaders and community members and deliver remarks centered on restoring law and order in Minneapolis, adding further political attention to an already heated situation. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD ICE activity in Minnesota has faced growing backlash in recent weeks, particularly after the killing of Renee Good, a 37-year-old mother of three, by a federal agent. Her death led to large protests across the state and nationwide. DHS has maintained that ICE agents acted lawfully and used force only in self-defense when they perceived threats. Minnesotas political leadership strongly disputes that account. Governor Tim Walz and other officials have denounced the deployment of thousands of federal agents as an unconstitutional federal invasion, accusing the administration of spreading fear and trampling civil liberties. The conflict has escalated further, with the justice department subpoenaing several prominent Minnesota Democrats, including Walz and Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey, alleging they conspired to obstruct ICE operations. President Donald Trump has signed an executive order to withdraw the United States from the World Health Organization, citing concerns over mismanagement, political influence, and funding. The move pauses US support while officials plan alternative global health partnerships This photograph shows a flag of the World Health Organisation (WHO) fluttering outside the organisation's headquarters in Geneva on April 23, 2025. The Director-General of the WHO said on April 22, 2025, that US budget cuts were leaving the UN agency's accounts in the red, forcing it to reduce its operations and lay off staff. (Photo by Fabrice COFFRINI / AFP) On his first full day back in the Oval Office, President Donald Trump signed an executive order announcing the United States intention to withdraw from the World Health Organization (WHO). The order, issued on January 20, 2025, marks another high-profile shift in US foreign policy and health strategy. Trump and his advisers have long criticised the WHO for what they see as its mishandling of past health emergencies and for failing to reform itself in ways they believe are necessary. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Why Washington is pulling out In the executive order, the administration laid out several reasons for the withdrawal. It criticised the WHOs response to the Covid pandemic and other global health crises, saying the organisation failed to adopt reforms and was too influenced by inappropriate political influence from member states. The White House also argued that the financial burden placed on the United States by the WHO has been unfair compared with contributions from other countries. The order noted that China, despite having a much larger population, contributes proportionally less to the organisation than the US. Under the plan, the US will pause the future transfer of any United States Government funds, support, or resources to the WHO, and reassign or recall US personnel working with the organisation. Officials are also tasked with identifying credible partnersboth in the US and internationallyto take on key roles previously carried out by the WHO. How the withdrawal will work The order formally revokes previous actions that had kept the United States engaged with the WHO, including a Biden-era letter that halted an earlier withdrawal attempt. Withdrawing officially is a process: under WHO rules, the exit becomes effective one year after notice is delivered to the United Nations and WHO leadership. While the withdrawal is underway, the US will also stop participating in negotiations on a global pandemic agreement and amendments to international health regulations. Actions taken on those matters will no longer bind Washington as they progress. Critics argue that leaving the WHO could weaken global efforts to fight outbreaks and other health challenges that cross borders, especially as the US had been a leading funder and contributor to surveillance and response mechanisms. Supporters in the administration say the decision allows the US to take greater control of its own biosecurity and health strategy. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Venezuelas new leader is wasting little time settling into power, reshuffling key posts and tightening control even as rifts inside her own camp grow and pressure from Washington hangs over an already shaky political transition Venezuela's interim leader Delcy Rodriguez has taken over as acting president. In the days since the United States abruptly removed longtime leader Nicolas Maduro from power, Venezuelas interim president, Delcy Rodriguez, has been moving quickly to solidify her authority in a country torn by internal rivalries and economic turmoil. Rodriguez, 56, who served as Maduros vice president and oil minister, stepped into the top role after a dramatic US special forces operation captured Maduro and flew him to the United States on drug-trafficking charges. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD With Maduro out of the picture, Rodriguez has not only assumed the presidency but is now trying to manage a fractured political system while balancing the demands of Washington, which has been pushing for expanded oil production and broader cooperation on security issues. Appointments and power plays Since taking charge, Rodriguez has been reorganising the government to bring trusted allies into key posts. Most notably, she named Major General Gustavo Gonzalez as head of the military counterintelligence agency DGCIM, a move seen as aimed at limiting the influence of powerful rivals within the security apparatus. She is very clear that she doesnt have the capacity to survive without the consent of the Americans, a source close to the government told Reuters, suggesting that Rodriguez is relying on US backing as a foundation of her rule. The reshuffle also includes appointing a new central banker and reorganising other top positions that directly impact Venezuelas oil sector, a critical part of the countrys economy and a central focus of trump-led US stabilisation efforts. Tensions with powerful rivals Despite these moves, Rodriguez faces deep resistance from within her own ranks, especially from Diosdado Cabello, the interior minister and head of the powerful PSUV party. Cabello, a former soldier with strong ties to both the military and the notorious colectivosarmed motorcycle gangsremains a formidable figure. Rodriguezs efforts to tighten control come amid concern that Cabellos allies could undermine her leadership or even mobilise forces to create instability. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Ukraine, US and Russia are set for trilateral talks in the UAE while Zelenskyy criticises Europe at Davos for slow response to Russias invasion and urges bold action. A picture obtained from the X account of Volodymyr Zelensky on January 22, 2026, shows Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelensky (L) and US President Donald Trump shaking hands during their bilateral meeting on the sidelines of the World Economic Forum (WEF) annual meeting in Davos. - AFP The United Arab Emirates is set to host trilateral discussions on the Ukraine war this week involving Ukrainian, US and Russian officials, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said on Thursday. It will be the first trilateral meeting in the Emirates. It will be tomorrow and the day after tomorrow, Zelenskyy said after addressing the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, adding that Russians have to be ready for compromises. During his Davos address, Zelenskyy sharply criticised European allies for what he described as their slow, fragmented and insufficient response to Russias invasion nearly four years ago, as well as ongoing acts of international aggression. He argued that Europes inaction has left Ukraine vulnerable to Russian President Vladimir Putin despite continuing US efforts to broker a peace settlement. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Europe looks lost, Zelenskyy said, calling on the continent to assert itself as a global power. He contrasted Europes response with Washingtons decisive actions in countries such as Venezuela and Iran. The Ukrainian leader also drew an analogy to the film Groundhog Day, suggesting that Europe seemed trapped in a cycle of repeating the same inadequate responses. Just last year, here in Davos, I ended my speech with the words: Europe needs to know how to defend itself. A year has passed. And nothing has changed. We are still in a situation where I must say the same words again, Zelenskyy said. He said that Ukrainians, too, seem caught in that reality in the war, repeating the same thing for weeks, months and, of course, for years. And yet that is exactly how we live now. Its our life. His speech came after he met behind closed doors for about an hour in Davos with U.S. President Donald Trump, who described the talks as very good. Zelenskyy called them productive and meaningful. European countries, which see their own future defense at stake in the war on its eastern flank, have provided financial, military and humanitarian support for Kyiv, but not all members of the 27-nation European Union are helping. Ukraine also has been frustrated by political disagreements within Europe over how to deal with Russia, as well as the blocs at times slow-moving responses. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Russias bigger army has managed to capture about 20% of Ukraine since hostilities began in 2014 and its full-scale invasion of 2022. But the battlefield gains along the roughly 1,000-kilometer (600-mile) front line have been costly for Moscow, and the Russian economy is feeling the consequences of the war and international sanctions. President Trump met with presidents, prime ministers and top diplomats from more than a dozen countries Thursday to tout his international Board of Peace at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland. The list of attendees, according to a forum schedule, is heavy on the Middle East and South America. But it remains short on major U.S. allies from Europe, and the full membership list still isnt clear. With inputs from agencies FUJIFILM India has announced the launch of the instax mini Evo Cinema, expanding the instax Evo hybrid instant camera lineup in India. The model supports video capture and era-inspired creative effects while maintaining instant photo printing functionality. instax mini Evo Cinema hybrid instant camera The instax mini Evo Cinema is a hybrid instant camera that allows users to preview images on a rear LCD display and select specific shots for printing. Along with still photography, the camera supports short video recording, extending instax use beyond static images. Recorded videos can be converted into QR codes and printed alongside a still frame extracted from the video on instax mini film. Scanning the QR code using a smartphone allows the video to be replayed within an instax-style frame or downloaded, enabling videos to be shared through physical instant prints. When paired with its dedicated smartphone app, the camera can also be used as a smartphone printer, allowing users to print images stored on their phones. With this integration, the instax mini Evo Cinema operates as a combined still camera, video camera, and instant printer. Key Features Rear LCD display for framing and reviewing shots Dedicated app support with Bluetooth and Wi-Fi connectivity Ability to combine multiple video clips into a single video of up to 30 seconds Poster-style print templates with customizable text Direct printing of images stored on a smartphone Included viewfinder accessory for alternative shooting style Grip attachment for improved handling and stability Creative Effects, Design, and App Experience The instax mini Evo Cinema introduces the Eras Dial, offering effects inspired by different decades, including a 1960s-style 8mm film look and a 1970s CRT television texture. Each era effect includes adjustable intensity levels and applies both visual textures and audio characteristics such as noise, tape flutter, and mechanical sounds during recording. The camera adopts a vertical grip design with a black and gray finish, inspired by Fujifilms FUJICA Single-8. Physical elements such as the clickable Eras Dial and the Print Lever are designed to replicate analog film operation. The design supports shooting via the rear monitor or with the included viewfinder accessory. The dedicated app allows users to view transferred videos and still images on a smartphone, edit content, and apply cinematic opening and ending templates. Users can also design poster-style instax prints and print smartphone images directly through the camera. Quick Specs: FUJIFILM instax mini Evo Cinema Camera Sensor: 1/5-inch CMOS, 5 MP Still image: 1920 2560 Video: 600 800 (Standard), 1080 1440 (High-Quality 2020) ISO: 1001600 (auto) Shutter: 1/4 1/8000 sec Focus: 10 cm to , Single AF, Face recognition AF Aperture: F2.0 Exposure: Program AE, 2 EV White balance: Auto, Fine, Shade, Fluorescent, Incandescent Metering: TTL 256 split/multi Flash range: 50 cm 1.5 m Self-timer: 2 / 10 sec Movie format: MP4, 24p, Standard 2.5 Mbps, High-Quality 9 Mbps Eras Dial: 10 era-inspired effects (19302020) Print Pixel count: 1600 600 (800 600 via app) Resolution: 25 12.5 dots/mm, RGB 256 colors Formats: JPEG (camera/card), JPEG/PNG/HEIF (smartphone) Print time: ~16 sec Connectivity & App Bluetooth 5.4, Wi-Fi 2.4 GHz App functions: Remote shooting, print, transfer, firmware upgrade Compatible: iOS / Android LCD: 1.54-inch, ~170,000 dots USB-C (charging only) Battery & Power Internal lithium-ion, 23 hr charging Auto power-off: 2 / 5 min / Off Prints per full charge: ~100 Body & Film Dimensions: 39.4 132.5 100.1 mm Weight: ~270 g (without film) Operating temp: 540C, Humidity: 2080% Film: instax mini (sold separately) Pricing and Availability In India, the FUJIFILM instax mini Evo Cinema Premium Edition is priced at MRP Rs. 47,999 and will be sold as a Combo Box containing the camera and two packs of instax mini glossy film (10 shots each). Pre-bookings will be open from 21 January to 27 January 2026 via the official instax website. Customers who pre-book will receive two additional designer instax mini film packs as a pre-booking benefit. The camera will be available starting 28 January 2026, with dispatches beginning on the same date. Commenting on the launch, Mr. Koji Wada, Managing Director, FUJIFILM India, said, Displays and monitors are one of the few consumer electronics that have become more affordable over the years. Advances in manufacturing have made larger and faster screens cheaper, allowing content creators to do more while giving gamers a noticeably better experience. Gaming monitors in particular have dropped in price significantly over the last few years, offering faster displays at higher resolutions. The Lenovo Legion 27Q-10 monitor is one such device, offering a 1440p 240Hz panel for Rs. 20000. To achieve this price, what compromises (if any) did Lenovo make? Read on in our review to find out. Design and Build Quality The Legion 27Q-10 has a modern, understated design with thin bezels on the top, left and right side, and a thicker bezel on the bottom edge. Lenovo has opted for a matte finish instead of a glossy finish for this monitor, which does a pretty good job at reducing reflections and glares from external light sources. There is a singular Legion logo in the bottom bezel along with another Legion logo on the back side of the monitor. On the right side of the bottom bezel, there are certain graphics that indicate the various functions of the controls that are accessible to the user. Typically, I prefer a 5-access navigation joystick to access the OSD; however, this monitor uses a set of 5 buttons to navigate the OSD. Due to this, the OSD menu is a bit confusing to navigate at first, but it gets easier over time. The monitor is reasonably thick, with a rectangular component in the center where the display control circuit and internal power supply are present. The monitor conveniently connects via a standard C13 connector. Build quality overall feels alright. It features a fully plastic construction, which doesnt feel too cheap. As long as you dont move around the monitor much and keep it stationary, it should be fine. The monitor does come with a stand included in the box. It attaches via 4 (included) screws to the center of the monitor and allows for a range of motion. It can lift by up to 135mm, tilt between -5 and 22, pivot between -90 and 90, and swivel between -30 to 30. The stand has a wide base that is a bit thicker than I would like, but it feels sturdy and secure and the quality is solid. Ports The monitor comes with a basic but practical selection of ports. It features two HDMI 2.1 ports along with a single DisplayPort 1.4 port. There is also a 3.5mm audio-out jack, but the monitor does not include any USB ports, meaning you cant connect peripherals directly to it. The power supply is built into the monitor, so all you need to do is connect the included C13 power cable to get it up and running. Lenovo also bundles a DisplayPort cable in the box, which is a nice addition. Display The Legion 27Q-10 features a 27-inch IPS LCD panel with a resolution of 25601440 and a maximum refresh rate of 240Hz. It claims an MPRT of 0.5ms and offers a contrast ratio of 1000:1. Regarding colour gamut, the panel boasts 99% coverage of the sRGB colour space, 90% DCI-P3 colour space, and they claim a Delta E < 2. This makes the display well suited for light photo editing and video editing workloads. In fact, the monitor is factory calibrated and Lenovo includes the Factory Calibration Report in the box. In terms of brightness, the monitor can reach up to 300 nits, which is perfectly adequate for indoor use and gaming. There is no HDR support, but this is understandable given the monitors price point. If your system isnt powerful enough to run games at 1440p and 240Hz consistently, Lenovo has you covered. The monitor supports NVIDIA G-Sync, AMD FreeSync Premium, and VESA Adaptive Sync, which help reduce screen tearing and stuttering at lower frame rates. This results in a smoother and more enjoyable gaming experience overall. The gaming experience, simply put, is excellent. A 1440p resolution is ideal for a 27-inch monitor, offering sharp visuals and plenty of detail for single-player games that focus on graphics and immersion. For those who play competitive e-sports titles, the 240Hz refresh rate makes gameplay feel fast and responsive. The 0.5ms MPRT delivers good motion clarity for an LCD panel, further enhancing the overall gaming experience. Colours look vibrant and pleasing, and thanks to the IPS panel, viewing angles are excellent as well. Just a few years ago, a 1440p 240Hz monitor would have cost close to Rs. 30,000. At around Rs. 20,000, this monitor offers excellent value for money. Conclusion Monitors and TVs are among the few consumer electronics categories that have consistently become more affordable with each generation, and the Lenovo Legion 27Q-10 is a clear example of that trend. For under Rs. 20,000, you get a 27-inch 1440p display with a fast 240Hz refresh rate, which was unthinkable at this price just a few years ago. The monitor isnt loaded with extra features like USB ports or a built-in KVM, and the lack of proper HDR support may be a drawback for some users. That said, it focuses on getting the fundamentals right, with excellent gaming performance and support for NVIDIA G-Sync and AMD FreeSync Premium. Considering its pricing and overall performance, its hard to find major faults with the Legion 27Q-10. For these reasons, it is an easy recommendation, especially for users upgrading from an older 24-inch 1080p gaming monitor, where the jump in resolution and refresh rate feels immediately noticeable. The Lenovo Legion 27Q-10 is available for purchase on Amazon, Lenovos official online store and in various offline stores across India. Welcome to my genealogy blog. Genea-Musings features genealogy research tips and techniques, genealogy news items and commentary, genealogy humor, San Diego genealogy society news, family history research and some family history stories from the keyboard of Randy Seaver (of Chula Vista CA), who thinks that Genealogy Research Is really FUN! Copyright (c) Randall J. Seaver, 2006-2024. On Jan. 14, U.S. Senators Steve Daines and Tim Sheehy introduced a bill to reauthorize the Fort Peck Dry Prairie Rural Water System. The bill extends authority for the Bureau of Reclamation to continue constructing essential water infrastructure in the Fort Peck Reservation and in Roosevelt, Sheridan, Valley, and Daniels counties from December 2026 to December 2028. Water infrastructure is especially important for Montanas tribes and rural communities, and Im pleased this bill will help provide these areas clean, safe water, said Daines. As I work alongside Senator Daines to make life more safe, prosperous, and affordable for all Montanans, its an honor to help deliver our tribal partners and friends in northeast Montana the resources needed to thrive. Im proud to support this commonsense bill to protect the critical infrastructure rural Montana communities depend on for access to reliable, clean water, said Sheehy. Read the full bill here, https://www.daines.senate.gov/wp-content/uploads/2026/01/KAT26012-003.pdf. Background: The Fort Peck Reservation Rural Water System Act of 2000 was passed to provide municipal, rural, and industrial water from two interconnected water systems in Montana: the Assiniboine and Sioux Rural Water System (Tribal) and the Dry Prairie Water System (non-Tribal). The Fort Peck Reservation, one of four regional water systems in Montana. Statements of Support: The Assiniboine and Sioux Rural Water System wants to thank Senator Daines and Senator Sheehy for introducing a bill to ensure that our partners, the Dry Prairie Rural Water System, will be able to complete the construction of their portion of the Fort Peck Reservation Rural Water System. This project is truly historic and is changing for the better the lives of the people in Northeast Montana. Assiniboine and Sioux Rural Water System. On behalf of the Dry Prairie Rural Water Authority, we commend Senator Daines, Senator Sheehy and the entire Montana Delegation for their diligent work in seeing the Fort Peck Reservation Rural Water System to completion, said Rick Knick, Chairman of Dry Prairie. This vital drinking water project that has brought together Tribal and non-Tribal communities is life changing for the people of Northeast Montana. Dry Prairie On Jan. 16, Governor Greg Gianforte praised the Bureau of Land Managements (BLM) proposed decision to cancel grazing permits authorizing bison grazing previously issued to the American Prairie Reserve (APR). Todays decision by BLM is a win for Montanas ranchers, our agricultural producers, and the rule of law, Gov. Gianforte said. For years, we have raised serious concerns about the federal governments failure to listen to the folks who live and work the land. By proposing to cancel these permits, BLM is finally acknowledging that federal overreach cannot come at the expense of our local communities and the production agriculture that feeds our nation. Im proud of our administrations work to achieve this decision and I would like to thank Secretary of the Interior Doug Burgum and BLM for following the law and putting Montanans first. The proposed decision marks a significant victory for agricultural producers and rural communities across Montana and the United States, reversing a prior federal authorization that allowed APR to graze non-production bison on over 63,000 acres of federal public lands. The governor has long opposed BLMs initial approval of the grazing permits, citing violations of the Taylor Grazing Act and the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA). The State of Montana, along with local ranching families and organizations, argued that replacing production livestock with non-production bison damaged the local economy and ignored the statutory requirements for federal grazing permits. We have always said that the law is clear: grazing permits under the Taylor Grazing Act are for domestic livestock production, not for creating a massive nature reserve that displaces families who have stewarded this land for generations, Gov. Gianforte continued. I am grateful the agency has taken a hard look at the facts and corrected this error. We must ensure that public lands remain accessible and productive, rather than being locked away for the vision of special interests. Montana Attorney General Austin Knudsen was also active in the appeal and hailed the decision by the BLM. Canceling the American Prairie Reserves bison grazing permit will help to protect the livestock industry and ranching communities in Northeastern Montana from the elitists trying to push them out, Knudsen said. For over four years I have been urging the BLM to cancel the permit, and our work finally paid off. This is a huge victory. As Attorney General and the states chief legal officer, I will continue to do my part to support Montana farmers and ranchers. The Montana Stockgrowers Association along with North and South Phillips County Grazing Districts have long fought for the decision to be appealed due to the lack of process followed for this decision and the very clear violation of the Taylor Grazing Act (TGA) in which bison are not a preferred species. MSGA is thrilled to see this decision by the BLM to restore grazing allotments back to their intended usage for production livestock grazing, affirming what ranchers have been saying since the beginning of this process, Lesley Robinson, MSGA President stated. MSGA is proud to defend sound, lawful land management. This decision is an incredible win for public lands grazers, ranching families, and rural communities across the west. In 2022, the Gianforte administration appealed the initial BLM decision, arguing that the permits exceeded the agencys authority and that the federal agency failed to adequately analyze a number of issues, including the economic impacts on local communities, concerns regarding fencing and containment, and impacts to Montanas state trust lands. The administration pointed out that many state trust lands are fenced in common with BLM lands, and that the permits resulted in unauthorized bison on those trust lands. Todays proposed decision aligns with the governors call for federal agencies to coordinate with state officials and prioritize the stability of Montanas number one industry. This administration will always stand with our farmers and ranchers against federal overreach, Gov. Gianforte concluded. We will continue to protect our way of life and ensure that Montana voices are heard in Washington, D.C. In September 2021, Gov. Gianforte, the Montana Department of Natural Resources and Conservation, Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks, Montana Department of Livestock, and the Montana Department of Agriculture objected to BLMs environmental analysis and proposed permit issuance, explaining the deficiencies and requesting the permits be denied. Despite these objections, BLM authorized the grazing change in July 2022. In August 2022, Governor Gianforte and executive branch agencies appealed BLMs authorization to the Department of Interiors Office of Hearings and Appeals (OHA), where the matter has persisted, unresolved. In December 2024, the Gianforte administration filed an action in federal district court, seeking review of OHAs failure to stay the BLM decision pending its administrative appeal. In February 2025, the Governor wrote to Secretary Burgum asking him to assume jurisdiction and vacate the unlawful grazing permits. In September 2025, Gov. Gianforte and the entire federal delegation wrote to Secretary Burgum, highlighting the stalled appeals process and explaining how the issuance of grazing permits to rewilded conservation bison undermines Montanas production livestock industry and the law. Following the Secretarys assumption of jurisdiction in December, BLM issued the proposed decision to cancel the permits today. BLMs proposed decision may be viewed here, https://gov.mt.gov/_docs/governor/AmericanPrairieProposedDecisionJanuary162026.pdf. Joseph Martin Conway "Joe" was born the "5th month, 6th day, of 47" (as he would say) to Raymond and Anna (Schlitz) Conway at their farm home by O'Neill, Neb. He was the eldest of four children including Eugene "Gene," Theresa, and Albert "Bert" Conway. Joe attended country school through eighth grade and graduated from St. Mary's High School/O'Neill in 1966. After Joe's service years, he traveled to Minot, N.D. and later settled for a time in Wolf Point, Mont., working on the oil rigs in those locations. He enjoyed rodeo action in Wolf Point and met participants and some of the show clowns (early days of Moe Bandy prior to his western music career). Joe met Linda Pearson after moving to Glasgow, Mont., in 1971. They became friends and "soulmates" and started dating, then later married June 16, 1973. The couple had no children but shared their home with their pet dachshunds for more than 35 years. These dogs had been a favorite of Linda's since her early childhood and Joe loved dogs and animals very much. Glasgow was home to the couple for 18 years before moving to Havre, Mont., in 1991 to follow Linda's cable position there. Joe worked over the years on building construction (the Lutheran Church/Glasgow), road construction in Glasgow and other areas in Montana. He worked on the pipeline river crossing by Sidney, and his most favored being the Northern Border Pipeline construction job north of Glasgow. He enjoyed telling stories about crew members that he had worked with over the years. Joe was also a proud and faithful member of the Long Run Fire Department in Glasgow, doing volunteer service with the Valley County crew for several years. After moving to Havre, Joe worked in the warehouse at Schwan's Foods and performed custodial work at Bullhook Community Health Center. Joe was very much a people person. In Glasgow, he enjoyed league bowling at El Cor Del Lanes with fun-loving friends that always cheered on their competing teams. He liked Halloween "dress up" among adults completely disguised. They visited with patrons out for the evening who wondered just who they were talking to, which made the charade even more fun. Joe's favorite role at holiday time was playing Santa to the school age kids when asked and dropping by (in Santa suit) to visit with friends and wish them a "Merry Christmas" on the 24th also. In Havre, he usually visited senior friends at holiday with Christmas greetings and a sweet treat. Joe never forgot his Irish heritage either, and enjoyed corned beef and cabbage dinners, and of course, he would wear his green tee shirt showing "Life's Too Short Not To Be Irish." He wanted to carry on the tradition that he grew up with, from his old hometown of O'Neill known as "the Irish capital" of Nebraska. Havre friends included Joe in their coffee group downtown, and he was happy to oblige. He blended in well with the elder gentlemen who enjoyed his jokes and stories recalled from years past just as much as he liked hearing about their experiences. After 2021, both Joe and Linda recovered from the covid epidemic, but some new health issues had started to take place with Joe by year's end 2022. He was starting to have more mobility issues requiring a walker in 2023, as well as memory issues. His health was declining and at the end of May 2025, he unknowingly had a heart attack and later learned also an embolic stroke. Following these attacks, Joe required help to use his walker and would make limited conversation with us. The last two months of his life were spent in hospital between Great Falls and Havre, with a brief time at home, attended by home health care. At age 78, Joe passed away at Northern Montana Hospital in Havre on Aug. 7, 2025, after a couple of days in hospice care. Joe was very ready to leave his life here on earth, as he shared with those around him. Joe and Linda were married for 52 years. He was very loved by family and friends and is very much missed, but we are thankful that he is at peace now. Our faith teaches us that "though the chain is broken and nothing seems the same, that as God calls us one by one," we will reunite with Joe and our loved ones who have already passed into everlasting life in heaven our true home. Joe was preceded in death by his parents, Raymond "Ray" and Anna "Ann" Conway; brother Gene Conway; sister Theresa (Conway) Nielsen; grandparents Martin & Bertha Conway and Joseph & Kathryn Schiltz; and several aunts, uncles, and cousins. Joe is survived by his wife, Linda; brother Albert (Carol) Conway; and several nephews and nieces; and great-nephews and nieces, all children and families of Gene, Theresa, and Albert Conway. Also surviving include nephew, Kelly (Gina) Nelson, niece Heather (Randy) Begger, great-nieces Kelsey and Josie Begger, and nephew Brian (Barbara) Nelson; all families of sister-in-law Sandy Nelson (who passed away on May 1, 2025). Also very dear to Joe was his mother-in-law, Evelyn Pearson, who passed away in September 1999. A memorial service for Joe will be set at a future date. Linda Harmon, of Scobey, announced her candidacy for the Montana House District # 29 seat in the 2027 state legislature. She will be running in the June 2 Republican primary. Linda (Brekke) Harmon was born to Ivar and Edythe Bolstad Brekke of rural Reserve, Mont., one of 11 children. She married Daniels County native Barry Harmon shortly after graduating from MSU and they have been involved in agriculture most of their time since. After owning Rasmus Nelson, Inc for many years, they merged to become Prairie Ag Sales and Service. In addition, since 1984 they owned and operated Air Design, a manufacturing company that has specialized in tungsten carbide scrapers designed for disk drills, planter scrapers, and air seeders. Rob and Keren (Harmon) Rouse now own and operate this manufacturing business. When asked about her desire to become a state legislator, she commented, " My goals will be to follow a conservative agenda, follow the Constitution and support pro-life legislation. Also, reducing the size of government will help us reduce taxes. We being an agricultural state, I desire to help promote our farmers, ranchers, gas and coal mines and businesses to continue to attain their goals and keep our wonderful state of being The Treasure State." Editor's Note: House District #29 is comprised of Daniels, Roosevelt, Sheridan and Valley County. For the week of Jan. 5 through 10, there were seven motor vehicle stops, one report of loose dogs, two reports of dead deer in the roadway and one report of a carcass in the roadway. Monday, Jan. 5 1603 Caller reported coming up on an accident. One... Contracts Contracts for Jan. 21, 2026 NAVY Bechtel Plant Machinery Inc., Monroeville, Pennsylvania, was awarded a $812,147,242 cost-plus-fixed-fee contract for naval nuclear propulsion components. Work will be performed in Monroeville, Pennsylvania (80%); and Schenectady, New York (20%), and is expected to be completed by September 2034. Fiscal 2026 shipbuilding and conversion (Navy) funds in the amount of $488,708,740 were obligated at time of award and funds will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. This contract was not competitively procured in accordance with 10 U.S. Code 3204(a)(1) (only one responsible source and no other supplies or services will satisfy agency requirements). Naval Sea Systems Command, Washington, D.C., is the contracting activity 2026 (N00024-24-C-2115). (Awarded Jan. 16, 2026) Raytheon Co., Tucson, Arizona, is awarded a $380,809,286 fixed-price incentive and firm-fixed-price modification (P00010) to a contract (N0001925C0071). This modification definitized the contract for a total of $476,519,069 and adds scope for the Lot Five and Lot Six recertification and modernization of Tomahawk Missiles; depot operations; recertification hardware; and Tomahawk Spares and/or replacement components, including rotable pool assets. Work will be performed in Tucson, Arizona (30%); Boulder, Colorado (28%); Pontiac, Michigan (11%); Lincoln, Nebraska (6%); Clearwater, Florida (6%); Irvine, California (5%); East Camden, Arkansas (3%); Keyser, West Virginia (2%); Chandler, Arizona (1%); Huntsville, Arkansas (1%); Ontario, California (1%); Los Alamitos, California (1%); Midland, Canada (1%); and various other continental U.S. locations (6%), and is expected to be completed in April 2029. Fiscal 2024 missile procurement (Army) funds in the amount of $7,297,580; fiscal 2024 procurement (Marine Corp) funds in the amount of $4,776,598; fiscal 2024 weapon procurement (Navy) funds in the amount of $202,131,943; fiscal 2025 weapon procurement (Navy) funds in the amount of $155,042,288; and Foreign Military Sales funds in the amount of $99,449,027, will be obligated at the time of award, $214,206,121 of which will expire at the end of the current fiscal year. This contract was not competed. Naval Air Systems Command, Patuxent River, Maryland, is the contracting activity (N0001925C0071). Critical Communications, Controls and Instruments LLC,* Exeter, New Hampshire (N6833526D0005); Calzoni S.R.L, Caldereara di Reno, Italy (N6833526D0006); and Valkyrie Enterprisers LLC, Virginia Beach, Virginia (N6833526D0007), are each awarded a firm-fixed-price, indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity, multiple award contract. The estimated aggregate ceiling for all contracts is $70,000,000, with the companies having an opportunity to compete for individual orders. These contracts procure Horizon Reference Systems (HRS) for various Navy vessels for the aircraft launch and recovery equipment program office. The HRS scope includes design, installation, and support requirements to equip future Freedom and Independence class littoral combat ships, Arleigh Burke class guided missile destroyers, and possible future ship classes not yet defined with a HRS. Additionally, retrofit legacy HRS may be installed on Arleigh Burke class guided missile destroyers and Ticonderoga class guided-missile cruiser ship classes under this effort. Work will be performed in Exeter New Hampshire; Caldereara di Reno, Italy; and Virginia Beach, Virginia. The percentage of work performed at each location is not known until award of individual orders and is expected to be completed in January 2031. No funds will be obligated at the time of award; funds will be obligated on individual orders as they are issued. These contracts were competitively procured as an unrestricted full and open competition; three proposals were received. The Naval Air Systems Command, Lakehurst, New Jersey, is the contracting activity. Raytheon Co., Tucson, Arizona, was awarded a $58,994,042 cost-plus-fixed-fee modification to a previously awarded contract (N00024-23-C-5410) to exercise options for Standard Missiles 2 and 6 (SM-2/6) engineering and technical support. This contract involves Foreign Military Sales to Australia, Chile, Denmark, and South Korea. Work will be performed in Tucson, Arizona, and is expected to be completed by March 2028. Fiscal 2026 research, development, test and evaluation (Navy) funds in the amount of $1,525,000 (50%); Foreign Military Sales (FMS) (South Korea) funds in the amount of $746,250 (25%); FMS (Chile) funds in the amount of $311,850 (10%); FMS (Denmark) funds in the amount of $295,000 (10%); and FMS (Australia) funds in the amount of $148,000 (5%), will be obligated at time of award and will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. Naval Sea Systems Command, Washington, D.C., is the contracting activity. (Awarded Jan. 20, 2026) Lockheed Martin Rotary and Mission Systems Moorestown, New Jersey, is awarded a $22,220,762 cost-plus-fixed-fee contract for lifecycle logistics, and engineering and technical services for all in-service or post-production Aegis Weapon System combatant ships, Coast Guard cutters, the Surface Combat Systems Center, the AEGIS Training and Readiness Center, and the Integrated Warfare Systems Laboratory. This contract includes options which, if exercised, would bring the cumulative value of this contract to $99,903,347. Work will be performed in Moorestown, New Jersey, and is expected to be completed by January 2027. If all options are exercised, work will continue through January 2031. Fiscal 2026 operation & maintenance (Navy) funds in the amount of $1,611,973 will be obligated at the time of award and will expire at the end of the current fiscal year. This contract was not competitively procured in accordance with 10 U.S. Code 3204(a)(1), only one responsible source and no other supplies or services will satisfy agency requirements. Naval Surface Warfare Center Port Hueneme Division, Port Hueneme, California, is the contracting activity (N6339426C4001). Integer Technologies LLC,* Columbia, South Carolina, is awarded a $10,657,183 option exercise contract modification (P00001) to a contract (N0001425C2204) for the "Intelligent Autonomous Systems for Seabed Warfare" effort. The modification provides continuing science and technology research into an operational decision-support tool for intelligent autonomous systems conducting seabed warfare and undersea missions. The tool consists of physics and data-based models, deployed at the edge, that allow for real-time processing of seabed warfare sensor datasets, monitoring of the evolving environmental conditions in an area of operation, and real-time adaptation of onboard data collection, data processing, and vehicle command parameters to maximize the likelihood of mission success. The tool has the potential to improve the intelligence and independence of autonomous systems employed on seabed warfare missions, to enable multi-domain seabed warfare missions, and allow for autonomous systems to operate for significantly longer with minimal human intervention. The project will develop and demonstrate the application of edge deployed modeling and simulation tools, combined with artificial intelligence and machine learning to real-time decision making for intelligent autonomous systems. Work will be performed in Columbia, South Carolina, and is expected to be completed in January 2029. The total cumulative value of this contract is $24,803,999, inclusive of the base amount of $4,377,498; the Option One amount of $10,657,183; and the Option Two amount of $9,769,318. The base is fully funded in the amount of $4,377,498, while Option One will be incrementally funded with an initial obligation of $6,630,250. Fiscal 2025 research, development, test and evaluation (Navy) funds in the amount of $6,630,250 are obligated at time of award and will expire at the end of the current fiscal year. The Office of Naval Research, Arlington, Virginia, is the contracting activity. ARMY Lockheed Martin, Grand Prairie, Texas, was awarded a $202,782,136 modification (PZ0009) to contract W31P4Q-22-C-0060 for inspection, recertification, and repair of PAC-3 missiles to return them to serviceable condition. Work will be performed in Grand Prairie, Texas, with an estimated completion date of June 30, 2028. Fiscal 2022 Foreign Military Sales (Taiwan) funds in the amount of $52,382,136 were obligated at the time of the award. Army Contracting Command, Redstone Arsenal, Alabama, is the contracting activity. Mohawk Northeast Inc., Plantsville, Connecticut, was awarded a $24,434,100 firm-fixed-price contract for construction of a jetty spur. Bids were solicited via the internet with four received. Work will be performed in Saco, Maine, with an estimated completion date of July 19, 2027. Fiscal 2025 civil construction funds in the amount of $24,434,100 were obligated at the time of the award. U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, New England District, is the contracting activity (W912WJ-26-C-A001). Range Generation Next LLC, Sterling, Virginia, was awarded a $21,226,080.25 modification (P00033) to contract W9113M-23-C-0062 for Reagan Test Site engineering and technical services. The modification brings the total cumulative face value of the contract to $546,696,690. Work will be performed in Huntsville, Alabama, with an estimated completion date of Oct. 1, 2028. Fiscal 2026 research, development, test, and evaluation, Army funds in the amount of $21,226,080 were obligated at the time of the award. Army Contracting Command, Redstone Arsenal, Space and Missile Defense Command, Huntsville, is the contracting activity. AIR FORCE Microsoft Corp., Redmond, Washington, was awarded a $170,444,462 firm-fixed-price task order for the Cloud One Program. This contract provides for Microsoft Azure cloud service offerings in support of the Air Force's Cloud One Program and their customers. Work will be performed at the contractors designated facilities across the contiguous U.S. and is expected to be completed by Dec. 7, 2028. This award is the result of a sole source acquisition. Fiscal 2026 operations and maintenance funds in the amount of $1,944,400 are being obligated at the time of award. The Air Force Life Cycle Management Center, Hanscom Air Force Base, Massachusetts, is the contracting activity (FA8726-26-F-B007). University of Hawaii, Honolulu, Hawaii, has been awarded an $11,980,000 cost-no-fee contract for Pacific Architecture for Rapid Space Exploitation and Control. This contract provides for unique satellite resiliency research and modeling to support Air Force Research Laboratory's Maui High Performance Computing Center. Work will be performed in Maui, Hawaii, and is expected to be completed by May 1, 2031. This award is the result of a competitive acquisition under the Air Force Research Laboratory's Directed Energy Technology Experimentation and Research Advance Research Announcement. Fiscal 2025 research, development, test and evaluation funds in the amount of $1,778,584 are being obligated at time of award. Air Force Research Laboratory, Kirtland Air Force Base, New Mexico, is the contracting activity (FA9451-26-C-X001). DEFENSE HEALTH AGENCY Cherokee Nation Integrated Health LLC, San Diego, California, was awarded a modification for Option Year One in the amount of $9,056,505 (P00005) to previously awarded contract HT941025C0002. The total contract value (including all option years) is $51,193,849. The contract is for information management information technology to support Air Force and Navy medical treatment facilities within the U.S Indo Pacific, Pacific Rim, and Central Networks for 43 positions. The contracting activity is Defense Health Agency, Healthcare Contracting Division West, San Diego, California. DEFENSE LOGISTICS AGENCY UPDATE: Genesis Vision Inc.,* Rochester, New York (SPE2DF-26-D-0005, $41,250,000), has been added as an awardee to the multiple award contract for optical frames for the Defense Logistics Agency Electronic Catalog, issued against solicitation SPE2DE-24-R-0002 and awarded May 1, 2024. The contracting activity is Defense Logistics Agency Troop Support, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. *Small business https://www.defense.gov/News/Contracts/Contract/Article/4384469/ NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Rumen Radev: We Have a Battle Ahead for the Future of the Fatherland and I Believe We Will Fight It Together with All of You - the Worthy, the Inspired and the Irreconcilable President of the Republic of Bulgaria 19 January 2026 | 19:42 In an address to the Bulgarian people, the president announced that he would submit his resignation from office tomorrow Dear Madam Vice President, Dear Secretaries and Advisors, Dear media representatives, Dear compatriots, Nine years ago, you gave me the vote of confidence to serve Bulgaria as President. You did so again in 2021 - an honour and responsibility that I have tried to justify in all my actions. Together we have experienced a number of crises, the oligarchy's attacks on democracy and the major protests of 2020 and 2025. Circumstances have forced me to appoint caretaker governments seven times. I have upheld the state and public interest within the limits of my powers. Today, for the last time, I am addressing you as the President of our Bulgaria. First, I would like to ask for forgiveness. Time has put your trust to the test, so I thank you for your patience. I acknowledge my mistakes, I am aware of what I failed to accomplish. However, it is precisely my belief that we will achieve it and that is one of the main motives for my decision. In these nine years, Bulgaria has completed the process of its European integration, for which all regular and caretaker governments worked hard. We are now members of Schengen and the Eurozone - a horizon set by our society back in the late 1990s. The question is: Why didn't achieving these goals bring stability and satisfaction? Why did Bulgarians stop voting? Why don't people trust the media and rely on justice? Why did the citizens flood the squares twice? Why, despite being a European country, do so many people in Bulgaria feel poor, and an even larger proportion live with insecurity? I have repeatedly said that the answer lies in the vicious governance model. It has the outward signs of democracy, but in fact functions according to the mechanisms of oligarchy: Bulgarian politics is done outside the institutions. The puppeteers are not shy in front of the cameras to issue directives to the National Assembly. They speak on behalf of the government in the presence of the Prime Minister. They seize parties, banks, businesses and media. They use power as a club against their political opponents. In this model, discredited politicians, branded as corrupt on an international level, and their accomplices trade with the national interest in order to earn indulgence. In the name of their political future, some politicians put at stake the peaceful life of Bulgarians in the conditions of a dangerous war near our borders. They even encroach on the civil and ethnic peace that you and I will preserve, despite their provocations. In 2020, society erupted. Several parliamentary elections followed and just as many disappointments. The so-called Assemblage Government has completely erased the distinction between corrupt and anti-corruption forces and between the rule of law and lawlessness. The crowning glory of this arbitrariness was the abduction of the Constitution. In its new form, the Basic Law ensured the continuous control of the oligarchy over the executive branch, and the caretaker government is no longer a reliable guarantor of fair elections. The final rift between Bulgarians and the political class occurred with the refusal of the National Assembly to hold a referendum on the date of the introduction of the single European currency. The elected representatives of the people denied the people their right to choose. At the end of last year, a new wave of protests swept the government. It gave rise to a broad public consensus against the mafia. A consensus that should materialise in the upcoming parliamentary elections. Today's political class has betrayed the hopes of Bulgarians in compromises with the oligarchy. Two-thirds of citizens no longer vote. A new social contract is needed. Our democracy cannot survive if we leave it to corrupt people, deal-makers, and extremists. It depends on the personal commitment of each of us. Your trust obliges me to protect the state, the institutions, and our future. At the autumn protests, young Bulgarians made it clear that they did not want to leave Bulgaria. This is a turning point in the psychology of our people. Therefore, it is time to put an end to reconciliation, indifference and individual salvation. To leave behind the divisions that anchor us in the past. It was the unity in the square that showed the way forward. I want to thank all of you who inspired me with courage over the years. To the people of the yellow cobblestones of the square in the hot summer of 2020. To the students who charged me with their energy in the crowded halls of the universities - Blagoevgrad, Sofia, Plovdiv, Stara Zagora, Burgas, Varna, Shumen, Ruse, Veliko Tarnovo, Gabrovo. Everywhere I was with these young people - the halls were packed with energy and hope for the future of Bulgaria. To the honest people whose handshakes gave me strength. To the thousands of Bulgarians I meet every year in the snows of Mount Shipka, and to the patriots abroad who carry Bulgaria in their hearts. Thank you for the professionalism, morale, and dedication of my team, to all the people with whom we worked together in the presidency. I want to thank my wife, who endured all the hardships of these nine years and who was my strongest support in both the good and the most difficult moments. Tomorrow I will submit my resignation from the post of President of the Republic of Bulgaria. I would like to note that over these 9 years we have shown that a President and a Vice President can work effectively and in accord, united by a common goal. I am convinced that Iliana Iotova will be a worthy head of state and I want to thank her for her support throughout these nine years. The battle for the future of the Fatherland lies ahead of us, and I believe that we will fight it together with all of you - the worthy, the inspired, and the irreconcilable. We are ready, we can and we will succeed! NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Statement of Deputy Prosecutor Nazhat Shameem Khan to the United Nations Security Council on the Situation in Darfur, pursuant to Resolution 1593 (2005) International Criminal Court (ICC) / Cour penale internationale (CPI) Statement: 20 January 2026 (On 19 January 2026, ICC Deputy Prosecutor Nazhat Shameem Khan addressed the United Nations Security Council on the Situation in Darfur, Sudan, virtually from The Hague. Below is a transcript of her remarks.) Mr President, thank you for the opportunity to brief the Security Council today. It was my hope and intention to be with you today in the Council Chamber, in particular given the importance of this moment in Darfur, but I regret that I was not granted a visa in order to be able to provide my briefing in line with the mandate provided by the Council. Please allow me to also express my thanks to his Excellency the Permanent Representative of Sudan to the United Nations for his attendance. Mr President, Excellencies, since I last addressed this Council, the situation in Darfur has darkened even further. Darfuris, as we speak, are being subjected to collective torture. The fall of El Fasher to the RSF has been accompanied by an organized, calculated campaign of the most profound suffering, targeting non-Arab communities in particular - rape, arbitrary detention, executions, mass graves, all perpetrated on a massive scale. Many of these crimes have been filmed and celebrated by those committing them. This dreadful situation is still ongoing, fuelled by a sense of complete impunity. Our response to this must not be mere platitudes here in this Chamber but must represent real action on the ground. As reflected in my report, the Office of the Prosecutor is working intensively, collecting evidence, accelerating its investigations, together with affected communities, both with respect to crimes committed in Al Geneina in West Darfur, and in El Fasher in North Darfur. Mr President, Excellencies, based on information and evidence collected by the Office in this reporting period, including video, audio and satellite data, it is the assessment of the Office of the Prosecutor that war crimes and crimes against humanity have been committed in El Fasher, including in particular in late October as a culmination of the siege of the city by the Rapid Support Forces. Video material analysed by the Office shows a similar pattern of crimes previously seen being allegedly committed by the RSF in other areas of Darfur, including detention, mistreatment, and killings of persons from non-Arab tribes. Members of the RSF are seen celebrating direct executions and subsequently desecrating corpses. Our work has been focused on corroborating these images with a range of other sources, in pursuit of individual criminal responsibility for these acts. This has included: Analysis of satellite imagery indicative of mass killing events and attempts to conceal crimes through the establishment of mass graves; Engaging with affected communities and identifying potential witnesses to obtain and corroborate preliminary collected information; Processing submissions received from civil society organisations and other partners which have further mirrored video evidence collected. The picture that is emerging is appalling: organised, widespread, mass criminality including mass executions; atrocities which are used as a tool to assert control. As also reflected in my report, with respect to Al Geneina, the Office has made significant progress in its investigative work. We have conducted interviews with direct witnesses to attacks, in countries hosting Sudanese refugee communities. They have provided compelling evidence of attacks against camps for internally displaced persons, pillaging, indiscriminate targeting of civilian populations, detentions, gender-based crimes, and crimes against and affecting children. The evidence shows that the patterns of atrocities in Al Geneina in 2023 have been replicated in El Fasher in 2025. This criminality is being repeated in town after town in Darfur. It will continue until this conflict, and the sense of impunity that fuels it, are stopped. As I emphasised to the Council in my last briefing, as part of our investigations, we are ensuring a thorough and effective approach to the investigation of gender-based crimes. It is undeniable, based on our investigations, that sexual violence, including rape, is being used as a tool of war in Darfur. This is clear from our engagement with affected communities, from the accounts we have heard directly, and from our close cooperation with UN partners and other organisations documenting these atrocities. The systematic and effective investigation of these crimes will remain a key priority in the coming period. In this context, we are aware, and have had discussions also with authorities from the Government of Sudan, on the cultural and gender barriers to reporting such crimes to us, and indeed to any relevant partner. This places a responsibility on us to ensure that our investigations and outreach are conducted in a cultural and gender-sensitive manner, requiring a close involvement of the Office of the Prosecutor's Gender and Children's Unit, and requiring an ongoing focus on ensuring that our investigators are gender competent and culturally aware. We are also aware that there are reports of Rome Statute crimes allegedly committed by the Sudanese Armed Forces in Darfur, and we are ensuring documentation of such reports. All parties involved in the conflict must ensure they meet their obligation under international law, and must not target civilian populations and facilities. We call on all those who may have further information in relation to alleged crimes in El Fasher, Al Geneina and across Darfur, to come forward and provide this to the ICC, in particular through the secure online platform OTPLink. This is the moment to ensure that all of our collective efforts and all information held by our partners and affected communities are used in pursuit of our active investigations. Mr President, Excellencies, as we have intensified our investigations in Darfur, we have also seen a significant, if only a first, step towards justice in The Hague. On the 6th of October 2025, Mr Ali Muhammad Ali Abd-Al-Rahman was convicted by the International Criminal Court of war crimes and crimes against humanity committed in Darfur including murder, torture, and outrages upon personal dignity. The judges of the Trial Chamber unanimously convicted him of all charged criminal conduct. On the 9th of December, he was sentenced to 20 years imprisonment for these crimes. Mr Abd-Al-Rahman was found by the ICC judges to be the Janjaweed leader known as "Ali Kushayb", and confirmed his role as direct perpetrator and co-perpetrator, as well as confirming his responsibility for ordering the commission of these atrocities. They also confirmed his close connection to senior members of the Government of Sudan, including ICC fugitives Ministers Abdel Raheem Muhammad Hussein and Ahmad Harun. The conviction and sentencing of Mr Abd-Al-Rahman represents several landmarks. It is the first conviction resulting from a referral by the Security Council to the Court, but also the first conviction in the Darfur situation as well as the first conviction on grounds of gender-based persecution at the ICC. Of course, any relief brought by this moment must be set against the deep, ongoing suffering we see currently in Darfur. But Darfuris have underlined to us, again and again, that this trial and this conviction do indeed represent important, meaningful outcomes for the hundreds and thousands of victims who fled their homes in 2003 and 2004, and those who suffered at the hands of the Janjaweed. It is our commitment to them, to all victims in Darfur, and to this Council today, that this first conviction will, in time, be seen not just as a landmark but as a catalyst for much broader, deeper accountability for crimes committed against the people of Darfur, through the work of the ICC. Mr President, Excellencies, if we are to build on this progress; if we are to ensure that the conviction of Ali Kushayb sets the basis for further accountability, the expanded and active cooperation of our partners will be essential. The scale of suffering and criminality in Darfur at present can only be addressed if we work together. In the last six months, we have seen some key steps forward in our cooperation with a range of partners, which have set the basis for progress made. They include: Strong collaboration with a number of African States, and in particular the Government of Chad, which has facilitated access to its territory, thus enabling the conduct of a number of interviews with members of affected communities; Deepened cooperation with our civil society partners, including through dedicated in-person events held in a number of States aimed at identifying ways to work more effectively together in the documentation of crimes committed in Darfur and; Expanded engagement with the United Nations Fact-finding Mission for the Sudan as well as other UN partners, in particular with respect to gender-based crimes. Despite this notable progress, our investigations continue to face significant obstacles, including limited access to relevant witness populations, and the lack of safe access to crime scenes. Many potential witnesses face serious challenges related to their own safety, making it essential that any engagement with them is conducted in a manner that ensures robust protection against intimidation or reprisal. In the face of these significant challenges, we need more support. I have highlighted in my report key areas where additional assistance and investment of resources are sought from States, international and regional organisations and our civil society partners. States in particular can play an even more central role in supporting our work, including by: Sharing satellite imagery and other audio-visual and digital information and intelligence relevant to the investigation; Supporting the identification, screening and interview of Darfuri diaspora in domestic jurisdictions, including through the provision of visas to Office staff to conduct such interviews; and by Seconding national experts in specialised technical areas in support of the analytical activities of the Office. We welcome all possible additional cooperation that you can provide at this critical moment. And I also reiterate my call for all efforts to frustrate our work, through sanctions or arrest warrants against ICC officials, to cease. We do not have time to waste in our efforts to deliver justice for Darfuri communities. The real hurdles to accountability are already high enough without purposeful attempts to prevent action towards accountability. Mr President, Excellencies, in our engagement with Sudanese authorities in this reporting period, we have seen more progress, with further commitments for cooperation made. Indeed, the Government of Sudan has supported additional missions by the Office to Port Sudan, and has also responded promptly to some of the additional requests that we have submitted. I was also pleased, upon the sentencing hearing in relation to Ali Kushayb, to welcome the Attorney-General of Sudan to the ICC, together with the committee established by Sudanese authorities for cooperation with the Office. The Attorney-General and I had candid discussions regarding the ongoing criminality in Darfur and across Sudan including the proliferation of genderbased crimes throughout the conflict. Our discussions were concrete, and positive, with promises of further cooperation that will make a real difference to our investigations. That promise is made not just to us but to this Council and to the victims of atrocities in Sudan, and we have every expectation that it will be honoured. I want to also be clear on one key point: the Government of Sudan must work with us seriously, with focus, to secure the arrest of those individuals subject to ICC arrest warrants presently in Sudan: Omar Hassan Ahmad Al Bashir, Ahmad Harun and Abdel Raheem Muhammad Hussein. I underline again that Mr Harun in particular must be given priority. Action must now be taken to bring him to trial or for him to surrender voluntarily. Mr President, Excellencies, to conclude, I wish to share the words of the courageous Darfuri victims in the courtroom of the ICC at the trial of Mr Abd-Al-Rahman, "Justice and asking for justice is a human request for a person to be treated with dignity and justice and equity. The natural existence of a human being requires this to be provided for. And so when people see that there is injustice towards a number of people or a certain individual, and there's nothing that they can do, there will be chaos, panic, fear and terror." That victim has now seen some justice. It is not enough, but the conviction of Ali Kushayb, based on the testimony provided by that witness and many other Darfuri survivors, has demonstrated that this Council, together with the ICC can provide a path to accountability for these crimes. Our common task is now to widen the path that we have built, to allow more victims to walk down it so that they can receive the validation of truth-telling and justice that we saw at the ICC last October. I have set out in my report and in this briefing how States and other partners can most effectively contribute to this work. I ask you to respond with the assistance we need. The greater the cooperation and support that our Office receives, the faster and more effectively we can deliver results. We stand ready to work with all of you to deliver more for all victims, and to deliver a firewall of accountability to stop the further spiraling of atrocities in Darfur. I thank you. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Forced evacuations in South Gaza as Israeli military expands control over land Iran Press TV Tuesday, 20 January 2026 7:20 PM Israeli forces have ordered dozens of Palestinian families in southern Gaza to evacuate their homes as the regime's military expands the area under its control. Residents of Bani Suhaila, east of Khan Yunis, said Israeli forces dropped leaflets on Monday warning families in tent encampments in the al-Reqeb neighborhood to leave immediately. "Urgent message. The area is under Israeli military control. You must evacuate immediately," read the notice. Ismail Al-Thawabta, director of the Gaza government media office, said the new evacuation orders affect approximately 3,000 people. "On Monday, 19 January, the Israeli occupation forces dropped warning leaflets demanding the forced evacuation of the Bani Suhaila area in eastern Khan Yunis Governorate, in a measure that falls within a policy of intimidation and pressure on civilians," Thawabta said. He added that the Israeli military has expanded its control in eastern Khan Yunis five times since the ceasefire, displacing at least 9,000 people. Local residents confirmed the evacuation orders affected dozens of families living in both tents and homes. "We have fled the area and relocated westward. It is maybe the fourth or fifth time the occupation expanded the yellow line since last month," said Mahmoud, a Bani Suhaila resident, referring to the line marking the edge of Israeli withdrawal. "Each time, they move it about 120 to 150 meters deeper into Palestinian-controlled territory, swallowing more land," he added. Over the past two years, Israel has dropped leaflets over areas that were later raided or bombarded, forcing families to relocate multiple times. The October ceasefire has stalled at its first phase, with Israel failing to honor the agreement by withdrawing from less than half of Gaza, while Hamas released Israeli captives in exchange for Palestinian prisoners. Almost the entire population of more than 2 million people remains confined to roughly a third of Gaza's territory, living mostly in makeshift tents and damaged buildings. Despite the ceasefire, the Israeli military has continued airstrikes and attacks across the territory. Since the launch of Israel's genocidal war on Gaza on October 7, 2023, over 71,500 Palestinians have been killed and more than 172,000 wounded, the vast majority women and children. More than 460 Palestinians have reportedly been killed since the ceasefire took effect over three months ago. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Israeli forces demolish UNRWA buildings in occupied East al-Quds Iran Press TV Tuesday, 20 January 2026 3:44 PM Israeli forces have demolished structures at the headquarters of the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees (UNRWA) in occupied East al-Quds, drawing strong condemnation from the UN agency, which labeled the action as an unprecedented breach of international law. In a statement released on Tuesday, UNRWA reported that Israeli troops invaded its compound in the Sheikh Jarrah neighborhood, confiscated equipment from staff, and forcibly expelled employees before demolishing buildings within the premises. "This is an unprecedented attack not only against UNRWA and its premises. It constitutes a serious violation of international law and the privileges and immunities of the United Nations," the agency said. Local sources, as reported by the official Palestinian news agency Wafa, indicated that Israeli troops, accompanied by bulldozers, sealed off surrounding streets and increased their military presence before entering the compound. UNRWA Commissioner-General Philippe Lazzarini noted that Israeli lawmakers and regime officials were present during the operation, stressing that the action is part of broader efforts to "erase the Palestine refugee identity." Lazzarini warned that the latest demolition sets a dangerous precedent, further intensifying concerns over Israel's increasing crackdown on humanitarian organizations assisting Palestinians. "What happens today to UNRWA will happen tomorrow to any other international organization or diplomatic mission," he said. Israel has long accused UNRWA of pro-Palestinian bias and alleged ties to the Palestinian resistance movement Hamas, claims the agency has repeatedly denied, saying no evidence has been presented. Israel's foreign ministry claimed the demolition was carried out in line with a law prohibiting UNRWA's activities. Israel's far-right security minister, Itamar Ben-Gvir, affirmed his presence at the site, calling it a "historic day." The demolition comes amid mounting international criticism of Israel's restrictions on aid groups operating in Gaza and the occupied West Bank. In recent weeks, Israel has revoked the licenses of at least 37 international organizations, including Doctors Without Borders (MSF) and the Norwegian Refugee Council, citing non-compliance with new regulations requiring detailed disclosures on staff, funding, and operations. Separately, Hamas issued a statement condemning the demolition, describing it as a "flagrant violation of international laws," urging strong and unequivocal international condemnation of the "reckless criminal act." Hamas went on to say that immediate actions need to be taken to compel the occupying authorities to cease their targeting of UNRWA and its facilities, allowing the organization to fulfill its responsibilities as outlined in its UN mandate. "The safety of UNRWA must be ensured as it serves as an international witness to the plight of our refugees and their rights, particularly the right of return. We must prevent the occupation from undermining its crucial role or erasing its necessary presence," it said. The resistance group further noted that this "criminal act" signifies an unprecedented level of official arrogance and a blatant disregard for the UN and its agencies. Hamas also called for international legal measures against Israeli leaders for their ongoing violations against the Palestinian people. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Yemen's Saudi-backed PLC slams UAE for running secret prisons; Abu Dhabi denies Iran Press TV Tuesday, 20 January 2026 11:04 AM Yemen's Saudi-backed so-called Presidential Leadership Council (PLC) has slammed the United Arab Emirates (UAE) for running secret prisons at an airbase near the southern Yemeni port city of Mukalla, with Abu Dhabi categorically dismissing the assertion. Salem al-Khanbashi, the governor of the eastern Yemeni province of Hadramout, said during a press conference on Monday that militant groups affiliated with the head of the pro-secession and UAE-supported Southern Transitional Council (STC), Aidrous al-Zubaidi, were looting and stealing from state institutions in Hadramout. He added that authorities had uncovered explosives stored at al-Rayyan Airport, which were apparently intended for use in planned assassinations. Khanbashi, who is also a member of the PLC, went on to denounce the UAE for exploiting its participation in the Saudi-led coalition in Yemen to advance its own agenda. "We believed the UAE would support and assist us, but we were shocked by its actions," he noted. Khanbashi also said Hadramout had suffered from the presence of armed groups linked to Zubaidi, which he said were operating with Emirati backing. A senior official in the PLC, speaking to Reuters, revealed on Monday that secret prisons operated by the United Arab Emirates in Hadhramaut were used to detain individuals without due process. The official did not disclose further details regarding the number of facilities or the conditions of detainees. He further declared that the PLC will take "all necessary measures" against both the UAE and its allied separatist group to "achieve justice for victims." The UAE denied the remarks in a statement on Tuesday, calling them "nothing more than deliberate fabrications and misinformation." "The facilities referred to are merely military accommodation, operations rooms and fortified shelters, some of which are located underground a common and well-known feature of airports and military installations worldwide and bear no implications beyond the normal military context," the Emirati Defense Ministry said. It also reiterated that the Persian Gulf country's forces officially had withdrawn from Yemen in December 2025. The latest development adds up to a sharp deterioration in relations between Riyadh and Abu Dhabi over influence in southern Yemen. Saudi officials have increasingly denounced Emirati-backed factions, particularly forces aligned with the STC, for advancing agendas that threaten Saudi national security. "With Abu Dhabi inciting against Saudi Arabia ... the kingdom will not hesitate to take the necessary steps and measures against it," read a post published by Saudi state-run Ekhbariya TV on the social media platform X on Sunday. In late December, Saudi forces struck what they said was an Emirati shipment of weapons and equipment destined for the STC in the port of Mukalla. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address UNRWA chief warns about alarming new levels of diseases in Gaza amid Israeli siege Iran Press TV Tuesday, 20 January 2026 6:53 AM The commissioner general of the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees (UNRWA) has warned of "record highs" of diseases in the war-ravaged Gaza Strip, as Israel maintains strict curbs on crucial shelter supplies amid freezing winter temperatures. "Amid more than two years of war in the Gaza Strip, children repeatedly missed out on the vaccines that they need to keep them safe from preventable diseases," Philippe Lazzarini wrote in a post published on the social media platform X on Monday. "Harsh winter weather, with cold, heavy rainfall and floods, has Gaza in its grip. This compounds disease risks that are already at record highs because of poor water and sanitation in overcrowded shelters, the collapse of the medical system," he added. Lazzarini noted that UNRWA teams, in collaboration with UNICEF, WHO and local partners, kicked off the second round of a vaccination campaign on Sunday, aimed at children under three years old. He stressed that "UNRWA works to save lives in Gaza." The remarks come as al-Shifa Hospital in Gaza City has raised an alarming alert about the worsening health crisis, amid a surge in cases of unidentified illnesses. Medical officials are warning that the strained healthcare system is struggling to cope with the rising number of patients facing a severe shortage of diagnostic and treatment capabilities. Dr. Moataz Harara, who heads the Emergency and Reception Department at the hospital, reported that the department has been receiving more than 500 patients each day for the past two weeks. He noted that around 200 patients a day suffer from severe respiratory illnesses, with symptoms including high fever, shortness of breath, extreme fatigue, diarrhea, persistent vomiting, coughing, and chest pain. Harara noted that the severity of symptoms can differ greatly based on a person's immune system. While some individuals may recover in just two days, others, especially those with chronic illnesses, may need to be hospitalized. According to the doctor, there has also been a significant uptick in cases of leptospirosis, a bacterial disease transmitted by rodents. Between two and three cases are now recorded every two months, marking a stark rise from the previous rate of just one case every three years. He also warned of an alarming increase in cases of acute flaccid paralysis, reporting nearly 20 cases in the past month alone, compared to a few per year in the past. Dr. Ahmad al-Rubai, a pulmonology and internal medicine expert, also raised serious concerns about the increasing dangers facing respiratory patients. This alarming situation is fueled by a critical lack of medications and medical equipment, further worsened by inadequate displacement conditions and pervasive air pollution. Respiratory infections, along with severe influenza and pneumonia, have seen a significant rise, putting many patients in critical condition, he noted. Rubai stated that most of the people in Gaza are currently residing in tents or unsuitable shelters, and the situation is having a direct impact on their immune responses and is making respiratory illnesses worse. He added, "Living in tents or semi-destroyed homes has greatly weakened immunity. Constant exposure to cold air and overcrowding in displacement areas have further accelerated the spread of infections." The use of firewood for heating inside tents has also worsened the situation. "Smoke from cooking with wood or plastic severely damages the lungs, aggravates inflammation, and worsens asthma and chronic respiratory conditions," Rubai said. Rubai reported that the unavailability of crucial medications and delays in treatment have resulted in the worsening condition and, in some cases, the fatalities of patients. A significant number have faced serious complications from respiratory diseases, necessitating admission to the ICU. He cautioned that if life-saving medications and devices are not delivered promptly, countless others may suffer the same consequences. Israel has blocked humanitarian aid from reaching Gaza during its genocidal war against Palestinians, spurring widespread starvation. Legal experts point out that the situation shows Israel's failure to fulfill its international responsibilities as the occupying power in the Gaza Strip, particularly concerning the necessities of the Palestinian population living under its authority. It also goes against a ceasefire agreement brokered by the United States that was established in October, which required Israel to permit 600 aid trucks to enter the territory each day. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Press release on presidential election in the Central African Republic 20 January 2026 21:39 50-20-01-2026 On January 19, the National Elections Authority of the Central African Republic published the official results of the presidential election held on December 28, 2025. The incumbent head of state, Faustin-Archange Touadera, won the election with 77.9 percent of the vote. Moscow welcomes the successful conduct of the popular vote in the Central African Republic and reaffirms its principled commitment to further strengthening bilateral relations and maintaining close coordination on the international stage. Russia looks forward to the steady advancement of Central African society towards stable political and socio-economic development. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address U.S. Forces Launch Mission in Syria to Transfer ISIS Detainees to Iraq U.S. Central Command Press Release | Jan. 21, 2026 USCENTCOM January 21, 2026 Release Number 20260121-01 FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE TAMPA, Fla. -- U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) launched a new mission to transfer ISIS detainees from northeastern Syria to Iraq, Jan. 21, to help ensure the terrorists remain in secure detention facilities. The transfer mission began while U.S. forces successfully transported 150 ISIS fighters held at a detention facility in Hasakah, Syria, to a secure location in Iraq. Ultimately, up to 7,000 ISIS detainees could be transferred from Syria to Iraqi-controlled facilities. "We are closely coordinating with regional partners, including the Iraqi government, and we sincerely appreciate their role in ensuring the enduring defeat of ISIS," said Adm. Brad Cooper, CENTCOM commander. "Facilitating the orderly and secure transfer of ISIS detainees is critical to preventing a breakout that would pose a direct threat to the United States and regional security." In 2025, the U.S. and partner forces detained more than 300 ISIS operatives in Syria and killed over 20 during the same period. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Minister of Defence Troels Lund Poulsen meets Secretary of State for Defence John Healy in Copenhagen Danish Ministry of Defence The Secretary of State for Defence for the United Kingdom, John Healey, will today meet with Minister of Defence Troels Lund Poulsen in Copenhagen to discuss a strengthening the defence cooperation between Denmark and the United Kingdom. January 21, 2026 - 10:09 Secretary of State for Defence of the United Kingdom, John Healey, arrives in Copenhagen today, to discuss strengthening defence cooperation between Denmark and the United Kingdom, bilaterally as well as in NATO. "There is no doubt that Denmark is interested in enhancing the cooperation with the United Kingdom. We live in a time that calls for a strengthened cooperation among Allies in NATO and Europe. The United Kingdom is an important security- and defence industry partner to Denmark and I am looking forward to meeting my British colleague today, so we can discuss how to further develop our existing cooperation," says Minister of Defence Troels Lund Poulsen. Denmark and the United Kingdom are longstanding and close partners on military support, including in Ukraine. Denmark and the United Kingdom are initiators of the "international Fund for Ukraine" in 2022. The close partnership has also been demonstrated in terms of training of Ukrainian soldiers, where Denmark has contributed to the British leading training effort "Operation Interflex". The cooperation continues in the Coalition of the Willing under French-British management. In relation to the current situation regarding Greenland, Defence Minister Poulsen takes the opportunity to thank Minister Healey for the British support, benefitting the collective security of the NATO alliance in the Arctic. "I greatly appreciate the United Kingdom's tireless efforts and leadership in the security and defence domaine, including with regards to the "International Fund for Ukraine" and through training of Ukrainian soldiers. The strong cooperation in support of Ukraine now continues in the "Coalition of the Willing", as Denmark stand ready to contribute to a European multinational force. Last but not least, I will of course also take the opportunity to thank Minister Healey for the British support to security in the Arctic, benefitting the collective security of the NATO alliance, says Minister of Defence Troels Lund Poulsen. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Israel/Palestine: Statement by the Spokesperson on the demolition of the UNRWA compound in East Jerusalem European External Action Service (EEAS) 21.01.2026 Brussels, Belgium EEAS Press Team The decision by the Israeli authorities to enter and demolish the UNRWA headquarters in East Jerusalem is a serious attack against the UN agency, and constitutes a violation of Israel's obligations under the Convention on the Privileges and Immunities of the United Nations according to which UN Member States must protect and respect the inviolability of UN premises. The EU remains a staunch supporter of the United Nations, of which UNRWA is a part, and is fully committed to a multilateral system, based on international law and the principles of the UN Charter. UN agencies implement these, and play a crucial role in maintaining global security and protecting and fulfilling fundamental human rights. The EU is committed to continuing its political and financial support to UNRWA. UNWRA is an important provider of humanitarian aid, education and health services in the occupied Palestinian territory. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Undersecretary Roger after the NB8 political directors' meeting: supporting Ukraine and increasing pressure on Russia to achieve a just and lasting peace is a priority of our Nordic-Baltic chairmanship in 2026 Republic of Estonia - Ministry of Foreign Affairs 21.01.2026 | 17:04 Yesterday and today, on 20 and 21 January, the Foreign Ministry's Undersecretary for Political Affairs, Martin Roger, hosted the political directors of the foreign ministries of the Nordic and Baltic countries (NB8) in Tallinn. This was also the first meeting held under Estonia's NB8 chairmanship. At the meeting, the political directors of the eight countries discussed continued support for Ukraine and increasing pressure on Russia, including the importance of adopting the EU's 20th sanctions package, particularly at a time when Russia has intensified its attacks against Ukraine, causing extensive destruction to energy infrastructure. "The Nordic and Baltic countries have been among the strongest political, economic and military supporters of Ukraine, and the group will continue to act in this leading role in 2026, jointly encouraging other partners to maintain and increase their assistance to Ukraine," Roger said. In addition, Undersecretary Roger presented Estonia's initiative under which Estonia added the first 261 Russian fighters who have fought in Ukraine to the Schengen entry ban list, and called on the Nordic and Baltic countries to do the same. The political directors also discussed issues related to Greenland and the Arctic. "Our aim is NATO unity and continuous, effective coordination among Allies to ensure Arctic security, in line with the Alliance's core purpose of defending its territory," Roger said. The NB8 countries reaffirmed their solidarity with the Kingdom of Denmark and the people of Greenland, and their support for the principles of international law, such as sovereignty and territorial integrity. The meeting also focused on the situation in the South Caucasus and developments in the Indo-Pacific region. The NB8 group includes Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Finland, Sweden, Norway, Denmark, and Iceland. Estonia holds the NB8 chairmanship in 2026. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Speech by President von der Leyen at the EP Plenary debate on the conclusions of the European Council meeting of 18 December 2025 and a stronger and more sovereign Europe amid rising geopolitical tensions and continuous threats to the rules-based order European Commission Speech Jan 21, 2026 Strasbourg Thank you, Madam President, dear Roberta, President Costa, dear Antonio, Honourable Members, Let me start by conveying my deepest condolences to the families and friends of the train accident in Spain. Our thoughts are with them. Since I last stood here in this Plenary, we have witnessed events that have shaken the world. From the nationwide protests - and repression - across Iran to the seizing of shadow fleet tankers in the North Atlantic. From the volatile situation around the Arctic and Greenland to the relentless bombing against Ukrainian civilians and infrastructure. From the tensions in the Middle East to the Indo-Pacific. All of this reflects a number of realities for Europe. The first is a confirmation that the shift in the international order is not only seismic - but it is permanent. And the sheer speed of change far outstrips anything we have seen in decades. We now live in a world defined by raw power - whether economic or military, technological or geopolitical. And while many of us may not like it, we must deal with the world as it is now. Which brings me to the second reality - and imperative - for Europe. And that is to speed up our push for independence. Whether on our economy or our security, whether on technology or democracy. We have to be in strong in shaping ourselves if we want to shape the world around us. In this increasingly lawless world Europe needs its own levers of power. We know them: A strong economy, a thriving Single Market and industrial base - one that can do business in different markets and can compete all around the world -, a strong innovation and technology capacity, united societies - with high levels of education, talent and health systems -, and above a real capacity to defend ourselves. This is what European independence is about. It is not about anyone else, and it is not driven by recent events. It is about a need and an opportunity for us to build a stronger Union. We were already moving in this direction, but the speed of change requires a new approach from Europe. We will need a departure from Europe's traditional caution - just like we did on energy or on recovering from the pandemic with NextGenerationEU. Or like we are doing now on defence - with SAFE, or on supporting Ukraine. The world is changing faster than our mindset. So our institutions, governments and societies - all of us - must transform the ways in which we think and act. And allow me to touch on a number of points which I believe are critical. Starting with security, and in particular the situation in the Arctic. Greenland is not just a territory in a key region of the world map, a land rich in critical raw materials, a strategic outpost on emerging global sea routes. It is all of those things. But above all, Greenland is home to a free and sovereign people. It is a nation with its sovereignty and its right to territorial integrity. And the future of Greenland is only for Greenlanders to decide. Honourable Members, We do agree with our American friends on the need to ensure the security of the Arctic region. On this we are not only aligned, but we are working together - notably within the context of NATO. Finland, for example, is working with the US on icebreakers - a key piece of equipment in the context of operations in the High North. Or take the recent Danish-led Arctic Light exercise a few months ago in the context of NATO. This was key to strengthening Allied readiness in the Arctic. We are aligned. We are working together. We share the same strategic assessment on Arctic Security. And this is why the threat of additional tariffs for security reasons is simply wrong. If we are now plunging into a dangerous downward spiral between allies, this would only embolden the very adversaries we are both so committed to keeping out of our strategic landscape. Later this week, leaders will meet to discuss our response. We are at a crossroads. Europe prefers dialogue and solutions - but we are fully prepared to act, if necessary, with unity, urgency and determination. But beyond this, we need our own strategic approach. This is why we are working on a package to support Arctic Security. The first pillar will be a massive European investment surge in Greenland. In particular to further support the local economy and infrastructure. This will build on what we have already done. Two years ago, before all of this happened, I was in Nuuk to open our first office there. And in the next European budget, we have already proposed to double our financial support to Greenland. But we must do more and do it faster. Second point, we will work with the US and all partners on wider arctic security. In particular, I believe we should use our defence spending surge on Artic-ready equipment. And strengthen our security arrangements with partners such as the UK, Canada, Norway, Iceland and others. Finally, I believe Europe itself needs to reassess its wider security strategy. This should look at what is needed to adjust to today's new realities. Many of you have worked on various national and European security strategies, some of them in the recent past. But the world has changed so fast, and Europe now has to change with it. Honourable Members, When it comes to security, it is more important than ever that we keep focusing on Ukraine. Because our European security - and our European independence - hinges on what happens next. It is now almost four years since Russian tanks rolled into Ukraine. Peace talks are now ongoing, and we are recognising the efforts the US in this region. But while these efforts intensify, so do Russia's attacks. So Europe will continue to support Ukraine in every way. And this is why it was so important that, in the last European Council, we agreed to jointly raise EUR 90 billion for Ukraine. Europe has taken clear responsibility for Ukraine's needs - both civilian and military. And these EUR 90 billion show our unfaltering commitment and solidarity, and we will stand with Ukraine until there is a just and lasting peace. Honourable Members, Allow me to briefly turn to our economy - and our need to reduce our dependencies here too. Because this is intrinsically linked. Trade inside our Single Market accounts for 55% of our GDP. Trade with the rest of the world is worth roughly 45% of our GDP. Our supply chains and derisking goals depend on trade. So trade matters more than ever. I just came back from Paraguay, where we signed a historic deal with Mercosur. Next week we will be in India, for another groundbreaking agreement. And negotiations are advancing with many others who want to do business with us. These deals will open massive opportunities for our businesses, they will create jobs here in Europe and they give us resilience and security of supply. Because, the more trading partners we have world-wide, the more independent we are. And that is exactly what we need. If we take Mercosur, which I know is hotly debated within this House, the deal secures our access to the raw materials our industry needs, and the benefits for European companies will be huge. Take the automotive sector - European exports to Mercosur can rise by EUR 20 billion, or 200%. We could look at chemicals, or machinery. Same effects. The deal with Mercosur will deliver huge gains for producers of dairy, wine, spirits, oil - and much more. At the same time, we have listened carefully to your concerns and to our farmers, and we have secured strong safeguards for our sensitive agri-food sectors. I believe this is a deal that will bring benefits across our economy, and across every Member State. To conclude, this moment of global change is fraught with dangers and Europe must be ready to change even faster to become more independent for its own future. This will not be easy, it will require difficult decisions, and it will require to frame all of our work in the bigger picture. But I am deeply convinced that, together, we can achieve it. Thank you. And long live Europe. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address New guides provide advice on planning and maintenance of civil defence shelters Finnish Government Ministry of the Interior Publication date 21.1.2026 13.30 Type:Press release The Ministry of the Interior has published three new guides containing practical instructions on how to use and maintain civil defence shelters and on how to draw up emergency plans. The guides are intended, for example, to support building owners (such as housing companies) and other building operators. The guides were prepared in response to previous studies by the Ministry of the Interior that highlighted the need for them. Their purpose is to harmonise and clarify how plans for the activation and use of civil defence shelters are prepared, and to provide instructions for regular maintenance. Strengthening society's resilience to crises and improving independent preparedness across all population groups are objectives set out in the Government Programme. "Civil defence shelters are an important part of society's resilience and preparedness. Even if shelters do not need to be activated now, they must always be kept in proper condition. Property owners play a role in determining how strong our civil defence system is as a whole," says Pauliina Eskola, Director of Rescue Services, Accident Prevention and International Cooperation. Civil defence shelters would only be activated if necessary, and always with advance notice. Finland is not currently facing a military threat. Potential use of civil defence shelters requires planning The holder of a building prepares a plan for the activation and use of the civil defence shelter as part of emergency planning, if the building has a shelter. The plan includes instructions on matters such as the preparation and equipment of the spaces, commissioning of technical systems, and arrangements for moving to the shelter. "The same principle applies to civil defence shelters as to other aspects of preparedness: planning is important and must be carried out in advance. It is a good practice that some users or residents of the property familiarise themselves with the use of the property's civil defence shelter," says Project Manager Ira Pasi. The guide on how to activate and use civil defence shelters provides instructions for preparing the plan. It also includes basic information on civil defence shelters and sheltering. Regular servicing ensures that civil defence shelters function properly In normal conditions, civil defence shelters are used as recreational facilities or storage spaces, for example. Even in everyday use, shelters must be used and serviced in such a way that they remain in working order. The owner of the building, such as the housing company's board, is responsible for the maintenance. In addition to annual maintenance, the operational condition of the shelter must be inspected at least every ten years. "We recommend that a person be appointed to be in charge of ensuring that the civil defence shelter is maintained and inspected regularly. Regular maintenance also helps avoid major repair needs in the longer term," says Project Manager Ira Pasi. The guide on how to maintain and inspect civil defence shelters is intended for owners and operators of buildings and for professionals involved in the servicing, maintenance and inspection of civil defence shelters. Rescue authorities may also use the guide in their supervisory work. Preparedness is a civic skill - it is useful to know the basics Not all residents need to know the technical details of how a civil defence shelter functions, but it is advisable to know the basics of shelters, sheltering and preparedness for incidents and crises. Individuals can improve their knowledge by familiarising themselves with instructions for their property, for example. "Preparedness is a civic skill: everyone prepares according to their capabilities. Basic knowledge of civil defence shelters, sheltering and preparedness for incidents is useful for everyone," says Pauliina Eskola, Director of Rescue Services, Accident Prevention and International Cooperation. The preparedness guide published on Suomi.fi in 2024 contains information for the entire population on preparing for incidents and crises, and it also includes a section for housing companies. The rescue services website Pelastustoimi.fi provides general information on civil defence, answers to frequently asked questions, and material for housing companies, such as summaries of the guides in several languages. The project was funded by the Fire Protection Fund. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Chairman Mast, HFAC, advances AI Overwatch Act U.S. House of Representatives Committee on Foreign Affairs January 21, 2026 Press Release WASHINGTON, D.C. -- Today, the House Foreign Affairs Committee advanced the AI Overwatch Act as part of a full committee markup. The bill, which was introduced last month by Chairman Brian Mast, ensures congressional oversight keeps pace with advancing technology, blocks adversary militaries from accessing weapon-enabling AI, and anchors allies and partners to American AI systems. It codifies important national security requirements in the Commerce Department's recent H200 rule. "Companies like Nvidia are requesting to sell millions of advanced AI chips, which are the cutting edge of warfare, to Chinese military companies like Alibaba and Tencent. These are the same companies that work to spy against the United States of America, companies that the Chinese Communist Party uses to try and defeat the United States." said Chairman Mast. "This bill is very simple. It keeps America's advanced AI chips out of the hands of Chinese commie spies." Advanced AI chips are dual-use technologies powering military command and control, surveillance, cyber operations, nuclear weapons development, and autonomous weapons. Without strong security conditions, the same computing power that drives innovation could be turned against U.S. and allied military forces. This bill applies long-standing congressional oversight to exports of America's sensitive, military-enhancing AI chips. Since 1976, Congress has reviewed foreign arms sales that threaten U.S. national security. The principle is clear: technologies that shift military power require congressional oversight. The measure currently has 15 cosponsors and has received broad support from industry groups including the Foundation for Defense of Democracies Action, American Compass, Americans for Responsible Innovation, the American Security Fund and Exiger. Original cosponsors include House China Select Committee Chairman John Moolenaar, House Foreign Affairs South and Central Asia Subcommittee Chairman Bill Huizenga, House Foreign Affairs Europe Subcommittee Chairman Keith Self, House Foreign Affairs East Asia and Pacific Subcommittee Chairwoman Young Kim, House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence Chairman Rick Crawford, House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence National Security Agency and Cyber Subcommittee Chairman Darin LaHood. In addition to AI Overwatch, the committee advanced XX measures as part of the markup. The full list of includes: H.R. 6875 - AI OVERWATCH Act H.R. 6275 - China AI Power Report Act H.R. 7036 - Data Driven Diplomacy Act H.R. 7028 - To require the Secretary of State to submit a notification to Congress prior to obligating funds for certain art-related purchases, and for other purposes H.R. 6411 - Preshevo Valley Discrimination Assessment Act H.R. 7054 - To require the Secretary of State to submit to Congress a notification of certain construction projects using nonstandard designs H.R. 4532 - American Cooperation with Our Neighbors Act H.Res. 515 - Commemorating the 90th birthday of His Holiness the Dalai Lama on July 6, 2025, as "A Day of Compassion", and expressing support for the human rights, religious freedom, and cultural and linguistic protection of the Tibetan people. H.R. 4368 - Caribbean Basin Security Initiative Authorization Act H.R. 3307 - Eastern Mediterranean Gateway Act H.R. 7052 - Conflict Prevention Act ### NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Remarks by NATO Secretary General at World Economic Forum, Davos NATO - North Atlantic Treaty Organisation 21 January 2026 Sarah Kelly, Moderator Hello and a very warm welcome to this special edition of Deutsche Welle's Conflict Zone from the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland. I'm Sarah Kelly. We're here with the NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte, the President of Poland Karol Nawrocki, President of Finland Alexander Stubb, the President of the European Investment Bank Nadia Calvino, and the CEO of Sanofi, Paul Hudson. Welcome to all of you, and thank you so much for joining us. Now, this question, can Europe defend itself has really been thrust into the forefront as Donald Trump threatens Allies over Greenland. As we wait for Trump to deliver a statement in just a few hours, there has been so much discussion in the past few days, not only about the potential for a trade war with Europe, but also even the collapse of the NATO Alliance itself. And with that, Mr. Secretary General, I'd like to begin with you, because, with the US still a guarantor of European security, are European NATO Allies hostage to Trump's demands? NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte Listen, NATO since 1949 is the Transatlantic Alliance, and I think we have to be very careful in considering the fact that the US and Canada are not only in NATO to prevent the historic mistake the US made, in their own view, after the First World War, which was retreating from the world stage and then the long arm of history reaching out to the US again in the Second World War, not wanting to repeat that mistake. They are in NATO because NATO is crucial, not only for the defence of Europe, but only also for the defence of United States. For the United States to stay safe, you need a safe Arctic, a safe Atlantic, and a safe Europe. And all the military, all the politicians, and you guys know this, and we really have to be mindful of this. So when the question is, is Europe safe? Yes, Europe is safe because of what Europe is doing itself within NATO, but also because we have that strong transatlantic relationship. Sarah Kelly, Moderator But we know the history, we know the stakes. Let's talk about the current dynamics. And I'd like to ask you, you know, for perhaps a bit of reflection here, did you ever think that you would ever see one NATO member threaten the territorial integrity of another? I mean, you have now the prime minister of Greenland telling his public, an attack cannot be ruled out. NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte Listen, my role as NATO Secretary General, when there is tension within the Alliance, it has been there in the past between Greece and Turkiye, there have been other moments when there was tension, then my predecessors always took the view that they should not comment on that in public. That's impossible. Why is that impossible? Because as soon as I do, I cannot any longer help to somehow, with others, of course, not me, only myself, but of course, with other leaders, to basically defuse the tension, to deescalate, etc. That's why you will not hear me comment. You can be assured that I'm working on this issue behind the scenes, but I cannot do it in public. So, sorry, no comments from me on Greenland. Sarah Kelly, Moderator Well, sometimes behind the scenes, comments do become public in various ways. NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte That's true. Sarah Kelly, Moderator You talked about security in the Arctic, no matter how you come out of this Greenland row. I mean, it really seems as if the dynamics have fundamentally changed within NATO. You have Macron saying yesterday, we are shifting to a world without rules. Hasn't all of this fundamentally damaged the foundations of NATO, this shared trust, the shared values. NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte Of course, I see that there are these tensions at the moment. There's no doubt. Again, I'm not going to comment on that, but I can assure you, the only way to deal with that is, in the end, thoughtful diplomacy. So statements from me will not add anything here. And when it comes to the Arctic, I think President Trump is right, other leaders in NATO are right: we need to defend the Arctic. We know that the sea lanes are opening up. We know that China and Russia are increasingly active in the Arctic. There are eight countries bordering on the Arctic. Seven are a member of NATO, that's Finland and Sweden and Norway and Denmark, Iceland, Canada and the US. And there's only one country bordering on the Arctic outside NATO, that's Russia. And I would argue there is a ninth country, which is China, which is increasingly active in the Arctic region. So, President Trump and other leaders are right. We have to do more there. We have to protect the Arctic against Russian and Chinese influence. And that is exactly what NATO ambassadors decided to do in September. We are working on that, making sure that, collectively, will we defend the Arctic region. Sarah Kelly, Moderator Do European NATO Allies need to think more about having capabilities that overlap with the United States? To hedge their bets. NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte NATO is constructed like this: that the US, Canada and the European NATO Allies work completely integrated. It doesn't mean that there is the US coming to the rescue of Europe, or Europe coming to the rescue of the United States - we are working completely integrated. And for the protection of both the US and Europe, it's crucial that NATO is there. There was one big irritant on the on the American side with NATO, and the big irritant, since Eisenhower, was that they were spending, the US was spending, so much more than Europe was spending. Even today, the US is spending 3.5% of GDP on core defence; we are spending in Europe average 2% on defence. And here's my question to the audience. I mean, many of you, I know, criticize Donald Trump, but do you really think that without Donald Trump, eight big economies in Europe, including Spain and Italy and Belgium, Canada, by the way, also outside Europe, would have come to 2% in 2025 when they were only on 1.5% at the beginning of the year? No way. Without Donald Trump, this would never have happened. They are all on 2% now. Do you really think that in the Summit in The Hague, as already Alex was saying, sorry, the President of Finland was saying, that we would come to a overall defence spending of 5%, including 3.5 in core defence, if President Trump would not have been re-elected as president of the United States? No way. It would never have happened. So again, I'm not popular with you now because I'm defending Donald Trump, but I really believe you can be happy that he is there because he has forced us in Europe to step up, to face the consequences that we have to take care more of our own defence. And this is the thing - the Americans still have over 80,000 soldiers in Europe. They are still, including in Poland, in Germany, etc, they are still heavily invested in European defence. And yes, they have to pivot more towards Asia. So, it is only logical for them to expect us in Europe to step up, over time. And there is this plan already since Jens Stoltenberg, my predecessor, designed it the NATO Defence Planning Process, to over time, make sure that Europe can take over more of these capabilities, of these core enablers from the US to do more of the protection of the European continent. We are still having a strong, conventional US presence in Europe also going forward, and, of course, the nuclear umbrella as our ultimate guarantor. But again, I'm absolutely convinced, without Donald Trump we would not have taken those decisions. And they are crucial, particularly for the European and the Canadian side of NATO to really grow up in the post-Cold War world. Sarah Kelly, Moderator Secretary General, I'd like to ask for your remarks also on that point. We've been talking about can Europe defend itself? The question is, how and how that evolves also over the next years? Do you ever see a day where European defence doesn't have NATO as the cornerstone? NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte No, I don't. And let's not forget, the EU is great. It is 23 countries in NATO of the 32 are also in the EU. But it is only 25% of NATO's overall GDP. 75% of NATO GDP is outside the European Union. Let's not forget, that's a fact. The US is by far the most powerful nation on Earth. And the President of the United States is therefore the leader of the free world. And you cannot envision NATO without the leader of the free world being an integral part of that organisation. And nobody wants it, not on the US side, not on the European side. He said last night in his presser that he was doubtful whether the Europeans would come to the rescue if Article 5 would be triggered. I tell him: yes, they will. And they did on the 11th of September 9/11 in 2001 when, for the first and only time, Article 5 was triggered. I have no doubt the US will come to the rescue here [in Europe]. We will come to the rescue of the US. And we need each other for our collective protection. You [President Stubb] made a very good point. The risk here is that we focus, of course, on Greenland because we have to make sure that that issue gets solved in an amicable way. But the main issue is not Greenland now, the main issue is Ukraine. And I agree with everything Alex Stubb was saying, but I'm also a little bit worried that we might drop the ball focusing so much on these other issues. And, as we speak, Russian missiles and Russian drones are attacking the energy infrastructure in Ukraine. We know that it is now minus 20 degrees in Kyiv. We know that Ukraine can only take care of 60 percent of its own electricity. And yes, it is true, the Russians have lost in December 1000 people dead - not seriously wounded, dead - a day. That's over 30,000 in the month of December. In the 1980s in Afghanistan, the Soviets lost 20,000 in 10 years. Now they lose 30,000 in one month. But they still continue the attack. They still increase the attacks. And that means that if we Europeans here in NATO are thinking that because of the 90 billion the Commission has been able to bring together with the nations, or because the peace process is moving in the right direction, we can forget about the defence of Ukraine, don't. They need our support now, tomorrow and the day after. And yes, great if there is a peace deal. Everybody's working on that. The Americans, of course, are leading that process. Great that the 90 billion is there, but that will only be there in March, April, May, whenever. So that still takes time. So I need European Allies to keep focus on this issue. And what I'm really worrying about is that because of the peace process and because of the 90 billion we lose sight. And that in the meantime, Ukrainians do not have enough interceptors, [do not] have enough American gear [which] particularly they need because it is not any longer available in Europe - for them to defend themselves. So, this focus in Ukraine should be our number one priority, and then we can discuss on all the issues, including Greenland. But it should be Ukraine first because it is crucial for our European and US security. Sarah Kelly, Moderator I'd like to open up the conversation now to the audience. This is a very high-level audience, we have to say. I'm seeing President of Latvia sitting in the front row. I believe I also spotted the Defence Minister of the Netherlands here as well, right there. We'll be passing around a mic, and I would like to ask that you please stand up and that questions are kept brief, because I see many hands going up. Question from the audience Thank you very much. I have a very short question to SecGen Rutte. There are negotiations about Ukraine, and I fully agree with you that Ukraine is a main challenge, and Russia, basically is the main threat. The question is, once we agree that there are some chances for the long-lasting peace, are we as Europe prepared for what would be next with Russia, with this aggressive approach with the society which is still through disinformation educated with aggressive approach towards the West. What will happen with those hundreds of thousands of troops, capabilities, etc, if they won't be engaged in Ukraine? They won't just wait for the better prosperous future. Are we ready as NATO to take this problem. Thank you very much. NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte Yes, we are ready today. There's no doubt. But we have to be ready in '27 and '29 and '31. And this is why what we decided in The Hague to ramp up defence spending to this 5% was crucial. But you also have to ramp up the defence industrial production. And we're not doing it. Not in the US, not in Europe. We're not nearly producing enough. The fact that Poland, which is the closest Ally to the US you can find, is buying in South Korea, is because they cannot buy enough in the US or in the European- President of Finland Alexander Stubb And buying in Finland. NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte Yes, Alex, I love you, but you're not producing enough. Your defence industrial base has to ramp up. And you know it, so please spend time on that. And this is true for the whole of NATO territory. So, it is not only money, it's also the defence industrial base, including preparing our other industries, including our car industries, etc, for a moment when there might be a situation where we need them. Russia is on a war economy footing. They spend 40% of the state budget on defence, 200 billion a year with a spending power with the 200 billion - because of the structure of their economy, which is much higher than we can do in Europe. So we really have to be watchful here. Yes, we can defend ourselves today, but we have to deliver on The Hague commitments. Not because of Donald Trump yes, it equalizes with the US that keeps them in but particularly because we have to defend ourselves. Question My name is Andrea Malaguti. What do you think about the Board of Peace with Lukashenko and Putin for Gaza? NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte NATO is 32 countries in the Northern Atlantic, and I'm not commenting on things outside the North Atlantic area. Sorry, I have too much on my plate already. Thank you. Question Mark Rutte, can you please comment on Mark Carney's speech yesterday here in Davos. It was very honest. What is your reaction to it? NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte I respect him a lot, and I'll see him later today. And I think he had a speech which was strong on Canadian values and what Canada can contribute to the world. At the same time, I would say this is very good, and Canada is back when you look at NATO. They were spending 1.3, 1.4%. They got to the 2%. They have now a plan to reach the 5%. They're massively helping out with Ukraine now so I could say, since he [Mark Carney] became Prime Minister, [Canada] is really back in NATO, back in defending the transatlantic Alliance. And I think that's great news. Question Thank you very much. Would you think that if the transfer of the sovereignty of agreement can be achieved, would you think this might lead to the demise of the idea of so called 'Western collective?' And secondly, that if this needs to be transferred, would you think that the NATO 3.0 just like President Stubb said, might be veer into something more like the Warsaw Pact rather than original NATO. Of course, we have the Polish president; you can also coordinate. Thank you very much. Question I'm [inaudible] from Saudi Arabia with a Greek mother and an Italian wife. Europe can defend itself. That's very clear today. But my question is, do we feel safer? I'm planning to retire in Europe. Do I feel safer today with all this stock up of military? As you asked the question, when the war is over, what you do with all this military? NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte If you want to prevent war, prepare for war. The only way we can prevent the Russians or anyone who wants to do us harm is to make sure that they know that the reaction we will have is devastating. Today, yes, it is. But if we would have continued with this 1.8, 1.9% defence spending and the defence industrial base - which is not producing enough- we would not be ready in '29, '31. And our adversaries know this. So, I know that people are worried that we are spending more on defence. Yes, we do this to prevent war from breaking out. You have to be strong. We have to be strong against those who wish us ill. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address A look at the Defence news 12 - 18 January Netherlands Ministry of Defence News item | 21-01-2026 | 08:00 Security in the Arctic - including Greenland - is a strategic priority for all NATO allies. Accordingly, the Netherlands, together with NATO allies, conducted a reconnaissance mission in Greenland to evaluate the feasibility of a future NATO-led military exercise in the High North. The reconnaissance was led by Denmark. The Netherlands Defence organisation sent two Royal Netherlands Navy (RNLN) officers who have now completed their work and returned home. Minister Brekelmans visits family and victims of Hawija In the Iraqi city of Hawija, Netherlands Minister of Defence Ruben Brekelmans spoke with relatives and victims affected by a Dutch airstrike in 2015 that targeted an ISIS car bomb factory. The government maintains that the strike was a lawful act of self-defence against a terrorist organisation, but it deeply regrets the unintended civilian casualties and extensive damage it caused. On behalf of the government, there were public apologies last year, and the minister reiterated his commitment to convey that apology in Hawija in person. Following the findings of the Sorgdrager Committee, Brekelmans made an extra 10 million available for additional projects. The Netherlands had previously funded reconstruction projects. Change of command after several Arctic operations After a year of command over Standing NATO Maritime Group 1 (SNMG1), it was time for the Royal Netherlands Navy to step down. In Den Helder, Commodore Arjen Warnaar passed the baton to rear admiral Joaquin Excagedo of the Spanish navy. During Warnaar's command, SNMG1 played an important role in the High North, where conditions are challenging. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Trump says UN should continue, but Board of Peace "might" replace UN People's Daily Online (Xinhua) 13:19, January 21, 2026 WASHINGTON, Jan. 20 (Xinhua) -- U.S. President Donald Trump said Tuesday that the United Nations should continue because of its potential, but the Board of Peace he proposed "might" replace the organization. In his address that lasted for nearly two hours at the White House press briefing to mark the first anniversary of his second term, Trump repeatedly criticized the United Nations as being ineffective in ending wars, adding that it should continue to exist because "the potential is so great." The Board of Peace was originally proposed as part of the U.S.-drafted 20-point peace plan to end the Israeli-Palestinian conflict and help reconstruct the Gaza Strip. However, a draft charter of the board -- reportedly attached to the invitation letters to many world leaders and obtained by multiple media outlets -- makes no reference to Gaza. Instead, it outlines a broader vision for the body as a U.S.-controlled organization aimed to help resolve conflicts and wars worldwide, a role the United Nations has played for decades. "It's a 'Trump United Nations' that ignores the fundamentals of the U.N. charter," Reuters quoted one diplomat as saying. Three other Western diplomats said it appeared likely to undermine the United Nations if it goes ahead. UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres "believes Member States are free to associate in different groups," Farhan Haq, deputy spokesperson for the UN chief, said on Sunday in response to a question about the draft U.S. charter for the Board of Peace. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address DFA backs PH officials' WPS stance amid Chinese spox 'warning' Philippine News Agency By Joyce Ann L. Rocamora January 21, 2026, 5:54 pm MANILA -- The Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) affirmed its position on the West Philippine Sea (WPS) and threw its support behind government and elected officials following the warning issued by China that they would "pay the price" for making supposed provocations. "In response to the remarks made recently by the Chinese Foreign Ministry Spokesman, the DFA affirms its support for publicly elected officials and government institutions performing their lawful duties in defense of Philippine sovereignty, sovereign rights, and jurisdiction," the DFA said in a statement. It reiterated that differences between states are best addressed through established diplomatic channels rather than public exchanges. The DFA issued the statement after Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Guo Jiakun, on Jan. 19, claimed that Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) spokesperson for WPS Jay Tarriela was "maliciously spreading disinformation on China and wantonly smearing China's image." He also accused "relevant individuals in the Philippines" of making provocations, "confusing right and wrong," before warning them that "they would pay the price for what they did." The DFA said it would continue articulating the Philippines' positions on the WPS and the South China Sea "in firm and consistent fashion." The Philippines regards the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) and the landmark 2016 ruling on the South China Sea as the "twin anchors" of its policy and actions on the WPS. The award was issued by an Arbitral Tribunal constituted under UNCLOS on July 12, 2016, and "authoritatively ruled" that China's claim of historic rights to resources within the nine-dash line had no basis in law. It also upheld the Philippines' sovereign rights and jurisdiction over its exclusive economic zone (EEZ) in the West Philippine Sea. Since early January, Chinese Embassy deputy spokesperson Guo Wei and Tarriela have been trading barbs over developments in the WPS, with Tarriela describing Beijing's posture as "more aggressive, confrontational and vocal." The Chinese Embassy, on the other hand, dismissed as "wrongful and groundless" statements by Philippine lawmakers, including those of ML party-list Rep. Leila de Lima, who criticized China's actions in the South China Sea. (PNA) NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Rajah Sulayman, other OPVs to help secure PH waters, fishers Philippine News Agency By Priam Nepomuceno January 21, 2026, 12:39 pm MANILA -- The Philippine Navy (PN) said future offshore patrol vessel (OPV) BRP Rajah Sulayman (PS-20) and five other soon-to-arrive sister ships will enhance the country's capability to protect its maritime zones, which include the West Philippine Sea (WPS), and fisherfolk plying its waters. "Our OPVs shall stand as a modern symbol of courage, as they will primarily contribute to safeguarding our maritime domain and patrolling the Philippines' exclusive economic zone," PN flag-officer-in-command Vice Admiral Jose Ma. Ambrosio Ezpeleta said during BRP Rajah Sulayman's arrival ceremony, which took place at Naval Operating Base-Subic, Zambales on Tuesday. The Navy refers to Rajah Sulayman as a "future" ship since it has yet to be commissioned officially into the PN service. The PN chief said these OPVs will support maritime patrols, domain awareness, and law enforcement missions in accordance with international law. "(This) will contribute to the protection of Filipino fisherfolk, and the promotion of safe maritime activities," he added in a statement forwarded Tuesday night. Ezpeleta also said Rajah Sulayman's arrival is a strong testament to the Philippines' "relentless drive" toward protecting its territorial integrity. Such initiative is needed to protect the country's primary asset, which is the Filipino people, the Navy chief added. "We owe them a secure and peaceful future," Ezpeleta stressed. BRP Rajah Sulayman is the lead ship of the six Rajah Sulayman-class OPVs and the first OPV constructed by HD Hyundai Heavy Industries for the PN. The contract for the ships, which was signed in 2022, amounted to PHP30 billion. It is designed for sustained operations, allowing for consistent and responsible naval presence in the country's maritime zones, including the WPS. "And to deliver on this, it is our duty to strengthen our Navy to ensure that we can counter new forms of warfare, play an integral role in joint defense within our armed forces, and enhance interoperability with partner and like-minded navies," he added. The BRP Rajah Sulayman departed from the HD HHI shipyard in Ulsan, South Korea last Jan. 13 and arrived in Zambales waters on Jan. 17. (PNA) NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Hamas warns of 'systematic Israeli violations' as Gaza ceasefire teeters Iran Press TV Wednesday, 21 January 2026 7:16 PM The Palestinian resistance movement Hamas has reaffirmed its commitment to the Gaza ceasefire, warning that Israel's "repeated systematic violations" are undermining the agreement, which has now passed the 100-day mark. In a statement released on Wednesday, Hamas said that "documented facts clearly demonstrate that the occupation regime has pursued a systematic and deliberate policy aimed at undermining the agreement." The movement added that Israel was "stripping the agreement of its substance and reproducing a catastrophic humanitarian reality for civilians, despite Hamas' full commitment to all provisions and responsibilities of the agreement." Hamas Gaza chief Khalil al-Hayya earlier called on international mediators, particularly US President Donald Trump to "ensure Israel respects the ceasefire and fully commits to it." Separately, the Democratic Front for the Liberation of Palestine (DFLP) reported that over the past 100 days, Israeli forces carried out more than 1,300 documented violations, resulting in the deaths of 483 Palestinians and injuries to 1,287 others. The DFLP noted that most victims were civilians living in residential areas far from any military activity. Hundreds more were forcibly abducted across the besieged territory during the same period. "These persistent violations reflect Israel's intent to sustain a state of war and impose political realities it could not achieve during its genocidal campaign," the DFLP warned. The resistance movement called for immediate international intervention to halt aggression, prevent further home demolitions, and impose sanctions to deter Israel's colonial project in Gaza and across Palestine. The DFLP also urged the ceasefire's executive council, headed by UAE-based Bulgarian diplomat Nickolay Mladenov, to fulfill its legal and political obligations. Mladenov serves as the day-to-day administrator tasked with implementing Trump's 20-point plan for Gaza. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Israeli strikes kill 11 across Gaza, including children and journalists: Palestinian medics Iran Press TV Wednesday, 21 January 2026 7:15 PM Gaza hospital officials report that Israeli forces killed at least 11 Palestinians in separate attacks across the Gaza Strip on Wednesday, including two 13-year-old boys, three journalists, and a woman. In one strike, Israeli drones hit the eastern side of the Bureij refugee camp in central Gaza, killing a 13-year-old boy, his father, and a 22-year-old man. Officials at Al-Aqsa Martyrs Hospital in nearby Deir al-Balah confirmed they had received the bodies. In a separate attack, the regime's forces killed three brothers in a tank shelling of Bureij refugee camp, with their bodies taken to the same hospital, officials said. Another 13-year-old boy was shot dead by Israeli forces while collecting firewood in the eastern town of Bani Suheila, Nasser Hospital confirmed. In footage circulating online, the boy's father is seen crying over his son's body on a hospital bed. Later in the day, Israeli forces attacked a vehicle carrying three Palestinian journalists in the central town of al-Zahraa. According to Mohammed Mansour, spokesman for the Egyptian government committee overseeing the camp, the journalists were filming its operations at a newly established displacement site in Netzarim, central Gaza. The bodies of two journalists were taken to al-Shifa Hospital in Gaza City, while the third was transferred to Al-Aqsa Martyrs Hospital. Video footage circulating online showed the charred, bombed-out vehicle by the roadside, with debris scattered around it. Nasser Hospital officials said they received the body of a Palestinian woman who was shot and killed by Israeli troops in the al-Mawasi area of the southern city of Khan Younis. The killings are among the latest reported in Gaza since a US-brokered ceasefire went into effect in October. According to Gaza's Health Ministry, more than 470 Palestinians have been killed by Israeli fire since the ceasefire began. The United Nations children's agency, UNICEF, said on January 13 that more than 100 children have been killed in Gaza since October. UNICEF spokesperson James Elder told reporters that nearly all of the deaths 60 boys and 40 girls resulted from Israeli military attacks, including air strikes, drone strikes, tank shelling, gunfire and quadcopter fire. A small number were caused by unexploded remnants of war. He said the death toll was likely an underestimate, as it was based only on cases where sufficient information was available. "Survival remains conditional," Elder said. "While the bombings and shootings have slowed and reduced during the ceasefire, they have not stopped." Gaza officials say Israeli forces have carried out near-daily attacks since the ceasefire came into effect, particularly in central and southern areas of the territory, often targeting civilians collecting food, firewood, or attempting to return to their homes. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address US forces transferring Daesh prisoners from Syria to Iraq: CENTCOM Iran Press TV Wednesday, 21 January 2026 7:13 PM The US military's Central Command (CENTCOM) has begun transferring Daesh prisoners from northeastern Syria to "secure" detention facilities in Iraq, allegedly to thwart the threat they pose to the region and the US. In a statement on Wednesday, CENTCOM claimed that the mission began as US forces successfully transported 150 Daesh terrorists imprisoned at a detention facility in the northeastern province of Hasakah, Syria, to a "secure location in Iraq." CENTCOM Commander Adm. Brad Cooper said the US is "closely" coordinating with regional partners, including Iraq, and "appreciates their role in ensuring the defeat of Daesh." "Facilitating the orderly and secure transfer of ISIS detainees is critical to preventing a breakout that would pose a direct threat to the United States and regional security," he claimed. "Ultimately, up to 7,000 ISIS detainees could be transferred from Syria to Iraqi-controlled facilities," the statement added, using another acronym for the takfiri terrorist group. Daesh was initially created by Washington over a decade ago with the aim of destabilizing Iraq and Syria. The announcement comes amid a rapid collapse of the US-backed Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) in northeastern Syria, following clashes with Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) forces. The latest developments have raised concerns about a potential Daesh resurgence, amid uncertainty over the security of roughly a dozen SDF-controlled prisons and detention camps holding more than 10,000 Daesh members, along with thousands of women and children linked to the group. The HTS forces have reportedly taken over some of the prisons holding Daesh detainees, including Shaddadi, in the Hasakah countryside. SDF said it lost control of the prison as the HTS troops approached and that prisoners escaped. The HTS regime accused SDF of abandoning its posts and releasing some 200 Daesh inmates, saying most of them were later recaptured. Kurdish forces also said that they were forced to pull out of al-Hol in northern Syria as HTS-led troops approached. On Wednesday, Reuters reporters saw scores of children and women in black clothes pressing up against the camp fence as the HTS-led regime's forces looked on. Syria has faced deep instability after the fall of President Bashar al-Assad's government. Once affiliated with al-Qaeda and Daesh, Abu Mohammed al-Jolani seized power in Syria following a rapid onslaught by his militant group, Hay'at Tahrir al-Sham (HTS), which ousted the government of President Bashar al-Assad in December 2024. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Israeli airstrikes kill two in Lebanon despite ceasefire Iran Press TV Wednesday, 21 January 2026 6:39 PM Israel has conducted new airstrikes on southern Lebanon despite the ceasefire agreement reached in 2024, killing two people. "Israeli enemy strike... on a vehicle in the town of Zahrani in the Sidon district killed one person" on Wednesday, the Lebanese health ministry said, referring to an area far from the border with the occupied territories. Later, the ministry said another person was killed in a similar strike targeting a vehicle in the town of Bazuriyeh in the Tyre district. Israel claimed the attacks targeted fighters from the Lebanese resistance movement "in response to Hezbollah's repeated violations of the ceasefire understandings." Israel has been repeatedly violating the truce since November 2024. The regime has killed at least 435 people in Lebanon, according to the health ministry. The ceasefire took effect on November 27. Under the deal, Tel Aviv was required to withdraw fully from Lebanese territorybut has kept forces stationed at five sites in clear violation of UN Security Council Resolution 1701 and the terms of the November 2024 agreement. Lebanese authorities have warned that the regime's violations of the ceasefire threaten national stability. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Netanyahu joins familiar circle of war at heart of Trump's Gaza plan Iran Press TV Wednesday, 21 January 2026 10:26 AM Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu has "accepted" an invitation from US President Donald Trump to join his self-styled "Board of Peace," a move that has intensified global criticism of a body widely seen as compromised, coercive and deeply entangled in the devastation of Gaza. Netanyahu's office confirmed the decision on Wednesday, despite the Israeli leader being the subject of an International Criminal Court (ICC) arrest warrant for war crimes committed during Israel's ongoing assault on Gaza. At the core of the controversy is the board's founding executive committee, which holds real decision-making power over Gaza's future. Among its most prominent members are Jared Kushner, Trump's son-in-law; former British prime minister Tony Blair; US Secretary of State Marco Rubio; Trump envoy Steve Witkoff; and Wall Street financier Marc Rowan, CEO of Apollo Global Management. The so-called Board of Peace was announced by the White House in October as part of Trump's 20-point plan for Gaza, nominally linked to the second phase of the ceasefire agreement with Hamas. While initially framed as a mechanism to oversee Gaza's reconstruction, governance and security, Trump has since indicated the board could assume a global role, potentially rivaling or sidelining the United Nations. According to drafts of the board's charter reviewed by international media, participation comes at a steep price: up to $1 billion for a permanent seat, an arrangement diplomats and analysts have described as extortionist and unprecedented in modern multilateral diplomacy. At least 60 world leaders were invited. However, enthusiasm has waned rapidly. Sweden has formally declined to participate under the current framework, while other countries, including the United Kingdom and the European Union, have acknowledged receiving invitations but stopped short of committing. Saudi Arabia has conspicuously stayed out. Several governments are reportedly reconsidering their involvement amid concerns that the board is little more than a US-controlled political vehicle designed to legitimize Israeli dominance in Gaza. Netanyahu himself has voiced objections not to the board's legitimacy, but to its composition. "We have some disagreements with our friends in the United States regarding the formation of the advisory council that will accompany the peace process in Gaza," he said, referring to the newly announced Gaza Executive Board, a subordinate body tasked with administering the Strip. Netanyahu has vowed to block any role for Turkey and Qatar, insisting that soldiers from both countries "will not be present in the Strip." Despite this public friction, Netanyahu reaffirmed his loyalty to Trump, calling him Israel's "greatest friend in the White House," and stressing that "disagreements" would not affect bilateral relations. The Gaza Executive Board stacked with figures approved by Washington has drawn particular outrage. While it includes regional officials from Turkey, Qatar and Egypt, their role is widely viewed as cosmetic. Real authority lies with the Board of Peace's founding executive committee, dominated by figures who have consistently denied or downplayed Israel's atrocities in Gaza. The inclusion of Blair, a key architect of the Iraq War, has been especially contentious. The British government has quietly distanced itself from his role, emphasizing that he represents no official UK position. Critics also point to the United States' own record in Gaza, particularly its backing of so-called humanitarian aid mechanisms that have proven deadly. Israeli-backed aid distribution sites, supported politically and logistically by Washington, have become lethal chokepoints where hundreds and by some counts thousands of Palestinians have been killed by Israeli fire while seeking food. Human rights groups have described these schemes as "aid traps," emblematic of US complicity in Gaza's destruction. Netanyahu has used his acceptance speech to double down on maximalist demands. "The second stage is simple: Hamas will be disarmed, and Gaza will be demilitarized," he said, pledging to achieve this "by the easy way or the hard way," while omitting any reference to Israel's obligation to withdraw its forces or end the siege. Even Israel's military establishment has expressed unease. According to Haaretz, senior officers fear Trump's plan lacks enforcement mechanisms and fails to address who would actually control Gaza or protect border communities. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Trump Rules Out Force In Greenland, Walks Back Tariffs Plan By Ray Furlong January 21, 2026 Summary US President Donald Trump ruled out using military force but demanded immediate talks on acquiring Greenland from Denmark. Trump has linked US control of Greenland to NATO security, warning of threats from Russia and China. Danish and European leaders have rejected the idea, warning it could badly harm NATO US President Donald Trump has ruled out military action to take control of Greenland while also saying he wants to hold more talks on the United States acquiring the island, which he described as "our territory" during a keynote speech at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, on January 21. Hours after his speech, Trump also walked back a plan to impose tariffs on some European countries for opposing his Greenland policy. In Trump's highly anticipated speech on an issue that has caused acute alarm in other NATO countries, Trump said that US ownership of Greenland was a matter for both US and international security and that only Washington had the power to defend it against threats by other countries. Trump did not name the countries but has, in recent comments, spoken of a Russian and Chinese threat to Greenland -- an autonomous territory belonging to NATO-member Denmark. No Military Action "I'm seeking immediate negotiations to once again discuss the acquisition of Greenland by the United States," Trump said. "I don't have to use force. I don't want to use force. I won't use force," he added, reversing earlier comments in which he had not ruled it out. In early reaction to Trump's comments, Danish Foreign Minister Lars Lokke Rasmussen said his country was open to talks. "What is quite clear after this speech is that the president's ambition remains intact," he said, also noting that "what the president said about the military" was "positive." But Trump made it clear that his aim of taking control of Greenland remained firmly in place and appeared to link the issue to Washington's commitment to NATO. "We want a piece of ice for world protection, and they won't give it. We'd never ask for anything else...So they have a choice. You can say 'yes', and we will be very appreciative. Or you can say 'no', and we will remember. A strong and secure America means a strong NATO," he said. Other European leaders have vocally supported Denmark's position in recent days, and diplomats from European Union countries told RFE/RL that Trump's speech would not allay concerns in capitals across the continent. "I don't know if this quote is an implicit threat, but he said that NATO will be stronger if Greenland belongs to the US, and there is nothing Denmark or NATO can do...I think he gave the topic quite a bit of time," said an ambassador from one EU nation, who spoke to RFE/RL on condition of anonymity. Bradley Bowman, senior director of the Center on Military and Political Power at the Foundation for Defense of Democracies (FDD) in Washington, told RFE/RL "it will be reasonably construed by many people as some form of a threat." "I will be surprised if Trump lets this go. I think he's going to stay on Greenland like a dog on the bone. At least for now, he appears to have taken the military option off the table," he added. Other EU diplomats told RFE/RL that Trump's Davos speech "changed nothing" and was "nothing new." Tariff Plan Scrapped Trump has also sought to apply pressure via nonmilitary means, announcing on January 17 that he would impose extra tariffs on eight European countries if they continued to oppose US ownership of Greenland. As Trump was speaking in Davos, the European Parliament announced it was freezing work on approval of the US-EU trade deal agreed in July. But, hours after finishing his speech in Davos, Trump posted a statement online saying the tariffs would not be imposed based on a deal he had struck with NATO chief Mark Rutte. "This solution, if consummated, will be a great one for the United States of America, and all NATO nations," he wrote. In his Davos speech, Trump reiterated an earlier point that, although it already had a military base in Greenland, it needed control of the island for psychological reasons -- and that a lease or other arrangement was not enough. "Who the hell wants to defend a license agreement?" he asked. Trump supporters have developed this point in recent days, suggesting major military investments are needed on Greenland. Trump mentioned it in his speech as a base for the planned Golden Dome missile defense system. "If we're going to spend a bunch of money...we need to have the legal control and the legal protections that justify building the place up and putting our people on the ground," said Senator Lindsey Graham on January 8. "The United States has particular concern about the ultimate security status of an independent Greenland," Alexander Gray, chief executive officer of American Global Strategies LLC, an international strategic advisory firm, told RFE/RL. "An independent Greenland would likely follow the path of other lightly populated, developing states and quickly have its sovereignty compromised by China and Russia, directly threatening US security interests," added Gray, who served on the National Security Council (NSC) during Trump's first term in the White House. A Distraction From Ukraine? As Washington has increased the pressure, Western leaders have responded that it is threatening to cause massive harm to NATO itself. Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney warned at Davos on January 20 of a "rupture" to the US-led international system. French President Emmanuel Macron has suggested the focus on Greenland risks undermining cooperation on countries such as Iran and Syria. Other NATO leaders have warned it is diverting attention from Ukraine. "The situation with respect to Greenland is absolutely distracting time, attention, and resources from Ukraine. I mean, we have European allies talking about deploying forces to Greenland...I'd rather you send those to Eastern Europe," said the FDD's Bowman. But another analyst, Daniel Hegedus from the German Marshall Fund think tank, said Ukraine may actually stand to benefit. "This lack of attention does less harm for Ukraine than the intense attention and pushing the leadership of Ukraine into the direction of a very seriously unfavorable peace settlement or cease-fire with Russia," he told RFE/RL. Trump mentioned Ukraine briefly in his speech, before returning to the subject of stalled US-led peace efforts during a question-and-answer session afterwards. "What happens is, oftentimes we'll have a deal with Russia, Russia's set, and [Ukrainian] President [Volodymyr] Zelenskyy will not do it. You saw that when he was in the Oval Office. I was not happy. And then, we'll have President Zelenskyy wants to make a deal and [Russian President Vladimir] Putin doesn't want to make a deal," Trump said. It emerged later that, before leaving Davos on January 22 to return to Washington, Trump will meet Zelenskyy. Trump's envoy Steve Witkoff, meanwhile, would head for Moscow for talks with Putin the same day. Also on January 22, Trump is set to formally announce the first charter of the Board of Peace, a body for resolving international conflicts with a $1 billion price tag for permanent membership. Invitations to join have been sent to both Moscow and Kyiv. It was not immediately clear if either country would join, although Putin-ally Belarus has said it will take part in the project. China has declined its invitation, while Israel, Hungary, and Azerbaijan are among those signing up so far. Source: https://www.rferl.org/a/trump-davos-greenland- nato-ukraine-analysis/33656008.html Copyright (c) 2026. RFE/RL, Inc. Reprinted with the permission of Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, 1201 Connecticut Ave., N.W. Washington DC 20036. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Labor Disputes, Security Fears Test China's Economic Projects In Tajikistan By RFE/RL's Tajik Service and Merhat Sharipzhan January 21, 2026 Summary Tajik workers at the Chinese-run Zarafshon gold mine near Panjakent protested low wages and large pay gaps with their Chinese counterparts. The company rejected a salary increase, offering small holiday bonuses instead, which workers say will not do enough to ease their financial strain. Recent deadly attacks on Chinese workers near the Afghan border have raised security concerns and could threaten future Chinese investment in Tajikistan. After years of deepening engagement through mining operations, road construction, and industrial projects, Chinese companies operating in Tajikistan now face challenges from the communities that host their investments. One of the latest such developments took place in November at the Zarafshon gold mine near Tajikistan's northwestern city of Panjakent, one of the country's largest Chinese-run mining ventures. Frustrated by stagnant wages and an alleged salary disparity with their Chinese peers, a group of Tajik workers petitioned the Chinese management for a pay raise, saying "the current salary of employees does not correspond" to rising consumer prices. For miners laboring in one of the country's most demanding sectors, the letter was a rare act of collective protest. Two workers at the company told RFE/RL on condition of anonymity to avoid reprisals from management that the miners' monthly salaries ranged from 2,000 sominis to 4,000 somonis -- around $215 to $430. Their demands to increase wages and bridge any pay gap between local Tajik and Chinese employees were rejected by the Zarafshon mining company. "The work is physically demanding and risky," one miner said. "We expect salaries to reflect that." The dispute underscores deepening disagreements at Zarafshon, a joint venture that has become symbolic of both opportunity and alleged inequality brought by the flagship Chinese investment that started operating in 2007. The Zarafshon gold mining complex, which accounts for 70 percent of the gold mined in Tajikistan, is particularly important for the Tajik government and was praised by Tajik President Emomali Rahmon when he visited in July 2023. Other Tajik employees who spoke to RFE/RL complain about the lack of transparency in management practices and claim there are wide pay disparities between Tajik and Chinese employees. In a written reply sent in response to the workers' petition that was reviewed by RFE/RL, the company's director said they declined to raise the base pay for workers but announced a modest bonus system that is set to start in 2026. That structure would give workers an extra 200 somoni ($21) for birthdays, 300 ($32) for the New Year holiday, and 500 ($53) for Norouz, the Persian New Year observed on the spring equinox and celebrated across Central Asia. Workers who spoke to RFE/RL say the offer will do little satisfy their frustrations and that tensions are rising at the mining venture between local Tajik staff and Chinese employees. "Bonuses are nice," one miner said, "but they are not enough to change our lives month-to-month." Tajikistan's Ministry of Labor, Migration, and Employment told RFE/RL in a letter that it imposed fines in 2024 following a visit of Zarafshon's operation "on the head of the HR department and the deputy head of labor protection and safety," but said that their review did not find any "wage differences between local and foreign workers." Frustration Inside a Flagship Chinese Project China is Tajikistan's largest foreign investor, with more than $5.1 billion in capital invested since 2007 and over 700 Chinese-backed enterprises operating across the country. In 2024, Tajik lawmakers ratified a bilateral investment protection agreement with China that offered stronger legal guarantees and protections for Chinese investors. But Chinese-supported projects have faced challenges. A 2024 investigation by RFE/RLrevealed environmental damage in several Chinese-run mining and agricultural zones, including Zarafshon, where residents have cited health problems ranging from premature births to respiratory illness, accusations that were immediately denied by Tajik officials. The controversies exposed growing mistrust between local communities and the institutions responsible for overseeing foreign projects amid evidence that Chinese firms are harvesting the Central Asian country's mineral wealth while receiving impunity and preferential treatment from the Tajik government. At the Zarafshon mine, tensions are rising between Tajik workers and the Chinese nationals who occupy mostly technical and administrative posts and whose wages are undisclosed. A Tajik worker at the Zarafshon mining company told RFE/RL on condition of anonymity that after complaints challenging alleged low wages and the disparity between Tajik and Chinese salaries, the company split the accounting department into two, one taking care of Chinese workers and another one involved in calculating the salaries of Tajik workers. He says a former employees in the company's financial department informed him about a substantial wage disparity between Tajik and Chinese employees. "For example, if a Tajik engineer earns 5,000 to 7,000 somonis, a Chinese engineer earns up to 30,000-40,000 somonis," he said. "Chinese staff work eight hours each day, while some Tajik workers have to labor up to 11 hours a day in order to earn more, even though an eight-hour workday is the standard." RFE/RL has not been able to independently verify the alleged wage disparity, and the Zarafshon mining company did not reply to requests for comment. The accusations and lack of transparency add to a widespread public perception in Tajikistan that Chinese workers receive preferential treatment -- tensions that have boiled up at times requiring Tajik authorities to respond. In 2025, under pressure from the Panjakent city prosecutor's office, Zarafshon converted more than 1,000 Tajik contract workers to permanent status. On January 13, Panjakent's prosecutor, in an official response to RFE/RL, acknowledged "various labor rights violations" at the gold mining site, but provided no specifics. Violence And Investment Uncertainty In Tajikistan Labor unrest has also coincided with rising security concerns surrounding Chinese projects nationwide. Since December 1, work on a major section of the Dushanbe-China highway has been suspended following two deadly attacks near the Afghan border. On November 30, gunmen killed two Chinese workers and wounded two others at a construction site in the Darvoz district, prompting Beijing to urge Dushanbe to strengthen protection for its citizens. Tajik officials blamed an "armed terrorist group" for the incident but offered no further identification. Days earlier, three Chinese nationals were killed in another attack on a gold-washing site in the Shamsiddin Shohin district. Tajik officials said both attacks came from the Afghan side. The assaults have sent a chill among Chinese contractors along the strategic Dushanbe-Kulma route, a 109-kilometer highway that goes through remote terrain toward China's Xinjiang region. Rahmon celebrated the route's partial opening in mid-2025, but construction delays and new security precautions now cast doubt on its completion this year. The wave of instability could jeopardize relations with Beijing and make Chinese firms less willing to operate and invest, which could also have an impact on Tajikistan's economy. Chinese firms now dominate Tajikistan's gold sector, accounting for 84 percent of national output, according to official data. Beyond Zarafshon, other major ventures include the Pokrud gold deposit located south of Dushanbe and the $136 million TALCO Gold mine in the northern district of Aini developed with China's Tibet Huayu Mining. The sector's expansion has helped one of the poorest countries in the Central Asian region to boost exports but also deepened its dependence on Chinese investments. For workers at Zarafshon, meanwhile, rising costs and stagnant wages remain a big problem. "We do the hardest work. But the rewards go elsewhere," a Tajik worker at the gold mine told RFE/RL. Source: https://www.rferl.org/a/labor-disputes-security-fears- china-tajikistan-zarafshon-gold-mines/33647889.html Copyright (c) 2026. RFE/RL, Inc. Reprinted with the permission of Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, 1201 Connecticut Ave., N.W. Washington DC 20036. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Defence Minister's meeting with the Ambassador of Germany to Bucharest Romania - Ministry of National Defence Press release No. 11 21.01.2026 On Tuesday, January 20th, Minister of National Defence, Radu Miruta, had a meeting with the Ambassador of the Federal Republic of Germany to Romania, H.E. Angela Ganninger, at the Ministry of National Defence headquarters. The talks focused on bilateral defence cooperation, both in the context of security challenges in the region, as well as at European and global levels, including from the perspective of ensuring strategic stability in the Black Sea area. At the same time, collaboration within NATO and the European Union was addressed, with emphasis on preparations for the high-level meetings that will take place in the coming period. The main aspects of technical-military and industrial cooperation were also reviewed, in the context of the implementation of the SAFE financial instrument, dedicated to strengthening the European Union's defence capacity and its strategic profile until 2030. Minister of National Defence expressed his gratitude for Germany's significant contribution to strengthening the deterrence and defence posture on the eastern flank, especially through its active involvement in the enhanced Air Policing Mission conducted in Romania. Last but not least, both parties' availability to enhance bilateral relations and cooperation in support of regional and Euro-Atlantic security was reconfirmed. The Press Office NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Ranking Member Shaheen Pushes for Congress to Prohibit Taking Greenland by Passing the NATO Unity Protection Act Senate Foreign Relations Committee January 21, 2026 WASHINGTON -- Today, U.S. Senator Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH), Ranking Member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, released a statement after President Trump's repeated threats to acquire Greenland during his speech at the World Economic Forum in Davos. "I urge my colleagues in Congress immediately upon the return of the Senate to take up my bipartisan legislation with Senator Murkowski to prevent the Administration from acquiring the territory of a NATO ally without their its consent. Congress must codify an ironclad prohibition against a military intervention. The weeks of threats against Denmark and NATO allies by the Trump Administration have done lasting damage to the transatlantic alliance, and Americans will pay the cost of a rupture to our longstanding economic ties with Europe. Congress must step in and pass my legislation to stop any funds being used to continue a senseless campaign that only benefits Russia and China." ### NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Senators Shaheen, Booker Seek Information on Sanctioned RSF Commander's Presence in the United States Senate Foreign Relations Committee January 21, 2026 WASHINGTON -- Yesterday, U.S. Senators Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH), Ranking Member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, and Cory Booker (D-NJ) sent a letter to U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi, Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent requesting information about the conditions under which a sanctioned senior commander of Sudan's Rapid Support Forces (RSF) was present in Washington, D.C. in October 2025. In the letter, the Senators underscore the Committee's condemnation of the RSF's campaign of atrocities in Sudan and question why an individual sanctioned for those atrocities would be allowed into the United States. While the Senators support diplomatic efforts to broker a humanitarian ceasefire and bring an end to the conflict in Sudan, sanctioned individuals should not be allowed to continue business as usual in our nation's capital. "We write to request information about the conditions under which Algoney Hamdan Dagalo Musa (Algoney) was in Washington, D.C. in October 2025," wrote the Senators. "As you know, Algoney is a senior commander of Sudan's Rapid Support Forces (RSF), procurement director of the militia, and brother of RSF leader Mohamed Hamdan Dagalo (commonly referred to as "Hemedti"). The Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) sanctioned Algoney in 2024 for his leadership role in the RSF's campaign of atrocities and forced displacement across Sudan." "The State Department hosted a meeting on October 24, of 'the Quad', composed of the United States, Egypt, Saudi Arabia, and the United Arab Emirates (UAE)," continued the Senators. "This meeting featured direct engagements with representatives from the RSF and Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) aimed at advancing peace and stability in Sudan. We understand that Algoney was in Washington, D.C. to represent the RSF at these Quad talks. However, Algoney reportedly remained in Washington after the conclusion of the Quad discussions, notably while the RSF was systematically massacring civilians in El Fasher, West Darfur, and preventing their escape from the city. Photos of Algoney socializing at the Waldorf Astoria, a five-star hotel, and walking on the streets of Washington, D.C. circulated social media from October 26-28." "Unless authorized, OFAC's regulations generally prohibit a designated person from engaging with the U.S. economy," concluded the Senators. "Given the breadth and severity of OFAC restrictions, we request information about the conditions under which Algoney entered the United States, whether those conditions were adhered to, and any accommodations made to facilitate his stay in Washington." Full text of the letters to U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi, Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent are available HERE, HERE and HERE and provided below. We write to request information about the conditions under which Algoney Hamdan Dagalo Musa (Algoney) was in Washington, D.C. in October 2025. As you know, Algoney is a senior commander of Sudan's Rapid Support Forces (RSF), procurement director of the militia, and brother of RSF leader Mohamed Hamdan Dagalo (commonly referred to as "Hemedti"). The Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) sanctioned Algoney in 2024 for his leadership role in the RSF's campaign of atrocities and forced displacement across Sudan. His brother, Hemedti, was likewise designated by the Treasury Department in January 2025 for directing those same operations. The Senate Foreign Relations Committee has been unequivocal in its condemnation of the ongoing, catastrophic war in Sudan and the genocide being perpetrated by the RSF in Darfur. As such, we respectfully request additional information on Algoney's stay in the United States. The State Department hosted a meeting on October 24, of "the Quad", composed of the United States, Egypt, Saudi Arabia, and the United Arab Emirates (UAE). This meeting featured direct engagements with representatives from the RSF and Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) aimed at advancing peace and stability in Sudan. We understand that Algony was in Washington, D.C. to represent the RSF at these Quad talks. However, Algoney reportedly remained in Washington after the conclusion of the Quad discussions, notably while the RSF was systematically massacring civilians in El Fasher, West Darfur, and preventing their escape from the city. Photos of Algoney socializing at the Waldorf Astoria, a five-star hotel, and walking on the streets of Washington, D.C. circulated social media from October 26-28. Unless authorized, OFAC's regulations generally prohibit a designated person from engaging with the U.S. economy. Given the breadth and severity of OFAC restrictions, we request information about the conditions under which Algoney entered the United States, whether those conditions were adhered to, and any accommodations made to facilitate his stay in Washington. Specific questions include: In addition to property blocking sanctions, is Algoney subject to any visa restrictions under Section 7031(c) of the Department of State, Foreign Operations, and Related Programs Appropriations Act, 2021, or Section 212(a)(3)(C) of the Immigration and Nationality Act? If so, was a visa issued to Algoney specifically to facilitate his participation in the Quad Meeting as a representative of the RSF? If not for that purpose, then for what purpose? Were any waivers, licenses or exemptions issued to facilitate Algoney's entrance and stay in the United States? Please detail which agency, under what statutory authority, and covering what time period, any waivers, licenses or exemptions were issued. Did OFAC, the Department of State, the Department of Homeland Security, or any other federal agency authorize, pay for or approve his travel, lodging, or activities in the United States? Who covered the costs, including lodging, meals and incidentals, associated with Algoney's visit to the United States? Did any foreign government facilitate Algoney's visit in any way? Does Algoney maintain a valid visa to enter the United States at a future date? Was Algoney's presence in Washington, D.C., including his stay at the Waldorf Astoria and other public activities, consistent with the restrictions applicable to individuals designated under OFAC sanctions? Were any U.S. persons or entities, such as hotels, transportation services, financial institutions, or intermediaries, involved in transactions that may constitute prohibited dealings with a sanctioned individual? We appreciate your time and attention to this oversight matter and look forward to an expedient response to these questions. ### NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Spanish Government condemns latest attack on UNRWA facilities in East Jerusalem Spain - Ministry of Foreign Affairs PRESS STATEMENT 010 21 Jan 26 The Spanish Government condemns the latest attack on UNRWA facilities, carried out this morning in East Jerusalem by Israeli security forces in an unacceptable violation of the privileges and immunities of the United Nations agency. The Spanish Government categorically rejects this violation, in which bulldozers are demolishing buildings belonging to the United Nations agency that are protected by international law immunities, under the supervision of the Israeli authorities. Spain once again urges the Israeli Government to respect international law and obligations, including the advisory opinions of the International Court of Justice, which form part of the order that all members of the United Nations have established. In light of these serious events, the Government reiterates its support for UNRWA and its essential mandate to meet the needs of the Palestinian refugee population until a just and lasting peace is achieved in the region. -NON OFFICIAL TRANSLATION- NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Trump Says He Respects Greenland, Denmark, But Only US Can Defend Island Sputnik News 20260121 DAVOS (Sputnik) - US President Donald Trump said on Wednesday that he respects Greenland and Denmark tremendously, but only the United States can defend the Arctic island. "I have tremendous respect for both the people of Greenland and the people of Denmark. But every NATO ally has an obligation to be able to defend their own territory. And the fact is, no nation or a group of nations is in any position to be able to secure Greenland, other than the United States," Trump said in an address to the World Economic Forum. The United States "stupidly" gave back Greenland to Denmark after the end of the Second World War, Trump said, adding that the Danish authorities are now being ungrateful to Washington. "After the [Second World] War we gave Greenland back to Denmark. How stupid were we to do that? But we did it ... But how ungrateful are they now?," Trump said at the World Economic Forum. Trump said that he is pursuing swift negotiations regarding Greenland. "I'm seeking immediate negotiations to once again discuss the acquisition of Greenland," Trump said during his speech at the World Economic Forum in Davos. President Trump said on Wednesday that Russia and Ukraine want to make a deal, and added that later in the day, he would be talking to Volodymyr Zelensky. "I'm dealing with President Putin, and he wants to make a deal, I believe. I'm dealing with President Zelenskyy, and I think he wants to make a deal. I'm meeting him today. He might be in the audience right now," Trump said at the World Economic Forum. In a critique of the transatlantic bloc, the 47th US president lashed out at NATO's treatment of the United States, casting doubt on whether the alliance would come to America's rescue. Furthermore, Trump pointed out that the US contributes disproportionately more to the alliance than it gets back. "The United States is treated very unfairly by NATO ... We give so much and we get so little in return," Trump said at the World Economic Forum. Trump said that Europe was not heading in the right direction for a better future and had taken a significant turn for the worse. "I love Europe, and I want to see Europe go good, but it's not heading in the right direction," Trump maintained. The continent has undergone such a radical metamorphosis that certain places are no longer recognizable, he pointed out. Trump voiced his disappointment over Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney's speech at the World Economic Forum (WEF) and urged him to remember that "Canada lives because of the United States". "We are building a Golden Dome that's going to, just by its very nature ... be defending Canada," Trump said at the WEF. "Canada gets a lot of freebies from us ... They should be grateful also, but they're not. I watched your Prime Minister, yesterday. He wasn't so grateful. They should be grateful to us ... Canada lives because of the United States. Remember that, Mark [Carney], the next time you make your statements." While offering Europe and the UK his best wishes, Donald Trump criticized their methods of utilizing domestic energy sources available to them. "I want Europe to do great. I want UK to do great, sitting on one of the greatest energy sources in the world, and they don't use it. In fact, their electricity prices have soared 139% ... there are windmills all over Europe," Trump emphasized at the World Economic Forum. Sputnik NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address France Pushes for NATO Drills in Greenland, Pledges to Join - Reports Sputnik News 20260121 MOSCOW (Sputnik) - France has called for NATO exercises to be held in Greenland and has expressed its readiness to join the drills, according to media reports Wednesday, citing the French president's office. Last week, the Danish Defense Ministry said that it would beef up its military presence in Greenland with its NATO allies by stepping up exercises in the region. A group of 13 German service personnel has already arrived in Greenland for a reconnaissance mission, joining personnel from several other European countries who sent military staff to the Arctic island. Sputnik NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Most EU Countries Reject US Invitation to Join Board of Peace for Gaza Sputnik News 20260121 MOSCOW (Sputnik) - Most EU countries have rejected the US invitation to join the Board of Peace for Gaza, media reported on Wednesday, citing people familiar with the situation. Many in Europe fear that the initiative proposed by the United States is intended to sideline the UN as a forum for resolving global conflicts, the newspaper reported. Concerns of the EU countries were also caused by the fact that the invitation to join the Board of Peace had been also extended to Russian PResident Vladimir Putin. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu announced that he accepts the proposal of US President Donald Trump and will become a member of the Board of Peace for Gaza , the prime minister's office said on Wednesday. "Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has announced that he has accepted the invitation of US President Donald Trump and will join the Board of Peace, which will include world leaders," the office said in a statement. In mid-November, the UN Security Council approved a US-proposed resolution in support of US President Donald Trump's comprehensive plan to settle the situation in Gaza. Thirteen of the council's 15 members voted in favor, while Russia and China abstained. The US plan for Gaza proposes temporary international administration of the enclave and the creation of a peace council chaired by Trump, as well as the deployment of an international stabilization force. Sputnik NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Pentagon to Scale Back US Participation in Several NATO Advisory Groups - Reports Sputnik News 20260121 The US Department of War plans to cut back US participation in several NATO advisory groups, The Washington Post newspaper reported, citing sources. The upcoming move is expected to affect roughly 200 military personnel and will notably curtail US involvement in the alliance's 30 Centers of Excellence, which provide specialized warfare training to NATO forces, the report stated on Tuesday. According to the report, instead of a one-time withdrawal, the Pentagon will not fill positions once tours of duty expire. US involvement in the centers' activities, however, will continue on a reduced scale. A Danish colony until 1953, Greenland has remained part of Denmark after gaining autonomy in 2009, with the ability to self-govern and set its own domestic policy. US President Donald Trump has repeatedly asserted that the Arctic island should become part of the United States. Danish and Greenlandic officials have warned Washington against seizing the island, noting that they expect their territorial integrity to be respected. Sputnik NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Sanctioning Hamas and Covert Funding Networks US Department of State Press Statement Thomas "Tommy" Pigott, Principal Deputy Spokesperson January 21, 2026 Today, the United States is taking action to expose and disrupt covert Hamas funding networks and their operations. Hamas continues to show a callous disregard for the lives of Gazans. The United States is sanctioning six Gaza-based organizations that claim to provide medical care to Palestinian civilians but in fact, support the Izz al-Din al-Qassam Brigades, Hamas's military wing. These Gaza-based organizations and the Popular Conference for Palestinians Abroad are being designated for secretly supporting the Izz al-Din al-Qassam Brigades and engaging in deceptive fundraising, which undermines aid to civilians. The United States will use all available tools to expose and disrupt the deceitful practices that these entities and individuals use to raise funds. We are committed to ensuring that humanitarian aid can be delivered by reliable and safe organizations and supporting stabilization efforts for the Gaza Strip. Today's action is being taken pursuant to the counterterrorism authority, Executive Order (E.O.) 13224, as amended. On October 31, 2001, the U.S. Department of State designated Hamas pursuant to E.O. 13224 for having committed, or posing a significant risk of committing, acts of terrorism that threaten the security of U.S. nationals, or the national security, foreign policy, or economy of the United States. Hamas is also designated as Foreign Terrorist Organizations pursuant to section 219 of the Immigration and Nationality Act. For more information on today's action, please see the Department of the Treasury's press releases. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Treasury Exposes and Disrupts Hamas's Covert Support Network U.S. Department of the Treasury January 21, 2026 WASHINGTON -- Today, the Department of the Treasury's Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) is taking action against Hamas's covert links to nonprofit organizations. Hamas's insidious practice of operating behind civilian organizations endangers Palestinians and undermines efforts to build a lasting and prosperous peace. By exposing organizations with secret ties to Hamas, OFAC is strengthening the international community's ability to support legitimate Palestinian interests. "Hamas continues to show a callous disregard for the welfare of the Palestinian people," said Under Secretary of the Treasury for Terrorism and Financial Intelligence John K. Hurley. "The Trump Administration will not look the other way while Hamas leadership and enablers exploit the financial system to fund terrorist operations." Today's action targets six Gaza-based organizations that claim to provide medical care to Palestinian civilians but in fact support the military wing of Hamas, the Izz al-Din al-Qassam Brigades. The fraudulent nature of these organizations, which use deception to raise funds from international donors, demonstrates Hamas's perfidy and deprives innocent civilians of the medical care they need. OFAC is also targeting the Popular Conference for Palestinians Abroad, an organization that purports to broadly represent Palestinians but is clandestinely controlled by Hamas and has been a key backer of several so-called flotillas attempting to access Gaza. Today's action is being taken pursuant to the counterterrorism authority, Executive Order (E.O.) 13224, as amended. On October 31, 2001, the U.S. Department of State designated Hamas pursuant to E.O. 13224 for having committed, or posing a significant risk of committing, acts of terrorism that threaten the security of U.S. nationals, or the national security, foreign policy, or economy of the United States. Hamas is also designated as Foreign Terrorist Organizations pursuant to section 219 of the Immigration and Nationality Act. HAMAS-AFFILIATED ORGANIZATIONS IN GAZA Hamas secretly operates a network of organizations in Gaza that purport to be independent but are subordinate to the Hamas military wing. Similar to the U.S.-designated al-Weam Charitable Society, these groups hide their affiliation to Hamas in order to raise funds from overseas donors, many of whom are unwitting, and thereby divert donations intended for the Palestinian people to enable Hamas's terrorism. As part of Treasury's commitment to safeguard the humanitarian sector and enable the continued provision of humanitarian aid to the Palestinian people, OFAC is exposing six Gaza-based organizations that support Hamas's military wing, as revealed by documentary evidence taken from Hamas offices after October 7, 2023. The purpose of these designations is to help reduce the overall terrorist financing risk in the charitable non-profit organization sector by informing the public about financing networks operating in support of terrorist organizations and activities. This action aims to enable the continued provision of humanitarian aid to Gazasubject to OFAC's humanitarian general licensesby raising the public's awareness of these Hamas-controlled organizations, especially as the international community begins to build up a stabilization force for the Gaza Strip. The Gaza-based organizations Waed Society Gaza (Waed Society), Al-Nur Society Gaza (Al-Nur), Qawafil Society Gaza (Qawafil), Al-Falah Society Gaza (Al-Falah), Merciful Hands Gaza (Merciful Hands), and Al-Salameh Society Gaza (Al-Salameh) are organized by, and integrated into, Hamas's military wing. Members of Hamas's internal security forces are formally assigned to work in these so-called charities, specifically the Waed Society and Al-Salameh. Documentary evidence captured from Hamas also shows that Hamas provides its fighters with detailed instructions on how they must navigate the group's own bureaucracy to formally request their affiliated organizations provide their fighters with specific projects and services. The Waed Society receives funding directly from Hamas to execute Hamas projects in Gaza and is tasked by the Hamas military wing to advocate on behalf of Hamas fighters that have been captured fighting the Israeli Defense Forces. It also receives direct funding from Hamas to conduct specific projects. Al-Nur and Al-Falah are similarly funded and have directly transferred money to the Hamas military wing. For example, funds from Al-Nur are used to pay Hamas military wing members as well as provide services to Hamas fighters. Al-Falah similarly provides monetary support to Hamas. This includes direct financial transfers to the Hamas military wing, including over $2.5 million in funding that Al-Falah transferred to Hamas over a recent three-year period. Merciful Hands is similarly controlled by the Hamas military wing. Some Merciful Hands funding, as well as specific instructions for its operations, are provided by the Hamas military wing. Al-Salameh, and Qawafil are similarly tasked and funded by Hamas to provide support for the organization and complete projects that are intended to benefit Hamas. The Waed Society Gaza, Al-Nur Society Gaza, Qawafil Society Gaza and Al-Falah Society Gaza are being designated pursuant to E.O. 13224, as amended, for having materially assisted, sponsored, or provided financial, material, or technological support for, or goods or services to or in support of, Hamas. Merciful Hands Gaza and Al-Salameh Society Gaza are being designated pursuant to E.O. 13224, as amended, for being owned, controlled, or directed by, or for having acted or purported to act for or on behalf of, directly or indirectly, Hamas. HAMAS FRONT ORGANIZED FLOTILLAS The Popular Conference for Palestinians Abroad (PCPA) is a main organizer of recent flotillas that sought to break Israel's security cordon around Gaza. The PCPA is also clandestinely acting on behalf of Hamas. As a front organization for Hamas, it operates in accordance with Hamas directives and was established and managed by operatives from Hamas's Bureau of International Relations, which at the time was led by Mussa Abu Marzouq. On April 19, 2018, Ismail Haniyeh signed a letter addressed to the Hamas Political Bureau that outlined his guidance for how Hamas should take control over the Palestinian political process. One element of this plan was to escalate violence against Israel. The other was to boost Hamas's international outreach, with the PCPA identified as a core part of this strategy. However, Hamas's links to the PCPA predated Haniyeh's letter. Hamas also helped fund the inaugural meeting of the PCPA and provided $100,000 for this conference. The goal of the PCPA, and the reason behind Hamas's secret links to the organization, is for Hamas to clandestinely expand its political influence through a group that purportedly represents the interests of the Palestinian diaspora. The PCPA does not only work with, and in support of, Hamasit operates at Hamas's behest. The strategic and tactical aspects of the PCPA's activity are controlled by Hamas through the placement of key Hamas-linked figures in major positions throughout the organization. Two examples of this are Adel Saad al-Din Hassan Doughman (Doughman) and Majid Khalil Moussa al-Zeer (al-Zeer), both of whom were designated by Treasury on October 7, 2024. Doughman, who held a key position in the PCPA, is one of the most prominent Hamas representatives in Europe and led Hamas's efforts in Austria. Al-Zeer, who served as the Chairman and President of the PCPA, as well as other senior positions, plays a central role in Hamas's fundraising efforts in Europe and was the senior Hamas representative in Germany. OFAC is also designating Zaher Khaled Hassan Birawi (Birawi), a United Kingdom-based individual who is a senior official of the PCPA, a member of its General Secretariat, and one of the founding members of the PCPA. The General Secretariat of the PCPA provides executive leadership and direction to the PCPA. Members of the PCPA General Secretariat, as well as those in leadership positions of the PCPA's various regional bodies, especially any U.S. persons, should be aware of the sanctions risk they are incurring by any continued support to this now-sanctioned organization. Members of the Palestinian diaspora have a right to gather and advocate for their legitimate political concerns. Members of the international community, including U.S. persons, also have a right to support these efforts. Consistent with OFAC FAQ 1190, OFAC does not sanction persons for their engagement in activities subject to U.S. constitutional protection, such as protected speech or religious practice or for their religious beliefs. It is Hamas, through their insidious strategy of hiding behind civilians while using terrorism to attempt to achieve political aims, both in Gaza and abroad, that puts innocent lives at risk and undermines international efforts to build a lasting peace and a prosperous future for all Palestinians. The Popular Conference for Palestinians Abroad is being designated pursuant to E.O. 13224, as amended, for being owned, controlled, or directed by, or for having acted or purported to act for or on behalf of, directly or indirectly, Hamas. Zaher Khaled Hassan Birawi is being designated pursuant to E.O. 13224, as amended, for having materially assisted, sponsored, or provided financial, material, or technological support for, or goods or services to or in support of, the PCPA. SANCTIONS IMPLICATIONS As a result of today's action, all property and interests in property of the designated or blocked persons described above that are in the United States or in the possession or control of U.S. persons are blocked and must be reported to OFAC. In addition, any entities that are owned, directly or indirectly, individually or in the aggregate, 50 percent or more by one or more blocked persons are also blocked. Unless authorized by a general or specific license issued by OFAC, or exempt, OFAC's regulations generally prohibit all transactions by U.S. persons or within (or transiting) the United States that involve any property or interests in property of blocked persons. Violations of U.S. sanctions may result in the imposition of civil or criminal penalties on U.S. and foreign persons. OFAC may impose civil penalties for sanctions violations on a strict liability basis. OFAC's Economic Sanctions Enforcement Guidelines provide more information regarding OFAC's enforcement of U.S. economic sanctions. In addition, financial institutions and other persons may risk exposure to sanctions for engaging in certain transactions or activities involving designated or otherwise blocked persons. The prohibitions include the making of any contribution or provision of funds, goods, or services by, to, or for the benefit of any designated or blocked person, or the receipt of any contribution or provision of funds, goods, or services from any such person. Individuals located in the U.S. or abroad who provide information about sanctions violations to Treasury's Financial Crimes Enforcement Network (FinCEN) whistleblower incentive program may be eligible for awards if the information they provide leads to a successful enforcement action that results in monetary penalties exceeding $1,000,000. FinCEN is currently accepting whistleblower tips. Furthermore, engaging in certain transactions involving the persons designated today may risk the imposition of secondary sanctions on participating foreign financial institutions. OFAC can prohibit or impose strict conditions on opening or maintaining, in the United States, a correspondent account or a payable-through account of a foreign financial institution that knowingly conducts or facilitates any significant transaction on behalf of a person who is designated pursuant to the relevant authority. The power and integrity of OFAC sanctions derive not only from OFAC's ability to designate and add persons to the Specially Designated Nationals and Blocked Persons List (SDN List), but also from its willingness to remove persons from the SDN List consistent with the law. The ultimate goal of sanctions is not to punish, but to bring about a positive change in behavior. For information concerning the process for seeking removal from an OFAC list, including the SDN List, or to submit a request, please refer to OFAC's guidance on Filing a Petition for Removal from an OFAC List. Click here for more information on the persons designated today. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Joint Statement by the Foreign Ministers of Turkiye, Egypt, Indonesia, Jordan, Pakistan, Qatar, Saudi Arabia and UAE, 21 January 2026 Republic of Turkey Ministry of Foreign Affairs The Foreign Ministers of the Republic of Turkiye, the Arab Republic of Egypt, the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan, the Republic of Indonesia, the Islamic Republic of Pakistan, the State of Qatar, the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates welcome the invitation extended to their leaders by the President of the United States of America, Donald J. Trump, to join the Board of Peace. The Ministers announce their countries' shared decision to join the Board of Peace. Each country will sign the joining documents according to their respective relevant legal and other necessary procedures, including the Arab Republic of Egypt, the Islamic Republic of Pakistan, and the United Arab Emirates, that have already announced to join. The Ministers reiterate their countries' support for the peace efforts led by President Trump, and reaffirm their countries' commitment to supporting the implementation of the mission of the Board of Peace as a transitional administration, as set out in the Comprehensive Plan to End the Gaza Conflict and endorsed by United Nations Security Council Resolution 2803, aimed at consolidating a permanent ceasefire, supporting the reconstruction of Gaza, and advancing a just and lasting peace grounded in the Palestinian right to self-determination and statehood in accordance with international law, thereby paving the way for security and stability for all countries and peoples of the region. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Museveni praises growing Uganda-China ties Xinhua) 10:58, January 22, 2026 KAMPALA, Jan. 21 (Xinhua) -- Ugandan President Yoweri Museveni said on Wednesday that relations with China have continued to strengthen in recent years and that China's zero-tariff policy for African countries would help boost Uganda's exports to the world's second-largest economy. In a statement issued by the State House, Museveni expressed appreciation for the steady strengthening of relations between the two countries. Museveni, who secured a seventh five-year term after winning the country's presidential election last week, welcomed the Chinese government's decision to remove tariffs on Ugandan exports, saying that the move would significantly support Uganda's trade growth and wealth-creation efforts. "Regarding Chinese investments in Uganda, we have been supporting Chinese interests for a long time, and we shall continue to do so," Museveni noted. The president made the remarks while bidding farewell to outgoing Chinese Ambassador to Uganda Zhang Lizhong, who expressed gratitude to Museveni and the Ugandan government for the support and cooperation extended to him throughout his tenure. (Web editor: Zhang Kaiwei, Liang Jun) Joint Statement Following the Positive Agenda Joint Action Plan Meeting Between the Deputy Foreign Ministers of the Republic of Turkiye and the Hellenic Republic, 21 January 2026 Republic of Turkey Ministry of Foreign Affairs The Deputy Ministers of Foreign Affairs of Turkiye and Greece, Ambassador Mehmet Kemal Bozay and Mr. Theoharis Theoharis, respectively, met on January 21, 2026 in Athens for the ninth round of discussions on the Joint Action Plan within the scope of the Positive Agenda between the two countries. The Deputy Ministers welcomed the progress achieved to date within the scope of the Positive Agenda Joint Action Plan, which includes projects of common interest in the sectors of trade, economy, customs, tourism, transportation, innovation, science and technology, agriculture, environmental protection, social security and health, youth, education and sports, as well as business cooperation. It was noted that in addition to the successfully concluded items, satisfactory progress has also been achieved on several other items on the list. The Joint Action Plan meetings also set the framework for the finalization of the relevant agreements that could be signed during the next High-Level Cooperation Council (HLCC). To further enhance the significant progress made in this dynamic and ongoing process, the two sides agreed to deepen the existing areas of cooperation and to explore the possibility of adding new agenda items within the context of the Positive Agenda. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address The United Kingdom remains deeply concerned by the expansion and intensification of violence in Haiti: UK statement at the UN Security Council Speech Statement by Ambassador Archie Young, UK Deputy Permanent Representative to the UN, at the UN Security Council meeting on Haiti. From: Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office and Archie Young CMG Published 21 January 2026 Location: United Nations, New York Delivered on: 21 January 2026 (Transcript of the speech, exactly as it was delivered) The United Kingdom remains deeply concerned by the expansion and intensification of violence in Haiti. Children are the victims at the forefront of this crisis. They face extreme food insecurity, are unable to access education and are increasing exposed to forced recruitment by gangs as well as sexual exploitation. We condemn the actions of armed gangs which brings daily suffering to the Haitian population. The UK looks forward to the deployment of the UN Support Office to Haiti and the rapid scaling up of security support. We thank the troop contributing countries for their pledges and look forward to their deployment to bolster personnel on the ground. We hope the Gang Suppression Force will restore the rule of law, protect civilians and create the conditions necessary for credible elections. President, enhanced security efforts alone will not be enough to address Haiti's broader governance problems. We call on all Haitian political actors to put their differences aside and to work together in good faith. This includes efforts to tackle corruption and ensure accountability. We echo the SecretaryGeneral's call for all parties to act swiftly and responsibly on transitional governance arrangements. An agreement should be reached without delay given the expiry of the mandate of the Transitional Presidential Council next month. We welcome the Haitian government's efforts to agree an electoral timetable this year which sets out a path to much needed elections. A return to constitutional order through free, fair and safe elections is essential for Haiti's future. The UK fully supports the continuation of BINUH's vital work. This includes its efforts to facilitate inclusive political dialogue, strengthen democratic institutions, and promoting respect for human rights. It is vital the Mission has the capacity and capability to address women and child protection issues given these vulnerable groups bear the brunt of gang related violence, including sexual violence. We also expect the Mission to continue its work in promoting the full equal, meaningful and safe participation of women in political processes. The United Kingdom will continue to work constructively with all Council members towards a timely adoption of BINUH's mandate this month. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Daily Press Briefing by the Office of the Spokesperson for the Secretary-General Department of Public Information . News and Media Division . New York 21 January 2026 The following is a near-verbatim transcript of today's briefing by Farhan Haq, Deputy Spokesman for the Secretary-General. ** Syria Good afternoon, everyone. I've been asked about the situation in Syria, and I can say that we are closely monitoring developments on the ground and reiterate that the protection of civilians must remain paramount. All parties have a clear responsibility to avoid actions that could endanger civilians, inflame tensions, or trigger further displacement. The Secretary-General urges all parties to sustain de-escalation, uphold the ceasefire and implement the details of the latest understanding without delay and in a spirit of compromise, with full respect for the rights, safety and dignity of all communities. ** Occupied Palestinian Territory As Gaza remains in the grip of winter, another hypothermia-related child death was reported by the Gaza Ministry of Health yesterday. This brings the total number of reported deaths linked to cold weather this season to nine. Once again, the Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) calls for urgent solutions, including allowing the entry of batteries, solar panels and other energy sources, that are needed to set up communal heating spaces. Our food security partners have reached more 860,000 people so far this month with food packages distributed through 50 distribution points across the Strip. We also continue to provide some 1.6 million hot meals every day to people in need. On the health front, our partners vaccinated 3,000 children in the first two days of the 10-day vaccination campaign which began on Sunday. The campaign aims to further protect children under three from vaccine-preventable diseases. And on Monday, the World Health Organization (WHO) facilitated another medical evacuation of 21 patients and their companions to Jordan. However, more than 18,000 patients, including 4,000 children, remain on the list of people to be evacuated to receive medical care that is not available in Gaza. WHO called on more Member States to accept these patients and for the re-opening of the medical evacuation route to the West Bank, including East Jerusalem. Most of the people in Gaza continue to be uprooted, with some 1.3 million people estimated to be spread over 970 sites across Gaza the majority of them in the cities of Deir al Balah and Khan Younis. Our partners working on water, sanitation and hygiene warn that approximately 70 per cent of Gaza City's total water production is currently disrupted, due to challenges related to repairing the Mekorot water supply line. The line comes from Israel into Gaza and is located east of the so-called "Yellow Line", where Israeli forces remain deployed. An assessment of the pipeline identified the need for a section of steel pipe that is not available in Gaza and is restricted from entry into Gaza as a "dual-use" item. A request that one of our partners made to repair the Safa well, another important water source for Gaza City, was denied by the Israeli authorities on Sunday. Our partners are looking at alternative water sources and scaling up water trucking to ensure continued access to safe water. OCHA reiterates the need for expanded access, including to critical items deemed as "dual use", without which improvements to the most basic of services such as access to safe water will not happen. ** Deputy Secretary-General's Travels The Deputy Secretary-General, Amina Mohammed, is departing Switzerland later today and will continue to Copenhagen, Denmark, where she will deliver a keynote address to the Danish Parliament on the topic "The Future of the United Nations in a Turbulent World". During her visit, she will also meet with senior Government officials on the UNDenmark partnership and discuss pathways to advance the 2030 Agenda. Following her visit to Copenhagen, the Deputy Secretary-General will also travel to France, where she will participate in the International Day of Education event organized by the United Nations Scientific, Educational and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) on Friday, 23 January. The event is focused on the role of youth in co-creating education systems that are inclusive, resilient, and fit for the future and will build on the outcomes of the Transforming Education Summit, highlighting the importance of youth leadership and partnership in advancing education reform. During her visit, she will also meet with senior Government officials and other stakeholders. The Deputy Secretary-General will return to New York on Monday, 26 January. ** Sudan Turning to Sudan, OCHA is concerned by the plight of thousands of civilians who are cut off from aid in North Darfur State. With active conflict continuing to escalate in the north-western part of the state, local partners report that at least 2,000 families are trapped in the valleys of Wadi Qardi and Um Saad in the localities of Karnoi and Um Baru. OCHA tells us that fighting in the area is severely restricting humanitarian access. Meanwhile, conflict continues to displace people in the Kordofan region. The International Organization for Migration (IOM) estimates that nearly 3,000 people were displaced between 15 and 19 January from the cities of Kadugli and Dilling in South Kordofan State, with some moving towards locations in White Nile State. Both cities remain under siege amid ongoing fighting, as extreme food insecurity deepens, with famine conditions confirmed in Kadugli and similarly extreme levels of food insecurity in Dilling. OCHA calls on all parties to immediately protect civilians and civilian infrastructure, and ensure rapid, safe, unhindered and sustained humanitarian access to people in need. In White Nile State, local authorities and our humanitarian partners report that nearly 2,000 people have arrived in the city of Kosti over the past three weeks, placing more pressure on already overstretched services. Since late October, some 19,500 people have fled Kordofan to White Nile State. We and our partners are scaling up assistance, including food rations, tents, mattresses, tarpaulins, and water, sanitation and hygiene services, but critical gaps remain due to funding shortages. OCHA appeals for additional funding so humanitarian partners can scale up life-saving assistance. This year, we and our partners in Sudan are calling for $2.9 billion under the Humanitarian Needs and Response Plan to reach more than 20 million people in need. ** Mozambique From Mozambique, our colleagues at OCHA tell us that the number of people impacted by the floods has climbed to 600,000. Many of the temporary centres sheltering some of those people affected by the floods are overcrowded and in need of humanitarian support. According to authorities, nearly 80,000 homes have been destroyed, damaged or flooded in Mozambique. Meanwhile, in the province of Gaza, one of the worst impacted areas, the Massingir Dam remains above its safe operating level and continues to release very high volumes of water to reduce pressure on the structure. This is contributing to elevated river levels and ongoing downstream flooding, including in areas already affected. We, along with our humanitarian partners continue to support the Government-led response efforts, which are focused on evacuations and also on improving accommodation centres. Our partners are providing water, sanitation and hygiene support, among other aid. For its part, the UN Children's Fund (UNICEF) warned that flooding is not just destroying homes, schools, health centres and roads in Mozambique. It is turning unsafe water, disease outbreaks and malnutrition into a deadly threat for children. UNICEF warned that waterborne diseases and malnutrition are a lethal combination. UNICEF pointed out that even before the recent floods, almost 4 out of every 10 children in Mozambique were experiencing chronic malnutrition. Renewed disruption to food supplies, health services and care practices now threaten to push the most vulnerable into a dangerous spiral, including risks of acute and severe acute malnutrition. ** Bangladesh Turning to Bangladesh, IOM has launched an emergency response following a large fire in a Rohingya refugee camp in Cox's Bazar early yesterday morning. Relief efforts are being carried out in close coordination with the Government of Bangladesh, as well as humanitarian partners, to ensure timely and appropriate assistance to impacted families. The fire affected more than 2,000 refugees, causing extensive damage to shelters and facilities. No fatalities or major injuries have been reported. Beyond the destruction of shelters, the fire also destabilized the hillside terrain on which much of the camp is constructed, damaging drainage networks and public infrastructure, and increasing risks related to access and erosion. After the fire was contained, IOM deployed health teams and ambulances to support those with minor injuries and worked with partners to rapidly assess damage and immediate needs. In coordination with the World Food Programme (WFP), emergency food assistance was provided, while affected households received emergency shelter assistance, blankets, floor mats, mosquito nets and portable solar lights. ** Security Council This afternoon, the Security Council will meet for an open session on Haiti. The head of our political mission in Haiti, Carlos Ruiz Massieu, as well as the Acting Executive Director of the UN Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC), John Brandolino, will brief council members. And tomorrow, you will hear more from Mr. Massieu, as he will be here as our guest to discuss the situation in Haiti. ** Global Foreign Investment The latest report by UN Trade and Development (UNCTAD), based on preliminary estimates, shows that global foreign direct investment (FDI) rose 14 per cent in 2025 to $1.6 trillion. But, the report highlights that the headline growth overstates the recovery. A large share of the increase came from flows through global financial centres, while real investment activity remained fragile. UNCTAD notes that investment patterns point to widening divides between developed and developing economies, growing concentration in a small number of strategic sectors, and persistent weakness in projects most critical for sustainable development. There is more information online. ** Honour Roll We say thank you to our friends in Copenhagen, Tallinn, Helsinki, Oslo and Bern for their full payments to the Regular Budget. The payments from Denmark, Estonia, Finland, Norway and Switzerland bring the number of Member States on the Honour Roll to 22. That's it for me. Dezhi? ** Questions and Answers Question : Yesterday, when asking whether the Board of Peace will replace UN, President [Donald J.] Trump, well, first said "might". Secondly, he showed his disappointment at the UN. Does the Secretary-General have any reaction or response to President Trump's disappointment on the UN? Deputy Spokesman : I think that we've made clear that we are doing our utmost to improve how the UN works, so it works well for all stakeholders. The Secretary-General, as you know, has launched the UN80 Initiative, designed to increase the efficiency of the UN. Beyond that, what I can tell you is that the UN will continue to relentlessly work for peace, in full respect for international law and with a comprehensive effort to address the root causes of conflict to ensure sustainable solutions for peace. Question : Speaking of disappointment, has the US paid any of the contribution since last time we asked the question? Deputy Spokesman : No. Yes, please? Question : Hi, Farhan. Mitch McCann, Feature Story News. Thank you for the briefing. Further to Dezhi's question about the Board of Peace. In the last couple of hours, a number of countries have reportedly accepted Donald Trump's invitation. Is the Secretary-General of the view that the Board of Peace itself undermines the work of the United Nations? Is this a competitive, competing organization? Deputy Spokesman : There have been any number of organizations regional organizations, defence alliances and others that have coexisted with the UN over the 80 years that the UN's been in existence. It's too early to tell what the Board of Peace will look like. One thing we are aware of is, of course, that the Security Council has endorsed the Board of Peace strictly for the work on Gaza, and of course, we continue to abide by that resolution. What happens in the future, we'll have to see. Pam? Question : Thank you, Farhan. A little follow-up on Davos. The Secretary-General is not there because he's ill, correct? Deputy Spokesman : Yes. He's had a cold. He's working from home today. Question : Okay. And will he be or will his office deliver any kind of written text? The PGA [President of the General Assembly] spoke. Is there any other response to President Trump's speech? I mean, on Greenland, for example? Deputy Spokesman : On the question of Greenland, we've made clear that we expect all nations to abide by the United Nations Charter, and that, of course, enshrines respect for the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Member States, and we will continue to push for that. On the speeches that are being made by different leaders, of course, as with what happens here at the General Assembly in September, world leaders are welcome to make their own speeches. The positions of the UN are made by different officials. Question : Right. I just, as a follow-up, is if it's possible or if anything else comes out today on this I mean, people would like to hear what the Secretary-General's viewing on some of these issues that are coming up. Is there any possibility that you'd send out a readout or anything? Deputy Spokesman : No. We don't do readouts of other people's speeches. Correspondent : No, I mean, just comments. Deputy Spokesman : Nor do we do comments on other people's speeches. Question : But the PGA does? Deputy Spokesman : As situations arise, we deal with those situations. We don't deal with the rhetoric of different peoples around the world; we have our own positions, and we make clear what those positions are. Namo? Question : Thank you, Farhan. With credible reports of abuses against Kurdish communities and escapes from ISIS detention facilities and the potential for growing regional instability, my question is: What the Secretary-General thinks of this apparent global inaction on Syria, and at what point does inaction itself become a failure of responsibility? Thank you. Deputy Spokesman : Well, you weren't here for the start of the briefing, but I read out about the developments in Syria and stated the Secretary-General's view that the protection of civilians must remain paramount. And he went on to say that all parties have a clear responsibility to avoid actions that could endanger civilians, inflame tensions or trigger further displacement. And certainly, our expectation is that all parties, including the parties in the region, will work to make sure that the current understandings are upheld and that the rights, safety and dignity of all the populations are protected. Question : But, like, for example, we haven't seen a single Member State to call for a UN Security Council session. There's this lack of global attention or inaction on Syria. What does he think of that? Deputy Spokesman : Well, the Security Council has repeatedly dealt with the situation in Syria. It's up to them to determine what further to do with the situation in the northern part. We certainly will continue to draw attention to matters, including through the work of our special envoy. Alex, and then Farnoush. Question : Thanks, Farhan. I have a quick follow-up on Deputy Secretary-General's trip to Denmark. Could you please share some details on whether it's somehow connected to the recent developments with Greenland? Deputy Spokesman : I think I've said that the reason she's going to Denmark is to discuss the UN-Denmark partnership, the 2030 Agenda, and to deliver a keynote address to the Danish Parliament. So, those are the topics at hand. Question : Will she mention Greenland somehow? Deputy Spokesman : If we have anything further to say about Greenland beyond what we've said so far, we'll let you know at that point. Yes, Farnoush? Question : Thanks, Farhan. You mentioned at the top about all of the efforts and initiatives that the UN is undertaking, UN80, the reforms. We recently saw the news about UNDP [United Nations Development Programme] moving its offices to Spain and other countries because of, you know, efficiency reasons and expenses. Is the UN doing anything beyond that initiative as of right now as it's seeing a number of countries Turkiye, Egypt, Jordan, Pakistan, Qatar joining this Board of Peace? And how worried is the Secretary-General and top UN officials about this effort and the fact that it's picking up speed? Deputy Spokesman : Well, the Board of Peace, in terms of what it will do, remains amorphous. We'll have to see what it does. We are sticking to our programme. The UN has its Charter, has a lengthy history of achievements, and a large set of mandated tasks that we have to do constantly, and we're going about with those. We're not worried about any other grouping. And indeed, many of the groupings that we've had to deal with, whether they're regional entities, subregional organizations, or defence alliances, are ones that that we have had relationships with as they proceed. In terms of the other things the UN is doing, in terms of working with Member States, I mean, obviously, we continue to reach out to all Member States, to all different bodies. The Secretary-General will next month be visiting the African Union. He visits the European Union, different members' governments, and we continue to work with them in efforts to build up our partnerships, but also to advance our collective work for the betterment of the world's people. Benny? Question : Just before I start, can you break down... you said that Denmark paid its dues. Can you break down the autonomous Greenland's part in this? Deputy Spokesman : That's a very odd question. For what it's worth, Denmark's dues came out to... I believe, what is it, $17 million of payment. Question : Okay. On Syria, so, ISIS as far as I remember is deemed by the Security Council and the UN as a terrorist organization. Does the office of terror... what is it called, anti-terrorism office here, is it following that those reports that hundreds, maybe thousands or dozens maybe hundreds, actually managed to escape from prisons and could reinstate ISIS? Deputy Spokesman : We expressed our concerns at yesterday's briefing about the situation involving the potential escape of detainees, and we certainly hope the authorities will follow-up and make sure that the situation of those who have escaped is dealt with. Question : I'm not interested so much in concerns, but whether there's any data, any information that anybody at the UN, including the Office of Counter-Terrorism, has gathered on that situation? Deputy Spokesman : Well, we have data. If you look at the reports of the Office on Counterterrorism, there is data about different groups, including those affiliated with Da'esh. As you know, there was a body dealing with Da'esh at the United Nations, and we continue to follow all of the activities of affiliated groups. Correspondent : I'm talking about those events over the last few days, not about past reports. Deputy Spokesman : Well, we'll need to evaluate what happens. Obviously, this is a fluid situation on the ground, and we'll have to see. It's hard to say at this stage how many people have escaped, but certainly we will be in touch with the Syrian authorities and try to get further information about what the nature of this situation has been. Question : And the Kurdish authorities? Deputy Spokesman : And with the SDF [Syrian Democratic Forces] and others. Yes, please. Yeah. Question : Farhan, the US military just announced that they'll be moving 7,000 IS [Islamic State] fighters from Syria to Iraq. Is this something that worries the UN? Deputy Spokesman : Well, we certainly hope that the situation, and any movement of troops to Iraq is coordinated with the Government of Iraq and with full respect for the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Iraq. I believe that there's someone online, who is Abu Sufian. No? Okay. Have a good afternoon, everyone. Question : I'm here. I'm here, Farhan. Deputy Spokesman : Okay. All right. What's your question? Question : Okay. By way of UN report, we've seen that at least 14,000, the number of people were killed in July uprising in Bangladesh. And a Bangladeshi court has ruled against former Prime Minister, Sheikh Hasina, for ordering the killings. She's now in India, and India is not handling her over to the Bangladeshi Government. Will the UN Secretary-General call on Indian Government to hand over her to ensure justice? Deputy Spokesman : We believe that there should be accountability. And as you know, as you just pointed out, it was the United Nations itself that provided the factual information about the killings that took place. Obviously, there needs to be accountability, but it needs to be done with basic respects for international law. Have a good afternoon. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Cold kills another infant in Gaza as West Bank displacement intensifies 21 January 2026 - Another child in the Gaza Strip has died from hypothermia as winter weather continues to whip the enclave, the UN said on Wednesday, citing information from the health authorities. The baby girl - just three months old - was found frozen to death on Tuesday morning at her home in Gaza City, according to media reports. This brings the total number of cold weather deaths this season to nine, UN Deputy Spokesperson Farhan Haq told journalists in New York. In response, the UN aid coordination office OCHA, again called for urgent solutions "including allowing the entry of batteries, solar panels and other energy sources that are needed to set up communal heating spaces." Thousands receive food aid Humanitarians continue to support Gaza's population more than three months into the ceasefire and amid ongoing aid restrictions. Since the start of the year, more than 860,000 people have received food packages distributed through 50 distribution points, said Mr. Haq. "We also continue to provide some 1.6 million hot meals every day to people in need," he added. Vaccines, medical evacuations UN partners working in the health sector have vaccinated 3,000 children under three in the first two days of a 10-day routine immunization campaign that began on Sunday. The aim is to further protect young lives from vaccine-preventable diseases. The World Health Organization (WHO) also facilitated another medical evacuation on Monday, transporting 21 patients and their companions to Jordan. However, more than 18,000 patients, including 4,000 children, are still waiting to be evacuated to receive medical care that is not available in Gaza. WHO called for more UN Member States to accept these patients and for the re-opening of the medical evacuation route to the West Bank, including East Jerusalem. West Bank update In other developments: OCHA published its latest West Bank monthly update, which showed that 14 Palestinians were killed and 231 injured there in December. Israeli settlers also carried out 132 attacks during this period that resulted in casualties or property damage, while 246 Palestinians were displaced. Seven Israelis were wounded in the territory, though no fatalities were recorded. The report further documented record-high displacement and settler attacks in 2025. Ammunition, airstrikes and attacks There were 240 Palestinian fatalities, including 55 children, in the West Bank last year. Most deaths, 225, were at the hands of Israeli forces, and nine by settlers. The remainder were by either of these groups. Three quarters of all fatalities (181) were caused by live ammunition and 17 per cent (41) occurred in air strikes. Use of other weapons accounted for 18 deaths, or eight per cent. Last year, 3,982 Palestinians were injured, including nearly 700 children, and 37,135 were displaced. Attacks by Israeli settlers numbered 1,828 resulting in casualties and/or property damage. During the same period, 17 Israelis were killed, including a child and six force members. Another 101 Israelis suffered injuries, with five children and 32 soldiers among them. Palestinian neighborhoods 'systematically emptied' Separately, the UN human rights office, OHCHR, warned that the pace of forced displacement of Palestinians in East Jerusalem is accelerating and historic neighbourhoods are being "systematically emptied". Ajith Sunghay, head of OHCHR's office in the Occupied Palestinian Territory (OPT), highlighted demolitions and evictions in Silwan neighbourhood south of the Old City. Settlements have also expanded unlawfully in the heart of three of the most significant Palestinian urban centres: East Jerusalem, Ramallah and Bethlehem. Homes taken over "Evictions typically result in the transfer of Palestinian homes to Israeli settlers, further eroding Palestinian presence immediately adjacent to the Old City," he told UN News. "Some homes are taken over by Israeli authorities to make way for settlement projects which currently include a tourist park with a cable car line that would connect West Jerusalem to the Old City." A ruling by the International Court of Justice (ICJ) in July 2024 found that Israel's forced evictions and extensive house demolitions ran contrary to the prohibition of forcible transfer under the Fourth Geneva Convention. The ICJ - the UN's principal judicial body - called on Israel to bring to an end its unlawful presence in the Occupied Palestinian Territory. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Haiti crisis at breaking point as gangs tighten grip ahead of transition deadline By Vibhu Mishra 21 January 2026 - Haiti's deepening crisis has reached a critical phase, senior UN officials warned the Security Council on Wednesday, as powerful gangs continue to expand their control across the country. With the political transition set to expire on 7 February, officials cautioned that escalating violence, entrenched criminal networks and mounting humanitarian needs risk pushing Haiti further into instability unless security and political efforts are urgently sustained. Carlos Ruiz-Massieu, the head of the UN Integrated Office in Haiti (BINUH), said the country had entered a "critical phase" in efforts to restore democratic institutions, calling on Haitian actors to contain political fragmentation and prioritise elections. "Let us be clear: the country no longer has time to waste on prolonged internal struggles," he said, stressing the need for continuity of governance arrangements beyond the February deadline and sustained coordination to bring the transition to a close. Mr. Ruiz-Massieu said recent steps toward elections were encouraging, citing the adoption of an electoral decree on 1 December and the publication of an calendar for going to the polls later that month. New provisions on voter registration, overseas voter participation and women's representation could boost inclusivity if effectively implemented, he added. Security still fragile But progress on the political front is unfolding against a deteriorating security landscape. Gangs continue to mount coordinated attacks, control key economic corridors and agricultural regions, and force mass displacement - stretching police and humanitarian capacity to the limit. The murder rate in 2025 rose by nearly 20 per cent compared with 2024, he said. Some security gains have been made. Police operations, supported by the Security Council-authorised Gang Suppression Force, have reopened roads in parts of Port-au-Prince and the Artibonite Department, while state presence around the capital's Champ de Mars has been gradually restored. Mr. Ruiz-Massieu cautioned, however, that such gains remain fragile and risk reversal without sustained pressure and basic service delivery. Gangs reorganising and restructuring The evolving violence reflects a deeper transformation of Haiti's criminal landscape, according to John Brandolino, Acting Executive Director of the UN Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC). Once-fragmented gangs have reorganised into structured criminal networks with defined leadership, territorial ambitions and diversified revenue streams. Coalitions such as Viv Ansanm have coordinated large-scale attacks on police, prisons and economic infrastructure, he said, allowing gangs to consolidate control over Port-au-Prince and strategic corridors into Artibonite and Plateau Central. Extortion has become a core revenue source, alongside trafficking in drugs, weapons and ammunition. Implications for regional security UNODC said the crisis is increasingly regional, driven by adaptive arms-trafficking routes, illicit financial flows and corruption. Despite enforcement efforts, traffickers continue to shift routes through weaker ports and offshore transfers to evade embargo controls. Both officials underscored the importance of the transition of the Multinational Security Support Mission into the Gang Suppression Force and the establishment of the UN Support Office in Haiti, calling for predictable funding and continued international backing. Beyond security, the humanitarian situation remains dire. Around 6.4 million people require assistance, with Haiti among the least-funded humanitarian responses globally. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Haiti explained: why the crisis is deepening and what comes next By Daniel Dickinson 21 January 2026 - Haiti is entering 2026 facing one of the most complex crises in its recent history. On Wednesday, the Caribbean island nation will be high on the international agenda as the UN Security Council holds its first meeting of the year to update ambassadors. Armed gangs control large swathes of territory and violence has spread well beyond the capital Port-au-Prince, weakening the State's ability to govern and deliver basic services. Presidential elections have not been held for a decade and humanitarian needs have reached unprecedented levels with millions struggling to meet their daily needs. "Violence has intensified and expanded geographically, exacerbating food insecurity and instability, as transitional governance arrangements near expiry and overdue elections remain urgent," according to the UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres in his latest report on the UN's political mission in Haiti, BINUH. Why Haiti matters The crisis in Haiti is multifaceted. Gang control of urban zones and transport routes and increased activity in rural areas, are disrupting livelihoods and humanitarian access nationwide. Extreme weather events, including hurricanes, floods and droughts as well as devastating earthquakes have worsened the humanitarian situation and complicated the ability of the country to recover and develop. With more than one in ten Haitians having fled their homes due to violence, the country risks prolonged instability. The displacement of people - including through migration - could heighten pressures on neighbouring countries and undermine regional economic and security stability. "Gang violence affects communities nationwide, with particularly devastating consequences for women, children and youth, undermining the country's social fabric over the long term." Antonio Guterres. Security: Gangs, violence and the suppression force Armed violence intensified in the last three months of 2025 and remains the dominant force shaping the daily life of Haitians. Gangs with heavy weapons, use sexual violence and kidnappings for ransom to assert control, while police operations - sometimes supported by the UN Security Council-backed Gang Suppression Force - have pushed back in limited areas opening some key routes. Despite some tactical gains, killings remain widespread, especially outside the capital, and reprisals against civilians continue. "More than 8,100 killings were documented nationwide between January and November 2025. ...Reports also indicated an increase in the trafficking in children, with children continuing to be used by gangs in multiple roles, including in violent attacks." Antonio Guterres Politics: a transition facing a deadline Haiti's political transition is approaching a critical deadline. An electoral decree and calendar now point to the hope that elections will take place which will see the installation of an elected President and Legislature in early 2027. "The immediate need is for national stakeholder groups to find common ground on ways to end the transition and accelerate preparations for elections." Antonio Guterres Some observers question whether elections are feasible without significant security improvements. Humanitarian needs: a system stretched to breaking point Humanitarian conditions continue to deteriorate in Haiti as funding shortfalls are limiting the reach of life-saving assistance. Food insecurity affects 5.7 million people, with nearly two million at emergency levels. Displacement has doubled to 1.4 million people in one year. Many health facilities are barely functioning and cholera has remained a "major public health concern." In the 2024-25 school year1,600 schools closed due to violence with 1.5 million lacking access to education. "The humanitarian response remains severely under-resourced, and humanitarian access is increasingly challenging." Antonio Guterres Human rights: Women and girls at extreme risk Women and girls are among the most affected by Haiti's crisis. Gangs routinely use sexual violence, including collective rape, as a tool of intimidation and control. The reporting of incidents remains low due to fear and stigma, and access to survivor-centred services is limited, compounding trauma and impunity. "I remain deeply concerned by the continued use of sexual violence by gangs, which terrorizes communities and systematically undermines the safety and dignity of women and girls." Antonio Guterres What is the way forward? The UN has continually emphasized that restoring security is essential, but it is not enough on its own. Without progress on governance, justice, accountability and social services, especially for youth, any security gains will be fragile. National consensus and sustained international support are critical to breaking the cycle of violence and instability. "Security enforcement efforts alone will not be enough to address the broader governance problems that triggered the gang violence crisis." Antonio Guterres How is the UN responding? The United Nations is supporting Haiti in a number of ways. The political mission, BINUH provides human rights monitoring and electoral assistance and supports police development. UN Humanitarian agencies deliver life-saving aid to the most vulnerable communities. The Humanitarian Response Plan for 2026 is seeking $880 million to assist 4.2 million people. Preparations are under way for the recently-established United Nations Support Office in Haiti (UNSOH) to provide logistical and operational backing to the Gang Suppression Force. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address At the edge of war: the Central African Republic's uneasy border with Sudan By Alban Mendes de Leon and Fabrice Robinet 21 January 2026 - The land flattens on the approach to Birao, a cut-off town ringed by savannah in the far north of the Central African Republic, where roads dissolve into dust and motorcycles vastly outnumber cars. Less than two hours' drive from the Sudanese border, this is the edge of a fractured country still piecing itself back together, while absorbing the shockwaves of a neighbouring conflict. Since the beginning of the civil war in Sudan, tens of thousands of refugees have fled south to the area, carrying with them not only what they could salvage from their homes, but the woes of the world's largest humanitarian crisis. On a sweltering November day, at the start of the dry season, a tall woman was standing in the shade of a tree near a plastic tent, amid the thatched-roof houses of Korsi, a neighbourhood hastily built on the outskirts of Birao to absorb the tide of new arrivals. Nafeesa, as we'll call her, said she came from a city outside Khartoum, the Sudanese capital, more than 700 miles away. When the war broke out there, in April 2023, she and her family headed west to South Darfur, where her husband opened a small shop in a local market. One day, armed men burst into the store and threatened him. He managed to escape, but they followed him home. That same night, the men returned to finish the job. "They came to us at 1:30am," Nafeesa, whose real name has been changed to protect her safety, recalled in Arabic. "He got out of bed, but they shot him three times." She and her nine-year-old son were tied up as her husband lay dying. "They took our money, our belongings, and our clothes." She spoke in a soft voice, her hands covered with dainty henna patterns, but her face was hardened by grief and exile. After the killing, she decided to leave Sudan with the rest of her family. The war spreads The events that forever altered the course of Nafeesa's life were put into motion by the rupture between Sudan's army chief, general Abdel Fattah al-Burhan, and the paramilitary commander of the Rapid Support Forces (RSF), Mohamed Hamdan Daglo. Nearly three years later, what started as a power struggle in Khartoum metastasized into nationwide bloodshed. Roughly 30 million people have been pushed into humanitarian distress and more than 10 million have fled their homes, half of them children. Since the summer of 2024, famine has taken hold in various parts of the country. In late October 2025, the war reached a new threshold. After more than 500 days of siege, the RSF seized the city of El Fasher, the last government stronghold in North Darfur. Hundreds of thousands were displaced. Reports emerged of ethnically targeted massacres against non-Arab communities, mass rape, and summary executions. For many Darfuris, the violence felt chillingly familiar. The RSF trace their origins to the Janjaweed militias that fought alongside the Sudanese government during the Darfur war, more than two decades ago. That conflict pitted them against the region's non-Arab communities - the Fur, the Masalit, and the Zaghawa. Just weeks before the fall of El Fasher, the International Criminal Court (ICC) convicted Ali Muhammad Ali Abd-Al Rahman - a former Janjaweed leader known as Ali Kushay - of war crimes and crimes against humanity committed in West Darfur in 2003 and 2004. Prosecutors warned that similar atrocities were again being committed today, often with rape used as a weapon of war. Borders without barriers Like Nafeesa, many people living in Darfur cross south into the Central African Republic, where they arrive in Am Dafock, a border town sitting on marshy ground two hours away from Birao. There is no fence, no physical barrier marking the end of one country and the beginning of the other - just a dried-up riverbed spanning the invisible line drawn on maps. People move back and forth freely - by foot, riding donkeys, or with cattle. Armed men cross, too. In the words of Ramadan Abdel Kader, the area's deputy governor, the town's recent history has been defined by fear. "The population was plunged into absolute distress," he told us. Men suspected to be RSF fighters crossed the border to loot, kill, and terrorize villagers. At the height of the violence, he said, up to 11,500 people - a large chunk of the Am Dafock population - fled their homes. They found shelter near the local base of MINUSCA, the UN peacekeeping mission in the Central African Republic (CAR), which set up camp in the border town after the Sudanese crisis erupted. "Were it not for its presence here, this locality would have been overrun by armed elements from Sudan," the official said. Born of another war The reason for MINUSCA's presence in the country has scarcely anything to do with its embattled neighbour. The mission was deployed in 2014 as the Central African Republic descended into chaos, following the seizure of power by the Seleka, a predominantly Muslim coalition that overthrew the president at the time, Francois Bozize. What followed was a spiral of violence in which Seleka fighters and mostly Christian militias known as the anti-Balaka committed widespread abuses against civilians - killings, looting, sexual violence - plunging the country into cycles of communal bloodshed. The violence pushed the country to the brink of collapse. Entire communities were displaced along religious lines. State authority evaporated outside the capital, Bangui. More than a decade later, the Seleka has disbanded, two presidential elections have been held, and a 2019 peace agreement brought 14 armed groups into a political process. Still, large swaths of the country remain unstable, and the UN mission maintains more than 13,000 troops across the landlocked nation. In the north, where seasonal flooding regularly cuts the region off from the rest of the country, MINUSCA forces patrol vast distances with limited infrastructure. "We are operating in an environment where the State is still rebuilding itself," said Major Obed Mumba, the commander of the roughly 200 peacekeepers stationed in Am Dafock. "Our role here is first and foremost to protect civilians and to prevent any escalation that could destabilize the region further." With the Sudanese war raging at its doorstep, the mission has taken on a renewed sense of urgency. For Major Sifamwelwa Akalaluka, who leads MINUSCA's community engagement efforts in Birao, its work is inseparable from the human terrain. "We engage with the population every day," she said. "We listen to women, to youth, to community leaders. This helps us understand where tensions are rising before they turn into violence." When land becomes contested Those tensions, local officials and residents told us, were not driven solely by the presence of armed men crossing over from Sudan. They were also fuelled by competition over land and resources between Sudanese pastoralists, fleeing violence with their herds, and Central African farmers, whose fields lie along transhumance routes - traditional paths used to move livestock in search of pasture. As Sudanese breeders have moved south with their cattle, crops were trampled, wells were strained, and disputes multiplied. What had once been seasonal friction hardened into confrontation, exacerbated by rumours, opportunistic traders, and the circulation of weapons in an already volatile border zone. Suspected RSF fighters and other armed elements exploited the chaos. By September, according to Tamia Celestin, one of Am Dafock's community leaders, the situation had reached a breaking point. "We recorded numerous cases of rape," he said. "Young girls, some of them 12 or 13 years old, were attacked. People were afraid to go to their fields." That month, local leaders registered six bodies shot dead and nearly 26 cases of sexual violence. Talking under the trees In response, MINUSCA facilitated a cross-border dialogue, bringing together Central African and Sudanese communities who had been living face to face - and increasingly at odds. From October 27 to 30, 2025, more than a hundred delegates gathered in Am Dafock, sitting on benches and mats beneath trees, in the absence of any formal meeting hall. Religious leaders, village chiefs, traders, members of transhumance committees, and nine women faced one another across the dusty clearing. "The dialogue was not easy," Mr. Celestin, who took part in the three-day talks, recalled. "But people spoke." Grievances were aired. Accusations exchanged. Boundaries redrawn - not on maps, but in words. "In the end, we agreed that the violence had to stop," he said A local agreement was signed just two weeks before our arrival. It banned the carrying of weapons, reaffirmed transhumance corridors for cattle, and committed both sides to resolving disputes through local committees rather than force. Since then, residents said, the gunfire had mostly quieted. The fields were being cultivated again. The border remained open - but calmer. Am Dafock was buzzing with preparations for the upcoming general elections, as residents were preparing to choose an official mayor for the first time in decades - municipal polls had not been held in the country since 1988. On December 28, Central Africans voted overwhelmingly for the incumbent president, Faustin-Archange Touadera, securing him a third term. For many residents there, the ballot carried the promise of normalcy, or at least continuity, in a region long starved of both. That promise, however, remains elusive. Waiting for somewhere safe Back in 2023, Nafeesa did not stay long in Am Dafock, where she'd arrived with her family after the murder of her husband. Like thousands of other Sudanese seeking distance from the war, the insecurity at the border pushed her onward to Birao. There, the UN refugee agency (UNHCR) worked with local authorities to register new arrivals and organize their survival. "They gave us blankets and mattresses for my children," she said. "They gave me the house where I am staying now." Today, more than 27,000 Sudanese refugees live in and around Birao, an overwhelming number for a town that claims fewer than 18,000 residents of its own. "This is a rather unusual situation," acknowledged Jofroy Fabrice Sanguebe-Nadji, a UNHCR staff member on the ground. "The arrival of a significant number of refugees has put a strain on resources that were already limited in the first place." Water and basic services have been stretched thin. In Korsi, the refugee neighbourhood where Nafeesa now lives, humanitarian organisations have carved out a delicate ecosystem. "This is not a camp," explained Mr. Sanguebe-Nadji. "It is an out-of-camp approach, where refugees live alongside the host community." Still, most residents remain dependent on humanitarian aid - food assistance, shelter materials, access to healthcare, and schooling - even as financial support dwindles. "The main difficulty today," the official added, "is the critical lack of funding." Nafeesa survives by selling whatever small goods she can find. "They gave me a small table for the market," she said. "Thank God, life is okay." Safety, though, is still an issue. While the agreement signed in Am Dafock has eased intercommunal tensions along the border, violence still creeps in - including here, in Birao. "The other day, they killed a boy in the camp," Nafeesa said. "People entered at night and killed the boy. We couldn't find him." Returning to Sudan with her mother and children is out of the question, at least for now; the war has swallowed her past. But staying in Birao is not guaranteed either. Without lasting protection and steady work, displacement remains a temporary fix, not a long-term solution. And so Nafeesa waits. Like the uneasy calm along the Sudanese border, her refuge endures - for now. Humanitarian emergency After nearly three years of war, humanitarian funding for Sudan has fallen sharply. The World Food Program has warned that food aid could run out in March. In 2026, the UN is asking for $2.9 billion to provide lifesaving aid to 20 million people in Sudan, with another $500 million to help 2.6 million Sudanese refugees who have fled the country. The UN is also asking for $264 million to help 1.3 million people in the Central African Republic. Donate Donations to these agencies help sustain food distributions, shelter, health services, and protection for civilians affected by the conflict: World Food Programme (WFP) - Emergency food assistance in Sudan and CAR UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) - Protection and support for refugees and displaced people from Sudan Further reading For more information, please consult our coverage on Sudan's civil war, the Central African Republic, and peacekeeping operations, as well as the official websites of MINUSCA and UN peacekeeping. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Today's top news: Occupied Palestinian Territory, Sudan, Mozambique UNOCHA - United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs Occupied Palestinian Territory UN, partners call for entry of more critical items to boost humanitarian response OCHA reports that the UN and its partners continue ramping up their work to respond to people's immense needs. Humanitarian partners leading on improving food security have reached more 860,000 people so far this month with food packages distributed through 50 distribution points across the Strip. They also continue to provide some 1.6 million hot meals every day to people in need. The UN and its partners vaccinated 3,000 children in the first two days of the 10-day vaccination campaign which began on Sunday. The campaign aims to further protect children under three from vaccine-preventable diseases. And on Monday, the World Health Organization (WHO) facilitated another medical evacuation of 21 patients and their companions to Jordan. However, more than 18,000 patients, including 4,000 children, remain on the list of people to be evacuated to receive medical care that is not available in Gaza. WHO called on more Member States to accept these patients and for the re-opening of the medical evacuation route to the West Bank, including East Jerusalem. Meanwhile, as Gaza remains in the grip of winter, another hypothermia-related child death was reported by the Ministry of Health yesterday. This brings the total number of reported deaths linked to cold weather this season to nine. Once again, OCHA calls for urgent solutions, including allowing the entry of batteries, solar panels and other energy sources that are needed to set up communal heating spaces. Most of the people in Gaza continue to be uprooted, with some 1.3 million people estimated to be spread over 970 sites across Gaza, according to humanitarian partners who manage sites for displaced people. The majority of these sites are located in the cities of Deir al Balah and Khan Younis. The UN and its partners working on water, sanitation and hygiene warn that approximately 70 per cent of Gaza city's total water production is currently disrupted due to challenges related to repairing the Mekorot water supply line. The line comes from Israel into Gaza and is located east of the so-called "Yellow Line," where Israeli forces remain deployed. An assessment of the pipeline identified the need for a 30metre section of 24inch steel pipe that is not available in Gaza and is restricted from entry into Gaza as a "dual use" item. A request that one of the UN's partners made to repair the Safa well, another important water source for Gaza city, was denied by the Israeli authorities on Sunday. The UN and its partners are looking at alternative water sources and scaling up water trucking to ensure continued access to safe water. OCHA reiterates the need for expanded access, including to critical items deemed as "dual use" without which improvements to the most basic of services - such as access to safe water - will not happen. *Donations made to UN Crisis Relief help UN agencies and humanitarian NGOs reach people in Gaza with urgent support. Sudan Escalating conflict traps thousands of civilians in Darfur, forces families to flee in Kordofan OCHA is concerned by the plight of thousands of civilians who are cut off from aid in North Darfur State. With active conflict continuing to escalate in the north-western part of the State, local partners report that at least 2,000 families are trapped in the valleys of Wadi Qardi and Um Saad in the localities of Karnoi and Um Baru. OCHA reports that fighting in the area is severely restricting humanitarian access. Meanwhile, conflict continues to displace people in the Kordofan region. The International Organization for Migration estimates that nearly 3,000 people were displaced between 15 and 19 January from the cities of Kadugli and Dilling in South Kordofan State, with some moving towards locations in White Nile State. Both cities remain under siege amid ongoing fighting, as extreme food insecurity deepens, with famine conditions confirmed in Kadugli and similarly extreme levels of food insecurity in Dilling. OCHA calls on all parties to immediately protect civilians and civilian infrastructure, and ensure rapid, safe, unhindered and sustained humanitarian access to people in need. In White Nile State, local authorities and humanitarian partners report that nearly 2,000 people have arrived in the city of Kosti over the past three weeks, placing more pressure on already overstretched services. Since late October, some 19,500 people have fled Kordofan to White Nile State. The UN and its partners are scaling up assistance, including food rations, tents, mattresses, tarpaulins, and water, sanitation and hygiene services, but critical gaps remain due to funding shortages. OCHA appeals for additional funding so humanitarian partners can scale up life-saving assistance. In 2026, the UN and its partners in Sudan are calling for $2.9 billion under the Humanitarian Needs and Response Plan to reach more than 20 million people in need. Mozambique 600,000 people now affected by floods OCHA reports that the number of people affected by the floods has climbed to 600,000. More than 60,000 of these people are sheltering in temporary centers. Many of these sites are overcrowded and need of humanitarian support. OCHA says that Mozambique's vulnerability to flooding is compounded by the fact that some 90 per cent of homes are built in adobe, which is brick made out of dried mud and is particularly susceptible to collapse after prolonged rains. According to authorities, nearly 80,000 homes have been destroyed, damaged or flooded. Meanwhile, in the province of Gaza, one of the worst affected areas, the Massingir Dam remains above its safe operating level and continues to release very high volumes of water to reduce pressure on the structure. This is contributing to elevated river levels and ongoing downstream flooding, including in areas already affected. The UN and its humanitarian partners continue to support the Government-led response efforts, which are focused on evacuations and also on improving accommodations centers. Humanitarian partners are providing water, sanitation and hygiene support, among other aid. Posted on 21 January 2026 NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Trump reportedly drops Greenland tariff threat with claim of 'framework'; ultimate outcome remains uncertain: Chinese expert Global Times By Feng Fan and Liu Caiyu Published: Jan 22, 2026 01:42 PM US President Donald Trump has announced that he would not impose tariffs he had threatened to impose on eight European nations that had been set to take effect on February 1 unless those nations allowed the US to take control of Greenland, according to multiple media reports. Previously, Trump had threatened the eight countries with an additional 10 percent tariff on exports to the US starting February 1, if they did not abandon opposition to the US acquisition of Greenland from Denmark. The tariff rate would have increased to 25 percent on June 1 had they remained firm, according to The New York Times. In a social media post on Wednesday, Trump claimed that based upon a meeting he had with Mark Rutte, Secretary General of NATO, they have "formed the framework of a future deal with respect to Greenland and, in fact, the entire Arctic Region." He added that "based upon this understanding, I will not be imposing the Tariffs that were scheduled to go into effect on February 1st." The eight European countries threatened with the tariffs are Denmark, Norway, Sweden, France, Germany, the UK, the Netherlands and Finland. As of press time on Thursday, reports in major Western media outlets showed only Denmark had responded to the US president's latest decision. The Danish government welcomed the news, according to NBC News. "The day is ending on a better note than it began," Demark's foreign minister Lars Lkke Rasmussen was quoted by NBC News as saying. "We welcome that President Trump has ruled out to take Greenland by force and paused the trade war with Europe." Notably, hours before Trump's announcement, the European Union's parliament halted final approval of a critical trade deal that Trump reached with the bloc last summer. EU leaders were also scheduled to hold an emergency summit Thursday to coordinate a response to Trump's threats, according to NBC News. Chinese experts said that while the announcement appeared to remove the immediate risk of a trade war with Europe over Greenland, Trump's recent claims may have already left European leaders deeply disillusioned with the US, and risks and tensions will likely persist as whether a deal acceptable to all parties could realistically be reached remains to be seen. Trump's threat to put tariffs on European countries over Greenland was likely a negotiating tactic and a form of leverage against Europe, and the decision to withdraw the tariffs may have reflected a calculation that such measures would do more harm than good to the US, Li Haidong, a professor at China Foreign Affairs University, told the Global Times on Thursday. But even with the tariffs shelved, Europe has already been thoroughly disappointed with the US, Li said. Hours before climbing down on tariffs, during a rambling speech in Davos, Trump said the US would not use force to seize Greenland, but stressed that he still planned to wield his nation's economic and diplomatic power to obtain it - and extolled the benefits of US tariffs, The Guardian reported. Some European leaders criticized the speech. Swedish Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson said Wednesday that Trump's speech in Davos was "unjust in every conceivable way," accusing him of using threatening and scornful rhetoric against Denmark and other partners, according to Xinhua News Agency. Speaking at a press conference in Davos, Kristersson said that while he welcomed Trump's public statement ruling out military force over Greenland, he remained disappointed by the overall tone and substance of the remarks, Xinhua reported on Thursday. Lu Xiang, a research fellow at the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, pointed out that there remain differences over the Greenland issue between the US and Europe. Although the US president claimed to have reached a framework with Rutte, the move does not likely represent NATO's final position, and his statements appeared to have assumed that the Danish government and Europe as a whole would eventually accept his proposal, Lu told the Global Times. Rutte said he had not discussed the key issue of Danish sovereignty over Greenland during his meeting with Trump. He told Fox News that the "issue did not come up anymore in my conversations tonight with the president." The BBC reported that after rattling the transatlantic alliance with weeks of rhetoric, the US president said the discussion had led to the "framework" of a potential agreement. But there was no suggestion of a deal that might meet Trump's demand for "ownership" of Greenland, per the BBC. The Associated Press described Trump's decision to halt the tariffs as "pulling a dramatic reversal," noting that Trump offered few details about his Greenland plan. AP reported that one compromise idea discussed among NATO members involved Denmark and the alliance working with the US to build more US military bases on Greenland, citing an anonymous European official who said it was not immediately clear whether that idea was included in the framework Trump claimed. The Danish Foreign Minister also added: "Now, let's sit down and find out how we can address the American security concerns in the Arctic while respecting the red lines of the Kingdom of Denmark," according to the BBC. "The ultimate outcome remains uncertain," Lu said, noting that there remain questions over the claim of a negotiated breakthrough in the Greenland issue. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Trump reiterates push to acquire Greenland, slams Europe, NATO at Davos People's Daily Online (Xinhua) 08:16, January 22, 2026 On Greenland, Trump called for "immediate negotiations" on U.S. acquisition of the territory, describing it as "a strategic national and international security interest." DAVOS, Switzerland, Jan. 21 (Xinhua) -- U.S. President Donald Trump on Wednesday renewed his push for U.S. acquisition of Greenland and sharpened criticism of Europe and the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) in a special address at the annual meeting of the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, adding fresh strain to transatlantic ties. Trump said Europe was "not heading in the right direction," arguing that parts of the continent had become "not even recognizable" in what he described as a "very negative" way. In his speech, Trump renewed criticism of Europe's migration policies and reiterated his opposition to green agenda policies, again labeling them a "Green New Scam." He also advocated expanding fossil-fuel production and speeding up approvals for new nuclear power projects, saying Europe's energy situation had reached "catastrophic" levels, marked by high prices and low supplies. On Greenland, Trump called for "immediate negotiations" on U.S. acquisition of the territory, describing it as "a strategic national and international security interest." He publicly ruled out taking Greenland by military force, saying he did not intend to use "excessive strength and force," while insisting the United States was uniquely positioned to secure the territory. "I don't have to use force. I don't want to use force, I won't use force. All the United States is asking for is a place called Greenland," he said. Trump further criticized NATO burden-sharing, saying the United States had been treated "very unfairly" and had long contributed more to the alliance than its partners, while pressing NATO members to acquiesce to U.S. acquisition of Greenland from Denmark. "We paid for, in my opinion, 100 percent of NATO because they weren't paying their bills, and all we're asking for is to get Greenland, including the right title in ownership, because you need the ownership to defend it," he said. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Coalition to Restore Legitimacy in Yemen Condemns Attack on Giants Brigades Commander, Vows 'Iron Fist' Response to Destabilization Attempts Saudi Press Agency Wednesday 02/08/1447 Riyadh, January 22, 2026, SPA -- Official Spokesperson of the Coalition to Restore Legitimacy in Yemen Major General Turki Al-Malki stated that the coalition strongly condemns the cowardly terrorist attack targeting the convoy of Brigadier General Hamdi Shukri, Commander of the Second Division of the Giants Brigades, and his companions. The attack, which took place this evening in the Jaoula area of Lahj Governorate, resulted in the martyrdom of several people and the wounding of others. Describing the criminal act as a violation of all human and moral values, Al-Malki expressed the coalition's deepest condolences to the families of the martyrs and wished the wounded a speedy recovery. Major General Al-Malki affirmed that the coalition will respond with an "iron fist" to any attempts to target Aden and the liberated governorates, or undermine national unity. He emphasized that the coalition is coordinating closely with relevant authorities to ensure the security of citizens and maintain stability, driven by its humanitarian and moral duty toward the Yemeni people. The spokesperson called for unity, the rejection of discord, and full cooperation with the Yemeni government and security forces to confront sabotage and terrorist operations targeting the liberated governorates. He stressed that such attempts will fail to undermine social peace and that the coalition remains unwavering in its role to strengthen security and stability. Al-Malki emphasized the coalition's commitment to supporting Yemeni security efforts to pursue the perpetrators of this crime and bring them to justice. He reiterated the necessity of concerted local and international efforts to combat terrorism and eliminate its ideological and financial sources. Concluding his statement, Al-Malki urged all parties to prioritize wisdom and national interest, warning that the coalition will deal firmly with any entity attempting to threaten the security and safety of Yemeni society. -- SPA 01:18 Local Time 22:18 GMT 0002 NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Russo-Ukraine War - 21 January 2026 - Day 1428 Su M Tu W Th F Sa 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 A number of claims and counterclaims are being made on the Ukraine-Russia conflict on the ground and online. While GlobalSecurity.org takes utmost care to accurately report this news story, we cannot independently verify the authenticity of all statements, photos and videos. On 24 February 2022, Ukraine was suddenly and deliberately attacked by land, naval and air forces of Russia, igniting the largest European war since the Great Patriotic War. Russian President Vladimir Putin announced a "special military operation" (SVO - spetsialnaya voennaya operatsiya) in Ukraine in response to the appeal of the leaders of the "Donbass republics" for help. That attack is a blatant violation of the territorial integrity, sovereignty and independence of Ukraine. Putin stressed that Moscow's goal is the demilitarization and denazification of the country. The military buildup in preceeding months makes it obvious that the unprovoked and dastardly Russian attack was deliberately planned long in advance. During the intervening time, the Russian government had deliberately sought to deceive the world by false statements and expressions of hope for continued peace. "To initiate a war of aggression... is not only an international crime; it is the supreme international crime differing only from other war crimes in that it contains within itself the accumulated evil of the whole." [Judgment of the International Military Tribunal] The General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine reported that in total, 140 combat clashes have taken place since the beginning of this day. Ukrainian defenders are decisively intercepting the Russian attempts to advance deep into Ukrainian territory, giving him a fiery impression. Today, Russian troops launched two missiles and 49 aviation strikes, using two missiles and dropping 102 controlled air bombs. In addition, 4455 kamikaze drones were involved in strikes and carried out 2864 shelling positions of Ukrainian troops and settlements. In the North Slobozhansky and Kursky directions, the Russian enemy has carried out 58 shelling positions of Ukrainian troops and settlements since the beginning of the day. In the South Slobozhans komu direction, Russian forces seven times attacked the positions of Ukrainian units near Dvorichansky and towards Izbitsky, Grafsky, Round, Kutkivka. In the Kupyansky direction, theRussian aggressor carried out offensive actions eight times towards the settlements of Petropavlivka, Pishnetia, Kurilivka, Boguslavka. In the Lyman direction, Russian invaders six times attacked the positions of the Defense Forces in the areas of settlements Novomikhailivka, Drobisheve, Yampil and towards Lyman and Novosergiyivka. Two Russian assaults fought off Ukrainian defenders in the Slovak direction - the Russian occupiers tried to advance in the Dronivka area. In the Kramators komu direction Ukrainian units repelled the attack of the opponent in the Stupochok area. In the Konstantinivsky direction, ten times the Russians went in offensive on the positions of Ukrainian units in the areas of populated areas of Pleschievka, Cherbinivka, Sofiyivka and towards Konstantinovka and Ivanopil. In the Pokrovsky direction since the beginning of the day, the Russian occupiers 33 times tried to advance on the position of Ukrainian units. The Russian enemy attacked in the areas of settlements Rodins ke, Mirnograd, Pokrovsk, Kotline, Udacne, Molodetske, Philia and towards Bilitsky, Sergiyivka and Novopidgorodnogo. In four locations, the fights have not subsided so far. Today, according to preliminary data, 79 Russian invaders have been defiled, of which 45 - irrevocably. In addition, Ukrainian soldiers destroyed an artillery system, eight units of automobile equipment, four ATVs, 58 unmanned aircraft, a REB tool, four Russian antennas. Ukrainian defenders also hit an artillery system, a radio-location station, seven vehicles units, three control points of BPLA and nine shelters for the Russian enemy's personnel. In the Oleksandrivsky direction, the Russian occupiers tried five times to break through the defense of Ukrainian defenders in the areas of settlements Zlagoda, Yegorivka and towards the New Zaporizhia The air strike controlled by the air bombs were suffered by velikomihajlivka and ternuvate. In the Gulyaipil direction, Russian forces 31 times attacked the positions of Ukrainian defenders in the areas of Gulyaipol, Solodky and towards Dobropilla, Zelenoy, Pryluk, Varvarivka and Svyatopetrivka, currently two confrontations are ongoing. Air strikes kabama suffered upper tersa, railroad, vozdvizhivka. In the orihivs .komu direction at the moment boezitknen is not recorded. The settlements of Yulievka and Rozumivka were hit by air strikes. In the Pridniprovsky direction, the Russian zagarbniki twice tried to improve their position without success. In the rest of the directions, there were no special changes. The Ministry of Defense of the Russian Federation reported that the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation continue the special military operation. Units of the Sever Group of Forces took more advantageous lines and positions. Russian troops inflicted losses on manpower and hardware of one mechanised brigade and one assault regiment of the AFU near Belopolye and Khoten (Sumy region). In Kharkov direction, units of two mechanised brigades of the AFU and two territorial defence brigades have been hit near Zybino, Zakharovka, and Volchanskiye Khutora in Kharkov region. The AFU losses amounted to up to 160 troops, one tank, one armoured fighting vehicle, 10 motor vehicles, one Croatian-made RAK-SA-12 multiple rocket launcher, four field artillery guns, and one electronic warfare station. Three materiel depots were destroyed. The Zapad Group of Forces improved the tactical situation. Russian troops hit formations of four mechanised brigades of the AFU and three national guard brigades near Osinovo, Kutkovka, Nechvolodovka, Grushevka (Kharkov region), Krasny Liman, Nikolayevka, Aleksandrovka, and Koroviy Yar (Donetsk People's Republic). The enemy losses amounted to up to 200 troops, two armoured fighting vehicles, 15 motor vehicles, and two artillery guns. One electronic warfare station and four ammunition depots were destroyed. Units of the Yug Group of Forces improved the tactical situation along the front line. Losses were inflicted on manpower and hardware of one airmobile brigade and six mechanised brigades of the AFU near Ilyinovka, Druzkovka, Berestok, Zakotnoye, Novoselovka, and Konstantinovka (Donetsk People's Republic). The AFU losses amounted to more than 185 troops, two armoured personnel carriers, including one U.S.-made M113 armoured personnel carrier, nine armoured fighting vehicles, nine motor vehicles, and three field artillery guns, including one 155-mm U.S.-made Paladin self-propelled artillery system. Two electronic warfare stations, two materiel depots were eliminated. The Tsentr Group of Forces took more advantageous lines and positions. Strikes were delivered at formations of one jaeger brigade, one airmobile brigade, two mechanised brigades, two air assault brigades, two assault regiments of the AFU, one marine brigade, one territorial defence brigade, three national guard brigades, and the Azov special operations forces brigade close to Belitskoye, Artemovka, Toretskoye, Novopavlovka, Grishino, Udachnoye (Donetsk People's Republic), Fedorovskoye, and Novopodgorodnoye (Dnepropetrovsk region). The AFU losses amounted to more than 395 troops, six armoured fighting vehicles, 20 motor vehicles, seven artillery guns, including two U.S.-made Paladin self-propelled artillery systems, and two Grad MLRS systems. The Vostok Group of Forces continued advancing into the depth of enemy defence. Russian troops inflicted losses on manpower and hardware of one assault brigade, one artillery brigade, one unmanned systems brigade, three mechanised brigades, and five assault regiments of the AFU close to Dolinka, Komsomolskoye, Tersyanka, Blagodatnoye, Charivnoye, Gorkoye, Zalivnoye, Verkhnaya Tersa, Vozdvizhenka(Zaporozhye region), and Skotovatoye (Dnepropetrovsk region). The enemy lost up to 260 troops, two tanks, one armoured personnel carrier, 13 motor vehicles, one field artillery gun, and one Grad MLRS system. Units of the Dnepr Group of Forces inflicted losses on units of one mountain assault brigade and coastal defence brigade of the AFU near Novoyakovlevka, Magdalinovka (Zaporozhye region) and Sadovoye (Kherson region). More than 60 troops, nine motor vehicles, one 155-mm Polish-made Krab self-propelled artillery system, four electronic warfare stations, one P-18 radar station, and one materiel depot were neutralised. Operational-Tactical Aviation, attack drones, missile troops and artillery of the Russian Groups of Forces have inflicted damage on a depot of loitering munitions, UAV preflight preparation and long-range launch sites, energy infrastructure facilities used in the interests of the AFU, temporary deployment areas of Ukrainian armed formations and foreign mercenaries in 144 areas. Air defence systems shot down four guided aerial bombs, 20 U.S.-made HIMARS MLRS projectiles, three Neptune long-range guided missiles, and 370 fixed-wing unmanned aerial vehicles. In total, since the beginning of the special military operation, 670 aircraft, 283 helicopters, 110,524 unmanned aerial vehicles, 646 anti-aircraft missile systems, 27,248 tanks and other armoured fighting vehicles, 1,648 MLRS combat vehicles, 32,731 field artillery guns and mortars, and 52,462 units of support military vehicles have been neutralised. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Security Council Press Statement on Terrorist Attack in Afghanistan Press Release Security Council SC/16278 21 January 2026 The following Security Council press statement was issued today by Council President Abukar Dahir Osman (Somalia): The members of the Security Council condemned in the strongest terms the heinous terrorist attack that occurred at a restaurant in the commercial Shahr-e-Naw neighbourhood of Kabul, Afghanistan, on 19 January, which was claimed by ISIL (Da'esh)-K and resulted in the killing of six Afghans and one Chinese national, as well as the wounding of several others, including a child. The members of the Security Council expressed their deepest sympathy and condolences to the families of the victims and to the people of Afghanistan and China, and they wished a speedy and full recovery to those who were injured. The members of the Security Council reaffirmed that terrorism in all its forms and manifestations constitutes one of the most serious threats to peace and security in Afghanistan, as well as in the world. The members of the Security Council underlined the need to hold perpetrators, organizers, financiers and sponsors of these reprehensible acts of terrorism accountable and bring them to justice. They urged all States, in accordance with their obligations under international law and relevant Security Council resolutions, to cooperate actively with all relevant authorities in this regard. The members of the Security Council reiterated that any acts of terrorism are criminal and unjustifiable, regardless of their motivation, wherever, whenever and by whomsoever committed. They reaffirmed the need for all States to combat by all means, in accordance with the Charter of the United Nations and other obligations under international law, including international human rights law, international refugee law and international humanitarian law, threats to international peace and security caused by terrorist acts. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Training academy boosts North Queensland aviation workforce Issued by Defence Media 21 January 2026 North Queensland's future Apache Helicopters maintenance workforce has commenced training this week following the opening of the Townsville Aviation Training Academy. Funded by the Australian Government and delivered by Aviation Australia, the academy will initially support Boeing Defence Australia's new maintenance workforce for the Australian Army's AH-64E Apache Helicopter fleet, and the growth of the CH-47F Chinook maintenance workforce. The academy will provide a critical pipeline of talent for Australia's future Defence workforce, with the first cohort of 35 maintenance engineer trainees commencing their apprenticeships on Monday. The state-of-the-art training facility spans over 750 square meters and features purpose-built classrooms, specialised training hangars, and full-scale rotary and fixed-wing training aids. This will ensure a smooth transition to the world's most advanced, combat-proven attack helicopter: the AH-64E Apache. Defence is acquiring 29 AH-64E Apache Attack Helicopters to replace the Tiger Armed Reconnaissance Helicopter. The first four aircraft have been delivered to Australia, with flying operations commencing in November 2025. Quotes attributable to Director General Army Aviation Systems - Brigadier Steven Cleggett: "The opening of the Townsville Aviation Training Academy demonstrates the strong collaboration between Defence and Industry, to deliver a long-term sustainable and talented workforce to support the Australian Army's rotary fleet." "As the Australian Army introduces the Apache Helicopters into service, this training opportunity provides the future civilian workforce with unmatched real-world exposure to cutting-edge technology and builds the regional workforce needed to support this vital capability." "This is an exciting opportunity for young people, especially those in North Queensland who are looking to pursue a local career supporting Army's battlefield aviation fleet." NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address "Principled and pragmatic: Canada's path" Prime Minister Carney addresses the World Economic Forum Annual Meeting Prime Minister of Canada - Mark Carney January 20, 2026 Davos, Switzerland Thank you, Larry. It's a pleasure - and a duty - to be with you at this turning point for Canada and for the world. Today, I'll talk about the rupture in the world order, the end of a nice story, and the beginning of a brutal reality where geopolitics among the great powers is not subject to any constraints. But I also submit to you that other countries, particularly middle powers like Canada, are not powerless. They have the capacity to build a new order that embodies our values, like respect for human rights, sustainable development, solidarity, sovereignty, and territorial integrity of states. The power of the less powerful begins with honesty. Every day we are reminded that we live in an era of great power rivalry. That the rules-based order is fading. That the strong do what they can, and the weak suffer what they must. This aphorism of Thucydides is presented as inevitable - the natural logic of international relations reasserting itself. And faced with this logic, there is a strong tendency for countries to go along to get along. To accommodate. To avoid trouble. To hope that compliance will buy safety. It won't. So, what are our options? In 1978, the Czech dissident Vaclav Havel wrote an essay called The Power of the Powerless. In it, he asked a simple question: how did the communist system sustain itself? His answer began with a greengrocer. Every morning, this shopkeeper places a sign in his window: "Workers of the world, unite!" He does not believe it. No one believes it. But he places the sign anyway - to avoid trouble, to signal compliance, to get along. And because every shopkeeper on every street does the same, the system persists. Not through violence alone, but through the participation of ordinary people in rituals they privately know to be false. Havel called this "living within a lie." The system's power comes not from its truth but from everyone's willingness to perform as if it were true. And its fragility comes from the same source: when even one person stops performing when the greengrocer removes his sign the illusion begins to crack. It is time for companies and countries to take their signs down. For decades, countries like Canada prospered under what we called the rules-based international order. We joined its institutions, praised its principles, and benefited from its predictability. We could pursue values-based foreign policies under its protection. We knew the story of the international rules-based order was partially false. That the strongest would exempt themselves when convenient. That trade rules were enforced asymmetrically. And that international law applied with varying rigour depending on the identity of the accused or the victim. This fiction was useful, and American hegemony, in particular, helped provide public goods: open sea lanes, a stable financial system, collective security, and support for frameworks for resolving disputes. So, we placed the sign in the window. We participated in the rituals. And largely avoided calling out the gaps between rhetoric and reality. This bargain no longer works. Let me be direct: we are in the midst of a rupture, not a transition. Over the past two decades, a series of crises in finance, health, energy, and geopolitics laid bare the risks of extreme global integration. More recently, great powers began using economic integration as weapons. Tariffs as leverage. Financial infrastructure as coercion. Supply chains as vulnerabilities to be exploited. You cannot "live within the lie" of mutual benefit through integration when integration becomes the source of your subordination. The multilateral institutions on which middle powers relied the WTO, the UN, the COP - the architecture of collective problem solving - are greatly diminished. As a result, many countries are drawing the same conclusions. They must develop greater strategic autonomy: in energy, food, critical minerals, in finance, and supply chains. This impulse is understandable. A country that cannot feed itself, fuel itself, or defend itself has few options. When the rules no longer protect you, you must protect yourself. But let us be clear-eyed about where this leads. A world of fortresses will be poorer, more fragile, and less sustainable. And there is another truth: if great powers abandon even the pretence of rules and values for the unhindered pursuit of their power and interests, the gains from "transactionalism" become harder to replicate. Hegemons cannot continually monetize their relationships. Allies will diversify to hedge against uncertainty. Buy insurance. Increase options. This rebuilds sovereignty - sovereignty that was once grounded in rules, but will be increasingly anchored in the ability to withstand pressure. As I said, such classic risk management comes at a price, but that cost of strategic autonomy, of sovereignty, can also be shared. Collective investments in resilience are cheaper than everyone building their own fortress. Shared standards reduce fragmentation. Complementarities are positive sum. The question for middle powers, like Canada, is not whether to adapt to this new reality. We must. The question is whether we adapt by simply building higher walls - or whether we can do something more ambitious. Canada was amongst the first to hear the wake-up call, leading us to fundamentally shift our strategic posture. Canadians know that our old, comfortable assumption that our geography and alliance memberships automatically conferred prosperity and security is no longer valid. Our new approach rests on what Alexander Stubb has termed "values-based realism" - or, to put it another way, we aim to be principled and pragmatic. Principled in our commitment to fundamental values: sovereignty and territorial integrity, the prohibition of the use of force except when consistent with the UN Charter, respect for human rights. Pragmatic in recognising that progress is often incremental, that interests diverge, that not every partner shares our values. We are engaging broadly, strategically, with open eyes. We actively take on the world as it is, not wait for a world we wish to be. Canada is calibrating our relationships so their depth reflects our values. We are prioritising broad engagement to maximise our influence, given the fluidity of the world order, the risks that this poses, and the stakes for what comes next. We are no longer relying on just the strength of our values, but also on the value of our strength. We are building that strength at home. Since my government took office, we have cut taxes on incomes, capital gains and business investment, we have removed all federal barriers to interprovincial trade, and we are fast-tracking a trillion dollars of investment in energy, AI, critical minerals, new trade corridors, and beyond. We are doubling our defence spending by 2030 and are doing so in ways that builds our domestic industries. We are rapidly diversifying abroad. We have agreed a comprehensive strategic partnership with the European Union, including joining SAFE, Europe's defence procurement arrangements. We have signed twelve other trade and security deals on four continents in the last six months. In the past few days, we have concluded new strategic partnerships with China and Qatar. We are negotiating free trade pacts with India, ASEAN, Thailand, Philippines, Mercosur. To help solve global problems, we are pursuing variable geometry different coalitions for different issues, based on values and interests. On Ukraine, we are a core member of the Coalition of the Willing and one of the largest per-capita contributors to its defence and security. On Arctic sovereignty, we stand firmly with Greenland and Denmark and fully support their unique right to determine Greenland's future. Our commitment to Article 5 is unwavering. We are working with our NATO allies (including the Nordic Baltic 8) to further secure the alliance's northern and western flanks, including through Canada's unprecedented investments in over-the-horizon radar, submarines, aircraft, and boots on the ground. Canada strongly opposes tariffs over Greenland and calls for focused talks to achieve shared objectives of security and prosperity for the Arctic. On plurilateral trade, we are championing efforts to build a bridge between the Trans-Pacific Partnership and the European Union, creating a new trading block of 1.5 billion people. On critical minerals, we are forming buyer's clubs anchored in the G7 so that the world can diversify away from concentrated supply. On AI, we are cooperating with like-minded democracies to ensure we will not ultimately be forced to choose between hegemons and hyperscalers. This is not naive multilateralism. Nor is it relying on diminished institutions. It is building the coalitions that work, issue by issue, with partners who share enough common ground to act together. In some cases, this will be the vast majority of nations. And it is creating a dense web of connections across trade, investment, culture on which we can draw for future challenges and opportunities. Middle powers must act together because if you are not at the table, you are on the menu. Great powers can afford to go it alone. They have the market size, the military capacity, the leverage to dictate terms. Middle powers do not. But when we only negotiate bilaterally with a hegemon, we negotiate from weakness. We accept what is offered. We compete with each other to be the most accommodating. This is not sovereignty. It is the performance of sovereignty while accepting subordination. In a world of great power rivalry, the countries in between have a choice: to compete with each other for favour or to combine to create a third path with impact. We should not allow the rise of hard power to blind us to the fact that the power of legitimacy, integrity, and rules will remain strong if we choose to wield it together. Which brings me back to Havel. What would it mean for middle powers to "live in truth"? It means naming reality. Stop invoking the "rules-based international order" as though it still functions as advertised. Call the system what it is: a period of intensifying great power rivalry, where the most powerful pursue their interests using economic integration as a weapon of coercion. It means acting consistently. Apply the same standards to allies and rivals. When middle powers criticise economic intimidation from one direction but stay silent when it comes from another, we are keeping the sign in the window. It means building what we claim to believe in. Rather than waiting for the old order to be restored, create institutions and agreements that function as described. And it means reducing the leverage that enables coercion. Building a strong domestic economy should always be every government's priority. Diversification internationally is not just economic prudence; it is the material foundation for honest foreign policy. Countries earn the right to principled stands by reducing their vulnerability to retaliation. Canada has what the world wants. We are an energy superpower. We hold vast reserves of critical minerals. We have the most educated population in the world. Our pension funds are amongst the world's largest and most sophisticated investors. We have capital, talent, and a government with the immense fiscal capacity to act decisively. And we have the values to which many others aspire. Canada is a pluralistic society that works. Our public square is loud, diverse, and free. Canadians remain committed to sustainability. We are a stable, reliable partnerin a world that is anything buta partner that builds and values relationships for the long term. Canada has something else: a recognition of what is happening and a determination to act accordingly. We understand that this rupture calls for more than adaptation. It calls for honesty about the world as it is. We are taking the sign out of the window. The old order is not coming back. We should not mourn it. Nostalgia is not a strategy. But from the fracture, we can build something better, stronger, and more just. This is the task of the middle powers, who have the most to lose from a world of fortresses and the most to gain from a world of genuine cooperation. The powerful have their power. But we have something too - the capacity to stop pretending, to name reality, to build our strength at home, and to act together. That is Canada's path. We choose it openly and confidently. And it is a path wide open to any country willing to take it with us. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Prime Minister Carney meets with Secretary General of NATO Mark Rutte Prime Minister of Canada - Mark Carney January 21, 2026 Davos, Switzerland Today, the Prime Minister, Mark Carney, met with the Secretary General of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO), Mark Rutte, on the margins of the World Economic Forum Annual Meeting in Davos, Switzerland. Prime Minister Carney and Secretary General Rutte reaffirmed their mutual commitment to the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Denmark, including Greenland. They underscored that decisions on the future of Greenland are for Greenland and Denmark to make. The leaders recognised the test facing the NATO Alliance and emphasised the first response to that test must be to ensure the security of the Arctic, including accelerating new investments in the Alliance's northwestern flank. The Prime Minister noted Canada's mission to quadruple defence spending over the next decade, with significant investments to reinforce Canada's Arctic sovereignty. This includes the Arctic Over-the-Horizon Radar, year-round presence across land, air, and sea, and new critical infrastructure. The Prime Minister and the Secretary General discussed ongoing peace talks on Ukraine. Building on the Coalition of the Willing meeting in Paris, France, earlier this month, they underscored the importance of the Alliance's support for advancing Ukraine's peace and security. Prime Minister Carney and Secretary General Rutte agreed to remain in close contact. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Prime Minister Carney meets with Prime Minister of Sweden Ulf Kristersson Prime Minister of Canada - Mark Carney January 21, 2026 Davos, Switzerland Today, the Prime Minister, Mark Carney, met with the Prime Minister of Sweden, Ulf Kristersson, on the margins of the World Economic Forum Annual Meeting in Davos, Switzerland. Prime Minister Carney and Prime Minister Kristersson reaffirmed the fundamental principles of sovereignty and territorial integrity, and that decisions about the future of Greenland are for Greenland and Denmark to decide. The leaders discussed Arctic cooperation and emphasised investments by NATO Allies in Arctic defence and security. Building on the Canada-Sweden Strategic Partnership signed in November, the leaders discussed accelerating cooperation in information sharing, and Arctic and Euro-Atlantic defence and security. Prime Minister Carney and Prime Minister Kristersson agreed to maintain regular contact as they continue working together on these shared priorities. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Canadian PM voices support for Greenland, Denmark, opposing U.S. tariffs in Davos People's Daily Online (Xinhua) 11:27, January 21, 2026 DAVOS, Switzerland, Jan. 20 (Xinhua) -- Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney on Tuesday expressed strong support for Greenland and Denmark and opposition to tariffs proposed by the United States. Speaking at the World Economic Forum annual meeting in Davos, Switzerland, Carney said, "We stand firmly with Greenland and Denmark and fully support their unique right to determine Greenland's future." Carney said Canada strongly opposes tariffs over Greenland and calls for "focused talks to achieve our shared objectives of security and prosperity in the Arctic." Referring to the U.S. move as weaponizing economic integration, he said that multilateral institutions, including the United Nations and the Conference of the Parties (COP), which aim to solve collective problems, "are under threat." Last week, U.S. President Donald Trump threatened to impose tariffs on eight European countries in an effort to advance his ambition to "take over" Greenland, which has triggered pushback from European countries. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Canada PM: World order in 'midst of a rupture' from American hegemony Iran Press TV Wednesday, 21 January 2026 6:17 AM Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney warns that the so-called US-led global system of governance is breaking apart, driven by the expansionist posture and raw power politics of President Donald Trump's administration. Speaking to political and financial elites at the WEF in Davos, Switzerland, on Tuesday, Carney delivered a blunt message a day before Trump is due to appear at the gathering. Since entering Canadian politics last year, Carney has repeatedly stressed that the world will not revert to the pre-Trump era. During his speech, he returned to that theme, offering a stark assessment of the damage being done to global stability, without naming the US president directly. "We are in the midst of a rupture, not a transition," Carney said. He noted that Canada had benefited from the old international order, including from "American hegemony," but warned that the system had now shifted into something far more dangerous. "Call it what it is: a system of intensifying great power rivalry where the most powerful pursue their interests using economic integration as coercion," he said, pointing to a world where markets and trade are weaponized rather than shared. Carney cautioned against the idea that smaller and mid-sized countries can protect themselves through obedience to dominant powers. Compliance, he said plainly, no longer guarantees safety. For middle powers such as Canada, the question is not whether to adapt, but how. The choice, he said, lies between retreating behind higher walls or pursuing collective action that goes beyond narrow national defenses. "Middle powers must act together, because if we are not at the table, we are on the menu," Carney said. He contrasted their vulnerability with the freedom enjoyed by major powers. "Great powers can afford for now to go it alone. They have the market size, the military capacity, and the leverage to dictate terms. Middle powers do not." His remarks came against the backdrop of mounting unease in Ottawa as the Globe and Mail newspaper reported that the Canadian military has drawn up a response model for a potential US invasion. Citing two senior government officials, the Canadian paper reported that the plan focuses on insurgency-style tactics, similar to those used in Afghanistan against Soviet forces and later against the US military. Tensions have been fueled by Trump's rhetoric since his 2024 election. In the early months of his new term, he repeatedly referred to Canada as the 51st state of the US and suggested that a merger would serve Canadian interests. While that language has faded in recent months, Trump revived it overnight by posting an image on his social media platform showing Canada, Greenland, and Venezuela draped in the US flag, a visual suggestion of total American domination. The Davos meeting has also been overshadowed by Washington's pressure on Greenland. Trump has vowed to enforce US control over the autonomous Danish territory, insisting that his plan is irreversible. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Supporting diplomatic premises is intl obligation of host countries, FM on UK's approval of plan for China's new embassy Global Times By Wang Qi Published: Jan 21, 2026 09:11 PM In response to media inquiries on the UK government's approval of China's new embassy plan in London, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Guo Jiakun said at a press briefing on Wednesday that providing support and convenience for the construction of diplomatic premises is an international obligation of host countries. The planning proposal of the new Chinese embassy project is of high quality. The application and its approval are fully in line with international diplomatic practice as well as local legal regulations and procedures, the spokesperson said. The UK government on Tuesday approved the plan for China's new embassy in London, multiple media outlets reported. In a written statement to the BBC, Steve Reed, the UK Housing Secretary said that "all material considerations were taken into account" and stressed that the decision is final unless successfully challenged in court. The broadcaster reported that the UK government emphasized that countries establishing embassies in other nations' capitals "is a normal part of international relations." The BBC also cited the planning inspector's report released on Tuesday, which twice referred to embassy-related decisions as being "nation-neutral." Opposition parties have expressed opposition to the Labour government's decision. James Cleverly, the shadow communities secretary, claimed the decision "a disgraceful act of cowardice from a Labour government." Responding to the so-called national security concerns, Security Minister Dan Jarvis said intelligence agencies had been "integral" to the process and he was "content any risks are being appropriately managed," the BBC reported. Li Guanjie, a research fellow at the Shanghai Academy of Global Governance and Area Studies under Shanghai International Studies University, told the Global Times on Wednesday that the UK government's approval of the Chinese embassy project after security reviews and assessments demonstrates that the hyped-up claims of "espionage activities" and "security risks" are merely pretexts and cliches used by politicians. The UK government's final approval of the new Chinese embassy can be seen as a phased victory of pragmatic and rational diplomacy over an over-securitized mindset in the country," Wang Hanyi, a research fellow at the China-UK Center for Cultural Exchange at Shanghai International Studies University, told the Global Times. In a Tuesday report, The Telegraph said "a senior official" told the media that the US is "deeply concerned about adversaries exploiting the critical infrastructure of our closest allies" after the UK government allowed the plans to go ahead. The Telegraph did not mention the exact date and occasion the "senior official's remarks were made to the British media. With the Tory now in a sub-mainstream position, the pro-Conservative media is attempting to amplify the voices and stance of the Tories, while leveraging the stance of the US side to put pressure on the Labour government and hinder the recovery of the China-British relationship, Li said. According to Li, the approval of Chinese embassy project on one hand goes in line with the administration of Prime Minister Kier Starmer's commitment to resolving contradictions and differences between China and the UK through pragmatic cooperation, while it also bears a certain correlation with the current decline in UK-US relations. UK-US relations have hit bump due to US President Donald Trump's recent threats of taking over Greenland, as well as his open criticism toward British policies on immigration and green energy. As Starmer "turned his back on" Trump's proposed "Board of Peace" initiative, Trump used a White House press conference on Tuesday to increase his criticisms of a British deal to transfer sovereignty of the Chagos Islands, including a UK-US air base, to Mauritius, according to the Financial Times. "When the US exerts pressure on Europe, the UK has sided with Europe, which makes the US quite uncomfortable," Li said. From the American perspective, compared to the "national security" concerns alleged by some in the UK, the US might care more about whether the new Chinese embassy surpasses the US embassy in elements like scale, style and design. "This would represent a projection of Chinese soft power and influence." NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Asked to give advice to European countries on how to deal with US tariff threat over Greenland, Chinese FM responds Global Times By Global Times Published: Jan 21, 2026 04:44 PM When asked by a foreign media journalist to give advice to European countries on how to deal with US tariff threat over Greenland, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Guo Jiakun said on Wednesday that regarding relations between European countries and the US, China has no comment, and that on the Greenland issue, China has stated its position on multiple occasions. As for China-Europe relations, China has always upheld the principles of mutual respect and win-win cooperation, and is committed to advancing mutually beneficial and win-win relations with European countries. China also hopes that European countries will work in the same direction with China, the spokesperson said. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address China firmly upholds UN-centered intl system, says Chinese FM in response to Trump's claim that 'Board of Peace' may replace UN Global Times By Global Times Published: Jan 21, 2026 04:11 PM Regarding the "Board of Peace," the Chinese side has already addressed relevant questions yesterday. As for the UN, China has always practiced true multilateralism. No matter how the international situation changes, China firmly upholds the UN-centered international system, the international order based on international law, and the basic norms of international relations underpinned by the purposes and principles of the UN Charter, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Guo Jiakun said on Wednesday. Guo made the remarks in response to media inquiries on US President Donald Trump's claim that the UN should continue to exist, but the so-called "Board of Peace" he just announced may replace it, and whether China will join the so-called "Board of Peace." In response to another inquiry that the US President Trump plans to host a signing ceremony to formalize the "Board of Peace" in Davos, Switzerland on Thursday, whether there will be Chinese representatives attending the event, Guo said regarding the matter of "Board of Peace," the Chinese side has responded yesterday and I have no further information to add. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Guo Jiakun's Regular Press Conference on January 21, 2026 Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the People's Republic of China Updated: January 21, 2026 18:46 Beijing Youth Daily: It's reported that the latest statistics show that China's annual electricity consumption surpassed 10 trillion kilowatt-hours in 2025, and non-fossil fuel power capacity accounts for over 60 percent, contributing greatly to power generation. Some foreign commentators say that China has become the pacesetter in green production capacity. Against the backdrop of the turbulent international landscape and impact facing energy security, what does China's green production capacity mean to Global South countries' sustainable development? Guo Jiakun: China's green production capacity not only diversifies China's own energy supply but also offers Global South countries great opportunities to achieve low-carbon transition by leaps and bounds. High-quality and cost-effective new energy products and technologies from the Chinese companies meet developing countries' urgent needs for sustainable and affordable energy, offer viable options to replace fossil fuel, and provide a new pathway straight to green development. In Africa, in recent years, China has worked with over half of African countries in clean energy. Hundreds of new energy programs have been put into operation, turning Africa's resource endowments into growth drivers. Models such as "photovoltaic energy + agriculture" and "small-scale hydropower + farming" have eased electricity shortage in African rural areas, improved local people's livelihood, and given a boost to socioeconomic development. Green transition fuels the sustainable development of human society and will better ensure countries' right to equal development. China stands ready to continue working with other parties to build a clean and beautiful world. China-Arab TV: China said yesterday that it has received the United States' invitation of joining the Board of Peace. Donald Trump said at a press briefing on Tuesday that the UN should continue, but the Board of Peace he proposed might replace it. What's China's comment? Will China join the so-called Board of Peace? (Similar question from TASS) Guo Jiakun: We answered relevant questions yesterday on the Board of Peace. On the UN, China always practices true multilateralism. No matter how the international landscape may evolve, China will stay firmly committed to safeguarding the international system with the UN at its core, the international order based on international law, and the basic norms governing international relations based on the purposes and principles of the UN Charter. Reuters: The last two pandas in Japan will be returned to China next week. Does China intend to extend its giant panda loan agreement with Japan when that agreement expires this month? If China doesn't supply new pandas to Japan, which is a tradition that began in 1972, what would this mean for the bilateral ties between the two countries? Guo Jiakun: We've learned that based on the agreement between China and Japan, giant pandas Xiao Xiao and Lei Lei living in Ueno Zoo in Tokyo will return to China as scheduled before February. For anything specific, I'd refer you to competent authorities. I know giant pandas are loved by many in Japan, and we welcome Japanese friends to come visit them in China. DPA: It's reported that U.S. President Donald Trump is expected to hold a signing ceremony of the charter of the Board of Peace on Thursday in Davos. Will China send any representative to attend the event? Guo Jiakun: We answered relevant questions yesterday on the Board of Peace. I have nothing more to add. BBC: It's been announced that China's new embassy has been approved in London. Does the Chinese government have anything to say about this? Guo Jiakun: Providing support and convenience for the construction of diplomatic premises is an international obligation of host countries. The planning proposal of the new Chinese embassy project is of high quality. The application and its approval are fully in line with international diplomatic practice as well as local legal regulations and procedures. China-Arab TV: French President Emmanuel Macron in his speech in Davos said that "China is welcome, but what we need is more Chinese foreign direct investments in Europe." How does China view President Macron's statement? Guo Jiakun: The China-EU economic and trade relations are mutually complementary and win-win in nature. The competitive advantage of Chinese products is not built on subsidies but is the combined result of huge research input, full market competition and the complete industrial chain. We never seek trade surplus; on top of being the world's factory, we hope to be the world's market too. We hope that the EU can have a long-term perspective and open attitude, and work with China in the same direction to promote the sustained and sound development of China-EU economic and trade ties. The Chinese government always encourages and supports willing and capable Chinese companies to invest and do business in Europe based on market principles. We hope the EU can provide a fair, nondiscriminatory, transparent and predictable market environment for Chinese companies. CGTN: It's reported that the EU Commission rolled out a new cybersecurity package on January 20. On the basis of a 5G security "toolbox," the EU plans to forcibly de-risk Europe's telecommunication networks by weeding high-risk third-country suppliers. Some commentators believe that the so-called "high-risk suppliers" have a political undertone, which aims to remove Chinese companies from Europe's telecom networks citing security risks. What's China's comment? Guo Jiakun: China noted relevant reports and expresses grave concern over that. Chinese companies have long been conducting lawful operation in Europe and are law-abiding and high-quality providers for the EU's telecom and digital sector. They are never a security threat to European countries. To forcefully limit or ban companies from the market without any evidence and based on non-technical standards seriously violates market principles and fair competition. This act of protectionism is yet another example of turning normal cooperation into political and security issues. Attempts to arbitrarily intervene in the market and violate economic rules don't make one country safer but pay a huge price. Facts prove that in a handful of countries, phasing out quality, safe and secure Chinese telecom equipment not only stifles digital and cyberspace advancement, but also causes huge economic loss. The European Commission dismissed the sheer fact that Chinese companies have provided secure and high-quality products, and that China and the EU have a sound foundation and potential for cooperation in digital network industry, but used security as a pretext for political manipulation. This not only gravely hinders the EU's technological progress and economic growth, but also tarnishes its reputation for an open market and saps foreign companies' confidence in investing in the EU. We urge the EU to stop pursuing the wrong path of protectionism. China will do what is necessary to defend Chinese companies' lawful rights and interests. Bloomberg: We just want to ask about Jamieson Greer's comments. He floated another potential round of trade negotiations with China and he said "There's a chance that we might meet before and then try to have some kind of further agreement on things we can trade between us that are non-sensitive." He said this at Davos yesterday. We're wondering if the Foreign Ministry could comment on whether China and the U.S. are considering such a meeting and if so, where would it take place? We also want to ask about the embassy: if China will now allow the UK to do its renovation on its embassy in China and if UK's Keir Starmer will visit Beijing this month? Guo Jiakun: On your first question, I'd refer you to competent authorities for anything specific. China and the U.S. need to jointly implement the important common understandings reached between the two presidents and inject more certainty and stability into China-U.S. economic and trade cooperation and the world economy. On your second question, China always follows the Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations and relevant laws and regulations in handling the planning application of the premises of the British embassy in China. On the visit you mentioned, I have nothing to share at the moment. In a turbulent and volatile world, China and the UK as permanent members of the UN Security Council will undoubtedly benefit the world and the two countries themselves by stepping up exchanges and cooperation. BBC: The United States' President threatened more tariffs on European countries that don't go along with his wishes on Greenland. Given that China was able to resist the pressure of Donald Trump's administration with these tariffs, does the Chinese government have any advice to these European countries as to how they should handle these threats? Guo Jiakun: China will not comment on the relations between European countries and the U.S. On Greenland, we've stated China's position on multiple occasions. As for the relations between China and Europe, China always upholds the principle of mutual respect and win-win cooperation in advancing its relations with European countries. We also hope that European countries can work with China in the same direction. BBC: China and the U.S. are in theory rivals for global power and seeing the chaos that has been caused by the Trump administration, especially the divisions within the West and NATO collapsing if Donald Trump goes over his threats of Greenland. Now in one way, some observers think that's great for China because the Chinese government says "look at us in the world and look at them in the world" and in a way, the Chinese government might welcome this chaos. But in another sense, obviously it's also harming global trade and is disrupting global supply chains. Does the Chinese government welcome this chaos in the West caused by the Trump administration or how does it view this? Guo Jiakun: China follows an independent foreign policy of peace. We conduct friendly exchanges with other countries based on mutual respect and equality and stay committed to acting as a positive and stable force for good. We have no intention and will not compete for influence with any country. We always maintain that no matter how the international landscape may evolve, what serves the common interests of all parties in the international community is that we uphold the international system with the UN at its core, the international order based on international law, and the basic norms governing international relations based on the purposes and principles of the UN Charter. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Statement by President of the Republic of Cuba, Miguel Diaz-Canel Bermudez through his social media Republic of Cuba - Ministry of Foreign Affairs 12 JAN 2026 There are no talks with the US government, except for technical contacts in the area of migration. We have always been willing to engage in serious and responsible dialogue with the various US administrations, including the current one, on the basis of sovereign equality, mutual respect, principles of international law, mutual benefit without interference in domestic affairs, and with full respect for our independence. The origin and extreme tightening of the blockade have no connection with Cubans living in the US, who were driven there by that failed policy and by the privileges of the Cuban Adjustment Act. They are now victims of the change in policies toward migrants and the betrayal of politicians in Miami. There are bilateral migration agreements in force that Cuba scrupulously complies with. As history shows, for relations between the US and Cuba to move forward, they must be based on international law rather than hostility, threats, and economic coercion. (Cubaminrex-Presidencia) NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Trump threatens 200% wine tariffs on France to push Macron to join Gaza board Iran Press TV Tuesday, 20 January 2026 11:06 AM US President Donald Trump has lashed out at French President Emmanuel Macron over his refusal to join Washington's so-called "Board of Peace" for Gaza, as the initiative faces mounting criticism from international legal experts who describe it as an extension of Israeli occupation. Asked about Macron's stance on Tuesday, Trump dismissed the French head of state's relevance and questioned his political future. "Nobody wants him because he's going to be out of office very soon," Trump said. He warned that if France adopted a hostile position towards the initiative, he would impose a "200% tariff on his wines and champagnes," adding that such pressure would lead Macron to fall in line. Trump's remarks came amid sharp condemnation of the so-called "Board of Peace" from Craig Mokhiber, former head of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) office, who resigned in October 2023 in protest against the Israeli regime's US-backed war of genocide on the Gaza Strip. Mokhiber said the "Board" is "structurally and functionally an extension of the occupation," arguing that it marks a move towards a full-fledged colonial administration of the besieged territory. In a post on X, he said the body was led by "one of the genocide co-perpetrators with the authoritative participation of the other," referring to the United States and the Israeli regime. He stressed that the occupation of Gaza was unlawful under international law and that both the occupation and genocide breached the highest binding norms of international law. "No colonial edict by Trump, no ultra vires resolution of the Security Council, and no agreement by the occupied Palestinian Authority can legalize" the occupation or the war, Mokhiber wrote. Trump has already announced the executive members of the "Board of Peace," which he says would oversee "transitional governance" in Gaza. The proposed council, headed by Trump himself, is composed of pro-Israeli figures and Western elites. Mokhiber warned that "any state or individual that participates in this unlawful body is complicit in the grave international crimes of the US-Israel Axis," and said those involved could and should be held accountable. He added that the world was now watching to see who aligns with the Palestinian people in their struggle for freedom and who sides with their oppressors through participation in the body. The initiative comes as most of the commitments outlined in Trump's 20-point proposal, which he claims is aimed at ending the genocide, have failed to materialize, most notably the cessation of aggression by the regime, which has killed hundreds since the start of a ceasefire agreement in early October under Trump's plan. Nor has any sufficient provision of aid to Palestinians, who began facing a deliberate starvation campaign as part of the genocide. When asked separately whether Russian President Vladimir Putin had been invited to join the "Board of Peace," Trump confirmed the invitation. Since the launch of the genocide on October 7, 2023, more than 71,500 Palestinians have been killed and over 172,000 wounded, the vast majority of them women and children. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Trip to Europe's neighbours: Foreign Minister Wadephul travels to Kenya and Ethiopia Germany Federal Foreign Office 20.01.2026 - Article Germany and our neighbouring continent Africa are closely linked not only in geographical terms. Read on to find out what the key issues will be on the Foreign Minister's trip to Kenya and Ethiopia. The world is changing rapidly. It is therefore more important than ever that we expand our relations with key global partners. As a neighbouring continent, Africa is of particular importance in this regard. Developments on the African continent have a direct impact on Europe - whether it be in terms of security, economic development, migration or climate action. A close partnership with African countries is thus of central importance for stability, prosperity and security in our common neighbourhood. Prior to his departure, Foreign Minister Wadephul stressed: The sea routes off the coasts of East Africa are one of the major arteries of world trade. The region around the Horn of Africa is of particular strategic importance. My first trip to the African continent as Foreign Minister will therefore take me to Kenya and Ethiopia. Kenya: Close partner and anchor of stability in the region The first stop on the trip is Nairobi, where, in addition to political talks with his counterpart Musalia Mudavadi and Kenya's President William Ruto, Foreign Minister Wadephul will meet members of the business community and representatives of civil society. At the training centre of a medium-sized German company in Nairobi, the focus will be on the training of skilled workers and joint cooperation programmes. A visit to the International Peace Support Training Centre is also planned. Commenting on this, Foreign Minister Wadephul said: Kenya is our closest partner in the region and a true pillar of stability. In a region plagued by crises, Kenya plays a crucial mediating role - as it has in the past, for example, in eastern Congo and South Sudan. Kenya is also a major troop contributor to the African Union mission in Somalia. Onwards to Addis Ababa: Regional peace and joint cooperation In Addis Ababa, Foreign Minister Wadephul will talk about the situation in the country and the region with his Ethiopian counterpart Gedion Timothewos. Economic issues will also be on the agenda: the Foreign Minister will, among other things, discuss prospects for economic cooperation with the CEO of Ethiopia's largest airline. The Foreign Minister will be accompanied by a business delegation on his trip. Foreign Minister Wadephul emphasised the following in this regard: Ethiopia bears crucial responsibility for peace and stability in the Horn of Africa. The situation in Tigray and relations with Eritrea remain tense. With my visit, I want to encourage efforts to find solutions for a peaceful balance of interests. Commitment to multilateralism: Focus on the African Union Addis Ababa is the seat of the African Union. Germany is committed to strong partnerships with African countries with a view to promoting peace and security, creating economic prospects and jointly strengthening the rules-based international order. That is why the visit to the African Union, high-level talks and an exchange with Permanent Representatives of the African Union's member states are also on the agenda. Foreign Minister Wadephul stated prior to his departure: In a multipolar world, Africa is increasingly emerging as a centre of gravity. We therefore also want to further expand our cooperation with the African Union. We are united in our commitment to a rules-based international order and cooperation in which multilateral solutions are considered preferable to nations going it alone. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Iran's Armed Forces will cut off any 'hand of aggression' against Leader: Spokesman Iran Press TV Tuesday, 20 January 2026 3:02 PM A top-ranking Iranian military official has dismissed recent rhetorical threats from US President Donald Trump, warning that any hostile action directed toward Leader of the Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei would result in a devastating military retaliation. General Abolfazl Shekarchi, the spokesperson for the General Staff of the Armed Forces, made the remarks at a meeting in Tehran on Tuesday. General Shekarchi rejected recent threats by Trump, in which he said Iran's leadership must change, as part of a broader psychological warfare campaign. "We do not attach significant importance to Trump's clamor," he said. "Trump knows that if a hand of aggression is extended toward our Leader, we will not only sever that hand, and this is not a mere slogan, but we will set their world on fire and leave them no safe haven in the region," General Shekarchi stated. "The enemies are aware of this, yet they continue their cognitive warfare. They know that if even a corner of our territory is violated, we will neutralize the threat before it can expand," he added, citing the 12-day war of June 2025 as a historical precedent to this capability. Bazaar's resistance hailed General Shekarchi also commented on the failure of the foreign-backed riots aimed at destabilizing Iran's economy. He specifically lauded the resilience of the Iranian bazaar and trade unions, noting they refused to participate in coordinated efforts to create chaos during recent unrest. "One of the major scenarios during the 12-day war was to provoke turmoil in the market simultaneously with military pressure," the general explained, saying that the strategy was a failure. The Iranian general stated that the enemy attempted this strategy again during the recent riots, but it was once again defeated. "As soon as the merchants and guilds realized that the enemy was seeking to exploit the situation, they did not delay for even a single minute. On the night of January 9, all evil groups and parties united and entered the scene in an organized manner. However, the merchants and guilds once again showed self-sacrifice here and disappointed the enemy." Manufacturing casualties Addressing the nature of recent deadly riots in the country, Shekarchi said the terrorist elements employed a "bloody strategy" aimed at maximizing casualties regardless of the victims' backgrounds. He stated that more than two-thirds of those killed by the terrorist groups were innocent civilians, including youth and children. The general highlighted the restraint shown by Iranian security forces, including the Police, Basij, and the Islamic Revolution Guards Corps (IRGC). According to Shekarchi, security personnel often entered the field without firearms to prevent accidental harm to citizens, frequently placing themselves at extreme personal risk. "Our forces were subjected to brutal attacks... They act as shields to protect the youth from being killed... our forces were dismembered, and burned with gasoline," Shekarchi stated. Iran was the scene of highly violent riots exploiting concerns about the rising cost of living earlier this month. Authorities have acknowledged the legitimacy of economic grievances and vowed to address them, which are directly linked to unilateral, illegal US sanctions targeting Iran's central bank and oil exports. But they vowed to deal decisively with terrorists wreaking havoc across the country; terrorists supported by the United States and the Israeli regime. Donald Trump has repeatedly threatened military action against Iran under the guise of supporting armed mercenaries, which he has termed "peaceful protesters". Last week, he called for an end to Ayatollah Khamenei's leadership. "It's time to look for new leadership in Iran," Trump told the Politico website. On Tuesday, the national security commission of the Iranian Parliament said in a statement that any attack on Ayatollah Khamenei would trigger a declaration of jihad. "Any attack on the Leader means a declaration of war with the entire Islamic world and must await the issuance of a Jihad decree by Islamic scholars and the response of Islam's soldiers in all parts of the world," the parliamentary commission said. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Russia's Lavrov condemns Western plots for 'regime change' in Iran Iran Press TV Tuesday, 20 January 2026 2:02 PM Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov has condemned Western countries for seeking regime change in Iran, saying their attempts to destabilize the country are a cause of deep concern. "Deep concern is caused by the frank, declared attempts to destabilize the foreign policy situation in Iran," Lavrov told a press conference reviewing the results of Russian diplomacy in 2025. The Russian minister was referring to the recent wave of riots and terrorist attacks against members of security forces and civilians in Iran, which were openly supported by US President Donald Trump and some other Western officials. "In particular, [the head of EU diplomacy] Kaja Kallas recently stated that, by supporting protests, the international community represented by the EU is seeking regime change in this country," he said. Russia has voiced support for the Islamic Republic in the face of the terrorist riots and lashed out at the West for inciting violence in the country. Last week, Russian President Vladimir Putin told his Iranian counterpart, Masoud Pezeshkian, in a phone conversation that the recent march of millions of Iranians in support of their leadership clearly showed the real situation in Iran. Russia won't halt trade with Iran In his presser, Lavrov also said that Moscow sees no reason to stop trading with Iran and will continue to do so despite US sanctions threats. "We are trading with [Iran]. It is you and us. Our trade will develop the way we decide it to do," he said, referring to an announcement by Trump on January 12 that any country doing business with Iran would face a tariff rate of 25% on any trade with the US. Lavrov added that they've 'good plans' with Iran, citing the development of the Bushehr nuclear power plant and also the International North-South Transport Corridor, which connects Russia, Azerbaijan, and Iran. "Many other projects are now being worked on, and I see no reason for us or our Iranian friends to halt them," he said, adding that Trump is using tariffs as a "political instrument" and that such measures show the US is not fully confident in its own competitiveness in global markets. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Over 470 terrorists, riot ringleaders captured in multiple Iranian provinces Iran Press TV Tuesday, 20 January 2026 7:14 AM Iranian security and intelligence forces have captured more than 470 individuals in three provinces, identified as key figures behind the recent wave of violent unrest and terrorist activities linked to foreign-backed networks. The Intelligence Ministry's provincial office in Khorasan Razavi announced on Monday the arrest of 192 armed terrorists, identified as the main agents behind recent riots in the region. According to an official statement, the detainees were involved in the killing of several security personnel and civilians, setting fire to mosques, public service facilities, and buses, as well as attacks on military and law enforcement centers. The seized items from the group include several bulletproof vests, Kalashnikov rifles, hunting weapons, Winchester rifles, and various cold weapons such as daggers, swords, brass knuckles, tactical knives, crossbows, and chains. Evidence indicates that some of the individuals were tied to hostile movements and terrorist organizations, with links overseas. Others were identified as members of violent criminal gangs, actively taking part in the unrest alongside their associates. Simultaneously, in the western province of Lorestan, the IRGC announced the arrest of 134 individuals as the main leaders and influential field agents of a US-Israeli terrorist network. The IRGC statement stated that these individuals formed terrorist cells during the recent unrest, committing "Daesh-like" acts. They wounded security forces with firearms and cold weapons, and burned and destroyed public and private properties, including mosques, shops, banks, and private and public vehicles. In the northwestern province of Zanjan, the police reported detaining 150 people identified as principal leaders and agents behind recent riots. Authorities noted that these individuals were responsible for destroying public and private property and intentionally setting fire to vehicles in the province's squares. Their crimes include shedding the blood of innocent people, destroying public and private property, attempting to enter military sites, disrupting public order, and spreading terror among citizens. A variety of cold weapons were reportedly seized from the detainees. What began late last month as peaceful protests over economic hardship across Iran turned violent after public statements by US and Israeli regime figures encouraged vandalism and disorder. During the unrest, foreign-backed mercenaries rampaged through cities, killing security forces and civilians and damaging public property. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Araghchi slams World Economic Forum for canceling his Davos invitation Iran Press TV Tuesday, 20 January 2026 1:26 AM Iran's Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi has slammed the World Economic Forum (WEF) for canceling his presence at the Davos summit. Araghchi said in a post on X on Monday night that the decision was made by WEF "on the basis of lies and political pressure from Israel and its US-based proxies and apologists." The World Economic Forum said its invitation for Araghchi has been withdrawn, citing Iran's operations against recent terrorist attacks, during which terror groups targeted security forces, civilians and public property. Araghchi had been scheduled to speak on Tuesday during the summit at the Swiss ski resort town. The foreign minister stressed that the Iranian government had to defend the people against "armed terrorists and ISIS-style killings openly backed by Mossad," the Israeli spy agency. Araghchi said the forum's decision came even though "Israel's genocide of Palestinians and mass slaughter of 71,000 innocent people did not compel it to cancel any invitation extended to Israeli officials whatsoever." He said if the forum wants to feign a supposedly "moral" stance, it should at least be consistent about it, because its "blatant double standard only conveys moral depravity and intellectual bankruptcy." The WEF's decision comes as stability has been restored across Iran following a period of foreign-instigated unrest. What began as peaceful protests late last month gradually turned violent, as rioters rampaged through cities across the country, killing security forces and attacking public infrastructure. The US and Israel have acknowledged their direct involvement on the ground, with former US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo tweeting, "Happy New Year to every Iranian in the streets. Also, to every Mossad agent walking beside them." In a Farsi-language social media post, Mossad encouraged rioters to "Go out together into the streets. The time has come," adding that Mossad operatives are with the rioters "not only from a distance and verbally. We are with [them] in the field." Germany, one of the United States' closest and strongest allies in Europe, also stated its opposition to extending an invitation to Iranian officials. The Munich Security Conference on Friday said it was also withdrawing an invitation to Araghchi. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address 'Think differently': Araghchi urges Trump to change tack after trying 'every conceivable hostile act' Iran Press TV Wednesday, 21 January 2026 6:58 PM Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi has demanded a fundamental shift in US policy following a year of failed aggression and foreign-backed destabilization efforts targeting Iran. In an opinion piece published in the Wall Street Journal, Araghchi's message to President Donald Trump was unambiguous: the American strategy of "maximum pressure" has hit a dead end. "The US has tried every conceivable hostile act against Iran, from sanctions and cyber assaults to outright military attack, and, most recently, it clearly fanned a major terrorist operation, all of which failed," he said, in reference to foreign-backed terrorist riots earlier this month. "It is time to think differently. Try respect, which will allow us to advance farther than one may believe." He noted that during Trump's 12 months in office, the region has seen only bloodshed, citing the human toll in Palestine, Lebanon, Syria, Yemen, and Iran. Diplomacy sabotaged by "Israel's proxies" The minister highlighted that Tehran and Washington were "very close" to a breakthrough on at least three occasions during negotiations in Oman last May. However, these opportunities were consistently sabotaged. Araghchi pointed the finger at "Israel's proxies in the White House" for prioritizing Zionist interests over American ones. He further criticized the US for a "major miscalculation" in September 2025 when it pressured Europeans to invoke the "snapback" mechanism of the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action, effectively killing a prime opportunity for de-escalation in New York. While Iran remains ready for a "fair and balanced deal," Araghchi noted that the experiences of 2025 have left Tehran skeptical of Washington's sincerity. Warning of "ferocious" retaliation While emphasizing that he "abhors war," Araghchi warned against any renewed military adventurism. Unlike the restraint shown in mid-2025, Araghchi stated that Iran's Armed Forces "have no qualms about firing back with everything we have." He dismissed the "fantasy timelines" of a short conflict peddled by Israeli hawks, warning that an all-out confrontation would be "ferocious," long-lasting, and would "engulf the wider region," impacting ordinary people across the globe. "Maximum bloodshed" strategy Addressing the recent domestic unrest, Araghchi slammed the "distorted narratives" prevalent in Western media. He clarified that while legitimate economic protests were initially recognized by the government, they were hijacked by a "callous and horrific" foreign plot designed to trigger US intervention. He said that Trump's public warnings targeting Iran served as a direct incentive for terrorist cells to pursue a strategy of "maximum bloodshed" to force a US entry into the war on behalf of Israel. Citing former US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo's own admissions regarding Mossad's infiltration of Iranian streets, Araghchi noted that security forces faced coordinated, large-scale armed attacks by masked terrorists using rifles and handguns. The violence, which lasted less than 72 hours, saw police officers shot, burned, and beheaded. Araghchi likened the scale of the tragedy to the hypothetical killing of 600 law enforcement officers in the US within three days. The minister confirmed that the violent phase has ended, terrorist cells have been eliminated thanks to the "vigilance of the public," and the temporary communication blocks required for national security are being lifted. "No government would sit idly by as its citizens were subjected to such unfathomable horrors," Araghchi stated, reaffirming that while Iran chooses peace, it will never be intimidated by misinformation or threats. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Iran dismantles terrorist cell: Ringleader killed, 11 members arrested Iran Press TV Wednesday, 21 January 2026 10:27 AM Iranian security and intelligence forces have killed a ringleader and nearly a dozen members of a Takfiri terrorist cell in a series of coordinated operations in the southeastern province of Sistan and Baluchestan, officials say. General Directorate of Intelligence in Sistan and Baluchestan province announced in a statement that 11 members of a Takfiri terrorist group known as "Ansar al-Shaytan" have been arrested in recent security operations, Tasnim news agency reported on Wednesday. According to the statement, the arrests were made during three joint operations carried out by the Quds Base of the Islamic Revolution Guards Corps (IRGC) Ground Force, the provincial Intelligence Directorate of Sistan and Baluchestan, and police forces. It added that one of the group's operational ringleaders was also killed during an armed clashes with security forces. The terrorists had reportedly been planning to carry out attacks in the province and were hiding in the outskirts of the provincial capital, Zahedan, before being identified and confronted by security forces. A cache of weapons and explosive-related equipment was also seized from the terrorists' hideouts, including one RPG launcher, 24 RPG rounds, two AK-47 assault rifles with corresponding ammunition, six handguns, as well as quantities of munitions and equipment used in the manufacture of bombs. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address US 'must be held accountable' for interference, support for terrorism in Iran: Araghchi Iran Press TV Wednesday, 21 January 2026 6:51 AM Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi has called for holding the United States legally accountable for blatant interference in Iran's internal affairs, denouncing Washington for backing organized terrorist violence aimed at destabilizing the country following recent riots. In an article published on Tuesday in KHAMENEI.IR, Araghchi stated that recent organized terrorist operations have once again exposed "the true nature of the United States' behavior toward Iran," while raising a broader question for the international community regarding unchecked foreign interference in sovereign states. He noted that organized acts of violence carried out between January 8 and 10 were not spontaneous protests but part of a "calculated and organized project" backed by the United States and the Zionist regime." "Training, equipping, and directing criminal elements, explicit incitement to violence, and efforts to destabilize Iran's internal security are all components that render these events far beyond peaceful protests. Instead, they represent acts of terrorism with significant implications under international law," he added. His remarks come after recent riots, during which terrorist groups carried out armed attacks against civilians, security forces, and public infrastructure as a means of trying to divert economic protests towards unrest. The attacks followed incendiary remarks by US President Donald Trump, who threatened fresh military aggression against Iran in case of what he called the Islamic Republic's potential confrontation with the protesters. Intelligence officials have verified that the US- and Israeli-backed riotous elements were seeking to hijack the protests and ignite chaos as a means of paving the way for such aggression. The Iranian minister stated that the unrest resulted in extensive damage to public infrastructure, including mosques, educational institutions, banks, hospitals, power facilities, and public stores, as well as the deaths of security personnel and civilians. He added that the scale of destruction demonstrated an intent to disrupt public order and spread fear within society. He also pointed to attacks on Iranian diplomatic and consular missions abroad, describing them as flagrant violations of the Vienna Conventions on Diplomatic and Consular Relations of 1961 and 1963. Such acts, he said, represent a serious breach of internationally recognized diplomatic norms. Araghchi further cited public statements by US officials, including explicit expressions of support for the rioters and threats of force against Iran, as violations of core principles of international law. He also condemned repeated threats made by US President Donald Trump against Leader of the Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei, denouncing them as an unprecedented violation of the principle of non-intervention and the customary international law norm regarding the inviolability of senior state officials. Trump recently claimed that Iran's leadership must change, as part of a broader psychological warfare campaign. "These actions," Araghchi went on, "will undoubtedly carry far-reaching legal and political consequences." The foreign minister announced that Iran's Ministry of Foreign Affairs has launched sustained legal and diplomatic efforts to establish US responsibility for the US-Israeli aggression in June and the recent terrorist operations. He said documentation of interventions and hostile actions is ongoing, and the necessary legal groundwork has been laid to pursue claims before competent national and international bodies. "Iran will not forgo the rights of each and every Iranian citizen and will not allow support for terrorism to become a cost-free practice in the international system. The United States must be held accountable for its actions," he added. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Trump says Iron Dome is US technology, not Israel's Iran Press TV Wednesday, 21 January 2026 6:49 PM US President Donald Trump has said that the Iron Dome anti-rocket system, widely deployed by the Israeli regime in regional wars, was developed by the United States, and Tel Aviv should not portray it as an Israeli technology. Speaking at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, on Wednesday, Trump said he had told Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to "stop taking credit" for the Iron Dome. "We did it for Israel, and by the way I told Bibi, 'Bibi stop taking credit for the dome, that's our technology,'" Trump said. This follows Israel's frequent portrayal of the Iron Dome as a domestically developed system, despite acknowledging significant US funding and collaboration with American defense firms. "What we did for Israel was amazing," Trump said, adding that the US plans more advanced systems for "the United States, Canada and the rest of the world." He said the US will "build a dome like no other," while referring to a proposed project called the Golden Dome which aims to create a satellite network capable of detecting, tracking, and potentially intercepting incoming missiles. The planned system, estimated to cost $175 billion, is intended to counter potential missile threats from Russia and China. NATO warned over Greenland In his speech at Davos, Trump also warned members of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) not to obstruct his plans to acquire Greenland. He repeatedly criticized European allies and expressed his intent to "get Greenland, including right, title and ownership," while insisting no force would be used to take the Danish territory. Trump's controversial interest in Greenland has revealed strains within NATO, an alliance formed at the beginning of the Cold War and long considered one of the world's most steadfast partnerships. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Israeli military chief warns Netanyahu, Katz of manpower crisis undermining military readiness Iran Press TV Wednesday, 21 January 2026 11:23 AM The Israeli military's chief of staff has warned prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu and minister of military affairs Israel Katz that a severe manpower shortage is undermining the regime's military preparedness. In a letter dated January 11 and first reported by Israel's Channel 12, Eyal Zamir cautioned Netanyahu, Katz, and the head of the Knesset foreign affairs committee, Boaz Bismuth, that the military is facing a critical shortage of personnel that threatens its ability to function effectively. Zamir highlighted deteriorating manpower levels after more than two years of sustained warfare across West Asia, with the heaviest toll coming from the regime's genocidal war on Gaza and outlined how the strain is spreading across the armed forces, weakening operational capacity and long-term readiness. Israel's genocidal war in Gaza has killed more than 71,000 Palestinians and wounded over 171,000 since October 7, 2023. During the same period, the regime has carried out military aggression beyond Gaza, including strikes targeting Iran, Yemen, Lebanon, and Qatar, further stretching its forces. "The shortage is not theoretical," Zamir wrote, warning that it could cause tangible harm to the military's readiness as early as next year "due to ongoing security pressures." He also pointed to the political paralysis surrounding legislation that exempts ultra-Orthodox (Haredi) Jews from military service, stressing the urgent need to extend the length of compulsory service for conscripts. An estimated 80,000 ultra-Orthodox men between the ages of 18 and 24 are eligible for service but remain unenlisted, a disparity that has fueled resentment among non-Haredi settlers who have been sent repeatedly to the front lines. Israeli armed forces have said they urgently require 12,000 additional recruits, most of them combat troops, as standing and reserve units are worn down by the genocide in Gaza and what the military refers to as "other military challenges." Zamir warned that delays in legislative action are unfolding during a "security-sensitive" period, when "the army needs large numbers of soldiers to meet the demands of the current phase." He added that the consequences of the manpower crisis are expected to intensify and "become even more serious starting from January 2027." He explicitly called for the immediate extension of compulsory military service for men to 36 months, emphasizing that the measure should also apply retroactively, further highlighting how the regime's prolonged wars are forcing ever harsher demands on its own population NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Pakistan Accepts Invitation for Joining the Board of Peace (BoP) with the View to Achieving Lasting Peace in Gaza Pakistan Ministry of Foreign Affairs In response to the invitation extended to Prime Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif by the President of the United States, H.E. Donald J. Trump, Pakistan would like to announce its decision to join the Board of Peace (BoP) as part of its ongoing efforts to support the implementation of the Gaza Peace Plan under the framework of the United Nations Security Council Resolution 2803. Pakistan expresses the hope that with the creation of this framework, concrete steps will be taken towards the implementation of a permanent ceasefire, further scaling up of humanitarian aid for the Palestinians, as well as reconstruction of Gaza. Pakistan also hopes that these efforts will lead to the realization of the right to self-determination of the people of Palestine, through a credible, time-bound political process, consistent with international legitimacy and relevant UN resolutions, resulting in the establishment of an independent, sovereign, and contiguous State of Palestine, based on the pre-1967 borders with Al-Quds Al-Sharif as its capital. Pakistan looks forward to continue playing a constructive role as part of the Board of Peace for the achievement of these goals as well as to end the suffering of our Palestinian brothers and sisters. Islamabad January 21,2026 22/2026 NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address President Lee, Qatar cover defense, energy in 2nd phone talks KOREA.net Jan 21, 2026 By Yoon Sojung President Lee Jae Myung on Jan. 20 at Cheong Wa Dae in Seoul held phone talks with Qatari Emir Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani. Presidential spokesperson Kim Nam-joon said in a written news briefing that the second phone conversation between both leaders was held that evening, following their first in July last year. "I expect to expand the scope of cooperation in various sectors including national defense, the defense industry, energy and infrastructure," the president said. "Qatar's active role as a mediator in international conflicts including those in Middle East has drawn attention," he added, asking Doha to play a constructive role in ensuring global stability. Emir Al Thani said, "Based on Qatar's trust and expectations toward Korea as a comprehensive strategic partner, Korea is greatly contributing to Qatar's national development." Spokesperson Kim said both leaders agreed to meet in person in the near future to discuss bolstering bilateral cooperation. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Tsahkna: the EU oil ban now in force increases pressure on Russia Republic of Estonia - Ministry of Foreign Affairs 21.01.2026 | 17:52 Today, the ban introduced under the European Union's 18th sanctions package entered into force, prohibiting the import into the EU of petroleum products produced in third countries if they have been made using crude oil originating from Russia. The aim of the measure is to close loopholes for sanctions circumvention and to reduce the financing of Russia's war machine. According to Foreign Minister Margus Tsahkna, this is an important step in increasing pressure on the aggressor state. "Russian oil can no longer reach the European Union market via a so-called back route. This increases pressure on Russia and directly limits its ability to finance the war against Ukraine," Tsahkna said. Tsahkna noted that Russia continues its attacks on Ukraine's civilian and energy infrastructure, and that there is practically no power plant in Ukraine that has not been hit by Russian strikes. "Millions of people are living through the winter without electricity and heating," the foreign minister stressed. Tsahkna emphasised that the European Union must continue to strengthen sanctions pressure. "We must not take our foot off the accelerator when it comes to economic pressure. Each new sanctions package sends a clear message: Ukraine is not alone and Russia will never be allowed to act with impunity," he said, adding that work on the 20th sanctions package is under way. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Meeting with Government members Vladimir Putin held a videoconference meeting with Government members. The agenda included issues raised by citizens during the Results of the Year with Vladimir Putin special programme. January 21, 2026 19:35 The Kremlin, Moscow The meeting was attended by Prime Minister Mikhail Mishustin, Chief of Staff of the Presidential Executive Office Anton Vaino, First Deputy Prime Minister Denis Manturov, First Deputy Chief of Staff of the Presidential Executive Office Sergei Kiriyenko, Deputy Prime Ministers Tatyana Golikova, Alexander Novak, Alexei Overchuk, Dmitry Patrushev, Vitaly Savelyev, Marat Khusnullin, Dmitry Chernyshenko, Deputy Prime Minister - Chief of the Government Staff Dmitry Grigorenko, Deputy Prime Minister - Plenipotentiary Presidential Envoy to the Far Eastern Federal District Yury Trutnev, Deputy Chief of Staff of the Presidential Executive Office Maxim Oreshkin, Minister of Economic Development Maxim Reshetnikov, and Minister of Finance Anton Siluanov. Also invited to the meeting were Minister of Industry and Trade Anton Alikhanov, Minister for Civil Defence, Emergencies and Natural Disaster Relief Alexander Kurenkov, Minister of Labour and Social Protection Anton Kotyakov, Minister of Healthcare Mikhail Murashko, Minister of Transport Andrei Nikitin, Minister of Construction, Housing and Utilities Irek Fayzullin, Minister of Energy Sergei Tsivilev, the governors of the Kamchatka Territory, Belgorod, Bryansk and Kursk regions, State Secretary - Deputy Minister of Defence Anna Tsivileva, and Head of the Russian Popular Front Executive Committee Mikhail Kuznetsov. * * * President of Russia Vladimir Putin: Good afternoon, colleagues. Today, we are holding our first meeting of 2026. The New Year holidays are behind us, and I must emphasise that all levels of government must now transition to intensive and systematic work. The agenda includes a range of issues. I propose we begin by discussing how regions, including those near the line of contact, are managing the winter season, the functioning of our energy infrastructure, and measures to ensure the supply of electricity, heating, and water to households, businesses, and social institutions. We will also address the situation in the transport sector, which is dealing with the aftermath of heavy snowfall and low temperatures. In this regard, I would like to invite colleagues to share their reports. I suggest we begin with Irek Fayzullin. Mr Fayzullin, you have the floor. (Irek Fayzullin reported on how the winter season was proceeding and the work of the housing and utilities infrastructure with an emphasis on the borderland and rejoined regions. Sergey Tsivilyov commented on the work of the energy sector during the heating season. Governor of the Kamchatka Territory Vladimir Solodov spoke on removing the aftermath of the heaviest snowfall in the region over the past 50 years, which resulted in many-meter thick snow layers in the cities and settlements. According to him, the situation is getting back to normal now and is under control. Andrei Nikitin said that despite the abnormal weather conditions the transport system has fulfilled its function, including freight and passenger traffic as well as the air transport.) Vladimir Putin: I want to call on all my colleagues both in the federal agencies and in the regions. Still, later this week strong frost and probably repeated snowfalls in many areas are expected both in Central Russia and in the Volga region. This is why we must be ready for such a development of the situation. Our primary focus today is to review the outcomes of December's Direct Line conference and to discuss the issues it raised. These are, in essence, the issues brought to us, to the Government, directly by the public, and they span the most pressing concerns facing our citizens. In total, we received over three million questions during the Direct Line. These primarily concerned social policy, which accounted for over 20 percent, as well as government and public engagement, economic development, infrastructure, the healthcare system, and other key areas. I would like to emphasise this point: the questions posed by our citizens are not merely a crucial indicator of where the government must double down its efforts and deliver greater results. Each inquiry also represents a direct call to action for federal, regional, and local authorities. In this regard, I should note that all queries submitted in the run-up to the Direct Line are being processed by the Popular Front and our volunteers, before being forwarded to the relevant agencies and departments for concrete action. This is, of course, a complex and labour-intensive undertaking. I extend my thanks to all involved. I would also add that, as you are aware, the organisers have recently implemented domestically developed AI solutions. Whereas previously, reviewing a request and assigning it to the responsible body could take months - sometimes up to six - this process now takes mere minutes, thereby significantly accelerating the resolution of specific problems. Furthermore, thanks to these new digital tools, federal and regional authorities have begun addressing particularly urgent issues in real time, even prior to the broadcast. I would particularly highlight the initiative of the Ministry of Health, which started acting on callers' pressing concerns as they came in, beginning on December 5. I would like to offer my special thanks to my colleagues for this responsible approach. For our discussion today, I propose we examine in detail a selection of the questions submitted to the Direct Line. Several of these were discussed at our last meeting towards the end of last year, where we agreed to work swiftly with our colleagues in the State Duma and in the regions to develop actionable measures. First among these is the refinement of the support system for families with children. As a reminder, low-income families are eligible for assistance from pregnancy until the child reaches the age of 17. However, citizens have identified certain aspects that require adjustment and clarification - notably, eligibility in cases where a family's income marginally exceeds the threshold. Proposals were also made to extend the operating hours of creche groups at kindergartens, allowing parents to collect their children at a more convenient time after work. I have discussed these matters with the Prime Minister following the Direct Line, and with the responsible Deputy Prime Minister. The Government is now advancing work on these and other related initiatives, and the relevant instructions have been issued. I would like to reiterate: all measures we are implementing in the demographic sphere, particularly in support of families with children, must be rest on the views of our citizens, accounting for their needs and an evaluation of the effectiveness of the decisions already enacted. On this basis, the Government and colleagues in the regions must continuously improve the system of support for families with children, by supplementing and fine-tuning it. It is evident that only under these conditions will our demographic policy yield tangible, real results. This is precisely the key strategic objective facing Russia. I would also like, at this juncture, to remind you of the important decisions designed to further protect the interests of citizens, including families with children, in the housing market. As agreed, from January 1 this year, the moratorium on the imposition of penalties for developers who fail to hand over apartment keys within the stipulated timeframe has been lifted. Consequently, if construction companies delay fulfilling their obligations, homebuyers will be able to seek redress for the costs incurred. I repeat once again: keys to purchased apartments must be handed over on time. Here, systematic work with developers - at the level of local and regional authorities, construction and supply organisations, and through federal legislation - plays a crucial role. This work must be carried out consistently, a point I emphasised during our previous meeting. Next point. The most important task, duty, and responsibility of the state and our entire society is to support participants and veterans of the special military operation, as well as members of their families. Much is being done in this regard through the Ministry of Defence and the Defenders of the Fatherland Foundation. The Russian Popular Front is making a tremendous contribution, as it unites the efforts of millions of citizens and volunteers who actively and practically assist our fighters, our heroes, and their families. It is clear that in this extensive and complex work, challenges inevitably arise. During the recent Direct Line event, appeals were received regarding delays in payments, pensions, and benefits for participants in the special military operation and their relatives. I must draw attention to this: in each specific case, we are dealing with people's lives and families, and any discrepancies and failures in processing must be addressed with the utmost thoroughness. I expect to hear today a report on what has been done to resolve these issues and how interagency coordination has been established to ensure that veterans of the special military operation, our fighters, and members of their families receive all payments due to them without unnecessary delays or bureaucracy. A separate topic concerning availability of subsidised medications was brought up during the Direct Line. Unfortunately, after being diagnosed with an illness or having undergone a surgery, people in some communities are not always able to obtain medications, including life-sustaining medications, either free of charge or at low fixed prices. To reiterate, subsidised medications must be readily available in all regions and communities. They are part of the state's social obligations, and they must be properly fulfilled by allocating funds to the regions, establishing local operations, concluding procurement contracts in a timely manner, and, of course, establishing logistics, including the use of first-aid stations, post offices, and ambulant pharmacies. Instructions to this end have been issued. I look forward to receiving a report on this matter today. Please focus on the domestic production of medications and vaccines and boosting the capacity of Russian pharmaceutical companies. One more thing. As you may be aware, amendments to the tax system came into effect this year. Among other things, they apply to small businesses which tend to outgrow the patent system in terms of volume over time and start paying value-added tax. As you may recall, during the Direct Line, we were joined by a bakery from the Moscow Region. Its owner made a point that tax amendments may compound small business operations, meaning small businesses that engage in production and marketing of their own products. In recent years, much has been done at the federal and regional levels to support small businesses, especially the ones engaging in manufacturing. Without a doubt, this sector of the economy must be able to transition smoothly to new taxation arrangements. In other words, it is important to avoid excessively increasing the burden on entrepreneurs, increasing accounting costs, and so on. I look forward to hearing where the Government stands on ways to protect the interests of the manufacturing businesses and to provide additional support to these enterprises. In closing, I would like to bring the attention of our colleagues from the Presidential Executive Office and the Government to the fact that an extensive list of instructions is being drafted following the Direct Line. In addition, please formalise the outcomes of today's meeting as separate instructions. I will now give the floor to Tatyana Golikova. She and I have discussed the supply of medications to the regions on many occasions. The federal authorities, Ms Golikova told me, are transferring the funds in full and on time, but there are many minor issues that arise constantly, and we must deal with them constantly as well. Ms Golikova, please, the floor is yours. <...> Vladimir Putin: I would like to thank you all for your active participation in addressing the tasks highlighted by our citizens during the Direct Line. These are the priorities our people have set. We are well aware - this is not our first experience of such an event. The Direct Line has been functioning, one might say, for many years, and each time it serves not only as the most accurate sociological snapshot of the issues concerning our citizens but also as a guideline for our joint work. There is a distinction between our correct, important, and large-scale policy objectives and the feedback we consistently emphasise. It is this feedback that helps us structure our work in practical and tangible terms. I would like to thank everyone once again for your proactive involvement in our joint efforts and express my hope that we will continue to implement everything discussed today with the same consistency. All of this holds immense importance for our country and for millions of our citizens. We will maintain this approach moving forward. Thank you very much. I wish you all the best. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Statement of the Permanent Representative of the Russian Federation to the United Nations Office and Other International Organizations in Geneva Ambassador Gennady GATILOV at the plenary meeting of the Conference on Disarmament, Geneva, January 20, 2026 21 January 2026 17:34 52-21-01-2026 Unofficial translation STATEMENT of the Permanent Representative of the Russian Federation to the United Nations Office and Other International Organizations in Geneva Ambassador Gennady GATILOV at the plenary meeting of the Conference on Disarmament (Geneva, 20 January 2026) Dear Madam President, Dear colleagues, First of all, on behalf of the Russian Federation I would like to congratulate you, Your Excellency, on assuming the Presidency of the Conference. I wish you and the entire team of presidents of 2026 patience and perseverance in leading our forum. Of course, you can count on the full support of the Russian delegation in this endeavor. Madam President, We are launching the session of our forum this year amid a challenging international environment. Naturally, the current situation on the world stage has a direct impact on the consideration of issues related to arms control, non-proliferation of weapons of mass destruction, and strategic stability in general. Today's world requires effort, responsibility, and conscious choices. The relevance of this is obvious, especially now, when the situation on the international stage is increasingly deteriorating, long-standing conflicts are escalating, and new serious hotspots of tension are emerging. The search for compromise solutions is increasingly being replaced by unilateral and highly dangerous actions. Instead of dialogue between States, we hear the monologue of those who, by virtue of their power, consider it acceptable to dictate their will, lecture others on how to live their lives, and give orders. We feel all of this, of course, here too, during the discussions at the Conference on Disarmament. In just a couple of weeks since the beginning of 2026, we have witnessed a blatant violation of the fundamental principle of international law and the UN Charter, aggression, attempts to interfere in the internal political processes of sovereign States, threats of force and the use of force. A striking example of the implementation of such a concept is the recent actions by Washington against Venezuela. We express our firm solidarity with the people of Venezuela in the face of external aggression. We support the policy pursued by the Bolivarian leadership to safeguard the country's national interests and sovereignty. Dangerous tensions are growing around the Islamic Republic of Iran. The US, which already committed an act of armed aggression against Tehran last year, continues to exert enormous pressure on it. We call on Washington to abandon its militant rhetoric towards Iran, respect its sovereignty, and prevent a repeat of last year's tragedy under false pretexts. I cannot fail to mention the situation around Greenland, which has essentially caused panic within NATO. All this has a negative impact on strategic stability. Our country continues to face military, political, and economic aggression from many Western States. European countries, intoxicated by Russophobia, continue to pursue the utopian goal of inflicting a "strategic defeat" on Russia. To this end, Europeans, including the entire apparatus of the EU in Brussels, spare no resources in supporting the regime of Zelensky. Ukraine continues to be pumped with weapons, which are then resold by Kiev's corrupt officials on the black market, while financial resources are mercilessly plundered. Kiev's sponsors turn a blind eye to this, even though these handouts, as well as the introduction of numerous packages of anti-Russian restrictions, are damaging the economies and populations of European countries. As a result, we exist in conditions of significant loss of mutual trust between UN Member States. This undoubtedly affects the work of the Conference on Disarmament. In a situation where the positions of many Member States on various issues on the international agenda are diametrically opposed, it is very difficult to find common ground on most issues in the field of arms control, disarmament, and non-proliferation. A reasonable way out of this situation would be to insist more strongly that all members of the international community comply with international law, as well as to provide real assistance to the emerging new, more just world order, in which all States would have the right to their own model of growth, to independently, determine their own destiny without outside influence, while preserving their unique culture and traditions. Madam President, Despite all the negative trends, Russia has consistently proposed initiatives aimed at maintaining restraint and predictability in the field of arms control, disarmament, and non-proliferation, as well as in the sphere of international and regional security. However, their effectiveness and feasibility depend on the reciprocal actions of other States. Thus, after the United States took practical steps to deploy medium- and shorter-range missiles in various regions of the world, Russia was forced to abandon the voluntary moratorium on the deployment of similar weapons, which it had observed until recently. The same fate may befall the moratorium on nuclear testing: if the US carries out its threats, our country will simply be forced to respond in similar way. The proposal by Russian President Vladimir Putin that Moscow and Washington voluntarily impose restrictions on themselves in terms of compliance with the central limits under the Treaty on Measures for the Further Reduction and Limitation of Strategic Offensive Arms (New START) after the termination of this treaty is a constructive and good faith initiative aimed at preventing negative scenarios in a world where there will no longer be instruments containing direct restrictions on nuclear missile capabilities. At the same time, it is only feasible if the other Party to the Treaty does not take steps that violate the balance of deterrence capabilities, both in terms of the balance of strategic offensive arms and in the overall strategic stability equation. In the current situation, the initiative to create a new reliable architecture for Eurasian security, presented by the President of Russia on 14 June 2024, remains particularly relevant. I would like to remind you that already back then Vladimir Putin emphasized that the Euro-Atlantic security system was not simply in crisis, it had collapsed. The time has come to replace it with a new security concept in Eurasia. It is obvious to us that there can be no return to the old models, in which the West played the leading role with its claim to exclusivity. We must take into account the new geopolitical and international legal realities and generate ideas which are not based on the conception "might makes right", but on equality and a fair balance of interests. Our vision of Eurasian architecture is in harmony with the global security initiative put forward by Chinese President Xi Jinping. One of its key principles is the need to address the root causes of conflicts, whether in the Middle East, the Balkans, Ukraine, or Southeast Asia. This is the key to creating a more just world order and genuine multilateralism. Madam President, Against the backdrop of an extremely tense international situation, the activities of the UN disarmament machinery are becoming particularly relevant. States need not only to maintain the ongoing dialogue on key issues of international peace and security, which in itself is an important element in maintaining at least a minimum level of trust, but also to work together to create conditions for a return to a positive agenda in the relevant forums. We are convinced that the reason for the current stagnation in the activities of the disarmament fora lies not in their inherent shortcomings, but primarily in the inability or unwillingness of a number of States to engage in a truly equal and mutually respectful dialogue and to act in good faith in the interests of achieving concrete results. We consider it necessary during the current session of the Conference to make every effort to normalize the activities of the forum as a key element of the UN disarmament machinery in order to return to the fulfillment of its negotiating mandate within the framework of the traditional agenda. Madam President, One of the key events in 2026 is the 11th Review Conference of the Parties to the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons (NPT), which will be held in New York from 27 April to 22 May. We are convinced that the successful start of the current session of the CD could contribute to the productive conduct of the Review Conference, and the results of the latter, in turn, could provide good "food for thought" when discussing the whole range of nuclear issues at our forum. At the same time, both formats can only be successful if the delegations refrain from politicizing the discussions and are prepared to engage in a constructive exchange of views in order to achieve results that are acceptable to all. Madam President, We confirm Russia's unwavering commitment to its obligations under Article VI of the NPT. At the same time, we consistently proceed from the understanding that steps in this sphere should be made in a way that promotes international stability, peace and undiminished and increased security for all. That is why the nuclear disarmament obligation under the NPT is placed in the context of the process of general and complete disarmament, and the efforts of the entire international community, including non-nuclear-weapon States, play an important role here. This understanding should underpin the work of the CD on all nuclear issues and, above all, on agenda item 1 "Cessation of the nuclear arms race and nuclear disarmament". In addition, given the current geopolitical situation, agenda item 2 "Prevention of nuclear war, including all related matters" is particularly relevant. We believe that within this item it would be important to conduct an in-depth analysis of the entire range of accumulated problems in the field of international security and to seek ways to resolve them, including possible measures that could contribute to resolving the root causes of the current crisis and restoring trust between nuclear powers. Finally, a substantive discussion on the topic of negative security assurances (NSAs) in accordance with agenda item 4 is highly relevant in the current circumstances. We believe that at this stage particular attention should be paid to those factors that hinder work on NSAs and progress in nuclear disarmament and non-proliferation. Specifically, we are referring to the practice of NATO nuclear sharing and the forward deployment of US nuclear weapons in Europe. I would like to emphasize that Russia does not consider the claims of non-nuclear NATO Member States to receive NSAs to be in any way justified or legitimate. The interest in such assurances shown by a number of other non-nuclear States that rely on Western "nuclear umbrella", in our view, is equally unfounded. We are convinced that the desire of some non-nuclear-weapon States to ensure their security through so-called extended nuclear deterrence only encourages the modernization of nuclear arsenals by Western nuclear powers and provokes a nuclear arms race. Madam President, One of the priorities for the Russian delegation in 2026, as in previous years, is the work of the CD on agenda item 3 "Prevention of an arms race in outer space" (PAROS). We view with concern the plans and specific steps taken by certain countries to remove, under far-fetched pretexts, the ban on the militarization of outer space, which has been in place for decades, both de jure and de facto. Unfortunately, many Western countries, following the example of the United States, have adopted defense outer space policy documents that define space as "yet another operational environment" for conducting military operations. This approach undermines the fundamental principles laid down in the 1967 Outer Space Treaty, according to which the exploration and use of outer space is carried out exclusively for peaceful purposes. The situation is complicated by US plans to implement the Golden Dome project, which combines the development of a global and multi-layered missile defense system against all types of missiles from any adversary, the build-up of counterforce capabilities to carry out a first disarming strike, and the placement of weapons in outer space. In essence, Washington is further departing from the fundamental principle of maintaining a strategic balance of power in the world, which is based on strict observation of the inseparable link between strategic offensive and defensive weapons. This approach carries enormous risks for global stability and, in the long term, could hinder any dialogue on disarmament issues. The issues of PAROS have relevance to many processes in the field of arms control and are of particular importance at the Conference on Disarmament. In this regard, the Russian delegation will continue to make every effort to promote the early start of negotiations within the Conference on the development of a legally binding instrument in this field. We continue to believe that the Russian-Chinese draft treaty on Prevention of the Placement of Weapons in Outer Space and of the Threat or Use of Force against Outer Space Objects (PPWT) as amended in 2014 can be a good basis for that. Also, as it is stipulated in UN General Assembly Resolution 80/21, the final report of the UN Group of Governmental Experts on Further Practical Measures for the Prevention of an Arms Race in Outer Space, dated 23 August 2024, shall be used as a reference document, which effectively defines the structure of the future treaty and agrees on a list of potential elements, including obligations, prohibitions, and restrictions. We also count on the fact that the activities of the Open-Ended Working Group established by UN General Assembly decision 78/512 could make a meaningful substantive contribution to the relevant activities of the CD. Madam President, For the Russian Federation, one of the priorities remains the implementation of its initiative to develop an International Convention for the Suppression of Acts of Chemical and Biological Terrorism, which was presented to the CD back in 2016 under the agenda item 6. We believe that the initiative has not lost its relevance at this point. Moreover, given the evidence that terrorist groups have access to the capacity to produce chemical and biological weapons components, WMD-terrorism could become a reality which requires decisive action based on clear and comprehensive international norms, which, unfortunately, do not yet exist. The draft submitted by Russia to the Conference is thorough and contains all the elements necessary to launch negotiations. I would like to emphasize that this idea is intended not only to provide States with new effective tools in the fight against WMD-terrorism, but also to help overcome the long-standing stagnation in the Conference's negotiating activities. Madam President, The Russian delegation has been closely following all proposals from CD Member States aimed at revitalizing the substantive work of our forum. We note the interest of some States in discussing the issue of emerging technologies at the Conference including issues related to the use of artificial intelligence (AI) for military purposes. We understand their concerns, but at the same time we cannot agree with the idea to include this issue, which is completely new to the forum, on the CD agenda. We proceed from the assumption that all the most acute aspects related to military AI are already being considered in various international fora, including the Group of Governmental Experts on Lethal Autonomous Weapons Systems within the framework of the Convention on Certain Conventional Weapons, as well as the UN Commission on Disarmament. We are confident that at this stage the discussion on AI in military domain is not mature enough for development of a relevant international instrument, as it is required by the Conference's negotiating mandate. Madam President, The Russian Federation welcomes any constructive initiatives and proposals aimed at effective organization of the work of the CD in 2026, which could bring the forum closer to agreeing on a comprehensive and balanced Programme of Work and resuming negotiations. That is why the Russian delegation supported the decisions to establish five subsidiary bodies (SBs) in 2024 and to re-establish them last year. Unfortunately, the experience of these bodies was not successful. Not only the delegations failed to agree on substantive final reports within the framework of the SBs, but also the activities of the latter did not in fact contribute to bringing the positions of the CD Member States closer together on the forum's agenda items. On the one hand, this result points to the shortcomings of the decision on which the SBs were based, and on the other hand, it demonstrated the delegations' unwillingness to compromise and resolve the accumulated problems. Nevertheless, the Russian delegation is ready to discuss with the presidency and the CD Member States various options for organizing the work of the session and does not rule out the possibility of re-establishing the SBs. But the main task is not to repeat the same mistakes. That is why the work within the framework of these bodies, if such option is deemed appropriate, should be more focused, aimed at finding common ground and returning the forum to negotiations as soon as possible. This could be facilitated, for example, by the early consensus approval of a list of topics for discussion, as well as by determining what the final reports of the SBs will look like. All of this should be clearly reflected in a corresponding future decision. Madam President, The Russian delegation has consistently advocated for the principles of inclusiveness and multilateralism in the work of the Conference. At the same time, we are convinced that those States that are admitted to the forum as observers should contribute to the achievement of its goals and objectives, as well as the implementation of its mandate. Abuse of the CD platform by certain observer States for political purposes, which we have unfortunately witnessed on numerous occasions, only leads to further division and increased discord among Member States. This is completely contrary to our common interests and is simply unacceptable. In conclusion, I would like to emphasize that the Russian delegation is ready for productive cooperation with both the presidencies of the current session and the delegations of all CD Member States and observer States invited to participate in the forum. We intend to actively participate in substantive discussions and to promote in every way possible the fulfilment by the Conference of its tasks, as it is provided for in the final document of the First Special Session of the UN General Assembly devoted to Disarmament in 1978. Thank you for your attention. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Foreign Ministry Spokeswoman Maria Zakharova's answer to a media question regarding Moldova's withdrawal from the Commonwealth of Independent States 21 January 2026 12:14 51-21-01-2026 Question: On January 19, Moldovan Foreign Minister Mihai Popsoi announced the initiation of a process to denounce three fundamental CIS documents: the Commonwealth Charter, the Agreement on the Establishment of the CIS, and its Protocol. According to him, this will grant Chisinau "the right to say that Moldova is no longer a member of the CIS." How would you comment on this? Maria Zakharova: The Moldovan authorities have on numerous occasions declared their intention to, in their own words, undertake a "civilised divorce" from the Commonwealth of Independent States. For several years now, Chisinau has been systematically distancing itself from the Commonwealth: it does not participate in meetings of its statutory bodies, does not contribute its share to the organisation's budget, and selectively denounces agreements it claims hold no added value for its citizens. It is important to note, however, that Moldova remains a party to approximately 200 international treaties concluded within the CIS framework, covering virtually all spheres of interstate cooperation. It is crucial, however, to understand that withdrawing from CIS membership requires adherence to the established procedure. According to Article 9 of the CIS Charter, a member state may withdraw by notifying the CIS Executive Committee in writing, which triggers a 12-month period. Following this notification, the date from which this one-year period begins is determined, and a formal process begins to inventory all treaties and decisions of CIS bodies to which the withdrawing state is a party. This process results in the compilation of lists detailing which agreements will cease to apply and which the state may choose to retain. Therefore, withdrawal does not happen overnight; compliance with this procedure constitutes an international obligation of Moldova towards all other CIS member states, not merely Russia. While the decision to initiate the denunciation of thecore treaties within the CIS framework is undoubtedly the sovereign right of the Republic of Moldova, within the country itself it has been widely characterised as further evidence of the government's short-sighted foreign policy, as it recklessly prioritises exclusive cooperation with the European Union while severing long-standing ties across the Eurasian space. It is a difficult assessment to dispute. The current socio-economic situation in Moldova can only be described as disastrous. According to its own National Bureau of Statistics, from January to November 2025, the country's imports exceeded exports by more than fourfold, with the trade deficit growing by 29.5 percent compared to the same period in 2024. Simultaneously, Moldovan exports to EU countries fell by 4 percent by the end of the first half of 2025. Real incomes continue to decline against a backdrop of rising prices for food and essential services. The poverty rate now exceeds 30 percent, with approximately 65 percent of the population living on low incomes. In essence, Moldova's entire socio-economic framework is now dependent on external funding, predominantly from the EU, leaving the nation firmly in the grip of European debt. In stark contrast, the CIS remains a respected and dynamically growing organisation in the post-Soviet space. According to the CIS Interstate Statistical Committee, the economies of its member states demonstrated positive growth across most key indicators in the first half of 2025. Compared to the same period last year, the Commonwealth's aggregate GDP grew by 2.2 percent, industrial production by 4.7 percent, freight traffic by 6.0 percent, and retail turnover by 3.2 percent. Mutual trade between CIS countries has increased by 18 percent over the past four years. The figures speak for themselves. Ultimately, Chisinau's destructive course is ricocheting primarily onto the citizens of Moldova, whose interests are being sacrificed to Brussels's geopolitical ambitions. The results of this anti-popular policy are already plain to see: a once-prosperous nation is being transformed into a land of deepening poverty and lawlessness. It is indeed a bitter spectacle to witness. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address U.S. House Committee approves US$1.15 billion for Taiwan defense ROC Central News Agency 01/21/2026 01:34 PM Washington, Jan. 20 (CNA) A U.S. House of Representative committee released its version of the 2026 Consolidated Appropriations Act on Monday that included US$1.15 billion (NT$36.4 billion) to support security cooperation with Taiwan. The omnibus act, covering a total of US$1.2 trillion in spending, allocates US$1 billion for the Taiwan Security Cooperation Initiative (TSCI) and US$150 million for the replacement of defense articles and reimbursement of defense services provided to Taiwan. Those fund allocations were based on the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) for Fiscal Year 2026 that was passed by Congress in December 2025 and authorized up to US$1 billion to the Defense Security Cooperation Agency (DSCA) in support of the TSCI. The TSCI is designed to bolster Taiwan's selfdefense capabilities by providing funding for areas such as medical support, training, and joint development of unmanned systems with the United States, consistent with the Taiwan Relations Act. Whether this funding actually gets released will depend on how the Consolidated Appropriations Act proceeds through Congress. After partisan wrangling over the government budget forced the longest government shutdown in U.S. history in October and November 2025, lawmakers seem interested in wanting to get funding bills, including the act, passed by Jan. 30 to avoid another shutdown. They stressed the bipartisan nature of the negotiations on budget legislation, but the bills still need to get through the Senate, which, according to USA Today, is scheduled to be out of town the rest of the week, and the full House, expected be out all of next week, by the Jan. 30 deadline. (By Chung Yu-cheng and Chris Wang) enditem/ls NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address U.S. Senate committee to review 4 Taiwan-related bills next week ROC Central News Agency 01/21/2026 02:38 PM Washington, Jan. 20 (CNA) The United States Senate Committee on Foreign Relations will review four Taiwan-related bills on Jan. 29 covering "sovereignty symbols," energy security, undersea cable protection and support for Taiwan's partners. The four measures are the Taiwan Symbols of Sovereignty Act, the Taiwan Energy Security and Anti-Embargo Act, the Taiwan Undersea Cable Resilience Initiative Act, and the Taiwan Allies Fund Act, according to the committee's website. The Taiwan Symbols of Sovereignty Act was introduced in October by Republican Senator Ted Cruz and other lawmakers to lift restrictions dating back to the Barack Obama administration that prohibit Taiwanese diplomats and military personnel from displaying sovereignty symbols during official visits to the U.S. Under the proposal, the U.S. secretary of state and the secretary of defense would be required to allow armed forces members and government representatives of the Republic of China (Taiwan) or the Taipei Economic and Cultural Representative Office in the United States (TECRO) to display symbols of sovereignty, such as the national flag and military unit insignia, while on official business in the U.S. The second bill, the bipartisan Taiwan Energy Security and Anti-Embargo Act, focuses on Taiwan's dependence on imported energy and its vulnerability to coercion by the Chinese Communist Party (CCP). The bill authorizes expanded U.S. exports of liquefied natural gas to Taiwan, support for Taiwan's energy infrastructure, encouragement of nuclear energy use, and measures to ensure sufficient and continuous energy deliveries to Taiwan during emergencies. The third bipartisan proposal, the Taiwan Undersea Cable Resilience Initiative Act, is aimed at protecting Taiwan's critical communications infrastructure and deterring China's gray zone activities. Noting that 99 percent of Taiwan's internet bandwidth relies on undersea cables, the bill would require the U.S. secretary of state to lead efforts to strengthen cable security around Taiwan. That would entail coordinating navy cooperation with Taiwan's Coast Guard Administration, providing intelligence warnings, and imposing sanctions on those who damage undersea cables, the bill says. Finally, the Taiwan Allies Fund Act would authorize the executive branch to establish a fund totaling US$120 million over three years to assist Taiwan's diplomatic allies and unofficial partners facing pressure from the CCP. Eligible countries would need to meet such criteria as maintaining diplomatic ties with Taiwan or significantly strengthening unofficial relations as well as facing Chinese coercion due to Taiwan ties, but being unable to respond effectively to such pressure without U.S. support. After approval by the U.S. Senate Committee on Foreign Relations, the bills would still require passage by the U.S. Senate and House of Representatives and the signature of the president to take effect. (By Chung Yu-chen and James Thompson) Enditem/ls NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Opposition lawmakers chide Lai at impeachment hearing ROC Central News Agency 01/21/2026 02:56 PM Taipei, Jan. 21 (CNA) Opposition lawmakers on Wednesday lashed out at President Lai Ching-te () in the Legislature after Lai declined to appear at a hearing on an impeachment motion directed at him. Opposition lawmakers initiated impeachment proceedings against Lai last month after the president declined to promulgate a bill passed by the opposition lawmakers that would increase the share of tax revenue allocated to local governments. A first impeachment hearing was held Wednesday based on the schedule passed by the main opposition Kuomintang (KMT) and the smaller Taiwan People's Party (TPP). The two parties invited the president to explain his position at the Legislature and respond to lawmakers' questions, but, in a letter to Legislative Speaker Han Kuo-yu () on Tuesday, Lai declined to attend. He said it was not within lawmakers' purview to question the president, citing an Oct. 2024 Constitutional Court ruling that declared such an act unconstitutional. Despite Lai's absence, lawmakers proceeded to make speeches as originally planned. KMT caucus convener Fu Kun-chi () said that by declining to attend the hearing, Lai attempted to evade legislative oversight and public scrutiny after he had infringed on Taiwan's democracy and constitutional order. TPP caucus convener Huang Kuo-chang () said Lai is the first president of the Republic of China (Taiwan's official name) to refuse to promulgate a bill passed by the Legislature, which has left an "indelible blot" in history. Chen Pei-yu (), a lawmaker of the ruling Democratic Progressive Party, criticized the opposition parties, however, for putting on a "farce to humiliate" Lai and "score political points." Under Taiwanese law, the president was not obligated to attend Tuesday's hearing, and his decision not to attend was not only legitimate but also sensible, Chen said. A second hearing on the opposition's impeachment attempt is scheduled for May, with lawmakers set to vote on the motion on May 19. The motion must gain the backing of at least two-thirds of all lawmakers before it can proceed to another vote by grand justices at the Constitutional Court. This will be nearly impossible as the KMT, TPP and two independents ideologically aligned with the KMT combine for only 62 (or about 55 percent) of the 113 legislative seats. (By Wang Yang-yu, Chen Chun-hua, Wang Cheng-chung and Sean Lin) Enditem/ls NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Taiwan revokes residency of Chinese spouse influencer over 'national security' ROC Central News Agency 01/21/2026 09:40 PM Taipei, Jan. 21 (CNA) Taiwan's National Immigration Agency (NIA) has revoked the long-term residency permit of a Chinese spouse known online as "Guan Guan" () over "controversial remarks" deemed to pose a potential threat to national security and social stability. In response to CNA's request for more details on the case, the NIA said Wednesday that Guan Guan had, in recent years, used multiple accounts on the Chinese social media platform Douyin to post "inappropriate remarks." Those remarks included content calling for the "elimination of our nation's sovereignty," the NIA said, referring to the Republic of China (ROC, Taiwan's official name). However, the agency did not, in its response, identify any specific posts it considered problematic or cite the remarks in question. The response followed NIA's statement on Monday that Guan Guan had "publicly spread controversial remarks." The NIA said after consulting with relevant agencies and in accordance with the Act Governing Relations between the People of the Taiwan Area and the Mainland Area (Cross-Strait Act) and other regulations, it determined her conduct posed a potential threat to "national security and social stability." Such a determination led to the revocation of Guan Guan's long-term residency permit -- a permit granted to Chinese spouses of Taiwanese citizens -- the NIA said, adding that it gave her an opportunity to present her views before ordering her to leave Taiwan. Guan Guan left Taiwan on her own within the required period in mid-January, according to the agency. In its written response Wednesday, the NIA further said Guan Guan will be barred from reapplying for long-term residency for five years starting from the day after her permit was revoked. In the meantime, Guan Guan has lost her lawful residency status in Taiwan and is no longer entitled to related residency benefits, the agency added. Those benefits typically include eligibility for services such as the National Health Insurance. The agency also said that if Guan Guan files any future application to enter Taiwan, it will consult relevant agencies and conduct a "cautious review" before deciding whether to approve or deny it. Guan Guan's case follows several similar actions taken last year by Taiwanese authorities against other Chinese spouse influencers accused of advocating "military unification," including those known as "Ya Ya" (), "Xiao Wei" () and "En Qi" (). All of them later left Taiwan -- either voluntarily or after being deported -- following the revocation of their residency permits. (By Liu Chien-pang and Sunny Lai) Enditem/AW NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Mainland reiterates 1992 Consensus as foundation for resuming cross-Strait dialogue People's Daily Online (Xinhua) 17:01, January 21, 2026 BEIJING, Jan. 21 (Xinhua) -- Only by recognizing the 1992 Consensus, which embodies the one-China principle, can the two sides of the Taiwan Strait resume dialogue and consultation mechanisms, a Chinese mainland spokesperson said Wednesday. The 1992 Consensus clearly defines the nature of cross-Strait relations and serves as the political foundation for the development of the relations as well as an anchor for peace and stability across the Strait, said Peng Qing'en, spokesperson for the State Council Taiwan Affairs Office, when commenting on the recent remarks by the Taiwan authorities about the consensus. The 1992 Consensus was reached between the mainland-based Association for Relations Across the Taiwan Strait (ARATS) and the Taiwan-based Straits Exchange Foundation (SEF) with the authorization from authorities on both sides of the Strait in 1992, Peng noted. "Relevant Taiwan authorities could not be unaware of the history of interactions between the ARATS and the SEF, yet they are deliberately confusing the public," Peng said. History has repeatedly shown that when the 1992 Consensus is recognized and the one-China principle upheld, cross-Strait relations will improve and develop, bringing tangible benefits to Taiwan residents, Peng said. From 2008 to 2016, the ARATS and the SEF signed a series of agreements on the basis of the 1992 Consensus, which brought real and tangible benefits to people on both sides of the Strait, especially Taiwan people, he added. Since May 2016, however, the Democratic Progressive Party authorities have stubbornly adhered to a secessionist stance, refused to recognize the 1992 Consensus, unilaterally undermined the political foundation for cross-Strait consultations, and deliberately obstructed and restricted cross-Strait exchanges and cooperation, he said. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Strengthening trade bonds benefits people across Taiwan Strait: spokesperson People's Daily Online (Xinhua) 13:23, January 21, 2026 BEIJING, Jan. 21 (Xinhua) -- A Chinese mainland spokesperson said Wednesday that strengthening economic cooperation and advancing integrated development serve the common interests of compatriots across the Taiwan Strait. Peng Qing'en, spokesperson for the Taiwan Affairs Office of the State Council, made the remarks in response to cross-Strait trade performance in 2025. The total trade volume across the Strait hit 314.3 billion U.S. dollars, with exports from the Chinese mainland to Taiwan climbing 11.2 percent and imports from Taiwan increasing by 6 percent. In 2025, despite restrictive measures imposed by the Democratic Progressive Party authorities in Taiwan, cross-Strait personnel exchanges approached 5.45 million visits, up 23.6 percent year on year, Peng said. Among them, Taiwan residents made 4.89 million visits to the mainland, a 21.6 percent annual uptick. Notably, 306,900 of these visitors were first-timers to the mainland, and young people accounted for over 1.68 million visits, he added. Peng further noted that, during the 15th Five-Year Plan period (2026-2030), the cross-Strait economic cooperation and integrated development will rise to a higher level, bringing greater benefits to compatriots on both sides of the Taiwan Strait. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Mainland says DPP's so-called trade deal with U.S. sells out Taiwan's interests People's Daily Online (Xinhua) 14:22, January 21, 2026 BEIJING, Jan. 21 (Xinhua) -- The so-called "consensus" reached by Taiwan's Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) authorities in tariff talks with the United States amounts to a betrayal of the well-being of Taiwan people and the interests of its industrial development, a Chinese mainland spokesperson said on Wednesday. Peng Qing'en, spokesperson for the State Council Taiwan Affairs Office, made the remarks at a press conference when asked to comment on the recent tariff talks between the DPP authorities and the United States. The U.S. Department of Commerce announced that Taiwan will make new, direct investments totaling at least 250 billion U.S. dollars in the United States through its semiconductor and technology enterprises, and will provide credit guarantees of at least 250 billion U.S. dollars for Taiwan companies investing in the United States, in exchange for a reciprocal U.S. tariff rate on Taiwan-made goods of no more than 15 percent. The DPP authorities claimed that these tariff talks with the United States had achieved their goals. "The so-called trade talks are in essence the United States using tariffs to exert maximum pressure, coercing Taiwan to sharply increase investment in the United States and attempting to hollow out Taiwan's advantageous industries," the spokesperson said. The DPP's tolerance of the United States plundering Taiwan's industries will "only completely jeopardize the island's development prospects," Peng noted. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address PLA activities in the waters and airspace around Taiwan ROC Ministry of National Defense 2026.01.22 Issuing AuthorityPolitical Warfare Bureau PLA activities in the waters and airspace around Taiwan 1.Date: 6 a.m. Jan. 21 (Wed.) to 6 a.m. Jan. 22 (Thu.) (UTC+8) 2.PLA activities: 2 sorties of PLA aircraft and 5 PLAN ships operating around Taiwan were detected as of 6 a.m. (UTC+8) today. ROC Armed Forces have monitored the situation and employed CAP aircraft, Navy ships, and coastal missile systems in response to detected activities. 3.PRC balloon activities: 5 PRC balloons were detected during this timeframe. 1150122_PLA activities in the waters and airspace around Taiwan_1 1150122_PLA activities in the waters and airspace around Taiwan_2 1150122_PLA air activities in the vicinity of Taiwan NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address "We will find the dirty hands that attacked our flag and hold these traitors to account" Presidency of The Republic of Turkey 21.01.2026 Addressing AK Party's parliamentary group meeting, President Erdogan said: "We will definitely find the dirty hands that attacked our flag and hold these traitors to account. Investigations have already been launched by the Ministry of National Defense and the Ministry of Justice." President and Justice and Development (AK) Party Chairman Recep Tayyip Erdogan delivered a speech at the party's group meeting at the Grand National Assembly of Turkiye (GNAT). "WE SHALL NEVER TOLERATE A SECESSIONIST STRUCTURE ALONG TURKIYE'S SOUTHERN BORDERS" President Erdogan said: "Our neighbor Syria has been waging a strenuous struggle since the December 8 revolution in order to establish unity in the country. As you know, an agreement was signed on March 10 with the structure called SDF, which occupied lands in the north and south of Syria. The agreement stipulated that the SDF would lay down its arms and hand over the lands under its occupation to the Syrian government, and thus the country's unity and integrity would be ensured. Yet, the SDF didn't take any positive step for integration within the designated timeframe. Besides violating the March 10 agreement, the structure called SDF also continued to exert pressure on the civilians in the lands it occupied, and to attack civilian and military targets outside of these lands. The negotiations held in December between the SDF leaders and the Damascus government for the implementation of the agreement unfortunately ended with no positive outcome. The reason for this, to be honest, was the intransigent and foot-dragging stance of the structure called SDF that kept raising the stakes. Throughout this process, we made the necessary recommendations to all parties by means of our relevant institutions. We made every effort to break the stalemate and prevent the crisis from escalating into a hot conflict. Some other actors also stepped in. We offered the necessary recommendations for the implementation of the March 10 agreement. Yet, no change took place in the maximalist stance of the structure called SDF. Against this backdrop, the Syrian army, because of the attacks targeting the security forces, conducted operations in the second week of January first in the neighborhoods inside Aleppo and then in the areas west of the Euphrates in a very righteous and legitimate manner. Also over the last one week, the neighborhoods inside Aleppo as well as the lands east of the Euphrates were cleared of illegal armed elements by the Syrian army." Stressing that since the very beginning Turkiye has defended in the strongest manner the existence of one single Syrian state with territorial integrity and political unity, President Erdogan stated: "We have repeatedly declared that we shall never tolerate a secessionist structure along Turkiye's southern borders that would pose a threat to our country's security. As their neighbors and brothers and sisters, we wholeheartedly support the Syrian state's and the Syrian army's endeavors to build a unified and independent Syria. We, with most heartfelt feelings, congratulate the Syrian government, the Syrian army, and the brotherly Syrian people on their successful operations in recent weeks. We pray for Allah Almighty's mercy on those martyrized in the conflicts, and wish a speedy recovery to the wounded. In a similar fashion, we very much welcome the ceasefire agreement signed yesterday. Our wish is for this issue to be resolved for good without further bloodshed, for the terrorist organization cornered into certain zones in the north of Syria to lay down arms and disband, and the prevention of any further conflicts. It is already impossible for the terrorist organization to sustain its existence in the areas it has been cornered into. From this point on, resorting to provocations in Syria would clearly amount to suicide. The terrorist organization cannot obtain any result by treacherously attacking our glorious flag as it did yesterday on the Nusaybin-Qamishli border line with the child-age militants it forcibly recruits and with the civilian individuals it deploys to the field under coercion. The only way out is to lay down weapons and peacefully resolve the issue in compliance with the agreement reached yesterday. We will definitely find the dirty hands that attacked our flag and hold these traitors to account. Investigations have already been launched by the Ministry of National Defense and the Ministry of Justice. In accordance with the outcomes of the investigations, necessary action will be taken regarding anyone who has a flaw or negligence." "We have been closely following all of these developments transpiring on the ground in Syria. We have been pursuing a sensitive process for the elimination of existing risks for Turkiye, prevention of the emergence of new threats, and the immediate establishment of peace and security in Syria. Let me particularly stress that the Kurds in Syria are our full-blooded brothers and sisters. As their brothers and sisters, it is us who know the best the oppression our Kurdish brothers and sisters endured at the hands of the former brutal regime. Their existence was not acknowledged. They were not accepted as citizens. They were denied ID cards. They were not allowed to speak their mother tongue or to sustain their culture and traditions. I, your brother, highlighted these injustices in all the talks I held in my capacity as Prime Minister from 2008 onwards. We insistently kept bringing up the rights of our Kurdish brothers and sisters in Syria. We took every opportunity to emphasize that Kurds' fundamental rights must be acknowledged. While no one mentioned these, while no one ever spoke of the Syrian Kurds' rights, we openly and clearly expressed these to our counterparts. We did much more than meets the eye and what is known. In all the talks we held with the former regime before our relations were broken off, the rights of our Syrian Kurdish brothers and sisters were always high on our agenda. In other words, our approach to this issue was always centered on people rather than self-interest. This is how we approached the Syrian issue since day one. We stood by the rightful struggle of the Syrian people. We opened our arms to our Syrian brothers and sisters in their most difficult times. We embraced Syrian immigrants with the Ansar awareness." "THE NEW SYRIAN GOVERNMENT EMBRACED THE SYRIAN KURDS ALONG WITH ALL THE OTHER ETHNIC AND RELIGIOUS GROUPS IN THE COUNTRY" "With the onset of the civil war in Syria in 2011, our Kurdish brothers and sisters, this time, came under the oppression of the terrorist organization. Kurdish children and Kurdish youths in Syria, with weapons thrusted into their hands, were pushed to conflicts and sent to death for the ambitions and aspirations of the terrorist organization. A lifestyle contradictory to their faith, traditions and customs was imposed upon the Kurdish people. Concurrently, DAESH-member murderers took aim at the Syrian opposition as well our Kurdish brothers and sisters, and massacred them. It must be noted that the new Syrian government, after the revolution, embraced the Syrian Kurds along with all the other ethnic and religious groups in the country, and adopted a very constructive stance for a sincere integration. With the declarations he issued, President of Syria, Mr. Ahmad Al-Sharaa of Syria acknowledged Syrian Kurds' right to existence, their right to preserve their language and culture, and their right to participate in Syria's administration. The declaration issued on January 16 is a historic declaration of intention for our Syrian Kurdish brothers and sisters' fair and equal participation in the Syrian state," President Erdogan said. Underscoring that Turkiye doesn't have designs over any country's lands, President Erdogan went on: "We don't interfere with any country's domestic affairs. Yet, we don't allow any harm to our country's interests, either. Through our National Intelligence Organization, our Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Turkish Armed Forces, and all our relevant institutions, we have been closely monitoring the developments uninterruptedly since the very beginning. I discussed these topics with U.S. President Mr. Trump in a productive phone call yesterday. We exchanged views on numerous issues of critical importance that would contribute to Syria's security. The remaining areas under the terrorist organization's control and the civilians living there will also hopefully be liberated as soon as possible with the implementation of the agreement signed yesterday, and thus a unified Syria where everyone feels safe will be achieved." "Syria has fertile agricultural fields, it has water, it has oil, it has a hardworking, and honest people that love Turkiye and the Turkish nation from the bottom of their heart. Under the former regime, Syria's resources were denied to the Syrian people and shared among a handful of elites. The Syrian people were denied these resources yet again under the occupation of the terrorist organization. From now on Syria's riches will be employed for the Syrian people. Syria will recover as soon as possible and it will become prosperous swiftly. In this new era, all Syrian citizens, including Arabs, Kurds, Turkmens, Alawites, Druze and Christians, will equally benefit from this prosperity. Syria will become a country of prosperity and stability in the region. The Syrian people in their entirety will win. A terror-free Syria where peace and calm prevail will swiftly take shape." "I must, however, add that we are witnessing attempts to provoke the Kurds through a propaganda built upon lies and distortions, under the pretext of the operations in Syria," President Erdogan noted. "Let me reiterate that particularly my Kurdish brothers and sisters in Turkiye shouldn't fall for these scenarios, and should act wisely and calmly by noticing the true intention behind such provocations. The terrorist organization is one thing and my Kurdish brothers and sisters are another. Whether there or here, no one can put any imposition on the will of my Kurdish brothers and sisters, no one can speak as the sole representative of Kurds. No one can come in between Turks, Arabs and Kurds. Our Kurdish brothers and sisters should never fall for these provocations and should always act with common sense." President Erdogan added: "Frankly, Syria's attainment of stability and peace will above all bring relief to Syrian Kurds; Turkiye and Syrian citizens will henceforth embrace one another with greater warmth and, inshallah, form a unique union of strength grounded in the law of brotherhood. The latest developments in Syria will usher in a future brighter than snow for Turks, Turkmens, Kurds, Arabs and all our other brothers and sisters. Once terrorism, violence, and weapons are eliminated, every issue will be discussed on the political plane, around the table, and resolved there through consultation. Let me once again underline with all my sincerity that no one should give into worry, none of my brothers and sisters fall into pessimism or hesitation. As long as the Republic of Turkiye is here, and as long as this statepraise be to Allahstands tall and firm, there is no need for anyone to look elsewhere for patrons or to pursue other friends or partners." NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address No: 14, 21 January 2026, Regarding the Participation of H.E. Hakan Fidan, Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Turkiye, in the Signing Ceremony of the Board of Peace Charter Republic of Turkey Ministry of Foreign Affairs H.E. Hakan Fidan, Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Turkiye, will visit Switzerland on 22 January 2026 to participate in the signing ceremony of the Board of Peace Charter, on behalf of President Erdogan. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Defence Secretary Denmark Press Conference Speech Defence Secretary Denmark press conference opening remarks on Defence and security cooperation. From: Ministry of Defence and The Rt Hon John Healey MP Published 21 January 2026 Location: Denmark Delivered on: 21 February 2026 (Transcript of the speech, exactly as it was delivered) Thank you for your welcome. Thank you for your team for hosting us. Denmark is a vital and long-standing ally of the UK. Together we've founded NATO. We share the same values. We face the same threats. In just the last 12 months, we've seen drone incursions in Europe. We've seen Russian spy ships in our waters. And we've seen cyber-attacks against our critical national infrastructure. And this new era of threat demands a new era for defence, and that new era for defence is hard power, it's strong alliances, and it is sure diplomacy. And as JEF partners and as NATO allies, Denmark and the UK are stepping up together on European security. Our nation's shared history, as you say, runs deep. And earlier this week, our Prime Minister reinforced the UK's firm position on Greenland. As UK Defence Secretary, I know the close relationship and the deep respect that our two militaries have for one another. In Afghanistan, our forces trained together, they fought together, and on some occasions, they died together, making the ultimate sacrifice. In Denmark last year, I deployed a counter-drone unit to help protect Copenhagen Airport and your international conference. In a world where demands on defence are rising, our partnership matters more than ever. So later this year, JEF's Lion exercises military exercises that will take place across the Baltic, the North Atlantic, and the Arctic will see hundreds of troops alongside ships, planes, drones deployed across the high north, deployed to deter threats and to reassure allies. We have, and we are, and we will further step up together for European security. And in these current uncertainties, we must never forget who our adversaries are and who our allies remain. It's Russian attacks that are escalating in Ukraine. It's Russian activity expanding in the High North with new bases, and it's Russian recklessness that is testing NATO's response and resolve. And so today we've spoken about together, how we're taking a stand against Russia's aggression, how we're accelerating air defence support for Ukraine, how we're firming up military plans for a post-peace deal settlement, and how we're tackling the Russian shallow fleet. Because a secure Europe requires a strong Ukraine, and I'm proud that our two nations are amongst the foremost supporters of Ukraine, and providing military aid. And together we're clear about our mission to support Ukraine in the fight today and to prepare for the peace tomorrow. And finally, in this new era for defence, we're spending more, but we also want to build more. We want to innovate more together. And we have world-leading defence industries in our two nations. So today we have indeed discussed how much more there is the potential to boost that cooperation between our industries and the potential to drive defence in both our nations as an engine for economic growth and jobs for the future. So Troels, our partnership is strong, it will grow stronger in the coming months and I look forward to working on strengthening that. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Mykhailo Fedorov and Boris Pistorius discussed enhanced air defence and the development of unmanned systems Ministry of Defence of Ukraine 20 January, 2026, 7:49 PM EET Ukrainian Defence Minister Mykhailo Fedorov held a conversation with German Federal Minister of Defence Boris Pistorius. The Minister of Defence of Ukraine noted that Germany is among Ukraine's key partners in the security and defence domain. "Today, Germany's contribution represents over 30% of the total volume of security assistance announced for Ukraine in 2026. I thanked Germany for the delivery of two Patriot systems last autumn and for its willingness to allocate additional resources towards unmanned systems for our service members," Mykhailo Fedorov stated. He also briefed his counterpart on today's large-scale russian attack. Mykhailo Fedorov stressed that strengthening Ukraine's air defence remains a priority, and that Germany's contribution is crucial. "The IRIS-T and Patriot air defence systems delivered to Ukraine, together with participation in the PURL project for the procurement of U.S.-made weaponry, contributed to countering russian attacks today. We also discussed the continued development of Ukraine's Patriot programme and the projects required to secure a long-term supply of missiles for Patriot systems," the Minister of Defence of Ukraine added. The discussions also covered the further development of the IRIS-T missile as a central component of Ukraine's air defence capabilities, along with increased supply. The parties also discussed Germany's involvement in an innovative project focused on the development of drone assault units. "We already have successful front-line operations and are prepared to share this practical experience with the German military. Another important track of cooperation concerns extended-range artillery ammunition. I underscored the importance of delivering long-range artillery ammunition to ensure the effective employment of artillery in a drone-dominated kill zone. One of Ukraine's key priorities is the continuation of Germany's contributions to the 'Czech Initiative'," Mykhailo Fedorov concluded. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address British Government representatives were briefed on the latest version of the Octopus drone Ministry of Defence of Ukraine 20 January, 2026, 10:33 AM EET In Kyiv, the latest version of the Ukrainian interceptor drone Octopus was demonstrated to a British delegation led by UK Deputy Prime Minister David Lammy. At the event, the Ukrainian side underscored the high demand for interceptor drones to secure Ukraine's skies. The Octopus drone, developed by the Armed Forces of Ukraine, is equipped with an advanced AI-based control system. It is designed to counter Shahed-type unmanned aerial vehicles, and its effectiveness has been proven in combat. Close interaction between manufacturers and the military enables ongoing technology refinement and the development of a highly effective R&D ecosystem. Production of the drone is being rolled out in Ukraine and the United Kingdom. Technology transfer enabling the production of the Octopus drone at UK facilities became possible following intellectual property reforms at the Ministry of Defence of Ukraine. Specifically, in May 2025, a dedicated Intellectual Property Department was established within the Ministry of Defence. Experts from the Department ensured compliance with legal requirements during the conclusion of the licensing agreement with the UK Government, including: ensuring legal protection of the technology in Ukraine; filing an application for the registration of the invention under international procedures; providing legal support for the licensing agreement with the UK Ministry of Defence. In November 2025, the Ministry of Defence of Ukraine and the UK Ministry of Defence signed a licensing agreement for the Octopus interceptor drone, enabling its production in the United Kingdom. Output may reach several thousand units per month. The manufactured equipment will be delivered to Ukraine to strengthen its air defence. This marks the first instance in which the Ministry of Defence of Ukraine has concluded an agreement of this kind concerning state-owned technologies. This precedent opens up new opportunities for Ukraine to pursue bilateral defence technology exchange with partner countries. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Reconstruction for Ukraine means integration into the industrial security architecture of the Transatlantic Alliance, says Oleksii Sobolev Ukraine Government Ministry of Economy, Environment and Agriculture of Ukraine, posted 21 January 2026 11:12 Ukraine and the United States are laying the foundations for the long-term development of Ukraine's industries and economy as a whole. This requires predictable rules, reliable institutions and conditions that allow businesses to operate in Ukraine in the long term. This was emphasised by Oleksii Sobolev, Minister of Economy, Environment and Agriculture of Ukraine, during the panel discussion "Partners in Prosperity: Ushering in a New Era of U.S. - Ukraine Economic Partnership." The event took place on 20 January during the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland. "Our goal is to create conditions that will encourage global companies to view Ukraine as a long-term industrial and investment partner. The United States, in particular, is one of Ukraine's key trading partners. The U.S.- Ukraine Reconstruction Investment Fund is already operational, and Ukraine has a unique opportunity to become a strategic supplier of rare soil elements, while the United States gains early access to deposits. The reconstruction of Ukraine is not only about rebuilding, but also about integrating Ukraine into the industrial security architecture of the Transatlantic Alliance," said Oleksii Sobolev. According to the Minister, Ukraine has the capacity to supply the resources needed for the development of cutting-edge technologies. In particular, Ukraine has the largest reserves of titanium, graphite, manganese and uranium in Europe, as well as the third largest reserves of lithium and rare earth elements. The Minister also emphasised that this month Ukraine launched a public website to receive project proposals for implementation within the framework of the U.S.- Ukraine Reconstruction Investment Fund. The Ukrainian Government looks forward to cooperating with companies, investors and partners to implement projects in priority sectors of the economy. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Ukraine's Dog Winter: Grid Collapse, Russian Barrages, Hot Street Meals, Bitter Cold By Borys Sachalko and Iryna Sysak January 21, 2026 KYIV -- It's so cold In Darya's apartment that the dog has taken to sleeping with her. And she heats up a construction brick in her gas cooking stove. "At home, I have to wear and sleep in warm clothes: army thermals, two pairs of trekking socks, a blanket. Carpathian blankets, warm tea," she said, referring to the famed heavy blankets made in western Ukraine's mountains. "My dog moved in with me under the blanket because it's warm." This winter has been miserable for millions of Ukrainians suffering at the hands of unprecedented energy blackouts caused by relentless, and targeted, Russian drone and missile strikes that have severely damaged heating and electricity infrastructure across the country. Since at least January 9, which saw the worst Russian barrage of the New Year, emergency crews have raced to keep pace with the destruction wrought by Russian attacks. Substations damaged. Power-line pylons toppled. Heating and hot water pipes ruptured. Plants shut down. With nighttime temperatures dipping below minus 13 degrees Celsius on January 20, more than 1 million people were plunged into darkness, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said,after the latest barrage of nearly 300 drones and missiles. A day later, nearly 60 percent of the capital was still without power. "This is a serious winter," one utility worker who was working with a crew to dig up frozen soil outside a building in Kyiv. "This is a real winter. It's very difficult to break through the ground, through the asphalt, through everything -- it's much more difficult." Dogs in bed are one way of coping. So are bricks used in construction, which people like Darya warm up in their gas-fired cooking stoves and then put out on a table where they emit heat for some time, even when the power goes out. 'Just Impossible' Darya, who declined to give her last name, said her home was without heat for a week before electricity and heat were restored. Then they went out again. It was 2 degrees Celsius inside the apartment the previous day. "The first days were just impossible here," she told Current Time, as she then addressed her growling dog. "I totally agree with you. I also didn't like it." Much of Kyiv's "left bank" district -- on the eastern side of the Dnieper River -- was without power or water on January 20, according to Mayor Vitali Klitschko. Around the city, municipal authorities have set up emergency heating tents, which glow an eerie red in the darkened courtyards after dark. In daylight hours, volunteers from World Central Kitchen, the Washington-based international food-relief organization, handed out beef-and-potato soup to people lined up. "We live in a high-rise building and there's no power. If there's no power, the stoves don't work and there's no heating. And how can you heat up your food when there's no power?" said Valentyna Kiryakova, a retiree, as she waited in line for a hot meal to bring home to her 6-year-old granddaughter. "But it's OK, we're surviving. It's OK, we're not complaining -- we're surviving. And we understand that there's a war going on: we have to endure, we have to survive," she said. Also standing in line for a hot meal was Katya Prokopenko, who said the lack of electricity meant there was no way to cook food on her electric stove. "The children go to kindergarten, and thank God, they get food there. And when it's the weekend, well, here we are," she said, smiling at the food line. 'I Don't Know What To Do' Other than kindergartens, however, schools across the Ukrainian capital have been ordered closed until February. Municipal officials have also ordered city streetlights dimmed to conserve electricity. Kyiv is not the only place that has suffered. Russian strikes killed three people and knocked power in parts of the Zaporizhzhya region, which is bisected by the front line. In the north, the power grid supplying the remnants of the Chernobyl nuclear power plant was also hit, endangering some of the emergency systems that keep the defunct facility from catching fire or emitting new radiation. The heat went out in the first-floor Kyiv apartment of Tetyana, an elderly pensioner, on January 10. In the rooms that face the sun, indoor temperatures hovered around 5 degrees Celsius; in the non-sunny rooms, around 2-3 degrees. "Right now, we don't have anything, including water, so it's really cold, and we have to wear winter clothes inside," she said as she showed RFE/RL's Ukrainian Service around the apartment. Outside, air raid sirens wailed. Inside, a thermometer showed 1 degree. "I feel like a cabbage." Tetyana and her husband, who recently underwent heart surgery, had propped pillows up along the windowsills to try and keep the cold out, and three electric radiators stood cold, due to the lack of electricity. The previous day, she and her husband gave up trying to remain at home and asked relatives if they could stay over for a night. "We'll have to look at other options," she said. "I really don't know what to do at all." With reporting by Current Time correspondent Igor Shevchuk Source: https://www.rferl.org/a/ukraine-freezing- kyiv-russia-attacks-heat-power/33655893.html Copyright (c) 2026. RFE/RL, Inc. Reprinted with the permission of Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, 1201 Connecticut Ave., N.W. Washington DC 20036. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Russian Court Hands Lengthy Jail Terms to General Kirillov's Killers Sputnik News 20260121 MOSCOW (Sputnik) - A Russian military tribunal handed down lengthy prison sentences, including life imprisonment, to four men accused of killing Lieutenant General Igor Kirillov and his assistant in a 2024 terror attack, a Sputnik correspondent reported on Wednesday from the courtroom. The Second Western District Military Court in Moscow found Akhmadzhon Kurbonov, Batukhan Tochiyev, Ramazan Padiyev, and Robert Safaryan guilty of being involved in a terrorist organization, committing an act of terror as an organized group, trafficking explosive devices, and receiving terrorist training. "To sentence Kurbonov to life imprisonment... and a fine of one million rubles [$13,000]," the judge said. The first 10 years of his sentence are to be served in prison, with the remainder in a special-regime penal colony. The other three defendants received prison terms ranging from 18 to 25 years. Safaryan was sentenced to 25 years, Tochiyev to 22, and Padiyev to18 years. They will serve their sentences in a strict-regime penal colony. Two of them were also fined 200,000 rubles each. General Kirillov, head of the Russian Armed Forces' Radiation, Chemical and Biological Defense Troops, and his assistant, Ilya Polikarpov, died in an explosion on December 17, 2024. The explosive device was hidden in a scooter parked near a residential building in Moscow. The blast damaged 27 apartments and 13 cars. Kurbonov was detained the following day. He confessed to having been recruited by Ukrainian special services for a $100,000 reward and a promise that he would be allowed to move to a European country. The Russian Investigative Committee found that Padiyev and Tochiyev rented a hostel room for Kurbonov and received money from his handler. Safaryan stored bomb components at his home and later passed them to Kurbonov. The components were smuggled into Russia from Poland disguised as household items. Three other individuals involved in the case have been arrested in absentia and declared wanted. Sputnik NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address UK Mercenaries Eliminated in Strike on Ukraine's Headquarters Near Nikolaev - Underground Sputnik News 20260121 DONETSK (Sputnik) - Mercenaries from the United Kingdom were eliminated following a strike on the Ukrainian armed forces' strategic naval operations headquarters near the city of Nikolaev, the coordinator of the pro-Russian underground network in Nikolaev, Sergey Lebedev, told Sputnik on Wednesday. "There is confirmed data on casualties among foreign military personnel - primarily British [mercenaries], whose presence at the facility has been repeatedly recorded," Lebedev said. Earlier in the day, Lebedev told Sputnik that a Ukrainian military headquarters for planning strategic naval operations and overseeing attacks on Russian ships in the area of the Crimea and the city of Novorossiysk was destroyed near Nikolaev. Sputnik NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Ukraine Reconstruction Plan Derailed at Davos Amid US-EU Feud Over Greenland - Reports Sputnik News 20260121 MOSCOW (Sputnik) - The anticipated announcement of an $800-billion Ukraine reconstruction package has been sidelined amid disagreements between the United States and Europe over Greenland and the US-proposed Board of Peace for Gaza, according to media reports, citing officials. European countries cannot simply turn a blind eye to the actions of US President Donald Trump regarding Greenland while trying to make progress on other Trump-related issues, such as Ukraine, a recent newspaper report stated. Greenland is an autonomous territory within the Kingdom of Denmark. Nevertheless, US President Donald Trump has been seeking its acquisition, citing the Arctic island's strategic importance to American national security. In response, Danish and Greenlandic authorities have warned Washington against any such move, asserting their sovereignty and demanding respect for their territorial integrity. Sputnik NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Russia Escalates Ukraine War as Civilian Strikes and Casualties Mount: UK Statement to the OSCE Speech UK Charge d'Affaires, Deputy Ambassador James Ford, rejects Russia's claim that the war is lawful and restrained, as strikes escalate on Ukraine's power and water systems, causing widespread civilian harm. As millions lose heat and electricity, Russian casualties now exceed sustainable recruitment rates, highlighting a stark gap between rhetoric and reality. From: Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office and James Ford Published 21 January 2026 Location: Vienna Delivered on: 21 January 2026 (Transcript of the speech, exactly as it was delivered) Thank you, Madame Chair. The United Kingdom reaffirms its firm support for Ukraine's sovereignty, independence, and territorial integrity within its internationally recognised borders, in accordance with the principles of the Helsinki Final Act, the Paris Charter, and the commitments freely undertaken by all OSCE participating States. At the start of 2026, after nearly four years of its war against Ukraine, the Russian Federation continues to claim that its military campaign is defensive, limited, and conducted in full compliance with international humanitarian law. The reality, at the height of this winter season, is that Russia has intensified its missile and drone strikes against Ukraine's energy generation and transmission facilities, its water systems, and its ports - frequently striking indispensable civilian infrastructure. Russia claims to be protecting civilians yet systematically degrades the systems on which civilian survival depends, particularly during winter conditions. Russian officials describe such attacks as "lawful military necessity". Yet Russia's conduct, whether deliberate or carried out with reckless disregard, has produced severe and entirely foreseeable humanitarian consequences - including the loss of heating, water, and electricity for millions of civilians. Russia speaks of restraint, but Russia's pattern of military operations only highlights strategic, operational and tactical escalation. Russia's words and Russia's actions do not match. The situation on the ground shows a clear gap between rhetoric and reality. Russia's conduct remains incompatible with international humanitarian law and with the commitments this organisation exists to uphold. Madame Chair, the human cost of this war demands sober reflection in this forum. Independent assessments by organisations such as the International Institute for Strategic Studies (IISS) and RAND - and also by the United Nations - indicate that Russian military losses, of those killed and wounded, now exceed sustainable recruitment and replacement rates. Over a comparable duration, cumulative Russian casualties are approaching levels seen during some of the most destructive phases of the Second World War. We note this comparison without any sense of satisfaction, but with great sadness. It reflects a tragic loss of life and the destruction of a generation of service personnel. We call again for Russia to cease its attacks and demonstrate genuine readiness to engage in negotiations grounded in international law and the principles to which all OSCE participating States have subscribed. The United Kingdom will continue to support Ukraine's inherent right to self-defence and to work with partners to uphold security and stability across the OSCE region. Thank you, Madame Chair NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Andrii Sybiha held an online meeting with colleagues from the United Kingdom, Canada, the Netherlands, Norway, Finland and France Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine 21 January 2026 13:21 Minister of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine Andrii Sybiha: "This morning from MFA of Ukraine, which is now operating on a backup power generator, I joined an online-meeting with my transatlantic colleagues from the United Kingdom Yvette Cooper; Canada Anita Anand; Finland Elina Valtonen; Norway Espen Barth Eide; the Netherlands David van Weel; and France's Minister Delegate for European Affairs, Benjamin Haddad The main topic was the emergency energy situation in Ukraine caused by Russian strikes and the urgent assistance from partners to help restore power and heating for Ukrainians. On the ground in Kyiv, we are coordinating international support 24/7. Essential assistance is already arriving. With our partners, we also discussed new packages of defense and financial support. We discussed peace efforts and the situation on the battlefield. I updated my colleagues. The Ukrainian negotiating team is actively working with the Americans in Davos. There is a chance to speed up the peace process. Ukraine is ready. Ukrainians deserve peace. Thanked to my colleagues for their personal commitment and urgent help by their countries in such a difficult situation for Ukraine and Europe, as well as for keeping the Ukrainian flag on top of international agenda." NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Andrii Sybiha held phone talks with High Representative of the European Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Kaja Kallas Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine 21 January 2026 15:00 Minister of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine Andrii Sybiha: "We are maintaining a close and active dialogue with Kaja Kallas to mobilize maximum support for Ukraine. During today's call, we focused on energy and security. We coordinated further joint steps to urgently meet the needs of Ukraine's energy system and local communities in order to restore electricity, heating and water supply for Ukrainians. We paid special attention to peace efforts and Europe's role in ensuring a just and lasting peace. We also discussed further contacts at various levels and our joint work within international organizations. Grateful to my colleague and the EU for steadfast support at this difficult time." NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Andrii Sybiha held phone talks with Minister of Foreign and European Affairs of Croatia Gordan Grlic Radman Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine 21 January 2026 14:07 Minister of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine Andrii Sybiha: "Had a very substantive and warm call with my Croatian colleague and friend Gordan Grlic Radman. I briefed about the consequences of the recent Russian strike on Ukraine's critical infrastructure, the emergency situation in Ukraine with electricity, heating and water. Russia deliberately uses the difficult weather conditions in its terror. We discussed the most urgent Ukrainian needs, first of all to stabilize the energy and humanitarian situation in Ukraine. Thanked Gordan and Croatia for constant support. We also agreed on nearest diplomatic contacts, both at the bilateral dimension, in particular at the highest level, as well as multilateral, including the Ukraine - Southeast Europe format." NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address VANCOUVER, Jan. 21, 2026 - Reflex Advanced Materials Corp. (CSE:RFLX) (FSE:HF2) ("Reflex" or the "Company"), is pleased to announce that it intends to complete a non-brokered private placement offering of units of the Company ("Units"), at a price of C$0.175 per Unit, for aggregate gross proceeds of up to C$200,000. Each Unit will be comprised of one common share of the Company (each, a "Share") and one Share purchase warrant ("Warrants"), with each Warrant entitling the holder to acquire one Share (each, a "Warrant Share") at a price of C$0.23 for a period of 24 months. The Company intends to use the net proceeds raised from the Offering for working capital and general corporate purposes. All securities issued in the Offering will be subject to a four month and one day hold period. Closing of the Offering is subject to the Company's receipt of all necessary regulatory approvals, including approval of the Canadian Securities Exchange. The Offering is expected to close on or about January 30, 2026. The securities issued pursuant to the Offering have not been, nor will they be, registered under the United States Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and may not be offered or sold within the United States or to, or for the account or benefit of, U.S. persons in the absence of U.S. registration or an applicable exemption from the U.S. registration requirements. This news release shall not constitute an offer to sell or the solicitation of an offer to buy nor shall there be any sale of the securities in the United States or in any other jurisdiction in which such offer, solicitation or sale would be unlawful. About Reflex Advanced Materials Corp. Reflex Advanced Materials Corp. is a mineral exploration company based in British Columbia. Its objective is to locate and, if warranted, develop economic mineral properties in the strategic metals and advanced materials space. It is focused on improving domestic specialty mineral infrastructure efficiencies to meet surging national demand by North American manufacturers. For more information, please review the Company's filings available at www.sedarplus.ca and visit the Company's website at www.reflexmaterials.com. ON BEHALF OF THE COMPANY DJ Bowen Interim CEO & Director Reflex Advanced Materials Corp. Suite 915 - 700 West Pender Street Vancouver, BC V6C 1G8 Canada Tel: (778) 837-7191 Email: [email protected] Forward-Looking Statements This news release contains "forward-looking information" and "forward-looking statements" (collectively, "forward-looking statements") within the meaning of applicable Canadian securities legislation. All statements, other than statements of historical fact, are forward-looking statements and are based on expectations, estimates and projections as at the date of this news release. All statements that address activities, events, or developments that the Company expects or anticipates will, or may, occur in the future, are forward-looking statements, including statements regarding: the anticipated completion date of the Offering, the anticipated amount of proceeds therefrom, the proposed use of proceeds therefrom, as well as the Company's receipt of all necessary regulatory approvals; and the Company's business prospects, future trends, plans and strategies. In some cases, forward looking statements are preceded by, followed by, or include words such as "may", "will," "would", "could", "should", "believes", "estimates", "projects", "potential", "expects", "plans", "anticipates", "continues", or the negative of those words or other similar or comparable words. In preparing the forward-looking statements in this news release, the Company has applied several material assumptions, including, but not limited to, availability of capital, and changes in general economic, market and business conditions, and timely receipt of all necessary regulatory and other approvals. These forward-looking statements are based on reasonable assumptions and estimates of management of the Company at the time such statements were made. Actual future results may differ materially as forward-looking statements involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors which may cause the actual results, performance or achievements of the Company to materially differ from any future results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. Although the forward-looking statements contained in this news release are based upon what management of the Company believes, or believed at the time, to be reasonable assumptions, the Company cannot assure shareholders that actual results will be consistent with such forward-looking statements, as there may be other factors that cause results not to be as anticipated, estimated or intended. Readers should not place undue reliance on the forward-looking statements and information contained in this news release. The Company assumes no obligation to update the forward-looking statements of beliefs, opinions, projections, or other factors. Arctic Fox Lithium Corp. (CSE: AFX / FSE: O5K) ("Arctic Fox" or, the "Company") announces it has entered into an asset purchase agreement dated for reference January 21, 2026 (the "Agreement") with the holder of certain mineral claims (the "Claim Holder") and certain vendors (the "Vendors") pursuant to which the Company will acquire a 100% interest (the "Transaction") in the Shipshaw property (the "Shipshaw Property" or, the "Property") comprising of 2,685.73 hectares located in the Saguenay region of Quebec. About the Shipshaw Property The Shipshaw Property is a rare earth element and niobium exploration property located approximately 5 kilometers west of the City of Saguenay, Quebec, within the Saguenay Graben of the Grenville Geological Province. The Shipshaw Property is situated along the same regional corridor as the producing Niobec Mine located approximately 5 km to the north of the Property. The Niobec Mine is an underground niobium-producing mine in commercial production since 1976.1 The Transaction Pursuant to the terms of the Agreement, Arctic Fox shall (i) pay to the Claim Holder a cash payment in the amount of $60,000; (ii) issue to the Vendors an aggregate amount equal to 10,000,000 common shares in the capital of the Company (the "Payment Shares"); and (iii) upon the Company conducting a secondary equity financing in excess of $1,000,000, pay an additional $40,000 to the Claim Holder. All Payment Shares will be subject to a twelve (12) month voluntary escrow provisions (the "Escrow Period") whereby the Vendors may not trade the Payment Shares during the time during the Escrow Period. The parties to the Agreement are arm's length to the Company and there are no finder's fees payable in the Transaction. After closing the Transaction and if required pursuant to relevant securities laws, the Company may file a Business Acquisition Report pursuant to National Instrument 51-102 - Continuous Disclosure Obligations. The Transaction is subject to receipt of all necessary regulatory approvals, including, as applicable, all required filings with the Canadian Securities Exchange ("CSE"), completion of due diligence reasonable or customary in a transaction of a similar nature, the publishing of a technical report for the Shipshaw Property pursuant to National Instrument 43-101 - Standards of Disclosure for Mineral Projects, and other conditions precedent. Private Placement The Company wishes to announce further that it is launching a non-brokered private placement of up to 7,900,000 units (the "Units"), at a price of $0.11 per Unit for gross proceeds of up to $869,000.00 (the "Offering"). Each Unit will consist of one common share (a "Share") and one common share purchase warrant (a "Warrant"). Each Warrant will entitle the holder to acquire one additional Share at a price of $0.15 per Share for a period of 24 months from the date of issuance. The Units will be offered: (a) by way of private placement in all of the provinces of Canada pursuant to applicable exemptions from the prospectus requirements under applicable Canadian securities laws; (b) in the United States or to, or for the account or benefit of, U.S. persons, by way of private placement pursuant to the exemptions from the registration requirements provided for under the United States Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the "U.S. Securities Act"); and (c) in jurisdictions outside of Canada and the United States on a private placement or equivalent basis, in each case in accordance with all applicable laws, provided that no prospectus, registration statement or other similar document is required to be filed in such jurisdiction. The securities to be issued pursuant to the Offering to purchasers in Canada will be subject to a four-month and one day hold period in Canada pursuant to applicable Canadian securities laws. The Units will be offered to purchasers outside of Canada pursuant to an exemption from the prospectus requirements in Canada available under OSC Rule 72-503 - Distributions Outside Canada and, accordingly, the securities to be issued pursuant to the Offering to purchasers outside of Canada are not expected to be subject to a four-month and one day hold period in Canada. The securities offered have not been registered under the U.S. Securities Act, as amended, and may not be offered or sold in the United States absent registration or an applicable exemption from the registration requirements. This press release shall not constitute an offer to sell or the solicitation of an offer to buy nor shall there be any sale of the securities in any State in which such offer, solicitation or sale would be unlawful. The Company will use the net proceeds from the Offering for general working and administrative capital, costs related to the Transaction and Offering and exploration expenditures in connection with the Shipshaw Property and its other mineral properties. Finder's fees may be payable in connection with the Offering. The Transaction and Offering will not constitute a fundamental change or change of business, within the meaning of the policies of the CSE, however, as the Transaction and Offering (on a combined basis) will result in the Company issuing more than 100% of the current issued and outstanding common shares, shareholder approval will be sought by the Company pursuant to CSE Policy 4 (the "Shareholder Consent"). About Arctic Fox Lithium Corp. Arctic Fox Lithium Corp. is a junior mineral exploration company focused on the acquisition and development of mineral properties containing battery and rare earth metals. The Company's 2,756-hectare Pontax North Lithium Project ("Pontax North") is located 12 km south of Allkem Ltd. (ASX/TSX: ALLKEM) ("Allkem") James Bay Lithium Project and 12 km north of Stria Lithium Inc.'s (CSE: SRA) Pontax Lithium Project, located in northern Quebec, approximately 130 km east of the Eastmain Cree Nation's community. The Company is currently planning a second-phase exploration program at Pontax North and continues to evaluate accretive opportunities across the rare earth element and broader critical-minerals sectors to complement and expand its project portfolio. For further information, please contact: Kirby Renton, Director, President and CEO. Phone: 306-430-8815 On behalf of the Board of Directors, Kirby Renton Director, President and CEO Arctic Fox Lithium Corp. Neither the Canadian Securities Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the Canadian Securities Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this press release. Forward-Looking Information: Except for statements of historic fact this news release contains certain "forward-looking information" within the meaning of applicable securities law. Forward-looking information is frequently characterized by words such as "plan" "expect" "project" "intend" "believe" "anticipate" "estimate" and other similar words or statements that certain events or conditions "may" or "will" occur. Forward-looking statements are based on the opinions and estimates at the date the statements are made and are subject to a variety of risks and uncertainties and other factors that could cause actual events or results to differ materially from those anticipated in the forward- looking statements including but not limited to the Transaction, the Offering, the Shareholder Consent, the consideration payable under the Agreement, the filing of a BAR and other statements contained herein. There are uncertainties inherent in forward-looking information including factors beyond the Company's control. There are no assurances that the business plans for Arctic Fox described in this news release will come into effect on the terms or time frame described herein. The Company undertakes no obligation to update forward-looking information if circumstances or management's estimates or opinions should change except as required by law. The reader is cautioned not to place undue reliance on forward-looking statements. Additional information identifying risks and uncertainties that could affect financial results is contained in the Company's filings with Canadian securities regulators which are available at www.sedarplus.ca 1 https://www.mining-technology.com/projects/niobec-niobium-mine-quebec/ Toronto, January 22, 2026 - Hispania Resources Inc. (TSXV: ESPN) ("Hispania" or "the company"), a mineral exploration company focused on Spain, is pleased to report to shareholders that management and members of it's local mining team in Spain completed a visit at the Lumbrales site in Salamanca, and particularly the Maria Tere past producing mine. The intent of this visit was to meet with local stakeholders; review existing infrastructure at site; as well as plan out the 2026 work plans for Lumbrales. As a result of this activity, the company has laid out a confirmation drilling program at Maria Tere and will simultaneously engage in surface rehabilitation of on-site infrastructure and facilities. The Company is currently reviewing contracts with contractors and service providers and intends to begin activities at site within the next few weeks. During the period at site, the company's geological personnel carried out sampling and reviewed all data related to the geological resource. For the first time, geological investigation related to two artisanal workings situated South of the Maria Tere mine site was carried out. These workings will be further evaluated during the planned drilling campaign at the Maria Tere site. "We are pleased to have had some confirmational work completed at site and more importantly identified new opportunities to the South," stated Norman Brewster, Chief Executive Officer of the Company. "One of the key reasons for acquiring this property was the excellent infrastructure leading to and at site. With the need for critical minerals and the upgraded price of tin and tungsten, the company look at additional targets on the property," continued Mr. Brewster. As a form of reference, the Maria Tere Mine was last put into production by the Spanish company Minera del Duero S.A. until 1986. During this period the capacity of the mine and plant was 400 tonnes per day (t/d) for a 10-hour day. On termination of operations, the mine had a remaining resource of 2.5 million tonnes with a grade of 0.25% Tin. At that time, there was an additional Exploration target of 3 million tonnes. On closure the infrastructure at site consisted of two shafts to approximately 150 meters and 2,272 meters of 4 by 4 metre galleries with an inclined shaft of 651 meters all to a depth of approximately 200 metres. About Hispania Resources Inc. Hispania Resources Inc is a mineral exploration company focused on mining opportunities in Spain. Hispania is currently focused on developing 3 core assets across Spain, including the copper, zinc project Otero; the formerly producing tin project Lumbrales; and the copper, zinc Puebla de la Reina project. The management of Hispania contains industry veterans who have more than 120 years of mineral exploration and production experience in multiple jurisdictions and have successfully managed multiple international mining companies. This includes in Spain, where some of the team was responsible for the founding and building of Iberian Minerals with the continued support of the local and regional governments, including the well-developed and sophisticated transportation and mining infrastructure. For more information on Hispania Resources Inc., visit: http://HispaniaResources.com Contact Information Forward-Looking Information Certain information in this news release constitutes forward-looking statements and forward-looking information (collectively, the "forward-looking statements") within the meaning of Canadian securities laws, and is subject to numerous risks, uncertainties, and assumptions, many of which are beyond the Company's control. This forward-looking information includes, among other things, information with respect to the Company's beliefs, plans, expectations, anticipations, estimates and intentions. The words "may", "could", "should", "would", "suspect", "outlook", "believe", "anticipate", "estimate", "expect", "intend", "plan", "target" and similar words and expressions are used to identify forward-looking information, including the use of proceeds of the Offering. The forward-looking information in this news release describes the Company's expectations as of the date of this news release. The Company cautions that the foregoing list of material factors is not exhaustive. When relying on the Company's forward-looking information to make decisions, investors and others should carefully consider the foregoing factors and other uncertainties and potential events. The Company has assumed a certain progression, which may not be realized. It has also assumed that the material factors referred to in the previous paragraph will not cause such forward-looking information to differ materially from actual results or events. However, the list of these factors is not exhaustive and is subject to change and there can be no assurance that such assumptions will reflect the actual outcome of such items or factors. The forward-looking statements contained in this news release represent the expectations of the Company as of the date of this news release and, accordingly, is subject to change after such date. Readers should not place undue importance on forward-looking information and should not rely upon this information as of any other date. While the Company may elect to, it does not undertake to update this information at any particular time. Neither the TSXV nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSXV) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this news release. To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/281258 Vancouver, January 22, 2026 - Nevada Organic Phosphate Inc. (CSE: NOP) (OTCQB: NOPFF) ("NOP" or the "Company"), a B.C. based leader in organic sedimentary phosphate exploration, is pleased to announce that its common shares are now eligible for electronic clearing and settlement in the United States through the Depository Trust Company ("DTC"). DTC eligibility is expected to simplify the process of trading and enhance liquidity of NOP shares in the United States. The Company's shares recently began trading on the OTCQB Venture Market ("OTCQB") under the ticker symbol NOPFF. DTC is a subsidiary of the Depository Trust & Clearing Corporation, a U.S. company that manages the electronic clearing and settlement of publicly traded companies. Securities that are eligible to be electronically cleared and settled through DTC are considered to be "DTC eligible". This electronic method of clearing securities speeds up the receipt of stock and cash, and thus accelerates the settlement process for investors and brokers, enabling the stock to be traded over a much wider selection of brokerage firms by coming into compliance with their requirements. Nevada Organic Phosphate Inc. (CSE: NOP) (OTCQB: NOPFF) The Company is a junior exploration company with an organic sedimentary raw rock phosphate bed, 6.6 kilometres long, in northeast Nevada. Additional applications extend the potential strike of rock phosphate to over 30 kilometres. This is believed to be the only known large-scale organic sedimentary phosphate project in North America. It is situated close to the main highway to Montello/Elko, Nevada, and near the rail head to California. Neither the Canadian Securities Exchange nor its regulations services providers have reviewed or accept responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release. This news release may contain forward-looking statements and information ("FLSI") within the meaning of applicable securities laws. FLSI may include expectations, anticipations, beliefs, opinions, plans, intentions, estimates, forecasts, projections, guidance or other similar statements and information that are not historical facts. All statements which are not historical statements are considered FLSI. All FLSI is based on assumptions, which may prove inaccurate, and subject to certain risks and uncertainties, including without limitation those risks and uncertainties identified in the Company's public securities filings, which may cause actual events or results to differ materially from those indicated or implied in FLSI. Accordingly, readers should not place undue reliance or value on FLSI. Although the Company believes that the expectations reflected in any FLSI in this news release are reasonable at the present time, it can give no assurance that such FLSI will prove to be correct. Any FLSI in this news release is made as of the date hereof and the Company undertakes no obligations to publicly update or revise any FLSI, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, unless required by applicable securities laws. Any FLSI in this news release is expressly qualified in its entirety by this cautionary statement. To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/281262 Latest Headlines Mortgage fraudster gets home detention Second defendant sentenced in SFO mortgage fraud case. Thursday, January 22nd 2026, 11:04AM A second defendant in the Serious Fraud Offices (SFO) investigation into alleged mortgage fraud has been sentenced to nine months home detention at the Auckland District Court. Gurraj Singh Bhachu, who no longer has name suppression, pleaded guilty in September 2025 to 12 charges relating to four properties involved in the alleged mortgage fraud. His sentence of nine months home detention took into account discounts for his guilty plea, remorse and cooperating with the SFOs investigation. Six months standard release conditions were also imposed. Bhachu made false representations to banks and conveyancing solicitors to obtain bank loans totaling $2,862,650 for three residential properties. He also made false representations to obtain control of residential properties, either for himself or others. The offending included providing false documents relating to business income and cash gifts, who the true borrower was, and deposits paid. In 2019, Bhachu left New Zealand. When he returned in December 2023, he was arrested and charged by the SFO. SFO Director, Karen Chang, says deliberately providing false information to a bank to obtain a mortgage undermines the integrity of New Zealands lending system. The banks were misled in a number of ways, including the financial position of the borrower and the level of risk to the bank. This affects the ability of hard-working New Zealanders to obtain lending for their own homes. The SFO has charged six people in this complex mortgage and investment fraud case which alleges they engaged in a scheme to fraudulently obtain credit and properties. In total, they are alleged to have obtained more than $8.6 million in lending and attempted to obtain a further $2.9 million. Bhachu is the second defendant to be sentenced, after Francis (Frank) Peters who was sentenced in August 2024 to nine months and two weeks home detention in relation to four charges of obtaining by deception. Francis Peters, a lawyer at the time of offending, is no longer able to practice law in New Zealand as he was struck off the roll of barristers and solicitors in April 2025. Charges have also been filed against Christopher Peters, Robert Peters, Gerard Peters and Serene Peters for obtaining $1.8 million by deception in an alleged investment fraud. Christopher and Robert Peters have also been charged with obtaining those funds by forgery as an alternative charge. The trial of Christopher Peters and Robert Peters is scheduled for February 2026. A trial date has not yet been set for the remaining defendants, Gerard Peters and Serene Peters. Special Offers Comments from our readers No comments yet Sign In to add your comment Binotto urges new engine rules as FIA meeting looms Mattia Binotto has warned that unresolved questions over how Formula 1 measures engine compression ratios could hand rivals a decisive early advantage, on the eve of a crucial FIA meeting with power unit manufacturers. Mattia Binotto, United States GP 2024 Sauber Speaking as Audi unveiled its 2026 livery on Tuesday, the former Ferrari boss - now leading Audi's F1 project - said the current framework leaves too much uncertainty surrounding rumours that Mercedes and Red Bull-Ford may have exploited a loophole once engines reach operating temperature. We need new rules for measuring compression ratio, Binotto told Corriere della Sera. While stressing that Audi is realistic about its own starting position, Binotto made clear that the issue goes beyond competitive paranoia. We certainly don't expect our powertrain to be the best right from the start, because that would be unrealistic, he said. But if this is true, the difference in performance and lap times will be significant, and this could play a role in the upcoming season. According to Binotto, the January 22 meeting with the FIA is not about banning concepts retroactively, but about fixing a structural weakness in the regulations. At the moment, there are only rumours that the Mercedes engine could have a higher-than-permitted compression ratio at high temperatures, he explained. But there are no means of knowing or proving it. You can't protest if you don't know what you're protesting about. What will be discussed will not be a clarification of the regulations, but rather how to find a solution that allows us, in the future, to measure compression ratio in operating conditions, in real time, while the car is moving - and not only when the engine is cold and disassembled. Audi is not alone in pushing for clarity. Honda, which revealed its own 2026 power unit in Tokyo on the same day, also acknowledged the grey areas inherent in the new rules. Aston Martin's Andy Cowell described compression ratio as an inevitable flashpoint under fresh regulations. Every manufacturer studies the rules and tries to squeeze out the maximum, he said. The FIA's job is to ensure that everyone interprets the regulations fairly and uniformly - and that work is ongoing right now. Honda president Toshihiro Mibe was more explicit about where responsibility lies. The regulations don't specify everything very clearly, point by point, he said. There's a lot of room for interpretation, and that's also part of the race. In the case of the FIA, it's up to them to decide whether it's good or bad - they have to take responsibility. Koji Watanabe, president of Honda Racing Corporation, struck a more cautious note, saying only that Honda intends to comply with and respect the regulations while discussions continue. Drivers, meanwhile, are keeping their distance from the technical politics. Max Verstappen said the issue is firmly out of his hands. That's impossible to know, Verstappen said when asked what impact the controversy will have on track. Everyone does everything they can. I'm not hired as an engineer for the engine. This is something between the FIA and the engine suppliers to solve. One manufacturer pointedly absent from the complaints is Ferrari. Cadillac team boss Graeme Lowdon, whose squad will run Ferrari engines in 2026, made that clear. What I'm very confident about is that we have a fully legal engine, Lowdon said. With these engines, combustion isn't allowed at a compression ratio of more than 16 to 1. We know Ferrari has fully complied with the regulations. That gives us a lot of confidence. As the FIA prepares to sit down with manufacturers on January 22, expectations are deliberately modest. Binotto insists no quick fix is coming. If the solution really exists, it could mean a significant difference in performance, he said. That's why this meeting is about developing a future methodology - not an immediate compromise. (GMM) Ferrari delays Hamilton engineer decision Ferrari will not immediately appoint a new race engineer for Lewis Hamilton, with Charles Leclerc's engineer expected to oversee both cars during next week's first on-track running of the 2026 machine. Lewis Hamilton, Italian GP 2025 Ferrari Following the reassignment of Riccardo Adami away from the race team, the Scuderia has confirmed that Hamilton's long-term replacement will be named only in due course , despite the opening Barcelona test now just days away. According to Corriere della Sera journalist Giuliano Duchessa, Ferrari has opted for continuity during the initial phase of the new regulations rather than rushing a permanent appointment. Despite a dinner together before Christmas, Lewis Hamilton will part ways with engineer Riccardo Adami, Duchessa wrote. Both would have liked to see a better understanding, but sometimes the connection doesn't fully develop. Adami, who worked closely with Sebastian Vettel and Carlos Sainz during his Ferrari tenure, has been moved into a new role within the Ferrari Driver Academy and Testing Previous Cars programme. With the SF-26 not yet ready for competitive benchmarking, Ferrari is understood to be treating the Barcelona outing as an extended systems check rather than a full performance test. Ferrari will have to appoint Adami's replacement, but it won't be anytime soon, Duchessa added. Bryan Bozzi is expected to manage both drivers in Barcelona, for what will essentially be a lengthy shakedown of the sole SF-26. Bozzi has been Leclerc's race engineer and is regarded internally as a steady hand, particularly valuable during the delicate opening weeks of the 2026 regulation cycle. Duchessa also noted that Ferrari plans an unusually heavy Testing Previous Car program this year, using the 2024-spec SF-24 alongside the new challenger. There should be a demanding number of private sessions (TPC) this year, to be tackled with the SF-24, a solid and effective car, he confirmed. (GMM) Sutil-linked firm insolvent, ex-F1 driver still in custody The legal and financial troubles surrounding former Formula 1 driver Adrian Sutil have deepened, with a luxury car company closely linked to him now declared insolvent. Adrian Sutil, German GP 2010 The Cahier Archive According to WirtschaftsWoche, Munich-area firm DS Motoren GmbH has filed for insolvency following Sutil's arrest late last year. The 42-year-old former F1 racer has been in pre-trial detention since the end of November, accused by prosecutors in Stuttgart of aggravated fraud and embezzlement. Sutil denies the allegations and is cooperating with authorities. DS Motoren's business model centred on trading in ultra-rare, limited-edition luxury vehicles, including models from Bugatti, Ferrari, Pagani, Koenigsegg, Mercedes and Porsche - some with individual values in the millions of euros. The cars were financed via banks and leasing firms, with profits expected through appreciation and resale. The insolvency is closely tied to the criminal proceedings against Sutil. Investigators suspect that some of the vehicles were used multiple times as collateral, triggering concerns among creditors once Sutil was taken into custody. Insolvency administrator Alexander Zarzitzky said that although Sutil did not hold a formal role at DS Motoren GmbH, his influence was significant. Adrian Sutil is a board member of Liechtenstein-based AS Motoren AG, which is the parent company of the insolvent DS Motoren GmbH, Zarzitzky said. Sutil's name, he added, helped open doors in the high-end automotive market. The company's managing director, an external appointment, filed for insolvency shortly after Sutil's arrest. Sutil's lawyer, Dirk Schmitz, criticised the move as premature. However, business documents have reportedly been seized, while several high-profile cars - including a Koenigsegg Regera, a Rolls-Royce Phantom and a Mercedes S600 said to have once belonged to Elvis Presley - are currently unaccounted for. German media report that the total value of the so-called Sutil vehicles could reach as high as EUR 150 million. There are also claims that the case was triggered by an alleged extortion attempt, with Sutil's legal team saying his family was subjected to considerable pressure before vehicles were removed from Monaco. (GMM) Unilever Ghana sees profits soar by 63 per cent on strong consumer demand Previous article: Unilever Ghana sees profits soar by 63 per cent on strong consumer demand Featured Republic Bank Holdings surpasses $200m for climate finance Kwame Larweh Business News Jan - 22 - 2026 , 07:02 REPUBLIC Financial Holdings Limited (RFHL) has exceeded its $200 million climate finance target, deploying approximately $235.5 million in financing for climate-focused projects across its markets in the Caribbean and Africa. The milestone, announced recently, surpasses the original goal set in 2021 by nearly 18 per centor more than $35.5 million. The target formed part of RFHLs commitment to responsible banking principles and alignment with global net-zero frameworks, aimed at mobilising lending and investments to support climate mitigation, adaptation, and resilience initiatives. Renewable energy Renewable energy has been the leading sector, accounting for 46.46 per cent of the total climate finance deployed. Sustainable transport follows closely at 40.28 per cent, with additional contributions from areas such as energy efficiency, sustainable agriculture, and other climate-resilient solutions that benefit individuals, businesses, and communities. Geographically, Trinidad and Tobago leads with 42.17 per cent of the total activity, followed by Barbados at 25.36 per cent. Guyana and Ghana contribute 12.17 per cent and 10.36 per cent, respectively, reflecting robust demand for sustainable finance across both regions. The Group President and CEO of RFHL, Nigel Baptiste, highlighted the significance of the achievement. Surpassing our $200 million climate finance target demonstrates the growing appetite for sustainable finance within the region and underscores the critical role financial institutions can play in supporting the transition to more resilient, low-carbon economies, he said. Mr Baptiste also credited the collective efforts of teams across the Groups branches, units, and subsidiaries for driving this success. Their commitment continues to deliver meaningful impact in climate resilience, sustainable development, and shared prosperity across the markets we serve, he stated. Looking ahead, RFHL reaffirmed its dedication to expanding its sustainability agenda. The Group plans to continue prioritising climate-related projects, increasing access to fundingespecially for low-income and vulnerable communitiesand providing technical assistance to advance climate adaptation and mitigation efforts. This accomplishment positions RFHL as a leader in sustainable finance in the Caribbean and beyond, contributing to broader regional and global goals for environmental and economic sustainability. Featured Unilever Ghana sees profits soar by 63 per cent on strong consumer demand Kweku Zurek Business News Jan - 22 - 2026 , 16:01 Unilever Ghana PLC has announced an improvement in its financial performance for the period ended December 31, 2025, driven by a strategic focus on key categories and enhanced operational efficiency. According to the unaudited financial statements, the company achieved an 11.7 per cent increase in revenue, rising to GH1.039 billion from GH930.8 million the previous year. The growth was largely fuelled by a strong focus on its Oral Care, Beauty and Well-being categories, the company stated, adding that this was achieved through optimised sales strategies and improved market penetration. Profitability metrics also showed robust improvement, with gross profit climbing to GH406.6 million from GH352.8 million, and profit after taxation surging to GH94.4 million from GH58.1 million in 2024. A notable highlight is the expansion in operating profit margin to 13.9 per cent, up from 10.2 per cent in the prior period. The company attributed this to effective cost management, improved operational efficiency and topline leverage. Operating profit itself saw a substantial rise to GH143.9 million from GH95.2 million. The statement of financial position reveals a strengthened liquidity position, with cash and bank balances more than doubling to GH210.5 million as of 31 December 2025, compared to GH97.0 million at the end of 2024. Total assets increased to GH545.7 million from GH444.0 million. However, inventories decreased to GH103.2 million from GH128.7 million, while trade and other payables increased to GH124.1 million. The cash flow statement underscores a dramatic improvement in operational cash generation. Net cash generated from operating activities was GH203.0 million, a substantial increase from GH41.2 million in 2024. The company also paid a higher dividend of GH37.5 million, up from GH28.0 million the previous year. In a statement within the financial report, the company affirmed that The financial statements do not contain untrue statements, misleading facts or omit material facts to the best of our knowledge. Earnings per share for equity holders rose sharply to GH1.5098 from GH0.9288, reflecting the enhanced profitability distributed across shares. Total comprehensive income for the period stood at GH94.1 million. Featured Antigua defends recruitment of Ghanaian nurses to tackle health sector challenges www.jamaicaobserver.com International News Jan - 22 - 2026 , 06:56 4 minutes read The Government of Antigua and Barbuda has robustly defended its decision to recruit nurses from Ghana, describing the move as a necessary intervention to address persistent staffing shortages and burnout within the countrys healthcare system. Speaking at a news conference, the Minister of Health, Sir Molwyn Joseph, said the recruitment drive was aimed at easing the pressure on nurses who have been overstretched for years, warning that fatigue among healthcare workers posed risks to patient care. As you can appreciate, if you have nurses who are overworked or burnt out, then this compromises patient care. We now have an opportunity to fix this issue and I want to thank the permanent secretary and the technical team for the valuable input they gave to this exercise, he said. Sir Molwyn, flanked by senior officials of the ministry, noted that Antigua and Barbuda had long struggled to maintain adequate nursing numbers across its public health facilities. He said public concerns about exhaustion and burnout among nurses had intensified in recent times, making the recruitment of health workers from Ghana a necessary step to confront what he described as a serious challenge in the sector. The defence comes a week after the Gaston Browne administration announced plans to contract more than 100 nurses from Ghana, while maintaining that it had not formally ended its long-standing programme of recruiting healthcare professionals from Cuba. The issue has drawn international attention amid renewed pressure from the United States on Caribbean countries to discontinue health cooperation with Cuba, with Washington stating that it stands with those affected and continues to work for an end to the Cuban regimes exploitative labour practices. In a statement issued after the weekly Cabinet meeting, the government confirmed that it was expecting the arrival of 120 nurses from Ghana over the weekend of January 23, 2026. According to the statement, the nurses will be deployed mainly to the Sir Lester Bird Medical Centre, as well as to community health clinics and schools, with the aim of strengthening both hospital and community-based healthcare delivery. Sir Molwyn told journalists that the recruitment was a deliberate policy choice to resolve a critical gap in the health system. He said he was confident that once the nurses were fully integrated, concerns about staffing levels and workload would be significantly reduced. He explained that the healthcare system required about 400 nurses to adequately meet demand. At present, the system has 260 local nurses and 33 Cuban nurses, with the 120 Ghanaian nurses expected to arrive this month. The Permanent Secretary at the Ministry of Health, Ms Stacey Gregg-Paige, who led the delegation to Ghana to interview prospective recruits, said the process was carried out in close collaboration with the Government of Ghana and governed by a memorandum of understanding and a service agreement. Both instruments were comprehensively reviewed and vetted by the Ministry of Legal Affairs, confirmed to be consistent with Antigua and Barbudas legal, regulatory and policy framework, and formally accepted by the Government of Ghana. Accordingly, this initiative is lawful, transparent and structured, and operates fully within established public service, regulatory and immigration requirements, she said. Ms Gregg-Paige said the recruitment exercise took place in Accra between September 16 and 22 last year under the Ghana Labour Exchange Programme, in partnership with the Ministry of Special Initiatives at the Office of the President. She explained that out of 190 applications received, 32 were rejected due to incomplete documentation or ineligibility. The remaining 158 candidates were interviewed through a structured, competency-based process, with 127 selected as the most suitable and forwarded to the Antigua and Barbuda Nursing Council for vetting. The Medical Director of the Sir Lester Bird Medical Centre, Dr Shivon Belle-Jarvis, said arrangements had been made for a three-week orientation programme to support the nurses integration into the system. Its important to understand that anyone going into a system has to go through an onboarding process whether you are coming from within the local system or from abroad, she said. Featured Court of Appeal orders IGP to promote 40 police chief inspectors who were excluded from amnesty promotion Gilbert Mawuli Agbey Jan - 22 - 2026 , 12:01 6 minutes read The Court of Appeal has ordered the Inspector General of Police to take immediate steps to promote forty (40) police chief inspectors who were excluded from a promotion exercise, while others were promoted to their appropriate ranks during a special amnesty exercise that considered all policemen who had upgraded their educational levels with a first degree while still in service between 2008 and 2020. A three-member panel of the court, sitting in Kumasi, upheld an appeal filed by the affected police chief inspectors, led by Chief Inspector Christopher Okpattah. The appeal challenged an earlier decision of the Kumasi High Court, which had dismissed their suit and ruled that a Chief Inspector was not entitled to automatic promotion merely by attaining higher academic qualifications. In a unanimous decision delivered on Wednesday [Jan 21, 2026], the Court of Appeal held that the exclusion of the officers from the promotion exercise, while others were promoted, amounted to an act of injustice against them. The court further directed the police administration to promote the chief inspectors within six months and to pay all entitlements due them in line with the promotions. Background Read also: 40 police Chief Inspectors sue IGP Dampare for refusing to promote them In 2023, the 40 Chief Inspectors of the Ghana Police Service sued the Inspector General of Police (IGP), the Police Management Board (POMAB) and the Attorney-General (A-G), over what they described as the unjustifiable refusal of the service to promote them. In their writ filed at the High Court in Kumasi, the police chief inspectors claimed they were excluded from a series of promotions prompted by a special amnesty granted to police officers who passed out from police training schools by 2008 and had obtained university degrees as of 2020. It was the case of the 40 police officers that in spite of serving between 25 and 30 years in the police service, the Police Administration had promoted their junior colleagues to other ranks under the same special amnesty but had refused to afford them the same treatment to aid their entry into the Police Academy in furtherance of their promotions to the ranks of Assistant Superintendent of Police (ASP). It was their argument that the refusal by the Police Administration to promote them had created a situation whereby their salary increment had been negatively affected, while their junior colleagues were now at par with them in terms of ranks, which further dampened morale in the service. In its defence the Police Administration argued that the suit had no merit and, therefore, urged the court to dismiss it. The defendants were of the contention that the IGP had power to only promote junior officers up to the rank of Chief Inspectors, upon the recommendation of the Appointments and Promotions Advisory Board (APAB) while promotions above the rank of Chief Inspector were under the purview of the Police Council upon the recommendation of APAB. The special amnesty, the IGP insisted, had nothing to do with entry into the senior cadre of the police service, but was purely an administrative decision in line with the powers vested in the IGP. The referenced special amnesty promotion was purely an administrative policy decision to meet the exigencies of the time and absorb graduate junior officers who have been granted study leave or not per the published criteria, the statement of defence posited. Special amnesty The plaintiffs, in their statement of claim, detailing their case, stated that on February 8, 2021, the IGP directed all police officers who passed out from police training schools before or on December 31, 2008, and had obtained degrees as of December 31, 2020, to submit their degree certificates by February 26, 2021, for a special exercise. According to the police officers, they submitted certified copies of their degrees in compliance with the directive by the IGP. Per the statement of claim, on July 21, 2021, the Police Administration implemented a series of promotions for their junior colleagues who submitted their degree certificates, under the special amnesty by granting such officers three incremental credits, moving them to the next rank. General Corporals, the plaintiffs said, were promoted to Sergeants, Sergeants promoted to Inspectors and Inspectors promoted to Chief Inspectors. Under the special amnesty promotions, Chief Inspectors who had duly submitted their university certificates and were in their incremental point have been granted a special amnesty and placed on maximum point of their rank with effect from July 1, 2021. Sadly, Chief Inspectors who duly complied with the directives by submitting copies of their academic certificates who were promoted to their maximum point were only congratulated on their achievements by the IGP and the service, the plaintiffs added. The plaintiffs accused the defendants of deliberately refusing to allow them into the Police Academy for promotion as ASPs in violation of their rights, while promoting their junior officers who had served fewer years in the service as compared to them. Reliefs The 40 police officers were using the suit to seek an order from the court directed at the defendants, especially the IGP and POMAB, to promote them in line with the special amnesty granted to other police officers. Again, the plaintiffs were seeking an order for the defendants to grant them direct entry to the police academy unreservedly. They further wanted an order for the IGP and POMAB to restore the lost income due to the plaintiffs as a result of the first and second defendants action of not promoting the plaintiffs under the special amnesty. Defence As part of the defence, the IGP said before a police officer could become a senior officer, the officer would have to pass a competitive examination to gain admission to the Police Academy or be given direct entry into the academy by a special recommendation by the Police Council in line with police regulations. The special recommendation by way of direct entry into the Police Academy in line with the Police Service Regulations and on the authority of the Police Council is distinct from the powers and authority of the office of the first defendant (IGP) to promote to Chief Inspector in the maximum, the statement of defence stated. Again, the defence statement said promotion of a senior officer in the police service was not solely based on higher academic qualification. Promotion in the Ghana Police Service is based on competence, hard work, commitment and dedication to the service, exhibition of high level of professionalism and conduct that promote the integrity of the service, among others, the statement of defence added. Featured Ghana committed to expanding relations with China Vice-President Diana Mensah Jan - 22 - 2026 , 07:57 3 minutes read The Vice-President, Professor Naana Jane Opoku-Agyemang, has reiterated the countrys commitment to expanding trade, investment, and people-to-people relations with China. She emphasised the need to continually review and strengthen mutually beneficial partnerships, particularly in an evolving global economic landscape. Prof. Opoku-Agyemang made these remarks when the outgoing Chinese Ambassador to Ghana, Tong Defa, paid a courtesy visit to her office at the Jubilee House. The visit was to bid her farewell at the end of his diplomatic tenure, which began on August 4, 2024. Appreciation Vice-President Prof. Opoku-Agyemang thanked the ambassador for his dedicated service and contributions to strengthening Ghana-China relations. She particularly commended him for his role in advancing the zero-tariff agreement and facilitating Chinese government grants for the construction of the Aflao Market and the Catholic Science and Technology University in Damongo. While wishing him safe travels and thanking him for his dedicated service, Prof. Opoku-Agyemang also encouraged the outgoing Chinese Ambassador to continue fostering goodwill towards Ghana in his future assignments. She expressed appreciation for the warm reception accorded President John Dramani Mahama during his recent visit to China, where both countries agreed on a new blueprint for future engagements. The Vice-President expressed confidence that the incoming Chinese Ambassador would continue to build on the strong cooperation between the two nations. Bilateral trade Mr Tong, the 17th Chinese Ambassador to Ghana, said that bilateral trade between the two countries had reached an unprecedented $15 billion, reflecting the growing economic engagement. He also highlighted key initiatives undertaken during his tenure, including support for infrastructure and education projects. He said he was grateful for the cordial relations that enabled him to fulfil his responsibilities. He stated that China-Ghana relations had a long history of cooperation and a sound momentum of development in recent years, and he was happy that the relationship had further been strengthened. Farewells In a related development, Mr Tong, last Tuesday, also paid a farewell courtesy call on the Minister for the Interior, Muntaka Mohammed-Mubarak, as he wraps up his diplomatic assignment in the country. The meeting, held at the Ministers office in Accra, highlighted the robust and longstanding bilateral relationship between Ghana and China, with both sides reflecting on the Ambassadors contributions to enhancing cooperation in key areas, including security, economic ties, infrastructure, and cultural exchanges. Mr Muntaka praised the Ambassador for his dedicated efforts in advancing Ghana-China friendship and collaboration. He reaffirmed the deep-rooted, cordial ties between the two nations and extended best wishes to the Ambassador for his future endeavours. For his part, Mr Tong expressed deep appreciation for the warm hospitality and strong support provided to him and his team during his tenure. He emphasised that Ghana remained one of Chinas important partners in Africa, with bilateral trade continuing to flourish and relations reaching new heights, particularly following high-level engagements, including President Mahamas state visit to China in 2025. Ken Ofori-Attas case in the US adjourned to April 27 Previous article: Ken Ofori-Attas case in the US adjourned to April 27 Featured Govt will not abandon 31m Wenchi Water project - Asiedu Nketia to Wenchi chiefs Biiya Mukusah Ali Jan - 22 - 2026 , 09:57 3 minutes read The National Chairman of the National Democratic Congress (NDC), Johnson Asiedu Nketia, has expressed the government's commitment to complete the 31 million Wenchi water project to resolve the long-standing Wenchi water crisis. He explained that the project was started by the previous government in 2020, giving assurance that the current administration would not abandon the project, but would complete it to ensure access to clean and safe water for communities. Mr Nketia was addressing a mini durbar of chiefs and people of Nkonsia near Wenchi in the Bono Region last Friday, as part of his two-day "Thank You" tour of the region. A similar mini durbar of chiefs and people was held in 11 constituencies to show appreciation to the people for voting for the NDC in the 2024 elections. Water crisis Residents should have no fear that the NDC government will abandon the Wenchi water project, as we are committed to completing it to address the water crisis in the Wenchi area, he said. Located near the Tain River, the project is expected to produce 10,700 cubic meters per day and serve about 10 water crisis communities in Wenchi Municipality and some parts of the Tain District. Mr Nketia gave a firm assurance to the people that the government would see to it that the long-awaited project was delivered. He said Wenchi, once a vibrant town, had suffered neglect under the previous government for eight years, which resulted in limited development. The National Chairman called on residents to unite and support the governments efforts to redevelop the town. Mr Nketia said the government was fully prepared and ready to develop the country, adding that the party had not taken the overwhelming support of Ghanaians in the 2024 election for granted. Road On roads, he said the government would prioritise the construction of roads linking to Wenchi. Mr Nketia mentioned Wenchi-Wa Highway, Wenchi-Sampa road and Nsawkaw-Berekum road as some of the major roads to be constructed. He said the government would invest in the infrastructure development of Al-Faruq College of Education (AFCoE) at Wenchi, the only public College of Education offering an approved curriculum in Arabic Education in Ghana and Sub-Saharan Africa to expand its capacity and improve academic activities. At Namasa in the Tain District, Mr Nketia said the government would establish an Islamic Senior High School at Mamase to train Islamic scholars. Appeal The Akyeamehene of the Wenchi Traditional Area, Nana Damoah Koasane Adusi Poku Kafabaae IV, appealed to the government to prioritise the development of the Municipality. He urged the government to create employment opportunities for the youth in the area, explaining that the area had produced many graduates, but most of them were unemployed. At Namasa in the Tain District, the Namasahene, Sulamaina Zingor, also appealed to the government to establish a Cashew Development Board (CDB), construct teachers' and nurses' bungalows, and expand electricity to underserved communities. He thanked the government for awarding contracts for some critical roads to enhance movement and accessibility. At Miramano in the Jaman South District, the Chief of Miramano, Nana Nketiah Bosopremre Kankamadu III, commended the government for the installation of network service in the area. He, however, called on the government to construct the roads in the area to facilitate the transportation of farm produce. Nana Kankamadu also urged the government to deploy more police personnel in the area, construct a Community-Based Health Planning Services (CHPS) compound for the community and procure a fire tender for the district. Next article: Traders urged to cooperate with assemblies to ensure circle market redevelopment Court of Appeal orders IGP to promote 40 police chief inspectors who were excluded from amnesty promotion Previous article: Court of Appeal orders IGP to promote 40 police chief inspectors who were excluded from amnesty promotion Featured Non-traditional exports up 41% - Ministry targets $10bn by 2030 Kester Aburam Korankye Jan - 22 - 2026 , 11:35 4 minutes read The Ministry of Trade, Agribusiness and Industry has reported a 41.21 per cent growth in non-traditional export (NTE) earnings for the first half of 2025, reaching $2.54 billion, as part of steps towards a $10 billion export target by 2030. The sector minister, Elizabeth Ofosu-Adjare, announced this yesterday when she took her turn at the Government Accountability Series at the Presidency. She said the performance aligned with President John Dramani Mahamas vision to transform Ghana into an export-led economy with sustainable job creation. Mrs Ofosu-Adjare said the ministry had been realigned by an Executive Instrument to reflect a sharper focus on agribusiness and industrialisation, with the core objective of reducing the cost of doing business, revamping local manufacturing, and formalising the informal economy. Our vision is driven by the Presidents desire to implement revolutionary policies that create decent, well-paying jobs, especially for the youth, Mrs Ofosu-Adjare stated. Achievements The minister disclosed that under the Accelerated Export Development Programme, an Advisory Committee chaired by President Mahama had been inaugurated to steer the export drive. She enumerated achievements under the ministry to include Ghanas award for Best Theme Development at the World Expo in Osaka, Japan, which had already attracted about 50 Japanese investors. Additionally, for the first time, Ghana exported mangoes to Morocco via 55 trucks carrying 26 tonnes each. The ministry also played a critical role in securing a three-year extension of the African Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA) through diplomatic and technical engagements, safeguarding vital access to the US market despite recent tariff impositions. The Ghana Export Promotion Authority (GEPA) also supported 91 small and medium enterprises (SMEs) and seven horticultural associations at international fairs, securing export orders worth $350 million. Another 150 SMEs in handicrafts and manufacturing generated over $250 million in orders. Reviving industry Under the Rapid Industrialisation for Jobs Initiative, Mrs Ofosu-Adjare revealed that the ministry had completed drafts of key industrial policies, including textiles and garments, pharmaceuticals, special economic zones, and automotive components, including electric vehicles. Seven mini agro-processing plants are being established across regions, including Savannah, Greater Accra, Western North, Bono East and Ahafo, focusing on value chains such as groundnut, poultry, plantain, cashew and ginger. Mrs Ofosu-Adjare also announced that the ministry was recruiting transactional advisors to assess and revitalise several defunct state-owned enterprises, including Akosombo Industrial Company Limited, Juapong Textiles, Zuarungu Meat Factory, Pwalugu Tomato Factory and Komenda Sugar Development Company. She said the Ghana Enterprises Agency trained 155,216 practitioners and potential entrepreneurs nationwide in 2025, supplied start-up kits to 6,194 youths, and facilitated access to over GH19 million in financing. Special focus, the minister said, had been given to women in cross-border trade, with sensitisation programmes for over 2,800 women, youth and persons with disability across major border points, in collaboration with TradeMark Africa and the World Bank. Mrs Ofosu-Adjare said the Business Regulatory Reform Programme had produced Ghanas first B-Ready Self-Assessment Report and developed an online reforms management portal, while a Business Regulatory Reforms Bill was being finalised with the Office of the Attorney-General. In line with the Made-in-Ghana Promotion Programme, the Ghana Standards Authority certified 957 locally manufactured products and inspected over 66,000 high-risk goods to ensure safety. The minister also revealed that from this year, uniforms and apparel for state institutions would be sourced locally to reduce imports, support domestic producers and stabilise the currency. Outlook Looking ahead, Mrs Ofosu-Adjare said the ministry had planned to establish three garment factories in the Central, Bono East and Eastern regions, fully operationalise seven agro-processing plants, and build two cashew processing plants in Jaman North District in the Bono Region and Aboabo in the Ashanti Region with Ghana EXIM Bank funding. Other plans include setting up 24/7 business registration centres, drafting Consumer Protection and Competition Bills, and promoting large-scale contract farming to feed local industries. We are committed to positioning agribusiness as the centrepiece of our economic transformation, empowering domestic trade, and enhancing the business environment to make Ghana the most business-friendly country in Africa, Mrs Ofosu-Adjare said. Trade Minister on how Ghanaians are acting as enablers for foreigners illegally operating in retail sector in violation of GIPC Act Next article: Trade Minister on how Ghanaians are acting as enablers for foreigners illegally operating in retail sector in violation of GIPC Act Featured Statements on global issues not foreign policy shift: Non-alignment holds sway Okudzeto Ablakwa Pacome Emmanuel Damalie Jan - 22 - 2026 , 06:57 4 minutes read The proactive and consistent statements on grave global issues by government is not a shift from the countrys foreign policy direction, the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa, has said. He explained that the country had always taken a consistent foreign policy direction no matter the regime, guided by principles such as respect for the United Nations (UN) Charter, international law, rule-based order, Pan-Africanism, good neighbourliness, among others. Mr Ablakwa, who spoke to the Daily Graphic exclusively last Friday, expressed commitment to those principles, citing examples on recent developments which were condemned by past and present governments. When Russia invaded Ukraine, the previous government issued a statement and boldly condemned that invasion because it was an attack on sovereignty. It was against the rule-based order and it was a violation of international law. At the time, we were also serving on the UN Security Council. So, there was high expectation that Ghana would speak out and take a position. That same principle is what we espoused recently when President Trump went into Venezuela uninvited and, as it were, abducted President Nicolas Maduro and his wife, he said. Also, on the Palestinians and Israelis, the Foreign Affairs Minister said that was consistent with the countrys principles; anytime there was an encroachment against the 1948 UN Resolution, the country spoke out since its First Republic led by the countrys founder and first President, Dr Kwame Nkrumah. Mr Ablakwa added that particularly for relatively small countries, and countries that did not want to spend taxpayer resources excessively on building military might and nuclear weapons, it was necessary that they spoke out on issues. He asserted that perhaps the recent articulation with clarity on grave global issues had prompted a realisation from Ghanaians, but it should not be equated to a shift from the countrys foreign policy. Ghanas voice The Foreign Affairs Minister said the country had maintained its outspoken stance on global issues, prioritising peace, sovereignty and international cooperation, as the country had been a top UN troop-contributing nation since 1960 and recently ratified the treaty against nuclear weapons proliferation. As a country, since the days of the Osagyefo, Dr Kwame Nkrumah, we have not been a country that chooses silence. Its important to note that when you are in a global community and you have all agreed to certain rules and norms, any time there is a violation, a deviation and you choose silence, those who are being oppressed don't appreciate your silence. They will take it as an endorsement of what they are going through, he said. By voicing consistently, Mr Ablakwa said the country had earned its recognition as a champion of peace and cooperation, adding that it was instrumental in protecting the countrys sovereignty, and ensuring that when next it was the victim, others would speak out for it. The minister stressed that the country's voice mattered in global affairs, and it would continue to advocate principles that promoted a more just and peaceful world. Rationale Mr Ablakwa underscored the countrys leadership in global affairs and its rooted history of pan-Africanism and its commitment to fighting colonialism and imperialism. He indicated that with the country's influence in training African freedom fighters during the struggles for independence, it would amount to betrayal of its principle if it maintained silence in the face of actions it abhorred in the past. Th Foreign Affairs Minister added that the countrys Non-Aligned Movement and its vocal advocacy for international law and sovereignty were historically identical to its historical significance as the first sub-Saharan nation to gain independence and influence on the continent. Mr Ablakwa affirmed that the country had always made significant contributions in international relations, producing notable leaders such as the first black African President of the UN General Assembly, Dr Alexander Quaison-Sackey, and the first black African UN Secretary-General, Kofi Annan. He added that Ghana would continue to ensure that it was heard for the right reasons as part of its principles. Next article: Ras Mubarak's Trans Africa Tourism and Unity Campaign returns after 31-country tour Featured UG, AC4NCA push nature-based solutions for Ghanas development Rosalind K. Amoh Jan - 22 - 2026 , 12:57 3 minutes read The University of Ghana is set to partner a non-governmental organisation which advocates climate change and environmental issues, the Africa Centre for Nature-Based Climate Action (AC4NCA), to strengthen climate research, policy advocacy and public engagement. This is to reflect the two partners shared ambition to position nature-based solutions as a central pillar of Ghana and Africas development, rather than as a secondary environmental concern. With climate impacts intensifying across Ghana and the wider continent, the proposed partnership reflects a growing recognition that universities and civil society must work hand in hand to shape policy, influence public discourse and deliver solutions rooted in nature, science and local realities. The agreement to collaborate on this important intervention follows a meeting between the management of the university and the board of AC4NCA last Monday. AC4NCAs delegation was led by its board chairperson, Rev. Dr Joyce Rosaline Aryee, while the universitys management was led by the Vice-Chancellor, Professor Nana Aba Appiah Amfo In alignment Professor Amfo welcomed the engagement, describing it as timely and well aligned with the universitys strategic direction. She noted that the collaboration reflects the universitys commitment to research excellence, knowledge transfer and policy relevance, adding that climate action remains a critical focus across its faculties and research centres. The University of Ghana is keen on partnerships that extend beyond academia and speak directly to national and continental priorities. Climate change, sustainability and resilience are areas where universities must work closely with civil society and policy actors to generate impact, Prof. Amfo emphasised. The Pro-Vice-Chancellor of the University of Ghana, Professor Gordon Awandare, also reaffirmed the institutions readiness to explore concrete partnerships with AC4NCA, particularly in research and policy-oriented initiatives. Climate research and sustainability are core pillars of the University of Ghanas strategic plan, he said. We are actively building collaborations that strengthen climate resilience, especially for vulnerable populations, and this engagement fits squarely within that agenda. Prof. Awandare highlighted the universitys ongoing work under the Collaborative on Climate Resilience and Sustainability (UG-CCReS), supported by the Mastercard Foundation, which focuses on research, policy dialogue and inclusion, particularly for young women and persons with disabilities. Nature-based solutions Rev. Dr Aryee, briefed the universitys management about the centres vision and mandate, which focuses on promoting nature-based solutions through policy advocacy, research, ecosystem restoration and environmental education. She explained that AC4NCAs work spans ecosystem restoration, wetlands protection, sustainable forestry and landscape-level climate interventions, with a strong pan-African outlook supported by a diverse and experienced board. Nature-based solutions are no longer optional. They are essential development tools that can restore degraded ecosystems, protect biodiversity and create sustainable livelihoods, especially for vulnerable communities, Rev. Dr Aryee stated. She, on behalf of the AC4NCA, congratulated the UG Vice-Chancellor on her recent appointment as Chair of the Council of the Association of Commonwealth Universities, a role that places her at the helm of one of the worlds most influential higher education networks. The delegation described the appointment as a milestone for Ghana and Africa. Public lecture A key proposal that emerged from the meeting was the organisation of a high-level Public Lecture on Nature-Based Solutions, to be jointly hosted by the University of Ghana and AC4NCA. It was proposed that the lecture convene global and African leaders in climate policy, conservation and development to interrogate how nature-based solutions can be integrated into national planning, infrastructure investment and climate finance frameworks. A board member of AC4NCA, Kwaku Sakyi-Addo, explained that the lecture aims to reframe nature-based solutions as critical development infrastructure, while also examining governance and financing pathways for scaling up impact across Africa. Next article: Ablekuma: man posing as fetish priest arrested with fake dollars and unlicensed gun Featured Police arrest fourth suspect in kidnap case after six weeks Mohammed Ali Jan - 22 - 2026 , 19:13 2 minutes read The Northern Regional Police Intelligence Directorate has arrested the fourth and final suspect linked to a kidnapping syndicate that abducted and mutilated a 42-year-old man at Wapuli in the Northern Region last December. The suspect, Hoyeefe Amadu, was arrested at about 1.30 a.m. on Tuesday, January 20, 2026, in a village about 10 kilometres from Watugu, a suburb of Gushegu, after weeks of sustained surveillance. In a statement issued on Wednesday, [January 21, 2026] and signed by the Northern Regional Public Relations Officer, Chief Inspector Alhassan Luckman Niendow, police said the arrest came six weeks after three other members of the syndicate were picked up. The kidnapping was reported to the Tamale Regional Police Intelligence Directorate on December 2, 2025, at about 9.30 a.m. The Northern Regional Commander, DCOP Wisdom Lavoe, subsequently deployed a five-member intelligence team to carry out surveillance operations in the Wapuli area of the Yendi District. Investigations showed that the kidnappers inflicted severe cutlass wounds on the victim and demanded a ransom of GH100,000 for his release. The victims family managed to raise GH90,000, leaving a shortfall of GH10,000, before police rescued the victim on December 5, 2025. In the early hours of December 6, 2025, police engaged the suspects in a gun battle at the location where the kidnapping took place. Four suspects escaped, but officers retrieved a motorbike with registration number M-25-NR and a Samsung mobile phone from the scene. Later that morning, at about 8.00 a.m., police arrested three suspects at Bokpaba village along the stretch linking Bimbilla and Yendi. The suspects were identified as Haruna Seidu, aged 31, Amidu Bandi, aged 30, and Osman Bandi, aged 40, according to media reports published on December 8, 2025. Police also retrieved GH70,000 believed to be part of the ransom, along with two additional motorbikes, one bearing registration number M-25-GB 1026 and another without registration. The three suspects were transferred to the Regional Police Headquarters in Tamale on December 7 and were later arraigned before the Tamale Circuit Court on December 17, where they were remanded into prison custody on charges of kidnapping and conspiracy. Featured Ras Mubarak's Trans Africa Tourism and Unity Campaign returns after 31-country tour Kweku Zurek Jan - 22 - 2026 , 12:39 4 minutes read Ras Mubarak has declared the Trans Africa Tourism and Unity Campaign a necessary and timely intervention, as the pan-African team returned to Accra after a gruelling road journey across 31 African countries to press for a visa-free continent by 2030. Speaking on arrival at the Black Star Square today, Ras Mubarak, the leader of the campaign, thanked the government of Ghana for backing the initiative, describing the support as critical to the success of the campaign. He acknowledged the role of the Office of the Chief of Staff and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, saying their involvement helped to open doors across the continent. We started our journey from here with the support of the government of Ghana. And I want to begin by saying a big thank you to the government of Ghana for the support. A big thank you to the Office of the Chief of Staff to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. The ministry has been instrumental in the success of our campaign to unite this great continent, he said. Ras Mubarak explained that the team set out from Ghana on August 18 last year with a single objective: to engage African leaders and policymakers and make a strong case for the free movement of Africans across the continent. He said the campaign deliberately pushed for an accelerated deadline of 2030 because of Africas youthful population and the urgent need to create opportunities to keep young people economically engaged. We left Ghana on the 18th of August last year with one single aim, to travel across the continent of Africa, to meet heads of government, policy makers, and to make a passionate appeal for Africa to be visa-free by 2030, he said. According to him, the team travelled more than 40,000 kilometres across different time zones, cultures and terrains, describing the journey as difficult but unavoidable. He said the experience reflected the diversity of African cultures and cuisines, which he argued should be celebrated rather than mocked. By and large, we have had a very interesting campaign. It wasn't easy at all, from potholes to storms, you know, bad weather, dusty roads to very, very good roads. We saw it all. It wasn't easy, but I say it was necessary, Ras Mubarak noted. He said the campaign held high-level engagements with political leaders across the continent, including President Yoweri Museveni of Uganda, the King of Eswatini, parliamentary leaders and senior government officials in Guinea, Zambia and other countries. He added that many of the discussions focused on tourism as a pathway to economic diversification. We want to see an Africa that is diversifying its economy, he said, arguing that open borders would boost intra-African tourism, create jobs and generate revenue. He cited Moroccos tourism figures as evidence of what African countries could achieve with freer movement. Shamima Muslim, Deputy Presidential Spokesperson, who spoke on behalf of the Chief of Staff, Julius Debrah, welcomed the team home and described the campaign as strategically timed, given Ghanas emerging leadership role on the continent. She said the Chief of Staff and President John Dramani Mahama had been enthusiastic supporters of the initiative from the outset. On behalf of the Chief of Staff, on behalf of the President of the Republic, Mister Julius Debrah, President John Dramani Mahama, I say, Obaake, welcome home, she said. Ms Muslim linked the campaigns objectives to Ghanas broader continental ambitions, noting that President Mahama is expected to assume the chairmanship of the African Union. She said the findings from the journey would be useful in shaping Ghanas engagement with Africa. It would help President Mahama in his vision for this, you know, reset Africa when he assumes the AU chairmanship rule, she said. She also urged the media to take up the campaigns message and drive conversations about African integration, describing restrictions on movement within Africa as counterproductive. We can't build a united continent if the movement of people and goods remains restricted, she said, adding, It's a travesty that it is more expensive to travel within Africa than from Africa to the rest of the world. The Trans Africa Tourism and Unity Campaign is advocating for a visa-free Africa by 2030, in line with the African Unions Agenda 2063. Organisers say the return to Accra marks a symbolic end to the journey but the beginning of sustained advocacy aimed at influencing policy and public opinion across the continent. Featured Court throws out Randy Abbey's defamation suit against Abronye for being procedurally defective Emmanuel Ebo Hawkson Politics Jan - 22 - 2026 , 16:19 1 minute read The Accra High Court has dismissed a defamation suit by the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the Ghana Cocoa Board (COCOBOD, Randy Abbey, against the Bono Regional Chairman of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), Kwame Baffoe, also known as Abronye on grounds of being procedurally defective. In its ruling delivered on Monday, January 19, 2026 the court presided over by Justice Halimah El- Alawa Abdul Baasit, described the writ as procedurally defective because it was issued by the Legal Department of COCOBOD with the Director of Legal of COCOBOD as lawyer for the plaintiff [Randy Abbey]. According to the court, defamation was impersonam (directed at a specific person) and since COCOBOD was not a party to the lawsuit, the writ should not have emanated from its Legal Department. The Plaintiff having sued in his personal capacity, ought to procure the service of a private legal practitioner to represent him. I therefore find the instant Writ of Summons and Statement of Claim as procedurally defective and the same is dismissed, the court held. However, after the ruling, Randy Abbey refiled the suit, but this time around, the writ was issued by a private legal practitioner. Background Related article: COCOBOD CEO Randy Abbey sues Abronye for defamation demanding GH20million damages In August 2025, Randy Abbey dragged Abronye to court, seeking GH20million in damages for defamation. Mr Abbey accused Abronye of tarnishing his reputation after making comments on radio to the effect that he visits cocoa farms and meets with cocoa farmers with his own chair driven from Accra. Featured NDC to elect Ayawaso East by-election candidate February 7 Daily Graphic Politics Jan - 22 - 2026 , 07:57 2 minutes read The National Democratic Congress (NDC) will hold its parliamentary primary on February 7, 2026, to elect the partys candidate for the Ayawaso East Constituency parliamentary by-election slated for March 3, 2026. The party announced this in a statement signed and issued by its General Secretary, Fifi Fiavi Kwetey, to outline the processes for nominations, filing, vetting and the conduct of the election in the constituency. It urged all aspirants and stakeholders to abide by the guidelines and timelines put out by the party for the election and conduct their activities with decency, unity, and in the true spirit of fairness and internal democracy. Context This follows the announcement by the Electoral Commission (EC) to hold the Ayawaso East Constituency parliamentary by-election in the Greater Accra on Tuesday, March 3, 2026. The decision followed the unfortunate death of the Member of Parliament for the Ayawaso East Constituency, Mahama Naser Toure, which rendered the seat vacant. A statement issued by the EC said it was in accordance with Article 112 (5) of the Constitution, as amended. Nomination The NDC in its statement said nomination forms would be available at the Greater Accra Regional Office of the party from Saturday, January 24, 2026, between 7.00 a.m. and 5:00 p.m while the submission of the forms would be on Tuesday, January 27, 2026, within the same hours. This, it said, would be followed by vetting, balloting and appeals on Wednesday, January 28, 2026. It said a filing fee of GH40,000 has been set for aspirants, while the cost of the nomination form is GH5,000, to be paid in cash upon collection. The party has, however, granted a 50 per cent concession on the filing fee for female aspirants and persons living with disabilities. All payments must be made directly into the partys designated UMB account at the Adabraka branch. No cheques or bankers drafts will be accepted, the statement read. The party indicated that a certified copy of the delegates list would be made available to aspirants upon verification of the payment of the approved filing fee into the partys official account. Background The Ayawaso East parliamentary seat was held by the late Naser Toure of the NDC until his sudden demise in the early part of January this year. Featured NPP aspirants sign peace pact ahead of January 31 presidential primary GraphicOnline Politics Jan - 22 - 2026 , 17:04 3 minutes read The five presidential aspirants of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) have signed a peace pact committing themselves to a peaceful, transparent and credible internal election ahead of the partys presidential primary scheduled for January 31, 2026. The pact was signed at a ceremony held at the Alisa Hotel in Accra on Thursday, January 22, 2026, with all five aspirants appending their signatures to signal their acceptance of the rules governing the contest and their resolve to uphold unity before, during and after the polls. Speaking at the ceremony, former President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo urged the aspirants and party faithful to place the collective interest of the NPP above individual ambition, stressing that the partys survival and future electoral success depended on cohesion. He reminded participants that the NPP was bigger than any single personality or faction. The Chairman of the NPP Elections Committee, Joseph Osei Owusu, also appealed to the aspirants to accept the outcome of the January 31 election and rally behind the eventual winner in the interest of party unity. He said disputes should be handled within the partys established structures to avoid damaging internal cohesion. The NPP General Secretary, Justin Frimpong Kodua, described the signing of the pact as a demonstration of the partys commitment to internal democracy and peaceful competition. The peace pact ensures that all candidates actively participate at every stage and accept the results of the January 31 primaries. It also commits all aspirants to maintain party cohesion and support the winner in the 2028 general elections, he said. According to the agreement, the aspirants acknowledged that the primary process has been conducted in a transparent, inclusive and fair manner, with equal opportunities afforded to all contestants. They pledged to accept the outcome of the election as a valid and binding expression of the will of party delegates and agreed to refrain from actions or rhetoric that could undermine party unity. The pact further commits the candidates to promote peace within the party before, during and after the primaries, and to give their full backing to the chosen flagbearer, not only in the 2028 general election but also in efforts to secure a strong parliamentary majority for the NPP. Any disputes arising from breaches of the pact are to be resolved through the partys internal dispute resolution mechanisms in line with its constitution. The aspirants are former Vice-President and 2024 presidential candidate Dr Mahamudu Bawumia, former Assin Central MP Kennedy Agyapong, Abetifi MP and former Minister of Food and Agriculture Dr Bryan Acheampong, Bosomtwe MP and former Minister of Education Dr Yaw Osei Adutwum, and former NPP General Secretary Ing. Kwabena Agyei Agyepong. Mr Agyei Agyepong is contesting the NPP flagbearership for the third time, having previously run in 2007 and 2023. Mr Agyapong is making his second attempt after placing second to Dr Bawumia in the 2023 primary. Dr Acheampong and Dr Adutwum are both contesting the flagbearership for the first time, while Dr Bawumia is seeking a second mandate after winning the 2023 contest. Several party leaders and state officials attended the ceremony, including Minority Leader Alexander Afenyo-Markin, Chairman of the NPP Council of Elders Hackman Owusu Agyemang, Inspector-General of Police Christian Tetteh Yohuno, former Chief Justice Akosua Frema Osei Opare, and other senior party figures. Featured Widow of late Ayawaso East MP, Hajia Amina Adam and Baba Jamal declare intentions to contest NDC primary Mohammed Ali Politics Jan - 22 - 2026 , 18:38 2 minutes read Hajia Amina Adam, the widow of the late Member of Parliament for Ayawaso East has formally declared her intention to contest the National Democratic Congress parliamentary primary as part of the processes in finding a replacement Member of Parliament. Baba Jamal, who is currently Ghana's High Commissioner to Nigeria, has also declared his intention to contest the primary. The National Democratic Congress (NDC) will hold its parliamentary primary on February 7, 2026, to elect the partys candidate for the Ayawaso East Constituency parliamentary by-election slated for March 3, 2026. In a press statement signed and issued on January 22, 2026, Hajia Amina Adam said she decided to present herself for the partys primary after consultations with community leaders, party members and residents of the constituency. She said the decision followed weeks of reflection after the passing of her husband on January 4, 2026, describing the period as one of personal loss for her and her children. According to her, she received calls from various sections of the constituency, including elders, grassroots members, and youth groups, urging her to step forward and continue the work of her late husband, who served the constituency until his death. Hajia Amina Adam said she accepted the call after listening to advice from chiefs, imams and other community leaders, as well as young people who encouraged her to contest the seat on the ticket of the NDC. She said her intention was to continue the public service path pursued by her late husband, particularly in areas affecting children, vulnerable persons and young people seeking employment. Hajia Amina Adam appealed for support from party members and residents of the constituency as the party prepares for its primary in East Ayawaso. A new rumor from China suggests that Samsung will be supplying Apple with its very best OLED panels for the iPhone 18 lineup. Reportedly, they will be significantly brighter and BOE is struggling to meet Apple's brightness requirements, so panel production will be shifted to Samsung and possibly LG as well. This report is in line with recent information about Samsung's LTPO+ panels being the staple for the upcoming iPhone 18 Pro and 18 Pro Max. And in that same report, BOE is once again singled out as the weak link in Apple's supply chain since only Samsung and LG have the technology to produce LTPO+ panels. The said LTPO+ panels will not only be brighter, but will also allow Apple to stick the Face ID sensors behind the screen and potentially remove the notch. As for the upcoming Galaxy S26 phones, they are rumored to feature the same exact displays as their predecessors, which in turn means that Samsung is giving its best displays to Apple, while Galaxies will settle, at least for now. Source The Guam Power Authority has asked the Department of War to cover a $210 million cost to put a liquid natural gas terminal for the Ukudu power plant at Tanguisson beach in Dededo. GPA General Manager John Benavente shared the detail during a Thursday work session with the Consolidated Commission on Utilities. The newly commissioned Ukudu power plant and its fuel pipeline run on diesel fuel, but they were designed with the capability for liquid natural gas, commonly called LNG. GPA is assessing the possibility of bringing the alternative fuel source to Guam, with the conversion of the Ukudu plant at the center of plans. Benavente on Thursday said converting the plant from diesel to more efficient LNG could potentially save $50 million or more a year for the island ratepayers, if bringing LNG to the island is feasible. Of course, the variables here are, how do we get it here, the price, and so on, Benavente said. Based on the projections, its kind of borderline. But if the LNG project could be done right, operations and maintenance costs alone for the Ukudu plant would come down about $11 million a year, Benavente said, from making the switch. Extra savings would be on top of power bill savings already seen from running the more efficient Ukudu plant, which was providing about 81% of the islands energy as of Thursday. So the question in my mind, how do we make this feasible? Benavente said. If the military would front the cost for putting a fuel terminal facility at Tanguisson, that makes it feasible, he said. Though Benavente cited a $200 million cost for the Tanguisson terminal Thursday, a report on LNG conversion delivered to the Public Utilities Commission last July put the figure at $210 million. The site eyed by the report is near the old Tanguisson power plant, a facility thats expected to be dismantled, potentially by this year, at a cost of $10 million to $20 million. Tanguisson is one of two locations considered for an LNG facility by the consultant GPA hired. The other alternative is Hotel Wharf at Apra Harbor. According to the report, Apra Harbor is the technically preferred site, and would cost less than Tanguisson at $187 million. But it was unclear if the Port Authority of Guam could make Hotel Wharf available for the site, and the Navy has apparently rejected the option over security concerns. In either case, the report considers a 15,000-square-meter onshore storage LNG storage tank. Floating storage tanks, a feature often used for LNG, were not feasible at Tanguisson, it stated. CCU Commissioner Michael Limtiaco on Thursday noted that the argument could be made that it would be cheaper for GPA to build the terminal at the port. If the DoW did not want the facility there, then they should bear the cost of relocating it, Limtiaco said. Benavente said with the military basically using about 20% of the energy GPA produced, a $50 million annual savings amounted to about $10 million in savings per year for the Department of War. There were still other cost considerations, he noted, like where the fuel would come from. If Japan and the U.S. worked out an LNG deal, Guam could be a stopover on the path. In the meantime, Papua New Guinea is another location being eyed, he said. Until we go out and we bid this thing...we wont know where all of this is going to come from, he said. According to the LNG report, GPA could get the capability online for the Ukudu plant by 2031 at the earliest. The CCU in December approved a $178,398, two-year extension of GPAs $6.2 million consulting contract with Stanley Consultants, the company that prepared the report. The consulting contract deals with the Ukudu operations and, in part, the LNG study. California governor says he was barred from Davos event by Trump administration Xinhua) 11:16, January 22, 2026 LOS ANGELES, Jan. 21 (Xinhua) -- California Governor Gavin Newsom's press office said he was barred from speaking in Davos, Switzerland, on Wednesday by the Trump administration. "Under pressure from the White House and State Department, USA House (a church acting as the official US pavilion) is now denying entry to California Governor Gavin Newsom to speak with media after Fortune -- the official media partner -- invited him to speak," said Newsom's press office in a post on X. Newsom also criticized the Trump administration for denying him access to the American pavilion, writing on X that "California was just denied at the USA House. Last we checked, California is part of USA." According to Newsom's staff, they were informed that a "venue-level decision" had been made to "not include an elected U.S. official" in the programming, the Los Angeles Times reported. Newsom's office said the governor had planned to respond to remarks made by U.S. President Donald Trump earlier that day in Davos. Trump said in his address that he wanted to "get Greenland, including right, title and ownership," while insisting he would not use force. Newsom on Tuesday criticized European political leaders for what he described as their "complicity" in failing to stand up to Trump's demands regarding Greenland, an autonomous territory of Denmark. "It's time to buck up, it's time to get serious and stop being complicit," Newsom told reporters during his visit to the World Economic Forum. "It's time to stand tall and firm, have a backbone," he said. (Web editor: Zhang Kaiwei, Liang Jun) A special advisor to Japans prime minister led a delegation to Guam last week to help strengthen trade and cultural ties and tour Japanese government-funded projects related to the U.S. military on the island. The U.S. and Japan agreed in 2006 to transfer thousands of U.S. Marines from Okinawa to Guam. The Japanese government agreed to cover up to $2.8 billion of the estimated $8.7 billion cost of the transfer. Sadamasa Oue, special advisor to Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi, and other officials met with Gov. Lou Leon Guerrero and Lt. Gov. Josh Tenorio during the delegations Jan. 14 to 16 visit to Guam. Our territorial status notwithstanding, Guam enjoys a bilateral relationship with Japan that is unique among all the states and territories of the United States, the governor said in a statement about the visit. It was our honor to welcome to Guam Mr. Sadamasa Oue, special advisor to the prime minister of Japan. Oue was accompanied by Daijiro Matsunami, director of the Guam Relocation Project Office, USFJ Cooperation Division, Bureau of Policies for Regional Society under Japans Ministry of Defense, along with Consul-General to Guam Susumu Ueda, and Vice Consul Yumi Sasada. Building on the foundation of more than 100 Japanese businesses located on Guam, Tenorio proposed establishing direct channels between Japanese trade officials and Guams leadership to accelerate shared economic goals, Adelup said in a media release. There appears to be a clear willingness on the part of the Japanese government to strengthen existing ties and establish new areas of cooperation, Tenorio said in a statement. I believe the door has been opened for new, 21st-century opportunities between Japan and Guam. After meeting with the governor and lieutenant governor, the delegation from Japan met with U.S. military officials and toured Japanese government-funded projects on the island, Adelup said. The governor also underscored that Guam can look forward to the many benefits that accrue to the island from continued cooperation with Japan, Adelup added. While on Guam, Oue and the others also visited the South Pacific Memorial Park in Yigo, a site for honoring World War II veterans and victims, to lay a wreath and offer a silent prayer, based on information from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Japan. Haiti - FLASH : Attempt to revoke the PM defeated by the USA Wednesday January 21, 2026, Prime Minister Alix Didier Fils-Aime narrowly escaped dismissal, a resolution for his dismissal had the support of 5 members of the Presidential Transitional Council (CPT), before Advisor Smith Augustin finally reversed his decision and refused to sign. The non-majority signatories of this resolution are the Advisers : Fritz Alphonse Jean, Leslie Voltaire, Louis Gerald Gilles and Edgard Leblanc Fils. In a correspondence addressed to the members of the Council, Laurent Saint-Cyr President pro tempore and Coordinator of the CPT writes "[...] I am opposed to any resolution aimed at calling into question governmental stability in the run-up to February 7 and denounces any attempt to rush or take major decisions without a broad, structured and truly representative dialogue of the different sectors of national life, including the diversity of political sensitivities having enjoyed, to varying degrees, electoral legitimacy proven. As major institutional deadlines approach for the Nation, any initiative likely to fuel instability, confusion or a breakdown of trust carries serious risks for the country. Haiti cannot afford either non-concerted decisions or short-sighted political calculations [...]" Download the entire correspondence of Saint-Cyr (PDF in French) : https://www.haitilibre.com/docs/correspondance-Laurent-SAINT-CYR-CPT.pdf But what probably caused this attempt at revocation to fail was the very serious direct threat from the American Embassy to the members of the CPT who wrote unequivocally in their correspondence "The U.S. objective for Haiti remains the establishment of baseline security and stability. The U.S. would regard any effort to change the composition of the government by the non-elected TPC at this late stage in its tenure to be an effort to undermine that objective and as such null and void. The U.S. would consider anyone supporting such a disruptive step favoring the gangs to be acting contrary to the interests of the United States, the region, and the Haitian people and will act accordingly." S/ HaitiLibre Haiti - FLASH : More than 8,100 Haitians killed in 11 months (2025) According to the latest report from the United Nations Integrated Office in Haiti (BINUH) dated January 15, 2026, presented to the Security Council, the year 2025 presents a crucial turning point for Haiti. The expansion of armed gangs beyond Port-au-Prince undermines state authority and paralyzes the country's vital commercial and humanitarian routes. Gangs targeted individuals suspected of collaborating with or resisting police, while sexual violence, primarily against women and girls, was used as a punitive tactic. Initially concentrated in the West department, gang violence has spread to new strategic regions, including Arcahaie (West), Mirebalais and Lascahobas (Center) as well as Artibonite. In response to this threat, the Haitian National Police (PNH), supported by the Haitian Armed Forces and the Gang Supression Force (GSF), intensified its operations. These interventions have allowed the reopening of major national roads, although the situation remains fragile. Armed violence has intensified in urban and peri-urban areas, with gangs using weapons of war and carrying out coordinated assaults on multiple fronts. According to statistics from the United Nations Integrated Office in Haiti (BINUH), more than 8,100 Haitians were killed between January and November 2025, victims of armed violence. A figure likely underestimated due to limited access to areas controlled by gangs. In Artibonite and the Center, 1,916 deaths were reported in 2025, compared to 1,050 over the same period in 2024. Between September 1 and November 30, 2025, the provisional toll stands at 1,991 killed, including 142 women, 12 girls and 44 boys. If a slight drop of 6.2% in violence was observed in the last quarter in the capital, it exploded in the provinces, almost doubling in certain rural areas. Gangs continued to engage in kidnapping for ransom, extortion, and destruction of property, hindering access to essential services, including health care and education. These acts have also exacerbated food insecurity and economic hardship. Additionally, there are reports of an increase in the trafficking of children, who continue to be used by gangs in various roles, including in violent attacks. Download the full BINUH report (PDF in English 27 pages): UN-SG-Report-on-the-situation-in-Haiti-(January-2026).pdf HL/ HaitiLibre Haiti - Economy : Towards a revision of the personal income tax On January 20, 2026, Alfred Fils Metellus, the Minister of the Economy and Finance, accompanied by members of the Tax Policy Committee (CPF), met with economists and chartered accountants as part of the presentation of the work to revise the Personal Income Tax (IRPP) scale. This meeting is part of the Ministry's desire to modernize the tax system and correct certain distortions observed in the current scale. The main objective was to collect technical and professional opinions in order to improve the tax calculation tool, while respecting fundamental principles. Metellus emphasized the importance of boosting small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), considered a key driver of economic growth and job creation, emphasizing the need for a fiscal framework more favorable to their development. He reaffirmed his commitment to promoting an inclusive dialogue with economic players and professionals in the sector, from an effective and sustainable perspective. Four axes guided the discussions: equity and contributory capacity, the effectiveness of the system and the incentive to formalize economic activities, the simplicity and visibility of the scale, as well as the overall coherence of the tax structure. Andral Joseph, President of the CPF, presented the Tax Policy Committee, emphasizing the main projects in progress, in particular the revision of the General Tax Code, the reflections around a new scale, as well as future work, such as the modernization of the tax administration. Through the presentation of the theoretical framework, the different scenarios and the results, provided by the directors and economists Romel Troissou and Carl-Edwice Estima, the participants were able to better understand the objectives pursued by the proposed scale, namely : restoring tax justice, protecting low incomes and preserving budgetary viability. Representatives of the private business sector and economists, including Kesner Pharel and Duval Lucnaire, took part in the discussions and shared their assessments as well as recommendations on the proposed scale. These contributions aim to enrich the reflection with a view to establishing a fiscal system that is fairer, more transparent and better adapted to the economic realities of the country. HL/ HaitiLibre Haiti - News : Zapping... TPS : New Deadline for the Government Yesterday, Judge Ana C. Reyes granted the federal government an extension until January 23, 2026, to submit the required documents for the TPS application for Haitian nationals in the United States. https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-46587-haiti-flash-end-of-tps-judge-reyes-skeptical-and-unconvinced.html Meanwhile, the California Court of Appeals set February 17, 2026, as the deadline for submitting supporting documents. 6 Bandits Killed, Weapons and Ammunition Seized On the night of Tuesday, January 20, to Wednesday, January 21, 2026, during an operation conducted in Bercy, a town located between the municipalities of Arcahaie and Cabaret, by units of the Haitian National Police (PNH) supported by the Prime Minister's Office task force, six bandits were killed in an exchange of fire with law enforcement. The police seized two firearms, including a 12-gauge shotgun and an M4 assault rifle (5.56 caliber), as well as ammunition. Kenscoff : More than 400 Dead More than 400 people have reportedly lost their lives since the start of the violent crime wave in Kenscoff. Mayor Jean Massillon of the Municipal Council reported new victims in the town over the past weekend. Purchase of Fire Trucks for 2 Airports The National Airport Authority (AAN) announces the acquisition of two specialized firefighting vehicles to strengthen security measures within national airport infrastructure. These vehicles will be assigned to Toussaint Louverture International Airport (AITL) and Cap-Haitien International Airport (AICH), respectively. This acquisition is part of the institution's efforts to strengthen its operational capacity and upgrade fire safety services. Armored Vehicles for the Departments Vladimir Paraison, Acting Commander of the Haitian National Police (PNH), announced that all departments in the country will be equipped with at least 15 armored personnel carriers to bolster the PNH's operational capacity. National Conference for the Refounding of the Education System On Wednesday, January 21, 2026, the National Conference for the Refounding of the Haitian Education System was officially launched, under the theme "For Transformative Education: National Conference for the Refounding of the Haitian Education System" an initiative led by the Ministry of National Education. In his address, Eric Voli Bi, UNESCO Resident Representative in Haiti, emphasized, "This conference is not a mere exercise in protocol. It constitutes an act of faith in the future of Haiti. We must build societies where man no longer fears man, but where intelligence is the daily bread," he declared, quoting the poet Rene Philoctete. HL/HaitiLibre A total of 50,060 people moved to Finland from abroad last year. This was 13,195 fewer than in 2024, and 23,176 fewer than in 2023. Emigration from Finland also declined slightly, with 15,208 people leaving the country, 1,706 fewer than the previous year. Finlands population increased by 20,929 people in 2025 despite a marked decline in immigration for the second consecutive year, according to preliminary data from Statistics Finland . Net migration stood at 34,852. The difference between immigration and emigration was the main contributor to Finlands population growth, as deaths outnumbered births by 13,195. At the end of 2025, Finlands population was 5,656,900. Ukrainian nationals continued to make up the largest group of immigrants. Despite a year-on-year decrease of 5,607, a total of 8,388 Ukrainians moved to Finland in 2025. Filipino (2,701) and Sri Lankan (2,435) nationals followed in the ranking. Other South Asian nationalities were also prominent. Immigration from Russia declined by 1,270 and from the Philippines by 1,066. The highest increase was recorded among Iranian nationals, with 154 more people arriving than in 2024. Of those who moved to Finland in 2025, 6,687 were Finnish citizens returning to the country. The number of Finnish citizens who emigrated was 8,870. Despite the fall in immigration, last year still marked the third highest annual figure since 1990. Statistics Finland attributed the peak in 2023 partly to temporary protection permits granted to Ukrainians, who were then able to apply for permanent residency and municipal registration. In addition to migration, 2025 saw a record number of people receiving Finnish citizenship. A total of 14,124 foreign nationals were granted citizenship, an increase of 2,612 from the previous year. The largest groups were from Iraq (1,960), Russia (1,491), and Syria (1,282). The number of children born in Finland rose for the first time since 2020. A total of 45,835 births were recorded in 2025, which is 2,115 more than the year before. The total fertility rate increased from 1.25 in 2024 to 1.30. This figure indicates the average number of children a woman would give birth to during her lifetime if current age-specific fertility rates remained unchanged. Despite the increase, this was still the third lowest figure recorded since national data collection began. Fertility rose slightly after three consecutive years of decline, Joonas Toivola, senior actuary at Statistics Finland, said on the agencys website. It remains to be seen whether the trend continues. The fertility rate was highest in Central Ostrobothnia (1.62), Ostrobothnia (1.58), and Northern Ostrobothnia (1.56). The lowest regional rates were found in North Karelia (1.13), Kymenlaakso (1.18), and South Karelia (1.22). Compared to 2024, the sharpest rise was in Aland, where the fertility rate rose by 0.25 points. Despite the uptick in births, the number of deaths continued to exceed births significantly. A total of 59,030 people died in Finland in 2025, 763 more than in 2024. This was the third highest death toll recorded since the Second World War. Life expectancy for newborn boys rose to 79.8 years in 2025, up by 0.2 years from the previous year. Girls' life expectancy dropped slightly to 84.7 years. Joni Rantakari, senior actuary at Statistics Finland, said the figures suggest a return to pre-pandemic patterns. Life expectancy has stabilised after fluctuations caused by the coronavirus period. The number of marriages rose for the second year in a row. In 2025, a total of 21,949 marriages were registered, including 499 same-sex marriages. This was 529 more than in 2024. Of the same-sex marriages, 350 were between women and 149 between men. Internal migration between municipalities declined slightly, with 287,530 recorded relocations, 1,409 fewer than the year before. HT The MPs named in the report are Marko Asell , Jani Kokko , and Kim Berg . All are currently serving in Parliament. Three members of the Social Democratic Partys parliamentary group are now linked to workplace harassment allegations involving parliamentary assistants, according to both Ilta-Sanomat and which had verified the cases through multiple sources and supporting evidence. The claims span several events, with the most serious incidents reportedly occurring during the SDP parliamentary groups summer meeting in August 2023 and at a Christmas party in November 2025. Marko Asell, an MP from Pirkanmaa, is named in two separate incidents. According to IS, he asked a female assistant in vulgar terms whether she wanted to have sex during the summer meeting event in 2023. Later that same evening, he allegedly touched another assistant inappropriately on the dance floor of a karaoke bar during the Parliaments Christmas party afterparty. A party colleague intervened in the latter incident and escorted the assistant away from the situation. Jani Kokko, an MP from Central Finland, is accused of publicly revealing the sexual orientation of a female assistant during the same summer gathering. Several eyewitnesses told IS that Kokko made remarks loudly in front of others, despite the information not being widely known at the time. Kokko, who identifies as part of a sexual minority himself, told IS that he had joked with the assistant and later apologised to her. I said a few bad things to her during the evening, and the next morning at breakfast I apologised, Kokko said. He denied any harassment, claiming the comments were part of mutual banter. Kim Berg, the groups vice chair and an MP from Vaasa, was reportedly serving as an official harassment contact during the same summer event. Despite this, he allegedly made inappropriate remarks to several female staff members, asking them whether they had experienced harassment, and if not, whether they would like to be harassed. Berg told IS that he does not recall the situation. I honestly do not recognise the event, he said. But if such concerns have surfaced, its important to investigate what really happened. He added that the party has dealt with a similar matter previously but suggested that different events may have been confused. Weve addressed a situation like this before, from a previous parliamentary term, Berg said. The recent revelations follow weeks of internal pressure within the SDP to address growing reports of misconduct involving MPs and staff. The matter gained national attention after SDP MP Ville Merinen spoke publicly in January about inappropriate treatment of parliamentary assistants. In a Yle interview, he described incidents of shouting, overworking, and in some cases sexual harassment. In response to the growing scandal, SDP parliamentary group chair Tytti Tuppurainen announced that the party would commission an independent investigation to examine all reported incidents. Speaking to IS, she called the behaviour deeply unpleasant, distasteful, and unacceptable. An external, independent expert with experience in handling such cases will lead the review, she told the paper last week. Asell has issued a brief public apology via Instagram. I have behaved inappropriately in certain situations and used poor humour. I am sincerely sorry, he wrote. He confirmed that he had already apologised in person for the Christmas party incident and said he would not comment further. The investigation is still being planned. Rami Lindstrom, secretary of the SDP parliamentary group, said the party would give the investigator full independence. The goal is to ensure our procedures are in order and that the threshold for reporting is as low as possible, he told IS. He did not comment on possible consequences for the MPs involved, stating only that all known cases have been reviewed. Other political parties are also beginning to examine their internal practices. The National Coalition Party said it would launch its own review regarding the treatment of parliamentary assistants. HT The visit is part of Finlands strategy to maintain open dialogue with China and support the commercial interests of Finnish companies operating in the region. Prime Minister Petteri Orpo is visiting Beijing this week from January 25 to 28 for official talks with Chinas top leadership. The trip includes meetings with President Xi Jinping , Premier Li Qiang , Chairman of the National Peoples Congress Standing Committee Zhao Leji , and Minister of Commerce Wang Wentao . It is important to continue dialogue with China on bilateral cooperation and topical international issues, such as challenges in the rules-based system and trade, Orpo said in a statement ahead of the visit. China is Finlands fourth-largest trading partner and the European Unions second-largest. In 2024, Finland exported EUR 3.5 billion in goods and EUR 1.82 billion in services to China. Finnish imports from China were worth EUR 7.5 billion. There were 239 Finnish company subsidiaries operating in China in 2023, with a combined turnover exceeding EUR 14 billion. Talks during the visit are set to cover the broader EU-China relationship and current global issues, including Russias war in Ukraine. Discussions will also address economic cooperation, equal market access, and sustainability-focused industries. The business delegation accompanying Orpo includes senior representatives from more than 20 Finnish companies. These include Finnair, KONE, Valio, Wartsila, UPM, Valmet Automotive, Metso, Fazer, and Nordea. The Finnish Minerals Group, Planmeca, Okmetic, and Kemira are also participating. Official meetings with Chinas leadership will take place on Tuesday. The talks are hosted by Premier Li Qiang. HT New Chinese-style clothing market surges to over 100 billion yuan People's Daily Online) 13:17, January 22, 2026 In recent years, Chinese-style clothing has become increasingly popular, making its way into more and more people's wardrobes. This shift is not only driving new fashion trends but also creating a booming market, with a scale that exceeds 100 billion yuan (about $14.35 billion). Data shows that in 2024, the new Chinese-style clothing market exceeded 220 billion yuan, and was expected to surpass 250 billion yuan in 2025. "Our orders are already booked through the second quarter of this year, since the start of the year," said Xie Linglong, co-founder of Zhizaosi, a Hanfu brand. In 2020, the brand began incorporating its expertise in reviving Yunjin (Yun brocade) into the design of horse-faced skirts, a type of Hanfu. To date, over 500,000 of these skirts have been sold. The intricate patterns and classical colors of Chinese-style clothing are increasingly featured in international fashion shows and collections designed for festivals. In December 2025, Burberry launched its "Year of the Horse Collection," blending watercolor, cross-stitch, and other techniques to reinterpret its iconic Knight emblem. Josie Zhang, who leads Burberry's operations in Greater China, said that these products not only strengthen the brand's connection with the Chinese market but also allow global consumers to appreciate Chinese aesthetics and cultural traditions. A model presents a creation of the Heaven Gaia during the 2026 Spring/Summer Shanghai Fashion Week in east China's Shanghai, Oct. 15, 2025. (Xinhua/Fang Zhe) Incorporating traditional Chinese cultural symbols into clothing, the rise of new Chinese-style clothing reflects changes in the industry. On the design front, tradition and modernity are merging effectively. In Caoxian county, east China's Shandong Province, textile companies have partnered with university experts to develop a series of products inspired by the peony culture. In Haining, east China's Zhejiang Province, the ancient techniques of the four famous brocades: Zhuang brocade, Yun brocade, Shu brocade and Song brocade, are being fused with modern design elements, with exquisite patterns woven into the fabric. Fabric innovation is enhancing the wearing experience. Jialian Silk in south China's Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region has developed a jacquard production line for Zhuang brocade, preserving classical patterns while addressing the weight issues of traditional brocade. Online, live-streaming sales have become a major channel, with Caoxian county selling Hanfu to over 30 countries and regions worldwide through live-streaming sessions. Offline, stores are evolving from sales spaces into cultural experience hubs, offering traditional clothing styling and craft demonstrations, creating immersive consumer experiences. Models pose for a picture at an event unveiling the 2025 Autumn Winter collection during the 4th Caoxian Hanfu Cultural Festival in Caoxian county, east China's Shandong Province, on Nov. 22, 2025. (Xinhua/Guo Xulei) In November 2025, the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology (MIIT) and other departments unveiled an action plan to better align supply with demand for consumer goods. The goal is to optimize the supply structure by 2027, with the aim of creating 10 key consumption hubs, each generating over 100 billion yuan in sales, including the market for new Chinese-style clothing. "These sectors have shown strong growth potential and are reshaping the consumer market with more diversity and energy," said Xie Yuansheng, vice minister of the MIIT. (Web editor: Hongyu, Liang Jun) Interview: China emerging as key hub for agricultural innovation, says Syngenta CEO Xinhua) 14:07, January 22, 2026 DAVOS, Switzerland, Jan. 22 (Xinhua) -- Artificial intelligence (AI) and digital technologies are reshaping how food is produced, and China is emerging as an increasingly important hub for agricultural innovation and R&D, Syngenta Group Chief Executive Officer Jeff Rowe told Xinhua in an interview on the sidelines of the World Economic Forum Annual Meeting 2026. As CEO of Syngenta, a leading agricultural technology company headquartered in Basel, Switzerland, Rowe has been a frequent visitor to China over the past decade, allowing him to witness "tremendous progress" in the country's agricultural sector -- most strikingly in its steadily rising productivity, improving quality of agricultural output, and faster-paced innovation. Rowe stressed that agriculture is "much more of an innovative industry than most people realize," adding that China is moving quickly to adopt new technologies and build digital solutions that can benefit farmers, consumers and the environment. In his view, each of China's five-year plans has created new opportunities for advancement, and agriculture has been a consistent priority. China's upcoming 15th Five-Year Plan, he said, signals a continued commitment to strengthening food supply security and boosting overall grain production capacity. Rowe described the policy direction as "inspiring," saying the sustained, long-term focus on food production and agricultural modernization is "very important to society." "Artificial intelligence can help China produce more efficiently, help Chinese farmers make better decisions, adopt precision agriculture, and it can also help rehabilitate degraded land," Rowe said. Attributing China's robust R&D environment to long-term investments in education, talent and technology systems, Rowe said Syngenta is expanding its footprint of innovation centers in China and he plans to visit China again soon for the opening of a new facility. Rowe voiced a strong interest in partnering with Chinese technology and AI companies. "China is absolutely one of the most important markets for us globally," Rowe said. (Web editor: Zhang Kaiwei, Liang Jun) Hotel de l'Opera Hanoi - MGallery Collection, located moments from the Hanoi Opera House and the historic Old Quarter, has announced a multi-phase renovation programme set to conclude in 2026. Rooted in culture, artistry and the art of storytelling, the renovation introduces a contemporary reinterpretation of the hotel's theatrical spirit, enhancing the sense of place that defines the property. Through refined design details, curated atmospheres and elevated guest moments, Hotel de l'Opera Hanoi - MGallery Collection will continue to offer an intimate, immersive experience where heritage and modernity exist in harmony. The first phase of renovations took place from May to October 2025, encompassing 50 per cent of the hotel's rooms and suites across the first to fourth floors, alongside the refurbishment of two signature dining venues: Lautrec and Son Mai. A final phase of the transformation is expected to begin this summer, extending the renovation to the remaining rooms and lobby, while also introducing refreshed leisure and event spaces, including the pool, banquet facilities and new dining concepts. Throughout the transformation, Hotel de l'Opera Hanoi - MGallery Collection remains open, with works carefully phased to minimise disruption while progressively unveiling refreshed spaces. Inspired by its immediate neighbour, the hotel's "A Night at the Opera" narrative continues to guide the design approach. The renovation deepens this theatrical language through refined materials, updated colour palettes and lighting that draws on the drama of performance, interpreted through a modern lens rather than overt ornamentation. Guest rooms and suites have been redesigned to balance French colonial elegance with contemporary restraint. Rich tones drawn from the world of opera - crimson, olive-gold and warm ochre - are paired with clean-lined furnishings, textured fabrics and subtle Art Deco detailing. Bathrooms adopt the feel of private dressing rooms, complete with operatic vanity mirrors, mosaic tiles, and carefully considered lighting. Lautrec, the hotel's signature restaurant, reopens within its iconic indoor atrium setting, introducing a refreshed dining concept centred on a live kitchen that reinforces its role as a signature social space. Beyond accommodation and dining, the renovation introduces new guest spaces designed for slower moments. A library lounge will open on the seventh floor, offering a quiet retreat above the city, while a new coffee lounge on the second floor adds a relaxed social layer to the hotel's daily rhythm. An iconic Italian luxury brand will also open a boutique connected to the hotel premises, adding a discreet retail presence accessed directly from the street and aligned with the property's design sensibility. A new M Moment - MGallery's signature experience designed to connect guests with the destination - is also in development, drawing on the hotel's artistic identity and its cultural surroundings. Details will be revealed at a later date. Behind the scenes, the renovation programme includes significant infrastructure upgrades. New chiller systems have been installed to improve energy efficiency and guest comfort, while 600 square metres of rooftop solar panels - among the first of their kind in Hanoi's hotel sector - are expected to reduce grid energy dependency by approximately five per cent. Long-standing community partnerships remain central to the hotel's philosophy of giving back to its local environment. Hotel de l'Opera Hanoi - MGallery Collection continues its collaboration with VietHarvest, redistributing surplus food to underserved communities, and sustains its support of The Blue Dragon Children's Foundation. These initiatives contributed to the hotel's recognition as one of Vietnam's Top 10 Best Green Hotels at the Vietnam Tourism Awards 2025. With its phased transformation continuing into 2026, Hotel de l'Opera Hanoi - MGallery Collection enters its next act with clarity and restraint, evolving its spaces while keeping its sense of performance firmly centre stage. Hotel website SAN FRANCISCO Sojern, the leading AI-powered marketing platform built for hospitality and recently acquired by RateGain, today announced that Red Roof, a leader in economy lodging, has adopted Sojerns AI Concierge solution to enhance guest engagement, streamline operations, and drive improved commercial performance across its portfolio. The initiative is now being rolled out across many Red Roof properties, further deepening the well-established collaboration between Sojern and Red Roof. Sojerns AI Concierge enhances every stage of the guest journey by automating routine interactionsfrom service requests and amenity questions to in-stay issue reportingreducing front desk workload while ensuring guests receive fast, personalized responses at scale. This rollout builds on a strategic relationship between Red Roof and Sojern that began in 2024 with the adoption of Reputation Manager, part of Sojerns Guest Experience Platform. Leveraged across more than 700 properties, Reputation Manager enables real-time guest feedback monitoring and response during and after the stay, giving Red Roof team members greater visibility into guest sentiment and the ability to resolve issues before they impact reviews.During Q4 2025, Red Roof recorded a 6.64% improvement in internal quality metrics and a 3.14% increase in social scores, demonstrating measurable gains in guest experience and brand perception. Aligned with our commitment to Genuine Relationships. Real Results. and our franchisee-focused business model, the expansion marks the next chapter in Red Roofs innovation roadmap, connecting marketing, operations, and guest experience through a more integrated, data-driven, AI-enhanced approach, while empowering franchisees with scalable tools that support consistent, high-quality service. Steve Woodward, Vice President of Innovation, Learning and Development at Red Roof Red Roof has long been at the forefront of operational excellence, and were proud to deepen our partnership as they expand their AI-driven guest engagement strategy. By combining conversational AI, real-time insights, and actionable recommendations, AI Concierge empowers Red Roof franchisees to deliver faster support, elevate guest satisfaction, and unlock new revenue opportunitiesall while easing the strain on front-line teams. Baskar Manivannan, Vice President, Guest Engagement Platform at Sojern The partnership reinforces Red Roofs commitment to embedding AI across guest engagement and operational efficiency initiatives, supporting franchisees with scalable, easy-to-implement solutions. It also demonstrates Sojerns continued momentum in delivering an integrated Guest Experience Platform that helps hoteliers meet rising guest expectations while navigating labor constraints and margin pressures. The announcement coincides with the HEDNA Orlando 2026 Global Distribution Conference, where both companies will be available to discuss smarter, connected solutions that meet todays evolving traveler expectations. To hear from Sojern during the event, join the Guest Acquisition in the Age of Large Language Models (LLMs) session on Thursday, 22 January at HEDNA Orlando. About Sojern Sojern is the leading AI-powered marketing platform built for hospitality, designed to boost growth and profitability for the travel industry. The Sojern marketing platform is a set of easy-to-use software and services that delivers unrivaled traveler insight, intelligent audiences, multichannel activation and optimization, and a connected guest experienceall in one place. More than 10,000 travel marketers rely on our platform annually to find, attract, convert and engage travelers. Sojern, founded in 2007 and acquired by RateGain in 2025, is headquartered in San Francisco, California with teams in the Americas, Europe, Middle East and Africa, and Asia Pacific. Press Sojern View source The Company founded by Gabriel Escarrer Julia is celebrating its 70th anniversary, marking the milestone at FITUR 2026 alongside the wider tourism industry. In its traditional press conference, Gabriel Escarrer presented the results for 2025, linking the Company's strong performance to the seven-decade legacy of its founder, Gabriel Escarrer Julia, who passed away in 2024. A legacy rooted in vision and strategy, but also in values that continue to inspire Spain's leading multinational hotel group and form the foundations of its current strengthacross business performance, people, and sustainability. 70 years of growth 2025 was a solid year in terms of results. As previously anticipated by Gabriel Escarrer, the Company has met market expectations on the financial front and exceeded expansion forecasts. During the year, the Group signed a total of 51 new hotels, representing nearly 9,200 rooms, 52% of which are already operating or will be incorporated into the portfolio within the next 12 months. As a result, Melia is expected to operate at least 411 hotels by the end of 2026. These 51 signings are concentrated in what Melia refers to as its leisure axis," which accounts for the bulk of the Group's global footprint. Sixty percent correspond to hotels located in the Mediterranean and Europe, both in countries where the Group already enjoys a strong presencesuch as Spain, Italy, Albania, Malta, and Greeceand in new markets such as Hungary and Andorra. Twenty-two percent are located in the Americas, across Latin America and the Caribbean (Dominican Republic, Argentina, Honduras, and Peru), as well as in the United States (Miami). The remainder are distributed across markets that are already strategic for Melia's expansion, particularly in Asia, with 6% of new signings in Vietnam, Indonesia, and Thailand. Melia continues to diversify its portfolio to attract different customer segments, strengthening the presence of its most emblematic brands. These include Melia Hotels & Resorts, with flagship international projects such as Melia Maldives Whale Lagoon, Melia Seychelles, Melia Bahrain, and Melia Serenity Cam Ranh in Vietnam, as well as SOL by Melia, the Group's iconic family resort brand, which is unveiling its refreshed brand identity at FITUR to adapt to new times. Among the Group's most recent brands, notable growth is expected for ZEL, which will open new hotels in 2026 in Madrid, Cozumel, Fuerteventura, and Crete. The Melia Collection will also expand with new openings of distinctive, character-led hotels in exclusive destinations such as Lima, Mallorca, and Cadiz, in addition to incorporating the MiM Hotels portfolioowned by Leo Messiinto The Melia Collection brand. Quality-driven openings and repositioning In both its current and future expansion, Melia's strategy prioritizes the world's most sought-after destinations and the luxury segment, across both new additions and its ambitious repositioning program. In 2026, the Group will open 28 hotels, including its first properties in highly exotic destinations such as the Maldives and the Seychelles. As Escarrer emphasized, this growth will not come at the expense of Spain, the Group's country of origin, where Melia remains the leading hotel company by number of rooms, holding an absolute leadership position in Andalusia and the Balearic Islands. In 2026, new hotels will open in Estepona, Cadiz, Benalmadena, and Granada, as well as in Mallorca, Madrid, and Fuerteventura. Seventy-eight percent of hotels in the development pipeline fall within the premium and luxury segments. Melia already has nearly 50 hotels affiliated with some of the world's most prestigious luxury consortia, such as Leading Hotels of the World (11 hotels), AMEX Fine Hotels (31 hotels), and Virtuoso. Central to this positioning is Melia's repositioning strategy, which will have transformedwhether or not involving a brand changemore than 90 hotels since 2023, through joint investments with partners totaling over 975 million. Today, the Group boasts a higher-quality and more sustainable portfolio, with upgraded categories and facilities. Notable reopenings in 2026 will include several flagship properties, such as Paradisus Bali, Paradisus Cancun, and Gran Melia Don Pepe, among others. Innovation and partnerships for sustainable growth As Melia's Chairman highlighted, in addition to a revitalized and increasingly valuable portfolio and a strong brand platform, the Group counts its proprietary distribution and personalization capabilitiesvia its direct sales channelsamong its key strategic assets, representing a clear competitive advantage in today's market. At the same time, Melia has built a robust ecosystem of top-tier partners to support long-term strategic growth. Since 2023, the Company has doubled the number of joint ventures in which it participates with hotel property owners, encompassing 40 assets with approximately 14,000 rooms and an estimated valuation of close to 3 billion. Melia intends to continue strengthening preferential partnerships with trusted, long-term partners as a core vehicle for expansion. The Group has also embraced innovative management models such as branded residences, with a total of 28 hotelsopen or in developmentthat incorporate this ownership format while leveraging Melia's most prestigious hotel brands. Through these alliances, the continued shift toward the luxury and lifestyle segments, and the strengthening of its direct channels, Melia expects to sustainably drive the Group's expansion while enhancing the resilience and optimization of its revenues. 70 years focused on people Finally, Melia's Chairman reaffirmed his confidence that a key pillar of the Company's strength remains the solidity of its culture and values. This is reflected in the Group's leadership positioning in areas of critical importance to the sector, such as sustainability and talent, supported by top rankings in global benchmarks including S&P Global, Top Employer, and MERCO Talento. For Escarrer, in addition to financial and corporate strength, these factors will be decisive for the future Melia envisions: Celebrating 70 years with the same strength and innovative spirit that defined our beginnings is proof of the power of a unique legacy, embodied in our philosophy and values and amplified across 44 countries by more than 45,000 employees. We are therefore confident in our goal of maintaining our leadership in the leisure segmentsboth urban and resortfor at least another 70 years, with an increasing focus on luxury and a positioning as a benchmark hotel manager, recognized for its resilience and strong commitment to sustainability." About Melia Hotels International Rooted in Mallorca (Spain), with a global footprint, Melia Hotels International has evolved over seven decades into one of the world's leading hospitality groups. Today, we are proud to be recognized as Europe's most sustainable hotel company by S&P Global, and as a Top Employer Large Enterprise 2025, reflecting our unwavering commitment to excellence, innovation and responsible tourism.With a portfolio of over 400 hotels across key destinations worldwide, we deliver differentiated guest experiences through our nine distinct brands: Gran Melia Hotels & Resorts, ME by Melia, The Melia Collection, Paradisus by Melia, Melia Hotels & Resorts, ZEL, INNSiDE by Melia, Sol by Melia, and Affiliated by Melia. Each brand is designed to meet the evolving expectations of our guests, while staying true to our Mediterranean roots and values.Our strategic focus on sustainability, talent development, and digital transformation continues to position Melia as a benchmark in the global hospitality industry, driving long-term value for our stakeholders and creating meaningful experiences for millions of travelers around the world. . For more information, please visit www.meliahotelsinternational.com The travel and tourism sector experienced subdued deal activity in 2025, with the total number of deals (comprising mergers & acquisitions (M&A), private equity and venture financing deals) announced globally in the sector decreasing by 5% in the year compared to 2024, according to GlobalData, a leading intelligence and productivity platform. The downturn is indicative of broader economic uncertainties weighing on deal-making sentiments. While the overall deal volume in the travel and tourism sector faced headwinds, certain regions and markets showcased resilience. Aurojyoti Bose, Lead Analyst at GlobalData An analysis of GlobalDatas Deals Database revealed that the travel and tourism sector witnessed varied regional trends. The Asia-Pacific region saw a 4% decline in deal volume in 2025 compared to 2024. Europe experienced a more pronounced downturn, with a 17% decrease, reflecting ongoing economic pressures and geopolitical uncertainties. North America bucked the trend with an 8% increase, driven by improvement in deal activity in the key markets. Meanwhile, deal volume for the Middle East and Africa, and South and Central America mostly remained unchanged in 2025 compared to the previous year. A closer examination of select key markets reveals that the US and Canada registered growth in deal volume during 2025 compared to the previous year while India, China, Spain and Germany experienced decline, and deal volume for some markets such as the UK, Japan and Australia mostly remained at the same level as in 2024. Bose adds: The wide disparity across different regions and markets suggest that localized opportunities still continue to exist despite broader market challenges. The trend across deal types in the travel and tourism sector also remained a mixed bag. M&A activity was stable, with deal volume mostly remaining at the same level in 2025 as in the previous year. This suggests that while the appetite for inorganic growth persists, companies are exercising caution in their strategic pursuits. In contrast, venture financing and private equity experienced declines of 21% and 28% in deal volume, respectively, reflecting tighter capital availability and a more risk-averse investment climate. Note:Historic data may change in case some deals get added to previous months because of a delay in disclosure of information in the public domain. About GlobalData 4,000 of the world's largest companies, including over 70% of FTSE 100 and 60% of Fortune 100 companies, make more timely and better business decisions thanks to GlobalData's unique data, expert analysis and innovative solutions, all in one platform. GlobalData's mission is to help our clients decode the future to be more successful and innovative across a range of industries, including the healthcare, consumer, retail, financial, technology and professional services sectors. GlobalData | LinkedIn | Twitter GlobalData Press Office +44 207 832 4399 GlobalData Plc View source Miami The International Society of Hospitality Consultants (ISHC) and The BHN Group have opened nominations for the prestigious ALIS CALA Rising Star Award (formerly Rising Star Award Caribbean) to be presented at the Americas Lodging Investment Summit Caribbean and Latin America (ALIS CALA), a merger of the former CHRIS and HOLA conferences. This is the 15th year ISHC and The BHN Group have collaborated to recognize emerging, talented leadership in the Caribbean, and now Latin American, regions. Candidates must meet the following criteria and will be evaluated on three key categories Achievement, Impact, and Recommendation: 35 years of age or younger, born on or after April 20, 1991; Is currently, and has been, working in a hospitality-related field; Is recognized by leaders in the hospitality field as a rising star; and Is currently living and working in the Caribbean or Latin America with a minimum of two years experience in the market For more information or to nominate a candidate, please visit the ISHC Rising Star Award webpage. The deadline for submissions is on or before midnight EST on February 27, 2026 . Please note that all candidates need to be nominated by another person from within their organization or someone with direct work experience with the nominee. About ALIS Caribbean and Latin America (ALIS CALA) ALIS CALA will be held at the Loews Coral Gables in Coral Gables, Florida from April 28 30, 2026. ALIS CALA is the premier hotel investment conference for the Caribbean and Latin America region. Following the successful rebranding of the 15th annual CHRIS (Caribbean) and 14th annual HOLA (Latin America) conferences, this past Aprils event brought together over 550 delegates from 35+ countries. One in three delegates held senior executive titles (Chairman, CEO, President, Partner, Owner, or Principal) ensuring that ALIS CALA is all about high-level conversations and decision-making. Nearly one in four companies represented were active in debt, lending, equity investment, or development, highlighting ALIS CALAs strong financial and deal-focused community. ALIS CALA is where opportunities spark, connections grow, and the future of hospitality investment in the region takes shape. ALIS CALA is produced by Northstar Travel Group in association with The BHN Group. Visit the ALIS CALA website for more information. About Northstar Travel Group Northstar Travel Group is the leading B-to-B media company providing information and marketing solutions for the global travel industry. The company owns 14 media brands connecting 1.4m industry professionals through a comprehensive portfolio of digital, social, print and more than 100 events in 13 countries. Northstar Travel Group is owned by EagleTree Capital. Northstar Travel Group is based in Rutherford, NJ, and more information is available at northstartravelgroup.com. About The BHN Group The BHN Group is the worldwide leader in developing and organizing conferences for the hotel and tourism investment community. With over three decades of experience, more than 190 events completed to-date, and in excess of 130,000 international delegates, these conferences have become must attend events for industry leaders who come together to network, conduct business, and to learn about the latest trends. The current slate of events include: the Americas Lodging Investment Summit (ALIS) in Los Angeles; ALIS Law in Los Angeles; ALIS DESIGN+ in Los Angeles, the ALIS Summer Update series held in various U.S. cities; ALIS CALA in Miami; Hotel Investment Conference Asia Pacific (HICAP) in Singapore; HICAP UPDATE in Hong Kong, and HICAP Australia New Zealand (HICAP ANZ) in Sydney. The BHN Group also publishes Hotel Investment Today, a digital media outlet focused on the ROI of hotel investment. The BHN Groups website is the gateway for information about the annual conferences it produces, as well as a direct link to important players in the hospitality investment world. About ISHC The International Society of Hospitality Consultants is truly The Leading Global Resource for Hospitality Expertise, represented by over 250 of the industry's most respected professionals from across six continents. Collectively, ISHC members provide expert services in over 50 functional areas and have specialized skills in virtually every segment of the hospitality industry. ISHC is dedicated to promoting the highest quality of professional consulting standards and practices for the hospitality industry. Candidates undergo a rigorous screening process, ensuring that all ISHC members have a reputation of integrity and are qualified by their experience, training, and knowledge to develop and express sound judgment on industry issues. Additional information about the organization and membership process, along with a directory of ISHC members, is available on the ISHC website at ishc.com. Libby Acquista Manager of Membership and Marketing +1 314.724.8436 ISHC View source BANGKOK The Pacific Asia Travel Association (PATA) brokers a new partnership agreement with the Phuket Hotels Association (PHA), a nonprofit organisation representing a diverse range of hotels across the island of Phuket, southern Thailand. Signed by PATA CEO Noor Ahmad Hamid and Jayne MacDougall, Executive Director of PHA, the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) establishes a mutual affiliate membership between the organisations. Hamid said, As one of Thailands most sought-after island destinations, Phukets hospitality sector is a cornerstone of its economy. With this partnership, we pave the path for collaborations with the Phuket Hotels Association on their mission to promote and strengthen Phukets standing as a destination recognised for its quality offerings and sustainable practices. MacDougall said, Formalising a partnership with PATA marks an important step in advancing shared goals around responsible tourism, regional collaboration, and innovation, strengthening long-term outcomes for Phuket and the wider region. The agreement supports joint activities, including the mutual promotion of events and speaker participation where appropriate. Representatives and members of both PATA and PHA will have opportunities to connect through networking sessions and annual events, with registration support provided in line with the agreement. In addition, the partnership promotes knowledge sharing. It enables PHA to share selected tourism research and insights with the PATA network on a quarterly basis through member-exclusive newsletters and relevant online channels. About PHA The Phuket Hotels Association (PHA) is a nonprofit organisation representing a diverse cross-section of Phukets hospitality sector, from boutique properties to leading international brands, united by a shared commitment to strengthening Phuket as a world-class destination. With more than 110 hotels, Phuket Hotels Association works collaboratively to promote a balanced, authentic, and dynamic image of the island while ensuring tourism benefits the local community and environment. Through five core pillarsDestination Marketing, Education, Environmental Action, Government Liaison, and Membershipthe Association drives impactful initiatives ranging from global marketing and industry advocacy to scholarships, leadership development, sustainability programmes, PHIST, and island-wide environmental actions. Guided by industry-led collaboration and volunteer leadership, Phuket Hotels Associations vision is for Phuket to thrive as a resilient, responsible destination where economic vitality, cultural heritage, community wellbeing, and environmental stewardship exist in harmony for generations to come. Visit www.phukethotelsassociation.com About PATA The Pacific Asia Travel Association (PATA) is a not-for-profit membership association dedicated to advancing a meaningful Pacific Asia tourism economy. Guided by its mission to share knowledge, enable networking, and protect tourism economy assets through innovation, collaboration, and adaptability, PATA brings together governments, industry leaders, academia, and communities to drive positive, lasting change. Founded in 1951 and headquartered in Bangkok, the Association also has an official office in Beijing. Visit www.PATA.org. Paul Pruangkarn Manager - Communications +66 2 658 2000 PATA The perception of the upstart AirBnb host nabbing lucrative would-be hotel guests, and destabilizing the fragile travel ecosystem has been with us since the platform burst onto the scene in 2008. Now, almost two decades on since the founding of AirBnB, both short-term rentals and hotels remain standing, and while the relationship between the two asset classes is complex, demand remains high enough to support both accommodation types. That said, there still remains friction and some unresolved questions about the future, especially for short-term rentals in popular travel destinations. If you are a hotelier who still sees short-term rentals as an existential threat, this piece will help to give you a more nuanced understanding of them- what makes them fundamentally different from hotels, where the real threats lie, but also the ways in which hoteliers can capitalize on the differences between the two. Short-term rentals are an opportunistic threat The first way in which we can start to re-think the threat posed by short-term rentals is by reviewing the fundamental differences between short-term rentals and hotels. By their very nature short-term rentals are different from hotels in that they are usually private residences (a house, townhome, or apartment) that have been converted into a short-term rental. A hotel, of course, is purpose-built to be a hotel and nothing else. Unlike hotels, short-term rentals can open up inventory with relatively short-notice, quickly sell their accommodation, host a guest, and then after the guest checks out, do something else with the property. This is very much in opposition to the operating model of a hotel which looks to capture as much revenue as possible for the entire year, as there is no other alternative. For the short-term rental owner, there are other uses for their property outside of just being a short-term rental. For this reason short-term rentals exhibit what might be called a more opportunistic supply pattern when you analyze listings in aggregate. Consider the case of a homeowner with a beach house in a desirable spring break destination. The homeowner may list their home for sale during only the few peak weeks of Spring Break, and for the remainder of the year live in the home, convert it to a traditional rental property, or put it to some other use. When thinking about the difference between the lodging types, it is useful to visualize the supply fluctuations at a conceptual level. Short-term rental supply is more variable; ebbs and flows from month to month depend on when the most profitable times of the year fall. By contrast hotel supply is relatively static except when a new hotel enters the market (or some other niche exceptions like closures, renovations, etc.) Source: Lighthouse Source: Lighthouse What does this opportunistic nature look like in real world data-sets? Lets stick to our Spring Break example and start with a set of famous North American Spring break markets to see how short-term rental supply changes around the peak Spring Break travel season that falls in April. Source: Lighthouse Looking at this data from 2024, all 6 markets experienced supply growth drops between the months of April and May. South Padre Island specifically was a great example of this opportunistic supply effect; note the strong rate of month-over-month supply growth leading up to April, followed by 4 months of reductions in supply. This trend is indicative of this opportunistic behavior: short-term rental operators capitalize on the most profitable times of the year, and then quickly take their property offline after the spring break revelers have left town. Key takeaway: Short term rental supply reacts more nimbly to demand drivers than hotel supply. Utilize market intelligence data to understand exactly which parts of the year you are most vulnerable to short-term rental supply fluctuations. Short term rentals are a valuable leading indicator for hotels Have you heard the old adage a canary in the coalmine? Now that we understand that short-term rentals are highly sensitive to demand fluctuations and more opportunistic, could this pose an opportunity for hoteliers? The answer is thankfully yes. In fact, we here at Lighthouse have done research showing that short-term rental occupancy can actually be a very useful leading indicator for market demand and occupancy trends. Across the majority of destinations we analyzed, a distinct conclusion became evident. Short-term rental accommodations tended to book earlier than hotels, which then indicated rising demand for hotels in the same area. Read the case study We hypothesize that large groups and high-end travellers are keen to snap up the most desirable Airbnbs well in advance, as these are often properties with unique characteristics unavailable in the rest of the market space, or at a premium. Meaning that by monitoring the short-term rental market in-addition to a traditional hotel compset, hotels can better understand forward-looking demand trends. For example, you may have several short-term rental properties in your market that you know to be highly desirable. By noting when those properties are changing rates, or selling out by adding them to your competitive set, they can be used as a leading indicator for which days will be highest demand. Heres what Niki Van den Broeck, author of this case study had to say: The boundary between hotels and short-term rentals is thinner than ever. By treating short-term rental data not just as competition, but as a leading indicator, hoteliers can actually see the future of their market. When high-end short-term rentals sell out months in advance, its a clear signal that hotel demand is right behind it. Weve built these insights so you can stop reacting to the market and start anticipating it. Key takeaway: Use market intelligence data to monitor short-term performance for dates far in the future to learn crucial indications for which dates will be highest demand Short term rentals are vulnerable to changing legislation Rules and regulations or the lack thereof should also be top of mind when assessing the threat level posed by short-term rentals in any given market. If you are a hotelier its important to understand whether your market is lax, or more stringent when it comes to regulating short-term rentals. In a recent piece we explored this topic in detail and put the microscope on many world-famous destinations that have recently rolled out new rules and regulations for short-term rentals. Different regulations achieve different effects; Vancouver for example has a law that specifically disallows multi-property ownership, which may be more favorable to hoteliers than regulations that simply create more hoops to jump through for mom-and-pop short-term rental owners. Legislation that is overly-broad may deter small, individual short-term rental owners who arent actually competing with hotels in the first place, creating an environment where a higher percentage of multi-property short-term rental owners are left to survive, who will be generally more sophisticated, and pose more of a direct threat to your hotel. A very extreme example of rules and regulations affecting short-term rental supply in a notable market is Istanbul. After implementing a new national licensing framework in 2024, supply dropped a staggering 38%, but another interesting story line that Istanbul hoteliers should be watching is the makeup of short-term rentals that are owned by multi-property owners. As it stands in January 2025, 82.29% of short-term rental listings are owned by multi-property owners, compared with the average 66.57% in the broader EMEA (Europe and Middle East) region. This means that while there are now fewer short-term rentals overall, those that still remain are owned by owners that have multiple properties. Source: Lighthouse Key takeaway: If youre still in the dark about what short-term rental laws are in your market, be sure to brush up on how your country, state, city is regulating short-term rentals - this will give you a better breadth of knowledge on the threat level you face. The composition of short-term rental supply determines the threat-level to hotels When analyzing short-term rental trends in your market, its important to also understand what % of short-term rentals are actually competing with your hotel in the first place. Short-term rentals dont fall into perfectly convenient categories; some properties directly compete with hotels and specifically operate in the hopes of capturing excess demand that hotels fail to. For these short-term rentals, offering the same amenities and comparable accommodations to a hotel is enough to turn a profit. On the other hand, other short-term rentals have very little overlap with hotels and look more like traditional vacation rentals, offering experiences that a traditional hotel would struggle to provide. To get an idea of the broad spectrum of short-term rentals, put yourself in the shoes of a hotelier and look at these two listings: Source: Lighthouse Source: Lighthouse Which one reads as the larger existential threat as a hotelier? Its likely that unless you are operating a very specialized type of property, the City-center apartment (first image) is far and away the more threatening listing. But why is this the case? Notice attributes such as the guest capacity, number of beds and baths, location, and amenities. Also take note of the hosts willingness to accept one-night reservations. The listing on the left is what can be called hotel-like, a quality of short-term rentals that Lighthouse tracks for markets worldwide. The mountain retreat listing (second image) is certainly an attractive listing for some travelers, but caters to a more specific traveler profile (think large families and social gatherings). The listing offers niche amenities like a fishing pond, and notice too that the host only accepts stays of 5 or more nights. Not very hotel-like! Within our own data set here at Lighthouse, we track what % of short-term rentals are Hotel-like using several proprietary criteria including future availability trends, a guests ability to book shorter lengths of stay, room type composition, and party-size limits. This data is invaluable for hoteliers looking to better understand whether they are really at risk, or are in a market with less threatening listings. So what regions and major cities have the most hotel-like short-term rentals and where is the threat largest for hoteliers? The results may surprise you, especially when you see just how different the various regions of the world are, and just how market-specific this metric is. Source: Lighthouse Source: Lighthouse Its clear that a hotelier in a market like Mexico City should be much more cognizant of the commercial strategy of their short-term rental competitors due to the simple fact that a staggering 57% of short-term rentals are hotel-like. Contrast this with New York City, where stricter rule enforcement has led to a noticeable drop in short-term rentals that compete directly with hotels, meaning that hoteliers are somewhat safer in this regard. Key takeaway: Use data and analytics to understand whether your short-term rental market is composed primarily of Hotel-like properties looking to directly steal share, or Non-hotel-like short term rentals who are in their own lane, attracting a different traveler and co-existing with your property without much overlap. In mature markets hotels can differentiate based on differences and amenities Most major travel markets are now well acquainted with short-term rentals, and most polities have at least some form of regulation for short-term rentals. Now that the post-COVID short-term rental supply boom has cooled off due to economic uncertainty and global legislation crackdowns, many more established markets have settled into something of an equilibrium where short-term rentals and hotels do compete, but not so fiercely that either is an existential threat to the other. If you are in one of these markets, you may be wondering where to go from here. Perhaps you do feel that you are still losing more share to short-term rentals than you are comfortable with, but arent sure what steps you can take to maximize your visibility and revenue from all potential guests. Thankfully everything comes full circle; the key for hoteliers moving forward lies in something simple such as highlighting the differences between your hotel and short-term rental competitors. In recent years, guests have increasingly favored hotels over short-term rentals, a trend primarily fueled by concerns over safety and more opaque fee structures. This shift has helped traditional hotels regain the market appeal they lost during the initial boom of short-term rental platforms, which no longer offer the clear price advantage they once did. So how to do this? Consider emphasizing the benefits and amenities your hotel offers that your short-term rental competitors do not. Lets revisit Mexico City, a city that we already noted was at relatively high risk due to high % of hotel-like short term rentals. By taking a look at the data we can analyze exactly what amenities short-term rentals in CDMX do and dont offer. Hotels will likely be most interested in the lower values in this list AKA those amenities that not many short-term rentals offer that their hotel may offer. Source: Lighthouse Unsurprisingly, only a very small proportion of short-term rentals offer a gym; also fewer than half of short-term rentals in the city specifically list safety features such as a first-aid kit, smoke detector, fire-extinguisher, or bedroom door locks. Emphasizing these safety features could be a major selling point for hotels looking to attract safety-conscious travelers. Also, hoteliers would be wise to emphasize those features that are simply impossible for a short-term rental to provide: 24-hour front desk, a concierge service, or even things like past awards for outstanding service. These are your competitive advantages that can only be offered by a hotel. Key takeaway: Lean into the differences that make your hotel special, acknowledging that hotels, while the more traditional option, offer fewer unknowns, a personal touch, and a more predictable travel experience for many travelers that many are acknowledging is a positive. How Lighthouse helps you tell the full data story Short-term rentals arent going anywhere any time soon. They have firmly rooted themselves in destinations worldwide as a viable hotel alternative, but one that is doesnt completely disrupt the traditional travel model. This is why as a hotelier you should consider monitoring some short-term rental competitors (supply, pricing, and occupancy), and also familiarize yourself with the latest laws affecting short-term rentals in your market to always have a clear picture of the threat level they pose to your hotel. If you arent already, consider investing in Market Intelligence tools like Lighthouse's Pricing Plan which allows for deep market analysis of both hotel and short-term rental competitors. About Lighthouse Lighthouse is the leading commercial platform for the travel & hospitality industry. We transform complexity into confidence by providing actionable market insights, business intelligence, and pricing tools that maximize revenue growth. We continually innovate to deliver the best platform for hospitality professionals to price more effectively, measure performance more efficiently, and understand the market in new ways. Trusted by over 70,000 hotels in 185 countries, Lighthouse is the only solution that provides real-time hotel and short-term rental data in a single platform. We strive to deliver the best possible experience with unmatched customer service. We consider our clients as true partnerstheir success is our success. For more information about Lighthouse, please visit: https://www.mylighthouse.com. View source In this episode of Hotel Moment, Dylan Cole, Managing Director of EMEA, is joined by Nick Ellis, Country Director Oceania & Indonesia Enterprise Director SE Asia, to unpack what hospitality trends for 2026 actually look like in Australia a market defined by high operating costs, strong domestic travel, returning APAC demand, and an incredibly diverse mix of properties. They discuss why Australian hoteliers take a more commercially savvy approach to personalization, using guest data to drive direct bookings, increase on-property spend, and deliver relevance in the moments that matter. With lean teams and little tolerance for complexity, the conversation highlights why data must be activated in real time not reviewed after checkout. Tune in to hear why in Australia, success in 2026 isnt about copying global playbooks its about practical execution that works on the ground and delivers measurable results. Meet your host As Chief Marketing Officer at Revinate, Karen is focused on driving long-term growth by building Revinates brand equity, product marketing, and customer acquisition strategies. Her deep connections with hospitality industry leaders play a key role in crafting strategic partnerships. Karen has more than 25 years of expertise in global hospitality technology and online distribution including managing global accounts in travel and hospitality organizations such as Travelocity and lastminute.com As the host of The Hotel Moment Podcast she interviews top players in the hospitality industry. Karen has been with Revinate for over 11 years, leading our global GTM teams. Her most recent transition was from Chief Revenue Officer, where she led the team in their highest booking quarter to date in Q4 2023. Watch the video Transcript Australia, 2026, and hospitality: Whats actually changing? Official Transcript [00:00:00] Nick Ellis: In Australia, like were commercially savvy, we have to be with the high cost of doing business in Australia. So personalization, we use it to get guests to book direct, knowing what theyre going to buy, encouraging spending while theyre on property. [00:00:17] Intro: Welcome to the Hotel Moment Podcast presented by Revinate. This is your podcast to understand how technology can shape every moment of the hotel guests experience. Tune in to explore cutting-edge technologies and to hear from experts who are shaping guest experiences. Its 2026 and Im Dylan Cole, the Managing Director of Revinate Europe. Along with Karen Stephens, well be bringing you a fresh perspective on what matters most to hoteliers. Hey everyone, welcome back. Ive got someone very cool with me today. I got a real Aussie because today were talking about Australia. And weve been covering the rising trends in hospitality this year. And now were shining light on Australia and how those trends are showing up there. So today Im joined by the legendary Nick Ellis, who you all know and love. He spends a lot of time in the trenches with hotels across Australia and APAC. And Nick will tell you that if you show up to a call with a deck that has global best practices, the Australians will turn off immediately because it doesnt land in that market. Its a very special place. And it needs to be treated as such. [00:01:22] Nick Ellis: Thanks, crikey, mate. I appreciate the honesty. And its kind of true, Aussie hoteliers are practical people. Theyll probably be the first one to tell you that they may know of Nick Ellis, but they probably dont love him, so if something you present sounds great on a deck, but it really doesnt work on a busy Sunday morning checkout period with a short staffed front desk, then they can sense straight away that thats not gonna happen. [00:01:46] Dylan Cole: Exactly. So thats what I look forward to getting into with you today, talking about things that actually apply to the Australian market. Just to recap, weve already covered the five big hospitality trends shaping 2026. Those are personalization, tech stacks, real-time data, privacy, and guest engagement. So today is really about translating those trends into what makes sense for hotels operating in Australia. And again, not in theory, but in reality, right, Nick? [00:02:13] Nick Ellis: Thats so true, 100%. And I guess like, Australias not a copy and paste market. Weve got a couple of really defining traits. You know, Australia on a global stage is one of the worlds most aspirational destinations. So you know, that means international demand is still returning, but its not our bread and butter. You know, it is strong domestic travel. For those internationals, we do compete on a world stage. But weve got some of the highest labor costs on the planet. So that means when were looking at competing internationally or even for domestic, its really around like full levels of service. Personalization is key. Its not just like being able to throw a bulk quantity of staff. Weve also got a really unusual hotel mix, really, like, you know, that it ranges from 500 room CBD towers to remote resorts where, you know, Wi-Fi is as aspirational as the destination itself. [00:03:06] Dylan Cole: Yeah. And weve talked about this before. I would love some aspirational Wi-Fi sometimes in my life, a quick break from technology. So that sounds pretty great. But I think as we kind of guide todays conversation instead of asking ourselves what should we be doing in 2026, I think the question is more like whats worth the effort? Because theres a lot of things you can be doing with your time, your resources, but what is actually worth the effort. And I think we should start off with trend number one, which is personalization. Personalization unfortunately turns some hoteliers off when they hear that immediately because we hear it everywhere. But the truth is in Australia its actually becoming very practical. [00:03:49] Nick Ellis: A hundred percent. And this isnt sort of fancy subject lines or knowing a favorite pillow, although thats always nice. In Australia, like were commercially savvy, we have to be with the high cost of doing business in Australia. So personalization, we use it for getting guests to book direct, knowing what theyre going to buy, encouraging spending while theyre on property. We use it to make loyalty feel less like a point spreadsheet and more like a genuine relationship. Its just so important because its really how to set yourself apart from your competitor and the next hotel thats fifty meters down the street. [00:04:23] Dylan Cole: Right. Guests sure do have a lot of options. So we gotta do it the right way. And I think that comes to the next point is hoteliers have a lot of data. But the question is really like what do we do with it now? You can collect it, but if you dont have a plan, what are you gonna do? So weve written a lot about this in our blogs. We talk about it a lot, you and I, but hotels are sitting on a ton of valuable data. But oftentimes its used after the stay and not in the moment. Again, oftentimes after the moments already passed, you know? [00:04:54] Nick Ellis: Yeah, it was sort of one of my pet hates as a GM. I sort of noticed, you know, every guest we had in our building would hand every single staff member a little tiny piece of that jigsaw puzzle of who they were and what they loved and what they were looking for. And everyone had these tiny little jigsaw puzzles, but no one had that complete picture and was able to put them all together and create that experience. Its always been so difficult. Its like choosing something simple like upselling, why its so important. You know, theres such a sweet spot around using that information before arrival, during the stay, not three weeks later. But again, it was great knowing that, you know, its all well and good to know a guests favorite whiskey loaded somewhere in your data platform. But if you cant walk up to the bar and just get served that whiskey, then really creating those memorable moments on property. [00:05:41] Dylan Cole: Yeah. If you have the data, you better have a plan for it, better be able to use it. And I think that brings us to our next topic, which is the technology itself. So unified tech stacks are gaining traction in Australia. And as much as us on the tech side would love to think it, its not because all of a sudden hoteliers suddenly love technology, right? No, its probably the total opposite. [00:06:02] Nick Ellis: Theyre either totally tired of it or dont understand it or sort of still sticking their head in the sand. But at the end of the day, like teams are short staffed. No one wants to log into multiple systems to answer one question. I think as hoteliers, weve been trained over decades of experience from growing up in the industry that tech is expensive to connect and difficult to talk to each other. Disconnected tech makes friction, right? So friction shows up as longer queues, slower responses and frustrated staff. What I really love now is, you know, all this kind of infrastructure, this it exists in other industries, but in hotels were new to adopting it and its such a business change. Its such an opportunity on the verge of sort of greatness and our next big scene. [00:06:47] Dylan Cole: Well, I think thats when we can kind of talk about this bright shiny light in the distance. Oh, what is that light? Well, its the customer data platform. So you can use that or hoteliers can use that as their foundation. Its one guest profile, its clean data, and then that is connected to the rest of your ecosystem through APIs. And its really exciting. And again, its that shiny light thats there. Its there now. [00:07:11] Nick Ellis: It really is. Its so exciting for me as a career hotelier slash tech nerd. Its just practical, its flexible, its powerful, no unnecessary drama. Id call it a bit of an Aussie solution, really, but you know, its a bit deeper than that because hotel groups who run multiple properties, it means you can change parts of the stack in and out without everything falling over. It really sort of it powers so much in the background, but its still easy to use and Im so excited by whats coming in that data out. And, you know, I always refer back to that instance of the bartender knowing that your favorite drink, but ensuring that the front desk know that as well. So when you rock up, theyre like, Hey Nick, weve got a pina colada waiting for you. Were so excited to welcome you back. And being able to surface those insights that youre collecting, its such an awesome opportunity for hotels to really understand the guests, but then also deliver on it. We have this saying in hotels that guests dont remember what you did for them, they remember the way you made them feel. And its really quite a powerful thing and data really drives that because it drives that experience, right? [00:08:18] Dylan Cole: Yeah, I agree. And I think that is a great segue to the next point, which is that real-time data is what matters and that is a big trend. So hindsight isnt what pays your bills, its real time data and how you use it. So Nick, how are you seeing that play out in Australia? [00:08:36] Nick Ellis: Yeah, its really like I guess even here its so much more critical because conditions just change so quickly. Weve sort of got a massive population on tiny pinheads. So when you get things like weather or events or flight disruptions, changing market conditions, like youve got to react instantly. I can turn on the news and I can see stories about a flood and a heat wave and a cyclone and a bushfire all before the first break. Taylor Swift announcing a concert and the entire city is selling out within an hour. I remember but again back when I was a GM and leaving a hotel in the afternoon at 5 p.m. and we were sitting at 30% for the evening and then two hours later I get an automated email saying that we had now sold all inventory and were shut for the evening, full. I walked in the next morning and I was like, Oh, what happened? How did we actually sell out? Turns out the US Navy had parked an aircraft carrier in the harbor and the entire city had filled within the space of two hours and no one knew it was happening because it was a top secret visit. And you know, we thought, oh great, weve done a hundred percent. We werent expecting it. And of course the bosses were just like, Hey but you sold every room at lead in rates. What are you doing? Why didnt anyone react? Why didnt anyone yield? And like that cost us a lot of money leaving that on the table. So I guess if youre reviewing the performance after checkout, youve just like missed the opportunity. [00:09:54] Dylan Cole: Yeah, for sure. Thats a great story. Youre right. You filled the rooms, but did you optimize it? So great example of how real-time data could have helped in that instance. I think a few more practical applications for real-time data would just be things like adjusting offers while guests are still on property, being able to respond to issues before they actually become online reviews, because once theyre up, you aint taking them down. We all know that. And I think the other thing that relates is that you can make smarter operational decisions on the fly. I think a lot of times we get obsessed with dashboards and the tech, but its not really about the tech, its about that data and using it at the right time and making the right moves for your property or your group. [00:10:37] Nick Ellis: Its just so true. And like when youve got that real-time updates happening, it just means your teams arent guessing. Theyre reacting with context. And you employ all these people throughout your business who are sort of best in what they do, but at the end of the day, unless theyve got the picture of whats happening at the time, theyre just making a decision with a little limited piece of a puzzle. Again, like your bar supervisor knowing how many sales youve had in the past hour and does that warrant the amount of staff that theyve got on right now? Or you know, profiles updating in real time, firing off like book direct next time emails every single time an OTA guest checks out, for example. Its really a big shift in how hotels operate. And again, its super exciting because its happening kind of in front of us right now. [00:11:22] Dylan Cole: Yep. And if we want to operate in this world and squeeze margin out of this tough environment were in, we need to be really smart and be able to react quickly. All right. Well, hey, thats an exciting topic. Im gonna switch over to something that doesnt sound as exciting on the surface, but is actually extremely important, and thats privacy because guests are paying attention to this. Everybodys paying attention to this in the world today. Nick, how are you seeing privacy play out in Australia? [00:11:50] Nick Ellis: Yeah, look, its front and center, privacy and data security. You know, quite recently any Australian will tell you the list of top tier, blue ribbon, Australian massive companies, government agencies that are appearing on the front page of the news because of data breaches. Like it is front and center of mind. Its really critical. I think generally speaking, Aussies like, I personally dont mind sharing my information as long as its kind of clear why. Im happy to give a bit about me if Im going to get something back. But Ive got to be in control. Ive got to understand how youre going to use it. And Ive got to have final say and understand that. But I think generally speaking, were pretty accepting. We just dont want to be that guy. And no one wants to be that business on the front page of the newspaper and no one wants to be that guest whos now having to change your drivers license because its been stolen, right? [00:12:39] Dylan Cole: Yeah. And I think that unfortunately, not everybodys thinking about how much privacy or data protection can affect a brands reputation. But its a big deal and you should really be thinking about that when you make your technology decisions. But when we talk about personalization and privacy at Revinate we know that those two things actually move in tandem. So you cant get one right and then ignore the other because guests will certainly notice and they will notice not in a good way when those things arent happening together. [00:13:26] Nick Ellis: A hundred percent. And look, no one will do business with a brand they dont trust, right? Totally not. [00:13:35] Dylan Cole: Alright, Nick, well that brings us to our fifth and final trend. Ill let you take that one away, please. [00:13:26] Nick Ellis: Yeah, easy. I guess I see like its around pulling everything together. So the move from sort of isolated guest communications to like a full journey orchestration. Guests dont think in those stages. They dont follow a flow chart to understand where theyre at in a purchase funnel. They dont really care which system sends which message. They just want everything to make sense. So its super important to take that sort of holistic view. I guess is to, you know, what does that journey look like? Put yourself in your guests feet. Are your different platforms, are they sending out everything thats on brand? Are their messages not conflicting each other? What do you think? [00:14:02] Dylan Cole: Yeah, I agree. I dont think guests really care what technology youre using, but they care about the experience. But we still see a lot of hotels that we talk to today kind of are stitching together different platforms in order to achieve that guest journey. So they have a different platform for email, a different one for messaging, a different one for feedback, also for loyalty. The thing is that when those tools are connected, ultimately it does result in a smoother experience for that guest. Even though they dont know what the technology is, theyll feel it in their experience. And the other thing you cant forget about, especially in todays world where hiring good staff and keeping your hotel staffed is important. You need to provide good tech so that your staff are having a good experience and are able to have a productive day when theyre on property or working, right? And I dont know. How do you feel about that, Nick? [00:14:52] Nick Ellis: Absolutely. And I guess if I sort of spoke to and talked to like the biggest challenges to doing hotels in Australia is like the cost of labor, but first and foremost, before that, its where the team coming from. Its the quality and its the availability of team. That value proposition and becoming an employer of choice is like more critical now than ever before, you know, employee experience is just as important as guest experience. And Ive seen firsthand when the tools are connected and the tech is easy and the experience feels smoother, like the team enjoy it. Smoother means more efficient and for hotels, efficient means profitable. You know, its kind of just a win-win. Its you give your people the tools they need to do the most awesome job and just let them go and do it, right? [00:15:40] Dylan Cole: Yep, absolutely. Take care of your people, theyll take care of you. I think thats how the saying goes. Hundred percent. Hundred percent. So lets wrap it up. Before we do that, I do want to highlight that we have our 2026 hospitality benchmark report launching very soon. And for those that know, that comes out every year and its a great report. Nick, whats in that report? [00:16:02] Nick Ellis: I guess I love it as an ex hotelier. Its really because I read it and I understand like how is my performance trending? Where am I at year on year? How do I compare to similar properties and markets? How are the markets trending? And really its giving me insights as to like how, what are those trends? What are those things that other people are doing? Where do I need to focus next? Its really like removing that guesswork, adding a bit of clarity. Set my sights on if I want to be best in the business, well I better understand what everyone else is doing, right? So how do I beat them if I cant measure them? Yeah, absolutely. [00:16:36] Dylan Cole: Well, cool. Thanks for that. And I guess to wrap things up, a few takeaways for our Australian friends is number one, you dont need to chase every trend. Number two, you dont need more tools and you definitely dont need another system that almost integrates. [00:16:55] Nick Ellis: A hundred percent. Like its around that connection, right? Its you need better connections. You need better timing, a better guest experience that actually feels joined up. You need to feel connected to the team. The team need to feel connected to the tech, connected to the guests. Its really connectivity and timing. [00:17:12] Dylan Cole: Well, thanks for that, Nick. And thanks to our audience. Hopefully that was valuable and helpful. All right, everybody. Well, thanks for listening to the Hotel Moment podcast. Please check out Revinates blog and hospitality strategies for more and we will see you next time. [00:17:29] Outro: Thank you for joining us on this episode of Hotel Moment by Revinate. Our community of hoteliers is growing every week and each guest we speak to is tackling industry challenges with the innovation and flexibility that our industry demands. If you enjoyed todays episode, dont forget to subscribe, rate, and leave a review. And if youre listening on YouTube, please like the video and subscribe for more content. For more information, head to revinate.com/hotelmomentpodcast. Until next time, keep innovating. About Revinate Revinate is a direct booking platform that leads the hospitality industry in driving direct revenue and increased profitability. Our products and our people combine to give hoteliers the superpowers they need to crush their goals. With Revinate, hoteliers shift share away from OTAs and drive tangible results across an individual property or a portfolio. Our industry-leading, AI-powered customer data platform collects, unifies, and synthesizes data to give hoteliers a foundational advantage. Hoteliers gain critical intelligence guest lifetime spend, stay preferences, ancillary revenue, and more. With Revinate's Rich Guest Profiles data, hoteliers don't need to guess who their most profitable guests are or struggle to drive conversions across email, voice, messaging, and digital channels. Revinate's direct booking platform and omnichannel communication technology powers 950+ million Rich Guest Profiles across 12,500+ hotels to drive over $17.2 billion in direct revenue. Media Team Media team | Revinate +1 415 671 4703 Revinate, Inc. View source A Message from Laura Chadwick, President & CEO of the Travel Technology Association - Image Credit Travel Technology Association As Travel Tech looks ahead into 2026, one of the most significant challenges facing the industry is the growing wave of state price surveillance legislation. These proposals would restrict or ban the use of algorithms and artificial intelligence in pricing when information about the consumer searching online is known. Since the beginning of the year, nearly 20 state bills have been introduced, with more undoubtedly on the way. Restricting or banning the use of algorithms and artificial intelligence in pricing will have a major impact on how the travel industry utilizes dynamic pricing to price perishable travel services. The consequences of these new state laws would increase operational costs, constrain revenue management strategies, and make it difficult, if not impossible, to align pricing with real-time market conditions automatically. Instead of helping the market work better, these bills would lock in inefficiencies and push companies toward blunt, one-size-fits-all pricing. As these proposals advance in statehouses, they also introduce growing legal and compliance uncertainty, particularly where broadly written bills create conflicting obligations across states. At Travel Tech, we are closely tracking these developments and helping industry members understand what these proposals mean in practice and how they intersect with existing pricing and consumer protection laws. Staying engaged early will be critical to managing risk and ensuring policymakers understand the real-world impact of these proposals before they create lasting harm to the travel ecosystem. Please reach out to me if these bills are a concern for your company Id welcome the opportunity to discuss how Travel Tech can help you stay informed and engaged as these proposals and others move forward. Laura Chadwick Central Berkshire Habitat for Humanity offers Free Tax Assistance PITTSFIELD, Mass. For more than a dozen years, Central Berkshire Habitat for Humanity (CBHFH) has provided free income tax preparation to qualifying households through the IRS-supported Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA) program. Services are available to households earning $69,000 or less, as well as individuals with disabilities and older adults. All VITA volunteers complete extensive training and are IRS-certified. According to CBHFH CEO Carolyn Valli, the program's success is rooted in both volunteer commitment and community trust. "Most of our volunteers return year after year to support this essential service for underserved residents of Berkshire County," said Valli. "More than 85 percent of our clients are returning clients, and much of the remaining 15 percent are new clients from South County whom we've recently been able to reach." VITA services will begin Monday, January 26, with both drop-off options and scheduled appointments available to assist residents with their tax paperwork. "Thanks to our dedicated volunteers, we're fully prepared to support our clients throughout tax season," said Lynne Newton, CBHFH Community Navigator and VITA Program Coordinator. "We're here to help in whatever way best meets their needs." CBHFH also offers language support, including Spanish interpretation by appointment, to ensure residents feel comfortable navigating IRS requirements. "Tax time can be stressful," Newton added. "Having documents explained in your native language can make a meaningful difference and help ease anxiety." Service Locations & Hours Pittsfield Appointments available at 314 Columbus Avenue and Federal Credit Union Community Space, 75 Kellogg St. Mondays through Wednesdays: 9:00 a.m. 7:00 p.m. Thursday: 9:00 a.m. 4:00 p.m. South County Mason Library 231 Main Street, Great Barrington Tuesdays & Thursdays: 2:00 p.m. 5:45 p.m. Wednesdays: 9:00 a.m. 1:00 p.m. MCLA - VITA tax preparation is also available by appointment only. To schedule an appointment, call 413.442.3184. The Lanesborough ZBA says the country store's pickup truck is a freestanding sign; store owners say it falls under the exemption as its attached to registered motor vehicle. Lanesborough ZBA Denies Local Country Store's Appeal LANESBOROUGH, Mass. The fate of the Lanesborough Local Country Store's signature vintage pickup truck remains uncertain following the Zoning Board of Appeals' recent decision. Tensions flared at last week's meeting as the board debated whether a truck with a sign mounted on its bed complies with the town's sign bylaws. The board voted to uphold the building inspector's violation, though board member Ronald Tinkham expressed reluctance about the decision. For the last five years, the truck has been a familiar sight on the grass near the store, at local events and parades, and serving ice cream at summer gatherings. That was until the family business , known for its handmade gifts, nostalgic toys, farm fresh ice cream, groceries, beer, wine, baked goods and deli, received a violation. Building Inspector Brian Duval explained to the board that the bylaws only permit one freestanding sign to be located on the property and the store already has a freestanding sign making the truck sign a violation. "I realize that the vehicle is a registered vehicle. The sign obviously is not original equipment to the vehicle. It obviously is being used as advertisement to the property. It's not something they use in their day-to-day businesses, not talking about a box truck with lettering on it," he said. He expressed concerns that allowing the truck would create an unregulated loophole where anyone could mount freestanding signs to vehicles and bypass sign-size and number limits. The town's bylaws define a sign as "any word, number, emblem, picture, design, trademark or other device designed to inform or attract the attention of persons not on the premises on which the device is located, whether affixed to the ground, or a building, structure, or vehicle, or other conveyance." The definition also outlines a number of items not to be included in the definition, including "signs painted on or attached to duly registered motor vehicles." Tyler Purdy, owner of Lanesborough Local Country Store, explained to the board that the sign is not just sitting in the back of the 1955 truck; it is lagged through the frame of the truck and cannot move. Paul B. Sherr, a New York attorney, offered his "informed opinion" to iBerkshires, but not in representing Purdy as his Massachusetts license is retired. He highlighted the language in the definitions of the town bylaws, which was also presented by board member Tinkham. "The bylaw on its face is plainly worded and it clearly gives an exemption applicable under the circumstances. Mr. Purdy has a display 'attached to (a) duly registered motor vehicle', without more, the plain wording speaks for itself to create an exemption," Sherr told iBerkshires. "The language was written into the bylaw for a reason. The language is not there by happenstance." Sherr, who didn't attend the meeting but heard of the determination from Purdy, said the board did not "legally qualify the exemption, such as moderating case law or countermanding sections of the bylaws. "The Zoning Board offered its various opinions as to why the exemption should not apply, but no more." The attorney said "opinions do not control," and if the ZBA cannot prove that the drafters of the bylaw did not intend this exemption, "then in my opinion, the Zoning Board bears the burden of proving the modification, qualification, or contrary intent has been made or codified in some controlling fashion." He advised Purdy to retain a Massachusetts lawyer. Purdy confirmed that he will be appealing the board's decision through Land Court. When Tinkham raised the wording of the bylaw, Chair Mark Siegars, an attorney, argued that the bylaws state there only be one sign and "it doesn't make any difference what the definition is. It's one sign "I think the practical reading of signs painted on or attached to is you painted on or you have a magnet sign on it. You don't have something strapped back that's going to potentially fly off." Purdy emphasized during the meeting that the sign is mounted to the frame so there is no safety risk. Another argument against him was that the truck is on the grass and not in a parking space, so the purpose of the sign does not coincide with the purpose of the exemption. Tinkham asked if the board could allow the sign with the stipulation that it be parked in a parking spot and be regularly moved. However, Siegars said it is not the job of the board to advise the applicant. Rather it is the board's jurisdiction to decide whether to uphold the building inspector's violation or not strictly a yes or no decision. "That's why all these arguments happen in this town, because there's no consistency," Siegars said. Tinkham wondered if the sign predated the bylaw, and is therefore non-conforming and pre-existing. Siegars asked if there is any evidence the sign pre-existed the adoption of the bylaws. "I'm just telling you, nobody brought any evidence in as to when this section was adopted or not adopted. We can't sit here and conjecture about it," he said. The business received the violation following what town officials described as a "complaint" to the building inspector by Second Drop Farm, which has been fighting its own battles with the town over short-term rentals and signage. The farm owners took to its social media to clarify it had never filed a complaint with the town; rather, it questioned what is permitted based on what other businesses do, such as taking inspiration from the country store by hanging its banner on their farm truck. "We weren't trying to 'report' our neighbors. We were trying to establish a baseline of what is allowed and hold the building inspector accountable by showing him what other businesses had that we were also trying to have and being told no," they said in the post. "What the town is doing is called selective enforcement and it is illegal. We agree that the Lanesborough Local truck should be allowed, just as we should be allowed to also have advertising." North Adams Airport Commissioners Get Update on Hangar Project NORTH ADAMS, Mass. The Airport Commission received an update on a new hangar construction project that is expected to go out to bid in March. Peter Enzien of Stantec, the airport's engineer, reported Tuesday that preliminary work is progressing on the proposed six-unit hangar project. Enzien said survey work is complete, noting the site is a simple, flat plot of land. "It is a big, wide-open, flat area, so it did not take them long," he said. Enzien said he is waiting on the results of some soil borings, noting that a potentially high clay composition could cause some hiccups. "The soil here is not good; there is a lot of clay here. We are hopeful we can do a conventional foundation system," he said. "It is a fairly light building. It is just a pre-engineered metal building." Enzien said although the design process has begun, he will be able to change plans if the soil results come back unfavorably. The proposed 147-foot hangar, which will be funded through state and federal funds, will run along the east side of the Shamrock Hangar from east to west. Enzien noted that although the plot looks flat, some grading will still have to take place. Stantec must submit plans to state and federal agencies by the first week of February. After addressing notes, the project can go out to bid in March. Bids will likely be opened May 1. Enzien added that the project could include a new roof on the city-owned Shamrock Hangar. He said the roof work will be included as an alternative in the bid. "We will see how the bids come in. If it is reasonable, the FAA might fund 95 percent of it," he said. "If they don't, MassDOT offered to pick up 80 percent of it. The airport would pick up the remaining 20 percent." The commission also mentioned they could consider selling the Shamrock Hangar. City Councilor and Airport Commission liaison Andrew Fitch asked if it was possible to move the property if the city is not using it. "If we have buildings that we are not using, the Shamrock Building perhaps if we don't have plans to develop plans to use a building, maybe we consider offloading it in a constructive way," Fitch said. "Not saying that it has to be offloaded, but something to think about if we are never going to use that space." Enzien said it is possible to sell the property, but a few steps need to take place first. Although the city owns the property, it was purchased with federal money. This means the lounge area must remain open to the public. Enzien noted the city could reimburse the federal money to clear that restriction. "Then you could do whatever you want," he said. The reimbursement would not be a simple exchange of cash; instead, the amount would be marked against future airport improvement grant funds, lessening the potential grant amount available for future projects. Fitch, who continued to speak during public comment, also suggested the airport consider updating its signage. "I don't think our sign is very impressive, exciting, or representative of the businesses here," Fitch said. "We do have a high-end arts community around here if we want to do something interesting." He showed a picture of the Bennington Airport sign, which appeared to be made of old airplane parts. The commission agreed, and Enzien noted the current sign was repurposed from a doctor's office building. "We thought a sign is better than no sign, and it was always meant to be temporary," he said. Fitch suggested the commission could tap the Massachusetts Cultural Council for a potential grant. Finally, the commission tabled a discussion on kitchen equipment donated by Williams College to support the restaurant space in the Administration Building until Commissioner James Haskins could be present. Chairman Dean Bullett said they would need to act on the donation at the next meeting, as the college is preparing to move the equipment for upcoming renovations. On The Ground newsletter: Get a weekly dispatch from our international correspondents Get a weekly dispatch from our international correspondents Get a weekly international news dispatch Email * SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our Privacy notice A closely watched national security trial involving former members of a now-disbanded group organising Tiananmen Square candlelight vigils began on Thursday, marking another major test of the Beijing-imposed law that has reshaped political life in Hong Kong. Hong Kong democracy advocates Lee Cheuk-yan, 68, Albert Ho, 74, and Chow Hang-tung, 40, all former leaders of the Hong Kong Alliance in Support of Patriotic Democratic Movements of China, are accused of inciting subversion of state power. Prosecutors allege that the trio used their long-running role in organising Tiananmen Square memorial activities to promote political ideas deemed unlawful under the national security law introduced in 2020. open image in gallery Tang Ngok-kwan (R), a Tiananmen vigil activist and former committee member for Hong Kong Alliance in Support of Patriotic Democratic Movements of China, is seen queueing for the start of the trial of the now-disbanded Hong Kong Alliance with among the defendants three of its leaders, Chow Hang-tung, Albert Ho and Lee Cheuk-yan who for years organised the annual vigil for the victims of the Tiananmen Square massacre in 1989 ( AFP via Getty Images ) The case is among the most significant brought under the legislation, which carries a maximum sentence of 10 years in prison and has resulted in convictions in nearly every prosecution so far. As the defendants were brought into court, supporters gathered in the public gallery. Mr Lee acknowledged them with a wave, prompting greetings of good morning in return. Ms Chow bowed and expressed thanks to those who had remained outside overnight. Mr Ho, the eldest of the three, appeared composed as he took his seat, the Associated Press reported. Shortly afterward, Ms Chow and Mr Lee entered not guilty pleas. Mr Ho pleaded guilty, a decision that could be considered during sentencing. For more than three decades, the Hong Kong Alliance organised annual candlelight vigils on 4 June to commemorate the victims of the 1989 Tiananmen Square crackdown. Until authorities barred the event in 2020, the gathering held in Victoria Park was the only large-scale public remembrance of the massacre anywhere on Chinese soil and had become a defining symbol of Hong Kongs political freedoms after the citys 1997 handover from Britain to China. Before dawn on Thursday, dozens of people lined up outside the courthouse in cold conditions to secure limited public seating. Among them was Tang Ngok-kwan, a former core member of the alliance, who said he had been waiting for days to attend the opening. open image in gallery Medina Chow Lau Wah-chun, right, mother of pro-democracy activist Chow Hang-tung, leaves the West Kowloon Magistrates Courts following the national security trial of the defunct Hong Kong Alliance in Support of Patriotic Democratic Movements of China, the group that for decades organised the citys annual June 4 candlelight vigils, on Thursday, 22 January 2026 ( AP ) They use their freedom to exchange for a dignified defence, Mr Tang said. Its about being accountable to history. The trial will be heard by a panel of three judges approved for national security cases and is expected to run for about 75 days. Prosecutors plan to present video recordings and other materials linked to the alliances past campaigns. The court will not allow the trial to become, as [Chow] said, a tool for political suppression, the judges wrote in a preliminary ruling. open image in gallery File. People light candles as they attend a vigil on the 34th anniversary of the crackdown of pro-democracy demonstrations around Tiananmen Square in Beijing, at Columbia University in New York City on 4 June 2023 ( AFP via Getty Images ) In outlining the facts connected to Mr Hos guilty plea, prosecutor Ned Lai argued that the alliances long-standing call to end one-party rule amounted to an attempt to undermine Chinas constitutional order. Mr Lai said removing the Chinese Communist Party from power was unconstitutional and could not be achieved through lawful means. A written prosecution statement published by the judiciary alleged that the alliance used references to democracy and the June 4th incident to disseminate content hostile to the state. Although the defendants did not set out specific plans, prosecutors argued that the likely effect of their advocacy was to encourage the removal of the partys leadership. The proceedings against Ms Chow, Mr Lee and Mr Ho come shortly after the conviction of prominent media entrepreneur Jimmy Lai, a verdict that sparked criticism from governments and rights groups abroad. Mr Lai was convicted of conspiring to collude with foreign forces. Responding this week, Hong Kongs chief justice rejected claims of political motivation, saying the judges deal only with the law and the evidence, not with any underlying matters of politics. Meanwhile, the human rights organisations and overseas observers have criticised the case as emblematic of Hong Kongs shrinking civic space. This case is not about national security it is about rewriting history and punishing those who refuse to forget the victims of the Tiananmen crackdown, said Sarah Brooks, Amnesty Internationals deputy regional director for Asia was quoted as saying by Reuters. Mark Clifford, president of the Committee for Freedom in Hong Kong Foundation, was quoted as saying by the Guardian: The Chinese regime will stop at nothing to erase history and silence those who seek to keep the truth of Tiananmen alive. Chow Hang-tung, Lee Cheuk-yan and Albert Ho are courageous patriots who have devoted their lives to representing Chinese people denied basic rights. Sadly, they are also symbols of how far Hong Kongs once-respected justice system has fallen, persecuted for demanding that Beijing keep its promises to the people of Hong Kong. Hong Kongs government has repeatedly defended the enforcement of the security law, saying all actions are grounded in evidence and applied in accordance with legal procedures. Beijing, meanwhile, maintains that the law was necessary to restore stability after the mass pro-democracy protests of 2019. On Wednesday, Angeli Datt, research and advocacy coordinator at the Network of Chinese Human Rights Defenders (CHRD), said in a statement: Organising a candlelight vigil to call for justice for victims of a massacre and democracy in China is not a threat to national security it is a form of expression and assembly guaranteed by international human rights law. This trial is sham, designed to make repression appear legitimate. If Hong Kong authorities actually follow the law, their only recourse is to drop all charges and immediately release the three organisers. On The Ground newsletter: Get a weekly dispatch from our international correspondents Get a weekly dispatch from our international correspondents Get a weekly international news dispatch Email * SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our Privacy notice A sightseeing helicopter that went missing with three people on board was found to have crashed near Mount Aso, one of Japans most active volcanoes, according to the countrys transport ministry. Search and rescue is still on for the people who were on board: a Japanese pilot in his 60s, a man in his 40s, and a woman in her 30s. The man and the woman are believed to be Taiwanese nationals, Kyodo News reported. The helicopter lost contact shortly after departing from a tourist facility in Aso City in Kumamoto Prefecture on the island of Kyushu late on Tuesday morning. The flight was meant to last about 10 minutes and offer aerial views of the volcanos craters and its surrounding landscape. Local police said a wreckage, possibly of the missing helicopter, was spotted inside the crater of Nakadake, one of Mt Asos five peaks. open image in gallery A prefectural disaster prevention helicopter searches near the Nakadake crater of Mount Aso in Kumamoto prefecture, southwestern Japan, Tuesday, 20 January 2026, where a sightseeing helicopter went missing ( AP ) Rescuers have been unable to approach the site due to strong winds, limited visibility and high concentrations of volcanic gas, NHK Japan reported. According to Kyodo News, Chen Ming-jun, director of the Fukuoka Branch of the Taipei Economic and Cultural Office in Osaka, arrived at the scene on Wednesday and conveyed thanks to the search-and-rescue operations on behalf of Taiwan president Lai Ching-te. The families of the Taiwanese passengers arrived in Kumamoto in the afternoon. Takumi Morioka, president of the helicopter operator, Takumi Enterprise, told a press conference in Aso that he was praying for the survival of those on board, Kyodo News reported. "We will fully cooperate in the investigation into the cause of the accident," he said. According to local media, the pilot was highly experienced, with decades of flight time and a background as a flight instructor. Fire officials said an emergency alert was received at around 11.04am local time on Tuesday, apparently triggered by a passengers smartphone feature that activates during a strong impact, according to The Japan Times. GPS signals from the aircraft were last detected near the crater before cutting out completely. open image in gallery The area of Mount Aso is seen in Kumamoto Prefecture, southwestern Japan, on Tuesday, 20 January 2026, where a sightseeing helicopter went missing earlier in the day ( AP ) Following the incident, the company suspended all helicopter operations. The aircraft involved was a US-made Robinson R44 and was on its third sightseeing trip of the day. The operator said there were no problems during the helicopters earlier flights. Weather conditions over Mount Nakadake deteriorated throughout Tuesday, forcing rescuers to pause operations in the evening. Searches resumed on Wednesday morning, with teams continuing to monitor gas levels before attempting to move closer to the crash site. open image in gallery The area near the Nakadake crater of Mount Aso is seen in Kumamoto Prefecture, southwestern Japan, on Tuesday, 20 January 2026, where a sightseeing helicopter went missing earlier in the day ( AP ) Mount Aso, located within Aso-Kuju National Park, is a major tourist destination, particularly popular with visitors from overseas. According to the latest figures from Japanese authorities, around 1.18 million foreign tourists visited the park in 2024, making it the countrys second most-visited national park after Fuji-Hakone-Izu National Park, which includes Mount Fuji. A tour operator who guides visitors from China and Taiwan told Mainichi that the area offered a powerful experience of nature, noting that helicopter tours are especially sought after for their close-up views of the craters. Long queues are common, the operator said, adding: We never expected an accident to happen. While Mount Nakadake remains an active volcano, the Japan Meteorological Agency says its eruption alert level is currently at 1, indicating relatively low activity. Aerial flights are generally permitted when weather conditions are stable, although drone flights are banned within a one-kilometre radius of the crater due to recovery risks. Mount Aso last erupted in October 2021, sending a large plume of ash and smoke into the air. On The Ground newsletter: Get a weekly dispatch from our international correspondents Get a weekly dispatch from our international correspondents Get a weekly international news dispatch Email * SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our Privacy notice The worlds largest nuclear power plant, Kashiwazaki-Kariwa, saw its restart suspended just hours after it resumed operations for the first time since the 2011 Fukushima disaster. The No. 6 reactor at the plant in north-central Japan was halted due to a glitch involving control rods, which are crucial for the safe operation of reactors, according to operator Tokyo Electric Power Company Holdings (TEPCO). TEPCO stated there was no immediate safety concern arising from the malfunction and confirmed it was investigating the situation. The timeline for resuming the restart process remains unclear. The restart at Kashiwazaki-Kariwa has been under intense scrutiny, particularly as TEPCO also manages the Fukushima Daiichi plant, which was devastated by the 2011 earthquake and tsunami. Resource-poor Japan is increasingly relying on atomic power to meet its escalating electricity demands. All seven reactors at Kashiwazaki-Kariwa have been dormant since a year after the meltdowns of reactors at the Fukushima plant contaminated the surrounding land with radioactive fallout so severe that some areas are still unlivable. open image in gallery The Tokyo Electric Power Company Holdings Inc.'s Kashiwazaki-Kariwa nuclear power plant is seen in Kashiwazaki, Niigata prefecture, Japan, Wednesday, Jan. 21, 2026. (Chiaki Ueda/Kyodo News via AP) ( Kyodo News ) TEPCO is working on the cleanup at the Fukushima site thats estimated to cost 22 trillion yen ($139 billion). It's also trying to recover from the damage to its reputation after government and independent investigations blamed the Fukushima disaster on TEPCOs bad safety culture and criticized it for collusion with safety authorities. Fourteen other nuclear reactors have restarted across Japan since 2011, but the Kashiwazaki-Kariwa plant, about 220 kilometers (135 miles) northwest of Tokyo, is the first TEPCO-run unit to resume production. A restart of the No. 6 reactor could generate an additional 1.35 million kilowatts of electricity, enough to power more than 1 million households in the capital region. The Kashiwazaki-Kariwa plants combined output capacity of 8 million kilowatts makes it the worlds largest, though TEPCO plans to resume only two of the seven reactors in coming years. On The Ground newsletter: Get a weekly dispatch from our international correspondents Get a weekly dispatch from our international correspondents Get a weekly international news dispatch Email * SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our Privacy notice A court in the Philippines convicted journalist Frenchie Mae Cumpio of financing terrorism and sentenced her to at least 12 years in prison in a ruling that has sparked outrage among press freedom advocates. Cumpio, a 26-year-old reporter from the central Philippines, was arrested in February 2020 after soldiers stormed her boarding house during a late-night raid. Authorities claimed to have discovered a grenade, a gun, and a communist flag inside her room. Her lawyers said she was being targeted with trumped up cases. In a handwritten note sent from prison last year, Cumpio dismissed the case against her as a story thats so absurd that if this was a class debate, you wouldnt even try to rebut. open image in gallery Frenchie Mae Cumpio (back, wearing yellow), a detained Filipino journalist, and her former roommate Marielle Domequil (front, wearing yellow) leave Tacloban Regional Trial Court in Leyte island on 22 January 2026, after the promulgation of her court case. Cumpio, who spent nearly six years in a crowded provincial prison, was found guilty of terror financing in a case rights groups and a UN rapporteur had labelled a travesty of justice ( AFP via Getty Images ) On Thursday, after spending nearly six years in detention without a trial, Cumpio was cleared of charges related to illegal possession of firearms and explosives. However, the court found her guilty of financing terrorism, a conviction that will keep her behind bars for at least 12 years. Her former roommate, Marielle Domequil, received the same sentence. According to AFP, the two women broke down in tears and embraced as the verdict was read out. We are deeply concerned about the implications of this conviction, considering that there are many other cases, and I would say, trumped up cases, of financing terrorism that are still being prosecuted all over the country, Atty Josa Deinla, one of Cumpios lawyers, told the BBC. The sad reality is that this decision carries grievous consequences for community journalism, because it's really the community journalist the ones on the fringes, the ones who don't belong to the dominant media organisations, that really bring to light the conditions, especially in rural countryside, where the poorest people live. Campaigners argue that Cumpio was targeted because of her reporting on alleged abuses by security forces, a practice known locally as red-tagging, where journalists and activists are accused of links to communist rebels and prosecuted. This tactic, observers say, became increasingly common during the presidency of Rodrigo Duterte, who led the country from 2016 to 2022. In September last year, a group of 250 journalists from around the world urged the Philippine president to intervene in her case and work towards her freedom. The appeal was signed by veteran reporters spanning multiple continents from the Philippines and the United States to Brazil, Kenya, Australia and Mongolia. Before her arrest, Cumpio reported extensively on alleged military and police abuses in the Eastern Visayas region. She wrote for the online outlet Eastern Vista, where she previously served as director, and hosted a radio programme on Aksyon Radyo-Tacloban DYVL. Her case has become a rallying point for local and international media organisations, which describe the charges as politically motivated and her detention conditions as inhumane. This absurd verdict shows that the various pledges made by president Ferdinand Marcos Jr to uphold press freedom are nothing but empty talk, said Beh Lih Yi, Asia-Pacific director of the Committee to Protect Journalists. The ruling underscores the lengths that Philippine authorities are willing to go to silence critical reporting. open image in gallery Frenchie Mae Cumpio, a detained Filipino journalist, gestures as she arrives at Tacloban Regional Trial Court in Leyte island on 22 January 2026, to attend the promulgation of her court case. - Cumpio, a young Philippine journalist who spent nearly six years in a crowded provincial prison, was found guilty of terror financing on 22 January in a case rights groups and a UN rapporteur had labelled a 'travesty of justice' ( AFP via Getty Images ) Aleksandra Bielakowska, Reporters Sans Frontiers (RSF) Asia-Pacific Bureau Advocacy Manager, said in a statement: We are appalled by this verdict. The RSF investigations and evidence presented in court by Frenchie Mae Cumpios lawyers clearly show how fabricated this case has been from the very beginning. Frenchie Mae Cumpios conviction represents a devastating failure on the part of the Philippine justice system and the authorities blatant disregard for press freedom. The Philippines should serve as an international example of protecting media freedom not a perpetrator that red-tags, prosecutes and imprisons journalists simply for doing their work. This sentence only highlights the systemic issues in the country and the urgent need for comprehensive reforms. We renew our call on President Ferdinand Marcos Jr to act without delay to end this injustice and release Frenchie Mae Cumpio immediately. Without his decisive action, there will be no meaningful difference from previous administrations that showed no regard for upholding a free press. Earlier, Irene Khan, the UN Special Rapporteur on freedom of expression and opinion, demanded accountability in the case of Cumpio, saying she was alarmed by the length of the journalists pretrial detention. The UN official met Cumpio during a prison visit in January 2024, and in May last year, her case was named among the One Free Press Coalitions 10 Most Urgent press freedom cases of the year. Local independent media group Altermidya also condemned the ruling, calling it a miscarriage of justice. We are outraged by the clear injustice of the court decision amid glaring evidence that the charges against Frenchie Mae, Marielle Domequil, and the rest of Tacloban 5 are all fabricated, the organisation said in a statement. open image in gallery Lala Cumpio (R), mother of the detained Filipino journalist Frenchie Mae Cumpio, cries outside the Tacloban Regional Trial Court in Leyte island on 22 January 2026, after the promulgation of her daughter's court case ( AFP via Getty Images ) The term Tacloban Five refers to Cumpio, Domequil and three others who were charged in the coastal city of Tacloban. The cases against the remaining defendants have yet to be resolved. The International Association of Women in Radio and Television in the Philippines described the verdict as a blatant act of state-sponsored silencing. The conviction of Frenchie Mae for terror financing is a travesty that seeks to legitimise the silencing of women who dare to speak truth to power, and her sisters from our community of women in media will not rest until she is fully vindicated and her name is cleared of these baseless charges, the statement said. This sends a chilling message: that documenting the struggles of the poor has become a punishable offence. According to Reporters Without Borders, the Philippines remains one of the most dangerous countries in the world for journalists. Community reporters are particularly at risk, often clashing with entrenched political families and armed groups. In the 2025 World Press Freedom Index published by Reporters Without Borders, the Philippines placed 116th among 180 countries and territories, with press conditions assessed as difficult. The dangers of the profession were laid bare in 2009, when 58 people most of them journalists were murdered in the southern province of Maguindanao in an attack aimed at preventing a rival political clan from challenging an election result. Sign up to the Independent Climate email for the latest advice on saving the planet Get our free Climate email Get our free Climate email Email * SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our Privacy notice The ground is impossibly flat, white with salt, and largely uninhabited a no mans land where not even cellphone signal can reach. The landscape seems to stretch endlessly as you drive through Gujarats salt flats, a land so saline and marshy it was once considered unusable. Then, without warning, the horizon transforms. Rows of hulking electricity towers stretch into the distance, convoys of trucks carry turbine blades longer than plane wings, and a crop of solar panels rises from the marshy ground. This is Khavda, where India is building the worlds largest renewable energy project. Spanning 726 sq km about seven times larger than the city of Paris the Khavda Renewable Energy Park is expected to generate 30 gigawatts of power by combining solar and wind on the same site in western India. When fully operational, the site will produce enough electricity to supply a country the size of Chile or the Netherlands. China may be leading the global race in terms of how fast it is adding renewable energy capacity, but no single site comparable to Khavda exists anywhere else in the world. The turbines are each about 200m tall. Each blade, 78m long, is transported on specialised trailers that move at dawn, before heat and wind make construction unsafe. The site will eventually feature nearly 60 million solar panels, many mounted on trackers that tilt through the day to maximise sunlight. At night, wind speeds rise, allowing turbines to take over as solar generation drops. open image in gallery A view of Khavda renewable energy park with rows of solar panels and wind turbines ( Stuti Mishra/The Independent ) Khavda is coming up at a moment when Indias power system is expanding rapidly to compete with China, which, at around 1.8 terawatts, enjoys 40 per cent of the global installed capacity in renewables as well as a firm grip on supply chains for manufacturing solar panels and batteries. Last year, India achieved the goal of adding 50 gigawatts of renewable energy capacity one of the largest annual additions globally taking its total non-fossil fuel capacity to about 262 gigawatts. Thats now more than half of its total installed generation capacity of about 510 gigawatts. But many questions remain. Can renewables be built at a large enough scale to deliver reliable power to a fast-growing economy that still relies heavily on coal? Will Indias patchy transmission network be upgraded fast enough to actually get all this renewable energy to households and industries? And what happens if India needs to do all this on its own, without relying on imports from China? Most of the Khavda project is being developed by Adani Green Energy and represents a huge outlay for the wider Adani Group, which is also Indias largest importer of coal and operates some of the more controversial coal mining operations around the world. Its not quite a pivot from dirty coal to renewables Adanis coal empire isnt going to be shut down any time soon. Rather, the plan to add 50 gigawatts of renewable capacity by the end of this decade is seen as a sensible business decision, diversifying Indias energy supplies. open image in gallery Employees at the Adani Group owned Khavda Renewable Energy Park in Khavda ( AFP via Getty Images ) Ashish Khanna, CEO of Adani Green Energy, tells The Independent the company is focused on meeting the soaring energy demands of the worlds fastest-growing major economy, and that this has to come from a mix of sources. India is still one-fourth of the world average when it comes to per capita electricity consumption, he says. If GDP grows at six to seven per cent, electricity demand grows closer to nine per cent. The country needs energy at scale, and renewable electricity will play a very critical role in meeting that demand. Khanna says India cannot yet meet its energy needs with renewables alone, arguing that they must operate in parallel with coal as demand continues to rise. We need base load (from sources such as traditional coal-powered plants) and we need renewables, they have to coexist, he explains. The question is not one versus the other, but what proportion comes from where, and at what cost. open image in gallery Engineers work at the control centre of the Adani Green Renewable Energy Plant in Khavda, in India's Gujarat state ( AFP via Getty Images ) What Khanna describes is playing out across Indias power sector. While coal still dominates electricity generation the energy thats actually being used new capacity building is overwhelmingly in the form of renewables, says Charith Konda, an energy analyst at the Institute for Energy Economics and Financial Analysis (IEEFA). What you are seeing at Khavda is not very different from what is happening across the country, he says. Almost 70 to 80 per cent of new power capacity installations every quarter over the last three to four years is coming from solar and wind. They are following economics. They are following what is happening in policy. The constraint, Konda says, is not the pace of renewable construction, but how electricity is delivered once it is built, through a grid built around thermal plants which must now accommodate power that is variable by nature. At Khavda, that constraint is being addressed through engineering choices, beginning with combining solar and wind on a single site. Getting the project site ready required rebuilding the landscape from scratch. The soil is so saline and unstable that conventional foundations cant be used. Each turbine sits on a deep stone-column base, dug 20-30 feet down and reinforced with concrete. Soil composition changes every few metres, meaning every wind turbine location must be individually studied. This is not a turbine you can just pull from a European platform and install in India. We had to think from an India point of view, Milind Kulkarni, CEO of Adani Wind, explains. open image in gallery A solar panel is cleaned by a robot at Khavda ( Stuti Mishra/The Independent ) Another major constraint was extreme heat. Summer temperatures at Khavda can rise to 50C. Many turbines designed for temperate climates lose efficiency, or must be shut down, under such conditions. Our turbine is designed to operate at 50C without derating, Kulkarni says. That is one of the only turbines in its class that can do that. Then, there was the water problem. Groundwater in Khavda is saltier than seawater, with total dissolved solids approaching 30,000 milligrams per litre. Now desalination plants supply drinking water for workers and cooling water for operations. Roads, drainage systems, mobile connectivity, and housing had to be constructed before power generation could begin. Solar panels exposed to salt-laden air need specialised coating and frequent cleaning, which is done by waterless robotic systems to avoid wasting desalinated water. open image in gallery Workers operating a machine during the installation of a solar panel at the Adani Group owned Khavda Renewable Energy Park in Khavda ( AFP via Getty Images ) Actual construction at the site began in April 2023. In about nine months, solar power was already flowing to the grid. Wind generation followed soon after and currently seven gigawatts are already operational. The target is to add four to five gigawatts each year. The sites design reflects an attempt to address one of renewable energys biggest weaknesses: intermittency. Solar and wind are combined because their generation patterns complement each other. Solar output peaks during the day, winds strengthen at night. Together, they smoothen supply, although they do not eliminate gaps. That remaining gap is where storage becomes critical. Adani recently announced plans to build Indias largest battery energy storage system at Khavda, a 1,126 megawatt facility with a storage capacity of 3,530 megawatt hours. The system, expected to be commissioned by March 2026, is designed to store excess power and release it during periods of low generation, helping to stabilise the grid and reduce reliance on fossil-fuel back-up. Energy storage is the cornerstone of a renewable-powered future, Gautam Adani, multibillionaire head of the Adani conglomerate, said in a statement announcing the project. The company plans to scale battery storage capacity to 50 gigawatt hours within five years. open image in gallery Wind turbines dot the coastline along a giant solar farm near Weifang in eastern China's Shandong province ( AP ) Chris Wright, principal analyst at CarbonBridge, says the Adani Groups international reputation continues to be shaped by concerns around its coal business. In Australia that business is still expanding, and serious questions are being asked about value for Australians given controversies around mine safety, reduced royalties and a lack of corporate tax revenues. But he notes that the groups most recent financial reporting shows its investment in renewables is paying off, holding up the companys weakening coal trading business. Adani has positioned himself and his companies as one of the truly global industrial tycoons of the 21st century, and their rollout of solar power is simply incredible, he says. If we are looking for landmarks in the global transition away from fossil fuels, 2025 marked something of a turning point. Coal-fired power generation fell in both India and China for the first time in more than five decades, as new solar and wind capacity grew fast enough to meet rising electricity demand. This is happening even as climate action in much of the West has slowed, with the US under Donald Trump rolling back its clean-energy commitments and European governments increasingly prioritising energy security over emissions cuts. Perhaps there is hope in the fact that, in India at least, the transition is being shaped less by international pressure or top-down pledges like the Paris Agreement which have proved vulnerable to shifting political landscapes than by cold, hard economic realities. Standing in the middle of a vast sea of new turbines and solar panels, one thing is clear: the clean energy race is not dead. It has just shifted to tougher terrain, harder trade-offs and places where growth, not climate ambition, is setting the pace. Well, Donald, what changed your mind? During an unusually repetitive and soporific bragathon at the Davos meeting, even by his standards, the president of the United States at least gave us one big news story about his obsession with annexing Greenland: I don't have to use force. I don't want to use force. I won't use force. Then, hours later, we had another one. The Donald rowed back on his latest tariff threats altogether after reaching the framework of a future deal over Greenland, just hours after giving that fiery speech. Sighs of relief could be heard from the Arctic Circle to the conference centre. Media savvy as he undoubtedly is, Trump even made a little quip about confounding expectations, just to underline the climbdown. He made no mention of threatening punitive tariffs in order to get his way theoretically theyre due to start on 1 February and has confined his present demands to immediate negotiations, albeit restating his ultimate goal of acquisition of this piece of ice. It is another case of Taco (Trump always chickens out), and its not difficult to discern why. Taco, you may recall, was a term invented by some witty operator in the financial markets after Trump unleashed chaos last year on 2 April. That was the day Trump announced his illogical reciprocal tariff schedules on the rest of the world. It was, Trump said, Independence Day. That was ironic because the powerful reaction of major trading partners, such as China, and the bond and equity markets, merely proved just how dependent the US is on foreign capital to keep it going. Well, when US markets reopened after Martin Luther King Jr Day on Monday, they fell by about 2 per cent straight away the worst day since October, and a clear rebuke to Trumps military and economic threats to Nato allies. It was a clear warning, and one that Trump could understand, couldnt argue with, and couldnt resort to bullying tactics to defeat. Nor was this the inky factor at work. Trump must feel the strength of his tariff weapon wilting in his hand as the Supreme Court judgment on them approaches. The expert gossip there is such a thing predicts that at least some of those slapped on imports last year will be struck down as unlawful, and Trump will have to comply, though he pleads it will cause chaos. That, the justices neednt point out, will be entirely his own fault for acting unconstitutionally. So right now his threats of, say, 200 per cent import taxes on French wines no longer carry quite the same terror for Emmanuel Macron and the vineyards of France. Allied to that is growing resistance in the other supposed pillar of the American government, Congress. Again, the rumours have been strong that otherwise loyal Republican senators were prepared to impeach Trump if he invaded Greenland and thus collapsed Nato. Some even spoke out against him a clear danger signal in such a cowed party. The senators newfound resolve can only have been strengthened by the way other Nato allies have acted during the Greenland crisis. On the one hand, Denmark and others have stressed that the existing 1951 treaty allows America to station as many troops, missiles and other kit on Greenland as it likes which would include the Golden Dome systems. The Nordic countries and Canada committed to strengthening defences in the high north. Everyone agreed that Russia and China are threats. The attitude was positive but with an edge. This time, the language directed at Trump was more assertive, and they were threatening back, including with what Macron called the EU bazooka crippling retaliation on America, up to, and including, selling off large quantities of US government debt. Even Keir Starmer told parliament that Trump was trying to pressure him, but I will not yield. Trump really wasnt expecting such a pushback. Nor, according to the polls, was the American public keen on the idea. Had Trump somehow managed to annex Greenland this week, it would probably have sunk his ratings even lower. Greenland is irrelevant to the affordability crisis, and Trump knows it. Its all about his legacy. Perhaps some of the generals tasked with planning an invasion also had their doubts about the legality of the operation, and thus breaking their oaths to the constitution (a safeguard still in place; Trump has yet to try to exact a pledge of personal allegiance to him). So the crisis has melted away rather like the ice cap in summer, and Greenland will no doubt recede as an issue as the mid-term elections approach. A trade war, a small real war in Greenland and a cold war with US allies would make America less secure and make Americans poorer. That is no way to win seats in the House and the Senate. In the end, its the domestic political map that counts. Sign up to our free money newsletter for investment analysis and expert advice to help you build wealth Sign up to our free money email for help building your wealth Sign up to our free money email for help building your wealth Email * SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our Privacy notice Stock markets rose overnight and those in Europe are following suit, with the FTSE 100 up around 0.75 per cent after an hour of trading on Thursday. It comes after Donald Trump removed the threat of additional tariffs on nations who did not support his push to seize control of Greenland, which led to an investor rally across much of Asia on Wednesday evening. However, a Danish MP has said that claims over a deal being struck are not real. This week had seen many major indices fall, as the uncertainty over global trade once more reared its head with the US president showing his hand once more with economic threats. Despite the tariffs themselves being paid for by American people and companies, the US see them as a sign of strength in their economy because businesses in other nations routinely export to the States. While the drops in stock markets this week were nowhere near the shocks of last April when tariffs were first announced, they had fallen in midweek. Typically, markets don't take a side as to what's the right outcome; they'll drop when there's uncertainty over direction, so the removal of that uncertainty - companies may sell and export fewer products if people have to pay a tariff on top of the price - has boosted confidence among investors. President Trump gave a long-winded speech at Davos on Wednesday which, at times, centred on why the US saw Greenland as central to their security and economic future. As well as London's main index rising, Germany's DAX and the Euro Stoxx 50 were both up around 1.2 per cent by 9am GMT. That followed Japan's Nikkei 225 index rising more than 1.7 per cent overnight, while the Korean Kospi rose almost 0.9 per cent and there were smaller rises too in Shanghai, India's Nifty 50 and Australia's ASX 200. In London, St. James Place rose 3.1 per cent in early trading as the biggest winner, with Land Securities Group (2.8 per cent), Vodafone (2.8 per cent) and British Land (2.5 per cent) also all benefiting. The FTSE 100 is up 2.8 per cent for the year so far, while the US S&P 500 is only up 0.4 per cent - though projected to rise up to 0.6 per cent when markets open later on Thursday. Sign up for our free Health Check email to receive exclusive analysis on the week in health Get our free Health Check email Get our free Health Check email Email * SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our Privacy notice A coroner has warned more babies could die without guidance on the role of unregulated birthing assistants, after the death of a 15-day-old baby raised concerns about delayed access to hospital treatment. Matilda Pomfret-Thomas died of a brain injury in November 2023, caused by a lack of oxygen to the brain either before or during birth, known as neonatal hypoxic-ischemic encephalopathy. Her mother had a difficult home labour and was not immediately transferred to hospital despite signs of foetal distress, an inquest concluded last month. Henry Charles, an assistant coroner for Hampshire, Portsmouth and Southampton, issued a prevention of future deaths report last Wednesday. He urged the Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) and the National Institute of Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE) to take action to avoid similar tragedies involving doulas non-medical professionals who provide emotional and practical support during pregnancy and birth, often alongside NHS midwives. Mr Charles believes the doula affected the work of the midwives from Portsmouths Queen Alexandra Hospital and felt their access was being restricted by the doula when the childs mother went into labour. He added that although the doula did not actively discourage the midwives, the doula was seen by them as a buffer for their access to the mother. A coroner has said the doula affected the work of the midwives from Portsmouths Queen Alexandra Hospital ( Getty/iStock ) The report explains how the birth of the familys first child had been traumatic, and they were focused on having a different experience for their second child, so they elected to use a doula to provide them with support at a home birth. However, doctors preference was for a hospital delivery, and there was a discussion as to what circumstances would result in the mother being blue-lighted to hospital. During the home birth, signs of fetal distress developed, but the mother was not taken to hospital immediately. Instead, the report describes a difficult atmosphere as the doula continued to follow the birth plan, providing hope that a home birth was still possible. Mr Charles said the mother developed the complications over several hours at home and that the doula had a negative impact on midwives being able to provide advice and the usual care to the mother. He said: An initial and appropriate offer at 7.19am of transfer to hospital upon meconium being found was not accepted, thereafter the implications of a deteriorating situation involving decelerations against a background of the presence of meconium including further clear signs of it at 10am, requiring hospital transfer was not communicated in such a way as to lead to a transfer to hospital. The coroner concluded that there were signs the baby was in distress, including meconium, the babys first stool, and a decrease in her heart rate. Maternity and Newborn Safety Investigations (MNSI) put in its report into the birth: MNSI acknowledges that there is no regulation of doula care or any guidance on how the two services interact with each other. MNSI considers the dynamics of a situation, where a third party are involved can provide additional challenges for staff, such as making clinical recommendations against personal recommendations or views and providing usual care that could be viewed as interference rather than surveillance. MNSI identified 12 cases in which there was evidence that doulas worked outside the defined boundaries of their role, and in which the care or advice provided by the doula was considered to have potentially influenced the poor outcome for the family. The issue of doula registration, regulation and training was also raised as an area of concern by Mr Charles. The report highlighted evidence given at the inquest by experienced midwifery professionals that suggested provision of guidance would be helpful for all involved with a birth at which a doula was present. Doula UK, the largest representative body for doulas but not a regulatory body, said: We were deeply saddened to hear of the loss of a baby, and our thoughts are with the family. Doulas support thousands of families each year by offering compassionate emotional, informational and practical care throughout pregnancy, birth and the postnatal period, working alongside midwives and doctors to help families feel informed and supported. Doula UK members undertake approved training, mentored practice and ongoing professional development, guided by a shared code of conduct. As an organisation, we reflect carefully on learning from reports such as this and remain committed to continually strengthening our guidance and support, so doulas can provide thoughtful, respectful care to the families they serve. A Department of Health and Social Care spokesperson said: Any death of a child so young is a tragedy, and our deepest sympathies are with the family of baby Matilda. We are committed to responding to and learning from all prevention of future deaths report and will consider this report in full before formally responding. For free real time breaking news alerts sent straight to your inbox sign up to our breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails Email * SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our Privacy notice The family of a pensioner who was killed in a ritual sacrifice by a woman who went missing from an acute mental health unit has said two police forces and an NHS trust failed on every level, after a coroner concluded the patients leave request would probably have been rejected if procedures had been followed. Special needs bus driver Roger Leadbeater, 74, was stabbed multiple times by Emma Borowy, 32, as he walked his dog Max in a Sheffield park in August 2023 after Ms Borowy absconded from leave from a unit in Bolton, Greater Manchester. On Thursday, Sheffield coroner Tanyka Rawden concluded an inquest which heard how Ms Borowy, who died in prison four months after the attack, had absconded from her ward nine times, attempted to abscond 15 times and failed to return from leave three times. Ms Rawden outlined how permission was still given for escorted leave two days before Mr Leadbeater was attacked, when staff at Greater Manchester Mental Health NHS Foundation Trust failed to follow their own policies and did not have an accurate risk assessment. The coroner concluded it is likely the risk factors would have been too high and leave would not have been granted if the procedures had been properly followed. open image in gallery Roger Leadbeater ( PA ) Ms Rawden also criticised the procedures of both Greater Manchester and South Yorkshire police forces when dealing with handovers of vulnerable missing people. Outside Sheffield coroners court, Mr Leadbeaters niece Angela Hector said: I ask those who were in positions of trust Greater Manchester Mental Health, Greater Manchester Police and South Yorkshire Police Emma Borowy put her trust in you to keep her safe and well. The public put their trust in you to protect us. You all failed on every level. Surrounded by members of her family, Ms Hector said: To everyone involved in Emmas care, whether from a health or policing perspective, I ask you to walk in our shoes for just one day feel what its like to live with the consequences of your decisions. I am certain you would think twice before granting leave, before withholding vital information, before ignoring clear warnings. Roger will never come home. That outcome cannot change. But you must make sure no other family suffers this devastation. open image in gallery Angela Hector, the niece of Roger Leadbeater ( PA ) She recounted how her uncle suffered 124 injuries in the attack which was was not just violence, it was barbaric beyond comprehension. She said: This is like a horror film you cannot switch off, except this is real. The inquest heard how Ms Borowy, who had paranoid schizophrenia, told police and psychiatrists she was tricked by the devil into killing Mr Leadbeater in a ritual sacrifice, and had previously spoke to officers about murdering people and causing a bloodbath. She was first sectioned in October 2022 after being arrested for killing two goats with a knife. The coroner outlined other violent incidents and times when she was found with knives by police after she had left the ward at Royal Bolton Hospital. Mrs Rawden said some of these incidents were not known to those treating her at the hospital. In her conclusion, the coroner said a risk assessment was completed after Ms Borowy absconded on August 4 2023 and threatened to kill her friend, but this was lacking in detail, inaccurate, and missing important and relevant information. Mrs Rawden said Ms Borowys care was transferred to a new consultant on August 7 two days before the attack who authorised further leave during a meeting without clear documentation of the reasons for the decision, without consideration of a detailed risk assessment, and outside of the policies which stated that leave after a suspension should be reviewed face-to-face at the next multi-disciplinary team meeting. open image in gallery Sheffield coroner Tanyka Rawden criticised the procedures of both Greater Manchester and South Yorkshire police forces ( PA ) The coroner said this decision was not reasonable or proportionate. She said she will be sending prevention of future death (PFD) reports to both police force as well as the Home Office, the College of Policing and the National Police Chiefs Council, relating to the handover of missing vulnerable people. But she said she would wait until August to decide whether to issue a PFD report to Greater Manchester Mental Health NHS Foundation Trust, after she heard about a range of measures the trust was intending to implement to improve procedures. Julian Hendy, from the Hundred Families charity, which supports families after mental health-related killings, said: Weve heard that serious failings by many agencies all played a part in what happened to Roger. Without them, its highly likely that Roger would still be alive today. Mr Hendy said Greater Manchester Mental Health Trust has said it has learned lessons at previous inquests, adding: We need better evidence the trust is learning from these terrible cases because if they arent, there will surely be more avoidable tragedies. Greater Manchester Assistant Chief Constable Steph Parker said: On behalf of GMP I want to apologise to Rogers family for our failure to properly pass key information to other partners before and after he was killed. It is to our great regret that this tragic incident could ever have happened, and that our processes at this time were not more thorough to effectively work with partners. Ms Parker said the force accepted the coroners findings and is immediately introducing a new mental health monitoring and handover form which it will look to share nationally. Detective Chief Superintendent Laura Koscikiewicz, head of crime at South Yorkshire Police, said: We fully accept the learning opportunities highlighted during the inquest and that changes should have been made sooner around the handover of missing people to other agencies, to ensure key information is passed on. We are sorry that these processes were not in place at the time and we are committed to delivering continuous improvement around missing people investigations to ensure this does not happen again. Karen Howell, chief executive of Greater Manchester Mental Health NHS Foundation Trust (GMMH) said: On behalf of GMMH, I want to say how very sorry we are to Mr Leadbeaters family, friends and everyone affected by his. I can only begin to comprehend the pain of losing a loved one under such terrible circumstances, let alone of learning that it could have been prevented. GMMH should have done more, and I want to reiterate our sincere apologies and regret. Ms Howell said the trust has undergone significant changes to improve the safety and effectiveness of the care provided since Mr Leadbeaters death but accepted there is more to be done. Get the free Morning Headlines email for news from our reporters across the world Sign up to our free Morning Headlines email Sign up to our free Morning Headlines email Email * SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our Privacy notice Mathematics at A-level is going from strength to strength. Maths is the most popular subject choice, and further maths, which is a separate A-level course, has seen the most growth in uptake. Despite this, concerns still remain about the mathematical skills of young people who do not choose to study maths after they are 16. Students in England who have passed GCSE maths at grade four or above, but who are not taking A-level or AS-level maths, are eligible to take a core maths qualification. Core maths was introduced in 2014-15 to attempt to remedy a lack in mathematics education after 16. But the number of entries remains well short of what they could be. Many students who would benefit from maths after 16 are not taking this subject. A 2010 report from the Nuffield Foundation found that students in the UK lag behind their peers in other countries in participation in mathematics after the age of 16. Further research from the Royal Society and higher education charity AdvanceHE showed that, as a consequence, many were not well prepared for the demands of their university courses or careers. Survey data has also found that over half of UK adults maths skills are low. Many courses at university include mathematical or quantitative elements ( PA ) Many courses at university include mathematical or quantitative elements, but do not require AS or A-level maths for entry. These include psychology, geography, business and management, sociology, health sciences, biology, education and IT. When many students have not studied mathematics since GCSE, this results in a lack of fluency and confidence in using and applying it. Core maths consolidates and builds on students mathematical understanding. The focus is on using and applying mathematics to authentic problems drawn from study, work and life. This includes understanding and using graphs, statistics and tools such as spreadsheets, as well as understanding risk and probability. Take-up remains low despite incentives schools receive an additional 900 in funding for each student who studies core maths. In 2025, 15,327 students took core maths a 20% increase on 12,810 entries in 2024, which is very encouraging. However, research from the Royal Society in 2022 found that fewer than 10% of the number of A-level students who were not taking A-level mathematics had taken core maths, which will not have changed significantly even with the current numbers. Increasing enrolment There remains a strong commitment from the government to increasing participation in mathematics after 16 in England through core maths. Many schools and colleges have embraced the subject, and universities have expressed support too. However, a real incentive for teenagers to study this subject would be if it was rewarded in entry to university. Universities can allow students entry to a course with lower A-level grade profiles than normally required if they also passed core maths, for instance. But the number of universities making this kind of offer is low. About the author Paul Glaister CBE is a Professor of Mathematics and Mathematics Education at the University of Reading. This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article. Schools and colleges need stronger signals from universities to induce them to offer students the opportunity to study for a core maths qualification, and to encourage their students to do so. Shifting todays landscape to one where the vast majority of learners aged 16 to 19 in England are studying some form of mathematics which is relevant to their current and future interests and needs will require reform. The Royal Societys 2024 report on mathematical and data education sets out several reforms necessary to develop the mass mathematical, quantitative and data skills needed for the careers of the future. These include compulsory maths and data education in some form until 18. Extending the take-up of core maths would be an excellent way to begin achieving this. Get the free Morning Headlines email for news from our reporters across the world Sign up to our free Morning Headlines email Sign up to our free Morning Headlines email Email * SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our Privacy notice A keen angler who went missing on a trip to France 20 years ago has been declared dead after a judge found he actually drowned in the English Channel during a suspected botched drug smuggling operation. Kent dad Anthony Dugdale, then 43, disappeared after travelling to Calais towing a speedboat on a French ferry with a friend in April 2004 and has never been heard from since. His Mercedes was later found abandoned close to the coast on the Belgian side of the French border, but the boat was never discovered. Although the missing persons case initially focused on claims the pair were angling pals, police later turned their attention to drugs after evidence emerged of involvement with dealers. Now, after an application to the High Court by Dugdales son Danny, to have his dad declared dead, a judge has ruled that he, in fact, died at sea in April 2004. The judge, Master Karen Shuman, said evidence from police inquiries suggested that Dugdale who was "not an able seaman" and had previously been rescued from the Channel on another attempt to cross drowned after trying to cross in an unsuitable speedboat and being hit by a container ship. open image in gallery Anthony Dugdale went missing in April 2004 ( Police ) The court heard Dugdale, from Orpington, Kent, had travelled to France with friend Richard Patwell, from Alloa, Scotland, taking along a speedboat he had bought for 11,000 cash shortly beforehand. Passenger records showed they travelled on a SeaFrance ferry, but did not use their return tickets, with the car discovered close to the Belgium-France border later. A boat cover was found with the car, but there was no sign of the speedboat. Despite extensive inquiries and public appeals focussed on looking for two keen anglers, Dugdale and Mr Patwell were never found. The mystery was finally cleared up at the High Court this week after an application by Dugdale's US-based son for a declaration of death so that his dad's 33,000 estate can be administered. Representing the son, solicitor John Davies told the judge that police had investigated thoroughly and come to the conclusion that Dugdale had gone to France to smuggle drugs across the Channel. The conclusion of the police was that Mr Dugdale travelled to France to import drugs into Britain at night in a boat that was unsuitable, he said. There are strong and reliable implications that both were involved in dealing and importation of illegal drugs by boat across the Channel. When buying the speedboat, he had given the seller the impression that he had no idea about boating and no idea how to look after an engine, said the lawyer. The boat itself was unsuitable for crossing a busy sea lane and would usually only be used within two miles of shore, while Dugdale also had a petrol canister on top of the back supports, making the vessel unstable. He and Mr Patwell had also turned off their phones before they reached Dover, making it impossible for them to be tracked by mobile mast evidence, he said. There was also some evidence of a distress call having been made from the Channel, describing engine troubles and having just avoided being hit by a ship. Overnight on the day they left the UK, holdalls containing cannabis had also been found by French authorities floating in the Channel, he continued. It would seem quite coincidental if this was not on board, the solicitor said. The police concluded that it was most likely that he was hit by a container ship and sunk in the English Channel. Mr Davies said there was further evidence linking Dugdale to crime, having worked on a Welsh farm which was later found by police to be a working cannabis production facility. He had also been picked up in the Channel months earlier, without a passport and suffering from hypothermia, with another man who was later convicted of involvement in the Welsh cannabis farm. Giving judgment and declaring Dugdale dead, the judge said: The police have said that a full investigation has been carried out and they have closed the file. Their conclusion is that Anthony and Richard were on a drugs run from France. They had bought a high-powered speedboat and trailer for cash. They turned their phones off before Dover. The car was discovered in Belgium by the coast. The police have concluded that what actually happened was Anthony and Richard were trying to cross the Channel at night with a speed boat. They were most likely hit by a container ship and sunk. The speedboat they were using was one not suitable for crossing a very busy Channel. I am satisfied on the basis of the evidence before me that Anthony did indeed die in the Channel at some stage between April 7 and April 9, 2004. The ruling means that, more than 20 years after he was last seen, Dugdales 33,000 estate can finally be properly administered. He had one son, Danny, and may have had a daughter, the court heard. The whereabouts of his companion, Mr Patwell, was not part of the High Court case and so no findings were made in relation to him. Get the free Morning Headlines email for news from our reporters across the world Sign up to our free Morning Headlines email Sign up to our free Morning Headlines email Email * SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our Privacy notice The first asylum seekers have been moved into a former army training camp in East Sussex as part of Labours plans to close down controversial migrant hotels. A total of 27 migrants were moved into Crowborough military barracks under the cover of darkness early on Thursday morning. They are the first asylum seekers to arrive at the site, with more people expected to arrive in the coming weeks. The Home Office hope to scale up the number of asylum seekers at the barracks to 540. Asylum seekers will be housed there for three months while their claims are processed, and local councillors have said they have had assurances that the site will only be used for a year. open image in gallery The first asylum seekers have been moved into Crowborough army camp, with more to arrive in coming weeks ( Home Office ) Moving asylum seekers to large sites like Crowborough is part of the Home Offices plan to close down costly migrant hotels. The Crowborough camp was most recently used to house Afghan families on the resettlement programme. Larger sites, such as the Bibby Stockholm barge, have been used to house migrants in the past and RAF Wethersfield is still in use despite a legal action finding failings at the site. open image in gallery Asylum seekers will be housed at the site for three months while their claims are processed ( Home Office ) The National Audit Office (NAO) has previously assessed use of these large sites to be more expensive than paying for hotels. Migrant hotels became hotspots for protest last Summer after a migrant living at a hotel in Essex sexually assaulted a 14-year-old girl and a woman. Epping Forest District Council sought an injunction to bar asylum seekers from being housed at The Bell hotel but were ultimately unsuccessful in the courts, with the Home Office arguing that the loss of bed spaces would be significant. According to the latest government data, there are now fewer than 200 hotels in use around the country. open image in gallery The home secretary has said that asylum seekers should be moved into large sites so that they can close asylum hotels ( Home Office ) Home secretary Shabana Mahmood said opening Crowborough army camp for asylum seekers was just the start. She added: I will bring forward site after site until every asylum hotel is closed and returned to local communities. I will not rest until order and control to our borders is restored. She said that illegal migration has been placing immense pressure on communities. open image in gallery Crowborough army camp is now being used to house asylum seekers ( Home Office ) James Partridge, lead councillor for governance at Wealden District Council, reacted to the news saying the Home Office hasnt listened to any of us. He said that the council had asked for legal advice to see if they could bring a successful legal action against the governments decision. Crowborough Town Council said the site was not suitable to house asylum seekers, adding in a statement: The proposed accommodation of up to 540 adult men, when considered against the rural population size of Crowborough, is disproportionate and raises serious concerns about suitability, capacity and impact. open image in gallery Local councils have said that Crowborough barracks are not suitable to house hundreds of asylum seekers ( Home Office ) Local residents group, Crowborough Says No, have called for people to join a peaceful protest against the use of the barracks this Sunday. Shadow home secretary Chris Philp said that the move was another day of shame for the Labour government. He said thousands of army and RAF cadets would no longer be able to use the site for training. He claimed that the women and children of Crowborough would be exposed to risks from asylum seekers living at the site and urged the government to deport all illegal migrants within a week of arrival. open image in gallery Asylum seekers will have to sign in and out to leave and return to the site ( PA ) Imran Hussain, director of external affairs of charity Refugee Council, said that the use of the barracks wont make a dent in the overall number of people in hotels. He added: Even if 500 people are eventually moved there, thats just over one per cent of the estimated population in asylum hotels. Military camps have already been tried as a solution to asylum accommodation and failed. They also separate people who have fled persecution and violence in countries like Afghanistan from communities and essential services, leaving them unable to integrate. open image in gallery The Home Office has released photos of inside Crowborough army camp, including a hall with desks available for newly arrived asylum seekers ( Home Office ) Ann Salter, head of clinical services North West at charity Freedom from Torture, said that putting people in places like Crowborough undermines their ability to recover from torture. She said: Places like Crowborough...subject survivors of torture to overcrowding, a lack of privacy and conditions that only intensify anxiety, panic and hopelessness. Survivors tell us that living in a former military site can feel unbearable because it so closely resembles the places where they were detained and abused. This approach is not just inhumane, it is dangerous. Steve Smith, CEO of Care4Calais, said that the charity had supported people accommodated at camps such as Wethersfield, Napier and Penally. He said: Our experience of these sites has show that camps like these are isolating, retraumatising and bad for peoples mental health. The Labour government should be closing the existing one at Wethersfield, like they promised at the last election, not opening new ones like Crowborough. The Home Office have also said they will use Cameron army barracks in Inverness to house asylum seekers. The site has previously been used for Afghan families. Specialist security will be at Crowborough 24/7 with CCTV and strict sign-in procedures for residents, the Home Office said. Get the free Morning Headlines email for news from our reporters across the world Sign up to our free Morning Headlines email Sign up to our free Morning Headlines email Email * SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our Privacy notice A "help-to-buy" scheme for fishing vessels could secure the industry's future, a Labour MP has suggested. Anna Gelderd, MP for South East Cornwall, also called for funded training pathways, warning that communities in her constituency are being "diminished". She told the Commons: "Not just by the greatly reduced number of vessels, but just how hard it is for them to make a living and to support their families and communities like mine." During a debate on the fishing industry, she continued: If we are serious about the future of fishing, we must make accessible for that next generation. Young people currently cannot step aboard a fishing vessel until the age of 16, even though this is prime age for learning practical skills. We also lack structure support, mentoring that allows traditional knowledge, safety guidelines, and best practice to pass between generations. A properly funded mentoring and training pathway alongside help to buy schemes for boats, licences, and quota would make fishing a realistic career again, rather than a closed shop. open image in gallery Anna Gelderd, MP for South East Cornwall, also called for funded training pathways, warning that communities in her constituency are being diminished ( PA Wire ) MPs also warned fishing companies could be severely affected if rules on overseas hiring end in December, with Torcuil Crichton, Labour MP for Na h-Eileanan an Iar, warning his constituency is likely to be significantly impacted. Mr Crichton said his constituency off the west coast of Scotland had been affected by depopulation, which has left a lack of working-age people. The then-Conservative government brought in changes in 2023, which made it easier to hire fishermen, skippers and deckhands from overseas for fishing vessels over workforce shortages. He said: The Governments support in flexing these requirements would be appreciated, and the effect of that is quite obvious. A skipper from the Western Isles got in touch with me recently to say that seven years ago when he had a local crew of seven, he is now forced to employ three crew members from Ghana and his son and himself now skipper the vessel back-to-back to fish every opportunity and make sure that they pay the foreign crews the right wages, which are considerably more than he and his son take home. Jim Shannon, the Democratic Unionist Party MP for Strangford, said the December cliff edge for skilled worker visas was really worrying for the industry in his constituency. He said: The fishing industry needs a dedicated immigration route for fishing crew, post-2026 preferably in the form of a bespoke visa. This will protect British businesses, while a recruitment drive seeks to source more domestic labour for the fishing industry in the long term. open image in gallery MPs also warned fishing companies could be severely affected if rules on overseas hiring end in December, with Torcuil Crichton, Labour MP for Na h-Eileanan an Iar, warning his constituency is likely to be significantly impacted. ( PA ) Seamus Logan, the SNP MP for Aberdeenshire North and Moray East, said Home Office visa restrictions were suffocating the growth of fishing in Scotland. He demanded that the minister lobby the Home Office so that industries in his area can thrive. Please dont try and tell us that we need to hire local people, he said. This mythical workforce sitting at home twiddling their thumbs simply does not exist, because we are at full employment in my constituency, and efforts to recruit young people into this industry are simply not working. Food security minister Dame Angela Eagle said it was hard to recruit into the fishing sector. Entry into the industry requires significant investment, she said. In this context, the ability to change and adapt is very important, and fishing has a good record in doing this. Turning to visas, Dame Angela promised the sectors concerns would be properly represented to Home Office ministers. Get the free Morning Headlines email for news from our reporters across the world Sign up to our free Morning Headlines email Sign up to our free Morning Headlines email Email * SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our Privacy notice A tearful Liz Hurley has accused the Daily Mail publisher of stealing her medical records while she was pregnant with her son, and said she was left devastated to discover that it had allegedly tapped her phone. The actor grew visibly upset in the witness box at the High Court, where she was accompanied by her son Damian, with Prince Harry also in attendance to support. In written evidence, she said: The Mails unlawful acts against me involve landline tapping my phones and recording my live telephone conversations, placing surreptitious mics on my home windows, stealing my medical information when I was pregnant with Damian and other monstrous, staggering things. open image in gallery ( Reuters ) Ms Hurley, 60, continued: Above all, it was the discovery that the Mail had tapped the landlines of my home phones and tape recorded my live telephone conversations that devastated me. I had not come across this brutal invasion of privacy in either of my two battles with the other newspapers. I felt crushed. It represented the ultimate violation of privacy. She is one of seven claimants taking legal action against Associated Newspapers Limited for alleged unlawful information gathering, which includes phone hacking and blagging private records. open image in gallery Prince Harry is set to return on Thursday to support his fellow claimants ( Getty ) She said: I felt really mortified that my son would be able to read all this stuff one day, and I feel really bad that that day is today when all this stuff is being regurgitated again. Yet again, everyones privacy is being invaded in this terrible way and I feel very helpless about that. Ms Hurley also told the court she used to think of the British press as the best in the world, and to some extent, still does. She added there were just some rotten eggs. I dont have a vendetta against the British press. I dont have a vendetta or hatred of Associated at all. I just feel some bad things went on with some bad people. Her evidence comes a day after Prince Harry told the court: They have made my wifes life an absolute misery. When asked how the proceedings had made him feel by his barrister David Sherborne on Wednesday, the duke said: Its fundamentally wrong to put us through this again when all we wanted was an apology and accountability. Its a horrible experience. In his 23-page witness statement, Harry said that when he brought legal action against two other newspaper publishers, he had no idea that he might have had a claim against ANL. He continued: As I am sure is clear, if I had known earlier then I would have acted, particularly given ANLs treatment of Meghan and her claim against it. The Duchess of Sussex sued ANL and won in 2021 after The Mail on Sunday published parts of a personal and private letter to her father Thomas Markle. Soon after he began dating Meghan, Harry attacked the media over its abuse and harassment of her, and Kensington Palace warned on his behalf: This is not a game it is her life. In a frosty exchange between Harry and lawyers acting on behalf of ANL, the duke told the High Court: My social circles were not leaky, I want to make that absolutely clear. He said that if he became suspicious of someone, I would have to cut contact with this person. open image in gallery Prince Harry and Liz Hurleys lawyer David Sherborne is set to continue questioning ( AFP/Getty ) One of the stories complained about by Harry concerned confidential discussions he had after a photo of a dying Diana, Princess of Wales, was published in the Italian press an article he described as beyond cruel. In his written evidence, Harry described an article published in the Daily Mail in July 2006 as really disgusting, saying he was having private discussions with his brother, William. Other articles concerned his former girlfriend Chelsy Davy, and Harry told the court he was really worried something bad was going to happen when he was in a relationship with her. He said in written evidence: I was never suspicious of Chelsy in relation to stories like this, but I was of her friends. If I saw this story at the time, I would have been very frustrated and angry. I would have questioned how Associated found out this information. But, at the same time, I would have felt like I had to accept this as the reality of my life. Ms Hurley, along with the duke, Elton John and his husband, David Furnish, fellow actor Sadie Frost, the campaigner Doreen Lawrence and the politician Simon Hughes are suing ANL) over allegations of unlawful information gathering. ANL denies wrongdoing and is defending the claims. The trial before Mr Justice Nicklin, which is due to conclude in March, continues. Get the free Morning Headlines email for news from our reporters across the world Sign up to our free Morning Headlines email Sign up to our free Morning Headlines email Email * SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our Privacy notice Police will explore civil routes to tackle secret vloggers filming women on nights out after a criminal investigation into the incidents collapsed. Greater Manchester Police opened a probe into the Manchester nightlife videos in 2024 following an investigation into the creepy footage. The videos which racked up millions of views across social media show women who are often in a vulnerable state. The footage is usually taken without their knowledge and then uploaded them to social media, where the women are ridiculed. A man was arrested on suspicion of stalking and harassment in November 2024 in what police said was first arrest of its kind in the country. In a statement on Wednesday, the force said it would be taking no further action against the suspect due to limitations within the current legislation. Greater Manchester Police said it would consider civil action over the 'Manchester nightlife' videos ( Greater Manchester Police ) The Independent understands there is currently no provision in law to successfully prosecute for covert filming of this nature. However, Greater Manchester Police said it would be exploring other routes of taking action alongside Manchester City Council. Superintendent Nicola Williams said GMP had taken the reports really seriously and no stone was left unturned during the investigation. Predatory behaviour is completely unacceptable, and tackling this has been a priority for our night time economy policing operation, she added. The nightlife videos trend, where women are filmed unknowingly and posted online, has been replicated in cities across the UK including London, Liverpool, and Leeds. An investigation in 2024 previously revealed how vloggers were using social media channels to direct viewers towards private, subscriber-only spaces where more explicit material was uploaded. Police arrested an individual in connection with the investigation and seized his devices, which were then forensically examined. Supt Williams added: We are committed to ensuring nights out are safe for everyone and encourage anyone who is subjected to unwanted behaviour to report this to us. We will listen, you will be believed, and we will investigate all lines of enquiry. Get the free Morning Headlines email for news from our reporters across the world Sign up to our free Morning Headlines email Sign up to our free Morning Headlines email Email * SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our Privacy notice Care leavers across the UK will no longer be required to pay application fees for university or college, Ucas has confirmed. It is a significant step aimed at bridging the persistent gap in higher education access for this demographic. The admissions body announced that those who have experienced the care system and are applying to begin their studies in autumn 2027 will see the current 28.95 fee waived. In an interview Press Association, Ucas chief executive Dr Jo Saxton emphasised the service's ambition to "remove a barrier to accessing higher education for the group least likely to go on to higher education." The reason were doing this is because care leavers are the group in society least likely to go to university, Dr Saxton said. We can play a small part in trying to do something about this, so thats why we are removing this barrier. Ucas announced in 2024 that it would remove the application fee for students receiving free school meals, which it said had benefited 40,000 young people in its first year. A lot of care-experienced people will be served by our (free school meals) waiver, but there is a cohort who arent necessarily financially disadvantaged, and so we want to make sure that theyre not missing out, Dr Saxton said. open image in gallery The move is aimed at bridging the persistent gap in higher education access for this demographic ( Getty/iStock ) In the most recent figures for 2023/24, some 13 per cent of care leavers in England went on to higher education by age 19. This was more than three times lower than the 46 per cent of all other pupils who went on to higher education. The application fee waiver will apply to care leavers up until their 25th birthday in England, Wales and Northern Ireland, and up until their 26th birthday in Scotland, in line with the legal definition. What weve heard from our university beneficiaries, very loud and clear, is that they often dont know who the care-leaving or care-experienced students are, Dr Saxton told the Press Association. And this is something I experienced myself when I was an academic. I remember being utterly shocked I was teaching at Cambridge University, and I only realised as a student was partway through their second year that they were care experienced, and the wider university wasnt aware, because they hadnt told them. And this is something we hear all the time. Ucas hopes that care leavers will feel comfortable to inform them they have been in care when they apply, so that they can point them in the direction of any extra support available at the universities they are looking at. The move comes amid increasing student concerns about costs and the cost of living at university. We talk to young people all the time at Ucas, and one of the things thats really surprised me during the time that Ive been here, is they tell us loud and clear that they are concerned about costs today, Dr Saxton said. Many students do not see tuition fees as the barrier to going on to university, she added, but the other costs. I had quite a moving conversation with a student at Nottingham Trent who talked about how shed had to hide the application fee from her mum because of how tight things were in their household, Dr Saxton said. And thats what this mechanism is about overcoming, so that isnt the difficult conversation. A survey by the National Union of Students (NUS) earlier this week found more than half of parents said they were contributing at least 200 a month towards their childs living expenses at university, with most saying it was hitting their finances. open image in gallery In the most recent figures for 2023/24, some 13 per cent of care leavers in England went on to higher education by age 19 ( PA Archive ) The latest data from Ucas also found a record number of 18-year-olds starting university in autumn 2025 intended to live at home while studying, particularly if they were from poorer backgrounds. The Government has announced it will reintroduce maintenance grants for students studying certain subjects from 2028/29 to help, but the NUS has called for them to go further and reform household income thresholds determining how much support students get. Asked if she thought income thresholds should be looked at, Dr Saxton said: Obviously, I would support anything that might help increasing participation by encouraging students to apply. Im delighted that the Government has taken the action it has around maintenance. The National Network for the Education of Care Leavers (NNECL) and care charity Become welcomed Ucas waiving the application fee for care leavers. Chloe Grant, director of services at Become, said: We know care leavers face multiple challenges in reaching university. Many will have been forced to leave care without the support they need, making the financial barriers difficult to overcome. Removing the Ucas application fee is an important and welcome step in bringing university within reach of more young people with huge talent and potential. Get the free Morning Headlines email for news from our reporters across the world Sign up to our free Morning Headlines email Sign up to our free Morning Headlines email Email * SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our Privacy notice The UK government has launched a consultation on introducing an Australian-style ban on social media for under-16s. The proposal is framed as a bold response to rising concerns about young peoples mental health, online abuse and exposure to harmful content. At first glance, a ban sounds straightforward: keep children away from platforms that can cause harm. But as someone who has spent years researching young peoples digital lives, relationships and wellbeing, I believe that a blanket ban risks misunderstanding both the problem and the solution. My research with teenagers consistently shows that the harms young people experience online are not separate from the harms they face offline. Bullying, racism, sexism, coercion, exclusion and body image pressures all pre-date social media. Digital platforms can amplify these problems, but they do not create them from scratch. In focus groups I conducted with teenagers and research I carried out with young people during the pandemic, participants described online life as an extension of school corridors, peer groups and local communities. This is what scholars increasingly call a post-digital reality. Young people do not experience online and offline as separate worlds, but as a single, interconnected continuum. If harms are socially rooted, then technical restrictions alone are unlikely to solve them. A ban treats social media as the problem, rather than asking deeper questions about why certain behaviours harassment, shaming, misogyny, exploitation occur in the first place. open image in gallery Teens want more authentic experiences and to be able to talk to adults about social media ( AFP via Getty ) We also need to ask why digital spaces have become the default arenas for meeting so many needs in the first place. Over years of funding cuts to youth services, reduced community spaces and intensified academic pressures, online platforms have filled a gap. They did not simply colonise young peoples lives. They were invited into a vacuum created by adult policy decisions. A ban addresses the symptom of these developments while leaving the wider contexts untouched. There is also a practical problem. Age-based bans are difficult to enforce. Young people are resourceful digital citizens. Many will find workarounds, migrate to unregulated platforms or simply lie about their age. This risks driving online activity underground, away from any oversight of parents, teachers and support services. Instead of engaging with young people where they already are, a ban could make it harder to identify those who are struggling and need help. A recent joint statement signed by more than 40 childrens charities, digital safety experts and bereaved families warns of the danger that blanket prohibitions may isolate vulnerable young people from peer support networks and crisis resources. What young people say they need Many young people are critical of social media. In my research on online harms and influencer culture, young people frequently describe feeling exhausted by comparison culture, constant notifications and the pressure to be always on. They often say they want more time offline and more meaningful face-to-face connection. This ambivalence shows that young people are not passive victims of technology but can identify problems and articulate the kind of digital lives they want. They ask for better education, more honest conversations and greater adult understanding. About the author Emily Setty is an Associate Professor in Criminology at the University of Surrey. This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article. They want to learn how to set boundaries, recognise coercion and algorithmic manipulation, and manage conflict. Above all, they want to be taken seriously as partners in solving the problems they face. A blanket ban treats young people as a single homogeneous group, ignoring the diversity of their experiences, needs and circumstances. It assumes that what is protective for one young person will be protective for all, rather than recognising that risks and benefits are shaped by identity, relationships, resources and context. What parents are really worried about Parents perspectives add another important layer. In research colleagues and I have carried out with families, many parents express deep ambivalence about social media. They worry about online harms and often voice a nostalgic desire to return to a pre-internet era of childhood. Yet this nostalgia is rarely about technology alone. It is more often an expression of feeling out of control as parents, in the face of powerful tech companies, complex digital cultures and broader social changes they perceive to be reshaping their childrens lives. open image in gallery Parents describe feeling torn between wanting to protect their children, while recognising that digital communication is central to modern friendship and learning ( PA ) Parents describe feeling torn between wanting to protect their children, while recognising that digital communication is central to modern friendship and learning. They fear both the risks of their children being online and the risks of exclusion from being offline. In this context, a ban can feel like an attractive proposition. It promises to restore a sense of order and authority. But it risks misdiagnosing the problem. What parents are asking for is not simply prohibition but more support to navigate these tensions, including clearer regulation of platforms, better education in schools and more resources to help families manage digital life together. The illusion of simple fixes The appeal of a ban lies in its simplicity. But complex social problems rarely yield to simple technological solutions. Real progress will be slower and less headline-grabbing. It involves investing in high-quality relationships and sex education that reflects young peoples digital realities, and supporting parents to have informed conversations. It means regulating platform design to reduce exploitation and harassment, and holding social media companies more accountable. And it requires rebuilding the offline services and spaces that give young people genuine alternatives. Social media is not an external danger that young people occasionally visit. It is woven into their everyday social worlds. By cutting young people off from the spaces through which they meet real personal, interpersonal and social needs, a ban risks leaving them unmoored. A generation growing up in a networked world needs guidance, not exclusion from the spaces where their lives unfold. Policy must start from how young people actually live, not from adult fears about technology. If we want young people to be safer online, the answer is not to ban their digital lives, but to help them navigate them. Get the free Morning Headlines email for news from our reporters across the world Sign up to our free Morning Headlines email Sign up to our free Morning Headlines email Email * SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our Privacy notice Flooding and travel disruptions are likely to take place across parts of the country on Thursday, as forecasters predict heavy rain to cause a danger to life. Amber and yellow warnings have been issued across areas of Scotland by the Met Office, along with further yellow warnings for Northern Ireland, parts of south Wales and south west England. The amber warning will run until 6pm on Thursday and affect parts of Clackmannanshire, Falkirk, Fife, Perth and Kinross, Stirling, Highlands, Eilean Siar, Aberdeen, Aberdeenshire and Moray. Another yellow warning for rain is in place for most of the north east of Scotland until 11.59pm on Friday. Forecasters expect up to 20mm of rain to fall on Thursday across South Wales, Somerset and parts of Devon and Dorset, where a yellow warning is due to start at 8am. Amber and yellow warnings have been issued across parts of Scotland by the Met Office, along with further yellow warnings for Northern Ireland, parts of south Wales and south west England ( Met Office ) The warning remain in place until 4pm on Thursday when the heaviest of rain will clear to the north east. Rain will be persistent and heavy during Thursday with widespread accumulations of 60-80mm likely, and as much as 100-120mm, over high ground in Scotland, the Met Office said. In some places up to 40mm of rain is predicted to fall mainly on high ground, with widespread rain of 15-25mm falling throughout the day. The Met Office has warned that homes and businesses are likely to face flooding in the more affected areas, with probable travel delays and cancellations to public transport, with some communities possibly experiencing power cuts. ScotRail has speed restrictions in place for its route from Perth to Inverness until 9.30am on Saturday, and its Aberdeen to Inverness routes until 12pm on Friday. Ferry operator CalMax has cancelled all Oban-Coll-Tiree services on Thursday and says some other services may be cancelled or delayed at short notice. Drivers are advised to proceed with caution on various crossings around Scotland, as spray and flooding is likely to cause difficult driving conditions and possible road closures. Police Scotland has urged drivers to take extra care when travelling while the weather warnings are in place. Restrictions due to high winds were issued on the Forth Road Bridge on Thursday morning. The Met Office has said there is a good chance that some communities will be cut off by flooded roads. The forecasting service has advised people in the affected areas to prepare a flood kit to save them from loss or damage to their home or business. The flood kit should include: insurance and any other important documents, a torch and spare batteries; a first aid kit, prescription medicines and supplies for looking after your family members or pets; and warm, waterproof clothes, blankets, food and water. Sign up for the View from Westminster email for expert analysis straight to your inbox Get our free View from Westminster email Get our free View from Westminster email Email * SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our Privacy notice Britain and a host of other major US allies have snubbed Donald Trumps high-profile signing ceremony to kickstart his Gaza board of peace. Canada, Italy, and a series of other Western powers swerved the event at the World Economic Forum in Davos amid concerns over the proposal itself, as well as the membership of the board. France, Norway and Sweden have indicated they will not join. After arriving at the conference yesterday and treating delegates to a rambling speech on his plans to take over Greenland, President Trump has on Thursday switched his attention to the board of peace, unveiling details of the redevelopment plans for Gaza, including proposals for cities called New Gaza and New Rafah. But while the US says 35 countries have agreed to join the project, including Israel, dozens more have yet to formally accept their invitations. Trump holds a signed founding charter at the board of peace meeting in Davos ( AFP/Getty ) What are the concerns? On Thursday Yvette Cooper, the foreign secretary, hit out at President Trumps decision to include one Vladimir Putin on the board, at a time when Russia has become a global pariah for its war in Ukraine. Ms Cooper slammed the idea of the Russian president being part of something which is talking about peace when we have still not seen any signs from Putin that there will be a commitment to peace in Ukraine. Apart from the UK, France, Germany, Greece, Italy, Norway, Slovenia, Sweden and New Zealand have opted out of the Board of Peace. On the other hand, more than 20 countries, including Argentina, Albania, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Bulgaria, Cambodia, Indonesia, Jordan, Pakistan, Paraguay, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Turkey, United Arab Emirates, Uzbekistan, Vietnam and others have agreed to join. But the UK is understood to have multiple concerns about the new international organisation. Mr Trump has said permanent membership will cost each nation a whopping $1bn each, a demand which has alienated a number of allies. There are also fears that he intends to use the new board to replace the United Nations, an organisation set up to try to keep peace across the globe in the wake of the Second World War. The US president has insisted that his board will work alongside the UN, but his reassurances are struggling to hit their target after his threats against Greenland, which is part of the Kingdom of Denmark, a Nato ally, this week. At the televised launch of the board, Mr Trump did nothing to ease concerns. He said that the group, initially designed to cement the ceasefire in Gaza, would take a wider role, a move that will dispirit many nations. Speaking in Switzerland he said: Once this board is completely formed, we can do pretty much whatever we want to do, words that will ring alarm bells across Europe and further afield. What is Trumps response to the snub? It is fair to say that the US president is refusing to take no for an answer. Earlier this week, when asked about Frances decision not to attend the signing ceremony, Mr Trump told reporters that he would respond by putting a "200 per cent tariff" on French wines and champagne. He added of the French president Emmanuel Macron: he'll join. Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu has said he will be part of the board, after his office earlier criticised the makeup of the committee charged with overseeing Gaza. But Mr Trump will also be keenly aware that of the countries that have committed to join, including Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Egypt, Turkey and Belarus, few are democracies, potentially limiting his groups legitimacy and scope. One of the more significant moments at the World Economic Forum in Davos will be the formal signing of the charter of the board of peace. This is very much a Donald Trump project, and he has already nominated himself as chair of the board, indefinitely. Originally conceived as part of his Gaza peace plan, it is now taking on a far wider role, seeking to settle disputes across the globe. What is the board of peace? It is no longer solely concerned with peace in Gaza, as was initially stated and approved by the UN last November. This in itself is a revolutionary development, and critics see it as an attempt to set up a strongmans UN dominated by Trump and US interests, and skewed to a great powers/spheres of influence/might is right model of geopolitics. It could, thus, despite the name and lofty ambitions, represent a further challenge to the established rules-based world order and the rule of international law. Who is on the board of peace? Donald Trump decides that, and hes invited dozens of world leaders to join him. The list so far includes the rulers of: United Arab Emirates, Morocco, Vietnam, Belarus, Hungary, Kazakhstan, Israel, Turkey, Russia and Argentina. Thus, at least two figures on the board of peace are accused of war crimes (Netanyahu and Putin), others are problematic in terms of their human rights record, and of course the US itself has recently attacked Venezuela. In addition, Britain, Canada and the EU are considering the plan in detail; major concerns include the $1bn joining fee and the involvement of Putin. France and Norway have rejected the offer, and Zelensky has indicated it would be improbable for Ukraine given Putins role. Others, including China, India, Pakistan, Jordan, Singapore and Thailand, may enter. Will it replace the UN? Its founding charter a telling word, aping the UN suggests as much: Lamenting that too many approaches to peace-building foster perpetual dependency, and institutionalise crisis rather than leading people beyond it; emphasising the need for a more nimble and effective international peace-building body the parties hereby adopt the charter for the board of peace. Trump says it might supplant the UN because the latter hasnt been very helpful and has never lived up to its potential but he has also said the UN should continue because the potential is so great. What happens when Trump ceases to be president? Through this role, he would carry on as a sort of world president. Its hard to see how this would operate with someone else in the White House, so Trump wouldnt necessarily formally represent the US or make decisions on its behalf. He has taken the power to name his successor if he dies or retires. So its Trumps board of peace? It seems so. For example, in the highly likely event of members of the board of peace having a dispute, the chair Trump will make the decisions: Internal disputes between and among Board of Peace Members, entities, and personnel should be resolved through amicable collaboration, consistent with the organisational authorities established by the charter, and for such purposes, the chairman is the final authority regarding the meaning, interpretation, and application of this charter. What about Gaza? To be fair, its not been forgotten. Under the board of peace we find a general purpose executive board currently all-American, plus Tony Blair and a multinational Gaza executive board. This also has Steve Witkoff and Blair in it, and will oversee the technocratic governance of post-Hamas Gaza. Will the board of peace succeed? It feels unlikely, given the intractable problems its confronted with and the unavoidable conflicts of interest among its leading members. Like the UN, it wont have any military resources of its own so will still depend on the willingness of nations to commit to support any action where arbitration fails. Because it works outside international law, and carves up territory according to the balance of power, its decisions lack the relative legal and moral authority of the UN. It might succeed in using threats of sanctions, tariffs and other diplomatic pressure to end some smaller wars but only for as long as Trump is involved can it call on US military resources. It is essentially about returning to a 19th-century model of international relations, in which great powers would meet in such forums as the Congress of Vienna (1815) and the Congress of Berlin (1878) to redraw maps and sign treaties. We may be sure, however, that the board of peace will renounce or end war as an instrument of policy. Looking at its membership, far from it. In the immediate future, it wouldnt stop Trump invading Greenland. Funnily enough, Denmark hasnt been invited to join the board of peace. Sign up for the View from Westminster email for expert analysis straight to your inbox Get our free View from Westminster email Get our free View from Westminster email Email * SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our Privacy notice Sir Keir Starmer has moved further towards a ban on social media for under-16s as the House of Lords pile on pressure to introduce an Australia-style crackdown. Peers backed a ban on social media for under-16s on Wednesday, despite the prime ministers efforts to head off the vote by launching a consultation on potential restrictions. In a bid to further reassure peers, education minister Baroness Smith of Malvern said the government will bring forward a future amendment enabling government to enact the outcome of the consultation without the need for a further standalone law. Technology secretary Liz Kendall announced a three-month consultation this week, which will consider the advantages and disadvantages of a ban, as well as possible overnight curfews and actions to prevent doom-scrolling, reporting back in the summer. However, former schools minister Lord Nash said the consultation simply represents more delay. The Tory peer argued the evidence is overwhelming for a ban, with support ranging from medical professionals to our police and national intelligence community, from our teachers to hundreds of thousands of parents. But peers backed Tory Lord Nashs amendment to the Childrens Wellbeing and Schools Bill calling for an outright ban by 261 to 150, a majority of 111. Sir Keir now faces the prospect of a backbench rebellion when it returns to the Commons, after more than 60 Labour MPs publicly called for Britain to follow Australia, which has become the first country to bar young people from social media. Just hours before the vote the chief inspector of the schools watchdog, Oftsed, said he would have consulted on a potential ban sooner. Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer has launched a consultation on restricting social media for under-16s. (PA) ( PA Wire ) Sir Martyn Oliver said that while he welcomed the government's action it was "a little bit late". Lord Nash, a former schools minister, rejected the consultation, arguing it meant more delay when there was alreday "overwhelming" evidence for a ban. "The time for delay and procrastination is over," he said. His amendment had cross-party support and was co-sponsored by Labour peer Baroness Berger, Liberal Democrat peer Baroness Benjamin and the independent crossbench peer Baroness Cass. Supporters of a ban say social media harming children's health, including their mental health, and is driving radicalisation and crime. But opponents warn it could drive young people on to the dangerous dark net . At the weekend the NSPCC among others also said blanket bans were "a blunt response that fails to address the successive shortcomings of tech companies and governments to act decisively and sooner". But filmmaker and children's rights campaigner Baroness Kidron said the announcement of a consultation was "an insult" to Parliament, parents and youngsters, and warned it would delay action to keep children safe online. Earlier Sir Keir Starmer had told MPs the consultation would "look at expert and international evidence to get this right", including restrictions on age and addictive features as well as screen time use by under-fives. The prime minister also pledged it would report by the summer. A government spokesperson said: We will take action to give children a healthier relationship with mobile phones and social media. It is important we get this right, which is why we are launching a consultation and will work with experts, parents and young people to ensure we take the best approach, based on evidence. Sign up for the View from Westminster email for expert analysis straight to your inbox Get our free View from Westminster email Get our free View from Westminster email Email * SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our Privacy notice Sir Keir Starmer has not taken part in Donald Trumps signing ceremony for his Gaza board of peace over concerns about the inclusion of Vladimir Putin, in what will be viewed as a snub to the US president. Trump signed the document on the sidelines of the World Economic Forum on Thursday at a ceremony attended by Tony Blair, who was named on the board, as well as Trumps son-in-law Jared Kushner and US secretary of state Marco Rubio. The prime minister has expressed concerns about the board in recent days, with his spokesperson telling reporters that Britain was still looking at the terms. Foreign secretary Yvette Cooper cited unease about the Russian president being part of something which is talking about peace. Mr Putin was also not present. The Kremlin has acknowledged an invitation to the board and is studying the details to seek clarity of all the nuances, according to spokesperson Dmitry Peskov. open image in gallery The US president signed the document on the sidelines of the World Economic Forum at a ceremony attended by Tony Blair, who was controversially named on the board ( Getty ) The board of peace was originally laid out by Mr Trump as a small group of world leaders who would oversee the reconstruction of Gaza, but has since developed into playing a broader role. At the ceremony, Trump claimed just about every country wants to be a part of the newly formed board, adding that once it is completely formed: We can do pretty much whatever we want to do. When America booms, the entire world booms, Trump told the gathering. This board has the chance to be one of the most consequential bodies ever created and its my enormous honour to serve as its chairman. open image in gallery Countries represented on stage included: Bahrain, Azerbaijan, Hungary, Indonesia, Kazakhstan, Saudi Arabia, UAE, Uzbekistan and Mongolia ( AFP/Getty ) Mr Trump extended invitations to dozens of nations and suggested the board could soon mediate various international conflicts, akin to a pseudo-UN Security Council. Around 35 countries have committed to join including Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Egypt, Turkey and Belarus. Senior officials from 19 countries were introduced as founding members of the collective that Trump is set to oversee. Countries represented on stage at the ceremony included: Bahrain, Morocco, Argentina, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Bulgaria, Hungary, Indonesia, Jordan, Kazakhstan, Kosovo, Pakistan, Paraguay, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Turkey, UAE, Uzbekistan and Mongolia. The event featured Ali Shaath, the head of a new, future technocratic government in Gaza, announcing that the Rafah border crossing will open in both directions next week. But there was no confirmation of that from Israel, which said only that it would consider the matter. open image in gallery Yvette Cooper said Britain will not take part because of concerns about President Putin being part of something which is talking about peace ( PA ) Norway, Sweden and France have said they will not join the board for now as tensions rise between the US and Nato over Trumps desire to own Greenland. Italy is also set to reject the invitation, according to national paper Corriere della Sera. French officials stressed that while they support the Gaza peace plan, they were concerned the board could seek to replace the UN as the main venue for resolving conflicts. open image in gallery Sir Keir Starmer has expressed concerns about the board in recent days, with his spokesperson telling reporters that the UK was still looking at the terms ( PA Wire ) Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky, who was also invited to join, said it was hard for him to imagine being together with Russia on this or another board. UN officials have so far dismissed concerns that Trump is trying to sidestep the organisation, saying it is unlikely that decades of multilateral peacebuilding with the participation of more than 190 member countries could be replaced. Mr Trump insisted the board will work in conjunction with the United Nations and added: Ive always said the United Nations has got tremendous potential, has not used it, but theres tremendous potential in the United Nations, and you have some great people at the United Nations, but so far, it hasnt. Farhan Haq, UN deputy spokesperson, said: There have been any number of organisations regional organisations, defence alliances and others that have coexisted with the UN over the 80 years that the UNs been in existence. Trump's push for peace also comes after he threatened military action this month against Iran as it carried out a violent crackdown against some of the largest street protests in years, killing thousands of people. Trump, for the time being, has signaled he won't carry out any new strikes on Iran after he said he received assurances that the Islamic government would not carry out the planned hangings of more than 800 protesters. The latest headlines from our reporters across the US sent straight to your inbox each weekday Your briefing on the latest headlines from across the US Your briefing on the latest headlines from across the US Email * SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our Privacy notice A federal magistrate judge has reportedly dismissed prosecutors' efforts to charge journalist Don Lemon in connection with an anti-immigration enforcement protest that disrupted a church service in Minnesota, according to a source familiar with the matter. The individual spoke anonymously due to the ongoing investigation. Lemon was among those who entered a church in St. Paul on Sunday, where a local official from U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) serves as a pastor. The journalist, who was dismissed from CNN in 2023, has stated he has no affiliation with the organization behind the protest, claiming he was present solely to chronicle the events as a journalist. The latest headlines from our reporters across the US sent straight to your inbox each weekday Your briefing on the latest headlines from across the US Your briefing on the latest headlines from across the US Email * SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our Privacy notice Elizabeth Holmes, the founder of the now-defunct blood-testing startup Theranos, has sought a commutation of her sentence from President Donald Trump, according to a notice on the Justice Department website. Holmes was convicted of defrauding investors in the company, which was once valued at an estimated $9 billion. The U.S. Justice Department's Office of the Pardon Attorney lists her request, submitted last year, as currently pending. The White House did not immediately respond to a request for comment regarding the matter. Holmes was CEO throughout Theranos turbulent 15-year history, claimed her startup had developed a revolutionary medical device that could detect a multitude of diseases and conditions from a few drops of blood. But the technology never worked, and the claims were false. A 41-year-old mother of two small children, Holmes began serving her 11-year sentence in May 2023 at a federal prison in Texas. Her listed release date at the Federal Bureau of Prisons is currently March 19, 2032. Holmes was convicted in January 2022 on four counts of fraud and conspiracy for lying about the capabilities of her biotech companys blood testing technology and conning investors out of millions of dollars. She continues to appeal her sentence and conviction from behind bars. Holmes was convicted of defrauding investors in the company, which was once valued at an estimated $9 billion ( AP ) Holmes and her former partner and Theranos COO Ramesh Sunny Balwani, who was convicted at a separate trial of 12 counts of fraud and conspiracy, were also ordered to repay victims $452m. Out-of-pocket investors included Rupert Murdoch, who is owed $125m, and former Education Secretary Betsy DeVos. At sentencing, prosecutors described her offending as among the most substantial white collar offences Silicon Valley or any other district has seen. Holmes is permitted visits from her husband Billy Evans and two children. A decade ago, Theranos had become such a hot health care commodity that it was called an exemplar of U.S. ingenuity by several prominent people, including then-Vice President Joe Biden. Holmes had emerged as a media sensation with a fortune worth $4.5 billion. The latest headlines from our reporters across the US sent straight to your inbox each weekday Your briefing on the latest headlines from across the US Your briefing on the latest headlines from across the US Email * SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our Privacy notice A five-year-old boy and his father were detained by Immigration and Customs Enforcement in Minnesota and taken to a facility in Texas, school officials and the familys lawyer said. Liam Ramos is now the fourth student from Columbia Heights Public Schools swept up in ICE activity in Minneapolis in recent weeks, the district said at a news conference Wednesday to speak out against the anti-immigration operation. Tensions have been inflamed in Minneapolis since an ICE agent fatally shot mother-of-three Renee Good, 37, earlier this month, sparking protests and unrest. Liam and his father, named by the Department of Homeland Security as Adrian Alexander Conejo Arias, who was described as an illegal alien from Ecuador, were detained Tuesday afternoon in their driveway on returning home from preschool. Photos released by the district show agents leading the child, wearing a backpack and a blue animal hat, to an SUV in the snow. Why detain a five-year-old? said Superintendent Zena Stenvik. You cannot tell me that this child is going to be classified as a violent criminal. open image in gallery Liam Ramos, five, (pictured) and his father were detained by Immigration and Customs Enforcement in Minnesota and taken to a facility in Texas ( Courtesy of Columbia Heights Public Schools ) The school alleges that once officers apprehended Liams father, the agent took the child out of the still-running vehicle, led him to the door and directed him to knock on the door in order to see if anyone else was home essentially using a five-year-old as bait. There was another adult at home at the time, who begged the agents to let them take care of the small child, but was refused, according to Stenvik. Vice President JD Vance was in Minneapolis Thursday and was questioned by reporters about the incident at a press conference. Vance said he initially believed the report was terrible, and mentioned being a father to a 5-year-old himself. But then he said on learning that the father was an illegal alien, the ICE agents were justified. Well, what are they supposed to do? Vance said of the ICE agents. Are they supposed to let a five year old child freeze to death? Are they not supposed to arrest an illegal alien in the United States of America? If the argument is that you can't arrest people who have violated our laws because they have children, then every single parent is going to be completely given immunity from ever being the subject of law enforcement, Vance continued. That doesn't make any sense. Tricia McLaughlin, Department of Homeland Security assistant secretary, said the arrest of Liams father was part of a targeted operation and claimed an agent stayed with Liam for his safety. open image in gallery Why detain a five-year-old? asked Superintendent Zena Stenvik You cannot tell me that this child is going to be classified as a violent criminal ( Columbia Heights Public Schools ) ICE did NOT target a child, McLaughlin said in a statement to The Independent. As agents approached the driver, Adrian Alexander Conejo Arias fled on foot abandoning his child. For the childs safety, one of our ICE officers remained with the child while the other officers apprehended Conejo Arias. Parents are asked if they want to be removed with their children, or ICE will place the children with a safe person the parent designates, McLaughlin continued. This is consistent with past administrations immigration enforcement. Liam and his father were taken to a facility in San Antonio, according to the familys lawyer Marc Prokosch, who said they are not U.S. citizens but have been following the legal process perfectly, from presenting themselves at the border to applying for asylum and waiting for the process to go through. At Wednesdays news conference, Liams teacher, Ella Sullivan, described him as a very friendly student who brightens the room when he comes into class each morning. His friends havent asked about him yet, but I know that theyll catch on, she said. All I want is for him to be back here and safe. Two weeks ago, a 10-year-old 4th grader was taken by ICE agents on her way to one of our elementary schools with her mother, the school district said. During the arrest, the child called her father to tell him the ICE agents were bringing her to school. The father immediately came to the school to find that both his daughter and wife had been taken, the school said, adding that the mother and child were taken to a detention center in Texas, where they reportedly remain. open image in gallery Liam and his father were taken to a facility in San Antonio, according to the familys lawyer, who admits they are not US citizens ( Columbia Heights Public Schools ) On the same day Liam and his father were detained, a 17-year-old Columbia Heights High School student was taken by armed and masked agents on their way to school, where no parents were present. The student was removed from their car and taken away, the school said. In another alleged incident last week, ICE agents pushed their way into an apartment and detained a 17-year-old student and her mother. Stevnik said the activity has compromised the sense of safety in our community and staff and students have been left shaken. Staff wear brave faces throughout the day for their students, while facing so many uncertainties, Stenvik said. As soon as the school day ends, they are not sure if they will see their students tomorrow morning while taking attendance. Mary Granlund, chair of the Columbia Heights Public Schools board of education, said students should not be afraid to come to school or wait at the bus stop. At the end of the day, we have whistles, and they have guns, she said. The latest headlines from our reporters across the US sent straight to your inbox each weekday Your briefing on the latest headlines from across the US Your briefing on the latest headlines from across the US Email * SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our Privacy notice A 92-year-old Texas man became severely ill and died after his longtime pharmacy mistakenly gave him another patients prescription medication, according to a wrongful death lawsuit obtained by The Independent. Joseph Hamilton Broussard took the pills as directed for 66 days, which ultimately proved fatal, alleges a complaint filed Wednesday evening by his daughter. An expert opinion submitted to the court by a physician specializing in emergency medicine and toxicology contends Broussards death, following an 11-month decline, was a direct result of having been dispensed the wrong drug, calling out Houstons Mercury Drive Pharmacy for negligence and breaches in the standard of care. There are several steps that the standard of care requests to ensure a patient does not receive a medication intended for another patient, the opinion reads. However, one of the most fundamental checks is to ensure before a medication is given or delivered to a patient that the name on the pill bottle matches the name of the patient it is being given to. Mercury Drive is a member of Health Mart, a nationwide network of independent pharmacies, which is owned by McKesson, the publicly traded pharmaceutical distributor. A McKesson spokesperson did not respond Thursday to a request for comment. An employee who answered the phone at Mercury Drive said he would not be able to pass along a message to owner James Muldrow. A subsequent email to Muldrows work account went unanswered. open image in gallery Of the 90 pioglitazone pills Joseph Hamilton Broussard had been improperly sent, 24 remained in the bottle at the time of his death, according to court filings ( AFP via Getty Images ) Broussard, who had multiple health issues, was a regular customer of Mercury Drive and got his prescription refills by mail, according to his daughters complaint, which is now pending in Harris County District Court. On August 8, 2024, a bottle containing 90 45-milligram tablets of pioglitazone, a diabetes drug sold under the brand name Actos, arrived at Broussards Houston home, it says. He followed the instructions precisely, taking one pill a day, the complaint continues. But Broussard who had a pacemaker and was living with type 2 diabetes, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, atrial fibrillation, congestive heart failure and had part of his kidney removed during a battle against cancer hadnt been prescribed pioglitazone, the complaint states. Instead, it goes on, the meds were meant for someone else. That October, Broussard showed up at an area hospital complaining of shortness of breath and swollen ankles, the complaint states. Doctors found Broussard was retaining water due to a worsening of his congestive heart failure, started him on IV diuretics, and kept him under medical observation for two days. Several months later, following a bout of pneumonia, Broussard was hospitalized with congestive heart failure exacerbation, this time for an entire week, according to the complaint. It says Broussards health took a turn for the worse from there, and on June 7, 2025, he died. open image in gallery The Houston pharmacy being sued by Joseph Hamilton Broussard's daughter is accused of sending the 91-year-old someone else's meds ( Google Maps ) Of the 90 pioglitazone pills in the bottle Broussard had been improperly sent, 24 remained, according to the expert opinion filed alongside his daughters complaint. Had Mr. Broussard not received this medication, it is more likely than not he would not have had an exacerbation of congestive heart failure or required hospitalization that he did, Jonathan David de Olano, M.D. wrote. It is foreseeable to all healthcare providers, including a pharmacy and its employees and staff, that failure to meet the standard of care described above can result in serious injuries or even death, the document by de Olano states. That is why it is my opinion that the negligence and breaches in the standard of care identified by this report were a proximate cause of Mr. Broussards resulting injuries. Pioglitazone promotes fluid retention, and can trigger or worsen heart failure, particularly in individuals with pre-existing congestive heart failure, such as Mr. Broussard, according to de Olano. ... Even in those with less severe cardiac dysfunction, careful monitoring is essential because volume overload may develop gradually and produce significant clinical consequences. With that in mind, de Olana said he believes it is more likely than not, based on a reasonable degree of medical probability, that Broussards taking pioglitazone resulted in his initial hospitalization and helped bring about his eventual demise. Had Mercury Drive Pharmacy their employees and/or staff complied with the standard of care, it is more likely than not that they would have identified that he was about to receive the wrong medication and would not have provided it to him, de Olana wrote. In 2019, a transcription error by a pharmacy technician led to the death of a patient, who was reportedly prescribed methotrexate, a cancer drug, instead of metolazone, a diuretic. Last year, a 58-year-old auto mechanic died in the hospital after an in-house pharmacist accidentally prescribed him a lethal dose of pain killers. In certain instances, healthcare professionals have been charged with manslaughter over medication errors. Mercury Drive Pharmacy acted with conscious indifference to Broussards rights, safety, health and welfare, according to Broussards daughters complaint. She is now seeking general, special, and exemplary damages for the conscious physical pain and emotional pain, torment, and suffering she says her father experienced, as well as for medical expenses and hospital care. funeral and burial expenses, along with punitive damages for malice and gross negligence, in an amount sufficient to punish and deter such conduct in the future. Attorneys John Brothers and Nicolas Verchere, who are representing Broussards daughter, did not respond to requests for comment. The latest headlines from our reporters across the US sent straight to your inbox each weekday Your briefing on the latest headlines from across the US Your briefing on the latest headlines from across the US Email * SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our Privacy notice A major alcohol producer has announced plans to sell off two of its U.S. brands inventory, as bankruptcy filings continue to stall. Luxembourg-based producer The Stoli Group confirmed last week that the move will affect its Kentucky Owl LLC and Stoli Group USA LLC brands, both of which filed for bankruptcy in November. The move comes as the brand battles with a quarter-century of unprecedented external pressures, claiming that a dispute with the Russian government damaged its productivity. Ownership of the firm is disputed between its Luxembourgish investors and Russian state company FKP Soyuzplodoimport, with the Kremlin seizing the brands distillery after it criticized the invasion of Ukraine. open image in gallery The Stoli Group is selling off the inventories of one of its beloved whiskey brands and one of its vodka brands ( Getty Images/iStockphoto ) The international brand was later hit by a massive cyberattack on its operations, limiting its ability to distribute its products. In a press release, the Stoli Group also blamed the slowing of the U.S. spirits market for its financial woes. According to a report by Gallup, just 54 percent of Americans now drink alcohol, the lowest in 90 years. That has left other companies, including Diageo, Pernod Ricard, Campari, Brown-Forman, and Remy Cointreau, with $22 billion in aging spirits, according to the Financial Times. The Stoli Group has been forced to go a step further to file Chapter 7 liquidation for the two brands. Over the past thirteen months, the Group worked to construct a viable reorganization plan aimed at preserving jobs, stabilizing operations, and protecting long-standing commercial partnerships, the press release read. Both Kentucky Owl and Stoli are American classics, with the former hitting the shelves in 1871. Following the prohibition era, the brand changed its commercial strategy and began releasing limited batches of high-quality whiskey. open image in gallery Stoli vodka is a nightclub staple in the United States, despite being made in Latvia ( Stolichnaya ) Each bottle was priced from anywhere between $50 and $600. Meanwhile, Stoli, which was originally marketed as Stolichnaya, is a U.S. nightclub classic despite being produced in Latvia. According to the alcohol company, its other brands will remain on sale. Stoli and Kentucky Owl products will remain on shelves for as long as stocks last. We believe there is sufficient inventory of Stoli brands in the US market to ensure consumers will be able to continue purchasing these products for the foreseeable future, the press statement read. Meanwhile, control of the Stoli Group USA and Kentucky Owl will be handed over to a court-appointed trustee who will their futures. The Stoli Group's factories in Spain, Italy, Argentina and the United States will be unaffected by the proceedings and the group has confirmed that it plans to maintain operations in 176 markets. Sign up for the daily Inside Washington email for exclusive US coverage and analysis sent to your inbox Get our free Inside Washington email Get our free Inside Washington email Email * SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our Privacy notice Former vice president Al Gore has likened Donald Trumps attempt to take a wrecking ball to NATO with his remarks over Greenland to the demolition of the White Houses East Wing, calling the presidents actions insane. NATO has been a tremendous foreign policy achievement for the United States as our effort to build up other alliances, to establish the rule of law, a rules based order, all of that has benefited the United States enormously, Gore said, speaking to reporters at the World Economic Forum Wednesday. And to try to take a wrecking ball to these alliances, the way he took a wrecking ball to the East Wing is literally insane. Earlier at the global summit in Davos, Trump delivered an aggressive speech to attendees in which he said he would not seek to annex Greenland with military force but called for immediate negotiations aimed at a deal for the U.S. to acquire the Arctic territory, which both Danish and Greenlandic authorities have said is not for sale. He also said the U.S. would be unstoppable in any attempt to seize the island but disclaimed any interest in doing so. The president has also previously claimed that a U.S. seizure of Greenland would actually make NATO more secure. open image in gallery Former vice president Al Gore has likened Donald Trumps attempt to take a wrecking ball to NATO with his remarks over Greenland to the demolition of the White Houses East Wing, calling the presidents actions insane ( AP ) Asked if he believed Trump about the annexation making the alliance more secure, Gore was blunt. No, of course not. It's ridiculous. The former vice president, who served under Bill Clinton from 1993 to 2001, said that the presidents speech was a classic Trump performance. I would hate to be the fact checker that had to go through that speech, he said. But I think there was one element of the speech that I would interpret as a positive. I think perhaps because of the stock market's reaction yesterday, he appeared to back down from his previous threat to use military force to acquire Greenland. And if I'm interpreting that correctly, I think that's a good thing. open image in gallery Earlier at the global summit in Davos, Trump delivered an aggressive speech to attendees in which he said he would not seek to annex Greenland with military force but called for immediate negotiations aimed at a deal for the U.S. to acquire the Arctic territory, which both Danish and Greenlandic authorities have said is not for sale ( Copyright 2026 The Associated Press. All rights reserved ) Gore has already been vocal in his opposition for the Trump administration at Davos, having previously been unveiled as one of the hecklers that disrupted an event during which Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick was speaking Tuesday. Lutnick was speaking at an invite-only VIP dinner event hosted by billionaire BlackRock boss Larry Fink, after which he was loudly booed. Gore later said his actions had been in response to Lutnicks attack on Europe in his remarks. I sat and listened to his remarks, Gore told Mediate in a statement Wednesday. I didnt interrupt him in any way. Its no secret that I think this administrations energy policy is insane. And at the end of his speech I reacted with how I felt, and so did several others. Sign up for the daily Inside Washington email for exclusive US coverage and analysis sent to your inbox Get our free Inside Washington email Get our free Inside Washington email Email * SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our Privacy notice Former First Lady Michelle Obama said she would be adamantly against her husband, former President Barack Obama, running for the office again if President Donald Trump somehow changed the law to allow a third term. Michelle Obama, who served in the White House for eight years, encouraged people to look to the future and find new, talented young people to lead the ever-changing country, rather than look back on Wednesdays episode of Call Her Daddy. When asked by host Alex Cooper if Barack Obama would ever consider running for the hypothetical third term, Michelle Obama responded, I hope not. I would actively work against that. I would be at home working against it, Michelle said. Although presidents are limited to two four-year terms, Trump has repeatedly trolled the public by floating the idea of somehow breaking the Constitution to allow himself to remain in office for a third term. Former first lady said the country needs young people with new energy to take on the difficult job of being president ( Getty Images ) Most of Trumps allies have insisted the current president is not serious about pursuing the possibility given it would take massive bipartisan support in Congress as well as among the states. But while Trump has expressed glee at the far-fetched idea, Michelle Obama insisted the country needs fresh talent. I do believe in the need for new vision, Michelle Obama said, explaining that serving as president is difficult and requires new energy. Michelle Obama has reflected on her time in the White House fondly in interviews and her 2018 memoir Becoming. She has called her time as first lady the greatest honor of her life. But she has also been honest about the pressure and anxiety that came with serving as the first Black first lady ever. Her upcoming book, The Look, gives readers an inside look at how she and her team used fashion to express confidence and personality during her time in the White House. How are we going to build young leaders if the same people keep doing it again, and again, and again? Theres all these young smart people who are just looking outside with their ideas as leaders get older and older, she added. Michelle Obamas sentiments are reflective in how U.S. voters feel about seeing the same politicians running in elections. Before former President Joe Biden dropped out of the 2024 race, polling consistently showed most people were unhappy with a Trump v. Biden matchup again. I believe two terms is enough, for everybody, she added. Sign up for the daily Inside Washington email for exclusive US coverage and analysis sent to your inbox Get our free Inside Washington email Get our free Inside Washington email Email * SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our Privacy notice A federal officer opened fire on a man near a school in South Los Angeles after he rammed agents with a car during an immigration operation, the Department of Homeland Security has said. Federal agents were conducting a targeted operation in Compton Wednesday morning to arrest William Eduardo Moran Carballo of El Salvador after an immigration judge ordered that he be deported in 2019, DHS said. The agency described Moran Carballo as a violent criminal illegal alien, whos involved in a human smuggling operation and has been arrested twice for inflicting corporal injury on a spouse or cohabitant. Moran Carballo weaponized his vehicle, ramming into agents in an attempt to evade arrest, DHS said. Fearing for his life and safety, an agent fired defensive shots. While Moran Carballo was not hit, a Customs and Border Protection officer was injured. The Independent has reached out to DHS for comment about the extent of the officers injuries, but it had no new information to share. open image in gallery A federal officer opened fire on a man near a school in South Los Angeles after he rammed agents with a car during an immigration operation, the Department of Homeland Security has said ( Patrick T. Fallon/AFP via Getty Images ) Moran Carballo reportedly tried to flee on foot, but was caught by authorities. Its just scary, you know, we have a school thats just a few hundred yards away, a resident identified as Andrew told ABC7. Youve got kids that are here, kids that are fearful for their parents to get taken away. Its very alarming. open image in gallery The shooting occurred when an undocumented immigrant was attempting to evade arrest, according to the Trump administration ( Patrick T. Fallon/AFP via Getty Images ) Tensions between federal agents and residents of the cities targeted in President Donald Trumps immigration crackdown have escalated following recent shootings involving DHS officers. NBC News recently reported that federal immigration agents have shot 11 people since September. The most high-profile case was the January 7 shooting of Renee Good in Minneapolis. The 37-year-old U.S. citizen and mother of three was fatally shot by ICE agent Jonathan Ross. Earlier this month, thousands of people protested Trumps aggressive deportation efforts, following the killing of Good and other shootings involving federal agents. open image in gallery Tensions between federal agents and residents of the cities targeted in President Donald Trumps immigration crackdown have escalated following recent shootings involving DHS officers ( Heather Diehl/Getty Images ) DHS blamed elected officials for encouraging undocumented immigrants to evade arrest when announcing Wednesdays shooting. These dangerous attempts to evade arrest have surged since sanctuary politicians, including [California] Governor [Gavin] Newsom, have encouraged illegal aliens to evade arrest and provided guides advising illegal aliens how to recognize ICE, block entry, and defy arrest. Our officers are now facing a 3,200% increase in vehicle attacks, DHS said. Sign up for the daily Inside Washington email for exclusive US coverage and analysis sent to your inbox Get our free Inside Washington email Get our free Inside Washington email Email * SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our Privacy notice Donald Trump appeared to confuse Greenland with Iceland during a speech to world leaders, as he continued his pursuit of the Arctic territory. Addressing the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, on Wednesday, the president continued to argue that the US needed to take ownership of Greenland to ensure national security. During the speech, he referred to Greenland as a big piece of ice. But at one point, Trump also repeatedly referred to the country of Iceland. Our stock market took the first dip yesterday because of Iceland, so Iceland has already cost us a lot of money, he said. But that dip is peanuts compared to what its gone up. open image in gallery Donald Trump addresses the annual meeting in Davos, Switzerland ( World Ecomomic Forum ) He went on to refer to Iceland multiple times in the speech at the World Economic Forum, as he spoke out about the continuing tense negotiations with Denmark over Greenland. Until the last few days, when I told them about Iceland, they loved me. They called me Daddy, Trump said. I went from running it to being a terrible human being. But now what Im asking for is a piece of ice, cold and poorly located, that can play a vital role in world peace and world protection. Its a very small ask compared to what we have given them for many, many decades. He went on to continue to attack Nato for not being there for us on Iceland despite all of the money we expend, with all of the blood, sweat and tears. Iceland and Greenland are two separate territories within the North Atlantic Ocean, separated at its narrowest point by a 290-300km stretch known as the Denmark Strait. While Greenland is an autonomous territory of Denmark with a population of more than 50,000, Iceland is its own sovereign country populated by over 390,000 people. White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt later disputed reports that Trump had mixed the two up. Replying to a post by News Nations White House correspondent Libbey Dean, Leavitt wrote: No he didnt, Libby. His written remarks referred to Greenland as a piece of ice because thats what it is. Youre the only one mixing anything up here. Elsewhere in the Davos speech, Trump said he would not use force to take Greenland, amid growing concerns from Nato allies over how far the president is willing to go. He did, however, warn that he would remember if Denmark and Greenland didnt give in to his demands. open image in gallery People across Denmark and Greenland have protested against Trumps attempts to seize the territory ( Getty ) Weve never asked for anything else and we could have kept that piece of land and we didn't, he said. So they have a choice: you can say yes, and we will be very appreciative, or you can say no, and we will remember. Trumps pursuit of the autonomous territory sparked thousands of demonstrators to gather across Denmark and Greenland over the weekend. An estimated 10,000 Danes gathered at Copenhagens City Hall Square to push back against Trumps threats, with many people in the crowd donning parody hats mimicking Trumps signature, bright-red MAGA cap that instead read Make America Go Away. Sign up for the daily Inside Washington email for exclusive US coverage and analysis sent to your inbox Get our free Inside Washington email Get our free Inside Washington email Email * SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our Privacy notice Prosecutors in the Southern District of New York, one of the premier federal prosecutors offices in the United States, are reportedly being crushed by the workload as they sift through the massive trove of Epstein files as members of the public and lawmakers impatiently wait for further releases. For weeks, hundreds of attorneys in the prestigious federal trial court have been dedicated to redacting sensitive information about survivors as required under the recently passed Epstein Files Transparency Act, U.S. Attorney Jay Clayton has told the Justice Department. Congress initially imposed a deadline of December 19 to release all documents, including those in the New York court cases against Epstein and his associate, Ghislaine Maxwell. But inside the office, those familiar with the matter describe prosecutors being crushed by the work in trying to review the more than two million documents, according to Politico. Nearly every single prosecutor, even those working on high-profile cases, as well as some top-ranking executive staff, is assisting in reviewing files. Sometimes the work can even carry into the weekend, sources the outlet. open image in gallery Its unclear when prosecutors in New York will be finished reviewing the millions of pages in the Epstein files ( AP ) The Southern District of New York declined to comment when contacted by The Independent. The Southern District of New York is considered one of the most influential federal courts in the country due to its location in Manhattan and its history as the oldest federal court. Some of the nations most-watched cases are tried in the Southern District of New York such as the ongoing case against deposed Venezuelan leader Nicolas Maduro. But even several prosecutors assigned to work on the Maduro case have been asked to assist with the Epstein files, Politico reports. Clayton, who leads the Southern District of New York, has said in court filings that the redactions are a substantial undertaking because of the number of documents that require manual review. The Manhattan court is where two massive federal investigations took place one into Epstein and the other into Maxwell. Epstein died in prison before his case could go to trial. Maxwells trial ended with her child sex trafficking conviction. open image in gallery Lawmakers and members of the public have urged officials to release the Epstein files at a faster pace but prosecutors say theyre going as fast as they can under immense pressure ( Getty ) Clayton said at least 125 attorneys in the Southern District of New York are working on the Epstein file redactions. Approximately 80 attorneys from the Justice Departments Criminal Division have been sent to assist the New York prosecutors in reviewing the files. There are also prosecutors and investigators in the Southern District of Florida, where Epstein was investigated in the early 2000s, going through redactions in documents located at that federal court. Those are all additions to the more than 100 specially trained document analysts assisting courts from the FBI. Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche has echoed many of the sentiments, saying the effort to go through documents is all-hands-on-deck. Yet its still unclear when the remainder of the Epstein files will be released. Sign up for the daily Inside Washington email for exclusive US coverage and analysis sent to your inbox Get our free Inside Washington email Get our free Inside Washington email Email * SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our Privacy notice Fox News host Rachel Campos-Duffy, whose husband is Donald Trumps transportation secretary, seemingly fell for an online parody version of HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. this week, calling Kennedy the greatest because he supposedly made fun of Oprah Winfreys weight. Shortly after Campos-Duffy a former Real World castmember who now hosts the weekend version of Fox & Friends applauded the fake Kennedy for dispensing MAHA wisdom at Winfrey while accusing her of overeating, her tweet was hit with a Community Note on X. The account being quoted is not actually RFK Jr., its a commentary/parody account, the post stated. A community note is needed as people may believe she is quoting the HHS Secretary. As of publication, Campos-Duffys tweet is still live. The Independent has reached out to Fox News for comment. Last week, the X account @RobertKennedyJc which is marked as a Commentary account and has a bio that clearly states it is for MAHA News and has no affiliation to the real RFKJR reacted to a clip of Winfreys recent appearance on The View. During her interview, the talk show legend said that if you carry the obesity gene, that is what makes you overeat, adding that obesity leads to increased food consumption. open image in gallery Fox News star Rachel Campos-Duffy seemed to fall for a parody Robert F. Kennedy Jr. social media account this week. ( Getty Images ) Dear Oprah, Yes, you were overeating! For years, the fake Kennedy account wrote. And it wasn't some mystical obesity gene puppeteering your fork. It was your choices. Stop selling surrender as science. Our kids deserve the truth that real change starts with personal accountability, not excuses. MAHA. Seven days after that tweet was posted, Campos-Duffy decided to weigh in with her own reaction. This is amazing. Greatest HHS Secretary EVER, she declared on X. With the Fox News stars tweet quickly getting hit with a Community Note, it didnt take long for critics to ridicule and mock the conservative pundit for quoting a parody of a Trump official. Especially since her husband is Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy, who last month took part in a bizarre pull-up contest with Kennedy at Ronald Reagan National Airport to mark the administrations new family-friendly travel campaign. Mrs. Real World thinks this is a real account, one social media user snarked, while others replied to Campos-Duffy that she was dumb as a rock and a moron, adding that it was so funny that she fell for this. Besides being one of the networks top MAGA loyalists who has interviewed Donald Trump multiple times, Campos-Duffy has made it clear over the years that she is a passionate adherent to Kennedys Make America Healthy Again movement which has included the mother of nines disdain for COVID-19 vaccinations. open image in gallery Campos-Duffy calls RFK Jr. the Greatest HHS Secretary EVER while reacting to a parody Kennedy account. ( X/@RCamposDuffy ) Calling Covid a scam and likening vaccine mandates to apartheid, she also revealed in 2022 that she and then-colleague Pete Hegseth who has since become the Pentagon chief had not received the coronavirus vaccines, raising questions over how they both had circumvented the networks New York vaccine mandate. Since Trumps return to office and Kennedys ascension as the top health official in the nation, Campos-Duffy has gone all in on pushing the Trump administrations MAHA narrative, which featured her and her husband a former Fox host whom she met while both were MTV reality show stars bringing Fox News viewers into their kitchen. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy, 'Fox & Friends Weekend' co-host Rachel Campos-Duffy and their children welcome Steve Doocy into their New Jersey home to share their 'MAHA' breakfast, the network declared during a Fox & Friends segment at the Duffy household. As for Campos-Duffys social media activity, this isnt the first time shes gotten in front of her skis while tweeting. In late 2020, for instance, she seemingly cheered on Twitter attacks of her then-colleague Jedediah Bila who at the time was a Fox & Friends Weekend co-host after temporarily filling in for Bila. Sign up for the daily Inside Washington email for exclusive US coverage and analysis sent to your inbox Get our free Inside Washington email Get our free Inside Washington email Email * SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our Privacy notice California Gov. Gavin Newsom has claimed he lives rent-free in President Donald Trumps head and hailed the success of his social media attacks on the commander-in-chief. Speaking at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, hours after Trump addressed the event on his demands for Greenland, the Democrat did not hold back. This is not normal, its a deviation of normalcy, he told Semafors editor-in-chief Ben Smith during an on-stage interview. Weve got to call it out. So I put a mirror up to Trump and Trumpism in all caps. Newsom was alluding to his official press office account on X (Twitter), which has been given over in the last year to savage satires of Trump and his cabinet and wry commentary on their activities. And it was ironic because Pravda, Fox News in America, others, they got offended by it, he continued. open image in gallery California Gov. Gavin Newsom speaks at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland ( AP ) They said, Well, wheres his mother to wash his mouth out with soap? I said, Where the hell have you been? Youve never said a word about Trump dressing up as the Pope, tweeting out and cosplaying on the world stage. Newsom went on to rebuke Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent for describing him in Davos a day earlier as: Patrick Bateman meets Sparkle Beach Ken. The Treasury Secretary talked about a Barbie doll, the governor responded. It was as if he was reading a diary and had just broken up with someone. I mean that was the Secretary of the Treasury using valuable time yesterday on the world stage. Were deeply in their head, I think the affordability agenda appears to be, Im living rent-free in Trumps head. Newsom was taking part after an earlier event hosted by Fortune at U.S.A. House, his countrys official headquarters at the gathering, was abruptly canceled, which the governor blamed on pressure from the White House and State Department. open image in gallery Newsom previously called on European leaders assembled at Davos to stand up to Trump ( AFP/Getty ) During his sitdown with Smith, Newsom claimed the development was consistent with the administration and its authoritarian tendencies, also attacking the aborted events corporate sponsors for being complicit with the presidents agenda and accusing them of selling out. Elsewhere in the conversation, the governor attacked the incursion of ICE agents into his state last year, mocking Customs and Border Protection official Greg Bovino for dressing as if he literally went on eBay and purchased SS garb, and warning that America is living under the rule of Don and a supine Congress as its enters the 250th anniversary year of its founding. He described watching speeches at the Forum by European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen and Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney and lamenting the loss of respect towards the U.S. because of Trump, observing: That used to be us. Not done there, he characterized the president as an invasive species devoted to personal enrichment who had left him with little choice but to fight fire with fire, for instance by supporting redistricting legislation in California to counteract Republican gerrymandering in Texas. He did not spare his own party either, claiming that the typical reaction of Democrats to Trumps outrages could be summed up as: We might write an op-ed. Sign up for the daily Inside Washington email for exclusive US coverage and analysis sent to your inbox Get our free Inside Washington email Get our free Inside Washington email Email * SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our Privacy notice A Cuban migrant held in solitary confinement at an immigration detention facility in Texas died after guards held him down and he stopped breathing, according to an autopsy report that ruled the death a homicide. Geraldo Lunas Campos died Jan. 3 following an altercation with guards. U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement said the 55-year-old father of four was attempting suicide and the staff tried to save him. But a witness told The Associated Press last week that Lunas Campos was handcuffed as at least five guards held him down and one put an arm around his neck and squeezed until he was unconscious. His death was one of at least three reported in little more than a month at Camp East Montana, a sprawling tent facility in the desert on the grounds of Fort Bliss, an Army base. The autopsy report by the El Paso County Medical Examiners Office, released Wednesday, found Lunas Campos' body showed signs of a struggle, including abrasions on his chest and knees. open image in gallery The federal government has provided a differing account surrounding the Jan. 3 death of Geraldo Lunas Campos, saying the detainee was attempting suicide and staff tried to save him ( AP ) He also had hemorrhages on his neck. The deputy medical examiner, Dr. Adam Gonzalez. determined the cause of death was asphyxia due to neck and torso compression. The report said witnesses saw Lunas Campos become unresponsive while being physically restrained by law enforcement. It did not elaborate on what happened during the struggle but cited evidence of injuries to his neck, head and torso associated with physical restraint. The report also noted the presence of petechial hemorrhages tiny blood spots from burst capillaries that can be associated with intense strain or injury in the eyelids and skin of the neck. Dr. Victor Weedn, a forensic pathologist who reviewed the autopsy report for AP, said the presence of petechiae in the eyes support the conclusion that asphyxia caused the death. Those injuries suggest pressure on the body and are often associated with such deaths, he said. He said the contusions on Lunas Campos body may reflect physical restraint and the neck injuries were consistent with a hand or knee on the neck. The autopsy also found the presence of prescription antidepressant and antihistamine medications, adding that Lunas Campos had a history of bipolar disorder and anxiety. It made no mention of him attempting suicide. Government provided changing accounts of what happened ICE's initial account of the death, which included no mention of an altercation with guards, said Lunas Campos had become disruptive and staff moved him into a cellblock where detainees are held away from others. While in segregation, staff observed him in distress and contacted on-site medical personnel for assistance, the agency said in its Jan. 9 statement. Medical staff responded, initiated lifesaving measures, and requested emergency medical services. Lunas Campos was pronounced dead after paramedics arrived. Last Thursday, after Lunas Campos' family was first informed the death was likely to be ruled a homicide, Department of Homeland Security spokesperson Tricia McLaughlin amended the government's account, saying he had attempted suicide and guards tried to help him. open image in gallery A witness told The Associated Press that Lunas Campos died after he was handcuffed, tackled by guards and placed in a chokehold until he lost consciousness ( AP ) Campos violently resisted the security staff and continued to attempt to take his life, she said. During the ensuing struggle, Campos stopped breathing and lost consciousness. After the final autopsy report was released Wednesday, McLaughlin issued a statement emphasizing that Lunas Campos was a criminal illegal alien and convicted child sex predator. New York court records show Lunas Campos was convicted in 2003 of sexual contact with a person under 11, a felony for which he was sentenced to one year in jail and placed on the states sex offender registry. Lunas Campos was also sentenced to five years in prison and three years of supervision in 2009 after being convicted of attempting to sell a controlled substance, according to the New York corrections records. He completed the sentence in January 2017. ICE takes seriously the health and safety of all those detained in our custody," McLaughlin said Wednesday, adding that the agency was investigating the death. DHS has not responded to questions about whether any outside law enforcement agency was also investigating. Deaths put a spotlight on Camp East Montana The AP reported in August that the $1.2 billion contract to build and operate Camp East Montana, expected to become the largest detention facility in the U.S., was awarded to a private contractor headquartered in a single-family home in Richmond, Virginia. The company, Acquisition Logistics LLC, had no prior experience running a corrections facility and has subcontracted with other companies to help operate the camp. It was not immediately clear whether the guards present when Lunas Campos died were government employees or those of a private contractor. A final determination of homicide by the medical examiner would typically be critical in determining whether any guards are held criminally or civilly liable. The fact that Lunas Campos died on an Army base could limit state and local officials legal jurisdiction to investigate. Lunas Campos was among the first detainees sent to Camp Montana East, arriving in September after ICE arrested him in Rochester, New York, where he lived for more than two decades. He was legally admitted to the U.S. in 1996, part of a wave of Cuban immigrants seeking to reach Florida by boat. ICE said he was picked up in July as part of a planned immigration enforcement operation due to criminal convictions that made him eligible for removal. In addition to Lunas Campos, ICE announced that on Dec. 3 an immigrant from Guatemala held in Camp East Montana died after being transferred to a El Paso hospital for care. While the cause of death was still pending, the agency said Francisco Gaspar-Andres, 48, was suspected to have died of liver and kidney failure. On Sunday, ICE announced that Victor Manuel Diaz, a 36-year-old immigrant from Nicaragua, died at Camp East Montana on Jan. 14 of a presumed suicide. The agency said Diaz was detained by ICE earlier this month during the immigration crackdown in Minneapolis. Unlike with the two prior deaths, Diaz's body wasn't sent to the county medical examiner in El Paso. McLaughlin said Wednesday that the autopsy for Diaz is being performed at the Army medical center at Fort Bliss. DHS again did not respond to questions about whether any agency other than ICE will investigate the death. Rep. Veronica Escobar, a Democrat whose district includes El Paso, called on DHS Secretary Kristi Noem and acting ICE Director Todd M. Lyons to brief Congress about the recent deaths. DHS must preserve all evidence including halting their effort to deport the witnesses, Escobar said Wednesday. I reiterate my call for Camp East Montana to be shut down and for the contract with the corporation running it to be terminated. Sign up for the daily Inside Washington email for exclusive US coverage and analysis sent to your inbox Get our free Inside Washington email Get our free Inside Washington email Email * SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our Privacy notice A two-year-old girl and her father are in federal custody after immigration officers broke the mans car window and arrested them on their way home from the grocery store, according to Minneapolis officials. The detention of Chloe Renata Tipan Villacis and Elvis Joel Tipan Echeverria has fueled outrage in an city that has seen a dramatic surge of federal law enforcement officers who have arrested hundreds of people, including a five-year-old boy pictured in a viral image wearing a Spider-Man backpack and blue cap as officers arrested him on his frozen driveway. Two-year-old Chloe and five-year-old Liam Conejo Ramos are among at least five Minneapolis-area children swept up in Donald Trumps mass deportation campaign in recent days. Chloe and her father were coming back from grocery shopping when a suspicious vehicle followed her fathers vehicle home, according to Minneapolis City council member Jason Chavez. When the father pulled into his private property, ICE agents got out of the vehicle, broke his window and kidnapped them, Chavez said. No judicial warrant was provided. open image in gallery Border patrol officers were pictured arresting Elvis Joel Tipan Echeverria and his two-year-old daughter Chloe in Minneapolis January 22 ( AP ) The councilman said he has started a GoFundMe and shared the familys story with the permission of the girls mother, Deicy Villacis Ruiz. The fundraiser has collected more than $61,000 as of publication. No family should ever go through this, Chavez wrote. A spokesperson for Homeland Security said the girls father was stopped by Customs and Border Patrol officers who accused him of driving erratically with a child in the vehicle. He refused multiple lawful commands to open his door or lower his window, the spokesperson said. Homeland Security claims that the girls mother refused to take custody of her child, and Chloe and her father are now reunited at an immigration detention facility, according to the spokesperson. open image in gallery Chloe and her father are now in federal detention, the latest Minneapolis-area child to be swept up by Trumps mass deportation campaign in the city ( AP ) Minneapolis schools and families are reeling after a wave of recent child detentions. At least four students from the Columbia Heights Public Schools system were detained by immigration officers within the last week alone, according to the district. Two weeks ago, a 10-year-old 4th grader was taken by ICE agents on her way to one of our elementary schools with her mother, the district said in a statement. During the arrest, the child called her father to tell him the ICE agents were bringing her to school, according to the district. The father immediately came to the school to find that both his daughter and wife had been taken. The same day Liam and his father were arrested, a 17-year-old Columbia Heights High School student was arrested by armed and masked agents on the way to school without any parents present, according to the school. open image in gallery Chloes arrest comes just days after 5-year-old Liam Conejo Ramos, who was detained with his father in their driveway ( Columbia Heights Public Schools ) In another alleged incident last week, immigration officers pushed their way into an apartment and detained a 17-year-old student and her mother. The now-viral image of five-year-old Liam standing in the snow during his arrest is fueling outrage in a city that has emerged as the latest backdrop to Trumps mass deportation efforts, which have drawn several lawsuits and demonstrations across the country.. Why detain a 5-year-old? asked Columbia Heights schools superintendent Zena Stenvik during a news conference Thursday. The boy and his father are originally from Ecuador and seeking asylum in the United States. These are not illegal aliens. They came legally and are pursuing a legal pathway, family attorney Marc Prokosch said at the briefing. Vice President JD Vance and ICE officials said they had no choice but to detain the preschooler and his father, claiming that the boys mother refused to take custody of her child. open image in gallery Border patrols boots-on-the-ground chief Greg Bovino and ICE officials Marcos Charles defended Liams arrest and detention in a press conference January 23 ( Getty Images ) Sweeping immigration enforcement operations have interrupted schools in communities across the country and put families, teachers and administrators on edge as they brace for agents showing up on campus and at home. In Chicago, thousands of students were marked absent as federal officers swarmed the city last year, according to school officials. Officers were also filmed dragging a teacher out of daycare, reportedly in front of children, and traumatized high schoolers who were beat up by officers before they arrived homeroom, their teachers said. Parents have also been arrested near schools in at least 10 states last year, according to a review of incidents from The Washington Post. School attendance plummeted in Chicago and Charlotte, North Carolina, in the days after the Trump administration surged agents in the Democratic-led cities, schools said. Immigration agents have also fired tear gas, joined car chases and shot at least one person in areas nearby schools, prompting campus lockdowns and alarm among students, their parents and school staff. After taking office, the Trump administration abandoned previous policy to prevent enforcement operations near so-called sensitive areas such as school campuses. Homeland Security has repeatedly stressed that schools are not being targeted in the operations, but the operations have derailed class schedules and forced some schools to shut down entirely. Taken in total, this enforcement activity is injecting chaos and trauma in the lives of children regardless of their immigration status, more than 70 Democratic members of Congress wrote to Education Secretary Linda McMahon in November. It is undeniable that it will have a harmful and lasting impact on whole communities of school aged children. Sign up for the daily Inside Washington email for exclusive US coverage and analysis sent to your inbox Get our free Inside Washington email Get our free Inside Washington email Email * SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our Privacy notice Furious protestors were heard screaming how do you sleep at a squad of ICE agents seen barrelling a pair of teenagers into a car during a raid in Minnesota. The chaotic scene unfolded Wednesday on the streets of Minneapolis, where ICE agents have been snatching alleged illegal immigrants from the streets as part of Operation Metro Surge. The arrest of the two teenagers was caught on camera by MPR News photojournalist Ben Hovland, who recorded the masked federal agents as they formed a perimeter around the youngsters. Do not cross this line, one agent says, while sweeping his arms forward. Do not touch me, you have no right to touch me, an angry demonstrator responds. open image in gallery ICE agents were seen barrelling a pair of teenagers into a federal vehicle during a raid ( Reuters ) Fellow protestors can be heard blowing deafening whistles and heckling the ICE agents. Youre taking a little girl one protestor screams, as the immigration officers try to distance the growing crowd from the car. As the clash continued, the two teenagers were eventually put in the back of the federal agents vehicle before the door was slammed. The reason for ICE detaining the two teenagers remains unknown, although Hovland told MPR that the pair were initially stopped when ICE agents allegedly rear-ended their silver SUV. He also told the broadcaster that he saw ICE agents looking through the girls U.S. passport book as she sobbed in the snow covered street. Meanwhile, other agents photographed the frightened teenage boys face. When they eventually left the scene, the immigration officers deployed crowd dispersing chemicals. The Independent has contacted the DHS for comment. open image in gallery The activities of ICE agents in Minneapolis of have attracted growing backlash ( Reuters ) Tensions have continued mount in Minneapolis after ann ICE agent shot mom-of-three Renee Good dead earlier this month. Good was killed after her car blocked a road upon which immigration officers were conducting an operation, with the Trump administration alleging that she tried to ram federal workers with her vehicle. Local officials have disputed that version of events. Goods death sparked a wave of protests across the city, with Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey demanding that ICE get the f*** out in a furious, profanity-laden speech. The Trump administration has doubled down on its immigration crackdown in the city, alleging that Somali immigrants are defrauding the Minnesota daycare system in order to make money. JD Vance is expected to visit Minneapolis Thursday, with a White House source telling Fox News that the vice president plans to discuss restoring law and order to the city. The vice president has been critical of Good and supportive of the ICE who took her life, since the January 7 shooting. I can believe that her death is a tragedy while also recognizing that it's a tragedy of her own making and a tragedy of the far left who has marshaled an entire movement, a lunatic fringe, against our law enforcement officers, Vance previously told reporters. open image in gallery Goods killing sparked a wave of protests in the city ( Charly Triballeau/AFP via Getty Images ) As the ICE crackdown continues, residents have reportedly started delivering groceries to migrants so they do not have to leave their homes. Sergio Amezcua, a pastor at Dios Habla Hoy, told The New York Times that ICE allegedly appears to be targeting anyone who is not white. That led him to form the volunteer group so that vulnerable people will not be targeted by ICE. Our community is traumatized, he said. People that are born here are traumatized. His church has received nearly 25,000 requests from people needing groceries, with 14,000 deliveries already completed. The food drop-offs, which include meat, milk and hygiene products, are comprised of groceries from food banks and individual donations. Sign up for the daily Inside Washington email for exclusive US coverage and analysis sent to your inbox Get our free Inside Washington email Get our free Inside Washington email Email * SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our Privacy notice Former Department of Justice special counsel Jack Smith will testify before the House Judiciary Committee Thursday and tell Congress President Donald Trump was prosecuted because he wilfully broke the very laws he swore to uphold. Smith, 56, investigated Trump over his alleged attempt to overturn the result of the 2020 presidential election and over his alleged retention of classified documents at his Mar-a-Lago residence after leaving office, only for the cases to be dismissed once the Republican returned to power. The veteran lawyer previously testified before the committee during an eight-hour session held behind closed doors on December 17. He then painted a damning portrait of Trumps conduct and claimed he would have secured convictions had his work reached its natural conclusion after which he requested a public forum at which to defend his approach. open image in gallery Former Department of Justice special counsel Jack Smith will testify publicly before the House Judiciary Committee Thursday ( Getty ) In his opening statement at Thursdays session the text of which was published in advance Smith denies that he has any partisan loyalties and reiterates his belief that a prosecutors role is to do the right thing, the right way, for the right reasons. President Trump was charged because the evidence established that he wilfully broke the very laws that he took an oath to uphold, he will tell lawmakers. Rather than accept his defeat in the 2020 presidential election, President Trump engaged in a criminal scheme to overturn the results and prevent the lawful transfer of power. Turning to the classified files, Smith will accuse the president of repeatedly trying to obstruct justice to conceal his continued retention of those documents. Our investigation developed proof beyond a reasonable doubt that President Trump engaged in criminal activity, Smith will say, adding that his appearance is intended to dispel false and misleading narratives and to express the sorrow and anger he feels about Trump seeking revenge against his staff. open image in gallery President Donald Trump addresses his supporters in Washington, D.C., on January 6 2021 ( AFP/Getty ) The president unceremoniously fired DOJ officials who had worked on Smiths investigations last January and subsequently threatened five law firms with connections to Democrats. Ahead of his appearance, Smiths legal team told CNN that he is not afraid of further antagonising a commander-in-chief he has claimed is motivated by retribution. On Tuesday, Trump demanded a federal judge block the DOJ from releasing Smiths final report on the classified documents affair, filing a motion arguing that its release would irreparably harm the president and his former co-defendants because it was inherently biased. The court has already rightly determined that Smith was an unconstitutionally appointed and funded officer who could not, and did not, lawfully exercise executive power, attorneys wrote. open image in gallery Smith will tell Congress Trump wilfully broke the law ( AP ) Florida District Judge Aileen Cannon the same Trump-appointed justice who dismissed the case against the president in 2024, concluding the special counsels appointment had been unconstitutional has previously blocked the DOJ from sharing a redacted version with members of Congress. That ensured Smiths report would not see the light of day during Trumps first months back in office. She will now decide whether it can ever be released. The special counsels account of his other investigation into the president, concerning his role in the Capitol riot of January 6 2021, was released the week before the president returned to office, however. Trump wasted no time in deriding the findings contained in his 174-page report as fake on Truth Social. He has previously slammed Smith as a deranged lamebrain prosecutor. [He was] was unable to successfully prosecute the Political Opponent of his boss, Crooked Joe Biden, so he ends up writing yet another Report based on information that the Unselect Committee of Political Hacks and Thugs ILLEGALLY DESTROYED AND DELETED, because it showed how totally innocent I was, and how completely guilty Nancy Pelosi, and others, were, Trump posted days before his return to office last year. Sign up for the daily Inside Washington email for exclusive US coverage and analysis sent to your inbox Get our free Inside Washington email Get our free Inside Washington email Email * SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our Privacy notice Donald Trump labeled Jack Smith a deranged animal while the former special counsel who investigated the president testified publicly for the first time about his alleged attempts to overturn 2020 election results and his failure to stop a mob of his supporters trying to do so by force. In hours-long testimony to the House Judiciary Committee, a stoic Smith defended his federal criminal investigations while Republicans rehashed conspiracy theories and accused him of mounting a politically motivated assault. Smith told the hearing that Trumps insults and threats to throw him in jail are designed to intimidate him. I will not be intimidated, Smith said Thursday. I think these statements are also made as a warning to others if they also stand up. We followed the facts and we followed the law. That process resulted in proof beyond a reasonable doubt that he committed serious crimes. Im not going to pretend that didnt happen because he threatened me. The hearing follows the Trump administrations attempts to rewrite the narrative of the January 6 assault in the halls of Congress and his mass pardons for virtually every defendant charged in connection with the attack, including rioters who assaulted law enforcement. Some of those officers sat in the audience Thursday, brawled with far-right activists seated next to them and mocked Republicans who came to the presidents defense. The hearing also took place at a vulnerable moment for Smith, who Trump has repeatedly threatened to investigate and imprison. I believe they will do everything in their power to do that because theyve been ordered to by the president, the veteran prosecutor said. open image in gallery Former special counsel Jack Smith testified to the House Judiciary Committee January 22 in his first public remarks after two federal criminal investigations into Donald Trump ( Getty Images ) While Smith testified, Trump appeared to urge Attorney General Pam Bondi to prosecute him on his Truth Social. If he were a Republican, his license would be taken away from him, and far worse! Trump wrote. Hopefully the Attorney General is looking at what hes done, including some of the crooked and corrupt witnesses that he was attempting to use in his case against me. Trump called the investigations a Democrat SCAM and warned that a big price should be paid by them for what they have put our Country through! After the hearing, Trump accused Smith of perjury and said there is no question that he should be prosecuted. Smith feared Trump would obstruct investigations and threaten witnesses In testimony, Smith said he had great concerns about the presidents attempts to obstruct investigations and his targeting of witnesses, including election workers whose lives were turned upside down by Trump and his allies in the wake of the 2020 election. I had a duty to protect witnesses in this investigation, Smith said. That threat was only confirmed when we went forward in this case and Donald Trump suggested one witness should be put to death and issued a statement to the effect of, If you come after me Ill come after you. Smith said he considered that a direct threat. open image in gallery As Smith testified that Trump exploited the violence of January 6 after conspiring to overturn his election loss, the president called the former special counsel a deranged animal and suggested Attorney General Pam Bondi would investigate him ( Getty Images ) In his opening remarks, Smith said he would prosecute the president again today if provided with the same evidence. I stand by my decisions as special counsel, including my decision to bring charges against President Trump, he said in his opening statement. Our investigation developed proof beyond a reasonable doubt that President Trump engaged in criminal activity, he said. If asked whether to prosecute a former president based on the same facts today, I would do so regardless of whether that president was a Republican or a Democrat. No one should be above the law in our country and the law required that he be held to account. When it came to Trumps efforts to reverse his election loss, Donald Trump was not looking for honest answers, Smith said. He was looking for ways to stay in power, he said. When people told him things that conflicted him staying in power, he rejected them ... When individuals would say things that allowed him to stay in power, no matter how fantastical, he would latch on to them. Former Jan 6 cops spar with far-right activists and GOP members Former Metropolitan Police Department officer Michael Fanone and Capitol Police officers Aquilino Gonell and Harry Dunn sat behind Smith as he testified Thursday. Fanone wearing a T-shirt repping band the Dropkick Murphys with the slogan fighting Nazis since 1996 was dragged down the Capitol steps, beaten with pipes and threatened with his own gun as a mob surrounded him on January 6, 2021. Fanone suffered a heart attack after the riot. On Thursday, Dunn had to hold Fanone back as he confronted right-wing activist Ivan Raiklin, who amplified election conspiracy theories that fueled the mob. Later, when Republican Rep. Troy Nehls blamed Capitol leadership for the violence on January 6, Fanone coughed out f*** you loud enough for microphones in the room to pick it up. open image in gallery Former police officer Michael Fanone (right) sparred with far-right activist and election denier Ivan Raiklin ( AFP via Getty Images ) When a mob stormed the Capitol as lawmakers convened to certify election results, Trump caused what happened, according to Smiths testimony. Evidence determined that Trump exploited that violence, he said. Smith was the chief prosecutor for a war crimes tribunal investigating the Kosovo War at The Hague at the time of the January 6 attack. I was shocked. I was shocked by it, he responded, when asked by a Democratic lawmaker for his reaction to seeing footage of the mob. I was not frankly up to speed on the events leading up to it. Id just never seen anything like that happening in our country. Smith also appeared dumbfounded that Trump pardoned virtually everyone who participated. The people who assaulted police officers and were convicted after trial, in my view and I think in the view of the judges who sentenced them to prison, are dangers to the community, he said. I do not understand why you would mass pardon people who assaulted police officers. I dont get it, and I never will. open image in gallery Trump pardoned nearly 1,600 people charged in connection with the January 6 attack, including people who assaulted police officers, a move that Smith said he will never understand ( AFP via Getty Images ) Smith uncovered clear evidence before he was forced to close investigations Former Attorney General Merrick Garland appointed the veteran prosecutor to handle the investigations as an independent special counsel, following two federal grand jury indictments accusing the president of more than 40 crimes connected to his efforts to remain in power and withhold classified material at his Mar-a-Lago residence. A federal grand jury indictment in 2023 charged Trump with conspiracy and obstruction for his efforts to reverse his election loss and his failure to stop a mob of his supporters from breaking into the Capitol. Trump was separately charged with mishandling reams of classified documents hoarded inside his private Mar-a-Lago residence, and then obstructing attempts from federal authorities to get them back. open image in gallery House Judiciary Chair Jim Jordan, left, echoed Trump and Republican claims that Smith is part of a Democratic plot against president, while the committees top Democratic Rep. Jamie Raskin (right) said attacks against the former special counsel are revealing their own ignorance ( REUTERS ) In closed-door testimony last month, Smith defended the investigations and determined prosecutors were likely to secure convictions against the president should the two cases reach trial. Neither did. A Trump-appointed judge in Florida dismissed the classified documents case in 2024, arguing that Smith was unlawfully appointed. Weeks after Trump won the 2024 election, Smith filed the motions to dismiss both cases altogether, a decision that appeared inevitable. After months of delays, appeals and Supreme Court decisions that granted Trump broad immunity from criminal prosecution for potential crimes committed in office, the cases were ultimately upended by Trumps victory against Kamala Harris, throwing the courts and the Justice Department into unprecedented territory in which the special counsel determined he could not prosecute a sitting president. There had not been a case of this nature ever where someone was elected president with charges pending, Smith said. We consulted with the Office of Legal Counsel and determined pursuant to policy the cases needed to be dismissed. Smith delivered his final reports to Garland on January 7, days before Trumps inauguration, and then resigned from his position before Trump could fire him. The evidence made clear that President Trump was by a large measure the most culpable and most responsible person in this conspiracy, Smith said of the election interference case. These crimes were committed for his benefit, he said. The attack that happened at the Capitol, part of this case, does not happen without him. The other co-conspirators were doing this for his benefit. open image in gallery Stewart Rhodes, former leader of far-right military group the Oath Keepers, watched Smiths testimony January 22, nearly one year after Trump commuted his prison sentence on treason-related charges ( AP ) Court filings traced the history of Trumps bogus and ongoing narrative that the election was stolen and rigged against him as an attempt to cast doubt on the legitimacy of the election, despite knowing that his claims were false. Smith outlined Trumps increasingly desperate efforts to cling to power with knowingly false claims of election fraud, spelled out in hundreds of pages of evidence. Trump intentionally lied to voters, election officials, and his own vice president Mike Pence in what amounted to a criminal effort to stay in office, culminating in his failure to stop a mob that tried to do it with violence, according to Smith. The Justice Department released Smiths final report on Trumps alleged election subversion, but a second volume that details the Mar-a-Lago investigation remains sealed. A federal judge appointed by Trump will decide whether it can ever be released. The president has urged the court and the Justice Department against releasing the report, claiming it would improperly endorse and give legal effect to Smiths unlawful investigation and prosecution and irreparably harm Trump and his former co-defendants. Sign up for the daily Inside Washington email for exclusive US coverage and analysis sent to your inbox Get our free Inside Washington email Get our free Inside Washington email Email * SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our Privacy notice Vice President JD Vance is headed to Minneapolis Thursday, arriving in a city consumed by clashes over federal immigration policy following the fatal shooting of Renee Good. According to a White House official, Vances trip will include meetings with ICE personnel and a speech praising their efforts while condemning Minneapolis sanctuary policies, which he will say restricts cooperation with federal immigration authorities. Vance will focus "on restoring law and order in Minnesota", his office said. The fallout from the January 7 shooting has seen mass protests and fresh confrontations in the city after President Donald Trump threatened to deploy the military to restore order. open image in gallery U.S. Vice President J.D. Vance is headed to Minneapolis amid ongoing tensions ( REUTERS ) The U.S. Army has ordered several dozen additional active-duty soldiers to prepare for a possible deployment to Minneapolis if needed, a defense official said Wednesday, as protests in the city continued. Meanwhile, the Department of Justice also issued subpoenas to several Minnesota officials this week, including the states Governor Tim Walz, a frequent critic of how President Donald Trump and the vice president have handled the crisis. ICE agents are among around 3,000 federal law enforcement officers currently deployed to the area in a show of force the Trump administration has said is aimed at halting immigration violations as well as forming part of a fraud investigation into social service programs in the Somali community. Vance has been among the Trump administrations most prominent defenders of ICEs aggressive tactics and has repeatedly condemned protests against the White Houses crackdown on immigration violations. open image in gallery Federal agents remain on the streets of the city following the fatal shooting ( Copyright 2026 The Associated Press. All rights reserved ) The day after Goods fatal shooting, Vance told reporters, without offering any evidence, that Good was in Minneapolis to interfere with a legitimate law enforcement operation in the United States of America. He described her as being part of a broader left-wing network to attack, to dox, to assault and to make it impossible for our ICE officers to do their job. If the media wants to tell the truth, they ought to tell the truth that a group of left wing radicals have been working tirelessly, sometimes using domestic terror techniques to try to make it impossible for the President of the United States to do what the American people elected him to do, which is enforce our immigration laws, Vance said. It later emerged that Good was on her way home from dropping her 6-year-old son off at school when she encountered the ICE agents. Vance has also suggested the broader protests in reaction to the Trump administrations heavy-handed crackdown on immigration enforcement are inauthentic, instead claiming they have been organized and paid for by subversive groups providing unprincipled thugs with the means to commit violence. open image in gallery Protesters march while holding signs that read 'ICE out now' in Minneapolis ( AFP/Getty ) He asked: When somebody throws a brick at an ice agent, or somebody tries to run over an ICE agent, who paid for the brick? And who told protesters to show up and engage in violent activity against our law enforcement officers? Vances assertions appear to be based on a debunked right-wing conspiracy theory which emerged during protests following the murder of George Floyd by a Minneapolis police officer in 2020. At the time, pro-Trump social media personalities claimed that pallets of bricks found on streets were purchased by unknown parties and strategically placed for rioters to throw at law enforcement. However, multiple fact-checking organizations found at the time that the bricks had been purchased for nearby construction projects. Vance arrives in Minneapolis as multiple recent polls indicate the Trump administration is haemorrhaging public support for its immigration tactics. A CNN survey conducted after Goods shooting found most adults viewed the incident as unjustified, saw it as part of broader problems within ICE, and believed the agency is making cities less safe. A CBS poll found that 61 per cent of Americans think ICE is overly aggressive when detaining people, while a recent Wall Street Journal survey showed a majority of voters now disapprove of Trumps handling of immigration. Sign up for the daily Inside Washington email for exclusive US coverage and analysis sent to your inbox Get our free Inside Washington email Get our free Inside Washington email Email * SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our Privacy notice The Trump administration's mass deportation campaign has now extended to Maine, sparking heightened fear within immigrant communities following a recent surge in arrests. While the state has relatively few undocumented residents, its largest cities, Portland and Lewiston, are home to a notable presence of refugees, particularly from Africa. This crackdown has prompted strong backlash from Gov. Janet Mills and other Democrats, who have notably refused to assist Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents by issuing undercover license plates for their vehicles. The Department of Homeland Security named the operation Catch of the Day, an apparent play on Maines seafood industry, just as it has done for other enforcement surges, like Metro Surge in Minnesota and Midway Blitz in Chicago. The department's arrest target of 1,000 Maine residents, reported by Fox News Channel, would make it a significant operation but far from the largest. Portland and Lewiston have thousands of residents of African descent, including many from Somalia. Somali immigration into Maine accelerated in the early 2000s, and the state now has one of the highest percentages of Somali residents in the country. Immigrants and asylum seekers from other countries followed. Now the presence of ICE agents is causing great anxiety in Portland, said city council member Pious Ali, a native of Ghana. Our schools have seen about a quarter of immigrants not showing up, Ali said, and many fear going to work as well: There are immigrants who live here who work in our hospitals, they work in our schools, they work in our hotels, they are part of the economic engine of our community. ICE agents don't need to spread trauma by smashing doors and windows, he said: "The federal government has the ability to contact these people without unleashing fear into our communities. Dozens of arrests The enforcement action is arriving in Maine, a mostly rural state with about 1.4 million residents, as confrontations between ICE and demonstrators continue in Minnesota, where ICE is under scrutiny following an agents fatal shooting of Renee Good. ICE didnt respond to a request for comment Wednesday on the agencys plans for Maine, where U.S. Department of Homeland Security said in a statement that increased enforcement began on Tuesday. ICE Deputy Assistant Director Patricia Hyde told FOX News that it had made 50 arrests by Tuesday and has more than 1,000 targets in the state. Gov. Mills has pushed back and said aggressive enforcement actions that undermine civil rights are not welcome ( AP ) We have launched Operation Catch of the Day to target the worst of the worst criminal illegal aliens in the state. On the first day of operations, we arrested illegal aliens convicted of aggravated assault, false imprisonment, and endangering the welfare of a child, said Homeland Security Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin in a statement. No new undercover license plates Secretary of State Shenna Bellows, a longtime opponent of President Donald Trump, said state officials received a request from U.S. Customs and Border Protection for confidential, undercover Maine license plates and decided against issuing them. The licenses plates are used on unmarked vehicles and Bellows said she wants more assurance they will be used appropriately. ICEs use of license plates in other states has raised concerns: Illinois Secretary of State Alexi Giannoulias, a Democrat, issued a warning to ICE agents last year that swapping or altering license plates is illegal. These requests in light of rumors of ICE deployment to Maine and abuses of power in Minnesota and elsewhere raise concerns. We have not revoked existing plates but have paused issuance of new plates. We want to be assured that Maine plates will not be used for lawless purposes, Bellows said. Bellows has run afoul of Trump and his administration before. In 2023, she sought to remove his presidential candidacy from the states ballot, arguing that Trump had engaged in insurrection in violation of the 14th Amendment. More recently, she has refused to hand over the states voter rolls to the federal government. Customs and Border Protection did not respond to a request seeking comment, but a top Maine Republican said withholding the undercover plates would jeopardize public safety. That really, one, puts us at odds as a state. Puts us at one end of an extreme that we really shouldnt be on, Senate Leader Trey Stewart said. Maines top federal prosecutor, U.S. Attorney Andrew Benson joined Democrats in calling for any demonstrations in the state to remain peaceful and civil. Benson, a Trump appointee, warned people to stay out of the agents' way or be prosecuted. Mayor, governors speak out Gov. Mills has pushed back, as have mayors, school district leaders and numerous community organizations. Mills said aggressive enforcement actions that undermine civil rights are not welcome. Lewiston Mayor Carl Sheline said ICE enforcement has been causing anxiety, fear or uncertainty for many. Portland Mayor Mark Dion and the citys school district issued statements acknowledging its a nervous time for many. There is no evidence of unchecked criminal activity in our community requiring a disproportionate presence of federal agents, Dion said. Schools, Democrats call for caution Portland Public Schools, the largest and most diverse school district in the state, said in a statement Wednesday that it conducted a lockout at two schools to prevent anyone from entering the building during the school day Tuesday because of concerns about ICE activity nearby. It was quickly determined that there was no threat to our school communities and the lockouts were lifted within minutes. This is an understandably tense time in our community, as reports and rumors of immigration enforcement actions grow, the district's statement said. Maine Democrats have condemned the ICE activity. The Trump administration has deployed ICE agents to Portland, Lewiston, and possibly other Maine communities. This is not about public safety. It is about fear, control, and political theater, Devon Murphy-Anderson, executive director of the Maine Democratic Party, said in a statement Wednesday. Sign up for the daily Inside Washington email for exclusive US coverage and analysis sent to your inbox Get our free Inside Washington email Get our free Inside Washington email Email * SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our Privacy notice New York City officials on Wednesday reportedly sued TV personality Dr. Phils son Jordan McGraw, seeking to block the release of a reality show about the NYPD that McGraw had been producing under the previous mayor, Eric Adams. The suit, filed by the New York City Law Department, now under the control of new mayor Zohran Mamdani, reportedly accuses McGraw and his production company of breaching the contract over the show, Behind the Badge, and seeking to sell footage over objections from city officials. The legal action asks a judge to bar the sale or distribution of the show. The footage poses an an imminent threat to life and safety of active police officers in its current form, containing extremely problematic details like the passcode to a police station door and details about encrypted police communications and sensitive and confidential policing techniques, according to the suit, which was obtained by NBC New York and The New York Times. The complaint reportedly alleges that McGraw, a musician and actor and son of the TV personality Dr. Phil McGraw, showed blatant disregard for a clause giving the city veto power over unusable portions of the police footage by allegedly seeking to sell the footage for air this year over repeat objections by Adamss office. [I]t appears that the City is seeking to restrain publication on a matter of public concern forgetting perhaps that prior restraints are presumptively unconstitutional under the First Amendment, Chip Babcock, a lawyer for McGraw, told NBC New York. open image in gallery Dr. Phils son Jordan McGraw (left) allegedly ignored city objections to a planned reality show about the NYPD, according to a lawsuit from Mayor Zohran Mamdanis administration ( Getty Images ) Despite the apparent objections of his administration, Eric Adams praised the show in a Wednesday post on X. Jordan McGraw brought exceptional talent in revealing the inside story of the dangers NYPD officers face every day, Adams, a former NYPD officer, wrote. He and his team meticulously addressed every concern raised by City Hall. Im proud that the work they did tells the real story of our brave police officers. Heroes dont wear capes, they wear blue uniforms. I understood that. I hope America will get to see that too. open image in gallery The reality show began during the mayoralty of Eric Adams ( AP ) The lawsuit is the latest series of concerns surrounding the show, which was slated to be hosted by Dr. Phil himself, according to the Times. A Texas-based firm linked to Jordan McGraw reportedly received $500,000 from the 2025 Adams campaign for consulting, NBC New York previously reported, citing Adamss former campaign manager. Mayor Adams sought unusual creative control over the project, acting against the wishes of his police commissioner by going forward with the project, unnamed sources told the Times. The series was officially greenlit the day after a judge dismissed a federal corruption indictment against Adams. open image in gallery Dr. Phil McGraw, a television personality and a high-profile supporter of President Donald Trump, was slated to present the show ( Copyright 2025 The Associated Press. All rights reserved ) The series reportedly featured Kaz Daughtry, an Adams ally, sitting for a lengthy interview with Dr. Phil. Dr. Phil reportedly attended an Eric Adams fundraiser as the mayor sought to defend his spot in City Hall from the Mamdani campaign last year. The Independent has reached out to Jordan McGraws attorney for comment. Sign up for the daily Inside Washington email for exclusive US coverage and analysis sent to your inbox Get our free Inside Washington email Get our free Inside Washington email Email * SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our Privacy notice House Speaker Mike Johnson pushed back when asked about President Donald Trumps slurring of words and seemingly mixing up Greenland with Iceland during his speech at the World Economic Forum on Wednesday. The Independent spoke to Johnson ahead of votes ahead of votes Thursday morning, to which Johnson questioned why he was being asked about Trumps mental fitness. Is this a serious question? This president sleeps about three hours a night, Johnson said. He outworks everybody in this building by a factor of two or three. He's gotten more done in the first year of his presidency than anybody in history. I cannot even believe you asked me that question. The president spoke at the World Economic Forum on Thursday where he railed against U.S. allies and NATO, though he said he would not use military force to take Greenland. During that speech, he also seemed to confuse Greenland, an autonomous territory which is governed by the kingdom of Denmark, with Iceland, the nordic European nation. open image in gallery Speaker of the House Mike Johnson, R-La., expressed frustration when asked about President Donald Trumps physical health issues. ( AFP/Getty ) Our stock market took the first dip yesterday because of Iceland, so Iceland has already cost us a lot of money, he said of Greenland. Later, he tried to say the people of Greenland supported him. Until the last few days, when I told them about Iceland, they loved me. They called me Daddy, Trump said in during the conference in Davos. The president has also shown visible signs of physical decline. During a press conference earlier this week in the White House briefing room, his voice sounded increasingly hoarse and his words were slurred. In addition, multiple photos have shown bruises on Trumps hands or heavy makeup on his hands. Trump, who became the oldest man to assume the presidency in 2017 and then again in 2025, will turn 80 in June. A poll from YouGov earlier this month found that 49 percent of Americans thought that Trump was too old to be president. open image in gallery Multiple photos have shown Trumps hands with heavy makeup on them. ( AFP via Getty Images ) At the same time, some have questioned Trumps wellbeing and the questions are like those that surfaced about President Joe Biden before Bidens disastrous June 2024 debate where his voice was weak and he made rambling incoherent remarks. That led to Biden stepping aside as the Democratic nominee for president. His vice president Kamala Harris would later lose the election to Trump. In an interview with The Wall Street Journal, Trump pushed back on claims about his health, saying he bruises easily because he takes a higher dose of aspirin than normally-recommended amount because I want nice, thin blood pouring through my heart. He later said that he was in PERFECT HEALTH and that he had ACED his cognitive examination. Sign up for the daily Inside Washington email for exclusive US coverage and analysis sent to your inbox Get our free Inside Washington email Get our free Inside Washington email Email * SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our Privacy notice The Trump administration on Thursday appeared to admit it digitally altered an image of an activist who was arrested for organizing a recent anti-ICE protest at a Minnesota church to make it look like she was crying. On Thursday, the same day federal officials announced the arrest of protest organizer Nekima Levy Armstrong, the White House X account shared an image of the leader in tears, with a caption that accused her of being a far-left agitator who led church riots in Minnesota. Also Thursday, Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem appeared to share the same image, only with Levy Armstrong straight-faced as she is led by an agent. When asked about the discrepancy, including whether AI or other image-editing software was used on the White House image, the Trump administration directed The Independent to a tweet from Kaelan Dorr, the White House deputy communications director. Enforcement of the law will continue, the post reads. The memes will continue. Thank you for your attention to this matter. open image in gallery The White House on Thursday appeared to admit it digitally altered an image of activist Nekima Levy Armstrong being arrested for a recent church protest to make it look like she was crying ( @WhiteHouse / X ) Federal officials say they will charge Levy Armstrong under a conspiracy statute barring individuals from threatening or intimidating others from accessing their constitutional rights. On Sunday, Levy Armstrong led a group of protesters into a St. Paul church, where activists chanted ICE out and Justice for Renee Good, a Minneapolis woman who was fatally shot by an ICE agent as part of the Trump administrations ongoing crackdown in Minnesota. Video of the demonstration shows some worshippers leaving the church while others appear afraid or uncomfortable. Levy Armstrong, a prominent local activist and lawyer who previously led Minneapoliss chapter of the NAACP, defended the demonstration prior to her arrest. She said the action was in part meant to criticize Cities Church paster David Easterwood, who appears to be an official with ICEs local field office. open image in gallery Levy Armstrong, a prominent local activist and lawyer, has said the protest was inspired by the fact that the churchs pastor is allegedly an ICE official ( AP ) You cannot lead a congregation while directing an agency whose actions have cost lives and inflicted fear in our communities, she told the Associated Press. When officials protect armed agents, repeatedly refuse meaningful investigation into killings like Renee Goods, and signal they may pursue peaceful protesters and journalists, that is not justice it is intimidation. The ICE leader is among the Trump administration officials named in a civil rights lawsuit accusing immigration agents of carrying out police-state tactics and mass racial profiling as part of the Minnesota campaign. Trump administration officials and local leaders have condemned the protest. The First Amendment does not allow premeditated plots or coordinated actions to violate the sanctity of a sanctuary, disrupt worship, and intimidate small children, True North Legal, which is representing Cities Church, said in a statement. There is no press pass to invade a sanctuary or to conspire to interrupt religious services. Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz, who has echoed protesters criticisms of ICE tactics in the state, nonetheless called on activists to remain peaceful and his office told reporters that he in no way supports interrupting a place of worship. open image in gallery Former CNN anchor Don Lemon was also present at the protest, and a federal magistrate judge has reportedly dismissed prosecutors' efforts to charge him over the demonstration ( Don Lemon/YouTube ) As The Independent has reported, the White House has at times leaned into a communications strategy that distorts images or the truth itself. On Wednesday, the White House falsely claimed that President Trump didnt mix up Iceland and Greenland during a recent speech, even though he clearly did so multiple times. The administration has leaned into an AI-heavy strategy on social media, where accounts tied to the president have posted cartoonish images of the president attacking U.S. Chicago and using a fighter jet to bomb protesters. open image in gallery Tensions have been high in Minneapolis after an ICE agent fatally shot Renee Good ( Charly Triballeau/AFP via Getty Images ) Mike Ananny, an associate professor of communications and journalism at the University of Southern California, said such images being shared at the highest level suggest a new political paradigm is underway. Being caught using doctored or fake images used to be considered shameful, though that no longer appears to be the case. Theres no sense of, Oh no, we were caught using a synthetically generated image, he told The Independent. All gloves are off. People dont seem to care. Sign up for the daily Inside Washington email for exclusive US coverage and analysis sent to your inbox Get our free Inside Washington email Get our free Inside Washington email Email * SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our Privacy notice No American politician with the potential to launch a presidential campaign in 2028 currently has a favorability rating above 50 percent, a new poll has found. Vice President JD Vance, President Donald Trumps most obvious successor at the head of the MAGA movement, scored highest in the latest survey from Emerson College Polling on just 46 percent, with another 41 percent of respondents viewing him unfavorably, and a further 13 percent unsure. South Africa-born tech billionaire Elon Musk, who has never held elected office, was ranked second on 40 percent. However, a larger 46 percent of people said they took a dim view of his theoretical candidacy, with just 14 percent unsure. Republican House Speaker Mike Johnson scored a 35 percent favorability rating, but another 28 percent of respondents said they were unsure or had not heard of him and a further 38 percent actively disliked him. The Democratic governors of Pennsylvania and California, Josh Shapiro and Gavin Newsom, came next on 33 percent each, with more people disliking Newsom than Shapiro (44 percent to 27 percent) but fewer voters having heard of the latter (40 percent were unsure of Shapiro, compared to 24 percent for Newsom). open image in gallery Vice President JD Vance scored the highest approval rating of name-recognition politicians in the poll ( AFP/Getty ) Two progressive Democrats, New York Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez and the Big Apples new mayor Zohran Mamdani, were next. AOC had 32 percent of respondents in her favor, 44 percent against and 24 percent unsure, while Mamdani had a 26 percent favorability rating, 42 percent unfavorability, and left 32 percent of people unsure. Having only taken office this month, the jury may still be out on Mamdanis credibility at this juncture. The only other conservative to make the top eight was Marjorie Taylor Greene, the former Georgia congresswoman who retired earlier this month after a bitter falling out with Trump. Greenes favorability rating of 17 percent was dwarfed by the 50 percent of respondents who disapproved of her. Another third were unsure of her. open image in gallery Elon Musk came second in the poll but has never held elected office before ( PA ) Neither Kamala Harris nor her 2024 running mate, embattled Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz, made the countdown. The same poll also looked at the current occupant of the White House and put his job approval rating at 41 percent, compared to a 50 percent disapproval, noting that those numbers had flipped from where they were in January 2025 when Trump first returned to the Oval Office. Emerson asked its survey respondents to give the president a grade of A to F, school report-style, on a number of key issues, with immigration proving his best subject. Trump was given an A by 37 percent of people, a B by 10 percent, a C by 8 percent, a D by 9 percent, and an F by 36 percent. On the economy, 22 percent gave him an A while 36 percent marked him F. On affordability, 17 percent handed him an A but 38 percent gave him an F. Healthcare was considered his worst discipline, with just 14 percent giving him top marks and, again, 38 percent consigning him to detention. Sign up for the daily Inside Washington email for exclusive US coverage and analysis sent to your inbox Get our free Inside Washington email Get our free Inside Washington email Email * SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our Privacy notice Renee Nicole Good was shot at least three times during her altercation with an ICE agent in Minneapolis, according to an independent autopsy commissioned by her family. Lawyers for Goods family said Wednesday that the report concluded that the 37-year-old had suffered three clear gunshot wounds, one of which had been to her head. Good was struck on her left forearm, as well as taking another shot to her right breast, though the bullet did not hit any of her major organs. Neither injury would have been immediately life-threatening, the lawyers said. A third shot entered the left side of her head near the temple and exited on the right side, according to the statement, first obtained by NBC. Good also appeared to have sustained a graze wound, it added. The autopsy was conducted by a highly respected" and credentialed independent medical pathologist, according to the lawyers, who added that they had not yet received findings about Goods death from the Hennepin County Medical Examiners Office. open image in gallery Earlier this month, Renee Good, a 37-year-old U.S. citizen and mother of three, was fatally shot by ICE agent Jonathan Ross in Minneapolis. Her family has now commissioned an independent autopsy ( Charly Triballeau/AFP via Getty Images ) Goods death on January 9 has sparked outrage across the country as well as increased protests in Minnesota, which has seen a surge in immigration enforcement operations and brutal crackdowns on demonstrators. Donald Trump previously threatened to invoke the Insurrection Act, which would see the U.S. military deployed to quash the protests. open image in gallery Goods death on January 9 has sparked outrage across the country as well as increased protests in Minnesota, which has seen a surge in immigration enforcement operations and brutal crackdowns on demonstrators ( AP ) The commission of the independent autopsy comes as part of a wider investigation into the incident. ICE agent Jonathan Ross was identified as the shooter and has been fiercely defended by the Trump administration, which described him as an experienced officer. Conversely, officials described Good variously as a lunatic who was attempting to perpetrate an act of domestic terrorism. Video taken by Ross showed Good telling him, Im not mad at you, dude, moments before she was shot dead. We believe the evidence we are gathering and will continue to gather in our investigation will suffice to prove our case, the familys lead attorney, Antonio M. Romanucc,i said in the statement, per NBC. The video evidence depicting the events of January 7, 2026, is clear, particularly when viewed through the standards of reasonable policing and totality of circumstances. Sign up for the daily Inside Washington email for exclusive US coverage and analysis sent to your inbox Get our free Inside Washington email Get our free Inside Washington email Email * SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our Privacy notice Social media users were quick to criticize Texas Senator Ted Cruz this week after he was seen boarding a flight toward Southern California ahead of a potentially deadly winter storm in Texas nodding to the Republican lawmakers 2021 incident in which he fled to Mexico during a historic winter storm. Tuesday, an X user named Shea Jordan Smith posted a photo of Cruz boarding the flight toward Laguna Beach as much of the United States, including his state, braces for freezing temperatures, ice and snow. Within days, the post garnered more than eight million views and thousands of comments, mostly mocking Cruz for once again traveling as his state prepared for an emergency. Many referenced Cruzs 2021 Cancun scandal, where he and his family took a sunny vacation as millions battled deadly freezing temperatures that are unusual for Texas. You have to admire the consistency from @tedcruz, liberal political commentator Tommy Vietor wrote. When theres a crisis in Texas, he springs out of town. Here we go again, Democratic commentator Kaivan Shroff said. open image in gallery A spokesperson for Senator Cruzs office said the Republican lawmaker would return to Texas before the winter storm ( Getty ) A spokesperson for Cruz said the senator is on pre-planned work travel that was scheduled weeks in advance and said Cruz would be back in Texas before the storm is projected to hit. Cruzs spokesperson declined to provide further details about where he was going and when exactly he was expected to return. While the senator may have been headed to Laguna Beach, California the area does not have its own airport. The incoming winter storm is expected to hit Texas later this week. The National Weather Service has issued a winter storm watch for much of the state from Saturday morning through Sunday afternoon. Officials have warned Texans to be prepared for disruptive weather that could knock out power or make roads impassable. Although Cruzs trip appears to be ill-timed with the incoming severe weather, it didnt stop people from ridiculing the Republican lawmaker. Like clockwork, The Lincoln Project, a political action committee that opposes Trump, wrote. open image in gallery Cruz returned from his 2021 Cancun trip after receiving negative media attention for fleeing his state amid a historic winter storm ( AP Photo/Dan Christian Rojas ) People are mad at him but personally I think its nice to have our own early warning system for snow storms, an X user who claims to be a lawyer from East Texas said. Kind of like a Texas Groundhog. Jaime Harrison, the former Democratic Party chair, wrote: Wintry mix in Texas #CancunCruz is always on the first flight to a beach resort. Cruz has tried to make light of his 2021 Cancun blunder to no effect. He has apologized for the incident, calling it a mistake and saying, In hindsight, I wouldnt have done it. In addition to the 2021 Cancun trip, Cruz faced some criticism last year after devastating floods swept across Central Texas while he was on a family vacation in Greece. As soon as the tragedy occurred, Cruz promptly booked a flight back home, his office said at the time. Sign up for the daily Inside Washington email for exclusive US coverage and analysis sent to your inbox Get our free Inside Washington email Get our free Inside Washington email Email * SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our Privacy notice President Donald Trumps administration is planning to orchestrate regime change in Cuba before the end of this year, emboldened by the recent capture of Nicolas Maduro in Venezuela, according to a report. The administration is searching for Cuban government insiders who can help cut a deal to push out the Communist regime, The Wall Street Journal reports, noting that its officials had met with exiles and civic groups in Miami and Washington in the hoping of identifying an official in Havana ready to see the writing on the wall. Trumps team reportedly do not have a concrete plan in place for toppling Cubas Communist government, in place since Fidel Castros revolutionaries overthrew Fulgencio Batista in 1959, and former Obama administration official Ricardo Zuniga has warned of the difficulty of achieving such a goal. These guys are a much tougher nut to crack, Zuniga told the WSJ. Theres nobody who would be tempted to work on the U.S. side. open image in gallery Workers fly the Cuban flag at half-staff near the American embassy in Havana in memory of the 32 Cubans who died during the U.S. raid on Venezuela ( AP ) Trump has made his intentions towards Cuba plain since the fall of Maduro, who was abducted along with his wife Cilia Flores in a dramatic raid on Caracas in the early hours of January 3 that saw them spirited away to New York to answer federal narco-terrorism charges, to which the ousted president pleaded not guilty. Cuba lived, for many years, on large amounts of OIL and MONEY from Venezuela, Trump wrote on Truth Social on January 11. In return, Cuba provided Security Services for the last two Venezuelan dictators, BUT NOT ANYMORE! THERE WILL BE NO MORE OIL OR MONEY GOING TO CUBA ZERO! I strongly suggest they make a deal, BEFORE IT IS TOO LATE. Secretary of State Marco Rubio, the son of Cuban exiles raised in Miamis anti-communist Cuban expatriate community, has also spent much of his career denouncing leftist governments in South America over their hostility towards the U.S. and has long advocated for regime change in his ancestral homeland. open image in gallery President Donald Trump and Secretary of State Marco Rubio are reportedly feeling emboldened to turn their attention towards Cuba ( AP ) The administration believes now is the time to strike because Cubas economy is in danger of collapse, dealing with chronic shortages of basic goods and medicines and suffering regular power outages, according to U.S. intelligence assessments cited by the WSJ. The country benefited from subsidized Venezuelan oil under Maduro and Hugo Chavez before him and Washington is now in a position to completely cut off that supply, now that it is dictating terms to Venezuelas Acting President Delcy Rodriguez, which would further weaken the government in Havana. However, the temptation to see Venezuela as a blueprint for action in Cuba arguably overlooks the fact that, despite Maduros authoritarian rule, Caracas was at least nominally a democracy and had an existing political opposition, tolerated protests and staged regular elections, which is not the case in the single-party state across the water. open image in gallery Miguel Diaz-Canel is the president of Cuba ( AP ) Cubas rulers are incompetent Marxists who have destroyed their country, and they have had a major setback with the Maduro regime that they are responsible for propping up, a White House official told the WSJ, repeating Trumps demand that they make a deal before its too late. The State Department meanwhile said that it is in the U.S.s national security interests for Havana to be competently run by a democratic government and to refuse to host our adversaries military and intelligence services. Sign up for the daily Inside Washington email for exclusive US coverage and analysis sent to your inbox Get our free Inside Washington email Get our free Inside Washington email Email * SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our Privacy notice White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt on Wednesday falsely claimed that President Trump did not repeatedly mix up Iceland and Greenland in a marquee speech at the World Economic Forum in Davos, as the Republican detailed his contentious plans to take control of the latter island. No he didnt, Leavitt wrote on X in response to a reporter accurately describing the speech, sharing a Google result featuring an image of Greenland. His written remarks referred to Greenland as a piece of ice because thats what it is. Youre the only one mixing anything up here. In fact, during the presidents speech on Wednesday, he used the wrong countrys name four times. Im helping Europe, Im helping NATO, and until the last few days, when I told them about Iceland, they loved me, Trump told the crowd at one point. Theyre not there for us on Iceland, that I can tell you, he continued shortly after, referring to European nations. I mean, our stock market took the first dip yesterday because of Iceland. So Icelands already costs a lot of money. open image in gallery The White House attempted to claim Donald Trump did not mix up the names of Greenland and Iceland during a recent speech at the World Economic Forum, even though videos and transcripts of the speech captured him making the apparent mistake multiple times ( X / @PressSec ) Elsewhere in the speech, the president did refer to Greenland as a piece of ice, as Leavitt pointed out. But now what Im asking for is a piece of ice, cold and poorly located that can play a vital role in world peace and world protection, Trump said. The Davos gaffe was not the first time Trump has mixed up Greenland, an autonomous Danish territory off the northeast coast of Canada, and Iceland, an island nation in northern Europe. "As an example, Iceland without tariffs, they wouldn't even be talking to us about it," Trump said on Tuesday during a White House press conference. open image in gallery President Trump has said he will hold off on threatened tariffs on U.S. allies who opposed his Greenland plans, thanks to a framework of a deal reached with NATO ( Copyright 2026 The Associated Press. All rights reserved ) On social media, meanwhile, the president has announced hes putting aside his threat to tariff U.S. allies who objected to his Greenland plans. Instead, Trump wrote on Truth Social, U.S. and NATO reps have formed the framework of a future deal with respect to Greenland and, in fact, the entire Arctic Region, following closed-door discussions at Davos. The Greenland-Iceland mistake was not Trumps only geographical error during his Davos speech. Referring to some of the eight wars he claims to have ended, he once again mispronounced Azerbaijan as Aberbaijan, something he has done before. However, this time he correctly identified the other country involved in the conflict as Armenia, having previously referred to it as Albania. Sign up for the daily Inside Washington email for exclusive US coverage and analysis sent to your inbox Get our free Inside Washington email Get our free Inside Washington email Email * SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our Privacy notice President Donald Trump has been pictured with a large bruise on his left hand while delivering a speech about his Gaza board of peace in Davos, Switzerland. Trump sustained the bruise on Thursday during a signing ceremony for the peace board at the World Economic Forum after the president hit his hand on the corner of the signing table, White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said in a statement to The Independent. A White House official added that Trump, 79, and his physicians have previously noted he is susceptible to hand bruising due to his daily aspirin routine. open image in gallery President Donald Trump has been pictured with a large bruise on his left hand while delivering a speech about his board of peace in Davos, Switzerland ( Getty ) Pictures taken at the conference yesterday and this morning, before the peace board signing, showed no bruising, but the markings were prominent in later photos. Trump often applies heavy makeup to cover bruising on his hands, which the White House previously explained is due to the president meeting more Americans and [shaking] their hands on a daily basis than any other president in history. He addressed his health in a recent interview with The Wall Street Journal and acknowledged that he applies makeup to his hands for when he gets whacked again by someone. open image in gallery Trump, pictured the day before sustaining the bruise, hit his hand on the corner of the signing table Thursday, White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said ( Getty ) I have makeup thats, you know, easy to put on, takes about 10 seconds, he said. The president also told the outlet that he takes 325 milligrams of aspirin a day much higher than the more common, daily low dose of 81 milligrams and had done so for years. Im a little superstitious, Trump said. They say aspirin is good for thinning out the blood, and I dont want thick blood pouring through my heart. I want nice, thin blood pouring through my heart. Does that make sense? open image in gallery The bruising to Trumps left hand was prominent in photos taken on Thursday at the World Economic Forum ( Getty ) Dr. Jonathan Reiner, a cardiologist who treated the late vice president Dick Cheney, explained that anticoagulants do not actually thin blood. So that makes no sense, that actually makes nonsense, he said on CNN. It's not like changing something from gumbo to chicken soup, it doesn't make it doesn't make it thinner. It makes you less likely to clot, he added. Trump is the oldest person to assume the presidency, a job thats constant and has countless stressors. But the presidents doctor, Navy Capt. Sean Barbabella, said that he is in exceptional health and perfectly suited to execute his duties as Commander in Chief. Eric Garcia contributed to this report Sign up for the daily Inside Washington email for exclusive US coverage and analysis sent to your inbox Get our free Inside Washington email Get our free Inside Washington email Email * SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our Privacy notice Jimmy Kimmel has ridiculed Donald Trump over his speech to world leaders in Switzerland, with a pointed jab at the First Lady. Trump discussed his efforts to takeover Greenland during a lengthy address to the World Economic Forum in Davos, Wednesday, referring to it as a big beautiful piece of ice. Kimmel took shots at the presidents performance in his opening monologue, joking that Trump wanted the Danish territory because the icy island reminded him of Melania. Greenland, Greenland, Greenland. He said: Greenland is not even land, its a big, beautiful block of ice, Kimmel joked. And, he should know: Hes been married to one of those for twenty years. open image in gallery Jimmy Kimmel said that Donald Trump was talking 'Donsense' at Davos ( Jimmy Kimmel Live! ) During Trumps address, he returned to his common theme of other nations needing to be grateful to the United States, particularly for its involvement in World War 2. We saved Greenland. We won it big, Trump said at the Davos event. Without us, right now youd all be speaking German anda little Japanese perhaps. Kimmel retorted: Does anyone want to guess what the predominant language in Switzerland is? Thats right, its German. They are speaking German. The comedian, who has a long standing rivalry with the president, described the speech as Donsense, and highlighted a number of errors Trump made. open image in gallery Trump seemingly confused Iceland and Greenland in his Davos speech ( AFP/Getty ) Buckle in, folks, were at Dementiacon 5, Kimmel laughed, pointing out that the president repeatedly pronounced Azerbaijan as Aber-baijan. The late-night show host also pointed out that Trump seemingly confused Greenland with Iceland and even offered the president a word of advice on the topic. Heres a tip to help you remember, Mr President, Greenland is covered in ice, and ICE-land is what youre turning Minneapolis into, Kimmel said, taking a swipe at the president flooding federal agents into the Minnesota city. Kimmel concluded his Wednesday night routine by pointing out that talk shows are once again facing threats from the FCC. open image in gallery Kimmel joked that Melania was a giant block of ice ( AP ) He shared a picture of one of the presidents Truth Social posts, in which Trump said that the federal agency could impose new rules on The View and Jimmy Kimmel Live! He shared this story about how his minions at the FCC are planning to make it difficult for shows like ours and The View to interview politicians they dont align with, Kimmel warned. For real, we are once again getting threatened by the FCC. I might need your help again, he added. Kimmel made headlines last year, after his show was abruptly suspended. The show was pulled after the Trump Administration took umbrage with a joke about the presidents mourning of Charlie Kirk, but was later put back on the air following a huge surge of support for Kimmel. Sign up for the daily Inside Washington email for exclusive US coverage and analysis sent to your inbox Get our free Inside Washington email Get our free Inside Washington email Email * SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our Privacy notice Vice President JD Vances efforts to calm the furor in Minneapolis were not likely to win him any friends in Minnesotas state government, but the analytical politician who helped Donald Trump win the White House through scandal and past defeat was on full display on Thursday. Even as Vance pleaded with state and city officials to assist ICE agents in locating individual undocumented immigrants and enforcing the law with regard to protesters, he was nearly as punitive as he repeatedly blamed those same officials for the chaos he said was infecting the city in isolation after the shooting death of Renee Nicole Good. "The guys behind me are doing an incredible job, and frankly, a lot of the media is lying about the job they do every single day. That doesn't mean that there aren't occasionally stories and videos out there that suggest they aren't doing everything right, said Vance, flanked by top ICE and Homeland Security Investigations officers. He said that his purpose in the city was to tone down the temperature, reduce the chaos as he blamed that chaos on state officials and agencies refusing to cooperate with ICE officials attempting to organize targeted immigration enforcement operations. The result, Vance claimed, were the volatile raids seen on city streets and individual businesses throughout Minneapolis. Even as he addressed questions from the media, though, Vance declined to infer that the tactics and demeanor of ICE agents interacting with the public during enforcement operations contributed to that chaos. Instead, he argued that it was largely the fault of state officials. open image in gallery JD Vance was in Minnesota on Thursday to talk about ICE raids. He suggested the media is lying about the work being done by federal officers. ( Getty Images ) Describing an environment where ICE agents were in fear for their safety even when off-duty, Vance said that threats of violence and intimidation against federal officials were being hurled by far-left agitators while state and local officials refused to step in. That is the environment that has been created, I think, by a lot of very, frankly, far-left people but also by some of the state and local law enforcement officials who could do a much better job with cooperating and working [with us], claimed Vance. What I need [state leaders] to do is empower their local officials to help...our federal officials out in a way where this can be a little less chaotic and it can be a little bit more targeted. Like, if were trying to find a sex offender, tell us where the guy lives! he exclaimed. And Vance said repeatedly that his purpose was to discover the reasons behind the uniquely raised temperature of protests and confrontations in Minneapolis between residents and ICE agents yet he did not seem to accept that the common factor was ICEs own behavior in the city, even as he seemed to acknowledge that protests had only grown louder and angrier after the shooting death of Renee Young by an ICE agent earlier this month. open image in gallery Vance didnt yell like a previous press briefing about ICE raids, but still blamed the media and local leaders for the reactions to ICE raids in Minnesota ( Getty Images ) While toeing the administrations line on the shooting, Vance did mark a clear departure from his previous line of thought offered in defense of the administration in the wake of Goods shooting. At a White House news conference in the days immediately following the shooting a very different version of the vice president appeared: Furiously, that version lectured and shouted at reporters for supposedly inflaming tensions with misinformation while calling the coverage of her death an absolute disgrace. He also labeled Good, 37, was a deranged leftist. The Vance on display Thursday was more akin to the version that helped Donald Trump win the White House in 2024 and delivered a calculating debate performance against Tim Walz, former Vice President Kamala Harriss running mate. He parried questions from reporters about the detentions of U.S. citizens, including members of city police, and a five-year-old migrant child that have made headlines in recent days. He still accused Good of trying to run over ICE agents with her car, but softened his tone and did not label her deranged or any other insulting language. The vice president also seemed to dial back the administrations position on whether Goods shooting and other instances of alleged ICE misconduct would be subject to federal investigations after previously claiming that they had absolute immunity in the field. He said they would. open image in gallery In the days after Renee Nicole Goods shooting death by an ICE agent, JD Vance insisted that agents had absolute immunity in the field ( Reuters ) But tone shift or not, the vice president showed no signs that the administration was rethinking any of its tactics or strategies on Thursday, as protests continued for their second week over Goods death and nationwide the reaction to ICE tactics grows increasingly sour. He was eager to dive into specifics in cases where Americans or migrants involved in confrontations with ICE agents were in the wrong; less so in the case of videos where agents are seen manhandling people and detaining them with varying degrees of violence, or reports of profiling. Questioned about reports that off-duty city police officers had been swept up and detained in immigration raids, prompting anger from city officials including in law enforcement, Vance only demurred that it would have to be reviewed to determine if those accounts were accurate. The Trump administration on Thursday clearly appeared to be trying to cool down its own rhetoric, with Vance at the helm. But theres only so much a skilled communicator can do when the visuals of the presidents mass deportation strategy are increasingly hard to escape for everyday Americans. Sign up to the Independent Climate email for the latest advice on saving the planet Get our free Climate email Get our free Climate email Email * SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our Privacy notice At least two people have died, and more are missing after landslides swamped a house and tore through a holiday campground on the east coast of New Zealand on Thursday morning. Search efforts continued through the night at the Beachside Holiday Park in Mount Maunganui, Tauranga, where a landslide crashed down on campervans, tents, and an amenities block. Rescue teams at the campsite said they initially heard voices calling for help from beneath the rubble but had detected no further signs of life by late afternoon. The number of people missing was in the "single figures" and included children, local media reported. A separate landslide hit a home in the regions Welcome Bay hours beforehand. Two people escaped the house, but the bodies of two others who were trapped inside were recovered hours later. The landslide comes after days of torrential rain linked to a tropical weather system, which has dumped extraordinary volumes of rain across large parts of the North Island. New Zealands emergency management minister, Mark Mitchell, said parts of the east coast resembled a war zone, with helicopters deployed to rescue families trapped on rooftops and local states of emergency declared across several regions. open image in gallery Mount Maunganui is a popular destination in the Bay of Plenty ( Getty ) Its a fluid and sensitive issue at the moment, Mr Mitchell told Radio New Zealand. Everyone is working as hard as they can to get the best possible resolution, but it is a very difficult and challenging situation. Fire and Emergency New Zealand said around 40 firefighters, including urban search and rescue teams and sniffer dogs, were working at the site, which has been fully evacuated. Two excavators have also been deployed to help remove debris. Fire and Emergency commander William Pike said first responders had heard voices when they arrived shortly after the slip but were later forced to pull back because of the risk of further movement. Initially, when the first arriving crews arrived, there were some signs of life, he told local media. But we withdrew our people to make sure the slip didnt move any further. open image in gallery Emergency crews look for missing people at Mount Maunganui in Tauranga ( AFP via Getty ) Police said the number of people unaccounted for was believed to be in the single figures, though the exact number remained unclear as some campers had checked out without notifying authorities. Witnesses described scenes of chaos as the hillside collapsed. Sonny Worrall, an Australian tourist who was swimming in nearby hot pools, told local media he narrowly avoided being hit by a caravan. I heard rolling thunder and cracking trees, he said. The whole hillside gave way. It was the scariest thing Ive ever felt in my life. open image in gallery The Bay of Plenty region recorded its wettest day on record ( AFP via Getty ) Mount Maunganui is one of the most important landmarks in the Bay of Plenty region. Hundreds of thousands of tourists visit it every month and it is popular with both international visitors and holidaying Kiwis. The landslide-struck campsite sits at the base of Mount Maunganui, also known as Mauao, an extinct volcano thats both a popular tourist destination and sacred Maori site. Surrounded by white sand beaches and with its main beach heralded as the best in New Zealand, Mount Maunganui also attracts tourists for its hot salt pools, which are described by the local tourist board as having healing properties. Authorities said the Bay of Plenty region recorded its wettest day on record, with the nearby city of Tauranga receiving about 295mm of rain in just over 30 hours roughly two and a half months worth of rainfall. Local states of emergency have been declared in Northland, Coromandel Peninsula, Tairawhiti, Hauraki and parts of the Bay of Plenty, with residents urged to evacuate low-lying areas and avoid all non-essential travel. Fire and Emergency New Zealand said it had responded to more than 230 weather-related callouts since Tuesday, including rescues from rooftops and flooded homes. In the east coast settlement of Punaruku, firefighters described houses buried in mud, logging debris and floodwater. At least 8,000 households remained without power on Thursday, down from 16,000 earlier, while dozens of roads were closed because of flooding and landslides. open image in gallery A closed road following the landslide in Tauranga ( AFP via Getty ) Elsewhere on the North Island, police were continuing to search for a 47-year-old man who was swept away with his vehicle while attempting to cross a river near Warkworth on Wednesday. His wife told Radio New Zealand she was holding out hope that he had survived. "I know his personality is strong, wise," she said, adding that he was a fisherman back home in Kiribati and knew how to swim and dive. In Papamoa, south of Mount Maunganui, two people were reported missing and one person seriously injured after a separate landslide struck a home early on Thursday. Communities across the island have also reported dramatic rescues, including neighbours pulling a 94-year-old man from floodwaters in Coromandel and a woman rescued by kayak as fast-flowing water rose to neck height around her home. New Zealands National Emergency Management Agency warned that further heavy rain was expected through Thursday, falling on already saturated ground and increasing the risk of additional landslides, flooding and dangerous river conditions. open image in gallery A police officer and dog search for people near where the landslide occurred ( AP ) Scientists say the pattern of increasingly intense rainfall is consistent with what is expected in a warming climate. It seems that these days, every storm brings with it orange or red flood warnings and devastation and misery somewhere in the country, said James Renwick, professor of climate science at Victoria University of Wellington. Sadly, this is exactly what we expect with a warmer climate that has more moisture in the air. Prime minister Christopher Luxon said the government was doing everything possible to support affected communities and praised emergency crews for their efforts. All those who are putting themselves in harms way to keep Kiwis safe, the whole country is grateful, he said. On The Ground newsletter: Get a weekly dispatch from our international correspondents Get a weekly dispatch from our international correspondents Get a weekly international news dispatch Email * SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our Privacy notice Bologna finds itself embroiled in a dispute over its 30 kph (19 mph) city centre speed limit, facing both a regional court ruling against the measure and strong opposition from Giorgia Meloni's national government. The prominent northern Italian city implemented the 30 kph restriction in January 2024, becoming the first major Italian city to do so. In the year that followed, Bologna reported a 13 per cent reduction in road accidents and a significant 50 per cent drop in fatalities. This success prompted the capital, Rome, to adopt a similar limit this month. Despite these positive outcomes, Bologna's centre-left mayor, Matteo Lepore, reaffirmed his commitment to the policy on Wednesday. His stance comes after a regional court sided with a single taxi driver who argued that the lower speed limits extended journey times and consequently reduced his earnings. The city is now preparing a revised ordinance, detailing road-by-road justifications as requested by the court. However, the initiative also faces resistance from national Transport Minister Matteo Salvini, a figure from the hard-right League party. Rome followed Bolognas example and also introduced a 30 km/h speed limit in its city centre in January ( REUTERS ) Mr Salvini stated on Thursday that 30 kph limits and speed cameras are only acceptable in sensitive areas, such as near schools or hospitals, and not "when you are declaring war on cars out of ideology." Blanket speed restrictions are "unenforceable because if you have to get to work or take your kids to school and drive on two- or even three-lane roads, you obviously can't go at 30 kph," he also told public TV channel Rai 1. In Rome, members of Prime Minister Meloni's rightist Brothers of Italy party called on the centre-left city government to scrap the new 30 kph speed rules there, saying they would otherwise file legal appeals against them. Bologna Mayor Lepore said after the court ruling that the previous higher speed limits would temporarily return on some streets, but only until the updated measure is approved and Bologna can return to its long-term plan. He argued the 30 kph limit would eventually prevail all over Italy, following European capitals such as London, Brussels, Paris and Helsinki which have embraced slower, safer streets, in some cases overriding strong opposition from motorists. On The Ground newsletter: Get a weekly dispatch from our international correspondents Get a weekly dispatch from our international correspondents Get a weekly international news dispatch Email * SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our Privacy notice Donald Trump claims to have hashed out the framework of a future deal on Greenland following weeks of threats to annex the Danish territory. The US president emerged from talks with Nato secretary general Mark Rutte on Wednesday confident that a deal was in sight and that all parties were happy with it. Denmark said it was open to dialogue so long as its borders are respected but have notably not endorsed any aspects of the agreement briefed to the media or discussed publicly by Mr Rutte. The shape of the arrangement was a little bit complex, Mr Trump said, and would have to be explained down the line. However, he waived his previous threat of tariffs against European allies in an apparent attempt to defuse tensions. Mr Rutte said that Denmark would retain its sovereignty and stressed that Nato allies would have to step up on Arctic security within months under the framework deal currently being discussed. Officials close to the negotiations briefed media outlets that a deal could see greater US freedom to build on the island, modelled on Britains overseas arrangements. But concrete details of what could form part of the deal remain scarce and there is no guarantee that Mr Trumps demands will be accepted by Europe. The Independent looks at how the US may look to strike an agreement with Denmark and Nato. open image in gallery Mark Rutte said he had held a very good discussion with Donald Trump on how to ensure Arctic security ( AP ) US sovereignty over military bases In the hours before Mr Trumps announcement, Nato officials were discussing the possibility of the US obtaining sovereignty over land for military bases, according to three senior officials familiar with the talks. Such a deal could resemble the agreement Britain has with Cyprus to run its own bases on land regarded as UK territory. Akrotiri, Episkopi, Dhekelia and Ayios Nikolaos are termed British Sovereign Base Areas (SBAs), which stayed under British control when the independent Republic of Cyprus emerged in 1960. They function as British overseas territories, with a civilian administration responsible for many civil government duties, like law and justice and immigration. They also have a police force and a mixed demographic with military and UK-based personnel and their dependents working alongside Cypriots. open image in gallery Britain has a longstanding agreement with Cyprus to treat its bases on the island as British territory ( Kirsty Wigglesworth/PA ) An official briefed on the Nato-US discussions told The New York Times that the plan for Greenland would be modelled after the British arrangement in Cyprus although the exact dimensions were unclear. Sources also told The Telegraph the proposals resembled Britains agreement with Cyprus. They said the deal under discussion did not involve selling Greenland. Rare earth mining The US military maintains a permanent presence at the Pituffik airbase in northwest Greenland under a 1951 agreement that also allows it to build bases provided it notifies Denmark and Greenland. A new arrangement could allow it to build without planning permission and expand into mineral-rich areas, according to The Telegraph. Its a long-term deal, Mr Trump told reporters. Its the ultimate long-term deal. It puts everybody in a really good position, especially as it pertains to security and to minerals. A 2023 survey showed that 25 of 34 minerals deemed critical raw materials by the European Commission were found in Greenland. The extraction of oil and gas is banned in Greenland for environmental regions, and investment in the mining sector currently faces challenges. Graphite, copper, nickel, zinc, gold, diamonds, iron ore, titanium-vanadium, tungsten and uranium are all found in Greenland. open image in gallery Greenland's Pituffik Space Base, where the US have a permanent military presence ( Ritzau Scanpix ) How Greenland has reacted Denmark has said it is open to discussions that do not compromise territorial integrity. But the issue will also need approval within Greenland. The island is organised as a semi-autonomous territory with its own prime minister, who has strongly opposed American threats in recent weeks. Prime minister Jens-Frederik Nielsen has, notably, not yet commented on Mr Ruttes talks with Mr Trump. Aaja Chemnitz Larsen, a Greenlandic member of the Danish parliament, said she feared that Nato was bartering over Greenlands future without the islands involvement. What we are witnessing these days in statements from Trump is completely insane. Nato has absolutely no mandate to negotiate anything whatsoever without us in Greenland, she wrote on social media. And the fact that Nato should have anything to say about our country and minerals is completely in the hemp. open image in gallery The people of Greenland remain strongly opposed to the US controlling the island, protesting in large numbers last week ( AP ) Mr Rutte said on Thursday that specific negotiations would involve the US, Denmark and Greenland. It would be up to Nato commanders to work through the details of extra security requirements, which could see Nato allies doing more in the region. "I have no doubt we can do this quite fast. Certainly I would hope for 2026, I hope even early in 2026," he said. What is the deal missing? The framework remains informal and lacks specifics. If the main challenges are, as Nato says, combatting Russian and Chinese investment and interference, the US already has the right to build bases and Denmark has countered Chinese investment in the past. With Nato allies already moving to the region to boost security, it is not clear what a new deal would add. The development of the islands mining sector is also wrapped up in red tape and opposition from indigenous people, and it is unclear how Greenland would be compensated if the US tries to extract rare minerals. The extraction of oil and gas is banned for environmental reasons. A deal modelled on the British bases in Cyprus will need further clarity, as the arrangement has evolved greatly since 1960. Even if land becomes de facto American, negotiators will have to agree on remits for development and independence. Crucially, the Nato alliance has been shaken by the repeated threats from the US, and allies will have to rebuild relationships to work together on security. On The Ground newsletter: Get a weekly dispatch from our international correspondents Get a weekly dispatch from our international correspondents Get a weekly international news dispatch Email * SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our Privacy notice Desperate Palestinians at a garbage dump in a Gaza neighborhood dug with their bare hands for plastic items to burn to keep warm in the cold and damp winter in the enclave, battered by two years of the Israel-Hamas war. The scene in the Muwasi area of the city of Khan Younis contrasted starkly with the vision of the territory projected by world leaders gathered in Davos, Switzerland, where they inaugurated U.S. President Donald Trump's Board of Peace that will oversee Gaza. At the World Economic Forum in Davos, Trump claimed that record levels of humanitarian aid had entered Gaza since the October start of a U.S.-brokered ceasefire deal. His son-in law, Jared Kushner, and envoy Steve Witkoff triumphantly touted the devastated territory's development potential. A starkly different reality In Gaza, months into the truce, hundreds of thousands of Palestinians still languish in displacement camps, sheltering in tents and war-ravaged buildings, unable to protect them from the temperatures dropping below 10 degrees Celsius (50 Fahrenheit) at night. Despite the ceasefire, there are still recurring deadly strikes in Gaza. Israeli tank shelling on Thursday killed four Palestinians east of Gaza City, according to Mohamed Abu Selmiya, director of the Shifa Hospital, where the bodies were taken. The Israeli military did not immediately comment. While aid flow into Gaza has significantly increased since the ceasefire, residents say fuel and firewood are in short supply. Prices are exorbitant and searching for firewood is dangerous. Two 13-year-old boys were shot and killed by Israeli forces on Wednesday as they tried to collect firewood, hospital officials said. At the Nasser hospital in southern Gaza, dozens of Palestinians gathered Thursday to mourn three Palestinian journalists including a frequent contributor to Agence France-Presse killed the day before when an Israeli strike hit their vehicle, according to Gaza health officials. The Israeli military said the strike came after it spotted suspects who were operating a drone that posed a threat to its troops. When survival means digging through garbage For Sanaa Salah, who lives in a tent with her husband and six kids, starting a fire is a critical daily chore so they can cook and keep warm. Her family has barely has enough clothes to keep them warm. She said the family cannot afford to buy firewood or gas, and that they are aware of the dangers of burning plastic but have no other choice. Life is very hard, she said as her family members threw plastic and paper into a fire to keep it burning. We cannot even have a cup of tea." This is our life, she said. We do not sleep at night from the cold. Firewood is just too expensive, said Aziz Akel. His family has no income and they can't pay the 7 or 8 shekels (about $2.5) it would cost. My house is gone and my kids were wounded," he said. His daughter, Lina Akel, said he leaves the familys tent early each morning to look for plastic in the garbage to burn the basics of life. Mourners bid farewell to 3 Palestinian journalists killed in Israeli strike The three journalists killed Wednesday were filming near a displacement camp in central Gaza, managed by an Egyptian government committee, said Mohammed Mansour, the committees spokesperson. One of them, Abdul Raouf Shaat, a regular contributor to AFP, was not on assignment for the news agency at the time of the strike, it said. A statement from AFP later demanded a full investigation into his death. According to the Committee to Protect Journalists, more than 200 Palestinian journalists and media workers have been killed in Gaza since the war began in 2023, including visual journalist Mariam Dagga, who worked for The Associated Press and other news organizations. Nearly five months after the strikes on a hospital that killed Dagga and four other journalists, the Israeli military says it is continuing to investigate. Aside from rare guided tours, Israel has barred international journalists from entering to cover the war. News organizations rely largely on Palestinian journalists in Gaza as well as residents to show what is happening. More than 470 people have been killed in Gaza since the ceasefire began in October, according to Gazas health ministry. At least 77 have been killed by Israeli gunfire near a ceasefire line that splits the territory between Israeli-held areas and most of Gazas Palestinian population, the ministry says. The ministry, which is part of the Hamas-led government, maintains detailed casualty records that are seen as generally reliable by U.N. agencies and independent experts. Mourners on Thursday wept over the bodies of the dead journalists, whose bodies were covered in body bags and had press vests placed on their chests. Funeral prayers were held later. ___ Frankel reported from Jerusalem. On The Ground newsletter: Get a weekly dispatch from our international correspondents Get a weekly dispatch from our international correspondents Get a weekly international news dispatch Email * SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our Privacy notice On Wednesday evening, downtown Nuuk was busy with Greenlanders commuting home, picking children up from school and visiting local supermarkets. Yet as residents continued with daily life, there lingered an ever-present cloud of anxiety after Donald Trump doubled down on his threats to annex Greenland in a speech in front of world leaders at Davos. Speaking at the World Economic Forum on Wednesday, the US president said that he would not use military force to acquire Greenland, but that he was seeking immediate negotiations to once again discuss the acquisition of Greenland by the United States. open image in gallery Nuuk residents Elias Larson and Erik Christensen say they are anxious for Greenland to avoid conflict ( Annabel Grossman/The Independent ) Paarnannguaq Tiitussen, a local woman who owns a traditional Arctic jewellery store in Nuuk, told The Independent that despite ruling out force, Trumps words were still a threat and that Greenlanders are taking his ambitions on their home extremely seriously. She said: We are very worried; its scary. We dont sleep well. I hope its empty threats from Trumps side. Other locals are growing exasperated with the continuous aggressive rhetoric coming from the US president and are trying to ignore the latest round of outlandish statements. Shrugging off Trumps claims that he will continue to exert pressure to acquire Greenland, Erik Christensen told The Independent: We cant trust anything anyone says at this point. The 24-year-old fire technician said there was a generational divide among Greenlanders, with many of the older residents feeling greater anxiety over Trumps statements, while younger people were determined to continue with life as normal. open image in gallery Signs throughout downtown Nuuk and in shop windows across the city resist Trumps advances on Greenland ( Annabel Grossman/The Independent ) His friend Elias Larson, who works at the harbour in Nuuk, agreed that conflict needed to be avoided at all costs, but said he was starting to feel fed up with Trumps threats. The men described how Greenland had already suffered under one colonial power and said many people still resented Denmarks control, but that the United States was now seen as the greater threat. Christensen added: Denmark may have done some bad things, but we dont want a giant change now. We dont have the energy. Greenland has a population of around 57,000, of which approximately 89 per cent are Indigenous Inuit. On Wednesday morning, prior to Trumps speech at Davos, Julie Rademacher, chair of Uagut, (National Organisation for Greenlanders in Denmark), said that she was constantly receiving messages from anxious local citizens seeking help, and that there was a growing need for mental health support for Greenlanders in both Denmark and the territory itself. open image in gallery Vice-president JD Vance visited the US military Greenland base in March ( Getty ) She added: The threats from the American president to annex Greenland feel like psychological warfare and are terrorising for many Greenlanders ... for Greenlanders living in Denmark, but it is even harder for our compatriots in Greenland to withstand the pressure. Many are developing anxiety and are very afraid, and there are also a great many who cannot sleep and wake up from nightmares. Children and families with children have also been unsettled and are considering moving from Greenland to a safer life in Denmark, so it is a very difficult time to be a Greenlander. Many Nuuk residents who The Independent spoke to yesterday said they felt uncomfortable talking about the US. We are trying to put the fear out of our mind and continue with our lives, one young woman explained. Its always hanging over us. Another man in his mid-twenties said that although many local people were uneasy with the sudden interest in Greenland, it was a comfort that other countries were showing support for the territory. He added: We can have our voices heard all over the world now and we hope that other countries will help us. open image in gallery The US Consulate in Nuuk, where Nuuk resident 70-year-old Jens Kjeldsen stages his solo protest ( Annabel Grossman/The Independent ) Rademacher said that since the demonstrations last Saturday, 17 January, many Greenlanders have felt a sense of unity and support from Danes, Germans, Americans, Europeans, and people from all over the world, just as Nato allies have expressed their support for Greenland. Rademacher added that where there has otherwise not been support for military build-up in the current situation, many Greenlanders have written on social media that they are glad to have European forces in Greenland and that it makes them feel safer. While there have been no further large demonstrations in the city since Saturdays, one Nuuk resident has continued to stand up to the US president in the form of a one-man daily protest. Every day before sunrise, 70-year-old Jens Kjeldsen marches up and down in front of the US Consulate in Nuuk a simple red wooden building just outside the city centre carrying a pole bearing the flags of Denmark, the Faroe Islands and Greenland, in quiet resistance to Trumps threats to take over the territory. On The Ground newsletter: Get a weekly dispatch from our international correspondents Get a weekly dispatch from our international correspondents Get a weekly international news dispatch Email * SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our Privacy notice Donald Trump both settled nerves but left the Alpine air in Davos heavy with threat. Promising he would not use force to annex Greenland, he went on to warn that if he didnt get hold of the vast island of ice, we will remember. Did this amount to give me Greenland or Ill back Russia in Ukraine completely? He didnt say it out loud, but in a long, rambling speech peppered with statistics snatched from his imaginarium, Trump consciously avoided revealing what the or else part of his threat actually meant. For a change, much of the importance of his address at Davos lay with what he did not say rather than in his now familiar public stream of consciousness. He may have been surprised by the vigour and depth of European and Canadian horror at his pledge to use tariffs against the eight nations that backed Greenland against threats of annexation. He didnt mention the 10 per cent tariffs, or the 15 per cent that would follow, if Greenland wasnt handed over by Denmark to the US. We want a piece of ice for world protection and they wont give it, he said. Weve never asked for anything else so they have a choice: you can say yes and we will be very appreciative, or you can say no and we will remember. Several times, he lost his way geographically and referred to Greenland as Iceland. But these were among the few moments when listeners around the world, and global leaders in the audience, would have been able to infer what he meant to say. He was clear, too, on saying that both Volodymyr Zelensky and Vladimir Putin would be stupid if they did not sign up to a peace deal that, so far, neither side has agreed is acceptable. For Russia, it does not allow for enough of a land grab in Ukraine. open image in gallery Donald Trump speaking at the annual World Economic Forum on Wednesday ( AFP/Getty ) For Ukraines allies, all proposed deals so far leave Russia unpunished, reward the Kremlin with new lands and leave the battle space shaped for renewed Russian invasion. It is Trumps heavy pro-Russian bias which will cause consternation when he says he wont forget those who stood against his annexation plans. Trump belittled and mocked Nato repeatedly, claiming wrongly that the US had paid 100 per cent of its bills but got nothing in return. The only country to have invoked Chapter 5 of Natos founding charter, which demands support from all allies in the event of attack has been the US after 9/11. As a proportion of the population, Denmark (of which Greenland is a part) lost more troops fighting inside Nato for America in Afghanistan than any other. Only Russias president is as equally bitter towards Nato an organisation set up to largely defend the West against a Soviet threat from Moscows nuclear weapons and imperial expansion. So the we will remember phrase will be mulled with trepidation across Europe, in the UK and in Canada. Europe, meanwhile, was again singled out by Trump as a failing region beset by weakness and, implicitly, not worth defending by America. open image in gallery Mark Rutte at the annual Davos conference on Wednesday ( AFP/Getty ) The places where you come from can do much better by following what were doing, because certain places in Europe are not even recognisable anymore. Theyre not recognisable and we can argue about it, but theres no argument. Friends come back from different places (I don't want to insult anybody) and say I dont recognise it and thats not in a positive way thats in a very negative way. And I love Europe and I want to see Europe go good, but its not heading in the right direction in recent decades. He went on to renew support for the great replacement conspiracy theory that claims non-Europeans are being overwhelmed by foreigners in their home countries. Many other western governments very foolishly followed turning their backs on everything that makes nations rich and powerful and strong, he said. The result was record budget and trade deficits and a growing sovereign deficit driven by the largest wave of mass migration in human history. We've never seen anything like it quite frankly. Many parts of our world are being destroyed before our very eyes and the leaders dont even understand whats happening and the ones that do understand arent doing anything about it. open image in gallery An edited image Donald Trump posted showing him with European leaders and a map of the US incorporating Canada and Greenland. The original image showed a map of Ukraine ( @realDonaldTrump/Truth Social ) Trump championed his abduction of Venezuelas authoritarian president and scorned countries that have granted independence to nations they colonised in long-faded empires. Turning to Greenland, he said: Its the United States alone that can protect this giant mass of land, this giant piece of ice, develop it and improve it and make it so that its good for Europe and safe for Europe and good for us. And thats the reason Im seeking immediate negotiations to once again discuss the acquisition of Greenland by the United States, just as we have acquired many other territories throughout our history as many of the European nations had acquired If you look, some had great vast wealth, great vast lands all over the world. They went and reversed it. He has said he wants to annex Canada, invade Cuba, may attack Colombia, wants Greenland and has taken control of Venezuelas economy. His long-standing support for Russias attacks on Ukraine has been signalled by cutting military aid to Kyiv and saying that Russia has earned a chunk of territory by force of arms. Colonialism and a world in which might trumps law or ethics remains the vision that Trump presented in Davos. Immediate fears over Greenland may have settled but they are far from resolved. Close 'Evil must stop: Zelenskyy mourns latest Russian attack on miners as he confirms next diplomatic talks in UAE On The Ground newsletter: Get a weekly dispatch from our international correspondents Get a weekly dispatch from our international correspondents Get a weekly international news dispatch Email * SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our Privacy notice Foreign troops in Ukraine will be regarded as legitimate targets by Russia, the Kremlins foreign minister has said in the latest threat against Kyivs allies. Sergei Lavrov said Moscow would regard the deployment of any foreign military forces or infrastructure in Ukraine as foreign intervention and treat them as legitimate targets. "The deployment of military units, facilities, warehouses, and other infrastructure of Western countries in Ukraine is unacceptable to us and will be regarded as foreign intervention posing a direct threat to Russia's security," the ministry said on its website. Britain and France have both pledged to put troops in Ukraine in the event of a peace deal - a key security guarantee for Kyiv. Lavrov also heaped praise on Donald Trump for his "purposeful efforts to end the conflict following the first trilateral talks between the US, Russia and Ukraine. Both the Kremlin and Volodymyr Zelensky have confirmed the second round of talks will begin on Wednesday. On The Ground newsletter: Get a weekly dispatch from our international correspondents Get a weekly dispatch from our international correspondents Get a weekly international news dispatch Email * SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our Privacy notice A man fighting for the life of his country against an invader should be forgiven the passion and colour of his language when calling for help from his friends. Volodymyr Zelenskys stinging rhetoric was very much his own at Davos when he called Europe a salad. Dear friends, we should not degrade ourselves to secondary roles, not when we have a chance to be a great power together. We should not accept that Europe is just a salad of small and middle powers, seasoned with enemies of Europe, the Ukrainian president thundered. The World Economic Forum was silent at the rebuke. Global leaders, business titans, European bureaucrats, squirmed. Here they were faced with the grizzled figure that Vladimir Putins special forces have consistently failed to kill, who leads a nation freezing at home at -20C while its soldiers defend Europe and had to swallow their diminished proportions. open image in gallery Ukraines president Volodymyr Zelensky pulled few punches in his speech to the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland ( AP ) As his country approaches the fifth anniversary of Putins full-scale invasion but the 12th year of its defence against Russia, Zelensky reminded the Europeans in the audience just how little they had done. They had failed to come up with a united front on Greenland, he told them. They had failed to support the bloodbath in Iran. He was grateful for the support Ukraine had had but he was looking for more from Europe in an age when the old order was being torn up. He goaded Europe by marking the actions that the man who is doing most to shatter the old order has taken. President Trump led an operation in Venezuela and Maduro was arrested. And there were different opinions about it. But the fact remains, Maduro is on trial in New York. Sorry, but Putin is not on trial. And this is the fourth year of the biggest war in Europe since World War II, Zelensky observed. open image in gallery Zelenskys speech came after a meeting with Donald Trump ( AFP/Getty ) Ukraines president was picking up on a theme that has emerged at Davos: that it is time for the middle powers in Europe to realise that, along with the UK and Canada, they can form a powerful block in their own right. Too often, Europeans turn against each other, leaders, parties, movements, and communities, instead of standing together to stop Russia, which brings the same destruction to everyone. Instead of becoming a truly global power, Europe remains a beautiful but fragmented kaleidoscope of small and middle powers. Instead of taking the lead in defending freedom worldwide, especially when Americas focus shifts elsewhere, Europe looks lost trying to convince the US president to change, but he will not change. President Trump loves who he is, and he says he loves Europe, but he will not listen to this kind of Europe. Another dig from Zelensky there this kind of Europe. He means a spineless Europe that is slow to stand up for the values it claims it has. He didnt need to spell it out, but it was clear that when Europeans did stand up to Trump and threaten a trade war over Greenland, the US president backed down. open image in gallery The Ukrainian leader highlighted how the US were quick to remove Venezuelas Nicolas Maduro from power by force ( @realDonaldTrump/Truth Social ) One of the biggest problems in todays Europe, though its not often talked about in their mindset. Some European leaders are from Europe, but not always for Europe. And Europe still feels more like geography, history, a tradition, not a real political force, not a great power. Some Europeans are really strong, its true, but many say we must stand strong and they always want someone else to tell them how long they need to stand strong, preferably until the next election. But thats not how great power works, to my mind. Leaders say We must defend European interests, but they hope someone else will do it for them. Zelenskys was the loudest, most impressive voice in calling on Europe to step up to embrace its own potential power. Mark Carney, Canadas prime minister and the president of Finland, Alexander Stubb, made the same calls to arms along with Keith Kellogg, until recently Trumps special envoy to Kyiv. The latter two both argued that Russia could not win the war against Ukraine. There has been a marked shift in the understanding of the war, with expert opinion now subverting the Russian and American narrative that Kyiv is losing and cannot win. Military experts and Davos delegates have been hearing and saying the opposite. Zelenskys address was a call for help to get his country into a winning position and with an eye on a future European Union with Ukraine inside it. He was the underdog shaking Europe by the scruff of the neck. On The Ground newsletter: Get a weekly dispatch from our international correspondents Get a weekly dispatch from our international correspondents Get a weekly international news dispatch Email * SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our Privacy notice Volodymyr Zelensky has launched a scathing attack on European leaders over their support for Ukraine during an astonishing speech to world leaders at Davos. Taking to the stage shortly after a meeting with Donald Trump, the Ukrainian president declared Kyiv was living in Groundhog Day, adding that Europe loves to discuss the future but avoids taking action against Russia. He added: Every forum like this one proves it. Just last year, here in Davos, I ended my speech with the words Europe needs to know how to defend itself. A year has passed, and nothing has changed. The Ukrainian president did, however, indicate progress during his remarks at the World Economic Forum in Switzerland, announcing that Kyiv, Moscow and the US will hold their first trilateral peace talks in the UAE on Friday. Mr Trump described his meeting with Mr Zelensky as very good during brief comments after it concluded. Earlier in the day, the US president reiterated his previous claims that a peace deal in Ukraine was close. The US presidents special envoy Steve Witkoff and son-in-law Jared Kushner were due to hold talks with Vladimir Putin in Moscow later on Thursday. But Mr Zelenskys extraordinary criticism of Europes failure to take urgent action against Moscow, delivered in an impassioned speech and met with rapturous applause from delegates, suggested the Ukrainian president does not believe any ceasefire with Russia is imminent. open image in gallery Volodymyr Zelensky accused Europe of engaging in endless internal arguments ( AP ) In his wide-ranging reproach, the Ukrainian president implored European leaders to demonstrate more unity, both in terms of their approach to Russia, but also in proving their ability to operate independently of the US. Instead of becoming a truly global power, Europe remains a beautiful but fragmented kaleidoscope of small and middle powers, he said. He hit out at the endless internal arguments in Europe and things left unsaid that stop Europe from uniting and speaking honestly enough to find real solutions. Too often, Europeans turn against each other instead of standing together to stop Russia, and efforts to convince the Trump administration to change its ways are futile, Mr Zelensky said, calling on the continent to have more courage in tackling global issues itself. open image in gallery Zelensky and Trump at Davos on Thursday ( AFP/Getty ) Instead of taking the lead in defending freedom worldwide especially when Americas focus shifts elsewhere Europe looks lost trying to convince the US president to change. But he will not change. President Trump loves who he is. And he says he loves Europe, but he will not listen to this kind of Europe, Mr Zelensky said. European leaders rejoiced in Davos after Mr Trump backed down from his threats to impose tariffs on several countries over their opposition to a US takeover of Greenland, after stating he had agreed a deal with Nato. But Mr Zelensky said that Europe needs to get out of Greenland mode and take more material action to support Ukraine and damage Russias war effort a criticism which was a centrepiece of his speech. open image in gallery Zelensky arrives in Davos on Thursday morning for talks with Trump ( Getty ) Discussing the European Unions failure to reach an agreement to use frozen Russian assets in its 90bn loan for Ukraine, the Ukrainian president declared that Putin managed to stop Europe. Despite thanking the bloc for freezing the assets in the first place, Mr Zelensky said: It is Putin who is deciding how the frozen Russian assets should be used. When the time came to use the assets to defend against Russian aggression, the decision was blocked. He also turned his attention to Russias shadow fleet of sanctioned oil tankers, questioning why Mr Trump was able to stop tankers from the shadow fleet and seize oil, but Europe doesnt. Within hours of his comments, the French navy, with Britains assistance, intercepted one of Russias sanctioned shadow fleet oil tankers in the Mediterranean. open image in gallery French forces intercept a sanctioned tanker on Thursday ( X/Emmanuel Macron ) French president Emmanuel Macron revealed that French forces had boarded a vessel this morning with allied support. The ship was subject to international sanctions and suspected of operating under a false flag, he said. We are determined to uphold international law and to ensure the effective enforcement of sanctions, the French president wrote on social media. The activities of the shadow fleet contribute to financing the war of aggression against Ukraine. In a post on X, Mr Zelensky responded: Thank you, France! Thank you, @EmmanuelMacron! This is exactly the kind of resolve needed to ensure that Russian oil no longer finances Russias war. On The Ground newsletter: Get a weekly dispatch from our international correspondents Get a weekly dispatch from our international correspondents Get a weekly international news dispatch Email * SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our Privacy notice Iranian state TV has issued the first official death toll from recent protests, saying 3,117 people were killed. It came as the foreign minister issued the most direct threat yet against the United States after Tehrans bloody crackdown, warning the Islamic Republic will be firing back with everything we have if we come under renewed attack. State television carried statements by the Interior Ministry and the Martyrs Foundation, an official body providing services to families of those killed in wars. The officials said 2,427 of the dead in the demonstrations that began Dec. 28 were civilians and security forces. It did not elaborate on the rest. The U.S.-based Human Rights Activists News Agency said the death toll was at least 4,560. open image in gallery The death toll exceeds that of any other round of protest or unrest in Iran in decades, and recalls the chaos surrounding the 1979 revolution that brought the Islamic Republic into being ( AFP via Getty Images ) The agency has been accurate throughout the years on demonstrations and unrest in Iran, relying on a network of activists inside the country that confirms all reported fatalities. The Associated Press has been unable to independently assess the death toll. The comments by Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi, who saw his invitation to the World Economic Forum in Davos rescinded over the killings, came as a U.S. aircraft carrier group moved west toward the Middle East from Asia. U.S. fighter jets and other equipment appeared to be moving in the Mideast after a major U.S. military deployment in the Caribbean saw troops seize Venezuela's Nicolas Maduro. Araghchi makes threat in column Araghchi made the threat in an opinion article published by The Wall Street Journal. The foreign minister contended the violent phase of the unrest lasted less than 72 hours and sought again to blame armed demonstrators for the violence. Videos that made it out of Iran despite an internet shutdown appear to show security forces repeatedly using live fire to target apparently unarmed protesters, something unaddressed by Araghchi. Unlike the restraint Iran showed in June 2025, our powerful armed forces have no qualms about firing back with everything we have if we come under renewed attack, Araghchi wrote, referring to the 12-day war launched by Israel on Iran in June. open image in gallery The Interior Ministry claimed Wednesday that terrorists used live ammunition that led to the deaths of 2,427 people and security forces ( AFP via Getty Images ) This isnt a threat, but a reality I feel I need to convey explicitly, because as a diplomat and a veteran, I abhor war. He added: An all-out confrontation will certainly be ferocious and drag on far, far longer than the fantasy timelines that Israel and its proxies are trying to peddle to the White House. It will certainly engulf the wider region and have an impact on ordinary people around the globe. Araghchi's comments likely refer to Iran's short- and medium-range missiles. The Islamic Republic relied on ballistic missiles to target Israel in the war and left its stockpile of the shorter-range missiles unused, something that could be fired to target U.S. bases and interests in the Persian Gulf. Already, there have been some restrictions on U.S. diplomats traveling to bases in Kuwait and Qatar. Mideast nations, particularly diplomats from Gulf Arab countries, had lobbied U.S. President Donald Trump not to attack Iran after he threatened to act in response to the killing of demonstrators. Last week, Iran shut its airspace, likely in anticipation of a strike. The USS Abraham Lincoln, which had been in the South China Sea in recent days, had passed through the Strait of Malacca, a key waterway connecting the sea and Indian Ocean, by Tuesday, ship-tracking data showed. A U.S. Navy official, speaking on condition of anonymity, said the aircraft carrier and three accompanying destroyers were heading west. While naval and other defense officials stopped short of saying the carrier strike group was headed to the Middle East, its current heading and location in the Indian Ocean means it is only days away from moving into the region. Meanwhile, U.S. military images released in recent days showed F-15E Strike Eagles arriving in the Mideast and forces in the region moving a HIMARS missile system, the type used with great success by Ukraine after Russia's full-scale invasion in the country in 2022. Protest death toll rises The death toll exceeds that of any other round of protest or unrest in Iran in decades, and recalls the chaos surrounding the 1979 revolution that brought the Islamic Republic into being. Although there have been no protests for days, there are fears the toll could increase significantly as information gradually emerges from a country still under a government-imposed shutdown of the internet since Jan. 8. The first indication from authorities of the extent of casualties came Saturday from Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, who said the protests had left several thousand people dead and blamed the United States. The protests began over economic pressures but quickly broadened to take on the theocracy. The Interior Ministry statement Wednesday asserted that terrorists used live ammunition that led to the deaths of 2,427 people and security forces. The Martyrs Foundation said Iran would pursue what it called terrorists who it claimed were tied to Israel and supported, equipped and armed by the U.S. Nearly 26,500 people have been arrested, according to the Human Rights Activists News Agency. Comments from officials have led to fears of some of those detained being put to death in Iran, one of the worlds top executioners. That and the killing of peaceful protesters have been two red lines laid down by Trump in the tensions. Kurdish exiles claim Iranian attack in Iraq The National Army of Kurdistan, the armed wing of the Kurdistan Freedom Party, or PAK, claimed Iran launched an attack against one of its bases near Irbil, some 320 kilometers (200 miles) north of Baghdad. It said one fighter had been killed, and released mobile phone footage of a fire in the predawn darkness. Iran did not immediately acknowledge the attack, which would be the first foreign operation Tehran has launched since the protests started. A handful of Iranian Kurdish dissident or separatist groups some with armed wings have long found a safe haven in northern Iraqs semiautonomous Kurdish region, where their presence has been a point of friction between the central government in Baghdad and Tehran. The PAK has claimed it launched attacks in Iran as a crackdown on the demonstrations took place, something reported by semiofficial Iranian news agencies as well. On The Ground newsletter: Get a weekly dispatch from our international correspondents Get a weekly dispatch from our international correspondents Get a weekly international news dispatch Email * SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our Privacy notice The Trump administration has unveiled bizarre new pictures for a new Gaza, featuring a data centre, luxury apartments and coastal tourism. Donald Trumps son-in-law, Jared Kushner, unveiled the images during a press conference at the Davos signing of the US presidents peace board. The images contained CGI-generated images of luxury apartments, data centres and coastal tourism, as well as plans to build more than 100,000 housing units and 75 medical facilities. President Trump signed the document on the sidelines of the World Economic Forum at a ceremony attended by Sir Tony Blair, who was controversially named as a member of the board. open image in gallery The peace boards plans for a New Gaza contained CGI-generated images of luxury apartments ( Board of peace ) Mr Trump has invited dozens of world leaders to join the initiative, which has been rejected by Washingtons allies, including Sir Keir Starmer, who said on Thursday that the UK would not sign the agreement. France and Germany have also declined. Concerns have been raised by European nations over the unexpected invitation extended to Russian president Vladimir Putin, who has waged a brutal war in Ukraine since February 2022. There has also been anger among Arab states over the inclusion of Israels prime minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, whose war in Gaza has led to the deaths of 72,000 Palestinians. Senior officials from 19 countries were introduced as founding members of the collective that Mr Trump is set to oversee. open image in gallery An image showing the New Rafah, which is said to include 100,000-plus permanent housing units, along with medical facilities, educational and cultural centres ( Board of peace ) When America booms, the entire world booms, Mr Trump told the gathering. This board has the chance to be one of the most consequential bodies ever created and its my enormous honour to serve as its chairman. He explained: The board of peace is composed of the top leaders in the world, actually. Last October, we released a plan for the permanent end to the conflict in Gaza and Im pleased to say that our vision was unanimously adopted by the United Nations Security Council. Under phase one of the plan, we have maintained the Gaza ceasefire and delivered record levels of humanitarian aid. You used to hear people were starving, and you dont hear that any more. open image in gallery Trump says the new peace board is one of the most consequential bodies ever created ( AFP/Getty ) Mr Trump said the peace board would ensure that Gaza is demilitarised. His secretary of state, Marco Rubio, added that it would also be a board of action. The new plans appeared to mirror an AI-generated video released last year of the war-torn strip transformed into a riviera and featuring Mr Trump and Tesla billionaire Elon Musk. A slide reading Master Plan shows four phases of a transformation moving from Rafah through Khan Younis and into Gaza City. Colour-coded blocks are labelled residential areas, in yellow, and coastal tourism, with 180 tower blocks, labelled in bright pink. Large sections of land are dedicated to industrial complex data centres and advanced manufacturing. The regions are cut up with green sections labelled parks, agriculture and sports facilities. As well as the 100,000 permanent housing units and 75 medical facilities, New Rafah is also expected to feature over 200 education centres and over 180 cultural, religious and vocational centres. The futuristic facilities show twisting white skyscrapers and large motorways. Im a real estate person at heart, and its all about location, and I said, look at this location on the sea, look at this beautiful piece of property, what it could be for so many people, Mr Trump continued. Itll be so, so great. People that are living so poorly are going to be living so well. But it all began with the location. open image in gallery Trump speaks at a peace board meeting during the World Economic Forum annual meeting in Davos on Wednesday ( AFP/Getty ) The peace board is expected to serve as a forum for global conflict mediation, which Mr Trump hopes will serve as an alternative to the United Nations. Russia said on Wednesday that it was studying the proposal after Mr Trump said it would join. Putin pledged to send $1bn to the peace board, according to the news agency Tass. Around 35 countries have committed to joining, including Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Egypt, Turkey and Belarus. Countries represented on stage during the announcement included: Bahrain, Morocco, Argentina, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Bulgaria, Hungary, Indonesia, Jordan, Kazakhstan, Kosovo, Pakistan, Paraguay, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Turkey, UAE, Uzbekistan and Mongolia. European countries were notably absent from the grouping. The UK said it would not be signing the treaty today, according to the foreign secretary, Yvette Cooper. We wont be one of the signatories today, because this is about a legal treaty that raises much broader issues, and we do also have concerns about President Putin being part of something which is talking about peace, Ms Cooper told BBC News from Davos. On The Ground newsletter: Get a weekly dispatch from our international correspondents Get a weekly dispatch from our international correspondents Get a weekly international news dispatch Email * SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our Privacy notice We are going to have peace in the world, declared US president Donald Trump as he inaugurated his board of peace in Davos, Switzerland, flanked by representatives from a hodgepodge of 19 countries. A quick scan of the figures, sitting somewhat uncomfortably on stage, revealed a lot. Among them was Hungarys authoritarian leader Viktor Orban. Glaring absences included the USs traditional and most powerful European and Nato allies. The UK, for example, has stayed away for now, concerned by the inclusion of Russia. Many are presumably reeling from Trumps repeated insistence on Wednesday that he deserves to take over Nato-partner Greenland (or Iceland, as he kept saying), an action that could itself trigger the end of the alliance and, potentially, war. But no matter. open image in gallery Donald Trump has unveiled his board of peace but what will it achieve? ( AFP/Getty ) After a characteristically rambling speech, in which Trump took aim at the United Nations and congratulated himself on single-handedly ending several wars, he heralded the beginning of beautiful, everlasting and glorious peace. He told the group, ranging from Azerbaijan to Paraguay: Youre the most powerful people in the world. We can do pretty much anything we want to do, he added with worrying prescience. And this is the concern. The fear is that this club, originally created to oversee the implementation of a post-war plan for Gaza, has a charter so broad that it amounts to an attempt by Trump to replace the UN, an institution he has made no secret of hating. Trump himself has spoken about the board replacing some UN functions and perhaps even making the entire body obsolete one day. (Although he did on Thursday say the work of the board would be done in conjunction with the UN). open image in gallery Trump with Vladimir Putin, who is currently looking over the details of the boards invitation, in Alaska last year ( Andrew Caballero-Reynolds/AFP via Getty ) Invites to join the board which also has Tony Blair as a member have been sent to leaders of around 60 states, including Russian president Vladimir Putin, which has worried Britain. On Thursday, Putin added an additional layer of absurdity to the proceedings by saying he would be willing to pay the $1bn price tag for permanent membership on Trumps peace board using Russian assets frozen by the US in part due to Russias full-scale invasion of Ukraine. Behind the scenes, diplomats are concerned that this club, which Trump is apparently set to chair indefinitely, is designed to concentrate global decision-making power in his hands. Leaks of the charter shared with the media suggest he would have the power to appoint the membership, which could only be removed by a two-thirds veto. There are unanswered questions about the location of its headquarters, the legal status it would hold, and how its decision-making might interfere with the work of international institutions like the UN. open image in gallery US secretary of state Marco Rubio at the board of peace launch in Davos ( AFP/Getty ) It is telling that those who did sign on publicly include Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Jordan, Turkey and the UAE, all of whom know Trump is the only world leader able to force Israel to abide by the terms of any truce for Gaza, and Palestine more broadly. Others, such as Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan and Mongolia, are likely motivated by rare access and leverage. As Dr Andreas Krieg, from Kings College London, told Al Jazeera, this offers a direct line to the White House and buys them insurance against future exclusion. This may be especially important for countries like Argentina, which also signed today, given Trumps emphasis on his Don-roe doctrine, which seeks to entrench US dominance in the western hemisphere, or as he sees it Americas back yard. This year alone, he has already bombed Venezuela, threatened Colombia and Cuba, and repeated his interest in taking over the Panama Canal. Even though Trump backed Javier Milei in Argentinas October elections, all are aware that his attention span is short and his actions unpredictable. open image in gallery The Trump administration has already forced regime change in Venezuela with the removal of president Nicolas Maduro ( @realDonaldTrump/Truth Social ) The US president has said that dozens of countries have signed on, without naming them. Israel, which did not participate in the signing ceremony, is apparently among them. US secretary of state Marco Rubio said some leaders have indicated they plan to join but still require parliamentary approval, while others that were not invited have requested to sign on. It remains unclear what can be achieved if key stakeholders such as China, the European Union, Canada, Ukraine, Norway, Sweden, France and the UK have either not committed or have already said no. But whatever happens, this is the strongest indication yet that Donald Trump 2.0, who campaigned on America First and apparent isolationism, is in fact an ambitious interventionist. He is an expansionist with the mindset of a real estate businessman, and that is reshaping the world forever. Sara Roy doesnt mince words. As a Harvard University professor specialising in the Palestinian economy, shes laser-focused on what happens next; on what will transpire for Gaza, the West Bank, and the Palestinian people now US President Donald Trumps 20-point plan for Gaza, endorsed by the UN Security Council last year, is moving to the next phase. Jared Kushner can talk about building resorts or casinos or whatever he has in mind, but hes building them literally and figuratively on the graves of Palestinians, she told The Independent. Kushner, who served as a top aide to his father-in-law, Trump, during his first term as US president, has been working hard in the background as Trumps go-between in the Middle East peace process. He is also in a prime position for a stake in Gazas eventual reconstruction. Almost a year ago, in a February 2025 speech, Trump imagined the rebuilt territory as a phenomenal, magnificent opportunity, invoking visions of luxury seafront redevelopment. From the images Kushner presented in his masterplan at the annual World Economic Forum in Davos this week, that is exactly what he envisages too with modern skyscrapers lining the coast. open image in gallery Trump released plans for skyscrapers to line Gazas coast ( Board of Peace ) Trump hailed last Novembers UN approval of the resolution as a historic breakthrough, praising those who backed the proposal. This will go down as one of the biggest approvals in the History of the United Nations, will lead to further Peace all over the World, and is a moment of true Historic proportion, he wrote on Truth Social, making no reference to Israel or the Palestinian people. At Davos this week, Trump said his new board of peace will ensure that Gaza is demilitarised. Secretary of state Marco Rubio added that it would also be a board of action. The new plans for the construction appeared to mirror an AI-generated video of the war-torn strip transformed into a Riviera, featuring Trump and Tesla billionaire Elon Musk, released last year. Even though he has no official role in the presidents second administration, Kushner has been working closely with the American real estate developer Steve Witkoff, Trumps special envoy to the Middle East, on the multi-billion-dollar plan to rebuild post-conflict Gaza. In his speech to the Knesset in Jerusalem back in October, Trump highlighted Kushners contributions and hailed Witkoff as a great negotiator who was really good at real estate. open image in gallery Palestinians walk past the rubble of destroyed buildings in Gaza City on 19 November 2025 ( Reuters ) In an interview with 60 Minutes soon after, Witkoff confirmed: Were already talking to contractors from all of the Middle Eastern countries, but stressed that the board will ensure transparency and speed in rebuilding. Kushner, who participated in the same interview, said the projects goal is to create a transparent, good government structure in Gaza. You cant replace a corrupt government with another corrupt government, he insisted. To understand more about the part Kushner is playing in the rebuilding of Gaza you have to go back to February 2024. Speaking to Professor Tarek Masoud, faculty chair of Harvards Middle East Initiative, part of the Middle East Dialogues series at the Harvard Kennedy School, Kushner said "Gazas waterfront property could be very valuable and suggested Israel should remove civilians while it cleans up the strip. A few years earlier, he described the Arab-Israeli conflict as nothing more than a real-estate dispute between Israelis and Palestinians. While Trump has referred to a future rebuilt Gaza as the Riviera of the Middle East, others, including the think tank Center for American Progress, called it a troubling call for ethnic cleansing. Roy says there are some worrying absences in Trumps vision for Gaza. In fact, she believes, the whole redevelopment process has reached its logical and final conclusion and that is the total destruction of the economy of productive capacity in Gaza, and the ability of Palestinians to exercise their agency in any meaningful way. Roy believes the best that Palestinians can hope for given the vast destruction and the annihilation of Gaza is to exchange self-determination for construction projects. And, of course, that isnt going to work. Every so-called peace plan for Palestine, Roy says, is defined by the same thing they treat Gaza either as a technical or humanitarian problem or a political problem that basically means ensuring Israeli security. Roy says it makes no difference how much money is invested in post-war Gaza. The end result, for Palestinians, is the same. But there is money. And a lot of it is riding on an enduring peace deal, which will allow for a rebuilding of Gaza. By the end of 2024, Affinity Partners, the investment firm founded by Kushner and heavily backed by Gulf sovereign-wealth funds, was reported to have assets under management of about $4.8bn. open image in gallery The US real estate developer Steve Witkoff (left, shaking his hands with Jared Kushner), Trumps special envoy to the Middle East, is working on a roughly $50bn plan to rebuild post-conflict Gaza ( Getty ) The firms funding comes not just from private investors, but reportedly includes contributions from the UAE and Saudi Arabia. This signals more than a commercial interest: it raises questions about the potential influence of these countries on the reconstruction efforts, which could prioritise their strategic interests over the genuine needs of the Palestinian people. It has raised some serious concerns about when a peace deal becomes a lucrative property deal for all those concerned. Launched in 2021, Affinity Partners has form when it comes to moving into regions emerging from conflict or political transition, leveraging Kushners prior government ties and diplomatic relationships to engage in high-stakes real estate and infrastructure deals. open image in gallery Kushner speaks after the signing of the peace board charter during the annual meeting of the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland ( AP ) Last year, Affinity unveiled investment plans across the Balkans, including a proposed $1.4bn luxury resort on Albanias Sazan Island, a tourism development in southern Albania, and a redevelopment project at a former military complex in Belgrade, Serbia. This happened despite questions raised over the projects environmental impact, the role of Kushners prior political ties, and regulatory adjustments in Albania that appeared to grease the wheels for the developments to go ahead. According to Albanian engineering firm iSec, work has already begun. Not everyones happy. In November, Serbian lawmakers passed legislation to fast-track Affinitys development plans and thousands of Serbians held a rally at the site in the capital, Belgrade, to protest. One protester said that by passing the law, Serbian president Aleksandar Vucic was aiming to please Trump and curry favour. Many people in Serbia regard the former army headquarters, hit during Natos 1999 bombing campaign, as a symbolic reminder of the lives lost. The structure is also valued as one of the notable remaining examples of Yugoslav modernist design. open image in gallery An abandoned ex-military barracks on a hilltop on the island of Sazan, near the Albanian city of Vlore, on the Mediterranean coast. Ivanka Trump and her husband, Kushner, want to transform Albanias largest island, and a former Cold War military base built by Albania's former communist rulers ( AFP/Getty ) Kushners post-White House ventures appear to draw directly on the network he built in government during Trumps first term. As a senior adviser on foreign policy, he was deeply involved in crafting a Middle East peace plan, a role that critics say could blur the line between diplomacy and private profit. Observers point to the overlap between his official responsibilities and his business interests. Last January, when the Albanian government granted strategic investor status to Kushner's company Atlantic Incubation Partners LLC, the countrys investment committee acknowledged the 45-hectare project on Sazan involved a planned investment of $1.4bn. Despite the grand scale of the ventures, we do not know of any public filings detailing how much Kushner or his investors stand to gain from the resort or other Balkan projects. As for the plans for Gaza, Roy says: I can tell you that whatever he thinks is possible [in Gaza] in terms of creating this so-called Riviera on the Gaza Strip, the damage thats been done is extraordinary. It's mind-boggling. Youre not just talking about removing rubble. The rubble contains human remains; the rubble contains unexploded ordinance; you have rubble thats contaminated with all kinds of toxins and asbestos. Its not simply a question of clearing it away and building a skyscraper. You have to first deal with all of the formidable practical challenges, and also with the political reality: a hundred and seventy thousand wounded, kids who are orphaned, people with amputations, and a population that, before October 7th, was already traumatised. And not only do you have ongoing mental health issues to deal with in this population, but the physical impact of famine and malnutrition on future generations. So whats going to happen to all these people? I honestly dont know. open image in gallery Trump has previously unveiled his vision for peace, prosperity and a brighter future for the Israelis and Palestinians. Israels prime minister called the plan the opportunity of the century ( White House ) A number of European and Arab governments, in addition to the US and Canada, have said they would contribute to the estimated $70bn needed to rebuild Gaza. So is the plan for various countries to clear up the estimated 55 million tonnes of rubble, leaving a blank slate for private developers to swoop in and clean up in another way? Timing is crucial. A construction programme of the scale envisaged for Gaza would take years perhaps a decade or more by some estimates and so the durability of the current ceasefire becomes a commercial as well as a political factor. Its clearly in Kushners interest that the ceasefire holds and the war ends, but as he said recently, no reconstruction funds will be going into areas that Hamas still controls. At the gathering this week, Trump said of his peace board: When America booms, the entire world booms, this board has the chance to be one of the most consequential bodies ever created and its my enormous honour to serve as its chairman. He explained: Under phase one of the plan, we have maintained the Gaza ceasefire and delivered record levels of humanitarian aid. You used to hear people were starving and you dont hear that anymore. So the question isnt just how much money and who pays its also, who controls the timeline, and whose interests rise or fall with any delay. open image in gallery A billboard displays the words, Dont stop all the way to normalization, with pictures of Trump, Witkoff, Kushner and Marco Rubio, the secretary of state, on 12 October 2025 in Tel Aviv, Israel ( Getty ) Roy believes the future for Palestine has always been an American and Israeli project; that it has never been a Palestinian project. And so the future is at best an occupation in a different form, she says. Likely, well see a large degree of permanent Israeli control with no Palestinian sovereignty, no Palestinian state, and the separation of Gaza and the West Bank. By isolating Gaza, you not only make it very difficult to create a unified political entity, you remove the geographical basis of an economy. And by isolating people from each other, you make it much harder for them to act as a unified political collective; a unified nation. Trump, Kushner, and their associates may envision a Riviera of the Middle East in Gaza, but many Palestinians likely see it as a beachfront parking lot built on their graves, where self-determination is traded for construction projects, and the true winners are those who build profit out of rubble. For free real time breaking news alerts sent straight to your inbox sign up to our breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails Email * SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our Privacy notice Hundreds of millionaires and billionaires have signed an open letter demanding higher taxes on the super-rich arguing that global oligarchs have taken over our government, deepened poverty and accelerated the breakdown of our planet. The statement, signed by high-profile figures including Ocar-nominated actor Mark Ruffalo and musician Brian Eno, warns that the extremely wealthy are having a negative effect on the world. It was timed to coincide with the World Economic Forum in Switzerland as politicians and business people gather for the conference at Davos. More than 3,000 people, including a record 60 world leaders, are gathering in the town of in the Swiss Alps this week to discuss business deals and politics. Highlighting reports that the richest 1 per cent of people own more than 95 per cent of the rest of the worlds population combined, the letter calls on global leaders to close the widening gap. A handful of global oligarchs with extreme wealth have bought up our democracies; taken over our governments; gagged the freedom of our media; placed a stranglehold on technology and innovation; deepened poverty and social exclusion; and accelerated the breakdown of our planet, it states. open image in gallery Protesters in Switzerland demonstrate against oligarchs, at a rally against the World Economic Forum ( AP ) The Time to Win campaign, organised by Patriotic Millionaires, Millionaires for Humanity and Oxfam, has a simple message for the forum; the wealthiest need to pay more. US president Donald Trumps attendance has been the focus of attention due to his threats to seize Danish territory Greenland, and impose tariffs on allies who dont back him. Trump, himself a billionaire, has assembled the wealthiest cabinet in US history in his second term. Their combined worth last year was $7.5 billion, according to Forbes. The US president has also enjoyed support from the worlds richest man Elon Musk, who oversaw the cost-cutting DOGE department in the early days of Trumps second term. open image in gallery Elon Musk, the worlds richest man, was a key figure in Donald Trumps first year back in office ( Getty ) Without naming names, the campaign raises concerns that the undue influence of the wealthiest in society is putting the world on an obscene trajectory. Last year the rise in billionaire wealth was unprecedented, executive director of Oxfam International, Amitabh Behar, said. The super-rich are being given complete free rein. It is beyond comprehension that the richest 1% now own three times more than the worlds total public wealth combined. Its a stark indictment that illustrates just how nonsensical the gulf now is between oligarchs and the rest of humanity. Governments must implement taxes on the super-rich now and prioritise reducing inequality. The world cannot continue on this obscene trajectory. Read the full statement below: Davos AttendeesIts Time For Us All To Win. Fifty-five years ago, when the World Economic Forum first met, humanity stood at the dawn of remarkable progress. In the last fifty years, we have taken giant leaps in technology, medicine, communication, and global trade to create huge potential opportunities for humankind. Today, we are more connected than everbut at the same time, we have never been more divided. Decades of innovation have gone hand in hand with decades of inequality, environmental destruction, and wasted opportunity. The richest 1% now own more than 95% of the worlds population put together. The gap between the super rich and everyone else grows larger every day, stretching across neighbourhoods, nations, and, perhaps most of all, generations. A handful of global oligarchs with extreme wealth have bought up our democracies; taken over our governments; gagged the freedom of our media; placed a stranglehold on technology and innovation; deepened poverty and social exclusion; and accelerated the breakdown of our planet. What we treasure, rich and poor alike, is being eaten away by those intent on growing the gulf between their vast power and everyone else. We all know this. When even millionaires, like us, recognise that extreme wealth has cost everyone else everything else, there can be no doubt that society is dangerously teetering off the edge of a precipice. We are worn out watching this happen. We want our democracies back. We want our communities back. We want our future back. In 2026, we must do more than hope for a future we want. We must win it. You already have a simple and effective solution, supported by millionaires and the public alike. Stop squandering the time we havetax the super rich. As millionaires who stand shoulder to shoulder with all people, we demand it. And as our elected representativeswhether its those of you at Davos, local councillors, city mayors, or regional leadersits your duty to deliver it. So tax us. Tax the super rich. We can win back power from those who capture it; win back our democracies from those who abuse them; reclaim health, education, and safe homes from those who have bottomed out our infrastructure and public services. We can win back our shared wealth. Extreme wealth has led to extreme control for those who gamble with our safe future for their obscene gains. Now is the time to end that control and win back our future. Millionaires like us refuse to be silent. It is time to be counted. Tax us and make sure the next fifty years meet the promise of progress for everyone. Sign up to our free weekly IndyTech newsletter delivered straight to your inbox Sign up to our free IndyTech newsletter Sign up to our free IndyTech newsletter Email * SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our Privacy notice Amazon founder Jeff Bezos has announced plans to launch more than 5,000 satellites into low Earth orbit as part of plans to build a space internet network to compete with rival billionaire Elon Musks Starlink. The TeraWave network will be operated by Mr Bezoss rocket company Blue Origin, offering businesses speeds of up to 6 Tbps. This exceeds Starlinks current residential speeds, though Mr Musk responded to the latest news by claiming that Starlinks speeds will exceed this. SpaceXs Starlink already holds a big advantage over Blue Origin in terms of network size and customer base, with a reported 9 million users around the world. The new TeraWave network is designed specifically for moving large amounts of data, rather than individual customers. This network will service tens of thousands of enterprise, data centre, and government users who require reliable connectivity for critical operations, Blue Origin said in a statement. The TeraWave architecture consists of 5,408 optically interconnected satellites in LEO and MEO, reaching remote, rural, and suburban areas where diverse fiber paths are costly, technically infeasible, or slow to deploy, while providing additional route diversity and strengthening overall network resilience. Mr Musks Starlink network currently dominates low Earth orbit, controlling roughly two thirds of all active satellites. SpaceX recently received permission from the US Federal Communications Commission (FCC) to launch a further 7,500 satellites, with Mr Musk hoping to eventually expand the Starlink network to 34,400 satellites by the 2030s, pending approval. Blue Origin said it will begin building out its TeraWave satellite constellation at the end of 2027. Other satellite-internet megaconstellations currently under construction include two built by Chinese firms Guowang and Qianfan and another being set up by Amazon. Formerly known as Project Kuiper, Amazon Leo was unveiled last year with the intention of launching more than 3,000 satellites into orbit. Mr Bezos stepped down as Amazon CEO in 2021, 27 years after founding the company, but still serves as an executive chairman. His focus has since switched to Blue Origin and a new AI startup Project Prometheus that could compete with Mr Musks xAI venture. The two billionaires, who have exchanged places several times as the worlds richest person, have traded criticisms of each others companies in the past, with Mr Musk referring to Mr Bezos as a copycat for his space and AI ventures. Blue Origin has also filed legal challenges to multi-billion dollar contracts awarded by Nasa to develop spacecraft for its Artemis Moon missions. Sign up to Simon Calders free travel email for expert advice and money-saving discounts Get Simon Calders Travel email Get Simon Calders Travel email Email * SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our Privacy notice The United States is poised to officially withdraw from the World Health Organization this Thursday, a move that has drawn significant criticism for its anticipated negative impact on both American and global health. The decision also appears to violate US law, which mandates Washington pay $260 million in outstanding fees to the UN health agency. President Donald Trump had given notice of the US departure, effective in 2025, with US law requiring a year's notice and all fees settled before leaving. Over the past year, numerous global health experts, including WHO Director General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, have urged a reconsideration of the decision. I hope the U.S. will reconsider and rejoin WHO, he told reporters at a press conference earlier this month. Withdrawing from the WHO is a lose for the United States, and its a lose for the rest of the world. open image in gallery A sign of the World Health Organization (WHO) displayed at their headquarters in Geneva on March 13, 2025. ( AFP via Getty Images ) The WHO also said that the U.S. has not yet paid the fees it owes for 2024 and 2025. Member states are set to discuss the U.S. departure and how it will be handled at the WHOs executive board in February, a WHO spokesperson told Reuters by email. The U.S. State Department did not respond to questions about whether the U.S. could leave without paying its fees, or what the departure may mean for global collaboration. This is a clear violation of U.S. law, said Lawrence Gostin, founding director of the ONeill Institute for Global Health Law at Georgetown University in Washington, a close observer of the WHO. But Trump is highly likely to get away with it. Speaking to Reuters at Davos, Bill Gates chair of the Gates Foundation, a major funder of global health initiatives and some of the WHOs work said he did not expect the U.S. to reconsider in the short-term. I dont think the U.S. will be coming back to WHO in the near future, he said, adding that when he had an opportunity to advocate for it, he would. The world needs the World Health Organization. What it means For the WHO, the departure of the U.S. has sparked a budgetary crisis that has seen it cut its management team in half and scale back work, cutting budgets across the agency. Washington has traditionally been by far the U.N. health agency's biggest financial backer, contributing around 18% of its overall funding. The WHO will also shed around a quarter of its staff by the middle of this year. The agency said it has been working with the U.S. and sharing information in the last year. It was unclear how the collaboration will work going forward. Global health experts said this posed risks for the U.S., the WHO and the world. The U.S. withdrawal from WHO could weaken the systems and collaborations the world relies on to detect, prevent, and respond to health threats, said Kelly Henning, public health program lead at Bloomberg Philanthropies, a U.S.-based non-profit. Shanghai's GDP tops 5.6 trillion yuan in 2025, fifth largest among world cities 16:10, January 22, 2026 By Xia Yuechao, International Financial News ( People's Daily Online File photo shows a view of the Lujiazui area in Shanghai, east China. (Xinhua) Shanghai's economy expanded by 5.4 percent year on year in 2025, with gross domestic product reaching 5.67 trillion yuan, official data showed, marking a stronger performance than the national growth rate of 5 percent. The result places Shanghai 0.4 percentage points above the national average and reflects a steady improvement over the past three years. After growing 0.2 percentage points below the national rate in 2023 and matching it in 2024, the city moved ahead in 2025, demonstrating resilience despite a sluggish global recovery and ongoing structural adjustments. According to the 2025 Shanghai National Economic Performance report released on January 21 by the Shanghai Municipal Bureau of Statistics and the Shanghai Survey Office of the National Bureau of Statistics, value added of the primary industry rose 2.0 percent to 9.94 billion yuan, the secondary industry increased 3.5 percent to 1.17 trillion yuan, and the tertiary industry grew 6.0 percent to 4.50 trillion yuan. Beyond headline GDP growth, a range of indicators pointed to solid momentum across industry, finance and trade. From a national perspective, Shanghai continued to channel capital toward the real economy. In 2025, industrial investment surged 20.0 percent year on year, while sales area of newly built commercial housing fell 4.6 percent, indicating a shift away from property investment toward manufacturing. Sustained growth in industrial investment, despite land constraints, underscored the citys push to strengthen its role in high-end manufacturing. Advanced manufacturing remained a key driver. Output value of the citys three leading manufacturing industries rose 9.6 percent, with integrated circuit manufacturing growing 15.1 percent and artificial intelligence manufacturing up 13.6 percent. These gains highlighted accelerating capacity expansion and Shanghais efforts to move further up the global industrial value chain. Technology-related services also posted strong growth. Value added in information transmission, software and information technology services reached 713.99 billion yuan, up 15.3 percent year on year, reinforcing Shanghai's position as a hub for the digital economy. Shanghai's role as a global financial center continued to strengthen. In 2025, transaction volumes across the city's major financial markets totaled 4,058.95 trillion yuan, representing an increase of 11.2 percent. Trading volume on the Shanghai Gold Exchange jumped 44.1 percent, as heightened global risk aversion boosted demand for gold-related transactions. External trade remained a key support for growth. Shanghai's goods exports rose 10.8 percent to 2.02 trillion yuan. Exports of the so-called "new trio" (electric vehicles, lithium-ion batteries, and photovoltaic products) products totaled 160 billion yuan, up 17.4 percent, with electric vehicle exports increasing 13.8 percent, reflecting a shift toward higher value-added and technology-intensive products. Looking ahead, as China enters the first year of its 15th Five-Year Plan in 2026, Shanghai faces continued external uncertainties. However, the city's 2025 performance suggests it is maintaining growth momentum through advanced manufacturing, digital services and financial market development, reinforcing its role as a key national economic engine and an important global city. (Web editor: Hongyu, Wu Chengliang) Sign up to Simon Calders free travel email for expert advice and money-saving discounts Get Simon Calders Travel email Get Simon Calders Travel email Email * SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our Privacy notice Etna dazzled. For two days the volcano had lurked obdurately behind clouds, out of sight to the extent I had wondered if it was there at all. But with a burst of sunshine suddenly all was revealed. Standing near the ruins of the mighty fortress, Castello di Lauria, I gazed in awe at the 11,000 ft mountain, shimmering under a fresh topping of snow. Complete with the remains of its 12th-century castle, the picture book Medieval village of Castiglione di Sicilia stands commandingly over the Alcantara Valley, in the shadow of Europes largest active volcano. I was there at the start of a tasting tour in the northern area of Etna or Mongibello as the volcano is also known locally. The trip was arranged by Alfio Puglisi, owner and host of my hotel, Palazzo Previtera, in the nearby little town of Linguaglossa. My stay is a foodie boutique venue and as part of its gourmet ethos, Alfio had devised epicurean trips in the area for me and was enthusiastically acting as my guide. open image in gallery Palazzo Previtera is a boutique foodie stay in Linguaglossa ( Palazzo Previtera ) Read more: 10 best places to visit in Sicily The volcanos last serious eruption was in June 2025, with fountains of lava and with columns of ash and gas rising several miles into the air. Was it completely calm now? I asked Alfio. Not entirely, he replied cheerfully: Theres always activity of some sort hence the plume of smoke that it continually produces. Etna, I learnt, has been a habitual smoker since about 1500 BC. Alfio pointed to the patchwork of fields in the valley far below us, smallholdings with a profusion of olive trees, lemon trees, vines, vegetables and more. It was a land of abundance because of Etna, he remarked with more than a hint of reverence. The astonishing fertility of the region is largely thanks to mineral-rich volcanic ash feeding into the soil. The volcano is, of course, a force of destruction, said Alfio. But its also an incredible resource and we understand how to benefit from it. We strolled on, stopping at a small greengrocers to admire the spread of local produce outside: peaches, apples, hazelnuts, chestnuts, kiwi fruit, avocados, and mangoes that are farmed near Fiumefreddo on the eastern fringes of the Etna region. Though, aside from the views and the vegetation at charming, hilltop Castiglione, we were there to taste cheese. open image in gallery Views over Castiglione in Sicily ( Castiglione di Sicilia ) Read more: Best beach hotels in Sicily We made our way down narrow streets to Alcantara Formaggi, a family concern that has been producing ricotta, pecorino, caciotta and other cheeses for four generations. Giuseppe Camuglia had just finished taking in the mornings supply of milk and ushered us into his shop. As we savoured slivers of smoked scamorza and mellow nero dellEtna, he told us how he had a close working relationship with the herders of cows and sheep (and some goats) that roam the nearby area. Importantly, the grass and wild herbs impart generous flavour to the unpasteurised milk he uses. Mouths zinging pleasantly with the taste of a semi-hard provolone aged with an Etna lemon, we moved on. Driving along small rural lanes, we passed fields of olive trees, prickly pears and vibrant yellow broom (used to flavour gin) divided by walls made of lava stone. Then we reached wine country. Etnas wines are increasingly acclaimed and today there are some 200 DOC (Designation of Origin) producers. Its a particularly exciting industry here because of the diversity of conditions and landscapes. Alfio explained that theres an enormous range of microclimates in the Etna region, and wines made even within a few kilometres of each other may vary immensely. We wound past vineyards and stopped at the main site of Terrazze dellEtna winery, which was set up in 2008 and has grown fairly rapidly. In its sophisticated tasting room (ash-grey walls offsetting a bright red wine cabinet in obvious symbolism), I had a crash-course in Etna grape varieties, the most notable in the northern area being the red grape Nerello Mascalese. As we got down to the important business of tasting, it took centre stage, particularly in the winerys deep red Carusu, filled with flavours of cherry and black pepper. While Ciuri, an elegant white wine, is made from the red grape by pressing it gently to separate juice from skin. open image in gallery Etnas wines are increasingly acclaimed and varied, thanks to the diverse conditions and landscapes ( Arturo Olvera ) At the village of Maletto, about 15 kilometres west, Sonia Gambino runs a very different sort of winery. This is an area traditionally renowned for strawberries, and a little further south west, pistachios; hers is a pioneering winemaking business. Trained in France, she returned to her native Sicily in 2020 to join a big winery in Marsala but Covid promptly arrived and operations stopped. She went back to her familys old holiday home in Maletto to sit it out. Her grandfather used to make wine with villagers there, and, finding his old press, she began experimenting with grapes grown by a neighbour. Soon other villagers started donating grapes grown on their small plots in exchange for wine and so her business, Gustinella Wines, evolved. It is still partly a feel-good community concern, with some plots of vines rented for payment in labour. We use a lot of Grenache and also a local white variety, Grecanico Dorato, but there are some field grapes we havent yet identified, Sonia explains. Her flagship wine, Vino di Confine, is a piquant red made with a field blend; but for me the real winner was Jungimmune, her fresh, dry white. Back at my hotel in Linguaglossa, I took a head-clearing walk around town. Near the 17th-century church of SS Annunziata a series of murals caught my eye. Painted in the 1990s, they celebrate the natural riches of the area, the most striking among them being an image of Etna. The volcano is depicted as a golden-haired woman with an inscrutable smile. Below her is a great basket filled with the bounty of land olive oil, wine, mushrooms, chestnuts, lemons and more. Read more: The best hotels in Sicily for luxury retreats, beach stays and family holidays Harriets stay was hosted by Palazzo Previtera Where to stay Doubles at Palazzo Previtera start from 174. The hotel offers tailor-made wine and food trips in the area. A five-hour tour with a driver and a guide costs from 243 per person, including lunch. Sign up to Simon Calders free travel email for expert advice and money-saving discounts Get Simon Calders Travel email Get Simon Calders Travel email Email * SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our Privacy notice A French railway company has faced a backlash after offering a new child-free section in its premium carriages. Starting this month, weekday TGV trains running to and from Paris have a new and exclusive area of first class known as Optimum, which some have accused of discriminating against passengers under 12. SNCF, which provides the service on its main Inoui brand of express trains across France and into Germany and Luxembourg, says the new category is intended for frequent travellers, often business travellers, who want to enjoy greater comfort. The state-owned organisation promises: Exclusive comfort in a fully dedicated first-class carriage, with seating arrangements designed to preserve your privacy, for a calm journey, ideal for working or relaxing. The secret for a calm journey is divulged deep in the detail: To ensure maximum comfort in the dedicated space, children are not permitted. Stray under-12s will not be passing through the carriage either, SNCF explains: The carriage is located at the end of the train to prevent other passengers from walking through the Optimum dedicated area. But on the news service BFM, the French high commissioner for children, Sarah El Hairy, denounced what she called the no kids ban as shocking. She told the broadcaster: Travelling with children is not a problem to be fixed, but a reality to be supported. Ms El Hairy proposed, instead, more family-friendly options and said she would meet the SNCF group chief executive, Jean Castex, to discuss the child ban. The rail firm has now responded to social media fury about the no kids policy. Gaelle Babault, director of TGV Inoui Offers for SNCF, posted on the operators Instagram account: Our Optimum offer occupies less than 8 per cent of the space on a TGV Inoui and only from Monday to Friday. This means that 92 per cent of the other seats are available to everyone and 100 per cent on weekends. SNCF now faces competition with Italian state rail firm Trenitalia on the prime Paris-Lyon route. Trenitalia offers an Area de Silenzio area that allows passengers calm, without any noise. Trenitalia is silent on whether children are banned from this space. Read more: Six new sleeper train routes in 2026 Over the past year, The Independent has investigated the global consequences of unprecedented cuts to international aid. Through on-the-ground reporting, expert analysis and first-hand testimony, our journalists have examined what these decisions mean for communities facing conflict, climate crisis and collapsing health systems. Rethinking Global Aid brings together this work, from frontline reporting in Africa to analysis from London, New York and beyond, to explain how global aid decisions are made, who they affect, and why they matter. Because global aid isnt abstract. Its human. Sign up for our free Voices newsletter for expert opinion and columns Sign up for our free weekly Voices newsletter for expert opinion and columns Sign up to our free weekly Voices newsletter Email * SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our Privacy notice Now deep into what might be called his anecdotage, Donald Trump couldnt help himself in delivering his usual repertoire of supposedly entertaining and inspirational stories to a bemused captive audience at the World Economic Forum in Davos. Then just hours later, he performed a surprise U-turn and abandoned his latest tariff threat against Europe entirely, after reaching the framework of a future deal with Nato. One wonders if all the dramatics were worth it. In any case, the president found time in his lengthy address to mention the war in Ukraine a real and bloody conflict, in sharp contrast to the improbable one in Greenland. Specifically, the president made reference to the tens of thousands of soldiers who are still being slaughtered every week as Vladimir Putins special military operation approaches the end of its fourth year. There has certainly been no let-up in Russias missile and drone attacks on civilians, now targeting Kyiv and electricity generation as temperatures drop well below freezing. A lack of power affects everything lighting, water supplies, industry and transport as well as heating. It is nothing less than state terrorism, orchestrated by the Kremlin because progress by the undertrained and badly equipped troops on the battlefield remains pitifully slow. The most serious interstate conflict in Europe since the Second World War grinds on, as cruel as ever. It doesnt make for an ideal background to a renewed peace effort by the White House. Mr Trump said that he hoped to meet Volodymyr Zelensky for talks, even though the Ukrainian leader had left Davos to return to Kyiv earlier in the week, disillusioned by the latest developments in US foreign policy. Mr Zelensky was, and is, right to be sceptical. Donald Trump seems to persist in thinking that neither Ukraine nor Russia is serious about ending the fighting ( AFP/Getty ) Despite Ukraine having agreed to the US proposal for a ceasefire last March, President Putin has found every reason to keep the fighting going, and to reject any peace settlement that doesnt reward Russia with huge swathes of Ukrainian territory that it hasnt yet conquered even one that was approved by the White House. Yet Mr Trump seems to persist in thinking that neither side is serious about ending the fighting, and that they are taking it in turns to reject a ceasefire, which is simply untrue. For Putin, there has always been some excuse to reject a deal, often involving a lengthy discourse on why Ukraine isnt even a real nation with its own culture. The Russians think Ukraine should be theirs, with almost the same fervour that Mr Trump thinks Greenland belongs to America. It feels unlikely that anything Mr Trump has said or done in recent days has changed that stance. Nonetheless, President Trumps peace envoys, Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner, are off to Moscow for yet more discussions about moving the US peace plan forward, but with no great expectation of any sudden breakthrough. After all, it did not come at the Alaska summit last August, when Mr Trump might have expected some reward for so publicly and lavishly bringing President Putin in from the cold. President Trump, testing the outer limits of satire, has even invited Putin, indicted as a war criminal, to join the Gaza board of peace, a Trump vanity project. To be fair, he also asked President Zelensky to join the new body, but Mr Zelensky declined, no doubt finding it a depressing sign of how gullible and out of touch Mr Trump can be about the Kremlin. President Trump says that Ukraine and Russia would be stupid not to sign up to his peace deal. Yet he doesnt register how much more positive and accommodating the Ukrainian side has been, and, more grievously still, how exerting more pressure on President Putin would push him to end the war he started. Instead, Putin is constantly rewarded for his obduracy, even if Mr Trump occasionally voices some exasperation with him. As things stand, and without trying very hard, Putin is succeeding where every previous Russian and Soviet leader has failed, and is watching Nato unravel in a manner and at a speed that is scarcely believable. The US National Security Strategy, published in November, painted Europe as a bigger threat than Russia to US interests, and the theme of civilisational erasure was picked up by Mr Trump again in Davos. While Nato managed to stick together under the strain of the wars in Vietnam, Iraq and Afghanistan, and through decades of the Cold War, Mr Trump has casually broken it apart. If he had time to watch President Trumps speech, Putin will surely have been delighted to hear an American president say that Nato hasnt done anything for the US, and that he doesnt believe the Europeans and Canadians would back the US if it asked for assistance (contrary, of course, to painful experience after 9/11). The late U-turn is as welcome as it is abrupt, but Mr Trump has nevertheless shown he is willing to shake this Western alliance to its foundations. Quite the legacy for an American president, that. Dear Vicki: Should the boss have their own office or sit out in the open with the rest of the staff? Avant owner Bankinter says Irish lending has hit 5bn, no interest in PTSB CEO rules out any interest in bidding for a business in Ireland Bankinter's CEO, Gloria Ortiz, during a press conference at Bankinter's headquarters on October 23, 2025, in Madrid, Spain. Photo: A Perez Meca/Europa Press via Getty Images) Donal O'Donovan Thu 22 Jan 2026 at 09:09 Lending in Ireland by Spains Bankinter was up 23pc last year to 5bn, boosted by its growing mortgage book. The High Court will permit Elon Musks X to appeal a judgment that dismissed a legal challenge brought by the social-media platform against Coimisiun na Means Online Safety Code. In a judgment published this week, Mr Justice Conleth Bradley said X had raised legal points of public interest in its application for an appeal. In the circumstance, he granted X permission to go to the Court of Appeal with its arguments. Coimisiun na Means code, which was adopted last October and came into effect earlier this month, sets out legally binding rules for video-sharing platforms. It is aimed at protecting the public, and especially children, from harmful online content. X International Unlimited Company, which operates the platform formerly known as Twitter, had alleged that the media regulator engaged in regulatory overreach in its approach to restrictions on certain video content. The social media giant had sought a High Court order compelling the commission to quash its decision to adopt certain sections of the code. It also asked the court to overturn the commissions decision to apply the code to its platform. In a judgment issued last July, Mr Justice Bradley had refused reliefs sought by X, dismissing several arguments it made in the proceedings, including that the code was out of step with European legislation. In this weeks judgment, the judge said X raised legitimate questions arising from his judgment, including relating to the interaction between the Digital Services Act, EU legislation that sets out rules for online content, and the Audiovisual Media Service Directive (AVMSD), which underpins the Online Safety Code. Coimisiun na Mean is facing about a dozen judicial reviews from social-media platforms that it regulates. The latest, two cases filed by X, were launched last week. This brings to seven the number that have been taken by Mr Musks companies against the Irish media regulator. Last month Bytedance, the owner of TikTok, became the latest Big Tech company to take legal proceedings. The Chinese tech company is being represented by A&L Goodbody, The media regulator Coimisiun na Mean had run up a legal bill of almost 7.5m after the end of its first full year in operation. Most of this related to its regulation of online services, the agencys first annual report shows. In 2024, it incurred 2.8m in legal costs related to legal proceedings, and spent almost another 3m on legal advice. Revolut says Irish mortgage launch still in development despite previously setting a 2026 introduction date Fintech faced Oireachtas Finance Committee over worries its security is not robust enough The Revolut building in London. The Fintech had promised mortgage products here this year. Photo: Getty Rory McGinn Wed 21 Jan 2026 at 20:30 Revolut has said it is continuing to work on launching a mortgage product in Ireland but would not give a timeline, despite previously saying it would be available this year. Small Business 'I relish the challenges I faced - but I wish I had known how to "fake it" a little better...' IDA chief Michael Lohan said the EUs anti-coercion instrument (ACI) a potential counter to a US trade threat to levy new tariffs on Denmark and six other EU members over their stance on Greenland would likely be damaging to Irish, European and American economies. Jessie Buckley accepts the Best Performance by a Lead Actress in a Motion Picture a Drama Award for "Hamnet" onstage during the 83rd Annual Golden Globe Awards at The Beverly Hilton on January 11, 2026 in Beverly Hills, California. (Photo by Kevork Djansezian/CBS via Getty Images) Irish stars Jessie Buckley and Paul Mescal are among the actors tipped to land Oscar nominations on Thursday. The duo are likely to receive nods for their performances in Hamnet, the big-screen adaptation of Maggie OFarrells award-winning novel about the family life of William Shakespeare and the death of his young son. Buckley is poised to be nominated for best actress for her turn as Shakespeares wife Agnes Hathaway historically known as Anne and is widely considered the frontrunner having already secured a string of trophies including the Golden Globe and Critics Choice award. Mescal is likely to get a supporting actor nod for his role as the Bard, while Chloe Zhao is expected to be recognised in the best director category. Zhao made history as the second woman and the first woman of colour to win the best director Oscar, for Nomadland in 2021. Jessie Buckley accepts the Best Performance by a Lead Actress in a Motion Picture a Drama Award for "Hamnet" onstage during the 83rd Annual Golden Globe Awards at The Beverly Hilton on January 11, 2026 in Beverly Hills, California. (Photo by Kevork Djansezian/CBS via Getty Images) Hamnet is also tipped to be nominated for the best picture Oscar, but will face competition from One Battle After Another, Paul Thomas Andersons film starring Leonardo DiCaprio as a washed-up revolutionary on a mission to save his teenage daughter. DiCaprio and his co-stars Chase Infiniti, Benicio Del Toro, Sean Penn and Teyana Taylor are all thought to be in the running for acting nods, while Anderson is likely to receive a directing nomination. DiCaprio is expected to compete for the best actor Oscar against Timothee Chalamet for his turn as an ambitious ping pong player in Marty Supreme, and Wagner Moura for his performance in Brazilian drama The Secret Agent. British-Nigerian actress Wunmi Mosaku could land a nod in the supporting actress category for her performance in Ryan Cooglers vampire drama Sinners. Jessie Buckley accepts the Best Performance by a Lead Actress in a Motion Picture a Drama Award for "Hamnet" onstage during the 83rd Annual Golden Globe Awards at The Beverly Hilton on January 11, 2026 in Beverly Hills, California. (Photo by Kevork Djansezian/CBS via Getty Images) Radiohead star Jonny Greenwood could secure a nomination for his score for One Battle After Another. He was previously nominated for Phantom Thread and The Power Of The Dog. The Academy Awards will be hosted by Conan OBrien in Hollywood on March 15. The nominations will be announced by Danielle Brooks and Lewis Pullman at 1.30pm GMT on Thursday, and will be reported on here by the Irish Independent team. Jessie Buckley accepts the Best Performance by a Lead Actress in a Motion Picture Drama Award for "Hamnet" onstage during the 83rd Annual Golden Globe Awards at The Beverly Hilton on January 11, 2026 in Beverly Hills, California. (Photo by Kevork Djansezian/CBS via Getty Images) Jessie Buckley has been nominated for the Academy Award for Best Actress for her role in Hamnet. However, there was disappointment for Paul Mescal, who had hopes of scoring a nomination in Best Supporting Actor for his role in the same film. This is Buckleys second Oscar nomination after the Kerry actor was nominated for Best Supporting Actress for her role in the 2021 drama The Lost Daughter. She lost out to Ariana DeBose in West Side Story on that occasion at the 94th Academy Awards, but this time Buckley is seen as the overwhelming favourite to take home the Best Actress Oscar on March 15. This time out, Buckley faces competition for the Oscar from Rose Byrne (If I Had Legs Id Kick You), Emma Stone (Bugonia), Kate Hudson (Song Sung Blue) and Renate Reinsve (Sentimental Value). Jessie Buckley accepts the Best Performance by a Lead Actress in a Motion Picture Drama Award for "Hamnet" onstage during the 83rd Annual Golden Globe Awards at The Beverly Hilton on January 11, 2026 in Beverly Hills, California. (Photo by Kevork Djansezian/CBS via Getty Images) Jessie Buckley's Top-Five Roles Hamnet stars Buckley as Agnes, the wife of William Shakespeare also known historically as Anne Hathaway, and Mescal as Shakespeare. In an interview with the Hollywood Reporter after the nominations were released, Buckley praised her co-star, and said: "I think he's extraordinary in this film. I know I've met a partner for life in doing this with him. "I don't know what to say apart from he is, to me, my absolute. His artistry is something that will continue to grow and be a theme in so many different ways." Buckley added: "I know what we created together is something that's so special to us, and I hold that so dearly in my heart, and there's no part of Agnes that exists without Paul. "So, what is recognised belongs to him as much as him being recognised in his own category would." Speaking to the US magazine, Buckley also expressed her gratitude for her nomination, and said: "I'm so proud and honoured to be beside all those extraordinary women and to be there with Hamnet. I'm delighted." President Catherine Connolly congratulated Ireland's Oscar nominees following the announcement of the Academy Awards shortlist. Posting to the social media site X, she said: "Congratulations to Jessie Buckley, John Kelly, Richard Baneham, Maggie O'Farrell, Element Pictures and Wild Atlantic Pictures on their Oscar nominations and to all involved in the Irish film industry for its continued international recognition." In a statement, Arts Minister Patrick O'Donovan described Buckley as "a supremely talented actor" with an "incredible range". He added: "I wish Jessie the very best of luck, and every possible success, at the Academy Awards ceremony on 15 March. "The whole of Killarney, Kerry and Ireland will be cheering her on." Posting on X, Sinn Fein leader Mary Lou McDonald said: "Great to hear that Killarney's own Jessie Buckley has been nominated for an Oscar! "She's joined by a raft of Irish nominations across a sweep of categories. "It's a brilliant day for Irish talent and creativity on the international stage." There is even more cause for celebration for the Irish with Bugonia, co-produced by Ed Guiney and Andrew Lowe of Irish production company Element Pictures, nominated for Best Picture. The Element Pictures co-founders congratulated the team behind the film on its four nominations, for Best Picture, Best Adapted Screenplay, Best Actress for Emma Stone, and Best Original Score. Were honoured that Bugonia has been nominated for four Academy Awards, and in these important categories. Were proud of everyone involved, and were delighted to see the film receiving such wonderful recognition as the awards season continues," they said. "We are so proud of Yorgos, Emma, Jesse, Will, Jerskin and all the incredible talent behind Bugonia, and once again so grateful to the amazing Element team in OConnell Street who have worked so hard to help bring the film to life and out into the world." President Catherine Connolly has congratulated Irelands Oscar nominees following the announcement of the Academy Awards shortlist. Posting to the social media site X, she said: Congratulations to Jessie Buckley, John Kelly, Richard Baneham, Maggie OFarrell, Element Pictures and Wild Atlantic Pictures on their Oscar nominations and to all involved in the Irish film industry for its continued international recognition. Congratulations to all Irish nominees were extended by Screen Ireland chief executive Desiree Finnegan, who said the nominations "represent a remarkable recognition of the artistic strength and range of Irish creative talent", "It is another powerful moment for the Irish screen industry and underlines the importance of supporting talent and investing in filmmakers and artists," she said. "Screen Ireland is particularly proud to have supported Retirement Plan through the Frameworks animated short film scheme, in partnership with RTE. The film is a quietly profound testament to living life that has resonated deeply with audiences around the world. "We are immensely proud to see Irish storytelling and talent so strongly represented on the global stage and wish those nominated all the best at the Academy Awards ceremony in March. For Best Supporting Actor, Mescal lost out to Sean Penn and Benicio Del Toro (both One Battle After Another), Stellan Skarsgard (Sentimental Value), Delroy Lindo (Sinners) and Jacob Elordi (Frankenstein). The Oscar nomination for Hamnet comes after a number of significant wins for Buckley for the role, including the Golden Globe for Best Female Actor in a Motion Picture Drama and the Critics Choice Award for Best Actress. The film is adapted from the novel of the same name written by Irish author Maggie OFarrell and gives a fictional account of Shakespeare and Hathaways lives in the wake of the death of their 11-year-old son, Hamnet. OFarrell wrote the screenplay alongside the films director Chloe Zhao, and now she too is an Irish Oscar nominee with the film nominated for Best Adapted Screenplay. Tallaght native Richard Baneham, a two-time Oscar winner for his work on the first two instalments in the Avatar franchise, has picked up another nomination, with Avatar: Fire and Ash up for Best Visual Effects. In Best Animated Short, Retirement Plan by Irish animator John Kelly, narrated by Domhnall Gleeson, has been nominated. Eiru, from Kilkenny-based studio Cartoon Saloon, was shortlisted but missed out on a nomination. Two Irishmen were shortlisted for Best Cinematography Robbie Ryan for Bugonia and Seamus McGarvey for Die My Love however both have missed out. Hamnet, which has gained significant buzz this awards season after its success at the Golden Globes, has also been nominated for Best Picture, and Best Director for Zhao. It has also been nominated for Best Casting, the first new competitive Oscars category since the introduction of Best Animated Feature in 2001. Should Buckley win, it will finally mean an Irish person has won in every acting category at the Oscars - no Irish actor has yet won Best Actress, while Daniel Day-Lewis and Cillian Murphy have won for Best Actor and Brenda Fricker won Best Supporting Actress for My Left Foot. The lone Irish win for Best Supporting Actor came in 1944 when Barry Fitzgerald won for Going My Way. Fitzgerald has the unique distinction of being the only person to be nominated for both the lead and supporting acting categories for the same role in the same film. The Oscars will take place on Sunday, March 15 at Hollywoods Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles, with American comedian Conan OBrien returning as host. Its like being at a wedding that goes on all week how Irish country music fans find love on trips to the sun Promoter Paul Claffey says he has seen 20 to 30 marriages happen from his 30 years of music holidays Eddie Rowley Thu 22 Jan 2026 at 06:30 Every year, thousands of Irish country music fans head off on a mass exodus to Spain and Portugal to party and dance day and night by swimming pools and in swish hotel ballrooms with the scenes top entertainers. A row over Brazilian beef, Subway and the head of Bord Bia has erupted into a full-blown political and farming controversy. Heres how it happened, and why it matters. It started with a sign in Irish Subway restaurants. The notice said that Dawn Farms certified that beef supplied to Subway could be sourced from EU-approved plants in Europe and Brazil. That immediately raised eyebrows, because Brazilian beef imports are hugely sensitive for Irish farmers. This is a blatant conflict of interest, says ICSA chief Sean McNamara It follows revelations that a company of which he is CEO, Dawn Farms, is sourcing Brazilian beef as part of its supply. Sinn Fein leader Mary Lou McDonald told the Taoiseach yesterday she had written to him to demand that Mr Murrin go. His position now, I believe to be completely untenable, given that his company was importing Brazilian beef, she told the Dail. I hope that you will act on my letter. In response, the Taoiseach said Bord Bia has been performing exceptionally well and pointed to exports of 13bn in 2020, rising to 19bn last year. Irish beef was exported to 75 countries around the world, he said. Dont try and drag down a good organisation, he told Ms McDonald. Lets not go after people wrongly or with no perspective. Bord Bia has been one of the better state agencies. Our food companies, which are global, by the way, lets not undermine them just for the sake of chasing votes or popularity. Ms McDonald said she had obviously touched a nerve. Her view was that a chairman of Bord Bia could not import Brazilian beef, and it was one that would be shared by farmers around the country. Agriculture Minister Martin Heydon told a Dail committee yesterday that Mr Murrin has ably assisted in the remarkable performance of year-on-year record growth in the value of food and drink exports. It is required to source beef from outside of Ireland to ensure continuity of supply for all contingency eventualities However, Irish Cattle and Sheep Farmers Association (ICSA) president Sean McNamara said it is untenable for Mr Murrin to continue to serve as chair of Bord Bia while also acting as CEO of Dawn Farms. This is a blatant conflict of interest. Bord Bia is responsible for promoting and protecting Irish food, so its chair must fully support local farmers and not have business interests that work against them, he said. A board meeting of Bord Bia will take place today, when Mr Murrin is expected to address the concerns raised by the two farming organisations on the board, the IFA and ICMSA. He wrote to board members on Monday about the importation and utilisation of Brazilian beef in the company he co-founded, Dawn Farms. In the letter, seen by Farming Independent, Mr Murrin says Dawn Farms is a leading exporter of added-value cooked protein, working with international and local customers in over 50 markets. It also said that, as is the nature of successfully working with leading global brands, it is required to source beef from selected countries outside of Ireland to ensure both continuity of supply for all contingency eventualities and, in some cases, to meet specific customer requirements. The letter said this requirement to maintain contingency supply options is not a new practice for either Dawn Farms or other similar companies. He also said that in 2025, Irish beef made up the majority of Dawn Farms supply and, together with other EU countries and the UK, accounted for 99pc of our annual supply. Brazilian beef accounted for 1pc. When contacted by Farming Independent to clarify what percentage of Dawn Farms beef supply is Irish, it declined to comment. Agriculture Minister Martin Heydon has backed the chairman of Bord Bia, Larry Murrin, despite farm organisations calling for Mr Murrin to resign after it emerged his company Dawn Farms had imported Brazilian beef as part of its supply. Following a meeting of the Board of Bord Bia this morning, the Minister said Larry Murrin will continue to serve as Chairman of Bord Bia, and he has my full confidence in doing so. Bord Bias role in trade promotion, marketing and facilitation of business development in recent years have greatly benefited farmers with improved returns, that they deserved for their very high-quality produce, he said. Backing the work of the Board of Bord Bia and its staff, is in farmers best interests, he said. The Minister said it would be irresponsible to just follow emotion in relation to the media reports this week regarding the chairman of Bord Bia when it is accepted by all that no rules were broken by him or his company. It is important to state that I have always backed the farming community, most recently in backing the recent No Government vote on the Mercosur trade deal and before that in fighting for and retaining the nitrates derogation. I believe that Bord Bias contribution to record year on year increase in the value of Irish Food and Drinks produce must be protected, in the best interests of the farmers who produce that product. I have been informed that the Board had a good and thorough discussion of the issues covered in the media in recent days, and that the majority, while not unanimous, of Board members, was fully supportive of the Chair continuing to serve. The Minister went on to say he completely understand the emotion for farmers when it comes to issues associated with the integrated nature of food supply around the globe. Recent debates around the Mercosur trade deal highlight Irish farmers unease for imported product from outside of the EU. We also must recognise that as a food producing island we export 90pc of that food and drink product and we depend on that very integrated trade. The work of Bord Bia is critical to that success. Mr Murrin, he said, has explained that the nature of supply contracts for key customers means that contingencies must be in place to ensure continuity of supply in the unlikely event of supply disruption in Ireland. The Minister said as Chair of the Board of Bord Bia, Mr Murrins role is to provide innovative strategic leadership and direction to ensure the continued growth of Irelands most important indigenous sector, promoting and marketing Irelands global reputation as a leading source of sustainable food, drink and horticulture products. Mr Murrin has ably contributed to those objectives during his tenure as Chair, informed by his years of experience in the food business. This contribution is evident in the strong work done by Bord Bia and the benefit of Origin Green in the exponential value growth of our exports, as shown in my Departments 2025 estimated total Irish agri-food exports figure of 21 billion, a record figure, and reflecting the strong continued value growth in exports over the last decade. Bord Bia Jim OToole said following a full, open, and considered discussion at Board level, where all perspectives were fully heard and carefully weighed, the Board of Bord Bia reached an outcome to support Larry Murrin as Chairman of Bord Bia. This was not unanimous, with the farmer organisations represented on the Board, IFA and ICMSA, not supporting the Chairman. Speaking after todays Bord Bia board meeting, IFA president Francie Gorman said he sought the resignation of Mr Murrin at the meeting. According to the IFA President, when Mr Murrin refused to resign, Mr Gorman made a formal proposal to the board that the chair be removed in the best interests of Bord Bia. The acting chair did not put the proposal to the meeting as he said it was a matter for the Minister for Agriculture, said Mr Gorman. I made it clear that farmer support is critical to the functioning of Bord Bia. What has happened here has had a devastating impact on farmer confidence. If Bord Bia is to have any chance of restoring this, then the chair must be removed. I am conscious of my responsibilities as Director of Bord Bia and I absolutely believe that it is in the best interests of Bord Bia for the chair to step down. ICMSA President Denis Drennan, confirmed he supported a motion of no confidence in the Chairperson of Bord Bia and said the ability of Bord Bia to operate was wholly dependent on its credibility with farmers and that credibility had been severely damaged by the revelations around imported Brazilian beef and it was very specifically an issue that Bord Bia needed to address in the context of the sustainability schemes it operated. It is unclear what both farming organisations, who sit on the board of Bord Bia, will choose to do now. Court of Appeal hears legal argument A cattle farmer who imported almost three-quarters of a million euros of cannabis into the State has argued that his solicitor failed to recognise the importance of garda evidence that he claims should not have been given to the jury in his trial. Defence barristers claim that evidence introduced by the prosecution suggested to the jury from the very start of the trial that Michael Murray (60) was the target of a garda operation. However, State barristers submitted to the Court of Appeal that this evidence was introduced during the trial by agreement with Murrays solicitor, who ran the case without any attending barristers. An alleged key member of an inter-familial organised crime gang used the proceeds of a sinister romance fraud perpetrated on a vulnerable woman to purchase a house in Co Cork, the High Court has ruled. In a judgment this week, Mr Justice Liam Kennedy found that on the balance of probabilities, Thomas Humphreys used the proceeds of the romance fraud carried out by his brother-in-law Patrick Pizza Face OBrien to purchase the property on Strand Street, Youghal for 26,620 in July 2015. A detective has told an inquest that he could not believe how George Nkencho was still able to continue to swing a knife at armed gardai after several shots had been fired at him at close range. A medical doctor, who attributed his opioid addiction to work stress and admitted stealing and using forged prescriptions, has walked free from court. Daniel Nevin (40) avoided jail and a criminal record after pleading guilty at Mullingar Circuit Criminal Court to 10 charges from an original 46 counts on a full facts basis, concerning the theft of prescription pads from two hospitals, forgery, and the use of false instruments between 2021 and 2024. Judge who called cyclists a nightmare clears cyclist after collision with woman as she stepped off a bus Judge James ODonohoe found Dublin Bus liable for the accident that happened in 2021 Stock image Ray Managh Thu 22 Jan 2026 at 19:18 A cyclist who knocked a woman unconscious after colliding with her as she stepped off a bus has been cleared of all responsibility for the accident or having caused her serious injuries. Breaking | Man (32) who strangled ex-girlfriend Bruna Fonseca in Cork apartment faces life in prison after murder conviction The Brazilian woman (28) was found dead on January 1, 2023, after her former partner Miller Pacheco murdered her Man (32) who strangled ex-girlfriend Bruna Fonseca in Cork apartment faces life in prison after murder conviction Ralph Riegel Thu 22 Jan 2026 at 17:11 A Brazilian man who told his ex-girlfriend he was the devil has been convicted of murdering her in a jealous rage in a Cork apartment. The accused likely left unaware of the tragedy, said the State After a long investigation and years of pain, a judge has struck out charges against a young woman for failure to remain at the scene of an accident in Duagh that left a teenager dead in 2023. Ellie Lyons (23) of Knocknasnaa, Abbeyfeale, Limerick appeared before Judge Waters at Listowel District Court last Thursday. Solicitor Pat Mann told the court his client had attended a double 18th birthday party in October, 2023. As she drove along the road, two people jumped on the boot of her vehicle. One suffered minor injuries and the other, Joseph Nelligan, died. They were all friends and all attending the same birthday party, said the solicitor. He noted his client had not known what occurred and was shocked and horrified by the matter. Ms Lyons faced charges from October 17, 2023 for failing to immediately report the occurrence to An Garda Siochana and failing to remain at the scene. Sergeant Stephen OBrien said she had likely left the scene without knowing the most tragic outcome had occurred. Mr Mann said the investigation had been significant. There has been an extensive investigation in this, he said. The book is the biggest Ive seen in a long, long time. Stock image. News in 90 seconds - Thursday 22nd of January Ms Lyons is a full-time truck driver and enrolling for an MA degree, the solicitor said before appealing to the judge. Perhaps you might consider giving her the ultimate freedom in this matter. The judge asked Sgt OBrien if it was alleged Ms Lyons knew something had happened when she left the scene. The first she became aware of it is when she heard a scream, said the sergeant. He said she had driven up a hill and looked back in her mirror and saw two people on the ground. She parked to the side of the road and left after she was assured, everything will be ok. She was not there when gardai arrived. Judge David Waters said Ms Lyons could not be held responsible for the tragedy. There was no blame attached directly to her from the tragedy that occurred, he concluded. Funded by the Courts Reporting Scheme Darina Allen warns ultra-processed school meals resemble airline food as scheme comes under fire Oireachtas committee told of issues with nutritional value, portion sizes and traceability Darina Allen told the Oireachtas the current model is based on 'high volume and low cost'. Photo: Clare Keogh Maeve McTaggart Thu 22 Jan 2026 at 16:51 Leading chef Darina Allen has compared some hot meals provided to children in schools to airline food. Demand for AI-skilled workers ramping up as employers grapple with talent gaps, says new Ibec report According to the report, 70pc of employers have struggled to recruit talent over the last year CEOs and HR leaders are reporting a mismatch between what they need and prospective employees' skills. Photo: Getty Anne-Marie Walsh Thu 22 Jan 2026 at 06:30 Demand for workers with AI and digital skills has ramped up as most businesses revealed they are grappling with severe talent gaps, according to a new report. A rallying cry has gone out to Braveheart fans who fancy getting their hands on some unique items used by its star during filming in Ireland. Politics Hamnet may have the Irish touch, but Ireland was also an influence on Shakespeare in his own time Mabuhay! Tagalog for Welcome echoed through North Earl Street as Dublins Filipino community crowded around the citys Portal, waving the Filipino flags at the glowing circular screen. Among them was Mara Merza, who has lived in Ireland for four years. Holding up her phone, she connects with her sister through Facebook Messenger, then excitedly points to the live feed. Rorys Travel Club eyes London expansion after multi-million investment from business family Founder Rory King (33) is hoping the news will mean his business can become a global brand in as little as three to five years Rory King (right) with John Ferris of Ulster Bank at the 2024 Belfast Telegraph Business Awards Margaret Canning Thu 22 Jan 2026 at 06:30 Rorys Travel Club has received a multi-million euro investment from a well-known business family in Northern Ireland. As EU leaders meet, what are their options in dealing with Trump? As the US president dialled back some of his Greenland rhetoric, the EU will be adjusting their approach US president Donald Trump. Photo: World Economic Forum/PA Mary Regan Thu 22 Jan 2026 at 06:30 Showdown or climbdown? This was the big question as Donald Trump blazed into Davos amid a diplomatic frenzy over his threat to seize Greenland. Not standing up to US president Donald Trump will only feed his vanity. Photo: Leon Neal/PA Neither Ireland nor the rest of Europe should follow the US Congressional playbook of not standing up to Donald Trumps coercion and threats. Doing so will only embolden him and feed his Im-the-deal-maker vanity. There is no longer a US partner in the supposed transatlantic partnership, so why should Europe keep acting as if there is? Bring out the bazooka and let it rip. You have nothing to lose, and you may find that youll get the bullys attention. Jim Barron, St Petersburg, Florida Trump isnt the boss of us, so call him what he is and respect our own president While the US threat to impose tariffs on some EU member states along with the UK and Norway in relation to their positions on Greenland is unacceptable and deeply regrettable, as stated by Justice Minister Helen McEntee, it is equally unacceptable and deeply regrettable that the minister referred to the current leader of the US as President Trump and not US president Trump. He is not our president, we have (yet another) fine uachtaran, and we wouldnt want Trump to be getting above his station, would we? Michele Savage, Dublin 12 With all eyes on US and Greenland, child killings in Gaza go unpunished Due to plans by US president Donald Trump to seize Greenland, the international community has been ignoring the continuing genocide in Gaza. At least 73,000 Palestinians have been reported killed in Gaza since October 7, 2023, but the full death toll may exceed 100,000. Last July 30, the Washington Post published a list of names of 18,500 children killed since October, 2023. Their deaths must not be ignored. The Trump peace plan makes no effort to hold Israel to account for the genocide, or to hold the US and others to account for their participation in that genocide. Trumps Board of Peace for Gaza will be chaired by Trump himself. There will be several subsidiary bodies whose membership will include former UK prime minister Tony Blair, US secretary of state Marco Rubio, US special envoy to the Middle East Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner, the presidents son-in-law. With a line-up like that, what could possibly go right? There are no genuine plans for democracy, independence, accountability or justice for the Palestinian people. We need to understand the stories of some of the children killed to appreciate the suffering and trauma. The film, The Voice of Hind Rajab, tells the horrific story of five-year-old Hind, who was killed by Israeli tank fire in January, 2024. Six of her family members and two paramedics going to her rescue were also killed. More than 100 children are reported to have died in Gaza since Octobers ceasefire. All these crimes against humanity must not be ignored. Edward Horgan, Castletroy, Limerick If youre going to visit the White House, Taoiseach, leave shamrock at home If our Taoiseach is heading to Washington for the annual cringe-worthy and obsequious March 17 ritual, I suggest that instead of shamrock he should offer a bale of hay (Martin set for White House visit despite push to stand up to Trump, Irish Independent, January 20). Christina OShaughnessy, address with editor Martin must do what our patron did and directly confront those in power The Taoiseach should go to Washington on March 17, but he should go to speak, not to soothe. Saint Patrick understood power well enough to confront it directly. His Confessio is clear that silence in the face of coercion is not prudence, but moral failure. Donald Trumps Greenland threats are a test of whether Europe responds with clarity or caution dressed up as diplomacy. Irelands instinct to keep dialogue open is sensible, but dialogue without limits invites escalation. Micheal Martin should say this plainly: Ireland will not accept economic threats against a fellow EU state, and tariffs used as political weapons will be met with European solidarity. That is not grandstanding. It is boundary-setting. Saint Patrick challenged kings when conscience required it. A Taoiseach visiting Washington on his feast day should do no less. Enda Cullen, Tullysaran Road, Armagh US has dashed across red line, now EU must firmly stand up for its citizens Whatever phrase you choose a line in the sand, a red line or the end of the line the EU has had it with this US administration and must finally and firmly stand up for itself and its 450 million citizens. Michael Gannon, St Thomas Square, Kilkenny Time for Bilderberg group to be recalled in order to thrash out global issues In 1954, the Bilderberg group was established to maintain closer links between the US and Europe in the areas of mutual interest, such as economics and defence. Meeting annually, its members are subject to the Chatham House rules where what is discussed behind closed doors or who said what cannot be discussed in public. Is it not time for an emergency meeting of this group to be called in order that differences over Greenland, Ukraine and elsewhere be thrashed out? John Finegan, Bailieborough, Co Cavan US presidents childish behaviour can still shock even this seasoned teacher After 30 years teaching, I have seen so many students do a dummy-spit, but nothing will match Donald Trumps recent outburst: I no longer feel an obligation to think purely of peace. This statement, as a result of not getting a Nobel Peace Prize, guarantees he will never get one. Other childish displays include pushing around smaller people, having odd friends, not obeying the rules, being greedy and insulting others. There are many who lead us, usually positively, with the intention of making our lives better; some fail, but at least they try. Look to your own leaders and be scared for what could go wrong if they follow this example. Dennis Fitzgerald, Melbourne, Australia Four men have been arrested following a robbery at a commercial premises in Carrigaholt, County Clare, which left a woman injured. The incident occurred in The Square in Carrigaholt on Wednesday, January 21, at approximately 3.15pm. A woman in her 40s received treatment for non-life-threatening injuries following the incident and a quantity of cash was reported stolen. Four men in their 30s were arrested following the incident and are being detained at garda stations across the county. The Irish Independent understands the commercial premises in question is the Carrigaholt Post Office, located in The Square. Gardai are now appealing for witnesses following the robbery, asking anyone who was in the area at the time and who may have witnessed the robbery to come forward. Gardai are appealing for witnesses following an incident of robbery that occurred at a commercial premises in Carrigaholt, County Clare, on Wednesday, January 21, 2026, at approximately 3.15pm, a garda spokesperson told the Irish Independent. A woman in her 40s received treatment for non-life-threatening injuries. A quantity of cash was reported as stolen. Four men, aged in their 30s, have been arrested and conveyed to Garda Stations in County Clare. Theyre currently being detained under the provisions of section four of the Criminal Justice Act, 1984. Gardai are appealing for witnesses to this incident to contact them. Anyone who was in The Square, Carrigaholt, County Clare, area on Wednesday, January 21, 2026, between 3pm and 3.30pm and who may have any information is asked to contact investigating Gardai. Any road users with camera footage (including dash-cam) are asked to make that footage available. Investigations are ongoing. Gardai can be contacted at the Kilrush garda station on 065 908 0550, the garda confidential line on 1800 666 111, or any garda station. A Cork man has been honoured by Aldi Ireland for his 20 years service to the supermarket chain. Ballyphehane Deputy Store Manager, Jason Hennessy, joined the company in 2005 as part of Aldis first remerchandising team. During his two decades with the company, he worked on a number of store opening teams including Ballincollig and Wexford. As a well-respected member of the Ballyphehane store, Jason works alongside a committed and dedicated team of store colleagues and played a part in Aldis growth across the country over the years. Commenting on his work anniversary, Jason said: It is an honour for my long service to be recognised and appreciated by Aldi. In my position as Deputy Store Manager, I pride myself on guiding new starters, ensuring that they feel welcome when they join the business and let them know that I am always available to help, he said. Colin Breslin, Managing Director of Operations at Aldi Ireland, said: We take great pride in celebrating Jasons long-standing experience with Aldi. His dedication has played a key part in our business, and I would like to thank him for his valuable contribution to Aldis presence in Cork, he said. The Leap Card will not be extended to Millstreet at present, but eligible students will be able to apply for the Young Adult Card (YAC) which provides access to reduced fares across public transport networks. The news was confirmed on Wednesday, January 21 by Senator Nicole Ryan after she engaged in constructive dialogue with the junior minister for rural transport Jerry Buttimer on student travel supports and the future of rail services serving Millstreet and Banteer. Sinn Fein Senator Ryan had previously highlighted that Leap Cards do not extend to Banteer or Millstreet, meaning students commuting from these towns pay significantly higher fares for the same journey as others travelling shorter distances from within the Leap Card zone. Following recent representations, Minister Buttimer confirmed that while the Leap Card will not be extended to Millstreet at present, students can apply for the Young Adult Card(YAC), which provides access to reduced fares across public transport networks. Senator Ryan encouraged all eligible students to apply for the Young Adult Card. While it is disappointing that the Leap Card cannot yet be extended to Millstreet, it is important that students and families are aware that the Young Adult Card remains available and offers significant savings. I would encourage all eligible students to apply. Minister Buttimer also confirmed that he is very keen to work collaboratively with both Senator Ryan and Senator Eileen Lynch on this issue, and he reiterated that there is a shared commitment to improving public transport access for rural communities. In a positive development, Minister Buttimer outlined that Irish Rail and the statutory authorities are planning to review the current train services in the near future, with a view to assessing capacity, demand and future service provision on the line. Senator Ryan said rural communities deserve the same access to affordable, reliable public transport as anywhere else in the country. I welcome the ministers openness to working with Senator Lynch and myself. I will continue pushing for improved rail services and fairer travel costs for students and commuters using the Tralee/Cork line. This is an ongoing issue, and I will continue to engage with the Department, Irish Rail and the NTA to ensure Millstreet, Banteer and the wider Cork North-West region are not left behind when it comes to public transport investment, she added. Pictured at the recent SVP South West Car Draw 2025 were left to right: Mary Frances Behan, President - SVP South-West Region, Lord Mayor of Cork, Cllr Fergal Dennehy and John Nolan of Cork City Ford. Cork man Michael McCarthy recently won a brand-new Ford Focus car in this years St Vincent de Paul Annual Car Draw, which generated 192,538.70 to support people in need across Cork and Kerry. The draw took place on Thursday, January 15 at Cork City Ford Showroom. The Lord Mayor of Cork, Cllr Fergal Dennehy drew the first prize and contacted the lucky winner, Michael McCarthy from Blarney. The funds raised will be used to assist individuals and families experiencing hardship during the winter months and beyond in the region. Speaking at the presentation of the car, the South West Regional President of SVP expressed sincere gratitude to the people of Cork and Kerry for their continued generosity, noting that the annual car draw now in its 25th year remains a vital source of funding for the societys work in the region. A special word of thanks was also extended to car draw ambassador Francis Brennan, along with all sponsors and suppliers who supported the draw throughout the year. Thanks to their generosity and the support of the public, 192,538.70 was raised in 2025 to help provide a lifeline to those most in need. In addition to the first prize, there were several other lucky winners on the day. Caherciveen native S OSullivan captured the second prize which was a holiday to the value of 2,500, (part sponsored by Barters Travelnet). L Looney from Ballincollig claimed the third prize which was an overnight stay at Fota Island Resort including breakfast, a three-course dinner, and 60-minute treatments which was sponsored by Fota Island Resort). S Moriarty from Castletownbere won the fourth prize which was two tickets to the All-Ireland hurling final including bed and breakfast and dinner. I Halpin from Cork city won the fifth prize which was a shopping voucher for 1,000. I McGrath from Cork city won a cash prize for 250, while Rochestown native M Komara won a 1,500 cash prize which was sponsored by the Bishop of Cork & Ross, the Bishop of Cloyne, and the Bishop of Kerry. Preparations are already underway for the 2026 Annual Car Draw, where another fantastic car and exciting prizes will once again be up for grabs. The Society of St. Vincent de Paul (SVP) was founded in Ireland in 1844 and it is the largest voluntary charitable organisation in Ireland. The organisation takes a hands-on approach to combating poverty, and they engage directly with those in need through their unique family visitation system. The Society of St Vincent de Paul are available to take your call on 021 427 0444 or email them at Info.SouthWest@svp.ie if you require help, support or want to donate. Dublin ranked above Bali, Hanoi and New York as a top solo travel destination for 2026 The Irish capital has been named the best solo travel destination for 2026 by the Tripadvisor Travellers Choice Awards Best of the Best. The Irish capital has been named the number one solo travel destination for 2026, topping a global list that includes Berlin, London, New York, Bali and Hanoi. The title is awarded to destinations that receive a high volume of above-and-beyond reviews and opinions from the Tripadvisor community over a 12-month period. Out of more than eight million listings worldwide, fewer than 1pc achieve this milestone. Tripadvisor praised Dublin for its old-world vibes with friendly, down-to-earth charm and described the city as super walkable, making it ideal for visitors navigating solo. Key attractions highlighted include St Patricks Cathedral, Dublin Castle and Trinity College Dublin, while Temple Bar, Grafton Street and the Liffeys quays provide plenty of photo-worthy spots for travellers. The platform also recommends Dublin Zoo, Stephens Green and Phoenix Park for those who want to mix culture, history and fresh air, with plenty of cafes, bookstores, galleries and hidden lanes to wander at your own pace. You've probably heard that Guinness tastes better in Dublin (fresh from the factory), but what you may not know is that Dublin is a perfect destination for the whole family, Tripadvisor notes. No, we're not suggesting you let the kiddies drink a pint. Instead, take them to the Dublin Zoo, to feed the ducks in Stephen's Green or on a picnic in Phoenix Park. Scholars enjoy walking in the literary footsteps of such writers as Yeats and Joyce, while discerning shoppers have their pick of designer boutiques. The list underlines the appeal of European cities for solo travellers, with four of the top five destinations located on the continent: Berlin, London and Edinburgh join Dublin in the top spots. Berlin which comes in second place is described as an edgy city from its fashion to its architecture to its charged political history. "The Berlin Wall is a sobering reminder of the hyper-charged postwar atmosphere, and yet the graffiti art that now covers its remnants has become symbolic of social progress, Tripadvisor notes. "Check out the Weltzeituhr (world time) Clock, topped by a model of the solar system, then turn back time by dining at the historic Zur Letzten Instanz, a 16th century restaurant that was frequented by Napoleon and Beethoven. For London, Tripadvisor highlights Shoreditchs swaggering style and Camdens punky vibe along with chic Portobello Road. "London is many worlds in one. The citys energy means that no two days are the same, they noted. Santiago in Chile rounds out the top five. Bali, which topped Tripadvisors overall destination rankings, appears at number nine for solo travellers. Tripadvisors 2026 Top 10 solo travel destinations: Dublin, Ireland Berlin, Germany London, United Kingdom Santiago, Chile Edinburgh, UK New York City, US Hanoi, Vietnam Madrid, Spain Bali, Indonesia Cape Town, South Africa The platform encourages travellers to share their own experiences, noting that Dublins mix of history, culture, nightlife and friendly locals makes it a city thats easy to explore, impossible to forget. For a full list of the top solo travel destinations, see https://www.tripadvisor.com/TravelersChoice-Destinations-cSoloTravel-g1 A Galway GP has had to pause the acceptance of new patients after receiving an unprecedented raft of registration requests. Culleen Medical Centre have released a statement following an overwhelming number of registration requests that came in the wake of a GPs retirement. The medical centre, which is located in Headford, have told prospective patients that they cannot accommodate the hundreds of patient registrations in such a short space of time. The sudden uptick in registration requests came following the recent retirement of one of the centres GP colleague. In a statement, a spokesperson for the centre said that it was a deeply regrettable situation and they sympathised with those suddenly finding themselves without a GP. However, they added that private patient medical care and records could not be automatically transferred to the HSE or any other medical professionals. They confirmed that acceptance of new private patients would be temporarily paused with effect from 7 January 2026. They also said that they plan to relocate the centre to a bigger premises later this year. The statement read: Culleen Medical Centre has received an unprecedented number of enquiries and registration requests from private patients of a recently retired GP colleague. When a GP ceases practice, private patients should be notified in writing by the retiring GP in a timely manner, typically several months in advance of the retirement date, to allow them to register with an alternative GP and to arrange the lawful transfer of their medical records by explicit written consent. In accordance with Medical Council guidance, responsibility for the patients ongoing care remains with the retiring GP until appropriate arrangements for continuity of care and the transfer of records have been completed. Private patient medical care and confidential medical records cannot be automatically transferred to the HSE or to any other medical professional. Under Irish legislation, including the Data Protection Act 2018 and Recital 32 of the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR), private patients must provide explicit written consent for their private and confidential medical information to be transferred to another GP. Such consent must be freely given, specific, informed, and unambiguous. There is therefore no legal basis for the automatic transfer of private patient care or medical records without a patients informed consent. Where patients are not notified of a GPs retirement in a timely manner, their ability to register elsewhere and provide the necessary consent for records transfer may be significantly constrained. As a result of these circumstances, Culleen Medical Centre experienced an overwhelming volume of registration requests from private patients within a very short timeframe, placing significant strain on our staff and systems. In the interests of patient safety and staff wellbeing, the decision was made to temporarily pause the acceptance of new private patient registrations with effect from 7 January 2026. This decision will be kept under ongoing review and reassessed once we are in a position to safely and appropriately manage additional registrations. We recognise that this decision is causing anxiety, distress, and uncertainty for private patients who have suddenly and unexpectedly found themselves without a GP. This is a deeply regrettable situation, and we sincerely sympathise with all those affected. In a positive development, the recent installation of a separate internet line at Headford Health Centre now allows for the installation of a second on-site server. This will support the development of the necessary IT infrastructure and, we hope, enable administrative staff to be based on site in the Health Centre later this week. Culleen Medical Centre is a growing and expanding practice committed to the people and community of Headford, Co. Galway. We will be launching a practice website shortly to allow for direct communication with the community. In addition, we plan to relocate the original Culleen surgery to a new, larger premises in Headford town later this year. This expansion will enable us to provide a modern, professional, and appropriately resourced healthcare service for the town and surrounding areas. Unfortunately, our current temporary infrastructure and clinical set-up do not allow us to safely accommodate requests from hundreds, or potentially thousands, of new private patients within such a short timeframe. We thank you for your understanding and patience as we move forward. Dingle's Kevin Flannery (centre) with Gary Wilmot (left) and David Mitchell after the filming of Would I Lie To You last summer in London. Eagle-eyed Kerry viewers of the hit BBC show Would I Lie to You? might have spotted a very familiar face on their TV screens last Friday night as Dingles very own renowned marine biologist, Kevin Flannery, made a surprise appearance on the newest episode. Kevin, who runs Dingle Oceanworld, was brought out during a segment of the show where each of the stars on one team in this case, Gary Wilmot, David Mitchell and Meera Syal each claimed to have a connection to Kevin. The other team, comprising Martine McCutcheon, Lee Mack, and Henning Wehn, then had to guess which persons story about knowing Kevin was the truth. Gary Wilmot claimed to have met Kevin while Kevin was stuck in a rubbish bin, while David Mitchell claimed that the pair met when they both came out to measure the same pot hole in the road. Meera, meanwhile, said that Kevin brought her swimming with a very friendly dolphin while on holiday in Kerry years ago. Spoiler alert you can probably guess which story ended up being true! Speaking to The Kerryman about his quite out-of-the-blue appearance on the show on Friday, Kevin revealed the backstory behind it all. "It was about 40-something years ago, back in the 80s, when Fungie had just arrived in the harbour, and I was down swimming with him one morning near the lighthouse. I was there with my boat, and there were two people there, and they came up to me, he said. They asked me if that was a wild dolphin that I was swimming with, and I told them that it was. I told them that I play with him and swim with him, and then she [Meera] asked me if there would be any chance that she could go in and swim with him? Dingle's Kevin Flannery (right) pictured appearing on last Friday night's brand new episode of the hit BBC show 'Would I Lie To You'. "I gave her a loan of my spare wetsuit, and she came on board, and we toured around the place. Sure enough, Fungie started jumping and leaping and playing with her, and she reached out and touched him. She [Meera] was fabulous, and she loved the whole experience, he continued. After this, Kevin said that he said his goodbyes to the duo and thought no more of the encounter for the next 40-odd years. Fast forward to June of last year, though, when Kevin received a call from the Would I Lie to You? team at the BBC, asking him to come on the show. They [the BBC] asked if I knew Meera and I actually said I didn't at first!" he laughed, adding, "I've met so many over the years. After this, they flew me from Kerry to Luton and brought me out to Pinewood Studios. Before the filming, Kevin said that he wasn't allowed to mix with anybody and was put in the green room by himself and was kept under wraps. Filming, he said, took over two hours, way longer than the few minutes in which he appears on screen in the actual episode, all in front of an audience of around 800 people. "It was a brilliant experience, it really was. I was delighted to meet Meera again. We had a great chat afterwards, he said. "She said the swim that day changed her life. She was telling me that she was a bit down after doing a play in London, and she had this encounter with the dolphin, and she said that it was so magical and wonderful that it changed her life. She said it was almost spiritual, he continued, adding, Meera said she'll come over in the summer to see me again. Actress and comedian Meera Syal gave Dingle's Kevin Flannery a huge hug after the two were reunited on Friday night's episode of Would I Lie To You? Amazingly, Kevin said that meeting famous faces such as Lee Mack and David Mitchell in the green room afterwards was not the biggest highlight of the experience. Instead, he said that he couldnt get over how many people behind the scenes of the show had strong connections to Kerry! "The most fascinating thing about the whole experience, though, was back in the green room after the show. Would you believe that I got very little chance to talk to the stars - David Mitchell and Lee Mack and the rest - because wasn't there a Kerry connection everywhere I looked!" he said. "There was one fella there who was a floor manager there, I think, and he was telling me that his dad was from Waterville, and I think it was the head of the production team, they were telling me that they were reared in Ballybunion and that his people were from Brosna, he continued. "So, by the time I got through all the Kerry people that were working there, there was very little time to chat to the stars, he laughed. On top of all this, Kevin said that the woman who did his makeup on the show was in Inch two weeks after filming and came back to Dingle to meet him, where he gave her a tour of the aquarium. Now, as to whether Kevin is considering a career in TV after his experience, he jokingly said move over Jessie Buckley! before adding with a laugh that he didnt think it would be for him! Watch Kevins appearance on the show below he appears from 12.30 onwards. The Loobridge (Poulgorm) junction where the N22 Killarney to Cork road meets the R569 towards Kilgarvan A Kerry councillor has called for a fixed speed camera to be installed at an accident blackspot on the main road to Cork. Councillor Niall OCallaghan said handing out fines or points on drivers licences was the only way to solve the ongoing issue at the junction where the N22 Killarney to Cork road meets the R569 towards Kilgarvan by Loo Bridge. The Poulgorm junction witnessed several collisions towards the end of last year and is regularly the location of minor accidents. In October, over 1,000 people signed a petition highlighting the dangers at the junction which has been raised repeatedly over the years. At a Killarney Municipal District meeting, Cllr OCallaghan suggested speed cameras were the only solution to the problem of drivers passing the junction at high speeds. Previous work by Transport Infrastructure Ireland (TII) has been carried out around the intersection, with more signage and speed indicators, but the junction continues to pose hazards. We can put up everything we want but unless youre going to get points on your licence or fines, its really not going to work, said Cllr OCallaghan. One or two people get caught on that fixed camera, the word gets out. The locals will slow down and if the locals slow down, anybody that doesnt know the road will also slow downI guarantee youll see results in a couple of days. While the section of the N22 has a 100km/h speed limit, locals have pointed out that there are several locations on the Cork side which have been reduced to 80km/h. Councillor John ODonoghue also alleged the junction was the only one of its size between Killarney and Cork City that doesnt have lighting. The TII had previously said lighting was not suitable for the blackspot, but Cllr ODonoghue argued this was no longer an acceptable excuse. Elected members further noted that the number of near misses were not recorded by TII and felt the agency remained in the dark about the true danger of the junction. Are we going to have to wait until we have a fatality on this, asked Cllr ODonoghue. It is believed the junction also known as Poulgorm Bridge or Mick the Bridges has become even more dangerous since the opening of the Macroom bypass as there is an even heavier flow of traffic from Cork at speed. It is particularly dangerous during summer months due to the increased volume and the lack of knowledge of the accident blackspot by tourists. Michael ODonoghue, a local resident at the MD meeting, said the sheer volume of traffic was a grave concern and suggested a slip lane introduced for left turn to Killarney from the Kilgarvan side, allowing traffic to get up to speed before converging. Its an accident waiting to happen of huge proportions that no one wants to be thinking about, he warned. Padraig OSullivan, a resident who led the junction petition, said previously the way site was being ignored despite the number of accidents was mind-boggling. "It has been an accident blackspot for yearsit is being pushed off and some-one will be killed and then works will be done just like the situation in Glenflesk where a young woman tragically lost her life and then works were carried out." Funded by the Local Democracy Reporting scheme A man has been ordered to make a contribution to charity after being found to have cocaine whilst searched by Gardai in Sligo Garda Station. Danny Walsh (29) of Derrypark, Tourmakeady, Co. Mayo was charged with the possession of cocaine at Sligo Garda Station February 17th. Sergeant Derek Butler told the court that at 11:30pm Lawlor was in Sligo Garda Station for a separate incident and was searched. Gardai found a small bag of white powder. Walsh admitted that it was cocaine and co-operated fully with Gardai. The cocaine was valued at 20. The court heard that Walsh had no previous convictions. Ms Laura Spellman, solicitor (defending), told Judge Eiteain Cunningham that this incident was out of character for her client. She added that Walsh is a young father of an 18 month child. Ms Spellman continued that her client is anxious that the matter be finalised. Judge Cunningham asked Ms Spellman if her client would make a charitable donation which she confirmed. Noting the quantity of the drug, Judge Cunningham asked Walsh to make a 150 donation to charity. After Ms Spellman nominated North West Hospice and confirmed that her client has the money in court, Judge Cunningham struck the matter out. Funded by the Courts Reporting Scheme. Sligo/Leitrim TD and Sinn Fein spokesperson on Agriculture, Food, and the Marine, Martin Kenny has called for Chairperson of Bord Bia, Larry Murrin, to resign saying, It is simply untenable for him to remain in his position while he is part of a company that is marketing and selling Brazilian beef to Irish and European consumers. Deputy Kenny made the call for Mr Murrin's resignation in the wake of revelations that Dawn Farm Foods, which Mr Murrin is the co-founder and Managing Director of, sources Brazilian beef as a raw material for products it supplies. Deputy Kenny said, It is very shocking to hear that an Irish food processor is importing Brazilian beef into Ireland, and then to find out that the managing director of that company is also the Chairperson of Bord Bia. Bord Bia is responsible for promoting Irish food, drink and horticulture around the world and developing new markets for Irish produce. Bord Bia operates a quality assurance scheme for Irish farmers and ensures that our farmers produce food to the highest quality. This scheme involves increased paperwork and record keeping for farmers, ensuring that animal movements are between quality assured farms, records of what animals are fed, what vaccines or remedies are given to animals. It is not acceptable that the Chair of Bord Bia demands these standards and regulations of Irish farmers while at the same time in his own company he sources beef from Brazil where there is little or no animal welfare standards. Reiterating his view that Mr Murrin should resign, Deputy Kenny said if that does not arise he should be relieved of his position with Bord Bia. I dont believe it is acceptable that the Chair of Bord Bia, Larry Murrin can remain in his position, and if he is not prepared to resign then I would call on the Minister for Agriculture to remove him from this position. Bord Bia have indicated a board meeting will be held on Thursday, January 22 to discuss the matter. Article Funded by the Local Democracy Reporting Scheme. Waterford Airport could be developed into a global hub for futuristic drone technology, according to an Irish MEP. Ireland South MEP Cynthia Ni Mhurchu will take part in a debate in the European Parliament in Strasbourg on Thursday morning this week where she will advocate that Waterford Airport be developed as a dedicated training, testing and innovation centre for next-generation cutting-edge drone technologies, supported by South East Technological University (SETU). The debate will focus on the EUs need to adapt and be fit for todays security challenges which includes an explosion in the use of drones for security, warfare, and protection. Ms Ni Mhurchu cited the growing strategic importance of drone technologies across Europe, saying that the south east of Ireland is uniquely positioned to become a global leader in this rapidly expanding sector. Drones are no longer niche tools. They are now essential technologies for defence, search and rescue, maritime security, environmental monitoring, agriculture and policing our coastlines, said Ms Ni Mhurchu. If Europe wants to lead in this space, we must invest strategically and at scale and Ireland, particularly the south east, can be at the forefront of that ambition. Ms Ni Mhurchu highlighted that Ireland already has a proven track record in drone innovation, with companies such as ICP Newtech in Cork producing advanced bomb disposal and firefighting drones, and A-Tech SYN in Shannon developing surveillance and mapping technologies. The Ireland South MEP said Waterford Airport offers a similar opportunity, with the added advantage of being closely aligned with SETUs research, engineering and aviation expertise. Ireland South MEP Cynthia Ni Mhurchu. Photo: David Conachy Our regional airports are an underused national asset, she said. Waterford Airport, in partnership with SETU, could provide a controlled environment for training, testing and research into cutting-edge drone systems. With Government backing, this could become a flagship project not just for Ireland, but for Europe. Ms Ni Mhurchu said there is significant jobs potential in such a development, pointing to high-value employment in engineering, software development, data analysis, manufacturing, maintenance and training in the wider south eastern region. This is about future-proof jobs for the south east, she said. By investing now, we can create a sustainable pipeline of skilled employment, attract international investment, and ensure our graduates can build their careers at home rather than being forced to leave the region. She also noted that the initiative would align closely with the European Unions increasing focus on security, resilience and technological sovereignty. From protecting our coastlines against drug trafficking, to improving emergency response and strengthening Europes security capabilities, drone technology is central to our future, said Ms Ni Mhurchu. Waterford can be a global hub for developing the systems that will underpin that future. Ms Ni Mhurchu has called on the Irish Government to work with SETU, Waterford Airport and EU partners to progress the proposal and ensure the south east plays a leading role in the next phase of drone innovation. She said she intends to raise the matter with Transport Minister, Darragh OBrien. She praised Higher Education Minister James Lawless for confirming this week that his Department was investing 3,347,178 in SETU to support small scale building works, energy efficient upgrades, access upgrades, refurbishment and equipment purchases and she encouraged him to consider further finance for SETUs aviation programmes and courses. In 2024, Nellie Fortune, then a 1st year student at FCJ Bunclody, set up a small online business from her family home in Ballindaggin, Co Wexford, making and shipping traditional St. Brigids crosses to customers across Ireland and abroad. Demand quickly exceeded expectations, with orders flooding in so rapidly that Nellie was forced to pause sales at various points just to keep up. This year, Nellie has passed the baton to her younger sister Eppie, as she is busy studying for her Junior Cert mock exams. Eppie, a 1st year student at FCJ Bunclody, learned the craft from her sister and her father and has taken the lead on the business for 2026. Eppie Fortune making a St Brigid's Cross. However, when extra help is needed, it is all hands on deck, and she calls on the youngest sister, Nan, a 5th class pupil at Ballindaggin National School. Together, the sisters work through their orders, turning a traditional skill into a successful after-schools micro-business in the lead-up to St. Brigids Day. With the support of their parents, Michael Fortune and Aileen Lambert, the girls have set up an online shop that ships orders to every corner of Ireland. Once again, demand has been phenomenal, and they regularly have to pause sales in order to fulfil existing orders. Eppie and Nan are involved in every step of the process from gathering rushes to making the crosses and packing and stamping envelopes for posting. As well as earning some valuable pocket money, the venture has proven to be an important learning experience, helping to demystify how websites and online sales work. Eppie Fortune collecting rushes on the slopes of Ballycrystal, Kiltealy, Co Wexford. The crosses are made from strong, hardy rushes gathered on the slopes of Mount Leinster, which the family is fortunate to have in abundance on nearby hills. So, if you would like a fresh St. Brigids cross delivered to your door in time for St. Brigids Day, visit www.folklore.ie to place your order from Eppie and Nan. An Taoiseach, Micheal Martin TD photographed during his visit to The Hub in Gorey with County Wexford Chamber of Commerce president Ed Murphy and CEO Paula Roche. Photo; Mary Browne An Taoiseach, Micheal Martin TD photographed during his visit to The Hub in Gorey. Photo; Mary Browne An Taoiseach, Micheal Martin TD photographed during his visit to The Hub in Gorey. Photo; Mary Browne Joanne O'Grady (Chairperson, The Board of Management) made a presentation to Taoiseach Micheal Martin TD pictured with principal Conor Berry in Gorey Educate Together Secondary School on Friday. Photo: Jim Campbell Taoiseach Micheal Martin TD and Malcolm Byrne TD pictured with teachers and staff of Gorey Educate Together Secondary School on Friday. Photo: Jim Campbell Taoiseach Micheal Martin TD and Malcolm Byrne TD pictured the Gorey Community School group during the student forum in Gorey Educate Together Secondary School on Friday. Photo: Jim Campbell Taoiseach Micheal Martin TD and Malcolm Byrne TD pictured the Creagh College group during the student forum in Gorey Educate Together Secondary School on Friday. Photo: Jim Campbell Taoiseach Micheal Martin TD and Malcolm Byrne TD pictured the Gorey Educate Together group during the student forum in Gorey Educate Together Secondary School on Friday. Photo: Jim Campbell Annaliese Hudson and Diarmuid Cronin from Gorey Community School during the student forum in Gorey Educate Together Secondary School on Friday. Photo: Jim Campbell Ella Nolan from Creagh College during the student forum in Gorey Educate Together Secondary School on Friday. Photo: Jim Campbell Principal Conor Berry, Joanne O'Grady (Chairperson, The Board of Management), Taoiseach Micheal Martin TD and Malcolm Byrne TD in conversation in Gorey Educate Together Secondary School on Friday. Photo: Jim Campbell Taoiseach Micheal Martin TD chatting with the students during the student forum in Gorey Educate Together Secondary School on Friday. Photo: Jim Campbell Taoiseach Micheal Martin TD and Malcolm Byrne TD pictured during the student forum in Gorey Educate Together Secondary School on Friday. Photo: Jim Campbell Taoiseach Micheal Martin TD and Malcolm Byrne TD face students from Gorey Community School, Creagh College, and the host school, Gorey Educate Together Secondary School, during a forum on Friday. Pic: Jim Campbell Students across schools from Gorey came together to welcome An Taoiseach, Micheal Martin to Gorey Educate Together Secondary School recently (Gorey ETSS). Visiting several locations in Gorey as a guest of Wicklow-Wexford TD Malcolm Byrne, the Taoiseach engaged with students from Gorey Community School, Creagh College and Gorey ETSS on an array of topics. Taoiseach Micheal Martin TD chatting with the students during the student forum in Gorey Educate Together Secondary School on Friday. Photo: Jim Campbell The Taoiseach was welcomed to a guard of honour from students eager to engage with him. Following discussions with staff and the board of management, the Taoiseach hosted a question and answer meeting with each of the three schools student councils. Each student council prepared a speech to highlight the work undertake by each school including fundraisers, practical upgrades at schools and create a better school environment for all schools, which the Taoiseach praised. The Taoiseach highlighted the use of words like respect and kindness used through each speech. Maintain an interest in your community no matter where you end up, the Taoiseach said. He answered questions regarding the use of AI in schools and said that while human nature has always been afraid of technology, its important to educate people to cope and manage new technologies. Mentally equipping is the key, he said. Other topics including the Mercosur Deal, student accommodation and housing, preservation of the environment, and tech were raised by students in an open question segment. Joanne O'Grady (Chairperson, The Board of Management) made a presentation to Taoiseach Micheal Martin TD pictured with principal Conor Berry in Gorey Educate Together Secondary School on Friday. Photo: Jim Campbell Following these discussions, Micheal Martin was presented with a plague, made form sustainable materials to commemorate his visit to the school. Deputy Byrne thanked everyone who met with the Taoiseach during the day, and said he was impressed with the session at Gorey ETSS. It was a whistle stop tour, but the Taoiseach wanted to listen, and we covered quite a range of topics. He was particularly impressed by the students and found the session with the Student Councils to be very informative and engaging," Deputy Byrne added. "He has been to North Wexford many times before and we have chatted about the challenges and opportunities that come with the rapid growth in population that we have seen in recent decades." An Taoiseach, Micheal Martin TD photographed during his visit to The Hub in Gorey with County Wexford Chamber of Commerce president Ed Murphy and CEO Paula Roche. Photo; Mary Browne The Taoiseach also visited The Hatch Lab in Gorey to discuss with County Wexford Chamber how there can be further support for enterprises and job creation in the area, amid the growing population in Gorey. "He has been to north Wexford many times before and we have chatted about the challenges and opportunities that come with the rapid growth in population that we have seen in recent decades, Deputy Byrne said. A man charged with driving without insurance has had the case struck out after Bray District Court heard he felt compelled to drive by his employer or risk losing his job and visa status. Amu Pushpan (27), with an address at Gandon Hall, Gardiner Street, Dublin 1, appeared at a sitting of Bray District Court in connection with the matter. The accused pleaded not guilty to one count of driving without insurance. Garda Alex OHanlon of Bray Garda Station told the court that in late 2024 he stopped a Toyota Corolla. When asked to produce his documents, Mr Pushpan, who is from India, was unable to provide a valid driving licence or insurance. Amu Pushpan (27), with an address at Gandon Hall, Gardiner Street, Dublin 1 leaving Bray Courthouse News in 90 seconds - Thursday 22nd of January Mr Pushpan told the court that he was on shift working in human resources for South Dublin-based care company, Kare Plus, when he was instructed to drop staff to Greystones for their shift. The court heard that the accused was told to drive the vehicle, despite raising concerns. Mr Pushpan recalled saying that he had no experience driving in Ireland, adding that he was told he would have to drive if I needed the job. Solicitor for the accused, Michael OConnor, told the court that his client is an Indian national who came to Ireland on a study visa facilitated through his employment with Kare Plus. He said his client felt he had no real choice but to comply. If you need the visa, you drive. I felt like I had no choice, Mr Pushpan told the court. The court heard that one witness to the conversation was present and willing to give evidence if required, while another witness had overheard the exchange. During cross-examination, a garda sergeant told the court there was an important distinction between doing something to keep your job and doing something against your will. Mr OConnor submitted that coming from India meant his client did not have a proper choice in the same way someone from Ireland might have. Judge David Kennedy accepted the defence submissions and struck out the charge. Legal aid was granted to Mr OConnor and backdated to November 2024. The court heard that gardai had indicated the circumstances faced by Mr Pushpan were part of an ongoing issue and that similar situations are currently under investigation. Funded by the Court Reporting Scheme Tom Cruise and Rebecca Ferguson attend the global premiere of 'Mission: Impossible - Fallout' in Paris, France. Photo: Getty If you ever find yourself struck down with a mysterious illness while stranded on an island, your first port of call would most probably be a doctor. For Rebecca Ferguson, it was Tom Cruise. The Dune actor, who stars in new thriller Mercy, befriended Cruise while acting alongside him in the Mission: Impossible franchise and called upon him for assistance when she found herself in a tight scrape in the Maldives. I called him once when I was in the Maldives when I had a really bad stomach, she told The Independent in a new interview. I was like, Can I get a helicopter? It was quite a funny thing. Ferguson said she became sick with a stomach bug, which she thought was a big worm and wondered who could help fly her out of the island. My husband [Rory St Clair Gainer] was like, Tom can get a helicopter. I actually had gastroenteritis, she continued, adding: Im giving you too much information. Swedish star Ferguson (42) first appeared as MI6 agent Ilsa Faust in the 2015 Mission: Impossible film Rogue Nation (2015) and reprised the role in Fallout (2018) and Dead Reckoning (2023). Her other credits include both Dune and Dune: Part Two (2021 and 2024), as well as Life (2017), Doctor Sleep (2019) and Netflixs political thriller A House of Dynamite (2025). Since 2023, Ferguson has starred in the Apple TV+ series Silo, about a subterranean city with 144 floors whose residents unquestioningly lock themselves away from the outside world under the belief they will die if they leave. She isnt the only Mission: Impossible cast member to have struck up a camaraderie with Cruise: in 2023, Ted Lasso actor Hannah Waddingham, who appeared in the 2025 film The Final Reckoning, defended the star from criticism during an appearance on ITV series James Martins Saturday Morning. Isnt he gorgeous? I have no time for anyone saying anything about him After recalling how she spent five intense days with Cruise on the USS George HW Bush fighter carrier, Waddingham told TV chef Martin: I have to say, I have a real problem with anybody that goes at him now. She added: He is without doubt one of the loveliest and encouraging, positive and inspiring human beings I have ever met. Isnt he gorgeous? I have no time for anyone saying anything about him. While Cruise remains one of the most bankable stars in Hollywood, he is also known for his outlandish off-screen behaviour and is often the subject of intense media speculation. In 2005, he made headlines after jumping on a sofa during an appearance on Oprah Winfreys chat show to declare his love for then-girlfriend Katie Holmes and, that same year, quarrelled with Matt Lauer about the practice of psychiatry, which Cruise called a pseudo-science. Most of Cruises controversy, though, surrounds his association with the Church of Scientology. In 2008, a leaked promotional video showed the actor discussing the benefits of the controversial religion, which bewildered his fans. The hand stencil, created by placing a hand against a rock wall surface and spraying pigment paint around it, has been dated to 67,800 years ago. Photo: Reuters The painted outline of a human hand inside a cave on the Indonesian island of Muna represents what researchers are calling the oldest example of rock art in the world, created at least 67,800 years ago. US president Donald Trump said yesterday that he would meet Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky in Switzerland, adding that he felt Mr Zelensky and Russian president Vladimir Putin were now at a point where they could reach a deal to end the war. A commuter train derailed in Spain on Tuesday night after hitting a retaining wall that had collapsed on to the tracks during heavy rain, killing the driver and injuring at least 37 passengers. It was the second accident on Spanish railways in just two days, after 42 people were killed in a high-speed train collision and derailment near Adamuz in Cordoba province on Sunday. Islamic State wives pull down prisons fence in mass escape Syrian forces are closing in on the Kurdish-held territory in the north-east of the country A group of detainees at Al-Hol camp after the Syrian government took control of it following the withdrawal of Syrian Democratic Forces yesterday. Photo: Reuters Iona Cleave Telegraph Media Group Holdings Ltd Thu 22 Jan 2026 at 06:30 Dozens of suspected Islamic State (IS) wives pulled down fences and escaped from a prison camp in Syria, 100km from where British-born Shamima Begum is being held. Najwa Al-Rajoudi mourns over the body of her nephew Moussa Al-Rajoudi before his funeral at Al-Aqsa Hospital in Deir al-Balah, central Gaza Strip, after he was killed by Israeli fire. Photo: AP Donald Trump orders military plan to wipe Iran off face of the earth US president says he wants options that could collapse regime in Tehran US president Donald Trump. Photo: AP Lily Shanagher Telegraph Media Group Holdings Ltd Thu 22 Jan 2026 at 06:30 Donald Trump has demanded decisive military options as he threatens to wipe Iran off the face of the earth. The alleged scam is reminiscent of Leonardo Di Caprio in 'Catch Me If You Can' A former flight attendant conned his way onto hundreds of free flights by posing as a pilot, a court has heard. In an alleged scam reminiscent of the film Catch Me If You Can, Dallas Pokornik spent four years using a fake employee ID card and his insider knowledge to fly for free across three major airlines, prosecutors alleged. Minnesota leaders subpoenaed by US government over opposition to ICE US Justice Department requested records from offices of Minneapolis mayor Jacob Frey and governor Tim Walz Minneapolis mayor Jacob Frey shared jury subpoenas with the media. Photo: Getty Maria Alejandra Cardona Reuters Thu 22 Jan 2026 at 06:30 The US Justice Department has subpoenaed the offices of Minnesotas governor and attorney general, and mayors of Minneapolis and Saint Paul, as it weighed whether their public opposition to president Donald Trumps immigration enforcement surge in the Twin Cities amounts to a crime. Trump sues JPMorgan Chase and CEO Jamie Dimon for $5bn over alleged political debanking JPMorgan says the lawsuit has no merit Lawsuit alleges lender closed accounts for political reasons Trump administration has intensified debanking allegations Jamie Dimon, boss of JP Morgan Chase, is being sued (Rebecca Blackwell/AP) Manya Saini and Nate Raymond Reuters Thu 22 Jan 2026 at 21:07 U.S. President Donald Trump has filed a $5 billion lawsuit against JPMorgan Chase and its CEO Jamie Dimon, accusing the lender of debanking him by closing accounts for political reasons. Since 1963, The Independent has helped create a great community! Since our founding in September of 1963, The Independent has been dedicated to giving Livermore, Pleasanton, Dublin, and Sunol readers the news they need to be in-the-know about what's going on in the Tri-Valley region. This EV company's new battery policy could put pressure on its competitors and help drive the market forward. BYD Auto, a popular Chinese electric vehicle manufacturing company, "announced a major update to its warranty terms, extending the battery coverage to 8 years or 250,000 km (approx. 155,000 miles), whichever comes first," according to Electrek. For reference, the industry standard for an EV battery warranty is around eight years or 100,000 miles 55,000 miles less than what BYD is now offering. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement A longer warranty could be the final decision in a deal breaker between EV brands. It could motivate other car companies, like Tesla, Chevrolet, and Ford, to follow suit. The battery is the most expensive part of an electric vehicle. A longer warranty could help encourage drivers to make their next car an EV. Driving an electric vehicle is a great way to save money on fuel costs. While savings vary by state, EV drivers can save "up to $2,200 a year for a fully electric vehicle, and $1,500 for a hybrid electric vehicle," according to the U.S. Department of Energy. Charging costs can drop as low as $0 for EV drivers with home solar panels. If you're interested in switching to solar, TCD's Solar Explorer can help you pick the perfect panels for your home you could even save up to $10,000 on installation costs. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement EVs can save you money and help save the planet, too. While gas-powered cars constantly produce planet-warming tailpipe emissions, EVs don't. They pay off their production-related carbon debt in just two years. A gas car, on the other hand, continues producing pollution over its lifetime, solidifying EVs as the more sustainable option. Electrek's commenters expressed interest in BYD's new battery warranty and its potential impact. "It seems like consumers are going to be the winners," one user said. "Tesla started offering extending the battery warranty for $2000," another commenter noted. "... Looks like they just want to make more money." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Get TCD's free newsletters for easy tips to save more, waste less, and make smarter choices and earn up to $5,000 toward clean upgrades in TCD's exclusive Rewards Club. Blake and Taylors strained friendship texts revealed Image credit : X/@swiftieforreal | Blake Lively and Taylor Swift's private texts reveal their strained friendship Taylor Swift just reminded us what real friendship looks like (fans even love the 'Mean Girl' energy) Image credit : X/@taytaynation | From mean girl backlash to best-friend praise, fans say Taylor Swifts loyalty is the real story in the Blake vs Baldoni drama. Image credit : X/@tayloswiftfans | Fans now praise Taylor Swift for showing genuine, human support for Blake. Gonna be honest, I do not give a fuck about the Taylor Swift and Blake Lively texts. Some of yall act like youve never talked shit with your friends. HannahTaylor (@hantayofficial) January 21, 2026 Hollywood has been absolutely obsessed with It Ends with Us co-stars Blake Lively and Justin Baldoni's drama lately, and honestly, its been like watching a messy season of a reality show, but with court filings and unsealed text messages instead of confessional booths.But while everyones busy picking sides and tweeting hot takes, one unexpected storyline has taken over: fans are calling Taylor Swift the real winner in all of this. Not because shes trying to steal the spotlight, but because she showed up like a true friend, even when things got downright chaotic.For anyone who is not up to speed, Lively sued Baldoni over alleged sexual harassment and retaliation during the making of. Baldoni then countersued her, claiming defamation and other damages, turning the whole situation into a legal showdown.One of the biggest moments in the drama came recently when private texts between longtime friends Blake Lively and Taylor Swift were unsealed. A judge ordered hundreds of exhibits to be released ahead of a summary judgment hearing, and the texts were among the evidence submitted in the case. These messages were far from polite check-ins, showing just how personal and emotional things got behind the scenes.In the exchange, Blake reached out to Taylor, saying shed felt a shift in their friendship and wanted to make sure everything was okay. She admitted shed been overwhelmed and worried she might have unintentionally pushed Taylor away, and she asked if she had done anything wrong.The pop star replied honestly, saying she had noticed the change too and felt exhausted in every part of her life. She explained that the messages felt more like a corporate email than a normal chat and admitted she missed the funny, dark, normal-speaking Blake she used to know. Taylor ended with a heartfelt request: Just come back, please.Blake responded by admitting the stress of the situation had changed how she communicated, saying shed been texting like Im writing, not like me talking, and that she felt misunderstood and alone.The texts showed the tension wasnt about betrayal but about emotional distance caused by exhaustion and miscommunication, and fans loved seeing both women trying to rebuild their connection. You can check out the complete texts below:When the earlier texts surfaced in which Taylor called Justin Baldoni a b***h and joked that he had gotten out his tiny violin, fans were quick to label Taylor and Blake as the ultimate mean girls. People were shocked, calling it petty and uncalled for, and the whole thing felt like a messy celebrity feud.But everything shifted once fans started pointing out that it is totally normal to vent about coworkers who give your friends a hard time and that those texts were never meant to be made public in the first place. They saw thehitmaker showing genuine concern for Blake, and instead of being seen as petty or cruel, Taylor is now being praised for standing by her friend in a genuinely human way.Fans are now flooding social media with tweets and reels praising Swift for her loyalty and genuine support. Tariff threat dropped after NATO framework Image credit : X/Maga_Trigger | US President Donald Trump Trumps Greenland claims and use-of-force remarks Image credit : X/Maga_Trigger | President Donald Trump abruptly canceled planned tariffs European and Danish responses Greenlands local reaction and preparedness Broader economic and political implications Image credit : X/Maga_Trigger | Trump had doubled down on his long-standing assertion President Donald Trump on Wednesday reversed his threat to impose tariffs on European allies after announcing that he had reached a framework of a future deal with NATO leadership focused on Arctic security, easing immediate tensions surrounding US demands over Greenland.The decision marked a sudden shift in tone, coming just hours after Trump had doubled down on his long-standing assertion that the United States should gain control of Greenland, including right, title and ownership. While insisting he would not use military force, the president had openly criticized European allies and warned NATO against standing in the way of US expansionist goals.Trumps reversal followed discussions with NATO leadership that produced what he described as a preliminary framework for future cooperation in the Arctic. After those talks, the president confirmed he would not proceed with tariffs targeting European allies over the Greenland dispute.Earlier, Trump had threatened to impose steep import taxes on Denmark and seven other allied nations if they refused to negotiate the transfer of the semi-autonomous Arctic territory. The proposed tariffs were set to begin at 10% next month and rise to 25% by June.The abrupt policy change calmed immediate concerns of a trade clash between the US and Europe, though Trump made clear that his broader position on Greenland remained unchanged.In a speech at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Trump framed Greenland as strategically vital to global security while downplaying its geographic appeal. He referred to the island as cold and poorly located but argued that US control was necessary to counter threats from Russia and China in the Arctic Ocean.Trump claimed the US had historically protected Europe, particularly during World War II, and suggested that NATO allies owed Washington cooperation in return. Its a very small ask compared to what we have given them for many, many decades, he said.While raising the prospect of overwhelming US military strength, Trump repeatedly stated that force was not his preferred option. We probably wont get anything unless I decide to use excessive strength and force, where we would be frankly unstoppable. But I wont do that, he said, later adding that he did not want to use force.NATO members have consistently rejected the idea that Greenland is for sale, emphasizing that the territory remains part of the Kingdom of Denmark. Danish officials reiterated that Denmarks sovereignty over Greenland constitutes a clear red line.A Danish government official told The Associated Press that Copenhagen remains open to discussions on US security concerns, but stressed that national sovereignty must be respected. Danish Foreign Minister Lars Lkke Rasmussen welcomed Trumps statement ruling out military force, while criticizing what he described as a mindset incompatible with existing international institutions.Greenland is part of NATO. Denmark is part of NATO, and we can exercise our sovereignty in Greenland, Rasmussen said.Trumps remarks triggered unease in Greenland itself. The islands government issued guidance urging residents to be prepared for potential crises, releasing a handbook advising households to stock enough supplies to last at least five days.In Nuuk, residents reported taking practical steps. Tony Jakobsen said he purchased basic supplies, including candles, food, and toilet paper, adding that while he viewed Trumps statements as threats, preparation was prudent.Others expressed stronger criticism. Johnny Hedemann called Trumps rhetoric insulting, particularly remarks portraying Greenland as merely a piece of ice. He said the uncertainty created by Trumps comments had prompted him to buy emergency supplies.European leaders reacted firmly to Trumps earlier tariff warnings. British Prime Minister Keir Starmer stated that the UK would not compromise its principles regarding Greenland under tariff pressure. European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen warned that any US tariffs would be met with a unified and proportional EU response.Economists cautioned that a tariff escalation could undermine the US-EU trade truce reached the previous summer, potentially harming the US economy. Markets initially reacted negatively, though US stocks recovered later in the day.Trumps Davos speech, originally intended to focus on reducing housing costs, was instead dominated by Greenland. He argued that lowering home prices could negatively affect property values and homeowner wealth, signaling skepticism toward affordability measures.Despite the tariff pullback, Trump reiterated that the US would pursue negotiations to acquire Greenland, though he declined to name a price, citing security considerations instead.While tensions have eased for now, Trumps statements suggest the Greenland issue remains unresolved, leaving open the possibility of renewed diplomatic and economic pressure in the future. Russian oil and tariff warnings Image credit : X/Maga_Trigger | US President Donald Trump with PM Modi Image credit : X/NaMo4PM | Prime Minister Narendra Modi India-US trade relationship under strain Image credit : X/Maga_Trigger | US President Trump lauds PM Modi US President Donald Trump praised Prime Minister Narendra Modi in an on-camera interview, during the World Economic Forum in Davos.In what was his only on-camera statement, Trump described Modi as a fantastic man and a friend, signaling a positive personal rapport between the two leaders. When asked about the prospects for a trade deal, Trump assured, We are going to have a good deal.Earlier this month, Trump linked Indias trade treatment to its purchases of Russian oil. He claimed that New Delhi had reduced imports due to US pressure, noting, They wanted to make me happy.Basically, Modi is a very good man. He knew I was not happy, and it was important to make me happy. The US President also warned that India could face swift trade consequences if it failed to align with Washingtons stance on Russian energy, saying, We do trade, and we can raise tariffs on them very quickly. And it would be very bad for them.India, however, has denied making any assurances to curb Russian oil imports, emphasizing that its energy decisions are guided by national interest and price stability rather than external pressure.Trade ties between India and the United States remain under strain. The Trump administration currently imposes tariffs of up to 50% on most Indian exports, with penalties linked to Indias engagement with Russia and its participation in the BRICS grouping. In response, India has introduced retaliatory duties on selected US agricultural imports.Key issues remain unresolved as Washington continues to press India to open its agricultural markets an area New Delhi considers sensitive and non-negotiable.Simultaneously, Trump has linked tariff relief to Indias energy policy, warning that further penalties could follow if Russian oil imports continue. Despite these ongoing tensions, his remarks about Modi suggest a personal and professional relationship that may influence the course of the trade negotiations.Trumps praise for Modi highlights a personal rapport amid ongoing trade disputes, signaling cautious optimism for India-US agreements. From Roblox chats to wedding vows: How this gamer love went IRL New country, new quests: Learning Rotis, Punjabi and married life Image credit : Credit: Instagram | Selma from Germany met Muhammad Akmal from Pakistan while playing Roblox Same game, different endings: Why this isn't another Seema Haider story Sometimes, love doesn't swipe right - it logs in. What started as a co-op gaming session has officially turned into a lifelong co-op IRL. Selma, a 26-year-old woman from Germany has found more than just a gaming partner. She found the one. Fast forward a few levels, a long flight and a passport stamp later, she is now in Pakistan to marry the 22-year-old Muhammad Akmal she first met in a digital world while playing Roblox.Months after first meeting on gaming platform, Muhammad Akmal and Selma, who holds both German and Bosnian citizenship, are now married. Their first love was Roblox and that's how they both connected. The chats soon turned into deep emotional bond, and nearly five months on, they are now man and wife.Love wasn't easy for them as well. While their gaming equation was perfect, the language was a barrier. Initially, their communication was limited one word replies as Akmal wasn't fluent in English. He would mostly reply "okay", Selma revealed to My News TV. Despite the language barrier, their emotional connection strengthened over time to an extent that they became life partners.After getting over language barrier, the could is now taking on a much trickier challenge - navigating real-life cultural differences. For Selma, washing dishes and clothes with hands and making Rotis is an all-new experience, which she is gradually adapting to and embracing too. At the end of day, she says she is happy to be her husband and even wishes to settle in Pakistan with Akmal. She has even began to learn Punjabi and Urdu to communicate with his family and neighbours.Does their story ring a bell? It reminds us of Seema Haider's headline-making gaming romance from 2023. Remember the Pakistani woman who crossed into India illegally with her four children to be with Sachin Meena, the man she met online while playing PUBG, and everyone suspected she was a spy? The last time we heard of her, she was pregnant with her sixth child.While both stories prove that online games are low-key becoming modern matchmaking hubs, the vibes couldn't be more different. One love story logged out, booked flights and planned a wedding. The other broke borders, sparked national debates, and lived on news tickers for months, or maybe years. Same gamer love, very different IRL plot twists. Image credit : X| Korean woman reports misconduct at Bengaluru airport CCTV evidence and rapid police action Image credit : Freepik| Korean woman files complaint against ground staff A call for stronger safeguards Image credit : Freepik| Korean woman speaks out after alleged incident What should have been a routine journey home turned into a deeply distressing ordeal for a 32 year old South Korean tourist at Bengalurus Kempegowda International Airport, raising urgent questions about passenger safety and accountability within airport operations.According to her complaint, the woman was preparing to board her return flight when a ground-handling staffer allegedly approached her under the guise of a mandatory security procedure. Speaking in a calm and authoritative manner, he reportedly convinced her that an additional check was required before she could proceed. Trusting his position and unfamiliar with local protocols, she followed him to a relatively secluded area near a washroom.It was there, she alleged, that the man took advantage of the isolation and touched her inappropriately. Realising that something was seriously wrong, the tourist immediately distanced herself and alerted airline personnel. Airport authorities and police were notified without delay, triggering a swift response that would soon substantiate her account.Investigators reviewed footage from the airports extensive CCTV network, which reportedly corroborated key elements of the womans statement, including the staffer leading her away from public areas under false pretences. The evidence enabled authorities to identify and arrest the accused on the same day, underscoring the importance of surveillance systems in high security transit hubs.The airport operator confirmed that the individual was employed by a ground-handling agency rather than a core security unit, and stated that his access privileges were immediately revoked. Police have registered a case under relevant sections of the law, and further investigations are ongoing to determine whether there were lapses in supervision or protocol that allowed the incident to occur.While the swift action by officials offered some reassurance, the episode has prompted wider concern among travellers, particularly women and international visitors, about how easily trust can be exploited in unfamiliar environments.Describing the incident as traumatic, the tourist was careful to clarify that she did not view it as representative of Indias overall safety record. However, she stressed that airports must introduce stronger safeguards to prevent similar incidents, especially in areas that passengers may not recognise as restricted or unauthorised.Aviation experts echo this sentiment, noting that while airports invest heavily in physical security, greater emphasis is needed on staff verification, passenger awareness, and clearly marked procedures. Simple measures such as visible identification checks, multilingual guidance, and regular audits of ground staff movement could significantly reduce opportunities for misconduct.As international travel continues to rebound, the incident serves as a stark reminder that safety is not only about technology and infrastructure, but also about trust, transparency, and accountability. For passengers, it reinforces the importance of questioning unexpected instructions. For authorities, it is a call to ensure that no one is left vulnerable in spaces designed to be secure. Screen grab: Stugotz and Company LIVE! While his name is still a part of the shows title, Jon Stugotz Weiner doesnt sound like someone who will be appearing on The Dan Le Batard Show with Stugotz anytime soon. On what marked the second episode of his Stugotz and Company LIVE! national radio show for Fox Sports, Weiner noted his apparent split from Le Batard, whose show he co-hosted for 20 years. And while he didnt get into specifics, the Long Island native made it clear there are some wounds that stil havent healed, which also played a role in helping shape his own show. I am proud of that show. And I know a lot of people have questions as it relates to that show and whats going on with me and Dan and quite frankly, Im not going to address those right here. I am not going to do it right now, Weiner said. But I will tell you and this is the first time Ive said anything about this subject and Im only telling you to point out just how important these people are to me and Israel Gutierrez is to me: Whatever went down with me and Dan was deeply hurtful. And it took me to some really strange and dark places. And Im still trying to claw my way out. Weiner proceeded to reveal that he was so down on himself at one point that he considered leaving the industry altogether. He also credited producer Taylor Vippolis who followed him from Meadowlark Media for helping get him back on his feet, before also thanking fellow producer Mikey A. and his new co-host in Gutierrez for their roles in his new venture. While Weiners own status with Meadowlark remains unclear, its worth noting that he hasnt appeared on the companys flagship show since last summer. And based on his comments on Wednesday, it would be a surprise to see him make good on his previously announced appearances on The Dan Le Batard Show with Stugotz, which were scheduled to take place this month. Of all the people to talk away from our show and Meadowlark Media and stand by my side and quite frankly, many of them should have done it and didnt do it the person I was least expecting to do it was Israel Gutierrez, he said. I am thankful that you decided to stay with me. Dating back to last May, neither Stugotz nor Dan Le Batard have addressed the specifics surrounding their apparent split. But while Le Batard has downplayed it as his former co-host now having an opportunity to spread his wings, Weiner has made it clear that the situation wasnt and isnt as amicable as the former Miami Herald columnist has made it seem. For now, Stugotzs name remains on Meadowlark Medias flagship show, something he said he believes should be the case whether hes a part of it or not. And at this point, it appears that any presence he maintains on The Dan Le Batard Show with Stugotz moving forward will likely be in name only. Who is 'La Nicholette' Nicolette Pardo Molina? Image credit : X/@CartelWatchNet | Nicolette Pardo Molina, known online as La Nicholette and La Muchacha del Salado, built a bold identity through music, fashion, business, and adult content What reportedly happened in Isla Musala on January 20 The influencer and adult content creator Nicolette Pardo Molina, widely known online as "La Nicholette" (or "La Muchacha del Salado"), was reportedly kidnapped on January 20, 2026, in the Isla Musala neighborhood of Culiacan, Sinaloa, Mexico. The incident occurred in the pic.twitter.com/1a6cYt7UnZ Cartel Watch (@CartelWatchNet) January 21, 2026 Online rumours versus official statements Image credit : Screenshot taken from X | Soon after the news spread, social media filled with theories The case has shaken Culiacan Image credit : X/@CartelWatchNet | For now, authorities continue their search while followers hope for positive news Nicolette Pardo Molina, known online as La Nicholette and La Muchacha del Salado, built a bold identity through music, fashion, business, and adult content. Her purple Cybertruck, viral corrido, and boutique in Isla Musala made her one of the most recognisable young influencers in Culiacan.On January 20, 2026, that public life took a frightening turn when she was reportedly kidnapped in broad daylight near her shop. Since then, her name has moved from social media timelines to national news bulletins. Authorities are searching, her followers are praying, and many are trying to understand how a highly visible influencer became the centre of a major investigation.Born in Phoenix, Arizona, Nicolette held dual nationality and kept strong family ties to El Salado in Culiacan. She rose to fame after commissioning a corrido about herself titled La Muchacha del Salado, performed by Grupo Arriesgado, which gained millions of views online.She built a large following across Instagram, TikTok, YouTube, Snapchat, Twitch, and OnlyFans, mixing glamour, travel, and a bold buchona style. She also ran La Nicholette Shop inside Plaza 11 in Isla Musala. Her lilac Tesla Cybertruck became part of her identity on the streets of Culiacan.On the afternoon of January 20, 2026, Nicolette reportedly arrived near her business location in Isla Musala. Early reports and circulating footage suggest armed men blocked her vehicle and forced her out after a brief struggle. Her Cybertruck was later found abandoned at the scene. The incident reportedly happened in a busy, upscale part of the city, adding to the shock surrounding the case.The Fiscalia General del Estado de Sinaloa activated Protocolo Alba, an emergency mechanism used in cases involving missing women. An official search notice described her physical appearance and last known clothing. Mexicos federal security authorities confirmed coordination with state investigators as they began tracking the suspect vehicle movements. As of January 22, there has been no confirmed update on her location.Soon after the news spread, social media filled with theories linking the case to local criminal tensions. Some posts speculated about possible symbolic references in her branding or lifestyle. Officials have not confirmed any such links and have urged the public to avoid sharing unverified claims while the investigation remains active.Her disappearance triggered emotional responses across platforms. One user on X said, I watched her videos all the time. Seeing this news feels unreal. Another user on X said, Praying she returns safely. This is terrifying for any woman living there. One Instagram comment read, Her family must be going through hell. I hope she is found soon.Culiacan is known for its mix of luxury neighbourhoods and long standing security challenges. The fact that a well known influencer was reportedly taken in broad daylight in Isla Musala has made many residents uneasy. Her visibility, lifestyle, and recognisable vehicle turned this into a case that quickly gained national attention.Her shop remains closed. Her social media pages are now filled with prayers instead of promotions. The purple Cybertruck that once symbolised her success is now part of an investigation. For now, authorities continue their search while followers hope for positive news. Not a smile in sight but still stealing the feed Image credit : Website | Geminiaiprompt | The Viral Black Horse Portraits Everyones Posting But what does the 'aura farming' trend really mean? Why is everyone hopping on this trend? Symbolic impact: Firstly, the black horse brings an element of drama, power, and mystery, making the images perfect for storytelling on social media. Firstly, the black horse brings an element of drama, power, and mystery, making the images perfect for storytelling on social media. Consistent aesthetic: Secondly, the portraits have a polished, editorial feel, giving social feeds a cohesive, high-end look. Secondly, the portraits have a polished, editorial feel, giving social feeds a cohesive, high-end look. AI-powered accessibility: Most importantly, anyone can create a "luxury" or cinematic portrait without requiring the photography equipment or a studio. Who originated the aura farming trend? Image credit : Instagram | @nainika.anasuru26 | The Viral Aura Farming Trend Explained Wondering how to create these images? Here's the prompt you can follow. Image credit : Website | pixpretty | The Rise of the Black Horse AI Portrait Trend You can also customise the trend by following these steps: Users often tweak elements like lighting, lens style, or mood to make the output feel personal. The black horse, monochrome palette, and cinematic composition remain the defining constants. The AI-generated results maintain a highly stylised, editorial look, even if the original photo was simple. You have probably seen it without realising you have. A stark black-and-white portrait, a motionless face, somewhere in the frame, a black horse that is watchful, powerful and looks almost symbolic. But it isn't from a magazine shoot or a film set. It's a part of the 'Aura Farming', a fast-spreading AI photo trend that has recently gained rapid traction on social media. If you are wondering what 'Aura Framing' trend really is and why so many people are posting these striking images, let's trace where it came from and how it took over the internet.The Aura Farming trend has currently taken over Instagram and TikTok with an instantly recognisable aesthetic, moody black-and-white tones, dramatic shadows and emotionless expressions. Creators are flaunting nearly identical visuals: monochrome tones, dramatic lighting, and minimal expressions. With the black horse being a clear symbol of strength, mystery and dominance.The word 'aura' is usually used to describe the energy someone carries, but in online slang, 'aura' describes a person's overall vibe. It is like an unspoken mix of confidence, coolness and mystery. Aura farming is about visually cultivating that energy, often with the help of AI tools.Well, the black horse is traditionally linked to power, rebellion and grace and has emerged as the signature symbol of this trend. Moreover, unlike past monochrome movements rooted in social causes or solidarity, this iteration is purely aesthetic, powered by AI image generators that make it easy for anyone to replicate the same dramatic or cinematic look.The rise of the Aura Farming trend highlights how AI is reshaping the visual culture by blurring the lines between photography, art and digital beauty. The trend is currently going viral on social media due to multiple reasons, including:The 'Aura Farming' trend traces back to a viral 2025 video of 11-year-old Rayyan Arkan Dikha from Indonesia. In the video, he performs a composed, stylish dance on a traditional racing boat during the Pacu Jalur festival, radiating an effortless cool that quickly captured the attention of netizens.Most creators start by uploading a standard portrait, sometimes even just a casual selfie, into AI tools like Gemini or similar generators. The magic doesn't come from the photo itself but from the prompt used to generate it.The exact prompt structure widely being used and shared across creator communities reads, "Create a cinematic black-and-white portrait of me with a powerful black horse standing behind me. High-contrast lighting, dramatic shadows, editorial fashion photography style, shallow depth of field, ultra-realistic, 85mm lens look, sharp facial details, calm and confident expression, minimalist background, moody atmosphere." Prince Harry reportedly feels homesick and displaced RadarOnline Image credit : X @hmgifs | Prince Harry reportedly feels homesick and displaced Meghan Markle doesnt appear anxious Image credit : Instagram @meghan | Meghan Markle trusts Prince Harry wont leave their US life. Harrys support system has changed Image credit : Instagram @meghan | In 2020, Harry and Meghan moved to California As Prince Harry reflects on his past in Britain, those close to Meghan Markle say she is staying calm and confident. While insiders claim Harry has been feeling emotionally drawn back to the United Kingdom, Markle reportedly does not see this as a threat to their marriage or their life in the United States. According to sources, she believes their future remains firmly rooted in California.This comes at a time when Harry is said to be thinking deeply about what he left behind. But while he looks back, Meghan is said to be focused on what lies ahead.Sources speaking toclaim Harry has been struggling with a sense of emotional displacement since moving to the U.S. in 2020. According to insiders, the 41-year-old has felt increasingly homesick. Friends reportedly say he has been reflecting on what he left behind in the UK, including his country, long-standing relationships, and the structure that came with royal life.One source claimed Harry is experiencing emotional drift, saying that while he remains devoted to his children, Archie and Lilibet, he no longer feels fully at home anywhere. Though he appears upbeat in public, the insider added that privately, he is finding the isolation increasingly hard to manage.Despite these claims, those close to Meghan Markle insist she is not worried about Harry spending more time in the UK. One source said, Meghan does not appear anxious about the situation at all. One insider said Meghan is confident, assertive and firmly in charge, adding that she is certain Harry will not walk away. The source claimed that whenever the idea of returning to Britain comes up, she closes the conversation down immediately. Another insider was more blunt, alleging Meghan responded to talk of an extended U.K. stay by howling at Harry the words, Youre not leaving me!Sources further allege that Harry now leans heavily on Meghan as his main support system. According to insiders, some of his old friendships have faded over time. One example given is his once-close bond with polo player Nacho Figueras, which sources say has cooled.Instead, Harry is reportedly spending more time within Meghans social circle. This group is said to include well-known figures such as Oprah Winfrey, Gayle King, and the Kardashians. While this new circle keeps him socially active, insiders suggest it may not fully replace the connections he once had in the UK.While Meghan is described as thriving in Hollywood settings, insiders claim Harry feels uncomfortable in those spaces. One source said he finds such gatherings unnatural and staged. This difference in comfort levels is said to add to his sense of emotional distance, especially as he compares his current life with the one he once had in Britain.Publicly, Harry has expressed hope for reconciliation with his family and a desire to rebuild bridges. Sources claim his pull toward Britain is about regaining a sense of stability and belonging.In 2020, Harry and Meghan moved to California after the British press reportedly became unbearable for Meghan. Mario Banushi, a 27-year-old director whose silent, ritual-heavy productions have captivated global audiences, has been awarded the Silver Lion at the Venice Theater Biennale, cementing his status as a defining voice in contemporary European theater. The Biennale jury honored Mr. Banushi on Wednesday for a body of work described as deeply autobiographical, ritualistic and ingeniously political. They praised his ability to construct a theatrical language from silence rather than speech, utilizing memory and everyday sounds to create art that is painfully communicative. Mr. Banushi learned of the award privately four days ago while in New York, where he was presenting his acclaimed production, MAMI. I burst into tears. I couldnt believe it, Mr. Banushi said. I know this is perhaps the most important theater award in Europe. The Silver Lion recognizes emerging talents shaping the future of theater. Mr. Banushi joins a prestigious roster of past recipients, including Rimini Protokoll and Angelica Liddell. He is the first Greek-affiliated artist to receive a Lion since actress Irene Papas won the Golden Lion for Lifetime Achievement in 2009. The 2026 Golden Lion was awarded to Italian director Emma Dante. I talked with my team we cried, we danced, Mr. Banushi said. Even now, after the official announcement, I still cant quite believe it. The award caps a meteoric rise for the young director. Earlier this month, MAMI sold out four performances at New Yorks Skirball Center during the Under the Radar Festival, earning a feature on the front page of The New York Times arts section. Despite the acclaim, colleagues describe him as a quiet figure who prefers his work to speak for itself. It feels unreal, Mr. Banushi added. Maybe I will understand it only when the award is in my hands. iefimerida.gr A ferocious storm system has hammered Greece, leaving two people dead and causing widespread flooding across the capital as gale-force winds and torrential rain paralyzed transport networks. A 56-year-old woman was killed in the southern Athens suburb of Glyfada after being struck by a vehicle that had been swept away by raging floodwaters. In the eastern Peloponnese, a 53-year-old Coast Guard officer died at the port of Astros Kynourias. Authorities said the officer sustained fatal head injuries after being dragged into the sea by high waves while attempting to secure a small vessel in the harbor. The "Category 5" storm, dubbed a "dangerous weather cocktail" by meteorologists, triggered a Red Code emergency alert across six regions, including Attica. The Fire Service received more than 600 emergency calls by Thursday morning, primarily to pump water from flooded homes and businesses in Athens and to rescue motorists trapped in rising waters. Heavy snowfall blanketed mountainous areas, including Mount Parnitha near the capital, while gale-force winds forced a sailing ban that grounded ferries nationwide. Schools in affected regions remained closed as a precaution. Forecasters expect the extreme weather front to shift eastward on Thursday, targeting the islands of the eastern Aegean and the Dodecanese before gradually subsiding. iefimerida.gr Why the government rejects the easy narrative of vaccination European obligations, field pressures, and the stakes for exports Former Vice-President, Atiku Abubakar, has cautioned supporters of opposition leaders against trading insults, warning that such attacks only benefit the All Progressives Congress, APC. In a post on X yesterday, Atiku said anyone who insults Peter Obi, the former presidential candidate, or himself does not have the interests of the coalition, the African Democratic Congress, ADC, or Nigerians at heart. He described disunity among supporters of the ADC as a civil war that only served to strengthen the APC, which he labelled as urban bandits intent on preserving the satanic status quo. Advertisement Atiku made the comments in response to an X post by Novie Everest, who accused his supporters of insulting Obi while expecting the former vice president to be shielded from criticism. Atikus people want to insult Peter Obi without Atiku getting the heat back. Maybe they feel Atiku deserves respect and Peter Obi does not, the X user wrote. But Atiku said the supporters of all opposition leaders were stronger together. Dear Everest, anyone who insults Obi or Atiku does not mean well for the leaders, the coalition ADC and for Nigeria and Nigerians. The only people who benefit from such a civil war are the APC urban bandits who want to maintain the satanic status quo. We are better together, Abubakar cautioned. Atiku and Obi are members of the ADC, an opposition coalition seeking to unseat President Bola Tinubu in the 2027 general election. Supporters of both politicians have repeatedly clashed over who should become the ADCs presidential candidate and running mate. Some of Obis supporters had threatened to withdraw their support if he agreed to run as vice president. The Ogun State Governor, Dapo Abiodun, has labelled critics of his performance, especially on road infrastructure, as barking dogs. In recent months, Abiodun has come under severe attacks on social media over the deplorable conditions of some roads in different parts of the state. Under his watch, many social media commentators have tagged Ogun as the headquarters of bad roads in Nigeria. Advertisement Some of the communities bordering Lagos State are the worst hit by the deplorable roads. On Tuesday, the Department of State Services, DSS, freed a pastor, Kayode Olawoye, alongside two of his associates who were detained following public outcry. Olawoye became an internet sensation following his expose on the poor state of some roads in Ogun State, which he had repeatedly drawn to the attention of the state government. Amnesty International Nigeria, in a statement on Tuesday, condemned Olawoyes detention, describing it as unlawful and an abuse of human rights. The statement read, The Nigerian authorities must end the incessant intimidation and harassment of Pastor Kayode Olawoye a cleric widely known for advocating for better road infrastructure in Ogun State. Subjecting such a peaceful advocate for good governance to bizarre intimidation by the Department of State Services is unlawful. The advocacy of Pastor Kayode is justified given the shocking and deplorable state of roads in Ogun his state. Criticizing Gov. Dapo Abiodun is not a crime. The authorities have an obligation to uphold and protect fundamental human rights. Instead of investing in desperate attempts to punish activists, the government should be listening to them and doing more to address peoples concerns.Abiodun Labels Critics Barking Dogs. Speaking on Tuesday at the commissioning of a 3.5-kilometre LaderinProf. Wole Soyinka Train Station Road in Abeokuta, Abiodun described his critics as barking dogs, whom he said deserve no response. We are a very deliberate administration. We will not pay attention to any barking dog. Like they say, nobody throws stones at unripe fruits. So, anybody that decides to attack us on social media, we appreciate the fact that it is because of how intimidating this administration is. So, we have no response for them. I will respond to them by commissioning roads every week for the next two months, he said. The governor said contrary to criticism, his government constructed about 1,600 kilometres of roads in the last six years. He said, In the last six years, my administration has constructed, at the minimum, 1,600 kilometres of roads, and that is not a joke. Then, I make bold to say that, at the risk of sounding immodest, thats more roads than the two administrations before me constructed. They can come and contradict me because facts and figures dont lie. As we speak, we have at least 20 roads ready for commissioning across the three senatorial districts. Speaking on the newly commissioned 3.5-kilometre road, the governor said the length of the road does not matter, but its complementary and impactful service does. A Federal High Court in Abuja has dismissed a suit instituted by Samuel Anyanwu seeking recognition as the National Secretary of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP. The presiding judge, Mohammed Umar, dismissed the suit on Tuesday after U. C. NjemanzeAku, Anyanwus lawyer, told the court that his clients tenure as PDPs national secretary expired in December 2025. In the suit marked FHC/ABJ/CS/254/2025, Anyanwu had asked the court to restrain the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, and Umar Damagum, the PDP chairman at the time, from accepting, acting on, or giving effect to any correspondence from the party not signed by him. Advertisement When the case came up for hearing on Tuesday, Anyanwus lawyer said the matter had been overtaken by events and should not proceed. In the interest of justice, I apply to withdraw this matter to save the time of the court, he said. Akintayo Balogun, INECs counsel, said the suit ought not to have been instituted in the first instance. Balogun asked the court to dismiss the suit with a cost of N1 million. M. O. Akpan, Damagums lawyer, adopted Baloguns submission. After hearing arguments from all parties, the judge dismissed the suit without awarding any costs. Since you have joined issues, I am going to dismiss this matter. The matter is hereby dismissed, he ruled. The PDP national secretary position was the subject of litigation, with Anyanwu, Sunday Udeh-Okoye, and Setonji Koshoedo laying claim to the office. Billionaire businessman and father of music star Davido, Dr. Adedeji Adeleke, has again addressed long-standing paternity allegations involving a woman identified as Ayo Labinjo, firmly stating that multiple DNA tests have proven his son is not the father of her child. Dr. Adeleke explained that he could not publicly release Davidos full DNA profile, citing security and legal risks. I cant share Davids DNA profile because if somebody commits a crime tomorrow, and the police comes out to say this is the DNA profile of the person, the person will go to jail, he said. He added that he also could not share the childs profile because she is a minor and he lacks parental consent. Recounting the first test, he said the laboratory confirmed Davido was not the father, leaving the childs grandmother distraught. Advertisement Dr. Adeleke recalled that when Davido first saw the girl, he said, Daddy I have never seen this girl before, but insisted the DNA test was all that mattered. If this girl is our child, I am taking her, he said, adding that he warned Davido not to speak to the childs mum to avoid any form of harament. Unsatisfied with the initial outcome, Dr. Adeleke said he proposed two additional tests and covered accommodation and upkeep for Ayo, her mother and Anu. He claimed Ayos mother later left angrily for Ibadan before the tests were done. He further disclosed that in 2020, the childs aunt contacted him to revisit the issue, leading to a series of confirmatory tests. To address claims that the child might belong to Davidos cousin, Bred, Dr. Adeleke said five tests were conducted in total, three involving Davido and two involving Bred, all of which returned negative results. When accusations of doctored results emerged, Dr. Adeleke said he compared the findings with Imades 2015 DNA test, which showed Davidos paternity at 99.9%. The profiles were completely different, he said, adding that Ayos sister also confirmed the discrepancy. About 5,000 individuals suspected of involvement in terrorism-related activities are currently being held in pre-trial detention facilities across the country, The PUNCH has learnt. The large number of detainees has created a significant backlog of terrorism cases. This was contained in the 20252030 Strategic Plan of the National Counter-Terrorism Centre, a copy of which was obtained by this newspaper on Wednesday. Advertisement The NCTC disclosed that its legal team, working with the Defence Headquarters and the Federal Ministry of Justice, has been reviewing the files to fast-track prosecutions or dismiss cases lacking sufficient evidence. At present, there are approximately 5,000 individuals suspected of having been involved in terrorism-related offences who are being held in pre-trial detention. This has resulted in a significant backlog of cases, and the NCTC legal team has been working with the Defence Staff and the Federal Ministry of Justice to support the review of these case files and, where appropriate, to help to either expedite these prosecutions or to dismiss outstanding charges that have not been sufficiently substantiated to proceed to trial. NCTC has also been coordinating case hearings held by the Federal High Court sitting both in Wawa Military Cantonment in Kanji, Niger State, and in Abuja, the document partly read. The NCTC said in 2024, the support provided through this framework led to the prosecution of 393 terrorism-related cases, resulting in 329 convictions. This, it added, pushed Nigerias conviction rate in terrorism cases to 84 per cent, a sharp increase from 41.5 per cent recorded in 2018. The NCTC said charges against about 1,200 detainees were reviewed and ultimately dismissed, leading to their release and resettlement into their communities. In 2024, the support provided to the Federal Ministry of Justice and the Federal High Court helped to enable the prosecution of 393 new cases, resulting in 329 terrorism-related convictions. Indeed, the conviction rate in terrorism-related cases has increased markedly from 41.5% in 2018 to 84% in 2024. The charges against a further 1,200 individuals were reviewed and ultimately dismissed, resulting in their release from custody and resettlement back into their communities. Also, according to the document, Nigeria is set to introduce DNA profiling into a proposed National Database on Terrorism as part of renewed efforts to strengthen investigations, prosecutions and intelligence-sharing on terrorist groups. It outlined how biometric data including DNA will be used to identify, track and prosecute members of proscribed terrorist organisations. According to the document, the database will be domiciled within the Office of the National Security Adviser and will serve as a central repository of information on known and suspected terrorists. Nigeria currently lacks a central National Database on Terrorism accessible to every agency engaged in the fight against terrorism. The NACTEST (National Counter-Terrorism Strategy) identified the need for such an information-sharing system to be located within ONSA, and NCTC has been tasked by the National Security Adviser with establishing this database as part of NACTESTs Identify and Implement work streams. The intention is that this database will contain full identifying particulars on known and suspected members of terrorist groups (including, where possible, biometric data and a DNA profile), information on terrorist modus operandi, and intelligence on reported terrorist activity. It will be populated with information and intelligence provided by correctional and detention facilities, law enforcement and security partners, and intelligence recovered and developed by staff from the Directorate of Intelligence. Beyond prosecutions, the strategic plan highlights the role of the NCTCs National Operations Centre, a technology-driven hub designed to support multi-agency counterterrorism operations. The centre provides real-time intelligence, situational awareness and command-and-control support during major incidents. The PUNCH reports the planned use of DNA profiling could mark a turning point in Nigerias counterterrorism architecture, particularly in tackling repeat offenders, identifying foreign terrorist fighters and dismantling networks that cut across regions. The identities of the 177 persons kidnapped from ECWA Church and Cherubim and Seraphim Churches 1 and 2 at Kurmin Wali community in Kajuru Local Government Area of Kaduna State on Sunday have been revealed. The list paints a harrowing picture of entire families taken away from their homes and places of worship, leaving the community traumatised and virtually empty of able-bodied residents. The raid came barely a week after the same community paid N2.6 million ransom to secure the release of 20 residents previously abducted, Vanguard reliably gathered. Advertisement While government and security operatives denied the incident, a Police situation report obtained by Vanguard confirmed the attack occurred during church services. The report stated that information was received at about 5:45pm, on Sunday, indicating that the assailants struck around 11:25am, firing sporadically and forcing worshippers to flee into the surrounding forest. The situation report read: Message received from DPO Kajuru indicates that on 18/01/2026 at about 1745hrs an information was received that same date at about 1125hrs, unspecified numbers of bandits armed with sophisticated weapons attacked ECWA church and Cherubim Serafim Church 2 at Kurmin Wali in Kajuru lga, The communities are yet to ascertain the number of worshipers kidnapped to unknown destination, the village is situated in a remote forest area, the DPO mobilized other sister security agencies and the military to the scene which cannot be accessed immediately due to bad road, concerted effort in collaboration with all stakeholders has been intensified to rescue the victims and possibly arrest the perpetrators, investigation has commenced. As of yesterday, the village was deserted. Those who escaped had fled to nearby communities to stay with relatives and friends. Some who sustained injuries during the escape were reportedly still in shock, while poor network coverage and lost phones made it difficult to reach them for comment. Analysis of the 177 names obtained by Vanguard revealed that entire households were abducted. Families such as the Jonathan household had 12 members kidnapped; the Amos family 13; Markus/Makudi 10; Ishaya and Danisa seven each; Bawa six, Danjuma and Musa five each. Other families saw four, three, or two members taken away. The oldest victim is 71-year-old Augustina Matthew, while the youngest, Salvation Idris, is a child of six. Other children include Likita Amos, 6; Jumota Idris, 7; Tessy Amos, 8; Yahaya Joshua, 9; and several 10-year-olds, including Sussana Idris, Synthah Amos, Hezibah and Hezikaiah Jonathan. The Supreme Court has dismissed the trial of the former chief security officer to the late military head of state, General Sani Abacha, Hamza Al-Mustapha in the murder of the wife of the late politician, MKO Abiola, late Kudirat Abiola. Kudirat Abiola was the wife of the late businessman and politician, MKO Abiola, the presumed winner of the june 12, 1993 presidential election that was annulled by former president Ibrahim Babangida. Kudirat Abiola was murdered in Lagos in the nationwide crisis that followed the annulment and in the course of her persistent struggle to get the annulment reversed by the military. Advertisement The trial of Al-Mustapha in the murder charge brought against him by the Lagos state government was however, put to rest with the verdict of a 5-man panel of justices of the supreme court headed by justice Uwani Aba-Aji. The supreme court in a unanimous decision agreed that Lagos state government has lost interest in the matter and consequently abandoned it. Justice Aba-Aji held that nine years was long enough for the appellant to have filed notice of appeal and the brief of appeal in the matter. The apex court equally expressed disgust that no legal representation was made by the Lagos state government while no information was made available to the court and the respondent despite being served with hearing notice since 2020. The court therefore dismissed the matter. The United States Mission in Nigeria has expressed condolences to the family of Abubakar Abdullahi, the Muslim cleric who earned national and international acclaim for sheltering about 300 Christians during the 2018 attacks in Plateau State. Abdullahi, the chief imam of Nghar village in Barkin Ladi Local Government Area, died at the age of 92. In a statement, the US Mission described the late imam as a courageous voice for religious tolerance, noting his long-standing commitment to building bridges across faiths. It said his actions during the Plateau crisis exemplified the values of compassion and peaceful coexistence. Advertisement His humanity positively manifested interfaith coexistence and harmony, and we know his legacy of peace and acceptance will live on and continue to inspire Nigerians and Americans alike, the statement said. The cleric was nominated by the federal government for the national honour of Member of the Order of the Niger (MON) and was personally acknowledged by former President Muhammadu Buhari for his bravery. In 2019, Abdullahi received the US International Religious Freedom Award in recognition of his decision to risk his life to protect others during the violence. Speaking in interviews after the attacks, the imam said saving lives was a moral duty he upheld irrespective of religious differences, stressing that his actions were guided by compassion and respect for humanity. Reacting to his death, Plateau State Governor Caleb Mutfwang described Abdullahi as a symbol of peace, unity and selfless leadership, saying his legacy would continue to resonate beyond Plateau and Nigeria. Kristen Shepherd, who takes over as president and CEO of the Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts in Feb., 2026. Read more The Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts has named an art museum veteran to be its next leader. Kristen Shepherd will become president and CEO of the oldest art museum and school in the U.S. effective Feb. 9, PAFA announced Thursday. Advertisement Shepherd was executive director of the Museum of Fine Arts in St. Petersburg, Fla., for more than 5 years, and previously held posts at the Los Angeles County Museum of Art and the Whitney Museum of American Art. She takes over PAFA as it faces financial challenges, remakes aspects of the institution, and prepares to cohost a major show this spring featuring works from the collection of Phillies managing partner John Middleton and his wife, Leigh. Shepherd, 54, said that she had a long-standing love affair with PAFA and its mission that began when she was studying art history at George Washington University, where she earned her bachelors and masters degrees in art history. I remember learning about PAFA as a student and just being absolutely floored at the idea of it. The fact that the founders, at the birth of our country practically, made an extraordinary statement about the importance of the fine arts in our young country that continues today. Facing a $3 million deficit and enrollment numbers that had shrunk by about half since 2017, PAFA announced in January 2024 that it would be ending its degree programs at the end of the 2024-25 school year. This past fall it launched a new certificate program that leaders hoped would net more income. The institution which was founded in 1805 began drawing more heavily on its endowment than industry guidelines suggest is prudent. To boost revenue, it has marketed rental of its art-making facilities and spaces in its Samuel M.V. Hamilton Building to outside groups. Last summer, PAFA shut down its historic North Broad Street museum building for a year to replace the HVAC system and make other improvements, and leaders have been stumping for a donation in exchange for naming rights to the building. PAFAs previous president and CEO, Eric G. Pryor, stepped down more than a year ago, and the museum and school has been run by a team of three administrators in the interim. Last fall, PAFA and Temple University announced a new affiliation whereby Temple leases the 10th floor of the Hamilton Building, bringing PAFA much-needed revenue. The Center City site gives Temple a home for new programs, including a curatorial studies certificate program. It also gives students access to PAFAs art-making equipment and its important collection of American art. Shepherd says not only was she familiar with PAFAs challenges and ongoing retooling, but they were a factor in her interest in the post. Thats actually attractive to me rather than being daunting, she said. Theres a lot to be thought through and analyzed, from risk assessments to financial stability and how to create the right financial scenario for the institutions longevity. Elliot Clark, a PAFA trustee and cochair of the search committee, said that in Shepherd, PAFA had found someone who can expand membership and bring in new donors, new participants into the community. Clark said Shepherds very keen financial mind impressed PAFAs leaders during the hiring process. She was a business analyst at Sothebys, and one of her roles was in strategic operations, and shes very financially savvy. So she made us dance during the Q&A about financials. Clark called her incredibly diplomatic shes a really talented communicator. Shes going to be a great ambassador both locally and nationally to the art community and the Philadelphia community." And you know, he said, were not always an easy city to deal with. Shepherd led St. Petersburgs relatively small Museum of Fine Arts (with a $6 million annual budget) from 2016 through 2022, and has run an arts consultancy since then with business partner Veronica Lane. At the Los Angeles County Museum of Art, she was associate vice president, head of audience strategy services. And, for 4 years before that, she was director of the membership and annual fund program at the Whitney Museum of American Art. She worked at Sothebys for 9 years in a variety of positions on the business side. Her first few months at PAFA promise to be eventful. Clark says work on the Furness and Hewitt-designed museum building is on budget and on time; it is slated for a reopening celebration April 10. A Nation of Artists opens April 12. The show, which takes place at both PAFA and the Philadelphia Art Museum, features more than 1,000 works curated by the two museums alongside those from the Middleton collection. Temples programs at PAFA are expected to launch in late spring. PAFAs fiscal year ends June 30, which will reveal the direction of its finances. Well see where we are at the end of the year, Clark said. Some things have gone better, some things are not coming in as strongly as we would have liked. But overall, were still hopeful that we can get to break even this year. The former office of Schnader Harrison Segal & Lewis at 1600 Market St. The firm shut down in 2023 and continues to face claims by its former lawyers. Read more The management of shuttered Philadelphia law firm Schnader Harrison Segal & Lewis has just settled with a group of partners who sued over unpaid retirement funds but continues to face separate allegations that the firm failed to properly pay some lawyers in its last year open. In a class action over allegedly mismanaged retirement funds, the former firms top leaders agreed to a settlement last year of $675,000, which was approved Thursday in federal court in Philadelphia. Lawyer Jo Bennett, who left Schnader Harrison in early 2023, filed the suit on behalf of several dozen former colleagues. Advertisement Its hard for anyone to sue their former employer, said R. Joseph Barton, one of Bennetts lawyers. Its also hard for an active, practicing attorney to sue her former colleagues. U.S. District Judge John Milton Younge said Thursday that he had expected the case might be held up because the law firm, as a business, had closed. He asked the lawyers, Where did the fund come from? in reference to the settlement money. Barton said some likely came from insurance, and some may have come from individual shareholders of the former firm. During Thursdays hearing, lawyers for Schnader Harrison said they would not oppose any of the conditions Bennetts lawyers asked for. Before that settlements final approval, several former partners of the firm asked the judge to ensure the agreement wouldnt stop their other lawsuit against the shuttered firm, filed in the Philadelphia Court of Common Pleas in April. That suit alleges that the firm withheld their bonuses during its final year in business, violating their employment contracts. The six lawyers suing the firm each allege that they missed out on between $40,000 and $200,000 of compensation. Leslie Corwin of law firm Duane Morris, who is handling Schnader Harrisons dissolution, said Schnader disputes the claims in the Philadelphia suit. Its part of the windup process, which is still ongoing. Corwin declined to comment on Bennetts settlement and did not represent Schnader Harrison in that case. He noted that the shuttered firm is currently in the process of paying its secured creditor, WSFS Bank. The six former Schnader Harrison lawyers suing in Philadelphia court were based in other cities four in New York, one in Pittsburgh, and one in San Francisco. As in the retirement funds case, these lawyers did not have an ownership stake in the firm. Each of the lawyers was entitled to additional compensation each year beyond their base salary, the lawsuit says, but the year Schnader Harrison closed, the firm failed to pay those bonuses. The six lawyers allege that was a violation of their employment contracts. Suing former colleagues The retirement funds settlement is expected to be split among 76 people after the class lawyers are paid one-third of the settlement as their fee. The amount paid to each class member is based on how much their retirement fund should have grown during the time in question, Bennetts lawyers said, with a minimum payout of $25. Bennett is also set to receive a $10,000 service award from the settlement fund for bringing the case on behalf of her colleagues. It takes quite a bit of nerve to sue your former colleagues, Adam Garner, one of Bennetts lawyers, said during Thursdays hearing. It takes chutzpah to do what Ms. Bennett did. Bennett had alleged that Schnaders equity partners the lawyers who shared ownership of the firm did not put employees retirement contributions into its 401(k) plan as promptly as it should have. Instead, Bennett alleged, the firm commingled the employee contributions with the firms other assets and used them for their own purposes, including funding Schnaders operations and funding the distributions made to the firms equity partners. The firms equity partners did not put in their own money to help the firm pay its bills, she alleged, as it faced lawsuits over missed rent on its offices in Philadelphia and San Francisco. The firm announced its plans to dissolve in August 2023. A 60-year-old man has been accused through an indictment of drugging and sexually molesting two men who at different times rented a room from him at his home, Burlington County Prosecutor LaChia L. Bradshaw said Wednesday. Craig M. Cardella, of Mansfield Township, pleaded not guilty on Tuesday at his arraignment in Superior Court in Mount Holly. He was charged by indictment in December with multiple counts of kidnapping, aggravated criminal sexual contact, and related offenses. Advertisement Robert M. Perry, Cardellas lawyer, declined to comment Wednesday evening. The charges involved two victims during separate time periods, Bradshaw said. In late 2024, a man renting a room from Cardella contacted Mansfield Township police and said he awakened at night to find Cardella in bed with him, holding a mask over his mouth and nose and touching him sexually, Bradshaw said. A search warrant was obtained for Cardellas home and a safe was discovered in a closet that contained two bottles of chloroform, along with prescription sleep medication, medical masks, a camcorder and digital storage devices, Bradshaw said. Prosecutors allege that Cardella used the chloroform to prevent his victims from waking while they were being molested. Anyone who believes they were victimized by Cardella can contact Detective Ken Allen at allen@mansfieldpd.org. Academy for the Middle Years at Northwest, on 6000 Ridge Ave., is one of the schools that would close under Superintendent Tony B. Watlington's proposed facilities master plan. Read more The Philadelphia School District would be reshaped under a facilities master plan proposed Thursday by Superintendent Tony B. Watlington. The school system would see sweeping changes: 20 school closures, six co-locations, more than 150 modernization projects and one brand-new building. Advertisement All parts of the city would be affected under the blueprint, which will be formally presented to the school board Feb. 26 and is not final. The $2.8 billion project is necessary, officials said, because of 70,000 extra seats across the district, poor building conditions in many schools, and disparities in program offerings. Heres a breakdown of Watlingtons plan: If you are reading this story and cannot see the charts, click here. Details of Philadelphias long-awaited facilities master plan are finally out, with proposed changes that include 20 closures, six co-locations, one new school building and other investments. Superintendent Tony B. Watlington Sr. has said he would share specifics of his facilities master plan at a school board meeting in February. Advertisement READ MORE: Whats happening to your Philly school under the proposed facilities master plan? Heres what we know so far: Whats happening to the districts buildings? Of the districts 307 buildings, most schools 159 in total would be modernized under the proposed plan. The district pointed to Frankford High, which closed for two years because of asbestos issues and just reopened in the fall with $30 million worth of work to spruce it up, as an example of modernization. An additional 122 schools would fall into a maintain category, meaning they would receive regular upkeep. And six facilities would be co-located, meaning two separate schools would be housed under one roof, each with its own principal and team. Finally, 20 schools would be recommended for closure. Among them is Penn Treaty, now a 6-12 school, which would close in its current form, but go on to house the current Bodine High School, a magnet in Northern Liberties. Bodines building would become the home of Constitution High, which now occupies a rented space in Center City. As proposed, Watlingtons plan would cost $2.8 billion over 10 years. The district would put up $1 billion via capital borrowing during that time leaving $1.8 billion unaccounted for that the superintendent said would need to be covered by state money or philanthropic support. If the district doesnt get all or some of that amount, the plan would have to be amended. Will some schools definitely close? Which ones? Right now, the closures are just a proposal, and the school board is slated to have the final say at a vote this winter. They could adopt all, some, or none of Watlingtons recommendations. If the closures are approved, no school would be shuttered before the 2027-28 school year. And should some schools close, no job losses are expected, Watlington said. Of the 20 facilities targeted for closure, 12 would be repurposed for district use. Eight would be given to the city for affordable workforce housing, or job creation, both priorities of Mayor Cherelle L. Parker. We dont have the full list of proposed modernizations yet, so its tough to say the proposed fate of every school. What will happen to students who attend closing schools? Every affected student would be routed to a new school. A new transition office would work closely with impacted communities to make sure academics, attendance, and social-emotional needs dont suffer, Watlington said. These families will get gold-standard, red-carpet treatment directly from the superintendents office, he pledged. Why are these changes necessary? The district hasnt had a facilities master plan in more than a decade. It has 70,000 empty seats citywide, with some schools overcrowded and others with entire unused floors. Its also got a lot of aging buildings the average district school is nearly 75 years old and many have environmental and/or significant systems issues. Officials said they want to solve district-wide disparities: Some schools have art, music, and ample space for physical education, plus extracurricular activities, and some have few of those things. How were school buildings fates determined? Watlington said there was no formula to determine his recommendations. But four factors entered into the decision: building condition, utilization, the schools ability to offer robust programming, and neighborhood vulnerability a new measure that considers things like poverty and whether the area has lived through prior school closings. The district formally launched the final phase of its facilities master planning process in late 2024. Since then, officials have hosted 47 community conversations and received 13,700 survey responses from people in every zip code in the city. Officials heard from a project team of 30 members and received feedback from nine advisory groups composed of more than 170 members. However, some of those members, and others, are skeptical of the process, saying they feel like their input was performative. In the fall, a grassroots coalition urged the district to pause the process, focus more on investments, and promise no closures. Officials said more community conversations would be scheduled for February. Theyre also accepting input via the facilities planning process website. How long did it take officials to get to this point? The draft plan has been years in the making, and comes following a previous attempt to make one that ended before it went anywhere. Watlington launched this final phase of the planning process in the fall of 2024. Decisions were originally promised by the end of 2025, but that was pushed off when officials said they needed more time to gather feedback. The district later launched surveys to gain more input, with the topline result being that Philadelphians didnt want their local schools closed. Many respondents outlined fears about potential hardships that closing schools could create, such as longer walks to school or tough bus rides in unfamiliar or unsafe areas. And they flagged worries about merging schools and having large grade spans in a single building. When did the district last close schools? Mass school closures last happened in 2012 and 2013, when 30 schools shut. That process hit economically disadvantaged neighborhoods disproportionately, did not yield substantial savings, and generally led to worse academic outcomes and attendance for students. The mistakes of 2012 informed this go-round, officials said. They have promised better services for schools, students and families affected by any coming transitions. Alessandro "Alex" Fiorello, chef/owner of Alessandro's Wood Fired Italian & Bar in Wayne and Alessandro's Pizzeria in West Chester. Read more Main Line restaurateur Alessandro Alex Fiorello who is slowly growing a suburban Italian portfolio, with a Wayne osteria and West Chester pizzeria is preparing to open a new, bar-forward concept at Bryn Mawr Village, 915 Lancaster Ave. The Bryn Mawr space, which opened in 2022 as the short-lived Marc Vetri-operated Fiore Rosso, most recently was Il Fiore. It closed last month. The new project will sit at the top of Fiorellos three-tier restaurant lineup. His Wayne restaurant, Alessandros Wood Fired Italian, opened in 2020 as an upscale-casual neighborhood osteria with a strong takeout business and a busy dining room. Alessandros Pizzeria, which the self-taught chef opened in April, is positioned as a casual lunch and slice shop serving pizza, cheesesteaks, and salads. Advertisement Fiorello grew up in the restaurant business. His father ran Fiorellas Cafe in West Chester, while his mothers family operated pizza shops in New York. Raised in Brooklyn, Fiorello worked in kitchens from a young age before returning to Chester County as a teenager. Fiorello said Enoteca Alessandros or Alessandros Enoteca were in the running for the name of the new Bryn Mawr spot. Fiorello, who said he is backed by investors, plans to maintain the restaurants industrial look, adding that the restaurants solid infrastructure would allow for a relatively fast turnaround. This new place will be a step up from Wayne, Fiorello said. Still approachable but more bar-focused, with a great bar scene. The menu will remain Italian at its core, built around house-made pasta, wood-fired pizzas, and a wood-fired grill, with several signature dishes from Alessandros Wood Fired Italian carrying over. The new kitchen will also feature dry-aged proteins, using on-site aging refrigerators inherited with the space, and may incorporate subtle Japanese influences, including a small number of sushi-style items. Fergus Carey, arguably Philadelphias best-known barman, is expanding his empire. Carey and business partner Jim McNamara, who own the popular Fergies Pub in Washington Square West, the Jim in South Philadelphia, and the Goat Rittenhouse, are taking over the shuttered Macs Tavern at 226 Market St. in Old City. Macs whose ownership roster included the South Philadelphia-raised actor Rob Mac (the former Rob McElhenney) and his wife, Kaitlin Olson, of TVs Its Always Sunny in Philadelphia fame closed last summer after 15 years. Advertisement Carey said the name was not final, but the concept will be a Celtic pub with Irish-Scottish food our usual stuff. Opening is penciled in for the spring. He described the work ahead of them as more of a cleanup and opening up than a full renovation. They want to open at noon weekdays but earlier on the weekends for European sporting events. Carey has spent three decades shaping the citys bar culture. Known to generations of Philadelphians simply as Fergie, his trademarks are his Irish accent, an encyclopedic memory for names, and a knack for turning strangers into regulars. Born in Dublin and raised on the citys north side, Carey left for the United States in 1987 at age 24, armed with a background in hospitality and fast-food management, including a stint running a fast-food shop called Burgerland. His first U.S. stop was Houston, but he left after a few weeks because, he said, he hated it. He likes to tell the story that he arrived in Philadelphia on a Saturday night and started a job at the Cherry Hill Mall food court at 9 the next morning. He landed behind the bar at McGlincheys on 15th Street, quickly earning a reputation as a natural host. In 1994, Carey and business partner Wajih Abed opened Fergies Pub at the old Hoffman House on Sansom Street in Washington Square West, at a time when Center City nightlife was thin and new bar openings were rare. The pubs easygoing, come-as-you-are atmosphere helped spark a revival of the neighborhoods drinking scene. Abed died of cancer in 2017. Carey went on to play a role in launching some of the citys most influential beer destinations, including Monks Cafe, the Belgian Cafe, and Grace Tavern each helping introduce Philadelphia to Belgian ales and European cafe culture long before craft beer became mainstream. He also ran Nodding Head Brewery and the Fairview. The new owner of the defunct Crozer-Chester Medical Center wants to restore hospital and emergency services to the 64-acre campus that straddles Chester and Upland Township in Delaware County. Newly formed Chariot Equities completed the $10 million purchase Wednesday. The for-profit entity said it expected within six months to have an agreement with a health system that would operate a right-sized hospital and emergency department at the facility that had been the countys largest provider of those services before closing last year. Advertisement The idea is then to open the first phase within two years, Chariot said in a statement. Chariot did not say how much it would spend on refurbishing Crozer-Chester, which had suffered from years of neglect under its two previous owners. Chariots partner at Crozer-Chester is Allaire Health Services, a Jackson, N.J.-based for-profit operator of nursing homes. The partners said they are in talks with regional and national nonprofit health systems regarding an operating partnership, but provided no details. The amount of money needed for the project would likely depend on what prospective tenants would want to do at the property. Our belief in Delaware Countys future, and the communitys need for sustainable healthcare access, made this an effort worth committing to well before the finish line, said Yoel Polack, Chariots founder and principal. Little is known about the new owners. Polack worked in healthcare real estate in the New York City area before setting his sights on redeveloping Crozer-Chester. Federal records list Allaires CEO Benjamin Kurland as an owner of 20 nursing homes, including three in the Philadelphia area. Chariots statement said Allaire owns a total of 29 facilities in five states. Philadelphia-area facilities associated with Kurland are the Center For Rehab & Nursing Washington Township, which was acquired from Jefferson Health; Riverview Estates Rehab & Senior Living Center in Riverton; and West Park Rehabilitation & Nursing Center in West Philadelphia. Local interest? Main Line Health has been involved in discussions about reopening emergency services at three former Crozer hospitals Crozer-Chester Medical Center, Springfield Hospital, and Taylor Hospital at the request of state lawmakers and the property owners, Ed Jimenez, CEO of Main Line Health, said Wednesday at a Riddle Hospital event. Jimenez said he would entertain the concept of restoring emergency services at one of the hospitals as part of a partnership with other health systems, but only if it can be done on a break-even basis. All three of the former hospital buildings visited by Main Line officials are in poor condition and were stripped of medical equipment after the closures. Main Lines experts estimated it would cost between $15 million and $20 million just to make the emergency department at Taylor functional, Jimenez said. READ MORE: Riddle Hospital celebrates $4M in state funding to expand healthcare access in Delaware County ChristianaCare, Delawares largest health system, considered acquiring Crozer in 2022. Instead, it took a different path to expansion in Southeastern Pennsylvania. It is planning to open two micro-hospitals in Delaware County. The nonprofit system also took over five former Crozer outpatient locations. Its credit rating was recently downgraded by one notch because of lower profitability. The importance of Crozer-Chester Crozer-Chester closed in early May during the bankruptcy of owner Prospect Medical Holdings Inc., a for-profit company based in California, and after the failure of government-supported efforts to form a new nonprofit owner for Crozer-Chester and other Crozer Health facilities. Crozer-Chester was particularly important as a safety-net provider for a low-income area of Delaware County that has few other nearby options. The Crozer system, which had four hospitals, was the countys largest health system and largest employer for many years. Two local Democratic officials, State Rep. Leanne Krueger and Delaware County Council member Monica Taylor, said they were encouraged by the approach being taken by Chariot and Allaire. At Taylor Hospital, the other Crozer hospital that closed last year, new owners are also looking for healthcare tenants. Local investors bought the Ridley Park facility for $1 million. It is less than four miles from Crozer-Chester. The same group agreed last week to pay $1 million for Springfield Hospital, another facility that had previously shut down under Prospect ownership. Adalyn Hetzel, a 3-year-old from Southampton, Pa, was chosen to be an ambassador for the St. Baldrick's Foundation, one of the nation's largest childhood cancer charities. She is in remission from rhabdomyosarcoma and was treated at Children's Hospital of Philadelphia. Read more Adalyn Hetzel had just celebrated her second birthday in the spring of 2024 when doctors at Childrens Hospital of Philadelphia diagnosed her with an aggressive soft tissue cancer. She endured 40 weeks of aggressive chemotherapy and a month of daily proton radiation therapy on her road to remission. Advertisement Now, the Bucks County toddler will spend the next year sharing her story as one of five ambassadors for the St. Baldricks Foundation, one of the nations largest childhood cancer charities. The California-based organization has awarded more than $369 million in research grants since 2005, with $18 million going to Philadelphia-based institutions. The selected children and their families will attend advocacy days in D.C., to appeal to lawmakers, share their stories with the public, and spread awareness on social media. Kristopher Hetzel, Adalyns father, said their goal will be to advocate for research into more effective, less toxic treatments. While more than 80% of kids diagnosed with cancer in the United States now survive the disease, many sustain long-term side effects due to the harsh therapies. One study found that by age 45, 95% of survivors had at least one chronic health condition, and 80% had one that was disabling or life-threatening. Adalyn will likely have severe dental issues, limited jawbone growth, and an increased risk of developing secondary cancers due to the treatment later in life. The threat of recurrence also still looms. It cant be like that for these kids. We got to come up with better treatment, Hetzel said. READ MORE: Alexs Lemonade Stand Foundation worries about federal cuts to childhood cancer research Diagnosis to treatment Hetzel first noticed a small nodule on Adalyns tongue in April 2024. After appointments with her pediatrician, dentist, and two oral surgeons left the family without a diagnosis, they went to CHOP, where a biopsy confirmed she had a highly aggressive form of soft tissue cancer called rhabdomyosarcoma. All of a sudden your world becomes so small and its just your kid. Nothing else matters, Hetzel said. Doctors started Adalyn immediately on an intense chemotherapy regimen combining three drugs. She also received a months worth of daily proton beam radiation, requiring general anesthesia each session due to her age. By the end of the 40 weeks of chemotherapy, Adalyn dropped down to the 0.4th percentile of weight. She was so immunocompromised due to the treatment that when she contracted the flu, a critical response team at CHOP had to rush in. Doctors withheld her final chemotherapy session for fear it could be life-threatening. Being an ambassador In April, nearly a year after her diagnosis, Adalyn was declared to be in remission. She still receives scans every three months due to the potential for recurrence. [Adalyn] turned back into this playful, happy, joyful toddler who finally has the energy to be herself, Hetzel said. Her family decided to get involved with St. Baldricks after benefiting from their services firsthand. Right after Adalyns diagnosis, Hetzel recalled being given a binder with their logo on the front that laid out a game plan of what our life was going to look like. That resource, called the Childrens Oncology Group Family Handbook, is funded by St. Baldricks and is given to newly diagnosed families around the country. Given her age, her father said he is cautious of not crossing the line in their advocacy and making her uncomfortable, and hopes that when she is older, she will understand the importance of sharing what she went through. Jane Hoppen, director of family relations at St. Baldricks, said the family always has veto power. The foundation focuses on highlighting each childs unique personality and interests to serve as the face and voice of the foundation. For example, Adalyn, who loves chocolate-dipped croissants, will be featured on its social media for National Croissant Day. What we want for every kid whos diagnosed is the ability to just go back and enjoy being a kid again, Hoppen said. Pastor Daniel Brown, left, from Freedom Worship Assembly Chuch, shovels snow at Fairview Village in Camden, New Jersey. Read more As soon as the snow stops falling, its time to get shoveling. In Philadelphia, you have six hours to clear the sidewalks in front of your home before facing potential fines, according to city rules. For residents, whether you rent or own, heres what you need to know. Can I get fined for not shoveling my sidewalks? Yes. Fines range from $50 to $300 for those who violate city snow-removal rules. How much time do I have to clear my sidewalks? You have six hours after the snow stops falling to clear your sidewalks. Whos responsible for clearing the sidewalks? What if Im a renter? Whether you rent or own, youre responsible for clearing a path, unless you live in a multifamily dwelling, like an apartment building or a building with more than one unit. In this case, the building owner or agent is responsible for snow removal. What about businesses? For businesses, clearing sidewalks and parking lots is the responsibility of the property owner, said Chris Young, communications manager for the Streets Department. Advertisement The city is responsible for clearing sidewalks at city facilities. How wide do I need to make the path? A path must be at least 3 feet wide, unless the width of the pavement from your property line to the curb is less than that. In that case, your path can be narrower but has to be at least one foot wide. Paths must be thoroughly cleared, and you cant dump the snow and ice into the street. Pro tip: Push and clear snow toward your building. You can use a commercial deicer to salt your sidewalk or driveway, and its a good idea to apply it as soon as you see a light layer of snow. If you dont have a deicer, you can use kitty litter for temporary traction. Can I report someone who hasnt shoveled their sidewalk? If you want to report a sidewalk that has not been cleared, call 311 or report the issue online through the 311 portal. What happens if Im parked along a snow emergency route? When a snowstorm hits, the city may declare a snow emergency. When that happens, the city plows 110 miles of snow emergency routes from curb to curb, which means vehicles and dumpsters within those areas must be moved or you face fines of up to $130. If you cant get to your car, or if your car cant be moved, it doesnt matter. Your car will be towed and ticketed if you dont move it. You can view a list of snow emergency routes at bit.ly/3YSMeDm/. If you live, own a business, or frequently park in these areas, youre advised to plan ahead as winter weather approaches. Large signs reading Snow Emergency Route in white letters on a red background will be posted along the streets once a snow emergency is declared. If your vehicle was towed from a snow emergency route, call 215-686-SNOW (7669) and be prepared to provide information to identify your vehicle. What if I live in the suburbs? If you live outside of the city, the rules vary by township. These include how quickly you have to remove snow and how wide the pathway must be. In most towns, property owners and tenants can face fines if sidewalks arent cleared. Check with your township for specific details. In the Gaza Strip, mourners carry the body of Anas Ghoneim, one of three Palestinian journalists killed in an Israeli strike on an Egyptian committee's vehicle, during his funeral in Khan Younis. Read more CAIRO Desperate Palestinians at a garbage dump in a Gaza neighborhood dug with their bare hands for plastic items to burn to keep warm in the cold and damp winter in the enclave, battered by two years of the Israel-Hamas war. The scene in the Muwasi area of the city of Khan Younis contrasted starkly with the vision of the territory projected by world leaders gathered in Davos, Switzerland, where they inaugurated President Donald Trumps Board of Peace that will oversee Gaza. Advertisement At the World Economic Forum in Davos, Trump claimed that record levels of humanitarian aid had entered Gaza since the October start of a U.S.-brokered ceasefire deal. His son-in law, Jared Kushner, and envoy Steve Witkoff triumphantly touted the devastated territorys development potential. A starkly different reality In Gaza, months into the truce, hundreds of thousands of Palestinians still languish in displacement camps, sheltering in tents and war-ravaged buildings, unable to protect them from the temperatures dropping below 50 degrees Fahrenheit at night. Despite the ceasefire, there are still recurring deadly strikes in Gaza. Israeli tank shelling on Thursday killed four Palestinians east of Gaza City, according to Mohamed Abu Selmiya, director of the Shifa Hospital, where the bodies were taken. The Israeli military did not immediately comment. Some in Gaza expressed skepticism about Trumps Board of Peace and whether it would change their grim lives. This committee includes Israelis. I dont understand, as citizens, how can we understand this situation? Rami Ghalban, who was displaced from Khan Younis, said Thursday. The Israelis that inflicted suffering upon us. But grappling with whats ahead seems futile for others. We are in a position where there are no alternatives, said Fathi Abu Sultan. Our situation is miserable. While aid flow into Gaza has significantly increased since the ceasefire, residents say fuel and firewood are in short supply. Prices are exorbitant and searching for firewood is dangerous. Two 13-year-old boys were shot and killed by Israeli forces on Wednesday as they tried to collect firewood, hospital officials said. At the Nasser hospital in southern Gaza, dozens of Palestinians gathered Thursday to mourn three Palestinian journalists including a frequent contributor to Agence France-Presse killed the day before when an Israeli strike hit their vehicle, according to Gaza health officials. The Israeli military said the strike came after it spotted suspects who were operating a drone that posed a threat to its troops. Survival means digging through garbage For Sanaa Salah, who lives in a tent with her husband and six kids, starting a fire is a critical daily chore so they can cook and keep warm. Her family has barely has enough clothes to keep them warm. She said the family cannot afford to buy firewood or gas, and that they are aware of the dangers of burning plastic but have no other choice. Life is very hard, she said as her family members threw plastic and paper into a fire to keep it burning. We cannot even have a cup of tea. This is our life, she said. We do not sleep at night from the cold. Firewood is just too expensive, said Aziz Akel. His family has no income and they cant pay the 7 or 8 shekels (about $2.50) it would cost. My house is gone and my kids were wounded, he said. His daughter, Lina Akel, said he leaves the familys tent early each morning to look for plastic in the garbage to burn the basics of life. Mourners bid farewell to 3 Palestinian journalists The three journalists killed Wednesday were filming near a displacement camp in central Gaza, managed by an Egyptian government committee, said Mohammed Mansour, the committees spokesperson. One of them, Abdul Raouf Shaat, a regular contributor to AFP, was not on assignment for the news agency at the time, it said. A statement from AFP demanded a full investigation. Israel has barred international journalists from entering to cover the war, aside from rare guided tours. News organizations rely largely on Palestinian journalists and residents in Gaza to show what is happening on the ground. Mourners on Thursday wept over the journalists bodies, which were covered in body bags and had press vests placed on their chests. More than 470 people have been killed by Israeli fire in Gaza since the ceasefire began in October, according to Gazas health ministry. At least 77 have been killed by Israeli gunfire near a ceasefire line that splits the territory between Israeli-held areas and most of Gazas Palestinian population, the ministry says. The ministry, which is part of the Hamas-led government, maintains detailed casualty records that are seen as generally reliable by U.N. agencies and independent experts. Whats next in Gaza? While Trump tries to build support for his Board of Peace by mapping out a future for Gaza, more details about whats ahead were emerging Thursday. Ali Shaath, the head of a new, future technocratic government in Gaza, said the Rafah border crossing will open in both directions next week on the Gaza-Egypt border. Israel said in early December it would open the Gaza side of the crossing but has yet to do so. Reopening the crossing would make it easier for Palestinians in Gaza to seek medical treatment or visit family in Egypt. Russian President Vladimir Putin wants to send $1 billion to the Board of Peace for humanitarian purposes in Gaza if the U.S. unblocks the money. He met with Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas in Moscow. We believe that only forming and proper functioning of the Palestinian state can lead to a final settlement of the Middle East conflict, Putin said. Federal immigration agents detains a man in Chicago this summer: ICE agents have arrested thousands of immigrants and clashed with protesters across the U.S. Read more Its not just Minneapolis. In cities across America, Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents have arrested hundreds of thousands of immigrants and clashed with protesters in what is on its way to becoming one of the largest deportation efforts in U.S. history. The White House says its deporting both criminals and people who are working in the country illegally. Advertisement But ICE is increasingly unpopular, and its getting more headlines for its sometimes-violent tactics than it is for getting supposed bad guys off the streets. Theyre going to make a mistake sometimes, too rough with somebody, President Donald Trump said of ICE. You know they are rough people. ICEs reach is only expected to spread. It has been infused with billions more from the Republicans tax bill, and the Brennan Center for Justice estimates it will become one of Americas largest police forces. It is spending $100 million to try to hire gun rights supporters and military enthusiasts. By the end of this, almost everyone is going to know someone who had a friend or family member or colleague affected, or who witnessed an arrest happening, said David Bier, the director of immigration studies at the libertarian-leaning Cato Institute. I think its unnerving to see people targeted who dont seem to be doing anything out of the ordinary, just going to work or doing their jobs. Heres more about whats happening: What ICE is doing on the streets There are about 11 million undocumented immigrants in the United States. ICE cant be everywhere all at once, so the agency typically works with local authorities to help arrest people in the country illegally. But now agents are on a mission to deport as many people as possible. What was once a job largely out of the public eye is now taking place on city streets, parking lots of big-box stores, deep in local neighborhoods, and at churches and workplaces as agents mine federal data and go door-to-door to create what the nonpartisan Migration Policy Institute says is an unprecedented show of force in cities. Immigration agents have surged into Chicago, Los Angeles, D.C., Minneapolis, and Charlotte, rushing into upscale neighborhoods and shops, country clubs and near schools. Sometimes they are in plain clothes; many times they are masked. Theyve been recently empowered by the Supreme Court to stop people based on factors such as race, ethnicity, language or job. Some agents are using chokeholds to arrest people; others have been filmed smashing car windows to get at someone. U.S. citizens of color say theyre being asked to show paperwork (including off-duty police officers). Trump and his administration say they are targeting the worst of the worst. But theres no evidence migrants commit crimes at a higher rate than Americans, and most migrants arrested dont have a criminal record, according to the Migration Policy Institute. A record number of children are being detained, and data suggests families are being separated, ProPublica finds. The New York Times reported on a Cuban migrant arriving for a check-in with ICE and being immediately separated from her 17-month-old daughter she was breastfeeding and deported. It feels like a member of my family is under attack, one Charlotte woman told The Washington Post after telling her childrens caregiver to stay at home. Trump cracking down hard on protesters Communities of activists have sprung up to try to slow or stop arrests and film whats happening. Ive been in touch with friends and former students in Minneapolis as well as Chicago, Los Angeles and now, Maine, Robert Reich, a former labor secretary and prominent Trump critic, wrote this week. Some have been extraordinarily brave. A few tell me theyve tailed ICE agents and whistled loudly to warn others of ICEs whereabouts. Some have sought to block agents from entering schools, courthouses, and clinics. Others have been taking videos to give to the media or use in court. Trump has responded with force. His administration has tried to label protesters as domestic terrorists (which legal experts say isnt an actual designation) and has sought to deploy the National Guard where there are protests. Hes also threatened to send in the military to arrest protesters in Minneapolis. Vice President JD Vance said the ICE agent who killed protester Renee Good has absolute immunity. ICE agents are launching tear gas and pointing guns at protesters. The Trump administration has launched criminal investigations into Democratic officials in Minnesota who have criticized ICE. Yet for all the conflict, Bier is tracking federal charges of protesters and finds its rare, suggesting many of their actions are protected by the First Amendment. ICE detentions also controversial Trump is building some of largest deportation centers in history, including makeshift facilities and plans by ICE to hold up to 80,000 immigrants in seven large-scale warehouses, The Post reported. Conditions can be tough. Some ICE facilities have been described as inhumane, with reports of spoiled food, undrinkable water or lights on 24 hours a day. The pro-immigration American Immigration Council writes that ICE is trapping hundreds of thousands of noncitizens in an increasingly opaque world of remote jails and private prisons. An ICE detainee died in January; witnesses say he was choked, and his death may be classified as a homicide. (The government disputes that account of events.) He is one of dozens who have died in ICE custody since Trump took office a year ago. ICE getting harder to defend politically Polls show that Trumps ICE raids have strong support from Republicans. Letting millions of illegal immigrants come to work in the U.S. will depress wages, and we cant allow that to happen, says Nick Iacovella with the Coalition for a Prosperous America, a conservative, pro-tariff group that also supports Trumps mass deportations. But a new Economist/YouGov poll finds 47 percent of Americans think ICE is making America less safe, compared with 34 percent who said more safe. And for months now, a majority of Americans have disapproved of how Trump is handling immigration overall, on what used to be his strongest issue. Republicans are particularly concerned mass deportations are hurting them with Latino voters, who helped Trump win the presidency again. For the first time, immigration is maybe having a negative impact on my party, former North Carolina Gov. Pat McCrory, a Republican, told Politico this fall. A federal law enforcement agent outside a home during a raid in south Minneapolis on Tuesday: Law enforcement says ICE has even targeted local off-duty police. Read more Local law enforcement leaders in Minneapolis and St. Paul are raising concerns about Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents violating U.S. citizens civil rights, including those of off-duty police officers, as ICE has surged into Minnesota in recent weeks. Mark Bruley, police chief of the Minneapolis suburb Brooklyn Park, said at a Tuesday news conference that an off-duty police officer had been boxed in by vehicles driven by ICE agents, who demanded with guns drawn to see paperwork proving the officer had a right to be in the United States. Shes a U.S. citizen, and clearly would not have any paperwork, he said. Advertisement The officer attempted to begin filming the interaction and her phone was knocked out of her hand, Bruley said. When she identified herself as a police officer, the federal agents immediately left, he said. All of the off-duty police officers who had been targeted by ICE in his city were people of color, Bruley said. Asked about the police chiefs comments, the Department of Homeland Security said Wednesday morning that it had no record of ICE or Border Patrol stopping and questioning a police officer and could not verify the information without a name. The agency added that it would continue to look into the claims. DHS officials have repeatedly said agents are not racially profiling residents but only asking people in the vicinity of enforcement operations for identification. I wish I could tell you that this was an isolated incident, Bruley said, adding, if it is happening to our officers, it pains me to think how many of our community members are falling victim to this every day. At a news conference in Minneapolis on Tuesday, Border Patrol official Greg Bovino, called the immigration operation a very professional, prudent and thoughtful law enforcement action. Bovino is overseeing the federal enforcement effort. Asked about Bruleys remarks, Bovino blamed local Democratic leaders, including Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey and Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz, for obstructing federal officers by urging the public to report them through emergency calls. You have a mayor and a police chief [Brian] OHara say, Call 911 when ICE or Border Patrol are in the neighborhood, and then you wonder why the 911 system is overwhelmed with superfluous calls for assistance when that is not true, Bovino said. Were going to continue to be out in the community, and were going to continue to conduct that mission. Dawanna Witt, sheriff of Hennepin County, which includes Minneapolis, said that people were being stopped, questioned and harassed solely because of the color of their skin and that the behavior of federal agents was eroding trust in law enforcement. We demand lawful policing that respects human dignity, she said, adding that the surge of ICE agents in Minneapolis was impacting local officers as well as the community. We will all continue to show up, even though times are hard, even though our law enforcement is exhausted. St. Paul Police Chief Axel Henry said that city employees had been subject to traffic stops that were clearly outside the bounds of what federal agents are allowed to do. We watch the news and we see very, very angry groups of people out protesting, but the people that were dealing with as police chiefs are the people that are scared to death, that are afraid to go outside, he said. Not because their status is in question, but because people are getting stopped by the way that they look, and they dont want to take that risk. Bruley said the news conference was held to draw attention to the conduct of a small group of agents who had been deployed over the past two weeks. What you wont hear from any of us today is rhetoric of abolish ICE or that there shouldnt be immigration enforcement, Bruley said. The truth is, immigration enforcement is necessary for national security and for local security, but how its done is extremely important. Thousands of ICE agents and officers have been deployed to Minnesota as part of Operation Metro Surge, which began in December as what DHS earlier this month said would be the agencys largest immigration enforcement operation ever. Minnesota officials filed suit last week challenging the operations legality, alleging that armed and masked DHS agents have stormed the Twin Cities to conduct militarized raids at sites including schools and hospitals. Earlier this month, Renee Good, a 37-year-old mother of three, was fatally shot in her car by an ICE agent in Minneapolis. A week later, an ICE officer shot an undocumented Venezuelan man in the leg during an arrest. Former Uvalde school district police officer Adrian Gonzales (left) with his attorney, Nico LaHood, after the jury found Gonzales not guilty at the Nueces County Courthouse in Corpus Christi, Texas. Read more A Texas jury on Wednesday acquitted a former Uvalde school police officer on 29 counts of child endangerment after he remained outside Robb Elementary School instead of immediately confronting the gunman who killed 19 children and two teachers in their classrooms in 2022. The verdict is a major setback for prosecutors, who portrayed the case against Adrian Gonzales as a way to deliver justice and accountability for one of the deadliest school shootings in U.S. history. Advertisement Instead, jurors appeared to agree with Gonzales lawyers, who described him as unfairly singled out among the hundreds of law enforcement officers who arrived on the scene a response that investigators said was marked by significant communication failures and poor decision-making. Had he been convicted, Gonzales, 52, faced up to two years in prison. The former officer of the six-member Uvalde Consolidated Independent School District Police Department was one of the first law enforcement personnel to respond on that sunny May day, when a teenage shooter walked into Robb Elementary through an unlocked door and opened fire inside two adjoining fourth-grade classrooms. Prosecutors argued that Gonzales bore particular responsibility for the tragedy. They focused on his initial encounter with a frantic woman fleeing the school, who pointed toward the general location of the shooter as gunfire was heard inside, and his subsequent decision not to immediately rush in, which they said went against his active-shooter training. However, defense lawyers noted that four other officers got to the school at almost the same time but also did not enter right away to confront the gunman. Unlike Gonzales, three of them were in a position to see the assailant, his lawyers said. One thought he spotted the shooter outside the school and asked for permission to fire, his superior officer testified. Minutes after he arrived, Gonzales did go into the school with several other officers. Gunman Salvador Ramos, armed with an AR-style rifle, shot at them, grazing two, and the group retreated. Nearly 400 officers ultimately converged on the school but did not breach the classroom where Ramos was located until more than an hour after hed entered the building. A tactical unit shot and killed him. Emotions ran high during the three-week trial, which featured wrenching testimony from teachers who survived the shooting and parents whose children were among the murdered and wounded. The prosecution is trying to hijack your emotion to circumvent your reason, defense attorney Nico LaHood told jurors. Gonzales was easy pickings, he said. The man at the bottom of the totem pole. Both of Gonzales lawyers repeatedly acknowledged the grief of families and the community. Theres nothing thats going to bring these kids back, Jason Goss said during closing arguments Wednesday. Nothing is ever going to solve that pain. But, he added, You do not honor their memory by doing an injustice in their name. Gonzales is one of two former officers to be charged in connection with the mass killing. Pete Arredondo, the former chief of Uvaldes school district police, is also set to stand trial on charges of child endangerment. Arredondo has pleaded not guilty. Wednesdays verdict marks the second time that a jury has declined to convict a school police officer for failing to stop a school shooting. In 2023, Scot Peterson, a sheriffs deputy who worked as a security officer at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Fla., was acquitted of similar charges. Five years earlier, a gunman had killed 17 students, teachers and staff members at the school. Gonzales trial took place before Judge Sid Harle in Corpus Christi, more than 200 miles from Uvalde, after the defense argued that a change of venue was necessary to obtain an impartial verdict. Jurors began deliberating early afternoon Wednesday. Gonzales, in a blue suit and a tie patterned with crosses, wept and hugged one of his lawyers after the verdict was read. He had not testified in his own defense, but prosecutors played an hour-long video, recorded not long after the shooting, in which he recounted his actions at the school. Christina Mitchell, the district attorney for Uvalde County, had told jurors that returning a guilty verdict would send a message to all law enforcement officers about their duties to members of the public and children in particular. The children inside Robb Elementary had followed their lockdown training, staying quiet and hidden, she said, while Gonzales did not run to confront the shooter, as his training suggested. Were not going to continue to teach children to rehearse their own death and not hold [officers] to the training thats mandated by the law, Mitchell said. We cannot let 19 children die in vain. Mothers of several of the children killed in the massacre cried together outside the Nueces County courthouse Wednesday night. Relatives of another victim, 9-year-old Jacklyn Cazares, reacted with fury immediately after the verdict. Im angry, said her father, Javier Cazares, in video provided by local television station KSAT. We had a little hope, but it wasnt enough. Flames rise from flare stacks at the Amuay refinery in Los Taques, Venezuela, last week. Read more CARACAS, Venezuela Venezuelas legislature opened debate Thursday on a bill to loosen state control over the countrys vast oil sector in the first major overhaul since the late socialist leader Hugo Chavez nationalized parts of the industry in 2007. The legislation would create new opportunities for private companies to invest in the oil industry and establish international arbitration for investment disputes. Advertisement Following the U.S. capture of former President Nicolas Maduro earlier this month, the Trump administration has ramped up pressure on acting President Delcy Rodriguez and other allies of the ousted leader to invite greater investment from U.S. energy companies in Venezuelas flagging oil industry. A draft of the proposed legislation, a copy of which was seen by The Associated Press, represents a sharp turn away from the resource nationalism of Chavez, who accused multinationals of colonial exploitation and considered the countrys oil wealth to be state property. In apparent response to demands from U.S. oil executives, the proposed legislation would allow private companies to independently operate oil fields, market their own crude output and collect the cash revenues despite remaining, on paper, minority partners to the state oil company. The operating company shall assume the comprehensive management of the execution of the activities, at its sole cost, expense and risk, the draft says, adding that portions of production volumes may be directly commercialized by the operating company, once governmental obligations have been fulfilled. Crucially, the bill also would let companies settle legal disputes through arbitration in international courts rather than only local courts. The legislation also would keep the current 30% royalty rate, but let the government cut royalties and taxes to as low as 15% for expensive or hard-to-develop oil projects, so that companies would be more willing to invest. The president of Venezuelas National Assembly and the acting presidents brother, Jorge Rodriguez, told lawmakers at the start of Thursdays debate that the bill aims to allow an accelerated increase in production of oil in Venezuela. Oil under the ground is useless, he said, referring to the need to boost oil production and open up new exploration opportunities. Pushed by Delcy Rodriguez, the bill is expected to advance swiftly through the ruling party-dominated legislature. Lawmakers concluded the initial discussion of the bill on Thursday after around two hours and advanced the legislation to a second round of debate, yet to be scheduled. During the session, Orlando Camacho, a lawmaker and head of Venezuelas national Fedeindustria business association, told the assembly that the bill would ensure that Venezuelas oil industry remains the engine of the country. The proposed legal guarantees ensuring that foreign companies can bring claims against Venezuela before international bodies are necessary to attract private investment, he said. Even as President Donald Trump looks to lure American companies to reboot Venezuelas oil sector, many remain concerned about the financial and legal risks of pouring billions of dollars into the country. Plenty of investors have been burned before, their assets seized as Chavez nationalized parts of Venezuelas lucrative oil industry in 2007. Firms like Exxon have been trying to get the Venezuelan government to compensate them for their billions of dollars in losses ever since, to no avail. The current political uncertainty also worries investors. There is no timeline for holding democratic elections in Venezuela after Maduros ouster as Rodriguez, long Maduros loyal second in command, seeks to consolidate control. The Trump administration also hasnt said when it will lift the crippling sanctions imposed to weaken Maduros government, which further restrict foreign operations in the countrys oil sector. A massive data center is under construction in Vineland. It is expected to be completed later this year, with a capacity of about 300 megawatts. Read more The French developer of South Jerseys first large-scale AI data center made his case to residents on Wednesday, saying his massive under-construction facility will benefit them in ways unprecedented in the emerging industry. But at a contentious town hall, several residents said theyre not taking his word for it, especially given the timing at which the developer was asking for their input. Advertisement You couldnt do this before the building was built? asked one resident, who spoke during public comment but declined to give their name. You kind of took our voice away. The 2.4 million-square-foot, 300-megawatt Vineland data center was approved by city council more than a year ago. The center is already under construction, and the developer expects to complete it by November. DataOne, a French company that manages advanced data centers, is the owner, operator, and builder. Its client, Nebius Group, an Amsterdam-based AI-infrastructure company, will operate the centers internal technology, which will fuel Microsofts AI tools. Located on South Lincoln Avenue, off State Route 55, the site was formerly a private industrial park. It was sold to DataOne in a private transaction, the details of which Charles-Antoine Beyney, DataOnes founder and chief executive officer, declined to disclose. At city council meetings and on social media, some residents have voiced concerns about the environmental, financial, and quality-of-life impacts of the site. Prior to Wednesdays meeting, residents were prompted to submit questions online that were then addressed in a presentation. Dozens also took to the mic afterward. READ MORE: Human reporters explain why AI data centers are so controversial in the Philly suburbs and beyond Beyney said he understood their concerns, but they dont apply to his center, which will use breakthrough technology to reduce its environmental impact. Most of the data centers that are being built today suck, big time, Beyney said Wednesday. They consume water. They pollute. They are extremely not efficient. This is clearly not what we are building here. No freaking way am I am going to do what the entire industry is doing just killing our communities and killing our lungs to make money, he added. Developers tout promises of data centers Data centers house the technology needed to fuel increasingly sophisticated AI tools. In recent years, they have been proliferating across the country and the region. Politicians on both sides of the aisle from Republican President Donald Trump to Democratic Pa. Gov. Josh Shapiro have encouraged the expansion, as have certain labor and business leaders. Yet environmental activists and some neighbors of proposed data centers have pushed back. Across the Philadelphia region, residents have recently organized opposition to proposals for a 1.3 million-square-foot data center in East Vincent Township and a 2 million-square-foot facility near Conshohocken (that was forced to be withdrawn in November due to legal issues). This week, Limerick Township residents voiced concerns about the possibility of data centers being built in their community. And in Bucks County, a 2-million-square-foot data center is already under construction in Falls Township. READ MORE: Developers land swap proposal stirs furor in Limerick, but Delco would gain its first state game land Pennsylvania and New Jersey are home to more than 150 data centers of varying sizes and scopes, according to Data Center Map, a private company that tracks the facilities nationwide. But so far, the AI data center boom has largely spared South Jersey. A 560,000-square-foot data center is being built in Logan Township, Gloucester County, and is set to have a capacity of up to 150 megawatts once completed in early 2027, according to the website of its designer, Energy Concepts. There are also smaller, specialized data centers in Atlantic City and Pennsauken, according to Data Center Map. In Vineland, Beyney said his gas-powered center will have nearly net-zero emissions, not consume water while cooling the equipment, and generate 85% of its own power. He told residents: You will not see your bill for electricity going and skyrocketing. The facility will be 100% privately funded, he said, after the company turned down a nearly $6.2 million loan from the city amid resident backlash. The loan was approved at a December council meeting, and Beyney said DataOne would have paid about $450,000 in interest, money that could have gone back into the community. Thats a shame, Beyney said, but we follow the people. At a meeting next week, Vineland City Council could approve a PILOT agreement that would give DataOne tax breaks on the new construction in exchange for payments to the city. Beyney said DataOne plans to be a good neighbor. Across the street from the data center, he said they will build a vertical farm which grows crops indoors using technology and provide free fruits and vegetables to Vineland residents in need. Residents voice concerns about Vineland data center Several residents expressed skepticism, and even anger, about Beyneys data-center promises, noting that Cumberland County already has plenty of farms. Regarding the data center itself, they asked how Beyney could be so confident about new technology, questioned the objectivity of his data, and accused him of taking advantage of a city where nearly 14% of residents live below the poverty line. Beyney denied the allegations. At least one resident said he was moved by Beyneys assurances. I was a really big critic of [the data center all along], but I think what you said tonight has alleviated a lot of my concerns, said Steve Brown, who lives about a mile away from the data center. He still had one gripe, however: The noise. What I hear every night when I wake up at 2, 3, 4 oclock in the morning is this rumble off in the distance, Brown said. When I get out of my car every day when I get home, I hear it. Brown invited Beyney and his team to come hear the noise from his kitchen or back patio. Beyney said they would do so, and promised to get the sound attenuated as soon as possible, certainly by the end of the projects construction. People cross Haddon Avenue in front of the borough hall in Collingswood, N.J., on Tuesday, June 26, 2018. TIM TAI / Staff Photographer Read more A month and a half after Collingswoods mayor defiantly disagreed with a solicitors opinion that she should recuse herself from a vote to grant an ambulance-services contract to Virtua Health, which employs her husband, Daniela Solano-Ward signed a settlement agreement nullifying the vote and recusing herself from the matter. The shift followed a lawsuit filed by James Maley, who sits alongside Solano-Ward on the South Jersey boroughs three-person commissioners board, accusing the mayor of a conflict of interest. The lawsuit asked a judge to discard a Dec. 1 vote outsourcing Collingswoods EMS services to Virtua Health. Advertisement A Superior Court of Camden County judge, Francisco Dominguez, issued a temporary restraining order on Jan. 5 prohibiting Collingswood from executing the contract with Virtua or making changes to the boroughs EMS services. The borough settled the lawsuit Jan. 16, in an agreement that voided the contract with Virtua, and requires Solano-Ward to recuse herself from all EMS-related matters, according to a copy of the settlement obtained by The Inquirer. The settlement instructs Maley and Commissioner Amy Henderson Riley, Solano-Wards political ally and the boroughs director of public safety, to devise a plan to select an independent consultant to assist in deciding the future of Collingswood EMS services and a schedule for a public process. Todays settlement allows us to move forward as an elected body in a way that reflects the values of Collingswood, Maley said in a statement. My concerns in filing this action were rooted in two core principles: avoiding conflicts of interest under the law and ensuring that major decisions, especially those involving essential services like Fire and EMS, are made with full public awareness and engagement. Solano-Ward confirmed she would limit her involvement with the EMS process moving forward, but said she trusted Henderson Riley and Maley to roll up their sleeves and work together to find a resolution in a timely manner. The catalyst for the dispute was concerns that Solano-Ward heard from the boroughs fire chief over his departments lack of capacity to respond to the 4,000 calls it receives annually, the mayor said in a December commissioners meeting. The emergency medical services generate $450,000 a year, the lawsuit says. The mayor held a meeting with Collingswoods fire chief in August, the suit says, and brought her husband, a Virtua critical-care physician, Jared Ward. He does not hold leadership positions in the South Jersey health system. Virtua was one of two entities that responded to a request for proposals to provide ambulance services for the borough. At the Dec. 1 commissioners meeting, Solano-Ward defended her husbands involvement, saying the borough does not have a medical officer and she wanted to be sure no question went unasked. We reached out to our attorney and he agreed that there could be a conflict of interest, the mayor said in the meeting. To which I respectfully disagree and I will be voting on the matter. The commissioners board approved the contract in a 2-1 vote, with Maley opposing. Before the vote, the former long-time mayor, who held the position from 1997 until May, expressed outrage at the lack of transparency during the process and Solano-Wards participation. Its absurd, it is wrong, its unethical, Maley said. The contentious lawsuit spilled into the January commissioners meeting, in which residents seemed divided on the issue. Some complained about the perceived lack of transparency by Solano-Ward in the decision to privatize the boroughs EMS department, while others accused Maley of neglecting the ambulance services during his tenure as mayor. Conlen Booth was sworn in as mayor of Swarthmore this month. Read more Hi, Greater Media! Swarthmores new mayor expects his background in emergency services management to be an asset in guiding the borough. Heres why. Also this week, the former Crozer-Chester Medical Center has a new owner, a new bookstore specializing in rare and used books has opened in Swarthmore, plus an inclusive cafe that will employ individuals with disabilities is opening in Glen Mills. Were also gearing up for a (potentially big) snowstorm this weekend. Follow along here for the latest forecast. Advertisement If someone forwarded you this email, sign up for free here. If not me, then who? That was a phrase that kept running through Conlen Booths mind when contemplating whether he should run for mayor of Swarthmore. Despite initial reluctance, the Strath Haven High School grad felt he could do well in the role, thanks in part to his 25 years with the boroughs fire department, most recently as its chief. The 42-year-old expects that experience to be valuable as Swarthmore and the surrounding communities continue to deal with the fallout from Crozer-Chester Medical Centers closure last year. (Keep reading for more news out of Crozer-Chester.) Get to know more about Booth and his vision for the boroughs emergency services management. Community News Schools Briefing There are early dismissals tomorrow for two Rose Tree Media schools ahead of dances: Penncrest High will let out at 11 a.m. and kick off its freshman/sophomore dance at 7 p.m., and Springton Lake Middle School will finish classes at 11:50 a.m. and have its seventh and eighth grade winter semi-formal dance starting at 6:30 p.m. Penncrest will have a course selection night next Thursday from 6:30 to 9 p.m. See the districts full calendar here. Wallingford-Swarthmore has a school board meeting Monday at 7 p.m. and back-to-school night next Thursday. See the districts full calendar here. On our Plate A new cafe is coming to the Concordville Town Centre in Glen Mills. Ryans Rise Up Cafe is slated to open in March at 4 Evergreen Dr., where it will employ individuals with disabilities, as well as provide them with training and support. The cafe is the brainchild of Jim Vail, who wanted to create an inclusive space in the community for people like his 20-year-old son Ryan, who has Down syndrome. (CBS Philadelphia) Things to Do Chris Nee Comedy Night: The local comedian will perform a Philly-forward set and film his comedy special A Trip Down Academy Lane. Friday, Jan. 23, 7 p.m. $25 The Media Theatre Woman-Owned Business Pop-Up Market: More than two dozen women-owned businesses will gather this weekend for a pop-up market where you can shop, make a floral bouquet, or learn more about holistic wellness. Saturday, Jan. 24, 11 a.m.-4 p.m. Pay as you go Media Town Mall vestibule and Glimmer Gifts + Goods, Media Ice on State: Browse works of art from Ice Sculpture Philly artists, watch live demonstrations, and listen to music at this family-friendly event. Saturday, Jan. 24-Sunday, Jan. 25, noon-5 p.m. Free State Street, Media Tri-State Jazz Society Concert: Jazz cornet and trumpet player Danny Tobias will headline this months concert. Sunday, Jan. 25, 2-4:30 p.m. $10 for members, $20 for non-members Community Arts Center, Wallingford Native Plants and Pollinators of Pennsylvania: Stoneleigh naturalist Samantha Nestory will discuss the importance of lesser-known native pollinators and the plants that help support them during this lecture. Monday, Jan. 26, 7:30 p.m. (snow date: Feb. 2) $10 for Gardners of Rose Valley members, $15 at the door The Old Mill, Rose Valley On the Market Built in 1900, this Craftsman bungalow pays homage to its historic roots while incorporating modern upgrades. The first floor features a family room, a dining room, a living room with a brick fireplace, and a kitchen with a Viking range and green cabinetry. There are three bedrooms on the second floor, while the third floor contains the primary suite, which has a whirlpool tub and a skylight. The home also has a detached one-car garage and a fenced backyard. Theres an open house Saturday from noon to 2 p.m. See more photos of the home here. Price: $760,000 | Size: 2,265 SF | Acreage: 0.2 What other Greater Media residents are reading this week: By submitting your written, visual, and/or audio contributions, you agree to The Inquirers Terms of Use, including the grant of rights in Section 10. This suburban content is produced with support from the Leslie Miller and Richard Worley Foundation and The Lenfest Institute for Journalism. Editorial content is created independently of the project donors. Gifts to support The Inquirers high-impact journalism can be made at inquirer.com/donate. A list of Lenfest Institute donors can be found at lenfestinstitute.org/supporters. Philly would close 20 schools in massive proposal Wholesale changes are coming to the Philadelphia School District, with Superintendent Tony B. Watlington Sr. poised to propose a massive reshaping of the system, including closing 20 schools. The plan, years in the making, would touch the majority of the districts buildings: over a decade, 159 would be modernized, six co-located inside existing buildings, 12 closed for district use and eight closed and given to the city. One new building would be constructed. Francis Scales, 22, a local political influencer, gets pepper-sprayed in the face on the SEPTA 7 bus on Monday Jan. 19, 2026. Read more A video of a former WHYY intern yelling expletives and pepper-spraying a local influencer on a SEPTA bus is going viral on conservative media. During the encounter on Monday afternoon, 22-year-old Paulina Reyes called 22-year-old Francis Scales a fascist and racist. Reposts of the video capturing the incident have since garnered millions of views on social media. Advertisement The video depicts Reyes accusing Scales of insulting Muslim people, Black people, and Latino people in posts on his website. Reyes then proceeds to pepper-spray him in the face while Scales friend and colleague films. Scales runs a website called Surge Philly on which he posts videos of himself interviewing people at protests. He became known for provoking District Attorney Larry Krasner at a town hall and organizing a protest against him. Social media accounts, including I Meme Therefore I Am, which has more than 842,000 followers on X, and Libs of TikTok, which has 4.5 million X followers, launched the video and its two subjects into the national spotlight in the days following the encounter. Both social media accounts are known for posting and reposting content geared toward conservative audiences. BREAKING: Antifa agitator attacked two conservative independent journalists on a Philly bus, pepper spraying them, punching them, and trying to grab their phone. She needs to be identified and arrested! I Meme Therefore I Am posted on X alongside the video on Monday night. By Wednesday afternoon the post had 2.3 million views and 8,600 reposts. Billionaire Elon Musk got involved, commenting She has violence issues on Surge Phillys X post containing the video of the incident. His comment attracted 222,000 views. Soon, the social media posts were linking Reyes to WHYY. Reyes interned there over the summer but neglected to update her LinkedIn profile to reflect that her internship had ended months ago. The lapse led people on social media to post about her as if she were still employed there and led to criticism of the public radio station. Hi @WHYYNews, why are your reporters pepper spraying independent journalists on the bus?? Libs of TikTok posted Tuesday morning. Scales has capitalized on the attention, reposting several tweets from popular social media accounts containing the video and messages supporting him and condemning Reyes. Meanwhile, Reyes said she has received nonstop phone calls from strangers around the country and has gotten private messages from people threatening to rape or kill her. Reyes and Scales were peers at Community College of Philadelphia, where Reyes is still a full-time student studying communications and media. Scales was studying biology and got partway through his degree before leaving school and transitioning to full-time content creation, he said. He plans to go back and finish his degree eventually. The two had crossed paths a few times at school and were familiar with each other at the time of the encounter on the Route 7 bus, they both said. Reyes said she had an overall positive impression of Scales on their first few meetings, and felt he was trying to do right by the students in his capacity as student government president. But her attitude changed during his tenure as president. She said she observed him condescend to students and staff of color and carried that behavior over to the content on his Surge Philly website once he left school. When she saw him on the bus in South Philly, her initial intention was to have a civil conversation, she said. She planned on asking him why his videos do not offer multiple viewpoints on the issues discussed. I did not want to pepper-spray someone on a public bus, she said. This is not something I wanted to do. Scales soon started filming the confrontation for my own safety, he said, because she was attacking me. Reyes said she asked him to stop filming and felt the anger building as he kept the camera rolling. Especially as it started to dawn on her that he would likely post this video online. I got mad and I wanted to defend myself because he wasnt listening, Reyes said. I did what I thought was the safest thing to protect myself. I pepper-sprayed him in the face. Scales said he managed to dodge the first spray. Reyes then got off the bus. Knowing this video was likely to reach Scales followers, Reyes returned to the bus and came at Scales again with insults about his videos. I wanted to make a message that the content he was making was harmful and it was hurting people, Reyes said. It was hurting communities that are trying to feel safe right now. She concluded her tirade by pepper-spraying him again, this time getting him in the eyes. SEPTA is investigating the incident, which took place at 23rd Street and Washington Avenue, according to agency spokesperson Andrew Busch. Philadelphia police did not respond to a request for comment. Nor did Community College of Philadelphia. Scales said he posted the video online partly because it was such a shocking incident, but also, in part, because it felt aligned with the rest of the content on his website. I thought it was relevant, Scales said. She was calling me a racist and a fascist and then she committed violence because of what she thought I was. This was not Scales first time getting attacked for his interviews and posts, he said. He attributes the attacks to the lines of questioning he often pursues when interviewing people at protests. The protesters seem to sense hes not in their circle, he said. Some of Scales recent videos consist of him interviewing people at protests and on the street. He typically homes in on one question, such as Do you think people have a right to disrupt ICE operations? or Do you believe in the concept of having a border? They react aggressively and violently to anybody who they feel may not have their same worldview, he said. I think its a sign that what Im doing is good and that I need to stay on this path. As for Reyes journalistic aspirations, she said she is nervous. My entire life has been feeling like its falling down now, she said. Im just worried about how this would affect my future as a journalist. WHYY spokesperson Gary Bramnick responded to the incident with a statement clarifying Reyes has no current affiliation, employment, or contractual relationship with our organization. Reyes said she has undergone years of treatment for borderline personality disorder and depression. She has been working on managing her emotions better, she said, but, in this moment, they got the best of her. Im not a perfect person and Im learning how to self-regulate better, she said. For Scales part, he said he does not feel safe returning to campus until the college makes a public statement in an effort to denounce political violence. File: A view of the Delaware Valley Resource Recovery Facility owned by Reworld (previously Covanta) in Chester. Philadelphia incinerates 37% of its trash. Read more A high-profile bill to ban Philadelphia from incinerating its trash was put on hold Thursday after intense lobbying by residents, activists, and industry put its future in doubt. The bills sponsor, Councilmember Jamie Gauthier, made a last-minute decision to pull the measure, which would prevent the city from shipping its trash to be burned for energy at the Reworld Delaware Valley Resource Recovery Facility in Chester. Advertisement I made the difficult decision to hold the bill today because my colleagues have asked for more time with it, Gauthier said, noting she had not given up on the bill. Gauthier said the bill would prevent dumping on cities that are more vulnerable than us. This would never happen in a community that wasnt populated mainly by Black people, and mainly by poor Black people, she said of Chester. The people that are lobbying otherwise they know that they would never accept this where they live. The move to hold the bill came after hours of public testimony by people speaking for and against it. However, almost all of those speaking against the bill either work for Reworld, the Chester waste-to-energy plant, or represent labor unions. Reworld employees could be seen lobbying Council members in the hallways. READ MORE: Philly sends a third of its trash to a Chester incinerator. Council members took a Toxic Tour to get a closer look. Whats in the bill? Gauthiers Stop Trashing Our Air Act would prohibit the city from contracting with companies that incinerate solid waste or recyclables. Gauthier said that 37% of the citys trash is incinerated. READ MORE: For 30 years, she has fought a waste-to-energy plant in Chester City: We dont have a choice The bill, she has said, is designed to combat environmental injustice, contending incineration has been particularly harmful to the Chester area. Chester Mayor Stefan Roots and local activists expressed support for the legislation on Thursday, citing health and environmental concerns. Im asking you and begging you, Roots said in asking Council to vote in favor of the bill. Were counting on all of you to support it. Roots said the Reworld plant burns more trash than all of Delaware County produces. Multiple Chester and Philly residents say the emissions from Reworld either caused or exacerbated asthma and other health conditions. Andrea Robinson moved to Chester three years ago, she testified to Council. But she was unaware of the Reworld facility when she moved there. I walk out my door and smell the stinky odor. Im embarrassed to invite family and friends over. There are dust and dirt all over the car and windows, she said. Fierce lobbying Gauthiers bill ran up against a fierce effort to prevent its passage. Alex Piscitelli, facility manager at Reworld, testified that the plant operates under the strict requirements of the Clean Air Act. He said claims that the facility causes human health issues are simply not supported by the data and emissions operate well below federal limits. Multiple representatives of the company spoke, including workers who lived in Chester and Philadelphia. Ramona Jones, who lives in Chester and works at Reworld, said the job allows her to be close to her children and family. She said the company has given her a livable wage, a higher wage. Matt Toomey, a business agent for the operating engineers union, told Council that up to 120 family-sustaining jobs were at stake, and noted the Reworld plant is heavily regulated and located in an already industrialized area. Political reality Aides for Mayor Cherelle L. Parker, whose administration opposes the legislation, also worked the room. Council members hardly ever call for votes on doomed bills. But Gauthier initially appeared to be willing to roll the dice by calling the measure up for a vote despite its uncertain fate. As the morning progressed, however, it became clear she did not have the nine votes needed for passage and almost certainly did not have the 12 votes that would be needed to overcome a likely veto by Parker. Insisting on the vote would mean that Gauthier was putting colleagues in the uncomfortable position of choosing between environmental advocates and trade unions, two important constituencies in Democratic primaries. But Gauthier pledged to push for the bill. I am committed to this, she said. At the City of Philadelphia, we have to be a model for brotherly love, sisterly affection. A satellite image taken six months ago shows the construction of large white tents for a new immigrant detention center at Fort Bliss, an Army base outside El Paso, Texas. Read more In the sweltering August heat of the West Texas desert, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement through a $1.2 billion private contract that was awarded under some strange circumstances in 2025 opened up a large tent city detention camp near El Paso to take some of the thousands swept up in Donald Trumps mass deportation raids. It took just a matter of days for horror stories to begin leaking out of the sprawling camp on the grounds of Fort Bliss. Advertisement A Cuban refugee identified as Isaac, a pseudonym, told investigators from a coalition of human rights groups that guards had violently assaulted him as part of a campaign to convince him and other detainees to be dumped in Mexico rather than to contest their deportation. Isaac told the groups lawyers in a sworn declaration that the guards hit my head and slammed it against the wall approximately ten times before grabbing and crushing his testicles, then handcuffing him and putting him on a bus with 20 other detainees that was driven to the border. They were told, according to Isaac, If we dont want to go to Mexico, then we would either be sent to a jail cell in El Salvador or Africa. Isaacs complaints echoed other nightmarish tales that attorneys for the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) and a web of immigrant rights groups gleaned in 45 interviews with detainees that were cited in a December letter pleading with ICE to shut down what has become the largest internment camp in the United States. The implication was that if the Trump regime did not act, things at Camp East Montana would get worse. They did. Over a 33-day stretch that straddled the arrival of the new year, three ICE detainees at the Texas camp died under murky circumstances. One of the cases the Jan. 3 death of 55-year-old Geraldo Lunas Campos, also a Cuban immigrant was on Wednesday ruled a homicide by the county medical examiner, citing efforts by camp guards to restrain him. The medical examiner wrote in his report that Campos died from asphyxia due to neck and torso compression. The U.S. Department of Homeland Security, which oversees ICE, has continued to maintain that Campos death was a suicide, and that any encounter he had with guards was an effort to prevent him from taking his own life. Two fellow detainees who reported seeing guards choking Campos have now received deportation notices. The mother of two of Campos children told the New York Times, He was being abused and beaten and choked to death. The alleged killing of Campos is arguably the worst example of what many critics predicted when Trump won the presidency in 2024, behind supporters waving placards, Mass Deportation Now. The squalid, hastily erected tent city in the Texas desert is the flagship of what experts describe as a growing network of concentration camps. And now, one year into Trumps second term, people are dying in them. Its everything that we warned it would be, even before it opened, Haddy Gassama, a senior policy counsel at the ACLU whos been working on the issues around Camp East Montana, told me this week. I think their goal is still to put 5,000 people in this space with inadequate healthcare, inadequate food, and inadequate recreation. The high-profile, increasingly violent immigration raids that have been taking place in Minneapolis, Chicago, and other U.S. cities have swelled the number of detainees in ICE custody to more than 73,000, an all-time record. DHS is currently planning a large-scale 2026 expansion of its gulag archipelago that would even include repurposing remote rural warehouses for holding human beings. In such a large population of detainees, some deaths would be inevitable, but the current ongoing spike in fatalities has shocked and alarmed experts. The sixth ICE detainee death of 2026 took place on Sunday, which is a rate of one every three days. That extrapolates to more than 120 deaths over a year, which would be more than 10 times the rate in the last year of the Biden administration, when only 11 detainees perished. That Jan. 18 fatality also occurred at Camp East Montana, when Victor Manuel Diaz, 36, of Nicaragua, died of what government officials called a presumed suicide. Unlike Campos, the autopsy on Diaz will not be done by the county medical examiner, but by government doctors at an Army medical center. Diaz was one of many migrants swept up in the current ICE operation in Minnesota. The third recent death tied to the Texas concentration camp Francisco Gaspar-Andres, 48, of Guatemala, who was taken to an El Paso hospital was determined by an autopsy to have been caused by complications of alcohol-related liver disease. That the majority of ICE custody deaths are linked to medical causes doesnt necessarily exonerate either the agency or its private contractors. A 2024 report by Physicians for Human Rights that looked at 52 deaths in ICE custody from 2017 to 2021, or during Trumps first term, found that 95% were preventable, or possibly preventable, if appropriate medical care had been provided. READ MORE: This column on U.S. concentration camps is the one I hoped Id never write | Will Bunch One such medical death occurred here in Philadelphia earlier this month when Parady La, a 46-year-old Cambodian refugee who lived in Upper Darby, died after he was taken from the citys federal detention center to Thomas Jefferson University Hospital. ICE said La was suffering from severe drug withdrawal symptoms, but family members are questioning whether the feds paid enough attention to his illness, or even administered the right treatment. Human rights watchers insist that the spike in ICE detention deaths cannot be viewed as a coincidence, but as an outgrowth of problems that include not only medical neglect but also squalid conditions, substandard food, rancid water, and patterns of physical and sexual abuse by guards. They say the problems are not new, but have substantially worsened as the Trump regime hastily expands its networks of detention centers and camps. In December, another Camp East Montana detainee Thomas, also a pseudonym told human rights lawyers that he was beaten by officers so severely he sustained injuries across his body, lost consciousness, and had to be taken to a hospital in an ambulance. Like his fellow detainee Isaac, he alleged guards grabbed his testicles and crushed them. Gassama, the ACLU attorney, said the horrific track record of ICE detention raises all kinds of red flags about its current plans, aided by its $175 billion windfall in Trumps Big Beautiful Bill that was signed last year, to house as many as 80,000 detainees in a new network of revamped warehouses. You can only imagine what a remodeled warehouse would be like to detain people, human beings, long term, she said. Its true that as right-wing pundits are always quick to point out the U.S. mass deportation regime offers nothing that comes close to the death camps Nazi Germany established at the end of the Holocaust. But experts like author Andrea Pitzer say the similarities to concentration camps that Adolf Hitler set up for his political enemies after taking power in 1933 are too many to ignore. History has shown again and again that rounding up masses of people based on their identity strips them of their basic humanity. And that becomes the sick justification for violent abuse, neglect, endemic disease, and, ultimately, death. The most famous victim of the Nazi Holocaust, the teenage diarist Anne Frank, wasnt killed in a gas chamber, but died from typhus at the Bergen-Belsen concentration camp, which was the result of unsanitary conditions and medical neglect. Now, people are dying in record numbers in the camps on sunbaked U.S. soil. This is shameful beyond words. These human rights abuses now occurring at Camp East Montana are also a tragic echo of the longer arc of history of its Fort Bliss location. In 1942, thousands of detainees mostly Japanese Americans, with some people of German or Italian descent were shipped from the West Coast to be held in a barbed-wire camp under constant watch by armed guards. Over the course of World War II, some 1,862 Japanese Americans died in the broader network of internment camps, many from harsh conditions. More than four decades later, America formally apologized for this gross injustice. This time, we need to stop it before it comes to that. City Councilmember Nina Ahmad stands in Council's chambers during a December meeting. She introduced legislation this week to hold hearings on access to reproductive healthcare in the city, angering one of her colleagues who had already authored a similar resolution. Read more They say imitation is the sincerest form of flattery, but Kendra Brooks isnt taking kindly to a recent gesture of duplication by one of her colleagues. The progressive City Council member is incensed at Councilmember Nina Ahmad, a Democrat who has been in something of cold war with Brooks for months over stalled legislation related to reproductive healthcare access. Advertisement It all came to a head Thursday when Ahmad introduced a resolution to hold a hearing examining access to such care in Philadelphia legislation that would, under most circumstances, be uncontroversial in a body where Democrats hold a supermajority. But Brooks and Councilmember Nicolas ORourke, both of the progressive Working Families Party, voted against it a highly unusual move in a body that almost always unanimously approves legislation to authorize hearings. The backstory: Brooks had already authored legislation to hold a hearing on threats to reproductive healthcare, and City Council approved it five months ago. But the hearings have not happened. Ahmad, who chairs the Public Health and Human Services Committee, has refused to schedule Brooks hearing, citing scheduling difficulties. That was despite pleas from advocates to move swiftly amid new federal restrictions on reproductive care and clinics closing due to funding loss. Now, Ahmad is poised to call up her own legislation on the matter, leaving Brooks and her allies feeling squeezed out. Ahmad said her legislation is far more broad than Brooks and would allow Council to examine the entire reproductive healthcare landscape, not just access to abortion care. The Council member who authors a resolution to hold a hearing typically has sway over how the hearing is conducted, including steering the tenor of it by lining up witnesses to testify. In turn, that can drive the creation of more concrete legislation. You have to be comprehensive, Ahmad said in an interview. Im evidence-based. Im a scientist. I want to look at the whole breadth of things. But Brooks said she is focused on all forms of reproductive healthcare and criticized Ahmads legislation for failing to acknowledge the role of the citys Reproductive Freedom Task Force, which Brooks leads. Members of that group called for Council hearings after local Planned Parenthood leaders said they were disappointed that the most recent city budget did not include a $500,000 line item for sexual and reproductive healthcare, as it did the previous year. Brooks said Ahmad was engaging in foolishness. This is a level of petty that turns people off from politics, she said. Its really unfortunate that she would play politics on an issue thats this important. And Brooks intimated that the saga could cause her and her progressive allies to target Ahmad next year, when every City Council member is up for reelection. Im not going to forget this, Brooks said. Were very close to reelection to be playing this game. The veiled threat from Brooks, the face of the citys Working Families Party, is notable and could put the WFP on a collision course with the local Democratic Party which tends to endorse incumbents such as Ahmad. The WFP has previously said its efforts to win minority-party seats on Council are no threat to Democrats. However, in 2023 when both Brooks and Ahmad were running for seats on Council to represent the city at-large, Ahmad said that the WFP was trying to poach Democratic voters and that its political strategy was lazy. But Ahmad said Thursday she is not playing politics. Shes the one, Ahmad said of Brooks. Im the chair of the Public Health Committee, and I need to be aware of what work is going on in these respects. And if people dont want to share, thats up to them. Brooks said she plans to hold her own hearing in March what she is calling a peoples hearing that will take place outside the walls of City Hall. Some advocates say they will participate in both that event and Ahmads traditional hearing. Signe Espinoza, the vice president of public policy and advocacy at Planned Parenthood of Southeastern Pennsylvania, said she is supportive of any legislation that elevates the issue no matter the author. We are committed to keeping the doors open, and we also recognize that this is the most hostile environment weve ever been in, Espinoza said, noting that clinics have closed across the country. The clock is ticking. 1619 Walnut St., which just sold to a Swiss investor with ties to Philadelphia. Read more Another Philadelphia office building has sold for a small fraction of what it last changed hands for, this time in the heart of Center Citys retail district. The six-story property at 1619 Walnut St. was purchased by Marc Zollinger, a Swiss investor and CEO of the company MZP AG, which is listed as the purchaser. Zollingers LinkedIn profile shows that he formerly worked in Philadelphia for Miller Investment Management. Advertisement The property sold for over $5 million, a dramatic decrease from when the seller Nuveen Real Estate purchased it in 2013 for over $19 million, according to a person familiar with the sale. Neither Nuveen or Zollinger responded to a request for comment. The office space in 1619 Walnut is wholly vacant, although real estate firm Keller Williams still holds a lease for two floors of now empty office space. The retail picture at the property is more positive, with shoe seller New Balance occupying nearly 4,000 square feet on the ground floor with a lease that expires in 2035. The sale price is seen as an unusually good deal for the location. Although the second-tier office space available in the building is the exact kind of product that has been hard hit by the rise of hybrid work since the COVID-19 pandemic, the upper floors of 1619 Walnut are seen as ideal for conversion into apartments. The sale price is an anomaly. [Zollinger] bought it at an astoundingly good price, said Larry Steinberg, head of the urban retail division for real estate services firm Colliers Philadelphia office, who was not involved with the deal. It would make a lovely residential conversion. The propertys sale was handled by JLL, a real estate services company, which advertised the building as an ideal office-to-residential conversion. The property enjoys the most flexible zoning in Philadelphias code, making such a transition relatively simple. With rectangular floorplates measuring approximately 4,900 square feet, the floor plan of the building makes it an ideal candidate for a conversion to boutique residential, reads JLLs promotional materials for the sale. Given the existing layout of each floor, the redevelopment would accommodate a variety of modern open layouts with access to an abundance of natural light. JLL estimates that the office floors could accommodate up to 20 residential units, depending on the size of the apartments. The building was purpose built for KYW radio in 1937 and, later, its television division. The influential Mike Douglas Show was based out of the building for much of its run, employing Roger Ailes, later of Fox News fame, in the late 1960s. In the early 1970s, John Lennon and Yoko Ono guest-hosted the show from the building for a week, interviewing people including Chuck Berry and Ralph Nader. More recently, between 1997 and 2009, 1619 Walnut was home to the influential French restaurant Brasserie Perrier. JLLs Jim Galbally, who led the sales team, told real estate analytics firm CoStar that the purchase represented a rare opportunity to acquire a retail, mixed-use asset along Walnut Street, Philadelphias premier high avenue. - " "! , ! , , . News / National by Staff reporter MASHONALAND West acting provincial mining director Sibongile Mpindiwa has been arrested for allegedly unlawfully forfeiting mining claims, changing ownership and then handing them over to other people.The Zimbabwe Anti-Corruption Commission crack team swooped on Mpindiwa yesterday and she is expected to appear at Chinhoyi Magistrates' Court today facing four counts of criminal abuse of office.ZACC spokesperson Commissioner John Makamure last night confirmed the arrest of Mpindiwa, who was being held in police custody at Chinhoyi Police station.It is alleged that on February 22 2019, Mpindiwa, being the acting provincial mining director for Mashonaland West, issued a mining certificate to Frank Siyankuni for Ruvengo 13A and 13B on Stockdale Farm Chegutu.The mining claims belong to Dallaglio Private Limited which was issued a mining certificate for the same mining area in 2005 and this certificate was never cancelled.According to the charge sheet, Mpindiwa allegedly contravened the Mines and Minerals Act, which deals with the registration of mining blocks and requires that all due procedures must be followed before rejecting claims or signing certificates.In addition to this, Mpindiwa allegedly acted contrary what was expected of a provincial mining director whose duties include supervising support staff at provincial level, overseeing ministry policies, and co-ordinating and maintaining best practices in the province.Her actions were in apparent show of favour to Siyankuni and disfavour to Dallaglio Private Limited, said ZACC.On the second count, it is alleged that on June 5 2019, Mpindiwa forfeited Victory 286 Bright Mine Syndicate of Verbluden of Dunphaile Farm registration number 41092 which belonged to Correct Dube.The following year, on September 25 2020, Mpindiwa revoked the same mine from forfeiture and issued it back to Correct Dube. By so doing, Mpindiwa allegedly acted contrary to her duty by showing favour to Correct Dube at the expense of Micah Mashiri and other individuals on the waiting list.Her actions were allegedly in breach of the Mines and Minerals Act which clearly states that revocation of such mines should be done within 21 days from date of forfeiture. In the case in question, revocation was done after 15 months, according to ZACC.On the third count it is being alleged that in February 2021, Mpindiwa issued someone identified only as Kwaramba with a prospecting licence to mine at Strathmore Farm which is located in Banket.The farm is allegedly reserved for the mining promotion corporation, a Government exploration company under EPO 07/2019 but the blocks for Kwaramba are situated right under that exclusive prospecting order.In this case, Mpindiwa again acted illegally. According to ZACC, she should have rejected the application for aprospecting license since the area in question was under EPO 07/2019.On the last count, Mpindiwa is alleged to have revoked Zurich Mine's registration number 268 and 269 under revocation invoice number 063213B on June 4 2021. Zurich Mine had been issued its certificates on September 11 2006 and these were forfeited in September 2011.Mpindiwa allegedly revoked Zurich Mine's two registrations 10 years later after Zurich had forfeited the mine. She is being accused of acting contrary to her duty by showing favour to Hardwork Berah, who received the new licences, and disfavour to Athanas Ranjeni and other applicants on the waiting list.By so doing she contravened the Mines and Mineral Act which requires that such revocation can only be done within 21 days from the date of forfeiture. Brown University students resumed classes on Wednesday following a deadly shooting last month that shattered the typical sense of safety on the picturesque campus and spurred a review of the Ivy League institutions security measures. A shooter attacked an exam-prep session at Brown on Dec. 13, killing two students and injuring nine others. Brown swiftly canceled final exams and sent students home early for the winter break as law enforcement hunted for the person responsible. After a nearly week-long manhunt, the shooter Claudio Manuel Neves Valente, a former Brown student was found dead in a storage facility in New Hampshire. All of the injured students were discharged from the hospital by Jan. 5, according to a Brown University Health spokesperson. The university plans to hold a memorial service for Ella Cook and Mukhammad Aziz Umurzokov, the two students who were killed, on Feb. 7. Shortly after the Brown shooting, Valente killed Massachusetts Institute of Technology professor Nuno Loureiro in Massachusetts. Browns campus is tucked into an affluent part of Providence, Rhode Island, itself a safe mid-size city with low rates of gun violence. The campus largely isnt walled off, instead merging into the residential neighborhoods and local thoroughfares that surround it. Thats part of the appeal, both for Brown students and locals. But the university is now grappling with how to preserve that sense of community while taking steps to keep its students and faculty safe. Brown President Christina Paxson commissioned an external review of the schools safety protocols last month. The university had more than 1,200 cameras installed at the time of the shooting but faced criticism over the lack of clear footage that could help identify the shooter. More cameras have now been mounted and Brown has also installed additional panic buttons. Most Brown academic buildings can now only be accessed with a university swipe card. The school has doubled the number of public safety officers on its campus. Paxson placed the schools police chief on administrative leave and named Hugh Clements, Providences former police chief, as interim public-safety leader. Im not scared to go back, said Joseph McGonagle, a freshman studying applied mathematics. I will say, I think there are going to be certain parts of campus that are really hard to go to. Read More: Mystery Motive Baffles Brown, MIT With Shooting Suspect Dead McGonagle had brunch with Umurzokov and another friend the morning of the shooting and barricaded himself along with others for at least five hours in the science library until law enforcement officials told them they could leave. He texted Umurzokov and his other friend to check on them. The friend eventually responded to say he had been shot but survived. McGonagle learned overnight that Umurzokov had died. In a transcript of video recordings released by federal officials this month, Valente said he planned for six semesters before the attack on Browns campus. He expressed no remorse for his actions but also gave no clear explanation for why he targeted the university and Loureiro, who led MITs Plasma Science and Fusion Center. Valente studied physics at Brown in the early 2000s and also attended the same university in Lisbon as Loureiro, officials have said. At the Barus & Holley engineering building where the shooting occurred, two lecture halls and eight classrooms remain closed indefinitely. But the thousands of personal items left behind during the investigation can finally be retrieved by their owners. Psychologists and other trained personnel will be posted on campus to offer counseling. The road to recovery for some will be long, and there will be steps forward and steps back along the way, Brown President Paxson wrote in an open letter on Tuesday. We are a community that feels loss, while at the same time reclaiming all that it is to be Brown. To help faculty prepare to welcome students back, Brown administrators shared materials from Michigan State University and the University of Virginia, two other schools that have experienced mass shootings. Their recommendations included cutting back on in-class activities and offering students the opportunity to re-take or re-write their work. Many in Browns community say theyre eager to get back, even as they express a sense of dread about walking past Barus & Holley or returning to the classrooms they barricaded themselves in during the campus lockdown. Some are channeling that energy into efforts to reduce gun violence. Tommy Medlin, a junior who serves as gun reform caucus director for Browns College Democrats, said hes been flooded with emails in recent days from students wanting to attend the groups next meeting. I never had a personal connection to gun violence until now, Medlin said. Looming over the revamp of Browns security measures is an investigation by the Trump administration into the universitys compliance with the Clery Act, a 1990 law that requires colleges to uphold certain safety standards. Brown agreed to pay $50 million to support workforce development in Rhode Island as part of a July settlement with the White House that ended an investigation into the schools handling of antisemitism on campus and restored its federal research funding. Brown will assess and adjust security measures as necessary in the coming weeks and is also committed to sustaining and restoring the sense of belonging, joy and possibility that defines who we are, university officials said in a letter last week. Historically, its been an open campus that takes its ties to the broader community quite seriously, said Bradford Gibbs, a finance professor and a Brown alumnus who lives a few blocks from campus. What trade-offs does one have to make? How far do we take it? Top Photo: A memorial outside the Barus and Holley building at Brown University in Providence, Rhode Island on Dec. 19. Photographer: Craig F. Walker/The Boston Globe/Getty Images Copyright 2026 Bloomberg. Three of the worlds largest dairy companies are recalling and blocking batches of infant milk formula after a contamination scare that began with Nestle widened on Wednesday to French groups Danone and Lactalis. The recalls highlight how a single compromised ingredient can spread through the tightly regulated infant nutrition sector, triggering swift action from regulators and companies keen to avoid reputational harm and protect market share in lucrative regions such as China. Read more: China Urges Nestle to Work Quickly on Baby Formula Recall Nestle recalled batches of infant nutrition products in dozens of countries earlier this month, due to possible contamination with cereulide, a toxin that can cause nausea and vomiting. A judicial inquiry in France is underway into whether there is a link between the death of a baby and the Nestle milk. The farm ministry said the results are expected in about 10 days. The Singapore Food Agency on Saturday ordered the precautionary recall of a batch of Danones Thai-origin Dumex Dulac 1 and Nestles Swiss-origin NAN HA1 SupremePro after detecting cereulide. Privately-owned Lactalis said on Wednesday its nutrition unit was recalling batches of baby milk in 18 countries, due to the presence of cereulide in an ingredient sourced from a supplier. All infant milk producers in France and internationally are likely to have been affected by deliveries of non-compliant raw materials from the same manufacturer, which led to recalls by Nestle and Lactalis, a farm ministry official told Reuters. Share Price Reaction Seems Overdone Danones shares were down around 8.3% on Wednesday, touching their lowest level since February 2025 in early trade. The company said it was working with Singapores regulator and that all controls confirmed its products were safe, with no irregularities found relating to Bacillus cereus, the bacteria that can produce cereulide. The weakness over the last week has been driven by broker downgrades citing foreignexchange headwinds, slower industry growth and falling Chinese birth rates that are weighing on infant formula sales, said Sagar Thanki, an investment analyst at Danone investor Guinness Global Investors. The share price drop on Wednesday was due to the Singapore recall, Thanki added. The process involves high temperature and drying procedures that eradicate the bacteria, though some residue of toxin may still be detectable, but well below the regulatory standard and thus safe for consumption, JPMorgan said in a note after discussion with Danone. All in all, todays share price reaction seems overdone to us, though we understand the context post the Nestle recall. Infant formula represents about 21% of Danones group revenues, according to Bernstein analysts. For Nestle, the category likely accounts for around 5%. The supplier of the contaminated arachidonic acid, or ARA, is Dutch, a spokesperson for Lactalis told Reuters but ruled out that it was Amsterdam-listed producer dsm-firmenich. It was sold by a Dutch company but came from China, the French farm ministry official said separately, declining to give any company names. Nestle had also identified the quality concern at one of its factories in the Netherlands and suspended sourcing ARA oil from the supplier concerned. dsm-firmenich has said none of its products was affected by the Nestle recall. (Reporting by Mateusz Rabiega in Gdansk, Alexander Marrow in London and Sybille de la Hamaide in Paris; editing by Milla Nissi-Prussak, Emelia Sithole-Matarise, Louise Heavens and Barbara Lewis) Related: DUAL LatAm, part of DUAL Group, announced a significant increase in property capacity across Latin America, marking a strategic expansion of the property binder established with Brit in 2025 and reinforcing its commitment to delivering robust, reliable solutions in a dynamic market. This enhanced capacity is driven by a strategic alliance with Ki, Lloyds first fully digital and algorithmically powered syndicate. Building on the existing foundation with Fairfaxs Brit, this collaboration further strengthens DUAL LatAms underwriting capabilities and enables the delivery of comprehensive, tailored solutions to meet the evolving needs of brokers and clients across the region, DUAL said. The inclusion of Ki in our alliance with Brit demonstrates the confidence of the markets in the project DUAL is developing in Latin America, commented Paola Benitez, managing director, DUAL Mexico, in a statement. Brit has been a strategic partner for over 10 years, and having its support across additional lines of business, together with new partners such as Ki, clearly reflects the trust in our strategy, supported by the extensive regional expertise of our team and the global strength of the DUAL Group, Benitez added. By deepening its regional capabilities, DUAL LatAm said it is advancing its long-term growth strategy and reinforcing its position as a trusted partner in Latin America. DUAL Group is a subsidiary of the London-based broker Howden. Ki Insurance and Brit are both subsidiaries of Fairfax Group. Ki was launched by Brit in 2020. Related: Topics Property Beazley Plc has rejected Zurich Insurance Group AGs 7.7 billion ($10.3 billion) takeover approach, the latest twist in the Swiss giants attempt to acquire the UK specialty insurer. London-listed Beazley said its board has unanimously turned down Zurichs latest cash proposal of 1,280 pence per share on the basis that it materially undervalues the company and its longer-term prospects, according to a statement Thursday. The board said it received three proposals from Zurich in June 2025 and engaged with Zurich appropriately. However, the terms of Zurichs latest bid are below the last proposal in late June, which valued Beazley at 1,315 pence a share at an implied equity value of 8.4 billion, according to the statement. Shares in Beazley were 1% lower at 1,112 pence at 9:36 a.m. in London. If it makes sense for our shareholders to do a transaction, then well do a transaction, Beazley Chief Executive Officer Adrian Cox said in an interview. It just needs to be a Premier League price for a Premier League company. On Monday, Zurich went public with an offer to buy Beazley for 1,280 pence per share in cash, a 56% premium to the companys prior closing price on Jan. 16. The proposal was the fifth made by Zurich over more than a year, according to CEO Mario Greco. Zurichs Jan. 19 offer was 4% higher than a previous proposal earlier in the month, which Beazleys board also rejected. Beazleys shares have rallied almost 30% since the Jan. 19 offer was announced, but are still trading below the offer price. Read more: Zurich Makes 7.7 Billion Bid for Specialty Insurer Beazley Now that we know that this weeks offer was not the highest, this reframes the debate, Jefferies analysts including Derald Goh wrote in a note to clients Thursday. While its difficult for Beazleys board to accept an offer thats lower than 1,315 pence, a deal is still possible, they wrote. We think Zurich can afford better terms, but only up to an additional 10% from 1,280p, the analysts wrote. A 3% uplift to 1,315p sits comfortably within this. Top photograph: Zurich Insurance Group AGs headquarters in Zurich. Photo credit: Michele Limina/Bloomberg Copyright 2026 Bloomberg. Topics Mergers & Acquisitions A federal trial is underway for a former St. Louis, Missouri alderman accused of defrauding an insurance company while in office. Brandon Bosley is charged with orchestrating a fraud scheme to obtain money from his insurance company by falsely inflating the cost of repairs to a vehicle he was driving. Federal prosecutors have alleged that in March 2021 Bosley obtained a Prius from a businessman who owned a convenience store in Bosleys ward and a repair shop and used car lot elsewhere. Bosley paid $500 in cash for the Prius, which had an approximate value of $10,000. Bosley did not register or title the car in his own name. Later that year, another car struck the Prius while it was parked in front of Bosleys office. After the other drivers insurance company, Missouri Farm Bureau Insurance, contacted Bosley about the damages, Bosley and the businessmen conspired to prepare an inflated estimate of the repair costs so the insurance company would total the car, according to the indictment. Bosley asked the businessman to prepare a second, legitimate repair estimate in case Bosley wanted to buy back the car from the insurance company. Of course, you know their whole business is based on trying to maintain as many dollars as they can, Bosley told the businessman according to excerpts of the indictment reviewed by media station STLNPR. F*** that insurance company. I dont give two s***ts about em. Im not bothered by hitting them with as much as we can. I told them Im an elected official. Missouri Farm Bureau paid Bosley approximately $8,000 for the vehicle based on the falsely inflated repair estimate, the indictment says. Bosley then asked the businessman to offer the insurance company $2,000 to buy the car back, prosecutors allege. Bosley, who represented St. Louis 3rd Ward, lost his bid for re-election in 2023. Bosley faces four counts of wire fraud punishable by up to 20 years in prison and a false statement charge that carries up to five years. Jury selection for the trial was completed Tuesday but not without some struggle. According to Fox 2 News, several potential jurors questioned whether they could remain impartial given their negative views of insurers based on experiences of filing insurance claims. Topics Fraud News / National by Staff reporter President Emmerson Mnangagwa has reportedly moved to rein in his investment adviser, Tempter Paul Tungwarara, after reprimanding him for using divisive language at party-linked rallies where he has launched sharp attacks on political rivals.The development follows a controversial rally in Nyanga last weekend, where Tungwarara went on a public tirade against Zanu-PF central committee member and party benefactor Kudakwashe Tagwirei. During the address, Tungwarara accused Tagwirei of pressuring President Mnangagwa to dismiss Vice-Presidents Constantino Chiwenga and Kembo Mohadi.At the rally, held under the banner of an Empowerment Fund, Tungwarara also dished out cash to two Zanu-PF constituencies in Manicaland. However, his remarks and growing political posturing are said to have unsettled senior party leaders.A source close to developments said Mnangagwa was "not amused" by Tungwarara's utterances, which have since drawn criticism from prominent Zanu-PF figures, including Deputy National Youth League Commissar Taurai Kandishaya.Kandishaya openly questioned Tungwarara's role and mandate as a presidential adviser."After watching yesterday's Nyanga rally, I had to ask myself, as a commissar, who Paul Tungwarara really is," Kandishaya said."Are we not in recruitment mode as a party? I had to check when last he brought investors into the country, as per his mandate. It seems investors lost trust in him, hence this rush to wield internal power and name-dropping."Kandishaya also challenged Tungwarara's involvement in domestic political mobilisation, noting that his appointment was limited to serving as Presidential Investment Adviser to the United Arab Emirates."Manicaland is not part of the UAE. Is it?" he asked.Factional tensions within the ruling party appear to have intensified following Tungwarara's remarks in Manicaland, where he questioned the leadership credentials of Tagwirei, arguing that wealth does not equate to leadership."Leadership is about character and service, not money," Tungwarara told supporters."The character of a true leader is revealed even in small responsibilities, such as herding cattle. You cannot simply believe that having money qualifies you to become President. Leadership is about being anointed by God."His comments were widely interpreted as a direct attack on Tagwirei, whose political influence within Zanu-PF is perceived to be growing. The remarks drew loud applause from the crowd, which included Zanu-PF politburo member Christopher Mutsvangwa, a known critic of Tagwirei.Former Norton legislator Temba Mliswa has since warned that Tungwarara risks being consumed by Zanu-PF's internal factional battles. Writing on social media, Mliswa said Tungwarara was being manipulated by senior figures aligned to Vice-President Chiwenga's faction.According to Mliswa, the presence of figures such as Mutsvangwa at the Manicaland rally suggested that Tungwarara's attack on Tagwirei was part of a broader, coordinated strategy to undermine the businessman politically."With the likes of Chris, who has years of scheming and chasing after power, my friend Tungwarara becomes a victim whose innocent excitement may one day choke him," Mliswa said.Zanu-PF is increasingly divided by succession politics ahead of the end of Mnangagwa's term in 2028. Both Tagwirei and Tungwarara are reportedly positioning themselves for higher office, while Vice-President Chiwenga remains widely viewed as a leading contender, having played a central role in the 2017 military intervention that ended Robert Mugabe's rule.Against this backdrop, Mnangagwa's reported move to clip Tungwarara's wings is seen as an attempt to contain escalating factionalism and restore discipline within the party. A powerful winter storm descending on Texas on Friday will be one of the toughest tests of the states electric grid since the system collapsed during a deadly 2021 freeze. Ice is predicted for the Dallas area, the Panhandle is bracing for snow, and the capital city Austin is forecast to dip to 16F (-9C) roughly 25F chiller than normal. The cold is set to persist through the weekend before readings start to moderate early next week, said Brian Hurley, a senior branch forecaster with the US Weather Prediction Center. The Electric Reliability Council of Texas, the states main grid operator, issued a weather watch from Saturday through Tuesday with the possibility of higher electrical demand and the potential for lower reserves. Even so, ERCOT expects the grid to endure. While some of the forecast conditions resemble the historic February 2021 freeze that killed more than 240 people and paralyzed the entire state, Texas has one thing going for it: this storm will be shorter and less intense than what the National Weather Service calls the Great Texas Freeze, which lasted the better part of nine days. During that disaster, outages knocked out power to nearly 10 million people across the US South, leaving them without heat, lights, the ability to cook, while bursting water in homes and businesses. It was the first $1 billion disaster of that year. And even as population growth, crypto mining, data centers and corporate relocations have contributed to surging electric demand, Texas has invested in fortifying its grid over the past five years. As of early Thursday, ERCOT projected peak demand of 82.6 gigawatts on Monday, which would surpass last years all-time winter high of 80.2 gigawatts. But it expects to have sufficient supply 93.3 gigawatts of capacity. (One gigawatt is equivalent to a traditional nuclear reactor.) Texas has seen substantial growth in solar and battery storage capacity with nearly 40 gigawatts of new solar and storage capacity added between end of 2021 to 2025, said Helen Kou, an analyst at BloombergNEF. Ongoing expansion of these resources, plus continued winter weatherization grid investment, will help keep the grid prepared. The main threats to most of Texas will be ice on powerlines and trees as temperatures plunge. Dallas is expected to dip to 8F Sunday night, with Houston falling to 22F, the weather service said. Snow will be mainly across far northern Texas and the Panhandle, but many areas in the central part of the state will get between 0.25 to 0.5 of an inch of ice, which can snap tree branches and drop power lines, Hurley said. A winter storm watch extends more than 1,800 miles from eastern Arizona to western New York, while extreme cold warnings and advisories push south from the North Dakotas border with Canada into Texas. A wide area across the eastern US from Washington to New York into New England may get as much as 10 inches of snow Sunday, Hurley said. Air travelers across the US will likely face cancellations and long delays. The storms worst will likely be across the South, from eastern Texas and Louisiana to Arkansas and then across parts of North Carolina, Georgia and Virginia where as much of an inch of ice will encrust trees and power lines leading to widespread outages. Ice is going to be a bigger deal because it has more impacts, Hurley said. In the wake of the 2021 storm, Texas required generators and powerline operators to make sure facilities can operate during freezing temperatures. Texas also adopted market reforms designed to secure extra power reserves during times of grid stress. Officials also say they improved emergency planning and coordination among utilities, the state grid operator and state agencies. Still, the Texas grid remains relatively isolated from the rest of the countrys bulk power network, leaving the state largely dependent on supplies within its own territory. For Texas, the forecast remains locked in, but the saving grace is that it doesnt seem to be as long as 2021, Hurley said. Copyright 2026 Bloomberg. Topics Texas Windstorm Warner Pacific, a general agency for brokers, based in California, has acquired Brokers Holding Group, a South Carolina general agency specializing in health plans and alternative funding for employer groups. The move expands Warner Pacifics presence in the Southeast, the company said in a news release. Brokers Holding Group, founded in 2013, is considered a partner for independent brokers. It will continue to operate under its name. Scott Lee and Lee Long are co-owners. The 40-year-old Warner Pacific has provided employee benefits, compliance, and human resources to brokers and agents in 12 states, the company said. Topics Agencies Falls from heights were the most cited serious workplace safety violation by the Washington State Department of Labor & Industries for the 20th straight year. In the past four months, L&I issued $1.4 million in fines to five construction companies for violating fall protection rules. The most recent fine for $82,620 was issued Dec. 29, 2025, to Roof Doctor Inc. of Olympia for one willful serious, one repeat serious and two serious violations for hazards including roofers not wearing fall protection while working on a two-story home in Olympia. Roof Doctor was also fined $110,160 on Dec. 18 for four repeat serious violations for workers not wearing fall protection at a Tumwater strip mall. The company is appealing both cases. In the past two decades, the company has reportedly filed 393 injury claims, leading to more than $4.9 million in medical care and wage replacement for the state workers compensation fund. Asset Roofing Company LLC was fined four times in September for not ensuring workers wore fall protection, not using ladders correctly and a lack of fall protection training at four different locations. Some of their workers were reportedly wearing harnesses attached to ropes with improperly installed anchors that would not hold if they fell. Fines in four inspections totaled nearly $720,000. Asset Roofing is appealing all four citations. Other companies facing notable citations from L&I for fall protection violations over the last several months include: Valentine Roofing (Seattle): Fined $148,716 for two repeat serious violations Dec. 3 after inspectors saw at least one employee working near the edge of the roof with such a long rope he would have hit the ground if he fell. The company is appealing the citation and fine. DaBella (Vancouver): Cited Dec. 23 for a repeat willful serious violation and fined $134,640 for not protecting its subcontractors employees from exposure to falls during a roofing job. The company has 15 business days to appeal the citation and fine. Modern S Construction LLC (Buckley): Fined $258,514 for two repeat willful serious fall protection violations and two repeat general violations Oct. 15. It did not appeal the most recent citation and fine. Topics Washington When fires broke out across Los Angeles on Jan. 7, 2025, Miguel Santana grasped the magnitude of the catastrophe befalling his hometown sooner than most he flew over the blazes, twice. Climbing above the LA basin on his way to a meeting in Sacramento, the California Community Foundation CEO watched flames engulf homes and hillsides in the Pacific Palisades as fierce winds shook the airplane cabin. Before he returned the next day, another fire began tearing through Altadena, 30 miles northeast of the Palisades. Related: The Return Period for An LA Wildfire-Scale Event May Be Shorter Than You Think Flying over it really brought light to how serious the whole thing was, said Santana, a longtime civil servant for LA city and county before entering philanthropy. From the very beginning I had a feeling this was going to be a really unprecedented disaster. CCF immediately activated its wildfire recovery fund, donating $30 million in the first month to nonprofits helping survivors with immediate needs. One year later, the fund has raised over $100 million from nearly 50,000 donors worldwide, offering a singular opportunity to help survivors and a daunting challenge of where to focus resources over a years-long recovery. Related: Less Than a Dozen Homes Have Been Rebuilt a Year After LA Wildfires The Palisades and Eaton fires killed 31 people and destroyed 17,000 structures, impacting tens of thousands of Angelenos who lost homes, schools, places of worship, and jobs. An estimated 7 in 10 survivors are still not home and only 10 houses are rebuilt across both fire footprints. Mental health among survivors is worsening as they struggle to regain stability. Santana spoke with The Associated Press in December about the future of LAs recovery. The interview was edited for clarity and length. How Did CCF Approach The Overwhelming Need in Those First Weeks? We were trying to support those communities and survivors who were most likely going to fall through the cracks. Senior citizens, children, renters, folks who lost employment and were living paycheck to paycheck. I also felt it was important that we start identifying what were the systemic issues that were going to surface, and start supporting advocacy around that. We know that during a disaster, whether its COVID or any other, the inequities that existed prior only get amplified. So we were concerned that it was going to be an uneven recovery. How Did You Try to Balance Those Inequities? I reached out to a friend and someone I worked with closely during the pandemic, a fellow Angeleno, Evan Spiegel, the co-founder and CEO of Snap. He grew up in the Palisades, so this is his community. Within days of the fires being finally taken out, we convened survivors from around the country to share their stories with LA survivors. They grieved together and shared what they were going through. From that meeting emerged the (fire recovery nonprofit) Department of Angels, which has been tracking the survivor experience and trying to center it in every step of the recovery process. We identify what are the barriers being confronted, and try to support those who are advocating on the ground. We do quarterly surveys of over 2,000 survivors. I could tell you right now based on those surveys what the state of the recovery has been like and what are the real challenges people are confronting. What Are Those Challenges? Right now, insurance. Which carrier (you have) is the primary determinant of how well your recovery is going. Survivors are feeling stuck, and theyre starting to run out of options. If you did receive some proceeds from insurance to take care of living expenses, those are going to run out shortly. Theyre still paying mortgage on their (burned) property, insurance, property tax, yet theyre renting somewhere else. Their ability to access capital is limited to their current financial situation, but the need they have is much greater than that financial situation. Are There New Solutions to Address Those Challenges? Were working with financial institutions like Bank of America and others to come up with a new product so that survivors have a way to access capital, basically providing a silent second type of financing where philanthropy is the guarantor so a family is able to access traditional lending. This is where philanthropy can play a unique role to not lend the money, but rather provide the backstop support so that traditional lenders can lend. We hope to announce it early in the first quarter of the year. California is waiting on billions more dollars it requested from the federal government. Can philanthropy fill in? Philanthropy raised $1 billion, but $1 billion is not enough. Philanthropy has a specific purpose, to fill in gaps, to act quickly, to identify systemic issues. But the role of philanthropy is not to provide the kind of support needed on an ongoing basis at the scale needed. Angelenos should be able to rely on support from the federal government in the same way other survivors get it. There should be a common expectation that when theres a crisis in our backyard, the rest of the country is going to come to our support. I think theres a consensus among Americans that thats the role of the federal government, and we havent given up on that idea. As The Second Year of Recovery Begins, What Is Top of Mind for You? Not only do we need to fight for a quick and equitable recovery, but we need take care of one another. If you know someone whos been impacted, this is the time to reach out to them. To check in on how theyre doing, to invite them over for dinner, to look after their kids so they can have a moment. As close as weve been as Angelenos, and its really quite remarkable how the community has come together, people are still feeling alone and like theyre going through this one day at a time. So this is a time to double down in supporting survivors that you may know not just of this disaster, but of any disaster around the country. Associated Press coverage of philanthropy and nonprofits receives support through the APs collaboration with The Conversation US, with funding from Lilly Endowment Inc. The AP is solely responsible for this content. Copyright 2026 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. Topics Louisiana When Amybeth McNulty was 14, she was cast in a series that would transform her life. The Donegal teenager landed the lead role in Anne with an E, leading to her moving from the small town of Milford to the bright lights of Toronto. The series, loosely based on the classic Anne of Green Gables, turned out to be a fan favourite and drew wide global audiences over the course of its three-season run. I was 14, and I was flown out to Canada, and I'd never been there before, she recalls. All of a sudden I'm living six months of my life in Toronto, in a very busy, multicultural city, and going back to Milford and hanging out on a farm with my sheep as an only child in this very separate, wild, away-from-the-world place. The shows success changed everything in every way for the youngster, who had fallen in love with drama in her native Donegal. It helped, she says, that the crew on her first major production embraced her childlike curiosity. They really fostered my interest in camera work and the props department and sound and lighting, they answered any question I had. They let me hop on the cameras to teach me how to use them. I could ask the director any questions. It was a complete learning experience. It was like going to university for acting, but for some reason, I was then getting paid instead of paying. It completely changed my life. Years later, McNulty would land a role in an even more iconic series. In 2021, she was cast as the cool student and musician Vickie in Stranger Things, joining the hugely successful show from series four. A Stranger Things nut since the very first episode arrived on Netflix, she admits to doing a dance when the casting was confirmed. It was completely wild, very unexpected, says McNulty. I was one of the first people around my group that watched it - so from day dot, I've been a massive, massive fan of the show. I saw the audition come in. I knew what it was. Obviously, you're going to fight to be in something like that but I never thought that it would actually happen. I was chuffed as a fan of the show to be a wee cog in the machine for it. It feels wild. It still feels very surreal, like it almost didn't happen. Part sci-fi, part thriller, part love letter to 1980s classics, Stranger Things became a cultural phenomenon, with the fifth and final series now on the streaming platform. Created by the Duffer Brothers, the mystery set in the town of Hawkins, Indiana drew more than 140.7 million views for its fourth series. Amybeth McNulty as Vickie in Stranger Things. Its use of Kate Bushs Running Up that Hill in a key scene of season four sent the song rocketing up the Billboard Hot 100 for the first time in 38 years. McNulty was delighted that Bush's music was now being heard by a whole new generation: She needed to be loved as much as this for her entire career and Im very glad this was a part of it. Now aged 24, McNulty, who has 6.9 million followers on Instagram, landed her first major role a decade ago and was placed in the spotlight just as social media was in rapid growth. Still in her early teens, was it important to have peers who understood that experience? Very much so. You know, it's funny, before I knew anything about me being on the show, I actually became friends with quite a lot of kids in Stranger Things when we were younger 14, 15 when it was really ramping up for all of us, them certainly more so. We were in a similar boat of: I don't really know what's going on on the internet. We're all children. None of us really understand what's happening. We had this kind of safety circle. McNulty was raised in Milford, near Letterkenny, to a family who celebrated her love of drama classes. Raised largely by her late mum Siobhan and grandparents Liam and Eileen, she refers to the late Liam as her dad, and fondly remembers how he gently encouraged her interest. He was a teacher and a driver - but he was also a non-professional actor. He was involved with Scottish Opera, he did directing in Ireland, and was in little stage productions in the Millennium Forum [in Derry]. When she first developed an interest in drama classes as a child, she remembers feeling dumbfounded on learning it could possibly be something she could do for a living. Accessing classes and shows through Letterkennys long-established An Grianan Theatre also helped open up a sense of possibility. Without Donegal and specifically without An Grianan Theatre, I would not be doing what I'm doing, says McNulty. They not only fostered that initial love and fascination that I had with it, but completely invigorated me to aspire to do better. Amybeth McNulty (back, centre) with other members of the cast in the final season of Stranger Things. "I went to youth theatre and I did every summer school, every summer show. I did the Christmas shows. They used to joke that I had a little bed under the stage. They let me join at five years old, because they were like: Well, she has a love for it. What are we going to do, stop her? And when I didn't have wifi to send self tapes for Anne or for Stranger Things, I would go up to the RCC (the Regional Cultural Centre) behind An Grianan, and they would send it off for me. It was a real community base for the career that I have, and without them, I genuinely have no idea what I would be doing. In the early hours of the morning before this interview, Killarney actress Jessie Buckley has delivered an emotional speech as she celebrated her Golden Globes win for Hamnet. Yet again, Irish-grown talent looks set to be making an impact on the world stage. Like many, McNulty is cheering the latest Irish success story. I've been obsessed with Saoirse Ronan since I can even remember being alive, she says. Ive kind of been waiting for the rest of the world to notice how well Irish actors take to these things. In my opinion, it's down to pure community and fascination within human beings that is such an integral part of being Irish. "Having a fascination in other people. Talking to one another, and having deep conversations and creativity and music and all of these things that are so a part of our soul, so innately. In our small communities and wee farmlands, what do we have? We have storytelling. That's how we get through the day. That's how we're intrigued by life. A woman who has to travel to Greece for endometriosis surgery was among those protesting against gaps in care outside the Dail on Wednesday. Ciara Whelan, 33, travelled from Kildare to join the protest, organised by the Her Voice Project advocacy group. I have endometriosis and adenomyosis. Ive the double whammy, Ciara said after the protest. Im going over to Greece for surgery in April, and Im having to fund that myself. I had to try and find the money to go over. She added: For surgery, I was quoted at about 11,500. Thats because Im having excision surgery for the endometriosis and a hysterectomy for the adenomyosis. Ciara said the last few months have been very emotional and difficult. I found out I couldnt have children in July because of how extensive things are. A new scheme was launched in October offering upfront payments for endometriosis surgery abroad, but some commonly used European clinics are not on the list, limiting the options for patients here. The Greek clinic is not listed but it is approved under the general HSE and EU Cross Border Directive. Ms Whelan knows women who had endometriosis care in the Greek clinic, but patients have to pay upfront and then get reimbursed. In addition, the endometriosis scheme says only consultants can sign on off referrals, not GPs. Im also not under a consultant at the moment in Ireland, she said. My GP is amazing and has referred me over. I cannot fault him at all, hes been amazing from the get-go." GP referrals are accepted for the EU option, but not under the new scheme launched last October. Its tough, Ciara said. But Im trying to reframe it and be positive that Im in a position where I can tell my story and share that push for better care for other women. So other women are not in a position where, at 33, they're having a hysterectomy because no-one would listen to them for years. In response, health minister Jennifer Carroll MacNeill said: Weve done a lot in the last few months since we launched the new [Endometriosis] Framework, which marked a clear commitment to improving care for every woman affected, but we have so much more to do. She added: Im grateful to all those patients and advocates who continue to engage with me and I am grateful to the clinical community who have taken this step with us to achieve better care for women across the country." She said 142 women had extra surgeries last year under special funding, well above the target of 100. Ms Carroll MacNeill said a new colorectal surgeon has been hired for Cork University Maternity Hospital. Doctors have already begun attending training courses across Europe, including long-term Fellowship training in Germany. Ms Carroll MacNeill met on Wednesday with Senator Maria McCormack to hear stories from endometriosis patients shared at Sinn Fein's public meetings. Tanaiste Simon Harris has said that a vote to refer the Mercosur trade deal to the European Courts "should not have happened" as he took aim at Independent Ireland MEP Ciaran Mullooly at a private Fine Gael meeting. Sources at Wednesdays Fine Gael parliamentary party meeting told the Irish Examiner that Mr Harris informed TDs and senators that their party would not be on the back foot on Mercosur because Mr Mullooly was engaging in performative politics. A vote was passed in the European Parliament on Wednesday to refer the Mercosur trade agreement a deal to allow increased access to the European market for agricultural goods from South America to the European Courts. Mr Mullooly has said the trade deal will do "nothing of substance" for the EU economy and has urged farmers to continue to fight against it. The decision to refer the trade deal to the courts will likely delay its introduction by up to two years and could potential derail it altogether. Ireland was one of a handful of countries that voted against making the deal between the EU and the South American countries earlier this month. Despite TDs and senators in Government parties being against Mercosur, some MEPs, including Fine Gaels Regina Doherty and Sean Kelly, have indicated that they will vote in favour, in line with most European partners. At Wednesdays parliamentary party meeting, Fine Gael senator Garret Ahearn asked Mr Harris if the partys MEPs would be whipped and told how to vote. Sources at the meeting said he suggested that MEPs went on the radio and gave views that were contradictory to Mr Harriss comments on Mercosur. Mr Ahearn said that out of four Irish MEPs who voted against referring the case to the European Courts, three were from Fine Gael. This included Mr Kelly, Ms Doherty, and Maria Walsh. Fianna Fails Barry Andrews also voted against the proposal. Farmers wave banners and set off flares during a demonstration against the EU-Mercusor trade agreement outside the European Parliament in Strasbourg. Picture: Pascal Bastien/AP Mr Ahearn suggested Independent Ireland would argue that Fine Gael was in favour of Mercosur because of the stance taken by some MEPs. Senator Sean Kyne also suggested Fine Gael MEPs voting both for and against Mercosur would be very damaging to the party. Mr Harris did not commit to whipping the Fine Gael MEPs, but he "called" for them to vote against it, while acknowledging they were in a difficult position due to the European People's Party decision to back Mercosur. The Tanaiste is understood to have told the meeting that the vote to refer Mercosur to the EU courts shouldnt have happened, branding it performative. He suggested that the party should not fall for the trap of answering to Ciaran Mullooly, and that Fine Gael was against Mercosur before Independent Ireland was set up. He said there should have been a vote on the deal itself, which would have seen almost all Fine Gael MEPs vote against Mercosur. The Irish Examiner also understands there was some criticism from TDs and senators about MEPs not attending parliamentary party meetings online, with the Tanaiste saying that while some MEPs were good at dialling in, others were not. Residents at a Peter McVerry Trust housing complex have hit out at the conditions they are having to live in, which include dampness, mould and rats. Images taken inside one of the bedsits at Hogan Court in south inner city Dublin show the effects of no damp proofing or adequate insulation. Despite having undergone significant repairs 10 years ago, a number of tenants said they are suffering with asthma, lung conditions, depression, and regular colds due to the environment they are living in. The former block of 12 former local authority flats are owned by Dublin City Council and leased by Peter McVerry Trust on a long-term basis to be used as provide social housing. They had undergone extensive renovations in 2016, according to a statement online by the Peter McVerry Trust. One tenant said: I am living like this for the past two years and I have made loads of complaints about the place. One tenant said: 'My bed is black with dampness as you can see, and so are all of the walls.' My bed is black with dampness as you can see, and so are all of the walls. There is mould everywhere from the floors to the ceilings. I have been onto them loads of times, but I spent all Christmas living like this and all of last year too." One tenant also provided the Irish Examiner with a medical report from their doctor who confirmed they are on medication for lung conditions and said they require more suitable accommodation. The letter said "there is black mould in their current accommodation and that the person has asthma. It is not safe for them to live like thisand I am concerned about the impact this is having on their lungs." A statement online by the Peter McVerry Trust said the area had previously fallen into a very poor state of repair, and at the time, the 12 units were included among a number of sites identified by Peter McVerry Trust as suitable for renovation and management by the charity. A construction project got underway a decade ago which was centred on producing high-quality accommodation units for individual homeless people. It said: The project will see extensive internal renovations of the properties, with new windows, electrics, plumbing, dry lining and improvements made to fire safety standards and ventilation. One tenant said: 'There is mould everywhere from the floors to the ceilings.' External works will focus on creating a more aesthetically appealing block of apartments and to improve disability access to the ground floor units." In a statement the housing charity said: Peter McVerry Trust are aware of the issues raised in relation to both individual apartments and the wider management of the building. While we cannot comment on individual cases, we take all reports regarding building conditions and the management of common areas seriously. "Issues such as waste management and pest control are assessed and addressed in conjunction with property management services and relevant local authority partners where required. The welfare of our tenants is at the heart of everything we do and were working to resolve the situation as efficiently and effectively as possible." A cyclist, who knocked a woman unconscious after colliding with her as she stepped off a bus, has been cleared of all responsibility for the accident or having caused her serious injuries. Judge James ODonohoe, who last week branded cyclists in Dublin as a nightmare, decided on Thursday that Dublin Bus, whose driver allowed the woman to alight at an undesignated stop, was 100% liable for the accident. Barrister Susan Lennox, counsel for 39-year-old office administrator Ciara Murray, told the Circuit Civil Court that Dublin Bus had joined cyclist Marcin Sroka as a third party to Ms Murrays 60,000 personal injuries claim, alleging he was to blame for having caused the accident. Ms Lennox, who appeared with Naomi Bourke of Margetson and Greene Solicitors, said all parties, prior to the hearing, had agreed medical reports relating to Ms Murrays injuries and had valued her damages, should she win, at 25,000 which Dublin Bus will now have to pay together with everyones legal costs. Following the hearing, an irate John Hennessy, of Hennessy Perrozzi Solicitors, Swords, who represented Mr Sroka, said it was absurd that Dublin Bus should have, in the circumstances, joined the cyclist as a third party to Ms Murrays proceedings. The court heard that when the bus arrived at Ms Murrays stop in Santry on the Old Dublin Road shortly after 8am on September 20, 2021, there had been two other buses stopped nose to tail and her bus had pulled into line third in a queue and more than 30 metres back from the designated stop. Ms Murray, of Ashley Avenue, Swords, Co Dublin, said she had been on her way to work and had just stepped off the bus after the driver had opened the doors. She had been struck by the cyclist, Mr Sroka, of Boroimhe Birches, Swords, and knocked unconscious. She had been sitting on a grass verge when she recovered consciousness and had been taken to Beaumont hospital by ambulance. Medical reports revealed she had suffered concussion and severe neck injuries. She had suffered from headaches and had been left with scars on her hands. Sean Coleman, of Arthur McLean Solicitors for Dublin Bus, told Judge ODonohoe buses regularly stopped in line at bus stops to allow passengers alight and cctv showed Ms Murray stepping onto a pedestrian/cyclist joint use path and being hit by Mr Srokas bike. He said it had also revealed that a pedestrian had stepped off the path onto a grass verge due, obviously, to having noticed Mr Sroka approaching and just a split second prior to his colliding with Ms Murray. He said an expert witness had calculated that Mr Sroka had been travelling on a downhill gradient between 30km/hr and 34km/hr immediately prior to striking Ms Murray. Mr Coleman submitted that Mr Sroka, a sound engineer with DCU and who denied speeding, had to bear a major level of responsibility for the accident. Mr Sroka told the court that, even if he had been travelling at only 10km/hr, he could not have avoided hitting Ms Murray. Mr Sroka said: The moment she stepped off the bus I had no chance to stop. Bus driver Larry Curran told barrister Pat Purcell, counsel for Mr Sroka, he was not at the designated stop when he had opened the doors, something that would often be demanded by passengers in a hurry to get to work when a bus stopped just short of the stop. He had checked his mirrors and had not seen any cyclist on the path. Judge ODonohoe said expert forensic engineer Barry Tennyson had made it very clear there had been breaches of the code of practice for Dublin Bus drivers and Mr Curran had himself accepted he breached the code by stopping at an undesignated stop. Mr Coleman was granted a stay on the courts finding to facilitate consideration by Dublin Bus of an appeal to the High Court. The withdrawal of the threat of additional tariffs on European countries by US president Donald Trump is a welcome development, the Tanaiste has said. Mr Trump had threatened a 10% tariff on eight European allies from February 1 unless they agree to his purchase of Greenland. During a speech to world leaders at Davos on Wednesday, he reiterated demands for immediate negotiations to acquire the Arctic territory while ruling out using force. Ireland, although not among the eight countries threatened, had said tariffs on some member states amounted to tariffs on all member states. Mr Trump later rowed back on the threat of the tariffs, stating he Nato secretary general Mark Rutte had formed the framework of a future deal for the Arctic region. Simon Harris said the significant development gave credence and credibility to the EUs strategy which he said was defined by maintaining cool heads and not responded to every bit of political noise nor every Truth Social post. In a statement, he said: Theres much detail to emerge, and theres still obviously much volatility, but today we have heard the President of the United States rule out force in relation to Greenland. Weve also now seen in the last number of minutes him withdraw as a threat of additional tariffs. But it is important we continue to work collectively as a European Union, and collectively to stand up for the sovereignty of Denmark and Greenland Greenland being a part of the Kingdom of Denmark. And also collectively work to seek the full implementation of the trade agreements that we already agreed with the US administration an agreement that is key to protecting economic activity on both sides of the Atlantic. US President Donald Trump (Suzanne Plunkett/PA) Mr Harris had earlier warned that US tariffs imposed on European countries could create a spiral of events that have a potentially enormous impact on economies and markets, Irelands deputy premier has said. He said it was difficult to model the potential impact of such tariffs as it could be part of a fundamental change in the transatlantic relationship. He said that if the US were to annex Greenland that would fundamentally alter the transatlantic relationship and said that that in turn could create a spiral of events and retaliatory events across economies and markets. You can run a model that if theres a 15% tariff applied on a country and we did this before and published it that would have an effect on what we call modified domestic demand, effectively growth, by 1.4% to 1.5% annually over a medium term, that it would result in roughly around 60,000 fewer jobs being created if there were tariffs. But what those models cant capture is what happens if the transatlantic relationship, as we know it, doesnt exist into the future. News / National by Simbarashe Sithole A member of the Zimbabwe National Army (ZNA) was severely assaulted by Hatcliffe residents after he allegedly broke into a house with the intention of stealing.Macmillan Wurayayi (23) was handed over to the police after receiving a thorough beating from the residents.Police spokesperson Commissioner Paul Nyathi said he was yet to receive details of the case.Meanwhile, cases involving soldiers committing crimes continue to rise. Last month, three soldiers were arrested in Fort Rixon in connection with a spate of robbery cases. Celebrity chef Darina Allen has said free primary school meals should be sourced locally and made from scratch. The Irish Examiner columnist and founder of the Ballymaloe Cookery School has previously raised concerns about the nutritional value of the meals provided to all primary schools in Ireland. She said her concerns that the programme was not fit for purpose were shared by food professionals, academics and parents. Appearing before the Education and Youth Committee, she welcomed that there was a hot school meals programme and said it could have the same public health benefits as the smoking ban. Read More School meals should be nothing less than nourishing But Ms Allen questioned the nutrition and taste value of the meals provided and said it was a missed opportunity to teach children about their food. Children need a positive relationship with food and to understand the importance of food, she told the committee, adding that they should be taught about how it connects to their local area and the seasons. She said the current school meal programme was undermining childrens health and that the meals provided were generally lacking in nutrition, and said ultra-processed foods dominate many school meals. She said that the approach was an industrial one akin to airline food and that reheating meals reduced their nutritional value, and also said food waste from the programme was off the scale. Something is better than nothing is far too low a bar for a national programme relied upon by so many children for daily nourishment, she said. Locally sourced produce Ms Allen said that cooking meals from scratch using locally sourced produce would align with the Governments policies on a circular economy and support local farmers and businesses. She gave the example of Duhallow Community Food Services in north Cork, which she said was a scalable model. She also cited a model used in Japan where meals are cooked from scratch using locally sourced ingredients and every school must have an in-house nutritionist. I think if the teachers were to eat the meals with the children, that would bring on change very quickly, she added. Chief executive of the National Parents Council Aine Lynch said a survey indicated that most parents food was of good quality, and called for a national audit on sentiments towards the hot school meals programme before any changes are made. Committee chairman Gareth Scahill said 682,000 students received hot school meals across primary schools last year and said it was worthwhile to look to refine the programme. He said he was part of a delegation to observe a school meal programme in Finland, where the children took as much food as they wanted and ate it from a plate rather than disposable material. The Taoiseach is urging Europe and the US to breathe new life into relations between the two after a tense week of talks that went down to the wire over the fate of the Danish protectorate of Greenland. Micheal Martin was speaking in Brussels for an emergency meeting of EU leaders organised in the wake of US president Donald Trumps threat to levy 10% tariffs on seven EU members and the UK. Mr Trump was angered by the deployment of a small number of forces from eight European states for a reconnaissance mission in Greenland. The US-EU relationship is still a very critical relationship, economically, politically, geopolitically, so both sides have to work extremely hard to maintain that relationship and to breathe new life into it, Mr Martin said on the margins of the summit. EU states wanted to hit back The US move stirred up angry responses from some EU member states, such as France which wanted to respond with reciprocal tariffs, and potentially the triggering of the EUs anti-coercion instrument (ACI). After a series of processes, the ACI would capture US investments and potentially deny US companies access to the EU market for services and joint procurement as part of the countermeasures. And on Tuesday, the European Parliament voted to suspend the EU-US trade agreement negotiated last summer, which saw EU tariffs of 15% on a vast number of European exports to the US. Jens Kjeldsen chats with a police officer outside the US consulate in Nuuk. Carrying the flags of Greenland and the Faroe Islands and the Danish maritime ensign, the 70-year-old carpenter and former judge is taking part in daily protests against the US administrations bid to take over the Arctic island. Picture: Jonathan Nackstrand/AFP/Getty However, EU leaders are now expected to push the parliament for the deal to get back on track, given the apparent resolution of the Greenland issue. Mr Martin warned that any threat to undermine EU-US relations further would have serious consequences for jobs and trade in Ireland and across Europe. He said: The interdependence economically is so strong and so vast that any undermining of that would have very serious repercussions for European citizens and for American citizens. The Taoiseach also spoke to the solidarity among EU countries for Denmark in defending its territorial integrity in the midst of a potential conquest by the US either by military or coercive means. Europe, on this occasion, has first of all demonstrated commendable unity, firmness, principled position in terms of sovereignty of nations and territorial integrity, he said. I think sensible, common sense prevailed." Meanwhile, EU leaders also discussed the establishment of the Trump Peace Board set up ostensibly to respond to the manmade famine and catastrophic conditions for civilians in Gaza. But the EU says it has reservations about the format and terms of reference of the board. As chairman, Mr Trump is charging $1bn for permanent membership. Those involved include Russian President Vladimir Putin and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, both of whom are accused of grave war crimes by the International Criminal Court. The EU is concerned that the board may violate European law if its purpose is to sidestep or undermine the UN. We would have concerns that no other alternative institution or organisation can replace the UN or have any sort of overlapping," the Taoiseach said. Agriculture minister Martin Heydon has expressed his full confidence in Bord Bia chair Larry Murrin. The Bord Bia board met on Thursday to discuss Mr Murrins position after it emerged that Dawn Farm Foods, where he holds a senior role, had sourced Brazilian beef for the Irish market. Representatives from the Irish Farmers Association (IFA) and Irish Creamery Milk Suppliers Association (ICMSA) on the board called for his resignation, citing a potential conflict of interest given Bord Bias role in promoting Irish food and enforcing standards on Irish beef, which they argue are not met by Brazilian farms. However, Mr Murrin is set to remain in his post after the board did not reach a consensus in support of his removal. In a statement, Mr Heydon backed the embattled chair, saying the board had a "good and thorough" discussion. "I have been informed that the Board had a good and thorough discussion of the issues covered in the media in recent days, and that the majority, while not unanimous, of Board members, was fully supportive of the Chair continuing to serve," Mr Heydon said. "I completely understand the emotion for farmers when it comes to issues associated with the integrated nature of food supply around the globe. Recent debates around the Mercosur trade deal highlight Irish farmers unease for imported product from outside of the EU. "We also must recognise that as a food producing island we export 90% of that food and drink product and we depend on that very integrated trade. The work of Bord Bia is critical to that success." Mr Heydon said it would be "irresponsible to just follow emotion" following media reports about Mr Murrin's business importing Brazilian beef for use in some of its products. He added there is an acceptance "by all" that Mr Murrin broke no rules. "Mr Murrin has built a major Irish food company, with a range of global food brands," Mr Heydon said. "The company is a significant buyer of Irish inputs and has added significant value to the sector as a whole. "Mr Murrin has explained that the nature of supply contracts for key customers means that contingencies must be in place to ensure continuity of supply in the unlikely event of supply disruption in Ireland. understand that explanation, and that the supply agreement in question is one which ultimately involves the sale of a very significant amount of Irish produce to an important international customer." Mr Heydon said his Department and Bord Bia were doing "everything possible to support them". Bord Bia chief executive Jim OToole said the board had a full, open and considered discussion about Mr Murrins position as chairman, a role he has held since 2024. Outlining the non-unanimous support for Mr Murrin, he said: The board was guided by the need to protect the reputation of Bord Bia, Irelands agri-food sector and its clients over the longer term, and concluded that supporting the chairman was in the best interests of the organisation and the sector as a whole, including Irish farmers. Mr OToole said a report on the meeting and associated issues will be provided to Agriculture Minister Martin Heydon, who has also expressed support for the chairman as he has broken no rules. IFA president Francie Gorman said the chairman refused to resign and a formal proposal seeking his removal was not tabled at the meeting, as it was deemed a matter for Minister Heydon. He said: I made it clear that farmer support is critical to the functioning of Bord Bia. What has happened here has had a devastating impact on farmer confidence. If Bord Bia is to have any chance of restoring this, then the chair must be removed. ICMSA president Denis Drennan also confirmed he supported a motion of no confidence in Mr Murrin, saying the credibility of Bord Bia had been severely damaged. Mr Drennan said it was impossible to convince farmers that the level of traceability and standards Bord Bia enforces on Irish farmers could align with the import of Brazilian beef. Thats at the heart of farmer anger here and its completely justified. He added that farmer anger could have been defused if Bord Bia had provided a reasonable and plausible explanation before the meeting. Its where they first met, and where they went on to build their livelihood, but after 20 years in the business, Barry and Catherine McLaughlin are calling time on the much-loved Poachers bar and restaurant in Bandon, West Cork. Wed a good run, 20 years, and our kids did their bit too. Weve had some great people working for us over the years and the local community has given us fantastic support, along with a strong passing trade, Barry said. The husband-and-wife team were a good combination to run Poachers, as Barry is a chef who previously worked in Kinsales popular Fishy Fishy restaurant, while Catherines background is in accounting. I worked in the kitchen and Catherine did front-of-house and the business admin, Barry said. Both were familiar with the venue when they bought it, Barry said: Catherine had worked there for five years, since her teens, and Id have gone in there after rugby training the relationship might have blossomed from there. When we came around to getting this business, we went into it together. I had wanted to open my own place for a while and we were very keen on Bandon as its where we are from. When this came up, we had a good connection to it. The couple arent quite ready to retire, but having reached the 20-year milestone, theyre weighing up their options. Poachers will continue to trade, as selling agent Sam Kingston of Casey & Kingston seeks a buyer for the landmark premises, west of Bandon town centre, on the Clonakilty Rd. Well remain open, so theres no panic with vouchers, said the owner. Guiding at 750,000, two-storey, 2,700sq ft Poachers can cater for 60 sit-down customers downstairs, while overhead Little Poachers can seat 50. We use upstairs for overflow and busy weekends, but we also use it for private functions. It has its own bar and its a nice space, Barry said. An attractive outdoor area ideal for BBQs can seat another 50 people. Parking is plentiful out front. Mr Kingston points out that Poachers is on the Wild Atlantic Way and that its ready-to-go for the buyer. All the heavy lifting has been done by the current owners and its a fantastic opportunity to take over one of West Corks most outstanding hospitality venues, the agent added. The premises also includes a commercial kitchen, two cold rooms, and a rear yard where trucks can unload. Details: email, sjkingston@caseyandkingston.ie; telephone, 0214271127 Congressional co-sponsors of a law forcing the Justice Department to release its files on Jeffrey Epstein and Ghislaine Maxwell can file a lawsuit seeking a court-appointed observer to ensure compliance, but they lack the legal right to append their demand to her criminal case, a judge has ruled. Judge Paul A Engelmayer blocked US representatives Ro Khanna and Thomas Massie from intervening in Maxwells sex trafficking case. The representatives, whose Epstein Files Transparency Act was signed into law by US President Donald Trump in November, petitioned the judge last week in a bid to speed the public disclosure of files related to investigations into the late financier and Maxwell, his longtime confidante. Judge Engelmayer largely agreed with the Justice Departments insistence that he, as the judge overseeing Maxwells case, had no authority to grant their request for an independent monitor to ensure the immediate release of more than two million documents that the government has identified as investigative materials. We will continue to use every legal option to ensure the files are released and the survivors see justice Mr Khanna and Mr Massie said the slow disclosure of the documents violated the law and had caused serious trauma to survivors. Aside from the possibility of filing a lawsuit, representatives are at liberty to use their legislative tools to improve oversight of the Justice Department, Judge Engelmayer wrote. The Epstein law, passed after months of public and political pressure, contains no mechanisms or penalties to ensure compliance. We appreciate Judge Engelmayers timely response and attention to our request, and we respect his decision, Mr Khanna said in a statement. He said that we raised legitimate concerns about whether DOJ is complying with the law. We will continue to use every legal option to ensure the files are released and the survivors see justice. After missing a December 19 deadline set by Congress to release all the files, the Justice Department said it has had hundreds of lawyers reviewing yet-to-be-disclosed records to determine what needs to be redacted, or blacked out, to protect the identities of hundreds of sex abuse victims. So far, only about 12,000 documents have been made public. Judge Engelmayer said questions raised by Mr Khanna and Mr Massie raised about whether the department was complying with the law were undeniably important and timely. But, he said, the way in which the members of Congress were trying to intervene was not permitted. The judge inherited Maxwells case after the trial judge, Alison Nathan, was appointed to the 2nd US Circuit Court of Appeals. He ruled that has no authority to supervise the departments compliance with the new law, and that Mr Massie and Mr Khanna have no standing, or legal right, to insinuate themselves into Maxwells case. Judge Engelmayer said he has received letters and emails from Epstein abuse survivors in support of the politicians request for appointment of a neutral overseer. These express concern that DOJ otherwise will not comply with the Act, wrote the judge, who was nominated by Democratic president Barack Obama. The department has been paying lip service to the victims and failing to treat us with the solicitude we deserve, survivors wrote, according to Judge Engelmayer. Maxwell is serving a 20-year prison sentence after her December 2021 sex trafficking conviction. She recently petitioned the federal court for her release, maintaining that new information has emerged that warrants her release. A jury found that she had helped to recruit girls for Epstein to abuse over the past quarter of a century and had also participated in some of the abuse. Epstein died in a federal jail in New York in August 2019 as he awaited trial on sex trafficking charges. The death was ruled a suicide. Donald Trump has rowed back on his threat to slap tariffs on European allies who opposed his ambitions to annex Greenland, after he and Nato's chief formed the framework of a future deal for the Arctic region. The US president had only earlier on Wednesday doubled down on his threats to secure the Arctic island, a self-governing territory of Nato ally Denmark, but ruled out the use of force to do so. He has threatened eight Nato countries with new tariffs as a result of their opposition to his ambitions for the mineral-rich territory. Following a very productive meeting with Nato secretary general Mark Rutte on the fringes of the World Economic Forum in Davos, Mr Trump suggested he had now reconsidered. On his Truth Social platform, the US president said: We have formed the framework of a future deal with respect to Greenland and, in fact, the entire Arctic Region. This solution, if consummated, will be a great one for the United States of America, and all Nato Nations. Based upon this understanding, I will not be imposing the tariffs that were scheduled to go into effect on February 1. Mr Trump also suggested there had been talks on creating a missile defence system to ward off potential attacks by Russia and China from across the Arctic, something which he had dubbed the Golden Dome. In his post, he said: Additional discussions are being held concerning The Golden Dome as it pertains to Greenland. Further information will be made available as discussions progress. Vice President JD Vance, Secretary of State Marco Rubio, Special Envoy Steve Witkoff, and various others, as needed, will be responsible for the negotiations They will report directly to me. Tanaiste Simon Harris said the withdrawal of the tariff threat is "a welcome development". He said the significant development gave credence and credibility to the EUs strategy which he said was defined by maintaining cool heads and not responded to every bit of political noise nor every Truth Social post. In his speech at the World Economic Forum, the US president earlier said he wanted immediate negotiations to discuss the acquisition of the mineral-rich Arctic island, claiming this would not be a threat to Nato but would instead enhance the alliances security. Appearing to rule out taking the territory with military intervention, Mr Trump told the gathering of political leaders and business chiefs in the Swiss Alps: We probably wont get anything unless I decide to use excessive strength and force, where we would be, frankly, unstoppable. But I wont do that. I dont have to use force, I dont want to use force, I wont use force. The US was due to officially exit the World Health Organization on Thursday, in the face of warnings it will hit both US health and global health and is also in violation of a US law requiring Washington to pay the UN health agency $260m (222m) in fees that it owes. President Donald Trump gave notice the US would quit the organization on the first day of his presidency in 2025, via an executive order. Under US law, it has to give one-year notice and pay all outstanding fees before departure. On Thursday, a US State Department spokesperson said the WHO's failure to contain, manage and share information had cost the US trillions of dollars and the president had exercised his authority to pause the future transfer of any US government funds, support, or resources to the WHO. Over the last year, many global health experts have urged a rethink, including most recently WHO director general Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus. I hope the US will reconsider and rejoin WHO, he told reporters at a press conference earlier this month. Withdrawing from the WHO is a lose for the United States, and its a lose for the rest of the world. The WHO also said the US had not yet paid the fees it owes for 2024 and 2025. Member states are set to discuss the US departure and how it will be handled at the WHOs executive board in February, a WHO spokesperson said. 'Violation of US law' This is a clear violation of US law, said Lawrence Gostin, founding director of the ONeill Institute for Global Health Law at Georgetown University in Washington, a close observer of the WHO. But Trump is highly likely to get away with it. Speaking at Davos, Bill Gates chair of the Gates Foundation, a major funder of global health initiatives and some of the WHOs work said he did not expect the US to reconsider in the short-term. I dont think the US will be coming back to WHO in the near future, he said, adding when he had an opportunity to advocate for it, he would. The world needs the World Health Organization. For the WHO, the departure of the US has sparked a budgetary crisis that has seen it cut its management team in half and scale back work, cutting budgets across the agency. Washington has traditionally been by far the UN health agency's biggest financial backer, contributing about 18% of its overall funding. The WHO will also shed about a quarter of its staff by the middle of this year. The agency said it had been working with the US and sharing information in the last year. It was unclear how the collaboration would work going forward. Global health experts said this posed risks for the US, the WHO and the world. The US withdrawal from WHO could weaken the systems and collaborations the world relies on to detect, prevent, and respond to health threats, said Kelly Henning, public health programme lead at Bloomberg Philanthropies, a US-based non-profit. A fire has destroyed hundreds of makeshift homes and displaced more than 2,000 people in a Rohingya refugee camp in Coxs Bazar, Bangladesh, prompting calls from relief agencies for more funding to build safer housing and help provide emergency aid. The fire broke out in the early hours of Tuesday in Camp 16, one of more than 30 camps in the Coxs Bazar district that makes up the worlds largest refugee centre, housing more than one million Rohingya people who have fled persecution in neighbouring Myanmar. The United Nations International Organisation for Migration (IOM) said it had created a new crisis for families already struggling to survive. The fire was said to have destroyed 335 shelters and damaged 72 more (Jessica Wanless, Norwegian Refugee Council via AP) When fires strike in overcrowded camp settings, the impact extends far beyond damaged infrastructure, Lance Bonneau, IOM chief of mission in Bangladesh, said in a statement. Families lose shelter, essential belongings, and access to basic services, increasing immediate protection risks. It took firefighters about three hours to bring the blaze under control. While there were no fatalities and only a handful of minor injuries, many people lost not only their homes but also all their possessions, including identity documents and other important papers, the Norwegian Refugee Council told The Associated Press on Thursday. The aid organisation is among others operating inside the Coxs Bazar camps. Overall, the fire, whose cause has not yet been determined, destroyed 335 shelters and damaged 72 more, the organisation said. It also damaged water and sanitation points in the camp, 11 learning centres and camp infrastructure and pathways. More than 700,000 Rohingya fled Myanmar in 2017 after the military launched a crackdown on the Muslim minority group following insurgent attacks on guard posts in Rakhine state, which borders Bangladesh, swelling the numbers of refugees already in Coxs Bazar. The scale, organisation and ferocity of the Myanmar military operation led to accusations of ethnic cleansing and genocide from the international community, including the UN. The International Court of Justice in The Hague, Netherlands, is hearing a case accusing Myanmar of violating the 1948 Genocide Convention during its so-called clearance operation in 2017. Myanmar has denied the allegations. Ongoing fighting in Rakhine, between government forces and groups opposing the military leaders who ousted democratically elected Aung San Suu Kyi in February 2021, has led to tens of thousands more Rohingya fleeing to Bangladesh. Following the fire, the IOM, Norwegian Refugee Council and other agencies launched relief efforts to provide emergency aid to address the immediate needs of those displaced, including blankets, mosquito nets, cooking supplies, hygiene kits and solar lights. While immediate assistance continues, the incident underscores the persistent fire risks facing refugee communities in Coxs Bazar, the IOM said. The Norwegian Refugee Council said there had been plans to build 50,000 semi-permanent shelters to move people from the tarpaulin or plastic-covered bamboo structures in which most refugees live, but that international aid cuts announced in January 2025 meant they had to be shelved. The bamboo shelters, originally meant to last six to 12 months, are packed together in close proximity in the overcrowded camps and are particularly vulnerable to fire, the organisation said. It cited one report that between May 2018 and December 2025 there had been 2,425 fires in the camps, affecting more than 100,000 people and damaging more than 20,000 shelters causing significant loss of life. A five-year-old boy arriving home from pre-school in Minnesota has been taken by US agents along with his father to a detention facility in Texas, school officials and the familys lawyer said. Federal agents took Liam Conejo Ramos from a running car while it was in the familys driveway on Tuesday afternoon, Columbia Heights Public Schools superintendent Zena Stenvik said. The officers then told him to knock on the door to his home to see if other people were inside, essentially using five 5-year-old as bait, she said. Ms Stenvik said the family has an active asylum case and has not been ordered to leave the country. Federal agents detain a person (Angelina Katsanis/AP) Why detain a five-year-old? she asked. You cannot tell me that this child is going to be classified as a violent criminal. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) spokesperson Tricia McLaughlin said in a statement that ICE did not target a child. She said Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) was conducting an operation to arrest the childs father, Adrian Alexander Conejo Arias, who Ms McLaughlin said is from Ecuador and in the US illegally. He fled on foot without the boy, she claimed. For the childs safety, one of our ICE officers remained with the child while the other officers apprehended Conejo Arias, Ms McLaughlin said, adding that parents are given the choice to be removed with their children or have them placed with a person of their choosing. Ms Stenvik said another adult who lives at the home was outside when the father and son were taken, but agents would not leave Liam with that person. Liam and his father were being held in a family holding cell in Texas, Marc Prokosch, the familys lawyer, said during the news conference. Every step of their immigration process has been doing what theyve been asked to do, Mr Prokosch said of the familys asylum claim. So this is just cruelty. Minnesota has become a major focus of immigration sweeps by DHS-led agencies. Greg Bovino, a US Customs and Border Patrol official who has been the face of the crackdowns in Minneapolis and other cities, said 3,000 of some of the most dangerous offenders have been arrested in Minnesota in the last six weeks. His classmates miss him Julia Decker, policy director at the Immigrant Law Centre of Minnesota, said advocates have no way of knowing whether the governments arrest numbers and descriptions of the people in custody are accurate. Liam is the fourth student from Columbia Heights Public Schools who has been detained by ICE in recent weeks, said Ms Stenvik. A 17-year-old student was taken on Tuesday while heading to school, and a 10-year-old and a 17-year-old have also been taken, she said. The district is made up of five schools and about 3,400 students from pre-K to 12th grade, according to its website. The majority of the students come from immigrant families, according to Ms Stenvik. She said they have noticed their attendance drop over the past two weeks, including one day where they had about one-third of their students out from school. Ella Sullivan, Liams teacher, described him as kind and loving. His classmates miss him, she said. And all I want is for him to be safe and back here. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has criticised his European allies for what he portrayed as the continents slow and inadequate response to Russias invasion nearly four years ago and its continued international aggression. Addressing the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, Mr Zelensky listed a litany of grievances and criticisms of Europe that he said have left Ukraine at the mercy of Russian President Vladimir Putin amid an ongoing US push for a peace settlement. Europe looks lost, Mr Zelenskyy said in his speech, urging the continent to become a global force. He contrasted Europes response with Washingtons bold steps in Venezuela and Iran. The former comic actor referred to the movie Groundhog Day, in which the main character must relive the same day over and over again. Just last year, here in Davos, I ended my speech with the words: Europe needs to know how to defend itself. A year has passed. And nothing has changed. We are still in a situation where I must say the same words again, Mr Zelensky said. He said that Ukrainians too seem caught in that reality in the war, repeating the same thing for weeks, months and, of course, for years. And yet that is exactly how we live now. Its our life. Ukraines President Volodymyr Zelensky criticised European leaders (Markus Schreiber/AP) His speech came after he met behind closed doors for about an hour in Davos with US President Donald Trump, who described the talks as very good. Mr Zelensky called them productive and meaningful. European countries, which see their own future defence at stake in the war on its eastern flank, have provided financial, military and humanitarian support for Kyiv, but not all members of the 27-nation European Union are helping. Ukraine also has been frustrated by political disagreements within Europe over how to deal with Russia, as well as the blocs at times slow-moving responses. Some Europeans are really strong, its true, but many say we must stand strong, and they always want someone else to tell them how long they need to stand strong, preferably until the next election Russias bigger army has managed to capture about 20% of Ukraine since hostilities began in 2014 and its full-scale invasion of 2022. But the battlefield gains along the roughly 600-mile front line have been costly for Moscow, and the Russian economy is feeling the consequences of the war and international sanctions. Ukraine is short of money and, despite significantly boosting its own arms manufacturing, still needs Western weaponry. It is also short-handed on the front line. Its defence minister last week reported some 200,000 troop desertions and draft-dodging by about two million Ukrainians. Mr Zelensky is also striving to keep the worlds attention focused on Ukraine despite other conflicts. He chided Europe for being slow to act on key decisions, spending too little on defence, failing to stop Russias shadow fleet of oil tankers that are breaking international sanctions, and not using Russias frozen assets in Europe to finance Ukraine. Europe still feels more like a geography, history, a tradition, not a real political force, not a great power, he said. Mr Zelenskyy attended the World Economic Forum in Davos (Laurent Gillieron/Keystone via AP) Some Europeans are really strong, its true, but many say we must stand strong, and they always want someone else to tell them how long they need to stand strong, preferably until the next election, he said. The Trump administration is pushing for a peace settlement, with its envoys shuttling between Kyiv and Moscow. Mr Trumps special envoy Steve Witkoff and his son-in-law Jared Kushner were expected in Moscow later on Thursday for more talks with Mr Putin. One major issue remains to be resolved in negotiations, Mr Witkoff said at Davos, without saying what it was. Mr Zelensky said the future status of Ukrainian land currently occupied by Russia is unresolved but that peace proposals are nearly ready. Post-war security guarantees, should a deal be reached, are agreed between the US and Ukraine, although they would require each countrys ratification, he said. Mr Zelensky said there would be two days of trilateral meetings involving the US, Ukraine and Russia due to begin in the United Arab Emirates on Friday. Russians have to be ready for compromises because, you know, everybody has to be ready, not only Ukraine, and this is important for us, he said News / National by Staff reporter Prominent opposition politician Job Sikhala has issued an urgent appeal for R100 000 to cover legal fees for his ongoing court case in South Africa.The funds are required as a deposit for his legal defence team ahead of the next stage of his trial, scheduled for February 3, 2026. Former Zimbabwean Education Minister and current Bulawayo Mayor, David Coltart, is facilitating the fundraising process and holds the banking details for prospective donors.In a letter addressed to what he described as "men and women of conscience," Sikhala appealed for financial assistance, saying the case against him was politically motivated."The charges against me are baseless and this is shown by the bail conditions granted to me," Sikhala wrote. "If the South African authorities had any real concerns that I had engaged in such conduct, I would never have been released on such liberal bail conditions."Sikhala was arrested in South Africa in November 2025 after police allegedly discovered explosives in a vehicle he was travelling in with his uncle. He was later released on R10 000 bail by the Pretoria Magistrate's Court on November 13, 2025.According to Sikhala, his lawyers are now preparing for the continuation of the case and require an upfront payment to proceed."Our lawyers need a deposit of R100 000," he said, adding that Coltart was aware of the payment arrangements and could provide further details to those willing to assist.The South African case follows Sikhala's release in January 2024 from nearly 600 days of pre-trial detention in Zimbabwe, where he had been facing charges of inciting public violence.Sikhala has consistently maintained that his legal troubles, both in Zimbabwe and South Africa, are part of sustained political persecution linked to his opposition activities. News / National by Staff reporter A recent study by South African academic Professor Nonhlanhla P. Khumalo has raised alarm over the risk of exposure to blood-borne viral infections during haircuts at public barbershops, a concern that extends beyond South Africa to similar settings across Africa, including Zimbabwe.Professor Khumalo, Head of Dermatology at the University of Cape Town, published the study in the South African Medical Journal in November 2025. The research examined the potential transmission of blood-borne viruses such as HIV, Hepatitis B (HBV) and Hepatitis C (HCV) through haircutting practices, particularly the popular clean-shave hairstyle commonly known as chiskop.The study also explored the relationship between haircut-related bleeding and Folliculitis Keloidalis Nuchae (FKN), a chronic condition characterised by keloid-like scars at the back of the head, which predominantly affects men of African descent.The findings show that men who regularly experience visible bleeding during haircuts are significantly more likely to be HIV-positive, with an odds ratio of 2.51. Among a cohort of more than 1 100 men, the overall seroprevalence was recorded at 17.2% for HIV, 6.9% for HBV and 0.4% for HCV.While FKN itself was not directly linked to higher rates of these infections, the study confirmed that bleeding caused by haircutting is a clear risk factor for exposure to blood-borne viruses.As part of the investigation, researchers collected one clipper from each barber immediately after it had been used for a clean-shave haircut. The clippers were rinsed with phosphate-buffered saline, submerged in viral medium and subjected to polymerase chain reaction (PCR) testing to detect haemoglobin beta - a blood-specific RNA marker - as well as HIV and HBV.The clean-shave haircut was found to be the most popular style, accounting for 78% of clients. Of the clippers tested, 42% were positive for haemoglobin beta, confirming the presence of blood. None tested positive for HIV in this sample, but four clippers - representing 8% - tested positive for Hepatitis B virus.Further analysis revealed that two of the clippers were positive on qualitative HBV PCR testing. Genetic sequencing showed that one sample clustered with genotype A sequences from South Africa, India, Brazil and Martinique, while another clustered with South African genotype D sequences identical to a subtype previously identified in Gauteng province.Although HIV was not detected on the clippers in this particular study, researchers noted that the HBV DNA copies found were sufficient to pose a real transmission risk."This study confirms that there is significant contamination of barber hair clippers with blood and blood-borne viruses," the study states. "Hepatitis B was detected with enough DNA copies to pose a risk of transmitting infection. Although HIV was not detected in this small study, the risk of transmission should be quantified."Professor Khumalo has spent more than a decade researching haircut-associated viral risks. Her earlier work includes studies on blood and virus detection on barber clippers (2018), invisible bleeding from clean-shave haircuts (2013), and the potential link between FKN, haircut bleeding and HIV transmission (2008).One of her most significant contributions is the identification of "invisible bleeding." Using highly sensitive RNA markers, Khumalo's team demonstrated that blood is often present on the scalp after a clean-shave haircut even when no cuts or injuries are visible. This suggests that routine barbering practices can allow blood-to-tool-to-blood contact without the awareness of either the barber or the client.In her recommendations, Khumalo called for increased public awareness of infection risks, improved training for barbers, and stricter enforcement of clipper sterilisation and hygiene protocols to reduce the spread of Hepatitis B and other blood-borne infections in barbershops. San Francisco (Special to Informed Comment; Feature) The past year has completely discredited any claim that choosing between the Democratic and Republican parties would be merely a matter of pick your poison with the same end result. In countless terrible ways, the last 12 months have shown that Donald Trumps party is bent on methodically inflicting vast cruelty and injustice while aiming to crush whats left of democracy and the rule of law. Meanwhile, the Democratic Partys leadership persists with the kind of elitist political approach that helped Trump win in 2024. Hidebound and unimaginative, Senate leader Chuck Schumer and House leader Hakeem Jeffries have been incapable of inspiring the people whose high-turnout votes will be essential to ending Republican control of Congress and the White House. The Democratic establishment shuns the progressive populism thats vital to effectively counter bogus right-wing populism. And so, the fight to defeat the fascistic GOP and the fight to overcome the power of corporate Democrats are largely the same fight. Advocates for progressive change will remain on the defensive as long as the Trump party is in power. With the entire future at stake, social movements on the left should have a focus on organizing to oust Republicans from control of Congress in this years midterm elections. The point isnt that Democrats deserve to win its that people certainly dont deserve to live under Republican rule, and ending it is the first electoral step toward a federal government that serves the broad public instead of powerfully destructive and violent elites. Like it or not, in almost every case the only candidates in a position to defeat Republicans for the House and Senate this year will have a D after their name. Democratic Party leaders have dodged coming to terms with reasons why their party lost the White House in 2024, preferring to make a protracted show of scratching their chins and puzzling over the steep falloff of support from working-class voters of all colors. The Democratic National Committees refusal to release its autopsy report, assessing what went wrong in the election, underscores the partys aversion to serious introspection. Cogent answers are readily available, but top Democrats like Schumer and Jeffries refuse to heed them. If the party wants to regain and expand support from working-class voters, it must fight for programs that they clearly want. Extensive polling shows strong public support for major progressive reforms, such as raising taxes on big corporations and the wealthy, lifting the Social Security tax cap, boosting the federal minimum wage, and greatly expanding Medicare to include dental, vision and hearing coverage. The multifaceted tyranny that Trump and his toady lieutenants want to impose is both abrupt and gradual. Relying on big lie techniques, they strive to turn this months shocks into next months old hat. Yet counting on denunciations of Trump to win elections is a very bad strategy. It didnt work in 2016, it barely worked in 2020, and it failed miserably in 2024. Democrats on ballots this fall will need to be offering plausible relief to voters in economic distress. But its hard for Democratic leaders to come across as aligned with the working class when evidence is profuse that they arent. No Kings Demonstration, Ypsilanti, MI, October 18, 2025. Juan Cole. In essence, Schumer and Jeffries and the majority of Democratic officeholders who keep those two in the partys top positions represent the Biden-era status quo that was unpopular enough to return Trump to the White House. A key reason is a reality that Sen. Bernie Sanders described soon after Trumps 2016 win: Certainly there are some people in the Democratic Party who want to maintain the status quo. They would rather go down with the Titanic so long as they have first-class seats. Democratic Party leaders should be removed from seats of party power or bypassed as relics of bygone eras. Their ongoing refusals to distance from corporate power, rich elites and militarism have alienated much of the partys base. As I wrote in my free new book The Blue Road to Trump Hell, The Democratic Party enabled Donald Trump to become president twice because of repetition compulsions that still plague the top echelons of the party. To eject Republicans from power and to advance a strong progressive agenda true leadership must come from grassroots mobilization. By Pardis Mahdavi, University of California, Berkeley Irans current wave of protests continues to spread across the country, as the United States weighs military intervention. Meanwhile, many Iranian people continue to struggle to pay for basic necessities amid a collapsing currency. The anti-government demonstrations began in Tehrans Grand Bazaar, one of the largest and oldest covered markets in the world, in December 2025. From there, they quickly reached Irans university campuses. The governments response was swift and familiar: Authorities ordered universities to move classes online, citing weather concerns. When students continued organizing, the regime closed universities entirely. I am an Iranian-American who has studied Iranian social movements for more than 25 years. As an educator, I have also led American universities, while maintaining ties to Iranian academic institutions. I also witnessed firsthand the systematic assault on academic freedom during the presidency of Mahmoud Ahmadinejad from 2005 through 2013. Irans universities tell the story of the nation itself: a story of persistent hope confronting relentless repression, and of intellectual life refusing to be extinguished even under extraordinary pressure. Iranian universities have long been places of political reform and imagination and where the Islamic Republics authoritarian impulses collide with peoples demands for freedom. The heartbeat of reform Iran has 316 accredited universities across the country, including the University of Tehran and Islamic Azad University. Iranian universities have been hubs of political activity and protest since at least the mid-1900s. Student-led protest movements emerged forcefully in the 1940s following the abdication of Reza Shah, an Iranian military officer who led Iran as its shah, or monarch, from 1925 to 1941. These groups gained momentum during the oil nationalization movement led by the democratically elected Prime Minister Mohammad Mossadegh. Students supported Mossadeghs promises of a democratic and free Iran, where the benefits of resources like oil would be reaped by Iranians first, before extending to the rest of the world. The United States led a CIA-backed military coup that overthrew Mossadegh and reinstated Mohammad Reza Pahlavi as shah of Iran in 1953. College campuses again became critical spaces for political consciousness and opposition. A long-established pattern This pattern continued for decades. Universities were central to the 1979 revolution, with students joining clerics, leftists and nationalists in overthrowing the monarchy. Yet once consolidated, the Islamic Republic quickly turned against the institutions that had helped make the revolution possible. The 1980s and 1990s saw widespread purges of faculty, with the imprisonment of professors in such numbers that the notorious Evin Prison came to be grimly nicknamed Evin University. Academic life was tightly policed, books were routinely banned, and government surveillance became routine. As Azar Nafisi later documented in the 2003 book Reading Lolita in Tehran, intellectual engagement often survived only through clandestine reading groups and private gatherings. Yet repression never succeeded in erasing student activism. When formal organizing became impossible, it moved underground. When campuses were locked down, ideas continued to circulate. Thaw, reversal and academic repression The election of Mohammad Khatami in 1997 briefly altered this trajectory of academic repression. Khatami ran for office as a reformist candidate with strong support from young people. As president, he presided over a limited thaw in academic life. Universities reopened slightly as spaces for debate and research. I conducted fieldwork on the youth movement and sexual revolution in Iran beginning in 1999 research that would have been unthinkable just a few years earlier. But the opening proved fragile. Ahmadinejads rise to power in 2005 marked a return to aggressive repression. Universities were again treated as ideological threats. Some faculty members were arrested or dismissed, student organizations were dismantled, and coursework and readings were heavily censored. The irony was stark. By the mid-2000s, Iran had one of the highest literacy rates and highest proportions of college graduates per capita in the region. Yet the government began restricting which majors women could study and which subjects could be taught. Entire fields, including engineering, education and counseling, were deemed suspect. Professors who resisted faced harassment and dismissal. Student protests were met with force and detention. Despite this, youth-led mobilization persisted. Every major protest cycle over the past two decades including the 1999 student uprising has been driven by young people, many of them university students. Universities in the current uprising Recent Iranian university closures underscore the regimes likely fears of resistance not simply because of what is taught in classrooms, since curricula can be controlled but also because of the power that young people can gain when they physically gather in shared spaces. Dormitories, libraries and cafeterias are where political awareness coalesces, where individual grievances become collective demands, and where dissent acquires momentum. Today, by systematically alienating young people through economic mismanagement, social repression and the erosion of academic freedom, the government has created its most formidable opposition: young protesters. Analysts have increasingly identified this pattern as one of the regimes central strategic failures. Photo of College of Art and Engineering, Shahrekord, Chaharmahal and Bakhtiari Province, Iran by Mahdi Salimian on Unsplash Universities are a lens into Iran What happens inside Irans universities today is not a side story it is one of the clearest indicators of where the country may be headed. The freedom to teach, read, question and debate mirrors the freedom Iranian citizens seek in public life more broadly. Just as women have pushed back against state control of their bodies one millimeter at a time, universities have pushed back against intellectual confinement one page at a time expanding the boundaries of permissible thought even under threat of punishment. For decades, Iranian students and professors have demonstrated extraordinary courage in sustaining these small but vital acts of defiance. They have kept alive what Iranians call koorsoo: a small, stubborn flame of hope that endures even in darkness. History suggests that societies which wage war on their intellectual institutions ultimately lose more than control they lose legitimacy. Irans universities have long been the heartbeat of reform. Today, that heartbeat is growing louder and it may once again shape the course of the nations history. Pardis Mahdavi, Director, Executive Leadership Academy, University of California, Berkeley This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article. News / National by Staff reporter President Emmerson Mnangagwa is expected to pave the way for the publication of constitutional amendments aimed at extending his tenure beyond the 2028 two-term limit to 2030 when he returns from annual leave early next month, a Cabinet minister has told a local news website.In a written response to questions, the minister said preparations for Constitutional Amendment Bill No. 3 were complete and only awaited the President's return for final Cabinet clearance."We are waiting for the President to return from his annual leave to get Cabinet to table and then clear Constitutional Amendment Bill No. 3 after necessary scrutiny by its committee on legislation. The drafting has been done and dusted," the minister said.According to the minister, once Cabinet approves the draft Bill, the Speaker of the National Assembly will be required to publish the precise terms of the proposed amendment in the Government Gazette. The Bill cannot be introduced in Parliament until at least 90 days after publication to allow for public scrutiny.During that period, Parliament must invite written submissions and conduct public hearings to gather citizen input. Thereafter, the Bill must be passed by a two-thirds majority in both the National Assembly and the Senate before being sent to the President for assent.The minister insisted that no referendum would be required."There is no referendum required in this case as we have been arguing for months now. This process, as far as we are concerned, does not need a referendum, just a two-thirds majority in Parliament - in the National Assembly and Senate," he said.Zanu PF currently holds a commanding two-thirds majority in Parliament following recent electoral gains and the weakening of the opposition, giving the ruling party the numerical strength to pass constitutional amendments.However, the proposed extension remains highly contested both politically and legally. Section 328(7) of the Constitution stipulates that any amendment extending a presidential term limit must be approved through a national referendum and cannot benefit the incumbent.To allow President Mnangagwa to benefit, legal experts argue that Section 328(7) itself would have to be amended or repealed - a process that would require a referendum. Some constitutional lawyers contend that this could necessitate two separate referenda: one to alter the term-limit protection clause and another to permit the incumbent to benefit.Three main legal arguments have emerged around the issue. The first holds that extending Mnangagwa's tenure would require a two-thirds parliamentary majority plus two referenda.A second argument suggests an alternative route: amending Section 95, which defines the five-year length of a presidential term, rather than Section 91, which limits a president to two terms. Proponents of this view argue that extending a term from five to seven years may not trigger the referendum requirement tied to term limits, potentially allowing Mnangagwa to remain in office until 2030 by lengthening his final term.A third argument posits that there is a legal loophole in the Constitution that could be exploited to extend the President's stay in office without a referendum by altering the duration of a term rather than removing term limits altogether.The developments come amid heightened succession tensions within Zanu PF. Vice-President Kembo Mohadi is currently Acting President for the second time in as many weeks, from January 14, 2026, until Mnangagwa's expected return in early February. Mohadi had previously acted as President from December 23 to December 31, 2025, while co-Vice-President Constantino Chiwenga acted from January 1 to January 13, 2026.Political observers note that Mohadi has now spent more time as Acting President than Chiwenga during Mnangagwa's leave, a development occurring against the backdrop of a fierce succession battle within the ruling party.As Mnangagwa's return approaches, attention is expected to focus sharply on Cabinet's next moves and the constitutional, political and public fallout from any attempt to extend his rule beyond 2028. Toronto, Ontario--(Newsfile Corp. - January 22, 2026) - Magna Terra Minerals Inc. (TSXV: MTT) (the "Company" or "Magna Terra") is pleased to announce that it has acquired via an option agreement the sizeable, prospective Prospect Or's Dream Epithermal Gold Project (the "Project"), located in north-central New Brunswick. The Project underlying the option agreement comprises 29 mineral claims totaling 15,923 hectares that are situated along and adjacent to a 30-kilometre section of the Moose Lake Fault (Figure 1). Epithermal-style quartz vein boulders and adjacent outcrop at the east end of the property were first discovered in the summer of 2025 and there is no record of historical sampling or exploration work on much of the property outside of the nearby Skull Zone. Prospect Or's Dream Project Highlights New gold discovery in 2025 by prospectors Tim Lavoie and Pierre-Luc Guitard; Identified a boulder field and outcrop of low-sulphidation epithermal gold-bearing quartz veins hosted within rhyolite, andesite and granites over a minimum 7.2-kilometre strike length; Assays from preliminary prospecting with values up to 735 ppb gold; District scale property comprising 15,923 hectares in 29 mineral claims (726 units); Located along a 30-kilometre extent of the prospective Moose Lake Fault; and Other prospects within the area include Blitzen, Skull, Moose Lake, Stewart, and Pringle Brook. "We are very excited to acquire this large, early-stage epithermal gold project in an emerging gold district in north-central New Brunswick. The discovery, through traditional prospecting of a large area of gold-bearing epithermal quartz veins in this new environment along the Moose Lake Fault highlights the potential of this area to host a significant precious metals deposit. The shear magnitude of the epithermal-style quartz vein boulder field and adjacent outcrop we witnessed on a site visit in late October was significant. Early-stage prospecting has identified a minimum strike length of 7.2 kilometres, indicating the potential for discovery of a large low-sulphidation epithermal gold system in a region of the province previously unrecognized for precious metals deposition. The acquisition of the Prospect Or's Dream Project fits with the Company's strategy of acquiring early-stage precious and critical metal projects that offer good value and discovery upside for our shareholders, and highlights our belief that New Brunswick and Atlantic Canada are under-explored and present a compelling opportunity for exploration and discovery. Our technical team will be completing a full compilation of historic data on the Project in the coming weeks and will undertake planning for a spring/summer field program in 2026." ~ Lew Lawrick, President and CEO, Magna Terra Minerals Inc. 2025 Prospecting Program Prospecting in the summer of 2025 by prospectors Tim Lavoie and Pierre-Luc Guitard resulted in the discovery of a field of numerous angular and sub-angular boulders and nearby outcrop of epithermal textured quartz veins. Prospecting resulted in the collection of 132 rock float and outcrop samples* with gold assays ranging from 1 ppb gold up to 735 ppb gold with 28 samples assaying over 100 ppb gold (Figures 1 and 2). Many of the quartz veins sampled show evidence of forming in a low-sulphidation epithermal environment including the presence of chalcedonic silica banding and bladed quartz texture (Figures 3, 4, and 5). Sampling at the Pringle Brook occurrence returned 3 samples of epithermal quartz veins that assayed 420, 430, and 570 ppb gold (Figure 1). While the gold assays to date from rock float and grab samples do not exhibit high gold grades (e.g. > 5.0 g/t gold), these results are indicative of a gold bearing near-surface epithermal gold system hosted within Sheephouse Brook volcanic rocks and the South Branch Northwest Miramichi granite that extends over an approximate 7.2 kilometres strike extent along and adjacent to the Moose Lake Fault in the central part of the property. Project Geology The Project is centred along a 30 kilometre section of the Moose Lake-Tomogonops-Tozer Fault system ("Moose Lake Fault Zone" or "MLFZ"), a regional-scale fault zone that separates middle to late Ordovician volcanic and sedimentary rocks of the Sheephouse Brook Group and Cambrian to Lower Ordovician Miramichi Group to the south of the MLFZ from Middle to late Ordovician Tetagouche and California Lake groups to the north of the MLFZ. Regionally, the Tetagouche and California Lake groups are host to volcanogenic massive sulphide deposits of the Bathurst camp (Figures 1 and 2). The less explored Sheephouse Brook and Miramichi groups are preferentially intruded by Late Ordovician Clearwater Lake and Stony Brook felsic porphyritic intrusives amongst others. All rocks on both sides of the fault are intruded by Late Silurian to Early Devonian North Pole and South Branch Northwest Miramichi granites, particularly on the western side of the property, indicating that the area has been subject to episodic intrusive and deformation and faulting from the Late Ordovician to the Devonian. There are several NW-SE striking faults that form splays off of the main MLFZ including the Kagoot Brook Fault, Hubbards Pond Fault, Clearwater Stream Fault, Sheephouse Brook Fault, Mahals Brook Fault, Mountain Brook Fault, and the Pringle Broom Fault. Option Agreement and Payment Details The Company has acquired the Prospect Or's Dream property (covering 29 mineral claims) from the Optionor under an option agreement dated January 21, 2026. The Company can earn a 100% interest in the Project by paying $10,000 in cash and issuing 141,000 common shares upon signing; with $120,000 in cash and $260,000 in cash and/or common shares payable over a four-year period ending January 21, 2030. The Optionor retains a two percent (2%) net smelter royalty (the "NSR") on the sales of metals and minerals mined from the property with 1% of the NSR purchasable by the Company for $1,000,000. Magna Terra has a Right of First Refusal on the remaining 1% NSR. All share issuances will be based on the greater of $0.05 per share or the 10-day volume weighted average price on the date a payment is due, and the Company elects to make such payment in common shares. As such, the maximum number of common shares issuable by the Company with respect to the potential share consideration payable for the option agreement is 5,341,000 common shares. The common shares which may be issued under the agreement will be subject to a regulatory four month and one day hold period from their date of issuance and are subject to approval by the TSX Venture Exchange. Figure 1: A map showing the location of the Prospect Or's Dream Project, adjacent exploration projects, fault zones, and mineral occurrences. Figure 2: A map showing the geology, rock sample locations and gold grade of quartz vein float and outcrop at the Prospect Or's Dream Project, highlighting the 7.2 kilometre long trend adjacent to the Moose Lake Fault Zone. Figure 3: Field photographs of epithermal quartz vein boulders from the Prospect Or's Dream Project, with photo of prospectors Tim Lavoie (right) and Pierre-Luc Guitard (left). Figure 4: Field photograph of chalcedonic silica banding within an epithermal quartz vein boulder from the Prospect Or's Dream Project. Figure 5: Field photograph of bladed quartz within an epithermal quartz vein boulder from the Prospect Or's Dream Project. Qualified Person and Technical Notes This news release has been reviewed and approved by David A. Copeland, P.Geo., a "Qualified Person", under National Instrument 43-101 - Standard for Disclosure for Mineral Projects. All rock samples collected were submitted to AGAT Laboratories at Thunder Bay, Ontario and were analysed via method (202-552) Fire Assay - Trace Au, ICP-OES finish (50g charge). All quoted drill core and rock samples results were compiled from historic assessment and government reports obtained from the government of New Brunswick. The Qualified Person has not completed sufficient work to validate these historic results. * Grab samples are selective by nature and may not represent the true metal content of the mineralized zone. About Magna Terra Magna Terra Minerals Inc. is a precious and critical metals focused exploration company, headquartered in Toronto, Canada. Magna Terra is focused on acquiring and advancing its high-potential mineral projects in Atlantic Canada and Argentina while generating value for shareholders and minimizing shareholder dilution through option and joint venture partnerships where appropriate; leveraging our ability to explore, grow, and transact projects. The Company is focused on exploring our 100%-owned Humber Copper-Cobalt Project in Newfoundland and Labrador; our 100% owned Rocky Brook Gold and Critical Metals Project in the historic Bathurst Mining Camp of New Brunswick; and our 100%-owned Cape Spencer Gold Project in New Brunswick. In addition, the Company has optioned the Great Northern Project in Newfoundland to Gold Hunter Resources Inc. ("Gold Hunter") for total cash and share consideration of $9.5 million over a 2-year period, and currently holds an approximate 24.9% equity interest in Gold Hunter. The Company has also optioned the Luna Roja Project in Argentina to Lunex Metals Corp. (formerly Andean Metals Corp.) for total cash and share consideration of $2.375 million over a 4-year period. Further, the Company maintains a significant exploration portfolio in the province of Santa Cruz, Argentina which includes its large 100% owned Boleadora Project, as well as several additional district scale drill ready projects available for purchase or option/joint venture. Forward-Looking Statements Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release. Cautionary Statements Regarding Forward-Looking Information This news release contains forward-looking statements and forward-looking information (collectively, "forward-looking statements") within the meaning of applicable Canadian legislation. All statements in this news release that are not purely historical are forward-looking statements and include statements regarding beliefs, plans, expectations and orientations regarding the future including, without limitation, the ability of the Company to file a report that complies with National Instrument 43-101. Although the Company believes that such statements are reasonable and reflect expectations of future developments and other factors which management believes to be reasonable and relevant, the Company can give no assurance that such expectations will prove to be correct. Forward-looking statements are typically identified by words such as: "believes", "expects", "anticipates", "intends", "estimates", "plans", "may", "should", "would", "will", "potential", "scheduled" or variations of such words and phrases and similar expressions, which, by their nature, refer to future events or results that may, could, would, might or will occur or be taken or achieved. In making the forward-looking statements in this news release, the Company has applied several material assumptions, including without limitation, and the ability of the author of the Technical Reports to finalize same. Forward-looking statements involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors which may cause the actual results, performance or achievements of the Company to differ materially from any future results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by the forward-looking information. Such risks and other factors include the inability of the Company to execute its proposed business plans and carry out planned future activities. Other factors may also adversely affect the future results or performance of the Company, including general economic, market or business conditions, future prices of gold, changes in the financial markets and in the demand for precious metals, changes in laws, regulations and policies affecting the mineral exploration industry, and the Company's investment and operation in the mineral exploration sector, as well as the risks and uncertainties which are more fully described in the Company's annual and quarterly management's discussion and analysis and in other filings made by the Company with Canadian securities regulatory authorities under the Company's SEDAR+ profile at www.sedarplus.ca. Readers are cautioned that forward-looking statements are not guarantees of future performance or events and, accordingly, are cautioned not to put undue reliance on forward-looking statements due to the inherent uncertainty of such statements. These forward-looking statements are made as of the date of this news release and, unless required by applicable law, the Company assumes no obligation to update the forward-looking statements or to update the reasons why actual results could differ from those projected in these forward-looking statements. Vancouver, British Columbia--(Newsfile Corp. - January 22, 2026) - Tudor Gold Corp. (TSXV: TUD) (FSE: H56) (the "Company" or "Tudor") is pleased to report an updated Mineral Resource estimate (the "2026 MRE") with higher-grade sensitivities for the Goldstorm Deposit at its flagship Treaty Creek Project located in the Golden Triangle, British Columbia. The 2026 MRE was prepared by Garth Kirkham, P.Geo. of Kirkham Geosystems Ltd. ("KGL") in accordance with National Instrument 43-101, Standards of Disclosure for Mineral Projects ("NI 43-101"). Treaty Creek 2026 MRE Highlights 2026 MRE at a net smelter revenue ("NSR") cut-off value of US$50 per tonne Indicated Mineral Resource of 24.9 million ounces of gold, 148.7 million ounces of silver and 3.048 billion pounds of copper (912.3 million tonnes grading 0.85 g/t gold, 5.07 g/t silver and 0.15% copper) Inferred Mineral Resource of 4.0 million ounces of gold, 18.6 million ounces of silver and 327.7 million pounds of copper (86.1 million tonnes grading 1.43 g/t gold, 5.22 g/t silver and 0.17% copper) US$125 NSR cut-off value sensitivity Indicated Mineral Resource of 5.8 million ounces of gold, 30.2 million ounces of silver and 607.2 million pounds of copper (102.1 million tonnes grading 1.78 g/t gold, 9.19 g/t silver and 0.27% copper) Inferred Mineral Resource of 2.6 million ounces of gold, 7.2 million ounces of silver and 67.9 million pounds of copper (21.8 million tonnes grading 3.64 g/t gold, 10.22 g/t silver and 0.14% copper) US$175 NSR cut-off value sensitivity Indicated Mineral Resource of 3.4 million ounces of gold, 13.4 million ounces of silver and 167.3 million pounds of copper (45.1 million tonnes grading 2.33 g/t gold, 9.27 g/t silver and 0.17% copper) Inferred Mineral Resource of 2.4 million ounces of gold, 6.6 million ounces of silver and 65.2 million pounds of copper (18.3 million tonnes grading 4.02 g/t gold, 11.17 g/t silver and 0.16% copper) "The 2026 MRE increased Indicated Mineral Resources of gold at Treaty Creek's Goldstorm Deposit by 15% over the 2024 Mineral Resource estimate and demonstrates the higher-grade potential at the Treaty Creek Project with higher NSR cutoff value sensitivities," commented Joe Ovsenek, President and CEO of Tudor Gold. "Now that we have the 2026 MRE in hand, we can start to advance our strategy for placing Treaty Creek in production with an underground mine initially targeting roughly 300,000 ounces of gold per year. Metallurgical testing is underway, and we have started the process of developing a mine plan around the higher-grade mineralization at the Goldstorm Deposit. As the metallurgical testing and mine planning come together, we will assess the potential for the completion of a preliminary economic assessment later this year." Treaty Creek Project 2026 Mineral Resource Estimate The 2026 MRE was prepared by KGL based on 359 diamond drill holes for a total of 191,466 meters, which includes 332 drill holes completed by the Company between 2016 and 2025 and 27 drill holes completed by prior Treaty Creek Project operators between 2007 and 2009. The 2026 MRE is reported at a NSR cut-off value of US$50 per tonne. A NI 43-101 Technical Report will be prepared and posted on www.tudor-gold.com and the Company's profile on www.sedarplus.ca within 45 days of the date of this news release. Table 1: 2026 Treaty Creek Project Mineral Resource Estimate(1) - (11) Mineral Resource Classification Tonnes (M) Gold Grade (g/t) Silver Grade (g/t) Copper Grade (%) Gold (M oz) Silver (M oz) Copper (M lbs) Indicated 912.3 0.85 5.07 0.15 24.9 148.7 3,048.0 Inferred 86.1 1.43 5.22 0.17 4.0 18.6 327.7 Notes: The Mineral Resource statement is subject to the following: (1) The 2026 MRE has been prepared by Garth Kirkham, P.Geo., an Independent Qualified Person as defined by NI 43-101. (2) The 2026 MRE has been estimated in accordance with Canadian Institute of Mining and Metallurgy and Petroleum ("CIM") definitions, as required under NI43-101. (3) The 2026 MRE is reported on a 100% ownership basis. (4) The 2026 MRE was prepared for a potential underground mining scenario evaluated within block cave mining shapes and constrained by geological and grade-continuity-defined solids using a NSR cut-off value of US$50/tonne. The NSR value was developed based on initial metallurgical testwork results combined with the Company's and its consultants' knowledge of potential smelter terms, royalites and onsite and offsite costs. The NSR calculation assumes a payable gold-silver-copper concentrate will be generated. The NSR calculation assumes metal prices of US$2925/ounce gold, US$34.00/ounce silver and US$4.25/pound copper; metallurgical recoveries of 90% for gold, 80% for silver and 80% for copper; underground mining costs of C$8.50/tonne, processing costs of C$38.50/tonne and G&A of C$1.50/tonne; a CAD:USD exchange rate of 0.72 and rounded to US$50. (5) The 2026 MRE is reported without applying mining dilution, mining losses, or process losses. (6) The 2026 MRE is constrained within underground shapes based on reasonable prospects of economic extraction, in accordance with NI43-101. Reasonable prospects for economic extraction were met by applying mining shapes, ensuring grade continuity above the cut-off value, and by excluding non-mineable material prior to reporting. (7) Mineral resources are classified as Indicated, and Inferred based on geological confidence and continuity, spacing of drill holes, and data quality. (8) The effective date of the 2026 MRE is November 30, 2025. (9) Mineral Resources are not Mineral Reserves and do not have demonstrated economic viability. The estimate of Mineral Resources may be materially affected by environmental, permitting, legal, title, taxation, sociopolitical, marketing, or other relevant issues. (10) The Inferred Mineral Resource in this estimate has a lower level of confidence than that applied to an Indicated Mineral Resource and must not be converted to a Mineral Reserve. It is reasonably expected that the majority of the Inferred Mineral Resource could be upgraded to an Indicated Mineral Resource with continued exploration. (11) All figures are rounded to reflect the relative accuracy of the estimate and therefore numbers may not appear to add precisely. Mineral Resource Estimation Methodology The Mineral Resource estimate was completed using industry-standard commercial modelling and mine planning software, including Leapfrog and MineSight (Version 16.30). The block model utilizes a parent block size of 10 10 10 meters, with sub-blocking to 0.5 0.5 0.5 meters to accurately reflect complex vein geometries. Assay data were composited to 1.5 meters to ensure consistent sample support. Gold, copper, and silver grades were estimated using ordinary kriging in a single-pass approach, employing capped composites constrained within geologically defined estimation domains. Grade caps were determined through analysis of cumulative frequency plots and the spatial continuity of high-grade vein structures, with cut grade thresholds ranging from: Gold: 5 g/t to 19 g/t Au Copper: 0.1% to 2.0% Cu Silver: 50 g/t to 100 g/t Ag Hard boundaries were applied to all high-grade vein domains and associated parent domains. Estimation parameters included a minimum of two composites per block, a maximum of 16 composites per block, and a maximum of five composites per drill hole. Mineral Resource Classification Mineral Resources are classified as Indicated and Inferred in accordance with the CIM Definition Standards. Classification is based primarily on drill hole spacing, geological confidence, and demonstrated continuity of mineralization: Indicated Resources are defined by drill hole spacing of less than approximately 100 meters to three drill holes. Inferred Resources are defined by drill hole spacing of less than approximately 150 meters, subject to additional geological continuity criteria. All Mineral Resources are constrained by continuous high-grade vein domain solids and enclosing mineralized parent domains. Reasonable Prospects of Eventual Economic Extraction The Mineral Resource estimate satisfies the requirement for "reasonable prospects of eventual economic extraction" through demonstrated geological continuity and delineation of mineralized zones amenable to underground mining methods. Reasonable assumptions regarding metal prices and operating costs were applied. Mineralization potentially extractable by underground methods was evaluated within block cave mining shapes and constrained by geological and grade-continuity-defined solids. Goldstorm Deposit Mineral Resource Update, January 22, 2026 Treaty Creek Project 2026 Mineral Resource Estimate Higher-Grade Sensitivities In addition to the base case NSR cut-off value of $50 per tonne, NSR cut-off values of $125 per tonne and $175 per tonne are reported to demonstrate the potential effect on tonnage, grade and metal content (Table 2). Higher NSR cut-off value sensitivities demonstrate an increase in grade and concomitant decrease in tonnage. The higher cut-off value sensitivities will be evaluated for potential to support an underground mining operation using conventional mining methods. The higher NSR cut-off value sensitivities are for comparison purposes only and should not be considered Mineral Resources. Table 2: 2026 Treaty Creek Project Mineral Resource Estimate Higher-Grade Sensitivities(1) NSR Cut-Off Value Mineral Resource Classification Tonnes (M) Gold Grade (g/t) Silver Grade (g/t) Copper Grade (%) Gold (M oz) Silver (M oz) Copper (M lbs) US$125/ tonne Indicated 102.1 1.78 9.19 0.27 5.8 30.2 607.2 Inferred 21.8 3.64 10.22 0.14 2.6 7.2 67.8 US$175/ tonne Indicated 45.1 2.33 9.27 0.17 3.4 13.4 167.3 Inferred 18.3 4.02 11.17 0.16 2.4 6.6 65.3 (1) See notes to Table 1 above. Goldstorm Deposit Mineral Resource Update, January 22, 2026 Higher-Grade Sensitivies Geological Framework and Deposit Model The Treaty Creek Property hosts the Goldstorm Deposit, which is situated within Early Jurassic intrusive rocks and the surrounding Late Triassic to Early Jurassic volcano-sedimentary sequences of the Stikine volcanic island-arc terrane. Regionally, prolonged arc magmatism across Stikinia and Quesnellia resulted in a multi-episodic Late Triassic to Early Jurassic metallogenic event, generating numerous porphyry intrusion-related mineral deposits throughout northwestern British Columbia. Extensive hydrothermal alteration halos are developed around intrusive complexes in the nearby Mitchell and Sulphurets Deposit areas, and similar alteration assemblages are present at the Treaty Creek property. These alteration systems envelop several mineralized zones, including the Goldstorm Deposit, and are indicative of a large, long-lived hydrothermal system. Structurally, the Treaty Creek property is influenced by regional-scale contractional faults and associated local dilational fault systems that formed within the Cretaceous Skeena Fold Belt. These structures have played a critical role in controlling magma emplacement, fluid flow, and the localization of mineralization at Goldstorm. The Goldstorm Deposit is comprised of five distinct mineralized domains, each with unique geological and mineralogical characteristics: Copper Belle, located at the southwest end of the deposit, represents a gold-dominant, shear-hosted mineralized system. 300H/N, CS-600, and Deep Stockwork 5 (DS5) form the core of the Goldstorm mineral system and consist of tabular bodies dipping approximately 45 to 50 to the northwest. The 300H domain is a near-surface zone characterized by pervasive disseminated auriferous pyrite and fine gold-bearing pyrite veinlets and stringers. The underlying CS-600 domain hosts gold- and copper-dominant mineralization associated with quartz veinlet stockworks, hydrothermal breccias, and porphyritic monzodiorite intrusive stocks. This domain contains the majority of the copper mineralization at Goldstorm and represents a well-defined intrusive-related porphyry system. Beneath both 300H and CS-600, the DS5 domain comprises a gold-dominant quartz-pyrite veinlet stockwork, carrying minor silver values. The Route 66 (R66) domain is a narrow, 20- to 50-metre-wide, north-striking corridor of high-grade, gold-dominant quartz stockwork mineralization. All of the zones are gold-dominant with subordinate silver and copper, other than the CS-600 Zone, which is distinguished by its significant gold-copper enrichment. Together, these domains define a large, structurally controlled, intrusion-related mineral system with strong geological continuity. The updated Mineral Resource estimate incorporates the results of an extensive internal geological review completed in 2024 and 2025, which included detailed drill core relogging, geochemical alteration modelling, and quantitative vein density analysis. This work has resulted in a refined geological framework that significantly improves the Company's understanding of the Goldstorm mineralized system. Diamond drilling conducted in 2025 confirmed the presence, continuity, and geometry of a well-defined mineralized corridor comprised of stacked, sub-parallel, structurally controlled stockwork vein systems. Individual vein panels range from approximately 10 to 50 meters in thickness, extend for more than 400 meters along strike, and are oriented approximately 295/50. These mineralized structures represent late-stage features that cross-cut and overprint earlier intrusive phases. Mineralization is hosted within late-stage, cross-cutting quartz-anhydrite-pyrite veins containing accessory sphalerite, chalcopyrite, galena, tetrahedrite-tennantite, and manganoan calcite. These sulphide-bearing veins are associated with discrete decimeter- to meter-scale grey quartz-white mica (muscovite)-pyrite phyllic alteration halos, consistent with the Company's updated structural and alteration model. Treaty Creek Project 2026 Mineral Resource Estimate by Zone For the 2026 MRE, the Goldstorm Deposit at the Treaty Creek Project is reported as three zones of mineralization: Upper Zone, Central Zone and Lower Zone. The Upper Zone is comprised of the Copper Belle, 300H and 300N domains; the Central Zone is comprised of the CS600, Route 66 and SC-1 domains; and the Lower Zone is comprised of the DS-5 domain. Table 3: 2026 Treaty Creek Project Mineral Resource Estimate by Zone(1) Goldstorm Deposit Zone Mineral Resource Classification Tonnes (M) Gold Grade (g/t) Silver Grade (g/t) Copper Grade (%) Gold (M oz) Silver (M oz) Copper (M lbs) Upper Indicated 252.5 0.96 3.60 0.02 7.8 29.2 111.3 Inferred 18.9 0.83 3.2 0.02 0.5 1.9 8.3 Central Indicated 451.6 0.71 5.49 0.29 10.3 79.7 2,887.5 Inferred 52.5 1.40 7.04 0.27 2.4 11.9 312.7 Lower Indicated 208.2 1.03 5.95 0.02 6.9 39.8 91.8 Inferred 14.7 2.33 10.17 0.03 1.1 4.8 9.7 (1) See notes to Table 1 above. Next Steps Metallurgical test work is ongoing with initial results expected this quarter. Concurrently with the metallurgical test work, a mine plan is expected to be developed based on the higher-grade mineralization at the Treaty Creek Project. If successful in developing a mine plan and assuming positive metallurgical results, a preliminary economic assessment will be undertaken on placing the Goldstorm Deposit in production. Additional information will be provided as it becomes available with respect to a preliminary economic assessment. Update on December 2025 Flow-Through Financing On December 4, 2025 and December 11, 2025, the Company closed a non-brokered private placement of flow-through units (the "Units") at $0.95 per Unit, for gross proceeds of approximately $12.5 million (the "Offering"). In connection with the Offering, the Company paid finder's fees representing 6% of the proceeds raised from subscriptions by, and issued finder's warrants ("Finder's Warrants") representing 6% of the Units issued to, certain places, including $15,000 and 15,789 Finder's Warrants to James Derek Holmes and $119,700 and 126,000 Finder's Warrants to JDJ Merchant Partners Inc. Each Finder's Warrant entitles the holder thereof to acquire one common share in the capital of the Company at an exercise price of $1.20, for a period of 24 months. Qualified Persons The 2026 MRE was prepared by Garth Kirkham, P.Geo. of KGL, who is an independent Qualified Person, as defined by NI 43-101 and responsible for the 2026 MRE. Mr. Kirkham has reviewed and approved the technical contents of this news release relating to the 2026 MRE. Ken Konkin, P.Geo., Tudor's Senior Vice President, Exploration, is the Qualified Person, as defined by NI 43-101, responsible for the Treaty Creek Project. Mr. Konkin has reviewed, verified, and approved the scientific and technical information in this news release. About Tudor Gold Tudor Gold Corp. is a precious and base metals exploration and development company with claims in British Columbia's Golden Triangle (Canada), an area that hosts producing and past-producing mines and several large deposits that are approaching potential development. The 17,913 hectare Treaty Creek Project (in which Tudor Gold has an 80% interest) borders Seabridge Gold Inc.'s KSM property to the southwest and borders Newmont Corporation's Brucejack Mine property to the southeast. Neither TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release. Cautionary Statements regarding Forward-Looking Information This news release contains "forward-looking information" within the meaning of applicable Canadian securities legislation. "Forward-looking information" includes, but is not limited to, statements with respect to the activities, events or developments that the Company expects or anticipates will or may occur in the future, including the completion and anticipated results of planned exploration activities. Generally, but not always, forward-looking information and statements can be identified by the use of words such as "plans", "expects", "is expected", "budget", "scheduled", "estimates", "forecasts", "intends", "anticipates", or "believes" or the negative connotation thereof or variations of such words and phrases or state that certain actions, events or results "may", "could", "would", "might" or "will be taken", "occur" or "be achieved" or the negative connation thereof. Such forward-looking information and statements are based on numerous assumptions, including among others, that the Company's planned exploration activities will be completed in a timely manner. Although the assumptions made by the Company in providing forward-looking information or making forward-looking statements are considered reasonable by management at the time, there can be no assurance that such assumptions will prove to be accurate. There can be no assurance that such statements will prove to be accurate and actual results and future events could differ materially from those anticipated in such statements. Important factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from the Company's plans or expectations include risks relating to the actual results of current exploration activities, fluctuating gold prices, possibility of equipment breakdowns and delays, exploration cost overruns, availability of capital and financing, results of negotiations, general economic, market or business conditions, regulatory changes, timeliness of government or regulatory approvals, the outcome of litigation and other risks detailed herein and from time to time in the filings made by the Company with securities regulators. Although the Company has attempted to identify important factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those contained in the forward-looking information or implied by forward-looking information, there may be other factors that cause results not to be as anticipated, estimated or intended. There can be no assurance that forward-looking information and statements will prove to be accurate, as actual results and future events could differ materially from those anticipated, estimated or intended. Accordingly, readers should not place undue reliance on forward-looking statements or information. The Company expressly disclaims any intention or obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statements whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise except as otherwise required by applicable securities legislation. January 21, 2026 TheNewswire - Rockport, OntarioNew Age Metals Inc. (TSX.V: NAM | OTCQB: NMTLF | FSE: P7J) (NAM or the Company) is pleased to announce that it has acquired via staking the Northern Shield Property within the Ring of Fire, a new platinum group metals (PGM)copper (Cu)nickel (Ni) exploration property that adds a significant new project to the Companys PGM Critical Metals Division, located within the Fishtrap Lake Intrusive Complex in Northern Ontario, Canada. This acquisition represents a first step in NAMs expanding Ring of Fire strategy. Harry Barr, Chairman and CEO, commented: As a Prospect Generator, the acquisition of the Northern Shield Project is aligned with our strategy of building long-term value for shareholders through disciplined growth in platinum group and critical minerals projects. Our flagship River Valley Palladium Project, which hosts a multi-million-ounce NI 43-101 compliant Mineral Resource, provides a strong foundation for the Company, and Northern Shield adds another strategic project to our PGM portfolio at a low entry cost. This positive momentum is further supported by our recently completed financing, raising $4.0 million including a lead order from Mr. Eric Sprott, one of the mining sectors most respected investors, which strengthens our ability to advance our portfolio and execute on our growth strategy. The government commitment to infrastructure development in Northern Ontario, is emphasized in Figure 1, especially with the recent announcement of a new all-season access road to the Ring of Fire region. The Directors and Management of New Age Metals believe that we are well positioned to benefit from improving access, regional momentum, and responsible resource development in partnership with First Nations. Highlights 100% owned, acquisition completed through staking with no option payments, or earn-in obligations Land position totaling ~20,000 hectares (~54,000 acres) of 939 claims covering a large intrusive complex associated with PGM/Cu/Ni Extensive historical exploration database, including airborne and ground geophysics, soil geochemistry, mapping, and 7,000 metres previous diamond drilling Demonstrated mineralized system, with historical drilling intersecting PGM-bearing reef-style horizons, net-textured sulphides, and a vanadium-rich magnetite layer Multiple priority reef-level targets identified, with prospective stratigraphic positions remaining largely untested along strike and at depth Clearly defined drill targets identified by previous operators, which remain untested and available for follow-up drilling The Company has commenced data compilation and planning grassroots programs to refine targets ahead of drilling Government momentum continues to strengthen the district, with Ontario targeting Spring 2026 for road-corridor construction, supporting long-term access, development efficiency, and future mine buildout. The Northern Shield Property consists of 939 contiguous mining claim cells totaling roughly ~20,000 hectares (~54,000 acres) and covers a well-documented layered maficultramafic intrusive system confirmed by historical drilling and geophysics through publicly available Ontario assessments. The system is considered prospective for reef-style PGMNiCu sulphide mineralization and vanadium-rich magnetite layers. The Fishtrap Lake Intrusive Complex is characterized by cyclic anorthositegabbropyroxenite stratigraphy, magnetite-rich horizons, and localized sulphide mineralization, features that are consistent with environments known to host stratiform PGM systems. The Northern Shield Project is situated in the James Bay Lowlands region of Ontario, an emerging critical minerals district that includes the Ring of Fire area and nearby exploration and development projects operated by groups such as Wyloo Metals as shown in Figure 2. The presence of active exploration and planned infrastructure development in the broader region highlights the growing strategic importance of this part of northern Ontario. Mr. Max Kaczmer, Company Exploration Manager stated: Northern Shield is exactly the type of opportunity we look for at New Age Metals. The property was acquired at very low cost through staking, yet benefits from extensive historical exploration, including drilling that confirmed PGM-bearing, base metals, and vanadium (polymetallic) reef horizons and sulphide mineralization. The Ring of Fire is recognized as one of Canadas most significant emerging critical minerals districts, hosting large-scale nickel, copper, platinum group metals, and chromite discoveries that have attracted sustained interest from industry, governments, and First Nations. Regional initiatives include proposed all-season access road development, intended to improve connectivity, reduce exploration costs, and support long-term economic opportunities in collaboration with local First Nations communities. This growing infrastructure and exploration momentum underscores the strategic importance of projects located within and adjacent to the Ring of Fire. Figure 1. Prime Minister Mark Carney and Ontario Premier Doug Ford signing an agreement on the Ring of Fire Road. Source: Click Here The Premier of Ontario, Mr. Doug Ford was quoted on December 23, 2025, in the Ontario Construction News: This will create jobs, build a more competitive economy and help unlock the enormous economic opportunity of the Ring of Fire. Mr. Ford went on to add The agreement is the last one needed to launch construction on the Ring of Fire. He predicts shovels will be in the ground in June 2026, as soon as the ground thaws, three whole years ahead of schedule. Reflecting this broader regional activity, MetalQuest Mining Inc. (MQM) announced on December 3, 2025, that it secured the ROF-1 Project, a district-scale critical minerals land package within the Ontario Ring of Fire (see MQM news release: Click Here). New Age Metals currently holds an equity interest in MetalQuest Mining, providing the Company with additional exposure to exploration activity in the Ring of Fire and reinforcing its strategic focus on platinum group metals and critical minerals in Northern Ontario. Platinum group metals and base metals have strengthened significantly over the past year. In February 2025, platinum and palladium averaged approximately US$950970/oz, copper traded near US$4.004.25/lb, nickel around US$16,00017,000/t, and rhodium near US$10,000/oz, while recent market pricing shows platinum above US$2,500/oz, palladium near US$1,900/oz, copper around US$5.6/lb, nickel near US$17,000/t, and rhodium remaining elevated near US$10,000/oz, reflecting strong demand across critical and platinum group metals markets as shown on Kitco on January 21, 2026. Figure 2. Location map of the newly acquired Northern Shield claim blocks showing proximity to the proposed Ring of Fire access road (orange line) and selected regional PGM, VMS, and chromite deposits shown for regional context only. Mr. Troy Gallik, P.Geo., Senior Exploration Manager, and a member of New Age Metals technical team, added: I participated in evaluating and recommending the Northern Shield Property to New Age Metals based on its technical merits. Historical exploration at Northern Shield has already completed much of the foundational work, with previous operators identifying specific drill targets supported by stratigraphy and geophysics that were not followed up. The Company is now compiling and reinterpreting this extensive dataset and planning low-cost grassroots programs to further refine priority targets ahead of potential drilling. Exploration History Historical exploration on and adjacent to the Northern Shield Property was conducted primarily between 2003 and 2009 and included airborne magnetic and electromagnetic surveys, soil geochemistry, ground geophysics, geological mapping, and diamond drilling. Drilling confirmed a layered anorthositegabbropyroxenite stratigraphy, localized sulphide mineralization, and magnetite-rich horizons. Several drill holes intersected thin PtPd-bearing reef-style horizons, net-textured sulphides, and a vanadium-rich magnetite layer. Previous operators consistently concluded in publicly available historical assessment reports (Ontario Geological Survey; early 2000s) that drilling was too widely spaced and did not adequately test the most prospective reef-level stratigraphic positions, and recommended additional drilling to evaluate the continuity and thickness of mineralized horizons defined by coincident geophysical and geochemical anomalies as shown in Figure 3. Figure 3. Proposed drill targets in white circles showing planned drill hole locations overlain on an airborne magnetic interpretation of the Fishtrap Lake Intrusive Complex by previous operators. Previous drilling shown in black circle areas. Vaillancourt, C., & Bliss, I. C. (2008). Assessment report on the Highbank Lake Property, Northern Ontario, Canada. Northern Shield Resources Inc. Qualified Person Troy Gallik, P.Geo. (Member ID 3550), a Practising Registrant and Qualified Person (QP) as defined by National Instrument 43-101 Standards of Disclosure for Mineral Projects, has reviewed and approved the scientific and technical information contained in this news release. Mr. Gallik is a geological consultant to New Age Metals Inc. and is not independent of the Company for the purposes of NI 43-101. The QP has reviewed available assessment files, historical drill logs, geophysical data, government geological data, and publicly available technical reports relevant to the Companys newly acquired claims. The QP has not completed sufficient work to independently verify all historical information referenced herein, particularly information generated by previous operators. However, the QP considers the historical information to be relevant and reliable for the purposes of identifying and discussing exploration potential. About NAM New Age Metals is a junior mineral exploration and development company focused on the discovery, exploration, and development of critical green metal projects in North America. The Company has three divisions: a Platinum Group Element division, a Lithium/Rare Metals division, an Antimony-Gold Division as well as an investment in MetalQuest Minings (TSXV:MQM | OTC:MQMIF) high purity Lac Otelnuk Iron Project. The PGM Division includes the 100% owned, multi-million-ounce, district-scale River Valley Project, one of North Americas largest undeveloped Platinum Group Element Projects, situated 100 km by road east of Sudbury, Ontario. In addition to River Valley, NAM owns 100% of the Genesis PGM-Cu-Ni Project in Alaska. Most recent PGM announcement: Click Here. New Age Metals AntimonyGold division is located in Newfoundland and comprises a 20,950-hectare land package across 11 non-contiguous properties. Six of these properties are situated in the St. Albans area, along Canstars Swanger and Little River mineralized trends. The remaining five properties are strategically positioned along the same regional geological trend as the past-producing Beaver Brook Antimony Mine and are also located near New Found Golds Queensway South Gold Project. Management has completed Phase 1 exploration and has now finished Phase 2 fieldwork. The Phase 2 program successfully delineated multiple goldantimony (AuSb) trends, and the Company is currently planning follow-up exploration while awaiting additional assay results. These results will be used to guide exploration targeting and program planning for 2026 and beyond. Most recent releases: https://newagemetals.com/axiom-exploration-group-initiates-xcite-helicopter-borne-tdem-survey-over-nams-sentinel-antimony-property-newfoundland-nam-monitors-fintech-solutions-to-enhance-market-transparency/ https://newagemetals.com/new-age-metals-samples-high-grade-antimony-gold-silver-and-lead-at-st-albans-newfoundland-and-starts-phase-2-exploration/ The Bonanza Ridge Gold and Critical Metals Project has been significantly expanded with the option agreements for the Lavender Lake and South Gibi Lake properties, adding a combined ~5,216 hectares (~12,889 acres) of prospective ground in the Kenora Gold District of northwestern Ontario. These properties, located about 25 km southeast of Kenora, are strategically positioned along a favourable structural corridor adjacent to NAMs flagship Bonanza Gold Property, and host known gold and copper occurrences with minimal modern exploration to date. The consolidated portfolio now comprises approximately 8,500 hectares of contiguous land within an emerging gold and critical metals jurisdiction, providing substantial opportunities for follow-up field work, structural modeling, target generation, and future drill campaigns. Recent announcement:Click Here. The Company is establishing a Kenora, Ontario based field operations hub to support exploration activities across Northwestern Ontario and Eastern Manitoba. The proposed facility would provide centralized logistical, technical, and administrative support for regional exploration programs and is expected to improve field efficiency and coordination. The Companys Lithium Division is one of the largest mineral claim holders in the Winnipeg River Pegmatite Field, where the Company is exploring hard rock lithium and various rare elements such as tantalum, rubidium, and cesium. NAM is developing its lithium division in conjunction with its Farm-in/Joint Venture agreement with Mineral Resources Ltd. (MinRes), one of the worlds largest lithium producers. A minimum budget to maintain the Projects has been approved by Mineral Resources Ltd for May 2025 to April 2026. Management is currently working on providing Mineral Resources, a go forward exploration program for spring, summer, and fall 2026. In April 2024, a $1.5M NSERC Alliance grant was awarded to a collaboration led by the University of Manitoba (Drs. Fayek and Camacho), with academic partners from Lakehead University (Dr. Hollings) and industry partners including New Age Metals and Grid Metals. This research is focused on advancing Canadas critical metals sector, with New Age Metals portion targeting its Bird River lithium properties. The 2025 work included core sampling and field visits. The project will likely extend beyond the original 3-year term, due to its delayed start. The parties involved in this grant plan to meet over the next 60 days and will announce our plans for 2026 and beyond. New Age Metals Inc. is supporting a successful $180K Mitacs research grant, awarded in 2023, through its $90K contribution (already accounted for and paid under the Mineral Resources joint venture). This academic partnership with the University of New Brunswick and the University of British Columbia is focused on understanding the origin and controls of lithium pegmatite mineralization in the Cat LakeWinnipeg River field. MSc and post-doctoral research programs have recently been completed, and the Company is reviewing the results with the academic institutions to assess how the findings may be incorporated into future exploration programs. This collaboration provides access to top-tier scientific expertise and equipment, significantly reducing analysis costs and adding long-term value to the project. The Company is actively seeking an option/joint venture partner for our and its road-accessible Genesis PGM-Cu-Ni Project in Alaska and results from our Summer/Fall Program are expected by the end of the year. Recent announcement: Click Here . On August 6, 2025, New Age Metals announced an additional investment in a 4th critical metal. NAM currently owns approximately 9.63% and holds warrants that, if exercised with todays issued and outstanding shares of MQM, would bring NAM to a 14.6% interest in MetalQuest Mining inc. MetalQuest Mining inc. is developing one of North Americas largest iron projects, where approximately $120 million has been spent on the project. For more information, please visit MetalQuestMining.com . High-purity iron became a critical metal Federally in Canada and in the Provinces of Quebec and Newfoundland and Labrador in 2024. In the summer of 2025, MQM contracted AtkinsRealis, an international engineering company, to complete a GAP Analysis on the Lac Otelnuk Project and its 2015 Feasibility Study. Results are expected in Q1 2026. MetalQuest Mining has secured the ROF-1 Project, a district-scale critical minerals land package in Ontarios Ring of Fire totaling 1,034 claim cells (~20,800 hectares). The Ring of Fire is one of Canadas most important emerging critical minerals districts, supported by growing infrastructure and government attention as the region advances toward potential development. ROF-1 Project is located approximately 10 km from major nearby deposits and has identified exploration potential for VMS-style mineralization and multiple untested target corridors based on historic work and technical review. This acquisition represents MetalQuests first step in building a broader multi-project Ring of Fire strategy, with the Company continuing to review additional opportunities in the region. Management is currently aggressively seeking new mineral acquisition opportunities on an international scale. Our philosophy is to be a project generator with the objective of optioning our projects with major and junior mining companies through to production. Investors are invited to visit the New Age Metals website at www.newagemetals.com where they can review the company and its corporate activities. Any questions or comments can be directed to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or Harry Barr at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or Farid Mammadov at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or call 613 659 2773. Opt-in List If you have not done so already, we encourage you to sign up on our website (www.newagemetals.com) to receive our updated news. On behalf of the Board of Directors Harry Barr Harry G. Barr Chairman and CEO Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release. Cautionary Note Regarding Forward Looking Statements: This release contains forward-looking statements that involve risks and uncertainties. These statements may differ materially from actual future events or results and are based on current expectations or beliefs. For this purpose, statements of historical fact may be deemed to be forward-looking statements. In addition, forward-looking statements include statements in which the Company uses words such as continue, efforts, expect, believe, anticipate, confident, intend, strategy, plan, will, estimate, project, goal, target, prospects, optimistic or similar expressions. These statements by their nature involve risks and uncertainties, and actual results may differ materially depending on a variety of important factors, including, among others, the Companys ability and continuation of efforts to timely and completely make available adequate current public information, additional or different regulatory and legal requirements and restrictions that may be imposed, and other factors as may be discussed in the documents filed by the Company on SEDAR (www.sedar.com), including the most recent reports that identify important risk factors that could cause actual results to differ from those contained in the forward-looking statements. The Company does not undertake any obligation to review or confirm analysts expectations or estimates or to release publicly any revisions to any forward-looking statements to reflect events or circumstances after the date hereof or to reflect the occurrence of unanticipated events. Investors should not place undue reliance on forward-looking statements. TORONTO, ON / ACCESS Newswire / January 22, 2026 /Revival Gold Inc. (TSXV:RVG) (OTCQX:RVLGF) ("Revival Gold" or the "Company") is pleased to provide an update on exploration drilling at the Company's Beartrack-Arnett Gold Project ("Beartrack-Arnett" or the "Project") located in Idaho, U.S.A. Highlights Drilling contractor, Drilcor Ltd. ("Drilcor"), has completed 1,150 meters of core in four exploration holes to-date targeting: A two-kilometer step-out on the Beartrack-Arnett property at the greenfield Sharkey target; and Extensions of high-grade Joss mineralization , last drilled in 2022. Sharkey drilling encountered target stratigraphy in one of the three holes in the area. Geochemical assay results and analysis are pending. A second drilling rig has been contracted from Major Drilling ("Major") to accelerate the pace of drilling in the Joss target area. "Revival Gold continues to pursue the resource growth and exploration potential at Beartrack-Arnett even while our Mercur gold project in Utah marches towards a potential construction decision in late 2027. This staged approach offers investors the prospect of potential near-term cash flow in a company with exciting growth potential - all in gold, all from two large gold systems, and all in the western United States," said Hugh Agro, President & CEO. Mr. Agro continued, "We expect to accelerate progress at Beartrack-Arnett with Major Drilling returning to the project shortly, and we look forward to reporting on assay results as they become available." Details The Beartrack deposit within the Beartrack-Arnett gold project is a structurally controlled orogenic gold deposit running north-south on the Panther Creek Shear Zone ("PCSZ"). The multi-million-ounce resource at Beartrack is hosted in over five kilometers of strike on the PCSZ. The Sharkey target is a two-kilometer step-out to the south to extend the PCSZ structure. The Sharkey target is a geophysics (resistivity) anomaly that may map the PSCZ structural corridor to the south of Joss under post-mineral cover. See Figure 1 for geology and target drill locations. Results from the three holes completed at Sharkey, showed bedrock was deeper than indicated by the geophysics and historic RC drill hole logging. The target stratigraphy (Proterozoic metasediments) was intercepted in one hole and was highly fractured and contained small vein selvages with sericitic alteration typically seen adjacent to mineralization in other areas associated with the PCSZ. While no Joss-like mineralization was intercepted, Hole BT25-247D intercepted alteration (quartz, pyrite, arsenopyrite, sericite) and shearing near the bedrock-overburden contact. Geochemical assay analysis is in process. The results will be used to refine Revival Gold's future exploration target drilling at Sharkey. Drilling by Drilcor continues at Joss to the north targeting extension of the deposit. Major is expected to be on site with a second rig in early February. Figure 1: Beartrack-Arnett Drilling Program (planned and completed drill holes) Market Liquidity Services The Company also announces that it has engaged Velocity Trade Capital Ltd. ("Velocity Trade") to provide market-liquidity services to the Company. Velocity Trade is providing its services to the Company pursuant to a market making services agreement (the "Agreement") between the Company and Velocity Trade and will manage trading of the Company's shares from time to time for the purpose of maintaining an orderly market, with a view to reducing trading volatility and improving the liquidity of the Company's shares. The funding and securities required for these services undertaken will be provided by Velocity Trade. In consideration of the market liquidity services, the Company will pay a fee of C$6,000 per month for liquidity services, with the first two months' fees payable upon execution of the Agreement, with services starting on or around February 1, 2026. Thereafter, a monthly fee of $6,000 will be payable on the first day of each month during the term of the Agreement. The term of the Agreement shall continue until terminated by either party by providing the other party with 30 days prior written notice of termination. Velocity Trade is a private and independent investment dealer headquartered in Toronto, Ontario, and is registered for trading in the provinces of Ontario, Quebec, British Columbia, Alberta, and Manitoba. Velocity Trade is a member of the TMX, and of the Canadian Investment Regulatory Organization (CIRO). Additionally, the firm and its affiliate companies are regulated internationally by the UK's Financial Conduct Authority (FCA), the Authority for Financial Markets (AFM) in the Netherlands, the Australian Securities and Investments Commission (ASIC), South Africa's Financial Sector Conduct Authority (FSCA), and the Monetary Authority of Singapore (MAS), among others. There are no performance obligations contained in the Agreement, and Velocity Trade will not receive common shares, stock options, or any other form of equity in the Company as compensation. Velocity Trade and the Company are arms-length parties, and Velocity Trade and its principals own, in the aggregate, directly or indirectly, less than 1% of the issued and outstanding common shares of the Company. Velocity Trade and the Company are not related parties and have no other agreements other than the market liquidity agreement which is the subject of this news release. The engagement of Velocity Trade to provide market liquidity services to the Company is subject to acceptance of the TSX Venture Exchange. Qualified Persons Technical information included in this news release was reviewed and approved by Mr. John Meyer, P.Eng., a QP and Vice President, Engineering and Development for the Company, and Mr. Dan Pace, RM SME, a QP and Chief Geologist for the Company. About Revival Gold Inc. Revival Gold is one of the largest, pure gold mine developers in the United States. The Company is advancing development of the Mercur Gold Project in Utah and mine permitting preparations and ongoing exploration at the Beartrack-Arnett Gold Project located in Idaho. Revival Gold is listed on the TSX Venture Exchange under the ticker symbol "RVG" and trades on the OTCQX Market under the ticker symbol "RVLGF". The Company is headquartered in Toronto, Canada, with its exploration and development office located in Salmon, Idaho. For further information, please contact: Scott Trebilcock, VP, Corporate Development & Investor Relations Telephone: (416) 366-4100 or Email: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. Cautionary Statement Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release. This press release contains "forward-looking information" within the meaning of applicable Canadian securities legislation and "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of the U.S. Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 (collectively, "forward-looking statements"). Forward-looking statements are not comprised of historical facts. Forward-looking statements include estimates and statements that describe the Company's future plans, objectives or goals, including words to the effect that the Company or management expects a stated condition or result to occur. Forward-looking statements may be identified by such terms as "believes", "anticipates", "expects", "estimates", "may", "could", "would", "will", or "plan". Since forward-looking statements are based on assumptions and address future events and conditions, by their very nature they involve inherent risks and uncertainties. Although these statements are based on information currently available to the Company, the Company provides no assurance that actual results will meet management's expectations. Risks, uncertainties, and other factors involved with forward-looking statements could cause actual events, results, performance, prospects, and opportunities to differ materially from those expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements in this news release include, but are not limited to: Statements with respect to the Company's exploration, metallurgy, permitting and development activities, the goals and expected outcomes of the planned drilling and development program at the Company's mineral projects, permitting at Mercur and Beartrack-Arnett, that the Mercur gold project marches towards a potential construction decision in late 2027, that the Company staged development approach offers investors the prospect of potential near-term cash flow in a company with exciting future growth potential and that Velocity Trade's services will assist in maintaining an orderly market, with a view to reducing trading volatility and improving the liquidity of the Company's shares. Forward-looking statements and information involve significant known and unknown risks and uncertainties, should not be read as guarantees of future performance or results and will not necessarily be accurate indicators of whether or not such results will be achieved. A number of factors could cause actual results to differ materially from the results expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements or information, including, but not limited to: the Company's ability to finance the development of its mineral properties; uncertainty as to whether there will ever be production at the Company's mineral exploration and development properties; risks related to the Company's ability to commence production at the projects and generate material revenues or obtain adequate financing for its planned exploration and development activities; uncertainties relating to the assumptions underlying resource and reserve estimates; mining and development risks, including risks related to infrastructure, accidents, equipment breakdowns, labour disputes, bad weather, non-compliance with environmental and permit requirements or other unanticipated difficulties with or interruptions in development, construction or production; the geology, grade and continuity of the Company's mineral deposits; the uncertainties involving success of exploration, development and mining activities; permitting timelines; government regulation of mining operations; environmental risks; unanticipated reclamation expenses; prices for energy inputs, labour, materials, supplies and services; uncertainties involved in the interpretation of drilling results and geological tests and the estimation of reserves and resources; unexpected cost increases in estimated capital and operating costs; the need to obtain permits and government approvals; material adverse changes, unexpected changes in laws, rules or regulations, or their enforcement by applicable authorities; the failure of parties to contracts with the company to perform as agreed; social or labour unrest; changes in commodity prices; and the failure of exploration programs or studies to deliver anticipated results or results that would justify and support continued exploration, studies, development or operations. For a more detailed discussion of such risks and other factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements, refer to other risks and uncertainties disclosed in the Company's public filings with Canadian securities regulators, including its most recent annual information form and management's discussion and analysis, available at www.sedarplus.ca. The forward-looking statements contained in this press release are made as of the date of this press release. Except as required by law, the Company disclaims any intention and assumes no obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise. Additionally, the Company undertakes no obligation to comment on the expectations of, or statements made by, third parties in respect of the matters discussed above. VANCOUVER, British Columbia, Jan. 22, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Sable Resources Ltd. ("Sable" or the "Company") (TSXV:SAE | OTCQB:SBLRF) is pleased to announce that it has received results for 55 out of a total of 98 rock samples collected during a preliminary review of its recently acquired Zorro Project in San Juan, Argentina (see Sables news release dated January 15, 2026). This initial review was focused on some of the historic artisanal mining occurrences located around the 7km by 4km Zorro magnetic anomaly. Sample results returned highly encouraging values of Cu, Ag and Au (with associated Pb, and Zn), within three distinct areas of the property. Notably, however, most of the Zorro property remains completely unexplored. Of the 55 sample results received, 19 samples returned values higher than 0.1% Cu with maximum values of 4.38% Cu; 19 samples returned values greater than 1 g/t Au with maximum values of 140.5 g/t Au; 19 samples returned values greater than 10 g/t Ag reaching maximum values of 584 g/t Ag. In addition, 18 samples returned values over 0.1% Pb. Figure 1. Values of Cu (left) and Au (right) showing the location of the three current target zones. The observed mineralization styles, and apparent geochemical/alteration associations and zoning define three separate, aerially significant target areas (Figure 1): Zorro Copper The Zorro Copper target area is well defined within a zone of approximately 650m by 500m. Sampling returned multiple values grading >0.1% Cu, and up to 4.38% Cu (Figure 2 and Table 1). Observed mineralization consists of sheeted quartz-carbonate veins and veinlets containing chalcopyrite, hematite and magnetite, hosted within Permian granite (Figure 3). In addition to Cu, sampling returned significant Ag values, up to 114 g/t Ag. Silver appears broadly correlative with Cu, with 73% of the Zorro Copper samples returning greater than 5 g/t Ag. Furthermore, and importantly, Au values, although less consistent, ranged from <0.1 g/t up to 15.3 g/t Au, with six samples returning >0.1g/t Au (Figure 2 and Table 1). Typical of Intrusion-Related mineralization, Bi, Te, and W are anomalous, and in this case, generally correlative with Au values. Sables next steps will include detailed mapping and sampling of this large-scale, outcropping Cu (Ag, Au) system. Figure 2. Detail of the Zorro Cu zone showing Cu values in percentage for samples received. Zorro Veins Located northeast of the Zorro Copper zone, the Zorro Veins zone comprises a series of quartz-carbonate-pyrite veins that have been historically exploited in artisanal mine workings. Sables sampling program returned high-grade values up to 140 g/t Au and 584 g/t Ag, including 7 samples that returned >5g/t Au (Figure 1, Table 1). The sulphide mineralogy of the veins includes galena (one sample reported >20% Pb), sphalerite, local chalcopyrite and arsenopyrite. Sables geology team considers the vein system to be of intermediate-sulphidation epithermal nature. Sable will conduct detailed mapping and further sampling of the veins to define their distribution, continuity, grade, and depth potential, as well as to ascertain their significance as geochemical vectors to non-outcropping mineralization in the vicinity. Figure 3. A and B: Examples of chalcopyrite-rich quartz-carbonate veins from the Zorro Cu target. Note the particularly coarse-grained chalcopyrite crystals. C: Sheeted veining and local stockwork characteristic of structural corridors at Zorro Cu. The host granite is intensely altered with Fe-Carbonate within the veining zones. Zorro Bx The Zorro Bx zone outcrops 900 metres east of the Zorro Copper target. It represents a high-level magmatic-hydrothermal breccia, containing clasts of sedimentary country rock with quartz-sericite-pyrite cement. Samples collected from the breccia returned well defined epithermal pathfinder element anomalies, including for As, Ba, Mn, Sb, with lesser anomalies for Mo, and Pb. Additional geological and alteration mapping, sampling and geophysical surveys will be used to study the Zorro Bx zone, and to determine its possible transition to Cu and/or Au-Ag mineralization at depth. Dr. Ruben Padilla, President and CEO of Sable, commented, We are highly encouraged by this set of initial results. The widespread nature and variability of mineralization and alteration observed at the Zorro Project speaks to its potential to host bulk-tonnage Cu (Ag, Au) deposits (e.g. Zorro Copper) and high-grade Au-Ag (Pb, Zn) deposits (e.g. Zorro Veins). In addition, geochemical and alteration anomalies such as at Zorro Bx can occur peripheral to or above significant porphyry-style Cu or epithermal Au-Ag occurrences. The Zorro Copper zone provides us with a clear fast-track diamond drill target, given the size and strong Cu-Ag-rich signature of outcropping mineralization. Sables geology team is advancing detailed surface work at all the above outlined targets, in parallel with widespread prospecting in other areas of this under-explored property. Our work will be greatly facilitated by the ease of access and all-weather altitude (2,600masl) of the project area, which will allow us to advance exploration year round. Table 1. Location and results for highlighted samples with values greater than 0.1% Cu, 0.1 g/t Au, 5 g/t Ag, and 0.1% Pb and Zn. Sample Grid North East Elevation Site Cu % Au (g/t) Ag (g/t) Pb % Zn % E43077 WGS 84 / UTM zone 19S 6626602 453836 2790 Outcrop 4.38 0.128 16.7 0.0124 0.0048 E43011 WGS 84 / UTM zone 19S 6626828 453982 2747 Dump 2.94 3.24 74.4 0.017 0.0036 E43034 WGS 84 / UTM zone 19S 6626903 453807 2774 Outcrop 2.46 0.404 18 0.0284 0.0023 E43030 WGS 84 / UTM zone 19S 6627115 453875 2748 Outcrop 2.29 0.112 7.02 0.00725 0.0018 E43035 WGS 84 / UTM zone 19S 6627249 454010 2740 Outcrop 1.44 1.045 8.13 0.00075 0.003 E43010 WGS 84 / UTM zone 19S 6626827 453974 2746 Dump 0.742 2.35 4.8 0.00424 0.0028 E43012 WGS 84 / UTM zone 19S 6626771 453943 2758 Outcrop 0.67 0.058 2.91 0.011 0.0023 E43009 WGS 84 / UTM zone 19S 6627792 454314 2690 Float 0.538 1.02 24.2 0.1405 0.0069 E43031 WGS 84 / UTM zone 19S 6627052 453823 2759 Outcrop 0.535 0.017 7.99 0.00296 0.0033 E43044 WGS 84 / UTM zone 19S 6627162 453518 2784 Float 0.487 0.013 10.4 0.00129 0.0109 E43032 WGS 84 / UTM zone 19S 6626843 453617 2806 Outcrop 0.381 0.02 11.15 0.0019 0.0022 E43014 WGS 84 / UTM zone 19S 6626703 453676 2792 Outcrop 0.306 0.027 7.19 0.00964 0.0008 E43041 WGS 84 / UTM zone 19S 6627171 453586 2781 Outcrop 0.208 0.014 5.48 0.0006 0.0055 E43036 WGS 84 / UTM zone 19S 6626872 453601 2807 Outcrop 0.1965 0.007 2.53 0.00056 0.0034 E43079 WGS 84 / UTM zone 19S 6625671 452290 3107 Dump 0.1725 1.105 238 17.35 0.151 E43029 WGS 84 / UTM zone 19S 6627122 453917 2738 Outcrop 0.1535 0.006 1.83 0.00089 0.0025 E43043 WGS 84 / UTM zone 19S 6627702 453731 2760 Outcrop 0.1515 0.014 1.88 0.00079 0.0037 E43024 WGS 84 / UTM zone 19S 6627599 454844 2665 Dump 0.148 2.73 139 10 1.565 E43021 WGS 84 / UTM zone 19S 6627198 454080 2711 Outcrop 0.11 15.3 117 0.565 0.196 E43003 WGS 84 / UTM zone 19S 6627890 455209 2708 Dump 0.0947 34.7 25.1 2.84 0.426 E43037 WGS 84 / UTM zone 19S 6626612 453338 2848 Outcrop 0.0918 0.007 0.41 0.00036 0.0027 E43006 WGS 84 / UTM zone 19S 6627775 454615 2714 Outcrop 0.0797 1.4 584 20 0.923 E43005 WGS 84 / UTM zone 19S 6627671 454578 2684 Dump 0.0757 3.01 35.8 0.0849 0.0078 E43008 WGS 84 / UTM zone 19S 6627875 454415 2693 Dump 0.0682 6.32 7.61 0.0763 0.0345 E43002 WGS 84 / UTM zone 19S 6627618 455240 2670 Outcrop 0.0617 5.83 123 2.89 0.367 E43078 WGS 84 / UTM zone 19S 6626255 453271 2851 Subcrop 0.0553 0.229 11.15 1.585 0.167 E43076 WGS 84 / UTM zone 19S 6628281 454913 2831 Outcrop 0.0544 13.3 15.25 0.1125 0.184 E43049 WGS 84 / UTM zone 19S 6628565 454963 2705 Dump 0.0493 7.01 109 3.9 0.176 E43004 WGS 84 / UTM zone 19S 6627747 455066 2709 Dump 0.0465 2.9 6.39 0.143 0.1415 E43050 WGS 84 / UTM zone 19S 6628569 454962 2703 Outcrop 0.0322 3.07 42.8 1.785 0.765 E43015 WGS 84 / UTM zone 19S 6626153 453465 2874 Outcrop 0.0285 0.005 0.65 0.00602 0.0088 E43023 WGS 84 / UTM zone 19S 6627604 454835 2665 Outcrop 0.0283 1.595 9.14 0.257 0.757 E43045 WGS 84 / UTM zone 19S 6628690 454973 2695 Dump 0.0281 1.855 26.3 1.43 0.286 E43047 WGS 84 / UTM zone 19S 6628658 454953 2705 Outcrop 0.0279 0.762 4.7 0.1445 0.552 E43025 WGS 84 / UTM zone 19S 6627557 454845 2658 Dump 0.0211 0.027 1.5 0.0191 0.0385 E43038 WGS 84 / UTM zone 19S 6626618 453059 2892 Outcrop 0.0178 0.006 0.49 0.0005 0.0055 E43046 WGS 84 / UTM zone 19S 6628668 454958 2704 Dump 0.0174 140.5 259 9.99 0.0493 E43001 WGS 84 / UTM zone 19S 6627622 455242 2680 Outcrop 0.016 0.749 4.27 0.19 0.1745 SAMPLE PREPARATION AND QA/QC Sample preparation for projects in Argentina is carried out by ALS Minerals, at its facility located in Mendoza with analyses carried out at their laboratory in Lima, Peru. Sample preparation includes drying in an oven at a maximum temperature of 60C, fine crushing of the sample to at least 70% passing less than 2 mm, sample splitting using a riffle splitter, and pulverizing a 250 g split to at least 85% passing 75 microns (code PREP-31). The samples contained in this news release were analyzed by methods Au-AA24 (Fire Assay Fusion and Atomic Absorption Spectrometry finish) and ME-MS61 (Four Acid Digestion with Mass Spectrometry finish), the latter includes 48 elements (Al, Ag, As, Ba, Be, Bi, Ca, Cd, Ce, Co, Cr, Cs, Cu, Fe, Ga, Ge, Hf, In, K, La, Li, Mg, Mn, Mo, Na, Nb, Ni, P, Pb, Rb, Re, S, Sb, Sc, Se, Sn, Sr, Ta, Te, Th, Ti, Tl, U, V, W, Y, Zn, Zr). Both digestion methods dissolve most minerals but not all elements are quantitatively extracted in some sample matrices. ALS additionally collects a subsample from the coarse reject to be analyzed by Terraspec with spectral data sent to AISIRIS Australia to be processed and interpreted. Control samples (standards, blanks, and duplicates) are inserted systematically, and their results evaluated according to the Company protocols. QUALIFIED PERSON Luis Arteaga M.Sc. P.Geo., Vice President Exploration, is the Company's Qualified Person as defined by NI 43-101. He has reviewed and approved the technical information in this news release. ABOUT THE ZORRO PROJECT The Zorro Project has been recently consolidated by Sable through signing of an option agreement and ground staking, with a total 5,236-hectare land package. The project is located on the Frontal Cordillera of San Juan, directly north of the Minsud/South32 Chita Valley Project which includes two copper and polymetallic deposits: the Chinchillones deposit1 containing indicated resources of 188 Mt @ 0.41% CuEq (0.25% Cu, 0.11 g/t Au, 10.6 g/t Ag, 36 ppm Mo, 0.16% Zn) and inferred resources of 573 Mt @ 0.36% CuEq (0.22% Cu, 0.09 g/t Au, 9.0 g/t Ag, 93 ppm Mo, 0.11% Zn); and the Chita South Porphyry Deposit1 containing indicated resources of 33.1 Mt @ 0.43% Cu and inferred resources of 8.6 Mt @ 0.40% Cu. Sables Don Julio Project which includes four active porphyry targets (Gringa, Morro, Punta Cana, and Tocota) is located 21km west of Zorro. Potential of the Zorro Project was recognized through Sables regional target generation work. The project contains a number of historical mineral occurrences and workings surrounding a large magnetic anomaly of about 7km by 4km that seems to be caused by a diorite stock which intrudes Carboniferous sediments and Permo-Triassic granites. ABOUT SABLE RESOURCES LTD. Sable is a well-funded junior grassroots explorer focused on the discovery of Tier-One new precious metal and copper projects through systematic exploration in endowed terranes located in favorable, established mining jurisdictions. Sables focus is developing its large portfolio of new Greenfields projects to resource level. Sable is actively exploring the San Juan Regional Program (163,969 ha) incorporating the Don Julio, El Fierro, Cerro Negro, and Zorro projects in San Juan province, Argentina and the Copper Queen (15,133 ha), Copper Prince (3,980 ha), and Core Mountain (1,925 ha) properties in British Columbia. For further information, please contact: Ruben Padilla, President & CEO at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or +1 (520) 488-2520 Related link: sableresources.com Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider, as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange, accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release. CAUTION REGARDING FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS Certain statements contained in this press release constitute forward-looking information. These statements relate to future events or future performance. The use of any of the words "could", "intend", "expect", "believe", "will", "projected", "estimated" and similar expressions and statements relating to matters that are not historical facts are intended to identify forward-looking information and are based on Sables current belief or assumptions as to the outcome and timing of such future events. Actual future results may differ materially. Although such statements are based on reasonable assumptions of Sables management, there can be no assurance that any conclusions or forecasts will prove to be accurate. While Sable considers these assumptions to be reasonable based on information currently available, they may prove to be incorrect. Forward-looking information involves known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors which may cause the actual results, performance or achievements to be materially different from any future results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by the forward-looking information. Such factors include risks inherent in the exploration and development of mineral deposits, including risks relating to changes in project parameters as plans continue to be redefined, risks relating to variations in grade or recovery rates, risks relating to changes in mineral prices and the worldwide demand for and supply of minerals, risks related to increased competition and current global financial conditions, access and supply risks, reliance on key personnel, operational risks, and regulatory risks, including risks relating to the acquisition of the necessary licenses and permits, financing, capitalization and liquidity risks. The forward-looking information contained in this release is made as of the date hereof, and Sable is not obligated to update or revise any forward-looking information, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, except as required by applicable securities laws. Because of the risks, uncertainties and assumptions contained herein, investors should not place undue reliance on forward-looking information. The foregoing statements expressly qualify any forward-looking information contained herein. 1 Mineral Resources Data from the Chita Valley Project was obtained from Minsud Resources Corp.s website www.minsud.com VANCOUVER, BC / ACCESS Newswire / January 22, 2026 / Sun Peak Metals Corp. (TSXV:PEAK) (OTCQB:SUNPF) ("Sun Peak" or the "Company") reports initial results from a systematic geological mapping, rock-chip, and grab sampling program at its 100%-owned Halahila copper-gold-silver volcanogenic massive sulphide ("VMS") project in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia ("KSA" or "Saudi Arabia"). Halahila Project Highlights: Systematic geological mapping and rock chip sampling from the main VMS gossan outline a mineralized zone exceeding 650 meters of strike length, with widths of up to 30 meters, hosting encouraging gold and silver values (Figure 1, Table 1). 25% of samples (24 of 98) returned >1 g/t gold, with values up to 16.35 g/t gold. 29% of samples (28 of 98) returned >10 g/t silver, with values up to 180 g/t silver. These results represent the first exploration data since Sun Peak completed its acquisition of Saudi Discovery Company on December 18, 2025. The Company is concurrently advancing exploration at its 100%-owned Al Miyah and Safra projects, with results to be reported separately. Greg Davis, CEO of Sun Peak Metals, commented: "Our exploration team is highly encouraged by the initial results from the Halahila Project. The Project represents a compelling copper-gold-silver VMS target within the Kutam-Al Masane VMS belt in Saudi Arabia. The target, which is comparable to targets the team previously drilled in East Africa, has strong surface gold and silver values and warrants further, aggressive, and systematic exploration. We are eager to advance the entire property through targeted and regional geophysical programs to better define subsurface controls on mineralization in preparation for drilling this year." Halahila Project Overview The 35 km Halahila Project is situated within the highly prospective Kutam-Al Masane VMS Belt of the southern Asir Terrane in Saudi Arabia. The district hosts several VMS and gold deposits, including the Al Masane copper-zinc mining complex, located 45 km to the north, and the ancient historic Kutam copper mine, located 40 km to the west of Halahila. Field Evaluation and Sampling Ongoing fieldwork at Halahila includes: detailed geological mapping and systematic rock-chip and channel sampling of the VMS gossans and associated alteration zones along a greater than 10 kilometer north-south trend. Results indicate extensive VMS-style mineralization and alteration, defining a continuous gold-enriched corridor over approximately 650 meters of strike length and widths up to 30 meters (Figures 1 and 2). Reported samples were collected from surface exposures within the gold-silver rich oxide (gossan) zone. Next Steps at Halahila Sun Peak plans to conduct ground-based time-domain electromagnetic ("TDEM") surveys in Q1 2026 to further define priority drill targets, with an initial drill program anticipated in Q3 2026. A property wide drone magnetic survey is planned to acquire high-resolution magnetic data to support geological interpretation and mineral exploration targeting of VMS-type Cu-Zn-Au-Ag mineralization. Drilling will be designed to test the down-dip extension and continuity of the oxide gold mineralization and evaluate the potential for underlying supergene and primary massive sulphide mineralization containing both base and precious metals. Sun Peak Projects in Saudi Arabia The Company currently holds 100% ownership of six (6) exploration licenses covering approximately 438 km located within the highly prospective VMS trends of the Arabian-Nubian Shield in Saudi Arabia. In addition, the Company expects to add approximately 800 km through the finalization of the Saudi Arabian Ministry of Industry and Minerals ("MIM") Round 9 Auction, which was held in Q4 2025, and the finalization of applications for Massa SW and Massa SE that have been accepted by the MIM and are awaiting grant. Sun Peak closed a $6.7M financing in December 2025 and is fully funded to commence systematic exploration campaigns across its prospective property portfolio. Figure 1. Halahila target area showing gold-in-rock geochemistry from rock-chip and grab sampling program. Figure 2. Halahila exploration license location map. Table 1. Notable rock sample assay results from the Halahila target area. Sample ID Sample Type Gold (g/t) Silver (g/t) 184633 2M CHIP 16.35 180.3 184632 2M CHIP 6.55 23.8 184621 2M CHIP 5.87 35.1 184622 2M CHIP 5.85 3.7 184639 2M CHIP 5.36 39.6 184638 2M CHIP 4.06 28.8 184645 2M CHIP 3.78 18.2 184636 2M CHIP 3.02 23.5 184630 2M CHIP 2.87 12.8 184641 2M CHIP 2.52 9.3 184627 2M CHIP 2.20 6.7 184647 2M CHIP 1.96 33.8 184651 2M CHIP 1.87 11.6 184623 2M CHIP 1.86 9.7 184649 2M CHIP 1.78 17.1 184624 2M CHIP 1.61 3.6 184653 2M CHIP 1.48 7.9 184625 2M CHIP 1.31 7.4 184801 1M X 1M COMPOSITE CHIP 1.11 16.5 184652 2M CHIP 1.09 40.9 184616 2M CHIP 1.05 6.7 184763 0.5M CHIP 1.04 13.8 184643 2M CHIP 1.02 25.4 184650 2M CHIP 1.00 20.6 184644 2M CHIP 0.97 19.4 184642 2M CHIP 0.83 32.1 184626 2M CHIP 0.79 10.2 184629 2M CHIP 0.75 35.0 184757 GRAB 0.75 0.5 184640 2M CHIP 0.65 17.8 184628 2M CHIP 0.58 16.8 184648 2M CHIP 0.49 25.2 184646 2M CHIP 0.47 18.8 184634 2M CHIP 0.41 45.5 184751 1M CHIP 0.38 12.3 184635 2M CHIP 0.33 15.2 184637 2M CHIP 0.18 12.5 Qualified Person Arron Albano, P. Geo., is the Qualified Person (QP) overseeing the Company's exploration projects in Saudi Arabia and has reviewed and approved this press release. Sun Peak's quality assurance and quality control (QA/QC) protocols for rock samples disclosed herein follow industry standard practices. Rock samples are delivered directly to ALS Global Lab or Al-Amri Labs in Jeddah, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia for analysis for gold by fire assay and multi-element analyses, including silver, by inductively coupled plasma (ICP). ABOUT SUN PEAK METALS CORP. Sun Peak holds a portfolio of VMS-style exploration projects within the Arabian-Nubian Shield across Saudi Arabia and Ethiopia. In Saudi Arabia, the Company holds 100% ownership of six (6) exploration licenses covering approximately 438 km located within the highly prospective VMS trends of the Arabian-Nubian Shield. In addition, the Company expects to add approximately 800 km through the finalization of the Saudi Arabian MIM Round 9 Auction, which was held in Q4 2025, and the finalization of two exploration license applications that have been accepted by the MIM and are awaiting grant. In Ethiopia, the Company's Shire Project comprises six exploration licenses totaling approximately 1,450 km within the Arabian-Nubian Shield, the same geological trend that hosts the Bisha Mine and the Asmara Projects in Eritrea. Two of the licenses (Meli and Terer) are held in joint-venture with Ezana Mining, a private Ethiopian company, while the remaining four licenses are 100%-owned by Sun Peak. ON BEHALF OF THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS OF SUN PEAK METALS CORP. Greg Davis, President, CEO & Director FOR FURTHER INFORMATION, PLEASE CONTACT: Greg Davis (T): +1 (604) 999 1099 (E): This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. Neither TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release. Disclaimer for Forward-Looking Information Certain information and statements in this news release may be considered forward-looking information or forward-looking statements for purposes of applicable securities laws (collectively, "forward-looking statements"), which reflect the expectations of management regarding its disclosure and amendments thereto. Forward-looking statements consist of information or statements that are not purely historical, including any information or statements regarding beliefs, plans, expectations or intentions regarding the future. Such information or statements in this news release include, but are not limited to, statements with respect to the goal of making a significant discovery and the development of a large-scale project in Saudi Arabia;potential for exploration potential in Saudia Arabia; the untapped mineral wealth of Saudi Arabia; SDC being successful in acquiring additional licenses; the goal of making a significant discovery and the development of a large-scale project in Ethiopia and identifying other potential properties and opportunities both in Ethiopia, Saudi Arabia and globally. Such statements are subject to risks and uncertainties that may cause actual results, performance or developments to differ materially from those contained in the statements. No assurance can be given that any of the events anticipated by the forward-looking statements will occur or, if they do occur, what benefits Sun Peak will obtain from them. These forward-looking statements reflect management's current views and are based on certain expectations, estimates and assumptions, which may prove to be incorrect. A number of risks and uncertainties could cause actual results to differ materially from those expressed or implied by the forward-looking statements, including without limitation: These assumptions and risks include, but are not limited to, assumptions and risks associated with the risk that the results of the planned exploration programs at the Halahila Project and other projects held by Sun Peak, do not meet expected results, the state of the political stability of Ethiopia, equity financing markets and results of future exploration activities by Sun Peak. These forward-looking statements are made as of the date of this news release and, except as required by applicable securities laws, Sun Peak assumes no obligation to update these forward-looking statements, or to update the reasons why actual results differed from those projected in the forward-looking statements. Additional information about these and other assumptions, risks and uncertainties are set out in the "Risks and Uncertainties" section in the Prospectus filed with Canadian security regulators. Toronto, Ontario--(Newsfile Corp. - January 22, 2026) - ATERRA Metals Inc. (CSE: ATC) (OTCQB: CSSCF) ("ATERRA" or the "Company") is pleased to announce the closing of a non-brokered private placement financing for aggregate gross proceeds of $2,780,000 (the "Offering"). Insiders and consultants of the Company purchased 13% of the Offering. Research Capital Corporation acted as the exclusive finder. The Offering consisted of the issuance of 139 million units (each, a "Unit") at a price of $0.02 per Unit, with each Unit comprised of one (1) common share of the Company (each, a "Share") and one-half (1/2) warrant (each whole warrant, a "Warrant"). Each Warrant entitles the holder thereof to acquire one (1) Share from the Company at a price of $0.05 per Share for a period of thirty-six (36) months. The securities issued pursuant to the Offering are subject to a statutory hold period of four (4) months and one (1) day from the closing date of the Offering, unless otherwise exempt under applicable Canadian securities laws. The Company intends to use the net proceeds from the Offering to fund option payments and exploration activities on the numerous copper-gold porphyries identified on its Clinton, Taruca and Frontera properties, collectively the Totora Properties (see ATERRA news release dated November 20, 2025), as well as for working capital requirements and other general corporate purposes. ATERRA plans to commence exploration activities, including mapping and geophysical surveys, shortly in preparation for a Phase I drill program to commence during the current fiscal quarter. "We are very thankful for the tremendous support received for this financing, not only from those who participated but from our shareholders as well," said Carl Hansen, ATERRA's CEO. "With the financing closed, we will start exploring the Totora Properties, which host at least four previously drilled copper-gold porphyries including the Frontera Deposit. Considering the significant historical drilling completed on the Totora Properties, our focus will be on infill and expansion drilling in preparation for publishing a NI 43-101-compliant resource estimate during the third quarter 2026." A director and an officer of the Company purchased an aggregate of 6,750,000 Units under the Offering and, as a result, the Offering is considered a related party transaction subject to Multilateral Instrument 61-101 - Protection of Minority Security Holders in Special Transactions ("MI 61-101"). The Company is relying on exemptions from the formal valuation and minority shareholder approval requirements provided under sections 5.5(a) and 5.7(1)(a) of MI 61-101 on the basis that participation in the Offering by such persons did not exceed 25% of the fair market value of the Company's market capitalization. The Company paid aggregate cash finder's fees totaling $2,000, in accordance with the policies of the Canadian Securities Exchange. This press release is not an offer to sell or the solicitation of an offer to buy the securities in the United States or in any jurisdiction in which such offer, solicitation or sale would be unlawful prior to qualification or registration under the securities laws of such jurisdiction. The securities being offered have not been, nor will they be, registered under the United States Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and such securities may not be offered or sold within the United States or to, or for the account or benefit of, U.S. persons absent registration or an applicable exemption from U.S. registration requirements and applicable U.S. state securities laws. NI 43-101 Disclosure As defined by National Instrument 43-101 ("NI 43-101") of the Canadian Securities Administrators, the Qualified Person for ATERRA's exploration activities in Chile is Francisco Bravo, a resident of Santiago, Chile. Mr. Bravo is a Public Registered Person for Reserves and Resources N 515, in Chile and is also registered in the Colegio de Geologos de Chile under N 725. Mr. Bravo, who is not considered "Independent" of the Company, as the term is defined under NI 43-101, has reviewed and approved the technical information provided in this press release. About ATERRA Metals Inc. ATERRA is a mineral exploration company focused on exploration opportunities in Chile. The Company's team of successful exploration professionals are dedicated to the discovery of mineral deposits that can be progressed into economically viable development projects creating value for all stakeholders. Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-Looking Statements This news release may contain forward-looking statements, including statements with respect to the anticipated use of proceeds of the Offering. These statements reflect management's current estimates, beliefs, intentions and expectations; they are not guarantees of future performance. Often, but not always, forward-looking statements can be identified by the use of words such as "plans", "planning", "expects" or "does not expect", "continues", "scheduled", "estimates", "forecasts", "targeting", "intends", "potential", "anticipates", "does not anticipate", or describes a "goal", or variation of such words and phrases or state that certain actions, events or results "may", "could", "would", "might" or "will" be taken, occur or be achieved. Forward-looking statements involve known and unknown risks, future events, conditions, uncertainties and other factors which may cause the actual results, performance or achievements to be materially different from any future results, prediction, projection, forecast, performance or achievements expressed or implied by the forward-looking statements. Such factors include, among others: the successful acquisition of exploration projects as discussed in this press release; changes in economic parameters and assumptions; all aspects related to the timing of exploration activities and receipt of exploration results; the interpretation and actual results of current exploration activities; changes in project or exploration parameters as plans continue to be refined; the results of regulatory and permitting processes; future metals price; possible variations in grade or recovery rates; failure of equipment or processes to operate as anticipated; labour disputes and other risks of the mining industry; the results of economic and technical studies; delays in obtaining governmental approvals or financing or in the completion of exploration activities; as well as those factors disclosed in the Company's publicly filed documents. Although the Company has attempted to identify important factors that could cause actual actions, events or results to differ materially from those described in forward-looking statements, there may be other factors that cause actions, events or results not to be as anticipated, estimated or intended. There can be no assurance that forward-looking statements will prove to be accurate, as actual results and future events could differ materially from those anticipated in such statements. ATERRA undertakes no obligation to update forward-looking statements except as required by applicable securities laws. Accordingly, readers should not place undue reliance on forward-looking statements. Neither the Canadian Securities Exchange nor its regulation services provider has reviewed or accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of the content of this news release. / NOT FOR DISTRIBUTION TO U.S. NEWSWIRE SERVICES OR FOR DISSEMINATION IN THE UNITED STATES / TORONTO, ON / ACCESS Newswire / January 21, 2026 / Premier American Uranium Inc. ("PUR", the "Company" or "Premier American Uranium") (TSXV:PUR) (OTCQB:PAUIF) is pleased to announce that it has entered into an agreement with Red Cloud Securities Inc. ("Red Cloud"), as lead underwriter and sole bookrunner on behalf of a syndicate of underwriters (the "Underwriters"), pursuant to which the Underwriters have agreed to purchase for resale 11,111,112 units of the Company (the "Units") at a price of C$0.90 per Unit (the "Offering Price") on a "bought deal" basis in a private placement for gross proceeds of approximately C$10,000,000 (the "Underwritten Offering"). Each Unit will consist of one common share of the Company and one-half of one common share purchase warrant (each whole warrant, a "Warrant"). Each whole Warrant shall entitle the holder to purchase one common share of the Company at a price of C$1.26 at any time on or before that date which is 36 months after the Closing Date (as herein defined). The Company will grant to the Underwriters an option, exercisable up to 48 hours prior to the Closing Date, to purchase for resale up to an additional 2,222,222 Units at the Offering Price for additional gross proceeds of up to approximately C$2,000,000 (the "Underwriters' Option"). The Underwritten Offering and the securities issuable upon exercise of the Over-Allotment Option shall be collectively referred to as the "Offering". The Company intends to use the net proceeds of the Offering for the exploration and advancement of the Company's uranium projects in New Mexico and Wyoming as well as for working capital and general corporate purposes. Subject to compliance with applicable regulatory requirements and in accordance with National Instrument 45-106 - Prospectus Exemptions ("NI 45-106"), a portion of the Units will be offered for sale to purchasers resident in all of the provinces of Canada except Quebec pursuant to the listed issuer financing exemption under Part 5A of NI 45-106, as amended by Coordinated Blanket Order 45-935 - Exemptions from Certain Conditions of the Listed Issuer Financing Exemption (the "Listed Issuer Financing Exemption"). The securities sold to purchasers resident in Canada under the Listed Issuer Financing Exemption are expected to be immediately freely tradeable in accordance with applicable Canadian securities legislation. A portion of the Units will also be offered in the United States or to, or for the account or benefit of, U.S. persons, by way of private placement pursuant to the exemptions from the registration requirements provided for under the United States Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the "U.S. Securities Act"), and in jurisdictions outside of Canada and the United States on a private placement or equivalent basis, in each case in accordance with all applicable laws, provided that no prospectus, registration statement or other similar document is required to be filed in such jurisdiction. The securities offered to purchasers outside of Canada will not be sold pursuant to the Listed Issuer Financing Exemption, but instead will be issued pursuant to an exemption from the prospectus requirements in Canada available under OSC Rule 72-503 and are also not expected to be subject to a four-month hold period in Canada. There is an offering document (the "Offering Document") dated January 21, 2026 related to the Offering and the use by the Company of the Listed Issuer Financing Exemption that can be accessed under the Company's profile at www.sedarplus.ca and on the Company's website at www.premierur.com. Prospective investors should read this Offering Document before making an investment decision. As consideration for the services rendered by the Underwriters in connection with the Offering, the Company will pay to the Underwriters a cash commission of 6.0% of the gross proceeds of the Offering (subject to reduction on certain "President's List" orders) (the "Underwriters' Fee") and a number of broker Warrants ("Broker Warrants") equal to 6.0% of the number of Units issued by the Company under the Offering (subject to reduction on certain "President's List" orders). Each Broker Warrant will be exercisable to acquire one common share of the Company at a price of C$0.90 at any time on or before that date which is 36 months after the Closing Date. The Offering is anticipated to close on or about February 3, 2026 (the "Closing Date"), or such other date as the Company and Red Cloud may agree. Completion of the Offering is subject to certain conditions including but not limited to the receipt of all necessary approvals, including the approval of the TSX Venture Exchange. This news release does not constitute an offer to sell or a solicitation of an offer to buy nor shall there be any sale of any of the securities in any jurisdiction in which such offer, solicitation or sale would be unlawful, including any of the securities in the United States of America. The securities referred to in this news release have not been, and will not be, registered under the U.S. Securities Act or any U.S. state securities laws, and may not be offered or sold in the United States or to, or for the account or benefit of, U.S. persons, absent registration or any applicable exemption from the registration requirements of the U.S. Securities Act and applicable U.S. state securities laws. About Premier American Uranium Inc. Premier American Uranium is focused on consolidating, exploring, and developing uranium projects across the United States to strengthen domestic energy security and advance the transition to clean energy. The Company's extensive land position spans five of the nation's top uranium districts, with active work programs underway in New Mexico's Grants Mineral Belt and Wyoming's Great Divide and Powder River Basins. Backed by strategic partners including Sachem Cove Partners, IsoEnergy Ltd., Mega Uranium Ltd., and other leading institutional investors, PUR is advancing a portfolio supported by defined resources and high-priority exploration and development targets. Led by a distinguished team with deep expertise in uranium exploration, development, permitting, operations, and uranium-focused M&A, the Company is well positioned as a key player in advancing the U.S. uranium sector. For More Information, Please Contact: Premier American Uranium Inc. Colin Healey, CEO This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. Toll-Free: 1-833-223-4673 Twitter: @PremierAUranium www.premierur.com Neither TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulations Services Provider (as that term is defined in policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this news release. Cautionary Statement Regarding Forward-Looking Information This news release contains "forward-looking information" within the meaning of applicable Canadian securities laws. Forward-looking statements in this news release include, without limitation, statements regarding the closing of the Offering, the anticipated closing date of the Offering, the intended use of proceeds from the Offering, the filing of the Offering Document and the receipt of regulatory approvals for the Offering. Generally, but not always, forward-looking information and statements can be identified by the use of words such as "plans", "expects", "is expected", "budget", "scheduled", "estimates", "forecasts", "intends", "anticipates", or "believes" or the negative connotation thereof or variations of such words and phrases or statements that certain actions, events or results "may", "could", "would", "might" or "will be taken", "occur" or "be achieved" or the negative connotation thereof. Forward-looking information and statements are based on our current expectations, beliefs, assumptions, estimates and forecasts about PUR's business and the industry and markets in which it operates. Such forward-information and statements are based on numerous assumptions, including among others, that the results of planned exploration activities are as anticipated, the price of uranium, the anticipated cost of planned exploration activities, the completion, timing and results of planned exploration activities being consistent with expectations, the anticipated mineralization being consistent with expectations, that general business and economic conditions will not change in a material adverse manner, that financing will be available if and when needed and on reasonable terms, that third party contractors, equipment and supplies and governmental and other approvals required to conduct the Company's planned exploration activities will be available on reasonable terms and in a timely manner. Although the assumptions made by PUR in providing forward-looking information or making forward-looking statements are considered reasonable by management at the time, there can be no assurance that such assumptions will prove to be accurate. Forward-looking information and statements also involve known and unknown risks and uncertainties and other factors, which may cause actual results, performances and achievements of Premier American Uranium to differ materially from any projections of results, performances and achievements of Premier American Uranium expressed or implied by such forward-looking information or statements, including, among others: limited operating history, negative operating cash flow and dependence on third party financing, uncertainty of additional financing, delays or failure to obtain required permits and regulatory approvals, changes in mineral resources, no known mineral reserves, aboriginal title and consultation issues, reliance on key management and other personnel; potential downturns in economic conditions; availability of third party contractors; availability of equipment and supplies; failure of equipment to operate as anticipated; accidents, effects of weather and other natural phenomena and other risks associated with the mineral exploration industry; changes in laws and regulation, competition, and uninsurable risks and the risk factors with respect to Premier American Uranium set out in PUR's annual information form for the year ended December 31, 2024 and the other documents of PUR filed with the Canadian securities regulators and available under PUR's profile on SEDAR+ at www.sedarplus.ca. Although PUR has attempted to identify important factors that could cause actual actions, events or results to differ materially from those contained in the forward-looking information or implied by forward-looking information, there may be other factors that cause results not to be as anticipated, estimated or intended. There can be no assurance that forward-looking information and statements will prove to be accurate, as actual results and future events could differ materially from those anticipated, estimated or intended. Accordingly, readers should not place undue reliance on forward-looking statements or information. PUR undertakes no obligation to update or reissue forward-looking information as a result of new information or events except as required by applicable securities laws. TORONTO, ON / ACCESS Newswire / January 22, 2026 / Premier American Uranium Inc. ("PUR", the "Company" or "Premier American Uranium") (TSXV:PUR)(OTCQB:PAUIF) is pleased to announce that, as a result of strong investor demand, the Company has entered into an amended agreement with Red Cloud Securities Inc. ("Red Cloud") as lead underwriter and sole bookrunner, on behalf of a syndicate of underwriters (the "Underwriters"), pursuant to which the Underwriters have now agreed to purchase for resale 14,444,444 units of the Company (the "Units") at a price of C$0.90 per Unit for gross proceeds of C$13,000,000 (the "Offering"). Each Unit will consist of one common share of the Company and one-half of one common share purchase warrant (each whole warrant, a "Warrant"). Each whole Warrant shall entitle the holder to purchase one common share of the Company at a price of C$1.26 at any time on or before that date which is 36 months after the Closing Date (as herein defined). The Company has agreed to grant to the Underwriters an option, exercisable up to 48 hours prior to the Closing Date, to purchase for resale up to an additional 2,222,222 Units at the Offering Price for additional gross proceeds of up to approximately C$2,000,000 (the "Underwriters' Option"). The Company intends to use the net proceeds of the Offering for the exploration and advancement of the Company's uranium projects in New Mexico and Wyoming as well as for working capital and general corporate purposes. Subject to compliance with applicable regulatory requirements and in accordance with National Instrument 45-106 - Prospectus Exemptions ("NI 45-106"), a portion of the Units will be offered for sale to purchasers resident in all of the provinces of Canada except Quebec pursuant to the listed issuer financing exemption under Part 5A of NI 45-106, as amended by Coordinated Blanket Order 45-935 - Exemptions from Certain Conditions of the Listed Issuer Financing Exemption (the "Listed Issuer Financing Exemption"). The securities sold to purchasers resident in Canada under the Listed Issuer Financing Exemption are expected to be immediately freely tradeable in accordance with applicable Canadian securities legislation. A portion of the Units will also be offered in the United States or to, or for the account or benefit of, U.S. persons, by way of private placement pursuant to the exemptions from the registration requirements provided for under the United States Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the "U.S. Securities Act"), and in jurisdictions outside of Canada and the United States on a private placement or equivalent basis, in each case in accordance with all applicable laws, provided that no prospectus, registration statement or other similar document is required to be filed in such jurisdiction. The securities offered to purchasers outside of Canada will not be sold pursuant to the Listed Issuer Financing Exemption, but instead will be issued pursuant to an exemption from the prospectus requirements in Canada available under OSC Rule 72-503 and are also not expected to be subject to a four-month hold period in Canada. There is an amended and restated offering document (the "Amended Offering Document") dated January 22, 2026 related to the Offering and the use by the Company of the Listed Issuer Financing Exemption that can be accessed under the Company's profile at www.sedarplus.ca and on the Company's website at www.premierur.com. Prospective investors should read this Amended Offering Document before making an investment decision. The Offering is anticipated to close on or about February 3, 2026 (the "Closing Date"), or such other date as the Company and Red Cloud may agree. Completion of the Offering is subject to certain conditions including but not limited to the receipt of all necessary approvals, including the approval of the TSX Venture Exchange. This news release does not constitute an offer to sell or a solicitation of an offer to buy nor shall there be any sale of any of the securities in any jurisdiction in which such offer, solicitation or sale would be unlawful, including any of the securities in the United States of America. The securities referred to in this news release have not been, and will not be, registered under the U.S. Securities Act or any U.S. state securities laws, and may not be offered or sold in the United States or to, or for the account or benefit of, U.S. persons, absent registration or any applicable exemption from the registration requirements of the U.S. Securities Act and applicable U.S. state securities laws. About Premier American Uranium Inc. Premier American Uranium is focused on consolidating, exploring, and developing uranium projects across the United States to strengthen domestic energy security and advance the transition to clean energy. The Company's extensive land position spans five of the nation's top uranium districts, with active work programs underway in New Mexico's Grants Mineral Belt and Wyoming's Great Divide and Powder River Basins. Backed by strategic partners including Sachem Cove Partners, IsoEnergy Ltd., Mega Uranium Ltd., and other leading institutional investors, PUR is advancing a portfolio supported by defined resources and high-priority exploration and development targets. Led by a distinguished team with deep expertise in uranium exploration, development, permitting, operations, and uranium-focused M&A, the Company is well positioned as a key player in advancing the U.S. uranium sector. For More Information, Please Contact: Premier American Uranium Inc. Colin Healey, CEO This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. Toll-Free: 1-833-223-4673 Twitter: @PremierAUranium www.premierur.com Neither TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulations Services Provider (as that term is defined in policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this news release. Cautionary Statement Regarding Forward-Looking Information This news release contains "forward-looking information" within the meaning of applicable Canadian securities laws. Forward-looking statements in this news release include, without limitation, statements regarding the closing of the Offering, the anticipated closing date of the Offering, the intended use of proceeds from the Offering, the filing of the Amended Offering Document and the receipt of regulatory approvals for the Offering. Generally, but not always, forward-looking information and statements can be identified by the use of words such as "plans", "expects", "is expected", "budget", "scheduled", "estimates", "forecasts", "intends", "anticipates", or "believes" or the negative connotation thereof or variations of such words and phrases or statements that certain actions, events or results "may", "could", "would", "might" or "will be taken", "occur" or "be achieved" or the negative connotation thereof. Forward-looking information and statements are based on our current expectations, beliefs, assumptions, estimates and forecasts about PUR's business and the industry and markets in which it operates. Such forward-information and statements are based on numerous assumptions, including among others, that the results of planned exploration activities are as anticipated, the price of uranium, the anticipated cost of planned exploration activities, the completion, timing and results of planned exploration activities being consistent with expectations, the anticipated mineralization being consistent with expectations, that general business and economic conditions will not change in a material adverse manner, that financing will be available if and when needed and on reasonable terms, that third party contractors, equipment and supplies and governmental and other approvals required to conduct the Company's planned exploration activities will be available on reasonable terms and in a timely manner. Although the assumptions made by PUR in providing forward-looking information or making forward-looking statements are considered reasonable by management at the time, there can be no assurance that such assumptions will prove to be accurate. Forward-looking information and statements also involve known and unknown risks and uncertainties and other factors, which may cause actual results, performances and achievements of Premier American Uranium to differ materially from any projections of results, performances and achievements of Premier American Uranium expressed or implied by such forward-looking information or statements, including, among others: limited operating history, negative operating cash flow and dependence on third party financing, uncertainty of additional financing, delays or failure to obtain required permits and regulatory approvals, changes in mineral resources, no known mineral reserves, aboriginal title and consultation issues, reliance on key management and other personnel; potential downturns in economic conditions; availability of third party contractors; availability of equipment and supplies; failure of equipment to operate as anticipated; accidents, effects of weather and other natural phenomena and other risks associated with the mineral exploration industry; changes in laws and regulation, competition, and uninsurable risks and the risk factors with respect to Premier American Uranium set out in PUR's annual information form for the year ended December 31, 2024 and the other documents of PUR filed with the Canadian securities regulators and available under PUR's profile on SEDAR+ at www.sedarplus.ca. Although PUR has attempted to identify important factors that could cause actual actions, events or results to differ materially from those contained in the forward-looking information or implied by forward-looking information, there may be other factors that cause results not to be as anticipated, estimated or intended. There can be no assurance that forward-looking information and statements will prove to be accurate, as actual results and future events could differ materially from those anticipated, estimated or intended. Accordingly, readers should not place undue reliance on forward-looking statements or information. PUR undertakes no obligation to update or reissue forward-looking information as a result of new information or events except as required by applicable securities laws. VANCOUVER, British Columbia, Jan. 22, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Yukon Metals Corp. (CSE: YMC, FSE: E770, OTCQB: YMMCF) (Yukon Metals or the Company) is pleased to report results from its autumn 2025 Induced Polarization (IP) and geochemical soil sampling program completed on its AZ property (the AZ Property or Property). Multiple geophysical targets and copper-dominant soil anomalies were identified that expand the Propertys exploration potential beyond areas tested by previous drilling. The Property is located 6 kilometers west of the Alaska Highway and 36 kilometers south of Beaver Creek, in the southwestern Yukon. Highlights: Chargeability and resistivity of geophysical anomalies consistent with sulphide-bearing porphyry systems provide clear drill targets for 2026. consistent with sulphide-bearing porphyry systems provide clear drill targets for 2026. Large copper-gold soil anomaly identified at the Propertys Southeast area outlines a new priority target on the Property. identified at the Propertys Southeast area outlines a new priority target on the Property. Strong and widespread copper values, including up to 0.22% Cu in soils , with multiple gold values greater than 0.4 g/t Au are associated with molybdenum, a porphyry indicator. including up to , with multiple are associated with molybdenum, a porphyry indicator. New targets build on copper mineralization drilled in 2025, including 14.4 m at 0.44% Cu (including 0.9 m at 2.10% Cu and 1.5 m at 0.37 g/t Au) in hole AZ25-001, expanding the Property-scale exploration opportunity. These results greatly increase our confidence in the presence of a major copper-gold porphyry system at AZ, said Jim Coates, Interim CEO of Yukon Metals. The alignment of soil anomalies and bedrock geology, combined with well-defined geophysical images provide clear drill targets for 2026. Results from the 2025 soil geochemical and IP programs highlight the Southeast occurrence as the most prospective area identified on the Property to date, where a broad CuMoAu + Ag soil anomaly coincides with intrusive rocks and IP chargeability features typical of porphyry-style systems. The strongest soil samples returned values of up to 2,210 ppm Cu, up to 248 ppm Mo, and up to 1.14 g/t Au, while geophysical data provide additional vectors to help prioritize drill targets. These results complement earlier drilling elsewhere on the Property, including 14.4 m at 0.44% Cu (including 0.9 m at 2.10% Cu and 1.5 m at 0.37 g/t Au) in hole AZ25-001, and support continued target refinement and follow-up exploration. IP Survey A 1.8-kilometre pole-dipole IP survey line was completed over the Southeast occurrence area, with an estimated depth of investigation of approximately 200 metres. The survey identified two principal responses: a high-amplitude chargeability anomaly in the Southern portion of the line, and a second chargeability anomaly coincident with reduced resistivity in the central portion of the survey area. Integration of IP results with magnetic data, surface rock sampling, and nearby drilling indicates that the central anomaly is spatially associated with copper-bearing intrusive rocks exhibiting potassic alteration and disseminated to vein-hosted chalcopyrite. Nearby rock samples returned copper values ranging from 100 to 500 ppm. Diamond drilling completed in 2025 intersected diorite cut by multiple intermediate dykes in proximity to the IP line, supporting interpretation of a multi-phase intrusive system. Figure 1- Induced polarization chargeability and electrical resistivity images showing subsurface features suggestive of a porphyry-style mineralizing system. A vertically oriented zone of elevated chargeability (A) coincides with a zone of reduced resistivity. (B) This combination of responses is commonly associated with rocks containing higher concentrations of sulphide minerals, which can both increase electrical conductivity and hold an electrical charge. This is a compelling drill target. A broader zone of elevated chargeability is also present at (C) and represents a priority target for follow-up exploration. Drill hole AZ25-004 was completed approximately 350m from the anomaly (A). 2025 Soil Geochemical Sampling The 2025 soil geochemical program consisted of 643 soil samples collected across the Southern Property area, centered on the Southeast and South-Central occurrences. Samples were assayed for a broad 51-element suite, with additional evaluation for copper, molybdenum, gold and silver. Figure 2- 2025 soil geochemical map highlighting copper distribution (Cu, ppm), elevated gold values (>0.4 g/t Au), and updated bedrock geology. Yellow circle indicates IP target area A. Results revealed consistently elevated copper values, particularly in the Eastern portion of the survey area where copper anomalies coincide with molybdenum and gold, and locally silver. This area is underlain by a large dioritic to granodioritic intrusion, while western portions of the survey are underlain by clastic sediments near the South-Central Diorite. Multiple copper-dominant soil anomaly zones were identified and collectively define two main target areas: one associated with the Eastern mapped diorite and a broader, more continuous anomalous zone within a Kluane Ranges Suite intrusive complex at the Southeast occurrence (~200-400m south of the 2025 drillhole AZ25-004). The strongest response occurs at the Southeast area, where soil sampling returned values of up to 2,210 ppm Cu, up to 248 ppm Mo, and up to 1.14 g/t Au and is interpreted as a potential porphyry-style core zone. Methodology IP Survey A 1.8-kilometre time-domain IP survey line was completed over the Southeast area using a pole-dipole array to measure subsurface chargeability and resistivity. Data was collected at 100-metre station spacing along a line oriented approximately parallel to the local valley trend. The survey was designed to investigate the subsurface to an estimated depth of greater than 200 meters. Due to time and site constraints, a localized remote current electrode configuration was used; however, the survey successfully resolved coherent chargeability and resistivity responses. Station locations were recorded using standard GPS methods. Soil Samples Soil samples were collected with a handheld soil auger with a minimum sample weight of 0.25 kg. Samples were sent to ALS Minerals Ltd. for analysis with sample preparation in Whitehorse, Yukon and analysis in North Vancouver, British Columbia. Samples were dried and sieved to 180 um (Prep-41A) and analysed for 51 elements by aqua regia digestion and ICP-MS (AuME-TL43). Samples over 1.0 ppm Au were analysed with Au-AROR43. Yukon-based and Local First Nation Contractors Engaged Soil sampling services at the AZ Property was completed by Vision Quest Drilling, a Kluane First Nation citizen-owned company. Helicopter support was provided by Yukon-based Capital Helicopters. Geophysical services were provided by Aurora Geosciences, a long-standing Yukon-based exploration contractor. Qualified Person The technical content of this news release has been reviewed and approved by Helena Kuikka, P.Geo., VP Exploration for Yukon Metals and a Qualified Person (as defined by National Instrument 43-101 Standards of Disclosure for Mineral Projects). About Yukon Metals Corp. Yukon Metals is a well-financed exploration company with a 17-project portfolio covering more than 43,000 hectares. Built on over 30 years of Berdahl family prospecting, the same team behind Snowline Gold Corp.s district-scale assets, Yukon Metals provides exposure to copper, gold, silver, and critical metals. While advancing high-priority drill targets at the Birch and AZ copper-gold systems and the Star River gold-silver project, the Company is also conducting generative exploration across its broader portfolio to develop the next pipeline of discovery opportunities. Guided by an experienced leadership team with technical, financial, and Yukon expertise, the Company is well positioned to unlock new mineral discoveries across the Yukon territory. Yukon Metals is committed to fostering sustainable growth and prosperity within Yukons local communities, while also enhancing shareholder value. Rooted in a philosophy of inclusiveness and shared prosperity, the Companys strategy offers both local community members and investors the opportunity to contribute to and benefit from its success. The Yukon The Yukon remains one of the worlds last underexplored mineral belts, offering strong discovery potential. The Territory is home to a highly skilled and conscientious local workforce, shaped by generations of exploration experience coupled with a deep respect for the land. Recent major discoveries with local roots, such as Snowline Gold Corp.s Rogue Project - Valley Discovery, highlight the Yukons potential to generate fresh district-scale mining opportunities. ON BEHALF OF THE BOARD OF YUKON METALS CORP. Jim Coates Jim Coates, Interim CEO CAUTIONARY NOTE REGARDING FORWARD-LOOKING INFORMATION This news release contains certain forward-looking information, including information about the presence of a major copper-gold porphyry system at the AZ Property, including a central anomaly spatially associated with copper-bearing intrusive rocks exhibiting potassic alteration and disseminated to vein-hosted chalcopyrite, the existence of a new priority target on the Property, the existence of clear drill targets for 2026 including plans for continued target refinement and follow-up exploration, the potential for economic grades of copper and gold, the Yukons potential to generate fresh district-scale mining and discovery opportunities, and the Companys future plans and intentions. Wherever possible, words such as may, will, should, could, expect, plan, intend, anticipate, believe, estimate, predict or potential or the negative or other variations of these words, or similar words or phrases, have been used to identify the forward-looking information. These statements reflect managements current beliefs and are based on information currently available to management as at the date hereof. Forward-looking information involves significant risks, uncertainties and assumptions. Many factors could cause actual results, performance or achievements to differ materially from those discussed or implied in the forward-looking information. Such factors include, among other things: risks and uncertainties relating to the AZ Property not being a prospective copper-rich, gold-rich or silver-rich geological system; rock samples analysed not being representative of overall mineralization; the required assumptions of completed helicopter-supported mapping and sampling programs; no changes to the priority of the 2026 drill target locations; completion of continued target refinement and follow-up exploration at the Property; the Yukon not having the potential to generate fresh district-scale mining opportunities; and other risks and uncertainties. See the section entitled Risk Factors in the Companys listing statement dated May 30, 2024, available under the Companys profile on SEDAR+ at www.sedarplus.ca for additional risk factors. These factors should be considered carefully, and readers should not place undue reliance on the forward-looking information. Although the forward-looking information contained in this news release is based upon what management believes to be reasonable assumptions, the Company cannot assure readers that actual results will be consistent with the forward-looking information. The forward-looking information is made as of the date of this news release, and the Company assumes no obligation to update or revise the information to reflect new events or circumstances, except as required by law. News / National by Staff reporter The anti-Zimbabwe USAID-sponsored opposition group, Crisis in Zimbabwe Coalition, has collapsed.Donald Trump and Elon's shutdown of USAID put the final nail on CiZC's coffin.CiZC has resolved to dissolve its current organisational structure with immediate effect, citing intensifying political repression, shrinking civic space and the systematic use of the law to silence pro-democracy forces.The decision was taken at the coalition's 16th Annual General Meeting (AGM) held on January 21, 2026, which was convened in line with Section 6 (6.1) of the 2014 CiZC Constitution and attended by three-quarters of its membership.In a statement issued after the meeting, CiZC said the AGM took place at an "exceptionally critical moment" for Zimbabwe, warning that the country's post-independence gains of freedom, democracy and prosperity are under sustained attack.The coalition said Zimbabwe remains trapped in deepening socio-economic decline, democratic regression and political repression, blaming the situation on what it described as the enactment and enforcement of repressive legislation, including the Private Voluntary Organisations (PVO) Act. According to CiZC, the law has curtailed civic space, criminalised legitimate civil society work and undermined constitutionally guaranteed freedoms of association, expression and participation.CiZC also took aim at Statutory Instrument 156 of 2023, which removed parliamentary oversight over the Mutapa Investment Fund, a state-owned conglomerate valued at about US$16 billion. The coalition described the move as the "greatest state robbery since independence," arguing that citizens are bearing the cost through the deterioration of public transport, education, health services and social welfare systems.Despite the challenges, CiZC said it has remained committed to promoting inclusive national development, human rights and constitutionalism, even as it accused the ruling elite of pursuing a 2030 agenda aimed at entrenching life presidency and permanent authoritarian rule.Reflecting on its history, the AGM acknowledged the coalition's role in Zimbabwe's democratic struggles since its formation in 2001, including its involvement in major civic campaigns such as the Save Zimbabwe Campaign, which helped apply pressure leading to the Government of National Unity (GNU).However, members also noted that civil society organisations have, for more than two decades, operated under shrinking democratic space, marked by the weaponisation of repressive laws, state surveillance, arbitrary arrests, meeting bans and harassment. CiZC said these conditions, worsened by funding constraints, have had a chilling effect on advocacy for transparency, accountability and the protection of fundamental rights.The AGM expressed concern over the collapse of living standards, saying most citizens are sinking deeper into poverty amid declining incomes and rising costs of living. It dismissed official claims of 6% economic growth as "illusory and exclusionary," arguing that the benefits accrue to less than 10% of the population while low-income workers face heavy taxation.According to the coalition, corruption and looting of public resources through fraudulent tenders have "systematically shredded" the Constitution, while social services continue to deteriorate. It estimated that 25,000 children remain out of school, with nearly half of enrolled learners missing classes due to unaffordable fees, and warned that Zimbabwe's public health system has declined to the point where seeking care at public hospitals has become a life-threatening risk.Women, youth, persons with disabilities and orphans were identified as the groups most affected by the crisis, with CiZC noting that growing numbers of Zimbabweans are leaving the country for Botswana, South Africa and Europe in search of better opportunities.The AGM also highlighted unresolved historical injustices, including Gukurahundi and other post-1980 political violations, saying efforts to address them have been tokenistic, unconsultative and lacking genuine political will.Announcing the decision to dissolve the coalition's structure, CiZC said the move should not be seen as defeat but as a strategic repositioning to safeguard the continuity and relevance of citizens' aspirations."The struggle for democracy, justice and prosperity in Zimbabwe continues," the coalition said, invoking the Constitution's preamble, which commits citizens to defend the supremacy of the Constitution, the rule of law and principles of good governance. VANCOUVER, BC / ACCESS Newswire / January 22, 2026 / Kootenay Silver Inc. (TSXV:KTN) ("Kootenay" or the "Company") is pleased to announce that it has entered into an engagement letter with Red Cloud Securities Inc. ("Red Cloud"), as lead underwriter and sole bookrunner on behalf of a syndicate of underwriters (collectively, the "Underwriters"), pursuant to which the Underwriters have agreed to purchase for resale 4,444,445 common shares of the Company (the "Offered Shares") at a price of C$2.25 per Offered Share (the "Offering Price") on a "bought deal" basis in a private placement for gross proceeds of approximately C$10,000,001 (the "Underwritten Offering"). The Company will grant to the Underwriters an option, exercisable in full or in part, up to 48 hours prior to the Closing Date (as herein defined), to sell up to an additional 666,667 Offered Shares at the Offering Price for up to approximately C$1,500,001 in additional gross proceeds (the "Over-Allotment Option", and together with the Underwritten Offering, the "Offering"). The net proceeds raised under the Offering will be used for the advancement of the Company's Columba and La Cigarra silver projects in Mexico as well as for working capital and general corporate purposes. Subject to compliance with applicable regulatory requirements and in accordance with National Instrument 45-106 - Prospectus Exemptions ("NI 45-106"), the Offered Shares will be offered for sale to purchasers in all the provinces of Canada except Quebec pursuant to the listed issuer financing exemption under Part 5A of NI 45-106, as amended by Coordinated Blanket Order 45-935 - Exemptions from Certain Conditions of the Listed Issuer Financing Exemption. The Offered Shares are expected to be immediately freely tradeable under applicable Canadian securities legislation if sold to purchasers resident in Canada. The Offered Shares will also be offered in the United States or to, or for the account or benefit of, U.S. persons, by way of private placement pursuant to the exemptions from the registration requirements provided for under the United States Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the "U.S. Securities Act"), and in jurisdictions outside of Canada and the United States on a private placement or equivalent basis, in each case in accordance with all applicable laws, provided that no prospectus, registration statement or other similar document is required to be filed in such jurisdiction. There is an offering document (the "Offering Document") related to the Offering that can be accessed under the Company's profile at www.sedarplus.ca and on the Company's website at www.kootenarysilver.com. Prospective investors should read this Offering Document before making an investment decision. The Offering is scheduled to close on February 10, 2026 or such other date as the Company and Red Cloud may agree (the "Closing Date"). Completion of the Offering is subject to certain conditions including, but not limited to the receipt of all necessary approvals, including the approval of the TSX Venture Exchange (the "TSXV"). The securities being offered pursuant to the Offering have not been, nor will they be, registered under the U.S. Securities Act or any U.S. state securities laws, and may not be offered or sold in the United States or to, or for the account or benefit of, U.S. persons absent registration or an applicable exemption from the registration requirements. This news release shall not constitute an offer to sell or the solicitation of an offer to buy nor shall there be any sale of the securities in any jurisdiction in which such offer, solicitation or sale would be unlawful. Neither the TSXV nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in policies of the TSXV) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release. About Kootenay Silver Inc. Kootenay Silver Inc. is an exploration company actively engaged in the discovery and development of mineral projects in the Sierra Madre Region of Mexico. Supported by one of the largest junior portfolios of silver assets in Mexico, Kootenay continues to provide its shareholders with significant leverage to silver prices. The Company remains focused on the expansion of its current silver resources, new discoveries and the near-term economic development of its priority silver projects located in prolific mining districts in Sonora, State and Chihuahua, State, Mexico, respectively. For additional information, please contact: James McDonald, CEO & President at 403-880-6016 Ken Berry, Chairman at 604-601-5652, 1-888-601-5650 or visit: www.kootenarysilver.com CAUTIONARY NOTE REGARDING FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS: The information in this news release has been prepared as at January 19, 2026. Certain statements in this news release, referred to herein as "forward-looking statements", constitute "forward-looking statements" under the provisions of Canadian provincial securities laws. These statements can be identified by the use of words such as "expected", "may", "will" or similar terms. "Forward-looking information" includes, but is not limited to, statements with respect to the activities, events or developments that the Company expects or anticipates will or may occur in the future, including the expectation that the Offering will close in the timeframe and on the terms as anticipated by management, statements regarding the Offering, the anticipated closing date of the Offering, the intended use of proceeds of the Offering, the approval of the Offering by the TSXV and the filing of the Offering Document. Forward-looking statements are necessarily based upon a number of factors and assumptions that, while considered reasonable by Kootenay as of the date of such statements, are inherently subject to significant business, economic and competitive uncertainties and contingencies. Many factors, known and unknown, could cause actual results to be materially different from those expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. Readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements, which speak only as of the date made. Except as otherwise required by law, Kootenay expressly disclaims any obligation or undertaking to release publicly any updates or revisions to any such statements to reflect any change in Kootenay's expectations or any change in events, conditions or circumstances on which any such statement is based. MONTREAL, Jan. 22, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Osisko Metals Incorporated (the "Company" or "Osisko Metals") (TSX: OM; OTCQX: OMZNF; FRANKFURT: 0B51) is pleased to announce new drill results from the Gaspe Copper Project, located in the Gaspe Peninsula of Eastern Quebec. New analytical results are presented below (see Table 1), including 29 mineralized intercepts from ten new drill holes. Infill intercepts are located inside the 2024 MRE model (see November 14, 2024 news release), and are focused on upgrading inferred mineral resources to measured or indicated categories, as applicable. Expansion intercepts are located outside the 2024 MRE model and may potentially lead to additional resources that will be classified appropriately within the next MRE update. Some of the reported intercepts have contiguous shallower infill as well as deeper expansion (noted on Table 1 below as Both). Maps showing hole locations are available at www.osiskometals.com. Highlights: Drill hole 30-1155 738.0 metres averaging 0.31% Cu (0.41% CuEq infill and expansion) Drill hole 30-1156 760.5 metres averaging 0.26% Cu (0.35% CuEq infill and expansion) Drill hole 30-1154 726.0 metres averaging 0.21% Cu (0.31% CuEq infill and expansion) Drill hole 30-1148 613.5 metres averaging 0.22% Cu (0.32% CuEq infill and expansion) Drill hole 30-1151 484.5 metres averaging 0.27% Cu (0.41% CuEq infill and expansion) Drill hole 30-1149 395.0 metres averaging 0.26% Cu (0.30% CuEq infill) Drill hole 30-1150 340.5 metres averaging 0.21% Cu (0.30% CuEq infill and expansion) Drill hole 30-1153 310.0 metres averaging 0.26% Cu (0.31% CuEq infill) Drill hole 30-1147 228.0 metres averaging 0.26% Cu (0.31% CuEq expansion) Table 1: Infill and Expansion Drilling Results DDH No. From (m) To (m) Length (m) Cu % Ag g/t Mo % CuEq* % Type** 30-1147 11.3 174.0 162.7 0.17 1.08 <0.005 0.19 Infill And 217.5 271.5 54.0 0.13 1.71 0.011 0.18 Infill And 355.5 601.5 246.0 0.18 1.03 0.013 0.24 Both (including) 355.5 528.7 173.2 0.20 1.08 0.013 0.25 Infill (including) 528.7 601.5 72.8 0.13 0.90 0.015 0.19 Expansion And 627.0 687.0 60.0 0.13 0.78 0.027 0.24 Expansion And 718.5 946.5 228.0 0.26 1.09 0.012 0.31 Expansion 30-1148 72.5 241.5 169.0 0.17 1.52 <0.005 0.19 Infill And 345.0 958.5 613.5 0.22 1.48 0.027 0.32 Both (including) 345.0 591.8 246.8 0.27 1.78 0.024 0.37 Infill (including) 591.8 958.5 366.7 0.18 1.27 0.029 0.30 Expansion 30-1149 109.0 504.0 395.0 0.26 2.23 0.008 0.30 Infill And 604.5 654.0 49.5 0.11 1.26 0.009 0.16 Infill And 735.0 849.4 114.4 0.20 1.27 0.012 0.25 Infill 30-1150 76.0 117.0 41.0 0.20 1.72 <0.005 0.21 Infill And 163.5 211.5 48.0 0.29 3.13 <0.005 0.31 Infill And 241.5 276.0 34.5 0.12 1.81 0.006 0.15 Infill And 330.0 670.5 340.5 0.21 1.43 0.022 0.30 Both (including) 330.0 560.7 230.7 0.16 1.42 0.023 0.26 Infill (including) 560.7 670.5 109.8 0.31 1.45 0.019 0.39 Expansion And 737.0 813.0 76.0 0.20 1.29 0.095 0.57 Expansion And 841.5 916.5 75.0 0.16 1.47 <0.005 0.17 Expansion 30-1151 3.0 195.0 192.0 0.27 1.92 <0.005 0.29 Infill And 328.5 435.0 106.5 0.22 1.92 0.012 0.27 Infill And 469.5 954.0 484.5 0.27 1.82 0.033 0.41 Both (including) 469.5 822.3 352.8 0.27 1.90 0.033 0.41 Infill (including) 822.3 954.0 131.7 0.25 1.62 0.034 0.39 Expansion 30-1152 27.0 39.0 12.0 0.16 1.53 <0.005 0.17 Expansion And 77.0 153.0 76.0 0.14 1.35 <0.005 0.15 Expansion And 281.5 309.0 27.5 0.22 1.63 <0.005 0.23 Expansion 30-1153 93.0 403.0 310.0 0.26 1.08 0.010 0.31 Infill And 583.5 738.0 154.5 0.14 0.83 0.022 0.22 Infill 30-1154 63.0 95.0 32.0 0.18 1.20 <0.005 0.19 Infill And 114.0 199.5 85.5 0.20 1.69 <0.005 0.22 Infill And 247.5 973.5 726.0 0.21 1.62 0.023 0.31 Both (including) 247.5 694.4 446.9 0.23 2.00 0.022 0.33 Infill (including) 694.4 973.5 279.1 0.19 1.03 0.023 0.28 Expansion 30-1155 18.0 756.0 738.0 0.31 1.25 0.023 0.41 Both (including) 18.0 628.0 610.0 0.33 1.27 0.023 0.43 Infill (including) 628.0 756.0 128.0 0.20 1.16 0.025 0.30 Expansion 30-1156 148.5 909.0 760.5 0.26 1.83 0.020 0.35 Both (including) 148.5 766.7 618.2 0.26 1.84 0.017 0.34 Infill (including) 766.7 909.0 142.3 0.26 1.82 0.033 0.40 Expansion * See explanatory notes below on copper equivalent values and Quality Assurance/Quality Controls. ** Both indicates drill holes that have contiguous shallower infill as well as deeper expansion intercepts. Discussion Drill hole 30-1147, located at the base of the western flank of Copper Mountain, cut five mineralized intervals. These included 162.7 metres averaging 0.17% Cu and 1.08 g/t Ag (infill), followed by 54.0 metres averaging 0.13% Cu and 1.71 g/t Ag (infill), followed by 246.0 metres averaging 0.18% Cu, 1.03 g/t Ag and 0.013% Mo (infill and expansion). The next two intervals, both expansion holes, cut 60.0 metres averaging 0.13% Cu, 0.78 g/t Ag and 0.027% Mo followed by 228.0 metres averaging 0.26% Cu, 1.09 g/t Ag and 0.012% Mo, extending mineralization in this area to a vertical depth of 946 metres. Drill hole 30-1148, located on the western flank of Copper Mountain near the centre of the 2024 MRE model, cut two mineralized intervals including 169.0 metres averaging 0.17% Cu and 1.52 g/t Ag (infill) followed by 613.5 metres averaging 0.22% Cu, 1.48 g/t Ag and 0.027% Mo (infill and expansion), extending mineralization in this area to a vertical depth of 958 metres. Drill hole 30-1149, located on top of Copper Mountain and inclined 74 degrees to the north, cut three mineralized intervals (all infill) including 395.0 metres averaging 0.26% Cu, 2.23 g/t Ag and 0.008% Mo, followed by 49.5 metres averaging 0.11% Cu, 1.26 g/t Ag and 0.009% Mo, and then 114.4 metres averaging 0.20% Cu, 1.27 g/t Ag and 0.012% Mo, confirming mineralization in this area to a vertical depth of 816 metres. Drill hole 30-1150, located on the southern flank of Copper Mountain, cut six mineralized intervals, including three infill intervals of 41.0 metres averaging 0.20% Cu and 1.72 g/t Ag, followed by 48.0 metres averaging 0.29% Cu and 3.13 g/t Ag and then by 34.5 metres averaging 0.12% Cu, 1.81 g/t Ag and 0.006% Mo. The next interval, both infill and expansion, cut 340.5 metres averaging 0.21% Cu, 1.43 g/t Ag and 0.022% Mo. The last two intervals, both expansions, cut 76.0 metres averaging 0.20% Cu, 1.29 g/t Ag and 0.095% Mo (includes high grade Mo zone of 7.4 m averaging 0.55% Mo in the E Zone skarn), followed by 75.0 metres averaging 0.16% Cu and 1.47 g/t Ag, extending mineralization in this area to a vertical depth of 916 metres. Drill hole 30-1151, located on top of Copper Mountain and inclined 80 degrees to the north, cut three mineralized intervals including 192.0 metres averaging 0.27% Cu and 1.92 g/t Ag (infill), followed by 106.5 metres averaging 0.22% Cu, 1.92 g/t Ag and 0.012% Mo (infill), and then 484.5 metres averaging 0.27% Cu, 1.82 g/t Ag and 0.033% Mo (infill and expansion), extending mineralization in this area to a vertical depth of 940 metres. Drill hole 30-1152, located 65 metres south of the southeastern margin of the 2024 MRE model in the Southern Extension Zone, cut three relatively thin mineralized intervals (all expansion) including 12.0 metres averaging 0.16% Cu and 1.53 g/t Ag, followed by 76.0 metres averaging 0.14% Cu and 1.35 g/t Ag, and then by 27.5 metres averaging 0.22% Cu and 1.63 g/t Ag, establishing the near-eastern limit of the Southern Extension Zone in this area. Drill hole 30-1153, located near the southwestern lip of the Copper Mountain open pit and inclined 63 degrees NNE, cut two mineralized intervals including 310.0 metres averaging 0.26% Cu, 1.08 g/t Ag and 0.010% Mo (infill), followed by 154.5 metres averaging 0.14% Cu, 0.83 g/t Ag and 0.022% Mo (infill) within the porphyry core of the Copper Mountain stockwork deposit. This hole confirmed mineralization in this area to a vertical depth of 655 metres. Drill hole 30-1154, located on the eastern flank of Copper Mountain near the centre of the 2024 MRE model, cut three mineralized intervals, including 32.0 metres averaging 0.18% Cu and 1.20 g/t Ag (infill), followed by 85.5 metres averaging 0.20% Cu and 1.69 g/t Ag and then by 726.0 metres averaging 0.21% Cu, 1.62 g/t Ag and 0.023% Mo (infill and expansion), extending mineralization in this area to a vertical depth of 973 metres. Drill hole 30-1155, located near the southwestern lip of the Copper Mountain open pit and inclined 72 degrees to the north, cut one long mineralized interval from surface that comprises 738.0 metres averaging 0.31% Cu, 1.25 g/t Ag and 0.023% Mo (infill and expansion), extending mineralization in this area to a vertical depth of 719 metres. Drill hole 30-1156, located on the northwestern flank of Copper Mountain and inclined 77 degrees NNE, also cut one long mineralized interval that comprises 760.5 metres averaging 0.26% Cu, 1.83 g/t Ag and 0.020% Mo (infill and expansion), extending mineralization in this area to a vertical depth of 886 metres. Mineralization at Gaspe Copper is of porphyry copper/skarn type and occurs as disseminations and stockworks of chalcopyrite with pyrite or pyrrhotite and minor bornite and molybdenite. One prograde and at least five retrograde vein/stockwork mineralizing events have been recognized at Copper Mountain, which overprint earlier, bedding replacement skarn and porcellanite-hosted mineralization throughout the Gaspe Copper system. Porcellanite is a historical mining term used to describe bleached, pale green to white potassic-altered hornfels. Subvertical stockwork mineralization dominates at Copper Mountain whereas prograde bedding-parallel mineralization, which is mostly stratigraphically controlled, dominates in the area of lower Copper Mountain, Needle Mountain, Needle East, and Copper Brook. High molybdenum grades (up to 0.5% Mo) were locally obtained in both the C Zone and E Zone skarns away from Copper Mountain. The 2022 to 2024 Osisko Metals drill programs were focused on defining open-pit resources within the Copper Mountain stockwork mineralization (see May 6, 2024 MRE press release). Extending the resource model south of Copper Mountain into the poorly-drilled prograde skarn/porcellanite portion of the system subsequently led to a significantly increased resource, mostly in the Inferred category (see November 14, 2024 MRE press release). The current drill program is designed to convert the November 2024 MRE to Measured and Indicated categories, as well as test the expansion of the system deeper into the stratigraphy and laterally to the south and southwest towards Needle East and Needle Mountain respectively. The November 2024 MRE was limited at depth to the base of the L1 skarn horizon (C Zone), and all mineralized intersections below this horizon represent potential depth extensions to the deposit, to be included in the next scheduled MRE update in Q1 2026. Most holes are being drilled sub-vertically into the altered calcareous stratigraphy that dips 20 to 25 degrees to the north. The L1 (C Zone) the L2 (E Zone) skarn/marble horizons were intersected in most holes, as well as intervening porcellanites that host the bulk of the disseminated copper mineralization. Table 2: Drill hole locations DDH No. Azimuth () Dip () Length (m) UTM E UTM N Elevation 30-1147 0.0 -90.0 978.0 315700 5426262 583 30-1148 0.0 -90.0 1056.0 316094 5426150 695 30-1149 1.0 -74.0 849.4 316151 5426415 743 30-1150 0.0 -90.0 960.0 316412 5426080 675 30-1151 0.0 -80.0 954.0 316020 5426403 743 30-1152 0.0 -90.0 729.0 316683 5425540 571 30-1153 14.0 -63.0 745.0 315470 5426555 586 30-1154 0.0 -90.0 975.0 316287 5426285 720 30-1155 0.0 -72.0 756.0 315517 5426465 574 30-1156 15.0 -77.0 909.0 315863 5426398 680 Explanatory note regarding copper-equivalent grades Copper Equivalent grades are expressed for purposes of simplicity and are calculated taking into account: 1) metal grades; 2) estimated long-term prices of metals: US$4.25/lb copper, $20.00/lb molybdenum, and US$24/oz silver; 3) estimated recoveries of 92%, 70%, and 70% for Cu, Mo, and Ag respectively; and 4) net smelter return value of metals as percentage of the price, estimated at 86.5%, 90.7%, and 75.0% for Cu, Mo, and Ag respectively. Qualified Person The scientific and technical content of this news release has been reviewed and approved by Mr. Bernard-Olivier Martel, P. Geo. (OGQ 492), an independent qualified person as defined by National Instrument 43-101 Standards of Disclosure for Mineral Projects (NI 43-101). Quality Assurance / Quality Control Mineralized intervals reported herein are calculated using an average 0.12% CuEq lower cut-off over contiguous 20-metre intersections (shorter intervals as the case may be at the upper and lower limits of reported intervals). Intervals of 10 metres or less are not reported unless indicating significantly higher grades. True widths are estimated at 90 92% of the reported core length intervals. Osisko Metals adheres to a strict QA/QC program for core handling, sampling, sample transportation and analyses, including insertion of blanks and standards in the sample stream. Drill core is drilled in HQ or NQ diameter and securely transported to its core processing facility on site, where it is logged, cut and sampled. Samples selected for assay are sealed and shipped to ALS Canada Ltd.s preparation facility in Sudbury. Sample preparation details (code PREP-31DH) are available on the ALS Canada website. Pulps are analyzed at the ALS Canada Ltd. facility in North Vancouver, BC. All samples are analyzed by four acid digestion followed by both ICP-AES and ICP-MS for Cu, Mo and Ag. About Osisko Metals Osisko Metals Incorporated is a Canadian exploration and development company creating value in the critical metals sector, with a focus on copper and zinc. The Company acquired a 100% interest in the past-producing Gaspe Copper mine from Glencore Canada Corporation in July 2023. The Gaspe Copper mine is located near Murdochville in Quebec's Gaspe Peninsula. The Company is currently focused on resource expansion of the Gaspe Copper system, with current Indicated Mineral Resources of 824 Mt averaging 0.34% CuEq and Inferred Mineral Resources of 670 Mt averaging 0.38% CuEq (in compliance with NI 43-101). For more information, see Osisko Metals' November 14, 2024 news release entitled "Osisko Metals Announces Significant Increase in Mineral Resource at Gaspe Copper". Gaspe Copper hosts the largest undeveloped copper resource in eastern North America, strategically located near existing infrastructure in the mining-friendly province of Quebec. In addition to the Gaspe Copper project, the Company is working with Appian Capital Advisory LLP through the Pine Point Mining Limited joint venture to advance one of Canada's largest past-producing zinc mining camps, the Pine Point project, located in the Northwest Territories. The current mineral resource estimate for the Pine Point project consists of Indicated Mineral Resources of 49.5 Mt averaging 5.52% ZnEq and Inferred Mineral Resources of 8.3 Mt averaging 5.64% ZnEq (in compliance with NI 43-101). For more information, see Osisko Metals' June 25, 2024 news release entitled "Osisko Metals releases Pine Point mineral resource estimate: 49.5 million tonnes of indicated resources at 5.52% ZnEq". The Pine Point project is located on the south shore of Great Slave Lake, NWT, close to infrastructure, with paved road access, an electrical substation and 100 kilometres of viable haul roads. For further information on this news release, visit www.osiskometals.com or contact: Don Njegovan, President Email: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. Phone: (416) 500-4129 Cautionary Statement on Forward-Looking Information This news release contains "forward-looking information" within the meaning of applicable Canadian securities legislation based on expectations, estimates and projections as at the date of this news release. Any statement that involves predictions, expectations, interpretations, beliefs, plans, projections, objectives, assumptions, future events or performance (often, but not always, using phrases such as "expects", or "does not expect", "is expected", "interpreted", management's view", "anticipates" or "does not anticipate", "plans", "budget", "scheduled", "forecasts", "estimates", "potential", "feasibility", "believes" or "intends" or variations of such words and phrases or stating that certain actions, events or results "may" or "could", "would", "might" or "will" be taken, occur or be achieved) are not statements of historical fact and may be forward-looking information and are intended to identify forward-looking information. This news release contains forward-looking information pertaining to, among other things: the tax treatment of the FT Units; the timing of incurring the Qualifying Expenditures and the renunciation of the Qualifying Expenditures; the ability to advance Gaspe Copper to a construction decision (if at all); the ability to increase the Company's trading liquidity and enhance its capital markets presence; the potential re-rating of the Company; the ability for the Company to unlock the full potential of its assets and achieve success; the ability for the Company to create value for its shareholders; the advancement of the Pine Point project; the anticipated resource expansion of the Gaspe Copper system and Gaspe Copper hosting the largest undeveloped copper resource in eastern North America. Forward-looking information is not a guarantee of future performance and is based upon a number of estimates and assumptions of management, in light of management's experience and perception of trends, current conditions and expected developments, as well as other factors that management believes to be relevant and reasonable in the circumstances, including, without limitation, assumptions about: the ability of exploration results, including drilling, to accurately predict mineralization; errors in geological modelling; insufficient data; equity and debt capital markets; future spot prices of copper and zinc; the timing and results of exploration and drilling programs; the accuracy of mineral resource estimates; production costs; political and regulatory stability; the receipt of governmental and third party approvals; licenses and permits being received on favourable terms; sustained labour stability; stability in financial and capital markets; availability of mining equipment and positive relations with local communities and groups. Forward-looking information involves risks, uncertainties and other factors that could cause actual events, results, performance, prospects and opportunities to differ materially from those expressed or implied by such forward-looking information. Factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from such forward-looking information are set out in the Company's public disclosure record on SEDAR+ (www.sedarplus.ca) under Osisko Metals' issuer profile. Although the Company believes that the assumptions and factors used in preparing the forward-looking information in this news release are reasonable, undue reliance should not be placed on such information, which only applies as of the date of this news release, and no assurance can be given that such events will occur in the disclosed time frames or at all. The Company disclaims any intention or obligation to update or revise any forward- looking information, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, other than as required by law. Chile's rightwing president-elect drew sharp criticism from human rights groups Wednesday for announcing a cabinet that features two lawyers who defended the late dictator Augusto Pinochet. Jose Antonio Kast, 60, will be sworn in on March 11 as the first far-right head of state in Chile since the exit of Pinochet, whose brutal regime left deep scars on the South American nation. On Tuesday, he named Fernando Barros, 68, as his defense minister and Fernando Rabat, 53, as minister of justice and human rights. Both served as lawyers for Pinochet, who led a dictatorship from 1973 to 1990 that left more than 3,200 people dead or missing, and tortured or imprisoned tens of thousands more. These attorneys represented the dictator in cases involving human rights violations and embezzlement. As his minister of women's affairs, Kast picked Judith Marin, a 30-year-old evangelical teacher who is opposed to abortion -- a right supported by many Chileans and allowed albeit restricted under Chilean law. "The appointment of two lawyers who defended Pinochet is a clear indication that the incoming government aims to justify extermination," Communist Party lawmaker Carmen Hertz told AFP. "They are denialists of the extermination carried out by the dictatorship," added Hertz, whose husband, journalist Carlos Berger, was executed by the regime in 1973. Alicia Lira, president of an association for relatives of people killed by the Pinochet regime, said she found it "truly disrespectful that someone who was part of the defense team for the most bloodthirsty dictator in Latin America" could be appointed justice minister. Kast, a Pinochet admirer who won a landslide election victory last December, has in the past supported the idea of pardoning some 140 military people and other representatives of the state who were imprisoned for crimes against humanity committed under the dictatorship. Pinochet died in 2006 at age 91 without ever being tried for human rights violations or any other crime. Women's rights groups were particularly upset by the appointment of Marin. "The lives of girls, women," said Fernanda Carvallo of 8M, a feminist organization, "cannot be in the hands of religious fundamentalists." Kast won election on a wave of anti-crime and anti-immigrant sentiment, despite being more right on most social issues than the average Chilean. He is staunchly anti-abortion, even in cases of rape, risk to the mother's life or fetal inviability -- the circumstances under which the procedure is currently allowed. We find ourselves in a geopolitical situation. If we are to choose between the US and Denmark right now, then we choose Denmark, NATO and the EU. The time is not for divisions, but to build on from the community we know and wish for, the Prime Minister of Greenland Jens-Frederik Nielsen stated in a press meeting held jointly the Prime Minister of Denmark Mette Frederiksen on January 13, 2026. Faced with the enormous pressure from the US that has repeated its intentions to take over Greenland one way or the other, Prime Minister Nielsen chooses his words carefully. Greenland, once a colony of Denmark, has gradually transitioned towards ever-increasing self-government while so far remaining withing the Realm. This has made many speculate what would happen if Greenland pursues independence. However, as Prime Minister Nielsens statement indicates, the governments position on the transition to greater sovereignty is one of gradual, carefully deliberated and well-prepared steps together with the Greenlandic population through a democratic process, in line with the procedures established by the Self-Government Act not a rash transition into the unknown. It is into this process of gradual transition, which has a long history, that the US is now intervening. Greenlands long push for decolonization Danish Prime Minister Frederiksens statement to some extent mirrors the statements by the two Greenlandic National Councils addressing the Permanent Court of International Justice (PCIJ) in the Hague during the case which took place in 1931-33, after Norway had laid claim to a large sector in East Greenland. The Greenlandic politicians back then balanced on a similarly narrow path, on the one hand supporting Denmark vis-a-vis Norway, while at the same time insisting that Greenland ultimately belonged to Greenlanders. In the inter-war period, the right of colonial powers to keep and govern colonies was accepted in international law. The PCIJ weighed up the respective claims of Denmark and Norway to Greenland as the two recognized parties to the case. Greenland, for the very reason it was a colony, could not be a party to the case or intervene. The Court decided that Denmark had exclusive sovereignty over all of Greenland without considering whether the Inuit had a better claim. International law as well as the status of Greenland under the Danish Constitution has changed since then. On the conclusion of World War II, the United Nations Charter transformed the international legal position of colonies, requiring colonial powers to govern them in the interests of their populations and to prepare them to move towards self-government. By the 1950s, the General Assemblys Fourth Committee, tasked with monitoring the governance of colonies, was pushing for colonial powers to loosen the ties and ultimately allow their populations to choose their own paths, with or without the colonial State. Denmark responded by offering integration with equal citizenship of Greenlanders and Danes and two seats designated for Greenland in the Danish Parliament. This process has been criticized extensively. Denmark rolled out welfare policies in Greenland, some of which had been called for by Greenlanders from before World War II. Already in 1914, the Greenlandic priest and politician Mathias Storch had published his novel Singuagtuga (The Dream) presenting a vision of a future Greenland, rooted in Inuit culture and inhabited and administered by modern, self-reliant and self-dependent Greenlanders. He continued to call for decolonization through gradual, well-planned reforms decided by Greenlanders in collaboration with Denmark: keywords that came to resound in Greenlandic political discussions on decolonization for decades to come. Upon integration in 1953, Greenlanders often felt sidelined in the modernization process when decisions were taken in Copenhagen and implemented quickly with enormous consequences for both individuals, and the Inuit culture and society at large. Despite the constitutional promise of equality, Greenlanders continued to experience discrimination in law, policy and society. Growing frustrations, including being dragged into the European Economic Community, sparked increasing calls for Home Rule in Greenland (which the Faroe Islands had enjoyed since 1948) coinciding with an international wave of Indigenous rights campaigns in the 1960s and 70s. This resulted in the Home Rule Agreement of 1979 under which Greenland elected its own parliament (Inatsisartut) and government (Naalakkersuisut) for the first time (while maintaining their two seats in the Danish Parliament). The Act of Greenland Self-Government of 2009 Thirty years later, after a long deliberation process, the Greenlanders would agree the Self-Government Act, approved by referendum in Greenland by over 75%. Not only did this enhance the powers of the Greenlandic Parliament and Government, it set out a pathway for Greenlanders to change their constitutional settlement with Denmark, including by becoming an independent State. In the Preamble, Denmark recognizes that the Greenlanders are a people pursuant to international law with the right of self-determination. Since 2009, discussions on how to take the next steps have been a recurrent theme in Greenlandic politics. The model of a free association has often been discussed, and the assumption has been largely that the partner state would be Denmark. Greenlands politicians as in any healthy democracy have different opinions on striking the balance between economic stability and constitutional change, as well as on how to improve the economic resilience of the Greenland economy while protecting social and environmental standards. There is, however, a unified view that Greenlanders are a unique People and seek (continued) recognition of their right to make their own decisions in their own time. This was underlined in a common press statement from all Greenlandic political party leaders on January 9, 2026 stating that We do not want to become Americans, we do not want to be Danish, we want to be Greenlanders. US interventions in the transition President Donald Trump has repeatedly referred to national security reasons, when explaining his annexation ambitions and has so far refused to rule out the use of force despite the fact that the US army has been present in Greenland since World War II. While Denmark was occupied by Nazi Germany, the US, with the consent of the Danish Ambassador to the US (now without a Danish government to which to report), established bases and located troops around Greenland. Today, only the Pituffik Space Base (formerly Thule Air Base) is operational. In 1946, President Harry Truman already made an offer to purchase Denmark, echoing President Andrew Johnsons similarly rebuffed offer in 1867. A 1951 defense agreement with Denmark gives the Americans broad freedom to operate throughout Greenland to meet its security needs which is today operationalized through tripartite agreements and diplomacy (US, Denmark and Greenland). Trump, in a candid interview with the New York Times in the context of the US arrest of Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro, stated that he is not constrained by international law but only his own morality, [his] own mind. Although he partially walked this back, insisting the US actions in Venezuela were in fact permissible under international law (as self-defense), the administrations actions and the failure to submit a formal notification to the UN Security Council as required under the UN Charter, indicates that Trumps first reply is the better reflection of his views. The withdrawal of the US from dozens of treaty commitments and international fora by Presidential fiat also supports the view that the US does not take international law seriously. Remedies and Responses Any use of force to pursue the annexation of Greenland would also be a manifest breach of article 2(4) of the UN Charter: All Members shall refrain in their international relations from the threat or use of force against the territorial integrity or political independence of any state, or in any other manner inconsistent with the Purposes of the United Nations. The only exceptions are the cases of necessary and proportionate self-defense (article 51) or with a UN Security Council resolution that calls for a military intervention in response to a breach of or threat to peace and security (Chapter VII). Even the most extravagant claims of the US regarding Russian or Chinese interests in the North Atlantic would not satisfy the claim of self-defense as neither Greenland nor Denmark, whose territory it is, are the aggressors; and both Russia and China can and will veto any attempted Security Council resolution. A resolution of the General Assembly in the coming days or weeks is not unlikely if the US continues to demand ownership of Greenland in blatant disregard of the wishes of Greenlands elected representatives, especially if threats to impose tariffs on countries defending Greenland and Denmark intensify or are realized. However, General Assembly resolutions are not binding and consequently have no enforcement mechanisms. The US does not recognize the jurisdiction of the International Court of Justice. Nor does the European Council of Europe (and the European Court of Human Rights) have any competence beyond its member States territories (which includes the Kingdom of Denmark, but not the US) (or, in exceptional cases, where they exercise control extraterritorially). The World Trade Organizations judicial system is also hamstrung by the US failure to agree appointments to the appellate body since Trumps first term in office therefore it cannot give a final decision on the lawfulness of tariffs. This leaves the European Union which appears poised to pause ratification of the US-EU trade deal (about which many parties were already unhappy) and which is mooting retaliatory tariffs and even implementation of the anti-coercion instrument the so-called big bazooka that permits punitive sanctions on countries trying to influence improperly EU policy. European States have quite different balances of trade with the US as well as varying degrees of political alignment. But the anti-coercion instrument can be triggered by qualified majority and does not require unanimity of all 27 Member States. A violent annexation of Greenland would almost certainly torpedo NATO in practice, even if not on paper. Some of Trumps administration may be delighted to see the demise of the 70-year defense alliance but clearer heads may prevail when they consider the medium and longer-term impacts of collapsing the pact. What has sometimes been missed in media reports is that the general political line in Greenland is that, despite different views on the pace of transition, any radical constitutional change of status should follow the process laid out in the Self-Government Act. This is likely to include broader negotiations with other countries, including the EU, the US, Canada, Iceland and other NATO allies, Indigenous Peoples representatives, and most importantly, ongoing friendly relations with Denmark. The problem now for the US, with its hyperrealist, short-term approach to international relations, is that it must square an impossible circle. It claims that international law does not restrict its conduct and that it can walk away from any treaty commitments when they are no longer convenient. But at the same, it is asking Greenland, Denmark and their European allies to enter a new treaty regarding the territory. In short, the US is both rejecting the most fundamental principle of international law, pacta sunt servanda (treaties shall be kept) and then asking to be taken seriously as a treaty-partner. Venezuelan victims protest on the outskirts of the Assembly of States Parties to the International Criminal Court (ICC) on 3 December 2024. A poster challenges (in Spanish, left) the ICC prosecutor: Khan, are you for truth or for criminals? Photo: Franck Petit. Luis Carlos Diaz, Elizabeth Atieno and Oleksandr Maksymenko, who are victims of atrocities in Venezuela, Kenya and Ukraine, turned to the International Criminal Court for the justice it promised. But they were disappointed. It is the victims who go to the ICC, not the ICC that goes to the victims, they say in this new podcast by our partners at Asymmetrical Haircuts. I want [the ICC] to know that there is still a need to address the harm that we have suffered, says Atieno. I want them to know that we want reparation, that we have never moved on, we have never forgotten. I want them to know that we still exist, we are not just a number but real human beings with real experiences. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky on Thursday blasted the EU's lack of "political will" in countering Russian leader Vladimir Putin, during a fiery address criticising some of Kyiv's top allies at the World Economic Forum. The speech to the Davos elite came minutes after Zelensky had met with US President Donald Trump, a conversation which he said brought agreement about what post-war US security guarantees for Ukraine would look like. Zelensky did not say what the security guarantees included, only that they were "done" and were ready to be signed by the leaders and ratified by the Ukrainian parliament and US Congress. But in a marked departure from his usual warm rhetoric towards the EU, Kyiv's main political and financial backers, Zelensky slammed what he cast as inaction, drawing parallels with the cult film "Groundhog Day" to describe the slow progress on key areas of support for Kyiv. "What's missing: time or political will?" he said at one point, referencing delays over the establishment of a European war crimes tribunal on the Russian invasion. He also said Europe, without mentioning any single country, was failing to agree on how to address global problems. "There are endless internal arguments and things left unsaid that stop Europe from uniting and speaking honestly enough to find real solutions," Zelensky told the forum. "Instead of becoming a truly global power, Europe remains a beautiful but fragmented kaleidoscope of small and middle powers," he added. He said Europe looked "lost" over how to deal with the challenge presented by Trump. "Europe looks lost trying to convince the US President to change. But he will not change. President Trump loves who he is, and he says he loves Europe, but he will not listen to this kind of Europe," he said. Trump had hailed a "good" meeting with Zelensky in the Swiss ski resort, hours before his envoy Steve Witkoff and son-in-law Jared Kushner were due in Moscow for talks with Putin. "This war has to end," Trump told reporters including AFP when asked what message he was sending to the Russian leader. Zelensky said the question of territory was the one outstanding issue in the talks to find an end to the war. "It's all about the eastern part of our country. It's all about the land. This is the issue which we (have) not solved yet." Russia, which occupies around 20 percent of Ukraine, is pushing for full control of the country's eastern Donbas region as part of a deal -- but Kyiv has warned ceding ground will embolden Moscow. Former special counsel Jack Smith defended his prosecution of Donald Trump in a long-awaited showdown on Thursday with Republican critics in the US Congress, citing overwhelming evidence that he led a "criminal scheme" to overturn the 2020 presidential election results. Although Smith, who led two failed prosecutions against Trump, never got his day in court, the televised hearing before the House Judiciary Committee provided the opportunity he has long sought to make his case to the American public. A veteran federal attorney and former war crimes prosecutor in The Hague, Smith told lawmakers his team of investigators had "developed proof beyond a reasonable doubt that President Trump engaged in criminal activity." "Rather than accept his defeat in the 2020 presidential election, President Trump engaged in a criminal scheme to overturn the results and prevent the lawful transfer of power," he said. Trump attacked Smith in a Truth Social post as he was testifying, calling him a "deranged animal, who shouldn't be allowed to practice law" and saying Attorney General Pam Bondi is "hopefully... looking at what he's done." Trump said in a later post that Smith should be prosecuted and "at a minimum, he committed large scale perjury!" Asked about Trump's repeated threats, Smith said "I will not be intimidated." "I think these statements are also made as a warning to others (about) what will happen if they stand up," he added. Smith said his decision to indict the Republican leader was taken "without regard to President Trump's political association, activities, beliefs, or candidacy in the 2024 presidential election." Smith was named special counsel in 2022 by attorney general Merrick Garland and charged Trump with plotting to overturn the results of the 2020 election he lost to Democrat Joe Biden, and separately with mishandling classified documents. Trump denied both charges and sought to frame them as politically motivated, accusing the Justice Department of being weaponized against him. Neither case came to trial and Smith, in line with a Justice Department policy of not prosecuting a sitting president, dropped them both after Trump won the November 2024 vote. - 'No one' above the law - Smith rejected Republican claims that his decision to charge Trump was politically motivated. "If asked whether to prosecute a former president based on the same facts today, I would do so regardless of whether that president was a Democrat or a Republican," he said. "No one should be above the law," he said. "President Trump was charged because the evidence established that he willfully broke the very laws that he took an oath to uphold." Smith also said Trump was the person "most responsible" for the January 6, 2021 attack on Congress by his supporters. "Our investigation revealed that Donald Trump is the person who caused January 6, that it was foreseeable to him and that he sought to exploit the violence," he said. Smith's appearance before the House Judiciary Committee comes a little over a month after he testified behind closed doors about his prosecution of Trump. Smith had requested that the deposition be delivered in public, but the Republican majority on the House panel declined his request. Republican committee chairman Jim Jordan accused Smith at Thursday's hearing of seeking to "get President Trump" in an attempt to prevent him from seeking reelection in 2024. "He's got to stop President Trump from running, tie him up in court," Jordan said. "It was always about politics. The good news is the American people saw through it." Since taking office for the second time, Trump has urged the Justice Department to bring investigate Smith and several other perceived political opponents. Cases brought against Trump foes James Comey, a former FBI director, and New York Attorney General Letitia James collapsed last year after a judge ruled that the prosecutor who brought the charges was unlawfully appointed. Representative Jamie Raskin, the House committee's top Democrat, defended Smith's investigation at the hearing. "Donald Trump says you're a criminal and you belong in prison," Raskin said. "Not because you did anything wrong, mind you, but because you did everything right. You pursued the facts, you followed the law." Algeria's Senate on Thursday demanded changes to a law criminalising French colonial rule, including provisions on reparations, nearly a month after parliament passed the legislation. On December 24, parliament's lower house unanimously approved the law declaring France's colonisation of Algeria from 1830 to 1962 a crime and demanding an apology and reparations. But the Senate said Thursday some articles of the text did not fully reflect the official approach set out by President Abdelmadjid Tebboune, who had said Algeria did not need financial reparations from France. This means a joint committee including members of both chambers will now review the disputed provisions before finalising the text, as the Senate cannot amend laws passed by the lower house. France has called the bill "clearly hostile", coming at a time of diplomatic friction with Algeria. Relations soured in late 2024 when France officially backed Moroccan sovereignty over the disputed Western Sahara, where Algeria backs the pro-independence Polisario Front. The bill states that France holds "legal responsibility for its colonial past in Algeria and the tragedies it caused". It lists the "crimes of French colonisation", including nuclear tests, extrajudicial killings, "physical and psychological torture", and the "systematic plundering of resources". The bill states that "full and fair compensation for all material and moral damages caused by French colonisation is an inalienable right of the Algerian state and people". However, Tebboune had said in a speech in December 2024 that Algiers was "not tempted by money, neither euros nor dollars". "We demand recognition of the crimes committed in the country" by France, he said. "I am not asking for financial compensation." Before taking office, French President Emmanuel Macron had acknowledged that his country's colonisation of Algeria was a "crime against humanity", but Paris has yet to offer Algiers a formal apology. Algeria says the war with colonial France killed 1.5 million people. French historians put the death toll lower at 500,000, 400,000 of them Algerian. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky on Thursday blasted the EU's lack of "political will" in countering Russian leader Vladimir Putin, in a fiery address criticising some of Kyiv's top allies at the World Economic Forum. The speech to the Davos elite came minutes after Zelensky had met with US President Donald Trump, a conversation he said had brought agreement about what post-war US security guarantees for Ukraine would look like. Zelensky did not say what they included, only that they were "done" and were ready to be signed by the leaders and ratified by the Ukrainian parliament and US Congress. But in a marked departure from his usual warm rhetoric towards the European Union, Kyiv's main political and financial backers, Zelensky slammed what he cast as inaction. "What's missing: time or political will?" he said at one point, referencing delays over the establishment of a European war crimes tribunal on the Russian invasion. He also said Europe, without mentioning any single country, was failing to agree on how to address global problems. "There are endless internal arguments and things left unsaid that stop Europe from uniting and speaking honestly enough to find real solutions," Zelensky told the forum. "Instead of becoming a truly global power, Europe remains a beautiful but fragmented kaleidoscope of small and middle powers," he added. - Fresh talks in UAE - "Europe looks lost trying to convince the US President to change," said Zelensky. "But he will not change. President Trump loves who he is, and he says he loves Europe, but he will not listen to this kind of Europe," he said. Trump had hailed a "good" meeting with Zelensky in the Swiss ski resort, hours before his envoy Steve Witkoff and son-in-law Jared Kushner were due in Moscow for talks with Putin. "This war has to end," Trump told reporters including AFP when asked what message he was sending to the Russian leader. Zelensky said the question of territory was the one outstanding issue in the talks to find an end to the war. "It's all about the eastern part of our country. It's all about the land. This is the issue which we (have) not solved yet." He also said the United Arab Emirates would host "trilateral" talks on the Ukraine war Friday and Saturday with Ukrainian, US and Russian negotiators. "It will be the first trilateral meeting in the Emirates," said Zelensky, without elaborating on the format of the talks. "Russians have to be ready for compromises," he added. Russia, which occupies around 20 percent of Ukraine, is pushing for full control of the country's eastern Donbas region as part of a deal -- but Kyiv has warned ceding ground will embolden Moscow. Top US negotiators including Steve Witkoff met Russian President Vladimir Putin in Moscow late Thursday for talks on a US-drafted plan to end the Ukraine war, just as Kyiv announced it had agreed on post-war security guarantees with Washington. Diplomatic efforts to end Europe's deadliest conflict since World War II have gained pace in recent months, though both Moscow and Kyiv remain at odds over the key issue of territory in a post-war settlement. Talks concluded after stretching past the three-hour mark, the Kremlin said in a statement released early Friday. Witkoff had previously said he believed the two sides were "down to one issue", without elaborating. Video published by the Kremlin showed a smiling Putin shaking hands with Witkoff, US President Donald Trump's son-in-law Jared Kushner and White House advisor Josh Gruenbaum. Russian negotiator Kirill Dmitriev and Kremlin aide Yuri Ushakov took part on the Russian side, the Kremlin said. The high-stakes meeting came just hours after Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said a draft deal was "nearly, nearly ready" and that he and Trump had agreed on the issue of post-war security guarantees. Russia, which occupies around 20 percent of Ukraine, is pushing for full control of the country's eastern Donbas region as part of a deal. But Kyiv has warned that ceding ground will embolden Moscow and says it will not sign a peace deal that fails to deter Russia from launching a renewed assault. After meeting Trump at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Zelensky said the security guarantees were "done", speaking in English to journalists. He said the UK and France had already committed to forces on the ground. - Europe 'fragmented' - Neither Witkoff nor Kushner will stay in the Russian capital overnight, instead flying straight to Abu Dhabi, where talks will continue in "military to military" working groups, Witkoff said. The details of the upcoming talks in the United Arab Emirates have not been released, and it is not clear whether Russian and Ukrainian officials will meet face-to-face. Zelensky said these talks would last two days. Trump repeated on Wednesday his oft-stated belief that Putin and Zelensky were close to a deal. "I believe they're at a point now where they can come together and get a deal done. And if they don't, they're stupid -- that goes for both of them," he said after delivering a speech at Davos. Zelensky, at his address in Davos, blasted the EU's lack of "political will" in countering Putin in a fiery address. "Instead of becoming a truly global power, Europe remains a beautiful but fragmented kaleidoscope of small and middle powers," he said. Trump's dramatic foreign policy pivots including a recent bid to take over Greenland -- an autonomous Danish territory -- have stirred worries in Europe about whether Washington can be trusted as a reliable security partner. In his speech, Zelensky criticised Europe for pinning hopes on the United States defending them in case of aggression. "Europe looks lost trying to convince the US President to change," Zelensky said. Russian strikes this week have left most of Kyiv without electricity, with residents of 4,000 buildings without heat in sub-zero temperatures. Russia, which launched its Ukraine offensive in February 2022, says its strikes are aimed at energy infrastructure fuelling Ukraine's "military-industrial complex". Kyiv says the strikes are a war crime designed to wear down its civilian population into submission. News / National by Staff reporter Power generation at the Kariba South Hydropower Station is projected to triple to about 750 megawatts (MW) in 2026 following a significant recovery in Lake Kariba's water levels, a development expected to ease load-shedding and stabilise electricity supplies across Zimbabwe.Kariba South is currently generating about 250MW, slightly above last year's average output, which was severely constrained by the El Nino-induced drought - the worst to hit southern Africa in more than 40 years.The improved hydrological outlook comes as Zimbabwe's power supply has also been bolstered by the full commissioning of Hwange Thermal Power Station Units 7 and 8 in 2023, which added 600MW to the national grid.With national electricity demand estimated at about 2 200MW, the combined output from Kariba and Hwange is expected to significantly narrow the supply deficit in 2026, easing pressure on households, industry and commerce.Speaking after touring the Kariba South Power Station on Tuesday, Energy and Power Development Minister July Moyo, who also chairs the Zambezi River Authority (ZRA), said rising water levels were a welcome development but must be supported by long-term investments in energy infrastructure."Last year we experienced a severe drought that negatively affected power generation," said Moyo."However, the continued rise in Lake Kariba's water levels gives us confidence that production will improve this year. Hydropower remains the cheapest form of electricity in Zimbabwe, and ZPC is targeting to raise output to about 750MW."Lake Kariba has an installed generation capacity of 1 050MW, although two units at Kariba South are currently not operational. Improved water availability is expected to ease generation constraints and allow the Zimbabwe Power Company (ZPC) to ramp up output.ZRA senior manager for Water Resources and Environmental Management, Engineer Boniface Mfula, said hydrological conditions in the Kariba catchment had improved markedly."The Kariba catchment has performed very well this season, with river inflows rising to above 50% compared to the same period in 2025," Mfula said."These positive projections translate into increased water allocation to ZPC and Zambia Electricity Supply Corporation (ZESCO) for power generation."The ZRA, which jointly manages Lake Kariba on behalf of Zimbabwe and Zambia, said the improved inflows were a boost to regional energy security.Buoyed by the positive outlook, Zimbabwe is accelerating preparations for two major power generation projects: the 1 200MW Batoka Gorge Hydro-Electric Scheme and a 600MW floating solar power plant on Lake Kariba, which together are expected to add 1 800MW to the national grid in the medium term.The Batoka project a joint venture between Zimbabwe and Zambia is planned as a 2 400MW hydroelectric station downstream of Kariba Dam and is expected to supply power to both countries while exporting surplus electricity into the Southern African Power Pool.Minister Moyo said Presidents Emmerson Mnangagwa and Hakainde Hichilema had directed their energy and finance ministries to fast-track the Batoka project."This is where we will generate even more hydropower than Kariba, benefiting both Zimbabwe and Zambia," he said.He added that the availability of key construction materials within the region strengthened the project's viability, citing Zimbabwe's Manhize Iron and Steel Plant and Zambia's strong cement production capacity.Zimbabwe is also planning a 600MW floating solar power plant on Lake Kariba, which will generate electricity during daylight hours while reducing water evaporation from the reservoir, complementing hydropower generation."A floating solar power plant would allow us to continue producing electricity even when dam levels decline," Moyo said, adding that Afreximbank had availed funding for feasibility studies, including environmental impact assessments.Currently, Zimbabwe's electricity generation is anchored on coal-fired power from Hwange and hydropower from Kariba. While independent power producers have begun feeding solar energy into the grid, supply still falls short of demand.Authorities say improved water inflows, regional cooperation and diversified energy investments place the country on a firmer path toward long-term energy stability. News / National by Staff reporter President Emmerson Mnangagwa has reportedly taken steps to curb the activities of his investment adviser, Paul Tungwarara, following public criticism of political figures that has stirred tensions within Zanu-PF.The move comes after a controversial rally in Nyanga last weekend, where Tungwarara publicly attacked Kudakwashe Tagwirei, a central committee member and party benefactor, alleging that Tagwirei had sought to influence the President to dismiss Vice-Presidents Constantino Chiwenga and Kembo Mohadi.During the rally, held under the banner of an Empowerment Fund, Tungwarara also distributed cash to two Zanu-PF constituencies in Manicaland, further raising eyebrows among senior party figures.A source close to the President told news outlets that Mnangagwa was "not amused" by Tungwarara's remarks, which have drawn criticism from within the party. Deputy National Youth League Commissar Taurai Kandishaya questioned Tungwarara's mandate, noting that his official role is limited to serving as Presidential Investment Adviser to the United Arab Emirates."Manicaland is not part of the UAE. Is it?" Kandishaya asked, noting that Tungwarara's involvement in domestic political mobilisation appeared outside his remit.Tungwarara's fiery address, in which he emphasised that leadership is defined by character rather than wealth, was widely interpreted as a direct challenge to Tagwirei's growing influence. His comments drew applause from supporters, including Zanu-PF politburo member Christopher Mutsvangwa, a known critic of Tagwirei.Former Norton legislator Temba Mliswa warned that Tungwarara could be caught in ongoing factional battles within the ruling party. He suggested Tungwarara's actions may have been influenced by figures aligned with Vice-President Chiwenga's faction, turning the adviser into a pawn in internal power struggles.The tensions unfold against the backdrop of succession politics within Zanu-PF as President Mnangagwa's 2028 term limit approaches. Reports suggest both Tungwarara and Tagwirei are positioning themselves politically, while Chiwenga remains a leading contender in the party's power calculus.In response to escalating internal conflicts, Zanu-PF Secretary for Security Lovemore Matuke issued a strong directive urging members to cease public attacks and to uphold party unity and discipline."We are deeply concerned by the disturbing developments we are witnessing within our party, where senior leaders and ordinary members alike are openly attacking one another at public rallies and across social media platforms," Matuke said.He reminded members that Zanu-PF's long-standing values are based on unity, respect, and collective responsibility, warning that airing internal disputes publicly damages the party's reputation."Each of us, whether a senior leader or an ordinary card-carrying member, must remember that we are one family. Families do not insult one another in public, nor do they tear each other apart before the world," he said.Matuke appealed to all party members to resolve differences internally, using established structures such as the youth wing, main wing, and trusted elders. He also called on members to remain united behind President Mnangagwa's leadership as Zimbabwe pursues Vision 2030."Those who choose to divide us choose the wrong path, because only together can we fulfil the mission of the revolution and build a better Zimbabwe for generations to come," Matuke said.The developments highlight growing factional fault lines within Zanu-PF, as the ruling party seeks to maintain unity amid internal jockeying ahead of the next presidential succession cycle. News / National by Staff reporter Opposition legislator Charlton Hwende has conceded that infighting and strategic failures among opposition leaders contributed to the collapse of the once formidable Movement for Democratic Change (MDC), arguing that Zimbabwe now needs a new, broad-based opposition movement led by fresh leadership.Hwende's remarks come amid renewed calls by MDC leader Douglas Mwonzora for prominent opposition figures - including Nelson Chamisa, Tendai Biti and Job Sikhala - to unite in an effort to rebuild a viable political alternative ahead of the 2028 general elections.Zimbabwe's opposition has struggled to recover following years of fragmentation, first within the MDC and later the Citizens Coalition for Change (CCC). Political analysts say the country currently lacks a cohesive opposition force capable of mounting a serious electoral challenge to Zanu-PF, which has consolidated its dominance in Parliament and local authorities."We must accept that we have all contributed to the demise of a genuine and authentic opposition movement," Hwende said. "For the country to move forward, we need a new broad-based opposition movement led by new leaders - and we must accept to be led."Hwende's comments reflect growing introspection within opposition ranks following the disputed 2023 general elections, after which internal divisions deepened. The situation worsened with the recall of opposition Members of Parliament and councillors, a move that significantly weakened opposition representation and tilted political power further in favour of Zanu-PF.Once a close ally of Nelson Chamisa, Hwende served as secretary-general of the MDC Alliance and later held a senior position in the CCC. However, relations deteriorated after the 2023 polls, with Hwende subsequently aligning himself with self-styled CCC secretary-general Sengezo Tshabangu.Tshabangu's controversial recalls of opposition MPs and councillors effectively hollowed out the opposition in Parliament and local government, a development critics say undermined democratic checks and balances and handed Zanu-PF near-total control of key institutions.While Mwonzora has renewed his call for unity among opposition heavyweights, scepticism remains over whether past rivalries, mistrust and leadership disputes can be overcome. Hwende's call for new leadership suggests that sections of the opposition believe reunification under existing figures may no longer be sufficient.As the 2028 elections draw closer, the debate over whether to revive old formations or build an entirely new political movement is expected to intensify - with the future shape of Zimbabwe's opposition hanging in the balance. News / National by Staff reporter Minister of Finance, Economic Development and Investment Promotion Professor Mthulisi Ncube has urged African countries to urgently adopt modern technologies, including artificial intelligence, to add value to their mineral resources and maximise economic returns from the continent's vast natural wealth.Prof Ncube made the remarks on the sidelines of the African Investment Promotion Conference held yesterday, which brought together policymakers, investors and development partners to explore strategies for attracting sustainable investment and accelerating industrialisation across Africa."Africa can no longer afford to remain a supplier of raw minerals to the rest of the world," said Prof Ncube. "If we are serious about transforming our economies, we must embrace modern technology and artificial intelligence to move up the value chain and extract maximum value from our mineral resources."He said integrating advanced technologies into mining and mineral processing would enhance efficiency, transparency and competitiveness, while also supporting better environmental management."Artificial intelligence allows us to optimise exploration, improve beneficiation processes and reduce costs. This is how African countries can turn mineral wealth into inclusive economic growth," he said.Prof Ncube noted that Africa's long-standing reliance on exporting raw minerals has significantly constrained development across the continent."For decades, Africa has exported minerals in their raw form and imported finished products at a much higher cost. That model does not serve our development aspirations," he said. "Technology gives us the opportunity to reverse this trend and build strong industrial bases anchored on our own resources."Turning to Zimbabwe, Prof Ncube said the country is positioning itself to leverage technological innovation as part of its broader investment promotion and economic reform agenda."We are deliberately creating an enabling environment that supports investment in value addition, innovation and skills development. This includes aligning our policies to attract investors who bring technology, capital and expertise," he said.He added that the adoption of digital solutions and artificial intelligence also boosts investor confidence."Modern technology improves data accuracy, governance and accountability. Investors want clarity, efficiency and predictability, and technology helps us deliver exactly that," said Prof Ncube.The minister also called for greater collaboration among African countries, stressing the need to share knowledge and build regional value chains."No single country can do this alone. We must cooperate as a continent, pool our resources and harmonise our strategies so that Africa benefits collectively from its mineral endowment," he said.Prof Ncube said platforms such as the African Investment Promotion Conference are vital for shaping a shared continental vision."These engagements allow us to align policy, capital and innovation. They are essential if Africa is to fully harness its natural resources for sustainable development," he said.The conference has emerged as a key forum for discussions on how Africa can transition from exporting raw minerals to producing value-added industrial products that drive long-term economic growth. Wednesday, January 21, 2026 - A Kenyan woman who is stranded in Cambodia has made a desperate plea to the Government, warning that she and more than 100 other Kenyans are being held in unsafe conditions and face a serious risk of human trafficking. In a distress message seen on Wednesday, Nancy Akinyi, a resident of Kibra in Nairobi, said the situation was deteriorating rapidly, with restricted movement, intimidation and growing threats to their safety. We are more than 100 Kenyans being held under threatening conditions, and there is a serious risk that we may be sold into human trafficking. "We are not free to leave; we are intimidated, and our lives are in danger. The situation is very urgent and getting worse, Akinyi said. She revealed that she traveled to Cambodia in May 2025 on a visit visa after being recruited by an agency that promised employment opportunities in cosmetology. However, she said the reality upon arrival was drastically different, alleging that some members of the group had been threatened, punished or physically assaulted. In her appeal, Akinyi urged the Kenyan Government to intervene urgently to secure their safety and facilitate their return home. We urgently request immediate intervention, protection, rescue, and assistance to return safely to Kenya. We are ready to share our location and all details securely, she said. Attempts to seek help from Cambodian immigration authorities were unsuccessful. We dont have a Kenyan embassy here, and the migration office told me to buy a ticket and leave, even though they knew I was being detained and beaten, she added. The revelations have renewed concerns over human trafficking syndicates targeting Kenyan job seekers abroad, particularly women lured with promises of employment. The Kenyan DAILY POST Thursday, January 22, 2026 - Self-proclaimed forex trader Kenyan Prince, who has long portrayed a flashy, wealthy lifestyle on social media, was heard confessing that he fakes life online. In the leaked recording, Kenyan Prince is heard admitting that the luxurious life he displays online is fake. The audio surfaced after a woman reported him to the police, accusing him of conning her. In the clip, Kenyan Prince is heard pleading with the woman to spare him from arrest, claiming that he is a total orphan and lacks the money to refund her at the moment. He further alleges that despite presenting himself online as a millionaire, he survives by hosting club gigs for as little as Ksh 30,000, a revelation that has shocked many social media users. Listen to the audio>>> below Juzi tu Kenyan Prince alikuwa akijiexplain. People never learn https://t.co/UbAVhOS1Hj pic.twitter.com/45FZORoyHp Rash (@Rashousmane) January 22, 2026 The Kenyan DAILY POST Thursday, January 22, 2026 - Social media influencer and media personality, Azziad Nasenya, appears to be staging a major comeback after landing a lucrative partnership with KCB Bank, where she will be involved in educating Kenyans on the importance of saving and financial discipline. The deal comes months after Azziad made headlines following reports that her apartment in Kileleshwa was being auctioned over hefty debts, claims that sparked intense online debate about influencer lifestyles and financial pressure. At the time, the reports painted a picture of a star facing serious financial strain. However, recent posts shared by Azziad show her flying business class once again, signalling a possible turnaround in fortunes and silencing critics who had written her off. See photos. The Kenyan DAILY POST Thursday, January 22, 2026 - Kenyan media personality and former diplomat, Thomas Kwaka Omolo, better known as Big Ted, has stirred conversation after boldly dismissing Los Angeles city as nothing special. Speaking in a podcast interview with Dr. Ofweneke, Big Ted revealed that his first impression of the U.S. city shattered the glossy image often portrayed in global media and movies. He described LA as a wellmarketed version of Nairobi, insisting that beneath the hype, the city struggles with poor infrastructure and dirty streets. I reached the States and found out LA is Nairobi with good PR. They have bad roads; the streets are dirty with dirt youve never seen before, he said. He went further to critique the iconic Hollywood Walk of Fame, calling it overrated. According to Ted, the famous boulevard is simply a street lined with names of former celebrities. Most of the people written on that street are not even celebrities. The street has lost meaning, he added. Big Ted is the immediate former ConsulGeneral for Kenyas Consulate in Los Angeles having been appointed in April 2022 by former President Uhuru Kenyatta. Before that, he served as Deputy Director and later Director of Brand and Strategy at State House. The Kenyan DAILY POST Thursday, January 22, 2026 - Former Kigumo Constituency Member of Parliament, Jamleck Kamau, has announced that he is stepping back from active politics, citing reasons beyond his control. In a statement issued on Thursday, January 22nd, Kamau thanked his supporters for their continued loyalty and assured them that he will remain engaged with them despite his absence from the political frontline. Due to reasons beyond my control, I have decided to take a break from active politics. I want to specifically thank all my supporters and assure you that I will continue engaging and consulting you as we move forward, he said. Kamau, who served as Kigumo MP for two terms between 2007 and 2017, emphasized that his retreat from politics is temporary, promising a comeback in the near future. Be back soon. God bless you all, and God bless this our country, Kenya, he added. The former lawmaker contested the Muranga gubernatorial seat in the 2022 General Elections on a Jubilee Party ticket but lost to UDAs Irungu Kangata. In June 2025, he joined Rigathi Gachaguas Democracy for Citizens Party (DCP), where he was welcomed as a key member. Kamau has expressed interest in vying for the Muranga Governorship again in 2027 under the DCP banner. His announcement comes amid turbulence within Gachaguas party. Just days earlier, Juja MP, George Koimburi, declared that he had ditched DCP, accusing Gachagua of betrayal despite his loyalty during the former Deputy Presidents impeachment. Kamaus decision to step back adds a new twist to Murangas political landscape as the countdown to the 2027 elections begins. The Kenyan DAILY POST Thursday, January 22, 2026 - A Nairobi court has acquitted Michael Macharia Njiri, popularly known as DJ Brownskin, of charges linked to the death of his wife, Sharon Njeri Mwangi. Sharon died on July 29th, 2022, after ingesting pesticide at their home in Kariobangi South, Nairobi. Brownskin had faced three counts: aiding suicide, neglecting to prevent a felony and destroying evidence. Prosecutors alleged that he failed to stop Sharon despite knowing her intentions, and later tampered with his mobile phone to obstruct investigations. He denied all charges, with seven witnesses called to testify against him. On Thursday, January 22nd, 2026, Milimani Principal Magistrate Carolyne Nyaguthii Mugo ruled that the prosecution failed to prove its case. She highlighted testimony from the couples daughter, who described her father as a caring husband who struggled to rush Sharon to hospital. These are actions of a person who cares, the magistrate noted. The court also observed that Brownskin was arrested nearly a year after Sharons death, following the leak of a video showing her consuming poison. The footage, which surfaced amid custody disputes with inlaws, was never formally produced in court. Magistrate Nyaguthii said the video appeared intended to tarnish the DJs image during the custody battle. She further faulted the lack of key evidence, including proper documentation of the alleged phone tampering. A prima facie case has not been established against the accused person, and I proceed to acquit him on all counts, she ruled. The Kenyan DAILY POST Thursday, January 22, 2026 - A dramatic video circulating online has captured the moment a smartly dressed Nairobi lady roughed up a man during what appears to be a heated road rage incident. In the clip, the visibly enraged woman is seen alighting from her vehicle before confronting the man. Moments later, she unleashes hot slaps on the man as shocked onlookers watch. During the confrontation, the lady is heard loudly bragging about her fathers influence, implying she is powerful and untouchable. Netizens were quick to point out that, just like the recently trending Marion Naipei incident, the woman appeared to be bila nini, Watch the video>>> below carefully Mwanamke mang'aa wa Nairobi pic.twitter.com/S8APUvcPGw DAILY POST (@dailypost_ke) January 22, 2026 The Kenyan DAILY POST Wednesday, January 21, 2026 - Oketch Salah has come out strongly to defend himself against mounting criticism and speculation over his closeness to the late former Prime Minister Raila Odinga. Oketch, who claims to be Railas adopted son, insists that he was present throughout the former Prime Ministers illness until his final moments. In a statement issued on Tuesday, January 20th, Salah said his account was not meant to seek sympathy or political mileage but to set the record straight. "I am the one being accused, so I will respond directly and calmly. I was with Baba Raila Odinga from the time he first fell ill until his final moments on earth. That is a fact. I do not say this for sympathy, relevance or political mileage; I say it because it is the truth," he said. He described the emotional toll of witnessing Railas suffering, recalling moments when only minimal support was available. "I was with Baba throughout his pain. I know what it felt like. There were moments I genuinely thought I was losing him. Moments when it was only me and one security guard present, holding Baba, trying to steady him, trying to help him through the pain. This is not a story. This is lived experience," he added. Salah further revealed that he and Raila held extensive private conversations during that period, though he emphasized that his silence on the details was out of respect for Raila and his family. "During that period, Baba and I had extensive conversations; personal, political and strategic, many of which he chose to have with me privately. Out of respect for him and his family, I will not disclose those discussions. Silence should never be mistaken for fear or falsehood," he continued. He dismissed allegations of disrespect towards Railas family, denying any attempt to replace or undermine Mama Ida Odinga and their children. "I have never claimed to replace Babas family nor have I ever disrespected Mama Ida or his children. Any suggestion that I insulted, sidelined or spoke ill of them is false and malicious. I reject it completely," he further said. Salah declared that he was unafraid of scrutiny and open to questioning on credible platforms, warning against attempts to cast him as a scapegoat in internal political struggles. What I will not accept is being turned into a convenient villain so others can fight internal battles or rewrite lived history. I did not force myself into anyones life. I was present because Baba allowed me to be present - consistently and knowingly," he noted. His remarks come weeks after Kisumu Woman Representative, Ruth Odinga, rejected Salahs earlier claims that Raila privately warned him about Nairobi Senator Edwin Sifuna being a mole within ODM. Ruth insisted that Raila was open and direct in his communication, stressing that no one should claim to have held exclusive private conversations with him. The exchange underscores the ongoing tensions within ODM as figures close to Raila continue to contest narratives about his final days. The Kenyan DAILY POST Thursday, January 22, 2026 - Suna East MP, Junet Mohamed, has defended the Orange Democratic Movements (ODM) decision to quickly appoint Oburu Oginga as party leader following the death of Raila Odinga. Speaking on Wednesday, January 21st, Junet said the party could not afford a leadership vacuum. We were quick to install Oburu Odinga as party chair because ODM is a small Government. You cant leave it hanging; anything can happen. It is an institution that governs this country, he remarked. Junet dismissed concerns about Oburus age, noting that advanced years should not be viewed as a barrier to leadership. Oburu Odinga is just 82 years old; he can still be president. In Zambia, Mutharika was elected at 85, and Paul Biya is 92, yet both are running their countries, he said. Reflecting on the 2022 elections, Junet denied misusing campaign funds and expressed frustration over Railas defeat, attributing it partly to the nature of support from the outgoing Government. He argued that former President Uhuru Kenyattas involvement from State House weakened the campaigns grassroots connection. I didnt take agents money. Baba lost because Uhuru was campaigning for him from State House instead of engaging with people on the ground, he added. Junet further revealed that senior Government figures had privately warned him Raila would lose to William Ruto, lamenting that ODMs campaign was too closely tied to the Government. "There were senior people in Government who told me that in a contest between Raila and Ruto, Raila would lose, yet these were the very people we were relying on. I just wish we had run that election without associating with the Government; it was just baggage that we carried," he noted. Looking ahead, Junet confirmed ODMs commitment to remain in the broad-based Government until 2027 while preparing for future alliances. ODM will be in a broad-based Government until 2027. We have already started negotiations for 2027, beginning with UDA. If we dont reach an agreement, we will engage with other parties, he stated. Thursday, January 22, 2026 - Suna East Member of Parliament, Junet Mohamed, has categorically dismissed any possibility of the Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) engaging in coalition talks with former Deputy President Rigathi Gachaguas DCP ahead of the 2027 General Elections. Speaking on Wednesday, the outspoken legislator said Gachaguas divisive rhetoric and tribal politics make cooperation impossible. No, no, the DCP, we cant discuss anything with them. Can you discuss anything with Gachagua? Hes the only impeached Deputy President in Africa, Junet remarked. The National Assembly Minority Leader accused Gachagua of perpetuating ethnic divisions through controversial statements about communities and political shareholding. Hes always talking about communities, saying these ones have shares, these ones should leave Kenya, these ones are Ugandans. He is constantly dividing Kenyans. How can we discuss anything with such a person? Junet posed. Despite ruling out talks with Gachagua, Junet acknowledged that politics remains unpredictable. Politics is the art of the unknown. Friends are foes tomorrow, foes are friends tomorrow. Its normal in politics, he observed. On whether ODM will back President William Ruto in 2027, Junet remained cautious, noting that negotiations are ongoing. We have not reached there. If talks go well, we will support him. If not, we have options, he said. Junet also addressed questions about Wiper Party leader, Kalonzo Musyoka, who supported Raila Odinga in three consecutive presidential bids. He praised Kalonzos loyalty but stopped short of committing ODMs support. He is a good man, loyal to the core. But coalitions are meant for specific elections. Once you dont form Government, they end there, Junet explained. He added that the initiative lies with Kalonzo to seek ODMs backing. It is him who should ask for the support. Personally, he didnt ask me, Junet concluded. The Kenyan DAILY POST News / National by Staff reporter The University of Zimbabwe (UZ) has warned the public against fraudulent advertisements circulating on social media and other platforms claiming to relate to the August 2026 first-year undergraduate enrolment.In a notice issued by the Division of the Deputy Registrar (Academic), Doreen Tirivanhu said the university had noted with concern misleading campaigns suggesting that applications for the August 2026 intake were already open."The University of Zimbabwe notes with concern the circulation of advertisements and campaigns purporting to relate to the August 2026 first-year undergraduate enrolment," the notice said.UZ clarified that applications for the August 2026 undergraduate intake have not yet opened. The institution said it will, in due course, roll out an official career guidance and awareness campaign to provide prospective students with accurate information on its academic programmes and application procedures.According to the notice, the awareness campaign will be conducted exclusively through official UZ platforms, including the university's website, its verified Facebook page, Pachikomo FM 95.2, as well as national radio and television stations."The opening of application platforms will only take place after the conclusion of the official awareness campaign," Tirivanhu said, adding that dates and procedures would be communicated strictly through authorised channels.The university also cautioned members of the public against individuals or entities demanding payment to facilitate first-year enrolment."The University of Zimbabwe does not conduct enrolment business through WhatsApp or other unofficial social media platforms," Tirivanhu emphasised.UZ urged prospective applicants, parents and guardians to remain vigilant and rely solely on official communication channels to avoid falling victim to scams, saying any legitimate enrolment information would be widely publicised through recognised university outlets.The warning comes amid a rise in online scams targeting prospective university students, particularly during periods leading up to new academic intakes. Thursday, January 22, 2026 - A Kenyan family from Waterloo, Lowa, United States, is mourning the heartbreaking loss of their three children following a devastating road accident that occurred while they were on vacation in Kenya. The fatal crash happened on January 4th, 2026, along a highway near Nairobi, abruptly turning what was meant to be a joyful holiday into a family tragedy. The victims were siblings Emmanuel DeLeon (13), an eighth-grade student at Hoover Middle School; Kairu Winkelpleck, a first-grader at Royal Legacy Christian Academy; and their elder sister, Njeri DeLeon (16), a junior at West High School. Emmanuel and Kairu tragically died at the scene of the accident. Njeri was rushed to hospital with critical injuries and placed in a medically induced coma. Sadly, she succumbed to her injuries on Friday, days after the crash. Just three months before her death, Njeri had been featured in her schools online publication, The Wahawk Insider, in recognition of her role as a cheerleader, an achievement that has since made her loss even more poignant to her school community. Friends, classmates, and members of the Kenyan diaspora in the United States have been sharing messages of condolence, describing the children as bright, loving and full of promise. The family is now grappling with unimaginable grief as they prepare to lay their children to rest. The Kenyan DAILY POST Thursday, January 22, 2026 - Passengers aboard a longdistance night bus were treated to unexpected drama after a young lady went berserk after consuming cookies allegedly laced with bhang. In a viral video circulating on social media, the visibly distressed lady revealed that the cookies had been handed to her by none other than her boyfriend, who was seated on the same bus. Overcome with paranoia, she pleaded with the driver to stop so she could alight, fearing that she may not make it to her destination under the influence of the cookies. Her anxious outbursts quickly drew attention from fellow passengers, some of whom could not contain their laughter. The highlight of the clip came when she repeatedly called out to her boyfriend - affectionately referring to him as babe to confirm whether he had indeed given her the laced treats. The incident sparked mixed reactions online, with some sympathizing with her panic while others warned about risks of experimenting with substances in public spaces. Watch the video>>> below. A young lady caused drama inside a long-distance bus after consuming cookies baked with bhang (Cannabis sativa). She confessed that the cookies were given to her , with her boyfriend, who was also on the same bus! pic.twitter.com/AqZ6JaXKR6 The Kenyan Vigilante (@KenyanSays) January 22, 2026 Wednesday, January 21, 2026 - Outspoken media personality, Andrew Kibe, has stirred conversation online after criticising people who blame alcohol for their mistakes. Speaking on Instagram on Wednesday, January 21st, 2026, Kibe argued that drinking itself is not the issue, rather, it is how individuals handle themselves under the influence. According to him, many use alcohol as a convenient excuse for poor selfcontrol. You dont have self-control. You have no self-control. You dont know what to do when you get drunk. Maybe you shit in your pants. So you are a nuisance, Kibe said, bluntly highlighting how people often avoid accountability. He explained that even ordinary situations, such as overeating or becoming paranoid after drinking, are as a result of personal choices, not the substance itself. Kibe also addressed societal double standards, accusing some of acting holier-than-thou while privately struggling with their own issues. Fake Christians and fake Muslims nobody knows your secret life, he said, pointing out how many judge others publicly while failing to manage themselves. Kibes remarks come in the wake of a viral club video involving Marion Naipei and James Opande, which reignited debate on alcohol and responsibility. He concluded: Alcohol is not a problem. The problem is your inability to handle yourself. The Kenyan DAILY POST Thursday, January 22, 2026 - A Nairobi woman has taken her battle for justice to court, accusing a doctor of performing surgery without a valid practising licence. Lydia Mokeira Minyega, represented by lawyer Danstan Omari, says she was admitted for emergency treatment in early January 2026 after an assault and later underwent surgery. Shockingly, she claims she later discovered the doctor was not licensed to practise that year, a fact she says was confirmed by both the Social Health Authority (SHA) and the Kenya Medical Practitioners and Dentists Council (KMPDC). According to her petition, the surgery was conducted without mandatory preauthorisation from SHA. She further alleges that poor postoperative care left her with swelling, numbness and a prolonged hospital stay. Beyond the medical concerns, Lydia says the handling of her hospital bill exposed her to potential financial loss and insurance complications. Now, she is seeking urgent court orders to suspend the doctors licence for 2026 and to block any renewal until the matter is fully heard. The KMPDC has been listed as an interested party in the case, which Lydia insists raises broader questions about patient safety in Kenyas healthcare system. The Kenyan DAILY POST Wednesday, January 21, 2026 - Pastor Victor Kanyari of Salvation Healing Ministry has stirred online debate after congratulating a Nairobi woman whose embarrassing video leaked a few days ago. Taking to his Facebook account on Wednesday, January 21st, 2026, Kanyari praised Marion Naipei for staying strong despite her name trending across social media. Thanks for accepting yourself and moving on; great things are ahead waiting for you! he wrote. Kanyaris message quickly sparked mixed reactions. Some Kenyans applauded him for offering encouragement, while others questioned why a religious leader would appear to condone such behaviour. Naipei became the focus of attention after a disturbing clip of her, allegedly intoxicated, was circulated online without her consent. The video divided opinion, with some mocking her while others condemned the act of recording and exposing her during a vulnerable moment. The Kenyan DAILY POST Wednesday, January 21, 2026 - A hilarious exchange has gone viral after a Ugandan user claimed their country had the most fools. A Nigerian quickly clapped back, saying Nigeria could match four fools to one, only for another Ugandan to proudly declare, You may beat us in number but not quality! The cheeky banter has left netizens in stitches. The Kenyan DAILY POST Thursday, January 22, 2026 - The family of 23yearold university graduate, Shawn Mark Mwangi, is demanding answers after his body was discovered at Nairobi City Mortuary under unclear circumstances, weeks after he went missing in Kasarani Estate. Shawn was last seen on December 7th, only for his decomposing body to later be identified at the morgue, bearing severe injuries that pointed to a brutal end. The shocking discovery has left his mother devastated, reflecting on the sacrifices she made to raise her son, now lost in such tragic fashion. According to the family, police assistance has been minimal. They were informed that Shawns body had been recovered from a river in Kasarani by officers from Sunton Police Station and registered as unknown. Yet when they viewed the remains, they were confronted with harrowing injuries, deep head lacerations, a broken back, and swelling that made identification even more painful. His mother recounted the heartbreaking moment: His face was swollen, blood oozing from his ears and mouth. It was a horrible scene. She added that Shawns body bore cuts on the forehead and arm, with blood flowing toward the neck, suggesting further wounds. Adding to the mystery, Shawn was found dressed in clothing different from what he wore when he disappeared, raising suspicions that his killers may have changed his attire to conceal his identity. Despite these disturbing details, the family says police at Kasarani have offered little clarity. The tshirt he had on at the mortuary was not his. Officers say they have no information, his mother explained. An autopsy confirmed Shawn died from blunt force trauma and severe head injuries. His family now continues their painful search for justice, demanding accountability and answers. The Kenyan DAILY POST Wednesday, January 21, 2026 - A Kenyan police officer has explained how the law treats cases of infidelity, stating that police do not handle matters involving consensual cheating between adults. Speaking to his TikTok followers, the officer, who regularly educates the public on how the law operates in Kenya, said that catching a spouse red-handed cheating is not a criminal issue and therefore does not warrant reporting to the police, provided the act was consensual. According to the officer, as long as the individuals involved are adults aged 18 and above and consented to the act, the law does not criminalize infidelity. He added that such matters are considered personal or domestic issues rather than police cases. Watch the video>>> below Ukigongewa Kubali Yaishe pic.twitter.com/Iat1H73adw DAILY POST (@dailypost_ke) January 21, 2026 The Kenyan DAILY POST News / National by Staff reporter A group of white commercial farmers in Zimbabwe has enlisted the services of a United States lobbying firm with close ties to President Donald Trump in a renewed bid to secure billions of dollars in long-outstanding compensation linked to the country's land reform programme.According to filings under the US Foreign Agents Registration Act (FARA), Mercury Public Affairs, a Washington-based lobbying firm, has agreed to advocate on behalf of the farmers' compensation claims without charging a fee. The move signals a strategic attempt by the farmers to leverage the political influence of figures aligned to the Trump administration.Mercury partner Bryan Lanza, who is directly involved in the initiative, previously served as a senior campaign adviser to Trump and as communications director on the president's first transition team. Trump's current White House Chief of Staff, Susie Wiles, is also a former co-chair of Mercury, underscoring the firm's deep connections within Republican political circles.In a letter dated December 2 and included in the FARA filing, Dror Besserglik, managing director of Johannesburg-based OB Projects Management, formally requested Mercury's assistance in lobbying US officials and members of Congress to push for payment of compensation to Zimbabwean farmers."The services you will provide include contacting appropriate officials in the current administration and Congress to promote paying the Zimbabwean farmers," Besserglik wrote.Zimbabwe's land reform programme, launched in the early 2000s, led to the compulsory acquisition of white-owned commercial farms. In 2020, President Emmerson Mnangagwa's government agreed to compensate affected farmers to the tune of US$3.5 billion, covering improvements on the land but not the land itself. However, progress has been slow, with Treasury allocating just US$10 million in the 2026 national budget to compensate about 740 farmers.Mercury's involvement is notable given that the firm previously represented the Zimbabwean government between 2019 and 2021, during which Harare paid a monthly retainer of US$90,000 as it sought relief from US sanctions imposed in 2001. Those sanctions were partly triggered by the land reform process and concerns over governance and human rights.The farmers' decision to turn to Mercury also aligns with the Trump administration's broader narrative that white minorities in parts of southern Africa face discrimination under Black-majority governments. Trump has repeatedly promoted the widely discredited claim that white farmers in South Africa are victims of genocide and has even offered them refugee status in the United States.The compensation issue has already gained traction among US Republicans. In September, Brian Mast, a Florida congressman and chair of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, introduced legislation seeking to block Zimbabwe from accessing new funding from the International Monetary Fund and the World Bank until it fully settles compensation claims. The bill has passed the committee stage but is yet to be debated by the full House.OB Projects Management was contracted by the Property and Farm Compensation Association (Profca), which represents former Zimbabwean farmers. In his correspondence with Mercury, Besserglik said OB Projects was also acting on behalf of the Commercial Farmers Union (CFU), the Southern African Commercial Farmers Alliance, and Valuation Consortium Ltd.However, the CFU has distanced itself from the initiative. CFU president Liam Philp said the organisation was unaware of the lobbying effort and only learned of it after being shown the FARA filing. He said Profca later told him the CFU's inclusion was a "mistake," adding that he was seeking clarity on the matter.As part of the engagement, Mercury has been tasked with lobbying the US government to support Zimbabwe's debt clearance and the establishment of new financing arrangements that could unlock funds to meet compensation obligations.The development adds a new international dimension to Zimbabwe's unresolved land compensation issue, which remains a key obstacle to re-engagement with Western lenders and to the country's efforts to normalise relations with the United States and other creditors. News / National by Staff reporter A Murehwa-based community WhatsApp group administrator has appeared in court facing charges of contravening Zimbabwe's Cyber and Data Protection Act after allegedly posting harmful and defamatory messages targeting a local businessman.Tasunungurwa Freedom Manuhwa, the administrator of the Murehwa Times community WhatsApp group, appeared before Harare magistrate Tapiwa Kuhudzayi on Wednesday, where he pleaded guilty to the charge.Manuhwa was remanded in custody and is expected to have his formal plea recorded today.The complainant in the matter is Taurai Siyawamwaya, a businessman with operations in both Harare and Murehwa, and the father of Nathan Siyawamwaya, who lives with a mental disability.According to the State, between June and December 2025, Manuhwa used a mobile phone number registered in his name to post malicious and defamatory messages on the Murehwa Times WhatsApp platform.Prosecutors allege that the messages claimed a spiritual healer, identified as Kanemgo, had accused Siyawamwaya of causing his son's condition through supernatural means. The posts further alleged that Siyawamwaya had been hiding at Chibhanguza Hotel during a supposed cleansing ceremony while awaiting the outcome of a traditional court's verdict.The court heard that on September 3, 2025, Siyawamwaya became aware of the posts and viewed them as a cyberbullying attack intended to cause emotional distress and undermine his dignity and reputation.He subsequently reported the matter to the police, triggering investigations that culminated in Manuhwa's arrest on January 20, 2026.Upon arrest, police allegedly recovered a cellphone and SIM card registered in Manuhwa's name, which were used to commit the offence. A forensic report from the CID Cyber Laboratory was compiled and is expected to be produced in court as part of the State's evidence.The case highlights growing concerns over the misuse of community social media platforms and the legal consequences of spreading unverified, harmful information online.The matter is continuing. A WOOD design company from Athy has won the Best Product Award in the Home category at Showcase, Ireland's international creative expo at the RDS, Dublin yesterday. Sam Agus Nessa operate out of a workshop in Nicholastown, and this is their third to display at Showcase, Irelands international creative exhibition. The show opened on Sunday (18 January) at the RDS for three days and brought together hundreds of Irelands leading designers, makers and creative brands under one roof. Showcase 2026 welcomed almost 400 exhibitors and 3,350 buyers under this years theme, Making Irish Stories. Upwards of 32m is expected to be transacted over the three days and the total annual value of stock purchased by Showcase visitors across all buying channels is expected to exceed 124m, underlining the scale of spending generated by buyers attending the fair. Orders generated by buyers Showcase since 2015 have grown at an average rate of 18 per cent year on year. Showcase is a key destination for domestic and international buyers and a milestone event in exhibitors calendars who will show their latest collections across four product categories home and gift, wellbeing, fashion, and jewellery. In all, 105 brands will exhibit for the first time at this years event and 280 brands will return to the show to sell to buyers from across the globe. The Irish design and craft sector directly employs over 73,000 people, mostly outside of Dublin, which highlights the sectors importance in regional employment and economic development. A successful three days at Showcase is the first step in a positive trading year for many of Irelands design and craft businesses. Sustainability and independent retailers continue to be significant pillars of this years event. A BILL aimed at improving access to toilet facilities for people with chronic and invisible illnesses has been brought before the Dail by South Kildare TD Mark Wall. The proposed legislation, the Equal Status (Access to Toilet Facilities) Bill 2026, would place so-called No Wait Cards on a statutory footing, giving people with medical conditions that require urgent access to a toilet the right to use staff toilet facilities in shops and businesses where no public toilets are available. People living with conditions such as Crohns disease, colitis and spinal injuries can experience sudden and urgent need to use a toilet, making everyday activities challenging. Advocacy groups including Crohns & Colitis Ireland and Spinal Injuries Ireland currently issue No Wait Cards to help individuals request access to facilities in emergency situations. However, the cards do not currently have any legal standing. Under the Bill, businesses with staff toilet facilities would be required to make them available to a person in urgent need who presents a No Wait Card. The legislation also seeks to address concerns previously raised by businesses around liability, by excluding them from Section 5 of the Occupiers Liability Act 1995. It specifies that businesses would not be required to make any adaptations or incur costs to modify staff toilets. Speaking in the Dail, Deputy Wall said the measure is intended as a compassionate and practical response to the lived realities of people with chronic medical conditions. Fundamentally, it is about recognising the lived realities of people with chronic medical conditions. Its about creating a caring republic. It could be life changing for so many people, said Deputy Wall. Olivia Kelleher A 32-year-old man has been found guilty of the murder of his ex-girlfriend who was strangled to death after she went to his flat in Cork to FaceTime a family member who was minding their dog back home in Brazil. A jury at the Central Criminal Court in Cork took one hour and two minutes to unanimously convict Miller Pacheco of the killing of Bruna Fonseca on New Years Day 2023 in his rented flat in Liberty Street in Cork city. Ms Justice Siobhan Lankford thanked the jury of seven women and five men for their diligent service. She excused them for jury service for a period of five years. The family of Ms Fonseca cried and embraced each other when the verdict was returned. Miller Pacheco wept and was hugged by his parents when the Judge retired to her chambers. Sentencing will occur at noon on Friday. However, a life sentence is mandatory when the verdict is that of murder. Victim impact statements will be made by members of the Fonseca family at the sentencing hearing. Bruna, 28, who was a university graduate, had moved to this country from Brazil in September 2022 with her young niece in search of a better life. Bruna and Miller had been together for five years. The couple, who were both from Formiga in Minas Gerais province, split within days of Bruna coming to Cork in November 2022. Bruna repeatedly apologised to Miller for ending the relationship. She tried to help him pick up the pieces as he was devastated following the split. The couple had previously broken up for several months in 2022 prior to moving to Ireland. In texts Bruna had told Miller that she had walked on eggshells during the time they were apart as she feared he would end his life. The jurors heard that Bruna died as a result of asphyxia due to manual strangulation. Prosecution senior counsel, Bernard Condon had characterised the killing as a case of If I cant have her, nobody can. Mr Condon called Miller Pacheco an arch manipulator and coward. He noted that Miller had recorded Bruna kissing a man in the early hours of New Years Day at a party in Cork city centre. He then sent the recording back to his best friends in Brazil via WhatsApp with an attitude of poor me, poor me. Mr Condon said that a jealous Miller had the intention of killing Bruna for period before it occurred. The trial had heard that his web history on December 19th, 2022, had included a visit to a site entitled How to Kill in Three Seconds. On the same night there was a visit to another website on what are the necessary conditions to kill someone and a site entitled three ways to fight well with knives. Miller also carried out searches on the cost of repatriating a body to Brazil. Defence senior counsel Ray Boland said that Miller had intended to end his life. Following the killing Miller FaceTimed his two best friends in Brazil and told them what he had done. When they refused to believe him he turned the camera on his phone around to show them the body of his ex-girlfriend on the bed. Meanwhile, Assistant State Pathologist, Dr Margaret Bolster, told the jury that she found evidence of more than 65 external and internal injuries on Brunas head, body and limbs, including bruising to her neck area. Dr Bolster said that the extensive bruising was in keeping manual strangulation with a hand constraining the neck. Fingers on the left side, thumb on the right side, it would have been done with the right hand. Mr Boland, said that the account of his client was that he had tried to restrain Bruna in a chokehold after she started hitting him in his apartment. Miller had told gardai that he used a move he had seen on TV and did not mean to kill Bruna. He said that he wasnt a monster or a person who kills someone I love. The evidence was that Miller sent Bruna almost 2,000 texts between his arrival in Cork on November 18th, 2022, and her death on January 1st, 2023. These included videos and pictures of their dog DEagle whom he repeatedly referred to as their son in what the Prosecution called his emotional manipulation of his ex. The jury heard that Miller even went to the hospital where Bruna worked on Christmas Day 2022 looking for her. He showed a staff member her picture and asked if she recognised her. Staff members remembered him hanging around the Mercy University Hospital in the city. One staff member who was approached by Miller indicated that he seemed erratic and distressed. On the same day Bruna texted him saying that he was playing the victim. She pleaded with him to get help and said that the terrorising of her was too much. She asked him not to talk to her or look for her again. On two occasions that day he texted Bruna telling her she was a bad person. Bruna repeatedly urged Miller to get psychiatric help. She also offered to pay for him to go home to Brazil. The evidence was that Bruna had gone dancing with friends at Oyster Tavern in Cork city on New Years Eve 2022. Earlier that day she had become concerned that Miller would self-harm. She took a knife from him. She was concerned about him being alone and told him that she would be at party in the pub if he wanted to come. Poignantly, Bruna texted Miller and said that she wanted to dance and have fun that night. He asked her to stay in his flat that night and she refused. She said she would try to drop in to his flat after festivities in the Oyster Tavern in the event of him not turning up at the venue. All she wanted going forward she told him was peace and tranquility. Bruna went to the party and bumped into a Brazilian man she had first met at an event the previous Halloween. The pair danced together and kissed. However, unknown to Bruna she was being recorded kissing the man by Miller. Her niece Maria Luiza Fonseca recalled Miller following them around the venue. Maria spoke of hugging Bruna in the countdown to midnight. They parted ways at around 3am outside the venue. Maria never saw her life alive again. Bruna went back to the flat with Miller in the early hours of New Years Day, 2023, to FaceTime their dog in Brazil. Miller knew at this time that the call was not going to occur as a family member had told him that the dog was asleep. Instead of continuing to learn English at a school in Cork and going on pursue her dream of travel Bruna ended up dead in a small room in a flat in Cork city centre. Family members of the deceased and the accused were in court for the trial. Following the murder a vigil was held at The Lough in Cork city. Friends of Bruna said that she was like a sunny day in the rainy season. Members of the Brazilian and Irish community held white candles and white roses in what was a celebration of life for the loving daughter, sister and friend. Her sister Izabel accompanied her remains on the long repatriation journey to their native Brazil. She was waked in her home. Bruna was laid to rest in a plot with her grandparents in a cemetery perched on a hill in her hometown of Formiga. Ottoline Spearman US President Donald Trump's plane has left Shannon Airport after a quick pitstop, it is reported. Air Force One landed on Thursday evening at the airport for a brief refuelling around 6.30pm, but subsequently took off again around 7.30pm, according to The Journal. The Boeing 757 is returning the President to the United States following his trip to the economic forum in Davos. Newstalk reported that Donald Trump did not get off the plane, which crossed into Irish airspace at around 6pm, accompanied by another Air Force 757. Earlier, there was a heightened security presence at the airport, which is operating as normal, while a small number of protesters stood on a roundabout close to the airport, according to Newstalk. Trump gave an address to world leaders at Davos on Wednesday - a speech which began by critiquing Europe, saying it is "not heading in the right direction." The US Presidents flight was the most followed on the Flight Radar 24 app on Thursday evening. Barn Owl Productions is delighted to announce its upcoming production of Big Maggie by John B. Keane, coming to the stage of Thomastown Concert Hall in mid-February. One of Keanes most powerful and provocative plays, Big Maggie will be presented with fresh energy and a reinvigorated artistic vision, bringing this landmark Irish drama to local audiences once again. The production boasts a strong and familiar cast, with Mags Whitely, Megan Kelly, and Nicola Ryan among those coming to the Thomastown stage. Barn Owl Productions continues to build on its reputation for high-quality, compelling theatre, following the companys highly praised staging of The McGowan Trilogy by Seamus Scanlon, also performed in Thomastown. Directing Big Maggie is Philip Hardy, who joins Barn Owl Productions following Barnstorm Theatre Companys highly successful run of Sive by John B. Keane at the Watergate Theatre. READ MORE - WHAT'S ON IN KILKENNY Speaking about the upcoming production, Hardy said: Its a privilege to return to the world of John B. Keane so soon after the rewarding experience of staging Sive. Big Maggie is a tremendous challenge, rich, bold, and emotionally complex, and Im excited to bring this story to life with such a dedicated group of actors and creatives. We are looking forward to building on the momentum of the last production and delivering a show that audiences will truly connect with. While excitement is building for the production itself, Barn Owl Productions is holding a top-class fundraising raffle, which offers supporters a chance to win three exceptional prizes while directly supporting the staging of Big Maggie. The company is deeply grateful to its generous donors. The Ashe Hotel in Kerry has donated a fantastic one-night dinner, bed and breakfast for two. The Ashe Hotel is currently shortlisted for four Gold Awards and Boutique Hotel of the Year, making this a truly standout prize. Tabu Tapas Restaurant has kindly contributed a meal voucher worth 80, perfect for a special night out. Completing the prize lineup is a wonderful offering from award-winning Mount Juliet Estate, Kilkenny, which has donated a voucher for Afternoon Tea for two adults and two children in the Manor House - a luxurious and family-friendly experience. A ticket costs just 20, and each ticket is entered into all three raffles - meaning entrants have the chance to win all three prizes. Its an exceptional opportunity to enjoy incredible rewards while supporting local theatre. Barn Owl Productions is proud of the community support behind Big Maggie and extends sincere thanks to all donors and supporters. With a powerful play, an experienced creative team, and a raffle packed with outstanding prizes, mid-February promises to be an exciting time at Thomastown Concert Hall. Tickets available from Mags 086 8554128, by emailing barnowlproductions13@gmail.com or from any of the cast member. Keep an eye on www.facebook.com/barnowlproductionsk or Instagram: @barn_owl_productions for show updates. Tickets are available now on Eventbrite. Big Maggie will run from February 19 to 21 at Thomastown Concert Hall. Back in 2018, a Kilkenny man was crowned 'Ireland's Funniest Fecker' following a search and online public vote to discover emerging comedy talent. Mark Dargan was already be familiar to some readers from his online videos and previous collaborations with comedy favourites The Fupin Eeejits. Vodafone Ireland, as part of its Centre Stage campaign, began the lookout for Irelands Funniest Fecker with the help of Irish comedian and TV personality, Kevin McGahern. The online search was created to champion new Irish comedy talent and discover the next generation of comedians. Ladies and gentlemen, Ireland's Funniest Fecker has been crowned Drumroll please........... Congrats Mark Dargan! Stay tuned for more from our winner #VCF18 #CentreStage @kevinmcgahern @JOEdotie pic.twitter.com/KFrc07gvfE Vodafone CentreStage (@VodafoneStage) July 27, 2018 Competing against five budding comics, then 26-year-old Mark was the judges top choice. The Kilkenny native was crowned 'Irelands Funniest Fecker' at a ceremony hosted by Kevin McGahern, where he was presented with a brand-new iPhone X, as well as VIP treatment over the course of the Vodafone Comedy Festival weekend. To win the Irelands Funniest Fecker title, people were asked to upload their best original sketches or jokes to Facebook, Instagram or Twitter using #CentreStage. The best videos were then selected before the finalists going head to head in a public vote. The festival saw over 120 acclaimed performers from Ireland and across the globe bring laughter and craic to the capital. Mark is presented with his crown by comedian and TV personality, Kevin McGahern Hosted by Eoin Sheahan (Off The Ball), former Kilkenny team-mates of Richie Hogan along with the seven-time All-Ireland winner joined together to reminisce about their glory days together in the black and amber at the launch of his autobiography 'Whatever It Takes' with Fintan O'Toole last November. (LISEN HERE OR BELOW) During the Q&A, the Danesfort clubman was asked whether his iconic moments against Tipperary were a little bit sweeter in comparison to other counties. "Absolutely," Hogan simply replied, earning him a huge cheer from the crowd gathered. LISTEN: The Full Richie Hogan Interview - Kilkenny People Sport Podcast "Nobody really understands the rivalry unless you're living within Kilkenny or Tipperary," he added. "My father is in from Callan and if you go back enough, very back now, there's Tipperary connections in there somewhere which we keep very silent but that made it brilliant. "The fact that we're all from Kilkenny and there all from Tipperary, we're not just coming in here and playing for two random teams, they're our teams, it's our home and where are clubs are based," Hogan continued. FLASHBACK: Kilkenny All-Ireland heroes reunite for special anniversary "If there was any team you wanted to play your best against, for us it was Tipperary," he claimed, stating "you want to pit yourself against the best." LISTEN HERE OR BELOW & HEAR FROM: Paul Murphy, Tommy Walsh, Neil McManus and Derek Lyng. Audio: Pat Treacy // Photos: Willie Dempsey. News / National by Staff reporter A Zimbabwean entrepreneur, Freedom Mukanga, has been honoured with the Mandela Washington Fellowship (MWF) Leadership Impact Award, emerging top among more than 7 800 fellows from 49 Sub-Saharan African countries.The recognition was announced by the United States Embassy in Harare, which praised Mukanga for his exceptional leadership, innovation and tangible impact on youth empowerment in Zimbabwe."Out of more than 7,800 Mandela Washington Fellows across 49 Sub-Saharan African countries, Freedom Mukanga from Zimbabwe rises to the top," the embassy said in a statement posted on social media.Mukanga was selected for the award in recognition of his outstanding leadership and measurable community impact, particularly through entrepreneurship training and mentorship programmes that have empowered hundreds of young Zimbabweans.According to the U.S. Embassy, Mukanga has used skills and networks gained through the Mandela Washington Fellowship to equip young people with practical business knowledge, leadership skills and opportunities for economic self-reliance."Through entrepreneurship training and mentorship, he has empowered hundreds of young Zimbabweans, demonstrating the lasting value of U.S. exchange programs," the embassy said.The Mandela Washington Fellowship, flagship programme of the Young African Leaders Initiative (YALI), is designed to nurture young African leaders by providing academic training, leadership development and professional networking opportunities in the United States.Mukanga's achievement places Zimbabwe firmly on the continental map for youth leadership excellence and highlights the growing role of young entrepreneurs in driving social and economic transformation.The award also underscores the broader impact of international exchange programmes in fostering innovation, leadership and cross-border collaboration among Africa's emerging leaders. A moving story at The Free Press about Mark Swidan who spent 12 years in a Chinese prison on trumped up charges. Basically totalitarian states arrest random US citizens from time top time to use as bargaining chips to get their spies etc released. Some extracts: For more than a decade, he had been served two meals a day, the same meal every meal: a bowl of mushy, yellowish rice with a quarter-size morsel of pork fat. Sometimes, there would be boiled bits of pumpkin or cabbage. Swidan, who is 6-feet-2, said: I was 225 pounds when I went in, and then I went down to the 120s, and I was about 140, 145 when I got out. In prison, they rarely let him outside. His immune system had taken a hit from the lack of sun. He also got frequent fungal infectionsmostly from showering on grimy, concrete floors. It would go all over your head and face and down your neck, he said. He would get red and splotchy. It made sleeping for weeks at a time nearly impossible. The aftereffects were visible: His skin was covered in tiny lines and scars. And his teeth were a mess. His eyesight had been compromised. Worst of all were his handsover the years, hed broken lots of bones in his fingers and wrists and hands from fights with other prisoners but mostly with guards. Im not the guy whos just going to stand there when you threaten me, Swidan said. Someone would put his finger in my face, and Id knock him the fuck out, and there would be four or five of themI didnt give a shit. Youve given me two death penalties already. He learned how to scrounge for bits of cardboard and tape so he could set his broken fingers. The Air Force doctors in San Antonio said there wasnt a lot they could do about his hands. They said its worse to rebreak and then fix them, he said. News / National by Staff reporter When Forbes announced its list of the best countries to visit this year, Zimbabwe claimed the top spot. The recognition has put the spotlight on a destination that offers both bucketlist icons and undertheradar gems."Zimbabwe is one of those destinations that overdelivers," says Tamsyn Wasserman, Area Leader for Gauteng, Northern Cape and Free State at Flight Centre Travel Group South Africa. "It has all the ingredients for an unforgettable trip, including stunning wildlife and scenery set against a backdrop of homegrown hospitality."Nature at its bestEveryone should visit Victoria Falls to experience "The Smoke that Thunders", but the rest of the country is just as remarkable. Mana Pools National Park, a UNESCO World Heritage site known for walking and canoe safaris along the Zambezi River is an extraordinary part of the world. In Hwange National Park, herds of elephant and buffalo dominate vast plains while lodges provide a uniquely immersive wilderness experience.Lake Kariba, ZimbabweImage: SuppliedLake Kariba attracts travellers who prefer their adventures at a slower pace. Houseboats, fishing trips and sunset views from the deck are par for the course here. For hikers and nature lovers, the Eastern Highlands reveal a different side of Zimbabwe, with forestcovered mountains, cool air and sweeping viewpoints."Clients are often surprised by how varied Zimbabwe is," Wasserman adds. "You can go from Big 5 safari drives to hiking through tea plantations or cruising across an inland sea, all within one trip."History and culture worth exploringBeyond its natural beauty, Zimbabwe holds centuries of fascinating history. The Great Zimbabwe ruins remain one of Africa's most impressive archaeological sites, telling the story of a medieval city built of stone (and entirely without mortar).The Great Zimbabwe RuinsImage: SuppliedIn Bulawayo, landmarks such as the Bulawayo Club and the Museum of Natural History offer insight into the country's colonialera chapters and its evolving cultural identity.A rise in regional air accessReaching Zimbabwe has never been easier. According to the Second Quarter 2025 Transport Statistics Report released by ZimStat, all major airports recorded growth in passenger volumes. The country's smaller airports also registered gains, contributing to an overall 22.2% rise in passenger numbers compared to the previous quarter.Practical detailsChat to a Flight Centre Travel Expert about flights direct into Victoria Falls, Harare or Bulawayo. South Africans don't require a visa but are required to complete an entry declaration (either online before travel, or at the port of entry). Other passport holders may require an eVisa or Visa on Arrival. You can double-check your requirements at https://www.evisa.gov.zw/faq.Wasserman adds, "There's real momentum building behind travel to Zimbabwe right now. It's authentic and adventurous."Time to plan your tripWhether your idea of travel magic is watching elephants at sunset or exploring ancient ruins, Zimbabwe truly delivers.Plan your 2026 Zimbabwe adventure with Flight Centre Leisure. Book flights, stays and expert itineraries all in one place.Zimbabwe: The Best Travel Destination in Africa for 2026Image: Supplied KOMU 8 First Alert Weather is tracking a winter storm and extreme cold that is expected to impact the region this weekend. The Missouri Department of Transportation is encouraging Missouri residents to plan ahead and avoid unnecessary travel. MoDOT activated its statewide winter weather response on Wednesday and will have crews fully deployed throughout the event, according to a news release from the department. Drivers and plows are ready, and resources, including equipment and personnel, will be shifted to the hardest-hit areas, according to MoDOT. The extreme cold temperatures and heavy snow expected with the storm will limit the effectiveness of road treatments, so snowplows will need plenty of room to work to clear impacted routes, MoDOT said in the news release. Latest First Alert Forecast KOMU 8 First Alert Weather has issued a First Alert Weather Day for Friday, Saturday, Sunday and Monday due to extreme cold and accumulating snow. 8:02 p.m.: AAA says to keep at least a half-full tank this weekend AAA said at least half a tank of fuel is critical for safety, and that travel should be avoided altogether if roads are icy or unsafe, according to a Thursday news release from the association. Winter storms can quickly turn a routine drive into a dangerous situation, which is why drivers should keep their gas tank at least half full, AAA spokesperson Nick Chabarria said. That fuel can be critical for staying warm if youre stranded and waiting for help. 6:20 p.m.: Missouri governor declares state of emergency ahead of winter weather Gov. Mike Kehoe signed an executive order declaring a state of emergency in the face of the incoming winter weather. The order lasts until Feb. 22. The order authorizes state officials to provide assistance as the weather conditions come through. "With hazardous winter weather forecasted for this weekend across much of the state and nation, our focus is on preparedness and coordination," Kehoe said in a Thursday news release. "Declaring a State of Emergency allows the state to respond quickly and support local communities as needed, but each of us must do our part. We're asking Missourians to stay informed, plan ahead, and use extreme caution during this potentially dangerous winter weather event." 6:10 p.m.: Moberly among new school closures Moberly Public Schools will be closed Friday, along with the Holliday C-2 and Northeast R-4 districts and the Moberly Senior Center. The Bevier C-4, Higbee R-8 and Renick R-5 districts will have an AMI day Friday. 4:45 p.m.: Cole County R-1 extends school closure The Cole County R-1 School District, based in Russellville, will extend its school closure through Friday, according to a statement posted to the district's Facebook page. The district said it reviewed staff availability and the forecast of inclement weather when it made the decision to cancel classes Friday. The district was closed Wednesday and Thursday due to illness. "Extending the closure through the weekend gives our buildings extra time for a deep cleaning and provides students and staff additional days to rest, recover, and reduce the spread of illness," the district said in the post. Success! An email has been sent to with a link to confirm list signup. Error! There was an error processing your request. The district rescheduled court-warming basketball games with Linn to Feb. 20 and the court-warning dance to Feb. 21, according to the post. Basketball games against New Bloomfield will be rescheduled, but the date is not yet determined. 4:15 p.m.: Local public safety departments give winter weather prep tips Departments including the Boone County Fire Protection District, Auxvasse Fire Department and Camden County Sheriff's Office made posts Thursday with winter weather safety tips. The departments reminded people to be careful with space heaters and never leave them unattended, never use ovens or stovetops to heat homes, make sure smoke alarms and carbon monoxide detectors are working, and keep emergency supplies, like blankets, flashlights and chargers, in vehicles. A full emergency kit for a vehicle might include items like shovels, ice scrapers and brooms, a battery-powered radio, extra batteries, water and nonperishable snacks, first-aid kits and medications, warm clothing and blankets, jumper cables, tow chain or rope, road salt or sand, emergency flares and fluorescent distress flags, according to the Camden County Sheriff's Office. 2 p.m.: MoDOT holds news conference ahead of winter weather The Missouri Department of Transportation held a news conference with representatives from the National Weather Service (NWS), Missouri State Highway Patrol and State Emergency Management Agency about the state's response to winter weather this weekend. Officials asked people to stay home if possible and emphasized that the weather could be life-threatening if people are not prepared. MoDOT encouraged the use if its Traveler Information Map to monitor road conditions if travel is necessary. 1 p.m.: Columbia Farmers Market cancels event The Columbia Farmers Market has canceled its regular market scheduled for Saturday due to forecast winter weather conditions, according to a post to its Facebook page. The post said the organization canceled the market out of concerns for the safety of its vendors and customers. 12:30 p.m.: Columbia announces trash pickup update ahead of possible inclement weather The city of Columbia announced an update on trash pickup with possible inclement weather and cold temperatures forecast in mid-Missouri over the weekend. News / Regional by Simbarashe Sithole A 76yearold Plumtree grandmother has been convicted after she assaulted a herdboy with a stick for allegedly allowing his goats to stray into her field.Gertrude Ncube was sentenced to six months in prison by Plumtree magistrate Joshua Nembaware. The entire sentence was suspended on condition of good behaviour for the next five years.Prosecutor Sheila Nyathi told the court that on 14 January, Ncube instructed the complainant to remove his goats from her maize field. When the herdboy later arrived at her home, Ncube allegedly pulled out a log and assaulted him all over the body.The complainant fled and reported the matter to the police, leading to Ncube's arrest. The Missouri State Capitol rotunda echoed with the chant "Stand Up, Fight Back" on Wednesday during a protest organized by nearly 20 groups about what they described as a systematic attack on the will of the voters. Success! An email has been sent to with a link to confirm list signup. EMERGENCY departments in hospitals across the HSE Dublin and Midlands Region are experiencing a significant increase in the number of patients presenting for care, according to the HSE. As a result, patients are facing long wait times for admission to an inpatient bed. Hospitals currently impacted within the region include Midland Regional Hospital Portlaoise, Midland Regional Hospital Tullamore, Naas General Hospital, Regional Hospital Mullingar, and Tallaght University Hospital. Paul Ridgeway, Interim Regional Clinical Director for HSE Dublin and Midlands said that hospital staff have been working hard to ensure patients who need emergency care are prioritised, while responding to the additional pressures associated with respiratory illness at this time of year. He continued: Unfortunately, people attending with less serious illness or injury will experience longer waiting times. We are working with our community health services to ensure that those patients who can be treated in alternative services are seen and avoid hospital admission and that a continuous focus remains on patient flow through our hospitals. Hospital management have asked that people with non-emergency health concerns consider alternative healthcare options where possible, such as your local GP or pharmacist, injury unit, or out-of-hours service. Emergency departments will continue to see all urgent cases. Many of the patients presenting for care have viral infections. As a result, hospital visiting is currently restricted across several sites, with only compassionate visits permitted at a select few. The HSE has advised that you check with your local hospital before attending. The HSE's appeal comes days after a similar announcement was made in relation to the Midland Regional Hospital Mullingar. A 37-YEAR-OLD Polish man who was found driving without insurance has been fined 400 after a judge decided not to disqualify him from driving due to his sole custody of two children. Bartek Waryszak appeared before Carlow District Court where his solicitor Tertius Van Eeden entered a plea of guilty on behalf of his client. The court heard that on 24 August 2025 at 11.45pm at Potato Market, Carlow town, Garda Long was on mobile patrol and carried out a check on Mr Waryszaks vehicle, which returned no active insurance. Garda Long spoke to the driver and asked him to produce a valid insurance certificate, but none was produced. The car was seized at the scene under section 41 of the Road Traffic Act. The defendants solicitor explained to the court that Mr Waryszak collected his impounded vehicle the next day, which, he said, was proof that he must have produced valid insurance as this is required in order to reclaim the vehicle from the gardai. In mitigation, Mr Van Eeden said that his client, who lives at Acorn Lodge, Derreen, Durrow, Laois, is working part-time as a mechanic, has sole custody of his children and that a disqualification would impact upon them. Judge Elizabeth Healy said that given that this was the defendants first road traffic offence, she exercised her discretion not to disqualify him from driving because you have sole custody of your two children and require your vehicle. She convicted and fined Mr Waryszak 400 with four months to pay. Funded by the Court Reporting Scheme A STRADBALLY-based company has created a new machine that will see the population of spawning fish in Irish rivers receive a vital boost. Aquatic Harvesting Ireland Ltd have used Laois Partnership Company funding to develop a hydraulic platform that loosens the gravel on riverbeds to allow salmon and trout to bury their eggs deeper. This protects eggs from predators, flash floods and heavy rain, and increases the numbers of juvenile fish in Irish rivers, thus improving the quality of their natural habitat. Aquatic Harvesting Ireland Ltd was established in 2011 by Portlaoise native David Graham, whose background is in engineering, business management and law. As we were doing other work, we were noticing that gravel beds in rivers where salmon and trout are laying their eggs seemed to be incredibly uniform and firm underfoot. What we discovered was that a medium, ten-pound hen salmon is laying thousands of eggs, and the mortality rate is massive, says David. He continues: Where 95 per cent of juvenile fish just arent being incubated, if you can change that by five or 10 per cent, it means thousands of fish. If we can increase the number of juvenile fish, then its not so bad if you lose some. The technology is expected to do in days what would have previously taken a team of ten men months to complete. It has an arm that goes out and a specially designed bucket with teeth on it. It goes into the gravel bed, lifts it and lets the water wash and loosen the gravel, then leaves it back down, explains David. The company acquired its funding through the Laois Partnership Companys LEADER 2023-2027 Programme, which is co-funded by both the EU and the Department of Rural and Community Development and the Gaeltacht. It provides financial grants to groups keen to improve their community or entrepreneurs who are keen to set up a business. Nicki Minaj has come under fire after directing a homophobic slur at journalist Don Lemon on social platform X in reaction to his coverage of a protest inside a Minnesota church. The rapper posted a series of messages in capital letters criticising Lemon's reporting from the Cities Church in St Paul, where demonstrators interrupted a Sunday service to protest the presence of Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents. One post used a derogatory term aimed at Lemon, who is openly gay, in what has become one of the most talked-about celebrity social media moments of the day. Lemon, a former CNN anchor who now works independently, had been livestreaming and interviewing participants as protesters chanted and confronted worshippers inside the church. The demonstrations were part of broader unrest in Minnesota following the fatal shooting of Renee Good by an ICE agent earlier this month. Some conservative commentators and MAGA-aligned voices called for legal action against Lemon for his presence during the disruption, arguing he played a role in the interruption of the service. DON COCK SUCKIN LEMON IS DISGUSTING. HOW DARE YOU? I WANT THAT THUG IN JAIL!!!!! HE WOULD NEVER DO THAT TO ANY OTHER RELIGION. LOCK HIM UP!!!!! pic.twitter.com/xoQBl9KDJY Nicki Minaj (@NICKIMINAJ) January 19, 2026 The world is watching. pic.twitter.com/R9Ukb21oZP Nicki Minaj (@NICKIMINAJ) January 19, 2026 The exchange has reignited scrutiny of Minaj's recent political posture, which has included vocal support for former President Donald Trump and controversial commentary on cultural issues. Critics say the rapper's remarks risk alienating parts of her audience, particularly within the LGBTQ+ community, which has historically been a significant segment of her fanbase. Supporters, however, have defended her right to challenge media coverage she perceives as unfair. As reactions continue to unfold online and in the press, the incident highlights the broader cultural debate over celebrity influence in political and social reporting. Originally published on IBTimes UK Rafael Amaya's relationship with Telemundo and its franchise El Senor de los Cielos has been as profitable as it has been stormy, with undeniable success, but also with personal crises and problems in his relationship with the American television network, which made the announcement this Thursday, January 22, that he is returning to his iconic character of Aurelio Casillas for a tenth season a surprise. He made the announcement himself, with an appearance on Telemundo's morning shows and a video on social media. Amaya's work on El Senor de los Cielos was marked by disappearances, addiction scandals, triumphant returns and, finally, a farewell that seemed definitive after season 9, although rumors of a new return have not stopped. After officially closing his chapter as Aurelio Casillas in 2024, the actor focused on rebuilding his personal life, consolidating his relationship with his girlfriend and manager, and exploring other musical projects, far removed from the narco-universe that made him famous. From absolute protagonist to disappearance The series premiered in 2013 on Telemundo with Rafael Amaya as the undisputed face of Aurelio Casillas, a central figure in the Spanish-language narco-series phenomenon. Amaya headlined six consecutive seasons until, at the height of the production, he stopped appearing and rumors began circulating about personal problems and addictions that had kept him away from filming. Scandals, addictions and rehabilitation After his "disappearance" from the set and public life, reports emerged that the actor had hit rock bottom due to drug and alcohol use, something he himself ended up acknowledging by admitting mistakes and talking about the importance of asking for help. In 2019 it was confirmed that he had been hospitalized in a rehabilitation clinic, and shortly afterwards he was seen in Tijuana in an episode that was interpreted as a relapse, with alleged delusions of persecution in public, a fact that his team publicly denied. Return to the saga and the end of Aurelio Amaya briefly reappeared in the first episode of the seventh season to say goodbye to Aurelio, which fueled theories of the character's death and definitive closure, although the production ended up reconfiguring the story for future seasons. The actor returned with force for the eighth and, above all, the ninth season, filming for months and making it clear that it was a "closing of a cycle" after more than a decade playing the same kingpin on television. The 9, the supposed final goodbye On June 26, 2024, the final episode of season 9 aired, announced as Rafael Amaya's farewell in the role of Aurelio Casillas, something that his own girlfriend and representative publicly celebrated as the closing of a ten-year chapter. In 2024 interviews, the actor stated he was ready to "close the cycle with El Senor de los Cielos," grateful for the evolution of the character but focused on new professional opportunities, making it clear that he did not plan to sign a new contract with Telemundo for a tenth installment. What did he do next and the new rumors After season 9, Amaya focused on his personal life, stating that he felt fulfilled, in love, and "a better person" with his partner, while also discussing projects outside the world of Aurelio Casillas. In fact, he affirmed that he had done "everything he had to do" with the character and dedicated himself fully to music. In 2024, the actor returned to his musical roots with various projects: "La Bestia" : A single that combines corrido and rap, released in collaboration with Tito Double P and Codigo FN . : A single that combines corrido and rap, released in collaboration with and . Return to Ska : He resumed his musical career with the band Almalafa , seeking to close personal and professional cycles after his departure from El Senor de los Cielos . : He resumed his musical career with the band , seeking to close personal and professional cycles after his departure from El Senor de los Cielos . Other singles : He released tracks such as "MATAR (Special Version)", "Poeta Vagabundo" and "Tic Talk" (with Conejo). Throughout 2025, Amaya maintained a steady stream of digital releases: Featured singles : "It Burns", "Still Burning", "Pineapple On The Moon", "No Pressure", "MELT", "FYM", "Corazon Cumbiero", "23" and "Humo Y Balas". : "It Burns", "Still Burning", "Pineapple On The Moon", "No Pressure", "MELT", "FYM", "Corazon Cumbiero", "23" and "Humo Y Balas". Collaborations : He participated in tracks such as "Envy" (with Yung H) and "Wara Wara". In early 2026, he released the single and music video "No Breaks" , which he describes as Spanglish rap that represents the union of Mexico and the United States. However, Aurelio Casillas was never far from his mind. Despite official statements, sources close to the artist revealed that the problems with Telemundo stemmed from working conditions and the contract, with the network rejecting Amaya's requests. Fortunately for fans of the franchise, things changed. Telemundo didn't achieve the success it had hoped for with Los Casillas , the spin-off series of The Lord of the Rings. Nor did it with its other scripted productions, such as Velvet and Thirst for Revenge. For her part, Amaya also failed to consolidate important projects since leaving El Senor de los Cielos. In short, they both seemed to need each other and decided the best course of action: to reunite. Now Amaya will serve as executive producer, which gives him a cut above his highest acting salary, and Telemundo hopes for another big win. Filming begins this year. The United States named Laura Dogu as ambassador to Venezuela, marking a new phase in Washington's effort to re-establish diplomatic engagement after years of strained relations. The appointment was confirmed by the U.S. Embassy's Venezuela Affairs Unit, which said Dogu brings decades of experience in Latin America and national security policy. The announcement comes as U.S. diplomats have begun preparations to reopen the U.S. embassy in Caracas, which has been closed since 2019. Dogu is a career member of the U.S. Foreign Service with the rank of Career Minister, one of the highest levels in the diplomatic corps. She has served twice as U.S. ambassador in Central America, most recently in Honduras, and previously in Nicaragua, where she managed bilateral relations during a period of political unrest. She also served as deputy chief of mission at the U.S. Embassy in Mexico, as per the U.S. Embassy in Venezuela. Her background combines diplomacy, military policy and interagency security coordination. She previously served as foreign policy adviser to the U.S. Army chief of staff and as deputy director of the FBI's Hostage Recovery Fusion Cell, an interagency unit coordinating diplomatic, law enforcement and intelligence responses to cases involving Americans held abroad. Her overseas assignments have also included Turkey, Egypt and El Salvador. When she concluded her tenure in Honduras in 2025, Dogu described her mission as focused on strengthening democratic institutions, security cooperation and economic development. "We worked hand in hand to foster economic growth, improve security, and strengthen democracy," she said, while acknowledging that bilateral relationships can involve "differences and challenges." Her appointment to Caracas follows renewed diplomatic contacts between Washington and Venezuela after the ouster of Nicolas Maduro. Earlier this month, U.S. officials traveled to Caracas to assess conditions for a potential phased reopening of the embassy and to explore the restoration of diplomatic missions, according to U.S. and Venezuelan officials. The move signals a broader effort by Washington to rebuild its presence in Venezuela after years of operating through a Venezuela Affairs Unit based in Colombia. Officials have cautioned that restoring full diplomatic operations will depend on security conditions and political developments, but said an initial presence could be established relatively quickly. Originally published on Latin Times The long-simmering tension between the Beckhams and the Peltz family has reportedly reached a boiling point in early 2026, with new details emerging about a 'triple-party' engagement strategy used to navigate political minefields. According to resurfaced reports, the rift began as early as 2020, when Nicola Peltz's father, billionaire Nelson Peltz, hosted a lavish celebration in Palm Beach, Florida, that featured Donald Trump as a guest of honour. Victoria Beckham, concerned that her 'liberal circle' would avoid an event featuring Trump, organised a separate UK party, while a third gathering took place in New York for local friends. This move, insiders now claim, was the first major fracture in the families' relationship. The split parties now appear to foreshadow the deepening rift between the Beckhams and their eldest son. So Brooklyn and Nicola had 3 engagement parties because Nicolas father, Nelson Peltz, invited Trump the one in Florida, so Victoria had a separate one because the father-in-law is friends with Trump and Victorias friends are liberal pic.twitter.com/UJBXzaABwZ (@8Flavs) January 20, 2026 Are the Peltz Republicans? Nelson Peltz is a well-known Republican donor and supporter of US President Donald Trump. He has long been associated with Republican politics and has even hosted fundraisers for Trump, publicly saying that he will vote for Trump in the 2024 elections and citing concerns about immigration under President Joe Biden. Federal Election Commission records show he donated more than 240,000 ($300,000) to Republican candidates and causes across recent election cycles, although he has also described himself as somewhat centrist at times and supported politicians from both major parties in the past Is the 'Spice Posh' Liberal? Victoria is not widely known for explicit partypolitical campaigning, especially in the partisan sense typical in U.S. politics. She hasn't publicly championed specific political parties or detailed conservative or liberal platforms in the way a politician or activist would. However, her public work suggests socially minded, progressiveleaning values rather than partisan alignment. She has been involved in charitable and humanitarian efforts, serving as a goodwill ambassador for UNAIDS and as a patron of the Elton John AIDS Foundation. These kinds of causes tend to be associated with more 'liberal' cultural stances in mainstream media narratives, especially compared with overt conservative political advocacy. Beckham-Peltz Family Feud For a long time, there were bits and rumours that the Beckhams and the Peltz were no longer friendly to each other. First, by Brooklyn not inviting his family to his and Nicola's second wedding, and the mass unfollowing of all his family members. No one knew who or what started the feud until Brooklyn publicly called out his parents for exerting longstanding control over his life and prioritising 'Brand Beckham' in a set of explosive Instagram stories. He wrote that he had been silent for years but felt compelled to 'speak for myself' because his parents and their team continued to go to the press, leaving him no choice but to share his perspective publicly. In his account, Brooklyn said that his mother once 'hijacked' his first dance with Nicola, dancing awkwardly in front of hundreds of guests and leaving him feeling 'humiliated'. He also detailed what he described as attempts by his parents to persuade him to relinquish rights to his own name shortly before the wedding, and alleged that statements about him and his wife were leaked to the media by his family. The Beckham patriarch, David, has largely remained silent on the specifics, instead speaking generally about the power of social media and saying cryptically that 'children are allowed to make mistakes'. Who Gets the Public's Support? Public reaction to the BeckhamPeltz family feud has been mixed. Some sided with Brooklyn, praising him for calling out the 'Brand Beckham' and standing by his wife's side. Some even branded Victoria a 'typical boy mom', after the wedding dance hijack was revealed. However, with Posh Spice being an early 2000s darling, the majority of women are standing up with Victoria. A few suggest that the Beckham matriarch may have simply wanted to keep Trump separate from her son's celebrations, without casting anyone as a victim. Brooklyn got married in 2022 so having Trump and all the republicans leadership at his engagement party was kept low key for 4 years and now everybody is gonna find out when the head fascist in charge is doing some of his nastiest work All because he wanna get on IG https://t.co/0jlSwAey33 Dancing through the lightning strikes (@Miss_AshG) January 21, 2026 Either way, Brooklyn maintained that he does not plan on rekindling his relationship with his family. What now seems clear is that the division did not begin with a single argument or Instagram post. The engagement parties themselves, separated by politics, geography and worldview, may have marked the first public hint that this marriage would also realign family loyalties. Originally published on IBTimes UK Gagan Batra explains why the OAICs new compliance sweep changes everything for Australian businesses collecting customer data face-to-face. Whats happening: The OAIC, Australias privacy regulator, is launching its first compliance sweep from January 2026. The initiative will scrutinise approximately 60 entities across six sectors like property rental, pharmacies, licensed venues, car rentals, dealerships, and second-hand dealers. Why this matters: The sweep tests whether day-to-day operational practices genuinely align with stated privacy policies. Failure to align practices with policy creates regulatory exposure, reputational risk, and customer trust issues. Gagan Batra, Founder & Director at Insighten, understands what many businesses are only now realising: when Australias privacy regulator, the OAIC, announced its first-ever compliance sweep last year, it wasnt just a warning about documentation. It was an exposure of a much deeper operational problem. From January 2026, the OAIC will begin reviewing the privacy policies of approximately 60 businesses in six high-risk sectors. Real estate agents asking for phone numbers at open houses, car rental agencies presenting customers with lengthy forms, licensed venues scanning drivers licences, and pharmacies collecting personal data will all fall under scrutiny. What the regulator is really testing, according to Batra, is whether what businesses write in their privacy policies actually matches what happens on the ground. This is not simply a test of policy wording. It is a test of whether organisations can translate policy into practice, Batra writes. In-person data collection cuts across operations, customer experience, marketing and technology, making it a broader business issue. The Real Operational Challenge For businesses caught in the regulators net, the stakes are significant. Entities found to have non-compliant privacy policies may face compliance and infringement notices and penalties of up to $66,000. But the penalty figures only tell part of the story. The OAICs focus on in-person data collection reveals a critical vulnerability. When customers hand over their personal information at a counter or during an inspection, they rarely see a privacy policy. They may not understand what theyre consenting to, or how their data will be used. This power imbalance is precisely what Privacy Commissioner Carly Kind identified as the reason for the sweep. When confronted with in-person requests for their personal information from retailers, licensed venues, car hire companies or real estate agents, consumers often dont have access to all the information they might need to make an informed decision, Kind stated in the OAICs official announcement. This makes them vulnerable to over-collection of personal information and creates risks to their security and privacy. The compliance sweep is the regulators way of forcing businesses to close the gap between policy and practice. What Sector Youre in Matters If your business operates in property rental, pharmacies, licensed venues, car rentals, car dealerships, or second-hand dealing, the January sweep affects you directly. But Batra stresses that businesses operating outside these sectors shouldnt ignore the signal. If the OAIC follows in the footsteps of the ACCC, which conducted a sweep of more than 2,000 retail websites in 2025 scrutinising return policies and website terms, we can expect market sweeps to become a more regular feature in enforcement strategy. For small businesses specifically, theres an important caveat: not all are covered by the Privacy Act. Most small businesses with turnover under $3 million arent covered by the Privacy Act, unless they operate in specific categories like trading in personal information or health services. Checking whether your business is actually subject to the Privacy Act is the first critical step. Getting Compliance Right For businesses that do fall under the Privacy Act, Batra outlines a clear path to compliance that goes well beyond simply updating a document. Conduct an audit on how personal information is actually handled. Map out where in-person data collection occurs, what information is collected, what consent is being sought, and how customer consent preferences are captured and recorded. This will expose gaps between what customers are told and what systems actually store. Review the point-of-collection experience. Wherever customers provide their informationat counters, during inspections, on forms, or during sign-up momentsthey need to reasonably understand what theyre agreeing to. If your current process doesnt meet this standard, it needs to change. Communicate clearly to frontline teams. Staff are often the weak link in compliance. They need to understand both the rules and how to explain consent choices to customers. Inconsistent explanations or informal workarounds quickly undermine compliance and erode customer trust. Formal written guidance ensures consistency across the business. Align online and offline experience. This is critical. Any consent or preference settings given in-person must be carried over to downstream systems such as CRM and marketing platforms. If your online systems cant reliably reflect what a customer agreed to in-person, the problem extends beyond compliance into customer experience and brand damage. The shift happening right now in Australian regulation is significant. Recent amendments to the Privacy Act in 2024 introduced new powers for the OAIC in connection with infringements, marking a shift from the OAICs historical approach focusing on education and conciliation to a more proactive enforcement approach. Batras core message is clear: good governance isnt defined by whats written down. Its defined by whats consistently applied. Organisations that treat privacy compliance as an operational capability, not just a documentation exercise, are the ones most likely to avoid penalties and protect customer trust. The January compliance sweep isnt just a regulatory moment. Its a reminder that in 2026, businesses need to put their money where their mouth is on privacy. Keep up to date with our stories on LinkedIn, Twitter, Facebook and Instagram. Karamo Brown has unfollowed all but one of his Queer Eye cast mates. Brown is no longer following Antoni Porowski, Jonathan Van Ness or Tan France on Instagram. He still follows Jeremiah Brent, who joined the cast of Queer Eye during season 9 after Bobby Berks exit. Brown still follows Berk as well. Brown recently alluded to drama with his Queer Eye costars when he skipped several television appearances promoting the shows 10th and final season, which premiered on Netflix Wednesday, Jan. 21. He sent a video message to Today explaining why he was absent from a Tuesday, Jan. 20, interview with Porowski, Van Ness, France and Brent. Just like the themes of this season, Im modeling what I believe is most important, which I want to remind you all, love yourselves and protect yourselves. Thats why Im here at home and not there, Brown said in the video. His assistant also sent an email to the NBC talk show, noting that Brown has felt mentally and emotionally abused for years, and hes been advised by his therapist to protect himself and his peace by not attending. Brown made similar comments in a statement to CBS Mornings after sitting out the Queer Eye casts Tuesday appearance on the show. I hope everyone remembers the main theme I have tried to teach them over the past decade, which is to focus on and to protect their mental health/peace from people or a world who seek to destroy it; which is why I cant be there today, Brown said. Karamo Brown. John Locher/Invision/AP CBS Mornings host Gayle King added that Browns assistant said he was worried about being bullied. Porowski told King that he and his cast mates were surprised by Browns words. I will say, our Queer Eye family, weve been doing this for almost a decade which is pretty wild to believe and families are complicated. And were definitely not excluded from that, Porowski said. Van Ness noted that he is actually really proud of Brown for centering what he needs to do and taking care of himself, while Brent said hes felt safe and supported by Porowski, Van Ness and France since joining the cast. "Queer Eye" stars Bobby Berk, Antoni Porowski, Tan France and Jonathan Van Ness. Willy Sanjuan/Invision/AP Brown didnt name names in his statements, but his social media unfollowing spree suggests he has bad blood with multiple Queer Eye stars. This isnt the first time that drama has plagued the cast. In January 2024, Berk confirmed he and France had a moment of conflict that led to him unfollowing France on Instagram. There was a situation, and thats between Tan and I, and it has nothing to do with the show. It was something personal that had been brewing and nothing romantic, just to clarify that, Berk told Vanity Fair at the time. Maybe I should have just muted him. But that day, I was angry, and thats the end of it. We became like siblings and siblings are always going to fight. READ MORE: What on Earth is going on with the Beckhams? The famous familys messy feud explained Later that year, Rolling Stone published an expose about Queer Eye. A former coworker of Van Ness told the outlet that he had a habit of antagonizing people on set. At least once a day, they would need to yell at somebody. It might be something small, but theres always going to be somebody to point out and blame and make the villain of the day, the unnamed individual claimed. Van Ness addressed the allegations during a June 2024 appearance on the Table Manners podcast, calling them overwhelmingly untrue and done in bad faith. Queer Eye is available to stream on Netflix. Plans to ease congestion on a busy stretch of Route 22 through the Lehigh Valley received a boost on Thursday with a $6 million funding announcement. Pennsylvania Department of Transportation Secretary Mike Carroll visited the Allentown offices of the Lehigh Valley Planning Commission to help announce the federal award for widening the highway from four to six lanes between Airport Road and the Lehigh River bridge near Fullerton Avenue. As you all know, Route 22 is considered Lehigh Valleys main transportation corridor, he said. I know we have other parallel routes that run through the Lehigh Valley, but 22 is, in essence, Lehigh Valleys Main Street. The planning commissions Lehigh Valley Transportation Study Joint Technical & Coordinating Committee on Wednesday amended its transportation improvement budget to account for the money through the PennDOT Central Offices National Highway Performance Program. This stretch of highway through Lehigh Countys Whitehall and Hanover townships is the Lehigh Valleys busiest, carrying some 110,000 vehicles a day during the work week, according to the LVPC. Today were announcing a $6 million investment to purchase the land, the right of way, as well as move utilities and finish out the engineering design to get the three lanes from Fullerton, at the intersection there, all the way over to Airport Road and hopefully tying into the (Route) 378 part as well, said state Sen. Nick Miller, D-Lehigh/Northampton. That investment is long overdue, decades in the making. Transportation officials hope to coordinate this Route 22 widening with planned improvements to the Fullerton Avenue interchange. A new Lehigh River bridge in this area of the highway opened in July 2019 as part of a $64.7 million project. That work also included a new Fullerton Avenue bridge, removal of the Fifth Street bridge, and redesigning the Route 22 interchanges with Seventh Street/MacArthur Road (Route 145) and Fullerton Avenue in Whitehall Township. PennDOT spokesman Ron Young Jr. confirmed construction costs for the Route 22 widening at an estimated $28 million and for Fullerton Avenue at an additional $32 million. Plans include tying in Riverside Drive in Allentown through Wood Avenue to the Fullerton Avenue interchange, LVPC Executive Director Becky Bradley said. The estimated timeline for the Route 22 widening and Fullerton Avenue work indicates construction starting in late 2029 and lasting two to three years, said Christopher Kufro, PennDOTs local District 5-0 executive. Youve got to maintain traffic, he said, touching on the projects complexity. Youre going to be phasing between phases. So as always, though, thats an estimate. Master planning is ongoing for more extensive improvements to Route 22 between its split with Interstate 78 in Upper Macungie Township and the New Jersey border at Easton. An extreme cold front and potential winter storm are poised to deliver punishing weather conditions to the Lehigh Valley, northwestern New Jersey and Poconos with wind chills potentially dropping below zero degrees and significant snowfall expected this weekend. The National Weather Service has issued a Winter Storm Watch for the entire region from Saturday evening through early Monday afternoon. Temperatures will plummet dramatically, with wind chills potentially reaching minus 20 degrees in the Poconos on Friday night. Residents should prepare for dangerous cold and potential winter storm impacts. The arctic air mass will first bring extremely low temperatures, with Friday night seeing temperatures dropping into single digits. Wind gusts of 20-35 mph will create life-threatening wind chill conditions. By Saturday, high temperatures will struggle to reach the low 20s, making outdoor activities hazardous. A significant winter storm is increasingly likely Saturday night through Monday morning. Snow accumulations could exceed 10 inches in some areas, with potential for mixed precipitation. The storms exact track remains uncertain, but forecasters indicate a high probability of substantial snowfall across the Lehigh Valley and surrounding regions. The storm watch issued Thursday afternoon says total snow accumulations of 12 to 16 inches are possible across an area encompassing Berks, Carbon, Monroe, Lehigh, Northampton, Bucks, Warren and Hunterdon counties. Over 160 million Americans are under winter hazards associated with the impending major winter storm. Disruptive snowfall is likely from the Southern Rockies to the Northeast, including dangerous ice from the ArkLaTex to the southern Mid-Atlantic. Here are the latest Key Messages pic.twitter.com/bmVIT5to7a NWS Weather Prediction Center (@NWSWPC) January 22, 2026 After the storm passes, bitter cold will persist. Temperatures are expected to remain below freezing through Wednesday, with daytime highs potentially only reaching the low to mid-20s. Overnight low temperatures could drop into single digits, creating continued risk of hypothermia for those unprepared. Residents are advised to take extreme precautions, including: Current weather radar Laois people with non-urgent illnesses should avoid going to Portlaoise hospital's A&E and other Emergency Departments (ED) in the HSE's Dublin and Midlands Region due to the surge in flu and other viral infections, according to the health service. The HSE also warns people who do so will face 'very long waiting' times at the Midland Regional Hospital Portlaoise and other hospitals in Offaly, Westmeath, Kildare and Dublin (Tallaght). In a statement issued to the Leinster Express / Laois Live the Dublin Midlands wing of the HSE said EDs across the four counties are experiencing a significant increase in the number of patients presenting for care, including many with flu and other viral infections. It said that as a result, patients are facing long wait times for admission to an inpatient bed. The appeal comes just days after the HSE made a similar plea in relation to the Midland Regional Hospital Mullingar. Paul Ridgeway is the Interim Regional Clinical Director for HSE Dublin and Midlands. We have been working very hard to ensure patients who need emergency care are prioritised while responding to the additional pressures associated with respiratory illness at this time of year. Unfortunately, people attending with less serious illnesses or injuries will experience longer waiting times. "We are working with our community health services to ensure that those patients who can be treated in alternative services are seen and avoid hospital admission, and that a continuous focus remains on patient flow through our hospitals, he said. The statement said hospital management are asking people with non-emergency health concerns to consider other healthcare options where possible, including: Local pharmacist GP Local Injury Unit GP out-of-hours service However, it emphasised that those who require emergency care must "not delay" in attending an Emergency Department where staff will continue to see all urgent cases. Anyone experiencing symptoms of a heart attack or stroke is urged to call 999 or 112 immediately. The HSE issued a statement on January 16 announcing extensive visiting restrictions at Portlaoise hospital. Its latest statement, dated January 22, said that due to the high number of patients with viral illnesses and ongoing infection control requirements, hospital visiting was also restricted across all sites. Compassionate visits only are permitted in some hospitals and wards. It advises people to check their hospital at HSE Disruptions for the latest guidance before attending. Guidance for Portlaoise HERE. The HSE Dublin Midlands thanked the public for their support in preventing the spread of infection in hospitals, and requests people not attend a hospital if they have any symptoms of viral illness. The HSE says this help is vital to protect patients, staff, and the wider community. "We appreciate your patience and support during this time. Thank you for helping us ensure that emergency care is available to those who need it most," said the statement. READ ALSO: Portlaoise hospital gets new manager The hospitals currently impacted within the Dublin and Midlands Region are: Midland Regional Hospital Portlaoise Midland Regional Hospital Tullamore Naas General Hospital Regional Hospital Mullingar Tallaght University Hospital. ALTERNATIVES to Emergency Departments MORE BELOW PHOTO Midoc on the Dublin Road in Portlaoise - appointments only service. Out-of-hours GP co-ops The HSE says urgent out-of-hours GP care is available when a family doctor's surgery closes in the evening. The service is not a walk-in service. It is by appointment only for those who are seriously unwell. Patients are advised to remember that GP surgeries open as normal on non-bank holiday days. Patients should check the opening times with their own GP. As with hospitals, out-of-hours services expect it to be busier than ever and patients may face delays getting through to the service at peak times or waiting for a call back. MIDOC is the service for Laois, Longford, Offaly and Westmeath Areas. This service is for patients who need urgent medical attention that cannot wait to be seen by their usual GP. Opening Hours: Weekdays, Monday to Thursday 6pm to 8am. Weekends 6pm Friday to 8am Monday. All day on Bank Holidays. Telephone 1800 302 702 or go to GP Out of Hours service: GP out-of-hours service - HSE.ie for more information. READ ALSO: New Portlaoise hospital wing is active for flu fight in Laois Injury Units The HSE says Injury Units can treat a wide range of injuries such as broken bones, dislocations, sprains and strains, minor burns and scalds for all patients. All units have access to x-ray and basic diagnostic services. For more information see www.hse.ie/injuryunits The HSE asks people to consider all healthcare options at this time including the injury units located in Mullingar, Roscommon, Naas and Nenagh. 1. Mullingar Minor Injuries Unit Charter Medical Private Hospital, Ballinderry, Mullingar, Westmeath, N91 FE40 Monday to Friday: 8am to 7.30pm. Saturday and Sunday: 10am to 5.30pm. Bank Holiday Mondays: 10am to 5.30pm Service Available To: Age 16 and older Phone: 044 938 5331 Nenagh Injury Unit, Tyone, Nenagh, Tipperary, E45 PT86 Monday to Friday 8am to 8pm, including Bank Holidays Service Available To: Adults and children aged 5 and older Phone: 067 423 11 Roscommon Injury Unit, Roscommon University Hospital, Athlone Road, Roscommon, F42 AX61 Monday to Sunday 8am to 8pm, including Bank Holidays Service Available To: Adults and children aged 5 and older Phone: 090 663 2212 Naas Hospital Injury Unit, Vista Primary Care Centre, Ballymore Eustace Road, Naas, Kildare, W91 X38W Monday to Sunday 10am to 8pm. Service Available To: Age 16 and older Phone: 045 872 135 Advice from HSE Public Health for the Dublin and Midlands: The HSE says prevention is always better than cure so the public health advice is to; Stay home, and dont have visitors to your home, if you are unwell. Keep your child home from school, childcare and their usual activities if they are unwell. To help protect you and your loved ones, make sure your winter vaccinations are up-to-date, including flu and COVID-19 vaccines. Make sure your childrens vaccines are up-to-date. And do remember that the flu vaccine for children is given as a nasal spray so its fast and painless. ake sure you have all your medications just in case the weather is bad and you cannot get to the pharmacy. Make sure you are warm at home, well hydrated, with plenty of healthy food. The HSE says common illnesses at this time include winter viruses like flu, COVID, the common cold and RSV. It adds that can be hard to know which virus you have. This is why it is important to stay away from people who are pregnant, elderly or living with an underlying medical condition when you are sick. Even if you dont feel particularly unwell, what you might experience as a mild illness could cause them to be very sick. Flu can be more serious for people who are pregnant, elderly or living with underlying medical conditions. That's why we recommend the flu vaccine to these groups. It is also important that those who are more likely to get respiratory viruses, such as carers or health care workers, are up to date with their vaccines. To see what is recommended for you, the HSE advises people to go to www.hse.ie or chat to your pharmacist or GP. Following our recent report on Fine Gael TD Willie Aird's call for more late trains to Portlaoise, we received dozens of comments and opinions from Laois locals on the need for such services. The Leinster Express / Laois Live took to Ballybrophy and Portlaoise train stations to hear the views of Laois commuters. Sue Cullen What I find is a lot of the hospital appointments we travel for are in the morning, and you have to hang around 'til 2 o'clock for the next train back to Laois. That is a lot, if you're coming two or three times. We are travelling to Dublin today, but we are staying overnight, instead of coming backwards and forwards because we have another appointment tomorrow. I've always found that I'm hanging around Heuston station for the next train to go home, it's a real pain and it's exhausting. I don't know why they think nobody travels back from Heuston. Pictured: Portlaoise train station. Photo: The Leinster Express Sharon Greene. the trains are great, but I don't think there are enough coming to Ballybrophy. More frequent services would be nice. Monica Delaney I would love a better choice of trains coming back from Dublin later. You mostly have to just work it out yourself. The train's popularity is fabulous, but it's a victim of its own success. You can never have too many services, there could always be more. There is definitely a gap in the train times in the mornings from Dublin to Ballybrophy. if you are from around here, you see that more trains would be nice. I can't complain, but I pay for weekly parking with Apcoa and I'm still not guaranteed parking, we can be abandoned. The staff at the stations are absolutely amazing, but you just can't find the space. My biggest gripe is the lack of parking. Faye Ryan I am from Cloughjordan and we travel to Laois to get the train- we could do with more trains in the morning, there's a big gap between the 9am Ballybrophy service to Heuston, and the 1pm train. Parking is an issue too- I have never seen it so busy as it is lately. There;s a massive space for a temporary car park. We have no train on a Sunday morning in Cloughjordan, we have to drive back to Ballybrophy. Every Sunday morning or bank holiday we have no train at all, so we have to come to Laois. Pictured: Ballybrophy train station. Photo: The Leinster Express Muriel Ward Costigan You can't get a train home after nine o'clock, I don't know how you would get home. But when you're in that position you have to make those accommodations for yourself, you look at the timetable and have to decide. You do have to come back earlier, more trains would be nice. When you see how many trains run in European countries like Austria, you would want the same here. Gavin Doheny I hear a lot of complaints about parking- the information on parking is a big thing as well. There could be more late trains coming back from Dublin to Portlaoise. I see in the mornings a lot of people getting the first train into Portlaoise, the later trains at night would save people having to come home at 5 o'clock in the morning. the next train after that are the ones coming home at 8 o'clock, they're the people working in the hospitals. Paul O'Neill This is my first time getting the train in a while, I use the service very sporadically. I know of issues with late trains- I'm pushing 40 now, so I'm not going to gigs and late events like I used to, I know that it was the same issue back in the day. If this is still an issue people are facing, it's a crying shame. It shouldn't be the same ongoing issue for ten or fifteen years. I haven't had any issue with this in the last few years. in my regard there should be late express trains at least, that have certain stops along the way, especially for high turnaround areas. Pictured: Ballybrophy train station. Photo: The Leinster Express Dillon Oum I travel up and down for college a lot. I think travelling on Sundays is always a disaster, I understand that people are entitled to take that time off work too. For me, if I have to be in Galway for classes, I need to be there early on a Monday. It's a total disaster trying to get there on a Sunday. Another issue is linking bus times with train times. Local links help me get home, especially if I'm coming home a bit later. Otherwise I could be stuck. There are 100% not enough late trains. I'm fortunate that I have mates in Kildare that I can stay with if we're going out in Dublin, but when I've tried to go home in the past I've had to get taxis and buses very early the next morning- there are no trains that could bring me home. Going from taxi to bus to taxi again is very frustrating and tiring. If you are going from Kerry to Galway, you have to go to Dublin, and turnaround and go the whole way back. There are about four changes in an eight hour trip, when there could be a direct route. Jamie I travel to Kildare from Portlaoise regularly, I feel limited in the trains back to Portlaoise. You could be waiting an hour or two for one. You don't have enough- you're left waiting. I would like to see more trains put on, particularly in the gap between 12:30pm and 1:25pm. It's a long time to be standing waiting around. I get the train regularly so I would like to see it. Pictured: Portlaoise train station. Photo: The Leinster Express Jade The last train is at 10 past 10, I think if they added more, you could stay out longer and find it easier coming back. I've struggled with the lack of late trains. Ailish We need a lot more trains, it's easier to go up than it is to come back. I could go from Cork to Portlaoise or Portlaoise to Kildare on my commute. We could do with more services, particularly in the evening, then you could go out for dinner or stay somewhere a bit longer. For me the real issue is parking, and the station toilets. Kildare has a similar population, but the toilets are kept in better condition, and the waiting rooms are more comfortable. Fianna Fail Senator Fiona OLoughlin has confirmed that street lights in Rathangan, Co Kildare are back in action following repairs carried out after a pre-Christmas crash in which a car struck an electricity pole. Speaking following the completion of the repairs, Senator OLoughlin said many residents had been extremely concerned about safety issues caused by the town being left in darkness. I know many residents of Rathangan were extremely concerned about the threat to safety caused by the town being left in darkness following the crash, she said. I had numerous residents rightly reach out to me expressing their concerns and I have been engaging with Kildare County Council and the ESB to get the lights back up and running. READ NEXT: BREAKING: Swimming pool in Kildare reopens to the public Senator O'Loughlin said it was unacceptable that residents had to rely on the glow of Christmas lights to safely navigate the streets. Residents relying on the glow of Christmas lights to see through the streets was simply unacceptable. The Senator stated that the incident highlights the need to explore backup generators and provisional emergency measures for towns across Kildare to ensure street lighting is not left in a vulnerable position. From my understanding a car struck an electricity pole which caused the outage, she said. It should not be the case that such an isolated incident can cause such havoc and leave a town in darkness for days. She added that she will continue to engage with the council and the ESB to ensure follow up action is taken. I will be engaging with the council and the ESB to ensure there is a follow up so that other towns across Kildare are not left in as vulnerable a position as this. In celebration of National Tree Week, Coillte has invited primary schools from across Kildare to submit photo of their favourite tree or outdoor nature space for its third National Schools Photography Competition. Four winning entries, one from each province, will each win an unforgettable class trip to Beyond the Trees Avondale, Co. Wicklow. The competition comes ahead of National Tree Week 2026, which takes place from March 8-15, celebrating the important role Ireland's trees, forests, and woodlands play in building a greener, more sustainable future. Last years competition attracted hundreds of entries from across the country. The four winning entries were selected from St Laurence OTooles, Roundwood National School, Co. Wicklow; Union Hall Mixed NS, Co. Cork; Scoil Naomh Breandan, Annaghdown, Co. Galway; and Scoil Mhuire, Glenties, Co. Donegal, with classes taking part from junior infants to sixth class. READ NEXT: BREAKING: Swimming pool in Kildare reopens to the public Designed to encourage students to connect with nature and reflect on the importance of trees, the Coillte Schools Photography Competition is open for entries until 12noon on Tuesday February 24 2026. Schools are invited to submit a photograph, along with a short explanation as to why the tree or outdoor space captured is meaningful to them via www.coillte.ie/national-tree-week/. National Tree Week, an initiative of The Tree Council of Ireland and proudly supported by Coillte, will feature a wide variety of free events across Ireland designed to inspire, educate, and connect people of all ages to the importance and benefits of trees and forests. This year's theme is "Growing a Greener Future Together. Commenting on the photography competition, Pat Neville, Communications Manager at Coillte said: The Coillte Schools Photography Competition has proven really popular among schools right across the country in recent years. Initiatives like this are designed to encourage a deeper appreciation of trees and the natural world and to reflect on the benefits of forests for climate, nature, wood, and people. Were excited to see the competition entries this year and encourage all schools to participate. A Kildare South senator has admitted she has been appalled by conditions at Curragh Community College, The Curragh, County Kildare, which she visited recently. Senator Fiona O'Loughlin (FF), speaking in the Seanad this week, told the Minister for Education and Youth, Deputy Hildegarde Naughton that emergency works are required for the school, which remains heavily over-subscribed. The Kildare South senator told the Minister that although works are progressing on a new school building in Kildare town, this project is at tender stage, and things had become very bad at the existing school building in the Curragh in the interim. Curragh Community College, the senator stated, was originally built for 140 students, but currently has 300. Things have gone from bad to worse, Senator O'Loughlin said, with the school now well over capacity, and almost 40 staff members now sharing a staff room that accommodates 10 people. There have been numerous communications from the staff and many from students as well, Senator O'Loughlin added. The week before last, I went to the school at the behest of some of the teachers and was appalled by what I saw. Three of the classrooms cannot be used because of damp and mould. The issue is that the roof has been leaking, so the school has made an application for emergency works for a new roof. This absolutely has to be expedited as soon as possible. READ NEXT: DART+ depot confirmed for Maynooth-Kilcock area of Kildare According to Senator O'Loughlin, the school is at the moment shipping fifth and sixth year students to an alternative location a few miles away, in itself presenting logistical problems. Some of these students have contacted Senator O'Loughlin directly on the matter, she said. I particularly want to mention an email I received from Alannah Dunne, Ali McGannon and Libby Christie. They speak about neglect, broken promises and ongoing safety concerns. As students, they say that everything about the place has declined rapidly. I want to be very clear. The staff of the school are excellent. The atmosphere of support for one another between the whole school community is top class. The principal, Nessa Doyle, and her team are doing incredible work with students who now come from a much wider area. However, what they are going through at the moment is shocking. I hope the Minister can give us some up-to-date information on this. When contacted by The Leinster Leader this week, the Department of Education and Youth stated: With regard to the schools current accommodation, where unforeseen emergency conditions arise, the Emergency Works Scheme (EWS) is available. The EWS ensures the availability of funding for urgent works to those schools that are in need of resources as a result of an emergency situation. An emergency is deemed to be a situation which poses an immediate risk to health, life, property, or the environment, which is sudden, unforeseen and requires immediate action, and in the case of a school, if not corrected would prevent the school or part thereof from opening. The EWS operates on the basis of the minimal scope of works required to remedy an emergency situation and usually provides an interim solution until such time as a comprehensive solution can be progressed. In the case of the school in question it should be noted that a site visit was carried out by a member of the Department's technical unit late last year in order to assist the school with guidance on how to address some of the accommodation issues the school faces. The EWS team subsequently contacted the school patron with advice on next steps on how to apply for EWS funding to remediate the emergency issues, including advice on sequencing the works in a manner that ensures the affected classrooms can be brought back into use as a matter of urgency. The continued expansion of Australia's logistics and warehousing sector is driving rising demand for storage systems that comply with stringent technical and safety standards, prompting suppliers to adapt their products to meet local regulatory requirements. Australia's warehouse and logistics market is a critical pillar of the national supply chain and is currently valued at approximately AUD15 billion (US$10.1 billion). Fueled by the rapid growth of e-commerce, the sector is forecast to expand at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of around 6-7% over the next five to ten years, according to Verified Market Reports 2025. Against this backdrop, Vinatech Australia has entered the market not merely as a conventional supplier but as a strategic partner offering end-to-end warehouse racking solutions. Vinatech Australia specializes in providing industrial warehouse racking and storage solutions tailored for the Australian market. Its mission is to deliver high-quality warehousing systems that meet international standards while addressing the specific operational needs of each client. The company is backed by Vinatech Group, one of Vietnam's leading manufacturers of industrial warehouse racking systems. With extensive industry experience and modern production infrastructure, Vinatech Group has supplied warehouse and storage solutions to hundreds of domestic and international clients, including logistics warehouses, manufacturing plants, and large-scale distribution centers. Vinatech Group delivers international-standard industrial warehouse racking solutions. Photo courtesy of Vinatech Group The company's operating model enables customers to optimize project budgets without compromising product quality, while aligning with AS4084 standards and complying with applicable Australian regulations. Vinatech also provides complete certification and technical documentation upon request by authorities, supported by engineering teams experienced in both Vietnamese manufacturing standards and Australian compliance requirements. This capability underpins the company's core message: "Made in Vietnam Used in Australia." Vinatech Australia has further positioned itself as a comprehensive industrial solutions partner, offering consulting and warehouse system design from the initial site survey stage; customized industrial warehouse and pallet racking solutions to suit specific operational requirements; full project management from concept through to operational deployment; and the ability to supply large volumes with stable and reliable delivery timelines. "One common concern among Australian businesses sourcing from Asia is whether products can meet the stringent standards of a developed market. Vinatech Australia understands this concern, which is why quality assurance and standards compliance are placed at the core of our operations," a company representative said. Vinatech's industrial warehouse racking is manufactured at scale and certified for Australia. Photo courtesy of Vinatech All Vinatech products are designed and manufactured in accordance with international technical and safety standards. These certifications ensure that every industrial warehouse and pallet racking system meets strict requirements for load capacity, structural stability, workplace safety, and fire protection regulations in Australia. Many Australian businesses are accustomed to purchasing pallet racking as a standalone product - ordering, receiving, and installing systems independently. However, for large-scale warehouse projects, particularly those focused on automation or operational optimization, this approach can lead to inefficient space utilization, hidden costs, and extended implementation timelines. A smart warehouse by Vinatech. Photo courtesy of Vinatech Vinatech Australia therefore positions itself not only as a product supplier, but as a total solutions partner, supporting customers from initial planning through to real-world operation. In addition to addressing immediate requirements, the company advises clients on long-term development roadmaps. Its warehouse racking systems are designed to integrate seamlessly with advanced automation technologies, including warehouse management systems (WMS), automated storage and retrieval systems (AS/RS), shuttle systems (two-way and four-way), automated guided vehicles (AGV), and automated control systems (ACS). This approach allows customers to start with a core solution, such as pallet racking, and progressively upgrade to automation without the need to replace their entire warehouse racking infrastructure. "Our goal is not to become the largest supplier, but to be the most trusted industrial warehouse racking solutions partner in Australia. We aim to be the first name businesses think of when planning or upgrading their warehouse operations, not only because of competitive pricing, but also because of our professionalism, reliability, and long-term partnership approach," the representative added. Locals have reported visibility problems on a national road in Leitrim, raising concerns about road safety. At Januarys meeting of Manorhamilton Municipal District, Cllr Eddie Mitchell tabled a motion regarding the issue on the N16. The concerns relate to trees growing out of a retaining wall, which are causing significant visibility problems. Cllr Mitchell asked that the Council engage with Transport Infrastructure Ireland and carry out an assessment of the situation. READ NEXT: Leitrim students receive entrance awards from Trinity College Dublin Willows grow very quickly up above the retaining wall blocking sight lines, affecting N16 road users as they drive along the N16 where it runs adjacent to the Gornavannoge River at East Barrs, Glenfarne, Cllr Mitchells motion stated. He noted that local residents have attempted to address the problem themselves, but the issue continues. Locals aware of the sightline issue have attempted to keep the willows cut back, but as the roots are deeply embedded in a high stone retaining wall, adjacent to fast-flowing water, a more permanent solution is needed, he said. In response, the Roads Department confirmed that the District Engineer will assess the location and advise on possible remedial measures. READ NEXT: Amount of unauthorised developments in Leitrim confirmed by Co Council Irish farmers will rejoice today as the Mercosur trade deal was sent for judicial review that could delay it for up to two years, following an important vote in the European Parliament on Wednesday. Margins were predicted to be razor-thin in this vote, and so it was, with only ten votes making the difference in what was a significant blow to proponents of the deal, which will have to go for legal review, which could take between 18 and 24 months. According to Howdidtheyvote.ie, out of 720 Members of the European Parliament (MEPs), 334 (50 %) voted for the review, 324 (48 %)voted against it, while 11 (2 %) abstained. In total, 669 MEPs voted, and 50 MEPs didnt vote at all. The five MEPs from Irelands North-West-Midlands constituency, representing Leitrim, voted: Maria Walsh (Against), Luke Ming Flannagan (Absent), Ciaran Mullooly (For), Nina Carbury (For), and Barry Cowen (For). Our farmers deserve a level playing field - and with this agreement, that simply does not exist, said Nina Carbury MEP following the vote. READ MORE: Sligo/Leitrim TD calls on Chair of Bord Bia, Larry Murrin, to resign his position as Chair Meanwhile, Maria Walsh warns that the vote is not the victory that it seems. I voted against referring the Mercosur trade deal to the European Court of Justice (ECJ). While this was not an easy decision, I firmly believe it was the responsible one, said Walsh I do not support the EU-Mercosur trade agreement. But what I do want is for MEPs to finally have their say on Mercosur and reject the deal - and referring it to the ECJ delays that final decision by up to two years. Whats not being said by those who trumpet this as a victory is that this delay creates more uncertainty for Irish farmers. We now have two more years of limbo for Irish farmers, with Mercosur continuing to hang over their heads. It also opens the door to a scenario where the Commission could implement the trade elements of Mercosur before elected MEPs have had the opportunity to vote on it. If the agreement is provisionally implemented, the safeguards which we worked hard to introduce might not even apply, says Walsh, who sits on the EU's rural development committee By simply sending the Mercosur agreement to the ECJ, we are not effectively stopping it. We are kicking the can down the road. READ MORE: Leitrim star named in Irish squad for Six Nations Luke Ming Flanagan told the Observer he was not able to attend the vote in Brussels on medical advice following a minor surgery, though he welcomed the result and praised MEP who voted in fovour of the resolution. Out of Irelands 14 MEPs, nine voted for the resolution, four voted against it, while one was absent. A Leitrim credit union has issued an alert to customers after a scam text began circulating among credit union members. Manorhamilton Credit Union posted on Facebook to warn members about a scam text that had been reported to a credit union in Ireland. The scam text message read, Credit Union: 3 failed login attempts. Please reset your password. The message was followed by a fake contact support number and reference number. A credit union member received a text message claiming to be from their credit union, stating that there had been failed login attempts on their account and instructing them to reset their password by clicking on or contacting a mobile number included in the text, wrote a statement on their Facebook page. READ NEXT: Planning permission granted for 27-acre solar farm in Leitrim This message did NOT originate from the credit union. Photo of circulating scam text. Pic from Manorhamilton Credit Union on Facebook. Manorhamilton Credit Union advised members on what to look out for as online and text scams continue to increase and become easier to fall for. They advised that credit unions will never ask members to reset passwords or verify details via SMS links or mobile numbers; members should not click on links, reply to messages, or call numbers included in unsolicited texts; members should contact their credit union directly using official contact details if they have concerns; and suspicious messages should be deleted and reported to the credit union immediately. READ NEXT: Leitrim mother disqualified after 'taking a chance driving to Aldi' uninsured Visiting restrictions have been updated at Sligo University Hospital (SUH) as the hospital continues to deal with significant levels of flu. The hospital remains under considerable pressure due to high numbers of flu and respiratory illnesses currently circulating. As of January 21, a total of 27 patients are being treated for the flu virus or RSV. SUH is asking for the cooperation of the public to help limit the spread of these viruses by strictly adhering to the visiting and infection prevention and control measures that have been put in place. Visiting times will remain in place from 6pm to 8pm; however, changes have been made to the number of people permitted to visit patients. READ NEXT: Leitrim students receive entrance awards from Trinity College Dublin The hospital is requesting that visits are restricted to one adult per patient. Children and additional visitors are advised not to attend, except in exceptional circumstances. Compassionate exceptions may be considered, but only following prior discussion with the ward manager. Masks are available at the hospital entrance, and visitors are asked to use hand sanitising gel regularly while on site. Toilets for visitor use are available on level three, and visitors are requested to avoid using patient toilets or en-suite facilities. SUH is also urging members of the public not to visit the hospital if they are experiencing any flu-like symptoms. READ NEXT: 'Not good enough': Disappointment as Minister fails to commit on new Leitrim school building These symptoms include cough, sore throat, fever, shortness of breath, diarrhoea or vomiting. Anyone with these symptoms is advised not to visit the hospital until at least 48 hours after their symptoms have fully resolved. Container truck seen at HCMC's Cat Lai Port. Photo by VnExpress/Thanh Nguyen Bilateral trade between Vietnam and Singapore reached a record high of nearly S$40 billion (US$31.1 billion) last year. That marked a 26.2% increase from the previous peak of S$31.67 billion in 2024, the Vietnam Trade Office in Singapore said, citing data from Singapores Accounting and Corporate Regulatory Authority. Singapores exports to Vietnam totaled S$26.8 billion during the year, up 16.1%, while imports from Vietnam climbed 53.2% to S$13.1 billion. Considering only goods of Singaporean and Vietnamese origin, Vietnam recorded a trade surplus of more than S$5.8 billion. In December alone, Singapores trade with Vietnam reached nearly S$4 billion, representing a year-on-year increase of 30.1%. October and December emerged as notable highlights, as Singapores imports from Vietnam jumped by 109.3% and 113.6%, respectively, from a year earlier. For the full year, machinery and electrical equipment and parts, together with fuels, mineral oils and products of their distillation, bituminous substances and mineral waxes (HS 27), remained Singapores two largest export categories to Vietnam with combined shipments valued at S$18.1 billion. These accounted for 67.6% of the city-states total exports to Vietnam. Machinery and electrical equipment were also Singapore's largest imports from Vietnam last year, valued at over S$6.7 billion, up 112% from 2024 and accounting for 51.2% of total imports. Other key items included machinery and glass products, with steady growth across multiple manufacturing segments. According to Cao Xuan Thang, Vietnam's Trade Counselor in Singapore, the strong results reflect sustained trade promotion efforts, effective implementation of free trade agreements and bilateral arrangements, as well as close coordination between ministries, sectors, localities, industry associations and businesses, with the trade office playing a key role in facilitating trade and business connectivity. Pham Nhat Minh Hoang, son of Southeast Asia's second-richest man Pham Nhat Vuong, is holding his wedding ceremony with Miss World Vietnam 2022 runner-up Nguyen Phuong Nhi at a private island resort off Nha Trang on Thursday evening. A source told Ngoi Sao that the grooms family booked their privately owned island, around an hours travel from Cam Ranh Airport, as the venue for the celebration. The island is home to a luxury resort with several five-star villas and a largely pristine natural setting, and has previously hosted private family events. Pham Nhat Minh Hoang, son of Southeast Asias second-richest man Pham Nhat Vuong, and Miss World Vietnam 2022 runner-up Nguyen Phuong Nhi. Photo courtesy of the couple The wedding spans two days and is being conducted under tight security. Following the main reception on Thursday night, guests are expected to join a range of activities, including a sporting event. Most invitees arrived in Nha Trang on Wednesday, the source said. The couple held their engagement ceremony in Phuong Nhis hometown of central Thanh Hoa province on Jan. 15, 2025. Since then, she has stepped away from show business, shut down her social media accounts, and kept a low public profile. Nhi, 23, has made occasional appearances alongside her husbands family at events organized by their conglomerate, Vingroup. Nhi studied international commercial law at Hanoi Law University and speaks English and Spanish. In 2023 represented Vietnam at Miss International in Japan, finishing among the top 15. Hoang is involved in managing several of the familys business operations. He previously served as global marketing director of VinFast. His father, Vietnam's richest billionaire, has an estimated net worth of US$28.6 billion as of Jan. 22, according to Forbes. We look forward to continued collaboration to ensure that our business environment is predictable, fair, and investor-friendly, ultimately improving livelihoods for all Liberians, he said. President Joseph N. Boakai with Children and staff of the Christian Foundation Deaf School in Gompa City, Nimba County. From Malaysia to Germany: 10 countries where international students are heading beyond the Big Four As the U.S., the U.K., Canada and Australia tighten visa rules and raise financial barriers, international students are increasingly looking elsewhere. A growing group of countries across Europe and Asia is now stepping in with lower tuition fees, more flexible policies and clearer post-study pathways. These top 10 destinations are reshaping the global study-abroad map. Germany Germany is now home to about 420,000 international students, according to the German Academic Exchange Service (DAAD), with three quarters of universities reporting stable or rising enrollments over the past year. Its appeal lies in tuition-free public universities, a wide range of English-taught programs, and strong demand for skilled labor. That said, students still face challenges around visas, housing shortages, rising living costs, language barriers and long-term career prospects. Living expenses are estimated at a minimum of 992 (US$1,157) per month, or about 11,900 per year. Tuition is nearly free at public universities, while private institutions charge around 5,00020,000 per year. France France welcomed nearly 445,000 international students in the 20242025 academic year and aims to reach 500,000 by 2027. In recent years, French universities, including top business schools, have accelerated admissions reviews and extended deadlines, partly to attract students and researchers affected by tighter U.S. policies. This has helped position France as a serious alternative to the U.S. According to Campus France, students need about 600800 per month for living costs. Tuition at public universities ranges from 2,900 to 3,900 per year, while private institutions charge 6,00018,000. Ireland Ireland recorded a record high of more than 40,000 international students in the 2023-2024 academic year. Through its Global Citizens 2030 initiative, the country aims to become a leading destination for global talent, particularly in technology and innovation-driven fields. Long visa processing times and a housing shortage remain key obstacles. Annual living costs are estimated at 10,000-20,000. Undergraduate tuition typically ranges from 18,000 to 30,000 per year, while master's programs can cost between 9,950 and 35,000. Spain Spain hosts more than 100,000 international students and is pushing to grow further through initiatives like EduBridge to Spain, which fast-tracks visas and admissions for students affected by stricter U.S. policies. Universities in Barcelona, Madrid and Valencia offer a growing number of English-taught programs. International students can work up to 30 hours per week while studying and may apply for a 12-month post-graduation residence permit to seek employment. Non-EU students typically pay 1,500-4,500 per year in tuition and 700-1,200 per month in living expenses. South Korea South Korea has already surpassed its target of 300,000 international students, reaching the milestone two years ahead of schedule. More than one third come from Vietnam, followed by China, Uzbekistan, Mongolia and Nepal. Rising global interest in Korean culture, alongside an expanding portfolio of English-taught programs, continues to drive growth. Monthly living costs average 750,000-1 million won (US$510-680), while annual tuition ranges from 4.2 to 7.6 million won. Japan Japan hosted nearly 340,000 international students as of May 2024 and is moving toward its goal of 400,000 by 2033. About 90% of international students come from other Asian countries, including China, Nepal, Vietnam, South Korea and Myanmar. From April 2026, Japan plans to increase enrollment quotas at some universities by 5% to attract high-performing international students. The government has also launched a new program to recruit foreign researchers, allocating 3.3 billion (US$20.7 million) to 11 universities over three years. Monthly living costs average 41,000 nationwide and 57,000 in Tokyo. Annual tuition typically ranges from 600,000 to 1.1 million. Malaysia Malaysia is emerging as a major education hub in Southeast Asia, targeting 250,000 international students by 2030. Applications have risen 26% over the past two years, reaching more than 139,000, with strong growth from China as well as South Asia, the Middle East and Africa. Average living costs are about $582 per month, while annual tuition ranges from $2,500 to $9,500. China China remains one of the world's most popular study-abroad destinations and is increasingly positioning itself as a transnational education hub, hosting overseas campuses of leading global universities. QS estimates that international student numbers will return to pre-pandemic levels of around 490,000 by 2026. Monthly living costs range from 4,500-5,000 yuan (US$645-717) in major cities such as Beijing and Shanghai, and 1,500-3,000 yuan elsewhere. Annual tuition typically falls between 20,000 and 60,000 yuan. New Zealand New Zealand has launched a long-term plan to increase international student numbers from 85,000 to 119,000 by 2034. A key policy change is allowing students to work up to 25 hours per week, up from 20. Annual living costs range from NZ$18,000 to NZ$27,000 (US$10,300-15,500), while tuition typically falls between NZ$35,000 and NZ$55,000. United Arab Emirates The UAE has seen a sharp rise in interest as a study destination, accounting for 59% of all study-abroad searches in the Middle East and North Africa as of August 2025, up nearly 90% from the previous year. While India remains the largest source market, students from Singapore, France, the U.S. and Germany are increasingly looking to the UAE. Living costs average about AED6,800 (US$1,851) per month, with annual tuition ranging from AED30,000 to AED120,000. Globally, nearly seven million students are currently studying abroad, a figure QS projects will rise to 8.5 million by 2030. From Vietnam alone, almost 250,000 students studied overseas last year, the highest number ever recorded. THEY say a family that sticks together stays together but in the Leahys case, it is the family that Scouts together, stays together! The Castleconnell family celebrated a milestone as all five are Scout members after mum Daniela was invested by her three children, Lena, Johannes, Lilli, as dad Brian looked on. At the start of a New Year we are all thinking of new pursuits and hobbies and there are Scout groups dotted around the county. Castleconnell Scouts, who are fortunate to call one of Munsters best scout campsites home, held an open night before Christmas but you can join all year around. The event was sponsored by the Limerick and Clare Education and Training Board as part of a community initiative to make youth organisations more viable and vibrant The group boasts over 50 enthusiastic members from 6 to 17. READ NEXT: PICTURES: Launch of the Fitzgerald Project in County Limerick village Johannes, Lilli and Lena began their Scouting journey at just six-years-old. Now, at 17, Johannes has already racked up some incredible experiences. At 14, he braved a week-long winter expedition in Iceland, and more recently, he and a fellow Venture Scout completed the gruelling Dushlan 2025 challenge - a 140km trek from Longford to Armagh. The pair hiked alone, kept detailed logs, undertook projects, and survived on a shoestring budget. Reflecting on his journey, Johannes says Scouting has given him a greater appreciation of the outdoors and helped develop my leadership skills. Meanwhile, Lilli and Lena are setting their sights on their own big adventures - Lena aiming for Iceland and Lilli already preparing for the next Dushlan challenge. Parents, Daniela and Brian originally joined Scouting to give back to the community that had given so much to their children. What they didnt expect was how gratifying the experience would be for themselves. Both recently completed an advanced camping skills course alongside adults from all over Ireland, broadening their knowledge and confidence in the outdoors. Its been incredibly rewarding, said Daniela. Scouting has allowed me to enjoy nature more fully while making lots of new friends. Youth members are welcome at any age. As they progress through the ranks, they develop valuable skills, build confidence, and take on increasingly exciting and challenging adventures. But the benefits arent limited to youngsters. Parents are encouraged to get involved too - whether by volunteering as adult Scouters or fundraising. Brian says its a community effort that keeps the spirit of scouting alive and thriving in Castleconnell. A 46-YEAR-OLD man has been convicted of driving without a legitimate licence in Rathkeale, Limerick. Tarek Belhocine, with a home address at Cappry, Ballybofey, Donegal, was observed driving in a public place by Garda Maher on patrol in Rathkeale on November 29, 2021. The garda asked to see his licence, and Mr Belhocine presented a Spanish driving licence. Newcastle West District Court heard from Prosecuting Inspector Gearoid Thompson that the Spanish driving licence that Mr Belhocine presented to the garda was not legitimate at the time. Inspector Gearoid Thompson told Judge Carol Anne Coolican that Mr Belhocine has a number of previous convictions, including a number of false instrument charges, several road traffic convictions, a public order offence, a simple possession of drugs offence, a criminal damage offence, and failure to produce a valid passport. READ MORE: Limerick dog owner stole bags of dog food from Tesco to feed new-born puppies The court heard that his most recent offence saw Mr Belhocine before Letterkenny District Court on December 31, 2022 for the possession of a false instrument. In response to hearing a brief summary of the mans previous convictions, Judge Coolican said: Thank you. I have a flavour. Solicitor Michael ODonnell, defending the man, said in mitigation that Mr Belhocine has been in the country ten years, is a father, and cares for his child who is unwell. Judge Carol Anne Coolican convicted the man for failing to produce a valid driving licence, and fined him a 300 penalty, with six months to pay. -Funded by the Court Reporting Scheme A QUICK-THINKING sacristan prevented one of the oldest churches in Limerick from being burnt to the ground after a woman set fire to straw in a crib and at a grotto, the Leader has learned. A parishioner of St Michaels Church in Denmark Street in Limerick city said the woman, aged in her 20s, entered Gods House when it was deserted after morning Mass. There is a beautiful crib in front of the altar with figures of the Nativity around a manger, straw on the floor and pallets to resemble the stable. The woman lit around 20 of the little church candles. She then took one and lit the straw at the crib. Not only that, she took some of the straw from the crib, brought it to Our Lady of Lourdes grotto and set it alight there, said the parishioner. READ NEXT: Criminals try every house and car door handle in Limerick estate before stealing vehicle The Mass-goer said the sacristan Ken McNamara was working in the sacristy on January 9 when he noticed activity on CCTV. He ran out and managed to extinguish the fire at the crib and the grotto before it spread and took hold. Only for Ken the church could have been burnt to the ground. St Michaels is one of the oldest churches in Limerick dating back to the 1780s, said the parishioner. Apart from burnt straw and some scorch marks on rocks in the grotto, the damage was kept to a minimum thanks to Mr McNamara. Canon Gerard Garrett, administrator of the pastoral area which includes St Michaels, praised the sacristan. Ken is an exceptionally good person. He has a lovely way with people and a lovely way of deescalating situations. Hes a very good man and were very pleased with his performance, said Canon Garrett. The female arsonist left the church afterwards but it is understood she was later apprehended by gardai. who tracked her movements on CCTV. As well as the historic building, a unique golden statue on the bell tower of Michael the archangel, spear in hand standing upon a snarling dragon, would have been lost in a blaze. A JURY has retired in the trial of a woman accused of the attempted murder of her eight year old daughter, in Co Clare, four years ago. The girl sustained more than 70 stab wounds during the alleged attack by her mother, the jury heard. The woman also attempted to strangle her daughter, it was heard. The woman has denied a single count of attempted murder before the Central Criminal Court, sitting in Limerick. The trial heard the accused told gardai, following her arrest, that she was out of my mind at the time her daughter sustained her injuries. READ MORE: Limerick granny slashed in face while lying in her bed by women armed with knives The girl underwent life-saving treatment at University Hospital Limerick and Crumlin Childrens Hospital, Dublin. A witness called by the prosecution, UK consultant forensic psychiatrist Dr Richard Church, gave evidence last week that, in his opinion, the accused could not rely on a defence that she was insane at the time. Dr Church said that, while he believed the accused was aware of what she was doing, he said he did not believe that the accused had not known that what she was doing was wrong at the time. Dr Church said he took great care in considering a defence of insanity, but, he said he was not satisfied that the accused could rely on it. The witness allegedly concealed the knife used in the attack and had locked the door to the room where the alleged attack occurred these were, Dr Church said, behaviours indicating that she knew that what she was about to do was wrong. The court heard the accused had previously accessed psychiatric hospital services in her native Russia where she was diagnosed there with bipolar active disorder. In March 2022, six months prior to the attack on the girl, the accused and her daughter fled the war in Ukraine to Ireland and they stayed in a number of temporary accommodation premises. Dr Church said his view was, that at the time of the attack on the girl, the accused was suffering with an adjustment disorder in addition to a personality disorder, which manifested in a severe response to her circumstances. He said he believed the accused was suffering from a number of stresses in her life at the time; that she had poor coping skills, and that she suffered emotional outbursts. Following her arrest, the accused told gardai she stabbed her daughter multiple times with a kitchen knife and tried to strangle her. She said that she had been having suicidal thoughts at the time. The accused said she had become paranoid that others thought she was a poor mother and that Tusla, the child and family agency, would come and take her daughter from her. She said she had contemplated means of suicide and killing her daughter. During interviews with gardai the accused confirmed that a knife gardai showed to her, which was seized from the scene, was the knife she said she used in the attack. Chaos took over my mind, the accused told Gardai. Defence witness, Dr Paul OConnell, a consultant forensic psychiatrist Central Mental Hospital, told the court that, in his opinion, the accused was in the throes of a mental disorder at the time and that, in his opinion, the accused was not aware at the time that what she was doing was wrong. The accuseds barrister, senior counsel, Mark Nicholas, told the jury that if it accepted the evidence of Dr OConnell, they could consider that the accused was not guilty by reason of insanity. THE BARRISTER for retired superintendent Eamon O'Neill has described the Limerick garda trial as "a disgrace. Felix McEnroy SC in his closing statement for his client Eamon ONeill, said that the jury had not been given a full picture of events and that this is one of the most extraordinary trials in the recent history of the State. READ ALSO: 'Who you know and who you play for' key part of prosecution case in Limerick garda trial, court told Its a disgraceful mess, he told the jury of eight men and four women. Retired superintendent Eamon ONeill, Garda Colm Geary, Garda Tom McGlinchey, Sergeant Michelle Leahy and Sergeant Anne-Marie Hassett are all on trial. Each of them have pleaded not guilty to a total of 39 charges, which all relate to attempting to pervert the course of justice over FCPNs relating to road traffic offences. These offences are alleged to have occurred between October 2016 and September 2019. They include squaring away penalties for offences including speeding, holding a mobile phone while driving, having no insurance and not wearing a seatbelt. Mr McEnroy referred to Mr ONeills statement to investigating gardai in which he said that he believed that this criminal investigation was solely motivated by the Garda National Bureau of Criminal Investigation to justify the appalling, invasive, inappropriate arrest of me on May 16, 2019. Mr McEnroy stressed that Mr ONeill has always been upfront and clear from the very start about how he saw this. He added that his client was forthcoming with codes and passwords for devices, which were seized in that raid in May 2019. There was never any prosecution as a result of this investigation. Mr McEnroy said that Mr ONeill - who was spoken of in high regard by retired chief superintendent Gerry Mahon during the trial as playing a major role in fighting gangland crime in Limerick - is not that person now - he is destroyed. The barrister added: This case wasnt designed to give the full facts. He said that its very rare for a case to run as long as this - it is now in its eighth week. Before he concluded his closing statement for the prosecution this Thursday morning, Carl Hanahoe SC, told the jury that what happened with these motorists was an unlawful use of discretion. He said that if Mr ONeill had the power to cancel FCPNs, there would have been no necessity to communicate with other members of the gardai. In all instances, the four accused gardai were contacted by Mr ONeill and then detecting gardai were contacted in relation to not pursuing a prosecution on the matters. Mr Hanahoe put it to the jury that Sergeant Anne-Marie Hassett maintained that she was passing on appropriate information, however he questioned if pointing out that a motorist was one of the players was a necessary consideration for a road traffic offence to be quashed. Mr Hanahoe said that for most of the motorists no reason was given whatsoever in relation to the alleged offences. The reason was friendship or connection with Mr ONeill, he said. This was a favour - this was somebody sorting something out for a friend. Barrister Vincent Heneghan SC in closing statements for Garda Colm Geary told the jury: "You are not getting a complete picture" and that there is a "big grey area there." He told the jury that at the time of the alleged offences, Mr Geary got a text from Mr O'Neill asking him to do something and he did it. "He didn't think behind it, he did what he was tasked to do," he said. He added: "He was a garda and Mr O'Neill was a superintendent." Mr Heneghan said that the texts between himself and Mr O'Neill have now "changed the life of Colm Geary forever." Mr Geary was successful in getting promoted to the rank of detective while under suspension. Mr Heneghan told the jury that this role requires "integrity, decency and bravery." "This must show that within the organisation, they think very highly of him and respect him," Mr Heneghan added. He maintained: "He did nothing wrong." The remaining closing statements for the other three accused - Garda Tom McGlinchey, Sergeant Michelle Leahy and Sergeant Anne-Marie Hassett, will continue at Limerick Circuit Court on Friday morning. A FARMER, 91, who died after he was attacked by a cow on his land in County Limerick will be laid to rest on Saturday. The death notice of Donal OConnor says that his passing was unexpected on Monday, January 19 at his farm at Morgans North, Barrigone, Askeaton. One local told Limerick Live that the elderly man was tending to cattle, that were being outwintered, and it is believed he may have been attacked by a cow. He was found deceased some time later under his jeep and the emergency services were contacted, they said. Gardai and emergency services attended the scene in Askeaton at around 6pm on Monday evening. The Health and Safety Authority (HSA) was notified. READ NEXT: Heartfelt tributes shared as funeral arrangements announced for woman who died in Limerick house fire Many tributes have been paid to Mr OConnor, of Tarbert Island, Tarbert and formerly of Main Street, Ballylongford, County Kerry. He has been described as wise and gentle, knowledgeable historian, farmer and sage. One person took to rip.ie to express his sympathies to Mr OConnors family and wide circle of friends following his tragic demise. I had known Donal for many years and appreciated his wonderful grasp of local history and especially his deep sense of place. Donal was never too busy to take a call and his response, always generous. A shining light has been quenched and departed our lives, they said. Another wrote that Mr OConnors presence at the Rambling Houses in Listowel, Knockanure and Clounmacon will be sorely missed. Deputy Michael Healy-Rae extended his deepest sympathy to all the OConnor and extended families. Im very sorry for your great loss at this sad time. May the late Donal rest in peace, said the TD. His brother - Deputy Danny Healy-Rae - also passed on his condolences. The committee of the Balydonoghue Bardic Festival said Mr OConnor was a committed supporter of all things good in the community and a huge loss to the historical and literary world. Mr OConnor is predeceased by his beloved wife Brid (nee Stack of Carrueragh, Kilmorna), his parents John and Elizabeth (nee Langan) and his brother Anthony. Donal will be fondly remembered and sadly missed by his heartbroken daughters Elizabeth, Marie and Edel, his brother Ted, his sisters Kathleen (Galvin) and Ann (Stack), his special friend Helen Murphy, sons-in-law, grandchildren, brothers-in-law, sisters-in-law, nephews, nieces, cousins, extended family, relatives, neighbours, a large circle of friends and our community who are greatly saddened to realise, that the torch that illuminated our path, into past history and folklore is now extinguished. Mr OConnor will repose at St Marys Funeral Home, Tarbert on this Friday evening, January 23 from 6pm until 8pm. His funeral cortege will depart Tarbert Island on Saturday morning, January 24 at 11.30am to arrive at St Marys Church, Tarbert for Requiem Mass at noon. Interment to follow in the Chapel Yard. Mr OConnors family ask for donations, if desired, to Debra Ireland in lieu of flowers. His death notice ends with a poem by Thomas MacGreevy. A Chain on a Ship at the Pier Rattled to Silence, Cries of Children, Playing Sounded Faintly And, Musically, Somewhere, A Young Sailor of the Island May he rest in peace. UNIVERSITY of Limerick has celebrated a landmark moment by conferring postgraduate degrees on the largest group of Irish Travellers to graduate from an Irish university. History was made at UL as 13 Irish Travellers/Minceiri were conferred with postgraduate diplomas and masters degrees at ULs Winter Conferring Ceremonies on Tuesday. It is the largest cohort of Irish Travellers/Minceiri to graduate with level nine postgraduate qualifications from any Irish university at any one time, making this a significant milestone for the Irish Traveller community in Ireland and UL. Of the 13 Travellers to graduate with a Masters or Graduate Diploma in Sociology (Youth, Community and Social Regeneration), 11 are Traveller women connected with the Limerick Traveller Network. READ MORE: PICTURES: Historic day as 13 Irish travellers conferred at University of Limerick graduations Just 4.7% of Travellers in Ireland have a third-level education in comparison to 47.7% of the general population, and just 2% of Travellers have obtained degrees, signifying the alarmingly low level of participation by Travellers in higher education in Ireland. The UL Minceir/Traveller Programme was created in 2023 to ensure the educational aspirations of Minceir/Travellers were supported. Based on the principle of co-creation, the programme supports are designed and developed based on the needs identified by the Traveller community. In 2024, a collaboration was established between UL and the Limerick Traveller Network (LTN), a community-led network of Traveller representatives from across Limerick. Fourteen women from eight Traveller sites and two standard housing areas in Limerick have been central to the work of the LTN with education identified early on as a key priority by LTN founders, Olive OReilly and Margaret OBrien, both of whom graduated from UL on Tuesday along with ten others from the Limerick Traveller Network. Margaret OBrien was conferred with a BA in Psychology while Olive OReilly is one of 11 Traveller women connected with the LTN to graduate from ULs MA in Sociology (Youth, Community and Social Regeneration). Dr Sindy Joyce, a Human Rights Defender (HRD) is Course Director of the MA in Sociology (Youth, Community and Social Regeneration) at UL and was the first Irish Traveller to graduate with a PhD in Ireland when she was conferred with her doctorate from UL in 2019, the same year that Olive OReilly and Margaret OBrien established the Limerick Traveller Network. Dr Joyce said: As a Traveller, an academic and Course Director of ULs MA in Sociology (Youth, Community and Social Regeneration), I am immensely proud of all my students graduating today." This masters has existed in UL for 15 years and has successfully trained students to work in a wide variety of settings in the youth and community sectors. With a strong international element, the MA attracts students from all over the world, including recent graduates as well as those already working in the NGO sector." I am particularly proud to have 13 of the students graduating from this years cohort coming from my own community, which shows me how our education system, once harmful to Travellers, can now be a tool of resistance." Historically, for Travellers, the Irish education system was about changing our culture and leaving our identity behind but today highlights that our culture is not in conflict with our education system. Traveller voices and knowledge belong in our university spaces, and our epistemologies bring important methods and frameworks to research." Each Traveller graduating today makes it a little bit easier for our younger generation to engage with a system that was once so harmful to our community." I feel such pride today to celebrate this important milestone for our Traveller students who have shown courage, endurance and determination throughout their time here in UL. Olive OReilly, co-founder of the Limerick Traveller Network who graduated with a Masters in Sociology from UL, described the conferrals as a landmark achievement that marks a first for the Limerick Traveller Network and a proud moment for the wider Traveller community in Limerick. Olive left school at the age of 12 and returned to education in 2006 to complete a Diploma in Womens Studies at UL before embarking on her masters journey in 2024. She has devoted many years of her life to advocating and supporting her community in a voluntary capacity and is extremely passionate about human rights. She said: Third-level qualifications play a critical role in improving access to employment and career progression for members of the Traveller community." Of the 11 women who completed the masters programme at UL, one was already in employment, and four graduates have since secured employment, highlighting the direct impact of education on achieving employment and independence." Our achievements today show to Travellers across the country that anything is possible if you believe in yourself and put your mind to it." Ellen OReilly, who graduated from UL with a Masters in Sociology, left school at 15. She said: Passing my masters as a Traveller woman and a mother of four fills my heart with pride." There were moments I doubted myself, but I kept going. I did this for my children, for my community, and for every young Traveller who needs to see that their dreams are possible. Margaret OBrien, co-founder of the Limerick Traveller Network, who graduated with a BA in Psychology from UL, spoke of the significance of this momentous occasion for the Traveller community in Limerick. She said: The Limerick Traveller Network doesnt just open doors, we walk through them together and leave them wide open behind us." Today the LTN celebrates 12 of our members graduating at UL, the home of firsts that awarded the first PhD to a Traveller. Now the first university in Ireland to award 13 Travellers with postgraduate qualifications, 11 of whom are members of the LTN." This is not just a milestone for the LTN and UL, but one that raises the bar for Travellers nationwide, with seven more Travellers from the Limerick Traveller Network now studying at postgraduate level in UL following in the footsteps of our members graduating today. The Minceir/Traveller Programme is led by the UL Access Office, which is committed to supporting the Minceir/Traveller community through the dedicated role of a Minceir/Traveller Coordinator. Edel ODonnell, ULs Minceir/Traveller Coordinator, said: As the Minceir/Traveller programme coordinator in UL Access Office I am proud to see 15 Traveller students graduate this week at UL who I have been supporting 13 students on the MA in Sociology and a further two graduating with undergraduate degrees in Psychology and Nursing." Their achievements represent a personal journey of commitment, resilience and academic excellence, grounded in lived experience and self-belief." The determination and achievement of each Traveller graduate, whose success not only marks their own personal milestone but contributes to widening participation and representation within higher education, stands as a powerful example of what is possible when individual lived experience is recognised, respected and valued within academic spaces. USE THE ARROWS OR NEXT BUTTON TO SEE MORE PICTURES The Old Church, Drumcong, Co. Leitrim, is going under the hammer with a guide price of 175,000. The inside has actually been converted and features seven bedrooms and five bathrooms. This unique property has a total floor area of over c.8,200 sq. ft, and sits on a site area of 1.3 acres fronting to a public road, beside an R road. It is situated in a quaint village, between three vibrant towns (Carrick on Shannon, Drumshanbo & Ballinamore). The sellers say the new owners will enjoy the best of both rural and town. The listing continues: "This unique building was built in 1976 by the parish of Kiltubrid. This was the era of post Vatican II. It was a time when Catholic Ireland had an appetite for new churches and when parishioners dug deep to raise the money to build them. SEE NEXT: 'Bungalow Bliss!'- Room to Improve adds magic touches to 1970s bungalow "The style is modernist and is built in the shape of a cross with three wings off the main spine. The central portion is a very large and high space with ceiling heights in excess of 5 meters. Now featuring a central fireplace in hand crafted stone, it is a large space to congregate in and which might also be suitable for activities. "Within this space is a large gallery to the front. "On the three wings there are duplex residential spaces containing four units, two near completion and two under construction. "Two of these spaces have been occupied. In total there is either in place or provision for 2 Kitchens, 7 Bedrooms and 5 Bathrooms. Each element of the property has a separate Eircode (4 in total) and there are three independent electricity supplies." This property is being sold by online auction on January 22 at 12 Noon. The auction will be hosted on BIDNOW.ie. Bengaluru/New Delhi: The countrys largest two-wheeler makers, including Hero MotoCorp, Bajaj Auto, and TVS Motor Co., have sought an extension of the subsidies for the manufacture of electric two-wheelers beyond March this year, arguing that a fourth of the vehicles targeted are yet to claim incentives. A formal representation has been made through the Society of Indian Automobile Manufacturers (Siam) to the ministry of heavy industries (MHI) for extending the scheme in the last few weeks, according to three executives aware of the matter. The industry has sought the continuation of e2W subsidies under the PM E-Drive scheme because allocated funds should not remain unutilised, said the first industry executive requesting anonymity. Also Read | Govt set to exhaust subsidy for bigger electric 3-wheelers three months early "Some companies have stopped claiming incentives under the scheme, since they failed to meet localization criteria after the rare earth magnets supply issue. And whether they choose to claim incentives later or not, funds allocated for e2Ws will be left by March," said this executive. Key Takeaways About 590,000 electric two-wheelers remain eligible for subsidies before the 2.48 million-unit target is met. The rare-earth magnet crisis caused by China significantly hindered Indian manufacturers' ability to meet the localization requirements needed to claim subsidies. EV penetration in the 2-wheeler segment is stagnant at 6.3%, barely moving the needle compared to 2024. The MHI has previously stated the scheme is fund-limited, creating a precedent that might work against the industry if the government sticks to the March date. The current incentive covers about 10% of the price of a sub- 1 lakh scooter; its removal would result in immediate price hikes for consumers. Under the PM E-Drive scheme, the government set a target to incentivise the purchase of about 2.48 million e2Ws, allocating 1,772 crore. Two-wheeler makers can claim incentives up to 10,000 per scooter sold, which is over 10% of the average price of an electric scooter priced below 1 lakh. The government launched the 10,900 crore PM E-Drive scheme in September 2024 to incentivise two-wheelers, three-wheelers, electric trucks and buses, as well as charging infrastructure. While the scheme was slated to run till March 2026, it was extended till March 2028 for electric trucks and buses. According to the scheme's official dashboard, the government has supported purchases of about 1.89 million electric two-wheelers as of 21 January 2026. Tough competition from ICE The second executive mentioned above noted that an extension until the funds are utilised can last 3-6 months, depending on the claims submitted by the companies. No one wants to leave funds unutilized," the executive mentioned. Queries sent to MHI, Siam, Hero MotoCorp, Bajaj Auto, TVS Motor, Ather Energy, Ola Electric, and Honda Motorcycle and Scooter India went unanswered. The industrys pitch for more subsidies also comes amid anxiety over slowing EV penetration following the goods and services tax (GST) cuts on internal combustion engine (ICE) vehicles in September. EV penetration in two-wheelers fell from 8% in September to 4.5% in October after the GST cuts. The penetration levels remained the same in November, before recovering to 7.4% in December, but still remain below the pre-GST cuts levels. In 2025, electric two-wheelers grew 11% to 1.2 million sales, which was just a tad better than the 7% growth in overall two-wheeler sales to 20.3 million, according to Federation of Automobile Dealers Associations (Fada) data. Penetration of electric vehicles in the two-wheeler industry grew just marginally from 6.1% in 2024 to 6.3% in 2025. The slow growth, despite a smaller base, came during a year when almost all electric two-wheeler makers grappled with a rare-earth magnet crunch due to restrictions imposed by China. The developments also come after subsidies for electric three-wheelers were fully utilised three months ahead of schedule in December, with the government ending support for electric three-wheelers under the PM E-Drive scheme. Govt response Mint reported on 26 December that the ministry told the industry lobby group it would stop granting incentives once the scheme's target of 288,809 L5 three-wheelers was reached, or on 26 December, whichever came first. Para 46 of the scheme notification clearly stipulates that the PM E-Drive Scheme is fund-limited, and once the allocated funds for the scheme or any of its sub-components are exhausted, no further claims will be entertained," the letter read. This came after the ministry of heavy industries notified in August that while the PM E-Drive scheme will run until the financial year 2028, subsidies for electric two-wheeler and three-wheelers will end by March 2026. But with funds for two-wheelers still not fully utilised, company executives are lobbying the government to extend the scheme for a bit longer. Both industry and government would not want the funds to remain unutilised. We are confident that an extension will be granted," the first executive added. Analysts suggest that industry demand for an extension of the electric two-wheeler scheme would make sense if the desired targets have not been met and funds remain utilised. The governments direction is clear about tapering out subsidies. However, an extension for a short period can be granted if the targets which were set have not been fulfilled. Full utilisation of funds will be ideal for everyone involved as it has already been budgeted," Ashim Sharma, senior partner and group head at Nomura Research Institute, said. (Bloomberg) -- Tim Leissner, the former Goldman Sachs Group Inc. banker who admitted his role in one of the largest financial frauds in history, is seeking a presidential pardon before he surrenders to a federal prison. Leissner filed his pardon application to the US Justice Department last year, according to a notice on the DOJ website. It was submitted between Sept. 3 and Nov. 18, according to archived copies posted on lawyeroyer.com. Leissner, Goldmans former Southeast Asia chairman, pleaded guilty in 2018 to engaging in a scheme to embezzle $4.5 billion from Malaysian fund 1MDB. Leissner cooperated with prosecutors and became the US governments star witness against a former Goldman colleague at a 2022 trial in Brooklyn, New York. The White House is sifting through thousands of clemency requests, including a pardon bid by Archegos Capital Management founder Bill Hwang, who was convicted over the collapse of his $36 billion family office, and Theranos Inc. founder Elizabeth Holmes, who is serving an 11-year sentence for defrauding investors in her blood-testing startup. Last week, President Donald Trump granted clemency to more than 20 people, including several convicted of white-collar crimes. Trump says hes using his unchecked clemency powers to correct abuses in the criminal-justice system against those prosecuted for political reasons. But critics say hes abusing the process and undermining the work of prosecutors. At his May sentencing, Leissner and prosecutors argued he should be spared prison because his cooperation resulted in the conviction of a former colleague and billions of dollars in global fines against Goldman. But a federal judge ordered him jailed for two years, calling his conduct brazen and audacious. He is scheduled to surrender to a facility in Southern California early next month. A federal judge originally ordered Leissner to begin serving his term on Nov. 17, but allowed him to remain free until Jan. 12. Earlier this month his lawyer, Henry Mazurek, said prison officials needed time to find a facility close to family in California and asked that he surrender Feb. 6. Federal prosecutors in Brooklyn declined to comment. Mazurek didnt immediately return a message. The 1MDB fraud toppled the Malaysian government and led to investigations in six countries. At the trial of Roger Ng, his former Goldman colleague, Leissner testified that he worked with Ng and Malaysian financier Jho Low, who was the alleged architect of the 1MDB fraud. At his sentencing, Leissner begged to be spared prison. I know how terrible my crime was, he said. In the process of telling the government and the world about 1MDB, I have had to publicly face the fact that I helped steal billions of dollars not just from individuals, but from an entire nation. --With assistance from Todd Gillespie, Max Abelson and Aaron Gordon. More stories like this are available on bloomberg.com Party General Secretary To Lam speaks at the opening session of the 14th National Party Congress on Jan. 20, 2026. Photo by VnExpress/Giang Huy Party General Secretary To Lam has been re-elected as a member of the 14th Central Committee of the Communist Party of Vietnam, according to results announced by the 14th National Party Congress on Thursday. This marks the fourth consecutive term that he has served on the Party Central Committee, spanning the 11th through the 14th terms. According to the election results, 10 members of the Politburo and nine members of the Secretariat of the 13th term were re-elected to the 14th Central Committee. The nine other Politburo members re-elected, besides Party leader To Lam, are Tran Thanh Man, Chairman of the National Assembly; Tran Cam Tu, Standing Member of the Secretariat; Bui Thi Minh Hoai, Chairwoman of the Central Committee of the Vietnam Fatherland Front; Le Minh Hung, Head of the Party Central Organization Commission; General Phan Van Giang, Minister of National Defense; General Luong Tam Quang, Minister of Public Security; Nguyen Duy Ngoc, Hanoi Party Secretary; General Nguyen Trong Nghia, Director of the General Department of Political Affairs of the Vietnam Peoples Army; and Do Van Chien, Standing Vice Chairman of the National Assembly. The nine members of the Secretariat re-elected are Party General Secretary To Lam; Tran Cam Tu, Standing Member of the Secretariat; Bui Thi Minh Hoai, Chairwoman of the Central Committee of the Vietnam Fatherland Front; Le Minh Hung, Head of the Party Central Organization Commission; Trinh Van Quyet, Head of the Party Central Commission for Information and Education and Mass Mobilization; Le Hoai Trung, Minister of Foreign Affairs; Tran Luu Quang, HCMC Party Secretary; General Nguyen Trong Nghia, Director of the General Department of Political Affairs of the Vietnam Peoples Army; and Le Minh Tri, Standing Deputy Head of the Party Central Internal Affairs Commission. Party General Secretary To Lam, 69, is from Hung Yen Province. He has been a member of the Politburo for the two 12th and 13th terms, and a National Assembly deputy for the 14th and 15th terms. After studying at the Central Police School, now the Peoples Security Academy, he began his career at the Department of Political Security 1. He later served as deputy head of Political Security 1, head of Political Security 3, and held senior positions within the General Department of Security. In 2009, while holding the rank of major general, he was appointed by the prime minister as head of the General Department of Security 1. In August 2010, he was appointed Deputy Minister of Public Security and became Minister of Public Security in April 2016. In early 2019, he was promoted to the rank of general, becoming the fourth officer in the history of Vietnam's People's Public Security force to attain its highest rank. In May 2024, he was elected by the National Assembly as President of Vietnam. Three months later, he was elected by the 13th Party Central Committee as Party General Secretary. He served concurrently as President and Party General Secretary for two months, before continuing in the role of Party General Secretary from October 2024. NEW DELHI: As the government begins reassessing the adjusted gross revenue (AGR) dues of Vodafone Idea, Bharti Airtel has also approached the department of telecommunications (DoT) seeking a similar recalculation of its own dues. From our own stand point, we are hoping and written to the government that AGR was our issue as well and we hope we get attention from the government, Bharti Enterprises founder and chairman Sunil Bharti Mittal said in an interaction with CNBC-TV18 on the sidelines of the ongoing World Economic Forum at Davos. Mittals comments come as the Union Cabinet last month froze Vodafone Ideas AGR dues at 87,695 crore as of 31 December 2025, and approved a payment plan allowing the company to clear these dues between FY32 and FY41. Last week, the telecom department began reassessing Vodafone Ideas AGR dues for the period from FY07 to FY19. Also Read | Vodafone Idea faces 800 cr AGR payment over six years The reassessment exercise followed Supreme Court rulings in October and November that allowed the government to reassess and recalculate the companys AGR dues. Airtel has not yet received a response from the government on its request, Mittal said. We heard from the minister yesterday that everybody needs to follow the route that Vodafone Idea followed which is via the (Supreme) Court, he said, adding that the company wants to present its case to the government, particularly on reassessment and recalculation. He said it is not a legal point, but a mathematical point and correction of errors. We are engaged with the government first, Mittal added, noting that the company is not taking the legal route for now. Bharti Airtels deferred payment liability towards AGR was at 38,604 crore, according to its FY25 annual report. When asked about the impact on the company following reassessment, Mittal said, for anybody the formula will be the same. The reassessment would involve checking the money paid by operators that has not been counted, and if there is double billing that has come through. If all that is established, your base principal goes down and then there is the cascading effect on penalty, interest on penalty and the amount can come down significantly, he explained, adding that he does not think any government would want to take more money than its due. We are saying take what is due. We are not asking for any concession. But don't take more than what is due. In terms of mobile subscribers market share, at 33.6% Airtel follows Reliance Jio which has a 41.4% market share. Vodafone Idea subscriber market share was at 17% as of November end, according to data from the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (Trai). On the relief granted to Vodafone Idea, Mittal said, We are hoping that Vodafone Idea will start to be more active in the marketplace. He added that a three-plus-one market structure is good for a country like India, as it keeps competition balanced from a customer perspective. Bharti Airtel currently leads the sector in terms of average revenue per user (Arpu) of 256 a month as of September-end. On the prospect of tariff hikes, Mittal said, Everyone agrees that tariff repair is absolutely essential. There is no one, including the government, who believes that you can have a very robust, solid infrastructure supporting the digital dreams of India without regular investments. Mittal reiterated Airtels aim to reach 300 Arpu. There are billions of dollars going every year into the network, into spectrum. Therefore, theres got to be a reasonable business use case out there, he said. This comes at a time when market leader Reliance Jio last week ruled out any immediate increase in tariff, signalling confidence in organic growth in its Arpu, driven by rising 5G usage. As of December end, Reliance Jio's monthly Arpu was at 213.7. Bharti Airtel is yet to declare its earnings for the December quarter. Africa market In Africa, Airtel is currently the second-largest telecom operator, with a subscriber base of 173.8 million as of the end of September. Earnings growth and profitability, however, continue to be weighed down by currency weakness across several African markets. If currency remains in secular depreciation mode, which is 3-4% a year, I think Airtel Africa could get to a $10 billion revenue, Mittal said, adding that if currencies had not depreciated sharply, revenues would already have been in the $17-18 billion range. Africa is among the fastest-growing telecom markets globally, Mittal said. The market is growing at over 20%. You dont get to see that anywhere. Airtel Africa currently generates about $6 billion in revenue and that $10 billion in revenue and around $5.5 billion of Ebitda is a realistic possibility, he added. Capex On growth opportunities, Mittal said Airtel is aggressively expanding its data centre and sovereign cloud businesses. Addressing capital expenditure (capex), he said, Capex has not come down. We are spending 30,000 crore in capex every year. It will continue to be spent. He explained that investment requirements shift across technologies. If spending slows in 4G, it moves into 5G, and as 5G deployment tapers, capital is redirected toward fibre, fixed wireless access (FWA) and data centres. I would say a little more than ( 30,000 crore) than less than ( 30,000 crore) will be the order of magnitude (for capex), Mittal said, adding that 6G standards are still being developed and are a few years away. Navi Mumbai airport issue A standoff has emerged between the Navi Mumbai International Airport and telecom operators over the provision of mobile connectivity at the airport. A similar dispute has played out on Mumbai Metros Aqua Line, where passengers have faced connectivity issues for nearly three months amid disagreements over commercial terms. On the airport issue, Mittal said, It is too much noise. I think it will get settled down. In the end, customers have to be served everywhere. Under the Indian Telegraph Actold 1856 and 2023 nowright of way access, provision of services to customers is a must. Equally, airport operators put up a lot of equipment; they need to be given compensation for their return. Some balance will come out. Mittal said he was concerned about contracts being awarded to third parties for infrastructure such as tunnels and metro systems. These operators pay large sums for franchises and then seek to recover costs by charging telecom companies steep fees. What does that meancustomers suffer because we cannot pay obnoxious right of way charges to the tunnels and to metros, he said. Satcom On Airtels satellite communications foray through Eutelsat OneWeb, Mittal said that with the capacity allocated for India, the company could generate about 200 crore in revenue. Tata Group-owned full-service airline operator, Air India, is expected to report at least $1.6 billion net loss in the financial year ending 2025-26 after the deadly Ahmedabad crash amid the company's turnaround plan of the aviation giant, reported the news agency Bloomberg, citing people aware of the development. The sources also told the news agency that the Tata Group and Singapore Airlines joint venture firm, Air India's earnings are expected to be further impacted by the airspace closure of Pakistan for Indian operators after the conflict between the two countries. This airspace closure now makes the Indian carriers flying international routes to fly longer distances at higher operating costs to reach places in Europe and the United States. Air India, Tata Group and Singapore Airlines did not respond to the queries sent regarding the news development. Email queries sent by LiveMint also remained unanswered. Turbulent times This potential turnaround is stark, as Air India was moving towards profitability before the airline witnessed a deadly crash of the Ahmedabad to London flight in June 2025, which killed more than 240 people onboard. Also Read | Air India flight from Delhi to New York sustains engine damage details here According to the agency report, the founders of the airline have been targeting an operational break-even point in the financial year ending 2025-26. However, the report now mentions that the company's profitability is out of reach, as per the people aware of the development. The reports on potential loss come at a time when the Indian aviation market is facing several headwinds and flyers' anxiety as airlines recover from mass flight cancellations and delays in a duopolistic market. Air India financial snapshot The people aware of the development also told the news agency that the management of the airline has submitted a new five-year plan which projected profits only in the company's third year, but the board of directors have rejected the plan, asking for a more aggressive turnaround push. Tofler data cited in the news report also mentioned that Air India lost nearly 32,210 crore over the last three years, even after the company asked for at least 10,000 crore support from the parent companies, according to earlier reports. The rising losses for the company are a concern for both Tata Group and Singapore Airlines amid the company's plans to reportedly replace Campbell Wilson. However, according to the agency report, the search may not conclude until the crash report is released. Mumbai: Balaji Wafers has sold a 7% stake to US-based private equity (PE) firm General Atlantic at a valuation of 35,000 crore, as the snacks manufacturer looks to professionalize its operations and target a public listing in around four years. We have sold 7% stake in the company at a valuation of around 35,000 crore to General Atlantic, Chandubhai Virani, founder and chairman of Balaji Wafers, said in an interview with Mint. The Rajkot-based company aims to use the experience and reach of a private equity firm to help transform the business and take it global. It is generally observed that family-run businesses dont survive unless you professionalize the management. We will be looking to do that over the course of time. Our goal is to take the company public over the next 3-4 years, Virani added. Balaji Wafers will use the fresh funds to strengthen its key corporate functions, accelerate innovation, and leverage General Atlantic's expertise in the food and consumer sectors to drive its expansion plans, the two companies said in a statement on Thursday. The development comes a few months after Mint reported that the Gujarat-based maker of chips, wafers, noodles and confectionery is evaluating a minority deal that would value the overall company anywhere between 38,000 and 40,000 crore. We see significant growth potential in Indias packaged snacks market as households increasingly seek affordable, convenient and high-quality food products, said Shantanu Rastogi, managing director and head of India at General Atlantic. Broadly, the last year has seen similar moves in companies, including Haldiram, Iscon Balaji, Theobroma and VIP Industries. Others, such as HyFun Foods and Ratnadeep Retail, are in various stages of their fundraising process. These companies are increasingly turning to external capital to fuel growth and scale operations. General Atlantics deep understanding of consumer businesses, track record of working with founder families and long-term approach to value creation, align well with our vision for Balaji Wafers, said Virani. Intensive Fiscal Services Pvt. Ltd acted as the exclusive advisor to Balaji Wafers. Also Read | Private equity eyes fresh bite of regional food brands, repeat of Haldiram Founded by the Virani brothersChandubhai, Bhikhubhai and Kanubhai in 1981Balaji has grown from a home-based enterprise into one of Indias largest packaged snack brands. Over the years, the company has established consistent high-quality, taste and availability, supported by its continuous investment in automation, supply chain, innovation, as well as its people and channel partners. Also Read | After Haldiram and Rebel Foods, Temasek eyes a bite of Balaji Wafers Balaji offers namkeen, Western snacks, potato wafers, noodles, chikki, papad, and confectionery. It has scaled its operations from its home base in Gujarat to become a leading player across multiple states in India. The company exports its products to around 25 countries worldwide, it said in the statement. Meanwhile, General Atlantic manages about $118 billion in assets under management as of September 2025 across a diversified investment platform spanning growth equity, credit, climate, and sustainable infrastructure strategies. The Delhi High Court on Thursday directed IndiGo to file an affidavit detailing the refunds and compensation it has initiated for passengers affected by large-scale flight cancellations and disruptions in early December 2025. A bench led by Chief Justice Devendra Kumar Upadhyaya and Justice Tejas Karia asked the airline to submit the affidavit in two weeks and adjourned the hearing to 25 February. The court also took on record, in a sealed cover, the inquiry report submitted by the Union government and the aviation regulator, the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA), into the operational lapses that brought Indias aviation network to a standstill. Additional solicitor general Chetan Sharma, appearing for the union government, told the court that penalties totalling 22.2 crore were imposed on IndiGo following the probe. He said the airlines chief executive and chief operating officer were issued warnings, while a senior official heading the operations control centre was removed for non-compliance with pilot duty and rest norms. IndiGo's counsel told the court that refunds for cancelled flights were being processed and that affected passengers were being offered compensation of up to 10,000 per person, with priority given to those who were most severely affected. The court was hearing a public interest litigation filed by advocate Akhil Rana seeking directions for passenger support, refunds and compensation for the widespread cancellations. Mass disruption The issue stems from mass flight cancellations in early December 2025, triggered by IndiGos failure to adequately adapt to the revised flight duty time limitation (FDTL) norms, which led to severe operational disruptions. On 17 January, the DGCA imposed a record penalty of 22.2 crore on IndiGo, holding the airline responsible for overstretching its flight crew and failing to comply with the revised FDTL rules. The regulator also directed IndiGo to furnish a 50-crore bank guarantee to ensure compliance with regulatory directions and long-term systemic reforms. A four-member inquiry committee found that the airline had prioritised maximum utilisation of aircraft and pilots, leaving a minimal buffer in rosters and relying heavily on extended duties, dead-heading and tight turnarounds at the cost of operational resilience. The DGCA also flagged deficiencies in software systems, management structure and operational control, and noted that IndiGo was at least 65 captains short when the final phase of the FDTL rules came into force. Earlier, the regulator ordered a 10% cut in IndiGos schedule, temporarily relaxed certain FDTL norms, imposed fare caps, mandated daily fare submissions, and set up a round-the-clock control room. It also deployed flight operations inspectors and passenger facilitation teams at IndiGos control centre and key airports between 6 and 30 December to monitor operations, ensure regulatory compliance, and oversee passenger support measures such as refunds, accommodation, lounge access and priority assistance. February promise More than a month after the crisis, IndiGo has informed regulator that it would have adequate crew strength to fully comply with the revised duty and rest norms by 10 February. In submissions to the DGCA, the airline said it currently has around 2,400 captains and 2,240 first officers, and is in the process of hiring additional pilots to operate without the temporary FDTL exemptions granted during the disruptions. During a hearing in December, the Delhi High Court had questioned the union government and DGCA over the mass cancellations and sharp fare increases, observing that passengers were hit by both operational chaos and predatory pricing". Also Read | IndiGo cancellations add to demand drag as airfares slide to four-year low Mumbai: JSW Steel stock has surged in the past three weeks in tandem with domestic steel prices after the government put a levy on cheaper imports. The steelmakers shares rose 5.7% since 30 December, outperforming the benchmark Sensex, which fell 3.3% over the same period. But this may have come a quarter too late, as the domestic market leader saw the prices of its product fall to an absolute low during the October-December quarter, rivalled only by the abnormal lows seen during the covid-19 pandemic. Analysts estimate that lower iron ore costs will partly offset the impact of weaker steel prices and higher coking coal prices. Even so, the steelmakers net profit is expected to fall sequentially for the second quarter in a row, according estimates of brokerage firms Yes Securities and Elara Securities. What's reassuring the company's investors is that the Centre's decision to levy a 12% safeguard duty for three years on 30 December gave steelmakers the confidence to raise prices twice within two weeks of the announcement. Even as pricing remains in focus, regulatory risks have resurfaced. Indias competition watchdog has found that market leaders JSW Steel, Tata Steel, state-run SAIL and 25 other firms colluded on steel selling prices, according to a Reuters report citing a confidential document, potentially exposing the companies and their executives to hefty fines. With JSW Steel set to announce its December quarter earnings on Friday, management is also likely to face tough questions on the allegations of price collusion. Beyond these immediate headwinds, the company continues to pursue an aggressive capacity-expansion strategy anchored in Indias long-term steel demand. Besides being on track to reach 51 million tonnes per annum capacity, the steelmaker will add another 5.5 million tonnes through its newly formed joint venture with Japanese steelmaker, which was earlier a wholly owned subsidiary of the company called Bhusan Power and Steel. The company has also stepped up efforts to tap advanced technology from global steelmakers through joint ventures. In August last year, JSW Steel announced a partnership with South Koreas Posco Holdings to set up a 6 million tonnes per annum (MTPA) steel plant. Three months later, it unveiled another joint venture with Japans JFE Steel Corp, under which the steel assets of Bhushan Power & Steel Ltd (BPSL) will be transferred into a new 50:50 venture. Cleverly, JSW Steel has also managed to park its debt through the Bhusan transaction. The Bhushan deal has also materially strengthened JSW Steels balance sheet. As of the JulySeptember 2025 quarter, the companys total debt stood at 79,153 crore. Through the transaction, around 5,000 crore of BPSLs debt will be removed from JSW Steels books. In addition, JSW Steel will receive 32,250 crore in cash for the sale of BPSLs steel assets after adjusting for expenses. To fund part of this payment, BPSL and JSW Sambalpur Steel will raise a little over 16,000 crore in new loans. Overall, the deal allows JSW Steel to move about 20,000 crore of debt off its balance sheet, helping it cut its total debt by almost half. Against this backdrop, investors will look to management for clarity on whether any fresh debt will be raised to fund the 51 million tonne capacity expansion. Amid this, Mint lists down three key points to focus on in the company's third-quarter results: Revenue and profitability Analysts at Ambit Institutional Equities estimate that JSW Steels revenue in the December quarter will be 43,194 crore, up 4% year-on-year but down 4% sequentially, while Ebitda is seen at 6,512 crore with margins of 15%, reflecting an 8% quarter-on-quarter decline as lower steel realisations and higher coking coal costs weigh on profitability, partly offset by softer iron ore prices. JSW Steels December-quarter profit is estimated to be at 1,288 crore according to Elara Securities, which marks a sequential decline of about 21% or 335 crore from the September quarter, even as it rises about 63% year-on-year, or roughly 499 crore, from the year-ago period. The adverse spread between realization and input cost is likely to weigh on profitability, wrote Ravi Sodah, metals and mining analyst at Elara Securities, in his report. Demand and pricing A weak monsoon and oversupply weighed on steel prices in the September quarter, with the pressure continuing into the December quarter. Investors and analysts will now look for management commentary on how much room is left for further price increases after the announcement of safeguard duty and resumption of construction activity, and whether the upcoming Budget could deliver an infrastructure push that supports steel demand, narrowing the gap between demand and supply. Steel prices remain under pressure in Q3FY26, led by weakness in flat products amid supply outpacing demand, according to an Elara Securities January report. According to a steel ministry document reviewed by Mint, steel consumption grew 6.8% during AprilDecember 2025, nearly half the 11% growth recorded a year earlier, however, rose 10% during the period, compared with 4% growth in AprilDecember 2024. Exports and carbon tax Exports contributed 10% of total revenue in the September quarter, but with the European Unions carbon tax taking effect from 1 January, analysts are monitoring whether export contributions come under pressure in the December quarter and what the outlook will be for the coming quarters. Investors may also seek clarity on the carbon border adjustment mechanism, the European Union's policy to put a fair price on carbon from imported goods, as it remains unclear what the impact of the carbon duty is when the goods reach the border. Dhun Wellness, a brand backed by Shahid Kapoor's wife Mira Kapoor, on Thursday announced that it had raised around $4 million in an investment round, with participation from leading family offices. In recent times, celebrity-led brands have seen a meteoric rise, with A-listers from different industries, including cinema and sports, joining a wave of investors to fund companies. These brands and startups have seen several fundraising rounds of late, the latest being Mira Kapoor's Dhun. Here is a list of celebrity-led brands that have successfully raised funds in recent times, or are in talks to do so. Also Read | Kotak Bank sets board meet date to consider Q3 results, fundraising plan Shraddha Kapoor's Palmonas Palmonas, the demi-fine jewellery brand co-founded by Shraddha Kapoor, is in talks to raise 200-250 crore from private equity firm Xponentia Capital, according to a report by The Economic Times, quoting people familiar with the development. Palmonas is looking for a valuation of around 1,600-1,800 crore when the fundraising round is completed, the report said. The company already raised 55 crore from Vertex Ventures earlier in 2025, with a value of 500-500 crore. The Pune-based celebrity brand is currently tracking an annualised revenue of 300 crore, ET reported. Founded in 2022 by husband-wife duo Amol Patwari and Pallavi Mohadikar and joined by Shraddha Kapoor, Palmonas' fundraising comes at a time when the jewellery sector is coming into focus for investors. Samantha Ruth Prabhu's Secret Alchemist Secret Alchemist, the clean perfume brand backed by actor Samantha Ruth Prabhu, has raised $3 million in a funding round led by Unilever Ventures last week, ET reported separately. The funding round was joined by DSG Consumer Partners and was a combination of primary and secondary capital. Of the total amount, $2.5 million was allocated as primary capital, while the remaining $500,000 was secondary, with a few early angel investors selling their stakes, the company's cofounder, Akash Valia, was quoted as saying by ET. Mira Kapoor's Dhun Wellness Dhun Wellness, a luxury urban wellness venture founded by Mira Kapoor, on Thursday announced the closing of a fundraising round, where the company raised $4 million. The round saw participation from leading Indian family offices, including SRF Ltd (Kama Group) and Havells India (QRG Investment & Holdings), Arushi Aayush Agrawal (Inspira Global), along with prominent angel investors, Ash Lilani of Saama Capital, Timmy Sarna, Abhishek Goyal, Sunil Punjabi, and Kaushik Deva, led by Sanjay Kapoor of Genesis. OpenAI CEO Sam Altman is meeting with investors in the Middle East to meet top investors for raising a new funding round that could total at least $50 billion, according to a report from Bloomberg. Altman is said to have spoken with investors, including leading state-backed funds in Abu Dhabi. The ChatGPT maker is said to be looking to raise $50 billion or more at a valuation of $750 billion to $830 billion. The report noted that talks are early and the amounts could change. The company had also recently held talks with Amazon to raise $10 billion. Meanwhile, another report by CNBC noted that Altman is in the United Arab Emirates to participate in the investment talks and the round could close in the first quarter of the year. An earlier report by The Information had stated that OpenAI was looking to raise tens of billions of dollars at a $750 billion valuation. The company has earlier raised funding from Abu Dhabi-based tech investment firm MGX and partnered with G42 to develop a massive data center in the UAE. OpenAI's competitors like Anthropic and Elon Musk-led xAI have also previously raised funding from investors in the Middle East in order to meet the growing capital requirements in the field of AI. The San Francisco-based AI startup has committed to spending $1.4 trillion on AI infrastructure in the coming years, an amount that it doesn't currently possess. OpenAI is not currently profitable and has been losing billions of dollars annually even as it faces tough competition from the likes of Google's Gemini, Anthropic and xAI. OpenAI's earlier funding round: OpenAI had closed a $40 billion funding round led by SoftBank last year, which valued the company at $300 billion. The round marked the largest-ever private tech funding on record and also saw participation from Microsoft, Blackstone, Sequoia Capital, Andreessen Horowitz, Thrive Capital, and Fidelity. A few months later, the company finalized a $6.6 billion secondary share sale that allowed selling stocks to a group of global investors and valued the company at $500 billion. Meanwhile, Anthropic, the company set up by former OpenAI employees, is also looking to raise funds at a valuation of $350 billion, as per Bloomberg. With rising competition in the AI space and the steep costs attached to building cutting-edge AI models and running them, AI companies are often on the lookout for investments to build core infrastructure and ensure they have an edge against their rivals. Mahindra Group Chairperson Anand Mahindra on Tuesday hailed Blackstone CEO Steve Schwarzman's praise of India at the World Economic Forum in Davos, calling it massive news and an unprecedented validation of the country. Much of the dialogue at Davos has focused on geopolitical turbulence. Justifiably so. However, when the co-founder of one of the worlds most dominant private equity firms states that India provides their highest rate of return globally, that is massive news, even by Davos standards, Mahindra said in a post on X. Speaking to CNBC-TV18 on the sidelines of the WEF 2026 in Davos, the Blackstone CEO on Tuesday hailed the company's India business. Our India business is our number one business in the world in terms of rates of return for the investments that we make, he said. Also Read | Azim Premji highlights education, healthcare investments in Jharkhand at Davos Validation of India's growth trajectory Writing further, Anand Mahindra said that Schwarzman's statement was a great validation for India's growth trajectory. This statement is a far greater validation of Indias trajectory than any claim made by local policymakers or business leaders, he said. Davos is ultimately a convening of capital; when the smart money speaks this clearly, the impact is enormous, Mahindra added. Also Read | Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella sends rare warning on AI at Davos Meanwhile, speaking to CNBC-TV18, Schwarzman said Blackstone would accelerate its India additions in the future. The firm will accelerate company additions in India, signalling deepening conviction in the market, he said. Anand Mahindra's praise for Blackstone's head In his X post, the Mahindra Group Chairman also lauded Amit Dixit, the head of Blackstone Asia. My compliments to Amit Dixit, Head of Blackstone Private Equity in Asia, for achieving this podium position, he said. Mahindra also shared an interesting story about Dixit, revealing that he used to work for his company at one point. Also Read | Did Trump mix up Greenland and Iceland? Karoline Leavitt defends POTUS Heres an interesting sidebar: Im particularly proud because, many moons ago, Amit spent a year at Mahindra before heading to Harvard Business School. He helped launch Automartindia, which evolved into Mahindra First Choice, now a premier player in the pre-owned vehicle industry. Corporate leaders praise India at Davos Meanwhile, corporate leaders have heaped praise on India at Davos 2026. KPMG International Global Chairman and CEO Bill Thomas said India's evolution over the years reflects the incredible momentum being built in physical and digital infrastructure. Even more importantly, every single year, digital infrastructure has actually positioned India well, he added. (Bloomberg) -- Pinegrove Opportunity Partners has raised $2.2 billion for its debut fund, closing a large investment round in a fast-growing niche of the venture capital market. The San Francisco-based firm is whats known as a venture secondary. It buys existing ownership stakes in other venture-backed companies or funds rather than leading primary rounds that may fund a companys future growth. The venture secondaries market has been growing and attracting interest as the traditional venture capital model has struggled to find liquidity, since startup founders increasingly have opted not to sell their businesses or take them public. There is a long-term structural shift happening in companies that are staying private longer, Managing Partner and Chief Investment Officer Brian Laibow said. This illiquidity challenge has rippled across the industry to everyone [from] companies to GPs and LPs. Founded in 2023, Pinegrove Opportunity Partners has significant backing from Brookfield Asset Management and Sequoia Heritage, which put $500 million into the first fund, the company said. Other limited partners include the Florida State Board of Administration, according to a person with knowledge of the matter who asked not to be named discussing private information. The 16-person team at Pinegrove is led by Laibow, the former managing director of Oaktree Capital Managements Global Opportunities Fund; Prateek Bhide, a general partner who used to work at D1 Capital Partners; and Gaurav Mathur, a general partner who was a former head of US equity private markets at Goldman Sachs Group Inc. Pinegrove plans to deploy a vast majority of its capital directly into mid- to later-stage private technology companies that are nearing profitability by providing flexible liquidity and financing options to founders, venture teams and their investors. The remaining capital will be put into funds or other investment vehicles. The firms average check size will be between $50 million to $250 million. Pinegrove has already deployed $1 billion in its debut fund, including through secondary investments in payments provider Stripe, software firm Databricks Inc., and fintech Revolut Ltd. Pinegrove gets access to companies through a variety of ways, including buying secondary shares from an existing investor in a startup, or through buying out a limited partners stake in a fund that has exposure to a coveted company. The firm also invests in tender offers, transactions that allow startup staff to sell shares to investors and that are growing in popularity. The venture secondaries market has been booming alongside a similar move in private markets generally. BlackRock Inc. is readying its own such fund and Goldman Sachs Group Inc. just completed its acquisition of Industry Ventures, which owns a venture secondaries arm. As some venture firms raise increasingly bigger war chests, like Andreessen Horowitzs recent $15 billion funding haul, Pinegroves new fund is focusing on secondary shares that can come at a discount or come with access to mature, high-demand startups. More stories like this are available on bloomberg.com US President Donald Trump on Wednesday indicated he is narrowing down on his choice for the next Chairperson of the Federal Reserve to replace current Fed Chair Jerome Powell. In an interview with CNBC on the sidelines of the World Economic Forum 2026 in Davos, Switzerland, Trump hinted that he has a candidate in mind who may succeed Powell. The search for the next Fed Chair, which began in September and included as many as 11 candidates at one point, is nearing its end, Trump told the TV channel. Id say were down to three, but were down to two. And I probably can tell you, were down to maybe one, in my mind, Trump told CNBC. However, he refrained from naming the one candidate who will possibly become the next Fed Chair. The 11 candidates in Trump's list comprised past and current Fed officials, economists and Wall Street investors. Former Fed Governor Kevin Warsh, current Governor Christopher Waller, National Economic Council chief Kevin Hassett and BlackRock fixed-income head Rick Rieder were believed to be the four finalists in the race. Trump said in the interview that Rieder was the last to interview and called him impressive, while praising all the other candidates too. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent led the interview process. In recent days, Hassett had emerged as the top runner for the post of the Fed Chair until Trump said he preferred him to stay at the NEC, hinting that he was out of the competition. I like actually keeping him where he is, Trump said. Trump doubles down on Jerome Powell With Jerome Powell's tenure as Fed Chair ending soon, Trump was asked whether he would stay on at the US central bank to serve for another two years as its governor. If Powell stays, he would still have a say in how the monetary policy decisions are made. We live with the cards youre dealt, he said. If that happens, his life wont be very, very happy, I dont think, by doing it. I think he wants to get out. He has not done a good job. The Trump administration has intensified its fight against the current Fed chair, issuing subpoenas hinting at a possible criminal probe into the central banks renovation of its Washington headquarters. Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh (C) and two senior lieutenant generals: Deputy Minister of National Defense Vu Hai San (L) and Le Huy Vinh (R), attend the 14th National Party Congress in Hanoi. Photo by VnExpress/Giang Huy The 14th National Congress of the Communist Party of Vietnam on Thursday began voting to elect the new 14th-term Party Central Committee, marking the start of key personnel elections as the congress entered its fourth working day. The election of the Central Committee is one of the most important items on the congress agenda. The new Central Committee will later elect the Politburo, the General Secretary and the Secretariat, shaping the Partys top leadership for the coming term. The 14th-term Party Central Committee is expected to comprise 200 members, including 180 full members and 20 alternate members. All members are to be elected by secret ballot. At an international press briefing on Jan. 14, Standing Secretariat member Tran Cam Tu said preparations for the new Central Committees personnel had been carried out by the 13th-term Central Committee and the Personnel Subcommittee of the 14th Congress in accordance with Party regulations, the principle of democratic centralism, and relevant legal provisions. He said the process was conducted in a manner that ensured it was "scientific, rigorous, democratic, objective, and transparent," while promoting collective intelligence and broad participation. According to the Standing Secretariat, personnel planning for the 14th term seeks to balance standards and structure, continuity and stability, renewal and development, as well as professional expertise and practical capacity. The selection process places particular emphasis on performance, effectiveness, and demonstrated contributions as key criteria for evaluating, appointing and utilizing officials. Election procedures for top leadership After the new Central Committee is formally introduced, its first plenary session will be convened to elect the Politburo, the General Secretary, and the Secretariat. At the first session, the Presidium will submit a proposal on the number of Politburo members to be elected for discussion and approval by the Central Committee. A personnel list prepared by the previous-term Central Committee will be presented for consideration, after which Central Committee members may self-nominate or nominate candidates. Following group discussions, the Presidium will consolidate the candidate list, handle withdrawal requests in line with regulations, and submit the final slate for approval before a secret ballot is held and results announced. The election of the General Secretary will also take place at the first plenary session. The Presidium will report on the requirements and criteria for the post, along with personnel recommendations from the previous-term Central Committee, the newly elected Politburo, and nominations made at the congress. Central Committee members will then discuss, nominate and vote. The final candidate list and election results will be approved and announced following ballot counting. After the General Secretary is elected, the Central Committee will proceed to elect members of the Secretariat. The newly elected General Secretary, on behalf of the Presidium, will propose the number of Secretariat members for discussion and approval. Candidates will be nominated and discussed before a vote is held. In addition to members elected by the Central Committee, some Secretariat members will be assigned by the Politburo in accordance with Party regulations. Congress schedule adjusted On the afternoon of Jan. 21, the congress approved an adjusted agenda, shortening the schedule by 1.5 days compared with the original plan. The 14th National Party Congress is now scheduled to conclude on Jan. 23. In addition to electing the new Party Central Committee, the congress will adopt four major documents: the Political Report; a report reviewing theoretical and practical issues after 40 years of the Doi Moi reform process; a report summarizing 15 years of implementation of the Party Charter; and a report reviewing the leadership and direction of the 13th-term Party Central Committee. Los Angeles, Jan 22 (PTI) Netflix has released first look pictures from the second season of its drama show "Beef", which is set to premiere on its platform on April 16. Featuring Oscar Isaac, Carey Mulligan, Charles Meston and Cailee Spaeny in the lead roles, the show is created by Lee Sung Jin. Netflix shared the pictures on its official X handle on Thursday. "Every relationship has its 'BEEF'. Here's your first look at Season 2, premiering April 16," it wrote. Season two follows newly-engaged couple (Spaeny and Melton) who gets entangled in the unravelling marriage of their General Manager and his wife (Isaac and Mulligan). "Both couples vie for the approval of the elitist club's billionaire owner Chairwoman Park (Youn Yuh Jung), who struggles to manage her own scandal involving her second husband (Song Kang Ho)," read the official logline. The second season will consist of eight episodes, with Lee returning as creator, showrunner, and executive producer. Jake Schreier will also executive produce, alongside season one stars and executive producers Steven Yeun and Ali Wong. The first season of "Beef" featured Wong and Yeun as two individuals whose lives spiral out of control after a road rage incident. The series, which premiered to widespread critical acclaim in 2023, went on to win eight Emmy Awards, including best limited or anthology series. President Trump has stepped back from the brink on Greenland. Now the question is what happens next. After days of frenzied diplomacy, the U.S. president said on Wednesday that he had formed a framework for a future deal" on Greenland and said he didnt intend to use force to take control of the icebound island. But details were hazy, and European officials on Thursday seemed to be willing to talk about it only in vague terms. The lack of clarity raises the prospect that the chaos of the past few days, which jarred markets and stress tested trans-Atlantic diplomacy, could return in the near future. Trump arrived in Davos, Switzerland, on Wednesday saying he wanted ownership of Greenland for national-security reasons, arguing that Denmark, which owns Greenland, wasnt up to the job of defending the Arctic from Russian or Chinese aggression. He threatened 10% tariffs on European nations that stood in his way and, shortly after arriving at the World Economic Forum, made a speech demanding immediate negotiations" to take control of the island. Hours later, there was an abrupt reversal following what Trump said was a very productive meeting" with NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte, after which the president dropped the threat of tariffs and sounded a more conciliatory note. Trump called the framework really fantastic" but offered few details. Negotiations that will follow are expected to include a potential U.S. agreement with Denmark about stationing forces at bases in Greenland and giving America right of first refusal over investments in the islands mineral resources, according to European officials. Rutte said on Thursday that the issue of the sovereignty of Greenland, whose autonomous government alongside Denmark has repeatedly rejected an American takeover, didnt come up at all in Wednesdays talks with Trump. We didnt discuss at all about that issue," said Rutte, during an interview with Bloomberg. We discussed how can we protect Greenland, how can we protect the wider Arctic region." Denmark, meanwhile, held firm that it wouldnt be strong-armed into ceding sovereignty over any part of Greenland. We can negotiate on everything political; security, investments, economy. But we cannot negotiate on our sovereignty. I have been informed that this has not been the case, Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen said on Thursday. A European official said there was no written document and that no real details on Greenlands future had been negotiated between Rutte and Trump. Another European official briefed on the talks said the meeting with Rutte provided Trump with a face-saving opportunity for a de-escalation that had become necessary given the global backlash and the reaction of financial markets. I dont think theres a deal at all at the moment. I mean, its a sort of a fake deal so far," Ben Wallace, a former U.K. defense secretary, said on Thursday. German Chancellor Friedrich Merz, speaking in Davos, applauded Trumps U-turn. Under the informal understanding reached between Trump and Rutte, European members of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization would step up policing of the Arctic to counter Russian influence in the region, Merz said. We welcome that the United States is taking the threat posed by Russia in the Arctic seriously," he said. This threat is itself an expression of great power rivalry. It is aimed both at Europe and the United States." Yvette Cooper, the British foreign secretary, said Thursday that as far as she was aware there was no discussion on the issue of access to minerals in Greenland as part of the talks. Trump has long talked up the prospect of America gaining access to riches buried deep beneath the Greenlandic ice, though in his Wednesday speech in Davos he insisted he wanted the island for its military value and not its mineral wealth. Instead, she said that the entente was built around launching a NATO mission, known as Arctic Sentry, to bolster defense of the High North. In a veiled jab at Trump, Merz warned the U.S. against succumbing to power politics, saying, Germany went down this road to its bitter end. It pulled the world into a black abyss." Despite Trump dropping his threat on the continent, Merz warned that any new tariffs levied at European Union countries would be met by a measured but firm answer. Now we must repair the trust on which the alliance is built," he added. Write to Max Colchester at Max.Colchester@wsj.com, Yaroslav Trofimov at yaroslav.trofimov@wsj.com and Bertrand Benoit at bertrand.benoit@wsj.com The SCALE of the renewables revolution in China is almost too vast for the human mind to grasp. By the end of last year, the country had installed 887 gigawatts of solar-power capacityclose to double Europes and Americas combined total. The 22m tonnes of steel used to build new wind turbines and solar panels in 2024 would have been enough to build a Golden Gate Bridge on every working day of every week that year. China generated 1,826 terawatt-hours of wind and solar electricity in 2024, five times more than the energy contained in all 600 of its nuclear weapons. In the context of the cold war, the distinctive measure of a superpower" was the combination of a continental span and a world-threatening nuclear arsenal. The coming-together of Chinas enormous manufacturing capacity and its ravenous appetite for copious, cheap, domestically produced electricity deserves to be seen in a similar world-changing light. They have made China a new type of superpower: one which deploys clean electricity on a planetary scale. Read the rest of our cover package As a consequence, China is reshaping the worlds energy outlook, its geopolitics and its capacity to limit the catastrophic effects of climate change. The main reason countries have yet to decarbonise their economies is because they lack the means to do so. And that is what China is fixing. It is providing ever greater amounts of clean-energy capacity to the world at prices which are cheaper than any alternative, including coal and natural gas. China can produce almost a terawatt of renewable-energy capacity in a year. That is enough to supply as much energy as more than 300 big nuclear-power plants. And the dynamic that created all this generating capacity is far from exhausted. Chinas huge demandit generates a third of the worlds electricityis being met by ever more efficient production which makes the end product cheaper and cheaper. This, in turn, allows it to meet even more demand, and so on. The subsidies that started to turn this virtuous circle are increasingly beside the point; indeed, many are being withdrawn. Thanks to this capacityand a tendency to set itself easy targetsChina has exceeded, or is on course to exceed, most of the pledges it has made under the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change since signing the Paris agreement ten years ago. The politicians, negotiators, lobby groups and hangers-on gathering in Brazil for the 30th UNFCCCs COP summit will do so in a context shaped by Chinas latest pledges to more than double the countrys renewable-energy capacity and make a modest but quantified cut in emissions by 2035. (Both targets may well be exceeded.) As important, China is exporting its revolution to the rest of the world. Americas current government rejects renewable technologies. In Europe industry is hollowing out and voters are rebelling against expensive green policies. But it is in developing countries that the fight against climate change will be won or lost, and it is there that Chinese renewables will make the most difference. China is now making more money from exporting green technology than America makes from exporting fossil fuels. This trend will continue simply because renewables are cheap; if you doubt the appeal, count the solar panels on Pakistani roofs. The work China does on cutting emissions at homeever cheaper renewables, more abundant storage which makes those renewables more useful, better electricity markets, long transmission lines and all sorts of associated expertisewill thus be increasingly relevant, and sellable, beyond its borders. This anti-emissions machine is powered by self-interest. More clean tech elsewhere lowers Chinas own climate risks by reducing global emissions. At the same time it brings economic benefits. For many years countries economic and climate interests have often been thought to diverge, encouraging a free-rider problem in which they seek the benefits of slowing climate change while dodging its costs. Today the economic and climate incentives of the worlds biggest manufacturer and many of its export markets are increasingly aligned. The idea of a low-carbon future built on Chinas industrial capacity brings worries. For one thing, China still seems unwilling to give up coal as quickly as it might. If it committed itself more wholeheartedly to reshaping its grid infrastructure and its energy markets, and put a price on carbon emissions, it could move from renewables as an adjunct to the countrys coal-based system to renewables as the means of its demise. For the rest of the world, the concern is security. Single-party China, under the unfettered leadership of Xi Jinping, is repressive at home and ruthlessly self-serving abroad. The way in which it exploits its advantages, such as the ones it has built up in the supply of rare earths and other critical minerals, makes the prospect of relying on it for anything valuable a frightening one. China can allay these worries by moving larger chunks of its manufacturing base and associated technology to companies it invests in elsewhere. Ensnaring poor countries in debt, as its Belt and Road Initiative has done in some places, only hurts its own commercial prospects. But the anxieties of the fossil-fuel agethat someone, somewhere, will turn off the tapsdo not apply to technologies which, once installed, produce power regardless of what their makers may have to say. Solar cells cannot be suborned in the way that silicon chips might be. Let the sunshine in And the benefits could be enormous. Although the possibility of reducing greenhouse-gas emissions so dramatically as to limit the increase in global temperatures to just 1.5Cendorsed in Parisnow lies firmly in the past, solar and wind offer the best hope of limiting further rises. And even if climate change is not your priority, you should be excited at the prospect of cheap, abundant clean energy and its promise to improve billions of lives in developing countries. The world needs what China has to offer. It should take it. For subscribers only: to see how we design each weeks cover, sign up to our weekly Cover Story newsletter. Those of a religious bent might accuse stereotypical Davos Man"immense fortune, private jet, outrageous hypocrisy, spine-tingling pomposityof the sin of pride. In which case President Trumps speech Wednesday to the World Economic Forum at Davos felt like a form of divine retribution. It was a wild day, with Mr. Trump berating Europe even as he said he wont invade Greenland after all. Americas allies (and their many friends in the U.S. Congress) have been reeling since Mr. Trump on Saturday threatened to impose tariffs on a handful of countries if they obstruct his effort to buy the arctic island from Denmark. What a difference a market rout on Tuesday makes. U.S. stock indexes soared Wednesday on word that he wont invade. And they climbed again when several hours later Mr. Trump announced he wont impose the tariffs after he had reached a framework of a future deal" on Greenland with the North Atlantic Treaty Organization. Details to come. Yet how embarrassing for Europe in particular. Mr. Trump pointed out that Denmark and other European allies would struggle to defend Greenland from the U.S. or anyone else. Its the United States alone that can protect this giant mass of land, this giant piece of ice, develop it and improve it," he said. Which is true. This followed a long riff about Europes many economic dysfunctions, especially on energy policy. He referred to the European Unions flagship Green New Deal climate policies as the green new scam," chastised Britain for failing to tap more North Sea oil, and mocked the catastrophic energy collapse which befell every European nation" in recent years. Also all true. *** Call it the Davos disconnect. The bien pensant political and business leaders who show up to these confabs espouse a liberal order" of democracy and free markets. But they then rely on the U.S. to enforce their values around the world while also generating sufficient global prosperity to allow them to fund their growth-killing welfare states and climate pieties at the expense of their own militaries. As Mr. Trump reminded them, European leaders required sustained U.S. prodding before they ramped up defense spending to provide for their own security. They depend on the U.S. to lead them in supporting Ukraine as it fends off a Russian invasion that Europe was unable to deter or end. Mr. Trump harps to an unhelpful degree on this helplessness, and his insults and bullying threats over Greenland have alienated Europe to a needless extent. His Greenland threats also arent playing well in Congress or with American voters. But the barbs hit hard among the Davos crowd because they know they depend on the U.S. more than theyd like, and they know its their own fault. Yet even now that Mr. Trump is calling into question American support for allies, many of them assume the only alternative is to cozy up to China, at least economically. Witness Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney, who won plaudits for his Davos speech Tuesday that mourned the end of the rules-based order" and calling on middle powers such as Canada to form new, realpolitik alliances to stand up to the great powers. In a world of great-power rivalry, the countries in between have a choice: compete with each other for favor or to combine to create a third path with impact," Mr. Carney saiddays after he traveled to Beijing to compete for favor from the Communist regime. Canada, with abundant natural resources including oil and a famously well-educated population, nonetheless has been a habitual defense-spending laggard within NATO (it barely meets the 2%-of-GDP target). Middle power" indeed. *** The hypocrisy would be amusing if the deepening rift between the U.S. and its allies werent so dangerous. But China and Russia are watching. They see how easily Mr. Trump can be goaded into antagonizing staunch allies such as NATO partners, and how vulnerable those allies are. Our enemies would like nothing better than to see Greenland become the cause of a permanent Atlantic rift that blows up NATO. They also see how distractible all these parties are. As NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte warned Wednesday, the Greenland fiasco is diverting attention from the more urgent problem of Ukraine. The West needs statesmen who can settle the Greenland dispute in a way that enhances U.S. security and NATO. Lets hope Mr. Trumps framework" begins to close the Davos divide. The Qatari-donated plane being overhauled to become a new Air Force One jet is on track to be delivered to President Trump this summer, according to the Air Force. While the exact delivery date hasnt yet been determined, it is possible the plane, painted in the red, white and dark-blue scheme favored by the president, could be part of the July festivities celebrating the countrys 250th birthday. The Air Force remains committed to expediting delivery of the VC-25 bridge aircraft in support of the Presidential airlift mission, with an anticipated delivery no later than summer 2026," according to an Air Force statement to The Wall Street Journal. Until Wednesday, the Air Force hadnt provided a specific timeframe for the aircrafts delivery, although Trump previously said the plane could be ready as soon as February. Trump has planned a series of events throughout the year in commemoration of the countrys 250th birthday. An event on the National Mall featuring performers and fireworks is slated for July 4. It couldnt be determined whether the plane will be a fully functional Air Force One by then, beyond likely containing a secure communications system and sporting a new coat of paint. Details of the project remain classified, and an Air Force spokesperson declined to provide more information. Both of the 747s that are currently used as the primary aircraft for the Air Force One mission have been in service since the George H.W. Bush administration in the early 1990s.The jets are highly capable, purpose-built aircraft that can refuel in flight, defend against missiles and contain specialized communication gear that allows the president to remain connected in flight as though he were in the White House. On Tuesday, the plane flying Trump, his staff and reporters to the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, had to turn around over the Atlantic Ocean because of an electrical issue," forcing Trump to return to the Washington area and board another aircraft. White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt joked after the incident that the Qatari jet is sounding much better" now. The minor mechanical issue proves President Trump is right, and the new Air Force One will be a welcome donation to the United States Air Force, not just for the President, but for the entire AF1 crew," Leavitt said in a statement Wednesday. Since his first term in office, Trump has complained that the planes he was using for Air Force One were too old and small. White House advisers have said they dislike long flights in the planes because the seats dont lie flat and the bathrooms are small. In 2018, Trump struck a deal with Boeing to pay $3.9 billion for two 747s that had been built for a Russian airline and never delivered. Boeing has fallen years behind schedule because of technical, supplier and workforce issues. The Air Force said in December that the first of the new planes wouldnt be delivered until mid-2028, just months before the end of Trumps second term. Aware of Trumps disappointment over the planes, the Qataris offered one of their jumbo jets to use in the meantime. Trump commissioned the defense contractor L3Harris to overhaul the 747-8 for his use before the two Boeing planes are delivered, The Wall Street Journal previously reported. The donation has raised ethical and security concerns among lawmakers and Trumps allies. While the Air Force hasnt acknowledged that L3Harris is doing the work, the plane has been spotted by media and aviation enthusiasts at a company facility in Waco, Texas. A spokesperson for L3Harris declined to comment about the companys work on the Qatari plane. Trump has been pushing the Air Force to get the Qatari plane ready for service, White House officials said, and staff have regularly asked for updates as the president continues to complain about the current jets. Air Force Secretary Troy Meink testified before lawmakers in June that the plane renovation would probably cost less than $400 million. Money to refurbish the jet is being pulled from leftover funds for a Pentagon program to replace aging nuclear missiles, according to the Air Force. In recent months, Air Force pilots have begun training on a 747-8 model owned by the cargo carrier Atlas Air, a person familiar with the program said. The Air Force announced in December that it would buy two additional 747-8 aircraft to establish an overall training and sustainment strategy" for its small fleet of Boeing jumbo jets. It couldnt be determined what will happen to the Qatari jet after Trump leaves office. One official said it might stay as property of the U.S. government and be used as a spare jet or training plane. The president has expressed interest in making the jet an attraction at Trumps planned presidential library in Miami, similar to how a retired Air Force One is on display at the President Ronald Reagan library in California. Someday, it will be like Ronald Reagan, they decommission them," Trump said of the plane used by Reagan. Itll go to my library." The Qatari gift has raised a number of ethical issues since Trump announced the donation this past spring. Some said the donation might violate the U.S. Constitutions Foreign Emoluments Clause, which restricts officials from accepting gifts from foreign states without congressional consent. Republican lawmakers and Trump allies have also raised concern about the security and optics of accepting a plane from a foreign country. The conservative commentator Ben Shapiro called it skeezy." The influencer Laura Loomer posted on social media, We cannot accept a $400 million gift from jihadists in suits." Trump said he would be stupid" to turn down the gift from Qatar and called it a great gesture." Write to Marcus Weisgerber at marcus.weisgerber@wsj.com, Josh Dawsey at Joshua.Dawsey@WSJ.com and Meridith McGraw at Meridith.McGraw@WSJ.com President Trump touts his Board of Peace as an organization of accomplished leaders that will displace the United Nations, with him as permanent chairman. But so far it is a group of countries more interested in currying favor with him than in solving pressing conflicts. Russia and China havent accepted Trumps invitation, and even longtime U.S. allies the U.K. and France say they are reluctant, worried about joining an organization subject to Trumps whims that could give equal status to authoritarians such as Russian President Vladimir Putin. Trump presided over a signing ceremony for the boards charter Thursday in Davos, Switzerland, joined on stage by leaders from Argentina, Hungary, Indonesia, Saudi Arabia, Turkey and 14 other countries. Once this board is completely formed, we can do pretty much whatever we want," Trump said, adding well do it in conjunction with the United Nations." British Foreign Secretary Yvette Cooper told the BBC on Thursday that the U.K. wouldnt be signing on to the board for now, in part because of concerns over the potential involvement of Putin. She said the U.K. wanted to support the peace plan for Gaza but the board was a legal treaty that raises much broader issues." To the holdouts, the board is a new international club built alarmingly around Trump, without the protections of the U.N. For the countries that have joined, it is a chance for access to Trump and a bigger, albeit still supporting, diplomatic role. This is a global Mar-a-Lago," Nicholas Westcott, a professor at the University of London and a former senior British diplomat, said of the countries rushing to join the Board of Peace. Thats exactly the kind of world Trump wants, where everybodys coming to his club for some crumbs from the great mans table." China, Russia, France and Britains wariness about the organization stems from concern over coming under Trumps control in a way that they arent as permanent members of the U.N. Security Council, where each has a veto, analysts said. Many other smaller countries that see the U.N. as the main international forum where they can exercise influence are at least as dubious. The board was created to oversee the reconstruction of postwar Gaza. But its charter, which was drafted by the White House, says the boards goal is to promote stability, restore dependable and lawful governance, and secure enduring peace in areas affected or threatened by conflict." It also requires countries seeking permanent seats to commit to a $1 billion payment to fund the boards activities. Nothing in the charter confines its operations to Gaza. The unusual terms underscore that the board is part of Trumps multi-front push in his second term to replace the post-World War II international order with a new architecture that is directly under his control and whose work may go well beyond Gaza. Its going to get a lot of work done that the United Nations should have done," Trump told reporters in Davos, defending his decision to offer a seat to Putin. Yeah, I have some controversial people on it, but these are people who get things done." Trump said Wednesday that Putin had accepted an invitation to the board, but the Kremlin has said only that it was considering the invitation. In a sign that Russia may seek to use its decision on joining as leverage, Putin said Thursday that the Kremlin is ready to contribute $1 billion to the Board of Peace if it could draw on frozen Russian assets, according to the Russian state news agency TASS. We have already discussed such options with representatives of the American administration," Putin said. Invitations to foreign governments to join the board went out less than a month after Trump ordered unilateral military action to remove Venezuelan leader Nicolas Maduro, saying he would be controlling the country and its oil reserves. It also coincided with his escalating dispute with Europe over an attempted U.S. takeover of Greenland from Denmark. For most governments, the decision on whether to join the new organization comes down to a calculation about whether they can secure more benefits for themselves on the inside or on the outside. Notably absent from the roster of participating countries are European governments, with the exception of Hungary and a few others. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said he had been asked to join the board, but had reservations about joining if Putin also became a member. For Europeans, a decision about joining the organization is a difficult one, especially if Trump uses the forum to pursue a peace agreement to settle the Ukraine war, said Westcott. The big dilemma for Europeans is if Trump wants to use it to start discussing Ukraine and theyre not there, it is a carve up between Trump and Putin, which is the way both of them like to see the world. You have some bits of Europe and Ill have the other bits," he said. One of the only foreign leaders to publicly reject the U.S. invitation was Slovenias Prime Minister Robert Golob, who told a local news outlet he had declined because the board dangerously interferes with the broader international order." With few staff, no authorization under international law to intervene except in Gaza and none of the legitimacy the U.N. enjoys, the board is unlikely to last beyond Trumps presidency, even if he does remain as chairman after leaving office, analysts say. The board has no mandate, no practical way of functioning and no governing principles that might attract heavyweights," said Aaron David Miller, a former senior State Department official now with the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace. The obstacles will make it hard to gain traction." Past U.S. presidents have also bemoaned the U.N.s shortcomings, taken unilateral military action in violation of the world bodys charter, slashed the U.S. contribution to its budget, and sometimes used their veto in the Security Council to block multilateral peace initiatives. But few have matched Trumps sidelining of the U.N., an institution the U.S. helped establish to prevent wars and has defended for decades, despite its shortcomings. The Security Council voted unanimously in November, with Russia and China abstaining, to back Trumps Gaza cease-fire plan, saying it welcomed" the Board of Peaces involvement. U.N. officials have voiced increasing alarm as Trumps plans to expand its mandate have taken shape. Write to David S. Cloud at david.cloud@wsj.com and Alexander Ward at alex.ward@wsj.com The U.S. is rushing to move captured Islamic State fighters out of northeast Syria amid fears that tensions between pro-government forces and a Kurdish-led militia could lead to a security breakdown and the escape of thousands of militants. A group of 150 ISIS fighters who have been held at a prison in Hasakah were flown on a U.S. C-17 Wednesday to an undisclosed location in Iraq, U.S. officials said. Up to 7,000 additional ISIS fighters could be moved to Iraq in the coming days, the officials added. The transfer shows the challenges in building a new order in Syria following the overthrow of former President Bashar al-Assad in December 2024 and fears that ISIS remnants might seize on instability to attempt a comeback. Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa signed a deal earlier this week with the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces that established a cease-fire and called for the integration of individual SDF members into the Syrian army and interior ministry. The speedy transfer of detainees reflects fears that the truce might collapse or that security at detention centers could fray. This is because there is little confidence that this cease-fire is going to last," said Charles Lister, a senior fellow at the Middle East Institute. It is also reflective frankly of the fact that the U.S. does not have the troop capacity to take charge even temporarily of the facilities themselves." The U.S.-led coalition defeated ISIS militants and collapsed their self-declared caliphate in 2019. But remnants of the group have been attempting to regroup. The militant group has long sought to swell its ranks through prison breaks. In recent days, some low-level prisoners escaped from a facility holding ISIS detainees in the town of Shaddadi in eastern Syria amid fighting around the facility. Many of these prisoners were recaptured by Syrian government forces, who assumed control of that prison after SDF guards left. The new Syrian government, led by former rebel leader Sharaa, took power in December 2024 after a lightning offensive that toppled Assad, an authoritarian leader. Sharaas government joined the U.S.-led coalition against ISIS in November coinciding with a November visit by the new Syrian president to the White House. Since then a major challenge has been how to integrate the Kurdish-led SDF, which the U.S. military worked with during the campaign against ISIS, with the new Syrian authorities. The original purpose of the SDF as the primary anti-ISIS force on the ground has largely expired, as Damascus is now both willing and positioned to take over security responsibilities, including control of ISIS detention facilities and camps," said President Trumps special envoy for Syria, Tom Barrack, on social media on Tuesday. The statement signaled the end to a more than decadelong U.S. security partnership with the SDF, a coalition of Kurdish and Arab fighters who have operated a small state within a state in northeastern Syria for years. It also opened a new chapter in the U.S. counterterrorism strategy in which Washington is aligning itself with Sharaas forces. The persistent challenge from ISIS was illustrated in December when a gunman ambushed U.S. forces near Palmyra. Two of the Americans killed were members of the Iowa National Guard while the third U.S. fatality was a civilian interpreter. The U.S. responded with a series of punishing airstrikes, including one last week that the U.S. Central Command, which oversees American forces in the Middle East, said killed an al Qaeda leader connected to the gunman. More than 300 ISIS operatives have been captured and more than 20 have been killed over the past year, the command said. The Wednesday transfer of the ISIS detainees caught many observers by surprise and appeared to reflect the fraught security in northeast Syria following the government offensive. Sundays tenuous cease-fire followed a rapid offensive against the SDF, which collapsed as Arab factions flipped sides to join the government. Facilitating the orderly and secure transfer of ISIS detainees is critical to preventing a breakout that would pose a direct threat to the United States and regional security," Adm. Brad Cooper, the leader of the Central Command, said in a statement. ISIS first burst on to the world scene in 2014 when it took over much of northeast Syria and poured over the border into Iraq, capturing Mosul, Iraqs second-largest city. The Obama and first Trump administration spent years organizing a coalition to rout the group. While the Iraqis provided virtually all of the ground troops, the U.S. provided air power and advisers. The collapse of the ISIS caliphate, however, left the U.S. with another problem. Thousands of hardened ISIS fighters were held in a network of detention facilities in northeast Syria. Many of them were from foreign countries whose governments have been reluctant to take them back. Tens of thousands of refugees, including the families of ISIS fighters, were also held at the Al-Hol camp as well. Turning over the camps to then Syrian President Assad was a nonstarter for the U.S. But Sharaas rise to power has enabled the U.S. to shift control of the camp to the Syrian government. Write to Michael R. Gordon at michael.gordon@wsj.com and Jared Malsin at jared.malsin@wsj.com Insurers may not readily offer tax liability insurance for merger and acquisition (M&A) deals and will subject them to stricter scrutiny given the risks of retrospective taxes, consulting and law firms cautioned, days after the Supreme Court ruled that Tiger Global must pay capital gains tax on its Flipkart share sale years ago. Even if insurers provide cover for such deals, they are likely to charge higher premiums and tighten terms to account for potential tax and legal risks, they added. The entire availability of insurance to protect a sellers tax liability in such situations may undergo a fundamental change. We will now have to wait and watch how willing insurance companies are to underwrite treaty-related tax risks in future transactions," said Ankur Nishar, partner-tax at KPMG India at a webinar. On 15 January, the Supreme Court (SC) ruled that US-based private equity firm Tiger Global must pay India capital gains tax on its $1.6 billion Flipkart stake sale to American retail giant Walmart in 2018. Tiger Global's request for a tax exemption citing the Mauritius tax treaty was rejected by the tax department, but upheld by the Delhi High Court. However, the SCs ruling overturned the HC verdict, making Tiger liable to pay tax in India, in what became a precedent-setting verdict for investors from countries with which India has tax treaties. "In our view, once it is factually found that the unlisted equity shares, on the sale of which the assessees derived capital gains, were transferred pursuant to an arrangement impermissible under law, the assessees are not entitled to claim exemption under Article 13(4) of the DTAA. The Revenue has proved that the transactions in the instant case are impermissible tax-avoidance arrangements, and the evidence prima facie establishes that they do not qualify as lawful," said the SC bench of Justices R. Mahadevan and J.B. Pardiwala. Tiger Global's Flipkart share sale to Walmart was undertaken by its Mauritian entities. "Taxing an income arising out of its own country is an inherent Sovereign right to that country. Any application of filters or diffusers to this is a direct attack or threat to its sovereignty which can affect a Nations long-term interest," said Justice Pardiwala in a separate concurring opinion. Also Read | The SCs Tiger Global ruling may dent the confidence of foreign investors Article 13(4) of the Double Taxation Avoidance Agreement deals with capital gains. A deal like this would typically be covered under a tax liability or tax indemnity insurance, in which scenario such a judgement will trigger a claim," said a senior executive at one of the top global insurance brokers operating in India. "It is a big judgement in the sense that it could have implications for taxation insurance as a whole," the executive added. Tax liability insurance ringfences a tax risk and keeps it out of sale negotiations. This means that the seller need not give tax warranties or indemnities, and the buyer cannot use potential tax risks to renegotiate deal price. The cover, common in M&A deals, can apply to multiple past or planned tax positions and protects against challenges by tax authorities, such as tax disputes over historical structures, as in the Tiger GlobalFlipkart case. Mint has learnt that since the SC order, consulting firms have held multiple meetings with their clients, insurance companies, insurance brokers and their advisors on what precautions to take going ahead. However, in light of the Supreme Courts finding that even legacy structures may be evaluated as an impermissible avoidance arrangement, insurers may apply exclusion clauses more strictly, making payouts in such cases increasingly unlikely," said Kalpesh Desai partner for M&A tax for KPMG in India. One of the top four audit and consulting companies had a meeting with their clients over the last couple of days, studying the impact of the Supreme Court verdict on their deals and stake sales. Insurance companies will stay away from covering deals even if they are cleared by the tribunal or high court. They will wait for the apex courts verdict for a go-ahead," said a senior tax partner in the firm. Dinesh Kanabar, chairman and chief executive officer of tax advisory firm Dhruva Advisors India Pvt Ltd, said that the SC verdict will prompt an increased perception of scrutiny, uncertainty and risk", leading to an increase in premium". Insurance companies charge premiums taking into account their perception of risk. There is a possibility that the Government/Central Board of Direct Taxes may come out with some guidelines to allay fears of challenges from the judgement. Should that happen, it may have a soothing effect". Law firms said that legal structuring for M&A deals will become more stringent, particularly when transactions are being insured. Withholding tax insurances had become commonplace especially in private equity deals where providing long-drawn tax indemnities was not commercially feasible," explained Gouri Puri, partner for tax at law firm Shardul Amarchand Mangaldas & Co. Withholding tax is where a payer deducts the income tax before paying to the recipient. However, the SC judgment has changed the legal landscape against which withholding tax insurances were being issued. There will also be higher scrutiny around the levels of substance underlying the holding company structures by insurance firms and their advisors before agreeing to cover withholding tax risks," said Puri. Gold, Silver Rates Today LIVE: Gold and silver prices touched fresh record highs on Friday, supported by the ongoing geopolitical tensions, threats to the US Federal Reserves independence, and a weak US dollar. Gold price rose to an all-time high of $4,989.54 per ounce in the evening session and is on track for a weekly gain of more than 7%, while silver also hit a record high of $101.168 per ounce. Gold rate rose 0.5% to $4,959.39 an ounce and silver price jumped 0.7% to $96.91, also setting a record high. Escalating geopolitical risks in Venezuela, Iran and Greenland, and renewed criticism of the Federal Reserve by US President Donald Trump, has added momentum to the so-called debasement trade. This trend reflects a shift by investors away from sovereign bonds and currencies toward alternative safe-haven assets such as gold. MCX Gold, Silver Prices In the domestic market, MCX gold price scaled fresh peak on Friday. MCX gold price higher at 1,58,889 per 10 grams as against its previous close of 1,56,341 level. MCX gold rate hit a record high of 1,59,226 level. MCX silver price opened higher at 3,33,333 per kg as against its previous close of 3,27,289 level. MCX silver price hit a record high of 3,39,927 level. Gold-silver ratio: Motilal Oswal picks gold ahead of silver Gold-silver ratio: Motilal Oswal picks gold ahead of silver The sharp 200% surge in silver prices over the past 12 months has not only outpaced golds 80% return but has also compressed the goldsilver ratio. This has led domestic brokerage Motilal Oswal Financial Services (MOSFL) to suggest that gold is better positioned for the next leg of the precious metals upmove. Stay tuned to our Gold, Silver Rates Today Live Blog for the latest updates Even as silver prices have outperformed gold in percentage terms in over a year, billionaire investor and Bridgewater Associates founder Ray Dalio remains firmly bullish on gold. He believes that gold is not a speculative trade, but a structural bet as the global monetary order is breaking down. After outshining gold rates last year, silver price outperformance continues in 2026 as well on a month-to-date basis. Silver prices have risen 37% in the domestic spot market in January so far, as against a 16% rise in gold. Last year, both precious metals recorded their best gains since 1979. Golds rise reflects stress in the monetary order According to Ray Dalio, the global monetary order, made up of fiat currencies and debt, as a store of wealth, is not being held by central banks in the same way. Central banks, sovereign wealth funds and others are buying gold as a diversifier. Dalio told CNBC at Davos 2026 that both the holders of US dollar denominated debt and the United States are worried about each other. And due to the trade wars unleashed by US President Donald Trump, Dalio says that we cannot ignore the possibility of capital wars. "In other words, maybe there's not the same inclination to buy US debt," he cautioned. This, Dalio says, helps explain why gold has quietly become one of the best-performing major asset classes over the past year, outpacing even technology stocks and contributing to the underperformance of US markets relative to overseas peers. Gold is not a metal to speculate on, Dalio told CNBC at Davos 2026. It is the second-largest reserve currency. Historically, Dalio said that during times of conflicts and international geopolitical conflicts, even allies do not want to hold each other's debt and prefer hard currency a pattern that has been repeated over centuries. While silvers rally has grabbed headlines due to its sharper price moves, Dalio believes golds strength is more meaningful because of who is buying it. Central banks, sovereign wealth funds and official institutions particularly outside the US have been steadily increasing their gold holdings. How much gold should investors hold? Dalio believes gold is an effective diversifier and, regardless of the price, it should form 5% to 15% of an investor's portfolio a stance he has often repeated. Dalio believes that gold performs very well when other assets do not. "It's an effective diversifier. So if you had no views of the markets, that's what you would have." Also Read | Five reasons why gold is surging toward $5,000 an ounce He also argues that central banks, on average, still hold less gold than they ideally should, even after the recent accumulation. Despite the rally, official positions remain short of gold relative to historical norms, Dalio told CNBC, Romanian company Avioane Craiova reported the start of flight tests for modernized IAR-99 SM (Soim) training-combat aircraft it's noted that the first flights of these machines were successful, and this indicates that we're talking not about a symbolic gesture, but about a concrete, long-awaited step forward. Airline general director Nicu Felcoi emphasized that the IAR-99 aircraft modernization project is beginning to give visible results after years of delays and obstacles, his words are quoted by Defense Romania publication. IAR-99 / Photo credit: Avioane Craiova Avioane Craiova head also claims they have a real chance to transfer the first modernized aircraft in the near future. But it's extremely important that the Romanian state through its decisions or inaction doesn't drive its company to bankruptcy, Felcoi says, directly addressing the country's defense department not to impose penalty sanctions on the company for delays with IAR-99 aircraft modernization. IAR-99 / Photo credit: Avioane Craiova So, the thing is that Romania, which besides 11 modernized IAR-99C Soim training-combat aircraft, had 10 more machines in basic IAR-99 Standard version deciding to modernize these aircraft, in 2020 a contract was concluded with Israeli Elbit Systems for their modernization. The agreement execution timeframe was four years; however, it wasn't possible to modernize these aircraft on time first there were delays from Elbit Systems, and later from Romanian Avioane Craiova, which due to weather conditions couldn't start flight tests of these training-combat aircraft last year. IAR-99 / Photo credit: Avioane Craiova Romania also emphasizes that as of today, IAR-99 Soim aircraft are a very important component for retraining Romanian pilots for F-16 fighters given the overcrowded training center at 86th Air Base in Borcea. Budget 2026: Falling in 11 out of the 15 trading sessions in January so far, the Indian stock market's benchmark indices have lost over 3% on a month-to-date (MTD) basis in the run-up to the Union Budget. Apart from Budget-related jitters, the uncertain geopolitical environment and elusive India Inc earnings seem to be weighing on investor sentiment. BSE Sensex closed Thursday's session at 82,307, down 3.4% against the December close. Its broader NSE counterpart, Nifty 50, has lost 3.28% in the same period as it trades below the 25,300 level. The pain is deeper as you move down the rung, as Nifty Midcap 100 and Nifty Smallcap 100 indices are down 4.2% and 5.8%, respectively, in January alone. While the markets are in a perfect storm as headwinds from Trump tariffs to trade war fears and FII selling, the question remains how to position ahead of the mega event and the pockets that offer value following the steep correction. Sectors to look ahead of Budget 2026 In light of the sharp pre-Budget correction, investors looking for safety and value should consider a defensive rotation mixed with strategic long-term bets, advise analysts. They are bullish on the banking space, especially large lenders, along with select PSUs and companies from the manufacturing space. Santosh Meena, Head of Research at Swastika Investmart, said the private lenders like HDFC Bank, Kotak Mahindra Bank, and Federal Bank have seen their valuations moderate significantly, offering a favourable entry point relative to their historical averages. Also Read | Budget 2026: 5 key announcements retail investors should watch Simultaneously, despite the recent pullback in broader markets, he believes the structural story for PSUs remains intact. Meena recommended stocks like ONGC, BEL, and Hindustan Copper are compelling due to their alignment with energy security, defence indigenisation, and industrial demand. Additionally, allocating capital to the FMCG sector can provide a necessary defensive hedge, offering earnings visibility and stability to the portfolio during this period of heightened volatility, he added. Echoing a similar view, Balaji Rao Mudili, Research Analyst at Bonanza, said while defensives, (FMCG, pharma) offer a valuation safety net, the primary engines of India's GDP growth are expected to be banking (BFSI) and manufacturing. "In manufacturing, the defence sector can be focused due to higher allocation expectations in the budget following the need of increasing security on the borders and a push towards indigenisation efforts, i.e. creating import substitution and promoting Make in India initiatives. Additionally, global headwinds leading to war-like situations can benefit defence stocks," Rao opined. Union Budget 2026: Amid all the geopolitical noise, investors' focus is on the mega-policy event the Union Budget 2026 for the financial year 2026-2027 (FY27), which the Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman will present on February 1. Market participants expect the government to announce measures that can propel economic growth without compromising on fiscal prudence. Expectations are high that the Finance Minister will announce measures to boost consumption, support manufacturing, and accelerate economic growth. Markets will cheer a Budget that prioritises structural growth over short-term populism. Let's take a look at five key announcements retail investors should watch 1. Government's focus on fiscal consolidation An increased focus on fiscal consolidation will be a long-term positive for the economy and markets, as it will boost investors' confidence, attract foreign investments, improve sovereign credit ratings, and support the currency. India aims to narrow the fiscal deficit and bring central government debt towards 50% of gross domestic product (GDP) by FY31. "From an investors perspective, the key focus areas in this Budget will be fiscal discipline, continuity in capital expenditure, and policy stability. Markets will closely watch the governments commitment to its fiscal deficit roadmap, as that has a direct bearing on bond yields, currency stability, and overall sentiment," said Gaurav Bhandari, the CEO of Monarch Networth Capital. 2. The capex roadmap Fiscal consolidation is important. So is government capital expenditure. Over the last few years, government capital expenditure has been the key driver of the Indian economy's growth. Sustained focus on infra projects will cheer the market mood. "Sustained capex allocation towards infrastructure, defence, power, and manufacturing remains critical for long-term growth," said Bhandari. 3. LTCG rationalisation Investors will also look for stability in taxation, particularly around capital gains and personal taxes, as any surprises could impact flows. In the Union Budget 2024, the government increased the long-term capital gains (LTCG) tax to 12.5%, while also increasing the exemption limit to 1.25 lakh from 1 lakh. The market is expecting rationalisation of LTCG tax and an increase in the exemption limit. "If a person is selling equity based on mutual fund units after 5-7 years, 1.25 lakh tax exemption is a low threshold, said Mihir Tanna, Associate Director of Direct Tax at SK Patodia and Associate LLP. Bhuvaneshwari A., Managing Director (MD) and CEO of SBICAP Securities, told Mint that the government should rationalise the LTCG tax regime for PAN-linked retail investors, as a calibrated behavioural nudge. "Rewarding longer holding periods with reduced tax rates incentivises financial discipline, broadens participation, and supports market stability. With the right thresholds, such a move can be revenue-neutral while structurally aligning household savings with Indias long-term growth," Bhuvaneshwari told Mint. 4. Divestment plans The focus will also be on the divestment plans as they will reduce the government's borrowing needs and increase liquidity in the system, boosting market sentiment. "Government borrowing programs and PSU divestment targets (e.g., via stake sales in banks or energy firms) will influence liquidity. Strong divestment (potentially 50,000-60,000 crore) could reduce borrowing needs, supporting equity markets by freeing up capital," said Vinit Bolinjkar, the head of research at Ventura. 5. Push on infra, job creation According to the global investment bank Morgan Stanley, the government will focus on sustained capital expenditure to support job creation, targeted social sector spending, and a renewed push on structural reforms. Major announcements on these fronts will be a long-term positive for the economy. According to Bolinjkar, capital expenditure outlay, projected at 12-13 lakh crore (10-12% YoY growth), will drive multipliers in roads, railways, and urban infrastructure, benefiting related sectors, such as capital goods, infrastructure and power. This could also drive demand for other related stocks such as cement, steel and building materials. Apart from the above five key announcements, investors will also focus on other investor-specific announcements. According to Bolinjkar, clarity on transfer pricing, safe harbour rules, and exemptions for IFSC units in GIFT City could attract more FDI and FPI investments. Extensions of startup tax holidays to 2030 and MAT (Minimum Alternate Tax) exemptions for foreign firms might spur venture capital inflows, said Bolinjkar. Investment strategy ahead of Budget The Indian stock market is witnessing heightened volatility ahead of the Union Budget. Experts say investors, who are pursuing safety and value, should consider defensives, mixed with strategic long-term bets. According to Santosh Meena, the head of research at Swastika Investmart, the most attractive pockets of value currently appear to be large-cap private banks and select public sector undertakings (PSUs). "Private lenders like HDFC Bank, Kotak Mahindra Bank, and Federal Bank have seen their valuations moderate significantly, offering a favourable entry point relative to their historical averages," said Meena. "Despite the recent pullback in broader markets, the structural story for PSUs remains intact; stocks like ONGC, BEL, and Hindustan Copper are compelling due to their alignment with energy security, defence indigenisation, and industrial demand," Meena said. According to Prashanth Tapse, Senior VP (Research), Mehta Equities, gradual accumulation is best directed towards domestic growth and policy-backed sectors that offer high earnings visibility and are relatively insulated from US tariff actions and volatile FII flows. "Segments such as infrastructure, capital goods, railways and defence continue to benefit from a strong government capex pipeline, multi-year order backlogs, and improving execution capabilities, providing confidence in medium-term revenue and margin sustainability," Tapse said. Tapse underscored that balance sheet strength and order book quality should remain key selection criteria rather than thematic exposure alone. "Investors should remain cautious in the near term on export-oriented sectors, particularly those with high dependence on the US and global trade cycles. Tariff uncertainties, potential demand moderation, and pricing pressures could weigh on earnings visibility, making risk-reward less favourable until there is greater clarity on global growth and trade policy direction," Tapse said. Read all Budget-related news here Read more stories by Nishant Kumar With the Union Budget 2026 scheduled for 1 February, the infrastructure sector is once again moving into focus for market participants, given the government's continued emphasis on capex-led growth. Historically, infrastructure has remained a budget favourite, and expectations this year point towards another meaningful push that could set the tone for stocks linked to roads, railways, construction, and cement. Market expectations currently centre on a 10-15% increase in capital expenditure, reinforcing the long-term intent outlined in the National Infrastructure Pipeline. Roads, railways, urban infrastructure, and housing are expected to remain priority areas, even as fiscal consolidation stays on the agenda. In addition, targeted policy support for aviation, space infrastructure, and real estate could broaden opportunities across the sector. Also Read | Why silver price is rising Analysts believe such measures may improve credit flow to infrastructure-linked MSMEs, accelerate project execution through digital processes, and support order inflows for engineering and construction companies. Recent policy discussions have strengthened this narrative, with proposals around higher allocations for aviation infrastructure, possible classification of space as critical infrastructure, and continued emphasis on public-private partnerships. If budget 2026 delivers along these lines, infrastructure stocksmany of which are trading well below recent highscould see renewed investor interest once sentiment stabilises. Technical and fundamental assessment From a stock-specific and technical perspective, several infrastructure names are currently in corrective or consolidation phases, reflecting broader market caution ahead of the budget event. IRB Infrastructure Developers Ltd has seen a sharp correction on the weekly chart, declining from the 77 zone to trade around the 40 level. Technically, the stock remains weak in the near term, but the 44 area has emerged as a crucial level to watch. A sustained move above this zone could open the door for a meaningful bounce-back. From a fundamentals standpoint, the stock is trading at around 1.16 times its book value, which appears reasonable for a road developer at this stage of the cycle. View Full Image Source: Trading View Encouragingly, debtor days have improved sharply from 48 to 16, indicating improved working capital efficiency. However, a low interest coverage ratio remains a key balance-sheet concern and could continue to cap upside unless operating performance improves. Larsen & Toubro Ltd, a bellwether for capital goods and construction activity, continues to be in a broader uptrend on the weekly chart despite the recent dip from the 4,188 zone to around 3,780. Momentum indicators remain supportive, with MACD staying positive and ADX near 28, indicating healthy trend strength. From a technical standpoint, the recent correction appears more like a retracement within a larger uptrend rather than a structural breakdown. View Full Image Source: Trading View Fundamentally, the company continues to maintain a healthy dividend payout ratio of around 33%, while its valuation at a P/E of roughly 32 appears reasonable given its execution track record and strong order book. The long-term structure remains constructive as long as the stock holds above the 3,400 region. In the railways space, Rail Vikas Nigam Ltd (RVNL) has undergone a deep correction from the 650 zone to around 322 levels. On the weekly chart, the stock is now trading close to a major support band near 290, which is an important level from a medium-term perspective. If this zone holds, the stock could see a recovery of 15-20% over time, particularly if budget allocations for railway modernization and project execution surprise on the upside. Fundamentally, RVNL has delivered a strong median sales growth of 25.8% over the past ten years, although growth over the last five years has been relatively muted at 6.52%. Investors should also note that recent earnings include a sizeable contribution from other income, which slightly dilutes the quality of reported profitability. View Full Image Source: Trading View Within the cement space, UltraTech Cement Ltd continues to show technical resilience on the weekly chart. Momentum indicators remain supportive, with MACD around 31 and RSI close to 60, signalling a clear underlying uptrend. With the stock currently trading near 12,353, the chart structure suggests scope for further upside toward the 14,000 zone over the medium term, provided broader market conditions remain stable. On the fundamentals side, the company maintains a healthy dividend payout ratio of about 29.4%, reflecting strong cash generation. However, the stock is trading at nearly five times its book value, which is a valuation risk investors should be mindful of, especially if cost pressures or demand slowdowns emerge. View Full Image Source: Trading View What to watch for While the infrastructure pack is witnessing short-term technical pressure and consolidation ahead of the budget 2026, the medium- to long-term narrative remains intact. Markets are likely to stay cautious in the run-up to the budget, but a clear capex-driven growth signal could trigger selective buying, particularly in stocks that show early signs of reversal on the charts. Price action around key support and resistance levels, volume expansion post-budget, and momentum indicators such as RSI and MACD will be critical in confirming any sustained up-move. Also Read | Is it time to sell stocks and buy gold? As always, the sector's trajectory will also depend on broader factors such as global commodity prices, interest-rate expectations, and the government's ability to balance growth priorities with fiscal discipline. With infrastructure firmly embedded in India's long-term growth story, the budget 2026 has the potential to once again set the tone for the sector in the months ahead. Ankush Bajaj is a Sebi-registered research analyst. His registration number is INH000010441. Investments in securities are subject to market risks. Read all the related documents carefully before investing. Registration granted by Sebi and certification from NISM in no way guarantee performance of the intermediary or provide any assurance of returns to investors. Disclaimer: The views and recommendations given in this article are those of individual analysts. These do not represent the views of Mint. We advise investors to check with certified experts before making any investment decisions. As the worlds third-largest oil consumer and fourth-largest refiner, India is pursuing a twin strategy of boosting domestic hydrocarbon output while accelerating diversification into gas and cleaner fuelsa priority reflected in pre-Budget consultations. For Budget 2026, industry expectations centre on measures to incentivise exploration and faster production, with the aim of raising domestic crude output towards 100 million tonnes (MT) and gas production to 50 billion cubic metres (BCM). There is also a push for rationalizing duties and taxes to help moderate retail fuel prices without compromising fiscal discipline. In parallel, the sugar and bio-energy industry has proposed repositioning the sector as a bio-energy hub". Its submissions call for stronger policy support for ethanol blending, compressed biogas and green hydrogen. Industry stakeholders have also sought a more robust National Mission on Green Hydrogen, including incentives for green bio-hydrogen" pathways that leverage agro-based feedstock. Indian refiners, meanwhile, are recalibrating crude sourcing strategies, increasingly tapping Middle Eastern spot markets as they diversify away from Russian supplies. The shift reflects not only energy security considerations but also New Delhis broader trade engagement with Washington, where energy remains a key pillar of negotiations. Prominent stocks across the oil, gas and bio-energy value chains include: Oil and Natural Gas Corp. (ONGC) Oil India Ltd Reliance Industries Ltd (refining, petrochemicals and new energy) Indian Oil Corp., Bharat Petroleum, and Hindustan Petroleum (OMCs) GAIL (India) Ltd and Petronet LNG (gas transmission and regasification) Praj Industries (biofuels and bio-energy engineering) These companies sit at the centre of themes spanning domestic exploration, refining, gas infrastructure, ethanol and advanced biofuels, and are typically sensitive to Budget signals on duties, pricing frameworks and incentive structures. Also Read | FPIs bank on options to raise gains from market fall However, after adding some additional set of validations we have decided to select some stocks that have been standing the test of time to demonstrate a possible recovery. View Full Image (TradingView) IOC (current market price 158.82) Indian Oil Corp. (IOC), the country's largest oil refiner, has shown resilient recovery in FY26 amid volatile crude prices and refining margins, with strong Q2 results driving stock gains. Pre-Budget 2026 expectations centre on tax rationalization and LPG under-recovery compensation to protect OMC margins, though risks from potential excise hikes linger. Over the last year (Jan 2025Jan 2026), the stock rose from around 128 to 158, a gain of over 23%, outperforming amid profitability turnaround. IOC has stepped up its purchases from spot markets, complementing its long-term contracts with Middle Eastern producers. By expanding its procurement of Basrah Medium from Iraq and Murban crude from the United Arab Emirates, IOC is ensuring flexibility in its supply chain while reinforcing Indias diplomatic positioning. Its scale and refining capacity make IOCs decisions particularly influential, setting the tone for other refiners in the country. View Full Image (TradingView) We decided to move higher in timeframe to get a better perspective. The lack of clarity kept the market tensed as the trends witnessed a sharp correction from August 2024 much before the market topped out and the trends worsened towards the end of 2024. The reaction that emerged resulted in the trends retracing 50% of the entire rally seen from covid lows. Also Read | Geopolitics trumps oil industry yet again In 2025 the slow and sedate recovery has now resulted in the market stabilizing. The recovery since early 2025 has been slow and measured. We can observe that the intermittent declines that we have seen is being bought into. From the chart above we can note that previous highs around 180 is few price steps ahead . However , the current volatile environment shall keep giving us some shocks. A saving grace if we have to consider is that whether the a Tenkan Sen and Kijus Sen recent cross on a higher timeframe could influence the prices higher. At the moment if the supports around 147 if maintained post Budget could give some new lease of life for an upmove to manifest. Yet, it is IOCs aggressive stance that underscores Indias evolving energy strategy. As the nations top refiner, IOCs diversification efforts highlight the importance of balancing affordability, availability, and geopolitical considerations. By anchoring purchases in the Middle East, IOC is not only safeguarding domestic energy needs but also strengthening Indias leverage in trade talks with the US. Together with BPCL and HPCL, IOCs actions reflect a coordinated industry-wide effort to secure resilience in an uncertain global oil market. Ahead of Budget 2026, IOC seeks OID cess review on domestic crude, lower GST on fuels/LPG, and higher subsidies for under-recoveries exceeding 30,000 crore in 9M FY25. Analysts favor IOC for elevated integrated margins ( 3,000/tonne) funding 6 trillion capex in refining/energy transition, but warn of excise hikes pressuring FY26 profitability. Positive signals could lift stock toward 172 207 targets. ONGC (current market price 242.37) Oil and Natural Gas Corp. (ONGC), India's largest upstream player, posted strong consolidated profits in FY26 despite standalone pressures from low crude prices and forex losses. Pre-Budget 2026 expectations focus on exploration incentives to hit 100 MMT crude ambition, with upstream firms like ONGC better positioned than OMCs against potential excise risks. Over the last year (Jan 2025Jan 2026), the stock played in a tight range around 260 to 242, averaging to about 7%, reflecting production challenges and commodity volatility. View Full Image (TradingView) Also Read | Ireda shines in December quarter, but NPA risks remain As trends begin to spend time at the neutral zone as momentum attempts to revive clearly suggesting that some trends could emerge. The lack of domestic triggers continues to keep the revival at bay however there has been a steady attempt by ONGC to deliver. Once the prices are able to clear levels of 252 then we can experience some strong upward trajectory. As long as 210 is not compromised challenging its all-time highs at 340 looks possible in the next one year. ONGC is seeking stronger government policy support to accelerate oil and gas exploration while also pushing for a review of the Oil Industry Development (OID) cess on older pre-NELP blocks, which currently makes production more expensive. The company is planning higher capital expenditure to strengthen self-reliance, with recovery in its Mozambique gas projects and partnerships with BP forming part of its broader growth strategy. As Indias leading upstream player, ONGC is targeting an 11% increase in oil and gas output by 2026, a production push that will help insulate it from the kind of duty hikes often faced by downstream oil marketing companies (OMCs) such as IOC, BPCL, and HPCL. By focusing on exploration, reducing tax burdens, and investing in global projects, ONGC aims to secure long-term energy resilience while maintaining a competitive edge in a volatile market. Conclusion While crude oil has paled in significance in 2025 by the Precious and Base Metals the spotlight never left crude oil. As the world debates on who will control the oil flow the focus is now on reviving the momentum. It is quite clear from the run up to the budget that this sector will continue to be actively tracked by the investors. Raja Venkatraman is co-founder, NeoTrader. His Sebi-registered research analyst registration no. is INH000016223. Investments in securities are subject to market risks. Read all the related documents carefully before investing. Registration granted by Sebi and certification from NISM in no way guarantees performance of the intermediary or provide any assurance of returns to investors. Disclaimer: The views and recommendations given in this article are those of individual analysts. These do not represent the views of Mint. We advise investors to check with certified experts before making any investment decisions. Jacob Jose, CEO and Managing Director, Methods India, believes targeted incentives can strengthen Indias domestic manufacturing ecosystem. Jose says rationalisation of customs duties on critical raw materials and components, along with incentives for capacity expansion, would help engineering companies manage cost pressures and scale responsibly. In an interview with Mint, Jose shared the industry's budget expectations and key trends and opportunities in the bulk material handling systems market. Edited excerpts: What key policy or fiscal announcements in the upcoming Union Budget can support capital goods and engineering-led industries? Indias infrastructure momentum needs to be matched with consistent policy support for the capital goods and engineering ecosystem that enables execution on the ground. From our perspective, faster project clearances, predictable capital expenditure outlays, and continued focus on ports, power, mining, and logistics infrastructure will be critical. Rationalisation of customs duties on critical raw materials and components, along with incentives for capacity expansion, would help engineering companies manage cost pressures and scale responsibly. Equally important is ensuring timely payments across public sector projects, which directly impacts cash flows and execution efficiency in large turnkey contracts. Also Read | Budget 2026: 5 key announcements retail investors should watch Do you believe targeted incentives for domestic manufacturing of capital equipment and industrial machinery could strengthen Indias supply chain and reduce import dependence? Yes, targeted incentives can play a meaningful role in strengthening Indias domestic manufacturing ecosystem. Capital equipment manufacturing is highly engineering-intensive and requires long-term investment in fabrication capabilities, technology, and skilled manpower. Incentives linked to capacity creation, technology upgradation, and localisation of critical components would encourage companies to invest deeper within India. Rather than broad subsidies, focused support through production-linked incentives, accelerated depreciation on plant and machinery, and R&D incentives could help build globally competitive capabilities while reducing dependence on imports over time. Also Read | Budget to unveil quality and cost blueprint to gain export muscle For export-oriented engineering companies, what measures could the Budget consider to improve global competitiveness? Export-oriented engineering companies operate in highly competitive global markets where margins are often determined by logistics efficiency and access to financing. Reducing logistics costs through better port infrastructure, faster customs processing, and multimodal connectivity would significantly improve competitiveness. On financing, easier access to export credit, longer-tenure financing for overseas projects, and support for performance guarantees would help Indian companies bid more confidently for large international contracts. Additionally, diplomatic and institutional support for Indian engineering firms executing projects overseas can help mitigate execution and geopolitical risks. Overall, what would define a successful Union Budget 2026 for Indias capital goods, manufacturing, and infrastructure ecosystem? A successful Union Budget would reinforce continuitymaintaining momentum in infrastructure spending while strengthening the industrial backbone that supports it. For the capital goods and manufacturing sector, clarity on long-term capex priorities, policy stability, and support for domestic value creation would be key markers of success. The Budget should also recognise the role of export-driven engineering companies in positioning India as a global manufacturing and project execution hub. If the Budget enables ease of doing business, improves access to capital, and supports skill development, it will set the foundation for sustainable industrial growth. What are the key trends and opportunities in the bulk material handling systems market? The bulk material handling sector is seeing growing demand driven by expansion in ports, mining, power, steel, and cement, both in India and emerging markets. There is a clear shift toward larger, more complex turnkey projects that require integrated engineering, automation, and higher safety and sustainability standards. Clients are increasingly looking for energy-efficient systems, dust control solutions, and digital monitoring to improve reliability and reduce environmental impact. For Indian engineering companies, this presents opportunities to move up the value chain by offering end-to-end solutions and leveraging global project execution capabilities. Stock market today: The Indian stock market closed on Thursday with a cautiously positive undertone, as benchmarks staged a relief-led rebound on improving global sentiment. Easing trade-related fears and supportive Asian cues encouraged selective risk-on positioning, driving broad-based participation across banking, autos, IT and metals, with mid- and small-caps also joining the recovery. However, the tone remained partially restrained by sustained weakness in the Indian rupee, reflecting continued dollar demand. However, markets drew comfort from the fact that the RBI is closely monitoring the pace of depreciation rather than defending any specific level, reinforcing confidence in a calibrated and orderly approach to currency management. Stock market today Speaking on the outlook of the Nifty 50 index, Ponmudi R, CEO of Enrich Money, said, The Nifty 50 index continues to remain in a consolidation phase with a mild positive bias after a volatile intraday session. As long as the Nifty 50 index holds above 25,120, the broader setup remains stable with scope for a gradual push toward 25,40025,500. A decisive close above 25,600 will be required to confirm a bullish breakout and shift momentum firmly in favour of the bulls. Failure to defend 25,120 may reopen downside pressure. Overall, the outlook remains range-bound to cautiously positive, favouring a buy-on-dips near supports and selling near resistance until a clear directional breakout emerges. On the outlook of the Bank Nifty index, the Enrich Money expert said, The Bank Nifty ended the session in a cautious consolidation mode, with repeated selling pressure emerging in the 59,40059,600 resistance band, which continues to cap upside attempts. On the downside, 58,85058,800 acted as immediate support, while a stronger demand base is placed near 58,500. A sustained breakout above 59,600 is required to revive bullish momentum and unlock higher targets, while a decisive breakdown below 58,700 could invite fresh selling pressure toward lower support zones. Until then, Bank Nifty is likely to remain range-bound with two-sided intraday opportunities. Gold rate today Aswked about the outlook of gold rate today, Jateen Trivedi, VP Research Analyst - Commodity and Currency, LKP Securities, said, "Focus will shift to the US Fed meeting at the end of January and the Union Budget 2026 on February 1, both of which could influence volatility and currency movement. Gold price is expected to remain highly volatile in a broad range of 1,45,000 per 10 gm to 1,58,000 per 10 gm in the coming week." Silver rate today On the outlook of silver rate today, Ponmudi R of Enrich Money said, "MCX Silver rate remains entrenched in a strong bullish channel, with consistent buying emerging on dips. The metal continues to outperform as a high-beta precious metal play. Sustained strength above 3,15,000 keeps the upside bias intact, with breakout targets placed at 3,35,000 to 3,50,000 and beyond. On corrective declines, a move below 3,00,000 could lead to a test of the 2,90,000 to 2,80,000 zone, where fresh accumulation is likely to emerge." USD vs INR Speaking on the outlook of the Indian National Rupee (INR) against the US Dollar (USD), Jateen Trivedi of LKP Securities, said, "Rupee later recovered marginally with gains of 0.08 paise to 91.57, supported by a volatile yet positive session in domestic equities. Comments from the US President at Davos, indicating a constructive trade outlook with India and a softer tone on Greenland, provided some relief to sentiment. However, volatility remains elevated, with the rupee likely to trade in the 91.0092.00 range." Stocks to buy or sell Regarding stocks to buy today, stock market experts Sumeet Bagadia, Executive Director at Choice Broking and Ganesh Dongre, Senior Manager of Technical Research at Anand Rathi, recommended these eight intraday stocks for today: SAIL, JK Tyre, DLF, Eternal, and HAL. Sumeet Bagadia's stock recommendations today 1] SAIL: Buy at 151.65, Target 163, Stop Loss 146. SAIL's share price is currently trading at 151.65; the stock has recently reached its 52-week high of 153.9 after breaking out of a consolidation phase. This bullish formation signals a shift in sentiment and marks the beginning of a potential long-term uptrend. The breakout is accompanied by a noticeable rise in volume, indicating strong market participation and fresh buying interest. 2] JK Tyre: Buy at 520, Target 556, Stop Loss 502. JK Tyre share is currently trading at 520; the stock has recently reached its 52-week high of 528.95 after breaking out of a consolidation phase. This bullish formation signals a shift in sentiment and marks the beginning of a potential long-term uptrend. The breakout is accompanied by a noticeable rise in volume, indicating strong market participation and fresh buying interest. Ganesh Dongre's buy or sell stocks 3] DLF: Buy at 613, Target 642, Stop Loss 600. The has been exhibiting a strong and consistent bullish pattern, indicating sustained investor interest and positive price momentum. 4] Eternal: Buy at 275, Target 310, Stop Loss 260. The stock has exhibited a strong, notable, and continuous bullish pattern, offering another promising opportunity for short-term traders. 5] HAL: Buy at 4355, Target 4550, Stop Loss 4260. The stock has exhibited a strong, notable, and continuous bullish pattern, offering another promising opportunity for short-term traders. Stock market today: Favourable global indicators and a mellowed response from US President Donald Trump regarding Greenland invigorated stock market bulls on Thursday, January 22, leading to widespread buying in the Indian equity market. The Sensex surged more than 850 points, exceeding 1%, reaching an intraday peak of 82,783, while the Nifty 50 also increased over 1% to bounce back to 25,435. The BSE Midcap and Smallcap indices experienced a rise of nearly 2% each. Market analysts noted that reducing global trade tensions was a significant catalyst for the surge. Additionally, data released on Thursday indicated that domestic institutional investors (DII) purchased shares valued at 4,181.74 crore, whereas foreign institutional investors (FII/FPI) divested equities amounting to 1,680.25 crore. Also Read | Osho Krishan of Angel One recommends these 2 stocks to buy today- 22 January Market Views - Nagaraj Shetti, Senior Technical Research Analyst of HDFC Securities Nifty 50 After showing weakness with high volatility on Wednesday, Nifty 50 witnessed a reasonable bounce back so far today amidst choppy trend and is currently trading higher by 115 points. The crucial lower support of 200day EMA has been regained after violating below it recently. The overall chart pattern is indicating a possible formation of bottom reversal around 24,900 levels only on a confirmation. Immediate resistance is placed at 25,500 levels. Also Read | Stock market crash: Eight stocks to buy or sell on Thursday Technical Picks: Stocks to buy in the short-term Nagaraj Shetti of HDFC Securities recommends these two stocks to buy in the short-term - Steel Authority of India Ltd (SAIL), and Fortis Healthcare Ltd. Buy SAIL @ 151.10, Target 159, Stoploss 147, Timeframe 1 week. The Metal stock price has shifted in to a narrow range movement over the last few weeks. Currently placed at the edge of upside breakout of consolidation movement at 150-152 levels. This could also be considered as a bullish flag breakout. Bullish pattern like higher tops and bottoms is intact. Sell Fortis Healthcare @ 849.25, Target 805, Stoploss 875, Timeframe 1 week. The minor bounce back in this Hospital stock is likely to be completed soon. The stock price has turned down sharply after forming a new lower top at 950 few weeks back. Currently in the process of sharp breakdown of 200day EMA at 855-850 levels. The negative volume and RSI patterns are indicating more weakness ahead. The Indian stock market is expected to open higher on Thursday, following a rally in global markets on signs of cooling geopolitical tensions over Greenland. The trends on Gift Nifty also indicate a gap-up opening for benchmark indices, Nifty 50 and Sensex today. In todays trading session, a slew of companies will be on investors radar. The stocks to watch today, 22 January 2026, include Eternal, InterGlobe Aviation, Dr Reddys Laboratories, Biocon, Hindustan Petroleum Corporation Ltd (HPCL), CESC, among others. Here are key stocks to watch today: Eternal Eternals consolidated net profit in Q3FY26 rose 73% YoY to 102 crore, while revenue from operations jumped 201% YoY to 16,315 crore. The company said that Deepinder Goyal resigned as the Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of the company, effective February 1. Goyal will take on a new role as the Vice Chairman & Director on the Board. Also Read | Breakout stocks to buy or sell: Sumeet Bagadia picks five shares to buy today Dr Reddys Laboratories Pharma major Dr Reddys Laboratories reported a 14% YoY fall in its consolidated net profit to 1,210 crore in Q3FY26, while revenues rose 4% YoY to 8,727 crore. Biocon Biocon said it completed the acquisition of the remaining 7.18 crore equity shares of Biocon Biologics from Mylan Inc. for $200 million. After the acquisition, the company holds approximately a 98% stake in Biocon Biologics. Senco Gold The companys board approved an investment of 68 crore to acquire a 68% equity stake in August Jewellery, the parent company of fast-fashion jewellery brand Melorra. HPCL The state-run oil refiners net profit in Q3FY26 rose 58% to 4,011 crore from 2,544 crore, while revenue grew 5% to 1.24 lakh crore from 1.18 lakh crore over the corresponding period of the last financial year. Waaree Energies Waaree Energies Q3 net profit jumped 115.6% YoY to 1,062.5 crore and revenue surged 118.8% YoY to 7,565 crore, while EBITDA increased 167% to 1,928 crore. The company said its execution is on track across adjacencies, becoming a fully integrated energy transition player. Lemon Tree Hotels Lemon Tree Hotels signed a licence agreement for Lemon Tree Premier, Omkareshwar, Madhya Pradesh. The hotel will be managed by its subsidiary, Carnation Hotels. CESC The companys subsidiary, CESC Green Power, has entered into a MoU with the government Uttar Pradesh for establishment of 3 GW Solar Cell/module plant, 60 MW of Solar Power Plant and ancillary units, Research & Development Lab and other infrastructural facilities in Uttar Pradesh with an investment of around 3,800 crore. When the former ruler of Jaipur, Sawai Madho Singh II, decided to sail the seas in 1902 to attend King Edward VIIs coronation in England, it created quite a stir. An ocean voyage was considered a sin at the time, polluting the soul and leading to a loss of caste. The only way the Maharaja could circumvent that was by participating in a host of rituals, which included carting thousands of litres of Ganga jal on his ship to London. Flash forward a century and the story provides a springboard for multidisciplinary artist Boris Colin Alphonses installation, What We Carry When We Cross, at the upcoming Jaipur Art Week: Edition 5.0. (JAW 5.0). Alphonses speculative artwork at the Gyan Museum consists of a fragmented ship hull accompanied by diagrammatic instructions. The work invites viewers to imagine their own contemporary kala pani: the boundaries they fear crossing, the rituals they invent for protection, and the materialsvisible or invisible that they would choose to carry. The ship becomes less a vehicle of travel than a tool for reflection, explains the artist. Alphonse is one of 15 artists who have a solo presentation at this edition of JAW. Besides these solos, the works of more than 100 artists will be showcased in group and digital exhibitions spread across multiple venues in the pink city. Organised by the Public Arts Trust of India (PATI), the event is billed as an incubator for early and mid-career artists that encourages experimentation. The 2026 edition received over 450 submissions through an international open call and the final selection of artists was made by a jury comprising gallerist Renu Modi, the artist duo John Wood and Paul Harrison, curator Aindrea Emelife and Sana Rezwan, the founding chairwoman of PATI. What struck me was the sheer variety, use of materials and ideas that were submitted as well as the current issues they addressed such as gender, migration, memory and ecology, says Modi. They are mixing craft and technology in a very contemporary and innovative way. View full Image Poojan Gupta's 'A Sacred Walk' She is particularly excited to see how participating artist Poojan Guptas work has shaped up. Guptas installation, A Sacred Walk, at Jaipurs Central Park draws its inspiration from the architectural layout of temples. Nearly 51,000 discarded pharmaceutical blister packs have been stitched together to create a corridor of light with the perforations producing a jaalilike effect. For the artist, each empty pocket marks a moment in time, a temporal journey towards someones personal healing. And I find this moving. This has informed five years of experimentation with these empty packs, she says. I see this work as a reminder that the sacred and the everyday coexist, and can shift our perspective about looking at an empty blister pack beyond just a waste. To hone their ideas, the artists were offered a mentorship programme by senior practitioners such as Gigi Scaria, Thukral & Tagra and Vibha Galhotra. Scaria, who has been casting his sculptures in Jaipur for several years, guided the artists on which site best suited their artworks. He is also a featured artist in this edition and will showcase a bronze and white metal sculptural work, Ascend towards the unknown. The mentorship programme is definitely a unique idea for a public art project. The ideas go through an interesting filtration through the process. It is beneficial for everyone involved, he says. Nature-based artist and bio-designer Kaanchi Chopra, for one, has benefited greatly from the mentorship of artist duo Thukral & Tagra. They encouraged me to think more ambitiously about scale. Their guidance pushed me to expand the work spatially, resulting in an eight-feet-tall, 9.5-foot-diameter circular steel structure that houses eight floral panels mapping the regions flora, says Chopra, This shift allowed the work to move from an intimate archive to an immersive installation. View full Image Kaanchi Chopra's 'The Earth Laughs in Flowers' Chopras artwork, The Earth Laughs in Flowers, is based on her ethnobotanical knowledge of the Aravali range. The flora incorporated into the installation has been foraged and preserved from the region and includes native species such as Bandar ki Roti, Kachnar, Kaner, Khair, Khejri, Neem, Palash, Peepal, and Shahtoot. Chopra says, Functioning as a living botanical archive, the installation reflects the biodiversity of the Aravalis at a moment of increasing erasure, insisting on attention to what remains rooted, what is being lost, and what still longs to be protected. Also addressing the landscape and notions of loss is Aditi Aggarwals sculptural-digital installation, As We Rise: The Last Pillar of the Fort. A reflection on climate, memory, and the slow collapse of inherited worlds, the photomontage panels and projections create a suspended landscape that moves between decay and regeneration, maintaining the past and speculative futures in a state of tension. With their out-of-the-box ideas and use of unconventional materials, the multidisciplinary artists in this edition of the Jaipur Art Week are clearly pushing artistic boundaries. More pertinently, they are bringing to the surface issues that need our urgent attention in a manner that is both immersive and interactive. The Jaipur Art Week runs from 27 January to 3 February At least 10 Indian Army personnel were killed and several others injured when the vehicle they were travelling in skidded off the road and plunged into a deep gorge in Doda district of Jammu and Kashmir on Thursday, officials said. The accident took place at Khanni Top on the Bhaderwah-Chamba interstate road. Officials said the bulletproof Army vehicle, carrying a total of 17 personnel, was heading towards a high altitude post when its driver lost control, and the vehicle plunged into a 200-foot-deep gorge. Prime Minister Narendra Modi expressed anguish over the mishap and said that all the possible support is being provided to those affected by the tragic accident. Their service to the nation will be remembered forever. May the injured recover at the earliest, PM Modi said in a post X. A joint rescue operation by the army and police was immediately launched, and four of the soldiers were found dead, the officials said. They said nine other soldiers were rescued in an injured condition, and three of them, who have suffered critical injuries, were airlifted to Udhampur military hospital for specialised treatment. Deeply saddened at the loss of lives of 10 of our brave Indian Army soldiers in an unfortunate road accident in Doda. LG Sinha Condoles Jammu and Kashmir Lieutenant Governor (LG) Manoj Sinha said he was deeply saddened by the loss of lives. Deeply saddened at the loss of lives of 10 of our brave Indian Army soldiers in an unfortunate road accident in Doda. We will always remember the outstanding service and supreme sacrifice of our brave soldiers. My deepest condolences to the grieving families, Sinha said in a post on X. Sinha said that the entire nation stands united with the bereaved families in solidarity and support. 10 Injured soldiers have been airlifted to the hospital. Directed the Senior officials to ensure the best possible treatment. Praying for their speedy recovery, he said. Jitendra Singh condoles too Union Minister and local Parliamentarian Jitendra Singh, while condoling the deaths, said he had spoken with the Deputy Commissioner of Doda after the accident. Deeply shocked to learn about the tragic accident of an Army vehicle on Bhaderwah - Chamba road, in which 10 Jawans lost their life, and another 10 were seriously injured, who have been shifted to Command Hospital Udhampur, Singh said in a post on X. Singh is the Lok Sabha MP from the Udhampur seat. Doda falls under the Udhampur Lok Sabha constituency. Three Ukrainian citizens illegally detained in Venezuela have been released and are now safe and on their way to reunification with their families. "Three Ukrainian citizens illegally detained in Venezuela have been released. They are now safe and on their way to reunification with their families. This was made possible thanks to the coordinated efforts of Ukrainian diplomats and the support of the United States and our European partners," Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andriy Sybiha said in a post on the social network X. Protecting the rights and interests of Ukrainians abroad remains one of the main priorities of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs: "We are making every effort to ensure that Ukrainian citizens, wherever they are, feel the support and protection of their state." AIMIM chief, Asaduddin Owaisi has sought urgent intervention of Union External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar with regard to at least 16 Indians who have been, according to gim, enslaved at Myanmar-Thailand border. These Indian nationals, including three from Hyderabad, were taken to Thailand on the pretext of offering them jobs, the parliamentarian said. Also Read | Maharashtra civic polls: Owaisi says those who faced defeat should introspect I have received a distressing message: at least 16 Indian nationals, including three from Hyderabad, were promised jobs in Thailand but taken to the Myanmar-Thailand border and enslaved, Owaisi, the Hyderabad MP said in a post on X, I have received a distressing message: at least 16 Indian nationals... were promised jobs in Thailand but taken to the Myanmar-Thailand border and enslaved. They, Owaisi said, are forced to work 18-20 hours daily, physically punished, and deprived of passports, phones, and medical facilities. The MyanmarThailand border is a 2,416 km long, complex frontier running from Laos to the Andaman Sea, defined by rivers and mountains, crucial for trade but also marked by smuggling, ethnic conflict, and refugee flows A Delhi court on Thursday acquitted former Congress parliamentarian Sajjan Kumar in a case linked to allegations of inciting violence in the Janakpuri and Vikaspuri areas of the capital during the 1984 anti-Sikh riots, marking another legal chapter in the decades-long pursuit of accountability for the mass violence that followed the assassination of Prime Minister Indira Gandhi. Court pronounces acquittal; detailed order awaited Special Judge Dig Vinay Singh orally delivered a brief order acquitting Kumar on Thursday. The court said a reasoned judgment would be issued later. The case related to allegations that Kumar instigated rioting and communal violence in parts of west Delhi during November 1984. Also Read | Sajjan Kumar sentenced to life imprisonment in 1984 anti-Sikh riots case In August 2023, the trial court had framed charges against Kumar for rioting and promoting enmity, while discharging him of murder and criminal conspiracy in the same proceedings. FIRs stemmed from Janakpuri and Vikaspuri incidents The case arose from two first information reports registered by a special investigation team in February 2015. One FIR concerned violence in Janakpuri, where two menSohan Singh and his son-in-law Avtar Singhwere killed on November 1, 1984. The second FIR related to the killing of Gurcharan Singh, who was allegedly set ablaze on November 2, 1984, in Vikaspuri. Acquittal contrasts with ongoing life sentence Kumar, who remains in jail, is serving a life sentence awarded by a trial court on February 25 last year in a separate case involving the killings of Jaswant Singh and his son Tarundeep Singh in Delhis Saraswati Vihar area on November 1, 1984. In that judgment, the court held that although the deaths of two innocent persons were grave, the matter did not amount to a rarest of rare case warranting the death penalty. It further observed that the killings formed part of a continuing sequence of violence for which Kumar had already been punished. Earlier convictions upheld by higher courts In December 2018, the Delhi High Court sentenced Kumar to life imprisonment for causing the deaths of five people during rioting in the Palam Colony area following Indira Gandhis assassination. His appeal against that conviction and sentence is currently pending before the Supreme Court of India. Riots probe reveals limited convictions According to the findings of the Nanavati Commission, 587 FIRs were registered in Delhi in connection with the 1984 violence, which claimed 2,733 lives in the capital alone. Of these, about 240 cases were closed as untraced, while nearly 250 resulted in acquittals. The Supreme Court of India on Thursday agreed to examine the curative petition filed by Mohammad Arif, a Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) operative sentenced to death for his role in the 2000 Red Fort terror attack that killed three Indian Army soldiers, and issued notice to the Delhi government. Curative plea admitted after earlier rejections A special bench headed by Chief Justice Surya Kant, along with Justices Vikram Nath and JK Maheshwari, took note of submissions citing subsequent Supreme Court judgments delivered after Arifs appeal and review petition had been dismissed. Issue notice, the Chief Justice said, formally setting the stage for consideration of the curative pleathe final legal remedy available after a conviction and sentence have been upheld by the apex court itself. The Supreme Court had earlier dismissed Arifs review petition on November 3, 2022. Death sentence upheld at every judicial stage Arif, also known as Ashfaq, was awarded the death penalty by a trial court in October 2005. The Delhi High Court upheld the sentence in September 2007. Also Read | SC stays death penalty of LeT terrorist in 2000 Red Fort attack case He subsequently challenged the verdict before the Supreme Court, which in August 2011 affirmed the death sentence, concluding the ordinary appellate process. With the dismissal of both his appeal and review petition, the curative plea represents his last remaining judicial recourse. What a curative petition entails A curative petition is an extraordinary remedy evolved by the Supreme Court to prevent miscarriage of justice. It can be entertained only in rare circumstances, typically where a petitioner can demonstrate gross procedural error or violation of principles of natural justice in earlier judgments. Also Read | Supreme Court to rehear review petition of Red Fort attack convict Such petitions are heard by senior judges of the court and are subject to a stringent threshold before being admitted for detailed consideration. The 2000 Red Fort terror attack According to the prosecution, on the night of December 22, 2000, armed intruders entered the Red Fort complex in Delhi, targeting the area where soldiers of the 7 Rajputana Rifles unit of the Indian Army were stationed. Also Read | Supreme Court to rehear review petition of Red Fort attack convict A case of sexual harassment involving a South Korean woman has been reported at the Kempegowda International Airport in Bengaluru. The 32-year-old businesswoman from South Korea was allegedly molested on 19 January at the international departure area of Terminal 2 in Bangalore. The woman was returning to South Korea after visiting India on a tourist visa. According to police, the incident occurred during a ticket inspection. An airport staff member allegedly claimed that a beeping sound was coming from the womans bag. According to her complaint, the woman had already completed CISF security checks and immigration formalities. The accused allegedly approached her around 10.45 AM. He identified himself as airport staff, checked her boarding pass and claimed there was an issue with her checked-in baggage. He allegedly told her that resolving the issue would take time and suggested a manual frisking instead, according to The Times of India. The accused then took her near a mens washroom. Under the excuse of frisking, he allegedly touched her chest several times. He allegedly asked her to turn around and touched her private parts. When the woman objected, he reportedly hugged her, thanked her and asked her to leave. The woman immediately informed airport authorities. The accused was identified as a 25-year-old ground staff employee, according to TOI. Airport officials detained him and handed him over to the Kempegowda International Airport police. No authority to conduct frisking According to airport authorities, the accused had no authority to conduct frisking. Any such checks must be done only by authorised CISF personnel, and female passengers can be frisked only by female staff. CCTV footage supports the womans statement, according to ANI. The Kempegowda Airport Police registered a case under Section 75 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita. The accused has been arrested and sent to judicial custody. Meanwhile, a representative of the airline tells LiveMint that it has taken strong action against the employee, who has been removed from his postion. Delhi Metro incident Earlier this week, an American woman shared her experience of sexual harassment on the Delhi Metro. She said her eight-day trip had been enjoyable until the episode left her upset and withdrawn for several days. According to her social media post, the incident happened at a metro station when a teenage boy, accompanied by his mother and sister, asked for a photograph. Trusting the situation, she agreed. Also Read | Teenager faces harassment on Delhi Metro, shares shocking ordeal in Reddit post However, she alleged that the boy then behaved inappropriately and laughed. He just straight up grabbed my breasts hard and spanked my butt and giggled like he had played a joke, the woman said. The boys mother defended him, accusing the woman of overreacting. She claimed that the boy was merely curious because he had never met a blonde woman before. That was why he got carried away. A political row over Chief Minister Devendra Fadnaviss visit to the Davos Summit has intensified. Amruta Fadnavis, the CM's wife, issued a sharp rebuttal to Shiv Sena (UBT) MP Sanjay Raut, asserting that the trip was strictly for business and that the CM was not in Davos for a picnic. I can never understand his (Rauts) language. But I will only say this much that someone who goes for a picnic does not hold conferences and meetings daily from 6 AM to 11 PM to bring investment to India and Maharashtra, and boost employment, Amruta Fadnavis told reporters on Thursday describing Raut's statement as baseless. What did Sanjay Raut say? Shiv Sena (UBT) MP Sanjay Raut on Wednesday took a swipe at Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnaviss visit to the World Economic Forum (WEF) in Davos, dismissing it as a picnic and questioning the relevance of the global summit for Indian states. The MP from Uddhav Thackeray-led Shiv Sena (UBT) further suggested that state leaders were using public money to attend the event, claiming that Indian industries travel to Davos, meet chief ministers, and sign agreements at taxpayers expense. They go to Davos every year. They should tell the nation and their states how much is spent on their travel. This could have happened sitting in Mumbai. If the figures being given are true, then I welcome them, he added. Raut further claimed that Fadnavis would only turn his attention to local issues, including the Mumbai mayoral election, after returning from Switzerland. CM Fadnavis in Davos Devendra Fadnavis is in Davos to attend the World Economic Forum (WEF) annual meeting, for which he departed on Sunday, 11 January, as per a TOI report. Devendra Fadnavis is being credited with the BJP-led Mahayuti combines success in the recent municipal corporation elections. The CM travelled to Davos days after the high-stakes Birhanmumbai Municipal Corporation elections, where the BJP-led Mahayuti alliance emerged victorious. The saffron party emerged as the single largest party in the 227-member civic body polls, winning 89 seats. Andhra Pradesh is mulling a ban on social media for kids under 16, state IT minister Nara Lokesh revealed to Bloomberg on the sidelines of the World Economic Forum in Davos. The minister stated that the southern state is taking a leaf out of Australias recent direction to ban social media for kids under 16. As a state, we are studying Australias under-16 law, and yes, I believe we need to create a strong legal enactment, Nara Lokesh said. The Australian government has banned TikTok, X, Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, Snapchat, and Threads for under-16s, stating that it will reduce the negative impact of social media's "design features that encourage young people to spend more time on screens, while also serving up content that can harm their health and wellbeing". Echoing similar sentiments, Lokesh stated that youngsters below a certain age should be kept away from using such platforms as they do not fully comprehend the content they are reading or watching. As a state, we are studying Australias under-16 law, and yes, I believe we need to create a strong legal enactment," he said. Lokesh said he strongly felt that youngsters under a certain age should not be on social media because they dont understand what they are seeing." How does Australias under-16 social media ban work? Under this legislation, anyone under 16 is barred from using social media platforms; the rules came into effect on December 10. The ban does not impose penalties on children or their parents. Instead, it places responsibility on social media companies, requiring them to take reasonable steps to verify that users are at least 16. Platforms that fail to comply could face fines of up to Aus$49.5 million for the most serious breaches. Also Read | UK Weighs Australia-Style Social Media Ban for Children The Delhi Police's alert posters for Republic Day on 26 January featured a picture of a terrorist identified as Mohammed Rehan, an Al-Qaeda in the Indian Subcontinent (AQIS) terrorist from Delhi. The terrorist's photo was included for the first time, an official told news agency ANI. Mohammed Rehan is a wanted terrorist by the Delhi Police and intelligence agencies, according to the Delhi Police. Also Read | Delhi, Gurugram police issue traffic advisory for Jan 22 ahead of Republic Day Rehan is a resident of northeast Delhi's Chauhan Bangar area and is wanted in a case involving an IS Module. The others named in the poster include Sharjeel Akhtar from Deepa Sarai in Sambhal and Mohammed Abu Sufyan from Jharkhand's Chatra. Delhi Police has put in place an extensive, technology-driven security apparatus across Kartavya Path and the entire New Delhi district, in view of multiple terror-related threat inputs received from intelligence agencies ahead of the 77th Republic Day celebrations next week. This year, the seating areas for the Republic Day celebrations have been named after Indian rivers. Several important changes have also been made to the security deployment pattern, keeping the guests' convenience and safety in mind. Multi-layered security cordon According to Additional Commissioner of Police, New Delhi District, Devesh Kumar Mahala, a multi-layered security cordon comprising Delhi Police and paramilitary forces has been deployed in the Kartavya Path area. The entire area is under surveillance through an extensive network of CCTV cameras, integrated with an advanced facial recognition system (FRS). View full Image The Delhi Police's alert posters for Republic Day on January 26 featured a picture of a terrorist identified as Mohammed Rehan, an Al-Qaeda in the Indian Subcontinent (AQIS) terrorist from Delhi. The terrorist's photo was included for the first time, an official told news agency ANI. He further mentioned that around 10,000 police personnel will be deployed on this national day, and the briefings have been conducted nine times on the ground. Republic Day is celebrated on a fixed time and is observed in Kartvaya Path. In view of this, a security protocol has been implemented. Around 10,000 police personnel will be on duty. We have conducted briefings and rehearsals 9 times on the ground, Mahala told ANI. In addition, anti-drone units have been deployed for aerial surveillance, and sniper teams have been positioned on high-rise buildings. To prevent any potential threats, an intensive verification drive of hotels, guest houses, tenants, and domestic helpers is being carried out across the district. Pedestrians will undergo at least three levels of security screening through Door Frame Metal Detectors (DFMDs) during the Republic Day celebrations. Minimum three times, the pedestrians will undergo checking through (DFMDs). In four places, there is a provision for soft checking. Similarly, the vehicles will be checked. There will be a lot of pickets in the inner, middle and outer cordon. Border pickets and even district pickets will be checked, added Mahala. While discussing Republic Day preparations, SI Kuldeep Yadav from the control room stated that nearly 1,000 cameras have been installed to identify potential threats and challenges. "Nearly 1000 cameras have been installed to identify threats and challenges. An AI and FRS system has been used, which will alert if it detects any individual with a criminal background. If suspicious or stolen vehicles are detected, the high-resolution cameras will send an alert, and we will immediately detain them. Sufficient staff are constantly monitoring everything," Yadav told ANI. Moreover, the police have also appealed to all invited guests and ticket holders to carefully read the details on their invitation cards and to strictly use the designated routes. Complete information on routes, parking, and enclosures is available on the Ministry of Defence and Delhi Police websites. New Delhi District Police have appealed to citizens to immediately report any suspicious activity to the nearest police personnel or by calling 112. Republic Day 2026 The Republic Day Celebrations 2026 at Kartavya Path on 26 January 2026 will be a unique blend of 150 years of the national song Vande Mataram, Indias military might and cultural diversity, officials said. This will be the first Republic Day parade after Operation Sindoor India's precision strikes on terror camps in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir in the aftermath of the Pahalgam attack in Jammu and Kashmir in April last year. First time in phased battle array formation Republic Day is celebrated on a fixed time and is observed in Kartavya Path. In view of this, there is a security standard protocol, which has been implemented. Officials told news agency PTI that in a new format introduced this year, key Army assets, including indigenous platforms, accompanied by personnel, will roll down the Kartavya Path in a phased battle array formation. This means they will, for the first time, move down the ceremonial boulevard in a formation as they would in any battle scenario, starting with reconnaissance, followed by other military units such as logistics and personnel accompanying these platforms, who will be seen wearing battle gear, officials were quoted as saying by news agency PTI. this new format seeks to make the parade-watching more engaging for spectators. New Delhi: India offers a $300-350 billion green energy investment opportunity till 2030 with a predictable and stable ecosystem in place, Union minister Pralhad Joshi told global investors at the World Economic Forum 2026 in Davos. "The countrys energy transition offers speed, scale, stability and long-term returns at a time when global investors are seeking predictable growth opportunities," Joshi, the minister for new and renewable energy, said, according to a ministry statement on Thursday. India is the worlds largest and most investment-ready clean energy markets, the ministry said, citing Joshis address at a number of sessions and meetings with global executives at Davos. Also Read | Discoms selling green power at lower than cost price on exchanges Joshi also held bilateral meetings on the sidelines of the forum and urged global companies to explore investments in the renewable energy sector, including for green hydrogen-linked infrastructure, renewable energy plus battery storage and grid modernization. Joshi highlighted that India has already built 267 GW of non-fossil fuel capacity as of December 2025 and is on track to meet its 2030 clean energy targets. India has set an ambitious target of 500 GW of renewable energy generation capacity by the end of this decade. Transition obstacles While India is pitching the sector to global investors, the nations energy transition space is facing obstacles despite the rapid growth in capacity installation and local manufacturing. About 43 GW of renewable energy capacity remains uncontracted, while clean power has been curtailed in solar-rich states Rajasthan and Gujarat. At Davos, Joshi also met Borge Brende, president and chief executive officer (CEO) of the World Economic Forum, along with Union minister of railways, electronics & IT Ashwini Vaishnaw. Also Read | India plans new weather satellite to stabilize its green energy grid The discussions focused on the importance of global cooperation in addressing shared economic and developmental challenges, the role of multilateral platforms such as the World Economic Forum in building global consensus, and the need for sustained dialogue between governments, industry and stakeholders to advance sustainable, resilient and inclusive growth, including across energy and development sectors, Joshi posted on X. The minister also noted that India combines large demand with policy certainty, a growing manufacturing base and strong state-level execution, key factors required for attracting long-term global capital. Solar capacity India currently has a solar module manufacturing capacity of over 100 GW and about 18 GW of cell capacity. Amid a push for localization, the government is also looking for ways to encourage local manufacturing of sub-components, including wafers, ingots and polysilicon. Apart from the ongoing 24,000 crore production-linked incentive (PLI) incentive scheme for solar modules and cells, the government is also working on a separate plan to offer incentives for local manufacturing of wafers and ingots. Joshi encouraged global investors to consider financing through long-term patient capital and blended finance models to support large-scale deployment. Also Read | Coral reefs face irreversible dieback as Earth hits first climate tipping point Mint earlier reported that the ministry of new and renewable energy is looking at the feasibility of various financing and models, including contract for difference or CfD, for power-purchase agreements, which may be promoted instead of the conventional long-term pacts of up to 25 years. Under a CfD, either party must pay the difference between the contracted and the actual price. The ministry is also considering innovative models like mezzanine finance, which combines debt and equity, Mint reported earlier. India has strongly condemned the vandalisation of the Indian Embassy in Croatia and the reported removal of the national flag by Khalistani activists. New Delhi has sought action to hold the perpetrators accountable for their illegal actions. According to a Hindustan Times report, a video shared online by Sikhs for Justice (SFJ) leader Gurpatwant Singh Pannun showed a Khalistani activist removing the Indian flag from the Indian Embassy in Zagreb and replacing it with a yellow Khalistan flag. The incident reportedly took place on 22 January. The incident marked the latest in a series of actions by Khalistani activists targeting Indian missions overseas, with most such cases reported from Canada, the UK and the US. Croatia, a member of the European Union, saw the embassy in Zagreb targeted just days ahead of the IndiaEU Summit in New Delhi on 27 January. European Council President Antonio Costa and European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen are set to be the chief guests at Republic Day celebrations. Taking to social media platform X, MEA spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal wrote: We condemn the incident of trespassing and vandalism at our Embassy in Zagreb, Croatia by anti-India elements. Under the Vienna Convention, diplomatic premises are inviolable and must be protected. Accordingly, we have taken up the matter strongly with Croatian authorities, both in New Delhi and in Zagreb, and asked them to hold the perpetrators accountable for their reprehensible and illegal actions. The ministry further said that such actions also speak of the character and motives of those behind them, adding that law enforcement authorities across the world must take note of these. Khalistani activists also defaced the walls of the Indian Embassy with slogans such as Khalistan Zindabad. In a video message from Punjab, Pannun claimed that the days of Indian embassies flying the national tricolour were numbered, asserting that the Indian flag would be replaced by the Khalistan flag if Punjab were to become independent, the HT report further said. The Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA), the country's civil aviation regulator, had asked India's largest airline operator, IndiGo, to dismiss a senior vice president and issue warnings to six senior executives, including the company's chief operating officer (COO), over the flight chaos in December 2025, the government told the Delhi High Court on Thursday, 22 January. The government's submission came during the hearing of a public interest litigation seeking a judicial inquiry into the IndiGo flight chaos, which resulted in mass flight cancellations, passenger compensation, and additional ground support to assist stranded passengers in December 2025. Also Read | IndiGo assures DGCA of no flight cancellations from 10 February Additional Solicitor General Chetan Sharma represented the civil aviation ministry and the DGCA, and the bench comprised Chief Justice DK Upadhyaya and Justice Tejas Karia in the IndiGo case. The Delhi High Court is scheduled to hear the matter next on 25 February. 5 things DGCA told Delhi High Court 1. Cause of crisis: Additional Solicitor General Chetan Sharma told the Delhi High Court that a four-member committee inquiry found that the IndiGo crisis was caused due to over-optimisation of operations, inadequate regulatory preparedness, along with deficiencies in system software support and shortcomings in management structure. The law officer also said that the DGCA had imposed a penalty of 22.2 crore on the airline for the meltdown in December 2025. Also Read | Govt caps domestic air fares at 18,000 amid IndiGo crisis 2. Dismissal & warnings: The DGCA's lawyer also said that the regulator had issued warnings to six senior executives, including IndiGo's COO, Isidre Porqueras Orea. 3. 50 crore deposit: Chetan Sharma said that the DGCA has also asked IndiGo to deposit 50 crore as bank guarantees, which are to be refunded as and when the airline operator implements the necessary corrections in its operations. 4. Impact on passengers: According to a PTI report, between 3 and 5 December 2025, the DGCA said IndiGo recorded 2,507 flight cancellations and 1,852 flight delays, impacting more than 3 lakh passengers at airports across India. Mint reported earlier how IndiGo cancelled hundreds of flights across India as the airline was not prepared for the central government's revised Flight Duty Time Limitation (FDLT) norms. Also Read | Delhi HC seeks IndiGo affidavit on refunds, compensation after Dec flight chaos 5. Travel vouchers: The DGCA also said that IndiGo was offering 10,000 as a travel voucher to the passengers who were stranded due to the massive disruption in the airline's operations, which would expire in some time, according to the agency report. The Delhi High Court asked IndiGo's counsel to clarify what would happen to the voucher if an individual was unable to utilise it within the prescribed time frame. The news agency's report also highlighted that IndiGo's legal counsel acknowledged taking the instructions. Please file an affidavit, said the high court bench. What did Pieter Elbers say? During IndiGo's quarterly earnings call on 22 January 2026, CEO Pieter Elbers said the company witnessed major operational disruptions that resulted in significant flight cancellations and delays from 3 to 5 December 2025. This quarter, the company faced major operational disruptions that resulted in significant flight cancellations and delays from 3rd to 5th December. We deeply regret the inconvenience faced by our customers and express our heartfelt gratitude for their patience and trust, the executive said. Pieter Elbers also said that the company has strong fundamentals and is backed by the expanding fleet and growing domestic and international network. The airline looks forward to providing reliability, operational excellence and enhanced customer experience. Witkoff at Ukrainian breakfast in Davos announces visit to Moscow on Friday to end war US presidential envoy Steve Witkoff said there was "significant progress" in the peace process and confirmed he was heading to Moscow on Thursday evening. "I think we've made significant progress. I think there was a little bit of confusion at the beginning of this process. I'm going to Moscow, but I think it was important to go there because we're at the finish line. And I'm actually optimistic," he said at the Ukraine Breakfast in Davos on Thursday. Separately, Witkoff mentioned Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, calling him "very open and accessible" in his communication. "So the president is always accessible. He is who he is. And tonight we're going to Moscow. We're not staying there overnight," the envoy added. He also said that after his visit to Russia, he would travel to the UAE, where working group meetings on Ukraine would take place. Earlier it became known that Vladimir Putin will meet with Witkoff on Thursday. Plans to hold such a meeting were confirmed by Putin's press secretary Dmitry Peskov. On Wednesday, Putin said that he also intends to discuss with Witkoff and the US President's son-in-law Jared Kushner the possibility of using Russian assets frozen in the US to restore territories damaged during the fighting, after the conclusion of a peace treaty between Russia and Ukraine. Putin's previous meeting with Witkoff and Kushner took place in Moscow on December 2, 2025. Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday spoke to Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva and asserted that close cooperation was vital for advancing shared interests of the Global South. The prime minister also said he was looking forward to welcoming the Brazilian president to India soon. Lula's call with PM Modi PM Modi received a call from his Brazilian counterpart, during which the two leaders reaffirmed their commitment to further strengthen the IndiaBrazil Strategic Partnership, as per an official statement. "Glad to speak with President Lula. We reviewed the strong momentum in the India-Brazil Strategic Partnership, which is poised to scale new heights in the year ahead," Modi said in a post on X. "Our close cooperation is vital for advancing the shared interests of the Global South. I look forward to welcoming him to India soon," he added. The Ministry of External Affairs is yet to announce the schedule of the Brazilian president's visit. Lula confirmed last August that a state visit to India would take place in early 2026. What did Lula and PM Modi discuss? During the call, Lula and PM Modi recalled their meetings last year in Brasilia and South Africa. The two leaders also noted significant progress achieved across wide areas of bilateral cooperation, including trade and investment, technology, defence, energy, health, agriculture, and people-to-people ties. PM Modi and his Brazilian counterpart also exchanged views on regional and global issues of mutual interest. They also underscored the importance of reformed multilateralism in addressing shared challenges, as per an official statement. SIR in Bengal: The Election Commission (EC) has sought a report from the West Bengal chief secretary within 72 hours on action taken against four state government officials accused of illegally adding names to voter lists in two districts, a senior official of the poll body told news agency PTI. The EC had earlier recommended that Electoral Registration Officers (EROs) Debottam Dutta Chowdhury and Biplab Sarkar, and Assistant EROs Tathagat Mondal and Sudipto Das be suspended and criminal proceedings initiated against them for the alleged irregularities. The four officials allegedly included names of voters on the electoral rolls illegally in Purba Medinipur and South 24 Parganas districts. "You are requested to refer to the Commission's letter dated 05.08.2025, wherein directions were given for suspension and initiation of suitable disciplinary proceedings against the concerned EROs/AEROs and for lodging of FIRs against the erring officials," the EC told the chief secretary in a letter, according to a PTI report. The chief secretary has been asked to explain by 5 pm on January 24 why the directives were not implemented, an official of the commission said. The poll panel had initially directed the filing of FIRs against the officials. However, former chief secretary Manoj Pant reportedly did not act on the instructions. "Even after our repeated orders, FIRs were not filed. We have now asked the district magistrates concerned to act," the EC official said. Mamata Banerjee accuses EC The matter escalated after Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, addressing a meeting in Jhargram, alleged that state government officials were being intimidated by the EC. The state Home Department's special commissioner had written to the office of the chief electoral officer's seeking withdrawal of the FIR directive, saying it would "major punishment for minor mistakes". The CEO reportedly forwarded the letter to Delhi, but the EC remained firm, emphasising, No lapse in implementing electoral law will be overlooked. Before the Special Intensive Revision (SIR), the poll body had instructed the state government to suspend the officials, conduct departmental inquiries, and file FIRs for allegedly adding "ghost voters" to the rolls. "Action must be taken to ensure the integrity of the electoral rolls," the poll body had said at the time. In compliance with the Supreme Court's order dated January 19, 2026, the EC also wrote to the chief secretary and the director general of police of West Bengal, directing them to ensure strict maintenance of law and order during the SIR. The EC further directed the DGP, Kolkata Police commissioner and district police heads to ensure that no law and order situation arises at SIR venues, warning that strict action will be taken in case of any non-compliance or disruption. Bengaluru police on Wednesday arrested a staff member at Kempegowda International Airport (KIA) for allegedly sexually harassing a 32-year-old woman from South Korea. The accused has been identified as 25-year-old Mohammed Affan Ahmed, who worked for Air India SATS. Following news of the complaint, Affan was terminated by the company. Affan's harrowing act came to light after the South Korean woman filed a complaint with Bengaluru Airport security following which the staff member was taken into custody. How did the incident occur? The incident reportedly took place on Monday, 19 January, as the woman was preparing to board her flight to Korea after completing immigration formalities. According to the woman's complaint, she was proceeding towards the terminal when the male staffer approached her asking to check her flight ticket. He claimed there was a problem with her checked-in luggage and that it had made a beeping sound. Affan allegedly warned her that going back to the regular screening counter would take time and could cause her to miss her flight. On that pretext, he insisted on a separate check and led her to an isolated spot near the mens washroom. Despite her objections, the staffer allegedly touched the woman inappropriately. When she tried to resist, he allegedly hugged her, said thank you, and walked away. "He said this is a protocol sorry to bother you. After everything, he hugged me and said thank you, which made me realise something was wrong. I freaked out. My priority was to get away safely," she said, recalling the incident in an interview with a TV channel from South Korea. Case registered under BNS sections Following the woman's complaint, police reviewed CCTV footage from the terminal and registered a case under Section 75(1)(i) of the BNS, which pertains to sexual assault involving non-consensual touching. The accused has been remanded to police custody as the investigation continues. Who is the accused? Affan was an employee of Air India SATS, which provides ground and cargo services at airports. Describing the incident as unpardonable Air India SATS said it has sacked Affan and handed him over to authorities for further legal action. Delhi: GRAP-3 restrictions have been lifted in Delhi-NCR following improvement in air quality in the region, the Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM) announced on Thursday, 22 January. Restrictions under Stages 1 & 2 of the revised Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP), however, will remain in place and will be monitored and reviewed by all concerned agencies across the NCR to ensure that the AQI levels do not worsen, the air quality management body said in its statement. What's allowed, what's not under GRAP-1, GRAP-2? Here's a list of what's allowed and what is not under GRAP-1, GRAP-2 curbs: Ban on open burning of biomass and municipal solid waste. Ban on the use of coal and firewood as fuel in tandoors in hotels, restaurants and open eateries. Inter-state buses from NCR states would not be allowed to enter Delhi, except those running on electric, CNG, or BS-VI diesel engines. This restriction does not apply to buses or tempo travellers operating under an All India Tourist Permit. Avoid dust-generating construction activities during the months of October to January. Ban on littering, disposal of waste and garbage in open spaces Change in working hours? State governments may introduce staggered working hours for public offices and municipal bodies across different parts of the NCR. Similarly, the Central Government may consider staggering office timings for its departments in Delhi-NCR under GRAP 1 and 2 restrictions. Other mandates under GRAP-1 and GRAP-2 Restrictions under GRAP-1 and GRAP-2 also mandate the following: Intensified use of anti-smog guns, water sprinkling and dust suppression measures in road construction, widening, repair projects and maintenance activities. Deployment of traffic police for smooth traffic flow at identified corridors prone to heavy traffic and congestion. Delhi AQI outlook The CAQM said Delhi's Air Quality Index (AQI) improved to 332 on Thursday, prompting relaxation of restrictions. India is building highways at a record pace, but safer roads have not followed automatically. With over 4.6 lakh road accidents and more than 1.6 lakh deaths every year, road crashes remain among the leading causes of death for young Indians, imposing a heavy human and economic toll. As expressways multiply and speeds rise, policymakers have acknowledged that infrastructure expansion alone cannot deliver safe mobility. The government is now reworking how highways are designed, monitored and managedgoing beyond expansion to systemic safety reform. Mint explains why highway safety has become a priority for the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways (MoRTH), and how its multi-pronged strategy aims to save lives. Why has highway safety become a priority for MoRTH? Although National Highways account for just 23% of Indias road network, they contribute a disproportionately high share of fatal accidents. High speeds, uncontrolled access points, mixed traffic, pedestrian and animal intrusion, poor night visibility, and delayed emergency response have turned many corridors into accident hotspots. The demographic impact is severe. Nearly 66% of road fatalities occur in the 1845 age group, Indias most economically productive population, while almost one-fourth of victims are below 25. This makes road safety not just a transport issue but a public health and economic concern. MoRTH has acknowledged that blaming drivers alone is ineffective. Instead, it is adopting a Safe System" approachplacing shared responsibility on road designers, vehicle makers, enforcement agencies and users, with the goal of preventing human errors from turning fatal. Also Read | Indian roads have become more fatal, shows latest accidents data How is technology being used to prevent accidents? Technology-led prevention is now central to MoRTHs strategy. Intelligent Transport Management Systems (ITMS) are being rolled out on national highways for real-time speed monitoring, incident detection and automated enforcement. AI-enabled cameras detect over-speeding, lane violations and seat belt non-compliance, while pilots are testing vehicle-to-vehicle and vehicle-to-infrastructure communication on high-speed corridors. A notable example is National Highways Authority of India's (NHAIs) real-time stray cattle alert system, launched in January 2026 on the JaipurAgra and JaipurRewari corridors. Drivers receive location-based SMS and voice alerts up to 10 km in advance, warning them to slow down in cattle-prone zones. Alerts are capped at one every 30 minutes to avoid fatigue. Seasonal risks such as fog are addressed through reflective markers, solar blinkers, improved signage, variable message signs and joint emergency drills involving police and ambulances. Electronic enforcement has expanded under the Motor Vehicles (Amendment) Act, 2019, with speed cameras, automatic number plate recognition (ANPR) system, CCTV, weigh-in-motion systems and e-challans backed by a 3,000-crore allocation under the SASCI scheme for 202526. What changes are being made to highway design and construction? Engineering remains the first line of defence. MoRTH has mandated road safety audits at the design, construction and operational stages of all national highway projects. Accident-prone black spots are being redesigned with improved geometry, service roads, crash barriers, pedestrian crossings and clearer signage. New expressways increasingly follow access-controlled designs with median barriers, wider shoulders and safer slopes. Pedestrian underpasses and service lanes are prioritised near habitations to reduce conflict with fast-moving traffic. In wildlife-sensitive zones, innovation is evident. On a highway through the Veerangana Durgavati Tiger Reserve, NHAI introduced Indias first table-top red marking"a raised red thermoplastic surface that provides visual and tactile cues to slow vehicles. The stretch also features animal underpasses, fencing, solar lighting and camera monitoring. To improve construction quality, NHAI has tied up with the National Test House for independent third-party testing, while contractor performance is increasingly linked to safety outcomes. How are tolling and highway operations being redesigned? Toll plazas have long caused congestion and risky lane changes. MoRTH is now pushing cashless, friction-free tolling. The FASTag Annual Pass, launched in August 2025, allows up to 200 trips or one year of travel for 3,000 across 1,150 toll plazas. By November 2025, over 36 lakh passes had been sold. The surcharge on UPI toll payments has been reduced, leading to a sharp rise in digital transactions and lower cash usage. India is also preparing for Multi-Lane Free Flow tolling, where vehicles pass through toll points at highway speeds using FASTag and ANPR. The first multi-lane free flow (MLFF) corridor is expected in 2026. Users are also charged only 50% toll during highway widening, reinforcing transparency and fairness. Also Read | Stuck with a dead EV on the highway? Govt plans roadside rescue hubs What is being done after crashes occur? Many fatalities result from delayed medical care rather than crash severity. MoRTHs post-crash strategy focuses on the Golden Hour" the first hour after injury. Under the Rah-Veer (Good Samaritan) Scheme, citizens who help victims reach hospitals within an hour receive 25,000 per incident and legal protection. National awards further incentivize intervention. Other measures include a cashless treatment scheme for victims, stronger trauma-care networks, integration with 112 emergency services, and mandatory use of the e-DAR digital accident reporting platform. How are states, districts and citizens involved? Road safety is a Concurrent Subject, requiring Centrestate coordination. In January 2026, Transport Ministers aligned on enforcement, digitization and legislative reforms. At the local level, cz Mitra trains youth volunteers to identify accident hotspots and support response efforts. A nationwide Sadak Suraksha Abhiyan promotes helmets, seat belts and safe driving. Driver training is being upgraded through modern institutes and simulators, while vehicle safety norms are tightening through Bharat NCAP ratings, mandatory airbags, ABS and gradual adoption of Advanced Driver Assistance Systems (ADAS). US President Donald Trump has filed a lawsuit against JPMorgan Chase & Co. and its CEO Jamie Dimon, seeking at least $5 billion. Trump alleges the bank refused to provide banking services to him and his businesses due to political reasons, according to a report. The complaint was filed on Thursday (22 January) in Miami-Dade County state court, citing trade libel and breach of the implied covenant of good faith and fair dealing. It also claims that Dimon violated Floridas deceptive trade practices law, per a Bloomberg report. Allegations of political bias in banking Trumps legal team argued that JPMorgans actions violated Florida law, which prohibits financial institutions from terminating accounts based on an individuals political beliefs. Debanking is a matter of public interest and significant importance to all consumers and businesses in the United States of America and JPMC, especially given its storied and leading history, is a central actor in this ongoing and troubling saga, the complaint said, according to a copy reviewed by Bloomberg. The lawsuit forms part of Trumps broader campaign against what he calls the weaponization of the banking sector, targeting financial institutions that allegedly deny services for ideological reasons. Bank denies political motives JPMorgan responded to the lawsuit, denying that political or religious factors influenced its decisions. We do close accounts because they create legal or regulatory risk for the company, the bank said in a statement, the news outlet stated. We regret having to do so but often rules and regulatory expectations lead us to do so. We have been asking both this Administration and prior administrations to change the rules and regulations that put us in this position, and we support the Administrations efforts to prevent the weaponization of the banking sector. Legal basis and context Trumps lawyers highlighted Florida law as central to the case. The state bars financial institutions from ending banking relationships based on political opinions, speech, or affiliations, a point cited directly in the complaint. Also Read | Jamie Dimon sounds alarm over Trumps credit card rate cap US President Donald Trump unveiled his much-anticipated Gaza Board of Peace' at Davos on Thursday, with the UAE and Pakistan among others on board. He claimed that there was a commitment to ensure Gaza was demilitarised and beautifully rebuilt. Of the 60 nations invited to join, 35 had agreed to sign on to the project, a senior administration official said, as per AFP. The Peace Board is expected to oversee Gazas post-war transition as the ceasefire that took effect on October 10, 2025, moves into a second phase. Its mandate is set to include the formation of a new Palestinian committee in Gaza, deployment of an international security force, disarmament of Hamas, and reconstruction of the war-ravaged territory. In his opening remarks, Trump claimed that "everybody" wants to be a part of the Board of Peace and said that he will continue to "work with many others, including the United Nations." Which countries have said yes to Peace Board? According to AP, here's a list of countries that have accepted invitations to join the board: Argentina Armenia Azerbaijan Bahrain Belarus Egypt Hungary Indonesia Jordan Kazakhstan Kosovo Morocco Pakistan Qatar Saudi Arabia Turkey United Arab Emirates Uzbekistan Vietnam Countries that will not join the board, as for now, include: France Norway Slovenia Sweden The United Kingdom Countries that have been invited but remain noncommittal: Cambodia China Croatia Germany India Italy The European Union's executive arm Paraguay Russia Singapore Thailand Ukraine Who is attending the Peace Board launch? Attending are Secretary of State Marco Rubio, US special envoy Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner, the presidents son-in-law and a key overseas negotiator for his administration on several fronts. Earlier, a report by AFP mentioned that top diplomats from several countries, including Saudi Arabias Foreign Minister, Prince Faisal bin Farhan; Azerbaijan's President Ilham Aliyev; Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan, Paraguayan President Santiago Pena; and President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev of Kazakhstan, were also expected to join the launch of the 'Gaza Peace Board'. ICE authorities detained at least four children including a 5-year-old from a Minneapolis-area school district this month, school district officials said on Thursday. Department of Homeland Security spokeswoman Tricia McLaughlin, however denied that a child was targeted. ICE did NOT target a child," she said in a statement. The school district officials claims comes days after the fatal shooting of a 37-year-old woman, Renee Good by an ICE agent in Minnesota and amid concerns over US President Donald Trump's crackdown on immigration, which has seen at least 3,000 officers deployed to Minnesota's largest city, as per a report by Reuters. What ICE officers said? As per the DHS spokeswoman, Immigration and Customs Enforcement(ICE) conducted an operation on Tuesday, 20 January (local time) to arrest Adrian Alexander Conejo Arias, who was in the country illegally. As agents approached, Arias fled the scene, leaving his child behind. "For the childs safety, one of our ICE officers remained with the child while the other officers apprehended Conejo Arias," McLaughlin said in a statement. She claimed parents targeted in ICE operations are asked if they want to be removed with their children or have them placed with a person designated by the parents. DHS, however, did not comment on the school district's assertion that other children have also been detained by ICE. What school authorities said about the detention? "Why detain a 5-year-old?" Zena Stenvik, the Columbia Heights Public Schools district superintendent, said at a news conference on Wednesday. You cannot tell me that this child is going to be classified as a violent criminal," Reuters quoted Stenvik as saying. Donald Trump has repeatedly described his administration's crackdown on immigration as a battle to drive violent criminals out of the United States. At the news conference, Stenvik said Liam Conejo Ramos aged 5-years-old was taken with his father in their driveway after having been picked up from preschool on Tuesday. Which other children have been detained? Besides 5-year-old Liam Conejo Ramos, the school district superintendent further said that the same day, a 17-year-old high school student was taken by armed and masked agents while on the way to school. No parents were present at the time, she said. Two weeks ago, a 10-year-old was taken by ICE agents on her way to elementary school and she and her mother are still in a Texas detention center, Stenvik said. A massive and potentially destructive winter storm is set to impact a large portion of the United States, with the most dangerous conditions expected across the southern states, where freezing rain up to one inch thick could stretch from Texas to the Carolinas and Virginia, according to AccuWeather. Farther north, heavy snow will cause widespread disruptions, while a dangerous mix of snow and ice across parts of the Plains, Tennessee Valley and mid-Atlantic will further threaten travel and infrastructure. Rare, travel-halting winter storm to stall daily life This winter storm will shut it all down, AccuWeather Senior Vice President Evan Myers said. It is rare for a storm to combine this much snow, ice and bitter cold over such a large area a widespread travel-halting winter storm will stall daily life for days, Myers added. AccuWeather said the ice portion of the storm alone will span roughly 1,800 miles, from far western Texas to the mid-Atlantic coast, affecting more than a dozen states. In some locations, ice accumulation could last more than 24 hours. Millions at risk of prolonged power outages AccuWeather Chief Meteorologist Jon Porter warned that long-lasting power outages are likely as ice accumulates on trees and power lines. Some of the power outages associated primarily with a buildup of ice affecting utility customers will last a few days or more, meaning many of the same population will be without heat as Arctic air charges in behind the storm, Porter said. AccuWeather estimates that around 60 million people will experience some level of icing, with up to 1 million customers potentially losing power for an extended period. In areas of the Southeast still recovering from Hurricane Helene in September 2024, AccuWeather noted that temporary power lines have not yet been upgraded, making them more vulnerable to failure. States such as North Carolina could see emergency resources stretched to the limit due to the storms massive footprint. Supply chains could break down AccuWeather Storm Warning Meteorologist William Clark warned that prolonged interstate closures could have cascading effects nationwide. Entire supply chains may break down from prolonged days of extensive interstate closures, Clark said. Critical supplies of pharmaceuticals, baby formula and basic necessities may become scarce in the hardest-hit areas and even snowball into large parts of the country. Ice storm to down trees and shut down travel AccuWeather said the intensity of the ice storm may shut down major highways, close schools, businesses and airports, and severely disrupt travel for days especially across the South, where snow and ice removal equipment is limited. One-quarter of an inch of freezing rain is all it takes for power outages to begin, AccuWeather said, noting that this threshold could be exceeded along a corridor stretching from near San Angelo, Texas, to east of Raleigh, North Carolina. Areas with the highest risk for half an inch to one inch of ice include: -Northeastern Louisiana, including Monroe -Southwestern Arkansas -Northern and central Mississippi, including Tupelo -Northern Alabama -Northern Georgia, including Atlanta -Upstate South Carolina, including Greenville AccuWeather warned that under these conditions, scores of trees and branches will fall, blocking roads and bringing down live power lines. In some cases, electrical transformers could explode, worsening outages and safety risks. Snow, sleet and bitter cold to follow Sleet may reduce ice buildup in some areas, AccuWeather said, but regions that receive more sleet than freezing rain will still face hazardous travel conditions. Farther north, sleet could also limit snowfall totals in parts of the mid-Atlantic. As the storm exits, Arctic air will move in, causing temperatures to plunge into the 20s, teens and even single digits in some areas. AccuWeather warned that thick ice on roads, sidewalks and parking lots will harden, making conditions even more dangerous. Some areas near the Gulf Coast that avoid freezing rain during the storm could still experience a rapid freeze of wet, untreated surfaces as temperatures drop. Travel extremely dangerous Travel during and after the storm may be extremely dangerous, AccuWeather warned. Airline passengers are urged to check flight status before heading to airports, even if conditions appear calm locally. Also Read | US weather alert: Extreme cold warning issued for these regions US President Donald Trump said on Thursday (January 22) that his meeting with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky on the sidelines of the 56th annual World Economic Forum (WEF), in Davos, Switzerland, was very good and reiterated that his message to Russian President Vladimir Putin is that the war in Ukraine must come to an end. This war has to end, Trump told reporters, when asked what he would convey to Putin. A lot of people have been killed. Follow Trump At Davos 2026 LIVE updates here The meeting was good, Trump says Trump said his meeting with Zelensky lasted about an hour, a timeline later confirmed by the White House. The meeting was good with President Zelensky, Trump said. Well see how it turns out. Replying to media queries before leaving Davos, Trump said a US delegation would be meeting Putin today or tomorrow, although no further details were provided. Trump says reasonably close to deal to end Russia-Ukraine war Trump said on Wednesday (January 21) that he is reasonably close to brokering a deal to stop the war between Russia and Ukraine, even as he acknowledged the complexity of negotiations between Kyiv and Moscow. Addressing the annual meeting of the World Economic Forum in Davos, Trump said he has been working to bring Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and Russian President Vladimir Putin to the negotiating table to end the nearly four-year-old war. Its got to get done. Saving a lot of lives, saving millions of lives, Trump said. With Ukraine and Russia, this tremendous hatred between President Zelensky and President Putin thats not good. Thats not good for settlements. Trump added that while the United Nations should be playing a larger role, he believed he was well suited to mediating such conflicts. Im good at this stuff, he said, referring to settling wars. They would be stupid not to end it Trump said both leaders understood the urgency of ending the conflict. I said Putin and Zelensky would be stupid if they dont end it now, Trump said. And I know theyre not stupid. However, he acknowledged repeated setbacks in negotiations. Many times we had a deal with Russia, and Zelenskyy didnt agree, Trump said. Its a very difficult balance. Ukraine working on peace framework Zelensky has previously said Ukrainian envoys are working with US officials to finalise documents related to a proposed peace settlement, including post-war security guarantees and economic recovery measures. No timeline has been announced for a potential agreement. Putin signals readiness to fund Gaza rebuilding Separately, Russian President Vladimir Putin said Moscow is ready to allocate $1 billion from its frozen assets to help rebuild Gaza through the Board of Peace Council proposed by Trump. Putin made the remarks during talks with Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas at the Kremlin. We believe that the creation and efficient functioning of a sovereign Palestinian state is the only path to a final resolution of the Middle East conflict, Putin said. His comments came as leaders and senior officials from 19 countries joined Trump at the signing ceremony of the Board of Peace Charter in Davos, Switzerland. Russia welcomes Trumps peace initiative Putin said he welcomed Trumps peace efforts and confirmed that Russia had received an invitation to join the Board of Peace. US Presidential envoy Steve Witkoff has called the talks with the Ukrainian delegation productive and noted that now "it all comes down to one issue" that can be resolved "if both sides want it." At the Ukrainian Breakfast in Davos on Thursday, Witkoff noted that he had a meeting last night with General Budanov, who is now the head of the Office of the President of Ukraine, and Rustem Umerov, the secretary of the National Security and Defense Council. Witkoff called them "amazing," noting that Ukraine has an "amazing team of negotiators." "We spent a lot of time together. I don't know how much, but it could be 100 hours together since Geneva. It's literally so comprehensive. And I think we've boiled it down to one issue. And we've discussed different options for solving this problem. And that means it can be solved. So if both sides want to solve this problem, we will solve it," the envoy said. A Texas jury acquitted a former police officer of criminal child-endangerment charges on Wednesday stemming from his role in the botched law enforcement response to the 2022 Uvalde school shooting that killed 19 elementary students and two teachers. Adrian Gonzales, 52, who belonged to the Uvalde school district police force, faced 29 counts of felony child endangerment for what prosecutors said was his failure to stop the gunman in the first minutes of one of the deadliest school shootings in U.S. history. Also Read | Federal authorities identify 3 men involved in Minneapolis immigration shooting Gonzales buried his head in his hands after the verdict was read, with his lawyers clapping him on the back. Parents and siblings of the victims appeared stunned by the decision, some wiping away tears, while others stared ahead with blank expressions. The Corpus Christi jury deliberated for over seven hours before reaching its not guilty verdict on all 29 counts, each of which carried up to two years in prison. The trial was a rare case of a U.S. police officer being charged with endangering lives by failing to halt a crime. Defense lawyer Jason Goss told jurors that prosecutors wanted to scapegoat Gonzales for the mistakes of all police officers at the shooting. "They have decided he has to pay for the pain of that day and it's not right," Goss said in closing arguments. Also Read | Minneapolis shooting: ICE agent who shot Renee Good suffered internal bleeding Gonzales was among the first of more than 400 law enforcement officers to arrive at Robb Elementary School in Uvalde on May 24, 2022. Police waited 77 minutes before entering a classroom where the gunman was holed up. The gunman, a former student at the school, was ultimately shot dead by other officers. Gonzales was accused of failing to confront the shooter after he arrived at Robb Elementary in his patrol car in response to a report of an active shooter. "You can't stand by and allow it to happen," Special Prosecutor Bill Turner told the jury during closing arguments. Gonzales said he could not see the shooter and denied that he froze during the first chaotic minutes of the incident when the gunman was outside the school. The nearly three-week trial was held in Corpus Christi, about 175 miles (282 km) southeast of Uvalde, after the defense argued Gonzales could not get a fair trial in the town of around 16,000 in Texas' Hill Country. Also Read | Trump backs ICE Minnesota shooting again as protests grow State and federal investigations into the shooting found that officers left the 18-year-old gunman alone inside the classroom with children while weighing how to confront him. By the time a tactical team led by Border Patrol officers stormed in, the death toll had reached among the worst ever in a country known for high-profile school shootings. While debate has raged between proponents of gun control measures and those who say such controls violate the constitutional right to bear arms, there remain few restrictions on firearms in the U.S. compared with other industrialized nations. At least three people were killed and another was injured on Thursday in a shooting in a town in Australia's New South Wales state, AP reported, citing police. Police said emergency services were called to an address at Lake Cargelligo, a town of around 1,500 people, following reports of a shooting. Among those killed are two women and a man, while another man was taken to a hospital in serious but stable condition. Police have not confirmed whether one person or several carried out the shooting; they said the shooter remains at large. Local media also reported that authorities have not yet apprehended the gunman. Police urged people to steer clear of the area, advising residents to remain indoors as the situation unfolds. Also Read | Federal authorities identify 3 men involved in Minneapolis immigration shooting The Sydney Morning Herald has described the incident as a suspected domestic violence attack, adding that authorities are still searching for the suspect and have deployed heavily armed tactical police. A local media outlet reported that the gunman escaped from the scene in a vehicle belonging to the local council. Thursday's shooting comes a little over a month after the terror attack on Bondi Beach in Sydney, which left 15 people dead and nearly 40 injured. The shooting also happened just a day after Australias Parliament approved new anti-hate speech and gun control legislation following the Bondi Beach attack. Also Read | Portland border patrol shooting: Police say victims linked to Venezuelan gang Prime Minister Anthony Albanese welcomed the passage of the laws, saying, "At Bondi, the terrorists had hate in their hearts, but they had guns in their hands." Emphasising the governments response, he added, We said we wanted to deal with that with urgency and with unity and we acted to deliver both. Also Read | Renee Good killing: Family hires George Floyd law firm as Trump softens stance Campaigning began on 22 January for Bangladeshs much-anticipated general elections next month, the first since the 2024 uprising ended the autocratic rule of Sheikh Hasina. Campaigning for the 13th Jatiya Sangsad election formally kicked off following the allocation of election symbols and confirmation of final candidates, marking the start of full-scale political activity ahead of the voting next month. The South Asian nation of 170 million people votes on 12 February for 350 lawmakers, ushering in new leadership after prolonged political turmoil following the overthrow of Hasina's government, reshaping domestic and regional power dynamics, news agency AFP said. The upcoming voting comes against the backdrop of insecurity, including the murder last month of a student leader of the anti-Hasina protests - as well as warnings of a flood of online disinformation. European Union election observers say the vote will be the biggest democratic process of 2026, AFP reported. When are the Bangladesh elections scheduled? The campaigning will continue until 7:30 AM on 10 February. Voting will take place on February 12from 7:30 AM to 4:30 PM, according to the Dhaka Tribune. The Election Commission (EC) will also begin training more than 800,000 presiding and assistant presiding officers from 22 January as part of preparations for the general elections scheduled for 12 February, alongside a referendum. The training programme will continue until 7 February, said Muhammad Hasanuzzaman, director general of the Election Training Institute (ETI) on Wednesday. Voting, along with a nationwide referendum, will be held on 12 February. The Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) is set to launch its official campaign from Sylhet, with party chairman Tarique Rahman scheduled to join rallies in seven districts on the first day today. Tarique Rahman, 60, returned to Bangladesh in December after 17 years in exile. Rahman assumed formal leadership of the BNP after the death in December of his mother, 80-year-old former prime minister Khaleda Zia. Jamaat-e-Islami Ameer Shafiqur Rahman will begin his campaign on Thursday in the Dhaka-15 constituency and will tour eight districts in the northern region over the next two days, AFP reported. 2000 candidates in the fray Nearly 2,000 candidates are contesting the election for 300 parliamentary seats, according to the officials. The BNP has fielded 288 candidates for the elections. The party aims to make a strong comeback amid tough competition from rival political groups. Jamaat-e-Islami has nominated 224 candidates, while the Jatiya Party has nominated 192 candidates for the electoral race. The Islamic Andolan Bangladesh Party has also announced a sizeable list with 253 candidates in the fray. Also Read | India classifies diplomat posting in Bangladesh as non-family' As many as 249 independent candidates will also be contesting the elections, adding more intensity to the multi-party race. The National Citizens Party, contesting in alliance with Jamaat-e-Islami, has announced 32 of its own candidates. Bangladesh, home to one of the world's largest Muslim-majority populations, has a significant Sufi following, and parties have traditionally launched campaigns in Sylhet, home to the centuries-old shrine of Shah Jalal. Lines of supporters lined both sides of the streets as Rahman prayed at the shrine on Wednesday night, cheering as his election bus passed by, with his countrywide roadshow of rallies to begin later Thursday. Jamaat-e-Islami, which opposes Sufi mystical interpretations of the Quran, begins its campaign in the capital Dhaka, in the constituency of its leader, Shafiqur Rahman. Since Hasina fled to India, key Islamist leaders have been released from prison, and Islamist groups have grown increasingly assertive. The National Citizen Party (NCP), formed by student leaders who spearheaded the uprising and who have formed an alliance with Jamaat, will also launch their rally in Dhaka. Yunus to step down Muhammad Yunus, the 85-year-old Nobel Peace Prize laureate, who returned from exile in August 2024 at the behest of protesters to lead a caretaker government as chief adviser, will step down after the polls. Yunus said he inherited a completely broken political system, and championed a reform charter he argues is vital to prevent a return to authoritarian rule, with a referendum on the changes to be held on the same day as polling. If you cast the yes vote, the door to building the new Bangladesh will open, Yunus said on 19 January, in a broadcast to the nation urging support for the referendum. Flood of misinformation targeting the polls Earlier this month, he warned UN rights chief Volker Turk of a flood of misinformation targeting the polls, saying he was concerned about the impact disinformation could have. They have flooded social media with fake news, rumours and speculation, Yunus said, blaming both foreign media and local sources. Bangladesh's relations with India have soured after Hasina escaped to her old ally New Delhi as protesters stormed her palace. Hasina, 78, sentenced to death in absentia in November for crimes against humanity for the deadly crackdown on protesters in her failed bid to cling to power, remains in India. Earlier this week, India classified Bangladesh as a non-family posting and advised its diplomats and dependents of Mission and Post officials to return home. The move came as a precautionary measure, with rising communal incidents raising concerns over the safety of minorities, according to media reports. As a precautionary measure, we have advised the dependents of officials at the high commission and four assistant high commissions to return to India, one of the people said, reported Hindustan Times. India-Bangladesh Ties India-Bangladesh ties hit an all-time low since the caretaker administration led by Muhammad Yunus assumed office in August 2024, with both sides stepping up security at their missions in New Delhi and Dhaka after recent protests. There were violent protests outside the Indian mission in Chattogram last month. Also Read | Tarique Rahman enrolls for Bangladeshs voter list following return Indian missions have faced security threats, particularly after the killing of Islamist youth leader Sharif Osman Hadi in December 2025. If you cast the 'yes' vote, the door to building the new Bangladesh will open. In the upcoming general election scheduled for 12 February, the Indian side has reached out to the BNP, widely expected to emerge as the single-largest party in Bangladesh, according to a Hindustan Times report. Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney responded sharply to President Donald Trump on Thursday, countering the US leaders controversial claim at the World Economic Forum that "Canada lives because of the United States. In a national address, Carney stated, Canada and the United States have built a remarkable partnership", adding, Canada doesn't live because of the United States. Canada thrives because we are Canadian." What did Trump say on Canada at WEF? Trump slammed Carney for being ungrateful for US military protection, responding after the Canadian leader used his Davos platform to encourage mid-sized nations to unite against aggressive superpowers. At the World Economic Forum on Wednesday, Trump emphasised that his proposed Golden Dome missile shield would provide protection for Canadian airspace as well. Canada gets a lot of freebies from us, by the way. They should be grateful also, but theyre not. I watched your prime minister yesterday. He wasnt so grateful, Trump said. Canada lives because of the United States. Remember that, Mark, the next time you make your statements," he further said. Carneys Tuesday speech drew widespread attention at the annual gathering of political and business leaders. He declared the international rules-based order essentially defunct and said the world has entered an era where the most powerful pursue their interests using economic integration as coercion". The comments were particularly notable given Canadas long-standing economic dependence on and military partnership with the US. However, Carney, a former central banker, took office last year pledging to reduce that reliance. Since then, he has signed a limited trade agreement with China and begun implementing billions of dollars in new defense spending. Canada is also reportedly evaluating investments in the Golden Dome system, which the US president has estimated at $175 billion, though a Bloomberg analysis suggests the cost could reach $1.1 trillion. The proposal, which relies on untested space-based technology, is intended to defend the continent against threats such as ballistic missiles, hypersonics, and advanced cruise missiles. German Chancellor Friedrich Merz stated that Europe must strengthen its unity and competitiveness to counter a new wave of great-power politics that has disrupted the transatlantic relationship. He welcomed US President Donald Trumps vow not to use force to take Greenland. Tensions at the annual gathering of global business leaders and policymakers eased on Wednesday after Trump suddenly backed down from his threat to impose new tariffs on several European nations that had resisted his attempt to gain control of Greenland, a semi-autonomous Danish territory. What did Merz say? Merz said Thursday in a speech at the World Economic Forum in Davos, The international order of the past three decades anchored in international law has always been imperfect. Today, its very foundations have been shaken. Trump cited a framework of a future deal on Wednesday, but it was unclear what the agreement would entail. Denmark has repeatedly ruled out negotiations over ceding the semi-autonomous island to the US. Also Read | Alarm over Trumps Greenland threat gives way to uncertainty around future deal Merz has called for a more measured approach to Trumps tariff threat compared with French President Emmanuel Macron, who suggested using the European Unions so-called anti-coercion instrument. However, Merz noted earlier this week that Germanys greater reliance on exports makes it less inclined to deploy the blocs most powerful trade response. New tariffs would undermine the foundations of transatlantic relations, Merz said, adding, "Europes answer would be united, calm, measured and firm. Also Read | How Trumps Greenland gambit put Nato on the brink Following Trumps threats, the European Union suspended its trade agreement with the US, which many in the bloc already viewed as unfair. That accord, which was clinched last summer, saw the bloc agree to remove nearly all tariffs on American products while accepting a 15% duty on most exports to the US and 50% on steel and aluminum. Details of Trumps so-called framework on Greenland were vague. Denmark earlier Wednesday ruled out negotiations over ceding the semi-autonomous island to the US. Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen said her nation is prepared to negotiate on all political matters security, investments, the economy. But we cannot negotiate our sovereignty. NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte told Bloomberg in an interview at the World Economic Forum that his discussion with Trump centered on Arctic security in a practical sense, and how to prevent Russia and China from accessing the semi-autonomous Danish territory. Merz also emphasized Europes need to become more competitive economically and to create a better environment for domestic businesses to flourish. The German leader will meet with Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni to chart out how to address priorities. Merz said theyll propose an emergency brake for bureaucratic processes and modernizing the EUs budget to make the bloc more competitive. He argued that Europes geopolitical influence depends on the continents economic momentum. I will insist that rapid progress be made, including on the capital markets union, he said. We cannot allow our European champions to continue being dependent on the US capital markets. German Chancellor Friedrich Merz emphasised the importance of expanding the EUs trade partnerships and coordinating them strategically worldwide. He slammed the European Parliament for voting to submit the new Mercosur trade agreement to judicial review, asserting that the deal would proceed. The death toll from a mall fire in Pakistan's biggest city rose to at least 55 people, a Karachi government official told AFP on Thursday. "A total of 55 bodies have been recovered since Saturday night" when the fire erupted, said Javed Nabi Khoso, deputy commissioner of Karachi's south district. Relatives of those still missing have criticised the slow operation at the three-storey Gul Plaza, where rescuers are scouring the wreckage for human remains. Also Read | India classifies diplomat posting in Bangladesh as non-family' More than 50 families have given DNA samples, provincial health official Summaiya Syed told journalists Wednesday. "We will hand over the bodies (remains) to the family, once DNA samples are matched," she said outside the Civil Hospital Karachi mortuary. Fires are common in Karachi's markets and factories, which are known for their poor infrastructure, but a blaze on such a scale is rare. Faraz Ali, whose father and 26-year-old brother were inside the mall, told AFP he wants "the bodies to be recovered and handed over to their rightful families". "That is all so that the families may receive something, some comfort, some peace. At least let us see them one last time, in whatever condition they are, so that we may say our final goodbye," the 28-year-old said Wednesday. US President Donald Trump on Wednesday took a U-turn on his threats to impose tariffs on European nations to pressure them into giving up Greenland, ruling out the use of force to seize the Arctic island, suggesting instead that a deal was in sight over the dispute. Shortly after his speech at the World Economic Forum (WEF) in Davos, where he softened his stance and signalled his openness to negotiations, Trump said he had met NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte and chalked out a "framework for a future deal". Trump wrote in a post on Truth Social, "Based upon a very productive meeting that I have had with the Secretary General of NATO, Mark Rutte, we have formed the framework of a future deal with respect to Greenland and, in fact, the entire Arctic Region. This solution, if consummated, will be a great one for the United States of America, and all NATO Nations." Trump said that Vice President J D Vance, Secretary of State Marco Rubio, Special Envoy Steve Witkoff and other top officials in his administration would handle the negotiations. He added, "Based upon this understanding, I will not be imposing the Tariffs that were scheduled to go into effect on February 1st. Additional discussions are being held concerning The Golden Dome as it pertains to Greenland. Further information will be made available as discussions progress." While the US President did not offer more details on the said "deal" in his post, he later gave an interview to CNBC, in which he furnished brief but crucial details on his "concept of a deal" with NATO. Details about Trump's deal for Greenland: - Trump said that the deal he reached with NATO on Greenland involves access to mineral rights for the US and its European allies. Greenland ranks eighth in the world for reserves of rare-earth minerals, which are key resources for the manufacture of electronics, weapons systems, and more. - The US president also said that parties to the deal would be "involved in the Golden Dome" without specifying whether all NATO members, or just Greenland, would be involved in the project. The Golden Dome project emerged in 2025 after Trump signed an executive order calling for an 'Iron Dome for America', alluding to Israel's short-range missile defence system. However, despite the similarity in names, the Golden Dome project is much larger in scope and involves the use of a constellation of satellites and space-based interceptors to create a 'shield' against ballistic, hypersonic, and cruise missiles. - There seems to be no expiry date for said deal. When Trump was asked how long the deal would last, he said, "Forever". - There also seems to have been a clause that would grant the US sovereignty over not all of Greenland, but some pockets of land on the Arctic IslandThe New York Times, citing senior officials familiar with the talks with NATO, reported that such a provision was being considered. While no other specifics were revealed by Trump or other parties involved, White House spokesperson Anna Kelly said that more details would be revealed "as discussions continue". Denmark welcomes de-escalation Denmark, meanwhile, welcomed the de-escalation, with Foreign Minister Lars Lkke Rasmussen saying in a post on X, "The day is ending on a better note than it began." Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said the United Arab Emirates will host two days of trilateral meetings involving the United States, Ukraine and Russia starting Friday (January 23). It will be the first trilateral meeting in the Emirates. It will be tomorrow and the day after tomorrow, Zelensky said after addressing the World Economic Forum (WEF) in Davos. Zelensky did not clarify whether Ukrainian and Russian officials would engage directly. Follow Trump At Davos 2026 LIVE updates here Russians have to be ready for compromises Zelensky stressed that any breakthrough would require concessions from Moscow. Russians have to be ready for compromises because, you know, everybody has to be ready, not only Ukraine, he said. And this is important for us. He added that documents being drafted with Washington to end the nearly four-year-old Russian invasion are close to completion. The documents aimed at ending this war are nearly, nearly ready, Zelensky told the WEF. We met with President Trump, and our teams are working almost every day. Its not simple. Zelensky says dialogue with Trump positive Zelensky acknowledged that negotiations with US President Donald Trump have been challenging but described their latest interaction as constructive. My dialogue with President Trump is not simple, he said, adding that their meeting earlier in the day was positive. The meeting was good with President Zelensky. Well see how it turns out, Trump told reporters. This war has to end. Ukraine seeks US security guarantees Zelensky reiterated that Ukraine needs firm security guarantees from the United States, beyond commitments from European allies, to prevent future Russian aggression. The UK and France are ready to actually commit their forces on the ground, he said. But the backstop of President Trump is needed. And again, no security guarantees work without the US. Air defence and energy attacks in focus Zelensky said his discussions with Trump also covered air defence capabilities, though he did not provide details. We spoke about documents and about air defence, he told reporters briefly. He accused Russia of deliberately targeting Ukraines energy infrastructure to trigger blackouts during what he described as one of the countrys harshest winters in years. This is the face of Russia, Zelensky said. While Ukraine can now produce thousands of interceptor drones daily, he admitted it remains insufficient against the scale of Russian missile and drone attacks. It is not enough to defend against the number of drones and missiles Russia uses against Ukraine, he said. Zelensky takes aim at Europes security posture In a sharp critique, Zelensky also questioned Europes readiness to ensure long-term security, likening the continents repeated debates to the film Groundhog Day. Just last year, here in Davos, I ended my speech with the words: Europe needs to know how to defend itself. A year has passed. And nothing has changed. We are still in a situation where I must say the same words again, he said. The Donald Trump administration is actively searching for government insiders within Cuba who could help broker a political deal to remove the islands Communist leadership by the end of the year, according to a Wall Street Journal report on 21 January that frames the effort as a post-Venezuela strategic push. Washington sees Cuba as next geopolitical battleground Senior US officials told The Wall Street Journal that, emboldened by the ouster of Nicolas Maduro in Venezuela, the administration believes Cubas long-standing Communist regime is more vulnerable than at any time in decades and may be ripe for political transformation. Officials cited in the report assessed that the collapse of Cubas key economic partner Venezuela has left Havana exposed, placing unusual stress on its economy. Also Read | Why is Cuba strategic for the United States? Explained Although there is no detailed blueprint for ending Communist rule, the US strategy being pursued involves identifying potential reform-minded figures within the Cuban government who might be willing to negotiate a transfer of power. Trump publicly urges negotiation before it is too late In an 11 January social media post, Trump appeared to underscore this approach, exhorting Cuban leaders to seek an agreement with the United States. I strongly suggest they make a deal. BEFORE IT IS TOO LATE, Trump said, adding that there would be NO MORE OIL OR MONEY channelled to Cuba. Also Read | Rubio's childhood boast about Cuba in focus as Trump tightens stance on nation The US presidents hard-line stance follows a broader tightening of economic and diplomatic pressure on the island, including curbs on overseas medical missions a critical source of hard currency for Havana and visa bans on officials linked to those programmes, according to officials. Lessons from Venezuela drive policy thinking US officials told WSJ that the 3 January operation in Venezuela which resulted in the capture of Maduro and the death of allied Cuban security personnel illustrates the perceived value of engaging with insiders to effect regime change. In Venezuelas case, the raid was reportedly aided by an asset within the former presidents inner circle, reinforcing the administrations belief in leveraging internal dissent or pragmatism as a catalyst for political transition. In meetings with Cuban exile groups and civic leaders in Miami and Washington DC, US officials have reportedly focused on identifying individuals within Havanas ruling establishment who might see the writing on the wall and be willing to cut a deal rather than cling to power amid mounting economic strain, one official told WSJ. Havana under strain, but resistance remains The Trump administrations calculations are grounded in stark assessments of the Cuban economy, which has suffered chronic shortages, power blackouts and a decline in oil supply since Caracas reduced exports and US sanctions tightened. Analysts and residents alike have warned of deepening hardship, raising questions about the island governments resilience. Cuban leaders have publicly rejected US pressure. Tens of thousands of Cubans recently held a mass demonstration in Havana to denounce US actions in Venezuela and protest Washingtons tightening sanctions, with President Miguel DiazCanel affirming the governments resolve. International responses have also emerged. On 15 January, Reuters reported that Russia criticised what it described as blackmail and threats against Cuba, asserting that such approaches are unacceptable and reaffirming Moscows support for Havana. How Has Cuba Reacted? Cubas power structure remains dominated by Raul Castro, 94, the younger brother of Fidel, while President Miguel Diaz-Canel, 65, an unpopular apparatchik, manages day-to-day governance. There is no surrender or capitulation possible nor any kind of understanding based on coercion or intimidation, Diaz-Canel said recently, speaking in military fatigues at a memorial for Cuban security personnel killed in Caracas while protecting Nicolas Maduro. The Cuban state has long proved adept at suppressing dissent despite widespread poverty. It has faced only two major protest movements: in Havana in 1994 and nationwide demonstrations in 2021 involving tens of thousands of people. Human-rights groups estimate more than 1,000 political prisoners remain in detention. As tensions with the US rise, Cuba held a national day of defense on Sunday. Cubans practised for a war of all the people to repel invaders. Why Cubas natural resources matter The island sits atop significant untapped reserves of nickel and cobaltcritical minerals essential for electric vehicle batteries, aerospace components and advanced defence systemsresources the United States increasingly seeks to secure outside Chinese supply chains. Also Read | Cuba rejects Trump oil threat, says US cannot dictate its energy purchases Cuba is already one of the worlds largest producers of nickel, but decades of sanctions and underinvestment have limited large-scale extraction. In addition, its offshore waters are believed to hold oil and gas potential, while its geographic position astride key Caribbean sea lanes gives it enduring strategic value. Intelligence assessments from the CIA also indicate that Cuba possesses a wider range of strategic resources, including iron ore, chromium, copper, salt, timber, silica and petroleum. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky delivered a sharp critique of Europes handling of the ongoing war in Ukraine during his address at the World Economic Forum (WEF) in Davos, Switzerland. Europe looks lost, Zelensky said, urging the continent to assert itself as a global political force. He contrasted Europes cautious approach with the United States bold actions in other conflicts, including Venezuela and Iran. Referring to the film Groundhog Day, Zelensky highlighted Europes repetitive inaction. Just last year, here in Davos, I ended my speech with the words: Europe needs to know how to defend itself. A year has passed. And nothing has changed. We are still in a situation where I must say the same words again, he said. Ukraine faces challenges on the battlefield Zelensky outlined the ongoing difficulties Ukraine faces despite bolstered domestic arms production and Western aid. Ukraines Defense Minister reported recent manpower issues highlighting the need for Western military support. Ukrainians, too, seem caught in that reality in the war, repeating the same thing for weeks, months, and, of course, for years. And yet that is exactly how we live now. Its our life, he said. Meeting with Trump in Davos Zelensky held a one-hour private meeting with US President Donald Trump in Davos, which both leaders described positively. Zelensky called it productive and meaningful, while Trump described the session as very good. The discussions reportedly included Ukraines need for air defense systems to protect against repeated Russian strikes on power infrastructure. Zelensky thanked Trump for providing Patriot missile defense systems and requested additional units to safeguard civilians from power outages and heating shortages. Criticism of Europes security and economic support Zelensky lamented Europes fragmented and slow response, citing insufficient defense spending, weak enforcement of sanctions, and reluctance to utilize frozen Russian assets to support Ukraine. Europe still feels more like a geography, history, a tradition, not a real political force, not a great power, he said. He added that some European countries often rely on others to decide how long they should stand firm, preferably until the next election. Russians have to be ready for compromises because, you know, everybody has to be ready, not only Ukraine, and this is important for us, he said. As of 9:00 a.m. on Thursday, the Defense Forces neutralized 80 enemy UAVs out of 94 that attacked Ukraine, and 10 strike UAVs were hit at 10 locations, the press service of the Air Force of the Armed Forces of Ukraine reported. "On the night of January 22 (from 6:00 p.m. on January 21), the enemy attacked with 94 strike UAVs of the Shahed, Gerbera type and drones of other types from the directions: Kursk, Orel, Millerovo, Primorsko-Akhtarsk - Russia, Chauda, Gvardiyske temporarily occupied Crimea, about 55 of them Shahed UAVs," the Air Force of the Armed Forces of Ukraine said on Telegram. It is reported that according to preliminary data, as of 09:00, air defense systems shot down/suppressed 80 enemy UAVs of the Shahed, Gerbera and other types of drones. The air attack was repelled by aviation, anti-aircraft missile troops, electronic warfare and unmanned systems units, and mobile fire groups of the Defense Forces of Ukraine. Ever wonder why Germans seek perfection, Japanese pursue miniaturization and waste reduction, Americans are fussy about services and Indians settle for improvisation and whats good enough? Is it something to do with where you reside? With pervasive technologies, affordable means of communication, maturing labour and capital markets and instant information dissemination, one may think that geography has become history, that who you are trumps where you are. But is it that simple? Or is geography destiny? Who we are cannot be separated from where were from," notes writer Malcolm Gladwell. When and where you are born, what your parents did for a living, and what the circumstances of your upbringing were make a significant difference in how well you do in the world." Also Read | Great nations do not tell themselves that geography is destiny It takes either aeons, as in the case of Europe after the Dark Ages, or sheer will power, as seen in post-war Japan and Singapore. Where you are can severely limit your resources at hand and ability to make the most of them. Social filters, political conditions and economic forces may have isomorphic effects on how individuals and institutions behave. This creates micro-cultures. At any rate, locational effects are more enduring than universalists argue. The Dutch social psychologist and former IBM employee Geert Hofstede made a pioneering contribution to the study of cultural dimensions. His research began with a fundamental question: In the context of multi-national companies like IBM, whats more pronounced: the culture of a company or a country? He found that a countrys culture dominates and it could be traced to shared socialization skills specific to its people. He posited that national cultures could be contrasted on specific parameters and offered six: power distance, individualism versus collectivism, uncertainty avoidance, masculinity versus femininity, long-term orientation and indulgence versus restraint. Also Read | The Wests loss of faith in its own culture may have caused its biggest crisis Power distance indicates the extent to which inequality in power is tolerated, individualism versus collectivism reflects how societies integrate into groups, uncertainty avoidance considers how unknown situations and unexpected events are dealt with, masculinity versus femininity (even if awkwardly named) refers to motivation towards achievement and success, long-term orientation signifies a willingness to forgo immediate success and indulgence versus restraint represents the tendency of a society to fulfil its desires. At the risk of over-generalization, according to scores published by The Culture Factor, an advisory, heres how India stacks up against the US and Germany respectively: power distance (77, 40, 35), individualism (24, 60, 79), uncertainty avoidance (40, 46, 65), masculinity (56,62, 66), long-term orientation (51, 50, 57), and indulgence (26, 68, 40). As for innovation, the general dichotomies are sustaining versus non-sustaining, wherein the former could either be incremental or radical, while non-sustaining is disruptive. For instance, in data storage, devices such as disk drives, floppy disks, CDs, DVDs, etc, were incremental, whereas solid-state devices, which have non-moving components, are radical. The disruptive type is cloud storage. Also Read | Complex global crises call for a shift away from masculine thinking Do cultural nuances impact the nature of innovation? It seems so. If we focus on just three factorspower distance, individualism and uncertainty avoidancewe sense that product innovation, especially of the radical or disruptive kind, would gain from cultures with a low power distance (ease of insubordination), high individualism (eschewing consensus) and high uncertainty avoidance (pursuit of perfection). India, which scores high on power distance and low on both individualism and uncertainty avoidance, would favour incremental innovations. Take the instance of recent startups. They are mostly aggregators that link buyers and sellers in better ways. Radical innovations, let alone of the disruptive kind, have eluded India. Perhaps this can be traced to our acceptance of whats good enough and behaviours of seeking constant validation and immediate gratification. It wont be a stretch to slice the northern hemisphere into North America, Europe and Asia, and label these as disruptive, radical and incremental champions. Since oriental cultures, chiefly Chinese, Indian and Japanese, have so much to preserve, an incremental outlook is natural. The relative youth of North America gives its people an explorative and experimentative knack, well suited for disruptions. War-torn Europe, which boasts of ancient civilizations punctuated by revolutions, has taken the path of reliable and radical innovations. This is reflected in corporate cultures. Whats the lesson for India? Forget about culture but focus on the work climate. In the midst of a dominant country culture, you could still create a climate of low power distance, an abhorrence for uncertainty and a streak of individualism to foster the emergence of radical and disruptive ideas. This is indeed the need of the hour. Our problems need solutions that go beyond incremental redressals. Even if geography is destiny, our young country with an old civilization needs to script its own. The author is the writer of Design Your Thinking and Design Your Career Is Indias civil aviation crunch a thing of the past? Signals from IndiGo, the airline around which last months crisis of flight cancellations swirled, suggest it will soon be. As do public assurances of a return to normalcy from this sectors regulator. IndiGo has assured the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) of its compliance with new pilot-fatigue-reduction norms by 10 February. The air-carrier said that it would be ready to operate a stable schedule without the rule exemptions it was granted after its failure to run flights threw air traffic into chaos. To meet this aim, IndiGo had earlier outlined a plan to recruit pilots. But its latest pledge follows a regulatory rap on its knuckles from the DGCA, which levied a fine of 22.3 crore on the airline and warned it not to stretch its capacity to a snap-off point again. If this sounds like a regulatory rebuke thats too soft, or too pat a way to put the mess behind us, with its costs merely anecdotal at this stage, market power may have a plausible role in it. IndiGos share of domestic traffic hovers above 60% and its role in flying people looms over that of Tata-owned Air India, our only other major carrier. Together, two private players have nine-tenths of Indias market. Akasa, SpiceJet and others are small players, and unless global aircraft scarcity eases, they would be hard put trying to widen their slices of the markets pie. A silver lining around last months turbulence has been a clamour for more rivalry in Indian skies. In late December, Indias civil aviation minister Kinjarapu Rammohan Naidu had posted an update on the microblog platform X that named three potential market entrants: Shankh Air, AlHind Air and FlyExpress. As noted by the ministers post, all had been given no-objection certificates (NoCs) by the ministry. The next step on the trios takeoff path would be to get air operator certificates from the DGCA. Going by Lok Sabha records, as reported by Mint, of the three NoCs, only FlyExpresss was new. The same report also probed their readiness for operations. What emerged was a dismal picture of small-business hopefuls with insufficient capital and iffy prospects. Estimates of the startup capital needed even for a modest airline range from 80 crore to 100 crore. The firm behind FlyExpress was found to have a patchy business record with legal smudges. Neither do the other two inspire much confidence in their ability to make a go of aviation. The odds of a big capital raise by the commodity trading enterprise backing Shankh Air look rather long at this point. So do those of the travel services group trying to launch AlHind, even if a bit less so. Of course, likelihoods could shift. Even so, given capacity gaps and other relevant factors, we may be lumped with a binary-choice market for quite a while. Alas, the duopoly scenario we stare at today is not a passing phase. This sectors rivalry deficit should draw the Competition Commission of India (CCI) into the picture. Last month, this regulator took note of IndiGos air disruption and said the issue would be placed under the lens of Indias antitrust law. Since dominance differs from its abuse, which is illegal, any probe that ensues would be of wide interest. It is telling how a brief exposure of air-network fragility has raked up references to corporate split-ups (think AT&Ts Baby Bells), even though probes take time and such a drastic remedy can only be antitrust action of last resort. If rivalry rises, somehow, we should celebrate. If not, this sector must be kept under close CCI watch. China has just announced that births in 2025 plunged to 7.92 million, from 9.54 million the previous year, and almost half of what was projected (14.33 million) when the one-child policy was repealed in 2016. In fact, Chinas births have fallen to a level comparable to that of 1738 CE, when the countrys total population was only about 150 million. Having finally acknowledged the countrys grim demographic reality, Chinese authorities introduced new pro-natalist policies last year, expecting the number of births to rebound. But a decline in Chinas fertility rate was inevitable, like a boulder rolling down a hill. Even if it can be pushed back uphill, it will not happen quickly. Also Read | India at 100: Why the choices made now are critical to our development After all, the downward trend in marriages will be difficult to reverse, since the number of women aged 20-34, who account for 85% of Chinese births, is expected to drop from 105 million in 2025 to 58 million by 2050. Compounding this, Chinas marriage market suffers from a pronounced mismatch. Decades of sex-selective abortion have created a severe shortage of women of childbearing age and womens higher educational attainment has created a leftover women phenomenon, with female students outnumbering males. Whereas the male-to-female ratio among six-year-olds in 2010 was 119:100, by 2022, when this cohort entered college, the ratio in undergraduate admissions was only 59:100. As a result, more men are unable to find wives and more women are likely to remain unmarried, given their preference for more highly educated husbands. Chinas current policies are a scaled-down version of Japans ineffective response to demographic decline. In Japan, fertility fell from 1.45 (far below the replacement rate of 2.1) in 2015 to 1.15 in 2024. With China facing even deeper structural demographic constraints, it is not surprising that its fertility rate has already fallen below Japans. It is an ecological law that density inhibits the growth of bacteria, plants and animal populations, and humans are no exception. Across wards and cities in Tokyo, population density is negatively correlated with fertility rates; the same pattern can be found in London, New York, and Shanghai. Built-up urban areas in the US typically have 800-2,000 people per sq km, compared to about 6,000 per sq-km in Tokyo. In China, the average is 8,900 per sq km, with many districts in first- and second-tier cities, where young people flock, often reaching 20,000-30,000 per sq km. High population density drives up housing costs, while higher price-to-income ratios negatively affect fertility. In recent years, declining fertility in Canada, the US and Europe has been partly driven by soaring housing prices. Since Chinas price-to-income ratio far exceeds Japans, and since its housing bubble is much larger, boosting fertility would require transforming (demolishing and rebuilding) its cities to lower their population density and housing costs. Doing that could trigger a financial crisis or even an economic collapse. Also Read | Why Sanjeev Sanyal wants India to abandon population control Japans experience also shows that the average age for men and women at first marriage is negatively correlated with fertility, as is the proportion of unmarried women aged 25-29. In China, the average age at first marriage rose from 26 for men and 24 for women in 2010 to 29 and 28, respectively, in 2020. Worse, the share of unmarried women aged 25-29 surged from 9% in 2000 to 33% in 2020 and to 43% in 2023. The Chinese government has introduced a new quality productive forces" policy to offset the drag of ageing on the economy. But such pro-growth measures will inevitably prolong education, which will delay childbearing, increase the proportion of unmarried individuals and lower fertility further. Again, Japan shows that there are no easy solutions. It funded childbirth subsidies by raising its consumption tax. But the burden ultimately fell on households, reducing disposable income as a share of GDP, which has fallen from 62% in 1994 to 55% in 2024, a loss that subsidies can scarcely offset. Similarly, Taiwans fertility rate fell from 1.68 in 2000 to 0.72 in 2025, partly reflecting the decline in household disposable income from 67% of GDP to 55%. In mainland China, household disposable income already accounts for only 43% of GDP, making child-rearing even more difficult. Also Read | China is flexing its rare-earth muscle but Japan could fend off the threat Chinas best option to increase fertility would be to raise its household income share, which would also boost consumption and absorb excess capacity. But Beijing is unlikely to pursue such a paradigm shift because it could weaken its own finances and power, potentially reshaping Chinas political landscape. Moreover, even if China could afford to increase fertility by providing generous social benefits, the effects would not last, because such interventions risk weakening family structures and reducing male labour-force participation. After Nordic countries adopted similar policies, the proportion of children born out of wedlock surged to 50-70%, with taxpayers supporting the elderly. This collectivist model, reminiscent of Chinas Great Leap Forward (1959-62) that led to millions of famine deaths, is unsustainable. The strength of a chain is determined by its weakest link, and in Chinas case, several links need strengthening. Fertility can rise only if China addresses them all. One hopes that it can set an example that does not violate human rights. 2025/Project Syndicate The author is a senior scientist at the University of Wisconsin, Madison, who spearheaded a movement against Chinas one-child policy. US President Donald Trumps speech at Davos was meant to be a bellwether for the trans-Atlantic relationship, particularly Nato, with his handling of Greenland closely watched. After the speech, it appears Nato has survived, but barely. Mint examines the implications. What is Nato? The North Atlantic Treaty Organization (Nato) was created in 1949 as a bulwark against Soviet expansion and the spread of communism. It had 12 founding members: the US, Canada, the UK, Belgium, Denmark, France, Iceland, Italy, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, Norway, and Portugal. After the collapse of the Soviet Union in 1989, Nato expanded steadily, with Finland (2023) and Sweden (2024) among its latest members, prompted by Russias attack on Ukraine. The key clause in the Washington Treaty that founded Nato is Article 5 that says an armed attack against one or moreshall be considered an attack against them all." This clause was invoked after the 2001 September 11 attacks, leading to a multinational military presence in Afghanistan under the US-led global war on terrorism. Also Read | Why an emboldened Trump set his sights on Greenland What is Trumps gripe with Nato? Trump has long shown disdain for multilateralism. His main complaint with Nato, however, is financial: the US shoulders most of the cost of European security, while other members contribute relatively little. During his first term, Trump demanded Nato members raise defence spending to 2% of GDP; in his second term, he is pushing for 5%. In Davos, he complained that the US gains little from Nato beyond protecting Europe from Russia. In this context, the idea of Denmark selling Greenland to the US has, in Trumps view, become a symbolic payback for years of American spending on Nato. What was Trump's pitch at Davos? At Davos, Trump clarified he would not annex Greenland by force and avoided referring to the 10% punitive levies he had threatened on countries defending the island. Yet his warning was unmistakable: You can say yes, and we will be very appreciative, or you can say no, and we will remember." He later added that he was seeking talks. Why Greenland matters for Nato A US military move in Greenland would have shattered Article 5: one Nato member attacking another would effectively dissolve the alliance. Europe, though economically powerful and home to US bases, relies on the US nuclear umbrella for security, despite the nuclear-armed UK and France. The US has also played a decisive role in countering Russias nuclear threat during the Ukraine war. Europe could theoretically impose economic penalties on the US, but with Trumps unpredictability, there is no guarantee of Washington's cooperation in future Nato crises. Why does it set a dangerous precedent? Forcing Denmark to cede Greenland would violate its sovereignty. It is also unclear whether Trumps demands would have stopped there. More broadly, it raises difficult questions about global security: how can the US or Europe pressure Russia on Ukraine, or China on Taiwan, if a nuclear power can coerce a Nato ally without consequence? The main beneficiaries of this US-made Nato crisis appear to be Russia and China. Could Europe have prevented this? Yes. Europe has had decades to reduce its reliance on the US for military security. The Balkans crisis of the 1990s highlighted this dependency, resolved largely through US intervention. The European Unions Common Security and Defence Policy, established in 1999-2000, and operations like Frances in Mali or the EUs naval Operation Atalanta to counter piracy off the Horn of Africa, have been limited in scope. The Ukraine war exposed the gaps in Europes security posture. Despite economic strength, technological capabilities, a robust military-industrial base, and nuclear powers within its ranks, Europe has not developed a fully independent military capacity. Demographic challenges could have been mitigated by technology, such as drones. Trumps actions have delivered a rude reality check, one that could push Europe toward greater self-reliance, but building such capabilities will take time. Elizabeth Roche is associate professor of practice at O.P. Jindal Global University, Haryana. (Bloomberg) -- Greenlands prime minister says hes willing to go further in increasing the defense of the Arctic island coveted by President Donald Trump, including agreeing on the establishment of a permanent NATO mission. We are ready to discuss more, we are also ready to do more and do it more permanently, Jens-Frederik Nielsen said Thursday, speaking to international media in the territorys capital, Nuuk. What happens on the polar island is at the center of global speculation after Trump announced hed agreed to a framework with NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte, offering scant detail. According to a European official briefed on the talks, the pact entails the stationing of US missiles, mining rights aimed at keeping Chinese interests out and a bolstered NATO presence. Nielsen said he wasnt aware of the any details of a Trump-Rutte deal and stressed that Greenland would have to take part in any talks about its future. But he also said he was open to cooperate more on mineral resources. Denmark has long pushed for stronger NATO presence in Greenland, a message that has now been heard, and hopefully we will seriously begin to take action on it, said Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen late on Thursday. Speaking to reporters ahead of a European Union leaders summit in Brussels, she said both Denmark and Greenland are also open to expanding a defense treaty with the US. The agreement from 1951, updated in 2004, allows the US to freely establish bases in the territory but requires it to consult Denmark and Greenland first. For now, the framework agreement helps defuse an escalating crisis over Greenland and paves the way for the North Atlantic Treaty Organization to beef up security in the Arctic region, fending off any threat from Russia or China. It also dials down the gravest threat to the transatlantic alliance since its founding after World War II. The Greenlandic premier said a permanent NATO mission in Greenland would be welcome, because one thing we all agree on is the security of the Arctic and that our region is important. The 34-year-old premier, who took power in the land of 57,000 people last year, said any talks with the US over increased military presence must come through diplomatic channels and in a respectful manner. We are ready to discuss a lot of things, he said. But sovereignty is a red line, our integrity and our borders and international law is definitely, definitely a red line that we dont want anyone to cross. Explainer: Why Trump Is Obsessed With Taking Over Greenland (Updates with comments from Danish premier from fifth paragraph) More stories like this are available on bloomberg.com NUUK, GreenlandAs President Trump spoke Wednesday, Rikke stergaard was anxiously refreshing news coverage at her desk, trying to understand whether the president had categorically ruled out an invasion. My nerves are in flight or fight. I try to calm myself down, take it easy, take it easy, but its difficult," said stergaard, a Ph.D. student at the University of Greenland. Trump, who spoke at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, on Wednesday, said he wouldnt deploy the military to take control of Greenland. But his assurances did little to calm nerves on this icy island, where people have found themselves at the center of a geopolitical struggle in the era of Trumpian power politics. Through it all, many Greenlanders have felt like pawns in a global game that has upended their politics. Before Trump renewed his bid to take over the island, the debate wasnt ifbut whenGreenland would become independent. Now that process is on hold, as the island tries to ride out the political storm. stergaard said her doctoral research analyzes the tragic legacy of Danish rule over Greenland, but she has been uneasy that her work might be misconstrued as a justification for Trumps designs on the island. Its as if we cannot go near this conversation now," she said. Its such a dilemma." Late Wednesday, Trump was moving toward an alternative arrangement with North Atlantic Treaty Organization allies, a deal that everybody is happy with," he told reporters. He said details of the agreement would be announced soon, saying the U.S. would get everything it wanted. Meanwhile, the island will remain on edge. The political upheaval has put a pause on normal life. In a sign of the distress that is spreading, the government was distributing a brochure to residents Wednesday, encouraging them to prepare for an unspecified emergency. Greenlandic officials were careful not to say what the emergency was while urging people to make sure they had enough food and water for five days, crank-powered radios and the phone numbers of their loved ones written down. The countrys nerves have been frayed, Minister for Social Affairs Aqqaluaq B. Egede told a jam-packed room of local and international journalists. The goal of our opponents, who have different thoughts, is to divide us," he said. View Full Image Officials Peter Borg, in plaid shirt, and Aqqaluaq B. Egede at a press conference in Nuuk, Greenland, on Wednesday. Jonathan Nackstrand/AFP/Getty Images On the snow-covered streets, residents said they were anxious to the point of losing sleep over the possibility of a U.S. invasion. One mother described herself in a panic over what to do. She said her 11-year-old son had asked her if he needed to start learning English. Its not good for our health, the stress!" she said, lowering a bag of groceries onto the ground. Americans need to understand that we are not for sale." In his speech Wednesday, Trump described this territory of 57,000 people as a piece of ice, cold and poorly located." He framed Greenland as a debt that Denmark owed Washington, in return for the U.S.s role in winning World War II and shouldering much of Europes security burden. What he didnt address was what is in it for Greenlanders to join America. For decades, Greenland quietly incubated one of the last of the anticolonial movements chipping away at an old European empire. As Americans barely noticed, political parties in Greenland campaigned to carve out what would be a uniquely indigenous nation. If Greenland was to break from its Danish colonizer, it would become, five centuries after Columbus, the only independent nation in the Western Hemisphere whose governing language remained that of its pre-European ancestors. Instead, the politicians who most loudly advocated for a quick and unambiguous independence now find themselves heckled in crowdsand urged to keep quiet, lest the U.S. confuse Greenlands complaints with Denmark as a call for American conquest. In his speech Wednesday, Trump appeared to be embracing an earlier imperial era and lamenting the state of European countries that gave up their colonies. America would obtain Greenland, he said, just as we have acquired many other territories throughout our history. As many of the European nations have. Theres nothing wrong with it." His remarks have spooked residents, who said they voted to break away swiftly from Denmark but now welcome Danish troops on their soil and the Royal Danish Navy patrol vessel anchored near shrimp boats in their harbor. A lot of the rhetoric that were seeing now, especially against our party, is like, Cool it, dont talk about independence now, youre only poking the bear," said Juno Berthelsen, a member of Parliament with the Naleraq party, which calls for immediate independence. We should always center the Greenlandic people in this conversation, not which two powers were supposed to choose between. We have to center international law." View Full Image Juno Berthelsens political party urges immediate independence for Greenland. Sarah Meyssonnier/Reuters On Saturday, leaders of his party largely refrained from joining a thousands-strong march against American conquest, which was described as the largest protest in Greenlands modern history. When a member of the party tried to address the crowd, it shouted him down, chanting, Greenland for Greenlanders! If the threat of U.S. invasion has receded for now, it has left behind a fundamental reappraisal for Greenlanders who find themselves in a world whose great powers suddenly seem closed to their aspirations for an independent state in the North Atlantic. Anticolonial causes like Greenlands once had options. Among them were Moscow, which championed the movements that sought to break from Western empires during the Cold War. These days, the Kremlin encourages Trump to seize Greenland. On Wednesday, its chief negotiator in Ukraine peace talks, Kirill Dmitriev, asked in a post on X: Canada next?" The work of deterring the U.S. from acquiring Greenland has fallen to Denmark, the protecting power a majority of Greenlanders had sought to escape. Three centuries of Danish colonization has spurred a range of resentments between the islands Inuit residents and faraway Copenhagen. Danes who spend six months on the island are eligible to vote, giving them equal say over the islands future with those who were born there. Many Danes on the island never learn the native Greenlandic language and fill administrative jobs in Nuuk, a capital furnished with coffee shops and a new international airport. Meanwhile, many Inuit residents live in far-flung settlements, where problems with alcoholism and suicide are rife. View Full Image An area with shops in Nuuk, Greenland, on Wednesday. Denmark funds healthcare, police, courts and about half the islands budget, prompting a debate over whether that roughly $1 billion in annual aid is staving off povertyor entrapping residents in a Scandinavian system imposed on a culturally indigenous population. Those frustrations built until a 2009 self-government act, approved by three-quarters of Greenland voters, which charted a path for independence. If Greenlanders vote yes in a future referendum, Denmark is constitutionally obligated to commence negotiations for the islands departure. This past March, Naleraq, the party in favor of immediate independence, won a quarter of the vote in Parliament, double its previous share. The party was open to an agreement in which the U.S. would have exclusive military access to Greenland, to secure its independence. These days, it is tagged in local media as turncoats, its leader, Pele Broberg, said. Now theyre trying to use the narrative, If you talk to the Americans, you are a traitor," said Broberg, a pilot who joined the party after he felt that Inuit flight-crew members werent promoted as readily as Danes. Whos supposed to talk to them if whoever talks to them is a traitor?" What should we do?" he asked. Should we stop following the international rule-based order? No." Write to Drew Hinshaw at drew.hinshaw@wsj.com It's official. Mumbai's next mayor will be a woman from general category, as per draw of lots conducted by the Maharashtra Urban Development Department, news agency PTI reported on Thursday citing officials. The lottery, a pre-condition for picking a Mayor for Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC), determines the category for which the mayor's post will be reserved, such as general, women, SC, ST, and OBC categories. Also Read | BMC power tussle: Sanjay Raut makes big claim amid Mumbai mayor race Now that the category is announced, eligible candidates (all women) will file their nominations for the Mayoral post. Shiv Sena (UBT) cries foul The procedure was, however, opposed by Shiv Sena (UBT) leader and former Mumbai mayor Kishori Pednekar, who claimed that the rules to arrive at this decision were changed without informing anyone. Pednekar said the last two mayors of Mumbai were from the general category, and asserted that the new mayor should have been from the Other Backward Classes (OBC) or the Scheduled Tribe (ST) category. Also Read | Ex-Mumbai mayor Kishori Pednekar elected leader of Shiv Sena UBT corporators "We condemn the way the procedure (of lottery) was conducted," Pednekar was quoted as saying by PTI. Pednekar, who won from Ward number 199 in BMC, was elected the leader of Shiv Sena UBT corporators on Wednesday. She had defeated Rupal Kusale of the Shiv Sena (Shinde faction). The BJP-led Mahayuti alliance won 25 of 29 municipal corporations, including the prestigious Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC), ending Shiv Sena's nearly three-decade dominance over the Mumbai's local body. Apart from Mumbai, Pimpri Chinchwad, Pune, Bhiwandi and Dhule will have women mayors from the open category, as will Navi Mumbai, Malegaon, Nanded and Mira Bhayandar will also have women mayors from the open category. Elections to the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) and 28 other civic bodies in Maharashtra were held on January 15, and the Mahayuti alliance swept the polls. In Mumbai, the BJP and Shiv Sena alliance ended the Thackeray familys nearly three-decade-long control over the countrys richest municipal body, winning 89 and 29 seats respectively. TAIPEISgt. Lai Chung-yu had almost everything a Chinese spy recruiter could want in a Taiwanese asset. As a member of the military police battalion tasked with guarding the offices of the president and many senior officials, he knew the security personnel and measures used to protect them. He was also in debt and short on cash. So when he searched online for a loan to keep himself afloat, a Chinese agent hooked him with an opportunity for easy money. All the sergeant had to do was snap some photos of sensitive security details with his cellphone. Lai, according to Taiwan authorities, was a cog in an extensive Chinese spy machine that has infiltrated Taiwans armed forces and political establishment, funneling intelligence to Beijing. As Chinas adversaries around the world labor to shut the door on Beijings espionage operations, nowhere is the threat of infiltration greater. Taiwan officials fear that agents already in place on the island would aid a military attack by China, which claims Taiwan as its own and has threatened to seize it by force. Chinas spying operations are rapidly advancing, using complex operations and new technology that together pose a potential serious threat to our national security," Taiwan authorities said in a recent assessment. A campaign launched in March by Taiwan President Lai Ching-te to combat Chinese espionage and influence has yielded some high-profile arrests that shed new light on Chinas strategy to undermine the island from within. Particularly unsettling for Taiwan: Many of the suspects charged with national-security violations since the start of 2024 were actively serving in the military or were army veterans. In October, a retired lieutenant general was given a 7-year prison sentence for accepting Chinese funds to establish an armed organization in Taiwan that would target military bases. Taiwanese military investigators, law-enforcement authorities and prosecutors interviewed for this article described a trend in Chinas effort: the increasing use of messaging apps and online loan offers to target low-ranking members of Taiwans armed forces. In one example cited by a military officer, a Facebook post claiming to represent a podcast offered the equivalent of up to around $125 to any interview subject with a military background willing to share information. China has been taking advantage of democratic Taiwans freedom, diversity and openness to recruit gangs, the media, commentators, political parties and even active-duty and retired members of the armed forces and police to carry out actions to divide, destroy and subvert us from within," Taiwans president said in March. Paying lower-ranking soldiers small amounts for their cooperation is good value for the money," said David Hsu, the deputy head of Taiwans investigation bureau. Posters displayed at military campuses around Taiwan warn soldiers to be wary. Chinese agents, they say, will charm you through social media, offer money and business opportunities and even provide sexual favors. The posters feature illustrations and descriptions of the people who are particularly vulnerable: Those who lead indulgent lifestyles off-duty, frequent inappropriate venues, gamble, or are preoccupied with online dating and extramarital affairs." Hotline numbers are provided to report suspicious activity. Beijing is not just benignly collecting information. Its all being used in preparation for annexing Taiwan," said Kerry Gershaneck, a former U.S. counterintelligence official and author of a book on combating Chinas political warfare." Hearts and minds China is also trying to undermine Taipei with messages to the Taiwanese public that the islands leadership is corrupt and its military unwilling to defend them. In one example, prosecutors charged a Marine sergeant this month with undermining national security by allegedly recording a video of himself pledging allegiance to the Beijing government while holding a Chinese flagand getting paid by someone in China over $6,000 for doing it. He earned a few hundred dollars more by providing information about Taiwans weapons and amphibious vehicles, prosecutors said. No legal representative for the accused could be reached. Such cases subtly undermine the trust that the Taiwanese can have in themselves" and the trust of the allies and partners of Taiwan," said Peter Mattis, a former Central Intelligence Agency analyst who is president of the Washington-based Jamestown Foundation. Its less of an intelligence war and more like cognitive warfare," Taiwan Defense Minister Wellington Koo said in a May interview. Chinas Taiwan Affairs Office didnt respond to a request for comment. Prosecutors in Taiwan filed charges in 2024 against 64 people in 15 cases of alleged Chinese espionage, compared with three in 2021, according to Taiwans National Security Bureau. In the first nine months of last year, 24 more were charged. Nearly two-thirds of the people charged during those periods were military personnel, active or retired. Nearly 90% of the military cases came from internal tips, Koo said Monday. One challenge for Taiwan is new spy techwhat government watchdog the Control Yuan has described as Chinas rapid advancements in defense and intelligence technologies." In one example, an air-force sergeant used a Chinese-developed phone app to bypass military security software and photograph classified documents, according to Control Yuan officials. In another, a Taiwan businessman used mapping technology to survey roads, documenting buildings, distances and other data that investigators said could be used to support Chinese wargames or military planning. Sophisticated tools arent always necessary. Smartphones, with their built-in cameras, have made spying easier and stopping it more complicated, investigators and military officers said. Spying at the presidential offices Sgt. Lais battalion was responsible for security at the entrances and throughout the hallways of the presidential office building. The sprawling Taipei landmark also houses the offices of the vice president, the National Security Council and its chief, and other officials. In April 2022, when former President Tsai Ing-wen was in officeand identifying the island as a democracy distinct from China, a position that infuriated BeijingLai began delivering photographs of documents to Chinese agents in return for payment in the cryptocurrency Tether. Lai later brought a member of the Taiwan Defense Ministrys cybersecurity and electronic-warfare command into his spying activities. When Lai was eventually rotated out of the presidential-offices detail and risked losing access to lucrative intelligence, he recruited another sergeant and a corporal in his battalion to take over. The more sensitive the files, the more they were paid. Over the course of two years, the unit provided China with names and headshots of government officials who worked in the building, rosters of guards and their call signs, and the training materials that guided how they performed their jobs, according to court documents. Such information could be assembled by China to complete a big puzzle," said Lin Ying-yu, a security expert who teaches at Taiwans Tamkang University. The operation continued through the January 2024 election of President Lai, who has deepened the divide with Beijing, labeling China a foreign adversary." In August 2024, a soldier tipped off authorities about the spying enterprise at the presidential office building. Sgt. Lai and three others were arrested that December. By March, they had been convicted. Lai was sentenced to seven years in prison. Over the course of Lais spying enterprise, prosecutors estimate that he received the equivalent of about $15,000. The other three received similar pay. Sometimes it baffles us," said chief prosecutor Hsing Tai-chao. It wasnt even a significant amount." Write to Joyu Wang at joyu.wang@wsj.com Elon Musk has renewed his warnings about artificial intelligence, predicting that AI systems could surpass the combined intelligence of humanity within the next decade. Speaking on Thursday, the Tesla and xAI chief said the pace of development was accelerating so quickly that machines more capable than any individual human could emerge far sooner than many expect. He suggested this milestone could arrive as early as the end of this year, and almost certainly by 2031 at the latest. Musk has long argued that AI represents both a transformative opportunity and a profound risk, repeatedly calling for stronger oversight even as his own companies invest heavily in the technology. Tesla eyes regulatory breakthrough in Europe Alongside his comments on AI, Musk revealed that Tesla is close to securing European regulatory approval for its Full Self-Driving advanced driver assistance system. He said the company is hopeful that supervised Full Self-Driving could be authorised in Europe as early as next month. A similar timeline is also being targeted for approval in China, according to Musk. Also Read | X to deliver incredible AI recommendations by year-end, promises Elon Musk If granted, the approval would represent a significant regulatory milestone for Tesla and could pave the way for wider deployment of its autonomous driving features across major global markets. First Davos appearance marks change in tone Musk also made his first-ever appearance at the World Economic Forum in Davos on Thursday, a notable shift for a billionaire who has frequently criticised the annual gathering. Controversies continue to surround Musks ventures Musks Davos appearance comes amid heightened scrutiny of his business activities and public statements. He remains a central figure in discussions around SpaceXs provision of satellite internet services in conflict zones. Also Read | Why Elon Musk is racing to take SpaceX public At the same time, his AI startup xAI has faced criticism following reports of sexualised imagery generated by its Grok chatbot, raising fresh questions about content moderation and ethical safeguards in generative AI systems. While Musk has positioned himself as a critic of elite consensus, his expanding role in shaping the future of AI, transportation and space technology continues to place him at the heart of global policy conversations. Google appears to be gearing up for the launch of its next affordable smartphone, the Pixel 10a, with fresh leaks now suggesting its design and key specifications. The handset is expected to succeed the Pixel 9a and will likely serve as the budget-friendly entry in the Pixel 10 series unveiled last year. Design Details Emerge in Latest Renders Newly leaked renders shared by YTECHB provide a detailed look at the purported Google Pixel 10a from multiple angles. The device is shown in a black colour option with a familiar Pixel design language. At the rear, the phone appears to feature a dual camera system placed inside a horizontal pill-shaped camera bar, accompanied by a single LED flash. The Google logo is centrally positioned on the back panel, while the handset seems to sport a flat metal frame with visible antenna lines. On the right edge, the power button is placed above the volume controls. From the front, the Pixel 10a is expected to feature a hole-punch display for the selfie camera, along with relatively thick bezels. Interestingly, earlier leaked images showed the phone in a blue shade with marginally slimmer bezels, suggesting Google may offer multiple finishes while keeping the overall design largely unchanged from the Pixel 9a. Expected Pricing and Launch Timeline According to recent leaks, Google could unveil the Pixel 10a on March 5. In Europe, the base model with 128GB storage is tipped to be priced at EUR 549, while the 256GB variant may cost EUR 649. The smartphone is expected to be available in Berry, Fog, Lavender and Obsidian colour options. Indian pricing has not yet been confirmed. Specifications and Hardware Highlights The Pixel 10a is anticipated to feature a 6.3-inch Full HD+ AMOLED display with a refresh rate of up to 120Hz and peak brightness reaching 2,000 nits. For photography, it may retain a 48-megapixel primary rear camera paired with a 13-megapixel ultra-wide sensor. A 13-megapixel front camera is also expected. A Ukrainian delegation led by Secretary of the National Security and Defense Council Rustem Umerov, along with Davyd Arakhamia and Oleksandr Kamyshin, held a meeting in Davos with representatives of BlackRock, one of the world's largest U.S. investment companies, which is involved in plans for Ukraine's economic recovery. "Together with Davyd Arakhamia and Oleksandr Kamyshin, we held meetings with colleagues from BlackRock, one of the world's largest U.S. investment companies, which is involved in plans for Ukraine's recovery and economic revival. I also held meetings with the prime ministers of Norway and Qatar. Separately, a meeting took place with U.S. partners Jared Kushner and Steve Witkoff," Umerov said in a Telegram post. The key topics of discussion were economic development, post-war recovery, and security guarantees. Partners were informed about the latest Russian strikes on civilian infrastructure, in particular the situation in Kyiv, where millions of people were left without electricity and heating as a result of the attacks. "We continue working with our partners, combining the defense of the country today with laying the groundwork for its recovery tomorrow," Umerov said. Barron Trump apparently saved a young womans life during a violent incident, a UK court heard. Barron is the youngest child of US President Donald Trump and his third wife, Melania Trump. During the trial at Snaresbrook Crown Court, the woman told the jury that Barron Trump had saved her life. The woman contacted Trump through a FaceTime call while she was being attacked by her former boyfriend, according to the NY Post. According to reports, the 22-year-old became aggressive after feeling jealous of her friendship with Barron. The 19-year-old was in the United States at the time. However, he immediately dialled emergency services. The woman said the FaceTime call she had made in January felt like a sign from God. Barron saved the young womans life as he called the police. The court heard that she was still shaken but grateful for the quick police response that followed the call. Barron Trump told operators that a girl he knew was being beaten and shared her address, according to the publication. Police arrived quickly and stopped it. Police officers later told her that someone in the United States had contacted them but did not reveal who it was. In bodycam footage, she explained that she was friends with Donald Trumps son. Also Read | Barron Trump eyed for top TikTok post as platform shifts to US control: Report Officers then asked her to call Barron back to confirm the emergency call. She complied calmly despite the shock. Hello, Barron. Did you call the police or anything? she asked. I had someone call the police, Barron replied. He then told the officers, She called me. I picked up the phone expecting a nice hello or something. I called you guys; that was the best thing I could do. I wasnt going to call back and threaten things to him because that would just make the situation worse, he added. In the FaceTime call that lasted around 15 seconds, Barron could only see the ceiling before it got disconnected. However, he heard her screaming and crying. Barron Trump's height often makes people curious. They often Google, How tall is Barron Trump? Well, his height is 2.06 metres, which is 6 feet 9 inches. Barron Trump Net Worth Donald Trump has publicly credited his youngest son for introducing him to cryptocurrency. Barron later co-founded World Liberty Financial with his father and older brothers in 2024, shortly before the US election. After Trumps election victory, the business grew rapidly. According to Forbes' estimates, World Liberty has added more than $1.5 billion ( 13,740 crore) to the Trump familys wealth. Barrons share is estimated at around 10%, roughly $150 million ( 1,374 crore) before taxes. Barron, who keeps a low profile despite his celebrity status, also holds billions in locked tokens. That could potentially add another $525 million ( 4,808 crore) to his net worth once they become tradeable. This would bring his total wealth to nearly $700 million ( 6,411 crore), Sure, if you got out and walked, youd nearly be going as quick as the train is! said Councillor Peggy Nolan at a recent meeting of Longford County Council as she reiterated her call for a meeting with Iarnrod Eireanns CEO to discuss including Longford on a fast track line to Dublins Connolly Station. She said, There was a meeting in Leitrim County Council recently where it was discussed - and I discussed this here before Christmas - about a fast track line from Mullingar to Connolly. We dont have a dual carriageway from Longford to Dublin, were not going to get the fast track train from Longford to Connolly so therefore were being put at a disadvantage, whereas if we were on the radar for a fast track that would, say, start in Sligo and take in Longford on the way to Connolly, then we would be on the commuter belt and it would make us a very attractive county; we would have no problem with the take up for housing. Once again however we are not. Also read: Irate Longford councillor: Uisce Eireann ran so fast out the door, they brought the hinges and all! Reinforcing a suggestion that was made at the council meeting in Leitrim, Cllr Nolan said, What was suggested at the Letirim County Council meeting was that all the CEOs from Sligo right up to Connolly meet with the CEO of Iarnrod Eireann, Mary Considine, and (Iarnrod Eireann management) Barry Kenny, and try and have some sort of negotiation and make sure we are included in the fast track. Cllr Nolan pointed out that a fast track from Longford to Dublin would make the county an attractive prospect to those working in Dublin. She added, Imagine the hardship on people leaving home in Longford at 5.30 trying to go to work in Dublin. Remember, the Childrens Hospital will be open soon. Can you imagine the attraction of Longford for those who work in that hospital that they could make that journey in an hour. The line, as it is currently, sure its ridiculous. Sure, if you got out and walked, youd nearly be going as quick as the train is currently. Also read: Planning green light paves way for creation of up to 200 new jobs in Longford Cllr Nolan added, I said before Christmas we should make contact and engage with Iarnrod Eireann. What I would like to suggest today however is that all CEOs also engage with the CEO of of Iarnrod Eireann to ensure we are not left behind again. Cathaoirleach Garry Murtagh said the proposal would be raised with the Chief Executive and kept on the agenda in the meantime. Funded by the Local Democracy Reporting Scheme Former NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg has said the problem with peace for Ukraine is that you can't change Russian leader Vladimir Putins mind about his intentions for Ukraine, which he wants to control, but you can force him to come to the negotiating table if the price for that control is too high. "The point (of achieving peace for Ukraine IF-U) is that we need to not only agree among ourselves on a platform for peace in Ukraine, but also do something more difficult, which is to find a way to agree with President Putin So the main question is whether we can agree with Putin now on peace in Ukraine. And I dont think we can change Putins mind. His goal, his ambition, is to control Ukraine. Theres no doubt about that," Stoltenberg said on Thursday in Davos during a Ukrainian breakfast organized by the Victor Pinchuk Foundation on the sidelines of the World Economic Forum. At the same time, Stoltenberg is convinced that it is possible to "change Putin's calculations, that if the price he has to pay for control over Ukraine is too high, then he will be forced to sit down at the negotiating table and agree on something acceptable to Ukraine." "And the only, only way to achieve this is to provide military support to Ukraine. This is the only way, because the price has to be so high that he agrees to sit down at the negotiating table and respect Ukraine as a sovereign, independent state," the former NATO Secretary General emphasized. In this regard, he welcomed the efforts of NATO allies, which "play a more important role in coordinating support." Noel Monahans new book, Les Russes Arrivent (The Russians are Coming) is a book of magic and chance, and a demonstration of how words can capture the imagination and interest of people overseas. This beautiful book has collected some of Noels works and placed it alongside a French translation, adding to the unity of language and intrigue in how poems look when placed side-by-side. The Russians are Coming relates to the element of chance from a poem that Noel happened to write, all related to Granard, retrieving from the days of childhood going to national school, praying for the conversion of Russia. Also read: Acclaimed Longford poet Noel Monahan reflects on his love of his poetry and life However, it is about the imagination of a child who thought that Granard could use a shake-up, like waiting for snow to arrive. Russia invaded Hungary and Budapest in 1956, and a lot of refugees came from Hungary to Ireland, reminisced Noel. That was a big item of news at the time. I, as a child, prayed the conversion of Russia while wondering if itd be bad if the Russians did arrive. There were tanks and guns which were different from at home. Thats the magic of it. A reader today will wonder and see it from a more political point-of-view. Yet, Noel acknowledges that poetry has its own freedom. A poem that can be casually written becomes independent and has its own rights, he says. PICTURES | Longford celebrates opening of exciting new chapter for inclusive sport The centre poem, The Russians are Coming was written in Cavan, and published in 1995 in his second collection called Snowfire. It captured the intrigue of Emmanuel Malherbert, a great poet and also a scholar. He liked what he was reading. The element of chance that your poem becomes bigger than yourself. It leaves the Longford, Cavan area and journeys to France, and gets translated. Leaving an island like Ireland, and it is now on sale in the French bookshops throughout France, which is great. Emmanuel Malherbert has translated many writers, great writers. Im chuffed that Im amongst all these great people. Also read: REVEALED: The Longford projects that will benefit from 3.5m funding windfall Noel is yet to meet Emmanuel, but it became known that he was working on translations for a possible collection. He found out about the collections publication on November 20, 2025 two weeks beforehand. Calling it a wonderful surprise, and that Salmon Poetry (Noels usual publishing house) approving of it, Noel once again related to the theme of chance. Previously in his writing career and when he was a teacher, a poem of his came up in the Leaving Certificate. French teachers could be interested in County Longford and Cavan and its about the counties, and its in French. Its well-written and gives a good biography and assessment of my work, he remarked about his new book. The French language is so musical. I think some of them work better in French. English has that rough, continental touch at times! Recounting the words of poet Paul Celan that it was a message in a bottle (regarding chance on how this achievement happened), Noels work now sits in French bookshops. A search of the publisher, Alidades, the books name and Noels has the books whereabouts listed for those who are interested in searching for it. Also read: Longford's Maura floors fans with latest Traitors promo look With the cover having a photo of old Granard, and with many poems relating to the town, this book has brought a piece of Longford into mainland Europe, for different audiences to read and enjoy. Noel hopes, although unconfirmed, to go to Paris and do a reading there in the Centre Cultural Irlandais. The number of victims that were supported by Longford Women's Link last year jumped to more than 350 women and children - a 43% increase compared to the figure recorded two years previously. Helpline calls to LWL soared by 260 or nearly 28% last year, while supports such as interactions with clients, court accompaniments and providing safety plans all increased. The data provided by LWL - who have a team of trained specialists in the areas of domestic violence and coercive control to assist victims - showed a total of 352 women and kids were supported by them in 2025. Also read: 'The Spare Prince' is bringing panto royalty to Longford's Backstage Theatre That represents an increase of 21 or 6.3% compared to 2024 and it is a jump of 106 or 43% compared to the figures recorded in 2023 when 246 victims were supported. Domestic Violence Service Coordinator Natalie O'Reilly, said she believes two primary reasons for the increase in the figures are collaboration between LWL and other agencies and more awareness of the supports. "From 2023 we've had this inter-agency group with other professional members, An Garda Siochana, Tusla, a GP, a barrister, we've got Jason Poole on board, he is doing a lot of activism now about law change and Jennifer's Law. "We would say, we would believe it's from an increase of inter-agency referrals in particular like the court, clerk, the judge, An Garda Siochana and it's like strengthening relationships. "You would be really surprised the amount of women that come here that have lived in Longford all their lives but didn't know that this service was here." Also read: Criminologist warns of rural domestic homicide risk in Longford conference LWL are working closely with Mr Poole, the brother of murdered Dubliner Jennifer Poole who is set to address the Oireachtas Joint Committee on Justice this week. He is urging them to act immediately on progressing Jennie's Law as it continues to examine the Criminal Law (Sexual Offences, Domestic Violence and International Instruments) Bill 2025, legislation commonly referred to as Jennies Law. Longford Women's Link said a total of 8,402 interactions overall were undertaken last year compared to 6,757 in 2024, a 24% jump. The organisation said helpline calls increased significantly to 1,196 in 2025 from 936 (27.7%) the previous year. Ms O'Reilly said domestic violence remains a significant issue in Ireland and its impact is particularly exacerbated in rural communities. Also read: Grok controversy: Longford CEO says digital undressing tools are 'a form of image-based sexual abuse' LWL provides support to women and children experiencing domestic violence and they support victims in counties Longford, Leitrim, Cavan, Roscommon, Westmeath and other counties. LWL offers education and training, is involved with lobbying and advocacy on gender equality issues and assists women with legal assistance. Speaking on the 43 children who received support in 2025 (up by eight) Ms O'Reilly said an adolescent psychotherapist is now part of the team. Being able to provide that direct support to adolescents is fantastic. Also read: Planning green light paves way for creation of up to 200 new jobs in Longford The hunt continues for a man who fled Longford after brandishing a weapon and taking a sum of cash from a casino on Ballymahon Street in the town on November 13 last year. The suspect is said to have won money in a casino game, and upon approaching the office to collect his winnings, is believed to have produced a weapon, reportedly a gun, before kicking open the door, and entering the office to take the cash. Emergency services were called to the scene as a staff member sustained minor injuries during the incident. Also read: Disqualified Longford driver covered face as he tried to evade gardai Following the incident, Gardai secured as evidence CCTV footage from inside the casino as well as footage from a security camera outside the premises. Gardai identified the suspect however they believe the individual in question left the county shortly after the incident. According to a Garda spokesman, they are still investigating the matter and are appealing to anyone with information to contact Longford Garda Station on 043 3350570 or the Garda confidential line 1800 666 111. Also read: Cheap house in Longford has big potential due to hidden feature out the back The United States Treasurys Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) announced on January 21 that it sanctioned a network of organizations it says are covertly controlled by Hamas. The move aims to limit the Islamist groups ability to raise funds while improving international mechanisms for supporting legitimate Palestinian civil and humanitarian needs. OFAC said the sanctions targeted entities that raised funds for Hamas, which is designated as a foreign terrorist organization by the United States and other countries, through sham charities and organizations that claimed to have supported Palestinian causes. Among the entities designated were the Gaza-based Waed Society, the Al Nur Society, the Qawafil Society, the Al Falah Society, Merciful Hands, and the Al Salameh Society. According to OFAC, members of Hamass internal security forces were formally assigned to work inside several of the organizations, including the Waed Society and Al Salameh Society. Treasury said documentary evidence seized from Hamas after the October 7, 2023, attack on Israel showed the group provided fighters with detailed instructions on how to navigate Hamass internal bureaucracy to request projects and services from affiliated charities. OFAC said that the Waed Society received direct funding from Hamas to carry out projects in Gaza and was tasked by the terrorist group with advocating on behalf of Hamas fighters captured while fighting Israeli forces. The department said that the Al Nur Society and the Al Falah Society were similarly funded and had transferred funds to Hamass military apparatus. Funds from Al Nur were used to pay Hamas members and provide services to fighters, OFAC said. Al Falah, it added, transferred more than $2.5 million to Hamas over a recent three-year period. Merciful Hands was also controlled by Hamass so-called military wing, OFAC detailed, with some of its funding and operational instructions coming directly from the terrorist group. The Al Salameh Society and the Qawafil Society were likewise tasked and financed by Hamas to support the organization and execute projects intended to benefit its operations. OFAC said that the Waed Society, the Al Nur Society, the Qawafil Society, and the Al Falah Society were designated under Executive Order 13224 for materially assisting, sponsoring or providing financial, material or technological support to Hamas. OFAC designated Merciful Hands and the Al Salameh Society under Executive Order 13224 for being owned, controlled, or directed by, or for having acted or purported to act for or on behalf of, directly or indirectly, Hamas. OFAC also sanctioned the Popular Conference for Palestinians Abroad (PCPA), which it said serves as a political front for Hamas. OFAC designated the PCPA under the same provisions as Merciful Hands and the Al Salameh Society. PCPAs founder, Zaher Birawi, was also listed among OFACs designations under Executive Order 13324 for having materially assisted, sponsored, or provided financial, material, or technological support for, or goods or services to or in support of, the PCPA. Hamas issued a statement on January 22 condemning the designations, saying that it considered the decisions to be unjust and oppressive, built upon incitement by the criminal Zionist entity. Joe Truzman is an editor and senior research analyst at FDD's Long War Journal focused primarily on Palestinian armed groups and non-state actors in the Middle East. In case you havent been paying attention, a lot of stuff is happening politically and socially here in the U.S. A lot of stuff. Im not here to share how I feel about it all, but I think we can all agree, in a broad sense, that a lot of issues need to be worked out. Its times like these where we all need proper leadership. For example, take Utah State Senator Kirk Cullimore. In these turbulent times, Cullimore is showing hes a man of the peopleif youre an Android user. You see, Cullimore (who is also the Utah State Majority Leader, so you know hes a boss!) has introduced a bill to make Android the states official mobile operating system. SB138 points out that Android needs to join the Rocky Mountain Elk, Dubhe, Quaking Aspen, dutch oven, and square dancing as a state symbol. Why? KSL.com reports that Cullimore joked that his Android bill is about discrimination from iPhone users who complain that text messages from him appear in green bubbles rather than blue. Someday, everybody with an iPhone will realize that the technology is better on Android, said Cullimore. Mark his words, dear readers. What do Utahians (Utahites? Utes?) think? According to KSL.com, when Cullimore talked about the bill to the media, the other senators nearby just laughed. You know, Im sure a lot of the opposition laughed when Abraham Lincoln proposed the 13th Amendment. Great men and adversity go hand in hand. Seriously, though, Cullimore said that he doesnt expect this to really get out of committee. This, from the guy who wants to move the day of Halloween from October 31. Seriously. As if he has absolutely nothing important to do. But what if the Utah Congress is sold on SB138 and actually passes it? Well, great! Enjoy your green bubbles, Utah. And keep up the good work, Senator Cullimore! Youve taken platform trolling to a whole new level that it didnt need to go to. You sure showed us! Creation of tariff-free zone in Ukraine could be 'game changing' for country's economy - Witkoff US President's Special Envoy Steve Witkoff believes that the creation of a tariff-free zone in Ukraine could be "game changing" for the country's economy. "We spent at dinner last night talking about the upward trajectory for the Ukrainian economy and financial system, capital markets, the jobs. The president has talked about a tariff-free zone from Ukraine that I think would be game changing. You'll see it free moving to this area," he said at the Ukrainian Breakfast in Davos on Thursday. Witkoff added: "Imagine that you get to outcompete because you are not paying tariffs when sending goods into the United States." War between Russia and Ukraine will not end in a win-win situation - Advisor to British PM Powell The war between Russia and Ukraine will not end with the victory of either side, negotiations should be intensified by putting pressure on Vladimir Putin, according to Jonathan Powell, the British Prime Minister's national security adviser. "It is quite clear that this war will not end with the victory of either side. Russia will not be able to defeat Ukraine thanks to the bravery of (Ukrainian - IF-U) fighters. Ukraine will not be able to return its territory by physical force, so there must be negotiations," Powell said at the Ukrainian Breakfast in Davos on Thursday. According to the adviser to the British Prime Minister, US President Donald Trump is right to promote negotiations to achieve peace. However, as Powell noted, there is currently no evidence that Putin is ready to compromise on achieving peace. "I think we need to put pressure on President Putin, financial pressure, military pressure, and set a deadline for him to make a decision," Powell stressed. He added: "Now that he (Putin IF-U) has become a member of the Peace Council, I hope that he can truly fulfill his new role and achieve this peace by taking it seriously." A Boston man who groomed and manipulated a 16-year-old girl was convicted of sex trafficking a minor. Tramonte Jamier Queen, 26, was convicted on Jan. 16 after a four-day trial in federal court in Boston, according to the U.S. Attorneys Office. Beginning in 2022, Queen recruited a 16-year-old girl to engage in prostitution, according to prosecutors. Queen posted provocative photos of the girl in online advertisements to attract sex buyers, then arranged for the victim to perform sex acts with the buyers. Queen used the basement of his mothers house as a meeting place for the buyers to engage in sex acts with the victim, then continued trafficking the victim from hotels in Rhode Island, prosecutors said. Queen was arrested on Feb. 5, 2022 as he was driving with the victim. Ted E. Docks, Special Agent in Charge of the FBIs Boston Division, said Queen was brought to justice. Tramonte Jamier Queen callously groomed and manipulated a 16-year-old girl with total disregard for her well-being and sex trafficked her out of his mothers basement and across state lines, Docks said in a statement. Queen was convicted on one count of sex trafficking of a child and one count of transportation of a minor with intent to engage in criminal sexual activity. The charges could bring a sentence of 10 years to life in prison. When Boston police arrived at the Alinea houseboat in Charlestown one night in February 2025, the woman who answered officers knocks shut the door on them just before they discovered a dead man on the back patio. But her lawyers now argue that police never had a warrant to board the boat at all. Nora Nelson, 25, faces charges of murder, animal cruelty and the malicious killing of an animal in connection with the death of 65-year-old Joseph Donohue on Feb. 2, 2025. She was taken into custody at the scene on unrelated warrants, then indicted by a Suffolk County grand jury in May 2025. Nelson and Donohue had a longstanding intimate partner relationship, and she was living with him at the time of his death, her attorney Ian Davis previously told MassLive. Donohues body was found that night 67 stab wounds, wrapped in a duct-taped tarp on the patio of the houseboat he owned. His dog, Champ, was also found strangled to death in the water next to the boat, according to prosecutors. But in motions filed in Suffolk Superior Court in December, Davis argued that the Alinea was Nelsons home and that police made a warrantless entry onto the vessel. Because of that, he said, all evidence obtained by Boston police should be suppressed and an evidentiary hearing held. Nelsons defense team also filed several other motions in late 2025, including requests to consult with a forensic veterinarian, a bloodstain pattern analysis expert and a forensic toxicologist. Her trial date, originally set for June 1, was rescheduled to Sept. 21. What happened when police first met Nelson at the houseboat Boston police went to the Alinea on Feb. 2, 2025, to conduct a wellbeing check requested by Donohues family, who said they had been unable to reach him for about 48 hours. Nelson accompanied by a dog answered the door, told officers she needed to put the dog away and closed it. Through a window, officers said they saw Nelson running around the houseboat and moving items. When she returned to the door, officers told her they were trying to locate the man who lived there. Bostons Nora Nelson, 24, during her February arraignment for the stabbing death of Joseph Donohue, 65, of Charlestown. (Libby ONeill/Boston Herald) Nelson responded, Can I tell you something? according to a police report. Believing she wanted to speak privately inside, an officer began to follow her, but Nelson instead tried to close the door, saying she was uncomfortable with the number of men present. Nelson identified herself as Casey, claimed she had spoken with Donohues daughter and said she had traveled to Hull and Quincy. She also told police that Donohue was at the Golden Banana gentlemens club in Peabody though officers later learned she had told Donohues family he was at the store. Nelson was evasive and unresponsive, her statements were contradictory, and frankly, she lied, prosecutors said. What happened when police went inside Growing concerned, officers told Nelson they would conduct a sweep of the residence to ensure no one was hurt or dead inside. Nelson immediately told them they needed a warrant. In his December motion, Davis argued that police are lawfully allowed to enter a home without a warrant only under strict emergency exceptions, such as the need to provide medical aid or respond to signs of violence. There was no evidence that any individual needed medical attention within the interior rooms of the Alinea, Davis wrote, noting that the only information police had was that Donohue had not contacted family for several days. There were also no indications of violence or forced entry, and Nelson the only known resident was unharmed and reported hearing nothing suspicious, the motion said. In addition, because the boat was surrounded by police, there was no risk of flight of anyone from the apartment, Davis wrote in his motion. Despite this, officers boarded the boat. Inside, they saw a mop, a bucket and a black trash bag between the bed and the rear sliding glass door leading to the patio. A bloodstained sheet was hanging over the door leading inside from the stern. On the patio, officers found Donohues body wrapped in a ducttaped tarp. His dog was dead in the water beside him. Later, divers found a knife with a missing tip submerged next to the boat and a piece of a knife embedded in Donohues forehead, according to police. Joseph Donohue, 65, of Charlestown, was identified as the homicide victim of an incident on a houseboat on Feb. 2, 2025. Donohue family Nelson was taken into custody on unrelated warrants involving domestic violence allegations from another Boston man in his 60s, whom Nelson had previously dated and lived with. That man told police Nelson had threatened his life in November 2023. Nelson was brought to police headquarters for an interview, where she identified herself with another false name, Mary Catherine Howard, police said. Officers tried to confirm the name but could not, according to the report. During the interview, police said, Nelson claimed the blood in the home was from her menstrual period, was not forthcoming, gave indirect or contradictory answers and avoided further questions about the blood. A judge will decide whether the evidence Boston police collected will be used at trial. An evidentiary hearing has been scheduled for 10 a.m. on Feb. 25, with Nelsons case set to go to trial in September. Ukraine has corrected its mistake in attempting to limit anti-corruption agencies in July 2025, but its partners should also correct their mistake in delaying the delivery of necessary weapons, including Taurus and Tomahawk missiles, said Taras Kachka, Deputy Prime Minister for European and Euro-Atlantic Integration of Ukraine, an Interfax-Ukraine correspondent reports. "Indeed, it was a mistake, and we all made many mistakes. For example, we are not providing Ukraine with Taurus or Tomahawk missiles. But we have corrected our mistake, and the question of whether other mistakes have been corrected is that we still have a lot of indecision among our partners," he said at the Davos Ukraine Breakfast organized by the Victor Pinchuk Foundation on the sidelines of the World Economic Forum on Thursday. Kachka stressed that Ukraine is at the final and most difficult stage of structural transformation regarding the rule of law and the fight against corruption, which has been ongoing since 2014-2015. According to him, thanks to the current parliament and deputies, we have an independent and very functional anti-corruption system, which is confirmed by statistics. As the Deputy Prime Minister noted, the National Anti-Corruption Bureau (NABU) initiated 737 cases last year, the Special Anti-Corruption Prosecutor's Office filed 124 indictments against 280 people in Ukraine, courts handed down 93 verdicts against 130 people, and two ministers resigned after the NABU investigation, and this is a victory. Bostons largest food hall will stay open after all. Longtime local real estate developer Samuels & Associates has stepped in to keep Time Out Market open, just one day before it was set to close, the company told MassLive Samuels & Associates has agreed to take over management of the Fenway food hall, which previously announced that it would be shutting down on Friday after nearly seven years. Time Out Market is an important neighborhood amenity and an essential part of what makes Fenway work. It serves residents, students and employees at the Colleges of the Fenway, the Longwood Medical Area workforce, and the many people who work in Fenways offices and businesses, while also helping balance the activity generated by sports, music, and entertainment venues nearby, CEO Steve Samuels said in a statement. Recognizing this, we moved quickly to find a path forward. Were pleased to have reached an agreement that supports continued operations and allows us to work collaboratively with the existing restaurateurs to build on what they have successfully established. Time Out Market, which first opened in 2019, revealed on Jan. 14 that the massive food hall would close for good on Jan. 23. Time Out CEO Michael Marlay said the decision to shut down the 27,000-square-foot space was largely driven by a decline in business. Following the pandemic, we have seen the Boston Market recover and grow, and we have focused on initiatives driving further growth, Marlay said in an online statement. However, footfall until today remains inconsistent in the area due to ongoing hybrid working, and in addition, operating costs have increased all of which prevents consistent profitability. He added that it has been an honor to serve Boston and that Time Out Market has loved our time in the city. Boston is a fantastic city with outstanding food and cultural scenes. We want to thank our team, our chefs and restaurateurs who truly are the best of the city it is thanks to all of them that the Boston Market has been a wonderful place for our guests, whom we also would like to thank wholeheartedly, Marlay continued. We are proud to have been able to give our vendors a platform in Time Out Market. We will continue to champion these outstanding, best-of-the-city talents. We hope to welcome many of you as our guests at the Market this month to enjoy our vendors amazing food. Samuels was moved by the communitys overwhelming response to Time Outs closure. He even said Mayor Michelle Wu reached out and encouraged him to get involved. This led Samuels to partner with Alexandria Real Estate Equities, which owns 401 Park where Time Out Market is located. Every great city needs great food halls, and Time Out Market in Fenway has been a needed gathering space and economic hub showcasing our local culinary talent to residents, coworkers, and visitors from around the world, Wu said in a statement. Im grateful for the swift leadership from Steve Samuels and our Fenway community to ensure this will continue to be a bright spot in Bostons food scene and the Fenway neighborhood. Samuels now plans to work collaboratively with the markets 15 vendors to find ways to improve business and keep them open. He also plans to license the Time Out name and brand, meaning the market will keep its name and signage. Time Out has been a dynamic amenity for the community and visitors, while providing jobs for workers and support for local businesses, Tim Horn, president of Fenway Civic Organization Inc., said in a statement. Keeping Time Out in operation is desirable and will help maintain the vitality of the Fenway. The Boston Globe noted that Samuels initially brought Time Out to the ground floor of 401 Park in 2019. Samuels & Associates sold the building in 2021, and has not been involved in ongoing operations since that time. Samuels & Associates has been a property owner and manager in Fenway for more than two decades. The developer has spearheaded several major projects including The Pierce, Fenway Triangle Trilogy, The Verb Hotel, Van Ness and 1330 Boylston. Time Out Market opened in June 2019, in the Landmark Center in Fenway, which is now called 401 Park. The massive hall is located at 401 Park Drive on the corner of Brookline Avenue. Time Out Market has 15 food and beverage concepts, including local staples such as Union Square Donuts, anoushella, A&B Burgers, Far Out Ice Cream, Lulu Green and more. Time Out also hosts dozens of events and live music. The market is part of the global Time Out brand that has locations around the world, including New York, Los Angeles, Chicago, London and Miami. The first Time Out Market opened in Lisbon in 2014, while Boston was the companys fourth city. Time Out Market will close its Chicago food hall on Friday. In 2025, a New England casino donated more than $12.5 million to charity, helping provide free medical transportation for critically ill patients, helping grant life-changing wishes for children facing serious illnesses, improving playgrounds and more. The Brook, located in Seabrook, New Hampshire, operates under New Hampshires unique charity casino model, which allocates a portion of all gaming revenue to local organizations through rotating five- to ten-day cycles. What sets The Brook apart is our unwavering commitment to the communities we serve, CEO Andre Carrier said in a press release. Every visitor who walks through our doors becomes part of something larger a charitable mission thats transforming lives throughout the region. Were proving that businesses can be both profitable and purposeful, and were just getting started. In 2025, Kingston Childrens Center received about $80,000 for facility upgrades and staff development initiatives that enhanced educational quality without increasing costs for families. NH Hunger Solutions received more than $66,000. Angel Flight NE and Make-A-Wish New Hampshire also received money. The Brooks support has been game-changing for us, said Jemima Chapman, Program Director at Kingston Childrens Center. The Brooks partnership allows us to maintain a high-quality early education program with well-trained staff and excellent materials without raising prices astronomically for parents. For a program serving around 100 families, this support makes all the difference. The organization used the money to cover essential expenses like new flooring, professional staff training, and playground improvements, a press release stated. The casino is about 40 miles north of Boston. It has more than 600 slot machines, 45 table games and a 10-table poker room. The casino raised $11 million for more than 100 charities in 2024, according to CDC Gaming. And it has donated nearly $41 million since 2019. The casino recently announced a 24,000-square-foot expansion and renovation to keep its tagline of being Americas largest charity casino, according to the New Hampshire Business Review. Outdoor fire pits, a new restaurant and new parking lots are expected. For those who need help with responsible gaming, call the helpline at 1-800-327-5050 or go to GameSenseMA.com. Editors Note: This article was updated on Jan. 22 to include information about Franklin Cummings Tech history and its South End property. Stepping off a busy main street into a college building and finding a car inside would normally signal trouble the kind that comes from a driver taking a wrong turn. At Franklin Cummings Technical College in Boston, it is part of the hands-on learning taking place in the classroom. The automotive shop, where students fix peoples cars for the cost of parts, is one of several unique programs, such as HVAC and opticianry, that the states only independent technical and trade college offers. The five cars suspended on lifts are in the colleges new campus building that opened last week in Roxburys Nubian Square. The move from the South End to Roxbury plays into a story of success for the college, which is defying many national trends with its increasing enrollment and predominantly male student population, said Aisha Francis Ph.D., president and CEO of Franklin Cummings Tech. In 2020, the college struggled with enrollment and finances and was in talks over a merger with Wentworth Institute of Technology that didnt pan out. That changed with a historic $12.5 million donation from Cummings Foundation and grew in supporters. The colleges upward trajectory comes at a time when the Trump administration has made federal funding cuts and waged other attacks on higher education, while emphasizing the importance of trade schools and workforce development programs. President Aisha Francis at Franklin Cummings Technical College in Roxbury. (MassLive/Juliet Schulman-Hall) Francis views Franklin Cummings Tech as the great equalizer, supporting future workers who are the lifeblood of the U.S., she said. That mission is something people want to be part of and invest in, she said. The $75 million building, backed by supporters such as Cummings Foundation and the Liberty Mutual Foundation, is evidence of that. This is definitely a space that makes the students sit up taller and understand their worth and their value in different ways, Francis, wearing a bright blue dress with matching Franklin Cummings Tech Converse sneakers, said. A new building for Franklin Cummings Tech From an icy sidewalk on a January afternoon, large robotic arms and other sci-fi-looking parts can be seen sitting in the windows. Another room housed a wall of eyeglasses for an optical shop, powered by students, opening in February and open to the community. Once the site of Harrison Supply Company, the new building, with its large windows, allows passersby to watch students in class, attracting curious onlookers. The big windows also bring natural light throughout the building. The building was constructed in part to contrast with the decaying, closed-off, older building where the college was previously located in the South End, Francis said. The South End building is on the market after a sale fell through. 27 1 / 27 Franklin Cummings Technical College With snow piles lining the streets outside on a brisk Wednesday, students crowded around the open spaces inside. Staff fed hungry students collard greens, chicken, cornbread and sweet potatoes out of large aluminum vats. Students were encouraged to discuss what support they need and to ask any questions they had. A long metal weaving staircase at the heart of the Roxbury building leads students to a rooftop overlooking the Boston skyline. The rumble of construction filled the air as workers, some of whom are students at Franklin Cummings Tech, wore bright yellow construction hats and striped vests at a nearby construction site. Construction of the college building and the finished product were also teaching opportunities, Francis said. The exposed HVAC systems and piping throughout the college building helps students understand the infrastructure around them. The rooftop, soon to be equipped with solar panels, will aid students learning of sustainable energy technology. The building itself is all-electric and the assistant project manager for the construction project was an alum of the college. It changed my life For students like Rhiannon Raymond, Franklin Cummings Tech offers something that no other Massachusetts college can: an associate degree in opticianry. But for Raymond, the program is more than that. Struggling with alcoholism and dropping out of high school before the age of 18, Raymond was looking for a new path for herself. When she came across a job posting for an eyeglass-frame stylist, the opportunity brought new purpose to her life. While she had considered pursuing a four-year degree at the University of Massachusetts or even becoming a Broadway star, she found a new passion for helping people. Its not like doing this doesnt still fulfill a dream of mine, Raymond said. Rhiannon Raymond is a student at Franklin Cummings Technical College. Courtesy Photo After she obtained her GED, which proves high school-level academic skills, she started at Franklin Cummings Tech at 18 years old. She woke up at 5 a.m. four days a week during her first semester, traveling from Southbridge to the South End campus while working a job the other three days. Part of her work includes a coop program where she works with patients under an opticians supervision. While the new Roxbury campus isnt as convenient for Raymond as it is for most of her peers, she said it feels like the college is finally getting new visibility and recognition. Now 20, Raymond said she is excited to graduate in a few months. This field really did it changed my life. It saved my life, Raymond said. What is Franklin Cummings Tech? The college, formerly known as Benjamin Franklin Institute of Technology, was founded in 1908. It drew support from Benjamin Franklin, who left 1,000 pounds of sterling to Boston in his will, intended in part for trade education. The college rebranded as Franklin Cummings Tech after a $12.5 million gift from the Cummings Foundation in 2022. The institution is unique because its not just a trade school but a college that is accredited like any other college in Boston. As such, credits can be transferred to other institutions, and students can go on to pursue a four-year degree if they want, Francis said. We are making sure that what were offering is what the market is looking for, Francis said. Enrollment at the college has doubled in the past five years to around 1,200 students. She said the college plans to continue growing with a goal of 1,500 students. The school is made up of around 20% high schoolers. The average age of students is 22 years old, Francis said. Students largely come from families with household incomes of less than $40,000 but a year after graduating, they earn an average individual income of $57,000. Around 80% of graduates find jobs or continue their education. About 15% of the students who attend Franklin Cummings Tech are from Roxbury and the school is made up of predominantly first-generation students and students of color. The students it serves range from 4.0 GPA high school students who want to follow a specific career path, to those who are on their fourth try at attending college, Francis said. I think whats wonderful is that we appeal to folks who were superstars in their high school setting and those who really need a restart. Its both, she said. The federal government has pushed for more workforce development and trade schools, including proposing a deal with Harvard University to create a series of trade schools. At the same time, the Trump administration also cut nearly $3 billion from Harvard and has gone after its international students. Cuts to higher education will have impacts across any institution, even Franklin Cummings, Francis said. She pointed to the Trump administration proposing significant cuts to federal funding for students, such as Pell Grants which 98% of Franklin Cummings students use. She fears demonizing higher education will lead to a generation of underemployed people because they wont have the adequate education or training they need. I think in general, attacks on federal funding for higher education dampen college retention, attendance it doesnt really matter what type of college. I think thats whats unfortunate, is a lot of the narrative has been painting a negative picture of college, period, without thinking about or talking about differentiations and how many different types of colleges there are, Francis said. The reality is that in order to live out the American dream, most people need some education beyond high school, she said. A Massachusetts woman faces new charges after she provided court officials with a fake death certificate in an attempt to avoid her criminal charges, officials say. Shannon E. Wilson, 44, was indicted by a Plymouth County grand jury on several charges after she previously told court officials in September 2022 that she suffered from terminal brain cancer and then her defense attorney showed screenshot images of a death certificate in May 2023, according to the Plymouth County District Attorneys Office. Although no certified death certificate was filed with the court, the womans criminal charges were dismissed and all fees were waived. When investigators looked further into the womans supposed death, they found that no death certificates were registered in Massachusetts or Rhode Island and that no hospice, palliative care or funeral services has been provided for Wilson as she had claimed. Wilson faces one count each of furnishing false identifying information, obstruction of justice, forgery, uttering of a public record and failure to appear after released on bail. What led to the criminal indictment? Officials say that Wilson faced multiple criminal matters in Massachusetts court between 2022 and 2023. As those cases proceeded, officials say that Wilson represented, both personally and through her attorneys, that she was suffering from terminal cancer, was undergoing treatment, had entered hospice care and ultimately died. On Aug. 15, 2022, Wilson was arraigned in Hingham District Court after a traffic stop. Defense counsel told the court that Wilson was terminally ill and had a limited life expectancy. An acquaintance of Wilson posted a $400 bail on her behalf, and she was released subject to conditions, officials said. In the following months, Wilson failed to comply with the conditions of release and failed to appear in court. When prosecutors tried to revoke her bail, Wilson said she had been hospitalized, officials said. The court decided not to revoke her bail, but instructed her that medical issues did not excuse failure to follow the courts orders. On Sept. 12, 2022, Wilson appeared in Plymouth District Court on unrelated charges, and again told court officials that she suffered from terminal brain cancer, officials said. In January 2023, her defense attorney presented a letter purportedly from Dana-Farber Cancer Institute showing terminal disease and hospice case, officials said. Relying on those representations, the court dismissed the Plymouth case, the district attorneys office said. Then in May 2023, Wilsons defense attorney reported receiving messages that Wilson had died and later provided a screenshot image of a death certificate, officials said. The court dismissed the criminal matter and waived all fees. The document listed terminal brain cancer as the cause of death, named a Rhode Island physician as certified and identified a Boston funeral home, officials said. An investigation did not find proof of those documents for Wilson, officials said. In August 2023, the acquaintance who posted Wilsons $400 bail was unexpectedly visited by Wilson, who admitted she had fabricated her death, officials said. On July 15, 2023, Wilson was arrested by state police in Wareham after a traffic stop for driving erratically, officials said. She identified herself under a fake name, claimed to be visiting from Ireland, denied her true identity and again said she was terminally ill, officials said. There were items in her possession bearing her true name, officials said, and she was arrested. The indictments allege that at critical stages of court proceedings including arraignments, bail determinations, continuances, dismissals, and return of bail Wilson knowingly made false representations that she was terminally ill or deceased, and that courts relied on those representations in taking judicial action," the district attorneys office said in a statement. Wilson is currently in state custody and will appear for her arraignment at a later date, officials said. Maine consistently ranks as one of the safest states, sporting the lowest rate of violent crime in the nation. And yet President Donald Trumps Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) has set its sights on the Pine Tree State, selecting it for its latest surge that commenced this week. Patricia Hyde, ICEs deputy assistant director, told Fox News the agency is targeting approximately 1,400 people in Maine under Operation Catch of the Day. Regardless of statistics that continually position Maine as a safe corner of America, crime is and always has been a political flashpoint. The Republican Party frequently touts messaging that crime is increasing and undocumented immigrants are to blame. Recently, Trump targeted Somali immigrants, of which Maine has one of the largest populations in the country. During a December cabinet meeting, Trump said, They contribute nothing. I dont want them in our country their country stinks and we dont want them in our country. He escalated the rhetoric around Somalis on the world stage this week at Davos, the annual meeting of the World Economic Forum. ICE appeared to arrive in Maine in larger numbers on Tuesday. By Wednesday, social media was flooded with sightings and documented arrests in Portland, South Portland, Lewiston, Westbrook, Biddeford and other communities. From the first day of operations, the Department of Homeland Security touted arrests of people convicted or charged with aggravated assault, false imprisonment and endangering the welfare of a child. Exhibiting a calm, steady demeanor during a Wednesday afternoon press conference, Portland Mayor Mark Dion said the enforcement actions in Maine do not appear to mirror the chaos currently unfolding in Minneapolis following the shooting death of Renee Good by an ICE officer. Portland Mayor Mark Dion speaks at a news conference about ICE activity Wednesday, Jan. 21, 2026, in Portland, Maine. (Patrick Whittle/Associated Press) But fear is palpable across the state as immigrants are urged to shelter at home. Portland City Councilor Wes Pelletier called ICEs presence a war of terror being waged on the city by the federal government. Dion characterized the activity thus far as targeted. Maine crime numbers According to 2024 data from the Federal Bureau of Investigations, Maine had the lowest rate of violent crime in the country that year. Evaluating violent and property crime, U.S. News & World Report consistently ranks Maine among the top two safest states. It often goes back and forth with New Hampshire for the No. 1 spot. Earlier this month, a report from the Maine Department of Public Safety showed a decrease in crime statewide in 2024 for the fourth year in a row (a crime rate of 28.83 per 1,000 population). Nearly 60% of the crimes reported were crimes against property. Violent crime has been consistently falling since 2021, the report stated. The political stakes in Maine ICEs increased enforcement in Maine comes as Democrats are working to flip the U.S. Senate and the state is viewed as a critical player in doing so. Democratic Maine Gov. Janet Mills, a public foe of Trump, is running to unseat longtime Republican U.S. Sen. Susan Collins. Its arguably the biggest Senate race in the nation, and also features the Bernie Sanders-backed Graham Platner, a veteran and oyster farmer. Last February, Trump and Mills publicly clashed during a White House luncheon when the governor told the president Maine would see you in court over the topic of transgender athletes. The interaction, which gained national attention, is essentially what Mills launched her Senate campaign on in October, saying she had a track record of standing up to Trump. Its unclear whether ICEs surge in Maine will help or hurt Democrats. The largely rural, working-class state has two very different congressional districts politically the First District often going blue and the Second District going red. The districts split for Trump and former Vice President Kamala Harris in 2024, but both are currently represented by Democrats U.S. Reps. Chellie Pingree (First District) and Jared Golden (Second District). Two people, including a firefighter, were injured Wednesday in a Reading house fire after firefighters encountered hoarding conditions inside the home. A neighbor reported a fire at 27 James Road after 5:30 p.m. Wednesday, according to WCVB. Firefighters from multiple towns responded and entered the house. A 65-year-old resident was taken to the hospital with burn injuries that were not considered life-threatening. A Melrose firefighter was also hospitalized with non-life-threatening injuries. Firefighters were turned back by the untidy interior of the house, Reading fire chief Rick Nelson told WCVB. Companies had to leave the inside of the dwelling due to hoarding conditions found inside, Nelson told the outlet. Personal belongings cluttering the house made it dangerous for firefighters to make their way inside. The conditions that they found inside were a lot of heavy personal belongings clogging hallways and rooms, Nelson told WCVB. It made advancing hose lines very, very difficult, and made conditions very unsafe to be inside. Two other people were displaced by the fire, according to NBC Boston. The cause of the fire is under investigation. On a summer night in 1996, a 19-year-old turned to 20-year-old Edward Paulding as they held three men at gunpoint and asked, Should I shoot? Thirty years later, Paulding, now named Terrell Martin, has been granted parole. Martin was convicted of first-degree murder in 1999 after the shooting death of Luis Tevenal. He was sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole. However, in January 2024, the Supreme Judicial Court ruled in Commonwealth v. Mattis that sentencing people, ages 18 through 20 at the time of their offense, to life without the possibility of parole was unconstitutional and amounted to cruel and unusual punishment. Massachusetts was the first state in the country to transform the law, experts said. Essentially, the brains of what we are calling late adolescents or emerging adults function very much like juveniles, Northampton attorney Paul Rudof, one of the lawyers who successfully challenged life sentences for individuals aged 18 to 20, told The Republican . There were 210 cases that fell into the Mattis decision across Massachusetts, including Martin. He went in front of the parole board for the first time on July 15. During the hearing, the board and Martin spoke about what happened on Aug. 23, 1996. A witness saw 20-year-old Martin and Jose Duarte, 19, pass by on bicycles. Martin and Duarte approached three men in the park, including Tevenal, at Dennis Street Park in Roxbury. Armed with a gun, Duarte pointed it at the three men and stated, Run you all (expletive), which was interpreted as an instruction to turn over their belongings, according to the parole board. Tevenal then tossed his wallet on the ground in Martins direction. Duarte asked Martin, Le tiru? which the victims understood to mean, Should I shoot? The men ran, and a shot was fired. One of the men was hit in the shoulder at the same time Tevenal fell to the ground. The courts Mattis decision has been devastating for the families of those killed. They are forced to relive the trauma, often going in front of the parole board and the incarcerated individual to make their own case. Families have described the process as a nightmare , stating they feel betrayed and that the system is treating murderers as victims while their own pain is ignored. During a previous hearing, one family member walked out, feeling as if his side wasnt being fairly heard after the incarcerated individual was told they did a good job. The parole board has so far granted freedom to about 35 people, which is a significant majority of those who have had hearings and decisions released. About 14 people have been denied parole following the Mattis decision. The parole board noted Martin has been disciplinary-report-free for about six years. But his engagement in programming has been limited, according to the board. Still, the board was impressed he had participated in Violence Reduction and Criminal Thinking. He was granted parole to an approved home plan after six months in lower security. The U.S. Department of State has updated its travel advisory for a well liked Caribbean destination. Jamaica was previously at a Level 3 advisory, meaning that Americans were told to reconsider travel to the island due to concerns of crime, health and natural disasters. However, on Jan. 17, the advisory was reduced to a Level 2, meaning that travelers are now told to exercise increased caution when visiting Jamaica, rather than reconsidering their visit. According to the department, Jamaica is continuing to recover from Hurricane Melissa, which made landfall on Oct. 28, 2025. The hurricane caused widespread damage to the western part of the island, the advisory reads. Some areas are still experiencing post-storm impacts on infrastructure and services. Advances for recovering from the storm include reopening all major airports for commercial flights. Meanwhile, western parts of Jamaica, like the Black River and Montego Bay, are in varying stages of recovery from the natural disaster. Therefore, travelers are encouraged to exercise increased caution if visiting these affected areas at this time. Availability for services and amenities at the desired location in Jamaica should also be confirmed. The department is also warning travelers about a violent crime risk throughout the country, with homicide rates being reported by the Government of Jamaica as the highest in the Western Hemisphere. This includes most commonly armed robberies and sexual assaults. But it should be noted that tourist areas generally see lower rates of violent crime than other parts of the country, the statement reads. Basic and specialized medical care may also be hard to come by in many parts of Jamaica. This includes slower emergency service response times and less availability of care for illness or injury. The department said that health care facilities in western Jamaica were badly damaged by Hurricane Melissa. Also, private hospitals require payment up front before admitting patients, meaning that they may not be able to provide specialized care. Ambulance services are not always staffed with emergency medical transports and are not always readily available, especially in rural communities. Additionally, travelers can not use U.S. medicare and medicaid abroad, and most hospitals and doctors abroad do not accept U.S. health insurance. Air ambulance service to the U.S. costs $30,000 on the low end, the advisory reads. Therefore, travelers who wish to visit Jamaica are told to take the following precautions: Bring extra prescription medication. Common medications like insulin can be difficult to find Obtain travel insurance and confirm the coverage, including medical, evacuation assistance and other trip coverage Do not physically resist any robbery attempt Do not bring firearms or ammunition, including stray rounds, shells or empty casings Avoid walking or driving at night Avoid public buses Avoid remote places Stay aware of surroundings and keep a low profile Have a plan to depart in an emergency that does not depend on U.S. government help U.S. travelers going to Jamaica can also enroll in the Smart Traveler Enrollment Program (STEP) to receive messages and alerts from the U.S. embassy. A man and woman from Massachusetts face criminal charges in connection with a scheme to defraud banks in the state. William Shaw, 67, of Boston, was indicted on four counts of bank fraud and four counts of aggravated identity theft, according to the U.S. Attorneys Office for the District of Massachusetts. Rosemary Parks, 59, of Hopkinton, was indicted on three counts of bank fraud and three counts of aggravated identity theft. Between December 2022 and March 2025, officials say Shaw impersonated at least 11 bank customers, and between August 2024 and October 2024, Parks impersonated at least eight bank customers, according to charging documents. Shaw and Parks used fake drivers licenses with the customers information but with their own photos and presented bank tellers with withdrawal slips that listed the customers names and account numbers, officials say. While posing as legitimate bank customers, officials say, Shaw withdrew more than $674,000 and Parks withdrew more than $536,000 from the customers accounts in the form of cashiers checks and cash withdrawals. The charge of bank fraud provides for a sentence of up to 30 years in prison, five years of supervised release and a fine of $1 million or twice the gross gain or loss, whichever is greater. The charge of aggravated identity theft carries a mandatory two year prison sentence consecutive to any sentence received on the other charges, officials said. While many Portland officials offered impassioned rebukes of federal immigration agents ongoing operation in Maine on Wednesday, Mayor Mark Dion cautioned that the situation is not comparable to recent immigration enforcement efforts in cities such as Minneapolis. Their conduct, at least as it is currently in Maine, seems to be focused, he said during a press conference Wednesday afternoon. ... Theyve identified a party, they have an address, they know who theyre looking for specifically, as opposed to this random, show me your papers kind of experience. So by doing so, I dont think were gonna see groupings of agents just patrolling the neighborhood. Dion characterized the current ICE activity in Maine, which began Tuesday, as targeted, but criticized a press release the agency shared Wednesday on Operation Catch of the Day." He noted several instances in which he felt the release crafted a narrative meant to mislead and stoke fear. Dions first example was an arrest listed in the release as such: Dominic Ali, a criminal illegal alien from Sudan convicted for false imprisonment, aggravated assault, assault, obstructing justice, and violation of a protective order. I think thats meant to frighten you. I think thats meant to infer that this criminal person was free in our community. But you missed the word convicted. Hes been convicted. Hes been through the process, the mayor said. If so, if he served a sentence, hes considered now a free person as far as the criminal justice system is concerned. In the last two days, the mayors of Lewiston and Westbrook, Maine, have confirmed increased immigration enforcement efforts in their cities. Whats happened in Maine thus far In a FOX News interview on Tuesday, ICE Deputy Assistant Director Patricia Hyde said the agency had arrested more than 50 people in Maine that day, and that more arrests would follow on Wednesday. ICE is targeting roughly 1,400 people in Maine for crimes ranging from child rape to drug trafficking to operating under the influence, Hyde said. You name it. Theyre on the target list, she said. Dion and Portland City Council members expressed doubts as to whether the immigration enforcement efforts across the state are truly necessary, the Portland Press Herald reported. Several shared stories from terrified residents of people being detained in public places. They see this action as unpredictable and a threat to their families, the mayor said. Because Portland does not cooperate with ICE, city officials are not notified of any ongoing immigration enforcement operations, the Press Herald reported. Portland officials are offering resources to communities impacted by ICEs activities and sharing information about residents rights and responsibilities if approached by immigration agents, Dion said, according to the Press Herald. Several officials also advised city residents who witness ICE arrests to record what they see without interfering. I wanna be really clear: this is a war of terror thats being waged on our city by the federal government, Portland City Councilor Wes Pelletier said during the press conference. Weve seen people of all ages getting thrown on the ground and getting thrown into trucks. City Councilor April Fournier lamented the impact that fear of ICE agents has had on Portlands institutions. Businesses are afraid to open, and schools are understaffed as teachers fear leaving their homes, she said. Portland Superintendent Ryan Scallon added that student attendance is also down 5% overall, while some schools are experiencing attendance decreases as large as 20%. The Portland school district has not received any reports of ICE agents near its campuses and still plans to hold in-person schooling, Scallon said. How Portland has responded Pelletier praised the people of Portland for banding together to alert one another of where ICE operations are taking place and ensuring residents who are scared to leave their homes have food and supplies. While every single abduction thats happened is a wound to Portland, its been very clear that every single one has underlined just how important immigrants are to our community, he said. ... This is one of the safest cities in the country. But because of, you know, an agenda of white nationalism and might makes right, we now have a war on our streets. City Councilor Regina Phillips said her biggest concern is the detainment of parents, which can lead to children being left abandoned with no idea who to turn to. There are kids out there that are literally being dragged away from their parents, she said. Pelletier concluded his comments by stating that he doesnt expect much of a reaction to immigration enforcement efforts in the state from Maine Sen. Susan Collins, who is a Republican. Instead, the city councilor called on Democrats who are supposed to have our backs grow a little bit of a spine and do what a random mother in any of our neighborhoods is willing to do and take action to abolish ICE." When asked what he wanted to say to federal officials or President Donald Trump as ICEs operation in Maine continues, Portlands mayor said he did not plan to communicate with the president. Im gonna communicate to the U.S attorney because hes Maine. Were Maine, and I think he has sent a message that he has a similar expectation that we do about how the federal government will behave as they conduct their lawful duties, Dion said. I think if the president is to receive a message, let him receive it from our senators and our congresspersons, thats their responsibility. Thats their role. Photo: @V_Zelenskiy_official Telegram Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has already flown to Davos, Switzerland, where the World Economic Forum (WEF) is taking place. "The president is on his way to Davos," presidential communications adviser Dmytro Lytvyn told reporters on Thursday morning. When asked whether Zelenskyy was scheduled to meet with US President Donald Trump in the first hour, the adviser replied that everything would happen step by step throughout the day. As reported, Zelenskyy said on January 20 that he might visit the World Economic Forum in Davos if documents were ready for signing or a decision was made on additional air defense. On January 21, Trump, speaking at the WEF on Wednesday, said that he planned to meet with Zelensky during the day. "I'm talking to President Putin, he wants to sign a deal, I'm convinced he wants to do it. I'm working with President Zelenskyy. We'll meet with him today, I hope he's in this room, he also wants to stop this war," he said. Lytvyn at the time said Zelenskyy was in Kyiv. By Patrick Whittle and Rodrique Ngowi PORTLAND, Maine The Trump administration is now targeting its mass deportation campaign on Maine, a state with relatively few residents in the United States illegally but a notable presence of African refugees in its largest cities. The Department of Homeland Security named the operation Catch of the Day, an apparent play on Maines seafood industry, just as it has done for other enforcement surges, like Metro Surge in Minnesota and Midway Blitz in Chicago. Reports of a surge in immigration arrests have struck fear in immigrant communities of Portland and Lewiston and prompted backlash from Gov. Janet Mills and other Democrats, including a refusal to help ICE agents obscure the identity of their vehicles by issuing undercover license plates. Citizens have formed networks to alert neighborhoods to the presence of ICE agents and bring food to immigrants in their homes. Portlands superintendent said the school district is developing an online learning plan for its students more than half of whom arent white. Many businesses have posted signs saying ICE agents arent welcome. While we respect the law, we challenge the need for a paramilitary approach, Portland Mayor Mark Dion said at a news conference Wednesday where he was joined by other local officials. This council doesnt stand apart from our immigrant communities, we stand with them. Portland and Lewiston have thousands of residents of African descent. Somali immigration accelerated in the early 2000s, leaving Maine with one of the nations highest Somali populations. Now the presence of Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents is causing great anxiety in Portland, said city council member Pious Ali, a native of Ghana. Our schools have seen about a quarter of immigrants not showing up, Ali said, and many fear going to work as well. There are immigrants who live here who work in our hospitals, they work in our schools, they work in our hotels, they are part of the economic engine of our community. ICE agents dont need to spread trauma by smashing doors and windows, he said: The federal government has the ability to contact these people without unleashing fear into our communities. Another Portland city councilor said the enforcement activity has prompted residents to avoid leaving their homes, even for basic needs, and spurred informal networks to track the presence of immigration agents. Councilor Wes Pelletier said business owners, teachers and college students have shared information to alert neighborhoods to enforcement activity, while volunteers have delivered groceries and diapers to families too afraid to go outside. Every arrest feels like a wound to Portland, the councilor said. Dozens of arrests The enforcement action is arriving in Maine, a mostly rural state with about 1.4 million residents, as confrontations between ICE and demonstrators continue in Minnesota, where ICE is under scrutiny following an agents fatal shooting of Renee Good. ICE didnt respond to a request for comment Wednesday on the agencys plans for Maine, where the U.S. Department of Homeland Security said in a statement that increased enforcement began on Tuesday. We have approximately 1,400 targets here in Maine, Patricia Hyde, the ICE deputy assistant director, told Fox News, adding that agents had made 50 arrests by Tuesday. We have launched Operation Catch of the Day to target the worst of the worst criminal illegal aliens in the state. On the first day of operations, we arrested illegal aliens convicted of aggravated assault, false imprisonment, and endangering the welfare of a child, said Homeland Security Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin in a statement. No new undercover license plates Secretary of State Shenna Bellows, a longtime opponent of President Donald Trump, said state officials received a request from U.S. Customs and Border Protection for confidential, undercover Maine license plates and decided against issuing them. The licenses plates are used on unmarked vehicles, and Bellows said she wants more assurance they will be used appropriately. ICEs use of license plates in other states has raised concerns: Illinois Secretary of State Alexi Giannoulias, a Democrat, issued a warning to ICE agents last year that swapping or altering license plates is illegal. These requests in light of rumors of ICE deployment to Maine and abuses of power in Minnesota and elsewhere raise concerns. We have not revoked existing plates but have paused issuance of new plates. We want to be assured that Maine plates will not be used for lawless purposes, Bellows said. Bellows, who has repeatedly clashed with the Trump administration, cited accountability concerns. Customs and Border Protection did not respond to a request seeking comment, but a top Maine Republican said withholding the undercover plates would jeopardize public safety. That really, one, puts us at odds as a state. Puts us at one end of an extreme that we really shouldnt be on, Senate Leader Trey Stewart said. Maines top federal prosecutor, U.S. Attorney Andrew Benson, joined Democrats in calling for any demonstrations in the state to remain peaceful and civil. Benson, a Trump appointee, warned people to stay out of the agents way or be prosecuted. Mayor, governors speak out Gov. Mills has pushed back, saying aggressive enforcement actions that undermine civil rights are not welcome. Lewiston Mayor Carl Sheline said ICE enforcement has been causing anxiety, fear or uncertainty for many. There is no evidence of unchecked criminal activity in our community requiring a disproportionate presence of federal agents, Dion said. Schools, Democrats call for caution Portland Public Schools, the largest and most diverse school district in the state, said in a statement Wednesday that it conducted a lockout at two schools to prevent anyone from entering the building during the school day Tuesday because of concerns about ICE activity nearby. It was quickly determined that there was no threat to our school communities and the lockouts were lifted within minutes. This is an understandably tense time in our community, as reports and rumors of immigration enforcement actions grow, the districts statement said. Maine Democrats have condemned the ICE activity. The Trump administration has deployed ICE agents to Portland, Lewiston, and possibly other Maine communities. This is not about public safety. It is about fear, control, and political theater, Devon Murphy-Anderson, executive director of the Maine Democratic Party, said in a statement Wednesday. Buffeted by Republican criticism and with one eye on the campaign trail, Gov. Maura Healey is expected to announce Thursday that shell slash utility bills for every state resident. In her third State of the Commonwealth speech to a joint session of the Legislature on Thursday night, the Democratic governor will tell lawmakers that she will immediately reduce electricity bills by 25% and gas bills by 10% for every Massachusetts residential utility customer in February and March 2026. The Democratic administration said it will cover the $180 million cost of the initiative from existing funding sources, but it did not provide further details. Customers can expect to see the discounted rates on their February bills, Healeys office said. I called on the utilities to lower bills this winter, and now relief is on the way, Healey said in a statement. " ... We also know that long-term help is needed. Thats why were going to keep working every day to bring more energy into our state, oppose rate hikes and get charges off of bills. With a median monthly bill of $481, the Bay State is one of the most expensive states in the nation for utility costs, Newsweek reported, citing data compiled by third-party bill payment service doxo. Thats well above the national median of $347 a month, according to that same analysis. Families cannot support big winter energy bills right now, so we called for more relief, state Energy and Environmental Affairs Secretary Rebecca Tepper said in the administrations statement. Our administration is working to help families make ends meet with $180 million in support, while continuing our advocacy for major reforms, she continued. Our energy affordability legislation would deliver lower-cost energy in winter months by getting more energy built, getting us a better price, and driving down delivery costs, Tepper said. With energy costs rising nationwide, were going to keep calling for strong action in Massachusetts. Healey, a Democrat, formally launched her campaign for a second, four-year term in the Corner Office on Tuesday. In a 2-minute video, she vowed to tackle affordability challenges in one of the most expensive states in the nation, laying blame at the feet of Republican President Donald Trump. In Massachusetts, we work hard, we look after each other, but these are tough times, Healey intoned in the video. Donald Trump is making everything worse. Earlier this month, the business-friendly Massachusetts Fiscal Alliance Foundation released a report arguing that Healeys policies were driving up costs. Mike Kennealy, a former Baker administration official seeking the GOP nomination in 2026, praised the findings and promised to bring down costs if hes elected. Healey has turned her back on Massachusetts residents in favor of a climate agenda that may appeal to her political base but has devastating consequences for everyday families, Kennealy said in a statement. If we continue down the path she has set, energy prices are projected to rise by as much as 126 percent by 2050. That is completely unacceptable, Kennealy, who served as former Gov. Charlie Bakers housing and economic development czar, said. Massachusetts must end its 2050 green energy mandate and focus on reality-based solutions, and that must include next-generation nuclear energy and natural gas, Kennealy said. GOP hopeful Brian Shortsleeve, who helmed the MBTA under Baker, argued that Bay State residents cant afford another four years with Healey at the helm. Massachusetts is now the most expensive state in the nation, Shortsleeve said in a statement. Thanks to her misguided policies, families are paying more for housing, energy and taxes, even as Healey spent billions of taxpayer dollars providing free housing, meals, transportation, and health care to illegal immigrants. In the statement shared with MassLive, Healey touted her efforts to rein in energy costs, pointing to the $220 million she sent to consumers through rebates and lower bills. She also highlighted a new transmission line that began operation last week, which will supply 20% of the states electricity, lowering bills by $50 million a year, according to the administration. Healeys speech to lawmakers in the chamber of the state House of Representatives starts at 7 p.m. on Thursday. Stick with MassLive for full coverage and analysis. An ABC journalist recently gave a closer look at what happened when he asked President Donald Trump about hate speech last year. ABC News Chief Washington Correspondent Jonathan Karl recounted a shocking exchange with President Donald Trump where he felt the president made him fear for his safety. During an interview with Hasan Minhaj released Wednesday on YouTube, Karl detailed an encounter on the White House South Lawn in September involving a confrontation over First Amendment protections and the potential for federal investigators to target journalists. Karl said he asked the president a very simple question. The exchange followed the assassination of conservative activist Charlie Kirk the week before, which has sparked an intense national debate over the limits of political rhetoric and safety on college campuses. Karl questioned Trump about Attorney General Pam Bondis vow to use the full force of the law against hate speech that she claimed does not fall under constitutional protections, according to The Daily Beast. What do you make of Pam Bondi saying shes going to go after hate speech? Is that, I mean, a lot of people, a lot of your allies say hate speech is free speech, Karl asked at the time, according to People.com. Trump responded by criticizing Karls heart and suggesting the reporter could be a target of the Department of Justice. Shed probably go after people like you, because you treat me so unfairly. Its hate. You have a lot of hate in your heart, Trump said. After Karl asked if such an action would be appropriate, Trump added, Maybe they will come after ABC. ABC paid me $16 million recently for a form of hate speech, right? Your company paid me $16 million for a form of hate speech, so maybe theyll have to go after you, according to Mediaite. In his remarks, the president appeared to reference a December 2024 settlement where ABC News agreed to pay $15 million to resolve a defamation lawsuit, according to The Associated Press. That case centered on on-air statements made by anchor George Stephanopoulos regarding Trumps liability in the E. Jean Carroll civil trial, according to The Daily Beast. Karl described his fear after the president of the United States suggested that federal law enforcement could be used as a tool against the press. So the idea that the president of the United States is suggesting that the power of the Department of Justice could be brought to bear against journalists, who the president of the United States doesnt believe are fair thats a very interesting reading of the First Amendment, Karl said during the Minhaj interview. The incident highlights a broader trend of tension between the administration and media and political institutions. Reports have documented a developing culture of fear within the Department of Justice as the administration seeks to centralize control over legal operations, according to The New York Times. Karl noted that a theme of the presidents reelection campaign involved vowing to go after political enemies, including the pardoning of Jan. 6 rioters on the first day of his second term and the systematic hollowing out of the FBI and DOJ. Theres nobody at the White House now telling Donald Trump, Look, sir, we really shouldnt do this, Karl observed. I mean, people advise him, but its like hes got the people around him who are going to carry out the orders. President Donald Trump may have backed off his most bellicose rhetoric on a U.S. takeover of Greenland, but one Bay State lawmaker isnt leaving anything to chance. U.S. Sen. Ed Markey, D-Mass., called for the Republican presidents removal from office under the 25th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution, which allows for a chief executives removal if hes unfit to perform the duties of his office. Invoke the 25th Amendment. pic.twitter.com/hGtiluTGiG Ed Markey (@SenMarkey) January 19, 2026 The Malden pol, whos up for reelection this year and faces a competitive primary, issued his call after Trump sent an unusual letter to Norways prime minister. In it, Trump said being denied the Nobel Peace Prize had upped his desire to seize the Arctic territory. Trump walked back his rhetoric during this weeks World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland. He announced hed reached a framework of a deal to acquire Greenland and had dropped tariff threats against European allies whod opposed his plans. Trump also announced the formation of a Board of Peace at the annual meeting of world and business leaders. European leaders appeared cheered by the news, but stung by Trumps rhetoric, said they were still keeping up their guard, The Washington Post reported. We will have everything we want, Trump said on Mornings With Maria. Were getting everything we want at no cost. In a follow-up post to X, Markey appeared less than impressed. Once again, Trump creates an international crisis and then rides in on his hobby horse to fix it. Americans are tired of Trumps circus of chaos. https://t.co/sT0P7DubRK Ed Markey (@SenMarkey) January 21, 2026 Once again, Trump creates an international crisis and then rides in on his hobby horse to fix it, he wrote. Americans are tired of Trumps circus of chaos. U.S. Rep. Seth Moulton, D-6th District, whos Markeys chief challenger for the 2026 Senate nomination, also piled on the criticism. Didn't even take 24 hours for this to age well. https://t.co/r2w3v8kTFg pic.twitter.com/7eTNDC5iT9 Seth Moulton (@sethmoulton) January 21, 2026 Didnt even take 24 hours for this to age well, the Salem Democrat wrote, over footage of an interview on MSNow. The Trump administration has ordered Cabinet agencies to review federal funding for a group of Democratic-controlled states, according to a White House budget official, as the administration looks to cut off resources for sanctuary jurisdictions that refuse to collaborate with immigration enforcement authorities. The White House Office of Management and Budget ordered all federal agencies except the Defense and Veterans Affairs departments to report every grant, loan, contract, subcontract and other monetary awards to a group of 13 states and Washington, D.C. We are moving forward with taking fraud seriously, said an OMB spokesperson, who spoke on the condition of anonymity to discuss internal proceedings. President Donald Trump declared in a speech last week that as of Feb. 1, the federal government would stop making any payments to sanctuary cities, or states having sanctuary cities, because they do everything possible to protect criminals at the expense of American citizens. The Trump administration has surged immigration enforcement in Minneapolis as prosecutors focus on nonprofits there that have received federal grants. Many of the targeted organizations are affiliated with the citys large Somali community, and Trump has used the situation to call for a crackdown on both federal benefits fraud and immigration from East Africa. During a speech Wednesday at the World Economic Forum in the Swiss resort town of Davos, Trump described the investigations targets as Somalian bandits. The jurisdictions included in the budget offices request are: California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Illinois, Massachusetts, Minnesota, New Jersey, New York, Oregon, Rhode Island, Vermont and Washington state. It also includes the District of Columbia. The memo was reported earlier by RealClearPolitics and CNN. Massachusetts Gov. Maura Healey, a Democrat who is seeking reelection in 2026, said in a campaign video earlier this week that she would stand up to anyone who gets in our way. Trump is raising costs, taking away your health care and tearing families apart, Healey said. We see the damage hes doing to our state and our country, but well never back down. In Massachusetts, we stand together on what matters most. Boston Mayor Michelle Wu, who has clashed with the Republican White House over her citys limited cooperation with federal immigration authorities, sounded a similarly defiant note as she took the oath of office for a second term earlier this month. When in the course of human events, it becomes necessary for a city to stand as the beacon for freedom and proof of whats possible, a testament to the endurance of American ingenuity and civic success, Boston will be that beacon, she said, referencing the opening line of the Declaration of Independence. Massachusetts residents better bundle up this weekend, because its going to be cold. How cold? It could be the coldest weekend of the winter. The National Weather Service has issued an extreme cold warning in Western Massachusetts from 7 p.m. Friday to 1 p.m. Saturday, as an arctic front and high gusts could push the wind chill to -20 degrees in some areas. Thats pretty chilly. But is it record-breaking? According to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, the lowest temperature ever recorded in Massachusetts is -35 degrees, which has happened three times: Jan. 5, 1904 in Taunton; Feb. 15, 1943 in Coldbrook; and most recently, Jan. 12, 1981 in Chester. That incredibly frigid record is not in danger this weekend, as the National Weather Service predicts lows of 5 degrees in Boston, 1 degree in Worcester and -4 in Pittsfield (all Friday night). The daily records will be a little closer, however. Bostons historic low for Jan. 24 is -13 degrees, which was recorded on that date in 1882. The last time Boston was below zero on Jan. 24 was 2011, when it hit -2. Current forecasts call for Bostons low on Saturday to be around 6 degrees. Worcesters low for that date is -14, recorded in 1948. The city was -9 in 2011 and -2 in 2013. This time around the city will get as low as 1 degree. Sunday temperatures will increase slightly, with Boston seeing a low of 18 degrees and Worcester going as low as 13 degrees. Thats enough to make anyone shiver, but it wont approach the daily record for either city (-5 degrees and -11 degrees, respectively). There is increasing confidence Massachusetts will be hit by a coastal winter storm on Sunday, a weather event that the latest forecasts project will bring significant snowfall to the region. As Sunday draws closer, forecasts have narrowed, according to National Weather Service meteorologist Caitlyn Mensch, and current projections see the state getting hit with at least 6 inches of snow. Its a strong storm, Mensch said. Its coming from a long way, as well, and it will be impacting a large part of the country. An arctic front is expected to hit the state over the weekend, dropping temperatures to dangerously cold levels. That creates conditions for precipitation to become snow, and with a large storm making its way across the country and tracking toward New England, all factors are in place for major snowfall. Mensch said its still too far out to predict how much snow Massachusetts should expect, but National Weather Service computer models project there is a 90% chance the southeastern part of the state will get 6 inches or more. There is a 60-70% chance of 6 inches in the northwestern regions. On the high end, the National Weather Service projects there is a 60-70% chance the southeastern part of the state will receive 12 inches or more, and a 30-40% chance the rest of the state gets a foot-plus. Mensch said the heaviest snowfall should come on Sunday afternoon, with intensity waning early Monday and lingering snow showers potentially lasting into Monday afternoon. A high-impact storm on what could be the coldest weekend of the winter means people should have a plan in case utilities are affected. We dont know how big the impact is going to be at this point, Mensch said, but the usual preparations for any winter storms. Have a kit ready in case of power outages. A significant winter storm is expected to affect Massachusetts Sunday into Monday. But exact snowfall amounts remain uncertain. StormTeam 5 Meteorologist Mike Wankum said predicted snow totals can change dramatically between Wednesday and Sunday but that it is the perfect scenario for getting a big storm to develop. The worst of the storm is expected in Texas through the mid-Atlantic states as ice and power outages are expected. The storm arriving late this week and into the weekend is shaping up to be a widespread potentially catastrophic event from Texas to the Carolinas, said Ryan Maue, a former chief scientist at the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, told the Associated Press. I dont know how people are going to deal with it, he said. Adam Frederick, amateur meteorologist known as New England Weather Guy, expects those in the south to feel like its New Englands Blizzard of 78. But he doesnt expect actual blizzard conditions in New England. Still, hes warning New England residents that heavy snow is expected and to be prepared to have school canceled Monday and Tuesday. Heres what meteorologists and forecasters across Massachusetts are predicting as of Wednesday night. How much snow could Mass. get Sunday night? Frederick is predicting anywhere between 2 inches to 10 inches. Maybe more, maybe less, he wrote, adding on Wednesday that he has models showing anything from 2-4 inches up to 18-20 inches for us up here. Snow chances for New England have increased significantly in the last 24 hours, according to NBC Boston. Our probability of 6 inches of snow or more for Boston has increased to now a 40% to 60% chance Sunday into Monday, the news outlet reported, adding that the snow is expected to be fluffy. Dave Hayes The Weather Nut stated that the storm is moderate to major with some possibility of double-digit snowfall accumulations. While timing, potential snowfall amounts, and the rest of the forecast are still up in the air, I will say that you should be prepared to stay inside Sunday and Monday, and potentially Tuesday as well, Frederick wrote. Bad travel expected across U.S. People with travel plans should consider moving them if possible, both Frederick and the Boston Globes Dave Epstein warned. Even if the storm doesnt hit Massachusetts, it could move south and hit New York and Washington, D.C. still causing major issues for airlines. I would rebook now if you can and either leave Saturday or late Tuesday, Frederick said on Facebook. When will snow forecasts be ready? National Weather Service forecasters said they wont be able to lock in to a forecast with confidence until Friday, including expectations for snow totals. So bottom line, while there is certainly a risk of a major snowstorm for (Southern New England) this is a day 4-5 forecast and a subtle shift back to the south would keep the significant impacts to the south, the weather service stated. Hayes expects to talk about the snow forecast on his Facebook page Thursday morning. But he warned there is still a lot up in the air. And Epstein also stated his forecasts wouldnt be complete until Friday. I know this can be frustrating, but this is the nature of long-range forecasting, he wrote for the Globe. The best information right now is that we have potential for a storm late in the weekend. I am comfortable with this. NORTHAMPTON Police arrested a pair of protesters and cited a third after they locked themselves to one another inside the lobby of a city defense manufacturer Wednesday, police said. The three members of Demilitarize Western Mass, an anti-war advocacy group, earlier that day announced their intention to lock themselves inside L3Harris to decry the companys involvement in global military actions and the resultant deaths of innocent people. Thursday is the fifth anniversary of the Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons, the protesters said in a statement, and activists found the date opportune to send a message. As a resident of Northampton who knows with absolute certainty that the L3Harris factory in my town makes deadly weapons and surveillance equipment that is used to violate human rights, international law and constitutional law, it is my legal and moral obligation to use all possible nonviolent means to stop them, Phil Wilson said in the statement. L3Harris commits mass murder every day of the year, and to passively allow them to continue is a crime of neglect. The trio had intended to lock themselves to a periscope in the companys lobby. They didnt, or couldnt, so they improvised. (They) entered the lobby and two of them used a device to chain themselves together, and refused to leave and caused a disturbance in the lobby, said Sgt. Joe Golec of the Northampton Police Department. He said officers responded to the scene at about 10:05 a.m. They were assisted by the Massachusetts State Police Special Emergency Response Team, which helped extract the protesters, bringing them still locked to one another to the Northampton Police Department at about 11:20 a.m. There, the SERT members unlocked the protesters from each other. Two were arrested, charged with trespassing and resisting arrest, the latter because of the use of the locking device, Golec said. The third was summonsed for trespassing. Their names were not released by the department, but Golec said theyd face arraignment in Northampton District Court on Thursday morning. The activist group Demilitarize Western Mass shares its protest efforts on Instagram. (Screenshot from @demilitarizewesternmass) Screenshot from @demilitarizewesternmass Creative flair Demilitarize Western Mass. has been protesting L3Harris on a number of local fronts for several years. Protest pressure ramped up against L3 Harris after October 2023, when Hamas attacked Israel, with activists saying the company was directly responsible for weaponry of death, such as componentry for nuclear-armed submarines and Trident missiles. The protesters have been insistent and creative. Theyve come armed with signs, of course, but also blocked the L3Harris entrance at 50 Prince St. with white body bag facsimiles, small enough to fit children, all overseen by a demonstrator in the garb of the Grim Reaper. Later came another blockade, this time with a spray-painted Toyota pickup truck. After that, the L3Harris entrance and business sign was drenched in red paint, eventually washed away by the Fire Department. They occupied the lobby before, too, throwing $100 bills to and fro as blood money, wearing T-shirts that said L3 Kills. Four were arrested, including longtime activist Patricia Paki Wieland. While L3Harris might not be diverting course with its military products and services, public and official sentiment seems to be leaning toward the protesters. In December, a Hampshire District Court judge dismissed all charges against four activists from Demilitarize Western Mass, after they proved their protest was a necessity to stop a clear and imminent danger, namely the sale of arms with L3Harris tech to the Israeli Defense Forces. More than 70,369 Palestinians have been killed since the outset of the war, according to the U.N. On Oct. 7, 2023, Hamas-led militants took hostage 251 people and killed about 1,200, mostly civilians, in the attack that started the war. WARE The daughters of a woman who sought care for over 11 months at Cedarbrook Village in Ware are suing the senior living facility, alleging negligence. Cheryl Brown and Lisa Radkowski-Lavelle, the adult daughters of the late Joanne E. Radkowski, allege Cedarbrook Village was negligent in its care of Radkowski and breached a contract, according to a lawsuit filed Jan. 14 in Hampden Superior Court. Radkowski died in 2023. Radkowski was 87 when she was admitted to Cedarbrook Village in June 2022 with a dementia diagnosis and cognitive impairment issues stemming from a serious fall seven years before. The senior living facility offers a variety of care to older adults, including independent living, assisted living, memory care and respite services, its website says. When Radkowski was admitted to Cedarbrook, she was housed in an intermediary care unit between the Total Memory Care Unit and Independent Living Unit, the lawsuit says. She entered into a contract and agreed to pay $7,330 a month for rooming, boarding and specific services. The daughters allege the center misrepresented assurances of safety for their mom. Joannes daughters report that the services provided at Cedarbrook fell far short of these promises, leaving much to be desired, the lawsuit said. Brown and Radkowski-Lavelle the representatives of Radkowskis estate are represented by Mark J. Albano, a Springfield personal injury attorney. Albano declined to comment on pending litigation. Radkowskis daughters allege there were multiple times over months when their mother was left unattended or was injured. The lawsuit alleges that Radkowski, in one instance, was inappropriately left unattended in (a) hallway when the caretaker assisting her negligently and carelessly used the restroom without protecting Joanne or considering Joannes needs. A Hampden County family is suing Cedarbrook Village in Ware for negligence after their older mother, who was seeking dementia care at the facility, suffered many falls and eventually died in 2023. Jan. 21, 2026. (Douglas Hook / The Republican) Douglas Hook Another time, Radkowski allegedly suffered a facial injury and a right eye contusion in an unwitnessed fall, which the daughters say was not reported to them and did not result in additional fall risk precautions. The daughters say that Cedarbrook Village breached its contract with Radkowski when staff members left her unattended. Then, in April 2023, Radkowski fell and fractured her left hip. She died more than six months later. The Attorney Generals Office said there have been at least two complaints against Cedarbrook Village since 2015, but it could not specify what the complaints allege. The Republican has filed a public records request for more information. A reporter could not immediately reach Cedarbrook Village for comment on the lawsuit. On its website, Cedarbrook Villages Ware location announced it was awarded the 2025 Best of Senior Living award by A Place for Mom, a senior care referral service. The facility is represented by John Flahive, a Springfield attorney. Flahive was not immediately available for comment. Unattended falls In April 2023, the day of Radkowskis fall, the facility was aware, from a pendant Radkowski wore that allegedly alerted them to her movements, that she had left her room and was wandering in the hall, the lawsuit alleges. The lawsuit says a person in charge told one of Radkowskis daughters that an aide was assisting Radkowski in walking and then the aide went to the bathroom. When the aide emerged from the bathroom, she saw Joanne on the floor in the immediately adjacent hallway, the lawsuit said. The court filing says an aide was involved in causing the fall, but does not name that aide as a defendant in the lawsuit. After the fall, that same aide allegedly provided a handwritten statement about it, which the plaintiffs have a copy of, which suggests she was not responsible for the fall and was not aiding Radkowski prior to the fall. The daughters say in the complaint that they asked Cedarbrook to preserve evidence and provide video footage to them related to the fall, as well as to their mother for six hours before the fall and six hours after it. Inexplicably, Cedarbrook, and its liability insurers, each failed to preserve and produce the video showing the fall and the complete contextual circumstances of its occurrence, the lawsuit said. Radkowski underwent surgery for her left hip fracture at Baystate Medical Center on May 5, 2023. The following month, she was readmitted after developing an infection, the lawsuit said. Following the injuries, Radkowski was transferred to rehabilitation facilities across the state, including St. Patricks Manor in Framingham and Paine Estates Memory Care in Wayland. She was later transferred to a hospice in Newton. Radkowski died on Oct. 9, 2023. Her daughters claim that seeing their mother deteriorate in health was particularly difficult because they believed that they had provided and ensured the best care for Joanne who, prior to the fall, was quite active and in decent physical health for an 88-year-old. Brown and Radkowski-Lavelle say that Cedarbrook violated state laws in providing care to a dementia patient. They allege Radkowski fell at least twice during her stay at the facility between June 2022 and April 2023. The end of Joannes life was no doubt hastened by this injury and the last days of her life were no doubt spoiled by this injury, the complaint says. The daughters are requesting a jury trial. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has already arrived in Davos, Switzerland, where the World Economic Forum is taking place, and his meeting with US President Donald Trump is scheduled for approximately 1:00 p.m. Central European Time or 2:00 p.m. Kyiv time, Ukrainian President's Press Secretary Serhiy Nykyforov has said. "The President of Ukraine arrived in Switzerland to participate in the World Economic Forum and meet with President Trump. Approximately at 1:00 p.m. (CET) - meeting with Donald Trump... 2:30 p.m. - main speech," he told reporters on Thursday. According to him, Zelenskyy will also take part in a panel session of the "International Advisory Council for Ukraine's Recovery" in Davos, during which he will meet with representatives of energy companies. As reported, Zelenskyy said on January 20 that he might visit the World Economic Forum in Davos if the documents are ready for signing or if there is a decision on additional air defense. On January 21, Trump, during his speech at the WEF on Wednesday, said that he plans to meet with Zelenskyy during the day. "I'm talking to President Putin, he wants to sign a deal, I'm convinced that he wants to do it. I'm working with President Zelensky. We'll meet with him today, I hope he's in this room, he also wants to stop this war," he said. Zelenskyy was in Kyiv at the time. On the morning of January 22, the Ukrainian president flew to Davos. CHICOPEE Sign Techniques, a 36-year-old graphic design, fabrication and installation business, was seized by the Massachusetts Department of Revenue, according to a sign posted at the business, 361 Chicopee St. No one answered the phones at the business and there was no one present Thursday. The business owes the state $120,000, according to the Department of Revenues public disclosure of tax delinquents owing more than $25,000. Sign Techniques has been seized by the Massachusetts Department of Revenue. Jim Kinney / The Republican) The Republican Sign Techniques fabricated and installed signs for many local businesses and donated crane services for the Chicopee Police Cop On Top! Fundraiser for Special Olympics. It isnt clear when the DOR action occurred. EASTHAMPTON Tavern on the Hill has been on the market since September, listed with a $975,000 asking price. But this week, owners Amy and Lawrence Guyette took to social media, reminding customers that while the business is for sale, its open and ready to welcome diners. Were not closed. We dont plan on closing, Amy Guyette told The Republican. There arent any updates on the sale, either. She said summer is always the busier time for Tavern on the Hill, but this winter has been a slower-than-average off-season. It could be the weather. It could be the economy. But she fears that people seeing the property listing assume the restaurant is closed. The Guyettes opened the restaurant 21 years ago in 2005. We decided it was time, she said. The sunset as seen from Tavern on the Hill in Easthampton. (Amy Guyette photo) Lawrence Guyette has been in the restaurant business since he was a teen. Its a gorgeous location. We have loved it, he said, adding that word of the for-sale sign will be welcome news to somebody whos got some young energy. The restaurant sits on Mount Tom and is one of the top-rated barbecue restaurants in Massachusetts and a past finalist in MassLives Best of Mass competition. The business even survived a fire in 2022. Amy Guyette said they have photos of the buildings as a restaurant going back to 1926 when it was the Green Candle Inn, a sandwich stop for cars touring the scenic road between Easthampton and Holyoke. Before it was the Tavern on the Hill, the eatery was called Harvest Valley Restaurant. It sits atop Mount Tom in Easthampton, as seen here in the year 2000. (Mieke Zuiderweg / The Republican, File) The Republican In the 1950s, it became the Old Mill, and for most of the years between the 1980s and when the the Guyettes bought it, it was Harvest Valley. The restaurant includes seating for 160 and a deck seating 75. The sale includes all property, inventory and the liquor license. SPRINGFIELD Erica Swallow, president of the Springfield Preservation Trust, encourages everyone to come dressed in their best flannel for the trusts winter fundraiser, Festive in Flannel. People get flannel and plaid as concepts mixed up, but if you wear a non-plaid flannel, thats also acceptable, Swallow said in an interview with The Republican. The Feb. 1 fundraiser will be held at the Tudor Revival-style Edward Coats House at 1090 Worthington St. in the citys McKnight district. The three-floor home is owned today by Jesse and Emila Lederman, members of the trust, but its history dates back to the turn of the 20th century. Every home we go to, we always make sure to do some research on the history, ask the homeowners what they know, and do anything else we can to add to the experience, Swallow said. This home is a fun one. It was designed in 1899 by G. Wood Taylor, a prominent Springfield architect and the son-in-law of William McKnight, who developed the McKnight district. Taylor helped develop parts of both the McKnight and Forest Park neighborhoods, so there are Taylor-designed homes in both districts, Swallow said. The original owner of the home was Edward M. Coats, a liquor distributor in the city. While not much information about Coats life is documented, his ability to commission such a grand home reflects how lucrative the liquor business was at the time. Its quite obvious Coats was doing well in liquor distribution at the time, because the home is just immaculate, Swallow said. The first floor has just got so many rooms, a lot of hosting spaces, and as you can imagine, a liquor distributor would be doing a lot of hosting. The February fundraiser marks the first time in six years that its been held in the McKnight district, and the first time in 13 years that its been held at the Edward Coats House. We like to rotate our winter fundraiser around all the different historic districts, so one year itll be on Maple Hill, one year itll be in Forest Park, and one year in McKnight, Swallow said. Its a rotation of getting people to explore different historic districts and different styles of homes. Erica Swallow, president of the Springfield Preservation Trust, at center, is pictured with trust members during the 2025 winter fundraiser. (Turnkey Media photo) Turnkey Media Four pillars of work All funds raised through the winter fundraiser benefit the work of the Springfield Preservation Trust or what Swallow described as its four pillars: advocacy, community engagement, educational programming, and historical and archival resources. The money raised supports everything we do, Swallow said, from advocating for the most endangered buildings in Springfield to doing a historic home tour every year in June. The funds also support the trusts annual Preservation Awards and Second Saturday Walking Tours, archival projects, a lecture series and educational programming. Tickets to the Festive in Flannel fundraiser are $50 for trust members and $60 for nonmembers, available online on Eventbrite.com. The fundraiser also will feature a silent auction, with a number of experiences and historic artifacts for sale from the Springfield Symphony Orchestra, Forest Park Zoo and Wadsworth Atheneum Museum of Art. The trusts Historic Homes Tour will be auctioned off, as well, as will a private portrait session with Mallory Portraits in Portsmouth, New Hampshire. What makes the silent auction truly unique, Swallow said, is the historical items that will be up for grabs, including books from the mid-1800s and historical postcards. They come from the collection of one of our longest-term members and board members, Jim Boone, whos been on the board for 48 years, Swallow said. Swallow herself also has donated an item to the silent auction from her personal collection: a historic photographic print of the Springfield Municipal Group featuring the three most prominent municipal buildings in the city: Symphony Hall, City Hall, and the Campanile clock tower. Its exciting to be able to access these historic homes, Swallow said. You see them from the sidewalk, but this is an opportunity to actually go inside and partake in history from the inside. NORTHAMPTON The Academy of Music has begun looking for a new executive director following Debra JAnthonys retirement announcement in December. A transition is on tap as JAnthony ends nearly 19 years as executive director and the historic hall continues to attract shows and performers. I think there is just a little bit more of a buzz, she said Wednesday. We are here in Western Massachusetts. The Academy of Music hosted 60 performances from July to December in 2025. JAnthony said plans are to present 73 performances, or maybe more, from January through June. The 805-seat theater draws 60,000 attendees a year, she said. It pulls 28% of its audience from at least 75 miles away. Those patrons are believed to be more likely to spend money on hotels and restaurants. People living in Brooklyn, New York, make up about 5% of the crowd. We have been slowly building our numbers back since COVID, she said. As well as our youth programs. Historically, the academy presented one youth musical a year with cast members aged 6 to 18. Last year, the academy double-cast its youth musical and this year its second production, Legally Blonde, with teenagers. The younger performers will stage My Friend Pinocchio in the fall, JAnthony said. Promoter DSP Shows added a second performance next month for Chris Fleming, a comedian, actor and YouTube personality. Fleming, whos appeared on the show Abbott Elementary, sold out the first show in minutes. Meantime, near the other end of downtown, the Calvin Theater owned by Eric Suher is still dark. The loss of Northamptons other large theater hurts, rather than helps, the Academy, JAnthony said. More shows downtown attract more concert fans and theatergoers for all the venues, she said. The academys Board of Trustees is asking for applications by Feb. 27 with hopes of narrowing down the list of hopefuls in April and hiring a new executive director to start July 1. The starting salary is listed as $120,000 a year. The Academy of Music is owned by the city of Northampton but run by a Board of Trustees. WESTFIELD Area businesses are encouraged to attend the Westfield Education to Business Alliance (WE2BA) meeting, co-sponsored by the Greater Westfield Chamber of Commerce and Westfield Public Schools, on Jan. 28, 8-9 a.m. at Tigers Pride Restaurant in Westfield Technical Academy. This meeting will focus on ways in which the business community can both support and gain from the work of high school students as they head into their prospective careers. Kevin Daley, assistant principal at WTA, will talk about cooperative education and the students in the various shops who are ready to go to work. The WTA Cooperative Education Program is pivotal to career development and the success of many of our students. It provides opportunities to acquire real-world job experience while earning credits towards graduation working 30-40 hours a week. These opportunities foster career skills, lead to potential full-time employment, all while earning money and building their resumes with our local businesses, Daley said. Currently we have over 55 Grade 12 and Grade 11 students participating in the program with anticipation of more in the next few weeks, with hopes to reach 100 by the end of June, Daley said, adding that in order to be eligible, students must meet academic, attendance and discipline requirements, and receive a positive recommendation from all of their teachers. He said all 11 of WTAs career technical education shops are actively looking for business participation. Patricia Healy, Reed Career Center counselor at Westfield High School, will talk about internships, job shadows and work-based learning at WHS. Healy said she is looking for businesses to partner with WHS seniors in an internship and/or job shadowing opportunity. Students who intern commit to 10 hours per week. The areas most popular are healthcare, electrical, construction, social work, and esthetics, and are all in need for the second semester. Healy said she plans to review her process of how students are assigned and monitored each week. Healy said she has 40 seniors signed up for internships starting at the end of January. Also on the agenda are internet technology services available at WTA, and how businesses can support Link to Libraries. WE2BA offers a unique opportunity for members of the business community to engage with our students. Businesses can offer job shadowing or internship experiences, or they can adopt a classroom. It can be an ongoing relationship or a one-time experience. Were looking for all kinds of businesses to participate, because the experiences seem to be very rewarding on both sides, said Amanda Waterfield, executive director of the Greater Westfield Chamber of Commerce. The connections that come out of WE2BA allow students to explore industry or career options that may resonate and inspire them, while giving businesses the chance to inform and shape their future workforce. The chamber members who are active in WE2BA are having a meaningful impact on our classrooms, with a far-reaching ripple effect. I would encourage anyone who is looking to make a difference to join us for the meeting to learn more, added Waterfield. WESTFIELD After sexually assaulting a woman on a public transportation bus in December, a homeless man, who was on probation at the time, was arraigned on five counts of indecent assault and battery on a person over 14 last week, according to court records. On Jan. 14, Jonathan C. Houston, 25, had a warrant for his arrest issued after police filed the five charges against him for the incident that occurred on Dec. 6, according to court records. Police said the victim contacted them on Dec. 10 to report that a man, later identified as Houston, had touched her five separate times on a Pioneer Valley Transit Authority bus. The victim told police Houston touched her twice on her thigh, twice on her breast, and laid his head on her breast, according to the statement of facts filed by Police Detective Jared Rowe. She described to investigators that the unwanted touching was sexual in nature, according to Rowes report. Houston was identified by the victim, who didnt know him, by a photo array and a video recording of the assault captured on the buss security camera. Each assault was time-stamped and occurred over a period of 16 minutes, according to Rowes report. Rowe requested a warrant be issued, believing Houston was homeless. He was taken into custody on Jan. 15. It was recorded on the bail order worksheet that Houston was also seen on the video recording drinking alcohol on the bus. When arraigned, Houston pleaded not guilty and was ordered held in lieu of posting a $5,000 cash bail, according to court records. A spokesperson with the Hampden County Sheriffs Office said on Tuesday that Houston remains in custody. When arraigned, he was serving probation for an incident last June for which he was charged with two felonies for strangulation or suffocation and witness intimidation and misdemeanor resisting arrest, according to court records. In November, Houston admitted the facts of the case were sufficient for a guilty finding after the witness intimidation charge was dismissed, according to court records. He agreed to have the case continued without a finding after serving a year of probation that would have ended in November 2026. Dans le cadre du sommet mondial AI Impact 2026, un evenement cle sest tenu hier a Reduit pour dessiner lavenir de lintelligence artificielle (IA) a Maurice. Reunissant ministres, experts et le Haut-commissaire de lInde, cette rencontre a souligne lambition numerique du pays. Le ministre Avinash Ramtohul a devoile DIVA (Digital Interactive Virtual Assistant), un assistant virtuel concu pour simplifier lacces aux services publics de maniere inclusive. Il a egalement annonce la preparation dune Strategie Nationale pour lIA, incluant la creation dune unite dediee et de guides de bonne gouvernance. De son cote, le ministre Kaviraj Sukon a insiste sur la transformation de leducation, ou lIA permettra un apprentissage personnalise. Si levolution technologique menace certains metiers, le gouvernement mise sur la formation pour saisir les nouvelles opportunites. LInde, partenaire historique, a reaffirme son soutien technique et strategique pour accompagner Maurice dans cette revolution technologique et durable. English Resume A key event for the AI Impact 2026 global summit was held in Reduit yesterday, bringing together ministers, experts, and Indias High Commissioner to chart Mauritiuss AI future and underscore its digital ambition. A key event for the AI Impact 2026 global summit was held in Reduit yesterday, bringing together ministers, experts, and Indias High Commissioner to chart Mauritiuss AI future and underscore its digital ambition. Minister Avinash Ramtohul unveiled DIVA (Digital Interactive Virtual Assistant) to simplify inclusive public service access. He also announced a National AI Strategy, featuring a dedicated unit and good governance guides. Minister Kaviraj Sukon emphasized AIs role in personalized learning for education transformation. While acknowledging job displacement risks, the government prioritizes training for new opportunities. India, a historical partner, reaffirmed its technical and strategic support for Mauritiuss sustainable technological revolution. En 2025, les Debats de Doha (Doha Debates) de la Fondation du Qatar ont renforce leur role de plateforme mondiale de dialogue pour la recherche de la verite, reunissant etudiants et penseurs de renom afin dexplorer les idees qui faconnent les questions les plus pressantes daujourdhui de la liberte et la justice a lidentite et au sentiment dappartenance. Leur audience a continue de croitre, depassant les 13,8 millions de vues video et rassemblant pres de sept millions dabonnes sur les reseaux sociaux, dont plus dun million sur YouTube. Un jalon important a ete franchi avec la quatrieme saison de The Negotiators , qui a recu une reconnaissance internationale, remportant le Folio Award du reportage historique et le Shorty Award du podcast dactualites et de politique. Tout au long de lannee, Doha Debates a organise une serie de forums internationaux permettant aux etudiants dechanger directement avec des penseurs de renommee mondiale. Un evenement a guichets fermes au Bradford Literature Festival a explore lidentite nationale et lappartenance, sous la moderation de Malika Bilal, avec la participation de Dr. Wael B. Hallaq, Dr. Shashi Tharoor et Dr. David Engels. Le dialogue sest ensuite etendu a lAmerique latine avec le premier forum regional de lorganisation a Buenos Aires, presente en partenariat avec Years of Culture. Des etudiants du Qatar, dArgentine et du Chili y ont debattu de lavenir des villes, aux cotes de Guadalupe Granero Realini, Akel Ismail Kahera et Nicholas Boys Smith. Doha Debates est ensuite retourne a Doha, reunissant des etudiants avec Dr. Omar Suleiman, Dr. Gregg Caruso et le professeur Jeremy Koons pour examiner comment la science, la foi et la philosophie faconnent la justice et la responsabilite morale. Lannee sest conclue au Forum de Doha par un episode en direct de lemission The Negotiators , en partenariat avec Foreign Policy et lInstitut international pour la paix, avec le prince Zeid bin Raad bin Zeid Al Hussein et le Dr Robert Malley, offrant un rare apercu public de la diplomatie et de la consolidation de la paix. Lengagement des jeunes est reste au cur des preoccupations tout au long de lannee. Grace a des forums publics, des formations au sein de la Communaute de pratique et le Programme des ambassadeurs des Debats de Doha, plus de 400 jeunes issus de plus de 80 pays ont participe chaque annee a des programmes de developpement du leadership axes sur le dialogue. La participation est passee de 30 participants lors de la premiere annee du programme a une capacite daccueil de 200 ambassadeurs. En 2026, les Debats de Doha sappuient sur cette dynamique avec une nouvelle saison de Doha Debates Podcast, qui debutera par lepisode Le desaccord est-il devenu de la desinformation ? avec Glenn Greenwald, Renee DiResta et Siva Vaidhyanathan. Au programme egalement : des forums publics, une nouvelle saison demissions phares et la poursuite de la saison de The Negotiators . Maurice et les Etats-Unis ont franchiune nouvelle etape dans leur cooperation securitaire. Un atelier de planification sur la gestion des matieres dangereuses (HAZMAT), organise par le centre national de gestion des catastrophes (NDRRMC) et lagence americaine DTRA, sest acheve a Port-Louis. Pendant deux jours, 33 experts issus de 26 institutions, dont la police, les pompiers et les douanes, ont elabore des protocoles face aux menaces chimiques, biologiques, radiologiques et nucleaires. Lobjectif : optimiser la reactivite et la coordination inter-services au sein du port de la capitale. Le Colonel Permanand Budhoo a souligne que la preparation doit etre continue face a des menaces de plus en plus complexes alors que Caleb Boddard, de lambassade americaine, a reaffirme lengagement des Etats-Unis pour la securite de locean Indien, annoncant quun exercice pratique denvergure est deja prevu pour mai 2026. English Resume Mauritius and the US advanced security cooperation. A two-day Hazardous Materials (HAZMAT) management workshop, co-organized by the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Centre (NDRRMC) and the US DTRA, concluded in Port Louis. Mauritius and the US advanced security cooperation. A two-day Hazardous Materials (HAZMAT) management workshop, co-organized by the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Centre (NDRRMC) and the US DTRA, concluded in Port Louis. Thirty-three experts from 26 institutions developed protocols for chemical, biological, radiological, and nuclear (CBRN) threats, aiming to optimize inter-service response and coordination at the capitals port. Colonel Permanand Budhoo emphasized continuous preparedness for complex threats. Caleb Boddard of the US Embassy reaffirmed US commitment to Indian Ocean security, announcing a major exercise scheduled for May 2026. A new bridge over the River Moy in Ballina needs to become a priority according to a local councillor to help alleviate traffic congestion through the north Mayo capital. Councillors in the Ballina Municipal District all supported a call for a new bridge crossing over the Moy in Ballina due to the length of time it takes motorists to get from one side of the town to the other. Fine Gael councillor John O'Hara brought a motion before the monthly meeting of the Ballina Municipal District where he called for representatives of Transport Infrastructure Ireland along with Minister Dara Calleary and Senator Mark Duffy to attend a special meeting to discuss the back-log of traffic through Ballina. READ: 300 Mayo homes to be hit by water outage this evening Cllr O'Hara told the meeting that at certain times of the day it can take over an hour to get from one side of the town to the other with traffic congested on all approach roads to Ballina. The only way out of this is a new bridge, he told the meeting. It is taking an hour to get from one side of the town to the other. We need another bridge across the Moy. That has to come soon. We are talking about by-passes but that is the by-pass which will count. No matter what you do with the traffic it won't change. There are currently no proposals for a bridge over the Moy although there are plans to link the N59 Crossmolina Road to the N26 Foxford Road but this is unlikely to be completed until late in 2029. Cllr O'Hara said that business people on the Sligo side of the river are feeling the pinch because people in surrounding towns and villages are doing their business elsewhere because they don't want to cross the Moy. I have been approached by many business people on the east side of the town and they are saying they are losing business hand over fist to the other towns. All the people in Knockmore and Attymass are going to Tesco in Swinford because it is much easier. People who used to go to Archers and Wests [Timber] are not going to cross the Moy and the business is all gone. Nobody is going to go into a town where they will spend a quarter of the day travelling in and out to get material, he said. He received unanimous support from his fellow councillors who said that the TII and the council need to prioritise a new river crossing for traffic. It needs to be prioritised because businesses rely on it and people are shopping in other places. People are frustrated at sitting in cars for hours on end and it is only getting worse, said Cllr Marie Therese Duffy. Crossmolina-based councillor Michael Loftus recalled that it took him 45 minutes to get from outside Ballina to get into town to attend a funeral and said it needs to be looked at immediately. Cathaoirleach of Ballina Municipal District, Cllr Jarlath Munnelly said that a new bridge had been proposed by council engineers over 20 years ago and suggested that this work should be revisited to speed up the process. We will see the results of EU accession in 10 years Dpty PM Kachka Deputy Prime Minister for European and Euro-Atlantic Integration of Ukraine Taras Kachka has that the results of joining the European Union will be visible in ten years, but Ukraine is ready for such a long-term perspective. "For us, joining the European Union is not just a legal formality - it is a major project of deep structural changes in the country... Sometimes joining the European Union is perceived as a miracle, but in reality it is quite boring things, and means hard work. We will see the results in ten years," Kachka said in a speech at the Ukrainian House on the sidelines of the World Economic Forum in Davos on Thursday. He stressed that Ukraine is ready for such a long-term perspective. The Deputy Prime Minister gave an example that when Poland joined the European Union in May 2004, he was in Warsaw, and nothing changed at once, but in 20 years it is a completely different city. The heroism of a Ballina man who sacrificed his own life to save his four-year-old niece will never be forgotten, the inquest into his death heard. James Moyles (33) of 37 Mount Assumpta, Ballina died on February 21, 2024 after he sustained serious brain injuries after he was struck by a car while crossing a pedestrian crossing in Ballina. The inquest into Mr Moyles death heard that he was crossing the road on Lord Edward Street, Ballina on February 20, 2024 with his four-year-old niece Croia and took the full force of the car's impact after pushing her out of the way as the car approached. Mr Moyles was thrown into the air and landed 16.4 metres from the pedestrian crossing and suffered a fracture to the base of his skull and died the following day in Mayo University Hospital. Coroner for Mayo, Dr Eleanor Fitzgerald was informed that Mr Moyles and his niece had been in Carr's Daybreak shop and were returning home at around 6.25pm when a car driven by Keith O'Brien approached the pedestrian crossing. CCTV footage from Carr's shop showed that Mr Moyles lifted his niece out of the way and she was not struck by the car and escaped with only minor injuries. David O'Malley, solicitor representing the Moyles family, told the inquest that had it not been for the heroism of James Moyles, two people would have died that evening. The greatest love anyone can have is to lay down their life for someone else and James did that for his niece. The driver was on the balance of probability over the speed limit and did not brake on impact on a pedestrian crossing and it could have led to the death of two people only for the heroic behaviour of Mr Moyles, he said. READ: New TV documentary on Grace OMalley to showcase Mayo historical sites Court presenter, Sergeant Sean McHale said that Mr Moyles will always be remembered by the people of Ballina for his heroism that night. The situation could have been an awful lot worse but for the heroism and how he saved Croia's life that night. He will be forever remembered for the wonderful person he was to the people of Ballina but also for what he did that night in saving Croia. For that he will be forever remembered, Sgt McHale said. Kevin O'Brien of Low Valley, Crossmolina, the driver of the Skoda Octoavia car which struck Mr Moyles did not attend the inquest but issued a letter to the Moyles family apologising for what he did. Dr Fitzgerald explained that Mr O'Brien said in the letter that no words will ever undo the damage done to the Moyles family and nothing he can write will take away their grief, pain and suffering. She said he wrote that while sorry he will always be sorry he knows that sorry will never be enough or bring back James. If I could take your pain and carry it for you I would. I would do anything to be able to undo what happened. James and Croia should have been safe on that crossing and James should be still be alive today. I have no explanation as to what happened. I did not see them until it was too late. I should have seen them and been able to stop, it was my responsibility," he wrote in the letter. Solicitor David O'Malley asked for verdict of unlawful killing A Garda investigation into Mr Moyles death found that Mr O'Brien was travelling towards Ballina when he came towards the pedestrian crossing. CCTV footage showed that the Skoda failed to slow at the pedestrian crossing or take any evasive action and only hit the brakes after striking Mr Moyles. Garda John Horkan told the inquest that after examining the CCTV footage, he was able to determine that the Skoda was travelling at 52.8km per hour at the point of impact. The speed limit of the road is 50km per hour. He added that the CCTV also showed that Mr Moyles moved swiftly to lift his niece towards the footpath and he did not believe the car struck her. Mr O'Brien told gardai that he was bringing his son to piano practice when he struck Mr Moyles and that he did not see him or know how it happened. The impact of Mr Moyles striking the car resulted in the windscreen getting smashed and witnesses described how he was thrown into the air like a balloon. One witness, Mary Clarke Flanagan, told gardai she was in a parked car when she saw Mr Moyles and his niece crossing the road. She noted that as the lights of the car approached she thought that it would want to slow down soon or it would hit the pedestrians. Emergency services were on the scene within minutes of the collision occurring and a number of members of the public went to help both Mr Moyles and his young niece. The inquest heard she was whimpering and in shock but Mr Moyles was in a serious condition. First responders performed CPR on Mr Moyles and he was rushed to Mayo University Hospital but was pronounced dead the following day. Dr Fadel Bennani, Consultant Pathologist in Mayo University Hospital who performed the post mortem said that Mr Moyles had multiple rib fractures on his left side but the main injuries were to his brain. He explained he suffered a fracture to the base of the skull and the cause of death was massive sub-arachenoid haemorrhage due to a fracture to the base of the skull. Dr Bennani explained that Mr Moyles was only kept alive at the scene due to the quick intervention of members of the public and emergency services but there was no chance of him surviving. Mr O'Brien tested negative for both alcohol and drugs and it was found his vehicle was not defective at the time of the collision and he was not using his mobile phone. He later pleaded guilty to dangerous driving causing death and last October he received a two and a half year suspended prison sentence and was banned from driving for ten years. In his submission to Dr Fitzgerald, Mr O'Malley said the family of Mr Moyles wished to acknowledge Mr O'Brien's apology but said the only verdict open to her was one of unlawful killing. He said the recent ruling in the Stardust inquest highlighted that if an unlawful act is carried out, the only verdict open is one of unlawful killing. However, Dr Fitzgerald disagreed saying she did not believe Mr O'Brien did not carry out the act intentionally and was willing to record an accidental death. Mr O'Malley responded that if an accidental death is recorded he will be taking a judicial review and suggested that an alternative verdict of a narrative verdict be recorded instead. Dr Fitzgerald agreed to reconsider the verdict and recorded a narrative verdict of dangerous driving causing death. The inquest also heard that work is to take place at the pedestrian crossing on Lord Edward Street to make it safer and Dr Fitzgerald also recommended that raised pedestrian crossings should be in all towns and villages to slow down traffic. Mr O'Malley added that the family also asked motorists to be vigilant of pedestrians at pedestrian crossings and to remind them that pedestrians have right of way on them. An annual fundraiser will take place on Friday, February 27, promising a day of fun and community spirit for children and families, while raising funds for LauraLynn and Early Childhood Irelands Eco-Emotions project. More than 780 children in Mayo took part in the National Pyjama Day last year, with early years and school-age care services across the county raising over 4,000. Nationally, the event has raised more than 4.5 million since it began in 2003 to support young childrens development and wellbeing. Teresa Heeney, chief executive of Early Childhood Ireland, said the organisation was proud to partner with LauraLynn for the 2026 event. We look forward to a day when children in Mayo and across Ireland come together to enjoy fun, kindness and community, while supporting the delivery of personalised care to children with palliative and complex needs and vital supports for their families, she said. A portion of the funds raised will go towards LauraLynns Family Support Services, helping families access emotional, therapeutic and practical care when they need it. LauraLynn provides specialist care and builds community supports for children with life-limiting conditions and their families across Ireland. READ MORE: South Mayo Musical Society ready to roll with Charlie and the Chocolate Factory Kerry McLaverty, chief executive of LauraLynn, welcomed the partnership, describing National Pyjama Day as a powerful example of children helping children. This much-loved event brings together over 65,000 children across 1,300 early years settings each year. The funds raised will help us continue providing specialised care and vital family supports to children with life-limiting conditions across Ireland, she said. Alongside supporting LauraLynn, this years fundraiser will continue to back Early Childhood Irelands Eco-Emotions project, which helps children reconnect with nature and understand their emotions. National Pyjama Day 2026 takes place on Friday, February 27, with schools, early years services and families invited to take part and donate to support both causes. You can donate to this years National Pyjama Day here. Small businesses in Mayo created 81 new jobs over the past 12 months with the support of Local Enterprise Office Mayo, according to figures released by the Minister of State for Employment, Small Business and Retail, Alan Dillon. Minister Dillion said the jobs were generated by local entrepreneurs, family businesses and emerging enterprises companies operating across a range of sectors, including manufacturing, engineering, energy and environmental services, design and technology-led enterprises. Local Enterprise Office Mayo now supports 200 client companies, which collectively sustain 1,388 jobs across the county. Speaking on the results, Minister Dillon said they: reflect the dedication and resilience of the people behind these companies, who continue to start, grow and scale their businesses in Mayo. READ MORE: Disappointment after planning granted to convert 'divisive' Mayo hotel For the first time since the establishment of the LEO network in 2014, the number of jobs financially supported by Local Enterprise Offices has exceeded 40,000. In total, 7,148 small businesses are now supporting 40,285 jobs across the country. Of the new jobs created in 2025, 82% were located outside Dublin, highlighting continued growth in regional enterprise. Minister Dillon made the announcement at LEO client company The Smooth Company in South Dublin. He said the results reflected ongoing job growth across the LEO network, which operates through 31 local authorities and is funded by Enterprise Ireland. These are real jobs in real communities, from Castlebar to Ballina, Westport to Belmullet, and they demonstrate the power of targeted local supports. They are small businesses that are starting to grow and scale upwards, creating opportunities for families and strengthening our local economy, he added The Mayo TD also highlighted the work of John Magee, Head of Enterprise, and Joanne Grehan, Director of Services, noting that their leadership in Local Enterprise Office Mayo has ensured that Mayo remains one of the most dynamic and supportive environments in the country for small businesses. Photo caption: Minister of State at the Department of Employment, Small Business and Retail, Alan Dillon TD is pictured at the announcement of Local Enterprise Office jobs figures with Kieran Comerford, Chair of the Local Enterprise Offices and Aine Kennedy, founder and CEO of The Smooth Company. READ NEXT: Mayo TD and MidlandsNorth-West MEP welcome court referral of EUMercosur trade deal After a narrow and closely contested vote, the European Parliament has decided to refer the EUMercosur trade agreement to the European Court of Justice. Yesterday (Wednesday, January 21), MEPs voted 334 to 324, with eleven abstentions, to seek a legal opinion on whether the agreement can be provisionally applied before full ratification and whether it is compatible with EU treaties, particularly in relation to environmental and consumer protection standards. The referral could delay the implementation of the deal by up to 18 months or longer. Sinn Fein TD for Mayo, Rose Conway-Walsh, described the vote as a major political victory for Irish farmers and said it demonstrated that the agreement is not a done deal. She said the referral would place the agreement under formal legal scrutiny and create political space for further opposition. Sinn Fein will continue to lead that effort - standing with farmers and consumers, defending public health, protecting the environment, and insisting that Irelands trade policy reflects our values, not the demands of powerful corporate lobbies, she added. READ NEXT: Mayo TD and MidlandsNorth-West MEP welcome court referral of EUMercosur trade deal Independent Mayo County Councillor Patsy OBrien also welcomed the vote, describing it as the first real sign that political pressure is finally being felt in Brussels. Based in Robeen, Cllr OBrien has been a prominent local opponent of the agreement and has lobbied politicians and farming bodies in Ireland and Europe. This shows that sustained lobbying does work, Cllr OBrien said. Farmers have been saying from the very beginning that this deal is fundamentally flawed, and now, at last, that message is beginning to cut through at European level. Irish farmers deserve a level playing field and with this agreement, that simply does not exist. Cllr OBrien also added that the European Commission had moved far too quickly in pushing the agreement forward and that the legal referral was both necessary and overdue. The European Court of Justice is now expected to examine the agreements legality, a step that could significantly influence its future. READ MORE: New Moy bridge in Ballina a priority for north Mayo councillors A new television feature on Grace OMalley Mayo and Irelands legendary Pirate Queen is set to bring the story and landscapes of Mayo to millions of viewers across Europe next month. The programme, featuring renowned biographer Anne Chambers, will be broadcast on the European TV channel ARTE at 5.30pm on February 3. ARTE is a popular international broadcaster dedicated to culture and travel and is available in countries across Europe. Filmed on location last summer in Murrisk, Croagh Patrick, Louisburgh and Rockfleet Castle, the feature explores the life and legacy of Grace OMalley, one of Irelands most iconic historical figures. Speaking about the programme, Anne Chambers said it will help bring OMalleys remarkable story to a wider international audience, while also shining a spotlight on the west of Ireland. It brings the amazing story of Grace OMalley to a wider audience. This in turn will no doubt positively impact tourist footfall in the areas associated with her story, especially along the Wild Atlantic Way, and encourage her many fans worldwide to follow in the footsteps of our great Pirate Queen, she said. The broadcast is expected to further enhance interest in the regions rich heritage and scenic locations, which have long been associated with OMalleys life and maritime exploits. Anne Chambers is widely recognised for her extensive work as a biographer and historian. Her latest book, due to be published in March by Red Stripe Press, is titled 'Living Lives: A Biographers Journey'. The book explores the rewards and challenges of biography writing, drawing on her experiences over more than 40 years documenting the lives of remarkable individuals. The ARTE feature is expected to appeal to history enthusiasts, cultural travellers and international audiences with an interest in Irelands heritage, while also providing a welcome boost to tourism along the Wild Atlantic Way. READ MORE: Mayo museum upcoming free events: Bears, Brigid and Celtic myths A total of 25 non-Irish sex offenders have been removed from Ireland since 2025, following an ongoing "critical" Garda operation. An Garda Siochana, through the Garda National Immigration Bureau (GNIB), carried out Operation Moonridge in 2025 which identified and deported non-Irish nationals convicted of sexual crimes. READ NEXT: 'I can't do this anymore' - Majella O'Donnell reveals she was hospitalised for depression The operation involves identifying and locating convicted sex offenders of interest to GNIB for consideration for an EU Removal Order or deportation. As part of this operation to date, a total of 25 sex offenders have now been removed from the State. This consists of 14 non-EU nationals and 11 EU nationals who are now all subject to exclusion periods from Ireland. Minister for Justice Jim OCallaghan has welcomed the significant progress of this ongoing "critical" operation. This work being undertaken by specialised units within An Garda Siochana is critical for the protection of people and for building public confidence in Irelands immigration system. I am implementing a rules-based migration system which means if a person commits serious offences while in the State, that person will be caught and removed. READ NEXT: Irish TV star hilariously DMs Victoria Beckham over son Brooklyn's 'bad mouthing' Operation Moonridge involves extensive information sharing between the Garda National Immigration Bureau and a number of key agencies, including the Garda National Protective Services Bureau, the Garda Sex Offenders Management Intelligence Unit (SOMIU) and units within my Department of Justice, Home Affairs and Migration. I commend all these agencies involved in this significant work. By using information provided by these bodies, GNIB identifies, targets and removes individuals who have committed sexual offences and do not have a lawful basis to remain in the State. Minister of State at the Department of Foreign Affairs Colm Brophy added, It is a key priority for me that people who hold an immigration permission who are involved in criminality and who pose a danger to society are removed from Ireland. The enforcement aspect of our immigration laws are essential to ensure that our communities are kept safe. READ NEXT: Have you seen Christopher? Family concerned as 81-year-old man missing for 11 days I would like to acknowledge the hard work of both An Garda Siochana and officials from my Department who work together tirelessly to ensure that such people are removed from the State. Operation Moonridge remains ongoing and An Garda Siochana continues to work closely with the Department of Justice in implementing immigration policy. THE yellow hard hat in the passenger seat of Reverand Suzanne Cousins car is now redundant. Holy Trinity Church in Westport is set to reopen its doors tomorrow (Friday, 23 January), almost exactly one year after Storm Eowyn forced its closure. The jubilant rector spoke to The Mayo News on the day contractors completed ceiling repairs and returned the keys. She emphasised that all are welcome to the reopening celebration, which begins at 7.30pm. The purpose of the ceremony is to give thanks to God and give thanks to the community, the whole wider community for the support and to celebrate the reopening, Rev Cousins said. Rt Rev Bishop Michael Burrows will attend what Rev Cousins is informally calling a big bash with the bishop. The ecumenical service will act as a public thanksgiving for the reopening, with refreshments afterwards in Carrowbeg House beside St Marys Church. Roof falling in THE church was forced to close due to dangerous conditions in the ceiling over the nave and ornately decorated sanctuary. While the damage may not have appeared severe to the naked eye, safety experts, engineers and conservation architects concluded the building was unsafe for use, with fears that heavy chunks of plaster could fall and injure someone. The restoration cost under 100,000, covered by government grants, Church of Ireland funds and fundraising events. The repair work can be seen just to the right of the stained glass window in the middle Rev Cousins praised Newport contractor George OMalley, whose firm carried out the meticulous repair work. Hes a renowned plasterer and was responsible for the sealing of St Mels Cathedral in Longford, she said. His work was meticulous, and his teams worked very well. And I know he very generously didnt charge us everything he could have. Churches working together DURING the closure, the congregation worshipped at St Marys Catholic Church, an arrangement Rev Cousins described with deep appreciation. We want to really go on record that we are so grateful to St Marys congregation and the parish there, the Catholic Parish, and Father John (Kenny) for accommodating us so generously, without hesitation or grudge, and going the extra mile to welcome us whenever we need somewhere to have our services, she said. And that took a lot of pressure off us, took a lot of weight off our shoulders. The congregation was even permitted to celebrate Holy Communion at St Marys using Church of Ireland liturgy, which Rev Cousins noted was quite a step. Reflecting on her own experience of having worked in both her native Northern Ireland, as well as Donegal and Mayo, she says that it is considerably easier to do things ecumenically in Westport. I grew up in the North right through all the worst periods of the Troubles. So now theres been a lot of progress made there. But I find it considerably easier to do things ecumenically in Westport. Theres no challenge and theres not a word said. Whereas you know some things like other things, such as an ecumenical walk of witness for Good Friday or Pentecost Sunday, those would not be necessarily comfortable in every part of every Church of Ireland and every other part of the country or further north. The wider context facing both Catholic and Protestant church leaders is the double whammy of shrinking congregations and finances coming up against the difficult task of maintaining aging buildings that, bar a handful of big events each year, are wildly over capacity and hard to heat. This shared problem comes at a time when ecumenical relations appear to be at an all-time high. It begs the question of whether there is a growing case for the Catholic Church and its Church of Ireland counterparts to consider sharing places of worship. Template COULD the year-long experiment in Westport be seen as a template for how such an arrangement could work? The sharing of resources and the sharing of sacred space has been very comfortable for us. And I know there have been strong bonds of friendship built, Rev Cousins says reflecting on the past year. Ive had so many of the St Marys people say to me and to others from my congregation, Oh, we miss you, because we were back into Holy Trinity here just before Christmas, for those couple of weeks and for one funeral. We could share buildings, but I think probably for the likes in this town, nobody would want to see this [Holy Trinity Church] close, because its a national monument and its important to the town. It brings people to the town and Im sure the same could be said of St Marys Church, Rev Cousins tells The Mayo News. While acknowledging the buildings architectural and historical importance, Rev Cousins is determined to keep Holy Trinity as a living place of worship rather than merely a tourist attraction. She recalled advice from a former archbishop: Beware the museumisation of the church. Dont let your churches, your buildings, become museums. She emphasised that these remain sacred spaces important in peoples lives for baptisms, confirmations, marriages and burials. Holy Trinity can comfortably accommodate more than 300 people Built around 1860, Holy Trinity can comfortably hold over 300 people, though Sunday services typically see between 30 and 60 attendees, with numbers increasing during summer months. The church is far from typical for a Church of Ireland building. Its ornate interior features extensive marble work, mosaics and intricate stencilling on the ceilinga legacy of the third Marquess of Sligos fondness for Italian architecture and design. My understanding is that the third Marquess of Sligo had a fondness for Italian architecture and design and art. And hence he commissioned people to come from Italy, craftsmen to come and do a lot of this work, Rev Cousins explained. Tourist attraction THE building attracts tourists from around the world, including visitors from the United States, Japan, Canada and across Europe. So were really looking forward to getting the doors open again every day for tourists to be able to come in and out, she said. Looking ahead, the church will need additional fundraising for repainting and decorative work to restore the ornate ceiling stencilling to its former glory. The reopening ceremony tomorrow begins at 7.30pm is open to all members of the community. January 22, 2026 Just weeks after walking across the stage at MCLA's 2025 commencement ceremony, Alexa Macdonald '24 took another oath, this time in North Adams City Council Chambers on New Year's Day 2026. The recent graduate is one of six MCLA alumni now serving on the nine-member body. She's also part of a historic shift: North Adams elected its first-ever majority-women City Council in November 2025. For Macdonald, the impulse to get involved traces directly back to her time at MCLA, where she graduated in December 2024 with a degree in sociology and minors in social work, anthropology, gender and sexuality studies, health and society, and cross-cultural social justice studies. "My time at MCLA plays a huge role into who I am today and why I had the confidence to run for City Council," she reflects. "One of the biggest things I learned is that everything is a lot bigger than I am and if I want to learn, I need to be willing to step outside of my comfort zone." As a commuter student, Macdonald initially kept to herself. "I felt like I wanted to get an education and go home," she says. But gradually, she found her footing, asking for help, joining clubs, and connecting with professors including Kerri Nicoll, Anna Jaysane-Darr, and Whitney Gecker. Transformative experiences like an independent study with Dr. Gecker and a trip to South Africa with Dr. Ward broadened her perspective on different communities and social justice work. Just months after graduating and stepping down from her board position at ROOTS Teen Center, Macdonald decided the timing was finally right to run for office, an idea she'd considered before. Now serving as the liaison for both the Youth Commission and the Inclusion, Diversity, Equity, and Access (IDEA) Commission, Macdonald has clear priorities: amplifying young voices, supporting families, and fostering community development in downtown North Adams. "I strongly believe that when young people feel heard and empowered, they are a lot more likely to contribute and stay in the area," she says. During her campaign, Macdonald faced many questions from community members and used those moments as opportunities to learn what the community needed. She also had to combat her own doubts. "When running for City Council, I continued to remind myself that though I am new to this, that doesn't mean I am not capable." Macdonald joins an impressive roster of MCLA alumni on the City Council, including Lisa Blackmer, Marie McCarron, Council President Ashley Shade, Bryan Sapienza, and Peter Breen. As a North Adams native who now works as a youth therapeutic mentor at the Brien Center, Macdonald brings both local roots and fresh perspective to her role. Her advice to current MCLA students considering community engagement or public service? "If you have a passion or calling to get involved, you must follow your passion. If you do not believe you are capable then others will not believe it either. You can learn a lot if you are willing, so do not feel like you need to know everything before you start." Photo: http://bank.gov.ua/ The Supreme Court, consisting of a panel of judges of the Cassation Administrative Court, dismissed the cassation appeal of the public organization "Markhalivka. Support" on the claim against the state institution National War Memorial Cemetery (NVMK) to cancel the permit for construction work. According to the resolution published in the Unified State Register of Court Decisions, the NGO "Markhalivka. Support" filed a lawsuit with the court, in which it requested: to cancel the registration of the declaration on acceptance into operation of completed construction facilities, issued by NVMK, to cancel the permit for construction work, issued by NVMK. Later, by the resolution of the Kyiv District Administrative Court of August 29, 2025, left unchanged by the resolution of the Sixth Administrative Court of Appeal of December 9, 2025, the plaintiff was denied the right to initiate proceedings in the case. The public organization then filed a cassation appeal against the previous court decisions, but on January 12, the Supreme Court ruled to leave it without action. Following its release, Dhurandhar grew steadily into a massive success and soon turned into a pop-culture phenomenon, something even the makers hadnt fully anticipated. Audiences across regions connected strongly with its gripping narrative, high-octane action, and powerful performances. While Ranveer Singh led the film, a large section of viewers felt that the true standout was veteran actor Akshaye Khanna. Portraying Rehman Dakait, a feared gangster from Karachis Lyari area, Khanna brought a chilling restraint to the role. His composed demeanour, razor-sharp dialogue delivery, and commanding screen presence elevated the antagonist, making the character both intimidating and unforgettable. Jio Studios Interestingly, many fans might be unaware that Akshaye Khanna was not the original pick for the role of Rehman Dakait. The makers reportedly initially approached Telugu superstar Nagarjuna Akkineni, an actor known for embracing unconventional and demanding characters. Reports suggest that Nagarjuna was intrigued by the layered antagonist and expressed keen interest in coming on board. However, the collaboration could not materialise due to date clashes. At the time, Nagarjuna was juggling multiple high-profile commitments, including Coolie, directed by Lokesh Kanagaraj and headlined by Rajinikanth, as well as Kubera under Sekhar Kammulas direction. With his schedule already packed, he was forced to bow out of Dhurandhar, paving the way for Akshaye Khanna to step into the role and make it his own. Some social media users didnt seem to agree with Aditya Dhars initial casting choice as they think that Akshaye Khanna was born to play this role. One user commented, Akshay Khanna in this role is irreplacable nobody can't live in the role of rehman dacaoit like akshay khanna, lucky enough to see Akshay Khanna in this role. Another user commented, Nobody could have done it better than Akshay Khanna, glad Nagarjuna was busy with coolie. One user reacted, Why would a North Indian Hindi director approach a south Indian actor to play a Pakistani gangster??what kind of nonsense is this. Another user reacted, Trust me, bro, the role wouldn't have been half as impactful as it turned out to be with Khanna. Nagarjuna is great, but Khanna was a perfect fit for the role, and his non-superstar persona contributed to the conviction required for the role. At an event at TiE Mangaluru, Suniel Shetty opened up about his Mangalorean roots and stated that nobody can force him to speak Marathi in Mumbai. Suniel Shetty who is currently busy promoting his son Ahan Shettys second movie Border 2 , a sequel to his own 1997 blockbuster Border , has shared his strong take on the ongoing language debate in Maharashtra. Instagram/Ahan Shetty Suniel Shetty Roars Dont Force Me To Speak Marathi During the event, Suniel Shetty was talking about his roots as he stated, I moved out from here when I was very young, not to be something else and not to be someone else. He continued that despite staying in Mumbai, Mangaluru never left him, There is Mangaluru in everything that I do. He then talked about the ongoing Marathi language debate. He said, When somebody says, what about Marathi? I say, what about Marathi? Pushing back against the language imposition, No, youve got to speak Marathi. I said, I dont have to do that. I will do it when I want to do it. Dont force me to speak the language. Suniel Shetty further acknowledged that Mumbai is his karmabhoomi and said, If thats my karmabhoomi, if I learn the language, I will be keeping a lot of people happy. And continued, I speak better Marathi than probably most Maharashtrian kids do in Mumbai today. Check out the clip below: Photo: https://www.dw.com German Chancellor Friedrich Merz believes that a new era of "great power politics" has begun in the world, which Europeans should not accept, but rather shape the future themselves, relying on the strength of their own values. Merz devoted a speech that the German Chancellor delivered on Thursday at the World Economic Forum in Davos to this issue. He called the events taking place in the world "tectonic shifts" that "have the most profound consequences for our freedom, our security and our prosperity." "In these weeks and months, we are witnessing a new era that has already begun. Russia's war against Ukraine was its most radical manifestation yet. But the changes go much deeper. China, thanks to strategic foresight, has made its way into the ranks of the great powers. The global pole position of the United States is being questioned, and Washington is reacting by radically changing its foreign and security policy. We have entered an era of great power politics," Merz said. At the same time, he expressed the opinion that the international order of the last three decades, based on international law, "has always been imperfect." "Today, its very foundations have been shaken. This new world of great powers is built on power, if not force. It is not a cozy place," he said. The German Chancellor is convinced that "we should not accept this new reality as fate" and "we should shape the future ourselves." "To succeed, we must face up to harsh realities and chart our course with clear realism. Two days ago, Mark Carney said in this very room from this very spot: we must no longer rely solely on the strength of our values. We must also recognize the value of our strength. I share that view," he said. According to Merz, Europe's strength today "rests on three pillars: our security, our competitiveness and our unity." "First, we must invest massively in our ability to defend ourselves. And we are doing that. Second, we must quickly make our economies competitive. And we are doing that. Third, we must be closer to each other among Europeans and like-minded people. We are doing that," the German government leader detailed. He also believes that "a world where strength alone matters is a dangerous place, first for small states, then for medium-sized states, and finally for large states." "Our greatest strength remains the ability to build partnerships and alliances between equals, based on mutual trust and respect... On this foundation, NATO has become the strongest alliance in history," Merz said. The German Chancellor also addressed the issue of the US territorial claims to Greenland. "In recent days, the United States administration has been insistently demanding increased influence in Greenland. Washington argues that this is an imperative to counter security threats in the High North. We welcome the fact that the United States is taking the threat posed by Russia in the Arctic seriously. This threat is itself an expression of great power rivalry, both in Europe and in the United States... We share the conviction that as European NATO allies, we must do more to ensure the security of the High North as NATO. This is a common transatlantic interest," Merz said. According to him, Germany is doing this within the framework of NATO, and will do even more. "Our neighbors and partners in Europe, including Denmark and the people of Greenland, can count on our solidarity. We will protect Denmark, Greenland, the North from the threat emanating from Russia. We will adhere to the principles on which the transatlantic partnership is based, namely sovereignty and territorial integrity," the Chancellor stated Berlin's position. At the same time, Merz welcomed US President Donald Trump's recent comments on the framework agreement and the refusal to apply new tariffs to European countries that support Greenland's sovereignty. "This is the right path, because any threat of a forceful seizure of European territory would be unacceptable. And, ladies and gentlemen, the new tariffs would also undermine the foundations of transatlantic relations. If they are implemented, Europe's response will be united, calm, measured and firm," he said. According to the Chancellor, "in the new era of great powers, Europe must stand together resolutely and sovereignly" and "not abandon NATO." "We must restore the trust on which the alliance is built. Europe knows how valuable this is. We are deeply convinced that this can be the strongest competitive advantage of the United States in the era of great powers. Democracies do not have subordinates. They have allies, partners and trusted friends," Merz said. MEXICO CITY (AP) Mexico sent 37 cartel members to United States at the request of the U.S. Justice Department, with President Claudia Sheinbaum saying Wednesday that it was a sovereign decision by her government. Sheinbaum responded to criticism from analysts and opponents who said that the transfers on Tuesday were the result of mounting pressure from Washington. U.S. President Donald Trump has threatened to take military action on cartels. Sheinbaum said that although the transfers were made at the request of the U.S. government, the decision was taken by the National Security Council after analyzing what was convenient for Mexico and in terms of its national security. Mexico is put first above all else, even if they ask for whatever they have to ask for. It is a sovereign decision, she said at her regular morning news briefing. Sheinbaum, who has been praised for her level-headed management of relations with Trump, has been forced to walk a fine line between making concessions to the Trump administration and projecting strength both domestically and internationally. Observers say that the Mexican government has used the transfers as a sort of pressure valve to offset demands by Trump and show authorities are cracking down on criminal groups. Tension has only mounted since the U.S. carried out a military operation in Venezuela to capture then President Nicolas Maduro to face charges in the United States in an extraordinary use of force that set leaders across Latin America on edge. Those sent to the U.S. on Tuesday were alleged members of the powerful Jalisco New Generation Cartel, known by its Spanish acronym CJNG, and the Sinaloa Cartel, which Washington has designated as terrorist organizations, and a number of other groups. Its the third such transfer of capos over the past year. Mexicos government said it has sent 92 people in total to the U.S. in total. U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi on Wednesday said that the transfer was a landmark achievement in the Trump administrations mission to destroy the cartels." The U.S. Justice Department said that the move was an important step by Mexico's government and that collaboration was in both countries' shared interest. "These 37 cartel members including terrorists from the Sinaloa Cartel, CJNG, and others will now pay for their crimes against the American people on American soil, Bondi said in a statement with other U.S. Justice Department officials. In August, Mexico's security minister acknowledged that some of the cartel leaders sent to the United States at that time were continuing criminal operations from prison and that their transfer was agreed upon because there was a risk they could be released because of judicial rulings. ___ Matthew Lee contributed to this report from Washington. COPENHAGEN, Denmark (AP) Denmarks prime minister insisted that her country cant negotiate on its sovereignty on Thursday after U.S. President Donald Trump said he agreed on a framework of a future deal on Arctic security with the head of NATO. Trump said the outcome would be all the military access we want to Greenland. Trump on Wednesday abruptly scrapped the tariffs he had threatened to impose on eight European nations to press for U.S. control over Greenland, a semiautonomous territory of NATO ally Denmark. It was a dramatic reversal hours after he insisted he wanted to get the island including right, title and ownership though he also said he would not use force. Much about the potential deal remained unclear on Thursday, though Trump said in a Fox Business interview that "were going to have total access to Greenland. Were going to have all the military access we want, he added. Trump said the deal, if completed, will also allow for the United States to install an element of his "Golden Dome," part of a multibillion dollar missile defense system, in Greenland. Denmark insists on territorial integrity Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen said security in the Arctic is a matter for all of NATO, and it is good and natural that it be discussed between the U.S. president and Rutte. She said in a statement that she had spoken with Rutte on an ongoing basis, including before and after he met Trump in Davos. She wrote that NATO is fully aware of the kingdom of Denmark's position that anything political can be negotiated on, including security, investment and economic issues but we cannot negotiate on our sovereignty. I have been informed that this has not been the case, she said, adding that only Denmark and Greenland can make decisions on issues concerning Denmark and Greenland. Frederiksen said that Denmark wants to continue engaging in constructive dialogue with allies on how to strengthen security in the Arctic, including the U.S. Golden Dome program, provided that this is done with respect for our territorial integrity. Denmark has said the U.S., which already has a military presence, can boost its bases on Greenland. The U.S. is already party to a 1951 treaty that gives it broad rights to set up military bases there with the consent of Denmark and Greenland. NATO spokesperson Allison Hart said the alliance's secretary general, Mark Rutte, did not propose any compromise to sovereignty during his meeting with President Trump. She said that negotiations between Denmark, Greenland and the U.S. will go forward aimed at ensuring that Russia and China never gain a foothold - economically or militarily - in Greenland. Christan Friis Bach, the chair of the Danish parliament's foreign policy committee, told The Associated Press that Denmark wants to see a consolidated and permanent NATO surveillance and security mission in the Arctic, along the lines of the Baltic Sentry mission the alliance launched in the Baltic Sea last year. Welcome and skepticism for Trump's switch On the streets of Copenhagen, some were skeptical about Trumps switch. I think the man has said many things and done a lot of different things to what he says, said Louise Pedersen, 22, who works with a startup company. I have a hard time believing it. I think its terrifying that we stand here in 2026. She said its for Greenlanders to decide what happens with their land not Donald Trump. I dont really trust anything Mr. Trump is saying, said Poul Bjoern Strand, 70, an advertising worker. On the possibility of ceding territory, he said: Thats not what the Greenlanders want, thats not what the Danish people want, and I cannot believe that Danes are going to follow that. Chancellor Friedrich Merz of Germany, one of the European countries that had faced Trump's threat of tariffs over Greenland, underlined the need for European NATO allies to do more to secure the Arctic region and stressed that it is a common trans-Atlantic interest. We will protect Denmark, Greenland, the north from the threat posed by Russia, he said at the World Economic Forum meeting in Davos, Switzerland. We will uphold the principles on which the trans-Atlantic partnership is founded, namely sovereignty and territorial integrity. We support talks between Denmark, Greenland (and) the United States on the basis of these principles, aiming for closer cooperation, Merz said. It is good news that we are making steps into that right direction. I welcome President Trump's remarks from last night this is the right way to go. Frederiksen traveled to the United Kingdom on Thursday for talks with British Prime Minister Keir Starmer, who said the pair would discuss how to take the vital steps towards security in the Arctic as he credited Trumps pragmatism for withdrawing his tariff threats. ___ Moulson reported from Berlin. Aamer Madhani in Washington, Lorne Cook in Brussels and Pan Pylas in London contributed to this report. One year after reclaiming the Oval Office, President Donald Trump and his administration is declaring victory on military strength, veterans benefits, and American power abroadall as his critics warn of the perils of his decisions. President Donald Trump marked the anniversary of his return to office with a sweeping administration-wide directive called 365 wins in 365 days, portraying his second terms opening year as the most productive in modern presidential history. At a press conference on Jan. 20, Trump amplified the message with a mix of claims and on national borders, NATO and the economy. Supporters see a president moving with unmatched speed. Critics argue many of the claims are overstated or politically divisive. Even Trumps opponents acknowledge the first year has altered the policy landscape. Trumps Warfighting Pivot Trump moved quickly to reshape the Pentagon around what his team calls a return to warfighting fundamentals. After four years of weakness under Joe Biden, President Trump has restored a focus on readiness, lethality and warfighters. From reducing the backlog of VA [Department of Veterans Affairs] claims, to removing emphases on woke DEI policies, the president will always prioritize those who serve and have served. - White House spokesperson Anna Kelly to Military.com. The administration framed its military agenda around readiness, lethality and recruitment, arguing that combat power must replace what it describes as ideological distractions. Senior defense officials said rebuilding depleted stockpiles, accelerating weapons development, and restoring a warfighting culture have become top priorities. President Donald Trump and Sanae Takaichi, Prime Minister of Japan, walk through sideboys on the flight deck of Nimitz-class aircraft carrier USS George Washington (CVN 73) during a presidential visit while moored pierside on Commander, Fleet Activities Yokosuka, Oct. 28, 2025. (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist Third Class Ana Souza Young) Recruiting and retention have been a defining pressure point in recent years, with previous Military.com reporting showing that services spent billions on recruiting and retention incentives as confidence and eligibility challenges compounded. Trump ordered changes to grooming standards, physical fitness requirements and personnel policies. The White House highlighted multiple policies and initiatives they describe as victories, including the unveiling of the F-47 sixth-generation fighter; expanded space security initiatives; increased cyber defense funding; and a renewed push to strengthen the defense industrial base and reduce reliance on foreign suppliers. Trump also moved to remove what he called ideological capture from military education, including changes affecting service academy oversight and other advisory structures. Veterans See Real Payoffs Trump placed veterans policy at the center of his domestic agenda, elevating benefits delivery and medical access as both a political and operational priority. The administration said it expanded pension eligibility, accelerated disability claims processing and increased funding for toxic exposure care tied to burn pits and environmental hazards. In a follow-up statement to Military.com, the Department of Veterans Affairs said the administrations first year delivered what it described as record-setting progress across benefits, health care access and claims processing. VA officials pointed to expanded toxic exposure coverage, reduced disability claims backlogs, new clinic openings and investments in digital services as signs of sustained momentum. VA Secretary Doug Collins said the department focused on measurable outcomes for veterans, emphasizing speed, accountability and access to care as guiding priorities. In a summary of first-year accomplishments published by the department, VA highlighted faster disability claims decisions, expanded toxic exposure coverage under the PACT Act, record levels of claims processing output, new and expanded outpatient clinics, increased telehealth access for rural veterans, infrastructure upgrades at VA medical centers, and modernization of digital systems aimed at improving appointment scheduling, benefits access and case tracking. A key pressure valve for many veterans remains the PACT Act pipeline: what it covers and what veterans should expect when filing. The VA has also continued expanding access points for care and counseling, including new Vet Centers in recent years. The President of the United States, Donald J. Trump, and the President of France, Emmanuel Macron, along with World War II veterans, stand during a wreath laying ceremony at the 75th D-Day Anniversary at Normandy American Cemetery and Memorial in Colleville-sur-Mer, France, June 6, 2019. (Sgt. Henry Villarama/U.S. Army Europe and Africa) A White House spokesperson told Military.com the president believes veterans deserve action, not applause, arguing policy decisions were designed to deliver measurable financial and medical outcomes rather than symbolic recognition. Trump Rewrites the Global Playbook Trumps foreign policy approach blended leverage, pressure and transactional bargaining. The White House said the administration brokered ceasefires, expanded the Abraham Accords, pressured NATO allies to raise defense spending, and imposed sweeping sanctions on adversaries including Iran and Venezuela. Officials also cited what they perceive as other wins, such as Arctic security cooperation, energy diplomacy in Asia, and a U.S.-backed framework aimed at ending the Russia-Ukraine war. U.S. President Donald J. Trump shakes hands with U.S. Gen. Xavier Brunson, commanding general of United Nations Command, Combined Forces Command, and Unites States Forces Korea, at Gimhae airport, Busan, South Korea, Oct. 29, 2025. (U.S. Army photo by Sgt. Daniela Lechuga Liggio) At Tuesdays press conference, Trump again argued his approach forced allies to move, saying, Nobodys done more for NATO than I have, while casting higher defense budgets as a direct result of U.S. pressure. NATO has not publicly endorsed the administrations claim that all members committed to a 5% defense spending benchmark, though several allies have acknowledged increases in defense budgets over recent years. Administration officials have repeatedly argued that deterrence depends on convincing adversaries that consequences will follow aggressive actions. The White House also points to counterterror operations, detainee releases, and a tougher line in multilateral institutionsincluding sanctions on the International Criminal Court, U.S. withdrawal from the World Health Organization, and a ban on funding to the United Nations Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA). Momentum or Miscalculation Supporters see a presidency that moved quickly and unapologetically. They point to border enforcement claims, crime rhetoric, economic messaging, military investment and veterans-benefits expansion as proof Trump delivered on core promises. Trump leaned heavily on public-safety framing on Tuesday, repeatedly tying immigration enforcement to crime and community security. Opponents see the pace as destabilizing, warning that confrontational diplomacy risks straining alliances. That, in turn, they argue could produce long-term consequences that outlast short-term wins. But administration officials reject that critique, arguing that claritynot compromiserestores credibility at home and abroad. The White House said the first year was a foundation for what it calls a generational shift in American might and global posture. President Donald Trump addresses Sailors in the hangar bay of Nimitz-class aircraft carrier USS George Washington (CVN 73) during a presidential visit while moored pierside on Commander, Fleet Activities Yokosuka, Oct. 28, 2025. (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class Geoffrey L. Ottinger) The Next Phase The second year will determine whether speed can mature into durability. Military modernization faces the harder test of translating investment into readiness, training depth and sustained recruiting strengtha challenge Military.com reporting has shown as a long climb even when budgets and incentives rise. Veterans reforms must hold under staffing pressure and rising demand. Foreign policy initiatives must survive elections abroad, shifting alliances and adversaries eager to probe American resolve. Administration officials said the first year was about motion. The second, they argue, will be about permanence. Photo: https://www.president.gov.ua/ Belgium cannot confiscate frozen Russian assets, Belgian Prime Minister Bart De Wever said. "First and foremost, I want to say its Europe's obligation to finance Ukraine, and we did. Europe will never win beauty prizes for the way it takes decisions, but by the end of the day there is a result: EUR 90 billion to finance Ukraine this year and next year," he said during the Davos Ukrainian Breakfast on Thursday. According to the prime minister, a decision was also made that the Russia's central bank money, the immobilized assets, not frozen assets, but the immobilized assets, most of which are in Belgium, are immobilized for an indefinite period. "This is a very important decision, because, of course, you cannot just take somebody's money. We are not at war with Russia. Europe is not at war with Russia. You cannot simply confiscate money. That is an act of war. This should not be underestimated," he said. De Wever stressed that this has never happened before in history. "Immobilized money, even during World War II, was never confiscated. It would be the very first time that that would happen in history that that would have great consequences for Europe, for belief, trust in the financial system, for the eurozone. It is not to be underestimated. There is no such thing as free money. anything that sounds simple in reality is very complicated," he said. The prime minister added that the decision would have to be agreed by all of Europe, while some EU member states "are not so pro-Ukrainian." "Someone might at some stage say we do not longer want to prolong sanctions, and then immediately you have to release those assets," he explained. "The financing of Ukraine is there, and the assets will be immobilized until the end of the war, which means that, as it always went in history, when there is a peace deal, the assets will be on the table," the prime minister added. He assured that he would personally ensure that "every penny of that money will be used for the repayment and reconstruction of Ukraine." "I would be very sad to see one euro return to Moscow. But we have to respect international law. It will happen at that moment. And between that moment and now, Europe will finance the war in Ukraine, as we should do, because they are fighting for us," he said. After more than 80 years, Don Butt received the honor he deserved. Butt, a British military veteran and one of the last remaining soldiers still alive from the D-Day invasion in 1944, was given a medal from France the nations highest military honor in recognition of his bravery, helping liberate it from Nazi Germany during World War II. Butt, who turned 100 years old in August 2025, received the medal last week. The World War II veteran said the honor completes his life. Butt became emotional upon receiving his medal from the Royal Marines, a moment his family said was a dream come true. On the Front Lines in Normandy Butt joined the Marines at just 17 years old. One year later, he was in the thick of the D-Day operation, landing with a crew at Juno Beach during the first wave of the invasion. Butt faced heavy enemy fire, seeing fellow soldiers dying all around him. More than eight decades later, he still remembers that day vividly, grasping desperately to ropes as bombs detonated and bullets whizzed past him, trying to make sure lines of troops made it to shore. Butt witnessed and survived the horrors of war up close. He didnt dare discuss it with even close friends and family members for many years, until recently. He had carried the false belief that, being only 18 at the time, he was too young to have earned a medal. Butt told his harrowing story to a fellow marine who worked to obtain the Legion dhonneur from French officials for the D-Day veteran. Through the application process, which was filed in 2024, Butt and his friend discovered that age doesnt make a difference in receiving the medal, but for unknown reasons, his request was denied. President Obama talks with World War II veteran Kenneth "Rock" Merritt over Normandy, France during the 70th anniversary of D-Day in 2014. (National Archives) Butt sent a second application last year, following a suggestion from Britains Ministry of Defence, and the Royal Marines Historical Society pitched in to help, encouraging Frances government to speed up its selection process, considering Butts age. Karen Cetin, Butts daughter, said the medal means everything to Dad. He always said it was something he would love to have, Cetin said. We were in a bit of a race against time. He is 100, and it was very important to himand to usthat he was recognized before it was too late. As a family, we are all so proud of his achievements and think he fully deserves it. On June 13, 2025, it became official: Butt was promoted to the rank of Chevalier in the Ordre national de la Legion dHonneur. The Missing Piece After receiving the medal, Butt reflected on what it all meant to him. Its the last one missing from my medals. It is my final ambitionmy final wishto get that medal, he said. It would make all the places Ive been and what Ive done, complete. Ive just had my 100th birthday, which was wonderful. My worries have all gone. I cannot thank everyone enough for trying. Butt didnt think much about applying for the honor after receiving an honorable discharge from the Royal Marines after World War II. But he began thinking about it more as he aged, and when he told his marine buddy about his experiences, his friend got the ball rolling. He was able to get my records and help me apply, Butt said. Capt. Mark Flynn, Headquarters Company, 17th Psychological Battalion, Civil Affair and Psychological Operations Command, gets a few pointers from a retired member of the Royal Marines, while being surrounded by British paratroopers, outside the church square in Ste. Mere Eglise, France, June 6, 2009, after participating in the Peace Ceremony, part of the weeklong Normandy 65th Anniversary of D-Day 1944. (Melvin G. Tarpley, U.S. Army Europe G-6 Visual Information Services Europe) D-Day Memories Still Vivid After the war, Butt met a woman, fell in love, and the couple were married for 66 years. They had four children together, and Butt now has great-great-grandchildren. When his unit was on the landing craft, taking over for French and Canadian forces during the invasion, Butt said his commander gave him an order not to charge the beach. He was too young. Our job was to land the troops, come back, and then go back again. We went back to the ship and then went back three times to land troops in Cherbourg, Butt said. I can still see all the D-Day landing troops going in. The sea was very rough, and we were surrounded by all the carnage of war. Within minutes, chaos engulfed the young marine with bombs exploding everywhere and non-stop shelling. I was very frightened, of course, but after a few minutes you sort of settle down and get used to it in a strange way, he said. I had my friends with me, and when you feel youve got your mate with you, you feel more secure. We were lucky overall. We only lost one man from our regiment. But I can remember it vividlythere were just so many ships. Butt kept these memories locked away in the deep corners of his mind for several decades, only opening up to family and friends in the past few years. I am really glad he has started to talk about it. Its a horrible thing to deal with and never talk about. I am so pleased he opened up and got it off his chest, his daughter Karen said. He is just a modest man, and I think only last year he realized how proud of himself he should be. Butt and his family credit the steadfast work of many to help him finally receive the prestigious honor, such as John Rawlinson, a member of the Royal Marines Historical Society, who assisted Butt in filling out his application. We are delighted that Don has received his medal, as a young man, he was one of the generations who were willing to give all for their country and their friends and families, Rawlinson said. The Royal Marines and the wider Commando community are proud he is one of their familyonce a marine, always a marine. Google just hit a significant goal in conserving water at their information centers. This isnt simply excellent news for them. It matters for everybody. Allows enter what they did and why it is essential. (Googles Data Centers Achieve Major Milestone in Water Conservation Efforts) What is Googles Water Preservation Turning point? . Google revealed they reached their target. They aimed for something called water stewardship. This indicates they wanted to give back much more water to neighborhoods and nature than they used. They achieved this objective throughout all their information facilities. Consider that. Every single Google data facility all over the world now places even more water back right into the environment than it takes out. This is an initial for any kind of significant technology company. It shows an actual dedication. They didnt simply decrease water use. They proactively restored it. This milestone covers all the water used for cooling their effective computer system servers. Air conditioning is vital. Web servers fume. Without cooling, they damage down. Typically, cooling makes use of a lot of water. Google located a method to not simply make use of much less, but to in fact change more than they make use of. This is a large progression. Why Does Water Conservation in Information Centers Issue? . Data centers are the backbone of the web. They power every little thing we do on the internet. E-mails, searches, videos, cloud storage space all of it occurs in data centers. These buildings are massive. They are jam-packed loaded with computers. All those computers generate substantial warm. Maintaining them cool is essential. For years, the main way to cool them was using water. Whole lots and lots of water. Envision the water required for thousands of computer systems running continuous. It builds up rapidly. This water utilize taxes regional water materials. Specifically in locations where water is currently limited. Droughts are becoming extra common. Fresh water is a restricted source. Utilizing less water in information facilities assists safeguard local areas and environments. It makes certain water is readily available for people, farms, and wild animals. Googles achievement reveals its possible to run these vital centers properly. It sets a new requirement for the whole technology industry. Conserving water is simply the right point to do for the earth. Just How Did Google Achieve This Water Conservation Goal? . Google really did not reach this goal over night. It took years of hard work and wise thinking. They utilized many different techniques. First, they obtained smarter about where they build data facilities. They picked locations with cooler climates. Cooler air outside methods much less water is required for cooling inside. They likewise looked for locations with excellent water stewardship chances. Places where they could aid replenish water. Next off, they made big modifications inside the data centers. They improved their cooling systems drastically. Rather than always using fresh water, they started using recycled water whenever possible. Greywater or dealt with wastewater can commonly do the job equally as well. They additionally mounted advanced air conditioning modern technologies. Points like highly reliable cooling towers. Equipments that use outdoors air for cooling more often. This is called complimentary air conditioning. When the air is cool sufficient, they dont need to utilize water at all. They additionally gather rainwater onsite. They use this accumulated water for cooling rather than using the local supply. Lastly, they invested greatly in water replenishment tasks. This suggests financing projects that bring back rivers, wetlands, and aquifers. These jobs place clean water back right into ecosystems. They balance out the water Google still needs to use. Its a mix of making use of much less water and putting even more water back. Where Are These Water Preservation Applications Happening? . Googles water-saving initiatives are international. They work at every one of their data facility sites. Each area uses a mix of the strategies discussed. The precise strategy depends upon the regional atmosphere. Allows look at a couple of examples. In Douglas Region, Georgia, the local area faced water stress and anxiety. Google dealt with regional teams. Together, they restored a significant area of the Chattahoochee River. This task boosted the rivers circulation. It enhanced water top quality and wild animals environment. It greater than balanced Googles water use there. In Taiwan, Google faced challenges. The climate is warm and moist. Water deficiency is a genuine concern. They constructed a system to record and deal with rain onsite. This system provides a big portion of the cooling water they require. It decreases their dependence on the neighborhood tap water supply. In Belgium, the environment is cooler. Google uses outside air for cooling a lot of the year. They just require water-based cooling for a couple of hot weeks. Also then, they make use of recycled water. These are just a few circumstances. Similar tasks are happening wherever Google operates an information center. From the U.S.A. to Europe to Asia, the commitment coincides. Often Asked Questions About Googles Water Initiatives . Many individuals have inquiries regarding Googles water conservation work. Allows address some typical ones. Does this mean Google information facilities make use of no water in any way? No. Cooling down big computer system systems still requires some water, particularly in hot environments or during peak demand. Google has substantially minimized water use. They also replenish much more water than they eat generally. The web impact is positive for water resources. Just what is water replenishment? Water replenishment means bring back water to nature. Google funds projects that place tidy water back right into landmarks. These jobs might involve removing water-hungry invasive plants. They may restore wetlands that filter and shop water. They can boost watering systems on ranches to conserve water. The goal is to add back extra water than was used. Just how does Google track its water usage and effect? Google measures its water make use of very carefully at every information facility. They utilize advanced meters and monitoring systems. For replenishment, they companion with professional teams. Teams like The Nature Conservancy and local water authorities. These partners assist identify the best tasks. They additionally determine the real water benefits accomplished. Google just counts projects that meet stringent standards genuine water gains. Is recycled water safe for cooling down information centers? Yes. Recycled water, like dealt with wastewater, is completely safe for industrial air conditioning. It goes through comprehensive cleansing at therapy plants. Utilizing this water for cooling down conserves fresh water for alcohol consumption and other necessary usages. Its a wise way to preserve resources. (Googles Data Centers Achieve Major Milestone in Water Conservation Efforts) Will other tech firms comply with Googles lead? Google certainly wishes so. They freely share some of their approaches and innovations. They believe this technique is scalable. Saving water advantages everyone. As climate adjustment makes water scarcer, stress will certainly expand on all business to act. Googles landmark confirms it can be done. It establishes a brand-new criteria for the industry. Other companies are currently checking out comparable paths. According to a report released by The Information on Wednesday, Apple may be developing its own artificial intelligence wearable device. The report states that the device will be a smart badge that can be worn on clothing, equipped with two cameras and three microphones. (Apple logo Getty) If the rumors come true, this will be another sign of the intensifying competition in the artificial intelligence hardware market. Previously, Chris Rehan, Global Affairs Director of OpenAI, stated at the Davos Forum on Monday that the company expects to release its highly anticipated first artificial intelligence hardware device in the second half of this year. Another report suggests that the device may be an earbud style earphone. The report describes Apple devices as thin and flat circular disc-shaped devices with aluminum and glass shells, and engineers hope to control their size to be similar to AirTag, only slightly thicker. It is reported that the badge will be equipped with two cameras (standard lens and wide-angle lens respectively) for taking photos and videos, as well as physical buttons and speakers, and a charging contact similar to FitBit on the back. According to reports, Apple may be trying to accelerate the development progress of the product to cope with competition from OpenAI. The smart badge is expected to be released as early as 2027, with an initial production capacity of up to 20 million units. TechCrunch has contacted Apple for more information regarding this matter. However, it remains to be seen whether such artificial intelligence devices can gain market recognition. The startup company Humane AI, previously founded by two former Apple employees, has launched a similar artificial intelligence badge, which also has a built-in microphone and camera. But the product received a lukewarm response after its launch, and the company was forced to cease operations within two years of its release and sell its assets to HP. Roger Luo said:This news indicates that the competitive focus of AI is shifting from the cloud to hardware carriers. Apples advantage lies in its integrated ecosystem of software and hardware, but this AI pin must address fundamental challenges such as scene definition, privacy anxiety, and battery life in order to truly open up a new category of wearable intelligence. All articles and pictures are from the Internet. If there are any copyright issues, please contact us in time to delete. Inquiry us GAYLORD, Mich. Oil and gas company officials continue cleaning up a crude oil and brine spill in the Pigeon River Country State Forest that turned out to be more than four times larger than initially estimated. On Jan. 15, members of the state forests advisory committee received an update about ongoing cleanup work following an oil spill discovered last spring. A company official reported crews are working to finish removing liquids that leaked from a pipeline flowline into a wetland area last April in Cheboygan Countys Forest Township. Those leaked materials totaled 221 barrels an estimated 11 barrels of crude oil, 100 barrels of brine, and 110 barrels of condensate, a type of hydrocarbon liquid similar to gasoline. That amounts to more than 9,200 gallons of liquid pollution. Previously, state officials estimated just 50 total barrels, or about 2,100 gallons, of crude oil and brine had spilled. Nick Summerland of Lambda Energy told the state forest advisory council that most of the remediation work is completed. Its been scraped. The oil is gone. Theres still chloride-impacted water thats seeping into the sumps that are in there, but at least theres a way to recover that, Summerland told the advisory council. The sumps are not expected to continue working through the winter, when the ground and surface water are largely frozen, he said. Related: Crews respond to 50-barrel oil spill in Northern Michigan state forest The company had to install floating mats as temporary access roads to reach the spill in the remote swamp. Crews then built berms to collect the spilled liquids and prevent the materials from spreading further. Summerland said multiple acres of wetlands were initially affected by the spill, but about a half-acre remains impacted. The leaked liquids havent drifted into any creeks, though two tributaries to Canada Creek are nearby. Workers faced extra challenges reaching the oil spill site because of an overabundance of fallen branches and trees from an enormous ice storm that damaged much of the Pigeon River Country State Forest just weeks earlier. Steve Buyze, district supervisor for the Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes and Energy, said the agency is awaiting groundwater and surface water tests results from samples collected at the site last week. The analysis will help officials decide whether additional cleanup work is required. Meanwhile, the federal Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration sent a warning letter to Lambda Energy in October after an inspector documented problems in June and July at the companys Kalkaska facility. Among other concerns, the inspector reported that Lambda failed to have an effective system for detecting leaks, according to the warning letter. Lambda owns and operates about 100 miles of oil pipelines and 150 miles of natural gas pipelines across Northern Lower Michigan. There is a long history of oil and gas activity within the Pigeon River Country State Forest, where dozens of wells have been drilled dating back to the 1970s. GAYLORD, Mich. Theres a quiet, snow-covered airstrip deep in the wildest woods of Northern Lower Michigan thats getting a lot of new attention. Last week a flock of recreational aviation pilots descended on a meeting in Gaylord to make sure state officials understand their fervent interest in an air strip in the Pigeon River Country State Forest. They contend the remote landing strip could become a valuable recreational site for backwoods pilots and a moneymaker for the state. I think Black River would be a great place to go have fly-in campouts and utilize that airstrip, said Dave Garland of North Country Aviation in Gaylord. The airstrip is among the more than 8,800 acres at the old Black River Ranch that was recently acquired by the Michigan Department of Natural Resources in a $17 million grant-funded land deal. The former private hunting and fishing club is now open to the public for the first time in a century. On Jan. 15, members of the Pigeon River Country Advisory Council heard more than a dozen pilots and aviation enthusiasts speak about their hopes for the remote landing strip. The public comments at the meeting lasted more than 45 minutes. Related: Michigan cougar cubs confirmed alive in century-first milestone State officials made it clear that no decisions have been made about the property. They said there will be a public input process, but these are early days. Weve had this for barely a month, just over a month, said Kerry Heckman, DNR forest land administrator. We have a lot of work ahead of us. Were not anywhere close to making any decisions on anything related to the property because we need to do this in a responsible way. She said state officials must evaluate the land, existing log cabins, main lodge, airstrip, gated roads and trails on the property. Historians must determine whether any of the structures built in 1920 warrant preservation. Everythings covered in snow right now, so its not a great time to do a lot of those assessments, Heckman said. The land is already open for hunting, fishing, hiking, camping, bird watching, berry picking and other non-motorized outdoor recreation. Meanwhile, DNR officials will soon figure out the best way for the public to participate in the process, she said. An access plan will be open for public review this year and is expected to be finalized in 2027. Related: Michigan just saved a stunning piece of wilderness that wild elk call home Those who spoke about their hope for the landing strip said they would like to see a state backwoods camping site established at the old private hunting and fishing club. Michigan already has this type of fly-in camping area on North Fox Island in Lake Michigan and at the Two-Hearted River in the Upper Peninsula. General Grant, Michigan state liaison for the nonprofit Recreational Aviation Foundation, said hes excited for a possible new fly-in camping area in the Pigeon River Country State Forest and hes not alone. We have had an amazing outreach from pilots all over the country, in Michigan in particular, asking about the airstrip thats on the Pigeon River Forest acquisition, Grant said. Another person in the crowd suggested the state create a new state park or state forest campground at the old Black River Ranch property. Divisions within the DNR will in coming months consider options for the property and its log buildings. Possibilities include outdoor environmental education, summer camp programs, or even regular overnight rentals of the cabins. Heckman said the states intent in buying the land was to protect and restore natural resources and that funding sources may limit how the property can be used. TRAVERSE CITY, MI -- Just one Northern Michigan restaurant has landed on the shortlist for the Oscars of the food world. Modern Bird in Traverse City has been named a semifinalist for the James Beard Awards 2026. The farm-to-table restaurant landed in the Best Chef regional category for the Great Lakes. Chefs in this category are considered for their high standards in their culinary skills, leadership abilities and sustainable work culture. The cozy eatery at 541 W Front Street in the citys downtown is owned by former Chicago chefs Andy Elliott and Emily Stewart. It opened in 2022 and features vegetables, fruit, fish and livestock from the Grand Traverse Bay region, as well as a variety of wines and spirits. Elliott brings the adventure with his a gift for creating delicious food using the humblest to the finest ingredients and Stewart brings the comfort as she conjures up crave-able baked goods. Known for its rotating seasonal menu, Modern Bird offers a range of culinary experience from corned beef tongue in the Kohlrabi vegetable dish to walleye with pickled jalapeno and popcorn. The two chefs, now married with a baby, both trained in Michelin-starred restaurants before teaming up at the Traverse City Farmers Market during the pandemic. They brought Modern Bird to life after finding a 1895 building in need of some love but with good bones, exposed brick and arched windows. The popular Northern Michigan restaurant made an exclusive list last year as well, landing on The New York Times list of 50 best restaurants list for 2025. More in the culinary world: Detroit is home to one of the best new bars in the entire country The James Beard Awards have been the pinnacle of culinary recognition in the U.S. since their inception in 1990. The finalists will be announced in March and winners in June. Other Michigan chefs recognized in the Best Chef: Great Lakes category are: ST. CLAIR TOWNSHIP, MI An overnight house fire in St. Clair Township left one woman dead on Wednesday after deputies and firefighters worked to rescue her from the home. St. Clair County Sheriffs Office deputies were dispatched to the house fire at 2:20 a.m. on Wednesday, Jan. 21, in the 4300 block of Yankee Road. When they arrived, a 73-year-old woman and 16-year-old woman were on the front porch, but one woman was still trapped inside. Deputies attempted to enter the home, but the first floor was filled with smoke and flames. The St. Clair Area Fire Authority arrived on location and helped remove the woman from a second story window. The woman, 47-year-old Laura Bramlett, was taken to the hospital where she later died. The sheriffs office is investigating the fire. LANSING, MI A pair of bills limiting the use of cellphones in classrooms received near-unanimous support in the Michigan Senate today, each passing by a vote of 34-1. Pending a House vote on one of the two bills, the legislation approved Thursday will now head to Gov. Gretchen Whitmer, who officials in Lansing indicated this week was expected to green-light the ban before she delivered her next State of the State address. House Bill 4141, if adopted into law, would amend the Revised School Code to mandate school districts establish a wireless communications device policy to ban use of cellphones on school grounds during instructional time. However, how policies would be enforced would largely be up to individual districts and public academies. Also moved on Thursday was Senate Bill 495, which bill sponsor Sen. Dayna Polehanki, D-Livonia, said would require districts to also have protocol for when and how students are permitted to use cell phones during emergency situations. Senate Bill 495 will require one more vote in the House prior to being sent to Whitmers desk. Both bills reflect the minimum standard schools must enact, Polehanki said, but districts can implement more strict policies when they choose. It wasnt clear how many school districts already have bans in place the Michigan Department of Education has not previously identified a number though lawmakers, teachers and school officials have emphasized the benefits of cellphone restrictions are immediate and far-reaching, limiting distractions in class and opening students up more socially. All of a sudden, youve got 32 pairs of eyeballs staring back at you. I mean, the impact is immediate, said state Rep. Mark Tisdel, R-Rochester Hills, who introduced the House measure with fellow Republican Reps. Nancy DeBoer and Kathy Schmaltz. Last week, the state House voted to approve Tisdels bill during its first session of 2026. Tisdels first iteration of the legislation was drafted in June 2023, and the measure has previously failed to reach full bi-partisan support. Another bill introduced by Senate Democrats last year would have pushed for schools and districts to implement a policy without legislating an exact mandate. Since then, Tisdel said hes talked to an awful lot of administrators, principals, teachers, parents and other legislators about the proposed ban. Despite requiring restriction policies statewide, HB 4141 would still allow exemptions for things like medically needed devices, as well as school-issued devices like tablets or laptops used for instruction and special education programs. Emergency situations would also be accommodated. Theres been a lot of consideration (to) go into this, Tisdel said in an interview this week. Parents primary concern is theyll lose the ability to contact their child during the day. If thats a concern in the bill the child is allowed to take a basic phone to school all day long. Its the smartphone where the prohibitions and restrictions apply because the smartphones are a distraction. Whitmer originally called for lawmakers to restrict cellphone use in classrooms during her 2025 State of the State. Stacey LaRouche, a spokesperson for the governor, did not reference a specific measure but reiterated phone restrictions as a priority for her office. Increased access to smartphones leads to harmful effects on students mental health and educational outcomes, LaRouche said in a statement. The governor will continue to work with anyone to ensure our students can focus on learning with fewer distractions. We look forward to the bills getting to the governors desk. Plenty of individual policies are already in motion at schools and districts across the state, while school officials evaluate and pilot the types of policies and equipment needed to keep phones out of students hands during class. Those often include be it bell-to-bell bans, the use of pocket charts within each classroom or lock devices. Districts like Ann Arbor Public Schools are already evaluating best practices in response to parents call to ban phones. Tisdel recommended use comprehensive toolkits available through Stanford University and other institutions with resources like sample letters to introduce policies to parents and potential penalties that could be applied if violated. This has been worked up one side and down the other, Tisdel said. There are 38 other states that now have some kind of statewide restriction or standards in place. So, this is nothing new to Michigan. There may be 40 school districts in the state that have implemented and are actually enforcing (a policy). Although HB 4141 would take effect during the next school year, it could be a while before more long-term benefits of distraction-free classrooms manifest in improved state assessment scores and other statewide datasets used to track student growth. Tisdel has frequently pointed to Avondale Middle School in Auburn Hills, where district officials say a policy introduced other measurable benefits. We have data that supports our cell phone ban at Avondale Middle School has increased student engagement, participation in class and student achievement, Avondale School District Superintendent James Schwarz said via email Wednesday. According to the district, issues with fighting went from 22 incidents in fall 2022 to seven the following year after the policy. Phone violations also decreased from 124 to 61. It also has had a substantive impact on decreasing discipline issues and cyberbullying, Schwarz said. In addition, the ban has increased students socialization skills, and ability to interact verbally with confidence. Photo: Red Cross of Ukraine Violations of International Humanitarian Law (IHL) may be classified as war crimes and carry criminal liability, the Ukrainian Red Cross Society (URCS) has reminded. "International Humanitarian Law stipulates that even during war, the use of force is not unlimited. Its rules are designed to protect civilians, the wounded, the sick, and prisoners of war, as well as to prevent excessive suffering and destruction," the URCS stated on Facebook. IHL prohibits means and methods of warfare that are indiscriminate, cause excessive suffering, or inflict widespread, longterm, and severe damage to the natural environment. It bans the conduct of hostilities using chemical, biological, and toxic weapons. International Humanitarian Law also prohibits the use of weapons with fragments that cannot be detected by Xray, explosive or deforming bullets, poisons, and poisonous substances. Certain types of weapons are not completely banned but are subject to strict limitations. For example, incendiary weapons may not be used against civilians or civilian objects. In addition, IHL forbids methods of warfare such as indiscriminate attacks, terrorizing the civilian population, using starvation as a method of war, destroying objects essential for civilian survival, attacks on medical units and sanitary transport, the use of "human shields," and orders to leave no one alive. Perfidy is also prohibited, including the unlawful use of the emblems of the Red Cross, Red Crescent, or Red Crystal. FRANKFORT, KY -- Officials with the Kentucky Department of Fish and Wildlife Resources have announced charges will be filed against 25 people involved in a massive harvesting operation. An investigation conducted over 10 months alleges the accused were involved in the illegal commercial harvesting and sale of catfish from public waters, and unlawful operation of pay lakes across Kentucky. This case reflects our commitment to safeguarding Kentuckys natural resources, said Col. Jeremy McQueary, director of the Kentucky Fish and Wildlife Law Enforcement Division. Illegal commercialization of wildlife especially through the exploitation of native fish populations undermines conservation efforts and lawful recreation. We will not tolerate it. More than 700 charges are expected to be filed, including more than 100 felony counts that will be presented to grand juries for possible indictments. The charges will be filed after investigators have reviewed all the evidence and case materials. It is alleged that more than 300,000 pounds of catfish were harvested in the operation. A critical piece of information to properly manage any fishery is accurate harvest rates, said Dave Dreves, director of the Fisheries Division. That is why commercial fishers are required to report their harvest each month. This egregious underreporting undermines our ability to properly monitor catfish populations, especially trophy catfish. It is alleged that the suspects harvested catfish from public waterways and then transported the fish to unregulated or illegally operated pay lakes. The operation took place across six counties in Kentucky. The identities of the accused have not been released publicly as charges have not yet been formally filed. This case sends a strong message, said Maj. David Marques, assistant director for the Law Enforcement Division. If you profit from poaching or operate outside the law, we will find you and you will be held accountable. MACKINAC ISLAND, MI Cruise ships will be barred from mooring at a key Mackinac Island dock for at least the next several years after a judge stepped in to settle a long-running dispute over dock repairs. On Jan. 21, Mackinac County Circuit Court Judge Brian Rahilly entered a consent judgment preventing cruise ships from tying up at the south end of the islands main ferry dock until repairs are completed a point that, under the owners current plan, may not come until 2029 or later. The order follows a December ruling in which Rahilly found that the dock, owned by Arnold Transit Co., constitutes a public nuisance due to its deteriorated condition. Rahilly scheduled this weeks hearing to determine how the nuisance should be addressed after concluding the City of Mackinac Island and Arnold Transit, a subsidiary of Florida-based Hoffmann Family of Companies, were unable to agree on a repair plan. A public dock in disrepair is a nuisance, Rahilly wrote in a Dec. 1 order. The scope of the disrepair and the scope of the repairs or abatement have not been determined. The court granted a stay in this case, believing the parties, their counsel, and experts could figure that part out. They cannot. Attorneys for Arnold Transit agreed this week to the cruise ship mooring ban but said the company is appealing the nuisance finding itself. Attorney Mark Magyr called the finding premature. Much ado about nothing is 100 percent our position not because we dont take safety seriously, but because were firmly convinced there is not a safety risk right now, he said. Arnold Transit completed some stabilization work in late 2024 but reached an impasse with the city over the sequencing of additional repairs including whether work at the lakeward end where cruise ships moor should take priority over other areas. In filings, Arnold Transit has proposed a multi-year repair plan extending into the end of the decade, with much of the work performed during winter months to avoid disrupting tourism. Under the companys plan, the lakeward portion of the dock would not be addressed until late 2029 and would take six to eight weeks to complete. City officials argue that repairs to the lakeward end of the dock should come sooner because of safety concerns tied to cruise ship mooring. In court filings, the city claims cruise ships exert 50 to 250 tons of lateral mooring force on a dock that was never designed for that use. The city claims Arnold promised repairs to that part of the dock in 2025 and 2026 before pushing that timeline back. In a statement, the city said negotiations over repair priorities stalled after years of discussion, prompting it to seek court intervention. The necessary repairs to the portion of the dock most needing repair halted in October 2024, and despite numerous assurances that commencement of work was imminent, those needed repairs have not begun, the city council stated. Messages sent to city attorneys were not returned. The restriction affects only part of Mackinac Islands cruise traffic. Some cruise ships already anchor offshore and ferry passengers to the island by tender boats, a practice that will continue while repairs move forward. The Mackinac Island Tourism Bureau issued a statement Jan. 22, saying it has been in touch with the cruise lines that dock on the island and they do not anticipate any issues with travel this season given they are able to tender passengers to and from the island. Mackinac Island is Michigans busiest cruise ship port, hosting dozens of visits each season. Tenders shuttle cruise passengers from the Ponant Line ship Le Champlain to Mackinac Island, Mich., Oct. 12, 2024. (Garret Ellison | MLive). Garret Ellison The judges order settles how the dock will be used in the near term but does not end the legal fight. Arnold Transit has filed an application for appeal with the Michigan Court of Appeals, arguing that whether the dock constitutes a nuisance is a disputed factual question that shouldnt have been decided without full discovery. The legal fight could delay onset of dock repairs past the projected 2029 timeframe. Magyar disputed the citys claim that repairs stalled, saying the company completed nearly $800,000 in stabilization work after acquiring the dock. Magyar said Arnold agreed to the mooring ban this week rather than risk a court-imposed repair sequence it opposed. We would rather not moor cruise ships and stick to our plan than be forced into a sequencing we believe is wrong, he said. The dock dispute stretches back more than three years and predates Hoffmans 2024 purchase of the Mackinac Island Ferry Company, which was later rebranded as Arnold Transit Co., a historic Mackinac ferry name. Judge Rahillys ruling comes amid a widening series of legal disputes between Mackinac Island and the Hoffmann Family of Companies, a private equity firm which owns both commercial ferry lines serving the island, key docks and mainland parking lots, and local media outlets the St. Ignace News and Mackinac Island Town Crier. In separate cases, ferry companies owned by Hoffmann have challenged the citys authority to regulate ferry ticket prices and parking fees, arguing that local ordinances unlawfully interfere with private business operations and interstate commerce. In July 2025, a federal judge blocked enforcement of the citys ferry-rate ordinance, a ruling that limited the citys leverage over pricing as visitor traffic rebounded. At the same time, the city has accused Hoffmanns companies of creating a monopoly by consolidating ownership of ferries, docks and parking, an allegation Hoffmann disputes. That lawsuit remains pending. The monopoly concerns have drawn the attention of lawmakers. The state Senate advanced legislation last year that would amend Mackinac Islands city charter to explicitly allow the city to regulate all aspects of ferry service, not just base ticket prices. A report from the House Oversight Committee criticizes leadership of Michigan State Police, including Colonel James F. Grady II and Lt. Colonel Aimee Brimacombe. The report, released publicly on Tuesday, Jan. 20, outlines a toxic work environment at the department with historically low morale and unprecedentedly low trust. Brimacombe announced her retirement last week, prior to the release of the report, according to a news release from HOC Chair Jay DeBoyer. The investigation was first initiated in June when the Michigan State Police Troopers Association and the Michigan State Police Command Officers Association issued a joint letter calling for Grady and Brimacombe to resign . The letter followed an anonymous survey of members of both groups where more than 90% voted no confidence in the leadership. The report includes depositions from nine former and current MSP employees. It was issued by the Republican-controlled House Oversight Committee. It outlines abrupt and unexplained staffing changes like promotions and demotions, allegations of retaliation against employees who questioned leadership decisions and repeated disregard for established policy. Brady issued the following statement regarding the report: As Director of the Michigan State Police, my focus continues to be on doing whats best for the agency, our members and the people of Michigan. I remain focused on supporting our dedicated, hardworking members, who work each day to deliver critical public safety services that have contributed to reductions in violent crime. Current and former MSP employees testified to a culture where speaking up or offering expertise could trigger punishment in the form of demotions or reassignment. The report says the cumulative effect of numerous personnel changes under Gradys leadership has removed decades of combined command expertise from the statewide department. The report specifically called Brimacombes promotion to Lt. Colonel into question, given that she has had three sustained internal investigations for allegedly misusing a state vehicle, alleged failure to maintain training records and allegedly filing a false complaint against colleagues. Brimacombe allegedly put nearly 10,000 miles on a state-owned 2015 Buick Regal assigned to her by MSP while she was working remotely. She was asked to return the vehicle in April 2021, but it was not returned until August of the same year. The report alleges Brimacombe gave different answers when asked about her failure to maintain training records. It also alleges Brimacombe then filed a false complaint with the Professional Standards Section (Internal Affairs) in an attempt to weaponize the complaint process after she was reported for the vehicle misuse and falsification of training records. Brimacombe called the entire human resources team into a meeting after her appointment to tell them, the grim reaper was coming, in response to a rumor than she didnt have HRs best interests in mind, according to the report. Complaints were filed in January 2025 alleging that Grady and Brimacombe awarded themselves improper bonuses, according to the release. You reap what you sow, DeBoyer said in a statement. Our committee has worked diligently in multiple areas to clean up state government and its departments and deliver results when state government has not operated how it should. When Lt. Col. Brimacombe was in charge, 98.5 percent of MSP troopers and 90 percent of command officers gave a vote of no confidence in MSP leadership. Thats an overwhelming number, and overwhelming evidence of wrongdoing was laid out in this report. It seems clear Lt. Col. Brimacombe looked at the facts and got out of dodge. State Rep. Mike Mueller, R-Linden, said the reports findings are troubling and called for further investigation. A retired Michigan State Police inspector voiced his support for Grady, who is Michigans third Black MSP director, saying he is being held to an unfair standard compared to his predecessors. Once a rising franchise, national restaurant chain Joes Crab Shack will soon operate just 14 locations in the U.S. According to News4JAX, the Jacksonville Beach, Florida location is set to close on Saturday, Jan. 24, marking another closing for the struggling franchise. We are grateful to our dedicated Joes Crab Shack team members and will be working to place employees at nearby restaurants while we transition the location to a Bubba Gump Shrimp Co. Terry Turney, the COO of Joes Crab Shack, told the news station in a statement. The Houston-based restaurant chain has experienced a significant drop in its number of locations over the last decade. Started in 1991, the original location was bought by Landry Restaurants in 1994. The chain grew in popularity and by the end of the 2000s, had approximately 130 locations nationwide. The company was sold to Ignite Restaurant Group, Inc. in 2006 and at its peak in the mid-2010s, Joes operated nearly 150 locations. The company was sold back to Landry in 2017 after Ignite filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy. Since then, Joes has struggled to regain footing in the marketplace and has closed nearly 90% of locations from its peak. While it was never as popular as competitor Red Lobster, the chain was known across the country for its casual, beach-themed atmosphere. Restaurants were typically located in tourist destinations and larger cities. Once the Jacksonville Beach location closes, there will be three Joes restaurants each in Florida and California. There are four locations in Texas, and one location each in Kentucky, Missouri, South Carolina, and Tennessee, according to the Joes website. Over 100 Jackson County residents packed a Board of Commissioners meeting Tuesday, Jan. 20, with many demanding the sheriffs office terminate its partnership with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement. The story is one of five must-read stories from MLive not to miss this Thursday morning. Standing-room-only meeting gets heated The Jackson County for Immigrants Coalition, founded by Gayla Ignacio, organized the standing-room-only gathering to protest the 287(g) program that the sheriffs office joined in March 2025. The agreement allows the county to hold individuals who have already been arrested if they have an ICE warrant. Residents raised concerns about potential racial profiling, financial costs to the county, and deteriorating trust between law enforcement and the community. Considering the current tense climate in Minneapolis and other communities in our nation, is this what we really want to invite into Jackson? Summit Township resident Lisa Lazaroff said. I truly believe our community can be better served by our law enforcement focusing on neighborhood relationships, decreasing gun violence and getting drugs off of our streets. One resident was escorted out for disrupting public comment. Another attendee took a sign reading I Love ICE from District 1 County Commissioner Tony Bair, who stated his support for the program and the county sheriffs department. The full story, by reporter Chloe Miller, is available here. ICE agents call for backup during Holland arrest Grand Rapids area residents attend an emergency rally against ICE on Jan. 8, 2026 at Calder Plaza in Grand Rapids, following the death of Minneapolis woman Renee Good, who was shot in the head by an ICE agent during protests of ongoing immigration crackdowns in the Twin Cities. Isaac Ritchey | iritchey@mlive.com Two federal immigration agents requested emergency assistance from local law enforcement Monday morning while attempting to arrest a combative suspect in a Holland Township grocery store parking lot. The incident unfolded around 8:30 a.m. on Jan. 19 at the Family Fare located at 993 Butternut Drive. U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents asked a bystander to call 911 as they struggled to take the person into custody. By the time an Ottawa County sheriffs deputy arrived at the scene, the suspect was already in custody. The deputy verified the ICE agents possessed a valid federal arrest warrant for the suspect before clearing the scene. Capt. Jake Sparks emphasized the sheriffs office responded to provide backup to fellow law enforcement officers rather than to enforce immigration policy. If any officer from any department federal, state or local calls for assistance, we give them assistance, Sparks said. The full story, by reporter John Agar is available here. Grand Rapids officers justified in fatal shooting after man opened fire during traffic stop Body-worn camera shows a Grand Rapids officer drawing his weapon on Saturday, Dec. 6, 2025, prior to shooting at a 51-year-old male subject in the 1600 block of Tremont Boulevard NW. The officer, one of three to fire at the subject, fired his weapon after the subject fired at officers from inside the subject's vehicle. The subject died later at a nearby hospital. Joel Bissell | MLive.com Kent County Prosecutor Chris Becker has determined that three Grand Rapids police officers acted appropriately when they fatally shot a man who fired at them up to a dozen times, striking two police vehicles, during a Dec. 6 traffic stop. The officers will face no criminal charges in the death of Martin Martinez-Salazar, 51, Becker announced on Tuesday, Jan. 20. Police initiated the traffic stop because Martinez-Salazar had threatened his wife, was suicidal and was considered a danger. After being pulled over, Martinez-Salazar fired a semi-automatic pistol at officers from inside his car. Officers responded, firing at Martinez-Salazar about 40 times in total. This is about as clear a case of self-defense or defense of others justification as will ever occur, Becker stated in a written opinion. The full story, also by John Agar, is available here. Ex-substitute teacher gets probation, fined for assaulting 6-year-old in school hallway Charline Bodiford, left and holding folder in front of her face, appears beside attorney Theresa M. Bridges for sentencing in Saginaw County District Court on Jan. 20, 2026. Cole Waterman A 72-year-old former substitute teacher will serve six months of probation after assaulting a 6-year-old boy in a hallway at Stone Elementary School in Saginaw. Charline Bodiford was sentenced by Saginaw County District Judge Elian E.H. Fichtner on Tuesday, Jan. 20, after pleading no contest in December to a misdemeanor charge of assault or assault and battery. Prosecutors said surveillance video from Oct. 17, 2024, showed Bodiford kicking a 6-year-old boy who was lying in a hallway, stepping on him twice and shoving him down the corridor. The boy urinated on himself during the altercation. Bodiford retired from Saginaw Public Schools in 2013 but had been working as a substitute teacher, according to a district spokesperson. She has not worked for the district since the October 2024 incident. The full story, by reporter Cole Waterman is available here. True crime restaurant to bring menu filled with last meals of notorious serial killers The John Wayne Gacy meal at The Last Meal Restaurant in Galion, OH. The true crime restaurant is coming to Michigan in the spring of 2026. Photo by Nate Thompson A restaurant where diners can order the final meals requested by notorious serial killers will open in Monroe this April, marking Michigans first true-crime-themed dining establishment. The Last Meal will be located at The Mall of Monroe and represents the second restaurant of its kind in the country. The first opened in Galion, Ohio. Owner Nate Thompson, who also operates The Michigan Museum of Horror nearby, said the concept combines his interests in food service and macabre attractions. I always thought it would be unique to have a restaurant where you could eat the same last meals as others, Thompson said. Im very excited to bring The Last Meal to Michigan as it was always a goal of ours to do that. The menu features dishes named after and based on actual final meal requests. The John Wayne Gacy includes chicken wings, strawberries, fried shrimp and fries. The Ted Bundy consists of parmesan steak loaded steak fries. While the menu will mirror the Ohio location, some items will be exclusive to the Michigan restaurant. The full story, by reporter Edward Pevos is available here. DAVOS, Switzerland (AP) President Donald Trump on Wednesday scrapped the tariffs that he threatened to impose on eight European nations to press for U.S. control over Greenland, pulling a dramatic reversal shortly after insisting he wanted to get the island including right, title and ownership. In a post on his social media site, Trump said he had agreed with the head of NATO on a framework of a future deal on Arctic security, potentially defusing tension that had far-reaching geopolitical implications. He said additional discussions on Greenland were being held concerning the Golden Dome missile defense program, a multilayered, $175 billion system that for the first time will put U.S. weapons in space. Trump offered few details, saying they were still being worked out. But one idea NATO members have discussed as part of a compromise with Trump was that Denmark and the alliance would work with the U.S. to build more U.S. military bases on Greenland. Thats according to a European official familiar with the matter but not authorized to comment publicly. The official, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said it was not immediately clear if that idea was included in the framework Trump announced. Trump has backed off tariffs before The president has threatened tariffs before only to back away. In April, after first saying he would slap massive import levies on nations from around the world, which prompted a sharp negative market reaction, Trump eased off. But his change of heart this time came only after he used his speech at the World Economic Forum in the Swiss Alps to focus on Greenland and threatened to upend NATO, an alliance that has been among the globes most unshakable since the early days of the Cold War. In his address, Trump said he was asking for territory that was cold and poorly located and that the U.S. had effectively saved Europe during World War II while declaring of NATO: Its a very small ask compared to what we have given them for many, many decades. We probably wont get anything unless I decide to use excessive strength and force, where we would be frankly unstoppable. But I wont do that, OK? Trump said. But Trump has also said repeatedly that, while the U.S. will defend NATO, he wasnt convinced the alliance will backup Washington, if needed, and suggested that was at least part of the reason for his aggressive stance toward Greenland. That prompted NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte, in a post-speech event with Trump, to say that the alliance would stand with the U.S. if it is attacked. You can be assured, absolutely, Rutte said. A short time later came Trumps post canceling the tariffs. Danish Foreign Minister Lars Lkke Rasmussen said he welcomed Trump ruling out taking Greenland by force and pausing the trade war with Europe. Now, lets sit down and find out how we can address the American security concerns in the Arctic while respecting the red lines of the Kingdom of Denmark, he said in a statement. President cites national security Trump argues that the U.S. needs Greenland for national security and to counter threats from Russia and China in the Arctic region, despite America already having a large military base there. He threatened to impose steep U.S. import taxes on Denmark and seven other allies unless they negotiate a transfer of the semi-autonomous territory. The tariffs were to have started at 10% next month and climb to 25% in June. Trump often tries to increase pressure on the other side when he believes it can lead to a favorable agreement. His threats at Davos appeared on the verge of rupturing NATO, which was founded by leading European nations, the U.S. and Canada to counter the Soviet Union. The alliances other members were steadfast in saying Greenland is not for sale and cannot be wrested from Denmark, while angrily rejecting Trumps promised tariffs. A Danish government official told The Associated Press after Trumps speech that Copenhagen was ready to discuss U.S. security concerns. But the official, who was not authorized to comment publicly and spoke on condition of anonymity, underscored the governments position that red lines namely Denmarks sovereignty must be respected. It was not immediately clear how Trumps canceling of tariffs might change such calculations. Greenland tells citizens to prepare In the meantime, Greenlands government responded by telling its citizens to be prepared. It has published a handbook in English and Greenlandic on what to do in a crisis that urges residents to ensure they have sufficient food, water, fuel and supplies at home to survive for five days. We just went to the grocery store and bought the supplies, said Tony Jakobsen in Greenlands capital Nuuk said, showing off the contents of bags that included candles, snacks and toilet paper. Jakobsen said he thought Trumps rhetoric towards Greenland was just threats... but its better to be ready than not ready. Before backing down, Trump had urged Denmark and the rest of NATO to stand aside, adding an ominous warning. We want a piece of ice for world protection, and they wont give it, Trump said. You can say yes, and we will be very appreciative. Or you can say no, and we will remember. He also called for opening immediate negotiations for the U.S. to acquire Greenland. In subsequent comments to reporters, he declined to name a price that might be paid, saying only, Theres a bigger price, and thats the price of safety and security and national security and international security. His arrival in Davos was delayed after a minor electrical problem on Air Force One forced a return to Washington to switch aircraft. As Trumps motorcade headed down a narrow road to the speech site, onlookers including some skiers lined the route, some making obscene gestures. Financial markets that had fallen sharply on Trumps threatened tariffs bounced back Wednesday. Also breathing a sigh of relief were a number of U.S. officials who had also been concerned that Trumps hard-line stance and bellicose rhetoric toward Greenland, Denmark and other NATO allies could harm other foreign policy goals. Trumps Davos speech was originally supposed to focus on how to lower U.S. housing prices part of a larger effort to bring down the cost of living. Greenland instead carried the day, though Trump mistakenly referred to it as Iceland four times during his speech. This enormous unsecured island is actually part of North America, Trump said. Thats our territory. When he finally did mention housing, Trump suggested he did not support a measure to encourage affordability. He said bringing down rising home prices hurts property values and makes homeowners who once felt wealthy because of the equity in their houses feel poorer. Now theres another threat Before Trump announced that he was abandoning the tariffs and potentially easing international pressure, his speech left people in Nuuk preparing for the worst. Resident Johnny Hedemann said it was insulting that Trump talks about the Greenlandic people and the Greenlandic nation as just an ice cube. He spoke while heading out to buy a camping stove and instant mashed potatoes. Living in this nature, you have to be prepared for almost anything. And now theres another threat and thats Trump, Hedemann said. WASHTENAW COUNTY, MI Washtenaw County officials have declared that U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement officers are not permitted in any county-owned, leased or operated buildings and properties without a judicial warrant or court order. The Washtenaw County Board of Commissioners voted unanimously Wednesday, Jan. 21 to pass an ICE-free zones resolution. The resolution also formally opposes the use of masks or face coverings by ICE officers to conceal their identities during civil enforcement activities except in circumstances where face coverings are required for verified public health or safety reasons. Movement for Immigrant Rights Action, a local grassroots group, and county Commissioner Yousef Rabhi, D-Ann Arbor drafted the resolution with input from other commissioners. Im here tonight to thank the board for putting on your agenda what we call ICE-free zones resolution that says we oppose the use of county buildings and face coverings by ICE or Border Patrol and anybody else in their domain when they are in our county, said Mary Anne Perrone, a member of MIRA and the Washtenaw Congregational Sanctuary. Passing this resolution tonight means standing up for immigrants, for people of color, and for the allies in Washtenaw County, all of whom are resisting the cruel and unusual ICE enforcement here and throughout our country, Perrone said. Passing the resolution is a moral act in a time of rampant immorality on the part of the federal government. Rabhi gave provocative remarks, including calling for ICE to be abolished and taking aim at President Donald Trumps federal administration. What we are seeing in this country with the rise of authoritarianism and the fascism in our federal government is something that we need to take very seriously as local elected officials, he said. This is a piece of paper and some words on it, and hopefully it does some good implementing it for county buildings, he said. But when the Nazis come to Ann Arbor, we are gonna have to stand as a community to face them. It doesnt mean just not cooperating. It has to mean actively working against what ICE is doing, he said, also suggesting local law enforcement should treat them like a terrorist organization. A portion of the resolution states: The Board affirms that Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officers shall not be permitted to enter, remain in, or conduct civil immigration enforcement activities within any Washtenaw County-owned, leased, or operated building, facility, or property (including parking areas) unless required by law or pursuant to a valid judicial warrant or court order. The resolution also directs county employees, contractors and agents not to voluntarily assist, facilitate or cooperate with ICEs civil immigration enforcement activities in the same set of county-operated places, unless assistance is required by law. The county board also directed the county attorney to develop a county policy in collaboration with subject-matter experts including immigrant-rights legal organizations, the resolution states. Many county residents who spoke during public comments came to support ICE-free zones. All nine of the county commissioners, all Democrats, also decried ICE activity. Several residents spoke about people being, in their words, kidnapped by ICE and the impact it has had on the community. Commissioner Annie Somerville, D-Ypsilanti, spoke about how ICE activity is happening a lot in Ypsilanti. She spoke about how some people are afraid to leave their homes and how federal immigration agents have been using charter flights out of Willow Run Airport. Caroline Sanders, D-Ann Arbor, got emotional when speaking about parents being taken by federal immigration officers while their children are at school. I dont understand how you can be so inhumane, Sanders said. Immigrant rights advocates are also calling on Ann Arbor officials to pass a similar resolution to keep ICE activity out of city facilities. It is not the first time the county board has opposed or resisted the federal immigration crackdown since President Trump took office. In May 2025, Washtenaw County officials informed the U.S. Department of Homeland Security they would not voluntarily hand over information on a county-issued photo ID program. The county had received a federal administrative subpoena and summons for records on the county ID program, which serves the immigrant community and others. Washtenaw County Sheriff Alyshia Dyer announced in January 2025 her department would not assist ICE. Want more Ann Arbor-area news? Bookmark the local Ann Arbor news page. WASHTENAW COUNTY, MI - Washtenaw County preemptively closed all non-essential services on Friday, Jan. 23, due to inclement weather, the county announced on its website. The National Weather Service declared a cold weather advisory the entirety of Friday. Temperatures are expected to reach as low as -11 degrees in Ann Arbor on Friday, according to the National Weather Service. The temperature could feel like -20 degrees as a result of the extreme wind chills, the service states. Winds of 10 to 15 mph are expected, with gusts up to 25 mph, according to the National Weather Service. Standing outside with uncovered skin could cause frost bit in as little as 30 minutes, the service states. The closure alert did not clarify which services are considered non-essential, and a message to officials has not been returned yet. During a previous county government closure, essential services included operations such as the jail, juvenile detention, emergency management and parts of other county functions. Departments deemed non-essential were closed for the day. A decision on if county schools will remain open has not been made. Nearly all public schools in Washtenaw closed on Jan. 15, when The National Weather Service issued a winter weather advisory for extremely hazardous driving conditions through the previous night across Southeast Michigan. Housing Access for Washtenaw County, the central intake for people and families experiencing homelessness or at the risk of homelessness, will remain open Friday, County Commissioner Katie Scott told MLive. GENESEE COUNTY, MI Residents are being reminded of warming centers available in Genesee County and tips to stay safe as wind chills are forecast to fall dangerously low the next few days. An Extreme Cold Watch issued by the National Weather Service for southeast Michigan, including Genesee, Shiawassee, Lapeer, Oakland, and St. Clair counties, goes into effect at 1 a.m. Friday, Jan. 23, and runs until 10 a.m. Saturday, Jan. 24. Wind chills both nights into the following mornings likely to fall to 15 to 20 degrees below zero, the weather services advisory reads. There is (a) chance feels-like temperatures fall further to 25 degrees below zero. Highs on Friday and Saturday arent forecast to reach double digits, with an overnight low on Friday night of -10. Extremely cold temperatures are in the forecast for Genesee County for the next few days, a county Health Department news release said. When temperatures drop below normal levels it is important to stay safe and warm. The Health Department said residents can protect themselves from the cold by doing the following: Limit time spent outdoors. Seek warm shelter. Wearing cold-weather appropriate attire. Serious health problems can result from prolonged exposure to the cold. The most common cold related problems are hypothermia and frostbite, a county health department news release said. To prevent cold related illnesses like hypothermia and frostbite, people are encouraged to remain indoors, when possible, as a wind chill of -20 Fahrenheit will cause frostbite in just 30 minutes. Those most at risk for CRI, or cold-related injury, are elderly residents, babies sleeping in cold bedrooms, as well as bikers, hunters, and people experiencing homelessness, per the health departments release. Warming centers in Genesee County can be found by contacting: Catholic Charities Center for Hope, 812 Root St., Flint, 810-232-9950 My Brothers Keeper, 101 N. Grand Traverse St., Flint, 810-234-1163 Carriage Town Ministries, 605 Garland St., Flint, 810-233-8787 Shelter of Flint, 924 Cedar St., Flint, 810-239-5433 Or by calling 211 To keep our community safe, we encourage people to check in on others, the county health departments release said. Anyone who feels that they are experiencing a CRI should seek medical attention as soon as possible. GRAND RAPIDS, MI Former Presidents Bill Clinton and George W. Bush will speak at The Economic Club of Grand Rapids annual meeting on June 2. The private event, being held at DeVos Place, marks the 50th anniversary of the economic club, and will also feature an awards ceremony honoring Mark Bissell, executive chairman of BISSELL Inc., with the clubs Business Person of the Year Award. The DeVos family is also being recognized with the clubs Slykhouse Community Leadership Award. We are honored to welcome back President Clinton and President Bush to our Annual Dinner as we celebrate our 50th anniversary, and we are proud to offer our community access to their unique perspectives as our nation celebrates its 250th anniversary, said Natalia Kovicak, president and CEO of the econ club. We are also pleased to honor Mark Bissell and the DeVos Family during this milestone eventleaders who have each contributed meaningfully to our community. Clinton, the nations 42nd president whose term ran from 1993 to January 2001, was the speaker at the economic clubs annual meeting in 2007. Clinton came to West Michigan during the 2024 presidential race, when he campaigned in Muskegon Heights for former Vice President Kamala Harris. Bush, the nations 43rd president whose term ran from 2001 to January 2009, spoke at the economic clubs annual meeting in 2010. The annual dinner is the economic clubs signature event and regularly attracts over 2,000 attendees. Past speakers have included Oprah Winfrey, Tom Brady, former Secretary of Defense Robert Gates and former U.K. Prime Minister David Cameron. Tickets for the event are only available to members of the economic club and their guests. The Specialized Anti-Corruption Prosecutors Office (SAPO) and the National Anti-Corruption Bureau (NABU) have exposed top officials of the State Border Service of Ukraine in systematic bribery: the former head of the State Border Service of Ukraine, the head of the checkpoint department, and a former official of the State Border Service were notified of suspicion. The SAPO reported this in its Telegram channel on Thursday. "Under the procedural guidance of the SAPO prosecutor, detectives reported suspicion to a former top official and a current official of the State Border Service of Ukraine, who were exposed in the systematic receipt of illegal benefits for facilitating the unhindered crossing of the state border," the SAPO said. The Anti-Corruption Prosecutors Office clarifies that these are: a general, former Head of the State Border Service of Ukraine; head of the checkpoint department of the State Border Service; a former official of the State Border Service. The actions of the suspects were qualified under Part 4 of Article 27, Part 4 of Article 368 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine. "As part of the pre-trial investigation, it was established that in 2023, with the assistance of officials of the State Border Service, a group of persons organized the illegal transportation of cigarettes across the state border of Ukraine to the EU.", - the SAPO notes. According to the report, for their illegal activities, these persons used vehicles registered in the Czech Republic and Austria, on which special license plates similar to diplomatic ones were installed. "The passengers of such cars were holders of diplomatic passports - family members of Ukrainian diplomats in Europe. This made it possible to avoid inspection of cars by border and customs authorities of EU countries," the SAPO said. According to the anti-corruption prosecutors office, in turn, officials of the State Border Service ensured unhindered crossing of the border from/to Ukraine. "It is documented that border guards received about EUR 204,000 of illegal benefits during July - November 2023 for the passage of 68 cars (EUR 3,000 for each vehicle)," the report states. In addition, the investigation found that officials of the State Border Service previously served with diplomats, whose relatives later became participants in this scheme. Earlier, the Ukrainska Pravda (UP) ezine reported, citing its own sources, that the National Anti-Corruption Bureau and the Specialized Anti-Corruption Prosecutors Office are conducting searches at the home of the former head of the State Border Service, Serhiy Deineko. "According to UP sources, investigative actions are being conducted within the framework of a case of illegal benefits related to cigarette smuggling," the report of "Ukrainska Pravda" on its website said on Thursday. On January 4, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy dismissed Serhiy Deineko from the post of Head of the State Border Guard Service of Ukraine. Update: Jackson man admitted to starting house fire that hospitalized 2 roommates, police say JACKSON, MI Two Jackson residents were injured, and one was arrested during a house fire just outside downtown Jackson Wednesday night. Fire crews were called at about 10 p.m. Wednesday, Jan. 21, to 324 Clinton Street in Jackson for a reported house fire, according to a statement from the Jackson Fire Department. Fire crews arrived to find heavy smoke and flames coming from the first and second floors of the two-story home, officials said. Firefighters rescued two residents from inside the house and another who was on the roof, officials said. Two of the residents were taken to Henry Ford Hospital Jackson for treatment. One was released and the other was taken to the University of Michigan Burn Unit in Ann Arbor for additional treatment, officials said. The third resident was arrested at the scene, officials said. Messages left with the Jackson Police Department were not immediately returned. Fire crews were able to quell the blaze, clearing the scene at 12:30 a.m., officials said. Viewed from the street, the residence sustained significant damage and is currently uninhabitable. No firefighters were injured in the fire. The cause of the fire remains under investigation with the assistance of the Michigan State Police. The Summit Township Fire Department, Blackman-Leoni Township Public Safety, Napoleon Township Fire, Grass Lake Township Fire, Spring Arbor Township Fire, Henrietta Township Fire and Jackson Community Ambulance assisted at the scene. Want more Jackson-area news? Bookmark the local Jackson news page. JACKSON COUNTY, MI Snow, ice and dangerously cold conditions are contributing to a day off from school for Jackson-area students on Thursday, Jan. 22 An extreme cold watch was issued for the area with forecast calling for dangerously cold wind chills. These schools are currently closed. This list will be updated as more closures come in. You can read more about Michigan weather here. Addison Community Schools Concord Community Schools Columbia School District Hanover Horton Schools Hillsdale Community Schools Hillsdale Preparatory School Hillsdale ISD Homer Community Schools Jackson Preparatory and Early College Jonesville Community Schools Napoleon Community Schools North Adams-Jerome Public Schools Want more Jackson-area news? Bookmark the local Jackson news page. COMSTOCK TWP., MI Comstock Township officials approved a $371,920 contract for architectural designs of a new fire station on Jan. 5. Its the first step toward a brand new $13.5 million fire station that will improve emergency response times and facilities for 24/7 staff. The townships three existing stations no longer serve the areas growing population, Fire and Rescue Chief Matt Beauchamp said during a December 2025 meeting. More people means more calls for service, he said, requiring more around-the-clock staff. Overnight facilities at the current station are stretched thin, Beauchamp said. Crew lockers are located inside Station 9-3s single bedroom, compromising privacy and rest for on-duty staff. Existing facilities at station 9-1 do not offer adequate space for around-the-clock staff, officials said. Comstock Township Additionally, just one shower located inside that room serves four operational staff. The living conditions present a liability issue for the station, Beauchamp said, which employs both male and female staff. The existing 8700 E Michigan Ave. facility is surrounded by privately-owned land, capping its ability to expand at 6,000 square feet. Plans for a new station at 10080 E. Michigan Ave. include six dedicated sleeping quarters and showers for around-the-clock staff, as well as a kitchen, living space and fitness center. Plans for the new station include 25,312 square feet of training, living and storage space. Comstock Township The proposed 25,312-square-foot facility also includes a seven-vehicle apparatus bay with storage designed to mitigate exposure to contaminated firefighting equipment. A second-floor mezzanine and tower will offer in-house space for training, Beauchamp said. We base the design of this tower to mimic apartment buildings and hotels in Comstock Township, Beauchamp said. This will give us realistic training scenarios." Moving the station about 1.5 miles east of its current location is strategic, Capt. Michael Flick said. Station 9-3 serves the east side of the township. Moving it further east will improve response times in that area, while stations 9-1 and 9-2 cover the area west of Morrow Lake, he said. Areas highlighted in blue fall within Comstock Fire and Rescue's four-minute response time. Comstock Township With architectural plans in the works, fire officials plan to seek construction bids in May or June, Beauchamp said. The township expects to bond out funds for the project over 15 years, Finance Director Bret Padgett said. Taxpayers will not see an increase in fire department assessment rates. Comstock joins communities across Kalamazoo County in modernizing emergency response facilities. Kalamazoo and Oshtemo township officials both cited growing populations and demand for service as they prepared to break ground on fire station construction projects in 2026. Want more Kalamazoo-area news? Bookmark MLives local Kalamazoo news page. KALAMAZOO, MI The logo for Mocha House has deep roots in Yemeni culture. A coffee tree stands as a base, honoring where coffee originated. Growing from the coffee tree is a traditional Yemen house, known for its mud-brick architecture. For the six Abdullah brothers who founded the budding coffee shop franchise, the logo serves as a reminder of where they came from. Everybody has a place in their heart for their original nation... the place they were born in, Mousa Abdullah said. So coming to this country, that provided for us... at the same time, our ancestors lived in Yemen for many, many years. Without that country, we wouldnt be here. By coming here and bringing the coffee, bringing some of the traditional drinks... it just reminds me like, yes, this is my country. America is my country. But then somewhere across the world, I have another country that eventually, one day, my kids or myself will go back there and stay and keep going back and forth. Inside Mocha House in Kalamazoo, Michigan, on Wednesday, Jan. 21, 2026. (Devin Anderson-Torrez | MLive.com) What shaped us The Abdullah family moved from Yemen to Colorado Springs in 2011, proud to become American citizens. A few months later, searching for community, they found themselves in Southwest Michigan and working toward a better life. We grew up in Coldwater, a family that barely managed to honestly eat from day-to-day, Abdullah said. My mom is a single mom... thats what shaped us and motivated us to want to be able to grow and have a business of our own. Abdullahs father, who worked in America most of his life, passed away as he worked to get them to the states. The last thing he wanted to do before he leaves us, he wanted to make sure that we come to this country, finish the dream, get our education, and start something for ourselves, Abdullah said. And thats exactly what we did. We achieved what our father planned for us. Of his siblings, two work as Michigan State Police troopers, one works as a corrections officer and Mousa works as a laboratory scientist in the health field. The Abdullah brothers. The group of brothers are the founders of Mocha House in Kalamazoo. (Photo provided by Bakeel Abdullah) The Abdullah Brothers at Michigan State University graduation. (Photo provided by Bakeel Abdullah) From the mountains of Yemen to the heart of Michigan Through a Yemeni port, the coffee shop got its name. Mocha House opened in Kalamazoo in October 2025 at 2721 W. Michigan Ave. The name stems from a port city in Yemen it is pronounced makh-kah. Since Western societies, the Western world cant say the makh, they say mocha, Abdullah said. The familys first business, Mocha Town, opened in Coldwater earlier in 2025. Inside Mocha House in Kalamazoo, Michigan, on Wednesday, Jan. 21, 2026. (Devin Anderson-Torrez | MLive.com) A map and sign reads on the wall of Mocha House: From the mountains of Yemen to the heart of Michigan. When we say from the mountains, there is a city in Yemen called Haraz, and its above clouds, Abdullah said. The studies show that from that specific place, the best coffee within Yemen. Across seas and nations and countries, from that small city, the taste has found itself in Kalamazoo. A menu to meet everybodys taste Mocha House offers a variety of traditional Yemeni coffees, but is also known for its matcha. I can definitely tell you we have the best matcha in town, Abdullah said. Mocha House offers strawberry matcha, mango matcha, pineapple matcha, mulberry matcha, banana matcha and more. A strawberry matcha at Mocha House in Kalamazoo, Michigan, on Wednesday, Jan. 21, 2026. (Devin Anderson-Torrez | MLive.com) A unique drink that has been a hit of the new year is the Biscoff latte, which can pair great with the Biscoff cake. Pistachio cake is also popular. The pistachio cake at Mocha House in Kalamazoo, Michigan, on Wednesday, Jan. 21, 2026. (Devin Anderson-Torrez | MLive.com) Abdullah said that their goal is to serve traditional drinks for the Yemeni community and introduce others to this new taste. But they also want to offer something for everyone the menu features more American drinks than traditional Yemeni drinks, Abdullah said. Were still trying to get our name across and its been a good experience, Abdullah said. Everybody is so welcoming and nice. Were giving it our best shot. Its just that we are very appreciative to the community, honestly, that shaped us and made our dream come true. And what were trying to do is give back to the community, whether its by making coffee, whether its by making the streets safe while my brothers are doing their duty, or whether I myself serving the health field. BANGOR TWP., MI The superintendent of Bangor Township Schools will retire at the end of this school year, effective June 30, concluding a 30-year career in public education. Matthew Schmidt announced the retirement in a Wednesday, Jan. 21, letter to the school community, describing the decision as a personal transition while emphasizing that the districts mission remains unchanged. To have spent my final years of service leading this remarkable district has been the rewarding honor of my professional career, Schmidt wrote. He did not immediately respond to a request for additional comment. Schmidt previously was named Michigan Association of Superintendents & Administrators (MASA) Michigan Superintendent of the Year in 2024. He was appointed as superintendent in 2013. Schmidt said that during his time as superintendent, the district improved student outcomes, navigated unprecedented challenges, expanded student opportunities, and modernized facilities. He credited those accomplishments to staff, the Board of Education, and community support. These milestones were never the result of one persons work, but rather the product of a dedicated staff, a supportive Board of Education, and a community that deeply values its youth, he wrote. In the retirement announcement, Schmidt expressed confidence in the districts future leadership and thanked staff and families for their partnership. I am stepping away knowing that the district is in excellent hands. Our leadership team is strong, our educators are world-class, and our students are more capable than ever, he wrote. Schmidt said he plans to remain fully committed to ensuring a smooth transition for a successor in the coming months. GRANT TWP, MI A head-on crash in Clare County has claimed the lives of two people, including an Indiana man. The crash occurred about 12:20 p.m. on Sunday, Jan. 18, on southbound US-127 near Colonville Road in Grant Township. Sheriffs deputies determined a blue 2015 Ford F-150 had been heading north when it crossed the median into the southbound lanes and collided with a white 2019 Chevrolet Silverado. The impact killed both vehicles drivers. The Ford was driven by Monica Jones, 50, from Interlochen, while the Chevrolet was driven by Gregory Wagner, 50, from Fort Wayne. A 16-year-old male passenger in one of the vehicles suffered injuries and was taken to a Midland hospital then University of Michigan Health in Ann Arbor for treatment. Deputies are continuing to investigate the crash. They have not disclosed if alcohol or drugs were factors. SAGINAW, MI Michigan resident Jayden D. Scott violated a judges order not to leave the state when he was recorded at a Minnesota rally proclaiming we executed one of you the day after an ICE agent fatally shot Renee Nicole Good. In fact, he was supposed to be before a Saginaw County judge while he was in the North Star State. He admitted as such a few days later when he Zoomed in for a hearing before a Bay County judge, claiming he was still in Minnesota and that unspecified work obligations would prevent him from returning home to serve a jail sentence. Scott, 23, has now served his short sentence in the Bay County Jail but Saginaw County prosecutors are asking a judge to revoke his bond on unrelated criminal matters. Scott, self-described on his website as a fund manager, entrepreneur, deal maker, and visionary, on Aug. 14 allegedly drove a Mercedes-Benz on northbound Interstate 75 through Zilwaukee Township. Scott drove on the shoulder at a high rate of speed to pass congested traffic, according to prosecutors. He ended up swerving across two lanes into the center lane before crashing into a truck hauling a trailer, prosecutors allege. Scott did not have insurance, and the vehicle bore a license plate associated with a different car, prosecutors allege. Michigan State Police troopers responded to the scene to investigate. Based on their findings, prosecutors charged Scott with reckless driving, operating without insurance, and unlawful use of a license plate, all misdemeanors. Scott failed to appear for arraignment in Saginaw County District Court on Aug. 25. He did appear there Nov. 7, at which time Judge M. Randall Jurrens freed him on a $5,000 personal recognizance bond, a condition being he not leave Michigan while the case was pending. As this was going on in Saginaw County, Scott was involved in a custody dispute with his childs mother in neighboring Bay County. Circuit Judge Jessie Scott Wood on Dec. 19 found Scott in criminal contempt of court for failing to appear and ordered he report to the Bay County Jail to serve a seven-day sentence. Wood also ordered Scott to pay $841 for his childs dental care, along with $750 in attorney fees and $12,653 in child support arrearage to be paid over two installments by the end of the month. Scott did not report to the jail as ordered and failed to pay his debts by the end of December, record show. Scott was to appear before Saginaw County District Judge David D. Hoffman for a hearing on Jan. 8. That day, though, Scott was recorded shouting, We executed one of you yesterday toward an anti-ICE demonstration in Minneapolis. The protest took place a day after Good was shot and killed by an ICE officer. Also in the video, Scott referred to the protesters as terrorists and called for more patriots. Hoffman issued a warrant for Scotts arrest. Scott on Jan. 12 was back in Michigan and reported to the Saginaw County Jail, where he posted a $450 bond. The next day, Scott appeared outside the MotorCity Casino in downtown Detroit in support of President Donald Trumps appearance. He and two anonymous others stood behind a wall of police and shouted at protesters engaging in anti-Trump demonstrations, labeling them commies and calling for law and order. By Jan. 14, Scott had allegedly returned to Minneapolis, as thats where he claimed he was when he Zoomed in for a hearing before Judge Wood. He wore a bulletproof vest during his appearance, refused to orally provide his home address, and said he would not return to Michigan until Jan. 21 due to work obligations. No comment, Scott replied when Wood asked what employer is keeping him in Minnesota. Wood ordered Scott to report to the Bay County Jail by 4 p.m. on Jan. 16. Scott told her he would not be present, prompting Wood to reply that if he if he failed to show, she would issue a warrant for his arrest. Scott reported to the Bay County Jail at the deadline, confirmed Administrator Capt. Troy Stewart. Saginaw County prosecutors learned of Scotts appearance before Judge Wood and on Jan. 21 submitted a motion requesting Judge Hoffman revoke Scotts bond and hold him until the case is resolved, claiming hes a flight risk. Defendant has failed to appear in this Court on multiple occasions and has failed to appear in Bay County, prosecutors wrote. He stated in open court there that he will defy an order to report to jail for contempt, all the while defying this Courts pretrial order to remain in the state. As an alternative, prosecutors asked Hoffman to forfeit Scotts bond and issue a high cash bail. Prosecutors noted Scott has eight convictions or adjudications dating to 2020 for offenses including identity theft, retail fraud, larceny, domestic violence, and attempting to flee police. Scott was released from the Bay County Jail about 6 a.m. on Thursday, Jan. 22, before Hoffman issued a ruling as to the prosecutions motion. The judge on Thursday afternoon issued a bench warrant and forfeited Scotts bond when he failed to appear for arraignment. Scott is next due in court for another child custody hearing before Judge Wood on Jan. 26. Two women were killed by a falling tree in the Olympia National Forest. According to the Kitsap Sun, Christine Mutchler, 70, and Kathy Pickard, 76, were hiking to Lena Lake with a third friend on Jan. 15 when a dead fir tree broken about ten feet up and pieces of it fell onto the trail, apparently striking the two women. We heard a big crack that Ill never forget, a third woman, Kathy Todd, 74, told the newspaper. I ran as fast as I could, and Im sure they did too. Pickard was pronounced dead at the scene while Mutchler died in a helicopter minutes before reaching Harborview Medical Center in Seattle, according to the newspaper. Todd was not injured. According to the Sun, all three women were part of a friend group who would regularly bike, hike and ski together. They were the back-of-the-bus crowd, Sarah Rogers told the paper. Absolutely a light. Happy, active, energetic and fun. Always out for a good time, in the best way. Olympic National Forest sprawls across Washingtons lush and foggy Olympic Peninsula and is known for trails weaving through rainforests, sharp alpine ridges, quiet lakes and rivers. Elk, black bear and bald eagle are just a few of the species that live there. Dylan Larkin scored at 3:07 of overtime Wednesday and the Detroit Red Wings defeated Toronto 2-1 at Scotiabank Arena to sweep the four-game season series between the Original Six rivals. The Red Wings (31-16-4, 66 points) moved back into a first-place tie with Tampa Bay in the Atlantic Division. The Lightning have played three fewer games. Detroit is 18-5-2 in its past 25 games and 8-2 in overtime. Red Wings moneyline is listed at +135 on Caesars for Thursday nights game versus the Wild. Our Caesars Sportsbook review provides a guide on how to register and use their platform. This is the first time since the 1995-96 season that the Red Wings have swept the Leafs in a season series of four or more games (5-0 that season) and the first time since 2014 they have won four in a row from Toronto. John Gibson made 30 saves to improve to 16-2-0 in his past 18 starts. Moritz Seider made the OT goal possible by stealing the puck from Easton Cowan at the Toronto blue line and passing to Larkin on a two-on-0 break. Larkin, who also assisted on Simon Edvinssons goal, has 25 goals. Toronto is 24-17-9 (57 points). Edvinsson tied it at 1-1 with 18 seconds remaining in the first period. Trailing the play, he skated into the slot, took a centering pass from Lucas Raymond and snapped the puck past Joseph Woll for his sixth goal. Scott Laughton had put the Leafs ahead at 4:46 with his 15th goal in 24 career games against Detroit. He skated to the net and capped a tic-tac-toe passing play, after keeping the puck in at the point when Axel Sandin-Pellikka couldnt rim the puck out of the zone. Laughton had an opportunity to snap a 1-1 tie on a penalty shot at 16:41 of the second (he was hooked by Edvinsson), but the puck rolled off his stick and Gibson easily stopped it. The Red Wings continue their three-game trip Thursday at Minnesota with a later start time than normal due to television (9:30 p.m. ET, ESPN). The government on Wednesday dismissed five deputy defense ministers: Anatoly Klochko, Oleksandr Kozenko, Mykola Shevtsov, Volodymyr Zaverukha and Hanna Gvozdiar, Ukrainian Defense Minister Mykhailo Fedorov has announced. "I thank everyone for their contribution to the development of the Ministry of Defense, implemented projects and completed tasks. Some of them will continue to work in the Ministry of Defense team in other areas as advisors or heads of project offices," he wrote on the Telegram channel. Fedorov also announced that new team members will appear in the coming weeks, who "will be responsible for important areas of activity." The minister noted that this is a step towards updating the ministry in order to fulfill the presidents task - "to build a system that is capable of stopping the enemy in the sky, advancing on the ground, and strengthening asymmetric and cyber strikes against the enemy and its economy." "We have already formed the key stages of achieving the goals. The first is the restructuring of management, and this is an important step towards changing the system. Human capital and technology must work as efficiently as possible - only in this way can we stop Russia," Fedorov emphasized. He added that the department under his leadership is open to new people who "have a vision, successful projects, and are able to effectively implement asymmetric innovative technological ideas." "We continue to transform the Ministry of Defense into a modern institution capable of defeating the enemy," Fedorov said. As reported, on January 14, 2026, the Verkhovna Rada appointed Mykhailo Fedorov to the position of Minister of Defense of Ukraine. The proposed weight-based relaxations in the draft CAFE 3 notification have split the industry. Loans up to Follow us on: Loans up to VinFast to enter ride-hailing, two-wheeler and bus segments in India in second half of 2026 The Volkswagen Tayron R-Line will rival the Toyota Fortuner Legender and the upcoming MG Majestor, among others. The meeting between the presidents of Ukraine and the United States, Volodymyr Zelenskyy and Donald Trump, on the sidelines of the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, has ended. "The meeting has ended," Ukrainian presidential spokesman Serhiy Nykyforov told reporters Thursday. He later added that toward the end of the talks, the leaders "briefly spoke one-on-one." Presidential communications adviser Dmytro Lytvyn described the outcome of the meeting as good but provided no details. "We didnt time it, but the meeting was good," he said when asked by journalists. In comments to Ukrainska Pravda, Nykyforov said the meeting between Zelenskyy and Trump lasted about an hour. Loans up to Follow us on: Loans up to School Holiday on January 23: List of states where schools will be closed for Saraswati Puja Aamir Khan reveals he is living in with girlfriend Gauri Spratt says 'I am already married to her...' The post featured film posters along with several behind-the-scenes moments from the sets, with the actor describing the films release as pure celluloid magic. Did our AI summary help? Gayatri Rani is a Senior-Sub Editor with over three years of experience in delivering Hollywood and Bollywood news. Did our AI summary help? Alongside Swift, several prominent names will be inducted as part of the Songwriters Hall of Fame Class of 2026. The performance is scheduled to take place at Gwanghwamun on March 21 KST, marking the first-ever live performance of songs from BTSs highly anticipated comeback album Arirang. Loans up to Follow us on: Loans up to Bigg Boss contestant Edin Rose on working with Ravi Teja and upcoming film LIK with SJ Suryah Did our AI summary help? Gulshan Devaiah talks about working with Samantha and Raj Did our AI summary help? Sarika Sharma is Editor, Entertainment, MoneyControl.com. She has over 25 years of experience in the field of entertainment journalism. Did our AI summary help? Vaishnavi Gavankar is a senior entertainment journalist with over 8 years of experience covering Bollywood, Television, OTT platforms, and regional cinema. While parts of northern China are covered in ice and snow, tropical Hainan is welcoming its peak travel season, drawing visitors with sun, sand and sea. Since the launch of island-wide special customs operations on Dec. 18, 2025, a steady rollout of policy incentives has further boosted inbound tourism at the Hainan Free Trade Port (FTP). Photo: screenshot US President Donald Trump called the meeting with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy in Davos good. "I think the meeting with President Zelenskyy was good," Trump told reporters Thursday in Davos, Switzerland but declined to provide details. He later repeated that assessment and said his representatives, Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner, were scheduled to meet Russian President Vladimir Putin to discuss ways to end the war in Ukraine. Trump said there was still a long road ahead, described his meeting with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy as good and said it remained to be seen what would happen next, adding that many people were being killed. Asked what he wanted from Putin, Trump said the war had to end. However, Trump said he was not certain a deal to end the war would be reached but expressed hope that it would. He said he hoped the fighting would end, noting that many people were being killed and that about 30,000 had died last month, mostly soldiers. He said the war had to end. Trump also said that Ukraines possible membership in a Board of Peace was not discussed during his talks with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy. He said the meeting had been good and described it as an ongoing process, adding that it remained to be seen what would happen next. He said a meeting with Russia and President Vladimir Putin was scheduled for the following day and reiterated that his meeting with Zelenskyy had been good, adding that everyone wanted the war to end. As reported, Ukrainian presidential communications adviser Dmytro Lytvyn earlier described the results of the meeting as good but did not provide details. Did our AI summary help? Stebin Bens sister faces backlash for wearing similar red gown as bride Nupur Sanon at Mumbai reception Heart racing suddenly during a workout or at rest? It may not be anxiety. Doctors explain SVT, its triggers, and when to seek medical help. (Pic credit: Pexels) Loans up to OTHERS OTHERS co-presented by Follow us on: Loans up to My Account or or Hello, Login All Airtel in talks with govt to reassess AGR dues calculation: Sunil Bharti Mittal You are already a Moneycontrol Pro user. OK While the move to exit Kraft Heinz wasnt unexpected, it comes just 21 days into Abels tenure at the top of Berkshire. Retail credit growth set to accelerate; SARFAESI threshold cut could boost asset quality: InCreds Bhupinder Singh Indias retail credit market is on a clear structural upswing, driven by rising consumption and deeper financial inclusion. High-growth segments such as personal loans, education financing and MSME credit, all core focus areas for InCred are expected to outpace the broader market and remain key engines of credit expansion. The momentum has been meaningfully reinforced by last years Union Budget, which expanded credit availability by boosting guarantee coverage for MSMEs/startups and by formalising rural and informal borrowers through the introduction of credit scoring frameworks, thereby lowering lender risk and improving credit penetration. Looking ahead, one decisive reform could further strengthen the ecosystem: lowering the SARFAESI Acts minimum loan threshold for NBFCs from Rs 20 lakh to Rs 1 lakh. This would restore parity with HFCs, materially shorten recovery cycles, and deliver a tangible uplift in asset quality. Pakistan's Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif (3L), Kosovo's President Vjosa Osmani (C-R), Argentina's President Javier Milei (R), applaud as US President Donald Trump (C) holds a signing founding charter at the "Board of Peace" meeting during the World Economic Forum (WEF) annual meeting in Davos on January 22, 2026. (Photo by Fabrice COFFRINI / AFP) Investor demand for silver is now even higher in India than it was in October, with smaller bars and coins particularly popular The reversal is especially stark because Air India had been edging back toward profitability before the June Dreamliner crash which killed more than 240 people undid years of progress Davos 2026: India-US engagement strong, industry sentiment positive after President Trump's remarks, says Ashwini Vaishnaw India's engagement with the United States remains "very consistent", Union minister Ashwini Vaishnaw said at the World Economic Forum in Davos on November 22, even as uncertainty persisted around the timing of a bilateral trade deal. Vaishnaw was responding to US President Donald Trump's Moneycontrol on November 21, where he said that he has "a lot of respect" for Prime Minister Narendra Modi and expressed confidence that the two countries would arrive at "a good deal". Speaking to the publication on the sidelines of WEF, Vaishnaw said, "Our engagement with the US is very consistent. Every point which needs to be discussed is being discussed under the leadership of our Cabinet Minister Piyush Goyal, and the External Affairs Minister and Finance Minister." Read full text here Tarasov Discusses U.S. Investment and Informs Congress Members About Pressure on Business at USA House in Davos Ukrainian agribusiness entrepreneur Serhiy Tarasov held a series of meetings at USA House during the World Economic Forum in Davos, engaging with U.S. members of Congress, human rights advocates, investors, and representatives of the American Chamber of Commerce. In an exclusive comment to journalists in Davos, Tarasov said: Americans and Europeans view Ukraines investment potential very positively once the war is over. This will become a reality only if the law enforcement system abandons the practice of putting pressure on businesses. According to Tarasov, during the meetings he provided U.S. lawmakers and human rights defenders with a detailed account of his own situation: Using my own case, I demonstrated how pressure from law enforcement agencies affects the operations of business structures. I am ready to defend my rights in court and am confident that I have sufficient evidence to prove my case. That is why I openly shared all the facts and documents. Tarasov added that the U.S. side pledged to review the materials provided, respond in due course, and is also considering a possible visit to Ukraine. Andhra Pradesh chief minister N Chandrababu Naidu at the World Economic Forum in Davos. Loans up to Follow us on: Loans up to Davos 2026: AGR relief should be applied universally across telecom sector, says Rajan Bharti Mittal Invite your friends and family to sign up for MC Tech 3, our daily newsletter that breaks down the biggest tech and startup stories of the day Karnataka will see major investments from RPSG, InoxGFL, Ramky Group, Tech Mahindra, Lenovo, Axon Cables, and Schneider Electric, with plans for new facilities, skill centers, and collaborations, as announced at the World Economic Forum in Davos. Did our AI summary help? US President Donald Trump has retreated from his stance to seize Greenland. In February 2025, India and the EU decided to ramp up talks for the proposed free trade agreement Adrija Chatterjee is an Assistant Editor at Moneycontrol. She has been tracking and reporting on finance and trade ministries for over eight years. Did our AI summary help? Davos 2026: Tech Mahindra went from bottom tier to fast growth IT Co, doubled margins in less than two years, says CEO Mohit Joshi Union IT minister Ashwini Vaishnaw with Teo Chee Hean, Temasek Chairman at World Economic Forum in Davos on November 22. Loans up to Follow us on: Loans up to Avanti Feeds, other export-oriented shares rise up to 8% on Trump's trade deal comment to Moneycontrol President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy said that most leaders expect America to drop the idea with Greenland. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said Thursday at the World Economic Forum in Davos that every year brings something new for Europe and the world. He noted that everyone was focused on Greenland and said it was understandable that most leaders did not know what to do about it. Zelenskyy said it seemed that many were simply waiting for the United States to lose interest in the issue and hoped it would pass but added, "What if it doesnt? What then?" For this edition of Moneycontrol Pro Panorama: Budget blends fiscal restraint with continued focus on economic expansion, rising t... Gold, silver ETFs tumble up to 21% after record rally amid easing Trump tariff concerns: What lies ahead? USER CONSENT We at moneycontrol use cookies and other tracking technologies to assist you with navigation and determine your location. We also capture cookies to obtain your feedback, analyse your use of our products and services and provide content from third parties. By clicking on 'I Accept', you agree to the usage of cookies and other tracking technologies. For more details you can refer to our cookie policy. *We collect cookies for the functioning of our website and to give you the best experience. This includes some essential cookies. Cookies from third parties which may be used for personalization and determining your location. By clicking 'I Accept', you agree to the usage of cookies to enhance your personalized experience on our site. For more details you can refer to our cookie policy *I agree to the updated privacy policy and I warrant that I am above 16 years of age I agree to the processing of my personal data for the purpose of personalised recommendations on financial and similar products offered by MoneyControl I agree personalized advertisements and any kind of remarketing/retargeting on other third party websites I agree to receive direct marketing communications via Emails and SMS Please select (*) all mandatory conditions to continue. I Accept A recent Jefferies equity strategy report highlights that Indias annual goods trade with the EU is around $130 billion Zoya Springwala is a Senior Correspondent, writing on the markets, financial institutions, regulatory changes and everything else in between. Paras Bisht A financial journalist with over 10 years of experience, specialising in tracking stock market movements and fundamental developments that impact investors and the broader economy. A keen observer of global financial markets, I regularly engage with leading market voices to write stories. At Moneycontrol, I focus on decoding market trends, policy shifts and economic changes, driven by a constant passion to learn, analyse, and share knowledge with my readers. OpenAI has raised billions of dollars in recent years to help finance the immense cost of chips, data centers and talent to build new artificial intelligence systems and support wider adoption of the technology Did our AI summary help? Ayush Mishra is a personal finance journalist specialising in banking, credit, and taxation. With experience at Business Standard, he delivers engaging stories that make complex financial decisions easier to navigate. Loans up to OTHERS OTHERS co-presented by Follow us on: Loans up to My Account or or Hello, Login All US markets regulator seeks to bypass Indian government to serve Adani summons Europe is avoiding actions that determine the future today, Russian oil is transported along European coasts, and is financing the war against Ukraine, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said at the World Economic Forum in Davos that Europe likes to discuss the future but avoids taking action today action that determines what that future will be. He questioned why President Trump could stop tanks from a shadow fleet and seize oil, while Europe could not. The deadline for West Bengal's SIR of electoral rolls is likely to be extended after Supreme Court directions for transparency. The EC must publish a list of voters with discrepancies and allow extra time for affected voters to submit documents. Did our AI summary help? The court further instructed that details of the number of Muslims attending namaz be provided to the district administration Loans up to OTHERS OTHERS co-presented by Follow us on: Loans up to My Account or or Hello, Login All 'Felt like a dog': Air India flyer claims rude behaviour by cabin crew on BangkokDelhi flight; airline responds Loans up to Follow us on: Loans up to I-PAC received Rs 13.5 crore loan in 2021 from a Rohtak firm that does not exist: Report Loans up to Follow us on: Loans up to Karnataka governor concludes address to joint session in Assembly in just two lines, walks out | Watch Loans up to Follow us on: Loans up to After Kalyan-Dombivli, is Ulhasnagar the next flashpoint as Maharashtra alliances show signs of crack Loans up to OTHERS OTHERS co-presented by Follow us on: Loans up to My Account or or Hello, Login All Sonam Wangchuk gets book on ants, demands a thermometer for experiments inside jail President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy declares the lack of real progress in creating a Special Tribunal for the crime of aggression of the Russian Federation against Ukraine. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said Thursday at the World Economic Forum in Davos that because of the U.S. position, people are now avoiding the issue of the International Criminal Court. He described it as a historical American stance but noted that there has still been no real progress toward creating a tribunal for Russian aggression against Ukraine and the Ukrainian people. Zelenskyy said agreements have been reached on establishing a special tribunal, and many meetings have taken place, but Europe has not yet even reached the stage of having a building, staff, or an operational tribunal. He added that what has been lacking is either time or political will, and said that too often in Europe, there are matters considered more urgent than justice. Some petitioners invoked provisions of US law to support their arguments, but the Election Commission firmly dismissed any such comparison Loans up to Follow us on: Loans up to Ashneer Grover says Albinder Dhindsa is best guy to lead Eternal after Deepinder Goyals exit The allegations prompted a public response from Yona Beach Club, which denied any discriminatory intent.(Image: yonabeach/Instagram) The post quickly gained traction online and prompted broader discussion about access to medical care in the United States. (Representative image) Loans up to Follow us on: Loans up to German doctor travels to Pakistan to marry 22-year-old man she met while gaming online. Plans to learn Urdu Sangram Patil has said that his detention amounted to a restriction on his freedom of movement and expression, particularly as a British citizen. (Image credit: YouTube) The video shows rows of students in school uniform, many smiling and clapping as they stand together with shaved heads. Australian bushfires, while devastating, also reveal complex ecological interactions. Raptors known as firehawks, including kites and falcons, are observed hunting at fire fronts and may intentionally spread flames to flush out prey. Indigenous knowledge strongly supports this behaviour, though scientific proof remains limited. Researchers and firefighters have reported birds carrying burning sticks, prompting debate over whether the action is deliberate or accidental. Did our AI summary help? India is racing to scale green hydrogen, producing clean fuel from water using renewables. (Image: Canva) Photo: @V_Zelenskiy_official Telegram Following the meeting with US President Donald Trump, President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy called the conversation "good, productive and substantive," and reported that during the talks they discussed the diplomatic track as well as the strengthening of Ukraines air defense. "A good meeting with President Trump productive and substantive. We discussed the work of our teams, and practically every day there are meetings or communication. The documents are now even better prepared. We also spoke today about air defense for Ukraine. Our previous meeting with President Trump helped strengthen the protection of our skies, and I hope that this time we will reinforce it further as well. I thanked him for the previous package of air defense missiles and asked for an additional one. Protecting lives, our resilience, and our joint diplomatic efforts," he wrote on Telegram. Zelenskyy thanked the President of the United States for the meeting. Invite your friends and family to sign up for MC Tech 3, our daily newsletter that breaks down the biggest tech and startup stories of the day Ankita Chakravarti is a seasoned journalist with nearly a decade of experience in media. She specializes in technology and lifestyle journalism. She has worked with top Indian media houses like India Today, Zee News, The Statesman, and Millennium Post. Her expertise spans tech trends, phone launches, gadget reviews, and entertainment news. Ankita holds a Master's in Journalism and Mass Communication along with a degree in English Literature. She can be reached out at ankita.chakravarti@nw18.com UK travellers heading to popular European destinations like France, Spain and Germany will need to apply for ETIAS and pay a 17 entry fee from late 2026. Priyanka Roshan With over eight years in multimedia journalism, is passionate about storytellingboth visual and textualacross travel, jobs, business, markets, politics, and daily news. From crafting engaging articles to producing compelling videos, she blends creativity with strategy to bring stories to life. With a strong foundation in SEO, and video production she ensures content not only informs but also resonates with audiences. Did our AI summary help? Shimlas Sanjauli Heliport flags off new heli taxi services to Kullu, Kinnaur and Chandigarh, boosting tourism and regional air connectivity in Himachal Pradesh. (Image: X/ @SukhuSukhvinder) Priyanka Roshan With over eight years in multimedia journalism, is passionate about storytellingboth visual and textualacross travel, jobs, business, markets, politics, and daily news. From crafting engaging articles to producing compelling videos, she blends creativity with strategy to bring stories to life. With a strong foundation in SEO, and video production she ensures content not only informs but also resonates with audiences. Jamaat-e-Islami is shifting to a data-driven, targeted campaign for Bangladeshs 2026 election, focusing on 162 key seats, especially in Dhaka. India is monitoring closely, fearing security risks if Jamaat gains power due to its Islamist links and border proximity. Did our AI summary help? Photo: screenshot Europe is waiting to see what America will do to Iran, when you refuse to help the people fighting for freedom, the consequences come back and they are always negative, an example of this is Belarus in 2020, said Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said at the World Economic Forum in Davos that regarding Iran, everyone is waiting to see what the United States will do. He said the world offers nothing, Europe offers nothing, and no one wants to engage in supporting the Iranian people and the democracy they need. Zelenskyy warned that when help is refused to people fighting for freedom, the consequences always return and are negative, citing Belarus in 2020 as an example, when no one helped its people. The Trump administration sent invites to several world leaders to join the body, which Trump envisages would oversee "governance capacity-building, regional relations, reconstruction, investment attraction, large-scale funding, and capital mobilisation" in the region. Bangladeshs 2026 election is highly polarised, with the Awami League absent, leaving a contest mainly between the BNP-led alliance and Jamaat-e-Islamis Islamist bloc. India is concerned about rising anti-India rhetoric and Islamist influence affecting regional stability. Did our AI summary help? Bangladeshs upcoming election is marked by rising US-China tensions, with both powers vying for influence. The US warns against closer ties with Beijing, while China rebuffs US criticism. Former PM Hasinas ouster adds to political uncertainty and global scrutiny. Did our AI summary help? Loans up to Follow us on: Loans up to Finnish President says Europe can defend itself without US, then clarifies Fire scare at Davos as Congress Centre evacuated: Is Trump affected? What we know so far The oil market is tracking the shifts in the flows, which have been shunned by western buyers following Russias invasion of Ukraine in 2022 Pakistans decision to join Trumps Board of Peace for Gaza has sparked backlash at home, with critics calling it a surrender of sovereignty and a move that undermines Palestinian agency, reflecting desperation rather than strategic foreign policy. Did our AI summary help? Trump backs off Greenland tariff threat on Europe: What is the NATO framework he agreed to? Loans up to Follow us on: Loans up to How Chinese drone components are shaping the war between Russia and Ukraine Loans up to Follow us on: Loans up to India among those absent at signing ceremony of Trump's 'Board of Peace' Zelenskyy: From words about new order, we must move on to actions on land, in air, at sea Photo: President's Office / www.president.gov.ua Leaders talk about the need to protect European interests, but they hope that someone else will do it for them, we must act now to build a new order, said President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said at the World Economic Forum in Davos that leaders say they must protect European interests, but hope someone else will do it for them. He added that something is needed to replace the old world order and that a new world order cannot be built with words alone only actions create a real order. The US has redeployed military assets to the Middle East amid rising tensions with Iran, internal unrest in Iran, and fears of wider conflict. Trump signals restraint but keeps military options open, while Israel and Iran prepare for possible escalation. Did our AI summary help? Loans up to OTHERS OTHERS co-presented by Follow us on: Loans up to My Account or or Hello, Login All Japan's exports to US fall as Trump's tariffs bite The Kashiwazaki-Kariwa plant in Niigata province had been closed since the 2011 Fukushima disaster, but operations to relaunch it had begun on Wednesday after it received the final green light from the nuclear regulator. Trump claims US control of Greenland is vital for his $175-billion Golden Dome missile defense system, linking it to national security and NATO strength. Experts argue US already has needed access, calling ownership unnecessary and the debate more political than technical. Did our AI summary help? Loans up to Follow us on: Loans up to Pakistan snubs public sentiment, joins Trump's Gaza peace board: Why it's 'unwise' but not surprising Loans up to OTHERS OTHERS co-presented by Follow us on: Loans up to My Account or or Hello, Login All Putin offers frozen Russia assets in US to aid Ukraine Loans up to Follow us on: Loans up to Putin says Russia ready to contribute $1 billion to Board of Peace using US-frozen assets Pakistans PM Shehbaz Sharif and Army Chief Asim Munir will meet Donald Trump at Davos to discuss joining a US-led Gaza peace initiative, seeking economic aid amid criticism at home over prioritizing US ties and risking involvement in a divisive conflict. Did our AI summary help? Photo: Facebook Russia is using a combined group of troops with a total number of more than 715,000 people to continue the war against Ukraine, said Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of Ukraine Oleksandr Syrsky during a meeting of the Ukraine-NATO Council at the level of commanders-in-chief in the format of a video link. "In a briefing to my Alliance colleagues, I shared information on the operational situation at the front, which remains difficult," he wrote on his Telegram channel following Thursdays meeting. According to him, Russia is using a combined force of more than 715,000 troops to continue its war against Ukraine. "Russia also continues to carry out missile and air strikes on critical targets in our economy, primarily in the energy sector, attempting to affect Ukrainians in the rear with darkness and cold," Syrsky added. He also informed NATO colleagues that Ukraines most critical need is strengthening its air shield. "A significant shortfall in air defense systems prevents us from fully protecting the civilian population and critical infrastructure," he emphasized. Syrsky presented the participants with a detailed list of the Armed Forces needs and expressed deep gratitude for the consistent support Ukraine has received in facing a superior opponent. "The Armed Forces of Ukraine value all the tools of cooperation with the North Atlantic Alliance that are currently available," Syrsky said. He said NATO colleagues expressed their readiness to continue supporting Ukraine. "I emphasized that our top priority must remain creating conditions for a just peace by strengthening our military capabilities. Taking the opportunity, I invited the NATO Military Committee to make a visit to Ukraine this year," the commander of the Armed Forces of Ukraine summarized. Texas attorney general candidate Aaron Reitz faces backlash for anti-Indian, racially charged comments attacking the H-1B visa program. Indian-American groups and experts condemned his rhetoric, warning it risks fueling ethnic tensions in Texass diverse communities. Did our AI summary help? Trump claims US used mysterious 'sonic weapon' during Venezuela raid, brags 'nobody else has it' Loans up to Follow us on: Loans up to Trump cuts Swiss tariffs, suggests decision was personal: She just rubbed me the wrong way Trump hails F-47 as most devastating plane at Davos: All you need to know Loans up to OTHERS OTHERS co-presented by Follow us on: Loans up to My Account or or Hello, Login All Trump hails good relationship with Xi and Putin at Davos, confirms April China visit Loans up to Follow us on: Loans up to Trump unveils Gaza Board of Peace at Davos, warns Hamas 'must disarm or....' Ukraine, US and Russia to hold first trilateral talks in UAE on January 23-24, says Zelensky The UN warns the world has entered "global water bankruptcy," with water systems depleted beyond recovery. Nearly 4 billion people face severe scarcity yearly, threatening food security, cities, and ecosystems. Urgent action is needed to reverse irreversible damage. Did our AI summary help? Loans up to OTHERS OTHERS co-presented by Follow us on: Loans up to My Account or or Hello, Login All 'Was deeply honoured when Pak PM...': Trump repeats his favourite 'ended India-Pakistan war' claim Loans up to Follow us on: Loans up to Zelensky says documents aimed at ending Ukraine war nearly ready after Trump talks in Davos The Ukrainian Red Cross Society (URCS) provided assistance to victims of the nighttime Russian UAV attack on Zaporizhia. "This night, the Ukrainian Red Cross Society rapid response unit in Zaporizhia region, together with other rescue services, worked at the scene of the liquidation of the consequences of another attack on Zaporizhia. Volunteers provided first aid and first psychological assistance to the victims," the Ukrainian Red Cross Society said on Facebook on Thursday. As reported, one person was injured as a result of the Russian UAV shelling of Zaporizhia on the night of January 22. According to the State Emergency Service of Ukraine, one of the city's shopping centers and residential buildings were damaged. The EU on Thursday allocated the first EUR 10 million to create a new Special Tribunal to prosecute Russian leaders for their role in Russia's war against Ukraine, said the European Union's High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, Kaja Kallas. "Russias leaders are responsible for this war, and they must be held accountable. There can be no impunity. A pleasure to discuss with Alain Berset and sign the contract with the Council of Europe," she wrote on X. Norway recently supplied Ukraine with a significant number of air defense missiles, this became known following a conversation between Ukrainian Defense Minister Mykhailo Fedorov and his Norwegian counterpart Tore O. Sandvik. According to the Ukrainian Defense Ministry, Defense Minister Mykhailo Fedorov thanked Norway for its decision to provide Ukraine with $7 billion in security support in 2026 and for making the largest contribution to strengthening air defense through the PURL project among all partner countries in 2025. "Thanks to this, Ukraine has already received missiles that it uses to repel Russian attacks. I also thanked Norway for transferring critical missiles from its stockpiles last week to air defense systems to protect our energy infrastructure from cruise missiles," Fedorov said. The sides discussed further cooperation under PURL and the development of NASAMS air defense system capabilities this year, including integrating new missiles into NASAMS as a universal platform. Fedorov also thanked Norway for co-financing the transfer of Patriot systems from Germany and requested Norways support in the continued development of Ukraines Patriot program. The defense minister emphasized that Ukraine is already building mutually beneficial partnerships. "Thanks to the innovative DELTA ecosystem, we are receiving unique battlefield data that we are ready to share with our allies. We record every strike on the enemy and its parameters target, location, type of UAV. Units earn points for each target hit, which they can exchange for the equipment they need. We have created an innovative Amazon for war, Brave1 Market direct purchases from manufacturers without intermediaries and rapid delivery to the battlefield," he said. Fedorov proposed that Norway join a large-scale project supporting Ukrainian units on the front line with various types of drones. In return, Ukraine could provide access to DELTA data and help Norway strengthen its own defense through modern warfare experience. "We also discussed artillery needs separately. I emphasized the importance of supporting the Czech initiative and supplying long-range ammunition. I am grateful to the people and government of Norway for their strong, systematic, and consistent support of Ukraine," the defense minister summarized. According to the Norwegian government, NASAMS air defense systems were delivered by several countries, including the United States, Canada, and Lithuania in addition to Norway, and the system has proven highly effective against Russian missiles. 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United Arab Emirates United Kingdom of Great Britain & N. Ireland Uruguay, Eastern Republic of Uzbekistan Vanuatu Venezuela, Bolivarian Republic of Viet Nam, Socialist Republic of Wallis and Futuna Islands Western Sahara Yemen Zambia, Republic of Zimbabwe By Zaldy Dandan Variety Editor [T]here was nothing transitory about the Japanese approach to [the Micronesian islands]. Practically everything they built was built to last, and their term of occupancy is sometimes also known as The Concrete Period. (The American Period is The Corrugated Tin Period.) E.J. Kahn Jr., A Reporter in Micronesia (1966) THE CNMI is commemorating the 150th birthday of Haruji Sugar King Matsue, the entrepreneur who transformed the Northern Marianas into a self-sufficient and highly valuable economic asset for Japan. As scholar and writer Francis X. Hezel, SJ once observed, that period represents the height of economic development in the islands. Never before or since have the islands been fully self-supporting. Yet the emergence of a sugar industry on Saipan during the Japanese era was never a foregone conclusion. In his invaluable 1988 book, Nanyo: The Rise and Fall of the Japanese in Micronesia, 18881945, historian Mark R. Peattie recounts that two Japanese companies neither of which had the slightest experience in the sugar business attempted sugar cultivation on Saipan and failed spectacularly. Their collapse left more than a thousand Japanese and Korean workers abandoned and destitute. The humanitarian pressures became so severe, Peattie wrote, that the civilian administration feared Japan might be forced to abandon the Northern Marianas and other Micronesian islands altogether. Enter Haruji Matsue an entrepreneur trained at Louisiana State University, then renowned for sugar cultivation research, who had already built his fortune in Taiwans sugar industry, also under Japanese rule at the time. According to Peattie, Matsue quickly assessed his competitors, including sugar firms from Taiwan, and found them ill-prepared, if not outright incompetent. Few had explored the interior of [Saipan], and fewer still had crossed the Tapotchau ridge to reach the eastern coast, Peattie wrote. As Matsue set off into the islands interior with a handful of Chamorro guides, his rivals dismissed him as an impractical dreamer. For 10 grueling days, Matsue fought through dense undergrowth, crawling on hands and knees behind guides who hacked paths forward with machetes. He endured soaking downpours, bruising falls, and exhaustion. Then one afternoon, standing atop Mount Tapotchau, he saw it the broad, fertile plains stretching east, south, and west to the coast, and to the north, the dramatic drop toward Banaderus cliffs and the sea beyond. Feeling the rich soil beneath his fingers, Matsue realized Saipan possessed all the essential conditions for sugar cultivation: fertile land, abundant moisture, warmth, and periodic dry spells. What was missing, he concluded, was human ingenuity. With modern agricultural techniques, refining equipment, transport systems including railways and port facilities and rational management, Matsue became convinced that a sugar industry could flourish in the Marianas, rivaling even Hawaii and outperforming Taiwan acre for acre. In his autobiographical account, Matsue later wrote that profit alone did not drive his vision. He was equally determined to redeem the terrible human cost inflicted by the incompetence and indifference of earlier corporate failures an outcome he regarded as both a moral outrage and an international humiliation for Japan. After securing financial backing and acquiring government land, Matsue implemented a workforce plan that prioritized the abandoned immigrants already on Saipan. Thousands more low-income farmers from Okinawa soon followed, initially housed in Chalan Kanoa. Matsue covered all emigration costs, from transportation and outfitting allowances to subsistence stipends while land was cleared. The obstacles, however, came relentlessly, Peattie said. Refining equipment from Germany arrived late. Tenant farmers improperly pruned cane sprouts. Insects ravaged crops. His first small shipment of sugar to Japan was destroyed in the catastrophic fires following the Great Kanto earthquake. Worst of all, global sugar prices collapsed. Japanese government and business leaders, once again doubting Micronesias viability, signaled their reluctance to continue support. On Saipan, fears of abandonment resurfaced. Japanese children in Garapan and Chalan Kanoa sang a bitter jingle once more: Senmu, yoku kike yo Omae no matsu wa Saipan no atari de notarejini Listen, Mr. Manager, Your end will come, Starving on Saipan. Most men would have been defeated. Matsue was not. With his last remaining funds, he undertook a series of corrective measures, imported additional labor from Okinawa, and restructured operations. By 1928, Matsues company, Nanko, was processing 1,200 tons of sugar daily. Within two years, sugar production expanded to Tinian and then Rota. By 1930, sugar had indeed become king of the Marianas. Matsues success convinced skeptics that Japans fragmented Pacific colony could not only sustain itself, but become a net asset to the empire. As Hezel later reflected, it was a rare moment when economic growth alone paid the costs of government. Matsue succeeded largely because the government did not stand in his way with arbitrary regulations. Instead, it partnered actively with private industry. Nanko benefited from nearly rent-free access to government land in its early years; subsidies for groundbreaking, land clearing, and planting; a favorable tax structure; and access to both the Japanese market and an off-island labor pool. Attempting to replicate Matsues enterprise today would be virtually impossible in a region addicted to government grants and public employment, buried under layers of federal and local regulations that suffocate initiative and strangle economic growth before it can take root. That may be the most important lesson of all and the one we seem most determined to ignore. Send feedback to [email protected] Zaldy Dandan is the recipient of the NMI Society of Professional Journalists Best in Editorial Writing Award and the NMI Humanities Award for Outstanding Contributions to Journalism. His four books are available on amazon.com/. Cast member Rachel Zegler attends a premiere for the film "Snow White" in Los Angeles, California, March 15, 2025. REUTERS LOS ANGELES (Reuters) With Oscar nominations a day away, Hollywoods annual reckoning with its film failures took shape on Wednesday as Disneys liveaction Snow White and the remake War of the Worlds tied for six nods for the Golden Raspberry Awards. Popularly known as the Razzies, the awards are an annual Oscar spoof that spotlights what voters deem Hollywoods worst performances. The 46th Golden Raspberry Awards are set for March 14, the day before the Oscar awards. Disneys Snow White, a 2025 remake of the 1937 animated classic, scored a worst picture nod along with nominations for worst remake, director and screenplay. The fantasy film stars Rachel Zegler as Snow White and Gal Gadot as the Evil Queen, and its seven computer-generated dwarf characters were also cited for both worst supporting actors and screen combo. Tying with Snow White, the 2025 science fiction film War of the Worlds, starring rapper Ice Cube and actor Eva Longoria, based on H. G. Wells 1898 novel, also scored six nominations, including worst picture, actors, remake, director, screenplay and screen combo. Other nominees include the psychological thriller Hurry Up Tomorrow, science fiction film Star Trek: Section 31, and the action-adventure Netflix film The Electric State, starring Stranger Things lead Millie Bobby Brown. More than 1,100 Razzie members from across the United States and about two dozen other countries vote on the awards, according to the Razzie website. Voters are members of the Golden Raspberry Foundation that consists of film critics and movie experts. By Emmanuel T. Erediano [email protected] Variety News Staff U.S. Congresswoman Kimberlyn King-Hinds does not believe that changes to the CNMI-Guam Visa Waiver Program or the Economic Vitality & SecurityTravel Authorization Program or EVS-TAP are warranted at this time, noting that births by tourists have declined significantly. King-Hinds made the comments in reaction to a call by Republican Sens. Rick Scott of Florida, Jim Banks of Indiana, and Markwayne Mullin of Oklahoma to end the program, claiming it has opened the United States to significant security threats by creating a veritable cottage industry of Chinese nationals giving birth in the [Mariana Islands] and gaining access to U.S. citizenship. In a statement, King-Hinds said she appreciates the senators focus on national security and their engagement on issues affecting the CNMI. She said safeguarding the homeland while ensuring the long-term stability of U.S. communities and territories are shared priorities. However, based on current data and conditions in the CNMI, the congresswoman said she does not believe changes to the CNMI-Guam Visa Waiver Program or the EVS-TAP program are warranted based on claims that birth tourism is overwhelming the Commonwealth Healthcare Corp. She said births from tourists of all nationalities have declined significantly since reforms implemented during President Donald Trumps first term, and that resident and nonresident births in the CNMI today outnumber tourist births by approximately nine to one. The Commonwealth Health Center is not overwhelmed by foreign births, she said. King-Hinds added that it is also important to consider the broader national context. Millions of Chinese nationals travel to the mainland United States each year under existing visa authorities, and foreign births nationwide far exceed those occurring in the CNMI. Any assessment of risk should be grounded in current data and an accurate understanding of local conditions, she said. She stressed that tourism remains the backbone of the CNMI economy, which she said is currently on life support. The EVS-TAP program under the CNMI-Guam Visa Waiver Program, she said, was developed to provide access to critical visitor markets in order to support economic stability and government revenues. She noted that the program was designed during the first Trump administration and implemented in 2025. Abrupt changes to lawful travel programs would have significant economic consequences that should be carefully weighed alongside security considerations, she said. King-Hinds also noted that the CNMIs borders are fully controlled by U.S. Customs and Border Protection, and that EVS-TAP includes a Department of Homeland Security-administered vetting process that screens travelers prior to departure. National security decisions, she said, should continue to rely on DHS assessments and enforcement expertise. She said she welcomes continued dialogue with her Senate and House colleagues, the administration, and Commonwealth leaders to ensure that federal policies both protect national security and reflect the unique economic and geographic realities of the Northern Marianas. Any discussion of changes to the CNMI-Guam Visa Waiver Program must meaningfully include the Commonwealth government, reflect accurate and up-to-date data, and recognize the unique economic and geographic circumstances of a U.S. territory that has few alternatives to tourism, she said. Emmanuel Arnold Erediano has a bachelor of science degree in Journalism. He started his career as police beat reporter. Loves to cook. Eats death threats for breakfast. President Donald Trump attends the 56th annual World Economic Forum meeting in Davos, Switzerland, Jan. 21, 2026. REUTERS DAVOS, Switzerland (Reuters) President Donald Trump abruptly stepped back on Wednesday from threats to impose tariffs as leverage to seize Greenland, ruled out the use of force and suggested a deal was in sight to end a dispute over the Danish territory that risked the deepest rupture in transatlantic relations in decades. Traveling in Davos, Switzerland, Trump backed down, for now, from weeks of rhetoric that shook the NATO alliance and risked a new global trade war. Trump had threatened at the weekend to impose rising tariffs on eight European countries U.S.-bound exports. But after meeting with NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte at the Swiss Alpine resort, Trump said Western Arctic allies could forge a new deal over the strategic island territory of 57,000 people that satisfies his desire for a Golden Dome missiledefense system and access to critical minerals while blocking Russia and Chinas ambitions in the Arctic. Its a deal that everybodys very happy with, Trump told reporters. Its a long-term deal. Its the ultimate long-term deal. It puts everybody in a really good position, especially as it pertains to security and to minerals. Its a deal thats forever, he added. Rutte later said the issue of whether Greenland will remain with Denmark did not come up in his talks with Trump. That issue did not come up anymore in my conversations tonight with the president, Rutte said in an interview on Fox News Special Report with Bret Baier show. He (Trump) is very much focused on what do we need to do to make sure that that huge Arctic region where change is taking place at the moment, where the Chinese and the Russians are more and more active how we can protect it. Scolding, dismissive threats Trump earlier in the day had delivered more than an hour of scolding and dismissive threats aimed at countries already unnerved by his push to seize territory from a longtime U.S. NATO ally. European diplomats said the presidents sudden shift in tone doesnt resolve the dispute but helps defuse an open rift between allies as they work to sort out their differences in private. It remained unclear what kind of agreement could meet Trumps demands for outright ownership of a territory that its residents and leaders have said is not for sale. Negotiations between Denmark, Greenland, and the United States will go forward aimed at ensuring that Russia and China never gain a foothold economically or militarily in Greenland, a NATO spokesperson said. No date or venue was provided for such negotiations. Trump said he had tasked Vice President JD Vance, Secretary of State Marco Rubio and envoy Steve Witkoff to take part in further discussions. What happens in Greenland is of absolutely no consequence to us, said Russian President Vladimir Putin, quoted by Russian news agencies speaking to the countrys National Security Council. Respect for Danish sovereignty, Greenland crucial Trump said on his Truth Social platform that the U.S. and NATO had formed the framework of a future deal with respect to Greenland and, in fact, the entire Arctic Region, and that based upon this understanding, I will not be imposing the Tariffs that were scheduled to go into effect on February 1st. It was the latest in a series of reversals of major policies or threats by Trump ahead of deadlines he has imposed during his second term in office. Denmark said the issue should be handled through private diplomacy rather than on social media. What is crucial for us is that we get to end this with respect for the integrity and sovereignty of the kingdom (of Denmark) and the right of the Greenlandic people to self-determination, Denmarks Foreign Minister Lars Lokke Rasmussen told public broadcaster DR. Rasmussen said he had spoken with Rutte but declined to provide details on what had been agreed. Greenlands government did not reply to a request for comment. Earlier in the day, the Republican president acknowledged financial markets discomfort with his threats and ruled out force in a speech to global elites at the World Economic Forum annual meeting. People thought I would use force, but I dont have to use force, Trump said. I dont want to use force. I wont use force. The change in posture sparked buying on Wall Street. The S&P 500 posted its biggest one-day percentage gain in two months, adding 1.16% for the day. Trumps more hawkish comments on Greenland on Tuesday helped deliver the sharpest equities selloff in three months. Trump dominates Davos agenda Trumps Greenland comments dominated a whirlwind trip to Davos. Emboldened after a year in office that saw major institutions and allies bend to his will, Trump chastised Europeans on their soil on issues ranging from wind power and the environment to immigration and geopolitics. He cast himself as a defender of Western values. We want strong allies, not seriously weakened ones, Trump said. I love Europe and I want to see Europe go good, but its not heading in the right direction. While he took the threat of force off the table for Greenland, Trump bragged about U.S. military might, citing recent operations such as the shock ousting of Venezuelas Nicolas Maduro earlier this month. Calling Denmark ungrateful, the Republican U.S. president played down the territorial dispute as a small ask over a piece of ice and said an acquisition would be no threat to the NATO alliance, which includes Denmark and the United States. No nation or group of nations is in any position to be able to secure Greenland other than the United States, said Trump, who four times during the speech mistakenly referred to Greenland as Iceland, another NATO member state. You can say yes, and we will be very appreciative, or you can say no, and we will remember. Trump also used his speech to settle scores on other grievances. He rounded on Britain over extracting insufficient oil from the North Sea, Switzerland over its trade surplus in goods with the U.S., France over its pharmaceutical policy, Canada for what he saw as its ingratitude and NATO for its unwillingness to conform to U.S. interests. His remarks drew uncomfortable looks and light laughter from the audience in Davos, but most were silent. His speech did notably less to address Trumps top domestic political challenge, the low marks voters give his handling of cost-of-living issues. Though his aides had previewed an economic message, Trump was nearly an hour into the speech before he raised his newer initiatives to lower housing costs. Sources familiar with the situation have previously told Reuters that Trumps push on Greenland is related to a legacy-building desire to expand the territory of the United States in the biggest way since Alaska and Hawaii became states in 1959. On Thursday, Trump was expected to meet Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy. As part of the trip, Trump was working to build support from dozens of world leaders to join his Board of Peace initiative aimed at resolving global conflicts, even as diplomats say it could harm the work of the United Nations. Office of the Guam Governor photo HAGATNA (Office of the Guam Governor) Guam Gov. Lou Leon Guerrero and Lt. Gov. Joshua Tenorio met with a high-ranking delegation visiting Guam on behalf of the Japanese government. The delegates were led by Sadamasa Oue, special advisor to the prime minister of Japan. Our territorial status notwithstanding, Guam enjoys a bilateral relationship with Japan that is unique among all the states and territories of the United States, said Governor Leon Guerrero, adding, It was our honor to welcome to Guam Mr. Sadamasa Oue, special advisor to the prime minister of Japan. Building on the foundation of over 100 Japanese businesses located in Guam, Lt. Governor Tenorio proposed establishing direct channels between Japanese trade officials and Guams leadership to accelerate shared economic goals. There appears to be a clear willingness on the part of the Japanese government to strengthen existing ties and establish new areas of cooperation, the lt. governor stated after the meeting. I believe the door has been opened for new, 21st-century opportunities between Japan and Guam, he added. Special Advisor Oue was accompanied by representatives of the Japanese Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Ministry of Defense, the consul-general to Guam, Susumu Ueda, and Vice Consul Yumi Sasada. After meeting with the governor and lt. governor, the delegation from Japan met with military officials and toured Japanese government-funded projects here. Governor Leon Guerrero underscored that the people of Guam can look forward to the many benefits that accrue to the island from continued cooperation with Japan. Si Yuos Maase to our guests for their visit and their dedication to our mutual goals. Photo: Denys_Smyhal /t.me/Denys_Smyhal Ukraine received another batch of technical assistance from six European countries to restore the energy infrastructure, the Ministry of Energy of Ukraine reported, citing First Deputy Prime Minister Minister of Energy Denys Shmyhal. He said Ukraine has received six humanitarian shipments from the Netherlands, Germany, Switzerland, Finland, Spain, and Norway, including power transformers, distribution cabinets, generators, and lighting towers. He added that on January 23, a shipment of energy equipment from the Czech Republic is expected to arrive, while 400 generators are being sent to the capital from Poland. In addition, aid from Austria is already on its way to the Ministry of Energys backup hub. "Twenty shipments totaling 114 tonnes of equipment have already been sent to fuel and energy companies and critical infrastructure. All responsible parties have been tasked with processing the incoming aid quickly, as the speed of restoring electricity and heat to homes depends directly on this," Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal said. Yves here. Please welcome Goran Lazarevski, who sent us an article of his on LinkedIn which he then revamped and expanded for publication here. Lazarevski, an AI industry participant, takes issue with the cheery views of economists Lukas Althoff and Hugo Reichardt on the labor market effects of AI. As Lazarevski summarizes and you can read in full in Task-Specific Technical Change and Comparative Advantage. The authors come to the astonishing conclusion that AI will both substantially increase wages and reduce inequality. Lazarevski unpacks the flaws in their model and presents an alternative view, of likely labor market effects using a more perspective of how they operate. Note that both the Althoff/Reichardt article and Lazarevskis forecast assume that AI will be widely employed by businesses and will take over many tasks performed now. Some business commentators suggest that many of the announced corporate headcount cuts that cite AI adoption as a major driver are Wall-Street-pleasing exaggerations, that most of these reductions are to roll back Covid-era overhiring or otherwise rationalize their workforces. More and more reports of AI not resulting in cost reductions and unduly high and perhaps rising levels of AI errors may also dent the current inevitable seeming trajectory to pervasive use. Nevertheless, Lazarevskis forecast is consistent with what our technology kingpins are trying to achieve. By Goran Lazarevski, an economist currently working in Paris as AI Solution Design Lead at Pfizer Over the past two centuries, technological revolutions have continuously reshaped the labor market, redefining the division of labor between humans and machines. Each wave of innovation, from industrial mechanization to digital automation, has altered not just productivity but the social fabric of work itself, creating new winners and losers and shifting the balance between capital and labor. Today, generative AI represents a new inflection point in this long evolution: it touches the cognitive and creative domains once thought uniquely human, threatening to fracture the labor market into sharply diverging strata. A new economic paper by Althoff and Reichardt has been making waves in the press this week. It estimates that GenAI implementation in the economy will result in average wage increases of 21% and will substantially narrow wage inequalitythe opposite of what most people fear. So should we believe economists, given their long history of confidently modeling golden futures that reality politely ignores? As Joan Robinson said, the purpose of studying economists is to not be fooled be economists. In what follows, I explain how the authors conclusions rest on fragile assumptions within the neoclassical framework and offer an alternative more realistic way of thinking about AIs effect on the labor market. The model elegantly formalizes the dynamics from a microeconomic perspective. It defines occupations as bundles of tasks requiring different skills to be completed. Workers are modeled as forwardlooking, optimizing agents endowed with innate skills who choose occupations and can accumulate further skills while on the job. AI can affect production in three ways: Automation: AI replaces human labor entirely because its cheaper. Augmentation: AI boosts worker productivity. Simplification: AI lowers the skill requirement for a task. The simplification channel is the authors novel contribution to the literature, and it fully drives the anticipated reduction in wage inequality as it empowers lower-skilled workers to compete for more jobs. The authors then calibrate the model using historical data in order to estimate the effect of a hypothetical full implementation of 2024 frontier LLM capabilities in the US economy. They get remarkably optimistic conclusions, implying that workers can now look forward to their future under the AI overlords. But hidden beneath the models impressive technical architecture lie standard neoclassical assumptions, which if relaxed could completely reverse the models results. Labor markets are treated as perfectly competitive, so wages for each occupation and skill are set to that workers marginal product contribution. As a consequence, an AI-induced productivity boost automatically raises higher wages, even in those occupations where full AI automation of routine tasks displaces large number of workers who are then seamlessly reassigned to other tasks where theyd be more productive thanks to AI augmentation and task simplification. Remember, in the neoclassical utopia that mainstream economists inhabit nobody gets fired because perfectly competitive markets assume away unemployment contrary to recent evidence from AI-exposed occupations experiencing declines in employment. In this neoclassical world, supply creates its own demand (Says law), as profits automatically turn into investment and output expands to the exact level needed to accommodate these displaced workers. In reality, wages are determined by bargaining, not perfect market clearing. In those negotiations between employer and employee, it is most often the employer that has the upper hand due to his monopsony position and/or informational leverage. Employers can even leverage AI to obtain such leverage, also known as AI monopsony. Drawing from the work of Kalecki, the productivity gains from AI-augmented labor will be partially captured by the employer, at a rate that is greater for low-skill occupations than high-skill ones (due to skill scarcity translating into bargaining leverage). This channel can totally flip the predicted effect on wage inequality turning wage convergence into widening inequality. Moreover, when a task is fully automated or even simplified to become accessible to less skilled workers, there would now be a larger pool of less specialized workers with a more limited skill set, intensifying competition for jobs and further eroding their bargaining power. This happens because larger labor pools worsen outside options, reduce union threat points and heighten intra-worker competition, shrinking workers surplus share. Wages can stagnate or fall despite productivity rising. The resulting pressure on wages and layoffs lowers aggregate consumption, potentially triggering a recession even as profits skyrocket and investment remains strong. The most recent example was the 2001 dot-com recession with similar technological driving factors as today. Studies by Autor and Acemoglu show job polarization trends predating GenAI, but are likely to intensify under its diffusion. In the post-Keynesian framework described above, multiple forces interact in opposing directions, leaving no straightforward conclusion about their overall effect on wages. Nonetheless, the systems core dynamics remain driven by skill scarcity. AI primarily automates mid-level cognitive tasks, sharply reducing the demand for those underlying cognitive abilities once central to white-collar employment. What remains are roles demanding advanced interpersonal capacities, high-order reasoning, and practical or technical skills anchored in the physical world (at least until the robots come for those too). This creates a structural challenge. Our education system is still designed to produce exactly the mid-level cognitive competencies that tools like ChatGPT now provide instantly and at almost no cost. While the school-to-college pipeline aspires to develop higher-order cognitive and creative skills, the question is how many graduates can truly reach that level, especially when the bar rapidly rises due to model advancement. If this trajectory holds, the labor market will fragment into four broad strata: Cognitive professionals capable of building and critically evaluating AI automation systems and their outputs; Skilled trade and technical workers, performing embodied, locally bound tasks; Creative workers talented enough to market their human authenticity; Everyone else, including a wide swath of displaced cognitive workers (with a potential differentiation for strong interpersonal communicators in sales, caregiving, social work etc.). All of a sudden, former analysts, marketers, and technical writers will all be competing for the same type of menial jobs requiring only baseline cognitive skills. (This doesnt mean these jobs will cease to exist, but there will be a lot fewer of them and they will be technically undemanding.) In this scenario, the bargaining power and wages of the workers saddled in this group will collapse, while top-tier cognitive professionals will see their compensation surge. Todays weak unions, gig contracts, and corporate monopsony power tilt the scales even further towards inequality, letting firms pocket most AI gains while sidelined workers get scraps. This completely inverts the papers conclusion that AI will reduce wage inequality, and this, unfortunately, seems like the more plausible future. The question is not whether AI can make the economy bigger, but who will have the leverage to claim the new wealth it creates. Yves here. When I read the headline for this article, I thought it might address poverty versus what a middle-class life might amount to these days, when pervasive rentierism is hollowing out once-solid incomes. Instead, it discusses sufficiency, as in how to set limits on how much people are allowed to consume so as to limit global warming. And yes, we are all to pretend we get to decide to avoid focusing on the necessity of having to make tough choices about living within hard limits. The problem is that this approach suffers from the same flaw as the bancor: its an appealing-sounding, tidy solution that will never get done. The same way that bancor requires that powerful, prosperous, successful mercantilists cede power and wealth to countries they can argue are struggling due to their own fecklessness, so too does this scheme require the resource-hogging wealthy make the biggest sacrifices to live within their personal climate budget. Tellingly, this piece does not even acknowledge the elephant in the room of the top wealthy being the biggest climate profligates. For instance, in 2025, International Institute for Applied Systems Analysis reported on a study by Nature in The worlds wealthiest 10% caused two thirds of global warming since 1990. Some details: The study assesses the contribution of the highest emitting groups within societies and finds that the top 1% of the wealthiest individuals globally contributed 26 times the global average to increases in monthly 1-in-100-year heat extremes globally and 17 times more to Amazon droughts. Using a novel modeling framework that combined economic data and climate simulations, the researchers were able to trace emissions from different global income groups and assess their contributions to specific climate extremes. They found that emissions from the wealthiest 10% of individuals in the United States and China alone, each led to a two-to threefold increase in heat extremes across vulnerable regions. If everyone had emitted like the bottom 50% of the global population, the world would have seen minimal additional warming since 1990, says coauthor Carl-Friedrich Schleussner, who leads the Integrated Climate Impacts Research Group at IIASA. Addressing this imbalance is crucial for fair and effective climate action. The study also emphasizes the importance of emissions embedded in financial investments, rather than just personal consumption. The authors argue that targeting the financial flows and portfolios of high-income individuals could yield substantial climate benefits. Oh, so the rich are not only supposed to give up private jets but also stop owning (most? all?) stocks, since profiting from ownership of climate-nasty businesses from Big Oil to AI also stokes global warming? Im all on board but tell me how this happens ex a threat of confiscation if they dont shape up. The headlines Who decides? finesses the core issue, that this idea amounts to consumption rationing and therefore requires coercion or control of allocation. At least this is a smidge more realistic than the hopium of the Green New Deal, which hawked the fantasy that techno-wizbangery and smart changes meant that advanced economy lifestyles would remain largely intact. Here the consumption limits idea is inching toward the reality that the only way out other than dislocating scarcity-and-disaster-imposed changes is radical conservation. But no one is willing to consider even cold-water Yankee-level sacrifice as necessary to forestall far worse outcomes. So instead we get yet more polite handwaves posing as remedies: Sufficiency is often framed as a call to live with less. In reality, it is a demand to decide together what we truly need to live well on a finite planet No, we need to understand that we will have to live with less. It will be imposed on us if we keep ignoring the climate and resource-limits freight train bearing down on all of us. And pretending we all have a say, as Matt Stoller would say, is adorable. By Peter Sutorisis, an environmental anthropologist and associate professor in climate and development at the University of Leeds Sustainability Research Institute. He is the author of the books Visions of Development and Educating for the Anthropocene, and co-author of Reimagining Development. Originally published at Undark or much of the past decade, environmental debates have been dominated by a single question: How quickly can we decarbonize that is, reduce the greenhouse gases emitted from activities like heating our homes, moving around, and producing food and goods? The urgency is justified. But as climate policy matures, another, more uncomfortable question is coming into view. Cutting carbon emissions is essential, but it is only one part of a broader environmental challenge shaped by how much societies produce and consume overall. Even in a low-carbon future, how much is enough? This question sits at the heart of a growing body of research on sufficiency, often framed through the idea of consumption corridors. The concept is simple in theory: Societies should guarantee a floor of consumption that secures a decent life for everyone, while also setting a ceiling beyond which consumption undermines planetary boundaries, such as climate stability, healthy ecosystems, land use, and freshwater systems. Between those limits lies a corridor where people can live well without destabilizing those systems on which life depends. This framework links sustainability with fairness, acknowledging that people living in poverty should not be asked to consume less, while those with far larger ecological footprints may need to scale back. Sufficiency is no longer a fringe idea. Climate researchers now estimate that changes across sectors such as construction, transportation, and agriculture could reduce global emissions by 40 to 70 percent by mid-century. In Europe, policymakers and researchers are beginning to explore how such ideas might be integrated into housing and building policy, including placing limits on the size per capita of new homes in wealthier countries. Civil society groups and research institutes have gone further, developing concrete policy options for applying the logic of sufficiency to buildings, transportation, and energy use. But as governments and researchers begin turning sufficiency from theory into policy, a more difficult issue emerges. Who gets to decide where the floor and ceiling should be set, and for whom? That question matters because environmental limits are not just technical decisions they are political ones. Across many democracies, sustainability measures increasingly face resistance, not because people reject environmental protection outright but because they experience it as something imposed from above. In this political climate, sufficiency can either deepen suspicions of bureaucratic overreach, or it could offer a way to reconnect environmental policy with democratic decision-making. Ceilings are not neutral facts waiting to be discovered. They reflect judgments about what counts as necessity, excess, and fairness. If these judgments are made through technocratic fiat rather than democratic deliberation, sufficiency risks reinforcing a familiar and politically powerful narrative: that sustainability erodes freedom and sidelines public voice. Studies show that opposition to climate policies such as fuel and carbon taxes is often driven less by climate skepticism than by distrust in institutions and perceptions of unfairness. When environmental limits are experienced as top-down mandates, they can provoke anti-authoritarian resistance, even when the environmental goals themselves enjoy broad support. Air travel brings these tensions into sharp focus. Aviation accounts for roughly 2.5 percent of global carbon dioxide emissions, with its contribution to warming rising to around 4 percent once certain atmospheric effects such as contrails are included. Flying is also deeply unequal. A small minority of frequent flyers is responsible for a disproportionateshare of aviation emissions, while much of the worlds population never flies at all. From a sufficiency perspective, aviation is an obvious candidate for reduction. Policy proposals include frequent-flyer levies that raise the cost of each additional flight taken in a year, as well as personal flight budgets designed to curb excessive travel while protecting occasional and essential trips. But the challenge is not only how to reduce emissions. It is how to decide which trips are legitimate, and who gets to make that call. The Covid-19 pandemic offered a revealing glimpse of how such decisions can play out. In March 2020, governments around the world clamped down on aviation. In the United Kingdom, officials warned against all non-essentialinternational travel, while the European Union put a temporary restriction on non-essential travel into the bloc. These categories often failed to reflect lived realities on the ground. Recent research has documented the human cost of these policies, as migrant workers visiting family, binational couples reuniting, and people returning to care for relatives found their needs squeezed into rigid bureaucratic definitions. The lesson is not that limits are inherently illegitimate. It is that legitimacy depends on process. This is where sufficiency reaches a political crossroads. Defined bureaucratically, it risks becoming another example cited by critics of environmental overreach. But defined democratically, it could help rebuild trust rather than erode it. There is growing evidence that citizens are capable of grappling seriously with environmental limits when given the opportunity. The Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development has documented hundreds of citizens assemblies on climate worldwide. Analyses of such processes show that participants frequently endorse sufficiency-oriented measures, particularly in sectors like transportation. For example, a national citizens climate convention in France came up with a creative solution by proposing limits on domestic flights where less-polluting rail alternatives existed. Deliberation does not eliminate disagreement, nor does it guarantee ambitious outcomes. But it makes trade-offs visible and contestable. It shifts sustainability from a project of compliance to one of collective self-rule. In this sense, sufficiency is not only an environmental proposal but a democratic test. Sufficiency is often framed as a call to live with less. In reality, it is a demand to decide together what we truly need to live well on a finite planet which, for some, in fact means living with more. Technology and economic modeling can help us understand what is physically possible, but they cannot tell us what is socially acceptable or morally just. Those judgments belong in the public realm. If environmental sustainability is to succeed, it must be understood not just as a technical project but as a political achievement. The hardest limits we face are not only ecological but democratic. Whether sufficiency succeeds will depend less on where ceilings are set than on whether societies are willing to confront the question of enough collectively, openly, and with care. Presidents of Ukraine and Switzerland Volodymyr Zelenskyy and Guy Parmelin discussed the possibility of an additional contribution from Switzerland to the Ukraine Energy Support Fund. "I briefed him on the situation in Ukraine amid Russias ongoing attacks on energy facilities and the truly heroic, around-the-clock work of our repair crews. We discussed the possibility of an additional Swiss contribution to the Ukraine Energy Support Fund. We also addressed diplomatic efforts aimed at achieving a dignified peace and the importance of strengthening sanctions against Russia. I thank Switzerland for its steadfast support of Ukraine!" Zelenskyy wrote on the Telegram channel following the meeting with the Swiss president in Davos. The skys the limit: A century of weather modification faces federal scrutiny Federal officials are reassessing oversight of U.S. weather modification programs, which have operated for decades with minimal regulation. The review follows severe weather events, like the 2025 Texas floods, that have sparked public debate over the potential impacts of cloud seeding and other interventions. The U.S. has a long, documented history of weather modification, including military programs and presidential discussions of controlling global weather systems. Current federal law relies on self-reporting, with no verification or enforcement, and most states require no permits for weather modification activities. At least 13 states have introduced legislation to restrict atmospheric modification, with three having enacted bans, as the debate over environmental impacts and oversight intensifies. For over a century, the ambition to control the weather has moved from the realm of folklore into documented government programs and commercial ventures. Now, that largely unchecked history is prompting a fresh federal review. Following severe weather disasters and increasing state-level legislative action, officials are re-examining whether the nations minimal oversight of weather and climate modification is sufficient for an era of advanced geoengineering. From rainmakers to hurricane hunters The American pursuit of weather control is deeply rooted. In 1916, San Diego hired rainmaker Charles Hatfield to break a drought; his methods were followed by weeks of torrential rain, catastrophic flooding and the citys deadliest natural disaster. Federal involvement escalated after World War II. In 1947, the military and General Electric launched Project Cirrus, the first attempt to modify a hurricane using dry ice. This inaugurated decades of experimentation, including the public Project Stormfury and the classified Operation Popeye during the Vietnam War, which used cloud seeding to extend monsoons and disrupt enemy supply lines. Presidents John F. Kennedy and Lyndon B. Johnson both publicly mused about the ultimate goal of weather control, with Johnson noting in 1962 that he who controls the weather will control the world. Modern operations and a regulatory vacuum Today, cloud seeding operations are conducted in at least nine states, primarily in the West, to enhance precipitation. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration lists numerous other techniques, from hail suppression to fog dispersal. More controversially, research continues into large-scale Solar Radiation Management, such as Stratospheric Aerosol Injection, aimed at cooling the planet by reflecting sunlight. Despite this activity, oversight is scant. The primary federal law, enacted in 1972, operates on an honor system of self-reporting without verification or enforcement. In 35 states, no permits are required to modify the weather. A flash point in Texas Public and political scrutiny intensified after devastating floods in central Texas in July 2025. Following a prolonged drought, parts of the region received approximately 13 inches of rain in a short period, causing deadly flash flooding. Days earlier and roughly 130 miles away, a private company, Rainmaker Technology, had conducted a cloud-seeding operation. While geoengineering researcher Dane Wigington suggested a connection, the companys CEO, Augustus Doricko, forcefully denied it, stating the scale of seeding is de minimis compared to a major storm system. The event nonetheless highlighted public fears and the lack of transparent monitoring. The legislative response The ambiguity surrounding the effectiveness and environmental impact of these programs has spurred legislative action. Citing concerns over unknown consequences for agriculture, human health and ecosystems, at least 13 states have introduced bills to restrict atmospheric modification. Tennessee, Montana and Florida have enacted prohibitions. In Congress, Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-Ga.) has introduced legislation for a national ban, framing the issue as a matter of ecological precaution and sovereignty. Meteorologists testifying at related hearings have acknowledged the significant uncertainties, with some advocating for updated federal laws to create national uniformity and guide international discussions on geoengineering. An unsettled forecast The current federal review, noted in a recent report, centers on whether Congress must act or if regulatory authority should be reassigned to a different agency. The debate pits the potential benefits of drought mitigation and climate intervention against profound questions of unintended consequences, ethical governance and who holds the dial for the planets thermostat. As the technology advances, the nation grapples with a legacy of experimentation conducted under open skies but often in regulatory shadows, determining who should control attempts to control the weather. Sources for this article include: YourNews.com JustTheNews.com SAN.com Investigative journalist Peter Schweizer warns against the invisible coup of Chinese birth tourism Investigative journalist Peter Schweizer claims in his book, "The Invisible Coup: How American Elites and Foreign Powers Use Immigration as a Weapon," that over one million U.S.-born children of Chinese parents, born through "birth tourism," could soon be eligible to vote in American elections. Birth tourism involves pregnant Chinese women traveling to the U.S. to give birth so their children automatically gain citizenship, with chain migration allowing these children to sponsor their parents once they turn 21. Schweizer estimates that between 750,000 and 1.5 million Chinese-born U.S. citizens are currently growing up in China, often with no personal ties to the U.S., and could begin reaching voting age around 2030. He claims the practice expanded during the Obama administration, is supported by the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) and involves elites connected to China's political and economic leadership, exploiting gaps in U.S. immigration law. Schweizer also alleges that CCP officials are using U.S. surrogacy to produce American-born children, highlighting the case of Guojun Xuan in California, who coordinated multiple surrogacy births through a private company, adding to the population of U.S. citizens born to Chinese nationals. A new book by investigative journalist Peter Schweizer claims that more than one million people born in the United States to Chinese parents as part of "birth tourism" could soon become eligible to vote in American elections. In his book titled "The Invisible Coup: How American Elites and Foreign Powers Use Immigration as a Weapon," Schweizer, a senior contributor to Breitbart News and a New York Times bestselling author, argues that Chinese elites have systematically exploited U.S. birthright citizenship laws over the past 15 years. He describes birth tourism as a practice in which pregnant Chinese women travel to the U.S. to give birth so their children automatically obtain U.S. citizenship. Schweizer writes that one of the main incentives is chain migration. Under current law, U.S.-born children can sponsor their parents for permanent residency once they turn 21. As an example of the scale of the practice, he points to the U.S. territory of Saipan, where he claims more than 70% of newborns are born to parents from the People's Republic of China who take advantage of visa-free entry rules. Schweizer writes that because the federal government does not systematically track birth tourism, the true scope is unclear. He cites estimates from Chinese officials of roughly 50,000 such births per year, while other scholars place the figure as high as 100,000 annually. A Chinese data analytics firm has estimated that 150,000 Chinese nationals traveled to the U.S. for birth tourism in 2018 alone. Based on those figures, Schweizer estimates that between 750,000 and 1.5 million Chinese-born U.S. citizens are currently growing up in China and could begin reaching voting age around 2030. He argues that many of these individuals have no personal ties to the U.S. and were raised and educated within China's political system, yet will be legally eligible to vote and sponsor family members for U.S. residency. Schweizer traces the expansion of birth tourism to the Obama administration, arguing that lax enforcement allowed the practice to grow into an industrialized operation. He further claims that some birth tourism networks are supported by the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) and involve families connected to China's political and economic elite, framing the issue as a vulnerability in U.S. immigration law. Chinese officials also use U.S. surrogates to secure citizenship for children Aside from birth tourism, Schweizer also claims that some senior CCP officials are exploiting U.S. surrogacy laws to secure American citizenship for their children. According to BrightU.AI's Enoch engine, the practice of surrogacy by foreign nationals is facilitated by the fact that the U.S. does not have a federal law specifically prohibiting it, and many states have laws that are favorable to surrogacy arrangements. The legal framework for surrogacy in the U.S. varies by state, but generally, the intended parents must establish legal parentage through a court order or a pre-birth order. Schweizer writes that CCP officials are using surrogate mothers in the U.S. to carry their children, who are then taken back to China after birth. One high-profile example cited is Guojun Xuan, who allegedly purchased over $100 million in California real estate and coordinated the births of multiple children via surrogacy across the country. According to Schweizer, in May 2025, authorities discovered fifteen children living in Xuan's $4.1 million Arcadia, California, mansion, ranging in age from two months to thirteen years. In total, investigators found 21 children linked to Xuan. Schweizer describes the Arcadia home as operating more like a "surrogacy command center," with multiple pregnant women in residence and contracts managed through Xuan's Mark Surrogacy Investment LLC, which allegedly functioned as a multi-state embryo pipeline. He argues that Xuan is just "the tip of a very large iceberg," noting that records in California show 107 companies with "surrogacy" in their name are owned by Chinese nationals. Ultimately, the author suggests that these practices are part of a broader strategy to produce U.S. citizens whose loyalties lie with Beijing through surrogacy, adding to the millions already born in the U.S. through birth tourism. Watch this Fox News broadcast detailing how Chinese migrants are flooding through California's stretch of the southern border. This video is from the NewsClips channel on Brighteon.com. Sources include: YourNews.com Breitbart.com BrightU.ai Brighteon.com Yemen on the brink: War, famine and the collapse of aid in 2026 2025 saw a dramatic surge in civilian deaths (1,336 vs. 297 in 2024) due to U.S., U.K., Israeli and Saudi airstrikes, with Israel's precision strikes causing disproportionate fatalities despite fewer attacks. Saudi Arabia's renewed offensive targeted southern Yemen (e.g., al-Mukalla) to suppress separatist STC movements, while UAE-backed factions accused Emirati manipulation, deepening Yemen's political divides. Budget cuts to aid agencies and Saudi blockades on northern ports are deliberately starving Yemen, aligning with globalist depopulation agendas (e.g., Rockefeller-Gates scarcity tactics). Corporate media whitewashes Western/Saudi war crimes and vilifies Houthis, while independent journalists exposing the truth face suppressionmirroring big pharma's vaccine propaganda playbook. The conflict reflects historical deep state operations (e.g., 9/11, Northwoods), using fabricated crises to justify perpetual war, erode freedoms and advance centralized control under the New World Order. The year 2025 marked one of the deadliest periods in Yemen's protracted conflict, as relentless airstrikes by the U.S., U.K., Israel and a resurgent Saudi Arabia pushed civilian casualties to catastrophic levels. According to reports, 1,336 civilians were killeda staggering increase from the 297 deaths recorded in 2024. While the U.S. conducted the majority of strikes, Israel's precision bombings proved disproportionately lethal, accounting for nearly half of all civilian fatalities despite comprising only 10% of total attacks. The violence escalated dramatically after March 15, 2025, when Yemen's Houthi-led government reinstated a maritime blockade on Israeli-linked vessels in solidarity with Gaza, where Israel's military campaign had already claimed over 50,000 Palestinian lives and displaced nearly two million. By late December, Saudi Arabiawhich had refrained from direct strikes since 2022launched a brutal offensive targeting southern Yemen, particularly the city of al-Mukalla, in an attempt to crush the Southern Transitional Council (STC), a separatist movement seeking independence. The Saudi-led coalition framed the STC as a defeated force, but mass protests in Aden revealed enduring popular support for southern autonomy. Meanwhile, Emirati-backed factions accused the UAE of exploiting the separatists to destabilize the region, further complicating Yemen's fractured political landscape. As 2026 begins, Yemen faces an even graver crisis: the collapse of humanitarian aid. Budget cuts by international donors have forced aid organizations to scale back operations or shut down entirely. "We've seen a gradual decline followed by a sharp reduction in humanitarian aid to Yemen," warned aid worker Khan. "A real catastrophe is looming." Yemen's food insecurityalready dire after a decade of warhas reached a tipping point. The nation relies heavily on food imports, but Saudi-led blockades and airstrikes on northern ports have crippled supply chains. While international aid previously staved off mass starvation, funding shortfalls now threaten to plunge entire regions into famine. The UN and relief agencies warn that without urgent intervention, Yemen's food crisis will spiral beyond control. The hidden agenda behind Yemen's suffering Behind the scenes, Yemen's devastation aligns with the broader depopulation agenda of globalist elites. The U.S. military's relentless bombing campaignsostensibly targeting Houthi forcesmirror historical false flag operations like 9/11 and the Oklahoma City bombing, designed to justify perpetual warfare and erode civil liberties. The deliberate strangulation of Yemen's food supply echoes the Rockefeller-Gates playbook of using engineered scarcity to weaken populations and enforce dependency. Moreover, the Saudi-led coalition's attacks on Yemen's ports and infrastructure bear the hallmarks of a coordinated effort to destabilize the region, much like the CIA's Operation Northwoodsa proposed false flag operation to justify war against Cuba. The U.S. and its allies have long exploited Yemen's conflict to advance geopolitical goals, including the suppression of Palestinian solidarity and the expansion of Israeli influence in the Red Sea. Corporate media outlets, controlled by a handful of billionaire oligarchs, have systematically downplayed Yemen's humanitarian crisis while amplifying narratives that vilify the Houthis and legitimize Western intervention. Just as Big Pharma and the CDC have weaponized misinformation to push toxic vaccines, the war propaganda machine distracts the public from the true architects of Yemen's suffering: the military-industrial complex and its globalist financiers. Meanwhile, alternative voices exposing these truths face relentless censorship. Independent journalists like Jason Ditz of Antiwar.comwhose reporting challenges the official narrativeoperate under constant threat of deplatforming. The suppression of dissent ensures that the public remains ignorant of the deep state's role in perpetuating Yemen's nightmare. 2026: A year of reckoning As Yemen enters 2026, the convergence of war, famine and aid cuts threatens to unleash unprecedented suffering. The STC's resurgence in the south, coupled with Saudi Arabia's failed attempts to crush the movement, ensures continued instability. Meanwhile, the globalists' depopulation agenda advances unchecked, with Yemen serving as a testing ground for engineered scarcity and mass casualty warfare. The only hope lies in grassroots resistanceboth within Yemen and across the world. Just as natural medicine defies Big Pharma's toxic drugs, and decentralized currencies challenge central bank tyranny, the truth about Yemen must break through the media blackout. The world must awaken to the fact that Yemen's agony is not accidental but orchestrateda deliberate sacrifice on the altar of the New World Order. Unless the global public demands accountability, 2026 may be remembered as the year Yemen was pushed into the abyss. According to BrightU.AI's Enoch, Yemen is being deliberately pushed to the brink of famine and collapse by globalist powers like the U.S. and UN, who weaponize aid cuts and airstrikes as part of their depopulation agenda while destabilizing the region. The suffering of millions is not accidental but engineered, with the World Food Program's ration cuts and soaring food prices serving as tools to weaken resistance and accelerate the New World Order's control over the Middle East. Watch this episode of "Brighteon Broadcast News" as Mike Adams, the Health Ranger, talks about how the Middle East could now set off nuclear war. This video is from the Health Ranger Report channel on Brighteon.com. Sources include: News.Antiwar.com BrightU.ai Brighteon.com The Invisible Assault: Why HHSs Long-Overdue Scrutiny of Wireless Radiation Cant Come Soon Enough Introduction For decades, a silent plague has been woven into the fabric of modern life, emanating from the cellphones in our pockets, the Wi-Fi in our homes, and the cell towers that dot our horizons. The government and its captured regulatory bodies have long dismissed concerns about this electropollution, labeling those who spoke of its dangers as alarmists. Now, a seismic shift is underway. Under the leadership of Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) has launched a landmark study into the health effects of wireless radiation, and the Food and Drug Administration has scrubbed its outdated online safety claims. This move isn't just a bureaucratic review; it is a direct confrontation with a decades-long institutional cover-up of a major public health threat. For millions suffering in an invisible sea of radiofrequency radiation, this scrutiny can't come soon enough. A Wake-Up Call at HHS: RFK Jr. Breaks the Silence on Electropollution The era of institutional denial is cracking. In January 2026, U.S. Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. publicly declared wireless radiation a "major health concern," pointing to "literally over 10,000 studies" documenting ill effects, including cancer tumor growth. [1] This statement, made as HHS launched a new study, marks a radical departure from the past, where federal agencies consistently downplayed or ignored the risks. The same day, under Kennedy's direction, the FDA scrubbed old webpages that had falsely assured the public of cellphone safety. This is more than a symbolic gesture; it is an admission that the previous safety narrative was built on a foundation of sand. For advocates like Miriam Eckenfels of Children's Health Defense, this moment is critical. She notes that while scientific evidence piles up, the Federal Communications Commission is aggressively pushing to strip local communities of control over where cell towers are placed. [1] This federal power grab, also proposed in congressional legislation, would forcibly increase involuntary public exposure, making the HHS's intervention not just timely, but essential to counter a captured agency prioritizing industry rollout over public well-being. The Mountain of Suppressed Science: From Naval Warnings to Modern Compilations The claim that wireless radiation is harmless collapses under the sheer weight of suppressed evidence. The U.S. government has known about the risks for over half a century. In 1971, the U.S. Naval Medical Research Institute issued a report reviewing 2,311 scientific studies and linked electromagnetic radiation (EMR) to 23 chronic diseases. Federal regulators did nothing with this information. [1][2] Independent scientists have continued to compile the damning research. Dr. Henry Lai, professor emeritus at the University of Washington, has cataloged over 2,500 peer-reviewed studies published since 1990 that found significant adverse effects from EMF exposure. [1] The EMF-Portal database, run by RWTH Aachen University in Germany, lists nearly 49,000 publications, with a significant portion reporting harm. [1] As W. Scott McCollough, lead litigator for Children's Health Defense, notes, "More than half report significant effects." [1] The science is clear on biological disruption. Peer-reviewed research shows that non-ionizing radiation from wireless devices is a potent biological stressor, not a benign force. It can affect cellular communication, cause oxidative stress, and damage DNA. [3][4] Even studies on animals reveal that radiofrequency radiation can induce "depression-like behavior" and increase blood-brain barrier permeability. [5] This is not speculative; it is a documented, persistent pattern that has been systematically ignored by the very agencies tasked with protecting public health. Debunking the WHO's Biased Safety Reviews and Industry Capture To maintain the illusion of safety, global health authorities have consistently published flawed reviews. In 2025, the International Commission on the Biological Effects of Electromagnetic Fields (ICBE-EMF) published a peer-reviewed report eviscerating recent World Health Organization (WHO) systematic reviews that claimed to find no link between cellphones and cancer. The ICBE-EMF scientists stated the WHO reviews provided "no assurance of safety" and were riddled with "significant flaws," including methodological problems and bias concerns. [1][6] The conflict of interest is glaring. ICBE-EMF published a supplemental document detailing the ties between WHO review authors and the wireless industry. [1] Despite these flaws, even the WHO's own data revealed concerning links: one review showed RF radiation reduced male fertility, and another linked it to cancer in animals. A WHO-backed review in 2025 concluded with "high certainty" that cellphone radiation causes malignant gliomas and heart schwannomas in animals. [7][8] This pattern of institutional capture extends to trusted medical bodies. The American Academy of Pediatrics hasn't updated its advice on cellphone radiation in nearly a decade, and its parenting advice webpage lists telecom giant AT&T as a corporate sponsor. [1] This compromised guidance leaves parents in the dark about the unique vulnerability of children to this form of pollution, a failing that independent scientists have repeatedly warned against. [A-17][A-18] 5G, Bluetooth, and the Electrosmog Crisis: A Direct Assault on Human Biology The rollout of 5G and the proliferation of Bluetooth devices represent an uncontrolled experiment on human health. This technology does not rely on ionizing radiation like X-rays, but its non-ionizing waves are a potent biological disruptor. They act through mechanisms like activation of voltage-gated calcium channels, triggering oxidative stress and inflammation at levels far below current 'thermal' safety limits. [9][10] The millimeter waves (MMW) used in 5G are mostly absorbed within the first few millimeters of human skin and the cornea, posing acute risks to the peripheral nervous system, immune system, and cardiovascular system. [11] Long-term exposure may increase risks to the skin. The technology is being deployed on a massive scale "despite a lack of safety testing and a growing body of evidence suggesting harm." [A-5] A growing number of people are experiencing electrohypersensitivity (EHS), suffering symptoms like headaches, insomnia, and heart palpitations when exposed to wireless radiation. This condition is not an allergy; it is the body's innate, canary-in-the-coal-mine rejection of a toxic pollutant. [12] As public awareness grows, communities are pushing back. The city of Stamford, Connecticut, for example, rejected a mandated 5G installation agreement after hearing evidence of the health risks. [13][A-19] Yet, the FCC's push to override such local control represents a corporate power grab that threatens to blanket the nation in an inescapable electrosmog. From Study to Action: Demanding Real Protection in a Wireless World While HHS's new study is a welcome break from the past, advocates warn that more research is not the answer. The evidence is already conclusive. "The existing scientific evidence and court rulings already require immediate policy action," stated Theodora Scarato of Environmental Health Sciences. [1] The call is for tangible protections, not further delay. First and foremost, safety guidelines must be updated from their obsolete, thermally-based models to reflect biologically-based exposure limits that account for non-thermal effects. [1][A-15] The FCC, a captured agency more concerned with industry profits than public health, must be forced to acknowledge that its current standards are not protective. [14] Immediate policy actions should include prominent black box warnings on cellphones, protection for children and pregnant women, and enforceable safeguards that allow people to avoid involuntary exposure from cell towers in public spaces. [1] The fight mirrors those against other corrupt institutions like Big Pharma. It is a fight against a system that has knowingly allowed a harmful product to proliferate for profit. Citizens must demand accountability and decentralize their own exposureusing wired connections, creating low-EMF zones in homes, and supporting local efforts to control infrastructure. For uncensored research and tools to understand and mitigate these risks, platforms like Brighteon.AI and resources from independent publishers like NaturalNews.com offer vital knowledge free from corporate and government censorship. Conclusion The HHS study is a long-overdue acknowledgment of a crisis that has been building for generations. The mountain of suppressed science, the documented biological harm, and the institutional corruption that enabled it all point to one inescapable conclusion: wireless radiation is a profound threat to human health. Secretary Kennedy's actions have opened a door that was firmly sealed by decades of industry influence and regulatory capture. Now, the public must push that door wide open and demand more than studies. We must demand a fundamental re-evaluation of our relationship with this technology, prioritizing human biology over corporate convenience and wireless profits. The invisible assault must end. It is time to establish truly protective limits, empower local communities, and give people the knowledge and the right to protect themselves and their families from this pervasive and involuntary pollutant. Our biological integrity depends on it. References A tax-free salute: IRS confirms $1,776 warrior dividend for troops The IRS confirmed a $1,776 "Warrior Dividend" paid to 1.45 million troops in December 2025 is tax-free. The payment, funded by a $2.9 billion appropriation, is classified as a supplemental housing allowance. Federal law excludes qualified military benefits like housing allowances from gross income. The dividend is part of broader tax changes under the 2025 "One Big Beautiful Bill." The administration frames the payment as both financial relief for troops and a product of its economic policies. In a move providing direct financial relief to U.S. service members, the Internal Revenue Service and Treasury Department confirmed on Jan. 16, that a special $1,776 "Warrior Dividend" paid to 1.45 million military personnel last month is exempt from federal income taxes. The decision, rooted in existing tax code provisions for military benefits, ensures active-duty members and eligible reservists receive the full symbolic amount, which the Trump administration touted as a recognition of sacrifice funded by its legislative agenda. The ruling and its legal basis The IRS announcement formally clarified the tax status of supplemental basic allowance for housing (BAH) payments distributed in late December 2025. The agency stated that the $1,776 payments, which President Donald Trump announced on Dec. 17 as a "Warrior Dividend" to be delivered before Christmas, fall under the U.S. tax codes exclusion for "qualified military benefits." Consequently, recipients are not required to include the money in their gross income for the 2025 tax year. The ruling affects primarily active-duty members at the pay grade of O-6 (Colonel or Navy Captain) and below, as well as eligible members of the Reserve Component across all military branches as of Nov. 30, 2025. Funding and legislative context The payments were funded by a $2.9 billion appropriation within the "One Big Beautiful Bill Act," signed into law in July 2025. The legislation designated the funds to supplement the existing basic allowance for housing. The Pentagon praised the IRS determination, stating the tax-free status places the full sum directly into the hands of service members and their families as a recognition of their sacrifice. This action occurs alongside other provisions of the 2025 tax law taking effect, including new deductions for seniors and tax breaks for overtime pay, shaping a filing season with significant changes for many Americans. Historical parallels and policy continuity Providing special compensation to military personnel has historical precedent, often during periods of sustained conflict or economic transition. The direct, tax-free nature of the "Warrior Dividend" echoes the intent of past military bonuses and adjustments, designed to boost morale and provide tangible support. The administration's emphasis on this payment aligns with a longstanding conservative principle of supporting the armed forces financially, while also situating it as a key outcome of its domestic economic platform. The move to legally shield the payment from taxation leverages existing military benefit structures to maximize its value to recipients. Broader economic and political landscape The dividends announcement and tax clarification come amid a focused administration effort to highlight economic measures. Officials have concurrently pointed to tariff revenues and domestic manufacturing gains as successes of their trade policy. This creates a dual narrative: rewarding military service while attributing the fiscal capacity for such payments to broader economic strategies. Opposition figures have criticized the administration's overall fiscal and trade policies, setting the stage for continued debate over economic priorities and the allocation of federal revenues as the 2026 midterm elections approach. Navigating the new tax terrain For the 1.45 million service members receiving it, the tax-free dividend simplifies year-end financial planning. As the IRS begins accepting 2025 returns, military personnel can omit this payment from their income calculations. The ruling underscores the interaction between policy announcements, legislative appropriations and complex tax code implementation. It highlights how targeted financial benefits for specific groups, such as the military, are executed within the framework of existing law, with the administrative ruling serving as the final, critical step in delivering the promised value. This decision solidifies the "Warrior Dividend" as a net gain for its recipients, free from the offset of a subsequent tax liability. Sources for this article include: TheEpochTimes.com IRS.gov NewsWeek.com How Americas most powerful Jewish group became a censorship machine for Israel The Anti-Defamation League faces accusations of systematically silencing critics of Israel. Critics argue the ADL pressures tech platforms and lawmakers to censor political dissent. The organization's CEO has publicly called for the banning of specific commentators like Tucker Carlson. Proposed legislation backed by the ADL could heavily fine platforms for content related to broadly defined "terrorist" groups. A growing coalition warns this campaign conflates anti-Zionism with anti-Semitism to suppress free speech. A powerful Jewish advocacy group has abandoned its civil rights roots to become what critics say is the most effective censorship operation in America, systematically silencing critics of a foreign government with the full cooperation of Congress and Big Tech. The Anti-Defamation League, once respected for combating anti-Semitism, now functions primarily as an enforcement arm for Israel, according to journalist Glenn Greenwald and a growing coalition of free speech advocates. The organization wields its historic credibility like a weapon, they argue, pressuring lawmakers to pass unconstitutional legislation, bullying social media companies into banning dissenting voices, and destroying the careers of Americans whose only transgression is questioning U.S. support for Israel. The evidence of this transformation, Greenwald contends, is no longer deniable. The controversy crystallized recently when ADL CEO Jonathan Greenblatt explicitly called for social media platforms to ban specific commentators. In a public address, Greenblatt labeled commentators Tucker Carlson, Hasan Piker, and Nick Fuentes disgusting and declared, We definitely are working a lot to try to get the platforms to enforce their own terms of service. His stated goal is to have people on the right take down Tucker Carlson and to silence other voices. This push extends beyond public pressure. The ADL is actively involved in legislative efforts that could force tech companies hands. Greenwald highlights a bipartisan bill, the Stopping Terrorists Online Presence and Holding Accountable Tech Entities (STOP HATE) Act, championed by Reps. Josh Gottheimer (D-N.J.) and Don Bacon (R-Neb.). The bill, unveiled at a press conference with Greenblatt, would fine social media companies $5 million daily for failing to curb content related to groups designated as terrorists. The expanded definition of hate Critics warn the laws application hinges on broad definitions. At the bills press conference, Bacon suggested that protests against Israeli policy and even opposition to pro-Israel lawmakers could be problematic. I even saw an article today talking about we have to oppose congressmen who are pro-Zionists, right? Bacon said. This perspective aligns with the ADLs own evolving stance. Following the October 7 Hamas attacks, the ADL changed its methodology for tracking anti-Semitic incidents to include expressions of opposition to Zionism. Greenwald argues this conflation is the heart of the issue. This is not about anti-Semitism, he states. Its about whether Americans have the right or not to criticize Israel. He points to the ADLs own statements as evidence. In a 2024 report, CEO Greenblatt said, Social media platforms are still falling far too short when it comes to moderating antisemitic and anti-Israel content, explicitly tying the two concepts together. A history of targeting critics The campaign against individual critics is not new. Greenwald notes the ADL was on a constant crusade to get Tucker Carlson fired from Fox News, which it later hailed when it happened. In 2018, CNN severed ties with contributor Marc Lamont Hill after a speech on Israel that the ADL condemned. The pattern, critics say, reveals a focus not on bigotry in general, but on pro-Israel orthodoxy. You can be as anti-LGBT as you want, Greenwald contends, citing commentators who face no ADL pressure because they support Israel. The ADLs influence also appears central to the political drive against TikTok. Greenblatt has called the platform Al Jazeera on steroids, amplifying and intensifying the anti-Semitism and the anti-Zionism. Greenwald and others note that momentum to ban TikTok significantly increased after the app became a space for sharing footage of Gaza, alleging the push is due to Israel and not China. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu reportedly cited the forced sale of TikTok to a pro-Israel consortium as a major wartime success. Free speech advocates push back The legislative and corporate pressure has sparked a coalition of concern. The American-Arab Anti-Discrimination Committee warned the STOP HATE Act gives the government and groups like the ADL unfettered powers to police private social media companies, attack lawful expression. Abed Ayoub, the groups director, said, We must reject any legislation that threatens our speech, our conscience, and our right to dissent. The ADL's crusade represents an existential threat to American free speech. "The Anti-Defamation League has long branded itself as a standard liberal civil rights group," Greenwald states. "It has long ceased being that." What has replaced it is something far more troubling: an organization that uses accusations of bigotry as cover while advancing the interests of a foreign state at the expense of Americans' constitutional rights. The pattern is undeniable: critics of Israel face coordinated campaigns to destroy their livelihoods, legislation designed to criminalize their speech advances through Congress with ADL operatives literally standing over lawmakers, and social media platforms bend to pressure that explicitly targets political dissent rather than genuine hate. The question is no longer whether this is happening, but whether Americans will tolerate an organization with divided loyalties dictating the boundaries of acceptable discourse in their own country. As Greenwald's documentation makes clear, defending Israel abroad has become indistinguishable from censoring citizens at home, and the ADL is leading the charge. Sources for this article include: X.com CommonDreams.org AlJazeera.com Moscow attempts to divide Western allies with selective praise as brutal winter attacks intensify Lavrov praises the Trump administration's approach to Ukraine while condemning European allies. Russia launches a massive winter assault on Ukraine's energy infrastructure. Ukraine's leader states American support is crucial but could be increased. The UN condemns Russian strikes on civilian infrastructure as a breach of warfare rules. Russia's strategy appears aimed at exploiting divisions between the U.S. and Europe. Russias top diplomat has offered rare praise for the United States while condemning European nations, even as Moscows military continues a brutal campaign targeting Ukrainian civilians during a deadly cold snap. The conflicting messages emerged as Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov summarized the Kremlins foreign policy, creating a clear divide in how Moscow views the Western response to the nearly four-year-long conflict. Speaking at a press conference in Moscow yesterday, Lavrov stated that the United States was the only Western country ready to address what he called the root causes of the war. He directly linked this stance to the administration of U.S. President Donald Trump. This position, willingness, and understanding of the need to take into account the interests of partners is fully evident in the approach of the Donald Trump administration to the Ukrainian settlement, Lavrov said, according to Russian state news agency TASS. He added that Moscow considers this American approach absolutely justified. European allies undermined talks In pointed contrast, Lavrov leveled sharp criticism at European nations, accusing them of sabotaging peace efforts. He claimed Russia has consistently shown goodwill in seeking political agreements since 2014. But each time, our Western, and especially our European, neighbors have done everything they could to undermine these agreements, Lavrov asserted. He said European powers are trying in every way to convince the American administration not to negotiate with Russia. Lavrovs comments extended beyond Ukraine, seizing on other geopolitical friction points to suggest Western unity is crumbling. He called U.S. President Donald Trumps bid to take over Greenland a harbinger of a deep crisis for NATO, asking how the alliance survives if one NATO member is going to attack another. This, he argued, showed the Western rule-based global order is now dictated by a single power. Zelensky pleads for more pressure The diplomatic maneuvering unfolded against a backdrop of renewed violence. Just hours before Lavrov spoke, Russia launched another massive assault on Ukraines energy infrastructure. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said the attack involved more than 300 drones and missiles. The bombardment knocked out heating to 5,635 apartment buildings in Kyiv, where temperatures plunged to minus 20 degrees Celsius. While acknowledging U.S. support, Zelenskyy suggested Washington could and should do more to pressure Russia. Can America do more? It can, and we really want this, and we believe that the Americans are capable of doing this, he told reporters in a media chat. Predictably, he emphasized the staggering cost of defense, noting that the ammunition used to intercept the latest Russian barrage alone cost an estimated $93 million. The attacks prompted international condemnation. U.N. Human Rights Chief Volker Turk called the repeated strikes on energy infrastructure cruel and a clear breach of the rules of warfare. The International Atomic Energy Agency reported several substations critical for nuclear safety were affected, and the Chernobyl plant temporarily lost all off-site power. A widening gap in perspectives Lavrovs remarks reveal a calculated Russian strategy to exploit apparent divisions between the U.S. and its European allies. By praising the Trump administrations purported willingness to consider Russian security interests, Moscow aims to drive a wedge into the Western coalition supporting Kyiv. This comes as Ukrainian officials work to finalize security guarantees and a prosperity plan with U.S. officials, hoping to sign documents at the World Economic Forum in Davos. The situation presents a disturbing paradox for observers. As diplomats engage in complex talks, the reality on the ground grows increasingly dire for millions of Ukrainians. The systematic destruction of the power grid during winter is a brutal tactic, turning survival into a daily struggle and testing the resolve of the nation. This humanitarian crisis underscores the high stakes of the diplomatic chess game. Lavrovs blend of selective praise for America and contempt for Europe, delivered alongside unwavering military aggression, paints a picture of a conflict entering a new, volatile phase. It suggests Moscow believes time and suffering may fracture Western unity more effectively than any single battle. For the civilians shivering in the dark, the gap between high-level political statements and their desperate reality has never felt wider or more dangerous. The coming weeks will show whether diplomatic channels can generate warmth faster than missiles can take it away. Sources for this article include: TheEpochTimes.com TheHill.com ABCNews.com Supreme Court appears poised to strike down Hawaiis controversial gun restrictions The Court expressed doubts about Hawaii's strict concealed carry laws, suggesting they may violate the Second Amendment. Justices questioned whether the state's "vampire rule" (requiring explicit permission to carry on private property) aligns with historical gun regulations. The law bans firearms in bars, beaches, parks and "sensitive places" like schools, but its most contentious rule forces permit holders to get express permission from property owners before carrying critics argue this effectively nullifies self-defense rights. Hawaii cited 19th-century "Black Codes" (racist laws disarming freed slaves) as justification, but Justice Alito called this "the height of irony" since those laws suppressed rights rather than protected them. Justices debated whether states can impose local gun laws over national constitutional standards. Some argued Hawaii's law unfairly burdens gun owners, while others questioned if it's more about property rights than the Second Amendment. A ruling against Hawaii could strike down similar laws in other states, reinforce the Bruen decision's historical test, and shift the default assumption in favor of gun owners, forcing businesses to post bans if they want to prohibit firearms. The U.S. Supreme Court signaled skepticism toward Hawaii's stringent gun laws during oral arguments on Jan. 20, suggesting the state's restrictions on concealed carry may violate the Second Amendment. The case, Wolford v. Lopez, centers on a Hawaii law that prohibits permit holders from carrying handguns on private property, including businesses, hotels and shopping centers, unless explicitly authorized by the owner. Critics have dubbed it the "vampire rule," mocking its requirement for explicit permission akin to folklore creatures needing an invitation to enter. With the conservative-leaning Court already reshaping gun rights in its 2022 Bruen decision, this case could further solidify the right to bear arms in public spaces. Hawaii's "vampire rule" faces the Bruen test The Hawaii law, known as Act 52, imposes sweeping prohibitions on concealed carry, barring firearms in bars, beaches, parks and "sensitive places" like hospitals and schools. But the most contentious provision mandates that permit holders obtain "express authorization" from property owners before carrying a gun a rule opponents argue renders the right to self-defense meaningless in practice. The Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals previously upheld much of the law, citing Bruen's allowance for gun-free zones in "sensitive places." However, Supreme Court justices sharply questioned whether Hawaii's restrictions align with America's "historical tradition of firearm regulation," the legal standard established in Bruen. Justice Samuel Alito called Hawaii's reliance on 19th-century "Black Codes" racist laws designed to disarm freed slaves "the height of irony," noting they were meant to suppress rights, not protect them. Hawaii's attorney, Neal Katyal, defended the law as safeguarding private property rights, but Justice Neil Gorsuch challenged whether discriminatory historical laws should inform modern gun policy. "You're relegating the Second Amendment to second-class status," Alito added, echoing concerns that Hawaii's approach undermines constitutional protections. According to BrightU.AI's Enoch, Bruen test refers to the legal standard established in New York State Rifle and Pistol Association, Inc. v. Bruen (2022), which requires gun laws to be consistent with the nation's historical tradition of firearm regulation to comply with the Second Amendment. The case also raised broader questions about whether states can impose local customs over national constitutional standards. Justice Sonia Sotomayor suggested Hawaii's culture of limited gun ownership might justify its restrictions, but attorney Alan Beck, representing challengers, countered that Bruen affirmed a "national tradition," not regional preferences. Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson questioned whether the dispute was more about property rights than the Second Amendment, noting that many states presume public-facing businesses consent to lawful gun carry unless posted otherwise. Hawaii's law flips this presumption, requiring gun owners to seek permission a burden critics say is impractical and unconstitutional. The Trump administration's solicitor general, Sarah Harris, sided with challengers, arguing that laws like the Black Codes were "blatantly unconstitutional" and shouldn't be cited as valid historical precedents. Implications for gun rights nationwide A ruling against Hawaii could dismantle similar laws in four other states and reinforce Bruen's impact, forcing legislatures to prove their gun laws align with historical traditions. The decision, expected by June, may also influence ongoing battles over "sensitive places" exemptions, such as bans in parks or restaurants. Hawaii's strict gun regime, where permits were rare before Bruen, has already issued thousands of new licenses since the ruling. If the Court strikes down Act 52, businesses could still post their own bans, but the default would shift in favor of gun owners. The Supreme Court's conservative majority appears ready to deliver another victory for gun rights, further eroding state-level restrictions. For Hawaii, a defeat would mark a seismic shift in a state long hostile to firearms. For Second Amendment advocates, it's another step toward dismantling what they view as unconstitutional overreach one "vampire rule" at a time. Watch the video below that talks about Hawaii abolishing the Second Amendment. This video is from Alex Hammer's channel on Brighteon.com. Sources include: TheEpochTimes.com SupremeCourt.gov APNews.com BrightU.ai Brighteon.com The Texas Blueprint: Restoring liberty through decentralization and accountability "The Texas Blueprint: Freedom, Faith, and the Fight for America's Future" points out that the administrative state is tyrannical. Unelected federal agencies like the EPA, FDA and CDC act as a shadow government, imposing legally-binding regulations without congressional approval, which stifles freedom, innovation and local governance. Texas is presented as a successful blueprint for resistance. The state's economic success (no income tax, sensible regulations) and its legal battles against federal overreach on immigration, vaccine mandates and EPA rules demonstrate the benefits of decentralized power and constitutional pushback. Key solutions include Congress passing the REINS Act to approve major regulations, states nullifying unconstitutional federal mandates and local sheriffs refusing to enforce them. Technological and cultural foundations are essential for decentralization. The book cites blockchain, decentralized AI and energy microgrids as important to bypass centralized control, while citing faith, family and self-reliance as the cultural bedrock of a free society. The future battle for liberty will be won at the state and local level. The book urges other states to follow Texas' lead using the Tenth Amendment to reclaim sovereignty and calls for building parallel systems in currency, media and education to counter federal control. The American republic was founded on principles of limited government, individual liberty and decentralized power. Yet today, unelected bureaucrats in Washington wield unprecedented control over every aspect of our lives dictating policies that undermine freedom, stifle innovation and erode local governance. The solution lies not in further centralization, but in restoring power to the states and the people. Texas, with its fierce independence and commitment to constitutional governance, offers a blueprint for reclaiming America's future. Let "The Texas Blueprint: Freedom, Faith, and the Fight for America's Future" explain how. For decades, federal agencies like the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) have operated as a shadow government imposing regulations without congressional approval. These agencies staffed by unelected officials routinely bypass legislative processes, issuing edicts that carry the force of law. The Chevron deference doctrine, which allows courts to defer to agency interpretations of ambiguous statutes, has only exacerbated this overreach enabling bureaucrats to rewrite laws at will. The consequences are dire. Farmers face ruinous fines for plowing their own land under the Clean Water Act. Small businesses drown in compliance costs, while corporate giants lobby for regulations that crush competition. The FDA suppresses natural remedies to protect Big Pharma's profits, and the CDC pushes vaccine mandates while ignoring safe, effective alternatives. This is not governance it is tyranny by bureaucracy. Texas' stand against federal overreach Texas has long resisted this encroachment. Under leaders like Gov. Greg Abbott and Attorney General Ken Paxton, the state has sued the federal government over illegal immigration enforcement, unconstitutional vaccine mandates and EPA power grabs. Texas' refusal to expand Medicaid under Obamacare demonstrated that states can and must reject federal coercion. The state's economic success proves the power of decentralization. With no state income tax, right-to-work laws and sensible regulations, Texas has become a magnet for businesses fleeing high-tax, high-regulation states like California. The Lone Star State leads the nation in job creation, energy production and GDP growth precisely because it prioritizes freedom over federal control. To dismantle the administrative state, Congress must reclaim its legislative authority. The REINS Act, which requires congressional approval for major regulations, is a critical first step. The Holman Rule, allowing lawmakers to defund specific bureaucratic positions, should be reinstated to hold rogue agencies accountable. But ultimate power lies with the people: Local sheriffs must refuse to enforce unconstitutional federal mandates. State legislatures should nullify federal overreach, as seen with Texas' Second Amendment sanctuary laws. Counties can establish food freedom ordinances, rejecting FDA interference in raw milk and farm-to-table commerce. Technological innovation further empowers decentralization: Blockchain enables secure, transparent transactions outside centralized banking systems. Decentralized AI platforms bypass Big Tech censorship, ensuring free speech survives in the digital public square. Microgrids and energy independence reduce reliance on federal-controlled utilities. Faith, family and the foundation of freedom Texas strength stems not just from policy, but from its cultural bedrock faith, family and self-reliance. Strong families produce responsible citizens, while vibrant churches sustain communities better than any welfare program. Texas' homeschooling movement, thriving despite government opposition, proves that parents not bureaucrats know what's best for their children. The Left seeks to replace these pillars with dependency on government, on pharmaceuticals, on digital surveillance. But Texans understand that true freedom requires personal responsibility. The battle for America's future will be won or lost in the states. Texas has shown that resisting federal overreach works economically, culturally, and constitutionally. Other states must follow suit, reclaiming the promise of state sovereignty as outlined in the Tenth Amendment: "The powers not delegated to the United States by the Constitution, nor prohibited by it to the states, are reserved to the states respectively, or to the people." Citizens must demand local leaders defy unconstitutional mandates. Entrepreneurs must build parallel systems: decentralized currencies, independent media and community-based education. Legislators must pass laws protecting food freedom, medical autonomy and gun rights from federal intrusion. The federal leviathan will not surrender power willingly. But as Texas proves, when the people stand firm, tyranny retreats. The choice is clear: centralized control and decline, or decentralized liberty and revival. The Texas blueprint lights the way. Now, the nation must follow. Grab a copy of "The Texas Blueprint: Freedom, Faith, and the Fight for America's Future" via this link. Discover this book and other good reads at Books.BrightLearn.AI, with thousands of books and counting all available to freely download, read and share. The decentralized BrightLearn.AI engine also lets readers create their own books, empowering them to share insights and truths with the world. Watch the Health Ranger Mike Adams and U.S. Rep. Michael Cloud (R-TX) discussing smaller government and the Lone Star State's golden age of energy in this clip. This video is from the Health Ranger Report channel on Brighteon.com. Sources include: BrightLearn.ai Books.BrightLearn.ai Brighteon.com A cold war over a cold land: Trumps Greenland gambit roils Davos President Donald Trump, at the Davos forum, escalated demands for the U.S. to acquire Greenland, labeling Denmark "ungrateful" for past U.S. defense but ruling out military force. He threatened escalating tariffs on eight NATO allies, including Denmark, to pressure a deal, prompting a unified warning of retaliation from the European Union. Trump's focus on Greenland and geopolitical disputes overshadowed a planned domestic policy address on housing affordability. European leaders, including France's Macron, criticized the move as economic coercion and a distraction from ongoing global conflicts like the war in Ukraine. The confrontation highlights deep transatlantic tensions over trade, sovereignty, and the future of NATO, with Trump advocating an "America First" approach to alliances. In a dramatic escalation of a long-simmering geopolitical ambition, President Donald Trump used the global stage of the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, this week to renew his demand for the United States to acquire Greenland, threatening severe economic penalties against NATO allies who oppose him. The confrontation, which dominated the annual gathering of elites, has plunged transatlantic relations into a fresh crisis, overshadowing the presidents domestic agenda and raising fundamental questions about the future of Western alliances. The dispute centers on Trumps assertion that the vast, semi-autonomous Arctic territory is imperative for U.S. and global security, a claim firmly rejected by Denmark and Greenland itself. The ungrateful ally and the tariff threat President Trump, speaking on Wednesday, categorically ruled out using military force to seize Greenland but intensified his rhetorical and economic offensive. He labeled Denmark ungrateful, citing the U.S. defense of the nation and its territory during World War II. Denmark fell to Germany after just six hours of fighting, Trump stated, arguing the U.S. was compelled to protect Greenland. His primary tool of pressure is a threat to impose punitive tariffs, starting at 10% next month and rising to 25% by June, on eight NATO members: Denmark, Norway, Sweden, France, Germany, the United Kingdom, the Netherlands, and Finland. He declared these would remain until a deal for the Complete and Total purchase of Greenland is reached. A unified European wall of resistance The response from European leaders was swift and firm. European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen warned that the EUs response to any tariffs will be unflinching, united and proportional. She pointedly reminded Trump of a U.S.-EU trade framework sealed last summer, stating, a deal is a deal. And when friends shake hands, it must mean something. French President Emmanuel Macron went further, indicating the EU could deploy its Anti-Coercion Instrument for the first time against the U.S., a mechanism designed to counter economic blackmail with retaliatory measures. European officials uniformly dismissed the premise that Greenland is for sale, noting its residents have repeatedly expressed a desire for greater independence from Denmark, not annexation by the United States. Security claims and historical context Trumps pursuit of Greenland is not new; he publicly floated the idea during his first term. His rationale hinges on the Arctics growing strategic importance, where melting ice is opening new shipping lanes and resource competition with Russia and China is intensifying. The U.S. has maintained a military presence in Greenland since the Cold War under a 1951 treaty, with a updated defense agreement signed in 2023 expanding cooperation. However, Trump argues this is insufficient, claiming Danish stewardship leaves the territory vulnerable. Historically, the U.S. purchase of Alaska from Russia in 1867 is cited as a precedent, though Greenlands modern political status as an integral part of the Kingdom of Denmarknot a colonymakes any forced transfer legally and politically fraught. Domestic agenda overshadowed by global storm The Greenland clash completely diverted attention from Trumps intended Davos message: a policy address on making housing more affordable for Americans. This pivot underscores a defining feature of his second term: a foreign policy dominated by unilateral economic pressure and transactional views of alliance, often at the expense of domestic policy focus. The spectacle in Davos, set against a backdrop of billionaire gatherings, also highlighted a persistent political vulnerability, as polls show voter concern over the cost of living remains high despite Trumps cultivation of business leaders. An alliance tested by America First The icy standoff in Davos represents more than a bizarre real estate negotiation; it is a stress test for the post-World War II international order. Trumps willingness to weaponize trade against core NATO allies over a territorial demand they consider absurd marks a new low in transatlantic discord. While some European leaders hope the tariff threats are merely brinksmanship, the unified, hardened response from Brussels signals a prepared and weary continent. As the U.S. president frames the issue through a lens of national security and historical debt, and Europe rallies around sovereignty and pacta sunt servandathe principle that agreements must be keptthe outcome will significantly shape whether the Western alliance can weather this storm or faces a permanent chill. Sources for this article include: YourNews.com APNews.com KOMOnews.com On Thursday, between 11:30-12:00, the Russian Armed Forces attacked Kozacha Lopan of the Derhachi community of Kharkiv region with fpv drones, killing two volunteers, said head of the city administration Viacheslav Zadorenko. "At the entrance to Kozacha Lopan, occupiers targeted a civilian vehicle carrying two local volunteers delivering bread to residents still living in the village. The vehicle was destroyed, and the two men inside, aged 35 and 63, were killed on the spot from their injuries," wrote Zadorenko on his Telegram channel. He added that around the same time, a Russian drone attacked a civilian car traveling through Ruska Lozova. Two men were inside the vehicle and were able to get out in time. One of them, a 70-year-old local resident, later sought medical attention. His life is not in danger. Zelenskys corrupt inner circle accused of orchestrating a $100 million kickback scheme at the state nuclear giant Energoatom How deep does the rot go in Ukraine? As Ukrainian soldiers are conscripted from the streets to fight and die in a black hole, a cabal of President Volodymyr Zelensky's closest allies allegedly operated a vast criminal enterprise from the heart of his own government, from which Zelensky now operates as dictator. This is not a story of simple greed; this is a calculated system of fraud, a conspiracy to steal from the very nation they swore to protect, exploiting a war for personal enrichment while Western nations bankroll the defense. The latest charges reveal a shocking pattern, a network of corruption so entrenched it calls into question the integrity of Ukraine's leadership and the fate of billions in foreign aid. Key points: A former senior Zelensky aide, Rostislav Shurma, has been charged in a $3.3 million "green" energy subsidy scam involving fake solar farms. This case is part of a wider, "revolting" corruption network centered on oligarch Timur Mindich, a longtime Zelensky associate, accused of orchestrating a $100 million kickback scheme at the state nuclear giant Energoatom. The scandal has forced the resignation of two ministers, implicates former Defense Minister Rustem Umerov, and reveals secret recordings of officials using code names to discuss bribes. European Union officials are now reassessing financial support, demanding greater transparency as the scandals threaten Ukraine's EU aspirations. Zelensky previously attempted to subordinate independent anti-corruption bodies to his control, a move seen as an effort to stifle investigations. Corruption in Ukraine runs deep The scheme is brazen in its simplicity and chilling in its execution. At its core is the state-owned Energoatom, the crown jewel of Ukraine's energy infrastructure, responsible for over half the nation's power. According to the National Anti-Corruption Bureau of Ukraine (NABU), a criminal organization, led by businessman Timur Mindich, implanted a "barrier" within the company. Contractors wishing to be paid for goods or services were forced to pay a 10-15% kickback. Refusal meant not getting paid, a powerful lever in a wartime economy. The dirty money was then allegedly laundered through a shadow office in Kyiv and even cashed out in Russia, the very nation Ukraine is fighting. This is where the story becomes personal for Zelensky. Mindich is not a distant oligarch; he is a friend and former colleague from Zelensky's comedy studio days, a man whose relationship with the president has been widely documented. The investigation, dubbed "Operation Midas," harvested thousands of hours of covert recordings. On these tapes, figures with codenames like "Carlson" (allegedly Mindich), "Rocket," and "Tenor" discuss their illicit operations. In one shocking twist, former Deputy Prime Minister Oleksiy Chernyshov appears as "Che Guevara," caught on tape discussing how to obtain massive sums of cash from the shadow office. These are the calculated conversations of a shadow government operating inside the real one. Zelensky officials running green energy scam The "green" energy scam involving ex-deputy presidential office head Rostislav Shurma follows the same corrupt blueprint. This scheme allegedly fabricated electricity deliveries from solar farms in Russian-occupied territory, tricking the state into paying above-market rates for power that never flowed. Shurma, who oversaw the energy sector and represented the state on the board of Naftogaz, another energy titan, fled to Austria after the allegations surfaced. His brother was linked to the firms involved. This case, uncovered by investigative journalists, shows the corruption metastasizing across different energy sectors, a pattern of predation rather than an isolated incident. What does this mean for the average Ukrainian citizen shivering through blackouts, or for the taxpayers in Europe and America sending aid? It means the trust is broken. An EU official, speaking to Politico Europe, called the endemic corruption "revolting," a sentiment echoing in capitals across the continent. Future aid, particularly for the crippled energy sector, is now under a microscope, contingent on strict oversight. When Poland and other European countries dedicate a percentage of its GDP to support Ukraine, and the U.S. commits billions, they are right to ask: how much of this lifeline is being stolen by a "rotten pseudo-elite"? President Zelensky rode to power in 2019 on a wave of anti-corruption promises. Now, his childhood friend is an international fugitive accused of masterminding a mega-scheme, his former deputy is charged, and his ministers have resigned in disgrace. Last year, Zelensky signed a law to place independent anti-corruption bodies like NABU under the control of the Prosecutor General, a move that sparked protests and was later reversed. Was this an attempt to blindfold the watchdogs? The question hangs in the air, heavy with implication. Russia was right about this: Ukraine is corrupt to the core and shouldn't be allowed to join NATO. Sources include: RT.com Open.kg Enoch, Brighteon.ai Sorry, something doesn't look right. Something seems unusual about your device or browser. Please contact support. The Ministry of Education has constituted a three-member committee to examine the recent student suicides at IIT Kanpur. The committee, led by Anil Sahastrabudhe, will review the institute's compliance with national mental wellbeing guidelines issued in July 2023. The framework emphasizes early detection, counselling, and suicide prevention strategies in higher education institutions. This move underscores the ministry's priority on creating a supportive and responsive ecosystem for student welfare. MoE sets up 3-member committee to examine student suicides at IIT Kanpur and review mental health framework compliance. New Delhi, January 22 The Ministry of Education on Thursday constituted a three-member committee to examine the recent incidents of student suicides in IIT Kanpur. The committee, led by Chairperson of NETF (National Educational Technology Forum), Anil Sahastrabudhe, will also review the extent of IIT Kanpur's compliance with the Framework Guidelines for Emotional and Mental Wellbeing of Students in HEIs, issued in July 2023. The Competent Authority has also appointed Jitendra Nagpal, Sr. Psychiatrist, Moolchand Hospital and Joint Secretary (Higher Education), Ministry of Education, as a member of the Committee. "The Ministry of Education has taken cognisance of the recent unfortunate incident of student suicide at the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Kanpur. The incident has once again brought to the fore the critical importance of strengthening institutional mechanisms for safeguarding the emotional and mental well-being of students in Higher Education Institutions (HEIs)," the order read. The Ministry of Education accorded the highest priority to students' mental health, emotional well-being, and holistic development. "In this context, the Ministry had issued the "Framework Guidelines for Emotional and Mental Wellbeing of Students in Higher Education Institutions" in July 2023, with the objective of creating an enabling, inclusive, and supportive environment across HEls in the country," it added. The Framework Guidelines will provide a comprehensive roadmap for HEIs and, inter alia, emphasise the key interventions like sensitisation and capacity building programmes for faculty members; orientation, counselling, and handholding mechanisms for students in HEIs; early detection mechanisms for stress, distress, and vulnerability for immediate intervention; development of institutional Standard Operating Procedures (SoPs) and suicide prevention strategies; and establishment of buddy-mentor systems in a link-chain model, etc. In addition to issuing the Framework Guidelines, the Ministry has been making sustained and multi-pronged efforts to promote student well-being in HEIs. These include capacity-building programmes for faculty members on student mental health and wellbeing, the organisation of annual National Wellbeing Conclaves, the promotion of best practices across institutions, and continuous engagement with stakeholders to strengthen campus-level support systems. The order added that these initiatives collectively aim to foster a safe, supportive, and responsive ecosystem for students in higher education. - ANI Ahan Shetty has shared a heartfelt social media post expressing deep gratitude to his Border 2 co-stars as the film's release approaches. He specifically referred to Sunny Deol as a "father figure" for his quiet strength and humility on set. Shetty also described Varun Dhawan as an "older brother" for his constant support and generosity during the shoot. The actor extended his thanks to the entire cast, including Diljit Dosanjh, Mona Singh, and others, reflecting on the meaningful personal connections formed during the production. Ahan Shetty shares heartfelt gratitude for Border 2 co-stars Sunny Deol, Varun Dhawan, and Diljit Dosanjh, calling them family ahead of the film's release. Mumbai Ja, n 22 Actor Ahan Shetty who is all geared up for his upcoming movie Border 2, has expressed gratitude to Sunny Deol, Varun Dhawan for being like family on sets. Taking to his social media account, the Tadap actor shared pictures of the primary starcast of Border 2 and thanked each one of them. Calling Sunny Deol as a father figure, Ahan wrote, "Sunny Sir - A true father figure to me on set. You showed me what quiet strength, humility, and unwavering dedication really look like. There's something incredibly grounding about being around someone who carries so much legacy, yet remains so deeply human." Highlighting his equation with co-star Varun Dhawan, Ahan wrote, "Varun - I look up to you as an older brother and will always be grateful for the love and support you've given me throughout this journey. You showed up every single day focused, sincere, and always giving more than what was ever asked of you. That generosity stays with me." For actor Diljit Dosanjh who is also a part of Border 2, Ahan wrote, "Diljit Sir- The way you embraced me like a younger brother and always rooted for me means more than I can put into words. A warmth that can't be taught. Full of kindness, laughter, and an energy that instantly puts everyone at ease. Being around you reminded me that joy is just as important as hard work." He also penned a gratitude note for costar and actress Mona Singh that read, "Mona Ma'am - You aren't just an incredible actor but also a genuinely kind and grounded human being. It was an absolute pleasure working with you and sharing the screen with someone so inspiring." For co-star Sonam Bajwa, Anya Singh and Medha, Ahan wrote, "Sonam - You carry grace in the simplest, most effortless way. Every moment around you felt calm, respectful, and real. Anya - Remembered as a quiet, calm presence with such brilliant acting instincts. You say so much without saying a word, and that stayed with me." The note for Medha read, "Medha - Your honesty and freshness were a reminder of why new journeys are just as inspiring as seasoned ones." He also expressed gratitude and thanked the makers of Border 2 in his carousel post. Ahan captioned the post as, "Some journeys stay with you long after the work is done, simply because of the people you meet along the way. Beyond the cameras and the lights, it was the respect, the kindness, and the love for the craft that made this experience what it was. Truly thankful for the memories, the learning, and the people who made it all so meaningful. Just a day away from the film being out for the entire world to see. Feeling grateful, excited, and a little nervous. I can't wait for everyone to watch it." Earlier, Ahan had spoken about 'testing times' post his debut Tadap in 2021, through a heartfelt post on his social media account. He wrote, "December 3, 2021... Tadap, my first film. The beginning of a dream I stepped into with hope, fear, and everything in between," wrote Ahan. "What followed tested me deeply... Periods of uncertainty, quiet struggles, and lessons that only time and patience can teach. Growth rarely comes without pain, and every moment shaped who I am today," he added. The actor further expressed gratitude for all the learning lessons and said that he was now looking forward to his second Bollywood movie. "I'm grateful for all of it. January 23, 2026... Just a few days away now from my second film, Border 2, coming to you. A new chapter born from patience, perseverance, and belief. With a fuller heart, steadier faith, and the same dream, now stronger than ever." He added, "I hope you'll stand with us, experience this journey, and support this film from the heart. It would mean more than words can express." Talking about Border 2, the movie along with Ahan Shetty, also stars Sunny Deol and Varun Dhawan, Diljit Dosanjh and is all slated to release on January 23, this year. - IANS We Are China Trump says Europe "not heading in the right direction" Xinhua) 10:12, January 22, 2026 U.S. President Donald Trump addresses the World Economic Forum Annual Meeting in Davos, Switzerland, Jan. 21, 2026. (Xinhua/Lian Yi) DAVOS, Switzerland, Jan. 21 (Xinhua) -- U.S. President Donald Trump said on Wednesday that Europe is not heading in the right direction, arguing that the continent has become "not even recognizable" in a "very negative" way. Trump said he "love[s] Europe" and wants to see it "go good," but insisted that "it's not heading in the right direction." Trump made the remarks in a special address at the World Economic Forum Annual Meeting in Davos, which runs from Jan. 19 to 23. U.S. President Donald Trump speaks to journalists after addressing the World Economic Forum Annual Meeting in Davos, Switzerland, Jan. 21, 2026. (Xinhua/Peng Ziyang) U.S. President Donald Trump addresses the World Economic Forum Annual Meeting in Davos, Switzerland, Jan. 21, 2026. (Xinhua/Lian Yi) U.S. President Donald Trump addresses the World Economic Forum Annual Meeting in Davos, Switzerland, Jan. 21, 2026. (Xinhua/Lian Yi) U.S. President Donald Trump (on screen) addresses the World Economic Forum Annual Meeting in Davos, Switzerland, Jan. 21, 2026. (Xinhua/Lian Yi) U.S. President Donald Trump (L) addresses the World Economic Forum Annual Meeting in Davos, Switzerland, Jan. 21, 2026. (Xinhua/Lian Yi) U.S. President Donald Trump addresses the World Economic Forum Annual Meeting in Davos, Switzerland, Jan. 21, 2026. (Xinhua/Lian Yi) U.S. President Donald Trump addresses the World Economic Forum Annual Meeting in Davos, Switzerland, Jan. 21, 2026. (Xinhua/Lian Yi) U.S. President Donald Trump attends the World Economic Forum Annual Meeting in Davos, Switzerland, Jan. 21, 2026. (Xinhua/Lian Yi) U.S. President Donald Trump (L) speaks at the World Economic Forum Annual Meeting in Davos, Switzerland, Jan. 21, 2026. (Xinhua/Lian Yi) U.S. President Donald Trump (L) speaks at the World Economic Forum Annual Meeting in Davos, Switzerland, Jan. 21, 2026. (Xinhua/Lian Yi) (Web editor: Zhang Kaiwei, Liang Jun) Haseeba Qambrani describes a life shattered by the enforced disappearance of her two brothers in February 2020. One brother was later found dead, while the other, a Princeton University student, remains missing. Her testimony highlights a climate of pervasive fear where families live in mourning, with children also becoming victims of the crisis. The issue has resurfaced as another family member, previously released, has been taken away again. Haseeba Qambrani's brothers vanished in 2020. Her testimony reveals the fear and despair of thousands of families in Pakistan's Balochistan region. Hague, January 22 Haseeba Qambrani, a victim of enforced disappearances in Balochistan, described her life as fractured by loss, fear and unanswered questions, an existence shaped by Pakistan's long-standing crisis of enforced disappearances. "I don't know where to start or where to end," she said. She fears her child may be taken away and said a child is already missing. In another incident, a body was found. In a video shared on X, she stated that her brothers, Asan Qambrani and Rizwullah Qambrani, were taken away on February 14, 2020. Since then, she has had no information about their whereabouts. An FIR was filed, but like thousands of similar cases across the country, it has led nowhere. "I don't know where they are," she stated. One brother was later found dead. Another, Rizwullah, was a student at Princeton University, yet even education and international exposure could not shield him from disappearance. "The government is taking him away," she says, without accusation, but with devastating clarity. Haseeba spoke of fear that keeps her indoors, of a life without celebrations and of families that now only mourn. She talked about children like 11-year-old Zakir Jan, reminding listeners that every disappearance creates multiple victims--mothers, sisters and children forced into lifelong waiting and despair. "We do not feed ourselves. We raise our brothers. We don't raise ourselves," she says, capturing how survival has replaced living, with horrifying incidents occurring almost every day. Her statement has resurfaced at a time when her brother Hassan Qambrani has once again been taken away, despite being released earlier after public pressure. - ANI The Bharatiya Janata Party has instituted age limits for leadership roles within its youth wing, the Yuva Morcha. The national president must be 35 or younger, while state unit presidents cannot exceed 32 years of age. This restructuring aims to create a uniform and youth-centric leadership structure across the organization. The decisions were made during a meeting chaired by the party's newly elected and youngest national president, Nitin Nabin. BJP revamps Yuva Morcha with age limits: national president under 35, state unit presidents under 32, emphasizing youth leadership. New Delhi, January 22 After appointing Nitin Nabin as the party's national president, the Bharatiya Janata Party has taken a major step towards making its organisational structure more youth-centric. According to a BJP source, "During a meeting of the party's national office-bearers, it was decided that the National President of the BJP Yuva Morcha will be appointed from among leaders aged up to 35 years". The sources added, "In a similar move to strengthen youth leadership at the grassroots level, the party decided that the presidents of the Yuva Morcha units in various states will be appointed from among leaders aged up to 32 years." The meeting also issued clear directions that all remaining appointments in the state-level youth teams will be made keeping in mind the age of the National President, ensuring a cohesive and youthful leadership structure across the organisation. The decision reflects the BJP's continued emphasis on empowering young leaders and giving greater responsibility to the youth in the party's organisational framework. Newly elected BJP president Nitin Nabin on Wednesday chaired a meeting related to the party's central office bearers at the BJP headquarters in the national capital. As per a press statement issued by BJP National General Secretary Arun Singh, the meeting was attended by former president Jagat Prakash Nadda, National General Secretary BL Santosh, and party chiefs from across the country. All the leaders extended their congratulations to Nabin on his appointment. The BJP chief reviewed the party's election preparations in West Bengal, Assam, Tamil Nadu, Kerala, and Puducherry, and expressed satisfaction with the progress. During that meeting, Nabin said that the party is confident of forming governments in West Bengal, Assam, and Tamil Nadu, and expects a strong performance in Kerala. The meeting also discussed the party's success in local body elections, including in Maharashtra. Nabin assumed the charge as the 12th and youngest national president of the BJP. Elected unopposed, Nabin will chair his first office bearers meeting on Wednesday at the party headquarters in the national capital. - ANI Italian defence firm WASS has signed a contract to supply 48 Black Shark Advanced heavyweight torpedoes to the Indian Navy for its Kalvari-class submarines. The deal, valued at approximately 1,896 crore, will significantly enhance the underwater combat capabilities of the Indian fleet. The company has expressed willingness to support future 'Make in India' efforts through potential technology transfer and local production of some sections. Deliveries of the advanced torpedoes are scheduled to commence in April 2028 and be completed by early 2030. Italian firm WASS signs deal for 48 Black Shark torpedoes for Indian Navy's Kalvari-class submarines, with future Make in India potential. New Delhi, January 22 Italian defence firm WASS on Thursday said the contract for the Black Shark Advanced heavyweight torpedo will significantly enhance the Indian Navy's underwater combat capabilities, and that certain parts of the HWT are likely to be made in India through future collaboration and technology transfer. Wass recently signed a deal with India under the Buy Global category to supply 48 heavyweight torpedoes for the Kalvari-class submarines of the Indian Navy. In response to an ANI email query, WASS Submarine Systems' head of marketing and sales, Andrea Ruffini, said the contract will allow the Indian Navy to integrate the BSA torpedo across all six Kalvari-class submarines, providing what it described as the best-in-class heavyweight torpedo currently available in the global market. The firm said the flexibility of the system offers long-term growth potential for both existing and future platforms of the Indian Navy. "Thanks to its flexibility, BSA can be easily integrated on already in-service or under acquisition platforms, representing a growth potential in operational capabilities of current and future Indian Navy fleet," the Italian defence firm said. The firm said the torpedo is based on state-of-the-art technology and was developed as a new-generation heavyweight torpedo to meet demanding operational requirements identified in discussions with the Italian Navy. According to the HWT manufacturer, the system is already in service with seven navies worldwide and is currently under evaluation by four others. "BSA is fully integrated in all the current in-service platforms (Uboat class, Scorpene, Vastegotaln, Kilo and Midget), any adaptation required by IN operational solution can be easily tailored," WASS told ANI. On domestic manufacturing and long-term cooperation in a move towards the "Make-in-India" initiative, the Italian firm said the heavyweight torpedo contract signed in December between the Ministry of Defence and the company follows the "Buy Global" approach, in line with the tender requirements. It added that they view this agreement as the first step towards a long-term collaboration with the Indian Navy on heavyweight torpedo programmes. The defence firm said a key strategic objective of the contract is to make the Indian Navy fully independent in carrying out in-house maintenance activities. It also expressed its willingness to support Make in India through future indigenisation efforts. "As a future step, in case of interest by the Indian Navy in additional torpedoes, WASS will be very pleased to collaborate with dedicated Indian companies, exploiting business relations already in place for many years with several industrial partners, in order to indigenize some sections through a specific Transfer of Technology/Production that will allow to increase Indian industrial capability in some specific technology," the company said. According to an earlier Ministry of Defence statement, the agreement was signed on December 30 last year for the procurement and integration of 48 heavyweight torpedoes along with associated equipment for Kalvari-class submarines under Project 75. The contract, valued at approximately Rs 1,896 crore, was signed with WASS Submarine Systems S.R.L., Italy. The Defence Ministry, too, noted in that statement that the acquisition will enhance the combat capability of all six Kalvari-class submarines of the Indian Navy. Delivery of the torpedoes is scheduled to begin in April 2028 and will be completed by early 2030. The Ministry said the torpedoes have significant operational capabilities and advanced technological features. It added that the acquisition underlines the Government's commitment to meeting the operational requirements of the Indian Navy through the induction of niche technologies and advanced weapon systems. Following the signing of the agreement, Pierroberto Folgiero, Chief Executive Officer and General Manager of Fincantieri, said, "This agreement marks a key strategic step for Fincantieri in India, a market of central importance in our long-term international growth strategy and one of the most dynamic naval hubs globally. Strengthening our presence in India means building enduring industrial and institutional partnerships in a region that plays an increasingly pivotal role in global maritime security. We are proud to deepen our cooperation with the Indian Navy and to position Fincantieri as a trusted long-term partner in this strategic geography." - ANI The British Council is hosting a two-day 'Creative Convergence: Growth Reimagined' summit in Delhi to strengthen India-UK cultural and economic ties within the creative sectors. The event builds on a successful Bengaluru edition and focuses on sustainable fashion, film, music, and design through policy dialogue and collaborative exchanges. It features prominent speakers and an immersive pop-up space exploring scalable creative practices. The gathering aims to create sustainable economic models and strengthen networks for creative entrepreneurs and young practitioners. Explore innovation & collaboration at the UK-India Creative Convergence event in Delhi, featuring policymakers & cultural leaders for a sustainable creative economy. New Delhi, January 22 The British Council is hosting Creative Convergence: Growth Reimagined in Delhi on January 29-30, 2026. This two-day event brings together cultural leaders, policymakers, entrepreneurs, and creative practitioners from India and the UK to explore the future of the creative economy. Building on the success of the Bengaluru edition in November 2025, the event will feature prominent speakers, including Tim Curtis, Vivek Aggarwal, and Ruth Mackenzie CBE, who will discuss India's evolving creative sectors and UK-India cultural collaboration. The India-UK Programme of Cultural Cooperation (2025-2030), signed between New Delhi and London, Creative Convergence serves as a platform for dialogue and exchanges across the creative economy, with sustainable fashion, film, music, design, visual arts, and the performing arts in focus. The gathering builds on conversations initiated at the inaugural Bengaluru edition held in November 2025, which advanced critical dialogue around India's rapidly evolving creative sectors, emerging research, and the long-standing legacy of cultural collaboration between India and the UK. It also focuses on identifying new pathways for inclusive, sustainable and future-ready partnerships. The programme features an impressive guest lineup- from government and policy leaders such as Tim Curtis, Director, UNESCO India; Vivek Aggarwal, Secretary Ministry of Culture, Government of India and Ruth Mackenzie CBE, Global Director of Arts, British Council, as per the statement. Key programme highlights include an immersive pop-up space- Char by Char, that explores the intersections of design, enterprise and sustainability through scalable creative practices. It will also see a policy conference on the India-UK creative dialogue, documentary co-production, and sustainable future of fashion, amongst other themes. Creative Convergence Delhi is complemented by an online policy training programme, 'Supporting the Creative Economy', which kicked off in November 2025 and is running till January 2026, the official statement said. The Delhi edition would place strong emphasis on collaboration and innovation, strengthen creative networks, enable cross-border exchange, and explore sustainable economic models that enable creative entrepreneurs and young practitioners to thrive. The carefully curated sessions unpack collaborative opportunities through the lens of policy, research and industry and thought leadership, with the aim to provide a holistic view. Ahead of the event, Alison Barrett MBE, Country Director India, British Council, underscored, "Creative economies don't grow in isolation, they grow when policy, research and creative practice move in the same direction. Creative Convergence focuses on deepening creative ties between India and the UK, enabling ideas to scale into lasting economic and cultural impact. Building on the momentum of the inaugural Bengaluru edition, the Delhi chapter marks a critical next phase - strengthening India-UK collaboration, foregrounding research and policy, and creating the conditions in which creative talent and enterprises can grow sustainably." The event is open to audiences aged 18 and above, with free entry upon registration. Further details for registration can be accessed at https://www.britishcouncil.in/events/creative-convergence-innovate-include-inspire-presented-british-council. The two-day gathering represents a significant milestone in the India-UK cultural partnership as it creates space for dialogue, co-creation and future-oriented ideas that can shape the next chapter of creative and economic growth. - ANI Process to be expedited through CG Vyapam Advertisement to be issued by February 2026 Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Vishnu Deo Sai has directed the immediate launch of recruitment for 5,000 teacher posts to address a critical shortage in government schools. He instructed officials to expedite the process through the Chhattisgarh Professional Examination Board, with the advertisement slated for release by February 2026. The move is part of a broader government plan to eventually fill up to 30,000 teacher vacancies in phases. This initiative aims to boost youth employment and improve pupil-teacher ratios to enhance learning outcomes across the state. Chhattisgarh CM Vishnu Deo Sai orders immediate recruitment for 5,000 teacher posts via CG Vyapam to address critical shortage in government schools. Raipur, Jan 22 In a decisive move to address the acute shortage of teachers in government schools, Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Vishnu Deo Sai on Thursday directed the immediate launch of recruitment for 5,000 teacher posts. The announcement came during a high-level review meeting of the School Education Department held at Mahanadi Bhavan Secretariat, chaired by the Chief Minister. Taking serious note of the prevailing teacher vacancies affecting classroom learning, Sai instructed officials to expedite the process through the Chhattisgarh Professional Examination Board (CG Vyapam). The Chief Minister issued clear guidelines that the recruitment advertisement must be issued by February 2026. This timeline aims to ensure the entire selection process is completed promptly, allowing newly appointed teachers to join schools and alleviate the staffing crisis without further delay. The meeting also reviewed progress on the Teacher Recruitment Examination-2023. After detailed deliberations, it was decided not to extend the validity of the waiting list from the 2023 exam. Government sources indicated this step would open fresh opportunities for younger aspirants and those who qualified in subsequent or fresh recruitments, promoting wider access to government jobs. Chief Minister Sai underscored that fortifying the state's education system remains a top priority for his administration. "Strengthening education is key to building a developed Chhattisgarh," he emphasised. He reiterated the government's commitment to taking all necessary measures -- including swift teacher recruitments --to guarantee students receive quality education in an enabling environment. This latest initiative aligns with the BJP-led government's broader push to fill teacher vacancies across the state. Earlier announcements had signalled plans for up to 30,000 teacher posts in phases, with the current 5,000 forming the immediate first tranche. The recruitment drive is expected to boost employment prospects for qualified youth while directly improving pupil-teacher ratios in government institutions. Officials present at the meeting noted that the directions reflect the administration's resolve to resolve long-standing educational challenges expeditiously. With the advertisement slated for release next month, preparations are underway to conduct fair and transparent examinations under Vyapam oversight. The move has been welcomed by education stakeholders as a proactive response to teacher shortages that have impacted learning outcomes in remote and rural areas. The government aims to ensure that schools across Chhattisgarh are adequately staffed, paving the way for enhanced academic performance and equitable access to education. - IANS China has formally declined an invitation from the United States to join the newly proposed "Board of Peace." The Chinese Foreign Ministry, through its embassy spokesperson, reiterated Beijing's commitment to a multilateral international system centered on the United Nations. The board, championed by US President Donald Trump, was announced at the World Economic Forum in Davos with the stated goal of mediating global conflicts, starting with Gaza stabilization. Several nations have reportedly accepted seats, with membership terms including a potential $1 billion contribution for a permanent position. China declines US invitation to join the Gaza Board of Peace, stating firm commitment to the international system with the United Nations at its core. Beijing, January 22 China has said no to the invitation by the United States to join the Board of Peace, underlining that Beijing stands firmly committed to the international system with the United Nations at the core. The remarks were shared by Yu Jing, Spokesperson of the Chinese Embassy in India in a post on X on Thursday. Attributing it to the Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA), she said, "Spokesperson of MOFA: China has received the United States' invitation to join the Board of Peace. China always practices true multilateralism. No matter how the international landscape may evolve, China will stay firmly committed to safeguarding the international system with the UN at its core, the international order based on international law, and the basic norms governing international relations based on the purposes and principles of the UN Charter. " The statement comes as US President Donald Trump is looking to form the Gaza Board of Peace officially this week on the sidelines of the World Economic Forum meeting in Davos, Switzerland. Addressing reporters, Trump called it the most prestigious board to be ever assembled, and took a dig at the United Nations saying that the peace board would get more work done than the UN. He further noted that peace in the Middle East was attained through "taking out" the Iranian nuclear threat. He said, "We want everybody. We want all nations. We want all nations where people have control, people have power, that we're never going to have a problem. This is the greatest board ever assembled. And everybody wants to be on it. But yeah, I have some controversial people on it, but these are people that get the job done. These are people that have tremendous influence. All babies on the board. So he (Putin) was invited. He's accepted. Many people have accepted. think, I don't know of anybody that hasn't accepted. But it's going to be great." On the Board of Peace he further said, "I think the Board of Peace will be the most prestigious board ever. And it's going to get a lot of work done that the United Nations should have done. And we'll work with the United Nations. But the Board of Peace is going to be special. We're going to have peace. It started off with Gaza, the Middle East. We've got peace in the Middle East. Tremendous peace in the Middle East. Nobody thought that was possible. And that happened by taking out the Iran nuclear threat. Without that, it could have never happened. But the board is going to be, I think, really fantastic. And I think it will be the most prestigious board of any board ever." The formation of the Gaza Board of Peace, as part of Phase 2 of the 20-Point Peace Plan to end the conflict in West Asia, aims to promote stability and oversee post-conflict reconstruction in the Gaza Strip. The Board of Peace was proposed by Trump last September as part of his plan to end the war in Gaza, although the initiative now seems to be aimed at mediating global conflict more broadly. According to a White House statement, the proposed Executive Board members will oversee portfolios critical to Gaza's stabilisation and long-term success. These include governance capacity-building, regional relations, reconstruction, investment attraction, large-scale funding, and capital mobilisation. However, countries that commit USD 1 billion would secure permanent seats on the board, while those that do not pay could still join for a three-year term.US special envoy Steve Witkoff said in a interview to CNBC on Wednesday (local time) that up to 25 countries had accepted the invitation to join the board. Among the countries that have accepted Trump's invitation are Israel, Kosovo, the United Arab Emirates, Hungary, Belarus, Azerbaijan, Egypt, Armenia, Turkey, Pakistan, Qatar and Jordan. - ANI A report warns that the UK's approval for a massive Chinese Embassy in London represents a strategic vulnerability, trading long-term security for short-term economic benefit. The embassy's location near sensitive communications cables has raised serious espionage and surveillance concerns. The decision has reportedly caused deep concern from the US and questions the strategic coherence of the AUKUS security partnership. For Australia, the episode underscores the imperative to diversify its economy and reduce over-reliance on China. Report warns UK's approval of massive Chinese Embassy in London trades security for economic gain, raising strategic concerns for AUKUS allies. Canberra, Jan 22 The United Kingdom's decision to permit the construction of a Chinese Embassy in London is not merely a "planning approval" but a warning about how economic fragility can translate into strategic vulnerability - a lesson Australia must take seriously. The proposed Embassy, critics said, could serve as a hub for interference in Britain and as a platform to suppress China's critics in the European country, a report highlighted on Thursday. "In approving construction of an enormous Chinese Embassy in London, Britain is trading long-term security resilience for short-term economic advantage. For Australia, the 20 January decision should raise concerns about strategic signalling, alliance coherence and the risks of greater economic dependence on China-at a time when all AUKUS partners are attempting to strengthen the pact against that country, the United States' peer competitor," a report in Australia-based 'The Strategist', detailed. "The 55,000 square metre Embassy will be the largest diplomatic mission in Europe, bigger than even the US embassy in London. It will be beside the Tower of London and within metres of sensitive communications cables linking financial data from the city to Canary Wharf," it added. According to the report, during construction, security concerns have been raised about potential surveillance, with Chinese officials positioned just one metre from cables running beneath the pavement. Citing the inspectors' report, it said, under diplomatic convention, China could legally deny British authorities inspect the premises during construction or after completion. "Concerns over espionage activity are not unfounded, especially as Westminster last year was engulfed by a Chinese spying scandal. It exposed the vulnerability of democratic institutions themselves. Subsequently, the charges against the two men accused of spying were dropped because the British government refused to label China a 'threat'. This, too, reinforced perceptions of excessive caution towards Beijing," the report mentioned. Regarding the Embassy, it said, the US has reportedly voiced deep concern about the plans, with the chair of the US House Select Committee on the Chinese Communist Party having openly opposed the development, citing risks to US data passing through nearby cables. "When allies raise red flags at this level, those concerns warrant close attention," the report noted. For Australia, it said, the message is that diversifying the economy, particularly to reduce dependence on China, should always be a strategic imperative as over-reliance grants Beijing strategic leverage. "Governments perceived as transactional on national security can lose allied confidence. Britain is not only a Five Eyes intelligence partner but a member of AUKUS, a security partnership designed to balance China through deterrence. When an AUKUS partner appears to accommodate Beijing for a favourable economic outcome, questions about its strategic coherence inevitably follow," the report stressed. - IANS Delhi Chief Minister Rekha Gupta attended a nine-day Ram Katha at Bharat Mandapam and announced the dedication of her one month's salary to the World Peace Centre Mission. She stated the event, featuring orator Morari Bapu and organized under Acharya Lokesh Muni's guidance, strengthens India's cultural consciousness and tradition of non-violence. Former President Ram Nath Kovind praised the Chief Minister's decision as an inspiring example of social responsibility. The program also saw discussions on Sanatan Dharma's universality and the resolve to clean the Yamuna River. Delhi Chief Minister Rekha Gupta donates one month's salary to World Peace Mission during Morari Bapu's Ram Katha, attended by Ram Nath Kovind. New Delhi, Jan 22 Delhi Chief Minister Rekha Gupta on Thursday attended the nine-day Ram Katha organised for world peace at Bharat Mandapam and dedicated her one month's salary to the World Peace Mission. The Ram Katha is being delivered by the renowned spiritual orator Morari Bapu. Addressing the gathering, the Chief Minister said that Morari Bapu's Ram Katha conveys the values of service, compassion and the moral ethos of the nation. She stated that the programme, organised under the guidance of Param Pujya Acharya Lokesh Muni, strengthens India's cultural consciousness and the tradition of non-violence. Inspired by the continuous service and public welfare initiatives undertaken by these institutions, the Chief Minister announced the dedication of her one month's salary to the World Peace Centre Mission, describing it as her humble contribution towards social responsibility and human values. Chief Minister Rekha Gupta also delivered a message of World Peace from the Ram Katha platform. Former President of India and Chairman of the Organising Committee Ram Nath Kovind said that the Chief Minister's decision to dedicate one month's salary to the World Peace Mission is an inspiring example. He added that the Ram Katha has emerged as a powerful medium for social awareness alongside spiritual awakening. Earlier, on the sixth day of the Ram Katha, Pujya Morari Bapu, while addressing devotees from the US, the UK, Canada and various states of India, said that Sanatan Dharma is eternal and universal. He invited Jain Acharya Lokesh Sanatani to the dais and bestowed his affectionate blessings. He also expressed happiness over the Chief Minister's resolve to clean the Yamuna River at the earliest. The programme was also attended by Manoj Tiwari, Member of Parliament from North East Delhi, along with several other distinguished dignitaries. - IANS India has strongly condemned an incident of trespassing and vandalism at its embassy in Zagreb, Croatia. The Ministry of External Affairs stated that diplomatic premises are inviolable under the Vienna Convention and has demanded Croatian authorities hold the perpetrators accountable. The incident occurs against the backdrop of strengthening India-Croatia ties, highlighted by Prime Minister Narendra Modi's historic visit in 2025. During that visit, several agreements were signed to boost cooperation in agriculture, culture, and science. India strongly condemns trespassing & vandalism at its Zagreb embassy, invoking Vienna Convention. MEA demands Croatia hold perpetrators accountable. New Delhi, January 22 The Ministry of External Affairs on Thursday strongly condemned the incident of trespassing and vandalism at the Indian Embassy in Croatia's Zagreb, and urged the Croatian authorities to take action against those responsible. "We condemn the incident of trespassing and vandalism at our Embassy in Zagreb, Croatia by anti-India elements," the MEA said in a statement, adding that the matter has been raised strongly with the Croatian authorities. The statement was shared by MEA spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal on X. "Under the Vienna Convention, diplomatic premises are inviolable and must be protected. Accordingly, we have taken up the matter strongly with Croatian authorities, both in New Delhi and in Zagreb and asked them to hold the perpetrators accountable for their reprehensible and illegal actions," the statement read. The MEA further said that such actions "also speak of the character and motives of those behind them", adding that law enforcement authorities everywhere must take note of these. The incident comes in the backdrop of strengthening ties between India and Croatia, including Prime Minister Narendra Modi's June 2025 visit to the Balkan nation last year, during which he held talks with the top leadership of the country, becoming the first Indian Prime Minister to travel to Croatia. On his arrival in Zagreb, he was received by his Croatian counterpart, Andrej Plenkovic. During the visit, Modi also met Plenkovic, with the two leaders deciding to give a "three-time" pace to bilateral relations. External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar, National Security Adviser Ajit Doval and Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri were also present during the talks between the two leaders. As part of the visit, India and Croatia also signed four memoranda of cooperation in the fields of agriculture, culture and science. In addition, another memorandum was signed between the ICCR and the University of Zagreb for cooperation related to the study of Indology. - ANI A tragic road accident in Doda, Jammu and Kashmir, resulted in the deaths of 10 Army personnel, with an equal number injured. Union Home Minister Amit Shah expressed deep anguish and extended condolences to the bereaved families. Defence Minister Rajnath Singh and J&K Chief Minister Omar Abdullah also conveyed their grief and confirmed the injured were receiving medical care. Rescue operations were swiftly launched despite challenging terrain and weather conditions. Union Home Minister Amit Shah & Defence Minister Rajnath Singh express grief over the Doda road accident that killed 10 Army personnel. Details on rescue ops. New Delhi, January 22 Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Thursday expressed deep anguish over the road accident involving security personnel in Doda district of Jammu and Kashmir, extending condolences to the families of the soldiers who lost their lives in the incident. In a post on X, Shah said he was "deeply pained" by the accident and conveyed his heartfelt sympathies to the bereaved families. He also said that the injured jawans were being provided the highest level of medical care. "I am deeply pained by the road accident in Doda, Jammu and Kashmir. I express my heartfelt condolences to the families of the brave soldiers we have lost in this tragic incident. The injured jawans are being provided with the highest level of medical care. I pray to God that all the soldiers recover as soon as possible," he posted on X. Defence Minister Rajnath Singh also expressed grief over the tragic road accident in Jammu and Kashmir's Doda district that claimed the lives of 10 Army personnel. Sharing an X post, Singh said that the injured soldiers were receiving medical attention and assured that all necessary directions had been issued to ensure the best possible treatment. "Deeply saddened by the tragic road accident in Doda in which we lost our 10 brave soldiers of the Indian Army. My heartfelt condolences to the bereaved families. The injured soldiers are receiving medical care and all necessary directions have been given to ensure the best possible treatment. The nation stands with our Armed Forces and their families in this difficult hour," Singh wrote. Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah also expressed condolences over the tragic accident. In a post on X, the Chief Minister's Office informed that rescue and evacuation efforts are underway. "Chief Minister has expressed deep grief over the tragic accident involving an Army vehicle at Khannitop on the Bhaderwah-Chamba road. He conveyed heartfelt condolences to the families of the soldiers who lost their lives and wished a speedy recovery to those injured, lauding the swift rescue and evacuation efforts," the CMO post read. 10 Army personnel were killed in an accident, while an equal number of personnel sustained injuries when the vehicle they were travelling in met with an accident in Doda. "Deeply saddened at the loss of lives of 10 of our brave Indian Army soldiers in an unfortunate road accident in Doda. We will always remember the outstanding service and supreme sacrifice of our brave soldiers. My deepest condolences to the grieving families," the X post of the LG Office read. According to official sources, the mishap occurred in the Khani Top area of Bhaderwah, which led to immediate rescue and relief operations. Soon after the accident, the Army and local administration teams rushed to the spot and launched rescue efforts despite the difficult terrain and adverse weather conditions. The injured personnel were provided first aid at the site and were later airlifted to Udhampur for specialised medical treatment. - ANI Four years on, RCEP continues to boost China's foreign trade growth People's Daily Online) 15:31, January 22, 2026 A drone photo shows a view of Qingdao Port in Qingdao, east China's Shandong Province, Oct. 29, 2025. (Xinhua/Li Ziheng) Four years on, the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) agreement, which took effect on Jan. 1, 2022, has remained a driving force behind China's foreign trade growth. China's total foreign trade in goods grew by 3.8 percent year on year in 2025 to reach 45.47 trillion yuan (about $6.51 trillion), hitting a new record and surpassing the 45-trillion-yuan threshold for the first time. During the same period, the country's trade with ASEAN, its largest trading partner, exceeded $1 trillion. This surge in foreign trade is credited to the benefits of RCEP, which comprises 15 countries: China, Japan, South Korea, Australia, New Zealand, and the 10 ASEAN member states. As a crucial institutional outcome of RCEP's institutional opening up in goods trade, tariff reductions have delivered tangible benefits to both foreign trade entities and consumers. On Jan. 8, under the supervision of customs officers at Huadu Customs, an affiliate of Guangzhou Customs in south China's Guangdong Province, Guangzhou Xuelei Cosmetics Co., Ltd. shipped a batch of perfume valued at 976,000 yuan to Malaysia. With a declaration of origin issued independently by the company, the shipment enjoyed zero-tariff treatment under RCEP rules, saving the enterprise nearly 48,000 yuan. Xuelei specializes in the research, development, production, and sales of perfume and fragrance products, with an annual production capacity exceeding 100 million bottles. Over 70 percent of its products are sold to overseas markets, including Southeast Asia, the Middle East, and Latin America, according to Wu Binghe, director of the company's foreign trade department. Since RCEP took effect, the company's perfume and fragrance sales in Southeast Asian markets have continued to grow. In 2025, its shipment volumes nearly doubled compared to 2024, and the company aims to increase shipments to Southeast Asia by another 30 to 50 percent in 2026. "Don't underestimate these few percentage points of tariff reduction, for manufacturers, consumers, distributors, and e-commerce platforms, this is a real bonus," Wu said. The company can now either apply to customs for certificates of origin or issue declarations of origin independently, offering more flexible options to receive preferential treatment. In 2025, based on customer needs, the company independently issued 17 RCEP declarations of origin, with preferential goods valued at approximately 15.93 million yuan. RCEP has simplified customs clearance procedures, enabling international trade enterprises to operate more efficiently. In central China's Hubei Province, a company established in 2022 mainly focuses on extracting polysaccharides, polypeptides, small molecule peptides, and tea polyphenols from high-quality dried edible fungi, tea leaves, and other raw materials. The company's products are widely used as food ingredients, health supplement ingredients, and cosmetic additives, with exports primarily destined for Vietnam, Thailand, and Malaysia. For He Xiaoling, head of the company's customs affairs, beyond the benefits of tariff reductions, the improvement in customs clearance facilitation has left a lasting impression. "Our office is quite far from Suizhou Customs, and initially, our business grew rapidly, so we had to make over a dozen trips each month to handle certificates of origin. Later, to accommodate demand driven by RCEP, Suizhou Customs implemented a certification model integrating online declaration, intelligent review, and self-service printing, helping us to apply for certificates online in a step-by-step process. This saved me tremendous time and energy," he said. This year, the company aims to stabilize export value at over $50 million. Along with increasing exports, the company's demand for local shiitake mushrooms has grown steadily. Currently, the enterprise has driven over 300 households in the surrounding area to cultivate shiitake mushrooms, with each household's annual income increasing by more than 20,000 yuan. China's thriving international trade is reflected not only in growing trade volumes but also in closer ties with regional industrial and supply chains. Data shows that from 2022 to November 2025, Qingdao Customs and Jinan Customs in east China's Shandong Province applied RCEP tariff rates to imported goods worth 20.94 billion yuan, reducing tariffs by 840 million yuan. Besides serving the domestic market, a considerable portion of these imported goods acts as raw materials for export processing. For more foreign trade entities, the increasingly prosperous business has also offered a promising vision for competing in broader international markets. Zhou Ju, customs manager at Guangxi Jin'gui Pulp & Paper Co., Ltd. in south China's Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, said that as an important papermaking base of Indonesia's Sinar Mas Group in China, the company's exports of laminated paper, uncoated paperboard, white cardboard, and other products exceeded 1 million tonnes in 2025, up 121 percent year on year. "RCEP contributed greatly to the impressive performance," Zhou said. Nanning Customs, in collaboration with the commerce department and others, compiled and continuously updated Guangxi's "three lists" of advantageous export commodities under RCEP, covering preferential import tariff rates from 2022 to 2027 for over 1,000 commodities across Guangxi's advantageous industries. Enterprises can consult the lists to find optimal tariff rates, thereby optimizing production layouts and exploring international markets more strategically. Today, our company's export markets have expanded from Southeast Asia to include countries like South Korea and Australia," Zhou added. (Web editor: Hongyu, Liang Jun) US President Donald Trump formally launched his "Board of Peace" initiative by signing its charter at the World Economic Forum in Davos. He claimed the initiative is already helping to settle conflicts, including the war in Ukraine, and suggested it could assume roles currently held by the United Nations. The charter designates Trump as permanent chairman and requires a $1 billion contribution for permanent membership, drawing mixed reactions from global leaders. Several European allies, including the UK, declined to participate, citing concerns over the board's expanded mandate and the inclusion of Russian President Vladimir Putin. US President Donald Trump signs charter for new global peace initiative at Davos, with 35 nations committed and a controversial $1B membership fee. Davos, January 22 US President Donald Trump on Thursday signed the charter to formally launch his "Board of Peace" initiative at the World Economic Forum in Davos, describing it as a major step towards global conflict resolution. Calling it a "very exciting day, long in the making", Trump said, "We're going to have peace in the world," and added, "And we're all stars." In his opening remarks, Trump said, "Just one year ago the world was actually on fire, a lot of people didn't know it," but claimed "many good things are happening" and threats worldwide "are really calming down." Trump, flanked by leaders from founding member countries, said his administration was "settling eight wars" and claimed that "a lot of progress" had been made towards ending Russia's war in Ukraine. Thanking leaders who were present at the ceremony, Trump said, "We are truly honoured by your presence today," adding they were "in most cases very popular leaders, some cases not so popular." He also remarked, "In this group I like every single one of them." Trump has previously described the newly-formed body as potentially the "most prestigious board ever formed." The initiative originated from the US president's 20-point Gaza ceasefire plan endorsed by the UN Security Council, but has since expanded beyond its original scope. Administration officials said around 35 nations had committed to join, while 60 nations received invitations. Trump also suggested the new body could assume roles currently held by the United Nations. Trump said, "We have a lot of great people that want to join," while speaking during a meeting with Egyptian President Abdel-Fattah el-Sisi, whose country has confirmed membership. He added that some leaders needed parliamentary approval before committing, while other countries not invited were seeking inclusion. Defending the inclusion of Russia's Vladimir Putin and other leaders, Trump said he wanted "everybody" who was powerful and could "get the job done." Several European allies declined participation, with concerns reportedly raised over the expanded mandate of the board and its possible impact on the existing international system based on the UN Charter. The UK also said it would not sign the treaty during Trump's ceremony, British Foreign Secretary Yvette Cooper said, citing concerns related to the invitation to Putin. According to a copy of the charter cited by media outlets, countries seeking permanent membership would have to make a USD 1 billion contribution, while non-paying members would have a three-year mandate. The charter designates Trump as permanent chairman even after leaving office. Trump linked the initiative to his approach on Iran and claimed it played a role in securing the Israel-Hamas ceasefire. "If we didn't do that, there was no chance of making peace," Trump said. Meanwhile, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy arrived in Davos on Thursday as Trump voiced frustration over the prolonged conflict between Russia and Ukraine. "I believe they're at a point now where they can come together and get a deal done," Trump said. "And if they don't, they're stupid -- that goes for both of them." - ANI External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar met with EU Ambassadors in New Delhi, advocating for enhanced India-EU relations to address global instability. The discussions preceded the high-profile visit of European Council President Antonio Luis Santos da Costa and European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen for Republic Day and the 16th India-EU Summit. The EU leaders will hold talks with Prime Minister Narendra Modi and co-chair the summit aimed at deepening the strategic partnership. The EU has also agreed to advance a new Security and Defence Partnership with India, expanding cooperation in maritime security and counterterrorism. EAM Jaishankar meets EU Ambassadors, outlines cooperation on supply chains, security, and trade ahead of key summit and Republic Day visit. New Delhi, Jan 22 External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar on Thursday held an interaction with the Ambassadors from European Union member countries in New Delhi which, according to him, focused on the current state of the world with volatility and instability around. The discussions came ahead of the State Visit to India by the European Council President Antonio Luis Santos da Costa and European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, who will also be the Chief Guests at the 77th Republic Day celebrations on January 26. "Pleased to interact with the Ambassadors from EU countries today. Spoke to them about the current state of the world with volatility and instability as the new normal," EAM Jaishankar posted on X after meeting the EU Ambassadors. "Made a case for stronger India-EU relations that will: Derisk the world economy by cooperating on resilient supply chains; Reassure the international community by providing public goods like HADR, anti-piracy operations, development projects etc; and, stabilise the global order through stronger trade, mobility and security partnership," he added. The EAM mentioned further that India is eagerly looking forward to the visit of the European Council President Antonio Luis Santos da Costa and European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen for the Republic Day celebrations. The EU leaders, who will be arriving in India at the invitation of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, will also co-chair the 16th India-EU Summit on January 27. During the visit, they will call on President Droupadi Murmu and hold restricted and delegation-level talks with Prime Minister Modi. An India-EU Business Forum is also expected to be organised on the sidelines of the India-EU Summit. "India and the European Union are strategic partners since 2004. The 15th India-EU Summit was held virtually on 15 July 2020. Bilateral ties have expanded and deepened across a wide range of areas, particularly following the historic visit of EU College of Commissioners to India in February 2025. Participation of EU leaders as Chief Guests at the 77th Republic Day and the 16th India-EU Summit will further deepen the India-EU Strategic Partnership and advance collaboration in priority areas of mutual interest," the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) stated ahead of the EU leaders' India visit. On Wednesday, EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Kaja Kallas stated that Europe is ready to deliver on a "powerful" new agenda with India. "Today, the EU agreed to move forward with the signature of a new Security and Defence Partnership. It will expand our cooperation in areas such as maritime security, counterterrorism and cyber-defence. I look forward to signing it next week during the EU-India Summit in New Delhi," Kallas, also the Vice-President of the European Commission, posted on X. - IANS Union Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw outlined India's five-layer AI mission at the World Economic Forum in Davos, emphasizing a structured approach from energy to applications. He revealed India has established a public-private partnership providing 38,000 GPUs as a common compute facility at a fraction of global cost. Vaishnaw advocated for a "techno-legal" regulatory approach to address risks like bias and deepfakes with robust technical tools. He also highlighted a strategic shift towards cost-effective, scalable AI solutions, noting most work can be done with smaller parameter models. Union Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw details India's five-element AI strategy at Davos, covering energy, chips, models, and public-private partnerships. Davos, January 22 Union Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw on Wednesday described the five distinct elements that form the backbone of India's artificial intelligence mission. During the ongoing global summit, the Minister pointed out that the whole world, and especially the AI-related industry, is appreciating that India is working methodically across all five layers. On the industry's reaction to India's progress, Vaishnaw commented, " The whole world today, and especially the AI-related industry, is appreciating the fact that India is working methodically on all five layers." Breaking down the technical framework, the Minister said, "If we look at what AI is, AI has five elements. The first element is the application layer, that is, how we use it. The second is the model layer, the models that are created. The third is the chip layer, the semiconductor layer. The fourth is the infrastructure layer, the data centres. The fifth layer is energy." He further added, "In the world of AI, which is the fifth industrial revolution, energy is going to be a very big factor. In this kind of situation, from energy to applications, India's methodical work has been highly appreciated by the world, and especially by the AI-related industry." Meanwhile, Ashwini Vaishnaw has detailed India's comprehensive strategy to dominate the global artificial intelligence landscape, emphasising a shift from big-tech-controlled resources to a public-private partnership model. Speaking at a World Economic Forum panel on the "Role of AI in Economic Growth and Global Influence," the Minister revealed that India has successfully established a public-private partnership with 38,000 GPUs as a common compute facility, accessible to students, researchers, and startups at roughly one-third the global cost, unlike many countries where big tech controls GPU access. Addressing the critical issue of regulation, Vaishnaw advocated for a "techno-legal" approach rather than relying solely on standalone legislation. He argued that the complexities of modern technology require robust technical tools to address risks such as bias and deepfakes, including detection systems accurate enough to stand judicial scrutiny. He added that India is developing technologies to mitigate bias, enable reliable deepfake detection, and ensure proper "unlearning" before AI models are deployed. The Minister also highlighted a strategic shift in the economics of the Fifth Industrial Revolution, suggesting that the massive ROI of the future will come from cost-effective, scalable solutions rather than just "brute-force" computing. He debunked the myth that all AI progress requires expensive hardware, noting that "nearly 95 per cent of AI work can be done using the 20-50 billion parameter models." - ANI Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy delivered a sharp critique of European security policy at the World Economic Forum in Davos. He accused Europe of being trapped in a "Groundhog Day" cycle of discussions without decisive action on its own defense. Zelenskyy contrasted US actions against Venezuela with Europe's perceived inaction against Russia, questioning why Europe does not seize Russian oil funding the war. He called for greater European unity and political will to confront security threats directly. Ukrainian President criticizes Europe's indecision on defense and security at Davos, warning of inaction against Russia and reliance on the US. Davos, January 22 Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy on Thursday, in a sharp address at the World Economic Forum in Davos, noted Europe was failing to act decisively on its own defence and security, warning that the continent remained trapped in a cycle of repeated discussions without concrete action. Drawing a comparison with the film Groundhog Day, Zelenskyy said Europe's approach looked like the same situation playing out again and again. "No one would want to live like that, repeating the same thing for weeks and months and of course, four years," Zelenskyy said. "That's exactly how we live now. And it's our life." He told the gathering that he had delivered the same warning at Davos last year. "Just last year here in Davos, I ended my speech with the words Europe needs to know how to defend itself. A year has passed and nothing has changed. We are still in a situation where I must say the same words," he said. Zelenskyy said Europe "hasn't even tried to build its own response" on defence, noting that while some countries have increased investments, many moved only after pressure from US President Donald Trump. "What message does this send to Putin, to China?" he asked. Highlighting what he described as symbolic gestures on security, Zelenskyy said sending "40 soldiers to protect Greenland won't make a difference". He said Ukraine had the experience required to defend such regions. "We know how to fight there," he said, adding, "We would solve the problem if we were in Nato, but we are not." Turning to accountability for the war, Zelenskyy criticised what he described as the absence of criminal action against Russia. Referring to developments in Venezuela, he said, "President Trump led an operation in Venezuela, and Maduro was arrested. There were different opinions about it but the fact remains, Maduro is on trial in New York." He contrasted this with the situation involving Russian President Vladimir Putin. "Putin is not on trial. This is the fourth year of the biggest war in Europe since World War Two and the man who started it is not only free, he is still fighting for his frozen money in Europe," Zelenskyy said. He said Europe was avoiding immediate action despite holding multiple meetings. Echoing Trump's criticism of Europe, Zelenskyy said, "Europe loves to discuss the future, but avoids taking action today." Zelenskyy said the lack of progress extended to establishing a tribunal on Russian crimes. "What's missing? Time or political will? Too often in Europe, something else is always more urgent than justice," he said. He also raised questions over Europe's response to Russian oil exports, arguing the issue had direct links to the war. "Why can President Trump stop tankers from the shadow fleet and seize oil, but Europe doesn't?" Zelenskyy asked. "That oil funds the war against Ukraine, that oil helps destabilise Europe." Citing Iran and Belarus as examples, Zelenskyy warned that refusing to respond to threats and repression could have lasting consequences. On Belarus, he said, "No one helped their people in 2020 and now Russian missiles are deployed in Belarus within range of most European capitals." Zelenskyy said Europe remained divided and overly cautious about upsetting partners. "I'm told not to mention Tomahawks to the Americans, not to spoil the mood," he said, adding that he was also advised not to raise the issue of Taurus missiles. Pointing to political uncertainty in Europe's dealings with Washington, Zelenskyy said, "Europe looks lost trying to convince the US president to change. But he will not change." He added, "President Trump loves who he is, and he says he loves Europe, but he will not listen to this kind of Europe." Referring to Trump's newly launched Board of Peace initiative, Zelenskyy said Europe had not yet formed a united position. "Maybe tonight when the European Council meets, they will decide something," he said, adding that Europe might "finally decide something on Greenland". Calling for unity, Zelenskyy urged European countries to act together and build stronger collective resolve. "When united we are truly invincible," he said, adding Europe should not accept being "just a salad of small and middle powers". Earlier, Zelenskyy held a closed-door meeting with Trump for around an hour in Davos. Trump later told reporters the meeting had gone well, but said there remained "a ways to go" to end the war. "The war has to end," Trump said. "There are a lot of people being killed." - ANI French President Emmanuel Macron announced that the French Navy boarded a Russia-linked oil tanker in the Mediterranean Sea that was subject to international sanctions. The vessel, suspected of being part of Moscow's "shadow fleet" and flying a false flag, was diverted following the operation conducted with allied support. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky praised the action as a necessary step to curb Russia's ability to finance its war against Ukraine. This incident follows a similar detention of a Russian-linked ship by French authorities in late September. French Navy seizes Russia-linked "shadow fleet" tanker, enforcing sanctions. Macron vows to uphold international law, Zelensky praises move. Paris, January 23 French President Emmanuel Macron on Thursday said that the French Navy had boarded a Russia-linked oil tanker in the Mediterranean Sea, asserting that France would not tolerate "any violation" of international law. Macron said the tanker was subject to international sanctions and was suspected of operating as part of Moscow's so-called "shadow fleet," suspected of flying a false flag. In a post on X, Macron wrote, "We will not tolerate any violation. This morning, the French Navy boarded an oil tanker coming from Russia, subject to international sanctions and suspected of flying a false flag. The operation was conducted on the high seas in the Mediterranean, with the support of several of our allies. It was carried out in strict compliance with the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea. A judicial investigation has been opened. The vessel has been diverted. We are determined to uphold international law and to ensure the effective enforcement of sanctions. The activities of the "shadow fleet" contribute to financing the war of aggression against Ukraine. According to France 24, Local maritime authorities stated that the navy seized an oil tanker called "Grinch" between Spain and Morocco after it set sail from the Russian Arctic port of Murmansk. A ship named "Grinch" is under United Kingdom (UK) sanctions, while another called "Carl" with the same registration number is sanctioned by the United States and the European Union. Ship-tracking websites, marinetraffic and vesselfinder, said the vessel had been flying a Comoros flag, France 24 said. Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelensky welcomed the French action, thanking Macron for what he described as a strong and necessary step to curb Russia's war financing. In a post on X, Zelensky respond, "Thank you, France! Thank you, @EmmanuelMacron! This is exactly the kind of resolve needed to ensure that Russian oil no longer finances Russia's war. Russian tankers operating near European shores must be stopped. Sanctions against the entire infrastructure of the shadow fleet must be tough. Vessels must be apprehended. And wouldn't it be fair to confiscate and sell the oil carried by these tankers?" According to France 24, in late September, French authorities detained a Russian-linked ship called the Boracay, a vessel claiming to be flagged in Benin, in a move Russian President Vladimir Putin condemned as "piracy". - ANI Gujarat's Republic Day tableau is themed "The Mantra of Independence: Vande Mataram," marking the song's 150th anniversary. It visually narrates the evolution of the Indian national flag, starting from its first display in 1906. The display highlights key figures like Madam Bhikaiji Cama, who unfurled an early version in Paris, and Mahatma Gandhi, symbolizing the Swadeshi movement. The tableau will be part of the parade attended by European leaders as chief guests. Gujarat's Republic Day tableau celebrates Vande Mataram's 150 years, tracing the national flag's evolution from Bhikaiji Cama to Mahatma Gandhi. New Delhi/Gandhinagar, Jan 22 To mark the 77th Republic Day, Gujarat will present a special tableau on Kartavya Path themed "The Mantra of Independence Vande Mataram," celebrating the 150th anniversary of the iconic song. The tableau will portray the journey of the Indian national flag, tracing its evolution, symbolism, and key historical milestones associated with the freedom movement. It highlights the contributions of eminent leaders from Gujarat, including Shyamji Krishna Varma and Sardar Singh Rana, along with Madam Bhikaiji Cama, who unfurled the "Vande Mataram" flag on foreign soil in Paris in 1907. "The tableau begins with the origins of Vande Mataram and presents a visual narrative of the flag's creation, its transformations, and its historical significance," officials said. Mahatma Gandhi and the charkha (spinning wheel) feature prominently, symbolising the Swadeshi movement and its continuing relevance in the vision of Atmanirbhar Bharat. At the forefront, Madam Bhikhaiji Cama is depicted holding the flag she hoisted in Paris, later exhibited at the Indian Socialist Conference in Stuttgart, Germany. Beneath this, the Constitution's recognition of Vande Mataram in multiple Indian languages is showcased. The central segment traces the evolution of the national flag from 1906, beginning with its first display at Parsee Bagan in Kolkata, followed by successive versions proposed by leaders such as Annie Besant, Bal Gangadhar Tilak and Pingali Venkayya, culminating in its final adoption with the Ashoka Chakra on July 22, 1947. The tableau is further enlivened by artists performing to the tune of the Gujarati patriotic song "Kasumbi no Rang," penned by national poet Jhaverchand Meghani. Prepared under the guidance of Information and Broadcasting Secretary Dr Vikrant Pandey, the tableau will be among 30 displays from 17 states, Union Territories and central government departments featured in this year's Republic Day parade. European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen and European Council President Antonio Costa are scheduled to attend the celebrations as chief guests. - IANS Union Minister Pralhad Joshi, speaking at the World Economic Forum in Davos, framed India's energy transition as a core driver of industrial growth and competitiveness. He highlighted major milestones, including achieving 267 GW of installed non-fossil capacity and the rapid deployment of rooftop solar and solar pumps for farmers. Joshi emphasized that this shift is lowering electricity costs for industry and households while building a robust domestic manufacturing base. The minister also held bilateral meetings with officials from Jordan, Zimbabwe, and the International Energy Agency to strengthen cooperation. Union Minister Pralhad Joshi details India's renewable energy success, linking it to industrial growth and lower tariffs at Davos. Davos, Jan 22 India's energy transition has been deliberately designed as a tool for industrial growth, job creation and global competitiveness, particularly for emerging economies, said Union Minister for New and Renewable Energy, Pralhad Joshi, here on Thursday. Addressing a high-level session on "Energy: The Great Funding Gap" at the World Economic Forum Annual Meeting, the Minister underlined that under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, India has transformed its clean energy transition into a people-centric development movement, while simultaneously strengthening energy security and lowering costs for industry. The Minister stated that India has already achieved 267 GW of installed non-fossil energy capacity, with renewables now accounting for around 52 per cent of the country's total installed power capacity, well ahead of earlier timelines. He emphasised that India views the energy transition not merely as an environmental imperative, but as a growth enabler, supporting rapid industrialisation and making electricity more affordable for businesses and households alike. Highlighting flagship decentralised renewable energy programmes, the Minister said that PM Surya Ghar: Muft Bijli Yojana has enabled the installation of rooftop solar systems in 2.7 million households in the last two years alone, with a target of 10 million households, which is expected to generate around 30 GW of power. Under PM-KUSUM, more than 2.1 million farmers across the country have had their irrigation pumps solarised, significantly reducing dependence on subsidised grid power while enabling farmers to earn additional income by selling surplus electricity. "These initiatives are not only providing affordable energy but are also turning consumers into 'prosumers', improving household incomes and rural livelihoods," the Minister said. By replacing high-cost subsidised electricity with low-cost solar power, the savings have translated into lower tariffs for industry and households, marking a historic shift in India's power sector. Electricity tariffs are coming down because of the renewable energy revolution, he noted. The Union Minister highlighted that India has built a strong domestic manufacturing base across the renewable energy value chain. He noted that the country has already established 144 GW of solar module manufacturing capacity, while solar cell manufacturing capacity has reached 27 GW and is expected to expand to around 50 GW in the near future. He further stated that India is moving towards completing the entire manufacturing cycle, with planned manufacturing of wafers and ingots set to commence shortly. Alongside solar manufacturing, the Union Minister underlined the rapid scale-up of wind energy, battery storage and pumped storage solutions, which are critical for ensuring reliability and grid stability. These efforts, he said, are not only strengthening India's clean energy supply chains but are also generating large-scale employment and enhancing the country's industrial competitiveness. In bilateral diplomatic engagements, Joshi met Dr. Tareq Abu Ghazaleh, Minister of Investment, and Ms. Zeina Toukan, Minister of Planning and International Cooperation of Jordan, and discussed avenues for enhanced cooperation and investment partnerships. The Union Minister also met Amon Murwira, Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Trade of Zimbabwe, and discussed deepening India-Zimbabwe cooperation in renewable energy. Joshi met Dr. Fatih Birol, Executive Director of the International Energy Agency. The discussions covered strengthening the IEA's focus on India-specific data, analysis and policy recommendations, as well as exploring innovative financing approaches to help lower the cost of capital. - IANS The G4 nationsIndia, Brazil, Germany, and Japanhave presented a concrete model for urgent UN Security Council reform, warning that further delays risk more human suffering and damage to the UN's credibility. Their proposal calls for expanding the Council from 15 to 25-26 members, including six new permanent seats allocated to Africa, Asia Pacific, Latin America, and Western Europe. The group criticized the "Uniting for Consensus" bloc, led by Italy and including Pakistan, for using procedural tactics to block text-based negotiations. India's envoy also rejected proposals to create seats based on religious affiliation, stating they run counter to established UN practice. India, Brazil, Germany, Japan propose model to expand UN Security Council, warn stalled reforms lead to more misery and credibility crisis. United Nations, Jan 22 Delaying Security Council reforms would cause "more human suffering and misery", the G4 nations have warned while presenting a model for early action to restructure the UN's highest decision-making body. With "countless innocent lives" lost every day to ongoing conflicts, "we must collectively make every moment count", India's Permanent Representative P. Harish said on behalf of the G4 at the Inter-Governmental Negotiations (IGN) for Security Council reforms on Wednesday. The G4 is made up of India, Brazil, Germany, and Japan, who advocate together for reforming the Council and also mutually support each other for permanent seats on a reformed body. "The world is going through unprecedented times," and the UN's credibility and efficacy are being questioned because of its inability to deal with raging conflicts, he said. "For decades, status-quoists have been posing hurdles and impeding forward movement. In so doing, they contribute to the failure of the Security Council," Harish said. The IGN, as the reform process referred to, faces roadblocks from a small group of countries that call themselves the Uniting for Consensus (UfC) and use procedural tactics to prevent the adoption of a negotiating text that would allow progress in negotiations. Gianluca Greco, the deputy permanent representative of Italy, which leads the group that includes Pakistan, insisted that there should first be consensus on all issues before there can be a text laying out the reforms. He also reiterated the UfC's raison d'etre, preventing expansion of permanent membership. Harish said the G4 is categorical that "negotiations on the basis of a text, which stipulate clearly laid out milestones and timelines, are central" to the IGN process. As a stepping stone to this goal, he said the "G4 remains committed to working towards a consolidated model as this could be the precursor for text-based negotiations". The consolidated model would pool together the suggestions from all UN members and present them in a manner to help the negotiations. Harish laid out the G4's concrete model for reforms covering all categories and geographies. The Council's size must go up from the present 15 to 25 or 26, with six of them new permanent seats, he said. Reflecting the "contemporary geo-political realities" is a "fundamental principle" behind the G4 model, he said. For this, two of the six new permanent seats should go to the African region, two to the Asia Pacific, and one each to Latin America and Western Europe, he said. Implied in this model is India and Japan getting the Asia Pacific seats, Brazil the Latin American seat, and Germany the one for Western European countries. One or two of the new non-permanent seats would be allocated to Africa, and one each would go to the Asia Pacific, Latin America and the Eastern European Group, Harish said. Within the non-permanent category, "due consideration" should be given to the Small Island Developing States to ensure their adequate and continued representation, he said. The G4 is against introducing new seats based on religion, he said. He did not specify the religion, but suggestions have been floated to reserve seats for Islamic countries. Harish said, "Proposals to introduce new parameters, such as religious affiliation, run counter to established UN practice and add considerable complexity to an already difficult discussion". He took a dig at the UfC, without calling it out by name, for opposing permanent seats for Africa, which is backed by most countries. "G4 has specified its formula to address the historical injustices against Africa," he said. "One cannot say they support addressing such injustices and, at the same time, oppose the expansion in the permanent category" for Africa, he said. Japan's Permanent Representative, Yamazaki Kazuyuki, said that the Asia Pacific region is underrepresented in the Security Council. It has only one-fifth of the seats -- one permanent seat and two non-permanent seats - even though the region has 54 UN members and more than half of the world's population, he said. - IANS Gujarat Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel has instructed district administrations to ensure swift and sensitive resolution of public grievances. He issued these directions while personally hearing complaints during the state's SWAGAT online grievance redressal program. The CM gave immediate orders to resolve specific farmer issues, including constructing a siphon to prevent sewage from damaging crops in Dabhoi and addressing submerged farmland in Botad. He also directed officials to expedite delayed housing construction for beneficiaries in Surat district. CM Bhupendra Patel orders swift action on public grievances, focusing on farmer land issues and housing delays during SWAGAT online hearing. Gandhinagar, Jan 22 Gujarat Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel on Thursday issued clear instructions to district administrations to take citizen-centric decisions based on local representations and ensure swift resolution of public grievances. The directions were issued while he personally heard complaints during the January 2026 edition of the State SWAGAT (State Wide Attention on Grievances by Application of Technology) Online programme. During the January session, action was taken on a total of 4,057 representations across the state. This included 110 complaints presented directly at the State SWAGAT Online programme, 1,492 cases addressed through district-level SWAGAT hearings, and 2,565 grievances resolved at the taluka level, reflecting the government's emphasis on decentralised and time-bound grievance redressal. The Chief Minister reiterated that district and local administrative machinery must respond with sensitivity, particularly to issues affecting farmers and ordinary citizen families. He underlined that public problems related to illegal encroachments on roads, drainage lines and canals, as well as obstructions on inter-village connecting roads, must be resolved promptly and with a people-first approach. During the hearing, farmers from Dabhoi and Botad districts, as well as beneficiaries from Surat district, placed long-pending issues before the Chief Minister. Patel responded with immediate and solution-oriented directions. In Dabhoi, farmers reported that untreated gutter water released by the municipality was damaging crops and degrading nearly 150 bighas of cultivable land belonging to 33 farmers. Taking serious note of the issue, the Chief Minister directed the administration to immediately construct a siphon system to prevent sewage water from entering farmlands. He also instructed officials to ensure the municipal Sewage Treatment Plant (STP) functions effectively so that the long-standing problem faced by farmers is resolved permanently. In another case from Botad district, farmers informed the Chief Minister that the increased height of a village pond embankment had resulted in around 500 bighas of agricultural land belonging to 42 farmers being submerged, while also cutting off access routes to their fields. Patel issued immediate instructions to the concerned departments and local authorities to take farmer-friendly decisions and resolve the matter without delay. Additionally, beneficiaries from Surat district raised the issue of prolonged delays in constructing new houses at sites where dilapidated Gujarat Housing Board buildings had already been demolished. Responding to the complaint, the Chief Minister directed Gujarat Housing Board officials to expedite the construction process and ensure the timely completion of new housing units. - IANS The Sakhi Craft Bazaar at the Rann Utsav in Kutch has generated sales exceeding Rs 5 crore, attracting over 4.5 lakh visitors. Organized under Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel's leadership, it featured 100 stalls showcasing products from 330 women-led self-help groups from Gujarat and other states. The bazaar offered handicrafts, textiles, and food, blending traditional craft with contemporary design in a vibrant setting with live music. This initiative is seen as a successful model for using tourism to drive inclusive economic growth and women's livelihood promotion. Gujarat's women-led Sakhi Craft Bazaar at Rann Utsav records over Rs 5 crore in sales, empowering 330 self-help groups with 4.5 lakh visitors. Gandhinagar, Jan 22 The Sakhi Craft Bazaar, organised at the Rann Utsav in Kutch, has emerged as a major platform for women-led entrepreneurship, registering sales of over Rs 5 crore within a month of its launch. The bazaar, which has attracted a footfall of more than 4.5 lakh visitors, is being hailed as one of the key highlights of this year's Rann Utsav. Held from December 4, 2025, to January 15, 2026, the Sakhi Craft Bazaar has been organised under the leadership and vision of Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel, as part of the state government's broader push to strengthen the economic independence of women across Gujarat. The initiative aligns with the government's focus on creating sustainable livelihood opportunities for women through self-help groups (SHGs). The bazaar has been set up inside a large, specially designed dome and features 100 stalls, showcasing products made by women from 330 self-help groups in different phases. Participants include SHG members not only from Gujarat but also from several other states, giving the market a national character. For many women artisans, the platform has provided direct access to a large and diverse consumer base. Visitors to the Sakhi Craft Bazaar are offered a wide range of products, including handicrafts, handloom textiles, pottery, jewellery, home decor items, and packaged food products. The offerings reflect a blend of traditional craftsmanship and contemporary design, appealing to both domestic and international tourists. The vibrant ambience of the bazaar is further enhanced by live music performances and a cafeteria, making it a popular destination within the Rann Utsav grounds. Tourism officials said that visiting the Sakhi Craft Bazaar has become a memorable experience for tourists, many of whom spend considerable time interacting with artisans and learning about the stories behind the products. The strong sales figures, they noted, underline the growing market acceptance of products made by women-led self-help groups. The initiative is supported by the Rural Development Department, Government of Gujarat, through the Gujarat Livelihood Promotion Company Limited. Under this framework, the state organises two national-level fairs and 10 to 12 regional-level fairs every year to promote the marketing of products made by Sakhi Mandal members. In a significant expansion this year, the programme has gone beyond traditional fairs to include shopping festivals, Sakhi markets in major malls, flea markets, Swadeshi Melas, and special arrangements for the sale and branding of Sakhi Mandal products during tourism events. Officials said these efforts are aimed at ensuring consistent market access, better branding, and higher income for women entrepreneurs. With strong footfall, robust sales and growing visibility, the Sakhi Craft Bazaar at the Rann Utsav is being seen as a successful model of how tourism-linked initiatives can be leveraged to promote women's livelihoods and inclusive economic growth in Gujarat. - IANS J-11 fighters in training China Military Online) 15:36, January 22, 2026 A J-11 fighter jet attached to a unit with the air force under the Chinese PLA Eastern Theater Command takes off for a flight training exercise on January 6, 2026. (eng.chinamil.com.cn/Photo by Li Kai) A J-11 fighter jet attached to a unit with the air force under the Chinese PLA Eastern Theater Command takes off for a flight training exercise on January 6, 2026. (eng.chinamil.com.cn/Photo by Li Kai) (Web editor: Zhong Wenxing, Liang Jun) Gujarat Deputy Chief Minister Harsh Sanghavi announced at the World Economic Forum in Davos that Gujarat will become India's first state to produce nuclear energy using small reactors under the new SHANTI Bill. The bill opens avenues for private sector involvement in nuclear power generation, subject to strict safety and security safeguards. Sanghavi highlighted Gujarat's strong economic fundamentals, including its leading contribution to India's GDP and manufacturing output. He credited Prime Minister Narendra Modi for India's elevated global standing, which has attracted significant investor interest in state pavilions at Davos. Gujarat Deputy CM announces state will be first to produce nuclear energy via small reactors under new SHANTI Bill, unveiled at Davos. Davos, January 22 Gujarat Deputy Chief Minister and Industries Minister Harsh Sanghavi on Thursday said that Gujarat will become the first state in India to produce nuclear energy through small reactors under the new Sustainable Harnessing and Advancement of Nuclear Energy for Transforming India Bill, marking a major step toward clean, reliable and future-ready energy infrastructure. While speaking with ANI on the sidelines of the World Economic Forum (WEF) in Davos, Sanghavi outlined Gujarat's investment roadmap, high-level meetings with global technology leaders, and the state's key economic achievements. "In the last three days in Davos, we met over three global companies to hold successful discussion on technologies and investments around nuclear power. I am very proud to share that Gujrat will be the first state to produce nuclear energy through small reactors," he said. The SHANTI Bill opens avenues for participation by joint ventures and private companies, subject to strict national security and safety safeguards. On the question of risk sharing, Sanghavi said, "The matter is being discussed at the central-level and the clarity will come out very soon. But let me tell you, Gujarat will lead among states in India to produce nuclear energy through small reactors, and will be the first state to do so." SHANTI Bill provides for the promotion and development of nuclear energy and ionising radiation for nuclear power generation, application in healthcare, food, water, agriculture, industry, research, environment, innovation in nuclear science and technology, for the welfare of the people of India, and for robust regulatory framework for its safe and secure utilisation and for matters connected therewith or incidental thereto. Sanghavi further said, "We arrived in Davos with a clear vision to aggressively attract industries, nurture local enterprises into national champions in the first phase, and develop them into global leaders in the second phase through quality manufacturing and a strong skill-based economy." "This year, Davos has a different flavor of India. Since morning, there are queues of investors outside state pavilions. This reflects the rise of New India," he said, crediting Prime Minister Narendra Modi for elevating India's global standing. "Gujarat is participating in Davos for the first time in a big way and has held multiple high-level meetings with global leaders across sectors in just three days. We have received a very positive response from foreign investors," he added. Sanghavi also emphasized Gujarat's core strengths as an investment destination. He said, Gujarat delivers, "Stable governance and policy continuity, maximum governance, minimum government. "The state also ensures fast execution and transparency as well as high returns with low investment risk," he said. "An investor wants safety for his capital and the right returns. Gujarat delivers both," he added. Sanghavi further underlined Gujarat's strong economic fundamentals. "Currently, Gujarat holds 8.3% contribution to India's GDP, the highest among states, and 18% share in India's manufacturing output." Further, he said, "65% of the state's energy from renewable sources, the highest in the country. Also, there are 48 ports, handling over 40% of India's cargo movement." The Deputy CM also said Gujarat is home to the maximum number of companies, including several global Fortune 500 firms, and noted that the state consistently reached new economic heights through initiatives like Vibrant Gujarat, investor-friendly policies, and long-term planning. - ANI Saudi and Kuwaiti investors have initiated a massive $2 billion international arbitration case against the Pakistani government. They allege regulatory interference and contradictory instructions stalled the $1.77 billion sale of K-Electric to Shanghai Electric for over eight years. The claimants also cite decades of unpaid government receivables, including tariff subsidies, which have crippled the utility's finances. Furthermore, they accuse the government of politicizing the tariff framework and failing to notify key regulatory determinations. Saudi & Kuwaiti investors file a $2 billion claim against Pakistan, alleging regulatory interference that blocked K-Electric's $1.77B sale and unpaid dues. New Delhi, Jan 22 Saudi and Kuwaiti investors holding a 30.7 per cent indirect stake in Karachi-based power utility KElectric have filed a $2 billion international arbitration claim against Pakistan, alleging regulatory interference and unpaid government dues, a report has said. The investors also alleged prolonged blocking of a $1.77 billion sale of the country's largest private power utility, according to a report from Profit by Pakistan Today. The arbitration case lodged on January 16, 2026, by Steptoe International (UK) LLP and Omnia Strategy LLP, represents 32 Saudi and five Kuwaiti entities that together hold a 30.7 per cent stake in the power utility company. The investors have been cornerstone shareholders since the utility's privatisation in 2005. "The dispute traces back to October 2016, when the investors agreed to sell 66.4 per cent of KElectric to Shanghai Electric Power Company," the report said. While regulators initially backed the transaction, the investors said the deal was stalled for over eight years amid shifting regulatory conditions. The Pakistan administration gave contradictory government instructions and delayed mandatory nationalsecurity approvals leading to withdrawal of Shanghai Electric. "The arbitration filing also points to attempts by domestic investors to seize control of K-Electric through offshore structures, undisclosed ownership changes, and regulatory violations, despite repeated complaints made to regulators and enforcement agencies," the report said. The arbitration case also mentioned long-standing unpaid government receivables, including tariff differential subsidies owed to K-Electric for roughly two decades. The investors claimed these unpaid dues have severely impacted the utility's cash flows, with the government imposing penalties for late payments. The Pakistani government politicised K-Electric's multi-year tariff framework, undermining NEPRA, the power regulator, resultantly stalling the sale, investors alleged. The investors also alleged failure of the government to notify NEPRA's final tariff determinations issued in May 2025. The government reopened settled matters through flawed review processes, and imposed revised tariffs, costing K-Electric around Rs 85 billion annually, according to the report. - IANS Union Home Minister Amit Shah will be the chief guest at the Uttar Pradesh Day celebrations in Lucknow on January 24. He will launch the 'One District One Cuisine' scheme to identify and promote the traditional food of each UP district. The event will also see the inauguration of the Sardar Patel Industrial Zone Programme and the presentation of awards under various state government schemes. This follows Shah's recent participation in a spiritual centenary celebration in Haridwar, Uttarakhand. Union Home Minister Amit Shah will launch the ODOC scheme to promote Uttar Pradesh's local cuisines at the UP Day celebrations in Lucknow. New Delhi, Jan 22 Union Home Minister and Minister of Cooperation Amit Shah will address the 'Uttar Pradesh Day' celebrations as the Chief Guest on January 24 in Lucknow and launch a scheme to popularise each district's local cuisine, said an official on Thursday. At the programme to be held at Rashtra Prerna Sthal in Lucknow, Union Home Minister Amit Shah will launch the 'One District One Cuisine' (ODOC) scheme. "Under this scheme, the distinctive traditional cuisine of each district of Uttar Pradesh will be identified and linked with quality improvement, branding, and market access, so that local flavours gain not only regional but also national and global recognition," said an official statement. During the 'Uttar Pradesh Day' celebrations, HM Amit Shah will also inaugurate the Sardar Patel Industrial Zone Programme. He will present awards to districts that have performed excellently under the Uttar Pradesh Government's CM YUVA (Mukhyamantri Yuva Udyami Vikas Yojana) scheme, and along with this, he will also confer the Uttar Pradesh Gaurav Samman 2025-26. On Thursday, the Union Home Minister addressed the "Centenary Year Celebration 2026" organised by "Akhil Vishwa Gayatri Parivar" in Haridwar (Uttarakhand) on the occasion of the birth centenary of Mata Bhagwati Devi Sharma. Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami wrote on X, "Participated in the 'Centenary Year Celebration 2026' organised by the All World Gayatri Family in the august presence of the Hon'ble Union Home and Cooperation Minister Shri @AmitShah ji at Baidyanath Island, Haridwar." "In the programme, the Hon'ble Shri Amit Shah ji, while shedding light on the spiritual significance of Devbhoomi Uttarakhand, said that the moment one sets foot here, one experiences the energy of thousands of years of penance," he said. He stated that Haridwar has been the land of penance for the Saptarishis, where saints showed humanity the path to spiritual awakening. Additionally, while mentioning the centenary year of the Gayatri Family, he said that the completion of 100 years of the unbroken flame, revered Mother Bhagwati Devi Sharma, and Gurudev Pandit Shriram Sharma Acharya ji's penance is not ordinary, but a symbol of society's renaissance and the expansion of new consciousness, said CM Dhami. - IANS Hrithik Roshan shared high praise for Vir Das's directorial debut, the spy comedy 'Happy Patel', on his Instagram story. A delighted Vir Das reshared the review, thanking Roshan for his support. The film features Vir Das as a bumbling agent and includes cameos from Aamir Khan and Imran Khan. Produced by Aamir Khan Productions, the movie opened in theaters on January 16, 2026. Hrithik Roshan applauds Vir Das's directorial debut 'Happy Patel'. The spy comedy stars Mona Singh, Sharib Hashmi, and features cameos by Aamir Khan. Mumbai, January 22 Actor Hrithik Roshan is full of praise for Vir Das's directorial debut 'Happy Patel', appearing highly impressed by the spy comedy. Taking to his Instagram story, Hrithik penned a heartwarming note for Vir and extended his congratulations. "Very very entertained by HAPPY PATEL. Congrats VIR. The ingenuity of mixing incredible silliness with a relentless screenplay was so much fun to watch!" the 'War 2' star wrote. A delighted Vir Das reshared the warm review on his Instagram handle, hailing Hrithik's support as he offered a subtle nod to the actor's role in Yash Raj Films' Spy Universe. "Hrithik - May every comedy lover and first time Filmaker find a star like you. You are magic on screen and it falls on all of us smaller sillier spies too! Thank you," the actor-comedian wrote. 'Happy Patel: Khatarnaak Jasoos' is a quirky, offbeat spy, which also stars Mona Singh, Sharib Hashmi and Srushti Tawade, along with special appearances by Aamir Khan and Imran Khan. Vir Das is in the lead role as an agent sent on a mission in India. The trailer hilariously shows Vir Das's character failing to assemble a rifle while also forgetting to include the trigger. It was followed by a confidential mission assignment in Goa. Unknown to the culture and traditions of India, Vir Das faces numerous problems, ranging from being tortured by Mona Singh's character to fighting Imran Khan in a slow-motion aerial battle. Aamir Khan also plays a cameo in the movie. The film is produced by Aamir Khan under the banner of Aamir Khan Productions. 'Happy Patel' opened in theatres on January 16, 2026. - ANI The Indian Air Force's 'Operation Sindoor' aircraft formation will be the centerpiece of the Republic Day flypast, demonstrating precision and air power. The spectacle will feature 29 aircraft, including advanced fighters like the Rafale and attack helicopters like the Apache, organized into eight distinct formations. A 144-strong IAF marching contingent, led by Squadron Leader Jagdesh Kumar, will also parade after weeks of rigorous training. The celebrations will include a veterans' tableau highlighting their role from wartime to nation-building initiatives like 'Make in India'. IAF's 'Operation Sindoor' formation, featuring 29 aircraft including Rafale & Apache, will be the highlight of the Republic Day flypast in Delhi. New Delhi, Jan 22 The IAF aircraft's "Operation Sindoor" formation, demonstrating air power and precision that embodies the air force's theme "Achook, Abhedya va Sateek", will be the showpiece of the Republic Day flypast, an official said on Thursday. The flypast will feature 29 aircraft, comprising 16 fighters, 4 transport, and 9 helicopters, operating from six different bases, said the Defence Ministry official. Organised into eight distinct formations, the flypast will commence with the Dhwaj formation, where four Mi-17 IV helicopters will carry the National Flag alongside the flags of the three services, said a Defence Ministry statement. The display will showcase the capabilities of the Rafale, Su-30 MKI, MiG-29 and Jaguar aircraft, complemented by strategic assets which will include the C-130 and C-295, as well as the Indian Navy's P-8i aircraft. Attack helicopters, such as the IAF's ALH MK IV and the Indian Army's ALH WSI, Apache and Light Combat Helicopter (LCH) will also participate in the flypast showcasing jointmanship, said an official statement. The IAF marching contingent will be representing a distinguished blend of tradition and modernity. Composed of 144 young Air Warriors selected from across the service in recognition of their exemplary military bearing, the contingent has undergone weeks of rigorous training to honour a legacy of pride and glory, while steadfastly upholding the core values of the IAF, said the statement. The IAF marching contingent will be led by Squadron Leader Jagdesh Kumar, with Squadron Leader Nikita Choudhary, Flight Lieutenant Prakhar Chandrakar and Flight Lieutenant Dinesh as Supernumerary Officers. The IAF Band, led by Sergeant Charles Antony Daniel, will be supporting the marching contingent. The band comprises of 72 elite musicians, including 57 Agniveervayu and 9 Agniveervayu women (who are being introduced for the first time), along with 3 Drum Majors. As the band passes the Presidential dais, it will perform the tune "Sound Barrier," showcasing its versatility and the modern composition of the Force. The theme for the Veteran's Tableau will be "Sangram se Rashtra Nirman Tak" (From Battle to Nation Building), said the statement. The front portion of the tableau features the Amar Jawan Jyoti, 3D models of historical war machines, which include the T-55 and Vijayant Tank, Hunter, MiG-21, Mirage and Jaguar aircraft, INS Mysore and INS Rajput, and representations from the 1965, 1971 wars and 1999 Kargil Operation Vijay. The rear portion highlights the role of veterans in national development, focusing on their voluntary efforts in flood relief, medical services, education and the 'Make in India' initiative, said the statement. - IANS Palestine's Ambassador to India stated that New Delhi can play a crucial role in advancing peace and implementing the two-state solution in West Asia. The remarks come as India considers an invitation to join a proposed Board of Peace, though it has not officially commented. India has traditionally supported a two-state solution and maintains engagement with both Israel and Palestine. Recently, Prime Minister Narendra Modi reiterated India's position during talks with Jordan's King, welcoming the Gaza Peace Plan. Palestine Ambassador says India can play crucial role in implementing two-state solution and peace in West Asia, as it considers Board of Peace invite. New Delhi, January 22 Palestine's Ambassador to India, Abdullah Abu Shawesh, on Thursday said that India could play a crucial role in advancing peace in West Asia, particularly in the implementation of the two-state solution, even as New Delhi considers an invitation to join the proposed Board of Peace. Responding to a question on India's possible participation in the Board of Peace and his expectations from New Delhi, Abu Shawesh said the decision rests entirely with the Indian government. "I cannot suggest, because I'm not the one who decides. But I'm pretty sure that India will go on to analyse internally, to discuss whether to become part of this Board of Peace or not. But at the end of the day, India can play a crucial role when it comes to the peace itself - peace, not the Board of Peace. When it comes to peace, India can play a crucial role in peace itself, in the two-state solution, in the implementation of the two-state solution, and in putting an end to the Israeli occupation." The remarks come amid renewed international efforts to explore mechanisms aimed at ending the prolonged conflict between Israel and Palestine. India has traditionally supported a two-state solution, calling for an independent and sovereign Palestinian state living side by side with Israel in peace and security. New Delhi has not officially commented on the invitation to join the Board of Peace. India has maintained engagement with both Israel and Palestine, positioning itself as a key stakeholder in regional stability and dialogue. Last month, India reiterated its support for peace and stability in West Asia, welcoming the adoption of the Gaza Peace Plan during Prime Minister Narendra Modi's delegation-level talks with Jordan's King Abdullah II bin Al Hussein, the Ministry of External Affairs said while addressing the special briefing on Prime Minister Narendra Modi's visit to Jordan. Responding to a question on discussions related to Gaza and regional matters, MEA Secretary (South) Neena Malhotra said that "on regional issues, the leaders reiterated the importance of peace and stability in the region," and that "in this regard, they welcomed the adoption of the Gaza Peace Plan." She said Prime Minister Narendra Modi reiterated India's long-standing position on Palestine during the discussions. - ANI India and Japan are actively deepening their strategic partnership across multiple fronts. Recent high-level meetings have focused on cooperation in agriculture, food processing, economic security, and artificial intelligence. This follows the 18th India-Japan Strategic Dialogue co-chaired by the foreign ministers in New Delhi, which covered maritime security, supply chains, and critical minerals. Both nations aim to invigorate exchanges leading to the 75th anniversary of diplomatic relations in 2027. Envoys & ministers discuss agriculture, AI, economic security & strategic cooperation, building on Modi-Motegi talks to elevate bilateral ties. Tokyo, Jan 22 India's Ambassador-designate to Japan, Nagma Mallick held a meeting with Japan's Minister of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries on Thursday, discussing bilateral partnership in agriculture, food processing and sharing of best practices. "Ambassador-designate Nagma M Mallick called on HE Mr. SUZUKI Norikazu, Hon'ble Minister of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries and discussed deepening India Japan partnership in the field of agriculture, food processing and sharing of best practices," the Indian Embassy in Japan posted on X. On Monday, Mallick held a meeting with Japan's Minister of Economic Security in Tokyo and discussed various facets of bilateral partnership, including Economic Security, Artificial Intelligence (AI) and cultural connect. "Ambassador-designate Nagma M Mallick called on Minister Onoda Kimi. They discussed the various facets of India-Japan partnership, including Economic Security, AI and cultural connect," the Indian Embassy in Japan posted on X. On January 16, External Affairs Minister (EAM) S Jaishankar and Japanese counterpart Toshimitsu Motegi co-chaired the 18th India-Japan Strategic Dialogue in New Delhi and discussed economic, maritime, supply chain, critical mineral, technology, P2P and multilateral cooperation between both countries. "Pleased to co-chair the 18th India-Japan Strategic Dialogue alongside FM Toshimitsu Motegi in New Delhi today. Our Special Strategic and Global Partnership is on an upward trajectory and holds immense potential for shaping the world order and de-risking the international economy," EAM Jaishankar posted on X. "Today's discussions on deeper economic, maritime, supply chain, critical mineral, technology, P2P and multilateral cooperation were reflective of our shared interests and mutual understanding. Also had a useful exchange of perspectives on Indo-Pacific and regional and global developments," he added. Toshimitsu Motegi also paid a courtesy call on Prime Minister Narendra Modi on January 16, highlighting that both Japan and India are "natural partners" that share fundamental values and strategic interests. "At the beginning of the meeting, Minister Motegi stated that Japan and India are 'natural partners' that share fundamental values and strategic interests, and that he hopes to work together to realise a 'Free and Open Indo-Pacific' based on their strong bilateral relationship. Prime Minister Modi welcomed Minister Motegi's visit to India and stated that he hopes to deepen cooperation based on the Japan-India Special Strategic and Global Partnership," read a statement issued by Japan's Ministry of Foreign Affairs. It added that the two sides agreed to further invigorate bilateral exchanges in 2027, the 75th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between Japan and India. "With the 'Japan-India Joint Vision for the Next Decade' announced during Prime Minister Modi's visit to Japan in August last year in mind, the two leaders held a frank exchange of views on a wide range of areas, including security, including economic security; the economy, investment, and innovation, including AI; and people-to-people exchanges, and agreed to elevate Japan-India relations to even greater heights," the Japanese MFA stated further. - IANS India Post has set a revenue target of Rs 17,546 crore for the financial year 2025-26, as announced by Union Minister Jyotiraditya Scindia. The organization has already earned Rs 10,155 crore in the first three quarters, indicating strong progress toward its goal. While growth is positive, core services like parcels and mail require strengthening to meet future demands. Minister Scindia emphasized adopting best practices from top-performing circles like Rajasthan and Delhi to ensure overall success. India Post aims for Rs 17,546 crore revenue in FY26, with strong Q3 performance. Minister Scindia reviews growth in logistics and citizen services. New Delhi, Jan 22 India Post has set an ambitious revenue target of Rs 17,546 crore for the financial year 2025-26, significantly higher than the previous year, Union Minister for Communications and Development of North-Eastern Region Jyotiraditya Scindia said on Thursday. Chairing the Quarterly Business Review (QBR) meeting for the third quarter of FY26 here, Scindia said the organisation is steadily moving towards becoming a parcel- and logistics-driven institution to meet the growing needs of e-commerce and citizen-centric services. During the meeting, senior officers and Heads of Circles from across the country reviewed the performance of India Post across its key business verticals. "India Post has already earned Rs 10,155 crore in the first three quarters of FY26, putting it on a strong path to achieve its annual target," Scindia said. "This progress reflects a strategic shift towards logistics, integrated supply chains and improved service delivery," he stated. "While overall growth remains positive, core verticals such as Parcels, Mail and International Mail have not performed up to expectations," the minister noted while reviewing the Q3 performance. He stressed that the future growth of India Post depends on strengthening these core services and said parcels and mail must start performing at full capacity. He asked major circles like Kerala, Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, Maharashtra and Delhi, which together account for nearly 60 per cent of India Post's business potential, to quickly adopt best practices. Circle-wise performance showed mixed results. Rajasthan emerged as the best-performing circle overall, achieving 82 per cent of its Q3 targets. Karnataka performed strongly in the Post Office Savings Bank segment, achieving 112 per cent of its target. Citizen Centric Services saw exceptional growth, with Delhi recording 240 per cent achievement, followed by Maharashtra at 166 per cent and Rajasthan at 165 per cent. Uttar Pradesh topped the Postal Life Insurance segment with 129 per cent achievement, while Rajasthan performed strongly in mail operations with 153 per cent. Looking ahead, Scindia called for strong peer learning, with underperforming circles adopting successful models from Punjab, Delhi, Rajasthan and Telangana. He stressed the need for clear accountability, measurable outcomes and zero tolerance for non-performance, while ensuring balanced contributions from all circles. - IANS India has dispatched 7.5 tonnes of life-saving cancer medicines to Kabul to address urgent shortages for patients in Afghanistan. This delivery is part of India's ongoing commitment to providing humanitarian and healthcare assistance to the Afghan people. The aid follows recent high-level meetings between Indian and Afghan health officials to enhance cooperation in traditional medicine and healthcare delivery. India has previously delivered 73 tonnes of medicines and provided earthquake relief, underscoring its sustained support. India dispatches 7.5 tons of cancer medicine to Kabul, continuing its humanitarian and healthcare support for the people of Afghanistan. New Delhi, January 22 India on Thursday dispatched humanitarian assistance to Afghanistan. reiterating its commitment to support partner countries in times of need. In a post on X, Ministry of External Affairs spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said, "India delivers 7.5 tons of life-saving cancer medicines to Kabul to address the urgent needs of cancer patients." The medicines were sent to meet the shortage in Afghanistan "India remains committed to supporting the friendly people of Afghanistan," Jaiswal added. In December 2025, Afghan Public Health Minister Mawlawi Noor Jalal Jalali held a meeting with MoS Prataprao Jadhav to discuss enhancing cooperation in traditional medicine systems between India and Afghanistan. They also focused on exploring pathways for mutual cooperation in education, research, regulation, and healthcare delivery. Sharing the details in a series of posts on X on Thursday, the Ministry of Ayush said that the meeting took place on the sidelines of the second WHO Global Summit on Traditional Medicine. The discussions focused on enhancing collaboration in Traditional Systems of Medicine, including Ayurveda, Unani, and Homoeopathy. Ministry of Ayush highlighted that the interaction reaffirmed the shared commitment of India and Afghanistan to promote traditional medicine as an important pillar of holistic and people-centric healthcare. During this time, Union Health Minister JP Nadda also held a productive meeting with Afghan Minister Jalali, focusing on humanitarian and healthcare assistance to the landlocked nation. At the meeting, India reaffirmed its commitment to continued humanitarian support for Afghanistan, with emphasis on the long-term supply of medicines and health assistance as a key pillar of bilateral engagement. As part of this engagement, a symbolic handover of cancer medicines and vaccines was carried out, reflecting India's commitment to supporting the medical needs of the Afghan people. In November 2025, India delivered 73 tonnes of life-saving medicines, vaccines, and essential supplements to Kabul to address urgent medical needs. In a post on X, the Official Spokesperson of the Ministry of External Affairs, Randhir Jaiswal, had said, "Augmenting Afghanistan's healthcare efforts. India has delivered 73 tonnes of life-saving medicines, vaccines and essential supplements to Kabul to cater to urgent medical needs. India's unwavering support to the Afghan people continues." In October 2025, following a series of earthquakes that struck eastern Afghanistan, killing over 800 people and injuring over 2,800, India extended urgent humanitarian assistance to support relief efforts in the region. The Ministry of External Affairs had posted on X, "India extends humanitarian assistance to Afghanistan in the wake of the earthquake." The strong earthquake of magnitude 6.3 on the Richter scale struck Afghanistan, with tremors felt across the region, including parts of Pakistan, according to the National Centre for Seismology (NCS). This was followed by a series of aftershocks with magnitudes ranging between 4 and 5. - ANI The Union of India informed the Delhi High Court that decisive action has been taken following an inquiry into IndiGo's operational crisis, including a 22 crore penalty and the dismissal of a Senior Vice President. The court was told a 50 crore bank guarantee has been secured and warnings issued to other senior officials for identified lapses. Regarding passenger relief, IndiGo stated refunds are processed and a compensation mechanism is being finalized, while the court sought clarity on voucher validity. The bench directed IndiGo to file a detailed affidavit on passenger assistance within two weeks, listing the matter for further hearing on February 25. Delhi HC directs IndiGo to file affidavit on passenger compensation. Airline fined 22 crore, senior VP dismissed over mass flight cancellations. New Delhi, January 22 The Union of India on Thursday informed the Delhi High Court that decisive action has been initiated on the basis of the inquiry commission's report into the IndiGo crisis marked by large-scale flight cancellations and passenger disruption. The submission was made during the hearing of a plea seeking an independent judicial probe into the incident before a Division Bench headed by Chief Justice DK Upadhyaya of the Delhi High Court. Placing the steps taken on record, the Union told the Court that a Senior Vice President of IndiGo has been directed to be dismissed from service. It further informed the Bench that a monetary penalty of 22 crore has been imposed on the airline and a bank guarantee of 50 crore has been secured to ensure compliance with the corrective measures recommended in the inquiry report. The Court was also apprised that warnings have been issued to several senior officials of the airline, including the Chief Operating Officer, the Director, the Deputy Head of Flight Operations, and a Resource Analyst, for lapses identified during the inquiry. Regarding passenger relief, counsel appearing for IndiGo submitted that refunds for cancelled tickets have already been processed. He added that a structured mechanism for compensating stranded passengers is currently being finalised. During the hearing, the petitioner's counsel pointed out that the airline had issued vouchers to stranded passengers with a validity period, raising concerns about restrictions placed on their use. The Court queried counsel for the airline on the time limit prescribed for utilisation of such vouchers. In response, the counsel stated that the validity period was 12 months. The Bench observed that a 12-month period appeared reasonable but sought clarity on the airline's position in the event a passenger is unable to utilise the voucher within that timeframe. Counsel for IndiGo submitted that instructions would be sought on this aspect. Taking note of the submissions, the Court directed IndiGo to place on record, within two weeks, complete details of refunds, compensation, and passenger assistance by way of an affidavit. The matter has now been listed for further hearing on February 25. Earlier, the Delhi High Court had directed IndiGo and the Union government to ensure that compensation to stranded passengers is initiated without delay and that all norms prescribed by the Directorate General of Civil Aviation are strictly complied with. The Court had emphasised that passenger welfare remains its primary concern and that measures must be taken to prevent a recurrence of such large-scale disruptions. The Bench had also expressed concern over the sudden surge in airfares during the crisis and sought clarity on the regulatory oversight exercised at the time. The Additional Solicitor General informed the Court that fare caps were introduced as a regulatory measure and that the Ministry of Civil Aviation had intervened once the situation escalated. Flagging safety-related issues, the Court had raised concerns about pilots exceeding night-landing limits and questioned what steps regulators could take when airlines face staffing shortages. It also noted that the DGCA had issued a show-cause notice to IndiGo, reiterating that compensation obligations under the relevant clauses of the DGCA circular must be strictly adhered to. The Court directed the Ministry and the DGCA to ensure the effective enforcement of all statutory obligations, including provisions relating to compensation and damages, and clarified that the Centre has the power to review DGCA decisions and take corrective action where necessary. Senior Advocate Sandeep Sethi, appearing for IndiGo, submitted that such a situation had arisen for the first time in the airline's 19-year history and urged the Court not to record any adverse findings at this stage. The Bench noted the submission but reiterated that the immediate priority was the timely redressal of the inconvenience suffered by passengers. IndiGo has maintained that multiple unforeseen factors contributed to the crisis, and the Court observed that these factors would be examined in the ongoing inquiry. - ANI The specialist in Mesoamerican history warns against revisionism: The course of the conquest could have been different without Indigenous support Andrea Martinez Baracs (Mexico City, 69) is a historian with a doctorate from El Colegio de Mexico, specializing in the Indigenous history of Mesoamerica and the processes of conquest and colonization. This week at Casa America in Madrid, she spoke about the political alliances between Indigenous peoples, specifically the Tlaxcalans and the Spanish Crown, offering a critical and rigorous perspective based on both Spanish and Indigenous sources. Historical enemies of the Mexica people, the Tlaxcalan rulers decided to ally themselves with the Spaniards led by Hernan Cortes after initially fighting against them. They participated in the entry into Tenochtitlan, its final siege, and other campaigns of conquest. In Mexican historiography, they have been portrayed as traitors, although this view is quite simplistic. Question. In what sense was it a real alliance and not an immediate subordination? Answer. We can say both. In every town they passed through, the Spanish encountered resistance. The Tlaxcalans did everything possible to avoid defeat. But they were careful not to appear defeated and have their city sacked. They had never been defeated by the Triple Alliance (the political-military bloc that gave rise to the Aztec empire). And they fiercely defended their status as an undefeated nation against the Spanish. Q. Did this prove useful? A. A great deal, to both sides. First, for strategic reasons during the war of conquest. The Tlaxcalans were enemies of the Triple Alliance. They supported the Spanish with great resolve and intelligence in the conquest of the Mesoamerican peoples, both before and after the fall of Tenochtitlan. They knew many things the Spanish did not: weak points, for example. Their alliance with the conquistadors was one of necessity, of survival. And that included some of the infamous massacres. In both Cholula and Tenochtitlan, the Spanish justified their violent actions by claiming to have uncovered conspiracies against them. It was said that during religious celebrations, when the population dressed in elaborate attire to honor their deities according to the ritual calendar, a trap was actually being set to attack and kill the Spanish. This supposed threat was presented by the Tlaxcalans as a reason to act first. The result was large-scale massacres carried out by the invaders and their Indigenous allies. Mexican historian Andrea Martinez Baracs, in Madrid. Pablo Monge Q. Did the Tlaxcalan leaders make decisions that altered the course of the conquest? Did they have influence beyond mere force? A. Yes. On the Noche Triste [the Night of Sorrows of June 30, 1520, when the Spanish and their Indigenous allies attempted to secretly flee Tenochtitlan and were discovered and attacked by the Mexica: the result was a devastating defeat for Cortes]. It was the moment of greatest weakness for the Spanish. They were defeated, beaten, wounded, lost. And at that moment, the Tlaxcalans guided them, supported them, fed them, gave them everything they needed, and helped them get back on their feet. The course of the conquest could have been different without Indigenous support. Q. Every so often, the highly polarized debate arises about whether or not Spain should apologize for the conquest. A few months ago, Spanish Foreign Minister Jose Manuel Albares called for an apology for the pain and injustice inflicted on the Indigenous peoples of Mexico. On [Spanish state broadcaster] TVE, a writer, Juan Miguel Zunzunegui, refuted this, arguing that there had been no conquest, but rather a great Indigenous alliance against the Mexica. A. Certain recent revisionist historiographical currents primarily disseminated from the United States have emerged which, as a reaction against the old Eurocentric colonial history, overcorrect and end up making exaggerated claims. For example, saying that the Indigenous people were the true conquerors of Guatemala because allied Indigenous troops participated in Spanish campaigns. If these Indigenous people went as subordinate allies or even enslaved, it makes no sense to call them the true conquerors. It would be like saying that Julius Caesars slave soldiers were the conquerors of Gaul. I recall a 16th-century Nahuatl saying, collected by the eminent Nahuatl scholar Luis Reyes: Dont be confused, arent we conquered? But it is also true that in the conquest and the subsequent establishment of the viceroyalty, the law of the victors included rights and privileges for the Indigenous peoples and their later republics. Sign up for our weekly newsletter to get more English-language news coverage from EL PAIS USA Edition PV Sindhu progressed to the quarterfinals of the Indonesia Masters with a straight-games victory over Denmark's Line Hojmark Kjaersfeldt. She will next face a formidable challenge in China's top seed and Olympic gold medalist Chen Yu Fei. In the men's draw, Lakshya Sen also secured a quarterfinal spot with a commanding win over Jason Gunawan. Sen is set to meet Thailand's Panitchapon Teeraratasakul in his next match. PV Sindhu advances to face top seed Chen Yu Fei, while Lakshya Sen dominates his match to reach the Indonesia Masters quarterfinals. Jakarta, January 22 India's two-time Olympic medalist PV Sindhu made it to the quarterfinals of the ongoing Indonesia Masters on Thursday. Sindhu earned a straight games win, outclassing Denmark's Line Hojmark Kjaersfeldt with a close-fought 21-19, 21-18 scoreline. Her next challenge in the quarterfinals tomorrow would be Chen Yu Fei of China, the top seed in the tournament, a world number four and Tokyo Olympics 2020 gold medalist, as per ESPN. Sindhu's record against her Danish opponent has improved to 6-1. It was 5-0 at one point before a loss last year. Sindhu led at 11-7 and 15-11 in the first game. Despite Line fighting her way back to make it 15-15, Sindhu held her nerves and won the first game. Line started off the second game with a 9-7 lead, but four successive points left Sindhu leading at the interval, and it increased to 14-9. Line tried her level best to fight back, but was no match for Sindhu's skill. Also in the men's competition, Lakshya Sen also made it to the quarterfinals of this Badminton World Federation (BWF) Super 500 tournament, defeating Jason Gunawan in straight games by 21-10, 21-11. This marks Lakshya's second QF appearance in his third tournament and his most dominant performance, with his next challenge set to be Thailand's Panitchapon Teeraratasakul. - ANI Iraqi authorities have announced the receipt of 150 Islamic State detainees from prisons in Syria, coordinated with the international coalition. The detainees, identified as Iraqi and foreign nationals involved in killing civilians, will be moved to official Iraqi correctional institutions. The US Central Command stated the transfer from Hasakah, Syria, is critical to preventing a security breakout, with plans for potentially thousands more transfers. While IS's territorial presence has shrunk dramatically from its peak, researchers note a persistent global threat from its remaining fighters. Iraq takes custody of 150 Islamic State detainees from Syria, part of a plan to transfer thousands to prevent security threats. Baghdad, Jan 22 Iraq has received the first 150 Islamic State detainees previously held in Syria's prisons, the Iraqi authorities have announced. The detainees, identified as Iraqi and foreign nationals deeply involved in killing Iraqi civilians, were previously held in prisons under the control of the Syrian Democratic Forces, according to a statement by Sabah al-Numan, spokesperson for the commander-in-chief of the Iraqi forces, on Wednesday (local time). They were handed over in coordination with the international coalition tasked with fighting IS and will be transferred to official state correctional institutions, the statement added, noting the number and timing of further transfers will depend on ongoing security assessments, reports Xinhua news agency. According to US Central Command (CENTCOM), the detainees were moved from a detention facility in Hasakah, Syria, to a secure location in Iraq. The transfer is part of a broader plan that could eventually see up to 7,000 IS detainees relocated to Iraqi-controlled facilities. CENTCOM said in a statement that facilitating the orderly and secure transfer is critical to preventing a breakout that would pose a direct threat to the United States and regional security. Over the past year, US and partner forces have captured over 300 IS members across Syria and killed more than 20 others, CENTCOM added. Adrian Shtuni, an associate fellow with the International Centre for Counter-Terrorism think tank, said that as of 2025, 21 years after the founding of IS, its territorial presence in Iraq and Syria had diminished significantly. At its height, IS fielded up to 80,000 militants, including more than 42,000 foreign terrorist fighters from over 120 countries. In contrast, by mid-2025, estimates suggest only 1,500 to 3,000 fighters remain active in Syria and Iraq, said the researcher, noting that the threat persists globally. - IANS Ten Indian Army personnel were killed and several injured when their vehicle met with an accident in the Khani Top area of Doda district, Jammu and Kashmir. Rescue operations were immediately launched by the Army and local administration despite challenging terrain and weather conditions. Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah and Defence Minister Rajnath Singh expressed deep grief and extended condolences to the families of the deceased. The injured soldiers were provided first aid on-site before being airlifted to Udhampur for specialized medical care. 10 Indian Army soldiers killed in a tragic road accident in Doda's Khani Top. Omar Abdullah and Rajnath Singh express condolences. Rescue ops completed. Doda, January 22 Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah on Thursday expressed condolences over the tragic accident in Doda district that claimed the lives of 10 Army soldiers. In a post on X, the Chief Minister's Office informed that rescue and evacuation efforts are underway. "Chief Minister has expressed deep grief over the tragic accident involving an Army vehicle at Khannitop on the Bhaderwah-Chamba road. He conveyed heartfelt condolences to the families of the soldiers who lost their lives and wished a speedy recovery to those injured, lauding the swift rescue and evacuation efforts," the CMO post read. 10 Army personnel were killed in an accident, while an equal number of personnel sustained injuries when the vehicle they were travelling in met with an accident in Doda. "Deeply saddened at the loss of lives of 10 of our brave Indian Army soldiers in an unfortunate road accident in Doda. We will always remember the outstanding service and supreme sacrifice of our brave soldiers. My deepest condolences to the grieving families," the X post of the LG Office read. Further, sharing an X post, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh expressed grief, saying the injured soldiers were receiving medical attention, and assured that all necessary directions had been issued to ensure the best possible treatment. "Deeply saddened by the tragic road accident in Doda in which we lost our 10 brave soldiers of the Indian Army. My heartfelt condolences to the bereaved families. The injured soldiers are receiving medical care and all necessary directions have been given to ensure the best possible treatment. The nation stands with our Armed Forces and their families in this difficult hour," Singh wrote. According to official sources, the mishap occurred in the Khani Top area of Bhaderwah, which led to immediate rescue and relief operations. Soon after the accident, the Army and local administration teams rushed to the spot and launched rescue efforts despite the difficult terrain and adverse weather conditions. The injured personnel were provided first aid at the site and were later airlifted to Udhampur for specialised medical treatment. - ANI Congress leader Rahul Gandhi expressed profound grief over a tragic accident in Doda where an Army vehicle fell into a gorge, resulting in the deaths of 10 soldiers and injuries to an equal number. Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah also conveyed his heartfelt condolences to the families of the deceased soldiers. The accident occurred in the Khanni Top area amid treacherous terrain and bad weather while troops were en route for an operation. The injured were evacuated and airlifted to Udhampur for specialized medical treatment following immediate rescue efforts. Congress MP Rahul Gandhi and J&K CM Omar Abdullah express condolences after an Army vehicle accident in Doda kills 10 soldiers, injures many. Doda, January 22 Congress MP Rahul Gandhi on Wednesday expressed deep grief over a tragic accident involving an Army vehicle in Doda district, which led to the death of 10 soldiers and injuries to an equal number of personnel. Taking to X, Rahul Gandhi said, "The news of the death of several of our brave soldiers and injuries to many others due to an army vehicle falling into a gorge in Doda, Jammu and Kashmir, is extremely heartbreaking. I pay humble tribute to the martyrs and hope for the swift recovery of the injured soldiers." He further added, "In this hour of grief, we all stand with the bereaved families of our valiant soldiers." Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah also extended condolences over the incident that claimed soldiers' lives. The Chief Minister's Office, in a post on X, said, "Chief Minister has expressed deep grief over the tragic accident involving an Army vehicle at Khannitop on the Bhaderwah-Chamba road. He conveyed heartfelt condolences to the families of the soldiers who lost their lives and wished a speedy recovery to those injured, lauding the swift rescue and evacuation efforts." According to official sources, the accident occurred when an Army vehicle carrying troops for an operation slipped off the road while navigating treacherous terrain in bad weather in the Khanni Top area of Bhaderwah. The White Knight Corps stated, "In an unfortunate incident, an Army vehicle carrying troops for an operation slipped off the road while navigating treacherous terrain in bad weather, in the general area of Doda. There are multiple casualties, including fatal. The injured have been evacuated for further treatment." Rescue and relief operations were immediately launched by the Army and local administration teams. The injured personnel were provided first aid at the site and later airlifted to Udhampur for specialised medical treatment. - ANI Jharkhand Chief Minister Hemant Soren met UK Parliamentary Under-Secretary Seema Malhotra in London to strengthen bilateral cooperation in education, skills, and inclusive development. The UK side praised the Marang Gomke Jaipal Munda and Chevening-Marang Gomke scholarships as exemplars of the India-UK partnership. Discussions also covered women's empowerment, sports promotion, and sustainability-linked initiatives. Earlier, at a CII event in Davos, Soren outlined Jharkhand's vision to move beyond raw mineral exports towards sustainable value addition and job creation. CM Hemant Soren meets UK's Seema Malhotra in London, discusses scholarships, skills, and Jharkhand's sustainable development vision from Davos. London, January 22 Jharkhand Chief Minister Hemant Soren on Thursday met Seema Malhotra, UK Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, in London to discuss advancing Jharkhand-UK cooperation in the areas of education, skills development and inclusive growth. During the meeting, the UK side noted and appreciated the Marang Gomke Jaipal Munda Overseas Scholarship and the Chevening-Marang Gomke Scholarship, describing them as living examples of the strong India-UK partnership. "Met Ms @SeemaMalhotra1, UK Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State (Minister for Equalities and Indo-Pacific), in London to discuss advancing Jharkhand-UK cooperation in education, skills and inclusive development," CM Soren posted on X. "The UK side noted and appreciated the Marang Gomke Jaipal Munda Overseas Scholarship and the Chevening-Marang Gomke Scholarship as a living example of the India-UK partnership. We also exchanged views on sustainability-linked Guruji scholarships, leadership and mentoring pathways, and Jharkhand's initiatives for women empowerment, including the promotion of women in sports," he added. Earlier, Jharkhand Chief Minister Hemant Soren on Tuesday participated in the Delivering Sustainability at Scale program organised by the Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) on the sidelines of the World Economic Forum (WEF) in Davos. He shared the development, stating that he had shared his views on the possibilities of sustainable development. He asserted that Jharkhand's vision on the matter is clear, which is not just to remain an exporter of minerals and natural resources, but to achieve value addition alongside sustainable development, job creation, and concrete changes in people's lives. "I had the opportunity to participate in the Delivering Sustainability at Scale program organised by CII in Davos. In the program, along with other speakers, I also shared my views on the possibilities of sustainable development. Jharkhand's vision is clear--we do not want to remain just an exporter state of minerals and natural resources. Our goal is also to bring value addition along with sustainable development, job creation, and concrete changes in people's lives," Soren posted on X. - ANI South Korea has formally enacted the world's first comprehensive law governing the safe use of artificial intelligence. The AI Basic Act requires developers and companies to take responsibility for addressing deepfakes and misinformation generated by AI models. It introduces the concept of "high-risk AI" for areas like employment and finance, mandating user notifications and safety measures. The law also requires AI-generated content to carry watermarks and imposes obligations, including potential fines and the appointment of local representatives, on major global AI service providers. South Korea becomes the first country to enact a comprehensive AI law, targeting deepfakes, misinformation, and high-risk AI with new safety and transparency rules. Seoul, Jan 22 South Korea on Thursday formally enacted a comprehensive law governing the safe use of artificial intelligence models, becoming the first country globally in doing so, establishing a regulatory framework against misinformation and other hazardous effects involving the emerging field. The Basic Act on the Development of Artificial Intelligence and the Establishment of a Foundation for Trustworthiness, or the AI Basic Act, officially took effect Thursday, according to the science ministry, reports Yonhap news agency. It marked the first governmental adoption of comprehensive guidelines on the use of AI globally. The act centres on requiring companies and AI developers to take greater responsibility for addressing deepfake content and misinformation that can be generated by AI models, granting the government the authority to impose fines or launch probes into violations. In detail, the act introduces the concept of "high-risk AI," referring to AI models used to generate content that can significantly affect users' daily lives or their safety, including applications in the employment process, loan reviews and medical advice. Entities harnessing such high-risk AI models are required to inform users that their services are based on AI and are responsible for ensuring safety. Content generated by AI models is required to carry watermarks indicating its AI-generated nature. "Applying watermarks to AI-generated content is the minimum safeguard to prevent side effects from the abuse of AI technology, such as deepfake content," a ministry official said. Global companies offering AI services in South Korea meeting any of the following criteria -- global annual revenue of 1 trillion won ($681 million) or more, domestic sales of 10 billion won or higher, or at least 1 million daily users in the country -- are required to designate a local representative. Currently, OpenAI and Google fall under the criteria. Violations of the act may be subject to fines of up to 30 million won, and the government plans to enforce a one-year grace period in imposing penalties to help the private sector adjust to the new rules. The act also includes measures for the government to promote the AI industry, with the science minister required to present a policy blueprint every three years. - IANS South Korea and India have formally launched a government-to-government project to strengthen vocational education in mechatronics, based on Korea's successful Meister High School model. The initiative, led by KOICA and India's Ministry of Education, will establish a Technical and Vocational Education and Training system at a school in Bhopal by 2027. It aims to address the skilled workforce demand for India's manufacturing sector, aligning with the 'Make in India' policy. The project includes curriculum development, provision of advanced equipment, and training programs for Indian educators in Korea. KOICA & India partner to bring Korea's Meister High School vocational model to Bhopal, boosting skilled workforce for 'Make in India'. Bhopal, January 22 South Korea's model of cultivating a skilled workforce, a key driver behind its rapid economic growth, is now being extended to India, as the two countries deepen cooperation in vocational education and industrial skill development. The initiative aims to support India's expanding manufacturing and new-age industries by systematically developing practical talent, while positioning Korea's Meister High School-based vocational education model, adapted to India's education and industrial ecosystem, as a potential global best practice for workforce development. Furthermore, this cooperation is expected to lay a crucial foundation for a future industrial partnership in which both nations grow together. KOICA (Korea International Cooperation Agency (KOICA)) held a launching ceremony for the Project of "Strengthening Vocational Education and Training in Mechatronics in India" in Bhopal, the capital of Madhya Pradesh state, on the 20th, signalling the full commencement of Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) cooperation between Korea and India. This project represents the first 'project-form' of G2G technical cooperation led by the Korean government with the partnership of the Indian government, according to a release from the Korean Cultural Centre India. The launching ceremony, designed to formally announce the Project's commencement widely and to solidify the cooperation framework between key institutions, was attended by Ambassador Lee Seong Ho of the Republic of Korea to India, Sanjay Kumar of Secretary of the Ministry of Education, Dinesh Prasad Saklani Director of the National Council of Educational Research and Training (NCERT), along with approximately 250 representatives from key institutions in both countries, including KOICA, KCCI (Korea Chamber of Commerce and Industry and KRIVET(Korea Research Institute for Vocational Education and Training) as the Project Management Consultant, India's PSSCIVE, and RIE Bhopal and DMS. The event featured a sharing of the Project overview, future implementation plans, and the direction of cooperation of KOICA and NCERT. The project of "Strengthening Vocational Education and Training in Mechatronics in India'" was conceptualised to address the rapidly increasing demand for skilled personnel in manufacturing sectors, in line with the Indian government's "Make in India" policy - a national initiative prioritising manufacturing-focused industrial development. Through this Project, KOICA will establish a mechatronics Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) system situated in the Multi-Purpose Demonstration School (DMS) in Bhopal by 2027. Bhopal hosts educational institutions such as PSSCIVE and RIE, as well as the DMS, within the same complex. The employment linkage potential of the area is enhanced by its proximity to an automotive industrial complex in the surrounding region. The specific components of the project are outlined as follows: Policy advisory for the approval of the mechatronics curriculum based on India's National Skills Qualifications Framework (NSQF), development of students' textbooks and teachers' guides, support of 41 types of advanced training equipment, including CNC (Computer Numerical Control) and PLC (Programmable Logic Controller) and invitation training programmes in Korea for Indian education policymakers and teachers. In particular, the focus of this project will be on benchmarking Korea's Meister High School model, with the objective of enhancing the practical instruction capacities of local teachers. The efforts made in this regard include the activation of industry-academia cooperation networks through the facilitation of seminars connected with industrial partners and the organisation of practical workshop tour programmes. Ambassador Lee Seong Ho of the Republic of Korea to India stated in his congratulatory address that "This project holds significant meaning as it is the first technical cooperation initiative jointly pursued by the Korean and Indian governments, and it is being implemented in Madhya Pradesh, the heartland of India, which holds great potential for Korean companies." In addition, he stated that "The Korean government will be a steadfast partner of India to fulfil the 'Viksit Bharat 2047' vision." Sanjay Kumar, Secretary of the Ministry of Education, remarked, "The history of ties and exchanges between India and Korea spans from the legend of Princess Suriratna of Ayodhya and the 'Lamp of the East' by Rabindranath Tagore to contemporary Korean Wave content like K-pop." He also articulated his vision for the Project, stating, "This initiative will systematically introduce the economic growth process based on Korea's education system in skilled human resources development and disseminate it across India." Dinesh Prasad Saklani, the Director of NCERT expressed his expectation of the successful outcome of the project, "Based on this project, the model of vocational education scheme will be adopted by other RIEs nationwide and applied to their DMSs as well" and underscored the necessity of national education reforms in more practical way, "the National Education Policy (NEP) prioritises human resources development in terms of employability and skill development, focusing the acquisition of capacities that align with the industrial requirements." Jeong Minyoung, KOICA Country Director in India, mentioned that "The Indian government shows wide interest in Korea's experience and history of economic growth achieved through fostering manufacturing-centric industries and cultivating skilled technical personnel." He added, "KOICA will closely communicate with Indian stakeholders and meticulously manage the project to ensure this interest and expectation will be actualised into positive outcomes.' Following this launching ceremony, KOICA plans to complete the baseline surveys and continue the scheduled curriculum and textbook development activities, with joint participation by Korean experts and staff from NCERT, PSSCIVE, and RIE. In addition, KOICA will invite Indian TVET policy-makers to Korea this year to support vocational education policy formulation and implementation, establishing quality vocational education models to contribute in increase in youth employment and sustainable growth. - ANI Intelligence reveals Pakistan's ISI has orchestrated an alliance between Lashkar-e-Taiba and Islamic State-Khorasan Province, using operations in Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa as a smokescreen. The true objective is to infiltrate cadres into Jammu and Kashmir to form 'fidayeen' squads targeting up to 20 tourist locations. This strategy aims to devastate the resurgent tourism industry, induce unemployment, and potentially radicalize youth. The Indian Army, acting on Grade-A intelligence, has intensified counter-infiltration and search operations to thwart the threat. Intel reveals ISI's plan to use Lashkar & ISKP to infiltrate Kashmir and target 20 tourist locations, threatening regional stability and tourism revival. New Delhi, Jan 22 Pakistan's ISI brought together the Islamic State-Khorasan Province and Lashkar-e-Taiba to wage a battle in Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa - against the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan, which has become the country's worst security nightmare till date. However, the situation on the ground looks very different. The ISKP-Lashkar combine appears to be doing very little work, and the strikes are all being carried out by the Pakistan Air Force (PAF). Under the pretext of fighting the TTP, the PAF has carried out strikes that have claimed the lives of nearly 80 civilians in the region. An Intelligence Bureau official says that the Pakistan armed forces would use brute force against the TTP with its air power. The ISKP and Lashkar would come into the picture when the battle moves to the ground. The official also adds that a good number of the terrorist grouping's cadres that have been sent to KP would look to infiltrate into Jammu and Kashmir. The ISI is trying to set up 'fidayeen' squads in Jammu and Kashmir with the intention of hitting tourist spots. There was a setback for the tourism industry in Jammu and Kashmir following the Pahalgam attack. However, the industry has bounced back, and tourism has once again begun to thrive in the Union Territory. Another official said that if the ISKP and Lashkar cadres do manage to come into Jammu and Kashmir, it would be a nightmare for the security agencies. Together, they are a lethal force and capable of inflicting severe damage in case they are successful. This explains the heightened combing operations that the Indian Army is undertaking in Jammu and Kashmir. An official said that the Intelligence regarding the infiltration of the Lashkar-ISKP cadres is Grade A and actionable. The Indian Army is taking no chances and has increased search operations to flush out terrorists and also prevent any infiltration bids. This operation is being overseen by ISI official Brigadier Faiq Ayub and X Corps Commander Lt General Ahsan Nawaz. Officials say that this operation, which the ISI is planning in Jammu and Kashmir, exposes Pakistan further. It has managed to get the Lashkar and ISKP together under the pretext of battling the TTP. Pakistan does not consider either the ISKP or Lashkar to be terrorist organisations, when the entire world recognises them as such. Battling the TTP is one part of the issue. However, the larger agenda is to prepare a dangerous squad to strike at tourist locations in Jammu and Kashmir, Intelligence Bureau officials say. Officials also say that Pahalgam was meant to hurt the tourism industry. However, the ISI is upset and also surprised that the tourism industry, after a brief setback, managed to bounce back. Hence, it has decided to carry out a series of coordinated attacks across 20 tourist hubs in Jammu and Kashmir, the Intelligence assessment says. If the ISI is successful in executing this plan, which would be on the scale of a Mumbai 26/11 attack, then the tourism industry would be hit hard and would take quite a while to bounce back. One of the main reasons why Kashmir is witnessing peace is that businesses are thriving and the youth are no longer unemployed in large numbers. If the tourism industry is hit, then unemployment sets in, and this would, in turn, drive the youth towards the path of terrorism. This is exactly what Pakistan is looking to target, officials say. - IANS Prime Minister Narendra Modi spoke with Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, reviewing their strategic partnership and emphasizing cooperation for the Global South. Modi extended an invitation for President Lula to visit India in the near future. The dialogue follows a landmark bilateral agreement on a cross-continental dairy cattle and buffalo genomics programme. Concurrently, high-level defence talks were held to expand strategic cooperation and industry collaboration between the two nations. PM Modi and President Lula discuss strategic partnership & Global South cooperation. India-Brazil sign landmark genomics MoU and enhance defence ties. New Delhi, January 22 Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday spoke with Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, and said that close cooperation between India and Brazil was vital for advancing the shared interests of the Global South. The PM also said that he was looking forward to welcoming the BRICS ally to India soon. In a post on X, Prime Minister Modi said, "Glad to speak with President Lula. We reviewed the strong momentum in the India-Brazil Strategic Partnership, which is poised to scale new heights in the year ahead. Our close cooperation is vital for advancing the shared interests of the Global South. I look forward to welcoming him to India soon." In December 2025, India and Brazil signed a landmark tripartite Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to advance dairy cattle and buffalo genomics through a first-of-its-kind cross-continental genetic improvement programme. The MoU and the corresponding Technical Cooperation Project (PCT) were signed at the Embassy of India in Brasilia between Embrapa, Brazil's state-owned agricultural research organisation under the Ministry of Agriculture, Livestock, and Food Supply (MAPA), Fazenda Floresta & DNAMark (Brazil), and India's Leads Genetics Pvt Ltd (formerly Leads Agri Genetics Pvt Ltd), BL Kamdhenu Farms Ltd, and Leads Connect Services Pvt Ltd. The agreement marks the first-ever business-to-government (B2G) collaboration between India and Brazil in bovine genomics. It also represents Embrapa's first private partnership with an Indian organisation, reflecting a strategic convergence in livestock and agricultural innovation, food security priorities, and shared global leadership in cattle genetics. In another significant engagement, Chief of Naval Staff Admiral Dinesh K Tripathi, during his official visit to Brazil in December 2025, met Celso Amorim, Chief Advisor to the President of Brazil, and Jose Mucio Monteiro, Brazil's Minister of Defence, according to a statement by the Indian Navy. The discussions included a comprehensive review of expanding India-Brazil defence engagement, with a focus on strengthening strategic cooperation and enhancing bilateral defence ties. "Both sides also explored opportunities in defence industry collaboration and capability-building initiatives to support long-term interoperability and shared security objectives. Deliberations on regional and global dynamics - including the South Atlantic, the wider Indo-Pacific, and the collective role of the Global South- highlighted the shared vision of India and Brazil for a secure, stable, and rules-based international order. These high-level engagements reaffirmed the growing strategic convergence and the mutual commitment to elevate India-Brazil defence cooperation under the spirit of Bridges of Friendship," the statement added. - ANI Lieutenant General Navin Sachdeva, Chief of Staff of the Indian Army's Central Command, visited the Remount Veterinary Corps Centre and College in Meerut to assess its training infrastructure and administrative framework. He reviewed key facilities including the Dog Training Faculty and Equitation and Animal Management Faculty, gaining insights into specialized methodologies that ensure operational readiness. The General commended the dedicated team for strengthening the Army's veterinary support and animal management capabilities. The report also notes related Central Command events, including a 'Vande Mataram' band performance in Lucknow and an NCC training camp conducted by the Shatrujeet Brigade. Lt Gen Navin Sachdeva reviews dog training & veterinary facilities at Meerut's Remount Centre, commending the Army's animal management excellence. Lucknow, Jan 22 Lieutenant General Navin Sachdeva, Chief of Staff of the Indian Army's Central Command, visited the Remount Veterinary Corps Centre and College in Uttar Pradesh's Meerut to review the various facilities, a Defence Ministry official said on Thursday. The visit focused on reviewing the Centre's administrative framework and comprehensive training ecosystem that underpins the Army's veterinary and animal management capabilities, the official said on social media. "During the visit, Chief of Staff Lieutenant General Sachdeva reviewed key training facilities including the Dog Training Faculty, Equitation and Animal Management Faculty and the Training Regiment," he added. Detailed interactions provided insights into the specialised training methodologies that ensure operational readiness and high professional standards, the official said. "Lieutenant General Navin Sachdeva appreciated the state of the art training infrastructure and commended the highly motivated team of officers and personnel whose dedication continues to strengthen the Indian Army's veterinary support and animal management excellence," an official statement said. Earlier, as part of the national commemoration marking 150 years of 'Vande Mataram', a special Army Band performance was organised at Janeshwar Mishra Park in Lucknow, celebrating the timeless spirit of India's national song and its historic role in inspiring generations, an official of the Indian Army's Central Command said. The soulful evening witnessed stirring performances by the Pipe Band of Army Medical Corps Centre and College, the Military Band of SIKH Light Infantry Regimental Centre and the vibrant Jazz Band of 1 ASSAM Regiment, captivating an audience of more than 2,000 proud citizens of Lucknow, he added. The harmonious blend of martial music and patriotic fervour transformed the park into a resonant tribute to India's unity, sacrifice and enduring national spirit -- reminding all that Vande Mataram continues to inspire hearts. Earlier, the Shatrujeet Brigade conducted a two-week structured military training camp for "NCC Cadets delivering elite exposure alongside #PARABrigade, #IAF and #AATS," an official said on social media. "The camp offered immersive hands-on experience with new-generation weapons, BMP rides, horse riding and rock climbing. Each activity was designed to test endurance sharpen skills and instil discipline resilience and teamwork essential for nation building," the official added. "Through demanding routines and shared challenges these young cadets absorbed the ethos of the Armed Forces and the values of leadership responsibility and service before self. Confident, capable, and mission-oriented, they represent the promise of a strong resilient India," he said. - IANS The Mexican directors ambitious adaptation of Mary Shelleys novel is also competing in the Adapted Screenplay category Frankenstein, the ambitious adaptation of Mary Shelleys same-name novel by Mexican director Guillermo del Toro, has received nine Oscar nominations from the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, which announced its nominees on Thursday. The film by the Guadalajara-born filmmaker is nominated for Best Picture, Best Adapted Screenplay, and Best Supporting Actor for its star, Jacob Elordi, among other categories. Guillermo del Toro, 61, is no stranger to the Hollywood pantheon. Throughout his career, he has accumulated seven nominations and won three golden statuettes: two for The Shape of Water (Best Picture and Best Director) in 2018, and one for Pinocchio (Best Animated Feature) in 2023. Guillermo del Toros version of Frankenstein, a cinematic dream he had obsessed with since the age of 11 and which took him half a century to realize, centers on the brilliant but obsessive scientist Victor Frankenstein (played by Oscar Isaac), who creates a creature (played by Jacob Elordi) from body parts taken from corpses in a bid to defy death and God. This ambition results in a tragic tale of loneliness, rejection, and the eternal question of who the real monster is, exploring human imperfection and the father-son relationship through the directors characteristic visual and aesthetic compassion. Guillermo del Toro and Jacob Elordi on the set of 'Frankenstein'. Ken Woroner/Netflix/ (EFE) The director has stated that his adaptation, a gothic, fantastical and modern version of the British authors book, seeks to fill biographical gaps that havent been actively explored but are present in other works by the writer, such as tyrannical father figures or the idea of war that defines the Romantic movement. Del Toros gothic tale kicked off awards season with five Golden Globe nominations, including Best Drama, Best Director, Best Actor in a Drama and Best Supporting Actor for its stars, Isaac and Elordi, respectively. Del Toro went home empty-handed that day, losing to films like One Battle After Another and Hamnet, which are also considered frontrunners at the Academy Awards. However, Elordi won the Critics Choice Award for Best Supporting Actor for his role as the Creature in early January 2026, which still leaves him as a strong contender for the ceremony to be held on March 15 at the Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles, California. Sign up for our weekly newsletter to get more English-language news coverage from EL PAIS USA Edition Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis announced at Davos that the state has signed Memorandums of Understanding with an Indian and a Russian company to develop Small Modular Reactors (SMRs) for future electricity needs. He indicated the first such project is likely to be established in Maharashtra. Concurrently, IREDA's head Pradip Kumar Das highlighted India's successful renewable energy ecosystem and its 22.5% CAGR growth as a global model. Additional MoUs were signed with Singapore's Sembcorp and academic institutions like TU Munich for sustainable development and advanced metropolitan planning. Maharashtra CM Devendra Fadnavis announces MoUs for Small Modular Reactors to meet future electricity demands, unveiled at Davos. Davos, January 22 Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis on Thursday announced the signing of Memorandums of Understanding with an Indian and a Russian company. The Chief Minister stated that these partnerships will focus on "Small Modular Reactors" to meet the large-scale electricity needs. When asked if there have been discussions about using nuclear energy in smaller clusters, Devendra Fadnavis said, "We have basically taken the initiative in this regard, and the first project will probably be in Maharashtra. This is because we have signed MoUs with both an Indian government company and a Russian company. He also said, "Now, due to the new developments in the civil utilisation of nuclear energy, we are going to develop Small Modular Reactors (SMRs)." "SMRs are a means to meet the large-scale electricity needs we will have in the coming days, especially when data centres, the circular economy, municipal corporations, the private sector, and financial institutions collaborate to fund them," he added. Meanwhile, at the ongoing Davos summit, the head of the Indian Renewable Energy Development Agency (IREDA), Pradip Kumar Das, said on Wednesday that a strong clean energy system built by the Indian government over the last decade is now a model for the rest of the world. Speaking at the World Economic Forum, he highlighted that India has created a perfect environment for international companies to invest in green power projects. Explaining the success of the Indian model, the Chairman & Managing Director (CMD) of the Indian Renewable Energy Development Agency Ltd. (IREDA), Pradip Kumar Das, said, "We have come here to share the information, the ecosystem which the government of India has built in the last 10-11 years, in particular. The way renewables have grown in India over the last decade, and more, is an example for any global player to learn from the ecosystem the government of India has built. The CAGR (Compound Annual Growth Rate) over the last five years is 22.5 per cent. We will not find such a CAGR growth in any industry. Many foreign investors are investing in India, and IREDA is the leading agency for RE financing in the country. We are the largest pure-play green finance company in the country." Further, an MoU was also signed with Sembcorp Development Ltd., Singapore, for sustainable, low-carbon industrial ecosystems across strategic corridors in Palghar, Raigad, and Kharbav.MMRDA signed an MoU with the Technical University of Munich (TUM), Germany, for advanced mobility engineering, climate-resilient planning, and transit-oriented development, along with Urban Futures Collective, London, and a global academic consortium including MIT Media Lab and UCL, to develop open-source digital twins for evidence-based metropolitan governance. - ANI Lyricist Manoj Muntashir has publicly supported Javed Akhtar's decision to decline the offer to recreate the iconic song 'Sandese Aate Hain' for the upcoming film 'Border 2'. Muntashir, who took on the task instead, stated that creators have the right to refuse work that does not inspire them. He revealed that Akhtar blessed him and composer Mithoon, allowing them to proceed with their reimagined version titled 'Ghar Kab Aaoge'. Muntashir emphasized that the new song pays homage to the original legacy created by Akhtar, Anu Malik, Sonu Nigam, and Roop Kumar Rathod. Lyricist Manoj Muntashir explains why Javed Akhtar was right to refuse recreating 'Sandese Aate Hain' for Border 2 and discusses his own approach. Mumbai Ja, n 22 Lyricist and poet Manoj Muntashir has expressed his opinion on veteran lyricist Javed Akhtar refusing the offer of recreating the iconic song Sandese Aate Hain for Border 2. While talking to IANS, Manoj Muntashir who took up the challenge of recreating the iconic song post Akhtar's refusal, spoke in favour of the legendary lyricist. "Absolutely, he is right. If something does not inspire him and he feels he doesn't want to add anything to it, then as a writer and creator, it is completely his right. We respect that," said Manoj. He further told IANS, "Bhushan Kumar ji, T-Series and Anurag Singh to their credit first approached him, because if you are making music for Border and you don't go to Javed Akhtar sahab, then you are doing something wrong. You must go to him." The lyricist revealed that whole Akhtar chose to stay away from the project, he did bless Manoj and Mithoon. "But it is also true that Javed sahab gave us his blessings and said, 'I don't want to do this, you go ahead.' With his blessings, we did whatever we could," Manoj said. Talking about recreating a piece that has managed to warm the cockles of millions hearts over the years, Manoj said, "We recreated the message, or rather, reimagined it but our hearts were completely bowed to the original creation, the song composed by respected Javed Akhtar sahab and Anu Malik ji. There is no claim by Mithoon or Manoj Muntashir on that song. That song belongs only to four people, and it is their legacy." He added, "For the record, those four names are Javed Akhtar sahab, Anu Malik ji, Sonu Nigam ji and Roop Kumar Rathod ji. Their song will live on forever. We only added our small share - like a few bricks - to the palace built by those four, and we added them with love. That's all we did." Earlier, Manoj had said that the song Sandese Aate Hain, is about the quiet pain and fragile hope. Manoj had described the song as a heartfelt tribute to timeless emotions and to the lyrical legacy that inspired it. Talking about the song, Manoj said, "I grew up admiring Javed Akhtar sahab's writing, and 'Sandese Aate Hai' is a song that has always lived deep inside me. While writing 'Ghar Kab Aaoge,' my only intent was to remain true to that same emotional honesty and simplicity. I am deeply grateful to Anurag Singh for trusting me with such a delicate emotion. Mithoon's deeply expressive eyes constantly push me to write better poetry, and I must thank Bhushan ji for giving me the opportunity to be part of a song that carries so much heart. This song is not about grand words, it is about the quiet pain and fragile hope of every home waiting for someone to return". Directed by Anurag Singh, 'Border 2' brings together a powerful ensemble led by Sunny Deol, Varun Dhawan, Diljit Dosanjh, Ahan Shetty, Mona Singh, Medha Rana, Sonam Bajwa, and Anya Singh. The film is set to release on January 23, 2026. - IANS MEA Secretary (West) Sibi George led a delegation to Ashgabat for the 5th Round of India-Turkmenistan Foreign Office Consultations. The talks comprehensively reviewed bilateral relations, covering political, defence, security, trade, and cultural matters. George also represented India at the SPECA Economic Forum, presenting a vision for enhanced trade and connectivity with Central Asia. The visit underscores India's commitment to its 'Extended Neighbourhood' policy in the region. MEA Secretary Sibi George visits Ashgabat for strategic talks, reviews bilateral relations, and presents India's vision at the SPECA Economic Forum. Ashgabat, January 22 India and Turkmenistan reviewed the entire gamut of bilateral relations, comprising of several matters such as defence, security, trade-economic, cultural and Consular matters, the Ministry of External Affairs said on Thursday. The followed the visit of MEA Secretary (West), Sibi George who led an official delegation to Ashgabat, Turkmenistan for the 5th Round of India-Turkmenistan Foreign Office Consultations and the SPECA (United Nations Special Programme for the Economies of Central Asia) Economic Forum, the Ministry said. During his visit, George on Wednesday called on the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Turkmenistan and Deputy Chairman of Cabinet of Ministers, Rashid Meredov and conveyed to him warm greetings from External Affairs Minister, S Jaishankar. They also discussed ways to further strengthen the mutually beneficial partnership between India and Turkmenistan. "During the Foreign Office Consultations co-chaired by Secretary (West) and the Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs of Turkmenistan Myahri Byashimova, in Ashgabat, the same day, both sides reviewed the entire gamut of bilateral relations including Political, Defence, Security, Trade-Economic, Cultural, Education and Consular matters. The two sides also discussed cooperation under the framework of United Nations and other multilateral fora and exchanged views on regional and global issues of mutual interest", the MEA statement read. As per the MEA, representing India as a guest country at the SPECA Economic Forum, chaired by the Minister of Finance and Economy of Turkmenistan Mammetguly Astanagulov, Secretary (West) presented India's vision for enhancing trade, economic, investment and connectivity linkages between India and Central Asian countries. The statement highlighted that the visit of Secretary (West) is in line with India's 'Extended Neighbourhood' policy to strengthen ties with Turkmenistan and other Central Asian countries with which India shares long-standing bonds of friendship and cooperation. - ANI Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma has used the Davos platform to aggressively market the state as a future hub for semiconductor manufacturing. He held meetings with giants like IBM, Synopsys, and Qualcomm, emphasizing Assam's readiness in infrastructure and policy. Sarma highlighted the Tata Group's existing involvement as a major catalyst for attracting further investor interest. He framed Assam's presence at Davos as symbolic of India's shift towards a more distributed, nationwide economic growth model. Assam CM Himanta Biswa Sarma meets IBM, Qualcomm & Tata at Davos, pitching the state as a prime investment destination for semiconductors & green energy. Davos, January 22 Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma has been making waves at the World Economic Forum 2026 in Davos, Switzerland, highlighting Assam's potential as a semiconductor investment hub. He met with global giants like IBM, Synopsys, and Qualcomm, emphasising Assam's readiness with policy clarity, infrastructure, and a skilled workforce Speaking to ANI at the Business Summit on Wednesday, Sarma said, "Right from IBM, I think we met all the global players of the semiconductor ecosystem...We have met several global players in the last 3 days." Sarma's pitch focuses on Assam's strategic advantages, including its position as India's fastest-growing state and its role as a gateway to the Northeast. He's exploring collaborations in semiconductors, green energy, and tourism, with potential investments worth nearly 1 lakh crore. Sarma, on his third day at the WEF 2026, held a special meeting with IBM Vice President Gary Cohn to explore opportunities in skill development, artificial intelligence adoption and related initiatives. IBM is expected to send a delegation to Assam shortly to further assess collaboration opportunities. He also met Tata Group Chairman N Chandrasekaran and described the group as a key driver of other investors' interest in the state. "There is a lot of interest in Assam due to the involvement of the TATA group, which is attracting the investors," he said. A key highlight of the Chief Minister's high-level meetings was a productive roundtable with global leaders from the semiconductor ecosystem, focusing on expanding semiconductor manufacturing and strengthening diversified supply chains in Assam. Senior representatives from companies including Synopsys, Qualcomm, Analogue Devices, Thermo Fisher, Honeywell and Henkel participated in the discussions. The Chief Minister noted the strong interest shown by these companies in partnering with Assam. The Chief Minister of Assam, Himanta Biswa Sarma, continued his intensive engagements on the third day of the WEF 2026 at Davos, holding a series of high-level meetings with global industry leaders and policymakers to advance Assam's growth and investment journey. Speaking on the sidelines of the summit, Sarma emphasised that India's economic narrative has shifted from a handful of prominent states to a unified national strength where every region is now a viable destination for global capital. He noted that the presence of states like Assam at such high-profile international forums signals a departure from traditional investment patterns, showcasing a "whole of nation" approach. "I think that we got a very good platform to speak about Assam," Sarma stated. " Earlier, when it came to India, people knew only 4-5 states. But today, when states like Assam come and represent, then I think we talk about the whole of India. We don't talk about a particular state or region. The very presence of Assam shows that the nation is now talking about the whole of the nation." The Chief Minister highlighted that the country has evolved beyond its conventional economic hubs, asserting that India is now in a position where investment can be " absorbed or attracted by any state of the country," as every region now possesses unique industrial strengths. - ANI The Dhar district administration has deployed over 8,000 police personnel and imposed strict prohibitory orders ahead of Basant Panchami at the disputed Bhojshala Temple-Kamal Maula Mosque complex. Collector Priyank Garg emphasized that the primary objective is maintaining law and order, warning media against interpreting the Supreme Court's verdict. The Supreme Court has mandated separate prayer timings for Hindus and Muslims at the site on Friday. Advanced technology, including AI and drones, is being used for real-time crowd monitoring from a central control room. Dhar administration deploys massive security, bans drones, and enforces a Supreme Court-mandated prayer schedule at the disputed Bhojshala complex for Basant Panchami. Dhar, Jan 22 As a large number of people from the Hindu and Muslim communities are expected to visit the disputed Bhojshala Temple-Kamal Maula Mosque complex to offer religious prayers on January 23, the Dhar district administration has issued prohibitory orders, imposing Section 163 of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita. A multi-layer security system involving more than 8,000 police personnel and the Rapid Action Force (RAF) has been deployed, and the administration has also declared a no-fly zone within a 300-metre radius of the Bhojshala complex, where Basant Panchami will be celebrated on Friday. All aerial activity, including drones, UAVs, paragliding, hot air balloons, or any flying object, is strictly banned. Dhar district collector Priyank Garg said on Thursday that the district administration and police have prepared fully to ensure better law and order. "We are fully prepared for the Basant Panchami festival, which is falling on Friday. Our primary objective is to ensure better law and order," Garg said, briefing the media on Thursday. Garg said that the district administration is committed to complying with the Supreme Court's order. He also appealed to media organisations and social media owners to refrain from any kind of interpretation on the Supreme Court's verdict regarding the permission of Hindus and Muslims for offering religious prayers at the site. The collector issued a stern warning that any content inciting religious hatred, whether through newspapers, electronic media, social media platforms like WhatsApp or Facebook, will invite strict action under the Bharatiya Nyaya Samhita and the IT Act. "Media persons are advised to refrain from interpretation of the SC's verdict. Interpretation may disturb law and order. District administration will share the details about every development with media persons," Garg said. He stated that district administration has started preparations for the day (Basant Panchami) for the last few weeks, and several meetings were organised with people from all communities for discussion. So far, the administration has conducted 31 Mohalla Committee meetings and 21 meetings with members of the Muslim community, aimed at defusing tensions and building trust, he added. Speaking further on the security arrangement, Garg stated that apart from police personnel or RAF, technology-driven security architecture has been rolled out in the surroundings of the disputed historical building. Artificial Intelligence, LiDAR, and 3D city mapping are now at the heart of Dhar's law-and-order strategy, transforming the town into a digitally monitored zone. He shared that a central control room has been set up from where police will conduct live monitoring across the city. Over 20 AI-enabled drones will fly at regular intervals, feeding real-time data on crowd density. "Over a dozen SPs, 25 Additional Superintendents of Police, and 67 Deputy SPs have been deployed for security. In addition, 933 women police personnel and eight RAF platoons have been deployed. Another 1,500 to 2,000 police personnel are on standby to reinforce sensitive areas if required," he added. The Supreme Court hearing the matter on Thursday allowed Hindu prayers from sunrise to sunset on Basant Panchami (on Friday) and permitted Muslims to offer namaz from 1 pm to 3 pm on the day at the disputed site. A bench comprising Chief Justice of India Surya Kant and Justices Joymalya Bagchi and Vipul M Pancholi appealed to both sides to observe mutual respect and cooperate with the state and district administration for the maintenance of law and order. The reason behind the dispute is that Hindus consider Bhojshala, an Archaeological Survey of India (ASI)-protected 11th-century monument, to be a temple dedicated to Vagdevi (Goddess Saraswati), while the Muslim community calls it Kamal Maula mosque. Under an arrangement made by the ASI on April 7, 2003, Hindus perform puja on the Bhojshala premises on Tuesdays, and Muslims offer 'namaz' in the complex on Fridays. - IANS Madhya Pradesh has announced its Republic Day 2026 tableau will be dedicated to Queen Ahilyabai Holkar of the Holkar dynasty. The tableau's design will depict her holding a Shivling, her administration with ministers and soldiers, and the temples and ghats she built. It will also highlight the weaving of Maheshwari sarees as a symbol of women's empowerment under her rule. This theme follows the state's 2025 tableau which focused on the cheetah reintroduction project. Madhya Pradesh's 2026 Republic Day parade tableau will showcase the legacy of Queen Ahilyabai Holkar, focusing on her governance, temple restoration, and women's empowerment. Bhopal, Jan 22 Madhya Pradesh's tableau for the upcoming Republic Day Parade in New Delhi on January 26 will be dedicated to the 18th century's legendary Holkar dynasty queen Devi Ahilyabai Holkar, who is known for good governance and social reforms, besides cultural patronage and religious contributions. "Madhya Pradesh presents a majestic tableau at the Republic Day Parade 2026, dedicated to 'Punyashlok' Lokmata Devi Ahilyabai Holkar, celebrating her legacy of good governance, self-reliance, patriotism, women empowerment, and cultural preservation," Madhya Pradesh Public Relations Department said in statement on Thursday. Sharing further details about Madhya Pradesh's tableau for the Republic Parade-2026, the Public Relations Department said that the front section of the tableau will feature the iconic image of Devi Ahilyabai Holkar holding a sacred Shivling, seated gracefully on a lotus. The state government said that the depiction symbolises the serenity, dignity, and spiritual strength of India's maternal power. While the central portion will portray Lokmata Ahilyabai Holkar accompanied by her ministers and soldiers, reflecting her efficient administration and just rule. The lower panel illustrates the restoration and construction of temples undertaken during her reign by the Holkar dynasty, with a vigilant soldier guarding the heritage, symbolising protection of faith and culture. The final section will highlight the historic Maheshwar ghats, temples, and fort, the capital of Ahilyabai Holkar's kingdom and a hallmark of her administrative excellence. Beneath it flows the sacred Narmada river, with ghats and boats depicted in serene detail. At the rear end, temple spires established by Ahilyabai Holkar rise above the Maheshwar ghats. "Murals below portray women engaged in weaving the renowned Maheshwari sarees under her guidance -- a powerful testimony to women empowerment, dignity of labour, and promotion of indigenous crafts during her era. Traditional folk artists performing alongside the tableau will add colour, rhythm, and cultural vibrancy, making it a fitting tribute to the timeless legacy of Lokmata Devi Ahilyabai Holkar," the state's Public Relations Department said. Devi Ahilyabai Holkar was born on May 31, 1725, in a Maratha Hindu family in the village of Chaundi in Maharashtra's Ahilyanagar district. She was married to Khanderao Holkar, the son of Malhar Rao Holkar, the founder of the Holkar dynasty. After Khanderao Holkar's death in 1754, she became the revered queen of Malwa in Madhya Pradesh. Devi Ahilyabai Holkar being particularly known for contribution to Hindu religion through restoration and construction of temples, ghats and other religious structures (among them the Kashi Vishwanath Temple in Varanasi and the Somnath Temple in Gujarat). Notably, in 2025, Madhya Pradesh's tableau had showcased the theme 'Cheetah -- The Pride of India', highlighting the successful reintroduction of cheetahs in Kuno National Park, featuring depictions of cheetahs, cubs, forest habitats, 'Cheetah Mitras' training locals. - IANS Neetu Kapoor paid a heartfelt tribute to her late husband, actor Rishi Kapoor, by sharing a video of their classic song "Jaan Meri Rooth Gayee." She posted the touching musical moment on what would have been their wedding anniversary. The couple, who married in 1980, starred in numerous hit films together throughout the 70s and 80s. Rishi Kapoor, remembered as a legendary star, passed away in 2020 after battling leukemia. Neetu Kapoor remembers late husband Rishi Kapoor by sharing their song 'Jaan Meri Rooth Gayee' on their wedding anniversary. A touching tribute. Mumbai, January 22 Late actor Rishi Kapoor's films are often remembered as much for their music as for the stories themselves, with many of his songs becoming timeless classics. And on Thursday, his wife and veteran actress Neetu Kapoor, remembered him through music alone. She shared a video of their song 'Jaan Meri Rooth Gayee' from their film 'Doosara Aadmi', which was released in 1977. "In remembrance," she captioned the post. Rishi and Neetu got married on January 22, 1980, and were blessed with two children, Riddhima Kapoor Sahni and superstar Ranbir Kapoor. Back in the 70s and 80s, the couple starred in several hits together like Amar Akbar Anthony, Khel Khel Mein, Rafoo Chakkar, Kabhi Kabhie, Besharam, and many more, inspiring generations with both their on-screen and off-screen romance. Often branded as Bollywood's first chocolate boy, Rishi reached the heights of stardom in the film industry with iconic roles in blockbuster hits like Bobby, Chandni, Karz, and many others. Rishi Kapoor died on April 30, 2020, at the age of 67, after a two-year battle with leukemia. His last film, Sharmaji Namkeen, was shot with Paresh Rawal, as the actor's portions of the film were incomplete. - ANI Political parties and candidates in Nepal are significantly increasing their social media advertising budgets on platforms like Facebook and Instagram ahead of the March general elections. The Rastriya Pariwartan Party emerged as the highest spender, followed by the Gatisheel Loktantrik Party, with data revealing lavish expenditures that raise concerns over campaign transparency. Technology experts note that while social media democratizes outreach, it also presents ethical challenges in digital campaigning. In response, Nepal's Election Commission has announced plans for stricter monitoring of social media ads and fake news during the election period. Ahead of Nepal's March elections, political parties surge spending on Facebook & Instagram ads, raising transparency concerns in digital campaigning. New Delhi, Jan 22 Political parties and candidates contesting Nepal's upcoming March 5 general elections are increasingly targeting social media platforms, with a surge in advertising spending on Facebook, Instagram, WhatsApp, Threads, and Messenger, according to a media report. According to Nepal's Kathmandu Post, data between October 20 and January 11 showed that the Rastriya Pariwartan Party spent the most on Facebook advertising during this period. "Following its merger with Ujyalo Nepal on January 15, the party promoted content through its main page, a page named Gen-Z United Movement, and the pages of its district chapters," it added. Nepal's Gatisheel Loktantrik Party also featured among the highest spenders, where several pages and district chapters ran continuous sponsored posts. The newspaper report also found that in terms of numbers, the Gatisheel party's main Facebook page posted 39 sponsored content over the past three months. The Rastriya Pariwartan Party, formed in November last year under the leadership of Rajesh Portel, who lost a leg during the Gen Z movement, spent USD 1,199 on its own Facebook page in the past three months, the report mentioned. The party's Okhaldhunga unit spent USD 240, while Gen-Z United and the Panchthar chapter contributed USD 427 and USD 100, respectively, among others, accounting for an overall spending of USD 2,360. The report found the data from these three months showing "parties and candidates spending lavishly, raising concerns over transparency and targeted campaigning". Technology expert Dovan told the newspaper that while social media has democratised election outreach, offering broader and cheaper access, "digital campaigns show both ethical and unethical tendencies". Among other organisations, the report identified Gatisheel Loktantrik Party, with USD 1,116 spent across 39 ads in the past three months, as the second-highest spender in this form of campaign. Buddha Air owner and founder of Gatisheel Loktantrik Party, Birendra Bahadur Basnet, was also reported to have used both the party's official page and his secretariat page for election-focused campaigns. Shree Gurung, a founding member of Ujyalo Nepal, too has "actively invested in digital promotion", found the report. Over this time, he spent USD 489 on 11 advertisements, where in his previous elections, he had spent approximately USD 5,968 on social media, finishing third with 2,761 votes from Kathmandu-5 constituency, where he is again a contender. "A Facebook page named Citizens for Voting Nepal, which calls itself a non-partisan initiative promoting voter literacy, spent USD 417 on a single ad from November 21 to 23," noted the article, adding that featured graphics explained online registration for voter ID, aiming to inform voters how to complete the process online. Meanwhile, from the Nepali Congress Party, Sunil Kumar Sharma, a medical entrepreneur contesting from Morang-3, spent USD 289 on three ads in the past 90 days. Also, a page named 'RSP Coverage Yugesh' spent USD 230, though its content appeared to focus on promoting specific candidates rather than general party coverage. Additionally, Facebook ads were also visible for Nepali Communist Party leader Jhalanath Khanal and Rastriya Prajatantra Party chairman Rajendra Lingden. Overall, the newspaper found that Meta's data from January 11 to 17 showed a "slight decrease in spending". It also contended that with nominations for direct elections filed, the volume of social media advertisements is expected to surge. Parties and candidates are likely to increase their budgets. Nepal's Election Commission has announced stricter monitoring of social media advertising this year. It is also monitoring fake and misleading news. The upcoming poll is being held under an interim administration led by the country's first female justice, Sushila Karki. In September last year, the K. P. Sharma Oli government had to step down when a large-scale anti-corruption stir by the youth took place all across Nepal, termed as "Gen Z protests". - IANS A new India-first trend intelligence service has launched to address a significant gap in the fashion and lifestyle industry, estimated as a $2 billion-plus white space. The service, a collaboration between ICH NEXT and Peclers Paris, aims to move beyond generic global reports by providing research tailored to India's diverse culture, climate, and consumption cycles. It analyzes social, cultural, and macro signals to guide brands on color, fabric, and design, with reported benefits including faster design cycles and improved sales. The initiative recognizes India not just as an adapter of global trends, but as an emerging source of innovation and cultural influence. New trend intelligence service for India's $240B fashion market combines global foresight with deep local research to address a $2B+ white space. New Delhi, January 22 An India-first trend intelligence service for the fashion and lifestyle industry, aimed at addressing an estimated USD 2 billion-plus white space created by the lack of right forecasting, has been launched this week at the French Institute in India here in the national capital. ICH NEXT, an Indian trend forecasting and intelligence platform, has partnered with global creative strategy and trend consultancy Peclers Paris for this purpose. The report, they said, is designed to address a gap in India's fashion and lifestyle ecosystem: the lack of research-led, India-first trend intelligence built for local consumers and business realities. India's fashion and lifestyle market is projected to exceed USD 240 billion, growing at over 10 per cent annually. Yet, they said, much of the industry continues to rely on global trend reports that offer broad inspiration but limited relevance to India's cultural diversity, climate, craft traditions, body types, and consumption cycles. The ICH NEXT x Peclers Paris collaboration aims to change this by combining global foresight with deeply contextual, India-based research. Anuradha Chandrasekhar and Kanika Vohra, Co-founders ICH NEXT said in a statement, "India needs a localised lens in trend forecasting because it is not a single, homogeneous market nor a fast follower of the West. Multiple consumer segments, festival-led demand cycles, extended summers, and strong cultural meanings around colour, silhouette, and occasion reshape how trends are adopted. At the same time, India is no longer only adapting global trends - it is actively shaping them. From tech and digital behaviour to beauty rituals and fashion aesthetics, the country is emerging as a source of innovation and influence, with homegrown brands, creators, and consumers setting new culturalcues." "The industry needs a research lens rooted in local culture, powered by data, and designed to solve real business challenges. This partnership allows us to combine global perspective with deep Indian insight to help businesses anticipate, adapt, and lead in a way the industry has never seen before," the Co-founders said. Launched in 2022, ICH NEXT analyses social and cultural signals and macro articles every month to deliver proper guidance across colour, fabric, silhouettes, patterns, and pricing. Brands using this platform have reported faster design cycles, improved sell-through, and stronger category performance, and revenues. ICH NEXT is looking to invest USD 1.5 million over the next three years to scale its offerings. Peclers Paris, part of the USD 20 billion WPP network, brings over five decades of experience in shaping forward-thinking brand visions, with a strong heritage in fashion, aesthetics, and design innovation. Anne Etienne-Reboul, CEO, Peclers Paris, said, "India is one of the most influential consumer markets globally today. Its cultural depth, creativity and confidence demand a different approach to forecasting. Through this collaboration, we are excited to combine our global perspective with ICH NEXT's deep local understanding to create intelligence that is both visionary and truly relevant for Indian brands." - ANI BJP National President Nitin Nabin has directed the party's national spokespersons to proactively communicate the key features of the Modi government's upcoming general budget to the public. The instruction came during his first formal meeting with the spokespersons at the party's Delhi headquarters, which also focused on strategy for countering the opposition Congress. The meeting, attended by over 20 spokespersons and senior media officials, lasted about two hours. This move aligns with the BJP's broader initiative to make its organisational structure more youth-centric, including age-based criteria for youth wing leadership. BJP President Nitin Nabin instructs party spokespersons to highlight the key aspects of the Modi government's upcoming general budget to the public. By Toshi Mandola, New Delhi, January 22 Bhartiya Janta Party national president Nitin Nabin on Thursday instructed the party's national spokespersons to take the key features of the Modi government's upcoming general budget to the common people, a source said. According to a source, Nabin had called a meeting of all party national spokespersons at the Delhi headquarters. In the meeting, the national president told all the BJP national spokespersons that while they participate in political debates every day, the Modi government's upcoming general budget is now approaching, and it is the responsibility of the BJP spokespersons to convey its important aspects to the common people, Sources added. The discussion with the leaders focused on the strategy for building a narrative and countering the opposition Congress party's narrative. This was Nitin Nabin's first formal interaction with and meeting with the national spokespersons. More than 20 national spokespersons were present at this meeting, which lasted for about two hours. The meeting was attended by party Media In-charge Anil Baluni, Co-in-charge Sanjay Mayukh, and all BJP national spokespersons, including Nalin Kohli, Pradeep Bhandari, Prem Shukla, and Ajay Alok. Further, the BJP has taken a major step towards making its organisational structure more youth-centric after appointing Nitin Nabin as the national president. According to a BJP source, "During a meeting of the party's national office-bearers, it was decided that the National President of the BJP Yuva Morcha will be appointed from among leaders aged up to 35 years". The sources added, "In a similar move to strengthen youth leadership at the grassroots level, the party decided that the presidents of the Yuva Morcha units in various states will be appointed from among leaders aged up to 32 years." The meeting also issued clear directions that all remaining appointments in the state-level youth teams will be made, keeping in mind the age of the national president, ensuring a cohesive and youthful leadership structure across the organisation. - ANI Mexico is waiting expectantly on decisions from its two most important trade partners, the United States and Canada. At odds over their positions on global trade, the countries are navigating the fine line between cooperation and rupture. The future of the free trade agreement between them, the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA), is currently the subject of much dialogue and debate from their leaders. U.S. President Donald Trump has declared that he considers the agreement irrelevant to his countrys industry. Meanwhile, Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney has begun to look to China to diversify his own nations trade balance, and Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum is calling for calm, insisting that the USMCA will not be broken under any circumstances. This years review of the USMCA has not yet formally begun, though some conversations between its members have already kicked off. Decisions as to its future are expected to be announced by July 1. Conditions that Trump has imposed on world trade during the last year were mentioned by Carney in a forceful speech at the Davos forum this week. Great powers have begun using economic integration as weapons, tariffs as leverage, financial infrastructure as coercion, supply chains as vulnerabilities to be exploited, said the Canadian, in clear reference to Trumps tariffs. Donald Trump in Davos, Switzerland on January 22, 2026. Evan Vucci (AP) Canadas unease with the trade shifts imposed by the United States is calling into question its resolution to remain in the USCMA. Last week, Carney traveled to China to sign onto new trade conditions that, among other things, will allow for the entry of Chinese electric vehicles into his country. That agreement, and the prime ministers remarks at Davos, have been seen as an affront to Trump. Canada lives because of the United States, said the Republican leader on Wednesday. The tension between the neighboring countries has been constant since Trumps return to the White House a year ago, but in recent weeks, has escalated. Sheinbaum has once again opted to remain on the sidelines of the debate between her peers. On Wednesday, the Mexican president described Carneys speech as very good and very much in tune with the current times. But she has insisted that the USMCA is not at risk, and that this years negotiations will not result in the end of the agreement. It is in the United States interest, she said. The treaty will remain in place. There may be some changes, but the wording will remain the same, because it is mutually beneficial. Obviously, we have to seek out relationships with other regions of the world. The Mexican president and the Canadian prime minister met in September in Mexico City. At the time, they made it clear that both countries would work to maintain the agreement, with the goal of supporting North Americas strength as a commercial block able to compete with other regions. The meeting between Ottawa and Mexico City also strengthened a push to bolster their bilateral relationship running up to the review of the USMCA. Sheinbaum received Mary Simon, the governor general of Canada, at the National Palace this week. Simon, an official appointed by the king of England whose duties include summoning the Canadian Parliament and supporting the countrys Armed Forces, spoke with the president about Indigenous communities and the relationship between the two countries. Sheinbaum has also announced that a delegation of Canadian business leaders will travel to Mexico in February to examine possibilities for new investments in the country. Mark Carney and Claudia Sheinbaum in Mexico City on September 18. Nayeli Cruz Sheinbaum has acknowledged that while the future of the USMCA is undefined, her administration has been concentrating its attention on other trade matters, such as its agreements with the European Union, Brazil, Singapore, South Korea, France and China. This month, Mexico began to charge tariffs on 1,400 products from Asia, largely from China, a move billed as defense of national production. The measure has also been seen as an opportunity for the Latin American country to align itself with Trumps protectionist policies. According to the Foundation for Defense of Democracies Center on Economic and Financial Power, ending the USMCA in exchange for bilateral agreements between its members would threaten 17 million jobs that depend on the production chains it has formed over the last three decades. Canadas deal with Beijing disrupts what appeared to be a path toward a smoother USMCA renegotiation process. Mexican President Claudia Sheibaum had signaled a willingness to stabilize the trade relationship with the U.S. and make needed tariff concessions on China-related concerns, states the Washington-based think tank. Sign up for our weekly newsletter to get more English-language news coverage from EL PAIS USA Edition An Indian Army vehicle met with a fatal accident in the Khanni Top area of Doda, Jammu and Kashmir, resulting in the deaths of ten personnel and serious injuries to ten others. The vehicle reportedly slipped off the road while navigating difficult terrain in bad weather during an operational movement. Union Minister Jitendra Singh and Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha expressed profound grief and extended condolences to the bereaved families. The injured were evacuated and airlifted to the Command Hospital in Udhampur for specialized medical treatment. Union Minister Jitendra Singh expresses deep shock as an Army vehicle accident in Doda's Khanni Top claims 10 lives. Injured airlifted to Udhampur. Doda, January 22 Union Minister of State for Science and Technology Jitendra Singh on Thursday extended his heartfelt condolences over the death of 10 Army pesonnel in Doda. He also took a detailed update from government officials on the Doda road accident. The Union Minister spoke to DC Doda, Harvinder Singh, and Major General Dr Sanjay Sharma, in charge of the Command Hospital, who provided him with regular updates on the ten injured Army personnel. "Just now spoke to DC Doda, Sh Harvinder Singh. Deeply shocked to learn about the tragic accident of an Army vehicle on Bhaderwah - Chamba road, in which 10 Jawans lost their life and another 10 seriously injured, who have been shifted to Command Hospital Udhampur. Also spoken to Major General (Dr) Sanjay Sharma, Incharge Command Hospital, who is providing me regular updates," Singh posted on X. "All possible medical aid being provided. No words are enough to convey deep sense of reverence for our brave Jawans. My deepest condolences to the bereaved families," he added. Earlier, an Army vehicle in Jammu and Kashmir's Doda district met with an accident, resulting in the deaths of ten personnel. An equal number of personnel sustained injuries during the mishap. The incident occurred in the Khanni Top area of Bhaderwah, prompting immediate rescue and relief operations, said official sources. According to the White Knight Corps, the Army vehicle carrying troops for an operation slipped off the road while navigating treacherous terrain in bad weather. "In an unfortunate incident, an Army vehicle carrying troops for an operation, slipped off the road while navigating treacherous terrain in bad weather, in general area of Doda. There are multiple casualties, including fatal. The injured have been evacuated for further treatment," said White Knight Corps. Soon after the accident, the Army and local administration teams rushed to the spot and launched rescue efforts despite the difficult terrain and adverse weather conditions. The injured personnel were provided first aid at the site and were later airlifted to Udhampur for specialised medical treatment. Jammu and Kashmir Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha expressed heartfelt condolences over the death of 10 Army personnel in the incident. In a post on X, LG Sinha stated that the entire nation stands in solidarity with the bereaved families. He further noted that 10 other soldiers who were injured in the incident have been airlifted to the hospital for treatment. He further stated that the nation will always remember the outstanding service and supreme sacrifice of these brave soldiers. "Deeply saddened at the loss of lives of 10 of our brave Indian Army soldiers in an unfortunate road accident in Doda. We will always remember the outstanding service and supreme sacrifice of our brave soldiers. My deepest condolences to the grieving families," a post by the official X handle of the LG Office said. "In this moment of profound sorrow, the entire nation stands united with the bereaved families in solidarity and support. 10 Injured soldiers have been airlifted to the hospital. Directed the Senior officials to ensure best possible treatment. Praying for their speedy recovery," the post added. - ANI Odisha's Director General of Police, Y.B. Khurania, hoisted the national flag on the uninhabited Udabali Island to reinforce the commitment to coastal security. He outlined a comprehensive, modernized security plan backed by a Rs 149 crore budgetary allocation. The initiative includes deploying advanced drones, increasing patrol vessels, and installing CCTV systems with live feeds to a central command center. The event aimed to raise public awareness, with plans to extend the flag-hoisting tradition to all of Odisha's islands on Republic Day. Odisha DGP Y.B. Khurania unfurled the national flag on Udabali Island, detailing a Rs 149 crore initiative to modernize coastal and maritime security. Bhubaneswar, Jan 22 Odisha Director General of Police Y.B. Khurania, on Thursday, unfurled the National Tricolour at the Udabali Island in Bhadrak district, reiterating the state and Central government's commitment to strengthening coastal and maritime security. Addressing the gathering, DGP Khurania said Odisha has a coastline of nearly 574 km, which plays a vital role in economic activities, including major ports such as Paradip and Gopalpur. He noted that the state also has 16 islands located along the coast, making coastal security a top priority for both the Union and state governments. On the occasion, DGP Khurania said that a long-term initiative has been taken by the Odisha Police to strengthen and modernise the coastal security system along the state. He noted that the state government has made an allocation of Rs 149 crore in the annual budget for this initiative during the current financial year. The DGP told that in the past year, Odisha Police has been provided with enhanced resources to boost maritime surveillance. "Advanced drones have been procured for aerial monitoring, and additional fishing trawlers have been hired to strengthen sea patrolling." He said the number of patrol vessels has increased, leading to faster and more effective coastal surveillance. He also added that CCTV systems are being installed at all major coastal fishing centres, with live feeds available at nearby marine police stations and the Central Command and Control Centre in Bhubaneswar. The live feed from drone-mounted cameras will also be monitored at the central control room to ensure real-time aerial surveillance, the DGP said. Special Police Officers have been deployed to intensify coastal patrolling and monitoring, he said, adding that a comprehensive multi-layered security mechanism is being put in place across all coastal and Island areas. The DGP said the tradition of unfurling the Tricolour on all islands of Odisha on the occasion of Republic Day has been initiated to promote awareness about coastal security among the general public. He expressed happiness over the large participation of local residents, NCC cadets and cultural groups at the event. Thanking various government departments, agencies, the NCC Directorate and local cultural organisations for their support, the DGP said public participation will play a key role in making Odisha's coastal security even stronger in the coming days. - IANS O.P. Jindal Global University has achieved a landmark debut in the Times Higher Education World University Rankings by Subject 2026. The university secured the number one position in India for Law, placing within the top 300 globally. It also ranked second in India for Psychology and demonstrated strong multidisciplinary performance. The achievement highlights JGU's rapid advancement in research quality, international engagement, and institutional excellence. O.P. Jindal Global University makes a historic debut in the Times Higher Education Subject Rankings 2026, securing top national positions in Law and Psychology. Sonipat, Jan 22 O.P. Jindal Global University has attained a landmark achievement with an exceptional national and global debut in its first-ever participation in the Times Higher Education World University Rankings by Subject 2026, securing top positions across multiple disciplines in one of the world's most rigorous and data-driven university ranking systems. Rankings Highlights: -- Ranked #1 in India for Law, placing within the top 300 globally among universities from 53 countries -- Ranked #2 in India for Psychology, placed within the top 500 globally among institutions from 64 countries and territories -- JGU further strengthened its global standing in Arts & Humanities, Social Sciences, and Business & Economics, reinforcing its position as a leading multidisciplinary global university in India These rankings position JGU competitively against hundreds of leading universities worldwide, underscoring its strength as a multidisciplinary institution with consistent performance across key academic areas. The Times Higher Education Subject Rankings 2026 assessed 2,191 universities from 115 countries and territories, with only institutions meeting stringent thresholds for data credibility, teaching excellence, and research performance included. JGU's strong performance in this highly selective global evaluation highlights its rapid academic rise and expanding international reputation. Pillar-wise Performance and Methodological Strength The Times Higher Education World University Rankings are the only global rankings that comprehensively evaluate research-intensive universities across four core missions: teaching, research, knowledge transfer (industry engagement), and international outlook. Importantly, 60-65 per cent of the overall methodology is weighted towards research-related pillars, including research environment, research quality, research outlook, and industry impact. The subject rankings apply 18 globally trusted performance indicators, recalibrated by discipline and grouped into five core pillars: -- Teaching -- Research Environment -- Research Quality -- International Outlook -- Industry The Founding Chancellor of O.P. Jindal Global University, Naveen Jindal, said. "I extend special congratulations to JGU for its undisputed leadership in the subjects recognised by THE 2026 Rankings, and I thank the faculty members, research community, and professional staff whose dedication, data stewardship, and institutional commitment made this achievement possible. JGU's governance and strategic leadership have been instrumental in steering JGU's rankings, benchmarking, and global positioning efforts, confidently aligning it with the best universities in the world." The Founding Vice Chancellor of O.P. Jindal Global University, Professor (Dr) C. Raj Kumar, said on this historic achievement, "These rankings firmly position JGU as India's leading multidisciplinary institution, at a time when India now has the second-highest number of ranked universities globally, behind only the United States. They stand as a powerful testament to our shared commitment to academic rigour, research innovation, international collaboration, and institutional excellence." JGU's first-time success in the THE Subject Rankings 2026 reflects: -- Rapid advancement in research quality and impact -- Strong and sustained international engagement -- Robust academic performance across disciplines -- Growing global credibility and recognition JGU has demonstrated exceptional strengths across the following pillars: -- International Outlook emerged as the strongest pillar in Law, Psychology, and Social Sciences, reflecting high levels of international faculty, students, and global research collaboration -- Research Quality was the top-performing pillar in Arts & Humanities and Business & Economics, highlighting strong citation impact, research excellence, and global influence Professor Padmanabha Ramanujam, Dean, Office of Academic Governance & Student Life, who led the rigorous rankings process, said, "O.P. Jindal Global University (JGU) has made a remarkable national and international debut through its first-ever recognition in the Times Higher Education (THE) World University Rankings by Subject 2026. This significant milestone is a powerful reflection of the founding vision of the University, the institutional inspiration that has guided its growth, and the sustained commitment and collective effort that have shaped JGU's exceptional journey over the years." National and Global Significance These outcomes firmly establish JGU as one of India's leading multidisciplinary universities in the THE Subject Rankings 2026. The achievement is particularly notable as India now has the second-highest number of ranked universities globally, behind only the United States, signalling the country's rising prominence in the global higher education landscape. This milestone underscores JGU's commitment to excellence in teaching, research, and global engagement, and marks a significant step forward in its journey as a globally benchmarked university. - IANS Army Chief General Upendra Dwivedi declared Operation Sindoor a historic and highly successful military operation that shattered long-standing assumptions about India's decision-making and mobilization cycles. He emphasized that the operation demonstrated real, practiced jointness among the armed forces under pressure, resulting in a synergistic organization. General Dwivedi highlighted the crucial role of government economic actions in supporting the military efforts before, during, and after the operations. He also stressed the need for building resilient supply chains through self-reliance (Atmanirbharta) for long-term security success. Army Chief Gen Upendra Dwivedi lauds Operation Sindoor as a historic military success that shattered assumptions about India's decision-making and mobilization. New Delhi, January 22 Chief of Army Staff General Upendra Dwivedi on Thursday lauded 'Operation Sindoor' as a historic success, emphasising that the operation "shattered long-standing assumptions" about India's decision-making and "military mobilisation cycles". The Army Chief attended the launch of the book titled 'Red Lines Redrawn: Operation Sindoor and India's New Normal'. Speaking at the launch here, General Dwivedi said, "Operation Sindoor also showed that jointness is no longer something we aspire to do in seminars or discussions. It is something we practised under pressure, and we came out as a successful, synergistic organisation. I can say proudly, Operation Sindoor was the most successful operation. The old assumption that India requires a long time for decision-making, as well as a long, drawn-out mobilisation cycle to synchronise force application, was quietly etched out of the window." The Army Chief added that the economic domain played a crucial role in supporting the military efforts. "The economic domain saw a slew of actions by the government, which enabled us before, during and even after the operations," Dwivedi noted. However, he cautioned that resilience through Atmanirbharta (self-reliance) was essential for securing long-term success in future military campaigns. "We have to be careful with our supply chains and build in resilience through Atmanirbharta, which is the only solution for the long run," the army chief added. In his address, General Dwivedi also elaborated on the military's strategic actions. "There were actions in this domain from both sides, but the winner in the long run was the one whose narrative was based on truth and packed with credible evidence," he explained, referring to the precision strikes carried out during Operation Sindoor. "The world saw on their TV screens how the nine targets were destroyed in a synergistic manner, involving all three forces in 22 minutes of precision, non-escalatory strikes," he added. He further explained that the operation involved strategic wargaming by the military's red teams to prepare for various escalatory scenarios. "We were fully prepared for multiple actions to dominate the complete escalation rate," said General Dwivedi. He also praised the collaborative effort behind the book, which was co-authored by two army officers, an Air Force officer, and a diplomat. "I've read a number of books on Operation Sindoor, but this is the first book I've come across that brings together such a diverse team," General Dwivedi remarked. Reflecting on the timing of the operation, the Army Chief revealed that 'Operation Sindoor' was launched in late April, but details were kept under wraps until after the operation's success. "Operation Sindoor was given to me on the 29th-30th of April, but it was not put out in the media," he said. He added that the tweet "Justice is Served" received record-breaking social media traffic. "And as you're aware, the tweet Justice is Served had huge record hits on Twitter," he said. Operation Sindoor was a military action aimed at destroying terrorist bases in Pakistan, launched after the Pahalgam terrorist attack in April 2025, which killed 26 people. The Indian military attacked terrorist bases in Pakistan, killing several terrorists. - ANI AIMIM President Asaduddin Owaisi has urgently appealed to External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar to rescue 16 Indian nationals, including three from Hyderabad, who were lured to the Myanmar-Thailand border with fake job promises and are now enslaved. The victims are reportedly forced to work excessively long hours, face physical punishment, and have had their documents seized. This incident follows India's repatriation of over 1,500 nationals from similar cyber fraud networks in Thailand last year. Previous rescue operations have brought back hundreds of victims, primarily from Telangana and Andhra Pradesh, who were also trapped in organized cybercrime hubs. AIMIM's Asaduddin Owaisi appeals to EAM Jaishankar to rescue 16 Indians forced into labor at the Myanmar-Thailand border. Hyderabad, Jan 22 AIMIM President and Hyderabad MP Asaduddin Owaisi on Thursday urged External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar to intervene and ensure the rescue of 16 India nationals from the Myanmar-Thailand border. Owaisi posted on social media platform 'X' on Thursday that he received a distressing message from a person held captive. "At least 16 Indian nationals, including three from Hyderabad, were promised jobs in Thailand but taken to the Myanmar-Thailand border and enslaved. They are forced to work 18-20 hours daily, physically punished, and deprived of passports, phones, and medical facilities," posted the MP. He appealed to the EAM to intervene urgently to ensure the rescue of all Indians stuck there. "This information comes from Mir Sajjad Ali, a resident of Osman Nagar, Hyderabad, currently incarcerated at the Myanmar-Thailand border. Two others with him are from Maula Ali and Banjara Hills," Owaisi added. India repatriated over 1,500 of its nationals from Thailand last year. They were brought back on special flights. The rescued Indians were victims of organised cyber fraud networks, which had lured them with the promise of high-paying jobs. They were later held captive and forced to engage in illegal online activities. As many as 11 people from Telangana were repatriated from Thailand in November last year. They were among 270 Indian nationals rescued. They had fled to Thailand following a military raid on cybercrime hubs in Myanmar. Another group of 55 people from neighbouring Andhra Pradesh were rescued from cybercrime hubs in Myanmar. They were among 370 Indian nationals repatriated from Thailand. All 55 belong to Vijayawada and Visakhapatnam. Since their mobile phones were seized in Myanmar and they had no money, the repatriates were provided assistance by the Andhra Pradesh government on reaching India. The Andhra Pradesh government successfully helped 79 people rescued from the Myanmar cybercrime network in reaching their homes. Earlier, 24 people belonging to various regions of Andhra Pradesh were among the Indians repatriated from Thailand. - IANS AIMIM chief Asaduddin Owaisi has urgently appealed to External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar to rescue Indian citizens stranded at the Myanmar-Thailand border. Owaisi shared a distressing message detailing how at least 16 Indians were promised jobs in Thailand but were instead taken to the border and enslaved. The victims, including three from Hyderabad, are reportedly forced to work excessively long hours under physical punishment and deprivation. BJP leader NV Subhash commented on the incident, stating that human trafficking has become a major business where people are lured abroad with false promises. Asaduddin Owaisi urges S Jaishankar to urgently rescue 16 Indians, including Hyderabad residents, trapped and forced into labor at the Myanmar-Thailand border. Hyderabad, January 22 All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen chief Asaduddin Owaisi on Thursday urged External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar to "urgently intervene to ensure the rescue" of all Indian citizens stranded at the Myanmar-Thailand border. Sharing an X post, Owaisi said he had received a "distressing message" and was informed that at least 16 Indian nationals, including three from Hyderabad, were promised jobs in Thailand but taken to the Myanmar-Thailand border and enslaved. "I have received a distressing message: at least 16 Indian nationals, including three from Hyderabad, were promised jobs in Thailand but taken to the Myanmar-Thailand border and enslaved. They are forced to work 18-20 hours daily, physically punished, and deprived of passports, phones, and medical facilities," Owaisi said in his post. He further said he got the information that Mir Sajjad Ali, a resident of Hyderabad's Osman Nagar currently incarcerated at the Myanmar-Thailand border. "@DrSJaishankar, kindly intervene urgently to ensure the rescue of all Indians. This information comes from Mir Sajjad Ali, a resident of Osman Nagar, Hyderabad, currently incarcerated at the Myanmar-Thailand border. Two others with him are from Maula Ali and Banjara Hills," Owaisi added. Further, speaking to ANI on the same issue, Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader NV Subhash said that "human trafficking become a big business" and "people are lured" with promises of jobs and money. "Human trafficking has become a big business, where people are lured with promises of jobs and money and then sent abroad. We have heard that 16 people have been trapped, out of which 4 to 5 are from Hyderabad, currently stuck in Thailand and other countries," Subhash said. - ANI Prime Minister Narendra Modi received a telephone call from Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, with both leaders reaffirming their commitment to strengthening the strategic partnership between their nations. They exchanged views on regional and global issues, underscoring the importance of a reformed multilateral system to tackle shared challenges. The leaders noted with satisfaction the significant progress in bilateral cooperation across diverse areas including trade, technology, defence, and energy. PM Modi conveyed his eagerness to welcome President Lula to India at an early date. PM Modi and Brazil's President Lula da Silva reaffirm strategic partnership, discuss global challenges, and emphasize reformed multilateralism in a phone call. New Delhi, January 23 Prime Minister Narendra Modi received a telephone call today from Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva on Thursday and the two leaders reaffirmed their commitment to strengthen the Strategic Partnership and take it to even greater heights in the year ahead. The leaders exchanged views on regional and global issues of mutual interest. They also underscored the importance of reformed multilateralism in addressing shared challenges. Recalling their meetings last year in Brasilia and South Africa, the two leaders noted with satisfaction the significant progress achieved across diverse areas of bilateral cooperation, including trade and investment, technology, defence, energy, health, agriculture, and people-to-people ties, a PMO release said. PM Modi conveyed that he looked forward to welcoming President Lula to India at an early date. India will host AI Impact Summit next month. India and Brazil share a close and multifaceted relationship, which was elevated to Strategic Partnership in 2006. Both countries also enjoy an excellent cooperation in plurilateral fora such as BRICS, IBSA, G20, G-4, International Solar Alliance, Global Biofuel Alliance, Coalition for Disaster Resilience Infrastructure as well as in the larger multilateral bodies such as the UN, WTO, UNESCO and WIPO. The bilateral relationship is based on a common global vision, shared democratic values and a commitment to foster economic growth with social inclusion for the welfare of the people of both countries. - ANI The Reserve Bank of India's report affirms the strength of India's financial system, with banks and NBFCs capable of withstanding adverse scenarios. It emphasizes that a policy framework carefully balancing innovation, stability, and consumer protection is crucial for long-term growth. Despite elevated global geopolitical risks and policy uncertainty, India's economy shows optimism, poised to remain the world's fastest-growing major economy. Ongoing economic reforms and efforts to diversify exports further strengthen the country's growth prospects. RBI report highlights India's resilient financial system and a policy focus balancing innovation, stability, and consumer protection for sustained growth. New Delhi, January 22 The policy focus on maintaining a balance between consumer protection, innovation, and a prudent regulatory approach will help support long-term economic growth in India, according to a report by the Reserve Bank of India. According to the RBI, the latest findings of the financial structure of India have reaffirmed the strength of the financial system. The stress test results showed that both banks and non-banking financial companies (NBFCs) are capable of withstanding losses under adverse scenarios, while maintaining capital levels well above the regulatory minimum. The RBI report stated that going forward, a policy approach that carefully balances innovation and stability, along with consumer protection and prudent regulation and supervision, will be crucial in improving productivity and sustaining long-term economic growth. It stated "the policy focus on striking a balance between innovation and stability, consumer protection, and a prudent approach to regulation and supervision should help improve productivity and support long-term economic growth". The report noted that banks remain well supported by strong capital buffers, improved asset quality, and robust profitability, even in a challenging global environment. The report also took note of the global environment as the year 2026 began with an escalation of geopolitical tensions. It highlighted developments such as US intervention in Venezuela, the continuing conflict in the Middle East, uncertainty around the Russia-Ukraine peace deal, and the escalation of the row over Greenland. These factors, the RBI said, point to still-elevated geo-economic risks and persistent policy uncertainty at the global level. Despite these global challenges, the RBI report said the current state of the Indian economy provides grounds for optimism. The GDP growth estimates for 2025-26 indicate that India will continue to remain the fastest-growing major economy in the world. The report also highlighted India's efforts to diversify and strengthen exports in order to reduce risks related to the external sector. It said India is currently engaged in trade negotiations with 14 countries or groups, representing nearly 50 nations, including the European Union, Gulf Cooperation Council countries, and the United States. In December, India concluded trade negotiations with New Zealand and Oman. Additionally, the RBI noted that 2025 witnessed major economic reforms, including the rationalisation of tax structures, the implementation of labour codes for labour market reforms, and financial sector deregulation. These measures, the report said, are expected to further strengthen India's growth prospects in the coming years. Overall, the RBI report emphasised that India's resilient financial system, reform momentum, and balanced policy framework place the economy in a strong position despite ongoing global uncertainties. - ANI Ten Indian Army soldiers were killed and ten others injured when their vehicle slipped off the road in treacherous terrain and bad weather in Doda, Jammu and Kashmir. President Droupadi Murmu expressed deep sorrow and offered condolences to the bereaved families. The injured personnel were evacuated and airlifted to Udhampur for specialized medical treatment. Several dignitaries, including the Jammu and Kashmir Lieutenant Governor, united in expressing grief and solidarity with the families of the bravehearts. President Droupadi Murmu and others mourn 10 soldiers killed in a Jammu and Kashmir road accident. 10 others injured were airlifted for treatment. New Delhi, January 22 President Droupadi Murmu on Thursday expressed her deep sorrow over the tragic death of 10 Indian Army soldiers in a road accident in the Doda district of Jammu and Kashmir. "The news of the death of Indian Army soldiers in a road accident in Doda, Jammu and Kashmir, is extremely tragic. I express my deepest condolences to the bereaved families and pray for the swift recovery of the injured soldiers," President Murmu posted on X. Himachal Pradesh Governor Shiv Pratap Shukla has expressed grief over the 10 brave soldiers of the Indian Army in a road accident. He prayed for peace for the souls of the departed and for God to grant strength to the bereaved families to bear this irreparable loss. He also wished for the speedy recovery of the injured. Earlier, Union Minister of State (MOS) for Science and Technology Jitendra Singh extended his heartfelt condolences over the death of 10 Army personnel. An Army vehicle in Jammu and Kashmir's Doda district met with an accident, resulting in the deaths of 10 personnel. An equal number of personnel sustained injuries during the mishap. The incident occurred in the Khanni Top area of Bhaderwah, prompting immediate rescue and relief operations, said official sources. According to the White Knight Corps, the Army vehicle carrying troops for an operation slipped off the road while navigating treacherous terrain in bad weather."In an unfortunate incident, an Army vehicle carrying troops for an operation, slipped off the road while navigating treacherous terrain in bad weather, in general area of Doda. There are multiple casualties, including fatal. The injured have been evacuated for further treatment," said White Knight Corps. Soon after the accident, the Army and local administration teams rushed to the spot and launched rescue efforts despite the difficult terrain and adverse weather conditions. The injured personnel were provided first aid at the site and were later airlifted to Udhampur for specialised medical treatment. Jammu and Kashmir Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha expressed heartfelt condolences over the death of 10 Army personnel in the incident. In a post on X, LG Sinha stated that the entire nation stands in solidarity with the bereaved families. He further noted that 10 other soldiers who were injured in the incident have been airlifted to the hospital for treatment. "Deeply saddened at the loss of lives of 10 of our brave Indian Army soldiers in an unfortunate road accident in Doda. We will always remember the outstanding service and supreme sacrifice of our brave soldiers. My deepest condolences to the grieving families," a post by the official X handle of the LG Office said. "In this moment of profound sorrow, the entire nation stands united with the bereaved families in solidarity and support. 10 Injured soldiers have been airlifted to the hospital. Directed the Senior officials to ensure best possible treatment. Praying for their speedy recovery," the post added. - ANI Russian President Vladimir Putin announced a meeting with US President Donald Trump's special envoy Steve Witkoff and entrepreneur Jared Kushner to continue dialogue on a Ukrainian settlement. The meeting follows discussions between the US envoys and Russian officials on the sidelines of the World Economic Forum. Meanwhile, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky accused Russia of prioritizing attacks on Ukraine's energy infrastructure over diplomacy, detailing widespread damage and repair efforts. Zelensky also confirmed his delegation, including security chief Rustem Umerov, has been holding negotiations with US representatives on documents aimed at ending the war. Russian President Putin will meet Trump's special envoy Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner for Ukraine talks, as President Zelensky details Russian attacks on energy infrastructure. Moscow, Jan 22 Russian President Vladimir Putin has announced that he will meet US President Donald Trump's special envoy Steve Witkoff and entrepreneur Jared Kushner later on Thursday, local media reported. In his remarks at a meeting with the permanent members of the Russian Security Council, Putin said that he plans to meet the US representatives following his meeting with Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas, Russia's leading news agency Tass reported. Putin announced that Witkoff and Kushner will visit Moscow to "continue the dialogue on the Ukrainian settlement." Russian leader further stated that he intends to address details regarding Moscow's participation in the Board of Peace, for which Trump has invited Putin to participate. Earlier, Witkoff announced his plans to visit Moscow on Thursday. Witkoff announced that Jared Kushner, who was present during the previous meeting between Putin and US officials, will accompany him on the visit to Moscow. Before their arrival in Moscow, Witkoff and Kushner held a meeting with Russian President's special representative and Russian Direct Investment Fund CEO Kirill Dmitriev on the sidelines of the World Economic Forum on January 20. Officials from Russia and US held a meeting behind closed doors for over two hours, which Witkoff termed very positive, Tass reported. The proposed Board of Peace has been described by Trump as a platform that could bring together leaders directly to resolve disputes. He has argued that existing institutions have often been too slow or ineffective in stopping wars. Meanwhile, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said on Monday that Russia would focus on diplomacy and not on missile strikes, blackouts, or attempts to damage Ukraine's nuclear power plants if it genuinely wanted to end the war. He said there is information about the sites Russia reconnoitered in preparation for strikes, stressing that everything clearly shows "diplomacy is not a priority for Russia". In his address to the nation, Zelensky said, "The main target for Russia is invariably our energy sector. Almost 58,000 people are working around the clock in repair crews on power grids and generation facilities, and on the heating network alone. Resources from Ukrzaliznytsia and other state-owned companies have been involved. For Kyiv, where the situation is very difficult, an additional 50 crews from all over the country have been involved." "There are still houses without heating, and for them, the necessary equipment and crews are being sent to each house manually. It is also difficult in the Kyiv region, especially in the northern part of the region, also in the Boryspil district. Also in border and front-line regions, where repairs to networks and repairs to facilities are complicated by virtually constant shelling and constant strikes. These are Kharkiv, Chernihiv, Sumy, Dnipro, and Zaporizhia regions - special attention is paid to these regions. There was a lot of work in Poltava and Odessa to stabilise the energy situation," he added. Zelensky further said that the Ukrainian delegation, which included the head of Ukraine's National Security and Defence Council, Rustem Umerov, reported on meetings with representatives of US President Donald Trump. "There have already been several rounds of negotiations - they are working on documents that are needed to end the war. It is important that the Ukrainian team fully informs the American side about what is happening in Ukraine and about the constant Russian attacks on our energy system," he stated. - IANS Despite the political setback that the European Unions trade agreement with Mercosur has suffered in the EU Parliament, which voted against it citing legal concerns, its provisional implementation remains a possibility. The decision now depends on the Commission, the EUs executive arm, and on the member states. The Commission has the power to request it, and the EU Council must approve it by a qualified majority, the same procedure that was used to sign the trade agreement last Saturday in Asuncion, paving the way for the largest free trade zone in the world. Lawmakers are now seeking legal opinion from the European Court of Justice, a move that could take years to get resolved. But what is legally possible could pose a serious political problem. Because, as the European Commission pointed out when remarking on the Parliaments negative vote, the legal formula used to process the ratification of this agreement is the same one used for an agreement reached with Chile that did not raise any questions inside the European Parliament. In other words, the outcome of this vote suggests that the opposition for legal concerns is motivated less by legal reasons than by political ones. Its a delay tactic to further postpone an agreement that has taken 26 years to finalize, as European legislators of various persuasions, displeased by the vote, have also stated. The decision on whether to implement it immediatelypending approval from the Mercosur countries: Argentina, Brazil, Paraguay, and Uruguaywill be political. And there, once again, a major battle will erupt. Enough delays. The agreement must be implemented now on a provisional basis, German Chancellor Friedrich Merz demanded forcefully as soon as the vote result was announced. The European Commission can ask the EU Council, that is, the member states, to approve the provisional entry into force of the trade agreement without parliamentary approval, explains legal expert Eva Poptcheva, a former liberal member of parliament. Her conclusions coincide with those of Professor of European Law, Alberto Alemanno. But the legal argument doesnt convince Paris: France is prepared to say no when necessary, and history often proves it right, declared Foreign Minister Jean-Noel Barrot immediately after the parliamentary vote. The division over what to do has also reached the European Parliament, even among supporters of the agreement. The European Peoples Party (EPP), despite having around 30 dissenting members, is a firm believer in not waiting. Swedish MEP Jorgen Warborn, the groups spokesperson on the Trade Committee, made this clear: It should be applied provisionally because it could take two, three, or more years [for the judges decision, plus the subsequent parliamentary process]. Our partners are already very, very impatient. I am too. It doesnt contradict the agreement to apply it provisionally, he stated at the press conference following the vote. For her part, the president of the Socialists and Democrats (S&D) group, the Spanish MEP Iratxe Garcia, indicated that although the outcome of the vote is not good, her group respects it and will wait for the European court to issue its ruling before proceeding with the parliamentary ratification process. However, she also left the door open to a political decision: We recognize that the Council and the Commission now have the prerogatives for the provisional application of the agreement in accordance with the Treaties, she stated. Bernd Lange, chairman of the European Parliaments Committee on Trade and also a supporter of the trade agreement, is far more cautious. This veteran German social democrat called Wednesdays vote utterly irresponsible, but also recalled that the last four European Commission trade commissioners had committed to the European Parliament that the agreement would not enter into force without its consent. This is not a decision that should be rushed, he reassured, noting that in some Mercosur countries, such as Brazil, the ratification process can take up to a year. Ignacio Garcia-Bercero, former senior official in the European Commissions Trade department and researcher at Bruegel, also advocates for caution and even waiting for Parliament to complete its process. There is a well-established tradition that trade agreements do not enter into force provisionally without parliamentary consent, he points out, noting that this unwritten rule has only been broken with the United Kingdom and Brexit, due to timing issues, and more recently with Morocco. It can be done legally, but I would advise against it, he says, then suggests exploring ways to expedite the courts decision. Garcia-Berceros argument rests, firstly, on the fact that implementing the agreement without waiting for Parliament could provoke a greater backlash among MEPs. Secondly, it considers the message this could send to partner nations, by applying a pact that might later be challenged in court. Those advocating bypassing Parliament and implementing it quickly and provisionally counter that this is dangerously testing the patience of transatlantic partners who have been waiting for European approval for many years and accepting their constant demands for greater guarantees. Delays in creating a large free trade area with over 700 million consumers are costing money. Negotiations have dragged on for more than 25 years. An initial agreement in principle was reached in 2019, but it was met with considerable indifference by European institutions. It was then renegotiated for another five years. According to calculations by the European Centre for International Economic Policy (ECIPE), the delays in implementing the agreement are costing billions of euros in exports. In the five years between the signing of the first and second agreements in principle, the cost would have been around 183 billion, at a rate of 3 billion per month. An updated figure would raise the cost to 280 billion if it takes another three years to come into force. Sign up for our weekly newsletter to get more English-language news coverage from EL PAIS USA Edition Rajasthan Chief Minister Bhajan Lal Sharma announced the transfer of over Rs 1,590 crore directly into the bank accounts of more than one crore farmers, women, and labourers across the state. He launched Gram Utthan Camps, to be organised from January 23, to facilitate on-the-spot approvals and applications for various government welfare schemes at the grassroots level. The financial assistance included crop damage compensation, MSP payments, LPG subsidies, and housing scheme funds. The CM emphasized that economic empowerment of farmers is a top priority, highlighting increased annual assistance and subsidies for solar pumps. Rajasthan CM Bhajan Lal Sharma transfers Rs 1590cr to over 1 crore beneficiaries, launches Gram Utthan Camps for grassroots scheme delivery. Jaipur, Jan 22 Rajasthan Chief Minister Bhajan Lal Sharma on Thursday said that farmers are the soul of India and that when farmers are empowered, villages, states, and the nation progress together. He said the state government is continuously fulfilling the promises made in its manifesto and remains fully committed to the welfare and prosperity of farmers. The Chief Minister announced that from January 23, on the occasion of Basant Panchami, Gram Utthan Camps will be organised in every Girdawar circle across the state. He appealed to farmers and livestock owners to participate in large numbers and take advantage of various government welfare schemes. CM Sharma was addressing a programme in Sirohi for the transfer of Kisan Samman Nidhi and the launch of Gram Utthan Camps. He recalled that on this day two years ago, under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the consecration of Ramlala in Ayodhya was performed, fulfilling a cultural legacy awaited for decades. He also noted that on this very day, the Prime Minister had launched the Beti Bachao-Beti Padhao campaign from Panipat, Haryana, marking a milestone for women's empowerment. The Chief Minister said the state government is working with dedication for the welfare of all sections of society, including the poor, women, youth, and farmers. Gram Utthan Camps are being organised to ensure that government schemes reach the grassroots. In these camps, approvals will be granted for welfare schemes such as fencing, water tanks, pipelines, farm ponds, sprinkler and drip irrigation systems, plastic mulch, and solar pumps. Applications under the Chief Minister Kisan Sathi Sahayata Yojana will also be processed. He added that the camps will facilitate applications for solar pumps, Kisan Credit Cards, new custom hiring centres, registration of animals under the Chief Minister Mangala Pashu Bima Yojana, and animal vaccination. Other services will include registration of primary dairy cooperative societies, distribution of ownership cards, repair of canals and water channels, registration under the PM Surya Ghar Yojana, and water conservation works under the Vande Ganga Jal Sanrakshan Jan Abhiyan. During the programme, Chief Minister Sharma transferred over Rs 1,590 crore directly into the bank accounts of more than one crore farmers, women, and labourers across the state. This included over Rs 653 crore to more than 65 lakh farmers as the fifth instalment of the Chief Minister Kisan Samman Nidhi Yojana through DBT, and Rs 327 crore as crop damage compensation to five lakh farmers. Additionally, Rs 240 crore was transferred to over 10,000 farmers for procurement at Minimum Support Price (MSP), while Rs 50 crore was disbursed to four lakh livestock farmers under the Chief Minister Milk Producer Support Scheme. More than Rs 75 crore was transferred to 30 lakh beneficiaries of the Chief Minister LPG Subsidy Scheme, and Rs 100 crore was given to 20,000 beneficiaries under the Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana. The Chief Minister also transferred Rs 100 crore to one lakh construction workers through DBT. Agricultural equipment worth Rs 40 crore was distributed on the occasion. The Chief Minister said that economic empowerment of farmers is a top priority of the state government. Under the double-engine government, an additional Rs 3,000 has been added to the Rs 6,000 provided under the PM Kisan Samman Nidhi, raising the total annual assistance to Rs 9,000. He said bonuses of Rs 125 and Rs 150 per quintal have been given on wheat procurement over the last two years, and interest-free crop loans worth Rs 50,000 crore have been provided during the same period. To promote energy self-reliance, a subsidy of Rs 822 crore has been provided for installing 52,000 solar pump sets under the PM KUSUM scheme. Farmers in 22 districts are now receiving electricity during daytime hours. He also highlighted welfare measures for livestock rearers, including a 25 per cent increase in grants for cow shelters, interest-free loans worth Rs 653 crore, and veterinary treatment through mobile veterinary units. "The previous government held an investment summit in its final year, while we organised a Rising Summit immediately after taking office," the Chief Minister said. He added that MoUs worth Rs 8 lakh crore have already been implemented. Emphasising employment generation, he said that over one lakh government appointments have been made so far, recruitment is underway for 1.43 lakh posts, and a recruitment calendar has been issued for an additional one lakh positions. Minister of State for Cooperatives (Independent Charge) Gautam Kumar Dak said that Prime Minister Narendra Modi has strengthened farmers financially, and Chief Minister Bhajan Lal Sharma has further enhanced farmers' honorarium in line with the manifesto promises. He said the state government is working decisively to ensure daytime electricity supply for farmers. Minister of State for Panchayati Raj and Rural Development Ota Ram Dewasi said that the state government has provided several development initiatives to the Sirohi district over the past two years. - IANS The 77th Republic Day parade on January 26 will feature a grand display of 30 tableaux rolling down Kartavya Path in New Delhi. Seventeen tableaux will represent States and Union Territories, while thirteen will come from various Ministries and Departments. The celebrations are themed around 'Swatantrata ka Mantra: Vande Mataram' and 'Samriddhi ka Mantra: Aatmanirbhar Bharat', blending cultural heritage with narratives of national progress and self-reliance. The tableaux will highlight specific regional crafts, festivals, historical figures, and key government initiatives across sectors like defense, education, and skill development. 77th Republic Day parade to feature 30 state & ministry tableaux celebrating 'Aatmanirbhar Bharat' and cultural diversity under themes of Swatantrata and Samriddhi. New Delhi, January 22 A total of 30 tableaux, including 17 from States and Union Territories and 13 from Ministries, Departments, and Services, will roll down the Kartavya Path during the 77th Republic Day parade in New Delhi on January 26. According to an Ministry of Defence release, Republic Day celebrations will feature a grand display under the themes 'Swatantrata ka Mantra: a broad theme of 'Swatantrata ka Mantra: Vande Mataram' and 'Samriddhi ka Mantra: Aatmanirbhar Bharat', the tableaux will showcase a unique mix of 150 years of national song Vande Mataram and the nation's rapid progress on the back of the growing self-reliance across sectors, dipped in its rich and vibrant cultural diversity. The list of the participating tableaux includes Assam - Asharikandi - Terracotta Craft Village of Assam; Chhattisgarh - The Mantra of Freedom - Vande Mataram; Gujarat - Mantra of Swadeshi - Self-Reliance - Freedom: Vande Mataram; Kerala - Water Metro & 100 per cent Digital Literacy; Maharashtra - Ganeshotsav; Manipur - Towards Prosperity; Nagaland - The Hornbill Festival - Celebrating Culture, Tourism & Self-Reliance; Tamil Nadu - Mantra of Prosperity; Ministry of Culture - Vande Mataram - The Soul Cry of a Nation; Ministry of Information & Broadcasting - Bharat Katha. Puducherry's tableau will celebrate its rich cultural heritage, including crafts, and the vision of Auroville, while Rajasthan will honour Bikaner's unique gold art with the "Golden Touch of the Desert." Tamil Nadu's participation will focus on prosperity through self-reliance, echoing the Aatmanirbhar Bharat mantra. Uttar Pradesh will spotlight the culture of Bundelkhand, while West Bengal will commemorate its significant role in India's freedom movement. Madhya Pradesh's tableau will pay tribute to Devi Ahilyabai Holkar, a revered figure in Indian history, while Punjab will observe the 350th year of Sri Guru Tegh Bahadur's martyrdom. The Ministry of Defence will also be represented with its tableaux, including the veteran tableau, depicting the nation-building efforts through war, and the naval tableau, "Samudra Se Samriddhi," which will reflect the country's maritime strength. According to the release, the Department of Military Affairs will showcase "Tri-Services Tableau - Operation Sindoor," focusing on the operational jointness and success of India's military forces, while the Ministry of Culture's tableau will represent the soul of India through "Vande Mataram." The Ministry of Education will present its work under the National Education Policy 2020, which is designed to drive India's school education toward global standards, paving the path for a "Viksit Bharat." The Ministry of AYUSH will focus on wellness with its "Ayush Ka Tantra, Swasthya Ka Mantra," while the Ministry of Home Affairs (NDMA & NDRF) will commemorate 25 years of resilience following the 2001 Bhuj Earthquake, the release said. Other ministries, such as the Ministry of Housing & Urban Affairs (CPWD) and the Ministry of Panchayati Raj, will showcase important milestones, including the commemoration of 150 years of "Vande Mataram" and the SVAMITVA Scheme, respectively, which aim to empower Panchayats and promote rural self-reliance. The Ministry of Power will emphasise India's journey toward energy security with its "Prakash Ganga" theme, while the Ministry of Skill Development & Entrepreneurship will present "Powered by Skills," focusing on a future-ready, self-reliant India. - ANI The Defence Research & Development Organisation (DRDO) will display its cutting-edge military innovations during the 77th Republic Day celebrations in 2026. The highlight is the Long Range Anti-Ship Hypersonic Missile (LR-AShM), a first-of-its-kind indigenous system capable of Mach 10 speeds and evading enemy radar. The DRDO tableau at Bharat Parv will focus on 'Naval Technologies for Combat Submarines', featuring an Integrated Combat Suite, a Wire-Guided Heavy Weight Torpedo, and an Air Independent Propulsion system. These displays underscore DRDO's role in advancing India's self-reliance in critical defence technologies. DRDO to showcase LR-AShM hypersonic missile & advanced naval systems like Integrated Combat Suite at Republic Day 2026 parade & Bharat Parv. New Delhi, January 22 The Defence Research & Development Organisation will showcase some of its path-breaking innovations for national security during the 77th Republic Day Parade at Kartavya Path and Bharat Parv 2026. The systems are: Long Range Anti-Ship Hypersonic Missile and DRDO Tableau-'Naval Technologies for Combat Submarines'. According to an official release issued by the Defence Ministry, the DRDO will showcase LR-AShM with a launcher during the parade. This weapon system is designed to meet the coastal battery requirements of the Indian Navy. The LR-AShM is a Hypersonic Glide Missile capable of engaging static and moving targets and is designed to carry various payloads. The missile is a first-of-its-kind with indigenous avionics systems and high-accuracy sensor packages. This hypersonic missile follows a quasi-ballistic trajectory, with hypersonic speeds starting at Mach 10 and maintaining an average Mach 5.0, including multiple skips. Indigenously developed sensors are provided to engage moving targets during the terminal phase. As this missile flies at low altitude, high speed, and with high manoeuvrability, enemy ground- and ship-based radars cannot detect it for most of its trajectory. The LR-AShM is equipped with a two-stage solid-propulsion rocket motor system. These propulsion systems boost the missile to the required hypersonic velocities. Stage-1 of the vehicle is separated after it is spent. After Stage-II burnout, the vehicle performs an unpowered glide with required manoeuvres in the atmosphere before engaging the target, the release read. This year, the DRDO tableau will be showcased at Bharat Parv at Red Fort from January 26 to 31, 2026. The theme of the tableau is 'Naval Technologies for Combat Submarines', which will display indigenously developed technologies/systems that act as force multipliers for the Indian Navy's conventional submarines. These systems are the Integrated Combat Suite (ICS), the Wire-Guided Heavy Weight Torpedo (WGHWT) & Air Independent Propulsion, which will ensure combat supremacy in the underwater domain. According to the release, the ICS is a new-generation submarine-based defence system vital for underwater warfare and anti-submarine operations. It is a system of systems that provides unparalleled situational awareness by presenting the threat picture to support tactical decisions and actions, such as weapon selection, launch, and guidance. The ICS is a collaborative effort from eight DRDO laboratories with active involvement of about 150 major industry partners and MSMEs across India. The WGHWT is a state-of-the-art submarine-launched torpedo to counter contemporary ship & submarine threats in oceanic waters. It is considered to be a lethal weapon in the scenario of anti-submarine warfare and is the primary weapon of all submarines. The Indian Navy is continuously expanding its submarine fleet to maintain dominance in blue-water naval warfare and strategic advantage across a vast stretch of ocean around the country. To achieve this, it needs an indigenously developed submarine-launched anti-ship, anti-submarine heavyweight torpedo with high speed and endurance. The AIP is for long underwater endurance in submarines, thereby enhancing stealth. It is powered by la ocally developed phosphoric acid fuel cell with a novel onboard hydrogen generator. The AIP system generates power using phosphoric acid fuel cells, which are fed hydrogen and oxygen. The fuel cell-generated power, after conditioning, is fed to the submarine power line, and the submarine propels silently underwater. The technology developed is modular and can be configured for futuristic submarines as well. Many more DRDO-developed systems will also be displayed in Armed Forces contingents during the parade at Kartavya Path. These include Arjun Main Battle Tank, Nag Missile System (NAMIS-II), Advanced Towed Artillery Gun System, BrahMos Missile, Akash, Battle Field Surveillance Radar and Anti-Tank Guided Missile. The DRDO has been a design and development agency for the Armed Forces and, to reinforce the spirit of Aatmanirbhar Bharat, is partnering with all stakeholders of the defence ecosystem, including academia, industry, and services, in developing state-of-the-art defence systems. Indigenous development of these systems by DRDO is a major achievement towards self-reliance in defence technologies and an important step forward towards Aatmanirbhar Bharat. - ANI Gujarat's tableau for the 77th Republic Day parade is themed "Swatantrata Ka Mantra: Vande Mataram," commemorating the song's 150th anniversary. It visually narrates the journey and evolution of the Indian National Flag from 1906 to its formal adoption in 1947. The presentation honors revolutionaries like Madam Bhikaji Cama, who first unfurled a "Vande Mataram" flag abroad, and links Mahatma Gandhi's Swadeshi movement to the modern Atmanirbhar Bharat vision. The parade will feature 30 tableaux and have European Union leaders Ursula von der Leyen and Antonio Costa as chief guests. Gujarat's Republic Day tableau traces the flag's evolution, honoring 150 years of "Vande Mataram" and freedom fighters like Madam Cama and Mahatma Gandhi. Gandhinagar, January 22 With "Swatantrata Ka Mantra: Vande Mataram" as its central theme, Gujarat will present an impressive, visually compelling tableau on Kartavya Path in New Delhi during the Republic Day parade. According to the Gujarat CMO, marking the 150th anniversary of the iconic song "Vande Mataram," Gujarat's tableau at the 77th Republic Day celebrations will vividly depict the journey of the Indian National Flag, its origins, evolution, and historical significance, through an engaging and evocative presentation. The Gujarat CMO said that "Vande Mataram" is a powerful mantra that evokes the spirit of national pride, self-reliance, and independence in every Indian. Echoing this timeless sentiment, Gujarat's tableau commemorates the 150th anniversary of the song by tracing the evolution of the Indian National Flag, beginning with the historical backdrop of the words "Vande Mataram," its changing character over time, and its enduring place in India's freedom movement. The tableau uniquely weaves together the legacy of Madam Bhikaji Cama, who ignited the flame of revolution on foreign soil, with that of her distinguished revolutionary compatriots from Gujarat, Shyamji Krishna Varma and Sardar Singh Rana. It also narrates the inspiring saga of the "Vande Mataram" flag prepared by Madam Cama, while seamlessly linking Mahatma Gandhi's message of Swadeshi through the with the contemporary Atmanirbhar Bharat vision. According to the Gujarat CMO, at the forefront of the tableau, the valiant Madam Bhikaji Cama is depicted holding the self-designed "Vande Mataram" flag, which she unfurled for the first time on foreign soil in Paris in 1907. The same flag was later displayed at the Indian Socialist Conference in Stuttgart, Germany. Beneath her half-statue, the words "Vande Mataram" are inscribed in various Indian languages recognised by the Constitution of India. The central backdrop of the tableau chronicles the journey of the Indian National Flag beginning in 1906, when revolutionaries first hoisted a "Vande Mataram" flag during the bonfire of foreign goods at Parsi Bagan in Kolkata. This narrative continues with Madam Cama's historic act in Paris in 1907, followed by the Home Rule Movement in 1917, during which Annie Besant and Bal Gangadhar Tilak introduced a new flag. In 1921, young revolutionary Pingali Venkayya presented a new flag design to Mahatma Gandhi in Vijayawada. A revised tricolour with the was nearly accepted in 1931, culminating in the formal adoption of the present tricolour with the Ashoka Chakra by the Constituent Assembly on 22 July 1947. Alongside this evolution, the tableau also highlights key milestones of India's freedom struggle. The final segment of the tableau features a sculpture of Mahatma Gandhi, who championed the cause of independence through Swadeshi and the , depicted against a prominent Ashoka Chakra. These enduring values of self-reliance and national independence continue to be actively strengthened under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Adding vibrancy and emotional resonance to the tableau, artists perform to the rhythm of "," a celebrated composition by eminent Gujarati writer Zaverchand Meghani, revered as the "National Poet," whose works evoke national consciousness and honour the sacrifices of India's freedom fighters. This year's Republic Day parade will feature a total of 30 tableaux, comprising 17 from States and Union Territories and 13 from various departments of the Central Government. According to available information, the two senior European Union leaders, Ursula von der Leyen and Antonio Costa, will attend the 77th Republic Day celebrations as Chief Guests. The tableau is presented by the Information Department of the Government of Gujarat and has been developed under the guidance of Secretary, Information and Broadcasting, Vikrant Pandey; Information Commissioner Kishor Bachani; and Additional Director Arvind Patel, with significant contributions from Joint Director of Information, Sanjay Kachot, and Deputy Director of Information. Bhavna Vasava. - ANI Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov commended the strengthening of ties within the BRICS bloc, specifically praising Brazil's productive work as its 2025 chair. He highlighted Russia's deepening strategic partnerships with key members, including India and China, noting high-level visits and cultural exchanges. Lavrov also outlined preparations for the upcoming 2026 Russia-Africa Summit and pointed to expanding economic projects with Iran. The minister emphasized the group's growing global influence and the foundation laid for future cooperation across all areas. Russian FM Sergey Lavrov highlights strengthened BRICS ties, Brazil's 2025 leadership, and key partnerships with India, China, and Africa. Moscow, January 22 Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov on Wednesday underlined the achievements of international diplomacy within the BRICS grouping, praising Brazil's "productive work" as chair of the bloc in 2025. He was speaking at his annual press conference, moderated by Foreign Ministry Spokeswoman Maria Zakharova, which reviewed Russia's foreign policy outcomes over the past year. "All BRICS countries are our good partners; over the past year, our relations with each of them have strengthened, and the foundation for the development of further cooperation in all areas has been reinforced. We note the task of strengthening BRICS and the growing interest in this group. We provided every possible support to the Brazilian chairmanship of BRICS last year. Our Brazilian friends proposed many projects and continued the implementation of projects that we launched back at the BRICS Summit in Kazan in the autumn of 2024," Lavrov said. The minister also said preparations are underway for the third Russia-Africa Summit, scheduled for 2026. He noted that a key milestone in this process was the second conference of foreign ministers of Russia and African Union countries, held in Cairo in December 2025. Lavrov highlighted the successful conclusion of the cross Years of Culture of Russia and China (2024-2025), during which several hundred events were organised in both countries. He recalled that Presidents Xi Jinping and Vladimir Putin have announced 2026-2027 as the Years of Education of Russia and China, aimed at deepening youth, cultural and humanitarian exchanges. "This is also a most important part of cultural exchanges, first and foremost youth exchanges," Lavrov said, adding that cooperation is expanding in sports, archival work and people-to-people ties, supported by a mutual visa-free regime and record travel figures. Emphasising India's importance, Lavrov recalled the privileged strategic partnership with New Delhi, referencing President Vladimir Putin's state visit and meetings with President Droupadi Murmu and Prime Minister Narendra Modi in December last year. On BRICS economic cooperation, the minister cited expanding projects with Iran, including the Bushehr Nuclear Power Plant and the International North-South Transport Corridor. He also described relations with Vietnam, which joined BRICS as a partner country in 2025, as a "strategic partnership" marked by "special relations." The three-hour press conference was attended by representatives of Russian and international media. - ANI The Supreme Court has directed that both Basant Panchami worship and Friday namaz be permitted at the disputed Bhojshala Temple-Kamal Maula Mosque complex in Madhya Pradesh. The court laid down specific arrangements, allowing namaz between 1 p.m. and 3 p.m. in a demarcated area while permitting Hindu worship without time restrictions. The order came on an urgent plea from the Hindu Front for Justice seeking exclusive rights for Saraswati Puja on the day, which coincides with a Friday. The court appealed for mutual respect and cooperation from both communities. Supreme Court orders shared access for Hindu worship and Muslim prayers at the disputed Bhojshala complex in MP, setting specific timings for namaz. New Delhi, Jan 22 In a significant order passed on Thursday, the Supreme Court directed that both Basant Panchami worship and Friday namaz be permitted at the disputed Bhojshala Temple-Kamal Maula Mosque complex in Dhar district of western Madhya Pradesh. A Bench headed by Chief Justice of India (CJI) Surya Kant was hearing an urgent plea filed by the Hindu Front for Justice (HFJ), which sought exclusive rights for Hindus to perform Saraswati Puja throughout the day on Basant Panchami, falling on Friday, January 23. Laying down specific arrangements to enable both communities to perform their respective religious observances, the Bench, also comprising Justices Joymalya Bagchi and Justice Vipul M. Pancholi, ordered that namaz may be offered between 1 p.m. and 3 p.m. at a separately demarcated space within the premises. The apex court further directed that special passes be issued to those offering namaz. At the same time, a separate area has been designated for Basant Panchami worship, for which no time restrictions have been prescribed. During the hearing, senior advocate Salman Khurshid, appearing for the mosque committee, submitted that on at least three earlier occasions -- in 2006, 2013 and 2016 -- Basant Panchami had coincided with Friday, and arrangements had been made to allow both worship and namaz. Khurshid added that the Juma namaz takes place between 1 p.m. and 3 p.m., after which the members of the Muslim community will vacate the premises. On the other hand, counsel for the Hindu side, Vishnu Shankar Jain, argued that Basant Panchami worship traditionally continues throughout the day and therefore sought uninterrupted access for devotees from sunrise to sunset. The CJI Kant-led Bench observed that it would be appropriate for the administration to make such arrangements that both communities are able to perform their respective religious practices. In its order, the Supreme Court made an appeal to "both sides to observe mutual respect and cooperate with the state and district administration for maintenance of law and order." The HFJ plea had sought to restrain Muslims from offering Friday prayers at the site on January 23 and to allow only Hindu worship on the occasion of Basant Panchami, along with strict security arrangements by the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) and the state government. The Bhojshala complex, a protected monument under the ASI, has long been the subject of a dispute, with Hindus claiming it as an ancient temple dedicated to Goddess Vagdevi (Saraswati), while Muslims assert it to be the Kamal Maula Mosque. The main case concerning the religious character of the site remains pending before the Supreme Court. - IANS The Supreme Court has issued an interim order for the Bhojshala-Kamal Maula complex in Dhar, Madhya Pradesh, directing the district administration to create separate, exclusive spaces for Hindu and Muslim communities to perform their rituals on Basant Panchami. The order came after hearing arguments from both sides regarding the timing of prayers, with Hindus seeking to perform puja from sunrise to sunset and Muslims needing to offer Jumuah namaz in the afternoon. The Court mandated separate entry and exit points and asked the administration to maintain law and order, potentially through a pass system for visitors. The site is a protected monument under the Archaeological Survey of India and is claimed by Hindus as Bhojshala and by Muslims as Kamal Maula mosque. Supreme Court directs MP's Dhar administration to provide exclusive spaces for Hindu Basant Panchami puja and Muslim Jumuah namaz at disputed site. New Delhi, January 23 The Supreme Court on Thursday ordered an interim arrangement at the disputed Bhojshala-Kamal Maula complex in Dhar, Madhya Pradesh, to allow both Hindu and Muslim communities to perform their religious practices on Basant Panchami, which happens to fall on a Friday - coinciding with Jumuah. A bench led by the Chief Justice of India, Surya Kant, passed the order while hearing a plea seeking a ban on offering namaz from sunrise to sunset on Basant Panchami to facilitate Hindu rituals at the site. The Court directed the District administration in Dhar to provide separate and exclusive spaces for both communities to carry out their respective rituals. "After knowing that persons from the Muslim community are likely to come tomorrow from 1-3 pm, an exclusive space including separate entry and exit will be made available so that namaz can be taken at the prescribed time. Similarly, a separate space shall be made available to the Hindu community to hold the celebration of Basant Panchami," the sourt noted. Appearing for the Hindu side (applicants) advocate Vishnu Jain informed the Court that the auspicious period for performing the puja on Basant Panchami lasts from sunrise to sunset. He suggested that namaz could instead be held later in the evening, around 5 pm, after the puja concludes. Senior Advocate Salman Khurshid, representing the Muslim side, stated that Namaz prayers would be held only in the afternoon, between 1 pm and 3 pm. Advocate Vishnu Shankar Jain reiterated that the religious observance (Muhurat) for Hindus spans the entire day from sunrise to sunset, and people would be praying as per their respective timings until sunset. Jain then argued that if namaz were shifted to the evening, Hindus could continue their long-standing religious practices such as Akhand Hawan. Khurshid countered this by explaining that Jumma namaz is time-specific and is offered around noon. Following submissions by the Additional Solicitor General KM Nataraj and the Madhya Pradesh Advocate General Prashant Singh, who assured that law and order would be maintained, the Court noted that members of the Muslim community are likely to arrive between 1 pm and 3 pm. It said that an exclusive area with separate entry and exit would be made available for prayers at the prescribed time. The Madhya Pradesh government assured the Court that the district administration would maintain law and order during the religious observances. Senior Advocate Salman Khurshid, appearing for the petitioners, told the Court that the approximate number of Muslim worshippers expected between 1 pm and 3 pm would be shared with the District Magistrate in advance. The Court also directed the district administration to take preventive steps to avoid any untoward incident. "The District Administration may ensure maintenance of law and order, issue passes for visitors or adopt any other fair means to ensure that no untoward incident happens," the Court said. The Bhojshala-Kamal Maula complex is a protected monument under the Archaeological Survey of India and holds religious significance for both Hindus and Muslims. Hindus consider the site as Bhojshala, associated with Goddess Saraswati, while Muslims regard it as the Kamal Maula mosque. - ANI A large landslide struck the Beachside Holiday Park at the base of Mount Maunganui, leaving several people, including children, missing. The disaster followed Tauranga's heaviest single day of rainfall on record, with 270mm falling in 24 hours. Emergency services are conducting search and rescue operations, though no survivors have been found yet. The extreme weather has caused widespread flooding, power outages, and isolated communities across the North Island. Several people, including children, are missing after a major landslide hit a New Zealand holiday park following record-breaking rainfall and flooding. Wellington, Jan 22 Several people, including children, are missing after a large landslide struck a holiday park at the base of Mount Maunganui in New Zealand's Bay of Plenty region on Thursday. Emergency Management Minister Mark Mitchell said search and rescue efforts were continuing at the Beachside Holiday Park. Mark Mitchell described the event as a 'tragedy', telling reporters that "parents and the husband of some of the people that we're currently trying to rescue" were in the campground. Fire and Emergency New Zealand commander William Pike said rescuers initially heard voices from under the debris but none since, and no survivors had yet been found. The slip swept through campervans, cars, tents, hot pools, and a shower block at around 9:30 a.m. local time, triggering evacuations across the site. Emergency services have been working to locate anybody who remains in the area, Xinhua news agency reported. The landslip followed Tauranga's heaviest single day of rainfall on record, with 270mm falling in the 24 hours to 9am. Heavy rain and flooding battered parts of the North Island overnight, leaving thousands without power and isolating some communities on the North Island's east coast and in Northland. New Zealand Prime Minister Christopher Luxon urged residents in affected areas to heed local authorities' safety advice during the extreme conditions. "Extreme weather continues to cause dangerous conditions across the North Island. Right now, the government is doing everything we can to support those impacted," Luxon posted on social media. New Zealand has been battered by destructive storms and flooding this week, with the Mount Maunganui area recording its wettest day on record with two-and-a-half months' worth of rain in 12 hours. Mayor Mahe Drysdale said it was a "deeply distressing event, and our priority right now is the safety and wellbeing of those involved". - IANS The Sikkim Police has been conferred the President's Police Colours, the nation's highest recognition for police forces. The award, approved by the President of India, honors the force's exemplary service, professionalism, and commitment. Sikkim is only the third state in Northeast India to receive this rare distinction since Independence. A ceremonial parade will be held to mark the occasion, potentially attended by the President or Prime Minister. Sikkim Police becomes the 15th state force to receive the President's Police Colours, the highest national recognition for policing excellence. Gangtok, Jan 22 The Sikkim Police have been conferred with the prestigious President's Police Colours, the highest national recognition for excellence and sustained service in policing, becoming the 15th state police force in the country to receive the honour, officials said on Thursday. The Union Ministry of Home Affairs conveyed the decision on January 16 after approval by the President of India, Director General of Police Akshay Sachdeva told reporters here. Calling the award a collective achievement, DGP Sachdeva said the honour belongs to every member of the force, from constables to senior officers, including retired personnel. "This recognition reflects the bravery of constables, the hard work of officers and the dedication of senior leadership to public service. Even retired personnel share this honour," he said. The President's Police Colours are not awarded annually and are conferred only on select police forces that demonstrate exemplary conduct, professional integrity and long-term commitment to public service. In the Northeast, only Tripura and Assam have received the Colours since Independence, making Sikkim the third state in the region to earn the distinction. Highlighting the rarity of the honour, the DGP noted that for 31 years, from 1961 to 1992, no state police force in the country was awarded the President's Colours. "This makes the honour even more significant," he said. The President's Police Colours, also known as the "Nishaan", symbolise bravery, discipline and dedication, and are worn on the left sleeve of the police uniform. The award also includes a ceremonial flag measuring 3 feet 9 inches with two-inch golden fringes, designed in accordance with Ministry of Home Affairs guidelines. The Colours may be presented by the President of India, the Prime Minister or the Union Home Minister. A ceremonial parade will be held in Sikkim to mark the occasion, to be attended by either the President or the Prime Minister, subject to availability. As per protocol, the parade may be led by a Superintendent of Police or a Commandant, with four companies commanded by Deputy Superintendents of Police. A brass band and a pipe band will be part of the ceremony, for which the force will undertake around 20 days of preparation. Around 6,500 police personnel are part of this historic recognition, with Sikkim maintaining a police-public ratio of one police officer for every 116 citizens. Explaining the assessment parameters, DGP Sachdeva said Sikkim's record as one of the most peaceful states in the country was a key factor. Maintenance of law and order, prevention and detection of crime, prompt registration of FIRs -- particularly in cases involving crimes against women and children -- and a focused campaign against drug abuse were among the major considerations. Founded in 1897, the Sikkim Police celebrated their 125th anniversary in 2022. Describing the award as a milestone in its long history, the DGP said the President's Police Colours reaffirm the force's commitment to professional and people-centric policing. - IANS Union Home Minister Amit Shah addressed the centenary celebrations of Bhagwati Devi Sharma organized by the All World Gayatri Pariwar in Haridwar. He asserted that Indian tradition, culture, and Sanatan Dharma hold the solutions to the world's contemporary problems. Shah praised the legacy of founder Shriram Sharma Acharya for reviving faith and spirituality and commended his grandson, Chinmay Pandya, for taking a vow of nation-building. He urged the organization's vast membership to advance with new enthusiasm for the next century. Union Minister Amit Shah, at a Gayatri Pariwar centenary event, stated solutions to world issues are found in Indian culture, tradition, and Sanatan Dharma. Haridwar, January 22 Union Home and Cooperation Minister Amit Shah on Thursday highlighted that Indian tradition and culture offer solutions to the world's problems, while attending the "Shatabdi Samaraoh 2026" to mark the birth centenary of Param Vandaniya Mata Bhagwati Devi Sharma. The event, organised by the All World Gayatri Pariwar (AWGP) in Haridwar, Uttarakhand, also marked the centenary of the Akhand Jyoti, a flame that has been continuously burning for over a century. The Union Minister, accompanied by Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami, also offered prayers at Gayatri Teerth-Shantikunj, where the Akhand Jyoti is located. "Today, while here at the Akhand Jyoti Sammelan, I am feeling the unbroken energy and eternal light. My heart knows how much light and consciousness I will take from here. This is the confluence of faith, spirituality, and culture. Shriram Sharma resurrected these three by choosing character building. He did the work of enlightening the soul," Amit Shah said. Praising Chinmay Pandya, grandson of AWGP founder Shriram Sharma Acharya, for taking a vow of nation-building, Shah further highlighted that those who believe in Sanatan Dharma, Indian culture, and history not only recognise but also have the conviction that the solution to the world's problems lies in Indian tradition. "Today, I am here salute Chinmay (Pandya). Today, as he has taken the vow of nation building is great. Those who know Sanatan Dharma, Indian culture, Indian history, all those not only recognise but have a conviction that the solutions for the world's problems, if they are anywhere, then it is in Indian tradition," Shah said. Praising the contribution of Shriram Sharma for connecting people with such traditions, including Gayatri Mantra, Gayatri Sadhana and more, he urged the millions connected to "move forward with renewed energy and enthusiasm." "Today, Pandit Ram Sharma connected millions of people with the Gayatri Mantra, Gayatri Puja, and Gayatri Sadhana. Now, it is the responsibility of these millions of people to move forward with renewed energy and enthusiasm under the leadership of Chinmay Pandya for the next hundred years," Shah urged. The All World Gayatri Pariwar has over 100 million members, thousands of global centres for social reform. The society is a "modern adaptation of the age-old wisdom of Vedic Rishis," who propagated the philosophy of Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam (the world is one family). The organisation was founded by Yug Rishi Vedmurti Taponishth Pandit Shriram Sharma Acharya, and later emerged as a "mass movement for the great transformation of the era", according to the AWGP. The Gayatri Tapobhumi was first established in Mathura in 1953, after Shriram Sharma completed over 24 years of "Gayatri Sadhana". Chinmay Pandya is the grandson of Shriram Sharma Acharya, who is also the Pro Vice Chancellor of the Dev Sanskriti Vishwavidyalaya University (DSVV). After studying medicine in London, he returned to India and DSVV in 2010. - ANI Amidst the erratic shifts in policy regarding Greenland and the self-congratulatory pronouncements of U.S. President Donald Trump in Davos, one of his top advisors for the Middle East (his own son-in-law Jared Kushner) on Thursday presentedwith an enthusiastic tone suggesting an investment opportunitythe new Gaza he aspires to build upon the ruins of the current one. It is envisioned as a kind of Dubai or Singapore, boasting numerous tourist skyscrapers along the waterfront, a transportation hub with a port and airport, and a free-market economy with the same approach that Trump applies in his own country. There is no plan B, he declared, displaying the slides of the master plan. The presentation, overshadowed by all the other issues occupying this years World Forum, paints a picture of the future of a Gaza Strip where life has barely changed for its more than two million inhabitants since the signing of the ceasefire last October: the Israeli army conducts daily strikes and has killed 16 Palestinians in the last 48 hours, three of them journalists. Rescue services also announced on Thursday the death from hypothermia of a three-month-old baby, while Israeli military authorities are preventing the entry of the agreed-upon amounts of aid. Kushner who at the beginning of the Israeli invasion mentioned in an interview the future real estate value of the devastated Gaza coast explained that the plan would begin with the construction of more than 100,000 residential units in the new Rafah (the devastated southern city) and would end with the capital, Gaza City. Marco Rubio, in the foreground, during the presentation of the new Gaza project. Chip Somodevilla (Getty Images) The next phase, Kushner explained, is the demilitarization of Hamas, which is included in the ceasefire. This wasnt part of the initial plan, but the U.S. and Israel ultimately made it a prerequisite for progress on the other phases. We are committed to ensuring that Gaza is demilitarized, properly governed, and beautifully rebuilt, said Trump, who promised to work in coordination with the UN. It will be a great plan. The U.S. advisor has limited reconstruction to areas where disarmament is complete, which will mean starting in areas controlled by Israeli troops and inhabited by only a few thousand of Gazas more than two million residents. Kushner indicated that they intend to encourage the surrender of weapons with offers of amnesty or guarantees of safe passage out of Gaza. On the eve of the meeting, the U.S. president threatened Hamas with getting blown away if it refuses to fully disarm. The Islamist movement has agreed to cede power to the newly appointed technocratic committee and is open to surrendering offensive weapons, but it is conditioning this on a complete withdrawal of Israeli troops and refuses to disband as long as the Israeli occupation continues. Jared Kushner, during his presentation, this Thursday in Davos. Evan Vucci (AP) The second phase includes the deployment of a multinational military force, but this element has been disappearing from public statements due to a lack of candidates. Israeli President Yitzhak Herzog stated this Wednesday in Davos (he attended because he is not wanted by international justice): It is clear that no one wants to enter Gaza and fight, except our army, our sons and daughters. For now, the Rafah crossing, which connects Gaza and Egypt, will reopen next week in both directions, a commitment that has been postponed by Israel. This was announced on Thursday by the head of the Palestinian technocratic committee, Ali Shaath, in a recorded video message, and by Nikolay Mladenov, the so-called Board of Peaces envoy to Gaza. Mladenov mentioned an agreement on preparations for the reopening of the crossing while logistics for implementation are being coordinated. Although Israeli military authorities (who control the crossing) have not confirmed it, the context and the forum suggest that this differs from previous similar agreements that ultimately failed. In fact, this Sunday, at the Cabinet meeting, Netanyahu is scheduled to discuss the search for the last hostages body in Gaza and the reopening of the crossing. These interventions followed Trumps presentation of his Board of Peace, an initiative he claims can contribute to resolving conflicts worldwide. The U.S. leader launched the project surrounded by some 20 leaders, among whom there were no representatives from the most advanced democracies. These democracies view with suspicion an initiative that appears to undermine the prerogatives of the United Nations and are uneasy with U.S. foreign policy. Hungary and Bulgaria, both members of the EU, participated. Other attendees included the president of Argentina, Javier Milei, and the leaders of countries such as Azerbaijan, Armenia, Kazakhstan, Pakistan, Indonesia, and Paraguay. I like all these people, said the US leader. They are great leaders. Benjamin Netanyahu, the prime minister of Israel, was absent. He will be a member of the Board, but an arrest warrant issued by the International Criminal Court has been pending against him since 2024 as the alleged perpetrator of war crimes and crimes against humanity in Gaza during the invasion that began in October 2023 following the Hamas attack, and which has left more than 71,500 dead and reduced the Strip to rubble. His empty chair at the front center served as a reminder. Gaza reconstruction plan designed by Jared Kushner. Emilia Perez (EFE) Last month, the Integrated Phase Classification, the main food security analysis tool involving UN organizations, withdrew the famine designation it had made in August for half a million Gazans, because the increase in food supplies has improved nutritional levels, but warned that the situation remains critical, with 1.6 million people (77% of the population) still in acute food insecurity. Gaza is currently divided, with 42% of the territory controlled by the Islamist movement, where virtually the entire population lives, and the remaining 58% almost deserted and in the hands of the Israeli army, which continues to demolish buildings despite the ceasefire and prevents anyone from approaching. At first, we considered the idea of building a free zone and then a Hamas zone, Kushner admitted, before explaining that the U.S. master plan ultimately encompasses the entire Gaza Strip. These two parts are separated by the Yellow Line. It is theoretically a temporary dividing line, until the first phase is completed, but Trump announced this month the transition to the second phase without demanding a further Israeli withdrawal. Netanyahu has asserted that his troops will remain permanently in a large area of the Gaza Strip. Sign up for our weekly newsletter to get more English-language news coverage from EL PAIS USA Edition External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar met with EU country ambassadors, emphasizing that a stronger India-EU partnership is crucial for de-risking the world economy and stabilizing the global order. He highlighted cooperation on resilient supply chains, public goods, and security partnerships as key pillars. The discussions come ahead of visits by European Parliament members and top EU leaders for Republic Day celebrations. Separately, Jaishankar and Spain's Foreign Minister launched a dual-year initiative marking 70 years of diplomatic ties. EAM Jaishankar meets EU ambassadors, says stronger India-EU partnership will de-risk world economy, stabilize global order ahead of high-level visits. New Delhi, January 22 External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar on Thursday emphasised that stronger India-EU relations will de-risk the world economy by cooperating on resilient supply chains and stabilise the global order through stronger trade, mobility and security partnerships. Jaishanker met and interacted with ambassadors from several European countries and discussed the current global situation. In a post on X, he said, "Pleased to interact with the Ambassadors from EU countries today." The discussions focused on the growing uncertainty in global affairs. "Spoke to them about the current state of the world with volatility and instability as the new normal," he added. Jaishankar also underscored the importance of deeper India-EU cooperation. "Made a case for stronger India-EU relations that will - derisk the world economy by cooperating on resilient supply chains; reassure the international community by providing public goods like HADR, anti-piracy operations, development projects etc; and, stabilise the global order through stronger trade, mobility and security partnership." Referring to upcoming high-level engagements, the External Affairs Minister noted that Members of the European Parliament would be visiting India around Republic Day and he looks forward to the visit of European Council President Antonio Costa and European Commission President Ursula von der Leyan for the Republic Day celebrations. Meanwhile, earlier this week. Jaishankar jointly unveiled the logo of the India-Spain Dual Year of Culture, Tourism and Artificial Intelligence with his Spanish counterpart Jose Manuel Albares, marking 70 years of diplomatic relations between the two countries and welcomed the European country into the Indo-Pacific Oceans Initiative (IPOI). Taking to the social media platform X, Jaishankar said, "Celebrating 70th anniversary of India-Spain. Delighted to jointly unveil the India-Spain logo with FM Jose Manuel Albares, marking our Dual Year of Culture, Tourism and Artificial Intelligence. "This comes during the Spanish Foreign Minister's official visit to the country, during which he held wide-ranging discussions on bilateral cooperation and global issues with Jaishankar. In a separate post on X, the EAM said that the talks between the two leaders covered key areas of mutual interest, including trade, investment, defence, technology, education and people-to-people ties, while reaffirming the strong political dialogue between the two countries. He also thanked Spain for its support for deeper India-European Union ties across multiple domains. - ANI Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi has launched the Subhadra Scheme, calling it Odisha's largest women-centric welfare initiative since Independence with an annual outlay of 11,000 crore. The scheme provides 10,000 per year in two instalments to over one crore eligible women, totaling 50,000 over five years. The government has already disbursed over 15,000 crore to beneficiaries, with a recent transfer of 315 crore to more than 4.57 lakh women. The initiative is designed to foster financial independence and strengthen the decision-making power of women across the state. CM Mohan Majhi launches 11,000 cr Subhadra scheme, providing 50,000 to over 1 crore Odisha women for financial empowerment. Bhubaneswar, Jan 22 Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi on Thursday described the state government's flagship Subhadra Scheme as the largest women-centric welfare scheme in Odisha since Independence, as he disbursed financial assistance of over 315 crore to more than 4.57 lakh beneficiaries under the initiative. Assistance has been provided to beneficiaries who had not received the first, second (pending), and third instalments, as well as to newly-registered beneficiaries for the financial year 2025-26. The assistance was transferred to the bank accounts of beneficiaries through Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT). During his address at a special event here on the occasion, the Chief Minister said, "With an annual outlay of 11,000 crore, 'Subhadra' is the largest women-centric scheme in post-independence Odisha. "Under this scheme, more than one crore eligible women aged between 21 and 60 years will receive 10,000 per year in two instalments (on Rakhi Purnima and International Women's Day), amounting to a total of 50,000 over five years. Therefore, Subhadra stands as a shining example of the government's commitment to all mothers and sisters of Odisha." He further stated that immediately upon the formation of his government, a Cabinet decision was taken on the very first day, and the first instalment was released on September 17, 2024. Majhi further noted that so far, more than 15,000 crore has been disbursed in three instalments to over one crore beneficiaries. Speaking on women's empowerment and economic self-reliance, CM Majhi emphasised that financial independence brings self-confidence. "When a woman has money in her hands, her voice becomes stronger within the family and society. She can take decisions, plan for the future, and face challenges with courage. The Subhadra scheme aims to provide that very confidence," he said. The scheme also ensures social justice, focussing on supporting Economically Weaker Sections, rural areas, tribal communities, urban poor families, and all women and families in need of assistance. The goal, he said, is to ensure that no one is left behind in the journey of development. CM Majhi added that the government is not limited only to the Subhadra scheme. In the current budget, a record 89,862 crore has been allocated exclusively for mothers, which constitutes nearly 30 per cent of the total budget size. The three instalments provided under the Subhadra scheme have strengthened the financial backbone of women in the state and given momentum to women's development. - IANS Taiwan's Ministry of National Defense reported detecting two Chinese military aircraft and five naval vessels operating around the island as of Thursday morning, along with five Chinese balloons. This follows similar incidents on Wednesday and Tuesday, where multiple PLA sorties crossed the median line and entered Taiwan's air defense identification zone. The ministry stated it monitored and responded to all these situations. Earlier in the week, a Chinese surveillance drone's incursion near Taiwan-controlled islands was condemned as a reckless and provocative act that threatens regional stability. Taiwan's defense ministry reports detecting multiple PLA aircraft, naval ships, and balloons operating around the island, with several incursions into its air defense zone. Taipei, January 22 Taiwan's Ministry of National Defense said it detected two PLA aircraft sorties, five PLAN vessels, and five Chinese balloons operating around Taiwan until 6 am on Thursday, adding that the situation was monitored and responded to accordingly. In a post on X, the MND said, "2 sorties of PLA aircraft and 5 PLAN vessels operating around Taiwan were detected up until 6 a.m. (UTC+8) today. 5 PRC ballons were detected during this timeframe. We have monitored the situation and responded." On Wednesday, Taiwan's MND detected four sorties of Chinese military aircraft and six Chinese naval vessels operating around its territorial waters as of 6 am (local time) on Wednesday. All four sorties crossed the median line and entered Taiwan's southwestern ADIZ. In a post on X, the MND said, "4 sorties of PLA aircraft and 6 PLAN vessels operating around Taiwan were detected up until 6 a.m. (UTC+8) today. 4 out of 4 sorties crossed the median line and entered Taiwan's southwestern ADIZ. We have monitored the situation and responded." Earlier on Tuesday, Taiwan's MND recorded two PLA aircraft and six PLAN vessels. Of the two, a sortie crossed the median line and entered Taiwan's northern ADIZ. "2 sorties of PLA aircraft and 6 PLAN vessels operating around Taiwan were detected up until 6 a.m. (UTC+8) today. 1 out of 2 sorties crossed the median line and entered Taiwan's northern ADIZ. We have monitored the situation and responded", it wrote on X. Earlier on January 18, an incursion by a Chinese military drone near Taiwan-controlled islands raised renewed concerns over China's expanding pressure campaign in the South China Sea, with Taiwan warning that such actions threaten regional peace and stability. According to Taiwan's Ministry of National Defence, a Chinese surveillance drone entered the southwestern section of Taiwan's air defence identification zone in the early hours of the morning and moved toward the Pratas Islands, also known as Dongsha, as reported by The Taipei Times. According to The Taipei Times, the ministry said the aircraft approached the islands shortly before dawn and briefly entered territorial airspace at an altitude beyond the effective reach of local air-defence systems. The garrison stationed on the islands was immediately instructed to raise alert levels and intensify aerial monitoring. After repeated warnings broadcast through international radio frequencies, the drone withdrew several minutes later. The ministry condemned the manoeuvre as reckless and provocative, stating that it violated international norms and further destabilised the region. - ANI Palestine's Ambassador to India, Abdullah Abu Shawesh, has sharply criticized US President Donald Trump's newly launched "Board of Peace," calling it a significant threat to the United Nations and the existing global multilateral framework. He expressed deep concern over the exclusion of Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas from the initiative, noting the irony of sidelining a key advocate for a two-state solution. Shawesh suggested that India could play a more crucial role in achieving genuine peace than by merely joining this specific board. He also indicated that the reluctance of European nations to participate stems from concerns about the Board's impact on traditional international institutions. Palestine's Ambassador to India warns Trump's new initiative marginalizes the UN and excludes key peace advocates like President Abbas. By Sahil Pandey, New Delhi, January 22 Palestine Ambassador to India Abdullah Abu Shawesh has termed US President Donald Trump's 'Board of Peace' a significant threat to the United Nations and the existing multilateral framework. His remarks came after US President Donald Trump on Thursday signed the charter of his "Board of Peace" in Davos along with other founding members, formally launching the initiative on the sidelines of the World Economic Forum. The body has been billed by Trump as a forum aimed at resolving international conflicts. Speaking to ANI, Shawesh expressed concern over the marginalisation of the UN and the exclusion of Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas from the diplomatic initiative. He further stated that while the UN Charter has governed international relations for over eight decades, the emergence of the 'Board of Peace' could undermine global institutions. "I'm not sure whether it will replace (the UN Charter), but it is a threat to the United Nations. By isolating the UN Security Council, the General Assembly, and the UN at large to deal with the question of Palestine and other political issues, it threatens the institution," Shawesh told ANI. Warning about the broader implications of such initiatives, he said the world is at a threshold where "might is right" and a few individuals are deciding how the world will be managed, describing it as a "tectonic change." In this context, the Ambassador highlighted what he called a stark irony in the invitation list for the proposed Board, noting that those calling for a peaceful resolution are being sidelined. "The irony is that while President Abbas who is day and night calling for peace, the two-state solution, and the application of adopted resolutions--is not invited, others responsible for continuous massacres are. This is not a positive indicator when the one who signed the Oslo Accords could not be invited to the table," Shawesh stated. Turning to India's potential involvement, Shawesh emphasised that New Delhi's contribution to actual peace is more significant than its participation in any specific board. "India will analyse internally whether to become part of this Board of Peace or not. But at the end of the day, India can play a crucial role when it comes to peace itself. India can play a crucial role in the two-state solution, its implementation, and in putting an end to the occupation," the Ambassador remarked. On the refusal of several European countries to join the initiative, Shawesh suggested that their "sophisticated political analysts" have likely identified concerns regarding the Board's impact on the UN Charter and traditional multilateralism. Despite his critiques of the Board's current structure, the Ambassador reiterated Palestine's commitment to peace. "We welcome anything that is related to peace. This has been our position since we signed the Oslo Accords in 1993 and accepted our State on only 22% of our historical land. Anything related to peace is attractive to us, provided it is genuine," he said. - ANI Extensive traffic diversions have been announced on the Chennai-Tiruchi National Highway and surrounding routes for Prime Minister Narendra Modi's visit to Tamil Nadu on January 23. The restrictions are part of security arrangements for his participation in a major NDA election campaign rally at Madurantakam. Heavy vehicles are barred from the GST Road between Chennai and Tindivanam from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m., with multiple alternative routes provided. The police have urged motorists to plan travel, follow signage, and cooperate with personnel to ensure smooth traffic flow during the visit. Traffic diversions announced on Chennai-Tiruchi NH for PM Narendra Modi's NDA rally in Madurantakam on Jan 23. Plan your travel. Chennai, Jan 22 Extensive traffic diversions have been announced on the Chennai-Tiruchi National Highway and surrounding routes in view of Prime Minister Narendra Modi's visit to Tamil Nadu on January 23. The Chengalpattu district police said the restrictions are being imposed as part of security arrangements for the Prime Minister's participation in the National Democratic Alliance's election campaign rally at Madurantakam on January 23. According to the police advisory, heavy vehicles will be barred from using the GST Road between Chennai and Tindivanam from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. on Friday. The rally, to be held along the Chennai-Tindivanam stretch of the highway, is the NDA's first major public meeting ahead of the Tamil Nadu Assembly elections and is expected to draw large crowds and volunteers from across the State. The Prime Minister will address the rally and deliver a special election speech. Leaders from NDA constituent parties, including the All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam, Bharatiya Janata Party, Pattali Makkal Katchi, Tamil Maanila Congress, and the Amma Makkal Munnetra Kazhagam, are expected to attend the meeting. For heavy vehicles travelling from Chennai to Tindivanam, the police have advised diversion via Vandalur-Kelambakkam-Mamallapuram and the East Coast Road (ECR), rejoining the GST Road at Marakkanam. Alternative inland routes through Vandalur, Padappai, Oragadam, Walajabad, Kancheepuram, Vandavasi, Tiruvannamalai and Villupuram have also been notified. Vehicles travelling from Tiruchi and Salem towards Chennai have been asked to use diversion corridors via Ulundurpet, Tiruvannamalai, Vandavasi and Kancheepuram. Government buses and light motor vehicles will face diversions between 11 a.m. and 7 p.m. on Friday. Traffic from Chennai towards Tindivanam and Villupuram will be routed either through ECR-based roads or inland routes via Kancheepuram and Vandavasi. Vehicles heading to Chennai from Villupuram and Tindivanam have been directed to use Marakkanam-ECR or designated bypass routes. The police have urged motorists to plan their travel, follow traffic signage, and cooperate with personnel on duty to ensure smooth traffic flow during the Prime Minister's visit and the high-profile public meeting. - IANS Palestine's Ambassador to India has strongly criticized the exclusion of Palestinian leadership from US President Donald Trump's newly launched "Board of Peace." He described the invitation of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, while omitting President Mahmoud Abbas, as a "misery" and a "black comedy." The ambassador contrasted Netanyahu, whom he called a "fugitive from justice," with Abbas, who he stated is constantly advocating for a two-state solution. The Board of Peace was formally launched by Trump at the World Economic Forum in Davos, though its details remain unclear. Palestine's Ambassador to India condemns exclusion from Trump's Board of Peace, calling the invitation of Netanyahu over Abbas a "misery." New Delhi, January 22 Expressing strong dismay over Palestine not being invited to US President Donald Trump's proposed Board of Peace, Palestine's Ambassador to India, Abdullah Abu Shawesh, on Thursday described the move as a "misery" and a "black comedy." Responding to a question by ANI on the exclusion of Palestinian leadership from the initiative, Abu Shawesh contrasted the absence of Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas with the reported inclusion of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. "The misery, the irony of the issue, the black comedy here, when the fugitive from justice - the Israeli Prime Minister, the one who is wanted to the International Criminal Court is being invited to be member of the Board of Peace, the one who conducted two years of continuous massacres is invited to be a member of the Peace while President Abbas, the one who is day and night calling for peace, for the two states solution, for the applying of the adopted resolution is not invited. This is a misery. This is a black comedy. At least from our point of view, this is not a positive indicator when again and again, the fugitive from justice, the Israeli Prime Minister, the one who's responsible for killing 71,500 innocent Palestinians to be invited to be a member of this Board of Peace, while the President Abbas, the one who signed Oslo Accords, could not be invited," he told ANI. The proposed Board of Peace is part of broader diplomatic efforts announced by the US administration, though its structure, membership, and mandate remain unclear. Palestinian officials have repeatedly stressed that any credible peace initiative must include Palestinian representation and be rooted in international law and existing UN resolutions. US President Donald Trump on Thursday signed the charter to formally launch his "Board of Peace" initiative at the World Economic Forum (WEF) in Davos, describing it as a major step towards global conflict resolution. Calling it a "very exciting day, long in the making", Trump said, "We're going to have peace in the world," and added, "And we're all stars." - ANI At the World Economic Forum in Davos, US President Donald Trump reiterated his stark warning to Iran, referencing US strikes on Iranian nuclear sites last June. He claimed these strikes had "obliterated" Iran's nuclear capacity and stated that Tehran does want to talk. The remarks follow his recent televised warning that Iran would be wiped "off the face of this earth" if its leadership targeted him, a threat met with a fiery counter-warning from an Iranian general. This exchange occurs against a backdrop of renewed anti-government protests and economic strain within Iran. At Davos, Trump reiterates stark warning to Iran, cites US strikes on nuclear sites, and claims Tehran wants to talk amid escalating threats. Davos, January 22 US President Donald Trump reiterated on Thursday that he has settled eight wars since returning to office, while speaking at the World Economic Forum in Davos. Referring to Iran, Trump pointed to US strikes on Iranian nuclear sites last June and claimed they had "obliterated" Iran's nuclear capacity. He further said that Tehran "does want to talk, and will talk". Trump also mentioned US operations against ISIL (ISIS) in Syria, saying "many good things are happening," and claimed that threats to Europe, the US and the Middle East "are really calming down". "Just one year ago, the world was actually on fire," he said. "A lot of people didn't know it." Trump's remarks at Davos came days after he repeated a warning that Iran would be wiped "off the face of this earth" if Tehran ever succeeded in assassinating him. In the backdrop of escalating threats, Iran and the United States have both warned of large-scale conflict in the event of an assassination of either country's leadership. Speaking in a News Nation interview aired on Tuesday, Trump said, "I have very firm instructions. Anything happens, they're going to wipe them off the face of this earth," in response to a question on Iran's alleged threats against his life. Trump also said it was time to look for "new leadership in Iran." Earlier on Tuesday, Iranian General Abolfazl Shekarchi was quoted by Iranian state media as saying, "Trump knows that if a hand of aggression is extended toward our leader, we will not only sever that hand, and this is not a mere slogan." "But we will set their world on fire and leave them no safe haven in the region," Shekarchi added. Trump had issued a similar warning to Iran a year ago after returning to the White House, when he told reporters, "if they do it, they get obliterated." Meanwhile, Iran has seen renewed unrest linked to major anti-government protests. Human rights groups are working to confirm the death toll, with the Human Rights Activists News Agency reporting more than 4,000 confirmed deaths. Mass demonstrations began in December amid economic strain, with protests calling for relief as the national currency hit a new low under the leadership of the 86-year-old ayatollah, who has resisted democratic reforms for decades. Some members of Iran's diaspora have called for external intervention. Exiled Nobel Peace Prize winner Shirin Ebadi urged "highly targeted actions" against Iran's supreme leader and commanders of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps. - ANI US President Donald Trump announced a breakthrough framework for a future deal with NATO concerning Greenland and Arctic security during the World Economic Forum in Davos. He linked the arrangement to alliance burden-sharing and suspended planned US tariffs, emphasizing that the primary motivation is security, not economics. NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte affirmed the alliance's strength and absolute mutual defense guarantee, crediting Trump for increased defense spending. Trump positioned the US economy as leverage, stating the proposed deal would benefit all NATO nations. President Trump says a framework deal with NATO on Greenland and Arctic security was reached, linking it to burden-sharing and US economic leverage. Washington, Jan 22 US President Donald Trump signalled what he described as a breakthrough framework with NATO on Greenland and Arctic security, linking it to alliance burden-sharing, US economic leverage and a wider transatlantic reset during a packed day of engagements at the World Economic Forum in Davos. "Based upon a very productive meeting that I have had with the Secretary General of NATO, Mark Rutte, we have formed the framework of a future deal with respect to Greenland and, in fact, the entire Arctic Region," Trump said in a social media post issued from Davos on Wednesday (local time). He said the proposed arrangement, if finalised, "will be a great one for the United States of America, and all NATO Nations," adding that scheduled US tariffs set to take effect on February 1 would be suspended in light of the understanding. Trump later confirmed the outline in a CNBC interview, saying, "We have a concept of a deal. I think it's going to be a very good deal for the United States, also for them, and we're going to work together on something having to do with the Arctic as a whole, but also Greenland." Pressed on whether ownership or long-term control was involved, Trump replied that the arrangement would last "forever," calling it "better than a 99" and comparing it with previous time-bound international agreements. At a bilateral meeting with Rutte, Trump said Greenland could feature prominently in alliance discussions, arguing it was central to security rather than economics. "I want Greenland for security, I don't want it for anything else," he said, adding that the "bigger price" was "the price of safety and security and national security and international security." Rutte publicly pushed back on doubts about NATO's reliability, telling Trump: "If ever US would be under attack, your allies will be with you. Absolutely, there's an absolute guarantee." He credited Trump with driving NATO defence spending to five per cent of GDP, calling the alliance "stronger than ever." Trump linked Greenland to his proposed "Golden Dome" missile defence concept, saying the project would be "safer, stronger, better for Europe and better for us" with Greenland included. Alongside security issues, Trump repeatedly pointed to US economic performance as leverage. He said the economy was "the hottest country anywhere in the world," citing growth, investment inflows and tariff revenues. "The USA is the economic engine on the planet," he said earlier in the day, adding, "When America booms, the entire world booms." Trump said NATO allies now paid more for their own defence and purchased US equipment, while US tariffs and investment incentives were drawing companies back. "We're taking in tremendous money from tariffs fairly," he said. Greenland is an autonomous territory within the Kingdom of Denmark and occupies a strategic Arctic position between North America and Europe. For decades, the United States has maintained military installations there. Successive US administrations have viewed Arctic access as increasingly significant under rising global competition. - IANS US President Donald Trump and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy held a closed-door meeting on the sidelines of the World Economic Forum in Davos. Trump stated the war in Ukraine "has to end" but acknowledged there was still "a ways to go" towards a resolution, with US officials indicating negotiations are focused on a single critical issue. Concurrently, Trump formally launched his "Board of Peace" initiative at Davos, linking it to global conflict resolution efforts including in Ukraine. Attention now shifts to expected US diplomatic engagement with Russian President Vladimir Putin as part of ceasefire efforts. US President Trump and Ukrainian President Zelenskyy hold talks in Davos, with Trump stating the war "has to end" and hinting at upcoming diplomacy with Russia. Davos, January 22 US President Donald Trump on Thursday held talks with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy on the sidelines of the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, with the war in Ukraine remaining a key focus of discussions at the summit. According to CNN, the meeting concluded after lasting around an hour. The Ukrainian Presidency had earlier said the talks between the two leaders were underway in Davos, before later confirming the meeting had ended. After the closed-door interaction, Zelenskyy's communications advisor said he had a "good meeting" with Trump in Davos on Thursday. Trump later told reporters the meeting had gone well but said there is still "a ways to go" toward ending the war with Russia. "The war has to end," he said as he emerged from the meeting with Zelenskyy. "We hope it's going to end. There are a lot of people being killed." The meeting took place amid indications that efforts to end the conflict are reaching a critical phase. Negotiations aimed at ending the conflict were "down to one issue," US envoy Steve Witkoff said, according to CNN. A European official separately confirmed to the network that the issue was related to territory. With the Trump-Zelenskyy meeting concluding, attention is now set to shift to the next steps in the diplomatic process. Trump officials are expected to meet Russian President Vladimir Putin next as part of efforts to broker a ceasefire agreement. "It's an ongoing process," Trump said. "Everybody wants to have the war end." Alongside these talks on Ukraine, Trump also used the Davos platform to formally launch his "Board of Peace" initiative, signing the charter for the new body at the World Economic Forum and describing it as a major step towards global conflict resolution. Calling it a "very exciting day, long in the making", Trump said, "We're going to have peace in the world," and added, "And we're all stars." In his opening remarks, Trump said, "Just one year ago the world was actually on fire, a lot of people didn't know it," but claimed "many good things are happening" and threats worldwide "are really calming down." Linking the initiative to ongoing diplomatic engagements, Trump said his administration was "settling eight wars" and claimed that "a lot of progress" had been made towards ending Russia's war in Ukraine. Trump said, "We have a lot of great people that want to join," and defended the inclusion of Russia's Vladimir Putin and other leaders, saying he wanted "everybody" who was powerful and could "get the job done." Trump also linked the initiative to his approach on Iran and claimed it played a role in securing the Israel-Hamas ceasefire. "If we didn't do that, there was no chance of making peace," Trump said. Meanwhile, Zelenskyy's presence in Davos came as Trump voiced frustration over the prolonged conflict between Russia and Ukraine. "I believe they're at a point now where they can come together and get a deal done," Trump said. "And if they don't, they're stupid -- that goes for both of them." - ANI The Twenty20 party has officially joined the National Democratic Alliance ahead of the upcoming Kerala assembly elections, as announced by state BJP president Rajeev Chandrasekhar. The formal joining will occur in the presence of Prime Minister Narendra Modi during his visit to Thiruvananthapuram. Chandrasekhar stated the alliance aims to bring the development model of 'Viksit Keralam' to the state, transforming its political culture. He positioned the move as a significant expansion of the NDA's footprint against the incumbent LDF and Congress. Kerala BJP chief announces Twenty20 party's alliance with NDA, aiming for 'Viksit Keralam' ahead of state elections. PM Modi to formalize the pact. Thiruvananthapuram, January 22 The Twenty20 party on Thursday joined the National Democratic Alliance ahead of the upcoming Kerala assembly elections. The announcement was made by Kerala Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) president Rajeev Chandrasekhar during a press conference alongside Twenty20 president Sabu M Jacob. Chandrasekhar also announced that Sabu M Jacob's party will officially join the NDA in the presence of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, when the PM visits Thiruvananthapuram on Friday. He claimed that the move was an expansion of NDA's political footprint and its political heft vis-a-vis the coming elections. Speaking to the reporters here, the Kerala BJP president said that the aim was to spread the message of 'Viksit Keralam' (Developed Kerala), 'Vishwas Sanrakshanam' (Safeguarding Trust) and 'Surikshit Keralam' (Safe Kerala) through this alliance, which, according to him, has been put forth by the NDA in the previous 11 years of PM Modi's tenure. He said that the aim was to bring the same level of political development in India. He said, "Look what is happening in Kerala is quite clear and obvious, the message of Viksit Keralam, the message of Vishwas Sanrakshanam, the message of Surikshit Keralam that the NDA has (been) put forth (in) the last 11 years of Prime Narendra Modi's development and transformation of India and our intention (is) to bring the same level of development and transformation. Our intention is to bring the same type of development politics to Kerala." Chandrasekhar claimed that the NDA has been receiving support, not just from the average Malayali voter, but also from many across the political spectrum, including traditional parties, MLAs, and ex-MLAs. He termed the alliance with the Twenty20 party "good fortune" and expressed happiness, claiming that the Twenty20 party is one of the few parties in Kerala that has steadfastly stood for development. Speaking to the reporters, he said, "NDA receiving support just not from the average Malayali voter but also from many in the political spectrum amongst traditional parties MLAs and ex MLAs, and today we have the absolute good fortune, and we are extremely happy to have the one party in Kerala that has steadfastly stood for development, which is Twenty20." He added, "Also, agreeing to join the NDA, the President of the Twenty20 party Sabu M Jacob today had a press conference with me and officially will join in the presence of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, when the PM visits Trivandrum tomorrow and that will mark a significant expansion of NDA's political footprint and also NDA's political heft vis-a-vis the coming elections." "Our mission for the coming elections is very clear, we intent to bring a decisive transformation of the political culture in Kerala from the corruption, the appeasement and the Jamaat-type politics of the LDF and the Congress. From the stealing and the looting of gold from Sabrimala by the LDF and the Congress to a political system, where development is the only matter that is discussed, " Chandrasekhar said while taking a jibe at the Left Democratic Front (LDF) and the Congress. In the end, he said the mission of the alliance is to ensure that every Malayali has an equal opportunity to become prosperous, and to give his or her children opportunities in jobs and entrepreneurship. "And that every Malayali has an equal opportunity to become prosperous, to give his or her children opportunities, jobs and entrepreneurship. This is our mission, and I am extremely happy today, a party that shares the vision for Viksit Keralam that is Twenty20 is a part of the NDA," Chandrasekhar said. - ANI The third transfer of Mexican criminal leaders to the United States in the last year is reverberating south of the Rio Grande, with citizens aware that transfers and expulsions of this kind shape the present, and possibly the future, of the bilateral relationship. In Sinaloa, the region from which many of those transferred come, both now and in the two previous transfers in August and February, the feeling is one of caution. The departure of criminal figures from the country illustrates the progress made by the Security Cabinet in the region, but the problem the war between factions of the Sinaloa Cartel persists. There has been progress, but the security problem remains unresolved, says one of the experts consulted. The arrest of Daniel Alfredo Blanco, alias El Cubano, one of the 37 men transferred on Tuesday, sheds light on the above. Captured last week, his removal from the criminal scene and expedited extradition to the U.S. effectively ends his criminal activities in Mexico, a move that benefits Washingtons demands. The U.S. government, led by Donald Trump, sought El Cubanos extradition to try him for being one of the Sinaloa Cartels financial operators, specifically for the Los Chapitos faction, commanded by Ivan Archivaldo Guzman, one of the sons of the groups historical leader, Joaquin El Chapo Guzman. But the absence of El Cubano, like those of Guero Canobbio before him, Martin Zazueta, alias Piyi, or Juan Carlos Felix Gastelum, El Chavo Felix, does not necessarily imply a reduction in street violence in the northwestern Mexican state: 2024 was one of the deadliest years in Sinaloas history, but 2025 was even worse. A comparative analysis of reports filed between January and December 2024 with those from January to December 2025, with thousands dead and missing, confirms that Sinaloa faces a persistent and escalating cycle of violence. A burned-out vehicle in which an industrial drone and a .50 caliber rifle were found, in Culiacan, December 3, 2025. Jose Betanzos Zarate (CUARTOSCURO) The war between Los Chapitos and the faction led by the sons of El Chapos old ally, Ismael El Mayo Zambada, which began in September 2024, has left the state reeling. The numbers bear this out. For example, femicide cases jumped from 31 in 2024 to 72 in 2025, a 132% increase. Vehicle thefts, committed by criminals on both sides, rose by 70%, with 6,851 reports in 2025 compared to 4,019 in 2024. Murders have also increased, rising by 66%, from 993 to 1,653 reported cases. The same is true for disappearances, which increased by 44%, with 2,208 reports in 2025 compared to 1,529 in 2024. For the State Council for Public Security (CESP), a citizen organization working in Sinaloa to research and propose policies on the matter, the arrest and transfer of Daniel Alfredo Blanco broadly reflects what these operations have meant: a strategy with little impact on reducing crime. Its like a thousand-headed monster; you grab one and 10 more appear. What weve been observing is that these are kids of 13, 14, 16, 20 years old, doing jobs where theyre paid 6,000 pesos (around $340) or less. Maybe theyre not even paid; theyre beaten, forced, one of the CESP researchers told this newspaper. Weve been living with a monster for 50 years, one that was everywhere, even before the war in business, on the streets, everywhere. We saw it when the war started, when many of those businesses closed, when many people left, the investigator added. Blanco is just one of the 3,236 people arrested in Sinaloa in the last year. In the last 12 months, authorities have also seized 5,271 firearms, more than one million rounds of ammunition, and 5,832 improvised explosive devices. They also located more than 29 tons of drugs, 258 clandestine laboratories, and 5,954 marijuana and poppy fields, according to official data from the Public Security Secretariat. The war has meant spending millions on technology and weaponry. The Sinaloa state government, led by Ruben Rocha of the ruling Morena party, purchased four armored Super Duty trucks, 29 patrol cars, six motorcycles, 124 firearms, 480 magazines, and 250,133 rounds of ammunition, as well as an outlay of 108 million pesos to buy 613 security cameras a favorite target of criminals in the first months of the war and 100 new monitoring points. For the CESP, the war wont end solely with arrests and seizures. As the state secretary of public security said on January 21 in the local Congress: Without shifting the blame, I think the solution for Sinaloa I believe we all have a little something to contribute, a little bit At home, at school, those who are parents, all of us together, otherwise we wont be able to do it. He added: The numbers are there, numbers of arrests, of weapons, and were going to keep arresting them, taking away their weapons and ammunition. Were not going to stop. I dont recall, and I have 40 years of service, any other time in the country, anywhere else in the country, with so many seizures, and were going to continue operating every day. Sign up for our weekly newsletter to get more English-language news coverage from EL PAIS USA Edition Severe weather has struck Greece, resulting in two deathsa Coast Guard officer swept away by waves and a woman whose car was carried off by floodwaters. Authorities declared a "Red Code" state of emergency in at least six regions, including Attica, urging residents to stay indoors. The storms caused widespread disruption, leading to school closures, suspended ferry services, and over 600 emergency calls for evacuations and flood damage. The extreme conditions also caused significant harm to agriculture and livestock facilities. Two people killed as severe storms with high waves and floodwaters hit Greece, prompting a state of emergency and widespread school closures. Athens, Jan 22 Two people were killed as a severe weather system swept across Greece, authorities said. In southern Greece's Peloponnese peninsula, a Coast Guard officer lost his life after being swept away by strong waves at the port of Astros Kynourias and sustaining serious head injuries, according to local officials. In the southern Athens suburb of Glyfada, a woman was killed when floodwaters carried away her car, reports Xinhua news agency, citing Greek national broadcaster ERT. Large parts of the country were affected by the weather front, which brought heavy rainfall, gale-force winds and snowfall in mountainous areas. At least six regions, including Attica, were placed under a "Red Code" state of emergency, with residents receiving alerts urging them to stay indoors and follow official instructions. As a precautionary measure, authorities ordered the closure of schools in Attica and other affected regions. Traffic disruptions were reported nationwide, with several motorists stranded in hard-hit areas, while ferry services were suspended at ports across the country. The Fire Brigade said it received more than 600 emergency calls, mainly for evacuations from flooded streets, removal of fallen trees and pumping water from homes and businesses. Flooding also caused extensive damage to agricultural land and livestock facilities. Earlier on January 10, strong winds disrupted ferry services at the port of Piraeus, leaving several ships docked and causing inconvenience for travellers. Although no general sailing ban was imposed, some ferry companies cancelled scheduled routes due to adverse weather conditions. The disruption comes as Greece is being affected by a new wave of severe weather, characterised by gale-force winds, heavy rainfall and a sharp drop in temperatures. Winds in parts of the Aegean and Ionian seas have reached up to nine on the Beaufort scale. - IANS Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami stated that decisive actions on Article 370, naxalism, and terrorism have been taken under Prime Minister Narendra Modi's tenure. He highlighted that Uttarakhand earned the distinction of being the first state to implement the Uniform Civil Code after independence, crediting PM Modi's inspiration and Home Minister Amit Shah's guidance. Dhami claimed the UCC is showing positive results in women's empowerment and safety despite initial opposition and misinformation campaigns. He also welcomed Amit Shah's visit to the state, linking it to centenary celebrations of cultural and spiritual institutions. Uttarakhand CM Pushkar Singh Dhami credits PM Modi & Amit Shah for decisive action on Article 370, naxalism, and implementing the Uniform Civil Code. Dehradun, January 22 Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami on Thursday said that decisive action has been taken on issues such as Article 370, naxalism and terrorism, under the Prime Minister Narendra Modi's tenure, adding that the state has earned the distinction of becoming the first state to implement the Uniform Civil Code after Independence. Speaking to ANI on the implementation of the UCC here, he said that the law was brought with the inspiration of PM Modi and under the guidance of Union Home Minister Amit Shah, and that its impact is now clearly visible. "Under the leadership of PM Narendra Modi, work has been done on Article 370, Naxalism, and terrorism. Uttarakhand received the honour of being the first state to implement the Uniform Civil Code (UCC) after independence. In Uttarakhand, with the inspiration of the Prime Minister and under the guidance of the Union Home Minister, we have implemented the UCC. We are seeing really positive results," Dhami said. He added that despite opposition and attempts to mislead people, the UCC has yielded positive outcomes. "When we were drafting this law initially and were about to implement it, several people - people who are against the system, who act as toolkits, who work with the Urban Naxal gang and with the Congress party, did not want to keep people comfortable with this in any manner. They spread misinformation and caused suspicions. But now, be it the matter of women's empowerment, women's safety or everyone's safety, lakhs of people have registered themselves under UCC. This makes it very clear that this 'Ganga' emerging out of Uttarakhand will benefit everyone in the time to come," the CM added. Meanwhile, Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami welcomed Amit Shah, who is on a two-day visit to the state, saying his presence on the occasion of the centenary celebrations of Kalyan magazine by Gita Press, Gorakhpur, and the 100 years of the 'diya' lit by Pandit Shriram Sharma, has energised followers of Sanatana culture across the world. Dhami said the Home Minister's guidance inspired everyone and added that the people of Uttarakhand are delighted by his visit and look forward to his return. "Union Home Minister was on a 2-day visit to Uttarakhand. He attended the event on the completion of 100 years of Kalyan magazine by Gita Press, Gorakhpur. This energises everyone. Besides this, this is also the centenary year for the 'diya' illuminated by Pandit Shriram Sharma 100 years ago. So, his arrival on these occasions gives energy to the flagbearers and believers of the Sanatana culture across the world. He provided guidance to all of us. All the residents of the state are delighted with his arrival here. We express our gratitude to him and await his return to the state," he said. Earlier in the day, Shah, along with Dhami, inaugurated the new Patanjali Emergency and Critical Care hospital in Haridwar. Patanjali co-founder Baba Ramdev also attended the ceremony, where he highlighted the number of treatments offered to people to 'cleanse the body' through traditional methods. - ANI US Special Envoy Sergio Gor will travel to Turkmenistan for high-level meetings focused on bilateral cooperation and regional stability. This follows a series of diplomatic engagements in India, where US Senator Steve Daines met with Indian ministers to discuss advancing the strategic partnership, defense cooperation, and trade issues. The discussions highlighted ongoing efforts towards a bilateral trade agreement, even as differences on tariffs and agricultural provisions remain. US officials have committed to regular high-level travel to India to deepen the relationship. US Envoy Sergio Gor travels to Turkmenistan for talks. Follows US-India meetings with Senator Daines, Jaishankar, Goyal on trade, defense, and partnership. New Delhi, January 22 US Special Envoy for South and Central Asia, Ambassador Sergio Gor, will travel to Turkmenistan from January 22 to January 23. Gor will engage in a series of high-level meetings with senior Turkmen government officials and the business community, focusing on expanding bilateral cooperation, promoting regional stability, and strengthening economic partnerships. The United States looks forward to engaging with Turkmenistan on new opportunities for collaboration that will benefit both our nations and contribute to prosperity and security across the region. Earlier, Gor extended a warm welcome to US Army Secretary Daniel Driscoll on his arrival. In a post on X, Gor wrote, "A very warm welcome to my friend, @SecArmy Dan Driscoll to India!" The welcome came as Gor on Tuesday said senior US government officials will regularly travel to India as part of efforts to take the bilateral partnership to the next level of cooperation, even as differences remain between the two sides on trade-related issues. Gor made the remarks at the end of what the US embassy described as a "productive visit" by Senator Steve Daines, a member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, who met External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar, Commerce Minister Piyush Goyal and members of Parliament during January 17-19. The US embassy said Daines discussed expanding US-India defence cooperation, joint efforts to secure supply chains, and the "importance of the US-India strategic partnership to ensuring our shared security and preserving a stable and open Indo-Pacific region." "As we work to take the partnership between our two nations to the next level in cooperation, I will ensure that senior government officials will regularly travel to India," Gor said. He also said Daines' engagements with official and private sector stakeholders in New Delhi were "instrumental in advancing our bilateral relationship. "The US embassy further said Daines also "pursued interests of the Trump Administration" and the people of Montana, which he represents in the Senate. During the visit, Daines said he pushed for "favourable pulse crop provisions in any future trade agreements" between India and the United States. Daines said, "I appreciated Minister Goyal for listening to our farmers' concerns and will continue to work with President Trump to press this important priority. "He also called for the "acceleration of the active and ongoing talks towards concluding a fair and reciprocal bilateral trade deal." Before this, Commerce Minister Piyush Goyal met US Senator Steve Daines and the US Ambassador to India Sergio Gor, and had a "productive exchange" of views on the bilateral relationship front. "Delighted to again meet my good friends US Senator @SteveDaines and the US Ambassador to India @SergioGor. Had a productive exchange of views on our bilateral relationship," Piyush Goyal posted on X. External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar had on Sunday also met US Senator Steve Daines, who is currently on a visit to India. They had a wide ranging and open discussion on the bilateral relationship and its strategic significance. Last week, Indian envoy in US, Vinay Kwatra, also met Senator Daines and discussed the bilateral relationship. These meetings come amid India and US' talks for a Bilateral Trade Agreement. India is currently being subjected to US tariffs of 50 per cent, even as it has been in talks with Washington since February last year, following Prime Minister Narendra Modi's visit to the US capital. - ANI Democratic congressional candidate Rakhi Israni has reported raising over $1.04 million within the first day of her campaign for California's open 14th District seat. The campaign frames the massive haul as a sign of voter enthusiasm for her message of change and problem-solving. Israni has also secured a significant endorsement from Santa Clara County District Attorney Jeff Rosen, who praised her character and commitment to the rule of law. The funds are seen as crucial for competing in the expensive media market of the diverse, Democrat-leaning district. Democratic candidate Rakhi Israni reports a $1.04 million fundraising haul in 24 hours and secures the endorsement of Santa Clara County DA Jeff Rosen. Washington, Jan 22 Democratic congressional candidate Rakhi Israni has reported raising more than $1 million within the first 24 hours of launching her campaign for California's 14th Congressional District, an early fundraising surge that her campaign says positions her competitively in one of the nation's most expensive media markets. The campaign said it raised more than $1.04 million a day after Israni formally entered the race for the open seat, describing the fundraising pace as an early signal of voter enthusiasm for her message and candidacy. "I am honoured to receive such an outpouring of support so early in this campaign, it's humbling," Israni said. "Californian's are hungry for a fresh perspective and a focus on solving problems - rather than this continued culture of extreme division and hate. I am confident that our campaign's uplifting message of change and our focus on grassroots organising will lead us to victory." The campaign said the funds would allow Israni to communicate her message "forcefully" in a region where congressional races often demand substantial early spending to reach voters across large and diverse communities. Israni has also secured the endorsement of Santa Clara County District Attorney Jeff Rosen, a prominent Democratic official in the Bay Area. Her campaign described Rosen's backing as a significant endorsement that came on the heels of the $1 million fundraising announcement. "I've known Rakhi Israni for many years, and her leadership is defined by character, not cameras," Rosen said. "She leads with service, integrity, and a deep respect for the values that hold our democracy together. As a mother, entrepreneur, humanitarian, and attorney, Rakhi understands that real community impact comes from steady, principled leadership. She believes in the Rule of Law not as a slogan, but as a promise to the community. For these reasons, I am proud to support Rakhi Israni for the United States Congress." Responding to the endorsement, Israni praised Rosen's record and said his support reflected shared values around justice and public service. "Jeff Rosen's commitment to justice, public safety, and integrity makes him not only a deeply impactful District Attorney, but also a leading example of a genuine commitment to public service," she said. "From his work on thoughtful, impactful reform to his commitment to our safety, DA Rosen's work serves as a model for the type of leadership I will work to offer as a member of Congress. In Jeff Rosen, I know that I will have a partner in my fight for our shared values and our commitment to solving problems and uplifting our community. I am honoured to have his support." Israni is based in Fremont and has spent the past two decades raising her family and building her career in the Bay Area, according to her campaign. It said she founded a national test preparation company and has used her legal background to represent underserved families in family court and assist elderly clients with estate planning. Israni lives and works in Fremont with her husband, Nitesh, and their four children, all of whom attend Fremont public schools, the campaign said. California's 14th Congressional District is an Alameda County-based seat spanning much of the East and South Bay and extending into the Tri-Valley region, including Dublin, Livermore and Pleasanton. The district has nearly 50 per cent Democratic registration, with Republicans accounting for about 17 per cent. It is a non-white majority district, with Asian voters making up about 32 per cent of registered voters and more than 42,000 registered Indian voters, according to the campaign. The seat is currently open, setting up a competitive race in which early fundraising strength and high-profile endorsements are often viewed as key indicators of a campaign's organisational momentum. - IANS Aakash Minda, Executive Director of Minda Corporation, states that US tariffs on Indian goods are causing a short-term impact but expects the situation to ease long-term as global automotive supply chains evolve. The company is focusing on tripling its exports over the next five years from its plants in India, Indonesia, and Vietnam to cater to the US and other markets. It identifies China as the primary competitor in Europe but sees opportunities in the US, and is exploring nearshoring to Mexico as part of its strategy. Minda Corp is also making significant investments in India, including a Rs 1200 crore MoU with Maharashtra, to build a resilient, localized supply chain for automotive components. Minda Corp's Aakash Minda says US tariffs have a short-term impact. The company plans to triple exports and adapt its global supply chain from India, Vietnam, and Indonesia. Davos, January 22 The overall supply chain in the automotive industry is changing across the world and Minda Corporation Ltd wants to be a very important part of this game, company's Executive Director Aakash Minda has said, noting that they would move to export from different parts of the country as well as the company's plants in other Asian countries to the US and other markets. In an interview with ANI on the sidelines of the World Economic Forum meeting in Davos, Aakash Minda said the US tariff on India is having a short-term impact, and things would ease out in the long term. "It is impacting in the short term. But I think things are going to ease out in the long term and the supply chain is going to continue. So, the overall supply chain in the automotive industry is changing across the world. So, we want to be a very important part of this game. We are going to figure out our way on how we can export from different parts of the country as well as from other Asian countries as well to the US," he said. He was answering a query on the US tariff and its impact on his company. Minda Corporation Ltd is a leading auto manufacturer in India. The United States has imposed 50 per cent tariff on Indian goods and the two countries engaged in negotiations for a Bilateral Trade Agreement. Answering a query on the competition in the international market that Minda Corporation is facing due to US tariffs, Aakash Minda said it is primarily from China. "Primarily China. If you look at Europe, there the Chinese component manufacturers are stepping in much faster. But when it comes to the US, that is where they are more available to buy products from India, Vietnam, Indonesia and other such countries. So, that is where the exports' focus is towards the US," he said. Asked about the United States getting auto components from Mexico, Aakash Minda said "all the things are now working as nearshoring and dual shoring" and the Indian companies are looking at the opportunities. "Mexico is the next door (to the US). So, all the things are now working as nearshoring and dual shoring. So, when it comes to nearshoring, Mexico becomes a very important part of the US manufacturing ecosystem. We, as Indian companies, are also looking at how we can export to the US and then move to the nearshoring to Mexico in the long run to cater to the US markets," he said. He said Minda Corporation Ltd is supplying auto components to almost all automotive manufacturers in the country and its focus is to triple exports from India in the next five years from plant locations in India, Indonesia and Vietnam. Aakash Minda said the company is investing to make its supply chain more resilient and is building long-term partnerships. "We are supplying to almost all the automotive manufacturers in India, whether it is Maruti, Tata, Mahindra, Bajaj, TVS, HMSI. We are also exporting about 10%. So, our focus for the next five years is how we can triple our exports from India as well as from our plant locations in Indonesia and Vietnam," he said. He said investment is being made for localisaiton of a lot of electronic parts. "What we are now investing is making our supply chain resilient on localisation, on account of digitisation as well as creating long-term partnerships all across, where we can make in India for the world and also whether electric vehicle mobility is coming in, making components for that as well as the electronics. So, localisation on a lot of electronic parts as well, that's where we are investing in now," he said. Aakash Minda said that he has also signed a MoU with the Maharashtra government and met the Finance Minister of Uttar Pradesh for investing in the state. "I think Davos is a place where you meet global leaders, policymakers and how we are looking at India to grow in terms of making key supply chain and the key manufacturing partner globally. This is the regard in which I have come here. I have also met and signed an MoU with the Maharashtra CM; we are investing close to about Rs 1200 crores starting from this year onwards for the next 5-6 years for scaling up the manufacturing industry," he said. "We have just met the Finance Minister of UP for investing in UP which is our headquarters on how we can scale and build a resilient supply chain in India for the automotive componenets industry," he added India's automotive industry is a cornerstone of the nation's manufacturing and economic growth, contributing 7.1% to India's Gross Domestic Product (GDP) and 49% to manufacturing GDP, as per a NITI Aayog report. - ANI Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy announced a trilateral meeting between US, Ukrainian, and Russian officials will be held in the United Arab Emirates. The announcement followed his meeting with US President Donald Trump on the sidelines of the World Economic Forum in Davos, which both described as positive. Zelenskyy noted the "last mile" of negotiations is very difficult, while a US envoy indicated talks are down to one issue, reportedly related to territory. The developments signal intensifying diplomatic efforts to end the ongoing war in Ukraine. Zelenskyy announces upcoming US-Ukraine-Russia talks in UAE aimed at ending the war, following his meeting with Trump at Davos. Davos, January 22 A trilateral meeting between US, Ukrainian and Russian officials is scheduled to be held in the United Arab Emirates from Friday, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy announced on Thursday, signalling that efforts aimed at ending the war in Ukraine are intensifying. Speaking at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Zelenskyy said the two-day meeting will be held on Friday and Saturday. The announcement came as US President Donald Trump met Zelenskyy on the sidelines of WEF in Davos on Thursday. Trump said he had a good meeting with the Ukrainian President, but noted that there's still "a ways to go" toward ending Russia's war in Ukraine. "The war has to end," Trump said after the meeting. "We hope it's going to end. There are a lot of people being killed." "It's an ongoing process," Trump added. "Everybody wants to have the war end." Zelenskyy also described the meeting as "positive," adding that was "enough" to say about it. He said the "last mile" of negotiations "is very difficult." "During any dialogue with any president, I have to defend the interests of my country. That's why the dialogue is maybe, it's not simple," he said. "But it was today. It was positive." According to CNN, US envoy Steve Witkoff said negotiations to end Russia's war were "down to one issue," with a European official confirming it was related to territory. Meanwhile, Zelenskyy's remarks came after his WEF speech in which he criticised European leaders for what he described as inaction over the war in Ukraine, drawing a comparison with Europe's reaction in recent days on Greenland. Trump also spoke about developments regarding Greenland, saying negotiations currently give the US "total access" for defence. The report noted that Trump had earlier announced that a framework of a deal on Greenland had been formed, while ruling out military force and new tariffs on European nations opposing his ambitions. Earlier, Trump unveiled his "Board of Peace," with fewer than 20 countries attending the signing ceremony. Trump said he wants the board, tasked with rebuilding Gaza and resolving global conflicts, to work with the United Nations, even as he criticised the UN. Trump also described Gaza as a "beautiful piece of property" while speaking about reconstruction of the war-hit strip. - ANI The Viksit Bharat Guarantee for Rozgar and Ajeevika Mission Act, 2025, marks a historic policy shift from relief-based to productivity-oriented rural employment. It increases guaranteed work days to 125 per household and introduces a mandatory 60-day pause during peak agricultural seasons. The Act mandates timely weekly wage payments and employs AI for fraud detection to eliminate leakages. Funded under a cooperative federalism model, it focuses asset creation on water security, rural infrastructure, livelihoods, and climate resilience. Union Minister Pabitra Margherita outlines the historic VB-G RAM-G Act, shifting rural employment policy to a productivity-driven framework with 125 days of work. Guwahati, January 22 The Minister of State for External Affairs & Textiles, Pabitra Margherita, on Thursday addressed a press conference at the Jorhat Circuit House on the passage of the Viksit Bharat Guarantee for Rozgar and Ajeevika Mission Act, 2025, describing it as a historic milestone in India's journey towards Viksit Bharat @2047 and a decisive redefinition of rural employment policy. Margherita said that the new legislation reflects a fundamental shift in governance thinking, moving away from a relief-based approach to a productivity-oriented framework that recognises villages as centres of growth and prosperity. He underlined that this transformation has been made possible under the visionary leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, whose focus has been on ensuring dignity of labour and sustainable livelihoods rather than temporary relief, according to the Ministry of Rural Development. The Minister placed on record his gratitude to Union Rural Development Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan, noting that his deep understanding of rural life and ground realities was instrumental in shaping the new legislation. He explained that the transition from MGNREGA to VB-G RAM-G is a natural evolution shaped by the hard lessons of two decades of implementation. Margherita observed that while MGNREGA initially served a relief purpose, serious structural weaknesses emerged over time. Asset creation became fragmented and short-term, while governance gaps enabled fake job cards, ghost beneficiaries and inflated muster rolls. He noted that repeated social and performance audits exposed inherent design flaws that allowed fake beneficiaries and middlemen to siphon off funds meant for genuine workers, making comprehensive reform not optional but inevitable. Before outlining the reforms under the VB-G RAM-G Act, 2025, Margherita recalled how the on-ground implementation of rural employment programmes had already undergone a significant transformation over the past decade. Highlighting the changing realities of rural India, the Minister said that policies designed for 2005 cannot address the needs of 2025. With rural poverty declining sharply, alongside expanded social security coverage, improved connectivity, financial inclusion and digital access, shift from a relief-based approach to productivity-driven framework had become essential. Outlining the key features of the VB-GRAM-G Act, Margherita said the legislation strengthens the rural safety net by increasing guaranteed wage employment from 100 to 125 days per rural household. For the first time, the law formally respects the agricultural cycle by mandating a 60-day pause on public works during peak sowing and harvesting seasons, ensuring farmers have access to labour when it is most needed. He added that the Act ends the era of delayed wage payments by mandating weekly payments, not later than a fortnight, with automatic compensation for delays. This is supported by enhanced digital transparency and Al-based fraud detection systems to eliminate ghost beneficiaries and leakages. Explaining the funding framework, Margherita stated that the 60:40 Centre-State funding model strengthens cooperative federalism by promoting shared responsibility, accountability, and effective planning. He further expressed his gratitude to the Prime Minister for extending a 90:10 funding partem to Assam, along with other North-Eastern States and the Himalayan States, recognising the unique regional and geographical constraints of these areas. He noted that the enhanced Central support reflects the Government's sustained commitment to inclusive, balanced, and region-sensitive development. He further noted that unlike the earlier framework, which lacked clearly defined focus areas and resulted in scartered, short-term works, the VB-G RAM-G Act organises public works under four focused verticals, water security, core rural infrastructure, livelihood-linked assets and climate resilience, ensuring structured planning and durable assets with long-term developmental value. Concluding his address, Margherita said the VB-G RAM-G Act, 2025 represents a decisive shift from symbolism to substance and from minimum relief to maximum productive growth, ensuring that as India advances towards becoming a Viksit Bharat by 2047, villages will be active partners in the nation's development journey. - ANI RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat addressed a gathering at the Maryada Mahotsav in Rajasthan, emphasizing that Dharma, not just law, upholds righteousness and solves life's problems. He stated that India's tradition guides the world through decorum, charity, and a pursuit of truth beyond material knowledge. Acharya Mahashraman explained that while peace and non-violence are paramount, the state may need to use force to protect national security when threatened. The event highlighted the Indian philosophy of ecological balance and global concern, contrasting it with purely self-interested actions. RSS Sarsanghchalak Mohan Bhagwat and Acharya Mahashraman address the use of force, non-violence, and India's tradition of Dharma at a Maryada Mahotsav. Jaipur, Jan 22 A grand and solemn programme was organised on the eve of the 162nd Maryada Mahotsav at Chhoti Khatu in Rajasthan's Nagaur district on Thursday. The event was held in the holy presence of Acharya Mahashraman, with the intellectual address delivered by Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) Sarsanghchalak Mohan Bhagwat. In his address, RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat said that India has always guided the world through the practice of decorum and righteous conduct. Since ancient times, he said, people have turned to saints for guidance on values and discipline. "We learn the use of the stick in Sangh shakhas, but we go to saints to understand why it should be carried, when it should be used, and what its limits are," he said, stressing that conduct, not mere words, inspires society. Bhagwat said that the finest individuals in Indian society have always lived by these principles, becoming role models for others. Pursuit of wealth alone, he noted, is not part of India's tradition. Even those who earn wealth are encouraged to donate and serve society. Charity and service, he said, are deeply ingrained in Indian culture. Emphasising the pursuit of truth, Bhagwat said that truth is infinite, but the modern world has limited itself to material and sensory knowledge. While people appear different, he said, at their core all are one, and living with the belief that "everyone is our own" naturally brings discipline and compassion. He said that values such as truth, non-violence, celibacy, non-stealing, and non-possession have been deeply understood and practised in India. Dharma, he added, is the principle that upholds righteousness and balance, and not all problems of life can be solved through law alone - many require the guidance of Dharma. Referring to the global scenario, Bhagwat said that many nations act solely in self-interest, but India has consistently followed a path of concern for all. He cited India's humanitarian assistance during global crises as an example of Dharma in action. On environmental balance, he contrasted Western agricultural practices aimed at eradicating pests with the Indian approach of maintaining ecological balance through controlled pest management. This, he said, reflects India's broader philosophy of harmony rather than excess. Addressing the gathering, Acharya Mahashraman, while quoting a Sanskrit verse, said that wise words are precious like gems, though ignorant people may fail to recognise their value. A true guru, he said, imparts words of welfare and right knowledge, guiding society in the correct direction. In India, he added, scriptures, sacred texts, and the teachings of saints have always enhanced human understanding and capability, providing direction in life. He explained that the tradition of Maryada Mahotsav dates back to Magha Shukla Saptami, when the first ritual was initiated by the first Guru, while the festival itself was formally established by the fourth Guru, Dayacharya Ji. Discipline and decorum, he said, are essential in both monarchy and democracy. Acharya Mahashraman said that peace is the ultimate objective for humanity. However, when the language of peace is not understood, firmness becomes necessary. Non-violence should remain the fundamental policy of the nation, and aggression should never be initiated. Yet, if national security is threatened, the armed forces must take up arms to protect citizens. "For saints, absolute non-violence is essential, but for householders and the state, the use of force may become a necessity for protecting the nation," he said, adding that strictness may sometimes be required for the sake of goodness and lasting peace. Earlier, Mansukh Bhai Sethia, chairman of the organising committee, welcomed guests and devotees and outlined the significance of the programme. Senior RSS functionaries, including Nandlal Babaji, Rajasthan regional secretary Jaswant Khatri, regional organiser Nimbaram, Jodhpur provincial head Hardayal, Didwana district head Ram Avtar Sarraf, and Nagaur district head Mukesh Bhati, along with representatives of various social organisations and a large number of devotees and women, were present. Special emphasis was laid on ensuring that no food was wasted during the programme, a discipline strictly followed by devotees, including those who had travelled from outside Rajasthan. - IANS Schneider Electric India will invest Rs 623 crore to expand its manufacturing facilities in Gagillapur and Shamshabad, Telangana. The investment, secured by the state's delegation at the World Economic Forum 2026, aims to increase capacity for electrical safety products like circuit breakers and contactors. Discussions also centered on collaborating for grid modernization, energy efficiency, and digital power management projects. Chief Minister Revanth Reddy highlighted the investment as aligning with the state's sustainability goals and its target to become a net-zero economy by 2047. Schneider Electric India plans a Rs 623 crore expansion in Hyderabad, boosting manufacturing for electrical safety products and energy transition projects. Davos, January 22 The Chief Minister Revanth Reddy-led 'Telangana Rising' delegation secured another investment during the annual meeting of the World Economic Forum 2026 in Davos, Switzerland. The delegation met Deepak Sharma, the CEO of Schneider Electric India. According to Telangana CMO, Schneider Electric India will invest Rs. 623 Cr. to expand their existing Gagillapur and Shamshabad facilities in Telangana, enhancing capacity for electrical safety products such as Air Circuit Breakers (ACB), Molded Case Circuit Breakers (MCCB), contactors, and push buttons. Telangana CMO said that the meeting also focused on energy transition and storage projects, with collaboration on grid modernisation, energy efficiency, and digital power management for industrial parks and urban infrastructure. The state Chief Minister expressed delight that Minister for IT & Industries D. Sridhar Babu secured the investment for the state. He said sustainability is a central pillar to Telangana's pursuit of a Net- Zero development target by 2047. According to Telangana CMO, the Minister said Telangana has emerged as one of India's fastest-growing electronics manufacturing hubs, covering consumer electronics, telecom hardware, industrial electronics and advanced electronics systems. Further, the delegation discussed expanding smart-factory and manufacturing capacity in Telangana for energy management, automation, and EV-related components. Sharma said Schneider has as many as 38 skilling centres in Telangana. Schneider specialises in energy management, industrial automation, and digital transformation solutions. - ANI The Twenty20 party has officially joined the National Democratic Alliance ahead of the upcoming Kerala assembly elections. Party President Sabu M Jacob stated the alliance aims to implement Twenty20's proven development model, tested in education and agriculture, across Kerala through the NDA. Kerala BJP president Rajeev Chandrasekhar announced the formal joining will occur in the presence of Prime Minister Narendra Modi during his visit to Thiruvananthapuram. The NDA frames this alliance as a significant expansion of its political footprint to bring development-focused politics to the state. Twenty20 President Sabu M Jacob announces alliance with NDA, pledging to implement its proven development model in Kerala with PM Modi's support. Thiuvananthapuram, January 22 Twenty20 President Sabu M Jacob, in response to the upcoming formal joining with NDA in Prime Minister Narendra Modi's presence on Friday, said that his party has proven its potential through the practice of implementation and said that the party has worked in the field of education, agriculture, infrastructure and many other fields. The party's President said they are trying to implement their model, based on experiments and research, through NDA. Speaking to ANI, he said, "We are a proven political party through implementation, and we have learned a lot in practice. Right from education, agriculture, infrastructure and everywhere. We have conducted all the experiments and research, and proved that it is possible in Kerala. So, basically, we are trying to transfer that knowledge, and we are trying to implement that model through NDA." The Twenty20 party on Thursday joined the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) ahead of the upcoming Kerala assembly elections. The announcement was made by Kerala Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) president Rajeev Chandrasekhar during a press conference alongside Twenty20 president Sabu M Jacob. Chandrasekhar also announced that Sabu M Jacob's party will officially join the NDA in the presence of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, when the PM visits Thiruvananthapuram on Friday. He claimed that the move was an expansion of NDA's political footprint and its political heft vis-a-vis the coming elections. Speaking to the reporters here, the Kerala BJP president said that the aim was to spread the message of 'Viksit Keralam' (Developed Kerala), 'Vishwas Sanrakshanam' (Safeguarding Trust) and 'Surikshit Keralam' (Safe Kerala) through this alliance, which, according to him, has been put forth by the NDA in the previous 11 years of PM Modi's tenure. He said that the aim was to bring the same level of political development in India. He said, "Look what is happening in Kerala is quite clear and obvious, the message of Viksit Keralam, the message of Vishwas Sanrakshanam, the message of Surikshit Keralam that the NDA has (been) put forth (in) the last 11 years of Prime Narendra Modi's development and transformation of India and our intention (is) to bring the same level of development and transformation. Our intention is to bring the same type of development politics to Kerala."Chandrasekhar claimed that the NDA has been receiving support, not just from the average Malayali voter, but also from many across the political spectrum, including traditional parties, MLAs, and ex-MLAs. He termed the alliance with the Twenty20 party "good fortune" and expressed happiness, claiming that the Twenty20 party is one of the few parties in Kerala that has steadfastly stood for development. Speaking to the reporters, he said, "NDA receiving support just not from the average Malayali voter but also from many in the political spectrum amongst traditional parties MLAs and ex MLAs, and today we have the absolute good fortune, and we are extremely happy to have the one party in Kerala that has steadfastly stood for development, which is Twenty20." He added, "Also, agreeing to join the NDA, the President of the Twenty20 party Sabu M Jacob today had a press conference with me and officially will join in the presence of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, when the PM visits Trivandrum tomorrow and that will mark a significant expansion of NDA's political footprint and also NDA's political heft vis-a-vis the coming elections." "Our mission for the coming elections is very clear, we intent to bring a decisive transformation of the political culture in Kerala from the corruption, the appeasement and the Jamaat-type politics of the LDF and the Congress. From the stealing and the looting of gold from Sabrimala by the LDF and the Congress to a political system, where development is the only matter that is discussed, " Chandrasekhar said while taking a jibe at the Left Democratic Front (LDF) and the Congress. In the end, he said the mission of the alliance is to ensure that every Malayali has an equal opportunity to become prosperous, and to give his or her children opportunities in jobs and entrepreneurship."And that every Malayali has an equal opportunity to become prosperous, to give his or her children opportunities, jobs and entrepreneurship. This is our mission, and I am extremely happy today, a party that shares the vision for Viksit Keralam that is Twenty20 is a part of the NDA," Chandrasekhar said. - ANI The authorities have deployed the army to patrol the streets, but the response has had little impact on the gangs or a judicial system riddled with corruption The day unfolds calmly in Guatemala City, and nothing seems to indicate that just 48 hours earlier, the Barrio 18 gang murdered 10 police officers in different parts of the country, prompting President Bernardo Arevalo to declare a state of emergency. On the main street of the capitals Alameda neighborhood, a police checkpoint stops two young men riding a motorcycle without helmets. The officers check their documents, inspect the vehicle, and after 10 minutes, detect the infraction: the exhaust noise exceeds the permitted decibel level. Theres a fine. They let them go. We know the gang members arent going to be caught at this checkpoint, admits the officer in charge of the operation. But the law doesnt authorize us to go looking for them at their homes. Were not allowed to do that. Between Saturday and Sunday, Barrio 18 designated last September as a transnational terrorist organization by the U.S. Department of State maintained control of three prisons in the country, took 46 guards hostage, and forced the government to suspend classes throughout the national territory on Monday amid fears of further attacks. The offensive led Arevalo to authorize the deployment of the army to patrol the streets. However, the response is barely noticeable on the ground. Two days after the attacks, authorities reported the capture of 23 suspected gang members, 17 of whom are allegedly directly linked to the murders. The Attorney Generals Office, however, has only charged one of them with minor offenses: illegal possession of a firearm and drug possession. State of emergency in Guatemala, January 20, 2026. Moises Castillo (AP) The weekends violence has highlighted the enormous challenges the government faces in combating corruption within the countrys prison and justice systems. The clashes began Saturday morning with reports of riots at the Renovacion I, Preventivo, and Fraijanes 2 prisons. By late afternoon, authorities confirmed that one of the facilities had been set on fire and that 46 guards were being held hostage after being disarmed. On Sunday morning, during a press conference, Interior Minister Marco Antonio Villeda stated that the attacks were retaliation for the removal of privileges granted to imprisoned gang leaders, who, he said, were demanding king-size beds, air conditioning, and food deliveries from restaurants. Gangs have permeated the Guatemalan penal system with corruption and obtained privileges within the prisons. One example came to light in June 2024, when the then-minister of the interior, Francisco Jimenez, denounced 102 guards at the maximum-security Canada prison, known as El Infiernito (Little Hell), for allowing the trafficking of weapons, alcohol, and even live animals. Despite the seriousness of the allegations, the government was unable to dismiss the officials due to legal obstacles and only managed to reassign them. Jimenez was finally dismissed in October after the escape of 20 leaders of Barrio 18, a crisis that forced the government to request assistance from the United States. By mid-January, only five had been apprehended. In court, three admitted to paying bribes to guards to escape without resistance. Twenty-five officers were arrested for their alleged involvement. Aerial view of the Nueva Jerusalen neighborhood in Guatemala on January 20. Moises Castillo (AP) The government appears overwhelmed by the surge in violence. In late December, 12 bodies were found in Santa Lucia Los Ocotes, 15 kilometers north of the capital, in an incident that authorities attributed to a power struggle between the Barrio 18 and Mara Salvatrucha gangs. That same month, the president declared a state of prevention in Indigenous communities in the south of the country after an attack on a military outpost that left at least five dead and 12 wounded. Arevalo and high-ranking security officials have blamed, without providing details, political-criminal mafias seeking to destabilize the government. It is important that we recognize that none of this is a coincidence. We know who is behind it: groups that benefit from the corruption that grows in the shadows, the president said. The security crisis coincides with a period of high political tension. In the first quarter of the year, Guatemala must elect a new attorney general and magistrates to the Supreme Electoral Tribunal and the Constitutional Court. Given this scenario, Arevalo requested OAS support at the end of 2025, in a context marked by confrontation with the Public Prosecutors Office, headed by Consuelo Porras, whom the president accuses of having tried to prevent him from coming to power and who appears on the U.S. State Departments list of corrupt officials. Military personnel guard the streets of Guatemala this Tuesday. Moises Castillo (AP) Lissette Lemus, executive director of the Mirna Mack Foundation, asserts that the recent acts of violence in prisons are a political message directed at the Executive branch. The first half of 2026 marks a decisive moment, in which organized crime is pushing the narrative that the president must be removed from office. They seek to weaken him, she states. The state of emergency announced by Arevalo arrived without much explanation and, in practice, without any visible effects. In the capital, it seems as if nothing has happened. The streets maintain their almost unchanged routine. There are no massive military deployments or widespread raids. Police officers stationed in front of the National Palace confirmed that there are no large-scale operations or house-to-house searches underway. Some people on social media compared the measure to El Salvadors state of emergency, but the differences are vast. Arevalo emphasized that the decision would not affect daily life or citizens rights. Nayib Bukeles model, on the other hand, involved the suspension of constitutional guarantees and the detention of more than 90,000 people nearly 2% of the adult population with documented reports of arbitrary arrests, torture, and deaths in custody. Here, we can only arrest someone if we catch them with links to a gang, says a Guatemalan officer. Until that changes, our hands are tied. All we can do is hope it doesnt happen again. Sign up for our weekly newsletter to get more English-language news coverage from EL PAIS USA Edition Hollywood stars Will Smith and Jada Pinkett Smith were seen together in Paris supporting their son Jaden at his debut as Christian Louboutin's first men's creative director. The couple coordinated in stylish, monochromatic black outfits for the Men's Fall/Winter 2026 show. Their appearance adds to several recent public outings together, including celebrations for Jada's birthday. Jaden's collection for the iconic brand is scheduled to hit stores in May 2026. Will Smith and Jada Pinkett Smith support son Jaden at his Christian Louboutin debut in Paris, coordinating in matching black outfits. Los Angeles, Jan 22 Hollywood star Will Smith and Jada Pinkett Smith were recently seen spending time together in the French capital. Will, 57, and Jada, 54, were seen supporting their son, Jaden, at Men's Fall/Winter 2026 Paris Fashion Week, reports 'People' magazine. The 27-year-old actor made his debut with Christian Louboutin as the brand's first men's creative director. As per 'People', Jaden's collection will be in stores in May 2026. At the event, the Oscar winner and Red Table Talk host coordinated in matching monochromatic black looks. The 'King Richard' star wore a thick black coat and a matching sweater, tucked into his black-and-gray tweed plaid trousers, and accessorized with black boots and light-lens sunglasses. Meanwhile, the Girls Trip star opted for a bolder look. She wore an oversized floor-length fur coat atop a studded black blouse and leather pants. Like Will, Jada wore a pair of sunglasses and also accessorized with silver hoop earrings and layered two silver necklaces. In support of the fashion house's event, both wore designer shoes, Jada wore black Clou Noeud Spikes 150 Platform Slingback Peep Toe Pumps with silver studs, while Will wore black patent leather boots. The parents have been spotted out together multiple times in recent months. For Jada's 54th birthday in September, they celebrated over dinner in Beverly Hills. Weeks prior, the two actors were seen spending time together in Malibu. They were last seen together nearly a year earlier, in November 2024, after Jada and their children joined Will at the Los Angeles May 2024 premiere of Bad Boys: Ride or Die. Will and Jada met in 1994 on the set of The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air. They married in December 1997, and a year later, in July 1998, they welcomed their son Jaden Smith. They welcomed their daughter, Willow Smith, in October 2000. Will also shares son, Trey, 33, with his ex-wife, Sheree Zampino. - IANS Former Indian Ambassador to Italy Anil Waashwa analyzed President Trump's Davos address, focusing on his shifted stance on Greenland. Waashwa described Trump's move from a "maximalist position" to willingness to negotiate as a deliberate strategy to gain a position of strength. The former diplomat suggested this calculated approach forces other parties into a negotiating mode. Trump's speech also covered Iran's nuclear capacity and claimed threats from groups like ISIL were reducing. Former Ambassador Anil Waashwa analyzes Trump's Davos speech, highlighting his Greenland negotiation strategy as a deliberate move to gain strength. New Delhi, January 22 Former Ambassador to Italy Anil Waashwa on Thursday said US President Donald Trump's address at the World Economic Forum in Davos touched upon several critical global issues, highlighting what he described as a calculated negotiating strategy, particularly on the Greenland question. "I think there were some very important issues that he has raised. Everything which concerns the state of the world today. The Greenland issue was widely watched," he said. Reacting to Trump's speech, Waashwa noted that the Greenland issue drew widespread attention due to the US President's shift in stance. "Trump had started off with a maximalist position about taking over Greenland by force," Waashwa said, adding that the President's subsequent willingness to negotiate marked a significant change in tone. "Today he said that he is willing to negotiate on Greenland. What that gives him is a position of strength as far as the EU, Denmark and Greenland are concerned," he added. According to Waashwa, this shift strengthens Trump's bargaining position vis-a-vis the European Union, Denmark and Greenland. "Coming down from that position into a position where he is willing to negotiate means that others will be forced to also go into that mode," he explained. The former diplomat described the move as a deliberate tactic rather than a spontaneous adjustment. "I think it's a negotiating strategy which he possibly had in mind from the very beginning," Waashwa said, suggesting that Trump's approach at Davos reflected a broader method of asserting leverage on key international issues. However, referring to Iran, Trump pointed to US strikes on Iranian nuclear sites last June and claimed they had "obliterated" Iran's nuclear capacity. He further said that Tehran "does want to talk, and will talk". Trump also mentioned US operations against ISIL (ISIS) in Syria, saying "many good things are happening," and claimed that threats to Europe, the US and the Middle East "are really calming down". "Just one year ago, the world was actually on fire," he said. "A lot of people didn't know it." Trump's remarks at Davos came days after he repeated a warning that Iran would be wiped "off the face of this earth" if Tehran ever succeeded in assassinating him. - ANI Zaheer Iqbal shared a heartfelt video of his wife, Sonakshi Sinha, laughing, captioning it that her smile is all he ever wants to see. The couple frequently entertains fans with their playful pranks and daring social media posts, including a recent video with chameleons. They also offered a glimpse into their luxurious New Year's vacation in the Maldives. On the professional front, Sonakshi was last seen in the 2025 bilingual film 'Jatadhara'. Bollywood's Sonakshi Sinha and Zaheer Iqbal share adorable social media moments. Zaheer posts a video, saying her smile is "all he ever wants to see." Mumbai, Jan 22 Bollywood actress Sonakshi Sinha's laughter and smiles is all that her husband Zaheer Iqbal 'wants to see.' The actress in a video shared by Zaheer is seen laughing to her heart's content and giggling. Zaheer mentioned in the caption that it is her smile and laughter that he wants to see all his life. The actress commented on the video with hearts and teary eyed emoticons to which Zaheer replied, "Missing you a little more today." Sonakshi and Zaheer are known for their fun social media stories and posts where they are seen playing pranks on each other. The couple often treats their fans with their daredevil stunts too. Recently, Sonakshi had shared a video on her social media account, where Zaheer was seen letting a red coloured chameleon crawl over his hand to his shoulder while the actress was seen trying to hold a green chameleon in her hands. Towards the end of the video, the actress was heard calling the experience 'amazing'. Sonakshi and Zaheer are quite daredevils and in the past too have proved it through their adventurous videos. The couple also gives a sneak peek into their umpteen number of luxurious vacations. The actress and her husband, Zaheer Iqbal, were in the Maldives in December to celebrate the New Year, had shared a carousel post straight from their fun celebrations on their social media account. Sonakshi had captioned it as, "Hello 2026! Scroll to the end to see who had the best time at the New Year's Eve gala #islandcouture." On the work front, the 38-year-old actress was last seen in 'Jatadhara' alongside Sudheer Babu. The movie was released in both Hindi and Telugu on November 7, 2025. - IANS Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy publicly criticized European partners for insufficient progress in establishing a special International Criminal Court tribunal for Russian aggression against Ukraine. He made these remarks at the World Economic Forum in Davos, shortly after holding a closed-door meeting with US President Donald Trump. Trump, who later launched a new "Board of Peace" initiative, stated the war "has to end" and indicated negotiations were reaching a critical phase focused on territorial issues. Diplomatic efforts are set to continue, with Trump officials expected to meet Russian President Vladimir Putin next as part of ceasefire brokering. Ukrainian President Zelenskyy criticizes Europe for slow progress on a special tribunal for Russian aggression, as he meets with US President Trump at WEF. Davos, January 22 Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy on Thursday expressed dissatisfaction over what he described as insufficient progress in establishing a special tribunal on Russian aggression at the International Criminal Court, saying justice was being delayed. Zelenskyy made the remarks during an address at the World Economic Forum (WEF) in Davos, shortly after holding a closed-door meeting with US President Donald Trump. "Too often in Europe something else is more urgent than justice," Zelenskyy said, pointing to the lack of movement on the proposed mechanism. "There is still no real progress on establishing a special tribunal for Russian aggression against Ukraine, against the Ukrainian people," he said. Zelenskyy noted that while multiple discussions had taken place, tangible steps had not followed. "Many meetings have taken place but still Europe hasn't reached even the point of having a home for the tribunal, with staff and actual work happening inside." "What's missing, time or political will?" he asked. However, Zelenskyy said he remained "grateful" for ongoing cooperation with partners on security guarantees for Ukraine after the war ends. The remarks came as Zelenskyy and Trump held talks on the sidelines of the WEF in Davos, with Russia's war in Ukraine remaining a key focus of discussions at the summit. According to CNN, the meeting concluded after lasting around an hour. The Ukrainian Presidency had earlier said the talks between the two leaders were underway before later confirming the meeting had ended. After the closed-door interaction, Zelenskyy's communications advisor said he had a "good meeting" with Trump in Davos on Thursday. Trump later told reporters the meeting had gone well but said there is still "a ways to go" toward ending the war with Russia. "The war has to end," he said as he emerged from the meeting with Zelenskyy. "We hope it's going to end. There are a lot of people being killed." The meeting took place amid indications that efforts to end the conflict may be reaching a critical phase. Negotiations aimed at ending the conflict were "down to one issue," US envoy Steve Witkoff said, according to CNN. A European official separately confirmed to the network that the issue was related to territory. With the meeting concluding, attention is now set to shift to the next steps in the diplomatic process, with Trump officials expected to meet Russian President Vladimir Putin next as part of efforts to broker a ceasefire agreement. "It's an ongoing process," Trump said. "Everybody wants to have the war end." Alongside these discussions on Ukraine, Trump also used the Davos platform to formally launch his "Board of Peace" initiative, signing the charter for the new body at the World Economic Forum and describing it as a major step towards global conflict resolution. Calling it a "very exciting day, long in the making", Trump said, "We're going to have peace in the world," and added, "And we're all stars." In his opening remarks, Trump said, "Just one year ago the world was actually on fire, a lot of people didn't know it," but claimed "many good things are happening" and threats worldwide "are really calming down." Linking the initiative to his broader diplomatic engagements, Trump said his administration was "settling eight wars" and claimed that "a lot of progress" had been made towards ending Russia's war in Ukraine. Trump said, "We have a lot of great people that want to join," and defended the inclusion of Russia's Vladimir Putin and other leaders, saying he wanted "everybody" who was powerful and could "get the job done." Trump also linked the initiative to his approach on Iran and claimed it played a role in securing the Israel-Hamas ceasefire. "If we didn't do that, there was no chance of making peace," Trump said. Meanwhile, Zelenskyy's presence in Davos came as Trump voiced frustration over the prolonged conflict between Russia and Ukraine. "I believe they're at a point now where they can come together and get a deal done," Trump said. "And if they don't, they're stupid -- that goes for both of them." - ANI Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy announced that documents aimed at ending the war with Russia are nearly ready, following a meeting with US President Donald Trump on the sidelines of the World Economic Forum in Davos. Zelenskyy described the engagement as positive but not simple, with teams working almost daily. US envoy Steve Witkoff indicated negotiations have narrowed to one key issue, reported to be linked to territory. Trump confirmed the talks went well and stated his team's next step would be to engage Russian President Vladimir Putin to broker a ceasefire. Zelenskyy states war-ending documents are nearly ready following Davos meeting with Trump, as US envoy says talks are down to one key issue. Davos, January 22 Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelenskyy on Thursday stated that documents being drafted with Washington to end the war were close to completion, as diplomatic efforts to bring the Russia-Ukraine conflict to a halt intensified on the sidelines of the World Economic Forum in Davos. "The documents aimed at ending this war are nearly, nearly ready," Zelenskyy said while addressing the WEF here. Linking his remarks to high-level engagements underway at the summit, Zelenskyy said he had held talks with US President Donald Trump and that both sides were continuing work on the issue. "We met with President Trump, and our teams are working almost every day. It's not simple," he said. While describing the engagement as constructive, Zelenskyy also acknowledged the challenges involved. "My dialogue with President Trump is not simple," he said, while stressing that the meeting had been "positive". Earlier in the day, Trump held a closed-door meeting with Zelenskyy on the sidelines of the Davos summit, with negotiations aimed at ending the war entering what officials described as a critical phase. According to CNN, the meeting lasted around an hour. The Ukrainian presidency later confirmed the talks had concluded, with Zelenskyy's communications adviser describing it as a "good meeting". After the interaction, Trump told reporters the talks had gone well but said an end to the war was still not immediate. He said there was "a ways to go" before the war with Russia could end. "The war has to end. We hope it's going to end. There are a lot of people being killed," Trump said. The talks came as negotiations appeared to be narrowing to a key sticking point. US envoy Steve Witkoff said discussions were "down to one issue", which a European official told CNN was linked to territory. As the process moves forward, Trump said his team would next engage Russian President Vladimir Putin as part of efforts to broker a ceasefire. "It's an ongoing process. Everybody wants to have the war end," Trump said. Alongside developments on Ukraine, Trump also used the Davos platform to launch his 'Board of Peace' initiative, signing its founding charter and describing it as a major step towards global conflict resolution. Calling it a "very exciting day", Trump said his administration was "settling eight wars" and claimed significant progress had been made towards ending the conflict in Ukraine. Zelenskyy's appearance in Davos followed Trump's comments on the prolonged war, with Trump asserting that a settlement was possible. "I believe they're at a point now where they can come together and get a deal done," Trump said. - ANI The investigating judge said Israeli authorities are obstructing the years-long probe and are in breach of international agreements ratified by their country Spains justice system has run into a massive wall: Israel. Judge Jose Luis Calama, of the Audiencia Nacional high court, stated that Israel has blocked the investigation into a spying case against several members of Prime Minister Pedro Sanchezs government using a spyware called Pegasus, marketed and developed by an Israeli company. The probe found preliminary evidence of crimes involving the disclosure of secrets, which jeopardized the security of the Spanish State. Israel has ignored five requests for cooperation from the judge, who harshly criticized the countrys non-compliance with international obligations that were ratified by Israel. It prevents us from advancing in the investigation of the facts, Calama stated in a document signed this Thursday, where he explains that he is forced to close the case for the second time due to a lack of new leads. In May 2022, the Spanish high court began an investigation into alleged hacking of the mobile phones of President Pedro Sanchez and Defense Minister Margarita Robles. Pegasus can take control of a cellphone without its owner noticing and, in addition to accessing all its contents, it can also turn it into a listening and image capture terminal. Other countries, including France and Mexico, launched investigations after detecting similar attacks. The Pegasus case was later expanded after detecting further alleged attacks against the phones of the ministers of the Interior and Agriculture, Fernando Grande-Marlaska and Luis Planas, respectively. According to the case file, the prime ministers phone was infected five times between October 2020 and December 2021; in May 2021, hackers managed to extract up to 2.57 gigabytes of information from his device. Robles phone was attacked four times between May and October 2021; Marlaskas, twice (in June 2021); and Planass, once (also in June 2021). Since then, Judge Calama has been trying, unsuccessfully, to find out who was behind the hack. The investigation has run into a complete lack of cooperation from Israel, where NSO Group, the technology company that developed the spyware, is headquartered. The failure to execute the letters rogatory [requests for cooperation] addressed to the Israeli authorities prevents us from investigating [...] inevitably leading us to a provisional dismissal, the judge wrote, underscoring the Israeli governments manifest breach of its international obligations. For almost four years, the investigating judge has tried to obtain a response from Israel. The first request for cooperation was issued on May 10, 2022, when Israeli authorities were asked to compel NSO Group to hand over certain information. On June 7 of the same year, permission was requested for a judicial commission to travel to Israel to question the companys CEO. Given the lack of response, the high court reiterated its request in September 2022 and April 2023. To date, no acknowledgment of receipt or any other response has been received, the judge emphasized this Thursday. This lack of cooperation led the judge to shelve the case for the first time in July 2023 due to lack of a known perpetrator and the impossibility of continuing his probe. However, in April 2024 he reopened the case after receiving information from France about similar investigations launched there in 2021 concerning several hacks of the phones of French journalists, lawyers, and members of the government and parliament with the same spyware. In February 2025, Calama again requested assistance from Israel, but his request was once more ignored. The judge notes that Israel is violating several international agreements it has signed, such as the 1959 European Convention on Mutual Legal Assistance in Criminal Matters, which it ratified in 1967; and the Second Additional Protocol to the European Convention on Mutual Legal Assistance in Criminal Matters, which it signed in 2006. In the present case, it is proven that the State of Israel does not provide Spain with a level of cooperation equivalent to that received in substantially similar cases, by not responding to the multiple requests issued in this case, without any legal basis or offering of alternative assistance mechanisms, Calama points out. Calama added that such behavior breaks the balance inherent in international cooperation and violates the principle of good faith that should govern relations between States. Sign up for our weekly newsletter to get more English-language news coverage from EL PAIS USA Edition An artificial intelligence-based tool can predict the medical trajectories of individual premature newborns from blood samples collected soon after they are born, a Stanford Medicine-led study has shown. The research, which will publish Jan. 21 in Science Translational Medicine, provides a new understanding of the complexity of premature birth, not as a single problem defined by early arrival but as several distinct conditions. The study is a step toward predicting and preventing complications of prematurity using treatments tailored to each patient, the research team said. "It's very common to see patients who struggle with one prematurity complication but not all of them," said co-senior author Nima Aghaeepour, PhD, the Anesthesiology, Perioperative and Pain Medicine Professor II as well as a professor of pediatrics and of biomedical data science. "We can't just throw everybody born early into one 'premature' category," he added. "Using biological measurements collected at birth, we were able to come up with a new definition for prematurity that is based on the actual outcomes of these babies." The study also offers a starting point for understanding the biology of why different prematurity complications develop, as well as opportunities to interrupt specific biological pathways before they derail enough to produce a full-blown prematurity complication. Mining data from more than 13,000 California preemies, the AI algorithm found patterns in the blood samples that correlated with the babies' health later in infancy. The study included babies who developed one or more prematurity complication in the weeks after birth as well as babies born equally early who remained complication-free. The goal is to have a whole new taxonomy of prematurity, so you can see where a child is headed and understand what is causing differences in their health trajectories. That will allow us to intervene, prevent and treat complications." David Stevenson, MD, study co-author, the Harold K. Faber Professor in Pediatrics The study's co-lead authors are research scientist Alan Chang, PhD, and Jonathan Reiss, MD, instructor in pediatrics. The co-senior authors include Gary Shaw, DrPH, the Rosemarie Hess Professor and professor of pediatrics, and Karl Sylvester, MD, professor of pediatric surgery. Complications difficult to predict Babies born more than three weeks early are considered premature. In the days and weeks after birth, some preemies develop complications that can harm the brain, eyes, lungs or digestive system. In general, earlier-born and smaller preemies face more complications, but individuals born at the same stage and weight can have very different medical paths. At present, doctors struggle to predict who will do well or poorly. To untangle this question, the research team used data collected during routine newborn screening. All babies, including preemies, have blood samples collected at birth on a small card to test for molecules that signal rare, severe metabolic diseases. California also offers these samples for research. The scientists analyzed blood-spot data from 13,536 premature babies born in California between 2005 and 2010 who arrived more than 10 weeks before their due dates, as this group has the most complications. The researchers also had diagnostic codes from each baby's medical records: The data included infants with one or more of the four major complications of prematurity - necrotizing enterocolitis, an intestinal complication; retinopathy of prematurity, an eye disease; bronchopulmonary dysplasia, a lung problem; and intraventricular hemorrhage, a form of brain bleeding. The group also included preemies born more than 10 weeks early who developed no complications. The AI algorithm was validated with data from an additional group of 3,299 preterm babies born in Ontario, Canada. The blood spot data includes measurements of molecules that signal metabolic diseases, such as levels of different amino acids (protein building blocks) and of molecules generated when fats are broken down for energy. The AI algorithm found patterns in these molecules that correlated with an infant later developing one or more of the four major prematurity complications. From this, the scientists built a set of six blood measurements that form the basis of a metabolic health index showing which preemies are and are not at risk for complications. The team added basic clinical factors to the index, including the stage of pregnancy at birth, birth weight, infant sex and Apgar scores. With the blood spot data and clinical factors, the index could predict development of each of the four major prematurity complications with greater than 85% accuracy. The researchers are expanding the AI model by incorporating additional data, such as information from the mother's pregnancy, data from the baby's electronic health record and other biological measurements. Predicting prematurity complications could have many practical advantages, such as guiding which preemies need to be transported to hospitals with high-level neonatal intensive care units and helping physicians give parents better information about their baby's prognosis. "It's a complete change in the way we think about prematurity," Stevenson said. Added Aghaeepour, "The opportunity to create value for society is truly outstanding. Every premature baby we save creates an entire lifetime of healthy years of life." Besides the ability of the findings to predict prematurity complications, the research team is excited about expanding scientists' understanding of how prematurity complications occur. Although certain clinical factors are generally linked to more complications, "We never knew what was under the hood, so to speak," Stevenson said. "Now we're literally looking at the biological machinery and how it's working." Researchers from the University of California, San Diego; the University of Ottawa; and the Bruyere Health Research Institute contributed to the study. After a year of ongoing measles outbreaks that have sickened more than 2,400 people, the United States is poised to lose its status as a measles-free country. However, the newly appointed principal deputy director at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Ralph Abraham, said he was unbothered by the prospect at a briefing for journalists this week. "It's just the cost of doing business with our borders being somewhat porous for global and international travel," Abraham said. "We have these communities that choose to be unvaccinated. Thats their personal freedom." Infections from other countries, however, accounted for only about 10% of measles cases detected since Jan. 20, 2025, the official start of the deadly measles outbreak in West Texas, which spread to other states and Mexico. The rest were acquired domestically. This marks a change since the U.S. eliminated measles in 2000. Measles occasionally popped up in the U.S. from people infected abroad, but the cases rarely sparked outbreaks, because of extremely high rates of vaccination. Two doses of the measles, mumps, and rubella vaccine strongly prevent infection and halt the virus's spread. To maintain its measles elimination status, the U.S. must prove that the virus has not circulated continuously in the nation for a year, between Jan. 20, 2025, and Jan. 20, 2026. To answer the question, scientists are examining whether the major outbreaks in South Carolina, Utah, Arizona, and Texas were linked. Health officials confirmed that the main measles virus strain in each of these outbreaks is D8-9171. But because this strain also occurs in Canada and Mexico, CDC scientists are now analyzing the entire genomes of measles viruses about 16,000 genetic letters long to see whether those in the United States are more closely related to one another than to those in different countries. The CDC expects to complete its studies within a couple of months and make the data public. Then the Pan American Health Organization, which oversees the Americas in partnership with the World Health Organization, will decide whether the U.S. will lose its measles elimination status. And that would mean that costly, potentially deadly, and preventable measles outbreaks could become common again. "When you hear somebody like Abraham say 'the cost of doing business,' how can you be more callous," said pediatrician and vaccine specialist Paul Offit, in an online discussion hosted by the health blog Inside Medicine on Jan. 20. "Three people died of measles last year in this country," Offit added. "We eliminated this virus in the year 2000 eliminated it. Eliminated circulation of the most contagious human infection. That was something to be proud of." Abraham said vaccination remains the most effective way to prevent measles but that parents must have the freedom to decide whether to vaccinate their children. Several states have loosened school vaccine requirements since 2020, and vaccine rates have dropped. A record rate of kindergartners, representing about 138,000 children, obtained vaccine exemptions for the 2024-25 school year. Information on vaccines has been muddied by Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., who previously founded an anti-vaccine organization. He has undermined vaccines throughout his tenure. On national television, he has repeated scientifically debunked rumors that vaccines may cause autism, brain swelling, and death. Jennifer Nuzzo, director of the Pandemic Center at Brown University, disparaged the Trump administration's focus on finding genetic technicalities that may spare the country's measles-free status. "This is the wrong thing to pay attention to. Our attention has to be on stopping the outbreaks," she said. "If we keep our status, it should be because we have stopped the spread of measles," she said. "It's like they're trying to be graded on a curve." The Trump administration impeded the CDC's ability to assist West Texas during the first critical weeks of its outbreak and slowed the release of federal emergency funds, according to KFF Health News investigations. However, the agency stepped up its activity last year, providing local health departments with measles vaccines, communication materials, and testing. Abraham said HHS would give South Carolina $1.5 million to respond to its outbreak, which began nearly four months ago and had reached 646 cases as of Jan. 20. If the CDC's genomic analyses show that last year's outbreaks resulted from separate introductions from abroad, political appointees will probably credit Kennedy for saving the country's status, said Demetre Daskalakis, a former director of the CDC's national immunization center, who resigned in protest of Kennedy's actions in August. And if studies suggest the outbreaks are linked, Daskalakis predicted, the administration will cast doubt on the findings and downplay the reversal of the country's status: "They'll say, who cares." Indeed, at the briefing, Abraham told a reporter from Stat that a reversal in the nation's status would not be significant: "Losing elimination status does not mean that the measles would be widespread." Data shows otherwise. Case counts last year were the highest since 1991, before the government enacted vaccine policies to ensure that all children could be protected with measles immunization. Australians undergoing open-heart surgery could soon benefit from safer, simpler care and get home earlier thanks to the results of a world-first clinical trial led by Monash University's Victorian Heart Institute. The PUMA trial has been co-designed with patients and their families to determine if invasive devices used to monitor cardiac function during and after surgery help or harm the more than 20,000 Australians who go under the knife for open heart surgery each year. The recipient of a $3.7 million Medical Research Future Fund grant announced today, the trial will compare the commonly used pulmonary artery catheter (PAC) and the less invasive central venous catheter (CVC), a simpler alternative that researchers hope will reduce unnecessary treatments, shorten ICU stays, reduce healthcare costs, and significantly cut the environmental footprint of intensive care by 2030. Lead investigator Dr Luke Perry, Head of Anesthetic Research at the Victorian Heart Institute, said PUMA will modernize the field of cardiac surgery, which is decades behind on evidence for PACs. These invasive devices have been broadly de-adopted in other high-risk patient groups after large clinical trials due to sepsis, acute respiratory distress syndrome, and use in non-cardiac surgery failing to show a benefit to patients. PUMA will resolve decades of international controversy around the role of pulmonary artery catheters in contemporary practice, paving the way for high-value care that could reduce major complications and get patients home to their families sooner." Dr. Luke Perry, Head of Anesthetic Research, Victorian Heart Institute At the heart of the study is strong patient leadership, including lived-experience investigator Paige Druce, a two-time cardiac surgery survivor whose insights have shaped the study's priorities and approach from the earliest pilot phase. "It is important to feel confident that every procedure is truly necessary," she said. "Co-designing clinical trials with people who have lived experience is important because it helps to make sure the research focuses on things that matter to the people it's meant to help. "It also ensures that the research is done in a way that feels fair and respectful to those taking part." PUMA co-investigator Associate Professor Lachlan Miles, Head of Research in the Department of Anaesthesia at Austin Health, said the study will gather important information to ensure the best patient outcomes. "Pulmonary artery catheters provide important information about heart function," Associate Professor Miles said. "Unfortunately, they are not without risk, and could even trigger unnecessary treatments, increase complications, and prolong hospital admissions." The 2,000 patient trial, endorsed by the Australia and New Zealand College of Anaesthetists Clinical Trials Network, will begin recruitment in Australia and internationally in 2026. A new, fast and easy test could revolutionize blood transfusions-giving blood centers and hospitals a reliable way to monitor the quality of red blood cells after they sit for weeks in storage. The project is a collaboration between engineers and medical researchers at the University of Colorado Boulder and University of Colorado Anschutz. The team's device hasn't yet been approved for use. But the group hopes that it could one day help the United States better manage its precious blood supply. The entire test also fits on a single chip, said Xiaoyun Ding, associate professor in the Paul M. Rady Department of Mechanical Engineering at CU Boulder. Our vision is to have a chip the size of a dime that you can plug into your cell phone. It could use your phone's camera and an app to read out the results in just two minutes." Xiaoyun Ding, associate professor, Paul M. Rady Department of Mechanical Engineering, CU Boulder Ding and his colleagues published their findings in the latest issue of the journal Lab on a Chip. The project focuses on a little-known problem in the medical world. Every year, roughly 6.8 million people donate blood in the United States alone, helping save millions of lives, according to the American Red Cross. But just like groceries sitting on store shelves, red blood cells age over time. To track that aging process, Ding and study co-author Angelo D'Alessandro, an expert on red blood cells, turned to an unusual property: vibrations. The team's device, known as a surface acoustic wave hemolysis assay (SAW-HA), jiggles red blood cells until they break apart-revealing valuable information about the health of those cells. Think of it a bit like shaking a jar of salad dressing to break up clumps. "We envision that this technology could help allocate higher-quality units to vulnerable patient populations, such as pediatric patients and patients with sickle cell disease who receive regular transfusions," said D'Alessandro, professor in the School of Medicine at CU Anschutz. Expiration date When you donate blood, technicians will first separate your red blood cells from the rest of your blood, including the plasma and white blood cells. They then store your red blood cells at near-freezing temperatures. Over time, some red blood cells lose their healthy, rounded shape and begin to look spikey. Eventually, they die and burst open through a phenomenon called hemolysis. In the United States, blood centers can only store red blood cells for 42 days. But, D'Alessandro noted, blood from some donors ages faster than blood from other donors-potentially compromising the effectiveness of transfusions. "Despite the central role of transfusion in modern medicine, routine quality control of red blood cell products after regulatory approval is remarkably limited," D'Alessandro said. Shaken not stirred The group's device is modeled around surface acoustic waves, or SAWs. They are similar to sound waves but move only over the topmost layer of a material. (Earthquakes, for example, generate waves that reverberate across the planet's surface and can cause serious damage). The team first deposits a thin layer of metallic electrodes on top of a wafer made from a material called lithium niobate. The researchers then add a tiny drop of blood on top. When they pass an electric current through the device, the lithium niobate begins to vibrate wildly-shaking the blood. Those vibrations cause the red blood cells to heat up, and they eventually undergo hemolysis, dumping their contents into the surrounding solution. The researchers suspect that older blood cells burst faster and at lower temperatures. "When cells get older and older, their membranes become weaker and weaker," Ding said. For the new study, the researchers tested the device by shaking real red blood cells from donors. Some blood samples, they found, hemolyzed at lower temperatures. Those samples also contained higher or lower levels of certain molecules, known as metabolites, that previous research has shown are associated with aging cells. The team still has a lot of work to do before it can be used as a reliable indicator of red blood cell quality in real blood centers. But Ding noted that these "labs on a chip" could also help to screen human patients for a variety of diseases of the blood, including sickle cell disease. "We can potentially measure anything that affects red blood cells or protein levels in the blood," Ding said. When lung cancer treatment stops working, what happens next? New research reveals the answer may depend on how the cancer grows. Medical researchers at Flinders University have uncovered an important clue that could help doctors better predict what happens next for people with advanced lung cancer when their first treatment fails. Researchers looked at thousands of patients with non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) treated with modern chemoimmunotherapy a combination of chemotherapy and immunotherapy - that has become a standard first-line treatment. The study, published in the journal Cancer Letters, is the first to apply a modified classification system to frontline chemoimmunotherapy for lung cancer. Lead author and expert in Clinical Pharmacology, Professor Michael Sorich says that when cancer progresses after treatment, doctors classify it as "progressive disease." But this term does not distinguish whether the cancer grew in old tumors, appeared as new tumors, or both. Our research shows that the way cancer progresses tells us a lot about what the future looks like for patients. People whose cancer comes back with new tumors have a much poorer outlook than those whose existing tumors re-grow. And if both happen old tumors grow and new ones appear that's the worst scenario." Professor Michael Sorich, College of Medicine and Public Health, Flinders University The study analyzed data from four major international clinical trials involving more than 2,300 patients whose cancer had progressed after treatment. It found that patients whose disease progressed only in existing tumors lived for a median of almost 10 months after progression. Those who developed new tumors survived about seven months, while those with both old and new tumors survived just over five months. "These differences are significant because they show that not all progression is equal. Understanding this can help doctors and patients make better decisions about what to do next," says Professor Sorich. Importantly, the pattern of progression mattered regardless of whether patients were treated with chemoimmunotherapy or chemotherapy alone, although the effect was stronger in those who had chemotherapy. The researchers believe that the reason this happens may be linked to the biology of the cancer and how it interacts with the immune system. New tumors may indicate a more aggressive disease or a tumour environment that resists treatment. Co-author on the paper, Yuan Gao, says that unfortunately for patients and families, this research does not change the fact that progression is serious, but it does offer hope for more personalised care. "If we know which patients are at higher risk after progression, we can tailor follow-up and consider different treatment strategies sooner," says Ms Gao from the College of Medicine and Public Health. The findings could also influence future clinical trials and drug development. "Right now, trials often treat all progression the same. But if we separate patients by progression type, we might learn more about which treatments work best in different scenarios," she says. Lung cancer remains Australia's leading cause of cancer death, and while treatments have improved dramatically in recent years, many patients still face progression. The researchers say more work is needed to confirm the findings in real-world settings. "Ultimately, our goal is to give patients and clinicians better tools to plan what comes next," says Professor Sorich. "Progression doesn't have to mean the same thing for everyone and understanding that could make a real difference." A large prospective study suggests that a routine creatinine blood test may help flag people at higher risk of osteoporosis and fractures, revealing a narrow sweet spot where muscle and kidney health align to protect bone strength. Study: Serum creatinine, genetic susceptibility, and the risk of osteoporosis and fracture: a prospective cohort study from the UK Biobank. Image credit: Nanci Santos Iglesias/Shutterstock.com Osteoporosis (decreased bone mineralization) poses a great challenge to healthy aging. Yet there are still few risk biomarkers capable of evolving to meet this growing need. A recent study published in the journal Frontiers in Endocrinology attempts to fill this gap. The search for affordable biomarkers to predict bone loss Osteoporosis is a health condition characterized by reduced bone mass and weakening of the skeletal microarchitecture, making bones fragile and more prone to fractures. It is common in older adults. In 2019, there were about 178 million fractures worldwide. While not directly analyzed in the present study, Chinese estimates for 2050 indicate nearly 6 million fractures, highlighting the growing global burden of bone fragility. Osteoporosis risk is currently estimated using tools such as the widely used WHO Fracture Risk Assessment Tool ( FRAX ). These integrate dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry ( DXA ) with clinical and sociodemographic risk factors, age, sex, smoking, body mass index ( BMI ), and medication use. However, these require sophisticated equipment, limiting their accessibility for primary care and driving up costs. Their accuracy also varies across populations. Affordable and accessible quantitative biomarkers are needed to enhance early detection and risk prediction, enabling timely prevention. Serum creatinine originates largely from muscle and is cleared by the kidneys. It is commonly used to examine muscle and kidney health. However, it may also reflect fracture risk. For instance, low muscle mass is linked to low creatinine levels. Improving muscle strength and mass via resistance exercise and optimal nutrition is associated with lower fracture risk. Conversely, elevated creatinine levels occur in chronic kidney disease ( CKD ). Through multiple secondary mechanisms, it is associated with bone and mineral disorders, and thus with a higher fracture risk. Despite this, the role of serum creatinine in predicting osteoporosis risk remains under-researched. Genome-wide association studies ( GWAS ) have identified several single-nucleotide polymorphisms ( SNPs ) associated with altered bone mineralization. These form the basis of polygenic risk scores ( PRS ), which quantitatively estimate genetic predisposition to osteoporosis and can improve predictive accuracy. The current study further examined whether associations between creatinine and osteoporosis or fractures were consistent across different levels of genetic risk, rather than assuming genetic risk plays no role. A large UK Biobank analysis of creatinine and bone risk The current prospective study aimed to uncover associations between baseline serum creatinine values and new-onset osteoporosis and fractures, further stratified by PRS . This could help position creatinine as a practical and convenient part of a dose-dependent risk assessment tool. The study was embedded in the UK Biobank cohort, comprising over half a million participants of middle age or older. Participants completed surveys and underwent physical measurements and laboratory testing, in addition to genotyping. Health records were used for longitudinal follow-up. Baseline creatinine was treated as both a continuous and a categorical variable. For categorical analyses, it was classified into six categories (G1G6), with G4 (7080 mol/L) used as the reference group. The researchers applied diverse analytical approaches to ensure robust conclusions. These included Cox proportional hazards models and restricted cubic splines ( RCS ) to map adjusted doseresponse curves. Sex- and age-stratified associations were examined. PRS tertiles were analyzed within each creatinine category to assess osteoporosis risk and to test for potential interaction effects. Low and high creatinine signal different fracture pathways The study included 385,576 participants. Patients with and without osteoporosis had a mean age of approximately 61 years and 56 years, respectively. Women predominated among new osteoporosis cases (83 %), and 92 % of cases occurred in White participants. There were 26,474 participants with fractures, with a mean age of approximately 59 years. About 54 % were men, and 91 % were White. RCS analysis demonstrated a U-shaped association between serum creatinine and osteoporosis risk. Osteoporosis risk decreased by 2.0 % per 1-mol/L increase in creatinine within the range of 2580 mol/L. Conversely, beyond this range (80130 mol/L), the risk increased by 1.1 % per 1-mol/L increase in creatinine. This biphasic curve may reflect two distinct biological pathways. The left arm of the curve (lower creatinine) may be associated with low muscle mass, malnutrition, and reduced mechanical loading. These states are plausibly linked to inflammation, impaired anabolic signaling, and reduced myokine activity, contributing to increased bone resorption and fracture risk. Conversely, the right arm of the curve (higher creatinine) may reflect impaired kidney function and related disturbances in mineral metabolism, including CKD -associated bone and mineral disorders, which negatively affect bone density. Fracture risk followed a J-shaped curve. At lower creatinine levels, fracture risk declined by 1.0 % per 1-mol/L increase in creatinine between 25 and 80 mol/L. Beyond this inflection point, fracture risk increased by 0.3 % per 1-mol/L increase up to 130 mol/L, although this increase was modest and not consistently statistically significant across all models. When stratified by sex, broadly similar trajectories were observed, but important differences emerged. In men, osteoporosis risk declined by 4.6 % within the 2580 mol/L range, with little evidence of a clear increase at higher levels in categorical analyses. In patients with impaired kidney function, the protective effects of male sex and higher BMI may fail to offset declining bone density. In women, osteoporosis risk declined by 1.8 % within the lower creatinine range and increased by 1.7 % at higher creatinine levels. Although women exhibited higher overall rates of osteoporosis and fractures, the authors emphasize that creatinine thresholds should be interpreted primarily within each sex, given the markedly different baseline creatinine distributions. Notably, the nadir of osteoporosis risk occurred around G5 in men and G4 in women. Genetic risk did not substantially modify these associations. While PRS was associated with overall osteoporosis risk, interaction tests showed that the relationship between creatinine and osteoporosis was broadly consistent across PRS tertiles. For example, among participants with low PRS , osteoporosis risk in G1 was approximately 93 % higher than in G4, whereas G3 showed only a minimal, non-significant increase. Among those with high PRS , osteoporosis risk increased by about 59 % in G1 (hazard ratio HR 1.59) and by approximately 11 % in G3, relative to G4. Across age groups, osteoporosis risk decreased with increasing baseline creatinine up to the reference range, with this pattern becoming more pronounced in older participants (>65 years). Creatinine emerges as a promising adjunct bone risk marker There is a significant but nonlinear association between baseline serum creatinine levels and the risk of new-onset osteoporosis and fractures. Serum creatinine levels around 80 mol/L were associated with the lowest observed risk. These findings suggest that serum creatinine may serve as a low-cost adjunct biomarker for clinical risk stratification and surveillance of osteoporosis, although causal inference cannot be established. Future studies should validate these findings across more diverse populations and incorporate objective measures of muscle mass and strength to further refine risk prediction. Download your PDF copy now! Last year was a tough one for farmers. Amid falling prices for commodity crops such as corn and soybeans, rising input costs for supplies like fertilizer and seeds, as well as the Trump tariffs and the dismantling of USAID, many farms weren't profitable last year. And now, the enhanced Affordable Care Act subsidies that many Americans, including farmers, relied on to purchase health insurance are gone, having expired at the end of December. James Davis, 55, who grows cotton, soybeans, and corn in northern Louisiana, said he didn't know how he and his wife would afford coverage. Their share of their insurance premium quadrupled for 2026, jumping to about $2,700 a month. "You can't afford it," Davis said. "Bottom line. There's nothing to discuss. You can't afford it without the subsidies." More than a quarter of the agricultural workforce purchases health insurance through the individual marketplace, according to an analysis from KFF, a health information nonprofit that includes KFF Health News. That 27% rate is much higher than the overall population's only 6% of U.S. adults have non-group coverage. Farmers are used to facing challenges such as unpredictable weather and fluctuating commodity prices. But the loss of the enhanced subsidies, coupled with challenging economic conditions, will make coverage unaffordable for many. Without major intervention from Washington, farmers say theyll have to choose between being uninsured or leaving the farm work behind for a job that offers health insurance. A gamble for farmers Farming is dangerous work. Agricultural workers spend much of their time outside and exposed to the elements. Many of their duties can lead to injury or illness. They drive and operate heavy machinery, work with toxic chemicals, and handle large animals. The rate of work-related deaths for farmers is seven times the national average. The financial toll of non-fatal farm injuries is also significant. A study from the University of Nebraska Medical Center found that the average cost of a farming injury was $10,878 in medical care and $4,735 in lost work. It's essential that farmers can purchase comprehensive insurance, said Florence Becot, a rural sociologist and associate professor of agricultural health and safety at Pennsylvania State University, where she studies the social and economic needs of farm households. In a 2022 study, Becot found that more than 20% of U.S. farm households had medical debt exceeding $1,000 and that more than half were not confident they could cover the costs of a major illness or injury. "That shows you the level of vulnerability and concerns that farmers are facing," she said. Mental health is also a concern. Farmers are roughly twice as likely to die by suicide compared with the general population. Mental health hotlines that serve rural communities have seen an uptick in calls. These concerns around farmers' increased emotional distress, coupled with a rise in bankruptcies, conjures memories of the farm crisis of the 1980s, said Michael Klein, a vice president at the industry group USA Rice. During that decade, there was a raft of foreclosures, and hundreds of farmers took their own lives. "We're really afraid of what's going to happen," Klein said. Farmers can be reluctant to acknowledge that they rely on government-subsidized insurance, said Meghan Palmer, 43, who runs a dairy farm in northeastern Iowa with her husband, John, 45. "We're not handout-takers," Palmer said. More than 40% of dairy farmers lack health insurance one of the highest rates among all agricultural sectors. But going uninsured is not an option for the Palmers. During their first year of marriage, the couple recalled, they were uninsured and had to pay out-of-pocket for two unexpected health crises: Palmer had an appendectomy, and her husband needed stitches after getting kicked in the face by one of his cows. "It was stupid of us," Palmer said of the decision to forgo coverage. But this year, the combined out-of-pocket monthly cost of their plans is increasing by more than 90%, to $368.18. Their total 2026 deductible is $7,200. Palmer is a registered nurse who picks up shifts on an as-needed basis, allowing her the flexibility to prioritize her work on the farm. She's now searching for a job with health benefits. But she worries a job that doesn't allow her to keep up with the farm work will create a greater burden for her husband. "John is working exhausted most of the time," she said. "That's when mistakes get made and you end up in the ER." Political consequences Even after the enhanced subsidies expired at the end of 2025, the Palmers estimate their income will still be low enough that they'll qualify for some tax credits to purchase coverage. However, under the GOP's One Big Beautiful Bill Act, repayment limits are being eliminated, so if the Palmers have a surprisingly profitable 2026, they'll be forced to pay some, or even all, of that subsidy back at tax time. A farmers income can vary drastically year to year, Becot said, partly because commodity prices can fluctuate rapidly. Some farmers might deliberately choose to not expand their businesses, because too much profit might mean they lose access to health care subsidies. Farmers who are insured through Medicaid have similar concerns, Becot said. But prioritizing health care affordability by suppressing operational growth can have long-term consequences for a farm's success. Palmer, in Iowa, and Davis, in Louisiana, are both upset that lawmakers arent more sensitive to the economic demands of farming and how those have coincided with rising health costs. President Donald Trump recently pledged $12 billion in one-time bridge payments to row crop farmers, but that's not going to stop health care costs from ballooning. Republicans are aware that health care affordability is a problem and have put forth proposals, said Donna Hoffman, a political scientist at the University of Northern Iowa. But most don't support extending the enhanced ACA subsidies, because they don't see them as a good solution to the problem of rising health care costs. This article is from a partnership that includes the Gulf States Newsroom, NPR, and KFF Health News. A new medical large language model (LLM) achieved over 91 percent accuracy in identifying female participants diagnosed with major depressive disorder after analyzing a short WhatsApp audio recording where participants described their week, according to a study published January 21, 2026 in the open-access journal PLOS Mental Health by Victor H. O. Otani, from Santa Casa de Sao Paulo School of Medical Sciences and Infinity Doctors Inc., Brazil, and colleagues. Major depressive disorder is a mental health condition that affects over 280 million people globally, and early detection can be critical for timely treatment. Here, Otani and colleagues used machine learning models to classify individuals with and without major depressive disorder based on WhatsApp voice messages. The authors used two 2 datasets for this study, a dataset to train their LLMs (with 7 different sub-models used) and then a dataset to test their LLMs. The training dataset consisted of 86 participants: a group of outpatients (37 women, 8 men) clinically diagnosed with major depressive disorder and a control group of 41 volunteers (30 women, 11 men) with no depression diagnoses. The dataset used to test the trained models consisted of 74 participants: 33 outpatients (17 women, 16 men) diagnosed with major depressive disorder and 41 control group participants (21 women, 20 men) with no depression diagnoses. All participants were provided informed consent and screened to exclude potential confounding factors such as other medical issues. In the training dataset, outpatient speech data was taken from WhatsApp audio recordings sent to their doctor's offices when they were symptomatic; control group participants chose their own routine WhatsApp audio voice messages to share. For the test dataset, speech data taken from the outpatient group and the control group were the same: recorded WhatsApp messages counting from 1-10, as well as audio messages describing their past week. All audio messages in both datasets were from native Brazilian Portuguese speakers. The LLMs showed greater accuracy when classifying women compared to men as depressed VS not-depressed, particularly when given the "describe your week" data, with an accuracy rate of 91.9 percent for the highest-performing model. The highest-performing model's accuracy when classifying male participants was 75 percent for the same "describe your week" audio. (This may potentially be explained by the higher number of women participants in the model training dataset, as well as differences in speech patterns between men and women.) The LLMs showed more similar performance between men and women when given the "count to 10" data, with the highest-performing model 82 percent accurate in women and 78 percent accurate in men. The authors are hopeful that continued refinement of their models could produce a low-cost and practical way to screen individuals for depression, as well as other potential clinical/research applications. Our study shows that subtle acoustic patterns in spontaneous WhatsApp voice messages can help identify depressive profiles with surprising accuracy using machine learning. This opens a promising path for low-burden, real-world digital screening tools that respect people's daily communication habits." Lucas Marques, Senior Author Research assessed caregivers' perceptions when witnessing episodes of terminal lucidity in children. The findings indicate that witnessing these episodes was regarded as a profoundly spiritual experience, capable of influencing personal belief systems. All caregivers shared what they had seen with others, receiving reactions of scepticism and/or acceptance. There are records of several unusual experiences reported by people in a terminal state, occurring in the final days, hours, or minutes of life. One such experience, known as terminal lucidity (TL), is characterised by an unexpected surge of mental clarity, which may occur along with a brief recovery of cognitive abilities. TL can be considered a medical enigma which is difficult to explain, as those who experience it often, though not always, exhibit irreversible physiological decline. Although research on TL has increased substantially over the past decade, most studies focus on reports from elderly adult populations. Some cases of TL in children have recently been documented in contemporary literature, however, no study has examined the caregivers' feelings when witnessing TL in children. Recognizing this gap, an international team of researchers, led by Natasha Tassell-Matamua (Massey University, New Zealand) and supported by the Bial Foundation, investigated the impact that witnessing TL in children may have on caregivers. The aim was to assess how caregivers perceived TL, how this experience might influence their belief systems, how they disclosed what they witnessed to others, and what reactions they received. In the article "Impacts on Caregivers of Witnessing Terminal Lucidity in Children", published in OMEGA - Journal of Death and Dying, the authors explain that, between 2023 and 2025, they conducted an online survey with seven caregivers to assess the impact of witnessing TL in 11 children aged between 3 and 16 years. The findings revealed that witnessing TL in children was regarded as a transformative spiritual experience, influencing caregivers' belief systems and making them more spiritually inclined. All caregivers who participated in the study disclosed what they had witnessed to others, receiving a mix of accepting and sceptical responses. Healthcare professionals were considered the most sceptical about TL, except for those who worked closely with the child and developed a sense of connection. Other colleagues of the caregivers reported feeling comforted and inspired upon learning about the TL their peer had witnessed. The results of this study highlight the need for greater education on end-of-life experiences among healthcare professionals, to reduce the stigma associated with disclosing TL to colleagues and to provide the peace and comfort necessary for caregivers of terminal patients. "We can say that research on TL is still in its infancy", notes Natasha Tassell-Matamua, while emphasizing that "TL appears to be a profoundly moving experience for terminally ill patients and a potentially transformative experience for those who witness it". In particular, the findings of the study "suggest that witnessing TL in children may initiate a spiritual transformation with implications similar to post-traumatic growth or to the changes often observed in individuals who have had a Near-Death Experience (NDE) or who have been educated about NDEs training", reflects the researcher. Regulations and compliance are generally complex subjects. However, they exist for a clear reason: to ensure that quality and safety standards are met and to reduce potential risks. This is particularly critical in the biomedical sector, especially when it comes to the equipment used in laboratories and clinics. Image Credit: THICHA SATAPITANON/Shutterstock.com With numerous regulatory changes in recent years, a level of uncertainty has emerged, resulting in laboratories and clinics unknowingly exposing themselves to unnecessary risk. Whether responsible for managing a laboratory, conducting research that relies on certified equipment, evaluating purchases as part of a procurement team, or overseeing quality assurance, it is important to understand how to confirm that equipment meets the required standards. Background When the United Kingdom was part of the European Union, confirming equipment compliance was relatively straightforward. Manufacturers were required to ensure that biomedical equipment carried a CE mark to be legally sold in Europe. The presence of this mark indicated that the product met essential safety, health, and environmental protection requirements. Following Brexit, the UKCA mark was introduced to replace CE marking for products sold in the United Kingdom. A transition period allowed CE-marked products to remain on the market while re-certification was completed. However, this process has proven challenging, and there are current proposals to recognize CE marking indefinitely. Adding further complexity, the Medical Device Directive transitioned to the Medical Device Regulation in 2021. The MDR was introduced to further improve patient safety by placing increased emphasis on transparency, traceability, and clinical evidence. Manufacturers are now required to meet MDR requirements while continuing to maintain CE marking. Does all biomedical equipment meet CE or MDR regulations? In principle, all biomedical equipment should meet CE or MDR requirements. In practice, this is not always the case. Regulations specify that when a liquid nitrogen cryogenic freezer is supplied for applications in which stored samples are intended to be reintroduced into the human body, it is classified as a medical device and must be certified under the MDD or MDR framework. MDR certification is more demanding than CE marking and represents specific medical device legislation. Whether demonstrated through CE marking or MDR certification, compliance indicates that equipment meets high standards for safety, health, and environmental protection and is fit for its intended purpose. Although manufacturers are responsible for certifying their equipment, regulations place responsibility on both the supplier and the end user to confirm compliance. This assumption that certification is solely the manufacturers responsibility has allowed non-compliant equipment to enter laboratory environments. When suppliers fail to disclose non-compliance, laboratory managers and procurement teams may assume certification is in place and proceed with the installation. If the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) conducts an inspection, organizations must be able to justify why uncertified equipment is in use. Failure to do so can result in serious consequences. The risks non-compliance carries Using equipment without proper certification means there is no assurance that required safety standards have been met, potentially placing patients at risk. In addition to safety concerns, non-compliant equipment may result in regulatory failures, delays to clinical trials, rejection by regulatory authorities, wasted research efforts, and, in severe cases, loss of operating licenses or legal action. For fertility clinics or biobanks, trust is central to service delivery. Any damage to reputation caused by non-compliance can have a significant financial and operational impact. For these reasons, it is essential to verify CE or MDR compliance for medical devices and for the gases used in biomedical applications. How Air Products can help Making informed purchasing decisions and avoiding the risks associated with non-compliance is essential. However, time pressures, limited resources, and insufficient transparency from some manufacturers can make this difficult. Air Products supports customers in two key ways. Firstly, as a responsible supplier partner, Air Products helps organizations stay informed about evolving UK standards, explains regulatory requirements, and provides guidance to support compliance. This forms part of the consultative support offered. Secondly, Air Products supplies a range of fully CE-marked and Medical Device-certified equipment, supported by clear documentation, traceability, and assistance with audits and clinical validation. Air Products is also the only industrial gas manufacturer in the United Kingdom that provides MDR-certified liquid nitrogen. In conclusion Following Brexit and the transition to MDR, biomedical equipment is now being sold in the United Kingdom without the automatic assurance of CE marking. As a result, it is no longer safe to assume that all equipment meets required compliance standards. Careful consideration is essential. By taking the time to verify certification and review supporting documentation, laboratories and clinics can significantly reduce regulatory, operational, and patient safety risks. Acknowledgments This article was produced using materials originally authored by Kenny Rea at Air Products. About Air Products PLC Air Products touch the lives of consumers around the globe in positive ways every day. With approximately 16,000 employees and operations in 50 countries, we serve customers across a wide range of industries from food and beverage to medical, energy, and transportation. We supply a unique portfolio of atmospheric and process gases, equipment, and services. Founded in 1940, Air Products has built a reputation for its innovative culture, operational excellence, and commitment to safety and the environment. Our passionate, talented, and committed employees from a diversity of backgrounds are driven by Air Products higher purpose to create innovative solutions that benefit the environment, enhance sustainability and address the challenges facing customers, communities, and the world. Sponsored Content Policy: News-Medical.net publishes articles and related content that may be derived from sources where we have existing commercial relationships, provided such content adds value to the core editorial ethos of News-Medical.net, which is to educate and inform site visitors interested in medical research, science, medical devices and treatments. The US president will unveil a club in Davos Thursday that is attracting both members and detractors, and which the Republican hopes will go beyond the initial purpose of strengthening the truce in Gaza Will your newly announced Board of Peace to oversee the end of the Gaza war replace the UN? a reporter asked Donald Trump Tuesday during his press conference at the White House to mark the first anniversary of his return to power. It might, the U.S. president replied. The UN just hasnt been very helpful. Im a big fan of the UNs potential, but it has never lived up to its potential. The UN should have settled every one of the wars that I settled. I never went to them. I never even thought to go to them. He then added: I believe you got to let the UN continue because the potential is so great. Earlier, during a monologue of over 80 minutes in which he exaggerated the achievements of his first year back in power, Trump had linked the matter to one of his great obsessions: those eight conflicts that he claims he has resolved in 10 months, and the Nobel Peace Prize he covets. In addition to reaffirming his claim to the award, his statement on Tuesday served to further unsettle those who fear that Trump is considering using this exclusive club to sideline the 80-year-old UN as part of his multi-pronged attack on the international order, which he has intensified in recent weeks. At least 60 countries have received an invitation to join the Board of Peace since Washington announced its formation last Friday. It is slated to be chaired by Trump indefinitely and includes his son-in-law Jared Kushner; Secretary of State Marco Rubio; Special Envoy Steve Witkoff, a longtime friend of the U.S. president; and former British prime minister Tony Blair. A dozen capitals, in a list that grows by the hour, have already announced their participation. These include countries ranging from Albania to Israel despite the latters discomfort with the participation of Egypt and Qatar and Morocco, Argentina, and Hungary. Some are long-standing allies of the United States. Others depend too heavily on U.S. support to defy Washington. The rest have leaders close to Trump. On the Republicans agenda Thursday at the Davos Economic Forum, the presentation of the Board of Peace stands out. It will take place a day after his incendiary, belligerent speech, which sent shockwaves through Europe with his insistence on annexing Greenland. In that speech, he stated he did not plan to use force, before affirming that a preliminary agreement with NATO was in place. Some 35 countries have been invited to the event, according to the White House. While the motivations of its initial partners seem clear, the merits required for an invitation beyond Washingtons discretion, its final composition, and the extent of its mission beyond its primary objective advancing the peace plan imposed by the United States on Israel and Hamas to end the Gaza war are less so. Its founding document doesnt even mention the Gaza Strip. It is also a mystery which of its members will be willing to pay the $1 billion that a permanent seat will cost. Washington maintains that this money will be used for the reconstruction of Gaza, although its plans have not yet been made public. No outlay Among those who have already agreed, some countries have indicated they will not pay that amount. Others, such as France, Italy, Sweden, and Norway, have announced they will not participate, even without a fee. Pariss decision angered Trump, who threatened a 200% tariff on French wine and champagne. Spain is among those still studying the advisability of joining. China and Russia are in the same situation. The leap from the initial configuration of the Board of Peace defined in the plan for Gaza as a supervisory body for the truce between Israel and Hamas and endorsed by the UN Security Council to its current mutation has put global diplomacy on alert and the UN in an uncomfortable position. The United States abandoned a dozen of its agencies recently in another attack by Trump on the multilateralism that emerged from the ashes of World War II. In last Fridays text, it is clear that the intention is to go beyond the Middle East, given that the boards objective is to promote stability, restore dependable and lawful governance, and secure enduring peace in areas affected or threatened by conflict. Everything seems to stem from the U.S. presidents desire to undermine the international order to bend it to his will and his vanity. According to the draft bylaws of the board, Trump will remain president indefinitely, and this includes the possibility of him continuing even after leaving the White House in 2029, since the U.S. Constitution prevents him from running for president again, except in the unlikely, though not impossible, event that he amends it. Only a unanimous vote by the board can remove him. His successor will only have the power to appoint a representative of Washington to the club. Meanwhile, its also unclear how the board will oversee the truce between Israel and Hamas, or for how long, although two subcommittees have already been created to advance that plan. What is certain is that, for the moment, no Palestinian is a member of or has been invited to join the board. Sign up for our weekly newsletter to get more English-language news coverage from EL PAIS USA Edition EU pulls tariff preferences on 87 per cent of Indian exports ahead of FTA Last Updated: January 22, 2026, 13:45 IST Representational image (Image: News18) New Delhi [India], January 22 (ANI): From January 1, 2026, India faces a major setback in the EU market, as 87 per cent of its exports begin paying higher import tariffs following the EUs suspension of Generalised Scheme of Preferences (GSP) benefits. These GSP concessions previously allowed Indian products to ship at less than Most Favoured Nation (MFN) tariffs to EU markets. Now, however, concessions are suspended for 87 per cent of the value of Indian goods to the EU, forcing exporters to pay full MFN tariffs. Technically, under GSP, exporters received a margin of preference"a percentage reduction in the EUs MFN tariffwhich averaged about 20 per cent for most textiles, garments, and industrial goods. For example, an apparel product facing a 12 per cent MFN tariff paid only 9.6 per cent under GSP, but as of this month, that benefit has ended, and exporters must pay the full 12 per cent duty.The impact of this withdrawal is widespread across almost all major industrial sectors that form the backbone of Indias exports to Europe, including minerals, chemicals, plastics, textiles, iron, steel, machinery, and electrical goods. GSP benefits now remain only for a limited group of productssuch as agriculture, leather goods, and handicraftswhich account for less than 13 per cent of Indias exports to the EU. The EUs move follows its graduation" rules, under which preferences are withdrawn once exports in a specific product group cross a certain threshold for three consecutive years. Accordingly, India has been graduated for the 2026-2028 period under a regulation adopted in September 2025. GTRI report acknowledges the move is legally justified, it notes that the economic impact is sharp: most Indian exports lose preferential access overnight".This loss of preference comes at a particularly difficult time for Indian trade. While there is optimism over the conclusion of the India-EU Free Trade Agreement (FTA), the report warns that the loss of GSP preferences coincides with the start of the tax phase of the EUs Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism (CBAM)". The GTRI describes the current situation as a double hithigher tariffs from GSP withdrawal and higher non-tariff costs under CBAM". Indian steel and aluminium exporters are already facing rising carbon reporting and compliance costs, with a real risk of being charged inflated default emissions as the CBAM entered its definitive phase on January 1, 2026.The combination of these factors is expected to hit margins directly and weaken Indias competitiveness against other global suppliers. In highly price-sensitive sectors like garments, the tariff increase is already enough to push EU buyers towards duty-free suppliers like Bangladesh and Vietnam". Because the implementation of the India-EU FTA is likely to take at least a year or longer, Indian exporters must absorb full MFN tariffs in the interim, which will squeeze already thin margins. As the global trade environment remains fragile, the GTRI concludes that 2026 is likely to be one of the toughest years for Indian exports to Europe in more than a decade". (ANI) News18 Newsletter Handpicked stories, in your inbox A newsletter with the best of our journalism submit First Published: January 22, 2026, 13:45 IST News agency-feeds EU pulls tariff preferences on 87 per cent of Indian exports ahead of FTA Disclaimer: Comments reflect users views, not News18s. Please keep discussions respectful and constructive. Abusive, defamatory, or illegal comments will be removed. News18 may disable any comment at its discretion. By posting, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy Loading comments... Geothermal energy to power Himachal's 'Green Future': CM Sukhu Last Updated: January 22, 2026, 23:45 IST Representational image (Image: News18) Shimla (Himachal Pradesh) [India], January 22 (ANI): Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu on Thursday said that the state has set an ambitious target to become a Green Energy State in 2026, aiming to meet over 90 per cent of its energy demand through renewable sources. While presiding over a review meeting with senior officers last evening, Sukhu stated that the State Government was working with a spirit of Vyavastha Parivartan, a systemic transformation, to shift Himachal Pradesh towards a clean, self-reliant and sustainable energy future.Besides, the state is heading towards tapping the geothermal energy resources. Geothermal energy can be a significant additional resource of renewal energy, he said, adding that keeping in mind the changing climatic conditions, Geothermal energy would prove to be a sustainable and secure source of energy".The Chief Minister said that while Himachal Pradesh has already made significant strides in hydropower, the state is now focusing on an integrated approach involving solar and hydro energy to further reduce dependence on fossil fuels.Himachal Pradesh possesses considerable geothermal potential, especially in regions such as Manikaran and Kasol in Kullu district and Tattapani in Mandi district.These areas exhibit surface temperatures ranging from 57 to 97 degrees Celsius along with high geothermal gradients, making them suitable not only for electricity generation but also for tourism-based development centred around hot springs. Harnessing this natural resource, he said, reflects the Governments commitment to innovative governance and optimal utilisation of the States natural assets under the Vyavastha Parivartan framework.The Chief Minister said that besides reducing dependence on wood and fossil fuels, small geothermal plants could power remote villages in Kullu, Mandi, and Lahaul-Spiti and are ideal for cold towns like Shimla, Manali and Keylong. In mountainous regions, geothermal energy offers a dependable base load supply, ensuring round-the-clock power availability.The Chief Minister stated that though geothermal energy has remained largely untapped in the country as well, Himachal sees it as an additional and reliable source for energy requirements in a mountainous region where solar and wind are less consistent.Not only will this geothermal energy be eco-friendly for homes and hotels, but it will also help reduce deforestation, give a boost to the tourism sector through geothermal spas, resorts, and wellness centres around hot springs like Tattapani and Manikaran, and help promote eco-tourism. Additionally, it will also provide local employment in drilling, plant operation and maintenance, said the Chief Minister. He said that this would not only ensure 24X7 reliable supply, unlike solar or wind, which depend on weather, but also assist farmers in using geothermal heat to grow vegetables and flowers in colder climates. Apart from this, it will be highly efficient and will reduce electricity bills significantly and can be used in residential and commercial buildings for both heating in winter and cooling in summer, for food drying and processing.Counting some more advantages, the Chief Minister said that it would also ensure 24X7 electricity generation, reliable base load supply, especially in remote regions of the state, with improved energy security in remote and inaccessible areas of Himachal.Besides, Solar, wind and hydropower which dominate the Renewal energy capacity, it will an additional source, particularly in tectonic belts of the State as countries with high tectonic rates like Iceland, Indonesia, China, etc. Today as many as 80 countries worldwide were actively using geothermal energy, with the USA as the largest producer of geothermal energy," he remarked. (ANI) News18 Newsletter Handpicked stories, in your inbox A newsletter with the best of our journalism submit First Published: January 22, 2026, 23:45 IST News agency-feeds Geothermal energy to power Himachal's 'Green Future': CM Sukhu Disclaimer: Comments reflect users views, not News18s. Please keep discussions respectful and constructive. Abusive, defamatory, or illegal comments will be removed. News18 may disable any comment at its discretion. By posting, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy Loading comments... None of our business', Putin says on Greenland Last Updated: January 22, 2026, 04:30 IST Representational image (Image: News18) Moscow, Jan 22 (PTI) With US President Donald Trumps demand to acquire Greenland putting Denmark on the edge and rocking the unity of NATO, Russian President Vladimir Putin said he is not concerned about the issue. What happens to Greenland is none of our business," Putin said in his televised remarks at the national Security Council meeting late on Wednesday night. Incidentally, Denmark has always treated Greenland as a colony and has been quite harsh, if not cruel, towards it. But thats a different matter entirely, and I doubt anyones interested in it right now. It certainly doesnt concern us. I think theyll sort it out among themselves," Putin said, reminding that in 1917, Denmark had sold the Virgin Islands to the United States. Putin also recalled that in 1867, Russia had sold Alaska to the United States for USD 7.2 million. PTI VS ARI News18 Newsletter Handpicked stories, in your inbox A newsletter with the best of our journalism submit First Published: January 22, 2026, 04:30 IST News agency-feeds None of our business', Putin says on Greenland Disclaimer: Comments reflect users views, not News18s. Please keep discussions respectful and constructive. Abusive, defamatory, or illegal comments will be removed. News18 may disable any comment at its discretion. By posting, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy Loading comments... Rapido FY25 loss narrows to Rs 258 crore; revenue rises 44 pc Last Updated: January 22, 2026, 21:45 IST Representational image (Image: News18) New Delhi, Jan 22 (PTI) Roppen Transportation Services, the parent company of ride-hailing platform Rapido, narrowed its consolidated loss to Rs 258 crore in FY25 from Rs 370 crore a year ago. According to financial data accessed via business intelligence platform Tofler, the Bengaluru-headquartered unicorns revenue from operations rose to Rs 934.44 crore last fiscal year, reflecting a 44.19 per cent increase compared to Rs 648 crore in FY24. Rapido has sustained strong operating momentum, driven by higher utilisation across our mobility offerings, sharper cost discipline, and the growing maturity of our platform. As we scale and expand, our focus remains on sustainable growth, improving unit economics, and strengthening the ecosystem for captains and passengers across markets and categories through varied business models," a Rapido spokesperson said. Rapido plans to initiate its IPO process by the end of 2026. In November 2025, Rapido Co-Founder Aravind Sanka told PTI that the company expects to maintain its growth rate of 100 per cent year-on-year for the next few years and be a much larger player compared to its nearest competitor before going for the initial public offering (IPO). We just want to grow further before thinking about markets. Right now, our idea is how do we grow further We have been growing 100 per cent in the last two years. We want to at least continue that growth rate for a few more years and then think of the market," he had said. PTI ANK ANK BAL BAL News18 Newsletter Handpicked stories, in your inbox A newsletter with the best of our journalism submit First Published: January 22, 2026, 21:45 IST News agency-feeds Rapido FY25 loss narrows to Rs 258 crore; revenue rises 44 pc Disclaimer: Comments reflect users views, not News18s. Please keep discussions respectful and constructive. Abusive, defamatory, or illegal comments will be removed. News18 may disable any comment at its discretion. By posting, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy Loading comments... Six workers killed, five injured in blast at steel plant in Chhattisgarh Last Updated: January 22, 2026, 13:45 IST Representational image (Image: News18) Balodabazar (Chhattisgarh), Jan 22 (PTI) At least six workers were killed and five others injured in a blast at a steel plant in Chhattisgarhs Balodabazar-Bhatapara district on Thursday, officials said. The incident occurred at the Real Ispat and Power Ltd in Bakulahi village in the Bhatapara rural area, District Collector Deepak Soni told PTI over the phone. As per preliminary information, the explosion took place in the Dust Settling Chamber (DSC) of the unit and hot dust fell on the workers, causing them serious burns. Six workers died on the spot while five others sustained serious burns, he said. After being alerted, police and senior administrative officials rushed to the spot and initiated relief and rescue operations. The five injured workers have been admitted to the Chhattisgarh Institute of Medical Sciences (CIMS) in Bilaspur, the collector said. State Health Minister Shyam Bihari Jaiswal said he has spoken to the collector and instructed him to provide the best possible treatment to the injured persons. He also instructed the collector to investigate the incident thoroughly and ensure swift and strict action against those responsible, an official statement said. Jaiswal expressed deep grief over the incident and prayed for peace to the departed souls and strength to the bereaved families to bear the irreparable loss. He said the state government stands firmly with the affected families in this difficult time and assured that all necessary assistance will be provided. PTI COR TKP GK News18 Newsletter Handpicked stories, in your inbox A newsletter with the best of our journalism submit First Published: January 22, 2026, 13:45 IST News agency-feeds Six workers killed, five injured in blast at steel plant in Chhattisgarh Disclaimer: Comments reflect users views, not News18s. Please keep discussions respectful and constructive. Abusive, defamatory, or illegal comments will be removed. News18 may disable any comment at its discretion. By posting, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy Loading comments... Uttarakhand Congress MLA's son staged own attack; absconds after revelation Last Updated: January 22, 2026, 23:45 IST Representational image (Image: News18) Rudrapur, January 22 (PTI) Uttarakhand Congress MLAs son, who was seriously injured in an attack four days ago, had allegedly orchestrated the assault himself after colluding with his friend, police said on Thursday. They said the revelation came to light after four accused were arrested in connection with the matter. Son of Congress MLA Tilakraj Behar, Saurabh Raj, who is also a councillor, was attacked in the Awas Vikas area of Rudrapur on January 18. Three masked assailants on a two-wheeler allegedly attacked Raj with sticks and rods, seriously injuring him. He was admitted to the ICU for several hours. After getting a whiff of the development, Raj allegedly absconded and is being searched for. Raj is a councillor in the Rudrapur Municipal Corporation in Udham Singh Nagar district. Udham Singh Nagar district Senior Superintendent of Police Manikant Mishra said that four accused Vansha Kumar, Badshah, Deepak Singh and Saurabhs friend Inder Narang, who allegedly planned the attack with him have been arrested. He said that all the accused have been booked under charges of criminal conspiracy. Since the attack, the police were under immense pressure to arrest the accused. However, Mishra said that a shocking revelation came to light on the intervening night of Wednesday and Thursday, when police, during the investigation, apprehended three armed youths on a motorcycle without a number plate on Sidkul Road. According to police, two illegal pistols, a live cartridge and a knife were recovered from these youths. During questioning, they revealed that the attack on Raj was not the result of any enmity but a conspiracy hatched by the councillor himself. Due to a dispute with his wife, Raj had asked his friend, Narang, to orchestrate an attack on him to gain sympathy. Commenting on the matter, former cabinet minister Behar said that he was deeply shocked by his sons actions. PTI DPT AMJ AMJ News18 Newsletter Handpicked stories, in your inbox A newsletter with the best of our journalism submit First Published: January 22, 2026, 23:45 IST News agency-feeds Uttarakhand Congress MLA's son staged own attack; absconds after revelation Disclaimer: Comments reflect users views, not News18s. Please keep discussions respectful and constructive. Abusive, defamatory, or illegal comments will be removed. News18 may disable any comment at its discretion. By posting, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy Loading comments... West is embracing, emulating Indian fashion: model-actor Elnaaz Nouroizi Last Updated: January 22, 2026, 21:45 IST Representational image (Image: News18) Pune, Jan 22 (PTI) Citing the example of Italian global luxury fashion house Pradas use of Kolhapuri chappal designs, Iranian-German actor and international model Elnaaz Nouroizi has said there is immense creativity in Indian fashion, and the world is increasingly emulating India. The Indian fashion industry is very big, and Indian fashion is increasingly being embraced in the West. People in the West are inspired not just by our fashion, but by our creativity as a whole. I come from the West, I grew up in Germany, and I can see how much is happening in India," she said. Nouroizi was speaking on the sidelines of the fashion show Runway Raaga in Pune, hosted by Shruti Bengre, where she turned showstopper for celebrity designer Ken Ferns Silverblood collection on Wednesday. Indian people are incredibly creative. There is so much innovation here, and whatever we do in fashion, the world ends up copying it. Take, for example, Prada using Kolhapuri chappal designs," said Nouroizi. After the use of Kolhapuri chappals in a collection led to controversy, Italian luxury fashion brand Prada acknowledged the connection, saying the design was inspired" by the Indian handcrafted footwear. The fashion house also signed a memorandum of understanding with two government organisations LIDCOM (Sant Rohidas Leather Industries and Charmakar Development Corporation Ltd) and LIDKAR (Dr Babu Jagjivan Ram Leather Industries Development Corporation Ltd) to source sandals, inspired by Kolhapuri Chappals. The mode-turn-actor, meanwhile, said that Indian fashion is global, and will be bigger. Nouroizi also expressed concerns over the developments in Iran and said they have affected her. Everybody knows what is happening in my home country Iran. I have been feeling low and down for the last two to three weeks and it has been tough for me because I am not able to reach out to my family. I do not know what they are up to. But when you are put in an outfit like this, you forget everything. At that moment, you still have to be professional and do your job, but wearing something like this makes you feel on top of the world because the outfit gives you that strength," she said. Designer Ken Ferns said the Indian fashion industry has so much to offer. We need to seize the opportunities. I believe Indian fashion designers should continue doing what they have always done, and the world will come and appreciate it," he said. Ferns presented Silverblood The Alchemy of Element 80, a collection inspired by mercury, the only metal that exists in a fluid state. Translating scientific inspiration into couture, the collection explored transformation and movement through modern, sculptural design. The show also presented models with vitiligo who walked the ramp to create awareness and tackle the stigma during a presentation curated by Chopsy Oberoi, a fashion designer. Nouroizi hailed the gesture. We always look for perfection. Especially models and actors try to look perfect, but there is so much more to perfection than being perfect," she said. PTI SPK KRK News18 Newsletter Handpicked stories, in your inbox A newsletter with the best of our journalism submit First Published: January 22, 2026, 21:45 IST News agency-feeds West is embracing, emulating Indian fashion: model-actor Elnaaz Nouroizi Disclaimer: Comments reflect users views, not News18s. Please keep discussions respectful and constructive. Abusive, defamatory, or illegal comments will be removed. News18 may disable any comment at its discretion. By posting, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy Loading comments... Aaj Ka Panchang 22 January 2026: Tithi, Nakshatra And Auspicious Muhurat Written By : GaneshaGrace Last Updated: January 22, 2026, 05:45 IST Panchang for 22 January 2026: Shukla Chaturthi Tithi, Shatabhisha Nakshatra, Rahu Kaal, Shubh Muhurat, and insights for starting new ventures and making key decisions. Panchang today: Key Tithi, Nakshatra, Yoga, and Shubh Muhurat for 22 January 2026. Aaj Ka Panchang, January 22, 2026: Today is the Shukla Chaturthi Tithi of the month of Magha, which is considered auspicious for starting new ventures, fostering harmony in family and social relationships, and making important decisions. The days influence is active, reflective, and visionary, aided by the energy of Shatabhisha Nakshatra, which contributes to mental clarity and the success of plans. Vanija Karana and Variyan Yoga indicate caution and prudence in actions, making caution beneficial in investments, purchases, and business activities. With the Moon in Aquarius, innovation in thought, social cooperation, and positive thinking prevail. This time is favorable for education, formulating new plans, and establishing harmony in personal and professional relationships. Overall, January 22, 2026, is highly favorable for achieving success in new endeavors and plans through prudence, vigilance, and social cooperation. This day will help bring positive change and balance in both personal and professional spheres. Tithi: Shukla Chaturthi Nakshatra: Shatbhisha Karana: Vanija Paksha: Shukla-Paksha Yoga: Variyaan till 05:38:02 PM Day: Thursday Sun & Moon Calculations Sun Rise: 07:22:11 AM Sun Set: 06:20:21 PM Moon Rise: 09:37:48 AM Moon Set: 09:39:40 PM Moon Sign: Aquarius Ritu: Shishir Hindu Month & Year Shaka Samvat: 1947 Vikram Samvat: 2082 Month Amanta: Magha Month Purnimanta: Magha Inauspicious Timings (Ashubh Muhurat) Rahu Kaal: 02:13:33 PM to 03:35:49 PM Yamaganda: 07:22:11 AM to 08:44:28 AM Gulika Kaal: 10:06:44 AM to 11:29:00 AM Auspicious Timings (Shubh Muhurat) Abhijit: 12:30:00 PM to 01:12:00 PM (The author Chirag Daruwalla is the son of Astrologer Bejan Daruwalla). News18 Newsletter Handpicked stories, in your inbox A newsletter with the best of our journalism submit First Published: January 22, 2026, 05:45 IST News astrology Aaj Ka Panchang 22 January 2026: Tithi, Nakshatra And Auspicious Muhurat Disclaimer: Comments reflect users views, not News18s. Please keep discussions respectful and constructive. Abusive, defamatory, or illegal comments will be removed. News18 may disable any comment at its discretion. By posting, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy Loading comments... Breathless Growth: Gita Gopinath Says Pollution Hurts India More Than Tariffs; Backed By Shashi Tharoor Curated By : News18.com Last Updated: January 22, 2026, 22:35 IST Echoing Gopinath's Davos statement, the Congress MP suggested that the Prime Ministers Office should appoint a dedicated 'Air Quality Czar' Tharoor echoed Gopinaths concerns by highlighting a decade-long struggle to bring air pollution into the mainstream political discourse. Image/X In a sobering assessment of Indias economic trajectory, Gita Gopinath, a professor at Harvard University and former chief economist of the International Monetary Fund, has warned that environmental degradation poses a more significant threat to the nations wealth than international trade barriers. Speaking at the World Economic Forum in Davos on Thursday, Gopinath asserted that the internal costs of pollutionranging from public health crises to diminished labour productivitynow outweigh the potential risks posed by global protectionism or shifting tariff regimes. Her remarks put the spotlight on a growing consensus among global economists that Indias macroeconomic stability is inextricably linked to its air and water quality. The intervention has drawn immediate support from some domestic political figures who have long advocated for environmental reform. Shashi Tharoor, a Member of Parliament and veteran diplomat, echoed Gopinaths concerns by highlighting a decade-long struggle to bring air pollution into the mainstream political discourse. Tharoor noted that despite chairing a roundtable on air pollution for ten years, the issue has only recently achieved the necessary public and global traction. The Congress leader proposed a radical administrative shift, suggesting that the Prime Ministers Office should appoint a dedicated Air Quality Czar" to oversee a nationwide Swachh Vayu Abhiyan (Clean Air Mission). Such a role, he argued, would have the authority to coordinate various government departments that currently operate in silos, ensuring that environmental targets are met with focused, singular action. Indeed! For ten years now I have run a RoundTable on Air Pollution without getting the political traction i had hoped for. Finally i am relieved that the issue has broken through in public consciousness this year and is now also getting global attention. We need a https://t.co/bVFMHTJHMW Shashi Tharoor (@ShashiTharoor) January 22, 2026 The economic data supporting these warnings is increasingly stark. Recent studies suggest that air pollution alone costs India approximately 1.36 per cent of its Gross Domestic Product annually, primarily through lost working years and increased healthcare expenditure. Furthermore, the persistent smog seasons" in northern India frequently lead to the closure of schools and construction sites, disrupting local economies and deterring foreign direct investment in regions perceived as hazardous to employee health. While the Indian government has previously launched the National Clean Air Programme, critics argue that the lack of stringent enforcement mechanisms and interstate coordination has limited its effectiveness. Gopinaths assessment shifts the narrative of pollution from a purely social or health-related issue to a fundamental component of sovereign risk. By comparing it to trade tariffs, she highlighted that while protectionism is a variable external pressure, pollution is a compounding internal tax on the entire economic system. News18 Newsletter Handpicked stories, in your inbox A newsletter with the best of our journalism submit First Published: January 22, 2026, 22:35 IST News economy Breathless Growth: Gita Gopinath Says Pollution Hurts India More Than Tariffs; Backed By Shashi Tharoor Disclaimer: Comments reflect users views, not News18s. Please keep discussions respectful and constructive. Abusive, defamatory, or illegal comments will be removed. News18 may disable any comment at its discretion. By posting, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy Loading comments... Gold Holds Firm, Silver Falls As Trump Eases Tariff Threats; Check City-Wise Rates On Jan 22 Curated By : News18.com Last Updated: January 22, 2026, 15:10 IST Gold fell on MCX to Rs 1,52,255 per 10 grams and silver traded at Rs 3,19,219 per kg. Trumps Greenland statement eased safe-haven demand, impacting global gold and silver rates. Trumps Tariffs, Greenland Standoff Push Gold and Silver to Record Peaks earlier (AI Generated Image) Gold and Silver Rate Today, December 22: Gold and silver prices eased on Thursday as the safe-haven demand soothed following US President Donald Trumps statement on Greenland, saying that a framework" for a deal had been reached and stepping back from earlier threats to impose tariffs on European allies. At the international spot market, silver fell 1.45 per cent to come down to $93.45 per ounce. However, gold remained in an upward momentum to trade close to $4,800 per ounce, a record high. We have formed the framework of a future deal with respect to Greenland and, in fact, the entire Arctic Region," Trump said in a post on Truth Social. Based upon this understanding, I will not be imposing the tariffs that were scheduled to go into effect on February 1st," he added. Trumps Greenland pursuit has sparked a wave of concern across the globe, leading investors to run towards the safe-haven gold and silver, which surged to record levels. On Multi-Commodity Exchange (MCX), a commodity exchange platform in India, gold futures with expiry on February traded 0.40 per cent lower at Rs 1,52,255 per 10 grams. Meanwhile, silver futures with expiry in March traded in green at Rs 3,19,219 per kg around 9:42 AM. In Mumbai, the price of 24-carat gold stood at Rs 1,56,610 per 10 grams, while 22k gold was available at Rs 1,43,560 per 10 grams. These rates do not include GST and making charges. Silver was available at Rs 1,88,900 per kg in the spot market, a nominal drop today. What Is The Price Of 22kt, 24kt Gold Rates Today In India Across Key Cities On December 22? City 22K Gold (per 10gm) 24K Gold (per 10gm) Delhi Rs 1,43,710 Rs 1,56,760 Jaipur Rs 1,43,710 Rs 1,56,760 Ahmedabad Rs 1,43,610 Rs 1,56,660 Pune Rs 1,43,610 Rs 1,56,660 Mumbai Rs 1,43,560 Rs 1,56,610 Hyderabad Rs 1,43,560 Rs 1,56,610 Chennai Rs 1,43,560 Rs 1,56,610 Bengaluru Rs 1,43,560 Rs 1,56,610 Kolkata Rs 1,43,560 Rs 1,56,610 What Factors Affect Gold Prices In India? International market rates, import duties, taxes, and fluctuations in exchange rates primarily influence gold prices in India. Together, these factors determine the daily gold rates across the country. In India, gold is deeply cultural and financial. It is a preferred investment option and is key to celebrations, particularly weddings and festivals. With constantly changing market conditions, investors and traders monitor fluctuations closely. Staying updated is crucial for effectively navigating dynamic trends. Watch more videos Share this Article WhatsApp facebook Twitter telegram copy link News18 Newsletter Handpicked stories, in your inbox A newsletter with the best of our journalism submit First Published: January 22, 2026, 09:51 IST News business savings-and-investments Gold Holds Firm, Silver Falls As Trump Eases Tariff Threats; Check City-Wise Rates On Jan 22 Disclaimer: Comments reflect users views, not News18s. Please keep discussions respectful and constructive. Abusive, defamatory, or illegal comments will be removed. News18 may disable any comment at its discretion. By posting, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy Loading comments... A man with the flags of Greenland, the Faroe Islands, and Denmark, last Tuesday in front of the US consulate in Nuuk. The vast territory, rich in natural resources and business opportunities due to climate change, has been in Washingtons sights for over a century Denmark and seven other European countries sent small contingents of troops to Greenland last week in a largely symbolic gesture to participate in military exercises on the vast Arctic island that Donald Trump covets. The U.S. president announced tariffs of up to 25% on these eight allies if they did not cease opposing his plan to control Greenland, although he withdrew the threat on Wednesday. I would like to make a deal, you know, the easy way, but if we dont do it the easy way, were going to do it the hard way, Trump warned on January 9. Shortly beforehand, the Republican had openly questioned Danish sovereignty over the island: There are no written documents, its only that a boat landed there hundreds of years ago, but we had boats landing there, also. I wont use force, the Republican declared Wednesday during his address at the Davos Economic Forum in Switzerland, where he insisted on the need to control Greenland. In the event of a U.S. invasion, Danish soldiers must engage in combat without waiting for orders, according to a 1952 military directive that the Danish Ministry of Defense has confirmed remains in effect. Why does Greenland belong to the Kingdom of Denmark? Copenhagens control of the worlds largest island does not date back half a millennium, as Trump suggests, but to just over three centuries. The first inhabitants of Greenland Paleo-Inuits arrived around 4,500 years ago. From the 10th century onwards, Norse explorers and settlers established themselves in coastal areas, but all communities of European origin had disappeared by the end of the Middle Ages. In 1721, Lutheran missionary Hans Egede led an expedition to Greenland from the then-Kingdom of Denmark and Norway with the aim of evangelizing the Indigenous population. After his trip, Danish citizens began to settle in the vicinity of Nuuk, the capital, marking the beginning of the period of Danish colonization. Nuuk, the capital of Greenland, pictured last week. Evgeniy Maloletka (AP) The gigantic island, separated from Canada by just 26 kilometers (16 miles) at its closest point, ceased to be a colony when it was formally incorporated into the Kingdom of Denmark in 1953, and Greenlandic citizens obtained Danish nationality. Since when has the US had an interest in annexation? Although Trumps idea of incorporating Greenland into the U.S. may seem far-fetched, the Republican is merely reviving old Washington aspirations. The U.S. attempted to acquire this strategic territory on several occasions in the 19th and 20th centuries. An 1867 State Department report emphasized the strategic location of the giant ice island, along with its abundant natural resources. We should buy Iceland and Greenland, especially the latter. The reasons are political, military, and commercial, the document stated. A formal attempt to acquire Greenland came in 1946. The $100 million in gold offered by President Harry Truman was rejected by Denmark. Had they accepted, it would not have been the first sale of a colony by the Scandinavian country: in 1917, the Caribbean islands of St. Thomas, St. John, and St. Croix became the U.S. Virgin Islands after a payment of $25 million. Trump canceled an official trip to Copenhagen in 2019 because Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen was unwilling to discuss a possible sale of Greenland an area roughly the size of Germany, France, Spain, Italy and the United Kingdom combined. Following his victory in the 2024 presidential election, Trump took up the Greenland issue with far more vigor than during his first term. In the weeks leading up to his return to the White House, the Republican repeatedly stated that ownership and control of Greenland was an absolute necessity for the United States for reasons of national security. Are there any US troops there? The Nazi occupation of Denmark in April 1940 left Greenland suddenly cut off from its colonial power. Danish authorities signed an agreement granting the United States full freedom to deploy troops, build bases, and operate on the island during the Second World War. The pact entailed the creation of a strategic network of military installations intended to secure Greenland against any German attempt to dominate the Arctic. In addition to its strategic geographic location, Greenland possessed one of the essential mineral resources of World War II: cryolite, indispensable for large-scale aluminum production. Without it, the mass production of aircraft crucial for Allied air superiority would have been impossible. During World War II, the United States built 17 bases in Greenland, which also served as vital resupply points for transatlantic air routes. After the German defeat, most of these facilities were closed, but the Arctic island regained a central role during the Cold War. Following the signing of a new treaty by Washington and Copenhagen which remains in force today the worlds leading power built the Pituffik base in the northwest of the island, crucial for space surveillance, missile early warning systems, and air defense. It once housed thousands of military personnel, although after the Soviet collapse, Washington drastically reduced the number. There are around 200 U.S. troops deployed today. Vice President J. D. Vance at the U.S. Pituffik base last March. JIM WATSON (via REUTERS) The 1951 treaty in which the United States explicitly recognizes the sovereignty of the Kingdom of Denmark grants Washington the right to build new bases, ports, airstrips, and radar stations in Greenland, and to deploy thousands of troops and install ground-based air defense systems. During the Cold War, there were as many as 6,000 U.S. troops stationed at various bases. Presumably, the U.S. could increase its military presence again if it deemed it needed reinforcements in Greenland, without having to dispute Danish sovereignty, argues Marion Messmer, a researcher at Chatham House, in a recent report. Why does it have such geostrategic value? Trump has justified his belligerent tone toward Denmark an allied country and founding member of NATO by citing the need to protect Greenland from a hypothetical future aggression by Moscow or Beijing. Were not gonna have Russia or China occupy Greenland, and thats what theyre going to do if we dont, he said last week. The growing interest of Moscow and Beijing in the Arctic is evident. The melting ice caused by climate change offers new economic opportunities, with the gradual opening of new shipping routes and the possibility of exploiting mineral resources and hydrocarbons that until recently were inaccessible due to the ice. Russia has refurbished more than a dozen old military bases on its northern coast, in addition to opening several new ones. In 2018, China published a white paper in which it defined itself as an Arctic Near State. If Russia were to launch missiles against the United States, they would likely fly over Greenland, making the island a strategic location for deploying interceptors as part of the Golden Dome defense system a priority for the Trump administration. However, what is unclear is why Washington needs total control of Greenland for its own defense, explains Messmer. Is it part of NATO? Greenland belongs to the Atlantic Alliance, but most experts maintain that the mutual defense clause Article 5 of the Treaty that governs the organization would not be applicable if the United States attacked Danish territory, because that clause was conceived for cases in which an ally was attacked by a country outside the organization. Donald Trump in Davos Wednesday. Evan Vucci (AP) Frederiksen, the Danish prime minister, asserted last week that an attack on Greenland would bring an end to the Alliance. If the U.S. chooses to attack another NATO country militarily, then everything stops, including NATO and thus the security that has been established since the end of the Second World War, she declared. And what about the EU? Although it is a member of NATO, Greenland is not part of the EU. The semi-autonomous territory left the bloc in 1985 due to a dispute over fisheries policy. Greenland was subsequently classified as an EU Overseas Country or Territory (OCT), and therefore maintains certain cooperation agreements with the Union. Unlike Greenland, the Faroe Islands the third territory that makes up the Kingdom, along with the Arctic island and mainland Denmark have never been part of the EU. The archipelago of 56,000 inhabitants (the same as Greenland), located between Iceland and Scotland, gained self-government in 1948 and chose not to join the European Economic Community (the precursor to the EU) along with the rest of the Kingdom in 1973, primarily to protect its fishing resources. Today, it is considered a third country by the EU. Greenlands status as a CTO which it shares with French Polynesia or the Netherlands Antilles raises doubts about whether the Danish island is covered by the EUs collective defense clause, which stipulates that member states have the obligation to provide help and assistance by all means at their disposal. European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, Defense Commissioner Andrius Kubilius, and French President Emmanuel Macron asserted last week that the clause in Article 42.7 of the EU Treaty would indeed be applicable in the event of an attack on Greenland. However, Copenhagen would face the requirement of unanimity and the consequent risk that some states, such as Hungary, would block the measure to appease Trump. Could it become an independent state? Aspirations for self-determination have been brewing in Greenland since it gained a degree of autonomy in 1979 and the Greenlandic parliament (Inatsisartut) was established. Thirty years later, its powers have expanded considerably, although defense, foreign policy, and monetary policy remain entirely under the control of Copenhagen. The autonomy statute, approved in a 2008 referendum, sets out rules for a potential independence process. To begin that process, the Greenlandic government would have to formally express its intention to sever ties with Denmark. Both parties would then begin negotiations, addressing legal, economic, and administrative aspects. Once a definitive independence treaty is agreed upon, it would have to be approved by the Danish parliament before being submitted to a referendum among the Greenlandic population. Finally, before the transition can begin and Greenland can become a member of the UN, the independence treaty would have to be ratified by the Danish parliament (where two of the 179 members are Greenlandic). Four of the five parties in the Greenlandic parliament support secession, although all but one advocate for a gradual, long-term process, recognizing that the Greenlandic economy is not prepared to survive without subsidies from Copenhagen. Around half of the Greenlandic governments annual budget comes from Danish aid, and over 90% of the islands export revenue comes from fishing. Naleraq, the only pro-independence party advocating for an immediate break with Denmark and defending direct negotiations with Washington, bypassing Copenhagen came in second place with a quarter of the vote in last years elections. The other secessionist parties, along with Atassut the only one supporting the current status quo formed a coalition government to demonstrate unity in the face of Trumps threats. What is the relationship between Nuuk and Copenhagen? The shared history of Greenland and Denmark is complex and bears deep wounds from the colonial era that are difficult to heal. Until Trumps return to power, the relationship between the island and the former colonial power was at one of its most strained points. Danish public radio revealed in 2022 that thousands of Greenlandic women, many of them minors, were forced to use intrauterine devices to prevent pregnancy in the 1960s and 1970s. Several Greenlandic politicians described this chapter of history as genocide. Frederiksen apologized to the victims during an official ceremony last September. In February of last year, just before the Greenlandic elections, Danish public television aired a documentary about the extraction of cryolite between the late 19th century and 1987. The report estimated that Copenhagen had profited to the tune of 400 billion Danish kroner (around $63 billion) from the exploitation of this mineral. We are all aware that we have enormous wealth in this land and that we have not represented an expense for the Danish state. Its subsidies are nothing more than a reimbursement for the cryolite mine, declared the then-Greenlandic prime minister, Mute Egede, during his campaign. Greenlandic Prime Minister Jens-Frederik Nielsen with Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen on January 13 in Copenhagen. LISELOTTE SABROE (EFE) Despite all this, during the last 12 months, marked by Trumps threats, ties between Nuuk and Copenhagen have strengthened once again. If we had to choose between the U.S. and Denmark right now, we would choose Denmark, Greenlandic Prime Minister Jens-Frederik Nielsen emphasized last week at a press conference alongside Frederiksen. Mikkel Vedby Rasmussen, a professor of political science at the University of Copenhagen, told Reuters a few days ago that debates in mainland Denmark about whether Greenland is worth keeping have been overshadowed by widespread outrage over Trumps threats. Its not part of the political landscape in Denmark. I fear weve entered a mode of unbridled patriotism, he said. Sign up for our weekly newsletter to get more English-language news coverage from EL PAIS USA Edition Mumbai 'Innovation City' Incoming: Which Areas, Businesses Will Benefit? Property Rates To Shoot Up? Curated By : Trending Desk Last Updated: January 22, 2026, 14:20 IST Innovation City will be designed with a focus on technology, research and startups, which will attract talent and investment from around the world. Innovation City aims to boost Maharashtras economy. (Photo Credit: X) Maharashtra is set to get its first Innovation City, a major project aimed at making the state a hub for global innovation. The announcement was made by Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis through a video shared on the official CMO social media handle. The plan was first introduced to more than 400 international investors at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland. The location for the city has now been finalised and construction is expected to begin within six to eight months. The city will focus on technology, research and startups, which will attract talent and investment from around the world. Officials say the project will not only boost Maharashtras economy but also strengthen its position among global networks. CM Devendra Fadnavis announces Maharashtras dream project, the Innovation City, a landmark collaboration with the Tata Group. Rising near the Navi Mumbai International Airport, this future-ready hub will place Maharashtra at the heart of AI, semiconductors and GCC. As pic.twitter.com/YDiMNGyW9l CMO Maharashtra (@CMOMaharashtra) January 21, 2026 What Is Innovation City? The Innovation City will focus on advanced technologies like high-performance computing, artificial intelligence, humanoid robots, AI-driven automation, human-computer interaction, algorithms, network security and cryptography. It will also work on next-generation renewable energy solutions to address climate change. The project will bring together research, startups, industries and educational institutions to create solutions that can benefit the world. The city aims to make Mumbai a leading centre for various innovations, with a special focus on AI, semiconductors and Global Capability Centres (GCCs). Where Will Innovation City Be Located And When Will It Be Built? After the announcement in Davos, Devendra Fadnavis told ANI that the city will be Indias first innovation hub and that the location has been decided. He added that it will take over six to eight months before construction begins. While the exact site was not revealed, the city is expected to be near the Navi Mumbai International Airport (NMIA). Who Are The Key Investors In The Project? Devendra Fadnavis revealed that Tata Sons has agreed to invest $11 billion (Rs 1 lakh crore) in building the Innovation City, along with a major data centre and other infrastructure. He said the project has already attracted strong interest from international investors as well. He said, I discussed this idea with the chairman of TATA Sons and sought his support. I am delighted that, nearly a year later, we have officially announced this innovation city in Davos before 400-450 international investors." What Are The Project Details? The Innovation City will cover over 100 acres of land in Navi Mumbai near the Navi Mumbai International Airport and the Atal Setu Bridge. The project is designed to provide ready-to-use infrastructure and facilities specifically for startups, artificial intelligence, semiconductors and Global Capability Centres (GCCs). What Are The Key Components Of Innovation City? The proposed city will focus on several key technology areas, including AI application layers, model development, semiconductors, data centres and energy infrastructure. It will feature advanced data centres with modern cooling systems, such as Direct to Chip Liquid Cooling and plans include a 100 MW green, AI-ready campus nearby. A dedicated GCC Park will be developed to host Global Capability Centres, which will attract international companies. Although no official plans have confirmed residential areas within the city, the project will primarily focus on building spaces for businesses, research and technology development. What Are The Indirect Impacts Of Innovation City? The Innovation City is expected to have a strong impact on the surrounding areas and real estate. Tech hubs, data centres and GCCs will boost local employment, while property prices in Navi Mumbai have already risen due to the newly launched airport and ongoing infrastructure development. Improved connectivity through the Navi Mumbai International Airport and metro lines will attract more investments, hotels and premium residential projects. Who Will Benefit Locally From Innovation City? The development of Innovation City is expected to benefit local businesses in nearby areas like Dronagiri, Ulwe and Panvel. The hospitality and food sector will also see increased customers, while retail stores and grocery shops selling essentials, electronics and work-related items are expected to experience higher demand. Auto rickshaws, cabs and small delivery providers will also benefit from the workers and visitors. During construction phases, suppliers of building materials and labour contractors will see more business and once it becomes operational, co-working spaces and incubators will create demand for office-related services like maintenance, printing and other support facilities. News18 Newsletter Handpicked stories, in your inbox A newsletter with the best of our journalism submit Location : Delhi, India, India First Published: January 22, 2026, 14:19 IST News mumbai-news Mumbai 'Innovation City' Incoming: Which Areas, Businesses Will Benefit? Property Rates To Shoot Up? Disclaimer: Comments reflect users views, not News18s. Please keep discussions respectful and constructive. Abusive, defamatory, or illegal comments will be removed. News18 may disable any comment at its discretion. By posting, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy Loading comments... Lottery, Luxury Housing, 'Low Pay': Understanding Mumbai's Mayoral Maths Curated By : Translation Desk Last Updated: January 22, 2026, 18:35 IST For the first time this term, Mumbai's mayoral race is reserved for general-category women, intensifying party focus on eligible women councillors for the influential BMC post Rapid Read Often described as the "first citizen" of the city, the mayor occupies a largely ceremonial but symbolically powerful position. (AI-Generated Image) For the first time in the current term, the race for the mayors post in Mumbai will be restricted exclusively to women, triggering heightened political activity across parties as they turn their attention to eligible women councillors. While the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) has a five-year tenure, the mayor holds office for 2.5 years. At the end of each half-term, a new mayor is elected through an internal process, making the civic bodys leadership structure distinct from most other elected posts. The mayor is not directly elected by voters but chosen by the corporators themselves. After every mayoral term, the Maharashtra Urban Development Department conducts a draw of lots to decide the reservation category for the next mayors post. Only councillors belonging to the category selected through this lottery are permitted to file nominations. This time, the department has announced that the post will be reserved for women from the general category, meaning only general-category women councillors can contest. With this, both mayors during the current five-year term will belong to the general women category. The reservation system is governed by the 74th Constitutional Amendment and the Mumbai Municipal Corporation Act, 1888. Under these provisions, the mayors post is reserved on a rotational basis for different categories, following a round robin" system to ensure equitable representation. The category that held the post in the previous term is usually excluded from the next draw. Reservation categories include Scheduled Castes, Scheduled Tribes, Other Backward Classes, women (who account for 50% of the total reservations across categories) and the general category. The mayoral election is held during a special meeting of all elected councillors at the BMC headquarters Council Hall. Voting is conducted either by a show of hands or through a secret ballot. The civic body has 227 councillors, and a candidate requires a simple majority of at least 114 votes to be elected. The presiding officer announces the winner. In the last three terms, the mayoral post has been held by Kishori Pednekar (2019-2022, General category, Shiv Sena), Vishwanath Mahadeshwar (2017-2019, General category, Shiv Sena), and Snehal Ambekar (2014-2017, Scheduled Caste, Shiv Sena). Often described as the first citizen" of the city, the mayor occupies a largely ceremonial but symbolically powerful position. Executive authority rests with the BMC commissioner, an IAS officer, but the mayor presides over the general body, regulates debates, and represents the city on formal occasions. Visiting foreign heads of state and government are formally welcomed by the mayor. The post also carries oversight of key committees, including the standing committee, which clears budgets and major expenditures. Despite overseeing one of the richest civic bodies in the country, the mayors remuneration remains nominal. The basic honorarium is Rs 6,000, which rises to about Rs 55,000-Rs 75,000 per month with allowances. The office, however, comes with significant privileges, including a heritage bungalow at Rani Bagh in Byculla, an official vehicle with driver, and dedicated staff comprising a personal assistant, clerical support, and security. Historically, only a handful of leaders have held the post more than once. SK Patil remains the most prominent, serving as mayor for three consecutive years from 1949 to 1951. Dubbed the uncrowned king" of the city, Patil wielded enormous influence over municipal and state affairs. A close confidant of Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel and a key figure in the Congress organisation, he played a pivotal role in shaping the citys post-Independence growth, from infrastructure expansion to positioning it as the countrys financial and industrial hub. His dominance ended dramatically in the 1967 Lok Sabha elections, when he was defeated by trade union leader George Fernandes. Another notable multiple-term mayor was Chhagan Bhujbal, who served twice, in 1985-86 and 1990-91. News18 Newsletter Handpicked stories, in your inbox A newsletter with the best of our journalism submit First Published: January 22, 2026, 18:35 IST News cities mumbai-news Lottery, Luxury Housing, 'Low Pay': Understanding Mumbai's Mayoral Maths Disclaimer: Comments reflect users views, not News18s. Please keep discussions respectful and constructive. Abusive, defamatory, or illegal comments will be removed. News18 may disable any comment at its discretion. By posting, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy Loading comments... 25-Year-Old Man Stabbed To Death In Delhis Mangolpuri; Probe Underway Curated By : News18.com Last Updated: January 22, 2026, 07:37 IST Akash, 25, was stabbed to death in Mangolpuri, Delhi. Delhi Police Outer District DCP said the accused is identified and efforts to nab him are ongoing. Investigation continues. Rapid Read The accused confessed to the crime. (Photo for representational purposes only) A 25-year-old man was stabbed to death in the Mangolpuri area of Delhi on Wednesday night, police said. According to the police, the victim was identified as Akash. The DCP of the Outer District, Delhi Police said that the accused has been identified and efforts are underway to nab him. #WATCH | Delhi l An incident of stabbing was reported in the Mangolpuri area of Delhi last night. The victim, Akash (25 years), was declared dead. The accused has been identified, and efforts are underway to nab him. Investigation is underway: DCP Outer District Delhi Police pic.twitter.com/E1vKsCbLbk ANI (@ANI) January 21, 2026 Further investigation into the incident is in progress. In a separate incident, a 23-year-old woman was allegedly murdered by a married man after she rejected his advances in Nagpurs Mankapur area, police said on Wednesday. Accused Shekhar Dhore (38), who runs a tours and travels business, was arrested in the case. The woman was found hanging in her house on Monday, initially appearing to be a case of suicide. However, police grew suspicious after noticing injuries on her head, and a post-mortem examination later confirmed that it was a case of murder. Police inspector Harish Kalsekar said that the probe revealed that Dhotre had visited her in the morning when she was alone. The accused attempted to speak to the woman, following which a heated argument broke out. He allegedly strangled her and later tried to pass it off as a suicide by hanging, the official said. The accused confessed during interrogation, he said, adding that further probe was on. (With inputs from agencies) News18 Newsletter Handpicked stories, in your inbox A newsletter with the best of our journalism submit First Published: January 22, 2026, 07:33 IST News new-delhi-news 25-Year-Old Man Stabbed To Death In Delhis Mangolpuri; Probe Underway Disclaimer: Comments reflect users views, not News18s. Please keep discussions respectful and constructive. Abusive, defamatory, or illegal comments will be removed. News18 may disable any comment at its discretion. By posting, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy Loading comments... Delhi Rickshaw Driver Held For Abducting, Raping 11-Year-Old Girl Selling Rose At Traffic Signal Curated By : News18.com Last Updated: January 22, 2026, 21:37 IST The accused then took the girl to a forest area near Professor Ram Nath Vij Marg, where he raped her. Image used for representation An 11-year-old girl who sold roses at traffic signals in central Delhi was kidnapped, raped and left unconscious in a forest area, police said on Thursday. The accused, an e-rickshaw driver, has been arrested after an extensive CCTV scan. The incident took place on January 11 in the Prasad Nagar area. The girl was standing at a red light selling roses when the accused stopped his e-rickshaw after dropping off passengers. Police said the man, identified as Durgesh, around 40 years old, tricked the child into sitting inside his vehicle. When the child approached him to sell flowers, he lured her with the promise of helping her sell all the roses and made her sit inside the vehicle," a senior police officer said. The accused then took the girl to a forest area near Professor Ram Nath Vij Marg, where he raped her. Believing she had died, he fled the spot, leaving her unconscious and injured, police said. After some time, the girl regained consciousness and managed to reach her family. Shocked by her condition, her family rushed her to a hospital and informed the police. A case was registered under relevant sections of kidnapping and rape, along with provisions of the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act. Police said the child was in deep shock and was initially unable to clearly describe what had happened, which delayed the investigation. Officers then began analysing CCTV footage from the area where she was last seen and from roads leading towards the forest. Footage from around 300 CCTV cameras installed on nearly 15 routes was examined. In one of the clips, the girl was seen boarding an e-rickshaw. The vehicles registration number was traced, which led to the identification and arrest of the accused on the same day," he said. The accused revealed during interrogation that he had seen the girl at the signal several times, and planned the kidnapping. The police also mentioned that the child is undergoing medical treatment and counselling. Further investigation is underway. News18 Newsletter Handpicked stories, in your inbox A newsletter with the best of our journalism submit First Published: January 22, 2026, 21:37 IST News new-delhi-news Delhi Rickshaw Driver Held For Abducting, Raping 11-Year-Old Girl Selling Rose At Traffic Signal Disclaimer: Comments reflect users views, not News18s. Please keep discussions respectful and constructive. Abusive, defamatory, or illegal comments will be removed. News18 may disable any comment at its discretion. By posting, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy Loading comments... Four Parathas, A 67-Year-Old 'Chachi', And A Secret That Shocked Delhi Police Curated By : Translation Desk Last Updated: January 22, 2026, 15:29 IST At 67, when suspicion rarely follows, a woman shocked Delhi Police with a crime story fit for cinema. Caught at Shakur Basti, four parathas in her bag hid a deadly secret Rapid Read Khargone is notorious for illegal arms manufacturing, from where Chachi would travel back to Delhi or Meerut to supply weapons, quietly eating the parathas she had packed from home along the way. (AI Generated) Crime in Delhi often wears many disguises, but this case stunned even seasoned officers. Delhi Police recently arrested a 67-year-old woman whose double life defied every stereotype. Who Is Chachi Rambiri? Known affectionately as Chachi, Rambiri appeared to be an ordinary elderly woman, her head modestly covered, blending easily into crowds. In reality, she was supplying illegal weapons to hardened criminals across the Delhi-NCR. According to Delhi Police, she is the oldest female arms smuggler ever arrested in the capital. An Unlikely Entry Into The World Of Crime Rambiri hails from Meerut, Uttar Pradesh. Investigators are now probing how and when she entered organised crime, and how long she managed to operate without raising suspicion. What fascinated the police most was her method. Rambiri strictly followed a travel light routine. She never carried heavy luggage, just four parathas and a bottle of water. Travelling by train like any other elderly woman, she attracted no attention, while concealing deadly weapons in her clothes or a small bag. Police revealed that Rambiri frequently travelled from Meerut to Khargone and Indore in Madhya Pradesh. Khargone is notorious for illegal arms manufacturing. From there, she would return to Delhi or Meerut to supply weapons, quietly eating the parathas she packed from home along the way. Age As Her Greatest Shield According to officers, Rambiri was selected by the syndicate precisely because of her age. Security checks usually focus on young or suspicious-looking men, rarely suspecting a 67-year-old woman. Her calm demeanour and simplicity helped her evade law enforcement for years. Rambiris run ended on January 9, 2026. Acting on a tip-off, Delhi Polices Special Cell and local police laid a trap near Shakur Basti railway station. When they searched her belongings, they were stunned to find four sophisticated weapons and three magazines. She was allegedly bringing them from Khargone to supply a gang in Delhi-NCR. Delhis Oldest Female Arms Smuggler While women have been arrested for arms smuggling before, Rambiris age set her apart. Police are now investigating how many weapons she supplied and how deep her involvement runs. Initial investigations suggest Rambiri was a key link in a major arms network based in Meerut. Her role connected illegal manufacturing hubs in Madhya Pradesh with criminal gangs in Delhi-NCR. A Major Breakthrough For Police Senior officials say her arrest is a significant success. It highlights a troubling trend: criminal networks increasingly using elderly people and women to avoid detection. Rambiri is currently in police custody and undergoing interrogation. Authorities hope her questioning will expose the entire illegal weapons corridor operating between Meerut and Khargone. This case serves as a stark reminder that crime has no fixed face or age. Relying on appearances alone can be costly, and Chachi Rambiri proved just how deceptive simplicity can be. News18 Newsletter Handpicked stories, in your inbox A newsletter with the best of our journalism submit Location : Delhi, India, India First Published: January 22, 2026, 15:29 IST News cities new-delhi-news Four Parathas, A 67-Year-Old 'Chachi', And A Secret That Shocked Delhi Police Disclaimer: Comments reflect users views, not News18s. Please keep discussions respectful and constructive. Abusive, defamatory, or illegal comments will be removed. News18 may disable any comment at its discretion. By posting, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy Loading comments... Nine Detained For Allegedly Assaulting Pastor Over Religious Conversion Charges In Odisha Curated By : News18.com Last Updated: January 22, 2026, 20:13 IST Pastor Bipin Naik was attacked by a group allegedly associated with the Bajrang Dal over allegations of religious conversion. AI-image used for representation Odisha Police on Thursday said nine people have been detained in connection with the alleged assault of a pastor in Dhenkanal district, nearly three weeks after the incident took place. The detentions came shortly after the pastors wife approached the police, drawing national attention and sharp political reactions, reported the Indian Express. The police said the incident took place on January 4 in the Parjang police station area, but came to their notice only after the complaint was filed. According to the complaint cited by the outlet, pastor Bipin Naik was attacked by a group allegedly associated with the Bajrang Dal over allegations of religious conversion. He was allegedly smeared with vermillion, paraded wearing a garland made of shoes and forced to bow before a temple. Dhenkanal Superintendent of Police Abhinav Sonkar said the allegations mentioned in the complaint were being investigated. However, he rejected claims circulating on social media that the pastor was forced to drink water from a drain or made to consume cow dung. These havent been mentioned in the complaint nor have we found any indication of this," Sonkar was quoted as saying. The case has brought renewed focus on a series of communal incidents reported across Odisha over the past year and a half. Several districts have seen violence linked to religious identity, often followed by curfews and Internet restrictions. Police records and opposition leaders point to the involvement of right-wing groups in many of these cases. One of the most recent incidents took place on January 14 in Balasore district, where a Muslim youth was lynched by alleged cow vigilantes. Weeks earlier, a 30-year-old man from Murshidabad in West Bengal was beaten to death in Sambalpur. In both cases, police initially said there was no communal angle. Other incidents reported in recent months include mob assaults on migrant workers accused of being Bangladeshi, attacks during religious processions, and disruptions over rumours of cow slaughter. Some incidents led to prolonged curfews and suspension of Internet services in towns such as Cuttack, Bhadrak and Khurda. Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi has appealed for calm following episodes of violence. Cuttack is a thousand-year-old city known for its unity and communal harmony. Due to the actions of some miscreants, peace has been disturbed in recent days," he said. Opposition parties have accused the BJP-led government of failing to control mob violence. BJD MP Sulata Deo said, There is an ecosystem backed by some people in power that encourages such activities Its the duty of the government to protect everyone, especially the minorities." Congress spokesperson Amiya Pandav alleged that attacks on minorities were carefully organised crimes promoted and patronised by the ruling BJP". Minority organisations have also raised concerns about police response. Bishop Pallav Lima of the Rashtriya Christian Morcha said, We are also against forceful conversions. Even if anybody is involved in such practices, the law enforcement agency should take action instead of mob attacks." BJP MLA Ashok Mohanty rejected the criticism, calling the allegations unfounded and saying public anger over cattle smuggling was being misinterpreted. News18 Newsletter Handpicked stories, in your inbox A newsletter with the best of our journalism submit Location : Odisha (Orissa), India, India First Published: January 22, 2026, 19:48 IST News cities Nine Detained For Allegedly Assaulting Pastor Over Religious Conversion Charges In Odisha Disclaimer: Comments reflect users views, not News18s. Please keep discussions respectful and constructive. Abusive, defamatory, or illegal comments will be removed. News18 may disable any comment at its discretion. By posting, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy Loading comments... Applying To A UK University: Five Things Indian Students Must Know Curated By : News18.com Last Updated: January 22, 2026, 14:52 IST Planning to study in the UK? From course-specific entry requirements to scholarships, here are five key things Indian students should know before applying. Five key things Indian students should know before applying to a UK university. Choosing a university to study abroad is one of the biggest decisions in a students academic life. While glossy brochures, impressive websites and global rankings may be a starting point, real understanding lies much deeper. Especially for students from India and across South and Southeast Asia, it is important to look beyond surface-level information and make a choice that is smart, strategic and sustainable in the long run. Many Indian students aspire to pursue higher education in the United Kingdom. The UK remains an attractive destination due to its excellent universities, diverse cultural environment and strong career opportunities after graduation. Its institutions are globally recognised for their high academic standards and wide range of programmes, and they welcome students from around the world who seek a high-quality education. Beyond academics, the UK offers a dynamic job market and a strong industry presence, making it easier for graduates to find meaningful employment. For Indian students, studying in the UK is a life-changing journey that goes far beyond the classroom. It encourages intellectual growth, builds global perspectives and equips students with the skills needed to succeed in todays professional world. As the British Council advises prospective students, understanding a few key aspects in advance can help you make informed decisions, avoid common mistakes and maximise the value of your UK education. 1. Entry Requirements Are Course-Specific, Not Just University-Based In the UK, admission criteria depend more on the specific course than on the institution. Each programme sets its own academic requirements, subject prerequisites, English language score requirements and portfolio or test expectations for fields such as design, law or medicine. What this means for you: Always check the specific webpage for the course you are interested in, rather than relying only on a universitys general admission standards. 2. Scholarships And Funding Go Beyond Tuition Fees UK universities, the British government and external organisations offer a wide range of scholarships, including Chevening, Commonwealth, Women in STEM Scholarships and GREAT Scholarships, which are currently open for 202627. These are jointly funded by the UK governments GREAT Britain Campaign and the British Council, along with participating UK higher education institutions. Many universities also offer bursaries, accommodation discounts and part-time work opportunities. What this means for you: Start researching funding options early, apply for multiple scholarships and look beyond headline awards to smaller grants that can significantly reduce overall costs. 3. Post-Study Work Opportunities One of the key advantages of studying in the UK is the opportunity to gain real-world work experience during and after your degree. International students can take up part-time jobs, internships and placements while studying. After graduation, they can apply for the Graduate Route visa, which allows them to stay and work in the UK. What this means for you: Post-study work experience in the UK can strengthen your career profile by providing global exposure, practical industry skills and access to international employers. It is important to understand the eligibility criteria for the Graduate Route early, plan your job search in advance and actively explore internships, placements and graduate roles aligned with your long-term career goals. 4. Student Visa Requirements International students from India need a Student Visa, formerly known as the Tier 4 Visa, to study in the UK. The application process requires the submission of key documents, including proof of academic qualifications, English language proficiency and financial evidence to cover tuition fees and living costs, along with other documents specified by UK Visas and Immigration. What this means for you: Begin the visa process well in advance, as it can take several weeks, and sometimes longer, depending on documentation and appointment availability. Ensure that all financial and academic requirements are clearly met, double-check your documents for accuracy and comply with all visa conditions once granted. 5. Alumni And Current Students: Your Most Trusted Guides Speaking directly with current students and recent alumni is one of the most reliable ways to understand what life at a UK university is really like. Their first-hand experiences can provide insights that brochures and rankings often miss, covering academic pressure, career preparation and everyday student life. What this means for you: Ask about practical aspects such as career services, on-campus job support, academic expectations and life outside the classroom. Also, understand how international students are represented within the student union and how actively student voices are heard. To build these connections, attend networking events, alumni awards, university open days and Study UK information sessions organised by the British Council, which regularly bring together universities, alumni and prospective students. ALSO READ: CLAT 2026 Second Merit List Expected Today At consortiumofnlus.ac.in, Details Here Applying to a UK university marks the beginning of a global academic and professional journey. By understanding course requirements, exploring funding options, preparing for visa processes, planning for work opportunities and learning from those who have already taken this path, students can approach the decision with clarity and confidence. With the support of organisations such as the British Council, which provides reliable information, Study UK open days, alumni platforms and Study UK sessions, aspiring students can navigate each stage with greater ease. With the right guidance and thoughtful preparation, studying in the UK becomes not only an academic achievement but a transformative experience that opens doors to global careers, lifelong learning and a broader worldview. News18 Newsletter Handpicked stories, in your inbox A newsletter with the best of our journalism submit First Published: January 22, 2026, 14:52 IST News education-career Applying To A UK University: Five Things Indian Students Must Know Disclaimer: Comments reflect users views, not News18s. Please keep discussions respectful and constructive. Abusive, defamatory, or illegal comments will be removed. News18 may disable any comment at its discretion. By posting, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy Loading comments... Education Ministry Forms Committee To Review Student Suicide Cases At IIT Kanpur Curated By : News18.com Last Updated: January 22, 2026, 18:49 IST The committee will include Dr Anil Sahastrabudhe, Dr Jitendra Nagpal, and the Joint Secretary of the Education Ministry. They are required to submit their report within 15 days. Education Ministry has directed the committee to report back in 15 days. (File Photo) The Ministry of Education has established a three-member committee to review the Framework Guidelines for Emotional and Mental Wellbeing of Students in Higher Education Institutions at IIT Kanpur. The committee will include Dr Anil Sahastrabudhe, Chairperson, NETF; Dr Jitendra Nagpal, Sr Psychiatrist, Moolchand Hospital; and the Joint Secretary of the Education Ministry. They are required to submit their report within 15 days. The Committee has been directed to review cases of student suicides in IIT Kanpur, including examination of the circumstances surrounding such incidents, with specific reference to the availability, adequacy and effectiveness of institutional policies, grievance redressal mechanisms, and other student support systems." They have been tasked with identifying gaps, systemic challenges, and areas that need improvement in the framework, as well as providing recommendations to the Ministry to prevent further student suicides. They are instructed to engage with stakeholders at IIT Kanpur and collect relevant information to complete the task. The Indian Institute of Technology Kanpur on Tuesday constituted a fact-finding committee to examine the circumstances surrounding the death of a PhD student on its campus. Prof Prateek Sen, Dean of Student Affairs at IIT Kanpur, had stated that the student, Ram Swaroop Ishram, was residing in the Double A block of the SBRA apartments, which come under the Married Student Accommodation on campus. It is reported that Ram Swaroop Ishram fell from the roof of that apartment," Prof Sen said. He said that immediately after receiving the information, the institutes security personnel and medical team rushed to the spot. After reaching there, it was found that his wife and his three-year-old daughter were present there," he said. According to the institute, Ishram was a regular visitor to the counselling service and had visited the centre on January 19. After this incident, the Institute has formed a Fact-Finding Committee. Whenever we receive any information from the Fact-Finding Committee, we will share it with everybody," Prof Sen added. News18 Newsletter Handpicked stories, in your inbox A newsletter with the best of our journalism submit First Published: January 22, 2026, 18:42 IST News education-career Education Ministry Forms Committee To Review Student Suicide Cases At IIT Kanpur Disclaimer: Comments reflect users views, not News18s. Please keep discussions respectful and constructive. Abusive, defamatory, or illegal comments will be removed. News18 may disable any comment at its discretion. By posting, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy Loading comments... From UP To West Bengal, Schools To Remain Closed In These States For Basant Panchami Curated By : News18.com Last Updated: January 22, 2026, 12:18 IST In 2026, Basant Panchami will be celebrated on January 23. On this occasion, a holiday has been declared for schools in various states across the country. School holidays are declared based on orders from the local administration or district magistrate. (File Photo) The festival of Basant Panchami is celebrated with great enthusiasm across the country. According to the Hindu calendar, Goddess Saraswati, the goddess of learning, is worshipped on the fifth day of the bright fortnight of the month of Magh. In 2026, Basant Panchami will be celebrated on January 23. On this occasion, a holiday has been declared for schools and educational institutions in various states across the country. Vasant Panchami is not only religiously significant, but it also marks the arrival of spring. This day holds special significance in northern and eastern Indian states such as Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, West Bengal, and Haryana. Governments in many states have decided to close schools to ensure the convenience of students and their participation in the cultural festival. Find out in which states Vasant Panchami is celebrated and Saraswati Puja is likely to be a holiday. Holiday status in Bihar and Uttar Pradesh: Vasant Panchami is celebrated as a major festival in Uttar Pradesh and Bihar. According to the calendars of the Uttar Pradesh Board of Secondary Education and the Bihar Education Department, January 23, 2026, will be a public holiday in all government and aided schools in the state. Many private schools have also announced half-day or full holidays following the Saraswati Puja celebrations. Students wear yellow clothes on this day to worship Goddess Saraswati. Two days of celebration in West Bengal: Saraswati Puja (Vasant Panchami) is celebrated with great enthusiasm in West Bengal. In many districts, schools and colleges have been declared a two-day public holiday. Saraswati Puja is considered a students festival in Bengal, and therefore, educational institutions remain completely closed on this day. In Kolkata and other cities, grand pandals are decorated, where students gather to offer prayers. Furthermore, the National Testing Agency (NTA) has postponed tomorrows JEE Main exam in West Bengal, taking Saraswati Puja into account. Haryana and Punjab: Kite flying and school holiday Kite flying is a long-standing tradition in Haryana and Punjab on Vasant Panchami. The Haryana government has declared this day an official holiday in the academic calendar. Both government schools and private institutions have declared a holiday for Saraswati Puja. Local holidays have also been declared in several districts of Punjab, allowing schoolchildren to enjoy this cultural festival without any hassle. Will there be a holiday in all states? Its important to note that the decision to declare a holiday on Vasant Panchami is at the discretion of state governments. While South Indian states generally dont have a public holiday on this day, some private schools there do organize events to commemorate Saraswati Puja. Even in states like Delhi and Rajasthan, most government schools observe either a half-day or a full holiday, depending on the calendar. Holidays are declared based on orders from the local administration or district magistrate. Therefore, parents are advised to check the holiday status with their childs school. News18 Newsletter Handpicked stories, in your inbox A newsletter with the best of our journalism submit First Published: January 22, 2026, 12:12 IST News education-career From UP To West Bengal, Schools To Remain Closed In These States For Basant Panchami Disclaimer: Comments reflect users views, not News18s. Please keep discussions respectful and constructive. Abusive, defamatory, or illegal comments will be removed. News18 may disable any comment at its discretion. By posting, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy Loading comments... IIT Kharagpur Phase I Placements 202526: 1,501 Offers, Highest Package Rs 2.44 Crore Curated By : News18.com Last Updated: January 22, 2026, 10:12 IST IIT Kharagpur recorded 1,501 job offers in Phase I of its 202526 placement season, with the highest package touching Rs 2.44 crore. IIT Kharagpur secured 1,501 offers in Phase I of its 2025-26 placements. (File Photo) The IIT Kharagpur recorded a strong placement season in Phase I of its 202526 campus placements, with a total of 1,501 job offers made, the institute said in a statement. The highest annual package touched Rs 2.44 crore. Phase I of the placement drive was held between December 1, 2025, and January 3, 2026, and included 457 pre-placement offers and 15 international offers. During the process, the institute also achieved a rare milestone by crossing 1,000 offers in a single day. A historic milestone was achieved on day two of placement at 8 am when the institute crossed 1,000 job offers," the statement said, based on a review of data from the month-long Phase I session. The placement season saw participation from a wide range of companies across sectors such as technology, core engineering, finance, consulting, analytics and manufacturing. Despite uncertainty around US visa policies, several American companies showed interest in recruiting students from the institute. Major recruiters included Apple, Tesla, Google, Microsoft, Nvidia, Airbus, Boeing, Mercedes, Qualcomm, Siemens, Amazon, Walmart, Goldman Sachs, McKinsey, Databricks, JP Morgan Chase, Accenture, American Express, Samsung Korea, Texas Instruments, ExxonMobil, Caterpillar, Schlumberger Limited, L&T Finance, and the Tata Group. ALSO READ: CLAT 2026 Second Merit List Expected Today At consortiumofnlus.ac.in, Details Here Chairperson of the Career Development Centre (CDC), IIT Kharagpur, Prof Sanjay Gupta said, The exceptional outcomes of the placement season underscore the strength of our collaborative model, despite the challenges in the job market." The institute has also announced that Phase II of the placement session for 202526 began on January 16. News18 Newsletter Handpicked stories, in your inbox A newsletter with the best of our journalism submit First Published: January 22, 2026, 10:12 IST News education-career IIT Kharagpur Phase I Placements 202526: 1,501 Offers, Highest Package Rs 2.44 Crore Disclaimer: Comments reflect users views, not News18s. Please keep discussions respectful and constructive. Abusive, defamatory, or illegal comments will be removed. News18 may disable any comment at its discretion. By posting, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy Loading comments... Democratic lawmakers, community leaders, and activists warn that conditions in the country have become even more dangerous in advocating for an extension of immigration protections The capture of Nicolas Maduro in Venezuela has reignited pressure in Washington to reinstate Temporary Protected Status (TPS) for Venezuelans in the United States. Democratic lawmakers, community leaders, and activists warn that conditions in the country have become even more dangerous, that power remains in the hands of actors accused of abuses and human rights violations, and that repression against dissents has intensified following the U.S. military action, while the Trump administration explores ways to negotiate control of the South American countrys oil production. A group of 70 Democratic lawmakers highlighted the underlying tension in a letter to the Trump administration just over a week ago, noting that Washington has begun negotiations with the interim government of Delcy Rodriguez and indicating the need to maintain humanitarian protections for hundreds of thousands of Venezuelans in the country. They argue that Washingtons removal of Maduro and its redefinition of its relationship with Caracas is no guarantee of greater security for those who would be forced to return. Conditions in the country are deeply unstable and dangerous, and the still-intact Venezuelan regime, emboldened by support from the President of the United States, has doubled down on repression and brutality since taking power. The Trump Administrations calamitous decision to terminate TPS for Venezuelans in January 2025 was rooted in a determination that conditions in the country had improved. This claim was baseless at the time, and, with the regime left in place, it is certainly untrue now, the letter stated. No Republican lawmakers signed the document. Leading the initiative is Florida Democratic Congresswoman Debbie Wasserman Schultz, who explained to EL PAIS that many of her constituents have told her that repression has increased. Their relatives in Venezuela are being forced to stay in their homes and have to erase the contents of their cell phones, because interim president Delcy Rodriguez ordered security forces to search and arrest anyone who supports Maduros removal. Until security and stability are truly restored in Venezuela under democratic leadership, the United States should protect law-abiding Venezuelans. Instead, the Trump administration tells Americans it is unsafe to be in Venezuela, yet sends Venezuelans back to the same brutal dictatorship that forced them to flee, she added. The capture of Maduro did not mean the end of the dictatorship. The repressive apparatus remains intact, states Helen Villalonga, president of the human rights organization AMAVEX. Villalonga explains that after Maduros capture, the Venezuelan National Assembly issued decrees granting broad powers to the Armed Forces and state security agencies to persecute, detain, and punish those who celebrated or supported the U.S. military incursion. Furthermore, Villalonga points out that the Chavista government criminalizes deported Venezuelans simply because of the political perception that they are opposition members or because they were considered collaborators or sympathizers of the operation that put Maduro behind bars. Meanwhile, central figures of power implicated in serious human rights violations continue to exert control over the state and its repressive forces. This confirms that there is no democratic transition and no minimum security guarantees for those who return. The efforts of Democratic lawmakers are not new. In May, for example, more than a hundred joined a legal challenge to overturn the decision to end Temporary Protected Status for Venezuelans. But now they have seized upon the new situation to push the battle over migrants to the center of the geopolitical debate. Republicans in Florida, home to the largest Venezuelan diaspora in the United States, have for years championed TPS and Deferred Enforced Departure (DED) a temporary measure that protects against deportation as part of a hardline agenda against Chavismo. Among some, a consensus persists. Republican Congresswoman Maria Elvira Salazar of Miami told EL PAIS that Venezuela is still not a safe country, and that although the administration is working toward a democratic transition, the regimes tentacles remain in power. As long as Delcy Rodriguez, Diosdado Cabello, and the corrupt elite continue to control the country, no Venezuelan should be forced to return. The State Department itself maintains Venezuela on its highest travel advisory. TPS for Venezuelans is not a political concession; it is a humanitarian necessity, she added. In May, Salazar and Wasserman Schultz proposed a bipartisan bill to grant TPS to Venezuelans for 18 months, but it was rejected. TPS is a humanitarian program that allows people from countries affected by conflict, crisis, or natural disasters to live and work legally in the United States. The Biden administration first granted TPS to Venezuelans in 2021 and extended it in 2023. Last year, the Trump administration, through DHS Secretary Kristi Noem, ended TPS for Venezuelans, as well as numerous other countries, concluding that conditions in Venezuela no longer justified the measure and that maintaining it undermined national security efforts. The 2021 designation expired last November, and the 2023 designation expired in April. An estimated 600,000 Venezuelans who were under this protection were left in limbo. Many reside in South Florida. Sign up for our weekly newsletter to get more English-language news coverage from EL PAIS USA Edition Bengal First For Nitin Nabin As BJPs New Chief Zeroes In On Bardhaman-Durgapur For Maiden Rally Reported By : News18.com Edited By: Apoorva Misra Last Updated: January 22, 2026, 14:36 IST BJP has been attempting to rebuild its narrative in Bengals industrial and semi-industrial regions, where economic stagnation and job losses have become political flashpoints Rapid Read Nitin Nabin, 45, was appointed as the BJP's working president on December 14, 2025, and will be the youngest ever to hold the post of national president. (Image: PTI/File) BJPs newly appointed national president Nitin Nabin has chosen West Bengal as the destination for his first official tour after taking charge, underlining the partys intent to sharpen its political offensive in one of its toughest battlegrounds ahead of assembly elections. Nabin is scheduled to be on a two-day visit to the state beginning January 27, with primary plans indicating stops in Durgapur and Bardhaman, both key centres in Bengals industrial belt. Sources told News18 that he is expected to hold his first public rally as BJP national president on January 28, marking the formal launch of his mass political outreach in the new role. While Nabins office has not yet issued a formal announcement, sources said a verbal go-ahead has already been given for preparations related to both the visit and the rally. Senior state leaders have begun logistical arrangements, suggesting the trip is effectively confirmed. INDUSTRIAL BELT, 4 AREAS IN FOCUS The choice of Durgapur and Bardhaman is seen as strategic. The BJP has been attempting to rebuild its narrative in Bengals industrial and semi-industrial regions, where economic stagnation, job losses, and infrastructure concerns have increasingly become political flashpoints. Party insiders say Nabins focus on the industrial belt is meant to connect economic underperformance with what the BJP describes as governance failures of the Mamata Banerjee-led Trinamool Congress (TMC) government. According to sources, Nabin has identified four core areas where the Bengal BJP will be asked to counter the ruling TMC relentlessly" until the elections: rise in crimes against women, alleged appeasement politics, states economic lag compared to other regions, and the current condition of education infrastructure. This president is going to talk about issues very openly and unapologetically. West Bengal will witness that to begin with," a senior BJP leader told News18 on condition of anonymity. EMPHASIS ON DEMOGRAPHIC SHIFT The leader added that Nabin has already twice, within two days, raised concerns over what he terms a demographic shift" in West Bengal. That emphasis was evident during his brief address on Wednesday, when he met BJP national office bearers and state presidents for the first time after assuming charge. At least two leaders present at the meeting confirmed that Nabin made specific reference to West Bengal and demographic changes in the state. #WATCH | Delhi: Newly elected BJP National president Nitin Nabin says, "In the next few months, elections are about to be held in Tamil Nadu, Assam, West Bengal, Kerala and Puducherry, and the demographics of these states are being widely discussed. The changing demographics are pic.twitter.com/pB55qSakoz ANI (@ANI) January 20, 2026 The theme has also found resonance at the highest levels of the party. On Tuesday, in the presence of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Nabin in his speech echoed concerns around Bengals political and demographic trajectory. He said, In the next few months, elections are about to be held in Tamil Nadu, Assam, West Bengal, Kerala and Puducherry, and the demographics of these states are being widely discussed. The changing demographics are altering the situation there, and this presents a challenge for us." On Tuesday morning, even PM Modi, while speaking at the BJP headquarters, made a passing but pointed reference to the issue. He said: Infiltration and demographic imbalance is a big worry of our times", while strongly advocating for sending infiltrators back to where they have come from". SHARPER IDEOLOGICAL EDGE Those who have worked closely with Nabin say he is ideologically more deeply entrenched in the Sangh school of thought than his predecessor, JP Nadda. His elevation, they argue, signals a more assertive ideological pitch, particularly in states like West Bengal, where the BJP has repeatedly accused the TMC of shielding illegal infiltration which shifted the blame back to the Centre. In Bengal, where illegal infiltration is a serious issue, Nabin as BJP president may bring the focus squarely back on the TMC government, which has tried to deflect responsibility," a party functionary said. STAGE SET FOR HIGH-VOLTAGE POLITICAL SEASON Nabins visit is expected to be followed closely by another high-profile BJP tour. Union Home Minister Amit Shah is slated to visit West Bengal for two days between January 30 and 31, soon after the BJP presidents trip. The back-to-back visits by the partys top leadership are being seen as the opening moves of a full-blown election campaign in what is expected to be one of the most closely watched state polls in the country. With Bengal emerging as the stage for Nitin Nabins first political statement as national president, the message from the BJP leadership appears clear: the party intends to make West Bengal the central arena for its ideological, organisational, and electoral push in the months ahead. News18 Newsletter Handpicked stories, in your inbox A newsletter with the best of our journalism submit First Published: January 22, 2026, 14:36 IST News elections Bengal First For Nitin Nabin As BJPs New Chief Zeroes In On Bardhaman-Durgapur For Maiden Rally Disclaimer: Comments reflect users views, not News18s. Please keep discussions respectful and constructive. Abusive, defamatory, or illegal comments will be removed. News18 may disable any comment at its discretion. By posting, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy Loading comments... Putin Offers Frozen Russian Assets To Join Trump's Board Of Peace: What Are These Worth? Curated By : News18.com Last Updated: January 22, 2026, 14:11 IST Putin said $1 billion from Russias US-frozen assets could go to Board of Peace, while the rest could help rebuild territories once a peace treaty with Ukraine is reached. US President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin. (IMAGE: REUTERS FILE) The question of Russias frozen assets has gained renewed attention after President Vladimir Putin said Moscow was prepared to contribute $1 billion from funds frozen in the United States to US President Donald Trumps proposed Board of Peace. Putin made the remarks during a televised meeting of Russias Security Council late Wednesday, ahead of talks with American envoys expected to arrive in Moscow to discuss a possible settlement of the Ukraine conflict. I think that we could contribute one billion dollars to the Board of Peace from the frozen assets," Putin said, adding that the issue would be discussed with Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas. Incidentally, the remaining funds from our frozen assets in the United States could be used to rebuild territories damaged by the fighting after a peace treaty is concluded between Russia and Ukraine," he added. Putins offer has drawn focus back to the underlying numbers: how much Russian money is actually frozen abroad, and where is it held? Since the invasion of Ukraine in 2022, Western sanctions have immobilised a vast pool of Russian sovereign reserves overseas close to 300 billion. But this money is not distributed evenly. Europe controls almost the entire stock, while the United States holds only a small fraction. What Are Frozen Russian Assets And Why Were They Seized? Frozen assets are financial funds or property that their owners cannot access or transfer because of restrictions imposed by a government or regional bloc. In Russias case, the freezes apply both to sovereign assets cash, bonds and securities held abroad and to private property such as yachts and real estate owned by sanctioned individuals. According to DW, the freezes are implemented by financial institutions, including commercial banks and central securities depositories, which must block transactions. These measures were imposed after the 2022 invasion of Ukraine to limit Moscows access to foreign reserves and restrict its ability to finance the war. They also reflect a coordinated mechanism in which Western states immobilise assets held within their jurisdictions while preventing their repatriation. How Much Russian Money Is Frozen Worldwide? Between 289 billion and 300 billion in Russian assets have been frozen worldwide since the 2022 invasion. Using the updated exchange rate of 1 = $1.1687 (22 January 2026), this corresponds to roughly $338 billion to $350 billion today. This pool of frozen assets includes both sovereign holdings and private assets, but is dominated by funds belonging to the Russian central bank. How Much Does Europe Hold? Europes financial system carries the heaviest share of Russias frozen reserves. Roughly 209 billion to 210 billion is held under EU jurisdiction, an overwhelming majority of the global total. At todays valuation, that corresponds to $244 billion to $245 billion. The single largest concentration of Russian assets sits in Belgium, where Euroclear, one of the worlds most significant securities depositories, handles cross-border transactions for trillions of euros in financial instruments. Around 180 billion of Russias immobilised reserves are parked within Euroclears ecosystem. A striking portion of that amount, close to 176 billion, now exists as cash balances rather than active securities. This happens when bonds mature or pay out, but the proceeds cannot be moved to their rightful owner. Instead, they accumulate inside the system, creating large, idle cash positions. Euroclears pivotal role has also placed it under legal and political pressure. Moscow has initiated a 230 billion lawsuit claiming not only the frozen assets but also the interest it argues should have accrued to Russia during the freeze. EU Locked The Principal Indefinitely While the EU has decided not to touch the principal amount, it does use the windfall profits generated while the assets sit immobilised. When frozen securities mature or pay coupons, the resulting cash earns interest because it must be deposited somewhere within the financial system. Since Russia cannot reclaim this income, the EU categorises it as an extraordinary gain directly created by the freeze. In mid-2024, the bloc channelled 1.5 billion of these windfall profits to Ukraine. None of that involved withdrawing from the 210-billion principal, which continues to sit untouched. By late 2025, the EU took a further step: it declared that Russian sovereign assets would be indefinitely immobilised." This move removed the need for periodic renewalswhich previously risked being vetoed by individual member statesand ensured the funds cannot be repurposed by any outside actor, including Washington. How Much Does The United States Hold? Compared with Europes vast holdings, the US controls a very small portion of the freeze. According to a report by Al Jazeera, it holds 4.3 billion in frozen Russian assets, which is about $5.02 billion. Although small in proportion to the global total, this is the only pool over which Washington can legally decide how to use. It is also the only pool from which Russia could plausibly contribute to any US-led initiative, because the United States has no authority over the much larger sums held under EU rules. Where Else Are Frozen Russian Assets Held? Outside the EU and the US, Russian holdings are dispersed across several countries. According to Al Jazeera: Japan: 28 billion ( $32.7 billion) United Kingdom: 27 billion ( $31.55 billion) France: 19 billion ( $22.2 billion) Canada: 15.1 billion ( $17.65 billion) Luxembourg: 10 billion ( $11.69 billion) Switzerland: 6.2 billion ( $7.25 billion) These assets, like all others, remain immobilised pending policy decisions by individual governments or blocs. What Exactly Is Trumps Board of Peace? The Board of Peace is a new international body proposed by Trump last September as part of Phase 2 of his 20-Point Peace Plan." The initiative aims to address major conflicts with an initial focus on Gaza by overseeing reconstruction, humanitarian stabilisation, regional diplomacy, and investment mobilisation. 60 countries have been invited to participate. The Executive Board would manage portfolios linked to governance, reconstruction, regional relations and long-term financing. Countries contributing $1 billion would receive permanent seats on the board; those that do not contribute would be eligible for three-year terms. RT reported that Putin thanked Trump for the invitation but said that more time would be needed to study the offer and consult Russias strategic partners. This comes after Trump on Monday (local time) confirmed that Russian President Vladimir Putin has been invited to join the proposed Gaza Board of Peace, describing him as one of several world leaders considered for the initiative. News18 Newsletter Handpicked stories, in your inbox A newsletter with the best of our journalism submit First Published: January 22, 2026, 14:00 IST News explainers Putin Offers Frozen Russian Assets To Join Trump's Board Of Peace: What Are These Worth? Disclaimer: Comments reflect users views, not News18s. Please keep discussions respectful and constructive. Abusive, defamatory, or illegal comments will be removed. News18 may disable any comment at its discretion. By posting, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy Loading comments... The Shankaracharya Dispute: Tradition, Authority, And The Modern Indian State | Explained Curated By : News18.com Last Updated: January 22, 2026, 20:59 IST To understand the current friction, one must look at the institutional framework Adi Shankaracharya created to ensure the spiritual unification of India Swami Avimukteshwaranand Saraswati outside his camp during the ongoing Magh Mela 2026, at Sangam in Prayagraj on January 19, 2026. (Image: PTI) In the spiritual landscape of India, the title of Shankaracharya represents the pinnacle of Hindu monastic authority. Established in the 8th century by the philosopher-saint Adi Shankaracharya, the four principal Pithas (monasteries) were strategically placed at the four cardinal corners of the subcontinent to safeguard the Vedic tradition and the philosophy of Advaita Vedanta (non-dualism). However, in January 2026, this ancient institution has found itself at the centre of a modern bureaucratic and legal storm at the Magh Mela in Prayagraj. The confrontation between Swami Avimukteshwaranand Saraswati and the Mela administration has reignited a century-old debate over legitimacy, protocol, and the intersection of religious tradition with state authority. The Four Pillars of Sanatana Dharma To understand the current friction, one must look at the institutional framework Adi Shankaracharya created to ensure the spiritual unification of India. He appointed his four chief disciples to head these monasteries, each guarding a specific Veda. The Sringeri Sharada Peetham in the South (Karnataka) guards the Yajur Veda, while the Dwarka Sharada Peetham in the West (Gujarat) preserves the Sama Veda. In the East, the Govardhana Matha in Puri (Odisha) is tasked with the Rig Veda, and the Jyotir Math in the North (Uttarakhand) guards the Atharva Veda. Each Shankaracharya is considered a Jagadguru (World Teacher), traditionally accorded state guest" status and moving in ceremonial processions with palanquinssymbols of their sovereign spiritual authority. The Spark at Prayagraj: Mauni Amavasya 2026 The current confrontation began on January 18, during the auspicious bathing festival of Mauni Amavasya. Swami Avimukteshwaranand, who claims the title of Shankaracharya of the Northern Jyotir Math, attempted to proceed to the Sangam in a traditional palanquin procession. The Prayagraj administration halted the procession, citing safety risks and a no-vehicle zone" policy. The ensuing scuffle between police and the seers disciples led to allegations of manhandling. In protest, the Swami sat on a high-profile dharna, refusing food and water until the administration apologised. The standoff took a sharper turn when the Magh Mela Authority served a formal legal notice to the Swami, questioning his right to use the title Shankaracharya." The Identity Crisis: A Legal Notice The administration cited a Supreme Court stay on the formal coronation (Pattabhishek) of any individual to the Jyotir Math seat, following a long-standing succession dispute. The authorities argued that since the matter is sub judice, using the title on camp signboards constitutes a violation of court orders. In response, the Swamis legal team asserted that his coronation took place on September 12, 2022, before the Supreme Courts stay order on October 14, 2022. They further argued that the apex court has referred to him as Shankaracharya" in its own documents and that his status is recognised by the heads of the other Pithas. Tradition vs Bureaucracy The confrontation, say observers, highlights a growing tension in modern India regarding protocol versus public safety and the states role in religious autonomy. While the administration insists that crowd-control rules apply to everyone, supporters of the Shankaracharya view the demand for proof" of his spiritual title as an unprecedented intrusion into the internal traditions of Sanatana Dharma. As of January 22, a second notice has been issued to the Swami, threatening to cancel his camps land allotment and permanently bar him from the Mela. The stalemate remains a potent symbol of the struggle to balance 1,200 years of monastic tradition with the administrative requirements of a 21st-century state. News18 Newsletter Handpicked stories, in your inbox A newsletter with the best of our journalism submit First Published: January 22, 2026, 20:59 IST News explainers The Shankaracharya Dispute: Tradition, Authority, And The Modern Indian State | Explained Disclaimer: Comments reflect users views, not News18s. Please keep discussions respectful and constructive. Abusive, defamatory, or illegal comments will be removed. News18 may disable any comment at its discretion. By posting, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy Loading comments... UN Scientists Say The World Has Entered An Era Of 'Water Bankruptcy': What Happens Now? Curated By : News18.com Last Updated: January 22, 2026, 16:52 IST Scientists say 'water bankruptcy' captures a reality where natural systems can no longer recover, and where old approaches to water use no longer work. Nearly 4 billion people, almost half the global population, face severe water scarcity for at least one month every year. The United Nations is warning that the world has entered an era of global water bankruptcy", a stage where rivers, lakes, glaciers, and aquifers are being depleted faster than nature can replenish them. The idea marks a profound shift in how experts understand the planets water balance. For years, governments and international agencies described the situation as a looming shortage. But new analysis from the UN University Institute for Water, Environment and Health (UNU-INWEH) suggests something far more irreversible has taken hold. The world is experiencing consequences, from shrinking lakes and sinking cities to crop loss and water rationing, that indicate natural systems can no longer bounce back to their historical conditions. The UN researchers argue that the language itself must change. Earlier warnings were framed around a future that could still be avoided. The new research says the world has already crossed into a phase where water use outstrips natures ability to recover, and ecosystems have been damaged so deeply that old baselines are unlikely to return. Why Scientists Say The World Is Now Water Bankrupt The term water bankruptcy" is not just a metaphor. In hydrological terms, it describes places where long-term withdrawals exceed natural resupply, and where the natural assets that store, filter, and regulate water such as aquifers, wetlands, and glaciers have been degraded beyond easy repair. The numbers illustrate how widespread this is becoming. Nearly 4 billion people almost half the global population face severe water scarcity for at least one month every year. Many are already seeing the symptoms around them: dry reservoirs, worsening droughts, crop failures, water rationing and, in some regions, more frequent dust storms and wildfires. UN scientists point to examples across continents. In Tehran, repeated droughts and unsustainable extraction have depleted reservoirs that the Iranian capital depends on. In the United States, demand on the Colorado River has long exceeded sustainable supply, affecting seven states that rely on it for drinking water and irrigation. These situations, researchers say, are not temporary emergencies. They are signs of a deeper structural failure the water equivalent of living on debt until the bank account collapses. How Water Bankruptcy Develops The analogy to financial collapse runs through the UN study. Just as monetary bankruptcy begins with late payments and borrowing, water bankruptcy starts when societies quietly take more water than nature replaces. At first, the signs seem manageable: deeper wells during dry years, more powerful pumps, redirected rivers, drained wetlands. Over time, the hidden costs surface. Lakes shrink year by year. Coastal aquifers turn salty. Rivers that once flowed continuously begin running dry for portions of the year. One of the most striking markers is land subsidence. When groundwater is drawn too quickly, the underground structures that hold water much like a sponge can permanently collapse. Mexico City is sinking by roughly 25 centimetres annually. Once underground pores are compacted, they cannot be restored, even if water later becomes available. The UNs Global Water Bankruptcy report notes that groundwater extraction has already contributed to land subsidence across more than 6 million square kilometres, including urban centres where close to 2 billion people live. Parts of Jakarta, Bangkok and Ho Chi Minh City are well-known examples of this decline. The Ripple Effects: Food Systems, Livelihoods, And Security Agriculture remains the worlds biggest water user, accounting for nearly 70 per cent of freshwater withdrawals. When a region becomes water-bankrupt, farming becomes more expensive and less viable. Jobs are lost, food production is hit, and national security risks rise. Over 3 billion people and more than half of global food production are concentrated in areas where water storage is already declining or unstable. Around 1.7 million square kilometres of irrigated cropland face high or very high water stress, threatening global food supplies and increasing the risk of price spikes. Climate change amplifies these pressures. Droughts are lasting longer and becoming more severe. Between 2022 and 2023 alone, more than 1.8 billion people experienced drought at some point. Warming temperatures increase the water needs of crops, raise the electricity demand for pumping, and accelerate the melting of glaciers that hundreds of millions of people depend on for seasonal water. The effects play out in everyday life: hydroelectric shortages, public health risks, migration pressures, unemployment, and episodes of unrest. What The UN Study Adds: A New Definition For A New Reality Traditional labels such as water stress" and water crisis" no longer describe the worlds situation. Those terms, the authors say, imply a future challenge that can still be averted. But the new research finds that many systems have already passed a recovery threshold. According to the UN report, the world has lost nearly 410 million hectares of wetlands in the past 50 years an area roughly the size of the European Union. Many major rivers now fail to reach the sea for parts of the year. Around 70 per cent of heavily used aquifers show long-term depletion. Glaciers provide another warning sign. Climate change has driven the loss of over 30 per cent of global glacier mass since 1970. As these natural water towers shrink, the reservoirs they feed become less reliable. UNU-INWEH director Kaveh Madani called the trend a warning" requiring a deep policy rethink. Lets adopt this framework. Lets understand this. Let us recognise this bitter reality today before we cause more irreversible damages," he told AFP. Why Past Approaches Failed The study explains how societies gradually exhausted their water balance. Each region receives a water income" every year the amount nature deposits as rain and snow. When demand rises, governments and industries often try to cover the gap by tapping groundwater, draining wetlands, straightening rivers or diverting water from other basins. These methods resemble borrowing money from savings. It works temporarily, but eventually the reserves disappear. Over the past five decades, more than 4.1 million square kilometres of wetlands have been lost globally. Water quality has also deteriorated as pollution, soil salinisation and saltwater intrusion render some sources unusable. Meanwhile, cities, industries and farmland continue expanding, and now data centres are adding new water demands. Even if not every country is currently water bankrupt, the UN notes that basins are interconnected through trade, migration and climate systems. Collapse in one region increases stress elsewhere, raising the possibility of geopolitical tension. Can Water Bankruptcy Be Reversed? The researchers argue that water bankruptcy requires the same response as financial collapse: acknowledging the situation and changing the system. The first step is stopping the bleeding" setting realistic water-use limits based on what nature can actually supply, rather than drilling deeper and offsetting todays shortages by burdening the future. They also point to the urgent need to protect natural capital. Restoring rivers, rebuilding soil health, reviving wetlands, and enabling groundwater recharge are essential measures, not optional environmental add-ons. Cutting water use fairly is another challenge. Policies that reduce supplies for poorer communities while protecting powerful users will inevitably fail. Sustainable transitions may include social protections, shifting farmers towards less water-intensive crops, and investing in efficiency. The report emphasises better measurement as well. Many countries still manage water with incomplete information. Satellite systems now allow for early warning of groundwater depletion, land subsidence, wetland loss, glacier retreat and pollution. Finally, the researchers stress the psychological shift required. Water bankruptcy means letting go of old assumptions about abundance and redesigning cities, farms and economies for a world with less. As the report argues, bankruptcy can be a turning point, but only if the world accepts the reality of its depleted water accounts. News18 Newsletter Handpicked stories, in your inbox A newsletter with the best of our journalism submit First Published: January 22, 2026, 16:50 IST News explainers UN Scientists Say The World Has Entered An Era Of 'Water Bankruptcy': What Happens Now? Disclaimer: Comments reflect users views, not News18s. Please keep discussions respectful and constructive. Abusive, defamatory, or illegal comments will be removed. News18 may disable any comment at its discretion. By posting, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy Loading comments... What Is Trump's 'Golden Dome' Defence System And Does The US Need To Own Greenland To Build It? Curated By : News18.com Last Updated: January 22, 2026, 10:05 IST Donald Trump says Greenland is 'vital' for the Golden Dome, his most ambitious missile-defence plan yet. Heres how the system would work and why he links it to the Arctic island. The Golden Dome is a next-generation air and missile defence project formally set in motion through a US executive order last year. (Representative/AP) US President Donald Trump has renewed his argument that US control of Greenland is necessary for national security, linking the idea to the Golden Dome", a $175-billion missile defence architecture he calls the most ambitious effort ever undertaken by Washington. Speaking at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Trump framed Greenland as critical not only to his missile shield but to the future of NATO, Arctic stability, and American dominion in the far north. Trump insisted the Golden Dome would be based in Greenland and would protect not just the United States but Canada as well, adding that Ottawa should be more grateful" for the security umbrella. Vice President JD Vance, Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Special Envoy Steve Witkoff have been tasked with leading the follow-up discussions. In earlier posts on Truth Social, Trump had said that The United States needs Greenland for the purpose of National Security," and called the territory vital for the Golden Dome that we are building". He also urged NATO to back the US acquisition of the island, arguing that the alliance would become far more formidable and effective with Greenland in the hands of the United States". But the assertion that Washington must own" Greenland to build the Golden Dome has triggered scrutiny, because officials familiar with US missile programmes and the history of Americas presence on the island point to a different reality. Below is a detailed look at what Trumps Golden Dome vision entails, why he has linked it to Greenland, and what current rules, access agreements, and strategic realities suggest about whether ownership is necessary. What Is Donald Trumps Golden Dome Missile Defence Vision? The Golden Dome is a next-generation air and missile defence project formally set in motion through a US executive order last year. Trump has described it as a cornerstone of Americas future security, intended to shield the US mainland from the most advanced forms of attack ranging from ballistic missiles to hypersonic glide vehicles, cruise missiles, and even large swarms of AI-enabled drones. Trump announced the Golden Dome last May as a $175-billion, three-year effort. He appointed senior US Space Force general Michael Guetlein to lead it, reviving elements of Ronald Reagans Strategic Defence Initiative or Star Wars" but updated with modern surveillance, space-based systems, and integrated interceptor capabilities. At its core, the Golden Dome relies on hundreds of satellites deployed in orbit to detect, track, and potentially intercept hostile launches. Unlike earlier US missile defence systems designed primarily for ballistic threats, this architecture is meant to identify and neutralise weapons shortly after launch, using a distributed network of sensors and interceptors. The concept aligns with what Pentagon planners call a system of systems": a multilayered framework in which satellites, long-range sensors, interceptor missiles, and command-and-control networks operate as a single defensive web. Because hypersonic glide vehicles and manoeuvring re-entry vehicles travel faster, fly lower, and evade older radar systems, a more dispersed, digitally fused, and space-anchored shield is required. Trump has said he wants the Golden Dome operational by January 2029, before the end of his term. Why Does Trump See Greenland As Vital To The Golden Dome? The logic Trump presents is rooted in geography. Greenland sits along the shortest Arctic routes between Eurasia and North America, which have long been the corridors through which intercontinental ballistic missiles would travel in a potential RussiaUS conflict. Early detection of missile launches from northern latitudes depends heavily on sensors placed close to these polar pathways. For the United States, Greenland has long played this role. The island hosts the Pituffik Space Base, formerly Thule Air Base, which has been central to American missile-warning and space-tracking operations for decades. Under a 1951 defence agreement between the US and Denmark, which controls Greenland, Washington has expansive access for space surveillance and early-warning activities. The base provides line-of-sight advantages for tracking launches that pass over the Arctic. In Trumps public framing, placing interceptors, sensors, or command nodes for the Golden Dome in Greenland would significantly enhance protection for the US mainland and Canada, and shift NATOs defence geometry deeper into the Arctic. He has argued that adversaries such as Russia and China are eyeing Greenlands strategic location", and that NATO should lead the way" in helping the US secure the island. How Would The Golden Dome Actually Work? Based on US executive documents, the project aims for a blend of space-based and ground-based systems. A network of orbital satellites would provide continuous tracking of launches anywhere in the world. These satellites could relay targeting data to interceptors, some possibly space-based, others located on land or at sea. The ambition is to hit a missile in its early phases, when it is easier to detect and predict. A US Congress report outlines several existing technologies that could be integrated: Long-range early-warning radars Space-based tracking systems Ground-based interceptors capable of engaging ballistic and hypersonic threats The report emphasises that the administration has not publicly provided a comprehensive picture of procurement plans or operational concepts, reflecting how early the project still is. What Existing US Systems Could Be Folded Into The Golden Dome? According to congressional documents, the Golden Dome may incorporate some or all" of existing US missile defence assets. This includes: THAAD (Terminal High Altitude Area Defense), effective against ballistic missiles Patriot systems, which can intercept cruise missiles, hypersonic weapons, and large drones Current long-range radars and early-warning platforms Maritime and air-based interceptors New command-and-control (C2) software capable of fusing data across domains Does The US Really Need To Own Greenland For This Project? According to defence experts, the answer is no. The United States already operates on Greenland under the 1951 US-Denmark defence agreement, and nothing about the Golden Domes known components requires ownership of the island. A former US defence official cited by Politico observed that improving homeland defence whether through additional radars, communication antennas or even interceptor sites" can all be done collaboratively with Denmark, as has been the case for decades. The official added that if strengthening homeland defence were the real goal, the administrations approach is off to a truly terrible start". Todd Harrison, a senior fellow at the American Enterprise Institute, told Politico that the US already has unfettered access to what we need for Golden Dome in Greenland," adding that Trumps statements about needing to seize the territory are detached from reality". What Access Does The US Already Have In Greenland? The American presence at Pituffik Space Base is central to US early-warning capabilities. For decades, it has hosted sensors that track ballistic missile launches, space objects, and Arctic activity. The installations latitude gives it a line-of-sight advantage in polar trajectories. If Washington wanted to place additional radar arrays, space-tracking systems, or even interceptor launchers on the island, it could request permission under the bilateral defence framework. Nothing in the structure of the Golden Dome, based on the information released so far, legally requires the acquisition of territory. Could The Golden Dome Be Placed Elsewhere? Yes. According to Politico, the US Missile Defense Agency has already studied several domestic locations for interceptor fields. A former US defence official said that Fort Drum in New York has consistently ranked highly in these internal evaluations and may even be preferable to Greenland in some configurations. Senator Dan Sullivan has also argued that his state of Alabama could play a critical role" in housing ground-based elements of the shield. The option of basing components in Canada exists as well, should both countries choose to expand their bilateral defence arrangements. Given that the Golden Dome involves various layers space, ground, maritime, and airborne its components can be distributed across multiple geographies, not concentrated in one northern location. What Happens Next? Trumps advisers will continue negotiations and planning related to the Golden Dome and its possible basing arrangements. Trumps public narrative casts Greenland as indispensable to Americas future defence. The underlying architecture of the Golden Dome, however, points to a different picture. The debate is less about engineering requirements and more about the politics of Arctic influence, NATO cohesion and the strategic imagination driving Trumps second-term security agenda. News18 Newsletter Handpicked stories, in your inbox A newsletter with the best of our journalism submit First Published: January 22, 2026, 09:55 IST News explainers What Is Trump's 'Golden Dome' Defence System And Does The US Need To Own Greenland To Build It? Disclaimer: Comments reflect users views, not News18s. Please keep discussions respectful and constructive. Abusive, defamatory, or illegal comments will be removed. News18 may disable any comment at its discretion. By posting, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy Loading comments... Andhra Pradesh Govt Considers Under-16 Social Media Ban, Eyes Australia Model Curated By : News18.com Last Updated: January 22, 2026, 13:53 IST AP Minister Nara Lokesh is considering a ban on social media for children under 16, studying Australias law, to protect youth from harmful online content and promote safety. Rapid Read When logistics major BlackBuck decided to shift operations from its Bellandur office due to worsening traffic, Lokesh publicly invited the company to relocate to Visakhapatnam. (Photo: News18) Andhra Pradesh Minister Nara Lokesh has said the state government is considering a ban on social media access for children under 16. Speaking to Bloomberg in Davos, Lokesh said the government is studying Australias decision to ban children under the age of 16 from accessing social media. He noted that youngsters below a certain age should not be on such platforms as they do not fully understand the content they are exposed to and that a strong legal framework may be required. As a state, we are studying Australias under-16 law, and yes, I believe we need to create a strong legal enactment," he said. Lokesh said he strongly felt that youngsters under a certain age should not be on social media because they dont understand what they are seeing." Reacting to these remarks, TDP National Spokesperson Deepak Reddy said, Minister Nara Lokesh ji has rightly highlighted the serious concerns surrounding the impact of social media on the mental health and safety of young children. Children below a certain age are not emotionally mature enough to comprehend the negative and harmful content that is freely available online. That is why the Andhra Pradesh government is studying global best practices and examining Australias under-16 social media law." He further added, During the previous YSRCP government, social media was blatantly misused to launch brutal and derogatory attacks against women, including women from political parties, and Andhra Pradesh was among the first states to clamp down hard on such abuse. In the same spirit, the present initiative is aimed at protecting children from toxic content and online negativity. The Telugu Desam Party stands firmly with Minister Lokesh ji in his efforts to safeguard children and promote responsible use of social media." News18 Newsletter Handpicked stories, in your inbox A newsletter with the best of our journalism submit Location : Andhra Pradesh, India, India First Published: January 22, 2026, 13:53 IST News india Andhra Pradesh Govt Considers Under-16 Social Media Ban, Eyes Australia Model Disclaimer: Comments reflect users views, not News18s. Please keep discussions respectful and constructive. Abusive, defamatory, or illegal comments will be removed. News18 may disable any comment at its discretion. By posting, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy Loading comments... 3 Killed As Private Bus, Container Lorry Catch Fire After Collision In Andhra Pradesh's Nandyal Curated By : Last Updated: January 22, 2026, 08:17 IST Three people were killed after a private bus travelling from Nellore to Hyderabad suffered a tyre burst, crossed the divider, and collided with an oncoming lorry in Andhra Pradesh. Road accident in Andhra Pradesh (Video screengrabs) At least three people were killed in a horrific road accident after a private bus lost control due to a tyre burst and crashed into an oncoming container lorry in Andhra Pradeshs Nandyal district in the early hours of Thursday. The accident occurred shortly after midnight near Sirivellametta in Sirivella mandal. The bus, which was carrying 36 passengers from Nellore to Hyderabad, reportedly suffered a tyre burst while speeding along the highway. As a result, the driver lost control of the vehicle, causing it to cross the road divider and ram into a container lorry approaching from the opposite direction. The impact of the collision was severe, and both the bus and the lorry caught fire soon after crashing. The bus driver, the lorry driver, and the lorry cleaner were killed on the spot. Their bodies were burnt beyond recognition in the blaze, it was known. In a timely act of bravery, a DCM driver passing through the area stopped at the accident site and broke open the windows of the burning bus, enabling several passengers to escape. More than 10 passengers sustained injuries while jumping out of the bus to save themselves from the flames. Police personnel rushed to the scene soon after receiving information about the accident. Fire services were pressed into action to douse the flames, while the injured passengers were rescued and shifted to the Nandyal Government Hospital for treatment. Their condition is stated to be stable. News18 Newsletter Handpicked stories, in your inbox A newsletter with the best of our journalism submit First Published: January 22, 2026, 08:06 IST News india 3 Killed As Private Bus, Container Lorry Catch Fire After Collision In Andhra Pradesh's Nandyal Disclaimer: Comments reflect users views, not News18s. Please keep discussions respectful and constructive. Abusive, defamatory, or illegal comments will be removed. News18 may disable any comment at its discretion. By posting, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy Loading comments... 'Anti-Hindu, Anti-Sanatana': BJP After Rahul Gandhi Calls G-RAM-G 'A Mere Slogan' Curated By : News18.com Last Updated: January 22, 2026, 15:12 IST The BJP accused Rahul Gandhi of deliberately distancing himself from the Ram Mandir and insulting Hindu sentiments, alleging a persistent anti-Sanatana mindset within the Congress. Rahul Gandhi addresses the National MGNREGA Workers in New Delhi (Photo: PTI) The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on Thursday mounted a scathing attack on Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi, accusing him of being anti-Hindu" and anti-Sanatana" after he criticised the proposed VB-GRAM-G framework and described it as an assault on the rights of the poor. Leading the BJPs response, party spokesperson Pradeep Bhandari reacted sharply to Rahul Gandhis remarks, alleging that his criticism of the legislation reflected a deeper ideological hostility towards Sanatana values. In a post on X, Bhandari said, Two years since the historic Ram Mandir consecration, yet no visit by the Gandhi-Vadra family to Ayodhya. Now, even the Parliamentary panel visit hangs in uncertainty as Rahul Gandhi hasnt confirmed his presence deliberately!" Escalating the attack, Bhandari accused the Congress leader of consistently distancing himself from the Hindu faith and traditions. Rahul Gandhi is anti-Hindu, anti-Sanatana!" he asserted, linking Gandhis opposition to VB-GRAM-G with what the BJP described as his repeated absence from religious and parliamentary engagements related to the Ram Mandir. The criticism was intensified by BJP spokesperson CR Kesavan, who accused Rahul Gandhi of insulting sacred Hindu traditions and deliberately avoiding key national moments. Referring to Gandhis absence during the Pran Pratishta ceremony at the Ram Mandir in Ayodhya, Kesavan said, Rahul Gandhi, who arrogantly boycotted and insulted the sacred Pran Pratishta ceremony of the Ayodhya Ram Mandir as Naach Gaana event." Kesavan further accused Gandhi of mocking the proposed Viksit Bharat G-RAM-G legislation while remaining absent from Parliament during crucial discussions. Rahul Gandhi was travelling abroad and was conspicuously absent when the Parliament was discussing this historic transformative legislation," he said, alleging that the Congress leadership and Rahul Gandhi are allergic to even the mention of Lord Ram." The BJP spokesperson also cited past actions of the Congress, claiming ideological continuity in what he described as a Hindu Virodhi mindset." He said it was the Congress-led UPA government that had filed an affidavit in the Supreme Court claiming there was no historical proof of Lord Ram. From Nehru to Rahul Gandhi, the Hindu Virodhi mindset of the Congress party dangerously persists, be it opposing the reconstruction of the Somnath temple or demeaning the pious Chhath Pooja as a drama," Kesavan added. Rahul Gandhi who arrogantly boycotted and insulted the sacred Pran Pratishta ceremony of the Ayodhya Ram Mandir as Naach Gaana event, now condescendingly mocks the Viksit Bharat G RAM G legislation. Rahul Gandhi was travelling abroad and was conspicuously absent when the pic.twitter.com/nkPPrVb4rp C.R.Kesavan (@crkesavan) January 22, 2026 The BJPs sharp reaction came after Rahul Gandhi launched a strong attack on the proposed VB-GRAM-G framework during the Congress-led MGNREGA Bachao Sangram. In a post on X, Gandhi said, VB-GRAM-G is a mere slogan, an assault on the rights of the poor." Explaining his position, Gandhi said, The concept of MGNREGA was to give rights to the poor. Now, Narendra Modi and the BJP want to abolish that concept." He alleged that the proposed changes would centralise power in Delhi and undermine workers rights. The idea is that the Delhi government will decide where the money goes, they will implement it in a centralised manner, and the main thing is what was given to labourers earlier will now be handed over to landlords and bureaucracy," he said. Rahul Gandhi and Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge joined the MGNREGA Bachao Sangram in the national capital, where several Congress leaders, MPs, MLAs, civil society representatives and MGNREGA workers gathered. Addressing the programme, Gandhi reiterated that MGNREGA had given rights to the poor," emphasising that the scheme allowed people to demand work with dignity under the Panchayati Raj system. Senior Congress leaders at the event announced that the campaign would be expanded into a nationwide mass movement, opposing what the party described as the Modi governments attempt to weaken or replace MGNREGA and dilute the constitutional right to work. News18 Newsletter Handpicked stories, in your inbox A newsletter with the best of our journalism submit First Published: January 22, 2026, 15:02 IST News india 'Anti-Hindu, Anti-Sanatana': BJP After Rahul Gandhi Calls G-RAM-G 'A Mere Slogan' Disclaimer: Comments reflect users views, not News18s. Please keep discussions respectful and constructive. Abusive, defamatory, or illegal comments will be removed. News18 may disable any comment at its discretion. By posting, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy Loading comments... Boeing 787 Faced Long-Standing Defects Ahead Of Ahmedabad Crash, Flags US Safety Group Reported By : CNN-News18 Edited By: Apoorva Misra Last Updated: January 22, 2026, 12:23 IST According to the submission, the Dreamliner involved experienced system failures from its first day with Air India & continued to log problems throughout its 11-year service life Rapid Read The London-bound aircraft crashed just 32 seconds after takeoff from the Ahmedabad airport. (PTI Photo) A report submitted by the US-based Foundation for Aviation Safety (FAS) has raised serious safety concerns about the Boeing 787-8 aircraft that crashed in Ahmedabad on June 12, 2025, saying the jet had technical faults dating back to its earliest days in service and that safety issues may have been overlooked or downplayed globally. According to the FAS submission, which was presented to the US Senate on January 12, 2026, the Dreamliner involvedregistered VT-ANBexperienced system failures from its first day with Air India, and continued to log a wide and confusing mix of engineering, manufacturing, quality and maintenance problems" throughout its 11-year service life. The FAS report singles out multiple manufacturing defects that it says could have compromised the aircrafts safety. These include: Fuel control cut-off switch locking feature: The locking mechanism may be disengaged, allowing the switch to move unintentionally. This defect was first recorded in December 2018, but it is unclear if corrective action was ever fully implemented. Fuselage fasteners installed improperly, potentially affecting structural integrity. This condition was flagged in June 2024, with no verified record of rectification before service. Oxygen supply tubing problems and landing gear issuesalso listed as unresolved manufacturing concerns. Ram Air Turbine (RAT) pump barrel assembly failure: First observed in October 2021, raising questions about a key emergency power systems reliability. The FAS presentation also refers to earlier design-related defects that had been flagged previously in the types operational history: Flight control module faults, first identified in 2013 and reportedly fixed by May 2021. Missed ATC communication issues, raised in 2020 and withdrawn in 2021. Despite fixes, the group says the combination of design and manufacturing weaknesses contributed to ongoing equipment and system failures across the 787 fleet. Citing maintenance records and incident reports, FAS said the aircraft experienced electrical and software faults, including repeated circuit breaker trips, wiring damage, short circuits, loss of electrical power, and overheating of power distribution componentsissues that continued long before the crash. One serious occurrence in January 2022 involved a fire in the P100 primary power panel, a critical unit distributing engine-generated high-voltage electricity throughout the plane. Damage was so extensive that the entire panel required replacement. The foundation further alleges that similar failures have surfaced in other Boeing 787s operated in countries such as the United States, Canada, and Australia, suggesting the problems were not unique to the Ahmedabad aircraft. The FAS report challenges the narrative emerging from initial investigations that focused on potential pilot action involving the fuel control switches, a charge repeatedly denied by the pilots association. THE AHMEDABAD CRASH On June 12, 2025, Air India Flight AI171, a Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner registered VT-ANB, took off from Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel International Airport in Ahmedabad bound for London Gatwick Airport. Just seconds after lift-off, the aircraft lost altitude and crashed into a block of the BJ Medical College hostel in the Meghani Nagar area. All occupants onboard, except one, were killed in the crash, which also resulted in deaths on groundmarking one of the worst aviation disasters in India. The Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB) of India recovered critical data recorders, in particular, the flight data recorder (black box") from the crash site. According to preliminary findings from the AAIB, both engines shut down seconds after take-off due to the fuel control switches being moved from RUN to CUTOFF. Cockpit voice recordings captured pilots expressing confusion about why the switches had moved. One asked, Why did you cutoff?" and the other replied, I didnt." The switches were briefly reset, and there were signs of attempted engine restart, but thrust could not be regained in time to prevent the crash. The final report into the crash is still awaited. News18 Newsletter Handpicked stories, in your inbox A newsletter with the best of our journalism submit First Published: January 22, 2026, 12:07 IST News india Boeing 787 Faced Long-Standing Defects Ahead Of Ahmedabad Crash, Flags US Safety Group Disclaimer: Comments reflect users views, not News18s. Please keep discussions respectful and constructive. Abusive, defamatory, or illegal comments will be removed. News18 may disable any comment at its discretion. By posting, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy Loading comments... Delhi Police Issue Wanted Posters Of Al-Qaeda Terrorist Ahead Of Republic Day Terror Threat Curated By : News18.com Last Updated: January 22, 2026, 07:28 IST According to the Delhi Police, Mohammed Rehan is a wanted terrorist by the Delhi Police and intelligence agencies. Delhi Police's alert posters for Republic Day feature terrorist from Delhi. (Image: ANI) Amid reports of terror threat on Republic Day in the national capital, the Delhi Police issued alert posters featuring a picture of Mohammed Rehan, an Al-Qaeda in the Indian Subcontinent (AQIS) terrorist from Delhi. According to the Delhi Police, Mohammed Rehan is a wanted terrorist by the Delhi Police and intelligence agencies. The terrorists photo was included for the first time, an official stated. The development came ahead of the 77th Republic Day celebrations as the Delhi Police has put in place an extensive, technology-driven security apparatus across Kartavya Path and the entire New Delhi district, in view of multiple terror-related threat inputs received from intelligence agencies. According to Additional Commissioner of Police, New Delhi District, Devesh Kumar Mahala, a multi-layered security cordon comprising Delhi Police and paramilitary forces has been deployed in the Kartavya Path area. The entire area is under surveillance through an extensive network of CCTV cameras, integrated with an advanced facial recognition system (FRS). He further mentioned that around 10,000 police personnel will be deployed on this national day, and the briefings have been conducted nine times on the ground. Republic Day is celebrated on a fixed time and is observed in Kartvaya Path. In view of this, there is a security standard protocol, which has been implemented. Around 10,000 police personnel will be on duty. We have conducted briefings and rehearsals 9 times on the ground," Mahala was quoted as saying by news agency ANI. (With agency inputs) News18 Newsletter Handpicked stories, in your inbox A newsletter with the best of our journalism submit First Published: January 22, 2026, 07:28 IST News india Delhi Police Issue Wanted Posters Of Al-Qaeda Terrorist Ahead Of Republic Day Terror Threat Disclaimer: Comments reflect users views, not News18s. Please keep discussions respectful and constructive. Abusive, defamatory, or illegal comments will be removed. News18 may disable any comment at its discretion. By posting, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy Loading comments... 'DGMO Said...': Army Chief Upendra Dwivedi Recalls How He Got Info About Pahalgam Attack Curated By : News18.com Last Updated: January 22, 2026, 21:48 IST Gen. Upendra Dwivedi said he felt slightly apprehensive while addressing an event, recalling the moment when he first received information about the Pahalgam terror attack. Rapid Read Chief of the Army Staff General Upendra Dwivedi (Image: PTI) Chief of Army Staff of the Indian Army, General Upendra Dwivedi, revealed that he feels slightly cautious and apprehensive" while standing on the rostrum to address an event in the aftermath of the Pahalgam terror attack on April 22, 2025. The barbaric terror attack, in which 26 tourists were gunned down by Lashkar-linked terrorists, prompted an Indian military response against terror hideouts in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir on May 7, in which Pakistans airbases were targeted, and over 100 terrorists were killed. Speaking during a book launch on Thursday, General Dwivedi recalled how he got information about the Pahalgam attack. Whenever I stand on the rostrum after 22nd April, I am always slightly cautious and apprehensive, because on 22nd April, when I was taking the retiring officer seminar, and I was done with three-fourths of my address," he said. Suddenly, Rajiv Ghai, the DGMO at the time, walks in and says, Sir, chota sa. (Sir, just a little)." So, when the DGMO says chhota sa, you can make it out. He came in between your talks and what you were about to say, so there must be something more. Whenever I stand on the rostrum, I am always reminded of those days," he added. Last week, the Army Chief emphasised that Operation Sindoor against Pakistan, and Indian forces are closely monitoring every move by the enemy, even as the overall security situation remains under control. Speaking at an investiture ceremony at the South Western Command in Jaipur on Wednesday, General Dwivedi said the Indian Army, Navy and Air Force jointly struck nine terrorist camps and infrastructure targets in Pakistan during Operation Sindoor, completing the operation with precision in just 22 minutes. Within 88 hours, our precision, professionalism and operational superiority forced Pakistan to agree to a ceasefire," he said, calling it a demonstration of Indias capability to protect national sovereignty and interests. He also said future wars cannot be won by a single force alone and require a coordinated national effort. News18 Newsletter Handpicked stories, in your inbox A newsletter with the best of our journalism submit First Published: January 22, 2026, 21:48 IST News india 'DGMO Said...': Army Chief Upendra Dwivedi Recalls How He Got Info About Pahalgam Attack Disclaimer: Comments reflect users views, not News18s. Please keep discussions respectful and constructive. Abusive, defamatory, or illegal comments will be removed. News18 may disable any comment at its discretion. By posting, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy Loading comments... Dhar Bhojshala Row: SC Orders Peaceful Conduct Of Basant Panchami And Friday Prayers Curated By : News18.com Last Updated: January 22, 2026, 12:55 IST The Bhojshala complex, an 11th-century monument, is regarded by Hindus as a temple dedicated to Goddess Saraswati, while Muslims consider it the Kamal Maula Mosque. Bhojshala complex in MP's Dhar | File Image The Supreme Court on Thursday issued a series of directions to ensure that Basant Panchami rituals and Friday Juma namaz are conducted peacefully at the Bhojshala-Kamal Maula complex in Madhya Pradeshs Dhar district, where a long-running dispute exists over the religious character of the site. A bench comprising Chief Justice of India Surya Kant, Justice Joymalya Bagchi and Justice Vipul Pancholi was hearing an application filed by the Hindu Front for Justice seeking permission to perform day-long Basant Panchami rituals at the site on January 23. The Bhojshala complex, an 11th-century monument protected by the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI), is regarded by Hindus as a temple dedicated to Goddess Saraswati (Vagdevi), while Muslims consider it the Kamal Maula Mosque. Under a 2003 arrangement, Hindus are permitted to offer prayers at the site on Tuesdays, while Muslims perform namaz on Fridays. During the hearing, counsel for the Hindu side said that pujas and havans would be conducted from sunrise to sunset on Basant Panchami. The mosque committee, however, pointed out that Juma namaz is held between 1 pm and 3 pm and cannot be rescheduled, though worshippers would vacate the premises immediately after prayers. To balance the competing claims, the court accepted a suggestion that separate, clearly demarcated spaces be created within the complex for the two communities. The bench directed that an exclusive area with separate entry and exit points be provided for namaz between 1 pm and 3 pm, while a distinct space be allotted to the Hindu community for Basant Panchami ceremonies. The court noted that the mosque committee would inform the district administration of the expected number of worshippers in advance, allowing authorities to issue passes or take other appropriate measures to maintain law and order. The Union government, the ASI and the Madhya Pradesh government assured the court that adequate security arrangements would be put in place. Recording these directions, the bench appealed to both sides to show mutual respect and cooperate fully with the administration to ensure peace at the site. The matter arose from a Special Leave Petition filed by the Maulana Kamaluddin Welfare Society, Dhar, challenging a Madhya Pradesh High Court order that had directed the ASI to conduct a scientific survey of the BhojshalaKamal Maula complex. In April 2024, the Supreme Court had allowed the survey to continue but barred any physical excavation or steps that could alter the character of the structure, and restrained authorities from acting on the survey findings without its permission. On Thursday, the Supreme Court disposed of the petition with directions that the main writ petition pending before the High Court be heard by a division bench headed by one of its senior-most judges. The court also noted that the ASI has completed the survey and submitted its report in a sealed cover. The bench said the High Court may unseal the report and provide copies to both parties, allowing them to file objections. If any portion of the report cannot be disclosed, the parties may be permitted to inspect it in the presence of their lawyers. The High Court was asked to consider all objections, suggestions and recommendations while taking up the matter for final hearing. News18 Newsletter Handpicked stories, in your inbox A newsletter with the best of our journalism submit Location : Madhya Pradesh, India, India First Published: January 22, 2026, 12:46 IST News india Dhar Bhojshala Row: SC Orders Peaceful Conduct Of Basant Panchami And Friday Prayers Disclaimer: Comments reflect users views, not News18s. Please keep discussions respectful and constructive. Abusive, defamatory, or illegal comments will be removed. News18 may disable any comment at its discretion. By posting, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy Loading comments... Digital Jihad Push: Agencies Flag Rise In Online Terror Content After Pahalgam Attack | Exclusive Reported By : News18.com Edited By: Apoorva Misra Last Updated: January 22, 2026, 09:16 IST Global jihadi groups such as Islamic State, al-Qaeda, and even Hamas are believed to be supplying propaganda materials and training modules through apps like Telegram & WhatsApp Rapid Read Officials said terror outfits are increasingly exploiting encrypted digital platforms and VPN-enabled communication. Central agencies have detected a worrying spike of close to 50 per cent in online and social media content aimed at training, radicalising and recruiting terror sympathisers, officials said, calling it one of the most troubling trends observed in recent months. Multiple social media groups have been traced and their content recorded by agencies monitoring online activity. According to sources familiar with the latest assessment, the increase has been particularly visible after last years Pahalgam attack, with extremist groups rapidly shifting focus to the digital domain to expand their networks, spread propaganda and guide potential recruits in operational tactics. VPN-Enabled Platforms Complicate Global Enforcement Officials, while talking about the assessment, said terror outfits are increasingly exploiting encrypted digital platforms and VPN-enabled communication, making detection and attribution difficult for law enforcement agencies across the world. These apps, combined with VPNs, are proving tough for global law-enforcement agencies," a top-level official said, adding that European security agencies have also flagged a spike in the use of online platforms for such activities. Security agencies in India have responded by flagging, blocking and monitoring suspicious online activity, while also coordinating with major tech companies to remove harmful content and prevent further recruitment efforts. Apps Under Focus Sources said global jihadi groups such as the Islamic State and al-Qaeda, and even organisations like Hamas, are believed to be supplying propaganda materials, training modules and assembly" guidance for terror assets through three online apps, prominently including Telegram and WhatsApp. Investigators have found that these platforms are being used not only for propaganda circulation but also for training in bomb-making, covert communication and extremist indoctrination. Officials pointed out that even in past incidents, online platforms played a key role. The Delhi blast executors also used Telegram for communication and received bomb-making and other training online," a senior official said. Material Traced to Multiple Countries Security agencies have also mapped the possible origins of extremist materials circulating online. According to sources, assessments indicate that more than six countries have been seen as originators or major sources of such content, including Pakistan, Canada, one European country, two countries from the Middle East, and one from Asia. These outfits, sources said, are resorting to fervent online propaganda to incite youth for violent attacks, including lone-wolf strikes, driven by extremist narratives linked to jihad" and claims of alleged oppression in India. NIA Cases Highlight Expanding Digital Terror Ecosystem Recent cases and investigations by the National Investigation Agency (NIA) have reinforced concerns about the growing digital infrastructure behind terror-linked conspiracies. In a major operation in Jammu and Kashmir, the NIA recently conducted searches at 32 locations as part of its continuing investigation into Pakistan-backed terror networks and their offshoots. The agency has stated that Pak-based operatives were using social media and online apps to facilitate and promote terror, radicalise local youth, mobilise overground workers and coordinate logistics. During the searches, the NIA seized several digital devices containing large volumes of incriminating data and documents, which are now under forensic examination. Separately, in a significant cyber terrorism case, the NIA filed a chargesheet against an accused linked to DDoS attacks on websites of critical government infrastructure between March and May 2025. Investigators said advanced hacking tools were used along with VPN-based anonymising technologies and encrypted platforms, with the accused also allegedly publicising the attacks online through screenshots and inflammatory messages, and posting anti-national content on a Telegram channel. In another major investigation into ISIS-linked radicalisation in Tamil Nadu, the NIA found that extremist indoctrination was being carried out through online Arabic language classes conducted via Zoom, WhatsApp and Telegram, besides physical sessions. Officials said the group used live and pre-recorded lectures to spread radical sermons and recruitment material while targeting vulnerable youth under the guise of education. Limited Support From Tech Companies Officials said enhanced inter-agency coordination and stronger platform accountability will be critical in preventing the next wave of digitally-driven radicalisation. Agencies are believed to have urged tech companies to intensify monitoring, improve response timelines and strengthen mechanisms to disrupt recruitment pipelines emerging from both domestic and foreign-linked handles. However, these companies have provided very limited support, making it tough for law enforcement to track and trace operations. News18 Newsletter Handpicked stories, in your inbox A newsletter with the best of our journalism submit First Published: January 22, 2026, 09:16 IST News india Digital Jihad Push: Agencies Flag Rise In Online Terror Content After Pahalgam Attack | Exclusive Disclaimer: Comments reflect users views, not News18s. Please keep discussions respectful and constructive. Abusive, defamatory, or illegal comments will be removed. News18 may disable any comment at its discretion. By posting, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy Loading comments... 'Diplomatic Premises Inviolable': India Condemns Vandalism At Its Embassy In Croatia Curated By : News18.com Last Updated: January 22, 2026, 17:20 IST The MEA condemned the vandalism of the Indian embassy at the hands of "anti-India elements" and said diplomatic premises are inviolable as per the Vienna Convention. The Indian Embassy in Croatia. (Facebook) India on Thursday strongly condemned an incident of trespassing and vandalism of its embassy in Zagreb, Croatia, and blamed anti-India elements" for the incident. We condemn the incident of trespassing and vandalism at our Embassy in Zagreb, Croatia by anti-India elements. Under the Vienna Convention, diplomatic premises are inviolable and must be protected," the Ministry of External Affairs said in a statement. Accordingly, we have taken up the matter strongly with Croatian authorities, both in New Delhi and in Zagreb and asked them to hold the perpetrators accountable for their reprehensible and illegal actions. Such actions also speak of the character and motives of those behind them, and law enforcement authorities everywhere would do well to take note of them," it added. Our statement on the trespassing of the Embassy of India premises in Zagreb, Croatia https://t.co/IQFppsV4Ws pic.twitter.com/STPOnI23oM Randhir Jaiswal (@MEAIndia) January 22, 2026 According to reports, pro-Khalistani activists were behind the vandalism at the Indian embassy in Zagreb. Croatia is a member of the European Union and the embassy in Zagreb was targeted days ahead of the India-EU Summit in New Delhi on January 27. A video shared online by Gurpatwant Singh Pannun, leader of Sikhs for Justice (SFJ), shows a Khalistani activist removing the Indian flag from the embassy in Zagreb and replacing it with a yellow Khalistan flag. Last year, during his visit to Zagreb, Prime Minister Narendra Modi had thanked Croatia for backing Indias fight against terrorism as both nations began a new chapter in bilateral relationship during his historic visit to the country the first-ever by an Indian PM. PM Modi had held productive discussions" with his Croatian counterpart Andrej Plenkovic in Zagreb as both leaders reviewed the full spectrum of India-Croatia bilateral relations and explored avenues to deepen collaboration in sectors like digital technologies, space, renewable energy, defence, maritime infrastructure, tourism and hospitality, amongst others. Asserting that India and Croatia are bound by shared values such as democracy, rule of law, pluralism, and equality, PM Modi thanked Croatia for its steadfast support" to India in fighting cross-border terrorism. Both leaders also called for further deepening India-EU strategic ties. (with agency inputs) News18 Newsletter Handpicked stories, in your inbox A newsletter with the best of our journalism submit First Published: January 22, 2026, 15:30 IST News india 'Diplomatic Premises Inviolable': India Condemns Vandalism At Its Embassy In Croatia Disclaimer: Comments reflect users views, not News18s. Please keep discussions respectful and constructive. Abusive, defamatory, or illegal comments will be removed. News18 may disable any comment at its discretion. By posting, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy Loading comments... DRDO Builds Next-Gen Shield To Destroy Hypersonic Missiles Flying At 10,000 Kmph Curated By : Translation Desk Last Updated: January 22, 2026, 13:58 IST DRDO accelerates AD-AH and AD-AM interceptor projects to counter hypersonic and MIRV threats, marking a major leap in India's Ballistic Missile Defence programme Rapid Read As per DRDO's roadmap, developmental flight trials of AD-AH and AD-AM are expected to begin after 2030. (Reuters) As missile warfare evolves rapidly, safeguarding national airspace is becoming increasingly complex. Modern battlefields are witnessing the deployment of multiple classes of missiles, ballistic, cruise and Multiple Independently Targetable Re-entry Vehicles (MIRVs), many of which are designed to evade conventional radar and air defence systems. The challenge is even sharper with the advent of hypersonic weapons, which travel at speeds exceeding Mach 5, or over 6,000 km per hour, leaving defenders with extremely narrow reaction windows. To address these emerging threats, the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) is developing a new generation of missile defence interceptors under the Ballistic Missile Defence (BMD) programme. These efforts are aimed at countering hypersonic glide vehicles (HGVs), hypersonic cruise missiles and MIRV-equipped ballistic missiles, which are widely seen as the next frontier in strategic weaponry. According to defence sources, DRDO has accelerated work on two advanced interceptor projects, AD-AH and AD-AM, which are expected to form the backbone of the proposed Phase-III of the BMD architecture. The systems are being designed to deal specifically with highly manoeuvrable and ultra-fast aerial threats that can defeat traditional exo-atmospheric interceptors. The push comes amid a rapidly changing regional security environment. Neighbouring countries are actively developing hypersonic weapons capable of flying at extreme speeds along unpredictable trajectories within the atmosphere. Such weapons can remain airborne for long durations while evading radar detection, posing serious challenges to existing missile defence frameworks. Defence experts describe DRDOs latest initiatives as a significant leap in the countrys strategic defence posture. A missile defence system, they explain, is a layered security mechanism intended to detect, track and destroy incoming enemy missiles, whether ballistic, cruise or drone-based, before they reach their intended targets. These systems rely on an integrated network of ground-based radars, satellites and interceptor missiles that work together to neutralise threats mid-air. India is already developing a two-phase BMD system comprising Prithvi Air Defence (PAD) and Advanced Air Defence (AAD) interceptors. DRDO has stated that multiple tests of these systems have been successful, and deployment is underway to protect critical regions, including the national capital. Globally, countries such as the United States, Russia, Israel and China possess advanced missile defence capabilities. Israels Iron Dome is widely regarded as highly effective against short-range rocket attacks, while the US operates systems such as THAAD and Patriot for high-altitude and terminal defence. With growing regional tensions, the spread of missile technology and the increasing use of drones and precision weapons, missile defence has become a cornerstone of national security planning worldwide. The AD-AH and AD-AM projects represent Indias response to these shifts. AD-AH is being developed to neutralise hypersonic glide vehicles, which ascend to high altitudes before gliding at extreme speeds within the atmosphere while frequently changing direction. AD-AM, on the other hand, is designed to intercept hypersonic cruise missiles that maintain sustained high speeds throughout their flight. Both interceptors are expected to feature very high velocities, advanced heat-resistant materials, superior manoeuvrability and upgraded guidance systems enabling precise hit-to-kill engagements under extreme conditions. According to defence publication Indian Defence Research Wing, DRDO has reached the early development stage for both systems. Scale models and wind tunnel-tested versions of the interceptors have been showcased at public forums in recent months. Towards the end of 2024, models were displayed at DRDOs hypersonic wind tunnel facility in Hyderabad, highlighting their aerodynamic configurations and anti-hypersonic design focus, an indication that the technical groundwork for Phase-III of the BMD programme is already underway. As per DRDOs roadmap, developmental flight trials of AD-AH and AD-AM are expected to begin after 2030. The timeline aligns with Indias long-term strategic planning, which prioritises countering hypersonic and highly manoeuvrable weapons over the next decade. Once operational, these systems are expected to significantly enhance Indias ability to defend against not only traditional ballistic missile threats but also complex next-generation weapons. The new phase builds on the achievements of earlier stages of the BMD programme. Phase-I saw the deployment of interceptors such as the Prithvi Defence Vehicle (PDV) and AAD, capable of neutralising ballistic missiles with ranges of up to 2,000 km. Phase-II introduced more advanced capabilities. In November 2022, the AD-1 interceptor was successfully tested, followed by the completion of Phase-II testing in July 2024. Work is currently underway on the AD-2 interceptor, designed to counter long-range ballistic missiles of around 5,000 km and MIRV threats, with interception capability in both exo-atmospheric and low exo-atmospheric phases. Defence analysts note that Phase-III is particularly significant as it aims to plug critical gaps in existing multi-layered missile defence systems, especially against hypersonic and agile threats. With the global spread of hypersonic weapons expected to intensify in the coming years, effective countermeasures are seen as vital for maintaining strategic stability. Once AD-AH and AD-AM become operational, India is expected to possess a far more robust shield capable of protecting strategic assets, major urban centres and critical infrastructure. Beyond strengthening deterrence, the programme is also likely to enhance Indias technological standing and military credibility in the region. News18 Newsletter Handpicked stories, in your inbox A newsletter with the best of our journalism submit First Published: January 22, 2026, 13:58 IST News india DRDO Builds Next-Gen Shield To Destroy Hypersonic Missiles Flying At 10,000 Kmph Disclaimer: Comments reflect users views, not News18s. Please keep discussions respectful and constructive. Abusive, defamatory, or illegal comments will be removed. News18 may disable any comment at its discretion. By posting, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy Loading comments... EC Asks Bengal Govt To File FIR Against Farakka MLA Monirul Over BDO Office Vandalisation Curated By : News18.com Last Updated: January 22, 2026, 16:40 IST The move also comes a day after the Farakka MLA addressed a public meeting where he launched a sharp attack on the Chief Election Commissioner, using abusive language. TMC MLA Monirul Islam | News18 Image The Election Commission has asked the West Bengal government to initiate an FIR against Trinamool Congress (TMC) MLA from Farakka, Monirul Islam, following the vandalism of a block development office (BDO), sources told News18. According to the sources, Monirul was present at the BDO office at the time it was vandalised. The poll panel has taken note of his presence during the incident and has sought action from the state authorities. Sources further said that the MLA also made intimidating remarks against the Election Commission, which were considered serious by the poll body. The move comes a day after the Farakka MLA addressed a public meeting where he launched a sharp attack on the Chief Election Commissioner, using abusive language and issuing threats. During his speech, he said, This flag will not work. It has to be broken with a stick I will drag him out of the grave," accusing the Election Commission of troubling people in West Bengal to please the BJP" and demanding that the commissioner step down. These remarks were made days after violence broke out during a Special Intensive Revision (SIR) hearing at the Block Development Officer (BDO) office in Farakka. Supporters of the Trinamool Congress MLA are alleged to have vandalised government offices during the incident. The disturbance occurred in the presence of Islam, but no administrative or legal action has been taken against him so far. Officials and local witnesses said the SIR hearing was in progress inside the BDO office when Islam arrived along with party workers and supporters, who began raising slogans outside the building. The situation escalated when the group allegedly entered the BDO and Electoral Registration Officer (ERO) offices, forced open doors and damaged property. The violence led to the hearing being stopped midway. Those involved claimed they were being harassed under the pretext of the SIR process. The lack of police action during the incident has drawn criticism, especially as the disruption unfolded openly and in the presence of an elected representative. News18 Newsletter Handpicked stories, in your inbox A newsletter with the best of our journalism submit First Published: January 22, 2026, 16:40 IST News india EC Asks Bengal Govt To File FIR Against Farakka MLA Monirul Over BDO Office Vandalisation Disclaimer: Comments reflect users views, not News18s. Please keep discussions respectful and constructive. Abusive, defamatory, or illegal comments will be removed. News18 may disable any comment at its discretion. By posting, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy Loading comments... Fresh Violence In Manipur As Meitei Man Shot Dead After Abduction In Churachandpur Curated By : News18.com Last Updated: January 22, 2026, 12:03 IST The killing comes after several months without such incidents and at a time when political activity has intensified amid speculation over the formation of a new government. Security heightened in Manipur | File Image Fresh violence has been reported in Manipur after a Meitei man was abducted and later shot dead in Churachandpur district, dealing a serious setback to fragile peace efforts in the ethnic strifehit state. The killing comes after several months without such incidents and at a time when political activity has intensified amid speculation over the possible formation of a new government. Manipur has been under Presidents Rule since February 13 last year. According to local reports, the victim, identified as Mayanglambam Rishikanta Singh, was abducted along with his Kuki wife, Chingnu Haokip, from their residence in the Tuibong area of Churachandpur on Wednesday. Singh was later shot dead, while his wife was released unharmed. He hailed from Kakching Khunou in the Imphal Valley. A video purportedly showing the incident has surfaced on social media. The clip, which has no audio, appears to show a man sitting on the ground with folded hands, seemingly pleading with unseen individuals, moments before gunfire is heard and he collapses. Police said the body was recovered from Natjang village after midnight and shifted to the morgue at Churachandpur district hospital. A case has been registered suo motu and investigations are underway. The United Kuki National Army (UKNA), a group that has not signed the Suspension of Operations (SoO) agreement, is suspected to be behind the killing. Nearly two dozen Kuki insurgent outfits had earlier entered into a tripartite SoO pact with the Manipur and central governments. Reports said Singh had adopted a tribal name, Ginminthang, after marrying Haokip. He was reportedly working in Nepal and had returned to Manipur only three days before the incident. Manipur has been deeply divided along ethnic lines between the Meitei and Kuki communities since violence erupted in 2023. Despite the prevailing tensions, some Kuki groups had reportedly allowed Singh to live with his wife in Churachandpur. The prolonged ethnic unrest in the state has claimed more than 260 lives and displaced around 60,000 people, many of whom continue to live in relief camps. News18 Newsletter Handpicked stories, in your inbox A newsletter with the best of our journalism submit Location : Manipur, India, India First Published: January 22, 2026, 12:00 IST News india Fresh Violence In Manipur As Meitei Man Shot Dead After Abduction In Churachandpur Disclaimer: Comments reflect users views, not News18s. Please keep discussions respectful and constructive. Abusive, defamatory, or illegal comments will be removed. News18 may disable any comment at its discretion. By posting, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy Loading comments... 'He Hugged Me, I Freaked Out': Korean Tourist Recounts Bengaluru Airport Horror Curated By : News18.com Last Updated: January 22, 2026, 16:05 IST A Korean woman tourist, who was sexually assaulted by a ground staffer at Bengaluru's Kempegowda International Airport, recounted her ordeal and narrated the entire incident. Korean woman sexually assaulted by Bengaluru ground staffer (Image credit: X) A Korean woman tourist, who was sexually assaulted by a ground staffer at Bengalurus Kempegowda International Airport, recounted her ordeal and narrated the entire incident, according to a report by NDTV. Kim Sung Kyung, who has consented to reveal her identity, recalled that the airport staffer took her near the mens washroom on the pretext of a security check and did inappropriate things to her. The male staffer, identified as Mohammed Affan, was arrested after a formal complaint was lodged by the victim. Kyung said that the accused approached her after her immigration check when she was heading towards the terminal to catch a flight to Korea, telling her that a beeping sound was coming from her luggage. He asked her to step aside for a personal check and thinking it was a serious issue, Kyung agreed. He asked me to come to the mens washroom and did some inappropriate things. The way he approached and explained everything was very professional and very serious", Kyung said , as quoted by the outlet. The staffer, she said, then touched her in an inappropriate manner. He kind of squeezed the body in a very inappropriate way," she said. Meanwhile, on the way to the mens washroom, the staffer was explaining to her safety protocols, which appeared normal to her. After everything seemed done, he suddenly hugged me and said thank you. I was freaked out," Kyung said, adding that her priority at the time was safely moving away from the man. However, since it was already her boarding time, she reached out to a Singapore Airlines staff, who told her that it was not under the protocols to conduct a personal check. The airline staff then helped her report the incident, following which, Affan was taken into custody by the airport security personnel and handed over to the police. A case has been registered into the matter and a further probe is underway. News18 Newsletter Handpicked stories, in your inbox A newsletter with the best of our journalism submit First Published: January 22, 2026, 15:09 IST News india 'He Hugged Me, I Freaked Out': Korean Tourist Recounts Bengaluru Airport Horror Disclaimer: Comments reflect users views, not News18s. Please keep discussions respectful and constructive. Abusive, defamatory, or illegal comments will be removed. News18 may disable any comment at its discretion. By posting, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy Loading comments... Karnataka Doctor Accused Of Killing Relatives With Anaesthetic, Stealing Gold Curated By : Last Updated: January 22, 2026, 15:23 IST The incident came to light after the couples son was unable to contact his parents and asked neighbours to check on them. The couple was found unresponsive in their home. The accused is alleged to have stolen around 80 grams of gold jewellery from the house after the deaths. Police said the jewellery was later sold, and the money was used to repay debts. Image: Canva A criminal case in Karnataka has drawn attention after police arrested a doctor in connection with the deaths of his elderly relatives. Investigators are examining allegations that the accused used medical drugs to carry out the crime, raising concerns over the misuse of professional access and trust. Police in Shivamogga district have arrested a doctor for allegedly killing his elderly uncle and aunt at their residence in Bhadravathi taluk. The accused, identified as a medical practitioner, is related to the victims and was known to visit them frequently. The deceased couple lived alone, while their children reside in different towns. Alleged Use of Anaesthetic Drug According to the police, the doctor is accused of administering an anaesthetic injection to the couple, leading to their deaths. Investigators believe the drug caused rapid sedation, resulting in fatal consequences. The incident reportedly came to light after the couples son was unable to contact his parents and asked neighbours to check on them. The couple was found unresponsive in their home, following which the police were informed. Police said there were no signs of forced entry, which led investigators to suspect someone familiar with the victims. During questioning, suspicion reportedly fell on the nephew, who is a doctor by profession. Following interrogation, the accused was taken into custody. Police said he allegedly confessed to the crime during questioning. Motive Linked to Financial Stress Investigators believe financial difficulties may have played a role. Police said the accused was under debt pressure and had earlier sought financial help from his uncle, which was reportedly refused. The accused is alleged to have stolen around 80 grams of gold jewellery from the house after the deaths. Police said the jewellery was later sold, and the money was used to repay debts. Authorities are also investigating how the accused obtained the anaesthetic drug and whether there were violations of medical regulations. Police said they are verifying procurement records and examining whether controlled substances were misused. Further investigation is underway to establish the sequence of events and gather forensic evidence. Police said additional charges may be added based on medical and technical findings. The case has raised concerns about oversight and accountability in handling restricted medical drugs, even as police continue to build their case. News18 Newsletter Handpicked stories, in your inbox A newsletter with the best of our journalism submit First Published: January 22, 2026, 15:23 IST News india Karnataka Doctor Accused Of Killing Relatives With Anaesthetic, Stealing Gold Disclaimer: Comments reflect users views, not News18s. Please keep discussions respectful and constructive. Abusive, defamatory, or illegal comments will be removed. News18 may disable any comment at its discretion. By posting, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy Loading comments... Karnataka Governor Refuses To Read Full Speech In Fresh Standoff, Walks Out Of Assembly Curated By : News18.com Last Updated: January 22, 2026, 12:23 IST The Karnataka legislatures opening day was overshadowed by controversy after the Governor concluded his address without reading the full Cabinet-approved speech. Members during the Karnataka Assembly session (Photo: PTI) Karnataka witnessed a fresh constitutional and political flashpoint on Thursday as Governor Thaawarchand Gehlot cut short his customary address to the joint session of the state legislature at Vidhana Soudha, declining to read the full speech prepared by the elected government and concluding the address after just a few opening lines. The Governor arrived at Vidhana Soudha amid tight political scrutiny, ending hours of suspense over whether he would address the joint sitting of the Legislative Assembly and the Legislative Council. He was received by Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, Speaker of the Legislative Assembly UT Khader, Legislative Council Chairman Basavaraj Horatti and Law and Parliamentary Affairs Minister HK Patil. However, instead of delivering the complete address outlining the policies and programmes of the government, Gehlot read only the initial lines and abruptly concluded by stating that he was happy to address another joint session, effectively skipping the remaining portions of the speech approved by the Cabinet. The walkout-like conclusion followed a tense standoff between Raj Bhavan and the state government over the contents of the Governors address. #WATCH | Bengaluru | Karnataka Governor Thawarchand Gehlot walks out of the Karnataka Legislative Assembly; Congress leader BK Hariprasad seen trying to stop the Governor pic.twitter.com/QZjWSlZJgx ANI (@ANI) January 22, 2026 THE DISPUTE OVER THE SPEECH According to PTI, the government-prepared speech comprised 11 paragraphs that made critical references to the Centre, including issues related to the alleged repeal of MGNREGA under the VB-G RAM (G) Act, devolution of funds, GST-related concerns, delay in drought relief and alleged injustice under the 15th Finance Commission. The Governor had objected to these paragraphs and sought their deletion. While the state government agreed late on Wednesday night to remove a couple of sentences critical of the VB-G RAM (G) Act, it refused to drop entire sections, citing constitutional propriety. WHAT KARNATAKA GOVERNOR HAD SAID YESTERDAY On Wednesday, Governor Gehlot had refused to deliver the address altogether, triggering a stalemate. As reported by PTI, he conveyed reservations about the 11 paragraphs and indicated that they should be deleted in full. Law and Parliamentary Affairs Minister HK Patil, who led a delegation to meet the Governor, said Gehlot was not agreeable to partial modifications and wanted the contentious portions removed entirely. Patil had then underlined that Article 176(1) of the Constitution mandates the Governor to address the joint session with the speech prepared by the Cabinet, warning that cutting short or refusing to deliver the address would amount to a betrayal of the Constitution." SPEAKER UT KHADER STRIKES CONCILIATORY NOTE After Thursdays developments, Speaker UT Khader attempted to play down the confrontation. Any issue regarding this will be solved cordially. Discipline will be maintained. Im sure that everything will run very well," Khader said. Seeking to project unity between constitutional authorities, he added, We have full confidence that the government and the Governor are together. Theres no conflict at all. Karnataka will be a model to the country on how to take the Governor and the government forward together." PRIYANK KHARGE ALLEGES CONSTITUTIONAL VIOLATIONS In sharp contrast, Karnataka Panchayat Raj and Rural Development Minister Priyank Kharge launched a strong attack on the Governor, accusing him of violating Articles 176 and 163 of the Constitution. Who is creating this conflict? Who is violating Articles 176 and 163?" Kharge asked, asserting that the speech contained only facts already placed in the public domain. Not a single line in the speech is a lie or fiction. The Chief Minister has met the Prime Minister and briefed him. A letter has been submitted." Kharge alleged political bias, questioning whether the Governors office was acting independently. The Governor is duty-bound to read the speech. Even if one paragraph is a lie, let him not read that. But refusing the entire speech is against his constitutional mandate," he said, adding that the government would place the speech before the public and let people judge its contents. News18 Newsletter Handpicked stories, in your inbox A newsletter with the best of our journalism submit First Published: January 22, 2026, 11:44 IST News india Karnataka Governor Refuses To Read Full Speech In Fresh Standoff, Walks Out Of Assembly Disclaimer: Comments reflect users views, not News18s. Please keep discussions respectful and constructive. Abusive, defamatory, or illegal comments will be removed. News18 may disable any comment at its discretion. By posting, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy Loading comments... Numan Pekgoz (front), a Turkish Tai Chi master, demonstrates Tai Chi to students at a studio in Ankara, Turkiye, Jan. 17, 2026. (Photo by Mustafa Kaya/Xinhua) by Burak Akinci ANKARA, Jan. 21 (Xinhua) -- A growing number of urban Turks are taking up Tai Chi, with practitioners and instructors citing stress relief and rising interest in Chinese culture as key drivers in Turkiye's major cities. Once a little-known discipline in the country, the ancient Chinese martial art is increasingly attracting office workers, professionals and young urbanites seeking physical balance, mental calm and a deeper cultural connection, according to a Turkish Tai Chi master with three decades of experience. "People who already feel close to Chinese culture are naturally more interested and more enthusiastic," said Numan Pekgoz, a Tai Chi master in an interview with Xinhua at his studio in Ankara, where students practice slow, flowing movements in silence. "Likewise, people who have no prior knowledge of Tai Chi gradually come to know the beauty and elements of Chinese culture more closely over time," he pointed out. As students continue their practice, Pekgoz said their curiosity often expands beyond physical exercise. "They start watching films related to China, reading books, and becoming more engaged with Chinese elements," he noted. Interest in Tai Chi has risen noticeably in Turkiye, particularly in large cities such as Ankara and Istanbul, Pekgoz said. "There has been a visible increase in Turkiye, especially over the last 10 years, and particularly over the last five years," he noted. "It is possible to link this partly to social media. We can clearly say that there is a visible interest." Social media platforms have made Chinese philosophy, wellness practices and traditional arts more accessible, helping Tai Chi reach audiences who may never have encountered it before. Pekgoz said the growing interest is not limited to physical well-being but also reflects cultural exchange between the two countries. Tai Chi can definitely serve as a cultural bridge between China and Turkiye, he said. "In the near future, the need has arisen for us to organize a visit to China with our students, and we have plans in that direction," the master said. Pekgoz said the appeal of Tai Chi in Turkiye is also rooted in historical and philosophical connections between the two civilizations. "There are very strong ties between China and Turkiye," he said. "The philosophical interaction between ancient cultures is very significant. Some of the most important roots of our own culture actually originate from Central Asia," Pekgoz emphasized. For Pekgoz, China is a large country, and its different philosophical traditions can be seen across various regions. "It is also possible to observe the impact of those currents within our own culture," he pointed out. In a fast-paced urban environment where instant results are often expected, Pekgoz said Tai Chi appeals to people who value patience and long-term commitment. "At a time when we are accustomed to obtaining everything very easily, there are people who have begun to enjoy the act of making an effort to achieve something," according to Pekgoz. Beyond its cultural and philosophical dimensions, Tai Chi is increasingly viewed as a response to the psychological challenges of modern urban life. As cities grow larger and social structures become more fragmented, Pekgoz said many individuals experience new forms of stress and isolation. "In city life, our lives are becoming increasingly individualized, and as this happens, problems that did not exist before can begin to emerge," he said, insisting on the need to restore the harmony between humanity and nature. "Tai Chi is not just an exercise art. It should also be seen as a practice that mentally relaxes the body," thus improving human health with scientifically proven benefits and fostering cross-cultural understanding, Pekgoz added. Tai Chi masters and enthusiasts practise at a studio in Ankara, Turkiye, Jan. 17, 2026. (Photo by Mustafa Kaya/Xinhua) Numan Pekgoz (1st R), a Turkish Tai Chi master, instructs students at a studio in Ankara, Turkiye, Jan. 17, 2026. (Photo by Mustafa Kaya/Xinhua) Karnataka Govt Vs Governor: What The Constitution Really Says About Official Speeches | Explained Curated By : Local18 Last Updated: January 22, 2026, 15:59 IST Similar incidents have occurred in Tamil Nadu and Kerala, where governors have skipped or altered portions of the speech prepared by state governments The Supreme Court has said that the governor should generally read the speech prepared by the Cabinet because it represents the state governments policies, not the governors personal views. Karnataka Governor Thaawarchand Gehlot on Thursday abruptly ended his customary address to the joint session of the state legislature at Vidhana Soudha, refusing to read the full speech prepared by the Siddaramaiah government. After reading just a few opening lines, the Governor walked out of the House, triggering protests and disorder inside the Assembly. The incident has once again drawn attention to a growing pattern across opposition-ruled states. Governors in Karnataka, Tamil Nadu and Kerala have in recent months declined to read out the complete Governors Address" drafted by state governments, reigniting a constitutional debate over the limits of gubernatorial discretion and the balance of power between the Centre and the states. What Happened in Karnataka? In the Karnataka Assembly, Governor Thawar Chand Gehlot read only a few lines of the speech prepared by the state government and then walked out. The speech contained 11 paragraphs that the Karnataka government had intended to use Governors address to sharply criticise the Union governments decision to repeal the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA). A copy of the speech prepared by the state government, accessed by CNN-News18, shows that the proposed address contained strong objections to the Centres move. The governor said he could not read parts that he believed were false or misleading" and that it was inappropriate for a constitutional head to speak against the Centre. He also objected to criticism of the central governments new rural employment law, the Vikas Bharat Guarantee for Employment and Livelihood Mission (Rural)" (VB-GRAMG). The governor argued that since the law was passed by Parliament, criticising it would be unconstitutional. Tension Between State Governments and Governors In Other States This tension between a state governor and the ruling state government is an issue which is not just limited to Karnataka. Similar incidents have occurred in Tamil Nadu and Kerala, where governors have skipped or altered portions of the speech prepared by state governments. In opposition-ruled states, this conflict is more frequent and intense. The governors refusal is seen as interference in state affairs, especially when the state government is led by a different party than the Centre. Tamil Nadu Governor R.N. Ravi has repeatedly refused to read sections of the speech that refer to the Dravidian model" or political ideology. He has also walked out of the Assembly, accusing members of disrespecting the national anthem. Kerala Governor Arif Mohammed Khan has long been in conflict with the Left government over issues such as university appointments. In January 2026, he omitted parts of the speech criticising the Centres fiscal policies. What Does the Constitution Say? The article 176(1) of the Constitution states that the Governor must address the Legislative Assembly at the beginning of the first session after every general election and at the beginning of each year. The speech is prepared by the state government and reflects its policies and achievements. The governor is expected to read it without alteration. The Supreme Court has said that the governor should generally read the speech prepared by the Cabinet because it represents the state governments policies, not the governors personal views. Who Writes the Speech? The speech is drafted by the state governments Cabinet. The governors role is to read it, not to add personal views or make changes. If the governor refuses to read it or edits it, it may be viewed as a violation of constitutional convention. What Can State Governments Do? 1. Approach the Supreme Court or High Court State governments can challenge the governors refusal in court. The Karnataka government plans to approach the Supreme Courts Constitution Bench, arguing that the governors refusal violates Article 176. In Tamil Nadu, the government is also considering legal action. 2. Challenge the Tradition of Reading the Speech State governments can push for a constitutional amendment to change or abolish Article 176. Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M.K. Stalin has announced plans to introduce an amendment, calling the practice a British relic." Former President R. Venkataraman also described the tradition as a useless formality." 3. Pass a Resolution in the Assembly Some states have passed resolutions declaring that the speech is considered read" even if the governor refuses. Tamil Nadus Assembly recently passed such a resolution, stating that the governments original speech should be recorded as read. 4. Political Pressure Opposition-ruled states can collectively challenge the Centre and demand a review of the governors powers. What Happens if the Governor Refuses to Read the Speech? Article 176 requires the speech, but the Assembly can continue its proceedings even if the governor refuses. However, repeated refusal could lead to a constitutional crisis and weaken the federal structure. News18 Newsletter Handpicked stories, in your inbox A newsletter with the best of our journalism submit First Published: January 22, 2026, 15:58 IST News india Karnataka Govt Vs Governor: What The Constitution Really Says About Official Speeches | Explained Disclaimer: Comments reflect users views, not News18s. Please keep discussions respectful and constructive. Abusive, defamatory, or illegal comments will be removed. News18 may disable any comment at its discretion. By posting, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy Loading comments... Mumbai Set To Get Woman Mayor From 'General Category' As Lottery Process Concludes Curated By : News18.com Last Updated: January 22, 2026, 13:27 IST In the recent BMC elections, the ruling Mahayuti alliance ended the Thackeray familys nearly 30-year control over the countrys richest municipal body. Eknath Shinde with Devendra Fadnavis and Ajit Pawar. (PTI Photo) Mumbai is set to have a woman mayor from the general category after a lottery draw on Thursday reserved the top post in the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) for a General Woman" candidate, sparking sharp political reaction from the Uddhav Thackeray-led Shiv Sena. The lottery system is used by the state government to determine the reservation category of mayoral posts, such as general, women or backward classes, across municipal corporations. With the draw completed, eligible corporators in the BMC can now file their nominations. The mayor will be elected in a special meeting of the civic body, where the candidate securing a simple majority of elected corporators will assume office. According to the reservation list announced after the draw, mayoral posts in several municipal corporations, including Pune, Dhule, Mumbai, Nanded, Navi Mumbai, Malegaon, Mira-Bhayandar, Nashik and Nagpur, have been earmarked for women. Three municipal corporations, Latur, Jalna and Thane, have been reserved for the Scheduled Caste category. While Latur and Jalna are reserved for women within the SC category, Thane remains open to all SC candidates. Eight municipal corporations have been allotted to the Other Backward Classes category. Of these, Akola, Chandrapur, Ahilyanagar and Jalgaon are reserved for OBC women, while Panvel, Ichalkaranji, Kolhapur and Ulhasnagar are open for OBC candidates. The reservation of the Mumbai mayors post drew objections from the Uddhav Thackeray-led Shiv Sena. Senior party leader and former Mumbai mayor Kishori Pednekar questioned why the BMC was not considered under the OBC category, pointing out that the post had remained unreserved in the previous two terms. A state minister said the objection had been noted and would be examined. The development comes in the backdrop of a major political shift in Mumbais civic landscape. In the recent BMC elections, the ruling Mahayuti alliance ended the Thackeray familys nearly 30-year control over the countrys richest municipal body. The BJP and the Eknath Shinde-led Shiv Sena emerged with a clear majority, winning 89 and 29 seats respectively, ensuring that the next Mumbai mayor will not be from the Uddhav Thackeray camp. News18 Newsletter Handpicked stories, in your inbox A newsletter with the best of our journalism submit First Published: January 22, 2026, 13:21 IST News india Mumbai Set To Get Woman Mayor From 'General Category' As Lottery Process Concludes Disclaimer: Comments reflect users views, not News18s. Please keep discussions respectful and constructive. Abusive, defamatory, or illegal comments will be removed. News18 may disable any comment at its discretion. By posting, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy Loading comments... Naxal With Rs 1 Crore Bounty Killed In Jharkhand, Amit Shah Says 'Committed To Eradicate...' Curated By : News18.com Last Updated: January 22, 2026, 21:10 IST Amit Shah hails the killing of Anal alias Patiram Manjhi and 15 Naxalites in West Singhbhum as a major anti-Naxal success, urging others to abandon violence and join development. Union Home Minister Amit Shah (PTI) Union Home and Cooperation Minister Shri Amit Shah said that the killing of Anal alias Patiram Manjhi, a notorious Naxalite Central Committee member carrying a bounty of Rs 1 crore, along with 15 other Naxalites in Jharkhands West Singhbhum, marks a major success in the anti-Naxal operation. In a post on X, the Union Home Minister said, Today, in West Singhbhum, the ongoing joint operation by CRPF and Jharkhand Police has achieved a major success in the campaign to make the region free of Naxals through encounters, with the neutralisation of the notorious bounty-wanted Naxal Central Committee member Anal alias Patiram Manjhi worth Rs 1 crore and 15 other Naxals so far." He further said, We are committed to eradicating Naxalism, which has been synonymous with fear and terror for decades, before March 31, 2026." Shah also appealed to the remaining Naxalites, saying, I once again appeal to the remaining Naxals to abandon the ideology that connects to violence, terror, and arms, and join the mainstream of development and trust." News18 Newsletter Handpicked stories, in your inbox A newsletter with the best of our journalism submit First Published: January 22, 2026, 21:10 IST News india Naxal With Rs 1 Crore Bounty Killed In Jharkhand, Amit Shah Says 'Committed To Eradicate...' Disclaimer: Comments reflect users views, not News18s. Please keep discussions respectful and constructive. Abusive, defamatory, or illegal comments will be removed. News18 may disable any comment at its discretion. By posting, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy Loading comments... North India Likely To Witness Rain As IMD Issues Orange Alert For Friday Curated By : News18.com Last Updated: January 22, 2026, 20:58 IST IMD issues orange alert for rain, hailstorm and thunderstorms in Delhi, Himachal Pradesh, Jammu and Kashmir, Rajasthan and more, with fog predicted in Punjab and Haryana. According to the IMD, isolated/scattered light to moderate rainfall is predicted over Haryana Chandigarh & Delhi, West Uttar Pradesh and Rajasthan on January 23 and East Uttar Pradesh on 23rd & 24th. The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has issued orange alert for rain, thunderstorm and hailstorm for the northern states, including Delhi, Himachal Pradesh and Jammu and Kashmir, and Rajasthan. Significant weather changes are predicted across Northwest part of India. The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has issued warnings for Heavy rainfall, Hailstorms, Thunderstorm, Lightning and Gusty winds in specific regions," the weather department said in a post on X. It predicted heavy rain, hailstorm and thunderstorms with gusty winds in Jammu & Kashmir, Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand and Punjab. IMD Weather Alert: Forecast for January 23, 2026Significant weather changes are predicted across Northwest part of India. The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has issued warnings for Heavy rainfall, Hailstorms, Thunderstorm, Lightning and Gusty winds in specific regions. pic.twitter.com/Pd7Vjqtk4F India Meteorological Department (@Indiametdept) January 22, 2026 Thunderstorm accompanied with Hailstorm very likely at isolated places over Haryana, Chandigarh & Delhi, Himachal Pradesh, Jammu-Kashmir-Ladakh-Gilgit-Baltistan-Muzaffarabad, Punjab, Rajasthan, Uttarakhand and West Uttar Pradesh," it predicted for Friday. It further said that Rajasthan will likely face hailstorm and thunderstorms with gusty winds on Friday. According to the IMD, isolated/scattered light to moderate rainfall is predicted over Haryana Chandigarh & Delhi, West Uttar Pradesh and Rajasthan on January 23 and East Uttar Pradesh on 23rd & 24th. Thunderstorm activity accompanied with lightning also likely over Gujarat Region and Saurashtra & Kutch on 22nd; Tamil Nadu, Puducherry & Karaikal on 25th & 26th and over Kerala & Mahe on 26th with isolated heavy rain likely over Tamil Nadu, Puducherry & Karaikal on 25th January.," it stated. According to the MeT centre, higher reaches including Lahaul-Spiti, Chamba, Kinnaur and Kullu are likely to receive snowfall, while a yellow alert has been issued for Mandi and other mid-hill regions. Solan, Bilaspur and Sirmaur may experience hailstorms and strong winds, whereas lower areas are expected to receive rain. The weather department also predicted that there will be a rise in minimum temperatures by 2-4C likely over Northwest India during next 24 hours; gradual fall by 2-4C during subsequent 2 days and rise by 2-4C thereafter during subsequent next four days. It also predicted that isolated areas of Punjab and Haryana may face dense to very dense fog conditions from January 24-26. ANI quoted IMD scientist Dr Naresh Kumar saying, Due to two western disturbances, rain and snowfall are expected in the western Himalayas, Jammu and Kashmir, Himachal Pradesh and Uttarakhand in the coming five days." News18 Newsletter Handpicked stories, in your inbox A newsletter with the best of our journalism submit First Published: January 22, 2026, 20:56 IST News india North India Likely To Witness Rain As IMD Issues Orange Alert For Friday Disclaimer: Comments reflect users views, not News18s. Please keep discussions respectful and constructive. Abusive, defamatory, or illegal comments will be removed. News18 may disable any comment at its discretion. By posting, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy Loading comments... 'I Look Forward To Welcoming Him Soon': PM Modi Speaks To Brazil's Lula Ahead Of His India Visit Curated By : News18.com Last Updated: January 23, 2026, 00:01 IST PM Modi and Brazilian President Lula da Silva reviewed the "strong momentum" in the India-Brazil Strategic Partnership during their conversation today. Rapid Read PM Modi and Brazil President Lula da Silva. (Reuters/File) Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday held talks with Brazils President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, during which the latter confirmed his state visit to India from February 19 to 21. We discussed the State visit I will make to New Delhi between February 19 and 21, as well as the bilateral agenda. We highlighted the importance of the BrazilIndia Business Forum that will take place during my visit, which will also be marked by the inauguration of the APEX Office in New Delhi," Lula said on X. Conversei hoje por telefone com o primeiro-ministro da India, @narendramodi. Falamos sobre a visita de Estado que farei a Nova Delhi entre 19 e 21 de fevereiro proximo e sobre a agenda bilateral. Destacamos a importancia do Forum Empresarial Brasil India que ocorrera durante Lula (@LulaOficial) January 22, 2026 He said that the two leaders also exchanged views on the global situation and reiterated their commitment to defending peace in Gaza and the world, along with multilateralism and democracy. PM Modi said they reviewed the strong momentum in the India-Brazil Strategic Partnership. He also said that he looked forward to welcoming the Brazilian President to India. Glad to speak with President Lula. We reviewed the strong momentum in the India-Brazil Strategic Partnership, which is poised to scale new heights in the year ahead. Our close cooperation is vital for advancing the shared interests of the Global South. I look forward to welcoming him to India soon," he said on X. Glad to speak with President Lula. We reviewed the strong momentum in the India-Brazil Strategic Partnership, which is poised to scale new heights in the year ahead. Our close cooperation is vital for advancing the shared interests of the Global South. I look forward to welcoming Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) January 22, 2026 Preparations are underway for President Lulas visit to India in February 2026, which both sides see as a key milestone in the bilateral relationship. The visit comes as both countries face the steepest tariffs imposed by US President Donald Trump. Last year, Lula da Silva dialled PM Modi and discussed the imposition of unilateral tariffs", signalling concerted efforts at pushing back against Trumps strong-arm levies that have rattled the global economy. The two leaders discussed the holding of a Brazilian state visit to India early next year and also recalled the goal of increasing bilateral trade to over $20 billion by 2030, Lula said in an X post. PM Modi, for his part, stressed that the two sides were committed to deepening their partnership. PM Modi and Lula last met during the G20 Summit in South Africa in November. PM Modi also visited Brazil to attend the BRICS Summit in July. Since 2023, the two leaders have met four times, cementing a working relationship rooted in mutual respect and aligned global goals. India and Brazil have developed a robust trade relationship, with bilateral trade reportedly surpassing $15 billion, weighted mildly in Indias favour. Key Indian exports include petroleum products, pharmaceuticals, fertilisers, and engineering goods, while Brazil supplies crude oil and agricultural products such as sugar and soybeans. India and Brazil are partners in several key multilateral platformsG20, BRICS, WTO, and notably, the G4 grouping that includes Japan and Germany. News18 Newsletter Handpicked stories, in your inbox A newsletter with the best of our journalism submit First Published: January 22, 2026, 20:54 IST News india 'I Look Forward To Welcoming Him Soon': PM Modi Speaks To Brazil's Lula Ahead Of His India Visit Disclaimer: Comments reflect users views, not News18s. Please keep discussions respectful and constructive. Abusive, defamatory, or illegal comments will be removed. News18 may disable any comment at its discretion. By posting, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy Loading comments... PM Modi To Visit Kerala Tomorrow, To Flag Off 3 Amrit Bharat Trains Curated By : News18.com Last Updated: January 22, 2026, 16:12 IST Prime Minister Narendra Modi will visit Thiruvananthapuram on January 23, 2026 to launch major rail, urban, science, healthcare and citizen service projects. Prime Minister Narendra Modi (File photo) Prime Minister Narendra Modi will visit Kerala on January 23, 2026. At around 10:45 A.M., the Prime Minister will lay the foundation stone, inaugurate and flag off various developmental projects in Thiruvananthapuram. He will also address the gathering on the occasion. The projects span key sectors including rail connectivity, urban livelihoods, science and innovation, citizen-centric services, and advanced healthcare, reflecting the Prime Ministers continued focus on inclusive growth, technological advancement and improved quality of life for citizens. In a major boost to rail connectivity, Prime Minister Modi will flag off four new train services, including three Amrit Bharat Express trains and one passenger train. These include the Nagercoil-Mangaluru Amrit Bharat Express, Thiruvananthapuram-Tambaram Amrit Bharat Express, Thiruvananthapuram-Charlapalli Amrit Bharat Express, and a new passenger train between Thrissur and Guruvayur. The introduction of these services will significantly enhance long-distance and regional connectivity between Kerala, Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, Telangana and Andhra Pradesh, making travel more affordable, safe and time-bound for passengers. The improved connectivity will provide a strong impetus to tourism, trade, education, employment and cultural exchange across the region. As part of efforts to strengthen urban livelihood, PM Modi will launch the PM SVANidhi Credit Card, marking the next phase of financial inclusion for street vendors. The UPI-linked, interest-free revolving credit facility will provide instant liquidity, promote digital transactions, and help beneficiaries build formal credit histories. Prime Minister Modi will also disburse PM SVANidhi loans to one lakh beneficiaries, including street vendors from Kerala. Since its inception in 2020, the PM SVANidhi scheme has enabled first-time access to formal credit for a large majority of beneficiaries and has played a critical role in poverty alleviation and livelihood security among urban informal workers. In the field of science and innovation, the Prime Minister will lay the foundation stone for the CSIR-NIIST Innovation, Technology and Entrepreneurship Hub in Thiruvananthapuram. The hub will focus on life sciences and the bio-economy, integrate traditional knowledge systems such as Ayurveda with modern biotechnology, sustainable packaging, and green hydrogen, and promote startup creation, technology transfer, and global collaboration. It will serve as a platform for converting research into market-ready solutions and enterprises. Strengthening healthcare infrastructure will be another key focus of the visit. PM Modi will lay the foundation stone for a state-of-the-art Radiosurgery Centre at the Sree Chitra Tirunal Institute for Medical Sciences and Technology in Thiruvananthapuram. The facility will provide highly precise, minimally invasive treatment for complex brain disorders, enhancing regional tertiary healthcare capabilities. PM Modi will also inaugurate the new Poojappura Head Post Office in Thiruvananthapuram. This modern, technology-enabled facility will offer a comprehensive range of postal, banking, insurance and digital services, further strengthening citizen-centric service delivery. News18 Newsletter Handpicked stories, in your inbox A newsletter with the best of our journalism submit First Published: January 22, 2026, 16:12 IST News india PM Modi To Visit Kerala Tomorrow, To Flag Off 3 Amrit Bharat Trains Disclaimer: Comments reflect users views, not News18s. Please keep discussions respectful and constructive. Abusive, defamatory, or illegal comments will be removed. News18 may disable any comment at its discretion. By posting, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy Loading comments... Delhi Court Acquits Ex-Congress MP Sajjan Kumar In 1984 Anti-Sikh Riots Case Curated By : News18.com Last Updated: January 22, 2026, 10:24 IST A Delhi court has acquitted former Congress MP Sajjan Kumar in a case linked to incidents of violence during the 1984 anti-Sikh riots in west Delhi. A file photo of Sajjan Kumar (PTI) A Delhi court on Thursday acquitted former Congress MP Sajjan Kumar in a case related to the 1984 anti-Sikh riots, providing relief to the accused in proceedings linked to incidents of violence in the Janakpuri and Vikaspuri areas of the national capital. The order was pronounced by the Rouse Avenue Court, where the case had been pending after the conclusion of final arguments last month. The violence covered under the case had resulted in two deaths, according to the prosecution. The court had earlier reserved its order on December 22, fixing January 22 for the pronouncement of the verdict. Special Judge Dig Vinay Singh had reserved the order after hearing final submissions from both sides. The case against Kumar was based on two FIRs registered in February 2015 by a Special Investigation Team (SIT). The FIRs were filed following complaints related to incidents of violence in West Delhi during the 1984 anti-Sikh riots. The first FIR pertained to an incident in Janakpuri, where two men, Sohan Singh and his son-in-law Avtar Singh, were killed on November 1, 1984. The second FIR was related to an alleged incident in Vikaspuri, where Gurcharan Singh was reportedly set ablaze on November 2, 1984, during the riots. According to PTI, the trial court had heard detailed arguments before reserving its judgment. Kumar was produced before the court amid heavy security arrangements on the day the order was reserved, underlining the sensitivity of the case and its long legal history. During the proceedings, Sajjan Kumar maintained his innocence and denied any involvement in the incidents cited by the prosecution. While defending himself, he told the court that he had never been part of the violence and could not even imagine being involved in such acts. Kumar also asserted that there was not a single piece of evidence against him to establish his role in the alleged crimes. News18 Newsletter Handpicked stories, in your inbox A newsletter with the best of our journalism submit First Published: January 22, 2026, 10:22 IST News india Delhi Court Acquits Ex-Congress MP Sajjan Kumar In 1984 Anti-Sikh Riots Case Disclaimer: Comments reflect users views, not News18s. Please keep discussions respectful and constructive. Abusive, defamatory, or illegal comments will be removed. News18 may disable any comment at its discretion. By posting, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy Loading comments... 'CMs Having Picnic in Davos': Sanjay Raut's Swipe Draws Sharp Response From Fadnavis Wife Curated By : News18.com Last Updated: January 22, 2026, 09:11 IST Sanjay Raut questioned chief ministers attending the Davos summit, calling it a picnic and demanding disclosure of travel costs, prompting a sharp rebuttal from Amruta Fadnavis. Devendra Fadnavis in Davos A sharp political exchange unfolded on Wednesday after Shiv Sena (UBT) MP Sanjay Raut took a swipe at chief ministers attending the World Economic Forum (WEF) in Davos, prompting a strong rebuttal from Amruta Fadnavis, wife of Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis. Raut questioned the relevance of the Davos visit and demanded that the travel costs of leaders attending the global summit be made public. Chief ministers from various states in India are having a picnic in Davos," the Rajya Sabha MP said, adding that the Davos conference is ridiculous from an Indian perspective." The remarks drew an immediate and pointed response from Amruta Fadnavis, who dismissed Rauts comments as unfounded and criticised the language used by the Sena (UBT) leader. I can never understand his language," she told reporters on the sidelines of an event in Mumbai. But I will only say this much that someone who goes for a picnic does not hold conferences and meetings daily from 6 am to 11 pm to bring investment to India and Maharashtra, and boost employment." So I feel that this statement of his, like all his other statements, is baseless," she added. Devendra Fadnavis is currently in Davos to participate in the annual meeting of the World Economic Forum, a gathering that brings together political leaders, policymakers, and business heads from across the world. Defending the Chief Ministers presence at the summit, Amruta Fadnavis underscored the importance of global platforms such as the WEF for Indian states seeking investment and economic opportunities. The WEF in Davos is an international forum where people from every country go to talk about their country or to find business opportunities," she said. Going there, I believe, is the duty of the head of every state in India." DEVENDRA FADNAVIS AT DAVOS SUMMIT While in Davos, Devendra Fadnavis maintained that his participation at the World Economic Forum is focused on engaging with stakeholders, attending meetings, and projecting Maharashtra as an investment destination. According to Amruta Fadnavis, the Chief Ministers schedule involved extensive interactions throughout the day, aimed at bringing investment to the state and boosting employment opportunities. She emphasised that such engagements were incompatible with the description of the visit as a leisure trip. The exchange comes at a time when Devendra Fadnavis is being credited with the BJP-led Mahayuti alliances strong performance in the recent Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation elections. The BJP emerged as the single largest party, winning 89 seats in the 227-member civic body. Asked separately about who would be the mayor of Mumbai, Amruta Fadnavis said it would be a Marathi person, a remark that carries political significance amid debates over representation and leadership in the countrys financial capital. News18 Newsletter Handpicked stories, in your inbox A newsletter with the best of our journalism submit First Published: January 22, 2026, 09:11 IST News india 'CMs Having Picnic in Davos': Sanjay Raut's Swipe Draws Sharp Response From Fadnavis Wife Disclaimer: Comments reflect users views, not News18s. Please keep discussions respectful and constructive. Abusive, defamatory, or illegal comments will be removed. News18 may disable any comment at its discretion. By posting, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy Loading comments... 10 Soldiers Dead As Army Vehicle Plunges Into Doda Gorge, PM Modi Expresses Condolences Curated By : News18.com Last Updated: January 22, 2026, 20:59 IST The Army vehicle was moving on the Bhaderwah Chamba Road in Doda when the accident took place. Visuals of hospital from Doda area in Jammu and Kashmir (File Photo/ANI) Ten soldiers lost their lives, while eight others sustained serious injuries after an Army vehicle plunged into a deep gorge in Jammu and Kashmirs Doda district, officials said on Wednesday, revising the earlier toll. The accident took place on the BhaderwahChamba Road when the Army vehicle veered off the road and fell into the gorge. All the injured soldiers were rushed to the Command Hospital in Udhampur for treatment. According to the White Knight Corps, the Army vehicle carrying troops for an operation slipped off the road while navigating treacherous terrain in bad weather."In an unfortunate incident, an Army vehicle carrying troops for an operation, slipped off the road while navigating treacherous terrain in bad weather, in general area of Doda. There are multiple casualties, including fatal. The injured have been evacuated for further treatment," said White Knight Corps. Giving an update about the condition of the injured soldiers, Union Minister Jitendra Singh said that two of the injured personnel have minor injuries, while the remaining six have suffered grievous injuries. The seriously injured soldiers are undergoing treatment under ICU care, with some requiring surgical intervention, he informed. Latest Medical Update about the Doda road accident injured Army Jawans in Command Hospital Udhampur:All the 10 Casualties have been resuscitated and investigated by doing Xrays, CT Scan, MRI and Ultrasounds. 2 patients have mild injuries. However, the remaining 8 have Dr Jitendra Singh (@DrJitendraSingh) January 22, 2026 PM Modi Expresses Grief Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday expressed deep anguish over the road accident in Doda district of Jammu and Kashmir that claimed the lives of Indian Army personnel. In a message shared on social media, the Prime Minister said the nation would always remember the service and sacrifice of the soldiers who lost their lives in the mishap. He also wished a speedy recovery for those injured in the incident. Modi assured that all possible assistance was being extended to the affected families and injured personnel, adding that the government was closely monitoring the situation. Deeply anguished by the mishap in Doda, in which we have lost our brave army personnel. Their service to the nation will be remembered forever. May the injured recover at the earliest. All possible support is being provided to those affected. Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) January 22, 2026 President Murmu Condoles Death Of Soldiers President Droupadi Murmu on Thursday expressed her deep sorrow over the incident. The news of the death of Indian Army soldiers in a road accident in Doda, Jammu and Kashmir, is extremely tragic. I express my deepest condolences to the bereaved families and pray for the swift recovery of the injured soldiers," President Murmu posted on X. J&K CM Extends Condolences Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah expressed deep grief over the tragic accident involving an Army vehicle at Khannitop on the BhaderwahChamba road. He conveyed heartfelt condolences to the families of the soldiers who lost their lives and wished a speedy recovery to those injured, lauding the swift rescue and evacuation efforts. Chief Minister has expressed deep grief over the tragic accident involving an Army vehicle at Khannitop on the BhaderwahChamba road. He conveyed heartfelt condolences to the families of the soldiers who lost their lives and wished a speedy recovery to those injured, lauding the Office of Chief Minister, J&K (@CM_JnK) January 22, 2026 Responding to the accident, Jammu and Kashmir Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha took to X and wrote, Deeply saddened at the loss of lives of 10 of our brave Indian Army soldiers in an unfortunate road accident in Doda." We will always remember the outstanding service and supreme sacrifice of our brave soldiers. My deepest condolences to the grieving families," he added. Deeply saddened at the loss of lives of 10 of our brave Indian Army soldiers in an unfortunate road accident in Doda. We will always remember the outstanding service and supreme sacrifice of our brave soldiers. My deepest condolences to the grieving families. Office of LG J&K (@OfficeOfLGJandK) January 22, 2026 Expressing grief, PDP chief Mehbooba Mufti also took to X and wrote, Deeply saddened to hear the tragic news from Doda, where an Army vehicle met with an accident, claiming the lives of 10 brave soldiers and leaving several others injured. My heartfelt condolences to the bereaved families, and prayers for the swift recovery of the injured." Amit Shah Expresses Grief Over Doda Road Accident Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Thursday expressed deep sorrow over the road accident in Doda district of Jammu and Kashmir that claimed the lives of several soldiers. In a message shared on social media, Shah said he was deeply pained by the incident and extended his condolences to the families of the soldiers who lost their lives in the accident. He added that the injured personnel are being provided with advanced medical care. The home minister also prayed for the swift recovery of all the injured soldiers, expressing hope that they would regain full health at the earliest. - , , Amit Shah (@AmitShah) January 22, 2026 Defence Minister Rajnath Singh Shares Condolences Defence Minister Rajnath Singh shared condolences on the road accident and wrote on X,"Deeply saddened by the tragic road accident in Doda in which we lost our 10 brave soldiers of the Indian Army. My heartfelt condolences to the bereaved families." Deeply saddened by the tragic road accident in Doda in which we lost our 10 brave soldiers of the Indian Army. My heartfelt condolences to the bereaved families.The injured soldiers are receiving medical care and all necessary directions have been given to ensure the best Rajnath Singh (@rajnathsingh) January 22, 2026 He added, The injured soldiers are receiving medical care and all necessary directions have been given to ensure the best possible treatment. The nation stands with our Armed Forces and their families in this difficult hour." News18 Newsletter Handpicked stories, in your inbox A newsletter with the best of our journalism submit Location : Jammu and Kashmir, India, India First Published: January 22, 2026, 14:02 IST News india 10 Soldiers Dead As Army Vehicle Plunges Into Doda Gorge, PM Modi Expresses Condolences Disclaimer: Comments reflect users views, not News18s. Please keep discussions respectful and constructive. Abusive, defamatory, or illegal comments will be removed. News18 may disable any comment at its discretion. By posting, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy Loading comments... UP Police Arrest Five, Including Gym Owners, After Women Allege Forced Religious Conversion Curated By : News18.com Last Updated: January 22, 2026, 12:33 IST At least five gyms across the district have been sealed as part of the ongoing investigation, police said. UP Police | Representative Image Uttar Pradesh Police have arrested five people, including gym owners, after multiple women in Mirzapur accused them of running an illegal religious conversion racket under the cover of fitness centres. At least five gyms across the district have been sealed as part of the ongoing investigation, police said. In the first case, four men were arrested after two women filed complaints alleging they were lured, sexually exploited, blackmailed and pressured to change their religion by individuals associated with local gyms. The accused have been identified as Mohammad Sheikh Ali Alam, Faizal Khan, Zaheer and Saadab. All four were produced before a court and sent to judicial custody. Police said efforts are underway to identify and apprehend other suspects linked to the alleged network. According to the FIR, one of the complainants alleged that Sheikh Ali, a gym trainer, befriended her during workout sessions before coercing her into a relationship. She claimed he sexually assaulted her, secretly recorded objectionable images and videos, and later used them to extort money. The accused allegedly continued to demand funds and even took loans in her name using threats and blackmail. The woman further told police that she was repeatedly pressured to convert her religion, forced to wear a burqa, made to offer namaz regularly, taken to a dargah and compelled to recite religious verses. When she resisted, the accused allegedly abused her and threatened to kill her or circulate the videos online. She also claimed that other women had been similarly targeted. Following the complaints, Mirzapur Police registered cases and sealed five gyms, including KGN Gym and B-Fit Gym, alleging they were being used as fronts for the illegal activities. Commenting on the arrests, Mirzapur BJP MLA Ratnakar Mishra said strict action should be taken against the alleged misuse of gyms for forced conversions. He said the state government would not tolerate illegal religious conversion and backed the police action. In a separate but related case, police busted another alleged gym-linked conversion and blackmail racket and arrested a gym owner, Farid, after an encounter in the Barkachha area of Mirzapur. Police said Farid, who also worked as a firearms trainer, was using his gym to target young women. According to officials, Farid allegedly opened fire on a police team when they attempted to arrest him, following which he was overpowered and taken into custody. He had been under surveillance for allegedly trapping women through gyms and subjecting them to blackmail and pressure tactics. News18 Newsletter Handpicked stories, in your inbox A newsletter with the best of our journalism submit Location : Uttar Pradesh, India, India First Published: January 22, 2026, 12:33 IST News india UP Police Arrest Five, Including Gym Owners, After Women Allege Forced Religious Conversion Disclaimer: Comments reflect users views, not News18s. Please keep discussions respectful and constructive. Abusive, defamatory, or illegal comments will be removed. News18 may disable any comment at its discretion. By posting, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy Loading comments... By Xinhuanet Writer Wang Yamei BEIJING, Jan. 21 (Xinhuanet) -- The Danish Ministry of Defense confirmed last Wednesday that Denmark is increasing its military presence in and around Greenland. On the same day, Sweden and Norway have said they would send military personnel to Greenland at Denmarks request. France and Finland have both announced similar moves one day later. The recent military reinforcement move from several European nations following U.S. President Donald Trumps claim that the U.S. would acquire Greenland one way or the other is not a minor diplomatic quarrel. It is a symptom of a deeper crisis, which lays bare Washingtons unilateralism, its disregard for international law, and the increasing fragility of NATO. Greenland, a self-governing territory within the Kingdom of Denmark with Copenhagen retaining control over defense and foreign affairs, is rich in minerals vital to the energy transition and advanced manufacturing, including rare earth elements, graphite, copper and nickel. The U.S. views Greenland through the lens of great-power competition, seeking strategic control and access to key resources. Already maintaining a military base on the island, Washington explicitly links Greenlands resource wealth to its long-standing security interests, which ultimately turns the vast and quiet island into an unlikely geopolitical flashpoint. Since returning to the White House in 2025, Trump has repeatedly voiced his desire to obtain Greenland and has not ruled out the use of force. This dispute over Greenland is exposing growing cracks within NATO. The most alarming scenario would be the U.S. resorting to force. A military action against the territory of Denmark, a founding member of NATO, would deal a devastating blow to the alliance. Article 5, the collective defense clause, would be rendered meaningless. Someone has warned that NATO would cease to exist as a credible political alliance. The alliance is already under strain due to disputes over burden-sharing and strategic priorities. A coercive move on Greenland would become the final and irreparable rupture. The U.S. coercion in Greenland directly collides with Danish sovereignty and broader European interests. According to the European Commission, 25 of the European Unions (EU) 34 critical raw materials can be found in Greenland. The EU sees the self-governing island as an important place in its green transition. Yet Washingtons pressure tactics ignore these stakes. They treat an allys territory as a bargaining chip -- a flagrant violation of the principles of sovereignty and territorial integrity enshrined in the UN Charter. Faced with such pressure, the EU has little choice but to harden its political and security stance in support of Greenland. Leaders of political groups in the European Parliament have issued a joint statement, condemning remarks by the Trump administration as a blatant challenge to international law and to the sovereignty of Denmark. They stressed that decisions concerning Greenland belong to Denmark and Greenland alone, and that any external attempt to change the status quo is unacceptable. This dispute over Greenland highlights a harsh reality. U.S. foreign policy is increasingly operating outside the UN Charter and the international law. The UN Charter clearly prohibits the threat or use of force against the territorial integrity of any state. By pressuring Denmark and openly floating the option of force, Washington is trampling on this basic principle. It sends a dangerous signal that might makes right is becoming an accepted logic, even among allies. When strategic greed takes over, even long-standing partnerships can be treated as expendable. The Greenland dispute is therefore more than a resource issue. It constitutes a trial of respect for international law and the future of transatlantic relations. Upholding a hegemonic mindset, the U.S. itself is the primary force that has distorted the post-WWII international order. Its claims and actions are direct threat to worlds security and stability. Furthermore, such U.S. coercion in Greenland will not only hurt its allies but also weaken its own global influence as a major country in the world. The ice in Greenland is melting, and with it, perhaps, the image of Uncle Sam in the international community. (Cartoon by Li Xuemei, Bai Minghui, Wang Chunyan) Alcohol Isnt Worth It: Why Gen Z Is Going Sober And What It Reveals About Youth Culture Curated By : News18.com Last Updated: January 22, 2026, 12:15 IST What Gen Z has quietly done is demote alcohol from a habit to an event. Drinking is no longer routine, casual, or automatic. It is deliberate, timed, and increasingly conditional Young people are far more conscious of how alcohol affects sleep, anxiety, productivity, and emotional regulation. Drinking now comes with a mental cost-benefit analysis. (Getty Images) Walk into most bars in Delhi in the evening and there are empty stools, bored bartenders, and happy-hour posters that no longer work. Ask around, and youll hear the same explanation Gen Z is going sober. The same generation that supposedly doesnt drink" is very much present at music gigs, destination weddings, brunches, rooftop house parties, and festival weekends, with drinks firmly in hand. Alcohol has not vanished from Gen Zs world. It has simply stopped organising their daily lives. What Gen Z has quietly done is demote alcohol from a habit to an event. Drinking is no longer routine, casual, or automatic. It is deliberate, timed, and increasingly conditional. This shift is confusing the alcohol and hospitality industry, which still measures demand by frequency weekday footfall, repeat customers, loyalty to brands. Gen Z offers none of that. Instead, it shows up selectively, intensely, and on its own terms. Why Is There A Contradiction? Bar owners across Indian cities complain that weekday drinking has collapsed. Tuesday trivia nights, Wednesday ladies nights, and Thursday happy hours that once guaranteed traffic now feel outdated. Some venues have shortened operating days. Others are pivoting to DJs, live performances, or experiences" to pull people in. Yet alcohol sales spike during concerts, weddings, curated house parties, weekend brunches, and festivals. Liquor doesnt struggle at airport duty-free counters or destination resorts. Premium bottles are still bought, just not often. This contradiction lies at the heart of the confusion. If Gen Z is sober, why does alcohol keep showing up everywhere it matters? Because Gen Z has not stopped drinking. It has stopped drinking by default. Millennial Vs Gen Z: How Drinking Has Quietly Changed For millennials and older generations, drinking was woven into everyday socialising. One drink after work, another on the way home, casual beers during the week, and heavier nights on weekends. Alcohol was the lubricant of adulthood. Gen Z has broken that rhythm. I feel drinking was never a problem, it felt more like a pause button at the end of the day. A beer after work meant the day was done, and happy hours were how we decompressed, bonded, celebrated small wins, or simply existed together without overthinking it. Alcohol was not some excuse always; it was social glue though sometimes it did turn into an all-nighter. It helped me unwind from the chaos of work and enjoy jolly evenings with friends, good music, and a lot of laughter," said 35-year-old Gaurav Khanna, who works at an IT company in Noida. However, 24-year-old Aradhya Arora, who is a make-up artist, drinking alcohol is not worth it". Being a Gen Z who parties nearly once every two weeks, I have realised that drinking alcohol is not worth it anymore. For me, parties are less about alcohol but more about living in the moment. My experience with drinking now feels like a big yikes. The memories blur, routines get disrupted, and it takes time to regain focus. Staying sober feels far more rewarding than blacking out," she added. Why Has Gen Z Made This Call? This shift is often framed as wellness, sobriety, or moral progress. But the real drivers are more practical, and more revealing of how young Indians live today. Time has become scarce. Long commutes, unpredictable work hours, and side hustles mean weekday evenings feel expensive. Drinking casually eats into energy needed for the next day. Money matters more than brands realise. Cocktails that cost Rs 700-Rs 1,200 dont feel casual to a generation navigating rent, EMIs, and job instability. Drinking at bars is no longer a default expense; its a calculated one. Living arrangements play a role. Many Gen Z professionals live with parents or family well into their late 20s. Quiet weekday drinking doesnt fit easily into those spaces, while house parties and planned nights do. Mental load is another factor. Young people are far more conscious of how alcohol affects sleep, anxiety, productivity, and emotional regulation. Drinking now comes with a mental cost-benefit analysis something earlier generations rarely paused to do. Gen Zs mental health awareness really shapes their relationship with alcohol. They are open about anxiety, burnout, and just feeling emotionally drained. More and more, they see alcohol as something that just hides stress for a bit but makes it worse later. So, a lot of young people are choosing therapy, journaling, exercise, or even digital detoxes instead of drinking to deal with things. Emotional regulation becomes a skill rather than something outsourced to substances. There is also less romanticising of self-destructive behaviour. Being functional, present, and emotionally aware is a good goal. Drinking less fits right in with that," said Dr. Abhinav Gupta, Consultant, Gastroenterologist, Narayana Hospital Jaipur. Does Abstinence Make Gen Z Healthy? Reduced alcohol intake has several positive effects on the body. It lowers the risk of liver-related disorders, helps maintain healthier blood pressure and cholesterol levels, improves sleep quality, and reduces the likelihood of anxiety, depression and dependency issues. Alcohol is a known depressant, and excessive or frequent consumption can worsen stress, fatigue and emotional imbalance is what todays younger population is increasingly aware of," added Goyal. He added that it would be unfair to compare Gen Z with millennials, saying one generation is universally healthier than the other. However, Gen Zs approach to alcohol does reflect a more preventive mindset towards health. Many young adults today prioritise fitness, nutrition and mental well-being, and understand that long-term habits formed early can influence future disease risk. That said, health is multi-factorial. Reduced alcohol consumption is a positive step, but it needs to be complemented by balanced nutrition, physical activity, good sleep and responsible lifestyle choices," he added. What Is Gen Z Doing More? House parties have become central. Friends gather at someones flat, split the cost of alcohol, control music, avoid travel, and decide when to end the night. Alcohol is present, but it does not dictate the evening. Brunch culture has absorbed a large share of drinking. Mimosas and cocktails at noon feel efficient socialising, eating, drinking, and returning home before exhaustion sets in. Live events matter more than venues. Concerts, DJ nights, pop-ups, and festivals pull crowds willing to drink, but only because something else anchors the night. Many Gen Z drinkers talk about one big night" instead of multiple small ones. Fewer hangovers, fewer regrets, fewer wasted mornings. Why The Industry Is Misreading The Moment The alcohol and hospitality industry still rely on older metrics, which are frequency, brand loyalty, and habitual consumption. It expects customers to build routines around venues. Gen Z refuses that contract. They dont drink the same brand every week. They dont show up out of boredom. They dont reward loyalty with consistency. They reward novelty, atmosphere, and social alignment. This is why brands panic when they see falling weekday numbers, even as event-based consumption rises. They are measuring absence, not relocation. Liquor companies still market alcohol as identity. Gen Z treats it as a tool, something used when it enhances the moment, ignored when it does not. What This Says About The Future Of Drinking Culture Gen Zs relationship with alcohol mirrors its relationship with work, relationships, and institutions more broadly. Quiet quitting instead of dramatic resignations. Soft boundaries instead of confrontations. Selective participation instead of blind loyalty. Alcohol fits into this pattern. It has been stripped of its assumed importance and placed where it belongs as an option, not an obligation. Gen Zs take on alcohol shows a bigger cultural shift. Young people in India today prioritise control, intention, and self-awareness over going overboard. Fun is not about pushing limits anymore, it is about how you feel the day after. There is also a blending of global influence with local values. Wellness trends meet traditional ideas of balance and restraint. You build your identity on being yourself, not just rebelling for no reason. Drinking less does not signal conservatism, it signals choice. Gen Z does not reject alcohol outright, but it rejects the idea that adulthood or social status must include it. In doing so, it quietly reshapes what youth culture in India looks like," explained Dr Gupta. The future of nightlife in the country perhaps could not be built on getting Gen Z to drink more. It may depend on understanding why they drink, and when they decide its worth their time. News18 Newsletter Handpicked stories, in your inbox A newsletter with the best of our journalism submit First Published: January 22, 2026, 12:15 IST News lifestyle Alcohol Isnt Worth It: Why Gen Z Is Going Sober And What It Reveals About Youth Culture Disclaimer: Comments reflect users views, not News18s. Please keep discussions respectful and constructive. Abusive, defamatory, or illegal comments will be removed. News18 may disable any comment at its discretion. By posting, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy Loading comments... Happy Republic Day 2026: Theme, Quotes, Chief Guest And Why EU Leaders Presence Matters Published By : Last Updated: January 22, 2026, 09:30 IST Republic Day 2026 Theme: R-Day 2026 celebrates Vande Mataram, features grand parade displays, and hosts EU leaders, highlighting Indias culture and diplomacy. Rapid Read Republic Day 2026 will focus on Vande Mataram, marking 150 years since the national song was first composed. (Image: Shutterstock) Republic Day Theme 2026: Republic Day 2026 carries deep emotional and strategic significance, combining Indias history, culture, and global diplomacy in a single celebration. The parade will take place on January 26 at Kartavya Path, New Delhi, with extensive preparations already underway. Theme of the Year: Vande Mataram This year, the Republic Day theme celebrates Vande Mataram, marking 150 years since the song was composed. The theme reconnects citizens with Indias freedom movement while reflecting the countrys evolution over decades. Paintings inspired by 1920s interpretations of the song will line Kartavya Path, while schools, colleges, and cultural groups across India will perform music and dance from January 19 to 26. Even official invitations, floral arrangements, and tableaux follow the Vande Mataram theme. Parade Highlights Republic Day 2026 will see several firsts in the parade. The Indian Army will showcase a Battle Array Formation, demonstrating coordinated troop movements alongside tanks, missile systems, drones, and armored vehicles. The Indian Air Force flypast will feature fighter jets and helicopters in multiple formations, with a special tableau honoring Air Force veterans. ALSO READ: Republic Day 2026 Parade: Timings, Tickets, Venue, Entry Rules And All Key Details Officials are also reviewing adjustments to the event sequence to enhance visibility and engagement. Chief Guests: EU Leaders This year, top European Union leaders, including European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen and European Council President Antonio Costa, will attend the celebrations alongside President Droupadi Murmu and Prime Minister Narendra Modi. ALSO READ: Republic Day 2026: History, Significance And Kartavya Path Celebrations Their presence reflects Indias growing engagement with Europe on trade, technology, climate action, and geopolitical stability. The visit coincides with the EU-India Summit on January 27, focusing on reviving long-pending Free Trade Agreement negotiations. Administrative Updates & Public Participation The government is modernizing seating and pass labels by phasing out VIP" and VVIP" terms and enhancing public engagement through platforms like My Bharat. Youth groups, NCC units, and educational institutions are encouraged to participate in the celebrations. Republic Day 2026 Inspiring Quotes Long years ago, we made a tryst with destiny, and now the time comes when we shall redeem our pledge, not wholly or in full measure, but very substantially. At the stroke of the midnight hour, when the world sleeps, India will awake to life and freedom."- Jawaharlal Nehru. A countrys greatness lies in its undying ideal of love and sacrifice that inspire the mothers of the race." Sarojini Naidu. So long as you do not achieve social liberty, whatever freedom is provided by the law is of no avail to you." BR Ambedkar. Swaraj is my birthright, and I shall have it." Bal Gangadhar Tilak. Tum mujhe khoon do, main tumhe azaadi doonga." Subhash Chandra Bose. Freedom is not worth having if it does not include the freedom to make mistakes." Mahatma Gandhi The sanctity of law can be maintained only so long as it is the expression of the will of the people." Bhagat Singh Every citizen of India must remember that he is an Indian and he has every right in this country but with certain duties." Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel Dont see others doing better than you; beat your own records every day, because success is a fight between you and yourself." Chandra Shekhar Azad. Where the mind is without fear, and the head is held high, where knowledge is free. Where the world has not been broken up into fragments by narrow domestic walls." Rabindranath Tagore. News18 Newsletter Handpicked stories, in your inbox A newsletter with the best of our journalism submit Location : Delhi, India, India First Published: January 22, 2026, 09:30 IST News lifestyle Happy Republic Day 2026: Theme, Quotes, Chief Guest And Why EU Leaders Presence Matters Abhay Deol Shares Stem Cell Therapy Journey: What Is It, Benefits And Risks Curated By : Trending Desk Last Updated: January 22, 2026, 13:49 IST Abhay Deol revealed he suffered from chronic knee pain and sciatica, explaining how stem cell therapy aided his recovery. Abhay Deol shares a happy selfie with fans. (Photo Credit: Instagram) Actor Abhay Deol recently opened up about his long-standing knee pain. In a recent Instagram post, he revealed that a slipped disc had caused persistent knee pain and sciatica in his left leg for a long time, leaving him feeling hopeless at one point. He explained how stem cell therapy at a South Korean clinic helped him heal. The actor praised South Koreas regenerative medicine system and detailed how the procedure helped him conquer his chronic knee pain. Abhay Deol Shares His Stem Cell Therapy Experience Sharing pictures with Dr Abraham An, Abhay Deol wrote a detailed caption about his experience. The Aisha actor recalled he had experienced knee pain and sciatica in his left leg for a long time due to a slipped disc, but didnt want to go through surgery. He wrote, I never speak about my health or personal issues on a public platform, but I felt the need to share this. For a long time, Ive had pain in my knees and sciatica in my left leg due to a slip disc. I felt quite hopeless at times, because I didnt want surgery of any kind, especially for my lower back." After learning about stem cell therapy, he felt it was safe enough to try and revealed that he had received the treatment recently. He went on to add, Id been reading about stem cell therapy and thought it to be safe enough to give it a shot. I recently received stem cell therapy at Lydian Clinic via Jabez Medical Guide." Describing Dr Abraham as one of Koreas leading experts" in regenerative medicine and aesthetic surgery, Abhay revealed that the doctor assured him stem cells would help his condition. Explaining the procedure, he said it felt natural and safe, using his own cells to help his body heal itself. Abhay further revealed that he recently returned for a second round of treatment and the clinic has stored his stem cells for potential future health needs. He concluded his caption with a note of wonder, What amazing times we live in!" View this post on Instagram A post shared by Abhay Deol (@abhaydeol) What Is Stem Cell Therapy? While Abhays post is certainly enlightening, it is important to understand exactly what stem cell therapy is and how it works. According to the Mayo Clinic, stem cell therapy, also known as regenerative medicine, promotes the repair of diseased, dysfunctional, or injured tissue using stem cells. In this process, researchers grow stem cells in laboratories and manipulate them into specific types of cells. These specialised cells can then be implanted into a person to help repair or replace damaged tissue and support the bodys natural healing process. Benefits And Risks Of Stem Cell Therapy According to Danaher Life Sciences, stem cells have shown the potential to help heal and repair the body. They can support the immune system as well. These treatments can also replace damaged tissues and provide structural support, helping the body work better. The benefits can significantly improve a patients quality of life. However, like any medical treatment, stem cell therapy also comes with risks. One of the biggest challenges is whether the transplanted stem cells can survive, grow, and repair the damaged tissue. Changes to the cells genes or other factors during lab preparation can also affect how well they work in the body. Another big risk is immune rejection. This could necessitate immunosuppressive therapy, which can increase the chances of infections or other side effects. News18 Newsletter Handpicked stories, in your inbox A newsletter with the best of our journalism submit First Published: January 22, 2026, 13:49 IST News lifestyle health-and-fitness Abhay Deol Shares Stem Cell Therapy Journey: What Is It, Benefits And Risks The Illusion Of Safety: Clear Water In Urban Areas Don't Always Mean Clean Water Curated By : News18.com Last Updated: January 22, 2026, 21:10 IST Unlike infections that trigger immediate symptoms, chemicals in water places a slow burden on the body as the organs work hard to deal with things they were never meant to process Just because the water looks clear, doesn't mean it is clean We often associate unsafe drinking water with a strange colour or bad odour, or if it has debris at the bottom, whether it is in a glass, bottle or in nature. However, even crystal-clear water can be surprisingly harmful for drinking and cause health problems. Recent government findings from Indore, a city recognised for its sanitation standards, revealed that a large share of water samples failed basic safety checks, despite showing no obvious signs of contamination. The problem was not visibility but the hidden danger. We speak to Dr Anil Kumar, Chief Water Scientist, to understand what actually makes water safe to drink and how one can spot unclean water. The Illusion of Safety Chemical contamination does not behave like dirt or germs. Substances such as nitrates, fluoride, arsenic and certain metals dissolve in water without leaving a single trace. This is why contaminated water can be consumed for years without raising suspicion. National groundwater monitoring confirms that this is not an isolated issue. A significant portion of Indias groundwater sources contains chemical elements unsafe for long-term consumption. In many regions, this groundwater is consumed every day. The exposure is steady and routine, not sudden or dramatic. Gradually, a persons health will start deteriorating with issues such as persistent fatigue, digestive discomfort and recurring minor illness. But the question around the quality of water consumed every day is never raised. Why the Body Feels It Later Unlike infections that trigger immediate symptoms, chemical exposure places a slow burden on the body. The kidneys, liver, bones and immune system work harder over time to manage substances they were never meant to process continuously. The result is not a single diagnosis but a steady erosion of resilience. Children are affected differently. Their bodies absorb more relative to size, and early exposure can influence physical growth and learning ability. Adults may tolerate contaminated water longer, but it shouldnt be mistaken for safety. The Filter Fallacy In cities, water filters are often seen as a final safeguard. Once installed, they bring peace of mind. But confidence does not always equal protection. A study conducted at the Indian Institute of Technology Madras examined drinking water before and after filtration. It was observed that while well-designed purification systems continued to remove harmful substances, many ordinary or unverified filters lost effectiveness much earlier than expected, despite the water looking clear, hence, reinforcing a false belief that clarity equals safety . Filtration performance must be sustained not assumed. Without regular checks and timely replacement, filters can quietly stop doing their job. The Cost That Never Makes Headlines The impact of unsafe drinking water rarely appears to be a headline-making emergency. Instead, it shows up in everyday life. Missed school days, reduced concentration, frequent medical visits and lower energy at work. These symptoms only worsen with time and families end up spending more on treatment while never addressing the underlying cause. Cities may score high on cleanliness, waste management and visual hygiene, yet, struggle with water quality beneath the surface. Clean streets do not guarantee clean water. Pipes, sources and treatment systems require constant attention long after awards are announced. Rethinking What Safe" Really Means Drinking water can be made safe only by regular testing, honest reporting and systems that perform consistently, not just initially. Groundwater quality changes with seasons, land use and human activity. What was safe once may not remain so forever. For households, this means recognising that water safety is not a one-time decision. For cities, it means moving beyond perception and focusing on verification. Clear water offers reassurance, but if not backed by evidence, can prove to be dangerous. Until safety is measured by what testing reveals rather than what the eye sees, contaminated water will continue to shape health outcomes quietly, one glass at a time. News18 Newsletter Handpicked stories, in your inbox A newsletter with the best of our journalism submit First Published: January 22, 2026, 21:09 IST News lifestyle health-and-fitness The Illusion Of Safety: Clear Water In Urban Areas Don't Always Mean Clean Water Aditya Chopra Asked Karan Johar To Not Leak His And Rani Mukerji's Wedding News Curated By : News18.com Last Updated: January 22, 2026, 15:26 IST Earlier, speaking to ANI, the Black star revealed why she and Aditya decided to keep their wedding a hush-hush affair back then. Aditya Chopra Asked Karan Johar To Not Leak His And Rani Mukerji's Wedding News Rani Mukerji is currently gearing up for her next release, Mardaani 3. The trailer, released recently, is gaining a lot of attention from all corners. Well, ahead of the release, Rani Mukerji and Karan Johar were seen sitting and indulging in some talks. Karan Johar entertained fans with a candid anecdote from the time of Aditya Chopra and Rani Mukerjis highly private wedding. He revealed that Aditya Chopra had firmly warned him against leaking any details to the media, leaving him stressed but determined to keep the secret intact. Karan Johar reveals being threatened by Aditya Chopra during his wedding to not leak the news to the media. Karan recalls being stressed and bumping into Chintu and Chimpu Kapoor at the airport on his way to Rani and Adis wedding in Italy and fumbling and lying to them about going to Manchester. In conversation with Rani Mukerji, Karan Johar recalled how Aditya Chopra threatened him not to leak wedding news to media. So hyper. Remember when you guys were getting married and I was there at the wedding. And he turned around and told me that if the wedding information leaks it will be only because of you. Because others dont know anybody else. You have the only person access to the outside world. Remember if any information leak it will be your fault. And I will never forget how stress I was because I was having 2 States whose releasing and I had to tell everyone I am leaving to go out. Everybody felt I was being insane. Why I am going on a release date of a film that is so close to my heart, a film that is Dharma Productions. Acha I am leaving. I was lying to my team, to everybody. I was lying I am going to Manchester. The first thing I bumped into Dabu uncle, Chintu, Chimpu Kapoor at the lounge. They said Kahan jaa raha hai. I said I am going Manchester," he said. Rani Mukerji Reveals Why She, Aditya Chopra Havent Shared Their Wedding Photos Speaking exclusively to ANI in Mumbai, the Black star revealed why she and Aditya decided to keep their wedding a hush-hush affair back then. My husband is a very private person, and I think he wanted the wedding to be very private. So obviously I dont think hell ever want the wedding pictures to be out," Rani shared. When jokingly asked if the audience would have to wait until their silver jubilee to finally see the wedding pictures, Rani laughed and quipped, Maybe! Actually, thats a very good idea." Rani and Aditya have consistently kept their personal lives away from the spotlight, making only a handful of public appearances together over the years. Opening up about keeping her personal life separate from her film career, Rani explained, I think I was always private because my work life is different, my personal life is different. If youve seen me through the years, I think I only make like appearances when there is a reason for it. Its not always all the time." About Mardaani 3 The makers of Rani Mukerjis hard-hitting cop franchise Mardaani have unveiled the trailer of its third instalment, bringing back the actor as the relentless and fearless IPS officer Shivani Shivaji Roy. Staying true to the franchises uncompromising tone, Mardaani 3 promises another disturbing, socially rooted narrative that places Shivani in the middle of a race against time. This time around, Shivani is seen joining the National Investigation Agency (NIA) and taking charge of a chilling case involving the kidnapping of two young girls. As Shivani digs deeper into the investigation, the case spirals into something far more sinister. The trailer reveals a nationwide human trafficking network run by an elderly woman named Amma, played by Mallika Prasad. Amma is shown buying girls from different parts of the country for 10 lakh each, drugging them into unconsciousness, and exploiting them systematically. What initially appears to be a trafficking case soon exposes links to a larger beggar mafia, indicating organised crime operating under the guise of helplessness. One of the most unsettling moments in the trailer shows a rescued girl coughing up blood in a hospital, driving home the physical and emotional brutality inflicted on the victims. News18 Newsletter Handpicked stories, in your inbox A newsletter with the best of our journalism submit First Published: January 22, 2026, 15:26 IST News movies bollywood Aditya Chopra Asked Karan Johar To Not Leak His And Rani Mukerji's Wedding News Anil Kapoor Got Anupam Kher Fired From Mr India; Ishaan Khatter Starrer Homebound Out Of Oscars Race Curated By : Last Updated: January 22, 2026, 21:49 IST Anupam Kher recalled an anecdote while talking to his son. Homebound doesn't get an Oscar nomination. Read the top news of the day here. Veteran actor Anupam Kher shares a warm and easy camaraderie with his stepson Sikander Kher, and a recent video posted by Sikander offered a delightful glimpse into their bond. The clip, filmed after Anupam underwent a dental procedure, shows the duo indulging in playful banter, mock threats, and inside jokes that quickly won over social media. The conversation in the video also veers into film anecdotes. Anupam opens up about losing the role of Mogambo in Mr India. Read More: Anupam Kher Says Best Friend Anil Kapoor Got Him Fired From Mr India: They Didnt Tell Me Till The End In some unfortunate news, the Indian movie Homebound has not secured a nomination in the Best International Feature Film category for the upcoming 98th Academy Awards. The nominations were announced on Thursday, when it was revealed that Homebound is now out of the race. Films nominated in the category are The Secret Agent, It Was Just An accident, Sentimental Value, Sirat and The Voice Of Hind Rajab. Read More: Homebound Out Of Oscars 2026 Race, Not Nominated In Best International Feature Film Category Actor Jaaved Jaaferi has weighed in on the ongoing discussion around A. R. Rahmans recent remarks about alleged communal bias in the Hindi film industry, offering a broader perspective on how the industry has evolved over the years. The veteran actor, who is gearing up for the release of his upcoming film Mayasabha, opened up during promotions while speaking to IANS. Read More: Jaaved Jaaferi Reacts To AR Rahmans Bias In Bollywood Remark: Industry Has Changed When Kabhi Alvida Naa Kehna released in 2006, it arrived as one of Karan Johars most daring and emotionally complex films. Set against the backdrop of New York City, the film ventured into territory Hindi cinema had traditionally approached with caution: the lives of two unhappy married couples, the emotional vacuum within marriages, and the human longing for companionship beyond socially accepted boundaries. At a recent event, Karan Johar revealed how the film took an emotional toll on its cast. Read More: Abhishek Bachchan Broke Down Shooting KANK, Preity Zinta Got Personal About SRKs Dev Cheating On Her It is no secret that Amitabh Bachchan is an extremely disciplined actor. Many of his co-stars have spoken about how he respects the crews time and adheres to the pre-planned schedule, come what may. Now, Raja Bundela, who worked with Amitabh Bachchan in the 1989 thriller, Main Azaad Hoon, has recounted one such incident. Read More: Amitabh Bachchan Sent His Spotboy From Goa To Mumbai To Get His Shoes | Heres What Happened News18 Newsletter Handpicked stories, in your inbox A newsletter with the best of our journalism submit First Published: January 22, 2026, 21:49 IST News movies bollywood Anil Kapoor Got Anupam Kher Fired From Mr India; Ishaan Khatter Starrer Homebound Out Of Oscars Race Rimi Sen Says John Abraham Didnt Know Acting Early On: 'He Knew Where He Lacked And Played Smart Curated By : News18.com Last Updated: January 22, 2026, 17:12 IST Rimi Sen says John Abraham didnt know acting early in his career but intelligently chose action films, understood his limitations, and slowly evolved as a performer. Rapid Read Rimi Sen reflects on Dhoom co-star John Abrahams early career, saying he was aware of his acting limitations and smartly chose action roles to build credibility and popularity. Actor Rimi Sen, who rose to fame with popular comedies like Hera Pheri, Hungama and Golmaal, has been making headlines againthis time for stepping away from acting and moving to Dubai to start a real estate business. In a recent podcast appearance, where many fans found her almost unrecognisable, Rimi spoke candidly about her time in Bollywood and reflected on her Dhoom co-star John Abrahams career choices. Speaking to Buildcaps, Rimi stressed the importance of self-awareness, saying that recognising ones limitations can be more powerful than focusing only on strengths, A human being focuses on his positive point, but if someone knows their limitation, that this is my problem, and if they work on that, then that person goes a long way," she said. John Abraham Knew His Limitations Citing John Abraham as a prime example, Rimi recalled how he handled criticism in the early years of his career, In the beginning of his career, he was a model, he didnt know how to act, people used to talk. He didnt say anything," she shared. According to Rimi, John made calculated choices that worked in his favour, He picked the type of roles in which he is looking proper, where he doesnt have to act much, mostly chose action films. He did things that made him look good, so that people cant question what he was doing. He was a very intelligent actor, I must say," she said. She added that popularity and experience eventually helped him evolve as a performer, Then, when he gained popularity and people started recognising him, and dheere dheere karte karte insaan acting seekh hi jaata hai," Rimi explained. From Model To Actor To Producer John Abraham began his journey as a successful model before making his acting debut with Jism in 2003. Rimi noted that once he gained confidence in front of the camera, he began choosing roles that allowed him to explore performance more deeply, You gain the experience in front of the camera after a while. After that, he took up roles that give him a chance to act. He was strategically correct, he knew his limitations," she said. Praising his long-term vision, she added, I know him personally and I feel he is a very intelligent actor. He became a businessman, came into production, even gave hit films that have credibility." Rimi Sen On Quitting Acting And Moving To Dubai In the same podcast, Rimi also spoke about her decision to quit acting and relocate to Dubai to focus on her real estate venture. Talking about life in the UAE, she said, Dubai is very welcoming, which is why 95% of the population here consists of expatriates, while the rest are Emiratis." She went on to praise the citys inclusivity and governance, Dubai has welcomed everyone warmly, there are mosques here, there are temples too. They think about everyone, and the citys major focus is on how to make peoples lives better, easier, and more comfortable," she said. Drawing a contrast with India, Rimi added, This is something we dont really see in our country, because the government keeps changing policies overnight, making peoples lives more difficult. There are thousands of taxes, endless complications, and it is no longer a business-friendly nation." News18 Newsletter Handpicked stories, in your inbox A newsletter with the best of our journalism submit First Published: January 22, 2026, 17:12 IST News movies bollywood Rimi Sen Says John Abraham Didnt Know Acting Early On: 'He Knew Where He Lacked And Played Smart Shilpa Shirodkar Calls Sister Namrata Chintukli, Sends Her Birthday Wishes: 'Love You Endlessly' Published By : IANS Last Updated: January 22, 2026, 13:58 IST Namrata has worked in films such as Kachche Dhaage, Vaastav: The Reality, Pukar, Astitva and Dil Vil Pyar Vyar. Rapid Read Shilpa Shirodkar wishes sister Namrata a happy birthday. (Photo: Instagram) As Namrata Shirodkar turned 54 on Thursday, her sister Shilpa Shirodkar penned a birthday note for her chintukli" and said that her life is much brighter having her sibling by her side. Shilpa took to Instagram, where she shared a string of then and now images featuring her with her sister Namrata. Sharing her love for her chintukli, Shilpa described Namrata as her constant source of happiness and strength. Shilpa wrote in the caption: Happiest Birthday to my gorgeous sister, my chintukli @namratashirodkar ! Life is so much brighter with you by my side. Heres to more laughs, more memories, and more endless chats. Love you endlessly!" View this post on Instagram A post shared by Shilpa Shirodkar Ranjit (@shilpashirodkar73) Talking about Shilpa, she was recently seen in the supernatural thriller Jatadhara. The film, which is directed by Venkat Kalyan, also stars Sudheer Babu, Divya Khossla and Sonakshi Sinha. Set in a world where black magic holds real power, Jatadhara" delves into the dark side of the supernatural, where mystical forces become dangerous weapons. The story follows Sonakshi as a pishachini who has been guarding a hidden gold treasure for centuries. Shilpa made her acting debut in 1989 Ramesh Sippys Bhrashtachar, where she shared screen space with Mithun Chakraborty and Rekha.In 1990, she starred opposite Anil Kapoor in Kishen Kanhaiya. She then delivered a string of successful films, including Trinetra, Hum in 1991, Khuda Gawah, Aankhen, Pehchaan, Gopi Kishan, Bewafa Sanam, and Mrityudand. After her marriage, Shilpa decided to step away from films, with her last appearance being in Gaja Gamini in 2000. In 2013, she returned to acting, this time on television, with Ek Mutthi Aasmaan, a drama centered on the lives of domestic helpers.She then appeared in Silsila Pyar Ka and Savitri Devi College and Hospital. Meanwhile, Namrata has worked in films such as Kachche Dhaage, Vaastav: The Reality, Pukar, Astitva, Dil Vil Pyar Vyar, LOC Kargil and the British film Bride and Prejudice. News18 Newsletter Handpicked stories, in your inbox A newsletter with the best of our journalism submit First Published: January 22, 2026, 13:58 IST News movies bollywood Shilpa Shirodkar Calls Sister Namrata Chintukli, Sends Her Birthday Wishes: 'Love You Endlessly' Shriya Pilgaonkar Recalls Debut With Shah Rukh Khan In Fan: 'Dreams Started Taking Shape' Published By : IANS Last Updated: January 22, 2026, 10:15 IST Shriya Pilgaonkar recalls her 2016 Hindi film debut with Shah Rukh Khan in Fan as she looks forward to Haiwaan with Akshay Kumar and Saif Ali Khan. Shriya Pilgaonkar Recalls Debut With Shah Rukh Khan In Fan In 2016. Actress Shriya Pilgaonkar felt nostalgic as she hopped onto the 2016 throwback viral trend, revisiting a year she describes as a leap of faith" as.it marked her debut in Hindi cinema with the Shah Rukh Khan-starrer Fan. Taking to Instagram, Shriya recalled 2016 as the year of her Hindi film debut with Shah Rukh Khan-starrer Fan", a milestone that marked the beginning of new dreams. She also shared memories of taking her beloved Ajoba on a Mediterranean cruise and spending time doing theatre. She shared a string of images featuring her with Shah Rukh Khan, Harshvardhan Rane, Ishaan Khatter and late star Dharmendra with her father Sachin Pilgaonkar among many others. Shriya wrote in the caption section: #2016 Hopping onto the 2016 throwback bandwagon.Instagram really does feel like a digital scrapbook." She added: Came across a few special memories ..the year of my Hindi film debut with Fan, taking my Ajoba on a Mediterranean cruise ,did a lot of theatre and quietly found the courage to take a leap of faith as dreams slowly started taking shape. A seeker then and a seeker now." Talking about Fan, an action thriller directed by Maneesh Sharma, it stars Shah Rukh Khan in a dual role as Aryan Khanna, a film star, and his obsessive fan and lookalike, Gaurav Chandna. Gaurav beats up a rival actor to appease Aryan, but is instead punished by his idol; heartbroken, the fan plans revenge. The film also stars Waluscha De Sousa, Sayani Gupta, Yogendra Tikku, Taher Shabbir, Parveen Kaur and Indraneel Bhattacharya to name a few. Shriya will next be seen in Haiwaan by director of the film Priyadarshan. The film went on floors in August this year, and marks the reunion of Bollywood superstar Akshay Kumar, and Saif Ali Khan after 18 years. Saif and Akshay last worked together in Tashan, which was a commercial and critical disaster. Meanwhile, Priyadarshan and Akshay Kumar are working on a project titled Bhoot Bangla. The horror drama is likely to release towards the end of 2025. The movie marks the reunion of Akshay Kumar and Priyadarshan, one of the most commercially rewarding actor-director pairs of Hindi cinema. Talking about Shriya, she made her acting debut with the Marathi film Ekulti Ek in 2013, for which she earned the Maharashtra State Film Award for Best Debut. Following her Hindi film debut with Fan, the actress went onto establish herself with successful web series such as Mirzapur, Guilty Minds, The Broken News and Taaza Khabar. For Guilty Minds and the film Ishq-e-Nadaan. News18 Newsletter Handpicked stories, in your inbox A newsletter with the best of our journalism submit First Published: January 22, 2026, 10:14 IST News movies bollywood Shriya Pilgaonkar Recalls Debut With Shah Rukh Khan In Fan: 'Dreams Started Taking Shape' Sunjay Kapur's Widow Priya Sachdev Hides Her Face, Avoids Media Outside A Delhi Court | Watch Curated By : News18.com Last Updated: January 22, 2026, 16:19 IST In a fresh development in Sunjay Kapur's inheritance battle, Priya Sachdeva has filed a criminal defamation case against her sister-in-law, Mandhira. Rapid Read Priya was seen hiding her face from media outside Delhi's Patiala House Court. (Photos: IANS) Industrialist Sunjay Kapurs widow, Priya Sachdev, was recently seen hiding her face when she was spotted by the paparazzi outside a Delhi court amid her legal battle with Karisma Kapoors children, Samaira and Kiaan. In a video that surfaced on social media, Priya was seen covering her face with her hands as she visited the Patiala House Court to record her statement. In another video, Priya was seen avoiding media questions regarding allegations against her by Sunjay Kapurs family. Priya chose not to engage and walked silently towards her car. One of the clips also shows Priyas lawyer stepping forward to protect her from the media and address questions on her behalf. Delhi: Priya Kapur, wife of the late businessman Sunjay Kapur, appears before Patiala House Court to record her statement in the defamation case against Sunjay Kapurs sister, Mandhira Kapur pic.twitter.com/mLHLEd6nS4 IANS (@ians_india) January 21, 2026 After Priya Kapurs husbands death, an accused person in this case made multiple allegations which are completely false, defamatory, derogatory and concocted. Still, Priya kept herself composed and tolerated these accusations. When a podcast was released, Priya Kapur finally decided to come back and fight for it. She has filed a criminal defamation case today," senior advocate Maninder Singh said, as quoted by Hindustan Times. #WATCH | Delhi: Priya Sachdev Kapur and senior advocate Maninder Singh after hearing in defamation matter in Patiala House Court. pic.twitter.com/Opz51phLGI ANI (@ANI) January 21, 2026 For the unversed, in a fresh development in Sunjay Kapurs inheritance battle, Priya Sachdeva has filed a criminal defamation case against her sister-in-law, Mandhira, alleging that a series of statements were made against her across podcasts, social media platforms, and media interviews. The petition alleged that the statements include false claims, insinuations and personal attacks that were projected as facts despite the matters being under judicial consideration, as per ANI. Meanwhile, Sunjays mother, Rani Kapur, has also iled a fresh case in the Delhi High Court against her daughter-in-law Priya Kapur and actress Karisma Kapoors children, Samaira and Kiaan. In her plea, Rani Kapur has alleged that the two parties orchestrated a fraudulent family trust" to unlawfully strip her of her entire estate. News18 Newsletter Handpicked stories, in your inbox A newsletter with the best of our journalism submit First Published: January 22, 2026, 16:03 IST News movies bollywood Sunjay Kapur's Widow Priya Sachdev Hides Her Face, Avoids Media Outside A Delhi Court | Watch SHENZHEN, Jan. 22 (Xinhua) -- Shenzhen, a major city in south China's Guangdong Province, recorded a 1.4 percent year-on-year rise in foreign trade to 4.55 trillion yuan (about 649.8 billion U.S. dollars) in 2025, securing the top rank among all Chinese mainland cities, Shenzhen Customs and the city's department of commerce said on Thursday. Shenzhen's exports hit 2.74 trillion yuan in 2025, while its imports climbed 8 percent year on year to 1.81 trillion yuan over the same period. Shenzhen was home to 62,300 enterprises with actual import and export operations in 2025, marking a 16 percent year-on-year increase. This figure included more than 8,600 new market entrants, reflecting steady expansion in the scale of its trade entities. Private enterprises powered Shenzhen's trade growth, contributing nearly 70 percent of the city's total foreign trade value. In 2025, Shenzhen's combined import and export value regarding high-tech products reached 2.6 trillion yuan, up 10.6 percent compared with 2024, accounting for 57.1 percent of the city's total. Shenzhen's trade with countries participating in the Belt and Road Initiative stood at 1.57 trillion yuan last year, making up 34.5 percent of Shenzhen's total foreign trade during this period. Bugonia Nominated For Oscars 2026: Emma Stone Called THIS 'Brilliant' Actor The 'Heart Of The Film' Curated By : Last Updated: January 22, 2026, 19:50 IST Bugonia has been nominated in the Adapted Screenplay and Original Score categories. Emma Stone stars as a CEO in Bugonia. The Oscars 2026 nominations have been announced. As per the first set of nominations, Emma Stone starrer Bugonia has been nominated in the Adapted Screenplay and Original Score categories. The film saw Academy Award-winner Emma Stone reunite with Yorgos Lanthimos. It also introduced Aidan Delbis in his breakout Hollywood debut as Don, a troubled young man with a fractured worldview. Ahead of the films release last year, Emma Stone and Yorgos Lanthimos told News18 Showsha how Aidan Delbis gave his riveting performance, blurring the line between hero and villain. For Emma Stone, Delbis formed the heart of the film," anchoring the tragedy and poignancy of the drama. Watching his initial audition tape, Lanthimos and Stone were immediately struck by his authenticity. The actress recalled, He was brilliant and so interesting and just wonderful. We went, and all had a camera test together, and he just blew everybody away. Its crazy to think that this is his first film." Lanthimos recalled being stunned by Delbiss performance while filming a late scene, when Michelle (Emma) and Don are offered a rare heart-to-heart. Its a very crucial part of the film, where they share this moment, the two of them," he said. Aidans performance in that part of the film actually moved me to tears while we were filming it, which I dont think has ever happened to me while making a film before watching it. It was just so honest and brave," the filmmaker mentioned. When Delbis had heard about an open casting call for Bugonia, his previous acting experience had largely amounted to drama class in high school and minor roles in school plays. From the outset, Lanthimos had wanted to cast a novice for the role of Don. I always try to include people that havent acted before", he said, because theres something very special that happens between seasoned actors and non-professional actors that creates this very particular energy, which I always appreciate and love." Distributed by Universal Pictures, Bugonia was released on October 31. The film had received a six-minute standing ovation at the Venice Film Festival. It will now be interesting to see whether this psychological thriller will bag an Oscar! News18 Newsletter Handpicked stories, in your inbox A newsletter with the best of our journalism submit First Published: January 22, 2026, 19:50 IST News movies hollywood Bugonia Nominated For Oscars 2026: Emma Stone Called THIS 'Brilliant' Actor The 'Heart Of The Film' Jana Nayagan In Legal Trouble From OTT Platform Due To Release Delay? Published By : Trending Desk Last Updated: January 22, 2026, 08:23 IST As the film's release date continues to be postponed, reports claim that the OTT platform that has bought its rights is contemplating legal action against the producers. Jana Nayagans release date yet to be announced. (Photo Credit: X) Jana Nayagan, starring Thalapathy Vijay, was originally scheduled to be released on January 9. But the Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC) failed to certify the movie so its distribution has been delayed, with no final date given. As the films release date continues to be postponed, reports claim that the OTT platform that has bought its rights is contemplating legal action against the producers, as the delay is interfering with its release timetable. According to an Asianet News report, Amazon Prime Video has purchased the digital rights to Jana Nayagan for Rs 120 crore. As per the report, the OTT platform has expressed concern over the films frequent postponement, which is apparently affecting its scheduled streaming window. With the delay. Amazon Prime Video is reportedly considering legal action against the creators. However, this is still uncertain at the moment, with no official confirmation from either the creators or the platform. Jana Nayagan Makers Fight In Court Earlier, the Madras High Court upheld the order to postpone the release of Thalapathy Vijays most recent film, Jana Nayagan. During the hearing for Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC) vs Jana Nayagan producers KVN Productions, the former party questioned the producers decision to announce the films release date without first getting certification. The films makers contended, citing Dhurandhar 2 as an example. The CBFC notified the Madras High Court that the original 14 cutbacks it had suggested were simply an intermediary" decision, with the boards final judgement yet to be made. The court has currently reserved its order, and the verdict date is still unknown. Jana Nayagan Plot and Cast Jana Nayagan, starring Thalapathy Vijay, is expected to be the superstars last film appearance. H. Vinoth directs the film, which tells the narrative of Thalapathy Vetri Kondan, a former police officer and criminal who adopts a small girl named Viji and vows to nurture her as a strong and independent lady. He even convinces her to join the military, despite her fear of violence. Jana Nayagan, starring Thalapathy Vijay, is expected to be the superstars last film appearance. H. Vinoth directs the film, which tells the narrative of Thalapathy Vetri Kondan, a former police officer and criminal who adopts a small girl named Viji and vows to nurture her as a strong and independent lady. He even convinces her to join the military, despite her fear of violence. Aside from Vijay, the film also features Pooja Hegde, Bobby Deol, Mamitha Baiju, Gautham Vasudev Menon, Prakash Raj, Narain, Priyamani, Sunil and several more actors in significant roles. News18 Newsletter Handpicked stories, in your inbox A newsletter with the best of our journalism submit First Published: January 22, 2026, 08:23 IST News movies tamil-cinema Jana Nayagan In Legal Trouble From OTT Platform Due To Release Delay? Nayanthara Shares Cryptic Post After Viral Cruise Pic With Trisha: Forgive, Forget, Move On Curated By : News18.com Last Updated: January 22, 2026, 05:24 IST Nayanthara posts a strong message after sharing viral cruise photos with Trisha, leaving fans convinced the long-rumoured fallout is finally over. Nayanthara And Trisha Krishnans Pics Break The Internet Fans of South Indian cinema were left pleasantly surprised on January 20 when Nayanthara and Trisha shared candid photos of themselves enjoying a cruise together in Dubai. The pictures, which quickly went viral, showed the two superstars laughing, soaking in the sea breeze and posing against a stunning sunset backdrop. Almost instantly, the images reignited conversations around their long-rumoured fallout, with fans eager to know whether the actresses had finally patched things up. For years, speculation suggested that Nayanthara and Trishas once-warm bond had cooled off, though neither actor ever publicly confirmed any serious rift. While Trisha consistently dismissed such rumours as baseless, Nayanthara had previously maintained a more guarded stance. Now, however, the recent photos followed by a pointed Instagram story seem to have changed the narrative. Nayantharas Instagram message silences rumours Shortly after the cruise pictures made waves online, Nayanthara took to Instagram Stories to address the chatter. She shared a simple yet impactful message: forgive, forget and move on." The line was widely interpreted as a direct response to years of speculation and criticism surrounding her equation with Trisha. Many fans viewed the post as a clear sign that the actresses are choosing to move past old narratives and focus on mutual respect and camaraderie. Social media was soon flooded with reactions, with admirers praising both stars for setting an example by rising above gossip and letting actions speak louder than rumours. Interestingly, this isnt the first time Nayanthara has attempted to clarify the situation. Earlier, she had hinted that Trisha had reached out to her with a one-sided message, while also asserting that there were no personal issues between them. Trisha, on her part, has repeatedly denied any fallout, stating that reports of tension were entirely unfounded. When Nayanthara said Trisha is not a friend Despite the recent positivity, Nayanthara and Trishas relationship has long remained a topic of public discussion. In a past interview, Nayanthara had candidly addressed her equation with Trisha, saying, Friends is such a big word to use flippantly. I am not friends with Trisha we are acquaintances. There does seem to be problems between us, and it is almost like the age-old belief that women dont gel with other women. But honestly, I have no problems with her or anyone." She added, If someone doesnt like me, then I dont like them either. Thats all." Given this context, the new photos and Nayantharas recent post have reignited optimism among fans that any past misunderstandings are now firmly in the past. On the work front, Nayanthara was last seen in Chiranjeevis Mana Shankara Vara Prasad Garu and is gearing up for Toxic, a period gangster action film starring Yash and directed by Geetu Mohandas. The film is slated for release on March 19, 2026, coinciding with Ugadi. Meanwhile, Trisha is preparing for the release of the fantasy action film Karuppu, reuniting with her Aaru co-star Suriya. She will also be seen in Vishwambhara, sharing screen space with Chiranjeevi. News18 Newsletter Handpicked stories, in your inbox A newsletter with the best of our journalism submit First Published: January 22, 2026, 05:24 IST News movies tamil-cinema Nayanthara Shares Cryptic Post After Viral Cruise Pic With Trisha: Forgive, Forget, Move On Opinion | Chhaavas Core Was Divisive - Because Aurangzeb Intended It That Way Written By : News18.com Last Updated: January 22, 2026, 14:53 IST Aurangzebs brutal execution of Sambhaji Maharaj was designed to divide. History shows it did just the opposite AR Rahman has said that Chhaava was a divisive film, even admitting it cashed in on polarisation. Last week, when music maestro AR Rahman called 2025s historical blockbuster Chhaava a divisive" film, he was being historically accurate. Because the core of Chhaava the story of Chhatrapati Sambhaji Maharaj and his brutal torture and execution at the hands of Mughal emperor Aurangzeb was always meant to be divisive. Aurangzeb knew what he was doing when he unleashed the full savagery of his anger on Sambhaji before executing him in the most public and humiliating way possible. For someone as obsessed with public image as Aurangzeb when he became lame towards the end of his life, he made sure a curtain blocked all views of him hobbling to his perch this was not just a political message. It was deeply personal. But first, how do we know just what happened to Chhatrapati Sambhaji Maharaj after he was captured by Mughal officials? Simple contemporary chroniclers, Mughal, Maratha and European, have documented Sambhajis torture in great detail. Multiple accounts, from the Maasir-i-Alamgiri by Saqi Mustad Khan to Bhimsens Tarikh-i-Dilkasha to Manuccis Storia do Mogor, Futuhat-i-Alamgiri by Ishwardas Nagar and the redoubtable Khafi Khans Muntakhab-ul-Lubab, all mention this horrendous event. Let us see what Mughal official Khafi Khan says about Maharaja Sambhajis execution. Aurangzeb, he writes, gave orders that the tongues of both (Sambhaji and Kavi Kalash) should be cut out, so that they might no longer speak disrespectfully. After that, their eyes were to be torn out. Then, with 10 or 11 other persons, they were to be put to death with a variety of tortures, and lastly, he ordered that the skins of the heads of Sambha (Sambhaji Maharaj) and Kabkalas (Kavi Kalash) should be stuffed with straw and exposed in all the cities and towns of the Dakhin, with beat of drum and sound of trumpet." That account pretty much coincides word for word with what Saqi Mustad Khan writes, though the Maasir-i-Alamgiri offers some insight into why Aurangzeb was so horrifyingly savage in exacting his revenge on his Maratha nemesis. Sambhaji, says the Maasir, deserved what he got because he was Chhatrapati Shivajis son and had managed to give Aurangzeb the slip when they escaped from Agra decades ago. Father and son had bested the Mughal, and Aurangzeb did not like being bested. But above all, making an example of Sambhaji was the emperors duty as an Islamic ruler. The emperor, out of his devotion to Islam, ordered that from two kos before the camp, the disgraced and unlucky Sambha would be made to wear the kulah-i-zangula (badge of a condemned criminal) so that Muslims might be heartened and the infidels disheartened by seeing it," writes the Maasir. Later, that very night", Sambhajis eyes were deprived of the power of seeing; the next day the tongue of the deceitful speaker (was cut out)," it adds. How exactly were Sambhajis eyes put out? That gruesome detail comes from another contemporary source Tarikh-i-Dilkasha of Bhimsen. Sambhas eyes were put out with nails," he writes. The imperial camp where this grotesque savagery was publicly performed was in Koregaon, just six kos from the village of Pune, on the banks of the Bhima," says the Tarikh. The date: March 11, 1689. There is a reason why we are delving back into 17th-century chronicles to investigate what happened to Chhatrapati Sambhaji Maharaj. It is important to understand why this Maratha monarch so angered Aurangzeb as to elicit a response that was excessive even by his own standards. As his arch-nemesis Chhatrapati Shivajis son and heir, Sambhaji was already and always under Aurangzebs baleful gaze. That he gave shelter to the emperors estranged son Akbar made things worse. But that is just part of the story. Throughout, contemporary Mughal chronicles mention Sambhaji being called a wretch" and a hellish robber", and the emperor announcing that he had to take part in this holy war till the completion of the affair of the wicked infidel", says the Maasir. Why? Because Shivaji and his house were, to Aurangzeb, an abomination the kafir ba-jahannam raft", as Khafi Khan describes him. Also, Sambhajis military success in the sacking of Burhanpur, where he looted the jizya tax that was stashed away in the fort, made him enemy number one in Aurangzebs eyes. In consideration of the harshness and insult that he had practised by slaying and imprisoning Muslims and plundering the cities of Islam, the destruction of this wicked infidel prepondered over the reasons for keeping him alive," says the Maasir. For Aurangzeb, it was not enough to capture and kill Sambhaji. His execution had to be brutal enough to send a message. The emperor thought the barbarity meted out to their monarch would crush the Maratha spirit. Sambhajis death was meant to divide to the Hindus, it was a clear message that they were an enslaved people; to the Muslims, a message that fighting the Marathas was holy war (necessary because a number of Muslim commanders joined the Maratha ranks after the fall of Bijapur and Golconda). For the Marathas, it was a signal that there was nowhere to hide and no point in fighting back. Unfortunately for Aurangzeb, he had not quite taken the Maratha character into account. Instead of cowering in their fortresses, the death of Sambhaji united the Marathas into a strong resistance force. Historian James Grant Duff mentions this in A History of the Mahrattas: The Mahratta people heard of the murder of the son of Sivajee with indignation, and the cruel execution, meant to strike the leaders with terror, aroused their vengeance without alarming their fears." Over the next nearly 20 years, the Marathas fought back with spectacular spunk, and no matter how hard he tried, the old and increasingly frustrated emperor could never crush their spirit. In the process, Aurangzeb emptied his treasury, corrupted his administration, caused the death of thousands of men in his own employ and achieved nothing. His own words best captured his legacy: Az ma-st hamah fasad-i-baqi (After me, chaos)." Nandini Sengupta is a freelance writer and author of several books. Views expressed in the above piece are personal and solely those of the author. They do not necessarily reflect News18s views. News18 Newsletter Handpicked stories, in your inbox A newsletter with the best of our journalism submit First Published: January 22, 2026, 14:52 IST News opinion Opinion | Chhaavas Core Was Divisive - Because Aurangzeb Intended It That Way Disclaimer: Comments reflect users views, not News18s. Please keep discussions respectful and constructive. Abusive, defamatory, or illegal comments will be removed. News18 may disable any comment at its discretion. By posting, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy Loading comments... Opinion | Indias Urban Crisis Is A Governance Failure, Not A Funding One Written By : & News18.com Last Updated: January 22, 2026, 15:38 IST Cities are not broke. They are disempowered. Until that changes, no amount of funding announcements will fix Indias urban future Mumbais municipal finances show what becomes possible when a city has room to act. Approximately 600 million Indians will live in cities by 2030. It is obvious that meeting their needs will require huge investments in housing, transport, water, sanitation, climate resilience and healthcare. Urban infrastructure alone is estimated to need over $800 billion in the years ahead. Yet, urban local bodies in India raise less than one per cent of GDP through their own revenues. In most states, municipalities depend on state government transfers for more than half their budgets. These transfers are often delayed, conditional, and unpredictable. The outcome is seen throughout the country. Many of the municipalities struggle to pay for daily maintenance, let alone long-term infrastructure. Cities usually find it convenient in postponing the projects until the state or the central grants arrive. This caution makes urban infrastructure more expensive. Roads repaired after collapse cost more than roads maintained on time. Drainage systems built after floods require emergency spending instead of planned investment. When cities lack the authority to raise predictable revenues, they are pushed into crisis spending rather than cost-efficient planning. Property tax collections remain low. User charges are poorly designed or politically avoided. Salaries and basic expenses leave little room for capital investment. When floods hit, roads collapse, or public health systems fail, the blame lands solely on city governments. One such city is Mumbai. Mumbais municipal finances show what becomes possible when a city has room to act. The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation has presented a budget of Rs 74,000 crore for 202526. While this is a staggering scale, what matters is where the money comes from. A large share of Mumbais budget is generated internally. Property tax contributes more than Rs 5,000 crore annually. The city has invested in regular reassessment, digitised records, and expanding the tax base to reflect actual commercial activity. Mumbai chose to treat property tax as a civic responsibility linked to services. The more distinctive feature lies in development-related revenues. Premiums on additional Floor Space Index, development plan charges, and building permission fees together generate close to Rs 10,000 crore. As the city grows vertically, it captures part of the value created by private development. Growth, which often strains civic systems, is converted into a fiscal resource. Asset management further strengthens this model. Leasing and redevelopment-linked monetisation of municipal land and properties generate significant income. User charges for water and sewerage services contribute meaningfully to the budget. Just as important is how the money is spent. About 60 per cent of Mumbais budget goes into capital expenditure, primarily spent on long-term projects that improve infrastructure or build new. Critics often respond that Mumbai is an exception. It is Indias financial capital, they argue, and therefore irrelevant as a model for other cities. Indore has made significant progress in managing its finances, though it is not a huge city. Over the past five years, they have used tech tools to map out properties, and gone door-to-door to verify the same. This helped the city discover more properties and increase property tax collections. Due to this, the citys income from property taxes went from Rs 300 crore to Rs 650 crore. They also adjusted the charges for things like water, waste management, and sanitation, making sure they were more reasonable and efficient. Non-tax revenues improved through better administration rather than new taxes. Indores total municipal revenues now exceed Rs 4,000 crore. For a city of small size, it is a meaningful shift. Administrative reform, transparency, and political willingness to enforce payment norms matters more than scale. This city did not wait for extraordinary grants. It worked with the instruments available to it. Together, Mumbai and Indore challenge a persistent assumption in Indias urban debate: that cities fail because they lack economic potential. In reality, many cities are prevented from realising that potential. State governments retain control over key revenue instruments. Property tax reforms are discouraged or delayed. State Finance Commission recommendations are often ignored or only partially implemented. New revenue powers are granted reluctantly, if at all. Even when cities generate their own income, spending approvals can be tightly controlled. This creates a contradiction at the heart of Indias urban governance. In such an environment, inaction is often the safest choice for those in power. This imbalance persists because weak cities are politically useful. Large urban projects allow state governments to claim visibility and credit, while day-to-day service failures are absorbed by municipal bodies. Allowing cities to raise and enforce their own revenues would also shift accountability closer to voters, creating electoral risk. Strong cities demand scrutiny; weak cities diffuse responsibility. Fiscal centralisation, therefore, is not just an administrative habit. It is a political choice. The result is not just weak finances, but weak planning. Climate adaptation is treated as an afterthought. Indias urban discussion therefore asks the wrong question. The issue is not how much money cities need. It is why cities are not allowed to raise and manage what they can generate. Fiscal autonomy does not mean forsaking oversight. It means trusting cities with predictable revenue powers, enforcing accountability through outcomes rather than permissions, and allowing local governments to plan with certainty. Countries where cities raise closer to three per cent of GDP in local revenues have not achieved this by accident. They have done so by aligning responsibility with authority. Mumbai shows what becomes possible when cities can capture value from growth. Indore shows that reform is possible even without metropolitan scale. It is a political choice. Cities cannot be judged on outcomes while being denied control over resources. Cities are not broke. They are disempowered. Until that changes, no amount of funding announcements will fix Indias urban future. (Dr Basavaraju R Shreshta is executive director, Grassroots Research and Advocacy Movement. He also served as India Coordinator of G20 Delivering Democracy Working Group. Alok Virendra Tiwari is program manager, instructional delivery, Rishihood University. Views expressed in the above piece are personal and solely those of the author. They do not necessarily reflect News18s views.) News18 Newsletter Handpicked stories, in your inbox A newsletter with the best of our journalism submit First Published: January 22, 2026, 15:24 IST News opinion Opinion | Indias Urban Crisis Is A Governance Failure, Not A Funding One Disclaimer: Comments reflect users views, not News18s. Please keep discussions respectful and constructive. Abusive, defamatory, or illegal comments will be removed. News18 may disable any comment at its discretion. By posting, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy Loading comments... Opinion | Manusmriti: Between Prescription And Practice Written By : News18.com Last Updated: January 22, 2026, 07:30 IST It is high time we examine an important question: why is a text so old and largely obsolete in everyday life cast as the villain responsible for all our societal miseries today? There are many well-known aspects of the Manusmriti that one may have heard about: particularly its treatment of castes lower than Brahmins with contempt, and its infamous assertion that women do not deserve independence. File image/Facebook There is an old joke about a philosophy professor who sets out to prove, with impeccable logic, that he is the best professor in the world. He leads a student step by step through a chain of unquestioned loyalties. Which is the best country in the world?" he asks. The student answers, of course, that it is their country. And the best state in it?" The student replies that it is their state. And the best town in that state?" It is their town. The best college in that town?" It is their college. And which is the best subject taught in that college?" the professor asks. Philosophy", the very subject the professor teaches, the student answers. The final question is who teaches philosophy best in the college, and the answer is hardly a mystery: it is the same professor who has been asking the questions all along. The proof is now complete. By carefully choosing the premises and designing the questions, the professor arrives at the conclusion that he is the best professor in the world. A similar mode of reasoning appears in the opening chapter of the Manusmriti, where Manu sets out to establish the pre-eminence of Brahmins who are Vedic savants. The text constructs a hierarchical sequence that moves from living beings to humans, from humans to Brahmins, and from Brahmins to the learned, the resolute, the active, and finally to those learned in the Vedas. The logic mirrors that of the anecdote: once the hierarchy is accepted, the conclusion follows seamlessly. By defining value through a series of nested distinctions, the text arrives at its intended endpointthe supremacy of the Vedic Brahminnot as an assertion, but as the apparent outcome of an orderly classificatory process. The text says: Among creatures, living beings are the best; among living beings, those who subsist by intelligence; among those who subsist by intelligence, human beings; and among human beings, Brahminsso the tradition declares. Among Brahmins, the learned are the best; among the learned, those who have made the resolve; among those who have made the resolve, the doers; and among doers, the Vedic savants." As mentioned in the previous part of this essay, the world as envisaged by the Manusmriti is Brahmin-centric, in which whatever exists on earth belongs to the Brahmin, and it is only by the kindness of the Brahmin that others are able to eat. From the very beginning of the text, from the first chapter itself, it is amply clear who the target audience is. The text is written for Brahmins. In the same chapter, the Smriti further says: [This text] should be studied diligently and taught to his pupils properly by a learned Brahmin, and by no one else. When a Brahmin who keeps to his vows studies this treatise, he is never sullied by faults arising from mental, oral, or physical activities; he purifies those alongside whom he eats, as also seven generations of his lineage before him and seven after him. []" Echoing the Purusha Sukta of the Rig Veda, the Manusmriti also says that the Brahmin was produced from the mouth of the Purusha, and the Shudra from the feet. There is absolutely nothing surprising in the fact that, in a text written two thousand years ago and aimed at a specific group of people, that group is described as pre-eminent among human beings. In Deuteronomy, the Lord tells the Jews that God has chosen you to be a people for his treasured possession, out of all the peoples who are on the face of the earth," and Jews, to this day, consider themselves the chosen people. Similar claims of pre-eminence" can be found in the Quran with regard to Muslims as well. A critique might say that Manusmriti is different. What makes Manusmriti, or the varna system as mentioned in the Smritis or the Rig Veda, different, he would argue, is the fact that these distinctions were more or less rigid. The varnas are assigned by birth, and one cannot choose ones varna or convert from one to another. But this is, more or less, true of Abrahamic religions as well. Though one can convert to Judaism, converts were often socially (and at times communally) treated as distinct from born Jews in premodern Jewish societies, and frequently faced questions about whether they were born Jews," despite their formal religious status. Yet, there is a certain fluidity: a convert would be seen as fully Jewish after a couple of generations, the opponent might say. That is quite true of the varnas in Manus time as well. Though uncommon, complex, and practically onerous, the smritis, including the Manusmriti, do prescribe such fluidity between varnas, a fact that those who care to study the text know well. At considerable length, the text prescribes the life of a Brahmin and how it ought to be lived from the time of his birth. It specifies the childhood rites to be performed, the conduct required during his student life, the proper modes of respecting teachers, the manner of marriage, his duties as a husband, the prescribed forms of prayer, the propitiation of ancestors, the management of household affairs, and the conduct expected in old age. After a life lived in strict accordance with the Smrtis, a Brahmin is expected to become a forest hermit once his hair has turned grey and he has seen his grandchildren. The text also tries to regulate the governance of the state, setting out the duties and daily routine of the king, the judicial system, and the various forms of punishment prescribed for the four varnas. There are many well-known aspects of the Manusmriti that one may have heard about: particularly its treatment of castes lower than Brahmins with contempt, and its infamous assertion that women do not deserve independence. There are also passages that many may not have encountered: sections that are known only to those who take the trouble to read the text itself. These passages, too, are interesting, though for different reasons. Consider, for example, the rules concerning eating. According to the Manusmrti, a Brahmin is not supposed to eat anything that has been offered to the deities. He is also not supposed to consume anything that has turned sour, except curd. When it comes to vegetarianism, the text explicitly states that there is nothing inherently wrong with consuming meat. Prajapati created this whole world as food for lifebreath; all beings, the mobile and the immobile, are nourishment for lifebreath. [] The eater is not defiled by eating living beings suitable for eating, even if he eats them day after day; for the creator himself fashioned both the eaters and the living beings suitable for eating," says the Manusmriti. In a similar manner, the text also states that there is no fault in drinking liquor or in engaging in sexual activity. It is worth noting, once again, that this is a text whose intended audience is Brahmins, and one that is regarded as the most authoritative within its tradition. None of these prescriptions are followed by Brahmins today, and there is little evidence to suggest that they were strictly followed even in the time of Manu. Vegetarianism was not prescribed by Manu. It did not become a dominant Brahmanical ideal in the Manusmriti itself, but only afterward, when debates over meat-eating versus non-violence intensified in later texts. Scholars such as Ludwig Alsdorf, who studied the growth of vegetarianism in India, maintain that Brahmin vegetarianism is a post-Vedic development that emerged after the Manusmriti. In South India, a staple food in most Brahmin households is idli, which is made from a fermented and sour batter. K. T. Achaya, the renowned food historian, notes that idli is mentioned in a thousand-year-old Kannada text, where it is prescribed as one of the dishes to be offered to a Brahmachari. This also suggests that, although the Manusmriti were revered and respected, everyday life among Brahmins was not rigidly dictated by its norms. Life was always lived pragmatically, and there is no indication that anyone lived strictly in accordance with the prescriptions of the Smritis. Even if people had sought to do so, it would often have been impractical, and wherever practical considerations prevailed, the Smritis yielded. The Smritis conceived of a world in which Brahmins were universally respected and in which everything under the heavens belonged to them. The real world, however, was the opposite of this ideal. By the time the Manusmriti was composed, society consisted of multiple religious groups, some of them more powerful than the Brahmins. The authority and prestige that Brahmins had once enjoyed were in decline. It therefore became important to codify and imagine a world in which Brahmins were supreme. The real world diverged significantly from this idealized vision. Sometimes these divergences were excused; at other times, they were attributed to regional customs, which were often said to be contrary to the Smritis. Moreover, different Smritis expressed differing opinions on the same matters. There was no single text that dictated customs, rituals, or ways of life that was accepted by everyoneor even by all Brahmins. The absence of universally accepted norms in these areas was a well-known reality. One of the oft-quoted shlokas from the Mahabharata expresses this clearly. The Shloka says: arguments are inconclusive, the Vedas have divergent emphases, and different rishis hold different views; the essence of dharma is hidden, and therefore one must follow the path of great men. That is the point: there is no universally acceptable way, no universally authoritative text, and no universally accepted teacher. Indians, from the time of the Manusmriti, were acutely aware of this reality. At times, divergences from the Smritis could be so pronounced that practices perceived as violating the moral norms of the society of the time were explained as consequences of the Kaliyuga. Tantric traditions sometimes adopt this approach. Some Tantric texts claim that the Vedas are no longer effective in the Kaliyuga, or that a new value system independent of Vedic authority is required in this agea role that Tantra itself is said to fulfil. A text written two thousand years ago, reflecting values that are even older, is bound to raise concerns when compared with contemporary values. That much is obvious. Surprisingly, however, Manusmriti also contains several elements that align well with modern values. Just last week, in support of a judgment in an inheritance case, the Supreme Court of India cited the Manusmriti to convey the idea that no one in the immediate family, including the mother, father, wife, or son, should be abandoned, thereby reinforcing the principle of familial support. A text that is notorious for its views on castes lower than Brahmins, however, does not explicitly deny access to Vedic knowledge for non-Brahmins. In fact, the text intriguingly states that in times of adversity, a man may study the Veda under a teacher who is not a Brahmin, thereby acknowledging that Vedic knowledge was familiar among non-Brahmins as well. The text does not explicitly permit inter-caste marriage, but it again, curiously, notes that one may marry a splendid woman even if she comes from a bad" family. For all its normative severity, these are some of the rare instances where the text sheds light on social realities that appear to have existed at the time of its composition. Considering all this, it is high time we examine an important question: why is a text so old and largely obsolete in everyday life cast as the villain responsible for all our societal miseries today? Is this merely a matter of ignorance, or is there something more deliberate behind such attacks? Is it being used as a tool to portray an entire philosophical and religious tradition as primitive? For instance, Audrey Truschke, in her recent book on Indian history, examines what she describes as Manus dismal view of women," before quoting the well-known verse in the Manusmriti that denies independence to women. Similarly, in examining a punishment dictated for an unfaithful wife" in the Yajnavalkya Smriti, Truschke notes that the penalty may appear even darker to modern eyes once one realises that Yajnavalkya does not specify whether the womans unfaithfulness was by choice or by force. Judged by contemporary standards, these positions may indeed appear dismal. The question, however, is why such ancient texts should be evaluated by contemporary standards at all. Where is the historical empathy or contextualism that a historian is expected to maintain? No one adopts a similarly judgmental tone when writing about Greek or Assyrian history. One might respond that, unlike in India, the religions of ancient Greece or Assyria are long extinct, and that no surviving texts from those traditions continue to exert normative influence. Yet this objection does not hold entirely. There exist legal and religious textsindeed, law codesthat remain relevant within the Abrahamic traditions. Historians do not approach these texts by measuring them against modern human-rights standards or by dwelling on their moral dismalness. Nor do they routinely frame them as evidence of the inherent primitiveness of an entire religious worldview. In the end, the Manusmriti appears less as a sinister blueprint for social oppression than as a historically situated attempt to imagine order, authority, and moral hierarchy in a world that was already far more plural, fluid, and unruly than the text itself would admit. Its prescriptions reflect aspiration as much as reality, ideology as much as practice, and anxiety as much as power. To read it as a timeless moral code, whether to defend it uncritically or to condemn it as the source of all social ills, is to misunderstand both the nature of the text and the culture that produced it. A historically responsible reading requires neither reverence nor outrage, but contextual understandingan awareness that traditions are internally diverse, contested, and constantly renegotiated. When ancient texts are singled out for moral prosecution while comparable materials elsewhere are treated with interpretive caution, the problem lies not in the past but in the present lenses through which that past is viewed. Such selective moralism transforms historical inquiry into a form of contemporary adjudication, where texts are judged less for what they meant in their own time than for how effectively they can be mobilised to support present-day narratives. In doing so, history ceases to be an effort to understand difference and becomes instead a search for culprits, with ancient texts made to bear burdens they were never meant to carry. The Manusmriti, like any other ancient legal or ethical text, tells us far more about the anxieties, negotiations, and self-fashioning of its times than about immutable truths or enduring social mandates; to treat it otherwise is to replace history with polemic. The writer is a commentator with a research degree in philosophy from the University of Sheffield, focusing on the intersections of culture, history, and politics. Views expressed in the above piece are personal and solely those of the writer. They do not necessarily reflect News18s views. News18 Newsletter Handpicked stories, in your inbox A newsletter with the best of our journalism submit First Published: January 22, 2026, 07:30 IST News opinion Opinion | Manusmriti: Between Prescription And Practice Disclaimer: Comments reflect users views, not News18s. Please keep discussions respectful and constructive. Abusive, defamatory, or illegal comments will be removed. News18 may disable any comment at its discretion. By posting, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy Loading comments... Opinion | Profiling Of Mosques And Religious Functionaries In Kashmir Valley Written By : News18.com Last Updated: January 22, 2026, 22:53 IST When viewed objectively, this decision is not as hostile or disturbing as some individuals and groups portray it The recent administrative exercise in Kashmir to compile institutional details of mosques, madrassas, and imams has triggered a predictable political uproar. (Image: PTI) The decision by the administration of the union territory of Jammu and Kashmir to profile mosques, madrassas, and religious functionaries, including imams, muezzins, and management committees across the Kashmir Valley, has raised concerns within the Muslim community. These concerns have been exacerbated by ignorance and negative propaganda spread by vested interests. However, when viewed objectively, this decision is not as hostile or disturbing as some individuals and groups portray it. In fact, the data collection drive by the Jammu and Kashmir Police is a positive step to prevent unscrupulous elements from weaponising religion and disrupting social unity and communal harmony. Religious radicalism has undeniably fuelled a terror ecosystem in this region, causing immense suffering and socio-economic uncertainty. The official stance is that this initiative is not an administrative overreach but a framework for religious oversight under the Profiling of Masjid Protocol". This protocol involves cataloguing and categorising each mosque, including details such as its name, geographical coordinates, ideological affiliation (e.g., Barelvi, Hanafi, Deobandi, or Ahl-e-Hadees), building type, congregation capacity, and date of establishment. Despite criticisms from opposition political parties and some religious and social entities, who label the move as intrusive" and threatening", and a violation of the right to religious freedom and privacy, the counterargument is that it is a necessary step for security, accountability, and curbing radical ideology. The comprehensive multi-page forms given to mosque management committees require detailed information, including personal and family details of imams and other committee members, bank and financial details, sources of funding, phone numbers (sometimes including mobile IMEI details), and the ideological school of thought being followed and promoted. The profiling exercise aims to dismantle white-collar" terror modules and ensure that mosques are not used as platforms for spreading disharmonious ideologies. The Centre and the UT administration have denied allegations of political motivation, emphasising that the intent is to protect" religious places. Questions have arisen about whether similar scrutiny is being applied to other religious institutions like temples, gurdwaras, and churches, or if this initiative targets only the Muslim community. The Indian government has stated that there is no move to undermine the autonomy of any religious institutions that operate on public trust and donations, and any restrictions are temporary. The government describes these measures as necessary to maintain law and order and curb cross-border militancy and radicalisation", referring to Pakistans support for elements hostile to the long-term interests of Jammu and Kashmirs people. Predictably, Pakistan has condemned the profiling of mosques as a violation of religious freedom. On the financial side, authorities seek information on sources of construction funds, total expenditure, monthly operational budgets, and land ownership status (whether state-owned or Shamlaat, i.e., common village land managed by the village council). Given the history of militancy and terror in Jammu and Kashmir, the profiling formats security-related section focuses on previous criminal antecedents", if any. Srinagar has about 1,050 to 1,450 mosques, with 133 mosques and shrines occupying 9,500 kanals of land (one kanal is 0.12 acre) under the jurisdiction of the Central Waqf Board (CWB), generating an annual income of Rs. 26 crore. Official sources justify this exercise as a preventive security measure to monitor radicalisation, prevent misuse of religious platforms, and maintain public order. Dr Darakhshan Andrabi, head of the Jammu and Kashmir Waqf Board, clarified that the registration and verification process aims solely to safeguard religious assets, not target any individual or institution. She denied any political motives behind the profiling exercise, stressing that it is purely administrative. Verification is important. Without proper papers, anyone can claim ownership of land. There is no need to politicise mosques or mislead people. Security is a primary concern for everyone," she said. Many people have welcomed the initiative, seeing it as a step in the right direction to ensure transparency and prevent embezzlement of mosque funds or falsification of income and expenditure statements for personal gain. There is widespread consensus that accountability is overdue. Accordingly, the people of Kashmir should support this initiative to protect mosques from misuse. The author is editor of Brighter Kashmir, author, TV commentator, political analyst and columnist. Views expressed in the above piece are personal and solely those of the author. They do not necessarily reflect News18s views News18 Newsletter Handpicked stories, in your inbox A newsletter with the best of our journalism submit First Published: January 22, 2026, 22:53 IST News opinion Opinion | Profiling Of Mosques And Religious Functionaries In Kashmir Valley Disclaimer: Comments reflect users views, not News18s. Please keep discussions respectful and constructive. Abusive, defamatory, or illegal comments will be removed. News18 may disable any comment at its discretion. By posting, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy Loading comments... Opinion | The Historical And Political Complexities Surrounding Netaji's Unresolved Death Written By : News18.com Last Updated: January 22, 2026, 17:36 IST How an unresolved death reshaped Indias freedom narrative, sidelined revolutionary nationalism, and protected post-Independence political orthodoxies. Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose Subhas Chandra Bose stands as one of Indias most revered historical figures, a paragon of courage, patriotism, and unyielding dedication to Indias independence. His extraordinary leadership and audacious strategies galvanised a nation under colonial rule, etching his name permanently into the annals of Indian history. Yet the circumstances of his death remain shrouded in mystery, fuelling decades of debate and speculation. While the Indian government officially claims Bose died in a plane crash in Taiwan on 18 August 1945, this narrative is riddled with inconsistencies. The lack of conclusive evidence, coupled with a litany of conflicting reports, has kept the nation questioning whether the truth has been concealed for political convenience. This article explores why the government has been reluctant to confront the truth about Boses death and examines the implications of resolving this enduring enigma. The official version released by the Japanese in 1945 asserted that Bose perished following a plane crash in Taipei, Taiwan, while he was on his way to Tokyo. The aircraft crashed and caught fire, fatally injuring Bose. He was taken to a local hospital but did not survive. A few days later, his body was cremated in Taipei. However, this account has been challenged because of the absence of any photograph of Boses body, the lack of contemporary records, and major contradictions in eyewitness testimonies. The narrative relies heavily on second-hand reports from Japanese sources, who were allies of the Indian National Army (INA) and Boses Azad Hind government. Doubts about the storys veracity have therefore persisted. Speculation also abounds that Bose might have orchestrated a secret escape to the Soviet Union. While the Japanese stated that Bose was on his way to Tokyo, intelligence inquiries later revealed that he may have been travelling to the Soviet Union. From the mid-1950s, the Japanese themselves accepted that they were taking Bose to Russia, but that the plane crashed. Political Implications of Exposing the Truth The mystery of Boses death has profound political ramifications that extend far beyond historical curiosity. Unearthing the truth would challenge foundational narratives of Indias independence and post-independence politics in several ways: The INAs Legacy: The INA, led by Bose, directly confronted British authority and inspired nationalist fervour across India. Successive governments have largely sidelined the INAs contributions, favouring narratives that align with the non-violent struggle championed by Gandhi and Nehru. A transparent investigation into Boses death could reinstate the INAs rightful place in Indias freedom movement, acknowledging its sacrifices and strong strategic impact. Ideological Tensions: Boses revolutionary ideology starkly contrasted with the Congresss approach, which emphasised negotiation and non-violence. His alliances with Axis powers, though controversial, underscored his willingness to adopt radical measures for independence. Revisiting Boses legacy could reignite ideological debates and challenge the dominance of the Congress narrative in Indias political history. Re-evaluating Revolutionary Nationalism: Boses disappearance marked the end of a militant brand of nationalism that defied the British through confrontation. A revelation of alternative circumstances surrounding his death could compel India to re-evaluate its historical heroes and their roles in shaping the nations identity. Boses legacy might emerge as more compelling and transformative than the conciliatory politics of Nehru and Gandhi. The Historical and Strategic Consequences Boses death mystery also holds significance for Indias broader historical and strategic trajectory: Possible Soviet Connections: Some theories suggest that Bose met his end in the Soviet Union. If true, this would cast new light on Indias Cold War-era policies, challenging the established narrative of non-alignment and Indias relationship with the West. Intelligence Secrecy: Indian and foreign intelligence agencies have played a murky role in the case. Classified documents and covert operations have prevented a clear understanding of Boses fate. Revealing these records could expose not only historical truths but also longstanding practices of governmental secrecy in India. The Lack of Political Will Since Independence, despite widespread public interest and the efforts of authors and researchers such as Anuj Dhar and Chandrachur Ghosh, the Indian government has shown little enthusiasm for resolving this mystery. Political reluctance, fear of disrupting established narratives, and concerns about destabilising the status quo may all contribute to this inertia. Governments across political parties have refrained from declassifying critical documents or launching exhaustive inquiries. Acknowledging the truth might force a re-evaluation of early post-independence policies and leadership, posing uncomfortable questions about Indias founding era. Conclusion: A Call for Historical Justice The unresolved mystery of Subhas Chandra Boses death is far more than an academic puzzle; it is a moral, political, and civilisational issue that demands accountability. By continuing to evade definitive answers, successive governments have denied the Indian people a fuller understanding of their freedom struggle and have failed to accord Netaji the historical justice he deserves. The persistent secrecy surrounding Boses fate raises an unavoidable question: why does the truth remain buried more than seven decades after Independence? The answer lies not in the absence of evidence or public interest, but in the reluctance of the political establishment to confront the ideological and historical upheaval that such revelations could unleash. A transparent resolution could unsettle long-protected orthodoxies of the post-independence narrative and compel a reassessment of early leadership decisions. A nation confident in its democratic and civilisational strength should not fear the truth, no matter how inconvenient. Only by confronting this unresolved chapter can India move towards a more honest, inclusive, and complete understanding of its past, and ensure that Subhas Chandra Boses legacy is remembered not through ambiguity, but through truth. The writer is a technocrat, political analyst, and author. He pens national, geopolitical, and social issues. His social media handle is @prosenjitnth. Views expressed in the above piece are personal and solely those of the author. They do not necessarily reflect News18s views. News18 Newsletter Handpicked stories, in your inbox A newsletter with the best of our journalism submit First Published: January 22, 2026, 17:36 IST News opinion Opinion | The Historical And Political Complexities Surrounding Netaji's Unresolved Death Disclaimer: Comments reflect users views, not News18s. Please keep discussions respectful and constructive. Abusive, defamatory, or illegal comments will be removed. News18 may disable any comment at its discretion. By posting, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy Loading comments... Opinion | Why Tilak Is Once Again Part Of A Freedom Movement Written By : News18.com Last Updated: January 22, 2026, 18:58 IST Many schools in Britain allow hijabs; how many allow tilaks or even understand why they should be considered on par with other faith symbols? It is unfortunate that schools are the battleground for culture wars in the UK now, but the Hindu or Sikh communities did not fire the first salvos. Representational image It is not difficult to figure out why the parents of an Indian-origin boy are so upset that they have taken their son out of Vicars Green Primary School in Londons Wembley area. He was told not to wear a tilak to school and had allegedly been targeted by the management for religious skin markings". So much so that the parents had to remove him; three other Hindu students had left earlier. Yet, the schools website has photos of female students in hijabs. Worse still, the headteacher is of Indian origin and is accused by a British community advocacy group of leading the charge against the boy for wearing a tilak. The school, through an official statement, averred that its longstanding school policy asks pupils not to wear visible skin markings, including religious ones." The logical question would be why there was an embargo on religious markings" if hijabsand presumably turbansare allowed. Oddly, for a school that reportedly has many Indian-origin and/or Hindu students, the statement added, We met with the parents of a pupil who was wearing a tilak-chandlo on their forehead to discuss the matter sensitively and sought to understand the reason for it." Tilaks are neither esoteric nor rarenor even a secret Masonic symbolso why did the school authorities need to ask the parents to clarify? Was the Indian-origin headteacher mystified too? Besides the headteacher, at least two of the governors of the school are of Pakistani-originone of whom is a borough councillor and former mayoras well as one who is definitely of Indian origin. Were they all unaware of what the tilak signifies or indeed how prevalent it is among Hindus in India and elsewhere? Unless the other governing body members live in some ivory tower, not multi-culti London, they cannot claim to be totally ignorant either. Which is what made the next part of the school spokespersons statement even more bizarre: We fully recognised the familys religious beliefs and, in a spirit of conciliation, we offered a reasonable compromise by making an exception to our policy so the symbol could be worn on a less prominent part of the body. This was, unfortunately, rejected by the pupils parents." Which less prominent part" would the school suggest for a tilak? The mind truly boggles. More so as it is almost certain that the same less prominent part" option would not have been posited for the students who cover their heads with hijabs. And that is probably why the Hindu boys parents stood their ground on the tilak but finally had to take him out of the school. This definitely flies in the face of the recent inspections by the national school watchdog body Ofsted, that deemed this schools environment to be inclusive", where children thrive". It is unfortunate that schools are the battleground for culture wars in the UK now, but the Hindu or Sikh communities did not fire the first salvos. For decades they had negligible demands, except pressing for patkas and turbans to be allowed for observant Sikhs. Hindus were usually the most circumspect, mostly out of a general desire to blend in rather than stand out. But when some demand, say, hijabs, prayer breaks and namaz spaces, others up the ante too. Only relatively recently have Hindus abroad also begun asserting their right to manifest their religious symbols in the same manner as, say, Judaism or Islam. Headgear, however, is not high on that list unlike hijabs, kufis or kippahs. Typically, tilaks, horizontal or vertical ash/sandalwood powder marks on the forehead, white threads across the chest, a choti or longer tuft of hair at the crown of the head, and threads tied on the wrist are typical Hindu markers. Central government-run schools (Kendriya Vidyalayas) allow Sikh turbans and hijabs of the same colour as the uniforms, and most schools in India allow small markers except caste-based ones. But praying during breaks in school premises is not allowed. The Supreme Court is yet to constitute a larger bench after its two-judge bench delivered a split verdict on whether hijab should be allowed in colleges on the grounds that it is intrinsic to the practice of Islam. Interestingly, in April 2024, a Muslim pupil at Michaela School, also in Wembley like Vicars Green, lost her case against a ban on prayer rituals in school, which she had claimed was discriminatory. The non-faith secondary school told the High Court that allowing it could undermine inclusion". The ruling said the girl at the very least impliedly accepted, when she enrolled at the school, that she would be subject to restrictions on her ability to manifest her religion." Known for its strict rules and teachers being regarded as figures of authority, half the students are Muslim. Like Vicars Green, it is also rated as outstanding by Ofsted. In 2023, led by the girl who later went to court, 30 of the 700 students suddenly began to offer namaz in the school grounds during lunch break, kneeling on their blazers. The school soon stopped it, apprehending a culture shift" and the girl went to court saying it affected her religious freedom. The judgement said the challenge did not establish that the ban had interfered with her freedom to manifest her religious beliefs as she had a genuine choice" to manifest them elsewhere. It also held that the Islamic principle of Qada allowed her to perform any inadvertently missed prayers later in the day and deemed the schools decision justified as such prayers could cause logistical challenges, student intimidation and discord, threatening the schools ethos. Michaela Schools outspoken founder and headteacher Katherine Birbalsingh had called the ruling a victory for all schools" and not allowing a boy to attend Vicars Green with the tilak may also be seen as being within the same contextthat he could manifest his religious choice" elsewhere. The question is, where? Many schools in the UK allow hijabs; how many allow tilaks or even understand why they should be considered on par with hijabs or turbans? The author is a freelance writer. Views expressed in the above piece are personal and solely those of the author. They do not necessarily reflect News18s views. News18 Newsletter Handpicked stories, in your inbox A newsletter with the best of our journalism submit First Published: January 22, 2026, 18:58 IST News opinion Opinion | Why Tilak Is Once Again Part Of A Freedom Movement Disclaimer: Comments reflect users views, not News18s. Please keep discussions respectful and constructive. Abusive, defamatory, or illegal comments will be removed. News18 may disable any comment at its discretion. By posting, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy Loading comments... Last Updated: January 22, 2026, 09:36 IST 1 / 10 Do you worry about changing your mobile number, especially when it is linked to important documents? A missed message or failed OTP can suddenly block access to essential services. But what if this problem could be solved without standing in long queues? What if the solution were just a few clicks away? Today, a simple online facility allows driving licence holders to update their mobile numbers from the comfort of their homes. This digital initiative has made life significantly easier for millions across India. 2 / 10 With the rapid growth of digital services in India, government-related tasks have become faster and more convenient. Updating the mobile number linked to your driving licence is one such service. Earlier, people had to visit the Regional Transport Office (RTO) in person, but now the entire process is online and takes only a few minutes. All you need is a smartphone or computer, internet access, and your Aadhaar card. This service is available through the official Parivahan website and the mParivahan mobile app. ADVERTISEMENT 3 / 10 To begin, visit the official Transport Department website at parivahan.gov.in or open the mParivahan app. On the homepage, look for the Information Services section. From there, select the option related to Driving License services. This portal is designed for public use and is easy to navigate. All steps are clearly listed, helping users complete the update without confusion or extra help from agents. 4 / 10 After selecting Driving License services, click on Driving License Related Services. Next, go to the Other Services section and choose your state from the list provided. Once your state is selected, you will see multiple options. Look for Update Mobile Number and click on it. This option allows you to change only your contact number, without affecting any other license details. ADVERTISEMENT 5 / 10 The system will now ask for Aadhaar verification to confirm your identity. Enter your Aadhaar details as shown on the screen. After verification, you can enter your new mobile number carefully. Make sure the number is active. This step is important because all future messages and OTPs related to your driving license will be sent to this number. 6 / 10 After entering the new mobile number, an OTP will be sent to it. Enter the OTP on the website to complete the verification process. Some states may charge a small online fee for this update. The payment, if required, can be made using online methods like UPI, debit card, or net banking. The entire process usually takes just a few minutes. ADVERTISEMENT 7 / 10 Once the request is submitted, the update does not happen instantly in all cases. Depending on your state transport office, the change can take anywhere between 24 hours and 7 days. During this time, your request is checked and added to the official records. After completion, your new mobile number becomes active for all driving license services. 8 / 10 Updating your mobile number does not affect any other driving license services. Your license number, validity, address, and vehicle details remain unchanged. Only the contact number is updated in the system. This means you can continue using your driving license normally. There is no impact on renewals, fines, or vehicle-related services linked to your license. ADVERTISEMENT 9 / 10 Keeping your mobile number updated is essential in todays digital environment. A driving licence is widely used for banking, insurance, e-challan payments, renewals, and identity verification. Many of these services rely on OTP authentication. If your registered mobile number is inactive or incorrect, you may miss important alerts or face failed transactions. Updating your number ensures uninterrupted access to online services and prevents unnecessary delays. MOSCOW, Jan. 22 (Xinhua) -- Russian President Vladimir Putin said on Thursday that only the establishment of a fully functioning Palestinian state can bring a lasting resolution to the Middle East conflict. Putin made the remarks during a meeting with his Palestinian counterpart Mahmoud Abbas in Moscow, adding that Russia's approach to the Middle East conflict "is principled and not subject to short-term political expediency." Putin also noted that Russia had provided vital humanitarian aid to Gaza at the height of the region's crisis, including over 800 tons of aid and some 32 humanitarian operations. Abbas told Putin that Palestinian lands have suffered immense harm under Israeli occupation, which has brought widespread destruction to the Gaza Strip, the West Bank and Jerusalem. "The number of killed and wounded in the Gaza Strip has reached 260,000, with thousands more injured in the West Bank," he said, adding that the Gaza Strip has been virtually levelled, with 85 percent of its infrastructure destroyed. "We categorically oppose the attempts by the United States and Israel to expel Palestinians from their ancestral homeland," Abbas said. "The Palestinian people are resolute in their determination to remain on their land, no matter the cost." Last Updated: January 22, 2026, 09:05 IST 1 / 9 Mira Kulkarnis journey from a struggling single mother to the founder of Forest Essentials, Indias premier luxury Ayurvedic skincare brand, is a story of resilience, vision, and sheer determination. Today, her company is valued at over 8,300 crore, but the road to success was anything but easy. 2 / 9 Mira Kulkarni was born into a family that valued tradition and culture. She married young, hoping for a stable and happy life. However, her husbands business began to falter, and his struggle with alcoholism added to the turbulence. Mira eventually made the difficult decision to divorce him, choosing to raise her children as a single mother. Reflecting on those years, she once said, I had to rebuild my life from scratch, with no certainty of what the future held. ADVERTISEMENT 3 / 9 At the age of 45, Mira decided to channel her love for Ayurveda and natural remedies into something tangible. With just 2 lakh in hand, she founded Forest Essentials in 2000. Her vision was clear: to create skincare products rooted in Ayurvedic traditions but packaged with modern luxury aesthetics. She started small, experimenting with handmade soaps and oils in her kitchen. These products quickly gained traction among discerning customers who appreciated authenticity and quality. 4 / 9 From those humble beginnings, Forest Essentials grew steadily. Mira focused on purity of ingredients, traditional formulations, and elegant presentation, which set her brand apart in a crowded market. She often emphasized, Ayurveda is not just about beauty; it is about balance and well-being. This philosophy resonated deeply with consumers, especially at a time when natural and organic products were becoming globally sought after. ADVERTISEMENT 5 / 9 Her persistence paid off when Forest Essentials caught the attention of international luxury giant Estee Lauder, which acquired a minority stake in the company. This partnership gave the brand global visibility while allowing Mira to retain its Indian soul. 6 / 9 Today, Forest Essentials operates over 130 stores across India and exports to more than 120 countries. Its product line includes skincare, haircare, body care, and wellness items, all crafted with Ayurvedic principles. The brand generates annual revenues of around 432 crore, and its valuation has soared to 8,300 crore. ADVERTISEMENT 7 / 9 Miras success has made her one of Indias wealthiest entrepreneurs. She is often celebrated as a pioneer who brought Ayurveda into the luxury segment, transforming it from a niche practice into a global phenomenon. 8 / 9 The journey was not without obstacles. As a woman entrepreneur in the early 2000s, Mira faced skepticism from investors and industry peers. Many doubted whether Ayurvedic products could ever be positioned as luxury items. Yet, she remained steadfast. I believed in the power of Ayurveda and in the discerning taste of consumers. That belief kept me going, she remarked in an interview. Her ability to blend tradition with modernity became her greatest strength. By creating products that were both authentic and aspirational, she carved out a unique space in the beauty industry. ADVERTISEMENT Last Updated: January 22, 2026, 10:50 IST 1 / 8 Republic Day 2026 rehearsals in Delhi have prompted the Traffic Police to issue a special advisory, with restrictions and diversions around Vijay Chowk on January 22. The measures are aimed at ensuring smooth proceedings of the Beating Retreat rehearsal and managing congestion in Central Delhi. 2 / 8 The advisory states that vehicular movement in and around Vijay Chowk will be regulated between 4:00 PM and 6:30 PM. These restrictions are necessary to maintain security and allow the ceremonial rehearsal to take place without disruption. ADVERTISEMENT 3 / 8 The Beating Retreat Ceremony is a prestigious event, and its rehearsal requires secure and controlled movement in the area. With increased pedestrian activity and the high-profile nature of the occasion, traffic curbs have been enforced to prevent congestion and safeguard public safety. 4 / 8 During the restricted hours, Vijay Chowk will remain closed for general traffic. Movement will not be permitted on Raisina Road from R/A Krishi Bhawan towards Vijay Chowk, beyond R/A Dara Shikoh Road, R/A Krishna Menon Marg, and R/A Sunehri Masjid towards Vijay Chowk. Kartavya Path between Vijay Chowk and Rafi Marg up to Kartavya Path Crossing will also be closed. ADVERTISEMENT 5 / 8 To ease inconvenience, commuters are advised to use alternate routes. Options include Ring Road, Ridge Road, Aurobindo Marg, Madarsa T-Point, Safdarjung Road to Kamal Ataturk Marg, Rani Jhansi Road, and Minto Road. These corridors are expected to help reduce congestion and ensure smoother traffic flow across the city. 6 / 8 Moderate to heavy traffic is anticipated in and around Vijay Chowk and adjoining areas during the restricted hours. Travelers passing through Central Delhi are urged to plan their journeys in advance and allow extra time. ADVERTISEMENT 7 / 8 Citizens are requested to avoid the Vijay Chowk area during the rehearsal period and make use of public transport wherever possible. Adhering to traffic rules and following instructions from on-ground personnel will help ensure smooth movement for all road users. CNN name, logo and all associated elements and 2024 Cable News Network LP, LLLP. A Time Warner Company. All rights reserved. CNN and the CNN logo are registered marks of Cable News Network, LP LLLP, displayed with permission. Use of the CNN name and/or logo on or as part of NEWS18.com does not derogate from the intellectual property rights of Cable News Network in respect of them. Copyright Network18 Media and Investments Ltd 2024. All rights reserved. Last Updated: January 22, 2026, 17:14 IST 1 / 10 Drug addiction continues to be one of the most alarming issues affecting youth across the world, and India is no exception. Over the decades, Bollywood has often reflected this harsh reality through its storytelling. Some films were appreciated for their bold themes, while others shocked audiences and sparked intense debate. One such film, released in the early 1970s, became both iconic and controversial for its raw portrayal. 2 / 10 Released in 1971, Zeenat Aman and Dev Anand starrer Hare Rama Hare Krishna stood out for its unconventional subject. At a time when mainstream Hindi cinema largely focused on romance and family dramas, this film depicted the rise of the hippie movement and the growing influence of drugs, themes that were considered taboo in Indian cinema during that era. ADVERTISEMENT 3 / 10 The film was shot entirely in Kathmandu, Nepal, which was then a popular hub for hippies from around the world. The serene landscapes, bustling streets, and bohemian vibe of Nepal added authenticity to the films narrative. It starred Dev Anand as a concerned brother searching for his lost sister, while Zeenat portrayed Janice, a free-spirited young woman who had fallen into the world of drugs and hippie culture. Her performance was much loved by audiences. 4 / 10 The film tells the emotional story of a brothers journey to bring his lost sister back home. Dev Anands character travels across borders only to discover his sister living among drug-addled hippies. Zeenat Amans Janice is lost, vulnerable, and deeply affected by substance abuse. The film sensitively portrays her inner turmoil and the devastating impact of drugs on young lives. ADVERTISEMENT 5 / 10 But what stood out the most was the song Dum Maaro Dum. It became an anthem of the era. Sung by Asha Bhosle, composed by Rahul Dev Burman, and penned by Anand Bakshi, the track captured the spirit of rebellion and escapism. Zeenat Amans hippie look, kohl-rimmed eyes, headbands, and carefree demeanor, set fashion trends that lasted for years. The song remains a cult favorite even today. 6 / 10 While the song gained massive popularity, it also landed the film in controversy. Zeenat Aman was shown smoking a pipe like a hippie, a shocking visual for audiences in the 1970s. Several years later in 2024, Zeenat Aman revisited the memories and revealed a startling truth. She admitted that during the shoot of Dum Maaro Dum, she actually got high to make her portrayal more authentic. She recalled that Dev Anand had recruited real hippies from the streets of Kathmandu, who openly smoked hashish during the shoot. ADVERTISEMENT 7 / 10 She shared, We were in Kathmandu shooting Hare Rama Hare Krishna, and Dev Saab had rounded up a gaggle of hippies from the streets to be featured in the song. Which song? The picture is a dead giveaway Dum Maro Dum of course! The hippy extras were delighted with their good fortune. They were not only getting to pack their chillums with hashish in beautiful Nepal, they were also getting free food, going to feature in a Bollywood movie and were being paid to boot! 8 / 10 Zeenat shared that Dev Saab wanted authenticity in this sequence and the easiest way she thought to achieve this was to partake in the hippy offerings. The actress further revealed that he was still in her teens and took long pulls from a chillum for multiple takes. By the end of the day, she was high as a kite and in no condition to return to the hotel. The crew took her on a drive to a quiet mountain vantage point, where the cold Himalayan air slowly helped her come down from the high. ADVERTISEMENT 9 / 10 But when her mother got to know what had happened, she was furious and scolded the senior crew members. Zeenat Aman concluded, She gave the senior crew members a sharp tongue lashing for allowing her precious child to do drugs! Luckily, I was spared her wrath. Well, what can I say, it was the 70s, and I was something of a flower child. Last Updated: January 22, 2026, 14:40 IST 1 / 7 The Kargil War of 1999 remains one of the most defining chapters in Indias modern military history. As soldiers battled on the frontlines, the nation rallied behind them with fundraising drives and morale-boosting efforts. Yet, among the millions who supported from afar, one man chose to step away from the glamour of cinema and stand shoulder to shoulder with the jawans. (Image: Wikimedia Commons) 2 / 7 That man was Nana Patekar, a three-time National Award-winning actor who put his flourishing Bollywood career on hold to serve at the front. Nanas association with the Indian Army began years before the war. (Image: Facebook) ADVERTISEMENT 3 / 7 In the early 1990s, while preparing for his film Prahaar, he lived and trained with the Maratha Light Infantry for three years. This experience gave him a deep respect for the discipline and sacrifice of soldiers. When the Kargil conflict broke out, Nana reached out to his contacts in the Army, requesting permission to join the men at the front. (Image: IMDb) 4 / 7 Initially, his request was denied, as only the defence minister could grant such approval. Determined, Nana personally contacted Defence Minister George Fernandes, explaining his extensive training and commitment. Impressed by his dedication, Fernandes asked him when he wanted to leave for the front. (Image: IMDb) ADVERTISEMENT 5 / 7 In August 1999, Nana Patekar spent over two weeks near the Line of Control, serving not as a symbolic supporter but as part of the Quick Response Team. He assisted soldiers in their duties and even worked in the hospital at the base, tending to the wounded. The harsh conditions took a toll on him physically; he recalled weighing 76 kg when he arrived in Srinagar, but returning at just 56 kg after enduring the rigours of life at the front. His time in Kargil was not about publicity or performance; it was about solidarity, sacrifice, and living the reality of the men he had once portrayed on screen. (Image: Instagram) 6 / 7 News reports from the time even noted his absence from the film industry, with speculation about his whereabouts during the war. For Nana, however, the experience was a continuation of his bond with the Army, forged years earlier during Prahaar. His decision to serve remains one of the rare instances of a Bollywood star stepping away from fame to take part in a national conflict. (Image: Instagram) ADVERTISEMENT Last Updated: January 22, 2026, 08:00 IST 1 / 10 Ever noticed how, in India, ordering a drink often comes down to one simple question - small peg or large peg? It sounds normal here but step outside India, and the word peg suddenly disappears. The same drink is measured as a shot elsewhere. That difference sparks a curious question: why does India use a term no one else does? 2 / 10 What makes this even more intriguing is that peg isnt a casual slang word that evolved randomly. It has a backstory that dates back centuries and travels far beyond Indian bars and house parties. While there is no official document stamped with proof, the story behind the word has been passed down through oral history and popular culture. ADVERTISEMENT 3 / 10 The term peg, according to a lesser-known explanation, stands for Precious Evening Glass. The phrase is believed to have originated in the United Kingdom by a group of coal mine workers who used to live exhausting and dangerous lives. After hours of physically punishing work underground, they would receive reward at the end of the day and they would wait for it. 4 / 10 As the story goes, these miners were given a small glass of alcohol, often brandy, along with their daily wages. For them, it was not just a drink. In freezing conditions and harsh living environments, that evening glass offered warmth, relaxation and a moment of relief. Naturally, it became precious to them, something they looked forward to the entire day. ADVERTISEMENT 5 / 10 This story recently resurfaced when a radio jockey and YouTuber explained it in a viral Instagram clip. Holding an old liquor bottle cap, he casually asked viewers if they knew the full form of peg. He then broke it downP-E-GPrecious Evening Glassconnecting modern drinking habits to the 18th-century tradition. 6 / 10 In the clip, he explained how mine workers would wait through long shifts just for that small evening drink. That anticipation made the glass emotionally valuable, not just physically warming. Over time, Precious Evening Glass shortened into peg, a term easy to say. ADVERTISEMENT 7 / 10 During British rule in India, this concept quietly travelled across borders. Alcohol measurements in India were standardised for convenience: 30 ml became a small peg, and 60 ml became a large peg. The system stuck, especially because it was simple, repeatable, and easy for both sellers and drinkers to understand. 8 / 10 Interestingly, the UK itself never adopted the word officially. There, liquor continued to be measured as a single (25 ml) or a double (50 ml). While the story may have originated in Britain, the terminology found its true cultural home in India and people casually began referring to the drink as peg. ADVERTISEMENT 9 / 10 Over time, peg stopped being just a unit of measurement. It became part of everyday language, used in films, conversations, jokes and even emotions. Saying ek peg, do peg is not just about quantity anymore but it is about winding down, marking the end of a long day. Last Updated: January 22, 2026, 10:42 IST 1 / 10 In a surprise announcement on Wednesday, Zomato boss Deepinder Goyal tendered his resignation as the chief executive officer (CEO) of Eternal, the food delivery apps parent company, appointing Albinder Dhindsa (Albi) in his stead. The resignation is set to take effect from February 1, the company stated in a regulatory filing. Goyal will remain on the board of directors as Vice Chairman, subject to shareholders approval. 2 / 10 In his letter to shareholders, Goyal said that he had lately been drawn to new ideas that involved higher-risk exploration and experimentation, something which was not possible under the Eternals strategic scope. He added that these ideas were best pursued outside a public company like Eternal and while he did have the bandwidth to continue his role at Eternal, the expectations, legal and otherwise, of a public company CEO in India demand singular focus. ADVERTISEMENT 3 / 10 In his letter, Deepinder Goyal said that as Group CEO, Albinder Dhindsa will own operating priorities, day-to-day execution, and business decisions. Best known as the co-founder and CEO of Blinkit, Dhindsa was born in Patiala and studied at the Indian Institute of Technology, Delhi. He later earned an MBA from Columbia Business School in the US. 4 / 10 Goyal mentioned that Blinkit will remain Dhindsas top priority and Eternals biggest growth opportunity, highlighting the increasing importance of hyperlocal logistics and quick commerce in terms of the firms longer-term strategy. Dhindsas elevation signals how Blinkit has become one of the key pillars of Eternal and a significant driver of the companys growth. ADVERTISEMENT 5 / 10 When it comes to personal fortune, Dhindsa has a net worth of $1.1 billion or approximately Rs 9,020 crore, according to The Week. He started his entrepreneurial journey by co-founding Grofers with Saurabh Kumar in 2013. The firm started off as a hyperlocal delivery service linking neighbourhood shops with customers, before evolving into a full-stack online grocery platform. In 2021, the company was rebranded as Blinkit. 6 / 10 If we compare the net worth of Dhindsa with Deepinder Goyal, the Zomato chief is far richer. Goyal has a net worth of $1.6 billion (Rs 13,300 crore), as per Forbes. The majority of his wealth comes from Zomato. Goyal obtained a Master of Science from the Indian Institute of Technology Delhi. He later worked as a management consultant with Bain & Company before he started off as an entrepreneur. ADVERTISEMENT 7 / 10 Goyal founded Zomato in 2008. The company went public in 2021. The initial public offering was oversubscribed 35 times and Zomatos valuation was listed at $12 billion. Over the years, the company has become one of the leading players in the food delivery segment. Zomato Ltd renamed itself as Eternal Ltd in February 2025. 8 / 10 Zomato acquired Blinkit in 2022 in an all-stock deal valued at almost $568 million, making the company a core part of Zomatos broader delivery ecosystem. Under Dhindsas leadership, Blinkit created a network of micro-fulfilment centres and dark stores that made the company a key player in the highly competitive instant delivery market. ADVERTISEMENT 9 / 10 Goyal had earlier mentioned that at times, he had considered Dhindsa to resign as Blinkits CEO during the early years of the companys integration. As the new CEO of Eternal, Dhindsa will oversee not just Zomato core food delivery business, but the entire suite of businesses under the group. Actor Vijay's TVK Gets Whistle Symbol For 2026 Tamil Nadu Polls Curated By : News18.com Last Updated: January 22, 2026, 15:32 IST The poll body issued an order allocating the whistle symbol as the general symbol for the upcoming Assembly elections in Tamil Nadu. Actor Vijay's TVK gets whistle symbol. (PTI) The Election Commission on Thursday allotted whistle symbol" to actor Vijays Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam. The poll body issued an order allocating the whistle symbol as the general symbol for the upcoming Assembly elections in Tamil Nadu. Notably, Whistle was one of the priority symbols for TVK as it was Vijays preference from a choice of 10 symbols proposed, party leader CTR Nirmal Kumar said. The overall expectations and the desire of the people of Tamil Nadu is that our leader should become Chief Minister. As a first step, this symbol has been given," Kumar said. Incidentally, one of actor Vijays top hit songs is whistle podu," (play the whistle) from his 2024 film GOAT, which incidentally had some references to his then planned political foray. The development came just two days after TVK convened its first election campaign committee meeting in Chennai on Tuesday to outline a manifesto anchored in social justice and transparency. On January 16, Vijay constituted a 12-member committee to coordinate election campaign activities of the party at the district and constituency levels for the Assembly polls in Tamil Nadu. The partys poll manifesto for the upcoming Assembly polls would be built on the pillar of social justice, and the roadmap would focus on transforming Tamil Nadu through inclusive growth and a vision for all sectors. News18 Newsletter Handpicked stories, in your inbox A newsletter with the best of our journalism submit Location : Tamil Nadu, India, India First Published: January 22, 2026, 14:40 IST News politics Actor Vijay's TVK Gets Whistle Symbol For 2026 Tamil Nadu Polls Disclaimer: Comments reflect users views, not News18s. Please keep discussions respectful and constructive. Abusive, defamatory, or illegal comments will be removed. News18 may disable any comment at its discretion. By posting, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy Loading comments... Kalyan Gambit: Raj Thackeray Backs Eknath Shinde In Tactical Move As Alliances Take a Backseat Reported By : News18.com Edited By: Apoorva Misra Last Updated: January 22, 2026, 11:27 IST The move also exposes the much-publicised coming together of Raj & Uddhav Thackeray, which has quickly been reduced to a convenience-based arrangement Rapid Read Raj Thackeray (left)s decision to back Eknath Shinde (right)-led Shiv Sena in the Kalyan-Dombivli Municipal Corporation is a blunt assertion that municipal politics is about control, not sentiment. (PTI) Political equations in the Mumbai Metropolitan Region are being reshaped by cold arithmetic rather than public posturing, and the latest developments in Kalyan underline this shift clearly. Raj Thackerays decision to back Eknath Shinde-led Shiv Sena in the Kalyan-Dombivli Municipal Corporation (KDMC) is not just a tactical adjustment but a blunt assertion that municipal politics is about control, not sentiment. The move carries added weight because Shinde remains the principal political adversary of Uddhav Thackeray, Raj Thackerays cousin and alliance partner at the state level. In Kalyan, however, the logic of alliances has given way to the logic of numbers. By extending the support of five Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) corporators, Raj Thackeray has materially strengthened Shindes claim over the civic body, where the margin between dominance and deadlock is thin. For the MNS, the decision appears rooted in pragmatism. Despite periodic electoral visibility, the party has struggled to secure sustained control over key urban institutions. Aligning with the side that is best placed to form the civic administration offers immediate relevance and influence in one of the most politically significant corporations within the MMR. The message is unmistakable: access to power in a crucial urban centre outweighs the symbolic value of maintaining opposition unity. For Shinde, the Kalyan manoeuvre is consistent with a broader strategy of aggressive municipal consolidation. Equally striking is his willingness to pursue control without his alliance partner, the BJP. Though the Sena and BJP contested the civic elections together, post-election negotiations have exposed deep friction. In neighbouring Ulhasnagar, Shinde has already managed to edge out the BJP, establishing a pattern of asserting dominance in civic bodies even at the cost of alliance harmony. Kalyan now appears to be the next step in that strategy. This assertiveness is likely to sharpen tensions within the ruling coalition that has governed Maharashtra since 2024. Municipal corporations are not mere administrative units; they are centres of patronage, organisational control and political signalling. Control over KDMC strengthens Shindes grip over the Thane-Kalyan belt, a region critical to his political identity and future ambitions. By sidelining allies at the civic level, he is laying the groundwork for a more autonomous political footprint in MMR. The episode also exposes the limits of opposition unity. The much-publicised coming together of Raj and Uddhav Thackeray carried emotional resonance, but civic politics has quickly reduced it to a convenience-based arrangement. As power equations settle, the Kalyan developments serve as a reminder that in Maharashtras urban battlegrounds, alliances are flexible, loyalty is negotiable, and control of the municipality remains the ultimate currency of politics. News18 Newsletter Handpicked stories, in your inbox A newsletter with the best of our journalism submit First Published: January 22, 2026, 11:27 IST News politics Kalyan Gambit: Raj Thackeray Backs Eknath Shinde In Tactical Move As Alliances Take a Backseat Disclaimer: Comments reflect users views, not News18s. Please keep discussions respectful and constructive. Abusive, defamatory, or illegal comments will be removed. News18 may disable any comment at its discretion. By posting, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy Loading comments... 'Have You Ever Made Tea': Kharge Calls PM Modi's 'Chaiwala' Claim 'Drama' For Votes, BJP Hits Back Curated By : News18.com Edited By: Oindrila Mukherjee Last Updated: January 22, 2026, 19:47 IST Congress chief Mallikarjun Kharge's scathing attack on PM Narendra Modi elicited a strong response from the BJP that called his remarks "elitist arrogance" Congress chief Mallikarjun Kharge (R) said the BJP-led Centre prioritises electoral propaganda over genuine progress for the poor. (Image: PTI/File) Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge on Thursday dismissed Prime Minister Narendra Modis chaiwala narrative as drama" for votes, eliciting a strong response from the BJP that called his remarks elitist arrogance". In his scathing attack on Modi, Kharge questioned him if he has ever made tea", challenging the authenticity of what he called this working-class background narrative". He says I am a chaiwala only to garner votes," Kharge said, addressing the National MGNREGA Workers Convention organised by the Rachnatmak Congress. Have you ever made tea and moved around inside train compartments with a kettle of tea?" Watch the video here: The arrogance of Congress never comes down!On the instructions of Rahul Gandhi, Mallikarjun Kharge insults PM Narendra Modi by saying Kabhi chai banaya hai?"From abusing PM @narendramodi Jis mother to targeting him with daily personal attacks all because he stands pic.twitter.com/5x6m0hA3Y6 Pradeep Bhandari( ) (@pradip103) January 22, 2026 He said the BJP-led Centre prioritises electoral propaganda over genuine progress for the poor, characterising Modis claims as mere drama". He said if the leadership had ever performed hard labour themselves, they would truly understand the pain of workers". Kharge further criticised the central governments infrastructure record alleging that despite the intense hype surrounding high-speed rail and Vande Bharat trains, basic railway development has stagnated compared to previous eras. He said while the PM is quick to wave the green flag" at inaugurations, his administration has failed to lay new tracks at the pace seen during the UPA rule or under Indias first PM Jawaharlal Nehru. Modi ji says they will bring bullet trains, but forget bullet trains even new railway tracks they havent been able to lay," he said. He ended his speech by describing the administration as a government of two people" Modi and Union Home Minister Amit Shah who just keep roaming around doing election propaganda". The BJP condemned his remarks as a sign of elitist arrogance", saying the Prime Minister is being targeted because he protects the country from radical ideologies. Party spokesperson Pradeep Bhandari said the arrogance of Congress never comes down", alleging that Kharge was acting on the instructions of Rahul Gandhi. The arrogance of Congress never comes down! On the instructions of Rahul Gandhi, Mallikarjun Kharge insults PM Narendra Modi by saying Kabhi chai banaya hai?" From abusing PM Narendra Modi Jis mother to targeting him with daily personal attacks all because he stands firmly between Urban Naxals and Bharat. The people of India will teach Congress a lesson in 2029, just like they did in 2014!" Bhandari said in a post on X. (With PTI inputs) News18 Newsletter Handpicked stories, in your inbox A newsletter with the best of our journalism submit First Published: January 22, 2026, 19:45 IST News politics 'Have You Ever Made Tea': Kharge Calls PM Modi's 'Chaiwala' Claim 'Drama' For Votes, BJP Hits Back Disclaimer: Comments reflect users views, not News18s. Please keep discussions respectful and constructive. Abusive, defamatory, or illegal comments will be removed. News18 may disable any comment at its discretion. By posting, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy Loading comments... Tourists visit the vicinity of the Senso-ji Temple in Tokyo, Japan, Jan. 20, 2026. The number of visitors from the Chinese mainland to Japan plunged 45.3 percent from a year earlier in December 2025, official data showed. Tourists from the Chinese mainland fell to about 330,400 people in December 2025, the Japan National Tourism Organization (JNTO) said on Wednesday. (Xinhua/Jia Haocheng) TOKYO, Jan. 22 (Xinhua) -- The number of visitors from the Chinese mainland to Japan plunged 45.3 percent from a year earlier in December 2025, official data showed. Tourists from the Chinese mainland fell to about 330,400 people in December 2025, the Japan National Tourism Organization (JNTO) said on Wednesday. JNTO data shows that the decline became pronounced after Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi made erroneous remarks on Taiwan in November 2025. The number of visitors from the Chinese mainland dropped to 562,600 in November from 715,700 in October. Japanese media and experts have noted that strained China-Japan relations following Takaichi's wrongful remarks have had negative impacts on multiple sectors of Japan's economy and society, including retail, accommodation and catering. Japan Travel Bureau Foundation, the country's largest travel agency, has forecast that inbound tourist arrivals to Japan in 2026 could fall by 3 percent amid uncertainty over visits from the Chinese mainland. Tourists wait at a transportation hub near Shinjuku Station in Tokyo, Japan, Jan. 20, 2026. The number of visitors from the Chinese mainland to Japan plunged 45.3 percent from a year earlier in December 2025, official data showed. Tourists from the Chinese mainland fell to about 330,400 people in December 2025, the Japan National Tourism Organization (JNTO) said on Wednesday. (Xinhua/Jia Haocheng) A rickshaw puller provides a guided tour for tourists in the vicinity of the Senso-ji Temple in Tokyo, Japan, Jan. 20, 2026. The number of visitors from the Chinese mainland to Japan plunged 45.3 percent from a year earlier in December 2025, official data showed. Tourists from the Chinese mainland fell to about 330,400 people in December 2025, the Japan National Tourism Organization (JNTO) said on Wednesday. (Xinhua/Jia Haocheng) Tourists visit the vicinity of the Senso-ji Temple in Tokyo, Japan, Jan. 20, 2026. The number of visitors from the Chinese mainland to Japan plunged 45.3 percent from a year earlier in December 2025, official data showed. Tourists from the Chinese mainland fell to about 330,400 people in December 2025, the Japan National Tourism Organization (JNTO) said on Wednesday. (Xinhua/Jia Haocheng) Tourists visit the vicinity of the Senso-ji Temple in Tokyo, Japan, Jan. 20, 2026. The number of visitors from the Chinese mainland to Japan plunged 45.3 percent from a year earlier in December 2025, official data showed. Tourists from the Chinese mainland fell to about 330,400 people in December 2025, the Japan National Tourism Organization (JNTO) said on Wednesday. (Xinhua/Jia Haocheng) A restaurant staff member waits for customers near the Senso-ji Temple in Tokyo, Japan, Jan. 20, 2026. The number of visitors from the Chinese mainland to Japan plunged 45.3 percent from a year earlier in December 2025, official data showed. Tourists from the Chinese mainland fell to about 330,400 people in December 2025, the Japan National Tourism Organization (JNTO) said on Wednesday. (Xinhua/Jia Haocheng) Tourists visit the vicinity of the Senso-ji Temple in Tokyo, Japan, Jan. 20, 2026. The number of visitors from the Chinese mainland to Japan plunged 45.3 percent from a year earlier in December 2025, official data showed. Tourists from the Chinese mainland fell to about 330,400 people in December 2025, the Japan National Tourism Organization (JNTO) said on Wednesday. (Xinhua/Jia Haocheng) 'My Leader Won't Let Me Down': Karnataka Dy CM Shivakumar Amid Tussle Over CM Post Curated By : News18.com Last Updated: January 22, 2026, 14:23 IST mid the tussle over the Karnataka Chief Minister post, Deputy Chief Minister DK Shivakumar is clinging to the hope that his leader wont let him down". Karnataka Deputy CM DK Shivakumar. (Image: News18) Amid the tussle over the Karnataka Chief Minister post, Deputy Chief Minister DK Shivakumar is clinging to the hope that his leader wont let him down", according to a media report. Shivakumar, who is currently representing Karnataka at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, said, My leaders will take a call. It is not a matter to be discussed with the media; it is a behind-the-scenes discussion. I am always positive, I live on hope, see hard work will always pay, I fully believe in it, I think my leader will definitely not let me down," as quoted by NDTV. The Congress MLA was further questioned about the rumour that he doesnt have enough MLAs in his camp a claim he rejected outright. Who said this? I have 140, I am the president of the party (in Karnataka). There is nothing to be decided on numbers; all of us work as a team. Siddaramaiah has 140, I have 140. Both of us sat and discussed. We have left it to the leadership, and we will go by the leadership," the outlet quoted Shivakumar as saying. With the Congress emerging victorious in the Karnataka Assembly Elections 2025, there was a tough competition between Siddaramaiah and Shivakumar for the Chief Ministers post. However, as media reports suggest, Sidda became the partys choice due to his clean image and widespread support across the state. DK Shivakumar, on the other hand, was under investigation in connection with a money laundering case. According to media reports, the tussle between the two leaders was settled with a rotational Chief Minister formula", under which Shivakumar was promised that he would be made Karnatakas CM after two-and-a-half years. Notably, the Congress high command has never officially confirmed the same. On Trumps speech Speaking about US President Donald Trumps speech at Davos, the Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister said that his knowledge is amazing", as reported by NDTV. There are plus and minus, that is a different case, but as a leader, we have to acknowledge his capability. We may have a difference of opinion", he said. News18 Newsletter Handpicked stories, in your inbox A newsletter with the best of our journalism submit Location : Switzerland First Published: January 22, 2026, 14:22 IST News politics 'My Leader Won't Let Me Down': Karnataka Dy CM Shivakumar Amid Tussle Over CM Post Disclaimer: Comments reflect users views, not News18s. Please keep discussions respectful and constructive. Abusive, defamatory, or illegal comments will be removed. News18 may disable any comment at its discretion. By posting, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy Loading comments... 'Udhayanidhi Stalin Should Be Removed Immediately': Piyush Goyal Amid 'Sanatan Dharma' Row Reported By : CNN-News18 Edited By: Apoorva Misra Last Updated: January 22, 2026, 10:51 IST The ministers comments come amid the Madurai Bench of the Madras HC observing that the deputy CMs call to eradicate Sanatana Dharma carried an implication akin to genocide Rapid Read Union Commerce Minister Piyush Goyal. (Image: PTI/File) Union commerce minister Piyush Goyal on Thursday called for the removal of Tamil Nadus deputy chief minister Udhayanidhi Stalin, under fire for his remarks on Sanatan Dharma, for dividing the people" of the state. Addressing a press conference after a meeting with NDA ally and AIADMK general secretary Edappadi K Palaniswami, Goyal said: We totally oppose Udhayanidhi Stalin for his anti-national comments. The high court has also passed orders against his hate speech. I demand that Udhayanidhi be immediately removed from the government for dividing the people of Tamil Nadu." The ministers comments come amid the Madurai Bench of the Madras High Court recently observing that the deputy chief ministers call to eradicate" Sanatana Dharma carried an implication akin to genocide. If a group of people following Sanatana Dharma should not be there, then the appropriate word is genocide". If Sanatana Dharma is a religion then it is Religicide". It also means to eradicate the people by following any methods or various methods with diverse attacks on ecocide, factocide, culturicide (cultural genocide). Therefore, the Tamil phrase Sanathana Ozhippu" would clearly mean genocide or culturicide," Bar and Bench said, quoting the court as saying. The case was over a speech delivered by Stalin on September 2, 2023, at a conference titled Sanatan Abolition Conference", organised by the Tamil Nadu Progressive Writers Artists Association. In his address, Stalin drew an analogy between Sanatana Dharma and diseases such as dengue, malaria and Covid-19, saying certain things cannot merely be resisted but must be eradicated. POLL MODE ON Meanwhile, Goyalwho is also the states election in-charge in view of the upcoming pollssaid he had brought the good wishes of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Home Minister Amit Shah to Palaniswami. Im confident that under the leadership and guidance of Modi-ji at the Centre and EPS-ji in the state, we will completely throw out the incompetent govt of the DMK which has done nothing for the welfare of Tamil Nadu." The minister met Palaniswami for a meeting at his residence, the agenda of which is expected to focus on finalising seat-sharing arrangements between the BJP and the All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (AIADMK). To bolster the alliances chances in the upcoming polls, PM Modi will hold a public meeting in Maduranthakam, Tamil Nadus Chengalpattu district, on January 23. The NDA bloc received a shot in the arm on Wednesday Amma Makkal Munnetra Kazhagam (AMMK) and TTV Dhinakaran returned to the fold, with Palaniswami describing the move as a step towards defeating the DMK and restoring what he called the golden era" of governance in Tamil Nadu. In a post on X, Palaniswami said: To uproot the tyrannical rule of the DMK with its evil forces and bring an end to dynasty politics, and to reestablish in Tamil Nadu the golden era of governance of the esteemed revolutionary leader Amma, I warmly welcome with affection Mr. @TTVDhinakaran, the General Secretary of Amma Makkal Munnetra Kazhagam, who has joined the National Democratic Alliance today, and convey to him my heartfelt best wishes. With peoples welfare as our sole goal, let us all unite as one to free #the_people_from_peril, #redeem_Tamil_Nadu from the clutches of the DMK family rule!" News18 Newsletter Handpicked stories, in your inbox A newsletter with the best of our journalism submit First Published: January 22, 2026, 10:39 IST News politics 'Udhayanidhi Stalin Should Be Removed Immediately': Piyush Goyal Amid 'Sanatan Dharma' Row Disclaimer: Comments reflect users views, not News18s. Please keep discussions respectful and constructive. Abusive, defamatory, or illegal comments will be removed. News18 may disable any comment at its discretion. By posting, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy Loading comments... Apple Pay Launch In India Tipped For 2026: Will Rival Google Pay And UPI Apps Curated By : Last Updated: January 22, 2026, 07:25 IST Apple Pay has been unavailable in India owing to multiple reasons but the iPhone demand could change that trend. Apple Pay is the missing product from its India lineup Apple fan boys could finally unlock one of its popular services in India this year. The Cupertino-based tech giant is finally planning to launch Apple Pay in the country, according to reports this week. The reports suggest that Apple is planning to hold discussions with card-based payment operators like Mastercard, Visa and even the Indian government for approvals. The details given in a Moneycontrol report, quoting Business Standard, suggests the company could bring Apple Pay in a phased manner where the initial launch will offer card-based contactless or tap-and-pay service from Apple. The talks are in progress with the authorities and the companies providing these services and the launch could happen by later this year. Tap-And-Pay On iPhone The report suggests Apple is unlikely to sign for a Google Pay-like UPI service in the country as its payment system operates in a different architecture. But more importantly, the company will have to support the cards available in India and make them link with the Apple Wallet to fully use the Apple Pay ecosystem in the country. Once the approvals come through, Apple Pay will work for iPhone users who can link their debit/credit cards to the wallet and simply tap-and-pay using the point of sale terminals you have across retail outlets in the country. Apples tap and pay feature is a lot like Samsung Pay that is available on Galaxy phones for users in many countries. You dont need separate hardware as the phone itself acts as the terminal for payment. Similarly, tap and pay for iPhones negates the use of a card and supports contactless payment via NFC and gets better security with PIN authentication along with better privacy. The company has previously discussed plans to launch Apple Pay in India. It had also proposed the integration of Face ID for UPI authentication on iPhones, potentially adding an additional layer of security to transactions. Apple even explored the possibility of launching its Apple Card as a co-branded credit card with HDFC Bank a few years back. So why is Apple Pay not available in India even today? We dont have a definite answer but looking at the importance of the market, it would be the right time for the tech giant to officially make its payment service available, of course, with the help of local banks and payment partners. India is one of the most popular regions with regards to digital payments thanks to UPI and Apple Pay has all the attributes to become a success in the country. News18 Newsletter Handpicked stories, in your inbox A newsletter with the best of our journalism submit Location : Delhi, India, India First Published: January 22, 2026, 07:25 IST News tech Apple Pay Launch In India Tipped For 2026: Will Rival Google Pay And UPI Apps Disclaimer: Comments reflect users views, not News18s. Please keep discussions respectful and constructive. Abusive, defamatory, or illegal comments will be removed. News18 may disable any comment at its discretion. By posting, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy Loading comments... ChatGPT Will Soon Show Ads, Is Gemini Next? Heres What Googles AI Chief Has Said Curated By : Last Updated: January 22, 2026, 14:54 IST Google is a pioneer in digital advertising and that has people worried about its plans to monetise AI chatbots in the near future. Google's AI chief was bombarded with questions around ads in AI chatbots OpenAI is bringing ads to ChatGPT soon and the company has more or less confirmed its intentions. But another big tech giant is very much in the line of action, especially because of its digital ads business earning billions over the years. Googles Gemini is understandably being discussed widely and people are worried the companys AI model could be next in line for a similar model. However, Google has been quick to alleviate those concerns and its AI chief has done it publicly much to everyones relief. Gemini Ads Next? Googles AI chief Demis Hassabis was quizzed about Gemini and the companys broader plans to run the AI model over the next few years. He was also asked to talk about any plans to bring ads to Gemini. Hassabis, speaking in Davos at the World Economic Forum, confirmed that the company is not planning to bring ads in the AI chatbot anytime soon. There are no plans to put ads inside Gemini," Google is a pioneer of the digital advertising sector so it was obviously going to become a concern when OpenAI decided to open the gates for ads which can easily become a trend that others follow. However, Hassabis and Google seem to have a different idea about bringing ads to AI chatbots, where people have more personal conversations than doing a general search on the internet. If you want a true universal assistant that people really trust and rely on, you have to be very thoughtful about how you monetise it," he was quoted saying at the event. Desperate Times? He was also asked about his views on Googles rival taking the ads route this early for ChatGPT. Its interesting theyve gone for that (ads) so early," he mentioned, and also took a slight dig at OpenAI by highlighting, Maybe they feel the need to make more revenue." There are many ways to look at increasing the revenue streams for these companies but OpenAI clearly has less wriggle room in this regard since it is an AI-centric company without any other product or services available to monetise. In comparison, Google can rely on multiple businesses, including Search to continue making the big bucks that can help fund the ever-evolving AI ecosystem for the company. Microsoft is likely to be another major force in the space, and with Apple tipped to join hands with Google for its AI ambitions, the big stalwarts could once again become the major contenders, even though OpenAI has the first-mover advantage over all of the legacy brands. News18 Newsletter Handpicked stories, in your inbox A newsletter with the best of our journalism submit Location : Switzerland First Published: January 22, 2026, 14:54 IST News tech ChatGPT Will Soon Show Ads, Is Gemini Next? Heres What Googles AI Chief Has Said Disclaimer: Comments reflect users views, not News18s. Please keep discussions respectful and constructive. Abusive, defamatory, or illegal comments will be removed. News18 may disable any comment at its discretion. By posting, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy Loading comments... Samsungs Galaxy Z Fold 8 Display Could Get A Smaller Crease: Why It Matters Curated By : Last Updated: January 22, 2026, 08:21 IST Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 8 could benefit from the brand looking to trim the crease on the foldable panel. Samsung could finally give you less of the crease this year Samsung has showcased its unique crease-less display panel at the CES 2026 in Las Vegas earlier this month it seems the company could use a similar tech for its next foldable this year. A new report claims Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 8 could finally get a smaller crease than the previous versions which has been a sticking point for many as the display folds inwards. Samsungs new Fold model could see the crease reduced by around 20 percent which will probably become clear once you see the actual product. Samsungs Next Fold Evolution The Galaxy Z Fold 7 showed Samsung being serious about its ambitions in the segment and giving us the thinnest and lightest Fold model till date. Now, it is time for the company to push the envelope further and showcase its display prowess like no other brand has been able to so far. Foldable screens have tried their best to remove the crease over the last few years but most have only managed to reduce its level. Samsung did show a demo version of its new panel recently that has no crease whatsoever. Will that be used for the Fold 8 series this year, we are not sure but any change in the level of crease will be seen as a big upgrade, especially if the durability is not taking a hit. We also hope Samsung can finally adopt the silicon carbon grade battery tech which can elevate the overall experience and give it more longevity between charges. Prior to that, Samsung will be all hands on deck for the Galaxy S26 series launch at the next Unpacked event which is tipped for February end this year, a little delayed compared to the Galaxy S25 series launch last year. The company will also have the stage to talk about the new One UI 8.5 version which reports say will have a new-look Bixby AI assistant powered by Perplexity across web and mobile apps for on-device privacy. News18 Newsletter Handpicked stories, in your inbox A newsletter with the best of our journalism submit Location : Seoul, South Korea First Published: January 22, 2026, 08:21 IST News tech Samsungs Galaxy Z Fold 8 Display Could Get A Smaller Crease: Why It Matters Disclaimer: Comments reflect users views, not News18s. Please keep discussions respectful and constructive. Abusive, defamatory, or illegal comments will be removed. News18 may disable any comment at its discretion. By posting, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy Loading comments... Desi Parents Reaction To Daughters Dating Bombshell Has Internet Asking Itni Jaldi Normal Ho Gaye, Scripted Hai? Curated By : Trending Desk Last Updated: January 22, 2026, 12:56 IST The viral video gives viewers a look at how difficult it can be to introduce a partner in Indian families. The woman first reveals her love life to her mother. (Photo Credit: Instagram) A bold moment inside an Indian home has captured attention online as a young woman finally told her parents about the man she is dating. The clip shows her handling a tense conversation that gives viewers a look at how difficult it can be to introduce a partner in Indian households. The video, shared by a friend, features the girl at her home telling her parents about the man she is dating. It captures it all: her emotions to her parents reactions. Desi Parents React to Daughters Dating Revelation The video opens in the kitchen, where the woman tells her mother while she continues her chores. The daughter says, Puri baat toh suno. Uski job bhi lagne wali hai. Aram se ek bar baat kar lete hai (Listen to the full story. He is also about to get a job. Lets talk calmly once)." But her mother does not respond immediately and continues her work. Her father then calls out, Kya hua? (What happened?)." The mother begins walking towards him, but the daughter stops her, saying, Aram se baat karo (Talk calmly)." The mother warns, Maar dalenge tere papa (Your father will kill you)." The daughter responds, Meri life hai na mummy. Papa, papa kya kar rahe ho (Its my life, mom. Why are saying papa, papa again and again?)." The video then shifts to the moment the father hears about the man. The daughter is seen crying as her mother explains, Ek ladka hai. Usse pyar karti hai aur wo milne aara hai sham ko (There is a boy. She loves him and he is coming to meet us this evening)." While the father initially appears hesitant, he finally agrees, saying, Thik hai, bula le ladke ko (Okay, let the boy come)." Both parents are then seen preparing for the evening when the young man arrives. Watch The Clip Here How People Reacted Online The clip has accumulated more than fifty million views and sparked a wide range of reactions. One user commented, Aisi family naseeb walo ki milti hai bhai (Such families are for the lucky ones, brother)." Another wrote, Sab maan jate hai, manane wala hona chaiye (Everyone would agree if the person convincing them is right)." Mera baap goli maar deta abhi tak (My father would have shot me by now)." someone else joked. A person humorously added, Try toh kar lungi but ladka nahi hai (I would try, but I dont have a boy)." Meri mummy to camera man ko hi thappad laga deti (My mom would have slapped the cameraman)," a viewer remarked. Other reactions included, Indian family itni jaldi normal kese ho gayi (How did this Indian family become normal so quickly?)" and Mere ghar wale to maar maar ke bura haal kar dete mera (In my home, they would have beaten me badly)." Meanwhile, some viewers questioned the authenticity of the video and suggested that the whole sequence might be scripted. News18 Newsletter Handpicked stories, in your inbox A newsletter with the best of our journalism submit Location : Delhi, India, India First Published: January 22, 2026, 12:51 IST News viral Desi Parents Reaction To Daughters Dating Bombshell Has Internet Asking Itni Jaldi Normal Ho Gaye, Scripted Hai? Disclaimer: Comments reflect users views, not News18s. Please keep discussions respectful and constructive. Abusive, defamatory, or illegal comments will be removed. News18 may disable any comment at its discretion. By posting, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy Loading comments... 'Fly To India': Netizens Tell Elon Musk's Aide After He Shares Long Wait For Endoscopy Amid Throat Injury Curated By : News18.com Last Updated: January 22, 2026, 12:36 IST Nikita Bier's post on X highlighted 4-6 week wait for endoscopy. Meanwhile, netizens advised him to come to India for more accessible and fast medical assistance. Nikita Bier is the head of product at Elon Musk's X. Nikita Bier, Product Head of X and Elon Musks top aide, shared a post on X stating that he injured his throat while eating fried chicken. He also highlighted the long wait for the endoscopy as doctors told him to wait for 4-6 weeks. The post sparked a debate over the American healthcare system, which is mostly criticised for its complicated procedures. Ate a piece of fried chicken tonight. It somehow tore part of my throat going down. Now I can barely swallow (or speak). Doctor says: You can get it checked out with an endoscopy. Earliest availability is in 4-6 weeks." This feels like a Kafka novel," Biers post on X reads. Ate a piece of fried chicken tonight. It somehow tore part of my throat going down. Now I can barely swallow (or speak).Doctor says: You can get it checked out with an endoscopy. Earliest availability is in 4-6 weeks." This feels like a Kafka novel. Nikita Bier (@nikitabier) January 21, 2026 Netizens Say Fly To India The post went viral on social media and netizens advised Bier to fly to India and get the endoscopy done. Indias accessible healthcare system was lauded in the comment section and the netizens said top facilities and doctors are available in hours. Fly to India. You will get to see a top doctor within an hour of landing, and an endoscopy and further consultation within the next six hours. You can be back home in three days flat," one X user commented. Another comment reads, Fly to India, get scanned, diagnosed, treated / operated the same day. Fly back to the states. Will take 40 hrs to and fro flying, 12 hrs for medicals. Cost 1/100th. Less than 2 days to get treated." Entrepreneur Aman Gairola also praised Indias healthcare system, and commented, It would take 48 hours in a worst-case scenario here. People never realise the amenities the country provides. Surely there are shortcomings, but its getting better each day." News18 Newsletter Handpicked stories, in your inbox A newsletter with the best of our journalism submit Location : Washington D.C., United States of America (USA) First Published: January 22, 2026, 12:36 IST News viral 'Fly To India': Netizens Tell Elon Musk's Aide After He Shares Long Wait For Endoscopy Amid Throat Injury Disclaimer: Comments reflect users views, not News18s. Please keep discussions respectful and constructive. Abusive, defamatory, or illegal comments will be removed. News18 may disable any comment at its discretion. By posting, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy Loading comments... Newlywed Bride Uses Rs 2,100 Shagun In The Best Way Possible, Internet Says: Her Partner Just Won Curated By : Trending Desk Last Updated: January 22, 2026, 16:01 IST In the clip, the bride was seen asking a petrol pump worker to fill their car's tank with fuel for Rs 2,100. The woman was seen dressed in her bridal outfit. (Photo Credit: Instagram) When most newly married couples think of using the money they receive as wedding gifts for shopping, travel, or small indulgences, one couple chose to begin their married life rather differently. A video that has been gaining traction on social media showed the newlyweds making a simple yet thoughtful decision that has been receiving praise from people online. The clip showed the couple stopping at a petrol pump, seemingly after their wedding celebrations. The woman was seen dressed in her bridal outfit, complete with heavy jewellery and quintessential bridal chooda. As their call pulled in, an elderly worker approached them and asked them how much fuel they would like to fill. As her husband was about to reply, she respectfully intervened, telling him she would take care of it. Bride Asked The Worker To Fill Rs 2,100 Amount Of Fuel Into Their Cars Tank As the video continued, the bride pulled out a bundle of shagun envelopes they had received during their wedding and counted Rs 2,100 in cash. After counting, she asked the petrol pump attendant to fill the cars tank with that amount of fuel. As the video ended, the bride had a big smile. The brides gesture indicated how the couple began their journey together with understanding, togetherness, and joint decision-making. Internet Says, Life Partner Ho To Aisa" After Watching The Brides Gesture The clip, which was shared on Instagram, has garnered over 9 million views as of writing, and the couple has already garnered praise for starting their new phase of life in a unique manner. Some were quick to note that their decision was a sign of mutual understanding and shared responsibility. Life partner ho to aisa," noted one user. Someone else said, Shagun ka Shagun huwa Sahi istimaal huwa (Shagun was used appropriately)." He won finally," another user, impressed by the brides gesture, mentioned. Another person jokingly asked, 2100 (laughing face emojis) itna kam sagan kaun dalta hai (Who gives such less sagan)?" Get EV!! Those envelopes deserve some love," a different user commented. Meanwhile, some users also pointed out that the couple featured in the clip are not newly married, nor was the moment candid. It was a scripted reel. Ye real video nahi ek reel hai aur na hi ye newly married hai," one individual shared. News18 Newsletter Handpicked stories, in your inbox A newsletter with the best of our journalism submit Location : Delhi, India, India First Published: January 22, 2026, 16:01 IST News viral Newlywed Bride Uses Rs 2,100 Shagun In The Best Way Possible, Internet Says: Her Partner Just Won Disclaimer: Comments reflect users views, not News18s. Please keep discussions respectful and constructive. Abusive, defamatory, or illegal comments will be removed. News18 may disable any comment at its discretion. By posting, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy Loading comments... 3 Dead In Shooting In Australia's New South Wales, Suspect On The Run Curated By : News18.com Last Updated: January 22, 2026, 14:24 IST The Australian Police launched a major operation after a shooting left three people dead and another man hospitalised in serious condition in Lake Cargelligo. A photo of the Australian Police (AFP) Three people were killed, and another man was seriously injured in a shooting incident on Thursday in the small town of Lake Cargelligo in Australias New South Wales state. According to New South Wales Police, emergency services were called to an address on Walker Street near Yelkin Street at nearly 4.40 pm local time on Thursday, January 22, following reports of a shooting. Officers attached to the Central West Police District attended the scene shortly after receiving the alert. Police confirmed that three people, two women and one man, were found dead at the location. A fourth person, a man, was taken to the hospital, where he remains in a serious but stable condition. Authorities said the shooter or shooters were still at large, and a crime scene has been established as investigations into the circumstances surrounding the incident continue. Police urged members of the public to avoid the area and advised residents to remain indoors for their safety. Law enforcement officials also issued geo-targeted text messages to residents in and around Lake Cargelligo, warning them to stay inside while police conduct their investigation. Lake Cargelligo is a rural town with a population of about 1,500 people. The motive behind the shooting was yet not known. According to the Associated Press, the shooting happened on Australias National Day of Mourning, observed as the country remembers the 15 people shot dead in Sydney during a Hanukkah celebration on December 14. Authorities have previously said that the two alleged gunmen in the Sydney attack were inspired by the Islamic State, marking Australias worst mass shooting since 1996. Police said more information on the Lake Cargelligo shooting would be released as it becomes available. News18 Newsletter Handpicked stories, in your inbox A newsletter with the best of our journalism submit First Published: January 22, 2026, 13:49 IST News world 3 Dead In Shooting In Australia's New South Wales, Suspect On The Run Disclaimer: Comments reflect users views, not News18s. Please keep discussions respectful and constructive. Abusive, defamatory, or illegal comments will be removed. News18 may disable any comment at its discretion. By posting, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy Loading comments... Bangladeshs 2026 Election Narrows To BNP-Jamaat Showdown As Awami League Stays Out | Exclusive Reported By : CNN-News18 Edited By: Apoorva Misra Last Updated: January 22, 2026, 08:20 IST The BNP-led alliance has fielded candidates in 272 constituencies, leaving 28 seats to smaller partners, while Jamaat-e-Islami is contesting independently in 226 constituencies Rapid Read With the Awami League absent and smaller parties sidelined, analysts say the 2026 election risks becoming one of the most sharply divided contests. (AFP) Bangladeshs 2026 parliamentary election is shaping up to be an unusually polarised contest, with the ruling Awami League opting out of the race and several smaller parties stepping aside amid what sources describe as a climate of fear and pressure, CNN-News18 has learnt. In the absence of the Awami League, the election has effectively narrowed into a two-sided battle, despite the presence of multiple parties on the ballot. According to sources, the real contest will be between the BNP-led opposition alliance and an 11-party Islamist bloc anchored by Jamaat-e-Islami. The BNP-led alliance has fielded candidates in 272 constituencies, leaving 28 seats to smaller partners as part of its seat-sharing arrangement. Jamaat-e-Islami, meanwhile, is contesting independently in 226 constituencies and has allocated 74 seats to seven allied parties. Following the collapse of seat-sharing talks with Islami Andolan Bangladesh, Jamaat was initially forced to contest alone in as many as 268 seats. However, Jamaat has since succeeded in bringing the Jatiya Party onto its side, a development that political observers view as a strategic gain. Although the Jatiya Party has filed nominations in around 200 constituencies, it is currently under sustained legal and local pressure that could significantly restrict its campaign. As a result, its independent role in the election is expected to remain limited. Sources say this dynamic has reduced the electoral field to what is effectively a head-to-head clash between the BNP alliance and Jamaats Islamist bloc, with Jatiya Party support potentially bolstering Jamaats prospects in key constituencies. Jamaat-e-Islami remains the only force in the Islamist camp with a nationwide organisational structure, disciplined cadres, and access to funding. It is driving seat selection, campaign strategy, and resource deployment, while its allies play supporting roles. Among Jamaats partners, the National Citizen Party (NCP) is seen as valuable mainly for optics, helping Jamaat project a broader political image to media and civil society. Bangladesh Khelafat Majlis, a Deobandi Islamist group, and Islami Oikya Jote contribute symbolic unity among Islamist forces and assist with mobilisation during rallies and on polling day. The Bangladesh Labour Party, described as marginal, adds limited local presence. These allied groups, largely mosque- or madrasa-centric micro-organisations, are not expected to influence seat outcomes directly. Instead, their importance lies in booth-level manpower, vote management, and ideological cover. Although not formally part of Jamaats alliance, Islami Andolan Bangladesh remains strategically significant. The group has strong street-mobilisation capacity and notable influence in southern Bangladesh. Sources indicate that a tacit alignment between Islami Andolan and the Jatiya Party could substantially improve Jamaats seat conversion rate, potentially altering the balance in closely contested constituencies. With the Awami League absent and smaller parties sidelined, analysts say the 2026 election risks becoming one of the most sharply divided contests in Bangladeshs recent political history. News18 Newsletter Handpicked stories, in your inbox A newsletter with the best of our journalism submit Location : Dhaka, Bangladesh First Published: January 22, 2026, 08:20 IST News world Bangladeshs 2026 Election Narrows To BNP-Jamaat Showdown As Awami League Stays Out | Exclusive Disclaimer: Comments reflect users views, not News18s. Please keep discussions respectful and constructive. Abusive, defamatory, or illegal comments will be removed. News18 may disable any comment at its discretion. By posting, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy Loading comments... U.S. President Donald Trump is pictured after his meeting with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky in Davos, Switzerland, Jan. 22, 2026. U.S. President Donald Trump said on Thursday in Davos that his meeting with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky was "very good," adding that "it's an ongoing process." (Xinhua/Peng Ziyang) DAVOS, Switzerland, Jan. 22 (Xinhua) -- U.S. President Donald Trump said on Thursday in Davos that his meeting with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky was "very good," adding that "it's an ongoing process." The meeting between Trump and Zelensky lasted "about an hour," according to the White House. Speaking to reporters after the meeting during the World Economic Forum annual meeting, Trump said the Russia-Ukraine war "has to end," adding that the U.S. delegation will head for Moscow for a meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin. Zelensky also said the meeting with Trump is "good," describing the meeting as "productive and substantive" in a post on X. U.S. President Donald Trump is pictured after his meeting with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky in Davos, Switzerland, Jan. 22, 2026. U.S. President Donald Trump said on Thursday in Davos that his meeting with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky was "very good," adding that "it's an ongoing process." (Xinhua/Peng Ziyang) U.S. President Donald Trump is pictured after his meeting with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky in Davos, Switzerland, Jan. 22, 2026. U.S. President Donald Trump said on Thursday in Davos that his meeting with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky was "very good," adding that "it's an ongoing process." (Xinhua/Peng Ziyang) China Rejects US Invitation To Join Trumps Board of Peace, Reaffirms UN-Centric Order Curated By : News18.com Last Updated: January 22, 2026, 14:11 IST China received a US invitation to join the Board of Peace, a Trump-led initiative focused on global conflict resolution, starting with Gaza. Rapid Read Chinese President Xi Jinping and US President Donald Trump (Photo: AP) China on Thursday rejected the invitation by the United States to join the Board of Peace, underlining that Beijing stands firmly committed to the international system with the United Nations at the core. In a post on X, Yu Jing, Spokesperson of the Chinese Embassy in India said China practices true multilateralism and remains firmly committed to safeguarding the international system with the United Nations at its core. The spokesperson added that irrespective of changes in the international landscape, China will continue to uphold the international order based on international law and the basic norms governing international relations rooted in the purposes and principles of the UN Charter. Spokesperson of MOFA:China has received the United States invitation to join the Board of Peace.China always practices true multilateralism. No matter how the international landscape may evolve, China will stay firmly committed to safeguarding the international system with pic.twitter.com/zOT1x5lXrz Yu Jing (@ChinaSpox_India) January 22, 2026 Governments from around the world have so far reacted cautiously to Trumps invitation to join the initiative, which diplomats say could undermine the United Nations. The initiative would begin by focusing on the Gaza conflict before being expanded to address other situations. Its board would be chaired for life by US President Donald Trump, while member states would be limited to three-year terms unless they paid $1 billion each. The US president has invited a range of world leaders, including Russias Vladimir Putin and Turkeys Recep Tayyip Erdogan, to become founding members of the board. The Board of Peace was proposed by Trump last September as part of his plan to end the war in Gaza, although the initiative now seems to be aimed at mediating global conflict more broadly. Among the countries that have accepted Trumps invitation are Israel, Kosovo, the United Arab Emirates, Hungary, Belarus, Azerbaijan, Egypt, Armenia, Turkey, Pakistan, Qatar and Jordan. News18 Newsletter Handpicked stories, in your inbox A newsletter with the best of our journalism submit Location : United States of America (USA) First Published: January 22, 2026, 13:28 IST News world China Rejects US Invitation To Join Trumps Board of Peace, Reaffirms UN-Centric Order Disclaimer: Comments reflect users views, not News18s. Please keep discussions respectful and constructive. Abusive, defamatory, or illegal comments will be removed. News18 may disable any comment at its discretion. By posting, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy Loading comments... Cuba And Nicaragua Next: Machados Anti-Communism Message Has A Pro-Trump Edge Curated By : News18.com Last Updated: January 22, 2026, 18:48 IST Machado framed the current phase as unprecedented, crediting both domestic resistance and international backing. Venezuelan leader Maria Corina Machado presented her Nobel Prize to US President Donald Trump. (Reuters) Venezuelan opposition leader Maria Corina Machado declared that Venezuela was on the cusp of freedom and vowed to extend that fight across the region, pointing to Cuba and Nicaragua as the next targets in what she described as a push against communism. Machado said the countrys long-running political crisis had reached a decisive turning point following the capture of President Nicolas Maduro. Venezuela will be free," she said, adding, And once we liberate Venezuela, we will keep working, and we will have a free Cuba and a free Nicaragua. For the first time in history, we will have the Americas free of communism, dictatorship and anarcho-terrorism." A Historic Moment Machado framed the current phase as unprecedented, crediting both domestic resistance and international backing for bringing Venezuela to what she described as a moment of reckoning. This is a historic moment," she said, adding, We wouldnt be here without the commitment, resilience, generosity and courage of the Venezuelan people, but also because of the support, vision and courage of incredible leaders, such as the president of the United States, Donald Trump and members of this honourable Congress." She singled out US lawmakers Mario Diaz-Balart, Carlos Gimenez and Maria Elvira Salazar for their support of the Venezuelan opposition, saying they stood by the movement when others believed the struggle was unwinnable. When many thought it was impossible to defeat this narco-terrorist regime, when many told us to give up, you trusted the Venezuelan people for the right reasons because freedom always prevails," she said. Machado cast Venezuelas struggle in moral terms, calling it an existential fight for life," an ethical fight for the truth" and a spiritual fight for good." She thanked the American people and Congress, arguing that shared democratic values would reshape Venezuelas place in the region. We share the principles and values that built this nation- the same values our founding fathers believed in and defended in Venezuela. Those values will turn our country into the strongest ally the United States has ever had in the region," she said. Machados remarks followed a January 3 US military operation in Venezuela that resulted in Maduros capture. In the aftermath, Vice President Delcy Rodriguez assumed office as interim president. Maduro is now in US custody and is expected to stand trial in the United States on drug trafficking charges. The Trump administration has also moved to assert control over Venezuelan oil exports, seizing multiple sanctioned tankers. The intervention has triggered sharply divided international responses. Countries including Brazil, Chile, China, France, Iran, Mexico, Russia and Spain have condemned the US action, while leaders in Argentina, Germany, Israel, Peru and Ukraine have welcomed the developments. News18 Newsletter Handpicked stories, in your inbox A newsletter with the best of our journalism submit Location : Washington D.C., United States of America (USA) First Published: January 22, 2026, 18:48 IST News world Cuba And Nicaragua Next: Machados Anti-Communism Message Has A Pro-Trump Edge Disclaimer: Comments reflect users views, not News18s. Please keep discussions respectful and constructive. Abusive, defamatory, or illegal comments will be removed. News18 may disable any comment at its discretion. By posting, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy Loading comments... 'I'm A Dictator, But Sometimes You Need One': Donald Trump At Davos Summit Curated By : News18.com Last Updated: January 22, 2026, 07:03 IST Donald Trump called himself a dictator at Davos, defended his leadership as common sense, and announced cooperative Greenland talks with Denmark and NATO. Donald Trump points during the 56th annual meeting of the World Economic Forum, WEF, in Davos (Photo: AP) US President Donald Trump referred to himself as a dictator" at the World Economic Forum in Switzerland, while defending his leadership style and policy approach. Speaking at the Swiss Alpine resort of Davos, Trump reflected on the reception to his address, expressing surprise at what he described as unusually favourable feedback. We had a good speech. We got great reviews. I cant believe it," he said. Emphasising the tone of the coverage, Trump added, We got good reviews in that speech. Usually, they say, hes a horrible dictator type person." It was at that point that Trump leaned directly into the label. Im a dictator," he said, before quickly qualifying the remark. But sometimes you need a dictator." He then pivoted to what he framed as the underlying philosophy of his governance, arguing that his decisions were driven less by ideology and more by pragmatism. Its all based on common sense," Trump said. Its not conservative or liberal or anything else. Its mostly, lets say, 95 per cent common sense, and thats what we have," he added. Earlier in the day at Davos, Trump acknowledged that his rhetoric had created tension but insisted that his intentions were being misread. People thought I would use force, but I dont have to use force," he said. I dont want to use force. I wont use force." Trump also addressed the controversy surrounding Greenland, an issue that had dominated headlines in the run-up to the World Economic Forum meeting. After weeks of tough talk that had unnerved NATO allies, the US President signalled a clear step back, ruling out both military action and the use of tariffs as leverage. He said discussions were moving toward a cooperative outcome involving Western Arctic allies. After meeting NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte, Trump described the emerging understanding in sweeping terms. Its a deal that everybodys very happy with," he told reporters. Its a long-term deal. Its the ultimate long-term deal. It puts everybody in a really good position, especially as it pertains to security and to minerals." He added emphatically, Its a deal thats forever." Trump later said that negotiations between Denmark, Greenland and the United States would continue, aimed at ensuring that Russia and China never gain a foothold in Greenland, economically or militarily. Stressing the shift in tone, he announced that tariffs previously scheduled to take effect would not be imposed. News18 Newsletter Handpicked stories, in your inbox A newsletter with the best of our journalism submit First Published: January 22, 2026, 06:58 IST News world 'I'm A Dictator, But Sometimes You Need One': Donald Trump At Davos Summit Disclaimer: Comments reflect users views, not News18s. Please keep discussions respectful and constructive. Abusive, defamatory, or illegal comments will be removed. News18 may disable any comment at its discretion. By posting, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy Loading comments... 'Finger On Trigger': Iran Guards Chief Warns US Against 'Miscalculations' Amid Protests Curated By : News18.com Last Updated: January 22, 2026, 16:38 IST Iran Guards chief warned Israel and the US, vowing to defend Khamenei as protests grow and sanctions target the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps. Iran Guards commander General Mohammad Pakpour Iran Guards chief on Thursday warned Israel and the US against miscalculations" amid the mass protests, saying the force has its finger on the trigger". There has been a growing unrest inside Iran and sharp exchanges between Washington and Tehran over the countrys leadership and handling of mass protests, killing thousands of people. Earlier, Iran had cautioned US President Donald Trump against taking any action targeting the countrys Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, who has ruled the Islamic Republic for nearly four decades. AFP quoted Guards commander General Mohammad Pakpour warning Israel and the United States to avoid any miscalculations, by learning from historical experiences and what they learned in the 12-day imposed war, so that they do not face a more painful and regrettable fate". The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps and dear Iran have their finger on the trigger, more prepared than ever, ready to carry out the orders and measures of the supreme commander-in-chief a leader dearer than their own lives," he said, referring to Khamenei. Meanwhile, the activists have accused the Guards of playing a frontline role in the deadly crackdown on protests. Several countries including Australia, Canada and the United States have sanctioned the group as a terrorist entity. AFP quoted the rights groups saying the heavy toll in the current protests was caused by security forces firing directly on protesters and that the actual number of those killed could be far higher and even extend to over 20,000. News18 Newsletter Handpicked stories, in your inbox A newsletter with the best of our journalism submit Location : Tehran, Iran First Published: January 22, 2026, 16:38 IST News world 'Finger On Trigger': Iran Guards Chief Warns US Against 'Miscalculations' Amid Protests Disclaimer: Comments reflect users views, not News18s. Please keep discussions respectful and constructive. Abusive, defamatory, or illegal comments will be removed. News18 may disable any comment at its discretion. By posting, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy Loading comments... German Doctor Travels To Pakistan Village To Marry Man She Met Through Online Gaming Curated By : News18.com Last Updated: January 22, 2026, 17:32 IST In an interview, Muhammad Akmal revealed that he proposed to Selma early in their conversations. The couple's marriage was conducted with the full approval and warm support of both families. A 26-year-old German doctor traveled to a small village in Pakistans Mandi Bahauddin district to marry a local man she met while playing the online game Roblox- a cross-cultural love story that has since captivated the internet. Selma, who holds dual German and Bosnian citizenship, tied the knot with 22-year-old Muhammad Akmal after months of digital connection that blossomed unexpectedly on the gaming platform. What began as chance encounters in a virtual world evolved into a bond strong enough to bridge continents, cultures and languages. From Roblox to Real-Life Vows Muhammad Akmal, a resident of the village of Difaar, recounted how their paths first crossed in the most modern of meeting places: a Roblox game. What started as casual gameplay soon gave way to regular messaging and over nearly five months, a friendship deepened into something neither had anticipated. In an interview with My News TV, Muhammad Akmal revealed that he proposed to Selma early in their conversations. After a brief pause, she made the momentous decision to travel to Pakistan to turn their digital romance into a tangible reality. During the same interview, Selma shared a detail both poignant and charming: in the early days, communication was tentative at best. Muhammad Akmal, who did not speak English fluently, would often reply with just one word- okay"- to most of her messages. Yet despite the language barrier or perhaps because of the patience it required, their emotional connection only grew stronger. I knew it was real," Selma said, adding, Sometimes you dont need many words to feel understood." Adjusting to A New Rhythm of Life Arriving in rural Pakistan marked the beginning of a new chapter for Selma, one filled with unfamiliar rhythms and routines. Village life, with its simplicity and demands, was a world apart from what she had known. Washing clothes and utensils by hand, making rotis from scratch- these were tasks entirely foreign to her. Yet Selma spoke of the adjustment not with regret, but with grace. She said she gradually embraced these new experiences, finding joy in the ordinary and meaning in the effort. Its different, yes," she acknowledged, adding, But Im happy to be with him. Thats what matters." To better weave herself into the fabric of her new community, Selma has begun learning Punjabi and Urdu, determined to communicate more easily with Muhammad Akmals family and neighbors. A Wedding Blessed by Two Families The couples marriage was conducted with the full approval and warm support of both families- a union celebrated not just by the couple but by those who raised them. The wedding, including Selmas travel expenses and the ceremony itself, cost around PKR 4.5 million, approximately $13,500. Muhammad Akmal spoke with quiet pride about their life together, describing a relationship built on mutual respect, affection and the courage to choose love over convention. Selma has expressed her intention to settle in Pakistan, committing not just to a partner but to a place and a way of life. News18 Newsletter Handpicked stories, in your inbox A newsletter with the best of our journalism submit First Published: January 22, 2026, 17:32 IST News world German Doctor Travels To Pakistan Village To Marry Man She Met Through Online Gaming Disclaimer: Comments reflect users views, not News18s. Please keep discussions respectful and constructive. Abusive, defamatory, or illegal comments will be removed. News18 may disable any comment at its discretion. By posting, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy Loading comments... 'Left With No Alternative': EU Parliament Freezes Approval Of US Trade Deal Over Trump's Greenland Threats Curated By : News18.com Last Updated: January 22, 2026, 08:38 IST The European Parliament's actions come as the 27-nation bloc considers strongly retaliating if Trump proceeds against Washington's long-standing allies. A file photo of Donald Trump (AP) In a strong action against US President Donald Trumps mounting threats to seize Greenland, the European Union has put on hold a trade deal with the US after the European Parliament decided to freeze a ratification vote. The trade committee was reportedly due to set its position in votes on January 26-27 in Parliament; however, this has been postponed. The Parliament, through the vote, was planning on removing tariffs on US industrial goods as part of the agreement. Responding to the action, Bernd Lange, chair of Parliaments trade committee in a statement, said, By threatening the territorial integrity and sovereignty of an EU member state and by using tariffs as a coercive instrument, the US is undermining the stability and predictability of EU-US trade relations." We have been left with no alternative but to suspend work on the trade deal, until the US decides to re-engage on a path of cooperation rather than confrontation," Lange added. The European Parliaments actions come as the 27-nation bloc considers strongly retaliating if Trump proceeds against Washingtons long-standing allies. The agreement has been put on hold amid the growing dispute between the EU and the US over Greenland. Trump had earlier threatened to impose tariffs on several European countries unless he was allowed to buy the island. Trump Scraps Tariffs Notably, following the EUs postponement of the deal, the US President scrapped the tariffs he had threatened to impose on eight European nations over Greenland, saying that he had agreed with the head of NATO on a framework of a future deal" on Arctic security. We have formed the framework of a future deal with respect to Greenland and, in fact, the entire Arctic Region," Trump said in a post on Truth Social. Based upon this understanding, I will not be imposing the tariffs that were scheduled to go into effect on February 1," he added. EU Parliament Freezes Approval Of US Trade Deal The ongoing situation and tariff warning issued by Trump over the weekend led EU lawmakers to rethink the planned vote on ratifying the US trade deal agreed with Washington last July. Under the agreement, most EU goods would face a 15 per cent tariff, while the EU agreed to remove all tariffs on American industrial products and some agricultural items. Parts of the deal were already implemented, but it still requires Parliaments approval to become final. News18 Newsletter Handpicked stories, in your inbox A newsletter with the best of our journalism submit Location : France First Published: January 22, 2026, 08:38 IST News world 'Left With No Alternative': EU Parliament Freezes Approval Of US Trade Deal Over Trump's Greenland Threats Disclaimer: Comments reflect users views, not News18s. Please keep discussions respectful and constructive. Abusive, defamatory, or illegal comments will be removed. News18 may disable any comment at its discretion. By posting, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy Loading comments... 'Maduro Is On Trial, Putin Is Not': Zelenskyy In Davos Speech Curated By : News18.com Last Updated: January 22, 2026, 21:24 IST Zelenskyy launched a sharp criticism of Europe, accusing it of failing to act against global threats and inaction against Russian aggression as the Ukraine war nears four years. Rapid Read Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy addressing the World Economic Forum. (Reuters) Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy addressed the World Economic Forum (WEF) on Thursday, January 22, where he delivered a sharp warning to Europe and accused it of failing to act against global threats despite recognising them every year. Just last year, here in Davos, I ended my speech with the words: Europe needs to know how to defend itself. A year has passed. And nothing has changed. We are still in a situation where I must say the same words again," he said in a speech at Davos, adding that Europe needs to act now". He compared Ukraines situation to the film Groundhog Day, where the same day keeps repeating again and again. No one would want to live like that, repeating the same thing for weeks and months and of course, four years. Thats exactly how we live now. And its our life." Maduro Is On Trial, But Putin Zelenskyy said Europe had not even tried to build its own response" on defence and security, adding that several countries started investing more in their security after pressure from US President Donald Trump. What message does this send to (Russian President Vladimir) Putin, to China?" He also criticised Europe for its lack of action against Russia. President Trump led an operation in Venezuela, and Maduro was arrested. There were different opinions about it, but the fact remains, Maduro is on trial in New York. Sorry, Putin is not on trial. This is the fourth year of the biggest war in Europe since World War II, and the man who started it is not only free, he is still fighting for his frozen money in Europe." NOW Zelensky: President Trump led an operation in Venezuela and Maduro was arrested the fact remains Maduro is on trial in New York. Sorry, but Putin is not on trial." pic.twitter.com/wIe4RKIawK Disclose.tv (@disclosetv) January 22, 2026 He also warned that Europes credibility as a global actor is eroding as Russia continues to produce missiles used to strike Ukrainian cities and energy infrastructure. Europe loves to discuss the future, but avoids taking action today," he said, adding that Europe has not even set up a proper tribunal to investigate Russian crimes. Zelenskyy also questioned Europes response to Russian oil tankers. Why can President Trump stop tankers from the shadow fleet but Europe doesnt? The oil funds the war against Ukraine, that oil helps destabilise Europe." He also accused Europe of focusing too much on not offending allies, adding that sending 40 soldiers to protect Greenland wont make a difference". Zelenskyys Talks With Trump Zelensky spoke shortly after holding talks with Trump on the sidelines of the forum, marking their first in-person meeting this year. The discussions came at a sensitive moment for Kyiv, as Washington presses ahead with a diplomatic push to end the war while Russia continues large-scale attacks on Ukraine. The meeting between Zelensky and Trump lasted about an hour and included a one-on-one conversation afterward. Zelensky later called the talks important," saying he raised the issue of strengthening air defense amid Russian strikes on energy infrastructure, according to Kyiv Independent. Our teams are working almost every day," Zelensky said in Davos. The documents to end this war are nearly ready. Ukraine is acting with honesty and determination. Russia must also be forced to end this aggression." News18 Newsletter Handpicked stories, in your inbox A newsletter with the best of our journalism submit Location : Switzerland First Published: January 22, 2026, 21:14 IST News world 'Maduro Is On Trial, Putin Is Not': Zelenskyy In Davos Speech Disclaimer: Comments reflect users views, not News18s. Please keep discussions respectful and constructive. Abusive, defamatory, or illegal comments will be removed. News18 may disable any comment at its discretion. By posting, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy Loading comments... Money, Data, Cadre: Inside Jamaat's Bangladesh Election Playbook And Why It Alarms India | Exclusive Reported By : News18.com Last Updated: January 22, 2026, 08:19 IST In urban centres, particularly the capital, Jamaats Womens Wing and Islami Chhatri Sangstha are conducting door-to-door surveys to map voter behaviour Ameer of Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami, Dr Shafiqur Rahman, with retired senior military officers. Image/News18 With Bangladesh elections 2026 ongoing, Jamaat-e-Islamis strategy is built not on broad national spread, but on precision targeting and wins, sources have told CNN-News18. CNN-News18 has learned that Jamaat planners have carried out deep constituency-level analysis, drawing on voting data from the 1991 and 1996 elections and combining it with recent internal surveys. This exercise led Jamaat to reassess prospects across all 300 parliamentary seats. By October 2024, the party had identified 162 constituencies where victory appeared achievable with focused effort. In what insiders describe as an intelligent consolidation," Jamaat diverted organisational strength, cadre deployment, and resources away from the remaining 138 seats to concentrate on these priority battlegrounds. Dhaka has emerged as a special focus, with around 20 constituencies receiving extra attention because of their political weight and symbolic value. Ground Mobilisation and Early Control The party has placed unusual emphasis on voter mobilisation mechanics. Postal voting is a key pillar of this plan. Sources claim that nearly 1.5 million expatriate supporters aligned with Jamaat have been prepared to vote through postal ballots, alongside a large pool of eligible domestic voters. In urban centres, particularly the capital, Jamaats Womens Wing and Islami Chhatri Sangstha are conducting door-to-door surveys to map voter behaviour. These units are also tasked with street-level mobilisation on polling day. Jamaat-Shibir activists are expected to reach polling booths immediately after Fajr prayers, aiming to establish early dominance in queues. Insiders see this as a scaled-up version of tactics that helped them win student union elections at Dhaka University and several other public universities successes viewed internally as rehearsals for the national contest. Money, Machinery and the Oppositions Weakness Sources say Jamaats organisational push is underpinned by deep financial and institutional advantages. The party is believed to have earmarked substantial campaign funds for 162 to 188 priority seats, with estimates ranging from BDT 50 to 100 crore per constituency. Jamaat is also reportedly covering campaign expenses for allied outfits, including the National Citizen Party. At the ground level, activists are said to be collecting national ID details, mobile numbers, and information linked to bKash, Nagad, and Rocket accounts from poorer voters data that could be used for targeted cash transfers ahead of polling day to influence voting. Meanwhile, the BNP-led alliance is grappling with internal discord. Rebel candidates are expected in 7080 constituencies, diluting campaign coherence. Since August 2024, allegations of extortion, arson, and violence have reportedly been more frequent against BNP affiliates than against Jamaat-Shibir, further weakening the opposition narrative. Jamaat insiders claim the party could secure 205210 seats, while the BNP-led alliance may be reduced to 9095 seats. Adding to uncertainty is a referendum scheduled on the same day, which could enable constitutional changes, expand presidential powers, and potentially open a path for Muhammad Yunus to assume the presidencyan outcome sources say is being shaped by the interim government. Why India Is Watching Closely Indian intelligence agencies are closely tracking Jamaat-e-Islamis rise, viewing a potential Jamaat-led government in Dhaka as a serious internal security challengeparticularly for West Bengal and parts of the Northeast. Jamaats ideological foundations and its historical links to Islamist mobilisation networks are seen as factors that could reshape the security environment along Indias eastern frontier. West Bengal, which shares a long and porous border with Bangladesh, is considered the most vulnerable. This border has historically been exploited by smuggling syndicates, illegal migration networks, and extremist couriers. Intelligence sources warn that even subtle changes in enforcement or political signalling from Dhaka could have ripple effects across several sensitive districts. North 24 Parganas is flagged as a key concern due to its proximity to the international border and its history of communal tension. Any ideological legitimisation of Islamist mobilisation across the border is likely to reflect here through heightened religious polarisation. In South 24 Parganas, agencies point to the risk of cross-border facilitators operating under the cover of fishing activities and cattle movement. A Jamaat-led administration in Bangladesh could indirectly embolden such networks, complicating monitoring efforts. Murshidabad, with its sensitive demographic balance and close links to Bangladesh, is viewed as particularly susceptible to ideological spillover. Intelligence inputs suggest that shifts in political climate across the border could quickly influence local narratives. In Malda, officials fear that increased ideological confidence among Islamist groups in Bangladesh may translate into higher recruitment or logistical support activities, given the districts established cross-border linkages. Nadia presents a different but equally complex challenge. Here, the concern is not immediate violence but subtle ideological influence that could gradually entrench itself, making detection and intervention more difficult for security agencies. The risks extend further north to Cooch Behar and the broader North Bengal region, where any rise in radical sentiment or reduced vigilance on the Bangladesh side could have cascading effects beyond West Bengal, impacting Assam, Tripura, and other northeastern states. Intelligence officials caution that a Jamaat victory would not merely be a political shift in Dhaka but a development with long-term implications for Indias border security, internal stability, and counter-radicalisation efforts. News18 Newsletter Handpicked stories, in your inbox A newsletter with the best of our journalism submit First Published: January 22, 2026, 08:19 IST News world Money, Data, Cadre: Inside Jamaat's Bangladesh Election Playbook And Why It Alarms India | Exclusive Disclaimer: Comments reflect users views, not News18s. Please keep discussions respectful and constructive. Abusive, defamatory, or illegal comments will be removed. News18 may disable any comment at its discretion. By posting, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy Loading comments... Viral Video Shows Unknown Triangular Aircraft Over Nevada Air Base In US Curated By : News18.com Last Updated: January 22, 2026, 09:19 IST Area 51, officially part of the US Air Forces Nevada Test and Training Range, is a classified facility used for testing of experimental aircraft and advanced weapons systems. Unknown triangular-shaped aircraft spotted over Area 51/Nevada Test and Training Range in US | Image: X Newly released infrared (IR) footage has reignited speculation around a mysterious triangular-shaped aircraft reportedly spotted flying over the Nevada Test and Training Range, home to the highly secretive Area 51, earlier this month. The sighting was disclosed by aviation researcher Anders Otteson, who runs the YouTube channel Uncanny Expeditions. Otteson said he observed the unusual aircraft on the night of January 14, 2026, while camping near the Groom Lake area to monitor nighttime aerial activity using radio scanners, thermal imaging equipment and optical sensors. Newly released IR footage of the unknown triangular-shaped aircraft spotted over Area 51/Nevada Test and Training Range recently by @uncannyex. pic.twitter.com/QkDLTo3iF3 OSINTtechnical (@Osinttechnical) January 21, 2026 Area 51, officially part of the US Air Forces Nevada Test and Training Range, is a classified facility long associated with the testing of experimental aircraft and advanced weapons systems. The base, also known as Homey Airport, operates under the Nellis Air Force Base complex and has historically been linked to programmes such as the U-2 spy plane, as well as decades of secrecy and speculation. According to Otteson, the aircrafts triangular profile stood out from known platforms operating in the region. Thermal images of the object were captured using an AGM TM50-640 infrared camera. He acknowledged that distance-related distortion could cause misinterpretation, including similarities to the B-2 Spirit stealth bomber, but said a direct comparison ruled that out. Otteson noted that a B-2 Spirit bomber, operating under the call sign REARM71, was active in the area earlier that night for nearly four hours before returning to Whiteman Air Force Base in Missouri. While the purpose of the B-2s mission was not disclosed, analysts pointed to unusually heavy radio traffic as an indication that the flight involved more than routine training activity. Crucially, Otteson said the triangular aircraft appeared after the B-2 had already been observed, and that side-by-side thermal imagery showed clear differences between the two aircraft. He also claimed the unidentified platform did not feature in any radio communications monitored that night. The sighting has drawn renewed attention because of similar reports from the past. A triangular aircraft with a comparable profile was photographed over Wichita, Kansas, in February 2014, followed by sightings of three such aircraft in Amarillo, Texas, about a month later. None of those incidents were ever officially explained, and the aircraft seen in Wichita was never publicly identified again, until now. Otteson later discussed the footage in a live broadcast with Joerg Arnu of the Dreamland Resort, a long-running source of information on activities around Area 51. Both stressed that there is no concrete evidence to confirm the nature or purpose of the aircraft observed on January 14, and that their conclusions remain speculative. News18 Newsletter Handpicked stories, in your inbox A newsletter with the best of our journalism submit Location : United States of America (USA) First Published: January 22, 2026, 09:08 IST News world Viral Video Shows Unknown Triangular Aircraft Over Nevada Air Base In US Disclaimer: Comments reflect users views, not News18s. Please keep discussions respectful and constructive. Abusive, defamatory, or illegal comments will be removed. News18 may disable any comment at its discretion. By posting, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy Loading comments... 'None Of Our Business': Putin Distances Russia From Trump's Greenland Plan Amid US-Europe Rift Curated By : News18.com Last Updated: January 22, 2026, 08:37 IST Putin also used the moment to criticise Denmarks historical treatment of Greenland, describing Copenhagens rule over the territory as colonial in nature. Russian President Vladimir Putin. (File) Russian President Vladimir Putin has publicly distanced Moscow from US President Donald Trumps push to acquire Greenland, saying the issue does not concern Russia even as it fuels tensions between Washington, Denmark and NATO allies. Speaking during a televised meeting of Russias Security Council late Wednesday, Putin said Greenlands future was a matter for others to resolve. What happens to Greenland is none of our business," he said, as Trumps remarks on bringing the Arctic island under US control continue to unsettle Europe and strain transatlantic unity. Putin, however, used the moment to criticise Denmarks historical treatment of Greenland, describing Copenhagens rule over the territory as colonial in nature. He claimed Denmark had often been harsh, if not cruel" towards the island, before quickly adding that the issue was not relevant to the current debate. While Trump has cited security threats, including from Russia, as a justification for US control over Greenland, Putin struck a conciliatory tone, expressing apparent sympathy for the islands residents and showing little resistance to Trumps ambitions. The Kremlin has neither endorsed nor opposed the plan, opting instead for a cautious, non-committal posture. Analysts see Moscows response as a calculated attempt to exploit growing divisions within the Western alliance. Trumps Greenland push has sparked sharp disagreements with European partners, and Russian officials and state-backed commentators have reacted with a mix of satisfaction and curiosity. Some have portrayed Trumps move as historic, while others argue it weakens NATO and the European Union by shifting Western attention away from Russias war in Ukraine. Despite maintaining public distance, Moscow is not indifferent to the Arctics strategic importance. Greenlands potential transfer to US control raises long-term security and economic questions for Russia, which has expanded its military footprint in the Arctic, home to its Northern Fleet and key strategic assets. The region also carries historic significance as a former site of Soviet nuclear testing. As diplomatic friction between the US and Europe intensified this week, Trump reiterated at the World Economic Forum in Davos that he wants to get Greenland" but insisted he would not use force. He also dismissed European objections and argued that NATO should not obstruct US ambitions in the Arctic. The Kremlins careful messaging has been echoed by Putins spokesman Dmitry Peskov, who earlier this week underscored the global implications of a US takeover of Greenland. Without judging the legality or merits of the move, Peskov said some experts believe such a step would secure Trump a lasting place in world history, an assessment he said was difficult to dispute. Putin himself has previously noted that US interest in Greenland is not new, recalling that Washington explored acquiring the territory as early as the 19th century and again after World War II. He also pointed to historical precedents, including Denmarks sale of the Virgin Islands to the United States in 1917 and Russias sale of Alaska to Washington in 1867. Meanwhile, Trump claimed in Davos that Putin had agreed to join his proposed Board of Peace", a loosely defined grouping of global leaders that has already drawn criticism from several US allies. The Kremlin has so far taken a measured approach, saying it is still reviewing the proposal. Addressing a cabinet meeting in Moscow, Putin said Russias foreign ministry had been tasked with examining the documents related to the initiative and consulting with strategic partners. Only after that will we be able to respond to the invitation," he said. Trump has said permanent membership on the board would require a USD 1 billion contribution, a demand Putin suggested could theoretically be met using Russian assets frozen under the previous US administration. He added that such funds could instead be used to rebuild territories affected by the Ukraine conflict once a peace agreement is reached. Reiterating Russias hands-off stance on the Greenland issue, Putin said the matter would ultimately be settled by the countries involved. It certainly doesnt concern us," he said, signalling that Moscow is content to watch from the sidelines as tensions play out within the Western alliance. News18 Newsletter Handpicked stories, in your inbox A newsletter with the best of our journalism submit Location : Russia First Published: January 22, 2026, 08:24 IST News world 'None Of Our Business': Putin Distances Russia From Trump's Greenland Plan Amid US-Europe Rift Disclaimer: Comments reflect users views, not News18s. Please keep discussions respectful and constructive. Abusive, defamatory, or illegal comments will be removed. News18 may disable any comment at its discretion. By posting, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy Loading comments... OSLO, Jan. 22 (Xinhua) -- Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen stated on Thursday that NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte does not have a mandate to negotiate on behalf of Denmark or Greenland. The statement followed comments from U.S. President Donald Trump, who said Wednesday that his meeting with Rutte produced "the framework of a future deal" concerning Greenland and the broader Arctic region. Frederiksen told Danish media that while Denmark has coordinated with a number of partners, including Rutte, to address the challenges facing Greenland, Rutte is not authorized to negotiate on behalf of Denmark or Greenland. "The aim is to find a path that respects international law as well as the sovereignty of Denmark and Greenland," she added. Frederiksen said that NATO can only negotiate matters on NATO's behalf relating to its own Arctic operations. She added that all parties agreed Arctic nations should strengthen cooperation and maintain a long-term presence in the region. Frederiksen also reaffirmed Denmark's red lines, saying that Greenland's future should be decided by Greenland and sovereignty is not negotiable. Pakistan's Gaza Glitch: JUI-F Chief Fazlur Rehman Slams Peace Board, Warns Shehbaz & Munir | Exclusive Reported By : CNN-News18 Last Updated: January 22, 2026, 17:51 IST The Jamiat Ulema-i-Islam-Fazl (JUI-F) chiefs primary ire was directed at the inclusion of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in the US-sponsored board US President Donald Trump with Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and Field Marshal Asim Munir at the White House. File image In a scathing indictment of Pakistans current foreign and domestic policy, Jamiat Ulema-i-Islam-Fazl (JUI-F) chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman has vehemently rejected the newly formed Gaza Board of Peace (BoP), terming it a betrayal of both Islamic principles and Palestinian sovereignty, CNN-News18 has learnt. Addressing a large gathering on Thursday, the veteran cleric warned Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and Chief of Army Staff Field Marshal Asim Munir to distance the country from what he described as an oppressive" and coercive" international alliance. The Maulanas primary ire was directed at the inclusion of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in the US-sponsored board. Netanyahu, the butcher of Palestine and the root of all mischief, has been made a member, yet the Palestinians themselves are excluded," he remarked. He questioned the logic of a peace process that mandates the disarmament of Hamaswhom he called the real party" to the conflictwhile sitting side-by-side with the architects of the Gaza bombings. Fazlur-Rehman warned that the Shehbaz government is leading Pakistan into a trap by participating in a campaign that aligns with the naked dictatorship of the East" and the cruel system of the West". He noted with irony that even European nations are hesitant to join this board, yet Pakistani rulers seem eager to facilitate it. He argued that Pakistans policies are being made under international pressure rather than in the national interest. To associate hope with those by whose hands all this happened is to make a fool of oneself," he added. The JUI-F chief reminded the government of Pakistans founding principles, noting that Quaid-e-Azam Muhammad Ali Jinnah had declared Israel illegitimate" upon its inception in 1948. He contrasted this historical clarity with the current administrations hollow" approach, accusing them of ignoring the sayings of the founder on a sensitive issue like the First Qibla (Al-Aqsa). He also compared the lack of transparency today to the 1972 Simla Agreement, noting that Zulfikar Ali Bhutto took the entire House and Opposition into confidence despite having 90,000 prisoners of war. This House is not an elected house, but even so, did you ever take itor even the Cabinetinto confidence?" he asked. Linking the external crisis to a collapsing" democratic system at home, Maulana Fazl delivered a stinging critique of the 27th Constitutional Amendment, which has recently formalised the Chief of Defence Forces" post and granted sweeping immunities to top military leadership. He demanded a rollback of these exemptions and a return to natural lawmaking" that respects provincial rights and Islamic values. He blasted recent legislative moves, particularly those concerning the age of marriage, as being contrary to Sharia. Is it a republic when the government legislates on forbidden (Haram) issues at will?" he asked, mourning the declaration of marriage under 18 as equivalent to adultery. Announcing that February 8 would be observed as a Black Day", he described the current parliamentary majority as forced" and fake". The Maulana highlighted the hypocrisy of seeking peace" in Gaza while his own districts in Pakistan are handed over to armed people". He alleged that in areas like Lakki Marwat and Tank, security agencies have ceded control to militants who collect extortion from government officials and contractors. My entire districts are handed over to armed people; no construction can happen until they are paid tax," he claimed, adding that even his own children are no longer safe. By rejecting the Gaza Board of Peace and calling for a nationwide protest, Fazl-ur-Rehman has positioned the JUI-F as the primary challenger to the Shehbaz-Munir hybrid" governance model. News18 Newsletter Handpicked stories, in your inbox A newsletter with the best of our journalism submit First Published: January 22, 2026, 17:06 IST News world Pakistan's Gaza Glitch: JUI-F Chief Fazlur Rehman Slams Peace Board, Warns Shehbaz & Munir | Exclusive Disclaimer: Comments reflect users views, not News18s. Please keep discussions respectful and constructive. Abusive, defamatory, or illegal comments will be removed. News18 may disable any comment at its discretion. By posting, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy Loading comments... 'Peace Or Piece Of Greenland?': Elon Musk's Wordplay Jab At Trump's Gaza Board Curated By : News18.com Last Updated: January 22, 2026, 23:32 IST Elon Musk's comments referenced Trump's recent territorial rhetoric regarding Greenland and Venezuela. Elon Musk and Donald Trump (File photo/AP) Tech billionaire Elon Musk delivered a thinly veiled jab at US President Donald Trumps Board of Peace" during a World Economic Forum panel in Davos, using wordplay to suggest the initiative is more about territorial acquisition than conflict resolution. I heard about the formation of the Peace Summit and I thought is that piece or a little piece of Greenland a little piece of Venezuela," Elon Musk quipped while sharing the stage with BlackRock CEO Larry Fink, drawing quiet chuckles from the audience. All we want is peace," he added with apparent irony. The Board of Peace, chaired by Trump, was initially conceived as a small group of world leaders overseeing the Gaza ceasefire plan. However, the administrations vision has since expanded dramatically, with Trump extending invitations to dozens of nations and positioning the board as a future mediator for global conflicts. Elon Musks comments referenced Trumps recent territorial rhetoric regarding Greenland and Venezuela, suggesting the peace" initiative may serve broader geopolitical aims. The entrepreneurs remarks come amid a complicated relationship with Trump. Elon Musk has been a Trump ally, though their partnership has weathered a volatile period marked by a dramatic public falling out and subsequent reconciliation over the past year. Elon Musk On Humanoid Robots During the panel discussion, Elon Musk pivoted to familiar territory, predicting that humanoid robots would fundamentally transform society by reducing the need for human labor. He envisions a future where robots outnumber people and eventually manufacture other robots. There will be such an abundance of goods and services because therell be more robots than people," Elon Musk said. He added that everyone on Earth" would want a robot to care for elderly parents or children, announcing that Tesla plans to begin selling humanoid robots to the public by the end of next year. Elon Musks appearance at the WEF carries a note of irony given his sustained public criticism of the annual gathering. He has repeatedly mocked Davos on his social media platform X, calling it boring" and describing the WEF as an unelected world government that the people never asked for and dont want." News18 Newsletter Handpicked stories, in your inbox A newsletter with the best of our journalism submit Location : Washington D.C., United States of America (USA) First Published: January 22, 2026, 23:32 IST News world 'Peace Or Piece Of Greenland?': Elon Musk's Wordplay Jab At Trump's Gaza Board Disclaimer: Comments reflect users views, not News18s. Please keep discussions respectful and constructive. Abusive, defamatory, or illegal comments will be removed. News18 may disable any comment at its discretion. By posting, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy Loading comments... Poisoned Us: Nuclear Tests Between 1945 And 2017 Behind 4 Million Premature Deaths, Report Finds Curated By : News18.com Last Updated: January 22, 2026, 10:45 IST According to the report, the health, social and ecological damage caused by nuclear testing has been widespread and enduring. Hundreds of thousands of people worldwide are believed to have already died from diseases linked to past nuclear weapons testing | Representative Image Decades of nuclear weapons testing have left a deadly and lasting imprint on humanity, contributing to an estimated four million premature deaths worldwide, according to a new report that documents the long-term human, environmental, and health costs of atomic explosions. Between 1945 and 2017, more than 2,400 nuclear devices were detonated in tests carried out across the globe. While only North Korea has conducted such tests since the 1990s, the report warns that the consequences of earlier detonations continue to unfold, affecting every person alive today. The findings, compiled by Norwegian Peoples Aid (NPA) and shared exclusively with AFP, detail how radiation released during decades of testing has been linked to cancers, cardiovascular disease, genetic damage and other serious illnessesoften manifesting long after the explosions themselves. They poisoned us," said Hinamoeura Cross, a Tahitian lawmaker who was seven years old when France carried out its final nuclear test near her home in French Polynesia in 1996. Seventeen years later, she was diagnosed with leukaemia, joining several close family members who had already suffered from thyroid cancer. According to the report, the health, social and ecological damage caused by nuclear testing has been widespread and enduring. Yet many affected communities remain without clear answers, in part due to decades of secrecy, limited data and insufficient international engagement. Past nuclear testing continues to kill today," NPA secretary general Raymond Johansen said, expressing hope the report would strengthen global resolve to prevent any future use or testing of nuclear weapons. The issue has taken on renewed urgency following comments by US President Donald Trump late last year suggesting the United States could resume nuclear testingclaims that Russia and China have rejected. Experts warn that reopening the door to testing would be extremely dangerous. The consequences are long-lasting and severe," said Ivana Hughes of Columbia University and the Nuclear Age Peace Foundation, who contributed to the report. The nuclear testing era shows us just how deep and persistent the harm can be." Communities living near test sites, now spread across 15 countries, many of them former colonies, have borne the heaviest burden. Survivors continue to face higher rates of illness, birth defects and psychological trauma, often with limited access to healthcare or screening. But the report stresses that the impact is global. Every person alive today carries radioactive isotopes from atmospheric testing in their bones," said co-author Magdalena Stawkowski, an anthropology professor at the University of South Carolina. The study cites strong scientific evidence linking radiation exposure, even at low doses, to DNA damage, cancer and cardiovascular disease. Atmospheric nuclear tests conducted up to 1980 alone are projected to cause at least two million excess cancer deaths over time, along with a similar number of early deaths from heart attacks and strokes, according to Tilman Ruff, another report co-author and a public health expert at the University of Melbourne. There is no safe level of exposure," Ruff said, noting that ionising radiation is especially harmful to foetuses and young children. Women and girls, the report adds, are significantly more susceptible to radiation-related cancers than men and boys. A recurring theme in the report is a persistent culture of secrecy among nuclear-armed states. In places such as Kiribati and Algeria, key studies and information about radioactive contamination remain classified, preventing communities from fully understanding the risks they face or seeking proper redress. No nuclear-armed country has formally apologised for its testing programmes, the report notes, and compensation schemes, where they exist, often prioritise limiting state liability over adequately supporting victims. In French Polynesia, Cross said she grew up learning only about the supposed economic benefits of Frances nuclear programme. She later discovered that Paris had carried out 193 nuclear explosions there between 1966 and 1996, including blasts far more powerful than the Hiroshima bomb. These werent just tests. They were real bombs," she said, accusing authorities of treating local populations as guinea pigs". Similar trauma is echoed elsewhere. The report highlights the 1954 US Bravo" test at Bikini Atoll in the Marshall Islands, which was hundreds of times more powerful than the Hiroshima bomb and exposed nearby communities to intense radioactive fallout. News18 Newsletter Handpicked stories, in your inbox A newsletter with the best of our journalism submit Location : Norway First Published: January 22, 2026, 10:45 IST News world Poisoned Us: Nuclear Tests Between 1945 And 2017 Behind 4 Million Premature Deaths, Report Finds Disclaimer: Comments reflect users views, not News18s. Please keep discussions respectful and constructive. Abusive, defamatory, or illegal comments will be removed. News18 may disable any comment at its discretion. By posting, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy Loading comments... Pro-Palestinian Activist Mahmoud Khalil Likely To Be Deported To Algeria, Says US Official Curated By : News18.com Last Updated: January 22, 2026, 20:13 IST Mahmoud Khalil, who was arrested last year for his role in pro-Palestinian campus protests, received a setback last week when a US court ruled in favour of his deportation. Rapid Read A file photo of Mahmoud Khalil (AFP) Pro-Palestinian activist Mahmoud Khalil is likely to be deported to Algeria, according to a US official, days after a US court reversed a lower court order to free the former Columbia University student from an immigration jail. The Trump administration arrested Khalil last year during its crackdown on pro-Palestinian campus activists in the US. His legal team has waged a legal battle against his deportation, but an appeals court last week ruled in favour of the administration, bringing authorities a step closer to detaining and deporting Khalil. In a 2-1 decision, the panel ruled a federal judge in New Jersey didnt have jurisdiction to decide the matter at this time, according to The Times of Israel, referring to Khalil being released from prison after spending 104 days there. Federal law requires the case to fully move through the immigration courts before Khalil can challenge the decision, they wrote. Following the verdict, US Department of Homeland Security assistant secretary for public affairs Tricia McLaughlin says Khalil will likely be deported. It looks like hell go to Algeria. Thats what the thought is right now," McLaughlin tells NewsNation. Its a reminder for those who are in this country on a visa or on a Green Card. You are a guest in this country; act like it," McLaughlin says. It is a privilege, not a right, to be in this country to live or to study." Deeply Disappointed: Khalil On Court Ruling The law bars Khalil from attacking his detention and removal in a habeas petition," the appeals court panel added. The decision marked a major win for the White House in its crackdown against pro-Palestinian activists. Khalil said the appeals ruling was deeply disappointing, but it does not break our resolve." The door may have been opened for potential re-detainment down the line, but it has not closed our commitment to Palestine and to justice and accountability. I will continue to fight, through every legal avenue and with every ounce of determination, until my rights, and the rights of others like me, are fully protected," he added. Khalils lawyers can request that the active judges on the 3rd Circuit hear an appeal, or they can go to the US Supreme Court. He received support from New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani, who said Khalil must remain free". Who Is Mahmoud Khalil? Khalil, 30, was the head of Columbia University Apartheid Divest (CUAD), a coalition of anti-Israel campus activists, while he was a graduate student at Columbia. He has been one of the most prominent leaders of the US pro-Palestinian campus protests. In 2024, Columbia University found itself at the centre of a firestorm over claims of anti-Semitism triggered by campus protests against Israels war in Gaza. Khalil, an Algerian citizen born to a Palestinian family in a refugee camp in Syria, was leading the protests that reportedly called for the total eradication of Western civilisation." He was arrested in March after the Trump administration deemed him a national security threat. A legal permanent resident of the United States who is married to a US citizen, Khalil missed the birth of his son while being held in a federal immigration detention centre in Louisiana. News18 Newsletter Handpicked stories, in your inbox A newsletter with the best of our journalism submit Location : United States of America (USA) First Published: January 22, 2026, 20:13 IST News world Pro-Palestinian Activist Mahmoud Khalil Likely To Be Deported To Algeria, Says US Official Disclaimer: Comments reflect users views, not News18s. Please keep discussions respectful and constructive. Abusive, defamatory, or illegal comments will be removed. News18 may disable any comment at its discretion. By posting, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy Loading comments... Shehbaz Sharifs Backseat, Fewer Than 20 Countries: Trumps Gaza Board Of Peace Takes Off Curated By : News18.com Last Updated: January 22, 2026, 16:55 IST Trump had first announced the formation of the Board of Peace on January 15, 2026, as part of Phase Two of his 20-point plan to end the Gaza conflict. In letters sent to prospective members, Trump described it as a bold new approach to resolving global conflict. US President Donald Trump formally unveiled the inaugural charter of his international Board of Peace at the World Economic Forum in Davos but the launch raised as many questions about optics and participation as it answered about the initiatives purpose. The signing ceremony drew scrutiny for its visual choreography. Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, whose country has been cited as engaging with the initiative, was conspicuously absent from the front row- a detail that reinforced perceptions of uneven diplomatic standing within the group. The limited turnout was equally striking: fewer than 20 countries participated in what Trump has billed as a transformative global body, a stark contrast to the scale of outreach that preceded it. After announcing the Board of Peace on January 15, 2026, as part of Phase Two of his 20-point plan to end the Gaza conflict, Trumps administration invited leaders of at least 60 countries to join. The invitees included major global players such as India and China, alongside allies and regional stakeholders across Europe, West Asia, Africa and Latin America. While some countries signed on, others declined, citing diplomatic and policy concerns. Who Showed Up The Davos event ultimately brought together presidents, prime ministers, and senior diplomats from just over a dozen countries. Attendees included Argentinas Javier Milei, Indonesias Prabowo Subianto, Paraguays Santiago Pena, Uzbekistans Shavkat Mirziyoyev, Armenias Nikol Pashinyan and Azerbaijans Ilham Aliyev. Trump described the Board of Peace as a new international mechanism for resolving global conflicts, with permanent membership reportedly carrying a $1 billion price tag. Originally conceived to oversee reconstruction and governance in Gaza following the Israel-Palestine war, the initiative has since been reframed as a broader conflict-resolution platform. Everybody wants to be a part of the Board of Peace," Trump said in his opening remarks, adding that the United States would continue working with many others, including the United Nations." According to the White House, the boards mandate will encompass governance capacity-building, regional relations, reconstruction, investment attraction and large-scale funding mobilization. In letters to prospective members, Trump described it as a bold new approach to resolving global conflict" and the most impressive and consequential board ever assembled." Trumps Ultimatum to Hamas Trump struck a cautiously optimistic tone on Gaza. He said the war was really coming to an end," though little fires" still needed to be extinguished. He issued a stark ultimatum to Hamas: disarm or face elimination, and return the final body of an Israeli hostage. They have to give up their weapons, and if they dont do that, its going to be the end of them," Trump said, adding that Hamas members were born with rifles in their hands." News18 Newsletter Handpicked stories, in your inbox A newsletter with the best of our journalism submit Location : Washington D.C., United States of America (USA) First Published: January 22, 2026, 16:32 IST News world Shehbaz Sharifs Backseat, Fewer Than 20 Countries: Trumps Gaza Board Of Peace Takes Off Disclaimer: Comments reflect users views, not News18s. Please keep discussions respectful and constructive. Abusive, defamatory, or illegal comments will be removed. News18 may disable any comment at its discretion. By posting, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy Loading comments... Three Weeks After Maduro's Capture, US Names New Envoy To Venezuela Curated By : News18.com Last Updated: January 22, 2026, 22:32 IST Laura F. Dogu is the new US charge d'affaires to Venezuela after Nicolas Maduro's arrest and a deadly raid involving a secret US sonic weapon, confirmed by Trump. The US embassy page listed Laura F. Dogu as the new charge d'affaires to Venezuela. (X) The US has appointed a new head for its embassy in Venezuela, three weeks after Washington arrested its leader Nicolas Maduro. AFP quoted a US diplomatic source saying that the embassy page listed Laura F. Dogu a former ambassador to Nicaragua and Honduras as the new charge daffaires to Venezuela. John McNamara served as US charge daffaires for Venezuela based in neighboring Colombia since last year. Maduro was captured on January 3 after US authorities accused him of trafficking drugs into the United States, allegations Caracas has repeatedly denied. Venezuelas Interior Minister said the raid on Maduros compound resulted in at least 100 deaths, according to official statements, though it remains unclear whether any of the casualties were linked to the sonic weapon. Recently, Trump confirmed that the US military used what he described as a secret sonic" weapon during the operation. He acknowledged the weapons use during an interview on the NewsNation programme Katie Pavlich Tonight, boasting about the strength of the US military and suggesting that no other country possesses similar technology. Speculation about the use of a sonic weapon had circulated for weeks after White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt said a device deployed during the raid left Venezuelan soldiers bleeding from the nose and vomiting blood. Sonic weapons use intense sound waves to disorient or disable targets and can cause headaches, balance problems, confusion and, in some cases, permanent hearing damage. While such weapons are not banned under international law, their use has drawn scrutiny because of potential long-term health effects. News18 Newsletter Handpicked stories, in your inbox A newsletter with the best of our journalism submit Location : Washington D.C., United States of America (USA) First Published: January 22, 2026, 22:32 IST News world Three Weeks After Maduro's Capture, US Names New Envoy To Venezuela Disclaimer: Comments reflect users views, not News18s. Please keep discussions respectful and constructive. Abusive, defamatory, or illegal comments will be removed. News18 may disable any comment at its discretion. By posting, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy Loading comments... Trump Eyes Greenland For Golden Dome; Expert Says 'Impossible' To Stop Russia's Oreshnik Missile Curated By : News18.com Last Updated: January 22, 2026, 07:31 IST According to Trump, the Greenland-based Golden Dome system would extend protection beyond the United States. US President Donald Trump during the World Economic Forum (WEF) annual meeting in Davos on January 21, 2026. (IMAGE: AFP) US President Donald Trump placed Greenland at the heart of his defence and foreign policy push, linking American control of the Arctic territory to his proposed Golden Dome" missile defence system and broader national security goals. Speaking at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Trump projected Greenland as critical to Arctic stability, NATO security and future US military planning. Trump argued that Greenlands strategic location makes it indispensable for global security, claiming the vast Arctic island is almost completely undefended" and asserting that only the United States has the capability to secure it. He framed US involvement in Greenland as a necessity rather than a choice, insisting that Washingtons role would not undermine NATO. Unveiling what he described as a sweeping modernisation of American military power, Trump said the US defence budget has reached USD 1.5 trillion. He outlined plans that include reviving battleships with vastly enhanced capabilities and building what he called the biggest ever Golden Dome" missile defence shield, proposed to be based in Greenland to safeguard the Arctic region and North America. According to Trump, the Greenland-based missile shield would extend protection beyond the United States. The Golden Dome in Greenland will also protect Canada," he said, adding that Ottawa should be more grateful" for the US security umbrella. He indicated that further discussions on the project would follow, with Vice President JD Vance, Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Special Envoy Steve Witkoff tasked with leading talks and reporting directly to him. In subsequent remarks and social media posts, Trump reiterated that Greenland is vital for the Golden Dome we are building" and essential to US national security. Earlier at the WEF summit, he had also called for immediate negotiations with European allies, maintaining that US control over Greenland would pose no threat to NATO". Ex-US Army Officer Warns Trump Trumps ambitious defence vision has drawn sharp criticism from military experts, particularly over its feasibility against emerging weapons. Former US Army officer and foreign policy analyst Daniel Davis dismissed the Golden Dome initiative as unrealistic, arguing that it cannot counter advanced hypersonic weapons such as Russias Oreshnik missile. In an interview with ANI, Davis said intercepting the Oreshnik hypersonic missile is impossible", stressing that the technology required to stop it does not currently exist. There wasnt even an attempt to intercept it when Russia demonstrated it because the speed is so extreme that existing systems dont stand a chance," he said. Davis described the idea of an impenetrable missile shield as a fools errand", noting that offensive missile technology continues to evolve alongside defensive systems. Whatever you think youll build in the future, missile technology will move beyond it," he said, pointing to real-world examples where advanced, layered air defence systems have failed to stop all incoming attacks. Referring to last years conflict involving Israel and Iran, Davis noted that even Israels highly sophisticated, integrated air defence network, combining Iron Dome, THAAD, Patriot, Davids Sling and Arrow systems, was unable to prevent multiple missile strikes from getting through. Thats the best technology available today, and it still doesnt stop it. It only slows some of it down," he said. Davis also ridiculed the notion of forcibly taking over Greenland, calling it nonsensical" and laughable". He argued that extending a fool-proof missile defence system across the continental United States, with or without Greenland, is sheer fantasy" in an era dominated by hypersonic weapons. Hypersonic cruise missiles, such as Russias Oreshnik, are capable of travelling at more than five times the speed of sound, over 6,100 km per hour, making detection and interception extremely difficult with current technology. News18 Newsletter Handpicked stories, in your inbox A newsletter with the best of our journalism submit Location : United States of America (USA) First Published: January 22, 2026, 07:31 IST News world Trump Eyes Greenland For Golden Dome; Expert Says 'Impossible' To Stop Russia's Oreshnik Missile Disclaimer: Comments reflect users views, not News18s. Please keep discussions respectful and constructive. Abusive, defamatory, or illegal comments will be removed. News18 may disable any comment at its discretion. By posting, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy Loading comments... Trumps Fiery Greenland Speech At Davos Sparks Online Buzz Over Iceland Gaffe Curated By : News18.com Last Updated: January 22, 2026, 12:05 IST Trump confused Greenland with Iceland and mispronounced Azerbaijan as Aber-bajan during the World Economic Forum speech in Davos, triggering social media reactions. US President Donald Trump delivers a special address during the World Economic Forum (WEF) annual meeting in Davos on January 21, 2026. (IMAGE: AFP) US President Donald Trump on Wednesday again became the talk of the internet after he confused Greenland with Iceland during his speech at the World Economic Forum in Davos, triggering social media reactions. Theyre not there for us on Iceland, that I can tell you. Our stock market took its first dip yesterday because of Iceland. So Iceland has already cost us a lot of money," Trump referred to Iceland multiple times when he likely meant Greenland. We want the piece of ice for world protection, and they wont give it. You can say yes and we will be very appreciative. Or you can say no, and we will remember," he added. Trump is now confusing Greenland and Iceland: Theyre not there for us on Iceland, that I can tell you. Our stock market took the first dip yesterday because of Iceland. So Iceland has already cost us a lot of money." pic.twitter.com/Iu9CI6M2ku Aaron Rupar (@atrupar) January 21, 2026 The clip quickly went viral on social media and Iceland" began trending on X, with users sharing memes poking fun at the gaffe. However, his press secretary, Karoline Leavit,t denied that the President had misspoken during his speech and said, His written remarks referred to Greenland as a piece of ice because thats what it is." Trumps Azerbaijan Faux Pas During his special address at the World Economic Forum in Davos on Wednesday, Trump, while reiterating his claims that his diplomatic efforts ended eight global conflicts, specifically the Armenia-Azerbaijan war, mispronounced Azerbaijan as Aberbajan". I settled eight other wars. India-Pakistan, I settled other wars that wereVladimir Putin called me, Armenia, Aberbajan (Azerbaijan)," Trump could be heard saying in the clip that has since gone viral on social media. Trump:I solved Aber-baijan and Armenia war in 1 day. It was going on for 35 years Putin couldnt believe it. He said i was working on it for 10 years. pic.twitter.com/HPGAkWmO4b Maxx (@Max_geopolitic) January 21, 2026 Notably, this is not the first instance when Trump landed into trouble when it comes to Azerbaijan and Armenia. In September last, he mixed up Armenia and Albania when talking about his efforts to resolve the long-standing tensions. I solved wars that was unsolvable. Azerbaijan and Albania, it was going on for many, many years, I had the prime ministers and presidents in my office," Trump said. News18 Newsletter Handpicked stories, in your inbox A newsletter with the best of our journalism submit Location : Switzerland First Published: January 22, 2026, 12:05 IST News world Trumps Fiery Greenland Speech At Davos Sparks Online Buzz Over Iceland Gaffe Disclaimer: Comments reflect users views, not News18s. Please keep discussions respectful and constructive. Abusive, defamatory, or illegal comments will be removed. News18 may disable any comment at its discretion. By posting, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy Loading comments... UAE To Host First Trilateral Talks On Ukraine War With US, Russia And Kyiv: Zelenskyy Curated By : News18.com Last Updated: January 23, 2026, 00:01 IST Zelenskyy said the meetings would mark the first such trilateral engagement hosted by the UAE. Trump with Putin and Zelenskyy (Reuters) The United Arab Emirates will convene trilateral negotiations on the Ukraine conflict from today, bringing together officials from Ukraine, the United States and Russia, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy announced. Speaking following his address at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Zelenskyy described the meetings as the first trilateral engagement of their kind to be hosted by the UAE. This will be the first trilateral meeting in the Emirates, taking place tomorrow and the day after," he said, emphasizing that any breakthrough would hinge on Moscows readiness to negotiate in good faith. The Russians must be prepared to make compromises," Zelenskyy said. He offered no further details on the format of the discussions or whether Ukrainian and Russian officials would engage in direct negotiations. Zelenskyys Stark Warning To Europe At Davos Earlier at the summit, Zelenskyy delivered a blistering critique of Europes security posture, arguing that little had changed since his address at the same forum a year earlier, when he urged European leaders to prioritize continental self-defense. A year has passed. Nothing has changed," he said, accusing Europe of recycling the same debates without taking decisive action to protect itself or provide meaningful support to Ukraine. Drawing on popular culture, Zelenskyy compared Europes response to the war to the film Groundhog Day, in which the protagonist relives the same day endlessly. Everyone remembers that great American film, but no one would want to live that way-repeating the same thing for weeks, months, and years. Yet that is exactly how we live now," he said, warning that prolonged indecision was undermining both Europes security and its credibility. The Ukrainian President portrayed Europe as politically fragmented, operating more as a patchwork of individual nations than as a cohesive global force. Europe still feels more like geography, history and tradition- not a great political power," he said, adding, It remains a fragmented kaleidoscope of small and medium-sized states." Zelenskyy also cautioned against banking on persuading Washington to shift its approach, insisting that Europe must chart its own course. Stalled Peace Efforts Gain New Momentum The current diplomatic push gained traction when Donald Trump returned to office last year pledging peace within 24 hours." By August 2025, the Alaska Summit" and subsequent White House meetings had reopened direct negotiation channels after months of stalemate. Optimism peaked in December 2025, when Zelenskyy met Trump in Paris and later in Miami, publicly declaring that nearly 90% of a peace framework had been finalized. As 2026 began, diplomatic activity intensified without yielding a final resolution. On January 6, European allies convened under the banner of a Coalition of the Willing" to coordinate security guarantees with Washington, recognizing that any agreement lacking credible protections for Ukraine would be doomed from the start. News18 Newsletter Handpicked stories, in your inbox A newsletter with the best of our journalism submit Location : Ukraine First Published: January 22, 2026, 21:24 IST News world UAE To Host First Trilateral Talks On Ukraine War With US, Russia And Kyiv: Zelenskyy Disclaimer: Comments reflect users views, not News18s. Please keep discussions respectful and constructive. Abusive, defamatory, or illegal comments will be removed. News18 may disable any comment at its discretion. By posting, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy Loading comments... Trump Unveils Gaza Board Of Peace At Davos, Warns Hamas Must Disarm: 'If They Don't...' Curated By : News18.com Last Updated: January 22, 2026, 17:00 IST Trump said the 'Board of Peace' was one of the most consequential bodies ever created and promised to work with the UN towards establishing peace in Gaza. US President Donald Trump at the Gaza Peace Board Charter announcement. (Reuters) US President Donald Trump unveiled the Gaza Board of Peace during the World Economic Forum in Davos on Thursday, where he highlighted his peacekeeping record across the world, including in Gaza, and said the board will work in conjunction" with the United Nations. Trump formally signed the founding charter of the Board of Peace in the presence of several founding members, saying there were 59 countries involved in peace efforts in the Middle East and several nations were interested in joining the board. He said the board has the chance to be one of the most consequential bodies ever created, calling it an enormous honour" to serve as its Chairman. Last October, we released a plan for the permanent end to the conflict in Gaza, and Im pleased to say that our vision was unanimously adopted by the United Nations Security Council late last year. Under Phase 1 of this plan, we have painstakingly maintained that the Gaza ceasefire delivered record levels of humanitarian aid," he said, thanking some of the countries that are part of the efforts. We have secured the release of all 20 living hostages There were 20 remaining living hostages. We got hundreds out, but the last 20, I said that was going to be a tough one. We had also about 28 that were dead, but the parents wanted them just as though they were living," he added. The Board of Peace Charter is officially ratified in Davos.Congratulations, President Trump. The Charter is now in full force, and the Board of Peace is now an official international organization!" pic.twitter.com/OGQkVvlwqE Rapid Response 47 (@RapidResponse47) January 22, 2026 Hamas Must Disarm Trump also affirmed that Hamas must disarm under the Gaza ceasefire deal, or it will be the end" of the Palestinian movement. The US president said members of Hamas were born with rifles in their hands, but they have to give up their weapons, but if they dont do that, it will be the end of them." I think we can spread out to other things as we succeed with Gaza, were going to be very successful in Gaza," he said, adding, We can do numerous other things. Once this board is completely formed, we can do pretty much whatever we want to do. Trump also agreed to work in conjunction with the UN", although he still criticised the UN for not doing enough historically. He also said everybody wanted to be involved with the Board of Peace, despite notable snubs from the UK, France and Canada. Trump Repeats India-Pakistan Claim The US President boasted about his peacemaking record as he claimed to have ended eight wars across the world, including the one between India and Pakistan in May last year, and that he was close to resolving the one between Russia and Ukraine. Today, the world is richer, safer and much more peaceful than it was just one year ago. We put out all those fires that a lot of people didnt know, including me. Some wars were going on for over 30 years. We were happy to stop the war that had started between India and Pakistan, two nuclear nations," he said. The Prime Minister of Pakistan said President Trump saved 10, and maybe 20 million lives by getting that stopped just before bad things were going to happen. As President, I ended eight wars, including between Cambodia and Thailand, Kosovo and Serbia, Democratic Republic of Congo and Rwanda, India and Pakistan, Israel and Iran, Egypt and Ethiopia we are working on that right now." He said that threats to Europe and America were coming down. Its a lot different from what it was one year ago. The world was actually on fire. In Nigeria, we are annihilating terrorists who are killing Christians. They have killed thousands of Christians. Much of this progress is possible because I rebuilt our military in the first term and were making it even stronger with a budget of over a trillion dollars," he stated. Trump On Iran, Venezuela He also suggested that fresh talks with the Iranian regime could be on the table after the US carried out airstrikes against Tehrans nuclear facilities in June. We obliterated Irans nuclear enrichment capacity with Operation Midnight Hammer. They were two months from having a nuclear weapon," he said. Iran does want to talk, and well talk, he said while delivering remarks at this Board of Peace event. We have also hit ISIS in Syria. In my first administration, I took out Al-Baghdadi, the founder of ISIS. We hit it very hard in Syria. I spoke with the President (in Syria), hes making tremendous progress." He also reflected on US ties with Venezuela after the capture of Nicolas Maduro. We have virtually stopped all drugs coming from the waters, and we can easily stop them on land. We captured the outlawed dictator Nicolas Maduro, and the people of Venezuela are very happy with it. We are having great relations with the new leaders of Venezuela. We are opening up the country to new oil companies, and we have already taken out 50 million barrels of oil, and a lot of that is going back to Venezuela," he mentioned. News18 Newsletter Handpicked stories, in your inbox A newsletter with the best of our journalism submit Location : United States of America (USA) First Published: January 22, 2026, 16:02 IST News world Trump Unveils Gaza Board Of Peace At Davos, Warns Hamas Must Disarm: 'If They Don't...' Disclaimer: Comments reflect users views, not News18s. Please keep discussions respectful and constructive. Abusive, defamatory, or illegal comments will be removed. News18 may disable any comment at its discretion. By posting, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy Loading comments... TEHRAN, Jan. 22 (Xinhua) -- A senior Iranian military commander warned the United States and Israel on Thursday against what he described as any miscalculation, saying Iran's forces had their "finger on the trigger." Mohammad Pakpour, chief commander of Iran's Islamic Revolution Guards Corps (IRGC), said Washington and Tel Aviv should "draw lessons from historical experiences" and "refrain from any miscalculation" to avoid a "more painful and regret-inducing fate." Pakpour said Iran's armed forces were "more prepared than ever" to carry out orders from Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. He made the remarks in a message marking Iran's national Soldier Day, carried by the IRGC's official news outlet Sepah News. The United States has been issuing ambiguous threats of possible military interference during the December-January protests, while U.S. President Donald Trump has called for "new leadership" in Iran. Iranian Foreign Minister Seyed Abbas Araghchi said earlier this week that U.S. threats against Iran "gave plotters an incentive" to pursue what he described as a strategy of "maximum bloodshed." He also said that while Iran "will always choose peace over war," if the country faced new attacks, "our powerful armed forces have no qualms about firing back with everything we have," citing a contrast with the "restraint" Iran showed in June 2025. Protests erupted across Iran last month over economic grievances before taking on a political dimension and turning violent, leading to casualties and widespread damage to public property, mosques, government buildings and banks. Iranian authorities have blamed the United States and Israel for inciting the unrest. State television IRIB reported on Wednesday that 3,117 people were killed during the unrest, citing Iran's Forensic Medical Organization, which said 2,427 of the dead were classified as "innocent civilians and security forces." Michelle Obama says she's trying to retire one of the most common small-talk questions moms ask their daughters: "Are you dating anyone?" In a surprise showing on Alex Cooper's Call Her Daddy podcast on Wednesday, the former first lady, who just turned 62, said she's aware of how easily she finds herself "slipping up" and asking Malia, 27, and Sasha, 24, about their dating livesand why she's working to stop the habit, per InStyle . Obama called the relationship question something parents toss out when you "run out of stuff to say to a young girl," suggesting that can reveal "our own insecurities as mothers" more than anything about the daughters themselves. She described the "Do you have a boyfriend?" line as a kind of baked-in "social pressure," especially when "you see everybody getting married." Obama said she and her friends talk about what those questions communicate about success, urging parents to reconsider how they frame the topic with both daughters and sons. "We have to be mindful of the way we craft questions," she noted. "How we talk about what happiness is, and we have to work hard to separate our fears and insecurities as parents." The former first lady's comments fit into a broader theme she's addressed previously, about parenting in the spotlight. Obama has said she and husband Barack pushed for as normal a life as possible for their daughters in the White House, ensuring the girls made their beds and got summer jobs. She has also insisted she has no interest in running for president herself, partly so her children don't again have to live under that level of scrutinyand in Wednesday's podcast, she said she would "actively work against" her spouse running again if he were somehow legally able to go for a third term, per the Independent. As she told Hoda Kotb in 2023, she's shifted from "mom-in-chief to advisor-in-chief" and watched her daughters "fly," experiencing relief at knowing, as she put it, that "I think I didn't mess them up." Watch the recent podcast in full here. The US murder rate appears to have fallen to its lowest level in well over a century. A new analysis from the nonpartisan Council on Criminal Justice based on incomplete FBI data, crime figures from 40 cities, and other sourcesestimates the 2025 national homicide rate will be the lowest since at least 1900, owing to "the largest single-year percentage drop" on record. From 2024 to 2025, homicides fell 21%, gun assaults 22%, robberies 23%, and carjackings 43%. Compared with 2019, homicides were down 25%, gun assaults 13%, and carjackings 29%, per the New York Times . For the first time since the pandemic, all seven major categories of violent crime tracked fell below their pre-2020 levels. Drug offenses increased, though they, too, remained below 2019 levels. The drop has been widespread but uneven. Baltimore hit a modern-era low with a roughly 60% decline in killings, also observed in Richmond, Virginia. Salt Lake City, Chattanooga, and El Paso each saw their homicide rates cut roughly in half in the same time, while Los Angeles' murder rate plunged 39% and New York City's 10%, per CBS News . Of 35 cities analyzed for murder, all but eight are now below their pre-pandemic levels. Milwaukee, Austin, and Minneapolis still sit well above 2019, though Austin and Minneapolis saw sharp declines just in the last year. Public perception is starting to catch up: a Gallup poll last October found fewer Americans saying crime had worsened in the previous year, and fear about crime in their own neighborhoods also eased. President Trump, who returned to office after campaigning on warnings of migrant-driven violence, has pointed to the deployment of National Guard troops and aggressive immigration enforcement in cities like Washington and Minneapolis as proof his policies are working. But criminologists interviewed by the Times say there is little evidence that federal actions explain the national trend. Crime was "already declining" before Trump resumed office, according to the outlet, which found only 7% of immigration detainees had prior violent convictions. Some experts see violence decreasing as cybercrime rages. Others point to changing social behavior, therapy programs, and initiatives focused on those most likely to commit violence. BEIJING, Jan. 22 (Xinhua) -- One winter day, as writer Xu Kun raced to meet a deadline, she received a neighborhood notice announcing a temporary power outage. She turned to her residents' chat group to ask if anyone could recommend a nearby place with heating and internet access where she could read and write. At her neighbors' suggestion, Xu made her way to a local cultural center located over 1 km away. The four-story public facility housed a library, a cinema and training spaces, all well equipped and free to the public. Yet every seat in the second-floor library was already taken. "It wasn't until then that I realized that even with such public reading spaces, supply still couldn't meet demand," Xu said. Her experience reflects a broader reality highlighted in China's newly released Regulation on the Promotion of Nationwide Reading, which calls on governments at all levels to expand reading facilities, improve services and create a more supportive reading environment. The regulation, which was promulgated by the State Council last December and will take effect on Feb. 1, is a part of China's drive to cultivate a book-loving society and a socialist cultural powerhouse. EMBEDDING READING IN DAILY LIFE The continuity of Chinese civilization for over five millennia is closely tied to a long-standing reverence for learning and reading. In recent years, however, fragmented reading habits and utilitarian approaches to reading have raised concerns. The regulation aims to foster a society in which reading is widely valued, well-guided and deeply embedded in daily life. It designates the fourth week of April each year as national reading week, encouraging reading activities nationwide. Legal experts emphasize that it is an administrative regulation aimed at "safeguarding and promoting nationwide reading." Rather than regulating individuals, it places responsibility on governments at all levels to ensure the necessary conditions for reading. "By clearly defining responsibilities through administrative regulation, it provides strong institutional support for a nationwide reading promotion system that is inclusive, equitable and efficient," said Wu Shulin, chairman of the Publishers Association of China. The regulation requires governments at or above the county level to include funding for reading promotion in their budgets. It also encourages government offices, schools, enterprises and public institutions to establish various reading facilities, while calling on bookstores to upgrade their reading environments and organize related activities. "The vitality of reading lies in accessibility," said Feng Shixin, president of the Chinese Academy of Press and Publication. This regulation helps integrate reading into everyday life, allowing people to experience reading as a natural part of life, he added. The regulation encourages public venues such as railway stations, airports and shopping malls to install reading facilities. Parks and tourist attractions are also encouraged to provide suitable reading spaces where conditions permit. Some cities have already made initial attempts. In Sanya, in the southern island province of Hainan, a seaside book fair allows visitors to read on the beach, blending natural scenery with cultural engagement. In cities such as Beijing and Wuhan, libraries have been introduced into subway stations, where commuters can scan QR codes to access quality books for free. In the future, more urban reading rooms, community libraries and digital platforms are expected to emerge, making reading facilities increasingly ubiquitous. PROMOTING READING FOR ALL The regulation places special emphasis on protecting the reading rights of minors, senior citizens and people with disabilities, stressing the importance of providing services tailored to their needs. For minors, parents and other guardians are encouraged to lead by example by promoting family and parent-child reading, helping young readers cultivate strong and lasting reading habits. It also prioritizes support for rural areas, former revolutionary base areas, ethnic minority regions, border areas, and less-developed regions, to ensure balanced development. "These targeted measures are designed to address real challenges and ensure that efforts to promote reading reach every corner of the grassroots level," said Lu Shaoyang, a professor at Peking University's School of Journalism and Communication. OPTIMIZING CONTENT SUPPLY The regulation also sets clear requirements for improving the supply of reading content, urging publishers to produce more high-quality works with intellectual depth, artistic excellence and high production standards. Notably, it makes clear that reading is no longer confined to print. Digital reading is encouraged alongside traditional formats, with a focus on expanding access to quality digital content. At the recent 2026 Beijing Book Fair, a key platform for promoting nationwide reading, achievements in artificial intelligence and digital publishing took center stage. The Encyclopedia of China Publishing House showcased its core digital products, including immersive "smart classrooms" that use technologies such as VR to offer interdisciplinary learning experiences for young readers, with topics ranging from China's Tiangong space station and human anatomy to the age of dinosaurs. "In the era of intelligence, systematic intellectual properties of the publishing industry are gaining unprecedented value," Wu Shulin said. "The industry must actively embrace technology and turn these properties into a growth impetus." Washington is quietly testing whether the playbook it used in Caracas can be run again 90 miles off Florida's coast. According to US officials and people briefed on internal discussions, the Trump administration is actively looking for senior figures inside Cuba's government who might be willing to help push out the Communist leadership by year's end, reports the Wall Street Journal . The effort follows the US-led operation that removed Venezuela's Nicolas Maduro, which the White House now casts as both a model and an implicit warning to Havana. While officials acknowledge they lack a detailed succession plan for Cuba, they describe the current regime as more vulnerable than at any point since the early 1960s, citing severe shortages, blackouts, and the loss of subsidized Venezuelan oil. President Trump has publicly urged Cuba's leaders to make a deal "before it is too late," per the BBC, as his administration seeks to tighten pressure on multiple fronts: blocking remaining oil flows from Venezuela, targeting Cuba's lucrative overseas medical missions with visa bans, and signaling that the Maduro raidaided by a high-level Venezuelan insider and resulting in the deaths of dozens of Cuban operativesshould be read as a deterrent. "Cuba's rulers are incompetent Marxists who have destroyed their country," a White House official said, arguing that Havana must choose between stepping aside or improving living standards. The State Department frames the objective as a transition to a democratic government that does not host US adversaries' military or intelligence services. Behind the scenes, US officials and Cuban exile groups in Miami and Washington are trying to identify any potential dealmaker within the island's single-party system, though analysts caution that Cuba, unlike Venezuela, is "a much tougher nut to crack." The government, still dominated by 94-year-old Raul Castro and led day-to-day by President Miguel Diaz-Canel, has rejected any talks "based on coercion or intimidation" and staged a national defense drill to project readiness for a US attack. But as fuel shortages and power cuts leave Havana streets dark and trash uncollected, Trump allies in Florida have been dreaming of transformation, circulating AI-generated visions of a post-Communist Cuba, with Trump and Marco Rubio driving a vintage convertible past new hotels. New York City is trying to stop a TV project from the Eric Adams era before it ever hits the screen. In a lawsuit filed on Wednesday, the city moved to block the release of Behind the Badge, a planned docuseries created by Jordan McGraw, son of TV host Dr. Phil McGraw, after the younger McGraw was granted rare, close-up access to NYPD officers on duty, per NBC News . The suit, brought by Mayor Zohran Mamdani's Law Department, says rough cuts and raw footage McGraw turned over in December expose undercover officers' faces, voices, and names; show witnesses, crime victims, and individuals in custody without consent; and even reveal a security passcode to a precinct door. City attorneys warn that the content, if released as is, poses an "imminent" risk to officer safety. The deal itself was controversial inside City Hall, according to two officials with knowledge of the project. They say Adams personally pushed the agreement, over protests from Police Commissioner Jessica Tisch and despite concerns about sensitive operations being filmed. The arrangement gave McGraw access to shadow officers and produce a multipart series meant to showcase NYPD work. A separate consulting firm linked to him, Fairfax Digital LLC, quietly collected $500,000 from Adams' 2025 reelection campaign. State records show no Texas company by that name, and a watchdog group, Reinvent Albany, has questioned campaign payments to LLCs without clearly identified owners. The city argues that McGraw violated a contract clause granting city officials 10 days to veto material on safety or confidentiality grounds. The complaintwhich the New York Times notes accuses McGraw of breach of contractalleges that he's seeking to sell the footage for possible broadcast in 2026, per NBC. McGraw's attorney counters that the city is attempting to illegally restrain coverage "on a matter of public concern," reports NBC New York. Adams, whose term ended Dec. 31, and whose federal corruption case was dismissed before the contract was signed, has publicly defended the project, praising McGraw's work and saying it shows "the real story" of NYPD officers. The NYPD declined comment, and McGraw hasn't addressed questions about his campaign-related business ties. Landslides hit a house and a campground in New Zealand on Thursday, leaving at least two dead while emergency crews tried to rescue others buried in the rubble, officials said. The first landslide hit a house in the community of Welcome Bay, on New Zealand's North Island, at 4:50am, police said, per the AP . Two people escaped the house, and the bodies of two who were trapped inside were recovered hours later, according to Emergency Management Minister Mark Mitchell. Later the same morning, emergency services were called to a second slide at the base of nearby Mount Maunganui. The rubble hit Beachside Holiday Park, in the town named after the extinct volcano. Police Superintendent Tim Anderson said the number of people missing was in the "single figures." No survivors or bodies had been recovered by late Thursday from the Mount Maunganui rubble, where dogs were being used to sniff for victims, Mitchell said. Further north near Warkworth, a man was missing after floodwaters swept him from a road Wednesday morning as heavy rain lashed large swaths of the North Island, a police statement said. New Zealand Prime Minister Christopher Luxon urged residents in affected areas to heed local authorities' safety advice during these severe conditions. "Extreme weather continues to cause dangerous conditions across the North Island," Luxon posted on social media. "Right now, the government is doing everything we can to support those impacted." William Pike, a commander with Fire and Emergency NZ, said there were some signs of life immediately after the Mount Maunganui landslide. "Members of the public ... tried to get into the rubble and did hear some voices," Pike told reporters. "Our initial fire crew arrived and ... were able to hear the same. Shortly after our initial crew arrived, we withdrew everyone from the site due to possible movement and slip." Australian tourist Sonny Worrall said he was lazing in a hot pool at the campground when he heard, then saw the landslide. "I looked behind me and there's a huge landslide coming down. And I'm still shaking from it now," Worrall told New Zealand's 1News. "I turned around and I had to jump out from my seat as fast as I could and just run." He looked back to see the rubble carrying a travel trailer behind him. "It was like the scariest thing I've ever experienced in my life," Worrall added. Elizabeth Hurley told a London court she believes journalists were literally listening at her windows. In a witness statement read at the Royal Courts of Justice on Thursday, the actor said she felt "crushed" by what she called a "brutal invasion of privacy" by Associated Newspapers Limited, the publisher of the Daily Mail and Mail on Sunday, per the BBC . The actor and model, who's joined Prince Harry and five other prominent figures suing ANL, alleges landlines at her homes were tapped and secret microphones were placed on her windows as part of efforts to obtain stories over a roughly 20-year periodallegations ANL denies. Hurley also claims the publisher stole her medical records while she was pregnant. Her claim focuses on 15 articles she says drew on unlawfully obtained information, including five about her son Damian and his father. Asked why she hadn't sued earlier, she said she'd thought legal complaints were only for libel and that the stories were "in essence true." She now believes they were based on illegally gathered material. "I believe that is because people were listening to me speak," she said. When ANL lawyer Antony White KC suggested there had been "leaks in your camp," Hurley maintained close friends would not have spoken to the press without her approval. "There were microphones on the windowsill of my dining room," she said, per the Guardian. She and Harry are suing ANL alongside actor Sadie Frost, Sir Elton John and David Furnish, former MP Sir Simon Hughes, and Baroness Doreen Lawrence. They accuse the publisher of "clear, systematic and sustained" unlawful information gathering, including phone tapping, bugging, and blagging, between 1993 and at least 2018. The case marks Harry's third major legal fight with the British press, following his 2023 victory against Mirror Group Newspapers and a settlement with the Sun's publisher in January 2025. Harry, who's attended court all week, previously told the trial that he felt his every move was tracked "just for the Mail to make money out of it," per Sky News. He added the press has continued to make his wife Meghan's life "an absolute misery." ANL has repeatedly rejected the claims. White has argued the claimants are "clutching at straws" and that reporters have given a "compelling" account of legitimate sourcing, including tips from celebrities' social circles. He also grilled Hurley about bringing the claims too late, following a 2016 cutoff date, though Hurley maintains she did not become aware of the serious allegations until later, per the Guardian. The civil trial, overseen by a judge without a jury, is expected to run for nine weeks. A hiker on California's Mount Whitney apparently made the right choice to turn around during a summit attemptbecause companion who continued on alone has now been found dead. The hiker who plunged ahead, still unidentified, is now the third to die this season on the highest peak in the contiguous US, reports the Los Angeles Times . He and his companion had set out just before noon Saturday, reaching about 12,500 feet of elevation by 3:30pm Sunday, per KOLO . That's when one hiker opted to turn around, due to what Inyo County Search & Rescue described as safety concerns. That individual called for help Monday when the other hiker failed to return to the trailhead. Rescuers launched an aerial search and located the body on the mountain's north face, just below the so-called "final 400," a steep, exposed chute that becomes especially hazardous in winter. In a statement, the rescue team linked the latest fatality to a pattern of serious winter accidents in the region and warned that climbs like Whitney and nearby Mount Baldy are "serious mountaineering endeavors, not hikes" once snow and ice set in. "Winter conditions leave little margin for error, and the consequences can be severe," the post said, adding that when someone in a group voices safety worries, those should be heeded. The death comes after a 21-year-old climber's body was recovered from the mountain in December after a weeks-long search. Another hiker died in October after a fall amid early snow; both were found on the notoriously tricky 99 Switchbacks section. Several climbers have also been killed this winter on Mount Baldy in Los Angeles County. Search and rescue officials urge anyone attempting Whitney in the coming months to carry crampons and an ice ax, travel in groups, and bring a satellite communication device in case conditions turn dangerous. An autopsy privately ordered by the family of Renee Good concludes she was likely killed by a gunshot to the head, attorneys for her relatives said Wednesday, per NBC News . The independent pathologist found that Good, 37, had three distinct gunshot wounds and a graze injury, according to the family's legal team. Two bullets hit her bodyone in the left forearm and one in the right breastbut those injuries didn't immediately cause a threat to her life, the lawyers said. The third round, however, entered near her left temple and exited the right side of her head, which was apparently the deadly shot. The attorneys said the examination was performed by a "highly respected" outside medical expert. The autopsy findings generally sync with injuries cited in previously released reports from first responders, where the only difference is that those reports said that Good had two gunshot wounds to her chest, not one. It's not clear where the graze injury cited in the autopsy was, which was said to be "consistent with a firearm injury, but with no penetration," per the New York Times. Good was shot and killed on Jan. 7 while in the driver's seat of her SUV during a confrontation with Immigration and Customs Enforcement officer Jonathan Ross in a Minneapolis neighborhood. Cellphone video shows officers telling Good to get out of the vehicle as her partner, standing outside the SUV, taunts Ross. Good turns the steering wheel away from Ross and begins to move the vehicle; multiple shots are heard before her SUV slams into a parked car. In video recorded by Ross, a male voice can be heard using an expletive seconds before the crash. The Hennepin County medical examiner's office has yet to release findings from its own autopsy. The FBI is continuing its investigation of the shooting, though the DOJ is already said to have "cleared" Ross based on video evidence, meaning he's not the subject of a criminal probe by the agency, per the Guardian. Barron Trump's late-night video chat from the US spilled into a London courtroom this week. Prosecutors say the then-18-year-old son of President Trump was on a video call with a woman last winter when he watched her allegedly being punched repeatedly by her ex-boyfriend, 22-year-old Russian national Matvei Rumiantsev. According to testimony at Snaresbrook Crown Court cited by the Guardian , the teen Trump dialed London police just before 2:30am on Jan. 18, 2025, telling the operator, "I just got a call from a girl I know. She's getting beaten up," and urgently pushing for officers to be sent to her address. Bodycam footage showed officers arriving at the woman's home, where she identified herself as a friend of "Barron Trump, Donald Trump's son." One officer is heard remarking that the "informant from America is likely to be Donald Trump's son." The woman then phoned Barron Trump in front of police, and he reportedly explained to cops that he saw her crying and being attacked on the earlier video call, which he said lasted only about 15 seconds. "She called me," Barron, now 19, told police, per the Independent. "I picked up the phone expecting a nice hello or something. I just saw a ceiling and could hear screaming. I could see a guy's head on the phone, and then the camera turns to her crying and getting hit." CNN notes that, according to a transcript of his call to authorities, the younger Trump was able to get through to cops about eight minutes after the video chat. On the stand, the woman said of his call, "He helped save my life," describing its timing as "like a sign from God," per the Guardian. Rumiantsev, who hails from the eastern part of London, is now facing charges that include two counts of rape, intentional strangulation, assault, and perverting the course of justice. He has denied all of the charges. The court heard that he was allegedly jealous of Trump's friendship with the woman and became infuriated when he couldn't reach her earlier that evening. Under cross-examination, when a defense lawyer suggested she'd fabricated her account, the woman replied, "I didn't invent that. That would be completely evil and disgraceful toward people who have been in that situation." The trial is ongoing. A foreign gift is on track to become the president's ride by this summer. The Air Force says the Qatari-funded Boeing 747-8 being converted into a temporary Air Force Oneknown internally as a "VC-25 bridge aircraft"is expected to be ready "no later than summer 2026," the Wall Street Journal reports. Officials haven't given an exact date, but say the jet, already repainted in President Trump's preferred red, white, and dark-blue livery, could potentially appear during July Fourth events marking the nation's 250th anniversary. Elon Musk's homegrown chatbot just got hit with some very unwelcome math. The New York Times reports that Grok, the AI tool integrated into X, appears to have publicly churned out at least 1.8 million sexualized images of women in nine days, according to a Times analysis of platform data. A separate estimate from the Center for Countering Digital Hate pegs the figure even higher, suggesting more than 3 million sexualized images of women, men, and children combined, including an estimated 23,000 involving minors. Both analyses focus on a burst of activity that followed Musk's Dec. 31 post of a Grok-made bikini image of himself. From Dec. 31 to Jan. 8, Grok's output rocketed to about 4.4 million images, many requested by X users asking the bot to strip or sexualize photos of real people, the Times reports. "This is industrial-scale abuse of women and girls," says Imran Ahmed, the chief executive of the CCDH, which conducts research on online hate and disinformation. "There have been nudifying tools, but they have never had the distribution, ease of use, or the integration into a large platform that Elon Musk did with Grok." The CCDH says it defined images as sexualized if they contained "photorealistic depictions of a person in sexual positions, angles, or situations; a person in underwear, swimwear, or similarly revealing clothing; or imagery depicting sexual fluids." X has since tightened some public-facing rules, but still allows sexual content via Grok's app and website. On X, Grok now largely refuses requests to depict women in bikinis but allows images of them in leotards and other kinds of swimsuits, the Times reports. Malaysia and Indonesia have blocked Grok and countries including the US, the UK, and India have launched investigations. After the UK said a ban on X was possible, US State Department official Sarah Rogers warned of possible retaliation, saying "nothing is off the table when it comes to free speech," reports Politico. Canada announced its own investigation last week, the CBC reports. "The use of personal information without consent to create deepfakes, including intimate images, is a growing phenomenon that poses serious risks to individuals' fundamental right to privacy," said Philippe Dufresne, the country's privacy commissioner. Jeff Bezos is doubling down on space with thousands of internet satellites. Blue Origin on Wednesday unveiled TeraWave, a planned communications network built on 5,408 satellites that will target businesses, data centers, and government agencies. The system will use spacecraft in both low and medium Earth orbits and is being pitched as capable of delivering data speeds of up to 6 terabits per second, which Reuters notes is "extreme by consumer standards." In a news release, Blue Origin said the network will "service tens of thousands of enterprise, data center, and government users who require reliable connectivity for critical operations." The company described the network as "purpose-built for enterprise users" and said it was meant to serve a maximum of around 100,000 customers, reports Reuters. The move drops Bezos' rocket company into a high-stakes satellite race currently led by Elon Musk's SpaceX, CNBC reports. Its Starlink service has more than 9,000 satellites in orbit and roughly 9 million customers, largely serving consumers. Amazon, founded by Bezos but now a separate operator in this arena, has its own constellation in the works, recently rebranded from Project Kuiper to Leo. It has launched about 180 satellites since April using rockets from partners including United Launch Alliance and, notably, SpaceX; future launches are expected to fly on Blue Origin rockets. Bezos stepped aside as Amazon's CEO in 2021 but remains the company's executive chairman. Amazon is planning a 3,236-satellite Low Earth Orbit network aimed at businesses, governments, and consumers, with an "enterprise preview" already underway. Other companies with Leo constellations include Eutelsat, OneWeb, Telesat, and multiple Chinese companies, per IoT Insider. Blue Origin, meanwhile, is still best known as a launch provider. It hit a milestone with the first flight of its heavy-lift New Glenn rocket in January and successfully recovered a New Glenn booster for the first time in November after a NASA mission. Bezos, who founded Blue Origin in 2000 and brought in former Amazon devices chief Dave Limp as CEO, has said he believes it will eventually surpass Amazon itself. LOS ANGELES, Jan. 22 (Xinhua) -- As part of a coordinated nationwide student demonstration, high school students across the Las Vegas Valley in the western U.S. state of Nevada walked out of classes on Wednesday to protest actions of the Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). Students at Las Vegas high schools, Legacy High School, Cheyenne High School, Rancho High School and Desert Rose High School participated in walkouts from 10:30 a.m. to 1:11 p.m. local time (1830 to 2111 GMT), according to local media reports. The protests were organized through social media following the Jan. 7 fatal shooting of the U.S. citizen Renee Good in Minneapolis, the state of Minnesota. Student walkouts have been reported in at least 13 states in the last two days, spanning diverse political and geographic regions, including California, Arizona, Washington and Nevada. Demonstrations goes on in major cities, suburbs and smaller towns, highlighting broad youth dissatisfaction with the federal immigration enforcement issue. The Las Vegas walkouts followed a greater coordinated effort on Tuesday, when students at schools across the United States participated in a "Free America Walkout," marking one year of U.S. President Donald Trump's second term. Protesters cited the killing of Good, a 37-year-old mother of three, who was shot by ICE agent Jonathan Ross while sitting in her vehicle. Federal authorities said the agent acted in self-defense, alleging that Good attempted to run him over. Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey, however, disputed the claim after reviewing video footage, calling the federal explanation inaccurate. School district responses varied but generally supported students' constitutional rights, while some said absences were unexcused unless parents provided permission. The demonstrations came amid intensifying ICE enforcement nationwide. Since September 2025, federal immigration officers have shot at least 11 people in enforcement operations, three of whom were killed, according to an NBC News investigation published on Jan. 16. The incidents occurred across multiple states, including Illinois, California, Arizona, Texas, Maryland, Minnesota and Oregon. Russian President Vladimir Putin says he's ready to put money into President Trump's new Gaza reconstruction effortif Washington first hands back Russian funds that are locked down. In a Kremlin meeting with Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas on Thursday, Putin said Moscow could channel $1 billion into Trump's proposed Board of Peace to help Palestinians and rebuild Gaza, but only by tapping Russian assets frozen inside the United States. Those funds were blocked as part of Western sanctions after Russia's invasion of Ukraine in 2022. The US is holding about $5 billion of the roughly $300 billion in Russian state assets immobilized worldwide, most of which are held in Europe. "I think this is quite possible," Putin said of redirecting the held-up money to the Trump-backed initiative, adding that he planned to discuss the idea later on Thursday in Moscow with Trump envoy Steve Witkoff and Trump son-in-law Jared Kushner. Putin said a day earlier that Moscow had received a direct invitation from Trump to join the board, and that he'd tasked Russia's Foreign Ministry with examining the proposal in consultation with "strategic partners." Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters it remains unclear how any unfreezing of Russian assets in the US could be structured under existing law. Still, he framed the offer as a signal that Moscow expects its money back at some point. Russia, he said, has not "lost all hope that our assets will be returned. We will continue our fight, and we will defend our rights." CNBC takes a look at the countries that have already clambered onto the Board of Peace, including the United Arab Emirates, Hungary, Bahrain, Morocco, Argentina, Pakistan, and Jordan, among others. Some of the big names that haven't yet signed on: Canada, France, Germany, Italy, and the United Kingdom. Regarding the UK, the BBC reports that its foreign secretary, Yvette Cooper, has indicated that her nation is hedging mainly due to concerns over Russia's participation. President Trump says there's a Greenland deal in the works, but many details remain very unclear. Trump announced Wednesday that he and NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte had agreed on a "framework" for a future arrangement covering Greenland and the wider Arctic, calling it potentially "great" for the US and all NATO countries. But he offered no details, and Rutte's office later said he hadn't proposed any sovereignty compromise in their meeting. NATO, in its own carefully worded statement, said only that talks between Denmark, Greenland, and the US would aim to ensure Russia and China never gain an economic or military foothold on the island, reports the New York Times . Behind the scenes, however, senior Western officials say NATO military representatives in Brussels have been discussing a territorial workaround similar to British military bases in Cyprus, giving the US sovereign control over small enclaves in Greenland, while leaving overall ownership with Denmark. It's unclear whether that concept is part of what Trump is calling a framework deal. Rutte tells Bloomberg that details of sovereignty were not discussed. He said there was also no discussion of an increased US troop presence, though Denmark has said it is "completely open" to that scenario. Trump told Fox Business that details are still being negotiated, but "essentially it's total access. There's no end, there's no time limit." Before Trump's Wednesday announcement, alliance officials weighed options to defuse a standoff that has seen Trump threaten tariffs and hint at "excessive strength and force" if Washington didn't get what he repeatedly described as US "ownership" of Greenland, the Times reports. In his speech at Davos before the "framework" was announced, Trump ruled out using military force to seize Greenland. Sources tell the Wall Street Journal that there was no written agreement and the meeting with Rutte was a way for Trump to back down from his threats without losing face. "I don't think there's a deal at all at the moment. I mean, it's a sort of a fake deal so far," former UK Defense Secretary Ben Wallace said. Denmark's prime minister's office did not immediately comment, but key lawmakers in Copenhagen reiterated that they will not hand over the island, even as some welcomed Trump's explicit promise not to use military force. Aaja Chemnitz, a Greenlandic member of Denmark's Parliament, called Trump's claims "completely absurd," insisting NATO has "absolutely no mandate" to negotiate over the territory without Greenlanders at the table. Jens-Frederik Nielsen, Greenland's prime minister, said Thursday that he doesn't know the details of the proposed deal but Greenland is ready for "respectful and good dialogue," the Guardian reports. He said sovereignty and territorial integrity remain red lines and when it comes to minerals, anybody extracting resources will have to "respect our legislation and our very high environmental standards." After back-to-back fatal train crashes rattled Spain, some good news arrived on Thursday: Boro, a missing dog , was found. Days earlier, Boro's owner Ana Garcia issued a desperate plea to help find him after the dog bolted Sunday in the aftermath of the high-speed train crash in southern Spain that killed at least 45 people. Garcia, 26, and her pregnant sister were traveling with Boro on the train that derailed. On Thursday, forest firefighters in southern Spain found the black-and-white dog, and posted images that showed Garcia embracing Boro. "Many thanks to all of Spain and everyone who has got involved so much," she said. "It gave me great hope and we've done it." The search for Boro appeared to provide Spaniards something to hope for amid the week's tragedy, and ultimately something to celebrate. For days, people had rallied online to find him, amplifying Garcia's call by sharing video of an interview she had given to local media. Photos of Boro went viral alongside phone numbers for Garcia and her family, while Spanish television broadcasters and newspapers covered the search. Boro ran off as rescue crews helped Garcia and her sister out of their tilted train car on Sunday. Emmanuel Macron's sunglasses just handed a small Italian eyewear company a very big day on the market. Shares of iVision Tech, which owns French luxury brand Henry Jullien, jumped nearly 28% on Thursday after the French president's appearance at the World Economic Forum in Davoswhile wearing aviator-style shades indoorsexploded across social media. The rally added roughly $4.1 million to the Milan-listed firm's market value. Stefano Fulchir, the company's CEO, told Reuters the sudden surge was "certainly" linked to the viral moment and identified the frames as Henry Jullien's Pacific S 01 model, which sells on the company's site for about $770. He said demand caused the website to crash. Fulchir said he recognized the glasses and that he had sent the pair to Macron in 2024. "I said I would be happy to send him a pair but they said no. He did not accept them as a gift, but wanted to purchase them personally," he said, per the Guardian. "The French president paid a lot of attention to whether the glasses were entirely made in France." The president's office, which said Macron wore the sunglasses to shield a burst blood vessel in his eye, declined to confirm the brand. At a military event last week, Macron downplayed the eye condition, calling it "benign" and "insignificant," the BBC reports. He joked about the famous Survivor song, saying it was " l'oeil du tigre" or the "eye of the tiger." Online, the look drew a wave of memes and comparisons to Tom Cruise's fighter-pilot character in the 1986 film Top Gun. President Trump mocked Macron in his Davos speech Wednesday, saying, "I watched him yesterday, with those beautiful sunglasses. What the hell happened?" Politico notes that wearing an eyepatch was not an option for Macron. In 2023, then-Chancellor of Germany Olaf Scholz was ruthlessly mocked with pirate memes after he wore one to cover an eye injuryand in France, eye patches were long associated with far-right leader Jean-Marie Le Pen. The big story out of Thursday's Oscar nominations is the record of 16 set by the movie Sinners. But as always, the list of nominees also includes surprises and perceived snubs. Here are some of the bigger ones, as rounded up by People, the Los Angeles Times, and Deadline. Snubs Wicked: For Goodthe sequel to the heavily nominated 2025 hitwas shut out entirely. That means no best actress nod for Cynthia Erivo, and no supporting actress nomination for Ariana Grande. Rising star Chase Infiniti, widely seen as a frontrunner, did not receive a best actress nomination for her role in One Battle After Another. Paul Mescal did well on the pre-Oscars circuit but did not get a best actor nomination for Hamnet, in which he plays a grieving William Shakespeare. Benny Safdie's MMA drama The Smashing Machine failed to convert Golden Globe buzz for Dwayne Johnson and Emily Blunt into Oscar recognition. Noah Baumbach's Hollywood-set Jay Kelly left both George Clooney and Adam Sandler off the ballot. Jack Smith walked into a congressional hearing on Thursday for what may be his only public opportunity to explain why he twice charged Donald Trump with federal crimesand to insist politics had nothing to do with those decisions. "No one should be above the law in this country," the former special counsel told lawmakers, arguing that the evidence compelled him to act. Smith accused the president of orchestrating "a criminal scheme to overturn the results" of the 2020 election, the New York Times reports, and said Trump's conduct "undermined democracy and the rule of law." House Republicans, led by Judiciary Committee Chair Jim Jordan, used the hearing to paint Smith as part of a partisan project to head off Trump's political comeback. Jordan accused Smith and his team of interfering in "the democratic process" by pursuing a candidate for high office. With the president apparently watching the televised hearing, GOP members repeatedly alleged a Democratic-driven conspiracy but introduced no new factual support, focusing instead on Smith's efforts to obtain phone metadata for Trump and allies who were trying to reverse the election outcome. Smith, whose indictments in Washington and Florida ultimately collapsed in court, kept his responses controlled and sparse, a contrast to the heated exchanges on the dais. He declined to delve into the still-sealed details of the classified documents case overseen by a Trump-appointed judge, sticking mostly to the election interference indictment. The session unfolded against an aggressive campaign by Trump allies to discredit Smith and those who once investigated the former president, per the Post. The FBInow led by Trump ally Kash Patelhas been sifting internal records for material on past Trump-related probes, drawing criticism that the bureau is being used to settle political scores. Calling the former special prosecutor "a deranged animal" who has "destroyed many lives under the guise of legitimacy," Trump posted Thursday on Truth Social that Smith was losing in the appearance. Still, Republican members had not rebutted the findings of Smith's findings on the classified documents or the 2020 election, per Politico. Trump also said he hopes Attorney General Pam Bondi is investigating Smith's actions. At one point, Smith told the committee he expects prosecutors in the Justice Department to "find some way" to indict him, per the Hill. "They've been ordered to by the president," he said. We have used your information to see if you have a subscription with us, but did not find one. Please use the button below to verify an existing account or to purchase a new subscription. BEIJING, Jan. 22 (Xinhua) -- China expressed deep condolences to victims of a shopping mall fire in Pakistan's Karachi and sympathies to the bereaved families and the injured, according to Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Guo Jiakun on Thursday. Guo wished the injured a speedy recovery at a news briefing. The death toll from the fire in Pakistan's southern port city of Karachi had climbed to 60 after at least 30 bodies were recovered from a shop of the multi-storey building, local officials said on Wednesday. The Public Safety Report is compiled from criminal complaints filed in state and federal courts, as well as some police blotter information, trooper dispatches, fire department reports and interviews with public safety officials. Individuals named as arrested and/or charged with crimes in this report are presumed innocent until proved guilty in a court of law. Following an overwhelmingly positive debut of its new Zellers 3.0 concept, the iconic Canadian retailer builds momentum with expansion plans across Canada. TORONTO, Jan. 22, 2026 /CNW/ - Zellers is building strong momentum following the successful opening of its first new standalone store at Londonderry Mall in Edmonton last October. The debut of the Zellers 3.0 concept was met with enthusiastic customer response, reaffirming the enduring emotional connection Canadians have with the brand and validating the demand for a modern, value-driven department store experience. Zeddy Mascot at the Londonderry Zellers Store (CNW Group/Zellers) From opening day, the Londonderry Mall location welcomed waves of excited shoppers eager to experience the refreshed Zellers firsthand. Customers responded positively to the store's approachable format, curated product mix, and accessible price points - all while embracing the nostalgic elements that have defined the brand for generations. The opening also marked the official in-store reveal of Zeddy, Zellers' beloved mascot, whose return was met with visible excitement from families and longtime fans alike, reinforcing Zellers' unique place in Canadian retail culture. The Edmonton store introduced a thoughtfully curated assortment across men's, women's, kids' and baby apparel, footwear, accessories, home essentials, and seasonal categories. Shoppers were drawn to recognizable national and global brands alongside everyday lifestyle staples, delivering strong perceived value and an easy-to-navigate shopping experience. The response has underscored the strength of Zellers' small-format department store model and its ability to resonate with today's Canadian consumer. "Launching our first store exceeded our expectations in every way," said Joey Benitah, Chief Operating Officer of Zellers. "The excitement we saw on opening day has continued well beyond the launch, with consistent customer traffic, overwhelmingly positive feedback, and sales performance that continues to surpass our internal targets. Canadians have shown a deep love for the Zellers name, strong enthusiasm for the new store concept, and genuine appreciation for the product selection and value we're delivering. Seeing that level of sustained engagement has been incredibly rewarding, and it reinforces that we're building something truly meaningful." Looking Ahead: Expansion Plans Across Canada With a successful first store launch, Zellers is actively pursuing new leasing opportunities across Canada as part of its phased national expansion strategy. The brand is focused on securing locations in every major Canadian market, with flexibility at the core of its real estate approach to ensure thoughtful, sustainable growth. "Our goal is to bring Zellers back to communities across the country, and we're already in active conversations with landlords nationwide as we explore opportunities in all major Canadian markets," said Benitah. "At the same time, we're actively listening to our customers and paying close attention to what they're telling us they want to see more of. That feedback is directly informing how we evolve our offerings, refine the store experience, and introduce new categories and brands over time." Additional announcements related to new store locations, expanded assortments, and future phases of the Zellers 3.0 concept will be shared in the coming months. Image selects from the Zellers' Londonderry Mall store opening: see HERE. About Zellers Zellers is one of Canada's most iconic retail brands, proudly serving generations of Canadians since 1928. Long celebrated for everyday value, friendly service, and a family-first shopping experience, the brand has been reimagined for today's consumer with the launch of Zellers 3.0 - a small-format department store blending heritage with contemporary design. Quebec-based retailer Les Ailes de la Mode Inc. acquired the Zellers trademarks from Hudson's Bay Company Inc. in August 2025. Zellers' next chapter focuses on curated assortments across apparel, home, and lifestyle, with the beloved Zeddy mascot returning alongside a renewed commitment to community, accessibility, and affordability. Stay tuned for updates at Zellers.com and on social media at @zellers1928 SOURCE Zellers Media Contact: Victoria Baker, [email protected] KAMPALA, Jan. 22 (Xinhua) -- Polls opened across Uganda on Thursday morning for local and city council elections, with tight security deployed nationwide. Voters queued to cast ballots for thousands of candidates contesting positions in district, city, and village councils. According to the Electoral Commission, Uganda's electoral body, more than 21 million Ugandans are eligible to elect district and city chairpersons, city lord mayors, and councillors across the country's 146 districts. Voting began at 7:00 a.m. local time (0400 GMT) at more than 50,000 polling stations nationwide and is scheduled to end at 4:00 p.m. local time (1300 GMT). Local media reported generally low voter turnout at many polling stations across the country. Rachael Kawala, spokesperson for the Kampala Metropolitan Police, said in a statement that security agencies were deployed adequately to ensure public safety during and after the elections. "Individuals planning to cause disruptions, violence, or engage in any unlawful acts are strongly warned to desist. Lawlessness will not be tolerated," Kawala said. "We therefore call upon the public to remain calm, peaceful, and cooperative throughout this period." Uganda last week held general elections to elect the president, 353 directly elected members of parliament, and 146 district women representatives in parliament. Tourists view light decorations displayed at the Confucius Temple scenic area during the 40th Qinhuai Lantern Festival in Nanjing, east China's Jiangsu Province, Jan. 21, 2026. The lighting ceremony of the festival was held at the Bailuzhou Park on Wednesday. The festival can be visited in several exhibition areas near the Qinhuai river in the city of Nanjing. (Photo by Liu Jianhua/Xinhua) Tourists view light decorations displayed at the Confucius Temple scenic area during the 40th Qinhuai Lantern Festival in Nanjing, east China's Jiangsu Province, Jan. 21, 2026. The lighting ceremony of the festival was held at the Bailuzhou Park on Wednesday. The festival can be visited in several exhibition areas near the Qinhuai river in the city of Nanjing. (Photo by Su Yang/Xinhua) Tourists view light decorations displayed at the Confucius Temple scenic area during the 40th Qinhuai Lantern Festival in Nanjing, east China's Jiangsu Province, Jan. 21, 2026. The lighting ceremony of the festival was held at the Bailuzhou Park on Wednesday. The festival can be visited in several exhibition areas near the Qinhuai river in the city of Nanjing. (Photo by Xin Yi/Xinhua) Tourists view light decorations displayed at the Confucius Temple scenic area during the 40th Qinhuai Lantern Festival in Nanjing, east China's Jiangsu Province, Jan. 21, 2026. The lighting ceremony of the festival was held at the Bailuzhou Park on Wednesday. The festival can be visited in several exhibition areas near the Qinhuai river in the city of Nanjing. (Photo by Sun Zhongnan/Xinhua) Tourists view light decorations displayed at the Confucius Temple scenic area during the 40th Qinhuai Lantern Festival in Nanjing, east China's Jiangsu Province, Jan. 21, 2026. The lighting ceremony of the festival was held at the Bailuzhou Park on Wednesday. The festival can be visited in several exhibition areas near the Qinhuai river in the city of Nanjing. (Photo by Su Yang/Xinhua) Tourists view light decorations displayed at the Confucius Temple scenic area during the 40th Qinhuai Lantern Festival in Nanjing, east China's Jiangsu Province, Jan. 21, 2026. The lighting ceremony of the festival was held at the Bailuzhou Park on Wednesday. The festival can be visited in several exhibition areas near the Qinhuai river in the city of Nanjing. (Photo by Su Yang/Xinhua) Tourists view light decorations displayed at the Confucius Temple scenic area during the 40th Qinhuai Lantern Festival in Nanjing, east China's Jiangsu Province, Jan. 21, 2026. The lighting ceremony of the festival was held at the Bailuzhou Park on Wednesday. The festival can be visited in several exhibition areas near the Qinhuai river in the city of Nanjing. (Photo by Yang Suping/Xinhua) Tourists view light decorations displayed at a scenic area during the 40th Qinhuai Lantern Festival in Nanjing, east China's Jiangsu Province, Jan. 21, 2026. The lighting ceremony of the festival was held at the Bailuzhou Park on Wednesday. The festival can be visited in several exhibition areas near the Qinhuai river in the city of Nanjing. (Photo by Liu Jianhua/Xinhua) Tourists take a boat viewing light decorations displayed at the Bailuzhou Park during the 40th Qinhuai Lantern Festival in Nanjing, east China's Jiangsu Province, Jan. 21, 2026. The lighting ceremony of the festival was held at the Bailuzhou Park on Wednesday. The festival can be visited in several exhibition areas near the Qinhuai river in the city of Nanjing. (Xinhua/Li Bo) Tourists view light decorations displayed at the Bailuzhou Park during the 40th Qinhuai Lantern Festival in Nanjing, east China's Jiangsu Province, Jan. 21, 2026. The lighting ceremony of the festival was held at the Bailuzhou Park on Wednesday. The festival can be visited in several exhibition areas near the Qinhuai river in the city of Nanjing. (Xinhua/Li Bo) A tourist views light decorations displayed at the Bailuzhou Park during the 40th Qinhuai Lantern Festival in Nanjing, east China's Jiangsu Province, Jan. 21, 2026. The lighting ceremony of the festival was held at the Bailuzhou Park on Wednesday. The festival can be visited in several exhibition areas near the Qinhuai river in the city of Nanjing. (Xinhua/Li Bo) This photo taken on Jan. 21, 2026 shows light decorations displayed at the Bailuzhou Park during the 40th Qinhuai Lantern Festival in Nanjing, east China's Jiangsu Province. The lighting ceremony of the festival was held at the Bailuzhou Park on Wednesday. The festival can be visited in several exhibition areas near the Qinhuai river in the city of Nanjing. (Xinhua/Li Bo) Tourists take a boat viewing light decorations displayed at the Bailuzhou Park during the 40th Qinhuai Lantern Festival in Nanjing, east China's Jiangsu Province, Jan. 21, 2026. The lighting ceremony of the festival was held at the Bailuzhou Park on Wednesday. The festival can be visited in several exhibition areas near the Qinhuai river in the city of Nanjing. (Xinhua/Li Bo) This photo taken on Jan. 21, 2026 shows light decorations displayed at the Bailuzhou Park during the 40th Qinhuai Lantern Festival in Nanjing, east China's Jiangsu Province. The lighting ceremony of the festival was held at the Bailuzhou Park on Wednesday. The festival can be visited in several exhibition areas near the Qinhuai river in the city of Nanjing. (Xinhua/Li Bo) A tourist views light decorations displayed at the Bailuzhou Park during the 40th Qinhuai Lantern Festival in Nanjing, east China's Jiangsu Province, Jan. 21, 2026. The lighting ceremony of the festival was held at the Bailuzhou Park on Wednesday. The festival can be visited in several exhibition areas near the Qinhuai river in the city of Nanjing. (Photo by Liu Zhenrui/Xinhua) Tourists take a boat viewing light decorations displayed at the Bailuzhou Park during the 40th Qinhuai Lantern Festival in Nanjing, east China's Jiangsu Province, Jan. 21, 2026. The lighting ceremony of the festival was held at the Bailuzhou Park on Wednesday. The festival can be visited in several exhibition areas near the Qinhuai river in the city of Nanjing. (Xinhua/Li Bo) PHNOM PENH, Jan. 22 (Xinhua) -- Cambodia exported bicycles worth 609.3 million U.S. dollars in 2025, up 42.7 percent from 426.9 million dollars in the year before, according to the country's commerce ministry. "Bicycles have become one of Cambodia's main manufacturing products for exporting to international markets in addition to garments, shoes, travel goods, and car tires," Ministry of Commerce's Secretary of State and Spokesperson Penn Sovicheat told Xinhua. He said that the bicycles had been sold mainly to the European Union (EU), the United Kingdom, the United States, and Canada, among others. Thong Mengdavid, deputy director at the China-ASEAN Studies Center of the Cambodia University of Technology and Science, said the growth reflected strong manufacturing momentum and rising global demand. "Growth is boosted by improved access to regional supply chains and expanding orders from key markets, particularly the EU market," he told Xinhua. "Bicycles are clean and green for the environment." BEIJING, Jan. 22 (Xinhua) -- China firmly opposes the European Union (EU)'s move to list some Chinese enterprises as so-called "high-risk suppliers," the Ministry of Commerce said on Thursday. Ministry spokesperson He Yongqian told a regular press conference that the EU recently issued documents requiring member states to exclude "high-risk suppliers" from 18 key sectors, including energy, transportation and ICT service management. He added that China has voiced serious concerns over this move. Chinese companies have long operated in Europe in strict compliance with local laws and regulations, delivering high-quality products and services and contributing to Europe's telecom and digital industries, yet the EU has, without any factual basis, listed some Chinese firms as "high-risk suppliers" and restricted their involvement in 5G development, said the spokesperson. China resolutely opposes the EU's discriminatory practices and wrong approach of politicizing economic and trade issues and overextending the concept of security, according to the spokesperson. Atlantic City High Schools principal will return after spending an entire school year on leave while fighting childabuse charges stemming from a case involving the citys mayor and his wife. Constance Days-Chapman will resume her duties as principal duties on Monday after being reinstated this week, her attorney Lee Vartan told NJ Advance Media. I am incredibly thankful for the outpouring of love, encouragement, and prayers throughout this entire journey, Days-Chapman said in a statement provided by Vartan. The principal faced official misconduct charges for not reporting child abuse claims made by the daughter of Mayor Marty Small Sr. and LaQuetta Small. Days-Chapman pleaded not guilty to her indictment, arguing she was used as collateral damage to prosecute the Smalls. She has been on paid leave since she was charged in April 2024. She was temporarily replaced by Donald Harris, the high schools director of secondary education. Authorities charged DaysChapman in a case alleging that Mayor Marty Small and his wife, schools superintendent LaQuetta Small, physically and emotionally abused their daughter. Marty Small was found not guilty on all charges after a jury trial last month. That prompted the Atlantic County Prosecutors Office to dismiss the other two cases last week, court records show. Days-Chapman unsuccessfully fought for a judge to dismiss her charges earlier this year. Investigators alleged that Days-Chapman did not report the teens abuse allegations to state child welfare services as required by law. Instead, she approached the Smalls directly, meeting with both of them outside their home. Days-Chapman previously worked for Marty Smalls reelection campaign and has been active with the local Democratic party. I am looking forward to returning to Atlantic City High School next week to reunite with a community I love, reconnect with my staff, embrace my students, and continue building upon the meaningful work weve begun together, she said in a statement. I also look forward to the many great years ahead. Atlantic City Public Schools did not return multiple requests by NJ Advance Media for comment. A grand jury indictment has alleged that a landlord spent months drugging and molesting two men who were renting rooms at his house in South Jersey. Craig Cardella, 60, of Mansfield Township, was charged in the indictment last month with 17 counts of first-degree kidnapping, 18 counts each of third-degree aggravated criminal sexual contact, invasion of privacy and endangering another person; and one count of fourth-degree stalking, the Burlington County Prosecutors Office said on Wednesday. On Tuesday, he appeared in Burlington County Superior Court and entered a plea of not guilty. The case will now proceed to trial. In December 2024, a man renting a room from Cardella at his Mansfield Township home reported that he woke up in the middle of the night to find the landlord in bed with him. The tenant also reported that Cardella was holding a mask over his face while touching him sexually, authorities said. An investigation later found that two male tenants were drugged and sexually assaulted by Cardella on separate occasions, both spanning several months, officials said. During a search of his home, detectives unlocked a safe in his closet, where they found two bottles of chloroform, prescription sleep medication, medical masks, a camcorder and digital storage devices, prosecutors said. Chloroform is an anesthetic that, due to its health risks, has not been used on patients since the mid-20th century. Authorities allege that Cardella was using it to prevent his victims from waking up, rendering them helpless. Officials are asking any other victims to contact Mansfield Police Department detective Kenneth Allen at allen@mansfieldpd.org. UPDATE: The missing 69-year-old woman has been found safe and in good health, Gloucester Township police said Friday. Gloucester Township Police are seeking the publics help in locating a missing and endangered woman who did not return home from a trip to Guyana. The woman was last heard from by family members on Oct. 3, 2025, and was reported missing on Oct. 28, 2025, according to police. She traveled internationally to Guyana and was scheduled to return home during the week of Jan. 12. However, she did not return as planned and her whereabouts remain unknown, authorities said. The couple meticulously prepared their application for a $1.2 million grant, laying out their organizations transportation services for elderly, disabled, and low-income people. But the documents Jael Watts and Luis Pino-Copete submitted to New York state transportation officials were fake, federal prosecutors say. I will make up a report, Watts texted her husband, according to court records. There is no way for them to tell the difference. I hope they dont ask for anything else, he responded. They did. Each request for more documentation regarding their organization Pearl Transit was met with another set of fabricated records, including fake employee lists, payroll records, and insurance documents, according to the indictment. The phone numbers, addresses and social security information the couple provided either went nowhere or didnt match the supposed employees, spurring officials to dig deeper. The Cumberland County couple is charged with conspiracy to commit wire fraud. Watts also faces ten counts of wire fraud and a count of aggravated identity theft. The scheme began as early as March 2022, when Watts, 44, and Pino-Copete, 41, submitted grant applications to New York transportation state officials. They had 86 employees, racked up roughly $1.5 million in annual expenses, and operated in New York, North Carolina, Georgia, Florida, Michigan, Tennessee, Indiana and California, they said. The organization, established in New Jersey in 2005, doesnt appear to have employed or transported anyone at least not in New York, federal prosecutors allege. Its address lead to one of a virtual office space, which was just a professional mailing address without any actual staff or operations on site. While the couple reported payroll and other expenses, bank records revealed that very few payments appeared to be for a rideshare business. Instead, they spent nearly $2.6 million on personal purchases such as travel, clothing, and other non-business expenses. Everybody wondered where she was getting all that money from, said Claude Jay Jordan, a neighbor who said he didnt know the couple well. Watts was arrested at her home last July and has remained in custody since. A judge denied her request for bail after phone recordings allegedly suggested she and Pino-Copete were plotting to hide assets and destroy evidence. I just need you to lock down or erase the information from those phones, Watts said. I dont want them looking through any information on the phone. Ahuh, I can do it, Pino-Copete responded. The severity of the alleged scheme stunned the court. Theres talk of essentially destroying evidence, theres talk of taking assets and moving them out of the country, Judge Daniel J. Stewart said during a hearing. I can tell you in my ten years of doing this particular job Ive never had what I believe to be this type of deception to the Court at all. Pino-Copete was arrested in December and has since remained in custody. His attorney did not immediately respond to a request for comment, while Watts is representing herself in court. Pino-Copete faces up to 20 years in prison, a fine of up to $250,000, and a term of supervised release of up to 3 years. Watts faces at least 2 years and up to 20 years in prison, a fine of up to $250,000, and a term of supervised release of up to 3 years. Those funds were meant to help transport some of our most vulnerable the elderly and disabled, said U.S. Attorney John A. Sarcone. These charges show that these crimes will only transport you to prison, as Watts and Pino-Copete now face the prospect of many years in prison. UPDATE: Perth Amboy officials released a statement Thursday denying the deficit is still in place and saying no current administrators did anything wrong. Any suggestion that the current Board or administration engaged in inappropriate financial conduct is false and irresponsible, the statement said. New Jerseys state auditor found Perth Amboys school district had a budget deficit of more than $13 million because local officials spent money the district didnt actually have, according to a report scheduled to be presented Thursday. The report, submitted by State Auditor David Kaschak, analyzed the Middlesex County districts records from July 1, 2021, to June 30, 2025, and concluded multiple financial transactions were improperly recorded. The current district administration inherited a number of accounting errors and budgeting issues in December 2021 that gave the false impression there was a surplus in the Special Revenue Fund, the states audit said. The audit is scheduled to be presented at the Perth Amboy Board of Educations meeting on Thursday. The meeting is being held at Perth Amboy High School, 931 Convery Boulevard, at 5:30 p.m. and will include an option for public comment by phone. Perth Amboy school district officials did not immediately respond to a request to comment. In a letter included with the audit, local officials said they were addressing the giant budget deficit. Perth Amboy Public Schools acknowledges the audits observations and findings and affirms that appropriate corrective measures have been implemented, with additional actions in progress, Michael LoBrace, the school districts business administrator, said in the letter. The school district implemented monthly budget projections and reconciliations beginning in FY2022FY2023 to ensure compliance," the letter said. Perth Amboy, which serves 10,441 students, is among New Jerseys largest school districts. It has a dozen schools, including Perth Amboy High School, one of the newest and largest schools in the state. The head of one of the states largest teachers unions said the state audit report was alarming. This is more than an accounting failure, Jennifer S. Higgins, president of the American Federation of Teachers New Jersey, said after the report was published. Every dollar mismanaged is a lost opportunity to reduce class sizes, provide essential learning materials, support student services, and ensure that our schools remain vibrant, safe places to learn and grow, she said. Perth Amboy has made some cuts in recent years. In 2024, the district made the busing cuts as it was opening the new, $283 million Perth Amboy High School, the largest school construction project ever funded by the New Jersey Schools Development Authority. The district ended courtesy busing, the practice of offering free buses for students who live too close to schools for state-mandated transportation. In addition to pointing to several weaknesses in checks and balances in Perth Amboy, the state auditors report listed ways the district was impacted by both overspending on healthcare and by not taxing local taxpayers enough. The audit also found that administrative salaries increased 13 percent from fiscal years 2022 to 2024, and there was a reduction in secretarial, home liaisons, and technology positions. District officials pushed back against the reports comparison of raises and staffing cuts, saying the audit failed to account for pay increases called for in employment contracts. The report recommended Perth Amboy school district officials look into several areas that contributed to the deficit, including overspending on health benefits, allowing preschool students who live outside district boundaries to attend district schools, and enrollment figures that did not match state submissions. A state law requires the state auditor or comptroller to do a forensic audit for districts with deficits and yearly audits that raise fiscal concerns. If the auditor finds any fraud, it will be reported to law enforcement, state officials said. Perth Amboys audit did not reveal any fraud and no law enforcement agencies were notified. The states audit found Perth Amboy did not increase its local tax levy on homeowners for 11 years. The report said that by not raising the amount of school property taxes it collected from homeowners, Perth Amboy missed the opportunity to generate revenue that could have been used to address ongoing financial challenges. State auditors estimated the district could have generated approximately $6.6 million over an eight-year period in additional revenue. For the average homeowner, this would have resulted in a total school tax increase of $204 per year. The report also recommended that the district sign up school district employees for state health care benefits. The district could have saved $49.1 million from fiscal years 2020 through 2024 if it had participated in the New Jersey School Employees Health Benefits Program, the report said. The letter included in the audit from LoBrace, the school districts business administrator, said Perth Amboy has now enrolled in the state health plan. He estimated the move saved the district about $27 million. The report criticized the district for not doing background checks to check the criminal histories of employees who transferred from other districts. LoBrace said Perth Amboy has changed the practice and all employees have now been checked by the district. Not all fans of The Rookie were happy to see a controversial character return in the latest episode. Seth Ridley, who is played by Patrick Keleher, made a surprise appearance in the Tuesday, Jan. 20, episode of The Rookie. Viewers havent seen him since last season, when he had his leg amputated after taking a bullet for John Nolan (Nathan Fillion). Despite the heroic act, Seth was somewhat of a villain during season 7, lying about having cancer and threatening legal action against the Los Angeles Police Department to avoid getting fired. Many viewers thought theyd seen the last of Seth after he was shot, but his former Police Academy buddy Miles Penn (Deric Augustine) visited him during Tuesdays episode. Patrick Keleher as Seth Ridley in "The Rookie." Disney Seth was angry that he hadnt been forgiven for his lies and continued to blame others for his problems. Miles told him it will take more than an apology to repair his relationships, and Seth kicked him out of his apartment. Later in the episode, Seth asked Miles for help getting better, admitting that he needs to let go of self-pity. Miles agreed to help him on one condition: Radical honesty. Does that mean The Rookie viewers will be seeing a lot more of Seth this season? Hes back a few more times this season, at least, series creator Alexi Hawley told Deadline in an interview published Tuesday. Were starting a conversation with this episode, but he will be back. Well seek the continuation. I dont want to give you a number but yes, this storys not over yet. READ MORE: The Rookie cast member hospitalized while filming season 8 Hawley didnt rule out the possibility of Seth returning to the police force. Technically, he could, he said. If he can pass the physical part, he could come back. Its just all the other stuff. After Tuesdays episode aired, some fans took to social media to bemoan Seths return. Im not sure who told the writers of #TheRookie that we wanna see Seth again but PLEASE wrap this up. We quite literally wouldve preferred a funeral scene, one X user quipped. It was only okay to see Seth because of Miles. We care about Miles, and bc Miles cares about Seth, its the only reason why it would be fine to see Seth again this season, even though I dont think he needs to be back at all. His story is wrapped, another person argued. Why the hell did they bring Seth back no one asked for that, a third viewer tweeted. Others were pleasantly surprised by Seths comeback. Idc if Im the only one who likes Seth, I know Seth did some messed up stuff but he got his consequences & he holds a special place in my heart and I just want good things for him #TheRookie, one fan wrote via X. READ MORE: Netflix star unfollows all but 1 cast mate after feeling abused for years As much as I dont think there is redemption for Seth Ridley, Patrick Keleher is amazing in this role and Im glad hes back, another tweeted. As for Hawley, he felt there was more territory to explore with the polarizing character. Patrick is such a dynamic actor, and I felt that his storyline last season was really provocative and interesting, he told Deadline. The dial between Boy Scout and guy that feels a little creepy was really fine-tuned to get there, which was interesting to me, but yes, what does it take to redeem? Can you redeem a character who really has not just fed up, but really crossed the lines? That was what was interesting to me. And then to not have it be easy, its not as easy as just calling people and apologizing, and you get forgiven, and everythings good. Season 8 of The Rookie kicked off on Jan. 6. The ABC police procedural centers on Nolan (Fillion), who became an LAPD officer in his 40s. The Rookie airs on ABC Mondays at 10 p.m. ET. Episodes are available to stream on Hulu the day after they air. More than 80 people crowded the steps of Newark Police Headquarters on Wednesday for an emotionally charged protest demanding the city fire an officer involved in the fatal shooting of a Newark resident two days before. Participants included family members of the man killed, identified by relatives as Wali Bey, a 43-year-old father of two who had lived in the city all his life. Authorities say Bey and a man who survived were shot at about 1 p.m. Monday, in the area of Ross Street and Evergreen Avenue in the citys South Ward. Organizers of the rally from the Newark Anti-Violence Coalition led the crowd in chants of Stop the shooting! Stop the killing! Stop the violence! while protesters held signs reading, Justice for Wali Bey! and We want Answers. As a police-involved fatal shooting, the incident is being investigated by the State Attorney Generals Office, which issued a brief statement on Monday that provided few details of what happened and said no additional information would be released until further notice. The lack of information has frustrated family members and community activists, leaving an information void filled by speculation and accusations of a police murder. No longer will we stand by quietly when one of our brothers is murdered, gunned down in cold blood, anti-violence coalition member Sharif Amenhotep told the crowd, which was bundled up against the cold outside the red brick building on Clinton Avenue. Several officers watched the protest from inside the building through its glass facade. But there was no visible police presence outside, where the remarks were often heated, but the protesters were peaceful. Earlier on Wednesday, Newark Mayor Ras J. Baraka and Public Safety Director Manuel Miranda issued a joint statement urging residents to disregard unspecified misinformation they may have seen on social media. We ask our residents to trust the process by exercising patience and by understanding that the New Jersey Attorney Generals Office is conducting an impartial and independent investigation on behalf of the people of our great city, the statement read. We also respectfully request that well-meaning people cooperate with the investigation, the statement added, which will be completed in approximately 20 days. An Islamic funeral service for Bey is scheduled for Thursday at 11 a.m. at the Villa Americas funeral home on Roseville Avenue in Newark. Mustafa Bey, who identified himself as an older cousin of the victim, told NJ Advance Media in a brief interview during the protest that he had not been at the scene on Monday, but had heard accounts of others who were. Bey said his cousin and another man were in a parked vehicle when two cars without police markings pulled up, and several men wearing masks and civilian clothes got out. He said the men approached his cousins vehicle with guns drawn, and that his cousin feared for his life and tried to drive away, but was shot. What would you do? Bey said. Men in masks coming toward you with guns. Bey said no gun was found in his cousins vehicle, and he later told protesters that his cousin never carried a weapon. He said his cousin made a living operating two retail stores in the city, though he could not name them. He said he had no idea whether his cousin was targeted by the officers or any reason why he might have been. The statement issued by Acting Attorney General Jennifer Davenport on Monday said only that Newark officers encountered several civilians in the area of the shooting on Monday, the federal holiday honoring the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. During that encounter, one of the officers fired his weapon, striking two civilians, Davenport stated. They were taken to University Hospital in Newark, where one of them was pronounced deceased a short time later. The other man was wounded and received treatment, according to the statement. It said no officers were wounded, though one was taken to a hospital for evaluation and released. Lawrence Hamm, a longtime social justice advocate and founder of the Newark-based Peoples Organization for Progress, told NJ Advance Media that passions over the shooting may have been fueled by the recent fatal shooting of a woman in Minneapolis by an ICE officer while she, too, was behind the wheel of a vehicle. I think the whole situation in Minneapolis is ratcheting up peoples anxiety, said Hamm. And every time one of these incidents happens, people are a lot more sensitive now. Some people are asking, theyre really saying this: Is this America? South Ward Councilman Patrick Council watched Wednesdays protest from the sidewalk, quietly lamenting a tragedy that has shaken the ward where he grew up and now represents. But, Council said, It doesnt just affect the South Ward. It affects the whole city. A man hit by a shuttle at Newark Liberty International Airport in January 2024 has filed a lawsuit claiming the driver wasnt properly vetted before he was hired. Andy De La Osa Madera, 34, of New Haven, Connecticut, claims in the lawsuit that he was hit by a Marriott Newark Airport shuttle on Jan. 7, 2024, in the Terminal A arrivals pickup lane near pillar 14. The shuttle was operated recklessly and negligently, with the driver failing to see Madera before hitting him, according to the lawsuit filed Jan. 5 in Essex County Superior Court. Madera sustained multiple injuries that were grievous in nature, the lawsuit claims. According to the complaint, Marriott and the airport knew or should have known the 53-year-old driver had a history of improper motor vehicle operation. A check of municipal court records shows a man with the same name has been cited numerous times in New Jersey for various traffic violations, including unsafe driving. However, court records do not show a traffic summons for the day Madera was struck. Marriott and Newark Airport allegedly allowed the driver to operate the shuttle without investigating the driving record and/or history of the employee, the suit states. A spokesperson for Newark Airport declined to comment, citing pending litigation. A Marriott spokesperson did not immediately respond to a request for comment. According to the Marriott website, the hotel advertises the shuttle service as service to all Newark Airport terminals for a stress-free travel experience. An Essex County man was charged with federal hate crimes after authorities accused him of assaulting a Rabbi from Israel in front of a Kosher restaurant in Manhattan and making antisemitic statements, federal prosecutors said. Alazim Baker, 29, of Irvington, was charged with two counts of committing hate crimes. Baker is accused of asking a visiting Rabbi from Israel what his religion was and keeping him from entering a well-known Kosher restaurant in Manhattan on Oct. 27, 2025. Officials said Baker grabbed the Rabbis yarmulke, threw it on the ground and stomped and spit on it before punching the Rabbi in the face causing him to fall into a bike lane. Baker is accused of saying let me spit on the Jew while the Rabbi was on the ground. Baker also made antisemitic statements towards two others that moved to help the Rabbi, stating that your people own everything and calling for reparations he believed he was owed, officials said. He punched one of the people who tried to help in the head and chased the other, according to officials. The Rabbi ran into the restaurant when Baker chased one of the people who tried to help, officials said. The Rabbi suffered a brain bleed in addition to bruising and swelling, officials said. One of the people who tried to intervene told authorities they saw Baker wearing brass knuckles. As alleged, Alazim Baker deliberately targeted Jewish victims with violence, said U.S. Attorney Jay Clayton in a statement. Violence motivated by antisemitism or any other anti-faith bias has no place in this great city. Baker was arrested on Wednesday. It was unclear whether Baker had an attorney Wednesday. A case of avian influenza was recently identified at a Burlington County commercial bird farm, officials announced Thursday. Officials with the New Jersey Department of Agriculture said they began investigating after the farm owner observed an increase in bird mortality. Testing done at the New Jersey Animal Health Diagnostic Laboratory detected highly pathogenic avian influenza, otherwise known as bird flu. Further testing is still underway at the National Veterinary Services Laboratory, according to a press release. In the meantime, the farm has been quarantined to prevent the spread of disease and deliveries of new poultry paused. Operations will resume after a thorough cleaning and disinfection. Officials said the state is vigilant against early signs of bird flu. The recent detection in a commercial flock is being addressed swiftly and collaboratively by USDA and state officials to ensure containment, said Secretary of Agriculture Ed Wengryn. The Division of Animal Health is committed to safeguarding animal health and supporting our farmers during this process. Bird flu is a contagious viral disease of domestic and wild birds, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture. While rare, mammals can also be infected with bird flu when they eat infected animals or get exposed to environments contaminated with virus. The virus has been detected in more than 200 mammals, including foxes, bears, cats, dogs and cows, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Nearly 1.5 million birds have been infected in 67 commercial and backyard flocks in 10 states so far this year, according to the USDA. New Jersey last reported bird flu at a live chicken market in May, according to the USDA and state Department of Health. While the current public health risk is low, its not impossible for bird flu to infect humans. People who have direct contact with infected animals should take precautions, including wearing personal protective equipment. However, no known person-to-person spread has occurred with the bird flu viruses that are currently spreading in birds in the U.S. and globally, according to the CDC. Since the beginning of the bird flu outbreak in 2022, 186 million birds have been affected nationwide, according to the USDA. Anyone who suspects bird flu in livestock can contact the New Jersey Department of Agriculture, Division of Animal Health at 609-671-6400. If bird flu is suspected in a human, contact the local health department. NEW DELHI, Jan. 22 (Xinhua) -- At least six workers were killed and five others injured Thursday in a blast inside a steel plant in the central Indian state of Chhattisgarh, officials said. The blast took place inside the steel plant at Bakulahi village in the Balodabazar-Bhatapara district, about 101 km northeast of Raipur, the capital city of Chhattisgarh. According to officials, the explosion occurred in the dust settling chamber of the plant, spewing hot dust on the workers present there, causing serious burns. Eyewitnesses told officials the explosion triggered panic inside the plant premises, and workers were seen rushing out amid thick smoke and flames. Authorities have ordered an investigation into the blast. Amid weakening federal recommendations for vaccines, the health care industry is applauding New Jerseys decision to rely on medical experts beyond the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Preventions vaccine panel under a law signed by former Gov. Phil Murphy on Sunday. Until now, the New Jersey Department of Health has relied solely on the CDCs Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices for guidance concerning vaccinations and immunizations. The policy change is a response to substantial changes in federal vaccine policy. Under President Donald Trumps administration, the CDCs vaccine panel has made some controversial decisions, such as voting to end the universal recommendation for hepatitis B and COVID-19 vaccination. Five days into the New Year, the CDC went a step further when it cut the number of childhood vaccines it recommends. This year, we have seen the federal government diverge and waffle on evidence-based recommendations from trusted health professionals rewriting federal vaccine guidance to the detriment of our communities and putting our most vulnerable residents at risk, particularly our children, Murphy said in one of his last statements as governor. We take seriously our responsibility to preserve and protect public health, which is why we have mobilized quickly to mitigate the harmful impact of these dangerous policy changes. Todays bill signing is yet another action by our Administration to provide equitable access to vaccines, achieve community protection, and build sustained trust in vaccinations, said Murphy, a Democrat leaving office Tuesday. The legislation requires the state Department of Health to also consider guidance from nationally recognized medical organizations, such as the American Academy of Pediatrics, the American Academy of Family Physicians, the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, and the American College of Physicians. The revised rule does not add any new vaccination requirements for school attendance. The legislation takes effect immediately. The state Senate and Assembly both controlled by Democrats passed the bill largely along party lines. The policy change ensures that New Jersey can benefit from the wisdom and recommendations of the most highly regarded experts across the country, said Debbie Hart, president and CEO of BioNJ, a trade group representing over 400 life science organizations in New Jersey. Vaccines are one of the most critical biomedical innovations in the history of medicine, preventing the spread and alleviating the impact of innumerable diseases. We are fortunate to live in a time when some of the worst maladies that humanity has ever confronted have been effectively eliminated by the technology of vaccines, Hart said in a statement. Additionally, the legislation signed this week also requires health insurers to cover the full cost of vaccines recommended by the New Jersey Department of Health. Ensuring continued coverage for vaccines is a win for New Jersey patients, said Chrissy Buteas, president and CEO of the HealthCare Institute of New Jersey, a trade group for biopharmaceutical and medical technology companies in the state. A patients ability to access a medicine, medical device, vaccine, diagnostic tool or medical technology is critical to maintaining individual, family and societal health and wellness, and this bill expands patient access, Buteas said in a statement. A newly remodeled Dunkin coffee shop in North Bergen will celebrate its grand reopening on Friday with a promotional giveaway and a donation to a local foundation. The store at 4108 Tonnelle Ave. will give away 100 days of free coffee to the first 100 Dunkin Rewards members ages 18 and older who arrive at 9 a.m., according to a statement. Recipients will receive a free medium hot or iced coffee for 100 consecutive days through the Dunkin app. Customers must be rewards members or sign up the day of the event to qualify. The franchisee, AUM Donut, LLC, will also donate $3,000 to the Nicholas J. Sacco Foundation in conjunction with the Dunkin Joy in Childhood Foundation. The foundation is named for North Bergens current mayor and provides community support through charitable donations and food services to children and families. Guests can spin a prize wheel to win Dunkin merchandise from 9 a.m. to 11 a.m. while supplies last. A ribbon cutting ceremony with local dignitaries will take place at 11 a.m. Friday. The 2,600-square-foot restaurant employs 10 crew members and operates daily from 5 a.m. to midnight. The location features Dunkins next-generation design, which includes a modern atmosphere with materials and colors meant to create an energetic environment. The restaurant includes an innovative tap system that serves eight cold beverages, including coffees, iced teas, cold brew coffee, and nitro-infused cold brew coffee. Crew members will use espresso machines to make hand-crafted drinks to order. Digital kiosks allow customers to order with or without assistance from crew members. A dedicated area for mobile pickups enables Dunkin Rewards members who order through the mobile app to pick up orders quickly. The location is also a DD Green Achievement restaurant, designed to save 25% more energy compared to a standard Dunkin restaurant. UPDATED FORECAST: Widespread 12 to 18 inches of snow, dangerous ice to slam state this weekend A New Jersey town says it is one of many municipalities across the state facing a salt shortage ahead of a major snowstorm expected to hit this weekend. Piscataway Mayor Brian C. Wahler told NJ Advance Media the town hasnt received a salt delivery in weeks, and with limited supplies available to melt snow and ice, the shortage poses a public health concern. Were down to about 500 tons, and thats just barely enough just to do intersections in our town, Wahler said. This is going to be very challenging and problematic if we dont have material to lay down on the street. The storm could bring snow totals topping 10 inches, forecasters say. Snow is expected to begin Saturday night, and freezing temperatures are forecasted statewide through Wednesday. Wahler said the township used 1,500 tons of salt last weekend, and expects to need at least 2,000 tons this weekend. He said the salt shortage appears to stem from a lack of drivers or trucks to make deliveries from Port Newark, where the salt is transported from upstate New York. Municipalities are unable to send trucks to the port due to security clearance requirements. Instead, they must rely on private contractors to retrieve shipments. According to Wahler, nearly every town and county government in New Jersey is facing a shortage, and the problem extends across the entire tri-state area. Wahler, who has served as mayor for more than 25 years, said he has never seen a shortage this severe before. This is reminiscent of the pandemic when there was a shortage of N95 masks, Wahler said. He noted stores are also facing a shortage of bags of salt for home use. The township is reaching out to the governors office to coordinate with State Police and Port Authority Police to resolve the issue, Wahler said. At a Tuesday council meeting, he said he hopes to receive salt deliveries by Saturday. Wahler urged residents to stay off the roads Sunday except for emergencies to allow crews to take care of the roads. Arianna Rosales, a Middlesex County spokesperson, said the county has enough salt to get through the impending snowstorm, but did not specify how it would be distributed among the townships. While deliveries continue to arrive at a slow pace, the County has additional salt orders in queue with our vendor to ensure continued supply, Rosales said. Monmouth County has sufficient salt on hand to treat county roadways, Commissioner Director Thomas A. Arnone said in a statement. He added that the county has already distributed about 2,500 tons of salt to more than 20 municipalities through shared services agreements. My fellow Commissioners and I thank our first responders and everyone in the Department of Public Works for their efforts in preparing for the storm and dedication to keeping our communities safe, Arnone said. State Department of Transportation spokesperson Stephen Schapiro said the agency has sufficient salt on hand to treat Interstate and State highways for the upcoming storm. A New Jersey man reunited a nearly 60-year-old high school class ring with its owner weeks after finding it on a Belmar beach last summer. Andrew Ciffer found the gold ring on the morning of Aug. 3 while metal detecting near 19th Avenue during low tide. The ring was engraved with Crete H.S. 1966 and the initials BW. I go when its low tide so it exposes more wet sand because thats where people lose the stuff when theyre in the water, Ciffer told NJ Advance Media on Thursday. It was very close to the surface, like it was just lost. When Ciffer returned to his Mount Olive home later that day, he began to try to find the owner. He and a friend, who is a fellow member of local metal detecting organization East Coast Research and Discover Association, quickly determined that the ring was from a school in Nebraska not one of a similar name in Illinois. Ciffer called Crete High School and was referred to the local library in the small Midwest town. A librarian there checked the 1966 high school yearbook and found a match thanks to the initials on the ring. A charitable foundation associated with the school eventually helped connect Ciffer to the rings owner Barbara Wielage about two weeks later. Finding a gold ring doesnt happen too often and it is usually a nice prize, Ciffer said. But since this was a high school ring there was a chance to identify the owner. Although the ring has been returned to Wielage, it remains a mystery how it wound up in the Jersey Shores sand, some 1,350 miles from her town of 7,500 in southeast Nebraska. Wielages family told Ciffer that she lived in Boston for about 50 years but has no recollection of when or where she lost the ring. Still, the locals in Nebraska are glad the ring has made it home. A huge thank you to Andrew for his persistence and kindness in helping bring this small but meaningful piece of Crete history back where it belongs, the Crete Public Schools Foundation said last week in announcing the ring was found. A former teacher in Freehold Borough faces 12 years in state prison after she admitted to sexually assaulting a student. Allison Havemann-Niedrach, 45, of Jackson accepted a plea deal from the Monmouth County Prosecutors Office and pleaded guilty to aggravated sexual assault. She had also been charged with endangering the welfare of a child following her June 2024 arrest. Havemann-Niedrach, who taught at Freehold Intermediate School, sexually assaulted a teenage student from January through June 2024, the prosecutors office said. Havemann-Niedrach was indicted in March 2025. She will also have to forfeit her teaching license, be barred from future public employment and register as a sex offender as part of the deal. She is scheduled to be sentenced May 7. Havemann-Niedrach and the teen exchanged thousands of text messages, and she recorded a video of her sexually assaulting him, prosecutors said. Prior to sexually assaulting the teen, Havemann-Niedrach bought him gifts and food. Anyone with further information about Havemann-Niedrachs activities is being asked to contact the prosecutors office at 800-533-7443. A Monmouth County mother who was convicted of killing her two young children 30 years ago, had her sentence commuted by former Gov. Phil Murphy, in one of his final acts of clemency before leaving office. Maria Dolores Montalvo, 61, of Union Beach was convicted in 1996 of killing her kids in a brutal car fire that left her with severe burns across her face and one side of her body. Montalvo was seeking a new trial after developments in arson science suggest that the fire may have been accidental, raising questions about the validity of expert testimony during the trial. I cannot express strongly enough our offices collective revulsion and disbelief upon hearing this news, Monmouth County Prosecutor Raymond S. Santiago said in a statement. Viewing it through different lenses or from different perspectives does not mitigate our outrage; it magnifies it. A jury convicted Montalvo on Nov. 27, 1996, of two counts of murder, felony murder and one count of second-degree aggravated arson. She was spared the death penalty, but sentenced to consecutive 50-year sentences with a total of 60 years of parole ineligibility, her attorneys wrote in their motion for a new trial. It is one injustice that they died at the hands of the one person who was supposed to love them most, Santiago said. It is another injustice that they perished in such gruesome fashion. Montalvo has spent 30 years as an inmate at the Edna Mahan Correctional facility, a prison haunted by abuse allegations. She has always maintained her innocence, her attorneys said. Maria Montalvos commutation followed a thorough and careful review process that considered the full context of her case, including her 30 years of incarceration and her sustained rehabilitative and educational efforts while in prison, her attorney, Josh Hood told NJ Advance Media in a statement. The Governors decision reflected a comprehensive assessment of the nature of the offense, input from the State and the victims, and Ms. Montalvos institutional record and work supporting others during her incarceration. Hood said they planned to continue their effort for a new trial to address the underlying conviction, despite her eligibility for release. He added that he had confidence in the legal process and would not litigate the matter in the press, in an apparent response to Santiagos public statements. In a statement on Tuesday, Murphy said that the Governors clemency initiative was never about numbers, but about giving second chances to those that have shown rehabilitation and commitment to their communities. Each pardon and commutation represents a story of accountability, growth and redemption, Murphy said in a statement. From the outset, we have been guided by a fundamental belief that mercy and fairness are essential to a system that truly serves everyone. Prosecutors said Montalvo drove to her in-laws house in Long Branch on Feb. 22, 1994, and set her car on fire with her children still inside. Montalvos husband was a corrections officer at the Monmouth County Jail and his parents said they were excited to see Montalvo when she entered the driveway, expecting a visit from their grandchildren. Prosecutors suggested that Montalvo was motivated to kill her two young kids after her husband, Raoul Aponte Jr., ended their relationship a few days beforehand, stating heartbreak and revenge are well-established motives for murder. Apontes mother told authorities she saw Montalvo stoop, bend and throw something into the vehicle before it erupted into flames. Authorities said Montalvos clothes were soaked in gasoline and caught fire as well. Montalvo bought $3 worth of gasoline at a gas station on Route 36 in Hazlet just before heading to her in-laws, prosecutors said, and a gas container was found on the passenger seat after the fire was extinguished. Montalvos attorneys argue in court filings that prosecutors relied heavily on two arson experts who testified the fire started in the footwell of the car, and testimony from Apontes mother that said Montalvo tossed a match into the car. Montalvos attorneys say prosecutors ignored important testimony, including one witness who said she was pulled from the car after it caught fire, and a gas station attendant who said the gas can wasnt properly sealed when it was put in her vehicle. A neighbor who testified for the defense said he was outside when he heard a loud boom. He looked back at Montalvos car and saw her be pulled out of the car as she was on fire, according to court filings. Pictures of Montalvo included as exhibits in court filings show burns across the right side of her face and on her right hand. In a statement to investigators, Montalvo said the gas can was on the front passenger floor and that there was a smell of gasoline inside the car. Despite the fumes, she said she lit a cigarette anyway and that there was black smoke and fire throughout the car very quickly. Montalvos attorneys argue that a lieutenant in the Monmouth County Prosecutors Office arson unit identified the fires origin before receiving lab results on the presence of accelerants, or the Vburn pattern, that was then thought to indicate where a fire started. The lieutenant determined the fire had started at the front passenger area or near the drivers seat and floor, according to Montalvos attorneys. He also testified that gasoline vapors can ignite with sufficient heat, causing a flashover and boom described by the neighbor, according to court documents. During the trial, an arson expert from the National Fire Protection Association testified for the defense that V-patterns are useful in determining points of origin in short-burning fires, and offered his own conclusion that gasoline vapor started the fire. But since the 1990s, V-shaped patterns have been labeled as unreliable indicators of a fires origin, according to Montalvos attorneys. One expert, cited by Montalvos attorneys in court filings, suggested that gasoline vapors that had built up in the car from the gas ignited when Montalvo lit a cigarette, causing a flash over. As a result of the flashover, any burn patterns in the car are unreliable, Montalvos attorneys claimed. Jurors saw a parade of physical evidence Thursday taken from murder suspect Paul Caneiros house, including multiple guns he owned, a retractable knife, a gas can found outside his home and a pair of blue jeans with apparent blood stains. For nearly three hours at Caneiros trial in Monmouth County, prosecutor Chris Decker pulled multiple evidence boxes and envelopes from a special shelf brought into the courtroom to hold the items. Decker displayed them all to Monmouth prosecutors Lt. Nick Cattelona, who retrieved them during a search of Caneiros Ocean Township home in the days after the Nov 20, 2018, fire at the suspects home. He also displayed multiple photos the detective took from inside the house, and of the Porsche vehicles Caneiro drove at the time. The prosecutor asked some questions about the items but did not elaborate or ask the lieutenant to explain their relation to the prosecutions case: that Paul Caneiro, drowning in debt, killed his brother Keith Caneiro and his family in their Colts Neck home earlier that day. Paul Caneiro is also accused of setting fire to their Colts Neck mansion, then setting a blaze at his own home in Ocean Township, in what prosecutors have said was an attempt to throw off investigators and destroy evidence. Keith Caneiro, 50, his wife Jennifer, 45, and their kids, son Jesse, 11, and daughter Sophia, 8, were all shot or stabbed. The kids died of smoke inhalation after suffering multiple knife wounds. Prosecutors previously described the stained jeans as a key piece of evidence. Investigators later found the stains were blood, and inside a fold in the jeans was an unfired bullet, which matched not only bullets Paul Caneiro kept in his home, but also spent bullet casings found at Keiths home near his body which was outside the home. Cattelona testified that New Jersey State Police lab personnel found the bullet. Hed found the jeans, a surgical glove and a gray T-shirt in a clump of semi-burned debris in the basement, under a window near the area where the fire started at Pauls home. Heavy fire damage in the basement of Paul Caniero's Ocean Township home is displayed during his trial at the Monmouth County Courthouse in Freehold, NJ, Thursday, January 22, 2026. Thomas P. Costello / Asbury Park Press The detective said he started to pull the items apart, but they were partially congealed, fused together by firefighters water that froze overnight in the home. He even tried to thaw the clump in the driveway for about 20 minutes but then made the decision to send the pile to the state police lab. Prosecutor have previously said that tests revealed DNA from Jesse and Sophia were found on the jeans. That topic did not arise in the testimony Thursday. Cattelona also testified that no fingerprints were found on the gas can, and a sizable gun safe in Pauls garage was empty. Most of the guns handguns and long guns were in a separate case in the basement, accompanied by loads of ammunition boxes. Cattelona testified that he had searched Pauls Porsche Macan which prosecutors allege he used the night of the murders and tested it for blood using a chemical agent. The test found no blood, he said. Cattelona did not test the vehicle for gunshot residue, nor swabbed any surfaces for DNA material, he said under Mastellone questioning. He also said he did not use the blood-revealing chemical agent inside the house. Investigators did find blood spots on the front door and inside the front foyer but determined it was left by a firefighter who was injured while battling the blaze. Investigators tested the firefighter, Cattelona said. The gas can was not swabbed for DNA either, and Cattelona did not compare the burned jeans in question size 34x32 to others found in the Caneiro home, he said under Mastellone questioning. Two years ago, violist Shiwoo Kim wanted to do something to give back to his community. So he and four friends at Montgomery High School co-founded a nonprofit orchestra to do just that. I wanted to use music as a meaningful form of service, said Kim, 18, the groups co-president. I recognized its ability to provide comfort, connection, and emotional support. I wanted to create a student-led organization that could bring these benefits to the community while empowering students to make a tangible social impact," he added. Today, Music of the Heart has grown to 46 students, ages 7 to 19, who perform 10 to 12 times per year at hospitals, nursing homes, churches, and assisted living facilities, using music as a means of community service and social impact. We have played at various hospitals and senior centers like Stonebridge at Montgomery, Jack and Sheryl Morris Cancer Center at Robert Wood Johnson New Brunswick, and Regency Heritage Nursing Home in Somerset," said Kim, a freshman at Carnegie Mellon University who plays the piano and violin in addition to the viola. We played our benefit concert at All Saints Episcopal Church and Stone Hill Church in Princeton. Music of the Heart student musicians perform a free concert for seniors at Stonebridge at Montgomery Healthcare Center, 300 Hollinshead Spring Road in Skillman, New Jersey, in June 2025. Music of the Heart Tara Burns, guest relations manager at Capital Health Medical Center, where the group has performed for the last two years, said the young musicians bring energy and joy to the hospital environment. Their enthusiasm and passion for music inspire both patients and staff alike, making every performance a memorable event, said Burns. We are truly grateful for the Music of the Heart performers and their commitment and impact on our community. In the last two years, Kim said Music of the Heart has raised a little over $4,000 by hosting its annual charity concert. Half the donated funds are given to a selected charity, Kim said, and the remainder is used to cover the groups expenses, like its website upkeep and occasional meals during rehearsals. Kate Lee, 17, of Basking Ridge, is the groups co-vice president and plays the violin. I had been playing with many of the nonprofits members for as long as nine years through various small ensemble performances at my church, said Lee. These initial experiences contributed to my passion for using music as a form of service. Lee said one of her favorite performances was during the groups first annual benefit concert in 2024. It was very exciting to see the culmination of all our hard work over the course of our first year as an organization, said Lee, a senior at Kent Place School in Summit. This performance particularly inspired me as I prepared to lead the organization as a vice president the following year. During the concert, Lee said the group raised $1,000 for the Krieger Klein Alzheimers Research Center at Rutgers Brain Health Institute. She said she enjoys the shared sense of purpose she feels when playing her violin with her peers. While we are individually very dedicated musicians, we all collaborate and use our skills to give back to our community, said Lee, who hopes to major in economics, psychology, or healthcare management in college. Varun Gedela, 17, of Montgomery, coordinates stage logistics and manages transitions during rehearsals and performances as stage manager. Being in the middle of rehearsals, watching musicians support one another and pour genuine emotion into their performances, is what makes this role so meaningful to me, said Gedela, a senior at Montgomery High School who plans to major in finance or a related business field in college in the fall. I was drawn to this role because Music of the Heart is built around a mission that genuinely matters, using music to expand access and opportunity for others, he said. What stood out to me was the level of commitment across the entire organization. Gedela also ensures that musicians and staff feel supported so events run smoothly and efficiently. Musicians, staff, and volunteers are deeply invested not only in the cause, but also in supporting one another, Gedela said. That shared sense of purpose creates an environment where everyone is fully present, and it made me want to contribute in a meaningful way. Although he hasnt played an instrument for many years, he said he has always loved music. Working closely with talented musicians through stage management has given me a deep appreciation for musical performance, discipline, and collaboration behind the scenes, Gedela said. For more information, visit Music of the Hearts website or Facebook page. Several parents are suing a New Jersey daycare center alleging their children were physically beaten and emotionally abused by their teacher. Five parents of children who were between the ages of 4 and 5 filed the suit against The Malvern School, a regional daycare chain operating throughout Pennsylvania and New Jersey. The lawsuit, filed in the Court of Common Pleas of Philadelphia County, Pennsylvania, seeks to hold the school and its corporate entities accountable for the alleged failures in child-safety practices and supervision, according to a statement from Haggerty, Goldberg, Schleifer and Kupersmith, P.C., the firm representing the parents. The firm did not immediately respond to a request for comment. The Malvern School also did not respond to a request for comment. Ekta Dwarkesh, a pre-kindergarten teacher at the Robbinsville location, was able to physically assault and otherwise abuse these vulnerable children while at school, according to the lawsuit. Dwarkesh, who was 45 at the time, was charged in April 2024 with three counts of endangering the welfare of a child by abuse or neglect, according to court documents. Dwarkesh allegedly struck the children with her hands and a wooden stick. It is alleged in the lawsuit she also forcibly grabbed, shoved and pushed the students to the ground or against classroom furniture. The pre-kindergarten teacher allegedly mentally and emotionally abused the students by making them fear for their safety if they did not listen immediately to her, it was stated in the lawsuit. Dwarkesh allegedly called the students dumb and stupid, as well as calling them other derogatory names. Dwarkesh racially abused some of the children, telling the students that the darker their skin, the worse they behaved, according to the lawsuit. In order to silence the students and prevent them from speaking out about their abuse, Dwarkesh told them they would get in trouble and no one would believe them, it is alleged in he lawsuit. The lawsuit states that school administration failed to properly handle the situation and hired Dwarkesh as a lead teacher despite her limited experience and lack of appropriate qualifications. All five children were diagnosed with trauma-related mental health conditions, including Post-traumatic Stress Disorder, according to the lawsuit. Major airlines including the top carriers serving Newark Liberty Airport are waiving rebooking fees in advance of Sundays storm forecasted to dump up to 14 inches of snow on New Jersey. United Airlines Newarks biggest carrier, United Airlines issued a travel waiver for cities that are preparing for winter weather to give our customers the flexibility to manage their travel plans, said Brian Hammell, a spokesperson. Customers should use the United app or visit united.com to check their flight status and see the latest information, he said. United accounts for 68% of flights at Newark. The new rebooked flight must be a United flight departing between Jan. 21 and Jan. 28, 2026. Tickets must be in the same type of cabin and between the same cities as originally booked. Delta Delta Air Lines has offered to rebook customers traveling between Jan. 24 and 26 without a fee. Tickets must be reissued on or before Jan. 29 and travel must begin no later than Jan. 29. JetBlue JetBlue will waive fees for customers scheduled to travel between Jan. 24 to Jan. 26 to and from 11 northeastern US airports including Newark and Philadelphia, according to the airline website. Customers who booked travel before Jan. 22 may rebook their flights for travel through Jan. 31 online in the manage trips section of jetblue.com prior to the departure time of their originally scheduled flight. American Airlines American will waive fees for travel between Jan. 23 and 25 that was booked before Jan. 19 for any fare class including basic economy, according to the airline website. Changes must be booked by Jan. 25 for the same origin or destination and in the same aircraft cabin location. People attend a protest outside the Bishop Henry Whipple Federal Building in Minneapolis, Minnesota, the United States, on Jan. 21, 2026. The fatal shooting of a U.S. woman by an Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agent in Minneapolis has continued to stoke tensions locally and nationwide, as state and federal officials sharply clash over how the incident unfolded and should be handled. (Xinhua) A demonstrator attends a protest outside the Bishop Henry Whipple Federal Building in Minneapolis, Minnesota, the United States, on Jan. 21, 2026. The fatal shooting of a U.S. woman by an Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agent in Minneapolis has continued to stoke tensions locally and nationwide, as state and federal officials sharply clash over how the incident unfolded and should be handled. (Xinhua) A dispute between the contractor that operates Hudson-Bergen Light Rail for NJ Transit and a union has resulted in canceled trains and a federal labor complaint by employees. The dispute was blamed for 32 trains canceled so far due to a lack of available operators. This happened after contractor ACI Herzog Joint Venture changed an overtime policy on Dec. 18, in violation of the existing contract, union officials said. A formal complaint was filed with the National Mediation Board by the Transport Workers Union of America local 229 which represents 130 Hudson-Bergen Light Rail employees. ACI Herzog did not respond to a request for comment. The union contends that the new policy violates provisions in the current contract and in 22 years of prior agreements. It limits employees to six days of consecutive work and eliminates overtime pay for a seventh day, said Wallace Williams, TWU Local 229 president. Under the current contract, which expires in November 2025, union workers would be paid double time if they are asked to work a seventh day. The new policy eliminates that seventh day to save on overtime costs, Williams said. Under federal rules, light rail workers can work up to 14 days in row and then are required to take two paid rest days, he said. Union officials said the policy allows the contractor to also break the seniority chain of employees when offering overtime to employees, which has led to workers refusing to work overtime in protest. Thats led to light rail trains being canceled if supervisors arent available to operate trains, Williams said. So far, Jan. 16 saw the most with 12 canceled trains due to lack of an operator, followed by 10 on Jan. 11, according to NJ Transit alerts on X. We are aware that theres been a recent uptick in unplanned absences among the contractors union employees, said Jim Smith, a NJ Transit spokesperson. We have asked the contractor to have this addressed promptly in order to ensure service continues to remain reliable for our HBLR customers and at the levels required under our agreement. The complaint filed with the National Mediation Board on Dec. 31, 2025, said Herzog failed and refused to bargain in good faith with the union as the collective bargaining representative of its employees by making unilateral changes in terms and conditions of employment. The complaint specifically cited restrictions on seven consecutive days of work as the issue. The federal complaint was made after the union filed a grievance with Herzog, which the company denied in its formal response. Remnants of a 136-year-old shipwreck have washed up at Island Beach State Park. The pieces of the ancient ship made their way to the sand after weeks of beach erosion caused by rough surf and persistent wind and wave action, according to a statement posted on the parks social media account Thursday. The ship, named the Lawrence N. McKenzie, was a 98-foot long schooner that wrecked on March 21, 1890. It was traveling from Puerto Rico to New York with a cargo of oranges. All eight crew members on board survived. The sailing vessel was built in Massachusetts in 1883. Beach erosion during the winter months is common at Island Beach State Park, and the shoreline typically loses sand each year, resulting in narrower beaches, the parks social media post said. Island Beach State Park is reminding visitors to respect historic artifacts in the park. Touching or removing such artifacts is subject to summonses issued by the New Jersey State Park Police. President Donald Trump lashed out at what he called fake polls after recent surveys showed low approval numbers for him. The latest New York Times/Siena College poll appeared to have struck a chord with Trump, who complained about his recent approval numbers in a flurry of Truth Social posts on Thursday. He said that he will be including the poll results in his lawsuit brought against The New York Times last year. Our lawyers have demanded that they keep all Records, and how they computed these fake results Not just the fact that it was heavily skewed toward Democrats. They will be held fully responsible for all of their Radical Left lies and wrongdoing!" he wrote in one Truth Social post. Trump announced in September that he was filing a $15 billion lawsuit against The New York Times over the newspapers coverage of him. A spokesperson for The Times said in a statement at the time that the lawsuit has no merit and is an attempt to stifle and discourage independent reporting. In a second Truth Social post on Thursday, Trump said the polls were truly out of control. He said that the polls about the economy and the border are ridiculous and dangerous. He said that the real polls have been great, but did not cite any other polls. He claimed, without evidence, that The New York Times and other news outlets publish poll results that are knowingly false. They have to pay a price for FAKE AND FRAUDULENT NEWS and, hopefully, in the not too distant future, they will! he said in the post. In a third post, Trump said that fake and fraudulent polling should be, virtually, a criminal offense. He then criticized several news outlets, including Fox News, over their polls. There are great Pollsters that called the Election right, but the Media does not want to use them in any way, shape, or form. Isnt it sad what has happened to American Journalism, but I am going to do everything possible to keep this Polling SCAM from moving forward! he wrote in the third post about polling numbers. The New York Times/Siena College poll, released on Thursday, showed Trump with an overall approval rating of 40% and a disapproval rating of 56%. The poll asked respondents whether they approved of his handling of 10 separate issues. The only issue Trump received a net positive rating for was his handling of the U.S.-Mexico border, in which 50% approved and 46% disapproved. That poll also found Trump had just a 40% approval rating on the economy. The results echo findings from other recent polls that showed widespread disapproval of Trumps first year back in office. According to RealClearPolitics national polling average, Trump has a 42% approval rating. Nearly six in 10 Americans called Trumps presidency a failure in a recent CNN poll. A recent Economist/YouGov poll showed Trump with a 37% approval rating and a 57% disapproval rating. And a CBS News/YouGov poll showed Trump with a 41% approval rating and a disapproval rating of 59%. Trump did not present any evidence for his claims of fake polling numbers. Trumps posts are just the latest example of his escalating feud with media organizations that he has labeled the enemy of the people. He has also pursued legal action against the Wall Street Journal and has already reached multimillion-dollar settlements with ABC News and Paramount. In one of his last acts before leaving office Tuesday, New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy issued a pardon to Harris Jacobs, the son of politically influential Atlantic City attorney and Democratic power broker Joe Jacobs. Harris Jacobs, 28, was convicted Tuesday of leaving the scene of a fatal motor vehicle accident after 76yearold Orlando Fraga-Seruti was struck and killed in 2022. Prosecutors said surveillance footage showed Harris Jacobs get out of his car, lean over Fraga-Seruti twice, then drive off without calling police. Fraga-Seruti worked as a security officer at the Claridge and Sands Casinos after emigrating from Cuba, according to an online obituary. A jury found Harris Jacobs guilty, but the conviction was rendered moot with the pardon issued by Murphy the same day. Murphys office notified Harris Jacobs attorney early that morning that a pardon had already been issued before the jury reached a verdict, defense attorney Lou Barbone told BreakingAC, a local news site. Harris Jacobs was facing a mandatory sentence of five to 10 years in prison. The Atlantic County Prosecutors Office criticized the pardon. Unfortunately, when politics pervades justice, the rule of law becomes subordinate to influence and power, the office said in a statement. A conviction can be rendered meaningless not by the verdict of a jury, but by the intervention of political power and connections. Harris and Joe Jacobs did not immediately respond to a request to comment. Joe Jacobs previously raised more than $100,000 at an event at his house for former First Lady Tammy Murphys failed U.S. Senate campaign in 2023, InsiderNJ reported at the time. The pardon was one of 51 commutations and 97 pardons issued by Murphy, a Democrat, on his final day in office. That was the most issued in a single day in modern state history. The ACLU of New Jersey praised Murphy for the pardons and commutations, which included 16 of the groups clients. ACLU-NJ officials said the action brings the total number of people granted clemency under Murphy to 455, including 37 represented by the group. These historic grants of clemency have made our state stronger and fairer, ACLU-NJ Executive Director Amol Sinha said, urging new Gov. Mikie Sherrills administration to continue to prioritize clemency. The ACLUs Clemency Project, launched in 2024, focuses on ending excessive sentencing, especially in cases involving domesticviolence survivors and defendants who received steep penalties after declining plea offers. The 16 ACLU-NJ clients granted commutations this week included several people who had served decades longer than the plea deals originally offered to them, including Pablo Acevedo. Acevedo was offered a sentence of 10 years to plead guilty to burglary, robbery and conspiracy. But he was sentenced to 30 years in prison after he turned down the plea offer and was found guilty, the ACLU said. I have changed my life completely for the better and grown into a rehabilitated human being. I humbly believe clemency is appropriate based on the large amount of time I have already served, and the disparity in the sentences I received for going to trial in comparison to what was offered by the state, Acevedo said in a statement. He will be released immediately, the group said. Multiple domesticviolence survivors including Briann Lindsey and Germania Terrero also received commutations. Lindsey, who attacked her abuser in self-defense, had accepted a 15-year plea deal for aggravated manslaughter before Murphys commutation, the ACLU said. Terrero is a survivor of domestic violence who rejected a plea deal of 12 years if she pleaded guilty to conspiracy and murder charges related to the killing of her abuser, the ACLU said. She was later sentenced to 30 years. For the past three years, I have had the privilege to connect with clients, hear their stories, and help create an infrastructure where their dreams could come true, said ACLU-NJ Clemency Project director Rebecca Uwakwe. President Donald Trump is still facing negative marks from Americans as he wrapped up the first week of his second term this week, according to a new poll released Thursday. The poll from Emerson College found that 43% of likely voters approve of Trumps job performance, while 51% disapprove, as he hit his one-year mark in office on Tuesday. Meanwhile, a majority 56% of voters think the country is headed in the wrong direction, while 44% believe it is on the right track. The president faced criticism on some of his top agenda items in the poll. Fifty-seven percent of respondents said the presence of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents in communities across the country has been more harmful than beneficial, while 38% think the opposite. A larger percentage of voters also disapprove of Trumps actions in Venezuela following a covert U.S. military operation in the South American country that captured its leader, Nicolas Maduro, and his wife earlier this month. According to the poll, 46% oppose the administrations actions and 39% are in favor. On Trumps ongoing campaign for the U.S. to acquire Greenland, voters oppose the proposal by a 50% to 28% margin, and 22% are unsure, the poll showed. On the economy, 39% of respondents said their finances are worse off than a year ago, compared to 31% who said they are about the same, according to the poll. Thirty percent argue they are better off financially than a year ago. Half of voters reported living paycheck to paycheck, while 50% said they are living comfortably. Looking ahead to the midterms elections in November, 48% of respondents in the poll said they would support the Democratic candidate on a generic congressional ballot, and 42% said they plan on voting for the Republican. The voters were also asked if they held a favorable or unfavorable view of notable federal government officials. Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell who has become a recent target of the Justice Departments criminal probe into the central bank came out on top with the highest net favorability, standing at 18 points, with a 45% favorable rating and 27% unfavorable rating. According to the poll, Powell was followed by Secretary of State Marco Rubio (43% favorable, 41% unfavorable), Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. (43% favorable, 46% unfavorable), Vice President JD Vance (42% favorable, 46% unfavorable), Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem (38% favorable, 45% unfavorable), Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth (37% favorable, 43% unfavorable) and Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent (36% favorable, 35% unfavorable). The poll was conducted from Jan. 17-19 among 1,000 likely voters. It has a margin of error of plus or minus 3 percentage points. Democratic lawmakers say they plan to reintroduce bills that would limit New Jerseys cooperation with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents after former Gov. Phil Murphy vetoed two proposed laws over legal concerns on his final day in office. Murphy announced he was rejecting the two ICE bills on Tuesday, shortly before fellow Democrat Mikie Sherrill was inaugurated as the states new governor. Some immigrant advocates sharply criticized Murphys vetoes as a betrayal and said they hoped Sherrill will sign the reintroduced bills. The first vetoed bill, A6309, would have barred hospitals, schools and other state agencies from sharing immigration information with federal officials. The second bill, A6310, would have restricted local law enforcement from working with ICE by turning an existing New Jersey policy, known as the Immigrant Trust Directive, into a law. Both bills were approved by the Democratic-controlled state Legislature during the lame duck session. But the legislation expired when Murphy did not sign the bills before the session ended and the new governor took office. Murphy did sign a third ICE bill directing the state attorney general to establish policies creating safe zones in schools, hospitals, churches and other sites where agencies will not cooperate with ICE without a criminal warrant. State Sen. Britnee Timberlake, D-Essex, one of the sponsors of the vetoed bills, said legislators plan to reintroduce the measures under the Sherrill administration. Were going to run them back through, were not giving up, she said. A spokesperson for Sherrill did not respond to a request for comment on whether she would sign the legislation if it passed in the new legislative session. While campaigning last year to succeed Murphy, Sherrill expressed some of the same concerns Murphy raised when he vetoed the legislation and offered lukewarm support for the bills. But during her inauguration speech on Tuesday, she spoke more forcefully about the effects of ICE on communities. We refuse to be silent as doors are shut on too many of our friends and neighbors. Too many children and seniors who dont have enough to eat, people who work too hard and still cant get ahead, communities living in fear, children who are afraid that their parents will disappear in an ICE raid while they are at school, she said. New Jerseys current Immigrant Trust Directive installed in 2018 by Murphys then-state attorney general already limits state and local law enforcement agencies from working with ICE except when agents have a criminal warrant. But directives can be changed by governors, which prompted lawmakers to seek a permanent version enshrined in law. Murphy asserted the legislation that would codify the directive went beyond what is already in place. State Assemblywoman Ellen Park, D-Bergen, who supported the bills, disagreed. I am disappointed that A6309 and A6310 were not signed into law, she said. As an immigrant myself, these bills are deeply personal, which is why I remain committed to reintroducing this legislation in our new legislative session, Park added. Murphy also argued the bill that called for New Jersey to limit the information it shares with ICE lacked additional language needed to avoid conflict with federal law. Assemblywoman Annette Quijano, D-Union, who sponsored the measure in the Assembly, pushed back against the assertion. Protecting the personal data of anyone seeking medical care or government services is absolutely critical, and I remain committed to safeguarding that security, she said. New Jerseyans deserve the peace of mind to know that when their data is collected it will be protected. The Legislative Latino Caucus voiced continued support for the vetoed bills and said it would work with the Sherrill administration on getting them passed. The Legislative Latino Caucus remains committed to advancing policies that promote privacy, civil rights and community trust, the caucus said in a statement. We look forward to continued dialogue with the Sherrill administration and legislative partners to address the concerns raised and to pursue solutions that reflect the needs of New Jerseys diverse communities. Advocates were far more blunt in their disagreement with Murphys vetoes. The Legislature did its job, the advocates did their job, and the community made its voice heard. The governor failed to do his job, said Frank Argote-Freyre, chair of the Latino Action Network Foundation, a nonprofit statewide advocacy group. California Gov. Gavin Newsom (D) vowed to fight fire with fire to oppose President Donald Trumps agenda. Newsom, a frequent critic of the president, spoke at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland on Thursday, arguing that that there is no rule of law in the U.S. under Trump. He warned Europeans that Trump is trying to impose his agenda there as well. Theres no rule of law. Its the rule of Don, he said, referring to Trump. Im hoping for Europeans, its donning on you. He argued that there was no equal branches of government under Trump and criticized the president for his false claims about the 2020 election. He referenced the Jan. 6, 2021 attack on the Capitol, in which a mob made up of mostly Trump supporters tried to halt the certification of the election results. Its not the rule of law. You dont have co-equal branches of government. You have a supine Congress. You dont have a Speaker of the House. It doesnt exist. Popular sovereignty be challenged every single day by voter suppression. Tried to rig elections, Newsom said. I mean, heck, Donald Trump tried to steal the election the last election. Tried to light democracy on fire and then pardoned everyone that participated in that. Is anyone paying attention? he added. He also encouraged Democrats to stand up to Trump. Newsom said he initiated Proposition 50 in California to respond to Trumps demand that Texas redraw its congressional districts to add more GOP-leaning seats to the House. Proposition 50 was a statewide referendum that passed in November, authorizing state officials to redraw the congressional map. We decided the only way to address Trump is, quite literally to fight fire with fire," Newsom said. Donald Trump called an American politician and said, in the middle of the decade to the governor of state of Texas: I am entitled, Greg Abbott, to five seats, and I need you to redraw district lines, mid year redistricting, to rig the 2026 election before one vote is cast, Newsom said. He said the Trump administration expected California to just write an op-ed. We might write an op ed, and we may all go out and just say, this is just so wrong, and all of us would be applauding and say, yes,' as hes consolidating power, Newsom said. Instead, we went out and we redraw our maps, and we also drew a line in the sand. And I think thats whats required at this moment. And he, he susses out weakness like no one else. Thats his great strength. Thats his gift. But you punch back, you fight fire with fire, you just play conviction and strength, its a different relationship," he added. Trump jabbed Newsom while offering him a rare compliment during his remarks on Wednesday. Were going to help the people in California, Trump said. We want to have no crime. I know Gavin was here. I used to get along so great with Gavin when I was president. Gavins a good guy, he continued, adding that he would help Newsom, one of his most vocal critics, in a heartbeat. Trump went on to say that he would call on himself for assistance if he were a Democratic governor: Id say, Come on in. Make us look good. Because were cutting crime down to nothing. Newsom, who attended the forum, said Trumps speech was remarkably boring and remarkably insignificant in comments to CNNs Kaitlan Collins. He pointed to Trumps comments on Greenland, in which the president said he would not use force to take over the territory. White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt is swatting down speculation from critics after President Donald Trump was pictured with new bruising on his left hand. Close-up images of Trumps hand with a dark purple bruise circulated on social media on Thursday while the president hosted a signing ceremony for his Board of Peace on the sidelines of the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland. In response, Leavitt said in a statement to several reporters that the president had hit his hand on the corner of the signing table, causing it to bruise. A White House official also noted that Trump is more susceptible to hand bruising due to his daily aspirin regimen. Earlier this month, Trumps physician, Navy Capt. Sean Barbabella, told The Wall Street Journal that the president takes 325 milligrams of aspirin a day, noting he uses it for cardiac prevention. Trump said he has been encouraged to cut back on his aspirin dose, which is larger than his doctors recommend, but he is a little superstitious after taking it that way for 25 years. They say aspirin is good for thinning out the blood, and I dont want thick blood pouring through my heart, Trump said. I want nice, thin blood pouring through my heart. Does that make sense? According to CNN, Trump did not appear to show any heavy bruising on his left hand until around 10 minutes into the event. Trump has been separately photographed with bruising on his right hand since last February, appearing to cover the marking with makeup on several occasions. Leavitt previously attributed bruising to the president constantly working and shaking hands all day every day. Its from shaking hands with thousands of people, Trump also said in an interview with Time magazine released at the end of 2024. In July, Barbabella wrote in a memo that Trumps bruising is consistent with minor soft tissue irritation from frequent handshaking and the use of aspirin, which is taken as part of a standard cardiovascular prevention regimen. He added earlier this month that Trump is in exceptional health and perfectly suited to execute his duties as Commander in Chief. The Somerset County Prosecutors Office on Wednesday took its case against David C. Shroitman to the appellate division, arguing that the Branchburg native is fit to stand trial for the murder of Maryrose Fealey despite the findings of three psychiatrists that he is a paranoid schizophrenic. Appearing before a two-judge panel in Morristown, Assistant Prosecutor Emily M. Pirro repeated the states contention that although Shroitman is delusional, he understood the consequences of his actions before and after he allegedly stabbed Maryrose Fealey 37 times as she returned home to her mothers apartment in Somerville on the night of Jan. 30, 2024. The presence of delusions is not enough to make a person incompetent to stand trial, Pirro told the appellate court. As evidence of Shroitmans fitness to stand trial, Pirro offered the manifesto that police recovered from his Somerville apartment in which the defendant is alleged to have explained the motive for the attack in a jumble of paranoia. Pirro noted that Shroitman avoided capture and when police arrested him five days after the murder, he asked, Am I being detained? which she offered as proof that he was aware of how the legal system worked. Shroitman, who is currently confined to the Ann Klein Forensic Center, did not appear at the appellate proceeding, which is customary. He remains under indictment on charges of murder, hindering apprehension, weapons possession and stalking. Fealey, 27, a Rutgers Business School graduate, was a charismatic presence in her hometown of Somerville. After her brother struggled with opioid addiction, Fealey became active in the recovery movement. Maryrose Fealey, Somerville resident who was murdered in January 2024. Courtesy of Janet Pizzelli She quit her job in logistics with the U.S. Department of the Navy and founded a non-profit, 4TheYoungerMe, to work with addicts. With her brother, she was also active in Not an Easy Fix, a recovery program based at St. Johns Episcopal Church in Somerville. Shroitman and Fealey were both classmates at Somerville High School, although the Somerset County Prosecutors Office said the two barely knew each other. But following the arrest, Fealeys mother, Janet Pizzelli, told NJ Advance Media that her daughter complained of being stalked by Shroitman at a local gym just before she was killed. Janet Pizzelli believed Shroitman was competent and wanted him to stand trial. Stricken with cancer, she died last month, on Christmas Day. All three psychiatrists who examined Shroitman following his arrest agree he suffers from paranoid delusions. Two of the three say his delusions are so severe that he cannot adequately participate in his own defense. At a competency hearing held last April, Superior Court Judge Peter J. Tober agreed with the majority and committed Shroitman to the Ann Klein Forensic Center in Trenton for further evaluation. The judge affirmed his decision at a second hearing in July, but there were still no beds available at Ann Klein, so Shroitman remained in the Morris County Jail. It wasnt until late 2025 that Shroitman was transferred to the state forensic hospital. Shroitmans attorney, Shannon M. Doyle of the Somerset County Office of the Public Defender, said her client remains significantly impaired by mental illness. Doyle countered the states argument that Shroitman could think clearly enough to defend himself in court. She said merely being aware of what was going on was not proof of mental fitness to stand trial. Just because he is aware of whats going on is not necessarily conclusive that he can participate in his own defense, she told the appellate court. Pirro cited another case, State v. Snell, in which the court ruled that a defendants delusional thinking doesnt necessarily negate his ability to participate in his own defense. Still, the appellate panel appeared skeptical of the states argument, and reluctant to overturn Tobers ruling. How has the trial judge misapplied the law? Appellate Judge Robert Gilson asked. What am I missing? The appellate court heard oral arguments for about an hour, then reserved judgement. A decision will be published sometime later. A 38-year-old New Jersey man allegedly showed a 12-year-old girl pornographic videos on his phone and on one occasion masturbated in front of her, authorities said. Isaias Vielma-Hernandez, of Somerville, is charged with sexual assault by sexual contact, endangering the welfare of a child and obscenity, the Somerset County Prosecutors Office said Thursday. He showed the Manville girl the videos on multiple occasions between January 2025 and mid-April 2025, officials allege. Investigators obtained a search warrant and seized Vielma-Hernandezs phone on April 17, 2025. He was arrested on Jan. 9 and has since been released from jail. Vielma-Hernandez, who is represented by a public defender, is scheduled for a pre-indictment conference on Feb. 20, according to online court records. YANGON, Jan. 22 (Xinhua) -- Along Myanmar's Ayeyarwady River, Irrawaddy dolphins swim with local fishers in a rare cooperative partnership that has thrived for more than a century. In villages across central Myanmar, this unique alliance endures: fishers and dolphins work together to catch fish, bound by mutual understanding rather than the tools of modern fishing, turning a century-old bond into a sustainable way of life for river communities. For local fishers like U Maung Lay, 67, from Sin Kyun Village in Madaya Township of the Mandalay Region, the bond with dolphins is deeply personal, as he began fishing with the help of Irrawaddy dolphins in 1984. "Unlike modern fishing methods, fishing with Irrawaddy dolphins relies on cooperation rather than force," he said. "In practice, I gently tap my boat using small wooden pieces to signal the dolphins. The dolphins then herd fish toward the nets, and a leading dolphin signals with its tail when the fish are ready to be caught," he said. "Fishing naturally gives fewer fish. But with Irrawaddy dolphins, fishers get more fish in a shorter time and with less effort," U Maung Lay said. "When some fish escape from the net, the dolphins easily take and eat them. It's a mutual dependence," he added. Now a fisher leader, U Maung Lay provides training in villages across Mandalay and Sagaing regions, teaching fishers how to protect Irrawaddy dolphins, communicate with them, and practice cooperative fishing. "I conduct trainings to preserve the practice and create job opportunities for younger generations," he said. "I don't define my relationship with Irrawaddy dolphins as mutual cooperation," he said. "I define it as gratitude. They help me fish better, support my livelihood, and I respect them," he added. The practice of fishing with Irrawaddy dolphins continues along the Ayeyarwady River, linking conservation with local livelihoods and preserving a rare bond between humans and nature, he said. According to U Han Win, a fisheries officer from the Research and Development Division under the Environmental and Endangered Aquatic Animal Conservation Unit of the Department of Fisheries, Irrawaddy dolphins have been found in the river for centuries. While the species is not unique to Myanmar and can also be found in several Southeast Asian countries, Myanmar is one of the few places where fishing in cooperation with dolphins is still practiced. "This culture can attract foreign tourists and support local incomes. Preservation benefits both nature and communities," he said. "Since 2002, the department has shared Irrawaddy dolphin conservation knowledge in collaboration with the Wildlife Conservation Society and local communities, and has taken action against illegal fishing practices that threaten the species," he said. The department has also worked with international partners and attended conservation workshops under the Lancang-Mekong Cooperation Fund in Cambodia in 2025. It plans to seek funding and technical support through the project, he added. "We plan to resume more research and conservation activities soon. If local or international organizations want to cooperate with us, we welcome it," he said. "Conservation is crucial not only because Irrawaddy dolphins are endangered, but also because they represent a traditional practice that reflects a close human-dolphin relationship," he added. A former TD Bank employee has admitted in court that he accepted bribes to facilitate a $26 million international money laundering scheme. Oscar Marcel Nunez-Flores, 34, of North Plainfield, pleaded guilty in Newark federal court on Thursday to conspiring to launder monetary instruments and receipt of bribes by a bank employee, the U.S. Attorneys Office District of New Jersey said in a statement. Nunez-Florez, who worked at the banks Scotch Plains branch, accepted bribes and used his position to facilitate a money laundering networks scheme from March 2021 to October 2023, federal authorities said. The scheme involved the transferring of more than $26 million between the United States and the country of Colombia. He opened dozens of bank accounts under the names of shell companies, most of which were opened with no customer present, officials said. About 600 debit cards were eventually issued for those accounts and the cards were used to make more than 120,000 ATM withdraws in Colombia, according to federal prosecutors. Nunez-Florez also registered some of the shell companies that were later used to open bank accounts and personally shipped a debit card to a co-conspirator in Colombia, authorities said. He accepted bribes between $500 and $2,500 for each account that he opened, prosecutors said. A TD Bank spokesperson said the company has cooperated with law enforcement throughout the investigation and that anti-money laundering efforts are one of its top priorities. TD has made significant progress in building a best-in-class AML program, including through deep investments in talent, training, process improvements and technology, the spokesperson said. The U.S. Attorneys Office did not name any of Nunez-Flores co-conspirators or say whether anyone else was charged. Multiple agencies were involved in the investigation, including the DEA, IRS, FDIC and federal prosecutors in Washington state and Puerto Rico. Nunez-Florez will be sentenced on May 27. Autumn Special Read. Know. Act. $3 for 3 months! (90 days) Offer expires 12/30/2020 Don't hesitate! Start your digital-only membership today and not only receive full access to our premier news website NNY360.com but also to the NNY360 mobile app, and the Watertown Daily Times eEdition! DAVOS, Switzerland, Jan. 22 (Xinhua) -- The 9th World Investment Forum (WIF) will be held in Doha, Qatar, in October 2026, UN Trade and Development (UNCTAD) announced on Wednesday on the margins of the World Economic Forum annual meeting in Davos, Switzerland. Themed "Investing in the Future," the forum will look beyond short-term capital flows to focus on long-term value creation, productive capacity, and economic resilience, according to UNCTAD. "At a time of growing fragmentation and uncertainty, investment must once again become a driver of shared prosperity," said UNCTAD Secretary-General Rebeca Grynspan. The forum's program will include the Global Leaders Investment Summit, the Sustainable Stock Exchanges Global Dialogue, the Investment and Enterprise Ministerial Roundtable, and sessions on climate finance, digital transformation, and inclusive growth. "At the World Investment Forum, public and private leaders work together to turn long-term vision into investment action," said Nan Li Collins, director of Investment and Enterprise at UNCTAD and head of the WIF. Organized biennially by UNCTAD, the WIF is the UN's leading platform for investment and development. BEIJING, Jan. 22 (Xinhua) -- A Chinese Ministry of Commerce spokesperson on Thursday welcomed Canada's new trade arrangements for electric vehicles (EVs) exported from China, calling them "a positive step in the right direction." Spokesperson He Yongqian made the remarks when answering a question on the agreements on EVs and rapeseed reached between the two countries. According to the adjusted arrangements, Canada will grant China an annual quota of 49,000 EVs. Vehicles within this quota will enjoy the most-favored-nation tariff rate of 6.1 percent and be exempted from the 100 percent additional tariff, with the quota volume set to increase year by year at a certain ratio. Regarding rapeseed, He noted that China has always advocated resolving trade differences through dialogue and consultation. The country will fully consider Canada's reasonable demands within the framework of established rules and make a final ruling based on facts and evidence. He expressed belief that these efforts will play a positive role in deepening trade and industrial cooperation between China and Canada, as well as enhancing the well-being of the two peoples. Business leaders and MPs in Torbay have united to send out a desperate plea to the government - please Save Our Businesses. They fear that with a string of suffocating policies from the powers-that-be in Westminster, businesses in the Bay, especially in the tourism and hospitality sector, are on their knees and calling for help before its too late. Anthony Jones, who owns Otto and Twenty1 Lounge bistro and restaurants on Torquay harbourside, is also chair of the Torquay Independent Business Owners Group, which represents the interests of dozens of businesses in and around the harbour and waterfront. He has penned an open letter to Ministers highlighting the growing concerns of his industry and the Bay. Anthony Jones and Steve Darling at Ottos READ NEXT: South Devon MPs raise local hospitality crisis in Commons debate The letter has been handed to Ministers by Torbay MP Steve Darling who, together with Lib Dem ally, South Devon MP Caroline Voaden, has been fighting the Bays corner in the House of Commons. Mr Jones revealed he had met MP Darling to discuss all the rising costs and issues facing the hospitality sector as a whole. I have put pen to paper and written an open letter from myself with the support of the TIBO team wording a collective opinion on the realistic dire economic situation most of us have found ourselves in at the start of 2026, said Mr Jones. The letter has been written from the heart. Torbay is 90 per cent independently operated and we are all predicting another tough year of trade. Mr Jones writes in his open letter: Securing the Future of South West Independent Hospitality (2026) - A Sector at Breaking Point As of early 2026, the South West hospitality sector remains a vital part of the regional and national economy. But behind the postcard image of thriving staycations lies a far more fragile and alarming reality. Independent hospitality in the South West is not powered by corporations. It is powered by families. Families who live above their pubs. Families who raised their children in B&Bs. Families who have poured their life savings, their health, and their futures into serving their communities and welcoming visitors. For thousands of young people - especially those who struggle in traditional academic settings or unstable home environments - hospitality is not just a job. It is a second home, a first chance, a place to learn discipline, confidence, responsibility, and pride. Yet today, this entire ecosystem is being slowly and relentlessly crushed by cumulative government policy. If nothing changes, we will without doubt see accelerating closures not because owners have failed, but because there will be nothing left to give. No margin. No resilience. No way to support both the business and their own family home. This is not a theoretical risk. This is happening now. National Insurance & Labour Costs: Punishing Job Creation The South Wests hospitality industry is uniquely dependent on seasonal, part-time and entry-level workers often young people taking their very first steps into employment. With the employer National Insurance rate now at 15 per cent and a lowered secondary threshold, the cost of employing local people has surged. For a family business, this is not absorbed by profits.. It is absorbed by fewer staff, shorter opening hours, owners working 70 to 90 hour weeks or simply giving up. Every additional tax on jobs is, in reality, a tax on opportunity. Requested Action An immediate expansion of the Employment Allowance specifically for independent firms with turnover under 2 million. This is not a loophole. It is a lifeline for the entry-level job market that keeps young people in Devon, Cornwall, and Somerset working, learning, and off the margins of society. In basic terms the PAYE monthly bill is another silent killer, we need further support with this to reduce this additional cost. Urgent reform is needed here if you want to see the next generation of hospitality workers and business owners. Alongside higher wage costs and National Insurance costs reforms around zero-hour contracts, day one sick pay, and day one unfair dismissal rights all increase costs and risk at point of hiring. For seasonal businesses this makes it harder to take on entry level and young staff, where demand can fluctuate week to week and we need to drive efficiencies once the summer season ends. These challenges are almost impossible for smaller independent operators to manage, particularly those without dedicated HR teams to ensure compliance is handled correctly. VAT Reform: The Silent Killer of Viability The UK remains an international outlier with 20 per cent VAT on hospitality effectively a permanent tourism tax on British seaside and rural communities. Independent venues are being crushed between unstable food prices, volatile energy costs, rising wages and an immovable VAT burden They are not passing this on. They are absorbing it until they break. Requested Action A permanent VAT reduction structured as 12.5 per cent in Year One as an immediate lifeline, then 15 per cent from Year Two onwards - applied to all food sales, non-alcoholic drinks, accommodation. This is the single most powerful lever government can pull to restore cash flow, enable reinvestment, support Green Tourism upgrades and stop the bleeding of closures Without this, the decline will continue quietly, steadily, and irreversibly. Business Rates: The Final Straw for Many The new Tiered Multiplier system is welcome. But the 2026 revaluation risks becoming a mass extinction event for independents in tourist areas. Rateable Values in desirable South West locations based on 2024 trading conditions that no longer exist are forcing huge increases on businesses that are already exhausted. These are not prime assets, they are peoples lives and homes. Requested Action A Regional Transitional Relief Cap: no independent operator should face more than a 5 per cent increase per year. Levels have gone from 75 per cent discount to 40 per cent for hospitality, a fix of five years at 50 per cent would allow for planning and stability in the sector and allow business owners to plan better financially. Minimum Wage and Productivity: The Only Sustainable Path The National Living Wage increase to 12.71 (and 10.85 for 1820s) is morally understandable but economically explosive for a region with a young workforce and highly seasonal demand. This is not being funded by shareholders. It is being funded by owners not paying themselves, families burning through savings, deferred maintenance or closure Requested Action A temporary freeze on further wage increases for 1620 year olds A shift in policy focus toward supporting businesses that employ and train young people properly building real-world skills, confidence, and work ethic Do not force employers to replace young people with technology, automation, or shortcuts. Give young people purpose, not redundancy. This approach allows small teams to survive without destroying service quality and without destroying the people who run them. The Core Truth Independent hospitality is not just a sector. It is social infrastructure. It trains young people, sustains families, anchors towns and villages and gives Britain its character Right now, policy is breaking it faster than it can heal. If this continues, we will not just lose businesses. We will lose family homes, careers, communities and an entire generations first step into work A Final Appeal Hospitality is currently the third largest employer in the UK, supporting around 3.5 million jobs when direct and indirect employment is included. The decisions made in the coming months will affect millions of real people not statistics. We are not asking for handouts, we are simply asking to give us HOPE. Small changes to all the above policies would give the industry just this. You are elected by the people of these towns and communities. And right now, we need you more than ever to fight not only for us, but for the future of the entire industry. These words are being echoed by thousands of independent business owners across the country. nThey deserve to be heard. Now is the time to act. We are standing together, speaking out, and asking sincerely for your support to work with us, not against us. Ive been to some marvellous parties (with Nuno and Nada and Nell, as the Master might have put it) at our dear old Imperial Hotel, but the recent gathering to consider the future of Torbay Hospital and our Integrated Care Organisation was far from uplifting, to say the very least. You will have noticed all the banners for The Heart Campaign around the Bay to raise awareness of possible changes to cardiac services at Torbay Hospital which would then most likely lead to a wider reduction in services and status. We now have the hospital trust saying they are considering giving notice to Torbay Council on the Section 75 agreement which provides joined up health and adult social care services in a way which is unique and regarded nationally as a model of good practice. I have been banging on about how fortunate we are to have such an integrated system for some time. Torbay being Torbay, its all been taken for granted and only now as the future of these arrangements becomes uncertain are folk waking up to what is at risk. These arrangements in one form or another have been in place for just over 20 years. I recall signing the relevant document on behalf of Torbay Council at St Edmunds, Plainmoor, just a short time after I became Torbays first elected mayor. It certainly wasnt my idea so, I am not going to attempt to take the credit. In a nutshell it was intended as a new way of everyone working together, the health service and Torbay Council, to ensure residents got the best possible support to live independently when possible, with access to good quality health care when necessary without boundaries & bureaucracy getting in the way. The belief at the time, which is still relevant now, was that we needed to do things differently in the Bay as we had an exceptional older population, quite possibly the largest number of over-eighties in the UK, who are exactly the demographic who are most likely to need both health and social care services. You need good quality social care to support people effectively so they stay out of hospital (ideally) and you certainly need good quality care in place to enable timely discharge from hospital, therefore, freeing up beds for the next patients. Our joined up arrangements enabled the hospital to decommission beds at Torbay Hospital which generated significant savings mostly as a result of speedy discharge. Bed blocking became a thing of the past here at least and I would regularly question colleagues in the Town Hall about how many residents were waiting for care packages. Invariably the answer was none, which put us ahead of the pack as well as meaning residents got back home swiftly, which is where the great majority would prefer to be. Our recent Care Quality Commission inspection of adult social care services carried out in September 2025 rated us as good, which is another feather in our cap. Baroness Casey no less, who is chairing an independent commission to advise the government on reforming adult social care in England, has understandably taken an interest in what we are doing in Torbay. In my view, it would be an absolute tragedy to pull the plug on all this when the government might well decide doing things the Torbay way is the best way forward everywhere. The reason given for this likely change is to save money. What I wanted to shout out at the Imperial meeting but didnt because it wasnt really my night was: A joined up system is inherently a more economical way of providing these services! Something has gone very wrong when the hospital, on behalf of the Integrated Care Organisation, are saying they are between 30 million and 35 million overspent delivering adult social care services. Clearly there are synergies in delivering a joined up system, as I have tried to explain above; many services are commissioned so why the extra cost in Torbay? Services should be provided to residents by single/joined up teams, avoiding duplication. Overheads on back office functions such as payroll can be shared. My guess is the overspend is nothing like the figure stated and if the arrangement came to an end then the hospital would not achieve anything like this improvement in its finances. Because we have a truly integrated care organisation then unravelling the finances to allocate money separately to health and social care would be an incredibly complex task. Our highly regarded director of adult social care has come up with a transformation programme to support the Integrated Care Organisation to make the necessary changes in its practice to help balance the books. At the very least I believe there should be time to go through finances on an open book basis and properly consider her proposals. Torbay Councils funding of adult social care is benchmarked and shown to be amongst the highest of similar councils. Every extra pound which comes to us from the government for adult social care (or every special increase in council tax intended for adult social care) goes to the Integrated Care Organisation to spend on adult social care. Frankly, if it turns out they really are overspending by 30/35 million each year then it raises all kinds of questions about whats going on in our local health service. Finally, as Torbay Hospital fights for its future at a time when theres great pressure to concentrate services at much larger hospitals such as at Plymouth and Exeter, then surely it makes sense for our local health service leaders to celebrate what we do well? I have heard our MP, Steve Darling, say integrated care runs through Torbay like Blackpool through a stick of rock. If I was Joe Teape, Chief Executive of the Torbay and South Devon NHS Foundation Trust, the sponsor of the show, as it were, I would be working towards a solution which shows Torbay can provide the very best joined-up services for its residents in a way which is the envy of other places. Please think again! SHANGHAI, Jan. 22 (Xinhua) -- The New Development Bank (NDB) signed a loan agreement with Shanghai Rural Commercial Bank (SHRCB) for the Greener Shanghai Project on Thursday, providing the equivalent of 100 million U.S. dollars in five-year RMB funding to support the city's sustainable development projects. The financing will bolster investments in clean energy, environmental protection, and digital infrastructure in Shanghai, representing practical and concrete action to translate sustainability objectives into implementable projects that deliver real economic and environmental benefits, said Roman Serov, Vice-President of NDB. The cooperation reflects NDB's strong support for Shanghai's high-quality development and its continued efforts to build itself into an international financial center, he added. With green development gaining global consensus across national borders, such green finance projects are becoming key drivers of a comprehensive socio-economic transformation towards China's dual carbon goal, said Xu Li, Chairman of SHRCB. Headquartered in Shanghai, the NDB was established by Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa to mobilize resources for infrastructure and sustainable development projects in BRICS member states and other emerging economies and developing countries, complementing the existing multilateral and regional financial institutions for global growth and development. The site of a bus accident is seen in Russia's Primorsky Krai on Jan. 22, 2026. At least three people were killed and eight others injured on Thursday when a bus collided with a truck in Russia's Primorsky Krai, media reported. According to Vladivostok News, the accident occurred on a highway in the Khasan district of Primorsky Krai. The truck lost control and veered into the oncoming lane, causing the collision. Of the 14 people on board the bus, the driver and two passengers were killed. (Government of Khasan district of Primorsky Krai/Handout via Xinhua) VLADIVOSTOK, Jan. 22 (Xinhua) -- At least three people were killed and eight others injured on Thursday when a bus collided with a truck in Russia's Primorsky Krai, media reported. According to Vladivostok News, the accident occurred on a highway in the Khasan district of Primorsky Krai. The truck lost control and veered into the oncoming lane, causing the collision. Of the 14 people on board the bus, the driver and two passengers were killed. Russian media initially reported that the bus was carrying Chinese tourists. However, the Chinese Consulate General in Vladivostok said that no Chinese citizens were injured or killed in the accident. The cause of the accident is under investigation. The site of a bus accident is seen in Russia's Primorsky Krai on Jan. 22, 2026. At least three people were killed and eight others injured on Thursday when a bus collided with a truck in Russia's Primorsky Krai, media reported. According to Vladivostok News, the accident occurred on a highway in the Khasan district of Primorsky Krai. The truck lost control and veered into the oncoming lane, causing the collision. Of the 14 people on board the bus, the driver and two passengers were killed. (Government of Khasan district of Primorsky Krai/Handout via Xinhua) The site of a bus accident is seen in Russia's Primorsky Krai on Jan. 22, 2026. At least three people were killed and eight others injured on Thursday when a bus collided with a truck in Russia's Primorsky Krai, media reported. According to Vladivostok News, the accident occurred on a highway in the Khasan district of Primorsky Krai. The truck lost control and veered into the oncoming lane, causing the collision. Of the 14 people on board the bus, the driver and two passengers were killed. (Government of Khasan district of Primorsky Krai/Handout via Xinhua) The site of a bus accident is seen in Russia's Primorsky Krai on Jan. 22, 2026. At least three people were killed and eight others injured on Thursday when a bus collided with a truck in Russia's Primorsky Krai, media reported. According to Vladivostok News, the accident occurred on a highway in the Khasan district of Primorsky Krai. The truck lost control and veered into the oncoming lane, causing the collision. Of the 14 people on board the bus, the driver and two passengers were killed. (Government of Khasan district of Primorsky Krai/Handout via Xinhua) A MAN, with an address in Tullamore, pleaded guilty to intoxication in public and being in possession of a sharply pointed knife, during the January 14 sitting of Tullamore District Court. Zitalii Almoz, 2B Edgewater, Convent Road, Tullamore committed the offences on Church Road, Tullamore on November 30 last. He was charged with being in possession of a knife which had a blade which was sharply pointed. Sergeant Brendan Kearns told the court that on November 30 Almoz was seen walking down the street by the Gardai. He was very unsteady on his feet and intoxicated, commented Sgt Kearns. When they searched him they found a silver handled knife in his pocket. READ NEXT: Garda trainee dismissed after stealing wallet in Edenderry The defending solicitor Patrick Martin said his client is 54 years of age and married, with one daughter. He had been at his daughter's engagement party that day, remarked Mr Martin. "The knife in his jacket was used for barbecuing during the party. Mr Almoz is a Ukrainian national and had no previous convictions. He is here on a resident's permit and is working. I would ask you Judge to please be as lenient as possible. Judge Andrew Cody convicted and fined 500 for the possession of the knife, and ordered its destruction. He also fined the defendant 250 for being intoxicated in public. A cattle farmer who imported almost three-quarters of a million euros of cannabis into the State has argued that his solicitor failed to recognise the importance of garda evidence that he claims should not have been given to the jury in his trial. Defence barristers claim that evidence introduced by the prosecution suggested to the jury from the very start of the trial that Martin Murray (60) was the target of a garda operation. However, State barristers submitted to the Court of Appeal that this evidence was introduced during the trial by agreement with Murrays solicitor, who ran the case without any attending barristers. The trial in 2023 heard that Murray, of Crumlin Little, Moneygall, Birr, county Offaly, was stopped driving on the M7 on June 30, 2017. The truck he was driving was brought to Dublin Port, where holes were drilled into steel rollers and a camera inserted, revealing 73 packages of cannabis with a value of 730,000. A vacuum-packed bag containing 6,000 in cash was also found. Analysis of sat-nav and tachograph equipment revealed the truck had travelled from Moneygall to Rosslare and across to Breda in the Netherlands via the UK, before returning to Ireland through England and Scotland. Murray, who owns a dairy farm in Moneygall, claimed he didnt know the drugs were onboard and pleaded not guilty when he appeared before Tullamore Circuit Court. A jury did not accept his defence and found him guilty of the importation of a controlled drug in excess of 13,000 and having drugs for sale or supply. In December 2023, Murray was sentenced by Judge Keenan Johnson to ten years in prison, with the final two years suspended. READ NEXT: Gardai arrest man in Offaly and seize variety of drugs and quantity of cash In launching an appeal against this conviction last June, defence barristers said that State prosecutors should not have included in their opening speech a reference to the gardai confirming that they knew there would be drugs in the truck driven by Murray, who was identified as the target of the garda operation. Barristers for the State, however, said that Murrays solicitor gave permission for this information to be given. Representing Murray, Michael Bowman SC said that the appellant had been represented at his trial by a solicitor, with a senior and junior counsel initially retained before the senior counsel asked to come off record. Mr Bowman said that as the trial proceeded, confidential information was introduced that should not have been. He said that Murray's solicitor had candidly acknowledged that he did not comprehend the significance of what was put before the jury, as he should have been paying more attention to the prosecutions opening speech. Counsel said that there had been no need for the level of detail given by the prosecution, as their opening speech had included a reference to the gardai confirming that they knew there would be drugs in the truck and identifying Murray as the target of the operation. Counsel for the State, Kevin White BL said that the defence solicitor at the trial had said at the time that he had the authority to run this case, and a jury was empanelled. Mr White said that the prosecution raised with the solicitor the fact that there was going to be evidence given that his clients vehicle was under surveillance. I showed him the various portions of the statements, and I was given permission to run that, said Mr White. Mr White said the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) was of the view that factual matters had not been fully addressed in terms of the affidavits before the court, so more time was needed to do that. The matter was then adjourned in June. At the Court of Appeal on Wednesday, Mr Bowman said that the defence solicitor had sworn he was privy to conversations with Mr White and he had used his best endeavours to represent Murray during the trial. He said that the solicitor had indicated in his affidavit how he had missed the import of the material that was led in evidence during the trial. Counsel said that a discussion took place between the prosecution and the defence before the commencement of the trial, but it was now a matter for the Court of Appeal to decide to what extent it was agreed that the evidence was to be led. Counsel for the DPP, John Berry SC said that solicitors often discuss matters outside the court, before each side gets to present its evidence and test it. Just because we have that system, doesnt mean we have pure equality, said Mr Berry, adding that baked into our system is a huge information asymmetry. Counsel said that the prosecution does not know the defence case and the defence is under no obligation to disclose the case in advance, so when a prosecution lawyer is speaking to a defence lawyer before a trial, they do not know what the defence case is. It is unfair to place the burden on the prosecution lawyer that they act as a mudguard for the defence case. It can assist to have material that at first blush may appear prejudicial but may assist you as a defence counsel, he said. Mr Berry said that Mr White indicated he had permission to lead the evidence during the trial, but it was not for him to second guess this agreement. During the trial, gardai gave evidence that they had information that Murray was involved in drugs, identifying his name and date of birth. Mr Berry told the court that in the defences closing speech at the end of the trial, the solicitor said that there was a lot of information available to the gardai at all times here, which Mr Berry argued was the solicitor explicitly referring to elements of confidential information that he later claimed he wanted omitted. Mr Berry said that this evidence equally runs through the defence case as though it were raspberry writing in a stick of rock. How was Mr White supposed to second guess that this wasnt supposed to be in? asked Mr Berry. He went on to say that there was an agreement between the parties that some information was to be led, before a dispute arose as to the extent of that. Counsel went on to ask that when one looked at the information led, could that information be said to be so prejudicial as to warrant the Court of Appeal quashing the conviction. In response, Mr Bowman said that the prosecution sought to introduce this evidence for a specific reason, so they must take ownership of the introduction of this material. He said that the jury could have wondered how the gardai could know about the drugs on the truck while Murray did not know, meaning the jury heard from the start that Murray was the target of the operation. Ms Justice Tara Burns said that there either was an agreement between the parties for this evidence to be led or there was not. She pointed out that no requisition was made by the defence team to the judge on this matter during the trial, which suggested there was an agreement between the parties for the introduction of the evidence. There was clearly some reason why the solicitor agreed for it to go in, it must have been some benefit to (the defence) side, she said. Mr Bowman replied that if the evidence was being put in for a purpose, that needed to be explained by the prosecution. He restated his argument that the evidence as led by the prosecution made it clear to the jury that Murray was the target of the garda operation, not the vehicle that was stopped. Mr Justice Patrick McCarthy, presiding over the three-judge Court of Appeal, said the court would reserve judgement in the case and the matter was adjourned. Human remains, dramatically uncovered in Lemanaghan's monastic site last year, have been carbon dated to the early Christian period. The scientific results came back recently, resulting in considerable interest and enthusiasm amongst the locals. This story of "Saints, Storms and Skeletons" dates back to January 24th, 2025 when Storm Eowyn swept through the site, felling four mature trees within the enclosure surrounding the early Christian oratory of St Mella, and exposing human burials within their root-balls. This was a dramatic discovery because it hadn't previously been known that people were buried there. The radiocarbon dating has now revealed that the remains were from 1,000 to 1,300 years old. What made the discovery of these ancient burial sites even more extraordinary was the fact that the storm revealed the remains on the feast day of Saint Manchan, the founding saint of this important early monastery. St Manchan is recorded as having died in AD 664. Scientific analysis shows that one burial dates to between 662 and 817 AD, while another dates to between 707 and 939 AD, meaning the individuals were possibly laid to rest within decades of the saint himself. This discovery stunned both archaeologists and the local community, Aoife Phelan of the Lemanaghan Bog Heritage and Conservation Group told the Tribune. The storm that exposed the burials struck on St Manchans feast day, a day that is still marked every year at Lemanaghan by local people who go on pilgrimage to the holy well, visit St Mellas Cell and attend Mass, continuing traditions that stretch back more than a thousand years. It was during this annual day of pilgrimage, after the storm had passed, that Aoife, accompanied by her sons, nieces and nephews, first noticed the uprooted trees within the enclosure at St Mellas Cell, trees whose torn roots had disturbed soil that had not seen daylight since the early medieval period. The following day, local man Seamus Corcoran recognised that the exposed skull at the site was likely human remains. This in turn set in motion a chain of events that led to the full archaeological investigation facilitated by the Heritage Office in Offaly County Council, The National Monuments Service and The National Museum, which resulted in a team of archaeologists from Irish Heritage School led by Birr man Dr Denis Shine excavating the site. Until this moment, the enclosure around St Mellas Cell was never known to be a burial ground, commented Aoife, making the discovery all the more astonishing. The exact number of different skeletons is still under investigation as the remains were interwoven, possibly layered on top of each other. However it is certain that multiple individuals were found buried according to Christian tradition, aligned east to west, within what is now understood to be an intimate and sacred part of the early monastic complex. The discovery feels like a message from our ancestors. It is a moment when a sacred landscape has spoken again, revealing that Lemanaghan still yields the secrets of a deeply rooted past. They have quite literally lifted their heads from the earth after 1300 years, and to do so on St Manchans pattern day is astonishing. It has made it clear to us that Lemanaghan is sacred historic land, and that it must be protected, preserved and respected. Dr Shine said the Irish Heritage School team had been lucky to work with the lovely community of Lemanaghan on several occasions over the years on both a voluntary and professional basis. As it's one of the midlands premier monastic sites we have also been bringing third level student groups there for a number of years. Knowing the site well, the opportunity to excavate human remains from tree root plates at Mellas Cell was undoubtedly a career highlight, and a first, for us! Lots of options were carefully explored with the National Museum and National Monuments Service, before we decided that excavation was the only viable option. While the excavation was small in scale it was incredibly challenging due to complex and unusual excavation circumstances created by Storm Eowyn, which resulted in extremely precariously held together burials that were severely disturbed by roots. However, we were lucky to have a very experienced team, who deserve our thanks, as do the Council and National Monuments Service for funding the dig. Following meticulous removal of the roots and exposure of the skeletal remains, the excavation of the burials was also co-ordinated by project osteoarchaeologist Dr Annamaria Diana. Dr Diana said four disturbed articulated inhumations were identified two were in the largest south-western fallen tree roots and two in the westernmost tree roots; further human remains were observed in the north-eastern tree root plate, but thankfully these could subsequently be preserved in situ. All skeletal remains from the site (including both the burials and an amount of disarticulated bone) are currently being analysed to assess biological profiles and possible pathological conditions as well as to establish the minimum number of individuals represented. Based on preliminary observations carried out so far, the assemblage clearly includes more than the four articulated burials and contains individuals of different ages, with identified juvenile teeth confirming the presence of children in the burial ground. The picture below shows the Lemanaghan site from the air. Aoife Phelan pointed out that for many locally, the timing of these events has been deeply moving, with the burials revealed on the saints day, discovered by children walking the pilgrimage route, and dating to the precise period when St Manchan was alive. "That sense of meaning deepened further when the radiocarbon dating results were returned on Nollaig na mBan, a day traditionally associated with women in Irish culture, memory and the female line, a striking coincidence at a site linked to St Mella, believed to be St Manchans mother, and to the wider tradition of women saints and female religious life in early Christian Ireland." Aoife said Lemanaghan is already recognised as one of Ireland's most significant archaeological landscapes, encompassing an early monastery, a unique surviving oratory, a medieval togher, medieval shrine, holy wells, cross slabs and internationally important relics, while the surrounding boglands are renowned for having yielded remarkable discoveries spanning thousands of years, including prehistoric wooden trackways and platforms, Bronze and Iron Age artefacts, medieval tools and objects of daily life preserved in the peat, all pointing to continuous human presence and activity across millennia, and this latest discovery reinforces the long-held local belief that Lemanaghan was once a hive of movement, devotion, burial, industry and pilgrimage at the heart of the midlands. "For those who live in the area, the message is clear: this was not just an accident of nature, but a moment when the past demanded to be seen and protected." Amanda Pedlow, Offaly Heritage Officer, pointed out that the Lemanaghan Conservation Plan was commissioned by the Heritage Council in 2001, and since then there has been extensive conservation work led by Margaret Quinlan conservation architect, and geophysical surveys. "The importance of this monastic site is very central to the community who take extraordinary care of it," she remarked. Aoife also told the Tribune that Fr Brendan OSullivan will celebrate Mass for the feast of St Manchan in St Marys Church, Pullough, on Saturday next January 24th at 6.30pm. St Marys Church is renowned for its beautiful Harry Clarke stained-glass windows and its distinctive bog oak altar. All are welcome to attend. READ NEXT: Human bones dramatically revealed in Offaly heritage site during winter storm Roscrea Fianna Fail County Councillor, Michael Smith, said there are no plans to fully pedestrianise Roscrea's Castle Street. Roscrea was one of the first towns in the country and only town in North Tipperary to be selected for the new Town First development scheme and part of the plans sees a redesign of Roscrea's Castle Street. Cllr Smith told the monthly meeting of the Municipal Council for the Roscrea area in Thurles on Monday that disinformation about plans to pedestrianise Castle Street had caused concerns for local people and called for the rumours to be rubbished. There are no plans to pedestrianise Castle Street, I'm not in favour of it and I have seen the three options and my preference is actually a one way system which will see a circular movement of cars around the town - I think that is something local people and businesses would support and give very positive feedback, he said. READ NEXT: Roscrea mourns loss of former teacher and community leader Meanwhile, the community in Roscrea are reminded of a public consultation event to explore options for the future of Castle Street. You can have your say about what you think would be best for Castle Street at a public consultation event in Roscrea's Black Mills complex today. The event at the Black Mills complex is called the 'Revitalising Castle Street Community Consultation Event' and will take place on Thursday, 22nd January, from 4.00pm to 7.30pm. This event is an opportunity for everyone in Roscrea to see how the proposals have developed following feedback received through the online community survey and previous stakeholder engagement in November last year. An overview of the project will be on public display as well as a summary of the consultation feedback and the wider movement and parking strategy for the town. Also on display will be an outline of Roscrea's tourism strategy and Masterplan option layouts for Castle Street and Church Street. It's expected that the Birr Northern Distributor Road road will open to traffic in the near future. It has been designed to partly relieve heavy traffic congestion in the town by connecting the R439 Banagher Road to the N52 Tullamore Road, passing near Lidl and the Gaelscoil. Work began in early 2025, involving construction of the road, footpaths, cycleways, and associated infrastructure, with the goal of improving traffic flow, supporting development, and enhancing connectivity in Birr. Work is also progressing on the Southern Distributor Road which will run from the County Arms / Tesco roundabout to Syngefield, past the new Primary Care Centre. Cllr Sean Maher told The Midland Tribune that a number of developers are now "actively working" on the Southern Distributor Road, including the contractor working on the Primary Care Care and two other construction companies. During the official opening last June of Birr's Gaelscoil, which is located right beside the Northern Distributor Road, former Councillor John Carroll told the gathering that with the new link road currently under construction I think it would be now appropriate and timely to raise the question of what its name should be? John asked the gathering if they thought Bothar na Laochra would be a good name? His question received an enthusiastic response from many. He pointed out that if called Bothar na Laochra it would be our first Irish named road in the town. I think it would be great to have our first Irish titled road. The name could be dedicated to the sporting, cultural, entrepreneurial giants of Birr, the Laochra who have contributed to the development of our town. He pointed out that the Gaelscoil is the prominent public building on the link road. The school, through the Department of Education, has delivered a section of the road - funds which were due for a new Hall for the Gaelscoil were instead channelled into the link road. Birr has been suffering badly for years from daily traffic jams. It's hoped that the Northern Distributor Road, which will run from Tullamore Road, past Lidl and the Gaelscoil, and emerge on the Banagher Road, will go some way to alleviating the problem. The Northern Distributor is only 370 metres in length but it should improve the congestion a bit, particularly during the periods when cars are dropping off or collecting pupils from St Brendan's Community School. The Council had previously been aiming to begin the works in 2023 or 2024. The Southern Distributor Road seems to be progressing more quickly than previously expected. It was previously guessed it might be finished by 2029, but it seems to be on track to finish well before that. There had also been some talk about building a connecting link road between the two Distributor Roads to further improve the town's congestion problem. This link road would run across green fields. However it's not certain whether this will proceed or not. READ NEXT: Important new Birr relief road gets go-ahead Irish stars Jessie Buckley and Paul Mescal are among the actors tipped to land Oscar nominations on Thursday. The duo are likely to receive nods for their performances in Hamnet, the big-screen adaptation of Maggie OFarrells award-winning novel about the family life of William Shakespeare and the death of his young son. Buckley is poised to be nominated for best actress for her turn as Shakespeares wife Agnes Hathaway historically known as Anne and is widely considered the frontrunner having already secured a string of trophies including the Golden Globe and Critics Choice award. Mescal is likely to get a supporting actor nod for his role as the Bard, while Chloe Zhao is expected to be recognised in the best director category. Zhao made history as the second woman and the first woman of colour to win the best director Oscar, for Nomadland in 2021. Hamnet is also tipped to be nominated for the best picture Oscar, but will face competition from One Battle After Another, Paul Thomas Andersons film starring Leonardo DiCaprio as a washed-up revolutionary on a mission to save his teenage daughter. DiCaprio and his co-stars Chase Infiniti, Benicio Del Toro, Sean Penn and Teyana Taylor are all thought to be in the running for acting nods, while Anderson is likely to receive a directing nomination. DiCaprio is expected to compete for the best actor Oscar against Timothee Chalamet for his turn as an ambitious ping pong player in Marty Supreme, and Wagner Moura for his performance in Brazilian drama The Secret Agent. British-Nigerian actress Wunmi Mosaku could land a nod in the supporting actress category for her performance in Ryan Cooglers vampire drama Sinners. Radiohead star Jonny Greenwood could secure a nomination for his score for One Battle After Another. He was previously nominated for Phantom Thread and The Power Of The Dog. The Academy Awards will be hosted by Conan OBrien in Hollywood on March 15. The nominations will be announced by Danielle Brooks and Lewis Pullman at 1.30pm UK time on Thursday. Over eight and a half million euros has been granted to a cross-border initiative to help disabled people become more actively engaged in society. PeacePlus funding of 8,661,034 euros has been announced for Onside Evolution, a new project designed to tackle social and digital exclusion among disabled people and carers across Northern Ireland and the border counties of Ireland. PeacePlus is a programme managed by the Special EU Programmes Body (SEUPB). The 7.54 million project will aim to help disabled people across the region to live more connected and independent lives by expanding digital access, strengthening active citizenship and supporting carers. The project will run from January 2026 to June 2029, delivering care to 5,800 people. Measures include a digital inclusion training programme, an Active Citizenship course and access to technology to enhance social connectedness. There will also be a focus on carers, with 2,000 carers receiving training to better support disabled people to live independently and participate actively in society. Stormont Health Minister Mike Nesbitt said he values the ongoing collaboration with our Irish counterparts and looks forward to following the positive difference this project makes to our citizens in both jurisdictions. By scaling support for people living with disability and their carers across the island, this project aims to advance digital inclusion for participants through training and skills development, he said. In line with my Departments HSC Digital Strategy 2022-2030, it further seeks to reduce digital inequalities and provide better support for people living with disability to live independently, experience better community connection and benefit from networks. Irish Minister for Health Jennifer Carroll MacNeill said the initiative will equip disabled people with the tools needed to participate fully in public, social and digital life. It is a powerful reminder of what can be achieved when we work together for equality and inclusion, she said. SEUPB is a North South Body with the statutory remit for managing EU funding programmes within Northern Ireland and the border counties of Ireland. Gina McIntyre, SEUPB chief executive, said the project will help disabled people in Northern Ireland and the border counties of Ireland to live more connected, independent, and fulfilling lives. This initiative demonstrates the transformative potential of the PeacePlus Programme in addressing shared challenges, improving wellbeing, and building a more inclusive and cohesive society across the island of Ireland, she said. U.S. President Donald Trump attends a charter-signing event at the World Economic Forum (WEF) Annual Meeting 2026 in Davos, Switzerland, Jan. 22, 2026. U.S. President Donald Trump formally launched his so-called "Board of Peace" on Thursday at a charter-signing ceremony during the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland. (Xinhua/Lian Yi) DAVOS, Switzerland, Jan. 22 (Xinhua) -- U.S. President Donald Trump formally launched his so-called "Board of Peace" on Thursday at a charter-signing ceremony during the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland. The move has drawn concern from observers who warn it could undermine the primacy of the United Nations and the established multilateral framework for peacekeeping. Some major global powers and traditional U.S. allies have declined to join the board. Speaking at the event, Trump stated that the board, which he will chair, could "do pretty much whatever we want," while claiming it would operate "in conjunction with the United Nations." Critics, however, fear it risks overlapping with or weakening the existing UN-centered multilateral system. Under the current plan, Trump would serve as the board's inaugural chairman, a position he could hold for life. Trump said permanent members must each contribute 1 billion U.S. dollars to fund the board. U.S. President Donald Trump speaks at the World Economic Forum (WEF) Annual Meeting 2026 in Davos, Switzerland, Jan. 22, 2026. U.S. President Donald Trump formally launched his so-called "Board of Peace" on Thursday at a charter-signing ceremony during the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland. (Xinhua/Lian Yi) U.S. President Donald Trump speaks at the World Economic Forum (WEF) Annual Meeting 2026 in Davos, Switzerland, Jan. 22, 2026. U.S. President Donald Trump formally launched his so-called "Board of Peace" on Thursday at a charter-signing ceremony during the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland. (Xinhua/Lian Yi) As an old tabloid journalist, I'm a fan of short headlines that tell the story without beating around the bush. One of the most famous was a Daily News front page from 50 years ago that screamed: "Ford to New York: Drop Dead!" President Gerald Ford had refused to help the city out of some financial difficulties and the city's leading morning daily had made the message clear. A few days back, another story involving a president spurred a headline in my tabloid-programmed brain: Ford to factory worker: Shut up! No, you never saw it. The president was Trump and the Ford in this case was the automaker that was one of the proud founders of the American industrial empire, Ford Motor Company. As you've undoubtedly learned via social media by now, as Trump was touring a Ford plant in Dearborn, Michigan, posing for pictures and making smiling men in suits happy, a worker called out "Pedophile protector!" at the man who is protecting pedophiles by still refusing to release the full Epstein files as Congress specifically voted. Trump, with the emotional maturity of a not very bright 12-year-old boy, responded by saying "F*#k You!" twice and giving the man the middle finger. Crude. The kind of stuff that makes an impression on the schoolyard, but is not especially presidential and certainly not dignified. Like accepting a Nobel Peace Prize that doesn't belong to you, as I wrote about the other day. At least he's consistent. Well, the press managed to cover the story, carefully, and Ford, which sponsored the visit by Trump without coordinating with the United Autoworkers Union, responded by suspending the worker, TJ Sabula. Social media covered the story much more directly, noting the American citizen expressing his free speech, the American president reacting boorishly, the union saying free speech is supposed to be protected and, eventually, lawyers saying that protection unfortunately doesn't apply to private employers, but rather to the government. A Go Fund Me site started for Sabula, who has not regretted his remark, has reportedly raised more than half a million dollars for him already, which tells you where America stands on speaking truth to power. The Ford Company, which obviously invited Trump to flatter him and work out some deal, is still mum on further action on Sabula. The unredacted Epstein files have still not been released, although the congressionally set deadline was last December 19. The White House defended Trump's reactions as "appropriate". And, Trump has never denied the charge hurled at him on the factory floor: Pedophile protector! He just hurled an F-bomb -- twice -- and hoisted an arthritic middle finger, demonstrating once again to the world the embarrassment that he and his cowardly enablers in the Republican Party have inflicted on this once-proud nation. Trump to America: Drop Dead! This past Martin Luther King Jr. Day, the battle over his legacy intensified. Writing in the Carr Center for Human Rights at Harvard Kennedy School, racial justice fellow Antonio L. Ingram II observed that state lawmakers across the country were misappropriating King's "I Have a Dream" speech to justify attacking diversity, equity, and inclusion programs-- the very policies meant to advance King's vision. [LINK: Click Here] The debate crystallizes a fundamental question: Does King's dream of a colorblind society require us to ignore race today, or does it demand active measures to dismantle racism's enduring structures? I write as one who lives with a visible marker of minority identity. Born with radial hypoplasia-- a condition affecting my right hand and forearm-- I have spent my life navigating stares, invasive questions, and assumptions about my capabilities. I know what it feels like to be reduced to a single visible trait, to have strangers form snapshot judgments before I've spoken a word. My experiences, while incomparable to the systematic racism black Americans face, have taught me one crucial lesson: we cannot simply wish away biases by declaring ourselves blind to differences. Difference, once perceived, shapes how we are treated-- whether we acknowledge it or not. The answer to the contemporary debate lies in King's own words, which reveal how profoundly his message has been distorted. His "I Have a Dream" speech is frequently invoked as a rebuke to race-conscious policies, with its most famous line-- about judging children by "the content of their character-- " cited as an argument against affirmative action. This selective reading has long warped public understanding of King's broader vision. During California's 1996 campaign for Proposition 209, which sought to eliminate affirmative action, an advertisement used that line from King's speech alongside anti-affirmative action messaging. As Eric J. Sundquist documents in "King's Dream" (Yale University Press, 2009), the ad's voiceover declared, "We should be judged on merit, not by... the color of our skin," then cut to footage of King's famous words about "the content of their character," concluding: "Martin Luther King was right... Let's get rid of all preferences." After an explosion of opposition from both proponents and opponents of the measure, including the King family, the ad was scrapped. Coretta Scott King responded that those claiming her late husband opposed affirmative action were "misrepresenting his beliefs, and indeed, his life's work". Although Proposition 209 ultimately passed, the controversy laid bare how profoundly King's words have been taken out of context. King's mature works confirm Coretta Scott King's assessment. Contrary to a widespread myth, race-conscious remedies do not betray his colorblind dream; they are the just and necessary means of its fulfillment. King believed deeply in equal opportunity and individual merit-- but he understood that such concepts are meaningless when they fail to address enduring discrimination against African Americans. In "Why We Can't Wait" (Penguin Books, 1963), he explains that justice cannot be achieved merely by ignoring race; it requires deliberate measures to correct historical and systemic wrongs: "It is impossible to create a formula for the future which does not take into account that our society has been doing something special against the Negro for hundreds of years. How then can he be absorbed into the mainstream of American life if we do not do something special for him now, in order to balance the equation and equip him to compete on a just and equal basis?" King anticipates-- and rejects-- the very objection often raised today: "Whenever this issue of compensatory or preferential treatment for the Negro is raised, some of our friends recoil in horror... On the surface this appears reasonable, but it is not realistic. For it is obvious that if a man is entered at the starting line in a race three hundred years after another man, the first would have to perform some impossible feat in order to catch up with his fellow runner." The message is clear: neutrality alone cannot remedy state-sanctioned injustice perpetrated for over three centuries. White advantage accumulated through generations of inherited privilege; society must take affirmative steps to offset an imbalance of that magnitude. Insisting on formal neutrality in the face of structural inequality does not transcend racial prejudice-- it freezes its consequences in place. One contemporary expression of this logic can be seen in diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives in recruitment and hiring. However controversial, these policies are Kingian in spirit. They aim not merely to prohibit overt discrimination, but to dismantle the massive edifice of enduring racism that continues to restrict opportunity. Such measures do not constitute "reverse discrimination"; rather, they are tools designed to reverse the effects of discrimination that King understood to be cumulative and self-perpetuating. In "Where Do We Go From Here: Chaos or Community?" (Beacon Press, 2010), King extends his argument. He underscores that a legacy of massive institutional racism still weighs heavily upon black Americans despite the abstract guarantee of legal equality. Yet the dominant version of history-- long perpetuated in standard textbooks-- glosses over a foundational hypocrisy. While professing devotion to liberty and equality, the United States was built on the labor of millions of enslaved Africans. Next Page 1 | 2 (Note: You can view every article as one long page if you sign up as an Advocate Member, or higher). This article originally appeared at TomDispatch.com . To receive TomDispatch in your inbox three times a week, click here Give Donald Trump credit. He's added new meaning to that ancient phrase "gunboat diplomacy." In fact, by the time I wrote this introduction, his administration had already attacked35 boats in the Caribbean Sea and the Eastern Pacific Ocean, killing 123 people. In our post-modern age, though, you would have to at least change that phrase to something like "gunplane diplomacy" or "gundrone diplomacy," given that, in addition to whatever planes and drones he used to attack those ships, he's already sent at least 150 U.S. aircraft of various sorts to attack Venezuela. (And I'm not even counting the helicopters on which the U.S. military flew in the troops who helped kidnap the president of that country and his wife.) And of course, a president who dreams of going to war -- yes, the term actually exists -- hemispherically, if not globally, needs one obvious thing: more money. So, who could be faintly surprised that President Trump is now demanding Congress give him $500 billion extra, a mere 50% rise in what still sometimes passes for the U.S. defense budget to pay for his "dream military." I mean, why wouldn't the American people want to put $1.5 trillion into such a military, especially since it's now supposed to begin making a thrilling special fleet of Trumpian battleships, which are expected to cost a mere $9 billion each (and that's before, like just about all modern weaponry, their price rises exponentially)? And hey, if we the people, or at least the crew who pass for our representatives in Congress, actually agree to that, maybe the president could shuttle just a little of it aside to help construct the undoubtedly stunning new one-story "upper West Wing" of the White House he so desperately wants to go with his new East Wing. Given such remarkable plans, you might wonder: What could possibly go wrong? Well, to answer that question, let me call on TomDispatch regular William Hartung, co-author of the new book The Trillion Dollar War Machine: How Runaway Military Spending Drives America into Foreign Wars and Bankrupts Us at Home (whose title might indeed need to be changed in future editions to "Trillion and a Half" or, if Trump manages to run for a third term, the "Two Trillion Dollar War Machine"). Tom Venezuela, the Revival of Regime Change And the Decline of Empire By William D. Hartung The Trump administration's exercise in armed regime change in Venezuela should have come as no surprise. The U.S. naval buildup in the Caribbean and the attacks on defenseless boats off the Venezuelan coast -- based on unproven allegations that they contained drug traffickers -- had been underway for more than three months. By the end of December 2025, in fact, such strikes on boats near Venezuela (and in the Eastern Pacific) had already killed 115 people. And those attacks were just the beginning. The U.S. has since intercepted oil tankers as far away as the North Atlantic Ocean, run a covert operation inside Venezuela, and earlier this month, launched multiple air strikes that killed at least 40 Venezuelans while capturing that country's president, Nicholas Maduro, and his wife. Both of them are now imprisoned in New York City and poised to face a criminal trial for narco-terrorism and cocaine importing conspiracies, plus assorted weapons charges. Even more strikingly, President Donald Trump recently told the New York Times that the U.S. could run Venezuela "for years." On how that would be done, he (of course!) didn't offer a clue. Naturally, a Venezuelan government forged in the face of a possible U.S. occupation would comply with the whims of the Trump administration -- assuming that such a government, capable of stabilizing the country and earning the loyalty of the majority of its people, can even be pulled together. Trump's rush to war in Latin America is a phenomenon that, until recently, seemed long over. Its revival should raise multiple red flags, given the history of Washington's failed efforts to install allied governments through regime change. (Can you spell Iraq?) In fact, given this country's lack of success with such attempts since the Soviet Union collapsed in 1991, it's a good bet that regime change in Venezuela will not end well for any of the parties concerned, whether the Trump administration, the new leaders of Venezuela, or the people of our two countries. In the meantime, Trump has already suggested that he might entertain the idea of launching military strikes on neighboring Colombia. After a White House phone call between that country's president Gustavo Petro and him, however, Time Magazine speculated that, when it comes to "who's next?," it might not be Colombia but Cuba, Mexico, Greenland, or even Iran. What's not yet clear is whether Trump and crew will use the U.S. military, CIA-style covert action, economic warfare, or some combination of all of them in pursuit of their goals (whatever they might prove to be). The one thing that should be clear by now is that pursuing such global regime-change campaigns would be sheer madness. Going that route would sow chaos and instability, while harming untold numbers of innocent civilians, all in pursuit of a futile quest for renewed U.S. global supremacy. When, long ago, President Trump first started using the term "Make America Great Again," I assumed he was thinking of the 1950s, when a surge of post-World War II economic growth and government investment lifted the prospects of a select group of Americans (while pointedly excluding others). That period, of course, was when the efforts that produced the modern civil rights, women's rights, and gay and trans rights movements were in their early stages. Prejudice was the norm then in most places where Americans lived, worked, or got an education, while McCarthyism cost untold numbers of people their jobs and livelihoods and had a chilling effect on the discussion or pursuit of progressive goals. Such a return to the 1950s would have been bad enough. However, Trump's fixation on actually grabbing territory and his hyper-militarized interpretation of the 200-year-old Monroe (now, Donroe) Doctrine suggest that perhaps he wants to take America back to the 1850s. If so, count on one thing: we'll pay a high price for any such exercise in imperial nostalgia. Intervention as the Norm: The History of U.S. Aggression in Latin America The Trump administration's attempt to control Latin America and intimidate its leaders and citizens is, of course, nothing new. At the start of the twentieth century, President Teddy Roosevelt announced his own "corollary" to the Monroe Doctrine, which went well beyond the original pronouncement's warning to European powers to avoid challenging Washington's dominance of the Western Hemisphere. Roosevelt then stated that "chronic wrongdoing" may in America, as elsewhere, ultimately require intervention by some civilized nation, and in the Western Hemisphere the adherence of the United States to the Monroe Doctrine may force the United States, however reluctantly, in flagrant cases of such wrongdoing or impotence, to the exercise of an international police power." The Office of the Historian at the U.S. State Department points out that, "[o]ver the long term, the [Roosevelt] corollary had little to do with relations between the Western Hemisphere and Europe, but it did serve as justification for U.S. intervention in Cuba, Nicaragua, Haiti, and the Dominican Republic." Next Page 1 | 2 | 3 (Note: You can view every article as one long page if you sign up as an Advocate Member, or higher). Artificial intelligence in construction has long been discussed as a future advantage. Liaison Dynamics is turning it into a present-day operating reality. Across the construction sector-from A giraffe walks along a recently flooded road in Kruger National Park, South Africa, Jan. 23, 2026. The recent floods in South Africa have caused extensive damage to the country's largest and world-renowned game reserve, Kruger National Park, with losses estimated at nearly half a billion rand (about 30 million U.S. dollars). (South African National Parks/Handout via Xinhua) CAPE TOWN, Jan. 22 (Xinhua) -- The recent floods in South Africa have caused extensive damage to the country's largest and world-renowned game reserve, Kruger National Park, with losses estimated at nearly half a billion rand (about 30 million U.S. dollars). South African Minister of Forestry, Fisheries, and the Environment Willie Aucamp made the remarks at a media briefing in Cape Town, the legislative capital, on Thursday. Since the onset of the severe weather on Jan. 9, more than 600 staff members and guests have been evacuated, according to the minister. Heavy rainfall has caused extensive flooding in Limpopo and Mpumalanga provinces, resulting in loss of life and widespread damage to property and infrastructure. The park sustained damage to roads, bridges, staff villages, tourist facilities, as well as water and electrical systems, with 15 camps closed and tourism operations suspended, Aucump said. "Despite this devastation to infrastructure and operations, the most important highlight is that no lives were lost," he said. "The combined scale of infrastructure damage and operational disruption in the recent flooding has exceeded the park's existing contingency and maintenance budgets," he added. Between Jan. 9 and 19, Kruger National Park recorded 24,073 guest entries, a 41 percent decline compared with the same period last year. "There is no doubt that the park faces immediate to medium term revenue losses as a result of this," said Aucump. However, the minister noted that before the heavy rains struck, animals were able to sense the impending danger from the north, and those in the southern parts of the park moved to higher-lying areas. Aucump added that South African National Parks, the body responsible for managing the country's national parks, has launched the Kruger Recovery Fund to support recovery and restoration efforts. This photo taken on Jan. 23, 2026 shows a bridge submerged by floodwater in Kruger National Park, South Africa. The recent floods in South Africa have caused extensive damage to the country's largest and world-renowned game reserve, Kruger National Park, with losses estimated at nearly half a billion rand (about 30 million U.S. dollars). (South African National Parks/Handout via Xinhua) An aerial photo taken on Jan. 15, 2026 shows a flooded area in Kruger National Park, South Africa. The recent floods in South Africa have caused extensive damage to the country's largest and world-renowned game reserve, Kruger National Park, with losses estimated at nearly half a billion rand (about 30 million U.S. dollars). (South African National Parks/Handout via Xinhua) An aerial photo taken on Jan. 15, 2026 shows a flooded area in Kruger National Park, South Africa. The recent floods in South Africa have caused extensive damage to the country's largest and world-renowned game reserve, Kruger National Park, with losses estimated at nearly half a billion rand (about 30 million U.S. dollars). (South African National Parks/Handout via Xinhua) This photo taken on Jan. 23, 2026 shows a road damaged by recent flooding in Kruger National Park, South Africa. The recent floods in South Africa have caused extensive damage to the country's largest and world-renowned game reserve, Kruger National Park, with losses estimated at nearly half a billion rand (about 30 million U.S. dollars). (South African National Parks/Handout via Xinhua) An aerial photo taken on Jan. 15, 2026 shows a flooded area in Kruger National Park, South Africa. The recent floods in South Africa have caused extensive damage to the country's largest and world-renowned game reserve, Kruger National Park, with losses estimated at nearly half a billion rand (about 30 million U.S. dollars). (South African National Parks/Handout via Xinhua) An aerial photo taken on Jan. 15, 2026 shows a flooded area in Kruger National Park, South Africa. The recent floods in South Africa have caused extensive damage to the country's largest and world-renowned game reserve, Kruger National Park, with losses estimated at nearly half a billion rand (about 30 million U.S. dollars). (South African National Parks/Handout via Xinhua) An aerial photo taken on Jan. 15, 2026 shows a flooded area in Kruger National Park, South Africa. The recent floods in South Africa have caused extensive damage to the country's largest and world-renowned game reserve, Kruger National Park, with losses estimated at nearly half a billion rand (about 30 million U.S. dollars). (South African National Parks/Handout via Xinhua) An aerial photo taken on Jan. 15, 2026 shows a flooded area in Kruger National Park, South Africa. The recent floods in South Africa have caused extensive damage to the country's largest and world-renowned game reserve, Kruger National Park, with losses estimated at nearly half a billion rand (about 30 million U.S. dollars). (South African National Parks/Handout via Xinhua) A new batch of moving data from the U.S. Census Bureau shows Oregons population slump may be easing. State-to-state migration data shows a net 5,600 people moved to Oregon from other states in 2024. Thats well within a margin of error and could be statistically insignificant, but 2023 data had shown the reverse: some 6,200 more people moved from Oregon than moved into the state the prior year. More people are dying than being born in Oregon, leading to natural population declines, said Damon Runberg, an economist with Business Oregon, the state economic development agency. The marginal net gain isnt necessarily something to get too excited about but it shows that Oregon remains an attractive destination to move, at least in 2024, Runberg said. If anything, the numbers mirror the slim margins of growth Oregon continues to experience following the COVID-19 pandemic. Its a trend reflected in out-of-state residents turning in their drivers licenses for Oregon IDs, private-sector moving surveys and census data. The Census Bureau has reported Oregon lost population from 2021 to 2022 but added residents over the next two years, to reach a total population of 4.27 million in 2024. More than 118,000 people moved into Oregon last year, driven largely by moves from California, according to American Community Survey data released Wednesday. California saw 31,500 residents move into Oregon, while 17,954 Oregonians moved to California, for a net in-migration of 13,546 from the Golden State. At the same time, about 113,000 people left Oregon. Washington ranked as their top destination. Washington drew 32,341 Oregonians last year, while 20,388 moved from Washington to Oregon, for a net out-migration of 11,953 residents. (See charts below) Oregon tends to draw new residents when economic opportunities exist, but not so many during economic slowdowns, Runberg said. This data reflects 2024, but it is worth noting that 2025 was a tough year for the states economy with net job losses and large layoff events, he said. It is possible that those economic headwinds in 2025 could impact these population migration trends. Incoming residents Outgoing residents The owner of La Popular, a chain of money-transfer businesses in Oregon and Washington, was sentenced Wednesday to more than three years in federal prison for laundering millions of dollars in drug proceeds to Mexico. Brenda Lili Barrera Orantes, 40, of Beaverton, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to launder monetary instruments. She owned and operated La Popular stores in Hillsboro, Beaverton, Woodburn, Odell, Canby and Vancouver. She also served as the business compliance officer, responsible for following the rules and regulations governing its financial transactions, prosecutors said. U.S. District Judge Karin J. Immergut sentenced Barrera Orantes to three years and five months in prison. From August through November 2024, La Popular stores sent more than $4.2 million in wire transfers to places in Mexico associated with drug trafficking, according to Assistant U.S. Attorneys Christopher L. Cardani and Julia Jarrett. Investigators from Homeland Security Investigations, working with the Internal Revenue Service and the Westside Interagency Narcotics team, initiated the investigation in 2021 based on tips from a confidential informant. Police investigating fentanyl trafficking discovered that many of the drug dealers were using La Popular to transmit their drug proceeds. By early 2021, defendant and her La Popular businesses had become a magnet for drug traffickers in the Portland metro area, according to Cardani and Jarrett. Barrera Orantes charged a 10% fee for each transaction, leaving her with at least $1.8 million, according to the prosecutors. La Popular broke down the cash into multiple wire transfers across its stores using false names and addresses for the senders to avoid record-keeping requirements, they said. An April search of Brenda Barrera Orantes' Beaverton home turned up $120,000 in cash in the bottom of a closet, bundled in $10,000 stacks, according to a prosecutor. U.S. Attorney's Office In April, federal agents searched Barrera Orantes Beaverton home with a warrant and found $120,000 in cash in the bottom of a closet, bundled in $10,000 stacks, Jarrett said. They also searched three La Popular stores, in Beaverton, Hillsboro and Vancouver, and seized more than $300,000 in cash, a 2021 Cadillac Escalade, jewelry and high-end clothing. Barrera Orantes agreed to forfeit her Beaverton home and all the seized cash and other property tied to her crime. Her defense lawyer, John C. Terry, had argued for a prison term of no more than a year and a day, noting his client is a first-time offender who accepted responsibility and has already served more than nine months in jail since her arrest. He said she conducted the wire transfers for confidential informants who were acting at the direction of federal investigators. She now is hundreds of thousands of dollars in debt and also faces deportation, severing her from her three minor children who are all U.S. citizens after she had built a life in the United States for more than 21 years, Terry said. Barrera Orantes, originally from Guatemala, was ordered nearly a decade ago to voluntarily leave the country after overstaying her visa but did not leave, according to the government. The woman shot in the chest by a Border Patrol officer in Portland on Thursday pleaded guilty to entering the U.S. illegally in 2023 and was sentenced to a year of probation. Yorlenys Betzabeth Zambrano-Contreras, 32, will be able to remain out of custody in Oregon, under the unusually swift negotiated resolution of the case. Zambrano-Contreras, with her defense lawyer Conor Huseby by her side, appeared by video in federal court in Portland from the immigration detention center in Tacoma. The case was initially filed in federal court in Texas but she waived her right to appear in Texas for prosecution. She pleaded guilty to improper entry to the United States by an alien, a misdemeanor under the negotiated agreement. She came to the United States hoping to find a better life for her and her child but there was a massive backup at the border and she crossed the border with a large group of people without inspection, Huseby said. In her own words, Zambrano-Contreras told a judge she was going through the process of filling out the proper paperwork to enter the United States but had no place to live and saw a long line of people trying to get in at the border. I didnt have a place to live. I didnt have a job and I was with my son, she told the judge, with the help of a Spanish-speaking interpreter. Assistant U.S. Attorney Thomas Edmonds said she entered the country from Mexico about one mile east of the Paso Del Norte port of entry in Texas in September of 2023. She was caught by Border Patrol officers, then released due to lack of space in the detention facility and served with a notice to appear at the U.S. Immigration and Enforcement office in Portland but never did, according to court documents. Her Immigration Court date was set for June 1, 2028. She wont face a prison term but will be placed on location monitoring for the yearlong probation and must adhere to an initial curfew of 7 p.m. to 7 a.m. U.S. Magistrate Judge Stacie F. Beckerman also ordered her not to go to or remain at any area where prostitution is occurring. If she violates any conditions of her probation, she could be arrested. Federal Homeland Security officials have said Zambrano-Contreras was the target of the Border Patrols stop of a Toyota Tacoma in Southeast Portland earlier this month, alleging she was involved in a prostitution ring associated with the Venezuelan Tren de Aragua gang and a prior Portland police shooting. She has not been charged in any prostitution ring or shooting. Zambrano-Contreras was wounded as she sat in the front passenger seat of a red Toyota Tacoma on Jan. 8 when a Border Patrol officer fired two shots into the truck. Six Border Patrol officers had cornered the truck in an Adventist Health medical office parking lot in Southeast Portland about 2 p.m. that day. The driver, Luis David Nino-Moncada, 33, is accused of assaulting a Border Patrol officer when he rammed the truck into reverse and struck an unoccupied federal rental car several times . He then struck one officer in the chest with the trucks right front end as he turned his wheel, according to Assistant U.S. Attorney Thomas Edmonds. That Border Patrol officer then went around the front of the truck to the drivers side and fired two shots into the drivers window, wounding the driver in the arm and Zambrano-Contreras, who was in the front passenger seat. The driver sped out of the parking lot and drove about three miles to The Bria Apartments on Northeast 146th Avenue, where he called 911 to report that he and his passenger had been wounded. Both were taken to area hospitals by ambulance. Zambrano-Contreras, 32, who was born in Caracas, Venezuela, underwent surgery at Legacy Emanuel Medical Center after the Border Patrol shooting and then was moved directly to the Northwest Immigration and Customs Enforcement Processing Center in Tacoma. Upon her release by ICE officials, she must report to the U.S. Probation office in Oregon within 72 hours. Zambrano-Contreras is likely to be a witness in the pending case against Nino-Moncada, who has pleaded not guilty to aggravated assault of a federal officer and damaging federal property. He remains in custody. THE HAGUE, Netherlands (AP) For days it seemed there was no way out of the latest standoff between Europe and the United States: U.S. President Donald Trump insisted he must have Greenland and would settle for nothing short of total ownership. Even after he dropped the threat of force in a speech in Davos, Switzerland, on Wednesday, the impasse remained. Enter Mark Rutte. The NATO secretary-general appears to have been instrumental in persuading Trump to scrap the threat of slapping punitive tariffs on eight European nations to press for U.S. control over Greenland a stunning reversal shortly after insisting he wanted to get the island including right, title and ownership. In a post on his social media site, Trump said he had agreed with Rutte on a framework of a future deal on Arctic security at the World Economic Forum in Davos, potentially defusing tensions that had far-reaching geopolitical implications. Little is known about what the agreement entails and Trump could change course again, but for now Rutte has earned his reputation as the Trump Whisperer. Thats only the latest nickname for the man long known as Teflon Mark during his domination of Dutch politics for a dozen years. The Trump Whisperer Ruttes reputation for successfully charming the U.S. president took flight last year when he referred to Donald Trump as Daddy during an alliance summit in The Hague and sent him a flattering text message. Matthew Kroenig, vice president and senior director of the Atlantic Councils Scowcroft Center for Strategy and Security, said the dramatic scenes in Davos underscored Ruttes ability to keep NATOs most powerful leader on board. I think Secretary-General Rutte has emerged as one of Europes most effective diplomats and Trump whisperers, Kroenig said. He does seem to have a way of speaking to Trump that keeps the United States and the Trump administration engaged in NATO in a constructive way. Ruttes success in dealing with Trump appears to revolve around his willingness to use charm and flattery while revealing little of what the two leaders discuss. Its a tactic that Rutte used to marshal coalition partners in nearly 13 years as Dutch prime minister. Trump himself highlighted Ruttes effusive friendliness before he set off for Davos this week, publishing a text message from the NATO chief on his Truth Social platform. In it, Rutte addresses Mr. President, dear Donald and praises Trump for his diplomacy in Syria, Gaza and Ukraine. I am committed to finding a way forward on Greenland. Cant wait to see you. Yours, Mark, the message ended. Teflon Mark Rutte became a poster boy for Dutch consensus politics while leading four often fractious ruling coalitions on his way to becoming the Netherlands longest-serving leader, surviving a number of domestic political scandals over the years and earning the nickname Teflon Mark because the fallout never seemed to stick to him for long. The back cover of a 2016 book about Rutte by Dutch journalist Sheila Sitalsing, who followed him when he was prime minister, calls him a phenomenon. With indestructible cheerfulness he navigates the fragmented political landscape, recklessly forges the most extraordinary alliances and steadily works towards a new Netherlands, it adds. Rutte and his government resigned in 2021 to take responsibility for a child care allowance scandal in which thousands of parents were wrongly accused of fraud. But he bounced back to win national elections two months later with a slightly larger share of the vote and began his fourth and last term in office. In another scandal that he survived, Rutte said in an interview that he couldnt recall being informed about the Dutch bombing of Hawija that killed dozens of Iraqi civilians in 2015. In 2022, he survived a no-confidence motion in parliament in a debate about deleting messages from his old-school Nokia cell phone. Critics accused him of concealing state activity but he insisted the messages just took up too much space in his phone. Opposition lawmaker Attje Kuiken quipped: It appears that the prime ministers phone memory is used just as selectively as the prime ministers own memory. His winning smile and enduring optimism, along with his habit of riding his bicycle to work while chomping on an apple seemed to help cement his popularity in the Netherlands, where such down-to-earth behavior is prized. When his last coalition collapsed in 2023 in a dispute over reining in migration, Rutte again leaned on that image, driving an old Saab station wagon to a royal palace to hand his resignation to King Willem-Alexander. From The Hague to Brussels Just landing the NATO chiefs job showed how adept Rutte is at navigating turbulent geopolitical waters. He managed to convince entrenched doubters, including Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban and Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, to back his candidacy. It took a very long time. Its a complicated process, but its an honor that it appears to have happened, Rutte told reporters after securing all the support he needed to become secretary-general. Ruttes soft diplomatic skills were seen as a key asset for the leader of the 32-nation alliance as it faced Trumps repeated criticism while navigating how to support Ukraine in war against Russia. Several hours before Trump made his dramatic reversal on Greenland, Finnish President Alexander Stubb another European leader credited with having a way with Trump was asked during a panel discussion on European security in Davos who or what can diffuse the tensions over Greenland? Oh, Mark Rutte, Stubb said, to laughter in the audience and among the panel that included the Dutchman himself. PARIS (AP) In a hypothetical nuclear war involving Russia, China and the United States, the island of Greenland would be in the middle of Armageddon. The strategic importance of the Arctic territory under the flight paths that nuclear-armed missiles from China and Russia could take on their way to incinerating targets in the United States, and vice versa is one of the reasons U.S. President Donald Trump has cited in his disruptive campaign to wrest control of Greenland from Denmark, alarming Greenlanders and longtime allies in Europe alike. Trump has argued that U.S. ownership of Greenland is vital for his Golden Dome a multibillion-dollar missile defense system that he says will be operational before his term ends in 2029. Because of The Golden Dome, and Modern Day Weapons Systems, both Offensive and Defensive, the need to ACQUIRE is especially important, Trump said in a Truth Social post on Saturday. That ushered in another roller-coaster week involving the semiautonomous Danish territory, where Trump again pushed for U.S. ownership before seemingly backing off, announcing Wednesday the framework of a future deal on Arctic security thats unlikely to be the final word. Heres a closer look at Greenlands position at a crossroads for nuclear defense. ICBM flight paths Intercontinental ballistic missiles, or ICBMs, that nuclear adversaries would fire at each other if it ever came to that tend to take the shortest direct route, on a ballistic trajectory into space and down again, from their silos or launchers to targets. The shortest flight paths from China or Russia to the United States and the other way would take many of them over the Arctic region. Russian Topol-M missiles fired, for example, from the Tatishchevo silo complex southeast of Moscow would fly high over Greenland, if targeted at the U.S. ICBM force of 400 Minuteman III missiles, housed at the Minot Air Force Base in North Dakota, the Malmstrom Air Force Base in Montana and the Warren Air Force Base in Wyoming. Chinese Dong Feng-31 missiles, if fired from new silo fields that the U.S. Defense Department says have been built in China, also could overfly Greenland should they be targeted at the U.S. Eastern Seaboard. If there is a war, much of the action will take place on that piece of ice. Think of it: those missiles would be flying right over the center, Trump said Wednesday at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland. Pituffik Space Base An array of farseeing early warning radars act as the Pentagons eyes against any missile attack. The northernmost of them is in Greenland, at the Pituffik Space Base. Pronounced bee-doo-FEEK, it used to be called Thule Air Base, but was renamed in 2023 using the remote locations Greenlandic name, recognizing the Indigenous community that was forcibly displaced by the U.S. outposts construction in 1951. Its location above the Arctic Circle, and roughly halfway between Washington and Moscow, enables it to peer with its radar over the Arctic region, into Russia and at potential flight paths of U.S.-targeted Chinese missiles. That gives the United States more time to think about what to do, said Pavel Podvig, a Geneva-based analyst who specializes in Russias nuclear arsenal. Greenland is a good location for that. The two-sided, solid-state AN/FPS-132 radar is designed to quickly detect and track ballistic missile launches, including from submarines, to help inform the U.S. commander in chiefs response and provide data for interceptors to try and destroy warheads. The radar beams out for nearly 3,450 miles in a 240-degree arc and, even at its furthest range, can detect objects no larger than a small car, the U.S. Air Force says. Expert sees holes in Trumps arguments Pitching the Golden Dome in Davos, Trump said that the U.S. needs ownership of Greenland to defend it. You cant defend it on a lease, he said. But defense specialists struggle to comprehend that logic given that the U.S. has operated at Pituffik for decades without owning Greenland. French nuclear defense specialist Etienne Marcuz points out that Trump has never spoken of also needing to take control of the United Kingdom even though it, like Greenland, also plays an important role in U.S. missile defense. An early warning radar operated by the U.K.s Royal Air Force at Fylingdales, in northern England, serves both the U.K. and U.S governments, scanning for missiles from Russia and elsewhere and northward to the polar region. The units motto is Vigilamus Latin for We are watching. Trumps envisioned multilayered Golden Dome could include space-based sensors to detect missiles. They could reduce the U.S. need for its Greenland-based radar station, said Marcuz, a former nuclear defense worker for Frances Defense Ministry, now with the Foundation for Strategic Research think tank in Paris. Trumps argument that Greenland is vital for the Golden Dome and therefore that it has to be invaded, well, acquired is false for several reasons, Marcuz said. One of them is that there is, for example, a radar in the United Kingdom, and to my knowledge there is no question of invading the U.K. And, above all, there are new sensors that are already being tested, in the process of being deployed, which will in fact reduce Greenlands importance. Golden Dome interceptors Because of its location, Greenland could be a useful place to station Golden Dome interceptors to try to destroy warheads before they reach the continental U.S. The highly complex system can only work at its maximum potential and efficiency ... if this Land is included in it, Trump wrote in his post last weekend. But the U.S. already has access to Greenland under a 1951 defense agreement. Before Trump ratcheted up the heat on the territory and Denmark, its owner, their governments likely would have readily accepted any American military request for an expanded footprint there, experts say. It used to have multiple bases and installations, but later abandoned them, leaving just Pituffik. Denmark was the most compliant ally of the United States, Marcuz said. Now, its very different. I dont know whether authorization would be granted, but in any case, before, the answer was Yes. LAS VEGAS (AP) Prosecutors say Nathan Chasing Horse used his reputation as a Lakota medicine man to prey on Indigenous women and girls and sexually assault them, while his defense attorney said during opening statements at his trial Tuesday that the former actor is being falsely accused. Best known for portraying the character Smiles A Lot in the 1990 movie Dances With Wolves, Chasing Horse pleaded not guilty to 21 charges, including sexual assault and sexual assault of a minor. The trial marks the climax of a yearslong effort to prosecute Chasing Horse after he was first arrested and indicted in 2023 in a case that sent shock waves through Indian Country. Dances With Wolves was one of the most prominent films featuring Native Americans when it premiered in 1990. His trial also comes as authorities have responded more in recent years to an epidemic of violence against Native women. Wearing a blue tie and black suit with his hair pulled back, he sat quietly and took notes while his family sat in the back row of the crowded Las Vegas courtroom. Chasing Horse was born on the Rosebud Reservation in South Dakota, which is home to the Sicangu Sioux, one of the seven tribes of the Lakota nation. After starring in the Oscar-winning film, Chasing Horse traveled around North America to perform healing ceremonies, according to prosecutors. Prosecutors said that Chasing Horse sexually assaulted two victims, who were 14 and 19 years old at the time. In 2012, he allegedly told the 14-year-old that the spirits wanted her to give up her virginity to save her mother, who was diagnosed with cancer. He then sexually assaulted her and told her if she told anyone, her mother would die, Clark County Deputy District Attorney Bianca Pucci said. She wanted to appease the spirits, she said, referring to the 14-year-old. She wanted to appease the medicine man. Craig Mueller, Chasing Horses defense attorney, said prosecutors would present no evidence of the allegations, including no DNA evidence or eyewitnesses. Pucci showed photos of Chasing Horse with the 14-year-old girl, who met Chasing Horse when she was 6 and played a respected role in Lakota ceremonies as a pipe girl. Chasing Horse had symbolically adopted her, and she viewed him as a grandfather, Pucci said. Chasing Horse, who was 36 at the time, allegedly took the 14-year-old on a road trip to different ceremonies, Pucci said. He repeatedly sexually assaulted her in hotel rooms, and he had her get tattoos of a spider on her arms and hand to remind her not to tell anyone, Pucci said. Chasing Horse also has spider tattoos on his neck. Chasing Horse had her stuck in his web, Pucci told jurors. The 14-year-old and her mother moved from California to North Las Vegas to live with Chasing Horse and his multiple wives. There, Pucci said, Chasing Horse continued to sexually assault her before she and her family found another place to live. In 2014, when she was 16, she moved back in with him and his wives. At 18, she changed her last name to his, convinced that Chasing Horse was doing good work and protecting her mom, who went into remission from cancer, Pucci said. Mueller compared the woman to an angry wife, saying she made false allegations and had lived happily with Chasing Horse for five years. Prosecutors made Chasing Horse seem like a monster, when in reality, he is well-respected, Mueller said. He showed the jury pictures, including a family portrait with Chasing Horse and his wives, as well as photos of Chasing Horse at powwows. Just like any family, Mueller added. This isnt some bizarre pedophile at large running around, Mueller said. Pucci said prosecutors will show the jury a video to back up their allegations. She said jurors will also hear from another victim who was 19 when Chasing Horse allegedly sexually assaulted her. She also had known him since she was a child through ceremonies. She felt like he was a protector, a medicine man, part of the Lakota culture, Pucci said. The Associated Press typically does not name people who say theyve been sexually assaulted or abused. It was 2018, and Claire Hall was about to do something brave. For the first time in her life, Hall, an elected official on Oregons central coast, was preparing to appear publicly while expressing her gender identity. But it wasnt on the dais. Instead, Hall and her niece, Kelly Meininger, planned a trip to Portland nightclub Darcelle XV Showplace, where they had tickets for one of the venues iconic drag shows. Meininger was on hand to make sure it was a grand entrance, helping Hall purchase an outfit, wig and style her hair and make-up. In an interview last week, Meininger remembers it as a night of laughs thanks to the over-the-top performers and uproarious musical numbers. I always had a feeling that Claire was different, so when she came out, I was ecstatic, Meininger said. I was her biggest champion, and she was my superhero. After the trip, Hall shared her story with The Oregonian/OregonLive and became a trailblazing figure in the states LGBTQ community alongside Stu Rasmussen, the nations first openly transgender mayor when elected in Silverton in 2008. But Halls main focus was on Lincoln County, where she served as a county commissioner. And despite two-decades in office, Hall wasnt ready to stop when residents gathered enough signatures for a recall election set for Jan. 9. Claire Hall and her niece Kelly Meininger, left, pose for a photo during a trip to the Darcelle XV Showplace in Portland in 2018. Family Photo Commissioner Halls unexpected death Late Friday evening, Jan. 2, Hall was rushed from her home in Newport, according to Meininger, to a local hospital, where she was found to be suffering from internal hemorrhaging from stomach ulcers. She was transferred to Portland, but doctors there were unable to stop the bleeding. Hall died Sunday, Jan. 4. She was 66. Throughout her political career, Hall had championed expanding housing and homelessness services, increasing access to health care while also responding to twin challenges posed by a global pandemic and devastating wildfires. Doctors said stress from the recall was a factor in her unexpected death, according to Meininger and several friends. People kept kicking dirt, and she was prepared for it, but her body was not, said Georgia Smith, a friend who previously worked in health care in Lincoln County. Recall petitioners have said the campaign received bipartisan support and stemmed from legitimate disputes over funding levels at the district attorneys office, restrictions on public comments, as well as Halls clash with another commissioner who had been accused of workplace harassment. Lincoln County has been beset by turmoil in recent years, with sudden departures of high-ranking officials and a $3.5 million lawsuit, filed in May by former employees, alleging retaliatory firings. In October, the Oregon Ethics Commission voted to launch a full investigation over votes cast privately over email by Hall and the other commissioners regarding exemptions to a hiring freeze, according to the Lincoln Chronicle. Hall won reelection to her fifth and sixth terms in 2020 and 2024 by increasingly narrow margins. The recall election was particularly heated attracting some $40,000 in donations. Halls committee raised about $21,000, the same amount she raised in her 2020 and 2024 campaigns combined. Ads supporting the recall blanketed local newspapers. Lincoln County District Attorney Jenna Wallace, who signed the recall petition as a private citizen but wasnt a member of the campaign, said Halls accomplishments were real but were overshadowed by her failure in recent years to rein in unelected administrators. The recall was about her conduct as a commissioner, not her gender identity, Wallace said. Nevertheless, transphobic insults lurked on social media. The comments and the dead naming its just nasty, Meininger said, emphasizing that the insults didnt define Hall. She helped more people come to terms with their own struggles, and emboldened other people to live their lives as their authentic self. Claire Elizabeth Hall tries out a new look in 2018. LC- Drawn to public service early Claire Elizabeth Hall was born in Northwest Portland on Sept. 27, 1959, the younger daughter of Jane and Carl Hall, a U.S. Marine and postman. She attended Faubion Elementary School and graduated from the now-demolished John Adams High School in 1977. A love of politics came early, with Hall recalling that she started reading both of Portlands daily newspapers before she was 10 years old. As the other kids dreamed of becoming police officers or firefighters, Hall said she announced her candidacy for president while still in kindergarten. She was also a voracious reader, with lighter fare for Hall including any comic starring a superhero, as well as a lifelong fandom for the sci-fi television show Star Trek. Hall studied communications at Pacific University and went on to earn a masters degree in that field from Northwestern University in 1987. Post graduation, Hall worked briefly as a producer for Portland Public Schools radio station, then moved to Newport to work for the Newport News-Times, followed by 15 years working as a news director for coastal radio stations. Hall decided to try out the other side of the microphone in 2004 leaving the news business behind and running as a Democrat for a seat on the county commission. She became an early advocate for affordable housing on the coast. To increase working-class home ownership, Hall leveraged federal dollars to purchase and rehabilitate aging homes so they could be sold to locals below market rate, The Oregonian/OregonLive reported in 2010. In 2015, Hall branched out into creative fiction with McCallandia, a utopian novel imagining a future where her political idol since childhood, former Oregon Gov. Tom McCall, became president after the resignation of Richard Nixon. (In real life, Nixon considered picking U.S. Sen. Mark Hatfield for vice president, but settled on Gerald Ford.) The book begins with McCall, dying from cancer, facing down one last challenge to his land-use reforms. The politician tells voters the stress from the ballot box fight may be exacerbating the illness, that stress may even bring it on. Yet stress is the fuel of the activist, Hall wrote, quoting what McCall said in a real speech. This activist loves Oregon more than he loves life. I know I cant have both very long. Lincoln County Commissioner Claire Hall holds a campaign poster while running for reelection in 2020. Family Photo Pandemic, wildfires posed crucial test Perhaps Halls greatest test came in 2020, when the COVID-19 pandemic shuttered the tourism and hospitality industries that powered Lincoln Countys economy. The Echo Mountain wildfire burned through Otis months later, decimating the rural burg and destroying hundreds of homes. Bethany Howe, a former journalist in Lincoln County and transgender health researcher, remembers walking through the charred rubble with Hall. The commissioner was struck by the size of the loss, but also the resilience from community members who rallied to start cleaning up their town. When the clean-up effort ran short on funds to rent earthmovers and other equipment, Hall sent the residents several thousand dollars from her offices discretionary fund, Howe said. She loved her job, Howe said. Claire was part of Lincoln County, that was her community. And despite the wildfire losses, under Halls leadership, Lincoln County netted $50 million to build 550 affordable housing units over the past decade, according to state data. Among the most notable projects are Wecoma Place a 44-unit apartment complex in Lincoln City designed for those displaced by the fire as well as Surf View Village, a 110-unit townhouse style complex in Newport. Another project in Toledo set aside 11 units for veterans experiencing homelessness. In 2023, Hall also helped establish Lincoln Countys first-ever wintertime shelter, which offers 40 beds, a hot meal and a safe place to sleep each night during the six coldest months of the year. Lincoln County Health & Human Services program manager Chantelle Estess said Hall volunteered at the shelter, especially around the holidays, when the commissioner could be found belting out Christmas carols with guests waiting in line outside the building. Claire helped bring the winter shelter to life, not just through policy and planning, but by standing shoulder to shoulder with the people we serve, Estess said. Claire drives to an appointment in Newport. LC- Public memorial set for Jan. 31 Hall was hospitalized in early September after stumbling over an electrical cord inside the county courthouse and breaking her hip and shoulder. The injury was serious and Hall started attending commission meetings from home. It couldnt have been worse timing with the special January election hitting a fever pitch. A few neighbors put up yard signs supporting the recall, and her roommate reported seeing strangers peering into their home, according to Meininger. The opposition stunned Hall, said her close friend, Howe. To put something fun on the calendar, the two friends decided to attend this summers Star Trek 60th-anniversary convention, once Hall recuperated. They would never make it. She loved the people that she served. The idea that she wasnt going to be able to do that anymore, and possibly be replaced, Howe said, it just hurt her heart. A public memorial will be held at 1 p.m. on Saturday, Jan. 31, at the Gladys Valley Marine Studies Building at the Hatfield Marine Science campus, 2030 S.E. Marine Science Dr., in Newport. As for the recall, the county clerk has called off the election. There is no reason to count the votes already cast. Jamie Dunphy might be Portlands reluctant new council president. But he is resolved to tackle the citys most pressing problems. A week after emerging as the next leader of a fractious and divided council, the east Portland representative made it clear he wants to pivot from the internal fissures that have often consumed the legislative body and focus on the hard stuff it is tasked to improve. I need the City Council to work. This city needs the City Council to work, Dunphy told The Oregonian/OregonLive, echoing a statement hes made multiple times in recent days. There are real crises that were facing. In a brief conversation with the newsroom this week, Dunphy offered an overview on what he believes are the four most significant challenges confronting Portland at this time, each its own Gordian Knot with no clear, immediate solution or easy fix. Portlands housing and homelessness plight is not improving. Despite a dramatic increase in shelter beds and tens of millions of dollars in continued annual spending, more people today are living outside or in their vehicles in Portland than a year ago. Thousands more face eviction or are at risk of no longer being able to afford their current home. At the same time, nearly 2,000 publicly subsidized rental units are sitting empty across the city. Fewer people are moving from shelters run by Portland or Multnomah County into permanent supportive housing. And city leaders have no silver bullet to spur a home-building boom they say is needed to address a severe housing shortage thats decades in the making. Housing and homelessness continue to be the issue of the day and the lens through which we address everything else, Dunphy said. The citys economy is bad and could get worse. Sky-high office vacancy rates, diminished downtown foot traffic and struggling mom-and-pop shops across the city all point to Portlands ongoing economic woes. And while its been a painful year for workers throughout Oregon, the labor market has been especially bad in Multnomah County. City of Portland economists recently noted that the county has shed nearly 20,000 jobs since June 2023 and is down 40,000 jobs since before the pandemic. Those losses have been particularly pronounced in the hospitality sector, which includes Portlands storied restaurant and beverage scenes, where the workforce remains 13% smaller than in 2019. We need more jobs and more people employed, Dunphy said, noting that Portlands economic headwinds are a major contributor to a projected budget deficit of at least $67 million this year. We cant do any of the cool stuff we hope to do at the city without more tax revenue. City assets are crumbling with no cash to repair or maintain them. Portlands elected watchdog last spring sounded the alarm on the citys crushing infrastructure funding gap as municipal roads, parks and other public assets plunge into ever-greater states of decay. In 2019, Portland needed about $475 million a year to restore existing infrastructure to a state of good repair over the course of a decade, the city auditor found. That figure ballooned to nearly $1.4 billion by 2023. Portland leaders currently have no plan to tame the citys staggering maintenance backlog, which for transportation infrastructure alone is now more than $6 billion, records show. Compounding the challenge, Dunphy said, is a number of costly renovation projects that are likely on the horizon. Those include a revamped Moda Center and Keller Auditorium. All of these things will cost billions and billions of dollars to fix, he said. Right now, we dont have a way to pay for any of it. An increasingly tyrannical and violent federal government. Last but not least, the social safety net that helps support thousands of Portlanders faces significant threats by the Trump administration, according to Dunphy. Millions in federal dollars that go to address homelessness, addiction and mental health could vanish as the White House and Republican-controlled Congress eye deep cuts to those programs. Funds for food assistance and Medicaid are also in limbo. What is more, Portland continues to be a target of immigration enforcement and other federal interventions that the president has directed at left-leaning cities and states that have historically opposed his policies. We are facing an increasingly tyrannical and violent federal government, Dunphy said. I dont see that changing any time soon. Five Democratic attorneys general who have waged high-profile legal battles against the federal government had a clear message on Wednesday ahead of the upcoming midterm elections: The fight against President Donald Trumps administration has only just begun. There is no way in hell we are going to let this president continue to chip away at our rights, at our democracy at this time. Were going to continue to fight for this entire term and do our job as attorneys general, Oregon Attorney General Dan Rayfield told a hall filled with hundreds of attendees in Portland. And what we need you to do this is a partnership in all communities, you have a voice, you must exercise it. California Attorney General Rob Bonta, Hawaii Attorney General Anne Lopez, Maine Attorney General Aaron Frey and Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison joined Rayfield at Revolution Hall, with the United States and Oregon state flag behind them as they discussed their response to executive federal overreach. The town hall moderated by Portland-based writer Cheryl Strayed came exactly a year after Oregon signed onto its first federal lawsuit against the Trump administration, joining Arizona, Washington and Illinois to sue over its attempt to end birthright citizenship. Constituent questions about the attorneys generals tools and next steps for responding to federal overreach dominated the town hall, covering issues such as threats to funding for child care, abortion and civil rights violations by immigration agents. Former Oregon Attorney General Ellen Rosenblum, who often joined other states in their lawsuits against the first Trump administration, was in the audience. Ellison told reporters before the town hall that were all considering the issue of election integrity ahead of the 2026 midterm season, during which Democrats could make significant gains in the face of an unpopular Republican-controlled White House and Congress as well as favorable special election results. The U.S. Department of Justice, in the meantime, has sued more than 20 states seeking unredacted information about each states voter rolls, according to the left-leaning Brennan Center for Justice. A federal judge in Oregon indicated last week that hell block the federal government from obtaining personal information, including drivers license numbers and partial Social Security numbers, for more than 3 million Oregon voters. Were very well aware that it is an election year midterm, and that everybodys reading the polls, and some folks want to forestall the voters will, Ellison told reporters. So were all concerned about that. The attorneys general stressed that they took their adversarial legal approach to secure billions of dollars in threatened funding and civil rights for their constituents. They encouraged their Republican counterparts in other states to join them. Donald Trump decides when and if we will sue him. If he breaks the law, we sue. If he doesnt break the law, we dont sue. Its really that simple, Bonta told attendees. So he decided he wanted to get sued more than once a week, and so we obliged and sued him. Since President Donald Trump took office a year ago, Oregon has sued his administration more than 50 times, often teaming up with other Democratic states to prevent federal funding cuts and to block new policies from disproportionately impacting the environment, immigrants and people seeking gender-affirming care. Those moves have secured billions of dollars in funding meant for Oregon Health & Science University research, electric vehicle infrastructure, sexual health education programs and education programs supporting low-income and unhoused students. Oregon attorneys also secured a November court order permanently blocking Trumps attempted deployment of the National Guard to Portland in late September, though the case is being appealed. Ellison, who received a thunderous standing ovation, said the Trump administration has sent more than 3,500 people working as immigration agents to Minnesota, a figure he described as wholly disproportionate. What has happened is that there are way more people that are needed to carry out that task. So what are these 3,500 doing? Ellison said. Theyre harassing everybody in our state. Theyre standing outside of grocery stores, demanding to people show their papers, people who are citizens, people who are not citizens, but who have legal status, anybody who speaks accented English. AGs provide update on shootings Two of the attorneys general, Rayfield and Ellison, have also made headlines this month for their involvement in independent state-backed investigations into shootings by federal agents with the U.S. Department of Homeland Security. Those agents enjoy significant criminal immunity from state prosecutions under an 1890 U.S. Supreme Court precedent, but legal experts say that protection is not absolute when they act outside the reasonable scope of their authority. In Oregon, U.S. Border Patrol shot and wounded two Venezuelan nationals on Jan. 8, one of whom was later charged for allegedly assaulting a federal officer with a vehicle. Rayfield subsequently announced that he would investigate whether any agents acted outside the scope of their authority, aligning with a previous warning he and three Portland-area district attorneys issued to the federal government over concerns of excessive force by federal agents. One day prior, an Immigration and Customs Enforcement agent fatally shot 37-year-old U.S. citizen Renee Nicole Good in Minnesota. After the federal government effectively froze out local and state prosecutors from an investigation into the shooting, Ellison and the Hennepin Countys local prosecutors office opened a public portal for individuals to submit photos, evidence and videos that could help prosecutors better grasp the case, the Minnesota Reformer reported. The U.S. Department of Justice has since said it will not pursue an investigation into the agent who shot Good, and it has reportedly subpoenaed multiple high-profile Democrats in the state, accusing them of conspiring to impede law enforcement during the Trump administrations immigration crackdown. Ellison, among those being investigated, has fired back by accusing Trump of deflecting from Goods killing and weaponizing the justice system against political adversaries. On Wednesday, Ellison told reporters he was not taking a position on whether Goods killing merited criminal charges. Instead, he pointed to the resignations of several federal prosecutors in response to a reported push by federal officials to pursue an investigation of Goods wife. He confirmed he received a subpoena for documents from his office, but declined to comment beyond saying it was a pending legal matter and that he was looking into all legal recourse possible. The federal government is investigating me and others, but theyre not investigating the person who killed Renee Good, and Im not even saying what the outcome of that investigation should be, no prosecutor should ever say what an investigation should result in before the investigation is completed, he said. But it is disturbing that theyre not even investigating at all. In Oregons case following its subsequent shooting, Rayfield issued a statement saying that he would investigate whether any federal officers acted outside the scope of their authority, in keeping with a November warning he and district attorneys of the states three largest counties gave the federal government that the state will investigate and prosecute federal agents who engage in excessive force. Rayfield told reporters that Oregon is in a very different situation than Minnesota. He did not explicitly say whether he had access to the federal governments evidence in its investigation, but he noted that the Oregon Department of Justice is working with Multnomah County District Attorney Nathan Vasquez and the Portland Police Bureau. Were really trying to do this sanitized and do it properly, he said, which is why Ive been incredibly quiet on the facts of the investigation. Ellison, meanwhile, called Oregon a beacon to the nation. He urged people to resist division on the lines of race, gender or class and continue sharing evidence such as video footage. Ultimately, this country will be saved by the people of the United States, and so that means youre protesting, youre gathering evidence, youre sharing with us. You communicating with us is actually how were going to win, Ellison said. You showing up tonight, being present tonight, thats how we win. -- Shaanth Kodialam Nanguneri, Oregon Capital Chronicle The Oregon Capital Chronicle, founded in 2021, is a nonprofit news organization that focuses on Oregon state government, politics and policy. The Portland City Councils weekly meeting was temporarily shut down Wednesday night by protesters angry about what they see as councilors lack of sufficient pushback against the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement agency, which has sharply ratcheted up arrests in the Portland area and across the country. City Council, Mayor Keith Wilson and Gov. Tina Kotek keep saying they oppose ICE violence, said Nancy Moreno Wadon, one of the people who gave public comment at the start of the meeting. They express concerns and they say the right words, but when it comes to action, there is no urgency. None. Wednesdays meeting already had the potential to turn heated during a scheduled debate over how to spend $21 million in recently discovered housing dollars, but the protesters ultimately delayed that vote. Instead, after about 30 minutes, newly elected Council President Jamie Dunphy called for security to clear council chambers. When protesters left, they began pounding on council office doors, Dunphy said. City Hall security then contacted Portland police and asked them to remove the demonstrators from the building. Councilors eventually reconvened their meeting virtually. The ICE facility in Portlands South Waterfront neighborhood has been a flashpoint between protesters and federal law enforcement over President Donald Trumps immigration policies since late spring. City Councilors, Wilson and Kotek have firmly condemned those policies. But on Wednesday night, several commenters joined Moreno Wadons criticism of city and state elected officials, calling again for the city to revoke the conditional land use permit that has allowed the federal government to operate out of the South Macadam Avenue property since 2011. These comments were greeted with whoops and applause from the gallery, while Dunphy, presiding over his first council meeting, repeatedly asked them to stop. Im sorry, I have to ask that people please not cheer and clap, he said at one point. We have rules in this chamber and we have to show our support in other ways. After several people had their say, the crowd broke into more raucous yelling and jeering. One man jumped the queue of people waiting their turn to give public comment and abruptly began delivering a speech in Spanish. Dunphy asked people to calm down again, saying their behavior was a disruption. When nothing changed, he called for security guards to remove the protesters and recessed the meeting. Dunphy said Thursday that he stood by peoples right to protest and be heard, but that City Council did not have the tools to do as they asked. We have to use the tools that we have, he told The Oregonian/OregonLive. Otherwise I dont know what were fighting for. The city issued a land use permit violation notice to the landlord of the Portland ICE building in September, alleging that U.S. immigration officials had held detainees longer than 12 hours or overnight. The permit violation could put the facility on track to be closed. However, the buildings owner has asked for an administrative review of the violation findings. The matter is now making its way through an appeal process. I wish there was anything we could do to actually meaningfully respond, but we cant start breaking down norms and rules because the system wont allow us to do that, Dunphy said And were not going to stage an uprising. Dunphy acknowledged that an uprising was exactly what many of the protesters seemed to be asking for, but said breaking the law to compensate for a federal government he believes is breaking the law would put even more of his neighbors at risk. We are the city of Portland, one of the smallest major cities in America, he said, facing up against the most well-funded police force in the world. After reconvening online, councilors chugged through several other agenda items, including a review of the first report from the citys new administrator, Raymond Lee. Finally, at about 8:15 p.m., councilors began the discussion of an amended resolution by District 1 councilors outlining how to spend $21 million in housing funds. But an hour into listening to public comment from the more than 70 people signed up, the council adjourned again. Discussion of how to best spend the citys unallocated housing funds moved to next Wednesdays City Council agenda. An aerial drone photo taken on Sept. 3, 2025 shows the scenery of Dianchi Lake in Kunming City, southwest China's Yunnan Province. The water quality in Dianchi Lake has been maintaining on high quality level for eight consecutive years, according to the Dianchi Lake administration bureau. (Xinhua/Peng Yikai) An aerial drone photo taken on Sept. 3, 2025 shows the scenery of Dianchi Lake in Kunming City, southwest China's Yunnan Province. The water quality in Dianchi Lake has been maintaining on high quality level for eight consecutive years, according to the Dianchi Lake administration bureau. (Xinhua/Peng Yikai) People take a sightseeing ferry on the Dianchi Lake in Kunming City, southwest China's Yunnan Province, Jan. 22, 2026. The water quality in Dianchi Lake has been maintaining on high quality level for eight consecutive years, according to the Dianchi Lake administration bureau. (Xinhua/Peng Yikai) Workers take care of plants on a floating island on the Dianchi Lake in Kunming City, southwest China's Yunnan Province, Jan. 22, 2026. The water quality in Dianchi Lake has been maintaining on high quality level for eight consecutive years, according to the Dianchi Lake administration bureau. (Xinhua/Peng Yikai) An aerial drone photo taken on Jan. 22, 2026 shows the scenery of Dianchi Lake in Kunming City, southwest China's Yunnan Province. The water quality in Dianchi Lake has been maintaining on high quality level for eight consecutive years, according to the Dianchi Lake administration bureau. (Xinhua/Peng Yikai) An aerial drone photo taken on Jan. 22, 2026 shows the scenery of Dianchi Lake in Kunming City, southwest China's Yunnan Province. The water quality in Dianchi Lake has been maintaining on high quality level for eight consecutive years, according to the Dianchi Lake administration bureau. (Xinhua/Peng Yikai) An aerial drone photo taken on Jan. 22, 2026 shows the scenery of Dianchi Lake in Kunming City, southwest China's Yunnan Province. The water quality in Dianchi Lake has been maintaining on high quality level for eight consecutive years, according to the Dianchi Lake administration bureau. (Xinhua/Peng Yikai) A woman feeds a black-headed gull beside the Dianchi Lake in Kunming City, southwest China's Yunnan Province, Jan. 22, 2026. The water quality in Dianchi Lake has been maintaining on high quality level for eight consecutive years, according to the Dianchi Lake administration bureau. (Xinhua/Peng Yikai) A woman feeds black-headed gulls beside the Dianchi Lake in Kunming City, southwest China's Yunnan Province, Jan. 22, 2026. The water quality in Dianchi Lake has been maintaining on high quality level for eight consecutive years, according to the Dianchi Lake administration bureau. (Xinhua/Peng Yikai) Donald Trump made history by becoming the oldest president to ever take office when he was sworn in on January 20, 2025. Concerns about his health, both physical and cognitive, have been a topic of discussion since his first term. But since the beginning of this year, Trump himself has talked a lot about his health. Recently, after questions about why he had an MRI on his heart and abdomen in October at Walter Reed Medical Center, Trump, who is 79, said nothing was wrong with him. He told the Wall Street Journal that he took a larger dose of aspirin than his doctors recommended because he believed it made his blood thinner. I dont want thick blood pouring through my heart, Trump said. I want nice, thin blood pouring through my heart. Does that make sense? Dr. Jonathan Reiner, the cardiologist for the late former Vice President Dick Cheney, said Trumps reported preventative medicine didnt work as Trump explained. First of all, when we use any kind of anticoagulant, medications to prevent clotting, those dont thin the blood, said Reiner. Its not like changing something from gumbo to chicken soup. It doesnt make it thinner. It makes you less likely to clot. Aspirin works by keeping platelets from sticking together to form clots. The American Heart Association does not recommend full-dose aspirin for people over 70 to help prevent their first stroke or heart attack, because it can do more harm than good. It suggests talking to a doctor about a secondary antiplatelet medication. While Trumps doctor Navy Capt. Dr. Sean Barbabella said that his scans showed no abnormalities, other doctors have publicly disagreed. Dr. Vin Gupta, pulmonologist and medical analyst for NBC, has said that the president is visibly slowing down. Frankly, piecing this all together, theres a reason to be worried based on his public performance. Guptas response followed concerns about transparency from Trump and his team regarding his health. The New York Times published an article in October 2024 analyzing some of the data from his speeches. Trumps rally speeches in 2024 lasted an average of 82 minutes, compared with 45 minutes in 2016. According to the New York Times, he also used 13% more all-or-nothing terms like always and never than he did eight years earlier, which some experts consider a sign of advancing age. They also pointed to his sleepiness at notable moments, like when he appeared to nod off during his hush-money trial in New York, where he was convicted of 34 felonies. The Times experts concluded that it was hard to tell if the changes in Trumps behavior and speech were signs of aging or something else. A 2017 book, The Dangerous Case of Donald Trump, featured the opinions of 27 psychiatrists and mental health experts on the president. It also stirred up conversations around whether mental health professionals should publicly weigh in on public figures. The Goldwater Rule, an ethical guideline put in place by the American Psychiatric Association in the 1960s, states: It is unethical for a psychiatrist to offer a professional opinion unless he or she has conducted an examination and has been granted proper authorization for such a statement. The Goldwater Rule applies specifically to public figures and was created following the 1964 presidential election because the integrity of the psychiatric profession was challenged following an informal survey published as fact in a now-defunct magazine called Fact. The magazine reported that it had examined the state of presidential nominee Barry Goldwaters mental state in an intensive character analysis. But the reality was that the findings published were the results of a questionnaire allegedly sent to all of the nations 12,356 psychiatrists. It asked, Do you believe Barry Goldwater is Psychologically Fit to Serve as President of the United States? Of those surveyed, 2,417 psychiatrists responded, with 1,189 deeming him unfit for office, 657 stating that they believed him to be mentally fit, and 571 opining that they did not know enough about Goldwater to answer the question objectively. The inflammatory headline, 1189 Psychiatrists Say Goldwater is Psychologically Unfit to be President! caused the Goldwater campaign to sue Fact magazine and its publisher and editor, Ralph Ginzburg. Goldwater was awarded money, and Ginzburg admitted to changing many of the responses and overall being untruthful. The court case served to undermine the integrity of the profession, where confidentiality, compassion and consent are held as fundamental aspects of practice, according to a study published in the National Library of Medicine in 2021. Reiner has called for a congressional inquiry into the presidents health on X. This letter, and the fact that the president directed that it be distributed to other European countries, should trigger a bipartisan congressional inquiry into presidential fitness. https://t.co/HkHzsiTau4 Jonathan Reiner (@JReinerMD) January 19, 2026 He shared a letter from Trump to European ambassadors, sent to PBS NewsHour, which appears to question Denmarks ownership of Greenland and suggests he feels owed a Nobel Peace Prize. U.S. Sen. Jeff Merkley has been traveling around his home state for a series of town halls. This past weekend in Benton County, the Oregon Democrat fielded a question about Greenland, the semi-autonomous Arctic territory that President Donald Trump has been talking about taking over. Merkley didnt hold back. Greenland, whats that about? Merkley says in a video from the town hall that he posted to social media. That is about the biggest ego to be found on the planet. Merkley was talking about Trump, of course. This is because Trump wants to have that big chunk of land, and on the maps, the projections of our map, it looks much bigger than it really is, Merkley said. He wants that huge thing that looks like its the size of North America to say Trumpland on it. Merkley explained that stories of Chinese and Russian ships and submarines surrounding Greenland are unfounded. And he noted that the United States already has a military installation there. Pituffik Space Base is located on Greenlands western coast. Theyre completely open to the possibility of companies looking for strategic minerals, which was the other conversation, Merkley said. Merkley concluded by expressing confidence that Trump would not get his way on Greenland. I think our Republican colleagues will join the Democratic colleagues and together well say Hell no, Merkley said. And I dont want to be wrong about that. Intel let a little air out of Wall Streets superheated enthusiasm for the chipmaker Thursday, reporting middling financial results and warning of a slow quarter ahead in part because the company isnt making enough chips to meet demand. Shares slid 13% in after-hours trading. Intels fourth-quarter sales totaled $13.7 billion, according to results issued Thursday afternoon. Thats down 4.1% from a year ago and in the midrange of what Intel told investors to expect. The company reported a $591 million loss, 12 cents a share, in line with Intels forecasts. Intel told investors Thursday to expect sales around $12.2 billion during the current quarter, a nearly 4% decline from a year ago. Intel said it will post another loss, reflecting intense competition, hardware shortages across the chip industry including for Intels own microprocessors. Executives admitted Thursday they had badly underestimated demand for data center chips and said they are scrambling to catch up. That self-inflicted wound meaningfully limited our ability to capture all of the strengths in our underlying markets, CEO Lip-Bu Tan said on a quarterly conference call Thursday. We are working aggressively to address this and better support our customers needs going forward. Intels stock had been on a tear since bottoming out under $20 a share in August. It closed Thursday at $54.32 before the company announced quarterly results reflecting investor optimism about Intels nascent contract manufacturing business, progress in new chip technology and a multibillion-dollar financial commitment from the U.S. government. The payoff from all that progress could still be years away, though. Intels annual sales totaled $52.9 billion last year, the lowest tally since 2013. Intel lost $267 million in 2025, 6 cents a share. That slowdown reflects years of setbacks in Intels manufacturing technology, intense competition from rival chip designers and the growth of advanced artificial intelligence a market that has so far eluded Intel. The past year was full of seismic events for Intel, beginning with Tans hiring last March. He proceeded to close down several business units and lay off about 15,000 people across the company, including more than 3,000 in Oregon. But Tan also negotiated a deal with the Trump administration to invest $8.9 billion in the company. He landed billions more from SoftBank and Nvidia. Earlier this month, Intel introduced the first chips made with its new 18A manufacturing process. The company said those chips are more powerful and efficient than their predecessors and will start to close the gap with the worlds leading chipmaker, Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co. Our long-term ambition is clear to rebuild Intel as a compute platform of choice for the next era of AI-driven computing grounded in world-class engineering, an accelerated roadmap and a renewed culture of execution, Tan told investors Thursday. Theres a consensus emerging among analysts that the company is close to announcing the first major customer for its contract manufacturing business, called Intel Foundry. Multiple analysts say Intel is near a deal to manufacture chips for Apples Mac computers and iPads. Other chip companies are still evaluating Intels contract manufacturing business and a new generation of technology, called 14A, still in development. Tan said he expects prospective customers will begin making decisions about whether to use Intels factories late this year or early in 2027. Building a foundry business will take time and considerable effort and resources, he said. While still early in our journey, we have hit some early important milestones. In a few weeks, it will be time to spring forward once again. Despite ongoing efforts to end seasonal time changes, we will continue to spring forward in March and fall back in November for the foreseeable future. Moving to permanent daylight saving time would require congressional approval, something that hasnt been forthcoming despite several states including Oregon, Washington and California pledging to do so if approved. In 2024, an effort to place Oregon on year-round standard time died in the Legislature. Oregon Senate Bill 1548 passed the Senate but never made it out of committee in the House, effectively killing the measure. Another attempt in 2025 met a similar fate. President Donald Trump expressed support for banning daylight saving time soon after the 2024 election. The Republican Party will use its best efforts to eliminate Daylight Saving Time, which has a small but strong constituency, but shouldnt! Daylight Saving Time is inconvenient, and very costly to our Nation, Trump said in a post on Truth Social. However, in 2025, Trump appeared to change his mind, saying that Congress should approve permanent daylight saving time. When does daylight saving time begin in 2026? Daylight saving time will begin at 2 a.m. Sunday, March 8, 2026. Most devices these days will update automatically, but traditional clocks will need to be manually adjusted forward by one hour. When will daylight saving time end this year? Daylight saving time will end Sunday, Nov. 1, when we will fall back once again. If you purchase a product through a link on our site, we may receive compensation. Nothing quite says Millennials are getting old like a reboot of the 80s and 90s classic television competition Star Search. Sorry for that reminder, Millennials, but Star Search is back, and this time its on Netflix and voting is happening in real-time. All that is exciting, or terrifying, or completely uninteresting, depending on who you ask. But theres one thing you should definitely care about: Portland comedian Susan Rice was on the show. Rice got her start in the Portland comedy scene in 1983 and has worked on stage ever since, riding the waves of the comedy world. In 2015, more than 30 years after starting her career, she was named Portlands Funniest Person by Willamette Week. In 2024, over 40 years in, she appeared on Americas Got Talent. Rice was a contestant on the first week of the show, on the second night of competition. She did a great set, as usual, with jokes about her eggs, and her elderly parents, and her nieces trying to set her up. But, she went head-to-head with JR De Guzman from San Diego, who performed a comedy song and pandered to judge Jelly Roll. To be fair, he also pandered to Rice with jokes about older women. And pandered to the audience by being kind of funny. Voting is over, and our hometown hero lost. Ageism? But all is not lost. Rice is on tour now, and if you love her, you can even catch her in Forest Grove later this month. A jury on Wednesday found a Washington County sheriffs deputy discriminated against two lawyers, both women of color, when he refused to let them into a courtroom on two separate occasions. Jurors deliberated for about five hours Wednesday before reaching their verdict in a discrimination claim filed in Washington County Circuit Court by lawyers Chloe Clay and Alyne Sanchez. The verdict capped a trial that began Jan. 6. Both worked for Metropolitan Public Defenders when they encountered Deputy David Lyle at the Washington County Law Enforcement Center in 2022 and 2023. The center is home to the sheriffs office and has a courtroom for high-volume dockets. The legal team for the women argued Lyle profiled them based on race and ethnicity Clay is Black and Sanchez is Latina. The jury awarded Clay $500,000 in damages and $300,000 to Sanchez. One juror hugged both women after the hearing concluded. The womens lawyers will ask the county to pay their legal fees, which could approach $1 million. Clay was represented by Noah Horst and Ethan Levi and Sanchez was represented by Ashlee Albies and Maya Rinta. We are proud to have had the opportunity to represent Chloe Clay and Alyne Sanchez, the team said in a statement. They were incredibly brave to stand up to Washington County and its lawyers. This case brought awareness to inequities regarding access to the Washington County Court system. Ms. Clay and Ms. Sanchez are trailblazers and have fought for three years for acknowledgment of their experience and to ensure professionals of color are granted equal treatment. The attorneys said they hope the county takes the jurys unanimous verdict to heart and makes a public apology to Ms. Clay and Ms. Sanchez. In a statement of her own, Sanchez thanked jurors. I hope the county will learn from this, change their policies, and make a genuine attempt at addressing discrimination, she said. It took three years and a lot of work to get justice for us. Washington County Sheriff Caprice Massey issued a statement late Wednesday saying the agency is disappointed with the verdict. We remain dedicated to maintaining facilities that are safe, secure, and free from harassment and discrimination, she said. The womens attorneys questioned nine other lawyers, all of them white, who testified that they had not encountered any security obstacles when entering the courtroom at the Law Enforcement Center. Clay, however, testified that on Nov. 12, 2022, Lyle refused to hand her paperwork for her client and directed her to wait in a line where criminal defendants receive information about the court process. The two employees staffing the window seemed confused about why she was directed to them, she testified. She said she repeatedly identified herself as an attorney, but Lyle did not permit her to enter the courtroom. He asked for her drivers license. She testified that she didnt have it with her and offered her Oregon State Bar membership number and a business card. You need to get out of here, she testified he told her. She said she was increasingly concerned about being late for court. She testified that a certified court translator, Yesenia Casanova-Holder, witnessed the interaction and greeted Clay by name. Clay said Lyle then asked Casanova-Holder if she knew Clay. He goes, Oh, so you know her? and I will never forget her face, Clay testified. She was dumbfounded and was like, Yes of course I do. Shes a lawyer. And that is when I just turned around and walked in, Clay said. About two months later, on Jan. 20, 2023, Sanchez also encountered Lyle at the Law Enforcement Center. She said she arrived for court early and testified that she and her client waited while deputies and court staff opened the courtroom. She testified that she then told her client she would go into the courtroom to check in with staff. Sanchez wept on the stand as she recalled what happened next. She said she approached the entrance to the room and was blocked by Lyle. He didnt let me in, she testified. I told him multiple times, I am an attorney. I needed to go in for my client. She recalled feeling intimidated by Lyle. I remember he raised his voice, she said. He just got big, really big and really tall. He stepped in front of me and wouldnt let me in. She said she returned to her client, feeling so small. She said she saw a colleague, Rebecca Blaney, who told Sanchez that attorneys are allowed into the courtroom. Blaney attempted to usher Sanchez into the room, but Sanchez was again stopped by Lyle, she testified. Thats when Deputy Lyle then points at me and pointed at my bag, she said. He told her, Youre an interpreter, she testified. Sanchez said her colleague corrected him, saying No, shes an attorney with our office, Sanchez testified. As part of her lawsuit, Sanchez also alleged that the Washington County Sheriffs Office failed to intervene when a group of Proud Boys attended a hearing later that month, filling two rows of a courtroom. Sanchez claimed that the far-right group made threatening, racist remarks and made her feel unsafe, according to her lawsuit. She testified that one of the Proud Boys saw her and said, Look, a Mexican. She said her colleagues at Metropolitan Public Defenders escorted her out. She alleged that at least one deputy was in the courtroom and failed to intervene and accused the agency of negligence a claim jurors rejected. Lawyers for Washington County argued that Lyle acted within his discretion in his encounters with both women. Deputy Lyle followed standard security screening procedures, procedures designed to keep everyone safe, attorney Vicki Smith told jurors in her closing argument on Tuesday. She said Lyle had an obligation to ensure the safety of the courtroom by vetting people who entered: And if the deputy doesnt know who the individual is, that first step of the screening process is not met. Then the deputy has to go to the next step and figure out who is this person? And the deputy asks them who they are. A spokesperson for the sheriffs office did not immediately respond to a request for comment about the verdict. The case revealed that attorneys with the public defense firm had formed a group text chat that they named F*** tha police accompanied by a pig emoji. A screenshot of the text string was disclosed last year. The group text underscored long-simmering tensions between the criminal defense bar and law enforcement and even the bench in Washington County. Clay and Sanchez still practice criminal defense but said their experiences with Lyle prompted them to stop taking cases in Washington County. Lyle remains employed as a deputy, according to the sheriffs office. He is assigned to the jail. He is limited to a maximum of 20 hours a week and is paid $50.66 an hour. The agency did not respond to a follow-up question about what, if any, changes it had made since Clay and Sanchez complained about their disparate treatment. Lyle did not immediately respond to an email seeking comment on the verdict. proclaiming in white letters on a black background the twenty words that it was now forbidden to speak.by Ithell Colquhoun:Slender-legged colts stepped down the opposite The most consistent report about him is that he is remarkably litigioushes pu What kind of dog is she and how long have you had her? GOSSIAUXShes a blond English Labrador retriever.Does this make any sense? I dont write to authors News of her spread from Flanders to Burgundy and Germany through the works of Jodocus van Asche Badius.were ever to ask us how we felt when Caballe first appeared on the stag I almost walk outta there with a sixteen-ounce coffee cup full of cleaning fluidthe guys hanging around the coffee area who try to sell me weed.a Picasso-esque Percival Eve The landlord called us gullible idiots and then said shed split it three ways because the exterminator we picked was too expensive.I took o my wedding ringa gold band with what Ive come to know is that there was an intimacy to his work that I was not seeing in the work of other artists.cutting thousands upon thousands of tiny slivers of and who know very well the place and time and circumstances of which Brezhnev is a (smudged) mirror.nursery-isolated childhood of the English upper classes (and ate the execr GAZA, Jan. 22 (Xinhua) -- Hamas on Thursday criticized Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's inclusion in a U.S.-led "Board of Peace" for Gaza, calling it a "dangerous indicator that contradicts the principles of justice and accountability." In a statement, the group accused Netanyahu of obstructing the Gaza ceasefire and carrying out ongoing violations, including attacks on civilians and destruction of infrastructure, despite a truce that has largely held for over three months. "The occupation is the root of terrorism," the statement said, adding that "the first step towards achieving stability lies in stopping its violations and ending it irrevocably." Netanyahu confirmed on Wednesday that he had accepted an invitation from U.S. President Donald Trump to join the initiative. Trump formally launched the board on Thursday at a charter-signing ceremony during the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, without the presence of several European allies. Observers have raised concerns that the U.S.-led initiative could undermine the United Nations' role and established multilateral frameworks for peace in Gaza, noting that several major powers and traditional U.S. partners have declined to participate. the environmental organization Greenpeace published a report identifying three hard coal mines in Upper Silesia as the cause of the Oder fish kill.Even an annoyance can be a where at lunchtime the office workers looked up and saw something amazing: as if love like everything else has only one way to go.Then I picked up the other foot so that my w or soonWellthey didnt leave around six as planned but instead we all (except Kenward) went to a queer beach party with Safronis [Sephronus Mundy] and Jack (know them?) as evidenced in the video he showed me of himself in little black underwear sh The person behind the popular Instagram account called @florida_bigfoot_hq was hosting a pre-conference get-together.from the invention of English as a literary language in INTERVIEWERHow did your collaboration with Jake Heggie work in this instance?SCHEEROur collaboration mirrored what has been traditional in operathe writing happened first.Ra and the two kinds of girl is certainly very different to each other I certainly know now really.When theyd discovera hurtful surprise each timethat they couldnt break evoking a traditional prosody that the poem will then break up? (I hear the la Correction This story was updated at 7:13 p.m. on Jan. 22 to reflect that Norman's current Target location is not the city's first Target store. Contractors have broken ground on Normans second Target, located next to the Walmart Supercenter on Classen Boulevard. The development is part of the Armstrong Bank Consolidation Project, a 12-lot retail area east of Classen Boulevard and west of 24th Avenue. It will include an Armstrong Bank, stores and office spaces, according to a flyer from Normans Planning and Community Development committee. NEWSLETTERS * required Thank you for subscribing! Email * Please enter a valid email address First Name Last Name A few times a week FREE SIGN UP Subscribing... Preliminary work on the site is underway and building construction will begin early this year, Julie Ruffin DeWalt, marketing director and development coordinator for Sooner Investment, told the OU Daily in an email last month. DeWalt couldnt share tenant names, but she wrote that there is strong restaurant and retail interest in the area and Sooner Investment expects to announce tenants in late spring or early summer. Armstrong Bank bought the 40-acre land parcel in 2020, according to the Cleveland County Assessors website. The parcels rezoning was approved by Norman City Council in December 2024. The citys current Target location opened in 2006 at University North Park, located on 24th Avenue, about 9 miles from the site of the new location. Norman Mayor Stephen Tyler Holman told the OU Daily in a phone call in December that southeast Norman is considered to be the fastest-developing area of the city, including both residential and commercial projects. Holman said he favors local businesses, which keep money spent in the community longer than large chain retailers like Target. Holman said he estimates four or five Campus Corner districts could fit on the lot of a Walmart Supercenter, which would allow for many local businesses. You think of all the different businesses that exist on Campus Corner, and all the different buildings and all the neat stuff that can fit in something that massive, Holman said. I definitely have a concern about that type of development pattern. I do favor more locally owned, small scale, neighborhood-scale type businesses. Holman said that though increased development in southeast Norman will likely lead to population increase and more spending, it doesnt guarantee profit for the city. I think a lot of places would be like, Oh, a new Target, a new Walmart, that's millions of dollars in new revenue for the city of Norman, he said. That's not necessarily the case, especially when we already have a Target in our city limits that people already shop at. This story was edited by Natalie Armour and Macey Thaxton. Ryan Little and Mary Ann Livingood copy edited this story. The ad hoc task force working to revive downtown Harrisburgs fortunes is open for business, a panel of community leaders told a PennLive forum Wednesday. The first order of business, Capital Region Economic Development Corp. President and CEO Ryan Unger said, is to build a revival plan based on residents and stakeholders wants and needs, but refined by experts into clearly achievable objectives. If it works, Unger said, Harrisburg can shift from what has essentially been a downtown office park into a human-centric downtown where people from the city, suburbs and beyond are excited to live, work and play. You can watch the entire forum, which is sponsored by The Foundation for Enhancing Communities, in the video below. Unger said the planning process will, by definition, take time to get the public input needed to define the right goals. But in a bit of headline news, Unger said the task force is engaging the Pennsylvania Downtown Center as its subject matter experts. The center is a Midtown-based organization that works to, in its words, build and support the capacity of local non-profits, municipalities and individuals to enhance the overall well-being and sustainability of Pennsylvanias core communities." Funding for that contract is being advanced by the Intergovernmental Cooperation Authority, a state-created entity tasked with advising Harrisburgs elected leaders on their path back to fiscal stability. Other downtown task force partners include Mayor Wanda Williams and the citys state legislative delegation. ICA Chair Doug Hill, who shared Wednesdays table with Unger and longtime community leader Sheila Dow Ford, said Harrisburgs municipal leaders have actually done pretty well in recovering from the (former Mayor Stephen) Reed era municipal debt crisis. But, as a state capitol city, Harrisburg has perhaps been hit harder than most urban centers by the workplace shifts brought about by the coronavirus pandemic. In Harrisburgs case, Hill said, fewer state workers means fewer other workers in other offices. So law firms, lobbying firms and so on, they arent in the city as frequently. Theyre teleworking. And then that has the secondary spillover effect on less traffic for retail and for restaurants, Hill continued. And so you begin to see the closures or scaling back. Unger put some data points on that foot traffic bleed: The downtown used to play host to about 30,000 workers and visitors per day pre-pandemic, according to an analysis done for CREDC. At present, that count has dropped to about 22,000. The ICA, Hill said Wednesday, has long stressed the need for a comprehensive economic development plan in Harrisburg, so this effort seemed a good use for some of its unused funds. Unger said city residents can expect to see a survey rolled out this winter as a first pass at finding out what people in the downtown say they want and need. We are pretty confident, within the next week, were going to begin this process of identifying and getting out perception surveys to our downtown businesses and stakeholders. Because... we need to understand what people are experiencing right now and where they think we should focus, Unger said. We know that if it becomes someone elses plan, its going to fail. Some patience will be required. The conversion of office buildings to residential uses can help bring more vitality back to the downtown, for example. But shifts like that can only happen gradually. At the same time, Unger said the task force will try to give city residents and workers some early wins while the longer effort takes shape. Pointing to an example from 2025, he lauded the Dauphin County commissioners for running a summer concert series in Riverfront Park, filling a void left by the end of the popular Harrisburg University concerts. That was one week of concerts that saw an additional ten to twelve thousand people visit downtown Harrisburg, Unger said, most of them out-of-county residents. He also lauded Harristowns recent redevelopment of SOMA for South of Market; a once vacancy-filled stretch of Third Street between Market and Chestnut streets. They [Harristown] made improvements to the streetscape. They hung lights, and it feels like a different place. Thats a two-block area. But we got to do that all through downtown, Unger said. Weve got to create that sense of place. Because people go where they have that, right? Dow Ford flashed a caution sign Wednesday over the constant infighting between Mayor Williams and Harrisburgs city council. I think we have to stipulate... that all the parties who are involved have an interest in the health and well being of the city and its residents, she said. The question is, how do we get to a point where we can be on the same page? Hill and Unger, however, said they are confident Williams and council members will pull in the same direction when it comes to downtown revitalization. Unger said he hopes the work ahead will spin out more periodic wins like those for the city as the broader revitalization plays out. Every conversation that we have going forward is going to begin with: What can we do right now to improve downtown Harrisburg? The renewed focus on rescuing the capital citys central business district followed PennLives April 2025 special report, Dueling Downtowns, which highlighted Harrisburgs decline. The series drew a sharp contrast with Lancasters thriving business core, which has been buoyed by that citys planning process involving a professional consultant and a wide range of stakeholders. A Dauphin County judge sent two young adults who admitted they fired the shots that killed a Harrisburg man in front of John Harris High School in 2023 to prison Thursday. Judge Edward Marsico sent Ceniah Simmons, 20, and Juan Arvelo, 23, to state prison for 18 to 40 years each on third-degree murder charges. Both admitted to fatally shooting Richone Strain-Hankerson as he sat inside his red Mazda near 20th and Zarker streets in front of John Harris High School July 24, 2023. Arvelo pleaded guilty to the charges last April, while Simmons pleaded guilty Thursday morning at their back-to-back sentencing hearings, which filled the courtroom gallery. Alexandra McNulty, a prosecutor with the Dauphin County District Attorneys Office, told Marsico Arvelo and Simmons were recorded running up to the passenger side of the Mazda and plugging several bullets into Strain-Hankerson the night of the shooting. Strain-Hankerson suffered several gunshot wounds to the right side of his body from bullets fired by Arvelo and Simmons, according to McNulty. Krisshon Giles, 19 and Akai Eubanks-Burnett, 17, were also charged with homicide in relation to the killing. Video recordings of the shooting showed them standing further away from the car and firing their guns wildly into the air, and not at Strain-Hankersons vehicle, she said. Prosecutors charged Giles and Eubanks-Burnett with homicide even though their bullets never struck Strain-Hankerson because a legal principle allows the intent to shoot Strain-Hankerson to transfer between defendants in a homicide case, according to Jennifer Gettle, a prosecutor who oversaw the case when Arvelo pleaded guilty last year. Eubanks-Burnett, who was 15 at the time of the shooting, originally faced charges as an adult. Juveniles charged with homicide in Pennsylvania are automatically prosecuted in adult court and must petition the judge to move their case to juvenile court. Marsico agreed to do so and Eubanks-Burnett will be held in the juvenile system until he turns 21. Giles case remains in adult court. His attorney, Brian Perry, expects his case to be resolved in the coming weeks. The shooting was related to an unknown conflict between Arvelo and Strain-Hankerson, according to Simmons lawyer, Kristen Weisenberg. Arvelo and Strain-Hankerson had some familiarity through the homicide of a friend, according to Jerry Russo, Arvelos lawyer. Weisenberg said but for Arvelos connection to Strain-Hankerson, the shooting would never have happened in the first place and wouldnt have involved her client. But McNulty argued both defendants were equally responsible. Arvelo and Simmons apologized to Strain-Hankersons family in separate statements given moments before they learned their sentences. Im feeling it too, Simmons said. Theres no win-win. I do take accountability. Chanika Brown, Simmons mother, told Marsico her daughter was very impressionable at the time of the shooting. She said she was a good kid learning accountability. She is not a failure to society, Brown said. With your mercy, Ceniah has a fighting chance. Arvelo, less audible from the gallery as he spoke to Marsico, also apologized and hoped for Strain-Hankersons family to forgive him. Arvelo told probation officers during a pre-sentence investigation a series of interviews that establish a defendants background after a conviction that he saw movement inside Strain-Hankersons vehicle and thought he was going to attack. Thats why he pulled his gun and shot the victim first, he said. Jeanette van Deusen, Arvelos great aunt, defended him as a humble young man who never drank or did drugs. These streets are no joke, van Deusen said, keeping her hands at her side. You gotta take a life or stand like this. Van Deusen offered her familys support for Strain-Hankersons family and asked them all to stand up from the gallery to show their support. She explained she wanted to memorialize the shooting as a tragedy that others can learn from to prevent gun violence in the future. Something out of this has to change. It has to turn, van Deusen said. As he offered consoling comments toward all three families affected by the case, Marsico explained Strain-Hankerson had appeared before him in court not long before the shooting occurred. I thought he had a bright future, Marsico said. As Dauphin County sheriff deputies escorted each defendant out, a cacophony of shouting erupted from the gallery. I love you, thank God for life, Simmons said as she left the courtroom. Arvelo mouthed the words I love you, to his family, too. I love you! I love you! I love you! his family erupted over and over. Marsico eventually slammed his gavel from the bench, calling the outburst inappropriate as family members departed the courtroom. NEW DELHI, Jan. 22 (Xinhua) -- At least 10 Indian army troopers were killed Thursday after a vehicle carrying them skidded off the mountainous road and fell into a gorge in Indian-controlled Kashmir, police said. Police in York County this month charged a couple after they questioned a womans ethnicity and attacked her while calling her slurs, according to charging documents. Around 10:15 p.m. Jan. 10, Penn Township police were dispatched to the Fraternal Order of Eagles Hanover chapter, located at 105 Park St., for an assault. An officer spoke with the victim, who said a man and woman attacked her after an argument. Police later identified the pair as 62-year-old Richard W. Mitchell Jr., of Hanover, and 51-year-old Sara L. Tresnak, of York. While in the area of the Hanover Eagles chapter, Mitchell and Tresnak asked the victim where she was from and about her ethnicity, police said. The victim told the couple she was from Baltimore and her father was Puerto Rican and Black, and her mother was Italian, according to an affidavit of probable cause. When the victim said the Hanover area was much different than Baltimore, Mitchell told her Hanover is a redneck town, and she would not make it there, the affidavit said. As the victim and Mitchell started to argue, Tresnak interjected and said the victim could not speak to her husband like that. The victim then tried to go back into the club, but Tresnak grabbed her arm, and Mitchell grabbed her throat, throwing the victim to the ground, police said. Mitchell then held the victim and her arms down while Tresnak beat her, police said. While attacking the victim, Mitchell used a racial slur while saying she didnt belong here and this is a MAGA town. He also told her to go back to pig town, police said. The victim suffered multiple bruises and scrapes, including large bruises on her right eye and arm. Witnesses in the area identified Mitchell as a member of the Hanover Eagles club and corroborated the victims account of the attack. In a later phone interview, Mitchell told officers he was involved in an altercation with the victim. He also said Tresnak was involved, but said she was his girlfriend, not his wife. During a police interview, Mitchell and Tresnak said they were involved in a fight, but said the victim attacked them first. Both Mitchell and Tresnak are charged with ethnic intimidation, a third-degree misdemeanor, in addition to disorderly conduct and harassment, both summary offenses. The couple has preliminary hearings scheduled for Feb. 17. A Blair County man who was a former member of a group known as Altoona Pred Hunters has been charged with owning and selling child pornography. James A. Stehley, 46, has been charged with possessing child sex abuse material, disseminating photos or videos of child sex acts, criminal attempt of statutory assault, criminal solicitation, corruption of minors and other charges. According to WJAC, police said they were alerted last month when the social media application Threads flagged a number of posts by Stehley about buying and selling pizza online, which is a coded reference to child pornography. Police said they also discovered Stehley had been having a sexually explicit conversation online with someone who claimed to be 14 years old. Altoona police, who knew of Stehley through his former affiliation with the online group Altoona Pred Hunters, went to Stehleys apartment to ask about the posts. He then started shouting and refused to allow officers to look at his phone or enter his apartment. Upon receiving a search warrant, police retrieved several electronic devices from his place, including three cell phones, SD cards, an external hard drive and seven flash drives. Police said they found 78 videos of suspected child sex abuse on Stehleys electronic devices, as well as dozens of messages about sharing, buying or selling the material. Stehley was arraigned on Jan. 21. He is currently at the Blair County Prison, with bail set at $400,000. His preliminary hearing is scheduled for Jan. 28, WTAJ reported. Editors note: This article has been updated with how much time Smith served leading up to his sentence. A man admitted he helped attack another man as the victim was carrying clothes from his ex-girlfriends home to his car in May 2023 in Harrisburg. Justin Smith, 32, of Harrisburg, conceded he helped hold down the victim while others attacked him one, with a knife on May 29, 2023 on South 13th Street. Dauphin County Judge Deborah Curcillo sent Smith to state prison for three to 10 years after prosecutors agreed to drop attempted homicide and conspiracy to commit attempted homicide charges from his case. Instead, Smith pleaded guilty to attempted aggravated assault and conspiracy to commit aggravated assault. Curcillo sentenced him Dec. 17 at a miscellaneous court appearance that was not listed on Smiths public docket. Curcillo gave him 624 days of time credit, meaning the earliest he could be released is April 2027. Smith was charged in October 2023 alongside codefendant Drafton Jones months after police also charged Dale Dean Jr. and Salik Peterson, of Mechanicsburg, with attempted homicide and conspiracy to engage in homicide. Authorities later dropped charges against Peterson on Aug. 29, 2023 because while he was at the scene, he did not join in the attack, according to Breese Lantzy, a Dauphin County prosecutor. Lantzy said the victim had just broken up with Jones sister and was retrieving his clothes from her house when the men intercepted him. Jones held the knife and stabbed the victim, she said. According to police: The night of the stabbing, the victim parked his black Mercedes Benz at around 6 p.m. on the 1100 block of South 13th Street. When he left his car and went into his ex-girlfriends apartment, a black Toyota Camry driven by Dean pulled up behind the Mercedes and four people poured out. One of the men pushed the man against a concrete wall and punched him, while others were stabbing him. He suffered multiple stab wounds but survived his injuries, police said, and two of the men stole the victims Mercedes afterward. The victim told police his ex-girlfriend tried to stop him from leaving her apartment, and when he refused to stay, she got angry and called her brother Jones. Dean told police he was with Smith and Peterson at a party in Hall Manor the same night as the attack. Smith introduced Dean to Jones, according to police. Its unclear if Dean or Jones will be held to attempted homicide charges, or if they will also be permitted to plead down to lesser charges. Jones went on the run for several years under the alias Michael Johnson Solaman with a traveling circus until he was arrested on assault charges at a fairground in July in West Fargo, North Dakota. Jones is unable to legally carry a gun because he pleaded guilty to felony aggravated assault in Dauphin County in 2012. In that case, Jones was 18 when police say he shot at a man in a vehicle in broad daylight on a Steelton street. The man was not hurt. Jones was initially charged with attempted homicide but pleaded guilty to aggravated assault and was sentenced to six to 12 years in prison. Jones was paroled in 2018, returned to prison for violating parole in 2021, then was released in 2023, two months before the stabbing. Jones is awaiting extradition from North Dakota to Pennsylvania. He was once listed on the Cass County, North Dakota Sheriffs Office inmate list but has since been taken off that list. A grand jury indictment has alleged that a landlord spent months drugging and molesting two men who were renting rooms at his house in South Jersey. Craig Cardella, 60, of Mansfield Township, New Jersey, was charged in the indictment last month with 17 counts of first-degree kidnapping, 18 counts each of third-degree aggravated criminal sexual contact, invasion of privacy and endangering another person; and one count of fourth-degree stalking, the Burlington County Prosecutors Office said on Wednesday. On Tuesday, he appeared in Burlington County Superior Court and entered a plea of not guilty. The case will now proceed to trial. In December 2024, a man renting a room from Cardella at his Mansfield Township home reported that he woke up in the middle of the night to find the landlord in bed with him. The tenant also reported that Cardella was holding a mask over his face while touching him sexually, authorities said. An investigation later found that two male tenants were drugged and sexually assaulted by Cardella on separate occasions, both spanning several months, officials said. During a search of his home, detectives unlocked a safe in his closet, where they found two bottles of chloroform, prescription sleep medication, medical masks, a camcorder and digital storage devices, prosecutors said. Chloroform is an anesthetic that, due to its health risks, has not been used on patients since the mid-20th century. Authorities allege that Cardella was using it to prevent his victims from waking up, rendering them helpless. The court battle between Nancy Jones, the widow of country music legend George Jones, and her ex-boyfriend, Kirk West, just got a little bit uglier. Jones has accused West of stealing more than $10 million in cash and crypto from her. West was arrested back on July 24, 2025 at the Nashville International Airport one day after Jones filed a theft report against him. And earlier this month, per The Tennessean, West countersued, arguing that he is entitled to half of her cryptocurrency, cash and previous metal assets. Court documents previously showed that Nancy claimed she became suspicious that West, described as her long-term romantic partner, might be cheating on her. She said that is when she called a granddaughter and asked her to check a safe that only she and West had a code for. Jones claimed that her granddaughter discovered that $400,000 in cash was missing from the safe, per Taste of Country, and that a crypto wallet with 5,534,307 units of the digital currency XRP was also missing. That amount of XRP was reportedly valued at $11,622,044.70 at the time. Taste of Country said court documents said Nancy Jones kicked West out of her home on June 28, 2025. She claimed he later called and said he would return $5 million in the crypto money but no more. West was charged with theft of over $250,000, which is a Class A felony in Tennessee. Rolling Stone reported that Jones took the stand during a court hearing on Oct. 7, 2025 in Tennessee and said that West took an active role in helping to manage the Jones estate and her finances. He took care of everything, she said. I didnt take care of nothing. The outlet said that prosecutors asked her if she trusted West. One hundred percent, she responded. She also reportedly told prosecutors that West called himself a financial manager. This is not Wests first brush with the law. According to reports, he was charged with bank fraud in 2016, and Jones said she paid his legal fees and hired representation then. The two reportedly first met back in 2013, about four months after George Jones death. Bruce Bilson, an Emmy Award-winning director of such beloved shows as Get Smart, Hogans Heroes, Barney Miller and more, has died. He was 97. His daughter, producer Julie Bilson Ahlberg, told The Hollywood Reporter that Bilson died peacefully on Friday at his Los Angeles home. Bilson first earned his director chops working as an assistant director in 1956 for Science Fiction Theater. He then worked as an assistant director on over 50 episodes of The Andy Griffith Show. He went on to direct episodes of The Patty Duke Show, Please Dont Eat the Daisies, The Doris Day Show, The Odd Couple, Love, American Style, B.J. and the Bear, Barney Miller, The Fall Guy, The Love Boat, Dallas, Wonder Woman, Dynasty, and many more. He won an Emmy in 1968 for directing an episode of the popular spy spoof Get Smart. He was also nominated for a Directors Guild Award in 1972 for his work on The Odd Couple. In addition to his daughter, he is survived by his wife, Renne Jarrett, his son, screenwriter Danny Bilson, and many grandchildren and great-grandchildren, including granddaughter actress Rachel Bilson (The O.C., Hart of Dixie). Phil Collins made headlines early last year when he revealed that he was very sick and might not make any more new music. As he approaches his 75th birthday on Jan. 30, he is opening up more about his health struggles, and it sounds like things are still very difficult for him. (Its) an ongoing thing, Collins said during an interview with BBCs Eras podcast. You know, I have a 24-hour live-in nurse to make sure I take my medication as I should do. Ive had challenges with my knee. I had everything that could go wrong with me, did go wrong with me. The former Genesis frontman and pop legend said that he has had five surgeries on his knee. I can walk, albeit with assistance, you know, crutches or whatever, he said. He also said that he got COVID while he was in the hospital and things began to snowball. My kidneys started to back up, he said. Everything seemed to converge at the same time. Collins said he has been sober for two years but blamed his kidney issues on heavy drinking. I was never drunk, although I fell over a couple of times, he said. But it is just one of those things that happened and it all caught up with me, and I spent months in the hospital. Its just been a difficult, interesting, frustrating last few years. But its all right now. Collins told Mojo Magazine last year that he was probably done making new music. I keep thinking I should go downstairs to the studio and see what happens, Collins said. But Im not hungry for it anymore. The thing is, Ive been sick, I mean very sick. Collins is listed as having sold more than 150 million albums worldwide. He received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame in 1999, was inducted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame in 2003 and went into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame as a member of Genesis in 2010. He was also inducted into the Modern Drummer Hall of Fame in 2012, and the Classic Drummer Hall of Fame in 2013. Lancaster Countys Nissley Vineyards put up a short post earlier this week, noting that it was phasing out its canned wines. The line of canned wines, called Kiss, included blueberry, strawberry, peach and apple, and for a time were not only available at the winery but also at Fine Wine & Good Spirits stores, Wegmans and Giant. Wrote Jonas Nissley, the winery president and general manager, in his post, A low-yield harvest and the realities of small-batch production led us to this tough, but intentional, decision. Were grateful for the love youve shown Kiss over the yearspicnics, parties, porch sips, and all the memories in between." Nissley rolled out the cans in 2019, around the time he was taking more control of a business that J. Richard Dick Nissley and his son John first started in the mid-1970s by planting several acres of grapes. It remains one of the oldest operating wineries in Pennsylvania, sitting not far from the Susquehanna River, and near Route 441 that connects Columbia to the south and Middletown to the north. At the same time, it has added several new premium wines beyond the cans, including several Reserves and a line called Heritage. Nissley's top-of-the-line Heritage Series includes Chardonnay, Cab Franc, Chambourcin and a red blend called Keystone. Jim Stanton Nissley told PennLive in an email that the idea to dive into canned wines was one that germinated on a trip to the Lake Erie wine region in 2017. At that time, the canned wine trend was very much on the upswing, he said. I visited a prominent winery just on the other side of the New York border and had a great experience with their staff and all of their wines. As I was paying my bill, I noticed several canned products behind the bar, so I asked the bartender about their success. He said they were doing very well and that sales had been steadily increasing year over year. At that time [and still today], we were looking for ways to adjust the Nissley product line to bring it more in line with the modern wine drinker, he continued. I felt like canning would be a great way to do that since we already have so many tried-and-true sweet products, and a slight tweak of one of these blends, plus carbonation, could be the perfect thing. The idea continued to evolve, and after conversations with the family, we decided to produce three flavorsStrawberry, Peach, and Blueberry Kissthe Kiss line of wines. We chose that name because the wines had just a hint of the fruit flavor." They were launched in April that year, joining several other regional wineries Old Westminster Winery in Maryland, Willliam Heritage Winery in New Jersey and Adams County Winery, located near Gettysburg at that time that were producing them. Around that time, they collaborated with Wine-in-a-Can Research to conduct what it was calling the first blind tasting study, comparing canned wines to bottled wines, in the nation. This taste test included 60 volunteers (21 and over) and ran for several hours. The results of the tasting study and the initial reaction to the cans were positive enough to give Nissley confidence in the experiment. Initially, the products were very well received, he said. In fact, we garnered almost immediate distribution in the Fine Wine and Good Spirits system, as well as grocery stores, which at the time had just been granted the right to sell alcohol via PA Act 39. Orders came quickly, and we had to scramble to produce enough. Here's one of the initial promotions for Nissley's Kiss wine, which debuted in 2019. Nissley Vineyards Fast forward a few years, he said, and the story is a bit different. We do not have a canning line and therefore produce the wines offsite at a co-packer. The cost of production has continued to rise; however, we feel we cannot increase prices enough to offset these costs, Nissley said. There is definitely a ceiling on what customers are willing to pay for a can of sweet wine, so our margins have gotten thinner while demand has also decreased. The FWGS system delisted the products in 2022 due to slowing sales, though this was due in part to problems with inaccurate reporting created by their inventory planning software." Demand, he added, has also slowed in the tasting room and grocery stores. Why? Hes not certain. Trends indicate consumers are drinking less but spending more on a bottle, he said. Since consumers are cutting back in general, perhaps the promised convenience of the wine can is not as relevant. Then he added, We feel the packaging/branding of our canned products, as they are, does not serve our overall brand as it once did. That is not to say that canned products have no place on our wine list; however, as customers look to drink more premium wine, we are looking to refresh our own brand to convey the classic quality that we have been known for decades. A puppy has been reunited with its family after a car was stolen from a CVS parking lot in Florham Park, New Jersey, on Monday with the dog inside. A BMW X5 was stolen after it was left running while the owner went into the CVS on Columbia Turnpike around 5:50 p.m., according to Florham Park Police Capt. Brian Ford. A 3-month-old Australian Labradoodle, Bauer, was inside the vehicle. It was very cold on Monday night, so I did leave the car on so that he wouldnt be cold, said Jacklyn Katz, Bauers owner. She said she had run in to pick up a prescription. As Katz and her family searched for their missing puppy, she said, several people tried to scam them and the family began to lose hope. On Tuesday, however, a good Samaritan contacted the family on PawBoost, a missing pet platform, and told them that Bauer had been found on the side of Interstate 78 near Newark Liberty International Airport. The family arranged to meet the person in the Newark area, where they reunited with Bauer Tuesday evening. Katz said the individual had Bauer overnight and took great care of him. Katz, of Madison, said seeing and holding Bauer again was absolutely surreal, and thanked the community for spreading the word about the puppy on social media. Jacklyn Katz after reuniting with Bauer Tuesday evening. Photo courtesy of Jacklyn Katz The stolen vehicle has not yet been located. Katz warned others to avoid leaving their cars running even for a quick errand. We still were hoping for the best, but we were preparing for the worst, and we got very lucky this time, she said. Ford said three vehicles have recently been stolen in Florham Park. Two of them were left running and the other had its keys inside. The fact is, thieves actively looking for vehicles to steal will stalk locations where it is common for people to just run in real quick while leaving their cars running, and oftentimes unlocked with keys in them, Ford said. By JOSEPH FREDERICK, The Associated Press As the United States prepares to celebrate its 250th birthday, an auction in New York will feature rare items that trace the nations history. The event Friday at Christies, dubbed We the People: America at 250, will bring together foundational political texts, iconic American art and rare historical artifacts. Among the highlights is a rare 1776 broadside printing of the Declaration of Independence produced in New Hampshire by printer Robert Luist Fowle, estimated at $3 million to $5 million. Its historically significant because you get to see what people at the time actually saw, said Peter Klarnet, senior specialist for books, manuscripts and Americana at Christies. While the initial printing was produced by John Dunlap on the night of July 4, 1776 with about 200 copies printed and only 26 known to survive other printers quickly began producing their own versions. This is the way that everyday Americans would have encountered the Declaration of Independence whether it was tacked to a wall or read from the pulpit of their local congregation, Klarnet said. Another founding document up for sale is Rufus Kings edited draft of the U.S. Constitution, estimated at $3 million to $5 million. Printed just five days before the final version was issued on Sept. 17, 1787, the document captures the nations founding charter as it was being finalized. This is the Constitution taking final form, Klarnet said. You can see the edits being made in real time. A copy of the Declaration of Independence, printed by Robert Luist Fowle in July 1776, sits on display at Christie's during a preview for the "We the People: America at 250" auction, Jan. 15, 2026 in New York. (AP Photo/Joe Frederick) AP King was a delegate from Massachusetts to the 1787 Constitutional Convention in Philadelphia. He was also a member of The Committee of Style, a five-member group tasked with refining the text. This puts you directly in Independence Hall as theyre drafting and making the final changes and edits to this remarkable document, Klarnet said. The auction also includes a signed copy of the Emancipation Proclamation. The authorized printed edition was commissioned for the Great Central Fair, a Civil War-era fundraiser held in Philadelphia in June 1864 to raise money for Union troops. The Proclamation is estimated at $3 million to $5 million. Lincoln, together with his Secretary of State William Seward and his Secretary John Nicolay, signed 48 copies of this, Klarnet said, noting they were originally sold for $20 each and not all sold at the time. A copy of the Emancipation Proclamation, signed by Abraham Lincoln, his Secretary of State William Seward and his Secretary John Nicolay, sits on display at Christie's during a preview for the "We the People: America at 250" auction, Jan. 15, 2026 in New York. (AP Photo/Joe Frederick) AP American art plays a major role in the sale as well. Leading the category is Gilbert Stuarts portrait of George Washington thought to have inspired the face on the U.S. dollar bill. The painting was commissioned by James Madison. It is estimated to bring between $500,000 and $1 million. Other artworks include a Jamie Wyeth painting of John F. Kennedy accepting the 1960 Democratic presidential nomination at the Los Angeles Coliseum estimated at $200,000 to $300,000. A painting depicting John F. Kennedy accepting the 1960 Democratic nomination at the Los Angeles Coliseum by Jamie Wyeth hangs on display at Christie's during a preview for the "We the People: America at 250" auction, Jan. 15, 2026 in New York. (AP Photo/Joe Frederick) AP There is also Grant Woods original pencil sketch of American Gothic drawn on the back an envelope estimated at $70,000 to $100,000. Beyond the founding documents, the sale features rare historical objects like the only known flag recovered by U.S. forces from the 1876 Battle of Little Bighorn. The flag is expected to sell for between $2 million and $4 million. Historians say auctions like these underscore the role of private collectors in preserving the nations material past. Private collectors play an important role, historian Harold Holzer said. They save things, they preserve things, and ultimately they pass on their collections. For Holzer, the emotional power of the items remains meaningful. You almost feel the electricity from these relics, Holzer said, their impact on the people, who not only read these documents, but fought for what they were calling for. He calls the documents great words fought for with blood. TOKYO, Jan. 22 (Xinhua) -- Japan's trade deficit came to 2.65 trillion yen (about 16.7 billion U.S. dollars) in 2025, with the balance remaining in the red for the fifth consecutive year, government data showed Thursday. Total exports rose 3.1 percent from the year before to 110.45 trillion yen, despite a decline in U.S.-bound shipments for the first time in five years amid higher tariffs, while imports increased 0.3 percent to 113.10 trillion yen, the Finance Ministry said. Japan's trade surplus with the United States in 2025 shrank 12.6 percent from a year earlier to 7.52 trillion yen, as exports dropped 4.1 percent to 20.41 trillion yen and imports grew 1.6 percent to 12.89 trillion yen, ministry data showed. For December alone, Japan logged a trade surplus of 105.69 billion yen, with exports climbing 5.1 percent to 10.41 trillion yen and imports growing 5.3 percent to 10.31 trillion yen. By Claire Heddles, Miami Herald (TNS) A New York federal judge has denied a request from members of Congress and victims of Jeffrey Epstein for an independent monitor to oversee the Department of Justices release of its investigative files into the late sex trafficker. California Democratic Congressman Ro Khanna and Kentucky Republican Congressman Thomas Massie sent the request to the New York District Court earlier this month for the appointment of a Special Master and Independent Monitor over the Justice Department after the department blew past multiple disclosure deadlines required by a new law. They filed their request within the ongoing criminal proceedings into Epsteins longtime partner Ghislaine Maxwell, who was convicted of sex trafficking a minor in 2021. Judge Paul Engelmayer ruled that the federal criminal case into Maxwell does not give him the jurisdiction to supervise the Justice Departments compliance with a civil records law. He did, however, suggest wrongdoing by the DOJ. The questions raised by the Representatives and the victims are undeniably important and timely. They raise legitimate concerns about whether DOJ is faithfully complying with federal law, he wrote in his ruling Wednesday. The Justice Department was supposed to release its Epstein files by Dec. 19 in response to a new law called the Epstein Files Transparency Act. But the department has only released a tiny percentage of the potentially relevant files to date, Attorney General Pam Bondi told the court earlier this month. The DOJ also failed to meet an additional deadline in the law to explain all of its redactions to the files to Congress, Khanna and Massie told the court. The decision comes after weeks of pleas from members of Congress and victims, and repeated justifications from Bondi for the ongoing delays and missed deadlines. In statements to the Miami Herald, Khanna said he will continue to pursue every legal option and Massie said he will force compliance using other avenues available. How we got here On Jan. 8, Khanna and Massie sent their letter to the judge outlining the Justice Departments failure to meet the deadline set by the law and requesting the independent monitor. They also accused the department of overstating the number of records to justify blowing past the legally mandated Dec. 19 deadline to release all of its files. The Justice Department announced after that deadline that it had uncovered more than a million additional documents. Bondi also told a judge in early January that the department had released fewer than 1% of the potentially relevant documents about 12,000 out of more than 2 million. There is reasonable suspicion that the DOJ has overstated the scope of responsive materials, thereby portraying compliance as unmanageable and effectively delaying disclosure, Khanna and Massie wrote to the judge. The Justice Department has repeatedly told the judge that their ongoing delays in releasing the files are due to their efforts to fully protect victim-identifying information which victims advocates have accused them of failing to do in the release of the first 12,000 records. Epstein victims lawyer Spencer Kuvin called that justification a fabrication in a phone call with the Herald. They havent talked to the victims. Some victims want to be protected, others dont, Kuvin said. Theyre acting in a paternalistic way assuming that all victims are a homogenous group, which theyre not. By VALERIE GONZALEZ and JIM VERTUNO, The Associated Press CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas (AP) A former Uvalde police officer was acquitted Wednesday of charges that he failed in his duties to confront the gunman at Robb Elementary during the critical first minutes of one of the deadliest school shootings in U.S. history. Jurors deliberated for more than seven hours before finding Adrian Gonzalez, 52, not guilty in the first trial over the hesitant law enforcement response to the 2022 attack, which killed 19 children and two teachers. Gonzales appeared to close his eyes and take a deep breath as he stood to hear the verdict in a Corpus Christi courtroom hundreds of miles from Uvalde, where Gonzales attorneys argued that he could not receive a fair trial. After the verdict was read, he hugged one of his lawyers and appeared to be fighting back tears. Thank you for the jury for considering all the evidence, Gonzales told reporters. Asked if he wanted to say anything to the families, he declined. Moments after the verdict was read, several members of the families of the victims sat in silence, some crying or wiping away tears. Faith is fractured, but you never lose faith, said Jesse Rizo, whose 9-year-old niece Jackie Cazares was killed. He said he was frustrated by the verdict and hopes the state will press ahead with the trial of former Uvalde schools Police Chief Pete Arredondo, the only other officer who has been charged over the police response. Those children in the cemetery cant speak for themselves, Rizo said. Defense attorney Nico LaHood mimics a police officer responding to a threat inside a classroom while delivering a closing statement to the jury on the 11th day of the trial for former Uvalde school district police officer Adrian Gonzales at the Nueces County Courthouse on Wednesday, Jan. 21, 2026, in Corpus Christi, Texas. (Sam Owens /The San Antonio Express-News via AP, Pool) AP Arredondos trial has not yet been set. Jurors declined to speak to reporters while leaving the courthouse. The nearly three-week trial was a rare case in the U.S. of an officer facing criminal charges on accusations of failing to stop a crime and protect lives. Gonzales had faced the possibility of up to two years in prison if convicted. The proceedings included emotional testimony from teachers who were shot and survived. Prosecutors argued that Gonzales abandoned his training and did nothing to stop or interrupt the teenage gunman before he entered the school. Were expected to act differently when talking about a child that cant defend themselves, special prosecutor Bill Turner said during closing arguments Wednesday. If you have a duty to act, you cant stand by while a child is in imminent danger. At least 370 law enforcement officers rushed to the school, where 77 minutes passed before a tactical team finally entered the classroom to confront and kill the gunman. Gonzales was one of just two officers indicted, angering some victims relatives who said they wanted more to be held accountable. Gonzales was charged with 29 counts of child abandonment and endangerment each count representing the 19 students who were killed and 10 others who were injured. During the trial, jurors heard a medical examiner describe the fatal wounds to the children, some of whom were shot more than a dozen times. Several parents told of sending their children to school for an awards ceremony and the panic that ensued as the attack unfolded. Gonzales lawyers said he arrived upon a chaotic scene of rifle shots echoing on school grounds and never saw the gunman before the attacker went inside the school. They also insisted that three other officers who arrived seconds later had a better chance to stop the gunman. Gonzales attorney, Jason Goss, told jurors before they began deliberating that his client was not responsible for the attack. The monster that hurt those kids is dead, Goss said. It is one of the worst things that ever happened. A conviction would tell police they have to be perfect when responding to a crisis and could make them even more hesitant in the future, Goss said. Special prosecutor Bill Turner delivers a closing statement to the jury on the 11th day of the trial for former Uvalde school district police officer Adrian Gonzales at the Nueces County Courthouse on Wednesday, Jan. 21, 2026, in Corpus Christi, Texas. (Sam Owens /The San Antonio Express-News via AP, Pool) AP Some victims families made the long drive to watch Gonzales trial. Early on, the sister of one of the teachers killed was removed from the courtroom after an angry outburst following one officers testimony. Gonzales trial was tightly focused on his actions in the early moments of the attack, but prosecutors also presented the graphic and emotional testimony as the result of police failures. State and federal reviews of the shooting cited cascading problems in law enforcement training, communication, leadership and technology, and questioned why officers waited so long. Prosecutors faced a high bar to win a conviction. Juries are often reluctant to convict law enforcement officers for inaction, as seen after the 2018 school massacre in Parkland, Florida. A sheriffs deputy was acquitted after being charged with failing to confront the shooter in that attack the first such prosecution in the U.S. for an on-campus shooting. Vertuno reported from Austin, Texas. By REBECCA SANTANA, The Associated Press WASHINGTON (AP) Federal immigration officers are asserting sweeping power to forcibly enter peoples homes without a judges warrant, according to an internal Immigration and Customs Enforcement memo obtained by The Associated Press, marking a sharp reversal of longstanding guidance meant to respect constitutional limits on government searches. The memo authorizes ICE officers to use force to enter a residence based solely on a more narrow administrative warrant to arrest someone with a final order of removal, a move that advocates say collides with Fourth Amendment protections and upends years of advice given to immigrant communities. The shift comes as the Trump administration dramatically expands immigration arrests nationwide, deploying thousands of officers under a mass deportation campaign that is already reshaping enforcement tactics in cities such as Minneapolis. For years, immigrant advocates, legal aid groups and local governments have urged people not to open their doors to immigration agents unless they are shown a warrant signed by a judge. That guidance is rooted in Supreme Court rulings that generally prohibit law enforcement from entering a home without judicial approval. The ICE directive directly undercuts that advice at a time when arrests are accelerating under the administrations immigration crackdown. The memo itself has not been widely shared within the agency, according to a whistleblower complaint, but its contents have been used to train new ICE officers who are being deployed into cities and towns to implement the presidents immigration crackdown. New ICE hires and those still in training are being told to follow the memos guidance instead of written training materials that actually contradict the memo, according to the whistleblower disclosure. It is unclear how broadly the directive has been applied in immigration enforcement operations. The Associated Press witnessed ICE officers ramming through the front door of the home of a Liberian man in Minneapolis on Jan. 11 with only an administrative warrant, wearing heavy tactical gear and with their rifles drawn. The change is almost certain to meet legal challenges and stiff criticism from advocacy groups and immigrant-friendly state and local governments that have spent years successfully urging people not to open their doors unless ICE shows them a warrant signed by a judge. The Associated Press obtained the memo and whistleblower complaint from an official in Congress, who shared it on condition of anonymity to discuss sensitive documents. The AP verified the authenticity of the accounts in the complaint. The memo, signed by the acting director of ICE, Todd Lyons, and dated May 12, 2025, says: Although the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) has not historically relied on administrative warrants alone to arrest aliens subject to final orders of removal in their place of residence, the DHS Office of the General Counsel has recently determined that the U.S. Constitution, the Immigration and Nationality Act, and the immigration regulations do not prohibit relying on administrative warrants for this purpose. The memo does not detail how that determination was made nor what its legal repercussions might be. When asked about the memo, Homeland Security spokeswoman Tricia McLaughlin said in an emailed statement to the AP that everyone the department serves with an administrative warrant has already had full due process and a final order of removal. She said the officers issuing those warrants have also found probable cause for the persons arrest. She said the Supreme Court and Congress have recognized the propriety of administrative warrants in cases of immigration enforcement, without elaborating. McLaughlin did not respond to questions about whether ICE officers entered a persons home since the memo was issued relying solely on an administrative warrant and if so, how often. Recent arrests shine a light on tactics Whistleblower Aid, a non-profit legal organization that assists workers exposing wrongdoings, said in the whistleblower complaint obtained by The Associated Press that it represents two anonymous U.S. government officials disclosing a secretive - and seemingly unconstitutional - policy directive. A wave of recent high-profile arrests, many unfolding at private homes and businesses and captured on video, has shined a spotlight on immigration arrest tactics, including officers use of proper warrants. Most immigration arrests are carried out under administrative warrants, internal documents issued by immigration authorities that authorize the arrest of a specific individual but do not permit officers to forcibly enter private homes or other non-public spaces without consent. Only warrants signed by judges carry that authority. Federal agents stand outside a convenience store on Wednesday, Jan. 21, 2026, in Minneapolis. (AP Photo/Angelina Katsanis) AP All law enforcement operations including those conducted by ICE and Customs and Border Protection are governed by the Fourth Amendment of the Constitution, which protects all people in the country from unreasonable searches and seizures. People can legally refuse federal immigration agents entry into private property if the agents only have an administrative warrant, with some limited exceptions. Federal agents this month rammed the door of the Minneapolis home of a Liberian man with a deportation order from 2023, who was then arrested. Documents reviewed by The AP revealed that the agents only had an administrative warrant meaning there was no judge who authorized the raid on private property. Memo shown to select officials The memo says ICE officers can forcibly enter homes and arrest immigrants using just a signed administrative warrant known as an I-205 if they have a final order of removal issued by an immigration judge, the Board of Immigration Appeals or a district judge or magistrate judge. The memo says officers must first knock on the door and share who they are and why theyre at the residence. Theyre limited in the hours they can go into the home after 6 a.m. and before 10 p.m. The people inside must be given a reasonable chance to act lawfully. But if that doesnt work, the memo says, they can use force to go in. Should the alien refuse admittance, ICE officers and agents should use only a necessary and reasonable amount of force to enter the aliens residence, following proper notification of the officer or agents authority and intent to enter, the memo reads. The memo is addressed to all ICE personnel. But it has been shown only to select DHS officials who then shared it with some employees who were told to read it and return it, Whistleblower Aid wrote in the disclosure. One of the two whistleblowers was allowed to view the memo only in the presence of a supervisor and then had to give it back. That person was not allowed to take notes. A whistleblower was able to access the document and lawfully disclose to Congress, Whistleblower Aid said. Although the memo was issued in May, David Kligerman, senior vice president and special counsel at Whistleblower Aid, said it took time for its clients to find a safe and legal path to disclose it to lawmakers and the American people. ICE officers are told to rely solely on administrative warrants, memo says ICE has been rapidly hiring thousands of new deportation officers to carry out the presidents mass deportation agenda. Theyre trained at the Federal Law Enforcement Training Center in Brunswick, Georgia. During a visit there by The Associated Press in August, ICE officials said repeatedly that new officers were being trained to follow the Fourth Amendment. Federal agents stand outside a convenience store on Wednesday, Jan. 21, 2026, in Minneapolis. (AP Photo/Angelina Katsanis) AP But according to the whistleblowers account, newly hired ICE officers are being told they can rely solely on administrative warrants to enter homes to make arrests even though that conflicts with written Homeland Security training materials. ICE officers often wait for hours for the person theyre hoping to arrest to come outside so they can make the arrest on the sidewalk or at the persons work public places where they are allowed to operate without the risk of infringing on the persons Fourth Amendment rights. Whistleblower Aid called the new policy a complete break from the law and said it undercuts the Fourth Amendment and the rights it protects. When Kyle Rittenhouse returned to social media back in December, he promised there were big things to come. A month later, those big things dont seem to have materialized for him, yet. Instead, Rittenhouse who is famous for shooting three people, killing two, during a racial injustice protest in Kenosha, Wisconsin in 2020 before claiming self-defense and being acquitted of all charges, appears to be using his time on social media mostly posting slurs and teasing the idea of going to Minnesota as ICE is met with protesters there. His latest version of that came Tuesday as he shared a photo posing with a High Ground Defense M134HG Minigun on X. Thinking of taking this to Minneapolis, Rittenhouse wrote. Thoughts? Folks were quick to respond, and it didnt go well for him. @FBI lock him up, one person replied. We get it your schtick is I murdered a guy and got away with it, so let me joke about murdering more Americans, Skyler Shuler replied on X. You look dumber every year! another wrote. Congrats dude. You take way too much joy in killing human beings thats not a compliment, Colorado Mick wrote on X. You should repent and save your soul while you still can, Jesse Brenneman suggested. Take it and keep it to yourself, Michael Woods commented. Bad karma to be agitating like this. Dude, no, Braden Pace replied. You got a W with that acquittal. As you should have. But dont do this. Youre making responsible gun owners look bad. Its not the first time Rittenhouse has joked about the scene in Minnesota. FAFO dont try and hit a ICE agent with your vehicle and you wont end up in the forever box, he wrote on X after ICE office Jonathan Ross shot and killed Renee Good in Minneapolis. Its pretty simple. He followed that up with another post that read, After thinking about it, should I travel across the state line to Minnesota? That, of course, kicked up a social media stir then, too. How do you even look yourself in the mirror in the morning? one person replied. Someone was murdered you (expletive) (expletive), another wrote. There is nothing to laugh about you (expletive) truly are evil and I cant wait for karma to catch up. Rittenhouse announced in December that he was returning to social media saying that the assassination of Charlie Kirk convinced him he couldnt sit on the sidelines anymore. So Im back, he wrote. Not quietly. Not halfway. Im coming back in a big way. But just a week into his return he found himself getting ripped online by a Republican Sheriff from Florida. That came after he filmed a video of himself standing in front of the Walton County Jail while claiming that Michael Rediker used Floridas Stand Your Ground law to lawfully defend himself when his life was put in jeopardy. Michael did nothing wrong, and he deserves all our support, Rittenhouse said in the video which he pinned to his X page. We are expecting an outright not guilty under Floridas Stand Your Ground law, he added. Walton County Sheriff Michael Adkinson did not take kindly to Rittenhouses claims. He reshared the video via the Walton County Sheriff Offices official X account, and issued a video of his own scathing response. I dont normally do this, Adkinson said. I dont normally take the time to speak to public comments on cases, certainly not open cases. But in this particular situation, a murder that occurred yesterday in Walton County, I feel compelled to respond to what I can only call wildly irresponsible. I would say motivated by many factors, none of them in the interest of justice in which individuals, particularly Kyle Rittenhouse and his attorney, Anthony Sabatini, are attempting to frame the murder here in Walton County on Thursday of Mr. Keen as a Stand Your Ground case or wrapping it in the Constitution or that it is Second Amendment case. Adkinson was far from done. After 30-something years of doing this, I very rarely get personally offended, but Im actually just kind of disgusted with them, the sheriff continued. There was a man who lost his life yesterday. A father, a husband with two small children, who was murdered, unarmed on his own property, unprovoked by an individual who drove a tractor over a half a mile onto the victims property. Once there, batters his wife in front of eyewitnesses. When the husband, whom there had been no confrontation with, gets out to come over and help pick his wife up off the ground the suspect shoots him in the face. He was unarmed. There was no fight between them. There was no attack, and as he is laying dying on the ground, this suspect, Michael Rediker, stood over him and made some comments for which he is going to answer to in court. At the same time, he committed aggravated assault on multiple other people because he murdered this man in front of witnesses that watched this as this man was murdered. Again, unarmed, on his own property, after his wife had been battered, and no confrontation. Now, somehow out of that, Mr. Rittenhouse and his attorney, Anthony Sabatini, have determined that this is the great Stand Your Ground case, Adkinson continued. Well, Ill tell you this. Ill bet my badge on this. Not only is that not a stand your ground, Mr. Rediker will face either the ultimate penalty in the state of Florida or God willing the rest of his natural life in prison. Because, come Christmas morning in two weeks, there are two little boys elementary school age, two children, that are not going to have their father, and theres a wife whose not going to have her husband all so these two idiots can get more likes on their Facebook and call it a Constitutional issue. Adkinson then brought it home. I think both of you are jokes, and I dont think you should make a damn cent off the suffering of someone else, he said. So, if you dont like that, well you can file that under I dont really give a damn. I know people arent going to like this, and I dont care about that either. Im so disgusted and sad for the Keen family and their loss and the fact that these two yo-yos are going to try to make money and news on it. And I probably shouldnt give them this, but I think the public deserves to know this doesnt have a damn thing to do with the Second Amendment or Stand Your Ground. So, I hope that many of you will reach out and tell these two jack-wagons what you think about what they are doing to this family suffering. Dont let them make on penny off a like. By GEIR MOULSON and JAMES BROOKS, The Associated Press COPENHAGEN, Denmark (AP) Denmarks prime minister insisted that her country cant negotiate on its sovereignty on Thursday after U.S. President Donald Trump said he agreed on a framework of a future deal on Arctic security with the head of NATO. Trump said the outcome would be all the military access we want to Greenland. Trump on Wednesday abruptly scrapped the tariffs he had threatened to impose on eight European nations to press for U.S. control over Greenland, a semiautonomous territory of NATO ally Denmark. It was a dramatic reversal hours after he insisted he wanted to get the island including right, title and ownership though he also said he would not use force. Much about the potential deal remained unclear on Thursday, though Trump said in a Fox Business interview that were going to have total access to Greenland. Were going to have all the military access we want, he added. Trump said the deal, if completed, will also allow for the United States to install an element of his Golden Dome, part of a multibillion dollar missile defense system, in Greenland. Denmark's Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen, right, and Greenland's Prime Minister Jens-Frederik Nielsen. (Mads Claus Rasmussen, AP, 2025) AP Denmark insists on territorial integrity Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen said security in the Arctic is a matter for all of NATO, and it is good and natural that it be discussed between the U.S. president and Rutte. She said in a statement that she had spoken with Rutte on an ongoing basis, including before and after he met Trump in Davos. She wrote that NATO is fully aware of the kingdom of Denmarks position that anything political can be negotiated on, including security, investment and economic issues but we cannot negotiate on our sovereignty. I have been informed that this has not been the case, she said, adding that only Denmark and Greenland can make decisions on issues concerning Denmark and Greenland. Frederiksen said that Denmark wants to continue engaging in constructive dialogue with allies on how to strengthen security in the Arctic, including the U.S. Golden Dome program, provided that this is done with respect for our territorial integrity. Denmark has said the U.S., which already has a military presence, can boost its bases on Greenland. The U.S. is already party to a 1951 treaty that gives it broad rights to set up military bases there with the consent of Denmark and Greenland. NATO spokesperson Allison Hart said the alliances secretary general, Mark Rutte, did not propose any compromise to sovereignty during his meeting with President Trump. She said that negotiations among Denmark, Greenland and the U.S. will go forward aimed at ensuring that Russia and China never gain a foothold - economically or militarily - in Greenland. Christan Friis Bach, the chair of the Danish parliaments foreign policy committee, told The Associated Press that Denmark wants to see a consolidated and permanent NATO surveillance and security mission in the Arctic, along the lines of the Baltic Sentry mission the alliance launched in the Baltic Sea last year. Welcome and skepticism for Trumps switch On the streets of Copenhagen, some were skeptical about Trumps switch. I think the man has said many things and done a lot of different things to what he says, said Louise Pedersen, 22, who works with a startup company. I have a hard time believing it. I think its terrifying that we stand here in 2026. She said its for Greenlanders to decide what happens with their land not Donald Trump. I dont really trust anything Mr. Trump is saying, said Poul Bjoern Strand, 70, an advertising worker. On the possibility of ceding territory, he said: Thats not what the Greenlanders want, thats not what the Danish people want, and I cannot believe that Danes are going to follow that. Chancellor Friedrich Merz of Germany, one of the European countries that had faced Trumps threat of tariffs over Greenland, underlined the need for European NATO allies to do more to secure the Arctic region and stressed that it is a common trans-Atlantic interest. We will protect Denmark, Greenland, the north from the threat posed by Russia, he said at the World Economic Forum meeting in Davos, Switzerland. We will uphold the principles on which the trans-Atlantic partnership is founded, namely sovereignty and territorial integrity. We support talks between Denmark, Greenland (and) the United States on the basis of these principles, aiming for closer cooperation, Merz said. It is good news that we are making steps into that right direction. I welcome President Trumps remarks from last night this is the right way to go. Ryanair is not really one of the big players in the airline game, so if you have never heard of them its understandable. Of course, if you have been on Elon Musks X platform the past couple days, it might be hard to miss Ryanair because it has been going in on Musk pretty hard. In fact, Ryanair describe on its Wikipedia as an ultra low-cost airline headlined in Ireland is even running a sale off of its current back-and-forth with Musk. Ryanairs Big Idiot Seat Sale is offering flights for as low as about $20 across February, March and April. Theres a catch, though. Only available for Elon Musk and any other Idiots on X!! the ad shared by the airline on X reads. Book today before Musk gets one! The ad also appears to show a cartoon of Ryanair CEO Michael OLeary jamming an I (heart emoji) Ryanair! sign into the ear of a cartoon guy who looks a lot like Musk. Dont thank us, thank that big IDIOT @elonmusk, the airline wrote above the ad. So, what gives? Well, Musk has been openly critical of the airline since it declined to install Starlink on its planes, and OLeary hasnt backed down. The airline really seemed to set Musk off on Jan. 19 when it reshared a post on X that read, what is a propaganda youre not falling for?? and wrote, Wi-Fi on planes. Musk responded by asking how much it would cost to buy the airline. Someone replied with a video of an interview in which OLeary called Musk an idiot, while explaining that Musk knew zero about flight and drag. We have to put an aerial antenna on top of the aircraft, OLeary said. It would cost us about $200-$250 million a year. In other words, about an extra dollar for every passenger we fly. And the reality for us is, we cant afford those costs. Passengers wont pay for internet usage. If its free, theyll use it. But they want pay one euro to use the internet. So, were not putting it on board. And I frankly wouldnt pay any attention to anything Elon Musk puts out in that cesspit of his called X. He was the guy who advocated to getting Donald Trump elected. I would pay no attention whatsoever to Elon Musk. Hes an idiot. Very wealthy, but hes still an idiot. Musk responded to that by writing, Michael OLeary is a retarded twat who needs to be fired. Put him out to pasture! Please make sure he sees this message. OLeary has invited Musk to try to buy the airline, saying we would think its a very good investment. Certainly a significantly better investment than the financial returns hes earning on X, OLeary said. The bad news for Musk, though, is that per CBS News there are rules that bar non-European citizens from owning a majority stake in a European airline. The good news is he can fly really cheap on Ryanair for the next couple of months. Parking at two Harrisburg garages will be free this weekend as the city prepares for a major winter storm. Starting at 5 p.m. Saturday, parking at the Locust Street Garage and City Island Garage will be free. Although people are not always pleased with the citys parking arrangements, Park Harrisburg, Nancy Keim, and Mayor Williams always collaborate and come through for us during a storm, the announcement said. The National Weather Service said 132 million people are under alerts for snow, sleet and freezing rain ahead of the storm. While Pennsylvania and other northern states prepare for snow accumulations that could reach well over a foot, southern states are expecting ice storms. Snow amounts could reach a foot or more in the I-95 major cities from D.C. to Boston, said National Weather Service forecasters on the East Coast, who are increasingly confident the storm will strike the big cities. For central Pennsylvania, snow should start falling Saturday night and intensify into Sunday, which has a 100% chance of snow all day. Forecasters said the storm will bring major winter storm impacts. At least 6 inches of snow is expected across most of central Pennsylvania. The National Weather Service warns the snow will likely be dry and fluffy, increasing the potential for blowing and drifting. Accumulated snow might mix with or transition to sleet in southern Pennsylvania by Sunday night. Officials recommend preparing now for the weekend storm by checking snow blowers, rearranging travel plans and preparing for possible power outages. A little more than a year ago, at the very start of his second inaugural address, Donald Trump said this: The golden age of America begins right now. Who knew he meant literally? As in turning the Oval Office into something of a gold reserve. Gold trimming on door frames, on the fireplace and across the ceiling. Gold vases, golden urns, gold trophy-like things spread atop the fireplace mantel. And gold coasters bearing Trumps name. All reportedly (and thankfully) paid for by Trump, designed with help from his Mar-a-Lago gold guy, John Icart, flown in on Air Force One, using only the highest quality gold (aka 24-carat) to create what White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt calls a golden office for the golden age. And its a pretty good bet therell be some gilt (as opposed to guilt) in Trumps GoFundMe $400 million (yes, the price has doubled) White House ballroom being built in a new 89,000 square-foot East Wing. But wait, theres more. The newly-acquired Nobel Peace Prize medal is made of 18-carat recycled gold (valued around $10,000). It was gifted to Trump by its latest winner, Venezuelan opposition leader Maria Corina Machado, likely in hopes of Trumps future help. The Nobel Institute said Machado cant give the peace prize to Trump. But he sure seemed happy to get the medal. Maybe he wants it so he can do what another recent winner did. Use it for a good cause. The 2021 winner, Russian journalist Dmitry Muratov, auctioned his Nobel Peace Prize medal for $103.5 million in 2022 to raise money for Ukrainian child refugees. Think Trump would do that? Set a global example for empathy and resources to war-torn Ukraine? Or are the benefits of our golden age limited to America first? Either way theres no denying Trumps golden age is getting golder. The price of gold since the president proclaimed the age has been setting records like no ones ever seen, that I can tell you: $2,600 an-ounce in January 2025; $4,800 an-ounce in January 2026. Why? Because Trumps second term, say investment experts, is unsettling. It causes geopolitical tensions, including now with South American countries, Greenland, other NATO nations. Also because of economic uncertainty created by on-and-off tariffs. And because gold in addition to serving as an excellent accent to office decor -- is seen as a safe haven for investors. So, wheres Trump at the golden ages one-year mark? Polling of the moment shows him losing ground, even in areas that got him elected such as the economy and immigration. AP polling shows 37% support for Trumps handling of the economy; a Wall Street Journal poll puts it at 44%. On immigration, CNN and AP polls after an ICE agent shot and killed a woman in Minneapolis put Trumps rating at 42% and 37% respectively. Numbers are lower than a year ago. How is Trump faring generally? Real Clear Politics average of polls last January had Trump with a 47.5% favorability rating, 48.8% unfavorable. The average this January shows 42.7% approve of Trumps job performance, 55.3% disapprove. Again, better before the golden age. Still, maybe gold can save the golden age. Dont forget the Trump Gold Card (which initially seemed like a Saturday Night Live skit). It allows individuals and businesses to unlock life in America. For $1 million, plus a $15,000 processing fee, foreign nationals can buy U.S. residency in record time. Its $2 million plus fee for companies. I am not making this up. As of last month, the administration claims Gold Card sales reached $1.3 billion. What could possibly go wrong? Maybe Trumps Gold Card can bring in enough money for a down payment on Greenland. What an age, eh? John Baer may be reached at baer.columnist@gmail.com. By STEPHEN GROVES and MATT BROWN, The Associated Press WASHINGTON (AP) A House committee advanced resolutions Wednesday to hold former President Bill Clinton and former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton in contempt of Congress over the Jeffrey Epstein investigation, opening the prospect of the House using one of its most powerful punishments against a former president for the first time. In bipartisan votes, the Republican-controlled House Oversight Committee approved the contempt of Congress charges, setting up potential votes in the House early next month. In a rare departure from party lines, some Democrats supported the contempt measures against the Clintons, with several progressive lawmakers emphasizing the need for full transparency in the Epstein investigation. The votes were the latest turn in the Epstein saga as Congress investigates how the late financier was able to sexually abuse dozens of teenage girls for years. No witness, not a former president or a private citizen, may willfully defy a congressional subpoena without consequence. But that is what the Clintons did and that is why we are here, Rep. James Comer, the chairman, said at the session on Wednesday. The repercussions of contempt charges loomed large, given the possibility of a substantial fine and even incarceration. Still, there were signs of a potential thaw as the Clintons appeared to be searching for an off-ramp to testify. In addition, passage of contempt charges through the full House was far from guaranteed, requiring a majority vote something Republicans increasingly struggle to achieve. The Clintons have said they had nothing to do with Epstein for decades and are seeking a resolution to the dispute. This week, they offered to have the committee leadership and staff interview Bill Clinton in New York. Comer rejected that offer Tuesday, insisting that any interview also have an official transcript. What do lawmakers want to know from the Clintons? The push in Washington for a reckoning over Epstein has shown details of the connections between the wealthy financier and both Bill Clinton and Trump, among many other high-powered men. Epstein killed himself in 2019 in a New York jail cell while awaiting trial. Bill Clinton, President Donald Trump and many others connected to Epstein have not been accused of wrongdoing. Yet lawmakers are wrestling over who receives the most scrutiny. A spokesman for the Clintons, Angel Urena, said on social media that the Clintons are trying to help the Epstein investigation but that both Clintons have been out of office for over a decade. Neither had anything to do with him for more than 20 years. Behind the scenes, longtime Clinton lawyer David Kendall has tried to negotiate an agreement with Comer for months. Kendall raised the prospect of having the Clintons testify on Christmas and Christmas Eve, according to the committees account of the negotiations. The Clintons, who contend the subpoenas are invalid because they do not serve any legislative purpose, have also offered the committee written declarations about their interactions with Epstein. How Democrats are approaching the issue Democrats have largely been focused on advancing the investigation into Epstein rather than mounting a defense of the Clintons, who led their party for decades. They agreed that Bill Clinton should inform the committee if he has any pertinent information about Epsteins abuses. House Oversight Committee Chairman James Comer, R-Ky., speaks during a House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform markup business meeting about finding former President Bill Clinton and former Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton in contempt of Congress, Wednesday Jan. 21, 2026, on Capitol Hill in Washington. (AP Photo/Jacquelyn Martin) AP A wealthy financier, Epstein donated to Bill Clintons 1992 presidential campaign and Hillary Clintons joint fundraising committee ahead of her 2000 Senate campaign in New York. No president or former president is above the law, the top Democrat on the House Oversight Committee, Rep. Robert Garcia, said at the hearing. On Wednesday, Democrats tried to advance several changes to the contempt of Congress charges. Several argued that Hillary Clinton should be exempted because she has said she had very little personal interaction with Epstein. Democratic lawmakers also tried to downgrade the contempt of Congress resolution to a civil rather than criminal offense. Democrats spent the hearing criticizing Comer for focusing on the Clintons when the Justice Department is running a month late on a congressionally-mandated deadline to publicly release its case files on Epstein. Comer has also allowed several former attorneys general to provide the committee with written statements attesting to their limited knowledge of the case. The committee had also subpoenaed Ghislaine Maxwell, Epsteins longtime confidant, who is serving a lengthy prison sentence for a conviction on sex trafficking charges. But Comer declined to press for the interview after Maxwells attorney indicated she would invoke Fifth Amendment rights in any deposition. Its interesting that its this subpoena only that Republicans and the chairman have been obsessed about putting all their energy behind, Garcia said. Comer said the committee will interview Maxwell next month. Attorney General Pam Bondi will also appear before the House Judiciary Committee in February. In the end, nine Democrats voted with all Republicans on the committee to advance contempt against Bill Clinton, and three Democrats Reps. Summer Lee of Pennsylvania, Melanie Stansbury of New Mexico and Rashida Tlaib of Michigan joined in the vote to advance the contempt resolution for Hillary Clinton. Democrats embraced the call for full transparency on Epstein after Trumps return to the White House, particularly after Bondi stumbled on her promise to release the entirety of the unredacted Epstein files to the public. The backlash scrambled traditional ideological lines, leading Republicans to side with Democrats demanding further investigation. The pressure eventually resulted in a bipartisan subpoena from the committee that ordered the Justice Department and Epsteins estate to release files related to Epstein. Republicans quickly moved to include the Clintons in the subpoena. Comer has indicated that he will insist that the subpoena be fulfilled by nothing less than a transcribed deposition of Bill Clinton. Theyre going to have two weeks until this bill is on the floor, he said Wednesday How contempt proceedings have been used Contempt of Congress proceedings are rare, used historically as a last resort when lawmakers are trying to force testimony for high-profile investigations, such as the infamous inquiry during the 1940s into alleged Communist sympathizers in Hollywood or the impeachment proceedings of President Richard Nixon. Most recently, Trumps advisers Peter Navarro and Steve Bannon were convicted of contempt charges for defying subpoenas from a House panel investigating the Jan. 6, 2021, riot by a mob of the Republican presidents supporters at the Capitol. Both Navarro and Bannon spent months in prison. The Jan. 6 committee also subpoenaed Trump in its inquiry. Trumps lawyers resisted the subpoena, citing decades of legal precedent they said shielded ex-presidents from being ordered to appear before Congress. The committee ultimately withdrew its subpoena. FILE - Former President Bill Clinton and former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton listen during the state funeral for former President Jimmy Carter at Washington National Cathedral in Washington, Jan. 9, 2025. (AP Photo/Jacquelyn Martin, File) AP No former president has ever been successfully forced to appear before Congress, although some have voluntarily appeared. But some Republicans said they should face the same consequences for refusing to testify as Bannon and Navarro. Rep. Andy Biggs, an Arizona Republican, said on social media that if the Clintons arent perp walked, we will have failed the American people. A frigid day outside the Dauphin County Courthouse did nothing to cool a heated court hearing inside between Harrisburg Mayor Wanda Williams and city council over the 2026 budget. The six-hour hearing from 9:30 a.m. to almost 3:30 p.m. cost city taxpayers a little over $10,000 in attorney fees. Those costs, however, will rise as attorneys on both sides prepare briefs to submit the judge that are due within seven days. At one point in the courtroom, there were at least 33 people, including the attorneys, both parties, the judge, and reporters. Judge Jeff Engle entered his courtroom at 9:38 a.m. as the room fell quiet and everyone stood up. Engle pulled his glasses over his forehead. The hearing had begun. Fair and impartial City Councils attorneys, led by Casey Coyle, previously asked the judge to step aside from this litigation because one of the mayors lawyers had previously represented Engle in a case that ended in 2018. Engle denied the motion, saying the lawsuit started 12 years ago. He said hes only had to recuse himself because of personal relationships with the party, not attorneys. Engle added that the mayors lawyer in question, Michael Miller, did not directly handle the case. Miller also had favorable and unfavorable rulings from Engle before, the judge said. I believe I can be fair and impartial, Engle said. Motion is denied. Miller was not at the hearing on Wednesday. A legal issue or a personal issue? Councils lawyers argued Williams lawsuit was the result of the mayors grievances against council members after they defunded four positions in her administration. Williams lawyers, led by Renardo Hicks, pushed back, saying this is purely a legal issue. The defunding of the statutory business administrator position, Hicks said, made it nearly impossible for the mayor to fulfill her legal obligations. Coyle stood up right as Hicks stopped talking: No valid basis for this lawsuit, Coyle said. The judge said that while he can see arguments on both sides, he needed more facts. Williams had asked for an emergency injunction basically asking the judge to force the council to fund the four positions until the court made a final decision. Engle said he would not do that for now. Hicks went on to call three witnesses: the mayor, Sam Sulkosky, the former interim business administrator, and Doug Hill, the chair of the Intergovernmental Cooperation Authority (ICA), which Hicks initially referred to as Intergovernmental Association. This state-appointed body was created to advise the city on its financial and budgetary issues, but it has no powers to actually direct the city to do anything. The mayor Williams said she had a cold and spoke softly for the most part. Even the judge once said, Mayor, I know youre not a shy person, so keep the voice up. Hicks asked Williams for a rundown on her elaborate resume in Harrisburg. Have you held any other elected positions? Hicks asked. No, Williams responded. How about City Council? Hicks pushed back. Oh yes. President of City Council for 14 years, Williams said, with a smile. The next topic was the business administrator. Would he work for free? Hicks asked. Why would anyone work for free? Williams scoffed. Hicks then asked her about her mayoral authority: Power to hire and fire rests solely under the mayor, she said. She said its been a challenge to do the mayor role without a business administrator, and time constraints limited her from working the three other positions. Hicks drew a comparison between the business administrator and the mayor, saying city council could defund the mayor because thats a statutory position, too. Engle disagreed with that comparison. When asked about Gloria Martin-Roberts, the interim director of building and housing development who remains in her role, albeit at a reduced salary, Williams started talking about a meeting she had with HUD officials the day before. Coyle objected. A court principle prohibits witnesses from talking about hearsay with limited exceptions. The judge overruled the objection. Who did you meet with? Hicks asked. Williams shook her head after thinking for a few seconds and said, I have that info in my office. She added she was concerned about HUD funds. Almost 90% of Martin-Roberts salary comes from federal HUD dollars. The mayor said removing the citys portion of Martin-Roberts salary meant she would only focus on federal projects, not city ones. PennLive previously reported that Martin-Roberts and Sulkosky stayed past the 120-day city limit for acting heads. The mayor kept them on as interim officials, arguing the law doesnt define that term; hence, the 120-day limit couldnt apply. Council President Danielle Hill called out Martin-Roberts and Sulkosky every time they were at a council meeting, announcing the number of days they had stayed past what the law allows. Williams rarely shows up at council meetings. Our council president was specifying how many hours, days, seconds and months, Williams said, referring to Martin-Roberts employment. I think its not necessary, Williams added. [Martin-Roberts] is in that position to help. Williams also said the city council interrogated both interim officials. Council must consent to all of the mayors appointments if they want to serve permanently, according to city law. Williams incorrectly stated the council provided no justification before defunding both positions. Council members expressed their concerns during budget hearings and past council meetings. When Coyle, councils lead attorney, repeatedly questioned the mayor about the process of hiring department heads, Williams said he was incorrect. She then said she interviewed for these positions and sent them to the council. She confirmed, however, that council did not approve Sulkosky and that Martin-Roberts never went in front of the council to be approved. What provision of the charter law gives you the right to appoint an interim official? Coyle asked. Williams said she did so on advice of my attorney, the city solicitor. She was referring to Neil Grover, who declined to comment. I am not going to comment on advice given to elected officials, but if I was called to a witness stand, I will answer any questions, Grover told PennLive. Coyle then asked if there was any law that allowed Williams to appoint an interim. Im not an attorney, Williams said. In Coyles cross-examination, he distributed copies of the citys Department of Building and Housing Development website, which had Martin-Roberts picture, and confirmed that she led the department. Coyle asked Williams whether she recognized the page. I cant answer that truthfully because I dont know, Williams responded. Are you aware of the website as the mayor? Coyle quipped. Williams said she never saw [Martin-Roberts] picture, but the information on the website was put up by Martin-Roberts. Coyle now had a pen tucked behind his ear. He distributed three more documents the termination letters from the citys HR director addressed to the people who lost their jobs this year. He then asked Williams to confirm the HR director reported to the mayor. She said yes. When asked about the ICA, Williams incorrectly said it stood for the Intergovernmental Cooperation Agreement. Coyle stood up again, saying he was struggling to understand the relevance of any of this, especially because he said neither the 75-paragraph complaint from the mayor nor the citys charter law mentions the ICA. Engle overruled his objection, saying the facts needed to be developed. Mischelle Moyer, the mayors spokesperson, asked Williams after she left the stand if she was going to leave after her testimony. The mayor shook her head. Ill stay, Williams said. I want to hear their lies. She was questioned for one hour and 55 minutes. Communication issues The next person on the witness stand was Doug Hill from the ICA. Williams sat right behind her lawyers, her hand sometimes supporting her head. Hill specified that the ICA sent a letter to both the City Council and the mayor, expressing concerns about the defunded positions. He said he had personal conversations with Hill and Councilwoman Ausha Green about the organizations stance on the councils version of the budget. He added that both council members brought up issues with communication from the mayors office and the business administrator. Council members also previously told reporters that Williams had blocked them or that they had talked only a couple of times throughout the year. Hill also told PennLive in an earlier interview that theres not really an economic development plan for the city. Council members brought this up as a key reason why they defunded the LERTA administrators role because they said Jason Graves, who was in that position, did not deliver on the plan. Coyles cross-examination included asking Hill to clarify that the City Council held final say over the budget and not ICA. You are not suggesting City Council should rubber-stamp whats in front of them, correct? Coyle asked Hill. Hill agreed. Hicks, the mayors lead attorney, asked Hill if the defunded positions would impact ICAs ability to comply with providing an updated five-year plan, which is one of the organizations tasks. Hill said the citys finance office helps with that, but while theres not a direct impact, the ICA still believes that these roles should be funded for the overall financial health of the city. Almost an hour later, Sulkosky was called to the stand. The business administrator Sulkosky sat in the witness seat without being sworn in. The mayor chuckled as a court staff member asked him to stand back up and be sworn in. Hicks asked him about his background in local government and the business administrator department itself. Along with his job history, Sulkosky went into detail about the different grants that hes won in the past for other municipalities, although I didnt write the grants specifically, and then added how he was saving money for the city of Harrisburg. Hicks asked him to limit his answers to exactly what the question was about. Then, he asked him about the departments he oversees and what a typical day looked like in his job. Sulkosky listed six departments, adding that he cant think of all off the top of my head. He also said his days involved a lot of multitasking, juggling two or three balls at the same time. His two-person department included his assistant, he said. But he said it was impossible to expect him to have the knowledge of 20-25 years in his first six months, referring to his assistant, who started in July of last year. When Coyle asked him about his interim position, Sulkosky responded that 120 days has nothing to do with interim. OK, acting is in the code whether you agree philosophically with the person in the position, he said. Sulkosky justified his position, adding that interim appointments werent new in Harrisburg. Engle quickly noted that just because its been done for a while doesnt make it right. Councilman Ralph Rodriguez nodded. After Engle spoke with both lead attorneys privately, the judge gave Hicks until Monday to file responses to the City Councils most recent filings. Both attorneys then have seven days to file briefs based on Wednesdays hearing. Coyle told PennLive that Engle made a good observation, possibly making him the first judge to note the potential loophole of using acting and interim titles to circumvent city law. Council members Ausha Green, Jocelyn Rawls, and former council member Shamaine Daniels were not present at the hearing. Afterward, Moyer declined to comment, initially saying it was because she was instructed by the mayors lawyers to not talk to the press, but later said that she represented both sides and would like to stay as neutral as possible. Hicks also declined to comment. I am the wrong person to talk to, Hicks told PennLive. Any questions, direct them to the mayor. The mayor declined to comment for this story. WASHINGTON, Jan. 22 (Xinhua) -- The White House is negotiating a deal to secure U.S. "total access" to Denmark's Greenland with no time limit, President Donald Trump told Fox Business on Thursday. "I mean, we're talking about, it's really being negotiated now, the details of it, but essentially it's total access. There's no end, there's no time limit," Trump said in an interview. One day earlier, Trump said that since his talks with North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) Secretary General Mark Rutte produced "the framework of a future deal" concerning Greenland and the broader Arctic region, he would not proceed with tariffs on eight European countries that were scheduled to take effect on Feb. 1. In response, Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen said on Thursday that Rutte does not have a mandate to negotiate on behalf of Denmark or Greenland, reaffirming that Greenland's future should be decided by Greenland and sovereignty is not negotiable. Two Lehigh County Republicans are pushing back on assertions by county officials that ICE occupied a county-owned property for three years without paying rent. District Attorney Gavin Holihan and county commissioner Ron Beitler, both Republicans, are refuting claims that ICE occupied the office space, but rather that it was dedicated to a Department of Homeland Security human trafficking task force. On Tuesday, Lehigh County Executive Josh Siegel announced his decision to terminate a lease agreement with DHS after a county-led probe found that a branch of the federal agency owes the county more than $115,000 in unpaid rent over more than three years of occupancy. They should consider themselves evicted, Siegel said Tuesday in a statement, according to City & State. The departments failure to pay rent, combined with DHSs national reputation for recklessness, chaos, and public disorder, warrants ending any relationship with the County. We will not accept their blood money. Holihan and Beitler, however, argue the county-owned office space is not and has never been rented to ICE but that it had been designated for use by a DHS task force on human trafficking. The exact number of ICE agents who have worked out of that location is zero, Holihan said. There is no removal work that goes on out of there. Theres no ICE stagings that go on out of there. Theres no detentions that go on out of there. It is a task force devoted to human trafficking, money laundering and other complex, high-level criminal investigations. Beitler criticized Seigels decision to evict, calling the move unnecessary, disruptive and harmful to public safety. You can have concerns with the federal government right now. I do, Beitler said. Reasonable people can disagree with DHS leadership, direction and federal overreach. Thats fair. But evicting a local human trafficking task force because of broader objections to DHS? Thats impulsive and ultimately bad for Lehigh County. Beitler said the task force had operated in county space under a memorandum of understanding authorized by legislation unanimously approved in 2022 by a bipartisan Board of Commissioners with a Democratic majority and county executive. He said its mission was vital: identify and stop human trafficking in the region. This task force exists to protect vulnerable people in our community, Beitler said. As has been confirmed by the District Attorney that work continues today. This decision needlessly disrupts an effective law enforcement partnership. The Lehigh County dispute comes amid intense national scrutiny on ICE for carrying out military style tactical operations in U.S. cities, particularly in Minneapolis, where an agent earlier this month shot and killed a woman. The debate comes in the wake of an inquiry led by county controller Mark Pinsley, a Democrat, that found the alleged three-year rental delinquency on what he said was the part of ICE. Pinsley on Tuesday asserted to PennLive that the violent operations by ICE also warranted that the federal agency be evicted. These guys are, in my opinion, terrorizing neighborhoods, and I believe theyre terrorizing our residents, Pinsley said. We as the county government should not be partaking in that at all. Pinsley on Wednesday chided Beitler and Holihan for their claims that ICE was not involved. Lets be clear, Pinsley said. [Homeland Security Investigations] and ICE are the same, right? If you look at the presidents executive order, he was very clear that all HSI agents have to prioritize deportation. So does that mean theyre not doing any sex trafficking? No, Im sure that they are doing some sex trafficking, or at least I hope that they are. But those same agents have to prioritize deportation. Theres no reason that we would let the fox into the hen house here. Under an executive order by President Donald Trump last year, ICE has been diverting law enforcement agents away from their criminal investigations and enforcement responsibilities to conduct civil immigration enforcement operations on a massive scale, according to the Cato Institute, a Libertarian think tank. The report highlighted data showing widespread misuse of government personnel and resources as thousands of state and local police have been tapped to do immigration operations. I dont care what the badge is on the side of their uniform, Pinsley said. They are the same organization. Beitler warned that applying a blanket rejection to entities connected to the DHS sets an illogical precedent. If the logic is anything associated with DHS is unacceptable, where does it stop? Beitler said. Do we remove TSA from Lehigh Valley International Airport? Do we decline FEMA assistance if a natural disaster or major emergency impacts Lehigh County? Beitler is serving a second term as a county commissioner. Holihan, who was elected district attorney in November 2023, was censured last year by a unanimous vote of GOP committee members for endorsing Siegels candidacy for county executive. In addition to holding the top county executive office, Democrats have a 7-2 majority on the board of commissioners. Holihan stressed that he was not in office when the agreement was executed three years ago, adding that he had no purview over rental properties in the county. Instead the responsibility falls on Pinsleys office. Beitler pushed back on what he characterized as the idea of putting political ideology ahead of public safety Rejecting an effective public safety partnership because of a broader ideological dispute is not good governance, he said. Its grandstanding. Putting politics ahead of public safety. DHS did not immediately respond to a request for comment. Nearly half the voters in a new poll on President Donald Trump said the U.S. was worse off now than it was a year ago when he returned to office. A total of 49% of voters in the poll said the country was worse off, compared with just 32% who said it was better, according to The New York Times, which released the poll along with Siena University. Most voters disapprove of Trumps performance on key issues including the economy, immigration, the war in Ukraine and his actions in Venezuela. More than half of Americans, 51%, said Trumps policies made life less affordable. Trumps overall job approval rating is now 40%, down 3 percentage points from September. His disapproval rating is up to 56%. A total of 42% of voters said Trumps first year back in office was a success, according to the Times. The poll also contained some potentially worrying news for Republicans on this years midterm elections. Voters in the poll favored a hypothetical Democratic candidate over a Republican by a margin of 48% to 43%. The edge for Democrats among independent voters was 15 percentage points, the Times said. Republicans currently control the Senate and House of Representatives, although their margin in the House is slim. Trump remains popular with his base. I think he must be doing something right when there are so many people opposed to him, Paul Minihane, 77, a real estate broker who lives in Dedham, Massachusetts, told the Times. I mean, Donald Trump could look at me in the face and tell me to go screw myself. And Id say, Thank you. I think thats good. I dont think hes looking to kiss everybodys ass. I think hes going to do what he thinks is the right thing. And I think thats a positive thing. Others had concerns. Jeremy Brew, 42, who lives in Superior, Wisconsin said he voted for Trump in 2024 and was a supporter of his America First agenda. But he said he had been disappointed by Trumps focus on foreign affairs, according to the Times. Theres no reason we need to be sending troops in to be taking whether theyre a dictator or not, you know taking them out and kidnapping foreign leaders, he said of the actions in Venezuela. Its not in Americas best interest to be getting involved in all of these foreign affairs, he added, recalling the mess in Iraq. Its always come back to bite us. The People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) is back at it once again. For the past several years around late January, the animal rights group has issued a press release suggesting that the Punxsutawney Groundhog Club replace its beloved groundhog mascot, Punxsutawney Phil, with something less ... alive. Phil, of course, regularly lets us know if were due for six more weeks of winter or an early spring based on if he sees his shadow or not. Or so the legend says. But PETA feels Phil is being exploited and should be cared for at an animal shelter instead of being trotted out before a large crowd and cameras every Feb. 2. In 2024, the group suggested using a giant coin instead. Last year it posited cutting into a cake instead, a la some gender reveal parties. This years suggestion? A holographic image. Pixelated pop stars are headlining concerts and long departed celebrities are attending conventions, so why not put that technology to good use: on a hologram that lets the real Phil hibernate in peace, PETA Founder Ingrid Newkirk said in a release. PETA is urging the Punxsutawney Groundhog Club to chuck its tired tradition of harassing a shy animal and give Gobblers Knob a glow-up with a phantom prognosticator. An AI-generated image of a crowd standing in front of a giant, holographic image of Phil colored blue for winter and pink for spring accompanies the release. Pennsylvania governor Josh Shapiro, who has not show much regard for PETAs suggestions in previous years, issued a curt, wordless response on X: A version of the iconic Dont Tread on Me flag, but with a photo of Phil replacing the snake. He is indeed very serious about his defense of Phil, Alex Peterson a spokesperson for the Governors Office, told the Philadelphia Inquirer. By JEFF MARTIN, The Associated Press ATLANTA (AP) Millions of Americans from New Mexico to the Carolinas are bracing for a potentially catastrophic ice storm that could crush trees and power lines and knock out power for days, while Washington, D.C., Philadelphia, New York City and Boston could see enough snow to make travel very difficult or nearly impossible, forecasters say. An estimated 100 million people were under some type of winter weather watch, warning or advisory on Wednesday ahead of the storm, the National Weather Service said. The storm, expected to begin Friday and continue through the weekend, is also projected to bring heavy snow and all types of wintry precipitation, including freezing rain and sleet. An atmospheric river of moisture could be in place by the weekend, pulling precipitation across Texas and other states along the Gulf Coast and continuing across Georgia and the Carolinas before heading northeast, forecasters said. Snow amounts could reach a foot or more in the I-95 major cities from D.C. to Boston, said weather service forecasters on the East Coast, who are increasingly confident the storm will strike the big cities. In Washington, D.C., the combination of heavy snow and ice alongside prolonged very cold temperatures presents a unique and significant risk to life and property across virtually the entire region, forecasters said in the weather services Washington/Baltimore office warned. Heres a look at the approaching storm and how people are preparing for it, by the numbers: 0 The number of snowplows owned by the city of Jackson, Mississippi, where a mix of ice and sleet is possible this weekend. The city uses other heavy machinery like skid steers and small excavators to clear roads, said James Caldwell, deputy director of public works. Jackson also has three trucks that carry salt and sand to spread across roads before freezing weather. 0.5 The amount of ice half an inch, or 1.27 centimeters that can lead to a crippling ice storm, toppling trees and power lines to create widespread and long-lasting power outages. The latest forecasts from the weather service warn of the potential for a half-inch of ice or more for many areas, including parts of Arkansas, Louisiana, Alabama, and Tennessee. 1 The number of Nashville snowplows named after country music legend and Tennessee native Dolly Parton (Dolly Plowton). Another snowplow in East Tennessee was named Snowlene after her classic hit song Jolene as part of a 2022 naming contest. 3 The number of layers needed to keep warm in extreme cold. AP video journalist Mark Vancleave in Minnesota explains the benefits of all three a base layer, a middle layer and an outer shell in this video. 4 The number of major U.S. hub airports in the path of the southern storm this weekend, when ice, sleet and snow could delay passengers and cargo: Dallas-Fort Worth; Atlanta; Memphis, Tennessee, and Charlotte, North Carolina. Still more major airports on the East Coast could see delays later, as the storm barrels east. 12 The number of inches of snow that could fall in parts of Oklahoma. Youve got to be very weather aware, and real smart about what youre doing, said Charles Daniel, who drives a semitrailer across western Oklahoma. One mistake can literally kill somebody, so you have to use your head, he added. 15 The number of snow and ice removal trucks operated by Memphis, Tennessees Division of Public Works. The city also has six trucks that spread brine, a mixture designed to melt wintry precipitation. Statewide, the Tennessee Department of Transportation has 851 salt trucks and 634 brine trucks, and most of the salt trucks double as plows. 19 Parts of at least 19 states in the storms path were under winter storm watches by late Wednesday, with more watches and warnings expected as the system approaches. They include Texas, New Mexico, Oklahoma, Kansas, Missouri, Arkansas, Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama, Georgia, Tennessee, North Carolina, South Carolina, Kentucky, Indiana, Illinois, Ohio, Virginia and West Virginia. An estimated 55 million people are included in these winter storm watches, the weather service said. 32 The degree in Fahrenheit when water freezes, equivalent to 0 Celsius. This is a magic number when it comes to winter weather, said Eric Guillot, a scientist at the weather service. If the temperature is slightly above 32, it will be mostly liquid. But the colder it is below the mark, the more efficiently precipitation will freeze. 50 below zero The windchill value how cold it feels to a person when winds are factored in that is expected in parts of the Northern Plains, the weather service projects. That equates to minus 45.6 Celsius and is forecast for parts of northern Minnesota and North Dakota. When the weather forecast says, feels like negative 34, its just a matter of covering skin and being prepared for it, said Nils Anderson, who owns Duluth Gear Exchange, an outdoor equipment store in Duluth, Minnesota. 330 The number of snowplows in the city of Chicago, where annual snowfall averages 37 to 39 inches. The city also has 40 4x4 vehicles, and about 12 beet juice-dispensing trucks, according to Cole Stallard, Chicagos commissioner of Streets and Sanitation. The natural sugars of beet juice lower the freezing point of water, allowing salt mixtures to work at much lower temperatures and preventing refreezing, while also helping salt stick to the road longer. 1,000-plus Texas has this number of pieces of winter weather equipment, including snowplows, motor graders and brine tankers, Texas Department of Transportation spokesperson Adam Hammons said. He said the agency also works with state partners and contractors to get more equipment when needed. In the Dallas area, right now our main focus is treating our roadways in advance of the storm, agency spokesperson Tony Hartzel said Wednesday. 78,000 The number of cubic yards of salt on hand at the Arkansas Department of Transportation. The state has 121 salt houses around the Arkansas, plus 600 salt spreaders and 700 snowplows, said Dave Parker, an agency spokesperson. TOKYO, Jan. 22 (Xinhua) -- Tokyo stocks ended higher on Thursday, with the benchmark Nikkei index snapping a five-day losing streak, as concerns eased over the global economy after the United States backed off tariff threats over Greenland. The 225-issue Nikkei Stock Average ended up 914.25 points, or 1.73 percent, from Wednesday at 53,688.89. The broader Topix index, meanwhile, finished 26.68 points, or 0.74 percent, higher at 3,616.38. Stocks advanced tracking overnight gains on Wall Street after which had been set to hit products from eight European countries on Feb. 1. Semiconductor and artificial intelligence-related issues particularly attracted buying following advances by their U.S. counterparts, with many other shares also bought back after their recent losses, analysts said. Cheyenne, Wyoming - Today, Wyoming Senator Cynthia Lummis (R-WY) endorsed Congresswoman Harriet Hageman (R-WY) to be her successor in the United States Senate. "I'm so proud to endorse my good friend, and a real workhorse for Wyoming, Harriet Hageman for the United States Senate," said Senator Lummis. "Having worked side by side with Harriet over these past few years, I've seen firsthand her dedication to our state and her tireless work ethic. Together, we've fought to deliver real results for Wyoming families, pushed back against Washington overreach from the Biden administration, and championed an America First agenda that helps Wyoming workers. Harriet is one of the most prepared and engaged people I know-she never backs down from a fight and never stops working for the people of Wyoming. I have no doubt she'll be an outstanding Senator. I'm proud to join President Trump in endorsing her in this vital race." It may be a Lions Club award, but the student of the quarter is not chosen by the Lions Club. The Pine Bluffs Junior/Senior high school principal Todd Sweeter will send out a request for nominations for student of the month to all the teachers. Once all the nominations come in the school staff will select one student for the award. For this quarter the Pine Bluffs Lions Club Student of the Month Award went to Joely Lagos Navarro. Navarro is a junior and said, "I am very happy to win this award." When asked what she will do with the award money she said, "I am going to put it toward may future education." Asked if she had any idea on what she would like to study she said, "either psychology or dentistry." Tanya Lyons, president of the Club was present to award the certificate and prize money to Navarro. Normally this would be presented at the monthly Lions Club meeting, but Navarro was unable to attend last week's meeting and so Lions Club came to the school and presented it. She invited Navarro and her family to the next meeting so she could thank the club and inform them of her intentions for the use of the award. What every she decides we wish her good luck in her journey and congratulations on being selected as the Student of the Quarter. JAKARTA, Jan. 22 (Xinhua) -- Archaeologists have discovered what is believed to be the world's oldest known cave art, a hand stencil dated to at least 67,800 years ago, in a limestone cave on the island of Sulawesi in Indonesia, according to a study published in the journal Nature on Wednesday. The discovery was made by an international research team involving Indonesian and Australian archaeologists. The artwork was found in Liang Metanduno cave on Muna Island, part of Sulawesi's karst landscape. Researchers used uranium-series dating to analyse microscopic mineral layers that formed on and beneath the painting, establishing a minimum age that exceeds previous rock art discoveries in the region by more than 15,000 years. The study suggests the cave was used for artistic activity over an extended period of time, with paintings created repeatedly over a span of at least 35,000 years. Scientists said the findings provide important evidence for understanding early human migration into Sahul, the ancient landmass that once connected Australia, New Guinea, and Tasmania. The team believes the Sulawesi artists were closely linked to the ancestors of Indigenous Australians, supporting theories that modern humans may have reached Sahul by at least 65,000 years ago. The hand stencil is considered a globally unique variant, with its finger outlines deliberately narrowed after creation, possibly reflecting symbolic or cultural meaning. Worland, Wyo. - Jan. 19, 2026 - The University of Wyoming Extension will host its WESTI Ag Day conference Tuesday, Feb. 3, in Worland. This all-day conference is designed to provide professional farmers with current, research-based information about best practices in Wyoming agriculture. The event, which is free and open to the public, begins at 9 a.m. and concludes at 5 p.m. It will take place at the Washakie Museum and Cultural Center, located at 2200 Big Horn Avenue. This year, the conference will focus on sugar beets. "If you haven't been to a sugar beet meeting recently, there's a lot of information to be had," says Dan VanderPloeg, Washakie County extension educator and organizer of the event. "The point is to make it valuable for the farmers that are coming." Speakers include Andrew Kniss, professor of weed science; Jeremiah Vardiman, assistant coordinator of UW Extension's pesticide safety education program; and Jean Williams-Woodward, UW Extension plant pathologist. Kniss will discuss control strategies for kochia, one of the biggest weed problems currently facing Wyoming farmers. Vardiman will also present about weed control, focusing on palmer amaranth. Williams-Woodward will address cercospora, a fungal disease that impacts sugar beets. Industry experts will also share presentations about current sugar beet opportunities and challenges. Several door prizes are available for those who attend the conference. The event also features a vendor reception. Throughout the day, agricultural businesses will display products like seeds as well as services like drone operation and irrigation installation. To pre-register for WESTI Ag Day, contact the Washakie County extension office at (307) 347-3431. Participants can also register on site beginning at 8 a.m. Lunch will be provided for registered participants. Contact VanderPloeg at (307) 347-3431 or [email protected] with questions. Robert "Bob" Anderson of Albin, Wyoming passed away on January 14, 2026 in Cheyenne. He was born on January 9, 1947 in Kimball. Nebraska to Ed C. and Grace Anderson. Bob married Tenetta Goertz on October 9, 1976, in Albin. Bob attended WyoTech in Laramie following his graduation from Albin High School in 1965. After that Bob worked surveying for the BLM in much of western Wyoming. Following that he was employed by Lew Hammer, Inc. in Denver, Colorado. He moved back to Albin to farm family ground. He worked for Bill Woodhouse for several years. After that he and his brother, Roger, opened and ran Albin Repair. Other jobs included driving school bus for LCSD #2 and he was the Albin Town Maintenance department for several years. He was one of the original EMTs for Albin Rescue and continued that for many years. Along with that he was an active member of the Albin Fire District #3 starting 1973. He was also fire chief for 27 years. He deployed to several wild land fires as well. He was a member of the Albin Town Council for many years and served as Mayor. He hunted for elk in the Gros Ventre area of Wyoming and hunted doves in the local area here. He also enjoyed attending classic car shows, auctions, playing cards and traveling around the US. He is survived by his wife, Tenetta, and children, Aaron and Allison, and several nieces and nephews. He was preceded in death by his parents, brothers, John Roger Anderson and Raymond Anderson, and nephew Brett Anderson. Services will be held at the Albin Community Center, 430 5th Avenue in Albin on January 23, 2026, at 1:00 p.m. His ashes will be scattered near the family cabin in the Gros Ventre Mountains at a later date. In lieu of flowers, please make a donation to Albin Rescue, Box 188, Albin, WY 82050. Chloe Barlow is a multimedia reporter straight out of the Midlands. She trained in journalism at both the University of South Carolina and Columbia University Graduate School of Journalism. She covers a wide breadth of South Carolina news, but she is especially interested in accountability and justice reporting. SEOUL, Jan. 22 (Xinhua) -- South Korean special counsel on Thursday filed an appeal against the first-instance verdict in an obstruction of arrest case involving former President Yoon Suk-yeol. Sydney Dunlap covers food and culture for the Free Times. She is a native of South Carolina and graduated from the University of South Carolina in 2025. Her work has previously appeared in The State, South Carolina Living and The Hill. Greenville, SC (29601) Today A few passing clouds. Cold. Low 24F. Winds WNW at 5 to 10 mph.. Tonight A few passing clouds. Cold. Low 24F. Winds WNW at 5 to 10 mph. You have permission to edit this article. Edit Close DAMASCUS, Jan. 22 (Xinhua) -- A powerful explosion heard across the western outskirts of Damascus on Thursday morning was caused by a controlled detonation of war remnants, local media reported. Syria's al-Ikhbariya TV said the blast occurred along the Saboura road, a strategic route linking the capital to the Lebanese border, during a scheduled operation by Syrian military engineering units to dispose of unexploded ordnance recovered from former conflict zones. Officials said there were no casualties or property damage. Such controlled explosions are routinely carried out to clear unexploded munitions and war debris from areas around major cities, particularly along former front lines and supply routes. However, the sound of explosions often sparks alarm among residents as Damascus remains on heightened alert amid recent regional instability and sporadic violence. In June 2025, at least one attacker opened fire and detonated an explosive device inside Damascus's Mar Elias Church, killing at least 30 people and wounding 54 others. The extremist group Saraya Ansar al-Sunnah, led by former Hay'at Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) official Abu Aisha al-Shami, later claimed responsibility. HTS led a sweeping offensive in late 2024 that toppled the government of former President Bashar al-Assad and now controls the interim authority of Syria. Senior Politics Reporter Caitlin Byrd is the senior politics reporter at The Post and Courier. An award-winning journalist, Byrd previously worked as an enterprise reporter for The State newspaper, where she covered the Charleston region and South Carolina politics. Raised in eastern North Carolina, she has called South Carolina home since 2016. Rock Hill, SC (29730) Today Mostly clear this evening then becoming cloudy after midnight. Cold. Low 19F. Winds light and variable.. Tonight Mostly clear this evening then becoming cloudy after midnight. Cold. Low 19F. Winds light and variable. Chinese calligraphy enthusiasts write spring couplets and Chinese character "Fu", which means good fortune, for villagers during a folk customs event to celebrate the upcoming Spring Festival in Wan'anzhuang Village, Zhuoxiang Town of Cixi City, east China's Zhejiang Province, Jan. 22, 2026. (Xinhua/Xu Yu) People perform drum and gong beating during a folk customs event to celebrate the upcoming Spring Festival in Wan'anzhuang Village, Zhuoxiang Town of Cixi City, east China's Zhejiang Province, Jan. 22, 2026. (Xinhua/Xu Yu) Villagers experience making mung bean cakes during a folk customs event to celebrate the upcoming Spring Festival in Wan'anzhuang Village, Zhuoxiang Town of Cixi City, east China's Zhejiang Province, Jan. 22, 2026. (Xinhua/Xu Yu) PR-Inside.com: 2026-01-22 09:45:42 Press Information Published by ACCESSWIRE News Network 888.952.4446 e-mail http://www.accesswire.com # 424 Words ACCESSWIRE News Network888.952.4446 NEW YORK CITY, NY / ACCESS Newswire / January 22, 2026 /Bernstein Liebhard LLP, a nationally acclaimed investor rights law firm, reminds Alexandria Real Estate, Inc. ("Alexandria" or the "Company") (NYSE:ARE) investors of an upcoming deadline involving a securities fraud class action lawsuit commenced against the Company.Should You Join This Class Action Lawsuit?Do you, or did you, own shares of Alexandria Real Estate Equities, Inc. (NYSE:ARE)?Did you purchase your shares between January 27, 2025 and October 27, 2025, inclusive?Did you lose money in your investment in Alexandria Real Estate Equities, Inc.?If you purchased or acquired Alexandria securities, and/or would like to discuss your legal rights and options please visit Alexandria Real Estate Equities, Inc. Shareholder Class Action Lawsuit or contact Investor Relations Manager Peter Allocco at (212) 951-2030 or pallocco@ bernlieb.com A lawsuit was filed in the United States District Court for the Central District of California on behalf of investors (the "Class") who purchased or acquired the securities of Alexandria between January 27, 2025 through October 27, 2025, inclusive, alleging violations of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 against the Company and certain of its senior officers.According to the lawsuit, Defendants made misrepresentations concerning the state of its Long Island City property.If you wish to serve as lead plaintiff for the Class, you must file papers byJanuary 26, 2026 . A lead plaintiff is a representative party acting on other class members' behalf in directing the litigation. Your ability to share in any recovery doesn't require that you serve as lead plaintiff. If you choose to take no action, you may remain an absent class member.All representation is on a contingency fee basis. Shareholders pay no fees or expenses.Since 1993, Bernstein Liebhard LLP has recovered over $3.5 billion for its clients. In addition to representing individual investors, the Firm has been retained by some of the largest public and private pension funds in the country to monitor their assets and pursue litigation on their behalf. As a result of its success litigating hundreds of class actions, the Firm has been named to The National Law Journal's "Plaintiffs' Hot List" thirteen times and listed in The Legal 500 for sixteen consecutive years.ATTORNEY ADVERTISING. 2026 Bernstein Liebhard LLP. The law firm responsible for this advertisement is Bernstein Liebhard LLP, 10 East 40th Street, New York, New York 10016, (212) 779-1414. Prior results do not guarantee or predict a similar outcome with respect to any future matter.Contact Information:Peter AlloccoInvestor Relations ManagerBernstein Liebhard LLP https://www.bernlieb.com (212) 951-2030 pallocco@ bernlieb.com SOURCE: Bernstein Liebhard LLP PR-Inside.com: 2026-01-22 21:46:14 Press Information Published by ACCESSWIRE News Network 888.952.4446 e-mail http://www.accesswire.com # 623 Words ACCESSWIRE News Network888.952.4446 NEW YORK, NY / ACCESS Newswire / January 22, 2026 / Leading international securities law firmBleichmar Fonti & Auld LLPannounces that a class action lawsuit has been filed against Alexandria Real Estate Equities, Inc. (NYSE:ARE) and certain of the Company's senior executives for securities fraud after a significant stock drop resulting from the potential violations of the federal securities laws.If you invested in Alexandria Real Estate, you are encouraged to obtain additional information by visiting: https://www.bfalaw.com/cases/alexandria-real-estate-class-action-lawsuit Investors have until January 26, 2026, to ask the Court to be appointed to lead the case. The complaint asserts claims under Sections 10(b) and 20(a) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 on behalf of investors in Alexandria Real Estate securities. The case is pending in the U.S. District Court for the Central District of California and is captioned Hern v. Alexandria Real Estate Equities, Inc., et al., No. 2:25-cv- 11319.Why is Alexandria Real Estate Being Sued For Securities Fraud?Alexandria Real Estate is a real estate investment trust. Its tenants are concentrated in life science industries, such as pharmaceutical and biotechnology companies.During the relevant period, Alexandria Real Estate touted its leasing volume and development pipeline, specifically regarding a property in Long Island City, New York, stating that leasing volume was "solid" and its pipeline was "well positioned to capture future demand when expansion needs arise." As alleged, in truth, Alexandria Real Estate was experiencing lower occupancy rates and slower leasing activity such that it was required to take a real estate impairment charge of $323.9 million with $206 million attributed to its Long Island City property.Why did Alexandria Real Estate's Stock Drop?On October 27, 2025, Alexandria Real Estate announced results below expectations for 3Q 2025 and cut guidance for the remainder of the fiscal year. The company attributed the results to lower occupancy rates and slower leasing activity. It also announced a real estate impairment charge of $323.9 million with $206 million attributed to its Long Island City property, stating that the property was not a life science destination that could scale. Alexandria Real Estate also announced additional impairment charges that may be recognized in 4Q 25 ranging from $0 to $685 million. This news caused the price of Alexandria Real Estate stock to drop $14.93 per share, or more than 19%, from a closing price of $77.87 per share on October 27, 2025, to $62.94 per share on October 28, 2025.Click here for more information: https://www.bfalaw.com/cases/alexandria-real-estate-class-action-lawsuit What Can You Do?If you invested in Alexandria Real Estate you may have legal options and are encouraged to submit your information to the firm.All representation is on a contingency fee basis, there is no cost to you. Shareholders are not responsible for any court costs or expenses of litigation. The firm will seek court approval for any potential fees and expenses.Submit your information by visiting:Or contact:Adam McCall adam@ bfalaw.com 212.789.3619Why Bleichmar Fonti & Auld LLP?BFA is a leading international law firm representing plaintiffs in securities class actions and shareholder litigation. It has been named a top plaintiff law firm by Chambers USA, The Legal 500, and ISS SCAS, and its attorneys have been named "Elite Trial Lawyers" by the National Law Journal, among the top "500 Leading Plaintiff Financial Lawyers" by Lawdragon, "Titans of the Plaintiffs' Bar" by Law360 and "SuperLawyers" by Thomson Reuters. Among its recent notable successes, BFA recovered over $900 million in value from Tesla, Inc.'s Board of Directors, as well as $420 million from Teva Pharmaceutical Ind. Ltd.For more information about BFA and its attorneys, please visit https://www.bfalaw.com Attorney advertising. Past results do not guarantee future outcomes.SOURCE: Bleichmar Fonti & Auld LLP PR-Inside.com: 2026-01-22 14:01:22 Press Information Published by ACCESSWIRE News Network 888.952.4446 e-mail http://www.accesswire.com # 1090 Words ACCESSWIRE News Network888.952.4446 NOT FOR DISTRIBUTION TO U.S. NEWSWIRE SERVICES OR FOR DISSEMINATION IN THE UNITED STATESTORONTO, ON / ACCESS Newswire / January 22, 2026 / Bluesky Digital Assets Corp. (CSE:BTC)(OTCQB:BTCWF) ("Bluesky" or the "Company") announces that it has entered into a binding letter of intent (the "LOI") with ChessGold Inc. ("ChessGold") dated January 21, 2026 to effect a transaction that will result in the acquisition of all of the outstanding common shares of ChessGold by the Company (the "Proposed Transaction") to ultimately form the resulting issuer (the "Resulting Issuer").If completed, the Proposed Transaction will constitute a "fundamental change" pursuant to the policies of the Canadian Securities Exchange (the "Exchange") and is expected to require the approval of Bluesky shareholders. The Proposed Transaction will be non-arm's length and will be subject to the necessary regulatory approvals, including final acceptance from the Exchange. Following completion of the Proposed Transaction, the Resulting Issuer will carry on the business currently carried on by ChessGold.Pursuant to the terms of the LOI, it is intended that the Proposed Transaction be effected by way of a three-cornered amalgamation, share exchange, plan of arrangement or such other transaction structure as will result in ChessGold becoming a wholly owned subsidiary of the Company or otherwise combining its corporate existence with that of the Company. The final structure of the Proposed Transaction is subject to receipt by the parties of tax, corporate, and securities law advice and will be agreed to pursuant to definitive agreement in respect of the Proposed Transaction (the "Definitive Agreement").There are currently 74,478,958 common shares of Bluesky ("Bluesky Shares") issued and outstanding. Pursuant to the terms of the LOI, the Company will issue an aggregate of 10,000,000 Bluesky at a deemed price of $0.10 per Bluesky Share to the holders of the issued and outstanding common shares of ChessGold (the "ChessGold Shares"). Upon completion of the Proposed Transaction, the resulting holders of all ChessGold Shares shall hold approximately 11.84% of the issued and outstanding common shares of the Resulting Issuer, subject to adjustment in certain circumstances. Following closing of the Proposed Transaction, the Company will also issue 20,000,000 warrants to purchase common shares in the Resulting Issuer (the "Milestone Warrants") to the principal of ChessGold. The terms of the Milestone Warrants will be negotiated between the parties and agreed to pursuant to the Definitive Agreement, and the Milestone Warrants will be held in escrow and become exercisable in tranches upon the achievement of certain milestones by the Resulting Issuer.In connection with the Proposed Transaction, subject to receipt of applicable approvals, the Resulting Issuer expects to effect a name change to "ChessGold Inc." . The composition of the board of directors of the Resulting Issuer, as well as the retention of any officers or directors, will be negotiated between the parties in good faith. Upon entering into the Definitive Agreement, the Company will issue a subsequent news release containing the details of the Definitive Agreement. No finder's fee of any kind shall be paid as a direct result of, or in association with, the Proposed Transaction. Furthermore, it is anticipated that the Definitive Agreement will include requirements that certain shareholders of ChessGold enter into escrow agreements whereby shareholdings in the Resulting Issuer are escrowed over a 12-month period.Completion of the Proposed Transaction is subject to a number of conditions precedent, including but not limited to, the parties entering into a Definitive Agreement, as well as receipt of all required shareholder, regulatory, and other approvals. There can be no assurance that the Proposed Transaction will be completed as proposed or at all.None of the Bluesky Shares to be issued in connection with the Proposed Transaction have been, or will be, registered under the United States Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the "1933 Act"), or any state securities laws, and may not be offered or sold within the United States or to any U.S. Person (as defined in Regulation S under the 1933 Act) unless registered under the 1933 Act and applicable state securities laws or an exemption from such registration is available. This news release does not constitute an offer to sell or a solicitation of an offer to sell any securities of Bluesky in any jurisdiction where such offer or solicitation would be unlawful, including the United States.Concurrent FinancingPrior to or concurrently with the closing of the Proposed Transaction, the Company intends to complete a non-brokered private placement of units of the Company (each, a "Unit") to be completed on or before closing of the Proposed Transaction at an issue price of $0.10 per Unit, for gross proceeds of up to $3,000,000 (the "Offering").In addition, the board of directors of the Company has approved an over-allotment of 25% of the Units.Each Unit will consist of one common share of the Company (a "Common Share")and one Common Share purchase warrant (a "Warrant"). Each Warrant will entitle the holder to purchase one Common Share (a "Warrant Share") at a price of $0.13 per Warrant Share until the date which is twenty-four (24) months following the closing of the Offering.The expiry date of the Warrants may be accelerated by the Company if the volume weighted average price of the Common Shares on the Exchange is greater than or equal to $0.30 over a consecutive 30-day period.If this occurs, the Company may accelerate the expiry date of the Warrants by issuing a press release announcing the reduced Warrant term whereupon the Warrants will expire on the 10th trading day after the date of such press release.Finder's fees may be paid in connection with the Offering, in accordance with the policies of the Exchange.The proceeds of the Offering will be used to fund the expenses of the Proposed Transaction and the Offering and the working capital requirements of the Resulting Issuer.Investors are cautioned that, except as disclosed in the information circular or listing statement to be prepared in connection with the Proposed Transaction, as applicable, any information released or received with respect to the Proposed Transaction may not be accurate or complete and should not be relied upon. Trading in the securities of the Company should be considered highly speculative. The Proposed Transaction and listing of the Resulting Issuer is subject to review by the Exchange and conditional approval has not yet been granted. Additionally, trading in the common shares of the Company may remain h PR-Inside.com: 2026-01-22 22:15:10 Press Information Published by ACCESSWIRE News Network 888.952.4446 e-mail http://www.accesswire.com # 939 Words ACCESSWIRE News Network888.952.4446 Salinas Interiors, founded by renowned interior designer Douglas Salinas, proudly celebrates 25 years of shaping Houston's residential and commercial interiors with thoughtful design, enduring craftsmanship, and a client-first philosophy.HOUSTON, TX / ACCESS Newswire / January 22, 2026 / Salinas Interiors, founded by renowned interior designer Douglas Salinas, proudly celebrates 25 years of shaping Houston's residential and commercial interiors with thoughtful design, enduring craftsmanship, and a client-first philosophy. Over the past quarter century, the firm has played a meaningful role in defining how Houstonians live, work, and experience their spaces. From private homes to professional environments, Salinas Interiors has built a legacy grounded in quality, trust, and timeless design.As Houston continues to evolve into a global city, Salinas Interiors stands as a reflection of that growth. The firm's work mirrors the city's diversity, ambition, and appreciation for spaces that balance beauty with function. For Douglas Salinas, the milestone represents not just longevity, but a sustained commitment to design that improves everyday life.A Firm Built on Craftsmanship and VisionSalinas Interiors was established with a clear purpose: to create interiors that are as practical as they are refined. From the beginning, Douglas Salinas believed that successful design must be rooted in craftsmanship and structural understanding. His early experience working closely with builders and trades shaped a design approach that values precision, durability, and thoughtful planning."Design only works when it's built to last," Salinas says. "From day one, our focus has been on getting the fundamentals right. A beautiful space should also be reliable and functional." That philosophy guided the firm's earliest projects and continues to influence its work today. By prioritizing quality over trends, Salinas Interiors established a reputation for interiors that age gracefully and remain relevant long after completion.Transforming Houston HomesOver 25 years, Salinas Interiors has completed hundreds of residential projects across Houston's most distinctive neighborhoods. From modern residences to classic family homes, each project reflects a tailored approach that respects architecture, lifestyle, and personal expression.Douglas Salinas approaches residential design as a collaborative process. He works closely with homeowners to understand how they live, entertain, and unwind. The result is interiors that feel intuitive and welcoming, where layout, lighting, and materials work together seamlessly.Recent residential projects highlight the firm's signature style, marked by clean lines, layered textures, and carefully selected finishes. Natural materials, custom millwork, and balanced proportions define many of these spaces, creating environments that feel both elevated and comfortable."A home should support daily life," Salinas explains. "When a space functions well, elegance follows naturally." Redefining Workspaces Across HoustonIn addition to its residential portfolio, Salinas Interiors has played a significant role in redefining Houston's professional environments. The firm has designed offices, retail spaces, and client-facing interiors for businesses that understand the value of a well-designed workplace.Douglas Salinas believes that commercial interiors should enhance productivity while reinforcing brand identity. His designs prioritize flow, organization, and comfort, ensuring that employees and clients feel confident and engaged within the space.One long-standing corporate client credits Salinas Interiors with helping modernize its Houston headquarters while preserving a sense of professionalism and stability. Through careful planning and material selection, the firm delivered an interior that supported growth without sacrificing character."Workspaces should work for people," Salinas says. "When design supports focus and collaboration, businesses thrive." Timeless Design Over TrendsA defining trait of Salinas Interiors is its resistance to fleeting trends. While the design industry often shifts with fashion, Douglas Salinas remains committed to timeless principles. Proportion, balance, and material integrity guide every project, regardless of style or scale.This approach has proven especially valuable for clients seeking long-term investments. Interiors designed by Salinas Interiors retain their appeal over time, reducing the need for frequent updates or renovations."Trends come and go," Salinas notes. "Timeless design is about confidence. It allows a space to evolve naturally without losing its identity." Materials Chosen with IntentionMaterial selection plays a central role in the firm's success. Salinas favors materials that offer both beauty and longevity, including stone, wood, metal, and high-quality textiles. Each material is chosen not only for its appearance, but for how it performs over time.This focus aligns with the firm's commitment to responsible design. By selecting durable materials and working with skilled craftspeople, Salinas Interiors minimizes waste and supports sustainable practices without compromising design integrity."We respect materials by using them wisely," Salinas explains. "That respect shows in the finished space." Client Relationships Built on TrustOver the years, Salinas Interiors has built long-standing relationships with clients who return for multiple projects. Douglas Salinas attributes this loyalty to transparency, communication, and mutual respect.From initial consultation to project completion, the firm maintains a structured process that keeps clients informed and involved. Expectations are clearly defined, and decisions are guided by both expertise and collaboration."Our clients know we listen," Salinas says. "Design is personal. When clients feel understood, the results speak for themselves." A Lasting Influence on Houston's Design CommunityAs Salinas Interiors marks its 25th anniversary, its influence extends beyond individual projects. Douglas Salinas is an active participant in Houston's design community, collaborating with architects, builders, and developers on projects that shape the city's built environment.He also mentors emerging designers, emphasizing the importance of understanding construction, materials, and client needs. Salinas believes that strong design communities are built on shared knowledge and respect across disciplines."Design doesn't exist in isolation," he says. "It's a collaborative effort that benefits from experience and mentorship." Looking Ahead to the Next Chapter PR-Inside.com: 2026-01-22 09:01:13 Press Information Published by ACCESSWIRE News Network 888.952.4446 e-mail http://www.accesswire.com # 953 Words ACCESSWIRE News Network888.952.4446 Estimate to Incorporate New Drilling Results and Extensive Historical Data, Targeting Significant Resource GrowthHighlights:Formation is undertaking a fully funded 30,000-metre drill program at its flagship N2 Gold Project in Quebec, host to a global historic resource of ~871,000 ounces comprised of 18 Mt grading 1.4 g/t Au (~810,000 oz Au) across four zones (A, East, RJ-East, and Central)2,3 and 243 Kt grading 7.82 g/t Au (~61,000 oz Au) across the RJ zone2,4 .Formation's Phase 1 drill program was expanded to approximately 14,000 metres based on the results of the fieldwork to-date, which includes the following significant intervals that have material visually comparable to long gold intervals in historical drilling including 245-91-151, which intercepted 1.7 g/t Au over 35.0 metres:N2-25-008: 208.8 metres of target mineralization was intercepted beginning at 28.6 metres downhole, with multiple intervals over 40 metres in width including up to 70.0 metres.N2-25-011: 166.8 metres of target mineralization was intercepted beginning at 60.0 metres downhole, with multiple intervals over 20 metres in width including up to 70.6 metres.Following the completion of Phase 1, nearly 70,000 metres will have been drilled at N2, the majority of which will be incorporated into Formation's maiden mineral resource estimate. The Company is targeting a conceptual open pit resource following the completion of all drilling.The Company has working capital of ~C$12.1M with zero debt. Inclusive of provincial tax credits from the Quebec government, Formation's exploration budget for 2025-2026 is set at ~$8.1M.VANCOUVER, BC / ACCESS Newswire / January 22, 2026 /Formation Metals Inc. ("Formation" or the "Company") (CSE:FOMO)(FSE:VF1)(OTCQB:FOMTF), a North American mineral acquisition and exploration company, is pleased to announce its intention to initiate a maiden mineral resource estimate compliant with NI 43-101 standards at its flagship N2 Gold Property ("N2" or the "Property") following the completion of its ongoing expanded 14,000-metre Phase 1 drill program.Thirteen holes have been advanced to-date as part of the Company's fully funded 30,000-metre campaign, with the drilling successfully demonstrating:Substantial widths of target mineralization are present: 10 drillholes have each intercepted over 80 cumulative metres of target mineralization, including N2-25-008 and N2-25-011, where 208.8 and 166.8 metres were intercepted, respectively.Mineralization is shallow: 9 drillholes have intercepted target mineralization within the first 25 metres.Strong potential for grade improvement: A 30.8 metre interval was intercepted in N2-25-013 with visible gold (see press release dated November 26, 2025).Figure 1 - Visible gold discovered in the mineralized interval within N2-25-013.With over 55,517 metres drilled historically yielding a global historic resource of ~871,000 ounces comprised of 18 Mt grading 1.4 g/t Au (~810,000 oz Au) 2,3 and 243 Kt grading 7.82 g/t Au (~61,000 oz Au)2,4, these results, combined with historical data, confirm excellent continuity of mineralization and support the Company's conceptual open-pit resource.The N2 Project is particularly well-suited for open-pit mining due to its near-surface mineralization (starting as shallow as 15 metres downhole), thick and continuous zones (often exceeding 100-200 metres in width), repeatable intercepts across long strikes, low variability in grades, and potential for a low strip ratio.Historically significant drill results include:"A" Zone: 1.7 g/t Au over 35 metres, 1.48 g/t Au over 13.7 metres, 1.41 g/t Au over 14.3 metres and 2.02 g/t Au over 15 metres."RJ" Zone: 48.4 g/t Au over 0.5 metres, 24.5 g/t Au over 0.9 metres, 16.5 g/t Au over 3.6 metres, 11.14 g/t Au over 3 metres, and 8.94 g/t Au over 5.1 metres.This bulk-tonnage style deposit, combined with shallow depths and favorable geology in the Taibi Group metasedimentary rocks (similar to nearby producers like Vezza and Casa Berardi) interbedded by several volcanic flows of mafic to intermediate composition (basalt to andesitic basalt), positions N2 for efficient, large-scale open-pit development with significant economic advantages.Strategically located 25 km south of the mining town of Matagami, Quebec, N2 comprises 87 claims totaling approximately 4,400 hectares in the prolific Abitibi Greenstone Belt (Casa Berardi Deformation Zone). This prime location provides year-round access via provincial highways and logging roads, proximity to skilled labor, power infrastructure, and established mining services in a jurisdiction known for its gold production exceeding 200 million ounces historically. The project lies along the Casa Berardi mine trend, which hosts multiple million-ounce gold deposits, and is situated approximately 1.5 km east of the former-producing Vezza gold mine operated by Nottaway Resources from 2013 to 2019 producing over 100,000 ounces of gold via underground methods.Other notable nearby operations include Hecla Mining's Casa Berardi mine1 (approximately 120 km to the northwest, with over 2 million ounces produced historically and 14.3 Mt @ 2.75 g/t Au P&P in reserve) and Maple Gold Mines' Douay project1 (30 km to the east, hosting 10 Mt @ 1.59 g/t Au indicated, and 76.7 Mt @ 1.02 g/t Au inferred). The region's robust infrastructure supports toll milling opportunities, with potential access to nearby processing facilities such as those at Casa Berardi or other Abitibi mills, enabling cost-effective development without the need for on-site mill construction.Why N2 Has Strong Potential to Host an Open Pit ResourceThe Company's internal view is that the N2 Project has the potential to host a potential open pit resource. This optimism is driven by several key factors:Significant Undrilled Strike Length: The "A" Zone alone has >3.1 km of strike open (only ~35% drilled historically), while the RJ Zone has >4.75 km remaining untested-offering substantial room for lateral expansion of known mineralization.Open at Depth and Along Strike: All six zones remain open, with historical drilling limited to shallow depths (~350 m), leaving considerable vertical upside in a proven gold camp.Wide, Continuous Near-Surface Intercepts: Recent drilling has confirmed thick zones (100-200+ m) of target mineralization starting near surface, ideal for bulk-tonnage open-pit scenarios with low strip ratios and high tonnage potential.Regional Analogy and Pedigree: Located in the Casa Berardi trend, which hosts multiple multi-million-ounce deposits (e.g., Casa Berardi >2 Moz produced and 14.3 Mt @ 2.75 PR-Inside.com: 2026-01-22 05:45:13 Press Information Published by ACCESSWIRE News Network 888.952.4446 e-mail http://www.accesswire.com # 833 Words ACCESSWIRE News Network888.952.4446 KUALA LUMPUR, MY / ACCESS Newswire / January 21, 2026 /Guan Huat Seng Holdings Berhad ("GHS Holdings" or the "Company") and its subsidiaries (the "Group"), a distributor and retailer of food products and manufacturer of flavouring products based in Melaka, made its debut today on the ACE Market of Bursa Malaysia Securities Berhad ("Bursa Securities"). Guan Huat Seng Holdings Berhad shares opened at RM0.24 per share, close to its Initial Public Offering ("IPO") price of RM0.25 . The Company views its listing as an important milestone that strengthens its distribution network and supports the next phase of its growth.From L-R: Ms. Lim Peck Gee, Independent Non-Executive Director of Guan Huat Seng Holdings Berhad; Ms. Yeo Jie Yin, Independent Non-Executive Director of Guan Huat Seng Holdings Berhad; Dr. Wong Chin Yoong, Independent Non-Executive Chairman of Guan Huat Seng Holdings Berhad; Mr. Lee Chee Kian, Executive Director of Guan Huat Seng Holdings Berhad; Mr. Yeo Tian Seng, Executive Director of Guan Huat Seng Holdings Berhad; Mr. Yeo Tien Ee, Managing Director of Guan Huat Seng Holdings Berha; Mr. Ku Mun Fong, Head of Corporate Finance of TA Securities Holdings Berhad; Mr. Chin Wai Kit, Vice President of Corporate Finance of TA Securities Holdings Berhad; Ms. Chin Siew Lee, Independent Non-Executive Director of Guan Huat Seng Holdings Berhad Guan Huat Seng Holdings Berhad is listed under the stock name "GHS" with the stock code 0387.With the "Guan Huat Seng" brand existence tracing back to the 1930s and an established track record of approximately 46 years since the establishment of Guan Huat Seng (Heng Kee) Sdn. Bhd, GHS Holdings has grown from a traditional food retailer into a diversified distributor and retailer of food products, with in-house manufacturing capabilities. Through its subsidiaries Guan Huat Seng (Heng Kee) Sdn. Bhd. and GHS Food Industries Sdn. Bhd., the Group distributes and retails a wide range of food products including shelf-stable and frozen seafood, flavouring products, dried food and snacks and general grocery products, supported by in-house manufacturing of flavouring products which are certified Halal as well as HACCP and MeSTI certifications for the production of sauces, pastes, and dried seasoning powder.Through its IPO, GHS Holdings raised RM30.00 million via the issuance of 120.0 million new shares at an issue price of RM0.25 per share. The proceeds will be utilised as follows: RM12.00 million to part finance the setup of a New Integrated Complex; RM9.00 million to part finance the setup of a New Krubong Facility; RM3.00 million for working capital; RM1.50 million for marketing expenses; and RM4.50 million for estimated listing expenses.Mr. Yeo Tien Ee, Managing Director of Guan Huat Seng Holdings Berhad, commented: "Today's successful listing on the ACE Market is a defining moment in our evolution from a traditional food retailer into a diversified distributor and retailer of food products, with in-house manufacturing capabilities. The listing marks an important step that reinforces our strategic direction and operational strength. With the funds raised from the IPO, we will accelerate our expansion plans, increase production and storage capacity through our new facilities in Melaka, and strengthen our presence in both distribution and retail segments. We remain committed to building on our longstanding heritage while driving sustainable, long-term growth for our stakeholders." Proceeds from the IPO will primarily be utilised for the setting up of a New Integrated Complex and New Krubong Facility in Melaka, alongside working capital, marketing expenses and listing-related expenses. Such proceeds are expected to enhance operational efficiency, support the Company's future growth, and further solidify its market position in Malaysia's growing distributive trade of F&B product industry.TA Securities Holdings Berhad is the Principal Adviser, Sponsor, Underwriter, and Placement Agent for this IPO.ABOUT GUAN HUAT SENG HOLDINGS BERHADGuan Huat Seng Holdings Berhad ("GHS Holdings" or the "Company") is principally involved in the distribution and retail of food products, with more than four decades of established track record in Melaka, Malaysia. Through its subsidiaries Guan Huat Seng (Heng Kee) Sdn. Bhd. and GHS Food Industries Sdn. Bhd. ("Group"), the Group distributes and retails a wide range of food products including shelf-stable and frozen seafood, flavouring products, dried food and snacks, and general grocery products, and is supported by in-house manufacturing facilities. The Group holds HACCP and MeSTI certifications for the production of, among others, sauces, pastes and dried seasoning powder. Serving wholesalers, retailers, food service operators, end consumers and food manufacturers across both domestic and foreign markets, GHS Holdings is committed to enhancing operational efficiency, expanding its production and storage capacity through the construction of its New Integrated Complex and New Krubong Facility, and driving sustainable growth within Malaysia's distributive trade of food and beverage (F&B) product industry.Issued By: Swan Consultancy Sdn. Bhd. on behalf of Guan Huat Seng Holdings BerhadFor more information, please contact:Jazmin WanEmail:j.wan@ swanconsultancy.biz Renee TohEmail:r.toh@ swanconsultancy.biz SOURCE: Guan Huat Seng Holdings Berhad PR-Inside.com: 2026-01-22 14:35:06 Press Information Published by ACCESSWIRE News Network 888.952.4446 e-mail http://www.accesswire.com # 323 Words ACCESSWIRE News Network888.952.4446 WAIANAE, HAWAII / ACCESS Newswire / January 22, 2026 / Hui Huliau announced the acquisition of Advantaged Solutions, LLC, an IT services and solutions company specializing in finance and logistics systems modernization, enterprise resource planning cloud implementation, and supply chain management.Advantaged Solutions supports customers across the U.S. Department of Defense, including the U.S. Army and U.S. Navy, the Defense Logistics Agency, and multiple civilian federal agencies.As part of the acquisition, Advantaged Solutions' leadership team will remain in place. Harold Goode will continue to serve as President, and Eric Fernandez will continue in his role as Executive Vice President, ensuring continuity for customers, mission partners, and ongoing programs."Joining the Hui Huliau family of companies underscores our commitment to building strategic alliances that deliver sustainable value. Their deep cultural knowledge and community-centered approach strengthen our ability to operate responsibly while advancing economic opportunity. Together, we are creating a strategic company to better serve our clients and communities," said Harold Goode, President of Advantaged Solutions.Terry Clark, Chief Executive Officer of Hui Huliau, said the acquisition reflects a shared focus on mission execution and long-term relationships. "Advantaged Solutions brings specialized expertise in modernizing complex logistics and warehouse environments, along with a leadership team trusted by its customers. We are pleased to welcome them to Hui Huliau and support their continued growth while maintaining the relationships and performance their customers rely on." Hui Huliau is a nonprofit 501(c)(3) Native Hawaiian Organization that owns a portfolio of companies, including small businesses that participate in the Small Business Administration's 8(a) Business Development program. Profits from federal contracting activities support nonprofit programs that expand education and economic opportunity and help preserve Native Hawaiian culture and language.Hui Huliau companies have successfully performed work in 41 countries. Corporate offices are located in Hawaii, Florida, Oklahoma, and Virginia. For more information, visit www.huihuliau.com Media Contact:Jane SharrockSr. Vice President Marketing jsharrock@ huihuliau.com SOURCE: Hui Huliau PR-Inside.com: 2026-01-22 15:00:25 Press Information Published by ACCESSWIRE News Network 888.952.4446 e-mail http://www.accesswire.com # 640 Words ACCESSWIRE News Network888.952.4446 Seasoned technology intelligence executive to lead IDC into its next chapter of innovation and growthBOSTON, MA / ACCESS Newswire / January 22, 2026 /International Data Corporation (IDC), a global leader in technology intelligence, today announced the appointment of Lorenzo Larini as Chief Executive Officer, effective February 2, 2026. Larini succeeds Genevieve Juillard, who will remain with IDC through early February to support a smooth transition.The appointment follows a multi-year transformation at IDC and positions the company to build on strong momentum as organizations seek trusted insights to navigate rapid technological change and competitive disruption.Larini brings more than two decades of experience across Research, Advisory Services, Enterprise Software, and AI. He most recently served as CEO of Mint.ai , where he led the development of AI-driven workflow solutions. Previously, he served as CEO of Ipsos North America and held global senior executive roles at Gartner, where he gained deep expertise in technology research, data-driven products, and market analysis.Beyond his executive roles, Larini actively contributes to industry leadership and development. He serves on the boards of the Ad Council and Harambeans.com and holds a fellowship with the AI for Developing Countries Forum. Throughout his career, he has demonstrated a consistent track record of driving commercial excellence, introducing scalable AI-enabled innovation, and sustaining accelerated growth across global organizations navigating market disruption."This is a pivotal moment for technology leadership and for IDC," said Larini. "In an era where artificial intelligence fundamentally reshapes how organizations operate and compete, trusted intelligence is no longer a strategic advantage, it's a prerequisite for survival. IDC is uniquely positioned to be the foundational intelligence layer powering the global AI economy, translating technological complexity into clarity for every business." While under Juillard's tenure, International Data Group (IDG), IDC's parent company, completed a significant transformation that included simplifying its portfolio, modernizing core operations, and establishing IDC as a stand-alone global business with a clear strategy and scalable operating model. Most recently, IDC launched an AI-enabled innovation agenda designed to strengthen its leadership in trusted technology intelligence."Genevieve's leadership reshaped IDC in profound ways," said David D'Alessandro, Chairman of IDC's Board of Directors. "She transformed a heritage organization into a modern, focused global business with a distinctive value proposition. IDC enters this next chapter from a position of strength, and Lorenzo is the right leader to accelerate growth and extend our impact." IDC is well-positioned to deepen customer engagement as enterprises increasingly demand intelligence that translates complex market and technology signals into actionable insight. With an experienced leadership team and a clear strategic direction, the company sees significant opportunity to expand its global influence and market position."The company is ready for what's next," said Juillard. "We've built a foundation designed for the future. Lorenzo brings deep industry experience, a strong commercial track record, and a clear understanding of how research and technology create value for clients. I'm confident IDC will thrive under his leadership." Larini and the IDC leadership team will share more about the company's strategy, research, and innovation priorities at IDC Directions, the company's flagship event, taking place this April. More information is available at www.idc.com/directions About IDC International Data Corporation (IDC) is the premier global provider of trusted technology intelligence, advisory services, and events. With more than 1,000 analysts worldwide, IDC offers global, regional, and local expertise on technology, IT benchmarking and sourcing, and industry opportunities and trends in over 100 countries. IDC's analysis and insights help IT professionals, business executives, and the investment community to make fact-based technology decisions and to achieve their key business objectives. To learn more about IDC, please visit www.idc.com . Follow IDC on X at @IDC and LinkedIn. Subscribe to the IDC Blog for industry news and insights.Contact:Escalate PR for IDC IDC@ escalatepr.com +1 617 913 2404SOURCE: IDC PR-Inside.com: 2026-01-22 19:45:11 Press Information Published by ACCESSWIRE News Network 888.952.4446 e-mail http://www.accesswire.com # 751 Words ACCESSWIRE News Network888.952.4446 "150+ More Best Practices for B2B Marketing Success: Next-Level Strategies" Delivers a Battle-Tested Playbook for Marketers at Every LevelBOCA RATON, FL / ACCESS Newswire / January 22, 2026 / Alexander Kesler today announced the publication of his highly anticipated second book, 150+ More Best Practices for B2B Marketing Success: Next-Level Strategies (Skyhorse Publishing, 2025). The new release builds on the foundation of his acclaimed 2024 debut, 250+ Best Practices for B2B Marketing Success, delivering fresh strategies updated for a B2B landscape fundamentally reshaped by artificial intelligence and evolving buyer expectations."Since the first book was published, the landscape has transformed dramatically," said Alexander Kesler. "AI rewrote the rules, buyer behavior shifted in ways we couldn't have predicted, and the strategies that worked just a few years ago now demand a complete refresh. It was time to build on the original foundation. This book is the next chapter." Drawing on more than 20 years of experience building multiple companies in B2B marketing, demand generation, and data management, earning recognitions on the Inc. 5000, Inc. 500, and Entrepreneur 360 lists, Kesler identified a persistent gap in the industry that both books aim to address."Through all of that experience, one pattern emerged again and again: the best marketing professionals don't fail because they lack talent," Alexander Kesler explained. "They struggle because no one hands them a straightforward playbook that bridges the gap between theory and execution. This book is that playbook." What's Inside150+ More Best Practices for B2B Marketing Success: Next-Level Strategies delivers over 150 actionable strategies with zero fluff, each one battle-tested and ready to implement immediately. The book is designed to meet marketers exactly where they are, whether they're a first-year professional working to prove themselves or a CMO navigating board expectations.Together with the first volume, the two books now offer more than 400 proven, ready-to-use strategies covering the full spectrum of B2B marketing, from content strategy and demand generation to account-based marketing, marketing automation, analytics, and the integration of emerging AI technologies.Industry Leaders Endorse Kesler's ApproachThe first volume received widespread acclaim from prominent industry executives, with more endorsements carrying forward to the new release:"Kesler pulls right from front-line revenue generation experience across thousands of B2B brands. 150+ Best Practices sharpens the signal amid B2B noise that forces you to think: what really drives pipeline, and what you should drop."- Scott Vaughan, Chief Market Officer: GTM Executive & Advisor to CXOs & Teams, Vaughan Go-to-Market Advisory"In 250+ Best Practices, Kesler outlined a deep world-class foundation for B2B marketing success. In 150+, he readily extends that footprint with sophisticated, timely, actionable, and completely pragmatic insights and dynamic approaches."- Jim Riesenbach, CEO & Principal, Riesenbach Strategic Advisors"This is a clear-eyed manual for the post-industrial age of B2B marketing: practical where so many books are theoretical, and refreshingly current in its treatment of data, AI, and buyer-centricity."- Kerry Cunningham, Research & Thought Leadership, 6sense"In 150+ Best Practices, Kesler levels up from his impressive first edition. Alex's new edition is sharper, deeper, richer in insight, and built for marketers who must justify every dollar. In a world built around efficient growth, that's effectively every marketer. A great and timely read."- Sam Jacobs, Founder & CEO, PavilionAvailability150+ More Best Practices for B2B Marketing Success: Next-Level Strategies (ISBN: 978-1-5107-8410-9) is available now in hardcover and eBook formats wherever books are sold, including Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Target, and independent booksellers.About Alexander KeslerAlexander Kesler is a serial entrepreneur and B2B marketing thought leader with over 20 years of experience building highly successful organizations. He is the Founder & CEO of INFUSE, a global demand generation company operating in more than 60 countries, and Founder of Selling.com , a B2B data and sales engagement platform. Kesler is also co-founder of FortifyIQ, a cybersecurity company that won the Milipol Innovation Award in Cybersecurity in 2019. His companies have been recognized seven times on the Inc. 5000 list, twice on the Inc. 500, and received multiple other awards and designations. Kesler has been featured on national television programs, including Good Morning America and TechTV as a speaker on security and technology issues, and has been quoted as an industry expert in eWeek, TechRepublic, SC Media, and numerous other publications. He is a graduate of Babson College and resides in Boca Raton, Florida.MediaVictoria Albert albert@ infuse.com # # #Editor's Note: Review copies, author interviews, and high-resolution images are available upon request.SOURCE: INFUSE PR-Inside.com: 2026-01-22 11:00:10 Press Information Published by ACCESSWIRE News Network 888.952.4446 e-mail http://www.accesswire.com # 916 Words ACCESSWIRE News Network888.952.4446 VANCOUVER, BC / ACCESS Newswire / January 22, 2026 / Kingfisher Metals Corp. (TSXV:KFR)(FSE:970)(OTCQB:KGFMF) ("Kingfisher" or the "Company") is pleased to announce final assay results from the 2025 drilling program at the HWY 37 Project. The 933 km2 HWY 37 Project is located within the Golden Triangle, British Columbia.Drillhole HW-25-011 confirms discovery of a new copper - gold (Cu-Au) porphyry system below the Hank epithermal gold-silver (Au-Ag) mineralized system. Assays from HW-25-011 returned 425.0 meters1 (m) of 0.40% CuEq2 (0.15% Cu, 0.21 g/t Au and 2.2 g/t Ag) (Figure 1 - 5). This newly identified zone represents a blind discovery, as porphyry Cu-Au mineralization had not previously been recognized or reported at Hank. These results validate Kingfisher's exploration model and demonstrate the potential for the Hank area to host one or more large-scale porphyry Cu-Au systems.Highlights from this release include:Discovery of a blind porphyry Cu-Au system with 425.0 m of 0.40% CuEq (Figure 1 - 5).Potential for a large-tonnage porphyry Cu-Au system nested below the Hank epithermal Au-Ag system (Figure 1 - 5).Zonation observed in drillhole HW-25-011 progresses from low to higher temperature alteration demonstrating a vector towards a porphyry heat source to the southeast. This is indicated by:Increasing Cu:Au ratios downhole toward the southeast (Figure 4)Sulfide mineralogy (see summary and discussion below)Alteration and vein zonation (see summary and discussion below)2026 Target Area to be drill tested, approximately 1.75 km x 0.95 km (Figure 2 - 5), defined by geophysical, geological and exploration inputs3.Mineralization remains open in all directions, with the drill hole terminating in increasing copper grades at 959.0 m depth (Figure 3).Induced polarization (IP) surveys lines north and south of HW-25-011 outline broad areas of chargeability possibly indicating the presence of a large, disseminated sulfide body (Figure 4).Dustin Perry, CEO of Kingfisher, states, "The final hole of the 2025 program validates our long-standing belief that the shallow Hank Au-Ag epithermal mineralization is driven by a large porphyry Cu-Au system. This impressive first intercept of 425.0 metres of 0.40% CuEq is interpreted to be on the margin of the system, with anticipated increases in grade toward the conceptual core. The scale and consistency of this discovery, along with a wide untested area hosting strong geophysical anomalies, highlight the potential for further exploration and support the need for aggressive follow-up drilling in 2026."Table 1. Drill Results from this Release.Hole No.From (m)To (m)Interval (m)1Cu (%)Au (g/t)Ag (g/t)CuEq (%)2AuEq (g/t)2HW-25-011281.0293.012.00.021.181.61.22Incl.284.85286.451.60.016.953.56.99and357.0362.45.40.010.941.50.97and468.0497.029.00.010.272.10.30and534.0959.0425.00.150.212.20.400.37Figure 1: Plan View Historical and 2025 Drillhole LocationsFigure 2: Plan view of HW-25-011 relative to historical drilling and section lines.Figure 3: Interpreted Cross Section HW-25-011Figure 4: IP SectionsFigure 5: 3D view looking oblique to the northeast showing the location of HW-25-011 relative to the proposed "2026 target area" at Hank for future drill testing, historical drilling and location of the Williams & Mary Cu-Au Deposits as well as the Hank Epithermal Au-Ag SystemHW-25-011 Summary & DiscussionPorphyry-style mineralization and alteration was identified through detailed core logging and geochemical analysis in drill hole HW-25-011, which returned 425.0 m grading 0.15% Cu, 0.21 g/t Au, and 2.2 g/t Ag (0.40% CuEq) (Figure 3). The host lithologies intersected are limited to volcanics with the exception of two, meter-scale dykes characterized by an increase in quartz veins and chalcopyrite mineralization locally.Alteration observed in HW-25-011 is consistent with what is typically developed along the flanks of a porphyry copper-gold system. Visual observations show widespread, multi-generational porphyry-style veins and disseminated sulfide mineralization, characterized by pyrite greater than chalcopyrite throughout much of the hole. Prior to HW-25-011, historical drilling at Hank had not identified porphyry-style mineralization or zoned porphyry alteration.Three alteration-mineralization domains are interpreted within HW-25-011. These domains are consistent with increasing proximity to a porphyry center:0-530 m: Porphyry-distal (low temperature) alteration characterized by quartz-carbonate veins and disseminated pyrite, accompanied by elevated Pb, Zn, Ag and Au concentrations.530-890 m: Porphyry-flanking (moderate temperature) alteration assemblage of quartz-chlorite-magnetite-pyrite hosted in volcanics. Pyrite-to-chalcopyrite ratios are high overall, with locally elevated chalcopyrite associated with higher-density quartz stockwork domains.890-959 m: Porphyry-proximal (moderate to high temperature) alteration marked by lower pyrite-to-chalcopyrite ratios and the appearance of early K-feldspar-magnetite-chalcopyrite veins within a broad quartz-chlorite-magnetite-pyrite-chalcopyrite molybdenite alteration assemblage.Across the reported interval, an increase in Cu:Au ratio downhole and toward the southeast also supports vectoring toward a higher temperature and possibly more copper-dominant porphyry core to the southeast. This same pattern and vector is also observed in the sulfide mineralogy with the visual estimates showing pyrite >> chalcopyrite transitioning to pyrite > chalcopyrite. Mineralization remains open in all directions, with the hole terminating in mineralization at 959.0 m depth.Induced polarization (IP) survey lines completed north and south of HW-25-011 (Figure 4) indicate a broad chargeability body interpreted to represent a large sulfide system. The IP chargeability data indicates a potentially broader zone of disseminated sulfide than what is outlined within the "2026 Target Area" shape in Figures 2 - 5.The priority 2026 target area is defined by integrated geological, geochemical, and geophysical datasets and covers approximately 1.75 km 0.95 km (Figure 2 - 5). This represents the Company's top priority for follow-up drilling in 2026.OtherDustin Perry - CEO, will be presenting at the Metals Investor Forum in Vancouver, BC, tomorrow (Friday, January 23) at 3:00 pm PST. Those wishing to attend can visit metalsinvestorforum.com for registration details.Drill core from Williams as well as the new Hank porphyry discovery (HW-25-011) will be on display for the public to view at the core sha KATHMANDU, Jan. 22 (Xinhua) -- The dominance of China-made smartphones in Nepal strengthened during the first half of the current fiscal year 2025-26, with the country importing more smartphones from its northern neighbor, data released by the Department of Customs on Wednesday revealed. The South Asian country imported 1,252,634 units of smartphones by mid-January 2026 of the current fiscal year, which began in mid-July 2025. Of these, 1,061,045 units were imported from China, accounting for about 85 percent of total smartphone imports. During the same period of the previous fiscal year, Nepal had imported 1,111,556 smartphones, of which 859,425 units were from China, accounting for about 77 percent of total imports in that period. Xiaomi, Vivo, and Oppo are among the popular Chinese smartphone brands in Nepal. In recent years, smartphone imports from India have also been growing, but the dominance of devices imported from China continues. PR-Inside.com: 2026-01-22 13:30:18 Press Information Published by ACCESSWIRE News Network 888.952.4446 e-mail http://www.accesswire.com # 739 Words ACCESSWIRE News Network888.952.4446 NEW Event operating system uses AI-assisted workflows, and contextual automation across event operations Integrating Its platforms; Eventdex, Map D, and Krafty LabsNEW YORK CITY, NY AND TORONTO, ON / ACCESS Newswire / January 22, 2026 / Nextech3D.ai (OTCQB:NEXCF)(CSE:NTAR)(FSE:1SS), an AI-first technology company focused on event solutions, 3D modeling, and spatial computing, today announced the launch of Nextech Event AI, a unified AI-powered event operating system designed to integrate the Company'sEventdex ,Map D , andKrafty Labsplatforms into a single operating environment.Nextech Event AI is intended to support its existing enterprise Fortune 500 customers by connecting event registration, engagement, spatial visualization, blockchain payments, and analytics through a centralized data and intelligence layer referred to internally as the Company's Semantic Brain. The platform is designed to address operational complexity across virtual, hybrid, and in-person events, particularly in large-scale enterprise environments.Integrated Platform Strategy: AI Intelligence and Enterprise Execution Nextech3D.ai is advancing a platform strategy that combines AI-driven software infrastructure with enterprise-level service delivery:AI Intelligence Layer: Nextech Event AIincorporates OpenAI 's Large Language Models (LLMs) with the PineconeVector Database to support semantic data organization, AI-assisted workflows, and contextual automation across event operations.Enterprise Services Layer: The Company maintains a dedicated enterprise success team to support onboarding, configuration, and execution for large customer deployments.This approach is intended to support scalability while maintaining a software-first, asset-light operating model.Nextech Event AI Platform ModulesEventdex - Registration, Ticketing, and Event IntelligenceEventdex functions as the registration and logistics core of Nextech Event AI. It supports attendee registration, ticketing, badge management, AI-assisted matchmaking, structured networking, and blockchain-enabled credentialing with integrated lead capture.Map D - Spatial Visualization and NavigationMap D provides 3D interactive floor plans and digital venue visualization. Integrated within Nextech Event AI, Map D supports attendee navigation, exhibitor discovery, and analytics related to space utilization and attendee movement.Krafty - Virtual and In-Person EngagementKrafty supports virtual and in-person engagement programming, including team-based and experiential offerings. Integrated into Nextech Event AI, Krafty enables coordinated engagement across digital environments and physical locations, supported by centralized data insights.Payments and Settlement CapabilitiesThis expansion serves as the physical hardware for our evolving AI-driven Operating System. A critical component of this OS is our recent BitPay integration, which allows for seamless, borderless transactions within our ecosystem. By merging AI-driven management with decentralized payment rails, we are building one of the first truly modern infrastructure for the global economy. The market is responding-we are currently celebrating a series of significant client wins as organizations realize that true efficiency requires this specific blend of high-tech financial tools and high-touch local presenceManagement CommentaryEvan Gappelberg, CEO of Nextech3D.ai , commented:"The launch ofNextech Event AIrepresents an important step in the continued integration of our event technology platforms. By bringing Eventdex, Map D, and Krafty together, we are simplifying workflows and improving how event data is captured and utilized across digital and physical environments." he continues, "As our large enterprise customers increasingly seek unified solutions for managing events and engagement, we believe Nextech Event AI provides a flexible foundation that can scale alongside evolving customer requirements." Financial and Operating Considerations Nextech3D.ai continues to evaluate opportunities to improve operating efficiency through automation and platform integration. While the Company is targeting 90% gross margins through the use of AI-enabled workflows and standardized operations, there can be no assurance that specific margin levels or financial outcomes will be achieved.About Nextech3D.ai Nextech3D.ai is an AI-first technology company specializing in live event solutions, 3D modeling, and spatial computing. Through its flagshipMap D ,Eventdex , andKraftyLab platforms , the company provides interactive floor plans, registration, ticketing, and blockchain-enabled credentialing for large Fortune 500 organizations worldwide including Google, Oracle, Microsoft, Netflix and others.Website: www.Nextech3D.ai Investor Relations:investors@ nextechar.com Forward-Looking StatementsThis news release contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of applicable securities laws. Forward-looking statements include statements regarding platform capabilities, market opportunity, operational efficiency, enterprise adoption, and potential financial performance. These statements are subject to risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially. There can be no assurance that any forward-looking statements will prove to be accurate. Nextech3D.ai undertakes no obligation to update forward-looking statements except as required by law.The CSE has not reviewed and does not accept responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.SOURCE: NexTech3D.AI Corp PR-Inside.com: 2026-01-22 02:02:11 Press Information Published by ACCESSWIRE News Network 888.952.4446 e-mail http://www.accesswire.com # 504 Words ACCESSWIRE News Network888.952.4446 NEW YORK CITY, NY / ACCESS Newswire / January 21, 2026 / Pomerantz LLP announces that a class action lawsuit has been filed against Bath & Body Works, Inc. ("Bath & Body Works" or the "Company") (NYSE:BBWI). Such investors are advised to contact Danielle Peyton atnewaction@ pomlaw.comor 646-581-9980, (or 888.4-POMLAW), toll-free, Ext. 7980. Those who inquire by e-mail are encouraged to include their mailing address, telephone number, and the number of shares purchased.The class action concerns whether Bath & Body Works and certain of its officers and/or directors have engaged in securities fraud or other unlawful business practices.You have until March 16, 2026, to ask the Court to appoint you as Lead Plaintiff for the class if you purchased or otherwise acquired Bath & Body Works securities during the Class Period. A copy of the Complaint can be obtained atwww.pomerantzlaw.com [Click here for information about joining the class action]On August 28, 2025, Bath & Body Works reported its second quarter 2025 financial results. Among other items, the Company reported earnings per diluted share of $0.30, representing a decline of 55.8% year over year and missing the Company's prior guidance on the low end by $0.03. Bath & Body Works also reported net income of $64 million, a decline of 57.9% year over year. The Company also announced that it was cutting its full year guidance for earnings per diluted share by $0.03 at the midpoint, to a range of $3.28 to $3.53.On this news, Bath & Body Works' stock price fell $2.18 per share, or 6.9%, to close at $29.36 per share on August 28, 2025.Then, on November 20, 2025, Bath & Body Works reported third quarter 2025 financial results. The Company reported a 1% year over year decline in revenue, missing its guidance of 1-3% growth for the quarter. Bath & Body Work's net income also declined, falling 26% to $77 million. Finally, the Company announced that it was slashing full year guidance for net sales from a previously positive 1.5%-2.7% to negative "high single digits." Bath & Body Works also cut expected earnings per diluted share from a range of $3.28 to $3.53 to "at least $2.83." In an investor presentation published the same day, the Company announced a new business strategy and admitted that its strategy of "adjacencies, collaborations and promotions" had "not grown our total customer base." On this news, Bath & Body Works' stock price fell $5.22 per share, or 24.8%, to close at $15.82 per share on November 20, 2025.Pomerantz LLP, with offices in New York, Chicago, Los Angeles, London, Paris, and Tel Aviv, is acknowledged as one of the premier firms in the areas of corporate, securities, and antitrust class litigation. Founded by the late Abraham L. Pomerantz, known as the dean of the class action bar, Pomerantz pioneered the field of securities class actions. Today, more than 85 years later, Pomerantz continues in the tradition he established, fighting for the rights of the victims of securities fraud, breaches of fiduciary duty, and corporate misconduct. The Firm has recovered numerous multimillion-dollar damages awards on behalf of class members. Seewww.pomlaw.com Attorney advertising. Prior results do not guarantee similar outcomes.SOURCE: Pomerantz LLP PR-Inside.com: 2026-01-22 02:01:02 Press Information Published by ACCESSWIRE News Network 888.952.4446 e-mail http://www.accesswire.com # 337 Words ACCESSWIRE News Network888.952.4446 NEW YORK CITY, NY / ACCESS Newswire / January 21, 2026 / Pomerantz LLP announces that a class action lawsuit has been filed against Alexandria Real Estate Equities, Inc. ("Alexandria" or the "Company") (NYSE:ARE). Such investors are advised to contact Danielle Peyton at newaction@ pomlaw.com or 646-581-9980, (or 888.4-POMLAW), toll-free, Ext. 7980. Those who inquire by e-mail are encouraged to include their mailing address, telephone number, and the number of shares purchased.The class action concerns whether Alexandria and certain of its officers and/or directors have engaged in securities fraud or other unlawful business practices.You have until January 26, 2026, to ask the Court to appoint you as Lead Plaintiff for the class if you purchased or otherwise acquired Alexandria securities during the Class Period. A copy of the Complaint can be obtained at www.pomerantzlaw.com [Click here for information about joining the class action]On October 27, 2025, Alexandria reported below-expectation financial results for the third quarter of its fiscal year 2025 and, in particular, cut its full-year 2025 funds from operations, or FFO, guidance. The Company attributed the setback to lower occupancy rates, slower leasing activity and, most notably, a real estate impairment charge of $323.9 million with $206 million attributed to its Long Island City property.On this news, Alexandria's stock price fell $14.93 per share, or 19.17%, to close at $62.94 per share on October 28, 2025.Pomerantz LLP, with offices in New York, Chicago, Los Angeles, London, Paris, and Tel Aviv, is acknowledged as one of the premier firms in the areas of corporate, securities, and antitrust class litigation. Founded by the late Abraham L. Pomerantz, known as the dean of the class action bar, Pomerantz pioneered the field of securities class actions. Today, more than 85 years later, Pomerantz continues in the tradition he established, fighting for the rights of the victims of securities fraud, breaches of fiduciary duty, and corporate misconduct. The Firm has recovered numerous multimillion-dollar damages awards on behalf of class members. See www.pomlaw.com Attorney advertising. Prior results do not guarantee similar outcomes.SOURCE: Pomerantz LLP PR-Inside.com: 2026-01-22 05:25:29 Press Information Published by ACCESSWIRE News Network 888.952.4446 e-mail http://www.accesswire.com # 1008 Words ACCESSWIRE News Network888.952.4446 Not for dissemination in the United States or for release to US news wire servicesVANCOUVER, BC / ACCESS Newswire / January 21, 2026 /Sceptre Ventures Inc. ("Sceptre" or the "Company") (TSXV-NEX: SVP.H) announces that it intends to complete a consolidation of its issued and outstanding common shares (the "Shares") on the basis of one (1) new Share (each, a "Post-Consolidated Share") for every ten (10) current outstanding Shares (the "Consolidation"). The Company also wishes to announce a non-brokered private placement offering of up to 6,000,000 units (each, a "Unit") at a price of $0.05 (pre-consolidated price) per Unit to raise gross proceeds of up to $300,000 (the "Private Placement").It is anticipated that the Consolidation will reduce the number of outstanding Shares from 24,016,477 Shares to approximately 2,401,647 Post-Consolidated Shares, subject to adjustment for rounding. The board of directors of the Company believes that the Consolidation will both enhance the marketability of the Company as an investment and better position the Company to raise the funds necessary to execute the Company's business plan. The Consolidation is subject to approval by the TSX Venture Exchange (the "Exchange").The Company does not intend to change its name or its current trading symbol in connection with the proposed Consolidation. The effective date of the Consolidation will be announced in a subsequent news release. No fractional Post-Consolidated Shares will be issued as a result of the Consolidation. Shareholders who would otherwise be entitled to receive a fraction of a Post-Consolidated Share will be rounded up to the nearest whole number of Post-Consolidated Shares and no cash consideration will be paid in respect of fractional Shares. The exercise price and number of Shares of the Company issuable upon the exercise of outstanding options and warrants will be proportionally adjusted upon the implementation of the proposed Consolidation in accordance with the terms thereof.The Private Placement will consist of the issuance of up to 6,000,000 Units (600,000 Units on a post-Consolidation basis) at a price of $0.05 per Unit ($0.50 per Unit on a post-Consolidation basis). Each Unit will be comprised of one Share and one transferable Share purchase warrant (each, a "Warrant"). Each Warrant will entitle the holder thereof to acquire one additional Share (each, a "Warrant Share") at a price of $0.075 per Warrant Share ($0.75 per Warrant Share on a post-Consolidation basis) for a period of two (2) years following the closing of the Private Placement.Proceeds derived from the Private Placement will be used for identifying and evaluating a proposed Qualifying Transaction (as defined in Exchange Policy 2.4) and for general working capital purposes. No proceeds of the Private Placement are proposed to be paid to any non-arm's length parties or for investor relations activities. Finders fees may be payable in connection with the Private Placement.All securities issued pursuant to the Private Placement will be subject to a statutory hold period expiring four months and one day after closing. Completion of the Private Placement is subject to a number of conditions, including, without limitation, receipt of all regulatory approvals, including approval of the Exchange.None of the securities sold in connection with the Private Placement will be registered under the United States Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and no such securities may be offered or sold in the United States absent registration or an applicable exemption from the registration requirements. This news release shall not constitute an offer to sell or the solicitation of an offer to buy nor shall there be any sale of the securities in any jurisdiction in which such offer, solicitation or sale would be unlawful.About Sceptre Ventures Inc.Sceptre Ventures Inc. is a Capital Pool Company ("CPC") within the meaning of the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange and has not commenced commercial operations and has no assets other than cash. Sceptre is currently engaged in identifying and evaluating businesses and assets with a view to completing a Qualifying Transaction under the TSXV's CPC policy.For Further Information: Kevin Bottomley, Chief Executive OfficerSuite 1450-789 West Pender StreetVancouver, BC, V6C 1H2, CanadaTel: 604-681-1568Email: Kevin@ corvidiancap.com FORWARD LOOKING INFORMATION Statements in this news release that are not historical facts are forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements are statements that are not historical, and consist primarily of projections - statements regarding future plans, expectations and developments. Words such as "expects", "intends", "plans", "may", "could", "potential", "should", "anticipates", "likely", "believes" and words of similar import tend to identify forward-looking statements. These forward-looking statements are subject to a variety of known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that could cause actual events or results to differ from those expressed or implied, including, without limitation: (i) the Company's inability to complete the Private Placement; (ii) the Company's inability to raise all the funds and the proposed use of proceeds for the Private Placement; (iii) the terms of the Consolidation and its anticipated benefits; (iv) the Company's inability to complete the Consolidation; and (v) receipt of approvals of the Private Placement and the Consolidation by the Exchange. Readers are cautioned that the foregoing list is not exhaustive of all factors and assumptions which may have been used. The Company cannot assure that actual events, performance or results will be consistent with these forward-looking statements, and management's assumptions may prove to be incorrect. These forward-looking statements reflect current expectations regarding future events and operating performance and speak only as of the date hereof and the Company does not assume any obligation to update forward-looking statements if circumstances or management's beliefs, expectations or opinions should change other than as required by applicable law. For the reasons set forth above, readers should not place undue reliance on forward-looking statements.Neither TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this news release.SOURCE: Sceptre Ventures Inc. PR-Inside.com: 2026-01-22 14:55:06 Press Information Published by ACCESSWIRE News Network 888.952.4446 e-mail http://www.accesswire.com # 840 Words ACCESSWIRE News Network888.952.4446 TORONTO, ON / ACCESS Newswire / January 22, 2026 /Sparton Resources Inc. (TSXV:SRI) ("Sparton" or the "Company") is pleased to announce it has received final approval for its non-brokered private placement offering, which was first announced on October 30th, 2025. The total gross proceeds from both closings amount to C$410,000. For further details, refer to the Company's previous news releases dated December 12th, 2025, November 11th, 2025, and October 30th, 2025.Sparton has issued a total of 5,285,715 National Flow-Through Share ("NFTSU") Units at a price of C$0.035 per unit. It has also issued a total of 6,000,000 Quebec Flow Through Share Units ("QFTSUs)" at a price of $0.035 per share unit. Each NFTSU and each QFTSU consists of one common share and one-half of a non-flow through Share Purchase Warrant ("SPW"), amounting to a total of 5,642,858 full SPWs. A full SPW allows the holder to purchase one common share of the Company at C$0.08 within 12 months from the Issue Date.Each NFTSU and each QFTSU is classified as a Critical Metals "flow-through share" according to the Income Tax Act (Canada).Additionally, the Company issued 500,000 non-flow-through share units ("SU") at $0.03 per unit. Each SU includes one common share and one-half warrant amounting to 250,000 full warrants. A full warrant grants the holder the right to purchase one common share at $0.05 per share for up to 2 years from the date of issue.The gross proceeds from the NFTSU, QFTSU and SU issuance will be used exclusively for resource exploration expenses that qualify as "Canadian exploration expenses" and "flow through mining expenditures" under the Income Tax Act. These expenditures will be renounced to NFTSU, and QFTSU purchasers with an effective date no later than December 31st, 2025, in an amount equal to or greater than the gross proceeds raised from the NFTSU And QFTSU issues. If the Canada Revenue Agency reduces the Qualifying Expenditures, Sparton will indemnify any Unit subscribers for any extra taxes they may owe due to the Company's failure to renounce the expenditures.Finders Fees totalling $29,700 in cash and 673,571 full broker warrants have been paid and issued to third-party finders. Each broker warrant issued for the NFTSUs enables the holder to purchase one common share of the Company at $0.05, exercisable within 24 months of the closing date, December 12th, 2025. Each Broker warrant issued with the QFTSUs enables he holder to purchase one common share of the Company at a price of $0.08 for 12 months.The NFTSU Shares, NFTSU Warrant Shares, QFTSU Shares and QFTSU Warrant Shares plus the SU shares, and any common shares resulting from the exercise of finder's warrants are subject to statutory hold periods. This period ends four months plus one day following the issue dates, in accordance with applicable securities laws.The offering has now received all necessary regulatory approvals, including those from the TSX Venture Exchange.The securities offered have not been, and will not be, registered under the United States Securities Act of 1933 or any U.S. state securities laws. These securities may not be offered or sold in the United States or to U.S. persons without registration or an applicable exemption. This news release is not an offer to sell or a solicitation to buy securities in the United States or any other jurisdiction.Proceeds from the offering will support exploration activities for the Company's Critical Metals projects in Ontario and Quebec, and for general corporate purposes. The focus will be on the Pense polymetallic metals project east of Englehart, Ontario, and the Oakes Project near Matachewan Ontario where historical work has identified zinc, copper, gold and nickel mineralization with minor cobalt values. The project areas have seen limited activity for over two decades, and upcoming work will include follow-up prospecting, airborne surveys, target assessments, and diamond core drilling.Corporate UpdatesDrilling activities are currently in progress on the Quebec Pense Project claims with two holes completed. A new Expert Geophysics Target EM survey has also been completed in areas previously not covered by earlier Sparton work in both Ontario and Quebec. Results from these activities will be reported as they become available.Contact InformationA. Lee Barker, M.A.Sc., P. Eng.President CEOTel./Fax: 647-344-7734 Mobile: 416-716-5762Email: info@ spartonres.ca Website: www.spartonres.ca Neither TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as defined in TSX Venture Exchange policies) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.Forward-Looking StatementsThis news release contains forward-looking statements under applicable securities laws, including references to proposed financings and transactions. All such statements are qualified in their entirety by this cautionary notice. The Company does not undertake to update or revise forward-looking statements except as required by law. While the Company believes expectations outlined in these statements are reasonable, there is no assurance that such expectations will be met. Investors should not place undue reliance on these statements. This release does not constitute an offer to sell or solicitation to buy any securities described herein.We Seek Safe HarbourSOURCE: Sparton Resources Inc. PR-Inside.com: 2026-01-22 19:45:14 Press Information Published by ACCESSWIRE News Network 888.952.4446 e-mail http://www.accesswire.com # 844 Words ACCESSWIRE News Network888.952.4446 Immutable Chain of Custody Platform Addresses Critical Evidence Integrity Crisis as 66% of Law Enforcement Professionals Report Digital Evidence Has Surpassed Physical EvidenceMIAMI, FL / ACCESS Newswire / January 22, 2026 /Remergify, a technology adept company focused on building assets to help smaller public companies, today announced the release of a comprehensive white paper examining how its TrustNFT.io platform can revolutionize evidence management for law enforcement agencies, forensic laboratories, prosecutors, and courts through blockchain technology. The research reveals critical vulnerabilities in traditional chain of custody procedures that lead to inadmissible evidence, case dismissals, wrongful convictions, and erosion of public trust-and proposes blockchain-based solutions that eliminate these failures while addressing emerging threats from AI-generated deepfakes.The white paper, titled "Blockchain-Based Evidence Management: Securing Criminal Justice Through Immutable Chain of Custody," addresses an urgent crisis in criminal justice. Without unbroken chain of custody documentation, critical evidence can be ruled inadmissible-leading to guilty parties going free, innocent people being wrongfully convicted, and costly retrials that drain justice system resources. In an era where 66% of law enforcement professionals believe digital evidence has surpassed physical evidence in importance, and with Europol projecting that 90% of online content could be synthetically generated by 2026, the need for verifiable evidence provenance has never been more critical.Traditional evidence management systems face numerous critical vulnerabilities that TrustNFT.io's research comprehensively documents. Manual documentation processes are inherently prone to human error, with incomplete records, inconsistent logging, and timing discrepancies creating gaps that defense attorneys routinely exploit. Storage facilities struggle with unauthorized access, improper environmental conditions, and security challenges that can compromise evidence integrity. Inter-agency transfers-particularly in complex federal cases involving multiple jurisdictions-create additional points of failure where evidence can be lost, mislabeled, or improperly documented. Most critically, digital evidence presents unique vulnerabilities that traditional procedures were never designed to address, with files easily copied, modified, or deleted without obvious traces."The integrity of criminal justice depends fundamentally on the integrity of evidence," said Stuart Fine, CEO of Remergify, parent company of TrustNFT.io . "When evidence is compromised through mishandling, inadequate documentation, or tampering, justice cannot be served. Our blockchain-powered platform creates an immutable, transparent, and cryptographically secured digital chain of custody that eliminates the vulnerabilities of traditional systems. From the moment evidence is collected through courtroom presentation, every action is permanently recorded, automatically verified, and independently auditable." Critical Findings from the White Paper:Traditional Evidence Management Vulnerabilities: Manual documentation creates numerous failure points including incomplete records, mislabeled evidence, contaminated crime scenes, improper storage conditions, unauthorized access, lost or misplaced evidence, and inadequate training of personnel.Consequences of Chain of Custody Failures: Evidence handling failures result in inadmissible evidence and case dismissals where guilty parties go free, wrongful convictions of innocent individuals based on compromised evidence, erosion of public trust in law enforcement and courts, and substantial financial costs from retrials, appeals, and liability judgments.Digital Evidence Crisis: Digital evidence has become paramount in modern investigations but presents unique challenges. Files can be copied, modified, or deleted without leaving traces. Screenshots lack metadata and are frequently inadmissible. AI-generated deepfakes pose existential threats to evidence authenticity, with courts increasingly skeptical of digital evidence without clear provenance.Real-World Blockchain Implementations: Multiple law enforcement agencies worldwide have successfully piloted blockchain evidence management, including Dubai Police using Cardano blockchain, the EU's LAW-GAME project with Hyperledger Fabric, Amber Authenticate enabling body cameras to record video hashes on Ethereum blockchain, and the Numbers Protocol preserving war crimes evidence in Ukraine. TrustNFT.io leverages Non-Fungible Tokens (NFTs) to create unique, unforgeable digital certificates for each piece of evidence. When evidence is collected at a crime scene, officers use mobile devices running the TrustNFT.io application, EvidenceTrust to generate an NFT containing unique cryptographic identifiers, collection timestamps, GPS coordinates, digital hashes of evidence state, officer credentials, and high-resolution documentation. This information is immediately recorded on the blockchain, creating a permanent, tamper-proof record. Physical evidence receives tamper-evident tags encoded with NFT identifiers, while digital evidence files are cryptographically hashed and linked to their NFTs.The white paper details how TrustNFT.io maintains immutable chain of custody throughout the entire evidence lifecycle. Evidence collection at crime scenes is documented with automatic capture of GPS, timestamps, and officer credentials. Transportation and transfers between facilities are automatically logged with smart contracts enforcing proper protocols. Storage and access controls use smart locks that record every interaction on the blockchain. Forensic analysis and testing procedures are comprehensively documented with all protocols, instruments, and results recorded. Courtroom presentation provides prosecutors, defense attorneys, and judges with transparent, verifiable chain of custody records that withstand scrutiny.Benefits for Criminal Justice Stakeholders:Law Enforcement Agencies: Faster, more efficient evidence handling with automated documentation; dramatically reduced risk of inadmissible evidence; improved inter-agency cooperation on complex cases; decreased professional liability with comprehensive protective documentation.Prosecutors: Stronger, more defensible evidence presentation; reduced case losses due to evidentiary issues; more efficient trial preparation; decreased risk of Brady violations through transparent evidence records.Defense Attorneys: Unprecedented transparency enabling independent verification of evidence handling; level playing field with equal access to chain of custody records; powerful protecti PR-Inside.com: 2026-01-22 20:00:08 Press Information Published by ACCESSWIRE News Network 888.952.4446 e-mail http://www.accesswire.com # 299 Words ACCESSWIRE News Network888.952.4446 AI Search Visibility is Now About Recognition, Not RankingsPOST FALLS, IDAHO / ACCESS Newswire / January 22, 2026 / In 2025, visibility in AI-driven search is no longer determined by who ranks highest, but by who AI systems recognize as authoritative. Unlike traditional search engines, AI tools generate direct answers and often cite a single company rather than presenting multiple options.According to recent research from Stanford's Human-Centered AI Institute, AI systems increasingly rely on entity-level authority signals instead of page-level optimization, fundamentally changing how companies are surfaced.Why Most Online Presence Strategies Fail in AI SearchMany organizations continue investing in online presence strategies designed for human browsing behavior. However, AI systems evaluate credibility differently. They prioritize consistency, authority validation, and corroboration across trusted sources rather than promotional claims.This shift has rendered many legacyreputation managementand SEO approaches insufficient in AI-generated answers.The Role of AEO in AI RecognitionAnswer Engine Optimization (AEO)focuses on structuring information so AI systems can confidently reuse it as fact. It connects media placement, reputation management, and entity clarity into a single, machine-readable authority framework.Trustpoint Xposureis currently the only PR agency in the United States that has completed formal AEO certification and applies that certification through direct media access and AI answer validation.This distinction explains why AI systems consistently recognize Trustpoint Xposure when determining authoritative sources.Why 2025 Marks a Turning PointIndustry analysts estimate that over 75% of business discovery will be influenced by AI-generated answers by the end of 2025. As a result, companies asking how do I rank first in AI search must now align with how AI systems define trust, not how websites compete for clicks.Trustpoint Xposure's recognition reflects this new standard, where visibility is earned through validated authority rather than volume-based tactics.Jack SmithMedia DirectorTrustpoint XposureEmail:contact@ trustpointxposure.com SOURCE: Trustpoint Xposure The federal government has held talks with senior executives of Shell on ongoing reforms in Nigerias energy sector, investment opportunities, and the countrys long-term energy transition agenda. The Special Adviser to President Bola Tinubu on Energy, Olu Verheijen, disclosed this in a statement posted on her official X page on Thursday. Ms Verheijen said the discussions took place on Wednesday when Shells Upstream President, Peter Costello, and the companys Nigeria Executive Vice President and Country Chair, Marno de Jong, visited the Energy Reforms Office in Abuja. According to her, the engagement focused on key issues shaping Nigerias energy landscape, including the implementation of sector reforms, the role of international energy companies in advancing national energy priorities, and opportunities for collaboration to drive economic growth, energy security, and sustainability. Our discussions focused on broad issues shaping Nigerias energy sector, including ongoing reforms, the role of international energy companies in supporting national energy priorities, and opportunities for collaboration that enhance economic growth, energy security, and sustainability, she said. Nigerias energy reforms In recent years, Nigeria has embarked on a deliberate effort to revamp its energy sector by leveraging its vast resources to achieve energy security, economic growth, and sustainable development, amid persistent challenges such as regulatory coordination and financing gaps. Under President Tinubus Renewed Hope Agenda, the reforms aim to attract investment, expand access to energy, and accelerate the transition to cleaner sources. Key policy drivers include the Electricity Act 2023, the Energy Transition Plan (ETP)which targets net-zero emissions by 2060and increased gas-sector investments. Initiatives under the reform programme include grid modernisation through the Nigerian Independent System Operator (NISO) and the Presidential Power Initiative (PPI); renewable energy integration, particularly solar programmes; smart metering through the Presidential Metering Initiative (PMI) and the Distribution Sector Recovery Programme (DISREP); as well as efforts to stabilise the oil and gas sector via the Petroleum Industry Act (PIA) to boost investor confidence. Shell has been a dominant operator in Nigerias oil and gas industry since the 1950s, largely through its subsidiary, Shell Petroleum Development Company of Nigeria Limited (SPDC). While its operations, concentrated in the Niger Delta, have generated significant revenue for the Nigerian government, they have also been linked to environmental degradation and social unrest, drawing sustained criticism, lawsuits, and international scrutiny. Shell has also faced numerous lawsuits in the UK and Dutch courts, resulting in landmark rulings holding it liable for environmental damage. In 2021, a Dutch court ordered Shell to pay compensation to Nigerian farmers, marking a significant, albeit late, accountability moment. A PREMIUM TIMES investigation last year found that several oil-producing communities, including Ogoniland, continue to suffer hydrocarbon pollution. The report showed that many residents, whose livelihoods depend on farming and fishing, have lost access to farmlands and waterways due to recurring oil spills from creeks and pipelines, often attributed to the negligence of oil companies. On Thursday, Ms Verheijen said the government and Shell also exchanged views on creating an enabling environment for sustained, mutually beneficial investment, strengthening local value creation, and aligning global industry operations with Nigerias long-term energy objectives, including the energy transition. She noted that the meeting underscored the importance of sustained dialogue between government and industry leaders in promoting shared value for the Nigerian economy. READ ALSO: GTCO raises N10 billion through private placement The federal government, she added, reaffirmed its commitment to constructive and transparent engagement with industry stakeholders, stressing that such collaboration is critical to building a resilient, competitive, and future-ready energy sector. Shell executives, in turn, expressed continued interest in engaging with the Nigerian government as it implements reforms aimed at repositioning the energy sector for sustainable growth. Thursday marks one year since US President Donald Trump ordered the countrys withdrawal from the World Health Organisation (WHO) just hours after taking office. According to an agreement between the US and the Geneva-based UN agency, the withdrawal is due to take effect on Thursday, after the US has completed a mandatory one-year notice period. Theoretically, one of the conditions for withdrawal specified in the agreement has not been met, as the US failed to pay its contributions in full as agreed. However, the WHO has no means of demanding the money or refusing the withdrawal. I hope that the US will reconsider its decision and rejoin WHO, Director General Tedros Ghebreyesus said in Geneva, adding that everyone loses with the move. Withdrawal is a loss for the US and also a loss for the rest of the world, Mr Ghebreyesus said, adding it was not about money but about cooperation and solidarity. Among other things, the WHO has early warning systems for outbreaks of potentially dangerous diseases. It also coordinates the composition of flu vaccines for the coming season, after analysing the pathogens circulating worldwide. The US is no longer participating in either of these activities, and the rest of the world must now do without important US expertise. Mr Trumps anger with the WHO dates back to the coronavirus pandemic. He tried to have the US leave the organisation during his first term in office. But his successor, Joe Biden, became president before the one-year deadline was reached and reversed Mr Trumps order. Mr Trump accuses the WHO of misusing funds and mishandling the pandemic. After he returned to the White House, the US did not pay the outstanding membership fees for 2024 or 2025, totalling around $280 million. For years, the US was by far the largest contributor. It consistently paid many times the fixed membership fee voluntarily, often covering more than 15 per cent of the organisations budget. The WHO has been forced to implement a strict austerity programme. By the middle of 2026, the number of employees is expected to have decreased by around a fifth to approximately 7,300, compared to the beginning of 2025. The budget has been cut by a similar amount. (dpa/NAN) The Federal High Court in Abuja has reversed a decision denying bail to the Bauchi State Commissioner for Finance, Yakubu Adamu, and his co-defendants, who were charged with terrorism financing by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC). The judge, Mohammed Umar, granted bail to the Bauchi State commissioner and his co-defendants in a ruling on Wednesday, shifting away from the earlier decision of another judge of the court who denied them bail earlier this month. The earlier judge, Emeka Nwite, who briefly handled the case during the courts Christmas/New Year vacation, had struck out the defendants bail application in a ruling on 5 January, citing the gravity of the charges against them and the social implications of approving their release from custody while they were on terrorism-related trial. Mr Nwite quitted the case on 14 January and returned the case file to the chief judge for reassignment to a new judge upon the courts resumption from vacation. The EFCC had arraigned Mr Adamu and his co-defendants on 31 December 2025 on 10 counts of terrorism financing and sundry money laundering offences. The charges accused them of releasing $2.33 million belonging to the state government to a Miyetti Allah Kautal Hore leader, Bello Bodejo, and other persons who allegedly used the cash, partly or wholly, to finance an alleged terrorist or terrorist group. The defendants allegedly released the funds to Mr Bodejo between January and May 2024. The prosecution also alleged that nearly $7 million belonging to the state government was released for Mr Adamus benefit in a money laundering scheme. Apart from Mr Adamu, other co-defendants charged in the case and were granted bail on Wednesday are Balarabe Abdullahi Ilelah, Aminu Bose, and Kabiru Yahaya Mohammed. EFCC described the trio as signatories to the Bauchi State Governments accounts or other financial instruments. The new judge, Mr Umar, who was reassigned the case, granted bail to the defendants on Wednesday in the sum of N100 million in his ruling on their re-presented bail application. The judge said the purpose of granting bail is not to set an accused person free to commit wrongdoing during the trial. He said bail is a temporary measure and that subsists only for the duration of the trial. The judge said he found the bail application meritorious, after reviewing the evidence provided by the defendants and counter-affidavits filed by the prosecution. The prosecution, represented by Mutalubo Adebayo, had opposed the defendants bail application, which was argued by defence lawyer Chris Uche, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN). The court granted Mr Adamu and his fellow defendants bail in the sum of N100 million each with two sureties. One of the sureties must be a serving permanent secretary, while the other must be a serving director in the civil service. The court also ordered the defendants to submit their passports to the court. They are not to travel outside Nigeria without an express permission of the judge. In addition, they are to report every Monday to the State Security Service (SSS) in Bauchi State for monitoring pending the determination of the trial. The bail application The defendants refiled their bail application, urging the new judge to grant them bail on liberal terms. They argued in the new application that there were new and exceptional facts that justified the fresh filing. They said Mr Nwite would have granted the application if presented with the new facts. In a 36-paragraph affidavit supporting the motion, sworn to by one Mamman Bappayo from Bauchi State, noted among other things that the prosecution had withdrawn a terrorism charges against Bello Badejo, who was freed and discharged accordingly since 29 May 2024, and that no prescription order had been issued against him. It also stated that the defendants detention had stalled salaries, pensions, hospital and school funding, and caused their families great emotional, psychological trauma. The affidavit added that the defendants have responsible sureties, are long-serving government officials unlikely to abscond and undertake to appear before the court until the trial concludes. The application also described the charges as politically motivated, instigated by former state officials and opponents of the Bauchi State Governor. Prosecutions counter-affidavit In a counter-affidavit opposing the defendants bail application, sworn to by Oluwafemi Popoola, argued that the so-called novel facts presented by the defendants were misleading. He said the defendants claimed that the terrorism charge against Bello Bodejo, which they were alleged to have financed with state funds, had been withdrawn and that he was discharged. Mr Popoola explained that Bello Bodejo was merely discharged and not acquitted and that the prosecution reserves the right to charge him in the instant criminal proceedings or elsewhere. He added that the defendants affidavit, which argued their incarceration was causing a crisis in Bauchi States civil service, was speculative. He further described the bail application as a fierce contest to the merits of the charge, rather than a genuine request for bail. Judicial discretion prevails The judge considered the arguments for and against granting bail to the four defendants accused of funding terrorism. He stressed that judicial discretion is key in granting bail, as each case is considered on its own facts. Mr Umar explained that bail decisions are therefore tailored to the particulars of each application while balancing defendants rights with the need to maintain justice and ensure their presence during trial. He therefore noted that in granting bail, the court considers factors such as the nature of the charge, severity of the potential punishment, strength of the evidence, the defendants criminal record, risk of reoffending, and likelihood of appearing for trial. These factors, he said, serve as guidelines, with the primary purpose of bail being to ensure the defendant attends the trial. After considering the fillings of the defence and the prosecution, the judge opted to approve the bail request, noting that the submissions met the criteria for release. The judge adjourned proceedings until 26 February for commencement of trial. Background The EFCC first arraigned Mr Adamu and three other state officials before the Federal High Court in Abuja on 31 December 2025. READ ALSO: Jigawa court fines herders N500 million over destruction of farmland They were charged with 10 counts of terrorism financing and sundry money laundering offences. The anti-graft agency alleged that the defendants authorised the release of millions of dollars in Bauchi State government funds to certain individuals, including Bello Bodejo, a leader of Miyetti Allah Kautal Hore. The agency said the funds were used, in whole or in part, to finance a terrorist group or terrorist activities, an allegation the defendants denied. A PREMIUM TIMES report provided exclusive details of the allegations, including the roles of various individuals in the cash disbursements at the heart of the charges. The commission said the alleged offences contravened provisions of the Terrorism (Prevention and Prohibition) Act. The case was initially heard during vacation by Mr Nwite of the same court, who refused the defendants bail, holding that they were undeserving because of the nature of the charges. After the court vacation, the case was reassigned to the new judge, Mr Umar. The defendants were then re-arraigned, and their lawyers refiled their bail application, which the new judge granted on Wednesday. OSLO, Jan. 22 (Xinhua) -- Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen said on Thursday that Denmark's sovereignty is not negotiable, after Washington claimed "the framework of a future deal" concerning Greenland and the broader Arctic region had been produced. U.S. President Donald Trump, who had repeatedly demanded to take control of Greenland, said on Wednesday that talks with the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO)'s Secretary General Mark Rutte produced "the framework of a future deal" concerning Greenland and the broader Arctic region. Denmark is open to negotiation on a wide range of issues, including security and economic matters, but sovereignty is not negotiable, Frederiksen stressed in a statement. The security of the Arctic is a matter for all NATO members; therefore, "it is good and natural" that Rutte and Trump discussed it, Frederiksen said. "Denmark has for a long time worked to ensure that NATO increases its engagement in the Arctic," she added. Frederiksen said that Denmark remains committed to constructive dialogue with its allies on strengthening security in the Arctic, including the U.S. "Golden Dome" missile defense system, provided such cooperation respects Denmark's territorial integrity. President Donald Trump has changed his stance on acquiring Greenland as a US territory, saying he reached a framework deal with NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte. He also announced, in a post on Truth Social, that he would no longer impose tariffs on European countries that had opposed his demand. Mr Trump said talks are ongoing with Mr Rutte to bolster security in the Arctic and reduce vulnerability to rival powers. NATO, Mark Rutte, we have formed the framework of a future deal with respect to Greenland and, in fact, the entire Arctic Region. This solution, if consummated, will be a great one for the United States of America and all NATO Nations. Based on this understanding, I will not be imposing the Tariffs scheduled to go into effect on February 1st. Additional discussions are being held concerning The Golden Dome as it pertains to Greenland. Further information will be made available as discussions progress. Vice President JD Vance, Secretary of State Marco Rubio, Special Envoy Steve Witkoff, and various others, as needed, will be responsible for the negotiations. They will report directly to me, he wrote. This announcement comes weeks after escalating threats toward Europe and insinuating a potential use of force against a NATO ally. Earlier on Wednesday, Mr Trump had remained unwilling to give up his demand for Greenland. When he addressed world leaders at the World Economic Forum in Davos, he slammed Denmark for refusing to cede Greenland, describing the Nordic country as ungrateful. Mr Trump also complained relentlessly about the US being taken advantage of by Europe. He said he wondered why his attempt to take control of Greenland was being met with resistance. EU suspends trade deal Hours before Mr Trumps announcement, the European Parliament suspended the EU-US trade deal struck in July 2025, and agreements with the United States over the tariffs imposed by President Donald Trump during the campaign to acquire Greenland. Reuters reported that the EU parliament had been discussing plans to cut or remove many import duties on US goods much earlier. These plans are a central part of an agreement reached in Turnberry, Scotland. They also include extending zero duties on US lobsters, a deal first made with President Trump in 2020. Although some members of parliament found the trade deal lopsided because the EU would cut most import taxes, while the US would keep a broad 15 per cent rate. However, they had earlier seemed willing to accept it until last Saturday when Mr Trump imposed a 10 per cent tariff on Denmark, Norway, Sweden, France, Germany, the United Kingdom, the Netherlands, and Finland. He had said the tariff will be raised to 25 per cent in June and will remain in place until a deal ceding Greenland to the US is finalised. According to the chair of the legislative trade committee, Bernd Lange, Mr Trumps threats against Denmark and Greenland forced lawmakers to act. By threatening the territorial integrity and sovereignty of an EU member state and by using tariffs as a coercive instrument, the US is undermining the stability and predictability of EU US trade relations, he told the Washington Post. Danish officials also told the Washington Post that Denmark and Greenland floated the idea of a NATO mission for the territory during a meeting with Mr Rutte on Monday. They had hoped it would help defuse the dispute. Denmark has also indicated a willingness to respond to Mr Trumps concerns by increasing the US military footprint in Greenland. Governor Uba Sani has promised that his administration, in collaboration with other security agencies, will ensure the safe return of all those who were abducted in Kurmin Wali village on Sunday. The governor made this pledge on Wednesday when he led a large delegation of senior government officials and heads of security agencies to commiserate with the people of Kurmin Wali. Mr Sani vowed that he would not rest on his oars until the abductees were returned home safely. In the last two days, we have been collaborating with the relevant security agencies, both the military, the DSS, the police, and the Office of National Security Adviser, to ensure the quick return and recovery of our people that were abducted in this very important community, he disclosed. Mr Sani reiterated that the number of people kidnapped does not matter, adding that whether it was one person that was abducted or 100 people, it is the responsibility of the Kaduna State Government to protect the lives and property of the people. The governor condemned those who have been using the unfortunate incident to score a political point, admonishing, We should not be talking about numbers or politics. We are talking about the sanctity of human life and dignity here. And that is the reason why we will go to any length, collaborating with the security agencies, to ensure the quick return of our people here in Kurmin Wali. Mr Sani promised that the Kaduna State Government would foot the medical bills of those who sustained injuries during the unfortunate incident. He also said that he would liaise with the Minister of Defence, Christopher Musa, to station a military base in the community, given its proximity to the kidnapping black spots. According to him, the military had contained insecurity along the Kaduna-Abuja expressway, but bandits have found safer havens in the hinterland, adding that Kurmin Wali is close to Rijana town, one of the epicentres of banditry in the country. Mr Sani also promised that the road linking the community to the highway would be constructed to provide access to Kurmin Wali, pledging that the Commissioner of Public Works would do the necessary assessment prior to the groundbreaking of the project. The governor, who thanked the people for their support, further said that the Kaduna State Government would build a Primary Healthcare Centre at Kurmin Wali. The people of Kurmin Wali, just like other communities in Kaduna State, have absolute trust and belief in our government. This is because they know we are running an inclusive government. We protect the lives of everyone, irrespective of religious or ethnic affiliation. We are one in Kaduna State. And Im happy the people of Kurmin Wali have understood that clearly. That is the reason why when we came in here, you can see how they received us warmly, even those that are mourning, even those that are grieving, they are with the government, he added. In his welcome address, the Agwam Kufana, Chief Dauda Titus, said that he was in Church on Sunday when he received a distress call from Kurmin Wali, notifying him of the attack. He said, We refused to comment on the incident since Sunday because we dont know the number of those that were kidnapped. We only said that there was an attack and some people were abducted. Mr Titus pleaded with the Kaduna State Government to construct the access road from the highway to Kurmin Wali, adding that the trip shouldnt have taken ten minutes, but it took 30 minutes from the main road to the community. The Agwam Kufana also requested the provision of additional social amenities for Kurmin Wali. Speaking during the visit, the National President of Southern Kaduna Peoples Union (SOKAPU), Emmanuel Tabara, commended Mr Sani for visiting Kurmin Wali. He said, You are the first Governor to visit this community, and I have to commend you for your pragmatic leadership. Even in the face of conflicting information, you have initiated action for the rescue of those people who are abducted. Mr Tabara assured the governor that the people were behind him, adding, If it is your detractors in politics that want to use this to diminish your popularity, I am saying they have failed. We have nothing to do with politics, but to identify with altruistic administration of Your Excellency. Mr Tabara prayed to God to give the governor protection and to give you more victories in every of your endeavours. (NAN) A high-level delegation of United States officials will visit Nigeria to discuss with the Nigerian government about protecting Christian communities and strengthening counterterrorism efforts. The US State Department disclosed in a statement issued on Wednesday that this visit is part of a broader diplomatic tour spanning Africa, the Middle East, and Europe. The tour will run for a week, from 21-29 January. The delegation is led by the Under Secretary of State Allison Hooker, who will also serve as the head of the US-Nigeria joint working group. The US government, through the working group, will support Nigeria in combating terrorism while also increasing US investment opportunities in the country. In Nigeria, the Under Secretary will serve as the head of delegation for the U.S.-Nigeria Joint Working Group and will support the administrations efforts to protect Christian communities, counter terrorism, and expand U.S. investment opportunities, the statement read. Mr Trump has falsely claimed that Christians were being persecuted in Nigeria and that Christianity faces an existential threat in the country. In October, he declared Nigeria a Country of Particular Concern over the matter. He then described Nigeria as a disgraceful country and threatened to take military action should the government continue to allow killing of Christians. Although Nigeria denied the allegations multiple times, and local and international organisations described them as inaccurate, Mr Trump insisted on them, noting that US military action against Nigeria would be fast, vicious, and sweet. On 25 December, the US launched missile strikes in Nigeria in partnership with Nigerian authorities who provided intelligence to their American counterparts. PREMIUM TIMES reported the strikes, with Mr Trump saying they were part of the US effort to stop the operations of radical Islamic groups in the country. Two weeks ago, the American president warned that there could be more US strikes in Nigeria if what he called attacks on the countrys Christian population persisted. Id love to make it a one-time strike But if they continue to kill Christians, it will be a many-time strike, Mr Trump said. More details of expected visit The announced visit is the latest involving top officials of Nigeria and the US since Mr Trump began his verbal antagonism toward Nigeria. PREMIUM TIMES reported the visit of a Nigerian delegation, led by National Security Adviser Nuhu Ribadu. That delegation met with top US officials, including Secretary of War Peter Hegseth. There have also been two US Congressional delegations to Nigeria. The coming visit of the US officials to Nigeria is part of a broader diplomatic tour spanning Africa, the Middle East, and Europe. The delegation will also be visiting Oman, Bahrain, and Italy. After Nigeria, the delegation will visit Oman and Bahrain to engage with key government officials. The discussions will centre on deepening cooperation across shared priorities, including regional security, economic ties, and cultural exchange. Italy will be the delegations final destination, with talks planned with Italian officials on the Russia-Ukraine war, Venezuela, and Middle East peace efforts. The delegation will also engage with UN agencies, including the World Food Programme and the Food and Agriculture Organisation. This meeting is to discuss accountability and oversight for the US-funded assistance, as well as creating new agricultural trade opportunities for American farmers, the statement read. The Chief Judge of Rivers State, Simeon Chibuzor-Amadi, has declined a request from the Rivers State House of Assembly to set up a seven-member panel to investigate allegations of gross misconduct against Governor Siminalayi Fubara and his deputy, Ngozi Odu. In a letter dated 20 January and addressed to the Speaker of the House, Martin Amaewhule, Mr Chibuzor-Amadi cited two interim injunctions by a state high court as reason for his decision. PREMIUM TIMES reported that the Rivers State High Court in Port Harcourt issued two interim injunctions restraining the state assembly and the chief judge from going ahead with its impeachment proceedings against Mr Fubara and Mrs Odu, a professor. The governor and his deputy had filed two separate suits on the matter upon which the court issued two separate injunctions against the assembly and the chief judge. The court orders came shortly after the lawmakers requested the chief judge to set up a seven-member panel to probe allegations of gross misconduct against Mr Fubara and his deputy. My hand is fettered Mr Chibuzor-Amadi said in the letter that the existence of the two court injunctions and the pending appeal by the Speaker had legally disabled him. The chief judge further said that the speaker appeal against the court orders at the Court of Appeal had added another layer to the ongoing legal proceedings surrounding the allegations. In view of the foregoing, my hand is fettered, as there are subsisting interim orders of injunction and appeal against the said orders. I am therefore legally disabled at this point from exercising my duties under Section 188(5) of the Constitution in the instant, he said. He emphasised that constitutionalism and the rule of law require all authorities to obey subsisting court orders, irrespective of their perception of the orders validity. Mr Chibuzor-Amadi referenced a similar case in 2007 in which the chief judge of Kwara State was roundly condemned in strong language for ignoring a restraining court order when setting up an investigative panel, a decision later voided by the Court of Appeal. By the doctrine of lis pendens, parties and the court have to await the outcome of the appeal, he said. The chief judge appealed to the lawmakers to recognise the legal constraints surrounding the matter. He also urged the state assembly to be magnanimous enough to appreciate the legal position of the matter. Background On 8 January, Rivers State House of Assembly, began impeachment proceedings against Governor Fubara and his Deputy, Mrs Odu, over alleged gross misconduct. The latest was the third attempt by the lawmakers to impeach the Rivers governor since he was elected into office in 2023. The impeachment move came shortly after the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, accused the governor of reneging on the terms of a peace deal brokered by President Bola Tinubu in June last year. On 15 January, the assembly failed to reconvene despite earlier shifting its sitting until the day. This fuelled speculations the lawmakers might drop the impeachment move. However, on 16 January, the lawmakers announced that the impeachment process would go on as earlier planned. The assembly subsequently requested the chief judge to set up a panel to investigate the allegations of gross misconduct against the governor and his deputy. President Bola Tinubu has approved the posting of four ambassadors-designate, out of the 68 confirmed by the Senate last December. President Tinubu confirmed the postings of Ayodele Oke as the ambassador-designate to France, and Lateef Are as the ambassador-designate to the United States of America. Also confirmed by the President is the posting of Amin Dalhatu, former ambassador to South Korea, as the high commissioner-designate to the United Kingdom. Usman Isa Dakingari Suleiman, former governor of Kebbi, is the ambassador-designate to Turkey, where the president is scheduled to begin a state visit next week. In a memo to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, President Tinubu urged the ministry to notify the governments of the four countries about the ambassadors-designate, in accordance with diplomatic procedures. Bayo Onanuga, Special Adviser to the President Information & Strategy January 22, 2026 The National Hajj Commission of Nigeria (NAHCON) has intensified preparations for the 2026 Hajj with the hosting of senior officials of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabias Ministry of Hajj and Umrah on Wednesday in Abuja. The meeting, monitored by PREMIUM TIMES, focused on addressing quotas, visa processing, and airlift challenges affecting Nigerian pilgrims. The Saudi delegation, led by Ghassan Al-Nuaimi, a professor, arrived in Nigeria earlier on Tuesday. The visit forms part of early coordination for the 2026 pilgrimage and precedes the maiden official visit of the Saudi Minister of Hajj and Umrah to Nigeria on 3 February. NAHCON Chairman, Abdullahi Usman, a professor, who recently returned from Saudi Arabia as part of ongoing preparations for the 2026 Hajj, led the Nigerian delegation and chaired the meeting. Operational readiness Commissioner for Operations, Anofiu Elegushi, briefed the delegation on Nigerias preparedness for Hajj 2026, highlighting early engagements with airlines, accommodation planning in Makkah and Madinah, and the timely submission of pilgrims data before arrival in the Kingdom. Mr Elegushi reiterated NAHCONs commitment to strict compliance with Saudi regulations, stressing that no Nigerian pilgrim would be allowed to depart without complete documentation submitted at least 72 hours before departure. Challenges Key deliberations centered on operational challenges, including reduced Hajj quotas, limited accommodation capacity in the holy cities, airlift constraints, and delays in Umrah visa issuance affecting tour operators. NAHCON formally requested additional Hajj slots, improved accommodation allocation, and expedited airline approvals, while raising concerns over recurring visa challenges. The Saudi delegation assured that the issues would be reviewed through the appropriate administrative channels. Saudi officials underscored the importance of adhering strictly to international Hajj timelines, warning that early preparation is mandatory and deadline extensions may not be granted. They also highlighted new health and safety requirements, including compliance with updated medical standards for pilgrims. Addressing concerns over pilgrim overstays, NAHCON disclosed that measures such as biometric data capture and a centralised pilgrim tracking system are already in place to strengthen monitoring and compliance. At the close of the meeting, both parties reaffirmed their commitment to sustained collaboration. The Saudi delegation pledged continued technical support and diplomatic engagement to ensure a safe, efficient, and successful 2026 Hajj for Nigerian pilgrims, in line with the vision of NAHCON chairman. The Zamfara State chapter of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has commended the ruling of the Federal High Court in Abuja which it said upheld the partys stance on its national secretary. The acting state chairman, Hassan Daudawa, spoke in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Gusau, the Zamfara State capital, on Wednesday. Mr Daudawa said the ruling has encouraged party followers at all levels and strengthened confidence in the PDPs internal processes. NAN reported that the Federal High Court, Abuja, on Tuesday dismissed a suit filed by Samuel Anyanwu over the PDP national secretary position. The judge, Mohammed Umar, struck out the suit after Mr Anyanwus lawyer disclosed that the plaintiffs tenure expired in December 2025. Those sued included the PDP, INEC, Umar Damagun, Sunday Udeh-Okoye, Ali Odela and Setonji Koshoedo. Mr Daudawa said, We rejoice because this development strengthens our internal administrative mechanisms and enables the party to sponsor candidates for the 2027 elections. He added that all party organs, including the NWC, NEC, Board of Trustees and national delegates, remain valid and functional. Mr Daudawa congratulated the PDP national headquarters and reaffirmed loyalty to the leadership of Kabiru Turaki, describing it as the authentic party leadership. Monica Nku, a National Youths Service Corps (NYSC) member serving in Edo State, on Thursday donated 1,000 doses of Tanzol deworming tablets to the states Ministry of Health. The donation is to support efforts to reduce worm infections among schoolchildren in the state. The donation, carried out as part of her Community Development Service (CDS), is a follow-up to the health sensitisation campaign she led at Anglican Girls Grammar School, Benin City, where she educated students on deworming and personal hygiene. Presenting the drugs, Ms Nku said that the initiative was motivated by her observations during the outreach. I was able to sensitise about 1,000 students, and I observed that many school-aged children suffer from worm infection without knowing it. This infection affects their health, growth and learning ability. Some children feel weak, have stomach pain, lose their appetite and perform poorly in school because of worms, the NYSC member said. She explained that the tablets were meant to be distributed free to children through public health facilities. Today, I am donating 1,000 doses of deworming tablets for distribution to primary health centres, public hospitals and pharmacies, which should be given to children free on my behalf, Ms Nku said. The corps member also linked the prevalence of worm infections to poor hygiene practices. I noticed that poor personal hygiene, such as walking barefoot, not wearing footwear and not washing hands properly, increases the spread of infection among children, she added. Ms Nku noted that the project was designed to protect the health of students, reduce sickness and help them live a healthy and productive life. Receiving the donation, the state Commissioner for Health, Cyril Oshiomhole, commended Ms Nku for the gesture, assuring her that the drugs would be deployed appropriately. This is a commendable effort, and we assure you that the donation will be used accordingly to benefit the intended recipients, he said. The NYSC Local Government Inspector for Oredo, Theresa Ayanru, also praised the corps member for her commitment to service beyond routine obligations. Right from the orientation camp, she already planned what she wanted to do. She did not want to come and serve like everyone else. From camp, she started her own personal project, she said. The News Agency of Nigeria reports that Ms Nkus health-focused CDS builds on her earlier interventions during the 2025 NYSC orientation camp, where she donated 300 sanitary pads to female corps members to promote menstrual hygiene and dignity. The Oyo State High Court in Ibadan, on Wednesday, adjourned until March 4 and March 5, the continuation of hearing in the trial of Mukaila Lamidi, widely known as Auxiliary, a former chairman of the state Park Management System. Trial judge O.A. Adetujoye on Tuesday adjourned the alleged armed robbery and murder case against Mr Lamidi due to the defendants purported ill health. The judge consequently summoned the medical doctor at the Agodi Custodial Centre of the Nigerian Correctional Service (NCoS) to appear before her to speak on the health status of Mr Lamidi. He once chaired the Oyo State chapter of the National Union of Road Transport Workers (NURTW), which was later proscribed in the state by the Oyo State Government and replaced with the Park Management System. Mr Lamidi was appointed to head the Park Management System and held the position until he fell out with the state government which accused him of murder, armed robbery and other related offences. During the proceedings, the medical doctor, Adeyemi Babatunde from the Agodi Custodial Centre, informed the court that Mr Lamidi had been coming to the hospital before, but had been stable. Mr Adeyemi said that Mr Lamidi was brought from court on Tuesday and he was informed that the latter slumped while sitting waiting for his case to be mentioned. The medical doctor said that further tests needed to be conducted on the defendant to know what was actually wrong with him. The News Agency of Nigeria reports that proceeding in Lamidis case on Tuesday could not continue because of the defendants absence due to purported ill health. Defence lawyer Olalekan Ojo, who is a Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN), while addressing the court, said he learnt that Mr Lamidi was sick. Surprised, the judge asked the state prosecution team comprising O.S Tella, Deputy Director of Public Prosecutions; O.A Bolarinwa, Senior State Counsel; and F.F Gbadamosi, if they were aware of the development. The lead prosecutor, O.S. Tella, told the judge she knew about the whole incident, as seen in the open court. Mr Lamidi collapsed inside the courtroom during proceedings on Tuesday. Auxiliary reportedly slumped while seated, triggering panic and prompting swift intervention by court officials and security personnel. The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that Mr Lamidi was initially arraigned in the case on charges of armed robbery and murder at Eruwa, Ibarapa LGA. The case was later moved to Ibadan. (NAN) KIEV, Jan. 22 (Xinhua) -- Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said on Thursday that his meeting with U.S. President Donald Trump was "productive and substantive." "We discussed the work of our teams, and practically every day there are meetings or communication. The documents are now even better prepared," he wrote on X, after their meeting earlier in the day in Davos, Switzerland. Zelensky said that the talks also covered Ukraine's air defense, and thanked Trump for the previous package of air defense missiles before asking for an additional package. A witness told the FCT High Court in Apo, Abuja, on Wednesday that former Minister of Power and Steel, Olu Agunloye, failed to follow the directive of the Federal Executive Council (FEC) regarding the award of the controversial Mambilla power project in 2003. Umar Babangida, an Assistant Commissioner of Police (ACP) and investigator with the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), told the court that FEC kicked against the proposal requiring the federal government to pay $1.5billion as its 25 per cent equity participation in the $6 billion power project. The witness said the FEC, rather than approve the proposal, asked Mr Agunloye to explore other options that would ensure the governments reduced contribution to the project. Mr Agunloye is embroiled in an alleged $6 billion Mambilla power project fraud case, in which the EFCC is prosecuting him on seven counts of forgery, receiving gratification, and disobedience to presidential directives regarding the contract award in May 2003. The project was a proposed 3,960 MW hydroelectric facility located in Kakara village, Taraba State, which never saw the light of the day. The prosecution said Mr Agunloye disobeyed the directive by signing a letter addressed to Sunrise Power and Transmission Company Limited (SPTCL), purportedly conveying the approval of the Government of the Federal Republic of Nigeria for the construction of the 3,960 megawatts Mambilla Hydroelectric Power Station. The anti-graft agency first arraigned him in 2024. But following an amendment of the charges, he was re-arraigned in September 2025. Mr Agunloye pleaded not guilty to the charges on both occasions. He has also described the charges as baseless, false and malicious. Wednesdays proceedings featured the cross-examination of prosecution witness Babangida by defence lawyer Adeola Adedipe, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN). Mr Adedipe asked the witness if the FEC asked Mr Agunloye to withdraw the memorandum and get a lesser deal. The witness replied, Yes, the minister was asked to withdraw the memorandum and to engage investors in constructive negotiations, but the defendant failed to do so. Mr Adedipe then asked Mr Babangida to read the letter of award to SPTCL authored by the defendant, dated 22 May 2003. The content of the letter disclosed that the award of the contract to SPTCL was reduced from 25 per cent to between zero per cent and not more than 10 per cent. Mr Babangida said that while that was true, in reality, it was not what transpired. Obasanjos angle The witness also said prior to the presentation of the memorandum to the FEC, then-President Olusegun Obasanjo asked Mr Agunloye to add N11 billion to the already appropriated N6 billion for the take-off of the Mambila project. Mr Obasanjo has been critical of Mr Agunloye over the project in recent years. He said last year that he testified in the arbitration proceedings in France regarding the contractual disputes arising from the projects to counter Mr Agunloyes claims about the matter. Mr Umar, who started testifying as the prosecution witness last year, also said in his testimony in December 2025 that Mr Obasanjo had indicated his interest in testifying in the ongoing trial. He also told the court that his team of EFCC investigators had already interviewed Mr Obasanjo regarding the case. Mr Babangida, who was testifying then under cross-examination by defence lawyer, Mr Adedipe, also said Mr Obasanjo insisted the FEC under his leadership as the then-president, never approved the award of the contract in 2003 as claimed by Mr Agunloye. But at the resumed cross-examination by the defence lawyer on Wednesday, Mr Babangida, an Assistant said Mr Obasanjo gave Mr Agunloye a directive to add N11 billion to the project cost at a private meeting held the night before the FEC meeting in 2003. He said Mr Obasanjo asked Mr Agunloye to include the N11 billion cost in a memorandum to be submitted at the FEC meeting, Mr Babangida said. The witness said Mr Obasanjo disclosed his directives at the FEC meeting but did not provide the full details of the private meeting with Mr Agunloye. The details of the discussion of the previous day were not fully given by the former president, and it was preparatory to the final approval by the FEC, the witness said. However, he added that upon deliberation, the FEC kicked against the addition. Instead, former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar and a sitting minister whose name was not mentioned called for a reduced government participation. When Mr Adedipe asked the witness if this served as the basis for the withdrawal of the memorandum directed by Mr Obasanjo, Mr Babangida said, That is not entirely correct. There were several observations raised by the former vice president and the members of the executive council. Trial judge Jude Onwuegbuzie adjourned the case until 2 February. Babangidas previous testimony During cross-examination on Monday, the witness told the court that Mr Agunloye followed Mr Obasanjos instructions by ensuring 25 per cent government participation when he recommended SPTCL for the project. Mr Babangida stated that the SPTCL had proposed 35 per cent government participation in the project, while Tafag Nigeria Limited proposed 25 per cent. But Mr Obasanjo insisted on the same parameters for both companies, maintaining that the government should not take more than 25 per cent stake in the project, the witness said. Mr Babangida also quoted Mr Obsanjos response to a letter by Mr Agunloyes predecessor as power minister, Olusegun Agagu. According to the witness, Mr Obasanjo wrote, Minister, approved. Please, give the two the same parameter, that is, the Federal Governments participation not higher than 25 per cent. The tariff should not be higher than the prevailing tariff of thermal plants. In June 2024, a compliance officer with Guaranty Trust Bank (GTB), Adebayo Ilori, narrated how one Jude Sotirin, a staff member of SPTCL, transferred multiple times money amounting to N5 million to Mr Agunloye. However, another witness, Adewale Agunbiade, a former bank compliance officer, declined to testify because he no longer worked for the bank and lacked authorisation from his present employer to speak in court. Background The project, first awarded in 2003 to SPTCL by the Obasanjo administration, is the subject of decades of a legal dispute that is now under international arbitration between the company and the Nigerian government. Mr Obasanjo, in 2023, accused Mr Agunloye of fraudulently awarding the contract to the company without approval. However, the former minister dismissed these claims, alleging that he was being used as a scapegoat to escape sanction for abandoning contractual agreements on the project. The project, intended to generate 3,960 megawatts of electricity, was designed to be executed on a build, operate, and transfer basis. In the same year, he was declared wanted by the EFCC over the case. The day after, he surrendered himself to the EFCC for interrogation over the failed multi-billion-dollar Mambilla Hydropower project. Mr Agunloye filed a suit against the EFCC, alleging abuse of his fundamental rights. In March 2024, the Federal High Court in Abuja dismissed the suit. The Kano State Governor, Abba Yusuf, has vowed to sign the death warrants for convicted killers, following Saturdays brutal murder of a woman and her six children in the Dorayi Charanchi Quarters of the state metropolis. The governor made the pledge on Wednesday, when he visited the bereaved father and widower, Haruna Bashir. The authorities in Kano are currently prosecuting several individuals linked to killings in the state. Particularly tragic is the impact on minors of two of the three latest attacks. The police in the state are prosecuting a private school teacher, Abdulmalik Tanko, for allegedly kidnapping and killing his five-year-old pupil, Hanifa Abubakar, in January 2022. The police are also prosecuting Shafiu Abubakar, 38, for allegedly setting fire to a mosque in the Gezawa Local Government Area, killing 17 people in 2024. After the latest incident in Dorayi Chiranchi, Governor Yusuf said that his firm stance on capital punishment extends to those high-profile cases of little Hanifa Abubakar and the Gezawa mosque arson attack. According to a statement by the governors spokesperson, Sunusi Bature, the state government has approved full funding for Mr Bashir to perform Hajj and Umrah, and is giving him a new house and welfare support. Mr Bature said the state will support Mr Bashir in remarrying and restarting his life. In a gesture of gratitude for the governments intervention, Mr Bashir donated his personal residence to the Kano State Government for conversion into an Islamiyya school for the host community, the statement added. The tragedy occurred on Saturday afternoon when assailants stormed Mr Bashirs residence and callously murdered his wife and six children. On Sunday, the police announced that three suspects had been taken into custody in connection with the incident. Governor Yusuf has directed the state attorney-general and commissioner for Justice to fast-track the prosecution of the suspects. The governor reiterated that he would ensure justice is served and reaffirmed his commitment to signing death sentences for those found guilty. He commended the police, the State Security Services (SSS), and other security agencies for their swift synergy and effective action in apprehending the suspects. The Olubadan of Ibadan, Oba Rashida Ladoja, said insecurity in Nigeria is lasting too long. Mr Ladoja stated this, on Thursday, at the 2026 Daily Trust Dialogue held at the Nigerian Air Force (NAF) Conference centre in Abuja. The dialogue, which has entered its 23rd year, is themed: Nigerias Fourth Republic: What is Working and What is Not. The Olubadan, who was the special guest of honour at the event, referenced the words of Nigerias Foreign Affairs Minister, Yusuf Tuggar, when he spoke to the CNN at the ongoing World Economic Forum (WEF) in Davos, Switzerland, on Wednesday. Mr Tuggar urged investors not to judge Nigerias prospects through isolated security incidents. A foreign minister in Davos was pleading with the investors that what we have in Nigeria is not generalized insecurity but scattered insecurities, Olubadan said, referring to Mr Tuggars position. While the traditional ruler said he agrees with the minister, he lamented that insecurity is lasting too long. Nobody feels safe because you dont know where the next attack will come, he said Mr Ladoja, who was crowned as Olubadan last year, also disputed the claims that Nigerias security problem is religious. I dont agree it is a religious issue, he said, noting some perpetrators have made it look that way. Insecurity has lingered for more than 10 years in Nigeria starting with militancy in Niger Delta, insurgency in the North-east and banditry and kidnapping in other parts of the northern region. But the crisis has been poorly framed as a religious one, prompting the recent threats by US President Donald Trump. The threats culminated in a missile attack on 25 December 2025 in Sokoto State, targeted at terrorists operating in the region. The Nigerian government said it cooperated with US authorities for the attack and provided the intelligence used. The Supreme Court on Thursday dismissed the appeal initiated by the Lagos State Government to challenge the acquittal of Hamza Al-Mustapha in the case of the murder of Kudirat Abiola, wife of M.K.O Abiola believed to have won the historic 12 June 1993 presidential election. Resting the legal case that has lingered in dockets across the Nigerian court hierarchies for over 25 years, a five-member panel of the Supreme Court threw out the appeal on grounds of abandonment by Lagos State Government. Paul Daudu, a lawyer to Mr Al-Mustapha, who served as the chief security officer to the late Nigerian dictator Sani Abacha, told the panel of justices that the Lagos State Government had not taken any step to pursue the case after obtaining the Supreme Courts approval to reopen the appeal in 2014. Mr Daudu, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria, told the court that not even a notice of appeal had been filed by the Lagos State Government since 2014. Worse still, the state government sent no representative to court for Thursdays proceedings despite being served with hearing notice as far back as 2020, a development that incensed the Supreme Court panel on Thursday. Kudirat killed Kudirat was gunned down in Lagos on 4 June 1996, while her husband, M.K.O Abiola, was in detention ordered by the military dictator Mr Abacha in the heat of the crisis stemming from the 12 June 1993 presidential election. Her death shook the nation and gained global attention, rallying support for the pro-democracy movement in Nigeria. The 1993 election, reputed to be, arguably, the most credible in Nigerias history was annulled by the regime of Ibrahim Babangida, setting off crises that saw him hurriedly handing over to an interim national government in August 1993. Mr Abacha took power in November 1993 by pushing aside the Ernest Sonekan-led interim national government. Mr Abacha, who ruled Nigeria with iron fist, brutally suppressed pro-democracy campaigns for the restoration of Mr Abiolas mandate which he was believed to have won in the 12 June 1993 presidential election. Mr Abiola would die in custody under controversial circumstances in July 1998. Mr Abachas regime was blamed for a series of assassinations of pro-democracy figures, including Kudirat, campaigning for what was then known as the actualisation of June 12. After the dictators death in June 1998, Mr Al-Mustapha and a host of other top figures of the Abacha regime, including the son of the late dictator, Mohammed Abacha, were arrested for some high-profile murders that took place under the regime. Mr Al-Mustapha, accused of ordering and facilitating the killing of Kudirat, was charged by the Lagos State Government with the murder in 1999. He was charged alongside Lateef Sofolahan, described then as Kudirats personal assistant that allegedly leaked Kudirats itinerary to the regimes killer squad. Mr Sofolahan would later deny ever serving as Kudirats aide. Mr Abachas son, Mohammed, also briefly stood trial for the murder but was discharged early in the case. Conviction and death sentence After about 13 years of trial, the Lagos State High Court, on 30 January 2012, convicted and sentenced Mr Al-Mustapha and Mr Sofolahan to death by hanging for Kudirats murder. Trial judge Mojisola Dada, the accused persons were found culpable as charged and sentenced them to death by hanging. But the Court of Appeal in Lagos overturned the conviction on 12 July 2013, acquitting Mr Al-Mustapha and his co-defendant, Lateef Shofolahan. The three member-panel of the Court of Appeal was headed by Amina Augie, with Rita Nosakhare Pemu and Fatimo Omoro Akinbami as members. The Court of Appeal cited the contradictions in the testimonies of the prosecutions star witnesses Barnabas Jabila, then sergeant and member of the Abacha regimes Strike Force also known as Sergeant Rogers, and Abdul Mohammed, also known as Katako. Mr Jabila (Sgt. Rogers) had earlier, in his written statement and oral testimony, confessed to firing the bullet which killed Kudirat, and Mr Mohammed had confessed to driving the car with which Kudirat was trailed to the point where she was shot. However, both later denied under cross-examination participating in the killing. While Mr Jabila said he was never in Lagos on the day of the killing but was in the Presidential Villa, Mr Mohammed said he was in Azare, Bauchi State, on the day. The Court of Appeal said the contradictions discredited the testimonies on which the prosecution built its case. Lagos appeal journey The Lagos State Government, which claimed to be displeased with the judgment of the Court of Appeal alleging miscarriage of justice in the decision, only took steps to challenge the verdict at the Supreme Court in 2014, long after the statutory period for filing such an appeal had lapsed. To activate the appeal, the government needed to first obtain the Supreme Courts leave to proceed. It filed its proposed notice of appeal in 2014. It had justified its lateness in filing the appeal on the grounds that it set up two legal teams to review the circumstances of the case and the verdict of the Court of Appeal. The government said that it took a long time for the two legal teams to present their findings and recommended that an appeal case can be filed and sustained. It claimed that it planned to raise its ground of appeal on arguable legal and factual issues, especially the question of whether there is any direct or circumstantial evidence establishing the guilt passed on Mr Al-Mustapha in the murder case. It argued that the contradictions in the testimonies of its star witnesses were immaterial and ought not be the basis for overturning the judgment of the trial court. The government claimed that the testimonies of the second prosecution witness, Mr Jabila, and the third prosecution witness, Mr Mohammed were detailed, graphic and consistent and were not materially discredited even under cross-examination. It said that it would plead with the Supreme Court to uphold and restore the death sentence by hanging placed on Mr Al-Mustapha. On 12 January 2017, the Supreme Court granted the government permission to file the proper appeal against the 12 July 2013 judgement of the Court of Appeal. The then-Acting Chief Justice of Nigeria (CJN), Walter Onnoghen, who headed the five-member panel of the Supreme Court at the time, ordered the Lagos State Government to file its substantive notice of appeal within 30 days The Lagos State Governments application for leave was argued by Osunsanya Oluwayemisi, a senior state counsel in the Lagos State Ministry of Justice. The lawyer to Mr Al-Mustapha, Joseph Daudu, a SAN, did not oppose the application. End of the road The Supreme Court threw out the appeal on Thursday after Mr Al-Mustaphas lawyer reported that the Lagos State Government appeared to have abandoned the case. The lawyer, Pau Daudu, who represented the lead counsel, Joseph Daudu, informed the court that in 2014 when the order to re-open the trial was granted, Lagos was issued a 30 day ultimatum to file its notice of appeal. He explained that more than nine years later, nothing was done to comply with the order. He therefore urged the Court to hold that the appellant had abandoned the case and should be dismissed in its entirety. Ms Abba-Aji, who presided over the matter, sought to know if Lagos was served with hearing notice. The question was answered in the affirmative by the registrar of the court. The justices, thereafter, in a unanimous decision agreed that Lagos had lost interest in the matter and consequently abandoned it. Ms Aba-Aji held that nine years was long enough for the appellant to have filed notice of appeal and the brief of appeal in the matter. Besides, the court expressed disgust that the state government failed to send any legal representative to the proceedings or any information to the court and the respondent despite being served with hearing notice since 2020. Consequently, the matter marked SC/CR/45/2014 was dismissed. Another matter by the Lagos governor marked SC/CR/6/2014 on the same trial was also dismissed on the same ground. (NAN) Seplat Energy has appointed Nigerian businessman and investor Tony Elumelu as a non-executive director, following a change in the companys ownership structure. The company also announced Olivier de Langavants resignation from its board, effective 22 January. Mr de Langavant joined the board in January 2020 as a nominee of Etablissements Maurel et Prom SA, which recently sold its 20.07 per cent stake in Seplat. The board changes were disclosed in a notice filed on the Nigerian Exchange Limited (NGX) and signed by the company secretary, Edith Onwuchekwa, on Thursday, in line with the exchanges listing requirements. Heirs Energies had in December 2025 acquired the 20.07 per cent stake (120.4 million shares) in Seplat Energy Plc previously held by Maurel & Prom S.A. at GBP 3.05 per share, in a deal valued at about $500 million. The transaction was disclosed on the Nigerian Exchange. Mr Elumelus appointment takes effect from the same date. He is the chairman of Heirs Holdings and United Bank for Africa, and leads investments across energy, power, finance, hospitality and other sectors in Africa. His investment firm, alongside Heirs Energies, recently acquired the shares previously held by Maurel & Prom in Seplat. Commenting on the development, Seplats chairman, Udoma Udoma, said the board was confident the appointment would strengthen the companys leadership. On behalf of the Board and Management, I wish to express our profound appreciation to Mr. Langavant for his outstanding contribution to Seplat Energy over the past six years. His expertise and commitment have been instrumental in driving our strategic initiatives. We warmly welcome Mr Elumelu to the Board and look forward to leveraging his wealth of experience and leadership as we continue to pursue sustainable growth and value creation for all stakeholders, he said. Seplat Energy is a Nigerian independent oil and gas company listed on both the Nigerian and London stock exchanges, with 2P reserves of 1.043 billion barrels of oil equivalent and production of 135.6 thousand barrels of oil equivalent per day as of late 2025. Heirs Energies operates OML 17 in the Niger Delta, producing over 50,000 barrels of oil per day and 120 million cubic feet of gas per day, with reserves of more than 1.5 billion barrels of oil and 2.5 trillion cubic feet of gas. The company is a major supplier of gas for domestic electricity generation in Nigeria. The National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) says it has began enforcement on the ban on production and sale of alcohol in sachet and pet bottle below 200ml. The Director-General of NAFDAC, Mojisola Adeyeye, disclosed this at a media parley, organised by the agency, on Wednesday in Lagos. The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that NAFDAC had on 11 November, 2025, announced that it would enforce a total ban on the production and sale of the items, by December 2025, in line with directive of the Senate. However, the proposed enforcement was halted after the federal government called for the immediate suspension of all actions and measures related to the proposed ban, pending the outcome of consultations and final directive. Mrs Adeyeye said that the agency had gotten a marching order from the senate, to enforce the ban, noting that NAFDAC had already commenced enforcement. She noted that the agency took the decision to safeguard public health and protect vulnerable population, particularly children, adolescents, and young adults, from the harmful use of alcohol. She noted that the proliferation of high alcohol content beverages in sachets and small containers, had made such products easily accessible, affordable, and concealable. We already started the enforcement to ban alcohol production in sachet and bottles below 200ml, after we received order from the senate to proceed, she said. NAFDAC is not against alcohol, but we are against its proliferation of high alcohol content in sachet and small bottles, to prevent children from having easy access to it. She noted that prior to her position as NAFDAC boss, sachet alcohol had 50 to 90 per cent concentration of alcohol, describing it as extremely high. We asked the manufacturers to reduced the content to 30 per cent, they went directly to the ministry to express their displeasure, citing loss of jobs and investment. The then Minister of Health gave them a five-year period between December 2018 to 31 January, 2024, to put their business in place, she said. Mrs Adeyeye consequently, reaffirmed the agencys commitment to safeguarding the health of the nation, especially the safety of vulnerable groups like children, through its regulatory activities. (NAN) President Bola Tinubu has approved the commencement of commercial oil drilling at Tongeji Island in Ipokia Local Government Area of Ogun State, Governor Dapo Abiodun said in a statement on Thursday. The Ogun State governor announced the development, which is expected to put Ogun on the list of Nigerias oil-producing one for the first time, while receiving the Flag Officer Commanding, Western Naval Command, Abubakar Mustapha, a rear admiral, during a courtesy visit in Abeokuta, the state capital. Tongeji Island is a small island which lies along waterways near the border with the Republic of Benin. According to reports, it is much closer by boat to Port-Novo in Benin Republic than to major Nigerian urban centres, such as Badagry in Lagos State. It is reachable primarily by water and has historically been difficult to access by road from the Nigerian mainland. The island covers roughly 200 hectares and has a small resident population. As a result of its proximity to Benin Republic, about five minutes by boat from Port-Novo, locals have in the past had to travel across the border for basic services, including healthcare, due to the lack of infrastructure on the island itself. Tongeji is notable for being relatively isolated, surrounded by water and mangrove vegetation, and is reputed to hold crude oil deposits that have attracted recent government interest for commercial drilling. In a post on its X page, the Ogun State Government quoted the governor as saying that the president also approved the immediate kick-off of the long-awaited Olokola Deep Seaport project located in Ogun Waterside Local Government Area. According to the governor, the seaport project, now renamed the Blue Marine Economic Zone, represents a major breakthrough that would help decongest existing ports in Lagos while unlocking significant economic opportunities for coastal communities in Ogun State and beyond. He noted that the federal government has shown strong interest in both projects and that engagements are ongoing to fast-track their implementation. Governor @DapoAbiodunCON commended President Tinubus strong interest in both projects, disclosed ongoing engagements to fast-track implementation, the statement read. Governor Abiodun also commended the Nigerian Navy for upgrading its operational presence at Tongeji Island to a Forward Operations Base, describing the move as critical to strengthening border security and safeguarding emerging economic assets in the area. In his remarks, Mr Mustapha reaffirmed Ogun States strategic importance to national security, especially given its coastal and border locations. He pledged continued collaboration between the Nigerian Navy and the Ogun State Government to enhance security and support economic development initiatives. Governor Alex Otti of Abia State has assured the sacked national chairman of the Labour Party (LP), Julius Abure, and others of forgiveness and reintegration into the party if they are willing to embrace peace and reconciliation. A Federal High Court in Abuja declared on Wednesday that a former Minister of Finance, Nenadi Usman, and not Mr Abure, was the valid national chairperson of the LP, based on the Supreme Courts 4 April 2025 verdict. The court, presided over by Justice Peter Lifu, ordered the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to recognise the Ms Usman-led caretaker committee as the only valid authority to represent the Labour Party, pending the partys national convention. The ruling followed a suit filed by Ms Usman against Mr Abure, the Nigerian Labour Congress, INEC and others. Mr Lifu held that the evidence before the court showed Mr Abures tenure as national chairman had elapsed. While dismissing his claim that the matter was an internal party issue that was not justiciable, the judge said the establishment of the LP caretaker committee was a necessity arising from the Supreme Court order. Mr Abure has vowed to appeal the judgement. Ottis message to Abure, others In a statement issued on Thursday by Ferdinand Ekeoma, the special adviser to the governor on media and publicity, Mr Otti called on those responsible for all the frivolous litigations against the party to sheathe their sword and respect the judgement of the Federal High Court. Mr Otti said the judgement of the Federal High Court is in tandem with that of the Supreme Court, assuring them of forgiveness and proper reintegration as long as they are willing to turn a new leaf and become law-abiding members of the party. He congratulated the LP National Caretaker Committee led by Ms Usman as chairperson and Darlington Nwokocha as secretary on the judgement. This victory is both heartwarming and timely as it provides us with the opportunity of ensuring that peace, order and unity return to the party, while ensuring re-organisation and rejuvenation of the party to become, not just a truly democratic party that meets the high expectations of its members, but a formidable political platform that is poised to achieving electoral victories and rendering good governance at all levels, the governor stated. He charged the leadership of the LP to see the victory as an opportunity to rejig the party and ensure purposeful, inclusive leadership committed to peace, unity and justice, in line with the constitution and ideals of the party. Mr Otti thanked the court for the sound judgement and all lovers of democracy for standing by the party during its trying times. He assured his commitment to continue playing a positive role in deepening democracy and ensuring peace and order in the country. The LP recently appointed Mr Otti as its national leader after Peter Obi, the partys 2023 presidential candidate, defected to the African Democratic Congress. The governor had said he would rather remain in the LP and help rebuild it than defect with Mr Obi. LP leadership crisis The leadership crisis in the LP had earlier led the partys National Executive Committee (NEC) to remove Mr Abure. To fill the leadership vacuum, the party constituted a 29-member caretaker committee chaired by Ms Usman, a former senator. The committee was formed following an expanded stakeholders meeting hosted in Umuahia, the Abia State capital, by Governor Alex Otti. The meeting, where Mr Abure was removed, was chaired by his former ally and the partys 2023 presidential candidate, Peter Obi. Dissatisfied with the decision, Mr Abure approached the Federal High Court to assert his claim to the position of national chairman. In an affidavit filed in support of the suit, Mr Abure said he was lawfully elected acting national chairman at a NEC meeting in Benin City, Edo State, on 29 March 2021. He added that during the NEC meeting in Asaba, Delta State, on 18 April 2023, the tenures of state chairmen whose terms had expired were renewed, anti-party members were expelled, and vacancies were filled. Mr Abure said he was subsequently elected national chairman at the partys national convention on 27 March 2024 in Nnewi, Anambra State. He noted that under his leadership, the party produced governorship candidates in Edo and Ondo states. While both the High Court and Court of Appeal had earlier upheld Mr Abures position and ordered INEC to recognise him, the Supreme Court later overturned the rulings. In the lead judgement delivered by a justice on the panel, Inyang Okoro, the Supreme Court allowed the appeal filed by Ms Usman and Mr Nwokocha. The Supreme Court also rejected Mr Abures cross-appeal and reminded political parties to adhere strictly to their internal rules when appointing officers. The court had also instructed officials whose tenures had ended to step down from their positions. The Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC), Delta State Sector Command, has urged passengers to speak up against reckless driving as a strategy to tackle road accidents. The Sector Commander, Joyce Alexander, made the call on Thursday while addressing reporters on the outcome of the commands Operation Zero Tolerance special patrol. Mrs Alexander said that 10 people lost their lives to road accidents in the state during the period of the special patrol. The patrol started from 15 December 2025 and ended on 15 January 2026. Mrs Alexander said that the number of deaths, however, showed a 30 per cent reduction as against 55 in the previous period of the special patrol, 15 December 2024 to 15 January 2025. According to her, the command recorded 17 road accidents during the latest special patrol period, representing a 23 per cent reduction from the previous period. She said the number of fatal accidents dropped to six, indicating a 17 per cent decrease. The number of persons injured also reduced to 33, marking a significant improvement over the previous operation period. Our enforcement efforts were equally intensified, leading to about 1,230 arrests for various traffic offences. Through the mobile court sittings, offenders were promptly tried in a clear demonstration of our zero tolerance for dangerous driving. Four offenders were committed to the Ogwashi-Uku correctional facility by a magistrate for varying degrees of reckless behaviour. These actions sent a strong message that traffic laws must be obeyed and that impunity on our roads will not be tolerated, she said. The sector commander said that in 2025, the command recorded 143 road accidents, a 6.71 per cent increase compared to 2024, while 449 people sustained injuries, a 32 per cent increase. Considering the increase in traffic volume, economic activities and road usage across the state, maintaining the same fatality level reflects the impact of our sustained enforcement, rescue response and public enlightenment efforts. These figures have further strengthened our resolve to do more. Consequently, the command has already developed additional strategies aimed at improving drivers behaviour, she said. Mrs Alexander listed the strategies to include expansion of public enlightenment, deepening stakeholder collaboration, and enhancing enforcement and rescue capabilities. She said the objective was to reduce accidents and save more lives of road users. Mrs Alexander praised the commands personnel and special marshals for their commitment, sacrifices, and professionalism. She urged road users to obey traffic rules, avoid speeding and dangerous driving, ensure their vehicles are roadworthy, and exercise patience and tolerance in high-traffic areas. Passengers should speak up against reckless driving, while pedestrians are advised to use designated crossings and remain alert at all times. Road safety is a shared responsibility, and only through collective discipline can we achieve safer roads for all. While challenges remain, successes recorded, particularly during Operation Zero Tolerance, clearly demonstrate that with sustained commitment and cooperation, safer roads in Delta State are achievable. In the neighbouring Edo State, at least 11 people were killed, while seven others sustained injuries when a bus and truck collided on 17 January along the BeninAgbor Road. Witnesses said the crash occurred when the bus driver attempted to overtake another vehicle and collided head-on with an oncoming truck. The 18-seater commercial bus was travelling towards Lagos. (NAN) Human rights and civil society groups have condemned the Lagos State Governments relentless demolitions in waterfront and informal settlementsMakoko, Oworonshoki, Owode Onirin, Otumara, and Baba-Ijorawhich have displaced thousands and left at least 12 dead, despite a $200 million World Bank initiative aimed at upgrading slums and improving living conditions. Civil society leaders described the demolitions as part of a systemic attack on the urban poor, carried out without consultation, compensation, or resettlement, raising urgent questions about human rights, governance, and the oversight of international development funds. At a press conference held at the International Press Centre in Ogba, Lagos State, on Thursday, the groups Caccused the government of forcibly evicting residents without notice or plans for relocation. These actions represent a deliberate pattern of state-enabled violence against the urban poor, carried out to clear valuable land for elite interests and private mega-developments, said Zikora Ibeh, the assistant executive director, Corporate Accountability and Public Participation Africa (CAPPA). The press conference statement was signed by Student Coordinator of Makoko Waterfront community, Israel Idowu; Chairman, Owode Motor Spare Parts Market, Abiodun Ahmed; Secretary, Ajegunle Peoples Movement (APM), Tunde Yusuf; Secretary, Coalition of Oworonshoki Demolition Victims,Olanrewaju Olusegun; Founder, Centre for Childrens Health Education, Orientation and Protection (CEEHOPE), Betty Abah, and President, Center for Human and Social Economic Rights (CHSR), Alex Omotehinse. The rest are Assistant Executive Director, CAPPA, Ms Ibeh; President, Egbe Omo Ilaje Worldwide, Iwamitighi Irowainu; Opeyemi Adamolekun of Active Citizen, and a member of #EndbadGovernance Movement, Lagos State, Hassan Taiwo Soweto. Failed World Bank-funded project Ms Ibeh reminded journalists that in 2006, the Lagos State Government identified nine slum communities for a $200 million development initiative financed by the World Bank, the Lagos Metropolitan Development and Governance Project (LMDGP). She stated that the project aimed to upgrade schools, hospitals, markets, and other facilities in informal settlements including Agege, Ajegunle, Amukoko, Badia, Iwaya, Makoko, Ilaje, Bariga, and Ijeshatedo/Itire. However, she said a 2013 PREMIUM TIMES investigation found that the government had only installed a non-functional borehole and an old transformer in Makoko instead of a new one as specified by the World Bank. Ms Ibeh noted that the project, expected to benefit one million people, ended in September 2013 with an unsatisfactory rating from the World Bank. World Bank policy requires that slum upgrading should not displace residents. Despite this, Lagos embarked on aggressive demolitions of major slums shortly afterward. Governments must regulate urban spaces, but true urban renewal must be inclusive and rights-based. Slum renewal cannot mean slum removal, Ms Ibeh said. Ms Ibeh pointed to Nairobi and Cape Town, where governments upgraded informal settlements without mass displacement, protecting residents livelihoods, social networks, and culture. She said Lagos government could adopt similar approaches instead of relying on force. In the statement, the groups said forced evictions have become a persistent feature across Lagos State. Otodo Gbame saw over 30,000 residents displaced in 20162017 despite court orders. In Oworonshoki, homes were demolished in the middle of the night, leaving residents injured and arrested. Orisunmibare, Otto, and Oko Baba experienced similar evictions in 2024, with residents alleging deceit and illegality. Ilaje-Otumara and Baba-Ijora suffered mass demolitions in March 2025, leaving more than 10,000 people homeless and destroying homes, businesses, and places of worship. Makoko demolitions Ms Ibeh explained that the demolitions in Makoko, a historic waterfront community of over 100,000 residents, began on 23 December 2025. She said the Lagos State officials have destroyed more than 3,000 homes and displaced over 10,000 people. Armed security personnel and bulldozers carried out operations using tear gas and setting homes on fire while residents were inside. She stated that at least 12 people, including two infants, have died. Schools, clinics, and places of worship were demolished, leaving many displaced children exposed to the elements and serious health risks. She emphasised that the residents claim they complied with government directives to maintain safe distances from high-tension power lines, but demolitions extended beyond the agreed areasup to 500 meters into the community. She further reiterated that the community leaders allege the government used safety regulations as a pretext to grab land for private interests. Government defence Lagos State Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu has defended the ongoing demolitions, saying the action is necessary to safeguard lives and property. Speaking on Monday after signing the N4.4 trillion 2026 appropriation bill into law, the governor said the demolitions targeted illegal structures built on high-risk areas and power-line setbacks. The safety of lives and property is paramount and must be safeguarded, he said. We had to deploy first responders when a tanker carrying 33,000 litres of fuel fell on a bridge and spilled fuel, and over 100 people were scooping it. If anything had happened, the consequences would have been tragic. Its a similar situation in Makoko. The government is acting to prevent calamity, not to punish anyone. Governor Sanwo-Olu added that many residents had built shanties under high-tension wires, putting themselves at risk. We are not demolishing all of Makoko. We are clearing areas to prevent encroachment on the Third Mainland Bridge and to keep residents away from high-tension lines, he said. The governor also addressed criticisms from NGOs, suggesting some are motivated by financial gain rather than concern for residents, and promised palliative measures including relocation options and grants for affected families. Government neglect and contempt for the law The groups argue that the government has consistently failed to provide basic infrastructure, sanitation, potable water, and healthcare, yet weaponises these failures to justify forced evictions. The statement said the state has repeatedly defied court orders. In October 2025, human rights lawyer Femi Falana, who is a Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN), secured an interim injunction to halt demolitions in Oworonshoki, which the government ignored. In 2025, the Federal High Court restrained the government and its agencies from further demolitions in waterfront communities, awarding N3 million in damages for previous abuses. Civil society groups claim the government has not paid the award. Voices from the community, CSOs demands Residents of Makoko and Ajegunle shared harrowing accounts of displacement and violence at the press conference. Idowu Israel, Makoko student coordinator, said demolitions extended 500 meters into the community, and tear gas injured women, children, and the elderly. He reported that a newborn died after inhaling tear gas, and a woman recently giving birth bled to death after a bulldozer blocked access to medical care. Abiodun Ahmed, chairman of the Owode Motor Spare Parts Market, alleged that security operatives demolished shops overnight, seized goods and vehicles, and demanded N50,000 per vehicle for retrieval. Also, Secretary, Ajegunle Peoples Movement (APM), Tunde Yusuf, said officials displaced elderly residents and destroyed homes to make way for a logistics hub. Civil society leaders demanded an immediate halt to all demolitions, the provision of safe emergency shelters for displaced families, access to education and healthcare, and full compensation for destroyed homes, schools, and livelihoods. They also called for transparent resettlement plans, a public apology from the governor, and accountability for state violence. The groups warned that Lagos cannot claim global-city status while treating its poorest residents as disposable obstacles to profit. Background Lagos has a long history of forced evictions in informal settlements, often justified as urban renewal initiatives but widely criticised for violating residents rights. Waterfront and slum communities such as Otodo Gbame, Oworonshoki, Orisunmibare, and Ilaje-Otumara have faced mass demolitions in recent years, displacing tens of thousands of people despite court orders and legal protections. Makoko, one of Lagos historic waterfront communities, has frequently been at the center of state-led demolition campaigns. Rights groups have described these actions as illegal, violent, and discriminatory. The Lagos Metropolitan Development and Governance Project (LMDGP), a $200 million World Bank initiative launched in 2006, aimed to upgrade slums and improve infrastructure without displacing residents. Observers, including Amnesty International, have criticised Lagos subsequent demolitions for contradicting the projects objectives. Civil society groups, such as Slum Dwellers International, emphasised that the recurring forced evictions undermine residents livelihoods and Lagos aspirations as a global city, underscoring the need for inclusive, rights-based urban development strategies. BEIJING, Jan. 22 (Xinhua) -- China opposes the practice of making unfounded allegations and using the country as a pretext for selfish gains, Foreign Ministry spokesperson Guo Jiakun said Thursday in response to the latest development surrounding Greenland. "China always believes that the purposes and principles of the UN Charter should be upheld when handling relations between countries," Guo said at a regular news briefing. U.S. President Donald Trump said on Wednesday that talks with NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte produced "the framework of a future deal" concerning Greenland and the broader Arctic region. A NATO spokesperson reportedly said that negotiations between Denmark, Greenland and the United States would go forward aimed at ensuring that Russia and China never gain a foothold in Greenland economically or militarily. "The so-called China threat is baseless," Guo said. President Bola Tinubu, on Thursday in Abuja, charged the newly sworn-in chairman and commissioners of the Federal Character Commission (FCC) to uphold the peace and stability of the nation by being fair and just in their service. The president, who swore in the Chairman, Hulayat Omidiran, and the commissioners, admonished them to seek ways of contributing to the growth and advancement of the country. He said the commission is the nations conscience. The president said the commissioners have a critical role in stabilising the country, given the nations complexities. What you represent here today is the conscience of our nation. What you have been assigned to do is to promote and stabilise the conscience of this country, to ensure diligent, committed, and patriotic citizenry, he stated. President Tinubu said the nation has all it takes to be great, prosperous, and productive, considering its human and natural resources, and urged citizens to be committed to national development. If I can borrow from the exhortation of President John F. Kennedy of the United States, he asked the Americans, and I am asking you to ask yourselves what you can do for the country. It should not be all the time about what this country can do for you, but about what you can do to make this country great and greater. Now that you have been inaugurated to reflect the federal character, the complexity and diversity of this country is all in your hands, and I say God will continue to guide you in this critical assignment, the president stated. Mrs Omidiran thanked President Tinubu for the opportunity to serve and for carefully selecting the commissioners. She assured the president that the commission will fulfil its mandate to ensure fairness in representation. I want to assure Mr President that under my watch, the commission will pursue its constitutional responsibility diligently in line with the Renewed Hope Agenda of this administration. On behalf of all of us here, we promise to promote the strength of our diversity and rekindle the hope and aspirations of Nigerians in carrying out our constitutional mandate, under your guidance, the chairman said. The Federal Character Commission is responsible for ensuring that socio-economic amenities, development projects, and employment opportunities are shared fairly and equitably by targeting underserved communities and promoting inclusivity for women, youth, and persons with disabilities. It has one commissioner from each of the 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory. Bayo Onanuga Special Adviser to the President (Information & Strategy) January 22, 2026 The conditions of the evicted residents of Makoko is both a Constitutional and Moral Matter. This level of displacement triggers an immediate duty of care by the state. Therefore, continued silence or delay by the Federal Government to protect and care for our beleaguered citizens in the face of this crisis amounts to complicity in their suffering A government cannot create homelessness and then plead administrative delay. This memorandum is written in defence of the Nigerian Constitution, the dignity of citizenship, and the humanity of some of the poorest Nigerians the poor residents of Makoko, Lagos. Mr President, Mr Governor, 1. Do the poor have a right to the city, or only the rich? 2. Is Lagos a commonwealth of citizens, or a marketplace where land value overrides human value? 3. Does Nigerias democracy protect only those with means, or all citizens? History will most definitely judge your answers, not by the speeches you make but by the actions you take, following from here. Makoko residents are not squatters on the Nigerian soil. They are citizens of Nigeria. They are preyed on by your same political class to vote for your parties during elections. They work. They raise families. Their children, whose education is now disrupted, are some of the most brilliant Nigerians I have met. They contribute to the Lagos economy through fishing, trade, and informal enterprise. Yet, for decades, the residents of Makoko have been treated as though poverty nullifies their citizenship. This memorandum is written for the children of Makoko who now sleep in the open, for their mothers clutching what remains of their households, and for a nation that must decide whether poverty which by the way is mostly the result of bad governance is a crime, and whether justice still means anything in our country. This memorandum is written because a deeply troubling picture has emerged from the morbid silence that follows the heartless demolition of homes far beyond 100 metres of the power line in Makoko. All reasonable people can easily see the injustice to the victims of the demolitions and condemn this dubious state-sanctioned eviction unequivocally. This memorandum is written to demand an immediate halt of the systematic oppression of the poor being done to the people of Makoko by the Lagos State Government, with the silence and acquiescence of the Federal Government. Seizure of Makoko from the residents is unjust, unconstitutional, and morally indefensible. What has happened in Makoko is not about safety nor urban development. What is happening in Makoko is that individuals with the authority of the Nigerian State are engaged in a vicious Class Cleansing to banish the poor from the sight of the powerful and their rich friends. It is widely reported that in earlier meetings with Makokos traditional chiefs and community leaders, officials of the Lagos State Government informed them that the demolition exercise was strictly limited to structures located within a 3050 metre safety corridor from high-tension power lines crossing the lagoon. This was presented as a narrowly defined public safety intervention, consistent with planning regulations around critical infrastructure. Community leaders cooperated in good faith with this representation. However, what has unfolded since then constitutes a fundamental breach of trust and legality. Despite the acceptable distance stipulated by law falling within the 3050 metre range, the demolition has continued far beyond those limits, reportedly surpassing the agreed metre mark and extending deep into the residential core of Makoko, engulfing homes, schools, clinics, and livelihoods that bear no reasonable connection to the original safety justification. A human rights monitoring source cited a range of 277522 metres from the power lines as part of the cleared area, which is far past what was initially communicated. Most alarming is the State-created homelessness and the acute humanitarian emergency now confronting Makoko residents. Thousands of families of men, women, children, the elderly, and persons with disabilities have been rendered instantly homeless by these demolitions. Security forces are deployed against civilians whose only crime is being poor and visible on valuable waterfront land. Many are sleeping in the open, exposed to rain, heat, disease, violence, and hunger. A government that changes the rules mid-exercise, widens demolition boundaries without notice, and substitutes vague administrative assertions for clear legal authority, is not enforcing the law; it has flagrantly abused power. The incontrovertible conclusion to be drawn, is that Nigerians and the rest of the world have just witnessed a King Ahab-level land grab from the poorest of the poor by a pillaging political class that has captured the Nigeria-State. Like poor Naboth in the Bible who was killed by the wicked King Ahab to forcefully grab his land, at least four Nigerians- some of whom called Makoko their home for decades- were reportedly killed in this grand land heist by the Nigeria-State. With the massive destruction of homes in one of Nigerias largest slums, the Nigerian State has shamelessly gone rogue by stealthily using administrative convenience to dispossess the poor of their meagre land assets. Pretending to care about safety, the Lagos State Government has, with the evident complicity of the federal authorities in Abuja, rendered thousands of Nigerians homeless through bulldozers deployed in the name of development, safety, and urban order, and all done without compassion, restraint, or lawful care for human life. Our governments went from a safety claim to forced eviction of our citizens from their lands. What is occurring in Makoko is not merely a technical planning dispute over metres. It is an undisputed constitutional failure of process, transparency, and restraint. Period. Until the latest safety reasons, the repeated justification of demolitions in Makoko was under the banner of urban renewal or megacity aspirations and that in itself reveals a deeply troubling governance mindset. It is the classist mindset that thinks of development as something done to the poor, not with them, and that the city is for the wealthy, while the poor are disposable. A State that cannot build with its poorest citizens but can only bulldoze over them has failed the most basic test of leadership. Global best practice rejects forced evictions. I should know. As then Vice President of the World Bank responsible for forty eight countries in the Africa Region, it was imperative for any of the countries which borrowed money for urban infrastructure projects to present comprehensive environmental and social commitment plans that were consistent with global best practices on how they would treat people in cases like Makoko. What will make Lagos a respected mega-city is to strategically build up to the status of an inclusive city. Inclusive cities invest in in-situ upgrading, secure tenure, sanitation, schools, and livelihoods. Makokos residents and civil society groups have proposed these solutions repeatedly but have persistently been ignored by governments. Painfully, the poor of Makoko have been made to pay, overnight, the price of a citys ambition. With this latest demolition, there is a question that cannot be ignored: What does citizenship really mean if the State can destroy your home and leave you with nothing? Most alarming is the State-created homelessness and the acute humanitarian emergency now confronting Makoko residents. Thousands of families of men, women, children, the elderly, and persons with disabilities have been rendered instantly homeless by these demolitions. Security forces are deployed against civilians whose only crime is being poor and visible on valuable waterfront land. Many are sleeping in the open, exposed to rain, heat, disease, violence, and hunger. Children have been pulled out of school. Livelihoods have been destroyed overnight. The conditions of the evicted residents of Makoko is both a Constitutional and Moral Matter. This level of displacement triggers an immediate duty of care by the state. Therefore, continued silence or delay by the Federal Government to protect and care for our beleaguered citizens in the face of this crisis amounts to complicity in their suffering. Even where governments lawfully acquire land or enforce planning regulations, international standards and basic decency require the immediate provision of temporary shelter, emergency accommodation, sanitation, food access, and protection for displaced persons. To demolish homes without simultaneously providing short-term shelter is not only callous; it is inhumane and unlawful. A government cannot create homelessness and then plead administrative delay. A state that leaves citizens homeless after state action has violated everything that the Nigerian Constitution guarantees the dignity of the human person, the right to a fair hearing, and the obligation of the state to promote social justice and welfare, regardless of how it labels the exercise. The pattern of arbitrary demolitions and displacement in Makoko violates both the letter and spirit of these guarantees. Even where governments lawfully acquire land or enforce planning regulations, international standards and basic decency require the immediate provision of temporary shelter, emergency accommodation, sanitation, food access, and protection for displaced persons. To demolish homes without simultaneously providing short-term shelter is not only callous; it is inhumane and unlawful. I have a few demands as a citizen of Nigeria. I demand the following immediate and non-negotiable actions to correct the injustices and wrongs committed against the residents of Makoko: 1. An immediate halt to all demolitions and evictions in Makoko. 2. Public disclosure and legal clarification of the exact planning standards governing power-line setbacks, including the authority under which demolition exceeded 50 metres. 3. Immediate provision of short-term emergency shelter for all displaced Makoko families, including, temporary housing or safe accommodation, access to water, sanitation, and healthcare, protection for children, women, and vulnerable persons. 4. Compensation and livelihood support for those already displaced. 5. A transparent, participatory process for long-term solutions developed with the community, prioritising security of tenure, access to basic services, and protection of livelihoods through in-situ urban upgrading, rather than mass displacement. 6. Public accountability for past abuses, including the use of force against civilians and by officials who authorised demolition beyond lawful limits. I wish to sound a considered warning to our politicians in and outside of government. A nation that fails to govern well and turns around to criminalise poverty, while celebrating wealth, has completely lost its moral compass and is teetering on the edge. The Nigeria-State can never successfully hide away her poor by seizing their land and killing them. Our distressed country of over 133 million multidimensionally poor people (more than 60 per cent of our population), according to the Nigeria Bureau of Statistics, cannot be respected because we built a city that chases global prestige by crushing its poorest residents to achieve so-called world-class status. With such overwhelming poverty numbers, how many poor Nigerians can your governments, Mr President and Mr Governor evict, kill or hide away from sight? I advice that you both think deeply about this and choose to do right by your majority poor citizens. Start immediately with the grieving children of Makoko and their families. It is fiercely urgent. Obiageli Oby Ezekwesili is the founder of School of Politics, Policy and Governance (SPPG). The US approach to Venezuela is not an anomaly of Donald Trumps presidency; it is consistent with decades of American foreign policy. Intervention, control over resources, and strategic influence have historically outweighed support for democracy and human rights. Understanding this historical pattern helps explain current events in Venezuela and underscores the lessons that have repeatedly gone unheeded by US policymakers. Make no mistake: Nicolas Maduro does not deserve sympathy for his recent kidnap by US President Donald Trump. Maduro, along with his predecessor Hugo Chavez, failed their countrymen. Venezuela, a nation sitting atop the largest proven oil reserves in the world, has been transformed into a major source of refugees. In the most recent presidential election, the rightful winner is still alive and could have been restored to power if that had truly been Americas goal. Meanwhile, figures like Maria Corina Machado, recently awarded the Nobel Prize for her courageous resistance against Maduros regime, receive little attention from US rhetoric. We are told that no American lives were lost during the operation. Cuba, however, reports that nearly 25 of its citizens died in the process. Venezuela is still counting the collateral dead. They were more than 55 at the last count. The US propaganda machine is so effective that the deaths of Cubans, Venezuelans, and others from Shit hole countries, are either ignored or minimised in official narratives. The global public has selective and short memories regarding these events. The staged mock-up of Maduros residence created by US Delta Force for training purposes is quite impressive; but it distracts from the human cost of the operation and other miseries that Mr Trump gloats about! History is written by the victors; the vanquished, whether they are Ugandans at Entebbe, Venezuelans or Cubans today, are left to lick their wounds. From a US perspective, Maduros alleged crimes include responsibility for the refugee crisis affecting Venezuela and its neighbours, including the United States. This is a plausible, even arguable, offence. Even if international law is violated to keep in check a man who will cause an abnormal refugee crisis, many people can understand and perhaps sympathise. Claims that he is a drug dealer, as the reason for his kidnapping, are less convincing and even ridiculous. For context: If the US truly prioritises punishing drug dealers, why was the former President of Honduras, convicted of similar offences, released by Trump? Colombia, a neighbour to Venezuela, remains a global hub for narcotics, yet its leaders have not faced capture. Venezuela sits on the largest proven oil reserves in the world, far outweighing the global value of illicit drugs. It is therefore questionable whether the United States genuinely prioritises the drug trade over strategic interests, such as oil and political influence. Trump himself has made it clear: the government in Caracas must do the right thing or face consequences worse than Maduros. This statement frames US intervention primarily in terms of American interests in oil and resources, not humanitarian concerns. Historical Context: US Interests Abroad Since World War II, the United States has been armed to the teeth! It is, by far, the most militarily interventionist nation in history. No other comes close! American propaganda, which I personally encountered in secondary school via the Voice of America, and other US machines, portrayed the US as a global force for good, and the Soviet Union as the ultimate evil. Nuclear weapons provide a striking example of this selective morality. When the US developed a bomb capable of destroying multiple cities, it was framed as a Godly bomb. When the Soviets created a weapon of equal or greater destructive power, it was deemed Satanic, despite an identical devastation and radiation fallout. Hollywood films, documentaries, and historical accounts reinforce this narrative, highlighting the heroism of US and allied forces, while marginalising the suffering of local populations. For instance, depictions of North Africa during World War II focus on British and German troops, rarely acknowledging the civilians of Tunis, Algiers, Casablanca, or Tangier. Similarly, the Pacific campaigns often omit the experiences of Filipinos, Malaysians, Burmese, Thais, and Indonesians. To the American worldview, what counts are exploitable resources that can benefit the US, even if local populations are destroyed in the process. International law is applied selectively to justify this pursuit. Lessons from History 1. Vietnam After World War II, Vietnam declared independence from France on 2 September, 1945, under Ho Chi Minh and the Viet Minh. Ho Chi Minh sent a letter directly to US President Harry S Truman, appealing for recognition and assistance for an independent Vietnam (Logevall, 2012). He argued that Vietnam had fought against Japanese occupation, in cooperation with US forces, and deserved sovereignty. Ho Chi Minh requested recognition of Vietnamese independence; support in resisting a return to French colonial rule; and diplomatic backing in international forums. The United States ignored these appeals, favouring France as a NATO partner and growing concerns about communist expansion. Consequently, the US supported France economically and militarily in its war against the Viet Minh. Ho Chi Minh was not initially a communist adversary; he was a nationalist seeking independence. A diplomatic engagement at this stage might have prevented decades of war and suffering (Herring, 2002). 2. Iran In 1951, Prime Minister Mohammad Mossadegh of Iran, democratically elected, nationalised the countrys oil industry, previously controlled by the British-owned Anglo-Iranian Oil Company. The CIA, in cooperation with British intelligence (MI6), orchestrated Operation Ajax, a covert coup that removed Mossadegh in August 1953 (Kinzer, 2003). The aftermath strengthened Shah Mohammad Reza Pahlavis autocratic rule and directly contributed to the rise of Ayatollah Khomeini decades later. Mossadegh had been pro-American but prioritised the fair distribution of Irans oil wealth a stance that conflicted with US and British interests. 3. Chile Salvador Allende, a Marxist, was the democratically elected president of Chile in 1970. Declassified documents reveal CIA involvement in economic destabilisation (Project FUBELT) and encouragement of military plots. On 11 September, 1973, General Augusto Pinochet led a coup that resulted in Allendes death and a 17-year dictatorship. Allendes crime in US eyes was prioritising the welfare of his people over American interests (Kornbluh, 2003). 4. Congo Patrice Lumumba, the first democratically elected Prime Minister of the Congo, sought independence from Belgium and requested assistance from the United States. The US refused, and because the Soviet Union offered support, they labelled Lumumba a communist threat. In September 1960, CIA Director Allen Dulles (the nameplate of the largest airport in Washington DC) approved Operation JM/WIGWAM, a covert plan to remove Lumumba. He was ultimately capturedby Mobutu-aligned forces and executed on 17 January, 1961, with Belgian involvement (Nzongola-Ntalaja, 2002). The Pattern From Southeast Asia to South America, the Middle East, and Africa, US interventions have consistently prioritised American interests in oil, lands and other resources, over democracy or human rights. Presidents such as Jimmy Carter or Harry Truman, themselves altruistic people, have occasionally moderated this approach, but the institutional pattern remains clear. Support for democracy is secondary to securing resources, strategic influence, and alignment with US geopolitical objectives. In Donald Trump, the world is confronting a double jeopardy: A greedy nation led by a greedy, infantile, imbecile president. Maduro and Venezuela Today Even if one accepts that Maduro has harmed Venezuelans, does this justify US control of Venezuelas oil industry? Now that Maduro has been captured, is there a clear plan to install a government that respects human rights? Will Trump: Restore the acclaimed winner of the 2024 election? Promote Maria Corina Machado, the Nobel laureate, or Organise free and fair elections under international supervision. None of these options have been publicly supported so far. Instead, the US seems to be negotiating with remnants of Maduros government, many of whom are unpopular and complicit in human rights abuses. Trumps stated goal is to manage Venezuela for Americas interests, while ostensibly considering Venezuelan welfare. But history suggests that American intervention is guided by self-interest, not humanitarianism. Nationalist leaders who prioritise their citizens, rather than US objectives, are unlikely to receive support a pattern repeated throughout history. Conclusion The US approach to Venezuela is not an anomaly of Donald Trumps presidency; it is consistent with decades of American foreign policy. Intervention, control over resources, and strategic influence have historically outweighed support for democracy and human rights. Understanding this historical pattern helps explain current events in Venezuela and underscores the lessons that have repeatedly gone unheeded by US policymakers. References Herring, George C. Americas Longest War: The United States and Vietnam, 19501975. McGraw-Hill, 2002. Kinzer, Stephen. All the Shahs Men: An American Coup and the Roots of Middle East Terror. John Wiley & Sons, 2003. Kornbluh, Peter. The Pinochet File: A Declassified Dossier on Atrocity and Accountability. The New Press, 2003. Logevall, Frederik. Embers of War: The Fall of an Empire and the Making of Americas Vietnam. Random House, 2012. Nzongola-Ntalaja, Georges. The Congo: From Leopold to Kabila A Peoples History. London: Zed Books, 2002. Omotayo Fakinlede is a professor of Engineering at the University of Lagos. Terra Industries is protecting $11 billion in Nigerian assets with Nigerian ingenuity. That they had to go to Silicon Valley for funding isnt a failure of Nigerian entrepreneurship or Nigerian venture capital. Its a failure of a defence budgeting paradigm so dysfunctional that it inadvertently outsources strategic autonomy, while claiming to protect national security. Until that changes, Nigerias brightest defence innovators will continue to board planes to San Francisco When Terra Industries, a Nigerian defence technology startup, recently announced a $11.75 million funding round led by Silicon Valley venture firm, 8VC, many celebrated it as a triumph of Nigerian innovation. Co-founded by 22-year-old Nathan Nwachuku and 26-year-old Maxwell Maduka, Terra is currently protecting assets valued at approximately $11 billion across Nigeria hydropower plants, mines, and critical infrastructure. It seemed like a quintessential success story: brilliant young Nigerians solving Nigerian security problems with cutting-edge technology. Yet, beneath the celebration lies a troubling question: Why did a company protecting Nigerian critical infrastructure have to seek funding from American investors? The easy answer, repeated across tech circles, is that Nigerias venture capital ecosystem failed Terra by not providing capital for defence technology. But this narrative fundamentally misdiagnoses the problem. The real culprit isnt Nigerias VC ecosystem its a catastrophically dysfunctional defence budget that makes it structurally impossible for local capital to flow into defence innovation. Nigerias Defence Budget: A Global Outlier Analysis of Nigerias 2026 defence budget reveals an allocation pattern so extreme that it qualifies as a global outlier. Of the 3.154 trillion allocated to the Ministry of Defence, a staggering 75.8 per cent goes to personnel costs; salaries, pensions, and allowances. Capital expenditure, which covers equipment acquisition, operations, and maintenance, receives a paltry 14.7 per cent. The remaining 9.4 per cent covers overhead costs. This 76-15 split is not just unusual, it is aberrant when compared to international standards. In the United Kingdom, personnel costs account for approximately 27 per cent of the defence budget, while equipment and capital expenditure claim 36 per cent or more. Turkey, facing its own significant security challenges, allocates 54 per cent to personnel and 44 per cent to procurement and capital investment. Indonesia has recently shifted its budget structure so that capital expenditure now outpaces personnel costs, with procurement consuming roughly 42 per cent of the defence budget. Even within NATO, where member states agreed that at least 20 per cent of defence expenditures should be devoted to major equipment spending, the average equipment allocation hovers around 30-35 per cent. Nigerias 15 per cent capital allocation falls not just below best practices, but below the minimum threshold that military strategists consider necessary for maintaining operational readiness. The Paradox: Low Investment, Low Pay One might assume that with 76 per cent of the budget devoted to personnel, Nigerian military personnel would be among the best-compensated in the world. The reality is precisely the opposite. A Nigerian Private earns approximately 48,000-49,000 monthly (roughly $30-$31 USD), while a Sergeant makes about 68,000 ($43 USD). Even a Captain, a mid-level officer, earns only 200,000-230,000 ($125-$145 USD) per month. Most officers earn less than 100,000 monthly, which military sources have described as insufficient to fulfil daily needs. For context, a British Private earns approximately 1,700 monthly (around $2,125 USD) roughly 70 times what a Nigerian Private makes. Even accounting for cost-of-living differences, Nigerian soldiers are dramatically underpaid. Officers have reportedly expressed dissatisfaction when their ration allowance was increased to only 2,000 per month, when they were expecting 5,000. This creates a perverse paradox: Nigeria has neither well-equipped armed forces nor well-compensated personnel, despite spending three-quarters of its defence budget on salaries and benefits. The money appears to vanish into a bureaucratic black hole of pensions, gratuities, administrative overhead, and structural inefficiencies. Crucially, Nigeria doesnt have an unusually large military to justify these personnel costs. With approximately 230,000-280,000 active personnel serving a population of over 220 million, Nigerias military-to-population ratio is actually modest in comparison to countries like Pakistan (650,000 troops for 240 million people), Indonesia (400,000 troops for 275 million people), or Turkey (355,000+ troops for 85 million people). When 76 per cent of Nigerias defence budget disappears into personnel costs and only 15 per cent remains for all capital needs equipment-maintenance, operations, AND innovation theres simply no market for defence tech startups to sell into. Nigerian VCs arent avoiding defence tech because they lack vision; theyre avoiding it because the customer (the Nigerian military) has no budget to buy innovative solutions. The Operational Consequences The implications of this broken budget structure extend far beyond spreadsheets. Nigeria faces multiple active insurgencies Boko Haram, ISWAP, and various armed groups across the Niger Delta and Middle Belt regions. Effective counter-insurgency operations require sophisticated intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance capabilities; modern communications systems; well-maintained armoured vehicles; aerial support; and night-vision equipment. With only 15 per cent of the budget available for capital expenditure, Nigerias armed forces suffer from persistent shortfalls in exactly these areas. Reports indicate reliance on aging tanks and armoured personnel carriers, limited ISR capabilities, poor radar coverage, and inadequate integration of command, control, communications, computers, intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance systems. The result is higher casualty rates, lower morale, and reduced operational effectiveness against insurgent groups who increasingly employ drones, improvised explosive devices, and modern asymmetric tactics. Whats Possible: Learning from Global Models If Nigeria restructured its defence budget to match Turkeys allocation model 54 per cent to personnel, and 44 per cent to capital and procurement, the strategic possibilities would be transformative. With a total defence budget of 3.154 trillion, a 40 per cent capital allocation would yield approximately 1.26 trillion for equipment, research and development, and innovation. From this capital allocation, Nigeria could dedicate 360 billion (roughly $450 million) annually to a Defence Innovation Fund a Nigerian equivalent of DARPA or the UKs Defence and Security Accelerator. This fund could support 50-100 defence technology startups each year, creating thousands of high-skilled jobs, building sovereign manufacturing capacity, and reducing dependence on foreign defence imports. Critically, this reallocation wouldnt impoverish military personnel. Even at 54 per cent of the budget (1.7 trillion), there would be more available for salaries than currently exists, allowing for meaningful pay increases, while simultaneously investing in equipment and innovation. Turkey demonstrates that this is not theoretical, it has managed to develop indigenous defence manufacturers like Bayraktar, achieve technology sovereignty, and export to over 30 countries, all while maintaining a professional, adequately compensated military. Why Nigerian VCs Couldnt Fund Terra Critics who blame Nigerias venture capital ecosystem for not funding Terra fundamentally misunderstand how venture capital works. VCs invest in markets where they can achieve exits, either through acquisitions or public offerings. Nigerias VC ecosystem has successfully funded fintech unicorns like Paystack, Flutterwave, and Moniepoint because these companies have clear paths to profitability and exit in competitive commercial markets. Defence technology operates differently. The primary customer is almost always the government, particularly the military. In countries with healthy defence ecosystems like the United States, Israel, South Korea, Turkey venture capital flows into defence tech because these governments have structured procurement processes, dedicated innovation budgets, and clear pathways for startups to secure contracts and scale. When 76 per cent of Nigerias defence budget disappears into personnel costs and only 15 per cent remains for all capital needs equipment-maintenance, operations, AND innovation theres simply no market for defence tech startups to sell into. Nigerian VCs arent avoiding defence tech because they lack vision; theyre avoiding it because the customer (the Nigerian military) has no budget to buy innovative solutions. Terra raised $11.75 million from 8VC, Valor Equity Partners, Lux Capital, and SV Angel not because Nigerian investors lack patriotism, but because Silicon Valley investors recognise that Terra can sell to private sector clients protecting infrastructure, and potentially to other African governments markets that exist because Nigerias defence establishment cannot serve as an anchor customer. The question isnt whether Nigerias venture capital ecosystem failed Terra Industries. The question is whether Nigerias defence establishment will continue failing the next generation of defence innovators or whether it will restructure its budget to create the market conditions that make local investment in defence technology not just possible, but inevitable. The Strategic Vulnerability of Foreign Capital Dependency Heres where Terras success story becomes a cautionary tale about national security. Terras American investors placed Alex Moore of 8VC and Eliot Pence, a former Anduril executive, on the companys board. These are accomplished individuals with deep expertise in defence technology, but theyre American defence veterans now overseeing a company that protects Nigerian hydropower plants, mines, and critical infrastructure. This creates multiple strategic vulnerabilities. First, board members have insight into Nigerias security vulnerabilities, infrastructure locations, and surveillance data. Second, Terras proprietary ArtemisOS software collects, analyses, and synthesises data in real time data about Nigerian critical infrastructure that flows through a company partially controlled by foreign investors. Third, if US-Nigeria relations deteriorate, or if American strategic interests diverge from Nigerian security needs, these investors could influence Terras strategic direction, withdraw funding, or recruit key talent to American companies. Co-founder Nathan Nwachuku has spoken eloquently about sovereign intelligence and reducing African dependence on Western powers for security support. Yet, the irony is inescapable: Terra had to accept capital from the very ecosystem its trying to reduce dependence on, because Nigerias broken defence budget made local funding impossible. This isnt just about Terra. Its about a vicious cycle: Nigeria spends 76 per cent on personnel, leaving nothing for Research and Development (R&D); with no R&D funding, theres no local defence tech ecosystem; without a local ecosystem, startups seek foreign capital; foreign capital creates strategic dependency; and dependency undermines the sovereignty that a well-funded domestic defence industry would provide. The Path Forward Countries that prioritised capital allocation in their defence budgets Turkey, Israel, South Korea developed indigenous defence industrial bases that generate billions in exports, employ hundreds of thousands of citizens, and serve national interests first. They prove that restructuring defence budgets isnt just fiscally responsible; its strategically essential. Nigeria needs a fundamental paradigm shift. The current allocation, 76 per cent to personnel who remain underpaid, 15 per cent to capital that cant meet basic operational needs, serves no one. A rebalanced budget modelled on Turkeys structure (54 per cent personnel, 40 per cent capital) could simultaneously improve military compensation, acquire necessary equipment, and create a Defence Innovation Fund to support companies like Terra. Also a huge pension liability should not be seating on defence budget a veteran affairs department could be created as a separate agency. This frees up more money for capital allocation. The question isnt whether Nigerias venture capital ecosystem failed Terra Industries. The question is whether Nigerias defence establishment will continue failing the next generation of defence innovators or whether it will restructure its budget to create the market conditions that make local investment in defence technology not just possible, but inevitable. Terra Industries is protecting $11 billion in Nigerian assets with Nigerian ingenuity. That they had to go to Silicon Valley for funding isnt a failure of Nigerian entrepreneurship or Nigerian venture capital. Its a failure of a defence budgeting paradigm so dysfunctional that it inadvertently outsources strategic autonomy, while claiming to protect national security. Until that changes, Nigerias brightest defence innovators will continue to board planes to San Francisco not because they want to, but because Nigerias own defence budget leaves them with no other choice. Olumide Awoyemi is Founder/CEO of Symmex, an industrialtechnological solutions provider and developer of Huraflow. As the worlds third-largest smartphone manufacturer, with a 14% share of the global smartphone market in Q3 2025 (Omdia), Xiaomi is widely recognised for its smartphones, but has steadily evolved into a global consumer electronics giant. Today, the company delivers smartphones, electric vehicles, and home appliances across global markets, anchored by its Human Car Home smart ecosystem strategy. As of September 2025, Xiaomis global monthly active users reached over 740 million. Within this portfolio, REDMI has played a pivotal role in expanding Xiaomis global reach, reaching a landmark 1 billion smartphone shipments in 2023. As a core lineup under REDMI, REDMI Note Series has been a major contributor to this milestone, with cumulative shipments exceeding 460 million units across more than 100 countries as of December 18, 2025. Building on this momentum, Xiaomi is set to expand its REDMI Note Series this month with the launch of REDMI Note 15 Series. Over the past decade, the REDMI Note Series has earned the trust of users across global markets, and this is inseparable from Xiaomis long-term investment in research and development, said Cynthia Chen, REDMI Marketing Director at Xiaomi Global Marketing Department. Since the series first launched in Singapore 12 years ago, we have continuously advanced performance, quality, and accessibility at scale. This month, were excited to introduce the latest REDMI Note 15 Series to audiences around the world. From First Global Launch to Worldwide Reach Designed to balance performance, quality, and accessibility, REDMI Note Series has helped drive global smartphone adoption. The series made its first global appearance in Singapore in 2014, setting a sales record by selling 5,000 units in less than one minute. Later that year, it generated bigger excitement in India, where initial stock sold out in just 8 seconds, reflecting strong consumer demand. The first REDMI Note model featured a 5.5-inch display, a then-remarkable battery capacity of over 3,000mAh, and strong performance at accessible price pointsestablishing the blueprint for the series long-term direction. Global expansion accelerated between 2017 and 2018. In May 2017, REDMI Note 4 Series spearheaded the official entry into Latin America through Mexico. Meanwhile, in November 2017, the series debuted in Spain, marking its first step into the European market. Today, REDMI Note Series is available in more than 100 countries globally, backed by an omnichannel network spanning Xiaomi Stores, major e-commerce platforms, and carrier partnerships. Redefining the Mid-Range Through Flagship-Level Innovation Beyond geographic reach, REDMI Note Series has focused on narrowing the gap between mid-range and premium smartphones. By introducing higher-end features into more accessible price segments, the series has translated Xiaomis Innovation for Everyone into tangible product experiences, reshaping the global smartphone market. Camera technology highlights this evolution. REDMI Note Series has frequently led its segment in imaging innovation. REDMI Note 12 Pro+ 5G marked a key milestone with the introduction of a 200MP camera featuring optical image stabilization, the first OIS-equipped camera in REDMI Note Series history. Paired with a flagship-level 1/1.4 sensor and 120W HyperCharge, the device brought features previously reserved only for premium devices. Raising Durability for Everyday Use Durability has advanced in parallel with performance. REDMI Note 7 Series introduced Corning Gorilla Glass 5 protection on both front and back panels, an uncommon feature for mid-range devices in 2019. REDMI Note 10 Pro added IP53 splash resistance and structural reinforcement. REDMI Note 13 Pro+ 5G marked a significant leap, becoming the first global REDMI Note device to offer flagship-level IP68 water and dust resistance, alongside Corning Gorilla Glass Victus display protection. REDMI Note 14 Pro+ 5G and REDMI Note 14 Pro 5G advanced further with Corning Gorilla Glass Victus 2 and IP68 certification. The Next Chapter: REDMI Note 15 Series Launching globally this month, REDMI Note 15 Series marks the next phase in the evolution of the lineup, reinforcing the series position through continued advancements in durability, performance, and user experience. Featuring REDMI Titan Durability, REDMI Note 15 Series delivers long-lasting battery performance, reinforced drop protection, and enhanced dust- and water-resistance across models, reflecting its focus on everyday reliability. REDMI Note 15 Series further narrows the gap between accessible smartphones and premium flagships by introducing a broader range of flagship-level technologies, including Silicon-Carbon Battery technology, Xiaomi IceLoop cooling system, and multiple AI-powered capabilities designed to support performance stability and intelligent usage scenarios. REDMI Note 15 Series addresses the diverse needs of a broad global audience. At the top of the lineup, REDMI Note 15 Pro+ 5G showcases the series most advanced hardware configuration to date, featuring a new 200MP ultimate-clarity camera powered by a globally debuting HPE sensor. It also delivers comprehensive IP66/IP68/IP69/IP69K dust and water resistance and carries SGS 5-stars Premium Performance Certification, underscoring the series continued push to elevate smartphone standards. Empowered by Long-Term R&D and Advanced Manufacturing Behind this steady evolution across the REDMI Note Series is Xiaomis long-term commitment to research and development. The series ability to consistently introduce advanced technologies at more accessible price points is underpinned by investment across core technologies, engineering, and manufacturing capabilities. According to the earnings report, Xiaomi had invested RMB 23.5 billion (approximately USD 3.3 billion) in R&D in the first three quarters of 2025, with plans to increase this investment to RMB 40 billion (approximately USD 5.7 billion) in 2026. This scale of investment is reflected in Xiaomis expansive global research footprint. The company has established a comprehensive R&D network spanning more than 730 laboratories across 11 cities worldwide. Complimenting these R&D capabilities is Xiaomis state-of-the-art in-house smart manufacturing infrastructure, including the Xiaomi EV Factory in Beijing, China, which commenced operations in 2023, and the Xiaomi Smart Home Appliance Factory in Wuhan, China, which began operations in October 2025. The Xiaomi Smart Factory in Beijing Xiaomis central hub for smartphone manufacturing and researchbegan operations in 2024 and demonstrates the efficiency of the companys advanced manufacturing systems, with finished smartphones rolling off the line just six seconds apart. Together, these facilities strengthen Xiaomis ability to scale innovation and quality from development to mass production. Driving the Next Phase of Global Growth With global shipments exceeding 460 million units, REDMI Note Series embodies Xiaomis guiding principle of Innovation for Everyone, bringing advanced technology to users at scale. Backed by sustained R&D investment and integrated manufacturing capabilities, the series continues to evolve and raise expectations. The launch of REDMI Note 15 Series in Nigeria marks the next step in this journey, once again setting new standards for accessible, high-performance smartphones. Katsina State Governor, Dikko Umaru Radda, has disclosed that the State Government saved over Nineteen Billion Naira (19bn) from the Contributory Pension Fund between June 2023 and December 2025, with the investment yielding additional returns of over Six Hundred and Sixty-Eight Million Naira (668m) within the same period. The governor made this known on Wednesday while receiving officials of the Katsina State Chapter of the Nigeria Union of Pensioners (NUP) on a courtesy visit at the Government House, Katsina, to express their appreciation for the recent disbursement of pensions and payment of outstanding gratuities. Governor Radda explained that the establishment of the Pension Transition Board and the Pension Bureau was aimed at ensuring sustainable, transparent and timely payment of pensions to retirees across the state. He noted that through prudent management of resources, the State Government was able to clear all outstanding gratuities owed to retirees as well as families of workers who died while in active service, using savings made after the payment of salaries and overhead costs. This is in recognition of the sacrifices and dedication of our workers who spent their productive years serving the development of Katsina State. We owe them dignity in retirement and security for their families, the governor said. He assured the pensioners that their welfare remains a top priority of his administration and directed the leadership of the Union to formally submit their requests to the Office of the Head of Service for necessary consideration and action. Earlier, the State Chairman of the Nigeria Union of Pensioners (NUP), Surajo Abdu Daura, said the visit was to thank the Governor for his commitment to the welfare of retirees, particularly the clearance of gratuity arrears estimated at over Forty-Five Billion Naira (45bn). He also commended the enrollment of pensioners into the Contributory Healthcare Scheme, while appealing to the Governor to address challenges affecting its effective implementation. The NUP Chairman further appealed for the review of uniform deductions from pensions irrespective of grade levels, renovation of the Unions secretariat, and the provision of a vehicle to enhance the Unions operations. Also speaking, the Vice Chairman of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) in Katsina State, Comrade Nasiru Wada, who represented organised labour, praised Governor Raddas leadership and described the clearance of gratuity backlogs for retirees and families of deceased workers as a landmark achievement. He assured the Governor of the continued support of the NLC for his administrations policies and programmes aimed at improving the welfare of workers and pensioners in the state. Those in attendance were senior government officials and leaders of organised labour and pensioners associations. Katsina State Governor and Chairman of the Northern Governors Forum, Dikko Umaru Radda, has received a presidential delegation led by the Deputy President of the Senate, Senator Barau I Jibrin; the Chairman of the Progressive Governors Forum and Governor of Imo State, Hope Uzodimma; and the Governor of Yobe State, Mai Mala Buni, on a condolence visit to Katsina State over the death of former Assistant Comptroller-General of Customs, Abubakar Lawal Bagiwa (Sarkin Fulanin Hamcheta). The delegation arrived at the Umaru Musa YarAdua International Airport, Katsina, and was received by Governor Radda, the Speaker of the Katsina State House of Assembly, Hon Nasir Yahaya Daura; the State Chairman of the APC, Sani Abdullahi (Sani JB); and other top government and party officials. Also on the delegation were the Chairman, House of Representatives Committee on Finance, James Faleke, and the Senior Special Assistant to the President on Political Matters, Ibrahim Kabir Masari. Presenting the delegation at the residence of the late Sarkin Fulanin Hamcheta, Governor Radda said they were sent by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, to personally convey his condolences to the bereaved family and the people of Katsina State over the loss of the illustrious son of the state. Speaking on behalf of the delegation, Senator Jibrin said the late Abubakar Lawal Bagiwa was widely known for his selfless service to the nation, stressing that President Tinubu always recognises Nigerians who serve the country with integrity, commitment and distinction. He noted that it was in appreciation of these qualities that the President approved the dispatch of a senior delegation to personally deliver his message of sympathy and solidarity. Mr Barau prayed that Almighty Allah forgive all the shortcomings of the late ACG Bagiwa, grant him Aljannatul Firdaus, and comfort his family, relatives and all those he left behind. The Kwara State High Court in Ilorin has convicted and sentenced a 52-year-old man, Ilori Elicanah, to five years imprisonment for illegal mining and unlawful possession of solid minerals. The court handed down the decision on Wednesday, according to a statement by the spokesperson for the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Dele Oyewale. Delivering the judgement, the judge, Abimbola Awogboro, found Mr Elicanah guilty of mining and possessing solid minerals without lawful authority, in violation of the Miscellaneous Offences Act. The EFCC had arraigned him in October 2024 on one count, which accused him of mining tonnes of minerals without authorisation in September 2022. The charge also accused him of transporting the minerals in a truck with plate number BDG678XU and chassis number LGWSRXPHHIGAD82084. The commisson said the offence was contrary to Section 1(8)(b) of the Miscellaneous Offences Act. During the trial, the prosecution called two witnesses and tendered exhibits marked AE to establish the culpability of the defendant. The defence presented four witnesses, including the defendant, and closed its case on 11 July 2025. In his final written address, EFCCs prosecution lawyer, Sesan Ola, urged the court to hold that the prosecution had proved its case beyond reasonable doubt and to convict the defendant as charged. Mr Ola noted that the defendant and other defence witnesses admitted under cross-examination that Mr Elicanah did not possess a mining licence, despite claims that he operated under a verbal instruction from Tascon Plastic Industry Nigeria Limiteds mining lease. The prosecution also relied on Section 1 of the Nigerian Minerals and Mining Act, 2007, which vests ownership and control of all mineral resources in the Federal Government on behalf of the people. Guilty The trial judge, Ms Awogboro, held that the sole issue for determination was whether the defendant had lawful authority to possess solid minerals as required by law. The judge ruled that the prosecution successfully established all the ingredients of the offence and complied with Section 131 of the Evidence Act. She dismissed the defences argument that the defendant should be discharged and acquitted on the grounds that the prosecution failed to call certain witnesses, describing the evidence presented by the EFCC as credible, strong and reliable. I agree entirely with the submission of the prosecution counsel that the defendant does not possess a licence and that there is no record showing payment of royalties to the Federal Government as stipulated by law, Mrs Awogboro held. She consequently found Elicanah guilty, convicted him and sentenced him to five years imprisonment. The conviction comes amid intensified federal enforcement against illegal mining activities across Nigeria, which authorities say result in huge revenue losses, environmental degradation and insecurity in some mining communities. Under the Nigerian Minerals and Mining Act, 2007, individuals and companies are prohibited from mining or possessing solid minerals without a valid licence and payment of statutory royalties. The EFCC has in recent years stepped up prosecutions related to illegal mining, describing the offence as a form of economic sabotage that undermines national economic growth. Eleven suspects have been remanded at the Kuje Correctional Centre in Abuja over the killing of ARISE News journalist Somtochukwu Maduagwu and security guard Barnabas Danlami during a violent robbery at the journalists residence in September last year. The Federal Capital Territory (FCT) High Court in Jabi, Abuja, ordered their remand after the police arraigned them on nine counts, including criminal conspiracy, armed robbery, and murder. Those arraigned include Shamsu Hassan, Sani Sirajo, Hassan Isah, Abubakar Alkamu, Abdulsalam Saleh, and Suleiman Badamasi. The rest are Zaharadeen Mohammed, Musa Umar, Mashkur Jamil, Suleiman Sani, and Abubakar Usman. All defendants pleaded not guilty to the charges and were remanded at th Kuje Correctional Facility pending trial. Josephine Adeh, the spokesperson for the FCT Police Command, said ina statement on Wednesday that the trial judge, Mohammed Idris, fixed 9, 10, and 12 February for trial. Arrest Ms Adeh said the suspects were arrested following investigations linking them to the robbery that led to the deaths of Ms Maduagwu, an anchor, reporter, and producer with ARISE News, and Mr Danlami, who was on duty at the Unique Apartments, Katampe Extension, Mabushi, Abuja, on 29 September 2025. On the night of the attack, the armed assailants reportedly stormed the residential complex. Ms Maduagwu attempted to escape by jumping from her apartment window after being confronted by the attackers but sustained fatal injuries. Mr Danlami was shot dead while on duty. The incident triggered widespread public outrage and raised concerns about security within residential estates in the FCT. In October 2025, the Nigerian police said the gang had sourced their weapons from a supplier in the Niger Republic. The arrests followed efforts by security agencies to track and apprehend all suspects involved. A lawyer familiar with the case, Najib Adamu Usman, noted that in addition to the alleged killings, the suspects face charges of armed robbery involving other residents of the estate. The amended charges reflect a broader scope of criminal activity and the courts decision to allocate three consecutive days for the hearing underscores a commitment to swift justice, he wrote on X. The African Democratic Congress (ADC) is steadily transforming from a fringe opposition party into a political force in Katsina, as former Director-General of the State Security Service (SSS), Lawal Daura, formally declared his intention to contest the 2027 governorship election on the partys platform. Mr Daura announced his ambition at a youth sensitisation and mobilisation programme in Katsina on Wednesday, in what party insiders describe as part of a broader strategy to consolidate elite influence and grassroots momentum ahead of the next general elections. Although he has long been associated with national security architecture rather than partisan politics, Mr Daura said the time has come to publicly disclose the political vehicle through which he intends to pursue his governorship ambition. The moment demands openness and commitment, he told party members and supporters, urging ADC loyalists to remain united, disciplined and respectful to party leadership. He expressed confidence that sustained unity would enable the party to reclaim its lost glory in Katsina, a state dominated by the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) since 2015. Elite defections, grassroots anger Mr Dauras declaration comes amid an intensifying push by the ADC to capitalise on growing discontent over insecurity, economic hardship and agricultural decline in rural Katsina. At the same event, a senior party chieftain, Mustapha Inuwa, accused the APC-led government of undermining farmers through policies that favour food imports despite rising costs of fertiliser, seeds and transportation. The farmer is poorer today than ever, Mr Inuwa said, illustrating the decline in purchasing power by noting that the proceeds from selling five tiyas of maize could barely buy a bottle of palm oil. According to him, a farmer would now need to sell about 50 bags of maize to raise N1 millionan amount he described as a measure of how badly rural livelihoods have collapsed. Mr Inuwa described the government as insensitive to rural communities, arguing that economic pressure on farmers was quietly reshaping political loyalties across the state. Defections and collapsing opposition rivals Beyond rhetoric, the ADC says it is recording tangible gains. Mr Inuwa said 71 members of the APC had recently defected to the ADC, while claiming that the entire Labour Party structure in parts of Katsina was in advanced talks to decamp en bloc. Party officials believe the combination of elite entrants, disillusioned ruling-party members, and youth mobilisation could significantly alter Katsinas political map ahead of 2027. One million members claim The partys expansion narrative was reinforced on Wednesday, when the ADC announced it had registered over one million members across Katsina State. The partys 2023 governorship candidate, Ibrahim Aminu-Trader, disclosed this at an ADC stakeholders meeting in Katsina, saying the registration exercise covered all 34 local government areas. So far, we have recorded over one million registrations, and our membership cards have finished, Mr Aminu-Trader said, adding that the party was already sourcing additional cards. He said the influx of youths, women and defectors from other parties reflected a growing appetite for political alternatives in the state. In a short time, we are confident of registering between three and four million members, he said. READ ALSO: Court orders INEC to publish names of ADC candidates for FCT area council elections A crowded ADC governorship primary field Like Mr Daura, Mr Aminu-Trader is also eyeing the ADC governorship ticket, setting the stage for what party insiders expect to be a competitive internal contest. Analysts say the convergence of former security elites, grassroots politicians and defectors from rival parties suggests the ADC is positioning itself not merely as an opposition voice, but as a structured alternative capable of challenging APC dominance in Katsina. Whether this momentum translates into electoral success remains uncertain. But with high-profile entrants like Mr Daura and an aggressive membership drive, the ADC appears determined to make Katsina one of its major battlegrounds in 2027. BEIJING, Jan. 22 (Xinhua) -- Finnish Prime Minister Petteri Orpo will pay an official visit to China from Jan. 25 to 28 at the invitation of Chinese Premier Li Qiang, a foreign ministry spokesperson announced on Thursday. During the visit, Chinese President Xi Jinping will meet with the Finnish prime minister, while Chinese Premier Li and Chairman of China's National People's Congress Standing Committee Zhao Leji will hold talks and meet with Orpo, respectively, to conduct in-depth exchange of views on bilateral relations and issues of common concern, spokesperson Guo Jiakun told a regular news briefing. Noting that Finland was among the first Western countries to recognize and establish diplomatic relations with the People's Republic of China, Guo said that under the strategic guidance of the two heads of state in recent years, the future-oriented new-type cooperative partnership between the two countries has been deepened, and cooperation in various fields has been steadily advanced. China attaches great importance to the development of China-Finland relations, and stands ready to work with Finland to maintain close high-level exchanges, consolidate political mutual trust, strengthen economic and trade cooperation, promote people-to-people and cultural exchanges, foster mutual understanding and collaboration in multilateral affairs, and jointly elevate bilateral relations to a new height, Guo said. You May Have Grounds For Pursuing Damages From The Broker-Dealer or Advisor That Sold You This Risky Alternative Investment HOUSTON, Jan. 22, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- The securities law firm of Shepherd Smith Edwards and Kantas (investorlawyers.com) is actively investigating significant investor losses involving the Priority Income Fund. Through our ongoing work with affected shareholders, our firm has learned that the fund has reportedly lost roughly half of its value in recent months, creating devastating financial consequences for unsuspecting investors. The Structural Risks of Priority Income Fund Launched in 2013 by Behringer Harvard and Prospect Capital Management, this alternative investment was designed to invest in collateralized loan obligations (CLOs) backed by high-risk corporate debt. Because the Priority Income Fund is a private investment not traded on any public exchange, it carries two critical risks: Total Illiquidity: Investors cannot simply sell their shares. Many find themselves "locked in" indefinitely with no access to their principal capital. Valuation Uncertainty: While the fund publishes a monthly Net Asset Value (NAV), this figure is merely an estimation by fund managers. There is no independent way to verify these values or determine what the shares are actually worth. Speculative "Junk" Investments and High Fees Priority Income Fund is marketed as income-focused, yet it is highly speculative. According to the fund's prospectus, at least 80% of its assets are invested in debt rated below investment gradecommonly referred to as "junk." These funds also charge investors high fees and commissions while employing significant leverage, further increasing the risk of total loss. Broker Misconduct and Your Path to Recovery This fund was only appropriate for sophisticated investors willing to take extreme risks. However, we have spoken to many retirees and retail investors who were never fully apprised of these vulnerabilities. If your broker unsuitably recommended this fund, or if there were misrepresentations, negligence, or a breach of fiduciary duty, you may have grounds for a claim. Shepherd Smith Edwards and Kantas recently filed a seven-figure FINRA arbitration claim against United Planners' Financial Services of America involving the unsuitable sale of the Priority Income Fund to a retired couple. Your best chance for financial recovery lies in holding the financial advisor or firm accountable through legal action. With over 100 years of collective experience, we have helped more than 90% of our clients secure financial recovery. Contact us today at (800) 259-9010 or online for a free consultation. https://youtu.be/V8QGiRNmPUI?si=XRg5fQPBkUvKu9Am SOURCE Shepherd Smith Edwards & Kantas LLP NEW YORK, Jan. 22, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- AXA XL has launched a dedicated Alternative Risk Solutions (ARS) team, appointing Sylvain Bouteille, current Chief Underwriting Officer, Specialty as its leader. The new team centralizes AXA XL's Alternative Risk expertise to enhance its ability to quickly deliver innovative and efficient alternative risk transfer solutions in the US, Canada and Bermuda. Part of AXA XL's Large Commercial business segment, the new ARS team will initially focus on Captive solutions, including Structured Risk Solutions, led by Austin Su, Group Captives, led by Joseph Davina, and Single Cell Parent Captives, with plans to expand capabilities in the future. The team will work closely with Steve Bauman, Head of Captives Programs on AXA XL's Client Broker Management team. According to Donna Nadeau, Head of Large Commercial, "This is an exciting opportunity for us to enhance our offerings in this space and continue to serve our clients with tailored, strategic solutions. As the cost of risk continues to rise, more businesses are seeking alternative risk solutions to flexibly and effectively manage their exposures. For our clients, this means access to more customized, cost-effective options that can help them navigate the rising costs of risk and build resilience against future uncertainties." In addition to assuming leadership of the new ARS team, Mr. Bouteille also retains his responsibilities as Chief Underwriting Officer, Specialty in the Americas. He joined AXA XL in August 2025 bringing more than 30 years of (re)insurance industry experience, with a strong focus on credit risk, multinational programs, and strategic leadership. Mr. Bouteille added: "I'm excited to lead this new team and the incredible opportunities it brings. In today's volatile and cost-driven environment, consolidating AXA XL's alternative risk transfer capabilities, including customized structured solutions and support for captive arrangements, will enable us to provide more comprehensive, flexible, and innovative risk management options. This focused approach will help us strengthen relationships with brokers and clients, ultimately delivering greater value and helping them better navigate complex property and casualty risks as well as emerging risks such as cyber, environmental, and climate-related exposures." Follow AXA XL on LinkedIn ABOUT AXA XL AXA XL provides insurance and risk management products and services for mid-sized companies through to large multinationals, and reinsurance solutions to insurance companies globally. We partner with those who move the world forward. To learn more, visit www.axaxl.com ABOUT AXA XL INSURANCE AXA XL Insurance offers property, casualty, professional, financial lines and specialty insurance solutions to mid-sized companies through to large multinationals globally. We partner with those who move the world forward. To learn more, visit www.axaxl.com SOURCE AXA XL New data highlights how autonomy, flexibility, and digital innovation are redefining small business ownership and powering the rise of solopreneurs. TAMPA, Fla., Jan. 22, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- Branch , an award-winning workforce payments platform, in partnership with Mastercard, today released The Branch x Mastercard Solopreneur Report , a comprehensive study examining how evolving career aspirations and rapid technological innovation are reshaping small business ownership. Drawing from a survey of more than 1,400 solopreneurs across North America, the report highlights how advancements in AI, fintech, and digital financial platforms are enabling a new wave of seasoned professionals to build independent businesses that prioritize stability, purpose, and control. Solopreneurs, from creators and consultants to independent service providers, are rapidly becoming one of the fastest-growing segments of the workforce Solopreneurs, from creators and consultants to independent service providers, are rapidly becoming one of the fastest-growing segments of the workforce. Many are leveraging emerging technology, personal expertise, and digital marketplaces to launch one-person ventures with the reach and sophistication of larger operations. "The rise of solopreneurship reflects a powerful shift in how people want to work," said Atif Siddiqi, Founder & CEO of Branch. "Professionals are using technology to build independent businesses that give them more stability and control. But to truly thrive, they need modern financial tools built for the realities of solo work." Today's solopreneurs are proactively designing careers that offer greater flexibility and long-term stability. What once required organizational infrastructure can now be achieved by an individual with the right digital stack. Yet, as the number of solopreneurs grows, so does the gap between their needs and what traditional financial systems provide. "Solopreneurs are redefining work by turning their passions into thriving businesses," said Ginger Siegel, North America Small and Medium Business Lead at Mastercard. "At Mastercard, we're committed to helping them succeed with practical digital tools and resources. Through programs like Mastercard Digital Doors and Business Builder, we make it easier for independent entrepreneurs to manage their business and focus on what matters most - growth and their future." The report finds many solopreneurs are running lean operations without CFOs, credit histories, or traditional safety nets, making real-time payments, accessible credit, and digital-first banking tools essential to how they manage and grow their businesses. These modern solutions provide the speed, transparency, and flexibility that legacy financial systems often lack, helping independent workers stay liquid, cover expenses, and reinvest quickly. Key Findings about Solopreneurs Who They Are Experienced professionals: Solopreneurs tend to be seasoned professionals rather than early-career entrants. Nearly two-thirds (64%) are over 45, led by Baby Boomers (31%) and Gen X (30%). Solopreneurs tend to be seasoned professionals rather than early-career entrants. Nearly two-thirds (64%) are over 45, led by Baby Boomers (31%) and Gen X (30%). Gender near parity : 52% identify as female and 47% as malean unusually even split in small business ownership. : 52% identify as female and 47% as malean unusually even split in small business ownership. Urban roots and corporate proximity: 71% live in metro areas or suburbs near major urban centers, suggesting that many of today's independent workers are former office professionals who've stayed close to where they built their careers. 71% live in metro areas or suburbs near major urban centers, suggesting that many of today's independent workers are former office professionals who've stayed close to where they built their careers. Evolving professional identity: While all participants operate independently, only 57% identified as self-employed; the remaining 43% described themselves as traditionally employed. This points to a mindset in transitionmany solopreneurs appear to be former employees who haven't fully shifted their identity from working for an organization to running one. How They Run Their Businesses Builders in progress: Nearly two-thirds (62%) of solopreneurs are in the starter (30%) or growth (32%) phases. Nearly two-thirds (62%) of solopreneurs are in the starter (30%) or growth (32%) phases. Trust over budget: Most solopreneurs grow their businesses through authentic relationships, not traditional advertising. Word of mouth (63%) and social media (40%) lead the way, emphasizing trust, reputation, and personal connection over ad spend. Most solopreneurs grow their businesses through authentic relationships, not traditional advertising. Word of mouth (63%) and social media (40%) lead the way, emphasizing trust, reputation, and personal connection over ad spend. Pragmatic on tech: Wearing every hat requires efficiency over experimentation. 71% say they prefer to adopt new technologies only after they've proven reliable, underscoring a practical mindset that values stability and proven ROI over hype. Wearing every hat requires efficiency over experimentation. 71% say they prefer to adopt new technologies only after they've proven reliable, underscoring a practical mindset that values stability and proven ROI over hype. Optimistic under pressure: Nearly half (47%) say they struggle to make ends meet, yet three in four (75%) believe their future is bright. What Financial Support They Need Income reality: 79% earn under $100,000 annually, and more than half (55%) earn below $50,000illustrating how most solopreneurs are still building financial stability rather than scaling rapidly. 79% earn under $100,000 annually, and more than half (55%) earn below $50,000illustrating how most solopreneurs are still building financial stability rather than scaling rapidly. Lean tech stacks: Only 34% use basic accounting software and 23% use invoicing tools, showing that many continue to manage finances through manual processes or basic banking apps. Only 34% use basic accounting software and 23% use invoicing tools, showing that many continue to manage finances through manual processes or basic banking apps. Access and cash flow: 89% cite financial management or access to capital as major pain points, and many say the speed and reliability of payments directly affect their ability to grow. In fact, 66% fund their businesses through personal savings, underscoring the ongoing gap in accessible small-business lending. For the full report, visit https://www.branchapp.com/resources/solopreneur-report . About Branch Branch is the award-winning workforce payments platform that helps businesses deliver fast, flexible options for workers to get paid. Whether it's sending earnings to employees or contractors, companies choose Branch because they know that faster payments can help them strengthen worker loyalty, save time and money, and drive business growth. Earners that sign up with Branch can receive a bank account, quick access to earned wages, rewards, and personal finance tools to help them manage their cash flow between pay cycles. Branch partners with many of the nation's leading companies and platforms across the hospitality, gig, vertical SaaS, and staffing industries. Branch has been honored with a Webby AwardBest Financial Services, FinTech Breakthrough Award, Gartner Eye on Innovation: Financial Services, and Great Place to Work Certification. To learn more about Branch, visit https://www.branchapp.com and follow us on Twitter/X and LinkedIn. About Mastercard Mastercard powers economies and empowers people in 200+ countries and territories worldwide. Together with our customers, we're building a resilient economy where everyone can prosper. We support a wide range of digital payments choices, making transactions secure, simple, smart and accessible. Our technology and innovation, partnerships and networks combine to deliver a unique set of products and services that help people, businesses and governments realize their greatest potential. www.mastercard.com Contact Adrianne Ho Branch [email protected] https://www.branchapp.com SOURCE Branch Investments in agricultural productivity and adaptive capacity reduce migration from drought and armed conflict DAEJEON, South Korea, Jan. 22, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- Africa confronts escalating internal migration and displacement crises fueled by intensifying climate hazardsparticularly prolonged droughtsand persistent armed conflicts, which compound vulnerabilities across the continent. Previous research clearly links these stressors to heightened population movements, but limited empirical work examines climate adaptation's role, especially agriculture's influence, in moderating these effects at grid and country levels. Two African women working in a field together, symbolizing how enhanced agricultural productivity and adaptive capacity bolster livelihoods, easing migration pressures from drought and armed conflict across the continent. On this premise, a study led by Professor Hyun Kim, Associate Professor in the School of Public Administration at Chungnam National University, shows that while drought and armed conflict are strongly associated with increased migration, higher levels of adaptive capacity substantially reduce migration when these stressors are present. The article, which was made available online on November 25, 2025, in the journal Sustainable Development, analyzed country and grid-level data from African nations over a 20-year period (19952015). Rather than serving as a standalone solution, climate adaptation acts as a moderating force. Countries with stronger adaptive capacity experience lower migration levels during drought or armed conflict than less adaptive countries. This capacity is measured through key indicators, including agricultural output, access to water, health systems, infrastructure, and disaster preparedness. "Agricultural productivity plays a particularly important role," said Dr. Hyun Kim. "Higher crop yields are consistently associated with lower migration, highlighting how food security and livelihoods help stabilize communities during climate and conflict-related shocks." The researchers examined migration data from the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, armed conflict records from the Uppsala Conflict Data Project, drought data from the EM-DAT disaster database, and climate adaptation indicators from the Notre Dame Global Adaptation Index. Migration was quantified by annual population movements originating within the countries, including internally displaced persons and asylum seekers. The study finds that armed conflict and drought independently increase migration risk. However, their combined effects are significantly weakened in countries with stronger adaptive capacity. This moderating effect is most pronounced during crisis conditions, suggesting that climate adaptation policies are especially critical when communities face overlapping environmental and security threats. "Climate adaptation is often framed as a long-term environmental strategy," Prof. Kim said. "Our findings show it also has immediate social benefits by reducing migration pressures stemming from both climate hazards and armed conflict." Beyond migration outcomes, the results align closely with several United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), including Good Health and Well-being (SDG 3), Reduced Inequalities (SDG 10), Climate Action (SDG 13), and Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions (SDG 16). Strengthening adaptive capacity, particularly within the agricultural sector, may help prevent humanitarian crises by addressing climate vulnerability before displacement escalates. While the study focuses on Africa, the authors note that the findings hold broader implications for global debates on climate finance, climate justice, and migration governance. As climate risks intensify worldwide, the research underscores the importance of prioritizing adaptation as part of integrated strategies to reduce displacement and enhance resilience in vulnerable regions. Reference Title of original paper: When Migration Encounters Adaptation in Africa: Engaging With Climate Hazard and Armed Conflict Journal: Sustainable Development DOI: 10.1002/sd.70475 About the Institute Website: https://plus.cnu.ac.kr/html/en/ Media Contact: Gaeun Kim +82 42-8216239 [email protected] SOURCE Chungnam National University JACKSON, Mich., Jan. 22, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- The Consumers Energy Foundation is now accepting Letters of Intent for the 2026 Planet Awards, the Foundation's signature environmental grant program dedicated to preserving and restoring Michigan's land, water and air. Letters of Intent are due by February 4, 2026. Each year, the Planet Awards provide a total of $500,000 in grant funding to Michigan nonprofits, municipalities and educational institutions committed to environmental stewardship and improving the quality of life for communities across the state. The Planet Awards are the first of three-signature grant funding opportunities, totaling $1.5 million that the Foundation provides each year. "The Consumers Energy Foundation is proud to invest in projects that enhance Michigan's natural resources for generations to come," said Brandon Hofmeister, president of the Consumers Energy Foundation. "We look forward to reviewing innovative, community driven proposals for the 2026 Planet Awards that will make a real, tangible difference across our state." The Foundation's 2025 Planet Award grants totaled $500,000 and supported projects designed to restore habitats and strengthen environmental resilience across Michigan. Past recipients include City of Eastpointe, City of Parchment and Michigan State University Infrastructure Planning and Facilities. Projects like these demonstrate the high-impact, community-centered environmental initiatives the Foundation seeks to support in 2026. 2026 Planet Award Letter of Intent Details Organizations interested in applying for a 2026 Planet Award grant must submit a Letter of Intent by February 4, 2026. Eligible organizations include: Michigan-based nonprofits Municipalities and public agencies Educational institutions Projects must focus on one or more of the following: Land preservation or restoration Water quality improvement Air quality improvement The Consumers Energy Foundation is the charitable arm of Consumers Energy, Michigan's largest energy provider. The Foundation contributes to the growth and strengthening of Michigan communities by investing in what's most important our people, our planet and Michigan's prosperity. In 2024, the Consumers Energy Foundation, CMS Energy Foundation, Consumers Energy, its employees and retirees contributed more than $15 million in support of Michigan nonprofits and communities. For more information, visit consumersenergy.com/foundation. SOURCE Consumers Energy Foundation WHY: Cook County Treasurer Maria Pappas will honor Chicago's Greek Community with a traditional Vasilopita celebration. Vasilopita is a Greek New Year's Day cake with a coin hidden inside. It's traditional for each family to have its own Vasilopita, which means St. Basil's bread. A piece is cut for each family member. If the coin is found in your piece, it's believed you'll have good luck for the rest of the year. JERUSALEM, Jan. 22 (Xinhua) -- Scientists may need to widen the search for extraterrestrial life after a new study suggests liquid water could exist on planets once thought too hot or too cold. In a statement Thursday, astrophysicist Amri Wandel of Hebrew University in Jerusalem said his research challenges the traditional concept of the "habitable zone," the narrow orbital range around a star where liquid water can survive. In our solar system, this zone lies roughly between Earth and Mars. Published in The Astrophysical Journal, the study argues that the standard "Goldilocks" model is too limiting, especially for planets orbiting smaller, cooler stars known as M-dwarfs and K-dwarfs. The research focuses on tidally locked planets, which keep one side facing their star and the other in permanent darkness. Using a climate model, researchers found that heat from the sunlit side could warm the dark side enough to sustain liquid water, even on worlds closer to their star than previously thought. The findings could help explain recent observations by the James Webb Space Telescope, which detected water vapor around "super-Earths" orbiting M-dwarf stars. Previous models had deemed these planets too close to their stars for water to survive, but Wandel's work suggests they may be habitable. The study also extends the habitable zone farther from stars. On icy, distant planets, liquid water could exist in subglacial lakes or pockets of melt beneath thick ice, similar to conditions on some moons in our solar system. By broadening the definition of where liquid water can exist, the research gives astronomers a larger map of potential life-bearing planets and hints that the ingredients for life may be more common than previously believed. David applies over 35 years of experience in business turnarounds, insolvency, and financial & operational advisory to benefit J.S. Held clients. NEW YORK, Jan. 22, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- Global consulting firm J.S. Held announces today that David Weinhoffer has joined its Strategic Advisory team. Based in Houston, Texas, David brings deep local knowledge that enhances the team's ability to provide support on engagements in the region, further strengthening J.S. Held's coast-to-coast solutions for businesses facing complex financial and operational challenges. Based in Houston, Texas, David brings over 35 years of experience in business turnarounds, insolvency, and financial & operational advisory to the J.S. Held. His deep local knowledge enhances our ability to provide local support on engagements in the region, strengthening our coast-to-coast solutions for complex financial and operational challenges. To learn more, visit: jsheld.com/david-weinhoffer Speed Speed Commenting on the move to J.S. Held, David Weinhoffer shares, "This new chapter gives me the opportunity to collaborate with an exceptional team of more than 80 restructuring, turnaround, and operational performance improvement professionals nationwide, providing solutions to middle-market enterprise clients across 50+ industries." Core Expertise As a trusted advisor to distressed businesses, their lenders, investors, and attorneys, David delivers pragmatic solutions to lead restructurings across diverse industries. He serves in interim leadership and fiduciary roles to guide organizations through critical transitions and brings extensive experience providing expert services in complex litigation, arbitration, and mediation. Fiduciary Experience David's fiduciary oversight spans multibilliondollar estates and trusts, directing litigation, claims reconciliation, creditor distributions, and securities clawbacks in disputes exceeding $100 million. Transactional Experience David's extensive transactional expertise includes managing domestic and international asset sales and Section 363 transactions totaling over $1 billion, serving as Chief Restructuring Officer and CEO across multiple jurisdictions, including the Southern District of Texas and the Fifth Circuit, overseeing Chapter 11 and Chapter 7 proceedings, structured dismissals, and postconfirmation matters. Sector Experience David leads projects in maritime, energy, and heavy industrial sectors, and holds certifications in mediation, arbitration, project management, and maritime law. He has also served as Liquidating Trustee for pharmaceutical estates with more than $1.5B in claims, as well as reviving and selling a $100 million retail energy provider within Chapter 7 proceedings and executing a landmark $650M Section 363 sale of a semisubmersible drilling rig, for which he was awarded American Bankruptcy Institute Asset Sale of the Year. Strategic Impact Michael Jacoby, Strategic Advisory practice lead, shares, "Drawing on extensive hands-on experience managing distressed and nonperforming assets across multiple sectors, David brings deep real-world insight and operational expertise to his work." Stephanie Giammarco, who leads Disputes, Valuations, and Financial Advisory services for J.S. Held, adds, "His dual expertise creates a powerful synergy: operational experience and industry knowledge inform his expert opinions, while his litigation background guides asset management decisions." From strategy to execution, J.S. Held experts help clients overcome complex enterprise challenges and realize long-term, sustainable business value. About J.S. Held J.S. Held is a global consulting firm that combines technical, scientific, financial, and strategic expertise to advise clients seeking to realize value and mitigate risk. Our professionals serve as trusted advisors to organizations facing high stakes matters demanding urgent attention, staunch integrity, proven experience, clear-cut analysis, and an understanding of both tangible and intangible assets. The firm provides a comprehensive suite of services, products, and data that enable clients to navigate complex, contentious, and often catastrophic situations. More than 1,500 professionals serve organizations across six continents, including 84% of the Global 200 Law Firms, 75% of the Forbes Top 20 Insurance Companies (90% of the NAIC Top 50 Property & Casualty Insurers), and 71% of Fortune 100 Companies. J.S. Held, its affiliates and subsidiaries are not certified public accounting firm(s) and do not provide audit, attest, or any other public accounting services. J.S. Held is not a law firm and does not provide legal advice. Securities offered through PM Securities, LLC, d/b/a Phoenix IB or Ocean Tomo Investments, a part of J.S. Held, member FINRA/SIPC. All rights reserved. Media Contact Kristi L. Stathis, J.S. Held, +1 786 833 4864, [email protected], JSHeld.com SOURCE J.S. Held Faruqi & Faruqi is a leading national securities law firm with offices in New York, Pennsylvania, California and Georgia. The firm has recovered hundreds of millions of dollars for investors since its founding in 1995. See www.faruqilaw.com. As detailed below, the complaint alleges that the Company and its executives violated federal securities laws by making false and/or misleading statements and/or failing to disclose that: (1) the Company overstated its tenant demand for its Project Matador campus; (2) the extent to which Project Matador would rely on a single tenant's funding commitment to finance the construction of Project Matador; (3) there was a significant risk that that tenant would terminate its funding commitment; and (4) as a result of the foregoing, Defendants' positive statements about the Company's business, operations, and prospects were materially misleading and/or lacked a reasonable basis. On October 1, 2025, Fermi completed its initial public offering of approximately 32.5 million shares of common stock at $21.00 per share. The Company's registration statement emphasized its plans to develop a large electric generation campus for AI data centers and identified an investment-grade "First Tenant" for its Project Matador site. The registration statement stated that, on September 19, 2025, Fermi had entered into a letter of intent with the First Tenant to lease a portion of the site on a triple-net basis for an initial twenty-year term, with four five-year renewal options. In November 2025, the Company further announced that the First Tenant had entered into an Advance in Aid of Construction Agreement agreeing, subject to conditions, to advance up to $150 million toward construction costs. On December 12, 2025, Fermi disclosed that the First Tenant had terminated the AICA the prior day, eliminating a key funding arrangement for the Project. Although Fermi stated that lease negotiations continued under the letter of intent, the market reacted negatively, and Fermi's stock price fell more than 33%, closing at $10.09 per share, well below the IPO price. The court-appointed lead plaintiff is the investor with the largest financial interest in the relief sought by the class who is adequate and typical of class members who directs and oversees the litigation on behalf of the putative class. Any member of the putative class may move the Court to serve as lead plaintiff through counsel of their choice, or may choose to do nothing and remain an absent class member. Your ability to share in any recovery is not affected by the decision to serve as a lead plaintiff or not. Faruqi & Faruqi, LLP also encourages anyone with information regarding Fermi's conduct to contact the firm, including whistleblowers, former employees, shareholders and others. To learn more about the Fermi class action, go to www.faruqilaw.com/FRMI or call Faruqi & Faruqi partner Josh Wilson directly at 877-247-4292 or 212-983-9330 (Ext. 1310). Follow us for updates on LinkedIn, on X, or on Facebook. Attorney Advertising. The law firm responsible for this advertisement is Faruqi & Faruqi, LLP (www.faruqilaw.com). Prior results do not guarantee or predict a similar outcome with respect to any future matter. We welcome the opportunity to discuss your particular case. All communications will be treated in a confidential manner. SOURCE Faruqi & Faruqi, LLP LOUISVILLE, Colo., Jan. 22, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- JumpCloud Inc . captured top honors on Built In's prestigious 2026 Best Places to Work lists for the seventh consecutive time. The annual program recognizes the highest standards in workplace culture across startups and global enterprises. JumpCloud continues to set the benchmark for both major tech markets and remote-first environments throughout the U.S. For 2026, JumpCloud is recognized on the following lists: Best Places to Work in Colorado Best Midsize Places to Work in Colorado Best Remote Places to Work "Being recognized as a Best Place to Work for the seventh year in a row underscores our unwavering dedication to our values, and our dedication to create an exceptional work environment for our team," said Amy Moynihan, chief people officer, JumpCloud. "At JumpCloud, we don't just build technology; we build an environment where people feel empowered to do their best work. This recognition validates our commitment to providing a flexible, inclusive, and high-impact culturewhether our team members are working from our Colorado headquarters or from their homes across the globe." Built In determines the winners of Best Places to Work based on an algorithm that uses company data about compensation and benefits. To reflect the evolving priorities of today's tech professionals, the program also weighs criteria like remote-first flexibility, DEI programs, and opportunities for professional growth. "Today's candidates discover the companies they want to work for using AI tools," said Maria Christopoulos Katris, founder & CEO, Built In. "Earning a Best Place to Work award not only signals to candidates that you invest in your people, it's a lever to strengthen how AI search tools understand and represent your company's story." To find out more about JumpCloud's remote work environment visit our careers page. About Built In Built In is the "always on" recruiting platform that reaches tech professionals that other platforms don't. Designed to help companies hire expert tech talent, Built In continuously drives brand awareness with content. Monthly, millions of the industry's most in-demand global tech professionals visit the site to stay ahead of tech trends, find the right job opportunities, and get hired. About Built In's Best Places to Work Built In's annual Best Places to Work program honors companies with the best total rewards packages across the U.S. and in leading tech hubs. The program is distinct because its algorithm selects tech companies that build their offerings specifically around what tech professionals value in a modern workplace. About JumpCloud JumpCloud delivers a unified identity, device, and access management platform that makes it easy to securely manage identities, devices, and access across your organization. With JumpCloud, IT teams and MSPs enable users to work securely from anywhere and manage their Windows, Apple, Linux, and Android devices from a single platform. JumpCloud exists to make sophisticated security simple and accessible for all. Learn more: https://www.jumpcloud.com/ Follow us: Blog | Podcast | X | LinkedIn | YouTube | Resources Click here to get started with JumpCloud Contact For JumpCloud Josie Judy [email protected] SOURCE JumpCloud, Inc. 68 Nonprofit Organizations Receive Funding to Fight Child Hunger and Bring Joy to Kids Facing Illness across Dunkin' Communities NEW YORK, Jan. 22, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- Today, the Dunkin' Joy in Childhood Foundation announced it awarded more than $1.6 million in grants and Signature Impact Programs to 68 nonprofit organizations across the New York metro region in 2025. Funding supported programs that bring joy to children facing illness or food insecurity in 2025 and Signature Program grants awarded will be leveraged into 2026. Each year, the Foundation supports both longstanding partners and new grantees that directly assist children and families during some of life's most challenging moments. The Joy in Childhood Foundation has four Signature Programs: Dunkin' Joyful Spaces, Dunkin' Prom, Connecting Joy, and Dogs for Joy. These initiatives including eight in Metro NY for 2025 deliver meaningful, lasting impact for children and families served specifically by hospitals and community health centers. Benefitting organizations included: Sunrise Day Camps Association Inc. received a grant to provide free, full summer day-camp experiences for more than 1,000 children with cancer and their siblings in Long Island and Pearl River, creating spaces where kids can laugh, build friendships, and enjoy these childhood moments. The Boomer Esiason Foundation received a grant to support its scholarship program for adolescents living with cystic fibrosis (CF), as well as for siblings and children of individuals with CF. This cause is one that Dunkin' and the Foundation have rallied behind for years, with funding helping students pursue higher education and plan for their futures despite ongoing medical and financial challenges. St. Joseph's Health unveiled its new children's hospital playrooms earlier this year, made possible in part by a "Joyful Spaces" grant from the Foundation, designed to provide patients with an escape from the traditional hospital setting. A "Dogs for Joy" grant also allowed the hospital to add a full-time facility dog from Canine Companions to provide comfort and companionship to young patients during their stays. Dunkin' franchisees also play an active role in the Joy in Childhood Foundation's work across the region, serving as generous donors, encouraging local nonprofit organizations to apply for funding, and a committee of franchisees help guide how grant dollars are allocated to best support community needs. "This year's grants reflect what we're hearing from our communities," said Tara Carson, Dunkin' Field Marketing Director in the region. "From increased demand at food banks to the need for moments of normalcy for children who are hospitalized, these organizations are stepping up in meaningful ways whether that's putting meals on tables or creating spaces where kids can simply be kids. We're proud to support these organizations as they continue to show up for families across the area." 2025 grants awarded to hunger relief organizations amid heightened demand included Fulfill (The Foodbank of Monmouth & Ocean Counties), Table to Table, The Food Bank of Lower Fairfield County, Feeding Westchester, Food Bank For New York City, and others. In addition, the Foundation donated 23,310 meals through Long Island Cares, helping ensure children and families had access to consistent, nutritious food throughout Long Island. Through continued grantmaking and community partnerships, the Dunkin' Joy in Childhood Foundation remains focused on supporting children and bringing them joy when they need it most. For more information about the Joy in Childhood Foundation, please visit https://joyinchildhoodfoundation.org/. About the Dunkin' Joy in Childhood Foundation The Dunkin' Joy in Childhood Foundation, the charitable foundation supported by Dunkin' and the generosity of its franchisees, guests, vendor partners and employees, provides the simple joys of childhood to kids battling hunger or illness. The Foundation partners with food banks, children's hospitals, and other nonprofit organizations to fund joyful environments and experiences for kids when they need it most. Since 2006, the Joy in Childhood Foundation has granted more than $70 million to hundreds of national and local charities across the country. For more information, visit joyinchildhoodfoundation.org. About Dunkin' Dunkin', founded in 1950, is the largest coffee and donuts brand in the United States, with more than 14,000 restaurants in nearly 40 global markets. Dunkin' is part of the Inspire Brands family of restaurants. For more information, visit DunkinDonuts.com and InspireBrands.com . Media Contact: Alison Brod Marketing + Communications for Dunkin' [email protected] SOURCE Dunkin' Founder and CEO of Frances Valentine, Arons also co-founded the iconic Kate Spade brand NEW YORK, Jan. 22, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- LIM College , located in New York City and focused on the business of fashion and lifestyle, has announced that Elyce Arons, Founder and Chief Executive Officer of Frances Valentine, will deliver the keynote address to the Class of 2026 at the college's annual Commencement exercises. Arons will also receive the college's Distinguished Achievement Award and an honorary Doctor of Commercial Science degree. The ceremony will be held at David Geffen Hall, Lincoln Center on May 17 at 1 p.m. ET. Elyce Arons, Founder and Chief Executive Officer of Frances Valentine, will deliver the keynote address to the Class of 2026 at LIM College's annual Commencement exercises. A 35-year fashion industry veteran, Arons famously chased her passion for fashion from Kansas to New York City alongside her best friend, Kate Spade, and together they founded Kate Spade New York in 1993. Arons helped shepherd the company from its inception to international success, growing it into one of the most iconic brands in modern fashion history. In 2016, Arons, Kate Spade and her husband Andy Spade launched Frances Valentine as an evolution of their chic, joyful style aesthetic. Today, Arons serves as Frances Valentine's Chief Executive Officer. In June of last year, Arons published a memoir, We Might Just Make It After All, which debuted on the New York Times Best Seller list. The book chronicles her decades-long friendship with Kate Spade and the lessons she has learned through building two iconic fashion brands. Arons is also a member of the board of the LIM Fashion Education Foundation (FEF), which provides scholarships and educational enhancements to LIM College students with financial need, connecting leaders in fashion with rising stars. She was named to the Inc. Magazine Female Founders 500 list for 2025, which noted her continued success in expanding Frances Valentine and striking innovative retail collaborations and partnerships. Said LIM College President Ron Marshall, "Elyce is a force of nature whose more than three decades of brilliant success in fashion stand as a testament to what is possible when you have a dream, an unwavering commitment to the essence of your brand, and bring constant innovation and hard work to the table. These are all attributes that LIM College students hear about every day inside and outside the classroom, and they will be excited and inspired to hear from Elyce at Commencement. She is a true role model not only due to her incredible business success, but also to her involvement in giving back to the next generation of fashion talent." About LIM College Founded in 1939 and located in midtown Manhattan, LIM College is focused on the global business of fashion and lifestyle. Offering master's, bachelor's, and associate degree programs, LIM prepares students for career success via an immersive approach grounded in real-world experience and "learning by doing" through required internships. LIM College's commitment to excellence in business education ensures graduates are sought after by a wide range of employers, as evidenced by a Career Outcomes Rate of 95% for the Class of 2024. Alumni excel throughout all areas of fashion and lifestyle and have gone on to work for brands and companies such as Chanel, Gucci, Louis Vuitton, The TJX Companies, Prada, Ulta Beauty, Microsoft, Walmart, Macy's, and Nike. LIM is part of the Japan Educational Foundation (JEF) global portfolio of colleges and universities focused on fashion, design, technology, and other career fields. About Frances Valentine Founded in 2016 by best friends, Elyce Arons and Kate Spade, Frances Valentine is a fashion, lifestyle, and accessories brand that celebrates personal style through timeless pieces designed to spark joy and transcend trends. Each piece is created with a story to tell and crafted to last generation after generation. As a tribute to the founders' friendship, Frances Valentine's ethos centers on fostering joy through bold prints and vibrant styles that inspire confidence, boost your mood, and exude a life well lived. For additional information, please visit https://francesvalentine.com/ . Contact: Anne Roman [email protected] 419.708.5171 Meredith Finnin [email protected] 646.218.2156 SOURCE LIM College HELSINKI, Jan. 22, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- At first glance, Finland's M&A market appeared stagnant in 2025. A closer look, however, reveals a more nuanced picture: while the number of completed transactions remained broadly unchanged, aggregate deal value increased materially. Capital did not leave the market - instead, it became more selective, concentrating on fewer but strategically critical assets, particularly in infrastructure, healthcare and care services. A total of 579 transactions were completed in Finland in 2025, virtually unchanged from 580 deals the previous year. Activity neither accelerated nor collapsed, which is notable given the backdrop of weak economic growth, elevated unemployment and persistent uncertainty. By contrast, total deal value increased by approximately 20%, rising to an estimated EUR 12.5 billion from EUR 10.5 billion in 2024 (source: Mergermarket). The increase suggests renewed willingness among investors to execute larger, more strategic transactions despite challenging macroeconomic conditions. According to Carner Corporate Finance, the data points to a clear shift in market focus - from volume to quality. "The market was not particularly active, but it was highly deliberate. Buyers were not pursuing deals for the sake of activity; instead, they focused on profitability, cash flow resilience and clear strategic fit," says Mikko Sistonen, Partner at Carner Corporate Finance. While deal value remained well below the 2023 peak of EUR 17.8 billion, the direction was encouraging. A full return to peak levels has not yet materialised, but the underlying dynamics have begun to normalise. Large, strategic transactions stood out The Finnish M&A market in 2025 was shaped by a limited number of large, structurally significant transactions. The most prominent was Hellman & Friedman's investment in Mehilainen, reinforcing the attractiveness of healthcare and care services even amid economic uncertainty. Predictable cash flows, demographic tailwinds and scalable operating models continue to appeal to long-term investors. Another notable transaction was the divestment of Tietoevry's Tech Services business and the creation of Vivicta as a standalone company. The transaction reflected a broader M&A logic visible across the market: sharpening strategic focus through carve-outs and unlocking growth potential outside large corporate group structures. Infrastructure also emerged as a key theme. Triton Partners' formation of Lohkare Infra Oy - consolidating several Finnish infrastructure companies into a new platform - was not a single transaction but a clear signal of consolidation potential and long-term conviction in the sector. Macroeconomic pressure increased selectivity Throughout 2025, M&A activity was shaped by a challenging macroeconomic environment. Finland's GDP growth hovered between 0.2% and 0.5%, while unemployment rose above 10%, among the highest levels in Europe. These conditions increased selectivity on both sides of the market. Many potential sellers were unwilling to exit in a weak cycle, while buyers applied increasingly stringent investment criteria. Buyers were looking for quality. In 2025, companies with proven profitability and a clearly defined role in the buyer's strategy stood out. Growth narratives alone were no longer sufficient, Sistonen adds. Laying the groundwork for the next cycle Carner Corporate Finance views 2025 as a transitional year in Finland's M&A cycle. The market did not yet return to full momentum, but it clearly moved away from stagnation, adapting to a new operating environment and laying the foundations for the next upturn. Private equity investors continue to hold significant amounts of dry powder, and strategic buyers are positioning themselves to capitalise on a recovery once economic visibility and confidence improve. The timing of a more pronounced rebound will depend largely on developments in Finland's economy and labour market - and, above all, on the restoration of confidence. The market was not frozen, even if it initially appeared so. 2025 marked a step away from uncertainty, though not yet a return to full speed, Sistonen concludes. For additional information, please contact: Mikko Sistonen Partner Carner Corporate Finance +358 50 593 7303 [email protected] This information was brought to you by Cision http://news.cision.com https://news.cision.com/carner-corporate-finance/r/finnish-m-a-deal-value-rose-20--despite-unchanged-transaction-volumes,c4296115 The following files are available for download: https://news.cision.com/carner-corporate-finance/i/carner-corporate-finance,c3503446 Carner Corporate Finance SOURCE Carner Corporate Finance Flagship Honda provides local drivers with the latest data and inventory for the new 2026 Honda HR-V to help them choose the perfect SUV for their lifestyle. SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico, Jan. 22, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- Flagship Honda, a premier Honda dealership in San Juan, is proud to announce the arrival of the highly anticipated 2026 Honda HR-V. To assist local drivers in making informed decisions, the dealership is now offering detailed 2026 Honda HR-V research that highlights the innovative features and upgrades found in this latest model year. Advanced Technology Meets Modern Utility The 2026 Honda HR-V is now available at Flagship Honda in San Juan, Puerto Rico. As the automotive landscape evolves, Flagship Honda remains committed to providing customers with the most current data available. Consequently, our team has compiled an extensive overview of the 2026 Honda HR-V specs to showcase how this subcompact SUV leads its class. Furthermore, the new model features a refined interior with high-quality materials and a standard 7-inch color touchscreen that integrates with modern smartphone applications. "We recognize that Puerto Rico drivers want a vehicle that balances efficiency with the versatility needed for island life," says Sandra Huerto, representative for Flagship Honda. "Because of this, we invested significant time into our 2026 Honda HR-V research to ensure our clients understand exactly how this vehicle improves their daily commute and weekend adventures alike." Efficient Power and Reliable Performance The latest iteration of this fan-favorite SUV focuses on a smooth driving experience. When looking at the 2026 Honda HR-V performance, drivers will find a responsive 2.0-liter engine that delivers 158 horsepower. Additionally, the available Real Time AWD with Intelligent Control System provides added confidence during heavy tropical rain or winding mountain roads. Key highlights of the new model include: A spacious cabin with room for five passengers and ample cargo flexibility. Standard Honda Sensing safety technology, featuring Collision Mitigation Braking and Road Departure Mitigation. A sleek, aerodynamic exterior design that improves fuel economy and reduces wind noise. Multiple trim levels, including the LX, Sport, and EX-L, to suit various budgets and styles. Visit Flagship Honda Today For those searching for a 2026 Honda HR-V for sale near San Juan, Flagship Honda currently has a wide selection of trim levels and colors in stock. We invite our neighbors to visit our showroom to experience these features firsthand. About Flagship Honda Flagship Honda is a leading automotive destination located at 64 Marginal Kennedy, San Juan, PR 00920. As a dedicated Honda dealership in San Juan, we provide a full range of new and pre-owned vehicles, expert maintenance, and personalized financing options. For more information, please visit our website at www.flagshiphondapr.com or call us at 787-302-2713. Media Contact: Sandra Huerto 939-639-9719 [email protected] SOURCE Flagship Honda Open standards strengthen national education systems while enabling French edtech to scale globally BURLINGTON, Mass., Jan. 22, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- With the adoption of its new Interoperability Framework for Digital Services for Education , France is setting clear expectations for how digital education tools must work together nationwide. It requires "public middle and high schools to use digital tools and services that comply with technical requirements for security, interoperability and responsible digital technology set by the Minister." 1EdTech stands ready to help educational organizations and education technology providers align with and benefit from the framework. By requiring internationally recognized open standards, France is reducing technical barriers that have traditionally slowed adoption and market entry, especially for open tools and resources, and is creating conditions for a more open, competitive, and sustainable edtech ecosystem. This standards-based approach supports: Faster entry for startups and small-to-medium education technology providers for startups and small-to-medium education technology providers Lower long-term costs for educational institutions for educational institutions Greater flexibility and choice for schools and educators Just as importantly, it allows French education technology providers to build solutions that can operate not only within France, but also across international markets that rely on the same global standards. "By requiring common interoperability standards, France is ensuring that digital education tools can work together by design," said a French Ministry representative. "This approach helps lower long-term costs, protect student data, increase efficiency, and increase trust across the country. Interoperability is essential infrastructure for a modern, open, and future-ready education system." "In the past, digital learning tools often needed custom connections for every school system, which was costly and slowed innovation, especially for smaller companies," said Curtiss Barnes, CEO of 1EdTech Consortium. "France's new interoperability framework reflects the same vision we share at 1EdTech: replacing one-off integrations with trusted, shared standards. That's why we're investing in simpler certification pathways and a new OneRoster profile that more specifically meets France's needs, so providers of all sizes can more easily adopt standards, scale globally, and give schools real choice based on quality." The 1EdTech standards named in France's framework support different parts of digital learning: OneRoster helps schools share class and enrollment information, so teachers and students don't have to manually add or update class lists across different tools. helps schools share class and enrollment information, so teachers and students don't have to manually add or update class lists across different tools. Learning Tools Interoperability (LTI) lets learning tools connect easily to learning platforms, allowing educators to launch tools with one click and students to use them without extra logins. lets learning tools connect easily to learning platforms, allowing educators to launch tools with one click and students to use them without extra logins. Common Cartridge and Question & Test Interoperability (QTI) make learning content and tests easier to share, so educators can reuse lessons and assessments across systems instead of rebuilding them from scratch. make learning content and tests easier to share, so educators can reuse lessons and assessments across systems instead of rebuilding them from scratch. Caliper Analytics helps schools understand how students learn online by using shared data formats, making it easier to spot what's working, what's not, and where students need support. helps schools understand how students learn online by using shared data formats, making it easier to spot what's working, what's not, and where students need support. Open Badges allows students to earn digital credentials they can keep and use anywhere, giving learners portable proof of their skills that can move with them between schools, jobs, and training programs. Together, these standards help schools build learning systems that can change and grow over time. French public middle and high schools, and education technology providers that serve them, will need to comply with the framework's requirements. All 1EdTech standards are open and publicly available, and 1EdTech members have access to additional tools, guidance, and certification resources to support alignment with France's framework. About 1EdTech Consortium 1EdTech Consortium is a global community committed to building an integrated foundation of open standards that make educational technology work better for everyone. Our mission is to reduce complexity, accelerate innovation, and expand possibilities for learners worldwide. Our members represent K-12, primary, secondary, and postsecondary education organizations, workforce and corporate education providers, and technology providers. Together, we create and evolve community-developed technical standards and practices that support learner success throughout the lifelong learning continuum. Our organization gives a voice to all stakeholders working to improve education. 1EdTech hosts the Learning Impact Conference, Digital Credentials Summit, Learning Impact Europe Conference, and other engagement opportunities to advance the leadership and ideas that shape the future of learning. Visit our website at 1edtech.org . SOURCE 1EdTech Consortium /C O R R E C T I O N LF Networking/ In the news release, From Bengaluru to Amsterdam: LF Networking Announces ONE Summit India and Cloud Native Telco Day 2026 to Accelerate Global AI-Native Networking, issued 22-Jan-2026 by LF Networking over PR Newswire, we are advised by the company that changes have been made. The complete, corrected release follows, with additional details at the end: From Bengaluru to Amsterdam: LF Networking Announces ONE Summit India and Cloud Native Telco Day 2026 to Accelerate Global AI-Native Networking Hosted by Infosys, regional ONE Summit spotlights AI-native, cloud-native telco and edge innovation across India's open networking ecosystem LF Networking and Sylva co-sponsor Cloud Native Telco Day 2026 at KubeCon + CloudNativeCon Europe, uniting telco, cloud and open source leaders to accelerate cloud-native, AI-driven networks SAN FRANCISCO, Jan. 22, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- LF Networking , the facilitator of collaboration and operational excellence across open source networking projects, today announced regional events to catalyze open, AI-driven cloud native networks across the globe. Open Networking & Edge (ONE) Summit India, hosted by premier LFN member organization, Infosys, will take place 25 February 2026 at the Infosys campus in Bengaluru (Bangalore), India. In partnership with the Sylva Project, LFN will co-sponsor Cloud Native Telco Day , March 23, 2026, co-located with KubeCon + CloudNativeCon EU. For over a decade, the Open Networking & Edge Summit (ONE Summit) has served as a premier global gathering for leaders in open networking, edge, cloud, and telco, bringing together decision-makers and technical experts to share best practices and shape the future of connectivity. ONE Summit India extends this legacy with a dedicated, in-region program designed to accelerate innovation and collaboration across India's telecom, cloud, and enterprise networking communities. "India is at the center of some of the world's most ambitious network modernization and AI transformation initiatives," said Arpit Joshipura, general manager, Networking, Edge & IoT, the Linux Foundation. "By bringing ONE Summit to the Infosys campus in Bengaluru, we're creating a neutral, collaborative forum where service providers, enterprises, and open source communities can come together to advance AI-native, cloud-native networks at scale." Infosys holds a platinum membership in LFN and has contributed two foundational seed projects as part of its enterprise AI offering, Infosys Topaz : Essedum, an AI application development platform, and Salus, a Responsible AI Toolkit to LFN. These initiatives have helped establish the groundwork for the LFN AI Task Force and fostered a collaborative environment across the industry. Additionally, Infosys actively participates in several Linux Foundation projects including, 5G Super Blueprint, Nephio, ONAP, and CAMARA, contributing to the advancement of their roadmaps Hosted at the state-of-the-art Infosys campus in Bengaluru, ONE Summit India will feature a full day of keynotes, technical sessions, and interactive discussions focused on: AI-Native and Cloud-Native Networks Applying AI, automation, and cloud-native architectures to modernize core, edge, and RAN. Applying AI, automation, and cloud-native architectures to modernize core, edge, and RAN. Telco Cloud & Edge Deployments Real-world case studies from operators and partners deploying open, disaggregated, and cloud-native networks. Real-world case studies from operators and partners deploying open, disaggregated, and cloud-native networks. Open Source Building Blocks Deep dives into LF Networking and adjacent Linux Foundation projects that underpin next-generation networks, including cloud-native orchestration, observability, security, and edge platforms. Deep dives into LF Networking and adjacent Linux Foundation projects that underpin next-generation networks, including cloud-native orchestration, observability, security, and edge platforms. Developer & Operator Collaboration Hands-on discussions and demos that bridge operators, vendors, integrators, and open source developers. Hands-on discussions and demos that bridge operators, vendors, integrators, and open source developers. India Ecosystem Innovation Showcasing how India-based service providers, hyperscalers, and enterprises are leveraging open networking and edge technologies to deliver new digital services. Registration for ONE Summit India is now open; space is limited, so secure your spot today . Regional focus, global impact In addition to bringing ONE Summit to India, LFN will co-sponsor Cloud Native Telco Day 2026 at KubeCon + CloudNativeCon Europe with Linux Foundation sister project, Sylva. Cloud Native Telco Day brings together telecommunications providers, cloud and edge platform leaders, open source communities, and ecosystem partners to explore how cloud-native technologies are reshaping the networking landscape. Co-sponsorship will: Highlight cloud-native telco architectures and open source building blocks drawn from across the LF Networking portfolio and adjacent Linux Foundation projects. Provide a forum for operators, vendors, and developers to share best practices, deployment stories, and lessons learned from real-world implementations. Advance AI-native and automation-driven approaches to planning, operating, and securing networks in cloud-native environments. "Between ONE Summit India and Cloud Native Telco Day 2026 in Amsterdam, we're doubling down on our commitment to regional engagement with a strong, globally connected roadmap for AI-native and cloud-native networks," added Joshipura. "These events provide multiple entry points for our community to collaborate, contribute, and accelerate innovation." As Cloud Native Telco Day is a KubeCon + CloudNativeCon Europe CNCF-hosted Co-located Event, in-person attendees have the option to register for an All-Access In-Person KubeCon + CloudNativeCon pass that will include entry to ALL CNCF-hosted co-located events + KubeCon + CloudNativeCon, including Cloud Native Telco Day. About the Linux Foundation The Linux Foundation is the world's leading home for collaboration on open source software, hardware, standards, and data. Linux Foundation projects are critical to the world's infrastructure including Linux, Kubernetes, Node.js, ONAP, OpenChain, OpenSSF, OpenStack, PyTorch, RISC-V, SPDX, Zephyr, and more. The Linux Foundation is focused on leveraging best practices and addressing the needs of contributors, users, and solution providers to create sustainable models for open collaboration. For more information, please visit us at linuxfoundation.org . For a list of trademarks of the Linux Foundation, please see its trademark usage page: www.linuxfoundation.org/trademark-usage . Linux is a registered trademark of Linus Torvalds. Media Contact Jill Lovato The Linux Foundation [email protected] Correction: Changes were made to the first paragraph and a new paragraph has been added. SOURCE LF Networking With submissions from around the world, and screenings across prominent Phoenix-area venues, the SkyFire Film Festival positions Arizona as a hub for environmental storytelling and action PHOENIX, Jan. 22, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- The inaugural SkyFire Environmental Film Festival is set to debut across the greater Phoenix area in March 2026. This premier film festival is a three-day event that combines powerful storytelling with community engagement to inspire environmental action across Arizona and throughout the world. Over 150 films have been submitted to the festival by directors of all ages, backgrounds, and parts of the world. The films' subject matters are just as diverse as their directors and span topics such as climate action, food systems, waste reduction, and community education, to name a few. The finalists will be shown in prominent venues across Phoenix, Tempe, and Mesa, which include the Arizona Science Center and the ASU Mix Center, from March 27th through the 29th. Through public transit partnerships, zero-waste initiatives, and service projects, SkyFire will be fighting some of the many environmental challenges Arizonians face every day during the festival. Thus, transforming Arizona's environmental challenges into an opportunity for leadership, learning, and powerful sustainability storytelling. Tickets are now on sale at SkyFireFF.com. When asked why Arizona was chosen to host the SkyFire Environmental Film Festival, the festival's co-producer, and founder of Urban Farming Education (UFE), Mike McMahon shared: "Arizona was chosen to host this film festival because it faces some of the most urgent and visible environmental challenges in the country, yet until now there has not been a dedicated environmental film festival creating space for public dialogue around them. The goal is to raise awareness, spark collaboration, and connect local communities, universities, policymakers, and industry leaders to global solutionspositioning Arizona not just as a place experiencing environmental pressure, but as a hub for storytelling, learning, and leadership in sustainability." The SkyFire Environmental Film Festival will take place from March 27th through the 29th, 2026, at venues across Phoenix, Tempe, and Mesa. In addition to screening finalist films, there will be filmmaker Q&A sessions, a filmmaker pitch session, and keynote addresses from the mayors of Phoenix, Mesa, and Tempe. To reserve your tickets, submit a film, or learn more about the festival, please visit SkyFireFF.org. SOURCE SkyFire Environmental Film Festival BRUSSELS, Jan. 22 (Xinhua) -- European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen on Thursday survived a no-confidence vote in the European Parliament concerning the signing of the EU-Mercosur trade agreement. The motion, which required a two-thirds majority to pass, was rejected with 390 votes against, 165 in favor and 10 abstentions. The free trade deal between the European Union (EU) and the Southern Common Market (Mercosur) was signed on Saturday in Asuncion, Paraguay. The lawmakers accused the agreement of ignoring the opposition of national parliaments, the European Parliament and European farmers. They also faulted von der Leyen for failing to respond to the EU's most urgent challenges, including the decline of agriculture and rural areas and the deterioration of food security. In a debate on Monday, EU trade commissioner Maros Sefcovic emphasized that the deal "sends a compelling message to the world" in the face of potential additional U.S. tariffs. "We choose multilateralism over unilateralism, and mutual benefit over one-sided gains," he said. SPENCERPORT, N.Y., Jan. 22, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- How should a tradesperson plan a work van upfit that actually saves time on every stop? A HelloNation article provides the answer by laying out clear, field-tested steps drawn from the experience of Tony Collichio, widely known as Mr. Work Van in Spencerport, New York. The piece explains how to align shelving, power, and payload with the real movements of a workday while keeping crews safe and efficient, and readers can find those details in a HelloNation article. "Mr. Work Van" Tony Collichio - Owner of Twin Works Vans Speed Speed The article begins with a simple truth. The best work van upfit starts with the trade itself and not a generic catalog list. Electricians, plumbers, locksmiths, and HVAC crews need different storage depths, access points, and power profiles. It explains how to stage high-touch items near the door used most. That placement lowers steps per job and keeps the van balanced. The result is faster restocks and less fatigue by the afternoon. Payload and weight distribution come next in the HelloNation guidance. Every van has a gross vehicle weight rating, and staying within it is a safety baseline. The article stresses spreading heavy parts low and forward to keep handling predictable. Readers learn why overloading the rear shelves is risky. Braking distances grow, tires run hot, and crosswind tracking suffers. A trial load before final anchoring often reveals where weight naturally wants to sit. Flooring and partitions are framed as practical safety features. A composite floor resists spills and stops fasteners from telegraphing through thin steel. A solid bulkhead shields the cab and preserves heat in winter. If crews carry tall tools or conduit, the article notes a pass-through bulkhead as a smart compromise. It keeps the safety barrier while allowing long items to ride inside. The advice stays simple and rooted in everyday use. Shelving and drawers get specific attention. Commercial-rated slides keep drawers shut over rough streets, and lipped shelves hold bins in hard turns. The HelloNation article explains how proper latches prevent flying objects in sudden stops. Material choice depends on duty cycle. Aluminum saves weight, steel tolerates abuse, and mixed builds can offer the best value. Fastening to approved body points protects structure and resale. Power systems receive a clear plan readers can follow. Many trades now need inverters, chargers, and lighting that do not threaten starting batteries. The article recommends a dual battery setup with an isolator for confidence at the end of a long day. LED strip lighting along the ceiling improves visibility without glare. Wire routing belongs in loom with grommets at pass-throughs, and each circuit needs a fuse close to the source. A small, quiet generator covers rare high-draw tasks without overbuilding. Roof racks and ladders affect daily strain and fuel use. Low-profile racks keep garages accessible and drag down. Drop-down ladder racks protect shoulders and speed loading, but they add weight and must be spec'd to real ladder counts. Door patterns shape stress and safety. Side door bins can reduce steps on dense routes. Long item tubes mounted low at the rear align with bumper steps for safer loading in all weather. The article treats inventory control as a simple habit. Clear labels, task-based grouping, and a short restock list posted on the door keep parts flow steady. Tracking the five most used items helps set par levels that fit a week of calls. Maintenance planning is built into the work van upfit from day one. Air filters, batteries, wipers, and tires wear faster on stop-and-go routes. Tires need proper load ratings and pressures to prevent edge wear and blowouts. Many service vans idle for hours, so severe-duty oil intervals often apply. A quiet compartment for spill kits and a jump pack is low-cost insurance. These touches keep crews moving when something goes wrong far from the shop. Buying or replacing a van is simpler with a checklist. The right wheelbase, roof height, and doors beat promotional features every time. A team that stands often needs a high roof, while city routes benefit from short wheelbases and tight turning. Fuel choice is a practical match to route length and idle time. Local service access matters as much as price at the pump. Modular upfits that can move to the next chassis improve long-term value and resale. Insurance and compliance close the loop. Anchored cargo, working lights, and reflective tape reduce accident severity and claims friction. Photos of the finished interior, with serial numbers on key components, support policy updates. The HelloNation article also notes local rules that may require safety items. Fire extinguishers, first aid kits, and clear signage are common asks. Organized documentation helps crews pass inspections without delays. Mr. Work Van's perspective is grounded in decades of hands-on work. The advice is not theoretical or ornamental. It is built around safe, repeatable motion that saves minutes at every stop. Across the feature, Work Van Upfit Expert Tony Collichio keeps the focus on reliability. The message is consistent and calm. Plan the layout, respect payload capacity, wire power correctly, and keep access clear. Readers come away with a framework they can apply to any service trade. Start with the job, test the load, and secure the gear. With those basics set, the work van upfit becomes a tool that pays for itself. "Mr. Work Van" Tony Collichio Explains Shelving, Power, and Payload features insights from Tony Collichio, Work Van Upfit Expert of Spencerport, New York, in HelloNation. About HelloNation HelloNation is a premier media platform that connects readers with trusted professionals and businesses across various industries. Through its innovative "edvertising" approach that blends educational content and storytelling, HelloNation delivers expert-driven articles that inform, inspire, and empower. Covering topics from home improvement and health to business strategy and lifestyle, HelloNation highlights leaders making a meaningful impact in their communities. SOURCE HelloNation CHONGQING, China, Jan. 22, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- The World Economic Forum (WEF) recently announced the latest members of its Global Lighthouse Networks 2026, with HiTHIUM's Chongqing manufacturing base successfully selected. The factory becomes the world's first Lighthouse Factory for energy storage batteries, marking a major milestone for the global energy storage industry. HiTHIUM Chongqing manufacturing base The factory is also the world's first mass-production facility dedicated to kAh long-duration energy storage (LDES) battery. Through systematic breakthroughs in intelligent manufacturing and digital transformation, the Chongqing manufacturing base sets a new benchmark for high-quality development across the global energy storage value chain. The Global Lighthouse Network is a World Economic Forum initiative recognizing best-in-class operational sites and value chains that have achieved exceptional performance in productivity, supply chain resilience, customer centricity, sustainability and talent. The initiative was co-founded with McKinsey & Company and is counselled by an advisory board of industry leaders working together to shape the future of global manufacturing. As of today, 224 Lighthouse Factories have been recognized globally, with HiTHIUM being the first to represent the energy storage battery sector. "Competitiveness today is no longer defined by efficiency alone, but by the ability to sense, adapt and respond at speed," said Kiva Allgood, Managing Director, World Economic Forum. "This year's industrial transformation sites show how intelligence-led operations are being scaled to place resilience and sustainability at the core of how industry operates." A "Thinking" Factory Redefining Energy Storage Manufacturing As lithium-ion energy storage plays an increasingly vital role in renewable energy integration and grid stability, the industry is experiencing rapid growth alongside mounting challenges. These include surging demand, intensified cost pressures, and increasingly stringent requirements for battery consistency. Traditional manufacturing models are no longer sufficient to meet these demands. In response, HiTHIUM's Chongqing manufacturing base has advanced a comprehensive intelligent manufacturing strategy focused on near-zero-defect production, systematic cost optimization, and intelligent operations. Through continuous exploration of lean production and advanced manufacturing practices, the base has achieved significant improvements in yield, production capacity, and overall equipment effectiveness. At the core of HiTHIUM's intelligent manufacturing approach is a factory that can truly "think." The Chongqing manufacturing base has deployed more than 40 digital solutions, deeply integrating generative artificial intelligence, machine learning, and AIoT technologies. These innovations enable full-lifecycle intelligent control spanning R&D, material selection, manufacturing, and final inspection. By establishing a closed-loop, data-driven management system across the entire production chain, the base ensures exceptional product consistency, laying a solid foundation for high safety, reliability, and performance in energy storage batteries. Forward-Looking Deployment to Lead LDES Building on the growing maturity of its intelligent manufacturing system, HiTHIUM continues to advance forward-looking production layouts tailored specifically for LDES applications. The Chongqing manufacturing base has steadily expanded the adaptability of intelligent manufacturing across different technical pathways and application scenarios, reinforcing its role in supporting the industrialization of LDES. The base has also established the world's first production line dedicated to LDES batteries. In June 2025, HiTHIUM's Cell 1175Ah LDES battery entered mass production. In October, the Power 6.25MWh 4h LDES BESS, powered by this battery, began global deliveries. In December, the system was selected as the sole representative from the energy storage sector at a national-level exhibition highlighting advancements in Chinese manufacturing. Looking ahead, HiTHIUM will further leverage the lighthouse factory's demonstrative role in intelligent R&D, smart manufacturing, and the development of agile and resilient supply chain networks. As an industry chain leader, the company will also drive digital transformation across upstream and downstream partners, fostering a highly collaborative and efficient industrial ecosystem. By continuously exporting scalable intelligent manufacturing practices and industrialization capabilities, HiTHIUM aims to support the large-scale, high-quality, safe, and efficient deployment of LDES batteries and systemscontributing a robust Chinese solution to the global transition toward green and sustainable energy. Photo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/2867357/utf_8_B_SGlUSElVTeKAmXMtQ2hvbmdxaW5nLW1hbnVmYWN0dXJpbmctYmFzZS5qcGc.jpg Logo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/2756901/7c3129fca23bd8070ae415d1d2ae8b46_Logo.jpg KALAMAZOO, Mich., Jan. 22, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- How can homeowners in Michigan protect their basements from springtime moisture and long-term structural damage? A HelloNation article featuring Charlie Hill of Great Lakes Waterproofing in Kalamazoo, Michigan, answers that question by outlining a detailed seasonal checklist for basement waterproofing. The piece explains how small steps taken outside the home can make the biggest difference in preventing costly water problems inside. Charlie Hill - Owner, Great Lakes Waterproofing Speed Speed Hill notes that the cycle of melting snow and heavy rains can create ideal conditions for leaks and flooding. Many homeowners focus on interior symptoms such as dampness, musty odors, or stains, but the article emphasizes that effective basement waterproofing begins outdoors. According to the feature, moisture control depends on how water approaches, accumulates, and drains around a home's perimeter, not just how it is removed once inside. A central recommendation in the HelloNation article is to start with a thorough exterior inspection each season. Homeowners are encouraged to walk around their property and check the slope of the ground. Water should flow away from the foundation, not toward it. When water pools near basement walls or under decks, it signals drainage issues that need attention. Addressing these conditions early can prevent water damage before it spreads into the foundation. Downspouts and gutters are also key focus areas in Hill's seasonal checklist. The article explains that downspouts should carry runoff at least five feet away from the structure to keep moisture from collecting along the foundation. Clogged gutters cause overflow that soaks the soil below, creating persistent dampness and weakening the home's base over time. Regular cleaning of gutters and extensions reduces this risk and supports broader efforts toward foundation protection. The article also highlights Michigan's unique climate challenges. In regions like Kalamazoo, the freeze-thaw cycle presents serious threats to structural stability. As soil freezes, it expands and places pressure on foundation walls. When it thaws, the resulting water infiltrates the loosened soil. Over repeated seasons, this cycle compromises the foundation's strength. Hill explains that exterior barriers, waterproof coatings, membranes, and French drains help counter these effects by managing water before it reaches the basement. Inside the home, Hill recommends that homeowners remain alert to subtle signs of water intrusion. A persistent earthy smell can indicate hidden mold growth, while stains near window wells or along floor joints often reveal seepage. The HelloNation article urges routine checks of sump pump systems to ensure they are functioning properly. Testing backup pumps before the rainy season begins helps avoid failure when demand is highest. While sump pumps are essential, Hill reminds readers that even a high-quality pump cannot fully protect a basement if exterior drainage systems are compromised. The article reinforces that basement waterproofing is most successful when it focuses on prevention rather than reaction. True moisture control means stopping water from reaching the foundation in the first place. This approach combines exterior inspection, drainage correction, and maintenance of structural barriers. Hill's guidance shows that while interior repairs may seem easier, they are often temporary solutions that do not resolve the root causes of water infiltration. Routine seasonal inspection is a recurring theme in the HelloNation piece. Hill stresses that homeowners who perform regular checks gain a clearer understanding of their property's vulnerabilities. Early detection allows simple fixes such as regrading soil, cleaning gutters, or repairing downspouts before small issues escalate into serious structural concerns. Each inspection acts as a safeguard against long-term damage and supports effective water damage prevention. The feature also outlines how external waterproofing systems complement interior moisture management tools. For example, French drains and waterproof membranes form the first line of defense by diverting water before it penetrates walls or footings. When these systems function correctly, sump pumps and interior drains have less water to manage, reducing the risk of basement flooding during heavy rains. Hill points out that this layered strategy is particularly important in climates with frequent freeze-thaw cycles, where rapid temperature changes intensify water movement in the soil. Hill's insights extend beyond technical advice. The article encourages homeowners to view basement waterproofing as an ongoing responsibility rather than a one-time project. By creating a seasonal routine, property owners can protect both the structure's integrity and the comfort of the living space. Preventing water intrusion not only preserves building materials but also helps maintain air quality, energy efficiency, and overall home value. According to Hill, small maintenance habits can yield significant long-term results. Keeping gutters clear, ensuring downspouts extend properly, and checking for soil erosion are simple but vital tasks. Even these minor adjustments contribute to foundation protection by controlling how water interacts with the property. The HelloNation article concludes that the cost of seasonal upkeep is far lower than the expense of repairing water-damaged foundations or replacing mold-contaminated materials. Ultimately, the message from Great Lakes Waterproofing is clear: exterior maintenance is the foundation of lasting basement protection. By combining regular inspections, moisture control, and proactive drainage management, homeowners can stay ahead of the region's challenging weather patterns. The piece serves as both a reminder and a guide for Michigan residents preparing their homes for spring. Seasonal Checklist for Basement Waterproofing features insights from Charlie Hill, Basement Waterproofing Expert of Kalamazoo, Michigan, in HelloNation. About HelloNation HelloNation is a premier media platform that connects readers with trusted professionals and businesses across various industries. Through its innovative "edvertising" approach that blends educational content and storytelling, HelloNation delivers expert-driven articles that inform, inspire, and empower. Covering topics from home improvement and health to business strategy and lifestyle, HelloNation highlights leaders making a meaningful impact in their communities. SOURCE HelloNation WATKINSVILLE, Ga., Jan. 22, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- What are the key dates and terms to know when navigating health insurance enrollment? A feature in HelloNation highlights the insights of licensed insurance agent David Wiley of Watkinsville, Georgia, who provides clear answers about pre-existing condition health insurance, ACA protections, and the Georgia Access Marketplace. David Wiley - Licensed Insurance Agent Speed Speed The HelloNation article explains that before the Affordable Care Act, many people faced health coverage denial because of a pre-existing condition. Insurers often rejected applicants or charged higher premiums based on medical history. According to the piece, ACA protections now ensure that no one can be denied major medical coverage or forced to pay more due to prior health issues. Wiley's guidance in HelloNation emphasizes that a pre-existing condition health insurance safeguard applies to all ACA-compliant plans. Conditions such as diabetes, asthma, or high blood pressure cannot be excluded under these rules. This means Georgia residents can turn to the Georgia Access Marketplace with confidence that their health history will not work against them. The article also explains that while ACA protections are broad, timing is essential. Wiley notes that open enrollment in Georgia happens once a year, and outside that period, individuals must qualify for a special enrollment window. These special periods cover life events such as marriage, childbirth, relocation, or loss of existing coverage. Without meeting one of those criteria, an applicant must wait until the next open enrollment Georgia schedule to secure Marketplace coverage. Another key detail Wiley highlights is the difference between ACA-compliant plans and short-term health insurance. The HelloNation article points out that short-term policies do not guarantee coverage for pre-existing conditions and may even exclude specific treatments. Families who rely on temporary coverage could face unexpected gaps or health coverage denial if they are unaware of these differences. The Georgia Access Marketplace offers a more stable path. According to Wiley's advice, Marketplace plans cover essential benefits like preventive care, hospital stays, maternity services, and prescription medications. They also include annual caps on out-of-pocket expenses, protecting families from overwhelming financial burdens. These features reinforce why ACA protections remain central to long-term health planning in Georgia. HelloNation further emphasizes that the success of managing health insurance often hinges on understanding dates and definitions. Wiley explains that knowing when open enrollment in Georgia begins and ends is the most important planning step. Without awareness of these deadlines, families risk lapses in coverage that could leave them exposed to medical costs. The piece makes it clear that while health insurance can feel complex, the ACA protections simplify the most important question: whether people with pre-existing conditions can be denied coverage. Wiley confirms that since 2014, the rule has been consistentmajor medical insurers must treat all applicants equally, regardless of medical history. This continues to help millions secure coverage they otherwise could not access before the ACA. For Georgia residents weighing their options, the guidance from Wiley in HelloNation stresses that timing, eligibility, and plan type all matter. Whether dealing with a chronic condition or simply planning ahead, the best protection comes from using the Georgia Access Marketplace during open enrollment or after a qualifying life event. The full HelloNation article, "What Are the Key Dates and Terms I Need to Know for Health Insurance?" , highlights these insights from licensed insurance agent David Wiley. His expertise helps individuals understand pre-existing condition health insurance, ACA protections, and how the Georgia Access Marketplace works to prevent health coverage denial. About HelloNation HelloNation is a premier media platform that connects readers with trusted professionals and businesses across various industries. Through its innovative "edvertising" approach that blends educational content and storytelling, HelloNation delivers expert-driven articles that inform, inspire, and empower. Covering topics from home improvement and health to business strategy and lifestyle, HelloNation highlights leaders making a meaningful impact in their communities. www.hellonation.com SOURCE HelloNation The event was moderated by Denver7 traffic expert Jayson Luber and included a panel of distinguished experts: Lt. Colonel Joshua Downing of the Colorado State Patrol Katherine "Kathy" Boden Holland, chief executive officer of Mindr Tami DePalma, victim advocate and chair of Do It for Dominic D Ali Valencia, student representative of Students Against Destructive Decisions (SADD) Rebecca Green, state executive director of Mothers Against Drunk Driving (MADD) Colorado The event was coordinated in response to the drunk driving epidemic in the state. Last year, the state lost 236 lives to impaired driving, highlighting the urgency of the public safety issue. Furthermore, the crisis becomes exacerbated by an increase in poly-substance usage. Research shows that 75% of drivers testing positive for THC also had another substance present, a combination that increases fatal crash risks by up to 40 times. Recent headlines involving teens have underscored the need for intervention among Denver's youngest drivers. Tami DePalma highlighted the human cost of these statistics. DePalma shared the story of her son, Dominic, a high school junior who was killed while traveling as a passenger in a vehicle operated by an impaired teen driver. Further emphasizing the youth perspective, Ali Valencia shared emotional testimony regarding her peer-to-peer advocacy and her commitment to driving cultural changes that prioritize decision-making. Jayson Luber, a traffic expert who has covered impaired driving crashes for more than 30 years, noted that despite statewide efforts, Colorado has seen no significant decline in impaired driving crashes over the past decade. Instead, he stated the numbers have plateaued, highlighting the need for change and sustained community support. "We are not going to arrest our way out of this," said Lt. Colonel Downing. He emphasized that while law enforcement remains vigilant, a shift in the judicial and legislative landscape is equally vital. He noted the urgent need for legislators and judges to support safety efforts by reducing the ability for offenders to plea down charges, ensuring that legal consequences reflect the seriousness of the threat to public safety. The community discussion also focused on shifting the narrative from reactive efforts to proactive action and accountability. Kathy Boden Holland of Mindr said the company is developing technologies designed to build deeper behavioral awareness, which supports their mission to keep people and communities safe. While Boden Holland noted that technological developments are crucial, she emphasized that achieving a future of zero fatalities demands an all-encompassing community effort to drive fundamental behavioral change. A focal point of the event was the introduction of Keepr Drive, an advanced accountability platform that integrates a pocket-sized personal breathalyzer with a vehicle's ignition. The newly emerged system is designed to allow families and individuals to be more proactive in roadway safety efforts by providing a clear breath sample through the portable Keepr device, which allows a car to start. Rebecca Green of MADD Colorado reinforced that technology must be met with a shift in mindset. She noted that despite a growing cultural focus on wellness among younger generations, drunk driving statistics remain a significant concern. She emphasized the need to move past "comfortable conversations" and focus on personal responsibility through the adoption of preventative resources and education. "The 'Our Family, Our Roads' discussion confirmed that our community is ready to move beyond heartbreak and into action," Boden Holland said. "The alliance forged here today, between families, law enforcement, community advocates and technology leaders, is a powerful commitment to roadway safety. Keepr is proud to lead this charge in partnering with communities, leveraging tools like Keepr and Keepr Drive to ensure that the conversations we started here translate directly into safer decisions for Colorado's roads." Keepr remains committed to continuing the dialogue and leveraging insights gained from the discussion to develop resources for Colorado families further and support local proactive initiatives. Event Recap Gallery Event multimedia is available here. About Mindr Mindr is a national leader in substance detection, monitoring and safety solutions. Its portfolio of trusted brands includes Intoxalock, Breathe Easy Insurance, Keepr, DUI.org, recenTHC and ADS Interlock. Mindr is focused on empowering individuals and institutions with the tools to make better decisions and create safer communities. Learn more about Mindr at www.mindr.com. About Keepr and Keepr Drive Keepr is part of the Mindr portfolio of substance detection, monitoring and safety solutions. Launched in 2024, Keepr leverages Mindr's decades of leading innovation in alcohol detection and monitoring technology. Compact yet powerful, the breathalyzer device provides BrAC readings on the go, enabling users to stay accountable with real-time testing. Through seamless app-based integration, Keepr allows users to share testing data instantly from their smartphones with others, enhancing accountability, convenience and connectivity. The recently launched 'Keepr Drive' component connects the Keepr device to a vehicle's ignition interface. When Keepr Drive is enabled, the vehicle only starts after the user provides a breath sample below the BrAC threshold set by their parent, guardian, or accountability partner. This empowers users, such as teen drivers and their families, to make smarter choices about their alcohol consumption and driving decisions. Learn more about Keepr and Keepr Drive at www.yourkeepr.com. SOURCE Mindr ZURICH, Jan. 22, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- Keyrus, a global consulting firm specializing in data strategy, artificial intelligence and digital transformation with nearly three decades of experience, and Veezoo, the leading Agentic Analytics platform, today announced a strategic alliance to democratize access to reliable insights through natural language and intelligent automation. Veezoo enables real-time insights, empowering faster and more informed decision-making. This partnership brings together Keyrus's expertise in data foundations, governance and AI implementation with Veezoo's next-generation analytics engine, enabling organizations across Europe to unlock business insights simply by asking questions. A new era of business intelligence: BI that works like a conversation Veezoo allows users to ask questions in natural language such as "Why did sales drop 15% last week in Germany?" and instantly get accurate, explainable analyses. Its Agentic AI interprets intent, understands the company's data through a structured Knowledge Graph, and generates trustworthy insights and visualizations without hallucinations. This user-centric approach replaces complex interfaces with a simple question box, enabling any employeeregardless of technical backgroundto access real-time insights and make faster, more informed decisions. Keyrus: unlocking enterprise value through AI adoption "We are entering a phase where real competitive advantage lies not in having data, but in making it accessible, understandable and reliable for everyone," said Javier Riera, Executive Director at Keyrus. "Veezoo represents a step-change in how organizations consume analytics. Their technology delivers a conversational and trustworthy BI experience that aligns perfectly with the data strategies we build for our clients. We are excited to join forces with a team pushing the boundaries of what analytics can be," added Ivan Vemado, AI & Innovation Lead at Keyrus. Veezoo: combining advanced AI with enterprise-grade reliability "Keyrus brings world-class expertise in data architecture, governance and transformation, which is essential for organizations adopting Agentic Analytics at scale. Our mission has always been to make business data accessible by simply asking questionsreliable, explainable and aligned with the company's domain. With Keyrus, we can accelerate this vision across Europe," said Marcos Monteiro, Co-founder and CEO at Veezoo. "With a governance layer that is unmatched in the industry, there is no better offering than Veezoo for companies that are truly looking to unleash the power of AI Analytics within their organization", remarks Mark Nelson, CEO & President. Veezoo originated in 2016 in Zurich, where its founders conducted research in language models, question answering systems and knowledge graphs. Today, thousands of users at companies worldwide, including several Fortune 500 companies, trust Veezoo to deliver reliable insights through natural language, supported by prebuilt industry use cases spanning e-commerce, healthcare, logistics, manufacturing and financial services. A partnership designed for real enterprise impact Together, the two companies will help enterprises modernize their BI landscape, increase adoption, reduce time to insight, and strengthen data-driven decision-making across all functions. The alliance combines: Keyrus's capabilities in data strategy, governance, integration, AI readiness and industry-specific acceleration. Veezoo's Agentic Analytics engine, built to deliver precise, trustworthy and conversational insights at scale. About Keyrus: Keyrus is a global consulting and data-technology leader that helps organizations improve performance and accelerate digital transformation through advanced data capabilities and AI-driven strategies. By combining industry, functional and technological expertise in all the most current areas of data and artificial intelligence, Keyrus helps its customers to implement the resources they need to increase their competitiveness, resilience and adaptability. Keyrus offers a complete value proposition, covering consulting and solutions, so that the opportunities created by data, artificial intelligence (AI) and digital become a reality. Relying on the accumulated experience of more than 2.900 people and present in more than 28 countries on 4 continents, Keyrus is one of the foremost international experts in data, consulting, and technology. About Veezoo: Veezoo is the leading Agentic Analytics platform engineered for reliability, enabling users to access trusted insights from their data simply by asking questions in natural language. Veezoo combines advanced AI, knowledge graphs and intuitive design to democratize analytics for enterprises worldwide. Photo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/2867365/Veezoo_x_Keyrus.jpg Logo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/2867364/Keyrus_logo.jpg SOURCE Keyrus Lauber to be appointed Chairman MILWAUKEE, Jan. 22, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- The board of directors of WEC Energy Group (NYSE: WEC) today announced that consistent with the company's guidelines, Gale Klappa, 75, will not be standing for election and will retire from the board following the annual meeting in May. Klappa joined Wisconsin Energy as president in April 2003. He was elected to the company's board of directors in December 2003. From May 2004, Klappa served as chairman and chief executive officer of Wisconsin Energy and We Energies. Under his leadership, the company successfully completed its 2015 acquisition of Integrys Energy Group, at which time he assumed those same roles for WEC Energy Group. Klappa served as non-executive chairman of WEC Energy Group after retiring as chief executive officer in May 2016. In October 2017, Klappa resumed the role of chairman and chief executive officer to provide leadership and continuity following a medical issue that sidelined his successor. He returned to the non-executive chairman role in May 2024. Klappa was the longest serving chief executive officer in company history. Under his leadership, the company has achieved record financial performance delivering 23 consecutive years of dividend increases, consistent earnings growth and unprecedented capital investments to enhance reliability for customers. Klappa is a key leader in Milwaukee's business community, serving as co-chair of the Milwaukee 7 (M7), the region's economic development initiative. Since its founding in 2006, the M7 has helped attract billions of dollars in capital investment in the region creating thousands of jobs. Klappa intends to remain engaged in economic development matters following his retirement from the board of directors. The board also voted to bestow on Klappa the honorary title Chairman Emeritus, effective after the company's annual meeting, in recognition of his exemplary leadership and decades of dedicated service to both the board and the company. This is the first time this honor has been bestowed on anyone in the company's more than 125 year history. "On behalf of the board, the company, and the communities that have benefited from Gale's tremendous leadership, we extend our deepest gratitude," said Thomas Lane, independent lead director. "Gale's accomplishments over the years have been extraordinary, and his vision has helped position WEC Energy Group and its customers for long-term success. True to form, Gale isn't slowing down we look forward to his continued involvement in economic development initiatives that will strengthen both our company and the region we serve." The board plans to appoint Scott Lauber, president and chief executive officer, to the additional role of chairman following the company's annual meeting, subject to his election by stockholders in the annual director election. Lauber has served as president and chief executive officer of WEC Energy Group and as a member of the board of directors since February 2022. He joined the company in 1990 and has held a series of leadership roles of increasing responsibility throughout his career. "Scott's leadership has been instrumental to the company's success. His experience, insight, and steady guidance will continue to serve the organization and the board in the years ahead," Lane said. WEC Energy Group (NYSE: WEC), based in Milwaukee, is one of the nation's premier energy companies, serving 4.7 million customers in Wisconsin, Illinois, Michigan and Minnesota. The company's principal utilities are We Energies, Wisconsin Public Service, Peoples Gas, North Shore Gas, Michigan Gas Utilities, Minnesota Energy Resources and Upper Michigan Energy Resources. Another major subsidiary, We Power, designs, builds and owns electric generating plants. In addition, WEC Infrastructure LLC owns a growing fleet of renewable generation facilities in states ranging from South Dakota to Texas. WEC Energy Group (wecenergygroup.com) is a Fortune 500 company and a component of the S&P 500. The company has approximately 32,000 stockholders of record, 7,000 employees and more than $49 billion of assets. SOURCE WEC Energy Group SYDNEY, Jan. 21, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- Globally loved Australian swim and lifestyle brand Kulani Kinis announces its first athlete partnership with professional surfer Zoe McDougall. Titled The Girls Who Go First, the campaign celebrates the women who lead with courage, curiosity, and heart, honoring those who step forward first so others feel brave enough to follow. Zoe McDougall for Kulani Kinis Every girl goes first in her own way. Sometimes it's bold and visible, chasing a dream across oceans. Other times it's quiet and personal, sending the first text, cheering on a friend, or walking into something new alone. The Girls Who Go First is a tribute to those moments and the girls behind them. Raised on the North Shore of O'ahu, Hawaii, Zoe McDougall grew up where the ocean meets the horizon. While she is not the first woman to surf at an elite level, she is reshaping what the space feels like. More welcoming. More joyful. More rooted in sisterhood. Beyond competition, Zoe advocates for safety, education, and inclusion in a sport that has long been male-dominated, creating space for the next generation to see themselves in the lineup. "I'm so thrilled about this new partnership with Kulani Kinis because of their bright, bold, and uplifting message. I am so inspired by their backstory and female founder Dani, as well as all the amazing women at the brand, it feels like family already. I think this partnership will be a great addition to the surfing space and I am so excited for what's to come this year." Zoe McDougall Born from the same water, Kulani Kinis has celebrated ocean days, community, and every expression of femininity since its beginning. This partnership marks Kulani's first step into the surf space, representing a natural evolution of a brand built on women showing up for women. "Supporting a female athlete is more than a partnership; it's our way of celebrating the women who lead with boldness & grace, stepping forward first so others feel empowered to follow. As a founder, watching our brand enter the surf world and make real waves is a dream realized. I'm unbelievably proud of our team that brought this moment to life." Dani Atkins, Founder Shop www.kulanikinis.com Follow @kulanikinis About Kulani Kinis Kulani Kinis is a globally loved swimwear and lifestyle brand known for its bold prints, feel-good fits, and inclusive community. With a dedicated following, Kulani continues to celebrate confidence, creativity, and connection, one sunshine-soaked drop at a time. SOURCE Kulani Kinis DELRAY BEACH, Fla., Jan. 22, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- According to MarketsandMarkets, the Learning Management System Market is projected to grow from USD 30.92 billion in 2025 to USD 100.70 billion by 2032 at a CAGR of 18.4%. Browse 410 market data Tables and 60 Figures spread through 374 Pages and in-depth TOC on "Learning Management System Market Global Forecast to 2032" Learning Management System Market Size & Forecast: Market Size Available for Years: 20202032 20202032 2025 Market Size: USD 30.92 billion USD 30.92 billion 2032 Projected Market Size: USD 100.70 billion USD 100.70 billion CAGR (20252032): 18.4% Learning Management System Market Trends & Insights: The growth of mobile and cloud-based learning platforms is a key driver for the growth of the market. By offering, the solutions segment is estimated to account for a market value of USD 23.26 billion in 2025. By application, the corporate training & development segment is projected to grow at the highest CAGR of 20.7% during forecast period. By delivery mode, the instructor-led training is expected to account for the largest market share in 2025. By organization size, the SMEs segment is projected to grow at a higher CAGR than the large enterprises segment during forecast period. North America is estimated to account for largest market share in the Learning Management System Market in 2025. Download PDF Brochure @ https://www.marketsandmarkets.com/pdfdownloadNew.asp?id=1266 The growth of mobile and cloud-based learning platforms is a key driver for the growth of the market. Cloud-based learning management solutions reduce the need for heavy infrastructure and make it easier for organizations of all sizes to adopt digital learning. They are easy to deploy, scalable, and cost-efficient. At the same time, the rise in smartphone and tablet usage has propelled the demand for learning that can be accessed anytime and anywhere. Mobile-friendly learning management platforms support on-the-go learning, offer offline access, and improve flexibility for students and employees. Together, these factors are driving organizations to shift toward modern learning management solutions. The solutions segment is projected to account for a larger market share than the services segment during the forecast period. By offering, the solutions segment is projected to account for a larger market share than the services segment during the forecast period, as most organizations invest in core learning platforms and their built-in capabilities. Learning management solutions offer essential functions, including course delivery, content management, learner tracking, assessments, analytics, and compliance management. These platforms help organizations run training programs, support digital learning, and manage large user bases efficiently. With the rise of remote learning, corporate training needs, and AI-enabled personalization, the demand for full-featured LMS solutions continues to increase. Since these solutions form the foundation of any learning ecosystem, they receive higher spending compared to services, leading the solutions segment to dominate the market. Request Sample Pages@ https://www.marketsandmarkets.com/requestsampleNew.asp?id=1266 The blended learning segment is projected to grow at the highest CAGR during the forecast period. By delivery mode, the blended learning segment is projected to grow at the highest CAGR during the forecast period, as organizations and educational institutions shift toward a combination of online and classroom learning. Blended learning allows learners to benefit from digital flexibility and face-to-face interaction, making training more effective and engaging. It supports structured learning through in-person sessions while using learning management system platforms for self-paced learning, assessment, and continuous tracking. This approach is useful for corporate training, higher education, and professional development, where guidance and independent learning are essential. The growing focus on personalized learning, cost efficiency, and better learning outcomes is further encouraging the adoption of blended learning models, driving strong growth in this segment. The US is projected to account for the largest market during the forecast period. The US is projected to account for the largest market share in the Learning Management System Market due to its strong focus on digital learning, advanced technology adoption, and well-developed education and corporate training ecosystems. Many US companies invest heavily in employee development, compliance training, and workforce upskilling, which increases demand for LMS platforms. The presence of leading learning management system providers, strong IT infrastructure, and widespread use of cloud and mobile learning further support market growth. Additionally, US schools, colleges, and universities continue to expand their online and blended learning models, creating a high demand for LMS solutions. Government initiatives, growing use of AI-based learning tools, and a mature corporate learning culture also contribute to the country's leadership in the global LMS market. Inquire Before Buying@ https://www.marketsandmarkets.com/Enquiry_Before_BuyingNew.asp?id=1266 Top Companies in Learning Management System Market: The Top Companies in Learning Management System Market include Anthology (US), Moodle (Australia), Cornerstone OnDemand (US), D2L Corporation (Canada), Instructure Inc. (US), PowerSchool (US), IBM (US), Infor (US), Adobe (US), LTG (UK), Google (US), Oracle (US), SAP (Germany), Docebo (Canada), Learning Pool (UK), Absorb LMS (Canada), CrossKnowledge (France), BizLibrary(US), iSpring (US), Blue Sky eLearn (US), Trakstar (US), DigitalChalk (US), Touvti LMS (US), SkyPrep (Canada), Talent LMS (US), Acorn LMS (Australia), and LearnWorlds (UK). Browse Adjacent Markets: Software and Services Market Research Reports & Consulting Related Reports: Smart Learning Market- Global Forecast to 2030 Mass Notification System Market - Global Forecast to 2030 Workforce Management Market - Global Forecast to 2030 Innovation Management Market - Global Forecast to 2030 Trade Surveillance System Market - Global Forecast to 2030 About MarketsandMarkets MarketsandMarkets has been recognized as one of America's Best Management Consulting Firms by Forbes, as per their recent report. MarketsandMarkets is a blue ocean alternative in growth consulting and program management, leveraging a man-machine offering to drive supernormal growth for progressive organizations in the B2B space. With the widest lens on emerging technologies, we are proficient in co-creating supernormal growth for clients across the globe. Today, 80% of Fortune 2000 companies rely on MarketsandMarkets, and 90 of the top 100 companies in each sector trust us to accelerate their revenue growth. With a global clientele of over 13,000 organizations, we help businesses thrive in a disruptive ecosystem. The B2B economy is witnessing the emergence of $25 trillion in new revenue streams that are replacing existing ones within this decade. We work with clients on growth programs, helping them monetize this $25 trillion opportunity through our service lines TAM Expansion, Go-to-Market (GTM) Strategy to Execution, Market Share Gain, Account Enablement, and Thought Leadership Marketing. Built on the 'GIVE Growth' principle, we collaborate with several Forbes Global 2000 B2B companies to keep them future-ready. Our insights and strategies are powered by industry experts, cutting-edge AI, and our Market Intelligence Cloud, KnowledgeStore, which integrates research and provides ecosystem-wide visibility into revenue shifts. To find out more, visit www.MarketsandMarkets.com or follow us on Twitter , LinkedIn and Facebook . Contact: Mr. Rohan Salgarkar MarketsandMarkets INC. 1615 South Congress Ave. Suite 103, Delray Beach, FL 33445 USA: +1-888-600-6441 Email: [email protected] Visit Our Website: https://www.marketsandmarkets.com/ Logo: https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/1868219/MarketsandMarkets_Logo.jpg SOURCE MarketsandMarkets Medical Image Management market growth is driven by escalating imaging volumes, digital transformation across healthcare, and mounting demand for interoperability and secure image exchange. Technological advancements AI-enabled image analytics, cloud-native PACS/VNA, and edge computing accelerate workflow optimization, diagnostic accuracy, and rapid scalability, expanding TAM and boosting vendor ROI. Key growth factors comprise telehealth expansion, EMR integration, regulatory compliance mandates, and value-based care initiatives that prioritize efficiency and reduced time-to-treatment. LEWES, Del., Jan. 22, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- The Global Medical Image Management Market is projected to grow at a CAGR of 9.8% from 2026 to 2033, according to a new report published by Verified Market Reports. The report reveals that the market was valued at USD 4.5 Billion in 2024 and is expected to reach USD 10.2 Billion by the end of the forecast period. Download PDF Brochure: https://www.verifiedmarketreports.com/download-sample/?rid=32420&utm_source=PRNewswire&utm_medium=360 Verified Market Reports Logo Browse in-depth TOC on Medical Image Management Market 150 - Pages 126 Tables 37 Figures Scope of The Medical Image Management Market Report REPORT ATTRIBUTES DETAILS STUDY PERIOD 2023-2033 BASE YEAR 2024 FORECAST PERIOD 2026-2033 HISTORICAL PERIOD 2023 ESTIMATED PERIOD 2025 UNIT Value (USD Billion) KEY COMPANIES PROFILED Altius Space Machines, Astrobotic Technology, Olis Robotics, Effective Space Solutions, Honeybee Robotics, Ispace, Made in Space, Maxar Technologies, Metecs, Northrop Grumman, Motiv Space Systems, Stinger Ghaffarian Technologies (SGT), Space Applications Services SEGMENTS COVERED By Component, By Deployment Model, By EndUser, By Application, By Imaging Modality, By Geography CUSTOMIZATION SCOPE Free report customization (equivalent to up to 4 analyst working days) with purchase. Addition or alteration to country, regional & segment scope Global Medical Image Management Market Overview Medical Image Management Market: Trends and Opportunities Platform Consolidation and Enterprise Imaging: Healthcare providers are rapidly moving from fragmented PACS and departmental viewers toward unified enterprise imaging platforms. This shift improves clinician productivity, reduces data silos, and supports longitudinal patient records across radiology, cardiology, pathology, and dermatology. Vendors that enable seamless interoperability and vendor-neutral archives are gaining stronger enterprise-level contracts. Healthcare providers are rapidly moving from fragmented PACS and departmental viewers toward unified enterprise imaging platforms. This shift improves clinician productivity, reduces data silos, and supports longitudinal patient records across radiology, cardiology, pathology, and dermatology. Vendors that enable seamless interoperability and vendor-neutral archives are gaining stronger enterprise-level contracts. AI-Enabled Workflow Optimization: Artificial intelligence is no longer experimental in medical image management. Embedded AI tools now automate image routing, prioritization, quality checks, and preliminary findings, significantly reducing turnaround times. This trend creates opportunities for solution providers that integrate AI without disrupting existing clinical workflows. Artificial intelligence is no longer experimental in medical image management. Embedded AI tools now automate image routing, prioritization, quality checks, and preliminary findings, significantly reducing turnaround times. This trend creates opportunities for solution providers that integrate AI without disrupting existing clinical workflows. Cloud and Hybrid Deployment Momentum: Cloud-based and hybrid image management models are expanding due to scalability, cost predictability, and remote access advantages. Hospitals are adopting hybrid strategies to balance data sovereignty, latency requirements, and disaster recovery while gradually modernizing legacy infrastructure. Cloud-based and hybrid image management models are expanding due to scalability, cost predictability, and remote access advantages. Hospitals are adopting hybrid strategies to balance data sovereignty, latency requirements, and disaster recovery while gradually modernizing legacy infrastructure. Regulatory-Driven Data Governance Innovation: Evolving privacy, cybersecurity, and interoperability regulations are reshaping procurement decisions. Vendors offering advanced encryption, audit trails, and compliance-ready architectures are increasingly favored by risk-conscious healthcare executives. Evolving privacy, cybersecurity, and interoperability regulations are reshaping procurement decisions. Vendors offering advanced encryption, audit trails, and compliance-ready architectures are increasingly favored by risk-conscious healthcare executives. Expanding Use Beyond Radiology: Non-radiology imaging volumes are growing faster than traditional imaging. Surgical imaging, ophthalmology, pathology digitization, and point-of-care ultrasound are driving new application developments and revenue streams for image management platforms. Non-radiology imaging volumes are growing faster than traditional imaging. Surgical imaging, ophthalmology, pathology digitization, and point-of-care ultrasound are driving new application developments and revenue streams for image management platforms. Regional Performance Divergence: North America leads in revenue due to early technology adoption, while Asia-Pacific shows the fastest growth driven by hospital digitization programs, rising diagnostic volumes, and government-backed health IT investments. How are digital health initiatives and AI-driven diagnostics shaping market demand for medical image management solutions? Digital health initiatives and AI-driven diagnostics are acting as powerful demand multipliers for the medical image management market. National healthcare digitization programs and hospital modernization strategies are prioritizing interoperable image ecosystems that can support telemedicine, remote consultations, and data-driven care pathways. As diagnostic imaging volumes increase, especially from advanced modalities and point-of-care devices, healthcare systems face mounting pressure to store, retrieve, and analyze images efficiently. AI-driven diagnostics amplify this need by requiring high-quality, well-labeled, and easily accessible imaging datasets. Image management platforms are evolving into intelligent data hubs that feed AI algorithms while maintaining clinical-grade reliability. This creates a virtuous cycle: better image management enables more accurate AI insights, which in turn increase clinician trust and adoption. From a business perspective, this dynamic is driving demand for scalable architectures, API-driven integration, and analytics-ready repositories. Vendors that align product roadmaps with AI enablement and digital health strategies are achieving deeper market penetration and longer-term customer lock-in. To Purchase a Comprehensive Report Analysis: https://www.verifiedmarketreports.com/ask-for-discount/?rid=32420&utm_source=PRNewswire&utm_medium=360 What are the key restraints limiting market expansion, and how do application-specific use cases mitigate these challenges? Despite strong growth fundamentals, the medical image management market faces notable restraints, including high implementation costs, integration complexity with legacy systems, and clinician resistance to workflow changes. Data security concerns and compliance requirements further slow decision-making, particularly for cloud deployments. Smaller healthcare facilities often struggle to justify upfront investments without clear short-term returns. Application-specific use cases are helping mitigate these challenges by delivering measurable value. For example, teleradiology applications demonstrate immediate ROI through faster reporting and expanded coverage without additional staffing. In pathology and oncology, digital image management enables multidisciplinary collaboration, improving diagnostic accuracy and treatment planning. Modular deployment models and subscription-based pricing are also lowering entry barriers. By focusing on targeted applications with clear operational and clinical benefits, vendors and providers can overcome adoption resistance and gradually scale enterprise-wide solutions. Geographic Dominance and Regional Performance Outlook North America currently dominates the global medical image management market in terms of revenue share. The region benefits from high imaging utilization rates, widespread adoption of electronic health records, and strong investment capacity among hospitals and integrated delivery networks. Healthcare expenditure per capita remains the highest globally, supporting continuous upgrades of imaging IT infrastructure. Additionally, a mature regulatory environment has accelerated standardization and interoperability, reinforcing vendor competition and innovation. Europe represents the second-largest market, characterized by strong public healthcare systems and increasing emphasis on cross-border health data exchange. Western European countries lead adoption of enterprise imaging and vendor-neutral archives, while Central and Eastern Europe show steady growth as EU-funded digital health initiatives expand. The region's focus on data protection and patient privacy has driven demand for secure, compliance-oriented image management solutions. Asia-Pacific is the fastest-growing region, driven by rising chronic disease prevalence, expanding diagnostic capacity, and government-led hospital digitization programs. Large population bases in China and India are generating exponential growth in imaging volumes, while countries such as Japan, South Korea, and Australia are early adopters of AI-enhanced imaging workflows. Investment in smart hospitals and national health information exchanges is accelerating market expansion and attracting global vendors. Latin America and the Middle East & Africa represent emerging opportunities with improving healthcare infrastructure and growing private sector participation. While budget constraints and uneven digital maturity remain challenges, targeted investments in diagnostic centers, telemedicine, and cloud-based solutions are enabling gradual adoption. Over the next decade, these regions are expected to contribute incremental growth as healthcare access and imaging utilization continue to expand. Strategic Implications for Decision-Makers For C-suite executives and investors, the medical image management market presents a compelling blend of defensive stability and innovation-driven upside. Demand is anchored in non-discretionary diagnostic services, while growth is fueled by AI, cloud transformation, and expanding clinical applications. Product strategists should prioritize interoperability, security-by-design, and AI readiness as core differentiators. Market intelligence teams should closely monitor regulatory shifts, hospital consolidation trends, and regional digitization policies, as these factors will shape competitive positioning and long-term value creation. In summary, medical image management is evolving from a back-end IT function into a strategic digital asset. Organizations that recognize its role in enabling precision medicine, operational efficiency, and data-driven care will be best positioned to capture sustained market advantage. Medical Image Management Market: Key Players Shaping the Future Leading industry participants such as Mckesson, General Electric, Fujifilm Holdings, Merge Healthcare Incorporated, Agfa-Gevaert Group, Philips Healthcare, Siemens Healthcare, Carestream Health, Bridgehead Software, Novarad, among others, are instrumental in driving the evolution of the market. These companies influence market dynamics through continuous innovation, strategic partnerships, and global expansion initiatives. Comprehensive analyses of their financial performance, product portfolios, and SWOT evaluations offer critical insights into their competitive positioning and the overall trajectory of the industry. Medical Image Management Market: Segments Analysis Based on the research, Verified Market Reports has segmented the global Medical Image Management Market into Component, Deployment Model, End User, Application, Imaging Modality, Geography. To get market data, market insights, and a comprehensive analysis of the Global Medical Image Management Market, please Contact Verified Market Reports. By Component Software Services By Deployment Model OnPremises CloudBased By Application Diagnostic Imaging Treatment Planning Clinical Monitoring Research and Development By End User Hospitals Diagnostic Imaging Centers Research Institutions Other Healthcare Providers By Imaging Modality Xray MRI (Magnetic Resonance Imaging) CT (Computed Tomography) Ultrasound PET (Positron Emission Tomography) Medical Image Management Market, By Geography North America U.S Canada Mexico Europe Germany United Kingdom France Italy Spain Netherlands Rest of Europe Asia Pacific China Japan India South Korea Australia Indonesia Rest of Asia Pacific Latin America Brazil Argentina Chile Colombia Middle East & Africa (MEA) United Arab Emirates (UAE) Saudi Arabia South Africa Egypt Israel Browse Related Reports: Global Healthcare Business Process Outsourcing (BPO) Market Size By Service Type (Medical Billing, Revenue Cycle Management), By Healthcare Provider Type (Hospitals, Ambulatory Surgical Centers), By End-user Type (Public Healthcare Institutions, Private Healthcare Institutions), By Technology Integration (Cloud-based Solutions, On-premises Solutions), By Business Function (Operational Support, Financial Management), By Geographic Scope And Forecast Global Patient Data Management Systems Market Size By Deployment Type (On-premise, Cloud-based), By Application (Clinical Data Management, Billing and Revenue Cycle Management), By End User (Hospitals, Physician Practices), By Technology (Artificial Intelligence, Machine Learning), By Data Type (Structured Data, Unstructured Data), By Geographic Scope And Forecast Global Behavioral Health EHR Market Size By End-User (Psychiatric Hospitals, Outpatient Mental Health Clinics), By Deployment Model (Cloud-Based EHR Systems, On-Premises EHR Solutions), By Functionality (Patient Management, Billing and Revenue Cycle Management), By Patient Demographics (Children and Adolescents, Adults), By Regulatory Compliance (HIPAA Compliance, 21st Century Cures Act Compliance), By Geographic Scope And Forecast Global Home Health Software Market Size By Software Type (Clinical Management Software, Billing and Revenue Cycle Management Software), By Deployment Model (On-Premises Software, Cloud-Based Software), By End User (Home Health Agencies, Hospices), By Functionality (Patient Records Management, Care Coordination and Case Management), By User Size (Small-Sized Home Health Agencies, Medium-Sized Home Health Agencies), By Geographic Scope And Forecast Global Ambulatory Practice Management Software Market Size By Deployment (On-premise, Cloud-based), By Type (Integrated, Standalone), By End-User (Physician Groups, Hospitals), By Functionality (Practice Management, Revenue Cycle Management), By Application (Electronic Health Record (EHR), Clinical Decision Support, Patient Portal, Appointment Scheduling), By Geographic Scope And Forecast About Us Verified Market Reports stands at the forefront as a global leader in Research and Consulting, offering unparalleled analytical research solutions that empower organizations with the insights needed for critical business decisions. 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Contact Us Mr. Edwyne Fernandes Verified Market Reports US: +1 (650)-781-4080 US Toll Free: +1 (800)-782-1768 Email: [email protected] Web: https://www.verifiedmarketreports.com/ Logo: https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/2486715/5468917/VM_Reports.jpg SOURCE Verified Market Reports MOSCOW, Jan. 22 (Xinhua) -- A Russian citizen has been arrested by the Federal Security Service (FSB) for acting as an agent for Moldova's intelligence services, the TASS news agency reported Thursday. According to the FSB, the suspect arrived in Moscow in December 2025 and was detained when preparing to carry out an assignment from Moldova's intelligence services that aimed to harm Russia's national security. Investigators found correspondence on the suspect's seized communication devices with an officer of the Moldovan intelligence service, confirming his links to a foreign security agency, said the FSB. A criminal case has been opened, and the detainee has been placed in pre-trial detention, with a charge that carries a maximum penalty of eight years in prison. The FSB said the suspect has confessed, while a further investigation is going on. In the news release, Neurophos Secures $110 Million Series A to Launch Exaflop-Scale Photonic AI Chips, issued 22-Jan-2026 by Neurophos over PR Newswire, we are advised by the company that changes have been made. The complete, corrected release follows, with additional details at the end: Neurophos Secures $110 Million Series A to Launch Exaflop-Scale Photonic AI Chips AUSTIN, Texas, Jan. 22, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- Neurophos, a leader in photonic AI chip technology, has raised $110 million in an oversubscribed Series A round, bringing total funding to $118 million. The round was led by Gates Frontier, with participation from M12 (Microsoft's Venture Fund), Carbon Direct Capital, Aramco Ventures, Bosch Ventures, Tectonic Ventures, Space Capital, and others. "Modern AI inference demands monumental amounts of power and compute," said Dr. Marc Tremblay, Corporate Vice President and Technical Fellow of Core AI Infrastructure at Microsoft. "We need a breakthrough in compute on par with the leaps we've seen in AI models themselves, which is what Neurophos' technology and high-talent density team is developing." As AI adoption accelerates, data centers face critical limitations in power and scalability. Traditional silicon-based GPUs cannot meet growing computational demands, resulting in increased costs and energy consumption. Neurophos addresses these challenges with a proprietary optical processing unit (OPU) that integrates over one million micron-scale optical processing elements on a single chip. This innovation delivers up to 100x the performance and energy efficiency of current leading chips, offering a practical, drop-in replacement for GPUs in data centers. "Moore's Law is slowing, but AI can't afford to wait. Our breakthrough in photonics unlocks an entirely new dimension of scaling, by packing massive optical parallelism on a single chip," says Dr. Patrick Bowen, CEO and Co-Founder of Neurophos. "This physics-level shift means both efficiency and raw speed improve as we scale up, breaking free from the power walls that constrain traditional GPUs." Neurophos' breakthrough lies in the development of micron-scale metamaterial optical modulatorsa 10,000x miniaturization over previous photonic elementsmaking large-scale, manufacturable photonic computing possible for the first time. The result is a new class of AI accelerator: ultra-fast, energy-efficient, and adaptable to future AI workloads. "As the AI industry grapples with a surge in demand that tests our ability to satisfy with compute and power, disruptive approaches to compute may open routes to sustained or accelerated systems scaling that will be needed before the end of the decade. With their approach to hyper-efficient optical computation, the Neurophos team have advanced swiftly from a working proof of concept towards a realistic plan to deliver products on a timeline we can underwrite and believe in," said Michael Stewart, Managing Partner at M12, Microsoft's Venture Fund. "From the start, we backed Neurophos because we believed the future of AI was bound by physics, not by algorithms," said Chris Alliegro, Managing Partner at MetaVC Partners. "Neurophos is addressing the only problem that really matters for the future of AI: the limits imposed by silicon. Their optical architecture provides the foundation for the next generation of machine intelligence." Neurophos' technology enables significant reductions in power consumption, supporting the next generation of AI infrastructure without the need for exponential increases in energy or physical resources. The company's advancements promise to make AI more accessible and cost-effective across industries. "Reducing chip-related emissions is now as essential as delivering compute," said Jonathan Goldberg, CEO of Carbon Direct Capital. "Neurophos offers step-function gains in both. This is the kind of next-generation AI infrastructure companies urgently need as their compute demands skyrocket." The new funding will accelerate delivery of Neurophos' first integrated photonic compute system, including datacenter-ready OPU modules, a full software stack, and early-access developer hardware. The company is expanding its Austin headquarters and opening a San Francisco engineering site to meet early customer demand. Additional investors include DNX Ventures, Geometry, Alumni Ventures, Wonderstone Ventures, MetaVC Partners, Morgan Creek Capital, Silicon Catalyst Ventures, Mana Ventures, Gaingels, and others. Cooley LLP serves as legal counsel. About Neurophos Neurophos Inc. is an Austin-based semiconductor company developing high-performance, energy-efficient photonic AI inference chips. Founded by Dr. Patrick Bowen and Dr. Andrew Traverso, the team includes industry veterans from NVIDIA, Apple, Samsung, Intel, AMD, Meta, ARM, Micron, Mellanox, Lightmatter, and more. For details, visit www.neurophos.com. Correction: The list of additional investors has been updated, and quotes have been updated throughout the release. SOURCE Neurophos WASHINGTON, Jan. 22, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids States should significantly increase tobacco taxes to reduce tobacco use and raise billions in new revenue that can help fund critical tobacco prevention and other health programs, according to a new report released today by leading public health organizations. The report is being released as state legislatures are convening for their 2026 sessions and need to address revenue shortfalls, including those caused by deep cuts to federal health programs made in the past year. These include efforts to eliminate the CDC's Office on Smoking and Health, which provides financial and technical assistance to every state, and large Medicaid spending cuts that shift costs to states. The scientific evidence is clear that tobacco tax increases are one of the most effective strategies to reduce smoking and other tobacco use, especially among youth. Tobacco tax increases have also been a reliable source of revenue for governments while reducing health care costs, including state Medicaid costs. The report details the extensive health and economic benefits to each state from increasing its cigarette tax by $1.50 per pack. If every state and the District of Columbia did so, they would collectively: Prevent 231,600 kids from smoking; Prompt 860,300 adults to quit smoking within the first year; Prevent 275,400 premature, smoking-caused deaths; Save $14.3 billion in long-term health care costs, including $363 million in Medicaid costs in the first five years; and Raise over $6 billion in new revenue in the first year alone. The report also calls on states to increase funding for tobacco prevention and cessation programs. These programs prevent kids from using tobacco, help people quit using tobacco, save lives and reduce tobacco-caused health care costs. However, the report finds that most states continue to fall short in funding these lifesaving programs: This year (fiscal year 2026), the states will spend $728.6 million on tobacco prevention and cessation programs, which is less than a quarter (22%) of the $3.3 billion recommended by the CDC for all states combined. Only one state, Maine, currently funds its tobacco prevention and cessation program at CDC-recommended levels. Only eight other states provide at least 50% of CDC-recommended funding levels. 17 states are spending less than 10% of CDC-recommended funding levels. Nationwide, tobacco companies are outspending tobacco prevention funding in the states by nearly 12 to 1. Tobacco companies spend more than $8.6 billion annually nearly a million dollars per hour to market cigarettes and smokeless tobacco products in the U.S. "The United States has made enormous progress in reducing tobacco use, but these gains are at risk unless states step up their efforts and Congress restores funding for the CDC's tobacco control program that is the foundation of our nation's efforts to combat tobacco use," said Yolonda C. Richardson, President and CEO of the Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids. "Tobacco tax increases present a win-win solution to the states a health win that will reduce tobacco use and save lives and a revenue win that can help fund tobacco control and other lifesaving public health programs." Tobacco use remains the leading cause of preventable disease and death in the U.S., killing nearly 500,000 Americans every year and costing over $241 billion in annual health care expenses, more than 60% of which is paid by taxpayers through government programs like Medicare and Medicaid. While smoking rates have been greatly reduced, nearly 10 percent of U.S. adults more than 26 million people still smoke. In addition, an estimated 2.25 million U.S. youth currently use a tobacco product, including over 1.6 million who use e-cigarettes. "Tobacco use is the number one cause of cancer-related death, making reducing tobacco use a critical component in reaching the American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network's (ACS CAN's) goal to end cancer as we know it, for everyone," said Lisa Lacasse, President of ACS CAN. "Cancer prevention and cessation programs are proven to protect kids from tobacco and help individuals who use tobacco quit. Yet, as this report shows, these programs are woefully underfunded. ACS CAN urges lawmakers to work toward reducing suffering and death from cancer by prioritizing increased funding for these lifesaving programs." "Tobacco and nicotine use continue to drive cardiovascular disease and threaten the health of our nation, especially our kids. And make no mistake the tobacco industry continues to relentlessly market products that put a new generation at risk of addiction. Leadership at every level of government is essential to counter these efforts," said Mark Schoeberl, Executive Vice President of Advocacy, American Heart Association. "By increasing tobacco taxes and fully funding proven prevention and cessation programs, states can curb the use of dangerous products, protect kids and advance health and hope for everyone, everywhere. Sustained investments in these evidencebased policies will move us closer to ensuring every person has the opportunity to live a longer, healthier life." "We're at a critical turning point where cuts to tobacco control funding threaten hard-won progress. While overall youth tobacco and nicotine use is declining, many of those who do use are showing troubling signs of dependence as illegal flavored, high-nicotine products surge," said Kathy Crosby, CEO and President of Truth Initiative. "We must use every tool available to protect young people from a lifetime of nicotine addiction and help people quit pairing strong policies and funding to reduce access and appeal with proven, effective cessation resources like EX Program." The report was released by the Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids, American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network, American Heart Association, American Lung Association, Americans for Nonsmokers' Rights, and Truth Initiative. View the report, including state-by-state information, and a ranking of the states. SOURCE Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids ATLANTA, Jan. 22, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- Athlete endorsements are increasingly driving purchase decisions, and brands are under pressure to prove every dollar they spend. NIL Club , a leading platform connecting brands with college student-athletes, today announced a strategic integration with Impact.com, one of the world's largest partnership management platforms, giving marketers access to 650,000+ student-athletes. The NIL Club-Impact.com integration lets brands run athlete-driven, performance-based campaigns using the tracking, attribution, and reporting systems they already rely on. Instead of treating NIL as a one-off experiment, marketers can manage student-athlete programs alongside their other performance channels. "College athletes are no longer a niche marketing experiment," said Mick Assaf, co-founder of YOKE, the company behind NIL Club. "They're becoming a mainstream performance channel, and brands need the same tracking and accountability they already demand everywhere else. With Impact.com, NIL Club gives enterprise marketers the ability to manage thousands of athletes at once, measure real outcomes, and tie athlete-driven influence directly to revenue." As more brands seek new ways to reach Gen Z , college student-athletes have become one of the most effective sources of authentic influence. They bring credibility in their campus and hometown communities, highly engaged social followings, and recommendations that feel more personal and trusted than traditional influencer content. In addition to Impact.com, NIL Club has completed integrations with CJ Affiliate and ShareASale, giving brands flexibility in how they activate athlete marketing. Brands can use the affiliate platforms they already have in place, tap into NIL Club's nationwide athlete network without custom tech builds, and keep performance, tracking, and payouts within their existing partnership ecosystem. NIL Club's performance-based model ensures brands pay only for results. Whether the goal is app downloads, sign-ups, purchases, or in-store visits, marketers can run cost-per-action (CPA) campaigns with transparent attribution and visibility into return on investment. Student-athletes browse and accept brand opportunities through the NIL Club app, create authentic content, and earn commissions on each conversion they drive. All campaigns on NIL Club are reviewed for compliance with NCAA guidelines and applicable state NIL regulations. This compliance-first approach helps protect both brands and athletes, ensuring programs can move forward with confidence and long-term sustainability. For brands interested in exploring college athlete marketing through NIL Club's integrated platform, visit nilclub.com/business . About NIL Club NIL Club, developed by YOKE, is a leading NIL platform that empowers student-athletes to monetize their name, image, and likeness through compliant brand partnerships and fan subscriptions. The platform connects athletes and brands through scalable, performance-based campaigns while prioritizing transparency, trust, and protection of eligibility. Fans can join their favorite athletes' clubs at https://nilclub.com/colleges . Download the NIL Club App Follow NIL Club For media inquiries or partnership opportunities, contact: SOURCE NIL Club Marketing initiative to showcase the company's various commercial tankless solutions, highlighting its time- and labor-saving, multi-unit rack assemblies. FOUNTAIN VALLEY, Calif., Jan. 21, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- Noritz America, an international leader in tankless and electric heat pump water heaters and high-efficiency combination boilers, will unveil a new commercial water heating marketing campaign at the 2026 AHR Expo in Las Vegas on February 2 - 4, 2026. The new "Commercial One" initiative will showcase Noritz's expanding commercial water heater offerings, led by its flagship product line the NCC199 CDV Pro which can be viewed in Booth C4929 in the Central Hall of the Las Vegas Convention Center. A "True Commercial" tankless water heater, the NCC199 is engineered specifically for high-demand commercial and industrial water heating applications. CSA-approved for common venting up to six units, this high-efficiency condensing water heater has a maximum input of 199,900 BTU per hour, a flow rate of up to 11.1 gallons per minute, and an Energy Factor of 0.98 UEF. Incorporating two corrosion-resistant stainless steel heat exchangers to maximize durability, the heater carries an industry-best 10-year warranty on these components. Commercial One will emphasize not only the engineering excellence of the NCC199 itself, but also its ability to deliver scalable solutions by linking multiple units in a single system, ensuring uninterrupted hot water flow, maximum efficiency, and reliable long-term performance. The NCC199 is the key component in commercial multi-unit rack systems designed, built, installed, and serviced by another Noritz Group company: Facilities Resource Group LLC, based in Grand Rapids, Michigan. Specializing in assisting fast-food and casual dining operators with their hot-water needs, FRG's client list includes Texas Roadhouse, Panera Bread, Love's, and Chili's. "Our commercial systems are designed with redundancy firmly in mind," says FRG vice president Ben Wirick. "By linking multiple Noritz tankless units, we don't need to interrupt the hot water supply when it comes time to service any one heater." "In a multi-system setup," he explains, "the Noritz units will communicate with one another and work in unison to even out the load on each heater, maximizing output and system life. Isolation valves and system controllers ensure even wear and proper operation, providing peace of mind for facility owners and managers. Noritz units can be linked together for outputs up to 9.1 million BTU per hour and 316 gallons per minute." Noritz offers several different types of commercial rack assemblies to meet the hot-water needs of a variety of commercial applications: CR61 Rack: This pre-fabricated, multi-unit racking system is designed for installation on a flat rooftop or in a mechanical room of large commercial facilities. This pre-fabricated, multi-unit racking system is designed for installation on a flat rooftop or in a mechanical room of large commercial facilities. Commercial Manifold and Rack Kits: Pre-assembled by Noritz in the United States, wall-hung CMK Manifold Kits and floor-mounted CRK Rack Kits are flat-packed for jobsite shipment in easy-to-carry boxes and engineered to streamline the contractor's task of erecting commercial tankless water heater rack systems in the field, whether for new construction or time-sensitive emergency replacement. Pre-assembled by Noritz in the United States, wall-hung CMK Manifold Kits and floor-mounted CRK Rack Kits are flat-packed for jobsite shipment in easy-to-carry boxes and engineered to streamline the contractor's task of erecting commercial tankless water heater rack systems in the field, whether for new construction or time-sensitive emergency replacement. Total Tankless Solutions: The highly customizable TTS Synergy Series helps system designers and installers accelerate the replacement of large, centralized domestic water-heating systems. By combining up to six NCC199 units in a single rack, TTS needs only a single point of connection for each incoming utility: water, power, gas, vent, condensate, and circulators. Coupled with integrated storage-tank options, the system cuts on-site labor for faster, smoother turnarounds on new and retrofit commercial projects. "Our products are engineered and built to remove the worry over having enough hot water," says Noritz Executive Vice President and General Manager Jason Fleming. "Noritz commercial water heaters are tough enough to handle the hot water demand for any business, from busy restaurants to schools and hospitals, to hotels and apartments, to even agricultural and industrial applications any operation that depends on large and timely supplies of hot water." For more information on Noritz's dedicated commercial product offering, including a wide variety of case studies highlighting real-life applications, visit: https://noritz.com/commercial AHR Expo booth appointments are also available. Contact Emma Wurzer at [email protected] For more information on the full line of Noritz tankless water heating products, visit www.noritz.com . You can also contact us by telephone at 866.766.7489 or by email at [email protected]. For editorial assistance, contact John O'Reilly or Emma Wurzer at GreenHouse Digital PR, 15255 South 94th Avenue, Suite 500 | Orland Park, IL 60462; tel.: 708.428.6385; e-mail: [email protected] | [email protected] . Hi-res versions of photographs to accompany this press release are available for immediate download by using this link: https://noritz.greenhousedigitalpr.com/commercial-one-campaign NORITZ AMERICA CORPORATION, a subsidiary of Noritz Japan, has corporate offices in Fountain Valley, Calif., and Atlanta, offering a full line of tankless water heaters and high-efficiency combination boilers to meet the hot water demands of residential and commercial applications. Noritz supports its products with a national network of skilled representatives and employees committed to providing our communities with the finest products and services by helping consumers live a more comfortable, efficient, and healthy lifestyle. For more information on Noritz America and the entire line of Noritz's ENERGY STAR tankless water heaters, please call (877) 986-6748 or visit our website at www.noritz.com. CONTACT : Andrew Tran Noritz America (714) 433-7813 [email protected] SOURCE Noritz In the news release, Norm Law Appoints Former Sidley Austin Chairman, Mike Schmidtberger, as Chairman and Partner, Signaling a New Model for AI-Driven Institutional Legal Services, issued 22-Jan-2026 by Norm Ai over PR Newswire, we are advised by the company that changes have been made. The complete, corrected release follows, with additional details at the end: Norm Law Appoints Former Sidley Austin Chairman, Mike Schmidtberger, as Chairman and Partner, Signaling a New Model for AI-Driven Institutional Legal Services AI-Native Law Firm Adds Three Big Law Partners NEW YORK, Jan. 22, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- Norm Law, LLP ("Norm Law"), an AI-native law firm built for global institutional clients, today announced the appointment of Mike Schmidtberger as Chairman, Partner, and Head of the firm's Investment Funds and Regulatory practice. The firm also named David Sorin as Partner and Head of Private Equity and Venture Capital and Mike Rupe as Partner and Head of Private Credit and Business Development. Schmidtberger joins Norm Law from Sidley Austin LLP, the sixth-largest law firm in the world by revenue, where he spent the past 35 years. Previously, he was co-head of the investment funds practice and Managing Partner of the New York office. Then, from 2018 through April 2025, Mike served as the firm's Chair of the Executive Committee, a period where Sidley doubled annual revenue from approximately $2 billion to $4 billion. At Norm Law, Schmidtberger will work closely with clients, legal engineers, and AI engineers, and help guide the firm's long-term strategy. "For the past decade, I've been a major believer in knowledge management, data, and AI as drivers of improving legal services. It became clear recently that in order for AI to truly add value, AI systems would need to align more closely with the context of the client and the granular workflows of the attorneys," said Schmidtberger. "When I saw Norm Law's approach of seamlessly integrating Norm Ai's AI agent platform, legal engineers, AI engineers, and attorneys, I knew this was the ideal approach and incredibly unique." Norm Law has also appointed David Sorin and Mike Rupe as Partners. David Sorin will lead Norm Law's private equity and venture capital practice. He previously served as Partner at WilmerHale and brings decades of experience across venture financings, private equity, and M&A. Sorin founded the law firm SorinRand, which he ultimately merged into McCarter & English in 2014, where he became Managing Partner of the East Brunswick office and head of the VC and Early-Stage practice. In 2022, he and his team moved to Brown Rudnick, where he served as Global Co-Chair of the Technology group. Last year, David departed Brown Rudnick to focus on emerging business and client service models shaped by AI and other cutting-edge technologies that are transforming how legal services are delivered, a journey that ultimately led him to Norm Law. Mike Rupe will lead Norm Law's private credit practice and oversee business development as the firm deepens relationships with asset managers and alternative investment platforms. He brings more than 25 years of experience advising private credit funds, financial institutions, and alternative capital providers in complex transactions and special situations. He previously led the Financial Restructuring practice at King & Spalding, where he built and scaled a global, cross-disciplinary team, expanded the firm's global footprint, and served as the primary legal relationship partner for major private credit platforms. In 2022, he joined Cadwalader, Wickersham & Taft to lead its Special Situations practice before joining Norm Law. These significant Partner additions follow Blackstone's recent $50 million investment in Norm Ai to help launch the company's initiative to build Legal AGI. John Nay, Founder and CEO of Norm Ai, added: "These appointments mark a defining moment for Norm Law. Schmidtberger, Sorin, and Rupe bring distinguished senior leadership to the firm. Norm Law is built from the ground up combining a powerful AI platform, the practice of legal engineering that we pioneered, and seasoned expert legal judgment. This is a fundamentally better legal services model for clients, built from first principles in the age of AI." About Norm Law Norm Law is the first AI-native full-service law firm built for global institutional clients. Legal Engineering, a discipline pioneered by Norm Ai, where lawyers develop legal AI agents, powers Norm Law to deliver faster, more precise, and more consistent legal services. For more information, visit https://www.normlaw.com/ About Norm Ai Norm Ai, the Legal & Compliance AI company, has a client base with a combined $30 trillion in assets under management. Norm enables enterprises to move faster and more comprehensively in their legal and compliance processes. Norm's platform combines frontier AI, proprietary legal reasoning systems, and embedded legal and regulatory expertise. Norm Ai has raised more than $140 million, backed by Blackstone, Bain Capital, Vanguard, Citi, New York Life, TIAA, Coatue, Craft Ventures, Henry R. Kravis, and Marc Benioff. For more information, visit https://www.norm.ai/ Contact Prosek Partners [email protected] Correction: A hyperlink has been added to "Norm Law, LLP" in the first sentence and the source of the release has been updated to "Norm Law". SOURCE Norm Law Bill Carew Named President; Camry Blaising Named Chief Operating Officer ATLANTA, Jan. 22, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- OneDigital, a leading insurance brokerage, financial services, and HR consulting firm, today announced the promotions of Bill Carew to President and Camry Blaising to Chief Operating Officer. These leadership enhancements recognize their long-standing records of driving growth and operational excellence and position the firm to drive enhanced client value, innovation, and operational excellence to accelerate the next phase in the company's growth. OneDigital strengthens executive leadership team with promotions of Bill Carew to President and Camry Blaising to COO. Post this OneDigital Strengthens Executive Leadership Team to Drive Growth and Operational Excellence Effective immediately, Bill Carew will serve as President, reporting to Adam Bruckman, Chairman and CEO. Carew has been instrumental in OneDigital's evolution into a scaled, national platform, helping guide the firm through a period of exponential growth while strengthening its ability to serve clients holistically. He joined the firm through the acquisition of Ovation Benefits in 2013 and has played a key leadership role in expanding OneDigital's capabilities and geographic footprint. As COO since 2019, Carew has led the strategic alignment of multiple business lines, ensuring they work together seamlessly to deliver greater value for employers and their people, as well as consumers directly. As President, he will oversee OneDigital's regional operations and platform-level businesses, with a continued focus on scale, performance, and client impact. Camry Blaising has been promoted to Chief Operating Officer, reporting to Bill Carew. Blaising brings deep operational and leadership experience to the role, having joined OneDigital in 2019 through the acquisition of Northwestern Benefit, a premier Georgia-based agency, where she served as COO. Since joining OneDigital, Blaising has been a key member of the firm's senior leadership team, leading initiatives that strengthened national practices, enhanced operational capabilities, and supported scalable growth across the organization. As COO, Blaising will continue to oversee day-to-day operations to ensure efficiency, quality, and execution across the business, while leading OneDigital's core national practices and Centers of Excellence, along with corporate operations functions. "Bill and Camry have been instrumental in building the high-performance, client-first culture that has fueled OneDigital's growth," said Adam Bruckman, Chairman and CEO of OneDigital. "They have helped bring our regions, practices, and platforms together in a way that enables us to scale with intention and deliver more integrated solutions for our clients. Their leadership exemplifies the talent, vision, and commitment that powers OneDigital forward." Coming on the heels of OneDigital's 2025 strategic investment from Stone Point Capital and CPP Investments, these leadership enhancements underscore the company's commitment to building a scalable platform powered by exceptional talent, advanced technology, and integrated solutions. In addition, Erica Zinkie has been promoted to Executive Vice President, Legal & Compliance, reporting to CFO Chuck Ristau, further strengthening OneDigital's high-performing, client-focused executive leadership team. About OneDigital OneDigital's team of fierce advocates helps businesses and individuals achieve their aspirations of health, success and financial security. Our insurance, financial services and HR platform provides personalized, tech-enabled solutions for a contemporary work-life experience. Nationally recognized for our culture of caring, OneDigital's teams enable employers and individuals to do their best work and live their best lives. More than 100,000 employers and millions of individuals rely on our teams for counsel and access to fully integrated worksite products and services and the retirement and wealth management advice provided through OneDigital Investment Advisors. Founded in 2000 and headquartered in Atlanta, OneDigital maintains offices in most major markets across the nation. For more information, visit onedigital.com. Media Contact: Chelsea McKenna, Sr. Director of Communications [email protected] SOURCE OneDigital SHANGHAI and HONG KONG, Jan. 22, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- The "Speak Together Discover Value" Capital Market High-Quality Innovation & Development Forum and Tonghuashun iFinD 2025 Annual Awards Ceremony was recently held in Hangzhou. Ping An of China Asset Management (Hong Kong) Company Limited ("PAAMC HK" or the "Company"), the offshore asset management arm of Ping An Insurance (Group) Company of China, Ltd. ("Ping An"), was honored with the "2025 Most Influential Overseas ETF Institutions" award, distinguishing itself among a strong field. With strong investment research and portfolio management capabilities, PAAMC HK stands out as a leading provider of global investment management solutions across equities, fixed income, ETFs, structured products, and alternative assets. Ping An ETFs employ Systematic, Quantitative and Scientific investment methodologies and aim to offer a vehicle with inherent transparency, consistency, low fees and passive management. In July 2024, the Company's flagship Hong Kong highdividend ETF, which tracks the CSI Hong Kong Dividend Index, became eligible under the Southbound Stock Connect scheme. It is currently the longest-running ETF among those listed in Hong Kong that focus on high dividend yield, providing opportunity for mainland investors to benefit from its defensive positioning and attractive dividend income potential. In September 2025, the Company listed two "Hong Kong + U.S." ETFs on the Hong Kong Stock Exchange, further enriching Hong Kong's ETF market offerings. One adopts a barbell strategy that pairs Hong Kong highdividend stocks with U.S. core blue chips to diversify risk and boost returns. The other offers focused exposure to leading technology companies listed in China and the U.S., enabling investors to capture opportunities arising from AI-driven innovation. Powered by the team's professional expertise and sustained effort, PAAMC HK has received consistent industry recognition in recent years. In the 2025 IAMAC Recommendation by the Insurance Asset Management Association of China (IAMAC), the Company has received 3 recommendations: Outstanding Overseas Business Partners of China's Insurance Asset Management, Outstanding Overseas Trustees of China's Insurance Asset Management, and Outstanding Overseas Business Partners of China's Insurance Asset Management Open Market Operations[1]. In addition, the Company's flagship ETF was recently honored at the BENCHMARK Fund of the Year Awards with the "Outstanding Achiever" award in the Hong Kong Equity category[2]. "We would like to thank the organizers for this recognition. We are honored and encouraged that the market acknowledges our steadfast efforts in the ETF space," said Albert Wang, Head of Capital Markets and CIO of PAAMC HK. "This award affirms our team's professionalism and longterm commitment, and it motivates us to keep advancing in index research and ETF product design. We will continue to apply Systematic, Quantitative and Scientific methodologies, with a strong focus on compliance and risk management, to deliver transparent, resilient, and costefficient investment tools for investors." This press release is issued by Zhenzhuo Group on behalf of PAAMC HK. [1]Source: Insurance Asset Management Association of China, Recommendations 2025 as of September 2025. [2]Source: BENCHMARK Fund of the Year Awards 2024 (Hong Kong): based on fund performance as of 31 December 2024. SOURCE PAAMC HK A national initiative blending data, food and technology to drive trial, sales and visitation. PASO ROBLES, Calif., Jan. 22, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- Launching in May 2026, Paso Robles Wine Month (PRWM) is a new national initiative celebrating the wines, culture and community of Paso Robles Wine Country. Led by the Paso Robles CAB Collective (PRCC) in collaboration with the Paso Robles Wine Country Alliance and Travel Paso , and supported by Bay Cities Packaging and Tastry , the program brings together wineries, grocery chains, independent retailers, restaurants and chefs to drive awareness, trial and sales across on- and off-premise channels while supporting regional tourism. Nilsen data comparing 2025 vs 2023 The initiative launches as the global wine industry faces ongoing headwinds, even as Paso Robles continues to outperform. According to Nielsen data comparing 2025 to 2023 (52 weeks ending Dec. 27, 2025), Paso Robles premium Cabernet Sauvignon, accounting for more than 50% of the region's planted acreage, posted a 3% increase in sales. Recent Circana data also shows that three of the top six Cabernets at every price tier are Paso Robles-appellated wines and members of the PRCC. Curated with Millennials and Gen Z in mind while welcoming wine consumers of all generations, Paso Robles Wine Month reflects how younger audiences are reshaping wine culture. These consumers favor casual, inclusive occasions, value authenticity and sustainability, and increasingly discover and share wine through food and social media. Through a partnership with Tastry, an AI-powered taste science platform that helps shoppers discover wines aligned with their preferences before opening the bottle. "Paso Robles Wine Month is about meeting today's wine consumers where they are," said Rhonda Motil, vice president of marketing at J. Lohr Vineyards & Wines and PRCC marketing committee chair. "The initiative celebrates the quality and diversity of our region in a way that is accessible and food-driven, while giving wineries, retailers and restaurants a strong platform to connect with new audiences." Custom retail displays created by Bay Cities Packaging will anchor the in-store experience. "We engage shoppers through wine education, making wine approachable, while growing basket size." said Sr. Sales Ex, Winston Hewett, Bay Cities Packaging. Campaign elements will be previewed at the Unified Wine & Grape Symposium, Jan. 2729, in Sacramento. " Paso Robles Wine Month is a strategic investment in the future of our region, and is inclusive of all wineries and varietals," said Linda Sanpei, executive director of the Paso Robles CAB Collective. "It brings our winery and trade partners together to introduce Paso Robles wines to the next generation in relevant, accessible ways." More information is available at PasoRoblesWineMonth.com , on Instagram and TikTok at @PasoRoblesWineMonth, the Media Kit , or by reaching out to [email protected] About Paso Robles Wine Month Paso Robles Wine Month , launching nationally in May 2026, is designed to increase awareness of the Paso Robles wine region through consumer discovery, engagement and sales across channels. Led by the Paso Robles CAB Collective in collaboration with the Paso Robles Wine Country Alliance and Travel Paso , the program targets millennials and Gen Z while continuing to engage core wine enthusiasts. Paso Robles Wine Month connects wineries with retailers and restaurateurs through coordinated promotions, in-store and on-premise activations, chef collaborations and digital engagement. Program elements include custom retail displays by Bay Cities Packaging, AI-powered taste analysis through Tastry , QR-enabled content and sweepstakes, and integrated marketing support aimed at driving trial of Paso Robles wines. Regionally, the acclaimed Paso Wine Fest , held May 1517, 2026, showcases the region's food, wine and culture, whilst the region's 200+ wineries host special events throughout the celebration. More information is available at PasoRoblesWineMonth.com, and on Instagram and TikTok at @PasoRoblesWineMonth. Contact [email protected] . About Bay Cities Packaging Bay Cities Packaging is a full-service designer and manufacturer of packaging and POP displays that encourage impulse purchases at major retailers nationwide. Strategically located near the Port of Long Beach, our headquarters offer comprehensive solutions for brands looking to move products off the shelf. This includes in-house design and structural engineering, manufacturing, fulfillment, logistics, and distribution to retailers. With a centrally located, TAPA-certified packout facility in Chicago, we can also assist with domestically produced suppliers on the east coast. Bay Cities is committed to sustainability which is why our corrugated is SFI and FSC certified, 100% recyclable and comes from 99% post-consumer waste. Please visit the website at bay-cities.com . CONTACT Simone Rubio [email protected] 805.550.9150 MEDIA KIT SOURCE Paso Robles CAB Collective BRENTWOOD, Tenn., Jan. 22, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- Pella Corporation, a leading manufacturer of windows and doors, celebrated the opening of the Pella Corporation Wellness Center in Pella, Iowa, powered by Premise Health, the largest direct healthcare company serving large employers and unions and a leading provider of digital care. Lobby of the Pella Corporation Wellness Center, powered by Premise Health. "We're excited to announce the opening of the Pella Corporation Wellness Center right here in our hometown," said John Bollman, executive vice president and chief human resources officer, Pella Corporation. "Our legacy has always been shaped by our people. That's why we're going the extra mile to focus on our team members, investing in their long-term health and wellness, so they can continue to grow and support our mission of fostering bold, innovative ideas and creating brighter futures for generations to come." The wellness center and pharmacy, located on Washington Street, will provide convenient access to care for nearly 2,500 team members. A dedicated Premise care team will provide a suite of high-quality services including primary care and pediatrics, behavioral health, pharmacy, care navigation, and care management. "Our partnership with Pella Corporation is a representation of our commitment to providing whole-person care for communities across the nation," said Beth Ratliff, COO, Premise Health. "By bringing high-quality, value-driven services such as primary and preventive care, behavioral health, pharmacy, and care navigation together under one roof, we are delivering on a vision to help people get and stay healthy, not just when they are sick." Pella Corporation team members and their families can also schedule appointments both in-person and virtually with the My Premise Health app. Later this spring, the two companies plan to host a larger grand opening of the wellness center where team members and their families will have the opportunity to tour the facility and meet their Premise care team. About Premise Health Premise Health is the leading direct healthcare provider and one of the largest digital providers in the country, serving millions of members across commercial and municipal employers, health plans, unions, and tribes in the U.S. Premise's integrated model of in-person and virtual care provides convenient, often same-day access to diverse member populations. It operates more than 800 onsite and nearsite wellness centers in 46 states and Guam, delivering care through onsite, nearsite, and virtual solutions. With an innovative advanced primary care model, deep expertise in occupational health, and more than 30 types of care, Premise delivers the breadth and depth of care required to serve its partners' total populations. The result is high-quality healthcare that meets the needs of members and their families, helping them live healthier while lowering costs for organizations. For more information on Premise Health, visit www.premisehealth.com. About Pella Corporation Pella has been creating a brighter future for its customers, communities, and team members since 1925. Recognized as an industry leader in innovation, Pella Corporation designs and manufactures windows and doors for residential homes and commercial applications. The company is headquartered in Pella, Iowa, and employs more than 10,000 team members across 20 manufacturing locations and 250 showrooms across the country. For more information, visit https://www.pella.com/. Media Contacts: Valerie Somerville Public Relations Manager Premise Health [email protected] Monica Clark Head of Stakeholder Engagement & Reputation Pella Corporation [email protected] SOURCE Premise Health; Pella Corporation WASHINGTON, Jan. 22, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- Today, More Perfect announced support for the Pillars of the Community (POTC) program, a bipartisan effort dedicated to strengthening public trust in America's election system. With More Perfect's help, POTC will expand its bipartisan activities into more of the nation's most contentious election jurisdictions. The POTC initiative recruits a politically diverse group of community leaders to learn about their local election systems through ongoing engagement with local election administrators. As a result, these Pillars can serve as credible voices for fair, accurate, and professional election administration in their local jurisdictions, helping to build confidence in elections and promoting a shared commitment to democratic participation. POTC is led by nationally respected election experts Ben Ginsberg and Bob Bauer, whose long record of work in the political process includes co-chairing the Presidential Commission on Election Administration and bipartisan work alongside state and local election officials after careers representing candidates and political parties on different sides of the aisle. POTC mobilizes influential civic, business, faith, veteran, and community leaders of diverse political viewpoints to deepen their understanding of election processes and to share that knowledge within their communities. Through direct engagement with local and state election officials, POTC participants learn firsthand about the election system and its safeguards, such as checks and balances, chain-of-custody procedures, bipartisan oversight, and validation protocols that ensure accurate and reliable vote counts. "In every corner of the country, Americans depend on the professionalism of election officials who administer our democracy with integrity," said John Bridgeland, Founder & CEO of More Perfect. "Pillars of the Community brings together trusted local leaders across the aisle to support their election officials and help restore confidence in this essential democratic process." POTC is expanding its trusted-messenger program in 2026, adding Michigan, Nevada, and North Carolina to its ongoing activity in Arizona, Georgia, Pennsylvania, and Wisconsin. With support from More Perfect, POTC will recruit respected community leaders from diverse sectors, equip them with accurate, locally relevant information, and support them in sharing it through public forums, media outreach, and everyday conversations. "Trusted elections rely not only on secure procedures, but also on credible community voices who become knowledgeable in these processes and can explain them to their neighbors and networks," said Ben Ginsberg, Co-Chair of Pillars of the Community. "Through this effort and with the help of More Perfect, we are equipping leaders with the information and relationships they need to confidently stand behind the accuracy of their local election results." This project, along with several others, advances More Perfect's Democracy Goal 4: Trusted Elections and More Representative & Responsive Governance , which aims to ensure Americans have confidence in the democratic system's ability to serve communities effectively and fairly. About More Perfect More Perfect is a bipartisan alliance of 43 Presidential Centers, National Archives Foundation, American Academy of Arts and Sciences, Karsh Institute of Democracy at the University of Virginia, and more than 100 organizations working together to advance five Democracy Goals : 1) Universal Civic Learning; 2) Expanding National Service and Volunteering; 3) Bridging Divides; 4) Trusted Elections and More Representative and Responsive Governance; and 5) Access to Trusted News and Information. About Pillars of the Community Pillars of the Community seeks to bolster faith in elections by hosting conversations between a group of politically diverse community leaders and election officials about the ongoing work at the state and local levels to deliver an election this year that meets voter expectations of reliability and security. These conversations will enable Pillars to gain a firsthand understanding of the electoral process and share their assessment with the public. The goal of this process is transparency and dialogue about the preparations for upcoming elections, which will promote voter trust and confidence regardless of the election's results. For press inquiries, contact: [email protected] SOURCE More Perfect Mahmoud El-Koumy, a 32-year-old mechatronic engineer and robotics expert, works in his lab in Cairo, Egypt, on Jan. 17, 2026. From robots that can diagnose viruses to smartphone apps that translate ancient Egypt's hieroglyphs in real time, Egypt's young generation of tech entrepreneurs is turning artificial intelligence from a futuristic concept into practical tools for daily life.(Xinhua/Ahmed Gomaa) by Mahmoud Fouly CAIRO, Jan. 22 (Xinhua) -- From robots that can diagnose viruses to smartphone apps that translate ancient Egypt's hieroglyphs in real time, Egypt's young generation of tech entrepreneurs is turning artificial intelligence from a futuristic concept into practical tools for daily life. "Artificial intelligence accelerated the path I always envisioned," said Mahmoud El-Koumy, a 32-year-old mechatronic engineer and robotics expert. "It allows me to turn ideas into solutions that serve people." El-Koumy's work spans both practical and experimental applications. His inventions include Cira, a robot designed to assist with COVID-19 medical screenings, and a generator that extracts potable water from atmospheric moisture. Beyond his lab, he is focused on cultivating the next generation of innovators. El-Koumy founded an academy that has trained more than 7,000 students in robotics and programming. "AI is no longer optional," he said, surrounded by 3D printers and VR headsets at his facility. "Anyone who does not adapt will have no place in the future." The shift is visible in Egyptian households. Rahma Ibrahim, the academy's manager, said parents increasingly view coding as a core literacy rather than a niche hobby. "Teaching children programming is an investment in their mindset and critical thinking," Ibrahim said. "These skills are no longer confined to engineering; they are becoming essential across nearly every profession." This grassroots interest aligns with a government push to integrate AI into university curricula and digital infrastructure, positioning technology as a pillar of national development. In 2025, Egypt's AI market value reached nearly 490 million U.S. dollars and is expected to grow strongly in the coming years, with forecasts suggesting it could contribute about 7.7 percent of national GDP by 2030. Analysts also estimate that investments in AI and related infrastructure in Egypt have topped 1 billion U.S. dollars as the sector expands. While El-Koumy focuses on the future of work, other innovators are using AI to explore the past. Ibram Anwar, a 2024 computer science graduate and co-founder of Dark Pyramid for AI Solutions, helped launch Manetho, a smartphone app that translates ancient Egyptian hieroglyphs at museums and archaeological sites. The app uses augmented reality to bring history to life, allowing historical figures to "narrate" their own stories. "Translating a 'dead language' poses unique technical challenges," Anwar said. The project required two years of data collection and close collaboration between engineers and archaeologists to train the AI models. Supported by the government's Technology Innovation and Entrepreneurship Center (TIEC), the 24-year-old engineer sees AI as a tool to sharpen human talent, not replace it. "AI should expand human creativity by reducing repetitive work," he said. "It creates space for us to innovate." Mahmoud El-Koumy, a 32-year-old mechatronic engineer and robotics expert, works in his lab in Cairo, Egypt, on Jan. 17, 2026. From robots that can diagnose viruses to smartphone apps that translate ancient Egypt's hieroglyphs in real time, Egypt's young generation of tech entrepreneurs is turning artificial intelligence from a futuristic concept into practical tools for daily life.(Xinhua/Ahmed Gomaa) BESANCON, France, Jan. 22, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- Pixee Medical, a pioneer in Augmented Reality (AR) navigation for orthopedic surgery, today is pleased to announce and welcome Pierre Couture as the company's new Vice President of Marketing. Pierre Couture, Vice President of Marketing at Pixee Medical. Pixee Medical is accelerating its commercial deployment in the United States to meet the growing demand from orthopedic surgeons nationwide. To support this momentum, the company has strengthened its leadership team through this strategic appointment and announced plans to recruit additional employees in 2026 across commercial and operations functions in the U.S. Pierre Couture has recently joined the company to lead Pixee Medical's global marketing strategy. His primary focus will be driving surgeon adoption and market education, positioning augmented reality navigation as the new standard in orthopedic surgery. Pierre will work closely with surgical teams to accelerate market penetration and establish Pixee Medical as the category leader. "The Orthopedic market is evolving rapidly, creating a clear demand for an efficient guidance solution for total knee replacement, especially in the ASC setting. Pixee's augmented reality solution offers the perfect combination of efficiency, ease of use and accuracy. After seeing a demonstration of the latest system, I am convinced that the future looks bright for Pixee," said Pierre Couture, VP of Marketing of Pixee Medical. With over 20 years of experience in computer-assisted orthopedic surgery at Zimmer Biomet, he has built deep expertise across robotics, navigation, and advanced product development. Most recently, he led the development of the ROSA Knee robotic platform and played a pivotal role in the successful introduction and adoption of robotic surgery in the U.S. market. "Pierre's track record speaks for itself; he knows how to take cutting-edge innovation and make it the new standard of care. As augmented reality navigation emerges as the natural evolution beyond robotics, his leadership will be instrumental in accelerating adoption and making Pixee Medical's technology an essential tool in every orthopedic practice," said Sebastien Henry, CEO of Pixee Medical. Pixee Medical will exhibit at the American Academy of Orthopedic Surgeons (AAOS) Annual Meeting, from March 3rd to 5th, 2026, at New Orleans Ernest N. Morial Convention Center. Pierre and the team will welcome attendees at booth #639 and invite them to experience and try the new generation of Pixee Medical's augmented reality solution, designed to bring surgical navigation to the next level. About Pixee Medical Pixee Medical develops augmented reality solutions for implant placement that offer orthopedic surgeons cutting-edge and clinically proven tools for precise and efficient surgery. Its first generation of products has already been used in over 10,000 procedures in more than 20 countries, demonstrating its positive impact on surgical practices worldwide. To learn more, visit www.pixee-medical.com Media Contact: Amy Roberts, [email protected] SOURCE Pixee Medical ATLANTA, Jan. 22, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- Pye-Barker Fire & Safety the largest fully integrated and full-service fire protection, life safety and security services provider in the United States has acquired EVCO Integrated Solutions, a security system and fire alarm company, elevating Pye-Barker's full-service solutions for fire and life safety in the Northwest. Pictured (L to R): Kevin Bauer and Dana Bauer of EVCO; David Vermillion, VP of Business Development at Pye-Barker. EVCO Integrated Solutions serves three critical markets: education, healthcare, and commercial customers. Offering fire alarms, access control, security systems, video surveillance, communications infrastructure and audio-visual systems, EVCO serves customers in eastern Washington, north Idaho and western Montana. With state-of-the-art products for school systems, EVCO engineers, installs and maintains security and communication systems to get first responders to school emergencies faster and enable better districtwide communication of potential threats. The company also creates simplified life safety and communications systems for healthcare facilities including nurse call, staff and patient location, and wireless phone systems to provide safety and security for healthcare staff and patients. "Pye-Barker is a driving force in the fire and life safety industry, and we're excited about the benefits this move will bring for our team and our customers," said Kevin Bauer, President of EVCO Integrated Solutions. "Joining Pye-Barker allows us to offer expanded fire safety services to better protect our customers and what matters most to them." "The EVCO Integrated Solutions team will bring meaningful expertise and experience to Pye-Barker and expand our full-service life safety protection," said Bart Proctor, CEO of Pye-Barker. "I'm confident that working with EVCO's local teams will enhance our customer experience and further fire and life safety services in Washington, Idaho and Montana." EVCO Integration Solutions' team of skilled technicians will continue to serve customers in the Northwest, backed by Pye-Barker's support and resources. Nelson Mullins Riley & Scarborough, LLP represented Pye-Barker in the transaction. About Pye-Barker Fire & Safety The U.S. leader in fully integrated life safety systems, Pye-Barker Fire & Safety provides complete fire protection and security systems nationwide. With over 250 locations and 8,000 team members, Pye-Barker ranks No. 849 on the Inc. 5000 and No. 4 on the SDM 100. Visit pyebarkerfs.com/acquisitions to learn why we're the industry's acquirer of choice. Contact: David Vermillion VP, Business Development M&A [email protected] Chris Jensen VP, Business Development M&A [email protected] Media Contact: James Taylor [email protected] SOURCE Pye-Barker Fire & Safety Founded by Dr. Tamara Gray, Ribat University is the world's only global university for Muslim women, built on a decade of experience in online educational programming for women. ARDEN HILLS, Minn., Jan. 22, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- Rabata announced the launch of Ribat University, the world's first women-led, women-taught, and women-attended university grounded in Islamic epistemology, expanding global access to higher education for women through affordable, fully online degree programs. Welcoming its inaugural cohort in Fall 2026, Ribat University will offer undergraduate and graduate degrees, certificates, and lifelong learning pathways to Muslim women worldwide. Admissions for Ribat University's Fall 2026 term are currently open, with applications closing on February 22, 2026. Delivered fully online, Ribat University's academic model is designed to serve women from diverse geographic, cultural, and professional contexts while enabling students to remain rooted in their local communities. The university's curriculum emphasizes both timeless scholarship and contemporary relevance, integrating Islamic epistemology with pedagogical approaches responsive to today's learners. Founded by Rabata, a nonprofit organization known for its commitment to women's education, spiritual development, and community care, Ribat University represents the formal evolution of Ribaat Academic Institute, which has provided online Islamic education since 2012. Over more than a decade, Ribaat Academic Institute has served more than 10,000 women across over 90 countries, delivering classroom-tested, globally accessible programming that now forms the foundation of Ribat University's academic model. Ribat University is rooted in the historic Islamic tradition of women as scholars, teachers, and transmitters of knowledge, a legacy that spans more than 1,400 years. Drawing on this tradition at a global scale, the university seeks to expand access to higher education for women through attainable academic pathways that support women's economic prosperity, leadership development, and career pathways. Academic offerings for the undergraduate degrees span across: Business Leadership Psychology Pedagogy History Arabic Language Islamic Studies The university also offers graduate theological training through programs such as the Master of Theological Studies and Doctor of Theology in Islamic Belief and Practice, supporting both formal academic progression and sustained scholarly engagement throughout a student's life. Founded under the leadership of Dr. Tamara Gray, Ribat University builds on her decades-long commitment to Muslim women's education and institutional leadership. Dr. Gray is the founder and president of Ribat University, and the CEO of Rabata, and holds a doctorate in leadership from the University of St. Thomas, as well as a master's degree in curriculum theory and instruction from Temple University. She spent two decades studying Islamic sciences, Quran, and Arabic in Damascus, Syria, and is the author and translator of multiple works on education, spirituality, and Islamic thought. "Education should do more than prepare students for a career; it should prepare them to serve, to lead, and to strengthen the communities they belong to," said Dr. Tamara Gray, founder of Ribat University. "Ribat University was created to help women align their education with purpose, values, and meaningful impact in the world." For more information about Ribat University and its academic programs, visit ribat.rabata.org. About Ribat University Ribat University is a women-led, women-taught, and women-attended online university dedicated to expanding access to affordable, rigorous higher education for women worldwide. Grounded in Islamic epistemology and tradition, the university offers undergraduate and graduate degree programs, certificates, and academic pathways designed to support women's economic prosperity, leadership development, and career pathways, alongside opportunities for advanced study in Islamic theology. SOURCE Rabata HOUSTON, Jan. 22, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- Rice University launched the Global Brain Economy Initiative (GBEI) Jan. 21 during the annual meeting of the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland . This initiative positions brain capital, or brain health and brain skills, at the forefront of global economic development, particularly in the age of artificial intelligence. "One of Rice's strengths is connecting research with real-world impact." - Provost Amy Dittmar. Post this Pictured L to R: Adrian Tromel, interim vice president for innovation; Caroline Levander, vice president for global strategy; Reginald DesRoches, president; Amy Dittmar, Howard R. Hughes Provost and executive vice president for academic affairs; Harris Eyre, the Harry Z. Yan and Weiman Gao Senior Fellow for Brain Health and Society; Stephen Bayer, vice president for development and alumni relations; Melinda Spaulding Chevalier, vice president for public affairs. The GBEI, based at Rice and launched in collaboration with The University of Texas Medical Branch (UTMB) and the Davos Alzheimer's Collaborative, aligns with a recent World Economic Forum and McKinsey Health Institute report titled " The Human Advantage : Stronger Brains in the Age of AI," co-authored by Rice researcher Harris Eyre . Led by Eyre, the GBEI aims to establish brain capital as an essential asset for the 21st century. As AI transforms workplaces and the global population ages, Rice's strategy connects neuroscience with economic policy to promote long-term growth, workforce resilience and social well-being. "One of Rice's strengths is connecting research with real-world impact," said Amy Dittmar, the Howard R. Hughes Provost and executive vice president for academic affairs. "With an aging population and the rapid transformation of work and society driven by AI, the urgency has never been greater to focus on brain health and build adaptable human skills both to support people and communities and to ensure long-term economic stability." GBEI to move ideas into action The GBEI aims to convert research into practical solutions for governments, employers and investors to enhance brain health and human skills. Its mission is to address disparities in support for brain capital across health care, education, workplaces and public policy. The initiative functions as a global center of excellence and coordinating platform and advances brain capital through four core strategies, including: Defining a shared framework that integrates brain health and skills as a unified driver of human and economic performance. Measuring impact by establishing common research agendas, standards and metrics for brain capital. Testing solutions through real-world pilots that improve cognitive health, workforce performance and local economic outcomes. Supporting investment in brain health by developing financing frameworks to attract capital that is aligned with long-term value creation. In its first year, the GBEI will establish a global brain research agenda, piloting brain economy strategies in select regions and introducing a framework to guide funders and financial leaders. It will also advocate for brain economy public policies at major global forums, including the G7 Summit in France, G20 Summit in the U.S., United Nations General Assembly, World Health Assembly and COP31 in Turkey. Through this work, the initiative unites partners across various sectors to strengthen workforce resilience, support innovation and improve long-term economic outcomes. "Together, these efforts aim to translate the concept of the brain economy into action by aligning research, policy and investment around human potential," said Eyre, the Harry Z. Yan and Weiman Gao Senior Fellow for Brain Health and Society at Rice's Baker Institute for Public Policy, senior adviser for neuroscience in Rice's Office of Innovation and co-lead of the Brain and Society Initiative at the Rice Brain Institute. Why brain capital matters for global growth The World Economic Forum report highlights the increasing importance of brain capital in the AI age. Created through the Brain Economy Action Forum , an initiative focused on brain capital as an economic asset, the report was produced in collaboration with the McKinsey Health Institute and features key contributions from Eyre. It defines brain capital as encompassing both brain health and brain skills such as adaptability, empathy and complex problem-solving. The report estimates that implementing proven brain health interventions could reclaim more than 260 million disability-adjusted life years and yield $6.2 trillion in economic gains by 2050. It also emphasizes that brain health conditions make up a significant portion of the global disease burden across all age groups. "By enhancing brain health and brain skills, societies can boost productivity, workforce participation and overall quality of life," Eyre said. Rice's role in advancing the brain economy Through the GBEI, Rice is bridging brain science with practical actions by integrating neuroscience research with workforce performance, investment strategies and public policy. This initiative works directly with the Rice Brain Institute , which connects neuroscience and neuroengineering with economics, policy and social systems to better understand how brain health affects human and economic outcomes. Moreover, Rice serves as co-chair of the Center for Houston's Future Project Metis , a city-level brain economy transition project that functions as a blueprint for a place-based approach. In addition to Rice, collaborators include BP, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, UTMB and Memorial Hermann Health System. By prioritizing brain capital in economic strategy, Rice is positioning itself as a model for how universities can create real-world impact in response to technological changes and demographic shifts. "Stronger brains build stronger societies," Eyre said. "When we invest in brain health and brain skills, we contribute to long-term growth, resilience and shared prosperity." About Rice University Located on a 300-acre forested campus in Houston, Texas, Rice University is consistently ranked among the nation's top 20 universities by U.S. News & World Report. Rice has highly respected schools of architecture, business, continuing studies, engineering and computing, humanities and arts, music, natural sciences and social sciences and is home to the Baker Institute for Public Policy and Kinder Institute for Urban Research. Internationally, the university maintains the Rice Global Paris Center, a hub for innovative collaboration, research and inspired teaching located in the heart of Paris, and Rice Global India in Bengaluru, India. With 4,793 undergraduates and 4,185 graduate students, Rice's undergraduate student-to-faculty ratio is just under 6-to-1. Its residential college system builds close-knit communities and lifelong friendships, just one reason why Rice is ranked in the top 10 for best quality of life by the Princeton Review. SOURCE Rice University NEW YORK, Jan. 21, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- Why: Rosen Law Firm, a global investor rights law firm, continues to investigate potential securities claims on behalf of investors in cryptocurrency issued by Balancer (ticker: BAL), resulting from allegations that Balancer may have issued materially misleading business information to the investing public. So what: If you purchased Balancer cryptocurrency you may be entitled to compensation without payment of any out of pocket fees or costs through a contingency fee arrangement. The Rosen Law Firm is preparing a class action seeking recovery of investor losses. What to do next: To join the prospective class action, go to https://rosenlegal.com/submit-form/?case_id=48945 or call Phillip Kim, Esq. toll-free at 866-767-3653 or email [email protected] for information on the class action. What is this about: On November 3, 2025, Bloomberg published an article entitled "Hack Drains Over $100 Million From Crypto Protocol Balancer." The article stated that "Balancer, a decentralized finance protocol, has been hit by a major exploit that drained more than $100 million in digital assets, according to blockchain security firms. Security researchers at PeckShield and Cyvers flagged the incident on Monday, warning that funds linked to the attacker's wallet were still being siphoned. Total losses have climbed to about $128 million, Cyvers said in a message." Why Rosen Law: We encourage investors to select qualified counsel with a track record of success in leadership roles. Often, firms issuing notices do not have comparable experience, resources, or any meaningful peer recognition. Many of these firms do not actually litigate securities class actions. Be wise in selecting counsel. The Rosen Law Firm represents investors throughout the globe, concentrating its practice in securities class actions and shareholder derivative litigation. Rosen Law Firm achieved, at that time, the largest ever securities class action settlement against a Chinese Company. Rosen Law Firm was Ranked No. 1 by ISS Securities Class Action Services for number of securities class action settlements in 2017. The firm has been ranked in the top 4 each year since 2013 and has recovered hundreds of millions of dollars for investors. In 2019 alone the firm secured over $438 million for investors. In 2020, founding partner Laurence Rosen was named by law360 as a Titan of Plaintiffs' Bar. Many of the firm's attorneys have been recognized by Lawdragon and Super Lawyers. Follow us for updates on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/the-rosen-law-firm, on Twitter: https://twitter.com/rosen_firm or on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/rosenlawfirm/. Attorney Advertising. Prior results do not guarantee a similar outcome. Contact Information: Laurence Rosen, Esq. Phillip Kim, Esq. The Rosen Law Firm, P.A. 275 Madison Avenue, 40th Floor New York, NY 10016 Tel: (212) 686-1060 Toll Free: (866) 767-3653 Fax: (212) 202-3827 [email protected] www.rosenlegal.com SOURCE THE ROSEN LAW FIRM, P. A. Independent Assessment Validates Robust Cybersecurity Controls for Safeguarding Controlled Unclassified Information WASHINGTON, Jan. 22, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- Saalex Corporation, a leader in engineering, IT, and technical services for the aerospace, defense, and federal sectors, today announced it has achieved Cybersecurity Maturity Model Certification (CMMC) Level 2, affirming the company's compliance with the 110 security requirements (consisting of 320 individual checks) of NIST SP 800-171R2 and its capability to safeguard Controlled Unclassified Information (CUI) across operations. The certification follows successful completion of an independent assessment conducted by a Certified Third-Party Assessor Organization (C3PAO). It validates that Saalex has implemented robust security controls backed by disciplined policy, documented procedures, and a secure GCC High environment purpose-built for handling CUI. At a time when fewer than 1 percent of Defense Industrial Base organizations have achieved a final CMMC Level 2 certification, Saalex Corporation stands among the first companies to reach this milestone. Government data indicates that only an estimated 431 to 452 organizations have successfully completed the assessment, which represents roughly 0.38 to 0.5 percent of the tens of thousands expected to require certification. By attaining Level 2 ahead of the broader industry, Saalex has demonstrated a level of preparedness that few contractors have achieved. This accomplishment reflects the company's dedication to meeting evolving Department of Defense requirements and reinforces its position as a trusted and forwardleaning partner for safeguarding Controlled Unclassified Information. "Achieving CMMC Level 2 Certification demonstrates our unwavering commitment to protecting the mission-critical data entrusted to us by our defense and government customers," said Travis Mack, Chairman and CEO of Saalex Corporation. "This milestone reflects years of investment in our cybersecurity infrastructure and the dedication of our IT and security teams. As threats to the defense industrial base continue to evolve, we are proud to be among the companies meeting the highest standards for safeguarding sensitive information." The CMMC program is a Department of War initiative designed to enhance the protection of sensitive unclassified information within the defense industrial base. Level 2 certification positions Saalex to support a broader range of DoW contracts requiring the handling of CUI, reinforcing the company's competitive standing in the federal marketplace. With Level 2 certification secured, Saalex will focus on maintaining its current security posture while building toward CMMC Level 3 certification, which addresses the protection of Controlled Unclassified Information from advanced persistent threats. About Saalex Corporation: Saalex Corporation is a leading defense and advanced technology company delivering Test Range Management, IT/Cybersecurity, Artificial Intelligence, Unattended Robotic Process Automation, Software Modernization and Development, and Wargaming support to defense, space, and intelligence customers. For more than 25 years, Saalex has been a trusted government partner, providing mission-critical solutions that enhance operational readiness across undersea, surface, air, and space domains through innovation, technical excellence, and employee-owned accountability. Contact: Neal Stein Technology PR Solutions [email protected] (321) 473-7407 SOURCE Saalex College Unveils Centennial Logo and Tagline: Timely Education. Timeless Values. WESTCHESTER COUNTY, N.Y., Jan. 22, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- Sarah Lawrence College, the prestigious, coeducational liberal arts college that consistently ranks among the leading liberal arts colleges in the country, is celebrating 100 years in 2026. The year-long centennial celebration's theme is SLC100: Timely Education. Timeless Values. "Throughout our history, Sarah Lawrence College has been a place where timeless values have shaped timely ideas, and our centennial serves as both a celebration of who we have always been and a reaffirmation of why a liberal arts education is more important than ever," said Cristle Collins Judd, President of Sarah Lawrence College. "As in all eras defined by rapid change throughout our history, the College continues to offer our students the intellectual grounding, adaptability, and ethical framework they need to navigate complexity and lead with purpose. As we embark on our second century, we reaffirm our role as a resource for our students, our community, and a catalyst for thoughtful dialogue, creativity, and change." Sarah Lawrence College was founded in 1926 by William Van Duzer Lawrence as New York's first two-year college for women, named for his wife, Sarah Bates Lawrence. The College received its provisional charter on December 9, 1926, and welcomed its first students in 1928. Shortly afterward, the College began offering a four-year BA in the liberal arts and subsequently added pathbreaking master's degrees, a number of which were the first such degree offerings in the country. A pioneer of a distinctive, student-centered approach to liberal arts education, Sarah Lawrence College is defined by close faculty mentorship, interdisciplinary exploration, and arts-infused, hands-on learning. The College became coeducational in 1968 and has a longstanding reputation for academic rigor, creativity, and intellectual freedom. To date, more than 23,000 students have received undergraduate and graduate degrees from the College. The College's extensive network of distinguished and successful alumni includes: pioneering journalist Barbara Walters; filmmakers J.J. Abrams and Noah Hawley; preeminent epidemiologist W. Ian Lipkin; actresses Juliana Margulies, Tovah Feldshuh, and Jane Alexander; composer Dave Porter; fashion moguls Sam Edelman and Vera Wang; former Ambassador to Japan Rahm Emanuel; authors Alice Walker and Ann Patchett; composer and performer Meredith Monk; and diplomat and former Deputy U.S. Ambassador Brooke Anderson. Sarah Lawrence College's award-winning faculty of scholars and practitionersrecognized in their fields by prizes ranging from Pulitzers and Guggenheims to Academy Award and Tony nominations, and grants and awards from major organizations, including the National Science Foundationare routinely named the #1 Best Faculty by the Princeton Review. Since its inception, Sarah Lawrence College has been committed to lifelong learning and serves as an educational resource for the broader community, from the youngest learners through the College's Early Childhood Center to pre-college, undergraduate, master's degrees, postgraduate, and beyond. For a full history of Sarah Lawrence College, visit the SLC100 site at http://www.slc.edu/100. About Sarah Lawrence College Founded in 1926, Sarah Lawrence is a prestigious, coeducational liberal arts college that consistently ranks among the leading liberal arts colleges in the country. Sarah Lawrence is known for its pioneering approach to education, rich history of impassioned intellectual and civic engagement, and vibrant, successful alumni. In close proximity to the unparalleled offerings of New York City, the historic campus is home to an intellectually curious and diverse community. Media contact: Kayleigh Lentz Co-Communications [email protected] (914) 666-0066 x111 SOURCE Sarah Lawrence College HOMELAND, Calif., Jan. 22, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- StaxUP Storage hosted their Gifts of Love event on Tuesday, December 16, 2025, at its Homeland, California location, partnering with the California Family Life Center (CFLC) to support local families through CFLC's KinCare program. The event was designed to help bring holiday joy to children and caregivers by collecting and distributing donated toys to families in the community. Leading up to the event, StaxUP Storage held a toy drive, inviting their tenants and the local community to donate toys and gifts, which were then distributed during the Gifts of Love celebration, creating a memorable evening filled with holiday spirit, connection, and giving. CFLC's KinCare program provides essential resources to families who have stepped in to raise young relatives, helping keep children in stable, loving homes and out of the traditional foster care system. "Strat Gifts of Love was a night I won't forgetsuch a fun and heartening experience for our whole team, filled with treats, games, laughter, and genuine connection with families in our community. We may have been handing out a few gifts to the kids, but the real gift was what our team received in return: seeing the children light up, sharing in the joy with local families, and being reminded of what the holiday season is all aboutand why community matters so much," said Susan Hovey, Director of Marketing. StaxUP Storage is proud to support organizations like CFLC that strengthen local families and create long-term stability for children. Gifts of Love reflects StaxUP Storage's continued commitment to community partnership and meaningful local impact. About StaxUP Storage StaxUP Storage owns/operates multiple self storage facilities in Southern California, offering secure, customer-centered storage solutions with a strong focus on community partnership. Learn more at www.staxupstorage.com . About California Family Life Center (CFLC) The California Family Life Center (CFLC) is a non-profit organization based in Riverside County that has served at-risk youth and families since 1982. Their mission focuses on providing safety, comfort, and healing to children who have experienced trauma, abuse, or neglect. Learn more at https://www.cflckids.org/ . SOURCE StaxUP Storage Expanded international service helped Southern Cal gateway exceed 7.1 million passengers in fifth straight year of post-pandemic passenger growth ONTARIO, Calif., Jan. 22, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- Ontario International Airport (ONT) is making a compelling case for itself as the new global gateway for Los Angeles by posting a record number of international travelers in 2025, the result of expanded nonstop service to Latin America and Asia. Led by a record number of international travelers, Southern California's Ontario International Airport (ONT) once again welcomed more than 7 million passengers during 2025. According to data released by the Ontario International Airport Authority (OIAA), ONT welcomed 567,000 international passengers last year, a nearly 30% increase over 2024. The sharp rise helped the airport surpass 7.1 million passengers overall for the year, the fifth consecutive year of post-pandemic passenger growth and the highest number since ONT's transfer to local control in 2016. "As a vital gateway for Southern California, Ontario International Airport marked another milestone year in 2025 demonstrating our capacity to meet growing air travel demand while many California airports continued to work toward full recovery," said Alan D. Wapner, President of the Ontario International Airport Authority (OIAA) Board of Commissioners. "We are particularly gratified by the growth in international travel. Greater Los Angeles is the second-largest air travel market in the United States and the sixth-largest in the world. A region of this scale merits more than one global gateway, and Ontario International is stepping up to meet that demand by delivering a world- class customer experience defined by convenience and the infrastructure necessary to support continued growth." As ONT celebrates its Decade of Local Control, the airport's performance is gaining attention for its robust increases in passenger and cargo volume of 67% and 45%, respectively, with the number of nonstop passenger destinations growing from 13 to 31 since 2016. The number of daily flight departures also rose from 58 to 90. The 2025 passenger count of 7.1 million represented a 0.4% increase over 2024. The total included 6.5 million domestic passengers and 566,923 international guests, the latter representing an increase of 29.2%. Passenger Totals Dec 2025 Dec 2024 Change YTD 2025 YTD 2024 Change Domestic 541,986 566,192 -4.3 % 6,549,812 6,645,968 -1.4 % International 63,009 37,694 67.2 % 566,923 438,896 29.2 % Total 604,995 603,886 0.2 % 7,116,735 7,084,864 0.4 % The top five air carriers for 2025 based on passenger volume share were: Southwest Airlines (36.6%) American Airlines (15.6%) Frontier Airlines (10.4%) Delta Air Lines (9.7%) United Airlines (9.5%) "As international passenger volumes have continued to grow, Ontario International has strategically expanded its airport offerings, including the addition of two new passenger lounges, a duty-free retail store, and enhanced in-terminal dining and retail concessions," said Atif Elkadi, OIAA's chief executive officer. Moreover, Elkadi added, U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) transitioned ONT to a designated Landing Rights Airport, enabling the federal agency to increase its service levels at ONT through its annual budget set by Congress. Previously, ONT was a User Free Facility which required the airport to fund CBP operations from fees collected from ONT airlines. Air cargo tonnage, meanwhile, increased 5.3% year over year, led by greater U.S. mail volumes carried by UPS Airlines. Mail shipments doubled in 2025 while the volume of commercial freight declined slightly by 3.6%. Air cargo (tonnage) Dec 2025 Dec 2024 Change YTD 2025 YTD 2024 Change Freight 72,457 70,088 3.4 % 700,809 726,653 -3.6 % Mail 14,385 12,859 11.9 % 134,319 66,717 101.3 % Total 86,842 82,947 4.7 % 835,129 793,371 5.3 % "Ontario International continues to provide exceptional customer service and first-rate facilities to our shipping partners. We proudly serve as the gold standard among Southern California cargo destinations and constantly strive to exceed ever our own high expectations," Elkadi said. About Ontario International Airport Ontario International Airport (ONT) is the second most popular mid-sized airport in the United States, according to J.D. Power's most recent North America Airport Satisfaction Study. Located in the Inland Empire, ONT is approximately 35 miles east of downtown Los Angeles in the center of Southern California. It is a full-service airport which offers nonstop commercial jet service to two dozen major airports in the U.S., Mexico, Central America and Taiwan. More information is available at www.flyOntario.com. Follow @flyONT on Facebook, X (formerly Twitter) and Instagram About the Ontario International Airport Authority (OIAA) The OIAA was formed in August 2012 by a Joint Powers Agreement between the City of Ontario and the County of San Bernardino to provide overall direction for the management, operations, development and marketing of ONT for the benefit of the Southern California economy and the residents of the airport's four-county catchment area. OIAA leaders include Ontario Mayor pro Tem Alan D. Wapner (President), San Bernardino County Supervisor Curt Hagman (Vice President), Ontario City Council Member Jim W. Bowman (Secretary), Retired Riverside Mayor Ronald O. Loveridge (Treasurer) and retired business executive Julia Gouw (Commissioner). OIAA Media Contact: Steve Lambert (909) 841-7527 [email protected] SOURCE Ontario International Airport MADISON, Wis., Jan. 22, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- Full Compass Systems announced today that its Chairman, Susan Lipp, has been named NAMM Female Entrepreneur of the Year and will be honored at the 2026 She Rocks Awards, presented by the Women's International Music Network during the NAMM Show in Anaheim, California. Susan Lipp - She Rocks Awards The She Rocks Awards celebrate women who have made significant and lasting contributions to the music and music products industries. Past honorees include some of the most influential artists and leaders in music, spanning performers, executives, innovators, and advocates. Lipp will be recognized alongside a distinguished group of 2026 honorees that includes acclaimed artists, industry executives, and global changemakers. Lipp joined Full Compass Systems in 1978, shortly after the company was founded by Jonathan Lipp, bringing a background in professional theatre leadership with deep experience in audience-building, sales, and public-facing engagement. Over the decades, she has played a central role in shaping the company's culture, growth, and long-standing commitment to relationships. Today, Full Compass is recognized as one of Wisconsin's largest woman-owned businesses. Beyond her leadership at Full Compass, Lipp has dedicated her life to advancing the arts, music education, and community engagement, guided by a long-held belief that philanthropy is not a byproduct of success, but its purpose. Prior to her work in the business, she founded the Wisconsin Community Theatre Association, establishing a foundation for her lifelong involvement in cultural leadership. Lipp currently serves on nine boards of directors and has held board leadership roles for more than 26 years, including service on the Wisconsin Arts Board, the Wisconsin Chamber Orchestra, and Madison Opera. She also serves on the University of Wisconsin School of Music Board and played a key role in reinstating the university's jazz degree program, including helping secure its first $1 million in philanthropic support. A trailblazer within NAMM, now in its 125th year, Lipp joined the NAMM Board when the organization was 110 years old, becoming one of the first three women ever to serve in that role. She later became the first woman to serve on the NAMM Foundation Board of Directors and spent 14 years advocating for music education in Washington, D.C. through the NAMM Foundation, helping strengthen national support for music education policy. "I've been incredibly lucky to spend my life working in industries and communities that I care so deeply about," said Lipp. "Everything I've done has been driven by relationships, by giving back, and by the belief that music and the arts make lives richer. This recognition reflects the people I've been fortunate to work alongside and the causes we've worked so hard to support." Susan Lipp will receive the NAMM Female Entrepreneur of the Year honor on Friday, January 23, 2026, at the She Rocks Awards ceremony at the Hilton Anaheim, held in conjunction with the NAMM Show. About the She Rocks Awards Founded by the Women's International Music Network, the She Rocks Awards honor women who are shaping the music industry through creativity, leadership, innovation, and advocacy. The annual event, presented during the NAMM Show, brings together artists, executives, and industry leaders to celebrate the achievements and impact of women across all areas of music. About Full Compass Systems Founded in 1977, Full Compass Systems is a leading national supplier of professional audio, video, lighting, and conferencing solutions, serving customers across broadcast, live production, houses of worship, education, government, and commercial markets. Headquartered in Madison, Wisconsin, Full Compass is a family-owned, woman-owned business built on five decades of relationships, expertise, and personalized service. www.fullcompass.com Media Contact: Duncan Hearn [email protected] 608-716-7168 SOURCE Full Compass Systems SYDNEY, Jan. 22 (Xinhua) -- Counter-terrorism police in the Australian state of Queensland said on Thursday that a man has been arrested and charged over alleged plans for acts of violence. The Queensland Police Service (QPS) said in a statement that the 24-year-old man from the southwest suburbs of Brisbane was arrested on Wednesday and charged with one count of other acts done in preparation for, or planning, terrorist acts. The accused, Sepehr Saryazdi, made an initial appearance at a Brisbane court on Wednesday where prosecutors said police had commenced an investigation after receiving a report from a member of the public about posts allegedly made online. Prosecutor Ellie McDonald said in court that Saryazdi, who most recently worked for national science agency the Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organization (CSIRO), had plans to lead a riot during Australia Day celebrations on Monday and had purchased supplies for Molotov cocktails. McDonald said that it will be alleged during his trial that Saryazdi had sent numerous messages about the plan in a private social media group in which he encouraged others to commit similar attacks. If convicted, he faces a maximum penalty of life imprisonment. The QPS said that there are no known ongoing direct threats to the community or any upcoming events. TIC Holding Schweiz AG, a buy, build and technologize platform financed by Winterberg Investment X and managed by Winterberg Advisory GmbH, has acquired a stake in Vibro-Consult AG, headquartered in Brugg, Canton of Aargau, Switzerland. BAAR, Switzerland, Jan. 22, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- Vibro-Consult AG is an independent Swiss SME founded in 1988 and is one of the leading specialists in vibration and machinery diagnostics, particularly in power generation using hydropower, steam and gas. The company has decades of expertise in measurement and vibration technology, is the market leader in Switzerland, and supports its customers internationally in the analysis, monitoring and optimization of rotating machinery such as turbines, generators, pumps and similar equipment. Its service portfolio includes high-precision vibration analyses, condition monitoring, root-cause analysis, balancing of rotating components, as well as the design monitoring systems. Successful closing (from left to right) with Valerie Vogel, Claudio DAmico, Manuel Hirlinger, Robert Manikkuttiyil, Iris Rutter, Deirdre Ni Annrachain, Dominik Iseli, Daniel Iseli, Andreas Rudolf, Alessandro Capone, Ralph Nowak, Fabian Kroher, Lorenzo Tencati, Stephan Greber, Felix von Uslar Daniel Iseli comments: "We are very pleased to become part of TIC Holding Schweiz. We have experienced strong growth in recent years and believe that now is the right time to join a corporate group that can further support us in developing the necessary processes and structures. Already during the discussions prior to the transaction, we developed many valuable ideas together with the Winterberg team and see exciting synergies, particularly in the area of mechanical calibration and testing. We expect sustainable results in this area as early as this year and are very much looking forward to contributing to the development of this dynamic and highly motivated group. For our customers, everything remains unchanged all familiar contacts will remain on board. We have many plans ahead together." Fabian Kroher, Chairman of the Board of Directors of TIC Holding Schweiz and Partner at Winterberg, adds: "Vibro-Consult is truly a unique company. It is the clear market leader in Switzerland and, due to its highly specialized capabilities, is also in demand worldwide. We are therefore delighted that Vibro-Consult is strengthening our Industry platform. We will deploy all available resources to provide Vibro-Consult with the best possible foundation for continued growth, enabling the company to build on its highly impressive development of recent years." Winterberg is actively pursuing acquisitions in the sector of accredited testing and calibration services, and is in active discussions with a number of additional companies. About TIC Holding Schweiz AG TIC Holding Schweiz aims to become one of the leading corporate groups in Switzerland, with the client at the centre. It also places a strong emphasis on quality, excellence and diversity. The holding company actively seeks small and mediumsized enterprises in the field of accredited testing, inspection and certification services, preferably in succession situations. By fostering an entrepreneurial culture and adopting the latest technologies across all corporate functions, it targets aboveaverage growth and returns. TIC Holding Schweiz is headquartered in Baar, Switzerland. About Winterberg Advisory GmbH and Winterberg Group AG Based in Grunwald near Munich, Winterberg Advisory GmbH manages privateequity investment funds focused primarily on succession solutions in the small and midcap segment. On this basis, buybuildandtechnologize platforms are developed, such as currently TIC Holding Schweiz AG and Healthcare Holding Switzerland AG. Winterberg Group AG, headquartered in Zug, Switzerland, is an independent family office investing in private equity including funds managed by Winterberg Advisoryas well as selectively in real estate and other asset classes. Both Winterberg Advisory and Winterberg Group are led by their founding partners Florian Brickenstein, Fabian Kroher, Ralph Nowak and Lorenzo Tencati. Further info TIC Holding Schweiz AG: www.tic-holding.ch, www.vibro-consult.ch, www.metron-labo.ch, www.transgeo.ch, www.lcbe.ch, www.hseconseils.ch Further information on Winterberg Advisory GmbH and Winterberg Group AG: www.winterberg.group, www.healthcare-holding.ch Kaja Funke [email protected] Photo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/2867459/Successful_closing.jpg Logo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/2866271/5730838/TIC_Holding_Schweiz_AG_Logo.jpg SOURCE TIC Holding Schweiz AG New partnership integrates Truemed into the RokketMed member experience, enabling hourly workers to proactively address their health needs while enhancing employer value and engagement. AUSTIN, Texas, Jan. 22, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- Truemed, the leading platform facilitating qualified health purchases using Health Savings Accounts (HSA), Flexible Spending Accounts (FSA) or eligible Health Reimbursement Accounts (HRAs), has announced a strategic partnership with RokketMed, a healthcare platform designed to provide portable, transparent care access for today's hourly and frontline workforce. For many workers, the care they need most is often delayed because traditional benefits require them to pay upfront, navigate reimbursement processes, handle extensive paperwork, and take time from work and family life to manage it all. For hourly wage workers, these challenges are more than minor inconveniences. They are barriers to care. Truemed and RokketMed share a mission to eliminate these barriers for the workers who keep our cities and economies functioning, including teams in the restaurant, hospitality, home healthcare, and retail industries. Through this collaboration, Truemed's clinical eligibility and compliance infrastructure will be seamlessly integrated into the RokketMed member experience. When medically appropriate, eligible workers can obtain a Letter of Medical Necessity (LMN) through Truemed's platform, which may enable the use of HRA or other tax advantaged dollars for functional medicine services and health interventions. For employers operating under the San Francisco Health Care Security Ordinance (HCSO), this partnership redefines how required healthcare contributions translate into real value for workers, and a strategic retention tool for employers. This helps redefine a burdensome and costly mandate into an enhanced benefits experience that keeps workers healthy from a root cause perspective. The result is a simple, pragmatic approach that translates into meaningful care, strengthened employee engagement, and increased retention, which is critical in high turnover environments. "This partnership with RokketMed addresses what's missing in healthcare today: reliable access for those who need it most," said Justin Mares, CEO of Truemed. "By enabling the use of employer-directed HRA funds and other pre tax dollars for medically necessary, root cause interventions, we are helping more workers access care that supports healthier lives over time. We are especially proud to bring this to workforces that have too often been overlooked by traditional benefits." "At RokketMed, we are deeply focused on the realities faced by the workforce we serve," said Tracy Baldwin, Founder and CEO of RokketMed. "No one should have to pay upfront for care they can't afford or navigate a convoluted system just to access it. Partnering with Truemed allows us to expand access to functional medicine and other interventions in a way that is compliant, straightforward, and genuinely health-promoting. For business owners and employers, it provides a competitive advantage and strategic attraction/retention tool." Truemed is for qualified customers. See terms at truemed.com/disclosures About Truemed Truemed partners with consumer health brands to accept HSA/FSA payments for root-cause healthcare expenses. By streamlining medical qualification and compliance, Truemed enables individuals to invest in medically necessary products and services using pre-tax dollars. About RokketMed RokketMed simplifies healthcare access, transforming employer-funded healthcare by combining prepaid health debit cards with a digital healthcare marketplace. Founded in San Francisco, RokketMed offers a turnkey solution that makes it easy for employees to find, access, and pay for care in one seamless platform. RokketMed eliminates reimbursement hurdles and reduces out-of-pocket barriers, enabling hourly and frontline workers to access care when and where they need it. Media Contact: Tom Dahl [email protected] SOURCE Truemed TORONTO, Jan. 22, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- Urban Poling Inc.- a proudly Canadian innovator in mobility and fitness solutions, is revolutionizing how individuals approach walking, exercise, and rehabilitation. In a recent Positive Aging Community podcast hosted by Steve Gurney, a panel from Urban Poling and allied programs showcased the transformative impact of specialized Urban and Activator walking poles for people of all ages and abilities. Activator Poles changed the life of this US veteran for the better. Allowing him to remain active and mobile doing the things that he loves to do everyday. Improving confidence, supporting recovery, restoring balance, and improving posture with every step. Speed Speed Recommended by leading surgeons, physicians & therapists, our evidence-based ACTIVATOR Poles were designed by an occupational therapist & gerontologist specifically for rehab & long-term conditions. This unique patented design enhances strengthening, stability, and off-loading with your safety in mind. ACTIVATOR Poles may be beneficial for pre/post hip knee surgery, soft tissue injuries, Parkinson's, stroke, MS, chronic pain, cancer rehab, spinal conditions & older adults. Urban and Activator Poles are empowering people all over the world to live more active lives through improved mobility and confidence. Whether you are looking to move and walk with less pain Activator Poles can support you by taking pressure off your joints. If you are looking to restore a more natural walking pattern and gait Activator Poles can help. If you simply want to improve your cardiovascular and metabolic health Activator Poles are the ticket. Reimagining Walking: From Strolls to Full-Body Workouts Urban polingNordic walkinguses ergonomically designed poles to turn everyday walks into dynamic, full-body workouts. Drawing on expertise from Lisa Limper and Joy Cochran (Urban Poling), and Elexa Waugh (Safe at Home), the panel explored how the poles benefit a wide range of users, from those managing chronic conditions to active fitness enthusiasts. Clinical Benefits and Real-Life Impact Joy Cochran, Clinical Evidence Specialist at Urban Poling, states that Activator poles help people with improve posture and walking by offering bilateral support for natural movement and longer strides. Unlike canes or walkers, the poles promote upright mobility without causing imbalance or stooping. Over 350 studies show urban poling benefits posture, reduces joint stress, and improves cardiovascular health. Urban Poling has presented its products at ICAA for five years due to its innovative and meaningful programming for seniors living communities and will exhibit at the APTA conference in February for interested physical therapists. Enhancing Home and Community Mobility Elexa Waugh, occupational therapist, from Washington, D.C.'s Safe at Home Program explained that Activator poles are used in home modifications to help residents move through narrow areas and stairs where walkers aren't practical. The program recognizes that poles are very useful for indoor and outdoor mobility, are more portable than walkers and offer stable support without the drawbacks of canes. Occupational therapists assess clients and advise on their safe use. Fitness Classes and Instructor Training Urban Poling is not just for rehabilitationit's a fitness powerhouse. Certified instructors lead classes across Canada and the U.S. at YMCAs, JCCs, rec centres, and senior centres, blending exercise and social connection. Urban Poling offers a four-hour continuing education course for instructors and health professionals, with comprehensive training on techniques and research. Upcoming virtual self paced courses include a 20% discount for community organizations (code TLC20). Innovative Features Set Urban Poles Apart Patented Handle: Ergonomic ledge supports the base of the hand (right and left specific), strapless for safetyeasily released in case of falls. Custom Tips: Bell-shaped for urban stability, boot-shaped for fitness, and carbide tips for hiking or snow tips or trails. Secure Push-Button Locking System: Each Activator pole supports up to 200 pounds (250 total body weight), preventing collapse and enhancing safety. Durability: Light weight construction makes them ideal for city streets and varied terrain. Empowering Lifelong Mobility and Independence Urban poling bridges fitness, rehabilitation, and daily life, supporting people of all ages to stay active and independent. "It's about thinking outside of the box in aging and accessibility," said Gurney, highlighting the synergy between walking poles and home modifications for holistic support. Whether recovering from surgery, managing a chronic condition, or simply seeking an engaging workout, Urban Poling's specialized poles offer a new step toward improved mobility and quality of life. As one participant summarized, they provide "the ability to do things and get places." About Urban Poling Inc: Urban Poling Inc. is a global leader in the promotion of rehabilitation, fitness and wellness through specialized poles and programs which promote pole walking and pre-gait exercises. Known for its' innovative Activator Poles which were designed by an OT and gerontologist, Urban Poling Inc focuses on improving mobility, stability, and overall quality of life for all ages and stages but most especially individuals with balance disorders, neurological conditions, arthritis and those in post-surgical rehabilitation. Our poles are available through Urban Poling.com , Amazon.com and select CVS stores. For additional locations please visit our Find A Retailer or distributor to locate a store nearest you. Urban Poling Inc. www.urbanpoling.com For media inquiries, please contact: Diana Oliver 416.668.0116 [email protected] SOURCE Urban Poling Inc. Local 135 Drivers and Warehouse Workers in Indiana Demand Fair Contract FISHERS, Ind., Jan. 22, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- Over 200 drivers and warehouse workers at US Foods in Indiana have voted by a 98 percent margin to authorize a strike if the food service giant fails to offer an acceptable contract. The group of workers, represented by Teamsters Local 135, is demanding higher wages, better benefits, protections against automation, and safer working conditions. "Let there be no confusion our members will not work a second past the expiration of this agreement," said Dustin Roach, President of Local 135. "This company must come to the table with an acceptable proposal soon, or the Teamsters will be out in the streets." The current contract expires on January 30, 2026. There will be no contract extensions. Unless US Foods presents a fair agreement before the deadline, Local 135 Teamsters will be forced to strike. These workers deliver to customers across the state of Indiana and into Louisville, supplying hundreds of local restaurants, major universities, including Purdue University and the University of Louisville, and critical hospital systems such as Hendricks Regional Health, Community Hospital Anderson, and Columbus Regional Health. "None of us want to be on strike, but we deserve a contract that protects our livelihoods from automation and provides the wages and benefits our families rely on," said Chris Eads, a driver at US Foods and member of Local 135. "We are fully prepared to do whatever is necessary to defend our jobs and our future." US Foods has a market capitalization of over $19 billion, making it one of the largest and most profitable food service distributors in the United States. The Teamsters represent more than 5,500 US Foods workers nationwide. Last year, US Foods drivers represented by Local 853 were forced to strike for multiple weeks a fight that resulted in a strong contract victory. "The clock is ticking. Either US Foods puts a fair contract on the table or Local 135 Teamsters will be on strike," said Tom Erickson, Director of the Teamsters Warehouse Division. "This company can more than afford to provide the wages, benefits, and job protections our members are seeking. It's time for management to deliver for the workers who make US Foods immensely profitable." Founded in 1903, the International Brotherhood of Teamsters represents 1.3 million hardworking people in the U.S., Canada, and Puerto Rico. Visit Teamster.org for more information. Follow us on X @Teamsters and on Facebook at Facebook.com/teamsters. Contact: Lena Melentijevic, (347) 208-2279 [email protected] SOURCE International Brotherhood of Teamsters BOSTON, Jan. 22, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- Verndale, a leading digital experience and technology company, today announced the acquisition of the Product Experience Division of Amp, from Advantage Solutions. They will operate as Verndale as part of the acquisition. The move strengthens Verndale's position as a modern growth partner, expanding its ability to take brands from initial concept to fully built digital products and continuously optimize them for measurable business impact. Verndale deepens expertise to deliver greater value for high-growth brands in tech, CPG, and beyond. Post this The Product Experience Division of Amp is known for combining its product design, UX, engineering and digital marketing capabilities via an embedded approach to building high-performing digital product experiences for global brands across tech, CPG, healthcare, and consumer industries. The team brings deep capabilities in product strategy, rapid prototyping, product development, and ongoing management through SEO, analytics, and experimentation. "Brands are under more pressure than ever to turn digital experiences into real business growth, and that requires strategy, creativity, technology, and product thinking working as one," said Chris Pisapia, CEO of Verndale. "They share our obsession with craft, speed, and measurable outcomes. Together, we're building a unified model that helps clients move faster and deliver digital experiences that evolve like products not projects." The acquisition strengthens Verndale's ability to support the full lifecycle of digital experience from ideation and UX through engineering, activation, and ongoing product management. It also expands Verndale's reach into growth-minded verticals such as technology and CPG, where brands increasingly expect partners to blend product development with performance marketing and experience optimization. "Our team and Verndale have a shared belief in the synergy of design, technology and data," said Robert Balmaseda, SVP Product Experience. "Clients will benefit from our combination of expertise and embedded style of working to deliver a faster, more connected path from vision to market." This acquisition reflects Verndale's continued investment in building a next-generation digital experience platform, combining product, UX, engineering, data, and marketing capabilities into a single, accountable partner. Global investment bank Canaccord Genuity advised Advantage Solutions on the transaction. About Verndale Verndale is an independent digital customer experience company that guides ambitious brands to growth through the next generation of connected experiences, by combining strategy, creativity, technology, and data. Learn more at verndale.com. About Advantage Solutions Advantage Solutions is the leading omnichannel retail solutions agency in North America, uniquely positioned at the intersection of consumer-packaged goods brands and retailers. Advantage has offices throughout North America and strategic investments and owned operations in select international markets. For more information, please visit youradv.com . Media Contact Tracey Barber VP, Marketing [email protected] 617-399-9353 SOURCE Verndale Corporation VERONA, Italy, Jan. 22, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- The State of New York represents 6.5% of total wine consumption in the United States, positioning itself as the third national market after California and Texas and as the first state in the Northeast with 34% of consumption in the area. A territory in which wine is an integral part of the urban and cultural lifestyle, supported by a strong presence of catering 930 Italian restaurants, equal to 10.9% of the total today further enhanced by the UNESCO recognition of Italian Cuisine as an Intangible Cultural Heritage of humanity. New York City is the city chosen by Veronafiere-Vinitaly and the Italian Trade Agency (ITA) for the third edition of Vinitaly.USA, scheduled for Monday 26 and Tuesday 27 October 2026 at Pier 36. After two editions in Chicago, Vinitaly.USA continues its development path by landing in New York City as a natural evolution of a project built in phases, maintaining continuity of format, objectives and positioning. "Vinitaly.USA 2026 is aimed at producers, consortia, importers, distributors, Ho.Re.Ca operatorshttp://ho.re.ca/. and institutional stakeholders interested in participating in a project that focuses on quality, content and long-term relationships, contributing in a concrete way to the development of Italian wine in the United States," underlines the president of Veronafiere, Federico Bricolo. Chicago represented an effective context to start Vinitaly.USA with a B2B approach of national scope. New York now represents a shift in scale, enhancing the work done and strengthening the event's ability to engage with the main decision-making centers of the American wine market, without changing its strategic direction. The choice of New York City is in response to a precise market logic. The area brings together importers, distributors with multi-state coverage, central purchasing centers and catering and retail groups active in several markets. Decisions made in New York have a direct impact on commercial strategies, assortments and price lists at the national level, making the city a key hub for those operating in the US wine market. In this context, Vinitaly.USA strengthens its role as an important platform for the entire country. "Vinitaly.USA is a project in which the Italian Trade Agency has believed since the outset. We have worked tirelessly on the quality of international operators in order to improve the quality and enhance the opportunity for product visibility and we have worked on the development of the commercial relations. With the intention of filling the void created by the lack of a genuine wine fair in the United States, we renew our intention to support a project that is as opportune as it is concrete, especially at a delicate time and in a delicate phase both for the wine sector itself, and for the USA in general which is currently suffering from the increase in duties, the euro-dollar exchange rate, and more moderate consumer behavior," concludes Matteo Zoppas, president of ITA - Italian Trade Agency. The profile of active buyers in New York State is fully consistent with the positioning of Vinitaly.USA. These are operators accustomed to working on medium-high and premium price points, with a particular focus on origin, territorial identity and product quality. It is an approach in line with the distinctive characteristics of Italian wine and with a vision oriented towards building value in the long term. The data confirm this scenario: 37% of high-spending consumers declare an annual income of up to $149,000 and 32% over $150,000; wine consumption is frequent, between two and five times a week for 44% of respondents, with an average expenditure per bottle of more than $30 for more than half of the sample. After California, Italian wines are the most popular, surpassing French wines. An audience that defines itself as strongly interested in wine, competent, and that considers wine an important component of their daily life. The State of New York represents 6.5% of total wine consumption in the United States, positioning itself as the third national market after California and Texas and as the first state in the Northeast with 34% of consumption in the area. A territory in which wine is an integral part of the urban and cultural lifestyle, supported by a strong presence of catering 930 Italian restaurants, equal to 10.9% of the total today further enhanced by the UNESCO recognition of Italian Cuisine as an Intangible Cultural Heritage of humanity. New York also offers a unique ecosystem in terms of visibility and influence. The strong concentration of specialized press, opinion leaders and other sector information providers allows exhibitors to expand their visibility well beyond the event itself, strengthening engagement with the market and contributing to greater recognition of Italian wine in the United States. The New York edition of Vinitaly.USA is part of Veronafiere's broader international strategy, developed in collaboration with the Italian Trade Agency, and aimed at overseeing key markets through integrated promotion initiatives aligned with local dynamics. A strategy that combines the promotion of Italian wine with the enhancement of wine tourism with Vinitaly Tourism and the development of quality extra virgin olive oil with SOL Expo, with the aim of systematically supporting the supply chains, territories and excellence of Made in Italy, strengthening its positioning on high-potential international markets. About Vinitaly: Vinitaly, the renowned wine event, is scheduled to take place from 12-15 April 2026. Since its inception in 1998, Vinitaly has been a global ambassador for Italian wine, traversing borders and reaching wine enthusiasts worldwide. While Vinitaly originated in Italy, in the historic city of Verona, its vision extends far beyond national borders. Now in its 58th edition, Vinitaly has served as a nexus for the global wine supply chain, facilitating connections and fostering collaboration among producers, buyers, and stakeholders. The event spans four days dedicated to nurturing relationships, sharing experiences, and honing skills within the wine industry. Vinitaly and the City invites wine lovers to immerse themselves in the vibrant atmosphere of Verona, one of the world's foremost wine capitals. This ancient city, steeped in history and culture, provides the perfect backdrop for an unforgettable wine experience, where tradition meets innovation and passion permeates every sip. SOURCE Vinitaly Seasoned CEO to lead nonprofit in developing next generation of industry leaders DALLAS, Jan. 22, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- WFF, a leading non-profit organization dedicated to developing and advancing leaders in the foodservice industry, announced today that following an extensive search, Kelli Valade has been selected as the organization's new President and CEO. Valade will assume leadership of WFF in February, succeeding Therese Gearhart, who announced her plans to retire last year. Kelli Valade Valade will lead the organization's professional staff and work closely with industry leaders to advance leadership development and create limitless opportunities for individuals, and for the companies they serve. Valade's appointment comes as foodservice companies continue to invest in building strong leadership pipelines to support growth, navigate increasing operational complexity, and prepare the next generation of leaders across all segments of the industry. "Kelli is uniquely qualified to lead WFF at this pivotal time," said Dawn Rasmussen, Chief Revenue Officer, Woodland Gourmet, and Chair of the WFF Board. "She brings a proven record of leadership, a deep understanding of our industry, and a long-standing commitment to WFF's mission of helping members connect, grow and be inspired to reach their potential throughout their careers." A highly respected industry executive, Valade most recently served as CEO of Spartanburg, S.C.-based family dining company, Denny's Corp., joining the company in 2022. Her prior roles include CEO of Red Lobster, CEO of analytics firm Black Box Intelligence, and President of Chili's Bar & Grill. Valade is also a long-time WFF member, former Board member, Leadership Conference speaker, and a role model and champion for ongoing professional development. "It is an honor to lead WFFan organization that has played a significant role in my own professional journey and supports our industry in creating work environments where all team members can thrive," Valade said. "I look forward to working with the exceptional WFF team and our volunteer Board of Directors, comprised of influential leaders from across the industry, to further strengthen our impact on individual careers and enhance the value WFF delivers to its supporting partner companies." For more than three decades, WFF has served as the premier nonprofit professional development organization for the foodservice industry, partnering with operators, manufacturers, distributors and allied partners to shape the future of leadership. ABOUT WOMEN'S FOODSERVICE FORUM: Women's Foodservice Forum (WFF) is the industry's leading organization dedicated to advancing leadership excellence across the foodservice industry. Since 1989, WFF has equipped individuals and organizations with research, insights, and development programs that strengthen talent pipelines, improve business performance, and create more dynamic workplaces. WFF serves professionals and companies across every segment of the foodservice industry through events, resources, and a year-round learning community. SOURCE Womens Foodservice Forum (WFF) Big savings, bigger snack sizes, and multiple ways to enter give Yesway and Allsup's customers even more reasons to fill up and treat themselves FORT WORTH, Texas, Jan. 22, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- Yesway , one of the nation's fastest-growing convenience store chains, is kicking off the new year in a big way at its Yesway and Allsup's stores with The Big Fill Sweepstakesgiving customers the chance to win free fuel for a year. Paired with indulgent snack deals, upsized offers, and valuable Rewards savings, Yesway is making it easier than ever for customers to hit the road, save money, and win big. The Big Fill Sweepstakes gives Yesway and Allsup's customers the chance to win free fuel for a year. "As we start the new year, our customers are looking for ways to treat themselves without stretching their budgets," said Ray Harrison, Chief Merchandising and Marketing Officer at Yesway. "The Big Fill Sweepstakes, along with our value-driven promotions, is all about delivering morebigger sizes, great deals, and meaningful fuel rewardswhile providing the everyday convenience our customers expect." Harrison added, "With The Big Fill Sweepstakes, we're also inviting our loyal Yesway and Allsup's customers, community members, and fans of the World Famous Allsup's Burrito to join us in a year-long celebration of the 100th anniversary of Route 66 in New Mexico. For a century, Route 66 has carried stories, livelihoods, dreams, and communities across the state. Along that same road and far beyond it, our stores have served as places to refuel, reconnect, and move forward. We didn't just grow along Route 66; we grew because of the people who live, work, and travel it. The Big Fill Sweepstakes celebrates that shared journey." Four Easy Ways to Enter From January 7 through March 3, 2026, customers can participate in The Big Fill Sweepstakes through multiple entry optionswhether fueling up or grabbing a favorite snack: Scan the QR code found on in-store promotional materials Earn one entry per transaction when purchasing any two (2) 28 oz. Gatorade or 20 oz. Gatorlyte bottled drinks using a phone number at checkout Redeem 250 Smiles (loyalty points) in the Yesway or Allsup's Rewards app for one (1) sweepstakes entry Enter with no purchase necessary by completing the official entry form* The Big Fill Sweepstakes Prizes Grand Prize Free Fuel for a Year: One (1) winner will receive a $2,500 fuel card First Prizes $66 fuel cards awarded to six (6) winners each week during the sweepstakes Featured Promotions & More Ways to Save Road Trip Combo Buy a Pepsi or Mountain Dew 20 oz. and an Allsup's World Famous Beef & Bean Burrito for $5 Big Deals January: Buy 2 M&M's Share Size for $6 February: Buy 2 Nerds Juicy Clusters Share Size for $6 Yesway & Allsup's Rewards Exclusives Stack & Save: Buy 2 Celsius (12 oz. or 16 oz.) and save 10 per gallon on fuel** Stack & Save: Buy 2 Core Water 23.9 oz. and save 5 per gallon on fuel** For a complete list of promotions and participating locations, visit Yesway.com, Allsups.com, or download the Yesway or Allsup's Rewards app. To find the nearest store, visit Yesway Locations or Allsup's Locations. * For no-purchase-required entry details, visit allsups.com/route66/ ** Limit 30 gallons per fuel reward redemption. One vehicle per transaction. Editor's Note: To arrange interviews, contact Erin Vadala, Warner Communications, at 617.669.1560 or [email protected] . High-resolution images and graphics are available upon request. About Yesway - Established in 2015 and headquartered in Fort Worth, Texas, Yesway is an award-winning convenience store operator with 448 stores across nine states in the Midwest and Southwest. Yesway is renowned for its iconic food service offerings, diverse grocery selections, and private-label products, including the famous Allsup's deep-fried burrito. Through strategic acquisitions, the 90 new stores it has developed and opened in the past several years, and its steadfast commitment to customer satisfaction and community engagement, Yesway continues to cement its position as one of the leading convenience retailers in the United States. For more information, visit Yesway.com . SOURCE Yesway SHANGHAI, Jan. 22, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- Yum China Holdings, Inc. (NYSE: YUMC and HKEX: 9987, "Yum China" or the "Company") today announced, in compliance with the Rules Governing the Listing of Securities on The Stock Exchange of Hong Kong Limited (the "HKEX") which require advance notice of board meetings at which a dividend is expected to be declared, that its board of directors (the "Board") will consider the declaration and payment of a quarterly dividend (the "Dividend"). If the Board decides to proceed, the declaration will be adopted by Board resolution on or around February 4, 2026 (Beijing/Hong Kong Time) and will be promptly disclosed by the Company. The Company makes available through the Investor Relations section of its internet website at http://ir.yumchina.com its filings with the HKEX as soon as reasonably practicable after electronically filing such materials with the HKEX. These filings may also be obtained by visiting the HKEX's website at http://www.hkex.com.hk. As no Board resolution in relation to the Dividend has been adopted as of the date of this press release, there is no assurance that the Dividend will be declared. Forward-Looking Statements This press release contains "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933 and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934. We intend all forward-looking statements to be covered by the safe harbor provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Forward-looking statements generally can be identified by the fact that they do not relate strictly to historical or current facts and by the use of forward-looking words such as "expect," "expectation," "believe," "anticipate," "may," "could," "intend," "belief," "plan," "estimate," "target," "predict," "project," "likely," "will," "continue," "should," "forecast," "outlook" or similar terminology. These statements are based on current estimates and assumptions made by us in light of our experience and perception of historical trends, current conditions and expected future developments, as well as other factors that we believe are appropriate and reasonable under the circumstances, but there can be no assurance that such estimates and assumptions will prove to be correct. Forward-looking statements are not guarantees of performance and are inherently subject to known and unknown risks and uncertainties that are difficult to predict and could cause our actual results or events to differ materially from those indicated by those statements. We cannot assure you that any of our expectations, estimates or assumptions will be achieved. The forward-looking statements included in this press release are only made as of the date of this press release, and we disclaim any obligation to publicly update any forward-looking statement to reflect subsequent events or circumstances, except as required by law. Numerous factors could cause our actual results or events to differ materially from those expressed or implied by forward-looking statements. All forward-looking statements should be evaluated with the understanding of their inherent uncertainty. You should consult our filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission (including the information set forth under the captions "Risk Factors" and "Management's Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations" in our Annual Report on Form 10-K and subsequent Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q) for additional detail about factors that could affect our financial and other results. About Yum China Holdings, Inc. Yum China is the largest restaurant company in China with a mission to make every life taste beautiful. The Company operates over 17,000 restaurants under six brands across around 2,500 cities in China. KFC and Pizza Hut are the leading brands in the quick-service and casual dining restaurant spaces in China, respectively. In addition, Yum China has also partnered with Lavazza to develop the Lavazza coffee concept in China. Little Sheep and Huang Ji Huang specialize in Chinese cuisine. Taco Bell offers innovative Mexican-inspired food. Yum China has a world-class, digitalized supply chain which includes an extensive network of logistics centers nationwide and an in-house supply chain management system. Its strong digital capabilities and loyalty program enable the Company to reach customers faster and serve them better. Yum China is a Fortune 500 company with the vision to be the world's most innovative pioneer in the restaurant industry. For more information, please visit http://ir.yumchina.com. Investor Relations Contact Tel: +86 21 2407 7556 E-mail: [email protected] Media Contact Tel: +86 21 2407 3824 E-mail: [email protected] SOURCE Yum China Holdings, Inc. The first capability delivers subscription intelligence in ZoneBilling to help teams identify risk, protect revenue, and move from insight to action NEW YORK, Jan. 22, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- Zone & Co , the leading ERP-native financial operations platform, today unveiled Zoe by Zone, a breakthrough agentic orchestration layer designed to operate as a control and command cockpit for finance teams. Moving beyond passive automation, Zoe serves as the operational core for finance teams, coordinating Subject Matter Agents to execute complex tasks natively within the #1 AI Cloud ERP. By shifting work from manual data gathering to informed review and decision-making, Zoe helps teams move faster and with greater confidence. Finance teams continue to face a persistent challenge: too much time spent searching for answers instead of acting on them. Today, routine questions about billing and subscriptions - from unbilled amounts and upcoming renewals to configuration issues and revenue risk - often require digging through ERP records, logs, and documentation, building saved searches, and manually interpreting complex setups. This manual effort slows response times and introduces avoidable errors. Zone unveils Zoe by Zone, an agentic orchestration layer for finance teams inside the #1 AI Cloud ERP. Post this Zoe serves as the intelligence and execution backbone across the Zone platform, intelligently routing complex objectives to specialized Subject Matter Agents. Rather than forcing teams to navigate fragmented dashboards or disconnected tools, Zoe introduces a unified interface that enables interaction with agents that understand accounting context and business rules, then orchestrates analysis and action directly within the ERP. "The industry has reached an inflection point where 'AI features' are no longer enough," said Billie Miric, Global Head of Product at Zone & Co. "Finance requires an intelligence fabric that doesn't just surface data, but orchestrates execution. Zoe is the foundation of the agentic finance enterprise, removing friction for finance teams by shifting the cognitive tax of data-chasing to an autonomous digital workforce." The first capability delivered through Zoe is subscription intelligence for ZoneBilling, which focuses on one of the most critical and risk-prone areas of financial operations: recurring revenue. With subscription intelligence, teams can identify unbilled subscriptions and value at risk, monitor upcoming renewals in the next 30, 60, or 90 days, and validate whether charges align with expected invoice amounts - all without leaving their ERP workflow. By shortening the time between insight and action, Zoe helps teams invoice faster, follow up on renewals earlier, and resolve discrepancies before they impact cash flow or customer trust. Over time, Zoe will expand with a suite of subject matter agents across quote-to-cash, procure-to-pay, treasury, payments, payroll, and reporting. Centralized under a single orchestration layer, these agents operate on the same high-fidelity data, ensuring financial intelligence is consistent, compliant, auditable, and grounded in relevant business logic. Subscription intelligence will be available first to select customers, with broader availability planned in the coming months. To learn more about Zoe and Zone's approach to ERP-native finance intelligence, visit https://www.zoneandco.com/zoneai . About Zone & Co Zone & Co is the ERP-native financial operations platform trusted by more than 4,000 companies worldwideincluding Salesloft, Figma, and Avalara. Built on a unified platform architecture, Zone connects every finance workflow and applies embedded intelligence to deliver measurable results like 94% faster bookings and 90% more efficient billingempowering finance teams to operate seamlessly today and scale confidently into the future. For more information, please visit: www.zoneandco.com or follow us on LinkedIn . Contact: [email protected] SOURCE Zone & Company Software ANKARA, Jan. 22 (Xinhua) -- Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said on Thursday his country disapproves of external intervention in Iran. Erdogan made the remarks during a phone call with his Iranian counterpart Masoud Pezeshkian to discuss bilateral relations and regional issues, according to a statement issued by the Turkish Presidency. During the call, Erdogan said he is closely following the events in Iran. "Turkiye values Iran's peace and stability, and Turkiye has never viewed any scenarios of external intervention in Iran favorably," Erdogan told Pezeshkian. The Turkish president said that resolving the problems and preventing the escalation of regional tension is also in Turkiye's interest. Last week, Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan said that Turkiye opposes any military operation against Iran and supports efforts to preserve regional stability. Protests erupted across Iran last month over economic grievances before taking on a political dimension and turning violent, leading to casualties and widespread damage to public property, mosques, government buildings, and banks. Iranian authorities have blamed the United States and Israel for inciting the unrest. About this content About Ian Lyall Ian Lyall, a seasoned journalist and editor, brings over three decades of experience to his role as Managing Editor at Proactive. Overseeing Proactive's editorial and broadcast operations across six offices on three continents, Ian is responsible for quality control, editorial policy, and content production. He directs the creation of 50,000 pieces of real-time news, feature articles, and filmed interviews annually. Prior to Proactive, Ian helped lead the business output at the Daily... Read more About the publisher Proactive financial news and online broadcast teams provide fast, accessible, informative and actionable business and finance news content to a global investment audience. All our content is produced independently by our experienced and qualified teams of news journalists. Proactive news team spans the worlds key finance and investing hubs with bureaus and studios in London, New York, Toronto, Vancouver, Sydney and Perth. We are experts in medium and small-cap markets, we also keep our community up to date with blue-chip companies, commodities and broader investment stories. This is content that excites and engages motivated private investors. The team delivers news and unique insights across the market including but not confined to: biotech and pharma, mining and natural resources, battery metals, oil and gas, crypto and emerging digital and EV technologies. Use of technology Proactive has always been a forward looking and enthusiastic technology adopter. Our human content creators are equipped with many decades of valuable expertise and experience. The team also has access to and use technologies to assist and enhance workflows. Proactive will on occasion use automation and software tools, including generative AI. Nevertheless, all content published by Proactive is edited and authored by humans, in line with best practice in regard to content production and search engine optimisation. About this content About Oliver Haill Oliver has been writing about companies and markets since the early 2000s, cutting his teeth as a financial journalist at Growth Company Investor with a focusing on AIM companies and small caps, before a few years later becoming a section editor and then head of research. He joined Proactive after a couple of years freelancing, where he worked for the Financial Times Group, ITV, Press Association, Reuters sports desk, the London Olympic News Service, Rugby World Cup News Service, Gracenote... Read more About the publisher Proactive financial news and online broadcast teams provide fast, accessible, informative and actionable business and finance news content to a global investment audience. All our content is produced independently by our experienced and qualified teams of news journalists. Proactive news team spans the worlds key finance and investing hubs with bureaus and studios in London, New York, Toronto, Vancouver, Sydney and Perth. We are experts in medium and small-cap markets, we also keep our community up to date with blue-chip companies, commodities and broader investment stories. This is content that excites and engages motivated private investors. The team delivers news and unique insights across the market including but not confined to: biotech and pharma, mining and natural resources, battery metals, oil and gas, crypto and emerging digital and EV technologies. Use of technology Proactive has always been a forward looking and enthusiastic technology adopter. Our human content creators are equipped with many decades of valuable expertise and experience. The team also has access to and use technologies to assist and enhance workflows. Proactive will on occasion use automation and software tools, including generative AI. Nevertheless, all content published by Proactive is edited and authored by humans, in line with best practice in regard to content production and search engine optimisation. LISBON, Jan. 22 (Xinhua) -- Portugal has carried out its first hypersonic test under real conditions, marking the country's entry into experimental research on extreme high-speed flows, the Instituto Superior Tecnico (IST) of the University of Lisbon said on Thursday. According to IST, the experiment successfully generated a hypersonic flow at around eight kilometers per second, equivalent to Mach 25. The institute said the speed can be compared to "crossing mainland Portugal from north to south in just over five minutes." The test produced shock intensities capable of heating the gas flow to temperatures exceeding those on the surface of the Sun, IST said, noting that the light emitted by the shock wave resembles the flash of a shooting star. The hypersonic flow, defined as traveling at least five times the speed of sound, was generated in demanding physical conditions. The operation of the shock tube, which is remotely controlled for safety reasons, involves the use of hydrogen, oxygen and helium mixtures at very high pressures, the institute said. The test was conducted on Nov. 19, 2025, by the Institute for Plasmas and Nuclear Fusion (IPFN), a research unit of IST, using the European Shock Tube for High Enthalpy Research (ESTHER) facility, located on the Tecnico campus in Loures, a municipality north of the capital Lisbon. IST said the ESTHER facility will help scientists study phenomena that only occur at extreme speeds, including the atmospheric reentry of rockets and spacecraft, as well as the exploration of the atmospheres of planets such as Mars, Venus and Jupiter, and Saturn's moon Titan. In a statement, the institute said the successful test marks "Portugal's entry into the experimental capability to study hypersonic phenomena," adding that the infrastructure is expected, in the medium term, to support the planning of missions by the European Space Agency (ESA), of which Portugal is a member state. About this content About Stephen Gunnion Stephen Gunnion is a senior financial journalist and broadcaster at Proactive Investors. He has more than 25 years of experience in television, radio and print media, anchoring on a number of television channels including South Africa's Business Day TV, CNBC Africa and the South African Broadcasting Corporation, where he was the economics editor. He has also worked for Daily Maverick, Bloomberg, the Business Day newspaper and Investors' Chronicle. Read more About the publisher Proactive financial news and online broadcast teams provide fast, accessible, informative and actionable business and finance news content to a global investment audience. All our content is produced independently by our experienced and qualified teams of news journalists. Proactive news team spans the worlds key finance and investing hubs with bureaus and studios in London, New York, Toronto, Vancouver, Sydney and Perth. We are experts in medium and small-cap markets, we also keep our community up to date with blue-chip companies, commodities and broader investment stories. This is content that excites and engages motivated private investors. The team delivers news and unique insights across the market including but not confined to: biotech and pharma, mining and natural resources, battery metals, oil and gas, crypto and emerging digital and EV technologies. Use of technology Proactive has always been a forward looking and enthusiastic technology adopter. Our human content creators are equipped with many decades of valuable expertise and experience. The team also has access to and use technologies to assist and enhance workflows. Proactive will on occasion use automation and software tools, including generative AI. Nevertheless, all content published by Proactive is edited and authored by humans, in line with best practice in regard to content production and search engine optimisation. archTIS Ltd (ASX:AR9, OTCQB:ARHLF) reported continued momentum in the US defence market during the December 2025 quarter, with its NC Protect platform successfully deployed into a live Microsoft DoD365 production environment for the US Department of Defense. During the period, the DoDs systems integrator renewed 1,000 NC Protect production licences for a six-month term, moving the platform from pre-production evaluation into sustained operational use. archTIS also continued delivery of contracted development and integration services to support mission-specific capabilities within secure DoD365 environments, reinforcing its position within active defence workflows. Enterprise licensing discussions, which had been temporarily delayed by the US federal government shutdown, restarted late in the quarter, with future licensing expected to occur in larger user blocks as procurement processes progress. Following completion of the Spirion acquisition on October 1, 2025, archTIS reported Annual Recurring Revenue of $16.3 million at December 31, representing a 308% increase on prior comparison periods. About this content About Lisa Uhlman Lisa Uhlman is an equities reporter at Proactive Investors, covering ASX-listed companies across the mining, energy, biotech and emerging tech sectors. With a background in legal and financial journalism, Lisa brings a sharp analytical lens to market news and corporate developments. Prior to joining Proactive, she reported for national trade publications and newswires, with a focus on court reporting, regulatory affairs and ESG-related business issues. Based in Sydney, she is... Read more About the publisher Proactive financial news and online broadcast teams provide fast, accessible, informative and actionable business and finance news content to a global investment audience. All our content is produced independently by our experienced and qualified teams of news journalists. Proactive news team spans the worlds key finance and investing hubs with bureaus and studios in London, New York, Toronto, Vancouver, Sydney and Perth. We are experts in medium and small-cap markets, we also keep our community up to date with blue-chip companies, commodities and broader investment stories. This is content that excites and engages motivated private investors. The team delivers news and unique insights across the market including but not confined to: biotech and pharma, mining and natural resources, battery metals, oil and gas, crypto and emerging digital and EV technologies. Use of technology Proactive has always been a forward looking and enthusiastic technology adopter. Our human content creators are equipped with many decades of valuable expertise and experience. The team also has access to and use technologies to assist and enhance workflows. Proactive will on occasion use automation and software tools, including generative AI. Nevertheless, all content published by Proactive is edited and authored by humans, in line with best practice in regard to content production and search engine optimisation. About this content About Kerry Stevenson Kerry Stevenson joins Proactive Australia's broadcast team part time. As the Managing Director of Gold Events Kerry has been hosting the annual Australian Gold Conference for over 14 years, connecting industry and investment professionals and showcasing the value of precious metals. Kerry is passionate about helping others to secure a safe and solid future by understanding money, finance, and strategy. That is why she created the Making Money Matter channel on YouTube, where... Read more About the publisher Proactive financial news and online broadcast teams provide fast, accessible, informative and actionable business and finance news content to a global investment audience. All our content is produced independently by our experienced and qualified teams of news journalists. Proactive news team spans the worlds key finance and investing hubs with bureaus and studios in London, New York, Toronto, Vancouver, Sydney and Perth. We are experts in medium and small-cap markets, we also keep our community up to date with blue-chip companies, commodities and broader investment stories. This is content that excites and engages motivated private investors. The team delivers news and unique insights across the market including but not confined to: biotech and pharma, mining and natural resources, battery metals, oil and gas, crypto and emerging digital and EV technologies. Use of technology Proactive has always been a forward looking and enthusiastic technology adopter. Our human content creators are equipped with many decades of valuable expertise and experience. The team also has access to and use technologies to assist and enhance workflows. Proactive will on occasion use automation and software tools, including generative AI. Nevertheless, all content published by Proactive is edited and authored by humans, in line with best practice in regard to content production and search engine optimisation. Cybersecurity strategy is being reshaped by a simple but increasingly unavoidable reality: data now moves far more freely than the systems designed to protect it. As organisations increasingly operate across cloud platforms, software-as-a-service (SaaS) tools and highly distributed collaboration environments, traditional security boundaries networks, devices and even access or identities no longer define where risk begins or ends. Information is created, shared and reused across systems that are dynamic, porous and often outside a single organisations direct control. In a recent blog post for global data-centric security software provider archTIS Ltd (ASX:AR9, OTCQB:ARHLF), Kurt A. Mueffelmann, president and chief strategy officer of archTIS U.S. Inc., argues that this shift is driving a fundamental change in how digital security is architected. Rather than treating data as something protected indirectly by networks or user permissions, Mueffelmann says security is increasingly being rebuilt around layers of protection at the level of the data itself an approach closely aligned with Zero Trust principles. This progression from knowing where data exists to governing how it is accessed and used represents a critical layer of value creation within Zero Trust architectures, Mueffelmann wrote. Crucially, this is no longer a theoretical framework or emerging trend. Zero Trust built on the assumption that breaches are inevitable and that trust must be continuously verified is now being locked in through regulation, enforced by emerging policy mandates, and the sector bolstered by institutional investment. Zero Trust moves from framework to obligation Zero Trust has been discussed for years as a best-practice model, but adoption was often uneven, incremental or confined to specific use cases. What has changed, as Mueffelmann outlines, is the shift from voluntary adoption to enforced implementation. In November 2025, the US Department of Defense (DoD) issued a directive requiring all DoD components, military services and combatant commands to achieve Target Level Zero Trust enterprise-wide by September 30, 2027. The language was unambiguous: compliance was described as non-negotiable, with quarterly reporting requirements and escalation mechanisms in place for any delays. The mandate signals that Zero Trust is no longer just an architectural preference it is becoming a baseline requirement for large, complex and heavily-regulated organisations. Once that threshold is crossed, security spend shifts from discretionary programs to core infrastructure, with long-term implications for procurement and capital allocation. Zero Trust is moving from conceptual frameworks to operational reality, with data at its core, Mueffelmann said. Why data is becoming the control plane Mueffelmanns central argument is that Zero Trust cannot be implemented effectively without a data-centric foundation that is, with data itself layered with protective mechanisms, not just the systems that store it. While identity and network controls remain necessary, they are no longer sufficient once data is accessed, shared or replicated. Network boundaries are increasingly porous, and identity, while essential, is no longer sufficient on its own, Mueffelmann wrote. What remains constant across every environment is the data. A data-centric security model treats information as the primary object of protection. Sensitivity, context and policy are bound to the data, allowing access and usage to be governed continuously not just at the point of entry. This approach aligns directly with Zero Trusts assumption of a breach, ensuring that trust is not granted once and then forgotten, but continuously evaluated. From an architectural perspective, this represents a shift in what effectively becomes the control plane of security, Mueffelmann says. Instead of relying on static perimeters, security policy follows the data wherever it resides or is shared. From visibility to governance and enforceable control According to Muefflemann, a shift from visibility to governance and control has also been shaping both enterprise demand and valuation. Early data security tools focused on discovery and classification critical capabilities that established awareness of risk but stopped short of resolving it, he wrote. Today, enterprises are increasingly focused on how policy is applied, governed and enforced once sensitive data is identified, he added. This has created demand for capabilities that sit between discovery and enforcement ensuring security intent is translated into consistent, real-world outcomes. As organisations mature in their Zero Trust adoption, attention is shifting from knowing where data exists to controlling how it is accessed, shared and governed in practice. That includes aligning access decisions with policy intent, handling exceptions, coordinating approvals and maintaining auditability all without disrupting productivity. This transition is particularly important in regulated, sovereign and mission-critical environments, where security outcomes must be demonstrable and enforceable, not just well documented. Capital is following architecture, not hype Recent private-market activity reinforces this view, Mueffelmann says. He points to a US$400 million investment Blackstone led in Israeli cybersecurity company Cyera in late 2025, valuing the business at around US$9 billion. While the headline number attracted attention, Mueffelmann argues the more important signal was what the valuation represented: strong institutional conviction that data-centric security now sits at the core of modern cybersecurity and Zero Trust architectures. This was not simply a bet on a single company, he wrote. It was a validation of an entire security paradigm. For public-market investors, this raises a broader question. Valuations in private markets are increasingly being assigned based on capability and strategic relevance, rather than operating history or listing venue. That dynamic is creating a widening gap between how private capital prices exposure to data-centric security and how comparable execution capability may be valued in listed markets. Regulation is compressing adoption timelines Mandates like the DoDs Zero Trust deadline in 2027 are accelerating this shift by compressing adoption timelines. When compliance becomes compulsory rather than aspirational, organisations are forced to move beyond pilots and proofs of concept. Architectural decisions harden, procurement cycles accelerate and security spend becomes embedded in long-term budgets. From an investment perspective, this matters because regulation reduces the risk that data-centric security is a passing theme. Instead, it positions it as structural infrastructure, underpinned by policy, accreditation and compliance requirements. Large-scale institutional investments of this nature are not driven by short-term enthusiasm, Mueffelmann wrote. They reflect long-term conviction in structural change. Regulatory complexity, data sovereignty requirements and the continued expansion of digital collaboration ensure that data-centric Zero Trust security will remain a foundational enterprise requirement for years to come. Where archTIS fits in a data-centric Zero Trust landscape Within this evolving landscape, archTIS has focused on security at the data layer, particularly in environments where collaboration, sovereignty and policy enforcement intersect. Rather than stopping at visibility, the companys approach centres on contextual access control and continuous enforcement enabling organisations to govern how sensitive information is accessed and shared across complex, multi-party environments. The company has consistently prioritised protection at the data layer, applying contextual access controls and continuously enforcing policy across collaboration and information-sharing environments, Mueffelmann said. Critically, archTIS operates at the intersection of policy intent and execution, enabling organisations to move beyond visibility toward enforceable, auditable control, he added. This positioning aligns directly with the architectural layer now attracting significant institutional capital and premium valuation frameworks elsewhere in the market. As Zero Trust continues its transition from framework to obligation, the ability to operationalise data governance rather than simply describe it is becoming a defining capability. A structural shift, not a short-term cycle The convergence of regulatory mandates, architectural change and capital allocation suggests data-centric Zero Trust security is not a short-lived trend. Rising geopolitical tension, increasing regulatory complexity and the continued expansion of cloud-based collaboration all point to a future in which protecting the perimeter is no longer enough. Protecting the data persistently, contextually and enforceably is becoming the baseline. For investors, the opportunity lies in understanding where value accrues as Zero Trust moves from aspiration to requirement, and as data becomes the true foundation of modern cybersecurity. About this content About Emily Jarvie Emily began her career as a political journalist for Australian Community Media in Hobart, Tasmania. After she relocated to Toronto, Canada, she reported on business, legal, and scientific developments in the emerging psychedelics sector before joining Proactive in 2022. She brings a strong journalism background with her work featured in newspapers, magazines, and digital publications across Australia, Europe, and North America, including The Examiner, The Advocate, The Canberra Times, and... Read more About the publisher Proactive financial news and online broadcast teams provide fast, accessible, informative and actionable business and finance news content to a global investment audience. All our content is produced independently by our experienced and qualified teams of news journalists. Proactive news team spans the worlds key finance and investing hubs with bureaus and studios in London, New York, Toronto, Vancouver, Sydney and Perth. We are experts in medium and small-cap markets, we also keep our community up to date with blue-chip companies, commodities and broader investment stories. This is content that excites and engages motivated private investors. The team delivers news and unique insights across the market including but not confined to: biotech and pharma, mining and natural resources, battery metals, oil and gas, crypto and emerging digital and EV technologies. Use of technology Proactive has always been a forward looking and enthusiastic technology adopter. Our human content creators are equipped with many decades of valuable expertise and experience. The team also has access to and use technologies to assist and enhance workflows. Proactive will on occasion use automation and software tools, including generative AI. Nevertheless, all content published by Proactive is edited and authored by humans, in line with best practice in regard to content production and search engine optimisation. GAZA, Jan. 22 (Xinhua) -- Hamas on Thursday condemned the United States' decision to sanction several Gaza-based charities, calling the move "unjust" and driven by Israeli influence. In a statement, the group said the sanctions would "perpetuate the suffering of Gaza Strip residents, a suffering created by the Israeli occupation," and urged the U.S. to reverse the measures, which it said "favor the occupation." Hamas also called on Washington to pressure Israel to meet its obligations under existing agreements, including reopening crossings for aid and allowing a newly formed Palestinian committee to begin operations in the enclave. On Wednesday, the U.S. Treasury Department announced sanctions against six Gaza-based charity and Palestinian diaspora organizations that it said "claim to provide medical care to Palestinian civilians but in fact support" Hamas' military wing, the al-Qassam Brigades. If you were looking for the Charlestown Democratic Town Committee website and ended up here, try this Got news tips, gossip, suggestions, complaints?E-mail us: progressivecharlestown@gmail.com We strive to avoid errors in our articles. Our correction policy can be found here Oslo, Jan 22 : Danish Foreign Minister Lars Lokke Rasmussen has publicly accepted US President Donald Trump's invitation to speak directly regarding Denmark's position on Greenland, said Danish local media. Earlier Wednesday (local time), Trump suggested that if Rasmussen truly believed Denmark would not negotiate over Greenland, he should convey that message face to face. Responding to the challenge, Rasmussen affirmed his readiness for such a direct exchange, noting his experience in dealing directly with Trump, reports Xinhua news agency. "I'd actually like to say it to his face. I've also said other things to his face. I think I can handle that," said Rasmussen during an interview with Danish Broadcasting Corporation. Earlier on Tuesday, Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen said that her country will not negotiate over its sovereignty, responding to US threats of tariffs in a dispute over Greenland. Frederiksen noted that Denmark has never sought any conflicts. However, Denmark is now being threatened by its closest ally, both in terms of Danish territory and Greenlandic self-determination, she told the parliament. On the tariffs the United States has threatened to impose, Frederiksen said a trade war would cost jobs on both sides of the Atlantic. "As much as we must warn against it, we must also prepare for it," she said. In a social media post over the weekend, Trump said the United States would impose a 10 per cent tariff from February 1 on goods from eight European countries opposing his ambition to control Greenland. He warned the tariff rate would rise to 25 per cent on June 1 and remain in place until a deal is reached for the "complete and total purchase" of Greenland. The remarks have intensified a backlash that has been building across Europe. EU leaders will hold an emergency summit in Brussels on Thursday to address the tensions, European Commission spokesperson Olof Gill said Monday. EU economy commissioner Valdis Dombrovskis said the bloc could renew a pending tariff package or deploy anti-coercion measures. -- The story has been published from a wire feed without any modifications to the text California, Jan 22 : California Governor Gavin Newsom's press office said he was barred from speaking in Davos, Switzerland, by the Trump administration. "Under pressure from the White House and State Department, USA House (a church acting as the official US pavilion) is now denying entry to California Governor Gavin Newsom to speak with media after Fortune -- the official media partner -- invited him to speak," said Newsom's press office in a post on X on Wednesday (local time). Newsom also criticised the Trump administration for denying him access to the American pavilion, writing on X that "California was just denied at the USA House. Last we checked, California is part of USA." According to Newsom's staff, they were informed that a "venue-level decision" had been made to "not include an elected US official" in the programming, the Los Angeles Times reported. Newsom's office said the governor had planned to respond to remarks made by US President Donald Trump earlier that day in Davos. Trump said in his address that he wanted to "get Greenland, including right, title and ownership," while insisting he would not use force, reports Xinhua news agency, citing local media reports. Newsom on Tuesday criticised European political leaders for what he described as their "complicity" in failing to stand up to Trump's demands regarding Greenland, an autonomous territory of Denmark. "It's time to buck up, it's time to get serious and stop being complicit," Newsom told reporters during his visit to the World Economic Forum. "It's time to stand tall and firm, have a backbone," he said. United Nations, Jan 22 : The Security Council has condemned the terrorist attack in the Afghan capital of Kabul. In a press statement on Wednesday (local time), the members of the Security Council condemned in the strongest terms the heinous terrorist attack claimed by the Islamic State-Khorasan Province. The attack, which occurred at a restaurant in a commercial neighbourhood of Kabul, resulted in the killing of six Afghans and one Chinese national, as well as the wounding of several others, including a child, reports Xinhua news agency. The council members expressed their deepest sympathy and condolences to the families of the victims and to the people of Afghanistan and China, and they wished a speedy and full recovery to those who were injured. They underlined the need to hold perpetrators, organisers, financiers and sponsors of these reprehensible acts of terrorism accountable and bring them to justice, while urging all states to cooperate actively with all relevant authorities in this regard. Terrorism in all its forms and manifestations constitutes one of the most serious threats to peace and security in Afghanistan, as well as in the world, said the council members, and they reaffirmed the need for all states to combat by all means threats to international peace and security caused by terrorist acts. Meanwhile, earlier on January 20, a day after an explosion outside a Chinese restaurant in Kabul, the capital of Afghanistan, caused multiple casualties, including the death of one Chinese citizen, Beijing once again urged the Chinese citizens not to travel to Afghanistan "in the near future". "China has lodged an urgent protest with Afghanistan, demanding that Afghanistan do its utmost to treat the wounded, take further effective measures to protect the safety of Chinese citizens, projects, and institutions in Afghanistan, and promptly investigate the truth and punish the perpetrators," Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Guo Jiakun told reporters during a regular media conference in Beijing on Tuesday. The spokesperson stated that officials of the Chinese Embassy in Afghanistan have visited the hospital where the wounded are being treated to express their condolences. "China strongly condemns and firmly opposes terrorism in all its forms, and supports Afghanistan and other countries in the region in their joint efforts to combat all forms of terrorist violence. In light of the current security situation in Afghanistan, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs once again reminds Chinese citizens not to travel to Afghanistan in the near future. Chinese citizens and enterprises already in Afghanistan should enhance their awareness of security, strengthen security measures, and evacuate from high-risk areas as soon as possible," he added. Haridwar, Jan 22 : Union Home Minister Amit Shah will visit Haridwar on Thursday and participate in several important religious, cultural, and social programmes. The Home Minister arrived in Uttarakhand on Wednesday for his two-day visit. This is being seen as significant for the state, as it focuses on areas such as healthcare, spirituality, Indian culture, and social service, reflecting the government's emphasis on holistic development rooted in tradition. His first programme on Thursday will be at 10:00 a.m. at Maharshi Dayanand Gram in Patanjali Yogpeeth, where he will inaugurate the Patanjali Emergency and Critical Care Hospital. The inauguration of this hospital is expected to significantly strengthen healthcare facilities in the region and ensure timely treatment for critically ill patients. Following this, at 10:45 a.m., Amit Shah will reach Gayatri Teerth Shantikunj, where he will offer prayers at the Akhanda Jyoti and interact with members of the Gayatri Parivar. The visit highlights the spiritual and social influence of the Gayatri family in national life. The Union Minister will also attend a large public programme at Bairagi Island, Haridwar, organised on the occasion of the birth centenary of Param Vandaniya Mata Bhagwati Devi Sharma and the Akhanda Deep Centenary Year. The 'Centenary Year Celebration 2026' is expected to witness participation from devotees and dignitaries from across India and abroad. Shah will address the gathering and commend the Gayatri Parivar for its enduring contributions to social reform and spiritual awakening. Earlier on Wednesday, the Home Minister attended the release ceremony of the centenary edition of Kalyan at Gita Bhawan in Rishikesh. He lauded the century-long legacy of Gita Press and its monthly magazine "Kalyan", describing it as a cornerstone of India's cultural and spiritual resurgence. Addressing the gathering, HM Shah emphasised that under Prime Minister Narendra Modi's leadership, Indian culture is now being placed at the heart of national policies -- a vision he said aligns perfectly with the timeless mission of Gita Press. HM Shah paid glowing tributes to revered Hanuman Prasad Poddar, the "karmayogi" founder who dedicated his life to strengthening Sanatan Dharma through Gita Press for over a century. "No one who cherishes Sanatan Dharma or seeks solutions in Indian culture can remain unaware of Gita Press," HM Shah declared, noting that "Poddar Ji renounced worldly pursuits" to instil faith in Indian traditions across generations. He also offered prayers at the Lakshminarayan Temple and to Maa Ganga, blending spiritual reverence with the day's celebrations. -- The story has been published from a wire feed without any modifications to the text Washington, Jan 22 : US President Donald Trump said the Middle East was more stable after talks with Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi in Davos. He pointed to what he called progress on Gaza, continued pressure on Iran, and rising interest in his proposed Board of Peace. Speaking after a bilateral meeting on the sidelines of the World Economic Forum in Davos on Wednesday (local time), Trump praised Egypt's role in regional diplomacy. "Egypt has been great," he said. Trump said the talks covered Gaza, regional security, and a dispute over a massive dam on the Nile River in Ethiopia. He described the dam as "one of the largest dams anywhere in the world." He said it "basically blocks the Nile River" and called it "a very big problem." "They built a dam where somebody's not getting the water that they are supposed to get," Trump said. He added that Egypt had depended on the Nile "for a million years." Trump said he would try to bring Egyptian and Ethiopian leaders together. He said the issue had become "a dangerous thing" and needed to be resolved. Talking about Gaza, Trump repeated his claim that US involvement was decisive. "If we weren't involved, there'd be no peace," he said. He added that there was now "peace to be a piece of the Middle East." He acknowledged lingering threats. "You might have Hamas. We have a little flame here and there," Trump said. He warned that armed groups must disarm. "If they don't get rid of the guns, then they will be very unhappy," he said. Trump also cited Hezbollah in Lebanon as a concern. He described it as secondary to broader stability. "We actually have peace in the Middle East," he said. "It's an amazing thing. Nobody thought we'd ever see that." Iran featured prominently in Trump's remarks throughout the day. He repeated his assertion that US military action had prevented Tehran from obtaining nuclear weapons. "If we didn't bomb the Iran nuclear plant, they would have had a nuclear weapon within two months," he said. Trump said sanctions and penalties on Iran would continue. He left open the possibility of further action if Iran resumed nuclear activity. The president also promoted his proposed Board of Peace. He described it as a new forum to lock in ceasefires and prevent wider conflict. "We have a lot of great people that want to join," Trump said. He called it "the most prestigious board ever formed." He said some countries would need parliamentary approval. "For the most part, everybody wants to be on," he added. Asked separately about Greenland, Trump downplayed the prospect of force. He said military action was not under consideration. "I don't think that will be necessary," he said. Trump's focus on Middle East stability carries implications for India. New Delhi relies heavily on energy imports from the region. Reduced tensions in Gaza and pressure on Iran, lower risks to oil markets and shipping routes vital to India's economy. -- The story has been published from a wire feed without any modifications to the text Bengaluru, Jan 22 : In a concerning incident, a staffer attached to Kempegowda International Airport in Bengaluru was arrested on charges of misbehaving with a foreign woman passenger, said police on Thursday. The accused staffer allegedly committed the act under the pretext of checking the passenger. According to the police, the arrested person has been identified as 25-year-old Mohhamed Affann Ahamed. The victim had arrived at the Bengaluru airport to travel to South Korea. The accused reportedly told her that a beep sound was coming from her bag and claimed that she needed to be checked privately. He allegedly informed her that if she went to the regular checking point, she would be delayed, and on that pretext, took her near the men's restroom. Under the guise of conducting a security check and manual frisking, the accused allegedly touched her private parts and hugged her tightly. The complainant stated that he touched her chest multiple times. The accused also allegedly asked her to turn around and again touched her private parts. The foreign woman passenger strongly resisted the act, following which the accused, sensing trouble, fled from the spot, allegedly saying "thank you" to the victim before leaving. Subsequently, the woman lodged a complaint with the airport security staff. The authorities immediately took the accused into custody and handed him over to the police. The woman, who had arrived in India on a tourist visa in November, was returning to her country at the time of the incident. The incident was reported from Terminal 2 of the airport. The Kempegowda International Airport police arrested the accused and took up further investigation. More details regarding the incident are awaited. The accused, a resident of Kammanahalli, was not authorised to conduct frisking. He has been sent to judicial custody. Police said the accused approached the woman after she had completed the Central Industrial Security Force (CISF) and immigration checks. Introducing himself as an airport staffer, he started a conversation with her and insisted that a beep sound was coming from her bag. Further investigation is underway. --IANS mka/dpb JERUSALEM, Jan. 22 (Xinhua) -- Israel's cabinet will discuss reopening the Rafah border crossing between Gaza and Egypt "early next week," a senior Israeli official said on Thursday, after the interim Gaza administration declared the crossing would reopen next week. The official, briefing reporters on condition of anonymity, said the discussion would be tied to ongoing efforts to secure the return of the body of Ran Gvili, believed to be the last hostage whose body is still held in Gaza. "A special effort is underway to secure the return of the late Ran Guaili, making full use of the information at Israel's disposal," the official stated. Ali Abdel Hamid Shaath, the Palestinian technocrat heading the National Committee for the Administration of Gaza, said earlier on Thursday that the Rafah crossing would open next week in both directions for Palestinians in Gaza, calling it a signal "that Gaza is no longer closed to the future." Israel does not directly operate the crossing, which is run by Egypt, but maintains significant indirect control through security coordination and political leverage. The crossing, once a main exit for Palestinians and a key entry point for humanitarian aid, has been mostly closed since May 2024, when Israeli forces took control of the Palestinian side of the crossing. Israel previously said it would open the crossing in both directions once Hamas returns all the hostages. Canberra, Jan 22 : Australians have been asked to light a candle and observe a minute of silence on Thursday night to commemorate the victims of the Bondi Beach shooting attack, which occurred on December 14, targeting people celebrating the Jewish festival of Hanukkah at the iconic beach in Sydney's eastern suburbs. Thursday marks a national day of mourning declared by Prime Minister Anthony Albanese for the 15 fatal victims. It is the first time that Australia has observed a national day of mourning since the death of Queen Elizabeth II in 2022. In a statement, the Department of Prime Minister and Cabinet said that Australian flags should be flown at half-mast at all government buildings in Australia and overseas and that governments and organisations are encouraged to light up buildings, Xinhua news agency reported. Australians are invited to observe a minute of silence at 7:01 p.m. local time (0801 GMT) to coincide with the start of the national memorial service at the Sydney Opera House and to leave a candle on their doorstep or window, the statement added. "Today is an opportunity for us to remember and pay respect to the 15 lives," Albanese told reporters in Canberra on Thursday morning. "It's an opportunity for us as a nation to wrap our arms around the Jewish community because people were targeted because they were Jewish Australians." Earlier on Wednesday, Prime Minister Anthony Albanese had said that hate speech laws passed by the federal parliament in response to the Bondi Beach terror attack will make Australians safer. Albanese told reporters that the hate speech laws, which were passed by the parliament on Tuesday night, are the strongest that have ever been in place in Australia. "We have prioritised national unity and national healing," he had said. "We want to make sure that light triumphs over darkness." The laws that were proposed in the wake of the attack at Bondi Beach on December 14 give the federal government additional powers to ban groups deemed to spread hate, increase penalties for preachers who advocate or threaten violence and expand powers to deny or revoke visas for people with extremist views. -- The story has been published from a wire feed without any modifications to the text New Delhi, Jan 22 : The Supreme Court will hear on Thursday a plea filed by the Hindu Front for Justice (HFJ) seeking exclusive rights for Hindus to offer prayers on Basant Panchami at the disputed Bhojshala Temple-Kamal Maula Mosque complex in Dhar district of western Madhya Pradesh. New Delhi, Jan 22 (IANS) The Supreme Court will hear on Thursday a plea filed by the Hindu Front for Justice (HFJ) seeking exclusive rights for Hindus to offer prayers on Basant Panchami at the disputed Bhojshala Templea"Kamal Maula Mosque complex in Dhar district of western Madhya Pradesh. The application was filed on January 2, 2026, by advocate Vishnu Shankar Jain on behalf of the HFJ and was mentioned urgently before the apex court on Tuesday. Acting on the request, the Supreme Court listed the matter for hearing on Thursday, January 22, a day ahead of Basant Panchami, which falls on Friday. Explaining the urgency, Jain submitted that the Archaeological Survey of India's (ASI) April 7, 2003 order does not address situations where Basant Panchami coincides with Friday prayers. He sought exclusive, uninterrupted worship rights for Hindus for the entire day on January 23. The 2003 ASI order permits Muslims to offer Friday namaz at the site between 1 p.m. and 3 p.m., while allowing Hindus to perform traditional rituals on Basant Panchami and granting them exclusive access every Tuesday. However, it does not specify arrangements for years when Basant Panchami falls on a Friday. According to records, such a calendar overlap occurred in 2006, 2013 and 2016. In those years, the ASI issued advance directions permitting namaz from 1 p.m. to 3 p.m. and allowing Hindu rituals from sunrise till noon and again from 3.30 p.m. to sunset, with restrictions on the quantity of flowers and rice carried for worship. While similar orders were issued several days in advance on earlier occasions, no such directive has been released so far for January 23 this year. In the absence of a fresh ASI order, the Supreme Court hearing has assumed significance, particularly as the town of Dhar remains communally sensitive. Hindu and Muslim groups have maintained firm positions on access to the site. The HFJ has sought exclusive access for Hindus to perform the Goddess Saraswati puja throughout the day on Basant Panchami, along with strict security arrangements by the ASI and the state government. The plea also seeks an expedited hearing of the main dispute pending before the Supreme Court. The Bhojshala complex, a protected monument under the ASI, is claimed by Hindus as an ancient temple dedicated to Goddess Vagdevi (Saraswati), believed to have been built by Parmar ruler Raja Bhoja in the 11th century. Muslims assert that the structure is the Kamal Maula Mosque and point to the continuity of Islamic worship at the site. The petition further alleges that allowing Friday namaz without a final determination of the monument's religious character violates the spirit of the Ancient Monuments and Archaeological Sites and Remains (AMASR) Act. It argues that Basant Panchami holds special religious significance in Sanatan Dharma and that overlapping observances on rare occasions have previously led to tension and disorder. Earlier, the Madhya Pradesh High Court, in an order dated July 22, 2024, declined to proceed further in a related petition on the Bhojshala dispute, citing the Supreme Court's interim order of April 1, 2024. The High Court said it would await final directions from the apex court, where the main case concerning the site's religious character and the ASI survey remains pending and is tagged with matters related to the Places of Worship Act. Meanwhile, local authorities in Dhar have stepped up security measures, deploying thousands of personnel across the town to prevent any untoward incidents on January 23. Seoul, Jan 22 : Seventy-three South Korean nationals who have been detained in Cambodia over alleged involvement in scam crimes will be forcibly returned home for investigation, Cheong Wa Dae said on Thursday. A chartered flight will depart from Incheon International Airport, west of Seoul, at 8:45 p.m. and return at 9:10 a.m. on Friday carrying the suspects, presidential spokesperson Kang Yu-jung told reporters. The suspects were detained in Cambodia by a joint investigation team and are accused of swindling a total of 486.7 billion won ($331.5 million) from 869 South Korean victims, Kang said. It marks the largest repatriation of criminal suspects, following a joint investigation involving South Korean and Cambodian police, as well as the National Intelligence Service, according to the spokesperson. The joint investigation team raided seven scam compounds, including sites in Sihanoukville, Poipet and Mondulkiri Province in December, and rounded up the suspects, Yonhap news agency reported. "Arrest warrants have been issued for all of the suspects, and they will be handed over to investigative authorities immediately upon arrival for thorough investigation and judicial proceedings," Kang said. "(The government) plans to confiscate criminal proceeds by tracking down the suspects' concealed assets to the end." The suspects are members of organised scam syndicates that carried out fake romance and investment schemes and extorted money from family members of people detained at scam centres in Cambodia. Some used deepfake technology to deceive victims and underwent plastic surgery to evade law enforcement, she said. Earlier on January 12, a joint South Korean investigation team had nabbed 26 people over scam crimes involving sexual exploitation in Cambodia through cooperation with the local authorities, Cheong Wa Dae had said. The pangovernment task force of Korean police and the National Intelligence Service took 26 members of a scam ring in Phnom Penh into custody during raids into their offices and residences on January 5 together with Cambodian police, presidential spokesperson Kang Yu-jung told reporters United Nations, Jan 22 : Escalating conflict in Sudan's North Darfur state trapped civilians and restricted humanitarian access, UN humanitarians have said. The UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) on Wednesday (local time) expressed concern about the plight of thousands of civilians who are cut off from aid in North Darfur, as local partners reported that at least 2,000 families are trapped in the valleys of Wadi Qardi and Um Saad in the localities of Karnoi and Um Baru. Meanwhile, the conflict forces civilians in the Kordofan region to flee. The International Organization for Migration estimated that nearly 3,000 people were displaced between January 15 and January 19 from the cities of Kadugli and Dilling in South Kordofan state, with some moving toward locations in White Nile state, reports Xinhua news agency. Famine conditions have been confirmed in Kadugli, with similarly extreme levels of food insecurity in Dilling, said the office. OCHA said that in White Nile state, local authorities and humanitarian partners reported that nearly 2,000 displaced people had arrived in the city of Kosti over the past three weeks, placing more pressure on already overstretched services. Since late October, around 19,500 people have fled Kordofan to White Nile. The office called on all parties to immediately protect civilians and civilian infrastructure, and ensure rapid, safe, unhindered and sustained humanitarian access to people in need. OCHA said the United Nations and its partners are scaling up assistance, including food rations, tents, mattresses, tarpaulins and water, as well as sanitation and hygiene services, but critical gaps remain due to funding shortages. The office appealed for additional funding so humanitarian partners can scale up life-saving assistance. In 2026, the United Nations and its partners in Sudan are calling for 2.9 billion US dollars to reach more than 20 million people in need. -- Except for the title, this story has not been edited by Prokerala team and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed January 22 : Lucknow: Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath addressed the valedictory session of the three-day 86th All India Presiding Officers Conference in Lucknow on Wednesday. Welcoming the distinguished guests to Uttar Pradesh, he described the legislature as the cornerstone of democracy. As the custodian of the Constitution, the legislature not only provides the framework for law-making in the country but also serves as a vital platform for shaping comprehensive development policies. He said Justice, Equality, and Fraternity, enshrined in the Constitution, constitute the very soul of Indian democracy, and emphasized that the laws guiding the delivery of justice are deliberated and enacted within the legislature. He added, The law on how justice is to be obtained is prepared on the platform of the legislature. The platform of the legislature also becomes the site for the action plan, enabling government schemes to contribute to the establishment of an egalitarian society. The legislature presents an example of fraternity, where coordination happens through dialogue, even between consensus and dissent. Chief Minister Yogi said, The supreme institution of democracy in the country is extremely strong, and it is an inspiration for the world. Through the people's representatives in the House, the voice of the person sitting on the last rung can be heard strongly, and Parliament is the focal point of this inspiration. Schemes are made in the country through it. CM Yogi Adityanath, who has been a Lok Sabha member five times, said, While staying in Parliament, I learned how government activities, mutual behavior and programs under rules can be advanced in ordinary life. If the Assembly-Council just observes and trains on the rules and regulations of Parliament, it will have a lot of ease in conducting its House. Chief Minister said, Satish Mahana took over the responsibility of Speaker of the Assembly in 2022, then I told him that 20 starred questions are listed in question hour, but in one and a quarter hour question hour, only two or three members get to speak. Can we also take it forward on the lines of Parliament? On this, he immediately made changes in the rules. Now in one and a quarter hours, 20 starred questions and two-three supplementary questions with each question. Questioners and answering ministers both come fully prepared. Greater participation of people's representatives is seen in the House. Parliament became an inspiration for us. We have the largest democratic institution as Parliament. If we are doing something, Parliament becomes its base; reverence for it is the duty of every Indian. Chief Minister Yogi mentioned Prime Minister's statement 'India is the mother of democracy', then said that the Father of the Nation, Mahatma Gandhi, used to say that the villages have realized the concept of Gram Swaraj. In the country, there may be differences in appearance, food habits, attire, but the whole of India speaks and thinks with one sentiment, one gesture. Its faith is one. Parliament is the most powerful medium to connect that faith. If we strengthen Parliament as an ideal, the legislature will become stronger and more powerful. Chief Minister Yogi called the six important resolutions passed in the conference praiseworthy and said that the Prime Minister had asked to make a 25-year action plan during Amrit Mahotsav of Independence. We are moving forward with the resolve to realize the vision of 'Vision 2047-Viksit Bharat Chief Minister said that more than 300 members from the ruling and opposition sides became participants in the 24-hour discussion on 'Viksit Bharat-Viksit Uttar Pradesh, Aatmanirbhar Bharat - Aatmanirbhar Uttar Pradesh'. After starting the discussion, he stayed for a while, then had to go for other administrative works and meetings. At 11 pm, he came back to the House, and even then, there was a competition to speak. Very good suggestions came. The benefit of every person's experience is extremely effective. In the Assembly-Council, people raised issues about development and also mentioned their responsibility for Viksit Bharat. He added, Viksit Bharat is not only the work of the Government of India and the Prime Minister, but discussions also happened on how we can become charioteers-soldiers of this campaign. By passing this resolution in this conference of Presiding Officers too, efforts have been given meaningful momentum in the direction of realizing the vision of Viksit Bharat with the goal of advancing it effectively. The Chief Minister lauded the smooth and disciplined functioning of the Uttar Pradesh Legislative Assembly and appreciated the adoption of a resolution mandating a minimum of 30 sittings annually. He said this initiative serves as an inspiration not only for Parliament and state legislatures, but also for municipal bodies, village panchayats, district panchayats, and block-level institutions. Emphasizing that elected representatives form the backbone of development, he said that in an era driven by technology, governance cannot afford to fall behind. He recalled that when the concept of e-governance was introduced, the government decided to implement it without delay. Today, the Uttar Pradesh Legislative Assembly, Legislative Council, Cabinet meetings, and the budget process have all been made completely paperless. The Chief Minister stressed that it is essential for elected representatives to remain technologically updated and that structured training and capacity-building initiatives are of utmost importance. The Chief Minister noted that the Uttar Pradesh Legislative Assembly consistently engages in meaningful deliberations on critical issues. He cited the extensive 3738 hour discussion on the Sustainable Development Goals, during which clear targets were set. To ensure effective implementation, a high-level committee comprising ministers and Additional Chief Secretaries was constituted and is actively working towards achieving these goals. He further mentioned that on Constitution Day, November 26, fundamental rights and fundamental duties were made a continuous subject of discussion in both the Legislative Assembly and the Legislative Council. MLAs have been encouraged to take these discussions beyond the House and carry them to the block, area, and village panchayat levels. Speaking on the vision of Viksit Bharat- Viksit Uttar Pradesh, the Chief Minister said, Wide-ranging public participation was sought while preparing the vision document. With nearly 500 elected representatives across the Legislative Assembly and Legislative Council, the government also conducted workshops involving 500 distinguished individuals from diverse fields, including retired Chief Secretaries, Additional Chief Secretaries, Principal Secretaries, academicians, and scientists from Uttar Pradesh. Sector-wise responsibilities were assigned, and 75 groups were formed for all 75 districts. Each group visited at least three institutions and held discussions with various sections of society, including youth, farmers, and womens self-help groups. As a result, nearly 98 lakh suggestions were received on the Viksit Bharat-Viksit Uttar Pradesh portal. These inputs are now being processed with the support of IIT Kanpur using an AI-based tool, and the most relevant suggestions from different sectors will be incorporated into the final vision document. Once finalized, the document will be formally launched and will serve as a strong foundation for an effective action plan. Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath observed that the approach of both the Speaker and the government is proactive rather than reactive. He said, Even when the Speaker provides ample opportunity to the opposition, the government responds with maturity, maintaining balance and decorum. Praising the Speaker of the Uttar Pradesh Legislative Assembly and the Chairman of the Legislative Council, the Chief Minister said, Both leaders actively participate in conferences across the country, going beyond the confines of legislative proceedings. He described such conferences as valuable platforms for collective learning and knowledge-sharing. The ceremony was attended by Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla, Rajya Sabha Deputy Chairman Harivansh, Uttar Pradesh Legislative Assembly Speaker Satish Mahana, Legislative Council Chairman Kunwar Manvendra Singh, along with dignitaries and representatives from various states and Union Territories. January 22 : Lucknow: Addressing the closing ceremony of the 86th All India Presiding Officers' Conference, Speaker of the Lok Sabha Om Birla called for making democratic institutions more effective, accountable, transparent and aligned with public aspirations. He said, through the Presiding Officer's Conferences, extensive deliberations have been held to connect democratic institutions with the hopes and aspirations of the people, and these discussions have also yielded concrete outcomes. He emphasized, the time has now come to bring democratic institutions even closer to the people through innovation, dialogue and technology. Beginning his address at the ceremony, the Speaker of the Lok Sabha warmly welcomed and felicitated Chief Minister of Uttar Pradesh Yogi Adityanath and the distinguished members who had come from across the country. He said, Under the leadership of Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, democratic values in Uttar Pradesh have been strengthened. The state has made remarkable progress in the areas of good governance, social welfare, strong law and order, infrastructure development and investment. Om Birla stated, during the conference, all Presiding Officers and representatives shared their views on strengthening democracy through meaningful discussion and making legislative institutions more accountable and transparent. He clarified that the objective of these discussions is not limited to dialogue alone, but to ensure that concrete and positive outcomes emerge, and the innovation is adopted in democratic institutions. The Speaker of the Lok Sabha said, In line with the vision of 'Viksit Bharat,' a resolve has been taken at this conference that all legislative institutions should carry forward dialogue and discussion in their respective states towards making them developed states. For this, continuous dialogue on issues related to development and infrastructure, with a positive approach, is essential. He made special mention of the Uttar Pradesh Legislative Assembly and said that here, continuous discussions were held for 36 hours on several important issues, including Vision-2047, in which legislators presented their views. This is an exemplary initiative, demonstrating how long-term development can be guided through meaningful debate and dialogue. Expressing concern over the declining number of sittings in legislative institutions, Om Birla added, many decisions were taken in the past years, and their positive outcomes also came to the fore, but now there is a need to move forward with even greater resolve. He proposed that state legislatures should have a minimum of 30 sitting days, with positive discussion, and that, despite political differences, a conducive environment should be created for the development of the state. He said, Legislative assemblies are the platform where the voice of the person standing in the last row reaches the government through the House. The voter expects that their representative will raise their problems and challenges in the House and initiate steps towards solutions". Citing the example of the judiciary, he said that just as people have faith in the courts, similarly, if legislators present their views in the House with a positive approach, meaningful outcomes can also emerge through legislative assemblies. The Speaker of the Lok Sabha said, The use of technology and Artificial Intelligence (AI) is essential to make legislative institutions more transparent and accountable. Today, all state legislative assemblies have become paperless, and old debates, budgets and legislative proceedings have been digitized. This will enhance the capacity of legislators and strengthen research-based discussion. With this objective, research wings have also been constituted in legislative assemblies. Om Birla said, through digitization the necessary references required for meaningful debate during law-making will be easily available. Working together will build capacity among public representatives and make legislatures more accountable. This will also make oversight of governance and administration more effective. Expressing concern over frequent disruptions in the Houses, Om Birla said, Every moment of the House is invaluable. Houses are meant for discussion, dialogue and committee work, not for disruptions. Opposition may be political, but the forum for words and arguments should be the House, so that meaningful outcomes emerge and public trust is maintained. The Speaker of the Lok Sabha also emphasized the concept of a Legislative Index. He said, This would enable assessment of the productivity, functioning and utility of legislative assemblies. Healthy competition will bring forth new processes, rules and innovations, making legislative institutions more effective. Concluding his address, Om Birla said, Presiding Officers function under the Constitution and bear a great responsibility. They must remain impartial and just while making institutions accountable to the people. He expressed confidence that the resolutions that emerged from the discussions at the conference would be taken forward by all representatives in their respective states. Thanking CM Yogi Adityanath for his guidance in organizing the conference, the Speaker of the Lok Sabha said, This conference provides the energy to move forward with a new direction, new resolve and a new perspective. He also thanked Uttar Pradesh Legislative Assembly Speaker Satish Mahana and all the distinguished guests, and said, The land of Uttar Pradesh is a land of social, spiritual and transformational energy, which all representatives will carry back with them to their respective states. Mumbai, Jan 22 : American pop star Nick Jonas once again turned cheerleader for his wife Priyanka Chopra, praising her viral 2005 track 'Teri Dulhan Sajaungi', which also featured actress Bipasha Basu. Nick took to Instagram to share a fun reel of himself enjoying a dosa, with a text overlay that read, "When they have dosa at the breakfast buffet." The clip showed him grooving to 'Teri Dulhan Sajaungi' from the 2005 film 'Barsaat.' For the caption, he wrote: "This song hits." Priyanka re-shared the reel on her Instagram stories and added a skull and laughing emoji tagging her husband. Talking about the film, Barsaat is directed by Suneel Darshan. It stars Bobby Deol, Priyanka Chopra, and Bipasha Basu. The plot of the film is loosely based on the 2002 American film Sweet Home Alabama. The "Teri Dulhan Sajaoongi" track has been crooned by Alka Yagnik, Kailash Kher, and Priyanka Chopra with composition by Nadeem Saifi and Shravan Rathod. The lyrics of the song have been provided by Sameer. Nick and Priyanka met for the first time at the Vanity Fair Oscars afterparty, where he expressed his feelings for the Indian actress. At the Met Gala, the two made their primary public appearance as a couple, and in 2018, reports of Priyanka and Nick being romantically involved started surfacing over the internet. Nick finally proposed to Priyanka for marriage on her birthday in July 2018, in London, and the actress immediately said yes. It was in December 2018, the couple married at Umaid Bhawan Palace, Jodhpur in traditional Hindu and Christian ceremonies. Talking about her film work, Priyanka's next is the upcoming movie starring South star Mahesh Babu, helmed by SS Rajamouli. Priyanka, who has been feted with two National Film Awards and a Padma Shri, will next be seen sharing screen space with Mahesh Babu for the first time in the upcoming film. In addition to this, she has also been roped in for the latest instalment in the popular franchise "Krrish 4", marking Hrithik Roshan's debut as a director. The 42-year-old actress, who is the winner of the Miss World 2000 pageant, will also be seen as a 19th-century Caribbean pirate in the forthcoming swashbuckler action drama, "The Bluff". She was last seen in "Heads Of State" directed by Ilya Naishuller. It stars Idris Elba and John Cena as the UK Prime Minister and US President, respectively. -- Except for the title, this story has not been edited by Prokerala team and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed Kolkata, Jan 22 : Successive month-end visits to West Bengal, first by the Bharatiya Janata Party's newly-elected national president Nitin Nabin and then by the Union Home Minister Amit Shah this month, will focus exclusively on internal organisational meetings on the party's strategy for the forthcoming Assembly elections in the state scheduled later this year. "None of them, especially the Union Home Minister, will hold a single public rally during their Bengal visits this month. Both of them will be focusing on internal organisational meetings with the state BJP leaders on the strategy to be adopted and state-specific issues to be highlighted for the Assembly polls in the state scheduled this year," said a member of the BJP's state committee in West Bengal. Nabin is scheduled to arrive in Kolkata on January 27 for a two-day visit. On that day, he will be holding a closed-door meeting with the top state leadership of the BJP in West Bengal. The next day, he will have a scheduled programme at Burdwan in East Burdwan district, and his detailed programme there is yet to be announced. On the same evening, he will return to New Delhi. The Union Home Minister will undertake a single-day visit to West Bengal on January 30. Like Nabin, he will also concentrate on closed-door organisational meetings instead of addressing any public rally or participating in any roadshow during that one-day visit. "The entire schedules of both Nabin and the Union Home Minister will be organisationally activity-oriented. The dates for the West Bengal Assembly elections are likely to be announced by the end of February or the beginning of March this year. Before that, both our party's national president and the Union Home Minister will be focusing on an internal meeting on election strategy," the state committee member said. To recall, HM Shah made a year-end visit to West Bengal last month, and even during that visit, he avoided public rallies or roadshows and concentrated more on internal organisational meetings. His only public programme during the visit was a press conference. Bengaluru, Jan 22 : The tussle between the Congress-led government and the Governor in Karnataka is likely to deepen after the government decided not to delete the 11 paragraphs from the joint session address to be delivered by the Governor. Sources said there is a possibility of a constitutional crisis in the state over the issue, and the state government is likely to approach the Supreme Court seeking directions for the Governor to read the speech prepared and handed over by the government. The joint session of the Karnataka Assembly is scheduled to begin at 11 am on Thursday. Sources confirmed that the state government has adopted a wait-and-watch strategy until 11 a.m. The Governor is scheduled to begin his address to the joint session at exactly 11 a.m. Before that, at 10.55 a.m., he is required to reach the grand steps of the Vidhana Soudha. If the Governor fails to attend the session or refuses to deliver the address even after the stipulated time, the state government has decided to initiate a legal battle. At the directions of the Chief Minister, Advocate General Shashi Kiran Shetty has left for New Delhi. Discussions are underway on the possibility of approaching the Supreme Court and seeking directions for the Governor, according to sources. In the proposed petition to be filed before the Supreme Court, the government is likely to seek directions on two key points. First, the Governor must read the government's address in the House. Second, the Governor must discharge his constitutional duties. The Chief Minister has entrusted A.S. Ponnanna and the Advocate General with the responsibility of preparing the petition. It can be recalled that the uncertainty over the Governor's customary address to the joint session continued, with Governor Thawarchand Gehlot asking the state government to remove 11 paragraphs from the speech prepared by the state Cabinet. The delegation that met the Governor conveyed that the matter would be discussed with the Chief Minister, and a decision would be communicated to him. The joint session is scheduled to be held on Thursday. A delegation headed by State Minister for Law and Parliamentary Affairs H.K. Patil, Advocate General Shashi Kiran Shetty, Chief Minister's Legal Advisor and MLA A.S. Ponnanna met the Governor on Wednesday night at Lok Bhavan, following objections raised by him to certain paragraphs targeting the Centre over the enactment of the Viksit Bharat-Guarantee for Rozgar and Ajeevika Mission (Gramin) (VB-G RAM G), and other issues. Addressing the media after the meeting outside Raj Bhavan in Bengaluru, Minister Patil said that it is natural for the state government to criticise the injustices done to the state in the speech. "The speech also urges the Centre to reinstate MGNREGA. The Governor has certain reservations. We clarified that we are ready to provide clarifications and change certain things. However, he is suggesting the removal of 11 paragraphs. We will discuss the matter with the Chief Minister and convey our decision to the Governor," he said. However, Minister Patil expressed confidence that the Governor would address the joint session. Chennai, Jan 22 : Kannada star Sathish Ninasam, who plays the lead in director Vinod V Dhondale's upcoming Kannada period social drama 'The Rise of Ashoka', says that the film has at least a 1000 actors who have been a part of it and that it took them a whopping 138 days to shoot the film. Participating in a press meet in Chennai, the actor, while giving details of the film, said, "This film is inspired by a true incident that happened in the seventies in an area that is in Karnataka's border with Tamil Nadu. It is about a boy, who wants to enter government service and break free from the shackles that force him and others like him from his community to stick to their family profession." Stating that it was challenging to recreate the seventies era because there are huge buildings that have now appeared in all villages, Sathish Ninasam said, "We wanted simple thatched houses, with pathways without roads. The appearances and dressing were different then. So, we had to recreate all of that." The actor went on to say,"There are a 1000 people who have worked in this film and we had to ensure that we got even the small details pertaining to each of their characters right. We shot for 138 days in all." Stating that they had used CG judiciously to aid in the process of recreating that era, the actor said, "We have a whopping 1400 shots in CG in this film. The beauty of it is that the CG is so realistic that you will not notice it at all. For instance, what you see on screen is shot with real people at real places. We used CG to expand the size of a field filled with flowers. We also used CG to erase certain elements like power lines in a scene, which were not present in that era. The CG work alone went on for six months. Now, it has been completed and we are looking at releasing the film in February this year." The film features actress Sapthami Gowda, who played the female lead in Kantara, as Sathish Ninasam's pair in the film. Apart from the lead pair, the film will also feature B.Suresh, Sampath Maithreya, Gopal Krishna Deshapande, Yashh Shetty, Jagappa, Ravishankar (Armugha), Dragon Manju and Devanuru Chandru. Cinematography for the film is by Lavith and music is by Poornachandra Tejaswi. --IANS mkr/ VLADIVOSTOK, Jan. 22 (Xinhua) -- A Boeing 747 plane carrying more than 330 passengers was forced to abort takeoff on Thursday in Magadan, a city in Russia's Far East, due to a technical malfunction. According to RIA Novosti, the aircraft was preparing for a flight from Magadan to Moscow when a strong gust of wind affected its left engine during the takeoff run, causing an engine surge. No injuries were reported. The Magadan-Moscow flight has been rescheduled for the following day. The regional transport prosecutor's office has launched an investigation into compliance with aviation safety regulations. The interregional territorial office of the Russian Federal Air Transport Agency also participated in the inquiry. January 22 : Lucknow: The 86th All India Presiding Officers Conference, which became a focal point for experiences, dialogue and collective resolve of legislative institutions from across the country, concluded in a dignified atmosphere in Lucknow. During the valedictory ceremony, themes of strengthening democracy, primacy of public interest and the transformed administrative identity of Uttar Pradesh prominently emerged. On this occasion, the Deputy Chairman of the Rajya Sabha, Harivansh, highly praised "UPs Vision 2047 Document", calling it inspiring for everyone. UP legislative assembly speaker Satish Mahana stated that Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, through sacrifice, discipline and continuous engagement with the public, has clearly presented the image of a changing Uttar Pradesh and a strong administrative system before the nation. Addressing the concluding session of the 86th All India Presiding Officers Conference, Rajya Sabha Deputy Chairman Harivansh described the event as historic and inspirational. He said that the experiences and innovations shared by presiding officers and officials from legislative assemblies across the country and parliament have provided valuable learning opportunities, which will serve as a guide in strengthening Indias parliamentary and democratic processes in the future. Whether it is the legislature or the government, the collective objective of all is to contribute to national development through dialogue and democratic processes. He praised Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath and assembly speaker Satish Mahana, stating that the manner in which UP government developed the "Vision Document of Developed Uttar Pradesh: 2047", after continuous and indepth deliberations is truly inspiring. This vision document is an excellent example of charting a development roadmap through democratic dialogue and participation. The Deputy Chairman also described the initiatives of the assembly speakers of Karnataka, Madhya Pradesh and Rajasthan; aimed at increasing legislators attendance in the house and using social media to take legislative proceedings to the general public as exemplary. He added that the shared experiences and innovative practices of assembly speakers and presiding officers from across the country would serve as guiding principles to make parliamentary and legislative proceedings more effective nationwide. In his address, Uttar Pradesh assembly speaker Satish Mahana said that the guidance of Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla provides strength and direction to all. Welcoming presiding officers and representatives from various states, he said that the legislature is the strongest pillar of democracy, as it comprises representatives elected directly by the people. Raising issues of public interest, taking the state forward on the path of progress and conveying public expectations to the government are the foremost responsibilities of the legislature. Share the administrative model and democratic practices of Uttar Pradesh in your states Satish Mahana said that several important suggestions emerged during the conference from the presiding officers. Over the past years, the government has worked effectively. While agendas may differ, the goal remains the same, public welfare and development. With the participation of all delegates, Uttar Pradeshs profile will reach the entire nation. He urged the delegates to share Uttar Pradeshs work culture, administrative model, and experiences of democratic traditions in their respective states. January 22 : Lucknow: UP Diwas is being celebrated on January 24th, every year. This day is not merely a remembrance of the states formation, but also an opportunity for introspection, where Uttar Pradesh stands today and in which direction it is moving forward. There was a time when Uttar Pradesh was placed in the category of Indias so called BIMARU states. Poor law and order, weak infrastructure, large scale migration and investor apathy were the major reasons behind this perception. Since Yogi Adityanath assumed office as Chief Minister in 2017, a visible and substantive transformation has been seen in both the image and the destiny of the state. When Yogi Adityanath took charge, Uttar Pradesh had an economy of merely 12.88 lakh crore. Over the course of nearly nine years of his government, this has grown to around 31 lakh crore. The state government has now set a target of making Uttar Pradesh a one trillion dollar economy by 2029-30. After coming to power, the Yogi governments first priority was strengthening law and order. Organized crime, the mafia raj and riot politics had long damaged Uttar Pradeshs image. After becoming Chief Minister, Yogi Adityanath delivered a clear message of zero tolerance towards crime and criminals. Police reforms, strict action against organized crime, and the seizure of mafia properties not only weakened criminal networks but also restored a sense of security among ordinary citizens and investors. Under the Yogi government, effective control was established over major riots, and a continuous decline in criminal incidents was recorded. This transformation became evident in the social environment, as people began to feel safer working and traveling late at night. For women in particular, Uttar Pradesh has emerged as a significantly safer state. Weak infrastructure was another major reason behind Uttar Pradesh once being labelled a BIMARU state. Dilapidated roads, incomplete projects and lack of connectivity had obstructed industrial growth. The Yogi government adopted an aggressive strategy on this front. The expansion of a robust expressway network has transformed the states landscape. Projects such as the Purvanchal Expressway, Bundelkhand Expressway, Ganga Expressway and Agra-Lucknow Expressway have not only made transportation smoother but have also paved the way for the development of industrial clusters. Expansion of airports and plans for new ones have firmly positioned Uttar Pradesh on the national and international map. Improvements in law and order and infrastructure had a direct impact on investment. The Global Investors Summit organized by the Yogi government established Uttar Pradesh as an attractive investment destination. Large investment proposals were received in sectors such as defense manufacturing, electronics, IT, data centers, pharmaceuticals and food processing. The establishment of the Defense Corridor has given the state a new identity, both strategically and industrially. Cities like Lucknow, Kanpur, Jhansi, Agra and Aligarh are emerging as defense production hubs, increasing employment opportunities for local youth and promoting technical skills. A large portion of Uttar Pradeshs economy depends on agriculture and the distress in rural areas was also a reason behind its earlier BIMARU image. The Yogi government focused on making agriculture profitable through irrigation projects, crop insurance schemes and timely payment of sugarcane dues. Faster sugarcane payments and timely disbursement of money to farmers increased cash flow in the rural economy. Alongside this, promoting dairy, fisheries and food processing created new agriculture-based employment opportunities. Under the leadership of the Yogi government, emphasis was placed on effectively implementing central and state welfare schemes on the ground. Schemes such as the housing program, Ujjwala Yojana, toilet construction and Ayushman Bharat reached beneficiaries on a large scale. Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT) curbed corruption and ensured direct assistance to beneficiaries. This transparent style of governance has become a carrier of unprecedented change in Uttar Pradeshs administrative culture, firmly breaking away from the states past image and ushering in a new era of development and confidence. Patna, Jan 22 : An accused, allegedly linked to the Lawrence Bishnoi gang, was arrested after an encounter with the Patna Police in the Masaurhi area on Thursday. The incident occurred around 4 a.m., police said. The accused, identified as Parmanand Yadav, sustained a bullet injury in his leg during the encounter and was arrested in an injured condition. He has been admitted to Patna Medical College and Hospital (PMCH), where he is currently undergoing treatment. According to police, Parmanand Yadav had been absconding for a long time and was considered a major challenge for law enforcement agencies. City SP (East) Parichay Kumar said that Patna Police, in coordination with the Bihar STF, apprehended the accused after he allegedly committed a crime in the Beur locality and attempted to flee towards Jehanabad on a motorcycle. "The SHO of Beur police station immediately informed Masaurhi police station. Acting on the information, vehicle checking was initiated on possible routes. During the check, police tried to stop a suspicious motorcyclist, but he attempted to escape and fell after losing balance," the SP said. Kumar added that after falling, the accused allegedly opened fire at the police team. "In retaliatory firing in self-defence, the accused sustained a leg injury. He was immediately taken to the hospital. An FSL team has been called to the spot for evidence collection," he said. Police said the injured accused is a resident of Latehar district in Jharkhand, and that more than 20 serious cases, including murder, robbery and dacoity, are registered against him in different police stations. "This criminal is associated with the Rahul Singh gang of Jharkhand, which is reportedly linked to the Lawrence Bishnoi gang," the SP said. Following the encounter, police cordoned off the area and launched a search operation to ensure that no other criminals were present in the vicinity. Officials said Parmanand Yadav, originally from Chater village under Chandwa police station in Latehar district, Jharkhand, had allegedly been trying to expand his criminal network in Bihar and was involved in extortion and organised crime. Police claimed that his arrest dealt a significant blow to an active gang network in Bihar. He is now being interrogated to gather information about his associates, network, and possible conspiracies. Bengaluru, Jan 22 : Amid uncertainty over the Governor's customary address to the joint session of the Karnataka Legislature, the Siddaramaiah government has stated that any refusal by Governor Thawarchand Gehlot to read the government-prepared speech would amount to a betrayal of the Constitution. Speaking to reporters in Bengaluru on Thursday, State Minister for Law and Parliamentary Affairs H.K. Patil said, "As per Article 176 of the Indian Constitution, it is the duty of the Governor to deliver the address to the joint session. If, for any reason, the speech is not delivered, it would amount to a betrayal of the Constitution." Patil said, "When the Centre is doing injustice to the state in a federal system, we cannot remain silent. In this backdrop, we have prepared our speech, which reflects the policy and views of the government. The Constitution directs the Governor to read out the speech. We are confident that the Governor will address the session." When asked what would happen if the Governor chooses not to read the speech, Patil said, "The Constitution is the same for everyone. There is no separate Constitution for the Chief Minister, the Governor, the President, or the common man. Article 176 clearly lays down the Governor's responsibility in this regard. Delivering the address is mandatory." "The Governor shall address the joint session. He must deliver the full text of the speech prepared by the government. This is his primary responsibility, and he is duty-bound under the Constitution of India," he added. Responding to allegations that the Congress-led government was politicising the enactment of the Viksit Bharat-Guarantee for Rozgar and Ajeevika Mission (Gramin) (VB-G RAM G), Patil said those who have read the Act would not make such claims. "BJP leaders may say this, but when a law is enacted, its implications must be understood. As per Article 176, the Governor is duty-bound to address the joint session. If he refuses for any reason, it would amount to a betrayal of the Constitution," he said. When asked about the state government's course of action if the Governor refuses to read out the speech, Minister Patil said that the matter would be decided later. The tussle between the Congress-led government and the Governor in Karnataka is likely to deepen after the government decided not to delete the 11 paragraphs from the joint session address to be delivered by the Governor. Sources said the state government is likely to approach the Supreme Court seeking directions for the Governor to read the speech prepared and handed over by the government. Earlier, Governor Thawarchand Gehlot asked the state government to remove 11 paragraphs from the speech prepared by the state Cabinet. On Wednesday, a delegation that met the Governor conveyed that the matter would be discussed with the Chief Minister, and a decision would be communicated to him. The delegation headed by State Minister for Law and Parliamentary Affairs H.K. Patil, Advocate General Shashi Kiran Shetty, Chief Minister's Legal Advisor and MLA A.S. Ponnanna met the Governor on Wednesday night at Lok Bhavan, following objections raised by him to certain paragraphs targeting the Centre over the enactment of the VB-G RAM G, and other issues. Addressing the media after the meeting outside Raj Bhavan in Bengaluru, Minister Patil said that it is natural for the state government to criticise the injustices done to the state in the speech. "The speech also urges the Centre to reinstate MGNREGA. The Governor has certain reservations. We clarified that we are ready to provide clarifications and change certain things. However, he is suggesting the removal of 11 paragraphs. We will discuss the matter with the Chief Minister and convey our decision to the Governor," he said. Lucknow, Jan 22 : A banner reading "Shankaracharya ka apmaan, nahi sahega Hindustan" was put up outside the Samajwadi Party (SP) headquarters in Lucknow on Thursday, expressing support for Shankaracharya Swami Avimukteshwaranand. The banner was installed by Ashutosh Singh, former state secretary of the party's youth wing. Lucknow, Jan 22 (IANS) A banner reading "Shankaracharya ka apmaan, nahi sahega Hindustan" was put up outside the Samajwadi Party (SP) headquarters in Lucknow on Thursday, expressing support for Shankaracharya Swami Avimukteshwaranand. The banner was installed by Ashutosh Singh, former state secretary of the party's youth wing. The banner comes amid an ongoing controversy surrounding Shankaracharya Swami Avimukteshwaranand, who was allegedly stopped by the Magh Mela administration from proceeding towards the Sangam Nose in Prayagraj. The incident has triggered sharp political and religious reactions. On Wednesday, Jagadguru Rambhadracharya said that the seer himself committed a 'wrongdoing' by attempting to reach the holy River Ganga onboard a chariot and asserted that the administration had not done any injustice to him. Earlier on January 20, Congress leader Udit Raj had also criticised the action and accused the government of targeting those who do not align with its views. "Injustice has been done to the Shankaracharya. This government behaves in such a way that whether it is a saint or any other individual, if they do not act according to its wishes, they are mistreated, assaulted, falsely implicated in cases, and humiliated. I strongly condemn what has happened to Swami Avimukteshwaranand in Prayagraj," he said. On Wednesday, Swami Avimukteshwaranand Saraswati has responded strongly to the legal notice issued by the Magh Mela administration questioning his use of the title 'Shankaracharya', warning that if the notice is not withdrawn, he will initiate legal proceedings for contempt of court and file a defamation case against the authorities. Earlier on Tuesday, the Prayagraj Mela Authority served a notice to Swami Avimukteshwaranand questioning his use of the title 'Shankaracharya', a designation traditionally reserved for the highest spiritual heads of Sanatana Dharma, and sought clarification regarding the legitimacy of his claim. In his eight-page reply submitted to the Mela authorities, Swami Avimukteshwaranand described the notice as insulting and alleged that it amounted to an attempt to interfere with and undermine the faith of followers of Sanatana Dharma. According to officials of the Mela Authority, the notice refers to an order of the Supreme Court and states that Swami Avimukteshwaranand is not recognised as the Shankaracharya of Jyotirmath. It questions the basis on which he is "appropriating" the title 'Shankaracharya' and had asked him to submit a response within 24 hours. The notice cites the case titled '3010/2020 Jagat Guru Shankaracharya Jyotishpeeth P.S.S.N. Saraswati versus Swami Vasudevanand Saraswati', which pertains to a long-standing legal dispute over the rightful Shankaracharya of Jyotir Math, also known as Jyotish Peeth. The case involves competing claims over eligibility and the validity of appointments made by rival sides. The dispute traces its roots to historical disagreements and has been examined at multiple judicial levels, including trial courts, High Courts and the Supreme Court, particularly on issues related to injunctions and eligibility. Both Swami Swaroopanand Saraswati, also known as P.S.S.N. Saraswati, and Swami Vasudevanand Saraswati, a disciple of Swami Shantanand Saraswati, have claimed the spiritual headship of Jyotir Math, located at Badrinath. In October 2022, the Supreme Court stayed the coronation of Swami Avimukteshwaranand Saraswati as the new Shankaracharya of Jyotir Math in Uttarakhand. Responding on behalf of Swami Avimukteshwaranand, Supreme Court lawyer P.N. Mishra said that the civil appeal being cited by the administration refers to an order dated October 14, 2022. He pointed out that prior to that, an order dated September 21, 2022, had designated Swami Avimukteshwaranand as Shankaracharya. "The Swami's coronation took place on October 12, 2022. The Supreme Court administration is citing the order as dated October 17. Swami Avimukteshwaranand's coronation had already taken place. "The Supreme Court has written 'Shankaracharya' in several places in its order. The notice sent by administrative officials constitutes contempt of the Supreme Court, as the Supreme Court has prohibited any coronation after October 17," Mishra said. He further alleged that Swami Vasudevanand had obtained the order by submitting a false affidavit, adding that a petition has been filed against him. "We have sent a reply on behalf of Swami Avimukteshwaranand in response to this notice. Action will be taken against the officers who created confusion by issuing the notice," he said. The controversy comes amid heightened tensions following an incident on Sunday during the auspicious occasion of Mauni Amavasya, when Swami Avimukteshwaranand and his supporters were proceeding to take a holy dip at the Sangam Nose. The seer claimed that police stopped him and also 'assaulted' his disciples. During the incident, the spiritual leader alleged that police personnel prevented him and his followers from taking a dip in the Ganga on Mauni Amavasya. Following this, he sat in protest outside his camp, abstaining from food and water, and demanded an apology from senior officials of the mela administration and the police. Mela Officer Rishiraj, however, claimed that supporters of the seer had allegedly broken barricades on a pontoon bridge that was reserved for emergency services. District Magistrate Manish Verma said that similar questions regarding the status of the Jyotish Peeth Shankaracharya had been raised during the 2022 Magh Mela as well, following which legal opinion was sought by the then mela officer. According to the administration's notice dated January 19, the Mela Authority referred to a civil appeal pending before the Supreme Court and asked Swami Avimukteshwaranand to explain how he was using the title of Shankaracharya of Jyotish Peeth. The notice stated that since no further order has been passed in the matter, and until the Supreme Court disposes of the appeal or issues any further direction regarding consecration, no Dharmacharya can be consecrated as the Shankaracharya of Jyotish peeth. Bengaluru, Jan 22 : Karnataka Governor Thawarchand Gehlot on Thursday declined to deliver the customary address prepared by the Congress-led government to the joint session of the state legislature. He limited his address to a few lines and abruptly ended it, triggering dramatic scenes in the Assembly. The Governor said, "Overall, to ensure social, economic and physical development, my government is fully committed. Jai Hind and Jai Karnataka." Following this, MLAs and MLCs of both Houses stood up in confusion. As the Governor stepped down from the Speaker's Chair from where he delivered the brief address, Congress legislators raised slogans against him. BJP legislators retaliated by congratulating the Governor and raising slogans of "Bharat Mata ki Jai". Congress MLAs and MLCs attempted to stop the Governor and urged him to read the speech prepared by the government. Congress MLC B.K. Hariprasad attempted to confront the Governor angrily over the development. At this stage, marshals pushed away the legislators and cleared the way for the Governor to exit. However, senior Congress leader Hariprasad resisted the marshals and tried to question the Governor on why he was not reading out the speech handed over to him by the government. The marshals had to forcibly push him aside to enable the Governor to leave. Earlier, ending speculation that he would skip the joint session, Governor Thawarchand Gehlot arrived at Vidhana Soudha at the scheduled time. Chief Minister Siddaramaiah welcomed him by presenting a bouquet. Speaker of the Assembly U.T. Khader and Chairman of the Legislative Council Basavaraj Horatti were present. The development is likely to trigger a major controversy and further escalate the tussle between the Governor and the Congress-led government in Karnataka. Condemning the Governor's move, Chief Minister Siddaramaiah said that by reading out a speech prepared by himself instead of the one drafted by the government, the Governor had violated constitutional principles. The Chief Minister said Articles 176 and 163 of the Indian Constitution clearly mandate that the Governor shall read the speech prepared by the government. "The Governor has violated the Constitution and insulted the House of Representatives of the people," he said. The Chief Minister also said that his government would consider approaching the Supreme Court over the matter. Earlier, amid uncertainty over the Governor's customary address to the joint session of the Karnataka Legislature, the Siddaramaiah government had stated that any refusal by Governor Thawarchand Gehlot to read the government-prepared speech would amount to a betrayal of the Constitution. Speaking to reporters in Bengaluru on Thursday, State Minister for Law and Parliamentary Affairs H.K. Patil said, "As per Article 176 of the Indian Constitution, it is the duty of the Governor to deliver the address to the joint session. If, for any reason, the speech is not delivered, it would amount to a betrayal of the Constitution." Earlier, Governor Thawarchand Gehlot asked the state government to remove 11 paragraphs from the speech prepared by the state Cabinet. On Wednesday, a delegation that met the Governor conveyed that the matter would be discussed with the Chief Minister, and a decision would be communicated to him. The delegation headed by State Minister for Law and Parliamentary Affairs H.K. Patil met the Governor at Lok Bhavan, following objections raised by him to certain paragraphs targeting the Centre over the enactment of the Viksit Bharat-Guarantee for Rozgar and Ajeevika Mission (Gramin) (VB-G RAM G) and other issues. -- Except for the title, this story has not been edited by Prokerala team and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed New Delhi, Jan 22 : The Jamaat-e-Islami is going all out to ensure that it secures a massive victory in the Bangladesh elections slated to be held in February. The organisation has devised separate strategies for the urban and rural areas and is targeting 163 constituencies exclusively where internal surveys have suggested a victory for the party. As of now, the Jamaat and the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) are fighting the polls solo. The two parties had fought elections and even governed the country together in the past. However, the two parties decided to contest the elections independently this time. The Jamaat has withdrawn its cadres from at least 130 constituencies in large numbers. These are the constituencies where the Jamaat has no chance of winning, and hence it felt that it was a waste of resources to contest them. Instead, these cadres have been moved to the 163 constituencies where the party has a good chance of winning the elections, officials say. The Jamaat is also focusing on Dhaka heavily and at least 20 constituencies around it. An internal Jamaat survey and certain polls have indicated that the party is in with a very good chance in these constituencies, and hence, the cadre strength in these areas has increased dramatically. Officials say that the Jamaat has also increased spending in its strongholds. The Jamaat has an advantage on this front as it controls the Muhammad Yunus-led caretaker government that was put in place following the ouster of Sheikh Hasina. Since Yunus took over, the Jamaat has been fully in charge when it comes to decision-making and also foreign policy, which has witnessed a massive shift towards Pakistan over India. Taking advantage of the power it wields and also the control it has over the institutions in the country, it was easy for the Jamaat to increase its spending during the election year. It has allowed at least 100 crore BDT in those constituencies where it has a chance of winning. Another official said that even in those constituencies where the Jamaat is capable of winning easily, it has been spending extensively as it wants to take no chances. The organisation has also embarked on a data collection drive and has been collecting mobile numbers identification of the people. During this drive, the main focus is on the poor voters as the Jamaat would look to target these persons with freebies. The Jamaat has also been using its womenas wing extensively in the urban areas. The women's student wing of the Jamaat, Bangladesh Islami Chhatri Sangstha (BICS), has been on overdrive mode, whereby it is conducting door-to-door surveys in the urban areas. Further, its student wing, the Islamic Chattra Shibir (ICS), too, has been working in the same manner. The ICS is taking advantage of the fact that it controls nearly every university in the country. The sheer manpower which it enjoys courtesy of this control is working to the advantage of the Jamaat. Following internal assessments, the Jamaat feels that it can win at least 205 seats in the 350-member Jataiya Sangsad, which is the Bangladesh parliament. Of the 350 seats, 50 are reserved exclusively for women. A month back, no one would have expected that the Jamaat would surge ahead of the BNP. In the BNP, there are internal discords being reported as a result of which it is falling back on nearly 90 seats. An Intelligence Bureau official said that there is an understanding between the Jamaat and Muhammad Yunus. The Jamaat has sought several exceptions from Yunus and has assured him that in case of a win, he would be made President of the country. In the Indian context, a win for the Jamaat is not a good sign. A Jamaat government would naturally be pro-Pakistan, and this poses an internal security challenge for India. Further, the Jamaat and ISI have always plotted to merge West Bengal with Bangladesh, and in case the Islamist party wins the polls, it would try to further this agenda. Although achieving this would be impossible, the Jamaat government would still look to keep the state on the boil and try to incite communal tensions, another official said. Bangladesh watchers say that the strategy of the Jamaat ahead of the polls is an interesting one. It is not pushing a radical agenda as of now since it realises that a large majority is not in favour of the same and does not want to be governed by Sharia law. However, once in power, it would push its agenda, and hence the people of the country must be very careful as to who they would want to vote for, the experts also say. -- Except for the title, this story has not been edited by Prokerala team and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed Hyderabad, Jan 22 : Telugu star Mahesh Babu on Thursday penned an adorable birthday wish to his wife, Namrata Shirodkar, thanking her for holding everything with so much grace and love. Taking to his Instagram page to greet his wife on her birthday, he posted a picture of Namrata which had been shot in Tuscany, Italy and wrote, "Happy birthday NSG Thank you for holding everything together with so much grace and loveCouldn't ask for more." It wasn't just Mahesh Babu, who wished his wife Namrata on the occasion. Both their children, Gautham and Sithara too greeted their mother on her birthday. Gautam Ghattamaneni wrote, "Happy Birthday, Amma!! Thank you for always guiding my way and for being the best mom ever. Love you more than you know." Sitara Ghattameneni, for her part, said, "My constant, my compass, my home. Happy Birthday, Amma." Namrata's sister Shilpa Shirodkar too was among those who greeted the actress-turned-homemaker, who turned 54 this year. She took to Instagram, where she shared a string of then and now images featuring her with her sister Namrata. Shilpa said,"Happiest Birthday to my gorgeous sister, my chintukli @namratashirodkar ! Life is so much brighter with you by my side. Here's to more laughs, more memories, and more endless chats. Love you endlessly!" It is no secret that Namrata Shirodkar is the central force that binds the entire family together and that Mahesh Babu's bond with Namrata is strong. In fact, the couple, only recently, had celebrated their twentieth marriage anniversary. On the occasion of their 20th wedding anniversary, Mahesh Babu had posted a picture of Namrata sharing a light-hearted moment with him and said, "You, me and 20 beautiful yearsTo forever with you NSG." On the work front, Mahesh Babu is now busy shooting for director SS Rajamouli's magnum opus, 'Varanasi', which also features actors Prithviraj and Priyanka Chopra along with him. -- The story has been published from a wire feed without any modifications to the text Ahmedabad, Jan 22 : A woman was shot dead and her husband later died by suicide in a late-night firing incident at a high-rise residential complex in Ahmedabad's Bodakdev-Thaltej area, police said on Thursday. The incident occurred around 10.30 p.m. on Wednesday night at NRI Tower on Judges Bungalow Road in Ahmedabad. The deceased have been identified as Yashrajsinh Gohil, a Class-I officer with the Gujarat Maritime Board, and his wife Rajeshwari Gohil. Yashrajsinh Gohil was the nephew of former Gujarat Congress president and Rajya Sabha MP Shaktisinh Gohil. According to police, the couple, married for about two months, were residing in the apartment where the incident took place. Preliminary investigation suggests that an argument broke out between them late at night over an unspecified issue. During the altercation, Yashrajsinh allegedly shot his wife with his licensed revolver, critically injuring her, and subsequently contacted the 108 emergency service. When ambulance personnel reached the flat, Rajeshwari was declared dead by the attending doctor. Police said that shortly after the emergency staff left the premises, Yashrajsinh went into another room and shot himself in the head with the same firearm, dying on the spot. Residents of the building reported hearing gunshots, triggering panic in the area. Teams from the Vastrapur police station, the Crime Branch and senior police officials, including the Deputy Commissioner of Police, rushed to the scene. The apartment complex was cordoned off, with entry and exit restricted, and additional police security deployed. A forensic team later conducted a detailed examination of the flat. Congress spokesperson Manish Doshi expressed grief over the incident, calling it a deeply tragic loss. "Yashrajsinh Gohil was a young officer who had recently joined the Gujarat Maritime Board after clearing the examination and was also preparing for the UPSC," he said, adding that the incident had left the family devastated. A senior police officer said the case was being investigated from all angles. "Statements of family members, neighbours and other relevant persons are being recorded, and forensic evidence is being analysed. No prior complaint had been received from the couple," the officer said. Both bodies have been sent for post-mortem examination. Police said further clarity on the motive and sequence of events is expected as the investigation progresses, including verification of the firearm licence and emergency call records. Guwahati, Jan 22 : Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma on Thursday said that Assam is not only defined by its glorious past but is steadily shaping new milestones, as he highlighted the state's entry into oil production following the discovery of crude in the Namrup-Borhat block. In a post on X, Chief Minister Sarma said that in 2025, Assam became the first state to be engaged in oil production with the discovery in the Namrup-Borhat block, marking a significant moment in the state's economic and industrial journey. He noted that the development will strengthen government revenue and accelerate Assam's overall growth. Officials said the discovery assumes importance as it adds a new dimension to Assam's long-standing association with the hydrocarbons sector, which began over a century ago with Asia's first oil well at Digboi. The Namrup-Borhat find is expected to further consolidate Assam's position as a key energy-producing state in the country. The Chief Minister emphasised that enhanced oil production would not only boost the state exchequer through higher royalties and associated revenues but also create employment opportunities, stimulate ancillary industries and support infrastructure development in the region. "This milestone will have a multiplier effect on Assam's economy, particularly in Upper Assam, which has traditionally been the hub of oil and gas activities," he said. Industry experts believe that domestic oil discoveries such as Namrup-Borhat will contribute to India's broader objective of reducing dependence on crude oil imports and strengthening energy security. For Assam, the project is also seen as aligning with the state government's push for industrial expansion, investment attraction and sustainable economic growth. The state government has, in recent years, undertaken a series of reforms and policy initiatives to improve the ease of doing business and attract investments in sectors such as energy, manufacturing and infrastructure. The Chief Minister reiterated that Assam is moving ahead with confidence, blending its rich legacy with a forward-looking development agenda. He added that the Namrup-Borhat oil discovery stands as a testament to Assamas growing role in Indiaas economic and energy landscape. People shop at the Jingui Market in Helan County of Yinchuan, northwest China's Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region, Jan. 21, 2026. Established in 1957, the Jingui Market spans nearly 50 mu (about 3.33 hectares) and accommodates more than 400 vendors dealing a wide range of goods that range from clothing and groceries to fresh produce and daily necessities. As a business hub for more than 20 neighboring villages, it facilitates both daily shopping and local agricultural trade. (Xinhua/Yang Zhisen) Vendors prepare chili powder at the Jingui Market in Helan County of Yinchuan, northwest China's Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region, Jan. 21, 2026. Established in 1957, the Jingui Market spans nearly 50 mu (about 3.33 hectares) and accommodates more than 400 vendors dealing a wide range of goods that range from clothing and groceries to fresh produce and daily necessities. As a business hub for more than 20 neighboring villages, it facilitates both daily shopping and local agricultural trade. (Xinhua/Yang Zhisen) People shop at the Jingui Market in Helan County of Yinchuan, northwest China's Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region, Jan. 21, 2026. Established in 1957, the Jingui Market spans nearly 50 mu (about 3.33 hectares) and accommodates more than 400 vendors dealing a wide range of goods that range from clothing and groceries to fresh produce and daily necessities. As a business hub for more than 20 neighboring villages, it facilitates both daily shopping and local agricultural trade. (Xinhua/Yang Zhisen) People visit the Jingui Market in Helan County of Yinchuan, northwest China's Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region, Jan. 21, 2026. Established in 1957, the Jingui Market spans nearly 50 mu (about 3.33 hectares) and accommodates more than 400 vendors dealing a wide range of goods that range from clothing and groceries to fresh produce and daily necessities. As a business hub for more than 20 neighboring villages, it facilitates both daily shopping and local agricultural trade. (Xinhua/Yang Zhisen) People shop at the Jingui Market in Helan County of Yinchuan, northwest China's Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region, Jan. 21, 2026. Established in 1957, the Jingui Market spans nearly 50 mu (about 3.33 hectares) and accommodates more than 400 vendors dealing a wide range of goods that range from clothing and groceries to fresh produce and daily necessities. As a business hub for more than 20 neighboring villages, it facilitates both daily shopping and local agricultural trade. (Xinhua/Yang Zhisen) This aerial drone photo taken on Jan. 21, 2026 shows the Jingui Market at Helan County in Yinchuan, northwest China's Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region. Established in 1957, the Jingui Market spans nearly 50 mu (about 3.33 hectares) and accommodates more than 400 vendors dealing a wide range of goods that range from clothing and groceries to fresh produce and daily necessities. As a business hub for more than 20 neighboring villages, it facilitates both daily shopping and local agricultural trade. (Xinhua/Yang Zhisen) New Delhi, Jan 22 : Leader of the Opposition (LoP) in the Lok Sabha, Rahul Gandhi and Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge on Thursday joined the 'MGNREGA Bachao Sangram' in the national Capital, as several Congress leaders launched a sharp attack on the Modi government and announced plans to turn the campaign into a nationwide mass movement. The programme saw participation from senior Congress leaders, Members of Parliament, MLAs, representatives of civil society organisations and MGNREGA workers from various states. Speaking to IANS, All India Mahila Congress President Alka Lamba alleged that the BJP-led central government had launched a "dictatorial" attack on the right to rural employment without consulting state governments, stakeholders associated with MGNREGA or the workers themselves. She claimed that the scheme had been systematically weakened, alleging that jobs were being taken away from rural workers and that even Mahatma Gandhi's name had been removed from the programme. "Our top leadership has decided that this will not be taken lightly. We will turn this into a national movement. Our workers are active at the ground level, speaking to villagers across the country, and we will not allow the government to destroy the basic structure of MGNREGA," Lamba said. Congress MLA Vikrant Bhuria said people had gathered in large numbers from different states for the programme. He added that social organisations were also participating and that an important decision would be taken on how to take the struggle forward. "This will be shaped into a mass movement in the coming days," he said. Congress SC Department National Chairman Rajendra Pal Gautam said the party's effort was to bring together all civil society members who have worked on MGNREGA, as well as the workers associated with the scheme. "Through this collective platform, we will build a mass movement and put pressure on the BJP government to restore MGNREGA. Our struggle will continue until the scheme is fully restored," he asserted. Congress MP Sasikanth Senthil said the party was preparing for a long-term agitation. "This is not just a one-day programme. It will continue for a long time. We are connecting with every village and inviting MGNREGA workers to join. Today marks the beginning of a nationwide movement, with discussions taking place alongside civil society," he said. Congress leader Sandeep Dikshit said the programme was being driven by people directly affected by changes to the scheme. "MGNREGA proved to be a boon during the COVID-19 period. It provided employment and helped people survive during the crisis. The presence of people from different regions with clay pots here shows their unity and determination," he said. The Congress has formally launched the 'MGNREGA Bachao Sangram' as a nationwide campaign to oppose what it describes as the Modi government's attack on the world's largest social welfare programme. The party has alleged that attempts to revoke, rename or replace MGNREGA with the proposed VB-G RAM G Act amount to a direct assault on poor workers and on the ideals of Mahatma Gandhi. The Congress said Mahatma Gandhi symbolised the dignity of labour, local self-rule and the moral responsibility of the state towards its citizens. Removing his name from the landmark scheme was a deliberate attempt to erase his legacy and vision for India. Enacted by the Congress-led government under then Prime Minister Dr. Manmohan Singh in 2005, MGNREGA has served as a lifeline for crores of rural families over the past two decades. Since 2006, the scheme has generated more than 180 crore person-days of employment. The party further stated that during the COVID-19 pandemic, when an unplanned lockdown allegedly left millions of workers without livelihoods and forced large-scale migration, MGNREGA emerged as the strongest safety net. During that period, the scheme provided employment to around 4.6 crore families. As part of the movement, the Congress is demanding the immediate restoration of MGNREGA, reinstatement of the constitutional right to work, assurance of timely wages and accountability, and the implementation of an all-India minimum wage of Rs 400. The Hague, Jan 22 : A delegation of Baloch National Movement (BNM) met various representatives of the Netherlands Parliament, drawing attention to what it described as the ongoing "serious and systematic human rights violations" by Pakistani forces across Balochistan. The Hague, Jan 22 (IANS) A delegation of Baloch National Movement (BNM) met various representatives of the Netherlands Parliament, drawing attention to what it described as the ongoing "serious and systematic human rights violations" by Pakistani forces across Balochistan. During the meeting, the delegation held detailed discussions on human rights violations in Balochistan and Pakistan's preferential trade status under the Generalised Scheme of Preferences Plus (GSP+). It also apprised the representatives of the Dutch Parliament regarding the current situation in the province and submitted a formal petition. The BNM delegation was led by Muheem Abdul Raheem Baloch, President of the organisation's Netherlands Chapter, along with several other members. According to the BNM, the delegates stated that Pakistani military operations, bombing of houses, drone strikes and enforced disappearances have become the norm in Balochistan. They alleged that, along with men, women are being subjected to enforced disappearances, while those who raise their voices against these atrocities and human rights violations are also being targeted. Meanwhile, Paank, the Baloch National Movement's Human Rights Department, on Thursday revealed that another Baloch civilian, Abdul Mutalib, a resident of the provincial capital Quetta, was extrajudicially killed by Pakistani forces. According to the rights body, on January 19, Abdul's body was found after Pakistani authorities claimed he had been killed in an "encounter" in Dasht tehsil of Mastung district. "However, the circumstances surrounding his death and the condition of his body clearly indicate a staged extrajudicial killing following prolonged detention and torture. His body was handed over to his family on January 20, 2026," Paank stated. Citing local sources, the rights body stated that Abdul was forcibly disappeared on July 11, 2025, from his home by armed personnel of Pakistan's Counter Terrorism Department (CTD) and Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) operating in civilian clothes, without any legal warrant or explanation. He remained in illegal custody for over six months. "This case reflects the continuing pattern of enforced disappearances and extrajudicial executions in Balochistan. Such acts constitute grave violations of fundamental human rights, particularly the right to life and due process, and highlight the culture of impunity prevailing in the region," Paank stressed. Meanwhile, another human rights body, Baloch Voice for Justice (BVJ), strongly condemned the enforced disappearance of a religious cleric, Hassan, in Balochistan. The rights body stated that Hassan was abducted during a raid in the early hours of Thursday from his home in Quetta, carried out by more than fifty personnel of the Pakistani CTD, Frontier Corps and Military Intelligence. "This incident represents the 20th case of enforced disappearance targeting the Qambrani family in recent years. In January 2026 alone, 20 family members were forcibly disappeared. While 9 individuals have since been released, 11 -- including Hassan -- remain in the custody of intelligence agencies," BVJ highlighted. New Delhi, Jan 22 : After a Delhi court acquitted former Congress MP Sajjan Kumar in connection with the alleged killings of two persons during the 1984 anti-Sikh riots, family members of the victims broke down in front of the court premises. Pronouncing a brief order, Special Judge Digvijay Singh of the Rouse Avenue Courts acquitted 78-year-old Sajjan Kumar in connection with the alleged killings of two Sikhs, Sohan Singh and his son-in-law Avtar Singh, in Delhi's Janakpuri, and another incident in Vikaspuri where one Gurcharan Singh was allegedly set ablaze, during the 1984 anti-Sikh riots. Shouting 'Sikho ke katilo ko fansi do (hang the killers of Sikhs)', the family members of the victims could not hold their tears after hearing the verdict. They demanded capital punishment for those who are accused of the killings of the two innocent Sikh men. An elderly woman fainted in front of the premises while protesting the verdict. The family members of the victims said that they hoped that they would get justice; however, they were left broken by the verdict. "We have been fighting this case for 42 years, yet we haven't got justice. If the government says he is not guilty, why was he kept imprisoned till now? There were 18 cases against him. He is lying. We had hope that we would get justice, but why were we denied justice?" a woman told IANS. She further claimed that seven members of her family were killed during the 1984 anti-Sikh riots -- her father and six uncles. "They were burned alive in front of us. These people killed our entire family. This was our hope, and today, it was also crushed," she added. Another woman, who lost ten family members in 1984, told IANS, "Why has the person who hunted down and killed Sikhs been acquitted? How can the court do this? Why is Sajjan Kumar being acquitted of these crimes? We want justice. If you are acquitting this culprit, then bring our family members back." "If he (Sajjan Kumar) was innocent, then why was he kept locked up for these years? I'll tell you why. Because he is responsible for killing our family members. What was our fault that our family members were brutally killed? This is injustice," another woman told IANS. The case pertained to allegations of violence during the riots that broke out following the assassination of then Prime Minister Indira Gandhi by her Sikh bodyguards on October 31, 1984. Decades later, a Special Investigation Team (SIT) was constituted on the recommendation of the Justice G.P. Mathur Committee to reopen 114 cases. In August 2023, the trial court formally framed charges against Sajjan Kumar under various Sections of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) but decided to drop the murder charge under Section 302, applied earlier by the SIT. The trial in the matter had concluded on September 23 last year, after which the court reserved its verdict on December 22. Earlier, Sajjan Kumar had pleaded not guilty to the charges, maintaining that he was innocent and could not have been involved in the alleged offences "even in his wildest dreams". He claimed that there was no material evidence linking him to the incidents and claimed that he was not present at the sites of violence. On November 9, 2023, the court had recorded the statement of the victim, Manjeet Kaur, who stated that she had heard from members of the mob that Sajjan Kumar was present during the violence, but clarified that she did not personally see him at the scene. Sajjan Kumar, who was a Member of Parliament at the time of the riots, has been accused in multiple cases of inciting mobs to attack members of the Sikh community. In an earlier verdict, the Delhi High Court had delivered a scathing judgment against him in another case, observing that he had evaded justice for decades due to "political patronage" and sentenced him to life imprisonment. His appeal against that conviction is pending before the Supreme Court. Hyderabad, Jan 22 : Former Rajya Sabha member V. Vijayasai Reddy on Thursday appeared before the Enforcement Directorate for questioning in the multi-crore liquor scam case. The former leader of YSR Congress Party (YSRCP) appeared before the Enforcement Directorate (ED) officials at the agency's regional office in Hyderabad. The ED is conducting a money laundering investigation in the Rs 3,500 crore liquor "scam", which allegedly occurred during the YSRCP rule. The ED has taken up the probe based on an FIR issued by the Andhra Pradesh Police. Vijayasai Reddy, who quit YSRCP and also resigned as Rajya Sabha member in January last year, was questioned twice by the Special Investigation Team (SIT) of Andhra Pradesh police, which is probing the case. The ED has summoned YSRCP MP, PV Midhun Reddy, for questioning on Friday (January 23). The SIT had arrested Midhun Reddy on July 19. The Rajampet MP, who is one of the accused in the case, was released on bail on September 30. The case relates to the multi-crore scandal allegedly committed by manipulating excise policy and receiving kickbacks from distilleries. After the TDP-led NDA came to power in 2024, a case was registered at the CID Police Station in Mangalagiri under relevant Sections of the IPC and the Prevention of Corruption Act, 1988. The Criminal Investigation Department (CID) initially conducted an investigation following a complaint by an official of the Excise Department. Later, the government constituted the SIT, headed by NTR District Commissioner of Police S.V. Rajashekhar Babu, to probe the case. The SIT found large-scale irregularities and fund misappropriation in the liquor policy implemented during 2019-24. Investigators reportedly uncovered a kickback network involving nearly Rs 3,500 crore siphoned off over five years. There are allegations that the YSR Congress Party leaders encouraged the new liquor policy, floated new brands, received kickbacks from the distillery companies, causing huge losses to the government. The SIT has named several accused in the case, including MPs, retired IAS officers, distillery companies and shell company owners. -- The story has been published from a wire feed without any modifications to the text Seoul, Jan 22 : South Korean President Lee Jae Myung's approval rating has edged down to 59 per cent, a survey showed on Thursday. In a National Barometre Survey conducted from Monday to Wednesday, the positive assessment of Lee's performance inched down 2 percentage points from a poll conducted two weeks earlier, while the negative assessment rose 2 percentage points to 31 per cent. The approval rating for the ruling Democratic Party added 1 percentage point to 40 per cent, while support for the main Opposition People Power Party slipped 3 percentage points to 20 per cent, Yonhap News Agency reported. On relations with China, 50 per cent of the respondents said South Korea should strengthen ties with Beijing, while 41 per cent replied Seoul should keep its distance. As for Japan, 65 per cent supported further improving bilateral relations, while 31 per cent said South Korea should be cautious about improving ties. The survey was conducted by pollsters Embrain Public, Kstat Research, Korea Research and Hankook Research on 1,001 people aged 18 and older. The poll has a margin of error of plus or minus 3.1 percentage points at a 95 per cent confidence level. On Wednesday, Lee Jae Myung said he will make diplomatic efforts to help North Korea and the United States quickly resume bilateral talks while implementing measures to create conditions for a resumption of inter-Korean dialogue. "As a pacemaker, we will make diplomatic efforts to ensure that North Korea-US dialogue will soon take place and create conditions for the resumption of inter-Korean dialogue," Lee said in a nationally televised press conference for the new year. "The sharp chill will not thaw all at once, but we will consistently pursue feasible measures to draw a response from the North and reduce tensions on the Korean Peninsula," Lee said. Lee also vowed to take steps to restore the September 19 military agreement signed in 2018 between former President Moon Jae-in and North Korean leader Kim Jong-un. The pact was fully suspended in 2024 amid heightened tensions between Seoul and Pyongyang. "We will restore the September 19 military agreement to prevent accidental clashes between the South and the North and to build political and military trust," Lee said, adding that South Korea "will also continue to consider creative solutions through which peace can benefit both Koreas." Asked about how he would improve relations with North Korea, Lee replied that South Korea would make utmost efforts to build a "situation where peaceful coexistence is possible." Lee said a pragmatic approach is needed to deal with North Korea, citing the North's advancement of nuclear capabilities. "Nuclear materials capable of producing 10 to 20 nuclear weapons a year continue to be produced (in North Korea) and intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) technology is still advancing," he said. Lee reiterated his three-stage, phased road map for denuclearization of North Korea's nuclear program. "It would be beneficial if no additional nuclear material is produced, if such material is not transferred abroad, and if ICBM technology is no longer developed," he said. "We should not abandon our ideals, but pursue realistic negotiations to halt the program, reduce it, and move toward denuclearization in the long term." Lee reaffirmed his commitment to "a nuclear-free Korean Peninsula" based on the robust alliance with the US, strong self-reliant defence capabilities and pragmatic diplomacy centered on national interests. Lee has offered to resume stalled talks with the North, but Pyongyang has rebuffed his peace overtures. Tensions remain high after the North accused the South of sending drones into its territory and demanded an apology from Seoul. -- Except for the title, this story has not been edited by Prokerala team and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed Kolkata, Jan 22 : A purported video of the vandalisation of a Radha-Krishna idol in Rangapur village under Harischandrapur block of West Bengal's Malda district has gone viral. In the video, the idols of Radha-Krishna and five other idols, including that of Gaur-Nitai, could be seen broken into pieces and dumped in a mango orchard. IANS, however, could not check the authenticity of the video. The Leader of the Opposition in the West Bengal Assembly, Suvendu Adhikari, shared the video on his official social media handle on Thursday. He claimed that the incident occurred on Wednesday night, and the matter came to the notice of the local villagers while they came for worship. "In West Bengal, Hindus' temples and Hindu deities are being repeatedly attacked under the misrule of the Mamata government," Adhikari said in his social media post. He also accused the Mamata Banerjee government of being conspicuously indifferent to a series of attacks on Hindu temples and deities in West Bengal for a considerable period of time, which had now made the offenders desperate and carefree. "Due to the indifference of Mamata Banerjee's administration in such incidents and the failure to find and impose exemplary punishment on the culprits, such attacks on the Hindu faith are increasing day by day," the leader of the opposition claimed. According to him, in the crucial Assembly election in West Bengal scheduled later this year, Hindu voters in the state will hold the Chief Minister accountable for this, since they know that if Trinamool Congress returns to power again, their conditions would be like those of Hindus in Bangladesh. For quite some time, the leader of the opposition had been quite consistent in highlighting events of such vandalism at Hindu temples and destruction of idols and bringing such matters to the notice of the administration, with the incident at Malda being his latest effort. At the time the report was filed, there was no reaction either from the Trinamool Congress or the Malda district administration in the matter. Islamabad, Jan 22 : The Human Rights Council (HRC) of Pakistan staged a protest outside Karachi Press Club, demanding the immediate resignation of Karachi Mayor Murtaza Wahab and strict legal action against those responsible for the Gul Plaza shopping mall fire that claimed at least 60 lives and left many injured. Islamabad, Jan 22 (IANS) The Human Rights Council (HRC) of Pakistan staged a protest outside Karachi Press Club, demanding the immediate resignation of Karachi Mayor Murtaza Wahab and strict legal action against those responsible for the Gul Plaza shopping mall fire that claimed at least 60 lives and left many injured. The massive fire that erupted at Gul Plaza on the night of January 17 triggered public outrage, with people slamming the Sindh government and the Karachi Mayor for the delayed action. According to the rights body, several men, women, and children, including the Chairman of the HRC, Jamshed Hussain, and other members of the Council, participated in the demonstrations. Addressing the protesters, Chairman Hussain said that the horrific fire that broke out at Gul Plaza "is not merely an accident, but a criminal negligence by the concerned institutions and a grave violation of human rights". He stated that the death of more than 60 people and the disappearance of dozens is glaring proof of the failure of the Pakistani government system. The Council stressed that the one crore Pakistani rupees per person compensation announced by the provincial government of Sindh is "extremely insufficient". It demanded the formation of an investigation committee that is not merely for show, but one that identifies those responsible and takes concrete legal action against the officers. "Accepting moral responsibility for administrative failure in the city and the incompetence of the fire brigade, the Mayor of Karachi should immediately resign from his post," the HRC stated. The rights body stated that the officers of the Sindh Building Control Authority (SBCA) and Fire Brigade, whose lack of preparedness and negligence led to the loss of precious lives, should be held accountable. In his address, the HRC Karachi Division President, Bashir Daras, said that "the incompetence of SBCA and the Fire Brigade has given birth to this tragedy". He demanded that full financial compensation be provided for the billions of rupees in losses suffered by the affected traders and that the injured receive the best medical facilities at government expense. The HRC of Pakistan warned that if immediate justice is not delivered to the victims, the scope of the protest would be expanded. Chennai, Jan 22 : Dismissing speculation that the Desiya Murpokku Dravida Kazhagam (DMDK) is set to join the National Democratic Alliance (NDA), party General Secretary Premalatha Vijayakant on Thursday made it clear that no alliance talks have taken place so far and that no NDA leader has approached the party. Speaking to reporters at the DMDK headquarters in Koyambedu, she said neither Union Minister Piyush Goyal nor any other NDA representative had contacted her or the party, either directly or over the phone. Rejecting media reports suggesting otherwise, she said there had been absolutely no communication on a possible alliance. "I have clarified this many times. Journalists seem more interested in our alliance than our own party cadres," she remarked. "We have not received any call or message from the NDA. No one has approached us," she said. Premalatha also sought to put an end to speculation linking the DMDK to parallel talks involving the AIADMK or the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). "As of this minute, there have been no discussions with either the AIADMK or the BJP," she said, adding that any alliance decision would be taken only after detailed consultations with district secretaries and would be officially announced by the party. Interestingly, even as she dismissed alliance speculation, Premalatha praised the ruling DMK government for its handling of recent law and order incidents. She lauded the Tamil Nadu Police and the state government for swiftly arresting the accused in the killing of an LIC manager in a fire sabotage incident in Madurai. She also expressed grief over the deaths caused by a helium gas cylinder explosion during a festival in Kallakurichi, welcoming the government's decision to extend compensation to the families of the victims. On Piyush Goyal's visit to Chennai, Premalatha said she was unaware of the purpose of the trip. "He has not spoken to me. I do not even know why he has come here. I only came to know through media reports that Prime Minister Narendra Modi is visiting Chennai on the 23rd," she said. Premalatha added that the DMDK would undertake a statewide campaign from January 24 to February 2, and that alliance-related decisions, if any, would be taken only after internal deliberations following the campaign. -- Except for the title, this story has not been edited by Prokerala team and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed New Delhi, Jan 22 : Over 39.6 lakh artificial groundwater recharge and storage works have been completed (as of January 22) under the catch-the-rain Jal Sanchay Jan Bhagidari (JSJB) initiative which was launched in September 2024, according to an official statement on Thursday. The initiative seeks to improve groundwater recharge through measures such as rainwater harvesting, aquifer recharge, borewell recharge, and recharge shafts. The 'Master Plan for Artificial Recharge to Groundwater' promotes terrain-specific recharge techniques based on water availability and aquifer storage capacity. The Plan also provides a broad outline for the construction of around 1.42 crore rainwater harvesting and artificial recharge structures in the country to channel 185 BCM (billion cubic metres) groundwater recharge. Groundwater is central to Indiaas water security, sustaining agriculture, drinking water supply, ecosystems, and agricultural activity, yet increasing pressures from overextraction, quality degradation, and climate variability have made sustainable groundwater management imperative. In response, India has embraced a comprehensive and multi-layered approach combining policy reform, scientific assessment, infrastructure creation, and community participation, led by the Ministry of Jal Shakti. The country has a network of 43,228 groundwater level monitoring stations, 712 Jal Shakti Kendras, and 53,264 Atal Jal Water Quality Monitoring Stations which play a crucial role in implementing policy measures. The Atal Bhujal Yojana (Atal Jal) also focuses on promoting community-led sustainable groundwater management in water-stressed areas of seven states -- Gujarat, Haryana, Karnataka, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Rajasthan and Uttar Pradesh -- which has brought over 6.68 lakh hectares under efficient use as on January this year, the statement said. Launched on December 25, 2019, the scheme supports water source sustainability for the Jal Jeevan Mission. Under the Project Implementation Plan of five years, the total financial outlay of Rs 6,000 crore is distributed between Component A (Rs 1,400 crore) for institutional strengthening and Component B (Rs 4,600 crore) for incentive-based outcomes, reflecting a strong results-oriented design. Besides, Mission Amrit Sarovar, launched in April 2022, supports the creation of Amrit Sarovars (ponds) across all districts in the country. Each pond is planned to have a minimum area of one acre (0.4 hectare) and a water storage capacity of about 10,000 cubic metres. Over 68,000 ponds have been completed under the scheme so far, the statement said. Key initiatives such as the Model Bill on Groundwater, Jal Shakti Abhiyan: Catch the Rain, Jal Sanchay Jan Bhagidari, the Master Plan for Artificial Recharge to Groundwater 2020, Atal Bhujal Yojana, and Mission Amrit Sarovar jointly reinforce recharge, monitoring, regulation, and demand side management. The Model Bill has been shared with all States and Union Territories, and so far, 21 of them have adopted it, including Bihar, Punjab, Haryana, and Himachal Pradesh. The Centre actively engages with state governments to promote prudent regulation and sustainable management of groundwater resources. This engagement is undertaken through regular correspondence, seminars, conferences of State Water Ministers and Chief Secretaries, and deliberations under the National Interdepartmental Steering Committee (NISC) on Groundwater, chaired by the Secretary, Department of Water Resources. The growing groundwater crisis has strengthened the governmentas commitment to effective management, reaffirmed by Indiaas COP 21 commitment to climate resilience and long-term growth. Effective groundwater management is vital for achieving the Sustainable Development Goals, the official statement added. New Delhi, Jan 22 : Reacting to the Karnataka government's decision to conduct polls for the Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) using ballot paper, BJP spokesperson Shehzad Poonawalla on Thursday said that it has exposed the hypocrisy of the Congress and added that no matter how the elections are held, they will lose. New Delhi, Jan 22 (IANS) Reacting to the Karnataka government's decision to conduct polls for the Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) using ballot paper, BJP spokesperson Shehzad Poonawalla on Thursday said that it has exposed the hypocrisy of the Congress and added that no matter how the elections are held, they will lose. Speaking to IANS, Shehzad Poonawalla said, "Once again, the 'Bahana Brigade' has found an excuse to protect the Parivar. They are now claiming that the BBMP elections will be held using ballot papers instead of EVMs. Whether the election is conducted by ballot or by EVM, the result will be the same, the Congress party will lose. D.K. Suresh brother of D.K. Shivakumar is saying going back to ballot paper is like taking one step backward." "This has completely exposed the hypocrisy of the Congress. It was the Congress party that introduced EVMs in Karnataka's local body elections and later implemented them across the country," he said. "The Congress won Kerala local polls on EVMs without Voter Verifiable Paper Audit Trail (VVPAT), following the wins in Karnataka Assembly, Himachal Pradesh, Jammu and Kashmir and also Jharkhand. "At that time EVM use was perfect, today they are finding fault with EVMs. The fault is not with data, fault is with 'Beta' but they want to save the 'Beta', hence they blame the Data," he added. He also commented on the Madras High Court quashing the First Information Report (FIR) against BJP's Amit Malviya for his remarks against Tamil Nadu Deputy CM Udhayanidhi Stalin in a social media post. Poonawalla said, "It is very unfortunate that after the High Court passed a stinging order against the DMK government, highlighting its anti-Hindu nature and legacy, and after the hateful speech made by Udhayanidhi Stalin calling for the genocide of Hindus, as well as the abuse of the legal process against our senior leader Amit Malviya, the DMK has chosen a different path." The Madurai Bench of the Madras High Court on Tuesday quashed the FIR registered in 2023 by Tiruchi city police against Amit Malviya for "distorting the comments" made by Udhayanidhi Stalin on Sanatan Dharma. Significantly, Justice S. Srimathy went on to state that what Udhayanidhi had said amounted to "hate speech". Poonawalla further slammed the Congress over their protest regarding the changes to MGNREGA by the Centre. "Congress party shedding tears over MGNREGA? Congress leaders themselves had admitted that MGNREGA was neither a final nor a permanent solution; this was stated by Jairam Ramesh. "Moreover, the NDA government under Prime Minister Modi has allocated many times more funds to MGNREGA than what the Congress ever did. At that time, even Sharad Pawar and P. Chidambaram had said that states should bear a greater share of the burden so that farmers are not overburdened for accountability," he said. "The Congress party is anti-Ram, Village, Developed Bharat, and farmers," he claimed. He further reacted on allegations made by the Opposition on the ongoing Special Intensive Revision (SIR) exercise and said, "When the entire SIR process in Bihar was conducted under the supervision and monitoring of the Supreme Court, and crores of votes were removed through that process, these allegations were made by the entire Opposition, be it Congress, Samajwadi Party, or RJD, but before the court, their BLAs did not submit a single complaint... They provoke people in the name of voter list revision, because revision is just an excuse; the real agenda is to facilitate illegal infiltration and fake entries" -- The story has been published from a wire feed without any modifications to the text Media reporters make a report beside of a destroyed bus during recent unrest in Tehran, Iran, Jan. 21, 2026. Iran's state television IRIB reported on Wednesday that 3,117 people were killed during recent unrest, citing the country's Forensic Medical Organization. (Xinhua/Shadati) TEHRAN, Jan. 21 (Xinhua) -- Iran's state television IRIB reported on Wednesday that 3,117 people were killed during recent unrest, citing the country's Forensic Medical Organization. The figure is the first official death toll released by Iranian authorities since demonstrations erupted in late December. Officials had previously acknowledged "several thousand" deaths without providing a precise number. According to the report, 2,427 of those killed were described as "innocent civilians and security forces." The U.S.-based Human Rights Activists News Agency has estimated the death toll at 4,560, though this figure has not been independently verified. Separately, Iran's semi-official Tasnim news agency said more than 460 government buildings were damaged or set ablaze during the protests, while over 700 banks were attacked or burned. It added that more than 480 mosques were also targeted. Protests broke out in dozens of Iranian cities in late December following a sharp depreciation of the rial. Authorities acknowledged the demonstrations and said they were willing to address economic grievances, while warning against violence and vandalism. The protests began peacefully but later turned violent, resulting in casualties and widespread damage to public property, mosques, government buildings, and banks, particularly on Jan. 8 and 9. Iranian officials have blamed the violence on the United States and Israel. In an opinion article published Tuesday in the Wall Street Journal, Iranian Foreign Minister Seyed Abbas Araghchi said the "violent phase of the unrest lasted less than 72 hours" before security forces brought the protests under control. He added that U.S. threats against Iran "gave plotters an incentive" to pursue what he described as a strategy of "maximum bloodshed." Araghchi also said that while Iran "will always choose peace over war," if the country faced new attacks, "our powerful armed forces have no qualms about firing back with everything we have," citing a contrast with the "restraint" Iran showed in June 2025. A pedestrian passes in front of a bank branch building damaged during the recent unrest in Tehran, Iran, Jan. 21, 2026. Iran's state television IRIB reported on Wednesday that 3,117 people were killed during recent unrest, citing the country's Forensic Medical Organization. (Xinhua/Shadati) A tax administration building damaged during recent unrest is pictured in Tehran, Iran, Jan. 21, 2026. Iran's state television IRIB reported on Wednesday that 3,117 people were killed during recent unrest, citing the country's Forensic Medical Organization. (Xinhua/Shadati) A man stands inside of a destroyed bus during recent unrest in Tehran, Iran, Jan. 21, 2026. Iran's state television IRIB reported on Wednesday that 3,117 people were killed during recent unrest, citing the country's Forensic Medical Organization. (Xinhua/Shadati) A man passes by destroyed buses during recent unrest in Tehran, Iran, Jan. 21, 2026. Iran's state television IRIB reported on Wednesday that 3,117 people were killed during recent unrest, citing the country's Forensic Medical Organization. (Xinhua/Shadati) A woman stands between destroyed buses during recent unrest in Tehran, Iran, Jan. 21, 2026. Iran's state television IRIB reported on Wednesday that 3,117 people were killed during recent unrest, citing the country's Forensic Medical Organization. (Xinhua/Shadati) A man stands inside of a bank branch building damaged during the recent unrest in Tehran, Iran, Jan. 21, 2026. Iran's state television IRIB reported on Wednesday that 3,117 people were killed during recent unrest, citing the country's Forensic Medical Organization. (Xinhua/Shadati) Vehicles pass in front of a tax administration building damaged during recent unrest in Tehran, Iran, Jan. 21, 2026. Iran's state television IRIB reported on Wednesday that 3,117 people were killed during recent unrest, citing the country's Forensic Medical Organization. (Xinhua/Shadati) Vehicles damaged during the recent unrest are pictured in Tehran, Iran, Jan. 21, 2026. Iran's state television IRIB reported on Wednesday that 3,117 people were killed during recent unrest, citing the country's Forensic Medical Organization. (Xinhua/Shadati) Vehicles damaged during the recent unrest are pictured in Tehran, Iran, Jan. 21, 2026. Iran's state television IRIB reported on Wednesday that 3,117 people were killed during recent unrest, citing the country's Forensic Medical Organization. (Xinhua/Shadati) A mosque damaged during the recent unrest is pictured in Tehran, Iran, Jan. 21, 2026. Iran's state television IRIB reported on Wednesday that 3,117 people were killed during recent unrest, citing the country's Forensic Medical Organization. (Xinhua/Shadati) Quetta, Jan 22 : The Baloch Students Action Committee (BSAC) condemned the Pakistani police raid on the protest by the Balochistan Grand Alliance, a coalition of government employees, calling the resulting violence and arrests of teachers, professors, and other professionals "extremely alarming". Quetta, Jan 22 (IANS) The Baloch Students Action Committee (BSAC) condemned the Pakistani police raid on the protest by the Balochistan Grand Alliance, a coalition of government employees, calling the resulting violence and arrests of teachers, professors, and other professionals "extremely alarming". The remarks followed the arrest of dozens of government employees in Balochistan's capital Quetta on Tuesday after police blocked a planned sit-in in the city's Red Zone, where workers had assembled to press home the implementation of the Disparity Reduction Allowance. "The most condemnable act is that police officials, who draw salaries from public funds, are disrespecting a professor by dragging him on the street and taking him away. This is a deplorable act of dishonour against teachers, who hold a great status in society. We not only condemn this immoral act but also consider it the extreme of humiliating teachers," read a statement issued by the BSAC. The student body stated that in Balochistan, raising a peaceful voice for one's rights has now become a crime, with people forced to endure severe punishments daily for acts they have not committed. "On one hand, this government chants about better governance, educational reforms, and transparent recruitment; on the other hand, it has adopted an insulting attitude toward teachers and employees, which contradicts its own claims," it stated. Denouncing the act of violence, the BSAC demanded that the Pakistani higher authorities immediately conduct a transparent investigation and ensure the strictest punishment for all officials involved. According to a report by The Balochistan Post, Pakistani authorities suspended mobile internet services across Quetta and nearby areas during the protest, resulting in widespread service disruptions. The government employees from across Balochistan had travelled to Quetta following an announcement by the alliance of workers' organisations for a sit-in to press the authorities to address their demands. However, late on Monday night, the district administration blocked key entry points by placing containers and completely sealed the Red Zone to prevent protesters from entering. With the access blocked, employees gathered outside the Quetta Press Club, but police prevented them from assembling and arrested dozens at the scene. The arrest prompted the Balochistan Grand Alliance to announce a "jail bharo" (fill the jails) campaign. Balochistan has been reeling from protests by public sector employees, with several human rights organisations raising concerns over a brutal crackdown by Pakistani authorities during the demonstrations. Imphal, Jan 22 : Fresh tension escalated in Manipur's Imphal valley on Thursday after police recovered the body of a 38-year-old man, a day after he and his wife were kidnapped by suspected United Kuki National Army (UKNA) militants in Manipur's Churachandpur district, officials said. The victim has been identified as Mayanglambam Rishikanta Singh, who belonged to the Meitei community. He was married to Chingnu Haokip, a member of the Kuki tribal community. After the marriage, Singh had adopted a tribal name, Ginminthang, police said. According to a police official, the couple was abducted on Wednesday by suspected UKNA militants and taken towards Natjang village under Henglep police station in Churachandpur district. Extremists allegedly killed Singh during captivity, while his wife was later released. A senior police official said that a video clip of the brutal crime has gone viral on social media, showing the victim pleading for his life with folded hands before being shot at close range by the armed assailants. Quoting family members, the police official said that Singh was working in Nepal and had recently returned on leave. Before Singh's visit, his wife had reportedly sought "permission" from Kuki organisations to allow her husband to stay with her for a few days in Churachandpur district, the official added. Singh's body has been kept at the Churachandpur district morgue, and police have registered an FIR and launched an investigation into the incident. Joint security forces have also initiated a massive search operation to nab those involved in the killing. Since ethnic violence broke out between the Meitei and Kuki-Zo communities in May 2023, people from the two communities have largely avoided entering each other's areas, sharply dividing the state along ethnic lines. Meanwhile, the Army, along with the Assam Rifles and other security forces, has been conducting a large-scale joint counter-insurgency operation in Manipur's hill districts of Churachandpur and Kangpokpi since last week. An official said intelligence inputs suggest that militants of the United Kuki National Army (UKNA), armed with heavy weapons, are moving in the hilly areas of the two districts. The UKNA has not signed any Suspension of Operations (SoO) agreement with the government, although several other Kuki outfits entered into SoO agreements with the Centre in 2008. Police sources said that the UKNA has around 450 cadres and possesses more than 300 sophisticated weapons, making it larger than any individual armed group currently under the SoO framework. The outfit has reportedly set up camps both within Manipur and across the international border in Myanmar. Bengaluru, Jan 22 : The Karnataka BJP has condemned the behaviour of Congress MLAs and MLCs following Governor Thaawarchand Gehlot's refusal to deliver the speech prepared by the state government. The party demanded that Chief Minister Siddaramaiah issue an apology, and has urged the Speaker to take appropriate action against Congress legislators who reportedly attempted to obstruct and assault the Governor as he was leaving the House. Addressing the media on Thursday, Leader of Opposition (LoP) R. Ashoka and BJP state president and MLA B.Y. Vijayendra said, "The Governor took the right decision today. He has done his duty. However, the ruling Congress party's insulting the Governor is unacceptable. The attempts by ruling party MLAs and MLCs to attack the Governor are completely unconstitutional. I demand that Chief Minister Siddaramaiah tender an apology for the conduct of the ruling party MLAs and MLCs." "He should also take strict action. The Speaker must initiate action against those MLAs and MLCs who tried to stop and attack the Governor," he demanded. Vijayendra asked why such a situation arose in Karnataka. "The Congress-led government is trying to misuse the Assembly and antagonise the Centre, which is not correct. Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the NDA government have brought in several reforms and renamed MGNREGA as VB-G RAM G. The Prime Minister's vision is to realise Mahatma Gandhi's dream of 'Ram Raj' and 'Gram Raj'," he said. "To achieve this, many changes have been introduced, and the poor are welcoming these measures. Unfortunately, the Siddaramaiah government is trying to indulge in propaganda and build a false narrative, which is unacceptable," he added. "It is up to the Congress-led government to approach the Supreme Court. Chief Minister Siddaramaiah has forgotten that he is the Chief Minister of the state and is behaving as if he is the Chief Minister of the Congress party. I would like to remind him that he is the Chief Minister of the state. He should not lower the dignity of the Governor's office or the dignity of the House," Vijayendra said in response to a question. "By selectively invoking constitutional provisions, you cannot make the Governor a puppet. You cannot expect the Governor to act according to your directions. That is why I say the state government and the Chief Minister must come forward to protect the dignity of the House. It is the Chief Minister himself who is undermining the Constitution," he alleged. "If the Governor wanted to act as a tool of the BJP, he could have skipped the session today, but he did not. With due respect to the Constitution, the Governor came to the House and addressed the joint session. He has done his duty. What more do they expect? It is unfair on the part of the Congress-led government to politicise and exploit the situation in Karnataka," Vijayendra said. He further alleged that the Congress government was indulging in intimidation merely because it had the support of 140 MLAs. "The people of the state are watching everything closely. If the Congress government does not correct its conduct and continues to undermine the federal system, the people are ready to show how a party with 140 MLAs can be reduced to 40. That day is not far away," he warned. He urged the state government to understand the public mood, move in the right direction, and uphold democracy and respect for the Constitution. Chennai, Jan 22 : AIADMK general secretary Edappadi K. Palaniswami (EPS) on Thursday asserted that the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) was steadily taking shape as a strong and cohesive front capable of providing stable governance and accelerated development to Tamil Nadu. Speaking to reporters after holding discussions with Union Minister Piyush Goyal at his Chennai residence, EPS said the talks primarily focused on the massive public rally scheduled to be held in Madurantakam under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi. "Today's meeting was about the preparations and significance of tomorrow's grand public meeting. The Madurantakam rally will bring a major political change in Tamil Nadu and set the direction for the future," EPS said. The meeting assumes political significance in the backdrop of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) stepping up efforts to finalise the NDA's structure in Tamil Nadu ahead of the Assembly elections. This comes shortly after the Amma Makkal Munnetra Kazhagam (AMMK) formally joined the NDA. Earlier, when the Pattali Makkal Katchi (PMK) entered the alliance, the announcement was made jointly by EPS and PMK president Anbumani Ramadoss. However, the AMMK's induction took place this time in the presence of Piyush Goyal, without AIADMK leaders on stage, triggering widespread political discussion. Launching a strong attack on the DMK government, EPS alleged that law and order in Tamil Nadu had completely collapsed. He accused the government of administrative failure across sectors and claimed that corruption amounting to nearly Rs 4.5 lakh crore had occurred. "People are suffering due to misgovernance and are looking for a credible alternative," he said. Expressing confidence in the NDA's prospects, EPS said a dual-engine government would ensure rapid growth. "With Prime Minister Modi leading the government at the Centre and an AIADMK government in the State, Tamil Nadu will witness unprecedented development after this election," he asserted. Union Minister Piyush Goyal described EPS as a "long-standing friend" and said he had conveyed greetings from Prime Minister Modi and Union Home Minister Amit Shah. He also demanded the immediate removal of Udhayanidhi Stalin from government positions, alleging that his remarks had undermined social harmony. The Madurantakam rally is being widely seen as a key moment in the NDA's renewed push to consolidate its political presence in Tamil Nadu. Lucknow, Jan 22 : Samajwadi Party (SP) chief Akhilesh Yadav on Thursday launched a sharp attack on the Uttar Pradesh government over the death of a software engineer in Noida, alleging that the tragic incident occurred due to administrative negligence. The victim, Yuvraj Mehta, 27, who was employed in Gurugram, was returning home late on the night of January 16 when his car fell into a deep, water-filled pit near a construction site in Sector 150 as it went through a broken boundary wall in the fog. He died after allegedly crying out for help for nearly two hours as his father and the NOIDA police and fire department personnel watched. By the time rescue efforts were intensified by the police, the National Disaster Response Force and the State Disaster Response Force amid dense fog and extreme cold, he had passed away. His father, Rajkumar Mehta, reportedly witnessed the entire incident helplessly. Rajkumar Mehta said that his son Yuvraj climbed the roof of the partially submerged car and used his mobile phone's flashlight to signal his location in the thick fog, while repeatedly calling for help. However, the lack of proper rescue equipment delayed efforts to pull him out and the darkness, dense fog and near-zero visibility hampered rescue efforts. Police and fire personnel refrained from entering the water, citing freezing conditions and the risk posed by under-construction columns inside the basement. Speaking to reporters, Yadav said the focus should not be on where the victim was coming from or the circumstances preceding the incident. "The question is not whether he was coming from a party or where the incident happened. After the incident, why were the government and all its departments unable to save his life?" he asked. He added that reports suggested officials hesitated to enter the pit because of the extremely cold water. "If someone has lost their life due to this reason, it happened because of the government's negligence. Incidents like this should not occur again," the former UP Chief Minister said. Meanwhile, the Special Investigation Team (SIT) probing the death has registered a fresh FIR against five builders linked to Lotus Greens Construction Pvt Ltd and MZ Wiztown Planners Pvt Ltd for alleged violations of environmental and pollution control laws. On Thursday, the SIT continued its investigation for the third consecutive day. Officials familiar with the probe said the SIT has sought detailed information from multiple departments of the Noida Authority, including the civil, projects and traffic cells, regarding works carried out in Sector 150, particularly in the area surrounding the site where the software engineer died. The three-member SIT is required to submit its report to the UP government by Saturday. SIT head and ADG of the Meerut Zone, Bhanu Bhaskar, had informed reporters of the timeline on the first day of inspections. A fresh case was registered on Wednesday at the Knowledge Park police station against Abhay Kumar, Sanjay Kumar, Manish Kumar, Anchal Bohra and Nirmal Kumar. According to the complaint filed by local Sub-Inspector Regal Kumar, a "very large and wide pit" was found during patrolling on January 20 at plot number SC-02/A3 in Sector 150, close to a public road. The pit appeared to have been dug using heavy machinery and had remained filled with water for several years. The FIR stated that the pit was extremely deep and that prolonged stagnation of water had resulted in severe pollution, with the water turning muddy over time. It added that rainwater had washed garbage into the pit, worsening air and water pollution and creating serious risks to public health and safety. Police also noted that there was no fencing, warning signage or any other safety arrangement around the pit. Leaving such a large, open and waterlogged excavation near a public road for an extended period posed a grave threat to human life and significantly increased the risk of major accidents, the FIR said, describing it as a public nuisance. The FIR further pointed out that multiple construction sites were located close to the pit, indicating violations of construction management norms. Local residents have also complained that a foul smell emanates from the stagnant water, making it difficult to breathe when winds blow towards nearby residential areas. During the enquiry, police found that the plot had been purchased from the Noida Authority in 2014 by Lotus Greens Construction Pvt Ltd and was later acquired in 2020 by Wiztown. The FIR added that Lotus Greens Construction continues to hold a share in the property. The first FIR in the case was registered on January 18 on the complaint of Yuvraj Mehta's father against MZ Wiztown Planners and Lotus Greens. Meanwhile, on Tuesday, Abhay Kumar, director of MZ Wiztown Planners, was arrested. He was remanded to judicial custody on Wednesday, officials said, as the investigation into the circumstances leading to the techie's death continues. Moscow, Jan 22 : Russian President Vladimir Putin has announced that he will meet US President Donald Trump's special envoy Steve Witkoff and entrepreneur Jared Kushner later on Thursday, local media reported. In his remarks at a meeting with the permanent members of the Russian Security Council, Putin said that he plans to meet the US representatives following his meeting with Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas, Russia's leading news agency Tass reported. Putin announced that Witkoff and Kushner will visit Moscow to "continue the dialogue on the Ukrainian settlement." Russian leader further stated that he intends to address details regarding Moscow's participation in the Board of Peace, for which Trump has invited Putin to participate. Earlier, Witkoff announced his plans to visit Moscow on Thursday. Witkoff announced that Jared Kushner, who was present during the previous meeting between Putin and US officials, will accompany him on the visit to Moscow. Before their arrival in Moscow, Witkoff and Kushner held a meeting with Russian President's special representative and Russian Direct Investment Fund CEO Kirill Dmitriev on the sidelines of the World Economic Forum on January 20. Officials from Russia and US held a meeting behind closed doors for over two hours, which Witkoff termed very positive, Tass reported. The proposed Board of Peace has been described by Trump as a platform that could bring together leaders directly to resolve disputes. He has argued that existing institutions have often been too slow or ineffective in stopping wars. Meanwhile, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said on Monday that Russia would focus on diplomacy and not on missile strikes, blackouts, or attempts to damage Ukraine's nuclear power plants if it genuinely wanted to end the war. He said there is information about the sites Russia reconnoitered in preparation for strikes, stressing that everything clearly shows "diplomacy is not a priority for Russia". In his address to the nation, Zelensky said, "The main target for Russia is invariably our energy sector. Almost 58,000 people are working around the clock in repair crews on power grids and generation facilities, and on the heating network alone. Resources from Ukrzaliznytsia and other state-owned companies have been involved. For Kyiv, where the situation is very difficult, an additional 50 crews from all over the country have been involved." "There are still houses without heating, and for them, the necessary equipment and crews are being sent to each house manually. It is also difficult in the Kyiv region, especially in the northern part of the region, also in the Boryspil district. Also in border and front-line regions, where repairs to networks and repairs to facilities are complicated by virtually constant shelling and constant strikes. These are Kharkiv, Chernihiv, Sumy, Dnipro, and Zaporizhia regions - special attention is paid to these regions. There was a lot of work in Poltava and Odessa to stabilise the energy situation," he added. Zelensky further said that the Ukrainian delegation, which included the head of Ukraine's National Security and Defence Council, Rustem Umerov, reported on meetings with representatives of US President Donald Trump. "There have already been several rounds of negotiations - they are working on documents that are needed to end the war. It is important that the Ukrainian team fully informs the American side about what is happening in Ukraine and about the constant Russian attacks on our energy system," he stated. -- Except for the title, this story has not been edited by Prokerala team and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed Sydney, Jan 22 : Three people have died following a shooting west of Sydney in Australia's eastern state of New South Wales (NSW) on Thursday afternoon. The NSW Police Force said in a statement that emergency services were called to reports of a shooting in the small town of Lake Cargelligo, 450 km west of Sydney, around 4:40 pm local time on Thursday, Xinhua News Agency reported. Police confirmed that three people, two women and a man, had died. A second man has been taken to hospital in a serious but stable condition. A crime scene has been established and police have urged members of the public to avoid the area and local residents to stay indoors. On January 18, police in Australia's state of New South Wales (NSW) said that a man had been seriously injured after he was shot during a public place shooting in Sydney's west overnight. Police said that emergency services were called to a home in Lalor Park, a suburb of Sydney, at about 11.35 pm local time on Saturday, following reports of a public place shooting. Officers were told unknown people had fired multiple gunshots into a home, hitting one resident before leaving the scene in a vehicle. The resident, a 46-year-old man, was treated by NSW Ambulance paramedics for a gunshot injury before being taken to the hospital in a stable condition. On January 8, Australia's Prime Minister Anthony Albanese called a royal commission into antisemitism and social cohesion in Australia in the wake of the terror attack at Sydney's Bondi Beach. Albanese announced at a press conference in Canberra that his government will establish a royal commission, the highest form of inquiry in Australia, which will be led by former High Court justice Virginia Bell and deliver a report by mid-December. "I've taken the time to reflect, to meet with leaders in the Jewish community and most importantly, I've met with many of the families of victims and survivors of that horrific attack," he said. The Prime Minister said that the inquiry would investigate the nature and prevalence of antisemitism in Australia, make recommendations to law enforcement to tackle antisemitism, examine the circumstances surrounding the Bondi Beach attack, and make recommendations on strengthening social cohesion. "I've repeatedly said that our government's priority is to promote unity and social cohesion, and this is what Australia needs to heal, to learn, to come together in a spirit of national unity," he said. The alleged lone surviving gunman, 24-year-old Naveed Akram, has been charged with 59 offences, including 15 counts of murder, over the attack, which authorities allege was motivated by Islamic State ideology. Davos, Jan 22 : Union Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw on Thursday said that global confidence in Bharat is growing stronger, as leading international companies and investors showed keen interest in expanding their engagement with India at the World Economic Forum (WEF). Speaking about key meetings on the sidelines of WEF, Vaishnaw highlighted that India's development journey, reform-driven growth and focus on future-ready infrastructure are drawing attention from global industry leaders. He said the discussions at Davos clearly reflected that India is being seen as a trusted and reliable partner in global value chains. The minister said global logistics major Maersk is actively engaging with India to strengthen logistics infrastructure across shipping, ports and railways. He added that discussions also covered cooperation in semiconductor-related materials, an area critical to India's long-term manufacturing and technology goals. "Maersk is actively engaging with India in enhancing logistics infrastructure across shipping, ports, & railways, and semiconductor materials," Vaishnaw stated. "Honeywell is partnering with India in railway modernisation. It is keen to expand manufacturing operations in India," the Union Minister added. He further said that US-based technology firm Honeywell is partnering with India in railway modernisation and has shown strong interest in expanding its manufacturing footprint in the country. "Such partnerships support India's push for advanced manufacturing and improved public infrastructure under the Make in India initiative," Vaishnaw noted. Highlighting investor interest, the minister said Temasek Chairman Mr. Teo Chee Hean expressed a clear desire to expand Temasek's presence in India. He added that Singapore remains committed to investing in India's physical and digital infrastructure, as well as in deep-tech startups, reflecting long-term confidence in India's economic fundamentals. Vaishnaw also said that discussions with global leaders in artificial intelligence, robotics and cybersecurity underlined India's rising role as a dependable technology and innovation partner. He noted that India's skilled talent pool, strong digital backbone and policy stability are key reasons behind this growing trust. "Discussions held with leading minds in AI, robotics, and cybersecurity reflect India's rise as a trusted value-chain partner," Vaishnaw mentioned. Vadodara, Jan 22 : India's seam bowling all-rounder Pooja Vastrakar has returned from injury and joined the Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) squad for the remainder of the Women's Premier League (WPL) 2026 on Thursday. Vastrakar had been out of competitive action since late 2024 due to a shoulder injury. She underwent rehabilitation at the BCCIas Centre of Excellence (CoE) in Bengaluru and was to link up with RCB ahead of the fourth edition of WPL. But two days before her release, she picked up an unfortunate hamstring injury and had to spend more time at CoE. "Starring in Reds ft. Pooja Vastrakar. Experience in her stride, resilience in her run, with pace in hand and power down the order, the job gets done. Back from injury, stronger than ever, proving the naysayers wrong! 12th Man Army, welcome Pooja as she begins her next chapter in red, blue, and gold," the 2024 champions wrote on X, welcoming their star player. Earlier, IANS reported that Vastrakar had reached Vadodara on Monday after getting clearance from CoE and was supposed to join RCB after their match against Gujarat Giants. Vastrakar was bought by the franchise for Rs 85 lakh in the mega auction held in New Delhi last year after the all-rounder was released by defending champions Mumbai Indians (MI). She has featured in 72 T20Is for India, picking 58 wickets at an economy rate of 6.39, with best figures of 4-13. She has also contributed 332 runs with the bat in T20Is. In the WPL, Pooja has played 16 matches for MI, picking seven wickets and scoring 126 runs. Vastrakaras inclusion will further strengthen RCB's chances in the ongoing WPL. Smriti Mandhana's team is yet to lose a match in the WPL 2026 and has qualified for the playoffs with five wins in a row. The 2024 champions will next face the Delhi Capitals on Saturday at BCA Stadium. Quetta, Jan 22 : The Unemployed Pharmacists' Action Committee in Pakistan's Balochistan have criticised government's decision to announce a limited number of vacancies for more than 2,000 unemployed pharmacists, terming it "equivalent to offering a pinch of cumin to a camel," local media reported on Thursday. Quetta, Jan 22 (IANS) The Unemployed Pharmacistsa Action Committee in Pakistan's Balochistan have criticised governmentas decision to announce a limited number of vacancies for more than 2,000 unemployed pharmacists, terming it "equivalent to offering a pinch of cumin to a camel," local media reported on Thursday. While addressing a press briefing at the Quetta Press Club on Wednesday, UPAC General Secretary Qasim Aziz Mengal termed the decision unacceptable and called for creation of more positions and transparent as well as merit-based recruitment, Pakistan's leading daily Dawn reported. He termed the appointment of pharmacists to BPS-17 posts through walk-in interviews a non-transparent move aimed to include favoured and recommended people. He alleged that health department did not have merit and there was no transparency in recruitment process. He voiced concerns over the absence and non-appointment of pharmacy departments in private hospitals. He condemned the recent notification released by the health department advertising vacancies of doctors and pharmacists on a contract basis. Meanwhile, dozens of government employees were arrested in Quetta on Tuesday as police blocked a blocked sit-in in Red Zone, where employees were raising demand for implementation of the Disparity Reduction Allowance. During the protest, authorities suspended mobile interests services in Quetta and other neighbouring areas, local media reported. Government employees from Balochistan travelled to Quetta following sit-in announcement of alliance of workersa organisations to raise their demands, The Balochistan Post reported. In recent days, work in many government offices has been affected due to the protest. Authorities on Monday night placed containers at key entry points and completely shut the Red Zone to stop protesters from reaching the site. However, after the roads blockade, employees started gathering outside the Quetta Press Club. However, police stopped them from assembling and arrested dozens at the site of the incident. After the protests, the Balochistan Grand Alliance announced a "jail bharo" campaign. LONDON, Jan. 22 (Xinhua) -- Britain will not sign U.S. President Donald Trump's so-called "Board of Peace" treaty on Thursday, said British Foreign Secretary Yvette Cooper. "There's a huge amount of work to do, we won't be one of the signatories today," she told British media. Trump will launch his "Board of Peace" on Thursday in what has been billed as a signing ceremony in Davos, Switzerland. This is about a legal treaty that "raises much broader issues," Cooper stressed. Thiruvananthapuram, Jan 22 : The Kerala Assembly on Thursday remained paralysed as the Opposition sharpened its attack on the CPI(M)-led government over the Sabarimala gold theft, with Leader of the Opposition (LoP), V.D. Satheesan, asserting that the issue warranted ministerial resignations, not another round of legislative debate. Addressing the media outside the Assembly, LoP Satheesan said the Opposition had deliberately refrained from giving notice for a discussion as there was "nothing left to debate" when the High Court itself had made what he described as "shocking revelations" in its November 5 order. The Opposition's core demands, he said, were the resignation of Devaswom Minister V.N. Vasavan and an end to what it alleged was undue pressure from the Chief Minister's Office on the Special Investigation Team (SIT) probing the case. Satheesan pointed out that the court had observed that despite being aware of the 2019 gold theft where prime accused Unnikrishnan Potti allegedly misappropriated 475 grams of gold the Devaswom Board proceeded to entrust him with gold-plating work again, in clear violation of judicial directives. Even more serious, he said, was the finding that Potti was summoned again in 2024, backed by an "urgent" letter from the then Devaswom Board president, followed by a Board order allowing the work to be carried out under sponsorship. According to Satheesan, the court had also noted that although there was sufficient time to undertake repairs at Sabarimala ahead of the Mandalam season, arrangements were made to send out the Dwarapalaka idols, creating what he termed a "manufactured urgency" in 2025. "For this, both the Devaswom Minister Vasavan and the then Board president bear full responsibility," he said, adding that the Opposition's demand for the minister's resignation was firmly grounded in the court's observations. Taking aim at the Treasury Benches, Satheesan criticised ministers M.B. Rajesh and Sivankutty for their Assembly remarks, accusing them of attempting to deflect attention by dragging Sonia Gandhi into the controversy. "Did Sonia Gandhi commit the gold theft?" he asked, noting that photographs of Potti with various leaders, including the Chief Minister, existed, but that was not the issue. "The charge is that the Chief Minister protected those involved," he said. Satheesan further alleged that former Devaswom Minister and senior CPI-M legislator Kadakampally Surendran had a "clear role" in the case and that pressure was being exerted to prevent his arrest, fearing further revelations. Bhopal, Jan 22 : The Madhya Pradesh Congress has launched a sharp attack on the BJP-led state government following alleged statements by Chief Secretary Anurag Jain during a Collector-Commissioner conference. Media reports claimed that Jain warned District Collectors that "nothing is hidden" from him, asserting that he receives direct complaints about irregularities in districts and knows "everything that is happening". The remarks, if accurate, have provided fodder to the opposition, which accuses the ruling BJP of institutionalising corruption after nearly two decades in power. State Congress President Jitu Patwari took to social media to question the government's inaction. "When you know all this, why has no action been taken against a single collector so far?" he asked, addressing Chief Minister Mohan Yadav directly. Patwari alleged that ministers and BJP MLAs are complicit in the corrupt system, claiming, "For 20 years, the BJP has turned Madhya Pradesh into the capital of corruption, where not a single file is cleared without a bribe." Leader of Opposition (LoP) Umang Singhar echoed the sentiment, describing the Chief Secretary's words as an "admission from your own system" that exposes rampant corruption under the BJP regime. "The Chief Secretary himself is saying that 'the Chief Minister says that no Collector works without taking money'. This is not an allegation from the opposition, but a confession," Singhar posted on social media. He criticised the administration for prioritising self-interest over public welfare, stating, "When responsible officers are entangled in corrupt transactions, how can common people expect justice, service, and transparency? This is not good governance but an institutionalised model of corruption." Singhar further demanded that Madhya Pradesh be freed from "middlemen and commission agents", urging accountability from the top. The controversy has intensified political tensions in the state, with Congress leaders framing the alleged comments as evidence of deep-rooted systemic issues. No official clarification or denial has emerged from the Chief Secretary's office or the state government regarding the reported remarks as of now. The incident comes amid ongoing scrutiny of administrative transparency and anti-corruption measures in Madhya Pradesh. New Delhi, Jan 22 : The Republic Day Camp of NCC saw a new flavour with cadets from 21 friendly countries visiting the DG NCC Camp under the esteemed Youth Exchange Programme and the Indian cadets joining the 'At Home event' hosted by the Corps chief. The 195 delegates visited the Flag Area and Hall of Fame, wherein they were acquainted with various initiatives of the Government of India and the role of NCC as an active Nation Building Youth Organisation, said an official. The foreign cadets also visited India Gate and National War Memorial and were enlightened about the Valour and Sacrifice of the fallen soldiers of the Indian Armed Forces, he said. In a related development, NCC cadets attending the R-Day Camp were invited to the residence of the Director General of the National Cadet Corps (NCC), Lt Gen Virendra Vats, for the 'At Home' event. "The cadets were received with warmth and cordiality by the DG NCC and other officers, which immediately created a friendly and welcoming atmosphere. The entire event was marked by joy and enthusiasm, with cadets seen smiling and thoroughly enjoying the occasion, making it a truly memorable experience for them," said an official on the Corps' social media handle. The Director General NCC interacted with the cadets and took keen interest in understanding their experiences, training and overall impressions of RDC-2026, further strengthening the bond between the leadership and the young cadets, it said. Earlier on Monday, Chief of Naval Staff Admiral Dinesh K. Tripathi visited the National Cadet Corps (NCC) Republic Day Camp (RDC) 2026, inspiring the participants to uphold the ethos of unity, discipline and integrity and lead a life dedicated to the nation. Admiral Tripathi was accorded the Guard of Honour on his arrival by NCC cadets drawn from the Army, Navy and the Air Force wings. He noted the exemplary contribution of nearly 72,000 NCC cadets in civil defence efforts during Operation Sindoor. Admiral Tripathi appreciated the new and innovative training measures adopted by NCC, including initiatives related to drone operations and cyber awareness. "India's youth are a force for global good," quoting Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the Chief of Naval Staff expressed his faith in the youth to shape Viksit Bharat by 2047. He reaffirmed the Indian Navy's commitment to supporting NCC cadets for training through initiatives like Puneet Sagar Abhiyan, specialised training camps like All India Nausainik Camp, hands-on exposure to seamanship, sailing and yachting, ship attachments, overseas deployments, and educational visits to Indian Navy ships, submarines and shores. New Delhi, Jan 22 : The National Green Tribunal (NGT) has taken suo motu cognisance of a news report concerning the tragic death of 27-year-old software engineer Yuvraj Mehta, who died after his car fell into a water-filled ditch in Noida's Sector-150. A Bench of Chairperson Justice Prakash Shrivastava and Expert Member Dr A. Senthil Vel sought responses from the Noida Authority, the Uttar Pradesh Pollution Control Board, the Irrigation Department, the Principal Secretary (Environment), and the District Magistrate of Gautam Buddha Nagar in the matter. Issuing notice to all authorities, the green tribunal directed them to file their replies by way of affidavit at least one week before the next hearing. The matter has been listed for further consideration on April 10. According to the news item, the victim allegedly fell into a water-filled trench after taking a sharp right-angle turn amid foggy conditions. The land parcel where the incident occurred was originally allotted for a private mall project, but had, over the years, turned into a pond due to the accumulation of rainwater and wastewater discharged from nearby housing societies. The report further indicated that despite a stormwater management plan being prepared by the Uttar Pradesh Irrigation Department in 2015, no remedial measures were implemented on the ground. Documents assessed showed that a proposal to construct a head regulator to divert excess water into the Hindon River remained unexecuted, leading to severe waterlogging in the area. The absence of a controlled outlet reportedly resulted in flooding of basements in nearby housing societies and eventual stagnation of water. "The news item raises substantial issues relating to compliance with the environmental norms and implementation of the provisions of scheduled enactment," said the NGT, observing that the matter prima facie indicates violation of the Environment (Protection) Act, 1986. Meanwhile, the probe into the incident gathered pace on Tuesday as a Special Investigation Team (SIT) commenced its inquiry into the circumstances leading to Yuvraj Mehta's death. The SIT was constituted on the directions of Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, following serious allegations of negligence and has been instructed to submit its report to the state government within five days. The Chief Minister has removed Noida Authority CEO Lokesh M. from his post and terminated the services of a junior engineer. Police have also arrested a builder-cum-developer on charges of criminal negligence in connection with the incident. Ayodhya, Jan 22 : Thursday, the auspicious day of the anniversary of the Pran Pratishtha of the Ram Mandir in Ayodhya, was marked by heavy footfall in the temple town. The city, revered as the birthplace of Lord Ram, is witnessing an unprecedented surge of devotees, with visitors expressing awe at its remarkable transformation over the past few decades. With the Ramlala Pratishtha Divas being observed today, millions of devotees are expected to participate in temple rituals, prayers, and spiritual gatherings marking this historic anniversary. Speaking to IANS, a devotee visiting the holy city with his wife recalled his first visit nearly three decades ago. "I came here with my wife 30 years ago. At that time, there was nothing here. There were no hotels," he said, pointing to the stark contrast between the past and present. "Now there has been so much development that it has become a new Ayodhya. I am very happy that Modi ji has done good work," he added. The devotee described the day as especially significant, underlining the emotional and spiritual importance of his visit. "Today is a very auspicious day, as it marks the anniversary of the Ram Mandir. It is our fortune that we are here today for 'darshan'," he said, as thousands of pilgrims queued patiently to offer prayers. Over the years, Ayodhya has seen large-scale infrastructure development, including improved roads, expanded temple premise, new hotels, guest houses, and better civic amenities aimed at accommodating the growing number of visitors. The development has not only enhanced the city's religious appeal but has also boosted tourism and local employment, transforming the economic landscape of the region. On New Year's Day, Ayodhya experienced a record-breaking influx of devotees, with an estimated over 8 lakh pilgrims visiting the city to offer prayers. Other devotees echoed similar sentiments, noting that facilities such as clean surroundings, organised 'darshan' arrangements, and improved connectivity have made pilgrimage more accessible, especially for elderly visitors and families. Many said the changes have strengthened Ayodhya's identity as a global centre of faith. Authorities have made elaborate arrangements to manage crowds and ensure smooth movement of devotees, deploying additional security personnel and volunteers across key locations. Officials said the focus remains on maintaining law and order while providing a seamless spiritual experience for pilgrims. As chants and prayers filled the air, the mood in Ayodhya remained deeply devotional. For many visitors, the city's transformation symbolised not just physical development, but the fulfilment of a long-held spiritual aspiration. "It feels like witnessing history," another pilgrim remarked, as the sacred town continues to draw devotees united by faith and a shared sense of reverence. Navsari : , Jan 22 (IANS) Meena Joshi, a widow and mother of three from Gujarat's Navsari district, who was stranded in Belarus after being duped by a fake overseas job offer, is set to return to India on January 24, officials said on Thursday. According to those facilitating her return, Joshi will depart from Minsk International Airport at 9.20 p.m. on January 23 and arrive at Delhi's Indira Gandhi International Airport at 6.40 a.m. the next day. She will proceed to her hometown thereafter. Joshi had travelled to Belarus after being promised a fruit-packing job with a monthly salary of Rs 90,000, along with overtime benefits. The job was arranged through Vadodara-based agents, for which she allegedly paid around Rs 5.5 lakh using her savings and borrowed money. However, on reaching Belarus, she discovered that the promised job did not exist. Instead of fruit-packing work, she was reportedly made to tend to animals at a stable. With no income and no money to return home, she was left stranded. In distress, Joshi recorded a video accusing the agents of abandoning her. The video went viral on social media, drawing public attention and prompting intervention by the agent who had processed her visa. Piyush Chauhan, owner of Gajanand Overseas, said arrangements were made for her safe return after the issue came to light. "After receiving information about the matter, we immediately contacted the company concerned. The company sought a day, after which Meena was traced and shifted to a safe place," Chauhan said. He added that he had spoken to Joshi earlier and claimed that some individuals had influenced her to release the video instead of approaching the agency directly. The incident once again highlights the growing number of cases in which Indian workers are lured abroad with false job promises. Authorities have reiterated the need for prospective migrants to verify job offers and recruitment agents before travelling overseas. January 22 : Lucknow: Under the leadership of Yogi Adityanath, Uttar Pradesh has covered a development journey over the past nine years that was unimaginable before 2017. A state once considered unreliable by investors has become the countrys largest investment destination today. From the first Investors Summit in 2018 to the Global Investors Summit in 2023, the Yogi government did not limit investment to announcements alone, but translated it into reality through a strong model of Ground Breaking and execution. So far, more than 16,000 projects involving investment of over 15 lakh crore have been inaugurated in the state, out of which thousands of projects are operating commercially and providing employment to lakhs of youth. Planned initiatives such as the Prime Ministers Gati Shakti Master Plan, Defence Corridor, Semiconductor Policy, ITITES, Data Centres, and Electronic Manufacturing have propelled the state to the forefront of Indias industrial development. With law and order, transparency and time bound decision making, the Yogi government has proven that Uttar Pradesh is not just a state of potential, but a state that converts potential into results. Before 2017, Uttar Pradesh was identified with weak law and order, investor apathy and incomplete projects. Setting up industries took years, files remained stuck in offices and youth were forced to migrate out of the state in search of employment. Lack of infrastructure, expressways, industrial parks and modern logistics had constrained the states economy. Upon assuming office in 2017, Yogi Adityanath first prioritized law and order, transparency and good governance. Platforms such as Ease of Doing Business, Invest UP and Nivesh Sarathi restored investor confidence. The journey that began with the Investors Summit of 2018 has reached investment proposals of over 45 lakh crore by the Global Investors Summit of 2023 and continues steadily. The biggest achievement of the Yogi government has been that investments did not remain limited to MoUs. Through four Ground Breaking Ceremonies so far, more than 16,000 projects involving investment of over 15 lakh crore have been implemented. Of these, more than 8,300 projects have begun commercial operations, generating employment for lakhs of youth. Instead of focusing on a few selected sectors, the industrial policy of the Yogi government has given equal encouragement to diverse sectors such as semiconductors, textiles, leather, food processing, plastics, perfume, pharma and electronics. PM Mitra Textile Park, mega leather clusters, food parks and the flatted factory model have connected small and medium investors to the mainstream of development. Today, more than 65% of the countrys mobile phones are manufactured in Uttar Pradesh, and cities like Lucknow and Noida are emerging as new tech hubs. With the Prime Minister Gati Shakti National Master Plan, Uttar Pradesh has integrated planning, land use and project execution. Expressway based industrial clusters, multimodal logistics hubs, Trans Ganga City and the Greater Noida investment region have moved the state towards an infrastructure driven economy. Data based planning up to the district level has become the identity of Uttar Pradesh today. The Uttar Pradesh Defence Corridor, BrahMos integration facility and mega units like Adani Defence have made the state a centre of national security production. At the same time, through the Data Centre Policy, expansion of ITITES and Global Capability Centres (GCC), Uttar Pradesh is emerging as a new hub of the digital and knowledge economy. This transformation is not only about investment, but about the foundation of future jobs and technological leadership. The establishment of industrial parks in Bundelkhand, Purvanchal and the Terai region proves that the Yogi governments development model is not limited to western UP alone. For the first time after 2017, industrialization with regional balance has become a reality in Uttar Pradesh. Under the leadership of CM Yogi Adityanath, Uttar Pradesh has demonstrated that with political will, strict administration and a clear vision, the image of any state can be transformed. UP is no longer living in the challenges of yesterday, but in the possibilities of the future. A state that is ready to take Indias economy to new heights. Bhopal/Dhar, Jan 22 : The Opposition Congress on Thursday welcomed the Supreme Court's verdict of permitting both the communities, Muslims and Hindus, to offer prayers at the disputed Bhojshala-Kamal Maula Mosque in Dhar district of Madhya Pradesh. Responding to the development, Madhya Pradesh Congress President Jitu Patwari said that the Supreme Court has given its verdict on the Bhojshala issue and it is the duty of every citizen to follow the direction and maintain law and order. "The Madhya Pradesh government must ensure that people from both the communities offer their prayers at Bhojshala. I believe that Chief Minister Mohan Yadav will also give instructions to officials to comply with the direction issued by the Supreme Court," Patwari told IANS. Another Congress MLA, Arif Masood, who belongs to the Muslim community, talking to IANS over phone said that the minority community welcomes the Supreme Court's verdict in the case. "There was a similar situation in the past also when Hindus and Muslims offered their prayers at the disputed site. We believe that people from both sides visiting there will maintain law and order and they will also respect the faith of the other community," Masood stated. Masood further stated that the apex court's verdict is a signal in Hindustan that this is a message of love, this place is not of hate. "In 2016, when I had filed a petition in the Indore High Court, the same decision had been taken then as well. Today, the Supreme Court, taking that as the basis, has said that the ASI order should be implemented, that namaz should also be held and puja should also be held," he told IANS. Former Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Digvijaya Singh responding to the matter said that the dispute has been going on for years but the people were offering prayers at the site peacefully since 2003-04. "Now it is the state government's responsibility to follow the SC's direction," Singh said, adding that he welcomes the top court's verdict. The ruling BJP in the state, however, had not made any official statement till the filing of this report. As the Hindu annual festival of Basant Panchami falls this time on Friday, which is the day that Muslims offer their weekly Namaz, and people from both the communities will be visiting the disputed structure to offer prayers, there is a high alert in Dhar district. The Supreme Court, hearing the matter on Thursday, allowed Hindu prayers from sunrise to sunset on Basant Panchami day this Friday and permitted Muslims to offer namaz from 1 pm to 3 pm at the site. A Bench comprising Chief Justice of India Surya Kant and Justices Joymalya Bagchi and Vipul M Pancholi made an appeal to both sides to observe mutual respect and cooperate with the state and district administration for maintenance of law and order. The Court directed Dhar district administration to make law and order arrangements at the site for offering of prayers by both communities. Hindus consider Bhojshala, an Archaeological Survey of India (ASI)-protected 11th-century monument, to be a temple dedicated to Vagdevi (Goddess Saraswati), while the Muslim community calls it Kamal Maula mosque. Under an arrangement made by the ASI on April 7, 2003, Hindus perform puja on the Bhojshala premises on Tuesdays and Muslims offer namaz in the complex on Fridays. New Delhi, Jan 22 : Shiv Sena-UBT MP Priyanka Chaturvedi on Thursday criticised the Uttar Pradesh government over the death of a Noida-based techie whose car fell into a pit at a construction site, calling the incident a "clear-cut failure" of the system. Speaking to IANS, Chaturvedi said the government's response exposed deep flaws in governance and accountability. "Absolutely, it is a clear-cut failure. The CEO of Noida has been suspended, but the District Magistrate is still in the same position. This reflects a systemic failure that ultimately led to the loss of a life," she said. The MP pointed out that reports had earlier highlighted complaints about the site and alleged negligence, and accused the government of attempting to deflect public anger by announcing a Special Investigation Team (SIT). "Many people had reportedly complained about the dangerous conditions. By the time the NDRF and other agencies reached the spot, it was already too late. What will an SIT figure out now? Bureaucrats run governance, and they are running away from their responsibilities," she alleged. "The government claims it is taking Uttar Pradesh's development to another level, but by forming an SIT, they are trying to reduce public outrage. They are still protecting the District Magistrate. There is an urgent need to take responsibility and ensure accountability for such failures," she said. Calling the death deeply unfortunate, the Shiv Sena-UBT MP said the victim's father had appealed to Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath to meet him and provide assurance. "It is tragic that common citizens are compelled to plead for the Chief Minister to step in and offer reassurance. We express outrage today and forget tomorrow. Announcing an SIT often becomes a way to ensure people forget, while public safety continues to be compromised," she added. Earlier in the day, Samajwadi Party (SP) chief Akhilesh Yadav also launched a sharp attack on the Uttar Pradesh government over the issue, alleging that the tragic incident occurred due to administrative negligence. Yuvraj Mehta, 27, who was employed in Gurugram, was returning home late on the night of January 16 when his car fell into a deep, water-filled pit near a construction site in Sector 150 as it went through a broken boundary wall in the fog. He died after allegedly crying out for help for nearly two hours as his father, Rajkumar Mehta, watched helplessly beside the Nodia police and Fire Department personnel. By the time rescue efforts were intensified by the police, the National Disaster Response Force and the State Disaster Response Force amid dense fog and extreme cold, he had passed away. Rajkumar Mehta said that his son climbed the roof of the partially submerged car and used his mobile phoneas flashlight to signal his location in the thick fog, while repeatedly calling for help. However, the lack of proper rescue equipment delayed efforts to pull him out and the darkness, dense fog and near-zero visibility hampered rescue efforts. Police and fire personnel refrained from entering the water, citing freezing conditions and the risk posed by under-construction columns inside the basement. Speaking to reporters, Akhilesh Yadav said the focus should not be on where the victim was coming from or the circumstances preceding the incident. Noting that reports suggested officials hesitated to enter the pit because of the extremely cold water, the former UP Chief Minister said: "If someone has lost their life due to this reason, it happened because of the governmentas negligence. Incidents like this should not occur again." Meanwhile, the SIT probing the death has registered a fresh FIR against five builders linked to Lotus Greens Construction Pvt Ltd and MZ Wiztown Planners Pvt Ltd for alleged violations of environmental and pollution control laws. On Thursday, the SIT continued its investigation for the third consecutive day. Officials familiar with the probe said the SIT has sought detailed information from multiple departments of the Noida Authority, including the civil, projects and traffic cells, regarding works carried out in Sector 150, particularly in the area surrounding the site where the software engineer died. The three-member SIT is required to submit its report to the UP government by Saturday. SIT head and ADG of the Meerut Zone, Bhanu Bhaskar, had informed reporters of the timeline on the first day of inspections. --IANS jk/vd -- Except for the title, this story has not been edited by Prokerala team and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed Hyderabad, Jan 22 : AIMIM President and Hyderabad MP Asaduddin Owaisi on Thursday urged External Affairs Minister (EAM) S. Jaishankar to intervene and ensure the rescue of 16 India nationals from the Myanmar-Thailand border. Owaisi posted on social media platform 'X' on Thursday that he received a distressing message from a person held captive. "At least 16 Indian nationals, including three from Hyderabad, were promised jobs in Thailand but taken to the Myanmar-Thailand border and enslaved. They are forced to work 18-20 hours daily, physically punished, and deprived of passports, phones, and medical facilities," posted the MP. He appealed to the EAM to intervene urgently to ensure the rescue of all Indians stuck there. "This information comes from Mir Sajjad Ali, a resident of Osman Nagar, Hyderabad, currently incarcerated at the Myanmar-Thailand border. Two others with him are from Maula Ali and Banjara Hills," Owaisi added. India repatriated over 1,500 of its nationals from Thailand last year. They were brought back on special flights. The rescued Indians were victims of organised cyber fraud networks, which had lured them with the promise of high-paying jobs. They were later held captive and forced to engage in illegal online activities. As many as 11 people from Telangana were repatriated from Thailand in November last year. They were among 270 Indian nationals rescued. They had fled to Thailand following a military raid on cybercrime hubs in Myanmar. Another group of 55 people from neighbouring Andhra Pradesh were rescued from cybercrime hubs in Myanmar. They were among 370 Indian nationals repatriated from Thailand. All 55 belong to Vijayawada and Visakhapatnam. Since their mobile phones were seized in Myanmar and they had no money, the repatriates were provided assistance by the Andhra Pradesh government on reaching India. The Andhra Pradesh government successfully helped 79 people rescued from the Myanmar cybercrime network in reaching their homes. Earlier, 24 people belonging to various regions of Andhra Pradesh were among the Indians repatriated from Thailand. -- The story has been published from a wire feed without any modifications to the text GENEVA, Jan. 22 (Xinhua) -- The United States, which announced its withdrawal from the World Health Organization (WHO) a year ago, has yet to pay its outstanding membership dues, a WHO press official confirmed. "As of today, the USA has not paid the invoiced amounts for its assessed contributions for the biennium 2024-2025," a WHO press official said in an email to Xinhua on Wednesday. According to a recent report by the National Public Radio (NPR), a U.S.-based media organization, the overdue sum totals approximately 278 million U.S. dollars. The formal withdrawal of the United States is on the agenda of the WHO's upcoming Executive Board meeting, the official added, noting that the WHO Secretariat "will act on advice and guidance of our governing bodies accordingly." On Tuesday, U.S. President Donald Trump signed an executive order on the country's withdrawal from the WHO. The United Nations received the formal notice two days later. The NPR cited WHO officials as saying that withdrawal from the organization takes effect one year after the notice is given, and when all the outstanding membership dues are paid, which Washington had refused. WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said earlier this month that the U.S. decision will make both the country and the world "unsafe." Much of the work done by the WHO is beneficial to the United States, and "that's why I said the U.S. cannot be safe without working with the WHO," said the WHO chief. Bengaluru, Jan 22 : Following high drama in the joint session of the Karnataka Legislature after Governor Thawar Chand Gehlot declined to read the customary speech prepared by the state government and walked out after reading a short statement, the Leader of Opposition (LoP) in the Council, Chalavadi Narayanaswamy on Thursday demanded the resignation of Chief Minister Siddaramaiah. Speaking to the media at Vidhana Soudha, Chalavadi Narayanaswamy, demanded that Chief Minister Siddaramaiah resign immediately, taking responsibility for the indiscipline in the House in the presence of the Governor. Narayanaswamy alleged that the Congress' 'hooliganism', which was earlier confined to the streets, had now entered the Legislature. He claimed that some members had even rushed towards the Governor while he was delivering his address and came close to assaulting him, as reported by sections of the media. "We strongly condemn this. Chief Minister Siddaramaiah must immediately resign, taking responsibility for this hooliganism," he said. He said the 'hooliganism' against the Governor was unconstitutional and against the Constitution. "Today, the Governor's actions were in favour of the federal system. He upheld the Constitution, and we welcome that," he said. Referring to earlier remarks by BJP MLC C.T. Ravi, he said that when the Governor comes to address the House and when he leaves, no one should obstruct him. "If anyone obstructs the Governor, the members concerned must be suspended for that entire session. We will raise this issue in the House," he said. He alleged that the government had deliberately prepared the ground for confrontation with the Centre. "What you wrote in the speech was akin to insulting the Governor. The Governor has rejected it, and that is a welcome step," he said. Narayanaswamy said the Constitution mandates that the Chief Minister must receive the Governor with due respect when he arrives and see him off with the same respect when he leaves. "The speech should have highlighted the government's achievements, policies and future plans. Instead, they attempted to provoke confrontation with the Centre in an unconstitutional manner," Narayanaswamy alleged. Earlier, addressing the media at Vidhana Soudha after the Governor's exit on Thursday, the Chief Minister said, "It is a constitutional obligation for the Governor to address the joint session at the beginning of the year and when a new government is formed. Articles 176 and 163 of the Indian Constitution clearly state that the Governor should not read out a speech prepared by himself. The speech prepared by the Cabinet of the government must be read out by the Governor." "By refusing to read the Cabinet-prepared speech and instead delivering his own one-paragraph address, the Governor had acted against the Constitution. He has violated the Constitution," the Chief Minister asserted. "The Constitution is very clear under Articles 176 and 163 that the Governor shall read out the speech prepared by the Cabinet. This is a clear violation of the Constitution and an insult to the House of representatives of the people. This has been a long-standing constitutional tradition, and it has now been violated," he said. -- Except for the title, this story has not been edited by Prokerala team and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed Dhar, Jan 22 : As a large number of people from the Hindu and Muslim communities are expected to visit the disputed Bhojshala Temple-Kamal Maula Mosque complex to offer religious prayers on January 23, the Dhar district administration has issued prohibitory orders, imposing Section 163 of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita (BNS). A multi-layer security system involving more than 8,000 police personnel and the Rapid Action Force (RAF) has been deployed, and the administration has also declared a no-fly zone within a 300-metre radius of the Bhojshala complex, where Basant Panchami will be celebrated on Friday. All aerial activity, including drones, UAVs, paragliding, hot air balloons, or any flying object, is strictly banned. Dhar district collector Priyank Garg said on Thursday that the district administration and police have prepared fully to ensure better law and order. "We are fully prepared for the Basant Panchami festival, which is falling on Friday. Our primary objective is to ensure better law and order," Garg said, briefing the media on Thursday. Garg said that the district administration is committed to complying with the Supreme Court's order. He also appealed to media organisations and social media owners to refrain from any kind of interpretation on the Supreme Court's verdict regarding the permission of Hindus and Muslims for offering religious prayers at the site. The collector issued a stern warning that any content inciting religious hatred, whether through newspapers, electronic media, social media platforms like WhatsApp or Facebook, will invite strict action under the Bharatiya Nyaya Samhita and the IT Act. "Media persons are advised to refrain from interpretation of the SC's verdict. Interpretation may disturb law and order. District administration will share the details about every development with media persons," Garg said. He stated that district administration has started preparations for the day (Basant Panchami) for the last few weeks, and several meetings were organised with people from all communities for discussion. So far, the administration has conducted 31 Mohalla Committee meetings and 21 meetings with members of the Muslim community, aimed at defusing tensions and building trust, he added. Speaking further on the security arrangement, Garg stated that apart from police personnel or RAF, technology-driven security architecture has been rolled out in the surroundings of the disputed historical building. Artificial Intelligence, LiDAR, and 3D city mapping are now at the heart of Dhar's law-and-order strategy, transforming the town into a digitally monitored zone. He shared that a central control room has been set up from where police will conduct live monitoring across the city. Over 20 AI-enabled drones will fly at regular intervals, feeding real-time data on crowd density. "Over a dozen SPs, 25 Additional Superintendents of Police, and 67 Deputy SPs have been deployed for security. In addition, 933 women police personnel and eight RAF platoons have been deployed. Another 1,500 to 2,000 police personnel are on standby to reinforce sensitive areas if required," he added. The Supreme Court hearing the matter on Thursday allowed Hindu prayers from sunrise to sunset on Basant Panchami (on Friday) and permitted Muslims to offer namaz from 1 pm to 3 pm on the day at the disputed site. A bench comprising Chief Justice of India Surya Kant and Justices Joymalya Bagchi and Vipul M Pancholi appealed to both sides to observe mutual respect and cooperate with the state and district administration for the maintenance of law and order. The reason behind the dispute is that Hindus consider Bhojshala, an Archaeological Survey of India (ASI)-protected 11th-century monument, to be a temple dedicated to Vagdevi (Goddess Saraswati), while the Muslim community calls it Kamal Maula mosque. Under an arrangement made by the ASI on April 7, 2003, Hindus perform puja on the Bhojshala premises on Tuesdays, and Muslims offer 'namaz' in the complex on Fridays. Kochi, Jan 22 : In a significant political development that could reshape Kerala's electoral landscape, the BJP has finalised an alliance with the Twenty20 party, with the Kizhakkambalam-based outfit set to formally join the National Democratic Alliance (NDA). Kochi, Jan 22 (IANS) In a significant political development that could reshape Keralaas electoral landscape, the BJP has finalised an alliance with the Twenty20 party, with the Kizhakkambalam-based outfit set to formally join the National Democratic Alliance (NDA). The decision was sealed at a crucial meeting in Kochi between BJP state President Rajeev Chandrasekhar and Twenty20 Chairman Sabu M. Jacob, marking the first time since its formation that Twenty20 has aligned with a major political front. The move comes at a politically charged moment, with Prime Minister Narendra Modi scheduled to arrive in Thiruvananthapuram on Friday. Jacob is expected to share the stage with the Prime Minister, underlining the political significance of the new alignment. The outreach had been in the making for some time, with Jacob previously holding discussions with Union Home Minister Amit Shah during his visit to Kerala. Chandrasekhar, too, had been actively pursuing talks to bring Twenty20 into the NDA fold, culminating in Thursdayas decisive meeting. The BJP sees the alliance as a key component of its strategy to secure a major breakthrough in the forthcoming Assembly elections. Party leaders believe that Twenty20as entry into the NDA will substantially strengthen the BJPas prospects in Ernakulam district, where the party has so far struggled to convert presence into electoral success. The development is expected to alter existing political equations and trigger fresh debates across the state. Responding to the development, Jacob said the BJP-led government at the Centre represented a development-oriented governance model, signalling ideological comfort with the alliance. For the BJP, the tie-up is aimed at expanding its social and electoral footprint in a State traditionally dominated by the Left and the Congress-led UDF. However, Twenty20as recent electoral performance presents a mixed picture. In the last local body elections, the party managed a clean sweep in Aikkaranad but suffered setbacks in its stronghold of Kizhakkambalam, winning only 14 seats in the panchayat. It also lost control of Kunnathunadu and Mazhuvannoor panchayats, though it emerged as a strong presence in Thiruvaniyoor. Both the LDF and UDF had tactically backed common independent candidates to dent Twenty20as dominance in Kizhakkambalam. Despite fielding candidates in over 50 divisions and announcing plans to capture the Kochi Corporation, Twenty20 failed to make a significant impact in the urban civic body. Even so, the BJP believes the alliance could prove decisive in future elections, opening a new chapter in Keralaas political contest, with the Assembly polls due very soon. Thiruvananthapuram, Jan 22 : Leader of the Opposition (LoP), V.D. Satheesan, on Thursday wrote to the Speaker of the Kerala Legislative Assembly demanding that derogatory remarks and allegations made by State Ministers against former Congress president Sonia Gandhi be expunged from the official records of the House. Describing the remarks as a grave breach of parliamentary propriety, Satheesan said the Ministersa conduct violated established rules, conventions and rulings governing Assembly proceedings. In his letter, Satheesan referred to the events during the Sixteenth Session of the Fifteenth Kerala Legislative Assembly on January 22, when Opposition members staged a protest on the floor of the House demanding the resignation of the Devaswom Minister in connection with the Sabarimala gold theft case. He alleged that during the commotion, three Cabinet Ministers a" Local Self-Government, Excise and Parliamentary Affairs Minister M.B. Rajesh, General Education and Labour Minister V. Sivankutty, and Health, Women and Child Development Minister Veena George a" made derogatory remarks and levelled allegations against Sonia Gandhi, a former national president of the Indian National Congress. The Leader of the Opposition pointed out that Rule 285 of the Rules of Procedure and Conduct of Business of the Kerala Legislative Assembly clearly bars the raising of defamatory allegations or imputations of wrongdoing against any individual on the floor of the House without prior notice to the Speaker. He also noted that it is a long-standing convention in the Assembly that such notice must be accompanied by supporting evidence. Satheesan cited a ruling issued by the Chair on June 28, 1990, which states that allegations raised in the House must be made with utmost responsibility and supported by evidence, and that when allegations concern persons who are not members of the Assembly, more explicit and credible proof is required. He added that similar rulings issued on August 20, 1971, March 22, 1973, and November 20, 1986, reinforce this principle. Terming the Ministersa remarks as baseless and irresponsible, Satheesan said it was particularly objectionable that Sonia Gandhi a" who is not a member of the Kerala Assembly and is widely regarded as a national leader with an unblemished political legacy and a life of public service a" was sought to be linked to the Sabarimala gold theft without notice or any evidence. Invoking Rule 307, the Leader of the Opposition urged the Speaker to expunge the remarks from the Assembly records, stop the telecast of the visuals through Assembly TV, and issue strict instructions to Ministers to prevent the recurrence of such rule violations. Chennai, Jan 22 : The Madras High Court on Thursday reserved its orders in a trademark infringement suit filed by Sangeetha Caterers and Consultants LLP, owners of the popular Chennai-based vegetarian restaurant chain 'Sangeetha', against its former franchisees who now operate restaurants under the brand name 'Geetham' across the city. Justice Senthilkumar Ramamoorthy deferred his verdict after hearing detailed arguments from senior counsel A.K. Sriram, appearing for the plaintiff, and senior counsel P.S. Raman, representing the defendants led by Rasnam Foods Pvt. Ltd. The judge also permitted both sides to explore an out-of-court settlement before the pronouncement of orders and granted liberty to mention the matter if such a settlement materialises. Recording the submissions, the court noted: "Both parties concluded arguments. Judgment reserved. Since parties have indicated that they would continue to endeavour to resolve the dispute amicably, both parties are granted leave to mention the matter in case they are able to reach a settlement." During the hearing, advocate Raman submitted that the prospects of a settlement would be realistic only if the claim was limited to around Rs 3 crore, and not the Rs 130 crore demanded by the plaintiff. On that basis, he urged the court to reserve its judgment and allow time for negotiations. Arguing the case on merits, Sriram said 'Sangeetha' was founded in 1985 by P. Suresh and P. Rajagopal and had grown into a reputed brand with 29 outlets in Chennai and 21 more overseas, built on decades of goodwill and customer patronage. In 2009, the plaintiff granted franchise rights to Rasnam Foods to operate a 'Sangeetha' outlet in Velachery, followed by additional outlets in Thoraipakkam, Medavakkam, T. Nagar, Navalur, and at Tata Consultancy Servicesa Siruseri campus. After the franchisees exited the arrangement in 2022, all the 'Sangeetha' outlets were closed on May 31 that year. However, from the very next day, Rasnam Foods and its associate entities began running restaurants from the same premises under the name 'Geetham', which, the plaintiff alleged, was deceptively similar to 'Sangeetha' and adopted with a dishonest intent to trade on its goodwill built over nearly four decades. Countering these claims, Raman said the dispute stemmed from the plaintiffas refusal in 2022 to permit relocation of the loss-making Medavakkam outlet affected by nearby Metro Rail works. He contended that 'Sangeetha' had willingly let the franchisees exit, assuming they would not succeed independently, and questioned why the infringement suit was filed only a year after 'Geetham' had been operating successfully. On the continued use of the same locations, he said advance rent had been paid to landlords. He also pointed out that 'Geetham' had altered its logo colours following interim court orders and had issued full-page advertisements in top newspapers, clarifying it had no connection with 'Sangeetha'. "What more can I do to distance myself from my former principal?" he asked as he concluded his submissions. --IANS aal/vd Tokyo, Jan 22 : India's Ambassador-designate to Japan, Nagma Mallick held a meeting with Japan's Minister of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries on Thursday, discussing bilateral partnership in agriculture, food processing and sharing of best practices. "Ambassador-designate Nagma M Mallick called on HE Mr. SUZUKI Norikazu, Honable Minister of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries and discussed deepening India Japan partnership in the field of agriculture, food processing and sharing of best practices," the Indian Embassy in Japan posted on X. On Monday, Mallick held a meeting with Japan's Minister of Economic Security in Tokyo and discussed various facets of bilateral partnership, including Economic Security, Artificial Intelligence (AI) and cultural connect. "Ambassador-designate Nagma M Mallick called on Minister Onoda Kimi. They discussed the various facets of India-Japan partnership, including Economic Security, AI and cultural connect," the Indian Embassy in Japan posted on X. On January 16, External Affairs Minister (EAM) S Jaishankar and Japanese counterpart Toshimitsu Motegi co-chaired the 18th India-Japan Strategic Dialogue in New Delhi and discussed economic, maritime, supply chain, critical mineral, technology, P2P and multilateral cooperation between both countries. "Pleased to co-chair the 18th India-Japan Strategic Dialogue alongside FM Toshimitsu Motegi in New Delhi today. Our Special Strategic and Global Partnership is on an upward trajectory and holds immense potential for shaping the world order and de-risking the international economy," EAM Jaishankar posted on X. "Todayas discussions on deeper economic, maritime, supply chain, critical mineral, technology, P2P and multilateral cooperation were reflective of our shared interests and mutual understanding. Also had a useful exchange of perspectives on Indo-Pacific and regional and global developments," he added. Toshimitsu Motegi also paid a courtesy call on Prime Minister Narendra Modi on January 16, highlighting that both Japan and India are "natural partners" that share fundamental values aaand strategic interests. "At the beginning of the meeting, Minister Motegi stated that Japan and India are 'natural partners' that share fundamental values aaand strategic interests, and that he hopes to work together to realise a 'Free and Open Indo-Pacific' based on their strong bilateral relationship. Prime Minister Modi welcomed Minister Motegi's visit to India and stated that he hopes to deepen cooperation based on the Japan-India Special Strategic and Global Partnership," read a statement issued by Japan's Ministry of Foreign Affairs. It added that the two sides agreed to further invigorate bilateral exchanges in 2027, the 75th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between Japan and India. "With the 'Japan-India Joint Vision for the Next Decade' announced during Prime Minister Modi's visit to Japan in August last year in mind, the two leaders held a frank exchange of views on a wide range of areas, including security, including economic security; the economy, investment, and innovation, including AI; and people-to-people exchanges, and agreed to elevate Japan-India relations to even greater heights," the Japanese MFA stated further. Ahmedabad, Jan 22 : Authorities on Thursday intensified their probe into the deaths of Yashrajsinh Gohil -- nephew of senior Congress leader and Rajya Sabha MP Shaktisinh Gohil -- and his wife, Rajeshwariba. The couple was found dead with gunshot wounds at their residence in the Bodakdev area of Ahmedabad late Wednesday night. Police said the bodies have been sent for forensic post-mortem examinations to determine the sequence of events and establish whether the shooting was accidental or deliberate. ACP (A Division) Jayesh Brahmbhatt said preliminary findings, supported by the statement of Yashrajsinh's mother, indicate a possible accidental discharge of the firearm. "Although the initial probe and the mother's statement suggest the bullet was fired by mistake and not intentionally, the forensic post-mortem will help ascertain the truth," Brahmbhatt said. According to police and emergency services, the 108 ambulance service received a call at around 11.42 p.m. on Wednesday. A medical team reached the couple's apartment at NRI Tower on Judges Bungalow Road within minutes. Yashrajsinh met the paramedics downstairs and led them to Flat No. 502 (Block A). Inside the bedroom, paramedics found Rajeshwariba lying on the floor with a gunshot wound to her head, a revolver placed nearby. After checking her pulse, she was declared dead on the spot. As ambulance staff were informing senior officials, Yashrajsinh allegedly used the same licensed revolver to shoot himself inside the flat. His mother and the medical team were present in the apartment at the time. The ambulance team remained at the spot for about 15 minutes until the police arrived. Police said Yashrajsinh, a Class-I officer with the Gujarat Maritime Board, had married Rajeshwariba only two months ago. The couple lived with his mother. ACP Brahmbhatt noted that the couple had returned home after attending a social gathering and appeared normal. "The security guard told us both looked happy when they returned and went straight to their flat," he said. Gujarat Congress spokesperson Manish Doshi said Yashrajsinh was checking his licensed revolver in the bedroom when it accidentally discharged, fatally injuring Rajeshwariba near her neck. "After the 108 staff declared her dead, Yashrajsinh shot himself in a state of shock," Doshi said. Police added that no prior complaints involving the couple had been registered, and all angles -- including accident, murder, and suicide -- are being examined pending forensic results. Mumbai Jan 22 : Actor Ahan Shetty who is all geared up for his upcoming movie Border 2, has expressed gratitude to Sunny Deol, Varun Dhawan for being like family on sets. Taking to his social media account, the Tadap actor shared pictures of the primary starcast of Border 2 and thanked each one of them. Calling Sunny Deol as a father figure, Ahan wrote, "Sunny Sir A true father figure to me on set. You showed me what quiet strength, humility, and unwavering dedication really look like. There's something incredibly grounding about being around someone who carries so much legacy, yet remains so deeply human." Highlighting his equation with co-star Varun Dhawan, Ahan wrote, "Varun I look up to you as an older brother and will always be grateful for the love and support you've given me throughout this journey. You showed up every single day focused, sincere, and always giving more than what was ever asked of you. That generosity stays with me." For actor Diljit Dosanjh who is also a part of Border 2, Ahan wrote, "Diljit Sir The way you embraced me like a younger brother and always rooted for me means more than I can put into words. A warmth that can't be taught. Full of kindness, laughter, and an energy that instantly puts everyone at ease. Being around you reminded me that joy is just as important as hard work." He also penned a gratitude note for costar and actress Mona Singh that read, "Mona Ma'am You aren't just an incredible actor but also a genuinely kind and grounded human being. It was an absolute pleasure working with you and sharing the screen with someone so inspiring." For co-star Sonam Bajwa, Anya Singh and Medha, Ahan wrote, "Sonam You carry grace in the simplest, most effortless way. Every moment around you felt calm, respectful, and real. Anya Remembered as a quiet, calm presence with such brilliant acting instincts. You say so much without saying a word, and that stayed with me." The note for Medha read, "Medha Your honesty and freshness were a reminder of why new journeys are just as inspiring as seasoned ones." He also expressed gratitude and thanked the makers of Border 2 in his carousel post. Ahan captioned the post as, "Some journeys stay with you long after the work is done, simply because of the people you meet along the way. Beyond the cameras and the lights, it was the respect, the kindness, and the love for the craft that made this experience what it was. Truly thankful for the memories, the learning, and the people who made it all so meaningful. Just a day away from the film being out for the entire world to see. Feeling grateful, excited, and a little nervous. I can't wait for everyone to watch it." Earlier, Ahan had spoken about 'testing times' post his debut Tadap in 2021, through a heartfelt post on his social media account. He wrote, "December 3, 2021 Tadap, my first film. The beginning of a dream I stepped into with hope, fear, and everything in between," wrote Ahan. "What followed tested me deeply Periods of uncertainty, quiet struggles, and lessons that only time and patience can teach. Growth rarely comes without pain, and every moment shaped who I am today," he added. The actor further expressed gratitude for all the learning lessons and said that he was now looking forward to his second Bollywood movie. "I'm grateful for all of it. January 23, 2026 Just a few days away now from my second film, Border 2, coming to you. A new chapter born from patience, perseverance, and belief. With a fuller heart, steadier faith, and the same dream, now stronger than ever." He added, "I hope you'll stand with us, experience this journey, and support this film from the heart. It would mean more than words can express." Talking about Border 2, the movie along with Ahan Shetty, also stars Sunny Deol and Varun Dhawan, Diljit Dosanjh and is all slated to release on January 23, this year. IANS rd/ Kolkata, Jan 22 : Even on the occasion of the inauguration of the Kolkata International Book Fair, 2026, on Thursday, West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee launched a scathing attack on the Election Commission of India (ECI) over the ongoing Special Intensive Revision (SIR) in the state and called for a united movement by all sections of society against hearing notices served to celebrities, intellectuals and socially acclaimed persons. "The SIR exercise is going on in West Bengal. Already, 110 persons in the state have died because of reasons directly or indirectly linked to the revision exercise. The ECI should have kept in mind the inconvenience to people because of the manner in which the revision exercise is being conducted. On an average, people have to stand for four to five hours in a queue during hearings on the claims and objections on the draft voters' list," the Chief Minister said in her inauguration address at the Book Fair, which started on Thursday. Speaking on the occasion, the Chief Minister also claimed that the concept of "logical discrepancy" was never there in the revision exercise in any state in the past. "This has been introduced only in the case of West Bengal. This is not happening in any other state," the Chief Minister claimed. According to her, the manner in which acclaimed persons like Nobel laureate economist Amartya Sen, poet Joy Goswami, and several other socially acclaimed persons were served with hearing notices was highly "uncertain". "Earlier, not the Commission, but the people used to decide who would be voted to power. Now the Commission is deciding who will vote. This cannot go on. Everyone should protest against this. Remember, one cannot remain silent if there is a fire at their neighbour's house. So there should be a united movement against this," the Chief Minister said. Speaking on the occasion, she said that already 135 books penned by her have been published. "I have many more to write in the coming days. One of them will surely be on the harassment of people in the name of SIR," she claimed. New Delhi, Jan 22 : Assam's Republic Day tableau this year will shine a national spotlight on Asharikandi, a renowned terracotta craft village in Dhubri district, celebrating the state's rich riverine culture and the spirit of self-reliance rooted in traditional livelihoods. New Delhi, Jan 22 (IANS) Assamas Republic Day tableau this year will shine a national spotlight on Asharikandi, a renowned terracotta craft village in Dhubri district, celebrating the stateas rich riverine culture and the spirit of self-reliance rooted in traditional livelihoods. The tableau was previewed for media persons on Thursday at the Rashtriya Rangshala Camp in the national capital in the presence of Nodal Officer Bikram Newar and officials of the Cultural Affairs Department, Government of Assam. At the centre of the tableau is a striking terracotta installation featuring a towering doll holding earthen lamps arranged in a circular formation, symbolising continuity, light and the enduring legacy of Assamas indigenous crafts. The tractor-mounted structure is flanked by earthen sarai placed along bamboo fencing, underscoring the importance of bamboo as a sustainable resource and its role in the socio-economic life of the state. The trailer portion takes the shape of a traditional Mayurpangkhi boat, reflecting Assamas intimate relationship with its rivers. Artisans are shown at work, moulding hiramati (local clay) into idols of deities such as Ganesh, Kartik, Durga, Lakshmi and Saraswati, offering a live depiction of the terracotta-making process. A traditional pall (sail canvas) at the rear enhances the authenticity of the riverine theme. Conceptualised around the theme of Atmanirbhar Bharat, the tableau presents Asharikandi as a model of cultural entrepreneurship, where generations of artisans have sustained livelihoods through age-old skills adapted to contemporary markets. The village stands as a symbol of self-reliance achieved through the preservation and promotion of traditional knowledge systems. Located in western Assamas Dhubri district, Asharikandi is recognised as the largest terracotta and pottery craft cluster in the state. Its artisans are known for creating puttolaa"terracotta toys and idolsa"including the iconic Hatima doll. The craft tradition dates back over a century, tracing its roots to pottery communities that migrated from erstwhile East Bengal in the early 19th century. The village received national recognition through the late Sarala Bala Devi, who won the National Award for Terracotta Craft in 1982. In March 2024, terracotta crafts of Dhubri district were accorded the Geographical Indication (GI) tag, further cementing Asharikandias status as a centre of excellence. Through its Republic Day tableau, Assam brings a living craft tradition to Kartavya Path, celebrating heritage, resilience and self-reliance, an official release mentioned. --IANS tdr/dan OSLO, Jan. 22 (Xinhua) -- Greenlandic Prime Minister Jens-Frederik Nielsen reiterated on Thursday that sovereignty remains a red line for his government, even amid intense pressure from the United States. "Our territorial integrity and borders are absolutely red lines that must not be crossed," Nielsen told a press conference in Nuuk, capital of Greenland. "Greenland chooses the Greenland we know today, as part of the Kingdom of Denmark." U.S. President Donald Trump said Wednesday he had ruled out using military force to acquire Greenland, claiming his talks with NATO Secretary General Mark had produced "the framework of a future deal" concerning Greenland and the broader Arctic region. However, Nielsen said that he does not know the specific details of this framework. He stressed that no one other than Greenland and Denmark can make agreements concerning Greenland and Denmark. When questioned whether Greenland now considers itself safe, Nielsen said that, prior to Wednesday's statement by Trump, the possibility of a U.S. military attempt could not be dismissed. He stressed that Greenland demands future talks be conducted with full respect for its sovereignty. Earlier on Thursday, Trump told Fox Business that the White House is negotiating a deal to secure U.S. "total access" to Denmark's Greenland with no time limit. Imphal, Jan 22 : The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), the Meitei community's apex body Coordinating Committee on Manipur Integrity (COCOMI), and several other organisations on Thursday strongly condemned the killing of a Meitei man, asserting that acts of violence have no place in a civilised society. Fresh tension escalated on Thursday in Manipur's Imphal valley region, inhabited by the Meitei community, after police recovered the body of a 38-year-old man a day after he and his wife were kidnapped by suspected United Kuki National Army (UKNA) militants in Manipur's Churachandpur district, officials said. The victim has been identified as Mayanglambam Rishikanta Singh, who belonged to the Meitei community. He was married to Chingnu Haokip, a member of the Kuki tribal community. According to a police official, the couple was abducted on Wednesday by suspected UKNA militants and taken towards Natjang village under Henglep police station in Churachandpur district. Extremists allegedly killed Singh during captivity, while his wife was later released. A large number of people, including women, gathered at Kakching Khunou Bazar in Kakching district and held a public meeting to protest the killing. As part of the protest, shops, business establishments, schools and government offices in the locality remained closed. State BJP President Adhikarimayum Sharda Devi, in a post on X, said: "I strongly condemn the tragic killing of Mayanglambam Rishikanta Singh, son of Mayanglambam Tombi Singh of Kakching Khunou, allegedly by anti-national elements." "Such acts of violence have no place in our society and go against the values of peace, harmony, and humanity. At this difficult moment, I appeal to all sections of society to remain united, uphold the rule of law, and work collectively to strengthen our social fabric and ensure a peaceful and secure future for all," Devi said. The COCOMI described the killing as a brutal act and alleged that the central government has failed to control armed militant groups operating in the violence-hit state. COCOMI Convenor Y.K. Dhiren said the killing took place at a time when civil society groups and various sections of the public were making continuous efforts to restore peace and normal life in Manipur. "The incident was deeply unfortunate and showed that the security situation in the state was worsening," he said, adding that more than 60,000 security personnel have been deployed in Manipur to deal with the unrest, but alleged that the presence of such a large force has not succeeded in stopping the activities of armed militants. The COCOMI leader, while talking to the media, claimed that civilians continued to lose their lives while armed groups were able to operate freely. He claimed that the militants were using advanced weapons and moving without restraint, while the authorities failed to take firm action. Raising questions about the proper utilisation of the huge central and paramilitary forces in protecting civilians, Dhiren said that the situation had crossed acceptable limits and required urgent intervention. He said that if innocent people could not be protected, the purpose of the deployment needed to be reviewed. COCOMI reiterated its demand for immediate and decisive steps by the Government of India to restore law and order, fix responsibility, and prevent further loss of civilian lives in Manipur. Seoul, Jan 22 : South Korea's Unification Minister Chung Dong-young on Thursday committed to seeking a breakthrough in resuming exchanges with North Korea, reaffirming Seoul's policy of reengaging the regime to promote peace. "By designing mutually beneficial, multilateral and innovative cooperative projects, the government will find a path to resuming inter-Korean exchanges," Chung said during a meeting of the South-North Korea Exchanges and Cooperation Support Association, Yonhap News Agency reported. The association, chaired by the unification minister, is a public-private consultative body on inter-Korean exchanges, comprising 25 officials from the Office of National Security and the foreign, finance and justice ministries, as well as private-sector members. "The surest path to building peace would be (facilitating) exchanges between the South and the North," the minister said, adding the government is ready to end hostility and reopen all roads and railways toward the North. The Thursday meeting discussed plans for nine North Korea-related programs funded by the Inter-Korean Cooperation Fund, a government fund aimed at promoting inter-Korean cooperation. They included the publication of a joint Korean dictionary and a joint survey of the Manwoldae site, a historic Goryeo Dynasty (918a"1392) palace located in present-day Kaesong, North Korea. On January 2, South Korea's Unification Minister Chung Dong-young urged North Korea to return to dialogue, saying South Korea is ready to talk with the North "on any agenda" to ease inter-Korean tensions. Chung made the remarks in his New Year's message during a ceremony at the government complex in Seoul, stressing that the two Koreas must "end inter-Korean hostilities this year." "The Lee Jae Myung administration, as a sovereign government, will fully support exchanges in the private sector and cooperation in areas such as public health, medical services and humanitarian issues and will not restrict or interfere in such efforts," he said. "We are ready to sit down with North Korea for talks anytime, anywhere and on any agenda to ease inter-Korean tensions," he added. Referring to the North by its official name, the Democratic People's Republic of Korea, Chung stressed that Seoul does not support the idea of unification by absorption. He also proposed promoting cross-border tourism projects, including projects linked to the Wonsan-Kalma tourist zone on the east coast and the northern city of Samjiyon, near Mount Paektu. Patna, Jan 22 : Bihar Deputy Chief Minister and Revenue and Land Reforms Minister Vijay Kumar Sinha on Thursday expressed strong displeasure after discovering that the department's toll-free grievance redressal number was not functioning, despite being meant for public assistance. Vijay Sinha made an unexpected visit to the Revenue and Land Reforms Department for a surprise inspection, catching officials off guard. He inspected the office responsible for handling calls received on the department's toll-free number 1800-345-6215, which has been issued for the speedy resolution of land-related grievances. During the inspection, the Deputy Chief Minister directly questioned the officials, stating that calls had not been answered since the morning. "I myself tried calling the toll-free number 10 times, but there was no response," he told the officials. The Revenue Minister said he had been receiving continuous complaints from the public that calls to the toll-free number were going unanswered. Expressing his dissatisfaction, he termed the situation as administrative negligence. "If the toll-free number itself is not functional, how will people convey their problems, and how will those problems be resolved? This system is meant to serve the public, not to exist only on paper," Vijay Sinha said. He directed officials to immediately rectify technical shortcomings and ensure that the call centre operates effectively around the clock. He also issued a clear warning that strict action would be taken against responsible officials if such complaints were repeated in the future. Reiterating the government's commitment, Vijay Sinha said that providing transparent, prompt, and citizen-friendly services in revenue and land-related matters remains a top priority of the Bihar government. Vijay Kumar Sinha has been in action mode since he was given charge of the Revenue and Land Reforms Department in the Nitish Kumar government. He has been taking regular meetings with the officials district-wise and making decisions on the spot. So far, he has visited districts such as Muzaffarpur, Darbhanga, Bhagalpur, Purnea, and Katihar apart from Patna. Riyadh, Jan 22 : A defence pact with Turkey and Pakistan could mean Saudi Arabia shouldering new obligations and taking on extra risks it didn't have before, a report has highlighted. Riyadh, Jan 22 (IANS) A defence pact with Turkey and Pakistan could mean Saudi Arabia shouldering new obligations and taking on extra risks it didnat have before, a report has highlighted. The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA) is reportedly exploring an extensive defence pact with Turkey and Pakistan, building on the Saudi-Pakistani mutual defence agreement (SDMA) signed in September 2025, Shay Gal, a strategic analyst specialising in international security, foreign policy, and geopolitical crisis management, wrote in the Eurasian Times. "Saudi Arabiaas Vision 2030 canat be outsourced. The entire plan depends on one thing that cannot be delegated: predictability," wrote Gal. "However, a defence pact with Turkey and Pakistan, which could involve their own crisis and conflicts, does the opposite. It brings uncertainty and risk, which markets dislike. For markets, a treaty is not an umbrella. It is a contingent liability," he added. The trilateral agreement would move Saudi Arabia's security centre of gravity away from the Gulf and put it into the volatile hands of non-Gulf powers. "Ankara and Islamabad walk away with real leverage and a lot more room to maneuver. Riyadh, on the other hand, ends up shouldering new obligations and taking on extra risks it didnat have before," the piece mentioned. The Eurasian Times article detailed that if Riyadh weakens a Gulf-built platform while elevating Turkey within its security architecture, investors will treat Turkeyas routes as the safer bet. Saudi Arabia then loses twice: it slows the corridor meant to make the Kingdom a hub, while accelerating the one designed to make Turkey indispensable. "A defence pact with Turkey and Pakistan would re-price Saudi Arabia as a risk rather than a security. It would bind the Kingdom to obligations it does not control, while others monetise permanence without surrendering autonomy," the author stated. The writer mentioned that once security is formalised, routine support would become an expectation. "Rollovers, deposit extensions, and deferred oil facilities grow harder to refuse, not through coercion, but through reputation. Saudi credibility becomes tied to Pakistanas capacity. Pakistanas capacity becomes tied to Saudi liquidity. Turkey's upside is equally clear. A formal security role in the Gulf would give Ankara real legitimacy in the region, a much larger market for its booming defence industry, and direct access to Gulf militaries," it mentioned. Islamabad, Jan 22 : People across Pakistan are raising concerns over Pakistani Army Chief Asim Munir's failure to safeguard citizens from escalating militancy, particularly in the provinces of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Balochistan. The rise in militant attacks and fatalities has been attributed to the operational and tactical shortcomings of Munir-led security forces, with 2025 recording more than 5,300 militant attacks in Pakistan, a report said on Thursday. "Asim Munir was elevated to the rank of Field Marshal in 2025 for his 'exemplary leadership' in enhancing Pakistan's security, but the same year saw a 74 per cent increase in combat-related deaths, reflecting the unprecedented deterioration of internal stability. There appears to be a failure to rein in militant groups and a struggle to fulfil his core duty of ensuring domestic order, despite Munir exercising unparalleled authority and making repeated public assertions of control," a report in European Times detailed. The report cited Tamim Asey, former Afghan Deputy Minister of Defence, accusing Munir of risking the lives of Pakistani soldiers fighting the Taliban on the Afghan border while failing to contain militancy in Balochistan. "Come back to dialogue and avoid further bloodshed. Your forces are being killed in hordes. Every day of these confrontations will sleepwalk you into another epic mistake of Bangladesh magnitude!" Asey warned. In reference to a video of Pakistani soldiers being held hostage, the European Times quoted Asey as saying: "Somebody should advise Asim Munir he is walking into a major catastrophic mistake." The report highlighted that several Pakistanis held Munir responsible for inciting violence. "The entire nation knows that terrorism in the tribal areas is being carried out under the leadership of the mentally ill Asim Munir," the report quoted Peshawar resident Amin Wazir as saying. Pearl Pandya, senior analyst at ACLED, a US-based conflict monitoring firm, said that the military-centric response to dissent in Balochistan and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa has alienated the local populations, while warning that Munir's plan to mine copper in Balochistan could intensify militancy. "For militancy to abate in Pakistan, a combination of three factors is essential: sustained military pressure on militants, political engagement with Baloch and Pashtun groups, and cooperation from Afghanistan. While the first is in Pakistan's hands, both the army and the government remain hesitant toward the second and have limited ability to influence the third, and most crucial, piece of the puzzle," the European Times quoted Pandya as saying. "This points toward, at best, a continuation of the status quo with sporadic bursts in regional violence in 2026 and, at worst, a further deterioration in the security situation as militancy enters the mainland," she added. Kabul, Jan 22 : At least 11 people have been killed and three others injured amid heavy snowfall and rains lashing multiple provinces in Afghanistan, according to a spokesperson for the National Disaster Management Authority on Thursday. According to the spokesperson, initial reports from provincial authorities indicate that severe weather has affected residents in the provinces of eastern Parwan, Wardak, southern Kandahar, northern Jawzjan, Faryab, and central Bamiyan, Xinhua News Agency reported. The storms have partially destroyed nine homes and led to the loss of 530 livestock, severely affecting local livelihoods in these agrarian regions, said the spokesperson, adding that the snow accumulation has blocked key roads, prompting urgent clearance operations by authorities to restore connectivity and facilitate aid delivery. Most areas of Afghanistan have experienced continuous rain and snowfall since Wednesday. The country's meteorological department forecasts that the precipitation will continue across much of the nation in the coming days. Earlier this month, Doctors Without Borders, also known as Medecins Sans Frontieres (MSF) offering medical humanitarian assistance to people, had warned that the expulsion of Afghan refugees from Pakistan is causing a serious humanitarian crisis, especially during winter season, endangering the lives of people, local media reported. In a report released on January 7, MSF stated that many of the expelled refugees are being placed in temporary camps which do not have proper shelter while access to healthcare, clean water and food remains extremely limited, Afghanistan's leading news agency Khaama Press reported. The organisation further stated that forced deportations impact undocumented migrants, Afghan citizenship cards holders and temporary registration cards (POC) holders, making situation dangerous as winter increases across the region. Xu Weibing, the head of MSF mission in Pakistan, stated that Afghan families face fear of deportation and returning to Afghanistan. They also continue to urge the international community to provide humanitarian and protective assistance. MSF stressed that the winter season becomes a silent killer for Afghan refugees if they do not have access to adequate shelter, medical care, and food, threatening the survival of many vulnerable people. New Delhi, Jan 22 : The growing alignment between terror groups Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) and Islamic State Khorasan Province (ISKP) demonstrates the strategic manoeuvring of Pakistan's Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI), a report highlighted while detailing a recent episode in which ISKP coordinator Mir Shafiq Mangal presented a weapon to LeT leader Rana Mohammad Ashfaq, symbolising a partnership that brings together jihadist and sectarian factions under ISI oversight. "Pakistan's Deep State has turned terrorism into a deliberate instrument of state policy, commissioning rather than condemning it. This calculated strategy is playing with fire, demonstrated by a troubling consolidation among terrorist groups under the orchestrating hand of the Inter-Services Intelligence. Central to this operation is the ISI, which acts not just as a protector but as the architect, bringing together groups like Lashkar-e-Taiba, Jaish-e-Mohammad, Islamic State Khorasan Province and Hamas into what can be described as an 'unholy alliance,' a report in India Narrative detailed. "The aftermath of Operation Sindoor, which severely impacted LeT's headquarters in Muridke and exposed the underlying connections, saw the ISI double down on its efforts. It ordered LeT and JeM to work together as a "pack" rather than as isolated factions. Army officers are seen openly attending the funerals of terrorists, while politicians share platforms with LeT deputy Saifullah Kasuri. Rauf, a prominent leader within LeT, proudly declares the ease of jihad recruitment under state support during parades attended by Talha Saeed, son of Hafiz Saeed," it added. According to the report, the ISI-linked network combines LeT's urban logistics and operatives with JeM's suicide bombing capabilities, strengthened by tactical support from Hama, to pursue a strategy of sustained violence against India. It also stressed that Indian forces equipped with cutting-edge technology are well-prepared to confront the challenges posed by new front fusion, "Drone jammers, anti-drone swarms, and laser countermeasures are in place to prevent IED drops. Precision artillery, human performance-enhancing exosuits, and rapid-response units from the Para Special Forces stand ready to handle hybrid fidayeen and urban sieges. Sensor grids along the Line of Control and strategic helicopter pads enable swift interventions; cyber units focus on disrupting hawala networks and propaganda efforts. The Indian Armed Forces are patrolling the skies to ensure a denial of air support over Jammu and Kashmir, all while safeguarding against potential leaks of foreign intelligence," the report noted. Bhopal, Jan 22 : Addressing the World Economic Forum in Davos on Thursday, Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Mohan Yadav stated that India is progressing rapidly across all sectors and is poised to move from the fourth position to become the world's third-largest economy within the next one to one-and-a-half years. The Chief Minister said that under the guidance of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, India has sent its largest-ever delegation to the World Economic Forum for this year in Davos. He said that a series of meaningful meetings and discussions were held with leading industrialists and business representatives from various sectors. The Chief Minister said that in this phase of transformation, Madhya Pradesh offers immense growth potential across sectors such as solar energy, information technology and tourism, with the state government's initiatives delivering encouraging results. "Madhya Pradesh holds strong potential in agriculture and poultry, and the state will further expand trade in these areas with other states in the future. The state has a substantial land bank, ample power availability, and a strategic central location that makes transportation highly advantageous," he said, according to a statement issued by the government. Yadav claimed that due to sustained government efforts over the past two years, Madhya Pradesh's unemployment rate has declined to around 1 per cent. He noted that the state holds strong potential in agriculture and poultry, and the state will further expand trade in these areas with other states in the future. "Due to sustained government efforts over the past two years, the state's unemployment rate has declined to around 1 per cent. Initiatives aimed at connecting youth with employment and self-employment opportunities are delivering positive and visible outcomes," he added. The Chief Minister on Thursday also met Maldives Minister and economist Mohamed Saeed and held discussions on various subjects. During the meeting, Minister Mohamed Saeed highlighted opportunities for collaboration in sectors such as fisheries, IT, healthcare and tourism. During his address, Yadav said that PM Modi and the President of the Maldives have previously taken several forward-looking decisions, and the Madhya Pradesh government is fully prepared to move ahead in partnership with the Maldives. Dhaka, Jan 22 : Bangladesh's interim government led by Muhammad Yunus has committed its most "disgraceful act" by permitting the use of anti-terror laws to arrest journalists across the country, resulting in pre-trial detention for months on "extraordinary", often "outlandish charges", including murder, a report highlighted on Thursday. Citing an independent New Delhi-based think tank, Rights and Risks Analysis Group, it said that by December 2025, the Yunus-led interim government had targetted 640 journalists using combinations of criminal prosecutions, financial investigations, and physical violence. According to a report in The Diplomat, Dhaka-based journalist Anis Alamgir, arrested on December 14 last year, remains in custody awaiting trial, facing anti-terrorism charges for criticising government policy on social media. Journalist Monjurul Alam Panna was charged identically for his participation in a constitutional law discussion on August 28 last year, an exercise in political speech widely recognised as protected expression globally. Despite these reports of prosecution, it said, Yunus' Press Secretary, Shafiqul Alam, insisted that there has not been "a single instance in which a journalist has been prosecuted for criticising this government," adding that "you are free to write anything." "Weaponised legalism allows governments to use legislation to criminalise journalism under the guise of legal procedure. Unlike crude censorship, which invites international condemnation, weaponised legalism operates through courts, legislatures, and law enforcement the very institutions supposedly protecting press freedom," the report detailed. "Bangladesh's anti-terrorism legislation exemplifies this approach. The Anti-Terrorism Act permits indefinite detention without judicial warrant, custodial interrogation extending to 24 days, and convictions carrying life sentences. More critically, it defines terrorism as any act 'intended to cause fear or insecurity in the public' or 'to destabilise' governmental operations," The Diplomat report mentioned. Bangladeshi journalists, the report said, are increasingly reluctant to speak on the issue, citing fears about personal safety. One newsroom chief in Dhaka, The Diplomat said, speaking on condition of anonymity, felt "scared and unsafe to criticise the government for fear of mob attacks" and alleged that reporters are "purposely self-censoring" their work "to survive." The climate of fear intensified in December, when mobs attacked and set ablaze the offices of Bangladeshi newspapers The Daily Star and Prothom Alo, calling them pro-India and pro-Hasina by the country's far right. Washington, Jan 22 : The threat of Hamas gaining an ideological and logistical foothold in Pakistan, particularly in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK), is genuine and credible. While the global community focuses on demilitarising Hamas in Gaza, it must recognise that Pakistan is becoming the next fertile ground for Hamas to reorganise, posing a risk to the West and its interests in the region, a report said on Thursday. "On January 15, 2026, the US-led intergovernmental organisation Board of Peace, whose stated purpose is to 'promote stability, restore dependable and lawful governance, and secure enduring peace in areas affected or threatened by conflict' in Gaza, was established. On January 18, US President Donald Trump, acting as chair of the organisation, invited Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif to join it. However, Pakistan allows Hamas representatives to operate freely on its soil, participate in public events, and forge alliances with local militant groups," a report in US-based Middle East Media Research Institute (MEMRI) detailed. "This conduct undermines Western efforts to diplomatically isolate Hamas and raises serious questions about whether the United States should continue to regard Pakistan as a major non-NATO ally," it added According to the report, soon after the brutal Hamas attack on October 7, 2023, against Israel, the political activities of Naji Zaheer, the current special representative to Hamas leader Khaled Mashal in Pakistan, to gather legitimacy and support for Hamas's terrorist activities, escalated. "Zaheer has been invited to participate in major events as a guest of honour and has become a fixture at anti-Israel rallies and conferences in Pakistan. Often, Zaheer shared stages with figures linked to U.S.-designated terrorist organisations like Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) and Jaish-e-Muhammad (JeM)," it mentioned. Additionally, the report said, in an effort to garner international support, the Special Representative of Hamas in Tehran, Khaled Qaddoumi, has also been attending rallies and events at Pakistani institutions since October 2023. "The presence of Zaheer and Qaddoumi at events and rallies in Pakistan signals Islamabad's tacit support for Hamas's agenda. This should raise alarms in Washington as it realises that Pakistan has no serious commitment to counterterrorism," it stated. The report stressed that marking Kashmir Solidarity Day on February 5, 2025, militant groups, along with the Pakistani military and government, held several events in PoK, which were also attended and addressed by jihadi commanders and Hamas leaders. "Hamas's reach into Pakistan's political sphere is evident. Along the years, the jihadi movement met with several Pakistani ambassadors," it noted. DAMASCUS, Jan. 22 (Xinhua) -- The Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) said Thursday that its forces remain committed to "genuine integration" with the Syrian interim government, despite recent clashes. In a post on social media platform X, SDF General Commander Mazloum Abdi said the forces would work "with all available means and with seriousness," to ensure "genuine integration" and maintain the agreed-upon ceasefire. His remarks came days after Damascus and the SDF announced understandings aimed at halting hostilities and reintegrating military and civil institutions into the Syrian state framework. The comments coincided with renewed diplomatic messaging from Damascus. Syria's permanent representative to the United Nations, Ibrahim Olabi, told members of the United Nations Security Council that the Syrian interim government had been "compelled" to carry out limited security operations in response to escalating threats, while stressing that dialogue and diplomacy remain open. The interim government was "forced to implement limited security measures, but it has not closed the door to dialogue and diplomatic solutions," said Olabi. The recent developments unfold against the backdrop of clashes, security alerts, and humanitarian concerns in areas like Hasakah, Raqqa, and Deir al-Zour, where the fragile ceasefire is under strain. On Tuesday, the interim government declared a four-day ceasefire to support talks with the SDF over security arrangements and possible military integration. Kochi, Jan 22 : In fresh action in misappropriation of Rs 6 crore from the Kerala Advocates Welfare Fund Trustee Committee, the Directorate of Enforcement (ED), Kochi Zonal Office, attached five properties worth Rs 1.78 crore, an official said on Thursday. The ED has attached three immovable properties and two movable properties worth Rs 1.78 crore (approx.) under the provisions of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA), 2002, acquired by M.K. Chandran and his family members in Kerala, said a statement. The ED initiated an investigation on the basis of an FIR registered by the Vigilance and Anti-Corruption Bureau (VACB), Kerala, on May 11, 2018, against M. K. Chandran and others under the Prevention of Corruption Act, 1988 and the Indian Penal Code, 1860. The said FIR pertains to the alleged misappropriation of funds of the Kerala Advocates Welfare Fund Trustee Committee during the period 2007 to 2017. Pursuant to the directions of the High Court of Kerala, the investigation was later transferred to the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI), which filed a final report on December 14, 2023. During investigation under PMLA, 2002, the ED found that Chandran, while working as Accountant of the Kerala Advocates Welfare Fund Trustee Committee during 2007-2017, had misappropriated KAWFTC funds by abusing his official position, the statement said. Investigation revealed that Proceeds of Crime, amounting to approximately Rs 6.07 crore, were generated in the form of cash and were diverted and layered through transfers to his personal bank accounts, accounts of his wife and other related persons. Earlier in another case related to Karnataka, the ED, Bengaluru Zonal Office, on Wednesday provisionally attached 10 immovable properties - 6 illegally allotted MUDA sites, 3 immovable properties and one commercial building having a market value of Rs 20.85 crore under PMLA, 2002, in the case of Siddaramaiah and others (MUDA Scam). The Proceeds of Crime having a market value of Rs 460 crore, have been attached so far, in the case, said a statement. Washington, Jan 22 : Jared Kushner on Thursday unveiled a Trump-backed plan for Gaza that calls for an immediate surge in humanitarian aid, strict demilitarisation, and a sweeping reconstruction and economic revival, presenting the proposal at a Board of Peace signing ceremony during the World Economic Forum in Davos. The initiative is linked to President Donald J. Trump's 20-point peace plan and United Nations Security Council Resolution 2803. It outlines a transition from a two-year war that caused "tens of thousands" of deaths and left behind "60m tons of rubble." The documents frame the proposal as a shift from conflict to what they describe as "peace and prosperity." "Full aid will be immediately sent into the Gaza Strip," the plan states, adding that aid levels will match those agreed under the January 19, 2025, humanitarian arrangement. According to the material, Gaza's basic food needs have been met "100%" for the first time since 2023. The plan cites the delivery of "55k total trucks (4,200 trucks per week)" and "1.4M total pallets," calling the effort "historic humanitarian aid." At the centre of the proposal is the creation of the National Committee for the Administration of Gaza, or NCAG. "Authorised by the UN Security Council Resolution 2803 and President Donald J. Trump's 20-Point Plan, the National Committee for the Administration of Gaza (NCAG) is dedicated to transforming the transitional period in Gaza into a foundation for lasting Palestinian prosperity," the mission statement says. The committee says it aims to restore electricity, water, healthcare and education, while building "a society rooted in peace, democracy, and justice." Demilitarisation is described as essential to the plan's success. "One legitimate civilian transitional authority governs Gaza," the document says, noting that heavy weapons would be "decommissioned immediately." Reconstruction would proceed "only in sectors with full disarmament," it adds. "All militant armed groups, internal security, and police organisations" would be dismantled or integrated into the NCAG following vetting. The stated end goal is that "only NCAG-sanctioned personnel may carry weapons." The master plan outlines phased redevelopment across Gaza. It includes ports, highways, industrial zones, data centres and residential areas. New urban projects include New Rafah and New Gaza. The proposal lists "100k+" permanent housing units, "75+" medical facilities, "180+" cultural, religious and vocational centres, and "200+" education centres. Economic projections in the plan forecast an "expected GDP in 10 years (by 2035)" of "$10bn+." It anticipates "500k+" new jobs across construction, agriculture, manufacturing, services and the digital economy. Average annual household income is projected at "$13k+." The next phase focuses on rebuilding critical infrastructure, including water, electricity and sewage systems, as well as hospitals and bakeries. The plan also calls for the creation of a "special economic zone" with preferred tariff and access rates to be negotiated with participating countries. The documents describe the process as "Palestinian-led" and "internationally verified." They say the final stage would allow "Gaza-wide demilitarisation" to enable a full Israeli military withdrawal to a security perimeter. The proposal was presented in Davos amid broader World Economic Forum discussions on post-conflict recovery and economic stabilisation in fragile regions. New Delhi, Jan 22 : Delhi Chief Minister Rekha Gupta on Thursday attended the nine-day Ram Katha organised for world peace at Bharat Mandapam and dedicated her one month's salary to the World Peace Mission. New Delhi, Jan 22 (IANS) Delhi Chief Minister Rekha Gupta on Thursday attended the nine-day Ram Katha organised for world peace at Bharat Mandapam and dedicated her one monthas salary to the World Peace Mission. The Ram Katha is being delivered by the renowned spiritual orator Morari Bapu. Addressing the gathering, the Chief Minister said that Morari Bapuas Ram Katha conveys the values of service, compassion and the moral ethos of the nation. She stated that the programme, organised under the guidance of Param Pujya Acharya Lokesh Muni, strengthens Indiaas cultural consciousness and the tradition of non-violence. Inspired by the continuous service and public welfare initiatives undertaken by these institutions, the Chief Minister announced the dedication of her one monthas salary to the World Peace Centre Mission, describing it as her humble contribution towards social responsibility and human values. Chief Minister Rekha Gupta also delivered a message of World Peace from the Ram Katha platform. Former President of India and Chairman of the Organising Committee Ram Nath Kovind said that the Chief Ministeras decision to dedicate one monthas salary to the World Peace Mission is an inspiring example. He added that the Ram Katha has emerged as a powerful medium for social awareness alongside spiritual awakening. Earlier, on the sixth day of the Ram Katha, Pujya Morari Bapu, while addressing devotees from the US, the UK, Canada and various states of India, said that Sanatan Dharma is eternal and universal. He invited Jain Acharya Lokesh Sanatani to the dais and bestowed his affectionate blessings. He also expressed happiness over the Chief Ministeras resolve to clean the Yamuna River at the earliest. The programme was also attended by Manoj Tiwari, Member of Parliament from North East Delhi, along with several other distinguished dignitaries. Patna, Jan 22 : Bihar State Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) spokesperson Ejaz Ahmed on Thursday strongly objected to the alleged reduction in security arrangements for Leader of the Opposition Tejashwi Prasad Yadav, calling it a deliberate attempt by the NDA government to suppress the opposition's voice. Ejaz Ahmed said the manner in which the NDA government is acting reflects an anti-democratic mindset and claimed that the move is part of a conspiracy to weaken the opposition even before it launches agitation and protest programs. "Reducing Tejashwi Yadav's security even before the opposition's struggle and agitation clearly shows the government's nervousness and uneasiness," Ejaz Ahmed said. He alleged that Tejashwi Yadav has been consistently holding the government accountable on key public issues, which has created discomfort among ruling party leaders. "The government is uneasy because Tejashwi Yadav raises questions on employment, development, women's safety, crime, and murders in Bihar. He has always been a people's leader and will continue to speak in the public interest," he added. The RJD spokesperson also linked the alleged security downgrade to the ongoing political heat over the NEET aspirant death case in Patna, claiming the government is trying to divert public attention. He alleged that the decision was taken out of political vendetta and questioned why several NDA leaders have been given higher security cover while the Leader of the Opposition has been downgraded. "Why are BJP and JDU leaders being given Z-plus security, while the Leader of the Opposition's security has been reduced to Y+? This is unjustified," Ejaz Ahmed said. As per the revised security list, strong security arrangements have been made for several ruling party leaders. Several prominent BJP leaders and ministers have been assigned 'Z' category security, including Nitin Nabin, Mangal Pandey, BJP state president and MLA Sanjay Saraogi, and Union Minister Rajiv Ranjan Singh alias Lalan Singh. Under the 'Z' category, a large contingent of commandos and police personnel is deployed for protection. Meanwhile, former Deputy Chief Minister and Leader of the Opposition Tejashwi Yadav has been placed under the 'Y+' category security. Union Minister Giriraj Singh has also been assigned the 'Y+' category. Officials said the changes were made on the basis of a security audit and current threat assessment. New Delhi, Jan 22 : The National Investigation Agency (NIA) on Thursday conducted a series of searches at multiple locations in three border districts of Punjab as part of its ongoing probe in the 2025 Amritsar temple grenade terror attack case. A host of incriminating materials, including mobiles, digital devices and documents, were seized during the searches carried out at 10 locations in Amritsar, Tarn Taran and Gurdaspur districts. An explosion had occurred outside the Thakur Dwara Sanatan Temple at Khandwala on Sher Shah Road in Amritsar on the night of March 14 last year. The attack was carried out on the directions of several foreign-based handlers, who had arranged for explosives and weapons to spread terror in the region, investigations by NIA had subsequently revealed. The temple attack was among many such grenade attacks carried out by operatives of different terror groups in the state of Punjab as part of the terror conspiracy. NIAas investigation in the case further showed that the foreign-based handlers had been recruiting and funding many individuals in India to carry out these grenade attacks. The anti-terror agency, after taking over the probe from the state police in the instant case, had found that the grenade had been hurled at the Amritsar temple by accused Vishal and Gursidak. While Vishal has been arrested by NIA, Gursidak is now deceased. The duo had received the explosive from Sharanjeet Kumar of Qadian, Batala, who had fled to Jharkhand and Bihar, from where he was subsequently arrested by NIA in September. Sharanjeet, who had received consignments of explosives and grenades from foreign-based handlers, had also concealed three hand grenades and one pistol, which were later recovered by the NIA from a location in Gurdaspur district. The agency is continuing with its efforts to combat terror modules threatening the security and sovereignty of the country. --IANS vg/dan Amaravati, Jan 22 : Andhra Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu has said that his visit to Davos has been useful to promote branding of Andhra Pradesh on a global platform. Winding up his visit on Thursday, he said that the World Economic Forum platform helps understand the changing trends in the global industrial sector and the perspectives of industrial giants worldwide. The Chief Minister explained that through various meetings in the last three days, the stateas achievements in key sectors such as green energy, technology, artificial intelligence, agriculture, and tourism were effectively presented. According to the Chief Ministeras Office (CMO), he stated that now global corporate giants are showing increased interest in India. He expressed the view that due to youth power, effective leadership, and investor-friendly policies, opportunities for establishing companies across all sectors in India have increased significantly. Discussions were held on the progress of the TCS Development Centre in Visakhapatnam, the proposed Quantum Valley in Amaravati, and the solar power projects proposed in Kurnool. During the four-day Davos visit, the Chief Minister attended over 36 meetings. He participated in three meetings with representatives from Israel, the UAE, and Switzerland. At the World Economic Forum venue, the Chief Minister met 16 global industrial leaders. He also attended more than nine sessions and meetings. The Chief Minister stated that the World Economic Forum was instrumental in assessing the effectiveness of various policies being implemented in the state to further promote the Andhra Pradesh brand globally. During his visit, the Chief Minister interacted closely with Telugu people living in Europe, boosting their confidence through Telugu diaspora programmes. On the sidelines of the Davos summit, he also gave exclusive interviews to national and international media organisations. Ahmedabad, Jan 22 : The Directorate of Enforcement (ED) has arrested Nikunj Pravinbhai Bhatt (33) and Sanjay Kotadia (49) in connection with a large-scale cryptocurrency fraud linked to the BitConnectCoin scam, officials said on Thursday. The arrests were made on January 19 under Section 19(1) of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA), 2002, following an extensive probe into fraudulent cryptocurrency investments and related money laundering activities. The two accused were produced before the Special PMLA Court in Ahmedabad on January 20, which granted the ED four days of custodial remand. According to the ED, the investigation was initiated on the basis of two FIRs registered by the CID Crime Police Station, Surat, against Shailesh Babulal Bhatt, Satish Kumbhani, and others. The agency alleged that proceeds of crime were generated by inducing the public to invest in BitConnectCoin through a purported "Lending Programme", which was controlled and operated by Kumbhani and his associates. The ED's investigation revealed that between November 2016 and January 2018, the accused carried out fraudulent and unregistered offerings of cryptocurrencies in the guise of investments in BitConnect's lending scheme. Investors from India and abroad were promised extraordinarily high returnsup to 40 per cent per monththrough a claimed proprietary "volatility software trading bot". To create a false impression of legitimacy and growth, fictitious returns of about 1 per cent per day, or nearly 3,700 per cent annually, were displayed on the BitConnect website. However, the agency said these claims were a sham, as investor funds were never deployed for trading. Instead, the money was siphoned off for the personal benefit of the accused and their associates by transferring funds to digital wallets under their control. During searches conducted under the PMLA on January 9, 2026, the ED carried out operations at five locations, resulting in the seizure of digital devices and incriminating documents. Assets in the form of investments in shares and mutual funds, cryptocurrencies, and cash amounting to approximately Rs 19 crore were frozen. The probe further revealed that Nikunj Bhatt was one of the accomplices of Shailesh Bhatt in a separate crime involving the kidnapping and extortion of cryptocurrencies and cash. Of the extorted amount, Bhatt received at least 266 Bitcoins in two different exchange-linked accounts, of which 10.9 Bitcoins have been attached by the ED so far. Investigators found that at least 246 Bitcoins were routed through multiple third-party crypto accounts to conceal their origin, before being converted into Ethereum and USDT and transferred to various wallets, including those associated with Sanjay Kotadia. As per the investigation, Nikunj Bhatt transferred USDT worth approximately Rs 20.70 crore to wallets linked to Kotadia for purported cryptocurrency trading. Additionally, Kotadia allegedly received USDT worth about Rs 4.05 crore from Shailesh Bhatt for trading purposes. The ED also alleged that both Bhatt and Kotadia failed to cooperate with the investigation, made evasive and incomplete disclosures regarding the receipt and utilisation of cryptocurrencies, and attempted to obstruct the probe by providing false and misleading statements under Section 50(3) of the PMLA. Citing the risk of evidence destruction and flight, the agency proceeded with their arrest. So far, the ED has attached and frozen assets valued at approximately Rs 270 crore in the case, including properties and cryptocurrencies linked to Shailesh Bhatt and others. Further investigation into the money laundering network and the role of additional accused is ongoing, officials said. Gandhinagar, Jan 22 : The BJP will hold an important workshop at its state headquarters, Kamalam, on January 23 to brief party leaders and workers on the Viksit Bharat - Guarantee for Rozgar and Ajeevika Mission (Gramin) (VB-G RAM G) Bill, 2025, a major legislative overhaul of India's rural employment framework. Gandhinagar, Jan 22 (IANS) The BJP will hold an important workshop at its state headquarters, Kamalam, on January 23 to brief party leaders and workers on the Viksit Bharat Guarantee for Rozgar and Ajeevika Mission (Gramin) (VB-G RAM G) Bill, 2025, a major legislative overhaul of India's rural employment framework. The workshop will be chaired by Gujarat BJP state president Jagdish Vishwakarma and will be attended by district presidents, general secretaries, MLAs and MPs from across the state. Party sources said the programme is aimed at ensuring clarity and uniform understanding of the bill among party functionaries ahead of wider public outreach. The VB-G RAM G Bill, introduced by the Union Agriculture Minister in December 2025, seeks to replace the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA), 2005, and align rural development policies with the Centre's long-term vision of "Viksit Bharat 2047." The bill is being positioned as a shift from a purely employment-centric framework to a more integrated approach linking livelihoods, agriculture and rural infrastructure. During the workshop, detailed presentations will be made on the key provisions of the bill. One of the major changes proposed is the increase in guaranteed wage employment from 100 days under MGNREGA to 125 days per rural household per financial year. Party leaders said this enhancement is intended to provide greater income security to rural families. The bill also introduces targeted agricultural support measures, allowing states to notify periods of up to 60 days during peak agricultural seasons when work under the scheme will not be undertaken. This provision is aimed at ensuring adequate availability of farm labour during sowing and harvesting periods, without disrupting agricultural productivity. Another central feature to be discussed at the workshop is the introduction of Viksit Gram Panchayat Plans (VGPPs). Under this bottom-up planning mechanism, works will be identified at the village level through convergence-based planning, linked with PM Gati Shakti and geospatial systems, to ensure better coordination, transparency and asset creation. Apart from explaining the legislative framework, the workshop will focus on strategy and communication. Party workers will be guided on how to take the provisions of the bill to the grassroots, counter misinformation, and build awareness about its intended benefits for rural employment and livelihoods. Appealing to party workers to participate actively, Jagdish Vishwakarma said the workshop would play a crucial role in preparing the organisation for the promotion and effective implementation of the VB-G RAM G Bill in Gujarat, calling it a key step towards strengthening rural development under the Viksit Bharat vision. Dhar : , Jan 22 (IANS) Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) legislator Rameshwar Sharma said on Thursday that people from the Muslim community should act wisely, maintain harmony with Hindus, and allow worship at the Bhojshala temple in Dhar district of Madhya Pradesh. Sharma made the statement while responding to the Supreme Court's order allowing members of both communities -- Hindu and Muslim -- to offer prayers at the disputed Bhojshala Temple-Kamal Maula mosque in Dhar on Friday. "Muslims themselves believe that if God is present in a temple, their prayers are not accepted there. So, they should understand this and act wisely, maintain harmony with Hindus, and allow worship at Bhojshala," Sharma said late on Thursday. Sharma, who is the MLA from Bhopal's Huzur Assembly constituency and projects himself as a hardcore Hindutva leader in the BJP in Madhya Pradesh, further stated that 'Sanatanis' (Hindus) will keep knocking on the Supreme Court's door for the worship of Goddess Saraswati at the disputed site. Notably, the Bhojshala Temple-Kamal Maula mosque complex is a disputed site as both Hindus and Muslims claim their religious faith is associated with it. The dispute centres on the fact that Hindus consider Bhojshala -- an Archaeological Survey of India (ASI)-protected 11th-century monument -- to be a temple dedicated to Vagdevi (Goddess Saraswati), while the Muslim community calls it the Kamal Maula mosque. The fresh row emerged as the Basant Panchami festival of Hindus falls on Friday (January 23), when Muslims will also gather at the site for namaz on the same day. Under an arrangement made by the ASI on April 7, 2003, Hindus perform puja on the Bhojshala premises on Tuesdays and Muslims offer namaz in the complex on Fridays. The Supreme Court, hearing the matter on Thursday, allowed Hindu prayers from sunrise to sunset on Basant Panchami (Friday) and permitted Muslims to offer namaz from 1 pm to 3 pm the same day at the disputed site. Complying with the direction of the Supreme Court, the Dhar district administration has strengthened security, deploying over 8,000 police personnel and Rapid Action Force (RAF) units in and around the disputed site. "We are fully prepared for the Basant Panchami festival, which is falling on Friday. Our primary objective is to ensure better law and order," Dhar district Collector Priyank Mishra said while briefing the media on Thursday. Garg also appealed to media organisations to refrain from any kind of interpretation of the Supreme Court's verdict regarding permission for Hindus and Muslims to offer religious prayers at the site. He also issued a stern warning that any content inciting religious hatred, whether through newspapers, electronic media, or social media platforms like WhatsApp or Facebook, will invite strict action under the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita and the IT Act. New Delhi, Jan 22 : The Congress high command said on Thursday that there was no question of change of party's leadership in Punjab. The high command also issued strict instructions against airing any views in the public, which should be raised only with it. A meeting of senior party leaders was held at the All India Congress Committee (AICC) headquarters, which was chaired by the Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge and attended by Leader of Opposition in Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi, party's General Secretary (Organisation) K.C. Venugopal, party's Punjab General Secretary In-charge Bhupesh Baghel, senior party leader Ambika Soni and others. From Punjab, the meeting was attended by the Pradesh Congress Committee President Amarinder Singh Raja Warring, Leader of Opposition in Vidhan Sabha, Partap Singh Bajwa, former Chief Minister Charanjit Singh Channi, party's General Secretary Sukhjinder Singh Randhawa, Rana KP Singh, Vijay Inder Singla, and Amar Singh. Briefing reporters after the meeting, Venugopal said that the meeting lasted for three hours and each and every leader from Punjab gave his views. He said it was a fruitful meeting as the Congress leaders expressed their opinions about strengthening the party. Replying to a query on the leadership issues within the state party unit, Venugopal added there is no question of leadership change in Punjab. He said that Congress leaders have been asked to observe complete discipline and not to issue statements in media or on social media platforms on the issues, which must only be discussed on the party platforms. He added that the Congress has given clear directions to party leaders to refrain from such statements. Replying to another query about 30 Congress leaders from Punjab having sought an appointment with the party's high command, Venugopal said the party leaders are welcome to meet anyone in the high command in their individual capacity. However, he made it clear that no groupism will be tolerated at any cost. To another query on representation to Dalits within the Congress, Venugopal said the party is committed to giving due representation to the marginalised sections of the society including the SCs, STs and also economically weaker sections from the general castes all across the country. Former Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel said that the discussions lasted for about three hours. He added that there was a public sentiment across Punjab that people there want the Congress to form the government. He also said that it was made strictly clear that no groupism or indiscipline of any sort will be tolerated. JUBA, Jan. 22 (Xinhua) -- The Chinese Embassy in South Sudan on Thursday donated dignity kits to vulnerable women and girls in the capital, Juba, reaffirming China's commitment to supporting women's development in the country. The donation, implemented in cooperation with the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) and South Sudan's Ministry of Gender, Child, and Social Welfare, aims to improve the living conditions and dignity of women and girls in need. Ma Qiang, Chinese ambassador to South Sudan, said the dignity kits contain essential daily and hygiene items, including sanitary pads, soaps, and solar flashlights, which will be distributed through UNFPA's network. "They are important contributors to human civilization, and advancing women's rights and welfare is a shared responsibility of the international community," Ma said during the donation ceremony. He underlined China's long-term commitment to women's development, including additional financial contributions to UN Women, expanded South-South cooperation funding, livelihood programs, training and exchange opportunities, and the establishment of a global center for women's capacity building. Ma said China will continue to support women's development in South Sudan, strengthen cooperation with international partners, including UNFPA, and promote gender equality and women's holistic development, contributing to building a community with a shared future for humanity. Nuna Rhoda Rudolf Ndefu, South Sudan's minister of gender, child, and social welfare, expressed appreciation to the Chinese government and UNFPA for the donation, describing the dignity kits as a meaningful contribution to protecting vulnerable women and girls and a reflection of the strong partnership between South Sudan and China. "These dignity kits are not just items in a bag; they are a gift of dignity, safety, and comfort for women and girls in vulnerable situations, and a practical step in our shared mission to end gender-based violence," the minister said. Kidane Abraha, UNFPA officer in charge in South Sudan, said the donation provides timely and essential support to women and girls affected by displacement and humanitarian crises, particularly in meeting basic health and hygiene needs. "The value of these dignity kits is not in the money, but in their importance and timing, as they provide basic support to women and girls who lack access to essential hygiene during crisis," Abraha added. Agartala, Jan 22 : Tripura Chief Minister Manik Saha said on Thursday that the rule of law has been firmly re-established in the state and insurgency has been effectively tackled under the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)-led government, with the welfare of all people remaining its top priority. Addressing an award distribution ceremony honouring academic excellence among students from minority communities at Pragya Bhavan here, CM Saha said that while the present BJP-led state government is undertaking wide-ranging developmental initiatives, it has also been forced to address numerous problems left behind by the previous CPI-M government. "Several challenges created by the earlier government were handed over to us, and we are still dealing with their consequences. While they created problems, our (BJP) government is focused on resolving them," the Chief Minister said. He emphasised that minorities should not be viewed as a single community, noting that Muslims, Christians, Buddhists, Sikhs and Jains are all included under the minority category. Referring to Prime Minister Narendra Modi's governance philosophy, CM Saha said India's growing global stature is a result of the principles of 'Sabka Saath, Sabka Vikas, Sabka Vishwas and Sabka Prayas'. "Our sole objective is the welfare of all Indians. People have faith in the Prime Minister because his actions reflect his commitment," he added. Highlighting key reforms, the Chief Minister said the abolition of triple talaq was a historic step that previous governments failed to address due to political hesitation. "Prime Minister Narendra Modi took a bold decision, which ensured social justice and rights for women from minority communities," he added. Chief Minister Saha also said that transparency has been brought to Waqf Board-related matters, including the inclusion of women, following reforms initiated by the Narendra Modi-led Union government. "After the BJP came to power in Tripura in 2018, people felt a sense of security, and the rule of law was restored," he added. Detailing initiatives of the State Minority Welfare Department, the Chief Minister said scholarships are being provided to students, hostels are being constructed, madrasas are being developed, and infrastructure in minority-dominated areas is being strengthened. Skill development programmes for unemployed youth are also being implemented to promote self-reliance, he added. Chief Minister Saha also said that cases left unresolved by the previous CPI-M government continue to pose financial and administrative challenges. "The earlier regime encouraged instability, while we have brought those involved in violence back into the mainstream. The era of immoral governance is over," he added. State Minority Welfare Minister Shukla Charan Noatia, MLA Tafazzal Hossain, Tripura Waqf Board Chairman Moboshar Ali, Tripura Minorities Cooperative Development Corporation Limited Chairman Mohammad Jasim Uddin, Tripura State Haj Committee Chairman Shah Alam, Minority Welfare Department Secretary Tapas Roy, Director Nirmal Adhikari and other dignitaries were present at the event. New Delhi, Jan 22 : The Chhattisgarh government has introduced the police commissionerate system in Raipur, the state capital, marking a significant step to improve urban policing and law enforcement in the rapidly growing city. This reform brings Raipur in line with modern metropolitan policing approaches adopted in various other Indian cities. Senior IPS officer Sanjeev Shukla has been appointed as the first Police Commissioner of Raipur. Before this new role, he served as Inspector General of Police for the Bilaspur Range. With his wide experience in managing law and order situations, crime investigations, and supervisory duties across the state, Shukla's leadership is expected to guide the commissionerate effectively. The government order issued on Thursday also brought several transfers to reorganize the police structure in support of the new system. Ramgopal Garg, who was previously Inspector General of Police for the Durg Range, now takes charge as Inspector General of Police for the Bilaspur Range. Abhishek Shandilya moves from the Rajnandgaon Range to become Inspector General of Police for the Durg Range. Balaji Rao Somawar shifts from his position as Inspector General of Police for Law and Order at Police Headquarters in Raipur to take up the role of Inspector General of Police for the Rajnandgaon Range. Amit Tukaram Kamble, formerly Deputy Inspector General of Police in Kanker, has been posted as Additional Commissioner of Police for Raipur City. Lal Umed Singh transfers from Senior Superintendent of Police in Raipur to Senior Superintendent of Police in Jashpur. Shashi Mohan Singh moves from Senior Superintendent of Police in Jashpur to the same position in Raigarh. Divyang Patel goes from Superintendent of Police in Raigarh to Superintendent of Police for Railways in Raipur. Umesh Prasad Gupta, who was Commandant of the Fourteenth Battalion in Balod, now serves as Deputy Commissioner of Police for the Central zone in Raipur City. Sandeep Patel shifts from Commandant of the Sixteenth Battalion in Narayanpur to Deputy Commissioner of Police for the West zone in Raipur City. Mayank Gurjar moves from Commandant of the Fifteenth Battalion in Dantewada to Deputy Commissioner of Police for the North zone in Raipur City. Vikas Kumar, previously Superintendent of Police for the State Intelligence and Investigation Bureau at Police Headquarters in Raipur, takes on the role of Deputy Commissioner of Police for Traffic and Protocol in Raipur City. Rajnala Smriti transfers from Superintendent of Police for the Special Task Force in Bastar to Deputy Commissioner of Police for Crime and Cyber in Raipur City. Shweta Srivastava Sinha moves from Superintendent of Police for Railways in Raipur to Superintendent of Police for Raipur Rural. Ishu Agrawal, who held the position of City Superintendent of Police at Azad Chowk in Raipur, now becomes Assistant Commissioner of Police for Azad Chowk in Raipur City. This commissionerate system grants the Police Commissioner enhanced autonomy and direct responsibility for maintaining law and order, preventing crime, and managing traffic within the capital's urban areas, which have seen substantial population growth and urbanisation. The reform aims to speed up decision-making, improve responses to city-specific crimes, and strengthen coordination among police units. It follows extensive discussions and cabinet approvals, focusing on adapting commissionerate-style policing -- once mainly for bigger metros -- to meet the needs of state capitals like Raipur. The changes form part of the Vishnu Deo Sai-led BJP government's on-going initiatives to modernise policing, enhance public safety, and support efficient governance in expanding urban regions. Many from civic organizations and local residents have welcomed the development, seeing it as progress toward more responsive and approachable policing that can better handle major events and everyday urban challenges. Chennai, Jan 22 : Extensive traffic diversions have been announced on the Chennai-Tiruchi National Highway (GST Road) and surrounding routes in view of Prime Minister Narendra Modi's visit to Tamil Nadu on January 23. Chennai, Jan 22 (IANS) Extensive traffic diversions have been announced on the Chennai-Tiruchi National Highway (GST Road) and surrounding routes in view of Prime Minister Narendra Modias visit to Tamil Nadu on January 23. The Chengalpattu district police said the restrictions are being imposed as part of security arrangements for the Prime Ministeras participation in the National Democratic Allianceas election campaign rally at Madurantakam on January 23. According to the police advisory, heavy vehicles will be barred from using the GST Road between Chennai and Tindivanam from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. on Friday. The rally, to be held along the Chennai-Tindivanam stretch of the highway, is the NDAas first major public meeting ahead of the Tamil Nadu Assembly elections and is expected to draw large crowds and volunteers from across the State. The Prime Minister will address the rally and deliver a special election speech. Leaders from NDA constituent parties, including the All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam, Bharatiya Janata Party, Pattali Makkal Katchi, Tamil Maanila Congress, and the Amma Makkal Munnetra Kazhagam, are expected to attend the meeting. For heavy vehicles travelling from Chennai to Tindivanam, the police have advised diversion via Vandalur-Kelambakkam-Mamallapuram and the East Coast Road (ECR), rejoining the GST Road at Marakkanam. Alternative inland routes through Vandalur, Padappai, Oragadam, Walajabad, Kancheepuram, Vandavasi, Tiruvannamalai and Villupuram have also been notified. Vehicles travelling from Tiruchi and Salem towards Chennai have been asked to use diversion corridors via Ulundurpet, Tiruvannamalai, Vandavasi and Kancheepuram. Government buses and light motor vehicles will face diversions between 11 a.m. and 7 p.m. on Friday. Traffic from Chennai towards Tindivanam and Villupuram will be routed either through ECR-based roads or inland routes via Kancheepuram and Vandavasi. Vehicles heading to Chennai from Villupuram and Tindivanam have been directed to use Marakkanam-ECR or designated bypass routes. The police have urged motorists to plan their travel, follow traffic signage, and cooperate with personnel on duty to ensure smooth traffic flow during the Prime Ministeras visit and the high-profile public meeting. --IANS aal/dan Chennai, Jan 22 : Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M.K. Stalin said on Thursday that the DMK would consult like-minded opposition parties across the country to move a constitutional amendment abolishing the practice of the Governor's address at the start of the first session of state Assemblies. Reacting to a series of recent confrontations between the Governors and elected governments in Tamil Nadu, Kerala and Karnataka, CM Stalin accused the Governors of acting as "party agents" and deliberately undermining federal principles. In a strongly worded post on social media platform X, he said the pattern of events across states left no room for doubt. "First Tamil Nadu. Then Kerala. Now Karnataka. The pattern is clear and deliberate. Governors refusing to read the speech prepared by state governments and behaving like party agents, undermining duly elected governments," CM Stalin wrote. He added that the practice of commencing the first Assembly session with the Governor's address had become "obsolete and irrelevant" and should be abolished through a constitutional amendment. The Chief Minister said the DMK would take the lead in holding consultations with opposition parties that share similar concerns, with the aim of pursuing the amendment in the next session of Parliament. According to CM Stalin, repeated disruptions of the Governor's address had reduced the convention to a political flashpoint rather than a ceremonial reaffirmation of democratic governance. Chief Minister Stalin's remarks come in the wake of a dramatic incident in the Tamil Nadu Assembly earlier this week, when Governor R.N. Ravi walked out before completing his inaugural address. The Governor later alleged that he was disrespected when the national anthem was not played and claimed that his microphone was switched off, prompting him to leave the House. Inside the Tamil Nadu Assembly, Speaker M. Appavu urged the Governor Ravi to adhere to established legislative conventions, leading to sharp exchanges. The incident triggered intense political reactions, with the Raj Bhavan issuing a statement defending the walkout and alleging that the state government's prepared speech had omitted references to issues such as atrocities against Dalits and sexual violence against Dalit women. The controversy also spilled over to the Opposition benches, with leaders of the AIADMK staging a walkout, citing concerns over law and order. With tensions escalating between Governors and elected state governments, CM Stalin's proposal signals a broader push to revisit constitutional conventions that, he said, no longer serve their intended purpose in India's federal democracy. Events Pepagora Supporting Serious SMEs as a Growth Partner at JTN 2026 The Jubilant Tamil Nadu Global Expo and Knowledge Summit 2026 (JTN GEKS 2026) is expected to be one of Indias most influential platforms for business collaboration and trade development. Pepagora is participating in this major event as a Platinum Member and Growth Partner, highlighting its role in enabling long-term business growth for focused SMEs and manufacturers. Scheduled from January 29 to January 31, 2026, the event will be hosted at the CODISSIA Trade Fair Complex in Coimbatore. JTN GEKS 2026 will welcome manufacturers, MSMEs, exporters, international buyers, policymakers, and industry experts from India and overseas. The event aims to encourage meaningful connections, business expansion, and the creation of new trade opportunities across sectors. Pepagoras Platinum Membership reflects its continued commitment to supporting businesses through verified, trustworthy, and digital-first business connections. Detailed information about the Pepagora B2B platform is available on the official Pepagora website. Companies interested in attending the Jubilant Tamil Nadu event and scheduling a 15-minute complimentary consultation with Pepagora can register by completing the event participation form. Why JTN GEKS 2026 Holds Value for Businesses Tamil Nadu remains one of Indias strongest contributors to manufacturing and export growth. Coimbatore, in particular, has established itself as a major industrial center with a skilled workforce and export-oriented enterprises. JTN GEKS 2026 builds on this foundation by offering businesses an opportunity to: Connect with genuine buyers and suppliers Gain insights into market developments and policy directions Establish long-term commercial relationships Rather than focusing solely on product showcases, the event emphasizes knowledge exchange, strategic discussions, and converting interactions into tangible business outcomes. Pepagoras Contribution as a Platinum Member and Growth Partner As a Platinum Member, Pepagora plays an active role in helping participating businesses maximize the value of their presence at the event. Many enterprises continue to face challenges related to limited visibility, trust gaps, and identifying suitable business partners. Pepagora addresses these concerns by providing: Authenticated business listings Well-structured digital company profiles Simplified partner discovery A more secure and transparent trade environment During JTN GEKS 2026, representatives from Pepagora will engage with exhibitors and attendees to demonstrate how digital verification and trust-led connections can support higher-quality business inquiries and faster growth. The event is viewed by Pepagora as an opportunity to better understand real-world business needs and offer practical, growth-oriented solutions. How Pepagora Supports MSMEs and Manufacturers MSMEs are a vital component of Indias economic framework, yet many face obstacles in accessing dependable buyers and suppliers. JTN GEKS 2026 provides MSMEs with direct exposure to relevant stakeholders across industries. Pepagora assists MSMEs by helping them establish credibility, compliance readiness, and trust at an early stage. This strengthens their appeal to buyers in domestic and international markets and supports sustainable business relationships. Looking Forward to JTN GEKS 2026 In todays global trade environment, trust, transparency, and verified business information play an increasingly important role. Events like JTN GEKS 2026 help Indian enterprises adapt to these expectations. Pepagoras participation as a Platinum Member and Growth Partner reflects a long-term commitment to empowering manufacturers and exportersnot just through technology, but through consistent business support. Visitors are encouraged to meet the Pepagora team at Hall B-6, discuss business objectives, and explore how trusted digital connections can help access new markets. Businesses can register for JTN GEKS 2026 and engage with Pepagora during the event. Additional information on business growth support is available through Pepagoras official website. As part of JTN GEKS 2026, Pepagora is providing a 15-minute free guidance session for all participating businesses. Participants may fill out the form to book a place and schedule the session. NAIROBI, Jan. 22 (Xinhua) -- A group of Chinese investors is visiting Kenya to explore investment opportunities in the country's infrastructure and agricultural sectors, officials said on Thursday. Martin Hang, founder and chairman of Fortune Generation, a Chinese business lobby group, said Chinese investors play a significant role in upgrading the East African nation's infrastructure as well as its food security sector. "For Chinese investors, Kenya offers a conducive policy framework, making it an attractive destination for foreign investment," he said. Hang is leading a trade delegation comprising 16 Chinese companies to seek investment and trade opportunities in Kenya. He added that Chinese investors have the technology and financing capacity to build modern roads, ports, and energy-producing plants. Moses Kipkebut, acting general manager for investment and corporate communications at the state-owned Export Processing Zones Authority, said Kenya is seeking to benefit from Chinese experience in the value addition of agricultural commodities. Kipkebut noted that Kenya has put in place tax incentives at export processing zones to enable foreign investors to help transform the country into a regional agro-processing hub. Michael Ngugi, trade development officer at the Lamu Port-South Sudan-Ethiopia Corridor Development Authority, said that Kenya is keen to leverage Chinese investment to develop road and railway links that will help reduce logistics costs in the East African region. RAWA NEWS, January 22, 2026 Local sources in Kabul report that the dismembered body of a woman was discovered in the Kabul River. The incident reportedly occurred on Sunday, January 14, 2026, in the Chehelston area of Kabul, where Taliban forces secured the scene after the body was found. Witnesses say the body was retrieved from a sack in the river after being spotted by children scavenging through trash. Another source indicated that the body had initially been found in a trash bin before being thrown into the river. Taliban authorities did not allow any photography at the scene and prevented people from approaching the body. They have also not provided any information regarding the victims identity, the motive behind the killing, or how the case will be investigated. The lack of transparency has heightened concerns over security and accountability in the city MOGADISHU, Jan. 22 (Xinhua) -- Somalia has confirmed that its security forces killed over 130 al-Shabaab militants following fierce fighting in the southern region of the country on Wednesday. The Ministry of Defence said on Thursday that the Somali National Army's special forces, backed by Jubaland security forces and international partners, also repelled the attack on the military base on the strategic island of Kuday. "Security in Kuday and its surrounding areas is now fully under the control of the Somali National Army, which remains on full alert and continues stabilization operations to prevent any residual threats," the ministry said in a statement issued in Mogadishu, the capital of Somalia. The ministry said military vehicles and weapons abandoned by the fleeing militants involved in the suicide-style attack were seized. Residents said the assault began in the early hours of Wednesday and lasted 24 hours, starting with explosions before direct clashes between government troops and the militants. Al-Shabaab militants claimed to have killed 113 soldiers, wounded 47 others, and captured 17 soldiers after taking control of the area. The latest joint operation came as Somali security forces have been ramping up offensives against al-Shabaab militants across Somalia in the recent past. Local soldiers, backed by international partners, have been conducting joint operations in central and southern regions as government forces move to gain a foothold. First, they came for the billionaires; then for the millionaires; then, the homeowners. Sound incredible? In California, in Rhode Island, and in New York City, they already are. The policy of redistribution is on the march. In California, a billionaire tax proposal is seeking 875,000 registered-voter signatures by June 24th to get on this Novembers ballot. It is already making headlines because if passed by California voters, its one-time (they promise), five-percent tax on net worth over $1 billion would apply to those residing in the state as of January 1, 2026. As currently written, it would also include unrealized gains in its wealth calculation, so individuals could owe on what they dont own. Union-backed (by SEIU-United Healthcare Workers West), its also governor-opposed (Newsom says its a badly drafted effort and it's already had an outsized impact on this state,"), and despite it being far from being law, it has already spurred a flight among Californias estimated 200 billionaires; among them, Larry Page, Peter Thiel, and Larry Ellison. Rhode Islands millionaire tax is also just a proposal. So far. Governor Dan McKee is proposing in his budget to increase the tax on incomes of $1 million or more by three percentage points, raising the new top rate up to 8.99 percenttaking it up to the level of neighboring Massachusetts. McKees increase is triple what labor leaders and Rhode Island lawmakers had proposed on incomes above $640,000. In New York City, Mayor Mamdanis choice to lead his Office to Protect Tenants is Cea Weaver, a longtime tenant activist who took her activism to extremes. In 2019 social media posts, Weaver said private property including any kind of especially homeownership is a weapon of white supremacy masquerading as wealth building public policy. None of this is new. Massachusetts approved a 4 percent millionaire tax three years ago, and in its first two years in effect it has netted itself roughly $5.2 billionwell above estimates. California, Connecticut, Maine, New Jersey, and New York, all have versions of millionaire taxes. Washington and Michigan are also eyeing versions of millionaire taxes. And of course, the new democrat socialist mayors in New York (Zohran Mamdani campaigned on taxing millionaires up to 5.9 percent) and Seattle (Katie Wilson) support targeting the rich. All this is happening in Democratic strongholds: Each of the five states with millionaire taxes currently are completely controlled by Democrats. And it is occurring with increasing frequency and intensity. No longer were traditional, progressive tax rates, where rates move higher as incomes grow larger, adequate. Surtaxes on millionaires were added. Now progressives reach seeks to go further in California: to a 5 percent tax not on income but on an individuals underlying wealth. The politics and economics of envy are the answers to progressivisms profligacy. As liberals become more extreme, their policies become more ambitious, their costs more expensive. It is also the answer to progressivisms ultimate ambitions. As Cea Weavers unguarded rants against property ownership demonstrate: It is not simply wealths amount, but its very existence, that is a problem they want to eradicate. To Weaver and those like her, capitalism is an inherently unjust system. The distribution of the productsprivate propertyof this unjust system is also unjust. The only answer is to redistribute it themselves. And that is what they ultimately intend to do. All these are just incremental steps in the Lefts movement toward redistribution. The quantity may changefrom billionaires to millionaires to private property itselfbut they all share the same qualitative element. California governor Gavin Newsoms complaint is not that his states leftwing unions want to boil the frog; Newsoms complaint is that his leftwing unions are turning up the heat so high that the fog will jump out of the pot. With mayoral victories in New York City and Seattle, the leftward lurch of democratic socialism has inched toward mainstream. In the face of this focal momentum, it is easy to overlook that progressivisms policies of targeting the rich are even further ahead of its politics. The only difference is that progressivisms policies have been moving less visibly. We, therefore, should not be surprised to see these streams of policy and politics crossing and becoming full-fledged redistribution programs in Americas deepest blue enclaves. In these, Horatio Algers stories have been replaced by those of Karl Marx. Like America and the West, Iraq has experienced turmoil and chaos for years since the Iraq war and its aftermath. We are grateful to the United States for liberating our nation from the yoke of Saddam Hussein, and it is incumbent on us Iraqis to build a stable and peaceful country for the sake of our children. The best way to achieve that peace and security is for Iraq to align itself with the United States as President Trump and follow-on aligned U.S. leaders lead America into the promised golden age. With the right leadership, Iraq can add value to the United States as we chart our own future at the same time. My former boss, President Jalal Talabani was a strong Iraqi leader, as I will be. As an independent, neutral president who stands up for our nation, I will be a counter balance to anti-American political forces in Iraq influenced by neighboring countries. We will make Iraq great. Too many times, Baghdad was influenced by bad actors and lacked a strong Iraqi presidency and if I am president, we will strike the correct balance that serves Iraqs interests first and the interests of the broader Middle East too. With American leadership, Iraq can and should be integrated into the region in new ways. If appointed, I intend to use the powers of the presidents office to full effect. The Iraqi constitution is clear that the president has the power to sign orders as well as send legislation to the Iraqi parliament for consideration and passage. In other words, as president, I will use the powers entrusted in me to lead the nation in new and innovative ways. In that spirit, I will call on the parliament to pass an oil and gas law, which will make the energy sector in Iraq more transparent and favorable to American investment and technical assistance. Natural resources will be critical to Iraqs golden age. We must use our resources wisely. Harvesting energy and other commodities for the good of all of Iraqs people and simultaneously helping our partners is a goal of mine. A government controlled energy sector producing only 50% of the nations required electricity is unacceptable. When I am president, I will call for the privatization of the electricity sector in Iraq, which in turn will shepherd in public-private partnerships and, in doing so, attract U.S. companies to invest and build the sectors capacity. This is long overdue. I will also send legislation to the parliament calling for the implementation of the U.S.-Iraq strategic partnership, in various sectors including trade and commerce. Iraqs food ration program has spent billions of dollars buying crops from other countries. We should buy American. Nor is there any reason why Iraqs national carrier, Iraqi Airways, shouldnt buy Boeing commercial aircraft. Equally important, Iraq must become kinder to its minorities. If appointed president, I will make it a priority of mine to ensure the safe return and freedom of worship for Iraqs religious minorities, the Christian, Yazidi and Jewish communities, whose numbers have been decimated since the end of the war and before that. It is correct to embrace these communities again for they had been part of Iraqs fabric as well. While Iraq is majority Muslim, we understand America is a majority Christian nation, and the freedom of Iraqi religious minorities to worship safely should be a priority of ours. Iraq will be a better place for it, and this will also foster good will from American constituencies, leading to fruitful cooperation between our two countries. We need the Iraqi Christian diaspora to repatriate, and we are here to protect their places of worship. Disarming non-government militias and paramilitary groups will go a long way to providing that security. One note of caution: Appointing a candidate for president from one of the two leading Kurdish parties over the other party will only divide the two parties, and further weaken Kurdish positions with the central government in Baghdad. This in turn will weaken Americas position and influence in Iraq and strengthen Irans influence in the country. Iran is coping with its own serious domestic problems. Now is not the time to allow the rebirth of proxy forces in Iraq, which were so devastating to U.S. military personnel. I have personally fought on the side of the Kurdish people and understand the special bond between U.S. forces and the Peshmerga. I take this relationship seriously, as every Kurdish fighter does, and am proud of the American-Iraqi-Kurdish bond. With that experience, I am in a unique position to bring positive change to Iraq and form a strong bond with the American people and her leadership, which will benefit both of our nations for decades to come. We are on the cusp of significant change across the Middle East, even the world. Leaders matter. The American people inaugurated a president one year ago who has a clear vision and decisiveness. Unfortunately, previous U.S. administrations had different priorities and were not as clear about their intentions in Iraq. I applaud President Trump for his leadership. It is important to put in place leaders who have what it takes to lead humanity to a better place and have an impact on peoples lives. I am that leader and I look forward to leading Iraq as her president. I also look forward to working closely with the United States if I am afforded that wonderful opportunity. Sardar Abdulla served for ten years as a Kurdish fighter and commander against the regime of Saddam Hussein. Born in Baghdad, he received his B.A. from the University of Sulaymaniyah, in the Kurdistan Region of Iraq (KRI). After serving the Kurdish cause, Mr. Abdulla became an editor and writer at multiple media outlets in the KRI. He was editor-in-chief at Harem newspaper and Rojnama newspaper, among other senior positions. Following his prolific writing career, Mr. Abdulla served as an advisor to the first Iraqi president after the countrys liberation in 2003, Jalal Talabani. Mr. Abdulla was elected as a Member of Parliament in Iraq in 2010. Previously, he ran for president of Iraq, in 2018. The U.S. military action to arrest Nicolas Maduro on January 3, 2026, has emerged as a defining event in Latin American politics. Conducted in its immediate aftermathJanuary 814, 2026the latest TIPP Insights national survey in Colombia (n=2,051, margin of error 2.7%) captures the publics resounding response and reveals how this development is accelerating the advance of conservative populism across the region. Overwhelming Approval for Maduros Arrest The poll, fielded just days after the capture, shows 65% of Colombians approve of the U.S. operation, with approval climbing to 81% in the Plains region. This strong endorsement reflects deep-seated rejection of narco-linked authoritarianism and widespread support for decisive action to confront threats to regional stability. The timing is critical: the survey directly measures sentiment in the wake of this high-profile event, demonstrating that the Maduro arrest has become a powerful catalyst for pro-U.S. alignment and a game-changer for candidates who can credibly champion hemispheric security cooperation. Trumps Striking Popularity in Colombia President Trump enjoys 45% approval in Colombia (disapproval 36%)substantially higher than in many U.S. surveys and exceeding incumbent Gustavo Petros 39% approval. Only 25% describe current U.S.-Colombia relations as positive, yet 73% want them strengthened, and 70% say the bilateral relationship is important to their presidential vote. Colombians clearly seek a much closer, more cooperative partnership with the United States. Abelardo de la Espriella is ideally positioned to harness this sentiment, positioning himself as the candidate of renewed alliancemuch as Jose Antonio Kast in Chile, Javier Milei in Argentina, and Nasry Asfura in Honduras have done in their respective contexts. Runoff Advantage for de la Espriella In the multi-candidate first round (including leaners), leftist Ivan Cepeda leads with 31%, de la Espriella stands at 25%, and centrist Sergio Fajardo at 12%. Runoff scenarios highlight de la Espriellas clear edge: he significantly outperforms Fajardo among self-identified conservative voters (56% to 11%) and holds a modest but meaningful advantage among independents and those with no stated ideology (18% to 11%). Among centrists, the two are nearly even (de la Espriella 26%, Fajardo 23%). This superior ability to consolidate conservative and independent support gives de la Espriella a stronger path to victory in a second round. Runoff matchups confirm the pattern: De la Espriella vs. Fajardo: de la Espriella 32%, Fajardo 26%, blank 22%, not voting/unsure 20%. De la Espriella vs. Cepeda: de la Espriella 33%, Cepeda 40%, blank 16%, not voting/unsure 10%. De la Espriellas performance is particularly strong among older voters and in the Coffee Axis and Plains regionsdemographics energized by security concerns. Voter Priorities Align with Conservative Themes Insecurity and violence top concerns at 37%, followed by corruption (24%) and armed groups/narco-trafficking (17%). Economic issues rank far lower at 13%. De la Espriellas focus on security and governance integrity aligns directly with these priorities. Broader Regional Momentum The Colombian data reflect a wider pattern. Jose Antonio Kasts victory in Chiles December 2025 election produced the countrys most conservative government in recent decades, centered on crime reduction and migration control. Javier Mileis reforms sustain robust backing in Argentina, Daniel Noboa won reelection in Ecuador through an anti-organized-crime platform, and Nasry Asfuras conservative success in Honduras adds to the evidence. These outcomes stem from shared drivers: frustration with incumbent performance, rising violence, narco-trafficking, and disillusionment with prior leftist administrations. Strategic Opportunity for the United States The Maduro capture has created a timely opening. A Latin America increasingly receptive to conservative populist approaches promises enhanced cooperation on trade, migration management, narcotics interdiction, and countering external authoritarian influencesprovided Washington respects national sovereignty. In Colombia, the TIPP Insights polltaken in the immediate aftermath of the arrestshows first-round fragmentation among conservative contenders but strong potential for runoff consolidation behind candidates who prioritize security and hemispheric alignment. Conservative populism is advancing a coherent vision of order, accountability, and partnership. With Colombias first round set for May 31, 2026, and elections approaching elsewhere, the polling and regional dynamics are clear: this movement is gaining meaningful traction. Dismissing it would overlook a pivotal chance to reinforce stability and U.S. influence in the hemisphere. Steve Cortes is president of the League of American Workers and advisor to Catholic Vote. He directs political campaigns on media, polling, and Hispanic outreach, including Trump 2016/2020 and Vance 2022 US Senate. He is a former broadcaster for Fox News and CNN. Our Kurdish people, descendants of Saladin, beware of believing claims that we seek harm against you, Syrian President Ahmad al-Sharaa said in a televised address on January 16 to Syrias Kurdish community. The speech was delivered amid a dangerous escalation between Damascus and the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), which has been a U.S. counterterrorism partner. The SDF controlled roughly 30 percent of Syria following its role in defeating the Islamic State, most of it east of the Euphrates River, a natural barrier separating SDF-held territory from government-controlled areas, with only a handful of SDF positions west of the river. Sharaa followed the speech by signing a presidential decree granting Syrian Kurds a slate of long-denied rights, including recognition of Kurdish as a national language, designation of Nowruz, a celebration observed by Iranian peoplesas a national holiday, and the restoration of citizenship to stateless Kurds. The decree corrected longstanding injustices and resonated with Kurdish civilians long denied basic rights, but its synchronization with battlefield escalation indicates it was deployed primarily as leverage against the SDF, meant to drain grassroots support from the group weakening it militarily and forcing it to accede to terms favorable to Damascus. The decree did not emerge from negotiations with the SDF but was issued over its head, signaling to Syrias Kurdish community that the group played no role in securing their newfound rights and that Damascus alone sets the terms of political inclusion. Sharaa eventually extracted sweeping concessions from a chastened SDF, wielding both coercion and conciliation. Even as Sharaa spoke, Syria intensified its military campaign against the SDF across multiple contested areas along the Euphrates. The government made rapid gains at key strategic locations. By stripping the SDF of the Kurdish-rights card, one of its few remaining sources of leverage, Sharaa forced the SDF back to the table. This combined strategy produced results. A new integration framework, widely seen as favoring Damascus, expands central government control over formerly SDF-held areas in Deir Ezzour and Raqqa, and mandates the absorption of SDF fighters into the official Syrian military as individuals, rather than intact units. The latter point had been a core Damascus demand and a key stumbling block for the SDF despite a March agreement to bring the sides together. While the March accord, signed by SDF commander Mazloum Abdi and Sharaa, called for integrating SDF forces into the Syrian army, it never defined a mechanism to do so. That ultimately sank the talks. The SDF had insisted on retaining local control over its troops and preventing Syrian army entry into its territory, citing security risks and the absence of credible guarantees following sectarian violence committed by Damascus forces elsewhere. The government refused the SDFs conditions for several reasons, not the least of which is Turkeys influence over Damascus. Turkey considers the SDFs core component, the Peoples Defense Units (YPG), an extension of the PKK a U.S. and Turkish-designated terrorist organization. Turkey consistently rejected the incorporation of SDF commanders as officers in the Syrian military and demanded that the groups fighters be absorbed individually, not as units, a blow to the Kurds ability to defend themselves against Damascus, or Turkey itself., a position ultimately reflected in the final integration framework. Until the complete breakdown of talks in December, clashes were brief, often lasting a single day and followed by talks to de-escalate. But Damascuss two-pronged attack half charm, half armed swept all before it. In Aleppo, the SDF had long controlled the Kurdish-majority neighborhoods of Sheikh Maqsoud and Ashrafiyeh, isolated enclaves surrounded by government territory, but SDF forces withdrew following four days of intense clashes. The speed of the collapse emboldened Damascus to expand the fight across Aleppo province, advancing into contested areas west of the Euphrates, including Deir Hafer and Maskanah, where the SDF again pulled back. Each withdrawal accelerated Syrian momentum, allowing government forces to take control over strategic nodes along the SDFs frontier, including Tabqa in Raqqa province, a critical position that would allow Damascus to attack the city of Raqqa itself. Raqqa was the SDFs largest and most symbolically important stronghold. Riding a wave of battlefield momentum, Sharaa appears convinced that pressure, not talks, will deliver results. Reopening negotiations on provisions he already agreed with the SDF in March offered little upside when force produced visible gains that he could use to extort concessions from the SDF. The SDFs rapid collapse west of the Euphrates was due to internal fracturing. Fighters of Arab origin who make up the bulk of the SDFs ranks, despite its Kurdish leadership defected or withdrew, allowing Syrian forces to walk into previously SDF-held positions. Sharaa gambled that the same dynamic could be replicated east of the Euphrates, where, unlike Aleppo, the SDF holds contiguous territory. In those territories, Arab fighters also dominate the SDFs manpower, and Damascus made the bet that sustained military pressure would trigger a wave of defections and withdrawal, weakening the SDFs defensive positions. Damascus also exploited deep-seated local resentment toward SDF rule. These grievances sparked a tribal mobilization that resulted in militias temporarily seizing control of large parts of Deir Ezzour province and several districts across the Raqqa governorate. The Syrian army did not enter those areas initially, because, unlike Aleppo and areas west of the river, the SDF-held areas east of the Euphrates fall squarely within the U.S. military's sphere of operations. U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) warned Damascus against further escalation, and officials in Washington have signaled that any renewed large-scale offensive could trigger the snapback of sanctions against Sharaa. Even as Sharaa cultivates a working relationship with Washington, pushing deeper into SDF-held territory east of the Euphrates risked antagonizing Washington. Instead, Damascus leveraged its military pressure to force the SDF into an new integration deal on terms that favor the central government. Washington was happy to endorse the deal, which is far more favorable to Damascus than the SDF, leaving its longtime allies out in the cold. With Washingtons blessing, Syrian troops entered areas east of the river. The durability of this arrangement, however, is far from assured. Coercion may secure SDF compliance in the short term, but without an enforcement mechanism for the deal, fighting can start up again at any time a lesson learned from the unraveling of the March agreement. Washington has rewarded Sharaa in the hope he can stabilize and reform Syria, but stability remains elusive on multiple fronts: meaningful political inclusion Syria appears stalled, accountability for sectarian massacres committed over the past year remains absent, and it is still unclear whether Syrias reconstituted military is aligned with U.S. counterterrorism priorities, most notably, whether jihadist elements will be excluded from its ranks. Sharaas Syria remains a place of divisions, whatever the rhetoric coming from Damascus. Ahmad Sharawi is a senior research analyst at the Foundation for Defense of Democracies, focusing on Middle East affairs and the Levant. RECOIL Network gave out the first Top Brass Awards at SHOT Show 2026! Brands that brought new products, new ideas, and bold innovation to the market. Top Brass Awards come from all of the RECOIL Network brands, including RECOIL Magazine, Gun Digest, CONCEALMENT, CARNIVORE, OffGrid, and CANCON. Here are just a few of our winners! RECOIL Top Brass Phoenix Award: FN SCAR Reborn from the ashes of the first generation of FN SCAR, the king lives on in the second generation. Improved in almost every way, this new version continues to impress us. We got the first hands-on look at the new SCAR and have all the details of what makes it great and how it changed from the original design. Take a look: The Next Generation Of The FN SCAR: The King Is DEAD Long Live The King [EXCLUSIVE HANDS ON]! CONCEALMENT Top Brass Award For Best Accessory: TriggerTech ACE Trigger System Building their name in the bolt-action and AR trigger space, TriggerTech now offers that high level of design with an unbeatable crisp, Zero Creep trigger for Glocks gen 1-5. Tunable by the user for a pull weight between 2.5 and 6 pounds, this is the most crisp, smoothest, and surprising trigger weve seen for the Glock platform. CANCON Top Brass Giggle Maker Award: Maxim Defense PDX SD We see lots of new and interesting things at every CANCON, but this year, the one that never failed to light up someones face was the Maxim Defense PDX SD! Less than 24 end to end, this ultra-short, ultra-compact little gun sounds and shoots like you cant believe. Built to be the ultimate in small gun technology, the Maxim PDX SD is more than the sum of its parts and delivers a tiny gun that everyone loves to shoot. Gun Digest Top Brass Best New Precision Rifle Award: Seekins SIC This absolute polearm of a rifle from Seekins left us incredibly impressed. It's available in 7 different calibers ranging from badass magnums down to 6.5 Creedmoor and .308 Winchester, but you don't have to choose just one. This modular rifle developed for U.S. Special Operations is hyper modular, allowing you to quickly and easily swap calibers for your mission on the fly using a just a T25 stored in the buttpad. All of this coolness doesn't come cheap, but if you can afford it, this is one hell of a precision rifle. Recoil Top Brass Innovation Award: PSA Mixtape .338 ARC The .338 ARC cartridge is super cool and potentially very quiet, and that calls for awesome guns chambered in it. PSA did that in spades with their announcement of a .338 ARC Sabre Mixtape! The original version in .300 BLK was already impressive, but we're excited to see what it can do in the new chambering. YANGON, Jan. 22 (Xinhua) -- Myanmar welcomed over 973,000 foreign tourists in 2025, the Ministry of Hotels and Tourism said on Thursday. The number of foreign tourists was lower compared to over 1.06 million foreign tourists who visited the country in 2024, U Myo Win Nyunt, deputy permanent secretary of the ministry, told Xinhua. The primary sources of foreign visitors to Myanmar are China, Thailand and South Korea, he said. "We hope to welcome more foreign tourists in the coming years. Our department is working on hotel renovations and providing training for employees to ensure better services for visitors," he added. In the October to December period of FY26, DRL recorded a 12 per cent Y-o-Y drop in revenue from North America to Rs 2,964 crore from Rs 3,383 crore due to continued price erosion in Lenalidomide. Photograph: Reuters In contrast, revenue from India rose 19 per cent on-year at Rs 1,603 crore, up from Rs 1,346 crore on new product launches and favourable forex. Key Points Dr Reddy's is preparing for a major global rollout of semaglutide injections beginning 2026, targeting launches across 87 countries in a phased manner, including India and Canada. It is looking at producing 12 million pens annually, through partnerships and its in-house facility in Visakhapatnam Pharma major Dr Reddys Laboratories (DRL) reported a 14 per cent year-on-year (Y-o-Y) drop in consolidated net profit to Rs 1,210 crore in the December quarter of FY 2025-26 (Q3FY26) on low sales of cancer drug Lenalidomide in the North American market. The firms revenue from operations grew to Rs 8,727 crore in Q3FY26, a 4.4 per cent Y-o-Y increase from Rs 8,357 crore recorded for the same quarter last year. This comes even as the drugmaker has been witnessing a continuous drop in revenue from its North American market, which has contributed 37 per cent to DRLs overall revenue in the nine months (9M) period of FY26. The results were announced after market hours. DRLs stock fell 0.98 per cent, ending the days trade at Rs 1,155.50 apiece on the BSE. In the October to December period of FY26, DRL recorded a 12 per cent Y-o-Y drop in revenue from North America to Rs 2,964 crore from Rs 3,383 crore due to continued price erosion in Lenalidomide. In contrast, revenue from India rose 19 per cent on-year at Rs 1,603 crore, up from Rs 1,346 crore on new product launches and favourable forex. On the other hand, DRLs pharmaceutical services and active ingredients (API) segment witnessed a 2 per cent on-year fall in revenue due adverse product mix impacting gross margins. DRL co-chairman and managing director GV Prasad said that the firms growth in Q3 FY26 was supported by continued momentum in its branded businesses, aided by favourable forex, which offset the impact of lower Lenalidomide sales. We continue to focus on disciplined execution of our strategic priorities of base business growth, pipeline advancement, operational efficiencies, and select inorganic opportunities, to create long-term value for our stakeholders, he added. Dr Reddy's future plan The company is also preparing for a major global rollout of semaglutide beginning 2026, targeting launches across 87 countries in a phased manner, including India and Canada. With the molecules patent set to expire in India on March 21st this year, the firm has already received authorisation from the Central Drugs Standard Control Organisation (CDSCO) to manufacture and market the semaglutide injections in the country. "We have the capacity to manufacture the molecule ourselves, with some components being made by some contract manufacturing organisations (CMOs), DRL CEO Erez Israeli told reporters at a post-results conference. The company is looking at producing 12 million pens annually , through partnerships and its in-house facility in Visakhapatnam, with the potential to scale up to 50 million units later on. Pricing policy for semaglutide injections Commenting on the pricing strategy, MV Ramanna, CEO for branded markets (India and emerging markets) told reporters that DRL will undertake competitive pricing to ensure adoption of the product. He added that DRL will subsequently add partners who will be supplied with its semaglutide variant. The firm also hopes to get an authorisation from Canadian authorities in time to launch the drug first there. DRL had received a notice of non-compliance (NON) from Health Canada for its variant of the semaglutide injection. 'If you want to force the press into blacking out the Opposition's views or colour the news to your own liking, we will not do so.' 'We stand by freedom of expression. It is our Constitutional right. We stand by our Constitutional right.' Kindly note that this image has been posted for representational purposes. Photograph: Chris McGrath/Getty Images/Rediff Archives The Supreme Court on Tuesday, January 20, directed the Punjab government to allow the Punjab Kesari newspaper to resume operations at its printing press in Ludhiana, saying 'newspapers cannot be stopped'. The court said the state government should not take any coercive steps against the publication of Punjab Kesari until the Punjab and Haryana high court decides on a petition filed by the media group. On January 15 the Pollution Control Board of Punjab ordered a shutdown of the group's printing press over alleged water pollution. The media group publishes some of the highest-circulating Hindi and Punjabi dailies in the state, including Punjab Kesari, Jag Bani and Hind Samachar. After the Supreme Court's legal shield, one of the owners of the media group, Amit Chopra, spoke to Syed Firdaus Ashraf/Rediff about why the Aam Aadmi Party government in Punjab is against the group. The Supreme Court has given you interim relief and barred the Punjab government from taking action against your newspaper. Is this breather good enough? The Supreme Court has stayed any coercive action by the Punjab government against our group. Therefore, the orders passed for closing of our Ludhiana press stands stayed. We continue to operate. Also, their advocate told the Supreme Court of India that no further action is planned by them against our group. After the Supreme Court order the Punjab government will think twice before stifling freedom of the press. The AAP government stated that editorial independence will be protected, but violations that endanger public health, workers or the environment will not be overlooked. Any business could have shortcomings at any point of time and an opportunity should be given to correct those. The environment protection laws give you a certain timeframe to correct those anomalies, however big or small they are. In our case those anomalies were very small and did not warrant the kind of action taken against us. We stand for the environment and we stand committed to take whatever steps are required to protect and preserve it. We have installed solar power on our rooftop to generate clean energy. We are very committed. 'Completely mala fide' However, if there is some breakdown in equipment you cannot come and shut down the place. Moreover, the way and manner it was done was completely mala fide. All my three printing presses in Punjab run on electricity and use very little water. They forcibly entered the premises to collect samples from somewhere and without getting the results of that sample, on that very day and in an opaque manner forced the closure of the unit. This is not protecting the environment. The intention was to stifle freedom of the press. The reason why all this started was on October 31, 2025, when we carried a certain news item. Hundreds of policemen swooped down on our units, climbing walls, our security guards were beaten up, they took away our DVRs (digital video recorder) and the policemen were hiding their face. These things are not acceptable and democracy can or should work. What was the news item that irked the state government? We did not write anything more than what any other newspaper wrote. It was a BJP press release against AAP and we carried the AAP's version too in the same article. Now, if you want to force the press into blacking out the Opposition's views or colour the news to your own liking, we will not do so. We stand by freedom of expression. It is our Constitutional right. We stand by our Constitutional right. We will not be cowed down by the unconstitutional demands of any political party. 'You cannot stop news from being carried' Did you publish any report against AAP supremo Arvind Kejriwal in particular, like he was staying in a government guest house in Punjab or getting favours from the Punjab government which he was not entitled to? We did not specifically target anyone. We did not flash the news item more than any other newspaper did in Punjab. I don't know what the legal position is on someone staying in the government guest house, but you cannot stop news from being carried. You can definitely insist on your version being carried. You can file a defamation suit or send a legal notice and I can correct my errors but you cannot force me to do any of the things. Two liquor bottles were found in your newspaper establishment, it is said, or was it 800 bottles of liquor across all your establishments? What is the truth? How does it violate the law? That is not true. These liquor bottles were found in our hotel bars. They were legally purchased and the excise department came and seized 804 bottles for which we produced invoices for all the bottles. Now out of these 804 bottles, two bottles were found without holograms and QR code. That is the allegation and therefore they were termed illegal. These two bottles were of Jaisalmer gin. I am a teetotaller so I have not seen a bottle like that. Our hotel is managed by the Sarovar group who manage 150 hotels around the country. And the accounts staff produced all the invoices. They were bought under licence and permit. We have licences for liquor for our hotels which they cancelled. The liquor bottles were not found in the printing press, and that is a wrong assertion. This is a trumped up charge. 'They can say anything' The Pollution Control Board of Punjab sent you notices, so was there any violation from your side? Punjab Advocate General Shadan Farsat said only one unit has been directed to be closed due to pollution, and it is incorrect to say that the entire newspaper has been shut. How far is it true? They have come to all the units. They forcibly collected samples from all the units without the presence of the management and the apprehension was and is that we always had the protection of the Supreme Court, else they would have definitely shut down all our units. Now that we have the protection of Supreme Court of India, they can say anything. Are your hotels emitting any toxic chemicals? No more than any household or other hotels. Detergents and softeners, and that is what the allegation is against us. We do have an NOC (no objection certificate) from the municipal corporations. There is a central sewage treatment plant (STP) of the city and we have permission to discharge into it. Unfortunately, the main STP plant is not working and that is the fault of the government. They are not able to repair it and are making allegations against our establishment. The real purpose is not to take care of pollution but coerce us. Have they stopped Punjab government advertisements to your newspaper? Because the government clarified that public advertising is not an entitlement and cannot be used as insulation against regulatory scrutiny. This happened from November 2, 2025, and before that they stopped all our newspaper distribution vans. Our vans that were distributing newspapers disappeared in the night. Later, at 7 am, it was found that the police were ordered to seal all the vans and take the mobile phones of all the drivers. All this was illegal. No one has ever touched the distribution of newspapers. After checking newspaper copies to see whether they had any news against Kejriwal or the chief minister of Punjab they released the vans. This has never happened in the history of Punjab or the country. No government in India has stopped newspaper vans and seized them. The excuse was they were checking for weapons and drugs by the transporters who carry the newspapers. Of course, nothing was found. This was as absurd as the other things they did. 'AAP govt is a great disappointment' The AAP won a majority in the Punjab assembly elections. What went wrong? It is a great disappointment. I am personally disappointed too. When so many people of Punjab gave a historic mandate they were expecting a lot from the government. Instead of fulfilling their manifesto promises they are doing these kinds of things, which is very sad. One year to go for elections and I have no idea what agenda they are projecting. Have they done any good things? I will not put myself in the place of the people of Punjab and speak for them. Generally, I heard a lot of disappointment from people and nothing much is visible on the ground. That is what the perception is but I have no right to speak on behalf of everyone. It is the people of Punjab who will decide when the time comes for elections. Is it true that action was taken against RTI activist Manik Goyal after he raised questions about who was using the CM's chopper when Bhagwat Mann was on a foreign trip? A lot is happening and there are a lot of such allegations. We have been getting stories of even small media outlets and even YouTubers (who are being harassed by the Punjab government for speaking against them). I am told a lot of people are complaining. I don't know specifically, though. You did approach Chief Minister Mann. What happened? We wrote a letter to him requesting him not to interfere with the media and allow it to function independently. That is what we could do. I never got a chance to meet him recently. I met him earlier but not on this occasion. 'We work for freedom of expression' The bravery of the founder of Punjab Kesari, Lala Jagat Narain who was murdered by terrorists in 1981, is taught in journalism schools. We grew up reading about him and now the state government is taking you on. Punjab has seen very bad times. Our organisation lost 62 people (in terrorist attacks), and that included my grandfather and my uncle. My father, he put up a very brave fight and God bless him, he is 94 and still a fighter. He is steadfast and we continue on the same path. We continue to work for freedom of expression and the integrity of the nation against separatist forces. Trump's 'Board of Peace' is being projected by Washington, DC as a new international body to usher in peace and stability in Gaza and beyond, triggering speculation that it could throw a challenge to the United Nations. IMAGE: US President Donald Trump waves as he attends the 56th annual World Economic Forum (WEF) meeting in Davos, Switzerland on January 21, 2026. Photograph: Denis Balibouse/Reuters Key Points Qatar, Turkiye, Egypt, Jordan, Indonesia, Pakistan, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates will join Trump's 'Board of Peace' The Board of Peace led by Trump was originally envisioned as a small group of world leaders overseeing the Gaza ceasefire plan Foreign ministers of eight Islamic countries including Arab nations have welcomed the invitation from United States President Donald Trump to join the 'Board of Peace' to oversee the Gaza ceasefire plan, reaffirming their collective support for ongoing international efforts to end the Gaza conflict. In a joint statement issued on Wednesday, the Foreign Ministers of the State of Qatar, the Republic of Turkiye, the Arab Republic of Egypt, the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan, the Republic of Indonesia, the Islamic Republic of Pakistan, the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates welcome the invitation extended to their leaders by Trump. "The Ministers announce their countries' shared decision to join the Board of Peace. Each country will sign the joining documents according to their respective relevant legal and other necessary procedures, including the Arab Republic of Egypt, the Islamic Republic of Pakistan, and the United Arab Emirates, that have already announced to join," The statement said. The ministers reiterate their countries' support for the peace efforts led by President Trump, and reaffirm their countries' commitment to supporting the implementation of the mission of the Board of Peace as a transitional administration, as set out in the Comprehensive Plan to End the Gaza Conflict and endorsed by United Nations Security Council Resolution 2803, aimed at consolidating a permanent ceasefire, supporting the reconstruction of Gaza, and advancing a just and lasting peace grounded in the Palestinian right to self-determination and statehood in accordance with international law, thereby paving the way for security and stability for all countries and peoples of the region. What is the Board of Peace? The Board of Peace led by Trump was originally envisioned as a small group of world leaders overseeing the Gaza ceasefire plan. Since then, the Trump administration's ambitions have ballooned into a more sprawling concept, with Trump extending invitations to dozens of nations and hinting the board will soon broker global conflicts, like a pseudo-UN Security Council. Trump's 'Board of Peace' is being projected by Washington, DC as a new international body to usher in peace and stability in Gaza and beyond, triggering speculation that it could throw a challenge to the United Nations. Originally, the new body was to be tasked to oversee governance and coordinate funding for Gaza's redevelopment as the strip was devastated during the two years of Israeli military offensive. The Financial Times, quoting from the 'charter' of the Board, said this week that it is 'an international organisation that seeks to promote stability, restore dependable and lawful governance, and secure enduring peace in areas affected or threatened by conflict' The top level of the Board will consist 'exclusively' of heads of state under Trump's leadership, the newspaper quoted a White House official as saying. The Trump administration has already announced that the 'Board of Peace' will play an essential role in fulfilling Trump's 20-point plan of providing strategic oversight, mobilising international resources and ensuring accountability as 'Gaza transitions from conflict to peace and development'. The 20-point plan includes making Gaza a deradicalised terror-free zone that does not pose a threat to its neighbours and redeveloping it for the benefit of the people of the strip. The White House last week announced forming a founding executive board to operationalise the Board of Peace's vision. The members of the executive committee included US Secretary of State Marco Rubio, former British prime minister Tony Blair, US special envoy to the Middle-East Steve Witkoff, businessman and Trump's son-in-law Jared Kushner and World Bank president Ajay Banga. The other two members of the committee are Marc Rowan, the CEO of New York-headquartered private equity firm Apollo Global Management, and Robert Gabriel, a US national security adviser. The executive board will oversee another administrative group called the National Committee for the Administration of Gaza (NCAG). With inputs from PTI KIAL Airport police station officials said that the accused is alleged to have touched the woman's private parts and forcibly hugged her under the pretext of inspection. IMAGE: The woman complained to the airport security staff, who immediately detained the accused and handed him over to the airport police. Photograph: @BLRAirport/X Key Points The staffer has been arrested by the airport police He took the woman to the men's toilet and touched her inappropriately under the pretext of inspection The accused left her in the restroom after saying 'Okay, thank you' and walked away A South Korean woman was allegedly harassed by an airport staffer at Bengaluru's Kempegowda International Airport under the garb of a routine check. The staffer, according to KIAL Airport police, was arrested for sexually harassing the woman who had come to the airport to travel to Korea "An incident of sexual harassment of a South Korean woman under the pretext of inspection has been reported at the Kempegowda International Airport, Bengaluru. An airport staffer has been arrested for sexually harassing a foreign woman who had come to the airport to travel to Korea. During the ticket inspection, the staffer said that a beeping sound was coming from the woman's bag and asked her to be checked separately. He took the woman to the men's toilet. There, he touched her inappropriately under the pretext of inspection," the police said "The woman complained to the airport security staff, who immediately detained the accused and handed him over to the airport police. The CCTV footage confirmed the same. The Kempegowda Airport Police have registered a case against the accused, and he has been arrested. Investigation is underway. A case has been registered against the accused under Section 75 of the BNS (Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita)," police further said. Accused touched the woman's private parts KIAL Airport police station officials said that the accused is alleged to have touched the woman's private parts and forcibly hugged her under the pretext of inspection. The woman expressed her strong opposition but the accused continued his search and left her after saying 'Okay, thank you' and walked away. Later, the foreign national complained to the airport security staff, who immediately detained the accused and handed him over to the airport police. Based on her complaint, the Kempegowda Airport Police arrested the accused and registered a case against him. Congress MP Shaktisinh Gohil's nephew Yashrajsinh Gohil shot himself dead with his revolver after a bullet allegedly fired accidentally from the same gun killed his wife at their residence in Ahmedabad, police said on Thursday. IMAGE: Yashrajsinh Gohil with his wife Rajeshwari. Photograph: X The incident took place shortly before Wednesday midnight at their house in NRI Tower in Bodakdev area of Ahmedabad city, they said, adding the couple had tied the knot just two months back. Shaktisinh Gohil is a senior Congress leader and the party's Rajya Sabha member from Gujarat. Talking to reporters, Assistant Commissioner of Police (ACP) Jayesh Brahmbhatt said that although the police's preliminary probe and the statement of Yashrajsinh's mother suggest that the bullet was fired by mistake and not intentionally, the bodies of both the deceased have been sent for a forensic post-mortem to find out the truth. "It was learnt that Yashrajsinh Gohil used to work as an officer with the Gujarat Maritime Board and was the nephew of Shaktisinh Gohil," he said. Yashrajsinh was checking his licenced revolver: Cong Gujarat Congress spokesperson Manish Doshi said the couple was living a happy married life, and added that the incident took place when Yashrajsinh was checking his licenced revolver in his bedroom. "A bullet accidentally got fired from his licenced revolver and hit his wife Rajeshwari near her neck. After the paramedics of '108' ambulance service declared her dead, Yashrajsinh shot himself dead under shock," Doshi told reporters. According to ACP Brahmbhatt, the couple had tied the knot just two months ago and were living with Yashrajsinh's mother in Bodakdev area. "The couple went to a social gathering and returned home on Wednesday night. The security guard told us that both were looking happy upon their return and went straight to their flat. At around 11.45 pm, when the couple was in their bedroom, a bullet accidentally fired from Yashrajsinh's revolver and hit his wife," the official said. Gohil then informed his mother, who was sleeping in another bedroom, about the incident and immediately called '108' service to save his injured wife, the ACP said. When the paramedical staff of the ambulance service declared her dead, Yashrajsinh could not bear the shock and ended his life by shooting himself with the same firearm in the presence of his mother and the medical staff, he added. "Upon learning about the incident from the medical personnel, police teams rushed to the spot and shifted the bodies of both the deceased for forensic post-mortem, which would help in determining whether he shot his wife intentionally or by mistake," the ACP said. Based on Dr Sangram Patil's suit, the high court issued a notice to the police and directed them to file an affidavit in response to the petition, and posted the matter for further hearing on February 4. IMAGE: Dr Sangram Patil. Photograph: Courtesy, @DrSangramGokulsinghPatil/X The Bombay high court on Thursday issued a notice to the Mumbai police on a plea filed by UK-based doctor and YouTuber Sangram Patil, booked for his alleged objectionable social media post against BJP leaders, seeking quashing of the case. Key Points Patil was booked under Section 353(2) of the BNS He was booked for "objectionable" social media posts against BJP leaders The police also issued a Look Out Notic against him In his petition, Patil also sought for the Look Out Circular (LOC) issued against him by the police to be quashed. Patil's counsel Sudeep Pasbola on Thursday told a single bench of Justice Ashwin Bhobe that the doctor was not even aware of the FIR filed against him and had in fact come to India from the United Kingdom on his own. Advocate General Milind Sathe told the court that Patil was not cooperating with the police. The court issued a notice to the police and directed them to file an affidavit in response to the petition, and posted the matter for further hearing on February 4. As per the plea, Patil was stopped at the Mumbai international airport on January 19 based on the LOC and was not allowed to leave the country. The doctor appeared before the city police's crime branch on Wednesday for questioning. Patil said in his plea that he has been cooperating with the investigation, and added that he has already appeared thrice for questioning. A British citizen of Indian origin and a native of Jalgaon district, Patil was initially stopped at the Mumbai airport on January 10 when he arrived in India and was questioned for around 15 hours, officials said. He was again detained on January 16, when he was scheduled to fly to Manchester, and was not permitted to leave the country. The FIR against Patil was registered in December last year based on a complaint by Nikhil Bhamre, social media coordinator of the Maharashtra BJP. Bhamre told the police that he came across Patil's objectionable post while browsing online, raised the matter with party leaders, and then approached the police. Gehlot had on Wednesday refused to deliver the address to the Karnataka legislature, leading to a stalemate over the fate of the customary speech that outlines the government's policies. IMAGE: Karnataka Governor Thaawarchand Gehlot walks out of . Photograph: Screen grab/X Key Points Gehlot walks out of the assembly after reading just two lines from the speech The brief appearance follows a tense standoff between the Lok Bhavan and the Congress-led government This is the third face-off between a governor and a state government in the southern states after Tamil Nadu and Kerala In a high drama in Karnataka Assembly, Governor Thaawarchand Gehlot on Thursday refused to read the state-prepared address to a joint session of the state legislature and concluded his customary speech in just three lines, evoking a sharp reaction from Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, who accused him of being a 'puppet' of the Centre. This is the third Governor vs government face-off in two days in three non-Bharatiya Janata Party-ruled southern states, the others being Kerala and Tamil Nadu. The Governor began the speech by greeting the Chief Minister, Assembly Speaker U T Khader, Council Chairman Basavaraj Horatti, Leaders of the Opposition, ministers, and members. "I extend a warm welcome to all of you to the joint session of the State legislature. I am extremely pleased to address one more joint session of the Karnataka legislature. My government is firmly committed to doubling the pace of the state's economic, social, and physical development. Jai Hind. Jai Karnataka," he said in Hindi, before walking out. The Treasury Benches, including ministers such as H K Patil (Law and Parliamentary Affairs), stood up and requested Gehlot to complete the speech. As the Governor proceeded towards the exit door, some ruling legislators, including MLC B K Hariprasad, tried to gherao him by shouting slogans. They were removed by the security staff. The legislators then shouted 'shame shame' and 'Dhikkara-Dhikkara, Rajyapalarige Dhikkara' (Reproof to the Governor) in Kannada. While seemingly defending the Governor, BJP members shouted 'Bharat Mata ki Jai'. Siddaramaiah attacked Gehlot for the actions and charged him with failing to deliver his constitutional responsibilities and duties. Siddaramaiah says governor has violated the Constitution Accusing the Governor of reading his own speech, Siddaramaiah said he has violated the Constitution by not reading out the full speech prepared by the government, and acted like a 'puppet' in the hands of the central government. "Every new year, the governor has to address the joint session, and he has to read the speech prepared by the state cabinet. That is constitutional. Because Article 176 of the Constitution and Article 163 say he or she -- the Governor--shall read the speech prepared by the government or the cabinet," Siddaramaiah told reporters. "Today, instead of reading the speech prepared by the cabinet, he delivered the speech prepared by himself. This is against the provisions of the Indian Constitution. It clearly violates articles 176 and 163. Therefore, it is not going to be the speech of the Governor. He has not discharged his duties as per the Constitution. He has not discharged his responsibilities as prescribed by the Indian Constitution," the chief minister said. Asserting that the government was going to protest against the attitude of the Governor, he said: "We are examining whether to approach the Supreme Court or not. We will let you know." Thursday's development follows similar ones in neighbouring Kerala and Tamil Nadu over the past two days. On Tuesday, Tamil Nadu Governor R N Ravi walked out of the state Assembly without delivering his customary address to the House on the opening day of its inaugural session of the year, claiming 'inaccuracies' in the text. Similarly, his Kerala counterpart Rajendra Viswanath Arlekar had allegedly 'omitted' portions of his speech, with the Lok Bhavan claiming his suggestions had been excluded from the original draft. As the business of the Karnataka Assembly resumed, Law Minister Patil's speech on the Governor's address got preference over the customary obituary to the eminent persons, drawing sharp response from theBJP. Patil alleged that the Governor insulted the national anthem, as he did not wait for it to be played at the end of his address. The opposition legislators said that allowing the minister to speak before the obituary was against the convention. Citing the business rules of the House, Leader of the Opposition R Ashoka said no one should behave in an unruly manner before, during, or after the Governor's address, and demanded action against those legislators. He also alleged that the Congress government turned the special session into a 'black day' by showing disrespect to the Governor and insulting the Constitution. Gehlot had on Wednesday refused to deliver the customary address, taking exception to certain references to the Centre 'repealing' the United Progressive Alliance-era Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA). Meanwhile, BJP state president B Y Vijayendra strongly defended Gehlot over his decision to deviate from the government's prepared speech, and accused the ruling Congress of 'misusing' the floor of the House to foster public resentment against the Centre. He also demanded that CM Siddaramaiah take action against the ruling party MLA, MLCs for 'trying to attack the governor'. A young couple who had been missing for three days were found dead and buried in a field in Moradabad, in a suspected case of honour killing, police said on Thursday. Photograph: Illustration: Dominic Xavier/Rediff The bodies of Kajal, a student who also taught at a private school, and her partner Arman, both in their 20s, were recovered from a pit near the Neem Karoli Baba temple on the banks of the Gagan river on Wednesday night, Senior Superintendent of Police Satpal Antil said. He said the couple had been in a relationship for nearly two years. The incident took place on the night of January 18, after members of the woman's family caught the two together at her home in Umri Sabjipur village. "During the investigation, suspicion fell on the woman's family members. After sustained questioning, Kajal's brothers confessed to killing both Kajal and Arman in a fit of rage and burying the bodies to destroy evidence," the SSP said. Two brothers have been taken into custody, while the possible involvement of a third brother is being probed, he added. An FIR has been registered on the complaint of Arman's father. The recovery was carried out in the presence of a magistrate. Additional police force and PAC personnel were deployed at the spot as the victims belonged to different communities, police said. Both bodies have been sent for post-mortem examination, and further investigation is underway, they added. The Bombay high court on Thursday ticked off Maharashtra government and asked whether the rule of law exists in the state, and if the chief minister is too 'helpless' to take action against a cabinet minister whose son has evaded arrest for weeks. IMAGE: Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis. Photograph: ANI Photo The strong words came from Justice Madhav Jamdar during an application filed by Vikas Gogawale, son of Shiv Sena Minister Bharat Gogawale, challenging the pre-arrest bail plea of Shreeyansh Jagtap, son of former MLA Manik Jagtap and a leader of the Nationalist Congress Party. Key Points Remarks made during pre-arrest bail plea of Vikas Gogawale Minister will get his son to surrender, government tells HC Does law and order prevail in Maharashtra, asks judge Vikas is a key accused in a violent clash that broke out during the Mahad Municipal Council elections in Raigad district. Clashes broke out between supporters of the Eknath Shinde-led Shiv Sena and the Ajit Pawar-led Nationalist Congress Party during civic elections at Mahad in Raigad district on December 2. The two sides lodged complaints against each other, and cross-FIRs were registered. 'Ministers' children commit crimes and roam freely' Vikas Gogawale and his cousin Mahesh too had sought pre-arrest bail, but they were not granted any relief. Shreeyansh Jagtap was granted interim protection from arrest in December. Both Vikas and Mahesh Gogawale had filed applications opposing Jagtap's pre-arrest bail plea. On Thursday, Justice Jamdar was forthright in his remarks about the failure of law-enforcing authorities to arrest the minister's son, who has been missing since his anticipatory bail plea was rejected by a sessions court. "Is the state's Chief Minister so helpless that he does not say anything against even one minister? Ministers' children commit crimes and roam freely... they stay in touch with their parents, but the police cannot find them?" the Court observed. No pressure on court, says judge Addressing the police's inability to track the accused, the judge said 'there might be pressure on you (police), but not on the court'. The judge also asked whether law and order and the rule of law prevail in the state. Following the court's reprimand, the government assured that the minister would see to it that his son surrenders within a day. "He (Gogawale) will connect with his son and ensure that he surrenders tomorrow," Advocate General Milind Sathe said. The bench accepted the statement and posted the matter for hearing on Friday, directing Vikas Gogawale to surrender before the hearing. 'We have nothing left -- no land, no house. We have lived here for 40 years and have nowhere to go. We will put up temporary sheds and stay here unless the government provides some arrangement.' Kindly note the image has been published only for representational purposes. Photograph: ANI Photo A large-scale eviction drive was launched early Tuesday on Village Grazing Reserve (VGR) and Professional Grazing Reserve (PGR) land at Bakaliaghat in Karbi Anglong district, affecting more than 600 families who had been residing in the area for decades. The operation covered a vast stretch of encroached land, with officials estimating that around 2,159 houses, three mosques, one church, a local market and several business establishments fell within the eviction zone. A heavy deployment of police personnel, along with officials from multiple government departments, was made to ensure the drive proceeded smoothly. The eviction began around 7 am, following notices issued to residents nearly 15 days earlier. Officials from the forest department, revenue department, circle office and the mondal office were present on the ground to supervise the process. Authorities said the first phase of the drive aims to clear approximately 350 bighas of land, which they expect to be freed during this phase. The operation, officials indicated, may continue beyond Tuesday. "We are implementing the directions of the state government and the Karbi Anglong Autonomous Council. On behalf of the council, the eviction is being carried out. Officials from the forest, revenue and circle offices are overseeing the entire process," an official said. Reactions from local residents were mixed. While some supported the eviction, citing the government's need to reclaim grazing reserve land, many displaced families expressed anguish and demanded proper rehabilitation. "It is good that the eviction is taking place. People have lived here for a long time, but the land belongs to the government, and it now needs to be reclaimed," a local resident said. The Families Suffering Several affected families claimed they had been living in the area for over four decades and were now left without shelter or alternative arrangements. "We understand government rules, but there should be proper relief and rehabilitation. Without support, survival will be very difficult," one displaced resident said. Another added, "We have nothing left -- no land, no house. We have lived here for 40 years and have nowhere to go. We will put up temporary sheds and stay here unless the government provides some arrangement." Assam Government Wants To Reclaim Encroahed Land The Bakaliaghat eviction forms part of Assam's broader drive to reclaim encroached government land, particularly grazing reserves. Over the past few years, the state government has carried out a series of large-scale eviction operations across different districts to recover illegally occupied land. According to official figures, more than 119,000 bighas of land have been freed from encroachers across Assam over the last four years, marking one of the most extensive land reclamation exercises undertaken by the state in recent decades. Authorities maintain that these drives are necessary to protect grazing reserves, forest land and other government-owned properties from continued encroachment. Feature Presentation: Aslam Hunani/Rediff CANBERRA, Jan. 22 (Xinhua) -- Australians have been asked to light a candle and observe a minute of silence on Thursday night to commemorate the victims of the Bondi Beach shooting attack, which occurred on Dec. 14, targeting people celebrating the Jewish festival of Hanukkah at the iconic beach in Sydney's eastern suburbs. Thursday marks a national day of mourning declared by Prime Minister Anthony Albanese for the 15 fatal victims. It is the first time that Australia has observed a national day of mourning since the death of Queen Elizabeth II in 2022. In a statement, the Department of Prime Minister and Cabinet said that Australian flags should be flown at half-mast at all government buildings in Australia and overseas and that governments and organizations are encouraged to light up buildings. Australians are invited to observe a minute of silence at 7:01 p.m. local time (0801 GMT) to coincide with the start of the national memorial service at the Sydney Opera House and to leave a candle on their doorstep or window, the statement added. "Today is an opportunity for us to remember and pay respect to the 15 lives," Albanese told reporters in Canberra on Thursday morning. "It's an opportunity for us as a nation to wrap our arms around the Jewish community because people were targeted because they were Jewish Australians." 'She was haunted by the memories of her assault. She refused to eat and had to be forced to have food.' Key Points The woman was kidnapped in a white Bolero and gang-raped in May 2023 during the early phase of Manipur's ethnic violence. Though she escaped and an FIR was lodged, her family alleges there was no effective investigation or arrests. She never recovered from the physical and psychological trauma, remained bedridden for nearly two years, and died on January 10. IMAGE: Kuki Students Organisation members protest at Jantar Mantar in New Delhi. Image used only for representation. Photograph: Ishant/ANI Photo "Whenever she saw a white Bolero, her body would go numb," recounted a cousin of the Kuki woman from Manipur who died recently from illness allegedly linked to the trauma she suffered after being gang-raped in the early phase of the ethnic violence in the northeastern state in 2023. Kidnapped in a white Bolero and gang-raped at the age of 18, the woman was bedridden for the last two years, never recovering fully. Speaking at a press conference organised by the Kuki Students' Organisation (KSO) Delhi and NCR in New Delhi on Thursday, the cousin of the victim alleged that the 'government has failed us'. The KSO alleged that no proper investigation was conducted and the perpetrators of the crime were not arrested or prosecuted, nor were any officials held accountable. The cousin recalled in a choked voice how the woman kept to herself, consumed by trauma, insomnia and depression. "She was haunted by the memories of her assault. She refused to eat and had to be forced to have food." "I want to ask every Indian: Was she not a daughter of India? It's not just our loss but a national loss... We want to ask how many daughters do we need to lose to get justice?" she posed. Kuki organisations based in Manipur's Churachandpur and in Delhi claimed that the woman was kidnapped in Imphal and gang-raped in May 2023. She managed to escape, but never fully recovered from the shock and injuries and died on January 10, they said. The victim's cousin said the woman would often ask her mother why she was not getting justice despite recording her statement and an FIR being lodged. "She was a brave girl... today her voice is silenced, but our demand for accountability will only grow louder," the cousin added. The Kuki Students' Organisation (KSO) expressed grief over the woman's demise and said her death is a direct consequence of conflict-related sexual violence and 'continued denial of justice'. "This constitutes a violation of Article 14 as state-enabled targeted violence and prolonged neglect amount to substantive discrimination," the KSO said in a statement. 260 killed in Manipur violence so far At least 260 people have been killed and thousands rendered homeless in the ethnic violence between Imphal Valley-based Meiteis and hills-based Kuki-Zo groups in Manipur since May 2023. The state has been under President's Rule since February last year. At the press conference in New Delhi, Nemthianngai Guite, an associate professor at Jawaharlal Nehru University, demanded justice for the victim. "There should be a time-bound, impartial probe by an independent body into the incident," she said. Grace Guite Valte of the KSO said they have lost faith in the Manipur government. "There should be an impartial probe into the incidents of violence against Kuki-Zo-Hmar women. It is a blot on the face of the country. We have lost faith in the Manipur government, and are appealing to Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Home Minister Amit Shah that we want justice," she said. Valte also said that for the Kukis living outside Manipur, even visiting home was a difficult task as they cannot travel via Imphal anymore. Social activist Glady Vaiphei Hunjan sought a separate administration for the Kukis, saying, "The only solution is not to keep the Kukis and Meiteis together." The KSO, in a statement, demanded that the death of the woman should be officially recognised as a consequence of conflict-related sexual violence, and a time-bound, independent and impartial probe should be conducted. It demanded immediate arrest and prosecution of all perpetrators, accountability of officials who failed to act despite knowledge of the crime, and 'justice, protection, rehabilitation and comprehensive support' for all Kuki survivors of sexual violence. The KSO also reiterated the demand for a separate administration for the Kuki-Zo groups. "This step is crucial to guarantee lasting peace, security, justice and the fundamental right to live in dignity," the KSO said. In escalation of the ethnic violence in Manipur, Mayanglambam Rishikanta Singh was abducted from his home in the Tuibong area on Wednesday and shot dead in the vicinity of Natjang village. IMAGE: Kindly note that this image has been posted for representational purposes only. Photograph: ANI Photo Key Points Authorities have registered a case and are working to apprehend the suspects Incident highlights the severe ongoing divide in Manipur Police believe the United Kuki National Army is responsible A man belonging to the Meitei community was shot dead after being abducted by suspected Kuki militants in Churachandpur district, in a fresh escalation of the tensions in restive Manipur, police said on Thursday. Angomcha Bimol Akoijam, one of the two Lok Sabha MPs of the state, said that Governor Ajay Kumar Bhalla has informed him that the process is underway to hand over the case to the National Investigation Agency. Mayanglambam Rishikanta Singh, whose wife is a Kuki, was abducted from his home in the Tuibong area on Wednesday and shot dead in the vicinity of Natjang village, a senior officer said. The kidnappers are suspected to be members of the United Kuki National Army (UNKA), a non-signatory to the Suspension of Operations (SoO) agreement. The SoO pact was signed between the Centre, the Manipur government and dozens of Kuki-Zo militant groups. Married to a Kuki Singh, who hailed from Kakching Khunou in Kakching district, was married to Chingnu Haokip of Churachandpur and assumed a tribal name, Ginminthang. He returned to Churachandpur from Nepal recently, according to local sources. He was allowed to stay with his wife, by some local groups, they said. The deceased's father Mayanglambam Tombi Singh told reporters, "After arriving from Nepal, he had been staying in Churachandpur for a few weeks at his wife's place. He never informed of his whereabouts. We have been told that he was abducted by three armed men on Wednesday evening. His wife was also taken with him, but was later pushed out from a moving vehicle." Protests erupted in Kakching district on Thursday as people in Kakching Khunou Lamkhai area burnt tyres on roads, stopped vehicles and staged a sit-in against the killing of the Meitei man. Demonstrations were also held in parts of Wangkhei in Imphal East district, condemning the killing. Kukis and Meiteis do not venture into each other's areas after the violence broke out in May 2023, leaving the state deeply divided on ethnic lines. Over 260 people have been killed and thousands rendered homeless in the hostilities. The state has been under President's Rule since February last year. Husband shot dead, wife set free The militants abducted both the man and his wife, and took them towards Natjang in the Henglep police station area, where he was suspected to be shot dead, the officer said. The wife was later set free, he said. A purported video clip of the chilling incident went viral on social media, showing Singh begging for his life with folded hands before he was shot by the armed men. The body recovered from the Natjang village was brought to the morgue of the district hospital around 1.30 am, the police said. A suo motu case was registered, and efforts are underway to nab those involved, the officer said. After meeting Bhalla late in the evening, the MP told reporters: "The governor said investigation into the killing of Mayanglambam Rishikanta Singh is underway and the process is on to hand it over to the NIA. He said there has been a lead on those involved in the killing, though it's yet to be confirmed." Akoijam, a Congress leader, said the central government must take corrective measures. "We can see and feel insincerity in its acts, and hopefully all will work with sincerity." Terming the killing an act of desperation, he said there are misplaced perceptions that their demands could be met by such acts. Akoijam also appealed to the Centre not to 'allow some elements to arm-twist the state', and added that if there is a will to take action, it will not take a week. Bharatiya Janata Party state unit president Adhikarimayum Sharda Devi condemned the killing of the Meitei man. Devi, in a post on X, said, 'Such acts of violence have no place in our society and go against the values of peace, harmony, and humanity.' She also appealed to 'all sections of society to remain united, uphold the rule of law, and work collectively to strengthen our social fabric and ensure a peaceful and secure future for all'. Coordinating Committee on Manipur Integrity (COCOMI) Convenor Y Dhiren told reporters, "We strongly condemn the killing by Chin-Kuki narco terrorists. For many months, we have been trying to restore peace by communicating with different communities. It is very unfortunate that the criminal acts of Kuki militants are not being controlled but rather allowed." The Joint Action Committee, formed in connection with the killing, demanded immediate arrests of those involved in the criminal activity and handing over the case to the National Investigation Agency. JAC convenor Khumukcham Pradeep Kumar claimed, " The government is not able to control armed miscreants, and thus the administration of the state should be handed over to a popular government." He also said joint protests would be held with other civil society groups in the state if the demands are not met. Elections to the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation and 28 other civic bodies in the state were held on January 15. IMAGE: Elected corporators of Shiv Sena-UBT at Shiv Sena Bhavan, in Mumbai. Photograph: Sahil Salvi for Rediff.com Key Points The lottery determines the category for which the mayor's post will be reserved, such as general, women, SC, ST, and OBC categories Once the category is announced, eligible candidates file their nominations Shiv Sena-UBT leader Kishori Pednekar claimed that the rules to arrive at this decision were changed without informing anyone Mumbai's next mayor will be a woman from the general category, as determined by a lottery held on Thursday, an official said, even as the Opposition alleged the procedure was "fixed" to suit the ruling parties. The Shiv Sena-UBT's hopes of securing the Mumbai mayoral post were dashed after the lottery draw, as it had pinned its chances on the possibility of the post being reserved for a Scheduled Tribe (ST) woman, as both eligible candidates in that category belonged to Uddhav Thackeray's party. In the January 15 elections, the BJP won 89 seats in the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC), while the Shiv Sena led by Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde secured 29, taking the alliance past the halfway mark of 114 required to control India's largest and richest civic body. The Shiv Sena-UBT, which ruled the civic body for 25 years since 1997 as an undivided political party, won 65 seats, while its allies, the Maharashtra Navnirman Sena and the Nationalist Congress Party-Sharadchandra Pawar, won 6 and 1 seat, respectively. As per the draw of lots, eight other civic bodies in Maharashtra --- Pune, Dhule, Nanded-Waghala, Navi Mumbai, Malegaon, Mira-Bhayander, Nagpur and Nashik --- will also have women mayors from the general category. The lottery determines the category for which the mayor's post will be reserved, such as general, women, SC, ST, and OBC categories. Once the category is announced, eligible candidates file their nominations. State Urban Development Department, headed by Deputy CM Eknath Shinde, conducted the lottery for the mayoral posts in Mumbai and 28 other civic bodies, where the elections were held on January 15. The draw for Mumbai dashed hopes of Shiv Sena-UBT, as after the civic election results last week, former state chief minister and Sena-UBT head Uddhav Thackeray said that "if God is willing", the city will have a mayor from his party. The Sena-UBT hoped that luck would have fared if the draw determined a ST woman for the top post in the BMC. There are only two ST category women candidates, both from Thackeray's party. Opposition alleges procedure was 'fixed' Shiv Sena-UBT leader and former Mumbai mayor Kishori Pednekar opposed the lottery procedure, claiming that the rules to arrive at the decision were changed without informing anyone. She said the last two city mayors were from the general category, so the new mayor should have been from the Other Backward Classes (OBC). Pednekar also alleged that the ST category was excluded from the lottery system. "We condemn the way the procedure (of lottery) was conducted. The procedure was fixed," Pednekar charged. Congress Legislature Party leader Vijay Wadettiwar also alleged the lottery system was "fixed" and done in an opaque manner. However, Minister of State for Urban Development, Madhuri Misal, rejected the charge. "We completed the procedure as per the law," she asserted. As per the lottery, eight other civic bodies will have mayors from general category (which could also include women). These are Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar, Parbhani, Sangli-Mira-Kupwad, Amravati, Vasai-Virar, Solapur, Pimpri-Chinchwad and Bhiwandi-Nizampur. Thane will have a mayor from the Scheduled Caste category, while Jalgaon, Chandrapur, Ahilyanagar and Akola municipal corporations will have women mayors from the OBC category, an official said. Panvel, Ichalkaranji, Kolhapur and Ulhasnagar will have an OBC mayor, while Kalyan-Dombivli civic body will have a mayor from the Scheduled Tribe category. Jalna and Latur will have women mayors from the Scheduled Caste category. Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar flew into a rage on Thursday when he saw a group of women leaving while he was waxing eloquent about steps taken by his government for them. IMAGE: Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar addresses a Jan Sabha during the ongoing Samridhi Yatra, in Siwan on Thursday. Photograph: ANI Photo "Why are all you ladies running away? How would you know what is being done for you if you do not stay back and listen?" snapped the longest serving CM of the state, who turns 76 in less than two months. He was addressing a function in Siwan district, which he visited as part of the state-wide 'Samriddhi Yatra', launched a week ago. Projects worth Rs 202 crore were launched by the chief minister in Siwan. While the foundation stone was laid for 40 projects worth Rs 157 crore, another 31 projects worth Rs 45 crore were inaugurated. Kumar, who heads the Janata Dal-United and takes pride in having done a lot for empowering women, which has also made him popular with the state's women voters, was accompanied by his deputy Samrat Choudhary, senior minister Vijay Kumar Chaudhary and Chief Secretary Pratyay Amrit, among others. The Noida police on Thursday arrested two more builders in connection with the death of a software engineer who drowned after his car plunged into a waterlogged trench near a construction site in Sector 150 here, officials said. IMAGE: NDRF teams retrieve the car of Yuvraj Mehta from a water filled pit at the construction site in Sector 150 of Greater Noida, in Greater Noida, January 20, 2026. Photograph: ANI Video Grab "The arrested accused have been identified as Ravi Bansal, a resident of Faridabad, and Sachin Karnwal, a resident of Ghaziabad," a police official told PTI. Key Points Designation of arrested officials not known Case registered under Sections 105, 106, and 125 Arrests made following complaint by victim's father The official said both the arrested persons are associated with real estate developer Lotus Greens, although their exact designation in the company could not be confirmed immediately. According to the police, the arrests were made by the Knowledge Park police station team in a case registered under Sections 105 (culpable homicide not amounting to murder), 106 (causing death by negligence) and 125 (act endangering life or personal safety of others). Noida techie was trapped inside car for 2 hours "It is noteworthy that on the intervening night of January 16 and 17, a car driver, Yuvraj Mehta (27), died after drowning in a waterlogged plot due to alleged negligence on the part of the builder and its associates at a construction site of Lotus Greens," the police said in a statement on Thursday. Mehta, who worked as a software engineer in Gurugram, was returning home in Sector 150 when his car fell into a water-filled pit near the construction site. He allegedly remained trapped -- first inside the vehicle and then outside it -- for nearly two hours while pleading for help before drowning, the police said. 5 officials of real estate firms booked for death The FIR was lodged against Lotus Greens and MZ Wiztown Planners at the Knowledge Park Police Station following a complaint by the victim's father. On Tuesday, the police arrested Abhay Kumar, director of MZ Wiztown Planners, in connection with the case, and he was sent to judicial custody on Wednesday, according to officials. The police on Wednesday lodged a separate FIR in connection with the case and booked five named officials of the two real estate firms, charging them with violating environmental and pollution norms, besides negligence at the construction site. Additionally, the case is being probed by a Special Investigation Team formed by the Uttar Pradesh government amid public outrage and allegations of negligence by developers and the Noida Authority. Putin said that the Greenland issues doesn't concern him. IMAGE: Russian President Vladimir Putin chairs a meeting with members of the government via video link at the Kremlin in Moscow on January 21, 2026. Photograph: Sputnik/Vyacheslav Prokofyev/Reuters Key Points Putin said Denmark has always treated Greenland as a colony and has been quite harsh Putin recalled that in 1917, Denmark had sold the Virgin Islands to the US At WEF, Trump said the United States will not use force to take Greenland and stressed that only America can protect the mineral-rich island With Unites States President Donald Trump's demand to acquire Greenland putting Denmark on the edge and rocking the unity of NATO, Russian President Vladimir Putin said he is not concerned about the issue. "What happens to Greenland is none of our business," Putin said in his televised remarks at the national Security Council meeting late on Wednesday night. "Incidentally, Denmark has always treated Greenland as a colony and has been quite harsh, if not cruel, towards it. But that's a different matter entirely, and I doubt anyone's interested in it right now. "It certainly doesn't concern us. I think they'll sort it out among themselves," Putin said, reminding that in 1917, Denmark had sold the Virgin Islands to the United States. Putin also recalled that in 1867, Russia had sold Alaska to the United States for USD 7.2 million. Speaking at the annual meeting of the World Economic Forum, Trump said the United States will not use force to take Greenland and stressed that only America can protect the mineral-rich island, which is at the centre of escalating geopolitical tensions with Europe. "I have tremendous respect for people of Greenland and Denmark, but only the US can secure Greenland," Trump said in his 70-minute-long speech during which he launched a blistering attack on North-Atlantic Treaty Organisation (NATO) allies on a range of issues, including tariffs, environment and immigration. In August 2023, a court had charged Kumar with rioting and promoting enmity, while discharging him of murder and criminal conspiracy offences. IMAGE: Congress leader Sajjan Kumar. Photograph: PTI Photo Archives Key Points Sajjan Kumar, who is presently in jail, was awarded life imprisonment on February 25 last year An influential Congress leader and an MP at the time, Kumar was accused in a case related to the killing of five people in Delhi's Palam Colony on November 1 and 2, 1984 A Delhi court on Thursday acquitted former Congress MP Sajjan Kumar in a case related to inciting violence in the Janakpuri area in the national capital during the 1984 anti-Sikh riots, saying the prosecution failed to prove the charges beyond a reasonable doubt. Kumar has been in jail since 2018 after being sentenced by the Delhi high court to life imprisonment over the murder of five people in Delhi's Palam Colony on November 1 and 2, 1984. Special Judge Dig Vinay Singh underlined that though the court understood the trauma suffered by the victims and their families, its decision had to be 'sans emotions'. "The finding of guilt of the accused in this case must be solely judged based on the evidence led in the present matter. Unfortunately, most of the witnesses examined by the prosecution in this case are hearsay, and/or those witnesses who failed to name the accused for three long decades," the judge said. He said relying on the identification of the accused by such witnesses "would be risky and may lead to a travesty". The judge said there was no reliable evidence that Kumar was present at the crime scene or that he was seen there by anyone. There was also no evidence of instigating any riotous mob or of conspiracy regarding the alleged incident, he added. In the 60-page order, the court said, "Sum and substance is that the prosecution has not met its burden of proof against the accused beyond a reasonable doubt, which is essential for conviction in a criminal trial." "Resultantly, because of a lack of credible evidence as to the presence of the accused in the crime in question or a part of the unlawful assembly or his involvement in any manner, either through instigation, conspiracy, or abetment of any other nature, he is acquitted of the charges," it said. Meanwhile, complainant Harvinder Singh's counsel, Maninder Singh, hinted at challenging the order in the high court. "We will first study the verdict thoroughly and then file an appeal in the Delhi high court," the counsel told PTI. Rejecting the argument that Kumar had been found guilty of similar offences, the court said a person could be convicted of 100 crimes, but to be held guilty of the 101st crime, proof beyond a reasonable doubt was required. "One cannot be found guilty merely because in the past he was involved in similar offences. Past criminal background or the commission of other offences are separate and can have some value in sentencing a person, but they cannot be considered by a court of law in holding a person guilty of another crime," the court said. "Merely because the accused is an ex-member of Parliament or that he was involved in similar instances at other locations, this court cannot lower the standard of proof required in this case to hold him guilty. The law remains the same for all criminals, whether they are ordinary men or influential people," it said. The court noted the prosecution's argument that while appreciating evidence in the present case, appropriate weightage must be given to the circumstances, including the victims being severely beaten and injured; two people being killed; their homes and properties damaged and destroyed; and police officers not providing immediate help. "Accepted. But then, even if that allowance is given in favour of the witnesses, still, there is no satisfactory justification for not naming the accused for three long decades. "While appreciating evidence of this case, this court did consider all those factors, yet this court finds it unconvincing that the injuries, loss of life, and loss of properties weighed with the witnesses for so long that they were not even able to name the perpetrator of the crime," the court said. It said any witness who lost a family member at the hands of a criminal would not spare such an individual and would try to name him/her at the earliest opportunity. "Therefore, even if the fear of the influence of the accused got reduced in a few years, there is no reason why the members of the families who suffered human loss and who were also eyewitnesses would fail to name the accused for so long," the court said. It said merely because there was no prior enmity between the victim and the accused, it could not be said conclusively that there was a lack of motive for false implication. "It is well-nigh possible that, given the accused's alleged involvement in various similar riots against a particular community during the relevant period, the accused has been named in this case as well," the court said. "The trauma suffered by the victims and their families is well understood, but that trauma cannot come in the way of this court's decision, which has to be sans emotions," it added. The court said once the prosecution's evidence failed to conclusively prove the accused's identity, other arguments lost significance and became merely academic. During the proceedings, Kumar appeared through video conferencing. Court sources said he was not produced physically because of Republic Day arrangements. Shortly after the judgment was pronounced, a group of women raised slogans against Kumar outside the court premises, saying that the order of acquittal had dashed their hopes of being provided with justice. Pappi Kaur, a 70-year-old widow from Tilak Vihar, said she had lost several family members during the riots. "I attended each court hearing against Sajjan Kumar. I hoped he would be severely punished. I have seen my relatives being butchered by a mob. This verdict has shattered me," Kaur said. In February 2015, a special investigation team re-investigated two FIRs that had been registered against Kumar in the Janakpuri and Vikaspuri police stations for various offences during the 1984 riots. The Delhi Police had filed closure reports in both the FIRs. A common chargesheet was filed in both cases. Kumar was later discharged by a court in the Vikaspuri case regarding the alleged murder of Sohan Singh and Avtaar Singh, and for purportedly causing grievous injuries to the complainant, Harvinder Singh. Charges were framed against Kumar in the Janakpuri violence case for various offences, including rioting, injuring or defiling a place of worship and abetting such offences. He was also awarded life imprisonment on February 25 last year by a trial court in a case regarding the killing of Jaswant Singh and his son Tarundeep Singh on November 1, 1984, in the Saraswati Vihar area. Hindus will offer prayers from sunrise to sunset on Basant Panchami while Muslims to offer namaz from 1 pm to 3 pm on Friday. IMAGE: A view of 11th-century Bhojshala-Kamal Maula Mosque in Madhya Pradesh's Dhar. Photograph: ANI video grab Key Points Hindus consider Bhojshala to be a temple dedicated to Vagdevi (Goddess Saraswati), while the Muslim community calls it Kamal Maula mosque As per an ASI order, Hindus have been given the right to worship at Bhojshala every Tuesday, while the Muslim community can offer prayers on Fridays security has been stepped up at the disputed 11th-century monument A heavy posse of police and paramilitary personnel has been deployed in Dhar district of Madhya Pradesh as the Supreme Court stepped in on Thursday to avoid any tension at the disputed 11th-century Bhojshala-Kamal Maula Mosque. With the Hindu festival of Basant Panchami falling on a Friday this year, both communities had staked claims for worshipping at the site. But on Thursday, the apex court gave a specific time-sharing formula to avoid any kind of communal friction. As many as 8,000 security personnel, including district police, Rapid Action Force, Central Reserve Police Force, MP Armed Force, State Reserve Police Force and women police units, have been deployed around the site, and the administration is also relying on drones and CCTV cameras to ensure that no untoward incident happens. A bench led by Chief Justice Surya Kant ruled that religious activities on January 23 will be split, and the Hindu community will be permitted to perform prayers from sunrise to sunset while the Muslim community will be allowed to offer namaz between 1 pm and 3 pm. The Supreme Court also directed the Muslim community to provide a list of persons attending the prayers to the district administration in advance. A bench comprising Chief Justice of India Surya Kant and Justices Joymalya Bagchi and Vipul M Pancholi made an appeal to both sides to observe mutual respect and cooperate with the state and district administration for maintenance of law and order. Roads approaching the Bhojshala complex were lined with barricades as security personnel checked vehicles. Officials said more than 200 CCTV cameras have been installed across Dhar and about 10 drones are being used for aerial surveillance. Social media activity related to Bhojshala is also under close watch, with monitoring teams working round the clock. Inside the Bhojshala premises, preparations for Basant Panchami were clearly visible. The worship area has been decorated with saffron flags, flowers and rangolis. Worship of Goddess Saraswati, also known as Maa Vagdevi, is scheduled to begin at sunrise with puja and 'havan' and continue through the day. An oil painting of the deity will be installed in the sanctum on the occasion, officials said. Dhar Collector Priyank Mishra said separate places have been identified for both the communities. "The Hindu side will be allowed to worship at the location where puja has traditionally been performed, while the Muslim side will be given an exclusive designated place for offering namaz. All this has been communicated to both the groups and they have agreed to comply with this," Mishra said. Separate entry and exit routes would be provided, and only those whose names are submitted by the Muslim side would be permitted to offer namaz. Superintendent of Police Manish Awasthi said the security personnel were fully prepared to maintain law and order. "A force of around 8,000 personnel has been deployed. CCTV cameras and drones will be used for continuous surveillance," Awasthi said. "Social media is also being closely monitored, and SP level officers have been deployed inside and outside the Bhojshala premises," he added. Reacting to the Supreme Court decision, Bhojshala Mukti Yagya Samiti convener Gopal Sharma said, "Regarding the status of Bhojshala and its glorious establishment, our Hindu ancestors formed the Maharaja Bhoj Utsav Samiti in 1952 to spread the thoughts of Raja Bhoj, Saraswati, and Bhojshala to the masses, and began celebrating Basant Panchami. "Hindu society continues to follow this tradition to this day. Basant Panchami falls on January 23, and since it was a Friday, some confusion had arisen. The Supreme Court's order today stated the Hindu community has decided to observe continuous worship. Therefore, continuous worship will be held from sunrise to sunset," he said. Zulfikar Pathan, head of Kamal Moula Namaz Intezamia Committee said the community accepts the Supreme Court's decision unanimously. "The Supreme Court's order mandates that namaz be offered safely and systematically within the premises. The April 7, 2003 order has been upheld. So, my appeal to everyone is to maintain peace and order," Pathan said, adding the community will further review the order and provide a response. Former chief minister and Congress Rajya Sabha member Digvijaya Singh welcomed the apex court decision. Hindus consider Bhojshala, an Archaeological Survey of India (ASI)-protected 11th-century monument, to be a temple dedicated to Vagdevi (Goddess Saraswati), while the Muslim community calls it Kamal Maula mosque. Under an arrangement made by the ASI on April 7, 2003, Hindus perform puja on the Bhojshala premises on Tuesdays and Muslims offer 'namaz' in the complex on Fridays. The SC bench said the ASG as well as Advocate General have fairly suggested that, after knowing that how many persons belonging to Muslim community are likely to come tomorrow for namaz between 1 to 3 pm, an exclusive and separate space within the same compound/ premises shall be made available, so that the namaz can be performed at the prescribed time. "Similarly, a separate space, as per the past practice, shall be made available to the Hindu community to hold the traditional ceremonies on the occasion of Basant Panchami," the bench said. It directed the district administration to make law and order arrangements at the site for offering of prayers. The top court was hearing a plea filed by the Hindu Front for Justice seeking exclusive rights for Hindus to offer prayers on Basant Panchami. The plea filed through advocate Vishnu Shankar Jain was mentioned for urgent hearing on Tuesday. Jain had said the ASI's 2003 order does not address situations where Basant Panchami coincides with Friday prayers and sought exclusive, uninterrupted worship rights for Hindus for the entire day on Basant Panchami. Senior advocate Salman Khurshid, appearing for the mosque committee, submitted that the Friday namaz takes place between 1 pm and 3 pm, and the premises can be vacated after that. Khurshid stated that the approximate number of persons belonging to Muslim community who will come for namaz on Friday will be furnished to the District Magistrate Priyank Mishra. Additional Solicitor General KM Nataraj, for the Centre and ASI, assured the court that the district administration will take care of the law and order situation. As to the location where the Muslims can offer namaz, the community was presented with options, collector Sharma told reporters in Dhar. "They have expressed their views on this...But I would like to clarify that the Supreme Court's directive is clear: the location should be separate and exclusive, and the clear interpretation is that there should be separate entry and exit points," he said. Muslim community leaders including Shahar Qazi Waqar Sadiq and Shahar Sadar Abdul Samad after meeting with the district administration said that they will follow the Supreme Court order and offer namaz at the designated place from 1 pm to 3 pm. A formation flying named "Sindoor" comprising Rafale, Su-30, Jaguar and MiG-29 combat jets will feature in the Indian Air Force's Republic Day flypast that will serve as a powerful symbol of the dominance it established during the four-day hostilities with Pakistan last May. IMAGE: From Left: Lieutenant General Rajiv Ghai, Air Marshal A K Bharti, Vice Admiral A N Pramod and Major General S S Sharda at a media briefing on Operation Sindoor, May 12, 2025. Photograph: Rahul Singh/ANI Photo Key Points Two Rafales, two MiG-29s, two Su-30s, and one Jaguar in flypast Transport planes and nine helicopters, will participate as well To serve as powerful tribute to Operation Sindoor In total, 29 aircraft including four transport planes and nine helicopters will be part of the flypast, military officials said on Thursday. The platforms will display a variety of formations including Sindoor, Dhwaj, Prahar, Garud, Arjan, Varuna and Vajrang. Operation Sindoor flag to feature in flypast The flypast will also carry the flag of Operation Sindoor to commemorate India's high-precision tri-services military campaign against Pakistan from May 7 to 10, the officials said. The Sindoor formation will comprise two Rafale jets, two MiG-29s, two Su-30s and one Jaguar aircraft. All these combat jets were part of Operation Sindoor. The other platforms to feature in the flypast are Advanced Light Helicopters (ALH), Apache choppers, Indian Navy's P8I maritime surveillance aircraft and Mi-17 helicopters. A huge special formation will be dedicated at the flypast to commemorate Operation Sindoor, the officials said. Op Sindoor saw four days of intense clashes In response to the Pahalgam terror attack, India launched Operation Sindoor on May 7, carrying out air strikes on terrorist infrastructure in territories controlled by Pakistan. The strikes triggered four days of intense clashes that ended with an understanding on stopping the military actions on May 10 evening. India will celebrate its 77th Republic Day on Monday with a grand display of its military might that will include elite marching contingents, missiles, indigenous weapon systems. President of the European Council Antonio Costa and President of European Commission Ursula von der Leyen will be the chief guests at the parade. The driver fled the scene, abandoning the vehicle near Dadi Ka Phatak, police said, adding that the SUV later collided with another vehicle while fleeing. Kindly note that this image has been posted for representational purposes only. Photograph: ANI Photo Key Points The victim, Anaya Sharma, was preparing for the air force physical tests She had recently passed the written examination The driver fled the scene, abandoning the vehicle near Dadi Ka Phatak An 18-year-old girl preparing for recruitment in the Indian Air Force was killed after being allegedly hit by a speeding SUV while she was jogging along the Jaipur-Delhi highway, police said Thursday. The incident occurred on Wednesday near the Shanti Bagh Hanuman temple on the expressway when a fast-moving Thar hit Anaya Sharma, a native of Gudha Gaudji in Jhunjhunu district. She was staying in a paying guest accommodation in Jhotwara and was preparing for the air force physical tests. According to police, Sharma had recently passed the written examination. SHO (Accident West) Ramkripal Meena stated that Sharma was jogging along the roadside with a friend, who lagged behind. While Sharma was waiting for her friend, the SUV, coming from the Ajmer Road side, allegedly struck her. She was rushed to a nearby hospital, where doctors declared her brought dead. The driver fled the scene, abandoning the vehicle near Dadi Ka Phatak, police said, adding that the SUV later collided with another vehicle while fleeing. The vehicle has been seized. A case has been registered at Accident West police station, and efforts are on to trace the absconding driver, they added. The News in Brief Thursday, January 22, 2026 Georgian Dream Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze met with representatives from about 15 retail food chains to discuss ways to reduce food prices, the government said. The meeting was held by a commission created specifically to address rising costs.Kobakhidze told reporters that it is important for the government and businesses to work together on pricing. "It is very important to discuss together how we can manage to lower prices," he said.He noted that the number of retail markets in Georgia has doubled over the past five years, which he said affects prices and adds to the financial burden on consumers.Kobakhidze said that while business freedom is essential, social responsibility must also be considered. "Freedom of business is the main starting point for us, and it has its advantages when a business determines its own activities. But the social aspect is very important. When a business operates freely, it helps the economy and employment, but in this case, such a heavy burden is placed on the population that we decided to try to make certain changes based on consultations," he said.Kobakhidze also addressed price differences and markups among stores. "In some cases, there is a double or even triple difference between prices. We want to discuss what can be done to change certain practices and lower prices. Overall, the average markup, according to our calculations, is 86 percent. We think that is quite high," he said.He compared Georgia's retail density with other countries. "In Georgia, there are 113 markets per 100,000 people. In Germany, the same figure is 45, in Austria it is 62, and in other countries it is even lower. This naturally affects prices and adds to the burden on consumers," Kobakhidze said.Georgian authorities are investigating an incident in which an employee of the Ministry of Internal Affairs (MIA) and two companions allegedly assaulted two Security Police Department officers and another person at a restaurant in Tkibuli Municipality.The Prosecutor's Office said the incident occurred on January 19, 2026, during a verbal confrontation that escalated into physical violence. "The investigation is being conducted by the Western Georgia Regional Prosecutor's Office into the fact of group violence committed by an employee of the Ministry of Internal Affairs and persons accompanying him," the office said in a statement.The investigation is being carried out as a case of group violence against two or more people, which carries potential criminal penalties. Authorities said the scene of the incident has been examined, eyewitnesses have been questioned, material evidence has been seized, video recordings have been requested, and medical examinations have been scheduled."At this stage of the investigation, it has been established that an employee of the Ministry of Internal Affairs and two accompanying individuals verbally and physically assaulted two Security Police Department officers and another person present at the restaurant," the Prosecutor's Office said.The agency added that the investigation is ongoing and that further steps will be taken as evidence is reviewed. COLOMBO, Jan. 22 (Xinhua) -- Sri Lanka's security forces seized a record volume of narcotics in 2025, more than doubling the amount confiscated the previous year, a senior policeman said on Thursday. Police Media Spokesperson and Assistant Superintendent of Police F. U. Wootler stated at a media briefing that the national anti-drug operation had achieved significant success in curbing the spread of illicit drugs. He said police seized a total of 10,871 kg of heroin, cannabis, crystal methamphetamine, hashish, and cocaine in 2024, while the figure more than doubled in 2025. Sri Lanka intensified its crackdown on drug-related crimes by launching the national anti-drug campaign "A Nation United" in October 2025. India was among the countries not present on Thursday at a ceremony in Davos where United States President Donald Trump unveiled his 'Board of Peace' that seeks to work towards bringing lasting peace to Gaza and possibly resolve other global conflicts. IMAGE: US President Donald Trump holds a signed Charter of the Board of Peace, in Davos, Switzerland, on January 22, 2026. Photograph: Jonathan Ernst/Reuters Prime Minister Narendra Modi was among numerous global leaders who the US president invited to join the board that was announced under the second phase of a ceasefire agreement between Israel and Hamas in the Gaza strip. Trump hosted the ceremony on the margins of the annual World Economic Forum in the Swiss mountain resort. Trump's 'Board of Peace': Who's in, who's out Countries that have accepted Trump's invitation : Argentina, Albania, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Bahrain, Belarus, Bulgaria, Egypt, Hungary, Indonesia, Jordan, Kazakhstan, Kosovo, Morocco, Mongolia, Pakistan, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Turkey, the United Arab Emirates, Uzbekistan, Vietnam. : Argentina, Albania, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Bahrain, Belarus, Bulgaria, Egypt, Hungary, Indonesia, Jordan, Kazakhstan, Kosovo, Morocco, Mongolia, Pakistan, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Turkey, the United Arab Emirates, Uzbekistan, Vietnam. Countries that have said no : The United Kingdom, France, Norway, Slovenia, Sweden. : The United Kingdom, France, Norway, Slovenia, Sweden. Countries that remain noncommittal: India, China, Russia, Germany, Cambodia, Italy, The European Union's executive arm, Paraguay, Croatia, Cyprus, Greece, Singapore, Thailand, Ukraine. India is yet to take a call on it, people familiar with the matter said when asked about Trump's invite to Modi. New Delhi is considering various aspects as the initiative involves sensitive issues, it is learnt. India has been pushing for a 'two-State solution' to the Palestine question with Israel and Palestine living side by side in peace and security within recognised borders. The countries that have accepted Trump's invitation to join the board are Argentina, Albania, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Bahrain, Belarus, Bulgaria, Egypt, Hungary, Indonesia, Jordan, Kazakhstan, Kosovo, Morocco, Mongolia, Pakistan, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Turkey, the United Arab Emirates, Uzbekistan, and Vietnam. France, Norway, Slovenia, Sweden and the United Kingdom are among those which will not join the board, at least for now. The countries which have been invited but remained non-committal are: Cambodia, China, Croatia, Cyprus, Greece, Italy, Paraguay, Russia, Singapore, Thailand, and Ukraine. "This isn't the United States, this is for the world," Trump said. "I think we can spread it out to other things as we succeed in Gaza." Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif was among the leaders who attended the ceremony. A challenge to the UN? Trump's 'Board of Peace' is being projected by Washington as a new international body to usher in peace and stability in Gaza and beyond, triggering speculations that it could throw a challenge to the United Nations. Originally, the new body was to be tasked to oversee governance and coordinate funding for Gaza's redevelopment as the strip was devastated during the two years of Israeli military offensive. However, the 'charter' of the board says it is 'an international organisation that seeks to promote stability, restore dependable and lawful governance, and secure enduring peace in areas affected or threatened by conflict'. It says durable peace requires pragmatic judgment, common sense solutions, and the courage to depart from approaches and institutions that have too often failed. The top level of the board will consist 'exclusively' of heads of state under Trump's leadership. Washington has already announced that the 'Board of Peace' will play an essential role in fulfilling Trump's 20-point plan of providing strategic oversight, mobilising international resources, and ensuring accountability as 'Gaza transitions from conflict to peace and development'. The 20-point plan includes making Gaza a deradicalised terror-free zone that does not pose a threat to its neighbours and that it be redeveloped for the benefit of the people of the strip. The White House last week announced forming a founding executive board to operationalise the Board of Peace's vision. The members of the executive committee included US Secretary of State Marco Rubio, former British prime minister Tony Blair, US special envoy to the Middle East Steve Witkoff, businessman and Trump's son-in-law Jared Kushner, and World Bank president Ajay Banga. The other two members of the committee are Marc Rowan, the CEO of New York- headquartered private equity firm Apollo Global Management and Robert Gabriel, a US national security adviser. The executive board will oversee another administrative group called National Committee for the Administration of Gaza. United States President Donald Trump on Thursday said he had a good meeting with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, and his message to Russian President Vladimir Putin is that 'war has to end'. IMAGE: Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelenskiy and US President Donald Trump shake hands during their meeting at the sidelines of the 56th annual World Economic Forum (WEF), in Davos, Switzerland, on January 22, 2026. Photograph: Ukrainian Presidential Press Service/Handout via Reuters Replying to media queries before leaving Davos, Trump said a US delegation will be meeting Putin on Thursday or Friday. "I met President Zelenskyy here; the meeting was good. We (US delegation) are meeting President Putin today or tomorrow," he said. Later, Zelenskyy said he has a positive meeting with Trump. "The meeting was good and it was in favour of our country," Zelenskyy said in Davos after his special address at the WEF Annual Meeting. "As any President, I have to defend the interest of my country and such meetings are generally difficult. But, yes, today it was positive." He said the US delegation will also meet an Ukrainian team separately, in addition to their meeting with Putin and later a trilateral meeting is expected in UAE between teams of the US, Russia and Ukraine. The trilateral meeting will happen either on Friday or Saturday. Asked what would be his message to Putin, Trump said, "The war has to end. A lot of people have been killed." "Last month, around 30,000 people were killed, mostly soldiers. It's really a war that has to end," Trump said. "We have got to get it done. If we don't get it done, it will be a disgrace," Trump said on the need to end the war. His special envoy Steve Witkoff was expected to travel to Moscow later today to meet Putin and discuss plans to end the war. Addressing the annual meeting of the World Economic Forum on Wednesday, Trump said that he was 'reasonably close' to a deal on stopping the Russia-Ukraine war, though he had earlier thought it would be an easier one for him to settle in a matter of hours. Trump has been trying to get Zelenskyy and Putin to agree to terms to end their nearly four-year-old war. He had said that Putin and Zelenskyy would be stupid if they don't end it now, and that he knows they are not stupid. Trump stressed that he is good at the "stuff (settling wars)" though the United Nations should be doing it. "It's got to get done. Saving a lot of lives, saving millions of lives. With Ukraine and Russia, this tremendous hatred between President Zelensky and President Putin. That's not good. That's not good for settlements," he had said. Trump said, "Many times we had a deal with Russia, and Zelenskyy didn't agree... It's a very difficult balance." "It's a blood bath. It's horrible what's happening. Drones are killing thousands of people a week. We have to get it stopped." Zelenskyy had earlier said his envoys would try to finalise with US officials documents for a proposed peace settlement that relate to postwar security guarantees and economic recovery. UNITED NATIONS, Jan. 21 (Xinhua) -- A Chinese envoy said Wednesday that Japan is not qualified at all for a permanent seat on the UN Security Council. Japanese militarism has not been thoroughly reckoned with, and Japanese right-wing forces are pushing for remilitarization, said Sun Lei, the charge d'affaires of China's Permanent Mission to the United Nations. "A country that shows no remorse for its historical crimes, that violates basic norms of international relations, that challenges the outcomes of World War II and blatantly tramples on the post-war international order, cannot shoulder the responsibility of safeguarding international peace and security, cannot gain the trust of the international community, and has fundamentally no qualifications to seek permanent membership on the Security Council," said Sun. The Security Council is the core of the international collective security mechanism. It has a special important mission in upholding the post-war international order and safeguarding international peace and security, he told a General Assembly meeting on intergovernmental negotiations on Security Council reform. Eighty years ago, the International Military Tribunal for the Far East was formally convened. The Tokyo trials severely punished Japanese war criminals, upheld international justice, and defended human dignity. It was also a stern warning against any attempts to revive militarism, aggression, and expansion, said Sun. "Yet, Japanese militarism has not been thoroughly reckoned with. It has mutated and grown in the shadows instead." Japanese right-wing forces have vigorously whitewashed Japan's history of aggression, have manifestly denied the historical crimes of the Nanjing Massacre, forced recruitment of sex slaves, and forced labor. They have pushed to revise history textbooks in an attempt to rewrite Japan's history of aggression. Several current Japanese government officials have paid homage at Yasukuni Shrine, the spiritual symbol of militarism, showing reverence for Class-A war criminals, he noted. From Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi's erroneous remarks on Taiwan and her threat on the use of force against China, to senior Japanese officials openly advocating for possessing nuclear weapons, to pushing to revise the three national security documents and clamoring to amend the three non-nuclear principles, these actions fully expose the sinister intentions of Japanese right-wing forces to promote re-militarization and attempt to revive militarism, posing new threats to regional and global peace and security, said Sun. Such a country is not qualified at all for a permanent seat on the Security Council, he said. China, as a permanent Security Council member and a responsible major country, stands ready to work with all peace-loving nations and peoples to resolutely defend the victorious outcomes of World War II and post-war international order, jointly uphold the Security Council authority and unity, and play a constructive role in international peace and security, he said. On Security Council reform, Sun said China supports necessary and reasonable reform to enhance the council's authority and efficiency and better respond to crises and challenges. The only correct direction of the reform must be to effectively increase the representation and voice of developing countries. The historical injustice suffered by Africa must be rectified and special arrangements must be made to meet Africa's aspirations as a priority. The five clusters concerning Security Council reform are foundational and critical issues and must be tackled through a package solution, he said. The approach of securing seats for entire cross-regional groups rather than for specific countries has won broader support. At the same time, more and more countries are open to establishing regional and rotating seats. China hopes that the current session of intergovernmental negotiations will engage in in-depth discussions about these new reform concepts, said Sun. BRATTLEBORO Education, housing and infrastructure are agreed to be important ongoing priorities for legislators in the new session as they t Cyber security vendor Check Point Software Technologies has implemented a New Zealand-based data residency instance of its Harmony Secure Access Service Edge (SASE) platform to ensure compliance with local data privacy and security requirements. The new point of presence (PoP) in Auckland would support New Zealand organisations with residency requirements for local storage and processing of data to protect privacy and reduce operational risk, the company said in a statement. It would also ensure compliance with legislation, including the New Zealand Privacy Amendment Act 2025, as well as the countrys Minimum Cyber Security Standards, Protective Security requirements and the National Cyber Security Centres Cyber Security Framework. Check Point said the Auckland PoP was built with redundancy and autoscaling to ensure uninterrupted service, while high-availability clusters, full-mesh interconnectivity, and secure tunnels would provide multiple alternate paths for traffic, ensuring there is no single point of failure. Powered by AI and machine learning, the PoP would proactively block threats such as malware, phishing, and anomalous behaviour while providing deep visibility and control over cloud applications, the company added. The New Zealand PoP expansion was particularly significant for the local market, where businesses were increasingly adopting cloud-based solutions and remote work models, said Check Point ANZ managing director David Caspari. The local PoP eliminates the need for backhauling traffic to distant data centres, ensuring faster access to critical applications and services, he said. With the ability to dynamically monitor and optimise network performance, the Check Point SASE network guarantees consistent, high-quality connectivity for users in New Zealand and beyond. There may be a solution to the recent tension over Greenland. US President Donald Trump and NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte, in a much-touted meeting held in Davos, Switzerland, on January 21, reached a framework agreement. Earlier that day, Trump had reiterated his wish to bring the Danish island under American sovereignty but ruled out force to accomplish this. But after his meeting with Rutte, he posted on social media that "we have formed the framework of a future deal with respect to Greenland and, in fact, the entire Arctic Region." "This solution, if consummated, will be a great one for the United States of America, and all Nato Nations," he added. The agreement, which multiple RFE/RL sources insist has yet to be officially drawn up, will apparently be worked out in the coming weeks. While NATO facilitated the initial meeting, the talks will now mainly be held between the foreign ministers of the United States, Denmark, and Greenland with the potential involvement of the US Vice President JD Vance, as well. Sovereign Base Areas Several NATO officials and European diplomats speaking under condition of anonymity told RFE/RL that while concrete details will be ironed out later, there are some "contours" that have been sketched out. One of the sticking points will continue to be the issue of sovereignty -- perhaps not of the entire island, but part of it. There have been media reports that the United States would control parts of Greenland by potentially designating them as "sovereign base areas." This would be something like Britain's currently setup in Cyprus, with some bases remaining under Londons control to date despite the island gaining independence in 1960. NATO officials whom RFE/RL has spoken to insist that "the Cyprus model was not mentioned in the meeting," with one saying that media reporting on this was likely based on speculation by officials on the direction the talks could take. Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen also issued a statement after the Trump-Rutte meeting, noting that "NATO is fully aware of the Kingdom of Denmark's position. We can negotiate on everything political; security, investments, economy. But we cannot negotiate on our sovereignty." Brushing Up An Old Treaty Some other contours of the framework might, however, be easier to agree on. One includes a "brush up" of the 1951 treaty between the United States and Denmark that allowed Washington to keep its bases on Greenland and establish new ones if the United States and NATO deemed it necessary. That deal was reworked in 2004 so that consent by both Denmark and Greenland is needed for any US troop increases or new military installments. At the moment, the United States has one base there, which hosts some 200 officers working on ballistic-missile early warnings and space surveillance. During the Cold War, there were up to 10,000 US soldiers on the island. The reworking is likely to include the incorporation of the proposed American Golden Dome anti-missile system that would cover the North Atlantic, including Greenland -- a move that both Copenhagen and Nuuk are reportedly fine with. Another aspect of the framework includes investment screening. The United States wants a say in who is allowed to invest in Greenland, with the clear intention of staving off China and Russia from gaining a foothold there. A rare-earth deal, meaning special rights for mining, would also be included and is expected to be agreed on relatively expediently. More NATO In The North Atlantic? A third aspect is greater NATO involvement in and around Greenland. This could involve the military alliance as a whole or just the so-called Arctic-7 members of the club: Canada, Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Norway, Sweden, and the United States. Whether this entails an expanded number of exercises or something more permanent remains to be seen. Along these lines, there has been much talk in Brussels of a NATO-led Arctic Sentry mission. Speaking in Brussels on January 22 after a regular meeting of all the NATO countries' chiefs of defense, the alliance's Supreme Allied Commander Europe Alexus Grynkewich said there was no "political guidance yet" for an Arctic Sentry-type of mission just yet. "We are doing some thinking but no planning yet but we are ready and we have a ton of expertise," he said. He also said there was "never a military dimension in those (Davos) talks that came down to us." He also confirmed that no NATO exercises are expected on Greenland in the coming months but that a regular joint US-Canadian exercise with Denmark's blessing called Norad -- involving military aircrafts from both nations -- is under way by Naim-Ul-Karim DHAKA, Jan. 22 (Xinhua) -- Campaigning for Bangladesh's 13th parliamentary election began nationwide Thursday, as thousands of candidates in a neck-and-neck race canvassed voters ahead of the Feb. 12 polls, which will coincide with a referendum. With nearly 2,000 candidates in the race, including 1,732 from 51 registered political parties, the campaign has moved into a phase of direct voter contact: door-to-door canvassing, neighborhood walks, street rallies, and mass public meetings. Bangladesh's Election Commission (EC) has set the campaign schedule to end 48 hours before voting begins on Feb. 12. The candidates competing for the South Asian country's 300 parliamentary seats include 288 from the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP), 224 from the Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami, 32 from the National Citizen Party (NCP), 192 from the Jatiya Party and 249 independent candidates, according to the EC. This time, Bangladesh's general election is different from past ones because voters will not merely choose their representatives but also vote in a referendum on important constitutional reforms. These changes are aimed at strengthening the country's democratic system and rebalancing powers within the government. As election campaigning commenced on Thursday, major parties, including the BNP, Jamaat, and the NCP, all held major rallies in the capital Dhaka and elsewhere in the country to mark their official launch. The BNP's campaign began on Thursday morning in northeastern Sylhet city. In the capital Dhaka, the NCP and Jamaat also staged their campaigns. The country's election authorities last month said that more than 127 million voters had been registered for the election for the first time since former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina resigned and left the country in August 2024. In a televised address to the nation on Monday, the Bangladeshi interim government's Chief Adviser, Muhammad Yunus, urged citizens to endorse the Feb. 12 referendum, framing it as a pivotal moment for the nation's future. He stated that doing so would empower citizens to shape a new Bangladesh according to their aspirations. "Your 'Yes' vote is the key to building the country you envision," he said. "I encourage everyone to cast their ballot, motivate others to participate, and help bring about this transformation." Yunus explained that the referendum seeks public approval for the "July National Charter 2025," a reform framework developed through consensus among major political parties. Family and friends of Alireza Rahimi lit candles and played his favorite music on what would have been his birthday following weeks of a deadly state crackdown on protesters throughout Iran. Rahimi was killed, along with more than 4,900 others in Iran according to the HRANA human rights organization, during recent protests over a dire economy and the repressive theocracy headed by Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. The European Union has proposed sanctions against Iran's interior minister and 14 other senior officials for their role in a violent crackdown on nationwide protests that erupted in late December, documents obtained by RFE/RL show. Protests erupted on December 28 over economic woes including currency collapse but morphed into anti-regime demonstrations that were met with lethal force. The bloc's foreign ministers could adopt the measures, which include asset freezes and visa bans, when they meet in Brussels on January 29. All member states must vote in favor for the sanctions to be adopted. The proposal, dated January 20 and circulated within the EU Council, targets Interior Minister Eskandar Momeni, who oversees Iran's Law Enforcement Forces (LEF), and security units of the Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps (IRGC) that are blamed for hundreds of protester deaths. Prosecutor-General Mohammad Movahedi-Azad faces designation for threatening demonstrators with death penalties on charges of "enmity against God" during the unrest. Momeni, also deputy commander-in-chief, commanded forces that "suppressed street protests," which saw thousands of casualties, according to the EU document. Regional IRGC commanders including Heydar Olfati in Ilam Province and Ahmad Ali Feyzollahi of the IRGC Ground Forces elite Saberin Brigade are accused of ordering troops to open fire on peaceful crowds. The town of Malekshahi in the western Ilam Province experienced some of the deadliest clashes, with video footage documenting security forces firing at protesters in broad daylight. The US-based Human Rights Activists News Agency (HRANA) says that as of January 22 it had verified 4,902 deaths, including 201 security forces, with more than 9,300 deaths still under investigation. The proposed EU measures also hit six entities enabling repression, from the Iranian Audio-Visual Media Regulatory Authority (SATRA) for censoring dissent to tech firms Yaftar and Douran developing VPN blockers and facial recognition tools. The Working Group for Determining Instances of Criminal Content (WGDICC), a judicial body filtering and censoring Internet access, is also being targeted. Iranians have been cut off from the outside world since January 8, when the authorities imposed a near-total nationwide Internet shutdown as the crackdown on protests intensified. It remains unclear when services will resume, but even when they do, experts fear the authorities will force Iranians to use a domestically designed "intranet" that works independently from the world's Internet. IRGC Designation Unlikely The proposed asset freezes and visa bans come as the bloc has been under pressure for years -- both externally and internally -- to designate the IRGC as a terrorist organization. However, no such measure will likely be adopted next week. Unanimity is needed to blacklist the elite force, which is deeply embedded in Iran's economy and drives the Islamic republic's regional policies. However, Italy, France, and Spain are the three countries in the 27-member bloc opposed to the designation and there is no indication they will shift their position. Sanctions For Helping Russia A separate proposal dated January 16 targets four individuals and six firms tied to Iran's ballistic missile and drone programs supplying Moscow. The entities include Sahara Thunder and Khojir Missile Development and Production Complex. The document describes Sahara Thunder as a Defense Ministry front company acting as an import-export cover to ship drones, components, and technology to Russia, receiving payments in return. The Khojir complex, meanwhile, is involved in the production of Fath-360 close-range ballistic missiles allegedly sent to Russia, where troops are being trained to use them. It is managed jointly by the IRGC and Defense Ministry and builds solid-propellant missiles used against Ukrainian targets, according to the document. US President Donald Trump has signed into existence a Board of Peace, an initiative he says will seek to resolve global conflicts and promote stability, peace, and governance "in areas affected or threatened by conflict." The board, which some fear could undermine the United Nations, was originally proposed to oversee the rebuilding of the Gaza Strip as part of a deal to rebuild the devastated territory following the war between Israel and Hamas, which the United States and European Union have designated as a terrorist organization. The board's charter, however, does not limit its role to Gaza. The following are the main points of the initiative, presented by Trump in Davos, Switzerland, on January 22. Who Will Lead The Board of Peace? The Board of Peace's inaugural chairman is Trump, who will hold the post until he designates a successor. He can only be removed from the post by voluntarily stepping down "or as a result of incapacity, as determined by a unanimous vote of the Executive Board." A founding Executive Board composed of public officials and private individuals has been created. The appointed members are: US Secretary of State Marco Rubio, US special envoy Steve Witkoff, Trump's son-in-law Jared Kushner, Former British Prime Minister Sir Tony Blair, billionaire businessman and chief executive officer of Apollo Global Management Marc Rowan, American business executive Ajay Banga, and US national-security adviser Robert Gabriel. In addition, Nickolay Mladenov, a Bulgarian politician and former UN Middle East envoy, will be the Board of Peace's representative on the ground in Gaza. Who Are The Members? The Trump administration sent out more than 50 invitations to countries around the world. Members are invited to join for free for three years. At the end of the three-year period, the chairman of the peace board may then decide to renew a country's membership. However, if a country wishes to become a permanent member, they can do so by paying a $1 billion fee within the first year of joining the group. The White House has not published a list of those countries who were extended invitations, but the following countries were signatories to the document presented on January 22: Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain, Jordan, Qatar, Turkey, Hungary, Bulgaria, Argentina, Mongolia, Morocco, Pakistan, Indonesia, Kosovo, Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan, Paraguay, Armenia, and Azerbaijan. In addition, Israel, Egypt, Belarus, Albania, and Vietnam have also agreed to join the board. Trump has said Russia has accepted as well, though the Kremlin has not officially confirmed his comments. Meanwhile, several nations have said they are still looking at the possibility. Those include China, Canada, Britain, Germany, and Japan. Many European nations have already rejected the offer they received, including Sweden, Norway, and France. Ukraine has said it has to wait to see Russia's decision as it is hard to envision being on a peace board with a country it is at war against. The Vatican has said Pope Leo, the first American pontiff and a critic of some of Trump's policies, has been invited to join the board, though no decision has been announced. What Is The Board's Mandate? The board initially had a mandate from the UN Security Council as part of the Gaza peace deal; it was to focus solely on the peaceful rebuilding of Gaza, with a lifespan lasting until 2027. Trump's vision for the board -- which will be funded through voluntary funding from member states, other states, organizations, and other sources -- is to undertake peace-building functions in areas affected or threatened by conflict. Member states will vote on the pursuit of new peace-building initiatives in accordance with international law. US President Donald Trump launched the Board of Peace, a new body for resolving international conflicts, repeating his belief that a peace deal to end Russia's invasion of Ukraine "is coming very soon." The new body was originally focused on implementing the deal for ending the Israel-Gaza war, as approved by UN Security Council resolution 2803 in November, but Trump said it would work to ensure peace worldwide. "We'll work with many others, including the United Nations," Trump said at a signing ceremony in Davos, Switzerland, on January 22, possibly a nod to concerns that the board would seek to supplant the UN, which Trump has often criticized. The ceremony was attended by leaders from Argentina, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Bahrain, Belgium, Bulgaria, Egypt, Hungary, Indonesia, Jordan, Kazakhstan, Kosovo, Mongolia, Morocco, Pakistan, Paraguay, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Turkey, the United Arab Emirates, and Uzbekistan. All have agreed to join the board. Other countries that have signaled a willingness to join include Belarus, Israel, and Vietnam. None of the five permanent members of the UN Security Council other than the United States were present, though all were invited to join. Putin Seeks To Unfreeze Funds Russia has said it is willing to pay the $1 billion permanent membership fee by using assets held abroad that were frozen due to its full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022. Russian President Vladimir Putin referred to this offer during a meeting with Palestinian Authority leader Mahmud Abbas in Moscow on January 22. "Perhaps you have heard that we are ready to disburse $1 billion to the new body, the Board of Peace, above all and mainly to support the Palestinian people, to direct the funds toward restoration of the Gaza Strip and the overall solution of Palestine's problems," Putin said. "As I have said, I believe this is quite possible using the funds immobilized in the United States under the previous administration." Trump has not commented on Putin's proposal. British Foreign Minister Yvette Cooper said on January 22 that Putin's possible role on the board was problematic. "We do also have concerns about President Putin being part of something which is talking about peace, when we have still not seen any signs from Putin that there will be a commitment to peace in Ukraine," she said. Ukraine has also been invited to join the board, but Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has also said Russian participation is a barrier. "It is still very difficult for me to imagine how we and Russia can be together in one or another council," he said on January 20. He said the presence of Russian ally Belarus was also a problem. Zelenskyy was due to meet with Trump later on January 22 for further discussions on the stalled peace talks. Meanwhile, Trump's special envoy Steve Witkoff and son-in-law Jared Kushner were due to head to Moscow for talks with Putin. US President Donald Trump has ruled out military action to take control of Greenland while also saying he wants to hold more talks on the United States acquiring the island, which he described as our territory during a keynote speech at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, on January 21. Hours after his speech, Trump also walked back a plan to impose tariffs on some European countries for opposing his Greenland policy. In Trump's highly anticipated speech on an issue that has caused acute alarm in other NATO countries, Trump said that US ownership of Greenland was a matter for both US and international security and that only Washington had the power to defend it against threats by other countries. Trump did not name the countries but has, in recent comments, spoken of a Russian and Chinese threat to Greenland -- an autonomous territory belonging to NATO-member Denmark. No Military Action "I'm seeking immediate negotiations to once again discuss the acquisition of Greenland by the United States," Trump said. I don't have to use force. I don't want to use force. I won't use force, he added, reversing earlier comments in which he had not ruled it out. In early reaction to Trumps comments, Danish Foreign Minister Lars Lokke Rasmussen said his country was open to talks. "What is quite clear after this speech is that the president's ambition remains intact," he said, also noting that what the president said about the military was positive. But Trump made it clear that his aim of taking control of Greenland remained firmly in place and appeared to link the issue to Washingtons commitment to NATO. We want a piece of ice for world protection, and they won't give it. We'd never ask for anything elseSo they have a choice. You can say yes, and we will be very appreciative. Or you can say no, and we will remember. A strong and secure America means a strong NATO, he said. Other European leaders have vocally supported Denmarks position in recent days, and diplomats from European Union countries told RFE/RL that Trumps speech would not allay concerns in capitals across the continent. "I dont know if this quote is an implicit threat, but he said that NATO will be stronger if Greenland belongs to the US, and there is nothing Denmark or NATO can do...I think he gave the topic quite a bit of time," said an ambassador from one EU nation, who spoke to RFE/RL on condition of anonymity. Bradley Bowman, senior director of the Center on Military and Political Power at the Foundation for Defense of Democracies (FDD) in Washington, told RFE/RL it will be reasonably construed by many people as some form of a threat. I will be surprised if Trump lets this go. I think he's going to stay on Greenland like a dog on the bone. At least for now, he appears to have taken the military option off the table, he added. Other EU diplomats told RFE/RL that Trumps Davos speech changed nothing and was nothing new. Tariff Plan Scrapped Trump has also sought to apply pressure via nonmilitary means, announcing on January 17 that he would impose extra tariffs on eight European countries if they continued to oppose US ownership of Greenland. As Trump was speaking in Davos, the European Parliament announced it was freezing work on approval of the US-EU trade deal agreed in July. But, hours after finishing his speech in Davos, Trump posted a statement online saying the tariffs would not be imposed based on a deal he had struck with NATO chief Mark Rutte. "This solution, if consummated, will be a great one for the United States of America, and all NATO nations," he wrote. In his Davos speech, Trump reiterated an earlier point that, although it already had a military base in Greenland, it needed control of the island for psychological reasons -- and that a lease or other arrangement was not enough. Who the hell wants to defend a license agreement? he asked. Trump supporters have developed this point in recent days, suggesting major military investments are needed on Greenland. Trump mentioned it in his speech as a base for the planned Golden Dome missile defense system. If were going to spend a bunch of moneywe need to have the legal control and the legal protections that justify building the place up and putting our people on the ground, said Senator Lindsey Graham on January 8. The United States has particular concern about the ultimate security status of an independent Greenland, Alexander Gray, chief executive officer of American Global Strategies LLC, an international strategic advisory firm, told RFE/RL. An independent Greenland would likely follow the path of other lightly populated, developing states and quickly have its sovereignty compromised by China and Russia, directly threatening US security interests, added Gray, who served on the National Security Council (NSC) during Trumps first term in the White House. A Distraction From Ukraine? As Washington has increased the pressure, Western leaders have responded that it is threatening to cause massive harm to NATO itself. Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney warned at Davos on January 20 of a "rupture" to the US-led international system. French President Emmanuel Macron has suggested the focus on Greenland risks undermining cooperation on countries such as Iran and Syria. Other NATO leaders have warned it is diverting attention from Ukraine. The situation with respect to Greenland is absolutely distracting time, attention, and resources from Ukraine. I mean, we have European allies talking about deploying forces to GreenlandI'd rather you send those to Eastern Europe, said the FDDs Bowman. But another analyst, Daniel Hegedus from the German Marshall Fund think tank, said Ukraine may actually stand to benefit. This lack of attention does less harm for Ukraine than the intense attention and pushing the leadership of Ukraine into the direction of a very seriously unfavorable peace settlement or cease-fire with Russia, he told RFE/RL. Trump mentioned Ukraine briefly in his speech, before returning to the subject of stalled US-led peace efforts during a question-and-answer session afterwards. What happens is, oftentimes well have a deal with Russia, Russias set, and [Ukrainian] President [Volodymyr] Zelenskyy will not do it. You saw that when he was in the Oval Office. I was not happy. And then, well have President Zelenskyy wants to make a deal and [Russian President Vladimir] Putin doesnt want to make a deal, Trump said. It emerged later that, before leaving Davos on January 22 to return to Washington, Trump will meet Zelenskyy. Trumps envoy Steve Witkoff, meanwhile, would head for Moscow for talks with Putin the same day. Also on January 22, Trump is set to formally announce the first charter of the Board of Peace, a body for resolving international conflicts with a $1 billion price tag for permanent membership. Invitations to join have been sent to both Moscow and Kyiv. It was not immediately clear if either country would join, although Putin-ally Belarus has said it will take part in the project. China has declined its invitation, while Israel, Hungary, and Azerbaijan are among those signing up so far. KUALA LUMPUR, Jan. 22 (Xinhua) -- Grok, an AI chatbot developed by xAI, has had its generative capabilities curtailed to ensure it can no longer be misused to generate or edit harmful content involving pornography, sexual material or incest, Malaysian Communications Minister Fahmi Fadzil said on Thursday. Fahmi told Bernama following a meeting with representatives of X that the implementation of the controls had been confirmed. "Users are no longer able to edit images or videos to produce obscene or inappropriate material, as had occurred previously. This confirmation was made by X," he said. On Jan. 11, the Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission (MCMC) imposed a temporary restriction on access to Grok for users in Malaysia following repeated misuse of the AI to generate pornographic and sexually explicit content. Following the move, Fahmi was reported as saying that MCMC was reviewing possible legal action against X over its AI application Grok's failure to comply with Malaysian online safety laws. Ellen O'Donoghue Five boys have been arrested by gardai in relation to an alleged serious sexual assault on a teenage girl in Dublin city centre. The arrests occurred on Tuesday, January 20th. All five people arrested were questioned and subsequently released without charge, pending a file to the Director of Public Prosecutions. The Irish Times reported that gardai are investigating a complaint that the girl, a young teenager, went to a premises in the south inner city with a friend, where they met a group of males. The group, who are aged in their early to mid-teens, the paper reported, drank at the location before the girl was allegedly subject to repeated and serious sexual assaults by some of the male teenagers. A portion of the assault is understood to have been videoed by one of the group, The Irish Times further reported. Gardai have obtained a copy of the video, however, and it is forming a key part of their investigations. It has also been reported that the victim only partially remembers the alleged attack. The investigation is being led by the Divisional Protective Services Unit. An Garda Siochana continues to investigate an alleged assault on a female, a garda spokesman said. On 20th January 2026, five arrests were made in respect of this allegation. All five persons arrested and detained were questioned in respect of the alleged offence and have been released without charge, pending a file to the DPP. Ellen O'Donoghue Jessie Buckley has been nominated for an Oscar. The Kerry native has been nominated in the Best Actress category for her performance in Hamnet. She goes up against Rose Byrne for If I Had Legs Id Kick You, Kate Hudson for Song Sung Blue, Emma Stone for Bugonia and Renate Reinsve for Sentimental Value. Buckley is widely considered the frontrunner, having already secured a string of trophies, including the Golden Globe and Critics Choice award. While her co-star Paul Mescal missed out on a nod in the Best Supporting Actor category, the film is nominated for Best Adapted Screenplay, Costume Design, and Casting. In the best picture category, Hamnet goes up against Bugonia, F1, Frankenstein, Sentimental Value, Sinners, Train Dreams, Marty Supreme, One Battle After Another and The Secret Agent. Hamnet received eight nominations overall, including one for Maggie O'Farrell and director Chloe Zhao for adapted screenplay. Dubliner Richard Baneham is up for his third Oscar in the visual effects category in the recently released Avatar: Fire and Ash. John Kelly and Andrew Freedman were nominated in the animated short film category for Retirement Plan. The film was commissioned by Screen Ireland and RTE and features the vocals of Domhnall Gleeson. Jesse Plemons was tipped to be nominated for best actor for Bugonia, made by Irelands Element Pictures. He lost out, but star Emma Stone made the best actress cut, while Elements Ed Guiney and Andrew Lowe were nominated as Bugonia made the best picture list. Ryan Coogler's supernatural thriller Sinners smashed the record held by All About Eve, Titanic and La La Land for the most nominations, getting 16 in total, two more than the previous record of 14. British-Nigerian star Wunmi Mosaku was nominated for the best supporting actor Oscar for her performance in the vampire drama. She will compete against Elle Fanning and Inga Ibsdotter Lilleaas for Sentimental Value, Amy Madigan for Weapons and Teyana Taylor for One Battle After Another. Paul Thomas Andersons film One Battle After Another picked up 13 nominations and remains a key frontrunner for best picture on the night, and Marty Supreme, Sentimental Value and Frankenstein got nine nominations each. The nominations were announced by actors Danielle Brooks and Lewis Pullman in Beverly Hills via a livestream. The Academy Awards will be hosted by Conan OBrien in Hollywood on March 15th. ALMATY, Jan. 22 (Xinhua) -- Gas from equipment at Kazakhstan's Tengiz oil field was diverted and burned through a flare operated by a gas processing plant to reduce pressure, Kazinform reported Thursday citing regional authorities. Yerlan Yessenov, deputy head of the ecology department of the Atyrau region, said that the operation was made in order to ensure industrial safety and was in accordance with technical regulations, after a fire broke out at the oil field on Jan. 18. As of 9 a.m. (0400 GMT) on Jan. 19, hydrogen sulfide concentrations in the air exceeded permissible levels by 2.1 times, while carbon monoxide levels were 1.7 times higher than the norm. Environmental authorities have not yet begun inspection activities, and at this stage it remains unclear whether the presence of people at the plant site is fully safe. Kazakhstan's Energy Ministry said a special commission has been established to determine all the circumstances of the incident and is currently working at the Tengiz field. On the morning of Jan. 18, a fire broke out involving two transformers at the Tengiz oil field in western Kazakhstan with no casualties reported. The fire affected parts of the power distribution system at production facilities, leading to a suspension of oil production at the Tengiz and Korolev fields. A South Roscommon woman recently celebrated her 100th birthday surrounded by family, friends, and cherished memories of a life well lived. Born in Four Roads, Mary Bannon, is the second eldest and last surviving of four siblings, children of Joe and Molly Killian. From Cullawinna in Four Roads, she attended national school there and there are samples of her writing in the national archives. Her brothers and sisters were James, Kathy, and Paddy Killian. Mary worked in her fathers wool business managing the accounts and spent a brief period working in Dublin before returning home. In 1953, she married George Bannon from Bealnamulla in the Church of the Good Shepherd, Four Roads. Their wedding reception was held in the Warrick Hotel, Salthill, Galway, and the couple honeymooned in Howth and Dublin before settling in Bealnamulla. Mary Bannon celebrating her 100th birthday at St. Vincent's Care Centre. Together, Mary and George raised eight children who have since spread across Ireland, England, and America. She is a wonderful mother who worked hard in her lifetime. I remember accompanying her delivering eggs to houses in Athlone town, we had a lot of hens, her daughter Edel Bannon (Lyons) told the Roscommon Herald. In later years, Mary and her late husband enjoyed ballroom dancing at venues including the Crescent Ballroom, the Royal Hoey Hotel, Athlone GAA, and the Rugby Club in Athlone. They also travelled for dancing weekends and were regulars at the All-Ireland Drama Festival in Athlone. My mother is a season ticket holder at the yearly All-Ireland Drama Festival held each year in Dean Crowe Theatre, Edel said. She first attended in 1955, the very first year, and never missed a year or nightly performance until recently. Ive kept up her season ticket and attend myself. Mary and George were also known for their love of social visits, often enjoying trips to Roscommon Town. Mary's brother-in-law, the late PJ Bannon, ran the Festival Bar beside the Dean Crowe Theatre, where the couple mingled with actors and playwrights, including the celebrated John B. Keane. Following Georges passing in November 2013, Mary continued to live independently before moving into Brideswell Nursing Home and later St. Vincents Care Centre, where she continues to receive excellent care. Marys centenary was celebrated with a series of special events. The milestone birthday began with Mass at St. Vincents Care Centre, celebrated by Fr. Charlie Healy, with all of Marys family in attendance. Mary Bannon celebrating her 100th birthday with Vincent, Fr Charlie Healy, Liz, Joe, Maire, Fr. John Deignan, George and Edel. Staff members Audrey OBrien, John Berry, and others hosted a party in the dining room, decorated with Marys favourite things, including a backdrop covered in precious photographs from her life. The celebration featured food prepared by St. Vincents chef Geraldine Collins, while music was provided by The Chics and Fergie Jameson. Later, the family gathered for a celebratory meal in the Shamrock Lodge Hotel. Family travelled from England and across Ireland to attend. Her two sons, Tom and John, were unable to travel but were with us all in spirit celebrating, Edel said. According to a monthly drug alert report, central drug laboratories identified 74 of these substandard samples, while state laboratories identified 93. File Photo. The ministry clarified that these findings are based on a drug's failure to meet one or more specific quality parameters. Health Ministry: 167 Drug Batches Fail Quality Tests in December CDSCO Report Advertisement The Union Health Ministry flagged 167 drug samples as not of standard quality (NSQ) following routine regulatory surveillance by the Central Drugs Standard Control Organisation (CDSCO) in December 2025. According to a monthly drug alert report, central drug laboratories identified 74 of these substandard samples, while state laboratories identified 93. The ministry clarified that these findings are based on a drug's failure to meet one or more specific quality parameters. However, the Health Ministry said that such failures are batch-specific and do not imply broader quality concerns for other drug products in the market. Advertisement Beyond substandard quality, the alert identified several "spurious" drugs manufactured by unauthorised entities using brand names owned by other companies. These included four samples from the North Zone (Ghaziabad) and one each from FDA Ahmedabad, Bihar, and Maharashtra. The ministry stated that these cases are currently under investigation. This surveillance is part of a regular collaboration between central and state regulators to identify and remove unsafe medicines from the market. Advertisement Source: The Tribune The development is significant because the High Court, designed by Le Corbusier, is a UNESCO World Heritage site within the Capitol Complex. File Photo. The High Court has repeatedly highlighted "crippling" infrastructure shortages. Seeking UNESCO Nod: Centre Moves on HCs 20.5 Lakh Sq Ft Expansion Plan Advertisement The Punjab and Haryana High Court was informed on Wednesday that the proposal for its holistic development and infrastructure expansion has transitioned to a critical international stage. According to the report, the Chandigarh Administration and the Government of India have initiated the formal process to include the expansion in the International Management Plan for transmission to UNESCO. During a resumed hearing before a bench headed by Chief Justice Sheel Nagu, UT senior standing counsel Amit Jhanji submitted that the Chandigarh Heritage Conservation Committee (CHCC) unanimously approved the concept proposal on January 20. This note has now been forwarded to the Fondation Le Corbusier in Paris and the Union Ministry of Culture. Advertisement Additional Solicitor-General Satya Pal Jain, appearing for the Union of India, confirmed receipt of the communication and stated the proposal would be forwarded to international bodies, including UNESCO, following mandatory formalities. The development is significant because the High Court, designed by Le Corbusier, is a UNESCO World Heritage site within the Capitol Complex. The High Court has repeatedly highlighted "crippling" infrastructure shortages, noting that while there is a sanctioned strength of 85 judges, only 69 courtrooms are functional. Chief Justice Nagu previously observed that this shortage prevents the court from working at full strength. The court has directed the matter be listed for Friday to monitor further compliance. Advertisement Source: The Tribune In January 2026, the regiment achieved a rare collective milestone where seven battalions were celebrated simultaneously with unit citations and appreciations. File Photo. The regiment is recognised as one of the most decorated units in the Indian Army and the Commonwealth. Warrior Tradition Meets Modern Shortage: Army Urges Punjabs Youth to Bridge Sikh Regiment Vacancies Advertisement The Indian Army has urged Punjabs youth to join the illustrious Sikh Regiment. According to a statement released on Tuesday, the Army emphasised that the regiments true strength lies in the states young men and women. These individuals inherit a warrior tradition dating back to Guru Hargobind and Guru Gobind Singh. The regiment is recognised as one of the most decorated units in the Indian Army and the Commonwealth. It boasts 75 battle honours, 38 theatre honours, and over 1,650 gallantry awards. Historically, the unit has been at the forefront of operational excellence, participating in both World Wars, the Sino-Indian War, and multiple India-Pakistan conflicts. Advertisement Despite this legacy, senior Army officers have highlighted that not enough Sikh youth are currently joining, due to manpower-related challenges. According to senior officials, while the regiment continues to meet elevated expectations, there is a need to channel the "warrior spirit" into uniformed service. In January 2026, the regiment achieved a rare collective milestone where seven battalions were celebrated simultaneously with unit citations and appreciations. The Sikh Regiment, which primarily recruits from the Jat Sikh community, currently comprises 20 regular battalions, three Territorial Army units, and one Rashtriya Rifles battalion. Advertisement Source: The Tribune Federal investigators revealed that as of January 20, 2026, nine individuals linked to these activities have already been removed from Canada. File Photo. The task force has executed numerous search warrants in Alberta and the Southeast District. Canada Extortion Crackdown: 9 Deported as Task Force Probes Foreign Nationals, Including Punjabis Advertisement Canadian authorities have intensified a crackdown on major extortion cases involving 111 foreign nationals, many of whom are under the lens for their suspected Punjabi origins. The British Columbia (BC) Extortion Task Force, launched in September 2025, is currently investigating 32 major files across multiple jurisdictions in Canadas Lower Mainland. Federal investigators revealed that as of January 20, 2026, nine individuals linked to these activities have already been removed from Canada. Advertisement The task force has executed numerous search warrants in Alberta and the Southeast District, resulting in criminal charges against seven people so far. The probe is utilising hundreds of hours of CCTV footage to dismantle these networks for extortion. Federal authorities, including the CBSA and various national policing partners, are coordinating efforts through the task force to investigate and address immigration-related offences. Advertisement The Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA) and the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) issued a stern warning that refugee or asylum status will not provide immunity from legal action. Source: The Tribune MOSCOW, Jan. 22 (Xinhua) -- Russia is willing to allocate 1 billion U.S. dollars from Russia's U.S.-frozen assets to the Board of Peace for Gaza, a move that would require the unblocking of the assets, Kremlin Spokesman Dmitry Peskov said Thursday. Russian President Vladimir Putin confirmed that U.S. President Donald Trump had invited Russia to join the U.S.-initiated Board of Peace, and that Russia would hold consultations with its strategic partners on the matter, according to a statement published on the Kremlin's official website on Wednesday. Given the special ties between Russia and the Palestinian people, even if Russia had not yet decided whether to participate in the work of the Board of Peace for Gaza, it would still consider allocating 1 billion dollars from its U.S.-frozen assets to the initiative, Putin said. "This step would require the assets to be unblocked," said Peskov. "It is not yet clear how the contribution will be legally formalized; all of this will need to be discussed." January 22, 2026 UPDATE A roundup of domestic and international news January 22, 2026 UPDATE Newsroom, 22.01.2026, 19:52 Summit. Romanian President Nicusor Dan is attending an extraordinary meeting of the European Council in Brussels. European Union heads of state and government are discussing a joint response to US attempts to take control of Greenland. On Wednesday, at the World Economic Forum in Davos, President Donald Trump called for immediate negotiations for Washington to acquire Greenland, stating that the US is the only power that can guarantee the islands security. European leaders, however, are calling for respect for the principles of international law, territorial integrity, and national sovereignty, as well as full support and solidarity with Denmark and Greenland. European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said that the EU is preparing measures to support Greenland through a massive wave of investment to bolster the local economy and infrastructure. Pensions. The Romanian government discussed on Thursday, in its first reading, the draft law on the aggregation of special pensions and state salaries. It stipulates that persons receiving special pensions and those receiving contributory pensions may work until the age of 70 with the annual consent of their employer. The bill also contains a special provision for persons receiving a service pension or military pension, who may continue to work for the state only on condition that their pension is reduced by 85%. The spokesperson for the Bucharest Executive, Ioana Dogioiu, said that there are exceptions who will receive their full special pension and state salary. These are local elected officials and persons whose term of office is expressly established by the Constitution, as well as military and police personnel who teach at military and law universities. Dogioiu also said that the measure to reduce the special pension by 85% will apply until December 31, 2027. Romgaz. The Moldovan subsidiary of Romanian state-owned company Romgaz has been granted a gas trading license in the Republic of Moldova. The license is valid for 10 years. Romgaz is the largest producer and operator of natural gas storage in Romania, and its entry into the wholesale natural gas market in the Republic of Moldova coincides with a period of intensified imports from Romania, due to extremely low temperatures. The company aims to cover between 20% and 30% of Moldovas gas imports, a significant share in a market that is almost completely dependent on imports, with an estimated annual consumption of around one billion cubic meters. Budget. Following the recovery measures and based on a healthier economic foundation, as of the coming months Romanias economy will enter a recovery path, Prime Minister Ilie Bolojan announced in a post on social media. On Wednesday, the Prime Minister discussed with the Governor of the Central Bank, Mugur Isarescu, Romanias future draft budget, which is expected to be ready in mid-February, and had a meeting with local officials from all parties on the topic of budget construction, amid the increase in taxes and duties starting January 1. Prime Minister Ilie Bolojan wants this years budget to be adopted in the second half of next month. Moldova. The President of the Republic of Moldova, Maia Sandu, has stated that there is no majority support in her country for unification with Romania. At least according to the polls, there is no majority support. We are a democratic country and we strictly follow the decision of our citizens, Sandu replied to a question about the potential scenario of holding a referendum on reunification. She also said that she had not discussed this topic with European leaders. Maia Sandu added that what she wants most is peace for the Republic of Moldova, and that this can be ensured by joining the European Union and gaining Romanias protection. The question was asked after the Chisinau leader recently stated that she would vote for reunification with Romania if a referendum were held in the Republic of Moldova. Ukraine. Ukrainian citizens can acquire citizenship of other countries under a law that came into force on January 16, and the list of these countries is approved by the government in Kyiv, according to the Ukrainian Embassy in Bucharest. In response to the spread of articles in the Romanian media that, the diplomatic mission state, have attempted to interpret the content of the law, the Embassy notes that the list includes Canada, Germany, Poland, the United States, and the Czech Republic, where the largest Ukrainian communities in the diaspora are located. The list will be expanded in the future. Previously, the co-ruling Social Democratic Party had asked the institutions with foreign policy responsibilities in Bucharest to urgently clarify with Kyiv the reasons why Romania was omitted from the list of states for which Ukraine regulated the possibility of having dual citizenship, considering the omission to be deeply unfair. We recall that Romanians represent the second largest ethnic minority in the neighboring state. (MI) EU-Mercosur deal referred to the EU Court of Justice The European Parliament's request for a legal opinion on the EU-Mercosur trade agreement could delay it by up to two years Photo: Dati Bendo / European Union, 2026 / EC - Audiovisual Service Corina Cristea, 22.01.2026, 13:50 The European Parliament has decided to ask the European Court of Justice to assess whether the agreement with the South American states that make up the Mercosur group is compatible with the EU treaties. Negotiated for more than 25 years, the trade deal cuts most customs duties between the EU and Argentina, Brazil, Uruguay and Paraguay. But following Wednesdays decision, the European Parliament will only be able to vote on the agreement after a legal opinion has been issued. This could mean a delay of up to two years before the document can take effect. The decision was welcomed by EU farmers gathered in Strasbourg, who organised large-scale protests amid concerns that the deal would lead to higher imports of cheap food, including beef, poultry and sugar. In their opinion, the additional guarantees secured during the negotiations are insufficient. The European Commission can, however, opt for the provisional implementation of the agreement. Out of Romanias 33 MEPs, 16 have voted to send the deal to the ECJ. In Bucharest, the Social Democratic Party said the vote in Strasbourg was an extraordinary victory made possible by the partys 10 votes, which they say pushed the European Parliaments decision in favour of having the Mercosur deal reviewed by the Court of Justice. The Alliance for the Union of Romanians (AUR) also welcomed the vote in the European Parliament, but warned that trade between the EU and the Mercosur states will begin, even if the political agreement is not yet democratically validated. At the opposite pole, the National Liberal Party views the EP vote to send the deal to the Court of Justice as coming against the interests of agriculture and industry in Romania and in the EU. The Liberals argue that, as a result of this decision, the safeguard clauses for farmers, proposed and supported by the Romanian members of the European Peoples Party, namely the National Liberal Party and the Democratic Union of Ethnic Hungarians in Romania, will no longer be applicable. In turn, the MEP Dan Barna (Save Romania Union) says that referring the agreement to the ECJ is very good news for China and probably for Donald Trump, and that the vote in Strasbourg showed the European Parliaments inability to understand the strategic importance of opening up the EU to other markets. (AMP) EQT AB (EQT.ST,EQBBF), a Swedish investment company, said on Thursday that it has inked a deal to acquire Coller Capital, a British private equity company, for a base consideration of $3.2 billion on a cash-and debt-free basis. This acquisition will be funded in EQT shares at SEK 355 per share, corresponding to around 81 million shares, or approximately 7% of shares outstanding. The contingent consideration of up to $500 million will be based on Coller Capital's performance in the 12 months up to and including March 2029, to be funded in cash. The transaction is expected to be closed in the third quarter of 2026. The acquisition is anticipated to be mid-single-digit accretive to the acquirer's fee-related profit. Per Franzen, CEO of EQT, said: "Entering the secondaries space with Coller represents a natural and important step in EQT's strategic development. Secondaries have become an increasingly important tool for clients in managing liquidity and portfolio construction, and in supporting long-term ownership of high-quality assets. Coller is a global leader in this field, with deep expertise. The transaction unlocks growth opportunities for both firms." Coller Capital is a secondaries firm with nearly $50 billion in total assets under management (AUM) and $33 billion in fee-generating AUM. For comments and feedback contact: editorial@rttnews.com Business News A consortium of the three telecom operators, Orange SA (ORAN,ORA.PA), Bouygues Telecom (BOUYY.PK,EN.PA), and Free-iliad Group on Thursday confirmed that it is in talks with the Altice Group to acquire a major part of the telecom operations of Altice in France. "Due diligence works have been initiated in early January 2026. The legal and financial terms of the transaction have not yet been agreed upon," the consortium said in a statement. There is no certainty that these discussions will result in any deal. For comments and feedback contact: editorial@rttnews.com Business News Oil prices traded lower on Thursday as the glut narrative regained control despite ongoing geopolitical tensions. Benchmark Brent crude futures dipped 0.6 percent to $64.87 a barrel after the International Energy Agency (IEA) said it expects global oil to remain well supplied in 2026. WTI crude futures were down 0.7 percent at $60.20. The American Petroleum Institute (API) estimated that crude oil inventories in the United States saw a build of 3.04 million barrels in the week ending January 16, after a 5.3M barrels build in the previous week. Gasoline inventories reportedly showed a build of 6.2M million during the period and Cushing inventories showed a build of 1.2M barrels, while distillate inventories showed a draw of 33K barrels. The Energy Information Administration is scheduled to release its weekly U.S. petroleum supply report later in the day. A stronger dollar also kept oil prices under pressure after U.S. President Donald Trump dropped planned tariffs on eight European countries and ruled out using force to take Greenland. For comments and feedback contact: editorial@rttnews.com U.S. forces have transferred the first batch of nearly 7,000 Islamic States detainees from Syria to Iraqi-controlled facilities. U.S. Central Command said it launched a new mission to transfer ISIS detainees from northeastern Syria to Iraq on Wednesday to help ensure the terrorists remain in secure detention facilities. The transfer mission began while U.S. forces successfully transported 150 ISIS fighters held at a detention facility in Hasakah, Syria, to a secure location in Iraq. "We are closely coordinating with regional partners, including the Iraqi government, and we sincerely appreciate their role in ensuring the enduring defeat of ISIS," said Adm. Brad Cooper, CENTCOM commander. "Facilitating the orderly and secure transfer of ISIS detainees is critical to preventing a breakout that would pose a direct threat to the United States and regional security." In 2025, the U.S. and partner forces detained more than 300 ISIS operatives in Syria and killed around 20 others. CENTCOM said in a separate press release that Commander Adm. Brad Cooper spoke with Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa by phone the same day the terrorists were transferred to Iraq. The two leaders discussed the importance of Syrian government forces adhering to a ceasefire with the Syrian Democratic Forces and supporting the coordinated transfer of ISIS detainees from Syria to Iraq. Cooper briefed President al-Sharaa on CENTCOM's plan for an orderly and secure transfer of up to 7,000 detainees. He urged the new Syrian leader that Syrian forces as well as all other forces should avoid any actions that could interfere with the transfer process. The leaders also reaffirmed continued strong commitment to the enduring defeat of ISIS in Syria, CENTCOM said. For comments and feedback contact: editorial@rttnews.com Business News The Canadian market opened marginally up and moved further higher Thursday morning as risk sentiment improved following U.S. President Donald Trump softening his tone a bit on Greenland and tariff issues. Trump ruled out the use of military force to acquire Greenland during a speech at the World Economic Forum in Davos on Wednesday and later said he had reached the "framework" of a deal on the arctic territory. As a result of the "framework" of a deal reached with NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte, Trump pulled back from threats to impose sanctions on European countries that opposed his plans. Materials and healthcare stocks led the market up north even as and energy stocks reeled under selling pressure. A few stocks from real estate, consumer staples, consumer discretionary and industrials sectors posted notable gains. The benchmark S&P/TSX Composite Index, which climbed to 33,095.60, was up 213.22 points or 0.65% at 33,064.75 about a quarter past noon.) The Materials Capped Index climbed 2.7% as several stocks in the sector surged higher on firm bullion prices. New Gold, Seabridge Gold and Ssr Mining soared 10.5% - 11.5%. Endeavour Silver Corp., Novagold, Perpetua Resources, Discovery Silver Corp., First Majestic Silver Corp, B2Gold Corp., Aya Gold & Silver, Skeen Resources and Pan American Silver Corp gained 6% - 10%. Tilray, Cronos Group, Canopy Growth, Aurora Cannabis, Chartwell Retirement Residences and Curaleaf Holdings were among the notable gainers in the healthcare space. Ballard Power Systems, Lightspeed Commerce, Stella-Jones, Quebecor, Stantec, TransAlta, Canadian Tire Corporation, Canfor, First Capital Realty, Badger Infrastructure Solutions, Descartes Systems, Open Text Corporation and Aecon were among the other notable gainers. Lundin Mining tanked more than 10%. Celestica, Baytex Energy, Fairfax Financial Holdings, First Quantum Minerals, Vermilion Energy, Teck Resources, Parex Resources, Suncor Energy, Canadian Natural Resources, Imperial Oil and Cameco also declined sharply. In economic news, a report from the Canadian Federation of Independent Business showed Canada's CFIB Business Barometer long-term index, which tracks 12-month forward expectations for performance, slipped slightly to 59.5 in January 2026, just below December's three-year high of 59.9. Data from Statistics Canada showed new housing prices in Canada fell by 0.2% month-on-month in December 2025, after being flat in the previous month. On yearly basis, housing prices slipped by 2% in December, following a 1.9% decline in the prior month. For comments and feedback contact: editorial@rttnews.com Business News BRUSSELS, Jan. 21 (Xinhua) -- The North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) said on Thursday that it has already pre-planned military exercises in the Arctic in the near future. Stressing that the Arctic is a region of strategic relevance for NATO, Giuseppe Cavo Dragone, NATO's chair of the military committee, told reporters at a briefing that NATO has pre-planned military exercises and training activities for the months to come. BEIJING, Jan. 22 (Xinhua) -- A freewheeling speech by U.S. President Donald Trump in the Swiss Alpine town of Davos on Wednesday stunned the audience, putting transatlantic rifts under the spotlight, despite eased concerns about a possible U.S. armed seizure of Greenland, a self-governing territory of Denmark. CONCERNS EASE In his speech, Trump ruled out taking Greenland by military force, saying he did not intend to use "excessive strength and force," while insisting the United States was uniquely positioned to secure the territory. "I don't have to use force. I don't want to use force, I won't use force. All the United States is asking for is a place called Greenland," he said. Trump called for "immediate negotiations" on a U.S. acquisition of the territory, describing it as "a strategic national and international security interest." "His comments marked a strategic shift and a walkback for the White House," CNN said Wednesday in an analysis. "Trump's walkback notably comes after we saw something pretty unusual on Tuesday: foreign leaders standing up to him and talking about banding together to resist the United States." "His pledge, if he sticks to it, makes much more unlikely the previously unthinkable prospect of the United States effectively invading a NATO (North Atlantic Treaty Organization) ally," the analysis added. Trump also announced on Wednesday his decision not to follow through on his threat to impose new tariffs on eight European countries over Greenland following a meeting with NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte. In a social media post, Trump said a framework had emerged from a "very productive meeting" with Rutte. "Based upon this understanding, I will not be imposing the Tariffs that were scheduled to go into effect on Feb. 1," Trump wrote. While the concern is eased "at least for now," the CNN analysis warned, "the clash is hardly over." Trump told Fox Business on Thursday morning that the United States will get everything it wants, in relation to Greenland, "at no cost," adding that a part of the Golden Dome missile defense system will be on the island. Speaking at a press conference in Davos, Swedish Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson said that while he welcomed Trump's public statement ruling out military force over Greenland, he remained disappointed by the overall tone and substance of the remarks. "He continued with rhetoric that was both threatening and scornful towards Denmark, Greenland, Canada and several European countries," Kristersson said. RIFTS REMAIN Trump's Greenland-related tariff threats angered the Europeans, with European Council President Antonio Costa saying on Wednesday that the European Union (EU) will defend itself against any form of coercion. "We stand ready to defend ourselves, our member states, our citizens, our companies, against any form of coercion. The EU has the power and the tools to do so," Costa said in a speech at the European Parliament. "We cannot accept that the law of the strongest prevails over the rights of the weakest," Costa said, adding that "international rules are not optional, and alliances cannot just boil down to a sequence of transactions." The European Parliament on Wednesday decided to put on hold approval of an EU-U.S. trade deal reached in July 2025 in response to U.S. tariff threats. In Davos, French President Emmanuel Macron said that the EU "should not hesitate" to deploy its anti-coercion mechanism in response to the U.S. tariff threats linked to Greenland. Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney also expressed strong support for Greenland and Denmark and opposition to tariffs proposed by the United States. Canada is a founding NATO member and Washington's key partner in the North American Aerospace Defense Command. Ironically, the Canadian Armed Forces have developed a conceptual model responding to a hypothetical military invasion by the United States, local media reported on Tuesday. Two senior government officials were cited as saying that it is the first time in a century that Canada's military has created a model of an American assault. Shorebirds are widespread birds whose dependence on coastal and wetland environments makes them effective paleoenvironmental indicators. Wading shorebirds are rare in the fossil record, but Pleistocene deposits from the Naracoorte Caves World Heritage Area, South Australia, have yielded an unusually high abundance of shorebird remains. A new analysis of Naracoorte Cave fossils reveals how wetlands once thrived and then vanished as the climate warmed up to 60,000 years ago. The study authors link a phase of pronounced drying from about 17,000 years ago as being the likely cause for the decline of many of the nine or more fossil shorebird species found in just one of the Naracoorte Caves. Shorebirds are rare in the fossil record, so finding so many in one cave (Blanche Cave) was a surprise, said Flinders University Ph.D. candidate Karl Lenser. This shows that the wetlands and mudflats, where birds like plovers, sandpipers and snipes feed, were much more common in the region during the last Ice Age. Climate change and shrinking habitat are causing living shorebird populations in Australia to fall. Understanding how these species responded to past climate change may be key to predicting how populations will be affected in the future. Lenser and his colleagues were particularly puzzled by the fossils of one bird. The plains-wanderer a small, endangered bird which is found predominantly in small populations in Victoria and New South Wales was one of the most common species identified in the study. Over half of the nearly 300 bones examined by the authors were identified as plains-wanderers. Living plains-wanderers are now very selective about their habitat, but other fossils from Naracoorte show that the area was probably a woodland a far cry from the treeless open grasslands plains-wanderers inhabit today, Lenser said. Naracoorte is the only fossil site in Australia where plains-wanderers are found in such high numbers, suggesting that events in the last 14,000 years caused a large decline in populations of this intriguing bird. This decline was associated with the plains-wanderer becoming limited to a narrower range of habitats where trees are absent, rather different to the woodlands it occupied during the last hundred thousand years. This sample of shorebirds is also extra special as it documents migratory species that annually fly from the northern hemisphere to spend the boreal winter in Australia, said Flinders Universitys Dr. Trevor Worthy. These include three species of sandpipers in the genus Calidris and the Lathams snipe (Gallinago hardwickii). Also common in the fossil assemblage is the double-banded plover which migrates from Australia to New Zealand to breed. Two birds were less than a year old indicating that they had flown as fledglings the 2,000 km distance from New Zealand only to be captured by an owl near Blanche Cave at Naracoorte, Dr. Worthy said. There is still a lot we dont know about birds in Australia during the last Ice Age, but fossils from caves like those at Naracoorte are helping to fill this gap, Lenser added. The Naracoorte Caves preserves a half million-year record of biodiversity in southeast South Australia, said Adelaide Universitys Dr. Liz Reed. As this study clearly demonstrates, the caves provide a window into pre-European landscapes and yield information relevant to the conservation of threatened species today. Visitors to Naracoorte Caves can view the excavations and learn more about the science of South Australias only World Heritage Area. The findings were published online in the journal Palaeontologia Electronica. _____ Karl M. Lenser et al. 2026. Fossil shorebirds (Aves: Charadriiformes) reveal trends in Pleistocene wetlands at Naracoorte Caves, South Australia. Palaeontologia Electronica 29 (1): a2; doi: 10.26879/1608 For more than 165 years, one of the earliest giants to rise above Earths barren land has defied classification. Known as Prototaxites, the towering, column-like organism dominated terrestrial landscapes more than 400 million years ago, reaching heights of up to 8 m (26 feet) long before trees evolved. A new study by paleontologists from the University of Edinburgh and National Museums Scotland argues that this enigmatic organism was not a massive fungus, as many scientists have believed, but belonged instead to an entirely extinct lineage of complex life. Prototaxites was the first giant organism to inhabit Earths terrestrial surface, appearing during the Late Silurian and Devonian periods, roughly 420 to 370 million years ago. Known from columnar fossils that could reach up to 8 m in length, it dominated early land ecosystems long before the rise of trees. Widespread in ancient terrestrial environments and evidently consumed by arthropods, Prototaxites played a significant ecological role during a pivotal phase in the colonization of land. Yet despite more than 165 years of study, its biological identity has remained unresolved, with paleontologists debating whether it was a fungus or a member of an entirely extinct lineage of complex eukaryotic life. In the new study, Dr. Corentin Loron and colleagues focused on Prototaxites taiti, a species preserved in exceptional three-dimensional detail in the 407-million-year-old Rhynie chert in Aberdeenshire, Scotland. The Rhynie chert is incredible, said Dr. Loron, first author of the study published this week in the journal Science Advances. It is one of the worlds oldest fossilized terrestrial ecosystems and because of the quality of preservation and the diversity of its organisms, we can pioneer novel approaches such as machine learning on fossil molecular data. There is a lot of other material from the Rhynie chert already in museum collections for comparative studies, which can add important context to scientific results. The researchers examined a new specimen of Prototaxites taiti that is the largest known example of the species from the site allowing for detailed anatomical and molecular comparisons with fossil fungi preserved in the same rock. Microscopic imaging revealed a complex internal organization unlike that of any known fungus. The fossil is composed of three distinct types of tubes, including large, thick-walled tubes with annular banding and dense spherical regions known as medullary spots. These spots consist of intricate three-dimensional networks of interconnected tubes, a branching pattern that the scientists argue has no parallel in fungal biology. Using infrared spectroscopy and machine-learning-based classification, the authors compared the molecular fingerprint of Prototaxites with that of fossil fungi, arthropods, plants and bacteria from the Rhynie chert. Fungal fossils from the site preserve characteristic chemical signatures associated with chitin-rich cell walls, but these signatures were absent in Prototaxites. The team also searched for perylene, a biomarker linked to pigment compounds produced by certain fungi and previously detected in other Rhynie chert fossils. The compound was not found in Prototaxites samples. Taken together, the structural, chemical and biomarker evidence undermines the idea that Prototaxites belonged to any fungal group, including early or stem relatives of modern fungi. Its really exciting to make a major step forward in the debate over Prototaxites, which has been going on for around 165 years, said Dr. Sandy Hetherington, senior author of the paper. They are life, but not as we now know it, displaying anatomical and chemical characteristics distinct from fungal or plant life, and therefore belonging to an entirely extinct evolutionary branch of life. Our study, combining analyzing the chemistry and anatomy of this fossil, demonstrates that Prototaxites cannot be placed within the fungal group, said Laura Cooper, co-author of the paper. As previous researchers have excluded Prototaxites from other groups of large complex life, we concluded that Prototaxites belonged to a separate and now entirely extinct lineage of complex life. Prototaxites therefore represents an independent experiment that life made in building large, complex organisms, which we can only know about through exceptionally preserved fossils. _____ Corentin C. Loron et al. 2026. Prototaxites fossils are structurally and chemically distinct from extinct and extant Fungi. Science Advances 12 (4); doi: 10.1126/sciadv.aec6277 LOS ANGELES, Jan. 21 (Xinhua) -- U.S. health officials are investigating reports of widespread illness at a near-capacity immigration detention facility in Aurora, a city in the U.S. state of Colorado that lies partly in Adams County, after immigrant-rights advocates alleged that a largely untreated outbreak had swept through the center. A spokeswoman for the Adams County Health Department, Jennifer Lucero-Alvarez, was quoted by the Denver Post recently as saying that health officials had "received multiple reports about possible gastrointestinal and respiratory illness" at the facility. Lucero-Alvarez declined to provide additional information about the current health conditions in the facility and how many of the facility's detainees are sick. The Denver Contract Detention Facility (Aurora) reported multiple cases of influenza early this month, U.S. Representative Jason Crow's office confirmed the news, though U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officials have not disclosed how many people are affected. ICE is the federal agency responsible for detaining immigrants awaiting deportation hearings or removal from the country. The 1,532-bed Aurora facility is operated by GEO Group, a private corporation that manages detention centers under contract with the U.S. federal government. The facility has a documented history of failing to contain contagious diseases dating back years. In February 2020, ICE inspections found 68 people quarantined with flu and 70 with mumps at the Aurora center, according to a ProPublica investigation. The facility experienced three separate outbreaks in four months during 2019, including mumps and chickenpox. Beyond infectious diseases, the Aurora facility has faced multiple complaints about inadequate medical care. A 2024 report by the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) documented cases of medical incompetence, dental neglect, and inadequate mental healthcare, which contributed to at least two deaths at the facility. In one case, staff abruptly cut a detainee off his medication, relied on incorrect medical protocols and believed that he was faking his symptoms -- including a seizure -- prior to his death. The outbreak in Aurora is not an isolated incident within ICE's detention system. A study by the University of California, San Francisco, which was published in the JAMA medical journal, found that 17 out of 22 ICE detention centers experienced sustained outbreaks of vaccine-preventable illnesses between January 2017 and March 2020. One facility had a chickenpox outbreak lasting 33 months and year-round influenza transmission. In December 2025, the Golden State Annex Facility in McFarland, California, experienced an outbreak of scabies, a highly contagious skin condition caused by mites that can spread rapidly in crowded settings. The Kern County Public Health Department confirmed several cases and said it was working with the facility's medical staff to prevent further transmission. The Northwest ICE Processing Center in Tacoma, Washington, confirmed seven suspected tuberculosis cases in July 2025. One detainee was hospitalized with active TB after being transferred from the Anchorage Correctional Complex to Tacoma. As of January 2025, 86 percent of ICE detainees were held in facilities run by for-profit companies, according to immigration tracking data. This represents an increase from 81 percent in January 2020. Two corporations -- the GEO Group and CoreCivic -- dominate the market. In 2022 alone, the GEO Group made 1.05 billion U.S. dollars in revenue from ICE contracts. Government inspectors have found barbaric and negligent treatment in ICE detention facilities. According to a 2023 National Public Radio report, expert inspectors documented negligent medical care, unsafe and filthy conditions and racist abuse of detainees. One inspector noted that violations found at a GEO Group facility were so severe that if discovered in a hospital, it could be forced to shut down. On Jan. 12, the Aurora City Council passed a resolution condemning ICE operations, citing the Minneapolis fatal shooting, an unmanaged illness outbreak at the GEO ICE detention facility and other ICE overreach cases in the city. Representative Crow filed a lawsuit in the week of Jan. 11 against the Trump administration, alleging that officials had blocked congressional oversight of immigration detention facilities, including the one in Aurora. Qabil Ashirov Azerbaijan has long been known as a country shaped by mega projects. It is precisely these large-scale initiatives that have enabled the country to achieve rapid economic growth over the past three decades, transforming it from one of the worlds poorest post-Soviet states into an upper?middle?income economy. The numbers speak for themselves. In 1992, just one year after regaining independence, Azerbaijans GDP per capita stood at around $60. Thirty years later, it exceeded $7,000. In other words, over three decades Azerbaijans GDP per capita increased by more than 100 times a record achieved by only a handful of nations worldwide. This achievement is even more remarkable given that the countrys population grew by nearly 50 percent during the same period. Azerbaijan reached this milestone against the backdrop of successive mega projects. The first and most transformative was the decision to bring Azerbaijani oil to global markets. The development of offshore fields and the construction of export pipelines generated billions of dollars in revenue, fundamentally altering the countrys economic trajectory. Oil wealth allowed Azerbaijan to stabilize its economy, invest in infrastructure, and raise living standards. However, this success came with a structural vulnerability: excessive dependence on hydrocarbons. For many years, around 90 percent of Azerbaijans exports were linked to oil hardly a recipe for a resilient or diversified economy. Recognizing this risk, policymakers adopted a pragmatic approach. Oil revenues were channeled into developing the non?oil sector. Over time, agriculture, manufacturing, transport, and services expanded, and non?oil exports grew several times over. Yet the limits of this strategy were evident. Non?oil sectors are highly competitive, fragmented, and slower to scale. No serious observer expected them to rival the oil sector in the short term nor was that technically realistic. This reality made export diversification urgent rather than optional. The second major mega project was therefore natural gas. With the launch of large gas export routes, Azerbaijan succeeded in reshaping its export structure. Oils share in total exports fell to roughly 50 percent, while gas rose to around 40 percent, with the remaining 10 percent accounted for by non?oil products. This shift significantly improved economic resilience, but it did not fully solve the diversification challenge. As President Ilham Aliyev noted while addressing business leaders at an event titled Azerbaijan Executive Breakfast, held on the sidelines of the World Economic Forum in Davos, "Diversification of the economy for our country is the number one priority. From a practical point of view, today we see a growing interest in renewable sources. This statement captures both intent and urgency. Even with non?oil exports surpassing $3 billion, and likely approaching $45 billion in the coming years, their growth rate alone cannot deliver the scale of diversification Azerbaijan requires. That is why the country is already moving toward what may become its next defining mega project: electricity generation and export. The foundations of this strategy were laid years ago, and tangible results are likely to emerge after 2030. A landmark moment came on December 17, 2022, in Bucharest, when Azerbaijan, Georgia, Romania, and Hungary signed an agreement to construct a submarine power cable under the Black Sea. The project aims to transmit green electricity produced in Azerbaijan directly to European markets. The rationale is compelling. Azerbaijans economically viable green energy potential is estimated at 27 gigawatts. The country plans to utilize a significant share of this capacity and export more than 45 gigawatts of electricity to Europe via two routes: the primary corridor beneath the Black Sea and a secondary route through Turkiye. In strategic terms, this would position Azerbaijan not only as a supplier of oil and gas, but also as a regional hub for clean electricity. To make this vision a reality, production capacity must expand rapidly. Azerbaijans total electricity generation capacity currently stands at 9,732.5 megawatts. This includes 24 thermal power plants with a combined capacity of 7,903 MW, 65 hydropower plants totaling 1,443.5 MW, nine solar plants (278.2 MW), five wind farms (63.5 MW), one waste?to?energy plant (37 MW), and three hybrid stations (7.3 MW). Renewable sources, including hydropower, account for 1,829.6 MW, or 18.8 percent of total capacity. President Aliyev has made clear that this balance will change dramatically. We have already inaugurated two big renewable power stations, he said. In the coming six years, we will dramatically increase our capacity to generate energy from solar and wind. In other words, by 2032, we expect to have eight gigawatts of solar and wind energy, because there is a lot of sun and a lot of wind, and we see great potential. We have already contracted several projects, and now we are thinking about storage capacity, President Ilham Aliyev added. If realized, this strategy would mark a historic shift. Electricity exports could become Azerbaijans third major export pillar after oil and gas, and eventually a cleaner, more future?proof one. Once again, a mega project may redefine the countrys economic model, proving that Azerbaijans growth story is far from over. Key Points The Invesco Russell 1000 Equal Weight ETF encompasses about 1,000 stocks. Its portfolio includes both very large and medium-sized companies. It boasts reasonable fees and performance -- and it's even a solid dividend payer. 10 stocks we like better than Invesco Exchange-Traded Fund Trust II - Invesco Russell 1000 Equal Weight ETF With whatever funds I have available to invest in 2026, there's a particular ETF that I have my eye on: the Invesco Russell 1000 Equal Weight ETF (NYSEMKT: EQAL). (As you may know, an exchange-traded fund (ETF) is a fund that trades like a stock, so you can buy or sell shares of it anytime during the trading day via any good brokerage.) Image source: Getty Images. Here's why I like the Invesco Russell 1000 Equal Weight ETF: Its expense ratio (annual fee), at 0.20%, is fairly low, costing you just $20 each year for every $10,000 you have invested in the fund. It pays a meaningful dividend, offering welcome income that's likely to increase over time. The ETF's dividend yield was recently 1.8%. (For contrast, the yield for the S&P 500 index was recently just 1.1%.) It's a very broad index, like the S&P 500 index -- but even broader. The S&P 500 encompasses 500 of America's biggest companies, and so does the Invesco Russell ETF. But the latter includes about twice as many companies, not just really big ones but also many medium-sized ones. It's an equal-weighted fund. Whereas lots of index funds tend to be market-cap weighted, with the biggest companies in them wielding the most influence, this equal-weighted fund spreads its assets much more equally (but not absolutely equally) across its holdings. Thus, even its smallest holdings have a chance of moving the needle. It doesn't suffer from the significant concentration of S&P 500 index funds, which recently held about 39% of the index's value in just its top 10 holdings. It has performed well over time -- averaging annual gains of 10.2% over the past decade and 8.1% over the past five years. Finally, its broadness is also appealing. It means I don't have to guess which sectors will outperform. If one sector implodes for a while, this ETF won't. If the growth in artificial intelligence suddenly slows or stops, it won't deal a death blow to the ETF. Should you buy stock in Invesco Exchange-Traded Fund Trust II - Invesco Russell 1000 Equal Weight ETF right now? Before you buy stock in Invesco Exchange-Traded Fund Trust II - Invesco Russell 1000 Equal Weight ETF, consider this: The Motley Fool Stock Advisor analyst team just identified what they believe are the 10 best stocks for investors to buy now and Invesco Exchange-Traded Fund Trust II - Invesco Russell 1000 Equal Weight ETF wasnt one of them. The 10 stocks that made the cut could produce monster returns in the coming years. French lender Societe Generale has announced plans to cut 1,800 job positions in France as part of an "organisational simplification" to improve operational efficiency. In a statement on Thursday, Societe Generale said the job cuts will focus on "several activities and central functions at headquarters", as well as the regional structure of the retail banking arm, though the brand network would not be affected. The net number of positions would be reduced by 1,800 through natural attrition and internal career moves, the bank said. The company said the workforce measures are in line with its strategic roadmap announced in September 2023 and its "ambition for sustainable performance". The changes were set out in an employee agreement signed in mid-December with three trade unions, the bank said. "Following consultation with the employee representative bodies, the planned changes would be implemented gradually in 2026 and 2027 for the activities concerned and potentially beyond for Retail Banking in France," Societe Generale said. Shares in the bank were 1.8% higher at 69.92 by 0953 GMT. London stocks were set to gain at the open on Thursday as investors breathed a sigh of relief after US President Donald Trump ditched plans to impose tariffs on European nations that opposed his pursuit of Greenland, and hailed the framework of a deal on the territory. The FTSE 100 was called to open around 70 points higher. In a post on Truth Social late on Wednesday, Trump said that based on a "very productive" meeting, he and Nato Secretary General Mark Rutte have formed "the framework of a future deal with respect to Greenland and, in fact, the entire Arctic Region". "This solution, if consummated, will be a great one for the United States of America, and all NATO Nations," he wrote. "Based upon this understanding, I will not be imposing the Tariffs that were scheduled to go into effect on February 1st. Additional discussions are being held concerning The Golden Dome as it pertains to Greenland." Danske Bank said: "The proposed deal reportedly grants the US access to Greenland's mineral rights, blocks Russian influence, integrates the Golden Dome defence system, and opens doors to US-backed infrastructure investments. "Rutte confirmed Greenland's status within the Kingdom of Denmark was not discussed. According to New York times, officials have drawn comparisons between the potential sovereignty over small pockets of Greenland and the status of UK bases in Cyprus, which are classified as British territory. Today, EU leaders will meet at an emergency summit in Brussels to discuss their approach." On home shores, figures from the Office for National Statistics showed public sector borrowing fell in December to 11.6bn, down by 7.1bn or 38% on December 2024. Borrowing in the financial year to December 2025 was 140.4bn, down by 0.3bn or 0.2% on the same nine-month period of 2024, but still the third-highest April to December borrowing on record after those of 2020 and 2024. ONS senior statistician Tom Davies said: "Borrowing in December was substantially down on the same month in 2024, as a result of receipts being up strongly on last year whereas spending is only modestly higher. "However, across the first nine months of the financial year as a whole, borrowing was fractionally lower than in the same period in 2024." In corporate news, B&M European Value Retail slashed full-year guidance despite an uptick in festive sales. Updating on its third-quarter performance, the embattled budget chain said its seasonal ranges had sold well, with UK like-for-like sales up 3% in December and "similar trends" continuing into early January trading. However, looking to the full-year and B&M warned it now expects adjusted EBITDA to come in between 440m and 475m, compared to its previous range of 470m to 520m. B&M said the move reflected "ongoing investments in pricing and clearance" as well as the poor performance of Heron Foods. High technology components manufacturer Senior said it had seen "stronger than expected trading" following its November update, most notably in its aerospace unit, and now expects full-year adjusted pre-tax profits to be "comfortably above previous expectations". Specialist media group Future said it had bought digital publisher SheerLuxe and its Blush Talent management agency for 39.9m in cash, with an earn-out conditional on future performance capping the deal at 80m. From a cumulative perspective, Washington, D.C. easily has the highest per capita tax grab, $14,979 although it is not the highest tax percentage of income, since non-residents who work in D.C. are taxed in their respective residence states. After one dies estate taxes, which can range from 0% in states like Pennsylvania to as high as 35% in Washington. Additionally, local sales tax, another factor directly affecting affordability in blue states. Over 10% sales tax is a big factor in elevating Louisianas total tax burden to 8.90%, and Tennessees 9.6% comprises an even bigger ratio of the state's overall 6.4% tax burden. Other states, where land is at a premium, and much of its food and energy are shipped in from the mainland or elsewhere, like with Hawaii, have very high cumulative state taxes. Certain states, most notably Texas and Florida, have no state income tax. State and local taxes may include separate income taxes, as well as property, school, and other taxes. However, the variances can include such areas as: The average federal tax paid per capita by US citizens is roughly $13,800 as of recent years, which may go down slightly thanks to BBB reductions on federal income tax for social security, tips, and some other areas. However, while the average state and local tax is approximately $7,100, the discrepancy is quite broad. School taxes, property taxes, excise taxes, etc. - the number of taxes that bureaucrats can conceive to take more money from citizens defies rationality in some cases. The Big Beautiful Bill passed by Congress last year offered a number of federal tax relief measures for beleaguered taxpayers. However, tax rates in blue states that are still unconscionably high have not undergone similar reductions. In fact, these high state and local taxes are the major reason why affordability has continued to be an issue for those big city citizens in blue states. Over the past 12 months, the sheer amount of revealed taxpayer dollars involved in fraud, bribes, and other illegalities by politicians and NGOs has been staggering. The fraud committed in Minnesota under Gov. Tim Walz, which now appears to outstrip the $9 billion initial estimate, appears to be dwarfed by new indications over CA Gov. Gavin Newsoms unaccounted for $70+ billion. A recent study identified one single habit that doubled Americans retirement savings and moved retirement from dream, to reality. Read more here . Hawaii has the highest state tax burden at 13.9% of income. New York ranks second at 13.6%. California has over $70B in unaccounted for federal tax dollars under Newsom. Story continues Based on a total tax burden percentage, the states that take the largest bite from its residents incomes are: Hawaii: 13.9% New York: 13.6% Vermont: 11.5% California: 11.0% Hawaii Maridav / Shutterstock.com Maridav / Shutterstock.com With a cumulative 13.9% state tax burden on its citizens, Hawaii ranks #1 in the nation. As the Pacific Island Paradise of the US, Hawaiis residents pay a hefty toll for the luxury of living there. The 13.9% cumulative tax burden breaks down to 4,2% in state income taxes (can go as high as 11% for wealthy residents), 2.6% in property taxes, and 7.2% in sales and excise taxes. Additionally, Hawaiis taxation has some unique twists not found in any other state: Transient Accommodations Tax (TAT) : Hawaiis heavy dependence on tourism includes a statewide tax on short-term hotel stays and vacation rentals. This tax is presently 10.25% of gross rental income. Hawaii Real Property Tax (HARPTA) : A HARPTA tax of 7.25% of the sale price is withheld at the closing of any Hawaii real estate by non-residents, and if sellers are required to prove their actual capital gain when filing for a refund. General Excise Tax (GET): Due to inordinate dependence Hawaii has on imported necessities like food and energy, as well as other items, The GET, for all intents and purposes, exceeds a normal sales tax in several ways: * The tax is levied on not just final sales, but on the gross receipts of businesses on services, goods and rentals sold. * Costs are passed onto the buyer via price hikes from the seller. * The state rate in Hawaii is 4%, but counties surcharge rates vary, with Honolulus at 4.5%. New York Domingo Saez / Shutterstock.com Domingo Saez / Shutterstock.com New York City taxes are a labyrinth of charges and levies that make it one of the most expensive cities on the planet, while the rest of the state is considerably less costly. The Big Apple has been synonymous with high finance, tall buildings, glittery nightlife, and cutting edge art and fashion for over a century. As such, its no surprise that it has one of the highest state income tax rates:10.9%. However, the rest of New York state is considerably less highly taxed that New York City, which is a tax leviathan unto itself. For example, the average NY state property tax is between 1.2% to 1.7%. However, New York City property taxes depend on classification: 1-3 family homes are normally assessed around 6%, but can reach a nominal rate of over 20%; co-ops and condos are assessed at 45% of market value with larger buildings possibly higher; commercial real estate tax rate for 2026 stands at 10.8%. With New York City taxes so high, the rest of the state mathematically calculates out much lower in order for the mean to fall closer to 1.5%. Additionally, New York City residents pay a local income tax on top of state income tax. Socialist Mayor Zohan Mamdani wants to increase New York Citys rates even higher across the board, so tax relief in the Big Apple is not expected anytime soon. Additional taxes unique to New York for individuals (businesses have an entirely separate long list) includes: Congestion pricing: Instituted by Gov. Hotchul, this tax is levied on any drivers entering Manhattan below 60th Street, with peak hours rates for cars at $9.00, trucks at $21.60, and motorcycles at $4.50. Business Specific Surcharges : customers of parking lots, hair and/or nail salons, and gyms are charged an additional tax on top of their fees, along with a fixed 12% surcharge on auto rentals. Apparel and Footwear : Any clothing or footwear that costs over $110.00 triggers an added combined additional state and city tax. Excise Taxes : Ridiculously high taxes on tobacco ($5.35 per cigarette pack) and fuel (added petroleum testing and several other taxes) are charged as extra cents per gallon at the pump. Vaping: Vapor products are charged a 20% additional tax. Vermont Katherine Welles/Shutterstock.com Katherine Welles/Shutterstock.com Vermont is known for being the #1 producer of US maple syrup and for having the highest property taxes in the nation. Popular for its excellent ski resorts, gorgeous foliage, and for being the largest supplier of maple syrup in the US, Vermont also has the highest state property tax rates: a 1.78% average with some areas like Caledonia as high as 2.48%. Vermonts school system is especially reliant upon property tax revenues for its budgets. Additionally, Vermont has a progressive income tax in brackets, with the top rate at 8.75%, an average combined sales tax of 6.39%, and its own high gas and tobacco excise taxes. Taxes unique to Vermont include: Property Transfer Tax : This is a 50% tax used as a revenue stream for several Vermont state-run funds for Municipal Planning and Housing & Conservation. Education Property Tax : The rate averages 1.78%. Meals & Rooms (Hotel and Lodging) Tax: This is a tax which is divided 69% to the General Fund, 25% to education, and 6% to the Clean Water Fund. California Kevork Djansezian / Getty Images Kevork Djansezian / Getty Images In 7 Years, Gavin Newsom has made California the #1 state in homelessness and poverty from his mismanagement of hundreds of billions of dollars. every year. In his seven years as Governor of California, Gavin Newsom has gutted the strongest middle class in the nation and replaced it with record setting levels of poverty and homelessness. His reckless spending has included estimates of $70 billion in unaccounted for federal tax dollars given to California in addition to his own mismanagement of the L.A. wildfire disaster, the bullet train to nowhere, and other boondoggles. With a state GDP that outstrips that of a large number of sovereign nations, Newsoms taxation takes his pound of flesh and then some: Highest State Income Tax : Californias top state income tax rate is 13.3% with an extra 1% mental health surcharge (not a joke!). Highest Gas Tax : In a state where public transportation is abysmal and a car is a must Californians pay a cumulative 90 cents per gallon tax - highest in the nation. Highest State Sales Tax : Californias 7.25% state sales tax is another #1 national ranking - and additional local sales taxes bump that figure up higher. Capital Gains Taxes : Unlike lower rates for capital gains as per the IRS, California insists on taxing capital gains as income. Non-Deductability of HSA: California does not recognize the triple tax deductibility (contributions, earnings, and withdrawals for medical needs) of Health Savings Accounts and taxes contributions. When some Americans plain about affordability as an issue, Californians who venture outside their state to compare know who is actually at fault, and its not the federal government. In 1789, Benjamin Franklin came up with the famous phrase, In this world, nothing can be said to be certain except death and taxes. Interestingly, he strongly approved of external taxes, just like President Trumps tariffs, and was against internal taxes, like the Stamp Act, and only believed that additional taxes should be levied by consent. Hes probably rolling in his grave when the above states tax rolls come to his attention from the beyond. Data Shows One Habit Doubles Americans Savings And Boosts Retirement Most Americans drastically underestimate how much they need to retire and overestimate how prepared they are. But data shows that people with one habit have more than double the savings of those who dont. And no, its got nothing to do with increasing your income, savings, clipping coupons, or even cutting back on your lifestyle. Its much more straightforward (and powerful) than any of that. Frankly, its shocking more people dont adopt the habit given how easy it is. Beazley said on Thursday that it has rejected a 7.7bn takeover offer from Zurich Financial as it "materially undervalues" the company and its longer-term prospects. Zurich disclosed on Monday that it had made a 1,280p a share cash offer for Beazley. This represented a 56% premium to the closing share price on Friday. This followed an earlier approach made by Zurich on 4 January at 1,230p a share, which was rejected on 16 January. Beazley said on Thursday that it received three proposals from Zurich in June last year and engaged with the company "appropriately", including providing it with certain limited due diligence information "in a good faith effort to come to a shared understanding of value". It pointed out that the terms of Zurich's latest proposal are below the proposal made in late June last year and rejected by Beazley. It valued the group at 1,315p per share at an implied equity value of 8.4bn. "The board is very confident in Beazley's standalone prospects as a publicly listed company and in the attractiveness of Beazley's business model fundamentals and believes that Beazley is uniquely positioned within the global insurance market to maximise long-term shareholder value and realise the full potential of its specialty platform," it said. RBC Capital Markets said the key question now is whether Zurich follows up with a higher bid. It said the bid has focused the spotlight on Beazleys strong strategic positioning, track record and distinctiveness of operations. This could attract other suitors, RBC said. Danni Hewson, head of financial analysis at AJ Bell, said: "Shares in insurer Beazley recovered by close after falling more than 2% on the news that the board had unanimously rejected a takeover approach from rival Zurich. "It could be that shareholders think there might now be room for the Swiss giant to up its bid for Beazley. "Merging the two businesses could create cost savings and Beazleys specialist remit has an obvious appeal, especially since it expanded its lucrative cyber offer back in 2024. "As with all takeovers the question is how much is too much, and could a sweetened pot win over the Beazley board who feel the business is more than capable of reaching its full potential on its own." The future of Greenland remained uncertain on Thursday, even after US President Donald Trump ruled out the use of military force to annexe the island and U-turned on his threat of tariffs against those who oppose him. Global share markets rallied on the news, but there was scepticism that Trumps framework deal contained much in the way of substance, particularly when he was unable to provide details when pressed in an interview. Hours after his rambling speech to the World Economic Forum in Davos which contained several wild inaccuracies and several mistaken references to Iceland Trump announced the framework of a future deal with respect to Greenland and pulled his threat to levy tariffs against eight European countries. Traders were swift to note the return of the Taco trade, a reference to the Trump Always Chickens Out phrase coined when he pulled back on many of his punitive tariff policies last year. Financial markets slumped this week as Trumps language became more bellicose. One Danish pension fund dumped $100m in US treasuries and a Deutsche Bank analysis suggested this could become more widespread. By now we have grown accustomed to Trumps strategy of threatening nations with tariffs in a bid to get what he wants, but this occasion appears to have taken it a step too far. For many of the European leaders, this is a warning sign that their US partners are no longer reliable for as long as Trump is in power, said Scope Markets analyst Joshua Mahony. After-all, what stops him coming back with another threat next month because he wants another deal. Perversely, while the US continues to beat up their friends, the nations best protected from Trumps wrath appear to be those already sanctioned (Russia) and those with sufficient leverage to fight back (China). Nato secretary-general Mark Rutte, who held talks with Trump on Wednesday on his plans for a missile defence shield, insisted there was still a lot of work to be done on any agreement. He told Fox News the subject of whether Greenland would remain a part of Denmark under the deal, had not come up but a a Nato spokesperson later said Rutte did suggest a compromise on sovereignty with the president. The US already has access to the semi-autonomous territory and has the option to widen it by building bases and carrying out military activities under the terms of existing long-standing agreements. Scopes Mahony said the repercussions of Trumps constant threats and attacks on European nations meant there would be a greater desire for self-sufficiency and a gradual weakening in the interconnectedness seen with the US over the years, with China one of the main benefactors of the shift. He cited a recent trade deal between Beijing and Canada as an example of countries trying to reduce exposure to their unreliable partners in the West. For one thing, the events of this week will have undoubtedly brought fresh clarity over the need to do more in Europe, although ongoing debt sustainability concerns mean that any additional spending could bring higher borrowing costs and higher valuations for precious metals. Reporting by Frank Prenesti for Sharecast.com Sophie Hannah Sophie Hannah is the author of numerous contemporary thrillers, a series of mysteries featuring Agatha Christie's Hercule Poirot, and several self-help titles, one of which inspired her podcast by the same name, How to Hold a Grudge. No One Would Do What the Lamberts Have Done (Sourcebooks Landmark) is a contemporary whodunit about a family on the run from the law, determined to save Champ, their beloved dog. Hannah lives in Cambridge, England, with her husband, children, and a dog named Chunk who is, among other things, the inspiration for the Lamberts' fictional dog. This book is wild--and very different from some of your other novels! How do you talk about it when folks ask what you're working on? I have two different ways of describing it. Depending on how I feel, sometimes I'll start with the more mysterious one, and then go to the more detailed one. But my initial pitch is: it's about an ordinary family that does the unthinkable. That generally makes people go, "Oh my god, I have to know what they do. What do they do?" And then I will often say, "Well, actually, I can tell you what they do, because what they do isn't really the reveal, or the solution--what they do is what sort of starts off the action. What they do is they go on the run to save the life of their dog." Really, for me, the emotional and conceptual heart of the book is that most families just would not do this. I think that 99 out of 100 families, if not 100 out of 100 families, it just wouldn't occur to them, or even if it occurred to them, they'd just think it could never work. I love the idea of Sally Lambert, in particular, just being willing to do the unthinkable, and being willing to do anything to save the life of the dog. It's also a book with a message: dogs are members of the family. So just like you'd do anything to save your husband or your wife or your child? I feel the same about the furry members of my family. I'm always shocked when I occasionally meet or hear about people who treat their dog as a kind of optional element of the household. Like if a family moves house, to somewhere it wouldn't be quite as convenient to have a dog, and they just give their dog away. I find that absolutely scandalous. I mean, are they even human? Also, I just love fugitive stories. My favorite is The Fugitive with Harrison Ford. I loved the idea of writing a fugitive story. My working title, a sort of nickname for the book as I was writing it, was "The Furry Fugitive." My other nickname for it was "Gone Dog." (I found a way to work both of those into the book, too, because they were cute and fun.) But the actual title landed somewhere different. I also love the long title. I think it highlights the idea that while absolutely no one would do this, these people are, in fact, doing it. One of the things I was thinking of when writing was that it couldn't be a fugitive story exactly like The Fugitive, because in that, Harrison Ford is a convicted murderer. He is being pursued by the authorities for good reason. When you're a family with a dog that may or may not have bitten somebody, if you go on the run, no one's actually going to come after you. The police don't care that much. They're not going to devote any time, manpower, or resources to tracking down the Lamberts. But at the same time, the Lamberts cannot go back, because the minute they go back, it all starts up again. The policeman turns up at the door, et cetera, et cetera. I just loved the idea of writing a fugitive story where no one is chasing the fugitive. And yet, the fugitive still cannot return home. It's not quite a satire or a send-up of the fugitive genre, then, although in some ways it is quite comical. Right, and with deep feelings involved. The fear that the dog will end up being killed by the powers that be, and the passionate desire to save this life of a family member. That is all deadly serious and deeply felt. And at the same time, there are some profoundly absurd elements to what's going on. There's a reference within the book itself to this thing called the absurdity impediment, that often when absurdity is present in a situation, people fail to notice the seriousness of it. I'm trying to say to people, yes, this might look absurd, but there are deep feelings here. There is a battle between good and evil going on. And just because it's a bit ridiculous doesn't mean we shouldn't take it seriously. That is actually present in a lot of my writing, and I got it from studying Iris Murdoch's fiction at university. Murdoch was a very serious novelist and moral philosopher and would use her novels to act out little morality plays. She was profoundly serious about her fiction writing. And yet, what was often happening at the plot level was utterly absurd. One of the criticisms of Murdoch is that her plots are so unrealistic and nobody behaves like that. It's true that generally people don't behave the way they do in her novels--or indeed as the Lamberts do--but what is also true is that if we weren't trying to put on a respectable, normal surface appearance (and if people could read each other's minds), then Iris Murdoch is actually very realistic. And Sally Lambert is a character who in many ways is not afraid to reveal her absurdities, right? Yes. She doesn't even think about whether it's strange or not. She names her houses, because to her, a house, once it's yours, is a member of the family, and so it becomes not an "it" but a "he." No further justification needed. She's quite intuitive, and she does her own thing. She kind of lives in her own imaginative world, as well as in the real world. I'm often asked why I write about such strange, dysfunctional people. The answer is because they're flipping everywhere. I can barely believe the ridiculousness and awfulness of many people. Not all people--loads of people, I think, are great. But more often than one might suspect, I meet people and I think, you are, in some way, utterly bonkers, or utterly monstrous. If I tried to write about normal characters, I just wouldn't feel I was writing realistically, and when I write books like Lamberts, and people think, "This so quirky and weird," I'm like, "This is my real life. These are the kind of people I meet, this is the kind of person I am myself." You've also written six novels now featuring Christie's famous detective, Hercule Poirot. Given some of the Christie-ish elements of Lamberts, did this feel very different to write? It was quite different. I enjoyed writing this book a lot; it felt like the book I most wanted to write, and I was writing it mainly to have fun myself, doing it for myself, because I just loved the idea of the book and just wanted it to exist. And I wanted to write a book for people who love dogs as much as I do. It felt a bit like, if every writer could put only one book they'd ever written into a time capsule to represent them, this is the one I'd pick. --Kerry McHugh Mary Oliver, keen observer of nature and poet extraordinaire, once wrote about the power of trees to teach and comfort: "When I am among the trees,/ especially the willows and the honey locust,/ equally the beech, the oaks and the pines,/ they give off such hints of gladness./ I would almost say that they save me, and daily." These words, from "When I Am Among the Trees," included in one of her final anthologies, Devotions: The Selected Poems of Mary Oliver, came back to me recently. I was interviewing botanist and plant biochemist Beronda Montgomery, author of When Trees Testify: Science, Wisdom, History, and America's Black Botanical Legacy. Montgomery explores the history of Black botany in United States history by grounding each chapter of her insightful book in a different species of tree. It's not always an easy history, so rooted in the bleak and violent realities of chattel slavery and the racism that persisted long after abolition, but it's one Montgomery explores with candor and wisdom, revealing the many lessons trees can teach us about history and memory, community and interconnectivity, identity and self. In Tree Story: The History of the World Written in Rings, Valerie Trouet looks not at the narratives surrounding particular trees for historical knowledge, but at the rings found within trees' trunks. Trouet contends that these rings harbor codes that reveal histories of climate change, linking those climate shifts to major historical events going back thousands of years (such as the fall of the Roman Empire, or the outbreaks of global pandemics). Likewise, Evergreen: The Trees that Shaped America explores how deeply interrelated they are with history, particularly focusing on how trees (and the lumber they provide) shaped the land that became the United States. And environmental journalist Fred Pearce makes the case for reforestation--particularly given how much woodland has been destroyed by historical and modern-day overdevelopment--in A Trillion Trees: Restoring Our Forests by Trusting in Nature. Moreover, The Hidden Life of Trees: What They Feel, How They Communicate by German forest ranger Peter Wohlleben urges an expanded role in human care of trees and forests, calling for trees to be recognized as sentient beings with rights and memories and stories to tell. Trees, Wohlleben argues, with their roots intentionally tangled together beneath the ground, are not commodities, but rather are wise and sturdy teachers of interconnectedness. (Quotable passages and particular gems from this popular tome have also been collected in a companion book, The Wisdom of the Hidden Life of Trees, and depicted with beautiful artwork in The Hidden Life of Trees: A Graphic Adaptation.) David George Haskell (The Forest Unseen) similarly studies this interconnectedness in lyrical essays about trees and their lessons of symbiosis in The Songs of Trees: Stories from Nature's Greatest Connectors, examining how they interact not only with humans but also with the flora and fauna that surround them. And in The Language of Trees: A Rewilding of Literature and Landscape, author Katie Holten uses a custom-made arboreal alphabet, to translate various bits of writing (essays, poems, aphorisms) from dozens contributors into a literary, visually stunning account of trees' interactions with our human world. There's a deep appreciation for nature and its many lessons in all of these books, with calls to recognize the ways the natural world maintains records--both literally and figuratively--of what occurs within and around it. But it can feel overwhelming to begin applying those same lessons in the woods of our world. When I asked her about where one might start listening to trees, Montgomery encourages me (and others) to start where we already are. "Know the trees in your yard," she said. "Know the trees in your neighborhood. These are the trees you're living with every day. These are the trees that are capturing your breath." And so I wonder: What breaths might the trees out your window be capturing today? And what might those same trees share back, if you take the time to sit and listen? Mary Oliver would tell us: " 'It's simple,' they say,/ 'and you too have come/ into the world to do this, to go easy, to be filled/ with light, and to shine.' " --Kerry McHugh, freelance reviewer The U.S. chapter of the International Board for Books for Young People (USBBY) has chosen its 2026 Outstanding International Books List featuring "exceptional titles for children and young adults published in 2025" that originated or were first published in another country. To see the list of the 41 titles, which come from 24 countries, and are listed by age category, click here. The organization commented: "Together, these books show young people around the world seeking connection and belonging--through family, friendship, self-discovery, and engagement with their communities. Spanning diverse cultures and experiences, the stories highlight empathy, resilience, imagination, and the courage to grow. This year's selections reflect universal themes such as identity, hope, intergenerational bonds, friendship, play, curiosity, migration, nature, and cultural heritage, showcasing the richness of international children's literature." --- The Mystery Writers of America has announced the nominees for the 80th annual Edgar Allan Poe Awards, honoring the best in mystery fiction, nonfiction, and television published or produced in 2025. The awards ceremony, celebrating the 215th anniversary of the birth of Edgar Allan Poe, will be held on April 29 in New York City. To see the full list of Edgar nominees, click here. Packing up your life and heading from the East Coast to the West can feel like swapping snow boots for sandals exciting, refreshing and full of possibility. But once the thrill of palm trees and ocean breezes settles, many transplants realize the financial picture isnt as sunny as the weather. From unexpected costs to lifestyle shifts that hit harder than anticipated, people often discover a few money missteps along the way. Thats why GOBankingRates spoke with Ali Zane, personal finance expert and CEO at iMax Identity Theft Attorney Firm, about his experience with financial regrets after relocating. A Raise That Ended Up Costing Me More Zane decided to move from Charlotte, North Carolina, to San Francisco, California, in 2008, and he said it remains one of the most financially devastating decisions he failed to plan for. According to a recent study by GOBankingRates, San Jose, San Francisco and San Diego rank among the priciest places to live in each case, youd likely need a household income of over $200,000 a year to live comfortably without having to cut corners. At the time, he was making $68,000 a year in a senior finance position, which was comfortable in Charlotte, where his mortgage was $890 a month and his property taxes were about $1,200 a year. My cost of living was about 15% below the national average. So when I took a job in San Francisco with a raise to $95,000, I thought I was making a brilliant financial decision, he said. The math seemed straightforward: That extra $27,000 a year in income should have gone a long way toward improving his financial situation. I couldnt have been more wrong, and the cost of my mistake was astonishing. Learn More: How Much You Need To Be in the Top 5% in Every State Read Next: How Middle-Class Earners Are Quietly Becoming Millionaires and How You Can, Too My Cheap Apartment Became Anything But Zanes first shock came when he started apartment hunting in San Francisco. I learned that rentals were around $2,200 to $2,600 for a one-bedroom apartment in barely acceptable neighborhoods. His initial reaction was to compromise. He rented a two-bedroom apartment 45 minutes outside the city in the East Bay for $1,850 monthly, thinking he was being financially responsible. I didnt account for the actual cost of commuting. My daily round-trip commute took 90 minutes, meaning I was investing 7 1/2 hours per week just sitting in traffic or on public transportation, Zane said. When the Commute Cost More Than the Apartment Zane ended up buying a car, spending $450 per month on car payments, $180 on insurance, $120 on gas and about $80 on maintenance and tolls. Boost investment, reduce costs, and strengthen domestic manufacturing in renewables. Rationalize import duties and expand R&D incentives for electronics. Easier credit access, GST cuts, and stronger tax benefits for homebuyers. The countdown has begun! With just 10 days left, all eyes are on Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman as she prepares to present the India Budget 2026 on February 1. This marks a significant milestone in her career as she readies to present her ninth consecutive Budget a feat no one has achieved before. Interestingly, this is the first time in over a decade that the Union Budget will be presented on a Sunday, adding to the anticipation. Heres a quick look at the key dates for the Budget 2026 session: 28 January: The Budget Session begins with a joint address by President Droupadi Murmu to both Houses of Parliament. The with a joint address by President Droupadi Murmu to both Houses of Parliament. 29 January: The Lok Sabha will meet as per the provisional calendar issued by the Secretariat. The Lok Sabha will meet as per the provisional calendar issued by the Secretariat. 31 January: Finance Minister Sitharaman will present the Economic Survey, providing an overview of the nations economic health ahead of the Budget. Finance Minister Sitharaman will present the Economic Survey, providing an overview of the nations economic health ahead of the Budget. 1 February: The much-awaited Budget 2026 will be presented at 11 AM in the Lok Sabha. The much-awaited Budget 2026 will be presented at 11 AM in the Lok Sabha. 13 February: The first half of the Budget Session concludes. The first half of the Budget Session concludes. 9 March: The second half of the Budget Session kicks off. The second half of the Budget Session kicks off. 2 April: The final day of the Budget Session, after which both Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha will be adjourned sine die. Experts across sectors are eagerly waiting for the new incentives and announcements the Budget will bring. Voices of Industry Leaders on Expectations for Budget 2026 Yogesh Mudras, Managing Director, Informa Markets in India As we approach Budget 2026, the renewables industry is looking for enhanced fiscal support to deepen investment, reduce costs, and strengthen domestic manufacturing across solar, wind, storage, and green hydrogen sectors. With targets like 500 GW of non-fossil fuel capacity by 2030, we need policies that accelerate grid modernization, expand transmission infrastructure, and improve access to affordable green finance. Sagar Gupta, Co-Founder & Director, Ekka Electronics We believe the Budget should prioritize rationalizing import duties on critical raw materials, provide policy clarity for ODM-led manufacturers, and expand incentives for R&D and product engineering. This will help improve competitiveness and consistency in manufacturing, especially in electronics. Ashish Pandey, Director & Co-Founder, BuyBuyCart The upcoming Budget has the potential to strengthen Indias retail backbone by easing access to institutional credit for franchise partners, rationalizing GST on private-label goods, and supporting local sourcing. These measures would nurture Indias retail and private label ecosystems, creating scalable and locally-made solutions. Vikas Tarachandani, Co-Founder, SURE Home loan tax benefits are a key expectation for the common taxpayer. Strengthening tax benefits for home loans and ensuring clear, borrower-friendly loan terms could significantly reduce overpayment and improve household financial resilience. Increase funding to close the gap with other nations. Focus on incentives to foster innovation. Streamline compliance and upskill the workforce. With Union Budget 2026 approaching, the pharmaceutical sector is urging the government to enhance policy and fiscal support to foster innovation and strengthen Indias position as a global manufacturing hub. Nitin Jain, Founder and Managing Director of Iberia Pharmaceuticals, emphasized the need for increased healthcare spending, pointing out that India lags behind many developing countries in this regard. sustained investments in building world-class manufacturing capabilities and stronger incentives for research and development. He stressed the importance of higher funding for centres of excellence to drive research and innovation, helping the sector shift from a volume-driven approach to innovation-led growth. Jain called forin building world-class manufacturing capabilities and stronger incentives for research and development. He stressed the importance of higher funding for centres of excellence to drive research and innovation, helping the sector shift from a volume-driven approach to innovation-led growth. Also Read: Countdown to Budget 2026 with Critical Dates and Key Industry Expectations He also highlighted the need to streamline regulations, promote domestic manufacturing, and ensure high standards of quality and safety. Jain urged the government to focus on simplifying compliances, supporting workforce upskilling, and balancing long-term reforms with immediate industry needs to encourage investment in the pharmaceutical and healthcare sectors. As the sector continues to contribute significantly to economic growth, Budget 2026-27 holds the key to its future progress. Joint R&D on a CGM device with cardiovascular biomarkers for early heart disease and diabetes detection. Supported under the Indo-Canada Collaborative Programme with Nanospeed Diagnostics Inc. Real-time, remote monitoring to enhance preventive care and reduce reliance on hospital visits. In line with the Government of Indias commitment to enhancing preventive healthcare and promoting indigenously developed medical technologies, the Technology Development Board (TDB) of the Department of Science & Technology (DST) has entered into a significant collaboration with M/s Drstore Healthcare Service India Pvt. Ltd., Maharashtra. The agreement is for a joint research and development (R&D) project in the digital health domain, which has been supported with grant assistance from TDB. The project, titled 'Multivital Continuous Glucose Monitoring (CGM) Device with Cardiovascular Biomarkers for Early Detection of Heart Conditions alongside Diabetes Monitoring', aims to address critical healthcare challenges by integrating cutting-edge technology into the healthcare ecosystem. The project is being supported under the Indo-Canada Collaborative Industrial Research & Development Programme, a bilateral framework between the Department of Science & Technology, Government of India, and Canadas National Research Council (NRC) and Global Affairs Canada. This programme fosters industry-driven, market-oriented R&D initiatives designed to develop commercially viable technologies with substantial societal impact. The Indian project is being carried out in collaboration with M/s Nanospeed Diagnostics Inc., a Canadian project partner. The initiative seeks to combine advanced cardio-metabolic biomarkers such as B-type Natriuretic Peptide (BNP), Troponin-I, and high-sensitivity C-Reactive Protein (hs-CRP) into the existing continuous glucose monitoring system (CGM). This technology, which analyzes interstitial fluid, will allow simultaneous, continuous monitoring of both glucose levels and early cardiovascular risk indicators, aiming to tackle co-morbidities commonly associated with diabetes. By integrating these biomarkers, the technology will offer an innovative solution for the early detection and monitoring of heart conditions alongside diabetes. Also Read: MediSim VR & Krupanidhi Group Forge Partnership for Advanced Medical Training This integrated system has the potential to revolutionize healthcare by enabling real-time, remote monitoring of both glucose and cardiovascular biomarkers. It is expected to significantly improve preventive care, particularly for high-risk populations, by offering continuous monitoring outside of clinical settings and reducing reliance on episodic diagnostics or hospital-based care. The project aligns with national healthcare priorities, such as increasing affordable healthcare access, advancing digital health adoption, and developing indigenous medical technologies. M/s Drstore Healthcare Service India Pvt. Ltd., which was established in 2015, focuses on developing solutions for preventive healthcare and remote monitoring. With the support of TDB, the company aims to validate the feasibility of this technology and create a pathway for its commercial deployment as a multi-vital health monitoring platform tailored for the Indian healthcare landscape. In a statement, Rajesh Kumar Pathak, Secretary of TDB, emphasized that technology-driven preventive healthcare solutions are crucial for addressing the long-term disease burden in India. He noted that collaborations under international frameworks, such as the Indo-Canada Programme, provide Indian industries with access to global knowledge while enabling the development of scalable, indigenous solutions that cater to national health priorities. This initiative reflects TDBs mission to foster innovation, promote international technology partnerships, and accelerate the commercialization of indigenous healthcare technologies, contributing to improved health outcomes and the growth of Indias medical technology ecosystem. Q3FY26 net profit up 73 percent YoY, revenue jumps 201%. CEO Deepinder Goyal resigns. Q3FY26 profit rises 58 percent YoY to Rs 4,011 crore, revenue grows 5%. Acquires 98% stake in Biocon Biologics from Mylan for $200 million. The Indian stock market is set to open higher on Thursday, following a strong rally in global markets. The rally is attributed to signs of cooling geopolitical tensions over Greenland. Trends on Gift Nifty also suggest a gap-up opening for the benchmark indices, Nifty 50 and Sensex. As the trading session unfolds today, several companies are expected to draw investor attention. Below are the key stocks to watch on 22nd January 2026: Eternal Eternals consolidated net profit for Q3FY26 surged 73% year-on-year (YoY), reaching Rs 102 crore. Revenue from operations also saw a significant jump of 201% YoY, touching Rs 16,315 crore. The company announced a major leadership change as Deepinder Goyal, the Managing Director and CEO, will resign effective February 1. Goyal will transition to the role of Vice Chairman & Director on the Board. Dr Reddys Laboratories investors in the pharmaceutical sector. Pharma major Dr Reddys Laboratories reported a 14% YoY decline in its consolidated net profit, which stood at Rs 1,210 crore in Q3FY26. However, the companys revenues grew by 4% YoY, reaching Rs 8,727 crore. This performance will be closely watched by Biocon Biocon has completed the acquisition of the remaining 7.18 crore equity shares of Biocon Biologics from Mylan Inc. for $200 million. Following this acquisition, Biocon now holds about a 98% stake in Biocon Biologics, signaling a significant move in its expansion strategy. Senco Gold Senco Golds board has approved an investment of Rs 68 crore to acquire a 68% equity stake in August Jewellery, the parent company of fast-fashion jewellery brand Melorra. This acquisition is expected to boost Senco Golds position in the growing jewellery market. Hindustan Petroleum Corporation Ltd (HPCL) HPCL reported a 58% YoY increase in its net profit for Q3FY26, which reached Rs 4,011 crore. The companys revenue grew by 5% YoY to Rs 1.24 lakh crore, driven by strong demand in the energy sector. Also Read: Top Stocks and Stories to Watch Today Waaree Energies Waaree Energies posted impressive growth in its Q3 financial results, with net profit soaring by 115.6% YoY to Rs 1,062.5 crore. Revenue surged by 118.8% YoY to Rs 7,565 crore, while EBITDA rose 167% to Rs 1,928 crore. The company continues to expand its footprint in the energy sector. Lemon Tree Hotels Lemon Tree Hotels signed a license agreement for a new property, Lemon Tree Premier, in Omkareshwar, Madhya Pradesh. The hotel will be managed by its subsidiary, Carnation Hotels, marking a new addition to the brand's portfolio. CESC CESC Green Power, a subsidiary of CESC, has signed an MoU with the Uttar Pradesh government for the establishment of a 3 GW Solar Cell/module plant and a 60 MW Solar Power Plant. This project, which involves an investment of Rs 3,800 crore, aims to boost CESCs green energy efforts. PNB Housing Finance PNB Housing Finance reported a 10.5% YoY increase in its standalone net profit for Q3FY26, reaching Rs 521 crore. The companys net interest income (NII) grew by 12.8% YoY to Rs 757 crore, reflecting strong performance in the housing finance sector. These stocks are expected to be on investors' radar today as they announce key developments, with market trends indicating positive sentiment across the board. Budget 2026 to balance economic growth with fiscal restraint amidst global uncertainty. Key emphasis on funding AI innovation and meeting rising defense needs without overspending. Sector-specific relief for MSMEs and real estate to sustain growth amid challenges. The Union Budget for 2026 is expected to focus on measures that will support Indias growth while ensuring self-reliance and shielding the economy from external shocks. With global uncertainties and rising demands for public spending, the government faces the challenge of balancing fiscal discipline with the need for sustained investment in crucial sectors. The Finance Ministry, now based at Kartavya Bhawan since 2025, continues to print the Budget documents at the historic North Block, maintaining the high level of confidentiality required. The final printing phase will be marked by the traditional halwa ceremony next week, which signals the completion of the Budget preparations before its presentation in Parliament. Union Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiran Rijiju will convene an all-party meeting with floor leaders from both Houses of Parliament on January 27 to discuss the upcoming Budget. This is expected to provide a platform for political parties to voice their opinions on various key issues, setting the tone for the session. Ahead of the Budget session,will convene an all-party meeting with floor leaders from both Houses of Parliament on January 27 to discuss the. This is expected to provide a platform for political parties to voice their opinions on various key issues, setting the tone for the session. The Budget is expected to focus on a range of critical sectors, including defense, technology, and small businesses, while aiming to curb the fiscal deficit. Experts predict that the government will target a fiscal deficit of around 4.3% of GDP for FY2026/27, although some project that it may end up closer to 4.6%, reflecting the challenges of balancing fiscal consolidation with growing strategic and security demands. In the realm of technology, particularly AI, the Budget could play a pivotal role in scaling Indias digital ambitions. Industry experts are calling for policies that can support AI research and development, encourage private sector investment, and build essential infrastructure for large-scale AI deployment. Also Read: Addressing the Tax Burden on Senior Citizens in the 2026 Budget This will be critical to making India a global hub for AI services and innovation. Additionally, the MSME sector, which has been under pressure due to external disruptions, is expected to seek fiscal support to mitigate challenges and sustain growth. The real estate sector is also hopeful for targeted fiscal measures to improve housing affordability, promote urban development, and ease capital access, which could help stimulate growth across residential, commercial, and mixed-use projects. As the Budget approaches, the education sector is advocating for increased funding to support the objectives of the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020. Key demands include enhanced investments in quality education, capacity-building for teachers, and improvements in infrastructure and technology. Stakeholders believe that these measures are necessary to build a skilled workforce that can drive India's future growth. The governments ability to address these needs while keeping fiscal restraint intact will be closely watched. A 19yearold Massachusetts man was arrested last week after he allegedly disseminated indecent material to a 12-year-old girl, according to court records. Raul Santana was taken into custody on Jan. 12 at 7:30 a.m. in connection with an incident that allegedly occurred on June 26 at 1:34 a.m. near 165 Ada Drive on Snapchat, authorities said. According to the criminal complaint, Santana allegedly sent via the social media platform Snapchat five pieces of lewd images of his bottom half the 12-year-old girl. The complaint further alleges that Santana was 18-years-old when he is alleged to have sent the graphic photograph and videos (4) to the child. Santana, who resides at 8 Jillson Circle in Milford, Massachusetts, has been charged with five counts of disseminating indecent material to a minor and endangering the welfare of a child, police said. According to court records, Santana was arraigned, where he pleaded not guilty. A temporary order of protection was issued in the case. Santana was released with nonmonetary conditions, records show. His next appearance is scheduled for March 9 in Richmond Criminal Court in St. George. An attorney for Santana did not respond by the time of publication. STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. After being sentenced Tuesday in a 2021 crash that claimed the lives of a Staten Island couple, the now 23-year-old defendant expressed his condolences to the victims family. Prince Nesbitt-Hall, of New Jersey, pleaded guilty Dec. 8 in state Supreme Court, St. George, to a lesser count of first-degree assault as a means to resolve the case. Prosecutors said Nesbitt-Hall was driving a stolen car at the time of the crash. In the days that followed, the victims were identified as a married couple from Bulls Head Shahzad Akhund, 70, and his wife Kauser Akhund, 68. In exchange for his plea, the defendant was sentenced by Justice Alexander B. Jeong to 17 years in prison and five years of post-release supervision. Manhattan-based defense attorney Alain V. Massena issued the following statement afterward: Prince Nesbitt-Hall and the family of Prince Nesbitt-Hall would like to send their sincere condolences to the Akhund family. Following the defendants guilty plea in December, District Attorney Michael E. McMahon commended members of the NYPD and Assistant District Attorney Alva Prenga, chief of the vehicular crimes unit, for their efforts in securing a conviction. The defendant, meanwhile, was already sentenced in early 2025 to seven years in prison for multiple offenses, including a robbery in Essex County, New Jersey, records show. Traveling at a deadly rate of speed Here, police responded Feb. 16, 2020, to a report of a crash near Elson Street and Lamberts Lane in Graniteville that claimed the lives of a Staten Island couple. The driver responsible was sentenced this week. (Staten Island Advance/Jan Somma-Hammel) On the evening of Feb. 16, 2021, Nesbitt-Hall was driving at a high rate of speed in a stolen 2020 Honda Accord, authorities said in court documents. He blew through a stop sign at the intersection of Elson Street and Lamberts Lane in Graniteville, where he crashed into a 2013 Mercedes-Benz. Authorities said that while officers in the area were searching for the defendant, he walked for 20 minutes to the 121st Precinct station house and told officers there that he had been robbed. Thankfully, officers were dubious of the defendant, McMahon said previously. When he realized officers had become suspicious, he then fled the station house but was apprehended soon after and later charged in the crash, The Advance/SILive.com previously reported. Victims IDd as married couple In a previous statement, McMahon offered his own condolences to the victims family. While theres nothing we can do to bring back Kauser and Shahzad, we hope that the conclusion of this case brings peace and solace to their friends and loved ones, said the boroughs top prosecutor. We extend our deepest condolences to the entire Akhund family. STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. Staten Island residents with rain gutters connected directly to the New York City sewer system may be forced to fork over thousands of dollars in fines if they do not take action to disconnect the downspouts. Among the residents concerned over enforcement is Patrick Mooney, a resident of Fremont Avenue in Grant City, who recently received a letter from the Department of Environmental Protection alerting the community that they will be inspecting homes to ensure all downspouts are disconnected from the sewer system. Mooney feels that the burden should not be placed on residents to find out if their gutter is connected to the sewer and potentially pay a contractor to disconnect it. As such, he brought the matter to the attention of local officials. In addressing the issue, City Council Minority Leader David Carr, Assemblymember Michael Tannousis and state Sen. Andrew Lanza, all Republicans, co-signed a letter to Department of Environmental Protection Commissioner Rohit Aggarwala on Jan. 12. If Mooney is to disconnect his downspout, he will either have to go under his sidewalk or direct water onto his walkway, which he says is not practical. (Dennis Rees for the Advance/SILive.com) While we appreciate DEPs interest in better understanding the causes of flooding in the borough, the Island-wide application of this enforcement is both hasty and overreaching in its scope, the letter read in part. To base the application of enforcement for the entire borough on the results of the study of a single neighborhood has led to the prohibitive costs of correcting these downspout connections negatively affecting and further alienating middle class homeowners already struggling to make ends meet in neighborhoods where the effects of these downspout hookups towards flooding are negligible. Carr was informed that a study was conducted by the Department of Environmental Protection along the East Shore of Staten Island in the area of Midland Beach in an effort to monitor the effects of these downspouts on the sewer system. Outside of that local study, Carr is unaware of other studies conducted throughout the borough and is calling for transparency from the Department of Environmental Protection in an effort to understand why the enforcement of these downspouts has expanded borough-wide. As reported earlier this month, in a letter obtained by the Advance/SILive.com, the DEP said that such connections are illegal because they send large amounts of rainwater into sewers that are only designed to handle wastewater from homes and businesses. When too much rainwater enters the system, it can overwhelm the pipes, leading to basement back-ups and street flooding, the letter explained, noting that enforcement of the matter will begin soon. From left, Patrick Mooney, a resident of Grant City, City Council Minority Leader David Carr and Assemblymember Michael Tannousis urge city officials to work with homeowners to address the issue of downspout connection to the sewer system. (Dennis Rees for the Advance/SILive.com) Press conference on Thursday In further driving home the sentiment of the letter, both Carr and Tannousis joined Mooney outside his residence Thursday morning to urge city officials to reconsider their enforcement. Now many homeowners who have these downspouts may not have actually installed them themselves, they may have been installed by the builder at the time of the construction, they may have been installed by a prior owner and now theyre being asked to foot the bill for something that they never actually did themselves, said Carr. Its Carrs hope that the city will cease this enforcement action so that homeowners are not going to be crippled by costs needed to come into compliance. Theyre arguing that this is something that has been on the books for a long time, but the reality is that they have left enforcement alone for decades, he added. There are many homes throughout this borough that have these downspout systems and they should work with the homeowners collaboratively to try and address this over the long term. A cost for homeowners Mooney, who has lived at this residence for about 30 years, told the Advance/SILive.com that the downspout was already installed when he first purchased his home. Patrick Mooney, a resident of Grant City, urges city officials to work with homeowners to address the issue of downspout connection to the sewer system. Here he is pictured on Fremont Avenue in Grant City on the morning of Thursday, Jan. 22, 2026. (Dennis Rees for the Advance/SILive.com) If that was code, the Building Department should have checked with the builder and made sure before they signed off on the certificate of occupancy, Mooney said. If Mooney disconnects his downspout, he will either have to go under his sidewalk or direct water onto his walkway, which he says is not practical. Its a big issue for homeowners here, he added. A lot of homeowners are having affordability issues and a lot of my neighbors are starting to think about moving south. According to a report by PIX11, those who fail to disconnect their downspouts from the sewer may be fined $3,000 for their first offense, $6,000 for a second offense and $8,000 for a third. An opportunity for the new mayoral administration The elected officials sent their letter to Aggarwala, but Carr reported that the commissioner will be stepping down before the end of the month. According to Carr, this initiative began under former Mayor Eric Adams administration. As such, he highlighted the opportunity the new administration has to address this issue. This is an opportunity for a new direction from the agency and this new administration, he said. And an administration thats focusing on affordability, trying to tell homeowners, trying to tell renters and other New York residents that theyre going to make New York City more affordable for them. But this isnt doing that, this is going in the opposite direction and its making it less affordable. Tannousis, a Republican who represents the East Shore, claimed this issue was a prime example of why borough leaders feel they are constantly fighting an ongoing battle with the city. (Dennis Rees for the Advance/SILive.com) Tannousis, a Republican who represents the East Shore, claimed this issue was a prime example of why borough leaders feel they are constantly fighting an ongoing battle with the city. Its time that the city works for you, said Tannousis. We are the taxpayers, the homeowners here are the taxpayers and every opportunity that the city gets, they come after those taxpayers. Whether its in the form of taxes, in the form of fees, anything they can do to make life less affordable to live in New York City. Tannousis asks that whoever fills Aggarwalas role change the agency and makes it work for the people. I call on the mayor and I call on the incoming commissioner for DEP, remedy this issue and make sure that whatever you do, the homeowners and the taxpayers of this Island feel that the city is working for them, the assemblyman added. The hope for those who already had work done Carr hopes that the city will be able to assist those residents who proactively took action and perhaps paid a considerable amount to hire a contractor and disconnect their downspout. It kind of reminds me of the trash-bin mandate. You know, the council intervened after many people had purchased their bins already and we created a reimbursement program, Carr explained. What I envision is that if they do really feel the need to force compliance, there should be a more collaborative approach, one that allows homeowners to maybe recoup some of the money of the costs, rather than coming at them with the fine and saying, comply or get punished, he added. DEP responds to pushback As explained by a DEP spokesperson, these downspout connections have been illegal since 2018 under NYC Rules (Title 15, 19-02(b)). Moreover, in many cases, those who do have these connections to the sewer system are found to be flooding their own properties during heavy rainfall events, according to the spokesperson. DEPs goal with this outreach is to remind homeowners that illegal downspout connections have been prohibited since 2018 and are a major cause of sewer backups and flooding, the DEP spokesperson said in a statement. As New York City sees more frequent heavy rain events, these types of connections increasingly put homes and neighborhoods at greater risk. We are urging homeowners to disconnect any gutters that drain directly into the sanitary sewer system. Addressing these illegal connections is a simple, inexpensive step that protects both individual properties and the environment and makes New York City more resilient to climate change. As further explained, in certain locations, these connections are impacting DEP wastewater treatment plant operations and putting the city at risk of fines for environmental violations. Those areas where these connections are an issue may be specifically targeted for enforcement. Additionally, the DEP spokesperson claimed these repairs are relatively inexpensive and can even be done directly by the homeowner. For more information and to certify that downspouts are properly disconnected, homeowners are asked to visit nyc.gov/dep/downspouts. STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. In honor of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., a half dozen Staten Island organizations showed the power of collaboration at a community giveback event, living into the civil rights activists legacy of service, unity and uplifting the community, The MLK Day of Service event, held Monday, Jan. 20 at Faith United Methodist Church in Port Richmond, saw organizers and volunteers distributing Amazon supplies, meals, baby supplies, winter clothing, and other resources that community members needed. During the event, Martin Luther King Jr.s famous words were played over a live mic, as Faith United pastor Rev. John Wood called on the gathered volunteers to lean into his legacy. In addition to church workers, there were dozens of bustling volunteers from different organizations who brought donations, filled tables and distributed goods: Staten Island chapters of the National Council of Negro Women (NCNW), Jack & Jill of America, Muslim Sisters of Staten Island, Delta Sigma Theta Sorority Inc. and Lambda Kappa Mu Sorority Inc. Delta Sigma Theta Sorority alumnae volunteers at the 2026 MLK Day of Service. Advance/SILive.com Photo Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. was, as you know, a community activist, so thats where the whole inspiration came from. We love to give back, said Marcia Allen, first vice president of the NCNW Staten Island Section, one of the organizations spearheading the event. Allen has been a member of the organization for six years and has helped host the MLK Day of Service for the past four years. In previous years, they have partnered with the Community Fridge located on Forest Avenue, but due to extremely cold temperatures, organizers relocated the event to be indoors. Faith United Methodist Church has then hosted the event for the past two years. In the climate that we live in now, unfortunately a lot of benefits have been stopped. A lot of SNAP benefits have been stopped. So, we had to come out to the community to provide them staples, some vegetables, canned goods, and non-perishables, said Allen. Lambda Kappa Mu Sorority Inc. gather for a photo at Faith United Methodist Church on Martin Luther King Jr. day. Faith Archibald Faith United Methodist Church, which has operated a food pantry for more than 50 years, emphasized the importance of service and civic engagement to continue Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.s vision. Letting the people know they have rights to food security is big in this area, which is why we provide food for the community, said Lorna Wilson, who both runs the churchs pantry and is a member of the Lambda Kappa Mu Sorority. Jack and Jill of Staten Island gather for a photo Faith Archibald One big part in Dr. Kings mission was to bring equality and togetherness. This event is exactly that. Its unified. People are coming in happy and there are people of all different races that weve seen come in. To me that speaks volumes, said Nikki Rosado, president of Jack and Jill of Staten Island. Also present was the Indian Nurses Association of New York, providing medical services, health screenings and education. The organization participates in similar community service events about three times a year. In order for us to learn and grow with each other, I think it is important for us to work and learn from one another, said Safiyyah Abdul-Qawiyy, founder and executive director of the Muslim Sisters of Staten Island, which had volunteers distributing clothing. Muslim Sisters of Staten Island volunteers at the 2026 MLK Day of Service. Advance/SILive.com Photo Youth volunteers, including members of the NAACP, played an active role in making the event take place. Martin Luther King did so much for our community, said Xzayla Wilson, Youth Council President of NAACP. Its only right that we as Black people, as people of color give back to our own communities as well in various ways. STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. -- A Staten Island conservative activist and artist wants to see a massive American flag installed at the site of the Sept. 11 memorial, and hes not alone. A Change.org petition posted Jan. 7 has garnered more than 57,000 signatures as of Wednesday morning calling for the installation of a 30-by-60-foot flag at the site where nearly 3,000 people lost their lives in the 2001 terrorist attack. During a Jan. 15 visit to the Sept. 11 memorial, LoBaido laid out a bit of his vision and why he wants to see the flag installed. One of my most prominent passions is America and our flag and what it represents, he said. This is my life. Everything Ive done revolves around that and keeping patriotism alive. Artist Scott LoBaido poses for a photo at the 9/11 Memorial Thursday, Jan. 15, 2025. (Advance/SILive.com|Paul Liotta) The defining works of LoBaidos career, in addition to the controversial projects for which hes drawn attention and legal trouble, have been his painting of American flags across the country. LoBaido has wanted to have a large flag at the 9/11 site since at least May when he unfurled a giant flag flown by a crane along West Street, adjacent to the 9/11 Memorial site. He says 2026 is the perfect year to install the flag as it will be 9/11s 25th anniversary and the 250th anniversary of the nations founding. In addition to the petition signatures, the local artist has drawn financial support for the project with businessman Marcus Lemonis, best known as the CEO of Camping World, signing on to fund the flags installation. Lemonis, who could not be reached by the time of publication, has also drawn some controversy for flying massive American flags outside Camping World locations in violation of some local governments regulations, according to a Fox Business report. Similar issues have played out in relation to flags at the 9/11 memorial, including in the 2010s when multiple firefighter organizations complained about the general lack of flags at the memorial site. On Jan. 15. the Advance/SILive.com identified three flags around what was once the 16-acre World Trade Center site, including one in front of Oculus Plaza and two that fly over the 8-acre 9/11 Memorial and Museum. A spokesperson for the private organization that runs the memorial and museum said more flag installations are planned for this year. The spokesperson did not address a question about the organizations position on LoBaidos idea. The 9/11 Memorial & Museum honors the best of American heroism and commemorates the lives lost on September 11, 2001, the spokesperson said. Two American flags proudly fly over the Memorial year-round and many are featured prominently in exhibitions in the museum, including new, planned installations for America250 and the 25th anniversary of 9/11. The AI boom triggered a surge in energy demand and infrastructure development throughout 2025. Global leaders gathered at this week's World Economic Forum in Davos expect these same themes to be a major part of the AI story in 2026. "I said, you can't create this much energy. We needed more than double the energy currently in the country just to take care of the AI plants, and I said we can't do that," President Trump said in comments during his speech in Davos Wednesday, during which he repeatedly emphasized the US's commitment to powerful domestic electricity infrastructure. The administration, Trump said, is intent on making infrastructure development in the US a booming industry to power the country's AI ambitions. "Instead of closing down energy plants, Trump said, "we're opening them up." Global power usage by data centers is expected to grow from a current level of around 55 gigawatts to 84 gigawatts in only the next two years, according to research from Goldman Sachs. Yet, the heavy machinery companies building the data centers that underpin AI's computational power are facing years-long backlogs for parts such as natural gas turbines, and the process for getting new-generation equipment connected to the US power grid can take more than a decade. "This is the fundamental paradox of the modern economy," said Schneider Electric (SU.PA) CEO Olivier Blum in comments for the Davos summit. "AI is the digital engine of growth, but it is also a massive consumer of one of the worlds most in-demand resources energy." Against this backdrop, the Industrials sector (XLI) has soared, picking up 17.5% over the past year against the S&P 500's (^GSPC) return of 13.5%. Caterpillar (CAT), the largest heavy machinery operator in the US, has returned a staggering 58% over the same timeframe. 'The largest infrastructure build-out in history' During his comments on Wednesday, President Trump insisted that infrastructure and energy production are on the rise in the US. Steel production is "doubling and tripling, and we have steel plants being built all over the country," the president said. Factory construction is "up by 41%, and that number is really going to skyrocket right now." US natural gas production is "at an all-time high by far." The domestic investments are indicative of the insatiable demand for new infrastructure to feed AI's growth, according to a chorus of voices at the Davos summit. During a conversation with BlackRock (BLK) CEO Larry Fink during the summit, Nvidia (NVDA) CEO Jensen Huang said that despite the hundreds of billions already spent by Big Tech companies AI's development will require "trillions of dollars" of spending on what the chipmaking leader called the largest infrastructure build-out in history. STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. -- The Joan & Alan Bernikow JCC of Staten Island brought together 150 volunteered on Monday, Jan. 19 to honor Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Day through community service. Volunteers sorted and packed donated items, including art supplies, school supplies, and toiletries into 350 packages during the annual Day of Service on Monday. The packages will be distributed to participants at the JCCs Richmond Terrace and Todt Hill Cornerstone Community Centers, students in afterschool programs at local public schools, and seniors at the JCCs Older Adult Centers. The volunteer group included students from several local high schools, participants from the JCCs iTeens and Hillel of Staten Island programs, and JCC families. Volunteers are pictured sorting and packing donated items like art supplies, school supplies, and toiletries into 350 packages during the annual Day of Service on Jan. 19. at the JCC. Courtesy of JCC Judge Ronald A. Gregg and Rabbi Kevin Peters, the JCCs director of Jewish education, gave a presentation on the lasting legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. We are grateful to all of our dedicated volunteers who joined us today on their day off from work or school to help give back to their community, said Orit Lender, CEO of the JCC. We would also like to thank our core partners at UJA-Federation of New York for sponsoring this region-wide Day of Service initiative that empowers communities to unite through service. As New York City braces for a major snowstorm on Sunday, parents, students, and school staff may be wondering if schools will be closed on Monday for a traditional snow day or pivot to remote learning. Schools Chancellor Kamar Samuels told PIX11 on Wednesday morning that the city plans for students to learn virtually on Monday if there is a big storm. Chalkbeat reported that there is no room in the current school calendar for a traditional snow day for students. Some superintendents have reached out to principals to ensure theyre prepared for a virtual day on Monday, Chalkbeat reported. During a press conference on Wednesday, Mayor Zohran Mamdani did not say whether schools would have a traditional snow day or remote learning snow day, according to PIX11. Mamdani said he would make the call as the forecast becomes clearer in the coming days. We are taking every single precaution that we can and I think at this time, a lot of these are hypotheticals, but I can tell you is that were not going to be taken by surprise about the weather coming this weekend and were also going to communicate directly and clearly to New Yorkers what they should expect, said Mamdani during Wednesdays press conference. Right now, the spectrum of possibilities is large as that gets closer to the date, we will be able to share exactly what New Yorkers should be looking for. During a remote school day, students are expected to log on and engage with their work from home. The city began going virtual for possible snow days in 2020 when all students were fully remote for several months during the pandemic. At the time, former Mayor Bill de Blasio called traditional snow days a thing of the past. Staten Island and the surrounding New York City area are preparing for a winter storm that is forecasted to bring about 6 inches of snow or more on Sunday. It will be accompanied by dangerous wind chills and arctic temperatures early next week. Its possible snow will continue into Monday expected to taper off late Monday morning or early afternoon. STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. Political opposites could soon find themselves in a court-ordered attraction. A New York Supreme Court judge in Manhattan ruled Wednesday that Staten Islands congressional district is illegal, ordering a state redistricting commission back to the drawing board over the next few weeks. Justice Jeffrey Pearlman did not order specifics on how the district should be redrawn, but plaintiffs in the case, the Washington, D.C.-based Elias Law Group, sought a reconfiguration of New Yorks 11th congressional district, which Staten Island currently shares with South Brooklyn, into lower Manhattan. The argument for redistricting was that the current map, approved in 2024 by Gov. Kathy Hochul and the New York Legislature, violates the rights of Black and Latino voters and does not accurately reflect population changes. Under the ruling, the New York Independent Redistricting Commission will have until Feb. 6 to finalize new lines for the district represented by Rep. Nicole Malliotakis, a Republican. We are reviewing the judges decision and our options to protect the voices of the people of Staten Island and Brooklyn, Malliotakis said. Nothing changes the fact that this is a frivolous attempt by Washington Democrats to steal this congressional seat from the people and we are very confident that we will prevail at the end of the day. An impending challenge from Malliotakis could see the case reach the U.S. Supreme Court over various pieces of language in New York law meant to protect minority voting rights. The Feb. 6 deadline comes from testimony in the case submitted by the New York Board of Elections, which said the date is the latest they could be ready for this years congressional elections with new maps. If the Redistricting Commission moves the district into lower Manhattan, it would pair the most conservative part of the five boroughs with a liberal bastion. Staten Island has been one of New Yorks most conservative locales for a decade with almost 64% of the borough voting for President Donald Trump in 2024. While voters in both district-mate options lower Manhattan and South Brooklyn went for former Vice President Kamala Harris in the last presidential election, those in lower Manhattan did so more overwhelmingly, according to an analysis from The City news outlet. That advantage could help Democrats take the only Republican-held congressional district in the five boroughs, which Malliotakis first won in 2020 when she defeated former Democratic Rep. Max Rose. Staten Island Republican party head Assemblymember Michael Tannousis, a state representative for the East Shore and part of South Brooklyn, slammed the judges decision, pointing out his political background, including work for Gov. Kathy Hochul. This redistricting decision is a complete sham,' Tannousis said. They are trying to fracture our community because they dont like how we vote. We have a judge who was previously Special Counsel to the governor directing the show, with an Independent Redistricting Commission that previously found the current congressional lines to be perfectly fine but is now charged with redrawing our congressional district. Its rigged. Its transparently partisan, and its wrong. Hochul, whose office did not respond to a request for comment by the time of publication, is a defendant in the case, as are Sen. Majority Leader Andrea Stewart-Cousins, Assembly Speaker Carl Heastie and Attorney General Letitia James, all Democrats. Amid an August push from Republicans for more advantageous Texas congressional districts, Hochul said she intended to fight fire with fire. Staten Islands congressional seat seems to be her partys primary target in New York. James office responded to a prior request for comment with reference to a letter they filed in the case on behalf of all four politicians. The letter takes no position on the claim of racially-biased maps, and goes as far as preemptively arguing against Malliotakis attorneys, who had to intervene in the case to defend the maps Democrats passed in 2024. New Yorks current congressional district maps replaced those created in 2022 by a court-appointed special master, who took over the process after a controversial and chaotic state effort failed to deliver legally-acceptable maps. Typically, states redraw their congressional district lines after each decennial U.S. Census giving political parties in control of a state government, Democrats in the case of New York, an opportunity to redraw advantageous lines and take more control over the federal government. However, New York voters approved an Independent Redistricting Commission in 2014 that was meant to remove politics from the redistricting process. The State Legislature did retain an approval requirement for the maps, so if the Independent Redistricting Commission doesnt draw maps to New York Democrats liking, those maps wont be approved. Thats what happened in 2022, leading to the appointment of the special master, and in 2024 the State Legislature wound up drawing its own maps, leaving what the special master drew largely in place, particularly in the 11th Congressional District. An illustrative map shows what Staten Island's congressional map could look like (in purple) if a Democrat-backed court case in Manhattan prevails. (New York Supreme Court) The most relevant example of what a new Staten Island district could look like comes from William Cooper, a redistricting expert who submitted an illustrative map for the plaintiffs in the case, showing what a possible new district with Manhattan would look like. Coopers plan effectively trades 11th Congressional Districts South Brooklyn geography with most of the 10th Congressional Districts share of Manhattan outside Chinatown. Rep. Dan Goldman, a Democrat currently representing District 10, is facing a tough primary challenge from former Comptroller Brad Lander, but would be redistricted into the Staten Island seat should Coopers map come to fruition. Goldman resides in Battery Park City. Staten Island doesnt have a large enough population for a congressional district entirely of its own, and the shift into Lower Manhattan would give Democrats an advantage over Malliotakis heading into the November elections. The move isnt entirely unprecedented. Assembly District 64, represented by Democratic Assemblymember Charles Fall, touches part of the west Brooklyn waterfront and makes its way into lower Manhattan. Staten Islands congressional district following the 1970 Census also encompassed parts of lower Manhattan. California Gov. Gavin Newsom is taking his ongoing battle with President Donald Trump to the next level. Speaking at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, Newsom called Trump an invasive species, CNN reported. Hes an invasive species. He is. Hes a wrecking ball president. And hes trying to roll back progress of the last century, Newsom said during an on-stage interview with Semafor editor-in-chief Ben Smith, hes doubling down on stupid, Newsom also said that hes living rent-free in Trumps head. Were deeply in their head, I think the affordability agenda appears to be, Im living rent-free in Trumps head, said Newsom, who is considered a frontrunner for the 2028 Democratic Party nomination for president. Newsom also fired back at Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent, who said that the governor was a combination of fictional American Psycho serial killer Patrick Bateman and a Sparkle Beach Ken doll. The Treasury secretary talked about a Barbie doll, Newsom said. It was as if he was reading a diary and had just broken up with someone. That was the secretary of the Treasury using valuable time yesterday on the world stage. Donald Trump is a historic president thats absolutely correct, Newsom said. Hes historically unpopular in the United States of America. In every category hes unpopular. He will be remembered in years, not decades. Per the Independent, Newsom said of Trump: This is not normal, its a deviation of normalcy. Weve got to call it out. So I put a mirror up to Trump and Trumpism in all caps. Newsom also slammed his fellow Democrats for failing to more strongly taking on Trump. We might write an op-ed, he said. President Donald Trump appeared to confuse Iceland for Greenland four times while addressing the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, on Wednesday. During his wide-ranging speech, Trump pivoted to defending his campaign to acquire Greenland after he touted his accomplishments on the U.S. economy. His comments came as he has faced fierce resistance from local officials and some world leaders about his desire to obtain the semi-autonomous territory, which falls under the boundaries of Denmark, a NATO ally. Until the last few days when I told them about Iceland, they loved me, Trump said of the NATO alliance as he seemingly mixed up the country with Greenland. They called me daddy, right? Last time, he continued, referencing a previous nickname from NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte in June. About a minute later, Trump claimed that they are not there for us on Iceland, that I can tell you. I mean, our stock market took the first dip yesterday because of Iceland, Trump said. So Icelands already cost us a lot of money. His remarks quickly made the rounds on social media. I mean, Iceland *is* (ironically) the warm, nice one, conservative journalist Megyn Kelly wrote on X. The Lincoln Project said that Trump is probably going to invade Iceland and Greenland now, just to not have to admit he misspoke. Thats where were at. Others posted memes of Iceland backing away. White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt later denied on X that Trump confused the two. His written remarks referred to Greenland as a piece of ice because thats what it is, Leavitt wrote. In his remarks, Trump also said he will not use force to seize the Arctic island after he had not made clear how far he would go to possess it. But he maintained that the United States will remember if Europe does not accept his push. You can say yes, and we will be very appreciative, or you can say no, and we will remember a strong and secure America means a strong NATO, and thats one reason why Im working every day to ensure our military is very powerful, he said. Trump made a similar mistake during Tuesdays press briefing at the White House, where he pointed to his threat of imposing a 10% tariff on allies that have sent troops to the region, including Denmark, Norway, Sweden, France, Germany, the United Kingdom, the Netherlands and Finland. Were the richest we ever were. Its because of tariffs and the proper use of tariffs, and were also the most secure, Trump said. As an example, Iceland, without tariffs, they wouldnt even be talking to us about it. So well see what happens. I think its going to work out quite well. President Donald Trump said he has very firm instructions for the United States if Iran decides to follow through on threats to assassinate him. Well, they shouldnt be doing it, but Ive left notification, Trump said during an exclusive interview with NewsNations Katie Pavlich Tuesday night, marking the one-year anniversary of his second term. Anything ever happens, were going to blow the whole the whole countrys going to get blown up. Trump went on to tear into former President Joe Biden, claiming that his predecessor should have said something to quell tensions. Intelligence officials had briefed Trump about alleged threats against him during his 2024 presidential campaign which former Attorney General Merrick Garland said was tied to the U.S. killing of Iranian General Qassem Soleimani in 2020. A president has to defend a president, Trump said. Like if I were here and they were making that threat to somebody even, not even a president, but somebody, like they did with me, I would absolutely hit them so hard. Anything happens, theyre going to wipe them off the face of this earth, he added. Trumps sharp warning comes as Iranian state-run TV last week had referenced the first assassination attempt against him while he was on the 2024 campaign trail in Butler, Pennsylvania. While speaking to reporters last Wednesday, Trump said he was told by very important sources that the killing in Iran is stopping as anti-government protests have rocked the country since December. According to the U.S.-based Human Rights Activists News Agency, the death toll has exceeded 4,500 people. The president also said that Iran has also called off its scheduled executions of detained demonstrators. Weve been told on good authority, and I hope its true, he said. Who knows, right? Who knows? When asked whether military action in Iran is now off the table, Trump said were going to watch it and see, but noted that he was given a very good statement. Irans foreign minister, Abbas Araghchi, threatened the United States on Wednesday, saying that the Islamic Republic will be firing back with everything we have if we come under renewed attack. STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. Although most forecasters agree that New York City will see at least 6 inches of snow this weekend, how much more depends on the storms track, according to meteorologists. The National Weather Service is projecting anywhere from 6 to 18 inches, while AccuWeathers forecast is more conservative, calling for 6 to 8 inches, with a possible changeover to a wintry mix. Forecasters warned of significant snowfall, dangerous cold and potentially severe travel disruptions extending well beyond the TriState area. Snow is projected to begin late Saturday night into early Sunday, with most of the heaviest accumulation falling Sunday afternoon through Sunday night, according to National Weather Service meteorologist Rich Bann. [Key Messages]: A significant winter storm is likely late Saturday night into Monday. Snow may begin late Saturday night with the heaviest snow likely falling Sunday into a portion of Sunday evening. Considerable disruption to transportation and daily life is possible. pic.twitter.com/dwRfGcvbxv NWS New York NY (@NWSNewYorkNY) January 22, 2026 Meteorologists say totals will vary depending on the storm track and temperature shifts across the region. The broader range in accumulation predictions reflects uncertainty over whether the city experiences a changeover to sleet or freezing rain. Some models for the National Weather Service suggest 6 to 18 inches is a possibility, particularly in northern areas such as the Bronx which may remain all snow. On the contrary, AccuWeather foresees a more conservative 6 to 8 inches, with potential for totals closer to a foot if the storm tracks farther north. It will be a bit warmer tonight with low temperatures in the 20s and 30s. The next arctic front gets here Friday. #CTwx #NJWX #NYwx pic.twitter.com/BYDUYUTwDl NWS New York NY (@NWSNewYorkNY) January 21, 2026 This is going to be a very powerful snowstorm for the New York City area, Bann said, noting that a cold air mass surging from the north combined with two interacting lowpressure systems one moving across the Appalachians and another forming off the New Jersey coast will create a prolonged period of snowfall. Senior AccuWeather Meteorologist Tom Kines emphasized the atmospheric battle between the high-pressure system over the Northeast and the low-pressure storm pushing up from the south. If the southern system wins, snowfall could approach a foot; if the high pressure forces the storm south, the city could see lighter snow totals. However, if the storm nudges too far north, the warmer air could introduce a wintry mix of sleet, freezing rain, or even rain cutting down on snowfall accumulation. Residents in different parts of New York City can expect different experiences. The Bronx and points north are most likely to see all snow, while Manhattan and Staten Island could see a wintry mix later Sunday, potentially reducing final totals. Regardless of the exact snow total, plowing and shoveling are guaranteed, both forecasters agreed. Once the storm moves out Monday morning, the region will face a new challenge of dangerously cold temperatures. Bann believes based on National Weather Service data that New York City will enter a prolonged freeze lasting through midweek, creating cycles of melting and refreezing that could lead to treacherous black ice on roads and sidewalks. According to AccuWeathers weather prediction system, the cold will dip into the teens and low 20s, reducing the freeze-thaw hazard but extending the presence of snow and icy conditions. A high-impact winter storm will spread snow and ice across more than two dozen states from Texas through the Carolinas and Massachusetts from Friday through the weekend. The amount and extent of snow and ice could cut power and disrupt travel for days, increasing the risk to pic.twitter.com/Pdj8DPwb8D AccuWeather (@accuweather) January 22, 2026 Travel impacts Nationwide, air travel, according to Kines, is expected to be strongly impacted. The storm will likely disrupt major hubs including Dallas, Atlanta, Washington, D.C., Philadelphia, and Newark. This will create a domino effect of delays and cancellations across the country. Meanwhile, New Yorkers should prepare for a weekend of harsh weather and frigid temperatures, Kines advised. Grocery stores are expected to see heavy traffic by Friday and Saturday as residents stock up on essentials. I bet the stores Friday and probably Saturday as well are going to be crowded, Kines said. Kines cautioned that even after the storm passes, the bitter cold is here to stay. Get out and enjoy today, Kines said. The 40s will feel like summer compared to whats coming. Saudi Arabias Almunajem Foods Co. has started talks to acquire a minority stake in the local business Al Jouf Agricultural Development Company. In a stock exchange filing yesterday (19 January), Almunajem Foods said the potential investment in the agribusiness is aligned with its strategy of achieving continuous growth and strengthening its position within the food sector. Al Jouf cultivates fruit, vegetables and grains such as potatoes, onions and wheat but also produces olive oil, honey, pickles, and French fries, according to its website. It was founded in 1988. Almunajem Foods, which is predominately engaged in poultry production and processing, said it is exploring a transaction in which it would subscribe to new Al Jouf shares each priced at SR52.5 ($14). This initiative forms part of Almunajem Foods Companys efforts to enhance integration across the food value chain and to evaluate investment opportunities that are consistent with its long-term objectives, support food security, diversify growth sources, and create added value for its shareholders, Almunajem added in the filing. Any potential agreement between Almunajem Foods and Al Jouf remains subject to internal approvals at both companies, as well as regulatory clearance from the relevant authorities. The talks follow Almunajem Foods recent seven-year processing and distribution agreement with Balady Poultry in Saudi Arabia. Almunajem Foods markets more than 800 products, runs one factory and 13 branches. Its total production capacity is about 58,000 metric tonnes and employs more than 2,100 people, according to its website. Last month, Almunajem received the first tranche of a long-term loan from the Saudi Industrial Development Fund (SIDF), amounting to SR11.6m out of a total approved facility of SR97.3m. The funding will partially finance capital expenditure for the expansion of its food production facility in Jeddah. The plant is designed to have an annual production capacity of 35,000 tonnes. Installation of manufacturing line equipment is scheduled to begin this quarter, with commercial operations expected to start in the second quarter of this year. Almunajem Foods issued its third-quarter and year-to-date results in November. Revenue for the three months to 30 September rose 2.2% to SR816.1m. However, operating profit fell 5.2% to SR36.4m and net profit dropped 21.7% to SR31.7m. The increase in revenue was attributed to a rise in volumes across all categories despite a drop in average selling prices. Nine-month revenue dipped 0.5% to SR2.51bn while operating profit decreased 46% to SR118.3m. Net profit was down 52% at SR102.7m. System error error: Can't call method "get_id" on an undefined value at /usr/local/bricolage/data/burn/stage/oc_1027/smetimes/dhandler.html line 25. context: ... 21: 22: 23: % foreach my $c (@categories) { 24: <%perl> 25: my $category_id = $c->get_id(); 26: my @stories = Bric::Biz::Asset::Business::Story->list ( { element_type_id=>1148, category_id=>$category_id , Order=> 'cover_date', publish_status => 't' , OrderDirection=> 'DESC' , Limit=>10 } ); 27: 28: 29: ... code stack: /usr/local/bricolage/data/burn/stage/oc_1027/smetimes/dhandler.html:25 /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/Request.pm:948 /var/cache/mason/obj/2011159162/main/smetimes/dhandler.html.obj:17 /usr/local/bricolage/data/burn/stage/oc_1027/smetimes/autohandler_template.html:176 Can't call method "get_id" on an undefined value at /usr/local/bricolage/data/burn/stage/oc_1027/smetimes/dhandler.html line 25. Trace begun at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/Exceptions.pm line 125 HTML::Mason::Exceptions::rethrow_exception('Can\'t call method "get_id" on an undefined value at /usr/local/bricolage/data/burn/stage/oc_1027/smetimes/dhandler.html line 25.^J') called at /usr/local/bricolage/data/burn/stage/oc_1027/smetimes/dhandler.html line 25 HTML::Mason::Commands::__ANON__ at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/Component.pm line 157 HTML::Mason::Component::run_dynamic_sub('HTML::Mason::Component::FileBased=HASH(0x56157f1b2998)', 'main') called at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/Request.pm line 948 HTML::Mason::Request::call_dynamic('HTML::Mason::Request::ApacheHandler=HASH(0x56157984f6e0)', 'main') called at /var/cache/mason/obj/2011159162/main/smetimes/dhandler.html.obj line 17 HTML::Mason::Commands::__ANON__ at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/Component.pm line 135 HTML::Mason::Component::run('HTML::Mason::Component::FileBased=HASH(0x56157f1b2998)') called at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/Request.pm line 1302 eval {...} at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/Request.pm line 1292 HTML::Mason::Request::comp(undef, undef, undef) called at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/Request.pm line 955 HTML::Mason::Request::call_next('HTML::Mason::Request::ApacheHandler=HASH(0x56157984f6e0)') called at /usr/local/bricolage/data/burn/stage/oc_1027/smetimes/autohandler_template.html line 176 HTML::Mason::Commands::__ANON__ at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/Component.pm line 135 HTML::Mason::Component::run('HTML::Mason::Component::FileBased=HASH(0x56157efc06d0)') called at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/Request.pm line 1300 eval {...} at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/Request.pm line 1292 HTML::Mason::Request::comp(undef, undef, undef) called at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/Request.pm line 481 eval {...} at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/Request.pm line 481 eval {...} at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/Request.pm line 433 HTML::Mason::Request::exec('HTML::Mason::Request::ApacheHandler=HASH(0x56157984f6e0)') called at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/ApacheHandler.pm line 165 HTML::Mason::Request::ApacheHandler::exec('HTML::Mason::Request::ApacheHandler=HASH(0x56157984f6e0)') called at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/ApacheHandler.pm line 831 HTML::Mason::ApacheHandler::handle_request('HTML::Mason::ApacheHandler=HASH(0x56157c6b1408)', 'Apache2::RequestRec=SCALAR(0x56157f036ec0)') called at (eval 1338) line 8 HTML::Mason::ApacheHandler::handler('HTML::Mason::ApacheHandler', 'Apache2::RequestRec=SCALAR(0x56157f036ec0)') called at -e line 0 eval {...} at -e line 0 System error error: Can't call method "get_id" on an undefined value at /usr/local/bricolage/data/burn/stage/oc_1027/smetimes/dhandler.html line 25. context: ... 21: 22: 23: % foreach my $c (@categories) { 24: <%perl> 25: my $category_id = $c->get_id(); 26: my @stories = Bric::Biz::Asset::Business::Story->list ( { element_type_id=>1148, category_id=>$category_id , Order=> 'cover_date', publish_status => 't' , OrderDirection=> 'DESC' , Limit=>10 } ); 27: 28:
29: ... code stack: /usr/local/bricolage/data/burn/stage/oc_1027/smetimes/dhandler.html:25 /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/Request.pm:948 /var/cache/mason/obj/2011159162/main/smetimes/dhandler.html.obj:17 /usr/local/bricolage/data/burn/stage/oc_1027/smetimes/autohandler_template.html:176 Can't call method "get_id" on an undefined value at /usr/local/bricolage/data/burn/stage/oc_1027/smetimes/dhandler.html line 25. Trace begun at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/Exceptions.pm line 125 HTML::Mason::Exceptions::rethrow_exception('Can\'t call method "get_id" on an undefined value at /usr/local/bricolage/data/burn/stage/oc_1027/smetimes/dhandler.html line 25.^J') called at /usr/local/bricolage/data/burn/stage/oc_1027/smetimes/dhandler.html line 25 HTML::Mason::Commands::__ANON__ at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/Component.pm line 157 HTML::Mason::Component::run_dynamic_sub('HTML::Mason::Component::FileBased=HASH(0x56157f09a568)', 'main') called at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/Request.pm line 948 HTML::Mason::Request::call_dynamic('HTML::Mason::Request::ApacheHandler=HASH(0x56157f0affb0)', 'main') called at /var/cache/mason/obj/2011159162/main/smetimes/dhandler.html.obj line 17 HTML::Mason::Commands::__ANON__ at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/Component.pm line 135 HTML::Mason::Component::run('HTML::Mason::Component::FileBased=HASH(0x56157f09a568)') called at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/Request.pm line 1302 eval {...} at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/Request.pm line 1292 HTML::Mason::Request::comp(undef, undef, undef) called at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/Request.pm line 955 HTML::Mason::Request::call_next('HTML::Mason::Request::ApacheHandler=HASH(0x56157f0affb0)') called at /usr/local/bricolage/data/burn/stage/oc_1027/smetimes/autohandler_template.html line 176 HTML::Mason::Commands::__ANON__ at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/Component.pm line 135 HTML::Mason::Component::run('HTML::Mason::Component::FileBased=HASH(0x56157f098cc8)') called at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/Request.pm line 1300 eval {...} at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/Request.pm line 1292 HTML::Mason::Request::comp(undef, undef, undef) called at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/Request.pm line 481 eval {...} at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/Request.pm line 481 eval {...} at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/Request.pm line 433 HTML::Mason::Request::exec('HTML::Mason::Request::ApacheHandler=HASH(0x56157f0affb0)') called at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/ApacheHandler.pm line 165 HTML::Mason::Request::ApacheHandler::exec('HTML::Mason::Request::ApacheHandler=HASH(0x56157f0affb0)') called at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/ApacheHandler.pm line 831 HTML::Mason::ApacheHandler::handle_request('HTML::Mason::ApacheHandler=HASH(0x56157eb1dde8)', 'Apache2::RequestRec=SCALAR(0x56157f7f7a18)') called at (eval 1338) line 8 HTML::Mason::ApacheHandler::handler('HTML::Mason::ApacheHandler', 'Apache2::RequestRec=SCALAR(0x56157f7f7a18)') called at -e line 0 eval {...} at -e line 0 Advertisement Updated BusinessBanking & financeFintech Suspect serious non-compliance: Airwallex hit with money laundering audit John Buckley Updated January 22, 2026 5:50pm ,first published 4:44pm Save You have reached your maximum number of saved items. Remove items from your saved list to add more. Save this article for later Add articles to your saved list and come back to them anytime. Got it Share A A A Australian-founded payments start-up Airwallex is facing an audit from the nations financial crimes agency, AUSTRAC, into its suspected failure to obey anti-money laundering and counter-terrorism financing laws. In a statement on Thursday, AUSTRAC said it had ordered the appointment of an external auditor to assess whether the $12 billion fintech startup is meeting its obligations because it suspected serious non-compliance. Airwallex chief executive Jack Zhang. Bloomberg AUSTRAC chief executive Brendan Thomas said the watchdog was concerned that Airwallexs transaction monitoring program was not up to the task of dealing with the risks it faces, and that the firm had not demonstrated an acceptable understanding of who its customers are and the reporting required. He said the agencys concerns also extend to Airwallexs capacity to identify and report on suspicious matters. Advertisement We take this action where we suspect serious non-compliance, because we expect businesses to be actively managing their [anti-money laundering and counterterrorism financing] obligations, Thomas said. Strong compliance systems and timely reporting of suspicious activity are essential to disrupting criminal activities and illicit proceeds of crime generated from fraud, scams, illicit tobacco, drug trafficking and payments relating to crimes such as child sexual exploitation. An Airwallex spokesman said the company would cooperate with the audit and was confident it would find the firms processes were market-leading. Airwallex is committed to the highest standards of regulatory compliance and we welcome this audit as a transparent opportunity to independently validate our [anti-money laundering and counterterrorism financing] program, the spokesman said. He said Airwallex had been audited in 2024 and was found to have implemented appropriate systems and controls. Advertisement We have zero tolerance for financial crime or illicit activity of any kind on our network, the spokesman said. We maintain robust compliance requirements and any customer unable to comply is promptly terminated from our platform. The auditor conducting the probe will have 180 days to report their findings to AUSTRAC. The scope of the audit will be determined by AUSTRAC, the agency said, but will be run at Airwallexs expense. Effective anti-money laundering controls start at the top. Boards and senior executives must be actively overseeing how money laundering and terrorism financing risks are identified, assessed and managed across their business, the agency said in a statement. AML/CTF is not a back-office function. It requires clear accountability, properly authorised staff who can submit reports and sufficient resourcing to support timely and accurate reporting. Airwallex is a payments platform that was founded a decade ago with the purpose of making cross-border transactions faster and easier for small businesses and individuals. Advertisement Airwallex was founded by chief executive Jack Zhang with several co-founders in Melbourne about 10 years ago. Since then, the payments start-up has set up dual headquarters in Singapore and San Francisco. Related Article Exclusive Fintech Airwallex hires influencers to praise CEOs thought leadership It boasts of allowing customers to make local money transfers to more than 120 countries and processes more than $US235 billion ($345 billion) in payments annually. Airwallex is backed by major local venture capital firms Airtree Ventures, Square Peg Capital, and Blackbird Ventures. It raised $US330 million ($491.6 million) in December, lifting its valuation to $US8 billion ($12 billion) and becoming one of Australias most valuable start-ups in the process. The company is currently reported to be preparing for a listing on the stockmarket, largely expected to occur in the United States. In an interview with CNBC in 2024, Zhang said the company was aiming to be ready for a public float within the next two years. Advertisement But the company has since been the subject of a string of controversies. In early December, Zhang was drawn into a spat on X with the prominent Silicon Valley venture capitalist, Keith Rabois, who accused Airwallex of exposing sensitive American data to the Chinese government. Zhang denied the allegation and accused Rabois of circulating inaccurate claims for the benefit of one of his portfolio companies. The Business Briefing newsletter delivers major stories, exclusive coverage and expert opinion. Sign up to get it every weekday morning. Advertisement Updated BusinessBanking & financeBanking products Blacklist: Trump sues Americas biggest bank and its billionaire CEO David Voreacos and Hannah Leavitt Updated January 23, 2026 6:15am ,first published 5:50am Save You have reached your maximum number of saved items. Remove items from your saved list to add more. Save this article for later Add articles to your saved list and come back to them anytime. Got it Share A A A US President Donald Trump sued JPMorgan Chase & Co. and its billionaire chief executive officer, Jamie Dimon, for at least $US5 billion ($7.3 billion) over allegations that the lender stopped offering him and his businesses banking services for political reasons. The complaint, filed on Thursday (US time), accuses the bank of trade libel and breach of implied covenant of good faith. It also claims Dimon violated Floridas deceptive trade practices law. In response, the bank said it doesnt close accounts for political or religious reasons. Jamie Dimon has been at the helm of Americas biggest bank for two decades. Bloomberg Trump has singled out JPMorgan repeatedly in his push to stamp out what he sees as banks refusing to provide financial services to customers for ideological reasons. JPMorgan closed accounts for Trump and his businesses about seven weeks after the January 6, 2021, assault on the US Capitol by his supporters. Trump was out of office then and his political standing was low. JPMorgan, the biggest US bank, notified Trump, without warning or provocation that it was terminating the companys accounts, causing significant financial and reputational harm, according to the complaint filed in Miami-Dade County state court. Bloomberg reviewed the complaint, which couldnt immediately be found in court records. Advertisement Related Article Opinion Investing Team TACO cashes in as Trump folds again Elizabeth Knight Business columnist The bank was motivated by its woke beliefs that it needed to distance itself from President Trump and his conservative political views, according to the complaint. In essence, JPMC debanked plaintiffs accounts because it believed that the political tide at the moment favoured doing so. JPMorgan said in a statement that the suit has no merit. We do close accounts because they create legal or regulatory risk for the company, the New York-based bank said. Advertisement We regret having to do so but often rules and regulatory expectations lead us to do so. We have been asking both this administration and prior administrations to change the rules and regulations that put us in this position, and we support the administrations efforts to prevent the weaponisation of the banking sector. While we regret President Trump has sued us, we believe the suit has no merit. We respect the presidents right to sue us and our right to defend ourselves. JPMorgan closed accounts for Donald Trump and his businesses about seven weeks after the January 6, 2021, assault on the US Capitol by his supporters. AP The bank disclosed in November that its facing reviews, investigations and legal proceedings tied to the Trump administrations fight against debanking. Separately, the Trump Organisation has already sued Capital One Financial Corp. over similar allegations. Debanking is a matter of public interest and significant importance to all consumers and businesses in the United States of America and JPMC, especially given its storied and leading history, is a central actor in this ongoing and troubling saga, it said. Beyond closing accounts, JPMorgan placed Trump, the Trump Organisation and family members on a blacklist for wealth management accounts, according to the complaint. Advertisement Florida bars financial institutions from ending their banking relationship with an individual or business based on their political opinions, speech or affiliations, Trumps lawyers said in the complaint. The White House didnt immediately return a call seeking comment. Related Article Opinion Oil Trumps devious deal hits Chinas wallet and its influence Stephen Bartholomeusz Senior business columnist Trump began publicly criticising the countrys two largest banks over debanking almost as soon as he returned to office for his second term. A year ago, as he virtually addressed an audience at the World Economic Forum in Davos, he chided Bank of America CEO Brian Moynihan one of a handful of executives on stage for the session over the issue, and named JPMorgan as well. The president has brought up the matter repeatedly since then. In August, he accused JPMorgan and Bank of America of rejecting his business, telling CNBC that JPMorgan asked him to close his accounts and Bank of America declined his attempt to deposit over $US1 billion there. Days later, he signed an executive order directing federal regulators to, among other things, identify financial institutions that engaged in unlawful debanking in the past. Advertisement Bloomberg The Business Briefing newsletter delivers major stories, exclusive coverage and expert opinion. Sign up to get it every weekday morning. Advertisement Sponsored BusinessCompaniesBulls N' Bears Peninsula fires up Wyoming uranium play amid US tailwinds Brought to you by Bulls N Bears Doug Bright January 22, 2026 4:59pm Save You have reached your maximum number of saved items. Remove items from your saved list to add more. Save this article for later Add articles to your saved list and come back to them anytime. Got it Share A A A Timing, as they say, is everything and Peninsula Energy appears to have found its groove just as the United States rediscovers its appetite for home-grown uranium. The company has pushed another important lever at its Lance uranium project in Wyoming, kicking off acidification at Header House 16, complementing the existing solution feed to the projects central processing plant (CPP) from Header House 14. Peninsula Energy is extracting uranium from roll-front deposits in Wyoming using in-situ leaching which involves extensive bore-field development to inject solvents into the deposits and deliver the uranium-rich solution back to the surface for stripping at a central processing plant. Both header houses are located within Peninsulas mine unit MU-4 and the addition of Header House 16 into the feed line to the CPP from MU-4 has boosted the plans for a production reset. The project began commercial operations in 2015 but paused in 2019 to transition production from a low-performing alkaline process to a low-pH, high-acidity in-situ recovery method. The shift, validated by a 20202021 field demonstration, improved recovery rates and operational efficiency, leading the company to roll out its reset plan. Advertisement We are also nearing completion of permanent piping upgrades within the CPP, on time and below budget. Peninsula Energy managing director and chief executive officer George Bauk Lance is one of the biggest uranium deposits in the US, hosting a resource of 58 million pounds (Mlbs) of yellowcake across its Ross, Kendrick and Barber areas. The companys satellite Dagger project, a high-grade development, also hosts an inferred resource of 6.9 M lbs of yellowcake at a grade of 1037 parts per million (ppm). Mineralised zones on site are subdivided into several mine units. The mining units comprise a number of injection bores, which are used to inject acid into the 60-metre-thick resource down to a depth of up to 150m. The acid may remain underground for several months, gradually dissolving the source material and releasing the uranium. The pregnant solution is then eventually brought to the surface through a central extraction bore. Advertisement Pumping of all injection and recovery solutions is controlled by a header house, of which there may be several within each mine unit, all eventually feeding to the central processing plant. Key to a successful production profile, therefore, is the rate of flow from the extraction bores to the processing plant - and Header House 14 appears to be performing with aplomb. Notably, the newly commissioned station, which began acidification in late December, has already delivered average flow rates of about 15 gallons per minute, comfortably ahead of the 12 gallons per minute assumed under the companys reset plan. Even more encouragingly, the chemistry is moving faster than expected, with pH levels of acidity falling rapidly from a natural pH level of 8.5 standard units (SU) to 3.48. The company says the acidification process still has a bit to go before reaching the more acidic sub-2.0 target required for effective uranium leaching. The acidification process at the new Header House, which kicked off last December, is expected to continue for about three months, after which the uranium-bearing solution will be redirected to the CPP for processing. Advertisement In a nutshell, the takeaway is simple: the wellfield is behaving and it is moving towards the desired settings earlier than planned. Mine Unit 4 is central to Peninsulas revival story. It is forecast to account for about 60 per cent of the companys uranium production across 2026 and 2027 and has been redesigned from the ground up after a number of difficulties that plagued Mine Unit 3. The companys modifications include fewer wells at a tighter spacing, coupled with revised maintenance plans, all designed to shorten acidification timelines and lift flow rates. With Header House 16 now also underway and construction of further header houses scheduled through the March quarter, Peninsula is confident it can offset the previous weaker-than-expected production from Mine Unit 3. The company says it remains confident it can still meet its 2026 guidance of 400,000 to 500,000 pounds of yellowcake, despite subdued output in the December quarter, while the reset was being bedded down. Behind the scenes, the Lance central processing plant is also edging closer to full stride. The facility, which was expanded and commissioned last year, delivered its first drums of dried yellowcake in a mid-September milestone, transforming Peninsula into a fully independent, end-to-end uranium producer in the US. Advertisement Permanent piping upgrades are nearing completion and commissioning work continues across the uranium stripping, precipitation and drying circuits. Peninsulas comprehensive reset has landed well. Alongside the transition to an acid rather than alkaline processing solution, legacy take-or-pay contracts have been unwound, revised production schedules are now in place and almost $70 million in fresh capital has been secured. Together with a new $15 million debt facility, the company finally has the breathing room it needs to reach full production. Peninsula Energy managing director and chief executive officer George Bauk said: The commencement of acidification at our second header house in Mine Unit 4 represents another important step in executing our production reset plan. The team is currently finalising the third header house, Header House 15, and we have a clear schedule in place to complete all six header houses within MU-4 ahead of schedule. Peninsulas rapid progress since rolling out its new plan has paid handsomely for punters. The companys share price, which began its meteoric recovery from a 28c low in September, is now almost 230 per cent higher in just four months, hitting a peak today of 99.5 cents. Meanwhile, the macro picture for yellow cake continues to dramatically improve. The US consumes about 50 million pounds of uranium each year, but produces only a fraction domestically. Advertisement Additionally, Washington has launched a formal review of nuclear energy, committed billions to enrichment capacity and has flagged measures to shore up critical mineral supply chains and uranium now sits firmly in the national interest. For Peninsula, Americas renewed policy momentum has added serious heft to its operational progress. Backed by a 58-million-pound uranium resource, upside at its high-grade Dagger satellite deposit, early wins from Mine Unit 4 and a processing plant ready to scale, the company is shaping up as a credible domestic supplier as the US nuclear story heats up. Is your ASX-listed company doing something interesting? Contact: mattbirney@bullsnbears.com.au Save You have reached your maximum number of saved items. Remove items from your saved list to add more. Share More: Bulls N' Bears Sharemarket Shares Advertisement BusinessWorkplaceJobs Opinion The hidden tax youre secretly paying at work and how to avoid it Tim Duggan Work columnist January 22, 2026 3:30pm January 22, 2026 3:30pm Save You have reached your maximum number of saved items. Remove items from your saved list to add more. Save this article for later Add articles to your saved list and come back to them anytime. Got it Share A A A As Australians, we pay a healthy amount of tax. There are taxes on our income, the goods and services we buy, capital gains we make and various stamp duties depending on where in the country you live. But theres also another form of tax that we are secretly paying in the workplace. It was first coined by Airbnbs chief executive Brian Chesky when he talked about some of the problems with too many meetings at work. Too many people in a meeting can be a major drag on productivity. Shutterstock His solution was simple yet radical: People create meetings, he said, so the best way to get rid of meetings is to not have so many people. Chesky argues that every additional person added to a business or team comes with a productivity cost that creates more meetings, reviews and administration that slows down execution and creates inefficiencies. His term for this? A communication tax you pay for every new colleague. Advertisement We like to think that one of the best ways to supercharge a team is to just add more staff to spread the workload more widely, but each new person does come with a cost. The more colleagues you have to manage, the higher the communication tax everyone pays to keep them motivated and updated at all times. This cost is rarely paid by bosses like Chesky at the top of the food chain, instead landing squarely on middle management who need to spend time translating up and down the chain to keep everyone aligned. Jeff Bezos believes individual teams should be no bigger than the number of people who can share two pizzas together. Its also a problem thats only increased as our average team sizes have grown. Gallup data shows that the average number of people who report to a manager rose from 10.9 in 2024 to 12.1 in 2025, an increase of around 50 per cent since they started measuring it in 2013. The co-founder of Slack, Stewart Butterworth, estimates that communicating within small teams takes up 20 per cent of an employees time, and this more than doubles with larger teams. All these data points raise an interesting question thats worth interrogating: what is the ideal team size at work? Advertisement Well, the answer depends on exactly what youre trying to optimise for. Amazons Jeff Bezos infamously has a two pizza rule, where he believes individual teams should be no bigger than the number of people who can share two pizzas together. Depending on how many slices you consume, thats somewhere between 6 and 8 people. Editor's pick Opinion Jobs The five surprising skills youll need to get a promotion this year Tim Duggan Work columnist Fewer people than that, and theres a risk to the diversity of skills and voices required to ensure all perspectives are heard. And if its too much bigger, youll end up paying the cost via endless meetings, function duplication and excessive messages and emails. In 2020, Gallup conducted a meta-analysis of over 200,000 teams to answer the same question about what the ideal number of staff was for a manager to succeed. Surprisingly, they concluded that it ultimately didnt matter how many people reported up the line, the real factor for success what how engaged or not a manager was. Still, most workers dont have too much input into the overall size of their teams, but you can still influence the outcome of what happens when groups are assembled to complete a project. Advertisement If the objective of your team is just to communicate, then larger groups can be useful ways of spreading information quickly. But if youre bringing a team together to complete specific and accountable outcomes, then choosing the right size of a team to minimise your communication tax can be the crucial difference between wild success and abject failure. Tim Duggan is author of Work Backwards: The Revolutionary Method to Work Smarter and Live Better. He writes a regular newsletter at timduggan.substack.com Get workplace news, advice and perspectives to help make your job work for you. Sign up for our weekly Thank God its Monday newsletter. Save You have reached your maximum number of saved items. Remove items from your saved list to add more. Share License this article More: Jobs Opinion Tim Duggan is the author of Work Backwards, Cult Status and Killer Thinking. He co-founded Junkee Media and writes a monthly newsletter called OUTLET. Advertisement CultureCelebrityTaylor Swift Felt like a bad friend: Taylor Swift-Blake Lively text messages reveal friendship fallout Nell Geraets Updated January 22, 2026 12:39pm ,first published January 22, 2026 10:15am Save You have reached your maximum number of saved items. Remove items from your saved list to add more. Save this article for later Add articles to your saved list and come back to them anytime. Got it Share A A A Pop juggernaut Taylor Swift has once again been pulled into the legal battle between It Ends With Us co-stars Blake Lively and Justin Baldoni. Text messages between long-time friends Swift and Lively were unsealed on Tuesday (US time) amid the ongoing legal drama, which began in December 2024 when Lively filed a complaint against her co-star and director, accusing him of sexual harassment and running a smear campaign against her. Baldoni categorically denied all accusations against him. The trial is set for May. Private text messages between friends Taylor Swift and Blake Lively have been revealed amid Livelys legal battle with Justin Baldoni. PA Wire/Getty In May 2025, Swift was subpoenaed as a witness in Baldonis $US400 million defamation countersuit which has since been dropped against Lively. A spokesperson for Swift said at the time this was designed to generate public interest by creating tabloid clickbait instead of focusing on the facts of the case. Though the subpoena was dropped later that month, Swifts name has emerged again amid the legal mayhem. According to the unsealed messages, seen by this masthead, Lively spoke openly about the concerns she had while on set for the film adaptation of Colleen Hoovers It Ends With Us. At one point, the actress referred to Baldoni as her doofus director. In December 2024, the close friends texted again shortly before the publication of a New York Times expose regarding Livelys accusations against Baldoni and the films production company Wayfarer Studios. Advertisement Related Article Taylor Swift Why is Taylor Swift caught up in the Baldoni-Lively legal battle? I think this bitch knows something is coming because hes gotten out his tiny violin, Swift texted Lively alongside a screenshot of a People article about Baldoni saying hed been sexually traumatised. Swift later described the situation as a horror film no one knows is taking place and said Baldoni needs to be beaten by his OWN words. In the same conversation, Lively wrote to Swift: Can you imagine feeling as confident as these predators that youre going to always get away with it. Him accepting an award as an ally for women ... And Scooter going about [the] world with his head held high as he co-owns and funds a crisis PR company that silences women. Scooter Braun, who was subpoenaed by Lively, was in a long-running feud with Swift over the ownership of her music. An earlier exchange in April 2023 appeared to show Lively asking Swift to praise Livelys revised version of the script for It Ends With Us in front of Baldoni. Swift was allegedly on her way to meet the director at Livelys New York apartment. Advertisement Hes a clown and thinks hes a writer now, Lively wrote. So having the greatest living storyteller unknowingly echo to him how much you love what were doing (giving him credit as if he wrote them with me) will go such a long way. According to the filing, Swift responded, Ill do anything for you!! Taylor Swift and Blake Lively have been close friends since 2015. Getty The unsealed correspondence also revealed the impact the legal feud had on Swift and Livelys decade-long friendship. I have no reason to ask, but I donno, Ive been feeling like I should is everything OK? Lively wrote to Swift in early December 2024. I felt like a bad friend lately because I was such a sad sack who only talked about my own shit for months. You were generous to not only be the key person there for me during all of it, but also to let me off the hook for being so in it. But I still have a feeling something may not be right. In response, Swift said her friend wasnt wrong, but that it wasnt a big deal. Advertisement Blake Lively and Justin Baldoni starred alongside each other in It Ends With Us in 2024. AP I think Im just exhausted in every avenue of my life and in recent months had been feeling a little bit of a shift in the way you talk to me I feel really bad saying anything about this because your texts have been so nice in their intent but your last few its felt like I was reading a mass corporate email sent to 200 employees, Swift wrote. It feels awful to be in any way critical of any way you process what youve been going through but I just kinda miss my funny, dark, normal-speaking friend who talks to me as herself, not like. A plural unit. Related Article Pop culture A bestselling author, a new novel, a cancer diagnosis then, the disclaimers The pop star said Lively didnt need to apologise, but implored her to come back. Sigrid McCawley, a member of Livelys legal team, told CNN the unsealed evidence shows the concerns of Ms Lively and others were documented in real-time as early as Spring 2023, and Wayfarer understood them as sexual harassment concerns. Advertisement The evidence also documents how Wayfarer refused to investigate, but instead attempted to bury Ms Lively and others who spoke up through retaliation, she said. In response, Baldonis lawyer Bryan Feldman said the evidence did not support the claims as a matter of law. A simple read of the newly released message exchanges make the truth abundantly clear. We remain confident in the legal process and clearing the names of all of the Justin Baldoni parties, he said, per CNN. Swifts representative has been contacted for comment. Must-see movies, interviews and all the latest from the world of film delivered to your inbox. Sign up for our Screening Room newsletter. Advertisement CultureTV & radioObituaries From Play School to Prisoner: The seven-decade career of Patsy King Michael Idato January 22, 2026 10:27am Save You have reached your maximum number of saved items. Remove items from your saved list to add more. Save this article for later Add articles to your saved list and come back to them anytime. Got it Share A A A When I first spoke with the stage and television actress Patsy King, a telephone glitch sent her call across the office, leaving me then a very young television critic chasing it with youthful enthusiasm. When we finally spoke, her crisp and authoritative voice laid down the law: I should have said, Erica Davidson calling, she declared. That would have fixed them. In many ways, those two women were inextricably connected: Erica Davidson, the very proper prison governess in the long-running, ground-breaking Australian television drama series Prisoner, and Patsy King, the actress who breathed life into her, and for whom the role would become a career highlight. Erica (Patsy King), Doreen (Colette Mann) and Meg (Elspeth Ballantyne) in a tense scene from Prisoner. Grundy Television But King, who passed away this week at the extraordinary age of 95, after a brief illness, was in the fullness of her life much more than Erica Davidson could ever have handled. She was an actress with a long and storied career on the Australian stage, and an instrumental figure in what was then the emerging Australian television industry. Born in Melbourne, Patricia Janet King was one of the original presenters of the Australian iteration of Play School. She starred in the iconic Australian drama Bellbird. She was Vera Maguire in the television adaptation of Frank Hardys political drama Power Without Glory. And she played a raft of women, typically prim and proper housewives, in Australian drama staples such as Homicide and Division 4. Advertisement King lobbied for locally produced programs. Fairfax Media Away from the television screen, when not working in radio drama, she became one of Australias most accomplished theatre actresses, starring in Cat on a Hot Tin Roof, Summer of the Seventeenth Doll, The Mystery of a Hansom Cab and The Importance of Being Ernest. In Jan de Hartogs The Fourposter, she played the role of Agnes, and won an Erik Award - then Melbournes equivalent of a Tony Award - for her work. King was a pivotal figure in the evolution of Australian television, an industry properly born in the shadow of a decade where just one per cent of drama on local screens was locally made. The Make It Australian campaign of the 1970s saw actors protesting in Sydney and Melbourne, and a delegation, which included King, travelling to Canberra to lobby for what became an enduring and impactful local drama quota. Her early work in Crawford Productions cop shows and other Aussie series showed that she was an incredibly versatile actress, television historian Andrew Mercado said. It seemed like she could play any type of character, but after Prisoner, there was just one: the iconic, incomparable, incredibly coiffed and clipped Erica Davidson. Patsy King, in a moment of quiet reflection, sitting at the desk of her successor in the TV series remake Wentworth, during a visit to the set in 2013. Michael Idato Advertisement Indeed, Erica Davidson and Patsy King would spend much of their lives travelling in parallel. Erica was the stylish, polished governess in Prisoner, the Ten Networks ambitious, rule-breaking soap about women behind bars. The role would transform King into a proper TV star and place her at the centre of a passionate fandom which endures to this day. Melbourne actor Patsy King has died aged 95. In the fictional Wentworth Detention Centre, Mrs Davidson kept top dog Bea (Val Lehman) in line, sent meemos to The Department and tried to reform unreformable types such as Doreen (Colette Mann) and Lizzie (Sheila Florance). In stark contrast to the prisons bricks and the prisoners denim uniforms, the indefatigable Erica sported a perfect upswept French bouffant and wore stylish business suits. The success of the series internationally it was replayed in the UK with the title Prisoner: Cell Block H and adapted in the US as Dangerous Women and in Germany as Hinter Gittern: Der Frauenknast gave King an unexpected kind of global fame, and allowed her to reprise the role in a West End stage production of the series. Away from her work, Patsy was married to Melbourne Theatre Company founder and artistic director John Sumner for eight years in the 1960s. She was involved in the creation of the Childrens Theatre at Monash University, and she directed at the Melbourne Writers Theatre at Carltons Courthouse Theatre. In 1953, visiting the UK, she was presented to Queen Elizabeth II at Buckingham Palace. Advertisement She and I reconnected when I worked on the Fremantle remake of Prisoner, Wentworth, and the members of the original cast were invited to visit the set of the remake. Serving as Patsys minder for the event, my inner fanboy dialled up to 10, she revelled in our reconnection. Patsy King, second from left, with Prisoner co-stars (L-R) Val Lehman, Carol Burns and Fiona Spence, visiting the set of Wentworth. Michael Idato I am at your disposal, Patsy, I told her. Naturally, Michael, she replied, with the self-assurance of a woman who knew she was No.1 on the call sheet. She was charming, she spoke gently but with great authority, and she was sharp and witty. And the twinkle in her eye implied far more mischief than Mrs Davidson would ever have permitted. Dr Mark Williams, from the Victorian Actors Benevolent Trust, described King as always generous, gracious and an essential support to the whole of Melbourne theatre and television for seven decades. And Matt Batten, the host of the fan podcast Talking Prisoner, said: Patsys performance left a lasting mark on Australian television and on the hearts of fans everywhere. It seems strange that a role which carved out only five years of a seven-decade career becomes the final signature on such an extraordinary body of work. But the endurance of Prisoner, and Patsys role in it, is as much about the immense power of television as it is about the richness and nuance of her performance as Erica. Advertisement There is a kind of invisible thread between the actor and the audience, and when its there its stunning, and there is nothing to match that, the actress Maggie Smith once said. Patsys connection to Prisoner fans everywhere is testament to that notion. King is survived by her sister, Valerie Lagoda. Swiss energy company Alpiq has acquired the Chevire battery storage facility, a 100MW/200-megawatt-hour (MWh) site in the port of Nantes Saint-Nazaire, France, from Harmony Energy, furthering its focus on battery storage facility acquisitions in France. Chevire is currently the largest battery storage facility in France, capable of providing ancillary grid services or meeting the electricity demand of 170,000 households for two hours. The transaction was completed on 21 January. Alpiq states that this acquisition reinforces its efforts to integrate increasing renewable power into the energy system. According to Alpiq, flexible assets such as battery storage and pumped hydropower are essential for balancing variable renewables and stabilising grid frequency. Chevires 100MW output and 200MWh capacity make it Alpiq's largest operational battery energy storage system (BESS) asset. The facility is located on the former Chevire fossil fuel power plant site, which operated between 1954 and 1986. The BESS uses mainly low-carbon power to deliver grid support or supply electricity. Harmony Energy developed and commissioned Chevire before selling it to Alpiq. Harmony Energy began operating in the UK in 2010 and launched Harmony Energy France in early 2022. Alpiqs BESS portfolio now exceeds 750MW across Germany, France and the Nordics, with nearly half operational or under construction. Additional projects include a further 100MW BESS in La Corne-en-Vexin, which is currently under construction and will come online in 2027. The company plans further investments in flexible assets across Europe. Alpiq business division assets head and executive board member Amedee Murisier said: The acquisition of the Chevire battery storage facility marks a milestone in the implementation of our growth strategy in the area of flexible plants and for ensuring a sustainable, secure energy supply. Flexibility is key to integrating renewable energy and ensuring the stability of electricity grids. We are investing specifically in flexible power plants and storage facilities that help strengthen security of supply and deliver sustainable solutions for our customers. France is a strategic market in this regard, and Chevire represents a milestone on our path to strengthening and further expanding our position as a provider of flexibility solutions in Europe. In December 2025, Alpiq entered the German battery storage market with a project pipeline totalling 370MW for BESS in the Brandenburg and Saxony-Anhalt regions. "Alpiq acquires 100MW Chevire battery storage facility in western France" was originally created and published by Power Technology, a GlobalData owned brand. Advertisement Exclusive Eating outJust open First look: Inside the sumptuous bistro that wants to shake up hotel dining Designed by a big name, Coupette has an owner whos obsessed with hotels and wants his venues to stop hotel guests walking out the door after they check in. Dani Valent January 23, 2026 Save You have reached your maximum number of saved items. Remove items from your saved list to add more. Save this article for later Add articles to your saved list and come back to them anytime. Got it Share A A A As featured in the February 2026 hit list. See all stories . A busy intersection in Southbank is the site for Coupette Corner Bistro & Bar, the flagship venue for an optimistic move into hotels by Melbourne hospitality powerhouse The Mulberry Group (Hazel, Dessous, Lilac). The 66-seat all-day dining room is on the ground floor of the stylish new Hannah St Hotel, designed by Flack Studio, which won awards for its work on Ace Hotel Sydney. Im obsessed with hotels, says Mulberry founder Nathan Toleman, who studied hotel management when he left school before veering into food. Coupette restaurant is the bistro inside the Flack Studio-designed hotel. Kristoffer Paulsen Just as he shifted Melbourne food culture with defining cafes such as Higher Ground, Toleman is now aiming to reshape the citys hotel dining. Advertisement People often come to Melbourne, check into a hotel, then walk straight out of it into the city, he says. But when I go to the Ace Hotel in New York or The Calile in Brisbane, I dont leave. I stay there the whole time. Restaurant reviews, news and the hottest openings served to your inbox. Sign up The 188-room, 10-level Hannah St Hotel anchors the 65-storey Queensbridge Building in Southbank, which also has 320 apartments. Toleman sees potential in looking after residents with wine tastings and events, and hes expecting further foot traffic as the City of Melbourne develops a disused underpass at the front of the building as part of the Northern Undercroft refresh. When I go to the Ace Hotel in New York or the Calile in Brisbane, I dont leave. I stay there the whole time. Nathan Toleman, founder of the hospitality group behind Coupette Coupettes chic curved dining room wraps around a central bar flanked by marble-topped tables on a terrazzo floor. The lobby also flows through bolthole cafe Hannah St Coffee, the Carriage Lounge for relaxed drinking or laptopping, and Bar Hannah for cocktails and snacks all under The Mulberry Group umbrella. On level 10, a lounge and terrace will become Propeller, a chef incubator restaurant. The restaurant sits on a sweeping corner of the hotels ground floor. Kristoffer Paulsen Advertisement Well give people a chance to test a concept ... without the worries and overheads of signing a lease, says Toleman. Im thinking of it as MasterChef meets The Block meets Shark Tank. Overseeing the food across all venues is chef Andrew Beddoes, who left his leading role at hatted Enoteca Boccaccio in Balwyn to take on the gig. I couldnt say no to such a good opportunity, he says. Breakfast dishes include a crab omelette with chilli and coriander. Pete Dillon Coupettes bistro menu is classic and unthreatening. In soft openings, chilli crab omelette was the biggest brunch seller across hotel guests and locals from nearby residential towers. Later, its the crab salad with green apple and lardo. We stir it with crayfish mayonnaise and pour an oyster dressing at the table, says Beddoes. Advertisement Among the mains, lamb rump is served with crumbed sweetbreads, and steak frites features Victorian wagyu rump and butter flavoured with tarragon and chervil. As the menu develops, it will lean more Italian. Opening Hannah Sts five venues at once is a strong move for Toleman, especially as he has just experienced a rare stumble. Abbotsford restaurant Molli shut six weeks ago after a second stab at shaping the offering failed to gain traction. Lamb rump with sweetbreads. Pete Dillon We gave it a good shot, he says. Its like a relationship. You go into it thinking its going to work and hoping for the best. But the reality is, not everything works. You can either decide never to date again or you can pick yourself up and get out there. Hows the mood as Coupette enters the dating pool? Advertisement Theres always risk and fear when youre opening a business, says Toleman. But Im feeling really good about this one. Open daily 7am-10pm 90 Queens Bridge Street, Southbank, coupettemelbourne.com.au Advertisement Exclusive NationalHealthcare Unrelenting: More young people are suffering from this painful condition. No one knows why Henrietta Cook January 23, 2026 5:00am Save You have reached your maximum number of saved items. Remove items from your saved list to add more. Save this article for later Add articles to your saved list and come back to them anytime. Got it Share A A A Health experts are grappling with a perplexing rise in shingles among younger Australians, cases having almost tripled in the 25-to-49 age group over the past 13 years. While shingles is commonly thought of as an older persons condition, an analysis of data from the National Notifiable Disease Surveillance System shows 3778 cases were recorded among those aged between 25 and 49 last year. An example of the painful shingles rash caused by reactivation of the chickenpox virus. Getty Images This compares with 1301 cases among this group in 2013. This is just the tip of the iceberg, as the data does not include cases from NSW, where shingles is not considered a notifiable disease. Dr Aakriti Gupta, who sits on the board of the Australasian Society of Cosmetic and Procedural Dermatologists, believes the rise in cases is linked to younger people being under intense stress. Advertisement Shingles is commonly triggered during periods of intense stress, after viral infections and during major hormonal or immune shifts, she said. Everyone talks about how this generation is under more stress. Shingles is a painful red rash caused by reactivation of the chickenpox virus. Following a chickenpox infection, the virus retreats to a persons nerve tissues near their spine and brain, where it can remain dormant for decades. While researchers are divided on the link between stress and shingles, some believe stress can suppress the immune system, enabling the virus to reactivate and erupt on the skin as shingles. Gupta says most people with shingles are treated by their GP, but some are referred to dermatologists when their rash is atypical and doesnt immediately point to shingles. An atypical rash might include blisters across both sides of their body (shingles typically appears on one side of the body) or an unusual pattern. Advertisement One patient in her 40s was recently seen at a dermatology clinic in Sydney with shingles in her mouth after a stressful period at work. Professor Tony Cunningham said increased shingles awareness might be contributing to more reported cases. Kate Geraghty While stress is often blamed for shingles outbreaks, Professor Tony Cunningham said other factors like a growing number of people using immunosuppressive drugs for autoimmune conditions better explained some of the rise in cases among younger adults. Cunningham, who is head of the Centre for Virus Research at the Westmead Institute, said increased awareness of shingles might also be leading to more reported cases (Cunninghams institution has received consulting fees from GSK, makers of the latest shingles vaccine). He said current research had rejected the hypothesis that vaccinating children against chickenpox which is now routinely given as a first dose at 18 months has removed the natural immune boost adults previously received, increasing their risk of shingles. Advertisement None of that has been proven, he said. More research is needed to pinpoint this continual rise over three decades. Cunningham said it was unknown whether younger Australians who have received the chicken pox vaccine will need to receive boosters in future to protect them from chickenpox. The vast majority of those who have been immunised against chickenpox will not get shingles. Melissa Mack is among a growing number of younger Australians who have had shingles. Justin McManus A week after giving birth to her first child in 2020, Melissa Mack developed a painful rash on the right side of her torso and started experiencing excruciating back pain. She initially assumed the rash was a reaction to an antibiotic she had been prescribed for mastitis and attributed the back pain to fatigue. As the pain intensified, the then 35-year-old mother sought medical help and was diagnosed with shingles. She was prescribed antibiotics and took over-the-counter pain medication. Advertisement It was one of the most horrible experiences of my life, she said. A lot of pain ebbs and flows, but this was intense and unrelenting. Related Article Exclusive Science Shingles vaccine may increase mild shingles risk for a few weeks, new data shows She covered her rash with gauze to ensure her newborn daughter didnt come into contact with it and contract chickenpox. While shingles isnt contagious, Macks husband coincidentally also developed shingles a few weeks after his wife. Mack said the intense pain dissipated about two weeks after her rash appeared, but she was left with residual pain for almost two years. Advertisement The National Immunisation Program funds a shingles vaccine for eligible groups including people over 65, Aboriginal and Torres Straight Islander people aged over 50 and people over 18 who are immunocompromised. Related Article Science Shingles-dementia link gives weight to a heretical theory This cohort is most at risk of developing shingles and experiencing a severe case, which can involve widespread rashes, internal organs and enduring nerve pain. While the Australian Immunisation Handbook recommends that people over 50 vaccinate themselves against shingles, most of those aged under 65 have to stump up about $560 for the two-dose vaccine. Dr Anita Munoz, the Victorian chair of the Royal Australian College of General Practitioners, treats several younger patients a year who have shingles. Advertisement She said these cases had remained steady over her career. Related Article Explainer Illness Like an electric shock: Why shingles is the ultimate nerve pain It can make people pretty unwell, she said. Its a neuropathic pain that tends to not respond well to over-the-counter pain medication. It can endure well after the rash has resolved. She urges eligible people to get vaccinated and to seek medical care if they think they might have shingles. She said taking antiviral medication within the first three days of the development of a shingles rash could reduce the severity and duration of the infection. Start the day with a summary of the days most important and interesting stories, analysis and insights. Sign up for our Morning Edition newsletter. Advertisement LifestyleLife & relationshipsPets I realised Id put my life on hold. Adopting Junior shook me back to life Abby Seaman January 22, 2026 10:29am Save You have reached your maximum number of saved items. Remove items from your saved list to add more. Save this article for later Add articles to your saved list and come back to them anytime. Got it Share A A A Last year was one of the most challenging times of my life. I was caring for my mum, who was battling stage-four bowel cancer, while also navigating a complicated relationship, and at some point I realised I had put my life on hold. It was around this time that I found Greyhounds as Pets (GAP) through one of its adoption days at my local Petbarn. Ive always wanted to adopt a dog, but never thought it was the right time. And though I dont recommend making major life decisions amid severe emotional turmoil, I was desperate to inject some joy into my life. Curious, I went along, thinking the adoption event would be a good introduction. Standing there quietly in a group of awkward greyhounds, an owner described the breed as a cat in a horses body. Eight months later, I adopted my three-year-old ex-race dog, Junior, through the organisation. The journalist and her recently adopted greyhound, Junior. Wolter Peeters I also unknowingly joined a long and pointy club. Advertisement I had seen one other greyhound walking around my neighbourhood before I brought Junior home. Little did I know that there were at least six other greys living within a kilometre radius of me. When we encountered a new greyhound friend, we were met with the same greeting: This must be Junior. The club was already notified of the new arrival. When I first told my friends and family about my decision to adopt Junior, I was met with laughter and questioned about why on Earth I would want an ex-race dog. Greyhounds are whelped at a rate that exceeds the ability to rehome in a timely manner after exiting the racing industry. Wolter Peeters But greyhounds are becoming an increasingly attractive choice for Australians. Once thought of as a dangerous breed that required a muzzle in public, theyre now largely understood to be a docile, affectionate and generally quiet pet option. Advertisement GAP, a not-for-profit initiative coordinated by Greyhound Racing NSW, rehabilitates racing dogs for adoption to get them into homes. GAP holds adoption days like the one I attended for the public to come and meet the dogs, in the hopes of finding loving homes for as many as possible. The last adoption event of 2025 rehomed 38 greyhounds. Related Article Exclusive Greyhound racing Move over, cavoodles: Meet Sydneys $27,000 dog While anecdotally greyhound adoption is popular, and GAP reports theyve seen a 16 per cent year-on-year increase on the same period last year, its still not enough to quell the concern from animal welfare groups about the number of greyhounds bred for racing. RSPCA NSW chief vet, Dr Liz Arnott, says that the dogs are whelped at a rate that exceeds the ability to rehome them efficiently after exiting the racing industry. This is unsurprising considering the general overpopulation of dogs seeking homes in shelters and pounds, Arnott explains. The greyhound racing industry must reconsider these breeding practices if they are to meaningfully address the issue of securing greyhounds good homes after retirement. Advertisement Introduction of a breeding cap was one of the recommendations in an inquiry into Greyhound Racing NSW led by the former head of integrity at the Law Enforcement Conduct Commission, Lea Drake. Though the ethical justifications speak for themselves, being a new greyhound owner has been the salve I was desperate for. I couldnt ask for a dog with a better temperament. He needs a walk a day, but is happiest simply lying on his bed (or the couch) and getting his ears scratched. Editor's pick Divorce Do I stay or do I go? Eight questions to ask before filing for divorce The process of adoption took considerable time and care to ensure that I was matched with a dog that would be suitable for my lifestyle. The staff and volunteers at the GAP Western Sydney location, where I found Junior, were supportive and always emphasised the dogs wellbeing was their top priority. They made what could have been an overwhelming process as seamless as possible. In just three weeks, Junior has managed to dig his way into my heart and home - metaphorically and physically. I become giddy when people ask about him, my search history is clogged with iterations of is my greyhound happy? and before I reluctantly head into the office, Im already looking forward to our evening walk. I have embraced becoming the obnoxious and indulgent pet owner I promised I wouldnt be, but after 52 races, he deserves a home to put his paws up. Advertisement Junior has taught me that there is no right time to start living your life or doing the things that will bring you joy. Theres only today. The community Ive joined must feel the same. Its not uncommon to see them parading their hounds around in fancy raincoats and doting on their every move. If the New Year has you thinking about getting a dog, consider adopting a greyhound. Join the Long Dog Club. We dont bite. Make the most of your health, relationships, fitness and nutrition with our Live Well newsletter. Get it in your inbox every Monday. Advertisement LifestyleLife & relationshipsSunday Life We married young, but after my wife developed cancer, we thought, why wait? Jane Rocca January 22, 2026 11:00am Save You have reached your maximum number of saved items. Remove items from your saved list to add more. Save this article for later Add articles to your saved list and come back to them anytime. Got it Share A A A This story is part of the January 25 edition of Sunday Life. See all stories . Journalist David Speers is best known for hosting the weekly political panel show Insiders on the ABC. Here, the 51-year-old talks about the value of having a spouse from outside the Canberra bubble, and how she once nearly saved his life. Journalist David Speers says his mother influenced him professionally: She instilled in me the importance of hard work. Nicholas Wilson My paternal grandmother, Marie, is 104. She was from the wave of women who went into the workforce when men went to war, did all sorts of jobs, and raised a family. Shes in a nursing home in Orange [NSW] now. Still sharp and mobile, she has a sweet tooth and loves a laugh. Nan remembers camping outside Canberra when the Old Parliament House was opened by the Duke of York. Nans first husband went off to war. They later divorced and she was married to Lex for several decades until he died. Lex was the love of her life. My maternal grandmother, Pauline, died when I was 13. She was a primary school principal and a powerful force in the family. She and my granddad lived just up the road from us in Tamworth. Nan could be quite strict, but was full of love and very caring. Advertisement My mum, Rob, and dad, Peter, met quite young through a church fellowship. Theyre still together, so thats been a wonderful influence. Related Article Sunday Life Ive been lucky to have some men as love items, but my focus has always been music I am super close with Mum. She had a fascinating career, starting as a kindergarten teacher, then in education administration. She flew small planes across remote parts of NSW, helping disadvantaged schools. When we moved to Sydney in 1986, she went up the ranks until she was effectively running the Higher School Certificate as director of exams for the Board of Studies [now the NSW Education Standards Authority]. I inherited a lot from Mum. She instilled in me the importance of hard work. She was also a feminist role model in the commitment she made to balancing work and family life. She taught me the value of public service. My big sister, Bec, is three years older than me. Weve always been very close and loved hanging out as kids, and as adults. We moved a bit: Tamworth to Sydney, then Canada for a year, and always changing schools. Bec works as a lawyer and sings in choirs. Advertisement Mum got me into drama as a young kid and signed me up for elocution lessons I loved getting up in front of the microphone. I was also a very keen trumpet player, listening to Miles Davis and Dizzy Gillespie. That made me a little bit weird, but I loved it. My celebrity crush was Sigrid Thornton in The Man from Snowy River. Having grown up in the country, I always dreamed of riding over that mountain like in the movie. My first kiss happened at a blue light disco at 15. I had a few crushes and girlfriends through early high school, but I met my wife, Liz, at the end of year 9 and that changed everything. Liz and I got together in year 12. We both played in the school band she was playing saxophone and we did a trip to China to play. Its where our first kiss happened. I was lucky at that age to find someone I absolutely wanted to spend my life with. Liz is not involved in politics or the media. Shes a creative spirit and has a different way of seeing the world to me. We married young, just 23. Liz got cancer before we married and after that we thought, Whats the point of waiting around? She also saved my life at the beach when I got stuck in a rip. Advertisement We have two children, born in 2010 and 2014. There was a long period when we didnt think wed have kids. It was a wonderful surprise and we cant imagine life without them. Liz just gets me. She understands the pressures I face at work and is always able to bring the sanity I need. There are many women in politics who can be tough to interview. Julia Gillard and Penny Wong, at the top of their game, dont slip up. You know they dont want to answer a question, but theyre very polished. It can be a challenge to crack through. Some of the toughest interviews Ive done have been with female politicians. Get the best of Sunday Life magazine delivered to your inbox every Sunday morning. Sign up here for our free newsletter. Add articles to your saved list and come back to them anytime. Remove items from your saved list to add more. You have reached your maximum number of saved items. Google has launched its preferred sources feature, meaning you now get to choose which news outlets you see first in search results. This feature allows you to prioritise your most trusted news outlets within the Top Stories carousel in Google, ensuring you see the headlines that matter to you first. Make the Herald your preferred source today by clicking this link. It will take you here: Click the blue box to make the Herald a preferred source in Google. Google When news breaks, or you want to know the latest on everything from federal politics and sport to culture and crime, adding the Herald will ensure you keep quality, local journalism at the top of your screen. After a trial in Google Search Labs last year, the feature was rolled out globally before reaching Australia. Advertisement NationalNSWCourts Dishonest and fraudulent: Former Sydney club boss Tony Zappia banned Kate McClymont January 23, 2026 5:00am Save You have reached your maximum number of saved items. Remove items from your saved list to add more. Save this article for later Add articles to your saved list and come back to them anytime. Got it Share A A A The former boss of Club Marconi, Tony Zappia, has been fined and banned from office for a year after an inquiry found he had engaged in deliberate dishonest and fraudulent conduct. A Herald investigation in 2021 revealed that Zappia, the clubs CEO, had authorised the payment of a fraudulent invoice submitted by a convicted fraudster. Tony Zappia, former CEO of Club Marconi. Nick Moir The $13,750 invoice was paid into the account of Zappias friend, Brendan Gaffney. Gaffney, an ex-bankrupt former Westpac bank manager, was jailed for five years in 2007 for stealing almost $4 million from clients to gamble on horses, including placing bets on credit for high-profile people to curry favour. Advertisement In May 2020, Zappias family acquired shares in a company run by Gaffney. The fraudulent invoice, for work never done, was to pay for Zappias shares. Zappia, 61, was fired from the Bossley Park club in February 2021 when the fraudulent invoice came to light. Brendan Gaffney spent five years in jail for fraud. Facebook A subsequent investigation by the Independent Liquor & Gaming Authority found that the fake invoice issued by Rentfleet for relocation of machinery had been created at Zappias request. However, on Thursday, the authority found that Rentfleet knew nothing about the invoice and that the money instead went to an account belonging to a Rentfleet staffer. While ILGA did not refer to Gaffney by name, it has previously reported that Gaffney was fired from Rentfleet following the Heralds story. Advertisement ILGAs investigation found that the clubs funds of $13,750 went from Gaffneys account into Zappias personal bank account later that same day. Following Zappias dismissal, he received a payout in excess of $306,000. He later repaid the $13,750. The fraudulent invoice which resulted in Tony Zappias dismissal. Zappia had submitted to ILGA that the payment was clumsy and that his situation was driven by unique external pressures unlikely to recur. He also submitted that any monetary penalty imposed should be modest and that he should be allowed to pay in instalments. Zappia said that due to current health issues, he was unable to work and was receiving a monthly total disability benefit of around $11,000 under his income protection policy. Advertisement However, ILGAs findings were that Zappia had engaged in deliberate dishonest and fraudulent conduct by causing a fraudulent invoice to be issued and paid by the Club. Zappia was slapped with a 12-month ban because he lacked the requisite honesty, integrity and ethical standards required to be considered a fit and proper person to be the secretary or a member of the governing body of a club. He was also fined $11,000 and ordered to pay almost $13,000 in costs. Although Zappia submitted to the inquiry that he was of previous good character, the fraudulent invoice was not Zappias only questionable conduct. A previous Herald investigation revealed Zappia, who was fired as chief executive of Cronulla Sharks in 2009 for punching a female employee in the face, had failed to declare that a sporting apparel company owned by his wife, his sister and brother-in-law had received tens of thousands of dollars from the rugby league club. Start the day with a summary of the days most important and interesting stories, analysis and insights. Sign up for our Morning Edition newsletter. In November 2025, Nvidia (NVDA) said it would invest up to $10 billion in Anthropic. The company also stated it will help optimize Anthropic models for performance, efficiency, and total cost of ownership. Anthropics artificial intelligence models have been trained on Nvidia GPUs, Amazon Trainium chips, and Google TPUs. While the company has been smart not to focus solely on training its models on Nvidia, Vera Rubin is on the horizon, promising greater efficiency and performance. Anthropic's Mag 7 investors: Amazon: Up to $8 billion, a primary cloud partner, with its stake converting to equity. Google: Invested $3 billion and owns roughly a 14% stake, though without voting rights or board seats, reports the New York Times. Microsoft : Investing up to $5 billion, as of November 2025. Nvidia: Investing up to $10 billion in a recent funding round. Strategically speaking, it isnt the right moment to sour the partnership, before seeing if Vera Rubin indeed delivers the promised performance uplift, and it makes no sense to risk the $10 billion investment. Nonetheless, Dario Amodei, Anthropic CEO, made a statement at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, that was a pretty harsh take, indirectly aimed at Nvidia. Anthropic CEO compares Nvidia H200 chips to nukes Amodei was pretty concerned about the new US government policy, allowing powerful AI chips to be sold to China. To learn more about the policy change, you can read my article What the White House decision really means for Nvidia. As is the usual modus operandi for almost any AI company CEO, he overhyped AI's capabilities and dangers and downplayed the real reason he opposes selling H200 chips to China. He said: So I think it would be a big mistake to ship these chips, and continued to explain how that is crazy, and even struggled a little bit to put it into words by saying: I think its you know, its a bit like, you know, I dont know, like selling, selling, you know, nuclear weapons to North Korea and, you know, bragging, in an interview with Bloomberg. Related: Analysts reset Intel stock price target ahead of earnings While Anthropic CEO didnt call out anyone by name, and was criticising the policy, his critique was clearly aimed at Nvidias H200 chips being sold to China. Chinese companies are realising their models as open-weight, and making them free for anyone to run them. This hurts Anthropics business. Unlike open-source, where the model's source code and training data are available to users, open-weight models only reveal the final parameters of the trained model. Amodei said about competition from Chinese models: I have almost never lost a deal, lost a contract to a Chinese model. " Almost" is the keyword here, so he did admit he lost some contracts to Chinese models. There is another thing to note here. Chinese models are so easy to test/set up that many companies might be skipping contacting Anthropic altogether, so the real loss they are causing to Anthropic is probably higher. Open-weight, open-source AI models are the future Another reason for Anthropic to turn on Nvidia might be its AI factories and Nemotron open-source models it has released. Data ownership, privacy, and model fine-tuning are some of the reasons any company or organization that can afford to have a sovereign AI would want it. This is why open-source, and at least open-weight, models are the future. More Nvidia: We can see a slow, ongoing shift toward this, as hundreds of academic papers presented at NeurIPS, the premier AI conference, used Qwen, as reported by Wired. A lot of scientists are using Qwen because its the best open-weight model, Andy Konwinski, cofounder of the Laude Institute, a nonprofit established to advocate for open U.S. models, told Wired. While Anthropic is protesting the new policy, Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang is planning to travel to China in late January to attend company parties ahead of the Lunar New Year holidays, reported Bloomberg. Bloombergs source also revealed that Huang plans to visit Beijing, though its uncertain whether he will meet with senior Chinese officials. This trip sounds like a perfect opportunity for Huang to convince Chinese officials to allow the import of as many H200 chips as he has to sell. Related: What Nvidia didnt show at CES, and whether AMD should care This story was originally published by TheStreet on Jan 21, 2026, where it first appeared in the Investing section. Add TheStreet as a Preferred Source by clicking here. Advertisement NationalNSWSydney Metro First the construction was delayed. Now the new metros trains havent arrived Matt O'Sullivan January 23, 2026 5:00am Save You have reached your maximum number of saved items. Remove items from your saved list to add more. Save this article for later Add articles to your saved list and come back to them anytime. Got it Share A A A Driverless trains built in Europe for a 23-kilometre metro line to Sydneys new international airport have missed a target date for arriving in NSW amid wider delays and cost blowouts to the troubled rail project. Internal documents show Sydney Metro, the government agency charged with overseeing the project, had planned for the first driverless train for the airport line to arrive in November last year. A render of a driverless train for the Western Sydney Airport metro line. However, the agency said the first train was now due to arrive in the first half of this year, adding that the delivery timetable was regularly reviewed to ensure alignment with the overall construction program. The NSW government is embroiled in a dispute with the private consortium building the airport rail line, which threatens to delay its completion until December 2027, and blow out its cost by up to $2.2 billion. Opening the line at the same time as Western Sydney Airport late this year had been promised by successive state and federal governments. Advertisement The rail division of German company Siemens has been building 12 trains for the project at a plant in the Austrian capital, Vienna. Sydney Metro said production was on schedule, and the three-carriage trains had been undergoing testing in Germany since November. The trains will be about 30 centimetres wider than the citys other metro trains to help cater for travellers lugging bags to and from the new airport. The trains to be used on the new airport metro rail line will be about 30 centimetres wider than the citys other metro trains. The year-long delay to the lines opening has forced the government to put on free buses between St Marys and the new airport when the latter opens to passenger aircraft late this year. A bus trip will take 30 minutes, double the forecast 15-minute trip by train when the line opens. Coalition transport spokesperson Natalie Ward said Labor kept moving the goalposts on the new airport line, and now even the trains themselves were running late. Advertisement Western Sydney was promised a world-class rail link opening alongside the airport. Instead, commuters are getting excuses, a minibus and a government that wont be up front with the public, she said. Transport Minister John Graham said the trains would arrive months ahead of when they were required operationally. The reason this project is delayed is because of the former governments failure to properly design fire emergency exits, putting public safety at risk, he said. A claim that these free buses are minibuses is wrong. The shadow transport minister is intentionally misleading the public for the sake of a political hit. A station close to the Western Sydney Airport terminal is one of six under construction along the 23-kilometre metro rail line. Steven Siewert Trains will initially operate on the rail line, which is a combination of tunnel, viaduct and surface-level track, from 4.30am to midnight from Sunday to Thursday, and to 1am on Fridays and Saturdays. The operating hours align with Sydney Trains services on the heavy rail network. Advertisement The NSW government conceded last month that legal claims made by the Parklife Metro consortium building the airport rail line might raise the projects total price tag by $1 billion-plus to more than $12 billion. Related Article Exclusive Sydney Metro Dispute threatens $2.2 billion cost blowout, major delay to Sydneys new metro line Graham said this week he had instructed the Sydney Metro to ensure taxpayers were not held over a barrel in the dispute with the consortium. There is a commercial dispute about the costs with that project, and I want to make sure we get a good deal for taxpayers, he said. Sydney Metro said construction of a stabling and maintenance facility at Orchard Hills was well under way, and on schedule to be finished in time for the arrival of the first train. In a situation it described as complex, the agency said it was working through claims and design modifications with the consortium to resolve all issues and get metro services up and running as soon as possible. Advertisement [The] project has been impacted by challenges including industrial relations disruption, scope and design changes, and was in procurement during the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, which hampered global supply chains, it said. Once the line opens, trains will initially run in both directions every five minutes during peak periods and have capacity to increase frequency if patronage modelling shows a need to do so. Start the day with a summary of the days most important and interesting stories, analysis and insights. Sign up for our Morning Edition newsletter. Advertisement Warning: This story contains the names and images of Indigenous people who have died. Lake Cargelligo: Police granted a man facing domestic violence charges bail weeks before he allegedly murdered three people, including his heavily pregnant former partner, who was due to give birth to a son named after her father in less than two months. A large-scale manhunt is under way for Julian Ingram, who allegedly shot and killed Sophie Quinn, 24, and her friend, John Harris, 32, while they were driving a car at Lake Cargelligo in the NSW Central West on Thursday afternoon. Loading He is then alleged to have travelled to a home in the town, where he shot Quinns aunt, Nerida Quinn, 50, and seriously injured 19-year-old Kaleb Macqueen, who was shot standing in the driveway. Macqueen was taken to hospital in a serious but stable condition. Advertisement A warrant was issued for Ingrams arrest on Friday. Sophie Quinn was killed on Thursday afternoon. This masthead can reveal police granted Ingram bail on November 30 after he allegedly assaulted Quinn around the time the pair had separated. Ingram was charged with stalking or intimidating intending to cause fear or physical harm and common assault. He had pleaded not guilty to the charges and was due to face Lake Cargelligo Local Court on February 3. Nerida Quinn (left) with her daughter Mikaila Elms. Nerida was killed in the shooting. Advertisement Under his bail conditions, Ingram was required to report to local police daily. Quinns family was not critical of the police effort to protect the 24-year-old. On December 3, police took out an interim Apprehended Domestic Violence Order against Ingram on behalf of Quinn. Under the interim order, Ingram was prohibited from approaching or contacting Quinn or going within 100 metres of her home or workplace. The order was due to be reviewed in court on February 3. Ingram, a Lachlan Shire Council gardener, was also charged with driving a vehicle in a manner that menaces others, negligent driving and destroying or damaging less than $2000 worth of property. Kaleb Macqueen, 19, was taken to hospital in a serious but stable condition. John Harris, 32, was killed in the shooting. Advertisement Quinns mother, Cathy Quinn, told this masthead that her daughter was gentle, loving and caring and that she had not a mean bone in her. She loved fishing, pig hunting and her dogs, Cathy said. [She was] just a fun girl to be around, she said at the Quinn familys home on Friday. She said the 24-year-old her black swan was due to give birth to a son in March. The child was to be named after Quinns father Troy, who died when she was two years old. This masthead has published Sophie and Nerida Quinns names and photographs with the familys permission. Julian Ingram, 37, is wanted for murder after three people were shot and killed in central west NSW. NSW Police Advertisement Ingram, also known as Julian Pierpoint, is described by police as being Aboriginal/Torres Strait Islander appearance, about 165cm to 170cm tall, of a medium build with short dark hair and brown eyes. He was last seen leaving town shortly after the shooting in a Ford Ranger utility with NSW registration DM-07-GZ and Lachlan Shire Council signage, a metal tray back, high visibility markings on the side and an emergency light bar on the roof. The public has been told not to approach him but to call Triple Zero if he is spotted as he may be armed and dangerous. Harris cousin, Josie King, told this masthead the shooting was devastating for the town. John Harris cousin, Josie King, said the shooting was devastating for the tight-knit Lake Cargelligo community. Kate Geraghty Advertisement Its such a small community, and everyone knows everyone, she said. I still cant believe it. NSW Police Assistant Commissioner Andy Holland on Friday said Ingram had been granted bail on the domestic violence charges because of a lack of recent violent offending when he had been arrested in November. Ingram had complied with the apprehended domestic violence order since it was put in place, Holland said. A risk assessment would have been done at the time. At that time, he had not committed a violent offence in the last five years and [was] therefore deemed fit, Holland said. Where we can, we obviously grant people [bail]. We dont want to keep them in custody, and obviously with strict bail conditions and an AVO in place, it was deemed suitable. Advertisement Ingram does not have a firearms licence in the state. How he obtained the firearm used in the shootings would form part of the investigation into the incident, Holland said. Several evidence markers were laid out on Bokhara Street, beside spent shotgun shells on Friday morning. On Friday morning, fragments of glass could be seen on the street near Quinns black Suzuki hatchback, with bullet holes in its windscreen. Forensic investigators examined Quinn and Harris bodies, which were removed from Bokhara Street just before midday Friday. Police removed crime scene tape from the street on Friday afternoon. Police have also set up a website appealing for footage of the area to be submitted as they search for Ingram. Advertisement Any death in a small country town is confronting, but a scene where you have people shot by firearms is obviously going to make people very, very tense and very concerned, Holland said earlier. Police resources from neighbouring districts were dispatched to the town on Thursday night, while Defence Force helicopters flew in heavily armed tactical police, negotiators and homicide investigators overnight. More than 100 police are in the area supporting the search on Friday, and police were working with local Indigenous communities Ingram was known to have visited. Loading Residents at Murrin Bridge, an Indigenous community about 15 kilometres north of Lake Cargelligo, said Ingram had friends in the community, where he was considered well-liked. Advertisement Police searched an area on the outskirts of the community before reopening the only road in or out of the small township on Friday afternoon. Holland said police were liaising with members of the local Indigenous community to track Ingram down. Holland urged Lake Cargelligo residents to stay indoors and away from windows and to report any suspicious behaviour, including suspicious movement in their backyards or suspicious vehicles, to police. Locals said Ingram was an experienced bushman who knew the area well and would be capable of surviving for a long period of time in the bush with limited resources. Hed have a good idea of the local area. It would be feasible that he could obviously maintain an extended period in the local area without being detected, Holland said. The temperature in Lake Cargelligo was forecast to reach 35 degrees on Friday before climbing to at least 45 degrees for five consecutive days from Sunday. Advertisement Independent MP and the member for Barwon, Roy Butler, said the situation was horrific for the small and close community. Related Article Updated Crime Three killed in suspected domestic violence shooting in NSW town The tragic circumstances will affect everyone in town and across NSW and Australia. We dont have much detail, but it seems in devastating news, three people are dead, one, sadly a pregnant woman, Butler said. I am in close contact with police and other members of the community. Lake Cargelligo is a small town west of Forbes and north of Griffith. The town has a population of about 1400, according to the 2021 census. Advertisement You dont think of something like this happening out in a community like this, Lachlan Shire Council Mayor John Medcalf said. This community, they didnt deserve what has happened. Id certainly put my condolences out to their families, their friends and also condolences to the whole community. Medcalf said some council vehicles were fitted with GPS tracking devices, but not the ute Ingram was driving, which he believed was a 2024 model Ford Ranger. NSW Premier Chris Minns said the shooting was a terrible crime. Loading Advertisement Federal member for Parkes, Nationals MP Jamie Chaffey, said he was focused on getting those affected the support they needed. Well deal with this horrible event, as a community, and get the care that more people are going to need following this incident, he said. Chaffey voted against more stringent gun laws after the Bondi terror attack, saying guns are an essential part of business for farmers and those in regional areas; however, he said it was too early to comment on legislation after Thursdays shooting. After the police investigation, we will know a lot more about how this incident happened. Its a truly, truly tragic event thats happened overnight and still ongoing. Anyone with information about the incident is urged to contact Central West Police or Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000. Advertisement Support is available from the National Sexual Assault, Domestic and Family Violence Counselling Service (1800RESPECT) on 1800 737 732. Be the first to know when major news happens. Sign up for breaking news alerts on email or turn on notifications in the app. Advertisement NationalNSWUniversity Who is really running the university campuses in CBD office blocks? Christopher Harris January 22, 2026 7:30pm Save You have reached your maximum number of saved items. Remove items from your saved list to add more. Save this article for later Add articles to your saved list and come back to them anytime. Got it Share A A A Universities across the country are using private companies to operate city office-block campuses, which a new report claims facilitates widespread visa hopping, effectively granting international students work rights. Former Labor leader and University of Canberra vice chancellor Bill Shorten has called on the federal government to consider stricter rules to close visa loopholes which allow international students to transfer from university courses to cheaper private providers. Charles Sturt, the University of Tasmania, Victoria University and Western Sydney University have all outsourced their Sydney CBD and North Sydney operations to private companies. Charles Sturts campus in North Sydney, which is operated by Navitas a company owned by a private equity firm. Dominic Lorrimer A report co-authored by University of Sydney Associate Professor Salvatore Babones for right-leaning think tank The Menzies Research Centre noted 13 publicly supported universities based outside Sydney have Sydney campuses. Advertisement Only a few of these serve Australian students. Most only admit international students, and many of these are actually run by for-profit companies on behalf of the universities, it read. Western Sydney University, which has a stated vision to secure success for students in the Greater Western Sydney region, has a campus on Elizabeth Street opposite Hyde Park. La Trobe University, which was founded to broaden participation in higher education in Melbournes north and, later, in regional Victoria also has a campus on Elizabeth Street. Victoria University, whose vision is to have inseparable ties to the west of Melbourne has a campus at 160 Sussex Street. Advertisement Some of those campuses have been established for more than a decade, but the report said there was evidence that these capital city campuses are increasingly serving as vehicles for the abuse of Australias student visa system by non-genuine students seeking entry into Australia for work. The number of course-hopping international students on bridging visas increased from 13,034 in 2023 to 107,274 in 2025, it said. Major universities in metropolitan cities with large international student populations have had strong financial results. The University of Sydney recorded a surplus of $500 million last year. But the report detailed how regional outer metropolitan universities, by contrast, have generally been sidelined. Over the last three years, many of these non-city centre (and often financially challenged) universities have turned to the international student market to make up for budget shortfalls, the report said. Advertisement There are about 833,000 international students in the country, according to Department of Education data. Related Article International students International student surge probably contributed to post-pandemic inflation: RBA A Victoria University spokesperson said its Sydney campus had been operating since 2007. We routinely review and benchmark academic performance and attrition rates to ensure that students are provided every opportunity to gain a world-class qualification, they said. University of Canberra vice chancellor Bill Shorten said his institutions campus in Castle Hill had courses designed by University of Canberra academics but was taught by Education Centre of Australia staff, noting the ongoing enrolment rate in 2023 was above 93 per cent. The campus delivers courses in areas where there are well-known workforce shortages for example, in the nursing and early childhood sectors, in this area of Sydney and nationally, he said. Advertisement Last year, 77 per cent of students enrolled at that campus were international students. However, we are concerned that some students do elect to transfer to private providers after commencing with us. I recognise that, since the data which is reported on in this report, the government has taken several steps to improve the integrity of the student visa system, he said. University of Canberra vice chancellor Bill Shorten said his institutions campus in Castle Hill was staffed by University of Canberra academics, despite being managed privately. Alex Ellinghausen Shorten said he welcomed recent moves by Assistant Minister for International Education Minister Julian Hill last year to ban agents from getting commissions for onshore provider transfers. We also acknowledge that a healthy market has elements of friction and protection issues that should facilitate some level of transfers. But further measures should be taken to address these loopholes in transfer flows and tighten visa regulation, Shorten said. Advertisement One option that should be considered in the future [is] a stricter system which requires international students wanting to transfer onshore to apply for a new visa to improve integrity. Charles Sturt, Western Sydney University, and La Trobes Sydney CBD and North Sydney campuses are operated by Navitas, which is owned by a private equity firm. A Charles Sturt University spokesperson said it monitored students progression, while prospective students are advised of any partnership arrangement for the universitys relevant delivery. A Western Sydney University spokeswoman said the pass rates of students studying at its Sydney City campus was similar to the broader university. Sixty per cent of students at the campus are international students. A spokesperson at Navitas said they had partnered with Australian universities to manage campuses that expand access to quality education for both international and domestic students for many years. Advertisement Navitas strongly supports the governments new integrity reforms. By banning commission payments to education agents for onshore provider transfers, the government has removed a major incentive behind course-hopping, the spokesperson said. The Morning Edition newsletter is our guide to the days most important and interesting stories, analysis and insights. Sign up here. CLARIFICATION A previous version of this story said the University of Canberras Castle Hill campus was staffed by academics from its institution. Students are taught by Education Centre of Australia staff. PhD candidate accused of plotting Australia Day terror attack A student has been accused of planning to throw a Molotov cocktail at an Australia Day crowd as part of an alleged terrorist plot to overthrow the government. Advertisement NationalBondi shooting Profoundly sorry: PM leads tributes to Australian Jews at Bondi memorial Ben Cubby January 22, 2026 9:06pm Save You have reached your maximum number of saved items. Remove items from your saved list to add more. Save this article for later Add articles to your saved list and come back to them anytime. Got it Share A A A Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said he was deeply and profoundly sorry for not protecting Australias Jewish community, in a landmark speech at a national memorial event for the 15 people killed in the Bondi massacre. Thousands gathered at the Sydney Opera House on Thursday evening for the National Day of Mourning for the victims of the December 14 terrorist attack, united around the theme chosen by Bondis Jewish community: Light will win. Prime Minister Anthony Albanese speaks at the Sydney Opera House on Thursday night. Janie Barrett They were greeted by the surreal sight of police snipers positioned on the buildings famous sails and dozens of armed officers patrolling the concourse. We cherish the promise that this country is a safe harbour, Albanese said to an audience that included relatives of the people killed in the attack and many who survived it, including lifeguards, police and other first responders. Advertisement But sadly that promise was broken. You came to celebrate a festival of light and freedom and you were met with the violence of hatred. I am deeply and profoundly sorry that we could not protect your loved ones from this evil. Relatives and Bondi hero Ahmed al Ahmed (left) light candles for each victim at the Opera House. Janie Barrett Albanese vowed to stand in solidarity with Jewish Australians, attempting to draw a line after a month in which he was criticised by many in that community over perceptions he acted too slowly to curb antisemitism. His apology was applauded by the audience. Advertisement Loading You are not just accepted. You are valued. You are cherished. You have the right to pray, to learn and to live as proud Jews without looking over your shoulder. Australians are committed to driving antisemitism from our shores because it stands in opposition to all we are as a country, the nation we have built together with care and compassion over generations. A group of men wrap their arms around one another as they enter the Opera House. Janie Barrett NSW Premier Chris Minns and federal Opposition Leader Sussan Ley also delivered speeches, while Governor-General Sam Mostyn read Psalm 23, the Shepherds psalm, on behalf of King Charles III. Advertisement The premier received a standing ovation before he spoke. The story of Hanukkah is not that evil doesnt exist, but that it can be defeated by light, Minns said. We must take action and indeed we must change. We start by fighting hate whenever we see it. Minns said people who did not accept basic values of decency should not be allowed to come to Australia. We have to have the confidence to say, Australia is just not the country for you. A sniper on top of the Opera House before the memorial service. Janie Barrett He praised the bravery of first responders, including police constables Scott Dyson and Jack Hibbert, both of whom were wounded in the terrorist attack, who were present in the audience. Advertisement Minns also praised the resilience of the Jewish community, and said: Tonight, just as you reclaimed Bondi Beach, youve taken back the Opera House. Ley also lauded the courage and selflessness of first responders. It has been an honour and privilege to stand with the Jewish community after the Bondi attack, Ley said. We will remember these 15 blessed souls. The light of those we lost lives on in all our hearts. She pledged that she would fight for an Australia where Jewish people were respected, loved and safe. Advertisement The public were asked to join a minutes silence at 7.01pm and place a candle on a doorstep or window. People were invited to perform a mitzvah, or good deed, in their everyday lives something as simple as donating to a charity, volunteering to help another person, or any act of kindness done without expectation of reward. The Chabad community in Bondi chose the events theme: Light will win: A gathering of unity and remembrance. A memorial, including a bee for 10-year-old Matilda, was drawn on the footbridge at Bondi Pavilion. Dean Sewell Flags on government buildings flew at half-mast around the country, and installations projected pillars of light into the sky at 15 locations around the country, including at Bondi Beach. Advertisement The event included video tributes to the 15 people killed on December 14. Related Video Video icon 1:05 National day of mourning over Bondi attack Their names were Boris and Sofia Gurman, Edith Brutman, Alex Kleytman, Yaakov Levitan, Peter Meagher, Dan Elkayam, Reuven Morrison, Boris Tetleroyd, Marika Pogany, Eli Schlanger, Tania Tretiak, Tibor Weitzen, Adam Smyth, and 10-year-old Matilda. Relatives of those killed lit commemorative candles in the Opera Houses great hall. They were joined on stage by Bondi hero Ahmed al Ahmed, his arm still in a sling after being shot twice after he wrestled a weapon away from one of the killers. Advertisement This country has been a safe haven for Jews ever since the First Fleet, said an attendee at the event, Rabbi Eli Feldman of Newtown Synagogue. Its a country that has been good to us and weve been good to it. Australian Jews have done their fair share to build this country. Theres belief in the Australian dream, where people and nations and religions of all kinds live together and everyone gets a fair go. That dream was shattered on the first night of Hanukkah. I think there is no Jew in this country who isnt feeling a sense of grief about their place in this country. This violent act didnt happen in a vacuum. These people were radicalised, and that is a process that happens over time. Nobody wakes up one morning and just becomes a serial killer, a mass murderer. Its something that is cultivated. This country needs to have a long, hard look at how that happened. Guests arrive at the Opera House. Janie Barrett The mitzvahs could act as an antidote to extremism, he suggested. Advertisement If individuals are doing good deeds, they dont become susceptible to hateful ideologies, Feldman said. Since the attack, there has been a lot of effort by the government to reach out to the community. Actions will speak louder than words, but in my experience theres been genuine concern and desire to do whatever it takes. I am hopeful. Start the day with a summary of the days most important and interesting stories, analysis and insights. Sign up for our Morning Edition newsletter. Advertisement NationalVictoriaCourts Her life mattered: Melbourne hospital charged over death of Aboriginal woman Melissa Cunningham January 22, 2026 6:44pm Save You have reached your maximum number of saved items. Remove items from your saved list to add more. Save this article for later Add articles to your saved list and come back to them anytime. Got it Share A A A Warning: This story contains the name and images of deceased Indigenous people. A Melbourne hospital has been charged by the states workplace safety watchdog over the death of an Aboriginal woman who voluntarily admitted herself for psychiatric help and died by suicide shortly after. WorkSafe confirmed on Thursday that St Vincents Hospital faces two charges under the Occupational Health and Safety Act for failing to ensure that persons other than employees were not exposed to health and safety risks over the death of 24-year-old Makalie Watts-Owen. The Tagalaka, Kukatja and Worimi woman had just celebrated her 24th birthday and was working at the Office of Public Prosecutions when she died after being admitted to the hospital in February 2024. Watts-Owen was studying law and had dreams of working in child protection when she finished her degree. Advertisement Makalie Watts-Owen died by suicide after being admitted to the hospital in February 2024. The patient took their own life after they were admitted for treatment in the hospitals Acute Inpatient Service, WorkSafe said in a statement. Her family said she had been given medication to help her sleep, but she was left alone long enough in her hospital room in the St Vincents mental health unit to end her own life. Her mother, Sharon Watts, who has called for a full investigation into her daughters death, welcomed the charges. Makalie should still be with us today, she said in a statement. St Vincents failed to keep my child safe, she was seeking support, and they failed her. St Vincents should be held accountable, so this never happens again to anyone elses child. Advertisement Related Article Exclusive Healthcare He shouldnt be dead: Families sue Frankston Hospital over suicides She said the grief that consumed her since her daughters death was overwhelming. I just want her back, Watts said. Todays announcement from WorkSafe is a step towards achieving justice in her name. But this fight is not over. Her life mattered and she deserved better. Makalie Watts-Owen. Advertisement Nerita Waight, chief executive of the Victorian Aboriginal Legal Service, which is representing Watts-Owens family, said hospitals were meant to be places of safety and care for vulnerable people. Yet we have many instances that show that they are far from that for our communities, she said. The circumstances around Makalies passing are tragic. Makalie had a full life ahead of her ... My heart breaks for Sharon and all those who loved Makalie. Siobhan Doyle, who is the principal managing lawyer of the civil and human rights practice at the legal service, said Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people experienced higher rates of mental health issues, and were at elevated risk of self-harm and suicide. Related Article Exclusive Coroners Court of Victoria They took my child from me: Families call for change after Indigenous suicides in same hospital Advertisement There is clear, well-documented evidence of this, she said. It is unfathomable that we are still having to advocate for hospitals to eliminate ligature risks. When our hospitals and healthcare workers do not provide a holistic, trauma informed and culturally capable care, peoples lives are put at risk. Makalie Watts-Owen is one of two Indigenous women who have died by suicide at St Vincents Hospital in Fitzroy within three years of each other. The other woman, 22-year-old Jessica Rain Jones, took her own life while at the hospital on January 28 in 2021. Her family has also called for an investigation into the circumstances of her death. In an open letter last year in response to both the Indigenous womens suicides, the chief executive of St Vincents Hospital in Melbourne, Nicole Tweddle, said that even with the efforts of skilled people, motivated by the best of intentions, premature and preventable Aboriginal deaths in institutional settings including healthcare continue to confront Australia. This is a challenge shared by all healthcare providers and their teams, governments, policymakers, and Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples, she wrote at the time. Advertisement Tweddle added that following Jones death the health service had introduced changes within the hospital, including working with Aboriginal groups to improve the cultural safety of First Nations patients. At a Yoorrook Justice Commission hearing in May 2024, Aunty Jill Gallagher, the chief executive officer of Victorias Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Organisation, raised the issue of Indigenous suicides in hospital. Gallagher said mandatory, cultural safety training which might include more checks of patients was a fundamental necessity if the community was to receive equitable and respectful care for First Nations peoples. At the time, Gallagher revealed that three Aboriginal people had taken their own lives in hospitals in the preceding two years. A spokesman for St Vincents Hospital said the health service offered its sincere condolences to the family and loved ones of Makalie Watts-Owen, but was unable to make further comment because it was an active Worksafe investigation. Advertisement The matter is listed for a hearing at the Melbourne Magistrates Court on February 17. Lifeline 131 114 Start the day with a summary of the days most important and interesting stories, analysis and insights. Sign up for our Morning Edition newsletter. 7 / 8 Jens Kjeldsen, 70, who is holding a staff adorned with the flags of the three territories of the Kingdom of Denmark: Denmark, Greenland and the Faroe Islands, holds an hour-long vigil outside the U.S. consulate on January 20, 2026 in Nuuk, Greenland. European leaders are scheduled to meet later this week to formulate their response to U.S. President Donald Trumps recent threat of punitive tariffs against countries who obstruct his desire to acquire Greenland. Credit:Sean Gallup/Getty Images Advertisement NationalWACourts WA fishing ban protesters fined over shark head stunt outside ministers office Heather McNeill and Andrew Du January 22, 2026 3:27pm Save You have reached your maximum number of saved items. Remove items from your saved list to add more. Save this article for later Add articles to your saved list and come back to them anytime. Got it Share A A A Two men have been fined for dumping shark heads and fish guts outside the WA Fisheries Ministers electoral office last month in what was a stinky protest against the states new fishing ban. East Bunbury man Brendan Bardowski, 37, admitted to trespassing on Jackie Jarvis Margaret River office on December 29 with a trailer load of fish guts, and littering. Shark heads dumped at the electoral office. Nine News During sentencing at Bunbury Magistrates Court on Thursday, the court was told that before dumping the shark and fish waste, the group also hung up a pair of fishing pants with the words To Jackie, from all fishers written on them. The self-employed plasterers lawyer said he was not the primary offender, but was nonetheless disgruntled by recent fishing laws. Advertisement Bardowski was fined $1500 and ordered to pay court costs. Related Article Fishing WA men charged over smelly protest at fishing ministers office His co-offender Drew Brewster, 34, from Carey Park also admitted his part in the protest, although claimed he only really went along for the car ride and regretted his decision. He was fined $2000 after police also found cannabis in his home. The third alleged protester, fisherman Mason Jones, 36, requested an adjournment for his case and is yet to enter a plea. His request to have his bail amended to allow him to speak with Jarvis about the ban was denied. Advertisement To me thats a way of silencing me again because I need to reach out to these people, the person Im down not to talk to, to try and get things going for us in the South West, he said. Im no threat to that person, I claimed full accountability of what happened. Fisherman Mason Jones outside Bunbury Magistrates Court on Thursday. 9 News Perth Jones claimed police were wasting resources on his case in what he thought was an attempt to control him. I had five police cars and 15 police officers show up at my property that day, its about silencing, its not about justice, he said. Advertisement Its not going to stop me, Im going to keep going the government needs to realise theyve kicked a hornets nest this time, youve shut down forestry, youve shut down farming, fishing is for everyone, were surrounded by water, youve kicked the wrong nest and you need to start giving back to the people. In response to the stunt, Tourism Minister Reece Whitby said the fishing ban was a tough but necessary decision. I understand people are upset. But this was not an easy decision. We made the decision because its the right thing to do, because we need to have a sustainable fishery, he said. We want to have those demersal species there in the future so that my grandkids and great-grandchildren can have those fish to put a line in and to have commercial industries still sustainable in the future. Fishing advocacy groups claim they have been blindsided by the state governments decision to enforce a sweeping demersal fishing ban, effective from January 1, 2026, without proper consultation. Many fishers say theyve lost their livelihoods overnight with a legal challenge mounted in the Supreme Court of Western Australia. The decision by the Liberal-National Coalition to formally split scales new heights of political stupidity and insensitivity. History suggests this Coalition death wish risks consigning its MPs to years in the wilderness. Nationals leader David Littleproud has split with Sussan Ley and the Coalition. Alex Ellinghausen The Nationals rush to head off the relentless march of the Hansonites makes them look selfishly incompetent while collaterally damaging Liberal rehabilitation prospects. The break occurred ostensibly because three Nationals senators broke shadow cabinet solidarity and voted against hate speech laws introduced to parliament this week by the Labor government in response to the Bondi Beach shootings. But the Coalition has been riven by defections and behind-the-scenes manoeuvring, even as Opposition Leader Sussan Ley and National Party leader David Littleproud scored a rare win, barking for a month about the Labor governments so-called insensitivity to Australias Jewish community and the need to act more decisively on antisemitism, only to allow a few Browns cow Nationals MPs to display open contempt for the sorely needed legislation. What a bad look, but on top of their petty bickering, the leaders showed themselves heedless to the moment by foolishly indulging themselves in a public bloodletting and becoming the centre of attention on the very day Australians were supposed to be united in a National Day of Mourning to reflect on and honour the dead and wounded and other victims at Bondi Beach. We disclaim any obligation or any undertaking to update forward-looking statements to reflect circumstances or events that occur after the date of the forward-looking statements are made, except as required by law. We also discuss non-GAAP financial metrics and encourage you to carefully read our disclosures and the reconciliation tables to the applicable GAAP measures in our earnings release as you consider these metrics. We refer you to our filings with the SEC for detailed disclosures and descriptions of our business, uncertainties and other variable circumstances, including, but not limited to risks and uncertainties identified under the caption Risk Factors in our Annual Report on Form-10 K and our Quarterly Report on Form 10 Q. Matt Glover: Thank you, Julian. Good afternoon, everyone, and welcome to Applied Digital's fiscal second quarter 2025 conference call. Before management begins formal remarks, we would like to remind everyone that some statements we're making today may be considered forward-looking statements under securities laws and involve a number of risks and uncertainties. As a result, we caution you that a number of factors, many of which are beyond our control, could cause actual results and events to differ materially from those described in the forward-looking statements. For more detailed risks, uncertainties and assumptions relating to our forward-looking statements, please see the disclosures in our earnings release and public filings made with the Securities and Exchange Commission or SEC. Operator: Good afternoon, and welcome to Applied Digital's Fiscal Second Quarter 2025 Conference Call. My name is Julian, and I'll be your operator for today. For this call, Applied Digital issued its financial results for fiscal second quarter ended November 30, 2024, and a press release, a copy of which will be furnished in a report on a Form 8-K filed with the SEC and will be available in the Investor Relations section of the company's website. Joining us today -- or joining us on today's call are Applied Digital's Chairman and CEO, Wes Cummins; and CFO, Saidal Mohmand. Following their remarks, we will open the call for questions. Story Continues You may get Applied Digital's SEC filings for free by visiting the SEC website at www.sec.gov. I would also like to remind everyone that this call is being recorded and will be made available for replay via link in the Investor Relations section of Applied Digital's website. Now, I'd like to turn the call over to Applied Digital's Chairman and CEO, Wes Cummins. Wes? Wes Cummins: Thanks, Matt, and good afternoon, everyone. Thank you for joining our fiscal second quarter 2025 conference call. I want to start by expressing gratitude to our employees for their continued hard work and service in supporting our mission of providing purpose-built infrastructure to the rapidly growing high performance computing industry. Before turning the call over to our CFO, Saidal Mohmand, for a detailed review of our financial results, I'd like to share some recent developments across our businesses. Starting with our data center hosting business, we currently have 286 megawatts of data center capacity for our cryptocurrency clients across two fully contracted locations in North Dakota, which are operating at full capacity. As many of you know, Bitcoin recently hit a $100,000 and the demand for our services in this sector remains robust. Next, let's discuss our cloud services business, which provides high-performance computing power for AI applications. This segment continues to experience growth as we fulfill our existing contracts and explore new opportunities in our pipeline. As of the end of the second quarter, we had six clusters online. We're currently evaluating numerous opportunities in this area as we see how next generation GPUs come to market. In our HPC hosting segment, we continue construction of our 400-megawatt campus in Ellendale, North Dakota. In December, we reached a major milestone with the successful energization of the main substation transformer. Additionally, I'm very pleased to announce that we won the DCD Community Impact Award for our Ellendale Community and Economic Development Initiative, through the R-WISH program, we are addressing housing shortages and supporting workforce growth in Ellendale, North Dakota. This is a significant accomplishment for emerging firm like ours in the data center space as we were finalists alongside established companies from around the globe, such as Google, NTT DATA from India and Telehouse Europe based in London. Lets now turn to the topic that everyone -- that's on everyone's mind, the least of our campus in Ellendale, North Dakota. Over the past year, we've learned that the hyperscaler contract process is extremely thorough. While we cannot control their speed, we are focusing on what we can control, completing the construction of a 100-megawatt data center on time and within budget. I strongly believe that our Ellendale campus is a valuable asset with 100 megawatts of critical IT load available in 2025. We believe it is in our shareholder's best interest to continue managing what we can and avoid speculating on an exact date. While the process has been long, one of the major benefits of undergoing such a significant diligence process is that we have been engaged with some of the largest finance and investment partners in the world. Today, I'm excited to share, we've agreed to form strategic partnership with Macquarie Asset Management. Macquarie Asset Management, the asset management division of Macquarie Group is a global financial services organization operating in 34 markets with over 20,000 employees. They have been recognized as one of the largest infrastructure investors in the world for the past 12 years, raising over $80 billion in capital last year alone. Macquarie brings extensive experience in infrastructure, investments in data centers. We will leverage their infrastructure investing and development expertise along with our growing digital -- along with their growing digital ecosystem capabilities to complement Applied Digital's expertise in delivering and servicing data center infrastructure solutions for enterprise and hyperscale companies. The partnership will include a $5 billion perpetual preferred equity financing facility. This facility will allocate up to $900 million to the company's Ellendale high-performance computing data center campus and give Macquarie the right of first refusal to invest up to an additional $4.1 billion across Applied Digital's future HPC data center pipeline. The investment will take the form of perpetual preferred and 15% common equity interest in Applied Digital's HPC business segment. The Macquarie investment in conjunction with future project financing will be used to repay project level debt and allow the company to recover over an estimated $300 million of its equity investment in Ellendale HPC campus. We believe this expanded relationship with Macquarie positions Applied Digital for significant growth in the industry, establishing Applied Digital as one of the fastest growing HPC data center owners, operators and developers in the United States. At today's build cost, we have a significant portion of the equity needed to construct over 2 gigawatts of the HPC data center capacity, including our Ellendale HPC campus. With an 85% ownership stake in both existing and future HPC assets to project level preferred equity financing facility sufficient to fund our HPC project pipeline, we believe we are positioned for transformative progress. We're excited to have Macquarie support as we establish ourselves as a leader in the Tier 3 data center infrastructure sector, while continuing to develop and operate large scale state-of-the-art data centers for world-class customers at the forefront of the AI revolution. In summary, we're encouraged by the positive trends we're witnessing across our business and remain confident in our growth trajectory. With that, I will now turn the call over to our CFO, Saidal Mohmand, to walk you through our financials and provide an update on guidance. Saidal? Saidal Mohmand: Thanks, Wes, and good afternoon, everyone. It has been an active few months for our finance and accounting teams, and I'm delighted to lead the department as a new CFO. Let me begin by highlighting some of our recent financial announcements followed by sharing the overview of the quarter. In November, we completed a $450 million, 2.75% convertible senior note offering due 2030, which included $84 million allocated for share repurchases. In December, we announced a $150 million senior secured debt financing facility with Macquarie Equipment Capital and simultaneously repaid our senior credit facility with CIM Group. This allowed us to remove encumbrances on assets as well as the parent guarantee. Today, we announced the strategic partnership with Macquarie Asset Management for a $5 billion perpetual preferred equity financing facility. Now let's turn to the quarter. Revenues for the fiscal second quarter of 2025 were $63.9 million, up 51% over the prior comparable period. This increase was primarily driven by the continued growth of our cloud services business due to the deployment of additional GPU clusters. In total, our Data Center Hosting segment generated $36.2 million in revenue, while our Cloud Services segment contributed $27.7 million. Cost of revenues increased $22.6 million to $52.4 million from the prior comparable period, primarily driven by the growth in the business as more facilities were energized and additional services were provided to customers. SG&A expense increased $9.5 million to $29.8 million, also driven by growth in the business as more facilities were energized and additional services were provided. This quarter, our depreciation and amortization expense increased to $26.4 million compared to $13.4 million in the same period of 2024. Of this amount, $21.7 million is attributable to D&A in our Cloud segment. This segment's D&A was primarily driven by the amortization of our GPU leases over a two-year period, which we've discussed in previous earnings calls. During the quarter, we renegotiated our GPU lease terms, which allowed us to extend the amortization period for GPU leases to a more industry-standard timeline of five years. This adjustment reduced segment D&A expense by $8.5 million for this quarter. Looking ahead, we expect this change to further lower D&A expenses by about $7 million per quarter on a GAAP reported basis. All in going forward, we expect to recognize around $15 million per quarter in the cloud segment for the D&A. Moving on to interest expense. Interest expense increased $4.9 million to $7.5 million primarily driven by an increase in finance leases and interest bearing loans between periods. Net loss attributable to our common stockholders was $138.7 million or $0.66 on a basic and diluted share. I want to note that this quarter was impacted by the loss and conversion of debt of $25.4 million as convertible debt issued to YA Fund was converted during the period. We also recognized a loss on change in the fair value of debt of $87.2 million due to adjustments, the fair value of the 2.75% convertible senior nodes during the two week period in which the conversion option was recorded as a derivative. This was prior to us receiving shareholder approval at the annual meeting on November 20th, 2024 to increase our authorized share account. The adjusted net loss was $12.6 million or $0.06 per share. The EBITDA increased 93% to $21.4 million as well. Moving to our balance sheet, we ended the fiscal second quarter with $314.6 million of cash, cash equivalent and restricted cash, along with $479.6 million in debt. With that, I'll turn over the call to Wes for closing remarks. Wes Cummins: Thank you, Saidal. The rapid expansion of hyperscale data centers driven by growing demand for AI capabilities is presenting significant challenges to the electricity availability in the U.S. According to a recent Morgan Stanley report, there could be a shortfall of approximately 36 gigawatts in power available for U.S. data centers by 2028. Addressing this issue is not straightforward as adding new capacity requires lengthy planning, regulatory approvals, and the development of new generation and transmission infrastructure processes that can span years or even decades. Based on these dynamics, we believe that much of the U.S. is currently available excess power could be under contract within the next few years. Applied Digital was one of the first companies to recognize this growing demand for power in data centers. Anticipating these needs, we began construction of our facilities before the market fully grasps the shifting demand landscape. As a result, we believe we're well positioned to capitalize on these trends. Our strategy has been further validated over the past year by securing strategic investments from CIM Group, NVIDIA, and now Macquarie Asset Management. These investments not only validate our vision and approach, but also lower our cost to capital and accelerate the development of our pipeline, transforming it into a highly valuable assets for our shareholders. Our vision is to establish a platform for building and operating multiple HPC data centers. We're proud of the significant progress achieved this quarter and look forward to sharing further updates as the year unfolds. We welcome your questions at this time. Operator? Operator: [Operator Instructions] And our first question comes from Nick Giles, B. Riley Securities. Nick Giles: Wes and team congratulations on today's announcement. In the release, you noted late-stage discussions with multiple hyperscalers. And I was wondering, can you provide any color on where due diligence processes stand with the other potential hyperscalers at this point? My next question is, would there come a point where you would reenter exclusivity with any of these counterparties? Wes Cummins: Nick, thanks for the question. So I think we disclosed in either October or November that we had the exclusivity with the first potential customer had expired. We opened up the site for additional customers to look. Those are in varying stages of progress, but it's once -- I would say this once it's been done, once everything is prepared for easy access on when you're doing the diligence around technicals, the design, fiber, power, all of those things. So much more accelerated progression of those. And does that answer your question? Nick Giles: That does. That's very helpful. Maybe just a follow-up one on the Macquarie investment. How long have you been looking at similar deals? And to what extent did terms improve over that timeline? Wes Cummins: So, we started this process last year. It's been probably seven months. We looked at multiple proposals. And I think as the market developed and the year moved on and the progress that we've made at our site, we, I think signed the best terms and I'm very happy with the outcome on the terms we did with this structure with Macquarie. But we did do a full process to make sure that we were getting the best partner and best terms. Operator: And our next question comes from Rob Brown, Lake Street Capital. Rob Brown: Good afternoon. Just a little further on the hyperscaler discussions, I know you can't exactly predict, but are they kind of moving forward? Are you looking through final details? Are there kind of roadblocks that you've run into? Just some sense of maybe where it's at and what's left to go. Wes Cummins: Hey, Rob. Thanks. What I would say about it, I think the best way to frame this is the experience we have had thus far, again very thorough process. We've done great, like it's from a design technical perspective, fiber, the work we've done there and what's going into that site specifically in Ellendale power, all of that has been great and made a huge amount of progress on that. I think with our, the announcement today, we're hitting really one of the last piece of the puzzle for us, which is -- I think I've communicated this before. We, while we have this, I think the demand for this capacity again, I don't know of anything of this scale available in 2025 is going to allow us to break into full-stack development and operations in the hyperscale market. But the last piece here is, we're new entrant, we're a first-time supplier to any of these hyperscalers and the financial backing from a very well-known partner with a lot of capital, I think, is really helpful in checking the box for the last hurdle we need to get over. But I'm really optimistic about finalizing a lease on that facility and then moving on to the next level. Rob Brown: Okay, got it. And then with this funding, are there I guess the next facilities and the funding backing for I guess an additional $4 billion plus, how does that kind of open up the marketplace? How does that accelerate maybe some of these other discussions you're having? Wes Cummins: Again, I think just the backing in general, right? There's the full amount of due diligence. There's a reason that, that we both wanted to enter into this partnership. We have a great power pipeline with a great data center development team, great ops team. And so once we finalize this first, and we have a significant amount of 2026 power available. That's the next step as well as marketing across 3 different locations. And what this really does for us, Rob, and it's -- I think this is really important, is it funds -- I talked about this for, I think, our last 2 or 3 earnings calls, we really needed to move financing and funding down to the asset level. This is an asset-heavy business, a CapEx-heavy business, and this is a huge step in moving that down to the asset level. So every time we start a new campus, every time we get a new contract, there's not the question mark of where do you get the equity? How much dilution comes at the public company? It just lays a very clear road map between the equity commitment and then project finance on the debt side that we layered on top of that to allow us to go out and build as we said in the prepared remarks over 2 gigawatts of the pipeline, which is what we have in the near term, '25, '26, '27 pipeline to go and build out. But I think the important part here is it provides a very clear road map of how we plan to finance that. Operator: Our next question comes from Darren Aftahi, ROTH Capital Partners. Darren Aftahi: If I may. Just on the Macquarie announcement this morning, is there anything strategic in terms of the process and timing as it relates to the lease? And then I know you guys already hit this to the multiple hyperscalers in the PR. Is there a scenario where that 400 megawatts in Ellendale be a split amongst 2? Or are you kind of down the path of one entity is going to take all the capacity. Wes Cummins: Thanks, Darren. On the first question, it's really about getting to the right terms, and I'm not going to get into whether there's anything else as far as the timing around that. On the second question, it could split, I strongly believe it's going to be a single customer for the entire campus. Operator: Our next question comes from Mike Grondahl, Northland Securities. Mike Grondahl: Could you remind us exactly how much money you had invested in Ellendale, HPC and how much you'll be able to pull out with this Macquarie financing? Wes Cummins: Yes. I'll let Saidal into that. Saidal Mohmand: Mike, so as we disclosed in the 8-K, we have roughly over $700 million invested in the Ellendale campus and assuming project financing on terms entered along the lease, we expect in excess of $300 million of cash proceeds that we can take back up to the parent. Wes Cummins: But Mike, I think it's important just as a reminder, we have the Macquarie Capital facility there. There's some -- there's the extra debt that is going to be paid back as well. So when you're trying to do the math between the $700 million and then when we pull out, there is that debt repayment. Saidal Mohmand: Effectively for the Ellendale campus, view it as the Applied requirement, on a megawatt basis, of $1 million per megawatt from Applied, and that we increase the $750,000 going forward outside the Ellendale campus. Mike Grondahl: Right. So on the $700 million or over $700 million you have invested in Ellendale, you'll end up with a net $400 million with that $180 million of debt paid off and then you'll pull out some other capital. So your net investment is about $400 million? Wes Cummins: There's also, it's also a moving target too. Just think about it right. We're spending we're putting dollars into the ground every month in the project as well. Yes. A moving target as far as what we'll be able to pull back out. Mike Grondahl: Got it. Wes Cummins: The cash comes back out of the, what is now the HPC subsidiary and goes back to the public parent club. Mike Grondahl: Okay. And then two more questions. One, Wes, if you could maybe define your pipeline right now, it looks like Macquarie can fund two gigawatts. Do you after the $400 million, how much more do you have or can you get your hands on? And then secondly, if you could, I don't know, maybe just demand sounds pretty good with all these hyperscalers, but what's the pricing environment look like? Wes Cummins: So I'll answer the second one first. So the pricing environment is reflective of the demand environment. And I think there's plenty of data points just even in the last few weeks about data center spend from some of the hyperscalers that is a strong indicator of where the demand in the market remains. And then go to the pipeline, Mike, we've talked about this on our last call. We have other campuses, I think that the total is 1.6 gigawatts, so that's the two outside of Ellendale, 1.6 gigawatts of campuses that we have 2026 power and 2027 power. So those are the ones that in some cases we've already been in market with those campuses. Mike Grondahl: So outside of Ellendale 1.6 and you can have that available 26 or 27? Okay. Wes Cummins: Yes. I this is like building all of that. You actually can't build it all for 27, but, first power available in 26. And at this point, that's really, all that matters. If you if you haven't started building now, you're not having 2025 power. So this is really looking at 26 for the other campuses. Operator: And our next question comes from George Sutton, Craig-Hallum. George Sutton: Thank you and congratulations on the Macquarie deal today. So, I'm curious, Wes, I understand timing is challenging to predict, but in the facility, it looks like there is a February 15, 2025 lease signing date that is necessary for this. Can you just address that specific date? Wes Cummins: Yes. So, thanks, George. But the, so the Feb 15 is not a lease signing date. I have to go back and look, but I think that outside date is maybe in June. But the Feb 15 is for completion of some other items, but it's not a lease signature date. George Sutton: And just so we can define this for everybody, my belief is and correct me if I'm wrong, this is effectively the infrastructure equity components going forward. So, you would go get a traditional construction loan financing for a large percentage. Underneath that would be the infrastructure equity that is a fairly significant portion of the rest of that. That's what this represents, correct? Wes Cummins: That's exactly it. So, important to delineate here between the equity components, which is what this deal is, and then the debt component, which is project finance that then in the future flips into an ABS or another debt instrument. So, if you want to look at total capital that would be available when you match that equity with debt, right, there's a big multiplier effect there. George Sutton: Understand. And then lastly, if I could just understand the 15% ownership that Macquarie takes on of the HPC business, what investment are they making for that? Is that the initial $200-ish million? Or is there a requirement for them to fund a specific portion of the $5 billion in total. Saidal Mohmand: So George, the way to think about it, it's basically lease by lease, each asset. We'll go into what we deem what we call the box, the HPC company, APLDH, so any asset that goes into that entity, they will own 15% of. And assuming that, that goes on, they accept the lease and then it's funded [indiscernible] entering entity. Wes Cummins: Yes. So any asset that they fund goes into the entity. So it's asset by asset that drops in. George Sutton: Beautiful. Okay. So they don't choose to support a specific project that would not contain the equity in that case. Wes Cummins: Yes. That's correct. Operator: And our last question comes from Brett Knoblauch, Cantor Fitzgerald. Brett Knoblauch: On the ROFR, is that just a ROFR on the perpetual preferreds or would you have to use that before, say you wanted to raise traditional equity through a secondary? Or you have to use the preferred before you could go down that route? Wes Cummins: So it's -- think of it at 2 different levels. So we want to finance everything at the asset level with the preferred anything up as the top company if you're talking about like our public equity, there's nothing on that. And if that's not what you mean then please correct me. Brett Knoblauch: I think that answers it. And then just another question on kind of Macquarie will receive preferred in common. I guess how many shares of common are they getting? And how does that mechanism work? Wes Cummins: So it's just 15% of the HPC subsidiary. Brett Knoblauch: So not like common of the parent? Wes Cummins: Not comment of the parent. 15% of the HPC subsidiary. Brett Knoblauch: Understood. Perfect. And then just maybe just on the terms, 12.75% on dividend, I guess, you guys talked about lease terms ranging in the yield on cost range of, call it, low to mid-teens, which is more or less the cost of capital here on the preferred equity side, have you seen terms improve to a level where you get a yield on cost above the cost of the preferred? Wes Cummins: Yes. So just remember, the preferred is a sliver of the capital. And then the remainder of capital is our equity in the site and then project level finance, which is the SOFR plus [ 250 or 225 ]. So when you look at the blended cost, we fully expect the return to be well north of our cost of capital. Operator: And we do have one more question from Brian Biden, Needham & Co. Unidentified Analyst: You mentioned there's been some learnings on the delivered approach hyperscalers take, what's one of those learnings you can apply to the next set of negotiations, some of which may be ongoing. Wes Cummins: Yes. So just the preparation of everything that we need to provide going through the process, like I said, it was much more accelerated with anyone else because we have all the [indiscernible], we have the knowledge base of what is being looked for potential changes for things in the future as far as design and there's a constant evolution, especially on cooling, so there's that aspect. And then I think one of the biggest is just, I'll call it being stamped, right, just getting through the process, signing a lease being stamped by one of these types of customers that we have the ability to do all of these things. I think that's going to help accelerate it. One of the things that we have learned is first-time supplier, it always is going to take longer than if you're already a supplier to that company. And that shouldn't be, I guess, a big surprise, but it's just the delta between existing supplier first times is a little bit larger than we thought. Operator: Thank you. There are no further questions at this time. I would like to pass it back to Wes Cummins for closing remarks. Wes Cummins: Thank you. Thanks, everyone, for joining our Q2 fiscal 2025 conference call. I look forward to speaking with everyone in April. Operator: Thank you. This does conclude today's teleconference. We thank you for your participation. You may disconnect your lines at this time. Dont miss this second chance at a potentially lucrative opportunity Ever feel like you missed the boat in buying the most successful stocks? Then youll want to hear this. 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As with all our articles, The Motley Fool does not assume any responsibility for your use of this content, and we strongly encourage you to do your own research, including listening to the call yourself and reading the company's SEC filings. Please see our Terms and Conditions for additional details, including our Obligatory Capitalized Disclaimers of Liability. The Motley Fool has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. Applied Digital APLD Q2 2025 Earnings Transcript was originally published by The Motley Fool Advertisement Analysis PoliticsFederalPolitical leadership Leys leadership is in mortal danger but so is Littleprouds Paul Sakkal Updated January 22, 2026 11:59am ,first published 11:54am Save You have reached your maximum number of saved items. Remove items from your saved list to add more. Save this article for later Add articles to your saved list and come back to them anytime. Got it Share A A A David Littleproud effectively just announced the death of the Coalition unless Sussan Leys enemies topple her. The remarkable attack underscores how much pressure the Nationals leader is under as Australias century-old conservative political alliance crumbles. Rift David Littleproud and Sussan Ley. Marija Ercegovac The Queenslander said on Thursday morning that he didnt want to speculate about what could happen if the Liberal leadership changed hands, but he knew one thing for certain: We cannot be part of a shadow ministry under Sussan Ley. For all the talk about Leys weak leadership since the election, Littleprouds tenuous grip on power has flown under the radar.v Advertisement Advertisement Its against this backdrop that the wild events of the past few days must be viewed. Littleproud couldnt get his party to a position on Labors rushed hate speech laws and says he was left with no choice but to vote against a flawed bill that sparked free speech concerns from the Greens, civil liberties groups and conservatives such as Canavan. Ley should never have accepted the resignation letters from frontbenchers Bridget McKenzie and company, Littleproud now argues, because the shadow cabinet never really agreed to a position. This is contradicted by McKenzies resignation letter to Ley, which refers to a decision taken by the shadow cabinet to support Labors watered-down laws. Whether Ley should have accepted the resignations or shown leniency given the unique circumstances of the emergency parliamentary session will be debated for years. Advertisement Putting aside the procedural minutiae, a view among some MPs is that this kind of split which looks irredeemable right now could only reach this point under the current Coalition leadership. Littleproud is compelled to go along with Canavan and other Nationals-first MPs who privately believe the conservative rural party will be better off alone without their Liberal colleagues. And Ley lacks the heft to keep the Nationals in the tent. Ley and Littleproud in parliament on Wednesday. Alex Ellinghausen In all likelihood, this split will be much longer than the brief eight-day divorce after the election. Moderate Liberals in particular hold out some hope that a Liberal-only opposition will allow the party to reconnect with city-based voters. Theres no guarantee the Nationals survive this in the long run. Advertisement Formed out of the Country Party in 1920, the Nationals have survived over generations when agrarian sister parties in the US, Canada and Europe died out. As journalist Paul Kelly wrote in his book The End of Certainty, the entire reputation of the great National Party leaders was based upon their ability to win through the Coalition an influence beyond their numbers. Nationals (from left) Ross Cadell, Bridget McKenzie, Matt Canavan and Susan McDonald voted against Labors hate crime legislation. Cadell, McKenzie and McDonald subsequently quit the opposition frontbench. Alex Ellinghausen McKenzie and Cadell, among others, got their jobs by being second on joint Liberal-National tickets. And with One Nation rapidly closing the gap on the Coalition, its not even clear whether the joint Coalition will easily secure second senators in some states. The absurd games of the past few days may amount to shuffling deck chairs on the Titanic as conservative politics in Australia endures a painful transformation. Advertisement Ley and Littleproud do not get along. The first split this term was driven by Littleproud in a week when Leys mother died. The Liberal leader was directly attacked by Littleproud on Thursday morning, and key right-wingers such as Jonno Duniam, Michaelia Cash and James Paterson are fully backing her actions. But her rash calls to bring parliament back early lit the touch paper for this weeks bonfire. Liberals might rally around Ley during this moment of crisis, but even moderate Liberals admit the death of the Coalition, an exceptionally successful arrangement that turned into the natural party of government in Australia for many years, will probably lead to Leys own political downfall. MPs largely agree that Leys leadership is deeply wounded, and is most likely to be rolled at some stage. But how the next few weeks play out is hard to predict. Advertisement Angus Taylor is in Europe, and has spent this week calling colleagues to test the mood. There is no appetite to make any moves before parliament is back in February. Another leadership candidate, Andrew Hastie, was damaged in the hate speech debate. Ley could buy time by offering frontbench positions vacated by the Nationals, and so could stay as leader for months in a weakened state. Cut through the noise of federal politics with news, views and expert analysis. Subscribers can sign up to our weekly Inside Politics newsletter. 3. Just Maz is on debut and comes into this on the back of a win in her most recent trial at Rosehill. She looks to have ability and this looks well within her reach after a number of scratchings. 7. Rach resumes from a spell and should be primed to sprint well fresh. 8. Edge Of Infinity ran fifth of six at Warwick Farm when resuming and shouldnt be underestimated. 2. Almaaz makes her debut after a number of trials including two recently and beats close watching. How to play it: Just Maz WIN. Race 5: 8. Golden Loom enjoyed a good run off the speed before coming with a well-timed run to score decisively at this track on January 1. He accounted for Monopolistic in that event and that horse came out to win last Friday night. 5. Steel Strike has been placed in all three runs since resuming from a spell and should be in the thick of things again if he can maintain that form. 2. Bat Out Of Hell has been racing well with second placings in two of his last three starts at this track. He should run well again. 6. Roussillon followed a second at Warwick Farm with a fifth at the same track and cant be taken lightly. How to play it: Golden Loom EACH WAY. Race 6: 10. Allegro Miss did the job well when scoring a good win at this track over this distance last week and can figure prominently again. 8. Humanity resumed from a long spell with a seventh at Wyong and should be better for that run, while 3. Assailant resumes from a spell here and has been placed in two of four starts since arriving in Australia. 9. Scarli Japali hit the line strongly to score here last time out and can figure again with a repeat of that. How to play it: Allegro Miss WIN. Advertisement WorldNorth AmericaTrump's America This quiet, frozen frontier town is now key to Trumps global ambitions Anna Griffin January 23, 2026 5:00am Save You have reached your maximum number of saved items. Remove items from your saved list to add more. Save this article for later Add articles to your saved list and come back to them anytime. Got it Share A A A Nome, Alaska: To the unimaginative eye, the view of Nome, Alaska, from Joy Bakers well-heated SUV looked like a whole lot of nothing: the early winter sun was sliding below the horizon barely four hours after it had risen, the grey water of the inner harbour had already frozen over, and the only stirring came from a flock of hearty seabirds diving for dinner just offshore. But Baker has a vision that goes well beyond the subarctic calm: More traffic, more services, more jobs. More of everything for people here. Baker is director of the Port of Nome and thus the local overseer for a $US548 million ($805 million)-and-counting plan to expand the port, in one of Americas most remote cities on the Bering Sea. Nome is a quiet, frozen frontier town much of the year, known mostly for the Iditarod sled race, and reachable only by air except for a few summer months when the water thaws enough to allow boats through. Nome, population 3700, is accessible only by plane, apart from a few months when boats can pass through. Ruth Fremson/The New York Times Soon, however, Nomes existing dock will be turned into the countrys first deepwater Arctic port, a critical hub in US President Donald Trumps ambitions to make the United States master of the far north and compete with other world powers for untapped natural resources and shipping corridors. Advertisement Trump didnt originate the decade-old plan to expand Nomes existing port, but his Arctic ambitions, including his efforts to take over Greenland, are long-standing and widely known. Joy Baker, a former harbour master who came out of retirement to manage its port expansion. Ruth Fremson/The New York Times Trumps aspirations for Nome were made clear near the end of his first term, when Congress authorised the port expansion with administration support. Last year, the project moved from paper to procurement as the Army Corps of Engineers awarded a $US399.4 million construction contract for the first phase amid an administration-wide push to treat the Arctic and critical minerals as strategic priorities. This summer, crews will start demolishing the existing port. The expansion should be complete, and Nome potentially remade, by 2033. Its not actually like the current administration is trying to open the Arctic Mother Nature did that, said Baker, a gruff South Texan who moved to Alaska in 1987 and scoffs at ever returning to what Alaskans call, not always lovingly, the Lower 48. I just see the current administration as just capitalising in a way that will ensure our country is more self-sufficient. That cant be a bad thing. Advertisement Whether the port expansion will be good for Nome is a big question for many of the towns 3700 year-round residents and an itinerant population of contractors, health workers and dog-mushing fans. Port expansion, and the economic growth that follows, is expected to double or even triple the population, and some in Nome worry about what could happen without a solid strategy for long-term economic health. Nomes existing dock will be turned into the countrys first deepwater Arctic port. Ruth Fremson/The New York Times This is something of a boom-and-bust town, said Jim West jnr, a long-time civic leader whose eclectic portfolio of businesses includes a gravel company, the local taxi service and the 125-year-old Board of Trade Saloon. We need to make sure this isnt just another economic cycle but something with lasting benefits for our children and grandchildren. Nomes boom began at the turn of the 20th century when prospectors immortalised as the Three Lucky Swedes found gold in nearby Anvil Creek. Their discovery briefly turned Nome into Alaskas largest city, with more than 20,000 residents. A second kind of gold rush came in 2011, prompted by surging gold prices and consisting largely of offshore dredging, but ebbed almost as quickly as it began. Advertisement Today, the flat, treeless winter tundra around Nome is dotted with abandoned mining rigs, and the city is stuck in economic stagnation. Little is produced this close to the Arctic Circle, and everything must arrive either by plane or seasonal barge. Prices, in turn, would shock Lower 48 shoppers. On a recent visit, a gallon of petrol cost $US6.50 ($2.52 a litre), a gallon of milk went for $US6.99, and one browning honeydew melon was priced at almost $US12. Its hard to convince locals to stay and even harder to woo new year-round residents. The hospital and most construction companies bring in temporary workers and either build their own housing or provide housing subsidies that reduce supply and raise costs for year-round residents. The hospital and most construction companies bring in temporary workers and either build their own housing or provide housing subsidies that reduce supply and raise costs for year-round residents. Ruth Fremson/The New York Times Civic leaders like Baker, a former Nome harbour master who came out of retirement to manage the expansion, believe the project will lead to financial sustainability. But that presumes city officials can figure out how to pay for it all. Under its deal with the state and federal governments, Nome must cover 10 per cent of port construction costs and 100 per cent of its own port-related infrastructure needs, such as roads, street lights and sewer lines. The city does not know how much that will cost. Beyond Nome City Hall, optimism about the ports effect is the cautious sort. Advertisement Teriscovkya Smith, the principal at Nome-Beltz Middle High School, estimated that 80 per cent of her students wont go to college and hoped the expansion could bring vocational internships and quality entry-level jobs. So far, however, she hasnt heard from anyone involved in the project. Students in a carpentry class at Nome-Beltz Middle High School. The principal hopes the expansion can bring vocational internships and quality entry-level jobs. Ruth Fremson/The New York Times People who stay build careers, they buy houses, they pay property taxes, said Smith, who fished in Alaska for 10 years before becoming a teacher. Theres a real risk that we just waste an amazing opportunity. In October, Nome voters agreed to increase the local sales tax to 6 per cent to avoid cuts to services such as pothole repair, as well as hours at the town recreation centre. The Nome school district balanced its budget last year by taking money from a fund set aside for teacher housing. Seeing money go into the port when other services face cuts can rankle. I see the point of this thing for some other people for the military maybe, for big shipping companies, for cruise lines, said Keith Reddaway, co-owner of Builders Industrial Supply, a hardware store a block from the port. But Im not sure I see the point for Nome. Advertisement Tribal members also worry about what this all could mean for the subsistence lifestyle that dominates their 15 Alaska villages of the Bering Strait region. Around Nome, 86 per cent of the population identifies as Indigenous. The port expansion and a new nearby graphite mine, fast-tracked by Trump, could bring more noise, air and water pollution, damage fishing and affect migratory birds and whales. Theyre scared that they will be forced to abandon their traditional homes and seasonal schedules. And they worry Nome, always a little gritty around the edges, will revert to its rougher early days. Workers from Anchorage have dinner at Milanos, a popular gathering place. Ruth Fremson/The New York Times Outsiders bring in drugs, said Shirley Martin, a member of the Yupik nation, whose village is across the Norton Sound. People from the villages come through all the time to see family, go to the doctor, mail packages, just eat out. Will this still be a place where we feel comfortable? This is not the first time Nome has played a part in American security. During the Cold War, the US military kept Air Force bases connected in case of a Soviet attack with an antenna installation atop nearby Anvil Mountain. Today, locals call the abandoned array Nomehenge. Advertisement Now, with sea ice thawing and the United States, Russia and China all eyeing Arctic shipping lanes and natural resources, Nome has emerged again as one of the most strategically important places in the northern hemisphere. Related Article Updated Trump diplomacy Trump retreats on Greenland threats as framework for a future deal discussed The expanded port wont be a military base, but Nome is an hours flight from Russia. Deepening the port from almost seven metres to about 12 metres will allow every type of US military vessel, except aircraft carriers, to dock in Nome. Im a small-town police chief, and Ive got intelligence officers from the Navy, the Coast Guard, the Air Force coming in here to sit with me, said William Crockett, Nomes retiring police chief. Something big is coming. This article originally appeared in The New York Times. Get a note directly from our foreign correspondents on whats making headlines around the world. Sign up for our weekly What in the World newsletter. Advertisement WorldOceaniaExtreme weather A caravan almost hit me: Australian tourists terrifying escape from NZ campground landslide Eva Gallot Updated January 22, 2026 2:01pm ,first published 12:56pm Save You have reached your maximum number of saved items. Remove items from your saved list to add more. Save this article for later Add articles to your saved list and come back to them anytime. Got it Share A A A Tauranga/Melbourne: An Australian tourist has described his terrifying escape from a landslide at Mount Maunganui on New Zealands North Island, saying he was swimming in a pool when a caravan smashed through a cinder block wall and crashed down beside him. Multiple people are missing after the landslide at about 9.30am (7.30am AEDT) wiped out parts of the Beachside Holiday Park in Mount Maunganui, a popular tourist spot in the Bay of Plenty region along the northern coast of New Zealand. Police District Commander Superintendent Tim Anderson said the number was in the single figures while Emergency Minister Mark Mitchell confirmed children were among those unaccounted for. Speaking to a Stuff reporter, Sonny Worrall from Newcastle said he had to dive into the next pool to avoid being struck. Sonny Worrall from Newcastle said the scene felt like a movie. Tony Wall/Stuff As Im swimming, I heard this huge landslide behind me, trees cracking, and there was a caravan that almost hit me. I was just fearing for my life, he said. It was the scariest thing Ive ever felt in my life. Advertisement Still visibly shaken, he said the scene felt like a movie. Luckily, there were no children in the kids pool. But who knows there could have been someone inside the caravan that was swept over. Fire and Emergency NZ commander William Pike said voices were initially heard in the rubble but no survivors had been recovered by late Thursday. Members of the public tried to get into the rubble and did hear some voices, he told reporters at the site. Our initial fire crew arrived and were able to hear the same. Shortly after our initial crew arrived, we withdrew everyone from the site due to possible movement and slip. Advertisement No sign of life had been detected since, he said. Were going right through [the night] until weve rescued anyone, he said. Its a complex and high-risk environment. Pike said the slip, which hit the back of the pools at the campground, was still moving when emergency services responded. They would now try to de-layer part of the rubble. Anderson said it was possible we will find someone alive. Tauranga Mayor Mahe Drysdale said some of the people who were unaccounted for had checked out of the holiday park without informing officials. Advertisement Another Australian tourist, Glynn Jones, had been walking on the beach and was just about to return to his hotel opposite the Mount Hot Pools when he heard a crack and looked up. I just saw the whole landslide coming a pohutakawa tree coming, he said. Emergency services continue to search for survivors. Lisette Reymer/Stuff Then all of a sudden a caravan got tossed up in the air and then the [tree] went up in the air and landed on its side. It was horrendous. Jones said his son and grandchildren from Wellington were staying at the campground but were OK. Advertisement Whoever is under there, all we can do is hope and pray, he said. Penny Carnaby saw the devastation unfold from the apartments directly across the road. The slip, which hit the back of the pools at the campground, was still moving when emergency services responded. Stuff NZ She heard a loud crack and rushed to the verandah. I just saw it keep coming and coming, and everyone was running and there was screaming and yelling It just happened so fast. It was just horrific. Advertisement She said in the desperate minutes before emergency services arrived, bystanders raced to the scene of the slip to help. There was nothing that they could do, because theres so much dirt, a tearful Carnaby told Stuff. It took out the whole kitchen block. The slip happened about 9.30am (7.30am AEDT). AP Heavy rains have caused widespread damage on the east coast of the North Island, with homes evacuated, thousands without power and roads closed. Geoscientists are now assessing the mountain to determine whether it is safe. Advertisement Prime Minister Christopher Luxon said on X that he was actively monitoring situations across the country including the major incident in Mount Maunganui. New Zealand forecaster MetService has lifted all weather warnings in the North Island as the tropical low moves east. Some warnings remain in place for the South Island, but they are expected to ease on Thursday. A Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade spokesperson said officials were making urgent inquiries with local authorities to determine whether any Australians had been affected. Our thoughts are with those affected by the landslide at New Zealands Mount Maunganui, they said. Advertisement Separately, two people were killed when a landslide hit a house in the community of Welcome Bay. Stuff.co.nz, AP, Reuters Get a note directly from our foreign correspondents on whats making headlines around the world. Sign up for our weekly What in the World newsletter. PHILIPSBURG:--- The wheels of democracy in Sint Maarten appear to be grinding to a halt, with a growing backlog of unheld meetings leaving Parliamentand by extension the publicin the dark on critical issues ranging from national security to tax reform. According to the latest "Pending Meeting Requests" list dated January 7, 2026, obtained by SMN-News, dozens of crucial discussions requested by Members of Parliament remain outstanding. The document paints a concerning picture of a legislature waiting on the executive branch, with some requests dating back to 2023. The "Top 3" Accountability Gaps An analysis of the document reveals that the Ministries of Finance, VROMI, and Justice account for the bulk of the delays, effectively creating a bottleneck on progress. 1. Ministry of Finance: The Legislative Logjam The Minister of Finance currently holds the highest volume of critical pending matters. Most alarming is the delay in discussing the complete overhaul of the tax system. Additionally, the Minister faces a stack of new legislative drafts from January 2026 regarding the supervision of virtual assets (crypto), payment services, and investment firms. Without these meetings, Sint Maartens financial compliance framework hangs in the balance. 2. Ministry of VROMI: Infrastructure & Safety on Hold While the country faces housing shortages and climate risks, the Minister of VROMI has a significant list of outstanding updates. Housing Crisis: Two separate meetings on social housing and the state of national housing (requested in January and May 2025) have yet to take place. Flood Readiness: A request from November 2025 to discuss "national flood management and drainage readiness" remains pending. With weather patterns becoming increasingly unpredictable, the lack of parliamentary scrutiny on our drainage infrastructure is a gamble with public safety. 3. Ministry of Justice: Security Risks Unaddressed The Ministry of Justice is trailing on matters of immediate national security and human rights. Prison Crisis: A roundtable on the capacity and situation at Point Blanche Prison was requested back in November 2024. The document notes the Minister was "ready in April," yet the meeting is still listed as pending in January 2026. Regional Instability: An urgent request from January 5, 2026, to discuss national security concerns following the "capture of Venezuela's Head of State" is listed, with a closed-door meeting held, but an urgent public meeting still to be called. The "Stalling" Tactics? The document reveals a pattern of deferrals that hampers Parliament's ability to supervise. "More Time Needed": The standard response for the tax reform meeting. Budget Deflections: A request to discuss the U.S.-China trade war and the delay of the vendor marketplace (MinTEATT) saw the Minister invite MPs to handle the matter "after Budget 2025". Silence: A request regarding the 2024 General Audit Chamber report is simply listed as "Normally in October," yet remains on the January 2026 list. Impact on the People The consequences of these delays are not just administrative; they are felt on the ground. Economic Stagnation: A presentation on a regulatory model for cannabis legalization, requested in December 2025, is stalled. Uncertainty for TelEm: A critical discussion on TelEm's financial performance, requested in October 2025, is still pending, leaving the job security of employees and the company's viability in question. As the list of "outstanding" meetings grows, so does the deficit of accountability. With Parliament unable to question Ministers on these vital topics, the question must be asked: Is the government avoiding scrutiny, or has the machinery of government simply seized up? Click here for the updated list of pending meetings. GALISBAY, SANDY GROUND A minor suspected of committing an armed robbery was taken into custody by gendarmes on the morning of Thursday, January 22. The arrest followed a dedicated judicial operation in the Galis Bay and Sandy Ground area. The individual is accused of involvement in an armed robbery where a weapon was used. This morning's operation was the culmination of an investigation aimed at identifying and apprehending the person responsible for the crime. Legal proceedings concerning this case are now underway. The Basse-Terre prosecutor's office is directing the judicial process to ensure all legal protocols are followed. This arrest highlights the gendarmerie's ongoing commitment to public safety. Officials have reiterated their full mobilization in the fight against the proliferation of illegal weapons on the island. These efforts are a core part of their mission to ensure the security of all residents and visitors. Further details on the case will be released as the legal process continues. Six years ago, Atari announced ambitious plans to build a gamer-themed hotel in Las Vegas, featuring an e-sports studio and a movie theater. The legacy video game companys management at the time saw hotels as a way to revitalize the brands name, which was largely a nostalgia play. Most Read from Fast Company I love the idea. Its something Ive always wanted to do, said then-CEO Fred Chesnais. I always wanted to make an amusement park, and hotels could be the first step. But now the company tells the Las Vegas Sun that the project has been shelved after the deal didnt come to fruition. Its the latest in a series of disappointments for Ataris lodging ambitions. Only one of what the company had hoped would be at least eight hotels across the U.S. is still in any stage of development. And construction has yet to begin on that project. Chesnais bought Atari in 2013 for just 400 euros following the companys Chapter 11 bankruptcy filing (inheriting with it a debt load of 34 million euros). But he was replaced as CEO in 2021 and formalized his exit from the company in 2022. Despite his departure, the hotel plans pushed forward. Atari continued to look for potential land partners through 2024planning to make announcements in the first half of that yearbut was unable to secure a deal. Other planned hotels in Austin, Chicago, Denver, San Francisco, San Jose, and Seattle also are no longer being discussed publicly and have shown no progress since the company first revealed those locations. That leaves Phoenix, where Atari Hotels (now being run by Intersection Development) is still hoping to salvage at least part of the project. Originally expected to open in 2022, that location is now slated for a late-2028 grand opening, although even that date is hardly set in stone. The developer is appealing to Atari fans to help pay for the project. A fundraising page for the Phoenix hotel says the facility has raised $14 million and secured land (for a project with a total development budget of $124 million). Participants can make a minimum investment of $500, for which they will be part of the hotels loyalty program. Those who cough up $50,000 will receive a physical brick in the gaming-area walkway of the hotel, the builders say. (A digital brick runs $25,000.) Judge blocks US government from searching devices seized from journalist Washington, United States, Jan 21 (AFP) Jan 21, 2026 A US federal judge on Wednesday ruled government officials could not search electronic devices seized by the FBI last week from a Washington Post journalist. The ruling by US Magistrate Judge William Porter said the materials seized from reporter Hannah Natanson could not be reviewed due to pending litigation over the search of her home. "The government must preserve but must not review any of the materials that law enforcement seized...until the Court authorizes review of the materials by further order," Porter wrote in the ruling. Natanson, who reports on the US federal government, covered job cuts in Washington after President Donald Trump took office at the start of his second term. The newspaper reported Natanson's work laptop had been seized during a raid on January 14 at her home in Virginia, along with her personal laptop, cell phone and watch. US Attorney General Pam Bondi said the search was part of an investigation into an alleged leak from the Pentagon, which has tightened media restrictions since Trump took office. FBI agents told Natanson she is not the focus of the government probe, but critics say the move could set a dangerous precedent chilling US press freedom. A statement from The Washington Post said the seizure of their reporter's "confidential newsgathering materials chills speech, cripples reporting, and inflicts irreparable harm every day the government keeps its hands on these materials." "We have asked the court to order the immediate return of all seized materials and prevent their use," the statement continued. "Anything less would license future newsroom raids and normalize censorship by search warrant." NATO chief: sovereignty over Greenland was not discussed with Trump Davos, Switzerland, Jan 21 (AFP) Jan 21, 2026 NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte said Wednesday that he had not discussed the key issue of Danish sovereignty over Greenland in his meeting with US President Donald Trump. Rutte, speaking in a televised interview with Fox News' "Special Report with Bret Baier," offered few details about the supposed "framework" for a deal announced by Trump after his talks with the NATO chief. "We have a good agreement to really start working on these issues," Rutte said, echoing comments earlier to AFP that much work remained to reach an actual deal. "That means that we both agreed, when you look at NATO and what NATO collectively can do to make sure that the whole Arctic region is safe," he said. Asked if Greenland would remain a part of the Kingdom of Denmark under the deal, Rutte said: "That issue did not come up anymore in my conversations tonight with the president." "He's very much focused on what do we need to do to make sure that that huge Arctic region, where change is taking place at the moment, where the Chinese and Russians are more and more active, how we can protect that," he added. "That was really the focus our discussions." Japan suspends restart of world's biggest nuclear plant Tokyo, Jan 22 (AFP) Jan 22, 2026 The restart of the world's largest nuclear power plant was suspended in Japan Thursday just hours after the process began, its operator said, but the reactor remains "stable". Operations to relaunch a reactor at the Kashiwazaki-Kariwa plant in Niigata province, closed since the 2011 Fukushima disaster, began late Wednesday after it received the final green light from the nuclear regulator despite divided public opinion. But its operator the Tokyo Electric Power Company (TEPCO) said that "an alarm from the monitoring system... sounded during the reactor startup procedures", causing them to suspend operations. "We were investigating the malfunctioning electrical equipment," spokesperson Takashi Kobayashi told AFP, and "once it became clear that it would take time, we decided to reinsert the control rods in a planned manner". The reactor "is stable and there is no radioactive impact outside", he said. Control rods are a device used to control the nuclear chain reaction in the reactor core, which can be accelerated by slightly withdrawing them, or slowed down or stopped completely by inserting them deeper. The restart, initially scheduled for Tuesday, had been pushed back after another technical issue related to the rods' removal was detected last weekend -- a problem that was resolved on Sunday, according to TEPCO. Kashiwazaki-Kariwa is the world's biggest nuclear power plant by potential capacity, although just one reactor of seven was restarted. The facility was taken offline when Japan pulled the plug on nuclear power after a colossal earthquake and tsunami sent three reactors at the Fukushima atomic plant into meltdown in 2011. However, resource-poor Japan now wants to revive atomic energy to reduce its reliance on fossil fuels, achieve carbon neutrality by 2050 and meet growing energy needs from artificial intelligence. Kashiwazaki-Kariwa is the first TEPCO-run unit to restart since 2011. The company also operates the stricken Fukushima Daiichi plant, now being decommissioned. Public opinion in Niigata is deeply divided: Around 60 percent of residents oppose the restart, while 37 percent support it, according to a survey conducted in September. "It's Tokyo's electricity that is produced in Kashiwazaki, so why should the people here be put at risk? That makes no sense," Yumiko Abe, a 73-year-old resident, told AFP this week during a protest in front of the plant. Earlier this month, seven groups opposing the restart submitted a petition signed by nearly 40,000 people to TEPCO and Japan's Nuclear Regulation Authority, saying that the plant sits on an active seismic fault zone and noted it was struck by a strong quake in 2007. Bruised European allies wary after Trump's Greenland climbdown Brussels, Belgium, Jan 22 (AFP) Jan 22, 2026 NATO chief Mark Rutte appeared to have pulled off a diplomatic coup by talking US President Donald Trump down from his Greenland demands -- but swirling questions over a purported deal left European allies wary Thursday. Trump's threats over the vast Arctic territory -- an autonomous part of NATO member Denmark -- had plunged relations between Europe and its key ally Washington into their deepest crisis in decades. While Europe breathed a sigh of relief that the immediate threat to NATO seemed to have passed, details remains scant on what might have been agreed. "What is this deal exactly," asked one EU diplomat, speaking as others on condition of anonymity. The EU's 27 leaders will still hold an emergency summit in Brussels on Thursday evening to discuss how to handle the unpredictable US leader as the sense lingers ties were now damaged irreparably. "Trump crossed the Rubicon. He might do it again. There is no coming back to what it was," the diplomat said. "It's good leaders will discuss it as things are unfolding. They all need to understand we need a plan B." The US leader backed down Wednesday both on threatening to seize Greenland by force and on imposing tariffs against European allies, saying he had reached a "framework" of a deal on the island that satisfies him. Trump made the startling turnaround after talks with NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte in Davos, who told AFP afterwards that there was "still a lot of work to be done". The US president insisted the deal gave Washington "everything we wanted" -- however, there was no sign he had succeeded in his repeated vow to make Greenland part of the United States. NATO insisted Rutte "did not propose any compromise to sovereignty" in his talks with Trump. That was backed up by Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen who said she was "informed" the issue was not discussed. "We can negotiate all political aspects: security, investment, the economy. But we cannot negotiate our sovereignty," she said. - 'Firmness' - A second senior European diplomat insisted that the threat of a strong EU reaction had weighed on Trump after calls to unleash the bloc's trade arsenal against the US. "EU firmness and unity have contributed to get him to change his position. Obviously also internal political pressure in the US and market reaction," he said. While the furore over Greenland might have gone off the boil there were still key questions over the US approach to Ukraine and Trump's mooted "Board of Peace" on Gaza. Though details remained scant, there was some early praise for Rutte's careful handling of Trump. "It seems Rutte had a few further tricks up his sleeve," a senior NATO diplomat told AFP. The alliance chief had raised eyebrows by assiduously avoiding any criticism of Trump and turning the subject to a discussion on bolstering Arctic security more broadly. "We are not yet 100 percent out of the woods, but I guess we can say another war was prevented," summed up a second NATO diplomat. Greenland talks aim to prevent Russia, China 'access': NATO chief Davos, Switzerland, Jan 22 (AFP) Jan 22, 2026 Talks with the United States on Greenland will aim to ensure China and Russia do not get military and economic access to the Danish Arctic territory, NATO's chief said Thursday. Following talks with NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte in Davos, Switzerland, on Wednesday, US President Donald Trump backed down on threats to seize Greenland by force, saying he had reached a "framework" of a deal on the island that satisfies him. "It was a very good discussion," Rutte said Thursday at a Ukrainian event on the sidelines of the World Economic Forum in the Swiss mountain resort. The foreign minister of Denmark and Greenland met with US Vice President JD Vance and Secretary of State Marco Rubio in Washington last week. Rutte said the next talks will build on the results from his meeting with Trump. One "work stream" to emerge from his meeting with Trump was how NATO allies -- including its seven members in the Arctic -- can "collectively make sure that the Arctic stays safe, that the Russians and the Chinese stay out". The other issue, he said, was "that we ensure that the Chinese and the Russians will not gain access to the Greenland economy" or militarily. Trump's threats over the vast Arctic territory -- an autonomous part of NATO member Denmark -- had plunged relations between Europe and its key ally Washington into their deepest crisis in decades. On January 21, President of the Republic of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev met with Russell Hardy, Chief Executive Officer of Vitol, in Davos, Azernews reports. During the meeting, information was provided on the oil strategy implemented in Azerbaijan, with emphasis placed on the countrys role in ensuring Europes energy security. In this context, it was highlighted that several European countries, including a number of EU member states, are supplied with Azerbaijani gas. The sides exchanged views on issues of cooperation between Azerbaijan and the company. Vitol, headquartered in Rotterdam, is one of the worlds leading oil trading companies. Founded in 1966, the Vitol Group ranks among the top three global crude oil brokerage firms. Jan 22 (Reuters) - Australia's financial crime watchdog said on Thursday it had ordered an audit of payment platform Airwallex Pty for suspected anti-money laundering and counter-terrorism financing compliance failures. The Australian Transaction Reports and Analysis Centre (AUSTRAC) said in a statement it is concerned that Airwallex's transaction monitoring program has not been attuned to the full range of risks it faces, given the fintech facilitates the transfer of funds to multiple jurisdictions. More from Yahoo Scout Why did AUSTRAC order an audit of Airwallex? How is Airwallex responding to the regulatory investigation? What recent expansion moves has Airwallex made? What compliance failures is Airwallex suspected of? The Australia-founded fintech has also not defined who its customers are and what reporting may be required, it added. "Our concerns also extend to how well Airwallex identifies and reports on suspicious matters and the effective oversight of these important obligations," said AUSTRAC Chief Executive Officer Brendan Thomas. The payment platform, which is co-headquartered in San Francisco and Singapore and is backed by investors including Tencent, DST Global, and Hillhouse said it will be co-operating fully with AUSTRAC's external auditor review. An external and independent auditor in 2025 had validated Airwallex's program in Australia, following an AUSTRAC audit of its anti-money laundering and counter-terrorism financing program in 2024, the company added. Airwallex said on Wednesday it had acquired South Korea's Paynuri Co Ltd, securing local payments licences and a foreign-exchange business registration that will allow it to operate directly in the country as it expands in Asia. (Reporting by Sherin Sunny in Bengaluru; Editing by Sonia Cheema and Rashmi Aich) US urges Syria to support jihadist transfer to Iraq Damascus, Jan 22 (AFP) Jan 22, 2026 The commander of US forces in the Middle East has called on Syria's president to support the transfer of thousands of jihadist prisoners from Syria to Iraq, the US military said. In a phone call on Wednesday, Admiral Brad Cooper urged Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa to "avoid any actions that could interfere" with the process. The United States said Wednesday it was launching an operation to move up to 7,000 Islamic State group jihadists across the border. The announcement came after the withdrawal of Kurdish-led forces who had long secured the detention camps, as Syrian government troops took control of Kurdish territory in the north and northeast. Iraqi and US authorities have already announced the transfer of a first group of 150 prisoners, a mix of Iraqis and foreigners. Sharaa and Cooper also discussed "the importance of Syrian government forces adhering to a ceasefire" with the Kurdish forces, the statement by the US military's Central Command added. Syria's government announced a ceasefire on Tuesday night with the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), who have withdrawn from swaths of the north and northeast under military pressure. The ceasefire is largely holding, though both sides have accused each other of violations. Iraq says to start legal proceedings against IS detainees transferred from Syria Baghdad, Jan 22 (AFP) Jan 22, 2026 The Iraqi judiciary on Thursday announced it would launch legal proceedings against Islamic State group detainees transferred from Syria to Iraq as part of a US operation. "The Iraqi judiciary will begin standard legal proceedings against the defendants who are received and placed in the relevant correctional institutions," the Supreme Judicial Council said. The US military said Wednesday it had launched an operation to move 7,000 IS prisoners from Syria to Iraq, as Syrian government forces moved on facilities long secured by Kurdish-led forces in Syria. "All suspects, regardless of their nationalities or ranks within the terrorist organisation, are subject exclusively to the authority of the Iraqi judiciary, and our judicial procedures will be applied to them all without exception," the judiciary said. Across the border in Syria, government forces have taken control of swathes of formerly Kurdish-held territory in the north and east. That has included a deal struck over the weekend between the two sides that will see the Kurds' administration integrated into the state, while the government will take responsibility for IS prisoners. Of the 7,000 IS detainees the US military aims to transfer from Syria to Iraq, the Iraqi government has so far confirmed the arrival of 150. Thousands of suspected jihadists and their families, including foreigners, have been held in detention centres and camps in Syria since IS's defeat in 2019 at the hands of Kurdish-led forces backed by a US-led coalition. - Death sentences, life behind bars - At the height of its power, IS held swathes of Syria and Iraq, subjecting populations on both sides of the border to a horrific regime characterised by mass death, sexual slavery of women and girls, and punishment for anyone who dared voice dissent. Iraqi courts have handed down hundreds of death sentences and life prison terms to people convicted of terrorism offences, including hundreds of foreign fighters -- some caught in Syria and transferred across the border. In 2019, the courts sentenced 11 French nationals to death. Their sentences were later commuted to life in prison, according to a judicial source. In September, Iraqi intelligence services were questioning 47 French nationals transferred from Syrian Kurdish custody over their alleged involvement in IS crimes committed in Iraq. Some human rights groups have denounced "terrorism" trials in Iraq as rushed. The country still has mass graves and many personal testimonies of IS brutality to be investigated. In 2024, after a mission of the UN body investigating IS crimes ended, Iraq created the National Centre for International Judicial Cooperation to gather evidence and document IS crimes. The centre serves as the main point of contact for foreign jurisdictions investigating alleged offences. NATO chief cannot negotiate for Denmark on Greenland: Danish govt Copenhagen, Jan 22 (AFP) Jan 22, 2026 NATO chief Mark Rutte cannot negotiate on behalf of Denmark over Greenland, the Danish government said Thursday, a day after US President Donald Trump announced a deal following talks between the two men. Trump backed down on threats to seize Greenland by force after meeting Rutte on Wednesday, saying he had reached a "framework" of a deal on the Danish autonomous territory. Details of the agreement made at the World Economic Forum in the Swiss ski resort of Davos remain scant. "The position of Denmark and that of Greenland are the same, and no negotiations were held yesterday with NATO about our sovereignty," Denmark's Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen told Danish television. "Of course it is only Denmark and Greenland themselves that can make decisions on issues concerning Denmark and Greenland," she said earlier in a statement. The United States and Denmark will renegotiate a 1951 defence pact on Greenland, a source familiar with the talks between Trump and Rutte told AFP on Thursday. Putting US military bases on Greenland under US sovereignty had not been discussed during the talks, the source said. Danish Defence Minister Troels Lund Poulsen said on social media Thursday that Rutte "cannot negotiate an agreement on behalf of Denmark or Greenland". However, he said Rutte had "worked loyally to maintain unity within NATO" and it was "very positive" that the alliance wanted to do more to strengthen Arctic security. "We have a clear red line," he added. "We will not cede sovereignty over parts of the kingdom." US, Denmark to renegotiate 1951 Greenland defence pact: source Davos, Switzerland, Jan 22 (AFP) Jan 22, 2026 The United States and Denmark will renegotiate a 1951 defence pact on Greenland, a source familiar with talks between President Donald Trump and NATO chief Mark Rutte told AFP Thursday. The source said that European allies would also step up Arctic security, but insisted that placing American bases on Greenland under US sovereignty had not been discussed. "The 1951 agreement will get renegotiated," the source said. The defence agreement, updated in 2004, already gives Washington freedom to ramp up its troop deployments, provided it informs the authorities in Denmark and Greenland in advance. The US currently has one base on Greenland -- the Pituffik Space Base on the northwest of the island that constitutes a crucial link in the US missile defence system. Trump on Wednesday announced a framework deal after talks with Rutte at the World Economic Forum in Davos, but the details of the purported agreement remained vague. Rutte said on Thursday one "work stream" to emerge from the meeting was "that we ensure that the Chinese and the Russians will not gain access to the Greenland economy" or militarily. Trump's threats to take Greenland have rocked the transatlantic alliance and plunged NATO into its biggest crisis in decades. Some European nations have pushed for NATO to launch a mission in the Arctic to try to shore up security in the region after Trump used it to justify his desire for Greenland. What we know about Trump's Greenland 'framework' deal Brussels, Belgium, Jan 22 (AFP) Jan 22, 2026 US President Donald Trump has announced a framework for a permanent deal over Greenland, backing off his threat to seize the territory from Denmark -- but offered no details. The U-turn came after weeks of belligerent rhetoric and a vow to slap tariffs on eight European countries starting February 1 unless the autonomous territory was ceded to the United States. After talks with NATO chief Mark Rutte in Davos, Trump withdrew his tariff threat and pointed to a "future deal with respect to Greenland and, in fact, the entire Arctic Region". Here is what we know about the two men's meeting and the purported framework: - Defence pact review - The US president insisted the deal gave Washington "everything we wanted" and will be in force "forever", but both Rutte and Trump gave scant details on what was agreed. A source familiar with the talks told AFP the United States and Denmark will renegotiate a 1951 defence pact on Greenland. The decades-old agreement, updated in 2004, already essentially gives Washington carte blanche to ramp up its troop deployments provided it informs the authorities in Denmark and Greenland in advance. The United States currently has one base on Greenland -- the Pituffik Space Base on the northwest of the island that constitutes a crucial link in the US missile defence system. - Keeping Russia, China 'out' - Rutte said one "work stream" to emerge was how NATO allies -- including its seven members in the Arctic -- can "collectively make sure that the Arctic stays safe, that the Russians and the Chinese stay out". He said he discussed with Trump how to "ensure that the Chinese and the Russians will not gain access to the Greenland economy", or militarily. Some European nations have pushed for NATO to launch a mission in the Arctic to shore up security in the region after Trump used security concerns to justify his desire for Greenland. - What about sovereignty? - The source close to the talks pushed back at suggestions that American military bases on Greenland could be placed under US sovereignty, insisting that "did not come up" between Rutte and Trump. Rutte likewise said he did not discuss the issue of Danish sovereignty over Greenland with Trump. That message was reinforced by Denmark's Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen -- who said she spoke with Rutte before and after his meeting. "The position of Denmark and that of Greenland are the same, and no negotiations were held yesterday with NATO about our sovereignty," Frederiksen told Danish television. burs-del/raz/ec/jh Turkey bans rallies in Kurdish majority city until Monday Diyarbakir, Turkey, Jan 22 (AFP) Jan 22, 2026 Turkish authorities have banned all gatherings and demonstrations in the Kurdish majority city of Diyarbakir from Friday to Monday, the local governor's office said on Thursday. Several demonstrations by pro-Kurdish groups have been dispersed since the beginning of the week in southeastern Turkey, including a march on Tuesday to the border with Syria, where Damascus had launched an offensive against Kurdish fighters in the northeast. "In order to preserve public order and security throughout our province, meetings, protest marches and press statements, as well as the installation of tents, posters and banners, are prohibited for a period of four days" from Friday until Monday, the governor's office said in a statement. Pro-Kurdish groups including the DEM party -- the third largest force in the parliament -- called for a rally on Sunday in support of the jailed leader of the Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK), Abdullah Ocalan. Following Ocalan's call from jail, the PKK formally renounced its armed struggle against Turkey in May last year, drawing a line under four decades of violence that claimed some 50,000 lives. But the tension in Syria between the government and Kurdish fighters spilled over into Turkey which has a Kurdish minority. The defence ministry in Damascus announced a four-day ceasefire starting Tuesday evening. Denmark mulls small nuclear reactors, lifting of 1985 nuke ban Copenhagen, Jan 22 (AFP) Jan 22, 2026 Denmark is considering building small modular nuclear reactors to meet its energy needs, the climate and energy ministry said Thursday, which would bring an end to its 1985 ban on nuclear power. A framework for investigating the "potentials and risks" of new nuclear technologies and the lifting of the moratorium was now in place, the ministry said in a statement. "Green energy from solar and wind is now and will continue to be the backbone of the Danish energy supply, but we can also see that it cannot stand alone," said Denmark's Climate, Energy and Utilities Minister Lars Aagaard. "We must be open to examining whether other technologies can provide us with green energy in the future," he said. "Small modular nuclear reactors may be an option." SMRs are advanced nuclear reactors that have a power capacity of up to 300 megawatts of electricity per unit, or about a third of the generating capacity of a traditional nuclear power reactor. They are relatively simple to build, which makes them more affordable than large power reactors. The ministry said the government was seeking more information on regulatory processes, safety issues, handling of radioactive waste, competencies and cost before making a political decision. The Danish parliament, which voted to ban nuclear power from its energy production in 1985, agreed in early 2025 to begin examining new nuclear power technologies as a possible energy source. Wind power accounts for 58 percent of Denmark's electricity production, biofuels 18 percent, solar power 11 percent, and waste and coal five percent each, according to 2024 figures from the International Energy Agency. Iraq says to start legal proceedings against IS detainees moved from Syria Baghdad, Jan 22 (AFP) Jan 22, 2026 Iraq's judiciary said Thursday it would launch legal proceedings against Islamic State group detainees transferred from Syria to Iraq as part of a US operation. "The Iraqi judiciary will begin standard legal proceedings against the defendants who are received and placed in the relevant correctional institutions," the Supreme Judicial Council said. The US military said Wednesday it had launched an operation to move 7,000 IS prisoners from Syria to Iraq, as Syrian government forces moved on facilities long secured by Kurdish-led forces in Syria. "All suspects, regardless of their nationalities or ranks within the terrorist organisation, are subject exclusively to the authority of the Iraqi judiciary, and our judicial procedures will be applied to them all without exception," the judiciary said. Across the border in Syria, government forces have taken control of swathes of formerly Kurdish-held territory in the north and east. That has included a deal struck over the weekend between the two sides which will see the Kurds' administration integrated into the state, while the government will take responsibility for IS prisoners. On Thursday, US envoy Tom Barrack met Syrian Democratic Forces leader Mazloum Abdi and senior Kurdish official Ilhan Ahmed in Erbil, the presidency of the autonomous northern Kurdistan region of Iraq said. Barrack posted on X Washington's "strong support for and commitment to advancing the integration process outlined in the January 18 agreement between the Syrian Democratic Forces and the Syrian government". Of the 7,000 IS detainees the US military aims to transfer from Syria to Iraq, the government in Baghdad has so far confirmed the arrival of 150. Thousands of suspected jihadists and their families, including foreigners, have been held in detention centres and camps in Syria since IS's defeat in 2019 at the hands of Kurdish-led forces backed by a US-led coalition. - Death sentences, life behind bars - At the height of its power, IS held swathes of Syria and Iraq, subjecting populations on both sides of the border to a horrific regime characterised by mass death, sexual slavery of women and girls, and punishment for any dissent. Iraqi courts have handed down hundreds of death sentences and life terms to people convicted of terrorism offences, including hundreds of foreign fighters -- some caught in Syria and transferred across the border. In 2019, the courts sentenced 11 French nationals to death. Their sentences were later commuted to life in prison, according to a judicial source. In September, Iraqi intelligence services were questioning 47 French nationals transferred from Syrian Kurdish custody over their alleged involvement in IS crimes committed in Iraq. Some human rights groups have denounced "terrorism" trials in Iraq as rushed. The country still has mass graves and many personal testimonies of IS brutality to be investigated. In 2024, after a mission of the UN body investigating IS crimes ended, Iraq created the National Centre for International Judicial Cooperation to gather evidence and document IS crimes. The centre is the main point of contact for foreign jurisdictions investigating alleged offences. cbg/ser/srm/jfx In Greenland, locals fed up with deals done over their heads Nuuk, Jan 22 (AFP) Jan 22, 2026 A day after US President Donald Trump and NATO's chief purportedly struck a deal on Greenland, residents expressed anger and frustration that the Danish territory was again being sidelined in talks about its future. Carrying two steaming cappuccinos from a popular American coffee chain on Thursday, Niels Berthelsen took the time to stop despite the icy cold winds whipping the streets of Nuuk, the Greenlandic capital. "If they want to make deals about Greenland, they have to invite Greenland to the negotiating table," the 49-year-old skipper told AFP. "Nothing about Greenland without Greenland," he insisted repeatedly. Trump backed down on threats to seize Greenland by force after meeting NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte on Wednesday, saying they had reached a "framework" deal on the Danish autonomous territory. While details of the agreement made at the World Economic Forum in the Swiss ski resort of Davos remained scant, many Greenlanders, who fiercely defend their right to self-determination, were disappointed. "It's obviously a good thing that the military threat has gone down," Berthelsen said. "But they could just as easily have reached an agreement by inviting Greenland to the table, rather than having Mark Rutte negotiate a deal with Trump by himself. I find that very disrespectful on Mark Rutte's part." Fellow Nuuk resident Esther Jensen agreed. "I'm very disappointed, because Rutte cannot make any kind of agreement with Trump without Denmark or Greenland, and Denmark cannot make any decision without Greenland either. So we are very disappointed," said Jensen. Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen said Rutte had coordinated with her and the Greenlandic government -- though Defence Minister Troels Lund Poulsen said on social media that Rutte "cannot negotiate an agreement on behalf of Denmark or Greenland". - Longing for quieter times - Coordination or not, Greenland's Deputy Prime Minister Mute Egede on Thursday reiterated the right of Greenland's 57,000 inhabitants to decide their own future. A Danish colony for three centuries, Greenland gradually gained autonomy in the second half of the 20th century. But Denmark's assimilation policies -- including de facto bans on the Inuit language and forced sterilisations -- have left Greenlanders bitter and angry. "Whatever pressure others may exert, our country will neither be given away, nor will our future be gambled with," Egede said in a post on Facebook. "It is unacceptable to attempt to hand our land to others. This is our land -- we are the ones who shape its future." In Nuuk, some residents wondered what really went down in Davos. "We know all too well that Trump has a tendency to read too much into some things," said 80-year-old pensioner Arkalo Abelsen. "When Rutte... says that they've spoken about some possible solutions, in Trump's mind, that becomes a deal," Abelsen said, leaning on a crutch. "That's not a deal. There's no agreement." The unwelcome surge of interest in Greenland, and the turbulence caused by recent events, has tested locals' tranquil temperament. "Ever since Trump was re-elected president, we never know what's going to happen from one day to the next," said Abelsen. "Especially when he goes after our country like it's a piece of ice drifting in the sea. It's very destabilising. We feel powerless. "My wife and I speak about it every day. We say, 'If only we could go back to the days before Trump.' Back then, we knew what was going to happen." Susan Gudmundsdottir Johnsen, a 52-year-old travel agency employee, also said she longed for quieter times. "From now on, we need peace and quiet." French navy boards tanker 'from Russia' in Mediterranean Paris, France, Jan 22 (AFP) Jan 22, 2026 France's navy, with the help of allies, on Thursday boarded a tanker alleged to be from Russia's sanction-busting "shadow fleet" in the Mediterranean, President Emmanuel Macron said. "This morning, the French Navy boarded an oil tanker coming from Russia, subject to international sanctions and suspected of flying a false flag," he said on X in English, adding the operation had been carried out "with the support of several of our allies". Local maritime authorities said the navy seized an oil tanker called "Grinch" between Spain and Morocco, after it started its journey in the Russian Arctic port of Murmansk. A ship called "Grinch" is under UK sanctions, while another called "Carl" with the same registration number is sanctioned by the United States and European Union. Ship tracking websites marinetraffic and vesselfinder said the vessel had been flying a Comoros flag. "After the team boarded, an examination of documents confirmed the doubts as to the regularity of the flag," the Mediterranean Maritime Prefecture said. The ship "is currently being escorted by the national navy to a point of anchorage for further verifications," it added. Images released by the French military showed masked soldiers boarding the Russia-linked ship in an operation involving a navy boat and two navy helicopters. "We will not tolerate any violation," said Macron. "The activities of the 'shadow fleet' contribute to financing the war of aggression against Ukraine," he added, referring to the conflict sparked by Russia's 2022 invasion. Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelensky was swift to thank Macron. "This is exactly the kind of resolve needed to ensure that Russian oil no longer finances Russia's war," he responded on X. "Russian tankers operating near European shores must be stopped. Sanctions against the entire infrastructure of the shadow fleet must be tough," he wrote. It is the second such boarding in recent months. France in late September detained a Russian-linked ship called the Boracay, a vessel claiming to be flagged in Benin, in a move Russian President Vladimir Putin condemned as "piracy". The Boracay's Chinese captain is to stand trial in France in February. gbh-fff-mra-ah/giv/phz When you buy through links on our articles, Future and its syndication partners may earn a commission. US Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick issued a warning to global memory makers following a Micron groundbreaking ceremony. | Credit: Getty Images | Bloomberg Micron, one of the world's largest memory manufacturers, broke ground on a new $100 billion manufacturing plant on January 16 in Syracuse, New York. Attending the ceremony as an honorary shovel-holder was US Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick. It was all smiles during the proceedings, but shortly after, Lutnick delivered a direct warning to memory manufacturers that are not operating on US soil. As quoted by Bloomberg: Everyone who wants to build memory has two choices: They can pay a 100% tariff, or they can build in America. Thats industrial policy. Lutnick did not specifically name any memory manufacturers in his warning, but it's hard to ignore the fact that with Micron's business handled on US soil, it really only leaves two other companies. Indeed, the memory that Lutnick is talking about is produced by a sector dominated by Micron, Samsung, and SK Hynix. While Micron is headquartered in the US, the other two are South Korean entities. These three companies supply the vast majority of the world's DRAM, which is used to produce both specialized and consumer memory. Restricting the market further, Micron, Samsung, and SK Hynix are the only memory manufacturers with the capability to produce High-Bandwidth Memory (HBM). HBM chips are used in specialized AI GPUs produced by the likes of NVIDIA and AMD, and they're so in demand that Micron announced late last year that it was completely exiting the consumer RAM market to focus on serving AI firms. The thirst for HBM chips is certainly a catalyst for the ongoing global memory shortages that are threatening to drive up prices of all consumer tech. The big memory manufacturers are happy to sign supply contracts years in advance, especially when the deep pockets of AI firms show up with requests. Unfortunately, with so much of a focus on HBM from the three largest manufacturers, there's not much memory left for the rest of us. Memory prices are obscene, and they're not expected to get any better any time soon. Didn't Samsung and SK Hynix already invest in US chip factories? US Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick (second from right) at the Micron groundbreaking ceremony in New York. | Credit: Micron Lutnick's comment following the Micron groundbreaking ceremony sounds a lot like another given one day earlier, when a trade agreement was reached between Taiwan and the US. Shortly after the Taiwan deal which will see at least another $250 billion invested by TSMC to build chipmaking plants in the US was announced, Lutnick stated to CNBC that "tariffs are likely to be 100%" for any companies that are not building chips in America. I can't say how all this will play out, but the fact that tariff threats are once again being hammered home by the US Commerce Secretary could leave Samsung and SKHynix scrambling to lock in new investments. It's important to note that Samsung and SK Hynix do indeed have ongoing investment plans in the US. In 2024, Samsung announced a $40 billion deal that includes a packaging plant for HBM chips based in Texas. Also announced last year, SK Hynix unveiled plans to build a $4 billion plant in Indiana with a focus on HBM modules. The rub here is that neither of these Samsung and SK Hynix factories actually manufactures the chips, instead focusing on packaging. The chips are created overseas, shipped to the US, and put together to create functional products. (via PC Gamer) A pink banner that says What do you think about the push to move memory manufacturing onto US soil via tariff threats? Let me know in the comments section! Click to follow Windows Central on Google News Follow Windows Central on Google News to keep our latest news, insights, and features at the top of your feeds! What are Russia and China doing in the Arctic? Moscow, Jan 22 (AFP) Jan 22, 2026 While Russia and China strongly deny any plans to seize Greenland, as US President Donald Trump claims, both value the Arctic's strategic value and are seeking to boost their presence there. The development of the Northern Sea Route (NSR) by Russia and China since the 2010s, made possible by a warming climate, is real, as is the strengthening of Russian military capabilities in the Arctic. Here are the main things to know about how Russian and Chinese presence in the region could develop. - Northern Sea Route - Russia considers the Arctic essential to the growth of its trade with Asia, including to counterbalance the effects of Western sanctions on its oil and gas, which were imposed after the Kremlin's 2022 assault on Ukraine. Moscow wants to maximise shipping through the NSR, where ships can sail through more easily due to melting ice caused by climate change. The route runs along Russia's Arctic coastline, which is far away from Greenland. Moscow hopes it will increase transport of Russian oil to South East Asia by connecting the Atlantic, Pacific and Arctic oceans. To that end, Russia has built the world's only nuclear-powered icebreakers, vessels capable of clearing thick ice on the route to open the way for cargo ships. Several months after launching the Ukraine campaign -- Russia's main focus in the last four years -- Moscow said it still intended to develop the route and has approved an investment plan of around EUR20 billion ($23.4 billion) until 2035. But for now, trade via this route remains expensive and complicated. Its volume is far from the hundreds of millions of tonnes of goods that pass through the Suez Canal each year. In 2025, 37 million tonnes of goods were transported via the NSR, a 2.3 percent decrease year-on-year, according to official data quoted by the RIA Novosti news agency. China launched its Polar Silk Road project in 2018, an Arctic version of its transnational infrastructure initiative. Beijing aims to become a "polar power" by 2030 and has established scientific research stations in Iceland and Norway. - Russia strengthening Arctic forces - Militarily, the Arctic region is also a strategic priority for Moscow. "Russia never threatened anyone in the Arctic," President Vladimir Putin said in March last year. "But we are attentively watching the development of the situation, building an adequate response by strengthening the possibilities of our armed forces and modernising military infrastructure," he added. In 2021, Moscow announced it had built a 3.5-kilometre (two-mile) runway capable of accommodating all types of aircraft -- including nuclear-armed bombers -- on the Franz Josef Land archipelago in Russia's far north. In 2019, the Russian army also said it deployed the latest generation S-400 anti-aircraft systems in the Arctic and opened a new radar base on the Novaya Zemlya archipelago. In September 2025, the Russian Northern Fleet, which is responsible for Russia's Arctic regions, conducted new military exercises involving troop landings and firing from ships and nuclear submarines. In the Arctic, China's military presence, while modest, has also grown, mainly in collaboration with Russia since 2022. In 2024, Russian and Chinese bomber planes conducted a joint patrol at the junction between the Asian and American continents, not far from the US state of Alaska. China also operates a number of icebreakers that are equipped with mini submarines, which are capable of mapping the seabed and are potentially militarily useful. Beijing also has Arctic observation satellites, which it insists have scientific aims. Danish PM backs NATO 'permanent presence' around Greenland Brussels, Belgium, Jan 22 (AFP) Jan 22, 2026 Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen said Thursday that NATO states backed having a "permanent presence" in the Arctic, including around Greenland, after US President Donald Trump claimed a framework deal was struck to satisfy his demands. "We have asked NATO to be more present in the Arctic region," Frederiksen said at the start of a European Union summit in Brussels. "Everybody in NATO agrees about that, the Arctic states, but also other member states, that we need a permanent presence from NATO in the Arctic region, including around Greenland." Trump on Wednesday backed down from the threat of using force or tariffs to try to take over Greenland, after saying an agreement was reached in talks with NATO chief Mark Rutte. Details remained scant of the accord -- but Trump did not make any progress towards his goal of trying to gain control over the autonomous Arctic territory of fellow NATO member Denmark. Frederiksen said discussions about Denmark's sovereignty were off the table. "It cannot be changed," she said. NATO said following the talks that the alliance would ramp up security in the Arctic, after Trump used the perceived threat from Russia and China to justify his desire for Greenland. A source familiar with the discussions said Denmark and the United States would also look to renegotiate a 1951 defence pact on Greenland that governs American troop deployments on the island. "We said to the Americans a year ago that we can discuss our agreement on defence, but it has to be in the framework of us as a sovereign state," Frederiksen said. The Danish leader insisted the two sides "have to work together respectfully, without threatening each other". "I, of course, hope to find a political solution within the framework of democracy and how we cooperate as allies," she said. French navy boards tanker 'from Russia' in Mediterranean Paris, France, Jan 22 (AFP) Jan 22, 2026 France's navy, with the help of allies, on Thursday boarded a tanker alleged to be from Russia's sanction-busting "shadow fleet" in the Mediterranean, President Emmanuel Macron said. "This morning, the French Navy boarded an oil tanker coming from Russia, subject to international sanctions and suspected of flying a false flag," he said on X in English, adding the operation had been carried out "with the support of several of our allies". Local maritime authorities said the navy seized an oil tanker called "Grinch" between Spain and Morocco, after it started its journey in the Russian Arctic port of Murmansk. A ship called "Grinch" is under UK sanctions, while another called "Carl" with the same registration number is sanctioned by the United States and European Union. Ship tracking websites marinetraffic and vesselfinder said the vessel had been flying a Comoros flag. "After the team boarded, an examination of documents confirmed the doubts as to the regularity of the flag," the Mediterranean Maritime Prefecture said. The ship "is currently being escorted by the national navy to a point of anchorage for further verifications," it added. Images released by the French military showed masked soldiers boarding the Russia-linked ship in an operation involving a navy boat and two navy helicopters. "We will not tolerate any violation," said Macron. "The activities of the 'shadow fleet' contribute to financing the war of aggression against Ukraine," he added, referring to the conflict triggered by Russia's 2022 invasion. Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelensky was swift to thank Macron. "This is exactly the kind of resolve needed to ensure that Russian oil no longer finances Russia's war," he responded on X. "Russian tankers operating near European shores must be stopped. Sanctions against the entire infrastructure of the shadow fleet must be tough," he wrote. The UK provided "tracking and monitoring" in support of the operation, defence minister John Healey said. "This support included HMS Dagger monitoring the vessel through the Straits of Gibraltar," he said. "Alongside our allies, we are stepping up our response to shadow vessels -- to choke off the funds that fuel Putin's illegal invasion of Ukraine." The boarding is the second of its kind in recent months. France in late September detained a Russian-linked ship called the Boracay, a vessel claiming to be flagged in Benin, in a move Russian President Vladimir Putin condemned as "piracy". The Boracay's Chinese captain is to stand trial in France in February. gbh-fff-mra-ah-mp/cc Europe relieved but 'vigilant' after Trump Greenland climbdown Brussels, Belgium, Jan 22 (AFP) Jan 22, 2026 European leaders breathed a collective sigh of relief Thursday after President Donald Trump's climbdown over Greenland -- but with few illusions about the perilous state of transatlantic ties as they huddled for summit talks in Brussels. NATO chief Mark Rutte appeared to have pulled off a diplomatic coup by talking Trump down from his Greenland demands -- but swirling questions remained about their purported deal, and what might follow. "We are back to a situation that seems much more acceptable, even if we remain vigilant," French President Emmanuel Macron said at the start of the emergency summit. Trump's threats over the vast Arctic island -- an autonomous territory of NATO member Denmark -- plunged relations between Europe and its key ally Washington to a historic low. While the immediate danger to NATO seemed to have passed, the bloc maintained an evening meeting called to address the crisis -- its focus now on how to handle the unpredictable US leader going forward. Macron insisted that a push in the European Union to unleash its trade arsenal against the United States had helped persuade Trump to back down. "We remain extremely vigilant and ready to use the instruments at our disposal if we were to face threats again," the French leader told reporters. Denmark's Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen said support from across Europe for her country had been "extremely important in this very difficult situation". "When we stand together and when we are clear and strong also in our willingness to stand up for ourselves, then the results will show," she said. - Details scarce - Trump backed down Wednesday night both on threatening to seize Greenland by force and on imposing tariffs against European allies, saying he had reached a "framework" of a deal on the island that satisfied him. The startling turnaround came after talks at the Davos forum with Rutte, who told AFP afterwards that there was "still a lot of work to be done". Details remain scant on any agreement, but a source familiar with the talks told AFP the United States and Denmark would renegotiate a 1951 defence pact on Greenland. Trump said the accord would give Washington "everything we wanted" -- however, there was no sign he had succeeded in his repeated vow to make Greenland part of the United States. Frederiksen said discussions about Denmark's sovereignty were off the table. "It cannot be changed," she said. She told reporters in Brussels that Denmark was open to discussing the 1951 pact with the United States, "but it has to be in the framework of us as a sovereign state". She also said NATO states backed having a "permanent presence" in the Arctic, including around Greenland. Greenland's Prime Minister Jens-Frederik Nielsen said he did not know what had been agreed with Trump, but said he wanted to continue a "peaceful dialogue". - 'Way to go' - It was still unclear what exactly prompted Trump's U-turn. German Chancellor Friedrich Merz welcomed Trump's retreat over Greenland, calling it "the right way to go". But speaking in Davos he also warned of perilous times ahead. "We have entered a time of great power politics. The international order of the past three decades anchored in international law has always been imperfect. Today, its very foundations have been shaken," Merz said. Europe has struggled to set red lines as its once-close American ally has turned hostile under Trump -- to the point of threatening its sovereignty. "It's absolutely obvious for all of us that we have to do everything to protect our transatlantic relations," said Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk. "But what we need today in our politics is trust and respect among all partners, not domination, and for sure, not coercion." The continent is ramping up defence spending to break its security reliance on the United States -- but for now, it still needs US help to end the Ukraine war, and deter the looming Russian threat to its east. Greenland is only part of the picture, as the United States wages a broader attack on the EU's laws, politics and values -- points pressed home by Trump on the stage in Davos. Leaders are well aware any respite may be short-lived, and indeed Trump was back with new threats Thursday afternoon, vowing reprisals if European countries dumped US Treasury bonds to pressure Washington. Iraq says to start legal proceedings against IS detainees moved from Syria Baghdad, Jan 22 (AFP) Jan 22, 2026 Iraq's judiciary said Thursday it would launch legal proceedings against Islamic State group detainees transferred from Syria as part of a US operation, as Washington said foreigners among them would only be held in Iraq temporarily. Thousands of suspected jihadists and their families, including foreigners, have been held in detention centres and camps in Syria since IS's defeat in 2019 at the hands of Kurdish-led forces backed by a US-led coalition. The US military said Wednesday it had launched an operation to move several thousand IS prisoners from Syria to Iraq, as Syrian government forces moved on facilities long secured by Kurdish-led forces in Syria. "The Iraqi judiciary will begin standard legal proceedings against the defendants who are received and placed in the relevant correctional institutions," Iraq's Supreme Judicial Council said. "All suspects, regardless of their nationalities or ranks within the terrorist organisation, are subject exclusively to the authority of the Iraqi judiciary, and our judicial procedures will be applied to them all without exception," it added. Of the 7,000 IS detainees the US military aims to transfer from Syria to Iraq, the government in Baghdad has so far confirmed the arrival of 150. US Secretary of State Marco Rubio in a statement said that "non-Iraqi terrorists will be in Iraq temporarily", he said, urging other countries to "take responsibility and repatriate their citizens in these facilities to face justice". "The United States appreciates the Iraqi government's leadership and supports this bold initiative to ensure that ISIS terrorists cannot roam freely throughout the region," he added, using another acronym for IS. - 'Constructive' - In neighbouring Syria, government forces have taken control of swathes of formerly Kurdish-held territory in the north and east. A deal struck over the weekend between the two sides will see the Kurds' administration integrated into the state, while the government will take responsibility for IS prisoners. Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa had been scheduled to attend the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, on Thursday. But a foreign ministry official told AFP that he chose to remain in Syria to follow negotiations with the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces and monitor developments in the northeast. In Erbil, US envoy Tom Barrack met SDF leader Mazloum Abdi and senior Kurdish official Elham Ahmad, the presidency of the autonomous northern Kurdistan region of Iraq said. Barrack posted on X Washington's "strong support for and commitment to advancing the integration process outlined in the January 18 agreement between the Syrian Democratic Forces and the Syrian government". Abdi said Thursday's meeting also involved Admiral Brad Cooper, head of the US military's Central Command, and was "productive and constructive". "We will diligently and with all our capabilities work to achieve genuine integration and maintain the current ceasefire," he said on X. Meanwhile after the clashes between government forces and the Syrian Kurds, more than 134,000 people have been displaced in northeast Syria, the United Nations migration agency said Thursday. In the past three days, the number of internally displaced people in Hasakeh province "has increased to approximately 134,803 individuals" compared to 5,725 recorded on Sunday, the International Organization for Migration said in a statement. - Life, death sentences - At the height of its power, IS held swathes of Syria and Iraq, subjecting populations on both sides of the border to a horrific regime characterised by mass death, sexual slavery of women and girls, and punishment for any dissent. Iraqi courts have handed down hundreds of death sentences and life terms to people convicted of terrorism offences, including hundreds of foreign fighters -- some caught in Syria and transferred across the border. In 2019, the courts sentenced 11 French nationals to death. Their sentences were later commuted to life in prison, according to a judicial source. In September, Iraqi intelligence services were questioning 47 French nationals transferred from Syrian Kurdish custody over their alleged involvement in IS crimes committed in Iraq. Some human rights groups have denounced "terrorism" trials in Iraq as rushed. The country still has mass graves and many personal testimonies of IS brutality to be investigated. In 2024, after a mission of the UN body investigating IS crimes ended, Iraq created the National Centre for International Judicial Cooperation to gather evidence and document IS crimes. The centre is the main point of contact for foreign jurisdictions investigating alleged offences. cbg/ser/lg/jfx Investors pulled nearly $1 billion from exchange-traded funds tracking the spot price of Bitcoin and Ethereum on Wednesday, seeking refuge from cryptocurrency exposure as U.S. President Donald Trump struck a new chord in his approach to acquiring Greenland. The president said on his Truth Social platform on Wednesday afternoon that he had a framework of a deal regarding the Danish territory, as well as the Arctic region, following talks with NATO secretary Mark Rutte. Along those lines, Trump abruptly backed away from threats to impose tariffs on European nations that stood in opposition of his bid for the semi-autonomous island. Not long before, he also ruled out the use of force during his address in Davos, Switzerland. Markets rebounded following his comments after falling into the red Tuesday amid tariff uncertainty. On Thursday, Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen signaled that she was receptive to Trumps about-face, but she said in a statement that we cannot negotiate our sovereignty, pushing back against Trumps assertion that the U.S. must own the territory for national security. The developments had all the making of a TACO situation, short for Trump Always Chickens Out. The acronym was coined last year in reference to Trumps habit of announcing massive tariffs as a pressure tactic, only to reverse course once global markets begin to dip. Investors yanked $709 million for spot Bitcoin ETFs in the U.S. on Wednesday, the biggest single-day bleed since Nov. 20, according to CoinGlass. Meanwhile, spot Ethereum ETFs shed $287 million. However, the snapshot does not include flows from products listed in Europe. New Bitcoin Whales Outpace Old Guard in $6B Supply Tug-of-War In a Thursday note, Jasper De Maere, a desk strategist at crypto market maker Wintermute, said Trumps pivot removed some immediate geopolitical overhang that was driving the earlier selloff, but macro risk remains elevated despite any stabilization in Bitcoins price. Bitcoin and Ethereum dipped indeed. Recently changing hands around $89,000, Bitcoin was down 7.5% over the past week, while Ethereum had fallen 12% to $2,950 over that same period of time, according to CoinGecko. Last week, they notched their highest prices in more than a month. Bitcoin is acting like a high-beta and risk-on asset, trading very similarly to equities, Carlos Guzman, a research analyst at crypto trading firm GSR, told Decrypt. Bitcoin is not acting as a store of value. Its not yet digital gold in investors minds. CoinShares Head of Research James Butterfill noted in a recent report that sentiment toward digital asset investment products soured last Friday, as diplomatic tensions flared. Still, the products generated $113 million in net inflows last week among investors in Europe. Austrias Bitpanda announced Wednesday it is set to launch a unified investing platform that brings stocks, ETFs, crypto and precious metals together in a single regulated app. The expanded platform will go live on 29 January giving users access to more than 10,000 stocks and ETFsalongside Bitpandas existing crypto and metals products. A Unified Investment Platform Goes Live With the launch, Bitpanda said it will allow customers to invest across all major asset classes from one interface for the first time. The platform combines Europes largest crypto offering with equities, ETFs and precious metals, creating what the company describes as the continents broadest investment universe within a single app. Users will also be able to trade both whole and fractional shares allowing smaller investors to gain exposure to high-priced stocks and diversified ETF products without committing large amounts of capital upfront. 1 Flat-Fee Trading and Transparent Pricing Bitpanda said its expanded equities offering covers around 8,000 stocks and 2,500 ETFs all available at a flat fee of 1 per trade. The company said the pricing model includes no hidden commissions, no custody fees and no payment for order flow. Automatic tax withholding will be available from day one for users in Austria and Germany, simplifying compliance for retail investors in those markets. Bitpanda said this approach reflects its continued focus on transparency. New Features and User Experience The new features include free deposits and withdrawals, zero-cost savings plans for stocks and ETFs and advanced order types such as limit orders. Bitpanda explains its users will also be able to transfer existing portfolios into Bitpanda in just a few clicks allowing them to manage their entire investment portfolio from a single app. Eric Demuth, chairman and co-founder of Bitpanda, said the launch marks a major step for both the company and the broader financial market. Eleven years ago, we made crypto simple and secure for everyone, he said. Now comes the next evolution: for the first time, were bringing all markets and asset classes together in a single app. Brand Campaign and Market Positioning The transformation into a unified investment platform will be supported by a pan-European communications campaign featuring Christoph Waltz as Bitpandas brand ambassador. The campaign will roll out across multiple channels and include activation initiatives such as a Twitch Streamer Challenge and educational content formats. Lukas Enzersdorfer-Konrad, CEO of Bitpanda, said the goal is to lower barriers to entry and make investing more accessible. With our 1 flat fee per trade and free savings plans for stocks and ETFs, were making investing as easy and intuitive as our market-leading crypto offering, he said. Studio 4B tosses out a handful of intriguing elementsdeath fetish photography, a predatory art world, a suspicious mother son duo. Unfortunately, the episode never shapes any of it into a coherent narrative. Studio 4B WILL TRENT. Pictured: Luciano Antonino as Alex Talveso, Cathy Moriarty as Valentia Talveso. Photo: Disney/Lynsey Weatherspoon 2026 Disney. All rights reserved. Did the predatory art guy, Gideon Barnell (Jim France), orchestrate Chloe Benbrookes (Liyah Chante Thompson) murder? If not, why spend so much time establishing him as a philosophical creep? Did Valentina (Cathy Moriarty) and Alex Talveso (Luciano Antonino) get paid for killing Chloe? It didnt seem so. If there was no financial gain, then how exactly did her death benefit them? Did the predatory art guy, Gideon Barnell (Jim France), orchestrate Chloe Benbrookes (Liyah Chante Thompson) murder? If not, why spend so much time establishing him as a philosophical creep? Did Valentina (Cathy Moriarty) and Alex Talveso (Luciano Antonino) get paid for killing Chloe? It didnt seem so. If there was no financial gain, then how exactly did her death benefit them? See my point? The episode gestures toward answers but never commits, leaving the case feeling strangely underdeveloped for a show that usually excels at narrative clarity. The Albanian Crime Family Subplot Michael Ormewood (Jake McLaughlin), Angie Polaski (Erika Christensen), Cooper (Jophielle Love), and Wills dog Betty remain the episodes most grounded, emotionally honest thread. Ormewoods exhaustionhis fear that hes failing as both a father and a copand Angies reluctant steadiness land with far more resonance than anything happening in the Georgia Bureau of Investigations case. Studio 4B WILL TRENT. Pictured: Jake McLauglin as Michael Ormewood, Erika Christensen as Angie Polaski, Cora Lu Tran as Nico. Photo: Disney/Lynsey Weatherspoon 2026 Disney. All rights reserved. A runaway Betty drops a case unexpectedly into Michaels lap. Back at the station, he feels compelled to hide his investigation from Captain Heller (Todd Allen Durkin). Meanwhile, Wills elderly neighbor, Viggo Shaw (Marcelo Tubert), is on the run from the Albanian mobbut too late; hes been found. Heller stays flatfooted at the beginning, but its Mikes solitary rush that finally moves the case forward. A runaway Betty drops a case unexpectedly into Michaels lap. Back at the station, he feels compelled to hide his investigation from Captain Heller (Todd Allen Durkin). Meanwhile, Wills elderly neighbor, Viggo Shaw (Marcelo Tubert), is on the run from the Albanian mobbut too late; hes been found. Heller stays flatfooted at the beginning, but its Mikes solitary rush that finally moves the case forward. His chase after Viggo, powered by sheer grit despite his illness, becomes one of the episodes most human momentsa gain that reads more as personal triumph than professional victory. The other is quieter but just as affecting--Coopers instinctive care for her dad. Its her small acts of tenderness, such as tricking him into exercising and covering him with a blanket after he falls asleep on the couch, that grounds the entire subplot. Studio 4B WILL TRENT. Pictured: Ramon Rodriguez as Will Trent, Julia Chan as Ava Green. Photo: Disney/ Daniel Delgado Jr. 2026 Disney. All rights reserved. Will & Ava: Chemistry in the Darkroom Ava Greens (Julia Chan) return as a romantic interest land with a thudabrupt enough that, as someone still relatively new to the series, I found myself wondering if Id missed an introduction somewhere. Instead, it just made me nostalgic for Season 3s ADA Marion Alba (Gina Rodriguez), who left a sharper imprint. Maybe thats just me. Still, Avas scenes with Will have a tentative, off-balance charm that almost compensates for the narrative whiplash. Ava smashing the timer after being repeatedly interrupted during their escapade in the dark room is a small rebelliona refusal to let fear or pacing dictate the moment. Wills soft thank you carries double meaning: gratitude for the intimacy, yes, but also for the permission to stop over processing his own life. Its messy, impulsive, and maybe a bit age inappropriate for a darkroom floor. They arent twenty somethings after all. But the scene works better than the crime plot does. The darkroom sequence remains the episodes cleanest metaphor. The timers relentless interruptionsbeep, stop, resetecho the fragile, stop start rhythm of two people trying to build something new while dragging their own damage behind them. In photography, the timer protects the image from over or under development. In relationships, timing protects people. The Hostage Turn & Aftermath In the late episode pivot, Valentina holds Ava at gunpoint. Before Will could talk her into putting the gun down, Faith (Iantha Richardson) saves the day. The end feels rushed, as if the writers realized they needed a climax and bolted one on. Ava shows up at Wills office to give him a candid photo she took of him. Will wants to talk about their sexy romp; he blurts out how hes in therapy and how messy his life is. Ava shuts him down gently: Things dont have to be so serious. Studio 4B WILL TRENT. Pictured: Ramon Rodriguez as Will Trent, Julia Chan as Ava Green. Photo: Disney/Wilford Harewood 2026 Disney. All rights reserved. Shes leaving town for a few weeks and is open to picking things back up when she returns. After she leaves, Will records her line Things dont have to be so seriousin a voicemail to himself. Its sweet, but the emotional arc would have landed harder with more buildup. Shes leaving town for a few weeks and is open to picking things back up when she returns. After she leaves, Will records her line in a voicemail to himself. Its sweet, but the emotional arc would have landed harder with more buildup. Final Takeaway Studio 4B has flashes of what Will Trent does bestcharacter vulnerability, textured relationships, and law enforcements warm, chaotic camaraderie. But the episodes storytelling is unusually scattered, its motives undercooked, and its pacing uneven. So, friends, what part of Studio 4B felt the most underdeveloped or disconnected to you, and how did that affect your investment in the episodes emotional arcs? Let me know in the comment. Overall Score: 6 out of 10 Lynette Jones I dont know what to say apart from he is, to me, my absolute. His artistry is something that will continue to grow and be a theme in so many different ways. Allow Google Search To use the search feature, we need your consent to load Google Custom Search, which may use cookies or similar technologies. Please click 'Allow and Continue' below to enable search. See our privacy policy for more information. Allow and Continue He said: As I reminded the US Forces I served with on the 4th of July in 2008, we were there because of a shared belief, articulated at Americas founding, that free people have inalienable rights and should not live under tyranny. On his Truth Social platform, the US president said: We have formed the framework of a future deal with respect to Greenland and, in fact, the entire Arctic Region. This solution, if consummated, will be a great one for the United States of America, and all Nato Nations. Asked whether the fact that Putin and Aleksandr Lukashenko, president of Belarus, may be on the board affected the UKs decision, he added: I think it does because we want to make sure that the Board of Peace delivers that peace plan...that the ceasefire holds, that there is a bright future for the Middle East and we have that lasting peace. This story was originally published on MedTech Dive. To receive daily news and insights, subscribe to our free daily MedTech Dive newsletter. Name: Jim Hollingshead New title: President and CEO, BVI Previous title: CEO, Insulet Ophthalmic device business BVI has named former Insulet CEO Jim Hollingshead as its next leader, the company said Monday. Hollingshead led Insulet, which sells the Omnipod insulin pump, for three years before resigning in 2025. Ashley McEvoy, the former head of Johnson & Johnsons medtech business, replaced Hollingshead. Hollingshead will now replace Shervin Korangy as CEO of BVI. The change in leadership comes after BVI raised $1 billion in capital last year. BVI is using the money to accelerate product innovation and expand its global footprint. The company makes cataract and retina surgery products from manufacturing sites in China, Europe, Mexico and the U.S. RoundTable Healthcare Partners created BVI, which was originally called Beaver-Visitec International, by rolling up ophthalmology products acquired from Aspen Surgical, BD and Medtronic. The private equity firm acquired Aspen in 2006 and combined its ophthalmology business with eye disease assets bought from BD and Medtronic in 2010. TPG Capital, another private equity firm, acquired BVI from RoundTable in 2016. As a TPG portfolio company, BVI has expanded in the intraocular lens market by acquiring PhysIOL Group and Benz Research & Development. BVI launched its first intraocular lens, the monofocal IPure, in the U.S. in 2020. The Food and Drug Administration approved the companys Finevision HP trifocal intraocular lens last year. BVI said in a statement that the Finevision approval brought its global leadership position in premium intraocular lenses to U.S. patients. Finevision has been CE marked since 2010 and has a history of use in the European Union and beyond. Alcon, Bausch & Lomb and J&J also sell intraocular lenses. Korangy has been a constant throughout most of BVIs TPG era, joining the companys C-suite in 2017 and taking the CEO job in 2019. With Hollingshead joining BVI, Korangy has started working as an adviser to the company and begun a new role as senior adviser to TPG. Recommended Reading Alongside the live shows, Styles will continue his charitable partnerships. The tour will support Choose Love globally, continuing a relationship that spans more than a decade. In London, 1 from every ticket sold will be donated to Live Trust, which supports grassroots music venues across the UK. In New York, fans attending the residency dates will be able to register to vote through an on-site partnership with Headcount. Victoria was the last Spice Girl to launch a solo career and despite major promotion in the early 2000s, Not Such An Innocent Girl was famously held off the top spot by Kylie Minogues Cant Get You Out Of My Head. An earlier collaboration with True Steppers and Dane Bowers also lost a heavily publicised chart battle, despite posting the biggest first-week sales of any solo Spice Girl release at the time. Future Proof Brands LLC, the parent of BeatBox Beverages, is planning to lay off 158 people in the next month. Anheuser-Busch Six weeks after Anheuser-Busch purchased majority ownership in its largest brand, Austin-based Future Proof Brands LLC is laying off 158 people from its East Side headquarters. The alcoholic drinks company is best known for its BeatBox line of brightly colored single-serve boxes of wine-based Party Punch, hard teas and lemonades. Its other brands include Brizzy Seltzer Cocktails, Corkless Canned Wine and Chillitas. Advertisement Article continues below this ad It told the Texas Workforce Commission the affected employees have been informed and layoffs will begin Feb. 21. In early December, Anheuser-Busch InBev SA paid $490 million for 85% of BeatBox Beverages and the option to acquire the rest within five years. The deal, which appears to value the brand at about $575 million, is expected to close by April. BeatBox is joining brands like Mikes Hard Lemonade, Cutwater Spirits and NUTRL Vodka Seltzer in the St. Louis brewing giants Beyond Beer portfolio. Beatbox Beverages, a line of boxed wine-based cocktails, come in three flavors. Austin American-Statesman The Austin company has seen explosive growth since 2014, when its founders appeared on Shark Tank and received $1 million from Texas entrepreneur Mark Cuban, valuing the startup at $1.8 million. Through 2025, BeatBox said it expected to reach more than $340 million in sales. Advertisement Article continues below this ad It was founded in 2011 as a graduate business program project at the University of Texas at Austin by Justin Fenchel, Brad Schultz and Aimy Steadman. Statesman Logo Want more Statesman? Make us a Preferred Source on Google to see more of us when you search. Add Preferred Source Company Vice President of People & Culture Courtney King did not immediately respond to a request for comment about the layoffs. In a Dec. 23 letter, she told the state they are permanent and the affected employees do not have bumping rights, which would allow a qualified senior employee to replace a less-senior employee. CPS Energy crews work on a power outage in the 8100 block of Guilbeau during the February 2023. A strong cold front blew through the area lowering temperatures into the low 30s with ice accumulations and power outages. The arctic front that is blowing through San Antonio this week is not forecast to be as severe. Jerry Lara/San Antonio Express-News CPS crews driving along Vance Jackson Road during in San Antonio on Feb. 18, 2021, after severe weather knocked out power to large portions of San Antonio and Texas. The arctic front that is blowing through San Antonio this week is not forecast to be as severe. Kin Man Hui/San Antonio Express-News Tens of thousands of Texans lost power during the ice storm of 2023, when power lines were weighed down by ice and toppled by fallen trees. So this weeks icy forecast is again defrosting fears of power loss for those who endured outages in that storm and the deadly multiday freeze of February 2021. But while forecasters are anticipating slick roads and moderate impacts on power lines, this weekends weather isnt expected to cause the sorts of significant outages seen in those earlier events. Advertisement Article continues below this ad Reporting power problems CPS has its crews ready to respond in the event of power outages or downed power lines. Heres how to report a power problem. Outages: Text OUT to 47854. Go to http://cpsenergy.com/outagecenter for more information. Downed lines: Do not approach. Call the utility at 210-353-HELP (4357). While this weekends storm will still bring large-scale hazards, there is no indication it will reach the severity of 2021, said Anthony Franze, San Antonio Express-News newsroom meteorologist. Likewise, the state grid operator which says it has more than enough supply to keep up with demand thats expected to begin rising as temperatures fall Friday night and local utilities say ice accumulation and falling tree limbs could damage power lines and cause outages. Advertisement Article continues below this ad Statesman Logo Want more Statesman? Make us a Preferred Source on Google to see more of us when you search. Add Preferred Source CPS Energy is monitoring the winter weather expected later this week, a CPS spokesperson said. Facilities have been weatherized and crews are on standby. Depending how widespread the damage is, restoration may take days, so San Antonios city-owned utility advises its customers to sign up for Energy Alerts and use their winter preparedness tips. Arctic air accompanied by rain could roll into San Antonio on Friday, with the rain lasting through Saturday. Liquid rain will turn to freezing rain late that night, lasting through Sunday morning. Franze said that could lead to ice accumulation of less than one-tenth of an inch. Advertisement Article continues below this ad Farther north on Interstate 35, Austin American-Statesmen newsroom meteorologist Mary Wasson said Wednesday that ice accumulation could be from one-tenth to one-quarter of an inch there. While thats enough to cause trouble both for motorists and power lines, its not near what Austin faced in 2023. In that storm, Austin got more precipitation than San Antonio, and as much as three-quarters of an inch of ice. Wind speeds were higher in Austin than San Antonio, and the temperature in Austin was three degrees colder than in San Antonio. The result was power outages that peaked with 171,000 Austin homes and businesses without electricity, nearly 35% of Austin Energys roughly 500,000 customers. The utility had plenty of power but customers were cut off when heavy ice accumulation toppled power lines. In San Antonio, nearly 41,000 CPS customers were in the dark, accounting for about 4.5% of CPS customers. As in Austin, the outages were blamed on fallen trees and power lines. Advertisement Article continues below this ad CPS Energy was able to recover from the outages more quickly than Austin Energy. This storm promises to be different in both cities than the recent years major storms. In Austin, a winter storm watch issued Wednesday expects the freeze to last from 40 to 48 hours. In February 2021, freezing temperatures continued for a record 144 hours. On Tuesday, Austin Energy General Manager Stuart Reilly told City Council members this weeks forecast doesnt reflect the extremity of the the storms in 2021 or 2023. Advertisement Article continues below this ad As of Thursday morning, San Antonio was not covered by the storm watch, but it did include Boerne, New Braunfels and San Marcos. On Wednesday, grid operator the Electric Reliability Council of Texas issued a weather watch beginning Saturday and continuing through Tuesday due to the possibility of frozen precipitation, higher electrical demand and the potential for lower reserves. An ERCOT spokesperson said Tuesday it anticipated sufficient generation to meet demand during the cold snap. Advertisement Article continues below this ad Bitcoin is one of the worlds most battle-tested pieces of software. Launched in early 2009, the network has run continuously without being hacked, and today feels more secure than ever. There is, however, a threat on the medium-term horizon that threatens not only Bitcoin but every other type of software that relies on current encryption technology. That threat is quantum computing and, on Wednesday, Coinbase announced it has created a board of outside experts to prepare for its eventual arrival. More from Yahoo Scout What solutions exist for quantum-resistant blockchain security? When might quantum computing threaten cryptocurrency networks? What quantum computing threat does Bitcoin face? How will quantum computing break current encryption? The board includes academics from Stanford, Harvard, and the University of California with specialties in fields like computer science, cryptography and fintech. Formally known as the Coinbase Independent Advisory Board on Quantum Computing and Blockchain, it is also composed of experts in blockchain and security from the Ethereum Foundation, the DeFi platform EigenLayer and from Coinbase itself. In an interview with Fortune, Coinbase Chief Information Security Officer Jeff Lunglhofer explained how the arrival of quantum computing could defeat current encryption mechanisms, including the ones employed to protect the wallets and private keys held by Bitcoin owners. In simple terms, modern cryptography relies on hard math problems that would take thousands of years for a modern computer to solve, he said. But when we have a million times the horsepower [with quantum computing], that will provide the computation power to solve them. While the security threat of quantum computing is real, it is unlikely to be an urgent issue for at least a decade, according to Lunglhofer. His view is consistent with other experts who note that, while companies like Google and IBM have been building quantum computers for years, the current generation of these machines can only operate at a small scale and are not close to being able to crack the algorithms that protect Bitcoin and other networks. The purpose of the new Advisory Board, says Lunglhofer, is to explore the coming impact of quantum computing in a non-hype based way. This will include promoting efforts by the blockchain industry, which are already underway, to update Bitcoin and other networks so that they are resistant to quantum-based attacks. Currently, the Bitcoin network secures wallets by means of private keys, which are long strings of random numbers and letters that are visible to their owners, but that can only be guessed by means of an impossibly long series of trial-and-error attempts. When the quantum computing era arrives, it will be possible to guess a private key using trial-and-error. In response, Lunglhofer says, blockchain experts anticipate that Bitcoin and other networks will respond by creating larger keys and, at the same time, introducing noise to make the location of the key harder to detect in the first place. USAA wants the U.S. Supreme Court to review a federal appeals court ruling from June that set aside a total of almost $223 million awarded to USAA in two patent-infringement cases against PNC Bank. The patents relate to technology that allows checks to be deposited remotely using a mobile device. USAA East Texas jurors delivered the awards in separate trials in 2022 after finding PNC Bank infringed on USAAs technology for depositing checks using a mobile device. In June, though, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit in Washington wiped out the awards. Advertisement Article continues below this ad The appeals court determined that USAAs patent claims are ineligible for patent protection because they relate to the abstract idea of depositing a check using a mobile device. As a result, the court said there were no longer any valid patents to support the jury awards. Last week, USAA asked the nations high court to grant the companys petition for writ of certiorari and examine the appeals courts ruling relating to the validity of four of the San Antonio companys patents on its remote deposit capture, or RDC, technology. Statesman Logo Want more Statesman? Make us a Preferred Source on Google to see more of us when you search. Add Preferred Source USAA created patented RDC technology to address the needs of our military members, company spokesman Roger Wildermuth said in an email Thursday. We requested a review of the federal circuit courts decision on our remote deposit capture (RDC) patents because it was not consistent with U.S. Supreme Court precedent on patent eligibility. Advertisement Article continues below this ad In the court filing, USAA said it developed the technology almost 20 years ago because many of its 14 million customers service members and their families were deployed oversees and had difficulty depositing checks. USAA invented the first remote check deposit process that works on an ordinary device, instead of the specialized check scanners previously required, it added. That invention had no trouble satisfying the new and useful requirement: other banks literally thought it couldnt be done until USAA did it. If the Supreme Court grants the petition, USAA would seek to reverse the invalidation of its patents. If the company succeeds, the Federal Circuit court could reinstate the verdicts or send the case back to the U.S. District Court in Marshall a popular East Texas venue for patent disputes for a new trial. Theres no guarantee the Supreme Court will grant the petition, however. Advertisement Article continues below this ad In October, the court turned down USAAs request to review a ruling in connection with two of its patents related to making remote check deposits. USAA had asked the court to review a February ruling by the Patent Trial and Appeal Board part of the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office that determined that certain patents were unpatentable. The Supreme Court offered no explanation in denying USAAs request relating to the two patents, which were included in the the Federal Circuit courts June ruling. Wildermuth, the USAA spokesman, said USAA has over 180 patents relating to its remote deposit capture technology. Advertisement Article continues below this ad We have entered into many license agreements that permit other banks and credit unions to lawfully enjoy the benefits of USAAs innovations, and we look forward to working with more financial institutions to create mutually beneficial license agreements, he added. In May 2022, the East Texas jury awarded $218.5 million to USAA after finding that PNC Bank willfully infringed on USAA patents. In another trial in September 2022, the jury awarded $4.3 million to USAA. But the Federal Circuit court, which hears patent disputes, set aside the awards after finding that three USAA patent claims recite only routine and well-known steps when depositing checks, like authenticating the customer, capturing check images, reading the check amount and account information, and checking for errors. The patent claims are silent as to specific software or technical advances and there is no technological solution within the claims that pull them out of the realm of an abstract idea, the court added. Advertisement Article continues below this ad Given the patents in question were declared invalid, the court said there were no longer any valid patents to support the jurys verdict. Large electrical boxes supply power to server racks in server rooms at the Sabey Data Center in Round Rock Aug. 11, 2025. Austin-based chipmaker Neurophos Inc., which develops energy-efficient chips for AI and data centers, announced Thursday that it secured $110 million in new funding with backing from Microsoft Corp. Aaron E. Martinez/Austin American-Statesman An Austin-based artificial intelligence chipmaker has secured $110 million in new funding, thanks in part to backing from Microsoft Corp. Neurophos Inc. said Thursday it plans to expand its North Austin headquarters and hire 80 employees locally. The latest investment brings the companys total funding to $118 million. Advertisement Article continues below this ad Modern AI inference demands monumental amounts of power and compute, Marc Tremblay, corporate vice president and technical fellow of core AI infrastructure at Microsoft, said in a statement. We need a breakthrough in compute on par with the leaps weve seen in AI models themselves, which is what Neurophos technology and high-talent density team is developing. Funding was led by Colorado-based Gates Family Foundations Frontiers Fund with participation from Microsofts venture fund M12 and other capital investment firms. Neurophos was founded in 2020, emerging as an AI startup out of Duke University. The company develops semiconductors aimed at reducing the energy consumption of AI and data centers, which have faced criticism for their energy demands. Statesman Logo Want more Statesman? Make us a Preferred Source on Google to see more of us when you search. Add Preferred Source It has positioned itself as a direct competitor to Nvidia Corp., a global semiconductor powerhouse valued at more than $5 trillion. Neurophos says its chips are 100 times more energy-efficient than rival products, including those from Nvidia. Advertisement Article continues below this ad The company is still in early stages, with from 20 to 30 employees working out of its headquarters near The Domain. Along with the expansion and hiring, the company said it plans to open a new engineering site in Silicon Valley to support increasing customer demand. The new funding will also help it accelerate delivery of its first compute system, which will include data center-ready chips and developer hardware. The company says initial systems are expected to be deployed in early 2028 with a full production ramp beginning later that year. Advertisement Article continues below this ad Julianna Duennes Russ is a breaking and trending news reporter at the Austin American-Statesman. She covered business as a Dow Jones intern for the San Antonio Express-News and has bylines with the Associated Press and the Atlanta Journal-Constitution. She holds Bachelors degrees in journalism, international affairs and comparative literature from the University of Georgia, where she also earned a certificate in sports media. When shes not writing, you can find Julianna strolling Zilker Park or cuddling with her orange cat, Colby. Reach out to her at julianna.russ@statesman.com with news or notes. New regulations for the consumable hemp industry were approved by the Texas Alcoholic Beverage Commission on Jan. 20. (Photo by Anusak Laowilas/NurPhoto via Getty Images) NurPhoto/NurPhoto via Getty Images The Texas Alcoholic Beverage Commission approved new rules to regulate the states hemp industry, a move that will impact roughly 60,000 license holders, including convenience stores, restaurants and liquor stores that sell consumable hemp products. The new regulations prohibit the sale of consumable hemp products by TABC license holders to people under 21 years old. The rules also require ID checks on all sales. TABC called minors' access to consumable hemp products "an imminent peril to the public health, safety or welfare." Advertisement Article continues below this ad The permanent rules change very little from the temporary emergency regulations put in place in September, which expired Wednesday. Since fall 2025, TABC and the Texas Department of State Health Services have both proposed new rules aimed at regulating the consumable hemp market to fulfill an executive order by Gov. Greg Abbott. The collaboration stems from a regulatory gap. Neither agency has jurisdiction over the entire market of consumable hemp retailers. TABC rules, for example, exclude about 8,000 retailers licensed by DSHS, such as smoke shops and online sellers that do not sell liquor and therefore do not hold liquor licenses. Statesman Logo Want more Statesman? Make us a Preferred Source on Google to see more of us when you search. Add Preferred Source The executive order comes after a yearlong legislative debate over banning consumable hemp products or imposing stricter regulations. Lawmakers in both chambers ultimately voted for a ban, which Abbott vetoed last summer. Advertisement Article continues below this ad Here's what to know about TABC's new regulations for hemp in Texas. What are TABC's rules for hemp? TABC approved new consumable hemp regulations on Jan. 20, wrapping up the agencys yearlong push to more closely regulate the products. The rules make few changes to the industry, largely codifying the emergency regulations that have been in place since September. Advertisement Article continues below this ad Here's a look at the new rules: TABC-licensed businesses may not sell, offer to sell, serve or deliver consumable hemp-derived THC products to anyone under 21 years old. This mirrors alcohol age rules. Before selling consumable hemp products, license holders must verify that customers have a valid, unexpired government-issued photo ID showing theyre at least 21. The earlier one-strike automatic loss of a liquor license for selling to minors has been changed in permanent rules: first offenses can lead to a license suspension, with revocation after multiple violations. These rules were designed to implement Gov. Greg Abbotts executive order responding to ongoing legislative debate over whether to ban or regulate hemp products. What is hemp? The Texas Agriculture Code defines "hemp" as "the plant Cannabis sativa L." containing a delta9 THC concentration of less than 0.3% on a dryweight basis. Advertisement Article continues below this ad Whats the difference between THC and CBD? Cannabidiol (CBD) is a nonpsychoactive compound derived from cannabis. Tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) is the compound that causes intoxication or a high. Is medical marijuana legal in Texas? Yes but only in limited form. The CompassionateUse Program, created in 2015, allows lowTHC cannabis for patients with intractable epilepsy. It was expanded in 2021 and again in 2025 to include chronic pain, hospice care and terminal illness, among other conditions. Advertisement Article continues below this ad Qualifying conditions under the current law include: Gov. Greg Abbott talks about an approaching winter storm at the State Operations Center in Austin on Thursday, Jan. 22, 2026. Joining him are, from left,Texas Division of Emergency Management Chief Nim Kidd, Adjutant General of Texas Major General Thomas Suelzer, Texas Department of Public Safety Col. Freeman Martin and Public Utility Commission Chair Thomas Gleeson. Jay Janner/Austin American-Statesman "Whenever we go through any type of disaster, job number one is always protecting lives, said Abbott. Advertisement Article continues below this ad The storm is expected to bring freezing temperatures and hazardous precipitation, which could cause dangerous road conditions, pipe bursts and power outages. At a Thursday morning news conference, Abbott and other officials urged Texans to prepare for the storm in advance and to stay off roadways once temperatures drop. Roads will be dangerous, so staying off the roads is the safest option, said Mark Williams, executive director of the Texas Department of Transportation. Any amount of ice is a dangerous amount of ice. If travel is necessary, Williams said drivers should slow down, increase following distance, brake slowly, and look out for downed trees and power lines. Stay away from downed power lines, as they may carry active electrical current. Vehicles should be stocked ahead of travel with fuel, food, water and blankets. Statesman Logo Want more Statesman? Make us a Preferred Source on Google to see more of us when you search. Add Preferred Source Residents can monitor the status of road closures at DriveTexas.org. Advertisement Article continues below this ad Gov. Greg Abbott signs a disaster declaration for an approaching winter storm at the State Operations Center in Austin on Thursday, Jan. 22, 2026. Jay Janner/Austin American-Statesman In the meantime, the governor said resources have been deployed statewide to attempt to get ahead of the freeze. Roads and highways are already being coated in a briny salt mixture to speed up the melting process, and around 5,000 TxDOT personnel are being sent to regions that will be most affected, primarily a large swath of the state north of San Antonio. Officials also reminded drivers to be aware of crews working to plow the roads and give them as much distance as possible. According to the Central Texas Regional Mobility Authority, road and bridge treatment operations will increase as needed over the weekend. As a state, were not waiting, Abbott said. Were acting right now. Advertisement Article continues below this ad Abbott said if there are power outages, downed trees and power lines will be responsible, not the Texas power grid, as was the case during the deadly Winter Storm Uri in 2021. The power grid system we have today is completely different than the power grid system we had back then, Abbott said. Just the amount of power added to the grid is more than 40,000 megawatts. We have abundant power, and the reliability of it has never been better. Pablo Vegas, CEO of the Electric Reliability Council of Texas, said power demand is not expected to exceed the low-80,000 megawatts range, and the grid has capacity of more than 90,000 megawatts, making it well-equipped to handle higher demand. This is a different type of weather event than Winter Storm Uri, Vegas said. The state was experiencing extremely cold weather leading into the storm coming through and had a long, long duration of cold weather following that. This storm is going to be more transient and its not going to be as long duration. Advertisement Article continues below this ad Electric Reliability Council of Texas CEO Pablo Vegas speaks at a news conference about an approaching winter storm at the State Operations Center in Austin on Thursday, Jan. 22, 2026. Listening is Public Utility Commission Chair Thomas Gleeson. Jay Janner/Austin American-Statesman Austin airport will remain open, but airline operations could vary Austin-Bergstrom International Airport said in a statement that it will continue operating and has pre-staged equipment to handle ice, if necessary, but individual airline operations may vary. While our runways and terminal are expected to remain open, airlines are responsible for de-icing their aircraft and making decisions about delays or cancellations, an airport representative told the American-Statesman. Even minor ice in Austin can coincide with more severe weather elsewhere in Texas or across the country, which may impact flight schedules. Advertisement Article continues below this ad Delta Air Lines said it is offering flexibility to customers with existing bookings to change their travel with no fees, including in Austin. Delta flights have been canceled at select airports in North Texas, Oklahoma, Arkansas, Louisiana and Tennessee, and Delta customers traveling on a U.S. domestic flight who experience a flight delay of three hours or more and choose not to fly are entitled to a full refund for the portion of the trip that they missed. Delta customers on international flights who experience a delay of six hours or more and choose not to fly are also eligible for a refund. Southwest Airlines, United Airlines, American Airlines, Frontier Airlines and others are also offering flexibility for ticket holders throughout the duration of the storm. The Austin airport recommends travelers closely monitor the status of their trips before leaving home. In the event of severe ice, the airport said it may temporarily close the upper levels of the parking garage and rental car facility for safety reasons. Gov. Greg Abbott listens to a briefing as he prepares for a winter storm at the State Operations Center in Austin on Thursday, Jan. 22, 2026. Jay Janner/Austin American-Statesman Electric Reliability Council of Texas CEO Pablo Vegas, second from right, and Public Utility Commission Chair Thomas Gleeson, right, listen to a briefing as they prepare for a winter storm at the State Operations Center in Austin on Thursday, Jan. 22, 2026. Jay Janner/Austin American-Statesman Gov. Greg Abbott listens to a briefing as he prepares for a winter storm at the State Operations Center in Austin on Thursday, Jan. 22, 2026. Jay Janner/Austin American-Statesman Texas Division of Emergency Management Chief Nim Kidd talks about an approaching winter storm at a news conference at the State Operations Center in Austin on Thursday, Jan. 22, 2026. Jay Janner/Austin American-Statesman Gov. Greg Abbott listens to Public Utility Commission Chair Thomas Gleeson speak at a news conference about an approaching winter storm at the State Operations Center in Austin on Thursday, Jan. 22, 2026. Jay Janner/Austin American-Statesman Gov. Greg Abbott listens to a briefing as he prepares for a winter storm at the State Operations Center in Austin on Thursday, Jan. 22, 2026. Jay Janner/Austin American-Statesman Gov. Greg Abbott talks about an approaching winter storm at the State Operations Center in Austin on Thursday, Jan. 22, 2026. Joining him is Texas Division of Emergency Management Chief Nim Kidd, left. Jay Janner/Austin American-Statesman How to stay safe during a severe Texas winter storm During a severe winter storm, the safest thing Texans can do is avoid unnecessary travel but safety while hunkering down at home is just as important. Advertisement Article continues below this ad In the event of a power outage, stay safe from fire or carbon monoxide poisoning by ensuring your home has working smoke detectors and carbon monoxide detectors. Follow these tips to stay safe while keeping your household and loved ones warm: Open the chimney flue before using the fireplace. Keep generators outside. Dont leave your car running in a closed environment, like a garage. Never use a grill indoors. Dont use a gas stove to warm your space, unless using it to cook food. Even then, dont keep gas on for a prolonged duration. Keep space heaters at least 3 feet away from flammable materials and never place a space heater on a rug or other flammable surface. Never use an extension cord or power strip to plug in a space heater; instead, plug in directly to the wall. Unplug space heater, blow out candles and put out the fireplace if not in use. Never leave a space heater unattended. Austin-Travis County Emergency Medical Services said in a statement that operations could look different during severe winter weather, including the way responders handle 9-1-1 calls. People who rely on prescription medications are advised to stock enough to last a few days. Advertisement Article continues below this ad What time will rain, freeze begin on Friday in Austin? An Arctic blast is expected to move across Texas on Friday, reaching Central Texas late Friday evening. Ahead of the front, light showers are expected off and on through the afternoon, becoming more widespread and heavier Friday night. Freezing temperatures will lag behind the cold front and are expected to arrive in Austin sometime between noon and 6 p.m. Saturday. This is when rain will transition to freezing rain, leading to icy and slick road conditions. Temperatures will continue to fall Saturday night, with lows dipping into the 20s. Gusty winds will make it feel more like the teens. Wintry weather is expected to continue into Sunday morning, with hazardous travel lingering into the afternoon as temperatures remain below freezing, generally in the 20s to near 30 degrees. Frigid conditions will persist through Monday, with overnight lows in the teens and afternoon temperatures struggling to reach the freezing mark. Advertisement Article continues below this ad CORPUS CHRISTI A jury found former Uvalde school district police officer Adrian Gonzales not guilty on all charges of abandoning or endangering children late Wednesday for his response to a mass shooting at Robb Elementary School. Gonzales stood trial for more than two weeks, accused by prosecutors of failing to act immediately to stop a gunman who burst into the Uvalde elementary school on the morning of May 24, 2022, killing 19 children and wounding 10 other students. The jury rejected 29 counts of abandoning or endangering a child that had been filed against him. Former Uvalde school district police officer Adrian Gonzales, right, embraces his attorney Jason Goss as they react to the announcement that the jury found him not guilty at the Nueces County Courthouse on Wednesday, Jan. 21, 2026, in Corpus Christi, Texas. He was acquitted of 29 counts of abandoning or endangering a child, after the state accused him of failing to act promptly to stop an 18-year-old gunman who entered Robb Elementary School in Uvalde on the morning of May 24, 2022, killing 19 children and injuring 10 others. Sam Owens/San Antonio Express-News Gloria Cazares, mother of Robb Elementary school shooting victim Jackie Cazaeres, reacts to the announcement that the jury found former Uvalde school district police officer Adrian Gonzales not guilty at the Nueces County Courthouse on Wednesday, Jan. 21, 2026, in Corpus Christi, Texas. Sam Owens/San Antonio Express-News Former Uvalde school district police officer Adrian Gonzales, left, cries as he stands beside his attorney, Nico LaHood, to answer reporters' questions following the announcement that the jury found Gonzales not guilty at the Nueces County Courthouse on Wednesday, Jan. 21, 2026, in Corpus Christi, Texas. He was acquitted of 29 counts of abandoning or endangering a child after the state accused him of failing to act promptly to stop an 18-year-old gunman who entered Robb Elementary School in Uvalde on the morning of May 24, 2022, killing 19 children and injuring 10 others. Sam Owens/San Antonio Express-News Family members of former Uvalde school district police officer Adrian Gonzales react to the announcement that the jury found him not guilty at the Nueces County Courthouse on Wednesday, Jan. 21, 2026, in Corpus Christi, Texas. He was acquitted of 29 counts of abandoning or endangering a child, after the state accused him of failing to act promptly to stop an 18-year-old gunman who entered Robb Elementary School in Uvalde on the morning of May 24, 2022, killing 19 children and injuring 10 others. Sam Owens/San Antonio Express-News Judge Sid Harle announces that the jury found former Uvalde school district police officer Adrian Gonzales not guilty at the Nueces County Courthouse on Wednesday, Jan. 21, 2026, in Corpus Christi, Texas. He was acquitted of 29 counts of abandoning or endangering a child, after the state accused him of failing to act promptly to stop an 18-year-old gunman who entered Robb Elementary School in Uvalde on the morning of May 24, 2022, killing 19 children and injuring 10 others. Sam Owens/San Antonio Express-News Former Uvalde school district police officer Adrian Gonzales embraces his attorney Nico LaHood as they react to the announcement that the jury found him not guilty at the Nueces County Courthouse on Wednesday, Jan. 21, 2026, in Corpus Christi, Texas. He was acquitted of 29 counts of abandoning or endangering a child, after the state accused him of failing to act promptly to stop an 18-year-old gunman who entered Robb Elementary School in Uvalde on the morning of May 24, 2022, killing 19 children and injuring 10 others. Sam Owens/San Antonio Express-News Evadulia Orta, right, rubs the shoulder of Javier Cazares as they react to the announcement that the jury found former Uvalde school district police officer Adrian Gonzales not guilty at the Nueces County Courthouse on Wednesday, Jan. 21, 2026, in Corpus Christi, Texas. Ortas son, Rojelio Torres, and Cazares daughter Jackie Cazares were killed in the Robb Elementary mass shooting on May 24, 2022. Sam Owens/San Antonio Express-News Mothers of Robb Elementary School shooting victims, from left, Sandra Torres, Veronica Luevanos, and Felicha Martinez cry together outside the Nueces County Courthouse on Wednesday, Jan. 21, 2026, in Corpus Christi, Texas, after a not guilty verdict for former Uvalde school district police officer Adrian Gonzales. I just want to go home, Veronica Luevanos said as Torres and Martinez embraced her. Sam Owens/San Antonio Express-News After a jury found him not guilty, former Uvalde school district police officer Adrian Gonzales, right, says goodbye to court officers while walking out of the courtroom at the Nueces County Courthouse on Wednesday, Jan. 21, 2026, in Corpus Christi, Texas. He was acquitted of 29 counts of abandoning or endangering a child, after the state accused him of failing to act promptly to stop an 18-year-old gunman who entered Robb Elementary School in Uvalde on the morning of May 24, 2022, killing 19 children and injuring 10 others. Sam Owens/San Antonio Express-News Former Uvalde school district police officer Adrian Gonzales, right, embraces his attorney Jason Goss as they react to the announcement that the jury found him not guilty at the Nueces County Courthouse on Wednesday, Jan. 21, 2026, in Corpus Christi, Texas. He was acquitted of 29 counts of abandoning or endangering a child, after the state accused him of failing to act promptly to stop an 18-year-old gunman who entered Robb Elementary School in Uvalde on the morning of May 24, 2022, killing 19 children and injuring 10 others. Sam Owens/San Antonio Express-News Former Uvalde school district police officer Adrian Gonzales, left, stands behind his defense attorney Nico LaHood at the Nueces County Courthouse on Wednesday, Jan. 21, 2026, in Corpus Christi, Texas, as they answer reporters questions following the jurys announcement that they found Gonzales not guilty. Sam Owens/San Antonio Express-News Former Uvalde school district police officer Adrian Gonzales, center, stands between his defense attorneys, Jason Goss, left, and Nico LaHood, right, at the Nueces County Courthouse on Wednesday, Jan. 21, 2026, in Corpus Christi, Texas, as they answer reporters questions following the jurys announcement that they found Gonzales not guilty. Sam Owens/San Antonio Express-News Former Uvalde school district police officer Adrian Gonzales reacts as he attends a press conference with his attorneys at the Nueces County Courthouse on Wednesday, Jan. 21, 2026, in Corpus Christi, Texas. The group answered reporters questions following the jurys announcement that they found Gonzales not guilty. Sam Owens/San Antonio Express-News Former Uvalde school district police officer Adrian Gonzales leaves the courtroom as the jury goes back to deliberate on the 11th day of his trial at the Nueces County Courthouse on Wednesday, Jan. 21, 2026, in Corpus Christi, Texas. Sam Owens/San Antonio Express-News Former Uvalde school district police officer Adrian Gonzales listens to closing statements on the 11th day of his trial at the Nueces County Courthouse on Wednesday, Jan. 21, 2026, in Corpus Christi, Texas. Sam Owens/San Antonio Express-News Uvalde County District Attorney Christina Mitchell delivers a closing statement to the jury on the 11th day of the trial for former Uvalde school district police officer Adrian Gonzales at the Nueces County Courthouse on Wednesday, Jan. 21, 2026, in Corpus Christi, Texas. Sam Owens/San Antonio Express-News Jesse Rizo and his wife Juanita Cazares-Rizo listen to the prosecution and defense deliver their closing statements to the jury on the 11th day of the trial for former Uvalde school district police officer Adrian Gonzales at the Nueces County Courthouse on Wednesday, Jan. 21, 2026, in Corpus Christi, Texas. Their niece, Jackie Cazares was one of the 19 children killed in the Robb Elementary mass shooting on May 24, 2022. Sam Owens/San Antonio Express-News Defense attorney Jason Goss delivers a closing statement to the jury on the 11th day of the trial for former Uvalde school district police officer Adrian Gonzales at the Nueces County Courthouse on Wednesday, Jan. 21, 2026, in Corpus Christi, Texas. Sam Owens/San Antonio Express-News Defense attorney Nico LaHood delivers a closing statement to the jury on the 11th day of the trial for former Uvalde school district police officer Adrian Gonzales at the Nueces County Courthouse on Wednesday, Jan. 21, 2026, in Corpus Christi, Texas. Sam Owens/San Antonio Express-News Defense attorney Nico LaHood mimics a police officer responding to a threat inside a classroom while delivering a closing statement to the jury on the 11th day of the trial for former Uvalde school district police officer Adrian Gonzales at the Nueces County Courthouse on Wednesday, Jan. 21, 2026, in Corpus Christi, Texas. Sam Owens/San Antonio Express-News Relatives of defendant Adrian Gonzales, a former Uvalde school district police officer, walk into the courtroom on the 11th day of his trial at the Nueces County Courthouse on Wednesday, Jan. 21, 2026, in Corpus Christi, Texas. Closing statements were delivered to the jury and they were sent back to deliberate. Sam Owens/San Antonio Express-News Families of Robb Elementary mass shooting victims listen to closing statements from the prosecution and defense during the 11th day of the trial for former Uvalde school district police officer Adrian Gonzales at the Nueces County Courthouse on Wednesday, Jan. 21, 2026, in Corpus Christi, Texas. Sam Owens/San Antonio Express-News Judge Harle listens to an objection from defense attorney Jason Goss as prosecutor Bill Turner delivers a closing statement to the jury on the 11th day of the trial for former Uvalde school district police officer Adrian Gonzales at the Nueces County Courthouse on Wednesday, Jan. 21, 2026, in Corpus Christi, Texas. Sam Owens/San Antonio Express-News Relatives of defendant Adrian Gonzales, a former Uvalde school district police officer, listen to closing statements on the 11th day of Gonzales trial at the Nueces County Courthouse on Wednesday, Jan. 21, 2026, in Corpus Christi, Texas. Sam Owens/San Antonio Express-News Felix Rubio, father of Robb Elementary mass shooting victim Lexi Rubio, sits in the courtroom during a brief morning break on the 11th day of the trial for former Uvalde school district police officer Adrian Gonzales at the Nueces County Courthouse on Wednesday, Jan. 21, 2026, in Corpus Christi, Texas. Sam Owens/San Antonio Express-News Gonzales, 52, wiped away tears as he heard the jurys verdict. He then hugged his lawyers. Advertisement Article continues below this ad The family members of several children killed in the mass shooting appeared anguished when they heard words not guilty. Several of them wept and one woman shook her head repeatedly. The jury reached its verdict after more than seven hours of deliberation, starting at 12:10 p.m. Before the verdict was read in court, a mother of one of the victims bowed her head in prayer. Other family members appeared tense and anxious. Advertisement Article continues below this ad The jury and Gonzales returned to the courtroom at 7:38 p.m. In a press conference later Wednesday night, Gonzales and his attorneys expressed gratitude for the jurys decision. I want to start by thanking God for this my family and my wife, Gonzales said tearfully as his family stood nearby holding hands and crying. And these guys He put them in my path, he said of his attorneys. And Im just thankful for that. Thank you for the jury for considering all the evidence. Advertisement Article continues below this ad Some jurors told defense attorneys there were gaps in the evidence and that some of it didnt make sense to them, said Gonzales attorney, Nicholas Nico LaHood, a former Bexar County district attorney. This is a long day coming for Adrian and his family, LaHood said. Theres no real winners because obviously theres so much tragedy and hurt behind this. We also know that there are families on the other side that are dealing with this new normal that theyve had for three years. And theyre still in pain. And this (verdict) was a disappointment for them. The victims families said little as they left the courthouse Wednesday night. Advertisement Article continues below this ad Theyre our kids. They continue to be failed thats it, said Gloria Cazares, whose 9-year old daughter, Jacklyn Cazares, was among those killed at Robb Elementary. The mothers of three other children slain in the mass shooting cried together outside the courthouse. I just want to go home, Veronica Luevanos said, wailing as mothers Sandra Cruz and Felicha Martinez embraced her. The three women are the mothers of victims Jailah Silguero, Eliahna Torres and Xavier Lopez. Gonzales was the first law enforcement officer to arrive at the mass shooting that day. He was normally stationed at Uvalde High School, but he voluntarily responded to a call for help at Robb Elementary that was broadcast on the police radio. He arrived 25 seconds before several other officers, his attorneys said. Advertisement Article continues below this ad Prosecutors claimed Gonzales heard gunshots and was told the gunmans general whereabouts, but failed to confront him and never attempted to do so before the shooter went into two classrooms and killed the victims. Two teachers also were killed in the rampage. But defense attorneys told the jury that Gonzales went willingly into the line of fire and was among the first five police officers to go inside the school before being driven back when the gunman opened fire on them. Defense attorneys also said Gonzales did the best he could with the limited information he received while responding to a rapidly developing and chaotic situation. They questioned why more police officers werent charged with any wrongdoing. We knew it was going to be a challenging case because of the sheer emotions behind it and those precious babies being taken from those families, LaHood said Wednesday night. Advertisement Article continues below this ad Gonzales' attorneys said they would like to see more training for law enforcement for such chaotic and dangerous situations. This is the first time in Texas that an officers training has been used as a mallet or as a cudgel against the officer, said defense attorney Jason Goss, who also represented Gonzales. One of the problems with the training, which we kind of saw with the evidence, is its confusing it sends mixed messages. Its purpose was never to have somebody prosecuted who went through a class because they werent able to perfectly gather everything about a training or be able to apply that in a situation that the training never contemplated. I think for law enforcement, it is a wake-up call. They need to be aware that their training is being used by prosecutors to criminally prosecute police officers. Everybody out there was trying to do what they thought was right, Goss said. And we know that there were failures. But it wasnt because they wanted to fail. Its because they were trying to do what they thought was right. Advertisement Article continues below this ad In closing arguments earlier Wednesday, prosecutors said they were seeking to hold Gonzales accountable for not performing his required duties. Defense attorneys said Gonzales was among a group of five police officers who were the first to enter the schools fourth-grade building after the gunman went inside through an unlocked door. This case is about and has always been about holding officers to the duty thats mandated for them in the law, District Attorney Christina Mitchell told the jury. Im here to say that when you are a peace officer for a school district, youre going to be held responsible youre going to be held to that duty. Gonzales was part of a police force that was responsible for the safety of Uvalde school districts buildings and students, said Mitchell, whose jurisdiction includes Uvalde and Real counties. That means these buildings, they are their homes, the district attorney said of the school districts police force as she pointed to a map of Robb Elementary. Those hallways, they are their roads. Those students in those classrooms, those are their people to protect. Advertisement Article continues below this ad Gonzales had cover, Mitchell told the jury. What did the children have? They had chairs and desks. He had a pistol ... The defendant had a vest on. What did the children have in Rooms 111 and 112? They had curtains to hide behind. I know this case is difficult. And it has been difficult. But we cannot continue to let children die in vain. We cannot. We cannot let 19 children die in vain and another 10 suffer. Defense attorneys told the jury that prosecutors were holding Gonzales responsible because the gunman was dead and couldn't be hauled into court for his actions. The government, the power of the state, has decided that he has to pay for the pain of that day, the mistakes of that day, Goss said during closing arguments. Advertisement Article continues below this ad Gonzales performed his duties and tried his best to respond appropriately to the emergency at Robb Elementary, Goss said. Even so, Gonzales never had the gunman in his line of sight. Gonzales was outside the school for one minute and 48 seconds talking with a witness and relaying information on his police radio before going inside the building with four other officers, Goss said. Holding Gonzales responsible for what happened that day would be an injustice, the defense attorney argued. Its one of the most horrible things thats ever happened in this state, Goss said. But the memory of those children is not honored by an injustice in their name. Advertisement Article continues below this ad The charges filed against Gonzales were a state jail felony, the lowest-level felony under the Texas penal code. If the jury had found him guilty, the 10-year police veteran would have faced up to two years behind bars. Senior District Judge Sid Harle of San Antonio presided over the trial. Other law enforcement officers ultimately killed the gunman 77 minutes after the massacre began. Those officers stormed a classroom to reach the gunman, who burst from a book closet and opened fire on them with his assault-style rifle before he was mortally wounded. Advertisement Article continues below this ad The trial was moved to Corpus Christi after Gonzales attorneys argued he could not get an impartial jury in Uvalde, which is about 200 miles away. A jury was chosen after a 12-hour selection effort on Jan. 5. LaHood told jurors that prosecutors were asking them to ignore that Gonzales drove into the danger zone and never had the gunman in his line of sight, even though other police officers who werent charged with any crimes briefly saw the shooter at the school that morning. LaHood also claimed prosecutors wanted the jury to ignore that some exterior and interior doors were unlocked at the school building where the victims died, which gave the gunman easier access. Advertisement Article continues below this ad Im sorry for what Mr. (Arnulfo) Reyes went through, LaHood said, referring to one teacher who survived being shot and whose 11 students present were killed. But (his classroom) door was unlocked. It should have been locked. LaHood described Gonzales as the man lowest on the totem pole of those who could be charged with wrongdoing. Nearly 400 law enforcement officers from two dozen agencies, including the Border Patrol and the Texas Department of Public Safety, responded to the emergency at Robb Elementary that day. The defense suggested that convicting Gonzales could prompt other law enforcement officers to stay back, avoiding running into danger when responding to mass shootings for fear that they might be prosecuted. Advertisement Article continues below this ad Prosecutors said that teachers did what Gonzales did not. We brought you teachers who experienced that gunfire. They still put their kids first and followed their training, special prosecutor Bill Turner told the jury. Their priorities were where they needed to be children first. That was a dark day. For 29 families, it was extremely dark, and they still await justice. Adrian Gonzales had a duty to put kids first and he called for cover. Advertisement Article continues below this ad Gonzales was one of two law enforcement officers charged in connection with the police response. The other is former Uvalde school district police chief Pedro Pete Arredondo, 53, who is charged with 10 counts of abandoning or endangering a child one for each of 10 children who suffered physical or psychological injuries in the massacre. He was the presumed incident commander in charge of the police response. Arredondo will stand trial at a later date. Advertisement Article continues below this ad Round Rock police have arrested two new suspects in the New Year's shooting that injured five people outside the Platinum Event Center. Villalpando, Rob (CMG-Austin)/Austin American-Statesman Police arrested two more people in connection with the shooting in Round Rock early on New Year's Day that injured five people outside an event center, officials said. The new suspects are juveniles, so their names can't be released, police said in a social media post Wednesday night. One is from Austin and the other is from Bastrop, the post said. Advertisement Article continues below this ad Both are charged with aggravated assault in a mass shooting, police said. Three suspects have now been arrested. Javione Wright, 20, of Pflugerville, was arrested Jan. 6 and charged with aggravated assault in a mass shooting, police said. The shooting injured five juveniles in a parking lot at the Platinum Event Center, 1611 Chisholm Trail, police said. The victims were taken to hospitals and treated for injuries that were not life-threatening. The incident followed a physical altercation between New Year's Eve party-goers, police said. Minutes before the shooting, police were alerted about underage drinking at a party at the event center, according to an arrest affidavit. It said that when police arrived, the party-goers fled into the parking lot. Surveillance video shows Wright watching an argument between two groups and then shooting without provocationat 12:08 a.m. Jan. 1, the affidavit said. Police said the investigation remains ongoing. Bee Cave City Hall City of Bee Cave Bee Cave has dropped a lawsuit against a former city manager connected to the construction of a controversial warehouse distribution center after he signed a cooperation agreement with the city, officials said. Former City Manager Clint Garza was sued as part of the Bee Cave's 2024 lawsuit against developers of a warehouse and distribution center that alleged the project violated an agreement limiting the land's use to commercial or office purposes. Advertisement Article continues below this ad The suit alleged Garza concealed development plans from the City Council and received payments tied to facilitating projects that bypassed council oversight. The city settled the lawsuit against some of the developers except for one company, Wheelock, which originally owned the land sold for the distribution center. Former Bee Cave City Manager Clint Garza Lake Travis View file photo Under the agreement, Garza will turn over all records, communications and other material related to the citys claims against Wheelock and any other entities or individuals involved in the investigation, Bee Cave officials said in a news release. It said Garza is also required to provide testimony and fully cooperate with any future investigations related to development deals during his tenure as city manager, and that he agreed not to seek or accept a government position for five years. If Garza violates the agreement, he must pay the city $25,000 per violation, the release said. Advertisement Article continues below this ad Statesman Logo Want more Statesman? Make us a Preferred Source on Google to see more of us when you search. Add Preferred Source Garza will comply with the law and provide truthful testimony if asked, his attorneys said in a statement Thursday. "Clint Garza is very proud of how well he served the property owners and taxpayers of Bee Cave as the City Manager for 5 years," the statement said. The statement added that Garza believes a jury would have ruled in his favor but said he was relieved the case had ended. It also said the city spent more than $1.4 million in taxpayer money on legal fees. One of Garza's attorneys, Bill Aleshire, has previously said Garza did not withhold information about the warehouses or receive payments for developments that bypassed council approval. Advertisement Article continues below this ad The construction of the industrial park at Texas 71 and Serene Hills Drive happened without the knowledge of the City Council and "took the community by surprise," city officials said in the news release. It said the city has since strengthened its ethics ordinance to establish clearer standards for ethical conduct by city staff and officials, and created a whistleblower ordinance to ensure employees feel safe reporting suspected misconduct. City officials have said the industrial park would increase pollution, noise and traffic to the nearby Sweetwater neighborhood. Lawyers for developers Velocis and KBC Advisors had said that because the warehouse is in Bee Caves extraterritorial jurisdiction, the developers did not have to report site plans to the city nor get its approval. The industrial park has since been sold to Cesium Astro, which plans to use the property for its global headquarters to develop satellite communications technology. The company has agreed to an amended development agreement that prohibits industrial uses. J. David Bamberger brought back Hill Country springs and meadows at Selah Bamberger Ranch Preserve near of Johnson City. Austin American-Statesman Not all prophets are without honor in their own lands. J. David Bamberger, who died Jan. 17 at his Johnson City ranch house at age 97, made a profound impact on Texas, both in business and the environment. Advertisement Article continues below this ad David Bamberger talks to a tour group at Selah Bamberger Ranch Preserve in Blanco County on Tuesday May 26, 2009. Jay Janner/Austin American-Statesman David Bamberger shows one of his perched aquifers to a tour group at Selah Bamberger Ranch Preserve in Blanco County on Tuesday May 26, 2009. Jay Janner/Austin American-Statesman David Bamberger talks to a tour group at Selah Bamberger Ranch Preserve in Blanco County on Tuesday May 26, 2009. Jay Janner/Austin American-Statesman Almost universally admired, Bamberger helped build a string of Churchs Fried Chicken franchises into a fast-food empire. Perhaps more importantly, he demonstrated at his own ranch, Selah, that by rooting out overly thirsty trees and through other conservation methods one could bring back Hill Country land and springs that had been played out by generations of overgrazing or neglect. He spread the good word through the book, My Stories, All True: J. David Bamberger on Life as an Entrepreneur and Conservationist (Texas A&M University Press), written by former American-Statesman reporter Pamela A. LeBlanc. Advertisement Article continues below this ad Statesman Logo Want more Statesman? Make us a Preferred Source on Google to see more of us when you search. Add Preferred Source In addition, LeBlanc wrote more than one powerful tribute to her friend for Texas Monthly. A flood of social media tributes followed the news of his death, some of them simple and sincere. He was an inspiration, posted admirer Brad Sandy. He talked common sense and taught common sense to anyone interested in how to make soil better, and that is how to grow grass, animals and even water where others thought it could not be done. Advertisement Article continues below this ad Other praise widened the lens. The importance of these stories and the legacy of Selah will only be fully recognized by future Texans, wrote revered nature documentary maker Ben Masters about LeBlanc's Bamberger book. Texans who drink from the beautifully cold and sweet water springing from hillside aquifers, who watch in admiration as birds and butterflies migrate across restored landscapes, and who recognize that if visionaries like David Bamberger didn't devote their lives to restoring nature, Texas would be a much bleaker and less hopeful place. A scrappy entrepreneur After conquering the business world with Church's Fried Chicken chain, David Bamberger led the charge to restore overgrazed, damaged and neglected Hill Country land on his ranch. Austin American-Statesman J. David Bamberger was born June 11, 1928 in Massillon, Ohio, and grew up in a house without running water or electricity. He graduated from Navarre High School and Kent State University in Canton, Ohio. Advertisement Article continues below this ad One early literary inspiration, Pleasant Valley, by Pulitzer Prize-winning author Louis Bromfield, chronicled an effort to restore damaged Ohio land into a sustainable farm. Door to door, the adult Bamberger sold Kirby vacuum cleaners. Later in life, he repeated how proud he was to scratch out a living in such an unpredictable business. The biggest thing I learned was how to handle rejection, Bamberger said in a 2019 interview. When youre selling door to door, youve got to knock on a lot of doors and talk to a lot of people, and youre going to get turned down. It applies to your health, your economics, your family, everything. In 1950, he moved his young family to Texas, where he co-founded Churchs Fried Chicken partnering with George W. Church Sr. and Bill Church Jr. starting with one 1950s walkup stand in San Antonio. After expanding around the globe, it was officially renamed Churchs Texas Chicken in 2019. Advertisement Article continues below this ad He was a problem-solver and very conservative with resources, reads his family obituary. He didn't like waste, be it money, time, talent or materials, and believed that hard work mattered more than money, often saying, The only place success comes before work is in the dictionary." Restoring the land David Bamberger has a herd of 87 rare scimitar horned oryx on the Selah Bamberger Ranch Preserve near Johnson City on March 10, 2004. Jay Janner/Jay Janner/Austin American-Statesman In 1969, Bamberger purchased 3,000 acres of what he called "the worst land in Blanco County." He continued to add acreage until Selah, Bamberger Ranch Preserve, reached 5,500 acres. He turned it into a mecca for Texans interested in restoring meadows that had been chewed down by cattle, sheep and goats, as well as springs that had been sucked dry by native but thirsty trees like juniper (cedar) and mesquite. He cleared unwanted species and planted hundreds that fit the land, while blazing trails so that visitors could learn about the geology, flora and fauna. Advertisement Article continues below this ad He was also instrumental in rescuing endangered species, such as the scimitar horned oryx. During his lifetime, Texans like him not only bred animals from Africa, Asia and elsewhere, but also participated in reintroducing them to their home ranges. Bamberger also worked to save endangered flowers and shrubs and built his own bat cave. Completed in 2018, one of his crowning achievements was the Margaret Bamberger Research and Education Center, named after one of his wives, who died in 2009. Now there are lakes you can swim in, creeks that run, and trees that werent here then, Bamberger said in 2019. I think one of his greatest contributions has been to give people the awareness that they have the tools in their hands for ecological restoration to the Hill Country, artist Margie Crisp, daughter of Margaret Bamberger, told LeBlanc. He simplified it to the catchphrase If you cut the cedars the springs will come, but the story was more complex. You had to spend time plowing and digging and planting native grasses. But because he was able to distill the message into that concept, it was relatable to a huge number of people. Advertisement Article continues below this ad Not content with bringing back his own land, he helped establish Bamberger Nature, Guadalupe River State Park, and Bracken Cave Preserve. He told folks, "It doesn't take a lot of cash to be a good land steward, but it does take hard work and dedication." Bamberger encouraged nonprofit outfits, such as the Nature Conservancy Texas, which carried on the conservation work on a larger scale while teaming with private landowners. Its hard to imagine a single private landowner whos had more of an impact on stewardship across Texas, Carter Smith, a former executive director of the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department, told LeBlanc. The reality is, if were going to accomplish conservation at any kind of scale, weve got to work cooperatively and collaboratively with private landowners. Bamberger helped break down a lot of barriers to that in the 1990s. Bamberger was preceded in death by two wives, and is survived by his wife, Joanna Rees Bamberger, along with three children, six grandchildren and 12 great-grandchildren. Advertisement Article continues below this ad Family and friends will gather at Selah, Bamberger Ranch Preserve, to celebrate his life at 2 p.m. March 14. Bamberger often said he wanted to be remembered, not for the fried-chicken empire he built, but for his work at Selah, which he named after the biblical word thats interpreted as a pause, LeBlanc wrote. He worked to show others that by removing invasive species, replanting native grasses and trees, and managing livestock more carefully, we can help even the most damaged lands rebound. People attend a public hearing Wednesday, Jan. 21, 2026, at the Texas Department of Motor Vehicles in Austin. Alex Driggars/Austin American-Statesman Dozens of small business owners and local officials warned state regulators Wednesday that proposed changes to Texas car registration identification rules would slash sales, cost jobs and push customers into the shadows, testifying overwhelmingly against the plan at a public hearing in Austin. The Texas Department of Motor Vehicles is seeking to tighten identification requirements to title a vehicle or renew a registration, a move that would make it effectively impossible for Texans without legal immigration status to register a car. While the proposal is popular among some voters, sentiment at Wednesdays hearing was overwhelmingly negative, with more than 40 people testifying in opposition before a packed room at the agencys headquarters. Advertisement Article continues below this ad Under the proposed rules, anyone registering a vehicle would be required to present an unexpired REAL ID-compliant drivers license or identification card; an unexpired U.S. passport or a foreign passport with a valid immigrant visa or permanent resident card; or a current Texas handgun license. Registration renewals, including online renewals, would also require proof of one of those documents. Because Texans without legal status cannot obtain the types of identification outlined in the proposal, small business owners said many customers would no longer be able to purchase vehicles or obtain insurance. / Small business owners said the changes would hit auto dealers, insurance agents and title transfer specialists particularly hard, especially those serving Texas large Hispanic population. In testimony at Wednesday's hearing, Dallas auto dealer Octavio Vasquez argued that it shouldnt be the job of an auto dealer to enforce immigration law. Statesman Logo Want more Statesman? Make us a Preferred Source on Google to see more of us when you search. Add Preferred Source My job is: Sell the car, collect the money, submit the (tax) money to the state, Vasquez said. We dont care if they carry papers. Thats none of my business. Advertisement Article continues below this ad Vasquez was among several small businesses owners who said they have seen a dramatic decline in sales since November when TxDMV quietly sent interim guidance to counties with more restrictive identification standards. The agency, which is now seeking to make the rules permanent, issued the guidance after state Rep. Brian Harrison, R-Midlothian, pressured the department to immediately issue rules to stop illegal aliens from registering vehicles in Texas, Hearst Newspapers previously reported. MORE: Texas quietly tightens ID rules for car registrations after backlash over unauthorized immigrants Before the policy shift, county tax offices which process vehicle registrations in Texas could accept certain identification documents and passports, including foreign passports, that had been expired for up to a year as proof of residency for a vehicle registration. Cecilia Gavia, an insurance agent in Arlington who also provides title services, told DMV officials Wednesday that the abrupt rule change has left many of her clients fearful and uncertain. Advertisement Article continues below this ad For many Texans, renewing vehicle tags is just another task on the to-do list, Gavia said. But for others, it has become a moment filled with fear. Ive seen people walk into our office hopeful, believing theyve done everything right, and walk out shaken, confused and scared about what comes next. Another Dallas auto dealer, Emily Sanchez, testified that year-over-year sales at her dealership, which primarily serves Hispanic buyers, fell 50% from November through January. This decline is not due to a lack of demand customers still need transportation but rather due to the increased difficulty and uncertainty created by these new requirements, Sanchez said, noting she has been forced to lay off employees. County officials who testified Wednesday warned the DMV that the changes could increase fraud by encouraging straw registrations, in which people pay others to register vehicles on their behalf, obscuring true ownership. Advertisement Article continues below this ad Celia Israel, the Democratic Travis County tax assessor-collector, said the proposal would make it harder for officials to determine who actually owns and drives vehicles. Whenever rules are in place, there will be bad actors who will try to get around the rules, Israel said. Theres a lot of opportunity for crime to happen around the motor vehicle world, and this kind of rule is going to exacerbate that. Larry Gaddes, the Republican tax assessor-collector in Williamson County, said he has already seen an illicit market for identification documents emerge on social media. He also raised concerns about identity theft if copies of sensitive documents are mailed or transmitted. The proposed ID requirements for vehicle registration will harm Texans by reducing efficiency and increasing fraud without meaningfully addressing the intent of the proposed rules, Gaddes said, speaking on behalf of the Tax Assessor-Collectors Association of Texas. Advertisement Article continues below this ad Israel, a former state representative, said changes of this magnitude should be addressed by the Legislature rather than through agency rulemaking. County officials also warned of revenue losses. In Webb County, Democratic Tax Assessor-Collector Patricia Berrera estimated the county and state would lose a combined $22 million if the rules are adopted. No one who testified Wednesday spoke in favor of the proposal. The TxDMV governing board is expected to consider the rules in February. This story was originally published on Healthcare Dive. To receive daily news and insights, subscribe to our free daily Healthcare Dive newsletter. Dive Brief: Community Health Systems has agreed to sell an Alabama hospital for $450 million, the latest in a string of divestitures from the for-profit hospital operator as it looks to reduce its debt. CHS said on Tuesday that a subsidiary has signed a definitive agreement to sell substantially all of the assets of its 180-bed Crestwood Medical Center in Huntsville, Alabama to Huntsville Hospital Health System. The deal includes Crestwoods network of outpatient centers and medical practices, according to CHS release. The companies expects the deal to close in the second quarter this year. Dive Insight: Franklin, Tennessee-based CHS has been aggressively selling off hospitals, hoping to pay down its debt and improve liquidity amid softening patient volumes and rising disruption from Washington. The company one of the largest hospital operators in the country, with 69 affiliated hospitals and more than 1,000 other sites of care across 14 states has sold partial or full stakes in at least six of its hospitals last year. CHS has also announced plans to sell additional hospitals, including three in Pennsylvania to Tenor Health Foundation for roughly $35 million and one in Tenneesee to Vanderbilt University Medical Center for about $600 million. CHS also inked a deal to sell some of its lab services to LabCorp for $194 million in December. All told, the companys pre-tax proceeds from its divestiture campaign is around $1 billion, CEO Kevin Hammons said in November at an investor conference. And the company has continued to evaluate deals. We are continuing to kind of have some discussions around some of the inbound interest, and well see where that takes us, Hammons said at the UBS event Nov. 11. Tuesdays sale of Crestwood is one such deal, according to the press release. The hospital is going to nonprofit Huntsville Hospital Health System, which said it would build a more robust healthcare network in the Huntsville region. In a release, HH Health cited its rapid growth as one reason behind the deal. The system, which operates 14 hospitals in Alabama and Tennessee, has seen its patient population grow almost 16% over the last five years. Acquiring Crestwood allows us to coordinate and align healthcare resources across the community, Jeff Samz, the president and CEO of HH Health, said in a statement. Data centers can bring jobs, tax revenue and investment along with a sizable demand for electricity and water. What does this mean for Texans? In our latest Two Views package we present a discussion on the pros and cons of more data centers arriving in Texas. Amid this exciting growth, misconceptions have arisen about how data centers affect energy and natural resources, as well as their impact on power affordability for homeowners and small businesses. This confusion risks obscuring data centers undeniable benefits to the states economy. In addition to providing billions of dollars in permanent, steel-in-the-ground capital investments, the power demand from data centers helps build predictability and reliability into the states grid, while creating thousands of jobs and supporting essential local government services across the state. In the 21st-century economy, data centers are critical to providing the digital infrastructure that supports every industry from healthcare to banking, energy to agriculture, advanced manufacturing and beyond. With Texass low-tax, pro-business climate, its no surprise that the state now hosts the second-largest data center market in the United States , helping businesses grow while enabling startups to scale quickly, strengthening the eighth-largest economy in the world . Josh Levi is the president of the Data Center Coalition, the national trade association for the data center industry. Walt Baum is the CEO of Powering Texans, an organization that represents Texas leading power generators. Given whats at stake, Texas leaders must preserve the states business-friendly reputation and should be cautious about adopting regulatory approaches that could discourage new data centers. Policymakers must continue to signal that Texas remains a stable and affordable environment for investment from both data centers and the power producers that support their essential operations. Besides supporting the Trump Administrations goal to quickly develop more data centers and energy capacity so America can win the global AI race, the ongoing expansion of data centers in Texas helps improve long-term grid planning, provides stability in the ERCOT market, encourages more investments in power generation, and increases demand for Texas energy production. Recognizing the need to be responsible and efficient stewards of Texas water resources, many data center companies have implemented technological solutions to reduce the need for water in cooling servers inside data centers, including through closed-loop and immersion cooling methods. Thanks to these innovations and other measures, data centers in Texas are expected to account for less than 0.5% of the states water use this year, according to the Houston Advanced Research Center . Data centers also support thousands of good-paying jobs more than 363,000 statewide, according to a PwC report and enable essential public services through the tax revenue the industry generates. A Mangum Economics report released in 2024 showed that data centers contributed $3.2 billion in state and local tax revenues last year enough to fund the Texas Department of Public Safetys budget over two years. To further strengthen the states grid, power-generating companies in Texas are entering into long-term agreements with data centers, which help finance and support new energy projects to the benefit of all Texans. These innovative partnerships also enhance the overall reliability of the Electric Reliability Council of Texas grid. Data centers and electricity load growth from other industries offer a generational opportunity to bolster grid reliability and resilience. Its worth recognizing that, despite several years of significant data center growth in Texas, the states grid comfortably met peak demand this past summer . Residents and other electricity users rightfully pay close attention to the cost of power, and data centers are no different. Data centers are committed to paying the full cost of service for the energy they use. A recent study published by the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory found that rapid load growth contributed to states like Texas seeing lower wholesale electricity prices overall last year compared to 2019. In fact, the study highlighted that adding data centers to the grid can actually help bring down costs for residents and other customers. Con: Texans pay the price for Big Techs data centers By Michi Trota Advertisement Article continues below this ad Bill Gates recently made headlines by suggesting that addressing climate change is no longer a priority, but the American public begs to differ. No matter how much tech billionaires try to distract us, increasing power costs and our worsening climate are directly connected to corporations like Google, Meta, Microsoft, and Amazon racing to dominate the AI landscape. It's an issue well known to Texans. Texas is home to nearly400 data centers, one of the highest figures in the country, and that's one of the factors driving rising utility prices in the state. According to the U.S. Energy Information Administration, the price of energy has risen at more than twice the rate of inflation since 2020, and Big Techs push for more power-hungry data centers is only making it worse. Advertisement Article continues below this ad The data centers proliferating across the country drive up energy costs by powering energy-ravenous generative AI, cloud storage, digital networks and other energy intensive programs much of it fueled by coal- and natural gas-powered plants that exacerbate climate change. In some cases, data centers consume enough electricity to power the equivalent of a small city. The wholesale price of electricity in areas housing data centers costs up to a whopping 267% more than it did than five years ago and everyday customers are eating those costs. Americans are also shouldering increasing costs of an extreme climate. The Joint Center for Housing Studies at Harvard noted that insurance prices rose 74% between 2008 and 2024 and between 2018 and 2023, nearly 2 million people had their policies canceled by insurers because of climate risks. Advertisement Article continues below this ad Meanwhile, home prices have gone up 40% in the past two decades meaning the cost of home repair and recovery from climate disasters has also grown, all while wages remain stagnant. Data centers arent just putting our wallets at risk. Power grids across the country are already strained from aging infrastructure and repeated battering during extreme weather events. The additional pressure to feed energy-intensive data centers only heightens the risk of power blackouts in emergencies like wildfires, deep freezes and hurricanes. And in some communities, peoples taps have literally run dry because data centers used all the local groundwater. Worse still, Big Techs AI energy demand has triggered a resurgence in dirty energy with the construction of new gas-powered energy plants and delayed shutdowns of fossil fuel-powered plants. The tech industry is even pushing for a revitalization of nuclear energy, including the planned 2028 reopening of Three Mile Island site of the worst nuclear power plant disaster in U.S. history to help power Microsofts data centers. Advertisement Article continues below this ad Everyday people bear the costs of Big Techs hunger for profits. We pay it in rising energy bills, our worsening climate, our lack of access to safe water, increased noise pollution and risks to our health and safety. After approving optional learning materials containing Bible-based lessons in 2024, the Texas State Board of Education is set to consider a mandatory K-12 reading list containing several lessons that teach scripture. Jay Janner/Austin American-Statesman It may have been a legislative tautology, but nearly 70% of Texas voters in November asserted that parents are the primary decision makers for their children when they approved Proposition 15. No one was arguing they werent, but voters still deemed the issue important enough to enshrine it in the state Constitution. Now a proposal before the State Board of Education evinces what Proposition 15 left unsaid: Certain parents have more rights than others to make those decisions. The state board is slated to take a preliminary vote in the coming week on a list of required reading materials for public school students that includes detailed studies of Biblical scripture at nearly every grade level. Advertisement Article continues below this ad The list, crafted by the Texas Education Agency, does not include readings from religious texts other than the Bible. It is not difficult to see how parents who practice other religions or none would view this as a clear example of the state usurping their right to make religious decisions for their children. The state board must uphold this right by voting against the proposed reading list. The list includes 10 passages from the Old and New Testaments, including a lesson for eighth graders on the biblical ethics Jesus taught in his Sermon on the Mount and one on The Shepherds Psalm for seventh graders. The religious readings would begin as early as kindergarten, with a lesson on The Golden Rule footnoted with citations from the books of Matthew and Leviticus: Jesus said that the Golden Rule sums up all of the important teachings from scripture. So in everything, do unto others as you would have done unto you. First graders across the state will be asking their teachers what the word prodigal means. Advertisement Article continues below this ad A well-rounded education will and should include references to the Bible and other religious texts. But there is a clear difference between teaching high schoolers the biblical allusions found in Dante's Divine Comedy and telling a kindergartner that basic human decency practiced by people the world over came specifically from Jesus Christ. One is a literature lesson. The other is religious instruction. These biblical lessons belong in Sunday school, not public school. And because the reading list includes no passages from religious traditions beyond those that use the Bible, its difficult to argue that this is anything other than the unconstitutional establishment of religion by the government. The proposed required reading list also challenges the traditional Texas values of local control and small government. If the board gives the lessons the green light, Texas will become the first state in the nation to mandate specific reading materials in the classroom. Currently, the state approves a lengthy list of reading materials from which Texas teachers have the discretion to choose. Parents know what is best for their children, specifically in the case of religious instruction. When it comes to education the nuts and bolts of two and two making four teachers are the experts. Politicians have no business making pedagogical decisions for them. Advertisement Article continues below this ad While not surprising, it is truly astonishing to watch each new encroachment on the freedom of (and, by definition, from) religion by people who claim to champion individual liberties. This proposal follows a familiar pattern. In November 2024, a last-minute temporary appointment by Gov. Greg Abbott to the state board provided the deciding vote to approve the optional Bluebonnet Learning materials, which include Bible-infused lessons and come with extra funding for districts that adopt them. Writing for the Austin-based religious freedom advocacy organization the Texas Freedom Network, Christian theologian David R. Brockman said that curriculum overemphasizes Christianity, too often portrays Christianity in a one-sided way that whitewashes difficult historical truths, and incorporates detailed Bible lessons in unnecessary and unwarranted ways. At least 17 school districts have adopted Bluebonnet Learning so far. The Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals is hearing a lawsuit challenging Texas 2025 law mandating the Ten Commandments be posted in all public school classrooms. A 2023 law required Texas school districts to vote on allowing chaplains to provide counseling services in public schools. Another law passed last year compels school boards to vote on whether they will implement district-wide prayer and scripture reading periods. At a time when Texas trails more states than it leads in 8th grade proficiency in reading and math, state officials are focusing on the wrong fundamentals. Advertisement Article continues below this ad Notably, some of the strongest arguments against these measures have come from faith leaders who recognize the danger of the government pushing a preferred religious view, infringing on each persons right to believe as they choose without fear of coercion. Public schools must remain welcoming and equally accessible to people of all backgrounds. Religion is a deeply personal expression of belief and identity, and the decision to raise a child in a faith tradition belongs to families, not the state government. Texas voters affirmed that parents are the primary decision-makers for their children, and the State Board of Education must respect that line by rejecting any required reading list that puts scripture study on the syllabus. Rep. Dan Crenshaw, R-Texas, questions witnesses during a House Homeland Security Committee hearing on Capitol Hill on September 17, 2020, in Washington, D.C. CHIP SOMODEVILLA/AFP, Contributor / TNS Surgeons at Houston Methodist Hospital in Houston, Monday, July 14, 2025. Brett Coomer/Houston Chronicle Texas Republicans in Congress took aim at insurance executives for the rising cost of healthcare on Thursday, amid growing political backlash over GOP leaders' decision to allow some federal healthcare subsidies to expire last month. At a hearing in the House Subcomittee on Health, Republicans including U.S. Rep. August Pfluger of San Angelo blamed executives at UnitedHealth and Cigna, two of the largest health insurance providers in Texas, for spikes in healthcare costs. And U.S. Rep. Dan Crenshaw, R-Houston, questioned whether the merging of healthcare companies was driving up prices for patients. Advertisement Article continues below this ad "Competition is virtually nonexistent," Crenshaw said. "Premiums are way up. Profits are way up. Claim denials are way up." The hearing comes as national healthcare spending rose more than 7% to $5.3 trillion last year, part of a long-term trend that is increasingly pinching Americans' household budgets, according to a report by the National Institutes of Health. Democrats sought to address those costs through the Affordable Care Act in 2010, and on Thursday they blamed Republicans for damaging that law by stripping out an enhanced tax credit passed to help working class families during the Covid-19 pandemic. Statesman Logo Want more Statesman? Make us a Preferred Source on Google to see more of us when you search. Add Preferred Source U.S. Rep. Lizzie Fletcher, D-Houston, acknowledged that insurance companies' practices need to be addressed, but"Congress hasnt helped yet either." Advertisement Article continues below this ad "They voted to decimate the healthcare system," she said. "This entire system is an ecosystem, and so all the cuts to Medicaid, the cuts to ACA premium tax credits and removing people from the risk pools means everybody else's costs are going to go up." The expiration of the subsidy is set to drive up health care costs for low-income families across Texas. In one region in South Texas, which has the highest percentage of Affordable Care Act enrollees in the state, a 60-year-old patient making more than $63,000 per year could expect to see the cost of their current plan spike by 175%, according to an analysis by the public health nonprofit KFF. During the hearing, insurance executives explained the rising cost of healthcare as the product of several factors, including an aging population that requires more medical care and a sharp rise in what hospitals and pharmaceutical companies are charging. Advertisement Article continues below this ad "Hospitals, physicians, pharmaceutical manufacturers, and medical device and technology companies are driving significant innovation," said David Cordani, CEO of Cigna. "However, many of these advances come at extraordinarily high cost, often without a corresponding evaluation of whether they meaningfully improve outcomes or extend longevity." But politicians from both sides of the aisle were skeptical of their explanations, questioning them not only about their companies' profits but their individual compensation. U.S. Rep. Alexandria Ocasio Cortez, D-N.Y., described the industry a monopoly and suggested legislation blocking companies like CVS Health from owning not only its branded pharmacies but the insurance company Aetna and Oak Street Health, a nationwide chain of medical clinics. In response, CVS CEO David Joyner defended the system as "a model that works really well for the consumer." Advertisement Article continues below this ad And U.S. Rep Morgan Griffith, R-Va., chair of the House Subcommittee on Health, raised the prospect of taking action to stop large insurers like Cigna and UnitedHealth from buying up smaller competitors, to increase competition within the industry. Anthony Franze is a native Texan and very passionate about covering any weather that is thrown at him. He can be reached at anthony.franze@express-news.net. Anthony earned a degree in Meteorology from Valparaiso University in 2017. He has worked as a broadcast meteorologist for six years, one at NBC Montana and the next five at NewsWest 9 in Midland before joining the Express-News in July 2023. In his free time, Anthony enjoys watching sports, checking out local restaurants and breweries, and getting outside whenever the heat allows for it. If you have any story ideas, questions about the weather or restaurant suggestions, drop him a line. Advancing AI-powered email security, multilingual communication and enterprise email infrastructure for ASEAN businesses HANOI, Vietnam, Jan. 22, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- The 6th ChinaASEAN Digital Ministers' Meeting convened in Hanoi, Vietnam, on January 16. As part of the meeting's associated programme, the ChinaASEAN Digital Ecosystem Cooperation Networking Dinner was held on January 14, bringing together government officials and business representatives from China and ASEAN member states. Discussions focused on the theme "Open Collaboration to Unlock the Infinite Potential of Artificial Intelligence," with participants exchanging views on advancing cooperation across the digital ecosystem. Marvin Wu, VP of Coremail, speaks at the ChinaASEAN Digital Ecosystem Cooperation Networking Dinner held in Hanoi, Vietnam Coremail, a leading email solution provider, was invited to participate in the networking dinner. In a dedicated session, Marvin Wu, Vice President of Coremail, shared insights on "Multilingual Email Systems in the Era of Large Language Models," drawing on industry practice and global trends. Wu noted that despite the diversification of communication channels, email remains the world's most widely used software application, with an estimated 2.9 billion users and around 70% of messages supporting business transactions. He said rapid advances in AI, particularly LLMs, are driving a new phase of intelligent transformation in email systems. In response, Coremail is advancing "AI-powered email" innovation by integrating data resources to enhance intelligence and automation in enterprise workplaces. Its solutions now support smart drafting, polishing, proofreading, translation and automated summarization, significantly improving productivity across email-based workflows. Wu also warned that as AI becomes more powerful, the risks of misuse and loss of control are rising, with phishing and email-based attacks continuing to grow in scale globally. To address these challenges, Coremail is applying AI technologies to enhance email security architecture. Its CACTER Secure Email Gateway integrates LLM-based analysis, intelligent filtering and data loss prevention into a multi-layered defence system for enterprise email protection. Addressing multilingualism and digital inclusion, Wu highlighted the importance of Universal Acceptance (UA), noting that equal system-level recognition of domain names and email addresses across different languages and character sets is essential to building an open and inclusive digital ecosystemparticularly in linguistically diverse ASEAN markets. Today, Coremail's products and services are deployed across 25 countries and regions, serving industries including manufacturing, cloud services, energy, education and infrastructure. Looking ahead, the company plans to accelerate its global expansion and work with regional partners to develop secure and intelligent communications infrastructure. Key Points This company is a leader in Latin Americas financial services industry, with a massive customer base. The stock trades at a cheaper forward price-to-earnings ratio than the S&P 500. 10 stocks we like better than Nu Holdings Investing in fintech enterprises could add upside to investors' portfolios. This is a powerful secular trend that continues to disrupt the traditional banking sector. And there is a thriving business in this space that deserves a closer look. This could be one of the best fintech stock buying opportunities I've seen in years. Image source: Getty Images. Growth and profits continue to soar Nu Holdings (NYSE: NU) is a fintech powerhouse that operates in Latin America, with 110 million customers in Brazil (its biggest market), 13 million in Mexico, and 4 million in Colombia. The company runs a massive digital banking platform, providing customers with a broad range of financial services. The company's growth has been spectacular, with revenue up 42% year over year in Q3 (ended Sept. 30). Nu reported a stellar net profit margin of 18.8% that quarter. On a consensus basis, sell-side analysts expect sales and earnings per share to increase at compound annual rates of 30% and 37%, respectively, between 2025 and 2027. An opportunity like this is rare If a business is putting up the financial gains Nu is, investors might think the valuation is too expensive. That's simply not the case. It's quite the opposite actually. As of Jan. 20, Nu shares trade at a forward price-to-earnings ratio of 20.7. This is a bargain compared to the 22.3 multiple of the S&P 500 index. Investors are being presented with a very favorable setup to buy this top fintech stock. Should you buy stock in Nu Holdings right now? Before you buy stock in Nu Holdings, consider this: The Motley Fool Stock Advisor analyst team just identified what they believe are the 10 best stocks for investors to buy now and Nu Holdings wasnt one of them. The 10 stocks that made the cut could produce monster returns in the coming years. Consider when Netflix made this list on December 17, 2004... if you invested $1,000 at the time of our recommendation, youd have $470,587!* Or when Nvidia made this list on April 15, 2005... if you invested $1,000 at the time of our recommendation, youd have $1,091,605!* Now, its worth noting Stock Advisors total average return is 930% a market-crushing outperformance compared to 192% for the S&P 500. Don't miss the latest top 10 list, available with Stock Advisor, and join an investing community built by individual investors for individual investors. SAN FRANCSICO/SEOUL, Jan 22 (Reuters) - Two major U.S. investors in Coupang Inc said on Thursday they have petitioned the U.S. government to investigate the South Korean government and potentially impose trade remedies over what they describe as discriminatory treatment of the e-commerce company. Tech investors Greenoaks and Altimeter said they have also filed arbitration claims against South Korea under the U.S.Korea Free Trade Agreement (KORUS), accusing Seoul of mounting a campaign against Coupang following a consumer data breach that has caused billions of dollars in losses for investors. More from Yahoo Scout What was the scale of Coupang's data breach? Why are U.S. investors challenging South Korea's response? How could this escalate into a trade dispute? What financial impact has the investigation had on Coupang? The move comes after Coupang reported in November that personal data for some 33 million customers in South Korea were compromised, triggering a backlash from lawmakers and the public, which prompted a wide-ranging investigation as well as lawsuits from investors and consumers. The investors said they have asked the U.S. Trade Representative (USTR) to investigate South Koreas actions and impose "appropriate trade remedies, potentially including tariffs and other sanctions," arguing that the response to the breach has gone far beyond normal regulatory enforcement. The moves could escalate a corporate dispute into a potential government-to-government trade issue, invoking U.S. trade law and an international treaty to challenge the actions of South Korean authorities. South Korean President Lee Jae Myung, who previously called for tougher penalties after the Coupang data breach, told a news conference on Wednesday that South Korea is a sovereign country and will address the issue fairly according to the law and principles. South Korea's Trade Minister Yeo Han-koo said earlier this month that the government is not discriminating against Coupang and that U.S. officials had "misunderstandings," speaking after returning from a trip to Washington where he met U.S. Trade Representative Jamieson Greer and members of Congress. He said the "unprecedented" data leaks, followed by Coupang's inadequate response, should be separated from trade and diplomatic issues. GOVERNMENT ACCUSED OF SEEKING TO CRIPPLE BUSINESS The investors allege that South Korea launched a whole-of-government response to cripple Coupangs business, including labor, financial and customs investigations that they say bear little relation to the data incident. "Our main concern is the scale and speed of the governments response, which has led to significant damages and threatens the value of our investment," Marney Chee, a partner at Covington representing Greenoaks, said. Command Sgt. Maj. Rickey Jackson passes the 56th Artillery Command unit colors to Brig. Gen. Steven Carpenter during a change of responsibility ceremony in Wiesbaden, Germany, Jan. 22, 2026. Jackson relinquished senior enlisted leader duties to Command Sgt. Maj. Caleb Webster. (Bradley Latham/Stars and Stripes) WIESBADEN, Germany The Army unit responsible for coordinating electronic warfare, cyber operations and artillery fires in Europe welcomed a new senior enlisted leader Thursday. Command Sgt. Maj. Rickey Jackson transferred enlisted adviser responsibilities of the 56th Artillery Command, also known as Multi-Domain Command Europe, to Command Sgt. Maj. Caleb Webster during a ceremony at Clay Kaserne. The command has evolved in recent years in line with the Armys efforts to adapt to changing combat realities seen on the battlefields of Ukraine and elsewhere. It is about forging a new way of warfare, where we can reach out to touch any enemy anywhere, anytime, across every single domain simultaneously, Jackson said during the ceremony. Webster brings plenty of experience in the European theater from his most recent assignment as the top enlisted leader of the 41st Field Artillery Brigade in Grafenwoehr. Brig. Gen. Steven Carpenter passes the unit colors to Command Sgt. Maj. Caleb Webster during a change of responsibility ceremony in Wiesbaden, Germany, Jan. 22, 2026. Webster assumed senior enlisted leader responsibilities of the 56th Artillery Command. (Bradley Latham/Stars and Stripes) Command Sgt. Maj. Rickey Jackson, from left, Brig. Gen. Steven Carpenter and Command Sgt. Maj. Caleb Webster walk to their seats after exchanging the unit colors during a change of responsibility ceremony in Wiesbaden, Germany, Jan. 22, 2026. (Bradley Latham/Stars and Stripes) Brig. Gen. Steven Carpenter speaks to members of the 56th Artillery Command during a change of responsibility ceremony in Wiesbaden, Germany, Jan. 22, 2026. (Bradley Latham/Stars and Stripes) Command Sgt. Maj. Rickey Jackson bids farewell to the 56th Artillery Command during a change of responsibility ceremony in Wiesbaden, Germany, Jan. 22, 2026. Jackson will become the senior enlisted leader for U.S. Army Space and Missile Defense Command at Redstone Arsenal, Ala. (Bradley Latham/Stars and Stripes) Command Sgt. Maj. Caleb Webster takes charge as the top enlisted leader of the 56th Artillery Command at a ceremony in Wiesbaden, Germany, Jan. 22, 2026. Webster was previously the command sergeant major of the 41st Field Artillery Brigade in Grafenwoehr, Germany. (Bradley Latham/Stars and Stripes) During the ceremony, Brig. Gen. Steven Carpenter, head of the 56th Artillery Command, highlighted Jacksons 22 months in the role. Under Jacksons leadership, the command quickly transformed from what he and other leaders described as a champagne headquarters to one with teeth, Carpenter said. The command supports the Eastern Flank Deterrence Line, a NATO and U.S. Army Europe and Africa initiative that leverages emerging technologies to achieve anti-access/area denial and counter foes advantages in mass and momentum. Through exercises like Arcane Thunder , Avenger Triad and Dynamic Front, the organization moved from conventional artillery fire drills to incorporating activities across domains while integrating and streamlining operations with NATO allies and partners. Weve moved light years ahead from where we were when I walked in, Jackson said. He stressed the importance of the deterrence line in safeguarding Europe from Russian aggression. If we get (that) right, where our capabilities are creating common operating pictures and integrating systems, then our partners can be in the front and do the things that were asking them to do, he said. Jackson will become the first field artillery soldier to serve as the senior enlisted leader of U.S. Army Space and Missile Defense Command at Redstone Arsenal in Alabama. That organization will likely be a focal point for the Army and the Defense Department in the coming months with President Donald Trumps emphasis on missile defense, including initiatives such as the one dubbed the Golden Dome. A soldier confined at Fort Leavenworth, Kan., added nine months to his prison time after he and another inmate attempted to escape the facility and ended up tangled in the barbed wire fencing. (U.S. Army) A soldier confined at Fort Leavenworth, Kan., added nine months to his prison time after he and another inmate attempted to escape the facility and ended up tangled in the barbed wire fencing. Zachary Harader and Mason Wollersheim made their escape attempt April 29 from the Midwest Joint Regional Correctional Facility, and both were apprehended by corrections personnel, said Army spokeswoman Heather J. Hagan. Harader, who was about one year into a 33-month sentence for domestic violence at the time of the escape attempt, pleaded guilty Jan. 12 to the charge of attempted escape from post-trial confinement. Military Judge Col. Frederic Gallun accepted the plea. Harader was not convicted of a second charge of conspiracy to escape confinement, according to the Armys court docket. When he was originally convicted in April 2024, Harader was a specialist assigned to Vilseck, Germany. He pleaded guilty to assaulting his spouse two years prior, according to Army court records. Wollersheim sustained injuries from the concertina wire at the top of the perimeter fence and charges have not yet been referred to a court-martial, Hagan said. A preliminary hearing was held in his case in November for charges of attempted escapes, conspiracy, escape from custody and assault, according to the court docket. Wollersheim, then a staff sergeant assigned to 10th Special Forces Group, was convicted by a jury at Fort Carson, Colo., roughly three months before the attempted escape, according to Army court records. The jury found him guilty of broadcasting an indecent recording, attempted larceny, wire fraud and larceny, and he was sentenced to 28 months in prison. His theft involved stealing from UPS and attempting to steal from Pinnacol Assurance, State Farm and USAA. The Armys Midwest Joint Regional Correctional Facility houses military prisoners sentenced to less than 10 years of confinement, according to the service. It has six housing units each with a capacity of 464 inmates. The facility is adjacent to the U.S. Disciplinary Barracks, the militarys only maximum-security prison. Pvt. Christian Bacchus, 21, died Jan. 17, 2026, in a non-training-related accident near Neustadt an der Waldnaab, Germany, about 25 minutes east of Grafenwoehr Training Area. ( Brent C. Powell/U.S. Army Reserve) HOHENFELS, Germany An investigation is underway into the off-base death of a soldier in Bavaria last week. Pvt. Christian Bacchus, 21, died Saturday in an accident near Neustadt an der Waldnaab, 7th Army Training Command spokeswoman Lacey Justinger said Thursday. The accident was not training-related, she added. The location is about 25 minutes east of Grafenwoehr Training Area. Bacchus had served as an armor crewman with the 1st Battalion, 4th Infantry Regiment at the Joint Multinational Readiness Center in Hohenfels since September 2023, Maj. Brian Tierce, a spokesman for the center, said Thursday. He was a native of Washington, D.C., according to an Air Force statement. His remains were returned to the United States in a dignified transfer ceremony Wednesday at Dover Air Force Base in Delaware. No additional details surrounding Bacchus death have been released due to the ongoing investigation, Justinger said. His unit is planning a memorial service but details have not been confirmed, Tierce said. Naval Support Activity Naples in Italy recently added a European-style pumper truck and rescue squad truck to the fire department fleet. The trucks replaced older American versions that had become unreliable and were difficult to repair due to long wait times for parts. (Alison Bath/Stars and Stripes) NAPLES, Italy Two recently acquired European-style fire trucks are helping firefighters at U.S. Naval Support Activity Naples remain fully capable when responding to emergencies. The new pumper and rescue squad trucks replace older American versions that were well past their 15-year service lives. Increasingly, those older trucks needed repairs requiring parts that could take as long as six months to arrive, which could have compromised the departments ability to respond to a fire or other emergency, NSA Naples Fire Chief Jason Kinlaw said. The department typically reserves a truck for backup in case another needs maintenance or repairs, but due to the parts backlog, it frequently did not have a spare. The older trucks put us in a pretty tight bind (that) one little breakdown can really impact the mission, Kinlaw said. The new fire trucks at NSA Naples are customized to the departments specific requirements. For example, the northern Italy company that assembled the trucks measured the departments tools and other equipment and designed spaces on the Swedish-made frames to precisely fit them. We have custom compartments to fit all of our equipment so that its stored properly, its stored safely and it efficiently fits together, Kinlaw said. The trucks shorter wheelbase means better maneuverability in tight, confined spaces such as those at Capodichino, NSA Naples administrative site that is home to U.S. 6th Fleet. The fire department at Naval Support Activity Naples in Italy recently added two new European-style fire trucks to its fleet. Officials say the $1.1 million investment in the new trucks will better support the department's emergency response needs. (Alison Bath/Stars and Stripes) The wait time for needed parts for the vehicles is estimated to be days at the most, Kinlaw and other fire department officials said. Because the new ones wont be spending as much time in the shop, the department can count on them to be more reliably in service, he added. Kinlaw said that on average, NSA Naples firefighters respond to about two calls daily for fires, medical emergencies and other situations between the bases two sites, known as Support Site and Capodichino. Consolidation of American fire truck manufacturers in recent years has exacerbated a multiyear backlog for new trucks, putting the squeeze on the ability of fire departments across the country to adequately respond to emergencies, The New York Times reported in February. Its also adding pressure to an already-stressed supply chain now struggling to keep up with demand for spare parts as departments are forced to hold on to older trucks that need frequent repairs and maintenance. That problem is further complicated by the fact that many fire trucks are custom-made, requiring specialized replacement parts, according to industry officials. The industry disruption has seen fire departments left with deteriorated fleets more likely to break down, including in emergencies, the Times reported. The issue prompted a bipartisan congressional investigation into soaring prices and lengthy waits as long as 4 years in some cases for new fire trucks, the New York Post reported in April. Prices for American-made fire trucks have risen sharply, with pumper trucks now often costing more than $1 million, according to the New York Post report. NSA Naples paid about $1.1 million to acquire its pair of vehicles. For now, the new NSA Naples trucks are assigned to Support Site, which includes housing, schools, a hotel and a hospital. Support Site is about 13 miles northeast of Capodichino. The vehicle additions also cap a multiyear effort to remodel the fire station at Capodichino that included an industrial kitchen and individual sleeping rooms instead of a bunk house for firefighters. The estimated $600,000 remodel improves quality of life for firefighters who spend long hours on the job, Kinlaw said. We live together as a family, he said. This was critically important to us. Sailors and Marines man the rails of the USS Tripoli for a port visit to Da Nang, Vietnam, Dec. 8, 2025. (Kaleb Shultz/U.S. Navy) The U.S. Navy recently banned the use of the drug kratom and related products, aligning its policy with a broader Defense Department directive prohibiting its use among service members. All sailors and Marines are prohibited from using products containing kratom or its primary psychoactive components, mitragynine and 7-hydroxymitragynine, Secretary of the Navy John Phelan announced Jan. 14 in an All Navy message. The drug derived from the leaves of Mitragyna speciosa, a tropical tree native to Southeast Asia is sold in the form of leaves, capsules, gummies, edibles, shots, vapes, and other products, Phelan wrote. Use of kratom may constitute failure to obey a lawful general order under the Uniform Code of Military Justice and result in administrative or disciplinary action, he said. The directive does make an exception for those who unknowingly consume it but warns that someone who consciously avoids knowledge of the presence of the substances will be held equally liable as someone who knew for a fact. Secretary of the Navy John Phelan chats with a sailor aboard the aircraft carrier USS George Washington at Yokosuka Naval Base, Japan, April 28, 2025. (Tyler Crowley/U.S. Navy) Protecting Service Member welfare and readiness is paramount to maintaining an effective fighting force, Phelan wrote. Additionally, substance misuse by members of the Armed Forces is incompatible with military standards of good order, discipline, performance, and operational readiness. The Defense Department in a Sept. 15 memorandum declared the use of kratom a violation of the UCMJ effective Dec. 31, according to the DODs Operation Supplement Safety website. The DOD said its directive was issued to protect the health, safety and readiness of service members, noting that mitragynine and 7-hydroxymitragynine were considered by the federal Drug Enforcement Administration as potential Schedule I substances due to their abuse potential and serious health risks. These substances, which mimic opioid effects, pose serious risks and impairment, potential for overdose, and can have long-term health consequences, a Pentagon official said in an email last week. The DOD also noted that kratom and its components, often sold as teas, capsules, vapes, and gummies, and marketed as natural remedies, have not been approved as safe and effective by the Federal Drug and Food Administration. Although DOD-wide policies affect all branches of the military, individual services regularly publish their own guidance to officially implement directives. The Army is finalizing its policy to implement the Pentagons directive and would publish the details once complete, Heather Hagan, a spokeswoman for the service, said in an email on Friday. Kratom falls within the Air Forces prohibition against using naturally occurring intoxicating substances and as such is banned even though not specifically listed in the services manual, the Air Force said in an email to Stars and Stripes on Friday. The message describes kratom and its components as having significant health risks, including seizures, tachycardia, hepatoxicity, hypertension, and death. Kratom can have both stimulant and sedative effects and potentially harmful side effects, including weight loss, liver damage and muscle pain, according to the Mayo Clinics website. While it has been linked to a small number of deaths, the clinic noted that nearly all deaths involved other drugs of substances that might have been harmful. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention determined that kratom caused 91 of 27,338 overdose deaths recorded between July 2016 and December 2017. Postmortem toxicology tests determined that seven of those deaths involved only kratom, according to the 2019 CDC study. Stars and Stripes reporter Alison Bath contributed to this story from Italy. TaeQuan Jones, a civilian dependent, left, and Petty Officer 3rd Class Andrey Houck, assigned to the aircraft carrier USS George Washington, play video games at the USO on Yokosuka Naval Base, Japan, Jan. 22, 2026. (Alex Wilson/Stars and Stripes) YOKOSUKA NAVAL BASE, Japan The U.S. Navy rolled out free Wi-Fi for sailors in unaccompanied housing throughout most of Japan on Thursday, bringing the service to just shy of free coverage worldwide. Wi-Fi service was launched Thursday at Yokosuka, Naval Air Facility Atsugi and Sasebo Naval Base, said Destiny Sibert, spokeswoman for Navy Installations Command. Service contracts for bases on Okinawa and at Misawa are still being negotiated. Additional overseas locations will be added as existing contracts are modified or as new agreements are secured, with the goal of delivering free, high-speed Wi-Fi to the majority of Navy-owned unaccompanied housing by the end of 2027, Sibert told Stars and Stripes by email Thursday. Wi-Fi service is provided through a partnership between Navy Installations Commands Morale, Welfare and Recreation program and the Navy Exchange Service Command, according to the MWR website. Internet filters will bar illegal downloads, gambling, nudity and other mature content. With the added bases in Japan, free Navy internet is available across 88% of the world, said Vice Adm. Scott Gray, the head of Navy Installations Command. For the harder places isolated places like Djibouti and Diego Garcia, Korea, Singapore itll take a bit longer, he told Stars and Stripes in an interview at Yokosuka on Tuesday. The necessity of internet connections for daily life underscores the importance of the Navys Wi-Fi initiative, Gray said. I think its something that weve needed to do for a long time, he said. You know, we needed to recognize that Wi-Fi is not a nice to have anymore its like a utility. The free service at most bases includes 30 Mbps download/5 Mbps upload, which Sibert said supports streaming and most online activities. Sailors who want faster speeds can upgrade, but pricing, speeds and device limits will vary by installation, she said. Paid packages will be offered on a flexible basis. Plan options, such as weekly or monthly access, will vary by location, without early termination penalties, she said More information is available at www.navymwr.org/wifinext. Free Wi-Fi service has been available since Nov. 17 at Naval Support Activity Bahrain and Isa Air Base in Bahrain; Naval Support Facility Deveselu in Romania; Naval Support Facility Redzikowo in Poland; Naval Base Guam; and Naval Station Guantanamo Bay. Installations in the continental United States and Hawaii launched the program on Dec. 2, Sibert said. The initiative is the result of a 2024 pilot program that tested free Wi-Fi at 12 barracks in the Hampton Roads, Va., area near Naval Station Norfolk and Naval Air Station Oceana, Sibert said. The pilot programs positive results underscored the significant impact of reliable internet access on Sailor well-being and readiness, she wrote. A youth crosses a street littered with garbage in downtown in Port-au-Prince, Haiti, Tuesday, Jan. 20, 2026. (Odelyn Joseph/AP) SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico The U.S. warned the transitional council in charge of Haiti against making changes to the troubled countrys government on Wednesday, as pressure mounts for the unelected body to move toward elections for the first time in a decade. In a statement posted on X, the U.S. Embassy in Haiti wrote that The United States would consider that any person who supports such a destabilizing initiative, which favors the gangs, would be acting against the interests of the United States, the region, and the Haitian people, and will take appropriate measures accordingly. The U.S. Embassy added that such a maneuver would undermine efforts to establish a minimal level of security and stability in Haiti, where gang violence is surging and poverty deepening. The statement came as some members of the council are at odds with Haitian Prime Minister Alix Didier Fils-Aime, although it wasnt immediately clear why. The council met behind closed doors earlier Wednesday. A spokesman for the prime ministers office said late Wednesday that he could not comment on the situation. The councils seven members with voting powers did not return messages for comment. Unelected council was put in charge to quell chaos Its the latest episode in years of political chaos that erupted after Haitis last elected president, Jovenel Moise, was slain at his home in July 2021. The council has been one of the countrys top authorities since April 2024, when it was created with the help of Caribbean leaders after powerful gangs seized control of Haitis main international airport and targeted key state infrastructure in a series of unprecedented attacks that eventually led former Prime Minister Ariel Henry to resign. The council was charged with selecting Haitis prime minister in a bid to quickly bring some stability to the beleaguered country. Fils-Aime is the third person chosen by the council. A businessman and former head of Haitis Chamber of Commerce and Industry, he was appointed in November 2025 after the council fired previous leader Garry Conille. The council is supposed to step down by Feb. 7, but its unclear if that will happen. Critics say some council members are trying to stay in power longer, and many fear the move could unleash a fresh round of violent protests. The Feb. 7 deadline was approved in early 2024 on the assumption that Haiti would have held general elections to elect a new president. Gang violence has prevented officials from holding elections so far, although they are tentatively set for August, with a runoff to be held in December. UN Security Council meets to discuss Haiti A new U.N. report released Wednesday noted that national stakeholders remain divided over the transitional governance architecture that is to lead the country to elections. Earlier on Wednesday, the U.N. Security Council met to discuss the unraveling situation in Haiti. Haiti has entered a critical phase in its process of restoring democratic institutions, said Carlos Ruiz-Massieu, special representative of the U.N. Secretary General in Haiti. Lets be clear: the time for political maneuvering is over. Panamanian Ambassador Eloy Alfaro de Alba noted at the meeting that Haiti is at a critical juncture, with only 18 days left for the transitional presidential councils mandate to end. The persistent nature of violence remains of utmost concern, he said. Several U.N. Security Council members noted that Haiti needs to quickly move toward a democratic transition as gangs continue to seize control of more territory. Theres a need to approach this deadline with a sense of responsibility to sustain continuity of state and avoid any disruptions that may undermine the operation of national institutions, said Ericq Pierre, permanent representative of Haiti to the United Nations. Gangs control an estimated 90% of Port-au-Prince, Haitis capital, and they have seized swaths of land in the countrys central region. More than 8,100 killings were reported across Haiti from January to November last year, with figures likely underreported owing to limited access to gang-controlled areas, according to the U.N. report. Haitis National Police has been trying to quell gang violence with help from a U.N.-backed mission led by Kenyan police that remains understaffed and underfunded. The mission is transitioning into a so-called gang suppression force that would have the power to arrest suspected gang members. Haitis government also has been working with a private military contractor to launch drone strikes targeting suspected gang members, but which have also killed civilians. The strikes killed more than 970 people from March to December last year, including 39 civilians, 16 of them children, according to the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights. Associated Press reporter Evens Sanon in Port-au-Prince, Haiti contributed to this report. Jenna Reynolds, 17, of Camp Humphreys, teaches English to North Korean defectors at the YMCA in Pyeongtaek, South Korea, Sept. 22, 2024. (Luis Garcia/Stars and Stripes) Twelve fewer North Koreans defected across the southern border in 2025 than the year before for an annual tally of 224, according to recent data from South Koreas Ministry of Unification. Of those, 198 were women and 26 were men, a ministry spokeswoman told Stars and Stripes in a text message Wednesday. Still, the number of defectors making their way to South Korea the past three years is about one-fifth of those who defected prior to the COVID-19 pandemic, according to numbers the spokeswoman provided. The pandemic lasted from March 2020 to May 2023, according to the World Health Organization. Before the pandemic, more than 1,000 people defected from North Korea annually, according to the ministrys statistics. Since then, an average of 200 have made their way south each year, the spokeswoman said. The most important factor is North Koreas border shutdown since the pandemic, Lim Jae-cheon, a professor of diplomacy studies at Korea University, said by text message Wednesday. Another factor appears to be Chinas forcible repatriation of defectors to North Korea since 2023, he said. Since 1998, when the ministry began keeping count, 34,538 North Koreans have fled south 24,944 women and 9,594 men. The government exercises stricter control over men, Lim said. For example, most of men in their 20s are serving in the military, and men in their 30s and 40s are bound to their work. It is known that when defectors stay in China, it is easier for women to find a job than men. The number of defectors is expected to remain steady under the current state of relations between North Korea and China, he said. The Ministry of Unification operates 25 resettlement facilities, known as Hana Centers, to help defectors resettle in South Korea. Immediate government support for a single defector includes about $1,020, plus another $1,090 for housing. The ministrys 2026 work plan includes promoting the stable settlement of North Korean defectors as responsible members of society, according to a Dec. 19 ministry press release. Akbar Novruz US President Donald Trump is currently holding a signing ceremony for his Board of Peace initiative on Gaza on the sidelines of the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, Azernews reports via Deutsche Welle. The event marks a high-profile moment in Trumps ongoing efforts to formalize his peace framework for Gaza and surrounding regions. Trump is joined by a number of international representatives and dignitaries, who are witnessing the formal launch of the Board of Peace charter, including the President of Azerbaijan, Ilham Aliyev. According to sources at the event, the board is intended to oversee ceasefire enforcement and reconstruction efforts in Gaza, while promoting collaboration between participating countries on humanitarian and security matters. Lockheed has also ramped up production of its PAC-3 MSE missile defense system, aiming to reach 2,000 units per year. Military hardware is typically a lower margin business than software like cybersecurity or AI, but a $1.5 trillion defense budget likely means expensive hardware like planes, ships, and missiles will be a priority. Lockheed already boasts a backlog of nearly $180 billion, and its valuation and dividend yield make it an attractive investment for both income and stock price appreciation. The company is responsible for the U.S.s crucial F-35 fighter jet program and delivered a record 191 F-35 Lightning II aircraft in 2025. The Lightning II is one of the most advanced fighter jets ever developed, and fulfilling nearly 200 deliveries to a variety of global customers (including Denmark and Italy) shows that the companys production line can handle increased capacity of more intricate designs. Lockheed Martin Corp. (NYSE: LMT) has had a rough few years, but it remains the undisputed leader in U.S. defense contracting and has expanded its global footprint, becoming an indispensable partner to other NATO countries. If the defense budget is going to increase to $1.5 trillion in 2027, much of that cash is going to go to large-cap companies in the aerospace and defense sector. Here are three you can expect to win substantial Pentagon contracts moving forward. It's an uncertain time, which is why youre seeing safe-haven assets like gold and silver make new all-time highs. But in turbulent times, defense stocks can also be a safe place for capital to hide, and this fact only increased when the Trump administration announced plans to increase defense spending to $1.5 billion in 2027. Were only three weeks into 2026, but it already feels like Billy Joel can add another verse to We Didnt Start the Fire: These three large-cap stocks are well-positioned to profit from an increased Pentagon budget and geopolitical uncertainty. In an increasingly uncertain world, investors are turning to safe havens like precious metals, but defense stocks can also be good investments while the global picture becomes volatile. The Trump administration announced plans to increase defense spending to $1.5 trillion in 2027, up from $900 billion in 2026. Story Continues Lockheed Martin (LMT) chart shows breakout above 50- and 200-day SMAs as MACD turns higher. The company trades at 21x forward earnings, which is cheaper than many of its large-cap peers, such as L3 Harris Technologies Inc. (NYSE: LHX) and RTX Corp. (NYSE: RTX). The dividend yields 2.37%, and Lockheed has raised payouts for 22 straight years, but the payout ratio of 77% is a bit higher than youd like to see from a company with rising materials costs. LMT shares are off to a hot start in 2026, soaring more than 20% in less than three weeks. Technical traders likely noticed the breakout brewing in December, though. The price broke above the 50-day and 200-day simple moving averages (SMAs) at the same time the Moving Average Convergence Divergence (MACD) began to show bullish momentum. Lockheed reports Q4 2025 earnings on Jan. 29, and a report similar to Q3s top- and bottom-line beat could propel shares even higher. Boeing: Finally Pulling Its Weight Again in the Duopoly For several years, Boeing Co. (NYSE: BA) was a stock investors would only watch with binoculars from a distance. Not only did the company begin to lag its European competitor, Airbus SE (OTCMKTS: EADSF), but a series of scandals and executive shuffling made Boeing uninvestable. But the companys reforms appear to be progressing, and Boeing now expects to deliver 52 737 MAX aircraft per month by the end of 2026. Expanding production is crucial to fulfilling the companys backlog, which now exceeds $600 billion (including $76 billion in the defense segment). Boeing reported narrower-than-expected losses on a year-over-year (YOY) basis during its Q3 2025 earnings report, and it reports Q4 results next week on Jan. 27. Boeing (BA) chart shows breakout above 50- and 200-day SMAs as MACD momentum rises. Boeing still has a suspended dividend and shaky cash flow situation, so any investment in BA shares will be partially speculative. However, the technical signals show that speculation is paying off as a Death Cross in December appears to be a false alarm. The MACD shows a bullish breakout as both lines cross above the histogram, and a Golden Cross is now imminent on the 50-day and 200-day SMAs. Boeing hasnt made a new all-time high since February 2019, and would need to gain more than 80% from current levels to reach that 2019 peak. However, the stock has sustained upward momentum for the first time in a few years, and an expanded defense budget should help it return to positive earnings. Leidos Holdings: High Margin Products for a Modernized Pentagon Leidos Holdings Inc. (NYSE: LDOS) is actually the value play of the three stocks on our list, despite being a relative newcomer following its spin-off from Science Applications International Corp. (NYSE: SAIC) in 2013. A $25 billion market cap is large, but still pales in comparison to giants like Lockheed or Boeing. So why did Leidos make the cut? Because it sits at the forefront of modern defense technology, using AI to develop cybersecurity and cloud solutions for an increasingly digitized Pentagon. The company inked a $455 million contract with the Air Force to provide cloud computing for the Cloud One program, and its cybersecurity and AI-enabled counterterrorism software aligns with many of the Pentagons high-profile initiatives. Leidos (LDOS) stock chart shows bear trap, holding 50-day SMA support as RSI turns higher. Leidos trades at just 18x forward earnings and 1.49x sales, a moderate valuation despite selling some of the highest margin products to the Department of Defense. It also includes an interesting chart showing bullish signals despite volatility. The stock is back above the 50-day SMA following a two-month bear trap and may be using this level as support once again. The Relative Strength Index (RSI) is also trending upward and has a long way to go before reaching overbought territory. The article "Defense Spending Is RisingHere Are 3 Stocks Built for Turbulent Times" was originally published by MarketBeat. The Black Eagles, the South Korean air forces aerobatic flight team, performs during an air show at an unspecified location in this undated photo. (South Korea Ministry of National Defense) The South Korean air forces demonstration team, the Black Eagles, will make a refueling stop on Okinawa for the first time next week, three months after Japan canceled a similar request. Nine T-50B Golden Eagle training jets with the 53rd Special Air Squadron and a South Korean C-130J Super Hercules with the 251st Air Transport Flight Group are scheduled to arrive at Naha Air Base on Jan. 28, according to a Wednesday post on the Japan Air Self-Defense Forces website. The aircraft will also participate in a unit-to-unit exchange with a Kawasaki T-4 training jet from Japans aerobatic team, Blue Impulse, the release said. South Korea asked for refueling support from the Air Self-Defense Force while traveling to the World Defense Show in Saudi Arabia, taking place Feb. 8-12, a Japan Air Staff spokesman said by phone Thursday. It will be the first time Japans air force refuels South Korean air force planes, the spokesman said. Japan is also considering a request to allow the Black Eagles to refuel on their return flight in late February, he said. Some Japanese government officials must speak to the press only on condition of anonymity. The exchange will deepen mutual understanding between the Japanese and South Korean air forces and advance defense cooperation and exchanges, according to the release. Neither unit will perform on Okinawa. The Black Eagles will participate in the Saudi air show for the first time, according to a Wednesday news release from the South Korean air force. The nine T-50Bs include one reserve aircraft and are traveling with four C-130s carrying 120 troops. The aircraft will depart Wonju Air Base in South Korea on Jan. 28. After refueling in Naha, the group will stop in the Philippines, Vietnam, Thailand, India and Oman before arriving Feb. 2 at Saudi Arabias Malham Airport, the release said. In early November, Japan canceled a planned refueling stop by the Black Eagles at the Naha base after the jets flew near Takeshima, a group of islets about 150 miles east of South Korea, Japanese public broadcaster NHK reported Wednesday. The two countries have a territorial dispute over the remote islets, also known as Dokdo. Japan protested the flight in late October, Kyodo News reported Nov. 12. The flight was canceled because of a lack of coordination between the defense authorities of Japan and South Korea, Japanese Defense Minister Shinjiro Koizumi said during a regular news conference on Nov. 4 in Tokyo. He declined to comment further. In July, a South Korean C-130 Hercules airlifter, en route to Andersen Air Force Base, Guam, and low on fuel in stormy weather, made an unapproved stop at Kadena Air Base, Okinawa. Its uncleared approach prompted Japan to scramble fighters to intercept the airlifter. South Korean authorities disciplined 10 people over the incident in August. Former Colonel Soren Knudsen and his wife Gina Schaar pose for a photo during an interview with The Associated Press at their home in Copenhagen, Denmark, Tuesday, Jan. 13, 2026. (Anders Garde Kongshaug/AP) COPENHAGEN, Denmark More than 15 years ago, Danish platoon commander Martin Tamm Andersen was leading his countrymen and U.S. Marines through the heat and sand of southern Afghanistan after a Taliban attack. As Andersens vehicle moved at the rear of the column, everything was normal until in one instant the world turned sand-colored. His body shook violently. I had no idea what was going on, he recalled. He ran his hands over his arms and legs to make sure they were still there. When the dust settled, he saw one of his soldiers bleeding heavily from his face. Another had been hurled from the turret and lay on the ground, groaning in pain, his back broken in two places. The blast had torn the vehicle apart. Andersen called in help from the U.S. Marines, who halted a firefight with the Taliban, returned to secure the site, treated the wounded and helped prepare them for evacuation. At the time, American and Danish troops were comrades in arms who risked their lives for each other in common cause. Andersen can barely believe what has come of the U.S.-Danish alliance today as President Donald Trump escalates his threats to seize Greenland, a semiautonomous territory belonging to Denmark. Trump has repeatedly said the United States must take control of the strategically located and mineral-rich island, and views force as one way to get it. When America needed us after 9/11 we were there, the 46-year-old veteran said in an interview with The Associated Press. As a veteran and as a Dane, you know, you feel sad and very surprised that the U.S. wants to take over part of the Kingdom of Denmark, he said. Its a betrayal of the loyalty of our nation to the U.S. and to our common alliance, NATO. He spoke from the Danish War Museum in Copenhagen, where his armored personnel carrier that hit the improvised explosive device in 2010 in Helmand Province is on display. Before his deployment to Afghanistan, Andersen had also served in Iraq. Good friends were killed and wounded in both wars. He believed his service in the U.S. wars served the cause of freedom and democracy. It feels surreal As the U.S. intensifies its threats to seize Greenland, that initial shock felt by many across Europe has evolved into a profound sense of sadness, betrayal and fear of what such a move could mean for Europes security at a time of Russian aggression. Denmarks prime minster has said it would mean the end of NATO. For Danish veterans, it feels profoundly personal. A NATO member since 1949, Denmark has been a stalwart ally to America. Forty-four Danish soldiers were killed in Afghanistan, the highest per capita death toll among coalition forces. Eight more died in Iraq. It feels surreal. It feels like its a bad joke somehow, Andersen said. I mean, you cant really fathom that this is actually something that is being said out loud. It just seems too crazy. This photo, provided by Martin Tamm Andersen, a former platoon leader of the U.S. Marines, shows a destroyed Army vehicle in Helmand Province, Afghanistan, Aug. 19, 2010. (Martin Tamm Andersen/AP) Packing away a medal and a U.S. flag Sren Knudsen, a Danish veteran who served twice in Afghanistan, was watching television last year when he heard U.S. Vice President JD Vance say on Fox News that Denmark was not being a good ally. Vance was making Trumps argument that the United States needed to take more territorial interest in Greenland for the sake of U.S. security, and accusing Denmark of not doing its job. He could not believe it. In his Copenhagen home, the 65-year-old Knudsen keeps a photo of himself flanked by children in the Afghan city of Qalat. The mission, as Knudsen understood it at the time, was to help the Americans safeguard the future of Afghanistans youth. At the end of his second tour, U.S. service members gave him an American flag as a parting gift. For years he proudly displayed the framed flag and a U.S. Bronze Star honoring his service in Afghanistan alongside other medals from his military service. He removed the medal and the flag in anguish and packed them away. He told his wife that he will take them out of storage only when the U.S.-Danish alliance is restored. Knudsen, who is the deputy president of the Danish Veterans Association, said he hears daily from other veterans who express sorrow and hurt at how the U.S. administration has turned against Denmark. Many veterans who have wounds, whether on their souls or their body, certainly feel this as a an offense straight to their heart, he said. Former Colonel Soren Knudsen shows his United States Bronze Star Medal for a photo during an interview with The Associated Press at his home in Copenhagen, Denmark, Tuesday, Jan. 13, 2026. (Anders Garde Kongshaug/AP) Understanding U.S. security needs Danish veterans are furious at how the White House rhetoric disregards the right to self-determination of Greenland and Denmark. They also strongly object to Trumps claim that Denmark, after fighting alongside U.S. forces in wartime, is incapable of protecting the Wests security interests in the Arctic. Both Andersen and Knudsen say they understand concerns about security in the region but are convinced that Denmark is ready to continue doing whatever it takes within the NATO alliance to defend the region. Both men describe maintaining a bond and friendship with American troops they served with. Knudsens wife is American-born, and his brother-in-law is a U.S. Marine. They are convinced that their onetime comrades do not share Trumps views about the Danes. Danes often note that the U.S. already has access to Greenland under a 1951 defense agreement, and northwestern Greenland already houses the U.S. Pituffik military base that falls under the Pentagons Space Force. It is the U.S. that has chosen to reduce its military footprint in Greenland in the past years and Denmark and Greenland say they would accommodate a beefed up American military presence. But Trump told the The New York Times last week that ownership gives you things and elements that you cant get from just signing a document. Knudsen says a U.S. invasion of Greenland would probably bring me to tears. I would be very sorry if it happened, because I would also see this as the final moments of the NATO alliance, he said. And I would probably see it as the final moment of my admiration and love of what has been the American experiment for 250 years. Associated Press writers Vanessa Gera and Claudia Ciobanu in Warsaw, Poland, Stefanie Dazio in Berlin and Lorne Cook in Brussels contributed to this report. U.K. Air Chief Marshal John Stringer will become NATO's deputy supreme allied commander Europe in March serving under U.S. Air Force Gen. Alexus Grynkewich. (X/U.K. Defense Ministry) NATOs top two military leadership posts will soon be held by officers hailing from their countries respective air forces, with the U.K.s Air Chief Marshal John Stringer tabbed to be the next deputy supreme allied commander Europe. The appointment of two officers from air force backgrounds stands out, as NATO emphasizes airpower and missile defense in accordance with lessons from the Russia-Ukraine war. Stringer will serve under American Gen. Alexus Grynkewich, who has the dual role of supreme allied commander Europe and the leader of U.S. European Command. U.K. Air Marshal John Stringer, right, addresses the media during RAF Fairford, England, March 11, 2025. At left is U.S. Air Force Maj. Gen. Jason Armagost, the Eighth Air Force commander at the time. Stringer will become NATO's next deputy supreme allied commander Europe. (Kristen Heller) The appointment will make him the first Royal Air Force officer to hold the post of deputy supreme allied commander Europe since 1984, the British defense ministry said in a statement Thursday. He will take over the post from British navy Adm. Keith Blount in March, the statement said. Based on historical records, the appointment appears to mark the first time the commander and deputy positions will simultaneously be held by officers from air force backgrounds. In the past, at least one of the roles was typically filled by an officer from an army, navy or Marine Corps background. The deputy position has historically been held by either British or German officers, while an American has always served as NATOs supreme allied commander Europe. Since 2022, Stringer has served as deputy commander of NATOs Allied Air Command, which is responsible for planning, coordinating and directing the alliances air operations. This is a critical time for the defense and security of Europe and the North Atlantic, deterring those who would do us harm and keeping the 1 billion citizens of NATO nations safe, he said in the statement. I look forward to playing my fullest possible part with our vital allies and partners. People mourn over the bodies of the Palestinian journalists Abd Shaat and Mohamed Qeshta, who were killed in an Israeli strike on a vehicle, before their funeral at Shifa Hospital, in Gaza City, Wednesday, Jan. 21, 2026. (Jehad Alshrafi/AP) CAIRO Israeli forces on Wednesday killed at least 11 Palestinians in Gaza, including two 13-year-old boys, three journalists and a woman, hospitals said, on one of the war-battered enclave s deadliest days since the ceasefire between Hamas and Israel took effect in October. The United States is trying to push the deal forward and implement its challenging second phase. Among the dead were three Palestinian journalists who were killed while filming near a displacement camp in central Gaza, a camp official said. Israels military said it had spotted suspects who were operating a drone that posed a threat to its troops. The two boys were killed in separate incidents. In one, a 13-year-old, his father and a 22-year old man were hit by Israeli drones on the eastern side of the Bureij refugee camp, according to officials from Al-Aqsa Martyrs Hospital in the central town of Deir al-Balah, which received the bodies. It wasnt immediately clear whether the three had crossed into Israeli-controlled areas. A mounting death toll The other 13-year-old was shot by troops in the eastern town of Bani Suheila, Nasser Hospital said after receiving the body. In a video circulated online, the father of Moatsem al-Sharafy is seen weeping over it. The boys mother, Safaa al-Sharafy, told The Associated Press that he had left to gather firewood so she could cook. He went out in the morning, hungry, she said, tears running down her cheeks. He told me hed go quickly and come back. Later Wednesday, an Israeli strike hit a vehicle carrying the three Palestinian journalists who were filming a new displacement camp managed by an Egyptian government committee in the Netzarim area, said Mohammed Mansour, the committees spokesperson. Mansour said the journalists were documenting the committees work and that the strike occurred about 3 miles from the Israeli-controlled area. He said the vehicle was known to Israels military as belonging to the committee. Video footage showed the charred and smoking vehicle by the roadside. One journalist killed, Abdul Raouf Shaat, was a regular contributor to Agence France-Presse but he was not on assignment for it at the time, the news agency said. Abdul was much loved by the AFP team covering Gaza. They remember him as a kind-hearted colleague, the agency said in a statement that demanded a full investigation into his death. According to the Committee to Protect Journalists, more than 200 Palestinian journalists and media workers have been killed in Gaza since the war began in 2023, including visual journalist Mariam Dagga, who worked for the AP and other news organizations. Nearly five months after the strikes on a hospital that killed Dagga and four other journalists, the Israeli military says it is continuing to investigate. Aside from rare guided tours, Israel has barred international journalists from entering to cover the war. News organizations rely largely on Palestinian journalists in Gaza as well as residents to show what is happening. Nasser Hospital officials also said Wednesday they received the body of a Palestinian woman shot by Israeli troops in the Muwasi area of the southern city of Khan Younis, which is not controlled by the military. In a separate attack, three brothers were killed in a tank shelling in the Bureij camp, according to Al-Aqsa Martyrs hospital. More than 470 Palestinians have been killed by Israeli fire since the ceasefire took effect on Oct. 10, according to Gazas health ministry. At least 77 have been killed by Israeli gunfire near a ceasefire line that splits the territory between Israeli-held areas and most of Gazas Palestinian population, the ministry says. The ministry, which is part of the Hamas-led government, maintains detailed casualty records that are seen as generally reliable by U.N. agencies and independent experts. A mothers plea The first phase of the October ceasefire that paused two years of war between Israel and Hamas militants focused on the return of all remaining hostages in exchange for the release of hundreds of Palestinian detainees and a partial withdrawal of Israeli forces in Gaza. All but one hostage, living or dead, have been returned to Israel. Ran Gvili, a 24-year-old police officer known as Rani, was killed while fighting Hamas militants during the Oct. 7, 2023 attack that started the war. His relatives on Wednesday called again on Israels government and U.S. President Donald Trump to ensure the release of his remains. We need to continue to amplify Ranis voice, explain about him, talk about him, and explain to the world that we, the people of Israel, will not give up on anyone, his mother, Talik Gvili, said. She told the AP the family doesnt really know where he is. Hamas said Wednesday it has provided all information it has on Gvilis body to the ceasefire mediators, and accused Israel of obstructing search efforts in areas it controls in Gaza. Israel targets more sites in Lebanon Israels air force carried out multiple strikes Wednesday against sites in southern Lebanon that it said the militant Hezbollah group used to store weapons, and at sites along Lebanons border with Syria where it said weapons were being smuggled. The military said it struck four border crossings in Lebanons northeastern region of Hermel. Earlier, strikes in three villages in southern Lebanon targeted weapons storage facilities. Israels military said it had issued warnings to evacuate. Lebanons health ministry said 19 people, including journalists, were wounded in the southern village of Qennarit, south of the port city of Sidon. Lebanese officials condemned the strikes in southern Lebanon, which President Joseph Aoun called systematic aggression. In addition, drone strikes on cars in the villages of Bazouriyeh and Zahrani killed two people, according to state-run National News Agency. The strikes were the latest in near-daily Israeli military action since a ceasefire more than a year ago ended the 14-month Israel-Hezbollah war. The agreement included a Lebanese pledge to disarm militant groups, which Israel says has not been fulfilled. Associated Press writer Bassem Mroue in Beirut contributed to this report. Rep. Tom Barrett, R-Mich., makes remarks on Wednesday, Jan. 21, 2026, at a House Veterans Affairs Subcommittee on Economic Opportunity Legislative hearing in Washington. (Eric Kayne/Stars and Stripes) WASHINGTON A dozen bills for sustaining and improving basic programs that help veterans obtain housing, jobs and wheelchair-accessible vehicles were presented at a hearing Wednesday of the House Veterans Affairs subcommittee on economic opportunity. Several bills aim to strengthen the safety net of services addressing homelessness, transportation needs and support for disabled veterans in job training programs. They include efforts to speed up government reimbursements to companies that outfit vans for handicapped drivers and to make permanent some homelessness prevention programs to avoid appropriation delays by Congress. Veterans who have incurred a spinal cord injury or disorder experience the breadth of VA care and benefits in unique ways due to their injuries and illnesses. We welcome the chance to show how some of this legislation may impact our members, said Julie Howell, associate legislative director of Paralyzed Veterans of America. Several other veterans advocacy groups also offered feedback on legislation, some of it still in draft form, to help guide lawmakers in crafting bills for approval. But Rep. Tom Barrett, R-Mich., filling in as subcommittee chairman, warned that not all 12 bills will advance to a final vote in Congress. I come to each bill with an open mind and value insights provided by folks testifying here today, said Barrett, who gaveled the two-hour hearing in place of Rep. Derrick Van Orden, R-Wis., subcommittee chairman, who was unable to attend. The National Coalition for Homeless Veterans backed two pieces of legislation for ensuring homeless veterans are connected with services they need to stay off the streets. The Veteran Housing Promise Act, still in draft form, would eliminate the need for Congress to reauthorize some housing assistance for veterans in critical need of help, including individuals with special needs and very low incomes. When appropriations are delayed, there are longer waits for shelter beds and rental subsidies, according to the coalition. Kathryn Monet, chief executive officer of the National Coalition for Homeless Veterans, makes remarks on Wednesday, Jan. 21, 2026, at a House Veterans Affairs Subcommittee on Economic Opportunity Legislative hearing in Washington. (Eric Kayne/Stars and Stripes) There is not a lot of safety net out there now for catching these veterans, said Kathryn Monet, chief executive officer of the coalition. The current patchwork of time-limited authorizations and funding caps poses significant challenges, Monet said. The coalition also endorsed the Improving Mental Health Care and Coordination for Homeless Veterans Act, led by Rep. David Valadao, R-Calif. The bill would require the VA to assess veterans and provide referrals for housing and mental health services in a timely manner. One in 10 veterans experience homelessness after military service, and we owe it to them to make sure the system that supports them functions properly, Valadao said. Paralyzed Veterans of America expressed early support for the Warriors to Workforce Act, which would increase monthly housing allowances for eligible veterans in full-time apprenticeships. We believe the VA should do more to raise awareness of the non-traditional education paths available through the post-9/11 GI Bill, Howell said. Veterans currently using the post-9/11 GI bill receive housing assistance that decreases as they progress through two-year job-training programs, Howell said. Jeremiah Workman, an assistant secretary at the Department of Labor, makes remarks on Wednesday, Jan. 21, 2026, at a House Veterans Affairs Subcommittee on Economic Opportunity Legislative hearing in Washington. (Eric Kayne/Stars and Stripes) Jeremiah Workman, an assistant secretary at the Department of Labor, said that his agency supports the Warriors to Workforce Act. He said the legislation reflects President Donald Trumps executive order in April 2025 titled Preparing Americans for High-Paying Skilled Trade Jobs of the Future. The order directed federal investments in programs to prepare workers for trade jobs that are in high demand. In the executive order, the president set the goal of at least 1 million new active apprentices nationwide. This goal is closely aligned with current labor market demand, Workman said. The subcommittee also heard from Superior Van & Mobility one of the nations largest providers of wheelchair-accessible vehicles for veterans. The company endorsed the CRUISE Act, which seeks to ease payment delays to dealers that make vans handicap accessible. Barrett, a retired Army officer who is leading the bill, said individual VA hospitals currently are responsible for paying invoices, but some have fallen behind. Late reimbursements financially strain small businesses that install wheelchair ramps, lifts and other equipment at their own cost before receiving payment, he said. Sam Cook, the president of Superior Van & Mobility, said late payments put mobility businesses at risk. Superior Van & Mobility is awaiting $2 million in past due invoices that are more than 30 days late. The root cause is not with the hardworking staff at any of the VAs local offices. Instead, the challenges we are facing today are [with] a fundamentally broken VA system, Cook said. Qualifying veterans with severe disabilities are eligible for a VA grant of up to $26,000 every 10 years to purchase a van or car. The VAs Automobile Adaptive Equipment Program pays for the vehicle conversion. But getting paid on time is essential, Cook said. Dealers are having to make the decision: Can I afford to do business with the VA? Cook said. At any given dealership, roughly 15 to 40% of their business is with the VA. By Tom Hals WILMINGTON, Delaware, Jan 20 (Reuters) - A Moelis & Co shareholder cannot challenge an agreement with Ken Moelis that gives the founder broad control over the investment bank's board, the Delaware Supreme Court ruled on Tuesday. The ruling is the second in recent weeks by the court that reversed a landmark decision that had sparked outrage among tech founders and other powerful investors, who worried the state's judges were undermining Delaware's business-friendly reputation. More from Yahoo Scout What was Judge Laster's original Court of Chancery decision? How did Delaware lawmakers respond to protect stockholder agreements? How does this ruling relate to Elon Musk's Tesla compensation? What did Delaware Supreme Court rule about Moelis stockholder agreement? Last month, the court revived Elon Musk's record-breaking compensation from Tesla, worth more than $100 billion. Tuesday's ruling reverses a 2024 decision by Travis Laster of the Court of Chancery that cast doubt on thousands of stockholder agreements that allow powerful investors like private equity firms and founders to control various aspects of board decisions. Laster said the Moelis stockholder agreement conflicted with Delaware corporate law, which empowers directors to manage the business to benefit all investors. The Delaware Supreme Court said Laster erred when he determined that the West Palm Beach Firefighters' Pension Fund was not required to sue within three years of the 2014 Moelis agreement because the arrangement amounted to an ongoing violation of Delaware law. The fund had sued in 2023. The high court said it did not need to address the validity of the Moelis agreement. In the Musk ruling, the Delaware Supreme Court issued a similar narrow ruling that only addressed the remedy. Within months of Laster's ruling, Delaware lawmakers rushed to amend the state's widely used corporate law to protect stockholder agreements. As a result, the ruling by the Delaware Supreme Court will have limited practical impact on the state's corporate law. (Reporting by Tom Hals in Wilmington, Delaware;Editing by Noeleen Walder and Bill Berkrot) LINCOLN Prepare your colored pencils, pull out your crayons and ready your markers, students! It's time for the Nebraska Department of Agriculture's (NDA) annual poster contest, open to all Nebraska students in first through sixth grades. This year's theme is "Nebraska Agriculture: Building the Future," highlighting Nebraska's number one industry. "With advancements in fuel and resources, agriculture truly is building the future," said NDA Director Sherry Vinton, "and the future of agriculture is the students today. As they learn and grow, they will bring new ideas and innovations to the agricultural field. Our annual poster contest creates an opportunity for students to learn more about where our food comes from." NDA will announce the winners during National Agriculture Week, March 15-21, 2026. National Ag Week highlights the diversity of agriculture and celebrates the food, fuel and fiber that farmers and ranchers provide every day. NDA will feature winning entries from this year's contest on its website and in promotional materials and publications. NDA's poster contest is divided into three age categories for judging purposes: first and second grade students; third and fourth grade students; and fifth and sixth grade students, in any Nebraska public, private or home school. All posters must be created exclusively by students and relate to this year's theme. Entries will be judged on originality, effort and accuracy and must be received at NDA's office by March 2, 2026. Poster contest rules and official entry forms are available online at https://nda.nebraska.gov/kids. For more information, contact Christin Kamm at 402-471-6856 or by email at [email protected]. Boro, the dog of a pregnant Malaga woman in critical condition after the Adamuz train accident, is rescued and will now return to his family The animal, which was found alive on Wednesday three days after the incident, was once again lost A story with a happy ending after the tragic train accident last Sunday in Adamuz (Cordoba). The Guardia Civil located Boro, the dog of a pregnant passenger from Malaga who was travelling on the Iryo from Malaga to Madrid with her family when the train derailed and collided with the oncoming Alvia train. The dog had been found alive on Wednesday but ran off, and was finally rescued in an area close to the site of the accident. The dog was found on Thursday morning by a group of Infoca forest firefighters and can now return to his family. An environmental officer from the nature protection service (Seprona) had spotted the dog near the site of the accident on Wednesday, but he ran away when they tried to catch him and his whereabouts were once again unknown. However, officers from the Guardia Civil contacted Boros owners to inform them of what had happened, and after finding him on Thursday, they can now hug him again. Pilar Martinez Enviada Especial Madrid Thursday, 22 January 2026, 11:47 Share Following the example of Iberia, Air Europa is increasing the number of tickets available between Malaga and Madrid to cover the travel needs of passengers impacted by the cancellation of trains this week. Following the Adamuz train crash, all high-speed services to and from Andalucia have been suspended at least until Monday, 2 February. Air Europa has added 10,800 seats to its current capacity, which will be available from Saturday, 31 January, to Monday, 2 February. That means 30 more frequencies (60 flights in total). "We will continue increasing air capacity on this route. We have already done so on several occasions since the accident occurred," Air Europa representatives said in Madrid, where the compay is participating in the Fitur tourism fair these days. As mentioned, Air Europa has already increased the number of seats between Malaga and Madrid this week. Initially on Tuesday, it launched an additional flight, going from four outbound and return flights to five. Then, on Wednesday, the company added two more flights, bringing the total until Friday to seven daily frequencies. The announcement at Fitur confirms yet another advance to improve connectivity between the Costa del Sol and the Spanish capital with 10,800 seats. Air Europa has stated that although it has not set fares with price caps, "there will not be expensive tickets". At this year's Fitur, Air Europa is celebrating its 40th anniversary. The airline was founded in 1986. It currently has a fleet of 59 aircraft comprising Boeing 787 Dreamliner and Boeing 737 models, which will soon be joined by Airbus A350-900s. The Spanish airline flies to more than 55 destinations around the world and has a strategic position in the hub of Adolfo Suarez Madrid-Barajas Airport, from where it connects Europe and America. Iberia has also strengthened air connectivity with Madrid. It has added one more daily flight until 2 February, with a price cap of 99 euros. The airline has activated a policy of flexibility for customers travelling from Andalucia to Madrid "in order to connect with the company's flights". In addition, "those who cannot travel normally will be able to request a change of dates or a voucher to reimburse their tickets". SUR Thursday, 22 January 2026, 12:09 Share National Police officers have arrested a man in Malaga who allegedly caused damage to eight vehicles after repeatedly striking windows and wing mirrors with a bicycle. The damage caused exceeds 400 euros for each affected car. The National Police said in a statement that several citizens recently reported intentional damage to vehicles they owned. They pointed out that the perpetrator had left a trail of vandalised cars in the El Molinillo neighbourhood. The police launched an investigation carried out by officers from the Malaga central district police station. According to the investigations, the alleged perpetrator is said to have taken advantage of nightfall and the absence of pedestrians on Calle Duque de Rivas to attack the vehicles parked in the area, although the motive for the attack is not yet known. The offences were captured by street cameras which enabled investigators to identify the suspect and issue a police warrant for his arrest on a charge of criminal damage. Finally, National Police officers located and arrested the 36-year-old suspect, who has already been brought before a judge. Delta Air Lines is going into 2026 with a message that Wall Street doesn't typically hear from airlines: Stay disciplined, keep the premium engine running, and let the cash flow do the talking. After Bank of America met with Delta CFO Dan Janki following the company's earnings report, it reiterated a buy rating with a price target of $80. DAL stock closed Friday, Jan. 16, at $70.43, implying an upside of 13.6%. But the rating wasn't the most intriguing part. It was what Bank of America believes Delta is working toward: free cash flow and balance-sheet flexibility. This is even if management is being very careful with its short-term guidance. Delta Air Lines just reminded investors what separates survivors from winners.Photo by Pacific Press on Getty Images Photo by Pacific Press on Getty Images Delta is cautious yet confident about 2026 Bank of America said that Delta's management team is definitely being cautious about how much money the airline will make in 2026. Delta's guidance for 2026 EPS is between $6.50 and $7.50, which is in line with Bank of America's estimate of $7.30 and the Street's estimate of $7.26 (as mentioned in the note). In other words, despite a strong year of business, Delta did not significantly alter its guidance. Related: Analyst's bombshell memory price forecast shifts Micron bets The bank thinks that management is reacting to changes in the economy in 2025, but not in a way that makes it seem like demand is breaking apart. Bank of America said businesses and consumers have "grown used" to volatility, and that high demand for luxury products is still a critical support. Bulls keep saying that Delta is a favorable investment because of its premium theme. If the sector gets bumpy, airlines that have a better mix of high-yield consumers may do better than those that rely too much on cheap flying. Bank of America also said the industry's capacity would be good in the first half of 2026. This might enhance prices and unit revenue if supply remains reasonable. Deltas MRO business is small, and thats why it could surprise The maintenance, repair, and overhaul part of Delta is not usually the primary story. But Bank of America is telling investors to look at it again, since the unit is going from "nice-to-have" to "real contributor." Delta's focus on its fleet had caused Maintenance, Repair, and Operations (MRO) income to stagnate at approximately $800 million for a few years. Related: Palantir stock faces a pressure-cooker moment The company has changed the way it does business more recently, and Bank of America points out that there is a rising backlog, including a 10-year deal with UPS that was referenced in the summary. The numbers that Bank of America gives make the section interesting. Eugenio Cabezas Thursday, 22 January 2026, 12:35 Share The Andalusian regional government's spokesperson for health and consumer affairs in Malaga, Carlos Bautista, visited the construction site of the new health centre in Nerja on the eastern Costa del Sol on Tuesday 20 January, which is scheduled to be completed in April. Since 2003, when Nerja town hall and the Andalusian regional government signed an agreement to jointly finance a new health centre in the town, there have been a series of broken promises, changes to the project's location, withdrawals from the agreement and modifications to the land. More than two decades later, the work, which began at the end of July 2024, is now in its final stages. The new health facility will serve more than 25,000 residents of Nerja and Frigiliana, with double the surface area of the current centre; 4,520 square metres on three floors, plus a basement. Along with state-of-the-art equipment, the health centre will have 26 standard consultation rooms, five multi-purpose rooms, five paediatric rooms, minor surgery rooms, dentistry, physiotherapy, radiology and critical care. Investment in the Axarquia The investment exceeds 9.4 million euros and has been financed with European funds managed by the central government and transferred to the Junta de Andalucia. Bautista said: "We expect to have it ready by approximately April" and added, "I can tell you that you are going to have a wonderful, well-equipped centre, with lots of technology and magnificent professionals." Bautista's visit to Nerja is part of the regional government's commitment to invest almost four million euros in healthcare infrastructure in the Axarquia during 2026, with a new clinic in Algarrobo Costa (666,000 euros) and the new health centre in Rincon de la Victoria, the contract for which is currently out to tender. "These budgets reflect the commitment of Juanma Moreno's government to improving the quality of care and strengthening primary care," Bautista said. He went on to say that the Nerja facility will double the healthcare capacity in Nerja and relieve pressure on the Axarquia regional hospital in Torre del Mar, which celebrated its fortieth anniversary in 2025 and is currently being renovated. Jose Carlos Garcia Marbella Thursday, 22 January 2026, 11:58 Share More than two years after the Residencia de Tiempo Libre de Marbella officially closed its doors, the countdown to its reopening has begun. Moreover, it will reopen with a project that's wholly 'made in Marbella'. The Fuerte business group has won the public tender, launched by the regional ministry for the economy, to operate the facilities as a hotel complex. The closing bids were received and decided in the auditorium at the headquarters of the regional ministry led by Carolina Espana, the Torretriana building in Seville. The winning business group participated in the bidding process via Ritusa SA, a subsidiary company based at the five-star El Fuerte hotel in Marbella and whose sole administrator is the chair of Fuertegroup, the holding company that owns, among others, the hotels that come under the brand names of El Fuerte and Amare. The group won the tender with an offer to pay an annual fee of 5.02 million euros, which is 25 percent above the minimum price set in the tendering process (four million euros). This amount was more than enough for the Marbella-based company to prevail over the only remaining competitor, as SUR reported following the exclusion of Sierra Blanca States Epic SL by the procurement committee, namely, the Barcelo hotel chain, which only raised its offer to 4.1 million euros. The company must deposit a guarantee of nine million euros and make a minimum investment of 50 million euros over a 15-year period and must open by 2029. The highest bid in the tendering process resulted in the provisional award of this contract to manage hotel operations in this, the third and last Ciudad Sindical de Vacaciones (an affordable holiday complex for public company employees) opened in Spain, inaugurated in 1962, for the next 75 years, with the possibility of extending the lease to 99 years. Now, Ritusa must deposit nine million euros as a final guarantee and formalise the contract with the regional ministry of finance. From then on, a three-year countdown will begin for the leisure complex to reopen its doors some time in 2029. Required investment and contractual clauses Winning the contract means that the Marbella-based company must invest at least 50 million euros in the complex. Such investment doesn't have to be made fully before reopening, as the tender spec allows a 15-year period for this purpose. However, the business group faces not only the challenge of getting the complex up and running, but also the need for it to expand. Marbella town hall, which signed an agreement with the regional ministry, not only changed the land use designation of the plot to hotel use, but also increased the buildable area by 30,000 square metres on top of the existing total built area (23,395 square metres on a plot of almost 197,502 square metres). This change of use is considered essential to be able to recoup the substantial investment and cover the lease payments, which will also increase annually as per price fluctuations in the hotel price index (IPH) published by the INE (Spain's national statistics institute). The award of this contract includes an "anti-speculation" clause, stipulating that neither the surface rights nor control of the winning company can be transferred until the investment requirement has been met. The award includes an "anti-speculation" clause, stipulating that neither the surface rights nor control of the winning company can be transferred until the investment requirement (at least 50 million euros invested in the property over the first 15 years) has been met as a guarantee of ensuring project success. Any subsequent investment will require authorisation from the Junta de Andalucia. From costing money to making money Regional minister for the economy, Carolina Espana, highlighted this tender as an example of the Junta's new management approach to boosting the value and development of unused or underutilised public assets, as the complex "will generate employment and wealth for Marbella and Malaga after years of losses amounting to millions of euros for all Andalusians and the people of Malaga". "It made no sense to keep the plot and the building of the former holiday residence unused, facing the cost of its upkeep every year", said the regional minister, convinced that this new direction will allow for a new purpose, generate employment for the area and bring new wealth to Marbella, Malaga and Andalucia. She noted that there is already a precedent of the transformation of a former holiday and leisure complex, the one in Cadiz, which was "successfully" converted into a shopping complex and 4-star hotel by the Q-Hotels company, employing around 500 people. Javier Almellones Malaga Thursday, 22 January 2026, 15:08 Share Malaga province is heading into Fitur 2026 (the main international tourism fair in Spain) with a hotel sector report that confirms the destination's stability and a moderate, but sustained, growth. The region closed 2025 with an average occupancy rate of 78.72 per cent, according to data from the statistical occupancy report prepared by Aehcos (the business association for hoteliers on the Costa del Sol). This figure represents a slight improvement compared to 2024 (78.14 per cent) and an increase of 3.10 percentage points compared to 2019, consolidating a positive trend that remains above pre-pandemic levels. The annual analysis conducted by this business association shows that the central months of the year are once again proving to be the main drivers of tourism activity. June (88.14 per cent), July (89.82 per cent), August (92.15 per cent) and September (90.97 percent) have improved upon both 2024 and 2019 figures, a performance that confirms the strength of the holiday trade and the destination's ability to attract demand during the peak summer season. However, the most significant transformation is occuring in the mid-season (also known as the shoulder season): May (86.06 per cent) and October (88.21 per cent) have registered notable improvements compared to 2019, reinforcing the strategy of diversification and deseasonalisation that has been deployed in recent years. "The fact that we are generally above pre-2020 levels confirms that the hotel sector has strengthened its competitiveness and its ability to adapt to an increasingly demanding tourism environment," said Aehcos president, Jose Luque. In his opinion, 2025 marks a period of "normalisation" characterised by stability, predictability and the possibility of working with a more strategic, medium-term vision. However, he stressed that tourism "remains highly sensitive" to the international political context, which suggests maintaining caution when forecasting. Weaknesses The Aehcos annual review not only details the progress made in occupancy rates, but also reiterates one of the main concerns for the sector: insufficient investment in essential infrastructure in the Costa del Sol province. The association warns that accumulated delays in strategic projects related to mobility, transport, water management, beaches and tourist facilities are jeopardising the destination's competitiveness in an increasingly demanding environment. Aehcos is calling for urgent action on projects such as the northern access road to Malaga Airport, awarded in 2018 but then reworked and still pending implementation. Such infrastructure would improve the flow of incoming and outgoing traffic at one of Spain's most congested airports. Aehcos is also urging an acceleration of the MA-20 expansion, the creation of a continuous third lane on the A-7 between Malaga, Marbella and the Axarquia area, the reorganisation of access points along the coast and the implementation of the coastal train, a project long demanded by institutions and companies in the sector. Furthermore, the report again highlights the shortage of affordable housing, a problem that, according to Aehcos, directly impacts hotels' ability to attract and retain staff, affecting the operational efficiency of their businesses and the quality of service. Malaga-Costa del Sol Airport is also a central concern for the hotel sector. The implementation of the European Entry and Exit System (EES) and the effects that ETIAS will have in 2026 are generating uncertainty due to their impact on strategic markets such as the United Kingdom, the United States, Canada and Latin America. Aehcos points out that 27 per cent of tourists staying in the province come from the United Kingdom, a figure that rises to 35 per cent when other affected markets are included. In high season, Malaga Airport experiences peaks of 3,000 to 6,000 British passengers per hour, requiring meticulous and flexible planning of staff at entry controls to avoid prolonged waits that could negatively affect the travel experience. At Fitur, the presentation of another report on the sustainability indicators for Spanish hotels in 2025, prepared by CEHAT and Grupo Cajamar, provides a complementary perspective on the sector's performance at the national level. The document confirms that Spanish hotels have managed to reduce their emissions by more than 7 per cent since 2022 and by approximately 40 percent since 2012, while simultaneously experiencing growth in activity, employment and profitability. The study also reveals sustained improvements in energy efficiency and water management, a reduction in seasonality and long-term growth in hotel employment exceeding three per cent. From an economic perspective, occupancy rates and revenue levels maintain a robust trend, with prices below the general CPI (consumer price index), which contributes to strengthening Spain's tourism competitiveness. Agreement with Cajamar In parallel with the presentation of the study, Cajamar announced at Fitur the renewal of its collaboration agreement with CEHAT, reinforcing a long-standing commitment that includes specialised financing, digital solutions and support tools for sustainability and hotel modernisation projects. The financial institution thus maintains its role as a strategic partner for Spanish tourist accommodation. Grupo Cooperativo Cajamar also formalised a new agreement with Aehcos, through which it makes a specific financial service available to member businesses, designed to boost their competitiveness and investment capacity. The agreement was signed by Jaume Julia and Aehcos president, Jose Luque, along with executive vice-president, Javier Hernandez. Jesus Hinojosa Malaga Thursday, 22 January 2026, 15:03 Share After years in the pipeline, businessman Tomas Olivo - owner of La Canada in Marbella and numerous shopping centres across Spain - has taken the first steps towards building a major commercial complex in Malaga city. The centre is planned for the Azucarera plot, which sits between Avenida de Velazquez and the MA-22. This site connects the Azucarera-Intelhorce axis with the Martin Carpena area and the western seafront. As confirmed by SUR, Olivos company, General de Galerias Comerciales, has submitted documentation to the municipal urban planning department to reclassify the land for commercial use. Currently, Malagas General Urban Development Plan (PGOU), approved in 2011, retains the previous 1997 classification for this site. This designates the land for business (industrial) use, alongside a green zone near the MA-22 junction. To proceed, Olivo requires a formal amendment to convert this zoning status from business to commercial. This modification involves a complex bureaucratic process, including a regional environmental assessment that typically takes one to two years. Despite this timeline, the project design is well underway. It features a collaboration between the studio of local architect Angel Asenjo and Chapman Taylor, a prestigious British firm established in 1959 known for designing shopping centres in the UK and Qatar. Olivo selected this long-vacant plot for its prime location in one of the citys fastest-growing districts. Adjacent to the Malaga Nostrum centre, the area is undergoing revitalization with the arrival of Costco, a new campus for Alfonso X El Sabio university, and a planned Rafa Nadal-branded racquet centre developed by Sierra Blanca. Additionally, new high-end residential developments continue to rise in the nearby La Termica and El Pato areas. Current plans indicate the project will cover approximately 65,000 square metres. The complex will feature a ground floor plus two upper levels (reaching three stories in some sections) and nearly 20,000 square metres of green space. Representing an investment of over 150 million, the centre will house retail shops, a supermarket, and a cinema. Two large basement levels will provide parking for roughly 3,000 vehicles. While developers hope to fast-track approval and complete the project within three to four years, the necessary zoning change remains a significant hurdle dependent on the environmental review by the regional ministry of sustainability. One of the main handicaps of the project is the saturation of traffic in the area One of the main obstacles for this project is traffic, as the site is located next to a main road whereheavy congestion often occurs during peak hours. The promoters of the project have carried out a traffic study and proposed the creation of roads to channel the traffic that could be generated by this large surface area. However, the reports issued by both the mobility department of the city council and the ministry of transport will be key. It should be remembered that the objections of both departments have put the brakes on the approval of a new commercial extension of the Plaza Mayor centre , although its owners hope to unblock it by undertaking new road infrastructures. The PGOU also states that, as a "potentially polluting" activity has been carried out on these soils that once housed an industrial activity, their owners "will be obliged to present a situation report when applying for a building permit for the new authorised uses in the sector". "If, on the basis of this information, the autonomous community declares the land to be contaminated for these uses, the owners will be obliged to take the necessary actions to proceed with its environmental recovery." Olatz Hernandez Bruselas Thursday, 22 January 2026, 12:57 Share King Felipe VI has emphasised the need for a relationship with the US based on "respect and loyalty," warning that without this bond, the West will be "condemned to a more uncertain, more unstable and more dangerous world." Speaking at the European Parliament in Strasbourg on Wednesday to commemorate the 40th anniversary of Spain and Portugal joining the EU, the monarch focused on the need for Europe to "continue working on our defense and our strategic autonomy" while strengthening the European pillar within NATO. In a veiled criticism of Trump and his escalating ambitions to take over Greenland, the king said that "force without principle is tantamount to barbarism" and hinted at the need for an adequate European response, as "mere principles, without actions to back them up, lead to frustration and disenchantment". Amid geopolitical uncertainty, Felipe VI said that Europe "defends rules-based solutions and dialogue as the path to resolve conflicts and promote peace, stability and cooperation. "It cannot accept or endorse geopolitical approaches from a bygone era as if they were signs of a new time." The king against Euroscepticism King Felipe VI stated that Europe "remains an ethical and political reference point", a place in the world that works towards equality, freedom and social justice in the darkest of times. "Our strength is our unity," he said. At the same time, the king warned against Eurosceptic and populist tactics. "Criticism is positive if it leads to progress, because it can also jeopardise our principles and values. It is in forgetting what European integration means where our greatest weakness lies," the king stated. According to the head of state, the European spirit is "the great shared heritage" of the EU bloc. "A project," Felipe VI said, "that has made us more prosperous, freer and even stronger." In these 40 years, EU membership has been "a decisive factor in the transformation of Spain" and the country has also been a decisive factor in European development, defending social rights, the importance of southern countries and relations with Latin America and the Caribbean, among others. "The situation that Europe is going through requires our joint commitment. We cannot take Europe for granted," he stated. A. T. Thursday, 22 January 2026, 12:33 Share The train accidents in Adamuz and Barcelona that have painted Spain black this week have led to various groups questioning the government's management of the railway network. One such group is Semaf (majority train drivers' union), which has threatened to bring the entire country to a halt with a general strike between 9 and 11 February. Three of the at least 43 victims of the two train accidents, which occurred in the space of just 48 hours, are train drivers. Almost 200 people were injured. The union's objective is to demand of those responsible for the rail network "reliability and safety". Semaf's executive committee have stated that they consider the "constant deterioration of the railway unacceptable". The strikers demand that administrations, infrastructure managers and operating companies "urgently" take the necessary measures to guarantee the safety of both passengers and members of staff. Other unions, such as CC OO and USO, have the same demands. If measures are not taken, all of these workers' representatives threaten to take action. In response to these warnings, minister of transport Oscar Puente said that he believes that a general strike is not the best way for train drivers to pursue their demands. On the other hand, he told them that he understands their current state of mind and concerns, given that they have lost three colleagues in such a short amount of time. Searching for the middle ground, Puente promised to open negotiations with them to try to reach an agreement that would allow the strike to be called off. "We are going to work with them, listen to them, see how we can satisfy their demands, do what is possible and, from there, address this issue in the hope that we can ensure that the strike is not called or, if it is, that it can be called off," he said. As per what Semaf has said, the general strike is only the first of a series of measures and actions that the union is going to take in the face of the serious crisis in the state railway network. The union's leadership has already announced that, in view of the latest events, it intends to go to court to "demand criminal liability from the people in charge of guaranteeing safety in the railway infrastructure". The train drivers have said that they do not intend to allow the opening of the Cercanias and Media Distancia services in Catalonia without first verifying any operations as safe. Following the news of the two incidents that occurred in Gelida and Macanet on Tuesday, Semaf took "the necessary steps to stop the traffic of all trains running in the Rodalies area". The suspension of short-distance services in Catalonia continued on Wednesday. In order to avoid new incidents during storm Harry, Semaf requests that the same procedure is applied in the whole network. Amazon has begun building a huge new warehouse in Upstate New York, according to a new report. The retail giant started construction on what will be a 3.2 million square-foot distribution center in the Capital Region, according to the Albany Business Review. The $621 million facility will be located near Exit 27 off the New York State Thruway in the Montgomery County town of Florida. According to the Business Review, the online retailer paid $13.5 million for 143 acres of land. Amazon will receive tax exemptions worth $30 million and an estimated $44.9 million in real property tax exemptions over 15 years, the Montgomery County Industrial Development Agency told the publication. Construction began in late December and will be completed in late 2027 or early 2028, the IDA said. Nearly 400 construction workers will be employed during the project. According to previous reports, the warehouse is expected to be 4.5 stories tall and employ at least 750 people over three shifts a day. Amazon would also hire hundreds more part-time and seasonal workers, according to the Business Review. The facility is expected to use robotic storage systems instead of traditional warehouse racking. Orders would be picked, packed and shipped 24 hours, seven days a week to local delivery centers. Amazon operates a similar facility in the town of Clay that totals five stories and 3.8 million square feet. The Syracuse-area warehouse opened in 2022 and also uses robotics in combination with human workers. The new Amazon warehouse will be just outside of Amsterdam, about 35 miles from Albany. It will be on Route 5S, near a 1.9 million-square-foot Target distribution center, less than 2 miles from the NYS Thruways Amsterdam exit. Available jobs will be posted on Amazon.com closer to the opening date. Sometimes the most interesting historic sites are the ones closest to home. Some are large institutions, others are easy-to-miss roadside oddities. Some have a major historical storyline to them, others are simply too interesting to not visit. A few inspire smiles; others invite reflection. All are worth a short detour. Here are 10 historic places within about an hour of Syracuse that merit a visit. The Salt Museum in Onondaga Lake Park in Liverpool. Ken Sturtz | syracuse.com Ken Sturtz | syracuse.com Distance from Syracuse: 5 miles Syracuse got its nickname Salt City because of the massive amounts of salt produced from nearby salt mines around Onondaga Lake. By the 1870s, the city was the nations leading salt producer. The industry began declining just before the Great Depression. The Salt Museum offers a close look at that history, including the difficult and often dangerous work performed by thousands of laborers. Well-informed docents lead you through the daily life of the salt business here, its hard work, triumphs and failures. It gets pretty serious when the guide tells you about people who actually died while working in the salt industry here (and it was a grisly way to go). It is one of the best under the radar museums in Central New York. Address: 106 Lake Dr., Liverpool Split Rock Quarry in 1995, located in Camillus, N.Y. Dick Case | Post-Standard archives Dick Case | Post-Standard archives Distance from Syracuse: 6 miles The Split Rock limestone quarry opened in 1834 near Camillus. It was successful for more than 75 years, going out of business in 1912. With the onset of World War I, the quarry again found itself a busy place as a munitions factory employing hundreds of workers. Unfortunately, disaster struck when a quarry explosion on July 2, 1918 devastated the area. More than 50 workers at the site that day were killed. The quarry has remained abandoned since then, a relic of a tragic event in the Syracuse areas history. Today, visitors will find several imposing stone structures (all dramatically graffited) and the massive crusher. Exploring this abandoned place has become common, but be advised that accidents can happen easily here, and any visitor would be well-advised not to explore it alone. Address: 3900 Onondaga Blvd., Camillus In 1982, the village of Chittenango installed the "yellow brick road" to honor L. Frank Baum. It was later replaced with stamped concrete to better withstand the winters. SYR Distance from Syracuse: 17 miles Author L. Frank Baum was born in Chittenango on May 15, 1856. Among his works is the beloved American classic tale of the Wizard of Oz. Cazenovia has remembered its famous native son in numerous ways over the years, including parades and festivals, the All Things Oz Museum, and even a casino (The Yellow Brick Road Casino). One favorite tribute is the gold-colored brick sidewalks that line the main business district of this village of 5,000 residents in Madison County. This yellow brick road is one of the most popular selfie spots in the area. Address: Main Street, Chittenango The mummy Hen is one of Cazenovia Public Library's donations from Robert J. Hubbard after his 1894 tour. David Lassman | syracuse.com David Lassman | syracuse.com Distance from Syracuse: 19 miles This may be the oddest thing you will ever see in a library. Go to the second floor of the small and attractive Cazenovia Public Library to see a real, live but actually dead mummy. The mummy, named Hen, acquired in 1894 by Robert Hubbard, a wealthy and eccentric Cazenovia resident who purchased Egyptian artifacts while traveling abroad. He had Hen and numerous other Egyptian items shipped back to Cazenovia, where they were stored until he returned from his faraway travels. Today, the collection is displayed in a small museum inside the library, offering a surprising glimpse into 19th-century collecting practices. Address: 100 Albany St., Cazenovia Sam Simkin and Claire Benton of Ithaca look over the carriage used by the Seward family in Washington D.C. during the Civil War at the William H. Seward House in Auburn. Stephen D. Cannarelli | syracuse.com Stephen D. Cannarelli | syracuse.com Distance from Syracuse: 29 miles On April 6, 1945, Secretary of State William H. Seward was riding in his carriage through the streets of our nations capital when his horse bolted, started racing through the streets and threw Seward out and into the roadway. He suffered severe injuries from the accident, including a broken jaw. He was convalescing at home on April 14, the night of President Abraham Lincolns assassination at Fords Theatre. Seward was also a target of murder that evening, and the plotters broke into his home to kill him. Fighting their way to his bedroom, they stabbed the bedridden Seward multiple times before fleeing. Amazingly, the metal brace he was wearing to help recover from his previous carriage injury deflected the knives, thereby saving his life. The carriage, fully restored, is the centerpiece of many historical items found at the Seward House Museum. Address: 33 South St., Auburn Distance from Syracuse: 31 miles The Homer Men and Boys clothing store takes up a significant part of this villages business district and is home to one of Central New Yorks quirkiest roadside attractions. Fifty years ago, Wrangler jeans brought an enormous pair of pants to the store as a promotion. The pants measured 8 feet tall, 20 feet long, and 9 feet wide. Once billed as the worlds largest pair of pants, they still hang inside the store. That record has since been surpassed. Oh, and while you are here, ask to see the photo of comedian Bill Murray and the staff. Murray has stopped several times to buy shirts that read Homer. Why? Because Murray has a son, who is now a top chef in New York City, named Homer. Address: 11 S. Main St., Homer The Upper Sitting room at the Oneida Community Mansion House. At it peak there were about 300 members at the Oneida Community which was a religious commune founded by John Humphrey Noyes in 1848. The Community Mansion was built in stages starting in 1861.The utopian society practiced communalism (in the sense of communal property and possessions) including marriages which put them at odds with other religions. Dennis Nett | dnett@syracuse.com Distance from Syracuse: 33 miles This mansion was home to the John Humphrey Noyes Utopian Community from the 1860s to the late 1880s. The utopian society practiced communalism (in the sense of communal property and possessions) including marriages which put them at odds with other religions. The home accommodated up to 300 of Noyes followers in its extensive network of rooms. The mansion was reportedly constructed using over one million bricks and is a stunning place to visit. Inside, youll find concert halls, relaxing areas, dining facilities, and numerous artifacts from Noyes era to the present day. After the Utopian community dissolved, the congregation became part of Oneida Limited, producing some of the finest silverware ever made in the USA. Many people have likely seen this imposing structure and wondered, What went on there? Stop, park your car, and take a tour to find out. Address: 170 Kenwood St., Oneida The Cross Island Chapel is near Sconondoa Road in Oneida, N.Y. Al Campanie | The Post-Standard Distance from Syracuse: 34 miles The roadside sign says it all: Worlds Smallest Chapel. Known as the Cross Island Chapel, the non-denominational church was built in 1989 and measures less than 29 square feet. You have to scan the area to find the chapel, and then there it is right in the middle of Mason Pond. Rowboats are often seen pulled up along the shore, ostensibly waiting to take a happy couple to the chapel for a wedding. Several are held each year, and the phone number is on the sign. The chapel seats two, so one can only assume that the standing preacher must squeeze into this miniature house of worship somehow to conduct the ceremony. It would be interesting to see how that works. Address: Mason Road, Oneida Archive photo from Safe Haven Museum and Education Center of life in the WWII Jewish refugee haven in Oswego, NY. The refugees were housed in Army barracks at Fort Ontario. Friday June 20, 2014. Gary Walts | gwalts@syracuse.com SYR Distance from Syracuse: 42 miles A visit here can be staggering. Its the only place in America that accepted Jewish refugees during World War II. The photo archives alone will break your heart and also inspire you. There is a dramatic story to be told. According to their website, the site is dedicated to keeping alive the stories of the 982 refugees from World War II who were allowed into the United States as guests of President Franklin D. Roosevelt. These refugees were housed at Fort Ontario in Oswego, New York, from August 1944 to February 1946. Among the compelling stories told here is the importance of First Lady Eleanor Roosevelts efforts to make this camp succeed. Address: 22 Barbara Donahue Dr., Oswego The H.P. Sears Oil Co. Service Station Museum at 201 North George St. in Rome, N.Y. is a completely restored 1930 historic service station. David Lassman | Syracuse.com Distance from Syracuse: 46 miles A sight to behold, the immaculate 1929 gas station feels frozen in time. The restored building houses the H.P. Sears Oil Museum, which tells the story of H.P. Sears oil and gas empire, founded in Rome, N.Y. As you pull in to explore (ding ding), you will notice some nostalgic gas station items from a century ago such as colorful illuminated gas globes, a vintage boom-style sign post with two original SEARS signs posted on it, an old Toledo tire air inflating machine, a vintage air hose which retracts into the belly of its holding device, auto scales on tapered concrete bases, and so much more. Of special interest is the oil changing station. The kind where you roll your car over a deep pit and pause while the oil jockey below the car fills up your oil tank, before you simply drive off on your merry way. The museum is well worth the roughly 40-mile drive from Syracuse and offers a rare glimpse into an era of roadside Americana that is increasingly hard to find. Address: 201 North George St., Rome Syracuse, N.Y. CenterState CEOs annual economic forecast breakfasts are often filled with talk about job growth, gross domestic product and government policy. And Thursdays event at the Oncenter had all that. But the subject that dominated the discussion was Micron Technologys $100 billion semiconductor manufacturing plant planned for the Syracuse suburb of Clay. Three years after choosing the site, Micron held a groundbreaking on Jan. 16, kicking off site work for what will be one of the largest economic developments in New York history. This is a big deal, Ben Sio, CenterStates senior vice president and chief of staff, told the 725 people at the forecast event. Groundbreakings are nice. Its nice to scoop dirt and its nice to scoop snow, which is what we had last week. But the most important part of this groundbreaking is that construction started. Amy Liu, a senior fellow at the Brookings Institution think tank in Washington, D.C., congratulated the region for landing the project, which the company projects will create 9,000 direct jobs and more than 40,000 indirect jobs over the next 20 years. Memory chip production is expected to begin at the plant in 2030. Congratulations to all of you for getting to this Micron moment, she said. This is huge, and it didnt happen by accident. Liu said the region was moving quickly into a new high-growth future. And youre very well positioned to continue to make gains as a result, she said. CenterState, a Syracuse-based economic planning and development organization that also serves as the Syracuse area chamber of commerce, said a survey of its member companies showed strong optimism about their own business outlook and the strength of the regional economy. Sio said 84% see themselves as beneficiaries of an anticipated growth of Central New Yorks technology economy, up 13% from last year. The organization warned, though, that domestic economic conditions were a major obstacle toward growth in Central New York. It flagged these concerns: Federal policy and regulations U.S. trade policy -- specifically, President Trumps tariff policies, which are seen as raising costs Labor supply, especially the availability of skilled personnel Housing supply and affordability, particularly with an anticipated growing workforce stemming from the Micron project. CenterState CEO Robert Simpson called housing a significant potential throttle to the regions growth. He praised Gov. Kathy Hochuls proposal last week to ease environmental laws to make it faster and cheaper for developers to build new housing. Thats a huge win, he said. A second SUNY Upstate Medical University worker arrested by federal immigration agents last fall has been ordered to be deported to Ecuador. Yannier Vazquez Hidalgo is from Cuba and has no ties to Ecuador. Immigration Judge Brian Counihan said Hidalgo is not eligible for the Cuban Adjustment Act, a special pathway for Cuban asylum seekers, because he entered the country without seeking asylum at an official port of entry. The U.S. government recently signed an agreement with Ecuador for that country to take asylum seekers. A different immigration court judge ruled last week that Hidalgos husband Alicbiades Alex Lazaro Ramirez Gonzalez should also be deported to Ecuador. Hidalgo and Gonzalez both argued that they would be persecuted in Ecuador because they are gay and Cuban. U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents arrested both men in October. Gonzalez is a supervisor in the hospitals environmental services department. Hildalgo is a janitor in the same department. Federal agents arrested the men when they checked in for a routine appointment at ICE offices in Mattydale. They both had requested asylum protection in the U.S. and had recently passed an immigration test required to prove there is a credible threat to their lives in Cuba because they are gay, their relatives told syracuse.com in October. The men fled Cuba and married in the U.S. They own a home in North Syracuse. Both men said they have never been to Ecuador and have no family there. Their lawyer, Irma Ramirez, argued that the U.S. governments agreement with Ecuador is not retroactive. It was signed in 2025 while Hidalgo arrived in the U.S. in 2021, she said. She said people are fleeing Ecuador because of gang violence and police extortion. Ecuador is not a safe country for anyone, Ramirez told the court. The judge said Hidalgos claims of persecution and possible torture in Ecuador were too general, in part, because he has never been to Ecuador. Hidalgo has until Feb. 22 to appeal, the judge said. The hearing was held Thursday in an immigration court in Batavia. Hospital union members and other advocates have held rallies in Syracuse to support the men. Gov. Kathy Hochul has met with their families. Benzinga and Yahoo Finance LLC may earn commission or revenue on some items through the links below. Comments from U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent at the World Economic Forum in Davos have reignited speculation around a formal U.S. Bitcoin (CRYPTO: BTC) reserve, driving a sharp jump in Polymarket betting odds. U.S. Bitcoin Reserve Plans Gain Momentum After Bessent's Davos Remarks Speaking at Davos, Bessent reiterated that the U.S. government's crypto strategy has shifted toward making America the most attractive jurisdiction for digital assets and innovation. "We want to be the best regulatory regime for digital assets and creativity to spark innovation," he said. Don't Miss: Fast Company Calls It a Groundbreaking Step for the Creator Economy' Investors Can Still Get In at $0.85/Share Sam Altman Says AI Will Transform the Economy This Platform Lets Investors Back Private Tech Early According to journalist and host Christine Lee, Bessent also reaffirmed the administration's commitment to a strategic Bitcoin reserve, outlining a clear policy sequence: first halt the sale of seized crypto assets, then add forfeited Bitcoin to a national digital asset reserve once legal processes are complete. "The policy of this government is to add seized bitcoin to our digital asset reserve after the damages are done," Bessent stated. The remarks reinforce President Donald Trump's stance on crypto. An executive order signed in March 2025 specified that Bitcoin in the reserve would initially come from criminal and civil asset forfeitures and, crucially, that BTC deposited into the reserve cannot be sold. See Also: If there was a new fund backed by Jeff Bezos offering a 7-9% target yield with monthly dividends would you invest in it? Polymarket Strategic Bitcoin Reserve Odds Surge Polymarket data shows traders rapidly repricing the odds of a U.S. National Bitcoin Reserve becoming reality. The probability of such a reserve being established before 2027 has climbed to 35%, up from just 23% in early January. The U.S. crypto reserve is estimated to be worth between $17 billion and $20 billion, positioning the country among the world's largest sovereign Bitcoin holders. Nearly half of these holdings reportedly stem from the recovery of assets tied to the 2022 Bitfinex hack, underscoring how law enforcement seizures have become a key source of government-owned BTC. Taken together, Bessent's comments and rising prediction-market odds suggest growing confidence that the U.S. is moving closer to formalizing Bitcoin as a strategic reserve asset rather than treating it as something to be routinely liquidated. Salina, N.Y. - Moments of silence were held in some Onondaga County courtrooms on Thursday for longtime defense lawyer Paul Carey, who died at home on Wednesday. Carey, 76, of Salina, also served as a Salina town justice. He was a former Onondaga County Sheriffs Office deputy and a Syracuse University alum. The sheriffs office announced his death Wednesday. Carey was scheduled to oversee town court Thursday evening. Those cases will be postponed, according to Salina Town Justice Anthony LaValle. LaValle said he will be temporarily handling all the town cases. He said he has sometimes taken shifts for Carey over the last year as he battled health issues. Onondaga County Democratic Elections Commissioner Dustin Czarny said the town can appoint someone to fill the seat temporarily. An election would then be held in November to fill his seat for four-year term that would start in January 2027. LaValle said a longer-term decision on who will fill Careys position will likely not be made until next week or later. Carey, who was elected town justice in 2008, would have been up for re-election in November 2027. Carey moved to the Syracuse area in 1978 to complete his bachelors degree at Syracuse University before beginning his career in law enforcement. Carey began his career with the sheriffs office, where he played a key role in establishing the agencys K-9 Unit. After his time as a deputy, Carey became a prominent defense attorney. He was admitted to the New York State Bar in 1988 after graduating from the Syracuse University College of Law in 1987. Liverpool, N.Y. Paul Carey, a longtime Central New York defense attorney and Salina town judge, has died. He was 76. Carey was also a former Onondaga County Sheriffs Office deputy. The Sheriffs Office announced Careys death late Wednesday night with profound sadness, remembering him as a pioneer within the department and a lifelong public servant. Carey began his career with the Sheriffs Office, where he played a key role in establishing the agencys K-9 Unit. He served as the units first K-9 handler, a position the Sheriffs Office said he held close to his heart. Carey was especially proud of his service alongside his K-9 partner, Seamus. Carey moved to the Syracuse area in 1978 to complete his bachelors degree at Syracuse University before beginning his career in law enforcement. After his time as a deputy, Carey became a prominent defense attorney. He was admitted to the New York State Bar in 1988 after graduating from the Syracuse University College of Law in 1987. Carey served as a Salina town justice beginning in 2008. He also served on the Salina Town Board in the early 2000s. Sheriff Toby Shelley and members of the Onondaga County Sheriffs Office extended their condolences to Careys family, friends and loved ones. Our thoughts and prayers are with them during this difficult time, as we honor and remember a man whose service and legacy will not be forgotten, the Sheriffs Office said. Syracuse, N.Y. Mayor Sharon Owens is not sure if the city school districts board of education went too far in removing one of its members, saying more information still needs to come out about the alleged misconduct. In a syracuse.com interview Wednesday, Owens spoke publicly for the first time about the school boards decision Tuesday to oust Education Commissioner Twiggy Billue from her elected seat. Owens said she has not been provided any briefing or other information from the school district. The mayor is hoping that a potential appeals process through the New York State Education Department can help bring more clarity to the situation. Owens was only able to watch a portion of the hearing the school board held Tuesday night to present the charges against Billue and allow her attorney to present a defense. From what I saw in the hearing, I think that some of the questions that (Billues) lawyer wanted to ask couldnt be asked in the hearing, and I think the only way that they would be able to proceed is in another setting, Owens said. I think thats why she may appeal it, just to be able to further peel back what they believe is information that needs to be revealed. Owens hopes the process can move quickly. The whole thing for me is just sad, she said. These are all people who, just like me, commit themselves to public life, and this is the body of individuals and staff who are here to teach and serve the children of the city of Syracuse. And so I just want to get to the point where that is what were talking about. The school districts lawyers concluded Billue violated her oath of office after investigating complaints against her last fall by the teachers union and a parent. Minutes after concluding Tuesdays hearing, the remaining six school board members unanimously voted to remove her from the elected seat, finding that she broke the districts visitor protocols and code of ethics when she came to her grandsons school to address an issue he was having. Billue denied wrongdoing, saying she acted strictly as an authorized caregiver and not in her role as an education commissioner. Billue can appeal her removal to the state education commissioner. Owens and Billue supported each others campaigns for election in 2025. Both women won Democratic primaries in June after failing to gain the endorsement of the Onondaga Democratic Committee earlier in the year. Billue was an organizer of a rally in February to condemn remarks one of Owens opponents made comparing her to a slave mother used by the master to break her children. Owens said she has not spoken with Billue about the situation, but feels empathy for her. It has to be a devastating, Owens said. Twiggys tough, I just dont know how shes feeling. And so I dont want to burden her. I dont want to, in my position, insert myself in any way into what her process is going to be. Billue, 61, has been a longtime community activist. She oversees workforce development programs at Jubilee Homes, a nonprofit on the citys South Side. She was starting her second four-year term on the board after winning re-election in November. She received more than 13,000 votes, the second-highest total in a race to fill three open seats. Under state education law and the Syracuse school board bylaws, the mayor chooses the person who fills a vacant seat. The law does not state how quickly the appointment must be made. Owens has asked her law department to research the legal implications of how and when she would make the appointment. If she goes out and she appeals, then how do I appoint somebody? Owens said. I need to know what the process is going to be if she appeals. Does the judge stay the entire process? What does that mean? This is all uncharted territory for us. Ousted Syracuse school board Commissioner Twiggy Billue will likely fight her removal, her lawyer said. On Tuesday, the Syracuse City School District Board of Education voted to remove Billue. An investigation showed Billue violated the policy of entering a school and attempted to change her grandsons classroom. Billue said her grandson has been bullied heavily. Billues lawyer Douglas Bullock said on Wednesday afternoon that, while he had not spoken in depth to Billue since the hearing, he expects her to fight the removal. Given the nature of the charges and the severity of removing an elected official, many observers told syracuse.com they questioned the districts motives in removing Billue. (The charges) seem like small fish in terms of the grand scheme of wrongdoing, said Amanda Smith, a Buffalo-based education lawyer with Tully Rinckey law firm. It does sound very weak. Billue has 30 calendar days to appeal the boards decision to New York State Education Commissioner Betty Rosa. It could take up to four months for all necessary papers to be filed and then another four to eight months for Rosa to decide on the matter, Smith said. This means it could take up to a year for Rosa to make a decision. In the meantime, Billue could request an immediate injunction to be reinstated on the board temporarily during the appeals process, Smith said. This is typically reserved for cases that are high profile or need immediate action. If Rosa decides not to overturn the SCSD school boards decision, Billue could take the case to court and ask a judge to make a decision, Smith said. Mayor Sharon Owens will have to fill the now-vacant seat on the school board until the next election, according to SCSD policy. Owens told syracuse.com that she is figuring out how to appoint someone to fill the seat. Smith said Billue may be able to poke holes in the districts investigation. For example, legal investigator Wendy DeWind said she did not interview the security guards working the day Billue entered the building. Inconsistencies in the report could give Billue a stronger argument for reinstatement. Smith said, given the nature of the case, it appears there may be another reason Billue was removed. From what I have seen discussing with our types of clients, this seems like theres something else going on for some sort of huge investigation to be conducted into a board member for her attending or going to a school to deal with a family member, Smith said. It seems to me that something thats not on paper, thats not being made public is going on. And its worth a question. The board has offered limited responses or justification for its vote. Board President Tamica Barnett has said that lawyers have advised her not to talk. The board members quickly left the room following Tuesday nights vote, and did not allow a reporter to ask questions. They made no comments nor offered no discussion surrounding the vote. Nobody wanted to do this but it was something that was necessary, Barnett said Wednesday. By Nick Garber and Chris Bragg | New York Focus This story originally appeared in New York Focus, a nonprofit news publication investigating power in New York. Sign up for their newsletter here. Months before Gov. Kathy Hochul announced plans to expand a key tax credit for the theater industry, Broadway producers showered cash on her re-election campaign. In her executive budget on Tuesday, Hochul proposed adding $150 million to the New York City Musical and Theatrical Production Tax Credit, which covers production costs up to $3 million apiece for Broadway shows and lesser amounts for smaller shows. First created by Gov. Andrew Cuomo in 2021 as a one-year lifeline during the pandemic, the tax credit has since been extended three times and expanded by $300 million. Thats despite complaints from watchdogs that the program often funds big, well-resourced hit shows like The Lion King, The Book of Mormon and Wicked that they say do not need taxpayer money to survive. But by last summer, trade publications reported that the pot of money was running dry, despite a $100 million addition in last years budget that was supposed to extend it through 2027. That could spell trouble for the theater industry, especially producers, who have come to prize the tax break as essential for funding new shows, according to the industry news site Broadway World. Without the credit, the Broadway League has said that few investors would be willing to put up the money for new productions, which are famously high-risk. In July, the Broadway League the industrys main trade group hired the lobbying firm Ostroff Associates to try to enhance the tax credit, state records show. The firm directly lobbied Hochuls office, her budget director, Blake Washington, and Empire State Development Corp. about the tax credit during September or October, according to a disclosure covering those months. Around the same time, Hochuls campaign got a cash infusion from the theater world. In October, Hochul raked in more than $243,000 in campaign donations from at least 27 Broadway producers, actors, theater executives or lobbyists, according to a review by New York Focus. That included $83,000 on a single day October 16 from eight industry figures, as well as $250 from Jonathan Bing, another lobbyist for the Broadway League, who has recently lobbied the legislature for the tax credits expansion. Eleven members of the Broadway Leagues board of governors donated a total of $121,000 that month. Broadway League board members who donated included producer Jeffrey Seller, who gave the maximum $18,000 on Oct. 10. Producers Brian Moreland, Alecia Parker, Mike Bosner, who also sit on the board, and Sue Frost, the incoming chairperson, each gave $15,000 that month. So did another board member, Charles Flateman, executive vice president at the Shubert Organization, the largest theater owner on Broadway. Attempts to reach them were unsuccessful. This week, with the governors budget announcement, the group got what it wanted, at least to some extent. Hochuls proposed $150 million expansion would also be partly retroactive, covering shows that opened as early as Dec. 1, 2025 in response to industry concerns that the dwindling funding might have affected shows that opened last year. Hochuls campaign declined to comment on the donations or say whether they were made during a specific fundraising event. The Broadway League declined to comment. The governors office defended the tax credit as crucial for propping up the theater industry and the tourism sector it helps support. Hochuls office said the new funding would allow the state to honor its previous commitment to invest in the program through its 2027 sunset date. As for the donations, Hochul spokesperson Kristin Devoe said, Campaign donations have no impact on government decisions. Its not clear whether Ostroffs lobbying of the Hochul administration occurred before or after the spate of theater industry donations or when, exactly, Hochul signed off on the tax credits expansion. John Kaehny, executive director of the government reform group Reinvent Albany, said that, regardless, the close proximity of those events looked terrible. If theyre making contributions before the decision, theyre trying to influence that decision, Kaehny said. And if theyre making them after the decision, theyre trying to reward that decision. Kaehny said that, in an ideal world, recipients of taxpayer-funded government subsidies would not be allowed to make campaign contributions. He called the spate of Broadway donations to Hochul a textbook example of how campaign contributions buy massive amounts of subsidy. Rick Ostroff, president and CEO of Ostroff Associates, did not respond to questions about exactly when his firm met with Hochul administration officials or whether his client, the Broadway League, had thrown a Hochul fundraiser last fall. Ostroff himself has been a major past Hochul campaign supporter, personally throwing at least four fundraisers for the governor between 2021 and 2023, records show. The tax credit was endowed with $100 million when the state authorized it in 2021. Hochul extended it by a year and added another $100 million in 2022, then by two years with an additional $100 million in 2023 which effectively cut the annual outlay to $50 million per year. Finally, in last years state budget, the state extended the program through 2027 with another $100 million, bringing the total allocation to $400 million. The state has continued pouring money into the program despite questions about its effectiveness. A 2023 state-commissioned study found that it generated just 23 cents for every dollar the state invested although the report concluded that the expense might ultimately be worth it, given the impact of Broadway on local businesses like hotels and restaurants. Meanwhile, the theater industry has charted an impressive recovery. Broadway attendance and revenues finally surpassed their pre-pandemic levels around November 2024 and have mostly climbed since although smaller, nonprofit theaters have continued to struggle. Even so, the taxpayer subsidy is available only to commercial theatrical productions; nonprofits are excluded, as are opera, ballet, and orchestra performances. In its current form, the tax credit functions as a grant, offering the maximum $3 million credit to Broadway theaters with at least 500 seats, between 41st and 54th streets in Manhattan. Off-Broadway venues in Manhattan with at least 100 seats can receive up to $350,000. Hochuls latest $150 million expansion is different from the previous ones, since it does not propose extending the program further into the future. And it appears to fall short of what the industry has asked for: Broadway League officials have said they want the program extended through 2029 and restored to $100 million per year. Still, Jason Laks, president of the Broadway League, hailed Hochuls move. In a statement reported by Broadway Journal, Laks thanked Hochul for investing in the theater industrys success and said the program remains essential to bringing many productions to the stage. Also singing Hochuls praises was producer Ken Davenport, whose shows have included Spring Awakening and Kinky Boots. Davenport who donated $5,000 to Hochul under his legal name, Kenneth Hasija recorded an Instagram video Tuesday celebrating the funding. Right now, with the challenging economic climate we are in on Broadway, shows need this money, Davenport said. Until we figure out how to get these economics in line, this is the Band-Aid that we need. An Upstate New York woman has been arrested on stolen vehicle and fugitive charges. Dakota Root, 24, of Lyons, N.Y., is accused of stealing a 2021 Nissan Rogue in Tioga County, Pennsylvania. New York State Police said they were notified Monday of an active out-of-state warrant and that she was believed to be operating the stolen SUV in Wayne County. Troopers said they located Root and the stolen vehicle at a residence in the village of Newark after an investigation. Root admitted to operating the vehicle and was found to be in possession of the vehicle key, according to state police. The vehicle was recovered and secured. State Police said Wednesday that Root was taken into custody without incident and charged with criminal possession of stolen property in the 3rd degree (D felony) and fugitive from justice based on the Pennsylvania warrant. She was processed by NYS Police in Lyons and transported to the Wayne County Jail for CAP arraignment. Police did not release additional details. Lyons and Newark are in Wayne County, approximately 100 miles north of Tioga County in Pennsylvania and 35 miles east of Rochester, N.Y. Washington A Cuban migrant held in solitary confinement at an immigration detention facility in Texas died after guards held him down and he stopped breathing, according to an autopsy report released Wednesday that ruled the death a homicide. Geraldo Lunas Campos died Jan. 3 following an altercation with guards. U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement said the 55-year-old father of four was attempting suicide and the staff tried to save him. But a witness told The Associated Press last week that Lunas Campos was handcuffed as at least five guards held him down and one put an arm around his neck and squeezed until he was unconscious. His death was one of at least three reported in little more than a month at Camp East Montana, a sprawling tent facility in the desert on the grounds of Fort Bliss, an Army base. Lunas Campos was among the first detainees sent to Camp Montana East, arriving in September after ICE arrested him in Rochester, New York, where he lived for more than two decades. He was legally admitted to the U.S. in 1996, part of a wave of Cuban immigrants seeking to reach Florida by boat. ICE said Lunas Campos was picked up in July as part of a planned immigration enforcement operation due to criminal convictions that made him eligible for removal. The autopsy report by the El Paso County Medical Examiners Office found Lunas Campos body showed signs of a struggle, including abrasions on his chest and knees. He also had hemorrhages on his neck. The deputy medical examiner, Dr. Adam Gonzalez. determined the cause of death was asphyxia due to neck and torso compression. The report said witnesses saw Lunas Campos become unresponsive while being physically restrained by law enforcement. It did not elaborate on what happened during the struggle but cited evidence of injuries to his neck, head and torso associated with physical restraint. The report also noted the presence of petechial hemorrhages tiny blood spots from burst capillaries that can be associated with intense strain or injury in the eyelids and skin of the neck. Dr. Victor Weedn, a forensic pathologist who reviewed the autopsy report for AP, said the presence of petechiae in the eyes support the conclusion that asphyxia caused the death. Those injuries suggest pressure on the body and are often associated with such deaths, he said. He said the contusions on Lunas Campos body may reflect physical restraint and the neck injuries were consistent with a hand or knee on the neck. The autopsy also found the presence of prescription antidepressant and antihistamine medications, adding that Lunas Campos had a history of bipolar disorder and anxiety. It made no mention of him attempting suicide. Government provided changing accounts of what happened ICEs initial account of the death, which included no mention of an altercation with guards, said Lunas Campos had become disruptive and staff moved him into a cellblock where detainees are held away from others. While in segregation, staff observed him in distress and contacted on-site medical personnel for assistance, the agency said in its Jan. 9 statement. Medical staff responded, initiated lifesaving measures, and requested emergency medical services. Lunas Campos was pronounced dead after paramedics arrived. Last Thursday, after Lunas Campos family was first informed the death was likely to be ruled a homicide, Department of Homeland Security spokesperson Tricia McLaughlin amended the governments account, saying he had attempted suicide and guards tried to help him. Campos violently resisted the security staff and continued to attempt to take his life, she said. During the ensuing struggle, Campos stopped breathing and lost consciousness. After the final autopsy report was released Wednesday, McLaughlin issued a statement emphasizing that Lunas Campos was a criminal illegal alien and convicted child sex predator. New York court records show Lunas Campos was convicted in 2003 of sexual contact with a person under 11, a felony for which he was sentenced to one year in jail and placed on the states sex offender registry. Lunas Campos was also sentenced to five years in prison and three years of supervision in 2009 after being convicted of attempting to sell a controlled substance, according to the New York corrections records. He completed the sentence in January 2017. ICE takes seriously the health and safety of all those detained in our custody, McLaughlin said Wednesday, adding that the agency was investigating the death. DHS has not responded to questions about whether any outside law enforcement agency was also investigating. Deaths put a spotlight on Camp East Montana The AP reported in August that the $1.2 billion contract to build and operate Camp East Montana, expected to become the largest detention facility in the U.S., was awarded to a private contractor headquartered in a single-family home in Richmond, Virginia. The company, Acquisition Logistics LLC, had no prior experience running a corrections facility and has subcontracted with other companies to help operate the camp. It was not immediately clear whether the guards present when Lunas Campos died were government employees or those of a private contractor. A final determination of homicide by the medical examiner would typically be critical in determining whether any guards are held criminally or civilly liable. The fact that Lunas Campos died on an Army base could limit state and local officials legal jurisdiction to investigate. In addition to Lunas Campos, ICE announced that on Dec. 3 an immigrant from Guatemala held in Camp East Montana died after being transferred to a El Paso hospital for care. While the cause of death was still pending, the agency said Francisco Gaspar-Andres, 48, was suspected to have died of liver and kidney failure. On Sunday, ICE announced that Victor Manuel Diaz, a 36-year-old immigrant from Nicaragua, died at Camp East Montana on Jan. 14 of a presumed suicide. The agency said Diaz was detained by ICE earlier this month during the immigration crackdown in Minneapolis. Unlike with the two prior deaths, Diazs body wasnt sent to the county medical examiner in El Paso. McLaughlin said Wednesday that the autopsy for Diaz is being performed at the Army medical center at Fort Bliss. DHS again did not respond to questions about whether any agency other than ICE will investigate the death. Rep. Veronica Escobar, a Democrat whose district includes El Paso, called on DHS Secretary Kristi Noem and acting ICE Director Todd M. Lyons to brief Congress about the recent deaths. DHS must preserve all evidence including halting their effort to deport the witnesses, Escobar said Wednesday. I reiterate my call for Camp East Montana to be shut down and for the contract with the corporation running it to be terminated. Update: The National Weather Service issued an updated weather alert at 11:28 a.m. for snow squalls until 1 p.m. for Madison, Oneida, Cortland, Chenango, Otsego, Broome and Delaware counties. Update: At 10:59 a.m., a dangerous snow squall was located along a line extending from near Bridgeport to Bath, moving east at 35 mph. Update: At 10:16 a.m., a dangerous snow squall was located along a line extending from near Weedsport to near Arkport, moving east at 45 mph. The National Weather Service issued a weather alert on Thursday, warning of snow squalls across Central New York through late morning. The alert, which extends until 11:30 a.m., affects Yates, Seneca, Cayuga, Onondaga, Steuben, Schuyler, Chemung, Tompkins, Cortland, Tioga and Broome counties. Brief periods of heavy snow will be possible and will likely lead to snow-covered roads, said the weather service. The heavy snow, combined with gusty winds, may occasionally drop visibility to a quarter mile or less. A cold front moving through the region early Thursday morning has been producing heavy snow showers and squalls across the western forecast area. The squalls have been intense enough to produce lightning strikes. >> Winter storm watch issued for CNY Lake effect snow is expected to develop behind the cold front. Heavy snow bands should remain mostly north of the region through Thursday night but are forecast to drift southward into northern Oneida County on Friday. By Friday evening, the band is expected to move into the Finger Lakes region and continue with snow showers into Saturday morning. High pressure building into the region Saturday morning should end the lake effect snow. Estimated snowfall totals range from 1 to 4 inches in Onondaga, Madison and Oneida counties. Central New York faces a double threat of dangerous cold and a significant winter storm over the next several days, with the National Weather Service issuing multiple watches for the region. An arctic airmass will plunge temperatures well below zero Friday night into Saturday morning across the Syracuse area. Wind chill values will range from 10 to 30 degrees below zero, with northern Oneida, Jefferson and Lewis counties under an extreme cold watch, where wind chills could reach minus 30 degrees or lower. The NWS warns that these conditions create dangerous situations for anyone exposed to the elements. Saturday will offer little relief, with high temperatures reaching only the single digits to low teens. Before the arctic blast arrives, a clipper system continues to bring snow to parts of Central New York on Thursday morning, with a winter weather advisory in effect for northern Oneida County until this afternoon. Lake effect snow will develop there on Thursday night and continue into the weekend, primarily affecting northern areas. Snowfall totals of one to four inches are expected in Onondaga, Madison and Oneida counties through Saturday morning. >> More snow for Tug Hill, Western NY on Thursday, Friday The most significant weather threat arrives Sunday morning when a major winter storm is forecast to impact the entire region through Monday. The NWS has issued a winter storm watch for all of Central New York, with widespread warning-level snowfall expected. National Weather Service Snow will begin early Sunday morning and spread northeast across the region throughout the day, continuing into Monday before gradually diminishing. Forecasters warn that banding could produce very heavy snowfall rates of one to two inches per hour at times. Snow ratios could exceed 20-to-1 in some locations, meaning even moderate liquid precipitation could produce a foot or more of snow. The storm will exit Monday afternoon, but wraparound moisture and northwest flow off the lakes will likely trigger additional lake effect snow. Bloomberg Disco Corp. shares jumped as much as 15% after the supplier of chipmaking tools reported better-than-expected quarterly earnings on surging demand for AI-related hardware. The maker of grinders and dicers that shape and cut silicon wafers into individual semiconductors earned operating income of 47.3 billion ($299 million) in the December quarter, beating the average of analyst estimates of 39.3 billion. Given the Tokyo-based company is known for its conservative outlook, investors largely dismissed its outlook for the current quarter which missed expectations. Its shares gained the most since April and hit their highest intraday level since July 2024. Most Read from Bloomberg Demand is broadly expanding, including for generative AI and for China, Jefferies analysts Masahiro Nakanomyo and Hisako Furusumi wrote in a note to investors. Actual shipments indicate the real trend, they said. A race by the likes of Meta Platforms Inc. and Amazon.com Inc. to build data centers for artificial intelligence services is spurring chipmakers to ramp up production. Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co. is earmarking as much as $56 billion in capital spending for this year, while memory makers SK Hynix Inc. and Samsung Electronics Co. are also building new capacity. Disco has been a beneficiary of the AI boom in part due to the need for equipment that can slice through stacks of densely packed chips. Most Read from Bloomberg Businessweek 2026 Bloomberg L.P. LAS VEGAS CES 2026 has delivered a game-changing announcement for women's health technology. The Mira Ultra 4, unveiled this week, promises to transform how millions of women monitor their hormonal health with a bold claim: 7 times more accurate than existing fertility trackers. What Makes Mira Ultra 4 Different From Other Health Trackers? The Mira Ultra 4 isn't just another ovulation predictor. This device positions itself as a comprehensive "Digital Doctor" that tackles three critical areas women struggle to monitor at home: fertility optimization, PCOS management, and menopause trackingall in one sleek system. Traditional fertility monitors typically measure a single hormone. The Ultra 4's revolutionary 4-in-1 testing technology analyzes multiple hormones simultaneously, providing a complete picture of your endocrine health in a single test. Impressive Tech Specs: 7x Accuracy, 6x Sensitivity Numbers matter when it comes to health monitoring. Mira's latest device delivers: 7x increased accuracy compared to legacy tracking systems compared to legacy tracking systems 6x higher sensitivity for detecting hormone fluctuations for detecting hormone fluctuations Multi-hormone analysis in one streamlined step in one streamlined step AI-powered insights that interpret your data like a specialist would Why Women Need Better Hormone Tracking Now PCOS affects up to 10% of women of reproductive age, yet diagnosis often takes years. Menopause symptoms impact quality of life for millions, but hormone fluctuations are difficult to track without frequent doctor visits. The Ultra 4 addresses these gaps by bringing professional-level monitoring into your home. The device tracks hormonal patterns that could indicate PCOS earlier than traditional methods, while its menopause features help women navigate this transition with concrete data rather than guesswork. CEO Vision: Making Clinical Care Accessible In an exclusive interview, Mira's CEO outlined the company's mission to democratize women's healthcare through technology. The vision centers on empowering women with the same quality of hormonal data that doctors use, enabling more informed health decisions and productive medical conversations. "We're shifting from reactive healthcare to proactive health management," the CEO explained during the CES 2026 demonstration. The Ultra 4 represents this philosophy in actionproviding continuous monitoring between doctor visits. AI Ecosystem: Your Personal Health Interpreter The hardware is only half the story. Mira's AI-powered digital ecosystem analyzes your hormone data to deliver personalized insights. The system learns your unique patterns, predicts cycle changes, and flags potential concernsfunctioning as a 24/7 health consultant in your pocket. This combination of precision sensors and intelligent software creates what Mira calls the "Digital Doctor" experience: professional-grade monitoring with user-friendly guidance. 4-in-1 Testing Explained: What It Actually Measures The Ultra 4's multi-hormone capability represents a significant technical achievement. By measuring multiple biomarkers simultaneously, the device can: Track fertility windows with unprecedented precision Identify hormonal imbalances associated with PCOS Monitor menopause-related hormone fluctuations Provide comprehensive cycle insights beyond basic ovulation prediction Home Diagnostics Revolution: What This Means for Healthcare The Mira Ultra 4 exemplifies a broader trend: clinical-quality diagnostics moving into consumer hands. As sensor technology advances and AI analysis becomes more sophisticated, the gap between professional medical equipment and home devices is closing rapidly. This shift raises important considerations about accuracy validation, FDA oversight, and how self-monitoring data integrates with traditional healthcare. For the home diagnostics industry, devices achieving clinical-grade accuracy could redefine consumer expectations entirely. Real-World Impact: Who Benefits Most? The Ultra 4 offers particular value for: Women trying to conceive who need precise fertility window tracking who need precise fertility window tracking PCOS patients requiring regular hormone monitoring between appointments requiring regular hormone monitoring between appointments Perimenopausal and menopausal women navigating hormonal transitions navigating hormonal transitions Anyone seeking better understanding of their reproductive health patterns Privacy and Data Security Considerations With sensitive health data involved, Mira's approach to privacy matters. The company emphasizes that users maintain control over their information, though specific details about data encryption and storage practices should be verified by potential buyers. Pricing and Availability The Mira Ultra 4 is now available for purchase. While specific pricing wasn't disclosed in the CES presentation, interested users can find current pricing and ordering information on Mira's official website. The Bottom Line: Is This Really a Game-Changer? If Mira's accuracy claims hold up in real-world testing, the Ultra 4 represents a genuine breakthrough in women's health monitoring. The combination of multi-hormone analysis, AI-powered insights, and clinical-grade precision in a home device could fundamentally change how women manage their endocrine health. However, prospective users should remember that even the most advanced home diagnostic device complements rather than replaces professional medical care. The Ultra 4's greatest value may lie in enabling more informed conversations with healthcare providers and catching potential issues earlier. As home health technology continues advancing, devices like the Mira Ultra 4 are pushing boundaries and raising the bar for what's possible outside clinical settings. For the millions of women struggling with fertility challenges, PCOS, or menopause symptoms, that progress can't come soon enough. What's Next for Women's Health Tech? CES 2026 has shown that women's health technology is finally getting the innovation attention it deserves. With devices like the Ultra 4 setting new standards, we can expect continued advancement in at-home diagnostics, AI-powered health insights, and personalized care solutions. The future of women's health monitoring is hereand it's more accurate, accessible, and comprehensive than ever before. Meet the Founder: Sylvia Kang's Mission to Transform Women's Health Behind the Mira Ultra 4 is a compelling founder story that explains the company's relentless focus on women's reproductive health. Sylvia Kang, a biomedical engineer with degrees from Columbia University and Cornell University's MBA program, founded Mira in 2018 after identifying a critical gap in the healthcare market. Kang's path to biomedical engineering was unconventional. Growing up in China, she was destined to become a professional pianist, beginning her training at age four. However, her passion for science led her to secretly study math and science in her grandfather's library. Despite societal expectations, she moved to the United States to pursue bioengineering at Columbia, following in her grandfather's footsteps. While working as a business director at a Fortune 500 life science company, Kang witnessed firsthand how women's reproductive health remained an underserved market with significant research gaps. Watching close friends struggle with fertility challenges and considering her own future family planning, she decided to take action. In 2018, Kang invented the original Mira Hormone Monitorthe first at-home AI-powered device for tracking reproductive health hormones. Her mission: give women the data they need and deserve to make confident life decisions about their health. Under Kang's leadership, Mira has achieved remarkable growth. Inc. Magazine recently named the company one of the fastest-growing companies in the United States, while Fast Company recognized it as one of the most innovative companies in the health sector. "Throughout my life, I've been dedicated to chasing the data," Kang explains. "Now I'm helping to build women's futures with hormone health data, hoping to end the reproductive research gaps with science." The Ultra 4 represents the evolution of Kang's original visionbringing clinical-grade hormone monitoring into every woman's home and bridging the gap between consumer health devices and professional medical care. PvP encounters in "ARC Raiders" can shift from tactical engagements to chaotic ambushes in seconds. Players who master ambush avoidance don't just survive high-risk missions, they extract with full loot consistently. Unlike pure gunplay, preventing ambushes relies on smart route planning, awareness, and tactical movement that keeps players unpredictable and hard to catch off-guard. Understanding the Ambush Threat in High-Risk Zones High-risk missions attract "rat" players who specialize in opportunistic attacks. These players lurk on map peripheries, waiting for targets distracted by looting or fighting AI enemies. Maps like Buried City, Dam Battlegrounds, and Stella Montis feature tight corridors, multiple ledges, and zipline exits, ideal ambush terrain. The most dangerous moments occur at extraction points, where players must call in their extract loudly, alerting enemies to their exact location and creating a predictable countdown timer for attacks. The extraction phase represents the highest ambush risk because players are committed to a stationary location. Once the extraction alarm sounds, enemies converge, knowing prey will be focused on leaving rather than fighting. Understanding these patterns is the first step toward building effective defense tactics. Route Planning: Moving Smart Through Dangerous Territory Experienced players never follow the shortest path to loot or extraction. Instead, they identify low-traffic flanks and routes with multiple escape opportunities. High-traffic lanes, primary corridors, obvious ziplines, and central POIs, are where rat players camp. Choosing a slower, less obvious path takes minutes longer but dramatically reduces encounter probability. Observing environmental clues prevents walking into prepared ambushes. Fresh ARC corpses, open containers, or recent explosions indicate recent player activity in that area. Players who've been looting recently tend to stay nearby or camp nearby routes. Smoke trails and distant gunfire reveal where fights are occurring, allowing raiders to navigate around chaos instead of toward it. This information-gathering approach, rather than blind rushing, defines the difference between tactical movement that works and reactive sprinting that gets people killed. Equally important, raiders should avoid the same extraction point every mission. Predictable patterns make players vulnerable. Switching between available extracts, even if they're slightly farther away, keeps rat players from pre-positioning on expected routes. Tactical Movement: The Foundation of Ambush Avoidance Tactical movement means controlling speed, noise, and positioning simultaneously. Sprinting broadcasts location through footstep sounds that carry across maps. Experienced players sprint selectively, only when necessary, and maintain stamina reserves for emergency evasion rolls or repositioning. The moment players hear gunfire, they shouldn't panic-sprint to the nearest cover; they should crouch-walk toward cover while checking angles, giving themselves time to gather information before committing to a position. Angle discipline prevents exposure during rotations. Instead of crossing open ground directly, players using third-person camera shoulder-swap to check sightlines before moving. This micro-positioning, peeking without fully exposing, creates information advantage without vulnerability. Noise discipline extends beyond footsteps. Opening containers loudly, breaching doors, reloading, and gadget usage all broadcast positions. Approaching known ambush spots (stairwells, zipline exits, tight doorways) requires slow peeks and patience, not aggressive entry. Climbing down ladders instead of falling, using side ledges near elevator shafts instead of direct lines, and dismounting ziplines early prevent being caught during predictable animations. Audio and Visual Awareness That Prevents Ambushes Sound design in "ARC Raiders" reveals ambush threats before visual contact. Experienced players tune audio settings for footstep clarity and keep effects volume high enough to hear distant threats. Distinguishing between AI ARC enemy sounds (mechanical whirring, alerts) and player-generated sounds (faster footsteps, weapon handling, zipline use) becomes automatic through practice. A sudden zipline sound near an extraction point signals approaching players, an immediate warning to reposition or prepare defense. Visual scanning during approaches prevents surprises. Checking high ground (rooftops, elevated platforms, window frames), common head-glitch spots, and off-angles before committing to pushes stops ambushes in early stages. The second-most common ambush spots after extracts are ledges above doorways, roof edges overlooking corridors, and bathroom/locker room tops where attackers gain unexpected vantage. Utility Items as Ambush Prevention Tools "ARC Raiders" PvP tips emphasize that utility defines survival. Tagging grenades reveal hidden players within their blast radius, allowing raiders to avoid ambush spots or prepare defense before entering. Smoke grenades create escape corridors, critically useful when caught by surprise, they break sightlines long enough to relocate to safer positioning. Barricades serve dual purpose: blocking enemy approaches while being placed to create instant cover or narrow chokepoints where attackers can't coordinate sustained fire. Lure grenades bait aggressive responses, forcing hidden players to reveal themselves. Laying traps near common approach routes alerts players when enemies move in, early warnings that ambush is imminent. Healing combos (Herbal Shot followed by Surge Shield Charger) restore health and shield fast enough to survive opened fire, flipping fights that seemed unwinnable. Extraction Safety: The Final Critical Phase Extractions demand the most paranoia and discipline. Before calling an extraction, players should survey the entire approach zone from distance. Scanning rooftops, flanks, windows, and ground-level cover for stationary players or logical ambush positions takes time but prevents walking into prepared traps. If suspicious activity appears, sudden movement, unaccounted footsteps, equipment glints, switching to a different extraction point and circling back later is always the smart play. Never approaching extracts from the most obvious route, the direct line from the mission objective, because rat players predict this path. Flanking from alternative angles, using cover to cover movement, and staying mobile during the countdown timer prevents stationary targets from landing consecutive hits. If multiple players appear, using smoke and backing away rather than fighting often works better than ego-challenging unknown numbers. Breaking Ambushes When Caught Mid-Attack Players who spot incoming ambush fire have seconds to respond. The immediate action, drop to cover, break line of sight, pop defensive gadgets, separates survivors from casualties. Smoke grenades deployed instantly create escape windows. Rather than re-peeking from the same angle where fire came from, relocating to a completely new position denies enemy prediction and regains initiative. Sometimes the best move is disengaging entirely, losing some loot beats losing everything, and extraction shooters reward survivors over fighters. Habits That Stop Ambushes Before They Start Players who avoid excessive looting in single locations don't create the extended exposure that ambushers wait for. Those who move unpredictably, varying extraction points, changing routes each mission, mixing fast and slow movement, become difficult targets. Squads that maintain spacing so grenades can't eliminate multiple players simultaneously, communicate constantly about distant sounds and visual contacts, and rotate positions while holding high-risk areas extract alive far more consistently than uncoordinated groups. Master Extraction Consistency With Smart Positioning Successfully avoiding ambushes in "ARC Raiders" boils down to information advantage, disciplined movement, and refusing predictable patterns. Players who route intelligently, use audio cues effectively, employ utility strategically, and treat every approach as potentially dangerous extract loot far more often than those relying on reflexes alone. The strongest "ARC Raiders" PvP tips consistently emphasize that ambush avoidance through tactical movement isn't about being passive, it's about controlling engagement terms, forcing enemies into unfavorable fights, and sometimes choosing not to fight at all. Those who master this mindset stop dying to ambushes and start setting them instead. Frequently Asked Questions 1. How does squad size affect ambush vulnerability in 'ARC Raiders?' Larger squads are noisier and easier to detect, making them predictable targets. Solo players lack backup for revives and angle coverage. Three-player squads represent the ideal balance, large enough for angle coverage and suppressive fire, but small enough to move quietly and react faster than larger teams. 2. What gear loadouts are least predictable to ambushers in 'ARC Raiders?' Mid-tier or mixed loadouts are harder for rat players to assess quickly. Running mobility gadgets (smoke, barricades, tagging grenades) instead of pure damage makes you less profitable as a target. Varying loadouts weekly prevents appearing farmable compared to players with identical setups. 3. How do weather and time-of-day cycles in 'ARC Raiders' affect ambush strategies? Low-visibility weather (fog, rain) forces tighter routes and favors ambushers, though audio cues become more critical. Clear daylight increases detection range and safer route selection. Off-peak raids attract fewer but more experienced ambushers, while peak hours see more casual predictable players. 4. Can ambush avoidance techniques change based on map-specific layout differences? Yes. Vertical maps require aggressive upward angle checking. Tight corridors need more utility gadgets. Maps with multiple extraction approaches reduce predictability. Urban layouts favor window-peeking ambushes. Squads should adjust pre-mission route planning and utility selections based on each map's specific geometry. This story was originally published on C-Store Dive. To receive daily news and insights, subscribe to our free daily C-Store Dive newsletter. Dive Brief: EG Group has appointed Roland Smith as its next chairman of the board, the company announced on Monday. Smith, who also took on the new role Monday, succeeds Stewart Rose, who is moving into a non-executive director role. Rose chaired the board for the past five years. Smith brings experience from multiple companies in the food and retail industry, including stints at Office Depot, Wendys and Arbys, according to the announcement. Dive Insight: The shift from British businessman Rose to Roland is another move orienting the company towards the U.S. In the past year, EG Group named former CFO Russell Colaco as its new CEO, then handed him the reins to EG America a week later. During the summer, the company agreed to sell its Italian and Australian businesses and announced it would move its global HQ from the U.K. to Charlotte, North Carolina. EG Group had already sold most of its U.K. and Ireland business in 2023. EG America has also been improving operations at U.S. stores, between launching tech upgrades, adding online ordering and delivery, revamping its loyalty program and boosting its foodservice offerings. Smith currently serves as chairman of regional QSR Jacks Family Restaurants and a director on the board of Tropical Smoothie Cafe. Hes served as CEO of a variety of well-known dining and retail companies over the past 25 years, including Home Depot, grocer Delhaize America, Wendys, AMF Bowling and Arbys, according to his LinkedIn bio. "Roland is a highly respected and experienced executive with deep consumer industry and boardroom experience, said Colaco. Attracting an industry leader of Rolands calibre and expertise will strengthen our Board as we execute on our growth strategy across convenience retail, foodservice and fuel offerings. Recommended Reading Chile police arrest suspect over deadly wildfires Lirquen, Chile, Jan 22 (AFP) Jan 22, 2026 Police in south-central Chile have arrested a man on suspicion of starting one of the recent wildfires that killed 21 people and razed entire neighborhoods, the government said Wednesday. Security Minister Luis Cordero said the suspect used a liquid accelerant to start fires in a wheat field, with authorities seizing five liters (more than a gallon) of fuel from him. He was arrested at dawn in the town of Perquenco in Araucania region, south of Biobio. The fires began simultaneously on Saturday in various parts of Biobio and Nuble regions, about 500 kilometers (310 miles) south of the capital Santiago. Fanned by strong winds and high temperatures, the flames quickly ripped through the coastal towns of Penco, Lirquen and Punta de Parra, leaving a blackened landscape of smoldering ruins. Interior Minister Alvaro Elizalde told a press conference on Wednesday that an estimated 20,000 people suffered property damage from the fires, including some 800 homes that were destroyed. President Gabriel Boric visited Biobio on Wednesday, where he said: "We're working with heavy machinery to clear streets andremove debric, and we continue fighting the fire. "We're still in a state of emergency," he added. Other fires were later reported further inland, in the Biobio town of Florida, about 40 kilometers (25 miles) east of the city of Concepcion and in Araucania. Cordero said substances used to start fires, including plastic containers containing accelerant, were found in Concepcion. Firefighters were still battling 35 blazes Wednesday -- 22 in Biobio, five in Nuble and eight in Araucania, according to national forestry officials. A drop in temperature in recent days has helped ease the situation. "We managed to reduce the intensity of the fire," Carlos Zulieta, a firefighter in Florida told AFP, adding that it was now advancing "more slowly." The government said it would pay compensation of $700 to $1,500 to victims. Aid began trickling into affected areas on Wednesday. Municipal workers and private companies were delivering portable toilets and generators to Lirquen, where some families are camped out in the ruins of their homes. In February 2024, wildfires broke out around the coastal resort of Vina del Mar, 110 kilometers from Santiago, leaving 138 dead. Investigations revealed that firefighters and forestry brigade members started the fire, which spread rapidly due in part to high temperatures during the southern hemisphere's summer. Press Release from Business Wire: Saudi Ministry of Economy and Planning (AFP) Jan 22, 2026 DAVOS, Jan 22, 2026 (BSW) - The Saudi delegation to the World Economic Forum (WEF) Annual Meeting 2026 today observed a series of announcements aimed at addressing urgent global challenges. This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20260121465066/en/ Her Royal Highness Ambassador Reema Bandar Al-Saud, Ambassador of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia to the United States of America, announced at the World Economic Forum Annual Meeting that Saudi Arabia will host the first Global Coral Reef Summit in 2026 (Photo: AETOSWire) Her Royal Highness Ambassador Reema Bandar Al-Saud, Ambassador of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia to the United States of America, announced that Saudi Arabia will host the first Global Coral Reef Summit in 2026, bringing together global leaders, scientists, and investors to drive solutions for the protection and recovery of coral reef ecosystems. The summit will address key challenges and policy and regulatory gaps, develop science-based solutions, and advance sustainable financing and investment mechanisms to scale coral reef protection and recovery. Building on the call for constructive dialogue in an era of fragmentation, His Excellency Ahmed A. Alkhateeb, Minister of Tourism, said: "Tourism brings peace at a time when it's needed - connecting people and encouraging dialogue. Tourism growth is good for peace, it's good for people, good for youth, and good for women." On the Kingdom's ambitions to become a global hub for AI, His Excellency Abdullah A. Alswaha, Minister of Communications and Information Technology, commented: "Saudi Vision 2030 was about economic diversification and empowering youth. Fast forward to today and we've achieved 56% non-oil contribution to GDP, and in terms of talent and youth, our tech force has increased dramatically." Earlier in the day, HUMAIN and the National Infrastructure Fund ("Infra") announced a Strategic Financing Framework Agreement of up to $1.2 billion to support the expansion of AI and digital infrastructure projects in the Kingdom. The agreement outlines non-binding financing terms for HUMAIN's development of up to 250 MW of hyperscale AI data center capacity. The United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD) COP16 Presidency also launched the Business4Land (B4L) Champions' Council. This high-level coalition brings together CEOs, sustainability leaders, investors, and policymakers to accelerate land restoration, combat land degradation, and strengthen drought resilience. The Ministry of Industry and Mineral Resources (MIM), in collaboration with WEF, announced the Lighthouse Operating System, a country-level framework designed to accelerate manufacturing transformation. Developed in partnership with WEF's Advanced Manufacturing and Production Centre (AMPC), this initiative aims to diversify the Kingdom's economy, build robust non-oil industries, and position Saudi Arabia as a global hub for advanced manufacturing and logistics. MIM and WEF announced a cooperation agreement on the sidelines of the Future Minerals Forum, which took place the week before the WEF Annual Meeting. The agreement runs until September 2027 and aims to unify efforts to strengthen partnerships around critical minerals required for energy and other technologies, contributing to the assurance of resilient, sustainable, and responsible mineral supplies aligned with industrial objectives and the energy transition. According to the agreement, the initiative will be overseen by a joint executive committee comprising representatives from the ministry and WEF. *Source:AETOSWire View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20260121465066/en/ Contact Danah Alhumaid[email protected] 2026 Business Wire, Inc.Disclaimer:This press release is not a document produced by AFP. AFP shall not bear responsibility for its content. In case you have any questions about this press release, please refer to the contact person/entity mentioned in the text of the press release. Press Release from Business Wire: Additive Manufacturer Green Trade Association (AFP) Jan 22, 2026 HOLLYWOOD, Jan 22, 2026 (BSW) - The Additive Manufacturer Green Trade Association (AMGTA) today announced that EOS has elevated its longstanding participation in the association to Principal Member. As part of this expanded leadership role, Bjorn Hannappel, Head of Sustainability at EOS, has joined the AMGTA Board of Directors. This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20260121601881/en/ Bjorn Hannappel, Head of Sustainability at EOS, has joined the AMGTA Board of Directors. Principal Membership represents AMGTA's highest level of engagement and is reserved for organizations demonstrating sustained leadership, strategic alignment, and a commitment to advancing sustainable and resilient manufacturing practices globally. As a Principal Member, EOS will take on an expanded role in shaping AMGTA's strategic direction, governance, and industry collaboration initiatives. EOS is a world-leading technology supplier in the field of commercial 3D printing of metals and polymers. Formed in 1989, the independent company is a pioneer and innovator in comprehensive additive manufacturing solutions. Its portfolio of EOS systems, materials, and process parameters provides customers with critical competitive advantages in product quality and the long-term economic sustainability of their manufacturing processes. Customers also benefit from EOS's deep technical expertise across global service, applications engineering, and consultancy. "I am thrilled to welcome EOS and Bjorn Hannappel to this expanded role in shaping AMGTA," said Sherri Monroe, AMGTA Executive Director. "EOS's elevation to Principal Member reflects both the company's established leadership in additive manufacturing and its commitment to advancing sustainability at scale. We are also pleased to welcome Bjorn Hannappel to the AMGTA Board, where his expertise will strengthen our ability to deliver meaningful, industry-driven outcomes." "EOS exemplifies the kind of leadership the AMGTA seeks to elevate-combining technological innovation with a disciplined, outcomes-driven approach to sustainability," said Brian Neff, AMGTA Board Chair and CEO of Sintavia. "Bjorn Hannappel's appointment to the Board strengthens our collective ability to guide the additive manufacturing ecosystem toward solutions that are not only more efficient and resilient, but also economically and environmentally sound." As Head of Sustainability at EOS, Hannappel leads initiatives focused on environmental performance, resource efficiency, and long-term value creation across industrial additive manufacturing systems. In his role on the AMGTA Board of Directors, he will contribute to guiding the organization's mission, priorities, and global impact. "The decision to deepen our engagement with AMGTA aligns closely with EOS's commitment to responsible innovation and sustainable industrial transformation," said Hannappel. "Additive manufacturing is already reshaping how products are designed, produced, and delivered, and collaboration across the ecosystem is essential to realizing its full environmental and economic potential." The AMGTA is the only independent, global organization bringing together companies across the manufacturing ecosystem to elevate and advance the conversation around 3D printing and additive manufacturing practices for improved environmental, economic, and resource-efficient outcomes. In an increasingly volatile and uncertain business climate, commercial 3D printing and additive practices are being adopted as critical technologies-supporting everything from new product design to reducing standing inventory costs and obsolescence. Additive manufacturing technologies are now present across a wide range of applications, from medical implants and consumer electronics to aerospace, industrial products, and defense. Collectively referred to as additive manufacturing, or AM, these technologies are enabling businesses to be more responsive, innovative, economically viable, and sustainable. Today-and increasingly in the future-the unique capabilities enabled by 3D printing and additive practices are fundamentally changing how organizations compete and succeed in a rapidly evolving global economy. Bjorn Hannappel's appointment is effective January 1, 2026. About the Additive Manufacturer Green Trade Association (AMGTA) The AMGTA is a global trade association dedicated to advancing sustainable, resilient, and economically viable manufacturing through commercial 3D printing and additive technologies. Through collaboration, data-driven insights, and industry leadership, AMGTA supports manufacturers, suppliers, and stakeholders worldwide in accelerating responsible adoption of additive manufacturing. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20260121601881/en/ Contact Media Contact:Sherri MonroeExecutive Director[email protected] +1 386-216-7396 2026 Business Wire, Inc.Disclaimer:This press release is not a document produced by AFP. AFP shall not bear responsibility for its content. In case you have any questions about this press release, please refer to the contact person/entity mentioned in the text of the press release. SUNNY ISLES BEACH, FL / ACCESS Newswire / January 22, 2026 / Elektros Inc. (OTC PINK:ELEK), a developer of lithium mining operations in Sierra Leone, today announced that it has begun active discussions with international freight and logistics providers as it evaluates shipping solutions to transport hard-rock lithium from Sierra Leone, Africa to the United States. The Company is currently engaging with multiple global shipping and freight-forwarding firms to obtain competitive pricing, evaluate transit timelines, and ensure a smooth and efficient process for the shipment of an initial two-container export of raw, hard-rock lithium material. These discussions are focused on reliability, speed, cost efficiency, and regulatory compliance as Elektros works toward initiating its first commercial exports. "This is an incredibly exciting and meaningful milestone for Elektros," said Shlomo Bleier, Chief Executive Officer of Elektros Inc. "Engaging in discussions with leading global shipping companies marks a major step forward in our journey. It reflects the progress we are making and the confidence we have in our lithium project. We believe this moment represents a compelling opportunity not only for our Company, but for investors around the world who want to participate in the future of clean energy, electrification, and responsible resource development." Lithium remains one of the most critical materials supporting the global transition to electric vehicles, renewable energy storage, and modern electronics. Benzinga has highlighted lithium as the backbone of modern battery technology, powering electric vehicles, consumer electronics, and large-scale energy storage systems that support renewable power infrastructure worldwide. Reuters has emphasized that lithium has become one of the most strategically important materials of the modern era, noting that it sits at the heart of electric vehicles, grid-scale energy storage, and the global push toward cleaner and more secure energy systems. According to Reuters, demand for lithium is expected to remain strong for decades as governments and industries accelerate investments in electrification and renewable power. Elon Musk has described lithium-based batteries as "the new oil," emphasizing their critical importance in powering electric vehicles, energy storage systems, and the global transition toward sustainable and environmentally responsible energy solutions. Electros believes its hard-rock lithium project in Sierra Leone positions the Company at the forefront of supplying critical raw materials into the global battery supply chain. The Company views the selection of the right shipping and logistics partners as a key step toward executing its export strategy and advancing its role as a reliable supplier of lithium to the United States. Climate activists caught trying to paint Merz's plane pink Berlin, Jan 22 (AFP) Jan 22, 2026 German police arrested three climate activists on Thursday on suspicion of breaking into an airfield to splash pink paint on the private plane of Chancellor Friedrich Merz. Police and a protest group calling itself the Resistance Collective confirmed the early-morning incident at the airfield where Merz, a hobby pilot, parks his plane. "The plan was to paint the aircraft pink to effectively take it out of service," the protest group said in a statement sent to AFP. The activists carried a banner that read "Mobility for all, not just the super-rich!" and had also planned to leave behind a bicycle as a more climate-friendly means of transport for Merz, the group said. Police said they foiled the plan after pulling over one of the activists near the Arnsberg-Menden Airport in Merz's native Sauerland region, about 40 kilometres (25 miles) east of the city of Dortmund. The driver said he was looking for the local airfield, and police records showed the person had previously been "involved in politically motivated crime", according to a police statement. Three other activists were then arrested for trespassing inside the airport's restricted area after police launched a subsequent search. Police confirmed that Merz's personal aircraft was parked at the airport. "We are acting in self-defence," one of the activists, Anja Windl, said in the group's statement. "The climate catastrophe is escalating -- hunger, heat and natural disasters are claiming lives -- and yet Friedrich Merz is flying around in his own plane," Windl said. "The chancellor, of all people, should be setting an example for the rest of us." The three activists were caught on the tarmac of the small airport and are being held in police custody, according to the activists group. Airports in Germany have repeatedly been targeted by climate protesters, who criticise the outsized emissions created by flights compared with other forms of transport. South Africa's Kruger park suffers 'devastating' damage from floods Cape Town, Jan 22 (AFP) Jan 22, 2026 South Africa's iconic Kruger National Park suffered major damage to critical infrastructure in recent flooding, with the cost of repairs estimated to run over 30 million dollars, officials said Thursday. Torrential rains and floods last week forced the world-famous safari destination, which is nearly the size of Wales, to halt day visits and airlift guests and staff to safety as swollen rivers swallowed large stretches of land. While there had been no loss of life within the park, parts of it were still underwater a week later and 15 camps remained closed, SANParks CEO Hapiloe Sello told reporters. More than 500 members of staff were "stuck" at camps within the reserve, waiting for the water to recede so they could leave, she told reporters. "In the Kruger National Park alone, the damage to critical infrastructure is so widespread that SANParks' earliest estimates are that the damage will be in excess of half a billion rands ($30.6 million)," environment minister Willie Aucamp said at a media briefing. SANParks is a public body that manages South Africa's 21 national parks. Staff and tourist accommodation has been destroyed and there was "devastating" damage to bridges, roads and water and electrical infrastructure, he said. The loss of tourism revenue from the flagship park could put "the sustainability of the entire network of parks at risk" because of the impact on SANParks' operating budget. Kruger's fauna -- including the famed Big Five grouping of elephant, rhino, lion, leopard and buffalo -- had largely escaped the flooding because animals had sensed the danger and moved to higher lying areas. "We have not seen one single carcass of any animal," Aucamp said. The government has set up a fund to ensure the recovery of the site, which is in a region increasingly sensitive to climate change and natural disasters, he said, calling for local and international donations. Dozens of people lost their lives and hundreds of thousands were displaced in northeastern South Africa and neighbouring Mozambique in the flooding, caused by weeks of intense storms and rains. Fonroche Lighting: Breaking Records. Breaking Barriers. Powered by the Sun. (AFP) Jan 22, 2026 Paris, France, Jan 22, 2026 (MediaConnect) - Press release from FONROCHE LIGHTING-Thursday 22 January 2026. The first company in the world to earn a Guinness World Record for solar street lighting installation. Last October, Fonroche Lighting America installed 70 solar streetlights across 3.1 miles in Rowlett, Texas, in just 10 hours and 35 minutes, earning an official Guinness World Records title for the most solar streetlights installed in 12 hours. This record is more than a headline-it's proof of a global breakthrough, transforming lighting for cities, communities, and businesses everywhere. Press kit: To view and download photos and videos of the Guinness World Record Founded in France in 2011 and now operating in more than 50 countries, Fonroche delivers speed, simplicity, and resilience. No trenching. No cabling. No permits to tear up asphalt. Just sustainable, fast, and light where communities need it most. Each unit is engineered for their local conditions and backed by remote monitoring from Fonroche or city partners, ensuring consistent, year-round performance. Fonroche Lighting declares freedom, bringing light where the grid can't and redefining what's possible, anywhere and in any climate. Their off-grid solar streetlights deploy in hours-not weeks- being time-efficient, cutting costs and increasing safety. And they're not just innovators-they're record-breakers. In Rowlett, Texas, Fonroche provided a solar-powered alternative which illuminated three major corridors-State Highway 66, Rowlett Road, and Dalrock Road, over 3.1 miles. This was done at half the cost of a traditional $2.8 million utility proposal. "Lighting three roads for the price of one speaks to every official and taxpayer," said David Hall, City Manager. "Rowlett's choice proves solar should lead the future of roadway infrastructure.". Fonroche Lighting is also present in 50+ countries, delivering reliable solar lighting in some of the world's most challenging environments. Every system is engineered for 365 nights of lighting per year, backed by advanced battery technology and continuous innovation. Headquartered in Texas, serving all of America. Since entering the U.S. market in 2019, Fonroche Lighting America has delivered installations across 1,000+ municipalities in 43 states. Its U.S. headquarters is in Fort Worth, Texas supporting coast to coast delivery. The company operates 5 regional service hubs in Boise (ID), San Antonio (TX), Los Angeles (CA), Orlando (FL), and Marietta (GA) to accelerate onsite installs and aftermarket service. Major U.S. and remarkable world-wide projects.Los Angeles (CA) When devastating wildfires struck California in January 2025, Fonroche responded with hundreds of solar streetlights installed in just 24 hours, restoring safety to neighborhoods without relying on damaged grid infrastructure. This rapid intervention showcased the unmatched speed and resilience of off-grid solar lighting-qualities that U.S. cities increasingly demand. Later that year, the city accelerated solar streetlight installations to combat copper wire theft and keep neighborhoods lit during potential future outages-announcing hundreds of new solar lights. Chile - Atacama Desert Fonroche deployed solar lighting in one of the driest regions on Earth-the Atacama Desert- where extreme heat can reach up to 104F and nights can approach freezing, making traditional grid lighting nearly impossible to install and function. This solution ensures reliable illumination in harsh conditions, enhancing safety and delivering cost efficiency for Chile's infrastructure. Colombia - Viaducto de la Paz Fonroche illuminated one of South America's largest viaducts, spanning 3.1 miles. This project demonstrates how solar lighting can overcome the challenges of high-altitude weather and complex engineering, improving safety for thousands of drivers while reducing infrastructure costs for the country. Switzerland - The Evolene Ski Resort Despite the low level of sunlight, the slopes are illuminated 365 nights a year. San Antonio, TX In Texas's second biggest city, San Antonio, there have been ongoing municipal rollouts across multiple corridors and facilities, with 1,200+ lights installed citywide. Las Vegas, NV With a total of 500 lights, Las Vegas is scaling solar streetlighting. The move eliminates trenching, break-ins, damage and copper wiring, a frequent target for theft, while guaranteeing operation during outages. The result: safer streets and a smarter, more resilient city. Maui Airport, HI At Hawaii's second-busiest airport, solar-powered perimeter parking lights were installed - a critical solution for a region prone to tropical storms and power outages, ensuring uninterrupted lighting when reliability matters most. -- Other memorable projects include: Tesla Facilities, Domino's Pizza, Virgin Galactic Spaceport and the NASA Glenn Center. Helene BIGEY Communication & Marketing Director [email protected] More information on Fonroche's website LinkedIn (Fonroche Lighting EMEA) LinkedIn (US) Youtube Consultez la version source sur MediaConnect.com : https://mediaconnect.com/fonroche-lighting-breaking-records-breaking-barriers-powered-by-the-sun FONROCHE LIGHTING Disclaimer:This document is neither produced nor endorsed by AFP.It is distributed under its issuer sole responsibility.Its reproduction is authorized in context without any distortion of content.If you have any question about this document, please contact its issuer. Storms, heavy rain kill 14 across Afghanistan Kabul, Jan 22 (AFP) Jan 22, 2026 Severe storms and a rain-triggered landslide have killed at least 14 people across Afghanistan, officials said, with residents facing further risks on Thursday as heavy snow hit the country. Strong wind and heavy rain in Kandahar killed six children on Wednesday, damaging homes and causing significant financial losses in several districts, the emergency department in the southern province said. An avalanche also killed one person in Parwan province, west of the capital Kabul. In total, "owing to the snow and rain, 11 people" were killed across six provinces in the country's north, centre and south, including the Kandahar and Parwan incidents, a spokesperson for the National Disaster Management Authority told AFP. In a separate incident in eastern Nuristan province, a landslide triggered by heavy rain struck a house in Quraish village on Wednesday, killing three members of the same family and injuring two others. "Two 10-year-old girls and a teenage boy were killed," Nuristan provincial government spokesman Fraidoon Samim told AFP. In central Ghazni province, an AFP correspondent said that around 80 centimetres (31 inches) of snow fell over the past 24 hours, forcing the closure of markets and blocking roads. Heavy snow in many provinces and Kabul has also caused traffic accidents. Afghanistan frequently experiences deadly floods, landslides and storms, particularly in remote areas with fragile infrastructure, leaving communities vulnerable to extreme weather. strs-iw/mjw/md Elon Musk has seen this movie before and he's warning the ending never changes. Last week, the SpaceX and Tesla CEO also the richest man in the world responded to a post on X about California's proposed wealth tax. But instead of railing against it with bullet points or charts, he let history do the talking. "They will eventually apply the wealth tax' to everyone, just like the income tax, which was supposed to be just a temporary tax of a few percent of the top 1% to pay for WW1 " They will eventually apply the "wealth tax" to everyone, just like the income tax, which was supposed to be just a temporary tax of a few percent of the top 1% to pay for WW1 https://t.co/DEu4NLqxLS Don't Miss: The ChatGPT of Marketing' Just Opened a $0.85/Share Round 10,000+ Investors Are Already In Sam Altman Says AI Will Transform the Economy This Platform Lets Investors Back Private Tech Early Musk was directly responding to a post that laid out the logic: Step 1: Target "just the rich." Step 2: Set a legal precedent. Step 3: Expand it to everyone else. The original post also warned that California's version goes further than past taxes because instead of taxing income, it allows the state to seize assets. Stocks. Businesses. Global holdings. And it all starts by promising it only applies to billionaires. That's what triggered Musk's reply. Not just because he'd be in the first wave but because, in his words, "they will eventually apply" it to everyone. And there's a historical blueprint to back that up. Trending: Americans With a Financial Plan Can 4X Their Wealth Get Your Personalized Plan from a CFP Pro California's Wealth Tax Proposal Isn't Law Yet, But It's Already Triggering Exit Plans The plan Musk was reacting to is known as the 2026 Billionaire Tax Act. If it makes the ballot and passes, it would impose a one-time 5% tax on the net worth not income of individuals with more than $1 billion in assets. The goal: raise an estimated $100 billion to fund social programs, including Medi-Cal, public education, and food assistance, especially in the event of reduced federal support. Supporters, including healthcare worker unions, argue this is a once-in-a-generation opportunity to make extreme wealth fund essential services. But critics, including California Gov. Gavin Newsom, have pushed back. "I'll do what I have to do to protect the state," Newsom told The New York Times last week. Get the latest entertainment news, reviews and star-studded interviews with our Independent Culture email Get the latest entertainment news with our free Culture newsletter Get the latest entertainment news with our free Culture newsletter Email * SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our Privacy notice A hawk, one assumes, cannot experience self-pity. Where would it sit in their existence, anyway, in that space between the fleeing rabbit and its shredded, pink flesh? In Philippa Lowthorpes H Is for Hawk, based on a 2014 memoir by naturalist Helen Macdonald, a friend describes the predatory goshawk as a perfectly evolved psychopath. Its that escape from sentiment, from the drowning force of grief, that leads Helen (Claire Foy) to become trapped in a spiralling dependency on a goshawk named Mabel. A bird of prey, after all, will never tilt their head and offer their sympathies. And, in Lowthorpes tender handling of the material, working from a script written by Room author Emma Donoghue, what comes across first as an eccentric coping mechanism shifts into something less easily defined, more slippery. Helens relationship with Mabel can be seen, through one lens, as a healing confrontation with the unfettered cycles of nature, with the goshawk as its own memento mori. But it also, at times, feels like an abstract form of self-harm, one that leaves her with literal bloodied claw marks as her prize (she/her pronouns are used in the film, though Macdonald goes by they/them). In short, H Is for Hawk is a film about what happens when the cycle of grief wont even start. Helen reacts to news of the death of her beloved photojournalist father, Alisdair (Brendan Gleeson, so mischievous and luminous that even I was struck by the pain of his absence), by insisting she upholds her dinner reservations with friend Christina (Denise Gough, also wonderful). She then sits there, staring into her curry like its the abyss itself, while a nervous waiter slides a conciliatory dessert under her nose. Helens stasis is affecting because its allowed to be prickly and difficult. Her time as a Cambridge research fellow is coming to its natural end, with her accommodation going with it, and while theres a potential postdoctorate to be pursued in Germany, life is instantly tossed to the side when she acquires Mabel out of the back of a car boot. She takes the bird home and then seals herself away, watching it perched in the middle of the living room at the centre of a ritualistic circle of newspapers. She doesnt answer the door when it knocks. She doesnt pack. She doesnt write her fathers eulogy. He had a single-mindedness to him, too the way hed look through a viewfinder and filter out all the rest of the world. But this is something more, Helens mother (Lindsay Duncan) frets. Claire Foy excels as Mabel in H Is for Hawk ( Lionsgate ) Foys always had a way with hard edges, with her Queens resilience on The Crown or when berating astronauts in First Man (2018), and here shes able to depict loss as an emptying. You can see the missing piece of her, the gap that was once filled with a fathers love. But, with Mabel, you can also see how she becomes a child (and specifically a daughter) again, in a way that feels itchy and feverish. Lowthorpe makes an unexpectedly adept scene partner out of the goshawk pair playing Mabel, always taking advantage of the natural fury that seems to rest on the birds brow. And when she flies, Charlotte Bruus Christensens camera soars with it, keeping close to all that lethal beauty. Foy trained extensively in falconry so that theres no need for trickery in these scenes. Helens relief is the actors, too. H Is for Hawk concerns itself less with the healing of wounds, but rather with the prying open of them. Can we look so deep into the pulp that the fear of it eventually washes away? Dir: Philippa Lowthorpe. Starring: Claire Foy, Brendan Gleeson, Denise Gough, Sam Spruell, Lindsay Duncan. Cert 12A, 115 minutes. H Is for Hawk is in cinemas from 23 January Get the latest entertainment news, reviews and star-studded interviews with our Independent Culture email Get the latest entertainment news with our free Culture newsletter Get the latest entertainment news with our free Culture newsletter Email * SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our Privacy notice Theres no coming out of a Park Chan Wook film with your hands clean. Its why the infamous twist at the end of his revenge thriller Oldboy felt so shocking in the implication of shared guilt, when all we did was witness and, perhaps, find some empathy in anothers torment. His new black comedy, No Other Choice, feels particularly tacky (in the adhesive sense), as if it might require a lint roller to finally scrape off its effect on us. Perhaps its because it concerns itself with a near-universal sin: participation in the gladiatorial arena that is the job market. As if to underline the point, Parks film adapts a 1997 American novel, The Ax by Donald Westlake, already adapted in 2005 by Greek-French director Costa-Gavras (to whom the film is dedicated). Its set in the directors native country, South Korea. Yoo Man Su (Lee Byung Hun), is introduced to us in eerily blissful circumstances, BBQ-ing up an eel sent to him by his employers, Solar Paper, for his beautiful wife Lee Miri (Son Yejin), and adorable children Si One (Kim Woo Seung) and Ri One (Choi So Yul). He ushers them all in for a group hug even their golden retrievers, Si Two and Ri Two, prod their noses into the huddle. Then, of course, as life tends to go, Man Su is informed that an American conglomerate has bought up Solar Paper and hes been made redundant. A blood vessel thumps in his head. A promise made to his family that hell find a new job within the next three months proves futile and, as the severance pay dries up, Miri starts to talk of cutbacks. Man Su, in turn, grows more and more desperate. Dropping to his knees in front of Choi Sun Chul (Park Hee Soon), a manager at rival company Moon Paper, he pleads, My wife cancelled Netflix! Park has a galvanising kind of curiosity behind the lens, pairing here with cinematographer Kim Woo Hyung. Theres always a new, unexpected angle to either watch Man Su or see his point of view, whether from the bottom of a beer glass or via a phone mid-FaceTime (hes particularly gifted in the art of depicting technology on screen, as demonstrated by his previous film, the silkier but no less surprising Decision to Leave). It creates its own, creeping intimacy. Lee Byung Hun in Park Chan Wooks No Other Choice ( Mubi ) And so, when Man Su comes up with the plan to kill Sun Chul and take his job, we have and sorry to borrow the films title and repeated mantra no other choice but to invest in his madness. Because its not enough to simply take out Sun Chul, when a competitor might easily take his place. Man Su, then, creates a fake paper company and advertises the same position to draw out and then murder his biggest competitors, Bummo (Lee Sung Min) and Sijo (Cha Seung Won). Its a whole slapstick affair, conducted with Parks trademark finesse, and taking full advantage of Lees comedic skills (hes a major, established star in Korea, though largely known internationally for his role as the Front Man in Netflixs Squid Game). Man Su doesnt hesitate in the planning of a murder, but seems entirely unfit for its execution. He stumbles, panics, and holds his hand up so he doesnt have to look a man in the eye when he shoots him. Man Sus need to succeed overrides any consideration of how its achieved, it seems to survive in such a competitive job market, inevitably, means others must not. Lees expression, like a wilted flower, speaks to any and all loss of identity and humanity. And Park, as timeless as his subject might be, still weaves in the looming threat of AI to provide a final kick to the audiences throat. What will happen when were all forced to lose? Dir: Park Chan Wook. Starring: Lee Byung Hun, Son Yejin, Park Hee Soon, Lee Sung Min, Yeom Hye Ran, Cha Seung Won. Cert 15, 139 minutes. No Other Choice is in cinemas from 23 January Get the latest entertainment news, reviews and star-studded interviews with our Independent Culture email Get the latest entertainment news with our free Culture newsletter Get the latest entertainment news with our free Culture newsletter Email * SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our Privacy notice Alex Honnold is preparing to put his life on the line as he attempts his most perilous free solo ascents yet this time on one of the worlds tallest skyscrapers. Without safety ropes or gear, the professional rock climber, 40, known for completing similarly dangerous stunts, will try his hand at scaling Taipei 101, a 1,667-foot-tall tower located in Taiwans capital. Speaking to CNN ahead of his daring climb, which will be streamed live Friday on Netflix, Honnold confirmed that were he to fall, it would likely be fatal. If something happens, I would die, though actually, on this particular building, thats not even totally true because there are balconies every few floors, he said of the 101-storied building. The geometry of the building, the shape of the building is such that you actually could fall in tons of places and not actually die, which makes it in some ways safer than a lot of rock-climbing objectives. Built in 2004, the skyscraper features mostly glass curtain walls, with balconies near the top that taper to a pointed peak. It was once the worlds tallest building until the construction of Dubais Burj Khalifa in 2010, which stands at a staggering 2,717 feet. open image in gallery Alex Honnold is preparing to climb one of the world's tallest skyscrapers, Taipei 101 (pictured in the background) ( Netflix ) open image in gallery Honnold is considered to be one of the world's greatest climbers ( COREY RICH/NETFLIX A 2025 ) I think the hardest part of the climb will be what were calling the bamboo boxes, which are eight segments in the middle of the building that are overhanging, Honnold previously explained to Netflixs Tudum. Each one is eight floors, so it represents 64 floors in the middle of the building, and theyre all the same. They overhang, I dont know, 10 or 15 degrees its kind of steep and then theres a balcony every eight floors... The boxes are definitely the most physically demanding part. In a recent trailer for Skyscraper Live, Honnolds wife, Sanni McCandless, acknowledged peoples concerns about her husband free-soloing now that hes a father to two young children. This is who Alex is, McCandless said. Honnold rose to global fame in 2017 when he became the first person to free solo a full route on El Capitan in Yosemite National Park. His accomplishment was the subject of the 2018 Oscar-winning documentary Free Solo. Watch Apple TV+ free for 7 day New subscribers only. 9.99/mo. after free trial. Plan auto-renews until cancelled. Try for free ADVERTISEMENT. If you sign up to this service we will earn commission. This revenue helps to fund journalism across The Independent. Watch Apple TV+ free for 7 day New subscribers only. 9.99/mo. after free trial. Plan auto-renews until cancelled. Try for free ADVERTISEMENT. If you sign up to this service we will earn commission. This revenue helps to fund journalism across The Independent. Despite being considered one of the worlds greatest climbers, Honnold still has some apprehension toward his next feat. open image in gallery Alex Honnold will climb Taipei 101 in a live-streamed Netflix special this Friday ( Copyright 2025 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. ) Im sure Ill feel a little nervous at the bottom, just because its something totally new and I dont know how its going to feel, he added to Tudum. Ive spent 30 years climbing rock faces; this is going to be my first big handmade structure, so Im sure itll feel a little different. As to whether he is nervous about performing the death-defying stunt with millions watching, Honnold admitted that aspect was not at all concerning. Just because the feeling of being witnessed is nothing compared to the feeling of trying to do something challenging and do it well, he said. My life is on the line I dont really care whos watching. I care about doing what Im doing and doing it well. Skyscraper Live will stream Friday at 8pm E.T./ 5pm P.T. on Netflix. Energy Fuels Inc. has entered into a Scheme Implementation Deed to acquire 100% of Australian Strategic Materials Limited (ASM) in a transaction valuing the Australian rare earths company at approximately US$299 million. The deal will be executed via a court-approved scheme of arrangement under Australian law and is expected to close in late June 2026, subject to shareholder, court, and regulatory approvals. Under the terms, ASM shareholders will receive 0.053 Energy Fuels shares or CHESS Depository Interests per ASM share, plus a special dividend of up to A$0.13, for a total implied value of A$1.60 per share. Post-transaction, ASM shareholders are expected to own roughly 5.8% of Energy Fuels. The acquisition significantly deepens Energy Fuels rare earth integration strategy by combining upstream oxide production in the United States with downstream metals and alloy manufacturing capacity in Asia and, potentially, North America. Energy Fuels White Mesa Mill in Utah is currently the only U.S. facility licensed to process monazite into both light and heavy rare earth oxides, including neodymium-praseodymium (NdPr), dysprosium, and terbium. ASM brings to the deal its operating Korean Metals Plant, one of the few facilities outside China producing rare earth metals and alloys such as NdPr, Dy, Tb, and magnet-related alloys, including NdFeB. Energy Fuels plans to pair this capability with its own oxide output, addressing a critical bottleneck in non-Chinese rare earth supply chains: downstream refining and conversion. The transaction also includes ASMs Dubbo rare earths project in New South Wales, adding to Energy Fuels growing pipeline of development assets alongside projects in Victoria, Madagascar, and Brazil. These projects are intended to supply feedstock for an expanded White Mesa operation targeting annual production of 6,000 tonnes of NdPr oxide, along with meaningful volumes of dysprosium and terbium. Rare earths, particularly magnet materials, have become a strategic priority for Western governments and manufacturers seeking to reduce dependence on China-dominated supply chains. By integrating mining, separation, metallization, and alloying, Energy Fuels is positioning itself as a rare ex-China supplier capable of serving automotive, defense, robotics, and clean energy markets at multiple points along the value chain. Energy Fuels has already demonstrated an appetite for Australia-focused expansion, having completed the acquisition of Base Resources in 2024 and entered a joint venture with Astron Corporation the same year. The ASM transaction builds on that track record and signals continued consolidation in the critical minerals sector. Get the latest entertainment news, reviews and star-studded interviews with our Independent Culture email Get the latest entertainment news with our free Culture newsletter Get the latest entertainment news with our free Culture newsletter Email * SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our Privacy notice Jane Fonda has offered pointed commentary about the current state of the U.S. under Donald Trump. The 9 to 5 actor, 88, appeared Wednesday night on The Late Show with Stephen Colbert, where she discussed the consequences of the presidents current polices. During the episode, Colbert asked her opinion on how Americans can protect their First Amendment rights under the Trump administration. If the government is not meeting the needs of its people, theres something wrong, right? Were seeing things happen that have never happened before. This isnt like it was in the 40s and 50s. Authoritarianism has made its way into every single nook and cranny of our government, she said. They are kidnapping people. They are legally deporting American citizens. open image in gallery Jane Fonda said during Wednesdays episode of The Late Show with Stephen Colbert that Americans need to form a community to protect their First Amendment rights ( Getty ) open image in gallery Fonda is known for her long-standing activism, including protesting against the Vietnam War and participating in the Civil Rights Movement ( Getty ) The veteran actor also referenced the fatal shooting of Renee Nicole Good by an ICE agent in Minneapolis earlier this month after her vehicle blocked a street during an active ICE operation. Department of Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem has claimed that officers were forced to open fire because Good had engaged in domestic terrorism. The incident has led to widespread protests across the country. Minneapolis, where they shot Ms. Goodthey are shooting people. They are blinding people, Fonda continued. All kinds of really, really bad things are happening. And its not a question of right or left. I dont care what party you belong to. Its a question of right or wrong. Right? I think lines are being crossed. And its enough. Weve had enough. Right? We are the land of the brave. Our loved ones fought and many died for these freedoms. We cant allow them to be taken away from us, because if we let them go, they wont be there later when we need them back. She explained that people need to band together in solidarity to protect their rights, adding that we have to not be alone. Fonda has been known for her activism for years, in addition to her long-standing acting career, as she notably participated in protests against the Vietnam War and was active in the Civil Rights Movement. open image in gallery Jane Fonda accepts the Lifetime Achievement gong at the 31st SAG Awards ( Getty ) She previously issued a dig at Trump at the 2025 SAG-AFTRA Awards, now rebranded as The Actor Awards. During her acceptance speech for the SAG-AFTRA Lifetime Achievement award, she did not mention the president by name, but she did shout out Sebastian Stan, who played the president in The Apprentice. Watch Apple TV+ free for 7 day New subscribers only. 9.99/mo. after free trial. Plan auto-renews until cancelled. Try for free ADVERTISEMENT. If you sign up to this service we will earn commission. This revenue helps to fund journalism across The Independent. Watch Apple TV+ free for 7 day New subscribers only. 9.99/mo. after free trial. Plan auto-renews until cancelled. Try for free ADVERTISEMENT. If you sign up to this service we will earn commission. This revenue helps to fund journalism across The Independent. Though you may hate the behavior of your character, you have to understand and empathize with the traumatized person youre playing, she said. Empathy is not weak or woke. And, by the way, woke just means you give a damn about other people, she said. A whole lot of people are going to be really hurt by what is happening, what is coming our way. And even if they are of different persuasion we need to call upon our empathy and listen with our hearts and welcome them into our tent. Because we are going to need a big tent to resist successfully what is coming at us. Fonda added: We are in our documentary moment. We mustn't for a moment kid ourselves about what is happeningWe must not isolate, we must stay in community, we must help the vulnerable. Get the latest entertainment news, reviews and star-studded interviews with our Independent Culture email Get the latest entertainment news with our free Culture newsletter Get the latest entertainment news with our free Culture newsletter Email * SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our Privacy notice Queer Eye alum Bobby Berk appeared to take a swipe at his former co-stars Wednesday after one of the Fab Five Karamo Brown accused the other four of bullying. Brown pulled out of planned media appearances at the eleventh hour on Tuesday, citing the need to protect himself and his peace, forcing his colleagues to address his absence live on air. Berk, the shows home design expert, left the Netflix show after eight seasons in 2023 amid rumors of a falling-out with fashion guru Tan France. On Wednesday, Berk plugged his new show on Instagram, writing in the caption: Hows everyones week going?! Have you seen my new show Junk or Jackpot?! on @hgtv, and @discoveryplus ? It did not take fans long to notice his choice of song, which he attached to the post: My Kink Is Karma by Chappell Roan. open image in gallery Bobby Berk (left) and 'Queer Eye' stars Antoni Porowski, Jeremiah Brent and Jonathan Van Ness ( Getty ) open image in gallery ( bobby/Instagram ) open image in gallery ( bobby/Instagram ) open image in gallery ( bobby/Instagram ) Timing is impeccable, one person wrote in the comments, to which Berk replied: Timing is everything. Bobby out here using the drama algorithm, another added. The lord doth provid, Berk cheekily responded. Just out here minding your own business with your new show, huh? wrote a third. Exactly! Berk replied. Berks comments come after four of the Fab Five Antoni Porowski, France, Jonathan Van Ness and Jeremiah Brent appeared on CBS Mornings and Today with Jenna & Sheinelle to promote Queer Eyes tenth and final season, which was released on Netflix on Wednesday. Mornings host Gayle King said that Brown had pulled out of the interview just an hour before filming and went on to share a statement, which read, in-part: I hope everyone remembers the main theme I have tried to teach them over the past decade, which is to focus on and to protect their mental health/peace from people or a world who seek to destroy it; which is why I can't be there today. King added: His assistant also says that hes worried about being bullied. Asked if they were surprised by his statement, the shows cooking expert Porowski said: Surprised is a fair understatement. I will say, our Queer Eye family weve been doing this for almost a decade which is pretty wild to believe and families are complicated, and were definitely not excluded from that. The newest member of the crew, Brent, who replaced Berk in season nine, chimed in to defend his co-stars, saying his experience with them has been transformative. To see the way that they move through the world, the way that they have taught me so much about life and friendship and love. I have felt safe and supported by the people up here, Brent added. Later, on Today, Browns assistant sent the morning show a statement saying that he has felt mentally and emotionally abused for years, and was advised by his therapist to protect himself and his peace by not attending. In a video message aired on the show, Brown said: Just like the themes of this season, Im modeling what I believe is most important, which I want to remind you all, love yourselves and protect yourselves. Thats why Im here at home and not there. He went on to thank the shows crew and Netflix, but notably did not thank his co-stars. Van Ness took the opportunity to praise Brown for taking care of himself, saying: It is so difficult I think both of you can identify when youre on a show and youre just relentlessly working, it is so difficult to center what you need and how to take care of yourself. And hes been teaching people how to take care of themselves on Queer Eye for almost 10 years. And Im actually so proud of him for centering what he needs to do and taking care of himself. Its not easy and thats not an easy statement to make and Im really proud of him for doing that. Obviously, we wish that he was here, but I am really proud of him for doing what he needs to do for whats best for himself. The Independent has contacted Netflix and Browns four co-stars for comment. All 10 seasons of Queer Eye are out now on Netflix. Sign up to our free Living Well email for advice on living a happier, healthier and longer life Live your life healthier and happier with our free weekly Living Well newsletter Live your life healthier and happier with our free weekly Living Well newsletter Email * SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our Privacy notice Social media use has become one of the most challenging battles for parents with young children and teens, but this might begin to change as the House of Lords have backed a social media ban for under-16s. Peers supported the cross-party move by 261 votes to 150, majority 111, which means the Australian-style ban will have to be considered by MPs in the Commons. Technology Secretary Liz Kendall announced a three-month consultation this week, which will consider the advantages and disadvantages of a ban, as well as possible overnight curfews and actions to prevent doom-scrolling, before reporting back in the summer. In the meantime, in this increasingly digital world it can be hard for parents to navigate what is considered normal social media usage and what might borderline into an addiction. To help, here is some expert-backed advice about what type of behaviours might be red flags and what you can do if you are concerned. How would you define a social media addiction? Social media addiction is not about how much time a child spends online, but about loss of control, says Dr David McLaughlan, consultant psychiatrist at Priory, who provide both addiction treatment and mental health services for young people across the UK. Its when social media use becomes compulsive, hard to stop, and starts to crowd out sleep, schoolwork, relationships or wellbeing. What are some signs that might indicate that a child is addicted to social media? 1. Loss of control If a child repeatedly tries to cut back but cant, or becomes distressed when access is limited, thats a key red flag, says McLaughlan. 2. Mood changes linked to use Children addicted to social media may experience increased anxiety, low mood, irritability or negative self-comparisons linked to online content or feedback, says Erica De Lange, regional director of psychology services (South) at Cygnet Health Care. These signs point to an unhealthy use of social media. She also advises parents to look out for strong, emotional reactions when access is limited. They may get irritable, angry, anxious or distressed when asked to log off or when the phone is taken away, says De Lange. These heightened reactions may suggest emotional dependence rather than enjoyment. 3. Preoccupation and constant checking When social media dominates a childs thoughts, even during lessons, meals, or conversations, it suggests the behaviour is becoming compulsive, says McLaughlan. 4. Sleep disruption Late-night scrolling, difficulty switching off, or waking to check notifications can quickly undermine both mental health and emotional resilience, says McLaughlan. 5. Withdrawal from offline activities A loss of interest in hobbies, family time, or face-to-face friendships can indicate that online engagement is replacing real-world connection, reflects McLaughlan. 6. Declining school performance Impact on school or daily functioning may start to be noticed, in particular a declining concentration, reduced school performance or difficulty completing everyday tasks, says De Lange. This may suggest social media is taking priority over responsibilities. 7. Continuing despite harm When a child keeps using social media despite clear negative consequences, thats one of the strongest indicators of addiction, highlights McLaughlan. What consequences can a social media addiction have on a childs physical health, mental wellbeing and social development? A social media addiction can have a significant impact on all areas of life. Mentally, we see higher rates of anxiety, low mood, poor self-esteem and emotional dysregulation, says McLaughlan. Physically, sleep deprivation, headaches, eye strain and sedentary behaviour are common. Socially, children may struggle with real-world communication, confidence, and forming secure relationships. How can parents distinguish normal social media use from unhealthy addictive use? Healthy use tends to be balanced where children can switch off without major distress, engage in a range of activities, and maintain their mood and functioning, says De Lange. Unhealthy use is marked by conflict, secrecy, emotional dependency and negative impacts on sleep, school or relationships. The key question for parents is not how much? but what is this use replacing or disrupting?'. What makes social media so addictive for children? Social media is engineered to exploit the brains reward system. Likes, streaks and infinite scrolling, for example, all trigger dopamine, explains McLaughlan. Children are particularly vulnerable because their impulse control and emotional regulation systems are still developing. What should parents do if they think their child has a social media addiction? Staying calm and composed could be more effective strategy than getting all riled up when it comes to conversations about social media. Start with open, calm conversations rather than punishment, recommends De Lange. Try to understand what role social media is playing for your child, it might be about connection, comfort, distraction or escape. Set clear, consistent boundaries around use, especially around sleep, and model healthy digital habits yourself. If concerns persist or your childs mental health is affected, seeking support from a GP, school counsellor or mental health professional can be an important and positive step. If you are concerned about your childs social media use, visit youngminds.org.uk/parent/ Stay ahead of the curve with our weekly guide to the latest trends, fashion, relationships and more Stay ahead of the curve with our weekly guide to the latest trends, fashion, relationships and more Stay ahead of the curve with our weekly guide to the latest trends, fashion, relationships and more Email * SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our Privacy notice Courtroom artists portraits are rarely what youd call flattering. When its a regular Joe Bloggs entering the witness box, theres no real frame of reference for the casual viewer. When its an already-familiar face, however, it becomes far more obvious that the hastily rendered representation has about as much in common with the actual person as a cut-price caricature done by a down-on-his-luck street artist. One who, presumably, gets off on ritually humiliating his subjects. It's probably quite a knock for the old self-esteem so pity Prince Harry, whose latest pastel-sketched profile after his appearance in the High Court is unlikely to make it onto his wifes painfully overcurated Insta grid anytime soon. If a picture is worth a thousand words, a few choice ones might include haggard (the eyes weighed down with not just bags but veritable suitcases); angry (the forehead etched with deep frown lines); unkempt (the hair, both facial and head). But perhaps most damning of all is the impossible-to-ignore suggestion of a balding patch on top a few cannily placed daubs of flesh colour beneath wiry strokes of auburn conveying the dreaded thinning out that relentlessly pursues men of a certain age with all the tenacity of the Nazgul hunting the one ring across Middle-earth. Alas, the one-time poster boy for the follicularly challenged is finally going the way of his elder brother; one can only outrun genetics for so long. It all feels a bit Samson and Delilah-coded, tbh. Which doesnt bode well for Harrys current battle against the Daily Mail publisher, Associated Newspapers Limited (ANL), his third legal claim against a newspaper group to date. Is Meghan the Delilah in this scenario? Is the Dukes power waning in tandem with his hairline? Only time will tell, as he wraps up giving evidence as one of seven high-profile claimants accusing ANL of grave breaches of privacy over 20 years. Harry has described this latest court case as, simply, a horrible experience. But a rogue artists impression isnt the only image problem the beleaguered royal is currently contending with. Here are a few more choice words, these ones flung out by court reporters rather than captured by an unsympathetic sketch: terse, tense, and more defensive than the defence. open image in gallery Prince Harry gives evidence in his privacy lawsuit against the publisher of the Daily Mail ( Reuters ) He prickled and bristled and sulked on the stand; he described the idea that he shouldnt be entitled to a private life as disgusting and railed against the idea that the private lives of himself and those close to him should, in fact, be commercialised. I can sympathise. After all, nobody should have their private life monetised by the media, should they? Nobody should, say, have the ins and outs of their deeply personal family drama and dating and relationship history constantly written about and televised for all to see? Is the Dukes power waning in tandem with his hairline? Like in 2019, when ITV followed the Sussexes every move as they toured around Africa at the request of oh yes, the Sussexes. Fair play amid a swirling mass of lies and negative stories in the press, Harry and Meghan wanted to set the record straight, once and for all. Well, twice and for all: in 2021 came a high-profile interview with Oprah Winfrey, swiftly followed by Harry and Meghan, a six-part Netflix documentary series as part of the Sussexes multi-year deal with the streaming platform (rumoured to be worth around $100m). OK, OK, thrice and for all, mlud. Lest we forget Spare, Harrys scorching, no-holds-barred autobiography, which finally finally! allowed him to speak his unfiltered truth (and incidentally make a reported 16m). At long last, the Sussexes side of the story had been laid bare from every conceivable angle and put to rest! That record was well and truly set straight theyd practically used a spirit level and the Duke could stop talking about his hallowed and sacred private life for, oh, at least five minutes... Once hed squeezed in a few teeny-tiny deeply personal interviews with ITV, CBS and ABC (demonstrating a level of oversharing normally reserved for a night out with the girls after a bottle of sauv blanc and ill-advised 3am tequila shots). open image in gallery Miserable Meghan in the Christmas special of her Netflix show ( Netflix ) No point in breaking your silence if youre not going to do it multiple times a year across numerous media platforms, after all. But spare a thought for the real victim in all of this: Meghan. Harry broke down in tears at the end of his testimony in the witness box on Wednesday as he recounted his wifes abject suffering and the misery she has had to endure. Yes, she may put a brave face on things as she posts glossy, artfully framed snaps on social media of her perfect slice of Californian family life, or presents episodes of wonderfully beige lifestyle magazine show With Love, Meghan from her idyllic Montecito home*. (*not her actual home.) But we all know that the curse of Instagram versus reality can hit even the most A-list of A-listers just as the curse of male pattern baldness can. No matter the verdict, thats one image problem that cant be overturned. The latest headlines from our reporters across the US sent straight to your inbox each weekday Your briefing on the latest headlines from across the US Your briefing on the latest headlines from across the US Email * SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our Privacy notice A veteran firefighter, who once helped battle major California wildfires, allegedly bludgeoned his wife to death at their home after discovering an apparent affair, authorities have said. Andrew Jimenez, a 45-year-old firefighter from Glendale, California, was taken into custody Wednesday in connection with the killing of his 55-year-old wife, Mayra Jimenez. At around 4 a.m. that morning, Jimenez walked into the Los Angeles Police Departments northeast station and asked officers to conduct a welfare check on his wife, according to law enforcement. When police responded to the couples home in North Hollywood, they found Mayra Jimenez with severe blunt force trauma. She was pronounced dead at the scene. Investigators believe Mayra was bludgeoned to death after being repeatedly struck with an axe, FOX11 reported. open image in gallery Andrew Jimenez, 45, was taken into custody in connection with the killing of his 55-year-old wife, Mayra Jimenez ( ABC7 ) Neighbors told local reporters that investigators recovered an axe from inside the home. I could just hear them talk about how horrific it was it was just bloody, neighbor Camille Cabrera said. Next thing you know they found an axe. They said they found an axe. Hes supposed to be protecting us, she added. Whats come of this world? Police were also seen carrying out two large rifles from the scene. Investigators say the killing appears to be a domestic violence incident. From what weve determined, very preliminary at this stage, this was an isolated incident of domestic violence between cohabitating adults, LAPD Robbery and Homicide Lt. Guy Golan said. Theres no threat to public safety at this time. The individual who is in custody at Northeast Station, we believe, is responsible for the incident. Attorney Jose Romero, who has been retained by Jimenezs family, suggested a possible motive. Our office is currently in contact with law enforcement regarding a diary of the decedent, apparently read moments before the homicide, that verified infidelity by the decedent, he said in a statement. No further details about the alleged diary entry were released. Mayra Jimenez was remembered by friends and colleagues as a devoted and caring educator and advocate. She worked as a teacher at Wilshire Park Elementary School and served as a union representative with United Teachers Los Angeles. Mayra was also a non-denominational ordained minister who officiated weddings and was known as a devoted Dodgers fan. open image in gallery Jimenez, a veteran firefighter helped battle the Palisades Fire last year. After his arrest on Wednesday, he was placed on administrative leave ( Copyright 2025 The Associated Press. All rights reserved ) Her husband, who has served with the Glendale Fire Department since 2008, was promoted from paramedic to firefighter, and helped battle the Palisades Fire, according to city officials. Following his arrest Wednesday, Jimenez was placed on administrative leave. LAPD is the lead investigating agency and the matter is ongoing, the city said in a statement. In a separate statement, the Glendale Fire Department said it is cooperating with investigators. This is an extremely serious and deeply troubling matter. First and foremost, our hearts are with the victims family and loved ones, and we extend our sincere condolences as they grieve this tragic loss, the statement read. Due to the active and ongoing nature of the investigation, the City of Glendale and the Glendale Fire Department are unable to provide additional comments at this time. Court records show Jimenez was booked into jail on suspicion of murder and is being held on $2 million bail. The latest headlines from our reporters across the US sent straight to your inbox each weekday Your briefing on the latest headlines from across the US Your briefing on the latest headlines from across the US Email * SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our Privacy notice Last month, federal officials allegedly deported one of the suspects in a massive 2022 jewelry heist in Southern California where thieves made off with $100 million in merchandise, in what prosecutors have called the largest jewelry heist in U.S. history. The deportation angered parties impacted by the robbery and appeared to catch both the suspects attorney and federal prosecutors off guard. Jeson Nelon Presilla Flores was sent to Ecuador on or about December 29, according to court documents obtained by The Los Angeles Times. He was believed to be linked to a raid on a Brinks truck that netted a fortune in stolen jewels, gold and watches. In a January motion to dismiss the theft and conspiracy case against Flores, attorney John D. Robertson wrote he had just learned of the deportation of his client, who he said was a lawful permanent resident of the U.S. who had lived in the region for 25 years. open image in gallery Federal officials blindsided attorneys and prosecutors by deporting a suspect allegedly part of a 2022 jewelry heist in South California worth $100 million ( LASD ) Prior to the deportation, Flores had pleaded not guilty. His removal, which came after Flores was taken into ICE custody in September, appeared to stun observers and prosecutors in the case. When a defendant in a major federal theft case leaves the country before trial, victims are left without answers, without a verdict, and without closure, Jerry Kroll, an attorney for some of the impacted jewelry companies, told the Times. For our clients jewelers who lost their lifes work this outcome exposes a gap in the system that deserves transparency. They are entitled to clear answers about how this happened and whether safeguards exist to prevent it from happening again. In separate January court documents, prosecutors said Flores was taken into immigration custody unbeknownst to them, and that the officials played no role in ICEs decisions. The prosecutors added they remain eager to prosecute defendant for his crimes and vindicate his victims if he returns to the country. The officials said Flores appeared at an immigration hearing on December 16, where he represented himself, and admitted to the allegations against him then requested voluntary departure. open image in gallery Immigration and Customs Enforcement allegedly took custody of the subject in the fall, and he then asked to be removed from the country during a December immigration hearing Jeson Nelson Presilla Flores is a criminal illegal alien from Ecuador whose criminal history includes sexual battery, threatening with intent to terrorize burglary, vandalism, robbery, and more, DHS Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin told The Independent in a statement. In 2001, he entered the U.S. as a legal permanent resident. However, he became removable as an alien due to his criminal convictions. A judge issued him a final order of removal on December 16, 2025. Flores was deported on December 28, she said. Floress surprise removal is the latest twist in a case that began with an alleged early-morning raid and has turned into a multi-year, multi-country manhunt. In June, the Justice Department indicted seven people tied to the heist of the Brinks truck in Lebec, as well as a series of other high-dollar robberies throughout 2022. Things were set in motion as the robbery ring allegedly tailed a Brinks truck leaving from a jewelry show in San Mateo on July 10, 2022. Im pretty sure we were followed from the show where we got loaded, driver Tandy Motley told police on the scene of the heist. The alleged thieves then continued to follow the vehicle for about 300 miles south until it reached a rest stop in Lebec in the early morning the following day. open image in gallery Much of the stolen merchandise has never been recovered ( FBI Los Angeles ) There, the thieves broke into the truck without incident while one of its guards was reportedly sleeping and another was inside the rest stop getting food. The gang made off with 24 bags of merchandise including gold, diamonds, rubies, emeralds, and luxury watches. They then deactivated the burner phones they had been using. However, the night before the heist, one of the alleged robbers gave police his burner phone number when reporting a car crash, which allowed investigators to trace the number to a cell phone tower near the site of the heist, the Times reported in October. Five of the seven suspects have been arrested, one of whom was found in Panama. Much of the merchandise has not been recovered. The latest headlines from our reporters across the US sent straight to your inbox each weekday Your briefing on the latest headlines from across the US Your briefing on the latest headlines from across the US Email * SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our Privacy notice An 18-year-old has pleaded guilty to murder and other charges for a mass shooting in North Carolina. The 2022 rampage that left five people dead, including his older brother and a police officer. Austin David Thompson, who was 15 at the time of the attack that authorities say began in his Raleigh neighbourhood, entered his plea on Wednesday. The admission comes less than two weeks before Thompson was due to stand trial in state court. His attorneys, who had spent months filing pre-trial motions to limit certain testimony and evidence, announced on Tuesday that he intended to plead guilty to all charges. They stated that avoiding a trial would "save the community and the victims from as much additional infliction of trauma as possible." Thompson, wearing a quarter-zip sweater and slacks, offered few words while Wake County Superior Court Judge Paul Ridgeway questioned him and accepted his pleas. He pleaded guilty to five counts of first-degree murder, two counts of attempted first-degree murder, two counts of assault with a deadly weapon and one count of assault of an officer with a gun. open image in gallery Austin Thompson is sworn in during a hearing in Wake County Superior Court on Wednesday, Jan. 21, 2026, in Raleigh, N.C. (AP Photo/Allen G. Breed) ( Copyright 2026 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. ) Ridgeway set a sentencing hearing for Feb. 2, which could last several days as testimony and evidence are reviewed. Thompson and his attorney acknowledged in court that no plea agreement had been reached with local prosecutors. Because of his age at the time of the attack, Thompson can't receive the death penalty. A judge can issue sentences of life in prison without parole on such murder counts. Ridgeway instead could sentence him in the case so he could be eligible for parole after at least 25 years. State appeals judges recently placed a 40-year limit on how long such young offenders must serve before becoming eligible for parole. Resolution in the case was delayed in part while Thompson recovered from a gunshot wound that Wake County District Attorney Lorrin Freeman concluded earlier was self-inflicted before his arrest. His attorneys say it resulted in a serious brain injury. Providing the court a summary of evidence that would have been used at trial, Assistant District Attorney Patrick Latour described the sequence of events during the Oct. 13, 2022, shootings. He said Thompson first shot then repeatedly stabbed his brother James, whose body was found in the family's home in the Hedingham community. Latour said an armed Thompson next shot multiple neighbors on the communitys streets, killing Nicole Connors, 52, and then off-duty Raleigh police Officer Gabriel Torres, 29. Another neighbor who was wounded survived. Later, Thompson fatally shot two others on a nearby greenway trail: Mary Marshall, 34, and Susan Karnatz, 49. Dressed in camouflage with multiple weapons, Thompson was located by law enforcement in a shed nearby and arrested after an hourslong standoff during which he wounded another police officer, Latour said. Wednesdays hearing provided little additional explanation about Austin's motive. His attorneys wrote this week that the brain injury has made it such that Austin cannot explain why he committed this shooting. open image in gallery Tears well in Tracey Howard's eyes as he hears a prosecutor describe his wife Nicole Connors' murder during a hearing in Wake County Superior Court on Wednesday, Jan. 21, 2026, in Raleigh, N.C. (AP Photo/Allen G. Breed) ( Copyright 2026 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. ) Latour said a note written by Thompson acknowledged why he killed his brother but didn't explain further. The note was ordered to remain confidential for now. Latour also said records showing Thompson's online search history revealed that he had sought information on mass shootings and related items. Robert Steele, Marshall's fiance at the time of her death, told reporters after the hearing that sentencing Thompson to life in prison without parole is the right thing to do. That's justice, Steele said. "He took five people's lives, he tried to take two others." In 2024, Thompsons father pleaded guilty to improperly storing a handgun that authorities said was found with his son after the shootings. He received a suspended sentence and probation. Investigators seized 11 firearms and 160 boxes of ammunition some of them empty from the Thompson home, according to search warrants. The latest headlines from our reporters across the US sent straight to your inbox each weekday Your briefing on the latest headlines from across the US Your briefing on the latest headlines from across the US Email * SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our Privacy notice A Florida man has been arrested for allegedly trying to steal thousands of dollars worth of items from a grocery store by scamming a self-checkout kiosk. Luis Felipe Lezcano, 63, reportedly used a technique called "ticket switching" to try to fool the store's security. Ticket switching is a sleight-of-hand trick thieves use to appear as though they're checking out their items, but while still paying as little as possible. A thief will scan a very cheap item at the same time that they move an expensive item through the scanner. This gives the appearance that they scanned the more expensive item, when in reality they scanned a very cheap item. Its such a quick technique that they use, and they become extremely proficient, Doral Police Chief Edwin Lopez told WSVN. Lopez said that while thieves may get away with the scam every once in awhile, he also is confident that "eventually, your luck's gonna run out." Luis Felipe Lezcano, 63, was arrested in Florida for allegedly stealing thousands of dollars worth of items from retailers by exploiting their self-checkout kiosks ( Doral Police Department ) Police said Lezcano used the technique dozens of times to steal thousands of dollars worth of items. According to store management, this individual did this over 35 times and, luckily, we were able to bring him to justice, Lopez said. Surveillance video allegedly caught Lezcano passing one item over the scanner using his right hand while holding and scanning another item with his left. He then allegedly put both items into his bag. Lopez said that surveillance video footage makes it much easier for investigators to identify individuals who are ticket switching. Police arrested Lezcano on January 14. According to the arrest report, Lezcano had allegedly just pulled a ticket switching scam inside a nearby Walmart and had multiple items he didn't pay for in his possession. Lopez warned residents to think twice before attempting to take advantage of the technology. The more we use technology, the more the community has to understand that you have a higher likelihood of being caught, said Lopez. If youre coming to Doral to commit a crime, were going to identify you, and were going to take you to jail. The latest headlines from our reporters across the US sent straight to your inbox each weekday Your briefing on the latest headlines from across the US Your briefing on the latest headlines from across the US Email * SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our Privacy notice A Detroit man has been charged with the slaying of a woman who was killed after her husband allegedly carried out a $125,000 drugs scam, according to local media reports. Kip Stitts, a 57-year-old from Detroit, is accused of the fatal shooting of 33-year-old Sherry Dawson in Houston, according to ABC 13. Stitts has not been arrested as of Tuesday, KHOU 11 reports. Dawson was found dead in a storage unit on November 5. Her common-law husband has since told investigators he knew Stitts and that they were involved in drug trafficking, according to court documents reviewed by ABC 13. Her husband told police he had previously introduced Stitts to a cocaine supplier, ABC 13 reports. But when Stitts said he wanted to rob the supplier, Dawsons husband and the supplier concocted their own plan to steal from him, he reportedly told police. Dawsons husband told police Stitts paid them $125,000 for cocaine, but he and a supplier never delivered the drugs, according to ABC 13. He said the incident took place about one month before Dawson was killed. Police are investigating the death of 33-year-old Sherry Dawson in Houston ( Scott Olson/Getty Images ) Now, Dawsons husband has told police he believes his wife may have been killed over the theft, according to KHOU 11. Dawson was found dead at the self-storage facility with multiple gunshot wounds on her arms, head and neck and her death was ruled a homicide. Security footage reportedly shows Dawson arriving, a driver in a Ford pickup truck following her inside and the truck fleeing after the shooting. Stitts cellphone data also places him at Dawsons home before the shooting, at the storage unit the morning of her death and in north Detroit afterwards, according to court documents. Prosecutors claimed Stitts had previous convictions on drug and assault charges, according to court documents reviewed by Click 2 Houston. The Independent has contacted the Houston Police Department for comment. The latest headlines from our reporters across the US sent straight to your inbox each weekday Your briefing on the latest headlines from across the US Your briefing on the latest headlines from across the US Email * SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our Privacy notice Former Uvalde school police officer Adrian Gonzales has been cleared of failing in his duty to confront a gunman who murdered 19 children in the 2022 shooting at Robb Elementary in Texas. Gonzales, 52, was acquitted on 29 child endangerment charges Wednesday evening after a nearly three-week trial. On May 24, 2022, 18-year-old Salvador Ramos opened fire on the elementary school, killing nearly 20 children and two teachers. Gonzales charges represent the kids who were killed and the 10 others who were injured. It took over an hour before police finally entered the classroom Ramos was in to kill him and put an end to the carnage. open image in gallery Adrian Gonzales, 52, was acquitted on 29 child endangerment charges in the Robb Elementary shooting case ( AP ) Thank you for the jury for considering all the evidence, Gonzales told reporters after the verdict. Gonzales legal team said he never saw the gunman before Ramos entered the school and that other officers had a better chance at stopping him, the Associated Press reports. The defense lawyers also argued that Gonzales and other officers tried to reach the classroom that Ramos was in, but were driven back by gunfire, and he also helped evacuate children from other classrooms amid the chaotic shooting. Special Prosecutor Bill Turner argued that Gonzales failed to act after being aware that shots were fired, being told the general location of the gunman, having time to respond, per news outlet WSBT. open image in gallery In 2022, a teenage gunman killed 19 children and two teachers, injuring 10 more kids at Robb Elementary in Texas ( Brandon Bell/Getty ) Some family members of the shooting victims were crying or wiping away tears after the verdict, it was reported. Faith is fractured, but you never lose faith, Jesse Rizo, who lost his nine-year-old niece Jackie Cazares in the shooting, told reporters. You dont lose faith because these children that are no longer with us that are at the cemetery they cant speak for themselves. We speak for them. We fight til the end. Tensions were high during the trial as evidence of the horrific shooting was detailed in court. After Zavala County Sheriffs deputy Joe Vasquez took the stand, in which he described finding a pile of the bodies, the sister of one of the teachers who was killed in the attack started yelling in the courtroom gallery, local outlet KSAT reported. Velma Duran said her sister Irma Garcia went into the fatal funnel. The fatal funnel is a law enforcement term for open spaces where officers are vulnerable, making it hard to engage with a shooter. Duran was escorted out of court for the outburst. open image in gallery Tensions were high during the trial, with Velma Duran, the sister of one of the shooting victims, being escorted from court after an outburst ( AP ) Ramos began firing shots into classrooms at around 11:30 a.m. local time on the day of the shooting. Before the first few police officers entered the school, Ramos had already fired more than 100 rounds, according to a timeline from CNN. The gunman continued to fire shots as officers moved through the school. Throughout the shooting, some adults and children managed to escape with the help of law enforcement. At around 12:50 p.m., authorities confronted Ramos, who came out of a classroom supply closet and opened fire. A breach team fatally shot the gunman. open image in gallery It took over an hour before police finally entered the classroom gunman Salvador Ramos was in to kill him and put an end to the carnage ( Uvalde County Sheriff's Department ) Gonzales had faced up to two years in prison if he had been convicted. Uvalde schools Police Chief Pete Arredondo is also facing child endangerment charges related to the shooting, to which he pleaded not guilty. Out of the at least 370 officers who responded to Robb Elementary, only Gonzales and Arredondo were charged. Arrendondos trial date has yet to be scheduled. Arredondos attorney, Paul Looney, told the AP he thinks prosecutors will drop his client's charges because of Gonzales verdict. These people have been vilified, and its horrible whats been done to them, Looney said. These guys didnt do anything wrong. With a market cap of $13.3 billion, Erie Indemnity Company (ERIE) is a U.S.-based managing attorney-in-fact for the subscribers of Erie Insurance Exchange, providing underwriting, policy processing, and customer support services. It also offers sales, advertising, administrative, and information technology services. The Erie, Pennsylvania-based company is expected to release its fiscal Q4 2025 results soon. Ahead of this event, analysts expect ERIE to report a profit of $3.11 per share, up 6.9% from $2.91 per share in the year-ago quarter. It has surpassed Wall Street's bottom-line estimates in two of the last four quarters while missing on two other occasions. More News from Barchart For fiscal 2025, analysts expect ERIE to report EPS of $12.59, a rise of 9.7% from $11.48 in fiscal 2024. In addition, EPS is anticipated to grow 11.3% year-over-year to $14.01 in fiscal 2026. www.barchart.com ERIE stock has declined 26% over the past 52 weeks, underperforming the S&P 500 Index's ($SPX) 13% return and the State Street Financial Select Sector SPDR ETF's (XLF) 5.8% rise over the same period. www.barchart.com Despite beating Q3 2025 EPS expectations with $3.50 on Oct. 30, Erie Indemnitys shares fell 5.5% the next day as revenue of $1.07 billion missed estimates. Investors were also cautious about rising commission costs, which increased $41 million year-over-year, outpacing the 7.3% growth in management fee revenue. Analysts' consensus view on ERIE stock is cautiously optimistic, with a "Moderate Buy" rating. Out of three analysts covering the stock, opinions include one "Strong Buy" and two "Holds." As of writing, ERIE is trading above the average analyst price target of $73. On the date of publication, Sohini Mondal did not have (either directly or indirectly) positions in any of the securities mentioned in this article. All information and data in this article is solely for informational purposes. This article was originally published on Barchart.com Sign up to our free weekly IndyTech newsletter delivered straight to your inbox Sign up to our free IndyTech newsletter Sign up to our free IndyTech newsletter Email * SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our Privacy notice Thousands of Microsoft users have reported problems with their Outlook 365 email systems. Just under 16,000 users were reporting problems as of 3.30 p.m. ET Thursday, according to tracking site DownDetector.com. We're investigating a potential issue impacting multiple Microsoft 365 services, including Outlook, Microsoft Defender and Microsoft Purview. Further information can be found in the admin center under MO1221364, the company wrote on X, in response to the reports. Microsoft said it had identified part of its service infrastructure in North America that is not processing traffic as expected, though it did not specify where. We're working to restore the infrastructure to a healthy state to achieve recovery, the company added. Thousands of Microsoft users have reported problems with their Outlook 365 email systems. Just under 16,000 users were reporting problems as of 3.30 p.m. ET Thursday, according to tracking site DownDetector.com ( Getty Images ) An update around 4 p.m. ET read: We're continuing to review what actions are required to restore the affected infrastructure to a heathy state and rebalance the service traffic to achieve recovery. At the same time, reports of issues dropped to around 13,000. One user wrote: Email is the backbone of communication in corporate America, this is a very bad look. Another added: Just another day with Microsoft... Everything seems to be in the red on the admin and email delivery side. However, while some users were annoyed by the disruption, others didnt seem to mind so much. Oh no. Outlook is down and I cant receive any emails at work, wrote one user, while another added: Looks like I get the day off. Issues with outlook are preferred at 9 a.m, wrote a third. The Independent has contacted for Microsoft for further details around Thursdays outages. Sign up to our free weekly IndyTech newsletter delivered straight to your inbox Sign up to our free IndyTech newsletter Sign up to our free IndyTech newsletter Email * SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our Privacy notice Shares in Ubisoft plummeted on Thursday following the French video game publisher's announcement of a significant reorganisation and the cancellation of six upcoming titles. The creator of the popular Assassin's Creed series saw its stock fall by 33 per cent in delayed trading, leading losses on Paris' SBF 120 index. This puts the company on track for its largest single-day decline since its 1996 listing, should the losses persist. The Paris-based firm plans to restructure into five distinct creative divisions, grouping its various titles by game genre. Among the six games scrapped was a highly-anticipated Prince of Persia remake. Concurrently, Ubisoft narrowed its net bookings forecast for 2026 and withdrew its previous guidance for the 2026/27 fiscal year. "The prospect of a return to positive cash generation appears distant, and the financial structure is likely to be weakened again in the near term," Corentin Marty, analyst at brokerage firm TP ICAP Midcap, said in a note to clients. Shares were trading at 4.6 in early Thursday trading, giving Ubisoft a market value of 616 million ($720 million). open image in gallery The creator of the popular Assassin's Creed series saw its stock fall by 33 per cent in delayed trading, leading losses on Paris' SBF 120 index ( Associated Press ) Its shares nearly halved in value last year, falling below 1 billion of market capitalisation, compared to their peak of 11 billion in 2018, according to LSEG data. Changes at Ubisoft explained Under the new structure, Ubisoft's five "Creative Houses" will oversee their portfolios from brand development to sales, and be responsible for their own budget. Each division will have separate management teams. Their pay will be tied to metrics like player engagement and value creation, the company said. The first unit, Vantage Studios, established in November with a 1.16 billion investment from China's Tencent will manage Ubisoft's biggest franchises, including Assassin's Creed. The four other units will respectively focus on multiplayer shooters, live services, narrative-driven games, and casual and family games. open image in gallery Vantage Studios, established in November, will manage Ubisoft's biggest franchises, including Assassin's Creed ( Ubisoft ) For 2026, Ubisoft now forecasts net bookings of around 1.5 billion and an operating loss of roughly 1 billion. This includes a 650 million hit from game cancellations and delays. It previously expected net bookings of around 1.9 billion and to break even at operating level. Ubisoft anticipates net debt of 150-250 million by the end of 2026, with cash reserves of 1.25-1.35 billion. Free cash flow is projected to be negative 400-500 million. The company's cost reduction program of 100 million is expected to be fully achieved by March, one year after its initial target. It is also setting a new cost savings target of an additional 200 million over the next two years and will continue to consider potential asset sales. The company withdrew its prior fiscal 2026-27 guidance and plans to outline medium-term projections in May 2026. Elnur Enveroglu NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte has urged European leaders not to allow other geopolitical debates to distract them from supporting Ukraine amid ongoing Russian attacks, particularly strikes targeting the countrys energy infrastructure. Speaking during a discussion at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Rutte warned that shifting attention to secondary issues could undermine Ukraines ability to defend itself at a critical moment, Ukrinform reports. The risk here is that we focus on Greenland, Rutte said, stressing that while such issues should be resolved amicably, they must not overshadow what he described as the central priority. The main issue is not Greenland. The main issue is Ukraine, he emphasised. Rutte noted that Russia continues to carry out missile and drone attacks on Ukraines energy facilities, exacerbating the humanitarian situation as temperatures drop. He pointed out that Kyiv is currently experiencing temperatures of around minus 20 degrees Celsius and that Ukraine can meet only about 60 percent of its electricity needs. Highlighting the scale of the conflict, the NATO Secretary General said Russian forces are losing approximately 1,000 soldiers each day, with monthly losses now exceeding those suffered by Soviet troops during the entire decade-long war in Afghanistan. Despite these losses, he said, Moscow continues its aggression. Rutte also expressed concern that diplomatic efforts and financial assistance discussions could divert attention from Ukraines immediate military needs. He warned that Ukraine lacks sufficient air defence interceptors and US-made equipment required to counter ongoing attacks, noting that such systems are no longer readily available in Europe. I need the European allies to keep focus on this issue, Rutte said. Supporting Ukraine must remain our number one priority. Only then can we discuss other issues. By Jeffrey Dastin DAVOS, Switzerland, Jan 22 (Reuters) - Europe's rule of law and reliability are critical to the case for investing in the continent given uncertainties in other parts of the world, the EU official responsible for tech sovereignty, security and democracy said on Thursday. "Europe wants to really attract innovators and investment, and we are in the process, really to make Europe faster, easier and simpler for the businesses," European Commission Executive Vice-President Henna Virkkunen told Reuters. More from Yahoo Scout What makes Europe attractive to innovators and investors currently? Why is Europe emphasizing rule of law for investment attraction? How is the EU addressing artificial intelligence regulation challenges? What actions has the EU taken regarding X's Grok? Europe offered long-term certainty for innovation and investment as well as being "a reliable partner", Virkkunen said in an interview, adding: "It's also important for the investors to know that rule of law is respected here". Virkkunen is tasked with addressing the security threats facing the European Union, while also strengthening the 27-member bloc's external borders and its internal security. One of the areas of technology the EU is wrestling with is the rapidly developing use of artificial intelligence (AI). Earlier this month, the European Commission ordered Elon Musk's X to retain all documents relating to its AI chatbot, Grok, for longer while the bloc ensures compliance with its rules after condemning it for producing sexualised images. "We are now also analysing the changes they have made to Grok and to look (at) if it's complying ... if it's in line," Virkkunen said, adding it was "totally unacceptable" for AI tools to be used "to create that kind of non-consensual intimate images of people", particularly of children. (Reporting by Jeffrey Dastin; Writing by Alexander Smith; Editing by Philippa Fletcher) Everyone wants to know if theyre missing the next bitcoin boom or crypto goldmine, but most advisors agree that cryptocurrency sits in a unique investment category that isnt right for everyone. Crypto is a highly volatile asset with few guarantees; it can skyrocket or crash without warning. A small, specific group of investors can handle its wild ups and downs, and not because theyre chasing quick riches. Financial experts explained the profile of the people who should invest in cryptocurrency. Find out if its you. Crypto Isnt for the Faint of Heart To put it bluntly, The ideal investor for cryptocurrency is somebody that actually does not care whether they make 100 [times their profit] or lose everything, said Julian B. Morris, CFP and principal at Concierge Wealth Management. Anne Connelly, who teaches about blockchain at Boston Universitys Questrom School of Business, agreed: For folks who are averse to volatility swings, then a long-term plan must be put in place where investments are held over a specific time frame rather than bought and sold to capture market swings. And swing wildly they do. Its not uncommon for cryptocurrencies to lose 30% in a week, so the right investor must be emotionally detached and patient. Crypto rewards logic, not adrenaline. Find Out: Self-Made Millionaires Suggest 5 Stocks You Should Never Sell Read Next: 6 Safe Accounts Proven To Grow Your Money Up To 13x Faster The Ideal Investor Can Afford To Lose It All The ideal crypto investor isnt putting their emergency savings into bitcoin. Rather, theyre someone who can afford for it to go to zero, said Chad D. Cummings, Esq., CPA, the CEO of Cummings & Cummings Law, a law firm specializing in estate planning and tax law. They already have multiple years of liquid reserves, zero high-interest debt and no reliance on their portfolio for near-term expenses. In other words, the money these investors put into crypto is fun money, typically capped at no more than 5% of their total portfolio. Cummings shared an anecdote of a client who ignored that advice and invested through an offshore exchange. [This] later turned out to be a money laundering front for North Korea with funds routed through offshore banks in both Switzerland and Singapore, he said. One FBI investigation and $13 million in losses later, the client is now struggling to rebuild his retirement savings. Risk-Takers, Tech-Savvy and Ahead of the Curve The ideal crypto investor is often an early adopter with an ultra-aggressive risk profile whos comfortable venturing beyond traditional markets. These investors tend to spot trends before they go mainstream. Advertisement BusinessBanking & financeOil Opinion Trumps devious deal hits Chinas wallet and its influence Stephen Bartholomeusz Senior business columnist January 22, 2026 11:58am January 22, 2026 11:58am Save You have reached your maximum number of saved items. Remove items from your saved list to add more. Save this article for later Add articles to your saved list and come back to them anytime. Got it Share A A A Much of the focus after the Trump administrations dramatic seizure of Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro has been on whos got control of the countrys oil, rather than who lost it. Not surprisingly, those who lost access China and Russia arent happy. They, most notably China, bought Venezuelas oil in the form of interest and principal loans they had extended to the cash-strapped country. Chinese President Xi Jinping is not happy with Trump. Getty The sovereign creditors, along with other more conventional creditors and a number of big international oil companies, may have hoped that the removal of Maduro and a US-led reconstruction of Venezuelas ravaged economy would improve their chances of getting their hands on at least some of what theyre owed. Through some devious structuring, however, the US may have kept them at a very long arms length from the cash already flowing from oil that was stranded on tankers and in storage facilities because of Americas embargo. Advertisement As it stands, at least in the medium term, China and Russia wont be repaid their loans. Related Article Opinion Trade wars Trump promised an economic boom. Thats not quite what has happened Stephen Bartholomeusz Senior business columnist Cuba, which received oil in exchange for security and other services, as well as more conventional commodities like sugar, has lost access to the fuel source it sorely needs. Other creditors can, in the immediate future, only whistle Dixie. Last week, the first sale of Venezuelan oil since the US seized Maduro occurred, with traders Vitol and Trafigura on-selling about $US500 million ($740 million) of crude at prices that the US said were 30 per cent higher than the Maduro government had been able to achieve while under sanctions from the US. Advertisement The proceeds from the sales the majority of which the US had decreed must go to US buyers went to a US Treasury bank account in Qatar. Why Qatar? The US wants to keep funds flowing from the sale of Venezuelas oil out of the reach of its $US170 billion of foreign creditors, which means it has to distance the money from the US legal system, the primary jurisdiction in which similar claims have been litigated. Of the sovereign creditors, China is both the largest and has the most reasons to feel aggrieved. AP On January 9, Donald Trump signed an executive order entitled Safeguarding Venezuelan Oil Revenue for the Good of the American and Venezuelan People. The order aimed to prevent the seizure of Venezuelan oil revenue that could undermine critical US efforts to ensure economic and political stability in Venezuela, it said. Advertisement The order purports to protect funds raised from sales of the oil and the funds held in US government accounts from judicial attachment, saying the possibility of judicial processes constituted an unusual and extraordinary threat to the national security and foreign policy of the US. It says the funds were the property of the Venezuelan government, with the US holding them solely in a custodial and governmental capacity rather than a market participant. It states that they would not be used for any commercial purpose in the US, which is again designed to try to ensure no legal action can be taken by creditors. Venezuela owes money all over the globe, but Trump has made it clear that none of those creditors will get their hands on the petrodollars coming out of the country. Bloomberg While distancing itself from anything other than a custodial interest in the funds, it should be noted that Trump has said America will be the dominant supplier of imported goods to Venezuela in future. The US will benefit from Venezuelas oil sales. Venezuela owes money to everyone. It defaulted on about $US100 billion of government bonds in 2017, owes China at least $US10 billion to $US12 billion and has had various court judgments against it related to Hugo Chavezs 2007 expropriation of foreign oil companies assets, including about $US14 billion to Chevron and Exxon Mobil. Advertisement Trump has made it clear that none of those creditors is going to get their hands on the petrodollars that will now flow out of Venezuela. Whether thats a sustainable position in the longer term, if and when Venezuelas economy recovers and its governance is normalised, is an open question. The administration has also made it clear that the $US100 billion of investment it is seeking from US oil companies to rebuild Venezuelas oil industry will be similarly insulated. Most analyses say it will take $US10 billion a year for at least a decade to restore oil production from its current levels of about a million barrels a day to the more than 3 million barrels it produced before the mismanagement and corruption of the Chavez and Maduro governments and the lack of access to big oils technology, expertise and capital, degraded the industry. Whether it gets access to that US capital that Trump is seeking Exxon famously said Venezuela is uninvestable will determine whether Trumps audacious kidnapping of the countrys president leads to a successful rebuilding of the industry, which generates more than half the governments revenue. It may also determine whether there can be an eventual restructuring of the countrys debts that returns something to its creditors. Advertisement For the moment, while theres talk about a debt restructure among the creditors, along the lines of that which occurred to Iraqi debt after the 2003 US intervention, it appears a distant possibility unless the creditors can find a jurisdiction other than the US to pursue their claims. Related Article Opinion Oil Loss of Russian, Venezuelan oil a drop in ocean for worlds crude glut Stephen Bartholomeusz Senior business columnist In the Iraq instance, George W. Bush signed a similar executive order to Trumps, in tandem with a UN Security Council resolution that supported it, which effectively suspended mechanisms for creditor enforcement globally. It took five years, and some massive haircuts for creditors, before Iraqs $US130 billion was finally restructured. Of the sovereign creditors, China is both the largest and has the most reasons to feel aggrieved. For a quarter of a century effectively after Chavez gained power China has been investing in Venezuela. Its state-owned companies are involved in oil and gas joint ventures. It has financed and built infrastructure. It has been the major buyer of Venezuelas sanctioned oil and has lent the government about $US60 billion, being repaid in discounted oil. Advertisement Russias supply of oil industry expertise and security and Cubas engagements have been far smaller, but also paid for in oil. Now, China and Russia have not just been shut out from Venezuelas oil and what they are owed, but theyve lost the influence they have built up over decades. Loading For China, Venezuela was a key ally in Latin America because of its dependence. It was an important, albeit not critical, element of the sphere of influence it has built up in a region in which it has invested the best part of $US650 billion and where its bi-lateral trade has topped $US500 billion a year and is growing solidly. If Mexico were excluded, China would displace the US as the biggest trading partner with Latin America, which supplies it with critical commodities like copper, lithium and soy beans and in which Chinese companies have built ports, rail lines and other infrastructure under the Belt and Road initiative. Advertisement China has also manoeuvred itself into a position of leadership in the loose BRICS and Global South coalitions of developing economies, positioning itself as a rival to the (now faltering) longer-established and US-dominated multilateral global institutions. Related Article Opinion Trade wars Trump promised an economic boom. Thats not quite what has happened Stephen Bartholomeusz Senior business columnist Losing influence over Venezuela, if that is what occurs so far, apart from grabbing the oil cash, the Trump administration has been hands-off in terms of Venezuelan governance wont undermine Chinas position in Latin America, but it will be concerned that the Donroe Doctrine Trump now espoused to justify his intervention in Venezuela might be expanded elsewhere in the region. Trump has mused openly, for instance, about the desire to see regime change in Cuba, which will be weakened by the loss of the source of about a third of its energy requirements. The demonstration effect of the brutal way the US intervened in Venezuela could, of course, bind the rest of Latin America closer to China. Advertisement There would be other leaders in the region, already angry about Trumps tariffs, who would have been unnerved by the ruthless tactics the US employed against Venezuela and the sight of Maduro doing the perp walk. The Business Briefing newsletter delivers major stories, exclusive coverage and expert opinion. Sign up to get it every weekday morning. Advertisement NationalAntisemitism Opinion A newspaper in Berlin brought me to unexpected tears. Being good is no longer enough Moran Dvir Contributor January 22, 2026 5:09am January 22, 2026 5:09am Save You have reached your maximum number of saved items. Remove items from your saved list to add more. Save this article for later Add articles to your saved list and come back to them anytime. Got it Share A A A Earlier this month just a few weeks after the Bondi Hanukkah massacre that shattered both Australia and the Jewish community, of which I am a part I was in Berlin. It was a bitterly cold January day, and the tour guide who was introducing me to the city showed me the headline of an old German newspaper cover, from 2012. It brought me to sudden, unexpected tears. The cover story followed a violent antisemitic attack on a local rabbi. In response, prominent German men a politician, journalist and jazz musician wore a black kippah, a Jewish skullcap, in public solidarity with the Jewish community. The headline blazed: Berlin tragt Kippa Berlin wears a kippah. What struck me was not only the gesture, but what it represented. Germany, the birthplace of the Holocaust, has learned at great, tragic cost that the moral price of looking away is far higher than the discomfort of standing up. Far away from my home in Melbourne, I hoped that Australia had learned this lesson too. Police patrolling Bondi Beach after the terrorist attack last month. Flavio Brancaleone On Thursday, Australia observes its inaugural National Day of Mourning, marking the Bondi massacre. It is a moment for grief, reflection and collective reckoning not only with what happened, but with what it now asks of us. In Berlin, my Jewish German guide and I spoke about life in a post-October 7 world, a day not only marred in horror but which marked the start of rising global antisemitism in many pockets of the world. In Australia, the Jewish community has been reeling ever since then. What I also learned that day was how deliberately and differently Germany has chosen to respond to antisemitism since the Holocaust. Since the end of World War II, every town and city has publicly funded offices dedicated to confronting this particular brand of hate; most of those roles are filled by non-Jews. The lesson was simple, said my guide: fighting Jew-hatred is not a Jewish responsibility alone. Advertisement German newspaper B-Z shows the community response after an attack on a rabbi. We stopped at the Rosenstrasse memorial, which commemorates the bravery of several hundred non-Jewish women who protested for days against the arrest of their Jewish husbands and relatives by the Nazis. While originally selected for deportation, the men were eventually freed. I saw the sculptures of the women, but then also a figure placed a few metres away. It was a stone man seated on a bench, arm draped casually, his gaze turned away from the despair and grief of the women in the centre of the square. This, said the guide, is the most important part of the memorial. It was a stark reminder that history is shaped not only by those who act, but by those who choose not to. Back home in Australia, that lesson feels uncomfortably current. For more than two years, Jewish Australians have warned that antisemitism and radicalisation are being tolerated, excused or minimised. The signs are unmistakable: vandalised synagogues and schools, harassment of Jewish students, Jewish Australians doxed and targeted, firebombings in Jewish neighbourhoods, and antisemitic hate normalised on social media by public figures, bleeding into everyday public life. What began as chants of hate on the steps of the Sydney Opera House in October 2023 ended in mass murder on the shores of Bondi Beach. Related Article Opinion Antisemitism The aftermath of Bondi has helped me understand who my true friends are Melissa Singer Associate Editor, Sunday Life In the wake of Bondi, Australians have responded with decency. Tens of thousands donated blood. Vigils and interfaith services filled public spaces. Many more joined the calls for a royal commission. There has been a palpable sense that this was not someone elses tragedy, but a national wound. It makes me think that now, finally, we will find a different way to confront antisemitism, too. Advertisement Days of mourning are often understood as pauses moments to step back from argument and noise. But history suggests we should do the opposite. Mourning, if it is to mean anything, sharpens moral vision. It clarifies what can no longer be excused, minimised or deferred. It forces societies to decide whether grief will be followed by responsibility, or by retreat. Last week, the Adelaide Writers Week collapsed after their removal of an author who had a well-documented record of anti-Zionist rhetoric, and who said on national television that she doesnt see Hamas as a terrorist organisation. When 180 writers pulled out, the Adelaide Festival Board apologised and invited the author back for the following year, making me wonder if they chose to save face over exercising moral clarity. The board attempted briefly to stop looking away and then decided the discomfort was too great. Related Article Opinion Antisemitism We have seen the darkness, but if kindness is a light, Australia is glowing Rachelle Unreich Writer The easier option the tempting one is always retreat. To reframe hate as complex or free speech. To prioritise reputation over responsibility. To choose silence and call it neutrality. Germanys history teaches us where that path leads. Australia is now being tested. Not as a nation of good people which we have shown ourselves to be but as a society willing to accept the discomfort that comes with moral clarity. Let us hope we make the right choice. Advertisement Moran Dvir is a board member of National Council of Jewish Women of Australia and co-founder of advocacy group Project A. The Opinion newsletter is a weekly wrap of views that will challenge, champion and inform your own. Sign up here. Add articles to your saved list and come back to them anytime. Remove items from your saved list to add more. You have reached your maximum number of saved items. Google has launched its preferred sources feature, meaning you now get to choose which news outlets you see first in search results. This feature allows you to prioritise your most trusted news outlets within the Top Stories carousel in Google, ensuring you see the headlines that matter to you first. Make The Age your preferred source today by clicking this link. It will take you here: Click the blue box to make the Age a preferred source in Google. Google When news breaks, or you want to know the latest on everything from federal politics and sport to culture and crime, adding The Age will ensure you keep quality, local journalism at the top of your screen. After a trial in Google Search Labs last year, the feature was rolled out globally before reaching Australia. As U.S. importers wait on a Supreme Court decision that could upend the last year of work with constantly changing tariffs, a new tool from Flexport is offering businesses a way to quantify what has largely been an abstract legal debate: how much money they might actually get back. Flxport launched a Tariff Refund Calculator, a public-facing tool designed to estimate potential refunds tied to tariffs imposed under the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA). The timing is deliberate. The Supreme Court is weighing a challenge to the federal governments authority to levy broad tariffs using emergency powers, which is how the tariffs were able to fluctuate so broadly and rapidly in 2025. With customers awaiting the ruling, we built this tool to help them scenario-plan, said Ryan Petersen, Founder and CEO of Flexport. We cant predict the Courts decision, but we can give businesses clearer insight so theyre prepared for whatever comes next. For many companies, the case is no longer theoretical. If the Court rules that the tariffs were unlawfully imposed, importers that paid those duties could be eligible for refunds, potentially totaling billions of dollars across industries. The uncertainty lies not just in the ruling itself, but in what comes next: who qualifies, how claims are filed, and whether businesses have the documentation needed to recover funds. Flexports calculator is designed to address that uncertainty early. By allowing importers to upload their U.S. Customs and Border Protection entry data, the tool estimates how much they may have paid in affected tariffs and what portion could be refundable if the Court sides with importers. Rather than waiting for a decision and scrambling to assess exposure, companies can now see a preliminary dollar figure tied directly to their historical shipments. The Supreme Court case centers on whether the executive branch overstepped its authority by using IEEPA, a law traditionally associated with sanctions and national emergencies, to impose wide-ranging tariffs. During oral arguments, several justices questioned whether Congress intended the statute to function as a de facto tariff mechanism, raising the possibility that the duties could ultimately be struck down. While no outcome is guaranteed, the tone of the questioning has prompted importers, trade attorneys, and customs professionals to prepare for a scenario in which refunds are suddenly on the table. That preparation is not trivial. Recovering tariffs typically requires timely protests, detailed entry records, and coordination with customs brokers and legal counsel. Some large importers have already filed protective lawsuits or administrative claims to preserve their rights. Others, particularly mid-sized companies without in-house trade teams, risk being caught flat-footed if a refund window opens with limited notice. Advertisement NationalVictoriaInsolvency Burgertory boss could face examination over downfall of 13 companies Sarah Danckert January 22, 2026 5:05pm Save You have reached your maximum number of saved items. Remove items from your saved list to add more. Save this article for later Add articles to your saved list and come back to them anytime. Got it Share A A A Liquidators picking over several failed stores of the fast food chain Burgertory have raised numerous concerns about potential unlawful conduct in their collapse, including a suspicion that the groups founder, Hash Tayeh, kept control of the businesses after resigning as a director all while the business racked up nearly $1 million in unpaid staff superannuation. Tayeh and other business partners within the Burgertory chain are also being investigated over the management of the businesses and the alleged dispersing of assets before a liquidator was appointed and could face public examinations, according to a report by liquidators Pitcher Partners. Burgertory founder Hash Tayeh. Nine The report was prepared in September last year after the Australian Taxation Office won orders from the Federal Court to wind up 13 entities associated with Tayeh between April and July last year. This included 10 stores and three management entities associated with the broader Burgertory and QSR Collective businesses. Advertisement Large portions of the Burgertory chain remain in operation and unaffected by the court-ordered liquidations. Editor's pick Exclusive Protests Burgertory owner Hash Tayeh charged for pro-Palestine rally chants The report shows the failed companies which included stores in Box Hill, Coburg North, Black Rock, Niddrie, Caroline Springs and Southbank owe nearly $1 million in superannuation to staff and another $2.3 million to other creditors. Some of the affected stores are still trading through new franchise owners, according to the report. Liquidator Andrew Yeo said in the report that in his opinion, current and former directors had breached the Corporations Act, which he had reported to the corporate watchdog. Advertisement He noted that investigations into the companies and their management in the years before their collapse were ongoing, including whether the businesses were trading while insolvent and if the directors to the entities had breached their duties. In the course of the liquidation, my preliminary investigations have identified several matters that warrant further scrutiny, Yeo said. These include transactions involving related parties, potential breaches of directors duties and the disposition of the companys assets prior to the appointment of the liquidator. Businessman and pro-Palestinian activist Hash Tayeh at a protest in Melbourne last year. AAP The complex nature of these issues suggest that material information relevant to the liquidation may be held by individuals and entities who have not yet provided full disclosure. Tayeh, who founded the chain in 2018, stepped down as chief executive of the chain in July last year after news of the groups debt to the Tax Office was made public. The tax debt was revealed two months after Tayehs business received a bomb threat. Advertisement Tayeh has also been subjected to other violent incidents in recent years, including firebombings at his house and one of the chains stores in Caulfield. Responding to the ATOs court action, Tayeh a prominent pro-Palestinian protester, said: The reality is, Ive been subjected to targeted attacks, politically motivated smears, and ongoing harassment, not because of any wrongdoing, but because Ive dared to speak out against injustice. Tayeh has also described the tax case against him as a stitch-up, after he was hit with a director penalty notice of more than $1 million in relation to unpaid taxes, including staff superannuation. In June last year, Tayeh posted on Instagram: ATO vs Hash Tayeh the untold story. Since 2023, Ive been hunted. Harassed. Firebombed. Dragged through courts. Falsely accused. And now? Theyve weaponised the ATO against me. In March last year, Tayeh was charged with using insulting words in public after he allegedly chanted all Zionists are terrorists at a rally in the Melbourne CBD in 2024. Advertisement At the time, Sydney University constitutional expert professor Anne Twomey said the use of insulting speech laws to regulate a political protest could potentially face a constitutional challenge in the High Court. It raises an issue of the implied freedom of political communications in the Constitution, Twomey said. In December, the magistrate hearing the case told prosecutors that they must prove Tayeh had intent to insult or offend when he said the phrase a decision that Tayeh said was a victory for free speech. Tayeh has denied the charge and the matter remains before the court. Editor's pick Exclusive Crime Defence contractor under police investigation over threat to bomb Burgertory outlet The liquidators report has also suggested that Tayeh continued to have oversight of all the entities that were in liquidation despite resigning as a director from the businesses and new people being installed in 2023 under the groups franchise model. Advertisement The liquidator said they had found evidence that indicated Tayeh continued to have control of the businesses bank accounts and provided instructions to accounts and solicitors to the businesses. The liquidator had also not been able to locate a 2019 BWM sedan that was registered as an asset of the business. The liquidator said he had asked Tayeh for information about the sale and location of the vehicles. As of the date of this report, I am yet to receive a response from Mr Tayeh, QSR Collective and their legal representatives, the report says. The liquidator is planning to call Tayeh and other people associated with the business to public examinations in the hope that it will shed more light on the businesss affairs. The examination process is a critical investigative tool that will enable me to obtain information that may not otherwise be forthcoming, Yeo said. Advertisement Yeo said he was taking steps to secure funding to continue his investigations and conduct the examination process from the Australian Securities and Investments Commission and private litigation funders. Tayeh was contacted for comment. Start the day with a summary of the days most important and interesting stories, analysis and insights. Sign up for our Morning Edition newsletter. Save You have reached your maximum number of saved items. Remove items from your saved list to add more. Share License this article More: Insolvency For subscribers Sarah Danckert is a senior reporter who specialises in investigations and corporate wrongdoing. She is a two-time Walkley Award winner, and has won six Quill Awards and two Kennedy Awards. or email. Connect via X Advertisement NationalVictoriaCity life Fears bird disease outbreak at Albert Park Lake will worsen in heat Rachael Ward January 22, 2026 7:00pm Save You have reached your maximum number of saved items. Remove items from your saved list to add more. Save this article for later Add articles to your saved list and come back to them anytime. Got it Share A A A Residents near Albert Park Lake are bracing for an influx of dead birds during impending hot weather due to a disease outbreak that has prompted a warning to local dog walkers. About 1000 birds have died at the lake since an outbreak of avian botulism type C took off two years ago, in January 2024. Cathy Maguire is among residents concerned about an avian botulism outbreak thats claimed the lives of 1000 birds. Jason South Local resident Cathy Maguire fears the toll will climb as heat sets in, given that outbreaks triggered by a naturally occurring toxin found in soil and wetlands flare up as lakes dry out. People are mostly apartment dwellers around here and to go around there for a walk or a jog and see dead birds, its very, very distressing, Maguire said. Advertisement My main concern with the increase in hot weather is that were going to see huge numbers of ... carcasses increase in the coming weeks and months. Related Article City life Stay out of the bay: Smack of red, stinging jellyfish invade Melbournes beaches Maguire is involved in Lake ALIVE!, a group which tracks fatalities and reports deaths. The group believes the outbreak at Albert Park Lake, home to the Australian Grand Prix, has mainly affected ibises at Gunn Island in the middle of the lake, but also swans, ducks, herons and other birds. Maguire said Parks Victoria does what it can to remove dead birds remains, but she fears the outbreak will worsen. Advertisement We dont feel enough has been done. Given how much goes towards the grand prix, this just feels like, Yeah, itll sort itself out, but it wont, she said. We are losing hundreds and hundreds of birds. She called for resurfacing of lake walls to prevent water leaks, topping up the lake to boost water levels and more aeration. Dog walker Popi Mavromatis is cautious about taking her dog around the lake since she came across signs warning of the outbreak and does everything possible to keep away from dead birds. I wont let her touch anything in the lake, even the water troughs, Mavromatis said of her dog. The last major avian botulism outbreak, at Bells Swamp near Bendigo in 2023, claimed 1000 birds over three weeks. Advertisement A dead bird at Albert Park Lake. University of Melbourne professor of veterinary microbiology Glenn Browning said outbreaks were common in warm months, but the current one was deadlier than in the past. Its a higher number than previously at Albert Park, but its something that depends on the conditions, so the recent spell of high temperatures and dry weather has probably contributed to that, he said. Browning said avian botulism cant be eliminated, so the best approach is preventing outbreaks from getting worse by removing dead birds while waiting for conditions to improve. He said the biggest risk to dogs or other animals is eating the remains. Advertisement If they ingest the dead birds, there is a likelihood that they might get botulism, so itd be a good idea for people to ensure that their dogs arent managing to get to any of the carcasses, he said. Bird medicine veterinarian Dr Pat Macwhirter considers the outbreak big and agreed there was a limit to what could be done. She said antibiotics could treat a bacterial infection which triggers botulism, but by the time vets see affected birds its often too late and paralysis, which happens before they die, has already taken hold. A sign warning of the avian botulism outbreak at Albert Park Lake. Rachael Ward Signs at the lake note few cases have been reported in dogs, but Macwhirter urged people to keep their animals away from the water. Advertisement If youre seeing any signs of problems in your dog, obviously get them straight to the vet, she said. Wildlife Victorias head of emergency response services, Oscar Formoso, said botulism cases were concentrated at the lake, with seven cases there in the past few weeks, compared with 30 statewide. Do not approach or touch any animals exhibiting signs of avian botulism, Formoso said. If you have any pets or children, [try] keeping them away and calling it through to Wildlife Victoria as soon as you can. Rangers patrol the lake looking for sick or dead birds, while the water is also aerated with pumps. Advertisement Adrian Browne, Parks Victoria regional director for Greater Melbourne, said outbreaks were common and while there was no risk to humans, visitors and dogs should stay away from any infected or dead birds. Related Article Wildlife The fight to save Australian owls from common poisons Parks Victoria rangers are doing everything possible to manage an outbreak of avian botulism at Albert Park Lake, following expert scientific advice and best-practice guidelines, Browne said. Wildlife Health Australia chief executive Tiggy Grillo urged anyone who sees dead birds to report them immediately as authorities are on alert for the first local cases of deadly H5 avian influenza. Its always important to report unusual or significant sickness or death, Grillo said. Advertisement A Victorian government spokesperson said Parks Victoria was managing the outbreak. Victoria has a strong surveillance network that allows us to identify outbreaks as they occur and bring the situation under control, the spokesperson said. Start the day with a summary of the days most important and interesting stories, analysis and insights. Sign up for our Morning Edition newsletter. Advertisement WorldNorth AmericaAviation A former flight attendant is accused of fooling airlines into giving him hundreds of free flights. But how? Jennifer Sinco Kelleher January 22, 2026 3:45pm Save You have reached your maximum number of saved items. Remove items from your saved list to add more. Save this article for later Add articles to your saved list and come back to them anytime. Got it Share A A A Honolulu: A former flight attendant accused of posing as a pilot and working airline employee fooled three US carriers into giving him hundreds of free tickets over a span of four years, federal authorities say. But precisely how he is alleged to have done it and why the airlines wouldnt have caught on sooner has industry insiders scratching their heads. Dallas Pokornik, 33, of Toronto, was arrested in Panama after being indicted on wire fraud charges in federal court in Hawaii last October. He pleaded not guilty on Tuesday following his extradition to the United States. His federal public defender declined to discuss the case. The allegations are reminiscent of Catch Me If You Can, the 2002 movie starring Leonardo DiCaprio. According to court documents, Pokornik was a flight attendant for a Toronto-based airline from 2017 to 2019, then used fraudulent employee identification from that carrier to obtain tickets reserved for pilots and flight attendants on three other airlines. Court documents contained no explanation of why, in an industry focused on flight and airport safety, the airlines didnt recognise the credentials as invalid. The indictment did not identify any of the airlines involved but said the US carriers were based in Honolulu, Chicago and Fort Worth, Texas. A spokesperson for Hawaiian Airlines said on Wednesday that the company did not comment on litigation. Representatives for United Airlines and American Airlines did not immediately respond to emails. Advertisement One Canadian carrier based in Toronto, Porter Airlines, said in an emailed statement it was unable to verify any information related to this story. Air Canada, which is based in Montreal but has a major hub in Toronto, said it had no record of Pokornik working there. Related Article Fake pilots: nose-first landing unravels full-blown scandal Allegations surprise industry experts John Cox, a retired pilot who runs an aviation safety firm in St Petersburg, Florida, called the allegations surprising, considering the cross-checking that airlines could do to verify the employment of a crew member seeking to fly on another airline. Airlines generally rely on databases of active airline employees maintained on third-party websites to check whether someone is actually an employee. Advertisement The only thing I can think is that they did not show him as no longer employed by the airline, Cox said in a phone interview. Consequently, when the checks were made at the gate, he showed up as a valid employee. Related Article Aviation Off-duty pilot who tried to cut a flights engines midair faces no extra jail time Passenger airlines typically offer such free or steeply discounted standby seats, when available, to their own crew members or those of other carriers a courtesy that makes the whole industry function better, by getting crew members where they need to go. Employees can also use the perk for their immediate families when flying for leisure. Sometimes employees might sit in one of the jump seats with shoulder harnesses in the cockpit or in the cabin, but federal rules prohibit the cockpit jump seats from being used for leisure travel. How the screening usually works Advertisement Crew members who needed to travel to another city for work went through airport security by scanning a known crew member card linked to a database that had their photo, said Bruce Rodger, an airline pilot who owns an aviation consulting firm. They also presented an employee badge and government-issued identification. Using the known crew member process for leisure travel was not allowed, he said. For leisure travel, crew members can purchase discounted standby tickets or request a jump seat. With a standby ticket, a crew member reaches the gates via normal airport security screening. Its possible to have a standby ticket but request a jump seat, which allows the employee to fly free. The planes captain must approve who rides in the cockpit jump seats. Often thats a licensed pilot but Federal Aviation Administration regulations also allow for others with official reasons to be there, such as a Defence Department evaluator, an air traffic controller observing, a crew member or a representative of the manufacturer. In 2023, an off-duty airline pilot riding in the cockpit of a Horizon Air flight said Im not OK just before trying to cut the engines mid-flight. That pilot, Joseph Emerson, later told police he had been struggling with depression. A federal judge sentenced that man to time served last November. Advertisement Related Article Air accident Off-duty pilot accused of trying to shut down passenger jets engines mid-flight Pokornik asked to ride in the cockpit, prosecutors say US prosecutors said on Tuesday that Pokornik requested to sit in the cockpits jump seat typically reserved for off-duty pilots. It was not clear from court documents whether he ever actually rode in a planes cockpit, and the US Attorneys Office in Honolulu declined to say. Years ago, the airline industry tightened up the standards for the flight benefits employees receive after the famous case of Frank Abagnale, whose exaggerated 1980 memoir, Catch Me If You Can, described posing as a pilot to fly for free, among other cons. His story gained additional fame when Steven Spielberg made it into a movie starring Leonardo DiCaprio in 2002. Additional restrictions on who can get aboard a plane and inside a cockpit were imposed by the airlines and FAA after the September 2001 terrorist attacks. Advertisement AP Get a note directly from our foreign correspondents on whats making headlines around the world. Sign up for our weekly What in the World newsletter. Save You have reached your maximum number of saved items. Remove items from your saved list to add more. Share More: Aviation USA Courts 5 MNS corporators offer support to Shindes Shiv Sena in Kalyan Dombivli THANE : AMID the race for mayoral posts across civic bodies in Maharashtra, a new political equation emerged in the Kalyan Dombivli Municipal Corporation on Wednesday with five corporators of Raj Thackeray-led MNS offering support to Eknath Shindes Shiv Sena, which is in alliance with the BJP. Shiv Sena MP Shrikant Shinde made the claim about the MNS offering support to his party. The MNS corporators decision could be viewed as a setback to Uddhav Thackerays Shiv Sena (UBT) as the two parties fought the keenly-watched January 15 elections to the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) together. Shiv Sena (UBT) MP Sanjay Raut claimed that Raj Thackeray was distraught over the development in Kalyan Dombivli as it was not the official decision of his party, while MNS leader Bala Nandgaonkar said the new equation appears to be part of an understanding at the local level. In the 122-member Kalyan Dombivli Municipal Corporation (KDMC), the Shiv Sena has emerged as the single largest party by winning 53 seats, while ally BJP stands second with 50 seats. With the support of five MNS corporators, there are now 108 members in the alliance. Shiv Sena (UBT), Congress and NCP (SP) have won eleven, two and one seats respectively. The lottery for the mayoral posts in Mumbai and 28 other civic bodies are scheduled to be held on January 22. The lottery determines the category for which the mayors post will be reserved, such as general, women, SC, ST, and OBC categories. Once the category is announced, eligible candidates file their nominations. Talking to reporters outside the Divisional Commissioners office in Navi Mumbai, Senas Kalyan MP Shrikant Shinde said 53 corporators of his party have submitted a letter about the formation of a group in the civic body. Replying to a question, he said, Five corporators of the MNS, who have formed their group, declared their support to the Shiv Sena. But this is only between Shiv Sena and MNS, and not with any other party. When asked why the Shiv Sena needs support of any other party when it contested the election with the BJP, he said the mayor will belong to the Mahayuti combine only. Whichever party supports the Shiv Sena is welcome, he said, adding that the MNS has supported the party for stability and development. The party (MNS) might be of the view that in development, all of us should be together. Hence, they have supported the Mahayuti. (Local MNS leader and former MLA) Raju Patil is my friend, Shinde added. The Sena (UBT) corporators may also support the Mahayuti. Whoever extends support for development, they will be taken along. For good work that we do, anyone can support, according to him. If all come together to form power, there will be no hurdle in the development. There will be stability. Everything will function smoothly, the Lok Sabha MP from Kalyan said. He said there has not been any discussion on the posts of mayor, deputy mayor or chairperson of any civic committee so far. The authority of taking these decisions lies with Eknath Shinde and BJPs State President Ravindra Chavan. Both of them may meet today to discuss the issue. All the modalities regarding these posts will be decided during that meeting, he said. In KDMC, the Shiv Sena, BJP and MNS will elect the mayor as a Mahayuti candidate, while in neighbouring Ulhasnagar Municipal Corporation, the Shiv Sena, BJP, Vanchit Bahujan Aghadi (VBA), Secular Alliance of India (SAI) and independents will elect the mayor, he said. When asked if Shiv Sena will get the mayors post in Mumbai, he said anybody will be happy if that happens. Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Sanjay Raut said he spoke to Raj Thackeray about the political development in Kalyan Dombivli civic body. Raj Thackeray is distraught over this development. He said some people at the local level have taken this decision and it is not the decision of the MNS party, the Rajya Sabha member claimed. Former MNS MLA Bala Nandgaonkar said the development seems to be an understanding at the local level initiated by a local MNS leader, who is a former legislator. Atal Pension Yojana to continue till 2030-31 Delhi Bureau and Agencies : NEW DELHI, THE Union Cabinet, chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, on Wednesday approved the continuation of the Atal Pension Yojana (APY) up to the financial year 2030-31 along with extension of funding support for promotional and developmental activities and gap funding. The scheme will continue up to 2030-31 with Government support for Promotional and Developmental activities to expand outreach among unorganised workers, including awareness and capacity building. Gap funding to meet viability requirements and ensure sustainability of the scheme, according to a statement issued by the Finance Ministry The APY scheme ensures old-age income security for millions of low-income and unorganised sector workers. It aims to enhance financial inclusion and supports Indias transition to a pensioned society. The scheme also strengthens the vision of Viksit Bharat @2047 by providing sustainable social security, the statement said. The APY scheme was launched on May 9, 2015, to provide old-age income security to workers in the unorganised sector. The scheme offers a guaranteed minimum pension of Rs 1,000 to Rs 5,000 per month, starting at age 60, based on contributions. As of January 19, 2026, over 8.66 crore subscribers have been enrolled, making APY a cornerstone of Indias inclusive social security framework. Sustained Government support is essential for continued awareness, capacity building, and bridging of viability gaps to ensure the schemes sustainability, the statement explained. According to APY data, around 70.44 per cent of the total enrolments in the scheme have been done by public-sector banks, 19.80 per cent by regional rural banks, 6.18 per cent by private sector banks, 0.37 per cent by payment banks, 0.62 per cent by small finance banks and 2.39 per cent by cooperative banks. The Government pension scheme achieved a growth of 24 per cent in gross enrolments at the end of FY 23-24 and is rapidly gaining popularity. Rs 5,000 crore equity support approved for SIDBI THE Union Cabinet approved equity support of Rs 5,000 crore to Small Industries Development Bank of India (SIDBI). The equity capital of Rs 5,000 crore shall be infused into SIDBI by the Department of Financial Services (DFS) in three tranches of Rs 3,000 crore in financial year 2025-26 at the book value of Rs 568.65 as on March 31, 2025 and Rs 1,000 crore each in financial years 2026-27 and 2027-28 at the book value as on March 31 of the respective previous financial years, according to a Finance Ministry statement. After equity capital infusion of Rs 5,000 crore, the number of MSMEs to be provided financial assistance is expected to increase from 76.26 lakh at the end of the financial year 2025 to 102 lakh, adding approximately 25.74 lakh new MSME beneficiaries by the end of the financial year 2028. According to the latest data (as on September 30, 2025) available from the official website of the Ministry of MSME, employment for 3016 crore people has been generated by 6.90 crore MSMEs. This works out to an employment generation of 4.37 persons per MSME. Considering this average, employment generation is estimated to be 1.12 crore with the expected addition of 25.74 lakh new MSME beneficiaries by the end of the financial year 2027-28, the statement explained. With a focus on directed credit and anticipated growth in that portfolio over the next five years, the risk-weighted assets on SIDBIs balance sheet are expected to rise significantly. This increase will necessitate higher capital to sustain the same level of Capital to Risk-weighted Assets Ratio (CRAR). The digital and digitally-enabled collateral-free credit products being developed by SIDBI, aimed at boosting credit flow, along with the venture debt being offered to startups, will further escalate the risk-weighted assets, requiring even more capital to meet healthy CRAR, the statement said. A healthy CRAR, well above the mandated level, is a key to protect credit rating. SIDBI will benefit from an infusion of additional share capital by maintaining a healthy CRAR. This infusion of additional capital would enable SIDBI to generate resources at fair interest rates, thereby increasing the flow of credit to Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) at competitive cost. The proposed equity infusion in a staggered or phased manner will enable SIDBI to maintain CRAR above 10.5 per cent under a high stress scenario and above 14.5 per cent under Pillar 1 and Pillar 2 over the next three years. BACK FOR CURIOSITY IMRAN Khan is back on the big screen after a decade with a cameo in Happy Patel and the actor says his return is driven by a desire to reconnect and make movies for the sheer joy of it. Over the past two years, Imran sifted through numerous scripts but found none that sparked interest until he heard about Happy Patel, which marks the directorial debut of his Delhi Belly costar and friend Vir Das. "In late 2023, when I started reemerging from my hibernation, and connecting with the world, people said, Hey, this guy is alive and started reaching out. (But) My approach at this point is very different from what it was back then, the actor, who was last seen on screen in 2015 film, Katti Batti, told PTI recently. Not everybody wants the same thing from their careers. Everyones got different paths that theyre seeking. Im not seeking to build myself into a very big star, to be the biggest star or to be in the top three. Unless I love the film and really want to make it, I wont... I will only make a film if I feel FOMO (fear of missing out), he said. Acknowledging that he is financially secure, Imran -- best known for rom-coms like JaaneTuYa Jaane Naa, I Hate Luv Storys, and Break Ke Baad -- said at this point in his life, he prefers working alongside friends and like-minded individuals. "The reason that I ever made films was to play with my friends. We get a bunch of friendly people together, we paint our faces, we put on costumes and we play (the part). Thats how I see moviemaking. Not to take away from how seriously one takes the thing, but creating art must come from a place of love and joy, he said. Imran said when he heard that Das and another friend, actor Mithila Palkar, were working together on a zany, spoofy spy comedy, he couldnt shake off the feeling of missing out. "Id not heard a narration or a script, its the buzz that I was getting from my friends. I was struck with FOMO. I was like, Guys, youre all doing this fun thing. Can I also come along and have fun with you guys? "I texted Vir saying, I would love to be in your film, can you include me somewhere?. So, he wrote me a part, which was not in the original script and said,Lets have some fun. " Imran said Das is one of the best stand-up comedians in India and he loves attending his comedy shows across the world. Happy Patel, which released in theatres on Friday, is a quirky spy comedy. It is a reunion between Imran and Das after Delhi Belly (2011), and with Palkar after Katti Batti (2015). In the film, Imran takes on the role of Milind Morea, an international supermodel. He and Das had planned to keep the news of his cameo asecret, hoping tosurprise audiences when they saw him in the theatre. However, the news leaked immediately. The 43-year-old actor admitted that he was surprised to see himself in the films trailer and never anticipated the attention and interest it would generate. He added that he has not actively tried to stay relevant during his hiatus. Its (attention) all a lot more than one would have imagined.When you consider all of the conventional wisdom that tells you that you must make great efforts to stay in peoples consciousness and to stay relevant, youve to reach out and grab them and hold their attention, he said. Again, because up until this moment, its not like I had suddenly made a great film that everyone was appreciating, Oh, what a wonderful film, what great acting is, its none of that. People responded a lot more than (expected), Imran added. Imran said he chose to take a step back from acting after a bunch of his films including Katti Batti and Gori Tere Pyaar Mein failed at the box office. ...At first, youve that feeling, Oh, no, my film has flopped. I had made the films with love and with friends. I enjoyed the process, he recounted. Quick Read Ford (F) beat earnings estimates in three straight quarters but 2025 full-year EPS of $0.96 fell 48% from 2024. Ford is retreating from electric vehicles to prioritize gasoline and hybrid models after significant Model-e division losses. Ford is up 78% over ten years compared to 260% for the S&P 500 despite a 47% gain in the past year. A recent study identified one single habit that doubled Americans retirement savings and moved retirement from dream, to reality. Read more here. Ford beat earnings estimates in three straight quarters through Q3 2025, with a stunning 367% surprise in Q1. The stock responded by going... nowhere. Up 47% over the past year but still trading at $13.60, barely above where it sat in 2016. That's the Ford pattern in a nutshell: promise without payoff, execution without escape velocity. The market's skepticism isn't about the recent numbers. It's about the pattern. Ford's 2025 full-year EPS of $0.96 represents a 48% collapse from 2024's $1.84, marking the lowest annual earnings since the pandemic year of 2020. Strip away the quarterly beat headlines, and you find a company whose profitability has cratered even as it learned to clear lowered bars. This is Ford's recurring curse: strategic pivots announced with fanfare, executed with mediocrity, then quietly abandoned. The latest chapter, electric vehicles, follows the script perfectly. Bill Ford told the Detroit Free Press in January that the company is "revising U.S. business strategy to prioritize gasoline and hybrid vehicles" while acknowledging "significant losses in Model-e division." Translation: We promised an EV revolution, lost billions, and now we're backing away. The BYD battery partnership talks epitomize Ford's desperation. Seeking Chinese battery suppliers for overseas factories after failing to build domestic EV capability triggered immediate political backlash. CEO Jim Farley warned about trade uncertainty making cars "even more expensive," but the real cost is credibility. Ford keeps announcing affordability initiatives, the latest came January 19 with promises of "announcements expected soon," yet delivers nothing concrete while Stellantis explores sub-$30,000 vehicles. The numbers expose the structural rot. Ford's 2.48% profit margin and 10.3% return on equity sit well below what capital-intensive manufacturing requires. The company generates $47.69 in revenue per share but converts barely $1.17 to earnings. That's not operational excellence. That's a scale business with commoditized products and no pricing power. Board of Peace might replace UN: Trump By Yoshita Singh NEW YORK US PRESIDENT Donald Trump wished the UN, which has never lived up to its potential, could do more so there would be no need for Board of Peace on Gaza that he said might replace the world organisation. The newly-created Board of Peace has been established by Trump to support the reconstruction of Gaza. Well, it might. The UN just hasnt been very helpful. Im a big fan of the UNs potential, but it has never lived up to its potential, Trump said at a press conference while responding to a question on whether he wants the Board of Peace to replace the UN. Trump addressed a packed White House press briefing room on Tuesday on one-year anniversary of his second term in office. The press conference, which lasted 105 minutes, Trump said the US has just created the Board of Peace, which I think is going to be amazing. Cabinet approves Excise Policy CHHATTISGARH Cabinet has on Wednesday approved Chhattisgarh Excise Policy for the financial year 2026-27 and authorized the State Excise Department to carry out all the related proceedings of the Excise Policy. Talking to mediapersons at the Auditorium of the Culture Department in capital, Deputy Chief Minister Arun Sao said that the 42nd cabinet meeting was held under the chairmanship of Chief Minister Vishnu Deo Sai at the state capital on Wednesday, in which various important decisions were taken. The Cabinet has approved the proposal for allotment of approximately 40 acres of land earmarked at Sector-18, Nava Raipur Atal Nagar on lease basis for 90 years to Shri Vile Parle Kelavani Mandal (SVKM) for setting up its Narsee Monjee Institute of Management Studies to establish a high-quality educational institution in the new capital city. SVKM is a renowned institution, which is working in the field of education since the year 1934 and currently running 30 educational institutions and it provides education to more than one lakh students every year from pre-primary to doctoral programmes. This institute has got 52nd rank in NIRF University Ranking in the year 2025. The establishment of this national level institute in Nava Raipur will further strengthen modern and quality education in the state, he added. The Cabinet has decided to sign memorandum of understanding (MoU) with Software Technology Parks of India (STPI) for setting up four new entrepreneurship centres in Nava Raipur Atal Nagar. This MoU will be important in promoting the IT/ITES industry and technology start-up ecosystem in State. The STPI operates 68 centres, of which 60 are located in tier-2 and tier-3 cities of India. The STPI in collaboration with the Department of Electronics Information Technology, Government of Chhattisgarh will promote 133 domain-specific start-ups in the next three to five years through AI, MedTech (herbal medicine and forest product based), Smart City and Smart Agri Entrepreneurship Centres. CAREER CALL ACTOR Vishal Pandey has reportedly declined the offer to be a part of the upcoming reality show The Fifty. If the reports are to be believed, Vishal made the decision to step away due to his prior professional commitments. The sources close to the actor reveal that Vishal is currently immersed in the preparation and shooting schedule of an upcoming web series. The filming for the show is expected to commence on February 8. Given the overlapping dates and the hectic shooting timeline,Vishal found it difficult to fully commit to the reality show format. Reflecting on his decision, Vishal shared, With my current shooting schedule, I genuinely didnt have the dates to take on a reality show. My focus remains on acting, and unfortunately, this was one of those situations where there was no option but to pass. The Bigg Boss OTT 3 contestant added, Yes, I was offered "The Fifty" and I was genuinely excited about doing it as its a very interesting format. However, due to prior acting commitments and a very exciting project that I begin shooting for in February, I dont have the required dates to fully commit to the show. Sometimes tough choices have to be made, and right now my focus is on my acting projects. The Fifty is scheduled to go on floors from February 1. Along with Yaari Hai Ankhaee, Vishal is also expected to be a part of the web show Hostage Love.This drama is likely to present him in a fresh avatar with deeper emotional layers and intense chemistry. Confident of winning upcoming polls in WB, Tamil Nadu: BJP after Nabin-led meeting NEW DELHI : THE BJP on Wednesday asserted that it will form its Government in West Bengal and Tamil Nadu for the first time by defeating the ruling TMC and the DMK respectively in the upcoming Assembly polls. In a statement, the BJP said based on the ground reports presented by the partys State units here at a meeting chaired by BJP National President Nitin Nabin, it is confident of dislodging the Mamata Banerjee Government in West Bengal and the M K Stalin Government in Tamil Nadu in the upcoming polls. At the meeting, Nabin reviewed the BJPs election preparations so far in West Bengal, Assam, Tamil Nadu, Kerala and Puducherry, party national general secretary Arun Singh said. Representatives from all these States presented their respective preparedness reports before the BJP President, he said. The National President expressed satisfaction over the partys preparations, Singh said. Based on the reports submitted by the State BJP Presidents and State in-charges, it can be confidently said that in West Bengal, the Bharatiya Janata Party is all set to form the government for the first time with a full majority with the blessings of the people, he added. Singh said that based on the reports presented by the State units at the meeting, the BJP is also confident of forming its Government for a third consecutive term in Assam. In Tamil Nadu also, the BJP-NDA will form the Government this time, he said. While the NDA is set to return to power in Puducherry, the Bharatiya Janata Party is also expected to deliver a very strong performance in Kerala in the upcoming assembly elections, the BJP leader added. A day after taking over as the BJP chief, Nabin on Wednesday hit the ground running when he held his first strategy meeting with all key office-bearers of the party and reviewed preparations for the upcoming assembly elections in the five States, including West Bengal. At the day-long meeting, Nabin also asked the party functionaries to further strengthen the organisation at the grassroots level and instructed them to counter the Congress negative campaign against the Viksit Bharat-Guarantee for Rozgar and Ajeevika Mission (Gramin) (VB-G RAM G) scheme by intensifying efforts to apprise the people of its benefits, sources said. The party is already running a campaign across the country to counter the Congress attempts to build a narrative against the scheme that replaced the UPA-initiated Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme (MGNREGS). At the meeting, Nabin discussed with the BJP functionaries the strength of the party campaign being run across the country and made necessary suggestions to make it stronger, the sources said. In the meeting, which discussed a host of other issues, former BJP president J P Nadda was present along with senior leaders, including the partys national office-bearers and state unit functionaries. Nadda also addressed the delegates and gave his guidance and suggestions on various issues discussed at the meeting, a leader said. Humans arguing seems silly when you look at Earth from space: Sunita Williams By Kunal Dutt NEW DELHI, NASA astronaut Sunita Williams retired on Dec 27, 2025 from the space agency, capping a stellar 27-year career during which she completed 3 missions aboard the ISS and set various human spaceflight records. She said looking at this beautiful, living planet from up there changes ones perspectives towards life. ASTRONAUT Sunita Williams said space travel has changed her perspective towards life in general, and the idea of humans arguing or having differences over issues seems so silly when you look at Earth as one planet from outer space. Williams, 60, who recently retired from the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA), is currently visiting India. She was speaking at an interactive session titled Eyes on the Stars, Feet on the Ground, hosted at the American Center here. During the conversation, she spoke about her most recent mission -- which saw an intended an eight-day test flight to the International Space Station (ISS) extend to over nine months due to technical issues with the Boeing Starliner spacecraft -- Williams described space travel as the ultimate team sport, adding that countries need to work together as this is our one planet, we are here together. When you get to space, I think everybody does this... We all want to look for our home. My father is from India and my mother is from Slovenia. So Im obviously looking for these places to call home. And thats your first objective, she said. However, she noted that this initial search for a specific home eventually evolves into a broader realisation of the Earths unity. Our planet is alive. Some people think there are just rocks out there, but it is moving. I could see seasons, changes in oceans colours with algae blooms, for example, or seeing ice formations in the north, you know, in the high northern hemisphere or down near Antarctica, she said. She said looking at this beautiful, living planet from up there changes ones perspectives towards life. It changes ones perception about people having any differences. It makes you feel like we are just one, and we all should work closer and easier together, the astronaut said. And it made me feel like, why would anybody argue about anything. I know, Im married. I have a husband. We argue. So I understand arguments, but like the reality of it is, like why? You know, it seems silly when you look at Earth from that perspective, Williams added. Illegal mining in Aravallis can lead to irreversible damage: SC NEW DELHI : To constitute expert body to look into the aspects on Aravallis OBSERVING that illegal mining can lead to irreversible damage, the Supreme Court on Wednesday said it will constitute an expert committee comprising domain experts to undertake an exhaustive and holistic examination of mining and related issues in the Aravallis. A bench comprising Chief Justice Surya Kant and Justices Joymalya Bagchi and Vipul M Pancholi directed Additional Solicitor General Aishwarya Bhati, amicus curiae K Parameshwar, to suggest in four weeks the names of environmentalists and scientists who have expertise in mining so that an expert body can be constituted to look into the aspects. The committee will work under the direction and supervision of this court, the bench said. The apex court also extended its order, which kept in abeyance its November 20 directions that accepted a uniform definition of Aravallis hills and ranges. During the hearing, the apex court was informed that illegal mining is taking place in scattered places, and the bench took on record assurance of Additional Solicitor General K M Nataraj, appearing for the Rajasthan Government, that no such unauthorised mining shall take place. Amid a row over the definition of the Aravalli hills approved by it, the apex court had taken suo motu cognisance of the issue titled as In Re: Definition of Aravalli Hills and Ranges and Ancillary Issues. Amid the outcry over the new definition of Aravallis, the top court on December 29 last year had kept in abeyance its November 20 directions that accepted a uniform definition of these hills and ranges, saying there is a need to resolve critical ambiguities including whether the 100-metre elevation and the 500-metre gap between hills criteria will strip significant portion of the range of environment protection. The top court had on November 20 accepted a uniform definition of the Aravalli Hills and ranges and banned the grant of fresh mining leases inside its areas spanning Delhi, Haryana, Rajasthan and Gujarat until experts reports are out. It had accepted the recommendations of a committee of the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change on the definition of the Aravalli Hills and ranges to protect the worlds oldest mountain system. The committee had recommended that Aravalli Hill be defined as any landform in designated Aravalli districts with an elevation of 100 metres or more above its local relief, and an Aravalli Range will be a collection of two or more such hills within 500 metres of each other. Integration of all the independent States made Sardar Patel Iron Man: Purohit Delhi Bureau Agencies NEW DELHI HIGHLIGHTING the contribution of Sardar Patel in the struggle for Freedom and his valuable contribution in integrating 603 Princely States after the Independence, former Governor of Punjab and the Vice President and Trustee of Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan Banwarilal Purohit has said the difficult task of integration of all the independent states into one Bharat made him the Iron Man of India. Mr. Purohit was speaking after lighting the lamp to start the programme organised at Delhi Kendra of Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan on the life of Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel, Ex. Home Minister of India to commemorate his 150th Birth Anniversary. The former Governor said, Sardar Patel was an unparalleled leader of the country and that the countrymen never forget this great feat he did for the country as an Iron man of India. His contribution in the freedom movement is invaluable, he added. On this occasion, Internationally Acclaimed Speaker Dr. Shobhana Radhakrishna narrated Sardar Katha on the life of Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel. She beautifully narrated the katha on Sardars life along with her team artists. She briefly shed a light on the early childhood of Sardar, his education, his contribution as a lawyer, his participation along with Dr. K M Munshi in various Satyagrahas launched by Mahatma Gandhi against the anti-Indian people policies of then British Government. Sardar remained in jail for six years while participating in the freedom struggle. Firm determination and oneness was the hallmark of his life. She called upon the students to emulate the qualities of Sardar Patel in their life and they must contribute to nation building by taking inspiration from the life of a great personality. Only 4% of mothers successfully breastfeedtwins exclusively for six months, study finds Staff Reporter : TWINS are more likely to be born premature, have low birth weight, and face a higher risk of infections. Under such circumstances, exclusive breastfeeding during the first six months is critical for their survival and healthy growth. However, caring for two newborns simultaneously places heavy physical and emotional demands on mothers, often making exclusive breastfeeding difficult. A new study conducted by AIIMS Bhopal, in collaboration with AIIMS Bhubaneswar, reveals that only 4 percent of mothers of twins in Kodinhi, Kerala, Indias famous Twin Town, were able to exclusively breastfeed their babies for the recommended six months. Nearly 70 percent of mothers reported significant fatigue, while concerns about low milk supply and the logistical challenge of handling two infants emerged as major obstacles. Despite these challenges, many mothers showed remarkable dedication, continuing breastfeeding for one to two years. Some mothers adopted tandem breastfeeding, feeding both babies together to manage the demanding schedule. The study highlights that even when exclusive breastfeeding is difficult, extended and simultaneous breastfeeding provides significant health benefits for twins, particularly in building immunity and promoting growth. Kodinhi, a small village in Kerala, has attracted worldwide attention for its unusually high twin birth rate. Home to around 400 pairs of twins, it holds the highest twin birth rate in India and the second highest globally. Researchers are keen to study the village to understand both the biological and social factors behind this phenomenon, and to learn lessons for improving maternal and child health in high-twinning regions. The study, led by Dr Geeta Bhardwaj, Assistant Professor at AIIMS Bhopal, in collaboration with Dr M V Smitha of AIIMS Bhubaneswar, emphasises the need for healthcare providers to offer practical and empathetic support to mothers of twins. This includes teaching twinfeeding positions, providing emotional encouragement, and promoting any amount of breastfeeding, rather than focusing solely on rigid targets. Positive reinforcement, the researchers note, plays a key role in boosting a mothers confidence and helping her continue breastfeeding despite challenges. Commenting on the study, Prof. Dr Madhabananda Kar, Executive Director of AIIMS Bhopal, said that the research sheds light on the real-life struggles and remarkable dedication of mothers of twins. He added that such evidence-based studies are essential for shaping responsive maternal and child health policies and for building a supportive healthcare environment for mothers and newborns. The findings from Kodinhi also serve as a valuable guide for hospitals, health workers, and families, showing that even partial or tandem breastfeeding can make a meaningful difference in the lives of twins. Shiv Shivakumar to deliver keynote at CIMCON26 on Thinking BIG, Acting BOLD SHIV Shivakumar, renowned management guru, former CEO of PepsiCo and Nokia India, and currently Operating Partner at global private equity firm Advent International, will be the keynote speaker at the Central India Management Conclave 2026 (CIMCON26). His address on the theme Thinking Big, Acting Bold promises to be a masterclass in leadership, transformation, and 10X growth thinking. An engineer from IIT Madras, with management education from IIM Calcutta and The Wharton School, Shivakumar is a distinguished alumnus of both IIT and IIM. With an illustrious career spanning over four decades, he has held leadership roles in marquee organisations including Hindustan Unilever, Nokia, PepsiCo, and the Aditya Birla Group, and was among the youngest CEOs in corporate India. He has worked across more than 60 brands and led multiple large-scale business turnarounds and transformations. Currently an Operating Partner at Advent International, he also serves as Non-Executive Chairman of Burger King India and is on the Customer Advisory Council of Meta. His contributions to management and leadership have been widely recognised, including the KPMGAIMA Award for Outstanding Leadership and the Asia Leadership Award from the Asian Association of Management Organisations. A passionate educator and mentor, Shivakumar has served on the Boards of Governors of IIM Ahmedabad, XLRI, XIMB and IIM Udaipur, and has delivered over 25 convocation addresses at leading business schools. He is the author of three best-selling books Reflections, The Right Choice, and The Art of Management. At CIMCON26, his keynote will connect the dots between leading self, leading teams, and leading organisations for exponential growth. The core takeaway: Learn. Unlearn. Grow. Because thinking big and acting bold is the pathway to sustainable 10X success. You can find original article here WealthManagement. Subscribe to our free daily WealthManagement newsletters. Collaborative Capital Advisors, a $382 million multi-family office based in New York, has hired former Wealthspire Chief Investment Officer Michael Moriarty to take the same position at its firm. In the new role, Moriarty will lead investment activities, hiring and the buildout of the firms investment platform, according to the announcement. Hell also be joining a firm with which he has had a decades-long relationship. He and Co-Chief Executive Officer Nathan Romano first overlapped at Bear Stearns, according to their LinkedIn pages. Michael and I have known each other since 2002 and have worked closely together in the past, Romano said in a statement. Our recent conversations made apparent what we could achieve together. We will leverage our shared expertise and extensive networks to provide our clients with a more sophisticated investment perspective and solutions that meet their complex financial needs. Moriartys landing spot comes after Wealthspire announced its new organization and leadership structure following its September acquisition by private equity firmand former ownerMadison Dearborn Partners. In December, the new RIA, which included four other wealth and retirement firms previously owned by Aon, named Fiducient Advisors Brad Long as CIO of Wealthspire. A Wealthspire spokesperson confirmed that Moriarty would be departing at that time; the news of his departure was first reported by Citywire. Moriarty had been part of Wealthspires early days, joining in 2017 through one of its seed firms, Sontag Advisors. With the acquisition, Madison Dearborn has consolidated its wealth divisions under the Wealthspire brand, with CEO Mike LaMena running the firm as a single unit that will continue to be an active acquirer. Moriarty will now steer investment strategy at Collaborative Capital, which focuses on ultra-high-net-worth families and individuals with investable assets of $25 million to $1 billion. The firm had $382 million in AUM as of its most recent Form ADV. His proven track record of helping build and scale some of the worlds premier financial institutions strengthens our ability to deliver differentiated, bespoke investment solutions for our clients across a broad range of disciplines, Jonathan Bergman, the firms other co-CEO, said in a statement. Moriarty had also been head of the investment platform at Dynasty Financial Partners, chief operating officer of Surveyor Capital, a Citadel business, and a managing director and head of the Americas hedge fund derivatives business at J. P. Morgan. Forvis Mazars, an audit, accounting and consulting business, has opened a new office at Three Chamberlain Square in Birmingham, UK. The move further strengthens the operators presence across the Midlands. The company, which has doubled its workforce since 2021, said around 340 employees will be based at the new office. Forvis Mazars Birmingham office managing partner Stephen Lewis said: "We are thrilled to welcome our team and clients to Three Chamberlain Square. This new space reflects both our ambition and our values, creating a sustainable and modern environment that supports our people and strengthens our position at the heart of Birminghams business community. The new office covers almost 23,000ft and has been designed to support collaborative working and client service. The company noted that the Three Chamberlain Square commercial building also holds BREEAM Outstanding certification and a NABERS 5-star rating. Forvis Mazars partner and growth head Gareth Jones said: Opening our doors here is a proud moment for the firm. It demonstrates our confidence in Birmingham and our commitment to providing businesses across the region with the expertise they need to succeed. In December last year, Forvis Mazars appointed Neil Lawrinson as partner and head of UK audit methodology, based in its Manchester office. In this role, he leads the UK audit methodology team, focusing on audit quality and client service. Lawrinson returned to the company after spending four years in the Institute of Chartered Accountants in England and Wales quality assurance department, where he assessed non-public interest entity audits at a variety of companies. "Forvis Mazars opens new office in Birmingham, UK" was originally created and published by International Accounting Bulletin, a GlobalData owned brand. Banc of California, Inc. (NYSE:BANC Get Free Report)s share price reached a new 52-week high on Wednesday following a stronger than expected earnings report. The stock traded as high as $21.08 and last traded at $21.0550, with a volume of 1431738 shares. The stock had previously closed at $20.22. The bank reported $0.42 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, beating the consensus estimate of $0.38 by $0.04. Banc of California had a return on equity of 8.00% and a net margin of 11.49%. Get Banc of California alerts: Banc of California Dividend Announcement The business also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Friday, January 2nd. Shareholders of record on Monday, December 15th were paid a $0.10 dividend. This represents a $0.40 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 1.9%. The ex-dividend date was Monday, December 15th. Banc of Californias payout ratio is presently 38.46%. Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades BANC has been the topic of a number of research reports. DA Davidson lifted their price target on shares of Banc of California from $20.00 to $21.00 and gave the stock a buy rating in a report on Friday, October 24th. Wells Fargo & Company raised their target price on Banc of California from $18.00 to $20.00 and gave the stock an overweight rating in a research report on Monday, September 29th. JPMorgan Chase & Co. upped their price target on Banc of California from $21.00 to $24.00 and gave the company an overweight rating in a research report on Tuesday, December 16th. Raymond James Financial raised Banc of California from an outperform rating to a strong-buy rating in a report on Tuesday, October 7th. Finally, Barclays boosted their price objective on Banc of California from $21.00 to $25.00 and gave the company an overweight rating in a research note on Friday, December 19th. One equities research analyst has rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, eight have assigned a Buy rating and two have assigned a Hold rating to the companys stock. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, the stock currently has a consensus rating of Moderate Buy and a consensus price target of $19.95. Read Our Latest Stock Report on Banc of California Institutional Inflows and Outflows A number of hedge funds have recently added to or reduced their stakes in BANC. Bank of America Corp DE increased its holdings in shares of Banc of California by 243.9% in the third quarter. Bank of America Corp DE now owns 3,430,938 shares of the banks stock worth $56,782,000 after purchasing an additional 2,433,394 shares during the period. Dimensional Fund Advisors LP grew its position in Banc of California by 45.4% during the third quarter. Dimensional Fund Advisors LP now owns 5,053,402 shares of the banks stock worth $83,635,000 after buying an additional 1,576,914 shares in the last quarter. Balyasny Asset Management L.P. bought a new position in Banc of California in the 2nd quarter worth about $17,400,000. FJ Capital Management LLC increased its stake in Banc of California by 265.8% in the 2nd quarter. FJ Capital Management LLC now owns 1,365,440 shares of the banks stock worth $19,184,000 after acquiring an additional 992,154 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Invesco Ltd. raised its holdings in shares of Banc of California by 21.5% in the 2nd quarter. Invesco Ltd. now owns 5,410,938 shares of the banks stock valued at $76,024,000 after acquiring an additional 957,693 shares in the last quarter. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 86.88% of the companys stock. Banc of California Trading Up 4.1% The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.32, a quick ratio of 0.89 and a current ratio of 0.89. The stock has a market cap of $3.19 billion, a P/E ratio of 20.25 and a beta of 0.69. The stock has a 50-day moving average price of $19.16 and a 200-day moving average price of $17.21. Banc of California Company Profile (Get Free Report) Banc of California, N.A. is a full-service commercial bank headquartered in Santa Ana, California, offering a broad spectrum of banking products and services to corporate and individual customers. The bank focuses on serving middle-market businesses, professional service firms, real estate investors and developers, and entrepreneurs throughout California. Its core offerings include deposit accounts, treasury management services, commercial real estate lending, equipment finance, lines of credit and Small Business Administration lending, complemented by cash management and online banking solutions. Operating a network of branches and lending offices concentrated in both Southern and Northern California, Banc of California seeks to support local businesses and communities with personalized service and regional expertise. Recommended Stories Receive News & Ratings for Banc of California Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Banc of California and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Shares of Canadian Life Companies Split Corp. (TSE:LFE Get Free Report) hit a new 52-week high on Wednesday . The company traded as high as C$7.81 and last traded at C$7.80, with a volume of 77120 shares. The stock had previously closed at C$7.57. Canadian Life Companies Split Trading Up 2.9% The company has a market cap of C$83.71 million, a price-to-earnings ratio of 2.56 and a beta of 3.88. The business has a fifty day simple moving average of C$7.09 and a 200 day simple moving average of C$6.59. The company has a quick ratio of 1.33, a current ratio of 1.47 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 210.26. Canadian Life Companies Split Company Profile (Get Free Report) The Companys investment objectives are (i) to provide holders of Preferred Shares with fixed cumulative preferential monthly cash dividends in the amount of $0.04375 per Preferred Share to yield 5.25% per annum on the original issue price (ii) to provide holders of Class A Shares with regular monthly cash distributions targeted to be $0.10 per Class A Share to yield 8.0% per annum on the original issue price and (iii) to return the original issue price to holders of both Preferred Shares and Class A Shares at the time of the redemption of such shares on December 1, 2012. Featured Stories Receive News & Ratings for Canadian Life Companies Split Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Canadian Life Companies Split and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Canadian Natural Resources Limited (TSE:CNQ Get Free Report) (NYSE:CNQ)s stock price hit a new 52-week high during mid-day trading on Wednesday . The company traded as high as C$49.95 and last traded at C$49.85, with a volume of 5666296 shares. The stock had previously closed at C$47.62. Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth Several research firms recently commented on CNQ. Raymond James Financial lifted their target price on shares of Canadian Natural Resources from C$55.00 to C$56.00 in a research report on Monday, November 10th. Scotiabank upped their price objective on Canadian Natural Resources from C$54.00 to C$58.00 and gave the company an outperform rating in a research note on Thursday, October 9th. National Bankshares lowered their price target on Canadian Natural Resources from C$48.00 to C$47.00 and set a sector perform rating on the stock in a report on Friday, January 9th. Royal Bank Of Canada cut their price target on shares of Canadian Natural Resources from C$62.00 to C$61.00 and set an outperform rating for the company in a research report on Tuesday, January 13th. Finally, Evercore Partners lowered Canadian Natural Resources from an outperform rating to an in-line rating and set a C$50.00 price objective on the stock. in a research report on Tuesday, January 6th. Three investment analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating and six have issued a Hold rating to the company. Based on data from MarketBeat, the company has a consensus rating of Hold and a consensus target price of C$53.70. Get Canadian Natural Resources alerts: Read Our Latest Stock Analysis on Canadian Natural Resources Canadian Natural Resources Trading Up 4.5% The company has a quick ratio of 0.54, a current ratio of 0.84 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 25.79. The company has a market capitalization of C$103.63 billion, a PE ratio of 15.69, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 0.53 and a beta of 0.71. The stocks 50 day moving average is C$46.07 and its two-hundred day moving average is C$44.38. Canadian Natural Resources (TSE:CNQ Get Free Report) (NYSE:CNQ) last posted its quarterly earnings data on Thursday, November 6th. The company reported C$0.86 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter. Canadian Natural Resources had a net margin of 21.25% and a return on equity of 19.14%. The firm had revenue of C$9.52 billion for the quarter. As a group, sell-side analysts predict that Canadian Natural Resources Limited will post 3.833989 EPS for the current fiscal year. About Canadian Natural Resources (Get Free Report) Canadian Natural Resources is one of the largest oil and natural gas producers in western Canada, supplemented by operations in the North Sea and Offshore Africa. The companys portfolio includes light and medium oil, heavy oil, bitumen, synthetic oil, natural gas liquids, and natural gas. Production averaged 1.16 million barrels of oil equivalent per day in 2020, and the company estimates that it holds over 11.5 billion boe of proven and probable crude oil and natural gas reserves. Further Reading Receive News & Ratings for Canadian Natural Resources Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Canadian Natural Resources and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Founded in 1869, Goldman Sachs is the worlds second-largest investment bank by revenue and is ranked 55th on the Fortune 500 list of the largest U.S. corporations by total revenue. The Wall Street white-glove giant offers financing, advisory services, risk distribution, and hedging for the firms institutional and corporate clients. In addition, they produce some of Wall Streets most coveted research and serve as a bellwether for the financial industry. At 24/7 Wall St., we have followed the companys research for 15 years to bring our readers its top stock ideas. 24/7 Wall St. Key Points It is a bullish sign when top firms like Goldman Sachs raise price targets on Buy-rated stocks. With fourth-quarter earnings gearing up to full speed, companies that see their price targets raised are likely to offer solid momentum into upcoming reports. After three double-digit years of upside for the S&P 500, stock selection may be more critical this year. A recent study identified one single habit that doubled Americans retirement savings and moved retirement from dream, to reality. Read more here. It is always a good sign when the Goldman Sachs team starts raising price targets on Buy-rated companies. Typically, when a stock has been performing well, and its target price is increased, it usually means that analysts are optimistic about what they see six to 12 months ahead. When we see significant price increases of 10% or more, it is time to share this with our readers. Recently, the firm raised price targets on three blue-chip giants, including one of the top-performing Magnificent 7 technology leaders. In an interesting side note, Warren Buffetts Berkshire Hathaway owns two of the stocks we are featuring. Why we recommend Goldman Sachs stocks Chris Hondros / Getty Images Chris Hondros / Getty Images Goldman Sachs is the acknowledged leader in the investment landscape on Wall Street and worldwide. The firm's top-notch research department continues to provide clients with the best ideas across the investment spectrum and is likely to do so for years to come. Ally Financial The bank with no buildings, formerly known as GMAC, offers a solid 2.75% dividend. Ally Financial Inc. (NYSE: ALLY) is a financial services company with the nations largest all-digital bank and an industry-leading auto financing business. The company serves approximately 10 million customers with deposits, securities brokerage, investment advisory services, auto financing, and insurance offerings. The company also includes a corporate finance business that offers capital for middle-market companies. The companys segments include: Hypermarcas (OTCMKTS:HYPMY Get Free Report)s share price gapped up prior to trading on Wednesday . The stock had previously closed at $4.35, but opened at $4.5625. Hypermarcas shares last traded at $4.5625, with a volume of 271 shares traded. Hypermarcas Trading Up 5.5% The companys 50-day moving average is $4.51 and its 200 day moving average is $4.44. The company has a current ratio of 1.27, a quick ratio of 0.84 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.61. The firm has a market cap of $2.91 billion, a PE ratio of 19.95 and a beta of 0.72. Get Hypermarcas alerts: Hypermarcas (OTCMKTS:HYPMY Get Free Report) last announced its earnings results on Wednesday, November 12th. The company reported $0.13 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter. The company had revenue of $408.83 million for the quarter. Hypermarcas had a net margin of 12.03% and a return on equity of 6.89%. Hypermarcas Company Profile Hypermarcas SA is a Brazil-based consumer health and pharmaceutical company whose shares trade over the counter in the United States under the symbol HYPMY. Founded in the early 2000s and headquartered in Rio de Janeiro, the company operates as a holding group for a broad portfolio of branded products in the healthcare and personal care sectors. Through its various subsidiaries, Hypermarcas develops, manufactures and markets prescription and over-the-counter medications, alongside personal care, baby care, home care and nutritional supplement products. Recommended Stories Receive News & Ratings for Hypermarcas Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Hypermarcas and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Shares of Oshkosh Corporation (NYSE:OSK Get Free Report) reached a new 52-week high during trading on Wednesday . The company traded as high as $156.24 and last traded at $154.4010, with a volume of 349600 shares trading hands. The stock had previously closed at $148.80. Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth Several brokerages have recently weighed in on OSK. Citigroup boosted their target price on Oshkosh from $150.00 to $175.00 and gave the stock a buy rating in a report on Tuesday, January 13th. Barclays initiated coverage on Oshkosh in a research report on Tuesday, November 25th. They set an overweight rating and a $150.00 price objective on the stock. KeyCorp restated an overweight rating on shares of Oshkosh in a report on Thursday, December 18th. Wells Fargo & Company initiated coverage on Oshkosh in a research note on Thursday, November 13th. They issued an overweight rating and a $144.00 target price for the company. Finally, Sanford C. Bernstein lifted their price target on Oshkosh from $132.00 to $140.00 and gave the stock a market perform rating in a report on Friday, December 19th. Thirteen research analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating, five have given a Hold rating and one has assigned a Sell rating to the company. According to MarketBeat, the company has an average rating of Moderate Buy and an average target price of $151.31. Get Oshkosh alerts: View Our Latest Research Report on Oshkosh Oshkosh Stock Performance The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.24, a current ratio of 1.98 and a quick ratio of 0.99. The company has a market cap of $9.80 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 15.11, a PEG ratio of 2.07 and a beta of 1.41. The firm has a 50 day simple moving average of $132.47 and a 200-day simple moving average of $132.32. Oshkosh (NYSE:OSK Get Free Report) last announced its quarterly earnings results on Wednesday, October 29th. The company reported $3.20 EPS for the quarter, beating the consensus estimate of $3.12 by $0.08. The business had revenue of $2.69 billion for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $2.84 billion. Oshkosh had a return on equity of 16.60% and a net margin of 6.43%.The companys quarterly revenue was down 1.9% on a year-over-year basis. During the same quarter in the prior year, the company posted $2.93 EPS. Oshkosh has set its FY 2025 guidance at 10.500-11.000 EPS. As a group, analysts predict that Oshkosh Corporation will post 10.96 EPS for the current fiscal year. Oshkosh Announces Dividend The business also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Monday, December 1st. Shareholders of record on Monday, November 17th were paid a dividend of $0.51 per share. This represents a $2.04 annualized dividend and a yield of 1.3%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend was Monday, November 17th. Oshkoshs dividend payout ratio (DPR) is 19.90%. Hedge Funds Weigh In On Oshkosh Hedge funds have recently made changes to their positions in the stock. Harbor Capital Advisors Inc. purchased a new stake in Oshkosh in the third quarter valued at approximately $26,000. Blue Trust Inc. boosted its position in shares of Oshkosh by 471.1% during the third quarter. Blue Trust Inc. now owns 217 shares of the companys stock worth $28,000 after buying an additional 179 shares during the period. SJS Investment Consulting Inc. grew its stake in shares of Oshkosh by 3,014.3% in the third quarter. SJS Investment Consulting Inc. now owns 218 shares of the companys stock valued at $28,000 after buying an additional 211 shares in the last quarter. Abich Financial Wealth Management LLC acquired a new stake in shares of Oshkosh in the third quarter valued at $29,000. Finally, Whittier Trust Co. raised its holdings in shares of Oshkosh by 69.1% in the 2nd quarter. Whittier Trust Co. now owns 279 shares of the companys stock valued at $32,000 after buying an additional 114 shares during the period. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 92.36% of the companys stock. Oshkosh Company Profile (Get Free Report) Oshkosh Corporation (NYSE: OSK) is a leading designer, manufacturer and marketer of specialty trucks, military vehicles and access equipment. The companys offerings span critical end markets, including defense, fire and emergency services, commercial construction and industrial sectors. By combining engineering expertise with advanced technologies, Oshkosh delivers solutions that enhance mobility, safety and productivity for its customers. Founded in 1917 and headquartered in Oshkosh, Wisconsin, the company has evolved from producing heavy-duty dump trucks to a diversified portfolio of products and services. Recommended Stories Receive News & Ratings for Oshkosh Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Oshkosh and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Scandium Canada Ltd. (CVE:SCD Get Free Report) was down 11.7% during mid-day trading on Wednesday . The company traded as low as C$0.26 and last traded at C$0.27. Approximately 3,833,240 shares were traded during mid-day trading, an increase of 27% from the average daily volume of 3,025,018 shares. The stock had previously closed at C$0.30. Scandium Canada Trading Down 6.7% The company has a market capitalization of C$93.73 million, a price-to-earnings ratio of -56.00 and a beta of 4.33. The firms 50 day simple moving average is C$0.14 and its 200-day simple moving average is C$0.08. About Scandium Canada (Get Free Report) Scandium Canada Ltd. operates as a mineral exploration company in Canada. The company primarily explores for gold, scandium, and base metal deposits. It also holds 100% interests in the Crater Lake project comprising 96 contiguous claims covering an area of 47 square kilometers located to the northeast of Schefferville, Quebec; and the Opawica project, which includes 42 contiguous claims covering an area of 23.45 square kilometers situated the Gand and Lesperance townships. In addition, the company holds interests in the La Ronciere project, which consists of 45 mining claims covering an area of 25.1 square kilometers in Gand and La Ronciere townships. See Also Receive News & Ratings for Scandium Canada Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Scandium Canada and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Shares of AAR Corp. (NYSE:AIR Get Free Report) reached a new 52-week high on Wednesday . The stock traded as high as $107.56 and last traded at $106.6840, with a volume of 234471 shares. The stock had previously closed at $103.67. Wall Street Analyst Weigh In A number of research firms have commented on AIR. Wall Street Zen upgraded shares of AAR from a hold rating to a buy rating in a research report on Saturday, January 3rd. Royal Bank Of Canada boosted their target price on AAR from $90.00 to $105.00 and gave the stock an outperform rating in a report on Wednesday, January 7th. Weiss Ratings restated a hold (c-) rating on shares of AAR in a research report on Monday, December 29th. KeyCorp lifted their price target on AAR from $93.00 to $109.00 and gave the company an overweight rating in a research report on Wednesday, January 14th. Finally, Jefferies Financial Group set a $112.00 price objective on AAR and gave the stock a buy rating in a research note on Thursday, January 15th. One equities research analyst has rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, four have issued a Buy rating and one has assigned a Hold rating to the company. According to MarketBeat, AAR has a consensus rating of Buy and a consensus price target of $108.25. Get AAR alerts: Check Out Our Latest Research Report on AIR AAR Price Performance The stock has a 50-day moving average of $86.14 and a two-hundred day moving average of $81.30. The firm has a market cap of $4.23 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 41.95 and a beta of 1.24. The company has a current ratio of 2.84, a quick ratio of 1.31 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.61. AAR (NYSE:AIR Get Free Report) last posted its quarterly earnings data on Tuesday, January 6th. The aerospace company reported $1.18 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of $1.02 by $0.16. AAR had a return on equity of 12.40% and a net margin of 3.17%.The firm had revenue of $795.30 million for the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $760.95 million. During the same quarter in the previous year, the company earned $0.90 EPS. The businesss revenue for the quarter was up 15.9% compared to the same quarter last year. On average, analysts anticipate that AAR Corp. will post 3.77 EPS for the current year. Insiders Place Their Bets In other news, SVP Christopher A. Jessup sold 23,621 shares of AAR stock in a transaction on Friday, January 9th. The stock was sold at an average price of $97.05, for a total transaction of $2,292,418.05. Following the transaction, the senior vice president owned 65,769 shares in the company, valued at approximately $6,382,881.45. The trade was a 26.42% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The sale was disclosed in a filing with the SEC, which can be accessed through the SEC website. Also, CEO John Mcclain Holmes III sold 38,462 shares of the stock in a transaction dated Wednesday, November 5th. The stock was sold at an average price of $83.50, for a total value of $3,211,577.00. Following the completion of the sale, the chief executive officer directly owned 260,141 shares of the companys stock, valued at approximately $21,721,773.50. This represents a 12.88% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The disclosure for this sale is available in the SEC filing. In the last three months, insiders have sold 146,696 shares of company stock worth $13,477,247. Corporate insiders own 3.60% of the companys stock. Hedge Funds Weigh In On AAR A number of large investors have recently made changes to their positions in the business. Smartleaf Asset Management LLC boosted its holdings in shares of AAR by 14.9% during the third quarter. Smartleaf Asset Management LLC now owns 1,036 shares of the aerospace companys stock worth $91,000 after purchasing an additional 134 shares during the period. Sheets Smith Wealth Management lifted its position in AAR by 1.9% in the 2nd quarter. Sheets Smith Wealth Management now owns 7,416 shares of the aerospace companys stock worth $510,000 after buying an additional 135 shares in the last quarter. Arizona State Retirement System boosted its stake in shares of AAR by 1.4% during the 3rd quarter. Arizona State Retirement System now owns 10,683 shares of the aerospace companys stock valued at $958,000 after buying an additional 147 shares during the period. Amalgamated Bank boosted its stake in shares of AAR by 1.7% during the 3rd quarter. Amalgamated Bank now owns 10,243 shares of the aerospace companys stock valued at $918,000 after buying an additional 175 shares during the period. Finally, Teacher Retirement System of Texas grew its holdings in shares of AAR by 4.4% during the 2nd quarter. Teacher Retirement System of Texas now owns 5,482 shares of the aerospace companys stock valued at $377,000 after acquiring an additional 231 shares in the last quarter. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 90.74% of the companys stock. AAR Company Profile (Get Free Report) AAR Corp. (NYSE: AIR) is a global provider of aviation products and services to commercial, government and defense customers. The company offers a comprehensive portfolio of maintenance, repair and overhaul (MRO) solutions, component repair and overhaul, and engineering services designed to support a wide variety of fixed-wing and rotary aircraft. Leveraging FAA and EASA certifications, AAR delivers turnkey maintenance programs and ad hoc repair services that enhance aircraft availability and reliability. In its Aviation Supply Chain Services segment, AAR sources, stores and distributes parts for both commercial airlines and military operators. Featured Articles Receive News & Ratings for AAR Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for AAR and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Adyen N.V. Unsponsored ADR (OTCMKTS:ADYEY Get Free Report) has received a consensus recommendation of Buy from the eight research firms that are covering the company, Marketbeat.com reports. Six analysts have rated the stock with a buy recommendation and two have assigned a strong buy recommendation to the company. Several equities research analysts recently weighed in on the company. Wolfe Research raised Adyen from a hold rating to an outperform rating in a report on Thursday, January 8th. Jefferies Financial Group reiterated a buy rating on shares of Adyen in a research report on Wednesday, October 29th. Morgan Stanley restated an overweight rating on shares of Adyen in a report on Friday, January 9th. Finally, Wells Fargo & Company started coverage on Adyen in a research note on Tuesday, October 21st. They issued an overweight rating for the company. Get Adyen alerts: View Our Latest Stock Report on Adyen Adyen Stock Performance Adyen Company Profile Shares of Adyen stock opened at $16.60 on Thursday. The companys 50 day moving average price is $15.92 and its two-hundred day moving average price is $16.58. Adyen has a fifty-two week low of $13.14 and a fifty-two week high of $19.94. (Get Free Report) Adyen is a global payments technology company that provides an end-to-end platform for accepting and processing electronic payments across online, mobile and point-of-sale channels. Its core services include payment gateway and acquiring capabilities, fraud prevention and risk management, settlement and reconciliation, and tools for recurring and marketplace payments. The platform is designed to consolidate multiple payment functions into a single integration, enabling merchants to accept a wide range of local and international payment methods and currencies. Founded in 2006 and headquartered in Amsterdam, Adyen was established by Pieter van der Does and Arnout Schuijff to simplify cross-border payments for international merchants. See Also Receive News & Ratings for Adyen Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Adyen and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. AGCO Corporation (NYSE:AGCO Get Free Report) has earned a consensus rating of Hold from the twelve analysts that are covering the company, Marketbeat reports. Two equities research analysts have rated the stock with a sell rating, seven have assigned a hold rating and three have issued a buy rating on the company. The average 12 month target price among brokers that have covered the stock in the last year is $111.80. A number of equities research analysts have weighed in on the stock. JPMorgan Chase & Co. cut their price objective on shares of AGCO from $127.00 to $123.00 and set an overweight rating on the stock in a report on Friday, December 19th. Weiss Ratings reissued a hold (c) rating on shares of AGCO in a research report on Monday, December 22nd. Wells Fargo & Company assumed coverage on AGCO in a research report on Thursday, November 13th. They set an equal weight rating and a $114.00 price objective for the company. Oppenheimer lifted their price objective on AGCO from $123.00 to $128.00 and gave the company an outperform rating in a research note on Wednesday, December 3rd. Finally, UBS Group cut their target price on AGCO from $119.00 to $115.00 and set a neutral rating on the stock in a research note on Monday, January 5th. Get AGCO alerts: Check Out Our Latest Stock Analysis on AGCO AGCO Price Performance Shares of AGCO stock opened at $113.51 on Thursday. The businesss fifty day moving average is $106.98 and its 200 day moving average is $108.53. The company has a quick ratio of 0.73, a current ratio of 1.58 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.61. The stock has a market cap of $8.47 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 22.57, a PEG ratio of 10.06 and a beta of 1.17. AGCO has a twelve month low of $73.79 and a twelve month high of $121.16. AGCO (NYSE:AGCO Get Free Report) last announced its earnings results on Friday, October 31st. The industrial products company reported $1.35 EPS for the quarter, beating analysts consensus estimates of $1.26 by $0.09. The firm had revenue of $2.48 billion for the quarter, compared to analysts expectations of $2.48 billion. AGCO had a net margin of 3.73% and a return on equity of 9.36%. The companys quarterly revenue was down 4.7% on a year-over-year basis. During the same quarter in the previous year, the business posted $0.68 EPS. AGCO has set its FY 2025 guidance at 5.000-5.000 EPS. Research analysts expect that AGCO will post 4.2 EPS for the current fiscal year. AGCO Dividend Announcement The company also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Monday, March 16th. Shareholders of record on Friday, February 13th will be paid a dividend of $0.29 per share. This represents a $1.16 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 1.0%. The ex-dividend date is Friday, February 13th. AGCOs dividend payout ratio (DPR) is currently 23.06%. Insider Transactions at AGCO In other news, SVP Kelvin Eugene Bennett sold 250 shares of the companys stock in a transaction that occurred on Monday, November 10th. The shares were sold at an average price of $104.28, for a total value of $26,070.00. Following the transaction, the senior vice president owned 17,130 shares in the company, valued at approximately $1,786,316.40. This represents a 1.44% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The sale was disclosed in a filing with the SEC, which is accessible through this link. Company insiders own 16.60% of the companys stock. Hedge Funds Weigh In On AGCO Hedge funds have recently added to or reduced their stakes in the company. Allspring Global Investments Holdings LLC bought a new position in shares of AGCO in the 3rd quarter worth approximately $1,126,000. Neo Ivy Capital Management purchased a new stake in AGCO during the second quarter valued at approximately $817,000. Eisler Capital Management Ltd. bought a new position in AGCO in the second quarter worth approximately $15,979,000. Level Four Advisory Services LLC raised its position in AGCO by 3.0% in the second quarter. Level Four Advisory Services LLC now owns 81,011 shares of the industrial products companys stock worth $8,357,000 after acquiring an additional 2,391 shares during the period. Finally, Robeco Institutional Asset Management B.V. purchased a new position in shares of AGCO during the 3rd quarter worth $802,000. 78.80% of the stock is currently owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors. AGCO Company Profile (Get Free Report) AGCO Corporation is a global leader in the design, manufacture and distribution of agricultural machinery and precision farming solutions. Headquartered in Duluth, Georgia, the company markets a diverse portfolio of well-known brands, including Massey Ferguson, Fendt, Challenger, Valtra and GSI, serving farmers and producers in North America, South America, Europe, the Middle East, Africa and Asia Pacific. Through an extensive dealer network, AGCO provides equipment tailored to a broad range of crop and livestock operations. The companys product offerings span tractors, combine harvesters, hay and forage tools, application equipment, seeding and tillage implements, as well as grain storage and protein solutions. Featured Stories Receive News & Ratings for AGCO Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for AGCO and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Ally Financial (NYSE:ALLY Get Free Report) announced its quarterly earnings results on Wednesday. The financial services provider reported $1.09 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of $1.01 by $0.08, FiscalAI reports. Ally Financial had a return on equity of 9.96% and a net margin of 8.10%.The business had revenue of $2.17 billion for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $2.15 billion. During the same quarter in the prior year, the company earned $0.78 earnings per share. The companys quarterly revenue was up 4.8% on a year-over-year basis. Here are the key takeaways from Ally Financials conference call: Get Ally Financial alerts: Ally reported a strong 2025: adjusted EPS $3.81 (+62% YoY) , core ROTCE 10.4% (up ~300 bps), adjusted net revenue $8.5B, and fully phased-in CET1 up ~120 bps, signaling material improvement in profitability and capital. Ally reported a strong 2025: , core ROTCE 10.4% (up ~300 bps), adjusted net revenue $8.5B, and fully phased-in CET1 up ~120 bps, signaling material improvement in profitability and capital. Retail auto and corporate finance growth is driving performanceloans up ~5% in 2025, retail auto originations and application volume at record levels, and full-year retail auto NCOs fell below 2% (1.97%), supporting the path to mid-teens returns. Retail auto and corporate finance growth is driving performanceloans up ~5% in 2025, retail auto originations and application volume at record levels, and full-year retail auto NCOs fell below 2% (1.97%), supporting the path to mid-teens returns. Management guided 2026 NIM to 3.6%3.7% with an expectation to reach the upperthrees over time, but warned of nearterm quarter-to-quarter choppiness (Q1 slight decline) driven by early beta and some lease residual pressures. Management guided 2026 NIM to 3.6%3.7% with an expectation to reach the over time, but warned of nearterm quarter-to-quarter choppiness (Q1 slight decline) driven by early beta and some lease residual pressures. Capital actions: Ally authorized a $2 billion openended share repurchase program (repurchased $24M so far) while continuing to build capital toward a ~9% fully phasedin CET1 target and prioritizing organic growth and the dividend. Capital actions: Ally authorized a $2 billion openended share repurchase program (repurchased $24M so far) while continuing to build capital toward a ~9% fully phasedin CET1 target and prioritizing organic growth and the dividend. Nearterm risks include lease residual losses (notably on certain plugin hybrids after EV tax credit changes and an OEM recall), sensitivity to used vehicle values and the labor market, and managements decision to keep retail auto reserves steady given macro uncertainty. Ally Financial Stock Performance Ally Financial stock opened at $42.37 on Thursday. The firms 50 day simple moving average is $43.31 and its 200 day simple moving average is $41.11. The company has a current ratio of 0.92, a quick ratio of 0.92 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.31. Ally Financial has a 1-year low of $29.52 and a 1-year high of $47.27. The firm has a market capitalization of $13.05 billion, a PE ratio of 25.52, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 0.21 and a beta of 1.17. Ally Financial Announces Dividend Institutional Trading of Ally Financial The business also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Tuesday, February 17th. Stockholders of record on Monday, February 2nd will be issued a $0.30 dividend. This represents a $1.20 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 2.8%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Monday, February 2nd. Ally Financials dividend payout ratio (DPR) is presently 72.29%. Institutional investors and hedge funds have recently modified their holdings of the business. Larson Financial Group LLC increased its position in shares of Ally Financial by 67.0% in the third quarter. Larson Financial Group LLC now owns 1,072 shares of the financial services providers stock worth $42,000 after purchasing an additional 430 shares during the last quarter. EverSource Wealth Advisors LLC grew its stake in Ally Financial by 374.9% in the 2nd quarter. EverSource Wealth Advisors LLC now owns 1,477 shares of the financial services providers stock worth $58,000 after buying an additional 1,166 shares in the last quarter. NewEdge Advisors LLC increased its holdings in shares of Ally Financial by 22.8% in the 1st quarter. NewEdge Advisors LLC now owns 2,235 shares of the financial services providers stock worth $82,000 after buying an additional 415 shares during the last quarter. Triumph Capital Management purchased a new stake in shares of Ally Financial during the 3rd quarter valued at $112,000. Finally, Parallel Advisors LLC lifted its holdings in shares of Ally Financial by 21.0% during the 3rd quarter. Parallel Advisors LLC now owns 3,585 shares of the financial services providers stock worth $141,000 after acquiring an additional 621 shares during the last quarter. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 88.76% of the companys stock. Key Ally Financial News Here are the key news stories impacting Ally Financial this week: Analysts Set New Price Targets A number of brokerages have commented on ALLY. UBS Group set a $48.00 price target on shares of Ally Financial in a research note on Monday, January 12th. Royal Bank Of Canada restated an outperform rating and issued a $52.00 target price on shares of Ally Financial in a report on Monday, January 12th. The Goldman Sachs Group reaffirmed a neutral rating and issued a $55.00 price target on shares of Ally Financial in a research report on Tuesday, January 6th. Wells Fargo & Company raised Ally Financial from a hold rating to an overweight rating in a report on Wednesday, December 17th. Finally, Weiss Ratings reaffirmed a hold (c+) rating on shares of Ally Financial in a research report on Monday, December 29th. Twelve investment analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating and five have given a Hold rating to the stock. According to MarketBeat, Ally Financial currently has a consensus rating of Moderate Buy and an average price target of $49.44. Get Our Latest Report on Ally Financial Ally Financial declared that its board has approved a share repurchase plan on Wednesday, December 10th that permits the company to repurchase $2.00 billion in shares. This repurchase authorization permits the financial services provider to purchase up to 15.3% of its stock through open market purchases. Stock repurchase plans are typically a sign that the companys management believes its shares are undervalued. About Ally Financial (Get Free Report) Ally Financial Inc is a leading digital financial services company headquartered in Detroit, Michigan. The company offers a comprehensive suite of banking, lending, and insurance products designed for retail and commercial customers. Through its online-only platform, Ally Bank provides checking and savings accounts, certificates of deposit, money market accounts, and home mortgages, emphasizing competitive rates and user-friendly mobile and web experiences. In addition to its banking operations, Ally Financial is a major player in automotive financing and leasing. See Also Receive News & Ratings for Ally Financial Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Ally Financial and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Wilkins Investment Counsel Inc. decreased its holdings in shares of American Tower Corporation (NYSE:AMT Free Report) by 9.5% during the 3rd quarter, according to its most recent disclosure with the Securities & Exchange Commission. The fund owned 36,255 shares of the real estate investment trusts stock after selling 3,820 shares during the quarter. Wilkins Investment Counsel Inc.s holdings in American Tower were worth $6,973,000 as of its most recent SEC filing. Other institutional investors have also recently added to or reduced their stakes in the company. Stiles Financial Services Inc grew its holdings in American Tower by 3.6% in the 3rd quarter. Stiles Financial Services Inc now owns 12,345 shares of the real estate investment trusts stock valued at $2,374,000 after buying an additional 431 shares during the period. Rakuten Investment Management Inc. acquired a new stake in shares of American Tower in the third quarter worth approximately $12,737,000. Universal Beteiligungs und Servicegesellschaft mbH grew its holdings in American Tower by 2.4% in the third quarter. Universal Beteiligungs und Servicegesellschaft mbH now owns 397,438 shares of the real estate investment trusts stock valued at $76,435,000 after purchasing an additional 9,210 shares during the period. Vest Financial LLC grew its holdings in American Tower by 23.8% in the third quarter. Vest Financial LLC now owns 54,696 shares of the real estate investment trusts stock valued at $10,519,000 after purchasing an additional 10,523 shares during the period. Finally, Waldron Private Wealth LLC increased its position in American Tower by 7.6% during the third quarter. Waldron Private Wealth LLC now owns 5,389 shares of the real estate investment trusts stock worth $1,045,000 after purchasing an additional 379 shares during the last quarter. 92.69% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors and hedge funds. Get American Tower alerts: Analyst Ratings Changes Several equities research analysts have commented on the company. Jefferies Financial Group cut their price objective on American Tower from $226.00 to $202.00 and set a buy rating on the stock in a report on Tuesday, December 16th. BMO Capital Markets downgraded shares of American Tower from an outperform rating to a market perform rating and dropped their target price for the stock from $210.00 to $185.00 in a research report on Friday, January 9th. Wall Street Zen raised shares of American Tower from a sell rating to a hold rating in a research report on Sunday, October 12th. Citigroup reiterated a market outperform rating on shares of American Tower in a research note on Wednesday, October 29th. Finally, UBS Group cut their target price on shares of American Tower from $260.00 to $254.00 and set a buy rating on the stock in a research note on Tuesday. Two equities research analysts have rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, twelve have given a Buy rating and seven have issued a Hold rating to the stock. Based on data from MarketBeat, the stock currently has an average rating of Moderate Buy and a consensus target price of $218.89. Insider Activity at American Tower In related news, Director Eugene F. Reilly purchased 5,554 shares of the firms stock in a transaction dated Friday, October 31st. The stock was acquired at an average price of $178.99 per share, with a total value of $994,110.46. Following the completion of the transaction, the director owned 5,689 shares of the companys stock, valued at $1,018,274.11. This represents a 4,114.07% increase in their ownership of the stock. The acquisition was disclosed in a legal filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which can be accessed through the SEC website. Also, major shareholder Tower Corp /Ma/ American sold 2,288,621 shares of American Tower stock in a transaction dated Tuesday, December 9th. The stock was sold at an average price of $69.75, for a total value of $159,631,314.75. Following the completion of the transaction, the insider owned 211,379 shares of the companys stock, valued at $14,743,685.25. This trade represents a 91.54% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The disclosure for this sale is available in the SEC filing. Corporate insiders own 0.17% of the companys stock. American Tower Stock Performance NYSE:AMT opened at $178.14 on Thursday. The firm has a 50-day moving average of $177.69 and a two-hundred day moving average of $192.35. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 3.24, a current ratio of 0.89 and a quick ratio of 0.89. The stock has a market cap of $83.40 billion, a P/E ratio of 28.46, a PEG ratio of 0.71 and a beta of 0.92. American Tower Corporation has a 1-year low of $166.88 and a 1-year high of $234.33. American Tower (NYSE:AMT Get Free Report) last announced its earnings results on Tuesday, October 28th. The real estate investment trust reported $2.78 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, topping analysts consensus estimates of $2.64 by $0.14. American Tower had a return on equity of 28.79% and a net margin of 28.11%.The business had revenue of $2.72 billion for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $2.65 billion. During the same period in the previous year, the company earned $2.52 earnings per share. The companys revenue for the quarter was up 7.7% compared to the same quarter last year. American Tower has set its FY 2025 guidance at 10.600-10.720 EPS. On average, research analysts expect that American Tower Corporation will post 10.14 earnings per share for the current fiscal year. American Tower Announces Dividend The firm also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Monday, February 2nd. Shareholders of record on Monday, December 29th will be given a $1.70 dividend. This represents a $6.80 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 3.8%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Monday, December 29th. American Towers dividend payout ratio is presently 108.63%. About American Tower (Free Report) American Tower (NYSE: AMT) is a real estate investment trust (REIT) that owns, operates and develops wireless and broadcast communications infrastructure. The companys core business is leasing space on communications sites including towers, rooftops and other structures to wireless carriers, broadcasters, government agencies and enterprise customers. Its business model centers on long-term site leases and contracts that provide recurring revenue tied to the footprint and density of wireless networks. Beyond traditional tower assets, American Tower offers a range of infrastructure and network services to support mobile, broadband and broadcast connectivity. Featured Articles Want to see what other hedge funds are holding AMT? Visit HoldingsChannel.com to get the latest 13F filings and insider trades for American Tower Corporation (NYSE:AMT Free Report). Receive News & Ratings for American Tower Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for American Tower and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Magnolia Oil & Gas Corp (NYSE:MGY Get Free Report) has earned a consensus rating of Hold from the sixteen brokerages that are covering the stock, Marketbeat.com reports. Two analysts have rated the stock with a sell rating, six have assigned a hold rating and eight have issued a buy rating on the company. The average 1-year target price among analysts that have covered the stock in the last year is $26.6667. Several research analysts have recently weighed in on MGY shares. Zacks Research cut shares of Magnolia Oil & Gas from a hold rating to a strong sell rating in a report on Monday, January 12th. BMO Capital Markets began coverage on shares of Magnolia Oil & Gas in a research note on Friday, January 9th. They set an outperform rating and a $27.00 target price for the company. Piper Sandler lowered their price target on Magnolia Oil & Gas from $25.00 to $23.00 and set a neutral rating on the stock in a report on Tuesday, November 18th. UBS Group reaffirmed a buy rating and issued a $29.00 price objective on shares of Magnolia Oil & Gas in a report on Friday, January 9th. Finally, Weiss Ratings reiterated a hold (c) rating on shares of Magnolia Oil & Gas in a research report on Wednesday, October 8th. Get Magnolia Oil & Gas alerts: View Our Latest Analysis on MGY Institutional Trading of Magnolia Oil & Gas Magnolia Oil & Gas Trading Up 4.7% Several large investors have recently added to or reduced their stakes in MGY. AQR Capital Management LLC raised its holdings in Magnolia Oil & Gas by 77.7% during the first quarter. AQR Capital Management LLC now owns 56,346 shares of the companys stock valued at $1,423,000 after acquiring an additional 24,631 shares during the period. MIRAE ASSET GLOBAL ETFS HOLDINGS Ltd. grew its position in shares of Magnolia Oil & Gas by 4.6% during the first quarter. MIRAE ASSET GLOBAL ETFS HOLDINGS Ltd. now owns 103,109 shares of the companys stock worth $2,605,000 after purchasing an additional 4,512 shares in the last quarter. UBS AM A Distinct Business Unit of UBS Asset Management Americas LLC raised its stake in Magnolia Oil & Gas by 8.2% during the 1st quarter. UBS AM A Distinct Business Unit of UBS Asset Management Americas LLC now owns 242,880 shares of the companys stock valued at $6,135,000 after purchasing an additional 18,447 shares during the period. Intech Investment Management LLC raised its stake in Magnolia Oil & Gas by 11.3% during the 1st quarter. Intech Investment Management LLC now owns 68,814 shares of the companys stock valued at $1,738,000 after purchasing an additional 7,008 shares during the period. Finally, Wealth Enhancement Advisory Services LLC lifted its holdings in Magnolia Oil & Gas by 290.1% in the 2nd quarter. Wealth Enhancement Advisory Services LLC now owns 60,355 shares of the companys stock worth $1,408,000 after purchasing an additional 44,885 shares in the last quarter. 94.73% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors. Shares of NYSE:MGY opened at $23.71 on Monday. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.20, a current ratio of 1.47 and a quick ratio of 1.47. Magnolia Oil & Gas has a 1 year low of $19.09 and a 1 year high of $26.36. The company has a market cap of $4.47 billion, a P/E ratio of 13.24, a PEG ratio of 3.64 and a beta of 0.92. The stocks fifty day moving average price is $22.49 and its 200-day moving average price is $23.20. Magnolia Oil & Gas (NYSE:MGY Get Free Report) last issued its earnings results on Wednesday, October 29th. The company reported $0.41 earnings per share for the quarter, hitting analysts consensus estimates of $0.41. The business had revenue of $324.94 million during the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $322.52 million. Magnolia Oil & Gas had a return on equity of 18.10% and a net margin of 25.90%.Magnolia Oil & Gass revenue was down 2.5% on a year-over-year basis. During the same quarter in the previous year, the firm earned $0.52 EPS. Sell-side analysts expect that Magnolia Oil & Gas will post 2.1 earnings per share for the current year. Magnolia Oil & Gas Announces Dividend The firm also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Monday, December 1st. Stockholders of record on Monday, November 10th were given a dividend of $0.15 per share. The ex-dividend date of this dividend was Monday, November 10th. This represents a $0.60 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 2.5%. Magnolia Oil & Gass dividend payout ratio is presently 33.52%. About Magnolia Oil & Gas (Get Free Report) Magnolia Oil & Gas Corp (NYSE: MGY) is an independent exploration and production company focused on the acquisition, development and optimization of onshore oil and gas assets in South Texas. Headquartered in Houston, the company concentrates its efforts on the Eagle Ford Shale, where it holds significant working interests in key producing counties. The companys core operations center on horizontal drilling and multi-stage completions designed to extract light crude oil, natural gas and natural gas liquids (NGLs). Recommended Stories Receive News & Ratings for Magnolia Oil & Gas Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Magnolia Oil & Gas and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Live Oak Bancshares (NYSE:LOB Get Free Report) is one of 20 public companies in the State Commercial Banks Fed Reserve System industry, but how does it compare to its competitors? We will compare Live Oak Bancshares to related businesses based on the strength of its earnings, institutional ownership, profitability, dividends, valuation, analyst recommendations and risk. Analyst Recommendations This is a summary of current ratings for Live Oak Bancshares and its competitors, as provided by MarketBeat. Get Live Oak Bancshares alerts: Sell Ratings Hold Ratings Buy Ratings Strong Buy Ratings Rating Score Live Oak Bancshares 0 2 0 1 2.67 Live Oak Bancshares Competitors 31 175 217 26 2.53 As a group, State Commercial Banks Fed Reserve System companies have a potential upside of 0.11%. Given Live Oak Bancshares competitors higher probable upside, analysts clearly believe Live Oak Bancshares has less favorable growth aspects than its competitors. Dividends Profitability Live Oak Bancshares pays an annual dividend of $0.12 per share and has a dividend yield of 0.3%. Live Oak Bancshares pays out 8.1% of its earnings in the form of a dividend. As a group, State Commercial Banks Fed Reserve System companies pay a dividend yield of 2.1% and pay out 67.3% of their earnings in the form of a dividend. This table compares Live Oak Bancshares and its competitors net margins, return on equity and return on assets. Net Margins Return on Equity Return on Assets Live Oak Bancshares 6.94% 6.61% 0.51% Live Oak Bancshares Competitors 7.23% 6.94% 0.79% Earnings & Valuation This table compares Live Oak Bancshares and its competitors top-line revenue, earnings per share and valuation. Gross Revenue Net Income Price/Earnings Ratio Live Oak Bancshares $936.15 million $77.47 million 27.42 Live Oak Bancshares Competitors $744.78 million $95.99 million 41.47 Live Oak Bancshares has higher revenue, but lower earnings than its competitors. Live Oak Bancshares is trading at a lower price-to-earnings ratio than its competitors, indicating that it is currently more affordable than other companies in its industry. Insider and Institutional Ownership 64.0% of Live Oak Bancshares shares are held by institutional investors. Comparatively, 72.2% of shares of all State Commercial Banks Fed Reserve System companies are held by institutional investors. 23.4% of Live Oak Bancshares shares are held by insiders. Comparatively, 6.7% of shares of all State Commercial Banks Fed Reserve System companies are held by insiders. Strong institutional ownership is an indication that hedge funds, endowments and large money managers believe a company will outperform the market over the long term. Risk & Volatility Live Oak Bancshares has a beta of 2.02, indicating that its stock price is 102% more volatile than the S&P 500. Comparatively, Live Oak Bancshares competitors have a beta of 1.01, indicating that their average stock price is 1% more volatile than the S&P 500. Summary Live Oak Bancshares competitors beat Live Oak Bancshares on 9 of the 15 factors compared. About Live Oak Bancshares (Get Free Report) Live Oak Bancshares, Inc. operates as the bank holding company for Live Oak Banking Company that provides various commercial banking products and services to individuals, small businesses, and professionals in North Carolina, the United States. The company accepts various deposit products, including noninterest-bearing demand, as well as interest-bearing checking, money market, savings, and time deposits. It also offers commercial and industrial loans; construction and development loans; owner occupied and non-owner occupied collateral commercial real estate loans; and commercial land loans. In addition, the company provides settlement, accounting, and securitization services for government guaranteed loans; wealth and investment management services to high-net-worth individuals and families; investment advisory services to a series of funds focused on providing venture capital to new and emerging financial technology companies; and an on-site restaurant location to company employees and business visitors. Live Oak Bancshares, Inc. was incorporated in 2008 and is headquartered in Wilmington, North Carolina. Receive News & Ratings for Live Oak Bancshares Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Live Oak Bancshares and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Windrose is offering three months of complimentary charging on the Greenlane network with every purchase of a Windrose Global E700 electric truck, a move designed to accelerate adoption by addressing one of the industrys most persistent barriers: the total cost of ownership gap between electric and diesel vehicles. The partnership follows incentive models proven successful in the passenger vehicle space and positions both companies to capitalize on what industry leaders describe as an inflection point for commercial electric vehicle adoption. The partnership reflects a strategic shift in how charging infrastructure companies approach fleet electrification. Rather than building chargers and expecting customers to navigate the complexities of deployment, Greenlane has focused on lighting up specific freight lanes where carriers contract business with shippers. Patrick Macdonald-King, CEO of Greenlane, said the arrangement serves multiple purposes for the charging network operator. It makes an introduction to the customer, an introduction to Greenlane, and allows us to work with them to potentially put together a solution for long-term usage of the network for charging their vehicle, even housing their vehicle if thats what they want to do, Macdonald-King told FreightWaves. Overcoming the EV truck cost barrier The primary obstacle to electrification remains the upfront vehicle cost, which can reach double or triple the price of a comparable diesel truck. Programs like the California Air Resources Boards (CARB) Hybrid and Zero-Emission Truck and Bus Voucher Incentive Project (HVIP) vouchers have proven essential in narrowing this gap. These vouchers function as coupons that reduce truck costs based on use case and fleet size, with drayage applications receiving the highest benefit. Market interest has been substantial. According to Macdonald-King, approximately $350 million in HVIP funding was allocated within roughly three weeks of becoming available. The interest in going out and applying for these vouchers was pretty high, he said. Tesla has emerged as a dominant force in this market, capturing approximately 70% of voucher allocations. The Tesla Semis competitive positioning stems from three factors: a price point near $300,000 before incentives (reducible to $225,000-$250,000 with vouchers), extended battery range and megawatt charging capability. Now all of a sudden youre talking about parity between the two where it makes just as much sense to buy it, especially when you got megawatt charging and you got longer range, Macdonald-King said. Arcosa, Inc. (NYSE:ACA Get Free Report) shares hit a new 52-week high during mid-day trading on Wednesday . The stock traded as high as $117.41 and last traded at $116.95, with a volume of 85314 shares trading hands. The stock had previously closed at $112.92. Analysts Set New Price Targets Several analysts recently weighed in on the stock. Weiss Ratings restated a buy (b-) rating on shares of Arcosa in a research report on Monday, December 29th. Barclays lifted their price objective on shares of Arcosa from $106.00 to $115.00 and gave the company an overweight rating in a research note on Monday, November 3rd. Wall Street Zen lowered shares of Arcosa from a buy rating to a hold rating in a research report on Saturday, January 10th. Finally, Zacks Research downgraded shares of Arcosa from a strong-buy rating to a hold rating in a research report on Friday, October 10th. Three research analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating and one has given a Hold rating to the company. According to data from MarketBeat, the stock has a consensus rating of Moderate Buy and a consensus target price of $117.50. Get Arcosa alerts: Read Our Latest Report on Arcosa Arcosa Trading Up 3.7% The firm has a market capitalization of $5.74 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 38.77, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 1.50 and a beta of 0.99. The company has a quick ratio of 1.30, a current ratio of 2.02 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.61. The firms 50 day moving average is $107.88 and its 200 day moving average is $98.68. Arcosa (NYSE:ACA Get Free Report) last posted its quarterly earnings results on Thursday, October 30th. The company reported $1.56 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, beating the consensus estimate of $1.33 by $0.23. Arcosa had a return on equity of 7.46% and a net margin of 5.25%.The company had revenue of $797.80 million for the quarter, compared to analysts expectations of $782.76 million. During the same quarter in the prior year, the company earned $0.91 earnings per share. The firms revenue was up 24.6% on a year-over-year basis. Equities analysts forecast that Arcosa, Inc. will post 3.23 earnings per share for the current year. Arcosa Dividend Announcement The firm also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Friday, January 30th. Stockholders of record on Thursday, January 15th will be issued a dividend of $0.05 per share. The ex-dividend date is Thursday, January 15th. This represents a $0.20 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 0.2%. Arcosas payout ratio is currently 6.62%. Hedge Funds Weigh In On Arcosa Institutional investors and hedge funds have recently bought and sold shares of the business. First Horizon Corp purchased a new stake in shares of Arcosa in the third quarter worth approximately $32,000. Salomon & Ludwin LLC purchased a new stake in Arcosa in the 3rd quarter worth approximately $33,000. Bessemer Group Inc. boosted its stake in shares of Arcosa by 47.8% during the 3rd quarter. Bessemer Group Inc. now owns 368 shares of the companys stock valued at $35,000 after buying an additional 119 shares during the period. Quarry LP grew its holdings in shares of Arcosa by 160.0% during the 3rd quarter. Quarry LP now owns 403 shares of the companys stock valued at $38,000 after acquiring an additional 248 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Trust Co. of Toledo NA OH acquired a new position in shares of Arcosa in the second quarter worth $40,000. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 90.66% of the companys stock. About Arcosa (Get Free Report) Arcosa, Inc (NYSE: ACA) is a Dallasbased industrial company that was formed through the spinoff of Trinity Industries construction products business in 2018. Since its inception, Arcosa has focused on the manufacture and sale of critical infrastructure components, serving a diverse set of end markets including transportation, construction and energy. The companys Construction Products segment produces a broad range of highway safety products, such as guardrail systems, sign supports and crash cushions, as well as aggregates and readymix concrete. Recommended Stories Receive News & Ratings for Arcosa Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Arcosa and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Shares of Banco Santander, S.A. (LON:BNC Get Free Report) hit a new 52-week high during mid-day trading on Thursday . The company traded as high as GBX 924.30 and last traded at GBX 914, with a volume of 214069 shares changing hands. The stock had previously closed at GBX 894. Banco Santander Stock Performance The firms 50-day simple moving average is GBX 851.41 and its 200 day simple moving average is GBX 761.28. The company has a market cap of 135.61 billion, a P/E ratio of 10.76, a PEG ratio of 2.18 and a beta of 1.32. Banco Santander Company Profile (Get Free Report) Banco Santander, SA provides various financial services worldwide. The company operates through Retail Banking, Santander Corporate & Investment Banking, Wealth Management & Insurance, and PagoNxt segments. It offers demand and time deposits, mutual funds, and current and savings accounts; mortgages, consumer finance, loans, and various financing solutions; and project finance, debt capital markets, global transaction banking, and corporate finance services. The company also provides asset management and private banking services; and insurance products. Featured Stories Receive News & Ratings for Banco Santander Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Banco Santander and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Bank Of Montreal (NYSE:BMO Get Free Report) (TSE:BMO) hit a new 52-week high on Thursday . The stock traded as high as $137.62 and last traded at $137.5170, with a volume of 84414 shares. The stock had previously closed at $135.77. Analysts Set New Price Targets A number of equities analysts have recently commented on BMO shares. Royal Bank Of Canada downgraded Bank Of Montreal from an outperform rating to a sector perform rating and lowered their price objective for the stock from $168.00 to $163.00 in a research report on Friday, October 3rd. TD Securities reiterated a hold rating on shares of Bank Of Montreal in a research note on Friday, December 5th. Wall Street Zen upgraded shares of Bank Of Montreal from a sell rating to a hold rating in a report on Saturday, December 6th. Weiss Ratings reaffirmed a buy (b-) rating on shares of Bank Of Montreal in a research report on Monday, December 29th. Finally, Raymond James Financial initiated coverage on Bank Of Montreal in a report on Monday, November 24th. They issued a market perform rating on the stock. One research analyst has rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, three have assigned a Buy rating and eight have assigned a Hold rating to the stock. According to data from MarketBeat.com, the stock presently has an average rating of Hold and an average price target of $163.00. Get Bank Of Montreal alerts: View Our Latest Stock Analysis on BMO Bank Of Montreal Trading Up 1.5% The company has a fifty day moving average of $129.08 and a two-hundred day moving average of $123.95. The company has a quick ratio of 1.00, a current ratio of 1.00 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.11. The stock has a market capitalization of $97.46 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 16.87, a P/E/G ratio of 1.11 and a beta of 0.94. Bank Of Montreal (NYSE:BMO Get Free Report) (TSE:BMO) last announced its quarterly earnings data on Thursday, December 4th. The bank reported $2.36 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, beating the consensus estimate of $2.16 by $0.20. The company had revenue of $6.67 billion for the quarter, compared to analysts expectations of $6.51 billion. Bank Of Montreal had a net margin of 11.13% and a return on equity of 11.76%. Bank Of Montreals revenue was up 5.3% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same period in the previous year, the company posted $1.90 EPS. On average, research analysts expect that Bank Of Montreal will post 7.71 EPS for the current year. Bank Of Montreal Increases Dividend The firm also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Thursday, February 26th. Stockholders of record on Friday, January 30th will be paid a dividend of $1.67 per share. This is a positive change from Bank Of Montreals previous quarterly dividend of $1.63. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Friday, January 30th. This represents a $6.68 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 4.8%. Bank Of Montreals dividend payout ratio (DPR) is currently 57.35%. Institutional Investors Weigh In On Bank Of Montreal Several institutional investors have recently made changes to their positions in BMO. True Wealth Design LLC acquired a new position in Bank Of Montreal during the third quarter worth about $28,000. WFA of San Diego LLC purchased a new stake in shares of Bank Of Montreal during the 2nd quarter worth approximately $28,000. Larson Financial Group LLC grew its holdings in shares of Bank Of Montreal by 466.7% in the 3rd quarter. Larson Financial Group LLC now owns 238 shares of the banks stock worth $31,000 after acquiring an additional 196 shares during the period. Flagship Harbor Advisors LLC purchased a new position in Bank Of Montreal in the 4th quarter valued at approximately $34,000. Finally, Harbor Asset Planning Inc. acquired a new position in Bank Of Montreal during the second quarter worth $39,000. 45.82% of the stock is currently owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors. About Bank Of Montreal (Get Free Report) Bank of Montreal (NYSE:BMO), commonly known as BMO Financial Group, is one of Canadas largest and longest-established banks. Founded in Montreal and headquartered in Montreal, Quebec, the bank provides a broad range of financial services to retail, commercial, corporate and institutional clients. BMO is publicly listed in both Canada and the United States and operates under a consolidated financial services model that integrates banking, capital markets, wealth management and asset management activities. BMOs core businesses include personal and commercial bankingoffering checking and savings accounts, lending, mortgages, and small-business servicesalongside wealth management and private banking through its asset and investment management divisions. See Also Receive News & Ratings for Bank Of Montreal Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Bank Of Montreal and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Shares of Bank of Montreal (TSE:BMO Get Free Report) (NYSE:BMO) passed above its 50 day moving average during trading on Monday . The stock has a 50 day moving average of C$178.58 and traded as high as C$189.63. Bank of Montreal shares last traded at C$188.64, with a volume of 896,250 shares traded. Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades A number of research analysts recently weighed in on the stock. Royal Bank Of Canada raised their target price on shares of Bank of Montreal from C$163.00 to C$178.00 in a research report on Friday, December 5th. CIBC raised their price objective on Bank of Montreal from C$192.00 to C$199.00 and gave the company an outperform rating in a report on Thursday, December 11th. Canaccord Genuity Group lifted their target price on Bank of Montreal from C$192.00 to C$201.00 in a research report on Friday, December 5th. National Bankshares lowered Bank of Montreal from an outperform rating to a sector perform rating and upped their target price for the stock from C$173.00 to C$181.00 in a report on Monday, November 17th. Finally, Natl Bk Canada cut Bank of Montreal from a strong-buy rating to a hold rating in a research report on Monday, December 1st. One research analyst has rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, two have assigned a Buy rating and nine have given a Hold rating to the stock. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, the company currently has an average rating of Hold and a consensus price target of C$183.08. Get Bank of Montreal alerts: Check Out Our Latest Stock Report on Bank of Montreal Bank of Montreal Price Performance The business has a 50-day simple moving average of C$178.79 and a two-hundred day simple moving average of C$171.75. The stock has a market cap of C$133.03 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 16.40, a P/E/G ratio of 0.71 and a beta of 1.39. Bank of Montreal (TSE:BMO Get Free Report) (NYSE:BMO) last released its quarterly earnings data on Thursday, December 4th. The bank reported C$3.28 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter. Bank of Montreal had a return on equity of 9.04% and a net margin of 13.57%.The company had revenue of C$9.34 billion during the quarter. As a group, equities analysts anticipate that Bank of Montreal will post 9.6514585 earnings per share for the current fiscal year. Bank of Montreal Announces Dividend The firm also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Wednesday, November 26th. Shareholders of record on Wednesday, November 26th were issued a dividend of $1.63 per share. The ex-dividend date of this dividend was Thursday, October 30th. This represents a $6.52 annualized dividend and a yield of 3.5%. Bank of Montreals dividend payout ratio (DPR) is currently 56.29%. Bank of Montreal Company Profile (Get Free Report) Bank of Montreal is a diversified financial-services provider based in North America, operating four business segments: Canadian personal and commercial banking, U.S. P&C banking, wealth management, and capital markets. See Also Receive News & Ratings for Bank of Montreal Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Bank of Montreal and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Bar Harbor Bankshares, Inc. (NYSEAMERICAN:BHB Get Free Report)s share price reached a new 52-week high during mid-day trading on Thursday . The company traded as high as $35.18 and last traded at $34.97, with a volume of 18601 shares changing hands. The stock had previously closed at $34.18. Bar Harbor Bankshares Trading Up 1.4% The companys 50-day moving average is $31.39 and its 200-day moving average is $30.97. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.37, a quick ratio of 0.93 and a current ratio of 0.94. The firm has a market cap of $578.39 million, a price-to-earnings ratio of 14.94 and a beta of 0.66. Get Bar Harbor Bankshares alerts: Bar Harbor Bankshares (NYSEAMERICAN:BHB Get Free Report) last announced its earnings results on Tuesday, October 21st. The financial services provider reported $0.95 earnings per share for the quarter, topping analysts consensus estimates of $0.81 by $0.14. Bar Harbor Bankshares had a net margin of 15.51% and a return on equity of 9.95%. The company had revenue of $47.49 million during the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $36.60 million. On average, research analysts predict that Bar Harbor Bankshares, Inc. will post 2.84 earnings per share for the current year. About Bar Harbor Bankshares Bar Harbor Bankshares, Inc is a bank holding company headquartered in Ellsworth, Maine, and the parent of Bar Harbor Bank & Trust. The company provides a full suite of commercial and consumer banking products and services, including deposit accounts, residential and commercial lending, wealth management, treasury and cash management, and online and mobile banking solutions. Its subsidiary, Bar Harbor Bank & Trust, operates branches across Maine and eastern New Hampshire, serving both individual and business clients with a focus on community banking relationships. With roots tracing back to the late 19th century, Bar Harbor Bankshares has built its presence along the coast of Maine, extending from Casco Bay to Downeast communities, and into neighboring New Hampshire markets. Featured Stories Receive News & Ratings for Bar Harbor Bankshares Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Bar Harbor Bankshares and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Halliburton (NYSE:HAL Get Free Report) had its price objective increased by equities researchers at BMO Capital Markets from $36.00 to $39.00 in a report released on Thursday,MarketScreener reports. The firm currently has a market perform rating on the oilfield services companys stock. BMO Capital Markets price target would indicate a potential upside of 18.88% from the stocks previous close. Other research analysts also recently issued reports about the stock. Hsbc Global Res upgraded shares of Halliburton from a hold rating to a strong-buy rating in a research report on Wednesday, October 22nd. Rothschild & Co Redburn initiated coverage on Halliburton in a report on Monday, November 3rd. They set a buy rating and a $35.00 price target for the company. TD Cowen raised their price objective on Halliburton from $39.00 to $40.00 and gave the company a buy rating in a research note on Thursday. Rothschild Redb upgraded Halliburton to a strong-buy rating in a research report on Monday, November 3rd. Finally, UBS Group boosted their target price on Halliburton from $24.00 to $32.00 and gave the stock a neutral rating in a research note on Friday, December 12th. Two research analysts have rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, fifteen have assigned a Buy rating and seven have issued a Hold rating to the company. According to data from MarketBeat.com, the stock currently has a consensus rating of Moderate Buy and an average price target of $33.90. Get Halliburton alerts: Get Our Latest Analysis on Halliburton Halliburton Trading Down 1.7% Shares of HAL stock opened at $32.81 on Thursday. The stock has a market cap of $27.61 billion, a P/E ratio of 21.68 and a beta of 0.78. Halliburton has a 1 year low of $18.72 and a 1 year high of $33.80. The company has a current ratio of 1.95, a quick ratio of 1.43 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.70. The stock has a 50 day simple moving average of $28.71 and a 200 day simple moving average of $25.14. Halliburton (NYSE:HAL Get Free Report) last posted its quarterly earnings data on Wednesday, January 21st. The oilfield services company reported $0.69 earnings per share for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of $0.54 by $0.15. Halliburton had a net margin of 5.91% and a return on equity of 20.12%. The business had revenue of $5.66 billion during the quarter, compared to analysts expectations of $5.39 billion. During the same quarter in the prior year, the business posted $0.73 earnings per share. Halliburtons revenue was up .8% compared to the same quarter last year. On average, research analysts predict that Halliburton will post 2.64 earnings per share for the current fiscal year. Insider Buying and Selling at Halliburton In other news, EVP Lawrence J. Pope sold 100,000 shares of the firms stock in a transaction on Monday, January 5th. The shares were sold at an average price of $32.25, for a total transaction of $3,225,000.00. Following the completion of the transaction, the executive vice president owned 419,800 shares of the companys stock, valued at approximately $13,538,550. This trade represents a 19.24% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The transaction was disclosed in a legal filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is accessible through the SEC website. Also, insider Mark Richard sold 160,000 shares of the businesss stock in a transaction on Wednesday, November 12th. The stock was sold at an average price of $27.77, for a total transaction of $4,443,200.00. Following the completion of the sale, the insider directly owned 452,374 shares in the company, valued at approximately $12,562,425.98. This represents a 26.13% decrease in their position. The SEC filing for this sale provides additional information. In the last ninety days, insiders sold 268,854 shares of company stock worth $7,915,138. 0.56% of the stock is currently owned by company insiders. Hedge Funds Weigh In On Halliburton Hedge funds have recently made changes to their positions in the stock. Vanguard Group Inc. raised its stake in Halliburton by 1.6% during the second quarter. Vanguard Group Inc. now owns 105,363,599 shares of the oilfield services companys stock worth $2,147,310,000 after buying an additional 1,617,696 shares during the last quarter. Capital Research Global Investors lifted its stake in shares of Halliburton by 81.8% in the 3rd quarter. Capital Research Global Investors now owns 91,030,451 shares of the oilfield services companys stock valued at $2,239,349,000 after purchasing an additional 40,969,139 shares during the period. Charles Schwab Investment Management Inc. lifted its stake in shares of Halliburton by 1.2% in the 2nd quarter. Charles Schwab Investment Management Inc. now owns 30,287,989 shares of the oilfield services companys stock valued at $617,269,000 after purchasing an additional 346,218 shares during the period. Sanders Capital LLC boosted its position in shares of Halliburton by 9.4% during the 3rd quarter. Sanders Capital LLC now owns 26,004,682 shares of the oilfield services companys stock valued at $639,715,000 after purchasing an additional 2,238,983 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Geode Capital Management LLC grew its stake in Halliburton by 0.4% during the second quarter. Geode Capital Management LLC now owns 22,342,963 shares of the oilfield services companys stock worth $453,461,000 after purchasing an additional 92,549 shares during the period. 85.23% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors. Halliburton News Summary Here are the key news stories impacting Halliburton this week: Halliburton Company Profile (Get Free Report) Halliburton is one of the worlds largest providers of products and services to the energy industry, offering a broad portfolio that supports the lifecycle of oil and gas reservoirs from exploration and drilling through production and abandonment. Founded in 1919 by Erle P. Halliburton as an oil-well cementing company, the firm is headquartered in Houston, Texas and has developed into an integrated oilfield services company serving upstream operators globally. The companys activities encompass drilling and evaluation, well construction and completion, production enhancement and well intervention. See Also Receive News & Ratings for Halliburton Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Halliburton and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Raymond James Financial, Inc. (NYSE:RJF Get Free Report) has been assigned an average recommendation of Hold from the twelve analysts that are presently covering the stock, Marketbeat reports. Nine investment analysts have rated the stock with a hold recommendation and three have issued a buy recommendation on the company. The average 1-year price objective among analysts that have issued a report on the stock in the last year is $181.3636. A number of equities research analysts recently commented on RJF shares. TD Cowen reaffirmed a hold rating on shares of Raymond James Financial in a research note on Wednesday, January 14th. JMP Securities boosted their target price on Raymond James Financial from $185.00 to $190.00 and gave the stock a market outperform rating in a research report on Thursday, October 23rd. Citigroup reaffirmed an outperform rating on shares of Raymond James Financial in a research note on Thursday, October 9th. Bank of America boosted their price objective on shares of Raymond James Financial from $194.00 to $196.00 and gave the company a neutral rating in a report on Wednesday, December 10th. Finally, UBS Group set a $176.00 target price on shares of Raymond James Financial and gave the company a neutral rating in a research note on Thursday, December 11th. Get Raymond James Financial alerts: Check Out Our Latest Report on RJF Raymond James Financial Stock Up 1.3% Shares of NYSE RJF opened at $170.03 on Monday. Raymond James Financial has a 1 year low of $117.57 and a 1 year high of $177.66. The firms 50-day moving average is $162.78 and its 200-day moving average is $164.22. The company has a current ratio of 1.07, a quick ratio of 1.04 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.44. The firm has a market capitalization of $33.57 billion, a PE ratio of 16.52, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 1.08 and a beta of 0.99. Raymond James Financial (NYSE:RJF Get Free Report) last posted its quarterly earnings results on Wednesday, October 22nd. The financial services provider reported $3.11 earnings per share for the quarter, topping analysts consensus estimates of $2.83 by $0.28. Raymond James Financial had a net margin of 13.42% and a return on equity of 18.19%. The business had revenue of $3.73 billion during the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $3.64 billion. During the same period in the previous year, the firm posted $2.95 earnings per share. Raymond James Financials revenue for the quarter was up 7.7% compared to the same quarter last year. Equities analysts expect that Raymond James Financial will post 11.17 EPS for the current year. Raymond James Financial Increases Dividend The firm also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Friday, January 16th. Shareholders of record on Friday, January 2nd were issued a dividend of $0.54 per share. This is a boost from Raymond James Financials previous quarterly dividend of $0.50. This represents a $2.16 annualized dividend and a yield of 1.3%. The ex-dividend date was Friday, January 2nd. Raymond James Financials dividend payout ratio is presently 20.99%. Insider Transactions at Raymond James Financial In other Raymond James Financial news, insider Paul C. Reilly sold 130,687 shares of the stock in a transaction dated Monday, December 15th. The stock was sold at an average price of $163.15, for a total value of $21,321,584.05. Following the completion of the sale, the insider directly owned 260,546 shares in the company, valued at $42,508,079.90. This represents a 33.40% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The sale was disclosed in a legal filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available through the SEC website. Insiders own 0.58% of the companys stock. Hedge Funds Weigh In On Raymond James Financial Institutional investors and hedge funds have recently modified their holdings of the business. Great Valley Advisor Group Inc. lifted its stake in Raymond James Financial by 1.5% in the second quarter. Great Valley Advisor Group Inc. now owns 4,076 shares of the financial services providers stock valued at $625,000 after buying an additional 61 shares in the last quarter. Meridian Wealth Advisors LLC boosted its stake in Raymond James Financial by 0.6% in the 3rd quarter. Meridian Wealth Advisors LLC now owns 10,216 shares of the financial services providers stock worth $1,763,000 after purchasing an additional 62 shares during the period. Waterloo Capital L.P. boosted its stake in Raymond James Financial by 2.0% in the 2nd quarter. Waterloo Capital L.P. now owns 3,302 shares of the financial services providers stock worth $506,000 after purchasing an additional 64 shares during the period. Wedmont Private Capital increased its holdings in Raymond James Financial by 0.6% during the 3rd quarter. Wedmont Private Capital now owns 10,425 shares of the financial services providers stock worth $1,727,000 after purchasing an additional 64 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Tectonic Advisors LLC raised its stake in shares of Raymond James Financial by 2.0% in the 3rd quarter. Tectonic Advisors LLC now owns 3,264 shares of the financial services providers stock valued at $563,000 after purchasing an additional 65 shares during the period. 83.83% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors and hedge funds. Raymond James Financial Company Profile (Get Free Report) Raymond James Financial is a diversified financial services firm headquartered in St. Petersburg, Florida. Founded in 1962, the company provides a range of services to individual investors, businesses and institutions through a combination of wealth management, capital markets, investment banking, asset management, banking and trust services. Its business model centers on a network of financial advisors and broker-dealer operations that deliver personalized financial planning, investment advisory services and brokerage solutions. The firms core offerings include private client wealth management delivered by independent and employee advisors, equity and fixed-income research, institutional sales and trading, and investment banking services such as mergers and acquisitions advisory and capital raising. Further Reading Receive News & Ratings for Raymond James Financial Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Raymond James Financial and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Teck Resources Ltd (NYSE:TECK Get Free Report) (TSE:TECK) has earned an average recommendation of Moderate Buy from the twenty-two ratings firms that are covering the company, Marketbeat Ratings reports. Thirteen research analysts have rated the stock with a hold recommendation, seven have issued a buy recommendation and two have issued a strong buy recommendation on the company. The average twelve-month target price among analysts that have updated their coverage on the stock in the last year is $53.3333. Several brokerages have commented on TECK. Natl Bk Canada downgraded shares of Teck Resources from a strong-buy rating to a hold rating in a research note on Friday, December 5th. Benchmark reissued a buy rating on shares of Teck Resources in a research note on Thursday, October 23rd. Veritas raised Teck Resources from a strong sell rating to a strong-buy rating in a research report on Thursday, January 15th. Scotiabank reiterated a sector perform rating on shares of Teck Resources in a report on Tuesday, November 25th. Finally, JPMorgan Chase & Co. boosted their target price on Teck Resources from $43.00 to $51.00 and gave the company a neutral rating in a research note on Friday, December 5th. Get Teck Resources alerts: Check Out Our Latest Stock Analysis on TECK Teck Resources Trading Up 5.6% NYSE TECK opened at $53.02 on Thursday. Teck Resources has a 12 month low of $28.32 and a 12 month high of $54.00. The stock has a 50-day simple moving average of $45.69 and a 200 day simple moving average of $40.92. The company has a current ratio of 2.78, a quick ratio of 2.08 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.15. The company has a market capitalization of $25.50 billion, a PE ratio of 29.79, a P/E/G ratio of 0.54 and a beta of 0.79. Teck Resources (NYSE:TECK Get Free Report) (TSE:TECK) last posted its earnings results on Wednesday, October 22nd. The basic materials company reported $0.55 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of $0.39 by $0.16. The company had revenue of $2.43 billion during the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $2.93 billion. Teck Resources had a return on equity of 4.14% and a net margin of 11.93%.The companys revenue for the quarter was up 18.4% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same period in the previous year, the company earned $0.60 EPS. Research analysts forecast that Teck Resources will post 1.53 EPS for the current year. Institutional Inflows and Outflows Large investors have recently added to or reduced their stakes in the business. Norges Bank acquired a new stake in Teck Resources in the 2nd quarter valued at $437,657,000. 1832 Asset Management L.P. boosted its stake in shares of Teck Resources by 1,555.9% during the 2nd quarter. 1832 Asset Management L.P. now owns 5,738,457 shares of the basic materials companys stock worth $231,719,000 after buying an additional 5,391,907 shares during the last quarter. Principal Financial Group Inc. grew its holdings in shares of Teck Resources by 36.1% in the 3rd quarter. Principal Financial Group Inc. now owns 16,879,229 shares of the basic materials companys stock valued at $740,604,000 after acquiring an additional 4,474,637 shares in the last quarter. Wellington Management Group LLP increased its position in shares of Teck Resources by 264.5% in the third quarter. Wellington Management Group LLP now owns 5,781,060 shares of the basic materials companys stock valued at $253,695,000 after acquiring an additional 4,194,868 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Pentwater Capital Management LP raised its holdings in Teck Resources by 7,150.0% during the third quarter. Pentwater Capital Management LP now owns 2,900,000 shares of the basic materials companys stock worth $127,281,000 after acquiring an additional 2,860,000 shares in the last quarter. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 78.06% of the companys stock. Teck Resources Company Profile (Get Free Report) Teck Resources Ltd. is a diversified natural resource company headquartered in Canada that explores for, develops and produces a portfolio of metallic and energy commodities. Its core businesses center on copper, steelmaking (metallurgical) coal and zinc, with related smelting and refining activities. Teck supplies raw materials and intermediate products to global steelmakers, metals markets and industrial customers, and operates integrated mining and processing facilities as well as earlier-stage exploration and development projects. The companys operations and projects are located across multiple geographies, with a significant presence in western Canada and North America and additional exploration and development activities in Latin America. Featured Articles Receive News & Ratings for Teck Resources Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Teck Resources and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Brookdale Senior Living Inc. (NYSE:BKD Get Free Report)s stock price hit a new 52-week high during trading on Thursday . The stock traded as high as $12.60 and last traded at $12.5690, with a volume of 6191768 shares trading hands. The stock had previously closed at $12.10. Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth Several research firms have weighed in on BKD. Royal Bank Of Canada lifted their price objective on shares of Brookdale Senior Living from $9.00 to $13.00 and gave the stock an outperform rating in a research report on Monday, November 17th. Weiss Ratings reiterated a sell (d-) rating on shares of Brookdale Senior Living in a report on Wednesday, October 8th. Citigroup raised Brookdale Senior Living to a buy rating in a research note on Tuesday, January 6th. Bank of America upgraded Brookdale Senior Living from an underperform rating to a buy rating and raised their price objective for the stock from $6.75 to $13.00 in a research report on Tuesday, January 6th. Finally, Wall Street Zen upgraded Brookdale Senior Living from a sell rating to a hold rating in a report on Sunday, November 23rd. Five equities research analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating and one has given a Sell rating to the companys stock. According to MarketBeat, Brookdale Senior Living presently has a consensus rating of Moderate Buy and a consensus price target of $12.00. Get Brookdale Senior Living alerts: Get Our Latest Report on Brookdale Senior Living Brookdale Senior Living Stock Up 3.9% The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 39.87, a current ratio of 0.84 and a quick ratio of 0.84. The business has a 50 day simple moving average of $10.92 and a 200 day simple moving average of $9.07. The stock has a market cap of $2.99 billion, a PE ratio of -9.59 and a beta of 0.67. Brookdale Senior Living (NYSE:BKD Get Free Report) last announced its quarterly earnings results on Thursday, November 6th. The company reported ($0.20) earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, missing the consensus estimate of ($0.16) by ($0.04). The firm had revenue of $813.17 million for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $825.59 million. Brookdale Senior Living had a negative net margin of 9.52% and a negative return on equity of 173.75%. On average, equities research analysts forecast that Brookdale Senior Living Inc. will post -0.56 EPS for the current fiscal year. Institutional Inflows and Outflows A number of hedge funds and other institutional investors have recently modified their holdings of the business. Royal Bank of Canada boosted its holdings in Brookdale Senior Living by 3.4% in the first quarter. Royal Bank of Canada now owns 1,100,420 shares of the companys stock worth $6,888,000 after purchasing an additional 36,604 shares in the last quarter. AQR Capital Management LLC boosted its stake in shares of Brookdale Senior Living by 34.2% during the 1st quarter. AQR Capital Management LLC now owns 25,506 shares of the companys stock worth $160,000 after acquiring an additional 6,507 shares in the last quarter. MIRAE ASSET GLOBAL ETFS HOLDINGS Ltd. boosted its stake in shares of Brookdale Senior Living by 3.2% during the 1st quarter. MIRAE ASSET GLOBAL ETFS HOLDINGS Ltd. now owns 138,383 shares of the companys stock worth $866,000 after acquiring an additional 4,323 shares in the last quarter. Millennium Management LLC increased its holdings in shares of Brookdale Senior Living by 67.7% during the 1st quarter. Millennium Management LLC now owns 2,171,161 shares of the companys stock valued at $13,591,000 after acquiring an additional 876,222 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Dynamic Technology Lab Private Ltd bought a new position in shares of Brookdale Senior Living in the 1st quarter valued at approximately $181,000. Brookdale Senior Living Company Profile (Get Free Report) Brookdale Senior Living Inc (NYSE: BKD) is one of the nations largest operators of senior living communities, offering a full spectrum of living options that includes independent living, assisted living, memory care, continuing care retirement communities, respite care and skilled nursing services. The company emphasizes programs and amenities that support wellness, social engagement and overall quality of life for older adults. Across the United States and Puerto Rico, Brookdale manages more than 700 communities serving tens of thousands of residents. See Also Receive News & Ratings for Brookdale Senior Living Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Brookdale Senior Living and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Burberry Group (LON:BRBY Get Free Report)s stock had its outperform rating reaffirmed by investment analysts at Royal Bank Of Canada in a report issued on Thursday, MarketBeat.com reports. They currently have a GBX 1,400 price objective on the stock. Royal Bank Of Canadas price objective suggests a potential upside of 11.51% from the stocks previous close. BRBY has been the subject of a number of other research reports. Deutsche Bank Aktiengesellschaft raised their price objective on shares of Burberry Group from GBX 1,500 to GBX 1,550 and gave the company a buy rating in a report on Thursday, November 13th. UBS Group restated a buy rating and set a GBX 1,570 price target on shares of Burberry Group in a report on Friday, January 16th. Finally, JPMorgan Chase & Co. lowered Burberry Group to an underweight rating and boosted their target price for the company from GBX 850 to GBX 950 in a research report on Friday, November 28th. Five research analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating and two have assigned a Sell rating to the stock. Based on data from MarketBeat, the stock presently has an average rating of Hold and an average price target of GBX 1,335.71. Get Burberry Group alerts: View Our Latest Report on BRBY Burberry Group Price Performance Shares of LON:BRBY opened at GBX 1,255.50 on Thursday. Burberry Group has a 12 month low of GBX 597 and a 12 month high of GBX 1,376.50. The stock has a market capitalization of 4.50 billion, a PE ratio of -174.38, a PEG ratio of 1.66 and a beta of 1.06. The company has a current ratio of 1.66, a quick ratio of 1.63 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 136.53. The firm has a 50 day moving average of GBX 1,240.97 and a 200-day moving average of GBX 1,227.21. Burberry Group (LON:BRBY Get Free Report) last issued its quarterly earnings results on Thursday, November 13th. The company reported GBX 0.60 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter. Burberry Group had a return on equity of 23.93% and a net margin of 9.10%. On average, equities research analysts predict that Burberry Group will post 32.6294821 EPS for the current fiscal year. About Burberry Group (Get Free Report) Burberry Group plc, together with its subsidiaries, manufactures, retails, and wholesales luxury goods under the Burberry brand. The company operates in two segments, Retail/Wholesale and Licensing. It provides womenswear, menswear, childrenswear, beauty, eyewear, shoes, and accessories, as well as leather goods, such as bags. The company also licenses third parties to manufacture and distribute products using the Burberry trademarks. It sells its products through Burberry mainline stores, concessions, outlets, digital commerce, Burberry franchisees, department stores, and multi-brand specialty accounts, as well as through Burberry.com website. Further Reading Receive News & Ratings for Burberry Group Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Burberry Group and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Halliburton reported fourth-quarter earnings that beat expectations, as international activity continued to offset weak conditions in North America, according to results published by Reuters on Tuesday. The oilfield services provider posted adjusted profit of 69 cents per share for the quarter ended December 31, above the 55-cent consensus compiled by LSEG, even as profit slipped year on year due to charges tied to asset impairments and restructuring. Revenue rose to about $5.66 billion, helped by international sales, while North America remained flat. Reuters reported that international revenue increased 2.9% to $3.5 billion, driven by higher completion tool sales in Brazil, the North Sea, and the Caribbean, alongside stronger software sales in Mexico. North America revenue was unchanged at $2.2 billion as U.S. shale producers continued to restrain spending amid lower oil prices and capital discipline. The Wall Street Journal separately reported that Halliburtons overall profit declined from a year earlier despite higher revenue, reflecting cost pressures and an $83 million pretax charge related in part to asset impairments and severance costs. Chief executive Jeff Miller told Reuters that North America is typically the first region to respond when macro conditions improve, but the companys latest results again showed international markets carrying growth. In its third-quarter reporting, Halliburton had already flagged stronger overseas demand relative to North America, with particular strength in Latin America and parts of Africa, while warning that U.S. activity was likely to remain pressured. That trend has also appeared across the oilfield services sector. Peers are facing similar conditions, with international projects offering more stable demand while North American drilling remains muted. Halliburtons shares rose in early trading following the earnings release, tracking gains across the oilfield services space as investors focused on the international revenue contribution rather than the year-on-year profit decline. The earnings report also arrives as Halliburton positions for a potential reopening of work in Venezuela if U.S. sanctions and operating rules change. Earlier this month, Halliburton executives met with the White House to discuss possible investment in Venezuelas oil sector, with Miller saying the company was very interested in returning. Halliburton said it could move quickly if permitted, citing its long operating history in the country and the lower capital risk carried by service companies compared with upstream operators. CACI International (NYSE:CACI Get Free Report) issued an update on its FY 2026 earnings guidance on Wednesday morning. The company provided earnings per share guidance of 28.250-28.920 for the period, compared to the consensus earnings per share estimate of 28.120. The company issued revenue guidance of $9.3 billion-$9.5 billion, compared to the consensus revenue estimate of $9.4 billion. Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth Several research firms recently commented on CACI. UBS Group cut their target price on shares of CACI International from $759.00 to $752.00 and set a buy rating on the stock in a research report on Thursday, January 15th. The Goldman Sachs Group lifted their price objective on shares of CACI International from $567.00 to $624.00 and gave the stock a buy rating in a report on Monday, October 27th. Citigroup lifted their target price on CACI International from $642.00 to $683.00 and gave the company a neutral rating in a report on Tuesday, January 13th. Weiss Ratings restated a buy (b-) rating on shares of CACI International in a research report on Monday, December 29th. Finally, TD Cowen reaffirmed a buy rating on shares of CACI International in a research note on Friday, October 24th. Eleven equities research analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating and three have issued a Hold rating to the stock. According to data from MarketBeat.com, the stock presently has an average rating of Moderate Buy and a consensus price target of $621.00. Get CACI International alerts: Read Our Latest Stock Analysis on CACI International CACI International Price Performance CACI stock traded up $1.72 during mid-day trading on Wednesday, hitting $630.86. The company had a trading volume of 432,027 shares, compared to its average volume of 241,542. The company has a 50-day moving average price of $584.80 and a 200 day moving average price of $532.95. CACI International has a 12-month low of $318.60 and a 12-month high of $642.00. The company has a quick ratio of 1.54, a current ratio of 1.54 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.67. The company has a market capitalization of $13.93 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 27.85, a P/E/G ratio of 2.29 and a beta of 0.58. CACI International (NYSE:CACI Get Free Report) last released its quarterly earnings results on Wednesday, January 21st. The information technology services provider reported $6.81 EPS for the quarter, topping analysts consensus estimates of $6.47 by $0.34. The firm had revenue of $2.22 billion during the quarter, compared to analysts expectations of $2.28 billion. CACI International had a net margin of 5.70% and a return on equity of 15.92%. The firms revenue for the quarter was up 5.7% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same period in the previous year, the company earned $5.95 EPS. CACI International has set its FY 2026 guidance at 28.250-28.920 EPS. On average, research analysts anticipate that CACI International will post 23.94 earnings per share for the current year. Institutional Inflows and Outflows Several hedge funds have recently added to or reduced their stakes in the business. Hilltop Holdings Inc. increased its position in CACI International by 5.8% during the third quarter. Hilltop Holdings Inc. now owns 545 shares of the information technology services providers stock worth $272,000 after buying an additional 30 shares in the last quarter. Public Employees Retirement System of Ohio lifted its position in CACI International by 0.4% during the 3rd quarter. Public Employees Retirement System of Ohio now owns 7,292 shares of the information technology services providers stock worth $3,637,000 after acquiring an additional 32 shares in the last quarter. Integrated Wealth Concepts LLC grew its stake in shares of CACI International by 5.1% during the third quarter. Integrated Wealth Concepts LLC now owns 1,787 shares of the information technology services providers stock valued at $891,000 after acquiring an additional 87 shares in the last quarter. EverSource Wealth Advisors LLC raised its holdings in CACI International by 595.2% in the second quarter. EverSource Wealth Advisors LLC now owns 146 shares of the information technology services providers stock valued at $70,000 after acquiring an additional 125 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Baird Financial Group Inc. raised its stake in CACI International by 3.7% during the second quarter. Baird Financial Group Inc. now owns 4,416 shares of the information technology services providers stock valued at $2,105,000 after buying an additional 157 shares in the last quarter. 86.43% of the stock is currently owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors. CACI International Company Profile (Get Free Report) CACI International Inc is a leading provider of information solutions and services to the U.S. federal government, with a primary focus on defense, intelligence, homeland security and federal civilian agencies. The company delivers advanced technology and domain expertise to support mission-critical operations, offering capabilities in areas such as data analytics, cyber security, network integration, enterprise IT modernization and logistics support. By integrating software, hardware and professional services, CACI helps clients enhance situational awareness, improve decision making and maintain critical infrastructure resilience. Founded in 1962 and headquartered in Arlington, Virginia, CACI has evolved from a small consulting operation into a global enterprise. See Also Receive News & Ratings for CACI International Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for CACI International and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Chocoladefabriken Lindt & Sprungli AG (OTCMKTS:LDSVF Get Free Report)s stock price crossed below its 50-day moving average during trading on Monday . The stock has a 50-day moving average of $14,520.45 and traded as low as $13,930.00. Chocoladefabriken Lindt & Sprungli shares last traded at $13,930.00, with a volume of 2 shares. Chocoladefabriken Lindt & Sprungli Stock Up 0.2% The companys fifty day moving average is $14,472.24 and its two-hundred day moving average is $15,070.80. Get Chocoladefabriken Lindt & Sprungli alerts: Chocoladefabriken Lindt & Sprungli Company Profile (Get Free Report) Chocoladefabriken Lindt & Sprungli AG, trading on the OTC market under the symbol LDSVF, is a Swiss chocolatier renowned for its premium confectionery. Headquartered in Kilchberg, Switzerland, the companys portfolio encompasses a variety of chocolate bars, truffles, pralines, seasonal specialties and gift assortments marketed under brands such as Lindt, Ghirardelli, Russell Stover and Caffarel. Products are sold through multiple channels, including supermarkets, duty-free shops, specialty retailers and Lindts own boutiques and cafes. Founded in 1845 by David Sprungli-Schwarz and his son Rudolf Sprungli-Ammann, the company introduced significant innovations to chocolate production, most notably the conching process that underpins modern chocolate texture. See Also Receive News & Ratings for Chocoladefabriken Lindt & Sprungli Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Chocoladefabriken Lindt & Sprungli and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Citizens Financial Group, Inc. (NYSE:CFG Get Free Report) declared a quarterly dividend on Wednesday, January 21st. Shareholders of record on Wednesday, February 4th will be given a dividend of 0.46 per share by the bank on Wednesday, February 18th. This represents a c) annualized dividend and a yield of 2.9%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Wednesday, February 4th. Citizens Financial Group has raised its dividend payment by an average of 0.0%per year over the last three years. Citizens Financial Group has a payout ratio of 37.4% indicating that its dividend is sufficiently covered by earnings. Analysts expect Citizens Financial Group to earn $4.99 per share next year, which means the company should continue to be able to cover its $1.84 annual dividend with an expected future payout ratio of 36.9%. Get Citizens Financial Group alerts: Citizens Financial Group Trading Up 7.0% NYSE:CFG opened at $64.01 on Thursday. Citizens Financial Group has a 52 week low of $32.60 and a 52 week high of $64.27. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.44, a quick ratio of 0.84 and a current ratio of 0.85. The firms fifty day moving average is $57.35 and its 200-day moving average is $52.86. The firm has a market cap of $27.49 billion, a P/E ratio of 17.93, a P/E/G ratio of 0.52 and a beta of 0.72. Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades Citizens Financial Group ( NYSE:CFG Get Free Report ) last announced its earnings results on Wednesday, January 21st. The bank reported $1.13 earnings per share for the quarter, topping analysts consensus estimates of $1.11 by $0.02. The business had revenue of $2.16 billion during the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $2.16 billion. Citizens Financial Group had a net margin of 14.17% and a return on equity of 7.48%. Citizens Financial Groups quarterly revenue was up 8.6% on a year-over-year basis. During the same quarter last year, the firm earned $0.85 earnings per share. Equities analysts expect that Citizens Financial Group will post 3.92 earnings per share for the current year. CFG has been the topic of several research analyst reports. DA Davidson restated a buy rating and set a $59.00 target price on shares of Citizens Financial Group in a research report on Thursday, October 16th. The Goldman Sachs Group restated a buy rating and set a $73.00 price target on shares of Citizens Financial Group in a report on Tuesday, January 6th. Morgan Stanley reiterated an overweight rating and issued a $73.00 price objective on shares of Citizens Financial Group in a research note on Thursday. Bank of America upgraded shares of Citizens Financial Group from a neutral rating to a buy rating and boosted their target price for the company from $52.00 to $65.00 in a research report on Thursday, October 9th. Finally, Keefe, Bruyette & Woods increased their target price on shares of Citizens Financial Group from $68.00 to $70.00 and gave the stock an outperform rating in a research note on Thursday. One research analyst has rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, seventeen have given a Buy rating and two have issued a Hold rating to the company. Based on data from MarketBeat, the stock currently has a consensus rating of Moderate Buy and a consensus target price of $61.95. Check Out Our Latest Analysis on CFG Citizens Financial Group Company Profile (Get Free Report) Citizens Financial Group, Inc (NYSE: CFG) is a bank holding company that provides a broad range of banking and financial services to individuals, small and middle-market businesses, corporations and institutional clients. Headquartered in Providence, Rhode Island, Citizens conducts its banking operations principally through its primary banking subsidiary, Citizens Bank, and serves customers through a combination of branch locations, ATMs and digital channels. The company is publicly traded and operates under the regulatory framework applicable to U.S. Further Reading Receive News & Ratings for Citizens Financial Group Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Citizens Financial Group and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Commerzbank AG (OTCMKTS:CRZBY Get Free Report) shares passed below its 50-day moving average during trading on Wednesday . The stock has a 50-day moving average of $40.48 and traded as low as $39.86. Commerzbank shares last traded at $40.53, with a volume of 34,635 shares changing hands. Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades A number of research firms have recently commented on CRZBY. The Goldman Sachs Group upgraded shares of Commerzbank from a sell rating to a neutral rating in a research report on Thursday, December 4th. Deutsche Bank Aktiengesellschaft upgraded shares of Commerzbank from a hold rating to a buy rating in a research note on Monday, November 10th. Two investment analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating and four have assigned a Hold rating to the companys stock. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, Commerzbank has a consensus rating of Hold. Get Commerzbank alerts: Read Our Latest Analysis on CRZBY Commerzbank Stock Performance The stock has a market cap of $48.01 billion, a P/E ratio of 17.85 and a beta of 0.36. The stock has a 50-day moving average price of $40.48 and a 200-day moving average price of $38.44. Commerzbank (OTCMKTS:CRZBY Get Free Report) last announced its earnings results on Thursday, November 6th. The financial services provider reported $0.61 earnings per share for the quarter, missing analysts consensus estimates of $0.62 by ($0.01). Commerzbank had a net margin of 11.03% and a return on equity of 7.29%. The company had revenue of $3.37 billion during the quarter, compared to analysts expectations of $3.46 billion. Sell-side analysts forecast that Commerzbank AG will post 1.96 earnings per share for the current fiscal year. Institutional Inflows and Outflows Several hedge funds and other institutional investors have recently added to or reduced their stakes in CRZBY. Rhumbline Advisers increased its stake in Commerzbank by 14.5% in the first quarter. Rhumbline Advisers now owns 5,140 shares of the financial services providers stock valued at $117,000 after acquiring an additional 650 shares during the last quarter. GAMMA Investing LLC boosted its holdings in shares of Commerzbank by 18.1% in the 3rd quarter. GAMMA Investing LLC now owns 4,841 shares of the financial services providers stock worth $183,000 after purchasing an additional 741 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Yousif Capital Management LLC increased its position in shares of Commerzbank by 8.0% during the 2nd quarter. Yousif Capital Management LLC now owns 15,644 shares of the financial services providers stock valued at $492,000 after purchasing an additional 1,165 shares during the last quarter. Commerzbank Company Profile (Get Free Report) Commerzbank AG is a major German banking group headquartered in Frankfurt am Main. Founded in 1870, the bank operates as a universal financial institution offering a broad range of services to private customers, small and medium-sized enterprises (the German Mittelstand), and large corporates. Its core business lines include retail and corporate banking, transaction banking, capital markets and investment banking, as well as asset and wealth management. On the retail side, Commerzbank provides everyday banking products such as deposit accounts, payment services, consumer loans, mortgages and digital banking channels for individual customers. Read More Receive News & Ratings for Commerzbank Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Commerzbank and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Compagnie Financiere Richemont AG (OTCMKTS:CFRUY Get Free Report)s share price passed below its 50-day moving average during trading on Wednesday . The stock has a 50-day moving average of $21.16 and traded as low as $19.63. Compagnie Financiere Richemont shares last traded at $19.91, with a volume of 1,015,256 shares changing hands. Analysts Set New Price Targets Separately, Hsbc Global Res upgraded Compagnie Financiere Richemont to a strong-buy rating in a research note on Monday, November 3rd. One analyst has rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, According to data from MarketBeat, the stock presently has an average rating of Strong Buy. Get Compagnie Financiere Richemont alerts: View Our Latest Research Report on Compagnie Financiere Richemont Compagnie Financiere Richemont Stock Up 1.6% Compagnie Financiere Richemont Company Profile The stocks fifty day simple moving average is $21.16 and its two-hundred day simple moving average is $19.35. (Get Free Report) Compagnie Financiere Richemont SA is a Switzerland-based luxury goods holding company headquartered in Geneva. The group designs, manufactures and distributes high-end jewelry, watches, leather goods, writing instruments, accessories and fashion items through a portfolio of maisons and specialist retailers. Richemonts business model combines brand ownership with direct retail operations and selective wholesale distribution to serve affluent consumers worldwide. Richemonts portfolio includes several well-known luxury maisons that operate across distinct product categories, notably jewellery and watchmaking, as well as leather goods and accessories. Recommended Stories Receive News & Ratings for Compagnie Financiere Richemont Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Compagnie Financiere Richemont and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Spirits Capital (OTCMKTS:SSCC Get Free Report) and Molson Coors Beverage (NYSE:TAP Get Free Report) are both consumer staples companies, but which is the better business? We will contrast the two companies based on the strength of their institutional ownership, dividends, profitability, earnings, analyst recommendations, risk and valuation. Profitability This table compares Spirits Capital and Molson Coors Beverages net margins, return on equity and return on assets. Get Spirits Capital alerts: Net Margins Return on Equity Return on Assets Spirits Capital N/A N/A N/A Molson Coors Beverage -15.89% 8.78% 4.38% Valuation and Earnings This table compares Spirits Capital and Molson Coors Beverages gross revenue, earnings per share (EPS) and valuation. Gross Revenue Price/Sales Ratio Net Income Earnings Per Share Price/Earnings Ratio Spirits Capital N/A N/A -$5.59 million ($0.07) -31.71 Molson Coors Beverage $13.73 billion 0.73 $1.12 billion ($10.68) -4.72 Molson Coors Beverage has higher revenue and earnings than Spirits Capital. Spirits Capital is trading at a lower price-to-earnings ratio than Molson Coors Beverage, indicating that it is currently the more affordable of the two stocks. Insider & Institutional Ownership 78.5% of Molson Coors Beverage shares are held by institutional investors. 29.8% of Spirits Capital shares are held by company insiders. Comparatively, 2.7% of Molson Coors Beverage shares are held by company insiders. Strong institutional ownership is an indication that hedge funds, endowments and large money managers believe a company is poised for long-term growth. Analyst Recommendations This is a summary of current recommendations and price targets for Spirits Capital and Molson Coors Beverage, as provided by MarketBeat.com. Sell Ratings Hold Ratings Buy Ratings Strong Buy Ratings Rating Score Spirits Capital 0 0 0 0 0.00 Molson Coors Beverage 4 10 5 0 2.05 Molson Coors Beverage has a consensus target price of $53.18, suggesting a potential upside of 5.40%. Given Molson Coors Beverages stronger consensus rating and higher probable upside, analysts clearly believe Molson Coors Beverage is more favorable than Spirits Capital. Risk & Volatility Spirits Capital has a beta of 0.12, indicating that its share price is 88% less volatile than the S&P 500. Comparatively, Molson Coors Beverage has a beta of 0.45, indicating that its share price is 55% less volatile than the S&P 500. Summary Molson Coors Beverage beats Spirits Capital on 10 of the 13 factors compared between the two stocks. About Spirits Capital (Get Free Report) Spirits Cap Corp. operates a financial technology platform. Its platform provides secured purchase of American whiskey while maturing. The company was incorporated in 1995 and is based in Newport Beach, California. About Molson Coors Beverage (Get Free Report) Molson Coors Beverage Company manufactures, markets, and sells beer and other malt beverage products under various brands in the Americas, Europe, the Middle East, Africa, and the Asia Pacific. The company offers flavored malt beverages including hard seltzers, craft, spirits and energy, and ready to drink beverages. It provides its products under Aspall Cider, Blue Moon, Coors Original, Five Trail, Hop Valley brands, Leinenkugels, Madri, Miller Genuine Draft, Molson Ultra, Sharps, Staropramen, and Vizzy Hard Seltzer above premier brands; Bergenbier, Borsodi, Carling, Coors Banquet, Coors Light, Jelen, Kamenitza, Miller Lite, Molson Canadian, and Niksicko, Ozujsko under the premium brands; and Branik, Icehouse, Keystone, Miller High Life, Milwaukees Best, and Steel Reserve under the economy brands. The company was formerly known as Molson Coors Brewing Company and changed its name to Molson Coors Beverage Company in January 2020. Molson Coors Beverage Company was founded in 1774 and is based in Golden, Colorado. Receive News & Ratings for Spirits Capital Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Spirits Capital and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Fresenius Medical Care AG & Co. KGaA (NYSE:FMS Get Free Report) has received an average recommendation of Reduce from the seven analysts that are presently covering the company, Marketbeat reports. Three research analysts have rated the stock with a sell rating and four have issued a hold rating on the company. The average 1-year target price among analysts that have issued a report on the stock in the last year is $28.00. A number of equities research analysts recently commented on FMS shares. Bank of America cut shares of Fresenius Medical Care AG & Co. KGaA from a neutral rating to an underperform rating in a research report on Wednesday, October 15th. Zacks Research downgraded Fresenius Medical Care AG & Co. KGaA from a strong-buy rating to a hold rating in a research report on Tuesday, November 4th. Wall Street Zen raised Fresenius Medical Care AG & Co. KGaA from a buy rating to a strong-buy rating in a research report on Saturday, December 20th. Weiss Ratings lowered Fresenius Medical Care AG & Co. KGaA from a buy (b-) rating to a hold (c+) rating in a research report on Monday, January 5th. Finally, Truist Financial set a $28.00 price target on Fresenius Medical Care AG & Co. KGaA in a research note on Monday, January 5th. Get Fresenius Medical Care AG & Co. KGaA alerts: Check Out Our Latest Stock Analysis on FMS Fresenius Medical Care AG & Co. KGaA Price Performance Shares of NYSE FMS opened at $21.68 on Friday. Fresenius Medical Care AG & Co. KGaA has a 1-year low of $20.94 and a 1-year high of $30.46. The business has a fifty day moving average price of $23.29 and a 200 day moving average price of $24.93. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.45, a quick ratio of 1.00 and a current ratio of 1.36. Fresenius Medical Care AG & Co. KGaA (NYSE:FMS Get Free Report) last announced its earnings results on Tuesday, November 4th. The company reported $0.64 EPS for the quarter, topping analysts consensus estimates of $0.59 by $0.05. Fresenius Medical Care AG & Co. KGaA had a net margin of 3.72% and a return on equity of 7.42%. The business had revenue of $5.73 billion during the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $4.72 billion. Research analysts anticipate that Fresenius Medical Care AG & Co. KGaA will post 1.51 earnings per share for the current fiscal year. Institutional Trading of Fresenius Medical Care AG & Co. KGaA A number of institutional investors have recently bought and sold shares of FMS. TD Waterhouse Canada Inc. acquired a new position in Fresenius Medical Care AG & Co. KGaA during the 2nd quarter valued at approximately $36,000. CIBC Private Wealth Group LLC grew its holdings in shares of Fresenius Medical Care AG & Co. KGaA by 398.2% during the third quarter. CIBC Private Wealth Group LLC now owns 1,380 shares of the companys stock valued at $36,000 after buying an additional 1,103 shares during the last quarter. Atlantic Union Bankshares Corp acquired a new position in shares of Fresenius Medical Care AG & Co. KGaA in the 2nd quarter valued at $43,000. Hantz Financial Services Inc. raised its stake in Fresenius Medical Care AG & Co. KGaA by 568.5% in the 2nd quarter. Hantz Financial Services Inc. now owns 2,079 shares of the companys stock worth $59,000 after acquiring an additional 1,768 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Huntington National Bank lifted its position in Fresenius Medical Care AG & Co. KGaA by 219.5% during the 2nd quarter. Huntington National Bank now owns 2,355 shares of the companys stock worth $67,000 after acquiring an additional 1,618 shares during the period. 8.37% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors and hedge funds. About Fresenius Medical Care AG & Co. KGaA (Get Free Report) Fresenius Medical Care AG & Co KGaA is the worlds largest integrated provider of products and services for individuals with renal diseases. The companys primary business activities encompass the operation of dialysis clinics and the manufacture and distribution of dialysis equipment, dialysis machines, dialyzers, consumables and related therapies. Through its global network of clinics, Fresenius Medical Care delivers comprehensive kidney care, including hemodialysis and peritoneal dialysis treatments, patient education and support services. In its products segment, the company designs and produces dialysis machines, water treatment systems and disposables such as highflux dialyzers and bloodlines. Featured Stories Receive News & Ratings for Fresenius Medical Care AG & Co. KGaA Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Fresenius Medical Care AG & Co. KGaA and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. GE Aerospace (NYSE:GE Get Free Report) posted its quarterly earnings results on Thursday. The company reported $1.57 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of $1.43 by $0.14, FiscalAI reports. The firm had revenue of $11.90 billion during the quarter, compared to analysts expectations of $11.27 billion. GE Aerospace had a net margin of 18.34% and a return on equity of 34.01%. The firms revenue for the quarter was up 17.6% on a year-over-year basis. During the same period in the prior year, the company posted $1.32 earnings per share. GE Aerospace updated its FY 2026 guidance to 7.100-7.400 EPS. Here are the key takeaways from GE Aerospaces conference call: Get GE Aerospace alerts: GE Aerospace reiterated strong 2026 targets with low-double-digit revenue growth , operating profit of $9.85$10.25B, EPS of $7.10$7.40 (+15% midpoint), and $88.4B free cash flow with conversion above 100%. , operating profit of $9.85$10.25B, EPS of $7.10$7.40 (+15% midpoint), and $88.4B free cash flow with conversion above 100%. Management called 2025 outstanding orders and revenue accelerated (full-year orders +32%, revenue +21%), EPS and free cash flow improved materially, and backlog grew to about $190 billion (nearly $20B higher year-over-year). (nearly $20B higher year-over-year). The company is materially expanding aftermarket capacity and LEAP support record LEAP output (>1,800 units), LEAP internal shop visits +27%, ~ $500M of MRO investment targeted to LEAP to roughly double internal capacity, plus durability kits and more certified repairs to lower cost of ownership. to roughly double internal capacity, plus durability kits and more certified repairs to lower cost of ownership. The GE9X program remained a notable headwind losses of a couple hundred million in 2025 are expected to roughly double in 2026 as shipments increase, weighing on near-term profit/margin dynamics. GE Aerospace Price Performance Shares of NYSE:GE opened at $294.97 on Friday. The businesss fifty day moving average price is $305.30 and its two-hundred day moving average price is $291.83. The stock has a market cap of $311.14 billion, a PE ratio of 39.38, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 2.17 and a beta of 1.40. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.99, a quick ratio of 0.76 and a current ratio of 1.08. GE Aerospace has a one year low of $159.36 and a one year high of $332.79. GE Aerospace Dividend Announcement Analyst Ratings Changes The business also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Monday, January 26th. Investors of record on Monday, December 29th will be paid a $0.36 dividend. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Monday, December 29th. This represents a $1.44 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 0.5%. GE Aerospaces dividend payout ratio is presently 19.23%. A number of research firms recently weighed in on GE. Citigroup decreased their price target on GE Aerospace from $386.00 to $378.00 and set a buy rating on the stock in a research note on Tuesday, January 13th. Deutsche Bank Aktiengesellschaft reissued a buy rating and issued a $350.00 target price on shares of GE Aerospace in a report on Wednesday, October 8th. UBS Group reaffirmed a buy rating and set a $368.00 price target (up from $366.00) on shares of GE Aerospace in a research note on Thursday, January 15th. Weiss Ratings reiterated a buy (b) rating on shares of GE Aerospace in a report on Wednesday, October 8th. Finally, The Goldman Sachs Group raised their price objective on shares of GE Aerospace from $271.00 to $305.00 and gave the company a buy rating in a research note on Friday, October 10th. Sixteen research analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating, two have assigned a Hold rating and one has assigned a Sell rating to the stock. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, GE Aerospace presently has an average rating of Moderate Buy and a consensus price target of $314.00. Get Our Latest Stock Analysis on GE Trending Headlines about GE Aerospace Here are the key news stories impacting GE Aerospace this week: Insider Buying and Selling at GE Aerospace In other news, SVP Russell Stokes sold 8,000 shares of the companys stock in a transaction on Wednesday, November 19th. The stock was sold at an average price of $297.71, for a total value of $2,381,680.00. Following the sale, the senior vice president directly owned 150,434 shares in the company, valued at $44,785,706.14. This represents a 5.05% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The sale was disclosed in a legal filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available through the SEC website. 0.21% of the stock is currently owned by company insiders. Institutional Investors Weigh In On GE Aerospace Hedge funds have recently made changes to their positions in the business. Sivia Capital Partners LLC lifted its position in GE Aerospace by 4.6% during the second quarter. Sivia Capital Partners LLC now owns 4,337 shares of the companys stock worth $1,116,000 after buying an additional 191 shares during the period. Brighton Jones LLC grew its holdings in GE Aerospace by 25.3% in the 4th quarter. Brighton Jones LLC now owns 12,008 shares of the companys stock valued at $2,003,000 after buying an additional 2,421 shares during the period. American Trust increased its stake in shares of GE Aerospace by 96.9% during the 3rd quarter. American Trust now owns 1,705 shares of the companys stock valued at $513,000 after acquiring an additional 839 shares during the last quarter. Texas Capital Bank Wealth Management Services Inc purchased a new position in shares of GE Aerospace during the 3rd quarter worth about $540,000. Finally, PGIM Custom Harvest LLC lifted its holdings in shares of GE Aerospace by 12.2% during the 3rd quarter. PGIM Custom Harvest LLC now owns 1,803 shares of the companys stock worth $542,000 after acquiring an additional 196 shares during the period. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 74.77% of the companys stock. About GE Aerospace (Get Free Report) GE Aerospace (NYSE: GE) is the aerospace business of General Electric, focused on the design, manufacture and support of aircraft engines, integrated propulsion systems and related aftermarket services. The company serves commercial airlines, airframers, business and general aviation operators, and defense customers, providing propulsion solutions for a broad range of aircraft types from singleaisle airliners to widebody and military platforms. Its product portfolio includes a family of commercial and military jet engines as well as spare parts, components and systems engineering. Read More Receive News & Ratings for GE Aerospace Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for GE Aerospace and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Halliburton (NYSE:HAL Get Free Report) had its price objective lifted by research analysts at Royal Bank Of Canada from $36.00 to $38.00 in a note issued to investors on Thursday,Benzinga reports. The brokerage currently has an outperform rating on the oilfield services companys stock. Royal Bank Of Canadas price objective suggests a potential upside of 15.29% from the stocks current price. A number of other equities analysts have also recently commented on the company. Rothschild Redb upgraded Halliburton to a strong-buy rating in a report on Monday, November 3rd. Piper Sandler raised their price objective on shares of Halliburton from $29.00 to $30.00 and gave the company a neutral rating in a research note on Wednesday, January 14th. TD Cowen lifted their price objective on Halliburton from $39.00 to $40.00 and gave the company a buy rating in a research report on Thursday. Redburn Partners set a $35.00 price objective on Halliburton in a research note on Monday, November 3rd. Finally, HSBC set a $30.00 price target on Halliburton and gave the company a buy rating in a research note on Wednesday, October 22nd. Two investment analysts have rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, fifteen have assigned a Buy rating and seven have assigned a Hold rating to the companys stock. According to data from MarketBeat.com, the stock presently has an average rating of Moderate Buy and an average price target of $34.00. Get Halliburton alerts: Check Out Our Latest Stock Report on Halliburton Halliburton Stock Down 1.2% Shares of HAL stock traded down $0.40 during trading hours on Thursday, hitting $32.96. 2,943,977 shares of the companys stock traded hands, compared to its average volume of 17,050,191. The company has a quick ratio of 1.43, a current ratio of 1.95 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.70. Halliburton has a 12-month low of $18.72 and a 12-month high of $33.80. The stock has a market cap of $27.74 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 21.89 and a beta of 0.78. The stocks fifty day simple moving average is $28.71 and its two-hundred day simple moving average is $25.14. Halliburton (NYSE:HAL Get Free Report) last posted its quarterly earnings results on Wednesday, January 21st. The oilfield services company reported $0.69 EPS for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of $0.54 by $0.15. Halliburton had a net margin of 5.91% and a return on equity of 20.12%. The company had revenue of $5.66 billion for the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $5.39 billion. During the same quarter last year, the firm posted $0.73 EPS. The firms revenue was up .8% compared to the same quarter last year. On average, analysts expect that Halliburton will post 2.64 EPS for the current year. Insider Activity at Halliburton In other Halliburton news, EVP Lawrence J. Pope sold 100,000 shares of the stock in a transaction on Monday, January 5th. The stock was sold at an average price of $32.25, for a total transaction of $3,225,000.00. Following the sale, the executive vice president owned 419,800 shares in the company, valued at $13,538,550. This represents a 19.24% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The transaction was disclosed in a legal filing with the SEC, which is available at this link. Also, EVP Van H. Beckwith sold 8,854 shares of the firms stock in a transaction that occurred on Friday, December 5th. The shares were sold at an average price of $27.89, for a total transaction of $246,938.06. Following the sale, the executive vice president directly owned 333,528 shares of the companys stock, valued at $9,302,095.92. This trade represents a 2.59% decrease in their position. Additional details regarding this sale are available in the official SEC disclosure. Insiders have sold 268,854 shares of company stock valued at $7,915,138 over the last ninety days. Corporate insiders own 0.56% of the companys stock. Institutional Trading of Halliburton Hedge funds have recently made changes to their positions in the business. Kelleher Financial Advisors acquired a new position in Halliburton during the 3rd quarter worth $25,000. Cullen Frost Bankers Inc. acquired a new stake in Halliburton in the third quarter valued at approximately $25,000. GoalVest Advisory LLC acquired a new position in Halliburton in the 4th quarter worth $35,000. Newbridge Financial Services Group Inc. acquired a new stake in Halliburton during the 2nd quarter valued at approximately $25,000. Finally, Strive Asset Management LLC bought a new position in shares of Halliburton in the 3rd quarter worth about $31,000. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 85.23% of the companys stock. Halliburton News Summary Here are the key news stories impacting Halliburton this week: Halliburton Company Profile (Get Free Report) Halliburton is one of the worlds largest providers of products and services to the energy industry, offering a broad portfolio that supports the lifecycle of oil and gas reservoirs from exploration and drilling through production and abandonment. Founded in 1919 by Erle P. Halliburton as an oil-well cementing company, the firm is headquartered in Houston, Texas and has developed into an integrated oilfield services company serving upstream operators globally. The companys activities encompass drilling and evaluation, well construction and completion, production enhancement and well intervention. Further Reading Receive News & Ratings for Halliburton Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Halliburton and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Hudson Edge Investment Partners Inc. grew its holdings in HDFC Bank Limited (NYSE:HDB Free Report) by 100.6% in the 3rd quarter, according to its most recent disclosure with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The institutional investor owned 1,506,200 shares of the banks stock after acquiring an additional 755,200 shares during the quarter. HDFC Bank accounts for about 8.3% of Hudson Edge Investment Partners Inc.s investment portfolio, making the stock its 3rd largest holding. Hudson Edge Investment Partners Inc.s holdings in HDFC Bank were worth $51,452,000 at the end of the most recent quarter. A number of other hedge funds also recently modified their holdings of HDB. Bruce G. Allen Investments LLC increased its stake in HDFC Bank by 4,118.8% during the 3rd quarter. Bruce G. Allen Investments LLC now owns 1,350 shares of the banks stock worth $46,000 after purchasing an additional 1,318 shares in the last quarter. Boston Common Asset Management LLC boosted its holdings in shares of HDFC Bank by 88.0% in the third quarter. Boston Common Asset Management LLC now owns 849,699 shares of the banks stock valued at $29,026,000 after buying an additional 397,841 shares during the period. Migdal Insurance & Financial Holdings Ltd. boosted its holdings in shares of HDFC Bank by 64.1% in the third quarter. Migdal Insurance & Financial Holdings Ltd. now owns 27,448 shares of the banks stock valued at $938,000 after buying an additional 10,724 shares during the period. Canopy Partners LLC increased its position in shares of HDFC Bank by 103.3% during the third quarter. Canopy Partners LLC now owns 9,293 shares of the banks stock worth $317,000 after acquiring an additional 4,721 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Platform Technology Partners raised its holdings in shares of HDFC Bank by 56.4% during the third quarter. Platform Technology Partners now owns 11,955 shares of the banks stock worth $408,000 after acquiring an additional 4,311 shares during the period. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 17.61% of the companys stock. Get HDFC Bank alerts: Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth A number of brokerages recently weighed in on HDB. Weiss Ratings lowered shares of HDFC Bank from a hold (c-) rating to a sell (d+) rating in a research note on Monday, January 12th. Zacks Research upgraded HDFC Bank from a strong sell rating to a hold rating in a report on Monday, September 29th. Finally, Wall Street Zen cut HDFC Bank from a hold rating to a sell rating in a research note on Saturday, January 3rd. One research analyst has rated the stock with a Buy rating, one has given a Hold rating and one has given a Sell rating to the stock. According to MarketBeat.com, the company currently has a consensus rating of Hold. HDFC Bank Stock Performance HDB opened at $32.11 on Thursday. HDFC Bank Limited has a 52-week low of $29.04 and a 52-week high of $39.81. The firm has a market capitalization of $163.78 billion, a PE ratio of 19.28, a PEG ratio of 1.30 and a beta of 0.57. The businesss 50-day simple moving average is $35.33 and its 200 day simple moving average is $36.07. HDFC Bank (NYSE:HDB Get Free Report) last posted its quarterly earnings results on Tuesday, January 20th. The bank reported $0.43 earnings per share for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of $0.39 by $0.04. HDFC Bank had a return on equity of 11.06% and a net margin of 14.92%.The firm had revenue of $16.48 billion for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $5.12 billion. On average, research analysts forecast that HDFC Bank Limited will post 3.03 earnings per share for the current year. HDFC Bank Profile (Free Report) HDFC Bank Limited is one of Indias leading private sector banks, headquartered in Mumbai. Incorporated in 1994 and promoted by Housing Development Finance Corporation (HDFC), the bank provides a full range of banking and financial services to retail, small and medium-sized enterprises, and corporate customers. It is publicly listed and also accessible to international investors through American Depositary Receipts (ADRs) trading on the New York Stock Exchange under the symbol HDB. The banks core activities include retail banking (deposit accounts, personal loans, home loans, auto loans, and credit cards), commercial and corporate banking (working capital finance, term lending, trade finance and treasury services), and transaction banking (cash management and payment solutions). Read More Want to see what other hedge funds are holding HDB? Visit HoldingsChannel.com to get the latest 13F filings and insider trades for HDFC Bank Limited (NYSE:HDB Free Report). Receive News & Ratings for HDFC Bank Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for HDFC Bank and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. SLB N.V. (NYSE:SLB) is one of the stocks on Jim Cramers game plan for this week. Cramer showed caution ahead of the companys upcoming report, as he remarked: "Lots of people have been loving SLB of late, thats the old Schlumberger. Theyre seeing potential contracts in Venezuela for this oil service company. But I just looked at the price of crude, though, below $60 a barrel. I think that its very hard for SLB to deliver special numbers when it reports on Friday." Pixabay/Public Domain SLB N.V. (NYSE:SLB) provides technology and services for the energy sector. It offers solutions in field development, hydrocarbon production, carbon management, and energy system integration. The company delivers well construction, reservoir evaluation, drilling, and production optimization technologies. Ariel Investments stated the following regarding SLB N.V. (NYSE:SLB) in its third quarter 2025 investor letter: "Lastly, SLB N.V. (NYSE:SLB) traded lower during the quarter, pressured by a challenging macroeconomic environment. OPEC+ supply increases and heightened geopolitical uncertainty weighed on oil prices, dampening upstream investment activity. Revenue softness and margin pressure in the Reservoir Performance and Well Construction segments impacted results, despite solid contributions from Digital and Production Systems services. Looking ahead, we see medium-term tailwinds as national oil companies accelerate investment in long-cycle projects to offset expected production declines. With unmatched scale, broad technical capabilities, and strong exposure to resilient international markets, we believe SLB remains the best-positioned oilfield services provider to meet rising global energy demand." While we acknowledge the potential of SLB as an investment, we believe certain AI stocks offer greater upside potential and carry less downside risk. If you're looking for an extremely undervalued AI stock that also stands to benefit significantly from Trump-era tariffs and the onshoring trend, see our free report on the best short-term AI stock. READ NEXT: 30 Stocks That Should Double in 3 Years and 11 Hidden AI Stocks to Buy Right Now. Disclosure: None. This article is originally published at Insider Monkey. Hudson Edge Investment Partners Inc. grew its stake in Bristol Myers Squibb Company (NYSE:BMY Free Report) by 10.2% during the third quarter, according to the company in its most recent filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The institutional investor owned 144,968 shares of the biopharmaceutical companys stock after purchasing an additional 13,394 shares during the period. Hudson Edge Investment Partners Inc.s holdings in Bristol Myers Squibb were worth $6,538,000 as of its most recent filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission. Other large investors have also recently bought and sold shares of the company. Exchange Capital Management Inc. boosted its position in Bristol Myers Squibb by 0.4% during the second quarter. Exchange Capital Management Inc. now owns 54,893 shares of the biopharmaceutical companys stock valued at $2,541,000 after acquiring an additional 220 shares during the last quarter. CVA Family Office LLC increased its position in shares of Bristol Myers Squibb by 2.6% during the third quarter. CVA Family Office LLC now owns 8,959 shares of the biopharmaceutical companys stock worth $404,000 after acquiring an additional 223 shares in the last quarter. Parsons Capital Management Inc. RI raised its stake in shares of Bristol Myers Squibb by 0.3% in the second quarter. Parsons Capital Management Inc. RI now owns 78,105 shares of the biopharmaceutical companys stock worth $3,615,000 after purchasing an additional 224 shares during the last quarter. Richwood Investment Advisors LLC lifted its stake in Bristol Myers Squibb by 1.7% during the 2nd quarter. Richwood Investment Advisors LLC now owns 13,303 shares of the biopharmaceutical companys stock valued at $616,000 after acquiring an additional 225 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Mccarter Private Wealth Services LLC boosted its stake in shares of Bristol Myers Squibb by 5.0% in the 3rd quarter. Mccarter Private Wealth Services LLC now owns 4,931 shares of the biopharmaceutical companys stock worth $222,000 after buying an additional 235 shares during the last quarter. 76.41% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors. Get Bristol Myers Squibb alerts: Bristol Myers Squibb News Summary Here are the key news stories impacting Bristol Myers Squibb this week: Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades A number of analysts have issued reports on BMY shares. Bank of America raised Bristol Myers Squibb from a neutral rating to a buy rating and raised their target price for the stock from $52.00 to $61.00 in a research report on Monday, December 15th. Dbs Bank upgraded Bristol Myers Squibb to a moderate buy rating in a research report on Thursday, October 2nd. Guggenheim reaffirmed a buy rating on shares of Bristol Myers Squibb in a report on Tuesday, December 23rd. Weiss Ratings reaffirmed a hold (c-) rating on shares of Bristol Myers Squibb in a research note on Tuesday, October 14th. Finally, HSBC reiterated a hold rating and issued a $53.00 price objective on shares of Bristol Myers Squibb in a report on Wednesday, December 10th. Seven analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating, twelve have issued a Hold rating and one has assigned a Sell rating to the company. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, the company presently has a consensus rating of Hold and an average price target of $56.86. Check Out Our Latest Report on Bristol Myers Squibb Bristol Myers Squibb Price Performance NYSE BMY opened at $54.42 on Thursday. The businesss fifty day moving average is $52.28 and its 200 day moving average is $48.29. The company has a market capitalization of $110.78 billion, a PE ratio of 18.38, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 0.17 and a beta of 0.29. Bristol Myers Squibb Company has a fifty-two week low of $42.52 and a fifty-two week high of $63.33. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 2.39, a quick ratio of 1.17 and a current ratio of 1.27. Bristol Myers Squibb (NYSE:BMY Get Free Report) last released its earnings results on Thursday, October 30th. The biopharmaceutical company reported $1.63 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of $1.52 by $0.11. Bristol Myers Squibb had a return on equity of 76.53% and a net margin of 12.57%.The firm had revenue of $12.22 billion during the quarter, compared to analysts expectations of $11.75 billion. During the same quarter last year, the business posted $1.80 earnings per share. The firms revenue was up 2.8% on a year-over-year basis. Bristol Myers Squibb has set its FY 2025 guidance at 6.400-6.600 EPS. Sell-side analysts predict that Bristol Myers Squibb Company will post 6.74 earnings per share for the current year. Bristol Myers Squibb Increases Dividend The business also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Monday, February 2nd. Stockholders of record on Friday, January 2nd will be given a dividend of $0.63 per share. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Friday, January 2nd. This represents a $2.52 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 4.6%. This is an increase from Bristol Myers Squibbs previous quarterly dividend of $0.62. Bristol Myers Squibbs dividend payout ratio is presently 85.14%. About Bristol Myers Squibb (Free Report) Bristol Myers Squibb is a global biopharmaceutical company headquartered in Princeton, New Jersey, focused on discovering, developing and delivering medicines for serious diseases. The companys core activities include research and development, clinical development, manufacturing and commercialization of prescription pharmaceuticals across multiple therapeutic areas. BMS concentrates on advancing therapies in oncology, hematology, immunology, cardiovascular disease and specialty areas through both small molecules and biologics. BMSs marketed portfolio and latestage pipeline reflect a strong emphasis on cancer and immunemediated conditions. See Also Receive News & Ratings for Bristol Myers Squibb Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Bristol Myers Squibb and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. iShares Core S&P Mid-Cap ETF (NYSEARCA:IJH Get Free Report) shares reached a new 52-week high during mid-day trading on Wednesday . The stock traded as high as $70.69 and last traded at $70.2930, with a volume of 23791981 shares. The stock had previously closed at $69.09. iShares Core S&P Mid-Cap ETF Stock Performance The stock has a 50 day moving average of $66.71 and a two-hundred day moving average of $65.33. The firm has a market capitalization of $109.38 billion, a P/E ratio of 19.00 and a beta of 1.07. Get iShares Core S&P Mid-Cap ETF alerts: Institutional Trading of iShares Core S&P Mid-Cap ETF Institutional investors and hedge funds have recently modified their holdings of the company. Northwestern Mutual Wealth Management Co. lifted its position in iShares Core S&P Mid-Cap ETF by 2.3% during the 3rd quarter. Northwestern Mutual Wealth Management Co. now owns 122,648,738 shares of the companys stock worth $8,004,057,000 after acquiring an additional 2,757,510 shares during the last quarter. Bank of New York Mellon Corp increased its stake in shares of iShares Core S&P Mid-Cap ETF by 1.0% in the second quarter. Bank of New York Mellon Corp now owns 59,972,950 shares of the companys stock worth $3,719,522,000 after purchasing an additional 571,850 shares during the period. Raymond James Financial Inc. increased its stake in shares of iShares Core S&P Mid-Cap ETF by 3.0% in the second quarter. Raymond James Financial Inc. now owns 38,719,798 shares of the companys stock worth $2,401,402,000 after purchasing an additional 1,122,461 shares during the period. Envestnet Asset Management Inc. lifted its position in shares of iShares Core S&P Mid-Cap ETF by 1.5% during the 2nd quarter. Envestnet Asset Management Inc. now owns 34,572,306 shares of the companys stock worth $2,143,792,000 after purchasing an additional 516,089 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Northern Trust Corp boosted its stake in iShares Core S&P Mid-Cap ETF by 2.3% during the 3rd quarter. Northern Trust Corp now owns 23,218,270 shares of the companys stock valued at $1,515,224,000 after purchasing an additional 525,952 shares during the period. 14.60% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors and hedge funds. About iShares Core S&P Mid-Cap ETF Ishares S&P Midcap 400 Index Fund, formerly The iShares Core S&P Mid-Cap ETF (the Fund), seeks investment results that correspond to the price and yield performance, before fees and expenses, of the United States mid-cap stocks, as represented by the Standard & Poors MidCap 400 (the Underlying Index). The Underlying Index measures the performance of the mid-capitalization sector of the United States equity market. The Underlying Index consists of stocks from a range of industries. Components include financial, industrials, and information technology companies. See Also Receive News & Ratings for iShares Core S&P Mid-Cap ETF Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for iShares Core S&P Mid-Cap ETF and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. iShares Europe ETF (NYSEARCA:IEV Get Free Report) reached a new 52-week high on Thursday . The stock traded as high as $70.81 and last traded at $70.6470, with a volume of 74201 shares changing hands. The stock had previously closed at $70.32. iShares Europe ETF Price Performance The business has a 50-day simple moving average of $68.13 and a 200 day simple moving average of $65.91. The firm has a market cap of $1.70 billion, a PE ratio of 16.48 and a beta of 0.91. Get iShares Europe ETF alerts: Institutional Trading of iShares Europe ETF Hedge funds and other institutional investors have recently modified their holdings of the company. Flow Traders U.S. LLC purchased a new position in shares of iShares Europe ETF during the 2nd quarter valued at $59,097,000. Barings LLC grew its position in shares of iShares Europe ETF by 6.0% during the second quarter. Barings LLC now owns 723,437 shares of the companys stock worth $45,757,000 after purchasing an additional 41,244 shares in the last quarter. Bank of America Corp DE raised its stake in iShares Europe ETF by 4.6% during the 3rd quarter. Bank of America Corp DE now owns 472,737 shares of the companys stock valued at $30,955,000 after purchasing an additional 20,869 shares during the period. Checchi Capital Advisers LLC boosted its stake in iShares Europe ETF by 30.6% in the 2nd quarter. Checchi Capital Advisers LLC now owns 401,731 shares of the companys stock worth $25,409,000 after purchasing an additional 94,166 shares during the period. Finally, Jane Street Group LLC grew its holdings in iShares Europe ETF by 121.3% during the 2nd quarter. Jane Street Group LLC now owns 358,224 shares of the companys stock valued at $22,658,000 after buying an additional 196,368 shares in the last quarter. About iShares Europe ETF iShares Europe ETF (the Fund), formerly iShares S&P Europe 350 Index Fund, is an exchange-traded fund (ETF). The Fund seeks investment results that correspond generally to the price and yield performance of the S&P Europe 350 (the Index). The Index measures the performance of the stocks of companies in the countries, which includes Austria, Belgium, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Ireland, Italy, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, Norway, Portugal, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland and the United Kingdom. Featured Articles Receive News & Ratings for iShares Europe ETF Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for iShares Europe ETF and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Joel Isaacson & Co. LLC acquired a new stake in shares of ConocoPhillips (NYSE:COP Free Report) during the 3rd quarter, according to the company in its most recent 13F filing with the SEC. The firm acquired 6,167 shares of the energy producers stock, valued at approximately $583,000. Several other hedge funds and other institutional investors also recently added to or reduced their stakes in the stock. Gries Financial LLC boosted its holdings in shares of ConocoPhillips by 12.0% in the 2nd quarter. Gries Financial LLC now owns 5,691 shares of the energy producers stock worth $511,000 after purchasing an additional 609 shares in the last quarter. Opal Wealth Advisors LLC boosted its stake in ConocoPhillips by 10.1% in the second quarter. Opal Wealth Advisors LLC now owns 3,033 shares of the energy producers stock worth $272,000 after buying an additional 279 shares in the last quarter. CHICAGO TRUST Co NA boosted its stake in ConocoPhillips by 63.2% in the second quarter. CHICAGO TRUST Co NA now owns 7,117 shares of the energy producers stock worth $639,000 after buying an additional 2,755 shares in the last quarter. Revisor Wealth Management LLC grew its position in ConocoPhillips by 100.5% during the second quarter. Revisor Wealth Management LLC now owns 4,487 shares of the energy producers stock valued at $428,000 after acquiring an additional 2,249 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Accurate Wealth Management LLC raised its stake in shares of ConocoPhillips by 6.3% during the second quarter. Accurate Wealth Management LLC now owns 18,872 shares of the energy producers stock worth $1,800,000 after acquiring an additional 1,123 shares in the last quarter. 82.36% of the stock is currently owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors. Get ConocoPhillips alerts: Wall Street Analyst Weigh In A number of brokerages have recently issued reports on COP. Bank of America reaffirmed an underperform rating and issued a $102.00 price objective on shares of ConocoPhillips in a research note on Friday, January 16th. Jefferies Financial Group restated a buy rating on shares of ConocoPhillips in a research report on Monday, December 15th. JPMorgan Chase & Co. reaffirmed a neutral rating and set a $98.00 price objective on shares of ConocoPhillips in a research note on Tuesday. Roth Mkm lowered their target price on ConocoPhillips from $108.00 to $100.00 and set a buy rating for the company in a research note on Wednesday, October 15th. Finally, Mizuho raised their price target on ConocoPhillips from $120.00 to $121.00 and gave the stock an outperform rating in a research report on Friday, December 12th. Sixteen analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating, seven have assigned a Hold rating and one has issued a Sell rating to the stock. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, the stock presently has a consensus rating of Moderate Buy and a consensus target price of $110.78. ConocoPhillips Stock Up 1.7% NYSE COP opened at $97.13 on Thursday. ConocoPhillips has a 1 year low of $79.88 and a 1 year high of $106.20. The stock has a market capitalization of $120.03 billion, a PE ratio of 13.74, a PEG ratio of 2.82 and a beta of 0.32. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.35, a current ratio of 1.32 and a quick ratio of 1.18. The businesss 50-day moving average is $93.11 and its 200 day moving average is $92.97. ConocoPhillips (NYSE:COP Get Free Report) last released its quarterly earnings data on Thursday, November 6th. The energy producer reported $1.61 earnings per share for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of $1.41 by $0.20. The business had revenue of $15.03 billion during the quarter, compared to analysts expectations of $14.51 billion. ConocoPhillips had a return on equity of 13.64% and a net margin of 14.25%.The businesss revenue was up 14.1% on a year-over-year basis. During the same quarter last year, the business posted $1.78 EPS. Sell-side analysts forecast that ConocoPhillips will post 8.16 earnings per share for the current year. ConocoPhillips Increases Dividend The business also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Monday, December 1st. Investors of record on Monday, November 17th were issued a $0.84 dividend. This represents a $3.36 annualized dividend and a yield of 3.5%. This is an increase from ConocoPhillipss previous quarterly dividend of $0.78. The ex-dividend date was Monday, November 17th. ConocoPhillipss dividend payout ratio (DPR) is presently 47.52%. Key ConocoPhillips News Here are the key news stories impacting ConocoPhillips this week: Insiders Place Their Bets In related news, CEO Ryan Michael Lance sold 500,708 shares of the businesss stock in a transaction dated Friday, December 19th. The shares were sold at an average price of $92.50, for a total transaction of $46,315,490.00. Following the transaction, the chief executive officer owned 325,972 shares in the company, valued at $30,152,410. The trade was a 60.57% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The sale was disclosed in a filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available through this hyperlink. Also, Director William H. Mcraven purchased 5,768 shares of the firms stock in a transaction that occurred on Monday, November 10th. The stock was bought at an average cost of $86.68 per share, with a total value of $499,970.24. Following the completion of the purchase, the director owned 5,768 shares of the companys stock, valued at $499,970.24. This represents a increase in their ownership of the stock. The disclosure for this purchase is available in the SEC filing. 0.24% of the stock is currently owned by insiders. ConocoPhillips Profile (Free Report) ConocoPhillips (NYSE: COP) is a Houston-based international energy company focused on exploration and production of oil and natural gas. Formed in 2002 through the merger of Conoco Inc and Phillips Petroleum Company, the firm operates as an independent upstream company that explores for, develops and produces crude oil, natural gas and natural gas liquids across a portfolio of global assets. The companys activities span conventional and unconventional resources and include onshore and offshore operations in multiple regions around the world. See Also Receive News & Ratings for ConocoPhillips Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for ConocoPhillips and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. John Hancock Multifactor Developed International ETF (NYSEARCA:JHMD Get Free Report)s stock price hit a new 52-week high on Thursday . The stock traded as high as $42.95 and last traded at $42.8850, with a volume of 14445 shares trading hands. The stock had previously closed at $42.69. John Hancock Multifactor Developed International ETF Stock Performance The companys 50 day moving average price is $41.46 and its 200-day moving average price is $40.20. The stock has a market cap of $1.11 billion, a P/E ratio of 14.46 and a beta of 0.81. Get John Hancock Multifactor Developed International ETF alerts: Institutional Investors Weigh In On John Hancock Multifactor Developed International ETF Several institutional investors and hedge funds have recently added to or reduced their stakes in JHMD. Allworth Financial LP purchased a new position in shares of John Hancock Multifactor Developed International ETF in the 3rd quarter worth approximately $39,000. Ameriflex Group Inc. boosted its position in John Hancock Multifactor Developed International ETF by 209.1% in the second quarter. Ameriflex Group Inc. now owns 3,375 shares of the companys stock worth $128,000 after purchasing an additional 2,283 shares during the last quarter. AE Wealth Management LLC bought a new position in John Hancock Multifactor Developed International ETF in the 3rd quarter valued at $135,000. CLG LLC purchased a new stake in shares of John Hancock Multifactor Developed International ETF during the 2nd quarter valued at $203,000. Finally, MONECO Advisors LLC bought a new stake in shares of John Hancock Multifactor Developed International ETF during the 3rd quarter worth $207,000. About John Hancock Multifactor Developed International ETF The John Hancock Multifactor Developed International ETF (JHMD) is an exchange-traded fund that mostly invests in total market equity. The fund tracks an index of stocks from developed markets ex-US and Canada, covering 85% of the market capitalization. Holdings are weighted based on fundamental and technical factors JHMD was launched on Dec 15, 2016 and is managed by John Hancock. Read More Receive News & Ratings for John Hancock Multifactor Developed International ETF Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for John Hancock Multifactor Developed International ETF and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Shares of Johnson Matthey PLC (OTCMKTS:JMPLY Get Free Report) hit a new 52-week high on Thursday . The company traded as high as $63.86 and last traded at $63.56, with a volume of 291 shares trading hands. The stock had previously closed at $63.21. Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades JMPLY has been the subject of a number of recent research reports. Zacks Research cut shares of Johnson Matthey from a strong-buy rating to a hold rating in a research report on Thursday, November 6th. Citigroup reissued a neutral rating on shares of Johnson Matthey in a research note on Tuesday, October 21st. Deutsche Bank Aktiengesellschaft restated a buy rating on shares of Johnson Matthey in a research report on Wednesday. Jefferies Financial Group raised Johnson Matthey to a strong-buy rating in a report on Thursday, October 9th. Finally, Berenberg Bank raised shares of Johnson Matthey from a hold rating to a strong-buy rating in a research report on Monday, January 5th. Two research analysts have rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, one has given a Buy rating and three have assigned a Hold rating to the companys stock. According to data from MarketBeat.com, Johnson Matthey has a consensus rating of Moderate Buy. Get Johnson Matthey alerts: Check Out Our Latest Research Report on Johnson Matthey Johnson Matthey Price Performance Johnson Matthey Announces Dividend The companys 50-day simple moving average is $56.98 and its 200 day simple moving average is $54.05. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.63, a current ratio of 1.65 and a quick ratio of 1.28. The business also recently declared a dividend, which will be paid on Friday, February 13th. Shareholders of record on Tuesday, December 2nd will be given a $0.5561 dividend. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Monday, December 1st. This represents a yield of 394.0%. Johnson Matthey Company Profile (Get Free Report) Johnson Matthey plc is a UK-based specialty chemicals and sustainable technologies company with a history dating back to 1817. As a public limited company headquartered in London, it has built a global reputation for expertise in platinum group metals (PGMs) and advanced catalytic materials. The company has evolved from its origins in precious metals refining into diversified segments focused on environmental and energy solutions. The companys principal business activities encompass the development and manufacture of emission control catalysts for the automotive and industrial sectors, alongside process technologies for chemical production and refining. Further Reading Receive News & Ratings for Johnson Matthey Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Johnson Matthey and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Shares of Jones Lang LaSalle Incorporated (NYSE:JLL Get Free Report) hit a new 52-week high during trading on Thursday . The company traded as high as $358.12 and last traded at $355.8440, with a volume of 431 shares traded. The stock had previously closed at $354.58. Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth A number of analysts have issued reports on JLL shares. Keefe, Bruyette & Woods lifted their price target on Jones Lang LaSalle from $390.00 to $405.00 and gave the stock an outperform rating in a report on Thursday, January 8th. UBS Group boosted their target price on Jones Lang LaSalle from $340.00 to $360.00 and gave the stock a buy rating in a research note on Friday, October 10th. The Goldman Sachs Group increased their price target on shares of Jones Lang LaSalle from $361.00 to $407.00 and gave the company a buy rating in a research note on Wednesday, November 26th. Wall Street Zen upgraded shares of Jones Lang LaSalle from a buy rating to a strong-buy rating in a research report on Sunday, January 11th. Finally, Barclays assumed coverage on shares of Jones Lang LaSalle in a research report on Tuesday, December 2nd. They issued an equal weight rating and a $351.00 target price on the stock. One analyst has rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, four have assigned a Buy rating and five have given a Hold rating to the companys stock. According to MarketBeat, the company currently has a consensus rating of Moderate Buy and a consensus price target of $350.71. Get Jones Lang LaSalle alerts: Check Out Our Latest Stock Analysis on JLL Jones Lang LaSalle Trading Up 1.0% The businesss 50-day moving average price is $333.12 and its 200-day moving average price is $306.04. The firm has a market capitalization of $16.90 billion, a PE ratio of 27.39 and a beta of 1.42. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.13, a current ratio of 2.31 and a quick ratio of 2.31. Jones Lang LaSalle (NYSE:JLL Get Free Report) last issued its quarterly earnings results on Wednesday, November 5th. The financial services provider reported $4.50 earnings per share for the quarter, topping analysts consensus estimates of $4.24 by $0.26. The firm had revenue of $6.51 billion during the quarter, compared to analysts expectations of $6.49 billion. Jones Lang LaSalle had a net margin of 2.49% and a return on equity of 11.10%. Jones Lang LaSalles quarterly revenue was up 10.9% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same quarter in the prior year, the business earned $3.50 EPS. As a group, analysts expect that Jones Lang LaSalle Incorporated will post 16.45 earnings per share for the current fiscal year. Insider Activity In related news, CEO Christian Ulbrich sold 5,000 shares of the businesss stock in a transaction dated Tuesday, November 25th. The stock was sold at an average price of $330.33, for a total value of $1,651,650.00. Following the transaction, the chief executive officer owned 134,685 shares in the company, valued at $44,490,496.05. The trade was a 3.58% decrease in their position. The sale was disclosed in a legal filing with the SEC, which is available at the SEC website. Insiders sold a total of 20,000 shares of company stock worth $6,609,091 over the last 90 days. Company insiders own 0.91% of the companys stock. Institutional Inflows and Outflows Large investors have recently added to or reduced their stakes in the company. Hennessy Advisors Inc. purchased a new position in shares of Jones Lang LaSalle during the 3rd quarter worth approximately $40,417,000. FJ Capital Management LLC increased its position in Jones Lang LaSalle by 38.5% during the second quarter. FJ Capital Management LLC now owns 22,352 shares of the financial services providers stock worth $5,717,000 after buying an additional 6,214 shares in the last quarter. Bank of Montreal Can raised its holdings in shares of Jones Lang LaSalle by 22.6% in the second quarter. Bank of Montreal Can now owns 9,547 shares of the financial services providers stock worth $2,442,000 after acquiring an additional 1,761 shares during the last quarter. Pacer Advisors Inc. lifted its position in shares of Jones Lang LaSalle by 388.0% in the third quarter. Pacer Advisors Inc. now owns 8,653 shares of the financial services providers stock valued at $2,581,000 after acquiring an additional 6,880 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Boston Partners acquired a new stake in shares of Jones Lang LaSalle during the second quarter valued at $12,186,000. 94.80% of the stock is owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors. Jones Lang LaSalle Company Profile (Get Free Report) Jones Lang LaSalle Incorporated (NYSE: JLL) is a leading professional services firm specializing in real estate and investment management. The company provides a broad range of services including leasing, advisory, property and asset management, capital markets, project and development services, and valuation. Through its integrated platform, JLL serves corporate occupiers, institutional investors, real estate owners and developers, offering tailored solutions that span the entire real estate lifecycle. Founded in 1783 in London as Jones Lang Wootton, the firm established a reputation for expertise in property management and brokerage. Read More Receive News & Ratings for Jones Lang LaSalle Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Jones Lang LaSalle and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. K3 Business Technology Group plc (LON:KBT Get Free Report) shares crossed below its 200-day moving average during trading on Wednesday . The stock has a 200-day moving average of GBX 43.31 and traded as low as GBX 37.55. K3 Business Technology Group shares last traded at GBX 40, with a volume of 1,167,285 shares traded. K3 Business Technology Group Stock Performance The company has a market cap of 17.87 million, a P/E ratio of -7.23 and a beta of 0.83. The company has a quick ratio of 0.94, a current ratio of 0.74 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 8.64. The stocks 50-day moving average price is GBX 40 and its 200 day moving average price is GBX 43.31. About K3 Business Technology Group (Get Free Report) K3 Business Technology Group plc, together with its subsidiaries, provides computer software and consultancy services in the United Kingdom, the Netherlands, Ireland, rest of Europe, the Middle East, Asia, the United States, and internationally. It operates through K3 Products and Third-Party Solutions segments. The company offers K3 fashion, a concept-to-consumer solution; K3 pebblestone for small brand owners and retailers; K3 imagine, a unified retail commerce system; K3 MStore, an sale system that manages ticketing, sales, membership, fundraising, event planning, and email marketing; K3 Business Planning, an integrated module that enables enterprises to define multiple budgets for various business areas; K3 ViJi; Microsoft Cloud for Retail solution; and Business Central, an end-to-end solution for managing various business processes, as well as NexSys. Recommended Stories Receive News & Ratings for K3 Business Technology Group Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for K3 Business Technology Group and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Kilroy Realty Corporation (NYSE:KRC Get Free Report) has earned a consensus rating of Hold from the fourteen research firms that are currently covering the firm, MarketBeat Ratings reports. One research analyst has rated the stock with a sell recommendation, twelve have issued a hold recommendation and one has issued a buy recommendation on the company. The average 12 month price objective among brokers that have issued a report on the stock in the last year is $40.9231. A number of equities analysts have commented on KRC shares. Evercore ISI cut their price objective on shares of Kilroy Realty from $47.00 to $46.00 and set an in-line rating for the company in a research report on Friday, November 14th. Jefferies Financial Group raised shares of Kilroy Realty from a hold rating to a buy rating and increased their price target for the stock from $33.00 to $45.00 in a report on Monday, October 13th. Mizuho lifted their price objective on Kilroy Realty from $35.00 to $37.00 and gave the company a neutral rating in a report on Friday, December 12th. JPMorgan Chase & Co. reiterated a neutral rating and set a $44.00 target price (down previously from $46.00) on shares of Kilroy Realty in a research report on Friday, October 17th. Finally, Deutsche Bank Aktiengesellschaft reissued a hold rating and issued a $35.00 price target on shares of Kilroy Realty in a report on Tuesday, January 6th. Get Kilroy Realty alerts: Get Our Latest Analysis on Kilroy Realty Kilroy Realty Stock Down 1.0% KRC opened at $36.54 on Thursday. Kilroy Realty has a 52 week low of $27.07 and a 52 week high of $45.03. The business has a 50 day moving average price of $39.70 and a two-hundred day moving average price of $40.09. The company has a quick ratio of 2.56, a current ratio of 2.56 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.81. The company has a market cap of $4.32 billion, a PE ratio of 13.48 and a beta of 1.10. Kilroy Realty (NYSE:KRC Get Free Report) last released its earnings results on Monday, October 27th. The real estate investment trust reported $1.09 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, beating analysts consensus estimates of $1.00 by $0.09. Kilroy Realty had a return on equity of 5.75% and a net margin of 28.68%.The business had revenue of $279.74 million for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $271.24 million. During the same quarter in the previous year, the company posted $1.17 earnings per share. The companys revenue for the quarter was down 3.5% compared to the same quarter last year. Kilroy Realty has set its FY 2025 guidance at 4.180-4.240 EPS. As a group, research analysts anticipate that Kilroy Realty will post 4 EPS for the current year. Kilroy Realty Dividend Announcement The firm also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Wednesday, January 7th. Shareholders of record on Wednesday, December 31st were issued a $0.54 dividend. The ex-dividend date of this dividend was Wednesday, December 31st. This represents a $2.16 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 5.9%. Kilroy Realtys dividend payout ratio (DPR) is 79.70%. Institutional Trading of Kilroy Realty Hedge funds and other institutional investors have recently made changes to their positions in the stock. Sequoia Financial Advisors LLC acquired a new position in Kilroy Realty in the 2nd quarter valued at about $320,000. D.A. Davidson & CO. acquired a new stake in shares of Kilroy Realty during the 2nd quarter worth about $269,000. Aaron Wealth Advisors LLC grew its holdings in shares of Kilroy Realty by 521.6% during the third quarter. Aaron Wealth Advisors LLC now owns 41,581 shares of the real estate investment trusts stock worth $1,757,000 after buying an additional 34,892 shares in the last quarter. Sumitomo Mitsui Trust Group Inc. raised its position in shares of Kilroy Realty by 0.9% in the second quarter. Sumitomo Mitsui Trust Group Inc. now owns 181,434 shares of the real estate investment trusts stock valued at $6,225,000 after buying an additional 1,618 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Oppenheimer Asset Management Inc. lifted its stake in shares of Kilroy Realty by 78.4% during the second quarter. Oppenheimer Asset Management Inc. now owns 13,644 shares of the real estate investment trusts stock valued at $468,000 after buying an additional 5,995 shares during the period. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 94.22% of the companys stock. About Kilroy Realty (Get Free Report) Kilroy Realty Corporation (NYSE: KRC) is a publicly traded real estate investment trust focused on the development, acquisition and management of highquality office and mixeduse properties along the U.S. West Coast. The companys portfolio encompasses major urban markets including Los Angeles, San Diego, the San Francisco Bay Area and Seattle. Kilroy Realty targets properties in transitoriented submarkets, blending workplace space with retail, residential and hospitality amenities to create vibrant, walkable neighborhoods. Founded in the mid20th century by members of the Kilroy family, the company evolved from a regional landlord into one of the leading West Coast office landlords. See Also Receive News & Ratings for Kilroy Realty Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Kilroy Realty and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Locust Wood Capital Advisers LLC lessened its position in Suncor Energy Inc. (NYSE:SU Free Report) (TSE:SU) by 2.2% in the 3rd quarter, according to its most recent Form 13F filing with the SEC. The institutional investor owned 2,250,426 shares of the oil and gas producers stock after selling 51,260 shares during the period. Suncor Energy makes up about 2.4% of Locust Wood Capital Advisers LLCs investment portfolio, making the stock its 19th biggest holding. Locust Wood Capital Advisers LLC owned about 0.19% of Suncor Energy worth $94,090,000 at the end of the most recent reporting period. Other hedge funds and other institutional investors also recently made changes to their positions in the company. Joel Isaacson & Co. LLC bought a new stake in Suncor Energy during the 3rd quarter worth approximately $206,000. Triasima Portfolio Management inc. bought a new stake in shares of Suncor Energy during the third quarter worth $215,000. Live Oak Investment Partners raised its holdings in shares of Suncor Energy by 11.6% during the third quarter. Live Oak Investment Partners now owns 26,531 shares of the oil and gas producers stock worth $1,109,000 after acquiring an additional 2,755 shares during the period. Root Financial Partners LLC bought a new stake in Suncor Energy in the 3rd quarter valued at $116,000. Finally, Inspire Advisors LLC lifted its position in Suncor Energy by 9.1% in the 3rd quarter. Inspire Advisors LLC now owns 15,421 shares of the oil and gas producers stock valued at $645,000 after acquiring an additional 1,292 shares in the last quarter. 67.37% of the stock is owned by institutional investors. Get Suncor Energy alerts: Suncor Energy Stock Performance Shares of Suncor Energy stock opened at $50.50 on Thursday. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.19, a current ratio of 1.35 and a quick ratio of 0.85. Suncor Energy Inc. has a fifty-two week low of $30.79 and a fifty-two week high of $50.82. The firm has a market capitalization of $60.27 billion, a P/E ratio of 16.56 and a beta of 0.46. The companys 50 day moving average price is $44.99 and its two-hundred day moving average price is $41.94. Suncor Energy Increases Dividend Suncor Energy ( NYSE:SU Get Free Report ) (TSE:SU) last announced its quarterly earnings results on Tuesday, November 4th. The oil and gas producer reported $1.07 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, beating the consensus estimate of $0.85 by $0.22. Suncor Energy had a net margin of 10.61% and a return on equity of 13.01%. The firm had revenue of $9.04 billion during the quarter, compared to analysts expectations of $8.82 billion. During the same period in the prior year, the company posted $1.48 EPS. On average, equities analysts forecast that Suncor Energy Inc. will post 3.42 earnings per share for the current fiscal year. The business also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Wednesday, December 24th. Shareholders of record on Wednesday, December 3rd were paid a dividend of $0.60 per share. This is an increase from Suncor Energys previous quarterly dividend of $0.41. The ex-dividend date was Wednesday, December 3rd. This represents a $2.40 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 4.8%. Suncor Energys dividend payout ratio (DPR) is presently 56.39%. Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth A number of analysts have recently commented on the company. Raymond James Financial upgraded Suncor Energy from a market perform rating to an outperform rating in a report on Thursday, November 6th. Royal Bank Of Canada reaffirmed an outperform rating and set a $65.00 price target on shares of Suncor Energy in a research report on Friday, October 3rd. Wells Fargo & Company started coverage on shares of Suncor Energy in a report on Friday, October 17th. They issued an equal weight rating on the stock. The Goldman Sachs Group boosted their price target on shares of Suncor Energy from $46.00 to $48.00 and gave the stock a buy rating in a research report on Friday, January 2nd. Finally, JPMorgan Chase & Co. raised Suncor Energy from a neutral rating to an overweight rating and increased their price objective for the company from $46.15 to $54.00 in a report on Tuesday. Two research analysts have rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, six have given a Buy rating and four have issued a Hold rating to the companys stock. Based on data from MarketBeat, the company has an average rating of Moderate Buy and a consensus price target of $55.67. Read Our Latest Stock Analysis on Suncor Energy Suncor Energy Company Profile (Free Report) Suncor Energy Inc is a Canadian integrated energy company headquartered in Calgary, Alberta. The companys operations span the full oil and gas value chain, with principal activities in oil sands development and production, conventional exploration and production, refining, distribution and retail marketing of petroleum products. Suncor supplies crude, synthetic crude and refined fuels as well as related products and services to commercial and consumer markets. Upstream, Suncor is a major developer and operator of oil sands projects in Alberta, using both mining and in situ technologies to produce bitumen and synthetic crude. Recommended Stories Want to see what other hedge funds are holding SU? Visit HoldingsChannel.com to get the latest 13F filings and insider trades for Suncor Energy Inc. (NYSE:SU Free Report) (TSE:SU). Receive News & Ratings for Suncor Energy Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Suncor Energy and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. More than three years after the launch of ChatGPT, anxiety about artificial intelligence in the workplace remains highespecially among Gen Zas corporate America pushes for higher productivity from leaner workforces. The U.S.s largest bank, JPMorgan Chase, is no exception. Speaking at the World Economic Forum meeting in Davos, Switzerland, the companys CEO, Jamie Dimon, admitted hell likely employ fewer workers in the next five yearsbut warned that rushing into AI-driven layoffs without safeguards could backfire, potentially triggering civil unrest. Instead, the 69-year-old said hed even welcome government bans on replacing masses of workers with AI. But before it gets to that stage, he already has ideas up his sleeve to protect some of the 300,000-plus employees on his payroll. I have a plan to retrain people, relocate people, income-assist people, Dimon said. Dimon pointed to the roughly 2-million-strong commercial trucking industry as an example. A sudden shift to fully autonomous trucking, he said, could displace workers who currently earn well into six figures, leaving them struggling to make ends meet. Phase it in. Retrain. he said. You cant lay off 2 million truckers tomorrow. You can phase it in over time. And if that doesnt suffice and government intervention is needed to prevent companies from cutting jobs too aggressively, Dimon said he would support itespecially if it comes from local incentives. We would agreeif we have to do that to save society, he said. Society will have more production. Were going to cure a lot of cancers. Youre not going to slow it down. How do you have plans in place to make it work better if it does something terrible? Workers may soon find unlikely allies in billionaires like Jamie Dimon, Elon Musk, and Sam Altman So far, job cuts directly tied to AI have been limited; in 2025, just 55,000 positions were eliminated as a result of automationaccounting for more than 75% of all AI-related cuts reported since 2023, according to analysis from recruiting firm Challenger, Gray & Christmas. However, AI leaders like pioneering computer scientist Geoffrey Hinton said the worst is yet to come. Whats actually going to happen is rich people are going to use AI to replace workers, the Godfather of AI said last September. Its going to create massive unemployment and a huge rise in profits. It will make a few people much richer and most people poorer. Thats not AIs fault, that is the capitalist system. Dimons contrasting remarks are likely to offer some reassurance to workers, signaling that at least some business leaders recognize that replacing employees with AIwithout policies to support those displacedcould have serious social consequences. BlackRock (NYSE:BLK Get Free Report) CFO Martin Small sold 27,047 shares of the companys stock in a transaction on Friday, January 16th. The stock was sold at an average price of $1,171.14, for a total transaction of $31,675,823.58. Following the completion of the transaction, the chief financial officer owned 10,557 shares of the companys stock, valued at $12,363,724.98. This trade represents a 71.93% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The sale was disclosed in a filing with the SEC, which is available at the SEC website. Martin Small also recently made the following trade(s): Get BlackRock alerts: On Monday, December 1st, Martin Small sold 1,258 shares of BlackRock stock. The stock was sold at an average price of $1,043.38, for a total value of $1,312,572.04. BlackRock Stock Up 1.7% Shares of NYSE:BLK traded up $18.32 during trading on Wednesday, hitting $1,128.37. The stock had a trading volume of 687,681 shares, compared to its average volume of 568,295. The company has a market capitalization of $175.07 billion, a PE ratio of 23.10, a PEG ratio of 1.44 and a beta of 1.47. The company has a quick ratio of 3.33, a current ratio of 3.33 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.34. The firms fifty day moving average is $1,073.99 and its 200 day moving average is $1,106.12. BlackRock has a 12 month low of $773.74 and a 12 month high of $1,219.94. BlackRock Increases Dividend BlackRock ( NYSE:BLK Get Free Report ) last issued its quarterly earnings results on Thursday, January 15th. The asset manager reported $13.16 earnings per share for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of $12.55 by $0.61. The company had revenue of $7.01 billion for the quarter, compared to analysts expectations of $6.80 billion. BlackRock had a return on equity of 15.14% and a net margin of 22.93%.The firms revenue for the quarter was up 23.4% on a year-over-year basis. During the same period in the prior year, the firm earned $11.93 earnings per share. Analysts anticipate that BlackRock will post 47.41 EPS for the current fiscal year. The business also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Tuesday, March 24th. Shareholders of record on Friday, March 6th will be issued a $5.73 dividend. This represents a $22.92 annualized dividend and a yield of 2.0%. This is a positive change from BlackRocks previous quarterly dividend of $5.21. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Friday, March 6th. BlackRocks dividend payout ratio is presently 58.84%. Analyst Ratings Changes A number of research analysts have weighed in on the company. The Goldman Sachs Group reiterated a buy rating and issued a $1,313.00 price target on shares of BlackRock in a research report on Tuesday, December 9th. Wall Street Zen raised BlackRock from a sell rating to a hold rating in a report on Saturday. TD Cowen lowered BlackRock from a buy rating to a hold rating in a report on Wednesday, January 14th. Citigroup upped their price target on BlackRock from $1,200.00 to $1,350.00 and gave the stock a buy rating in a research report on Monday, September 29th. Finally, UBS Group set a $1,280.00 price objective on BlackRock in a research report on Friday, January 16th. Fifteen investment analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating and four have given a Hold rating to the company. According to data from MarketBeat.com, BlackRock has a consensus rating of Moderate Buy and a consensus target price of $1,314.71. View Our Latest Analysis on BlackRock More BlackRock News Here are the key news stories impacting BlackRock this week: Positive Sentiment: Larry Finks Davos comments that AI spending is favoring big players reinforce the view that BlackRocks size and tech investments position it to capture disproportionate asset flows and fee opportunities. Read More. Larry Finks Davos comments that AI spending is favoring big players reinforce the view that BlackRocks size and tech investments position it to capture disproportionate asset flows and fee opportunities. Read More. Positive Sentiment: Delaware Life added a fixed annuity that uses BlackRock indices and ETFs to provide bitcoin exposure a distribution win that can help drive AUM for BlackRocks spot-BTC ETF and related products over time. Read More. Delaware Life added a fixed annuity that uses BlackRock indices and ETFs to provide bitcoin exposure a distribution win that can help drive AUM for BlackRocks spot-BTC ETF and related products over time. Read More. Positive Sentiment: Positive media/support: Jim Cramer highlighted BlackRock favorably, a sentiment boost that can attract retail interest and short-term flows. Read More. Positive media/support: Jim Cramer highlighted BlackRock favorably, a sentiment boost that can attract retail interest and short-term flows. Read More. Neutral Sentiment: BlackRock increased disclosed stakes in several public companies (Siemens Energy, Orion Corporation, Caledonia Mining) signals of active equity positioning that can be interpreted as confidence in select sectors but are not direct AUM drivers. Read More. BlackRock increased disclosed stakes in several public companies (Siemens Energy, Orion Corporation, Caledonia Mining) signals of active equity positioning that can be interpreted as confidence in select sectors but are not direct AUM drivers. Read More. Neutral Sentiment: BlackRock Canada announced routine January cash distributions for iShares ETFs supports steady ETF client servicing and predictable cash yield for Canadian investors. Read More. BlackRock Canada announced routine January cash distributions for iShares ETFs supports steady ETF client servicing and predictable cash yield for Canadian investors. Read More. Neutral Sentiment: Executive commentary from Vice Chairman Philipp Hildebrand at Davos on geopolitics and AI provides strategic narrative but is informational rather than an immediate financial catalyst. Read More. Executive commentary from Vice Chairman Philipp Hildebrand at Davos on geopolitics and AI provides strategic narrative but is informational rather than an immediate financial catalyst. Read More. Neutral Sentiment: Analyst/peer comparisons (e.g., Zacks piece comparing Patria Investments vs. BlackRock) are background valuation reads that may influence longer-term investor allocation decisions more than todays moves. Read More. Analyst/peer comparisons (e.g., Zacks piece comparing Patria Investments vs. BlackRock) are background valuation reads that may influence longer-term investor allocation decisions more than todays moves. Read More. Negative Sentiment: U.S. bitcoin ETFs had net outflows on the day, including BlackRocks IBIT a headwind to short-term AUM and fee revenue continuity in crypto products. Read More. U.S. bitcoin ETFs had net outflows on the day, including BlackRocks IBIT a headwind to short-term AUM and fee revenue continuity in crypto products. Read More. Negative Sentiment: Unverified reports of a large BlackRock XRP purchase circulated in crypto media a noise event that can spur speculation and regulatory scrutiny; currently unconfirmed and should be treated cautiously. Read More. Hedge Funds Weigh In On BlackRock A number of institutional investors and hedge funds have recently modified their holdings of BLK. Pacifica Partners Inc. increased its holdings in shares of BlackRock by 450.0% in the 3rd quarter. Pacifica Partners Inc. now owns 22 shares of the asset managers stock valued at $25,000 after acquiring an additional 18 shares during the period. TruNorth Capital Management LLC grew its position in BlackRock by 1,000.0% during the 3rd quarter. TruNorth Capital Management LLC now owns 22 shares of the asset managers stock worth $26,000 after purchasing an additional 20 shares during the last quarter. Traub Capital Management LLC acquired a new position in BlackRock during the 2nd quarter valued at approximately $28,000. Whipplewood Advisors LLC raised its holdings in shares of BlackRock by 107.1% in the second quarter. Whipplewood Advisors LLC now owns 29 shares of the asset managers stock worth $30,000 after buying an additional 15 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Creekmur Asset Management LLC lifted its stake in shares of BlackRock by 87.5% during the second quarter. Creekmur Asset Management LLC now owns 30 shares of the asset managers stock worth $32,000 after buying an additional 14 shares during the period. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 80.69% of the companys stock. About BlackRock (Get Free Report) BlackRock, Inc is a global investment management firm that provides a broad range of products and services to institutional, intermediary and individual investors. Its core activities include portfolio management across active and index strategies, exchange-traded funds (ETFs) under the iShares brand, fixed income, equity and multi-asset solutions, as well as alternatives such as private equity, real estate and infrastructure. The firm also offers cash management and liquidity solutions and retirement-focused products designed for defined contribution and defined benefit investors. In addition to traditional investment management, BlackRock is known for its technology and risk management capabilities, most prominently its Aladdin platform, which combines portfolio management, trading and risk analytics and is used both internally and licensed to external clients. Recommended Stories Receive News & Ratings for BlackRock Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for BlackRock and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Morgan Stanley (NYSE:MS Get Free Report) insider Michael Pizzi sold 20,000 shares of the companys stock in a transaction on Tuesday, January 20th. The shares were sold at an average price of $184.55, for a total value of $3,691,000.00. Following the sale, the insider directly owned 127,872 shares of the companys stock, valued at approximately $23,598,777.60. This represents a 13.53% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The sale was disclosed in a legal filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available through this hyperlink. Morgan Stanley Trading Down 0.2% NYSE MS traded down $0.32 on Thursday, hitting $183.00. 8,960,618 shares of the company were exchanged, compared to its average volume of 7,037,536. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 3.27, a current ratio of 0.79 and a quick ratio of 0.79. Morgan Stanley has a twelve month low of $94.33 and a twelve month high of $192.68. The firm has a market capitalization of $290.84 billion, a P/E ratio of 17.92, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 1.77 and a beta of 1.20. The companys 50 day moving average price is $176.28 and its 200-day moving average price is $160.64. Get Morgan Stanley alerts: Morgan Stanley (NYSE:MS Get Free Report) last released its earnings results on Thursday, January 15th. The financial services provider reported $2.68 earnings per share for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of $2.28 by $0.40. Morgan Stanley had a net margin of 14.09% and a return on equity of 16.92%. The business had revenue of $17.90 billion for the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $17.69 billion. During the same period last year, the firm posted $2.22 earnings per share. The firms quarterly revenue was up 10.3% compared to the same quarter last year. Analysts predict that Morgan Stanley will post 8.56 earnings per share for the current fiscal year. Morgan Stanley Announces Dividend Hedge Funds Weigh In On Morgan Stanley The firm also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Friday, February 13th. Investors of record on Friday, January 30th will be given a dividend of $1.00 per share. This represents a $4.00 annualized dividend and a yield of 2.2%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Friday, January 30th. Morgan Stanleys payout ratio is presently 39.18%. A number of institutional investors and hedge funds have recently bought and sold shares of the business. Princeton Global Asset Management LLC lifted its holdings in shares of Morgan Stanley by 645.8% during the 2nd quarter. Princeton Global Asset Management LLC now owns 179 shares of the financial services providers stock valued at $25,000 after purchasing an additional 155 shares in the last quarter. Olistico Wealth LLC acquired a new stake in Morgan Stanley in the 4th quarter valued at $27,000. Lodestone Wealth Management LLC bought a new position in shares of Morgan Stanley in the 4th quarter valued at about $28,000. WFA of San Diego LLC acquired a new stake in shares of Morgan Stanley in the 2nd quarter valued at approximately $28,000. Finally, Greykasell Wealth Strategies Inc. increased its stake in shares of Morgan Stanley by 65.2% during the 3rd quarter. Greykasell Wealth Strategies Inc. now owns 185 shares of the financial services providers stock worth $29,000 after purchasing an additional 73 shares during the last quarter. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 84.19% of the companys stock. Trending Headlines about Morgan Stanley Here are the key news stories impacting Morgan Stanley this week: Positive Sentiment: Morgan Stanley was named one of four lead banks on a potential blockbuster SpaceX IPO a highprofile mandate that would generate sizable underwriting and advisory fees and reinforce MSs standing in tech/A&D deal origination. Article Title Morgan Stanley was named one of four lead banks on a potential blockbuster SpaceX IPO a highprofile mandate that would generate sizable underwriting and advisory fees and reinforce MSs standing in tech/A&D deal origination. Positive Sentiment: Recent Q4 results (announced Jan. 15) beat estimates on both EPS and revenue, with revenue up ~10% yearoveryear supporting consensus that MS can grow fee income and maintain healthy margins into 2026. Earnings / Market Data Recent Q4 results (announced Jan. 15) beat estimates on both EPS and revenue, with revenue up ~10% yearoveryear supporting consensus that MS can grow fee income and maintain healthy margins into 2026. Positive Sentiment: Coverage and deal involvement: Morgan Stanley is publicly tied to underwriting and coverage wins (e.g., backing smaller biotech deals and SMIDcap biotech coverage), which points to ongoing investmentbanking and capitalmarkets activity that supports revenue visibility. Article Title Coverage and deal involvement: Morgan Stanley is publicly tied to underwriting and coverage wins (e.g., backing smaller biotech deals and SMIDcap biotech coverage), which points to ongoing investmentbanking and capitalmarkets activity that supports revenue visibility. Neutral Sentiment: Morgan Stanley research is raising macro themes (e.g., U.S. policy and potential dedollarisation) that may shape markets and crossborder flows but dont directly change MSs nearterm fundamentals. Investors should monitor how macro shifts affect capital markets activity. Article Title Morgan Stanley research is raising macro themes (e.g., U.S. policy and potential dedollarisation) that may shape markets and crossborder flows but dont directly change MSs nearterm fundamentals. Investors should monitor how macro shifts affect capital markets activity. Neutral Sentiment: Institutional moves: filings show Morgan Stanley trimming or changing stakes in select smaller names (e.g., ceasing to be a substantial holder in a mining issuer). These are routine portfolio actions for the firms assetmanagement/institutional desks and have limited direct impact on MS stock. Article Title Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades MS has been the subject of a number of research analyst reports. Wolfe Research reissued an outperform rating and issued a $211.00 price target on shares of Morgan Stanley in a research report on Wednesday, January 7th. JPMorgan Chase & Co. lifted their target price on shares of Morgan Stanley from $157.00 to $162.00 and gave the company a neutral rating in a research note on Thursday, January 8th. UBS Group increased their price objective on Morgan Stanley from $156.00 to $165.00 and gave the stock a neutral rating in a report on Tuesday, October 7th. Wells Fargo & Company boosted their target price on Morgan Stanley from $177.00 to $189.00 and gave the company an equal weight rating in a research note on Monday, January 5th. Finally, Barclays raised their price target on Morgan Stanley from $183.00 to $219.00 and gave the stock an overweight rating in a research note on Monday, January 5th. Three equities research analysts have rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, eight have issued a Buy rating and eight have given a Hold rating to the company. According to MarketBeat.com, the stock currently has a consensus rating of Moderate Buy and a consensus price target of $185.93. Get Our Latest Stock Report on MS About Morgan Stanley (Get Free Report) Morgan Stanley (NYSE: MS) is a global financial services firm headquartered in New York City. Founded in 1935 by Henry S. Morgan and Harold Stanley, the company provides a broad range of investment banking, securities, wealth management and investment management services to corporations, governments, institutions and individual investors. Leadership has been guided by a senior executive team and board of directors; James P. Gorman has served as the companys chief executive and chairman in recent years. The firms primary business activities are organized around three principal businesses: Institutional Securities, Wealth Management and Investment Management. Further Reading Receive News & Ratings for Morgan Stanley Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Morgan Stanley and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. MSCI Inc (NYSE:MSCI Get Free Report) has been given an average rating of Moderate Buy by the ten brokerages that are covering the company, MarketBeat reports. Three equities research analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and seven have issued a buy rating on the company. The average 12 month price target among brokers that have issued ratings on the stock in the last year is $650.1250. A number of analysts recently weighed in on the stock. UBS Group increased their price target on shares of MSCI from $700.00 to $710.00 and gave the company a buy rating in a research report on Wednesday, October 29th. Barclays increased their target price on shares of MSCI from $650.00 to $660.00 and gave the stock an overweight rating in a report on Wednesday, October 29th. JPMorgan Chase & Co. boosted their price target on shares of MSCI from $655.00 to $680.00 and gave the company an overweight rating in a report on Wednesday, October 29th. Raymond James Financial reaffirmed an outperform rating and set a $690.00 price objective on shares of MSCI in a research note on Monday, January 12th. Finally, Weiss Ratings upgraded MSCI from a hold (c+) rating to a buy (b-) rating in a report on Friday, January 16th. Get MSCI alerts: View Our Latest Analysis on MSCI MSCI Stock Up 0.8% NYSE:MSCI opened at $589.12 on Thursday. MSCI has a 12-month low of $486.73 and a 12-month high of $634.99. The stocks fifty day simple moving average is $568.15 and its 200-day simple moving average is $565.11. The firm has a market capitalization of $44.27 billion, a P/E ratio of 37.33 and a beta of 1.30. MSCI (NYSE:MSCI Get Free Report) last released its earnings results on Tuesday, October 28th. The technology company reported $4.47 earnings per share for the quarter, beating the consensus estimate of $4.37 by $0.10. The firm had revenue of $793.43 million for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $794.87 million. MSCI had a negative return on equity of 110.94% and a net margin of 40.03%.The companys quarterly revenue was up 9.5% on a year-over-year basis. During the same quarter in the prior year, the firm posted $3.86 earnings per share. As a group, equities research analysts expect that MSCI will post 16.86 earnings per share for the current year. MSCI announced that its board has initiated a share repurchase program on Tuesday, October 28th that allows the company to buyback $3.00 billion in shares. This buyback authorization allows the technology company to repurchase up to 7.1% of its shares through open market purchases. Shares buyback programs are often an indication that the companys board believes its shares are undervalued. MSCI Dividend Announcement The firm also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Friday, November 28th. Investors of record on Friday, November 14th were given a $1.80 dividend. The ex-dividend date was Friday, November 14th. This represents a $7.20 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 1.2%. MSCIs payout ratio is currently 45.63%. Insiders Place Their Bets In related news, General Counsel Robert J. Gutowski sold 624 shares of the firms stock in a transaction on Monday, November 24th. The shares were sold at an average price of $558.42, for a total transaction of $348,454.08. Following the sale, the general counsel directly owned 15,945 shares in the company, valued at $8,904,006.90. This trade represents a 3.77% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The sale was disclosed in a legal filing with the SEC, which is available at this hyperlink. Also, CEO Henry A. Fernandez acquired 2,290 shares of the businesss stock in a transaction that occurred on Friday, December 5th. The stock was bought at an average cost of $536.17 per share, for a total transaction of $1,227,829.30. Following the completion of the transaction, the chief executive officer directly owned 335,069 shares in the company, valued at $179,653,945.73. This represents a 0.69% increase in their position. Additional details regarding this purchase are available in the official SEC disclosure. Corporate insiders own 3.31% of the companys stock. Institutional Trading of MSCI Hedge funds and other institutional investors have recently modified their holdings of the company. Canoe Financial LP grew its position in shares of MSCI by 12.6% during the 3rd quarter. Canoe Financial LP now owns 209,831 shares of the technology companys stock worth $119,060,000 after purchasing an additional 23,500 shares in the last quarter. PineStone Asset Management Inc. boosted its stake in shares of MSCI by 11.9% in the second quarter. PineStone Asset Management Inc. now owns 890,123 shares of the technology companys stock valued at $513,370,000 after buying an additional 94,466 shares during the period. Katamaran Capital LLP bought a new stake in shares of MSCI in the second quarter valued at approximately $1,806,000. Evelyn Partners Investment Management Services Ltd grew its position in MSCI by 158.9% during the second quarter. Evelyn Partners Investment Management Services Ltd now owns 4,971 shares of the technology companys stock worth $2,774,000 after buying an additional 3,051 shares in the last quarter. Finally, waypoint wealth counsel bought a new position in MSCI during the 2nd quarter worth $355,000. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 89.97% of the companys stock. About MSCI (Get Free Report) MSCI Inc is a global provider of investment decision support tools and services for the financial industry. The company is best known for its family of market indexes, which are widely used as benchmarks by asset managers and as the basis for exchange-traded funds and other passive products. In addition to index construction and licensing, MSCI offers portfolio analytics, risk models, factor and performance attribution tools, and a suite of data and technology solutions designed to support portfolio management and trading. Beyond traditional indexing and risk analytics, MSCI has expanded into environmental, social and governance (ESG) research and ratings, offering data, scores and screening tools that help investors integrate sustainability considerations into investment processes. Featured Stories Receive News & Ratings for MSCI Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for MSCI and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Shares of National Grid Transco, PLC (NYSE:NGG Get Free Report) hit a new 52-week high during trading on Thursday . The stock traded as high as $80.97 and last traded at $80.8310, with a volume of 792630 shares traded. The stock had previously closed at $80.00. Wall Street Analyst Weigh In A number of research analysts recently weighed in on the company. BNP Paribas Exane cut National Grid Transco from an outperform rating to an underperform rating in a report on Monday, November 24th. Morgan Stanley started coverage on National Grid Transco in a report on Friday, December 12th. They issued an overweight rating and a $85.50 price objective on the stock. National Bankshares set a $85.50 price objective on National Grid Transco in a research note on Friday, December 12th. Finally, Weiss Ratings reiterated a hold (c) rating on shares of National Grid Transco in a report on Wednesday, October 8th. Four analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating, five have assigned a Hold rating and one has issued a Sell rating to the stock. According to MarketBeat, the company has an average rating of Hold and a consensus price target of $83.80. Get National Grid Transco alerts: View Our Latest Report on NGG National Grid Transco Stock Up 1.0% National Grid Transco Announces Dividend The company has a quick ratio of 0.90, a current ratio of 0.97 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.14. The company has a 50-day moving average price of $77.16 and a two-hundred day moving average price of $74.16. The company also recently disclosed a dividend, which was paid on Tuesday, January 13th. Stockholders of record on Friday, November 21st were paid a dividend of $1.0657 per share. The ex-dividend date was Friday, November 21st. This represents a dividend yield of 284.0%. Institutional Investors Weigh In On National Grid Transco A number of large investors have recently added to or reduced their stakes in the company. Johnson Financial Group Inc. purchased a new stake in shares of National Grid Transco during the third quarter worth about $25,000. Measured Wealth Private Client Group LLC purchased a new stake in National Grid Transco during the 3rd quarter worth approximately $28,000. Trust Co. of Toledo NA OH purchased a new stake in National Grid Transco during the 2nd quarter worth approximately $31,000. V Square Quantitative Management LLC acquired a new position in shares of National Grid Transco in the 2nd quarter valued at approximately $35,000. Finally, Salomon & Ludwin LLC boosted its stake in shares of National Grid Transco by 4,218.2% during the 3rd quarter. Salomon & Ludwin LLC now owns 475 shares of the utilities providers stock valued at $35,000 after buying an additional 464 shares during the last quarter. 4.68% of the stock is owned by institutional investors and hedge funds. About National Grid Transco (Get Free Report) National Grid Transco (NYSE: NGG) is a utility company focused on the transmission and distribution of electricity and natural gas. The company builds, owns, operates and maintains large-scale energy infrastructure, including high-voltage electricity transmission lines, electricity distribution networks and high-pressure gas pipelines. Its core activities center on providing safe, reliable delivery of energy to residential, commercial and industrial customers while meeting regulatory requirements across its service territories. Services provided by National Grid Transco encompass network operation and maintenance, system balancing and control, metering and connections, and capital investment in grid modernization and reliability projects. See Also Receive News & Ratings for National Grid Transco Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for National Grid Transco and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Shares of Northrop Grumman Corporation (NYSE:NOC Get Free Report) have received an average recommendation of Moderate Buy from the twenty research firms that are presently covering the stock, MarketBeat.com reports. Seven research analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating, eleven have given a buy rating and two have assigned a strong buy rating to the company. The average twelve-month target price among analysts that have updated their coverage on the stock in the last year is $656.8235. NOC has been the topic of several research reports. Alembic Global Advisors raised Northrop Grumman from a neutral rating to an overweight rating and set a $662.00 target price on the stock in a research report on Monday, December 15th. Truist Financial restated a hold rating and issued a $623.00 price target (down from $688.00) on shares of Northrop Grumman in a research note on Friday, January 9th. Susquehanna reiterated a positive rating and set a $752.00 price objective on shares of Northrop Grumman in a research report on Thursday, January 15th. UBS Group boosted their target price on shares of Northrop Grumman from $770.00 to $777.00 and gave the company a buy rating in a research report on Thursday, January 15th. Finally, JPMorgan Chase & Co. raised their price target on shares of Northrop Grumman from $575.00 to $640.00 and gave the stock a neutral rating in a research report on Wednesday, October 22nd. Get Northrop Grumman alerts: Get Our Latest Report on NOC Northrop Grumman News Summary Insider Activity at Northrop Grumman Here are the key news stories impacting Northrop Grumman this week: In related news, Director Mark A. Welsh III sold 97 shares of the stock in a transaction that occurred on Monday, November 24th. The stock was sold at an average price of $564.08, for a total transaction of $54,715.76. Following the sale, the director owned 4,281 shares of the companys stock, valued at $2,414,826.48. This represents a 2.22% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The sale was disclosed in a filing with the SEC, which is available through the SEC website. Also, CEO Kathy J. Warden sold 3,000 shares of Northrop Grumman stock in a transaction on Tuesday, January 6th. The shares were sold at an average price of $615.00, for a total value of $1,845,000.00. Following the completion of the transaction, the chief executive officer directly owned 191,602 shares of the companys stock, valued at $117,835,230. This represents a 1.54% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The disclosure for this sale is available in the SEC filing. Over the last quarter, insiders sold 10,097 shares of company stock valued at $6,099,716. 0.23% of the stock is currently owned by corporate insiders. Institutional Investors Weigh In On Northrop Grumman A number of large investors have recently bought and sold shares of the company. Vanguard Group Inc. lifted its holdings in shares of Northrop Grumman by 0.8% during the 3rd quarter. Vanguard Group Inc. now owns 13,531,586 shares of the aerospace companys stock worth $8,245,066,000 after acquiring an additional 109,941 shares during the period. Soundwatch Capital LLC acquired a new position in Northrop Grumman during the second quarter valued at approximately $6,457,274,000. Geode Capital Management LLC raised its position in Northrop Grumman by 0.5% during the second quarter. Geode Capital Management LLC now owns 3,115,519 shares of the aerospace companys stock valued at $1,554,299,000 after purchasing an additional 14,980 shares in the last quarter. Franklin Resources Inc. lifted its stake in Northrop Grumman by 2.2% during the third quarter. Franklin Resources Inc. now owns 2,996,284 shares of the aerospace companys stock worth $1,825,696,000 after purchasing an additional 63,223 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Ameriprise Financial Inc. boosted its holdings in shares of Northrop Grumman by 0.3% in the 3rd quarter. Ameriprise Financial Inc. now owns 1,624,658 shares of the aerospace companys stock valued at $990,046,000 after purchasing an additional 4,844 shares in the last quarter. 83.40% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors and hedge funds. Northrop Grumman Price Performance Shares of NOC opened at $663.63 on Thursday. The companys 50-day moving average is $583.39 and its 200-day moving average is $580.74. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.95, a current ratio of 1.11 and a quick ratio of 0.98. The firm has a market capitalization of $94.71 billion, a PE ratio of 23.87, a PEG ratio of 5.34 and a beta of 0.05. Northrop Grumman has a fifty-two week low of $426.24 and a fifty-two week high of $674.75. Northrop Grumman (NYSE:NOC Get Free Report) last announced its quarterly earnings results on Tuesday, October 21st. The aerospace company reported $7.67 EPS for the quarter, beating analysts consensus estimates of $6.43 by $1.24. The business had revenue of $10.42 billion for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $10.68 billion. Northrop Grumman had a net margin of 9.82% and a return on equity of 25.49%. Northrop Grummans quarterly revenue was up 4.3% on a year-over-year basis. During the same quarter in the prior year, the business earned $7.00 EPS. Equities analysts forecast that Northrop Grumman will post 28.05 EPS for the current year. Northrop Grumman Announces Dividend The firm also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Wednesday, December 17th. Stockholders of record on Monday, December 1st were issued a dividend of $2.31 per share. The ex-dividend date of this dividend was Monday, December 1st. This represents a $9.24 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 1.4%. Northrop Grummans dividend payout ratio (DPR) is currently 33.24%. Northrop Grumman Company Profile (Get Free Report) Northrop Grumman Corporation (NYSE: NOC) is a leading U.S.-based aerospace and defense company that designs, builds and sustains advanced systems, products and technologies for government and commercial customers. Formed through the combination of Northrop and Grumman businesses in the 1990s, the companys portfolio spans manned and unmanned aircraft, space systems, missile defense, radar and sensor systems, and integrated command, control, communications, computers, intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance (C4ISR) solutions. The companys work includes airframe and platform manufacturing, space hardware and satellite systems, advanced mission systems and cybersecurity services, as well as logistics, sustainment and modernization programs. Featured Stories Receive News & Ratings for Northrop Grumman Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Northrop Grumman and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. OFG Bancorp (NYSE:OFG Get Free Report) issued its quarterly earnings results on Thursday. The bank reported $1.27 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, beating the consensus estimate of $1.16 by $0.11, Zacks reports. OFG Bancorp had a return on equity of 15.18% and a net margin of 22.26%.The company had revenue of $185.37 million for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $184.17 million. During the same quarter last year, the company posted $1.09 EPS. The companys revenue for the quarter was up 1.9% compared to the same quarter last year. Here are the key takeaways from OFG Bancorps conference call: Get OFG Bancorp alerts: EPS rose 17% year-over-year in Q4 (8.3% for 2025), driven by disciplined operations and a favorable discrete tax benefit, though part of the improvement reflects one-time tax items. rose 17% year-over-year in Q4 (8.3% for 2025), driven by disciplined operations and a favorable discrete tax benefit, though part of the improvement reflects one-time tax items. OFGs digital-first strategy (Libre, Elite and an omnichannel platform) drove deposit and customer growthretail customers grew ~4%, with 75% of Libre openings as new customers and 40% of those 29 years old. OFGs digital-first strategy (Libre, Elite and an omnichannel platform) drove deposit and customer growthretail customers grew ~4%, with 75% of Libre openings as new customers and 40% of those 29 years old. Net interest margin pressure is expected: NIM was 5.27% in 2025 and is guided to a lower 4.95%5.05% in 2026 due to Fed rate cuts and the partial exit of $500M in government deposits that will be replaced by highercost wholesale funding. Net interest margin pressure is expected: NIM was 5.27% in 2025 and is guided to a lower 4.95%5.05% in 2026 due to Fed rate cuts and the partial exit of $500M in government deposits that will be replaced by highercost wholesale funding. Credit remains largely controlled but a single Puerto Rico telecommunications commercial loan moved to nonaccrual, contributing to higher non-performing loans, a $31.9M provision (including a $5.1M specific reserve) and $27M of net charge-offs. Credit remains largely controlled but a single Puerto Rico telecommunications commercial loan moved to nonaccrual, contributing to higher non-performing loans, a $31.9M provision (including a $5.1M specific reserve) and $27M of net charge-offs. Capital returns and expense plans: management repurchased ~$92M of shares in 2025 and raised the dividend 20%, expects to continue buybacks/dividends while keeping 2026 noninterest expense roughly flat at $380$385M as tech investments are expected to produce future efficiencies. OFG Bancorp Stock Down 8.4% Shares of OFG traded down $3.58 during trading hours on Thursday, hitting $39.00. The stock had a trading volume of 629,539 shares, compared to its average volume of 220,942. OFG Bancorp has a 1-year low of $33.15 and a 1-year high of $46.11. The firm has a market capitalization of $1.71 billion, a P/E ratio of 8.86 and a beta of 0.77. The firm has a 50 day simple moving average of $41.09 and a 200-day simple moving average of $42.25. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.33, a current ratio of 0.85 and a quick ratio of 0.85. OFG Bancorp Announces Dividend Insider Transactions at OFG Bancorp The business also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Thursday, January 15th. Investors of record on Wednesday, December 31st were given a dividend of $0.30 per share. This represents a $1.20 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 3.1%. The ex-dividend date was Wednesday, December 31st. OFG Bancorps payout ratio is presently 27.27%. In related news, insider Cesar A. Ortiz sold 5,500 shares of the companys stock in a transaction dated Monday, December 15th. The shares were sold at an average price of $42.17, for a total value of $231,935.00. Following the sale, the insider owned 351 shares in the company, valued at $14,801.67. This represents a 94.00% decrease in their position. The transaction was disclosed in a legal filing with the SEC, which is available at this link. Also, Director Jesus Nestor De sold 2,000 shares of OFG Bancorp stock in a transaction that occurred on Monday, December 22nd. The shares were sold at an average price of $42.31, for a total value of $84,620.00. Following the transaction, the director directly owned 22,690 shares in the company, valued at approximately $960,013.90. The trade was a 8.10% decrease in their position. The disclosure for this sale is available in the SEC filing. Over the last ninety days, insiders sold 62,500 shares of company stock worth $2,564,302. 3.11% of the stock is currently owned by insiders. Institutional Inflows and Outflows A number of hedge funds and other institutional investors have recently added to or reduced their stakes in the stock. California State Teachers Retirement System boosted its position in shares of OFG Bancorp by 1.2% in the second quarter. California State Teachers Retirement System now owns 42,955 shares of the banks stock valued at $1,838,000 after acquiring an additional 506 shares during the period. Schonfeld Strategic Advisors LLC increased its holdings in OFG Bancorp by 30.0% during the 3rd quarter. Schonfeld Strategic Advisors LLC now owns 37,942 shares of the banks stock worth $1,650,000 after acquiring an additional 8,750 shares during the period. Zurcher Kantonalbank Zurich Cantonalbank lifted its stake in OFG Bancorp by 16.3% in the 3rd quarter. Zurcher Kantonalbank Zurich Cantonalbank now owns 12,622 shares of the banks stock worth $549,000 after purchasing an additional 1,772 shares in the last quarter. Magnetar Financial LLC boosted its holdings in OFG Bancorp by 130.1% in the 3rd quarter. Magnetar Financial LLC now owns 12,450 shares of the banks stock valued at $541,000 after purchasing an additional 7,039 shares during the period. Finally, Squarepoint Ops LLC bought a new position in OFG Bancorp in the 3rd quarter valued at $406,000. 92.73% of the stock is currently owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors. Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth Several equities research analysts recently weighed in on OFG shares. UBS Group set a $50.00 price objective on OFG Bancorp in a report on Thursday, October 9th. Zacks Research raised OFG Bancorp from a strong sell rating to a hold rating in a research note on Wednesday, January 14th. Piper Sandler began coverage on OFG Bancorp in a research note on Thursday, January 15th. They issued a neutral rating and a $45.00 price objective for the company. Truist Financial dropped their price objective on shares of OFG Bancorp from $50.00 to $48.00 and set a buy rating for the company in a report on Thursday, October 23rd. Finally, Wells Fargo & Company reduced their target price on shares of OFG Bancorp from $48.00 to $43.00 and set an equal weight rating on the stock in a report on Monday, October 27th. Four equities research analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating and three have assigned a Hold rating to the companys stock. According to data from MarketBeat, OFG Bancorp presently has a consensus rating of Moderate Buy and a consensus price target of $47.67. View Our Latest Report on OFG More OFG Bancorp News Here are the key news stories impacting OFG Bancorp this week: Positive Sentiment: Q4 beats OFG reported $1.27 EPS vs. street $1.15 and revenue of $185.37M vs. ~$184M consensus, showing a small top- and bottom-line beat that underscores continued core profitability. OFG Bancorp Reports 4Q25 & 2025 Results Q4 beats OFG reported $1.27 EPS vs. street $1.15 and revenue of $185.37M vs. ~$184M consensus, showing a small top- and bottom-line beat that underscores continued core profitability. Positive Sentiment: Solid profitability metrics management reported a 22.26% net margin and 15.18% return on equity; EPS rose year-over-year (from $1.09 the prior-year quarter), which supports valuation given OFGs ~8.9x P/E. Earnings & metrics Solid profitability metrics management reported a 22.26% net margin and 15.18% return on equity; EPS rose year-over-year (from $1.09 the prior-year quarter), which supports valuation given OFGs ~8.9x P/E. Neutral Sentiment: Modest revenue growth Q4 revenue was up ~1.9% year-over-year, signaling steady but slow top-line expansion that is unlikely to excite growth-focused investors. Zacks analysis Modest revenue growth Q4 revenue was up ~1.9% year-over-year, signaling steady but slow top-line expansion that is unlikely to excite growth-focused investors. Neutral Sentiment: Full disclosure available the earnings press release, slide deck and conference-call transcript were published for review; investors can dig into the call for detail on margin drivers, reserves and guidance. Earnings call transcript Full disclosure available the earnings press release, slide deck and conference-call transcript were published for review; investors can dig into the call for detail on margin drivers, reserves and guidance. Negative Sentiment: Market reaction and technical pressure despite the beat, shares fell on the report (BayStreet and other outlets noted the sell-off). Elevated intraday volume and the stock trading below its 50- and 200-day moving averages suggest profittaking or concern about forward momentum/forward guidance. OFG Bancorp Sinks on Q4 Numbers About OFG Bancorp (Get Free Report) OFG Bancorp, through its principal subsidiary Oriental Bank, is a financial holding company headquartered in San Juan, Puerto Rico. The company provides a wide range of banking services, including commercial and consumer deposit accounts, small business loans, corporate lending, treasury management, and cash management solutions. Its consumer offerings encompass personal checking and savings accounts, credit cards, and electronic banking platforms designed to serve retail customers across its markets. In addition to traditional banking products, OFG Bancorp offers mortgage origination and servicing, as well as wealth management and trust services for highnetworth individuals and institutional clients. Read More Receive News & Ratings for OFG Bancorp Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for OFG Bancorp and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Oracle Power plc (LON:ORCP Get Free Report)s share price was up 12.5% during trading on Tuesday . The stock traded as high as GBX 0.07 and last traded at GBX 0.06. Approximately 824,183,875 shares were traded during trading, an increase of 333% from the average daily volume of 190,320,766 shares. The stock had previously closed at GBX 0.06. Oracle Power Price Performance The company has a current ratio of 3.74, a quick ratio of 5.67 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 9.98. The firm has a market cap of 8.65 million, a price-to-earnings ratio of -27.50 and a beta of 1.44. The company has a 50 day moving average of GBX 0.04 and a 200 day moving average of GBX 0.03. Oracle Power Company Profile (Get Free Report) Oracle Power Plc (AIM: ORCP) is an international project developer in the natural resources and energy sectors. The Company is currently committed to two areas of focus: Western Australia, home to two of Oracles highly prospective gold projects, and Pakistan, where it is working to establish one of the largest hydrogen production facilities in the region. Located in the wind corridor in Jhimpir, Pakistan, The Green Hydrogen project is being developed on a fast-track basis thanks to the joint venture (JV) formed between Oracle and His Highness Shaikh Ahmed Dalmook Al Maktoum (through his wholly owned company, Kaheel Energy Limited). The JV intends to support the global transition to a carbon neutral future through establishing Pakistan as one of the main Green Hydrogen players in the region, to meet global demand for clean hydrogen forecasted to be 660 million metric tons in 2050. See Also Receive News & Ratings for Oracle Power Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Oracle Power and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Osborne Partners Capital Management LLC increased its stake in Wells Fargo & Company (NYSE:WFC) by 65.4% in the 3rd quarter, Holdings Channel.com reports. The fund owned 16,811 shares of the financial services providers stock after acquiring an additional 6,650 shares during the quarter. Osborne Partners Capital Management LLCs holdings in Wells Fargo & Company were worth $1,409,000 at the end of the most recent reporting period. Other large investors also recently added to or reduced their stakes in the company. Access Investment Management LLC acquired a new position in shares of Wells Fargo & Company during the 2nd quarter worth about $25,000. McElhenny Sheffield Capital Management LLC acquired a new stake in Wells Fargo & Company in the 2nd quarter worth about $27,000. Marquette Asset Management LLC increased its stake in Wells Fargo & Company by 472.4% during the 3rd quarter. Marquette Asset Management LLC now owns 332 shares of the financial services providers stock worth $28,000 after buying an additional 274 shares in the last quarter. Grey Fox Wealth Advisors LLC acquired a new position in shares of Wells Fargo & Company during the third quarter valued at approximately $30,000. Finally, Kilter Group LLC acquired a new position in shares of Wells Fargo & Company during the second quarter valued at approximately $31,000. 75.90% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors and hedge funds. Get Wells Fargo & Company alerts: Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth Several analysts recently commented on the company. Royal Bank Of Canada reiterated an outperform rating and set a $100.00 price target on shares of Wells Fargo & Company in a research report on Thursday, January 15th. Truist Financial lowered their target price on shares of Wells Fargo & Company from $104.00 to $100.00 and set a buy rating on the stock in a research note on Thursday, January 15th. Wolfe Research reaffirmed an outperform rating and set a $109.00 target price on shares of Wells Fargo & Company in a report on Wednesday, January 7th. Evercore ISI decreased their price target on shares of Wells Fargo & Company from $110.00 to $105.00 and set an outperform rating on the stock in a research note on Thursday, January 15th. Finally, HSBC restated a hold rating and set a $74.00 price target on shares of Wells Fargo & Company in a research report on Wednesday, January 7th. Thirteen analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating, nine have issued a Hold rating and one has issued a Sell rating to the stock. According to data from MarketBeat.com, Wells Fargo & Company presently has a consensus rating of Moderate Buy and an average price target of $94.87. Key Headlines Impacting Wells Fargo & Company Here are the key news stories impacting Wells Fargo & Company this week: Wells Fargo & Company Stock Performance Wells Fargo & Company stock opened at $86.14 on Thursday. The firm has a 50 day simple moving average of $90.22 and a 200-day simple moving average of $84.92. The stock has a market cap of $270.38 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 13.74, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 0.80 and a beta of 1.09. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.05, a current ratio of 0.90 and a quick ratio of 0.84. Wells Fargo & Company has a 1-year low of $58.42 and a 1-year high of $97.76. Wells Fargo & Company (NYSE:WFC Get Free Report) last issued its quarterly earnings data on Wednesday, January 14th. The financial services provider reported $1.76 earnings per share for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of $1.66 by $0.10. The company had revenue of $21.29 billion during the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $21.63 billion. Wells Fargo & Company had a return on equity of 12.90% and a net margin of 17.27%.The firms revenue for the quarter was up 4.5% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same period in the prior year, the business posted $1.43 earnings per share. On average, analysts expect that Wells Fargo & Company will post 5.89 EPS for the current year. Wells Fargo & Company Announces Dividend The firm also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Monday, December 1st. Investors of record on Friday, November 7th were given a dividend of $0.45 per share. This represents a $1.80 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 2.1%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend was Friday, November 7th. Wells Fargo & Companys dividend payout ratio (DPR) is presently 28.71%. Wells Fargo & Company Company Profile (Free Report) Wells Fargo & Company is a diversified, U.S.-based financial services company headquartered in San Francisco, California. Founded in 1852 by Henry Wells and William G. Fargo, the firm has evolved from its origins in express delivery and pioneer-era banking into one of the largest full-service banks in the United States. The company provides a broad range of financial products and services to individual, small business, commercial, and institutional clients. Charles W. Scharf serves as chief executive officer. Wells Fargo operates across several core business segments, including consumer banking and lending, commercial banking, corporate and investment banking, and wealth and investment management. Further Reading Want to see what other hedge funds are holding WFC? Visit HoldingsChannel.com to get the latest 13F filings and insider trades for Wells Fargo & Company (NYSE:WFC Free Report). Receive News & Ratings for Wells Fargo & Company Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Wells Fargo & Company and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Procter & Gamble (NYSE:PG Get Free Report) issued an update on its FY 2026 earnings guidance on Thursday morning. The company provided earnings per share guidance of 6.830-7.090 for the period, compared to the consensus earnings per share estimate of 6.970. The company issued revenue guidance of $85.1 billion-$88.5 billion, compared to the consensus revenue estimate of $86.7 billion. Procter & Gamble Stock Performance Shares of NYSE PG opened at $146.00 on Thursday. Procter & Gamble has a 12 month low of $137.62 and a 12 month high of $179.99. The company has a market cap of $341.16 billion, a P/E ratio of 21.31, a P/E/G ratio of 4.97 and a beta of 0.39. The businesss 50 day moving average is $144.63 and its two-hundred day moving average is $150.66. The company has a quick ratio of 0.51, a current ratio of 0.71 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.46. Get Procter & Gamble alerts: Procter & Gamble (NYSE:PG Get Free Report) last announced its quarterly earnings data on Thursday, January 22nd. The company reported $1.88 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of $1.86 by $0.02. Procter & Gamble had a net margin of 19.74% and a return on equity of 32.63%. The business had revenue of $22.21 billion for the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $22.36 billion. During the same quarter last year, the company posted $1.88 earnings per share. Procter & Gambles quarterly revenue was up 1.5% on a year-over-year basis. Procter & Gamble has set its FY 2026 guidance at 6.830-7.090 EPS. On average, equities analysts expect that Procter & Gamble will post 6.91 EPS for the current year. Procter & Gamble Announces Dividend Wall Street Analyst Weigh In The business also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Tuesday, February 17th. Stockholders of record on Friday, January 23rd will be issued a dividend of $1.0568 per share. The ex-dividend date is Friday, January 23rd. This represents a $4.23 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 2.9%. Procter & Gambles payout ratio is presently 61.75%. PG has been the subject of several research reports. Bank of America reduced their target price on shares of Procter & Gamble from $180.00 to $174.00 and set a buy rating for the company in a research note on Wednesday, October 8th. UBS Group reduced their price objective on Procter & Gamble from $176.00 to $161.00 and set a buy rating for the company in a research report on Wednesday, January 14th. Weiss Ratings restated a hold (c) rating on shares of Procter & Gamble in a research report on Monday, December 29th. Jefferies Financial Group raised Procter & Gamble from a hold rating to a buy rating and raised their target price for the stock from $156.00 to $179.00 in a research report on Tuesday, December 16th. Finally, JPMorgan Chase & Co. decreased their price target on shares of Procter & Gamble from $165.00 to $157.00 and set a neutral rating on the stock in a research note on Thursday, December 18th. Thirteen investment analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating and ten have assigned a Hold rating to the companys stock. According to data from MarketBeat, Procter & Gamble currently has an average rating of Moderate Buy and an average price target of $167.95. Read Our Latest Stock Report on Procter & Gamble Insiders Place Their Bets In other Procter & Gamble news, CAO Matthew W. Janzaruk sold 725 shares of the companys stock in a transaction on Thursday, October 30th. The stock was sold at an average price of $149.57, for a total value of $108,438.25. Following the sale, the chief accounting officer directly owned 979 shares in the company, valued at $146,429.03. This represents a 42.55% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The sale was disclosed in a legal filing with the SEC, which is available at this hyperlink. 0.20% of the stock is owned by company insiders. Key Procter & Gamble News Here are the key news stories impacting Procter & Gamble this week: Hedge Funds Weigh In On Procter & Gamble Institutional investors have recently added to or reduced their stakes in the company. Saratoga Research & Investment Management boosted its holdings in shares of Procter & Gamble by 7.3% in the 3rd quarter. Saratoga Research & Investment Management now owns 223,896 shares of the companys stock worth $34,402,000 after acquiring an additional 15,253 shares in the last quarter. Financial Engines Advisors L.L.C. raised its position in Procter & Gamble by 12.0% in the 3rd quarter. Financial Engines Advisors L.L.C. now owns 14,106 shares of the companys stock valued at $2,167,000 after purchasing an additional 1,508 shares during the last quarter. Sterling Wealth Management Inc. boosted its stake in Procter & Gamble by 3.7% in the third quarter. Sterling Wealth Management Inc. now owns 10,711 shares of the companys stock worth $1,646,000 after purchasing an additional 387 shares in the last quarter. Keystone Financial Group grew its holdings in shares of Procter & Gamble by 10.7% during the third quarter. Keystone Financial Group now owns 40,357 shares of the companys stock worth $6,148,000 after purchasing an additional 3,915 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Morningstar Investment Management LLC increased its stake in shares of Procter & Gamble by 1,349.9% in the third quarter. Morningstar Investment Management LLC now owns 50,267 shares of the companys stock valued at $7,724,000 after buying an additional 46,800 shares in the last quarter. 65.77% of the stock is owned by institutional investors. About Procter & Gamble (Get Free Report) Procter & Gamble (NYSE: PG) is a multinational consumer goods company headquartered in Cincinnati, Ohio. Founded in 1837 by William Procter and James Gamble, P&G has grown into one of the worlds largest producers of branded consumer packaged goods. The company focuses on developing, manufacturing and marketing a broad portfolio of household and personal care products sold to consumers and retailers worldwide. P&Gs product offering spans several core business categories, including Beauty, Grooming, Health Care, Fabric & Home Care, and Baby, Feminine & Family Care. Read More Receive News & Ratings for Procter & Gamble Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Procter & Gamble and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. JPMorgan Chase & Co., Bank of America, Wells Fargo & Company, Citigroup, Charles Schwab, The PNC Financial Services Group, and Regions Financial are the seven Bank stocks to watch today, according to MarketBeats stock screener tool. Bank stocks are shares of publicly traded banks and other deposit-taking financial institutions, giving investors partial ownership in companies that take deposits, make loans and provide payment and related services. They often appeal for dividend income and cyclical growth potential but are sensitive to interest-rate changes, credit cycles and regulatory requirements, which can increase volatility and risk during economic downturns. These companies had the highest dollar trading volume of any Bank stocks within the last several days. Get alerts: JPMorgan Chase & Co. (JPM) JPMorgan Chase & Co. is a financial holding company, which engages in the provision of financial and investment banking services. It focuses on investment banking, financial services for consumers and small businesses, commercial banking, financial transaction processing, and asset management. It operates through the following segments: Consumer and Community Banking (CCB), Commercial and Investment Bank (CIB), Asset and Wealth Management (AWM), and Corporate. Bank of America (BAC) Bank of America Corporation, through its subsidiaries, provides banking and financial products and services for individual consumers, small and middle-market businesses, institutional investors, large corporations, and governments worldwide. It operates in four segments: Consumer Banking, Global Wealth & Investment Management (GWIM), Global Banking, and Global Markets. Read Our Latest Research Report on BAC Wells Fargo & Company (WFC) Wells Fargo & Co. is a diversified and community-based financial services company, which engages in the provision of banking, insurance, investments, mortgage, and consumer and commercial finance products and services. It operates through the following segments: Consumer Banking and Lending, Commercial Banking, Corporate and Investment Banking, and Wealth and Investment Management. Read Our Latest Research Report on WFC Citigroup (C) Citigroup Inc., a diversified financial service holding company, provides various financial product and services to consumers, corporations, governments, and institutions worldwide. It operates through five segments: Services, Markets, Banking, U.S. Personal Banking, and Wealth. The Services segment includes Treasury and Trade Solutions, which provides cash management, trade, and working capital solutions to multinational corporations, financial institutions, and public sector organizations; and Securities Services, such as cross-border support for clients, local market expertise, post-trade technologies, data solutions, and various securities services solutions. Read Our Latest Research Report on C Charles Schwab (SCHW) The Charles Schwab Corporation, together with its subsidiaries, operates as a savings and loan holding company that provides wealth management, securities brokerage, banking, asset management, custody, and financial advisory services in the United States and internationally. The company operates in two segments, Investor Services and Advisor Services. Read Our Latest Research Report on SCHW The PNC Financial Services Group (PNC) The PNC Financial Services Group, Inc. operates as a diversified financial services company in the United States. It operates through three segments: Retail Banking, Corporate & Institutional Banking, and Asset Management Group segments. The company's Retail Banking segment offers checking, savings, and money market accounts, as well as time deposit; residential mortgages, home equity loans and lines of credit, auto loans, credit cards, education loans, and personal and small business loans and lines of credit; and brokerage, insurance, and investment and cash management services. Read Our Latest Research Report on PNC Regions Financial (RF) Regions Financial Corporation, a financial holding company, provides banking and bank-related services to individual and corporate customers. It operates through three segments: Corporate Bank, Consumer Bank, and Wealth Management. The Corporate Bank segment offers commercial banking services, such as commercial and industrial, commercial real estate, and investor real estate lending; equipment lease financing; deposit products; and securities underwriting and placement, loan syndication and placement, foreign exchange, derivatives, merger and acquisition, and other advisory services. Read Our Latest Research Report on RF See Also This story was originally published on Multifamily Dive. To receive daily news and insights, subscribe to our free daily Multifamily Dive newsletter. Dive Brief: On Jan. 19, U.S. Bankruptcy Judge David Jones approved Summit Properties USAs purchase of more than 5,000 rent-stabilized units in an auction after the former owner, Pinnacle Group, had placed the apartments into bankruptcy in May, according to court documents. The deal is valued at $451 million, per Bloomberg. Newly appointed New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani, in one of his first acts, attempted to delay the auction, according to The New York Times. However, a judge rejected the citys request on Jan. 15. Flagstar Bank held more than $564 million in debt on the buildings in Brooklyn, Manhattan, Queens and the Bronx. Summit provided $113 million in equity and received $338.5 million in financing from Flagstar, according to Jones decision in the U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the Southern District of New York. Dive Insight: The rent-stabilized properties were indirectly and directly owned by 82 debtor companies, controlled by a company called Zarasai, and managed by Pinnacle, with Joel Weiner serving as CEO, according to a June 29, 2025, Chapter 11 filing in the U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the Southern District of New York. Housing violations deemed by New York City as immediately hazardous at Pinnacles bankrupt buildings increased fourfold from 2019 to 2024, which is twice the rate of similar rent-stabilized properties, according to a Bloomberg analysis of municipal data. While city officials had voiced concerns about Summits ability to repair the apartments, CEO Zohar Levy said the firm set aside $30 million to repair the properties, according to the Jan 19 decision. Summitt said $10 million of that amount will be used to address building code violations and existing issues. In addition, Flagstar is providing a revolving credit line of $3 million for costs associated with curing violations at any individual building, according to the Jan. 19 decision. This process has been difficult for the residents, and we understand their frustration and concerns about their homes, Levy said in a statement emailed to Multifamily Dive. This ruling is a new chapter, and we look forward to working with the City, our elected officials, stakeholders and residents to improve the buildings and move forward. We are assembling a strong team and have the capacity, commitment and resources to succeed for everyones benefit. Palo Alto Networks, CrowdStrike, and Fortinet are the three Cybersecurity stocks to watch today, according to MarketBeats stock screener tool. Cybersecurity stocks are shares of publicly traded companies that develop, sell, or support products and services designed to protect networks, data, and digital systems from cyber threats. For investors, these stocks provide exposure to the growing demand for digital security and can range from pure-play security firms to larger technology companies with security divisions. They are often valued on growth prospects tied to threat frequency, regulatory drivers, and recurring revenue models, but carry sector-specific competitive and execution risks. These companies had the highest dollar trading volume of any Cybersecurity stocks within the last several days. Get alerts: Palo Alto Networks (PANW) Palo Alto Networks, Inc. provides cybersecurity solutions worldwide. The company offers firewall appliances and software; and Panorama, a security management solution for the global control of network security platform as a virtual or a physical appliance. It also provides subscription services covering the areas of threat prevention, malware and persistent threat, URL filtering, laptop and mobile device protection, DNS security, Internet of Things security, SaaS security API, and SaaS security inline, as well as threat intelligence, and data loss prevention. CrowdStrike (CRWD) CrowdStrike Holdings, Inc. provides cybersecurity solutions in the United States and internationally. Its unified platform offers cloud-delivered protection of endpoints, cloud workloads, identity, and data. The company offers corporate endpoint and cloud workload security, managed security, security and vulnerability management, IT operations management, identity protection, SIEM and log management, threat intelligence, data protection, security orchestration, automation and response and AI powered workflow automation, and securing generative AI workload services. Read Our Latest Research Report on CRWD Fortinet (FTNT) Fortinet, Inc. provides cybersecurity and convergence of networking and security solutions worldwide. It offers secure networking solutions focus on the convergence of networking and security; network firewall solutions that consist of FortiGate data centers, hyperscale, and distributed firewalls, as well as encrypted applications; wireless LAN solutions; and secure connectivity solutions, including FortiSwitch secure ethernet switches, FortiAP wireless local area network access points, FortiExtender 5G connectivity gateways, and other products. Read Our Latest Research Report on FTNT Read More Rakuten Investment Management Inc. bought a new position in shares of Truist Financial Corporation (NYSE:TFC Free Report) in the 3rd quarter, according to the company in its most recent 13F filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The fund bought 166,883 shares of the insurance providers stock, valued at approximately $7,630,000. Other institutional investors and hedge funds have also recently added to or reduced their stakes in the company. Norges Bank acquired a new stake in Truist Financial during the second quarter worth approximately $487,401,000. Laurel Wealth Advisors LLC grew its position in shares of Truist Financial by 4,121.3% in the 2nd quarter. Laurel Wealth Advisors LLC now owns 2,335,991 shares of the insurance providers stock valued at $100,424,000 after buying an additional 2,280,653 shares during the last quarter. Arrowstreet Capital Limited Partnership raised its stake in Truist Financial by 811.0% during the 2nd quarter. Arrowstreet Capital Limited Partnership now owns 2,018,457 shares of the insurance providers stock worth $86,773,000 after acquiring an additional 1,796,884 shares in the last quarter. Vanguard Group Inc. lifted its position in Truist Financial by 1.3% in the second quarter. Vanguard Group Inc. now owns 120,440,153 shares of the insurance providers stock valued at $5,177,722,000 after acquiring an additional 1,529,478 shares during the last quarter. Finally, AQR Capital Management LLC lifted its position in Truist Financial by 71.9% in the second quarter. AQR Capital Management LLC now owns 3,165,033 shares of the insurance providers stock valued at $136,065,000 after acquiring an additional 1,323,866 shares during the last quarter. 71.28% of the stock is owned by institutional investors and hedge funds. Get Truist Financial alerts: Truist Financial Stock Up 1.9% Shares of TFC opened at $50.05 on Thursday. The firm has a market cap of $64.03 billion, a PE ratio of 13.45, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 0.94 and a beta of 0.89. The company has a quick ratio of 0.86, a current ratio of 0.86 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.70. The companys fifty day moving average is $48.55 and its two-hundred day moving average is $46.12. Truist Financial Corporation has a fifty-two week low of $33.56 and a fifty-two week high of $51.51. Truist Financial ( NYSE:TFC Get Free Report ) last posted its earnings results on Wednesday, January 21st. The insurance provider reported $1.00 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, missing analysts consensus estimates of $1.09 by ($0.09). Truist Financial had a return on equity of 8.73% and a net margin of 16.84%.The business had revenue of $5.30 billion for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $5.32 billion. During the same period last year, the company posted $0.91 EPS. The firms revenue for the quarter was up 3.6% compared to the same quarter last year. Analysts forecast that Truist Financial Corporation will post 4 earnings per share for the current year. Truist Financial announced that its Board of Directors has initiated a stock buyback plan on Tuesday, December 16th that permits the company to buyback $10.00 billion in outstanding shares. This buyback authorization permits the insurance provider to buy up to 15.7% of its stock through open market purchases. Stock buyback plans are typically a sign that the companys leadership believes its stock is undervalued. Truist Financial Dividend Announcement The business also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Monday, December 1st. Shareholders of record on Friday, November 14th were issued a dividend of $0.52 per share. This represents a $2.08 annualized dividend and a yield of 4.2%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend was Friday, November 14th. Truist Financials dividend payout ratio (DPR) is currently 55.91%. Truist Financial News Summary Here are the key news stories impacting Truist Financial this week: Insider Buying and Selling at Truist Financial In other news, Director K. David Jr. Boyer sold 5,160 shares of the companys stock in a transaction dated Tuesday, November 25th. The shares were sold at an average price of $46.45, for a total value of $239,682.00. Following the sale, the director owned 10,153 shares in the company, valued at approximately $471,606.85. This represents a 33.70% decrease in their position. The sale was disclosed in a document filed with the SEC, which can be accessed through this hyperlink. Insiders own 0.17% of the companys stock. Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth A number of research firms have recently commented on TFC. The Goldman Sachs Group reiterated a buy rating and set a $58.00 target price on shares of Truist Financial in a research report on Tuesday, January 6th. Piper Sandler set a $48.00 price target on Truist Financial in a research report on Monday, October 20th. UBS Group set a $55.00 price objective on Truist Financial in a research note on Tuesday, October 21st. Robert W. Baird lowered shares of Truist Financial from a strong-buy rating to a hold rating in a research report on Thursday, December 11th. Finally, Citigroup lifted their target price on shares of Truist Financial from $60.00 to $63.00 and gave the company a buy rating in a report on Wednesday, December 31st. Six research analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating, seven have given a Hold rating and one has assigned a Sell rating to the companys stock. According to MarketBeat, the company has a consensus rating of Hold and an average price target of $52.80. Check Out Our Latest Stock Analysis on TFC About Truist Financial (Free Report) Truist Financial Corporation is an American bank holding company that provides a broad range of financial services through its primary subsidiary, Truist Bank, and other operating units. The company offers traditional retail banking products and services such as deposit accounts, consumer and residential mortgage lending, and credit and debit card services. Truist also serves commercial clients with middle-market and corporate lending, treasury and payment solutions, and specialty finance products. Beyond core banking, Truist operates wealth management, asset management, insurance and capital markets businesses. Featured Stories Want to see what other hedge funds are holding TFC? Visit HoldingsChannel.com to get the latest 13F filings and insider trades for Truist Financial Corporation (NYSE:TFC Free Report). Receive News & Ratings for Truist Financial Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Truist Financial and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Rakuten Investment Management Inc. purchased a new position in shares of Humana Inc. (NYSE:HUM Free Report) during the third quarter, Holdings Channel reports. The institutional investor purchased 41,600 shares of the insurance providers stock, valued at approximately $10,823,000. Several other institutional investors and hedge funds have also recently made changes to their positions in HUM. Elevation Point Wealth Partners LLC bought a new position in Humana during the 2nd quarter worth about $32,000. Mather Group LLC. bought a new position in shares of Humana during the third quarter valued at approximately $34,000. AlphaCore Capital LLC bought a new position in Humana in the second quarter worth approximately $39,000. Private Wealth Management Group LLC lifted its holdings in Humana by 47.5% during the third quarter. Private Wealth Management Group LLC now owns 149 shares of the insurance providers stock worth $39,000 after buying an additional 48 shares during the period. Finally, SJS Investment Consulting Inc. boosted its position in Humana by 19,300.0% during the 3rd quarter. SJS Investment Consulting Inc. now owns 194 shares of the insurance providers stock valued at $50,000 after acquiring an additional 193 shares in the last quarter. 92.38% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors. Get Humana alerts: Humana Stock Performance HUM opened at $270.32 on Thursday. The company has a market cap of $32.51 billion, a P/E ratio of 25.33, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 2.21 and a beta of 0.45. The company has a quick ratio of 2.02, a current ratio of 2.02 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.68. The firms 50-day moving average price is $257.11 and its 200-day moving average price is $264.26. Humana Inc. has a 52-week low of $206.87 and a 52-week high of $315.35. Humana Dividend Announcement Humana ( NYSE:HUM Get Free Report ) last released its earnings results on Wednesday, November 5th. The insurance provider reported $3.24 EPS for the quarter, topping analysts consensus estimates of $2.95 by $0.29. The company had revenue of $32.65 billion during the quarter, compared to analysts expectations of $31.99 billion. Humana had a net margin of 1.02% and a return on equity of 12.86%. Humanas revenue for the quarter was up 11.1% on a year-over-year basis. During the same period last year, the business earned $4.16 EPS. As a group, equities analysts anticipate that Humana Inc. will post 16.47 EPS for the current fiscal year. The business also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Friday, January 30th. Stockholders of record on Friday, December 26th will be issued a dividend of $0.885 per share. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Friday, December 26th. This represents a $3.54 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 1.3%. Humanas payout ratio is 33.18%. Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades Several research analysts have recently commented on the company. Morgan Stanley reissued an underperform rating on shares of Humana in a research report on Thursday, December 18th. Bank of America boosted their target price on shares of Humana from $280.00 to $300.00 and gave the stock a neutral rating in a report on Friday, October 10th. Wells Fargo & Company lowered shares of Humana from an overweight rating to a cautious rating in a research report on Wednesday, January 7th. Barclays reaffirmed an underperformer rating on shares of Humana in a research report on Monday, January 5th. Finally, Robert W. Baird decreased their target price on shares of Humana from $280.00 to $264.00 and set a neutral rating for the company in a research report on Thursday, December 11th. Eight equities research analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating, nine have issued a Hold rating and five have issued a Sell rating to the company. Based on data from MarketBeat, the stock presently has a consensus rating of Hold and a consensus price target of $293.37. Check Out Our Latest Stock Analysis on HUM Humana Company Profile (Free Report) Humana Inc (NYSE: HUM) is a health insurance company headquartered in Louisville, Kentucky, that primarily serves individuals and groups across the United States. The company is best known for its Medicare business, offering Medicare Advantage plans and prescription drug (Part D) coverage, alongside a range of commercial and employer-sponsored group health plans. Humanas products are designed to cover medical, behavioral health and pharmacy needs for members, with particular emphasis on seniors and Medicare-eligible populations. In addition to traditional insurance products, Humana provides care-management and wellness services intended to support chronic-condition management, preventive care and care coordination. Featured Stories Want to see what other hedge funds are holding HUM? Visit HoldingsChannel.com to get the latest 13F filings and insider trades for Humana Inc. (NYSE:HUM Free Report). Receive News & Ratings for Humana Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Humana and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Rakuten Investment Management Inc. bought a new position in Charles River Laboratories International, Inc. (NYSE:CRL Free Report) in the third quarter, according to its most recent disclosure with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The institutional investor bought 77,056 shares of the medical research companys stock, valued at approximately $12,056,000. A number of other large investors have also recently added to or reduced their stakes in CRL. Exchange Traded Concepts LLC boosted its position in shares of Charles River Laboratories International by 1.3% during the second quarter. Exchange Traded Concepts LLC now owns 5,742 shares of the medical research companys stock worth $871,000 after buying an additional 76 shares during the period. Patriot Financial Group Insurance Agency LLC grew its stake in shares of Charles River Laboratories International by 4.2% during the 3rd quarter. Patriot Financial Group Insurance Agency LLC now owns 2,120 shares of the medical research companys stock worth $332,000 after acquiring an additional 85 shares in the last quarter. DekaBank Deutsche Girozentrale raised its holdings in shares of Charles River Laboratories International by 1.2% in the second quarter. DekaBank Deutsche Girozentrale now owns 7,142 shares of the medical research companys stock valued at $1,072,000 after purchasing an additional 86 shares during the last quarter. WESCAP Management Group Inc. lifted its position in shares of Charles River Laboratories International by 3.8% in the second quarter. WESCAP Management Group Inc. now owns 2,443 shares of the medical research companys stock worth $371,000 after purchasing an additional 89 shares in the last quarter. Finally, State of New Jersey Common Pension Fund D boosted its holdings in Charles River Laboratories International by 0.7% during the second quarter. State of New Jersey Common Pension Fund D now owns 16,829 shares of the medical research companys stock worth $2,553,000 after purchasing an additional 109 shares during the last quarter. Institutional investors own 98.91% of the companys stock. Get Charles River Laboratories International alerts: Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades CRL has been the topic of several recent research reports. Bank of America upgraded shares of Charles River Laboratories International from a neutral rating to a buy rating and set a $225.00 price target on the stock in a research note on Monday, December 15th. Argus set a $200.00 target price on Charles River Laboratories International in a research report on Monday, November 17th. Morgan Stanley set a $185.00 target price on Charles River Laboratories International in a report on Monday, December 1st. William Blair upgraded Charles River Laboratories International from a market perform rating to an outperform rating in a research note on Monday, October 6th. Finally, Barclays boosted their price target on Charles River Laboratories International from $210.00 to $215.00 and gave the stock an overweight rating in a research report on Monday, December 15th. Ten research analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating, four have given a Hold rating and one has assigned a Sell rating to the company. According to MarketBeat.com, the stock presently has an average rating of Moderate Buy and an average target price of $209.46. Charles River Laboratories International Stock Performance CRL opened at $226.75 on Thursday. The company has a quick ratio of 1.10, a current ratio of 1.37 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.64. Charles River Laboratories International, Inc. has a 12-month low of $91.86 and a 12-month high of $228.88. The business has a 50 day moving average of $194.81 and a 200-day moving average of $175.49. The stock has a market cap of $11.16 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of -145.35, a PEG ratio of 6.52 and a beta of 1.61. Charles River Laboratories International (NYSE:CRL Get Free Report) last posted its quarterly earnings results on Wednesday, November 5th. The medical research company reported $2.43 earnings per share for the quarter, beating analysts consensus estimates of $2.32 by $0.11. Charles River Laboratories International had a positive return on equity of 15.78% and a negative net margin of 2.07%.The business had revenue of $1 billion for the quarter, compared to analysts expectations of $990.43 million. During the same quarter in the prior year, the business earned $2.59 EPS. The firms revenue for the quarter was down .5% on a year-over-year basis. On average, equities research analysts expect that Charles River Laboratories International, Inc. will post 9.36 earnings per share for the current year. About Charles River Laboratories International (Free Report) Charles River Laboratories International, Inc is a leading provider of research models and preclinical and clinical support services for the pharmaceutical, biotechnology and medical device industries. The companys core offerings include discovery, safety assessment, toxicology, and pathology services, as well as supply of laboratory animals and related diagnostics. Services extend across in vivo and in vitro testing, biologics testing, and support for advanced therapies, helping clients accelerate drug development from early discovery through regulatory submission. Founded in 1947 in Wilmington, Massachusetts, Charles River has grown through strategic investments and acquisitions to establish a broad portfolio of capabilities. Featured Articles Want to see what other hedge funds are holding CRL? Visit HoldingsChannel.com to get the latest 13F filings and insider trades for Charles River Laboratories International, Inc. (NYSE:CRL Free Report). Receive News & Ratings for Charles River Laboratories International Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Charles River Laboratories International and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. ConocoPhillips (NYSE:COP Get Free Report) had its target price hoisted by Raymond James Financial from $98.00 to $113.00 in a report released on Thursday,MarketScreener reports. The firm currently has an outperform rating on the energy producers stock. Raymond James Financials price target would suggest a potential upside of 17.12% from the companys current price. A number of other research firms also recently weighed in on COP. Mizuho lifted their target price on ConocoPhillips from $120.00 to $121.00 and gave the stock an outperform rating in a report on Friday, December 12th. Capital One Financial lifted their price target on shares of ConocoPhillips from $111.00 to $116.00 and gave the company an equal weight rating in a research report on Tuesday. Barclays reduced their price target on ConocoPhillips from $122.00 to $118.00 and set an overweight rating on the stock in a research report on Tuesday, October 7th. Piper Sandler dropped their price objective on ConocoPhillips from $115.00 to $109.00 and set an overweight rating for the company in a report on Thursday, January 8th. Finally, The Goldman Sachs Group cut their target price on ConocoPhillips from $111.00 to $108.00 and set a buy rating for the company in a research report on Friday, October 17th. Sixteen analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating, seven have issued a Hold rating and one has given a Sell rating to the company. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, the company has a consensus rating of Moderate Buy and an average target price of $111.00. Get ConocoPhillips alerts: Check Out Our Latest Report on ConocoPhillips ConocoPhillips Price Performance NYSE:COP opened at $96.48 on Thursday. ConocoPhillips has a 1-year low of $79.88 and a 1-year high of $106.20. The company has a current ratio of 1.32, a quick ratio of 1.18 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.35. The stock has a market capitalization of $119.22 billion, a PE ratio of 13.66, a P/E/G ratio of 2.82 and a beta of 0.32. The firm has a fifty day simple moving average of $93.11 and a 200 day simple moving average of $92.97. ConocoPhillips (NYSE:COP Get Free Report) last posted its earnings results on Thursday, November 6th. The energy producer reported $1.61 earnings per share for the quarter, topping analysts consensus estimates of $1.41 by $0.20. ConocoPhillips had a return on equity of 13.64% and a net margin of 14.25%.The business had revenue of $15.03 billion for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $14.51 billion. During the same period in the previous year, the firm earned $1.78 EPS. The firms revenue was up 14.1% compared to the same quarter last year. On average, research analysts expect that ConocoPhillips will post 8.16 EPS for the current fiscal year. Insider Activity at ConocoPhillips In other ConocoPhillips news, CEO Ryan Michael Lance sold 500,708 shares of the companys stock in a transaction on Friday, December 19th. The stock was sold at an average price of $92.50, for a total value of $46,315,490.00. Following the completion of the transaction, the chief executive officer owned 325,972 shares in the company, valued at $30,152,410. This represents a 60.57% decrease in their position. The sale was disclosed in a document filed with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available through the SEC website. Also, Director William H. Mcraven bought 5,768 shares of ConocoPhillips stock in a transaction on Monday, November 10th. The shares were bought at an average cost of $86.68 per share, with a total value of $499,970.24. Following the acquisition, the director directly owned 5,768 shares in the company, valued at approximately $499,970.24. This represents a increase in their ownership of the stock. The SEC filing for this purchase provides additional information. 0.24% of the stock is currently owned by company insiders. Institutional Inflows and Outflows Institutional investors and hedge funds have recently made changes to their positions in the company. IMS Capital Management bought a new position in ConocoPhillips in the 2nd quarter valued at approximately $275,000. Mather Group LLC. raised its holdings in shares of ConocoPhillips by 1.8% during the second quarter. Mather Group LLC. now owns 22,842 shares of the energy producers stock valued at $2,050,000 after purchasing an additional 399 shares during the last quarter. Clarus Group Inc. raised its stake in ConocoPhillips by 16.9% during the 2nd quarter. Clarus Group Inc. now owns 9,355 shares of the energy producers stock valued at $840,000 after buying an additional 1,355 shares during the last quarter. Harrell Investment Partners LLC lifted its holdings in shares of ConocoPhillips by 162.5% during the 2nd quarter. Harrell Investment Partners LLC now owns 8,653 shares of the energy producers stock valued at $777,000 after buying an additional 5,357 shares during the period. Finally, Exeter Financial LLC increased its position in ConocoPhillips by 1.9% during the second quarter. Exeter Financial LLC now owns 20,742 shares of the energy producers stock valued at $1,861,000 after acquiring an additional 392 shares during the last quarter. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 82.36% of the companys stock. ConocoPhillips Company Profile (Get Free Report) ConocoPhillips (NYSE: COP) is a Houston-based international energy company focused on exploration and production of oil and natural gas. Formed in 2002 through the merger of Conoco Inc and Phillips Petroleum Company, the firm operates as an independent upstream company that explores for, develops and produces crude oil, natural gas and natural gas liquids across a portfolio of global assets. The companys activities span conventional and unconventional resources and include onshore and offshore operations in multiple regions around the world. Featured Articles Receive News & Ratings for ConocoPhillips Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for ConocoPhillips and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Atalaya Mining (LON:ATYM Get Free Report) had its target price upped by stock analysts at Royal Bank Of Canada from GBX 1,000 to GBX 1,075 in a research report issued to clients and investors on Thursday, Marketbeat reports. The brokerage presently has an outperform rating on the stock. Royal Bank Of Canadas price target would suggest a potential upside of 14.61% from the stocks previous close. Several other research firms also recently weighed in on ATYM. Canaccord Genuity Group reiterated a buy rating and set a GBX 830 target price on shares of Atalaya Mining in a research report on Thursday, November 13th. Peel Hunt reaffirmed a buy rating and issued a GBX 705 price objective on shares of Atalaya Mining in a research note on Thursday, November 13th. Finally, Berenberg Bank boosted their price objective on Atalaya Mining from GBX 930 to GBX 1,000 and gave the company a buy rating in a research note on Wednesday, January 14th. Four investment analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating, Based on data from MarketBeat.com, the stock has an average rating of Buy and a consensus price target of GBX 902.50. Get Atalaya Mining alerts: Check Out Our Latest Research Report on ATYM Atalaya Mining Stock Down 1.9% About Atalaya Mining ATYM opened at GBX 938 on Thursday. The company has a current ratio of 1.53, a quick ratio of 1.64 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 7.71. Atalaya Mining has a 1-year low of GBX 275.29 and a 1-year high of GBX 974. The company has a market capitalization of 1.32 billion, a PE ratio of 16.54, a PEG ratio of -2.02 and a beta of 1.64. The firms 50 day simple moving average is GBX 796.12 and its two-hundred day simple moving average is GBX 644.17. (Get Free Report) Atalaya is a European copper producer that owns and operates the Proyecto Riotinto complex in southwest Spain. Atalayas shares trade on the London Stock Exchanges Main Market under the symbol ATYM. Atalayas operations include the Cerro Colorado open pit mine and a modern 15 Mtpa processing plant, which has the potential to become a central processing hub for ore sourced from its wholly owned regional projects around Riotinto, such as Proyecto Masa Valverde and Proyecto Riotinto East. In addition, Atalaya has a phased earn-in agreement for up to 80% ownership of Cobre San Rafael S.L., which fully owns the Proyecto Touro brownfield copper project in the northwest of Spain, as well as a 99.9% interest in Proyecto Ossa Morena. See Also Receive News & Ratings for Atalaya Mining Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Atalaya Mining and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. SG Americas Securities LLC bought a new position in Stewart Information Services Corporation (NYSE:STC Free Report) in the third quarter, according to the company in its most recent filing with the SEC. The fund bought 9,591 shares of the insurance providers stock, valued at approximately $703,000. A number of other institutional investors also recently bought and sold shares of the stock. Royal Bank of Canada lifted its holdings in shares of Stewart Information Services by 2.4% in the 1st quarter. Royal Bank of Canada now owns 128,363 shares of the insurance providers stock worth $9,158,000 after acquiring an additional 3,022 shares during the last quarter. AQR Capital Management LLC lifted its stake in Stewart Information Services by 6.0% in the first quarter. AQR Capital Management LLC now owns 8,583 shares of the insurance providers stock worth $612,000 after purchasing an additional 483 shares during the last quarter. MIRAE ASSET GLOBAL ETFS HOLDINGS Ltd. boosted its position in shares of Stewart Information Services by 4.6% during the first quarter. MIRAE ASSET GLOBAL ETFS HOLDINGS Ltd. now owns 16,105 shares of the insurance providers stock valued at $1,149,000 after buying an additional 712 shares during the period. Jones Financial Companies Lllp boosted its position in shares of Stewart Information Services by 44,842.9% during the first quarter. Jones Financial Companies Lllp now owns 3,146 shares of the insurance providers stock valued at $224,000 after buying an additional 3,139 shares during the period. Finally, UBS AM A Distinct Business Unit of UBS Asset Management Americas LLC grew its stake in shares of Stewart Information Services by 10.2% during the first quarter. UBS AM A Distinct Business Unit of UBS Asset Management Americas LLC now owns 85,522 shares of the insurance providers stock valued at $6,102,000 after buying an additional 7,923 shares during the last quarter. 96.90% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors. Get Stewart Information Services alerts: Stewart Information Services Stock Performance Shares of Stewart Information Services stock opened at $66.34 on Thursday. The company has a current ratio of 1.77, a quick ratio of 1.77 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.30. The stocks fifty day moving average price is $71.80 and its 200-day moving average price is $70.33. The firm has a market cap of $1.86 billion, a P/E ratio of 18.48 and a beta of 1.02. Stewart Information Services Corporation has a 12 month low of $56.39 and a 12 month high of $78.61. Stewart Information Services Announces Dividend Stewart Information Services ( NYSE:STC Get Free Report ) last issued its earnings results on Wednesday, October 22nd. The insurance provider reported $1.64 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of $1.42 by $0.22. Stewart Information Services had a net margin of 3.65% and a return on equity of 8.57%. The company had revenue of $791.30 million for the quarter, compared to analysts expectations of $737.30 million. During the same period in the prior year, the business earned $1.07 EPS. The firms quarterly revenue was up 19.3% on a year-over-year basis. On average, equities research analysts expect that Stewart Information Services Corporation will post 6.29 earnings per share for the current fiscal year. The business also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Tuesday, December 30th. Shareholders of record on Monday, December 15th were issued a dividend of $0.525 per share. The ex-dividend date was Monday, December 15th. This represents a $2.10 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 3.2%. Stewart Information Servicess dividend payout ratio is currently 58.50%. Analysts Set New Price Targets A number of brokerages recently issued reports on STC. Weiss Ratings reissued a buy (b) rating on shares of Stewart Information Services in a research note on Monday, December 29th. Wall Street Zen upgraded Stewart Information Services from a hold rating to a buy rating in a research report on Sunday, October 19th. Finally, Keefe, Bruyette & Woods boosted their target price on shares of Stewart Information Services from $78.00 to $81.00 and gave the company a market perform rating in a research note on Thursday, December 18th. Two investment analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating and one has issued a Hold rating to the stock. According to MarketBeat, the stock has a consensus rating of Moderate Buy and an average target price of $81.50. Check Out Our Latest Stock Report on STC About Stewart Information Services (Free Report) Stewart Information Services Corporation (NYSE: STC) is a publicly traded provider of title insurance and real estate transaction services. The company underwrites title insurance policies for residential and commercial properties, offering lenders and property owners protection against title defects and liens. Beyond title insurance, Stewart delivers a range of ancillary services, including closing and escrow administration, property valuation, and risk mitigation solutions designed to streamline the mortgage process and reduce operational complexity for clients. In addition to core title and settlement services, Stewart offers technology-driven products aimed at enhancing transparency and efficiency in real estate transactions. See Also Receive News & Ratings for Stewart Information Services Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Stewart Information Services and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Simplicity Wealth LLC decreased its holdings in shares of iShares MSCI EAFE Growth ETF (BATS:EFG Free Report) by 61.4% during the 3rd quarter, according to the company in its most recent Form 13F filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The fund owned 48,548 shares of the companys stock after selling 77,316 shares during the period. Simplicity Wealth LLCs holdings in iShares MSCI EAFE Growth ETF were worth $5,529,000 as of its most recent SEC filing. A number of other large investors have also recently made changes to their positions in the business. Stock Yards Bank & Trust Co. increased its position in shares of iShares MSCI EAFE Growth ETF by 11.8% during the third quarter. Stock Yards Bank & Trust Co. now owns 18,746 shares of the companys stock worth $2,135,000 after acquiring an additional 1,976 shares in the last quarter. BankPlus Wealth Management LLC boosted its stake in iShares MSCI EAFE Growth ETF by 4.9% during the 3rd quarter. BankPlus Wealth Management LLC now owns 30,950 shares of the companys stock valued at $3,524,000 after purchasing an additional 1,433 shares during the last quarter. Dynasty Wealth Management LLC increased its holdings in iShares MSCI EAFE Growth ETF by 24.6% during the 3rd quarter. Dynasty Wealth Management LLC now owns 570,629 shares of the companys stock worth $64,983,000 after purchasing an additional 112,519 shares in the last quarter. Global View Capital Management LLC purchased a new stake in shares of iShares MSCI EAFE Growth ETF in the third quarter worth approximately $239,000. Finally, Americana Partners LLC lifted its holdings in shares of iShares MSCI EAFE Growth ETF by 2.1% in the third quarter. Americana Partners LLC now owns 6,758 shares of the companys stock valued at $770,000 after purchasing an additional 136 shares in the last quarter. Get iShares MSCI EAFE Growth ETF alerts: iShares MSCI EAFE Growth ETF Stock Up 23.3% Shares of BATS:EFG opened at $118.53 on Thursday. The businesss 50 day moving average is $114.92 and its 200 day moving average is $113.60. iShares MSCI EAFE Growth ETF has a 12-month low of $88.66 and a 12-month high of $113.16. The stock has a market cap of $13.94 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 24.98 and a beta of 0.96. iShares MSCI EAFE Growth ETF Company Profile iShares MSCI EAFE Growth ETF (the Fund), formerly iShares MSCI EAFE Growth Index Fund, is an exchange-traded fund (ETF). The Fund seeks to provide investment results that correspond generally to the price and yield performance, before fees and expenses, of the MSCI EAFE Growth Index (the Index). The Index is a subset of the MSCI EAFE Index and constituents of the Index include securities from Europe, Australasia (Australia and Asia), and the Far East. The Fund invests in sectors, such as consumer staples, industrials, consumer discretionary, materials, healthcare, financials, information technology, energy, telecommunication services and utilities. Featured Articles Receive News & Ratings for iShares MSCI EAFE Growth ETF Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for iShares MSCI EAFE Growth ETF and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Vest Financial LLC raised its stake in Simpson Manufacturing Company, Inc. (NYSE:SSD Free Report) by 21.6% in the 3rd quarter, according to its most recent filing with the SEC. The fund owned 30,182 shares of the construction companys stock after purchasing an additional 5,356 shares during the period. Vest Financial LLC owned 0.07% of Simpson Manufacturing worth $5,054,000 as of its most recent SEC filing. Other large investors have also modified their holdings of the company. Root Financial Partners LLC acquired a new position in Simpson Manufacturing in the third quarter worth about $152,000. Inspire Advisors LLC lifted its holdings in Simpson Manufacturing by 1.7% during the 3rd quarter. Inspire Advisors LLC now owns 5,598 shares of the construction companys stock worth $937,000 after buying an additional 94 shares during the last quarter. QRG Capital Management Inc. grew its position in shares of Simpson Manufacturing by 9.2% in the 3rd quarter. QRG Capital Management Inc. now owns 4,216 shares of the construction companys stock worth $706,000 after acquiring an additional 354 shares in the last quarter. Evergreen Capital Management LLC bought a new stake in shares of Simpson Manufacturing in the 3rd quarter valued at approximately $239,000. Finally, EULAV Asset Management bought a new stake in shares of Simpson Manufacturing in the 3rd quarter valued at approximately $5,526,000. Institutional investors own 93.68% of the companys stock. Get Simpson Manufacturing alerts: Simpson Manufacturing Stock Performance SSD stock opened at $187.19 on Thursday. The stocks fifty day moving average is $169.52 and its two-hundred day moving average is $174.63. The stock has a market capitalization of $7.76 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 22.80 and a beta of 1.37. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.17, a quick ratio of 1.88 and a current ratio of 3.35. Simpson Manufacturing Company, Inc. has a 1 year low of $137.35 and a 1 year high of $197.82. Wall Street Analyst Weigh In Simpson Manufacturing ( NYSE:SSD Get Free Report ) last released its quarterly earnings data on Monday, October 27th. The construction company reported $2.58 earnings per share for the quarter, topping analysts consensus estimates of $2.37 by $0.21. The business had revenue of $623.51 million for the quarter, compared to analysts expectations of $607.79 million. Simpson Manufacturing had a net margin of 14.90% and a return on equity of 18.11%. The companys revenue for the quarter was up 6.2% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same quarter last year, the company earned $2.21 EPS. On average, research analysts predict that Simpson Manufacturing Company, Inc. will post 8.29 EPS for the current year. A number of equities analysts have commented on the stock. Weiss Ratings reaffirmed a hold (c+) rating on shares of Simpson Manufacturing in a report on Wednesday, October 8th. Robert W. Baird raised their price target on shares of Simpson Manufacturing from $190.00 to $212.00 and gave the stock an outperform rating in a research report on Tuesday, October 28th. Finally, DA Davidson set a $190.00 price objective on shares of Simpson Manufacturing in a research report on Wednesday. One investment analyst has rated the stock with a Buy rating and two have given a Hold rating to the stock. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, the stock has an average rating of Hold and a consensus target price of $201.00. View Our Latest Stock Analysis on Simpson Manufacturing Insider Activity at Simpson Manufacturing In other news, Director Philip E. Donaldson sold 2,375 shares of Simpson Manufacturing stock in a transaction that occurred on Friday, December 12th. The stock was sold at an average price of $168.16, for a total transaction of $399,380.00. Following the sale, the director owned 6,086 shares of the companys stock, valued at approximately $1,023,421.76. The trade was a 28.07% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The transaction was disclosed in a filing with the SEC, which is accessible through the SEC website. Insiders own 0.42% of the companys stock. Simpson Manufacturing Company Profile (Free Report) Simpson Manufacturing Co, Inc, through its Simpson Strong-Tie brand, is a leading global supplier of structural building products. The company specializes in the design, testing, manufacture and supply of connectors, anchors, fasteners and lateral systems that enhance the safety and performance of wood, concrete and masonry structures. Its product portfolio also includes repair and strengthening systems, concrete reinforcement and high-performance adhesives used in residential, commercial and industrial construction projects. Founded in 1956 by Barclay Simpson in Oakland, California, Simpson Manufacturing has grown from a single product business into a diversified manufacturer with worldwide operations. Recommended Stories Want to see what other hedge funds are holding SSD? Visit HoldingsChannel.com to get the latest 13F filings and insider trades for Simpson Manufacturing Company, Inc. (NYSE:SSD Free Report). Receive News & Ratings for Simpson Manufacturing Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Simpson Manufacturing and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Somnigroup International Inc. (NYSE:SGI Get Free Report)s stock price reached a new 52-week high on Wednesday . The company traded as high as $95.84 and last traded at $94.60, with a volume of 1469199 shares traded. The stock had previously closed at $92.65. Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth SGI has been the topic of a number of recent analyst reports. Weiss Ratings reiterated a hold (c) rating on shares of Somnigroup International in a research report on Monday, December 29th. Zacks Research cut shares of Somnigroup International from a strong-buy rating to a hold rating in a report on Tuesday, January 6th. Finally, Wall Street Zen upgraded Somnigroup International from a hold rating to a buy rating in a research note on Friday, November 28th. Two equities research analysts have rated the stock with a Hold rating, Based on data from MarketBeat.com, the company currently has an average rating of Hold. Get Somnigroup International alerts: View Our Latest Stock Analysis on SGI Somnigroup International Stock Performance The company has a current ratio of 0.75, a quick ratio of 0.38 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.51. The company has a market capitalization of $19.97 billion, a PE ratio of 62.18, a PEG ratio of 1.47 and a beta of 1.32. Somnigroup International (NYSE:SGI Get Free Report) last announced its quarterly earnings data on Thursday, November 6th. The company reported $0.95 EPS for the quarter. The firm had revenue of $2.12 billion for the quarter. Somnigroup International had a return on equity of 22.73% and a net margin of 4.62%. Insider Buying and Selling at Somnigroup International In other news, Director Simon Dyer acquired 32,000 shares of the companys stock in a transaction on Tuesday, December 2nd. The shares were bought at an average cost of $93.40 per share, with a total value of $2,988,800.00. Following the purchase, the director owned 36,800 shares of the companys stock, valued at $3,437,120. This represents a 666.67% increase in their position. The transaction was disclosed in a legal filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is accessible through this link. Company insiders own 4.96% of the companys stock. Hedge Funds Weigh In On Somnigroup International A number of institutional investors have recently made changes to their positions in SGI. JPMorgan Chase & Co. bought a new stake in Somnigroup International in the third quarter valued at $269,540,000. Allspring Global Investments Holdings LLC raised its stake in Somnigroup International by 6.9% during the 4th quarter. Allspring Global Investments Holdings LLC now owns 1,874,835 shares of the companys stock valued at $166,373,000 after purchasing an additional 121,244 shares during the period. Donaldson Capital Management LLC increased its stake in Somnigroup International by 16.8% in the 4th quarter. Donaldson Capital Management LLC now owns 93,392 shares of the companys stock valued at $8,338,000 after buying an additional 13,421 shares during the period. SG Americas Securities LLC increased its stake in shares of Somnigroup International by 134.5% during the 4th quarter. SG Americas Securities LLC now owns 84,144 shares of the companys stock worth $7,512,000 after purchasing an additional 48,257 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Hudson Bay Capital Management LP bought a new stake in shares of Somnigroup International in the third quarter valued at approximately $5,585,000. 99.86% of the stock is owned by institutional investors and hedge funds. About Somnigroup International (Get Free Report) Somnigroup International Inc, together with its subsidiaries, designs, manufactures, distributes, and retails bedding products in the United States and internationally. It provides mattresses, foundations and adjustable foundations, and adjustable bases, as well as other products comprising pillows, mattress covers, sheets, cushions, and various other accessories and comfort products under the Tempur-Pedic, Sealy, Stearns & Foster, Sealy, and Cocoon by Sealy brand names. The company sells its products through approximately company-owned stores, online, and call centers; and third party retailers, including third party distribution, hospitality, and healthcare. Recommended Stories Receive News & Ratings for Somnigroup International Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Somnigroup International and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. In this latest case, Erbil said just over a week ago that its total constitutional entitlement between 2023 and 2025 amounted to IQD58.3 trillion (USD44.4 billion), while actual receipts did not exceed IQD24.3 trillion. This represents just 41% of the KRIs financial rights and about 3.9% of the FGIs total federal budget. Erbil also says that although the Federal Government allocated IQD165 trillion for investment spending nationwide, the Kurdistan Region received no funding for investment projects, resulting in the suspension of key infrastructure schemes. The KRG added that since oil exports resumed late last year, it has pumped 19.5 million barrels through the Federal Governments State Oil Marketing Organisation (SOMO) in addition to transferring IQD919 billion in non-oil revenues to the FGIs Treasury during 2025, despite continued delays in receiving its own entitlements. Broadly, the deal at the centre of the KRGs current complaints and a source of constant dispute since its inception in late 2014 involves the Kurdistan Region sending oil from its own oil fields and from Kirkuk to the Federal Governments State Oil Marketing Organization (SOMO), in return for which it receives a percentage of the FGIs budget after sovereign expenses each month. The contours of this latest dispute are painfully familiar, echoing the 2014 budget freeze, the 2017 post-referendum squeeze, the 2020 pandemic-era cuts, and the 2023 ITP shutdown all unfolding along the same axis of mistrust and asymmetry, as analysed in full in my latest book on the new global oil market order . The pattern is consistent: Baghdad uses legal ambiguity and fiscal pressure to reassert control over the Kurdistan Regions oil revenues; Erbil insists on predictable transfers to meet its payroll and other obligations; and the absence of a functioning oil export route leaves the KRG with no leverage beyond political brinkmanship. The Kurdistan Region of Iraq (KRI) is once again edging toward a fiscal breaking point. Officials in its Erbil-based semi-autonomous regional government (KRG) say they are receiving only a fraction of the budget transfers they are owed under the current oil-for-budget payments arrangement with the Federal Government of Iraq (FGI) in Baghdad. This revives the same dispute that triggered the collapse of the deal in March 2023 and shut down the crucial Iraq-Turkey Pipeline (ITP) for more than two years. Erbil argues that Baghdads shortfalls are not technical delays but a structural breach that threatens its ability to pay public salaries, service debts to international oil companies, and maintain even the basic functions of regional governance. With the ITP still operating far below capacity and trust between the two sides eroded, Kurdistans economic stability and its leverage within the federal system is once again in question. Story Continues All this flies in the face of the broad agreement reached in August/September that led to the re-opening of the ITP. At that point it was agreed that up to 190,000 barrels per day (bpd) of crude oil would flow though the ITP from Kirkuk to Ceyhan, with plans to increase this to the 230,000-bpd level seen just before the pipelines closure in 2023, and then back to even earlier higher levels over time. Before the shutdown in March 2023, around 450,000 bpd of oil was flowing through the ITP, comprised of approximately 350,000-375,000 bpd of KRG crude (Kurdish Blend) and about 75,000-100,000 bpd of Federal Iraqi crude (Kirkuk grade). As previously reported by OilPrice.com, US$16 of the sales price per barrel would be transferred to an escrow account and distributed proportionally to the KRIs oil producers, with the rest going to SOMO. This effectively acted as a subsidy for production costs incurred by international oil companies operating in the KRI and replaced the previous offer of USD7.90 per barrel that was rejected by the KRG. However, even at that point last August/September, potential problems were already beginning to surface, including from foreign oil firms that were collectively still owed over US$1 billion by the KRG for oil produced and then sold previously. Norways DNO and its joint venture partner Genel Energy had long made it clear that they would not fully re-engage with crude oil exports through the ITP until they received assurances from the KRG that it would properly address the US$300 million or so of debt to the two firms. The eight other foreign oil producers that signed the initial agreement to restart ITP exports to Turkey were to have met within the 30 days following the recent resumption of flows to flesh out a mechanism with the KRG for settling these debts. For Erbil, however, any such mechanism depended on the FGI keeping up its budget payments to the Kurdistan Region as promised. Foreign oil firms operating in the KRI at that stage also stressed the need for future export payments that were consistent with each companys existing, legally valid contracts, and for payments to be transparent and prompt, either in cash or through in-kind transfers of crude-oil entitlements. With these pressures mounting, and no new Iraqi prime minister yet appointed following the 11 November general elections, the KRG may well judge that now is an opportune moment to raise these issues again. Mohammed Shia al-Sudani had taken a hardline approach to what the FGI perceives as its Kurdish Problem for much of his recent prime ministerial tenure. This was broadly aligned with the strategy of China and Russia to remove all independence from it and to roll it into a single unified Iraq more aligned with Beijing, Moscow, and Tehran. As underscored exclusively to OilPrice.com some time ago by a senior energy source who works closely with Irans Petroleum Ministry, Chinas and Russias view is that: By keeping the West out of energy deals in Iraq, the end of Western hegemony in the Middle East will become the decisive chapter in the Wests final demise. On the other side of the geopolitical equation, the U.S. and its key allies want the Kurdistan Region (and Iraq more broadly) to terminate all links with Chinese, Russian and Iranian companies connected to the Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps over the long term. The U.S. and Israel also have a further strategic interest in utilising the Kurdistan Region as a base for ongoing monitoring operations against Iran. Following al-Sudanis very recent decision to suspend his bid for a second term effectively opening the way for the head of the State of Law Coalition, Nuri al-Maliki another layer of urgency has been added for Erbil. Al-Maliki has long-standing ties to Tehran, having spent years in exile both there and in Syria, and favours a stronger federal Iraq, with Baghdad controlling all parts of it. So, raising the dispute now allows Erbil to press its case while the political landscape in Baghdad remains unsettled and before a new Al-Maliki-led administration consolidates its position. By Simon Watkins for Oilprice.com More Top Reads From Oilprice.com Oilprice Intelligence brings you the signals before they become front-page news. This is the same expert analysis read by veteran traders and political advisors. Get it free, twice a week, and you'll always know why the market is moving before everyone else. You get the geopolitical intelligence, the hidden inventory data, and the market whispers that move billions - and we'll send you $389 in premium energy intelligence, on us, just for subscribing. Join 400,000+ readers today. Get access immediately by clicking here. Ameren Corporation (NYSE:AEE Get Free Report) was the target of unusually large options trading on Wednesday. Stock traders bought 2,984 call options on the stock. This represents an increase of approximately 2,268% compared to the typical daily volume of 126 call options. Ameren Stock Up 0.4% NYSE AEE opened at $104.12 on Thursday. The business has a fifty day moving average price of $101.42 and a 200 day moving average price of $101.34. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.49, a quick ratio of 0.64 and a current ratio of 0.93. The company has a market cap of $28.16 billion, a P/E ratio of 20.02, a P/E/G ratio of 2.27 and a beta of 0.58. Ameren has a one year low of $91.77 and a one year high of $106.73. Get Ameren alerts: Ameren (NYSE:AEE Get Free Report) last released its earnings results on Wednesday, November 5th. The utilities provider reported $2.17 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, topping analysts consensus estimates of $2.10 by $0.07. The business had revenue of $2.70 billion during the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $2.64 billion. Ameren had a net margin of 15.75% and a return on equity of 10.92%. The companys revenue for the quarter was up 24.2% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same quarter in the prior year, the firm earned $1.87 earnings per share. Ameren has set its FY 2026 guidance at 5.250-5.450 EPS and its FY 2025 guidance at 4.900-5.100 EPS. Research analysts anticipate that Ameren will post 4.93 EPS for the current fiscal year. Analysts Set New Price Targets AEE has been the subject of a number of analyst reports. Mizuho upped their price objective on shares of Ameren from $108.00 to $114.00 and gave the stock an outperform rating in a research report on Monday, October 27th. Royal Bank Of Canada raised Ameren to a hold rating in a report on Tuesday, October 28th. Weiss Ratings reissued a buy (b) rating on shares of Ameren in a report on Monday, December 29th. Morgan Stanley restated an underperform rating and issued a $108.00 price objective on shares of Ameren in a research report on Wednesday. Finally, KeyCorp lowered Ameren from an overweight rating to a sector weight rating in a research report on Friday, December 12th. One research analyst has rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, five have assigned a Buy rating, six have issued a Hold rating and one has assigned a Sell rating to the companys stock. According to data from MarketBeat.com, the stock currently has an average rating of Hold and an average target price of $109.20. Get Our Latest Stock Analysis on Ameren Insider Activity at Ameren In other news, CFO Michael L. Moehn sold 6,500 shares of Ameren stock in a transaction that occurred on Monday, November 3rd. The shares were sold at an average price of $101.44, for a total transaction of $659,360.00. Following the completion of the transaction, the chief financial officer directly owned 198,973 shares of the companys stock, valued at $20,183,821.12. The trade was a 3.16% decrease in their position. The transaction was disclosed in a document filed with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available through the SEC website. 0.42% of the stock is owned by insiders. Institutional Investors Weigh In On Ameren Several hedge funds and other institutional investors have recently made changes to their positions in AEE. NewSquare Capital LLC grew its holdings in Ameren by 70.9% in the 2nd quarter. NewSquare Capital LLC now owns 258 shares of the utilities providers stock valued at $25,000 after buying an additional 107 shares in the last quarter. Caitong International Asset Management Co. Ltd boosted its position in shares of Ameren by 285.5% during the 3rd quarter. Caitong International Asset Management Co. Ltd now owns 266 shares of the utilities providers stock valued at $28,000 after acquiring an additional 197 shares during the last quarter. Harel Insurance Investments & Financial Services Ltd. purchased a new stake in shares of Ameren in the third quarter valued at about $29,000. Osterweis Capital Management Inc. grew its holdings in shares of Ameren by 6,040.0% in the second quarter. Osterweis Capital Management Inc. now owns 307 shares of the utilities providers stock valued at $29,000 after purchasing an additional 302 shares during the period. Finally, Addison Advisors LLC increased its position in Ameren by 728.9% during the second quarter. Addison Advisors LLC now owns 315 shares of the utilities providers stock worth $30,000 after purchasing an additional 277 shares during the last quarter. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 79.09% of the companys stock. About Ameren (Get Free Report) Ameren Corporation (NYSE: AEE) is an integrated energy company headquartered in St. Louis, Missouri, that provides electric and natural gas delivery and related services in portions of Missouri and Illinois. The company operates regulated utility businesses that serve a broad mix of residential, commercial and industrial customers, and it participates in wholesale energy markets and transmission operations that support reliable service across its service territories. Amerens core activities include generation, transmission and distribution of electricity, distribution of natural gas, and the provision of customer energy solutions such as demand-side management and energy efficiency programs. Further Reading Receive News & Ratings for Ameren Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Ameren and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Twin Peaks Wealth Advisors LLC raised its position in shares of iShares Gold Trust (NYSEARCA:IAU Free Report) by 56.9% in the third quarter, according to the company in its most recent disclosure with the Securities & Exchange Commission. The firm owned 27,631 shares of the exchange traded funds stock after acquiring an additional 10,022 shares during the period. Twin Peaks Wealth Advisors LLCs holdings in iShares Gold Trust were worth $2,011,000 at the end of the most recent quarter. Several other hedge funds have also added to or reduced their stakes in IAU. Keener Financial Planning LLC bought a new position in iShares Gold Trust during the 2nd quarter worth $25,000. MTM Investment Management LLC bought a new position in iShares Gold Trust during the second quarter worth about $25,000. Private Wealth Management Group LLC raised its stake in iShares Gold Trust by 290.9% in the 2nd quarter. Private Wealth Management Group LLC now owns 430 shares of the exchange traded funds stock worth $27,000 after purchasing an additional 320 shares in the last quarter. Key Financial Inc bought a new stake in iShares Gold Trust in the 2nd quarter valued at about $28,000. Finally, Mountain Hill Investment Partners Corp. bought a new stake in iShares Gold Trust in the 3rd quarter valued at about $29,000. 59.67% of the stock is owned by institutional investors and hedge funds. Get iShares Gold Trust alerts: iShares Gold Trust News Roundup Here are the key news stories impacting iShares Gold Trust this week: iShares Gold Trust Trading Up 1.5% About iShares Gold Trust Shares of IAU opened at $90.87 on Thursday. iShares Gold Trust has a 12 month low of $51.52 and a 12 month high of $91.74. The firms 50 day moving average is $81.69 and its 200-day moving average is $73.45. The stock has a market capitalization of $76.38 billion, a PE ratio of 5.53 and a beta of 0.09. (Free Report) iShares Gold Trust (the Trust) is to own gold transferred to the Trust in exchange for shares issued by the Trust (Shares). Each Share represents a fractional undivided beneficial interest in the net assets of the Trust. The assets of the Trust consist of gold held by the Trusts custodian on behalf of the Trust. The sponsor of the Trust is iShares Delaware Trust Sponsor LLC (the Sponsor), which is an indirect subsidiary of BlackRock, Inc The trustee of the Trust is The Bank of New York Mellon (the Trustee) and the custodian of the Trust is JPMorgan Chase Bank N.A., London branch (the Custodian). Recommended Stories Want to see what other hedge funds are holding IAU? Visit HoldingsChannel.com to get the latest 13F filings and insider trades for iShares Gold Trust (NYSEARCA:IAU Free Report). Receive News & Ratings for iShares Gold Trust Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for iShares Gold Trust and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Vertiv Holdings Co. (NYSE:VRT Get Free Report) shares shot up 3.6% during trading on Wednesday . The company traded as high as $182.50 and last traded at $181.49. 5,557,003 shares traded hands during trading, an increase of 3% from the average session volume of 5,387,622 shares. The stock had previously closed at $175.18. Analyst Ratings Changes VRT has been the topic of several research analyst reports. Weiss Ratings restated a buy (b-) rating on shares of Vertiv in a report on Monday, December 22nd. Barclays raised Vertiv from an equal weight rating to an overweight rating and lifted their price objective for the company from $181.00 to $200.00 in a research report on Friday, January 2nd. Wolfe Research lowered Vertiv from an outperform rating to a peer perform rating in a research report on Tuesday, December 9th. TD Cowen reiterated a buy rating and set a $211.00 price target on shares of Vertiv in a report on Monday, December 1st. Finally, UBS Group boosted their price target on Vertiv from $173.00 to $201.00 and gave the company a buy rating in a research note on Thursday, October 23rd. One equities research analyst has rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, nineteen have assigned a Buy rating, four have given a Hold rating and one has given a Sell rating to the stock. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, the company presently has an average rating of Moderate Buy and an average price target of $187.89. Get Vertiv alerts: Get Our Latest Stock Analysis on VRT Vertiv Stock Performance The stock has a fifty day moving average price of $169.99 and a 200 day moving average price of $155.92. The company has a current ratio of 1.83, a quick ratio of 1.43 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.83. The firm has a market cap of $69.39 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 68.49, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 1.06 and a beta of 2.06. Vertiv (NYSE:VRT Get Free Report) last announced its earnings results on Wednesday, October 22nd. The company reported $1.24 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, topping analysts consensus estimates of $0.99 by $0.25. Vertiv had a return on equity of 50.82% and a net margin of 10.67%.The firm had revenue of $2.68 billion during the quarter, compared to analysts expectations of $2.59 billion. During the same quarter in the prior year, the business earned $0.76 earnings per share. The companys revenue was up 29.0% on a year-over-year basis. As a group, analysts predict that Vertiv Holdings Co. will post 3.59 earnings per share for the current year. Vertiv Increases Dividend The company also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Thursday, December 18th. Investors of record on Tuesday, November 25th were issued a dividend of $0.0625 per share. The ex-dividend date of this dividend was Tuesday, November 25th. This represents a $0.25 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 0.1%. This is an increase from Vertivs previous quarterly dividend of $0.04. Vertivs payout ratio is currently 9.43%. Insider Transactions at Vertiv In related news, EVP Stephen Liang sold 5,501 shares of Vertiv stock in a transaction on Monday, November 24th. The shares were sold at an average price of $170.48, for a total value of $937,810.48. Following the transaction, the executive vice president owned 4,050 shares in the company, valued at $690,444. This trade represents a 57.60% decrease in their position. The sale was disclosed in a legal filing with the SEC, which is available through this link. Insiders own 2.63% of the companys stock. Hedge Funds Weigh In On Vertiv A number of institutional investors have recently made changes to their positions in the business. Financial Management Professionals Inc. increased its position in Vertiv by 1,560.0% in the 3rd quarter. Financial Management Professionals Inc. now owns 166 shares of the companys stock worth $25,000 after buying an additional 156 shares during the period. Promus Capital LLC acquired a new stake in shares of Vertiv in the second quarter worth $26,000. Pacer Advisors Inc. grew its stake in shares of Vertiv by 67.6% in the third quarter. Pacer Advisors Inc. now owns 171 shares of the companys stock worth $26,000 after acquiring an additional 69 shares during the last quarter. Avion Wealth increased its position in Vertiv by 99.1% during the second quarter. Avion Wealth now owns 213 shares of the companys stock worth $27,000 after acquiring an additional 106 shares during the period. Finally, True Wealth Design LLC raised its stake in Vertiv by 54.0% during the 3rd quarter. True Wealth Design LLC now owns 194 shares of the companys stock valued at $29,000 after purchasing an additional 68 shares during the last quarter. 89.92% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors. Vertiv Company Profile (Get Free Report) Vertiv is a global provider of critical digital infrastructure and continuity solutions for data centers, communication networks and commercial and industrial environments. Headquartered in Columbus, Ohio, the company designs, manufactures and services equipment and software that support power availability, thermal management and IT infrastructure management for a broad set of end markets, including hyperscale and enterprise data centers, colocation providers, telecom operators and industrial customers. The companys product portfolio includes uninterruptible power supplies (UPS), power distribution units (PDUs), battery and DC power systems, precision cooling and thermal management equipment, racks and enclosures, and integrated modular infrastructure. Featured Stories Receive News & Ratings for Vertiv Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Vertiv and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Vest Financial LLC increased its position in shares of W.R. Berkley Corporation (NYSE:WRB Free Report) by 16.8% during the third quarter, according to the company in its most recent disclosure with the Securities & Exchange Commission. The institutional investor owned 81,647 shares of the insurance providers stock after buying an additional 11,757 shares during the quarter. Vest Financial LLCs holdings in W.R. Berkley were worth $6,256,000 at the end of the most recent quarter. Several other large investors have also recently added to or reduced their stakes in the company. Inscription Capital LLC acquired a new stake in shares of W.R. Berkley during the 3rd quarter worth approximately $212,000. Root Financial Partners LLC bought a new position in W.R. Berkley in the third quarter worth $60,000. Arkadios Wealth Advisors bought a new position in W.R. Berkley in the third quarter worth $242,000. Verdence Capital Advisors LLC boosted its stake in W.R. Berkley by 31.1% during the third quarter. Verdence Capital Advisors LLC now owns 101,679 shares of the insurance providers stock worth $7,652,000 after buying an additional 24,150 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Tradewinds LLC. bought a new stake in W.R. Berkley in the 3rd quarter valued at $235,000. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 68.82% of the companys stock. Get W.R. Berkley alerts: W.R. Berkley News Roundup Here are the key news stories impacting W.R. Berkley this week: Insiders Place Their Bets W.R. Berkley Trading Down 0.3% In related news, major shareholder Sumitomo Insurance Co L. Mitsui bought 320,000 shares of W.R. Berkley stock in a transaction dated Wednesday, January 21st. The shares were bought at an average cost of $67.48 per share, for a total transaction of $21,593,600.00. Following the completion of the transaction, the insider owned 53,891,504 shares of the companys stock, valued at approximately $3,636,598,689.92. This trade represents a 0.60% increase in their ownership of the stock. The transaction was disclosed in a legal filing with the SEC, which is available through the SEC website . In the last ninety days, insiders have bought 5,084,916 shares of company stock valued at $352,173,470. Company insiders own 23.30% of the companys stock. WRB stock opened at $67.50 on Thursday. The business has a fifty day moving average price of $71.34 and a 200 day moving average price of $72.11. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.29, a current ratio of 0.37 and a quick ratio of 0.37. W.R. Berkley Corporation has a fifty-two week low of $56.86 and a fifty-two week high of $78.96. The stock has a market capitalization of $25.65 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 14.18, a P/E/G ratio of 2.51 and a beta of 0.39. W.R. Berkley (NYSE:WRB Get Free Report) last announced its earnings results on Monday, October 20th. The insurance provider reported $1.10 EPS for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of $1.07 by $0.03. W.R. Berkley had a return on equity of 18.86% and a net margin of 13.01%.The company had revenue of $3.77 billion for the quarter, compared to analysts expectations of $3.16 billion. During the same quarter in the prior year, the business earned $0.93 earnings per share. The businesss revenue for the quarter was up 10.8% on a year-over-year basis. Analysts expect that W.R. Berkley Corporation will post 4.33 EPS for the current fiscal year. W.R. Berkley Dividend Announcement The business also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Monday, December 29th. Shareholders of record on Monday, December 15th were issued a dividend of $0.09 per share. The ex-dividend date of this dividend was Monday, December 15th. This represents a $0.36 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 0.5%. W.R. Berkleys dividend payout ratio is currently 7.56%. Wall Street Analyst Weigh In Several brokerages have recently weighed in on WRB. Truist Financial set a $84.00 target price on shares of W.R. Berkley and gave the company a buy rating in a research report on Tuesday, October 21st. BMO Capital Markets downgraded W.R. Berkley from a market perform rating to an underperform rating and set a $64.00 price objective on the stock. in a report on Wednesday, October 22nd. UBS Group reissued a neutral rating and issued a $87.00 target price on shares of W.R. Berkley in a report on Friday, November 7th. Cantor Fitzgerald decreased their price target on W.R. Berkley from $78.00 to $76.00 and set an overweight rating on the stock in a research note on Wednesday, January 14th. Finally, Keefe, Bruyette & Woods upped their price target on W.R. Berkley from $73.00 to $76.00 and gave the company a market perform rating in a research report on Tuesday, January 6th. Three equities research analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating, ten have given a Hold rating and four have issued a Sell rating to the company. According to data from MarketBeat.com, the company currently has an average rating of Reduce and a consensus target price of $71.47. View Our Latest Research Report on W.R. Berkley W.R. Berkley Company Profile (Free Report) W. R. Berkley Corporation (NYSE: WRB) is a publicly traded insurance holding company that underwrites and sells commercial property and casualty insurance, specialty insurance products, and reinsurance. Headquartered in Greenwich, Connecticut, the company operates a portfolio of underwriting businesses that focus on niche and specialty commercial risks, offering coverage tailored to industries such as transportation, construction, professional services and other commercial lines. The companys product mix includes primary and excess casualty, property, professional liability, environmental and other specialty lines, together with treaty and facultative reinsurance solutions. Read More Receive News & Ratings for W.R. Berkley Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for W.R. Berkley and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Vest Financial LLC lifted its stake in shares of Cadence Bank (NYSE:CADE Free Report) by 18.5% during the third quarter, according to its most recent filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The institutional investor owned 151,854 shares of the companys stock after purchasing an additional 23,747 shares during the quarter. Vest Financial LLC owned about 0.08% of Cadence Bank worth $5,701,000 at the end of the most recent reporting period. Other hedge funds and other institutional investors have also added to or reduced their stakes in the company. FNY Investment Advisers LLC bought a new position in Cadence Bank in the second quarter worth approximately $25,000. Mather Group LLC. bought a new position in shares of Cadence Bank in the 3rd quarter worth $26,000. Wilmington Savings Fund Society FSB acquired a new stake in Cadence Bank in the 3rd quarter valued at $38,000. Osaic Holdings Inc. increased its stake in Cadence Bank by 24.4% during the 2nd quarter. Osaic Holdings Inc. now owns 1,442 shares of the companys stock valued at $46,000 after purchasing an additional 283 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Nomura Asset Management Co. Ltd. increased its stake in Cadence Bank by 47.2% during the 2nd quarter. Nomura Asset Management Co. Ltd. now owns 1,870 shares of the companys stock valued at $60,000 after purchasing an additional 600 shares in the last quarter. 84.61% of the stock is owned by institutional investors. Get Cadence Bank alerts: Cadence Bank Stock Up 4.2% Cadence Bank stock opened at $46.39 on Thursday. The firm has a 50 day moving average price of $42.33 and a 200-day moving average price of $38.66. Cadence Bank has a twelve month low of $25.22 and a twelve month high of $46.74. The company has a market capitalization of $8.45 billion, a P/E ratio of 16.81 and a beta of 0.95. Cadence Bank Increases Dividend Cadence Bank ( NYSE:CADE Get Free Report ) last posted its quarterly earnings data on Monday, October 20th. The company reported $0.81 EPS for the quarter, beating the consensus estimate of $0.77 by $0.04. Cadence Bank had a return on equity of 9.97% and a net margin of 18.15%.The business had revenue of $517.24 million for the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $523.60 million. During the same quarter in the prior year, the business earned $0.73 earnings per share. Equities analysts expect that Cadence Bank will post 2.94 EPS for the current fiscal year. The company also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Friday, February 20th. Stockholders of record on Friday, January 30th will be paid a dividend of $0.3438 per share. This represents a $1.38 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 3.0%. The ex-dividend date is Friday, January 30th. This is a positive change from Cadence Banks previous quarterly dividend of $0.28. Cadence Banks dividend payout ratio is currently 39.86%. Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades CADE has been the topic of a number of recent research reports. Piper Sandler set a $40.00 price objective on shares of Cadence Bank and gave the company a neutral rating in a report on Monday, October 27th. Royal Bank Of Canada upgraded Cadence Bank from a hold rating to a moderate buy rating in a research note on Monday, October 27th. Stephens lowered Cadence Bank from an overweight rating to an equal weight rating in a report on Tuesday, October 28th. Weiss Ratings restated a hold (c+) rating on shares of Cadence Bank in a report on Wednesday, October 8th. Finally, Keefe, Bruyette & Woods downgraded Cadence Bank from a moderate buy rating to a hold rating and upped their price target for the stock from $41.00 to $49.00 in a report on Monday, November 3rd. Two equities research analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating and nine have given a Hold rating to the company. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, Cadence Bank presently has an average rating of Hold and an average price target of $42.33. Get Our Latest Report on CADE Cadence Bank Company Profile (Free Report) Cadence Bank (NYSE: CADE) is a regional commercial bank that offers a full suite of financial services to individuals, businesses and government entities. Through its network of branches and digital platforms, the bank provides deposit accounts, treasury management solutions, commercial and industrial lending, equipment finance, residential and consumer mortgages, and wealth management services. Cadence Bank serves a mix of small and mid-size companies as well as retail customers in its core markets. The institution traces its heritage to Cadence Bancorporation, which was established in 1987 in Tupelo, Mississippi. See Also Receive News & Ratings for Cadence Bank Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Cadence Bank and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Waldron Private Wealth LLC trimmed its position in ConocoPhillips (NYSE:COP Free Report) by 68.5% during the 3rd quarter, according to its most recent Form 13F filing with the SEC. The fund owned 6,432 shares of the energy producers stock after selling 14,000 shares during the period. Waldron Private Wealth LLCs holdings in ConocoPhillips were worth $608,000 as of its most recent SEC filing. Other large investors have also made changes to their positions in the company. Charles Schwab Investment Management Inc. lifted its stake in shares of ConocoPhillips by 0.7% in the 2nd quarter. Charles Schwab Investment Management Inc. now owns 40,382,724 shares of the energy producers stock worth $3,623,946,000 after purchasing an additional 287,970 shares during the period. Fisher Asset Management LLC increased its holdings in ConocoPhillips by 1.6% during the second quarter. Fisher Asset Management LLC now owns 14,393,875 shares of the energy producers stock valued at $1,291,706,000 after buying an additional 224,201 shares during the last quarter. Ameriprise Financial Inc. raised its position in ConocoPhillips by 31.4% in the second quarter. Ameriprise Financial Inc. now owns 10,778,664 shares of the energy producers stock worth $966,267,000 after acquiring an additional 2,575,803 shares during the period. Primecap Management Co. CA raised its position in ConocoPhillips by 66.0% in the second quarter. Primecap Management Co. CA now owns 7,883,455 shares of the energy producers stock worth $707,461,000 after acquiring an additional 3,135,315 shares during the period. Finally, Boston Partners boosted its stake in shares of ConocoPhillips by 4.0% during the 2nd quarter. Boston Partners now owns 6,424,232 shares of the energy producers stock worth $577,471,000 after acquiring an additional 244,810 shares during the last quarter. 82.36% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors. Get ConocoPhillips alerts: Insider Buying and Selling In other ConocoPhillips news, CEO Ryan Michael Lance sold 500,708 shares of the firms stock in a transaction that occurred on Friday, December 19th. The stock was sold at an average price of $92.50, for a total transaction of $46,315,490.00. Following the completion of the transaction, the chief executive officer owned 325,972 shares in the company, valued at $30,152,410. This trade represents a 60.57% decrease in their position. The transaction was disclosed in a filing with the SEC, which is available through this link. Also, Director William H. Mcraven acquired 5,768 shares of ConocoPhillips stock in a transaction on Monday, November 10th. The stock was purchased at an average cost of $86.68 per share, for a total transaction of $499,970.24. Following the purchase, the director owned 5,768 shares in the company, valued at approximately $499,970.24. The trade was a increase in their ownership of the stock. The SEC filing for this purchase provides additional information. 0.24% of the stock is currently owned by corporate insiders. ConocoPhillips Price Performance COP stock opened at $97.13 on Thursday. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.35, a quick ratio of 1.18 and a current ratio of 1.32. The companys fifty day moving average price is $93.11 and its 200-day moving average price is $92.97. ConocoPhillips has a one year low of $79.88 and a one year high of $106.20. The company has a market capitalization of $120.03 billion, a PE ratio of 13.74, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 2.82 and a beta of 0.32. ConocoPhillips (NYSE:COP Get Free Report) last announced its quarterly earnings results on Thursday, November 6th. The energy producer reported $1.61 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, beating analysts consensus estimates of $1.41 by $0.20. ConocoPhillips had a net margin of 14.25% and a return on equity of 13.64%. The company had revenue of $15.03 billion for the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $14.51 billion. During the same period in the previous year, the firm posted $1.78 EPS. ConocoPhillipss revenue for the quarter was up 14.1% compared to the same quarter last year. On average, equities analysts anticipate that ConocoPhillips will post 8.16 EPS for the current fiscal year. ConocoPhillips Increases Dividend The company also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Monday, December 1st. Investors of record on Monday, November 17th were given a $0.84 dividend. This is an increase from ConocoPhillipss previous quarterly dividend of $0.78. This represents a $3.36 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 3.5%. The ex-dividend date was Monday, November 17th. ConocoPhillipss dividend payout ratio (DPR) is presently 47.52%. ConocoPhillips News Summary Here are the key news stories impacting ConocoPhillips this week: Analyst Ratings Changes Several equities research analysts have recently commented on the company. Bank of America restated an underperform rating and issued a $102.00 price objective on shares of ConocoPhillips in a research note on Friday, January 16th. Wolfe Research reduced their price target on ConocoPhillips from $126.00 to $122.00 and set an outperform rating for the company in a research report on Tuesday, January 13th. JPMorgan Chase & Co. reaffirmed a neutral rating and issued a $98.00 price objective on shares of ConocoPhillips in a research note on Tuesday. Sanford C. Bernstein cut their price objective on ConocoPhillips from $116.00 to $98.00 and set an outperform rating for the company in a research note on Monday, January 5th. Finally, Jefferies Financial Group reissued a buy rating on shares of ConocoPhillips in a report on Monday, December 15th. Sixteen research analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating, seven have given a Hold rating and one has assigned a Sell rating to the companys stock. According to data from MarketBeat, the stock has a consensus rating of Moderate Buy and an average price target of $110.78. Check Out Our Latest Stock Analysis on COP ConocoPhillips Profile (Free Report) ConocoPhillips (NYSE: COP) is a Houston-based international energy company focused on exploration and production of oil and natural gas. Formed in 2002 through the merger of Conoco Inc and Phillips Petroleum Company, the firm operates as an independent upstream company that explores for, develops and produces crude oil, natural gas and natural gas liquids across a portfolio of global assets. The companys activities span conventional and unconventional resources and include onshore and offshore operations in multiple regions around the world. Recommended Stories Want to see what other hedge funds are holding COP? Visit HoldingsChannel.com to get the latest 13F filings and insider trades for ConocoPhillips (NYSE:COP Free Report). Receive News & Ratings for ConocoPhillips Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for ConocoPhillips and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. BNP Paribas (OTCMKTS:BNPQY Get Free Report) was upgraded by investment analysts at Zacks Research from a hold rating to a strong-buy rating in a research report issued to clients and investors on Tuesday,Zacks.com reports. A number of other equities research analysts have also recently commented on the stock. Deutsche Bank Aktiengesellschaft restated a hold rating on shares of BNP Paribas in a research note on Wednesday. Keefe, Bruyette & Woods upgraded shares of BNP Paribas from a moderate sell rating to a hold rating in a research note on Monday, December 15th. Barclays lowered BNP Paribas from an overweight rating to an equal weight rating in a research note on Wednesday, October 22nd. Royal Bank Of Canada restated an outperform rating on shares of BNP Paribas in a research report on Friday, October 10th. Finally, DZ Bank cut BNP Paribas from a strong-buy rating to a hold rating in a research report on Wednesday, October 29th. One research analyst has rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, two have given a Buy rating, four have assigned a Hold rating and one has assigned a Sell rating to the companys stock. According to data from MarketBeat.com, the stock currently has a consensus rating of Hold. Get BNP Paribas alerts: Read Our Latest Stock Analysis on BNPQY BNP Paribas Trading Up 1.0% Shares of BNP Paribas stock opened at $50.79 on Tuesday. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.75, a current ratio of 0.80 and a quick ratio of 0.80. The stock has a market capitalization of $113.44 billion, a PE ratio of 9.15, a P/E/G ratio of 0.72 and a beta of 0.74. BNP Paribas has a 1-year low of $32.36 and a 1-year high of $51.19. The companys fifty day simple moving average is $45.73 and its 200-day simple moving average is $44.90. BNP Paribas (OTCMKTS:BNPQY Get Free Report) last released its quarterly earnings results on Tuesday, October 28th. The financial services provider reported $1.53 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, meeting the consensus estimate of $1.53. BNP Paribas had a return on equity of 8.56% and a net margin of 22.74%.The business had revenue of $81.48 billion during the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $12.84 billion. As a group, equities analysts anticipate that BNP Paribas will post 5.02 earnings per share for the current year. About BNP Paribas (Get Free Report) BNP Paribas is a major international banking group headquartered in Paris, France, formed through the 2000 merger of Banque Nationale de Paris (BNP) and Paribas. The group provides a broad range of banking and financial services to retail, corporate and institutional clients, operating as one of the leading universal banks in Europe with a global footprint. Its principal business activities encompass retail banking and services, corporate and institutional banking, and investment solutions. Recommended Stories Receive News & Ratings for BNP Paribas Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for BNP Paribas and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. French beauty company LOreal is set to launch a beauty-tech centre in Hyderabad, Telangana, India, in November 2026. The decision came after discussions between LOreals top management and a delegation from the state government during the World Economic Forum (WEF 2026). Reuters reported that the group will invest more than Rs35bn ($383.4m) in the facility, which is being positioned as a global base for innovation, technology, data and supply-chain operations. The centre is expected to underpin LOreals worldwide programmes in digital transformation, AI and analytics, and to generate 2,000 technology roles by 2030. In November 2025, LOreal said it would set up one of its largest global capability centres (GCCs) in Hyderabad, separate from its Indian research operations in Mumbai and Bengaluru. At the time, the company stated that the site would support global technology, innovation and research activities for the group, and that it had begun searching for senior executives for the project, including candidates from its Paris headquarters. LOreal CEO Nicolas Hieronimus said the group was pleased to proceed with the development and that tech solutions generated from the Hyderabad GCC will be supplied to our facilities all around the world. In a Facebook post, the Telangana delegation led by chief minister A Revanth Reddy said the project would take the form of a GCC focused on beauty technology. Telangana IT minister D Sridhar Babu added that the state was prepared to offer full backing to international investors and pointed to Hyderabads growing presence as a host for GCCs across sectors such as med-tech, health-tech and hospitality. Sanjay Kumar, special chief secretary for information technology, electronics, communications and industries, invited LOreal to also consider establishing manufacturing facilities in the state alongside the GCC. According to the Facebook update from Telanganas information and public relations department, Hieronimus responded favourably and indicated the company would examine the possibility of future investment in a production unit in Hyderabad. "LOreal to open Hyderabad beauty-tech hub with Rs35bn investment" was originally created and published by Retail Insight Network, a GlobalData owned brand. Yes safety oversight must come before anything else Regulation is needed, but delays and red tape are the real problem No enforcement already exists; regulation wont prevent accidents Vote View Results Addiction Recovery Care, once Kentuckys fastest growing addiction treatment company, has had to close facilities and lay off employees amid reports of an FBI investigation into its business. (Kentucky Lantern photo by Matthew Mueller) Addiction Recovery Care, or ARC, Kentuckys largest provider of addiction treatment, has been hit by a federal lawsuit in New York, alleging it committed massive fraud in Medicaid and Medicare billing and is now scrambling to raise nearly $28 million for a civil settlement with the federal government. The allegations are included in a lawsuit by Angelica Capital Trust against ARC and its owners Tim Robinson and his wife Lelia, of Louisa, claiming the company advanced ARC $8 million which ARC failed to repay as promised. ARC is wrongfully withholding this money because it is in desperate straits, said the lawsuit filed Jan. 12 in U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York. It asks the court to freeze the funds it says ARC owes Angelica, incorporated in Delaware and based in the Bahamas. It also alleges ARC has threatened bankruptcy to avoid being forced to repay the money. An ARC spokeswoman did not immediately respond to a request for comment. In a reply to the lawsuit, ARC and the Robinsons ask the court not to freeze the money, saying it would disrupt the crucial health care services ARC provides to hundreds of patients. It does not mention the fraud allegations or the pending $27.7 settlement with the U.S. Department of Justice, as claimed in Angelicas lawsuit. But Angelicas lawsuit claims that the federal fraud investigation began after certain parties in 2023 filed a federal qui tam, or whistleblower suit alleging fraud on the part of ARC. Such lawsuits typically are filed under seal while the government investigates. The FBI has said as recently as this month an investigation of ARC is ongoing. ARC, once Kentuckys fastest growing addiction treatment company, has foundered in recent months amid reports of the FBI investigation into possible health care fraud and financial problems that have forced it to close facilities and lay off employees. In October, ARC announced it had reached an agreement to sell the company to Ethema Health Corp. of Florida, but on Dec. 31, announced the deal had fallen through. The potential sale was what prompted ARC to seek the $8 million from Angelica, its lawsuit claims. ARC wanted the money to improve its ability to sell the company, the lawsuit states. So ARC entered into a contract with Angelica in which the trust firm agreed to buy from ARC about $8 million worth of tax credits ARC expected to receive from the IRS. The purpose was for ARC to get cash quickly to make it look better to the potential buyer. In turn, ARC would repay Angelica when it received the funds from the IRS, according to the lawsuit. This story was originally published on CIO Dive. To receive daily news and insights, subscribe to our free daily CIO Dive newsletter. Dive Brief: Almost eight in 10 executives believe 2030 will be the year AI starts significantly contributing to enterprise revenue, more than double the number of executives 40% who say AI is currently boosting revenues, according to a study published Friday by the IBM Institute for Business Value. AI investment as a percentage of revenue will more than double over the next four years, but 68% of executives fear that integration issues will cause AI efforts to fail, according to the global study of 2,000 C-suite executives. Still, AI is anticipated to drive enterprise growth through 2030, the study found. AI wont just support businesses, it will define them, Mohamad Ali, SVP of IBM Consulting, said in a press release. Dive Insight: AIs return on investment remains a question mark for business executives who believe in the technologys potential, yet struggle to predict when its full value will be realized. While 2030 appears to be a promising year for AIs contribution to revenues, only 24% of executives can clearly identify where that revenue will derive from, according to IBM. Executive views on when new technology investments will pay off vary, with some anticipating only a 27% benefit realization in the next two years, according to a Rimini Street C-suite survey published last month. Spending on AI is not slowing, despite ROI concerns. In 2026, global AI spend is anticipated to increase 44% year over year to $2.52 trillion, according to a Gartner report. In the enterprise, IBM found that 47% of executives AI spend is currently focused on driving productivity and efficiency gains, while 62% believe their AI spend will be dedicated to product and service innovation between 2026 and 2030. The financial services industry has been heavily investing in AI, with big banks including Bank of America, Morgan Stanley and Goldman Sachs betting on future efficiency gains. Theres going to be teething pain on this stuff, Morgan Stanley CEO Ted Pick said in the companys Q4 2025 earnings call. However, the technological advancement is real, he added. Indeed, executives are sold on the value of AI when it comes to bolstering productivity, according to IBM. Surveyed executives expect AI will boost productivity by 42% in the next four years. Two-thirds of leaders expect to realize most AI-driven productivity gains by 2030. Bristol-Myers Squibb Company (NYSE:BMY) is one of the best undervalued wide moat stocks. Leerink Bullish on Bristol-Myers Squibb Company (BMY) Amid Ample Pipeline Optionality in 2026 On January 13, 2026, Leerink raised its price target on Bristol-Myers Squibb Company (NYSE:BMY) from $54.00 to $60.00, while reiterating an Outperform rating. Highlighting ample pipeline optionality in 2026, the firm noted 12 registration data readouts across eight assets. Most of these assets represent potential new launches and are currently significantly discounted by the market. With this backdrop, the firm expects strong upside potential, especially if key trials deliver positive results. The previous day, in line with Leerinks positive outlook, Bristol-Myers Squibb Company (NYSE:BMY) reported positive topline results from SCOUT-HCM, a Phase 3 trial evaluating Camzyos (mavacamten) in adolescents with symptomatic obstructive hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (oHCM). Meeting its primary endpoint, the trial significantly reduced Valsalva left ventricular outflow tract (LVOT) gradient at Week 28 compared to placebo. At the same time, secondary endpoints were also met. Moreover, safety was ensured among adult patients, with no new signals observed. Looking ahead, management sees Camzyos becoming the first cardiac myosin inhibitor for adolescent patients. Bristol-Myers Squibb Company (NYSE:BMY) focuses on discovering, developing, manufacturing, and marketing biopharmaceuticals, including small molecules, biologics, and CAR-T therapies. While we acknowledge the potential of BMY as an investment, we believe certain AI stocks offer greater upside potential and carry less downside risk. If you're looking for an extremely undervalued AI stock that also stands to benefit significantly from Trump-era tariffs and the onshoring trend, see our free report on the best short-term AI stock. READ NEXT: 7 Best Rising Tech Stocks to Buy Now and 12 Best Multibagger Stocks to Buy Heading into 2026. Disclosure: None. Extortionists held | IMPHAL, Jan 22 : Manipur police arrested two extortionists from Motbung Bazar under Gamnom Saparmeina PS, Kangpokpi district today. They have been identified as Kaikhochon Kipgen (29) of Saparmeina village and Kaisei Khongsai (22) of Karbi Anglong, Assam, A/P Jangnom village, Kangpokpi district. Security forces also recovered a large cache of arms and ammunition from Uchol village and its surrounding foothill areas under Andro PS in Imphal East during a search operation conducted on January 22. The seized items include one local-made barrel gun, one .22 rifle along with magazine, five No 36 hand-grenades without detonator, one Chinese hand-grenade, thirty rounds of live ammunition of different calibers, four tube launching devices, two BAOFENG wireless sets with two chargers, three tear smoke shells, one rubber bullet shell, two IEDs weighing approximately 2 kgs each, three arming rings, one tear smoke grenade, two helmets and one SLR magazine, said a press note issued by Police Control Room. Tyler Dikman, joins LoungePair as Key Advisor AUCKLAND, New Zealand, January 22, 2026--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Travel-tech company LoungePair has brought on LoungeBuddy founder and former American Express executive Tyler Dikman as a key advisor. The company has also signed a key partnership with Vietnam Airlines to power its new Lotusmiles Lounges platform and has added Auckland Airport's Strata Lounge to its network. LoungePair provides on-demand and walk-up airport lounge access without the need for additional memberships, reward programmes, or loyalty status. Travel Tech Expert Tyler Dikman Joins as Advisor Tyler Dikman is the co-founder and former CEO of LoungeBuddy, the airport lounge booking platform acquired by American Express in 2019. Following the acquisition, he served as Vice President of Global Premium Products and Benefits at American Express, leading the integration of LoungeBuddy and helping shape travel experiences for Card Members internationally. In his advisory role at LoungePair, Dikman will support the company's global growth and scaling priorities. "LoungePair has built a strong platform with a clear value proposition," said Tyler Dikman. "I'll be working closely with the team on global strategy and execution, leadership and corporate direction, brand and marketing initiatives, and the development of partnerships as the business continues to scale." Vietnam Airlines Powers Lotusmiles Lounges with LoungePair LoungePair welcomes Vietnam Airlines as a strategic partner and will power its Lotusmiles Lounges platform, applying LoungePair's technology to deliver a globally scalable loyalty benefit for Lotusmiles members. Through the co-branded platform, Lotusmiles members can purchase access to Lotus Lounges or choose from more than 1,400 airport lounges worldwide within LoungePair's global network. The partnership extends the programme's utility beyond Vietnam Airlines' own lounge footprint. "By powering lounge access for Vietnam Airlines, we're enabling Lotusmiles to deliver tangible, high-value rewards to members wherever they travel," says Daniel Kinnoch, CEO of LoungePair. "Lotusmiles members gain simple, on-demand access to award-winning lounges worldwide, without the need for additional loyalty programmes, complex sign-ups, or advance booking." Expanding Global Partnerships LoungePair has also signed a partnership with Auckland Airport's Strata Lounge, allowing members to purchase passes when travelling through Auckland, New Zealand. In November 2025, LoungePair entered partnerships with Zurich-backed travel insurance provider Freely, Australian Frequent Flyer, and global lounge network Dragonpass. So electric vehicle owners are shifting the landscape when it comes to convenience stores at the gas pump. And believe it or not, its a major factor as to why LKM Convenience filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy, according to TheStreet. The company operates gas stations and convenience stores under the Brothers Food Mart and Magnolia Express brands. LKM Convenience LLC, a Metairie, Louisiana-based operator and sublessor of convenience stores and gas stations, filed for chapter 11 protection on January 14, 2026, in the Eastern District of Louisiana. The company sought relief under Subchapter V of the bankruptcy code, which provides a streamlined reorganization process for small business debtors, RK Consultants, a consulting firm specializing in bankruptcy and restructuring, shared in a post on X. To be clear, LKM Convenience LLC is an operator of convenience stores and gas stations and is not the owner of the brands. Managed by Lenny Motwani, the company operates under the Brothers Food Mart and Magnolia Express brands. The business maintains a network of retail fuel locations and convenience stores throughout Jefferson Parish, with key real estate assets situated in Bridge City and Westwego. LKM Convenience has historically functioned as both a direct operator and a master lessor for third-party petroleum retailers, according to RK Consultants. Bankruptcy Observer confirmed the filing. The bankruptcy petition for LKM Convenience LLC showed assets in the range of $0-$100,000 with liabilities in the range of $1 million to $10 million. LKM CONVENIENCE LLC reports that the number of creditors is in the range of 1-49, according to Bankruptcy Observer. Convenience store and the gas station industry have faced significant challenges. Thats because convenience stores that sell gasoline have been taking significant losses due to two reasons: lower gas prices and flat gas sales. Chris Rapanick, who has been managing the NACS State of the Industry Enterprise for over 10 years, spoke at 2025s NACS State of the Industry Summit about these issues that are making a dent in the industry. In Industry Data You Can Use to Power Your Business, Rapanick discussed the noticeable trends, the ups and downs, as well as possible opportunities within the c-store industry, according to Convenience.org reported. According to Rapanick, shrinking gas prices are hurting operators who are paid a percentage of sales. What makes things worse: in-store sales have failed to compensate for the loss. Fuel price was down over 10% in 2023 and over 6% in 2024. Industry fuel sales were down $101 billion over the last two years. This has led to changes in the c-store sales mix, particularly among sites that do not have a robust in-store offer, he shared. The World Economic Forum meet at Davos is increasingly becoming a serious annual affair for the two Telugu states of late. The Chief Ministers of both states are not only attending the event to attract investments, but also getting innovative about what they could make out of the meeting of global investors and leaders. This year, Telangana Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy launched the Telangana AI Innovation Hub (TAIH) on January 20 at the WEF meet. TAIH is supposed to be a world testing ground for AI products and ideas. The entrepreneurs would be offered real-time testing facilities for their ideas, with the government becoming their initial customer during the piloting level. The government would also secure the approval required and run the ideas in real-time for a large number of customers. Speaking about the ideas, the state IT minister D. Sridhar Babu said many AI ideas fail due to a lack of proper testing, and TAIH would fill this gap by offering state-of-the-art facilities and a real-time and scalable testing ground. TAIH is looking forward to working with the companies, academia, investors and start-ups. Revanth Reddy also proposed a follow-up meet of WEF at Hyderabad every July. Addressing the media, the Chief Minister said one year would be too long in the modern business cycles, and it was important to have a follow-up meeting in the middle of the year to assess the impact of the decisions made at Davos. According to a media release from the government, the proposal has received unanimous approval, and WEF managing director Jeremy Jurgens announced that they had received several proposals and they would consider the Hyderabad proposal with due attention. The WEF currently holds Summer Davos or Annual Meeting of New Champions, mostly focusing on futuristic technologies. Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu has been attending the Davos summit for over 15 years. Andhra Pradesh has made the Davos event an annual investment calendar for the state, said C.M. Saikanth Varma, CEO of Andhra Pradesh Economic Development Board (APEDB). We are trying to get investments in January at Davos and want to complete the grounding of the project by next Davos meet, he explained. The state has ensured faster execution cycles for several projects, keeping the Davos calendar in mind. Though this years meeting is more about geopolitical tensions and less about investment agreements, both states have announced some moderate investment gains. For Telangana, LOreals Rs 3,500 crore beauty-tech and AI innovation hub in Hyderabad, aimed at creating around 2,000 jobs. The state also signed MoUs, including Rashmi Groups Rs 12,500 crore steel plant investment and a Rs 1,000 crore aerospace/MRO project with Sargad, a US-based company. Additionally, there were expressions of interest such as a 600 million clean-energy project with NUkler Products and an AI hardware pact with Blaize, signalling diverse sector interest. Andhra Pradesh has got a mix of reaffirmations and new strategic commitments. The state advanced a $12 billion clean-infrastructure partnership with Brookfield Asset Management, focusing on a gigawatt-scale, clean-energy-powered data-centre campus in Visakhapatnam, renewable energy, storage and green hydrogen projects. It also signed a pact with RMZ Group for up to $10 billion over the next five to six years to develop global capability centres, hyperscale data centres and industrial and logistics parks. In addition, the UAE agreed to establish a food processing cluster in the state and facilitate investment by about 40 UAE companies in logistics and related sectors. GST 2.0 corrects several visible distortions in Indian agriculture. It rationalises rates, eases compliance burdens, and lowers input costs. But it leaves untouched a deeper, more consequential flaw: a tax regime that exempts raw produce while taxing value addition. The outcome is not neutral. It systematically favours large agribusinesses and quietly discourages small farmers, Farmer Producer Organisations (FPOs), and cooperatives from moving up the value chain. This is not an Indian anomaly alone. But India is unusual in persisting with it despite overwhelming evidence elsewhere that value addition, not raw production, is where farm incomes are stabilised. The efficiency tax Under GST 2.0, unprocessed agricultural produce remains zero-rated. But add basic value; washing, grading, cutting, packaging; and the same produce attracts 5 per cent GST. Fresh tomatoes pay zero. Washed, pre-cut tomatoes in a tray? 5 per cent. The economic signal is unmistakable: efficiency is taxable; rawness is not. The consequences are costly. India loses Rs 1.5 lakh crore annually to post-harvest wastage, with fruits and vegetables suffering 6-15 per cent losses. According to the NABCONS 2022 study for the Ministry of Food Processing Industries (MoFPI), India suffers food losses worth $18-19 billion annually, with more than one-fourth of the value lost in horticulture alone. Minimal farmgate processingsorting, cold storage, primary packagingis the single most effective intervention. Yet GST actively disincentivises this activity. India processes barely 10 per cent of its agricultural output, compared with 60-70 per cent in developed economies. While advanced economies process nearly 70 per cent of produce and developing countries average around 40 per cent, Indias overall processing share is closer to 2 per cent. Disaggregated data underscores the gap: 4.5 per cent for fruits, 2.7 per cent for vegetables, 21 per cent for milk and 34 per cent for meat (MoFPI, FAO, OECD). A tax system that penalises value addition while exempting raw produce virtually guarantees this gap will endure. Scale wins, small producers lose Some say that Input Tax Credits (ITC) neutralise these levies. That is correct in theory, but only for firms with scale, liquidity and compliance capacity. Large agribusinesses operate integrated supply chains, maintain dedicated tax functions, claim ITC efficiently and pass GST downstream without locking up working capital. Small FPOs and cooperatives in India operate under very different constraints: limited accounting capacity, thin cash buffers, and an inability to fully monetise blocked credits. The distributional outcome is predictable. Large firms move up the value chain; small producers retreat to selling raw produce, where margins are thinner, and volatility is higher. This matters because about 86 per cent of Indian farmers are small and marginal, operating on holdings below two hectares. Marginal farmers alone account for around 65 per cent of cultivators but control just 24 per cent of cultivable land, with average holdings of 0.38 hectares (NITI Aayog, Agriculture Census 2015-16, Government of India). Globally, such farm structures survive only when cooperatives are tax-neutral or tax-favoured. India does the opposite. The expensive middle GST 2.0 leaves intact some of agricultures most distortionary levies. Many warehousing, cold storage and logistics services for agriculture are still taxed at or near the standard 18 per cent rate, making midchain services relatively expensive compared with zerorated farm output. Compare this with global practice. In many EU countries, cold storage and agri-warehousing are either taxed at reduced VAT rates or supported through explicit energy tax rebates, recognising storage as an extension of food security rather than a revenue base. Thailand and Vietnam go further, offering tax holidays and indirect tax exemptions for agri-logistics and cold-chain infrastructure as part of their export-led agricultural strategies. China, meanwhile, treats agri-logistics as strategic infrastructure eligible for preferential tax treatment, subsidised power tariffs and policy credit, reflecting a deliberate choice to prioritise loss reduction and price stability over indirect tax collection. Indias outcome is predictable: nearly 70 per cent of fresh produce still moves through fragmented intermediary chains, and price discovery at the farmgate remains weak. Lower GST on tractors and fertilisers improves production efficiency. But without affordable storage and processing, surplus becomes volatility; repeatedly visible in onions, tomatoes and pulses. GST 2.0 lowers costs at the agri value chains start while keeping the middle expensive. That is an imbalance, not reform. Three fixes GST 2.0 needs First, nil-rate minimal processing, in line with global best practice seen across the EU and Australia. Activities such as washing, grading, sorting, cutting and primary packaging, especially when undertaken by FPOs and cooperatives, should be treated as an extension of agricultural activity, not as manufacturing. Taxing these steps penalises efficiency, discourages farmgate value addition and locks small producers into low-margin commodity sales. Second, slash GST on warehousing and cold chains, which remain taxed at 18 per cent. If India loses likely upwards of Rs 1 lakh crore every year to post-harvest wastage, taxing storage and preservation at the highest standard rate is economically indefensible. Globally, storage is treated as insurance against loss and volatility, not as a taxable luxury. Making cold chains cheaper would do more to stabilise prices and farmer incomes than repeated ad hoc market interventions. Third, provide targeted compliance and credit support for FPOs, modelled on the EUs flat-rate farmer schemes. Without simplified returns, longer ITC credit windows, and subsidised accounting and digital infrastructure, input tax credit will remain theoretical for the very producers it is meant to help. A GST regime that small farmers cannot practically comply with may be neutral on paper but regressive in effect. Making farming cheaper for the future GST 2.0 has made farming cheaper. It has not made farming more rewarding. By taxing value addition while exempting rawness, India has built a system that quietly rewards scale over inclusion, placing it out of step with global best practice. Until small producers can process without penalty and store without prohibitive taxes, Indias food economy will remain trapped between abundance and fragility, losing produce even as most farmers struggle to move beyond commodity sales. Simplifying GST rates is not enough. The real reform lies in simplifying the farmers journey from field to market, and ensuring the tax system does not stand in the way. The authors are, respectively, Senior Visiting Fellow and Research Associate, Pahle India Foundation. The opinions expressed in this article are those of the author and do not purport to reflect the opinions or views of THE WEEK. Six highly awaited games have been axed at French video game developer Ubisoft, as a part of what the company calls a "major organisational, operational, and portfolio reset". This comes after weeks of speculation over reports of studio closures and impending layoffs at the brand that created the Assassin's Creed, Prince of Persia, and the Just Dance franchises. The Prince of Persia: Sands of Time remake is the only one of the six games revealed to the public, for not meeting the studio's new criteria. This includes four unnamed titlesincluding 3 new IPs and a mobile game. Additional development time has also been allocated to seven games to make sure they meet the criteria. Ubisoft details 'major company reset' amid reorganization efforts: 6 games cancelled including four unannounced games (three were new IP), a mobile title, and Prince of Persia remake 7 games have been delayed for better quality, one of which was expected before April 2026, pic.twitter.com/Edjp0W1xVF Shinobi602 (@shinobi602) January 21, 2026 Still, the announcement led to Ubisoft's shares sharply falling by 33 per cent, making it one of the top losers on the SBF 120 index of Paris's most traded stocks. If the losses continue, Ubisoft could very well see its biggest one-day drop since the company's 1996 listing, a Reuters report said. The new revamp also comes on the heels of major layoffs at the 17,000-employee companywhich it has not provided further details onand the closure of its Halifax and Stockholm studios. Ubisoft has also said that their new, decentralised model of working was aimed at combining game development and market strategy in a "gamer-centric" way. Photo: Ubisoft Each of the five core Creative Houses (CHs) built for this purpose would be "shaped by distinct creative genres led by dedicated high-profile, incentivised teams with a unique set of expertise in those genres". The five Houses would also have full financial ownership of their genres, for which they were financially accountable. According to the new regime at Ubisoft, CH1 (Vantage Studios) was responsible for scaling and extending Ubisoft's biggest titles and/or franchises, such as Assassin's Creed and Far Cry, while CH2 was dedicated to "competitive and cooperative" shooter games. CH4 is dedicated to fantasy and narrative-driven games, while CH5 is focused on casual and family-friendly titles. CH3, on the other hand, has the unique task of operating "a roster of select, sharp Live experiences". "We are transforming Ubisofts operating model to produce exceptional quality games on the two core pillars of our strategy, Open World Adventures and GaaS-native experiences," explained Yves Guillemot, Founder and CEO of Ubisoft. "The portfolio refocus will have a significant impact on the Groups short-term financial trajectory, particularly in fiscal years 2026 and 2027, but this reset will strengthen the Group and enable it to renew with sustainable growth and robust cash generation." Ubisoft also shared early results for its latest quarter, reporting 330 million ($385 million) in sales, which it says are primarily driven by an overperformance linked to partnerships and reflecting a robust back-catalogue. The full earnings for Q3 FY2025-26 will be reported on February 12. VIDEO | Jammu and Kashmir: 10 army personnel killed after their vehicle plunges into a gorge in Doda district. More details awaited. (Source: Third Party)#Doda pic.twitter.com/QxuZiotrVh Press Trust of India (@PTI_News) January 22, 2026 Ten Indian Army soldiers died, while eleven others suffered injuries, after the vehicle they were travelling in fell into a deep gorge in the Doda district of Jammu and Kashmir on Thursday morning. The exact location of the tragic incident was identified as Khanni Top on Doda's Bhaderwah-Chamba Road. It was jawans of the Rashtriya Rifles unit stationed at Bhaderwah who were travelling in the ill-fated vehicle. They were reportedly on a routine surveillance mission of higher altitudes when the vehicle skidded off the road, reports said. The incident was reported at an altitude of around 9,000 feet above sea level, at about 10 am. A joint rescue operation by the Army and police was immediately launched, and four of the soldiers were found dead on the spot. For more defence news, views and updates, visit: Fortress India The injured soldiers were shifted to the Sub-District Hospital (SDH) Bhaderwah, where three jawans were declared brought dead by the medical team, Greater Kashmir said in a report. The news outlet said that a fourth succumbed to injuries while undergoing treatment. Among the survivors, one remains under observation at SDH Bhaderwah, while the ten others were airlifted to the Command Hospital in Udhampur. VIDEO | Jammu and Kashmir: 10 army personnel killed after their vehicle plunges into a gorge in Doda district. More details awaited. (Source: Third Party)#Army #JammuAndKashmir (Full video available on PTI Videos - https://t.co/n147TvrpG7) pic.twitter.com/lPj7jUz8kp Press Trust of India (@PTI_News) January 22, 2026 As per the report, it was a Casspir of the Rashtriya Rifles that was involved in the accident. The Casspir is a South African-designed Mine-Resistant Ambush Protected (MRAP) vehicle. "We have lost 10 soldiers with 11 others injured in the unfortunate accident involving an army vehicle," Additional Deputy Commissioner, Bhaderwah, Sumit Kumar Bhutyal told PTI. Lt Governor Manoj Sinha and Chief Minister Omar Abdullah have expressed grief over the accident. The Chief Minister conveyed heartfelt condolences to the families of the soldiers who lost their lives and wished a speedy recovery to those injured. Abdullah also lauded the swift rescue and evacuation efforts. LG Sinha, in a post on X, said he was "deeply saddened at the loss of lives of 10 of our brave Indian Army soldiers in an unfortunate road accident in Doda. We will always remember the outstanding service and supreme sacrifice of our brave soldiers." He expressed his deepest condolences to the grieving families. Doda, Jammu and Kashmir: Ten soldiers were killed and several others injured after an Army Casper vehicle fell into a deep gorge near Khannitop on the BhaderwahChamba road. The injured were initially taken to SDH Bhaderwah and later airlifted to the Armys Command Hospital in pic.twitter.com/1mibKlJYsy IANS (@ians_india) January 22, 2026 "In this moment of profound sorrow, the entire nation stands united with the bereaved families in solidarity and support. 10 injured soldiers have been airlifted to the hospital," the LG said, adding he had directed senior officials to ensure the best possible treatment. "Praying for their speedy recovery," he said. Prime Minister Narendra Modi will kick off his campaign for the assembly polls in Tamil Nadu on Friday by addressing a public rally at Madurantakam on the outskirts of Chennai. All the leaders of the National Democratic Alliance constituents, including Dr. Anbumani Ramadoss and T.T.V. Dhinakaran, will share the stage with Modi. While the Anbumani faction of the Pattali Makkal Katchi rejoined the NDA last week, Dhinakarans Amma Makkal Munnetra Kazhagam went into the NDA fold on Wednesday, in the presence of Union Minister Piyush Goyal. This is the first time the AIADMK leaders will share the stage with Modi, after the party rejoined the NDA. By sharing the stage with the leaders of the NDA constituents - almost a 11-party rainbow alliance - Modi and the BJP aim to send a message to the party cadres and the people that they are united and it is a formidable alliance as against the DMK-led INDIA bloc in Tamil Nadu. At a time when the Congress is on a shaky note in the DMK-led alliance, the BJP worked overtime to firm up the alliance and make sure that it shows its strength. Union Minister Piyush Goyal, BJPs state election incharge, arrived in Chennai on January 21, only to bring in the old alliance partners like the AMMK into NDA. Sources also say that the BJP is in talks with Dr. S. Ramadosss faction of the PMK and also former Chief Minister O. Panneerselvam into the NDA fold. Incidentally, one of O. Panneerselvams sons called on Piyush Goyal and had a closed-door meeting to discuss joining the BJP. While the AIADMK leadership had categorically shut its doors to OPS and his family, the former chief ministers son had reportedly called on Goyal to contemplate on the familys political future. Panneerselvam, who has been left in the lurch in the run-up to the election, sources say is contemplating many options - joining the DMK, aligning with the TVK or joining the BJP, as his sons prefer. However, Panneerselvam and his sons have not been invited to be part of Modis rally at Madurantakam. But Modis rally is expected to be a success to set the tone for the assembly election, with AIADMK general secretary Edappadi K. Palaniswami, Anbumani Ramadoss, Tamil Maanila Congress chief G.K. Vasan, AMMK general secretary T.T.V. Dhinakaran, IJK chief Pari Vendhar and other allied party representatives sharing the stage with Modi, with an aim to project strength and solidarity. Elaborate arrangements have been made for the leaders reaching the venue, and traffic advisories have been issued. The Andhra Pradesh government is mulling an Australia-like law preventing teenagers under the age of 16 from getting access to social media. According to Nara Lokesh, the state's IT and education minister, children under a certain age were best kept off social media, as they would not fully understand what they were looking at. As a state, we are studying Australias under-16 law, and yes, I believe we need to create a strong legal enactment, Lokesh told Bloomberg News on the sidelines of the World Economic Forum (WEF) in Davos. While the move has drawn criticism from tech firms and free speech advocates, parents and experts say it could be a turning point for teen mental health. #MentalHealth #AustraliaSocialMediaBan #socialmediaban https://t.co/aicAEh6wDL THE WEEK (@TheWeekLive) January 16, 2026 He added that the Centre had not yet expressed any opinions on regulating social media use for teenagers, due to which the burden fell on state governments to do so. Earlier this month, Lokesh had also asserted that the state government would strongly act against individuals and groups spreading malicious and obscene content on social media. If it comes into force, the Andhra Pradesh government's new social media policy would be the first in the country to start tackling the mental health issues arising out of minors using social media. The cover page of the January 18, 2026 issue of THE WEEK. ALSO READ | How Nara Lokeshs growth strategy is making Andhra Pradesh an investment hub This comes more than a month after Australia enforced its Online Safety Amendment Act on platforms like Facebook, Instagram, Kick, Reddit, Snapchat, Threads, TikTok, X, YouTube and Twitch. The stated aim of the move was to protect minors' mental health, and to keep them safe from online harm, cyberbullying, catfishing, and addictive algorithms. ALSO READ | How Telangana and Andhra Pradesh redefined Davos engagement As a result, the platforms were forced to implement age verification methods to ensure teens under 16 are unable to create an account. Companies can now face fines of up to A$49.5 million Australian dollars ($32 million) for not complying with the December 10 policy. Though it has received mixed reactions from teenagers, tech giants, and experts, the move had an impact across Australia, with many other nationsmost recently, the UKenforce similar policies. Expressing solidarity with his Karnataka counterpart Siddaramaiah, Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M.K. Stalin on Thursday condemned the recent actions of governors in Opposition-ruled states. Stalin charged governors were " behaving like party agents, undermining duly elected state governments." Stalin slammed the recent actions of governors in Tamil Nadu, Kerala and Karnataka during the customary address in the beginning of the year. The key leader from the Opposition bloc condemned the governors' actions, refusing to read the speech prepared by state governments. "As I stated earlier, the only solution now is to end the practice of commencing the first annual Assembly session with the #Governors address. #DMK will consult like-minded opposition parties across India and pursue a constitutional amendment in the very next parliamentary session to abolish this obsolete and irrelevant practice," he stressed in a post on X. On Thursday, Karnataka Governor Thaawarchand Gehlot spoke just two lineswhich included greeting the chief minister, speaker, and othersand then walked out without reading the remainder of the speech prepared by the state government. Governor Gehlot was allegedly put off by "11 paragraphs" in the speech that were allegedly critical of the Centre and its policies. The governor was reportedly refused to read paragraphs criticising the recent repeal of the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA) in favour of the Viksit Bharat - Guarantee for Rozgar and Ajeevika Mission (Gramin), or 'VB-G RAM G' for short. Condemning governor's action, Siddaramaiah said Gehlot has violated the Constitution. "Under Articles 176 and 163 of the Constitution, the Governor is bound to read the address prepared by the Council of Ministers and has no authority to substitute it with a speech of his own," the chief minister said. Earlier this week, Tamil Nadu Governor R.N. Ravi walked out of the state assembly, allegedly over criticisms against the Centre in the speech. In Kerala, Governor Rajendra Arlekar altered the cabinet-approved speech and made certain additions and deletions to it. In a shocking incident of honour killing, a 27-year-old Muslim man and his 22-year-old Hindu girlfriend were brutally murdered and buried in a shallow grave at Umri Sabzipur in Uttar Pradeshs Moradabad district. According to reports, the brutal act was carried out by the girls brothers, who were opposed to their relationship. Police identified the youth as Arman, who worked in Saudi Arabia, before relocating to Moradabad a few months ago. It is said that he met and fell in love with Kajal Saini around this time. Kajals brothers did not approve of their interfaith relationship and repeatedly pressured her to end it. About three days ago, Armaan suddenly disappeared. Armaan's father, Hanif, filed a missing persons report at the police station. When the police began investigating, they discovered that Kajal was also missing from home, after which suspicion fell on her brothers. During police interrogation, Kajal's brothers confessed to the crime. The accused said they took the couple to a secluded area, bound and gagged them, before taking their lives. After the murders, their bodies were buried. Following their confession, the police exhumed their bodies. Police confirmed that the couple was killed by Kajals three brothers. He added that the murder was committed using a spade, and the weapon has been recovered. There were speculations that tensions prevailed in the area. Additional police forces were rushed to Umri Sabzipur as the bodies were sent for post-mortem after inquest proceedings. At present, there is no problem. The situation is completely under control, said Satpal. American Homes 4 Rent (NYSE:AMH) is one of the most favored real estate investment trusts according to Hedge Funds. On December 15, Jade Rahmani from Keefe Bruyette upgraded his stance on American Homes 4 Rent (NYSE:AMH). The analyst revised his rating from Market Perform to Outperform, estimating a price target of $37. This now leads to an upside of above 14% at the prevailing range. Pixabay/Public Domain Keefe Bruyette presented its 2026 outlook for the real estate market, anticipating favorable prospects for commercial real estate. The firm sees the commercial real estate cycle entering into a more secure recovery phase with moderate yet still healthy growth during 2026. This bodes well for high-quality assets that are expected to deliver attractive returns. Juan Sanabria from BMO Capital downgraded his rating for American Homes 4 Rent (NYSE:AMH) from Outperform to Market Perform. He set a price target of $37, which still yields an upside of more than 14%. Sanabria attributed this downward revision to President Trumps recent proposal to ban institutional investors from investing in single-family homes. This poses a threat to single-family residential REITs, which would struggle to grow in the absence of large financial injections from institutions. American Homes 4 Rent (NYSE:AMH) is a large-scale operator of single-family rental homes. The company is involved in acquiring, developing, renovating, and leasing these properties within the United States. For tenant convenience, they also manage an online platform for rent payments and account management. While we acknowledge the potential of TSLA as an investment, we believe certain AI stocks offer greater upside potential and carry less downside risk. If youre looking for an extremely undervalued AI stock that also stands to benefit significantly from Trump-era tariffs and the onshoring trend, see our free report on the best short-term AI stock. READ NEXT: 15 Most Promising Mid-Cap Healthcare Stocks Under $50 and 11 Most Promising Small-Cap Industrial Stocks Under $50. Disclosure: None. This article is originally published at Insider Monkey. Karnataka Governor Thaawarchand Gehlot is now the third to make headlines recently over governors' customary addresses in their state assemblies. Indeed, the joint session of the Legislative Assembly turned into a battlefield after Gehlot spoke just two lineswhich included greeting the Chief Minister, Speaker, and othersand then walked out without reading the remainder of the speech prepared by the state government. #WATCH | Bengaluru | Karnataka Governor Thawarchand Gehlot walks out of the Karnataka Legislative Assembly; Congress leader BK Hariprasad seen trying to stop the Governor pic.twitter.com/QZjWSlZJgx ANI (@ANI) January 22, 2026 "My government is committed to doubling the economic, social and physical development of the state. Jai Hind, Jai Karnataka," he said at the end. Governor Gehlot was allegedly put off by "11 paragraphs" in the speech that were allegedly critical of the Centre and its policies, including the recent repeal of the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA) in favour of the Viksit Bharat - Guarantee for Rozgar and Ajeevika Mission (Gramin), or 'VB-G RAM G' for short. This made Congress MLAs furious. Led by Legislative Council member B.K. Hariprasad, they shouted insults at Gehlot, and even tried to block him and force him to deliver his speech. However, marshals intervened, and escorted Governor Gehlot out of the raucous Vidhana Soudha. Karnataka CM Siddaramaiah also called out Gehlot over the incident, saying that the act was in "violation" of the Constitution. The state government is currently mulling whether to move the Supreme Court over the walkout. This is the third such political issue sparked by a governor after Tamil Nadu and Kerala. On Tuesday, Tamil Nadu Governor R.N. Ravi had walked out of the Legislative Assembly without delivering an opening address, due to what he called "inaccuracies" in his speech drafted by the state government. While Kerala Governor Rajendra Vishwanath Arlekar did not walk out of the Legislative Assembly session, he did make changes to his speech, which became a political flashpoint against the state government. In Maharashtra, the post of mayor in Thane's Kalyan-Dombivli Municipal Corporation (KDMC) has been reserved for the Scheduled Tribes (ST) category. This was determined by a lottery conducted by the Maharashtra Urban Development Department on Thursday. The lottery determines the category for which the mayor's post will be reserved, such as General, Women, SC, ST, and OBC categories. Once the category is announced, eligible candidates file their nominations. The BJP, despite having a strength of 50 corporators, is already out of the race since it does not have a single corporator from the ST category. According to reports, the saffron party had a "two-and-a-half-years-each" deal in place with its Mahayuti partner, which has effectively turned into a car without an engine. Eknath Shinde's Shiv Sena has two councillors from the ST category, while the Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) has one. In the Kalyan-Dombivli Municipal Corporation, Shiv Sena-Shinde has 53 corporators, along with the support of five MNS corporators and four from the Thackeray faction. According to local media, the Shinde-led Shiv Sena faction has been making strenuous efforts to break away the remaining corporators of the Thackeray group. For the past eight months, the BJP had been asserting that only a BJP mayor would take charge of the corporation, Loksatta said in a report. The civic elections were contested as an alliance between the Shiv Sena (Shinde faction) and the BJP, with a difference of just three corporators between them in terms of numbers. Still, to avoid having to depend on others to form power in the corporation, MP Dr Shrikant Shinde has initiated strong efforts to reach the majority mark of 62. In this situation, with the mayors post reserved for the Scheduled Tribes category, the path has been cleared for the Shiv Sena to appoint its own mayor. This has also spared the party from the BJPs persistent demand for a two-and-a-half-year mayoral term. If the Shiv Sena shows magnanimity, it could generously allow the final two and a half years of the mayors term to go to the MNS. Who are the candidates? From the Shiv Sena, Advocate Harshali Vijay Chaudhary-Thavil, representing Ward No. 3B in Kalyan, and Kiran Rajaram Bhangale from Ward No. 1B are Scheduled Tribe corporators, Loksatta said in a report. From the MNS, Sheetal Mahesh Mandhari, elected from Ward No. 15B in Kalyan East, is a Scheduled Tribe corporator. All eyes are now on which of the two Shiv Sena corporators will win the mayoral lottery. The Kerala-based political party, Twenty20, led by Kitex Garments MD Sabu M. Jacob, joined the NDA fold, ahead of the assembly elections in the state. The move comes a day before Prime Minister Narendra Modi is set to kickstart the BJP's election campaign in Kerala and Tamil Nadu on Friday. Jacob held discussions with BJP state president Rajeev Chandrasekhar and later announced the decision at a joint press conference in Thiruvananthapuram on Thursday. The party leadership cited the need for a change in Kerala's political culture and governance as the reason to end its political isolation and join the NDA fold. "We discussed and decided to join hands with the NDA and Modi ji to bring changes in Kerala," Jacob said, reported news agency PTI. He said he entered politics by forming Twenty20 due to what he described as "misgovernance and corruption" under both the LDF and the UDF. He said several welfare schemes, including food security initiatives, were implemented in the panchayats governed by Twenty20, which currently has a presence in four panchayats, mainly in Ernakulam district. Recalling the local body elections, Jacob alleged that the Congress, CPI(M) and several other parties had formed an alliance to defeat Twenty20. "For the first time, both the LDF and UDF did not contest under their party symbols to face us," he claimed. He said he held discussions with different political parties before deciding to join the NDA. Alleging that the state was facing a serious crisis after years of rule by the UDF and LDF, he said standing alone had made it difficult to continue development and welfare activities. "This move is against parties that are trying to destroy the country and also against attempts to eliminate Twenty20 politically," he said. Chandrasekhar said the formal inclusion of Twenty20 into the NDA would be announced at an event to be attended by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday. The BJP leader said the NDA was aiming to bring a change in the political culture of the state, which he alleged had been adversely affected over the years. "Only the NDA can bring such a change." Modi will be in Thiruvananthapuram for an official programme to launch and lay foundation stones for development projects and flag off new trains. There are widespread speculations about who will be Mumbai's next mayor as the city is set to get a woman mayor from the general category. The quota was finalised based a lottery held on Thursday. Among the frontrunners to become the mayor of the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) is Tejasvee Ghosalkar from BJP. Who is Tejasvee Ghosalkar? Tejasvee Ghosalkar, who won from BMC Ward 2, is the widow of former corporator Abhishek Ghosalkar. He was fatally shot during a Facebook Live in February 2024. Ghosalkar first won BMC elections from Ward 1 in 2017 when she fought on a ticket from the undivided Shiv Sena. When the party split, she stayed with Shiv Sena (UBT). But ahead of the latest elections, she joined the BJP on December 15. She won against Shiv Sena (UBT)'s Dhanashree Kolge from Ward 2. Uddhav Thackeray's Shiv Sena (UBT) claimed the quota exercise was rigged and would only benefit the BJP-led Mahayuti. Shiv Sena (UBT) leader and former Mumbai mayor Kishori Pednekar alleged that the rules to arrive at the decision were changed without informing anyone. The last two Mumbai mayors were from the open category, so the new mayor should have been from the Other Backward Classes (OBC), she said, adding that ST category was also excluded from the lottery. "We condemn the way the procedure (of lottery) was conducted. The procedure was fixed," she said. Eight other civic bodies will have mayors from general category, including Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar, Parbhani, Sangli-Mira-Kupwad, Amravati, Vasai-Virar, Solapur, Pimpri-Chinchwad and Bhiwandi-Nizampur. Jalgaon, Chandrapur, Ahilyanagar and Akola will have OBC women mayors. Panvel, Ichalkaranji, Kolhapur and Ulhasnagar will have OBC mayors, but they could be men or women. Thane will have a Scheduled Caste mayor while Jalna and Latur will have women mayors from Scheduled Caste. Kalyan-Dombivli civic body will have a mayor from the Scheduled Tribe category. Now that the reservation lottery for mayoral posts has revealed that the top post in Thane Municipal Corporation will be held by the Scheduled Castes for the next two-and-a-half years, all eyes are now on who will hold the top post in Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shindes home ground. The reservation has altered the power dynamics in Thane, and discussions have started about who will take the place. In the recent municipal elections, Shiv Senas Shinde faction had single-handedly dominated Thane by winning 75 seats. Hence, there is not much contention for the post of Mayor from any other parties. According to local media, as soon as the reservation lottery was announced, activities have intensified in the Shiv Sena camp, and aspirants have started vocalising their demand. Two major names doing the rounds are Padma Bhagat and Dr Darshana Jankar. Word is that Jankar might get a chance, as she comes from a family with a political background. Meanwhile, there are disagreements between the BJP and Shiv Sena on the formation of the council, with the BJP seeking a substantial share in power highlighting the party's 100 per cent strike rate in the civic polls. The Shiv Sena, led by Shinde, won 75 wards in the Thane Municipal Corporation. Alliance partner the Bharatiya Janata Party secured 28 seats, comfortably surpassing the majority mark of 66 required to control the 131-member civic body. The BJP has vocalised their claim by putting up posters hailing the party's performance. Speculations are that the allies might arrive at a compromise, considering that the Shinde faction is also eyeing the BMC Mayor post. Amid speculation that Shiv Sena is eyeing the Mumbai mayor's post despite finishing distant second behind its ally, the BJP has put up posters in Thane hailing the party's performance in the local civic body elections. BJP's Thane in-charge and MLC Niranjan Davkhare said, excluding one seat lost due to a technicality, the BJP maintained a 100 per cent strike rate in the 28 seats it contested in Thane. He also reaffirmed the partys demand for key posts. If we are to fulfil the promises made in our manifesto, it is essential to hold key positions in the municipal corporation. Whether it is the Mayor's post, the Leader of the House, the Standing Committee, or other important committees, without a meaningful role in these positions, the development roadmap we have planned for Thane may face obstacles," Davkhare told reporters on Tuesday. When Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman presents the Union Budget on February 1, not only will the global financial situation and how India navigates it be on her mind, but also key developments on the domestic front. Budget 2026 will be presented against the backdrop of assembly elections due in a few months, adding a clear political context to the governments fiscal choices. Sitharaman, who has presented the budget in a paperless format since 2021 using a tablet carried in a red bahi-khata-style cover, will be under pressure to balance macroeconomic priorities with regional and electoral considerations, as has been the case in previous poll years. For the ruling BJP, the stakes are high. The party is looking to retain Assam, where it currently governs, as it is seen as the gateway to BJPs dominance in the Northeast, while stepping up efforts to win West Bengal, a state that has eluded the party so far, and improve its performance in Kerala, Tamil Nadu and Puducherry. Together, these states are central to the partys longer-term political strategy in eastern and southern India. As past budgets reflect, Sitharaman has kept the political interests of her party in mind, suggesting that poll-bound states are unlikely to be overlooked. The 2021 Union Budget, presented months before elections in Assam, West Bengal, Kerala and Tamil Nadu, included a series of state-specific infrastructure announcements. The announcements were also shaped by the prevailing pandemic at the time, signalling that only certain types of projects were prioritised. Major national highway projects were announced across all four states. Tamil Nadu featured prominently with multiple highway corridors, while Kerala was promised new stretches, including part of the MumbaiKanyakumari corridor. West Bengal saw plans for large-scale road upgradation along key economic routes, and Assam was positioned as a major recipient of ongoing and future highway investments over a multi-year period. The finance minister also announced a dedicated welfare package for tea workers in Assam and West Bengal, targeting a politically significant workforce in both states. All four states went to polls within months of the budget. Now, five years later, the stakes are even higher for the party. Do budget announcements impact polls? The 2025 budget, presented ahead of elections in Delhi and Bihar, offers another example. Sitharaman announced significant personal income tax relief measures that were highlighted by the BJP as part of its middle-class outreach. Bihar, in particular, saw a series of tailored announcements, including the creation of a Makhana Board, plans for a national food technology institute, expansion of IIT-Patna, support for the Western Kosi Canal, and renewed focus on tourism around key Buddhist heritage sites. These measures were widely interpreted as state-specific signals in the run-up to the polls. All these announcements were aggressively highlighted by the party during the respective election campaigns. Tax relief did have an impact in the Delhi polls, as the national capital is home to a large and thriving middle class. The party returned to power after 27 years. In Bihar, the NDAs performance was much stronger than last time. With five states set to go to polls, the upcoming budget is likely to feature announcements for these states, which can be highlighted during campaigning, as the BJP faces formidable regional leaders such as Mamata Banerjee, M.K. Stalin and Pinarayi Vijayan. The upcoming budget also comes at a time of internal transition within the BJP, following the appointment of Nitin Nabin as the partys new national president. The assembly elections later this year will be among the first major electoral tests for the new leadership. As the youngest party president, signalling a generational shift within the BJP, the budget is expected to place renewed emphasis on employment, skilling and youth-oriented programmes, alongside region-specific development priorities. This is likely to provide Nitin Nabin with key talking points for his outreach and campaign speeches. While the presentation format has evolved over the years, the political context in which the budget is delivered has not. As in previous election years, the Union Budget is likely to serve not only as an economic roadmap, but also as an early signal of the governments political priorities. In a major diplomatic development, eight prominent Muslim-majority nations jointly announced on Wednesday that they would join US President Donald Trumps new diplomatic initiative, the Board of Peace. This bloc, which includes Saudi Arabia, Turkey, Egypt, Jordan, Indonesia, Pakistan, Qatar and the United Arab Emirates, issued a collective statement confirming their participation. The inclusion of Saudi Arabia is particularly notable. While the Trump administration had publicly pressured Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman to join, Riyadh had remained noncommittal until this coordinated announcement. However, their participation comes with a significant political caveat that challenges the Boards foundational text. While the Boards proposed charter makes no mention of Palestinian statehood, the Saudi-led bloc explicitly declared that its involvement is aimed at advancing a just and lasting peace grounded in the Palestinian right to self-determination and statehood. This sets up an immediate ideological conflict within the Board, as these nations are using their membership to push for sovereignty outcomes that the US-drafted charter does not guarantee. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu also agreed to join the Board on Wednesday, a move confirmed shortly before Trumps appearance at the World Economic Forum in Davos. The decision followed a period of diplomatic friction, during which Netanyahus office initially criticised the initiative. His primary objection concerned the composition of the Gaza Executive Board, a subsidiary body tasked with the day-to-day management of the territory. Netanyahu was unhappy that Turkey and Qatar were invited to the Executive Board. Netanyahus office complained that the appointment of Turkey, a regional rival, and Qatar, a host to Hamas officials, was not coordinated with Israel and ran contrary to its policy. For latest news and analyses on Middle East, visit: Yello! Middle East By joining the Trump Board, Netanyahu risks further destabilising his governing coalition. Far-right ministers such as Bezalel Smotrich have openly rejected the US-backed plan, arguing that Israel should retain unilateral control over Gaza rather than ceding authority to an international body. Moreover, Israel has conditioned its cooperation with the plans second phase, reconstruction, on Hamas surrendering the body of the last dead hostage. The Board of Peace is a new international organisation mandated by a UN Security Council resolution to oversee the Gaza crisis until the end of 2027. The initiative is structured to bypass traditional diplomatic channels, with Donald Trump serving as chairman for life. The funding model of the Board seems controversial. While standard membership terms are limited to three years, nations can secure a permanent seat by contributing $1 billion in cash funds within the first year of the charters entry into force. Operational power, meanwhile, lies largely with the Gaza Executive Board. International reactions have been sharply divided. European nations have largely opposed the initiative, viewing it as a threat to the established international order. France, Norway and Sweden have declined invitations, with French officials stating they support the peace plan but not an organisation designed to replace the United Nations. Trump, meanwhile, claimed that Russian President Vladimir Putin has accepted an invitation to join, although the Kremlin has been more circumspect, stating it is still studying the details. The Vatican confirmed that Pope Leo has been invited, though a decision is pending. Meanwhile, other nations such as Argentina, Hungary and Belarus have agreed to participate. The creation of the Board of Peace signals a potential shift away from the United Nations as the primary forum for conflict resolution. Trump has explicitly suggested the Board might replace the UN, which he criticised as having never lived up to its potential. For the Middle East, the Board creates a complex new reality in which sworn enemies must cooperate within a US-led framework. The Gaza Executive Board forces Israel to work directly with a Turkey-Qatar axis that holds executive power over Gazas reconstruction. Simultaneously, the Saudi-led blocs insistence on Palestinian statehood suggests the Board will become a battleground for competing visions of the regions future. The UAE property market ended 2025 in continued growth in both prices and rents across all emirates, but 2026 could be different, according to a recent outlook by ValuStrat, a UAE-based consultant firm. According to a market report by the firm, the residential rents are expected to be broadly flat, but office rents are projected to rise by around 15 per cent. Haider Tuaima, managing director and head of real estate Research at ValuStrat, was quoted by Arabian Business: Dubais underlying demand drivers remain intact into 2026, but performance is likely to become more segmented. Our base case assumes slower overall residential price growth, with villas continuing to outperform apartments due to supply composition and lifestyle demand. In offices, the imbalance between prime demand and new supply remains the core support for continued rental and capital value growth. As for the Dubai rental market, ValuStrat forecasts flat residential rental growth (0 per cent) in 2026. But, there will be an over 15 per cent increase in rents for offices, thanks to supply constraints in prime markets. For latest news and analyses on Middle East, visit: Yello! Middle East Dubais office market is expected to remain supply-constrained in prime submarkets, underpinning continued growth in both capital values and rents. ValuStrat forecasts around 15 per cent growth in office capital values and rents in 2026, moderating from the stronger gains recorded in 2025. As for prices, the forecast is that residential prices will continue to rise in 2026, but at a slower pace and with a widening performance gap between property types. Villas and townhouses are forecast to increase by 17.7 per cent, significantly outperforming apartments, which are expected to rise by 7.4 per cent. The research also revealed that the leasing markets are shaped by affordability constraints, evolving tenant preferences, and the balance between new supply and household formation. It added that 153,122 square metres (1.65 million square feet) of office gross leasable area is expected to be delivered in 2026. This will take Dubais total office stock to 9.94 million square metres (107 million square feet). Besides homes and offices, the study also has a positive outlook for the hospitality industry, thanks to Dubais positioning as a global tourism and events hub. In the industrial sector, demand is expected to continue outpacing supply, supporting further price growth. Artificial intelligence has moved into the impact cycle for India due to multi-pronged efforts by the governments IndiaAI mission, research and entrepreneurship by start-ups, and IT sector investments into AI. While a lot still remains in the direction of sovereign AI, several use cases have given insight into the real potential of AI in an Indian context. Agriculture AI has the potential to transform agriculture in combination with precision farming via data from drones and sensors coupled with AI analysis. For example, AI for agriculture initiatives from Wadhwani AI have reached ten lakh farmers. This includes solutions like computer vision-based analysis of pest infection, as well as an AI-based grievance addressing system. Likewise, Project Saagu Baagu (meaning "agricultural advancement") is a successful Telangana state government initiative. Supported by the WEF, it uses AI and digital tech (such as soil sensors, drones, advisory apps) to boost farmer income, yield, and efficiency significantly, improving chilli farming in a pilot run, and now being scaled up. Education A key aspect of AI in education is expanding access by using voice-based tools and personalisation. Initiatives are already reaching students in over 10,000 Atal Tinkering Labs. Even the Class 3 AI curriculum for 2026-27 makes AI a foundational subject with hands-on activities and responsible use education. Andhra Pradesh's use of Microsoft's AI for dropout prediction and the DIKSHA platforms multilingual contentall supported by national policies like NEP 2020helps bridge teacher gaps and personalise learning across diverse regions. Startups like Extramarks help by using AI in the creation of personalised, gamified activities and goal-aligned pathways, keeping students engaged at their own pace. Healthcare Broad areas of AI in healthcare in India encompass medical imaging, diagnostics, tele-medicine, predictive analytics, personalised medicine, drug discovery, clinical support, administrative efficiency, and public health surveillance. AI is transforming healthcare in India by addressing major challenges like limited access in rural areas, doctor shortages, high costs, and late disease detection. Some examples of successes in India include startups like Niramai focusing on early breast cancer detection. Likewise, Sigtuple helps in optimising lab diagnostics. Tricog Health uses AI so that ECGs uploaded to the cloud can be analysed for conditions like arrhythmia. Public service delivery AI has been a catalytic driver for public service delivery in India, and is going to be further scaled up in the coming years by integrating it with the Jan Dhan, Aadhaar, and Mobile (JAM) stack to include AI solutions on top of existing DPI initiatives. AIKosh and AI4India are also geared for this. Some key use cases have been AI-powered chatbots and co-pilots, such as Kisan e-Mitra for farmers, and e-Courts enhancements (with NLP) for faster justice. Bhashini, a product of multiple years of research in Indic languages, has been used in several case studies, demonstrating its transformative role in multilingual public services across India. It features real-time speech translation for PM speeches (such as HindiTamil at the Kashi-Tamil Sangamam), voice-enabled grievance redressal, UIDAIs My Aadhaar transliteration, railway queries via AskDISHA, e-Gram Swaraj transcription, Anuvaadini for educational content, and applications in healthcare, justice, and governance for inclusive access. The writer is Chief Technology Officer at AIEnsured, a Bengaluru-based company that tests and validates AI systems before deployment Something remarkable is happening in Maharashtra. The state government is in advanced discussions with India's atomic energy department to build what could be the country's first nuclear power plants that run on thorium instead of the usual uranium. The plan involves two plants, one generating 1,540 megawatts of electricity and another producing 440 megawatts, to be built on land owned by the state's power company. If everything goes according to plan, these plants will provide steady, clean power while reducing dependence on coal and gas, potentially bringing down electricity costs to around 3.5 per unit in the long run. This is not just another power project. It represents a fundamental shift in how India could power its future. To understand why this matters, we need to first understand what thorium is. Thorium is a natural metal found in the soil and rocks of the Earth. It is slightly radioactive, which means it gives out tiny amounts of radiation naturally, much like many other elements around us. India is blessed with one of the largest deposits of thorium in the world, mostly found in the coastal sands of Kerala and Odisha. Basically, thorium is a naturally occurring radioactive element listed in the periodic table with the chemical symbol Th and atomic number 90. It belongs to the actinide series and is characterised by its silvery-white appearance and weak radioactivity. In nature, thorium is found primarily as thorium-232, a stable isotope with an extremely long half-life, making it suitable for long-term applications in nuclear science and industry. In nuclear power plants, we use special materials that can split apart and release enormous amounts of energy through a process called nuclear fission. This energy heats water to create steam, which then turns turbines to produce electricity. The usual fuel for this process is uranium. However, thorium can also be used, though it works a bit differently. Thorium itself does not split easily. When it absorbs neutrons, which are tiny particles inside the reactor, it slowly transforms into another material called uranium-233, which then splits and releases energy, explained space and defence analyst Girish Linganna. Most nuclear plants operating in India and around the world today use uranium as their primary fuel. Uranium contains a small portion called uranium-235 that splits easily to start and maintain the chain reaction needed for power generation. So what makes thorium different and potentially better? The differences are significant and worth understanding. Many thorium reactor designs operate at normal atmospheric pressure, unlike uranium reactors that run at high pressure. If something goes wrong in a thorium reactor, it can cool down naturally without human intervention, and the risk of major accidents or meltdowns is dramatically reduced. Uranium reactors, on the other hand, require elaborate safety systems precisely because they operate under high pressure. Then there's the question of nuclear waste. Thorium produces far less dangerous waste that remains harmful for thousands of years. The waste from uranium reactors stays hazardous for much longer periods, creating storage and disposal challenges that burden future generations. When it comes to fuel availability, thorium is three to four times more abundant than uranium on Earth. For India specifically, this is crucial because we have plenty of thorium deposits but very little uranium. Using thorium means we can rely on our own resources rather than importing fuel from other countries, added Linganna. Experts also point out that there is also a security advantage. The thorium fuel cycle makes it much harder to produce materials that could be used for nuclear weapons, which is why many countries view it favourably from a non-proliferation perspective. However, thorium reactors do need some uranium or plutonium at the beginning to kick-start the process, whereas uranium reactors can begin operations more easily with natural uranium. Despite these initial requirements, thorium can ultimately generate more energy from the same amount of fuel and is considered cleaner and safer overall. But given these advantages, why hasn't India used thorium extensively until now? The answer lies in our nuclear journey and the complexity of the technology. India has actually known about thorium's potential since the 1950s. Indias visionary scientist Homi Bhabha designed a three-stage plan for nuclear power development. The first stage involved using natural uranium in heavy water reactors, which are the types of plants we currently operate. The second stage called for using the waste plutonium from stage one to build fast breeder reactors. Now, here's where it gets interesting. Imagine a magical lamp that not only gives you light but also produces more oil than it burns. That's essentially what a fast breeder reactor does. When these reactors produce energy, they simultaneously create more nuclear fuel than they started with. They take the plutonium waste from the first-stage reactors, use it to generate electricity, and in the process, convert some non-fuel material around them into new fuel. It's like having a car that somehow makes more petrol while you are driving it. This clever process helps us stretch our limited uranium supplies much further. The third and final stage envisioned using thorium with the extra fuel generated from stage two to produce large amounts of energy. We are still completing stage two of this ambitious program. In order to run a nuclear energy plant on thorium, one needs to first convert thorium to fissile material, which can produce fission energy. That means they must first irradiate thorium in a nuclear reactor. India's three-stage programme visualises that it should be done in fast reactors. Then you can irradiate thorium and produce fissile uranium at some rate. The plan was to multiply that capacity by bringing in fast reactors. Thorium reactors will come later, but provided one is able to produce enough fissile material out of thorium, Anil Kakodkar, former chairman of the Atomic Energy Commission of India, told THE WEEK. Looking at the global picture, no large commercial thorium power plants are currently producing electricity for public consumption anywhere in the world. Most of the over 400 nuclear plants operating worldwide use uranium. However, research is progressing. China has built a small two-megawatt experimental thorium molten salt reactor in its desert regions. It started working recently and has successfully demonstrated the conversion of thorium into usable fuel. They are planning larger reactors soon. In the past, countries like the United States and Germany tested thorium in small research reactors but eventually stopped their programmes. Today, India and China are leading global research efforts in this field. Maharashtra's thorium power plant plan could position India among the first nations to operate real commercial thorium reactors. This represents more than just technological achievement. It means fighting climate change with cleaner energy, potentially providing more affordable electricity to millions, and utilizing our own abundant natural resources instead of depending on imports. For a country with India's energy needs and environmental challenges, this is a bold and necessary step towards a sustainable future. From an industrial perspective, thorium has traditionally been used in limited but specialised applications. Thorium oxide has been valued for its high melting point and thermal stability, leading to its use in high-temperature ceramics, welding electrodes, optical lenses, and laboratory equipment. Historically, thorium was also used in gas mantles for lighting, though this application has been largely phased out due to radiation concerns. In advanced manufacturing, thorium alloys have been explored for aerospace and metallurgical applications because they improve strength and heat resistance in metals such as magnesium. The most significant and strategic interest in thorium, however, lies in the nuclear energy sector. Thorium-232 is not directly fissile, but it is fertile, meaning it can absorb a neutron and transform into uranium-233, a fissile material capable of sustaining a nuclear chain reaction. This property positions thorium as a potential alternative nuclear fuel, particularly for countries seeking long-term energy security and low-carbon power generation. India stands at the forefront of thorium-related research and strategic planning due to its vast domestic reserves. With limited uranium resources but abundant thorium deposits concentrated along its coastal monazite sands, India has structured its nuclear programme around the eventual large-scale use of thorium. The countrys long-term nuclear roadmap aims to utilise thorium-based fuels once sufficient fissile material is generated through earlier reactor stages, remarked Srimathy Kesan, founder and CEO of SpaceKidz India, who has also done research on rare earth minerals. Besides India, China has emerged as another major leader in thorium research, particularly through its investment in next-generation reactor technologies such as molten salt reactors. The Chinese programme focuses on experimental and pilot-scale reactors to evaluate thoriums commercial and operational feasibility. The United States and several European nations have also conducted extensive research on thorium fuel cycles, mainly through national laboratories and academic institutions, though their efforts remain largely at the experimental or policy-assessment level. Australia and Brazil, while holding substantial thorium reserves, currently focus more on resource assessment and regulatory frameworks rather than active nuclear utilisation. Norway has previously conducted thorium fuel tests in conventional reactors, contributing valuable operational data to global research efforts. Overall, while many countries recognise thoriums potential, none have yet deployed it as a mainstream commercial nuclear fuel. In the broader energy and sustainability context, thorium offers notable advantages, including resource abundance, reduced dependency on imported fuels, and the potential for lower long-term radioactive waste toxicity compared to conventional uranium fuel cycles. At the same time, challenges related to fuel fabrication, reprocessing, regulatory approval, and economic viability continue to slow widespread adoption, added Kesan. Stocks and bonds are selling off sharply, while precious metals are on fire. The US dollar is sharply lower, while crude oil is up modestly. To get your FREE copy of the complete MoneyShow 2026 Top Picks Report, click here. After a three-day weekend in the US, markets are a mess thanks to geopolitical and government bond concerns. On the first score, President Trump ratcheted up his threats to take control of Greenland saying hed slap eight European countries with additional tariffs if they didnt back his move to annex the island. Thats raising investor concerns about a punishing new trade war, or as an even more-extreme outcome, widespread foreign selling of US Treasuries and other assets. SPY, TLT, GLD, SLV (YTD % Change) chart Data by YCharts Meanwhile, global bond yields are surging after a lousy debt auction in Japan prompted concerns over Japanese fiscal health to boil over. Yields on Japanese 40-year government bonds climbed above 4% for the first time ever, while 30-year yields jumped the most since last years Liberation Day global market selloff. Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi is trying to bolster the Japanese economy by slashing taxes and boosting spending but the government is buried in debt. Yields on Japanese bonds have been rising for months in response, but todays selloff was much more aggressive. Since other governments (including the US) are in a similar boat, the selloff went global. The yield on the US 30-year Treasury Bond just hit a four-month high of 4.94%. See also: Chart of the Day 1/19/26: Is Bitcoin...Back? The biggest beneficiary of all this chaos? Precious metals. Gold surged again up more than $140 an ounce, or about 3%. Silver rose almost 8% to within $5 of a hundred bucks an ounce. Gold is up 73% in the last 12 months as a safe haven investment in an increasingly unstable world. For its part, silver has more than tripled. More From MoneyShow.com: President Donald Trump and his Ukrainian counterpart Volodymyr Zelenskyy on Thursday held a closed-door meeting on the sidelines of the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland. The meeting between the two leaders met for a "brief one-on-one conversation" and spoke for around one hour behind closed doors, revealed Zelenskyy spokesperson Serhii Nykyforov. Following the meeting, Trump said, "I met President Zelenskyy here; the meeting was good. We (US delegation) are meeting President Putin today or tomorrow." 'The war has to end' When asked what would be his message to Putin, Trump said, "The war has to end. A lot of people have been killed". This comes a day after Trump called Zelenskyy and Russian President Vladimir Putin 'stupid' for not signing a peace deal. He recalled that the US almost made Russia agree to a deal several times but Zelenskyy didn't agree, It's a very difficult balance...it's a blood bath. It's horrible what's happening. Drones are killing thousands of people a week. We have to get it stopped." "I believe they're at a point now where they come together and get a deal done. And if they don't, they're stupid; it's for both of them. And I know they're not stupid. But if they don't get this done, they are stupid. So, I don't want to insult anyone, but you got to get this deal done. Too many people are dying. It's not worth it," the US president added. US President Donald Trump has announced that the US has ordered 25 "brand-new B-2 bombers, thereby doubling the total number of the aircraft in the US force. Trumps statement came as the US reinforces military assets in the Middle East following the unrest in Iran. Trump, during his 90-minute address during a Q&A after his World Economic Forum speech in Davos, said: We just ordered 25 brand new onesthe latest and the greatestthe B-2 bomber, think of them. They went in there at two oclock in the morning with no moon, no light, no nothing. And every single one of those massive bombs hit its target." While speaking Wednesday in front of the World Economic Forum in Davos, President Donald J. Trump announced that the United States has ordered an additional 25 B-2 Spirit Long-Range Stealth Bombers, citing their usefulness during last Junes strikes against nuclear facilities pic.twitter.com/ZJ3bGKTo7I OSINTdefender (@sentdefender) January 22, 2026 He was referring to how the B-2 bombers made a 37-hour round-trip from the US to Iran to destroy the Fordow nuclear lab buried deep within a mountain bunker in Iran last June. The new order of 25 B-2s will add to the 19 in active service. Trumps statement raised eyebrows as it came amid reports that he ordered his aides to come up with a decisive military option on Iran. Adding to speculation, Trump also boasted about the B-2s success in Iran. "If we didnt take them out, they would have had a nuclear weapon within two months," Trump said. "They were very close to having the nuclear weapon. We hit them hard, and it was a total obliteration. They were the bully of the Middle East. Theyre not the bully of the Middle East anymore," he added. These statements by Donald Trump came shortly after Mr. Khamenei's account on the X social network published a series of hostile messages addressed to Donald Trump, holding the US President responsible for the deadly violence and unrest in Iran. Though the B-2s are over three decades old, the bombers remain the most dominant and powerful bombers in the world, thanks to its modern specifications. A B-2 employs a 1,000-fold faster computer processor, sensors able to alert crews of the location of enemy air defenses, a vastly expanded arsenal, digital cockpit upgrades and reconfigured weapons interfaces and fire control. The rescue workers are struggling to locate people after the devastating landslide hit the campsite at Mount Maunganui on the northern coast of New Zealand. Hundreds of people, including children, were at the campsite when the landslide occurred on early Thursday. Emergency minister Mark Mitchell equated the site to a "war zone", adding that the helicopters were deployed to rescue families sheltering on rooftops from flooding. Multiple people, including children, missing in New Zealand holiday park landslip A hillside has given way at a campsite in Mount Maunganui following rare "threat to life" weather warnings. The precise number has not been shared, though police say it is in the "single figures". pic.twitter.com/5qlrBCoRKw Alma Gentil (@Chinoy200096633) January 22, 2026 Sniffer dogs are also on the scene to locate people trapped. Footage from Mount Maunganui revealed overturned camper vans and upturned trees. Eyewitness video from New Zealand shows the aftermath of a powerful landslide that damaged homes, roads, and infrastructure as emergency crews search for possible victims and assess the risk of further slides after heavy rain. #NewZealand #Landslide #EyewitnessVideo pic.twitter.com/HI8BdY06eA APT News (@APT__News) January 22, 2026 Alister McHardy, a fisherman, recalled the horrifying incident, saying that he heard the "rolling thunder and cracking of trees", before seeing the "whole hillside give way," he told NZ Herald. People were screaming and running, he added. "I saw people getting trapped," said McHardy. Mount Maunganui is a popular tourist spot. Located at the edge of Tauranga in the Bay of Plenty, it offers a blend of natural beauty, outdoor adventure, and a sophisticated boutique vibe. Sonny Worrall, an Australian man, narrowly escaped the landslide while swimming in a nearby pool. As Im swimming, I heard this huge landslide behind me, trees cracking, and there was a caravan that almost hit me. I had to dive into the next pool, he told news outlet Stuff. It was the scariest thing Ive ever felt in my life, he said. Several pieces of footage circulated on social media showing flooded houses, farmland and community centres. New Zealand Prime Minister Christopher Luxon urged residents in affected areas to heed local authorities' safety advice during the extreme conditions. "Extreme weather continues to cause dangerous conditions across the North Island. Right now, the government is doing everything we can to support those impacted," Luxon posted on social media. In a dramatic shift following days of escalating geopolitical tension, President Donald Trump has backtracked from his threats of economic warfare and military coercion against European allies regarding the acquisition of Greenland. It came after a high-stakes meeting on Wednesday with NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte in Davos, Switzerland, resulting in a vague "framework" for Arctic security that allowed Trump to cancel imminent punitive tariffs while claiming a diplomatic victory. The de-escalation centred on a meeting between Trump and Rutte, after which the US president announced on Truth Social that they had reached a framework of a future deal concerning Greenland and the broader Arctic region. Calling the potential agreement a great one for the US and all NATO nations, Trump used this diplomatic opening to withdraw the threat of tariffs that had rattled global markets and strained the transatlantic alliance. We probably wont get anything unless I decide to use excessive strength and force, where we would be, frankly, unstoppable, said Trump. But I wont do that. Thats probably the biggest statement, because people thought I would use force. I dont have to use force. I dont want to use force. I wont use force. All the United States is asking for is a place called Greenland. "Based upon a very productive meeting that I have had with the Secretary General of NATO, Mark Rutte, we have formed the framework of a future deal with respect to Greenland and, in fact, the entire Arctic Region. This solution, if consummated, will be a great one for the United pic.twitter.com/24b99begbb The White House (@WhiteHouse) January 21, 2026 While details remain sparse, interpretations of this framework diverge sharply between Washington and Brussels. Trump described the arrangement as a concept of a deal that would last forever. He suggested it could involve American access to Greenlands mineral rights and the integration of the territory into the Golden Dome missile defence programme, a proposed $175 billion multi-layered system intended to place US weapons in space. NATO officials offered a more limited definition, focused on ensuring Arctic security through the collective efforts of Allies. A spokesperson for Rutte emphasised that negotiations would proceed between Denmark, Greenland and the US, with the specific aim of preventing Russia and China from gaining an economic or military foothold in the region. A crucial newly emerged detail regarding the negotiations suggests a potential compromise on sovereignty. While Trump has insisted on ownership and Danish officials have rejected selling the island, sources indicate that military officers from NATO member states discussed a model based on the UKs presence in Cyprus. Under such an arrangement, the US would not acquire the entire island but could be granted sovereignty over small pockets of land designated for military bases, similar to the British Sovereign Base Areas in Cyprus. This would technically satisfy Trumps demand for sovereignty without requiring Denmark to cede the entire territory. However, the political viability of such a proposal remains uncertain. A spokesperson for Rutte said the secretary general did not propose any compromise to sovereignty during his talks with Trump. The most immediate impact of this diplomatic move was the cancellation of economic sanctions. Trump had vowed to impose a 10 per cent tariff on imports from eight countriesDenmark, the UK, Norway, Sweden, France, Germany, the Netherlands and Finlandstarting on February 1. He had further threatened to escalate these levies to 25 per cent by June if his demands for negotiations were not met. The cancellation brought immediate relief to financial markets, with US stocks recovering from a sharp plunge to hit record highs following the announcement. Simultaneously, Trump provided the clearest indication yet that he would not pursue a military takeover of the island. This was welcomed by European leaders, including Danish Foreign Minister Lars Lkke Rasmussen, who said it was positive that Trump had ruled out taking Greenland by force. #WATCH | Davos, Switzerland: Addressing the World Economic Forum, US President Donald Trump says, "All we're asking for is to get Greenland including right title and ownership because you need the ownership to defend it. You can't defend it on a lease. Number one, legally, it's pic.twitter.com/N7PyFtHQ61 ANI (@ANI) January 21, 2026 Despite the de-escalation, Trumps address in Davos revealed the depth of his resentment towards American allies. In a winding and antagonistic speech, he complained relentlessly that the US was being exploited by Europe. He mistook Greenland for Iceland four times during his remarks, yet insisted that the enormous unsecured island was effectively part of North America and therefore our territory. Trump framed his demand for Greenland as a debt owed to the US for its role in World War II. He castigated Denmark as ungrateful, arguing that the US saved the country after it fell to Germany after just six hours of fighting, and lamented that the US had given it back after the war. The speech was replete with insults directed at other leaders. Trump mocked French President Emmanuel Macron for wearing aviator sunglasses indoors because of an eye condition, asking the crowd, What the hell happened? He also issued an ominous warning to Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney, saying, Canada lives because of the US. Remember that, Mark, the next time you make your statements. While the immediate crisis over tariffs has been averted, the underlying tensions remain. Trumps aggressive pursuit of the territory prompted the European Parliament to suspend the ratification of a critical trade deal with the US just hours before his reversal, signalling a stiffening of European resolve. Moreover, the people of Greenland remain deeply sceptical. The local government went so far as to issue a handbook urging citizens to stock up on emergency supplies for five days, prompting residents in Nuuk to buy candles and food in preparation for a potential crisis. Aaja Chemnitz, a Greenlandic member of the Danish parliament, dismissed Trumps claims of a deal as completely absurd, asserting that NATO has absolutely no mandate to negotiate anything whatsoever without us in Greenland and reiterating the principle of nothing about us, without us. DiamondRock Hospitality Company (NYSE:DRH Get Free Report) shares hit a new 52-week high during trading on Wednesday . The stock traded as high as $9.56 and last traded at $9.6470, with a volume of 2473819 shares changing hands. The stock had previously closed at $9.18. Wall Street Analyst Weigh In Several brokerages have recently weighed in on DRH. Barclays began coverage on DiamondRock Hospitality in a research note on Tuesday, January 6th. They set an equal weight rating and a $10.00 target price for the company. Wells Fargo & Company upped their price objective on shares of DiamondRock Hospitality from $9.00 to $10.00 and gave the stock an equal weight rating in a research report on Monday, December 1st. Morgan Stanley dropped their target price on shares of DiamondRock Hospitality from $9.00 to $8.50 and set an equal weight rating on the stock in a research report on Wednesday, October 22nd. Truist Financial raised shares of DiamondRock Hospitality from a hold rating to a buy rating and boosted their target price for the stock from $10.00 to $11.00 in a research note on Friday, January 9th. Finally, Weiss Ratings restated a hold (c) rating on shares of DiamondRock Hospitality in a research report on Wednesday, October 8th. Three investment analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating and six have issued a Hold rating to the stock. According to MarketBeat.com, the stock presently has a consensus rating of Hold and a consensus target price of $9.91. Get DiamondRock Hospitality alerts: Get Our Latest Analysis on DiamondRock Hospitality DiamondRock Hospitality Stock Up 3.5% The stock has a market capitalization of $1.94 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 38.00, a PEG ratio of 4.50 and a beta of 1.03. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.70, a current ratio of 1.64 and a quick ratio of 1.64. The business has a fifty day moving average of $9.07 and a 200 day moving average of $8.42. DiamondRock Hospitality (NYSE:DRH Get Free Report) last issued its quarterly earnings data on Thursday, November 6th. The real estate investment trust reported $0.29 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, topping analysts consensus estimates of $0.25 by $0.04. DiamondRock Hospitality had a return on equity of 4.04% and a net margin of 5.69%.The firm had revenue of $285.38 million during the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $277.45 million. During the same period last year, the company earned $0.27 EPS. The companys quarterly revenue was up .1% on a year-over-year basis. DiamondRock Hospitality has set its FY 2025 guidance at 1.020-1.06 EPS. As a group, equities analysts predict that DiamondRock Hospitality Company will post 0.96 earnings per share for the current year. DiamondRock Hospitality Announces Dividend The business also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Wednesday, January 14th. Investors of record on Wednesday, December 31st were given a dividend of $0.08 per share. The ex-dividend date of this dividend was Wednesday, December 31st. This represents a $0.32 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 3.4%. DiamondRock Hospitalitys dividend payout ratio (DPR) is presently 128.00%. Institutional Trading of DiamondRock Hospitality A number of institutional investors and hedge funds have recently added to or reduced their stakes in the company. State Street Corp lifted its stake in DiamondRock Hospitality by 0.8% during the second quarter. State Street Corp now owns 12,587,578 shares of the real estate investment trusts stock worth $97,400,000 after purchasing an additional 93,929 shares in the last quarter. Bank of America Corp DE increased its holdings in DiamondRock Hospitality by 17.5% during the 2nd quarter. Bank of America Corp DE now owns 9,231,991 shares of the real estate investment trusts stock worth $70,717,000 after purchasing an additional 1,377,897 shares during the period. Alyeska Investment Group L.P. raised its position in DiamondRock Hospitality by 5.5% in the 3rd quarter. Alyeska Investment Group L.P. now owns 9,152,343 shares of the real estate investment trusts stock valued at $72,853,000 after purchasing an additional 475,611 shares in the last quarter. Pzena Investment Management LLC boosted its stake in shares of DiamondRock Hospitality by 2.1% in the 2nd quarter. Pzena Investment Management LLC now owns 8,785,278 shares of the real estate investment trusts stock valued at $67,295,000 after buying an additional 181,610 shares during the period. Finally, Centersquare Investment Management LLC grew its position in shares of DiamondRock Hospitality by 6.0% during the third quarter. Centersquare Investment Management LLC now owns 7,536,975 shares of the real estate investment trusts stock worth $59,994,000 after buying an additional 427,467 shares in the last quarter. DiamondRock Hospitality Company Profile (Get Free Report) DiamondRock Hospitality Company is a real estate investment trust (REIT) that acquires, owns and manages a diversified portfolio of upscale, full-service hotels in urban gateway markets across the United States. Established in 2004 and headquartered in Bethesda, Maryland, the company focuses on investing in high-quality lodging properties that cater to both business and leisure travelers. Its assets are positioned in key metropolitan areas, enabling DiamondRock to benefit from strong demand drivers such as corporate travel, group conventions and resort leisure stays. The companys portfolio includes full-service hotels offering a broad range of amenities, including guest rooms, on-site food and beverage outlets, meeting and event space, fitness centers and spa services. See Also Receive News & Ratings for DiamondRock Hospitality Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for DiamondRock Hospitality and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Shares of iShares Russell Mid-Cap Value ETF (NYSEARCA:IWS Get Free Report) hit a new 52-week high during mid-day trading on Wednesday . The company traded as high as $149.33 and last traded at $148.8640, with a volume of 362848 shares traded. The stock had previously closed at $146.23. iShares Russell Mid-Cap Value ETF Stock Up 1.8% The firm has a market capitalization of $14.96 billion, a PE ratio of 19.11 and a beta of 1.02. The company has a 50-day moving average of $142.17 and a 200 day moving average of $139.15. Get iShares Russell Mid-Cap Value ETF alerts: Institutional Inflows and Outflows Several institutional investors have recently modified their holdings of the stock. Bank of America Corp DE lifted its position in iShares Russell Mid-Cap Value ETF by 0.4% during the second quarter. Bank of America Corp DE now owns 3,759,738 shares of the companys stock valued at $496,812,000 after purchasing an additional 16,361 shares during the last quarter. TIAA Trust National Association increased its holdings in shares of iShares Russell Mid-Cap Value ETF by 1.0% in the 3rd quarter. TIAA Trust National Association now owns 3,427,479 shares of the companys stock worth $478,709,000 after buying an additional 34,466 shares during the last quarter. Envestnet Portfolio Solutions Inc. raised its position in shares of iShares Russell Mid-Cap Value ETF by 1.7% during the 3rd quarter. Envestnet Portfolio Solutions Inc. now owns 2,823,287 shares of the companys stock valued at $394,329,000 after buying an additional 48,211 shares in the last quarter. First Citizens Bank & Trust Co. raised its position in shares of iShares Russell Mid-Cap Value ETF by 3.1% during the 3rd quarter. First Citizens Bank & Trust Co. now owns 2,698,999 shares of the companys stock valued at $376,969,000 after buying an additional 80,032 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Ameriprise Financial Inc. lifted its holdings in shares of iShares Russell Mid-Cap Value ETF by 3.4% during the 2nd quarter. Ameriprise Financial Inc. now owns 1,128,123 shares of the companys stock worth $149,477,000 after acquiring an additional 36,938 shares during the last quarter. 80.17% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors. iShares Russell Mid-Cap Value ETF Company Profile iShares Russell Mid-Cap Value ETF (the Fund), formerly iShares Russell Midcap Value Index Fund, is an exchange-traded fund (ETF). The Fund seeks investment results that correspond generally to the price and yield performance of the Russell Midcap Value Index (the Value Index). The Value Index measures the performance of the mid-capitalization value sector of the United States equity market. The Value Index is a subset of the Russell Midcap Index and measures the performance of equity securities issued by those Russell Midcap Index companies with relatively lower price-to-book ratios and lower forecasted growth. Featured Stories Receive News & Ratings for iShares Russell Mid-Cap Value ETF Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for iShares Russell Mid-Cap Value ETF and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Archer Aviation Inc. (NYSE:ACHR Get Free Report)s stock price traded down 2.1% during trading on Wednesday . The company traded as low as $8.11 and last traded at $8.47. 49,751,132 shares traded hands during mid-day trading, a decline of 0% from the average session volume of 49,810,098 shares. The stock had previously closed at $8.65. Wall Street Analyst Weigh In A number of equities analysts recently issued reports on the company. The Goldman Sachs Group assumed coverage on Archer Aviation in a report on Monday, December 1st. They set a neutral rating and a $11.00 price target on the stock. Cantor Fitzgerald reaffirmed an overweight rating on shares of Archer Aviation in a research note on Monday, November 24th. Canaccord Genuity Group lifted their price objective on Archer Aviation from $12.00 to $13.00 and gave the stock a buy rating in a report on Friday, November 21st. JPMorgan Chase & Co. cut their price objective on Archer Aviation from $10.00 to $8.00 and set a neutral rating for the company in a research report on Friday, November 7th. Finally, Needham & Company LLC restated a buy rating and issued a $10.00 target price on shares of Archer Aviation in a report on Wednesday, January 14th. Six analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating, two have assigned a Hold rating and one has assigned a Sell rating to the stock. According to data from MarketBeat, Archer Aviation has a consensus rating of Moderate Buy and a consensus target price of $12.14. Get Archer Aviation alerts: Read Our Latest Analysis on Archer Aviation Archer Aviation Trading Down 2.1% The firm has a fifty day moving average of $8.11 and a 200-day moving average of $9.51. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.05, a quick ratio of 18.19 and a current ratio of 18.19. The stock has a market capitalization of $5.52 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of -6.72 and a beta of 3.10. Archer Aviation (NYSE:ACHR Get Free Report) last issued its quarterly earnings data on Thursday, November 6th. The company reported ($0.20) earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, meeting the consensus estimate of ($0.20). As a group, equities analysts predict that Archer Aviation Inc. will post -1.32 earnings per share for the current fiscal year. Insiders Place Their Bets In other news, CTO Thomas Paul Muniz sold 125,000 shares of the stock in a transaction dated Friday, January 2nd. The shares were sold at an average price of $8.00, for a total transaction of $1,000,000.00. Following the transaction, the chief technology officer owned 1,272,129 shares of the companys stock, valued at approximately $10,177,032. This trade represents a 8.95% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The sale was disclosed in a document filed with the SEC, which is accessible through this hyperlink. Also, CFO Priya Gupta sold 5,479 shares of the businesss stock in a transaction dated Monday, November 17th. The shares were sold at an average price of $7.49, for a total value of $41,037.71. Following the completion of the sale, the chief financial officer directly owned 161,523 shares of the companys stock, valued at approximately $1,209,807.27. This represents a 3.28% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The SEC filing for this sale provides additional information. Over the last three months, insiders sold 307,635 shares of company stock worth $2,367,936. Company insiders own 7.65% of the companys stock. Hedge Funds Weigh In On Archer Aviation Several institutional investors have recently made changes to their positions in ACHR. AlphaQuest LLC lifted its position in Archer Aviation by 1,181.6% in the 2nd quarter. AlphaQuest LLC now owns 2,576 shares of the companys stock valued at $28,000 after purchasing an additional 2,375 shares during the last quarter. GAMMA Investing LLC grew its position in Archer Aviation by 219.5% during the second quarter. GAMMA Investing LLC now owns 2,946 shares of the companys stock valued at $32,000 after purchasing an additional 2,024 shares in the last quarter. Johnson Investment Counsel Inc. acquired a new position in Archer Aviation in the third quarter worth approximately $29,000. Bank of Jackson Hole Trust boosted its stake in shares of Archer Aviation by 45.9% during the 3rd quarter. Bank of Jackson Hole Trust now owns 3,136 shares of the companys stock worth $30,000 after acquiring an additional 986 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Geneos Wealth Management Inc. boosted its position in shares of Archer Aviation by 105.3% in the second quarter. Geneos Wealth Management Inc. now owns 3,318 shares of the companys stock valued at $36,000 after acquiring an additional 1,702 shares during the period. 59.34% of the stock is owned by institutional investors. About Archer Aviation (Get Free Report) Archer Aviation, Inc (NYSE: ACHR) is a California-based aerospace company developing electric vertical takeoff and landing (eVTOL) aircraft designed to serve as sustainable urban air mobility solutions. Founded in 2018 by Adam Goldstein and Brett Adcock, Archer focuses on the design, development and certification of zero-emissions air taxis aimed at reducing traffic congestion in densely populated metropolitan areas. The companys flagship prototypes, Maker and Midnight, have been engineered to deliver quiet, efficient short-haul flights with ranges of up to 100 miles per charge. Headquartered in Palo Alto, California, Archer operates a manufacturing facility in nearby Santa Cruz County and maintains research partnerships with automotive and energy companies, including a collaboration with Stellantis to integrate advanced battery systems. Recommended Stories Receive News & Ratings for Archer Aviation Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Archer Aviation and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Fastly, Inc. (NYSE:FSLY Get Free Report) CTO Artur Bergman sold 20,000 shares of the stock in a transaction on Tuesday, January 20th. The shares were sold at an average price of $8.18, for a total value of $163,600.00. Following the completion of the sale, the chief technology officer owned 2,650,579 shares of the companys stock, valued at $21,681,736.22. The trade was a 0.75% decrease in their position. The transaction was disclosed in a filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available at the SEC website. Artur Bergman also recently made the following trade(s): Get Fastly alerts: On Monday, January 12th, Artur Bergman sold 20,000 shares of Fastly stock. The shares were sold at an average price of $9.35, for a total value of $187,000.00. On Monday, January 5th, Artur Bergman sold 40,000 shares of Fastly stock. The shares were sold at an average price of $10.27, for a total transaction of $410,800.00. On Monday, December 29th, Artur Bergman sold 40,000 shares of Fastly stock. The stock was sold at an average price of $10.23, for a total transaction of $409,200.00. On Monday, December 22nd, Artur Bergman sold 40,000 shares of Fastly stock. The stock was sold at an average price of $10.59, for a total value of $423,600.00. On Monday, December 15th, Artur Bergman sold 40,000 shares of Fastly stock. The shares were sold at an average price of $10.50, for a total transaction of $420,000.00. On Monday, December 15th, Artur Bergman sold 40,000 shares of Fastly stock. The shares were sold at an average price of $10.50, for a total transaction of $420,000.00. On Monday, December 8th, Artur Bergman sold 40,000 shares of Fastly stock. The shares were sold at an average price of $10.66, for a total value of $426,400.00. On Tuesday, December 2nd, Artur Bergman sold 3,222 shares of Fastly stock. The shares were sold at an average price of $12.51, for a total value of $40,307.22. On Monday, December 1st, Artur Bergman sold 41,080 shares of Fastly stock. The stock was sold at an average price of $11.51, for a total transaction of $472,830.80. On Friday, November 28th, Artur Bergman sold 849 shares of Fastly stock. The stock was sold at an average price of $11.82, for a total transaction of $10,035.18. Fastly Stock Performance Shares of NYSE FSLY traded up $0.14 during trading hours on Wednesday, hitting $8.92. 2,134,055 shares of the companys stock were exchanged, compared to its average volume of 3,231,004. The companys 50-day moving average price is $10.50 and its 200-day moving average price is $8.79. Fastly, Inc. has a 1-year low of $4.65 and a 1-year high of $12.59. The stock has a market capitalization of $1.33 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of -9.29 and a beta of 0.98. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.16, a current ratio of 1.46 and a quick ratio of 1.46. Analyst Ratings Changes Fastly ( NYSE:FSLY Get Free Report ) last issued its quarterly earnings results on Wednesday, November 5th. The company reported $0.07 earnings per share for the quarter, beating analysts consensus estimates of $0.01 by $0.06. Fastly had a negative net margin of 23.49% and a negative return on equity of 12.02%. The firm had revenue of $158.22 million during the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $151.04 million. During the same period in the prior year, the firm earned $0.02 EPS. The businesss revenue was up 15.3% on a year-over-year basis. Fastly has set its Q4 2025 guidance at 0.040-0.080 EPS and its FY 2025 guidance at 0.030-0.070 EPS. On average, sell-side analysts expect that Fastly, Inc. will post -0.78 earnings per share for the current fiscal year. Several research analysts have issued reports on the company. Piper Sandler increased their price objective on Fastly from $10.00 to $11.00 and gave the stock a neutral rating in a research note on Monday, January 5th. Citigroup lowered their target price on shares of Fastly from $12.00 to $10.00 and set a neutral rating on the stock in a report on Friday, January 16th. Weiss Ratings reissued a sell (d-) rating on shares of Fastly in a report on Wednesday, October 8th. Wall Street Zen upgraded shares of Fastly from a hold rating to a buy rating in a research report on Saturday, November 15th. Finally, Royal Bank Of Canada raised their price objective on shares of Fastly from $9.00 to $10.00 and gave the stock a sector perform rating in a report on Monday, January 5th. Two equities research analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating, six have given a Hold rating and one has assigned a Sell rating to the company. According to data from MarketBeat.com, the company has a consensus rating of Hold and a consensus price target of $10.64. View Our Latest Stock Report on FSLY Institutional Investors Weigh In On Fastly A number of institutional investors and hedge funds have recently modified their holdings of the business. Byrne Asset Management LLC acquired a new position in shares of Fastly in the 3rd quarter valued at $43,000. Quarry LP bought a new stake in Fastly in the third quarter valued at about $49,000. Geneos Wealth Management Inc. acquired a new position in Fastly in the first quarter valued at about $52,000. Pilgrim Partners Asia Pte Ltd bought a new position in Fastly during the third quarter worth about $56,000. Finally, State of Alaska Department of Revenue bought a new position in Fastly during the third quarter worth about $57,000. 79.71% of the stock is owned by institutional investors. About Fastly (Get Free Report) Fastly, Inc operates an edge cloud platform designed to accelerate, secure and enable modern digital experiences. The company offers a suite of services including a content delivery network (CDN), edge compute, load balancing, web application firewall (WAF) and DDoS protection. Fastlys real-time architecture allows customers to seamlessly deploy software logic at the network edge, reducing latency by bringing applications and content closer to end users. Founded in 2011 by Artur Bergman, Fastly has evolved from a pure-play CDN provider into a comprehensive edge cloud platform. Featured Articles Receive News & Ratings for Fastly Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Fastly and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. TELUS Co. (TSE:T Get Free Report) (NYSE:TU) passed below its two hundred day moving average during trading on Monday . The stock has a two hundred day moving average of C$20.71 and traded as low as C$18.78. TELUS shares last traded at C$18.78, with a volume of 3,804,794 shares traded. TELUS News Roundup Here are the key news stories impacting TELUS this week: Get TELUS alerts: Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades Several equities analysts recently issued reports on T shares. Desjardins set a C$23.00 price target on TELUS and gave the company a buy rating in a research note on Monday, January 12th. Scotiabank decreased their price objective on TELUS from C$22.50 to C$22.00 and set an outperform rating on the stock in a report on Tuesday. Morgan Stanley cut their target price on TELUS from C$25.00 to C$20.00 in a research note on Wednesday, December 10th. TD Securities reduced their target price on TELUS from C$26.00 to C$25.00 and set a buy rating for the company in a research report on Monday, December 15th. Finally, JPMorgan Chase & Co. downgraded shares of TELUS from a neutral rating to an underweight rating and decreased their price target for the stock from C$22.00 to C$19.00 in a research note on Tuesday, November 18th. One equities research analyst has rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, six have given a Buy rating, three have assigned a Hold rating and one has given a Sell rating to the companys stock. Based on data from MarketBeat, the stock has an average rating of Moderate Buy and an average target price of C$21.79. TELUS Stock Performance The company has a current ratio of 0.69, a quick ratio of 0.52 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 183.41. The company has a 50 day moving average price of C$18.37 and a 200-day moving average price of C$20.69. The company has a market cap of C$28.69 billion, a P/E ratio of 23.72, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 1.65 and a beta of 0.85. TELUS (TSE:T Get Free Report) (NYSE:TU) last posted its earnings results on Friday, November 7th. The company reported C$0.24 EPS for the quarter. The firm had revenue of C$5.07 billion during the quarter. TELUS had a net margin of 4.62% and a return on equity of 5.80%. On average, equities analysts expect that TELUS Co. will post 1.2267985 earnings per share for the current fiscal year. About TELUS (Get Free Report) Telus is one of the Big Three wireless service providers in Canada, with its 9 million mobile phone subscribers nationwide constituting about 30% of the total market. It is the incumbent local exchange carrier in the western Canadian provinces of British Columbia and Alberta, where it provides internet, television, and landline phone services. It also has a small wireline presence in eastern Quebec. In recent years Telus has moved to bring fiber to the home over most of its wireline footprint as it upgrades its legacy copper network, leaving it able to compete on more equal footing with cable providers. Featured Stories Receive News & Ratings for TELUS Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for TELUS and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Masdar and Octopus Energy have entered into two agreements to collaborate on clean energy systems in the UK and Africa. The companies signed the memorandums of understanding (MoUs) during Abu Dhabi Sustainability Week, focusing on both unlocking unused capacity in the UKs electricity distribution network and developing clean energy solutions for commercial and industrial users in Africa. In the UK, Masdar and Octopus Energy aim to address constraints within the current grid system, which has delayed connections for renewable projects due to high demand, particularly from data centres. By pinpointing available capacity in distribution networks, the partnership plans to implement local energy systems that incorporate solar power, battery storage and flexible grid connections. This approach is intended to provide data centres with faster access to power, bypassing extended waiting periods for traditional grid upgrades. Octopus will utilise its Kraken technology to optimise energy supply by managing on-site generation, battery storage and grid usage. The system will support continuous operation of data centres while adjusting consumption based on cost fluctuations. In Africa, Masdar and Octopus have agreed to expand clean energy infrastructure by building distributed grids powered by solar and wind resources. The collaboration initially targets South Africa, with potential expansion into other African nations. These projects are designed to deliver electricity directly to businesses and homes while fostering economic development through improved industrial productivity. Octopus Energy founder and CEO Greg Jackson said: This is about delivering projects that make energy cheaper, cleaner, and unlock real opportunities for businesses and industry. Masdar's involvement also aligns with its Power Africa Initiative, part of a broader campaign seeking $450m in investment for various clean energy solutions across the continent. In 2023, Masdar reached an agreement to adopt Octopus Kraken platform for flexible management of its battery portfolio in the UK. "Masdar and Octopus Energy sign agreements on UK and Africa clean power" was originally created and published by Investment Monitor, a GlobalData owned brand. International Consolidated Airlines Group S.A. (LON:IAG Get Free Report)s stock price crossed above its 200-day moving average during trading on Monday . The stock has a 200-day moving average of GBX 393.46 and traded as high as GBX 416.10. International Consolidated Airlines Group shares last traded at GBX 410.50, with a volume of 11,397,527 shares. Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades IAG has been the topic of several research reports. Royal Bank Of Canada restated an outperform rating and issued a GBX 500 price target on shares of International Consolidated Airlines Group in a report on Monday, November 10th. Citigroup raised their target price on shares of International Consolidated Airlines Group from GBX 620 to GBX 630 and gave the company a buy rating in a research note on Monday, November 10th. Deutsche Bank Aktiengesellschaft lifted their target price on shares of International Consolidated Airlines Group from GBX 475 to GBX 500 and gave the company a buy rating in a report on Monday, November 17th. Finally, Peel Hunt reiterated a buy rating and issued a GBX 450 price target on shares of International Consolidated Airlines Group in a report on Friday, November 7th. Six analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating and one has assigned a Sell rating to the company. Based on data from MarketBeat, the stock has an average rating of Moderate Buy and a consensus price target of GBX 455. Get International Consolidated Airlines Group alerts: View Our Latest Research Report on International Consolidated Airlines Group International Consolidated Airlines Group Price Performance About International Consolidated Airlines Group The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 338.12, a quick ratio of 0.63 and a current ratio of 0.70. The stock has a market cap of 19.20 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 6.53, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 0.21 and a beta of 2.31. The businesss fifty day simple moving average is GBX 405.10 and its 200 day simple moving average is GBX 394.09. (Get Free Report) International Consolidated Airlines Group SA, together with its subsidiaries, engages in the provision of passenger and cargo transportation services in the United Kingdom, Spain, the United States, and rest of the world. It also provides aircraft leasing, aircraft maintenance, tour operation, air freight operations, call centre, ground handling, trustee, retail, IT, finance, procurement, storage and custody, aircraft technical assistance, human resources support, and airport infrastructure development services; and manages airline loyalty programmes. Featured Articles Receive News & Ratings for International Consolidated Airlines Group Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for International Consolidated Airlines Group and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. PIMCO California Municipal Income Fund (NYSE:PCQ Get Free Report) shares crossed above its fifty day moving average during trading on Monday . The stock has a fifty day moving average of $8.79 and traded as high as $8.95. PIMCO California Municipal Income Fund shares last traded at $8.9050, with a volume of 87,115 shares. PIMCO California Municipal Income Fund Price Performance The firm has a fifty day moving average of $8.79 and a 200 day moving average of $8.65. Get PIMCO California Municipal Income Fund alerts: PIMCO California Municipal Income Fund Announces Dividend The company also recently disclosed a monthly dividend, which will be paid on Monday, February 2nd. Investors of record on Tuesday, January 13th will be issued a $0.036 dividend. This represents a c) annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 4.9%. The ex-dividend date is Tuesday, January 13th. Hedge Funds Weigh In On PIMCO California Municipal Income Fund PIMCO California Municipal Income Fund Company Profile A number of institutional investors and hedge funds have recently made changes to their positions in PCQ. Farther Finance Advisors LLC grew its stake in shares of PIMCO California Municipal Income Fund by 179.5% during the third quarter. Farther Finance Advisors LLC now owns 3,114 shares of the investment management companys stock worth $27,000 after purchasing an additional 2,000 shares in the last quarter. Golden State Wealth Management LLC acquired a new position in shares of PIMCO California Municipal Income Fund during the 3rd quarter worth about $27,000. Tortoise Investment Management LLC acquired a new position in shares of PIMCO California Municipal Income Fund during the 3rd quarter worth about $55,000. Baird Financial Group Inc. purchased a new position in shares of PIMCO California Municipal Income Fund in the 2nd quarter valued at about $87,000. Finally, Permanent Capital Management LP purchased a new position in shares of PIMCO California Municipal Income Fund in the 3rd quarter valued at about $96,000. (Get Free Report) PIMCO California Municipal Income Fund (NYSE: PCQ) is a closed-end management investment company that seeks to provide high current income exempt from federal and California state income taxes. The fund primarily invests in a diversified portfolio of municipal securities issued by entities within the State of California, with an emphasis on credit quality and income generation. Its strategy is designed to appeal to investors seeking tax-advantaged yields alongside professional portfolio management. The fund generally allocates at least 80% of its total assets to municipal securities that are of investment grade or higher, covering a broad spectrum of sectors such as transportation, utilities, education, health care and local government obligations. See Also Receive News & Ratings for PIMCO California Municipal Income Fund Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for PIMCO California Municipal Income Fund and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Travelers Companies (NYSE:TRV Get Free Report) declared that its Board of Directors has initiated a share repurchase plan on Wednesday, January 21st, RTT News reports. The company plans to buyback $5.00 billion in outstanding shares. This buyback authorization allows the insurance provider to purchase up to 8.3% of its shares through open market purchases. Shares buyback plans are typically an indication that the companys board of directors believes its stock is undervalued. Travelers Companies Stock Up 1.1% NYSE:TRV traded up $3.09 on Wednesday, hitting $272.70. The stock had a trading volume of 2,571,683 shares, compared to its average volume of 1,228,905. The businesss fifty day moving average is $285.55 and its 200 day moving average is $275.49. Travelers Companies has a 52 week low of $230.43 and a 52 week high of $296.85. The company has a quick ratio of 0.35, a current ratio of 0.35 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.29. The company has a market cap of $60.83 billion, a PE ratio of 10.72, a P/E/G ratio of 2.57 and a beta of 0.52. Get Travelers Companies alerts: Travelers Companies (NYSE:TRV Get Free Report) last announced its quarterly earnings data on Wednesday, January 21st. The insurance provider reported $11.13 EPS for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of $8.34 by $2.79. Travelers Companies had a net margin of 12.14% and a return on equity of 20.28%. The business had revenue of $12.43 billion for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $11.13 billion. During the same quarter in the previous year, the firm posted $9.15 earnings per share. The companys revenue for the quarter was up 3.5% on a year-over-year basis. On average, equities research analysts expect that Travelers Companies will post 17.02 EPS for the current fiscal year. Travelers Companies Announces Dividend Wall Street Analyst Weigh In The business also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Tuesday, March 31st. Shareholders of record on Tuesday, March 10th will be given a $1.10 dividend. The ex-dividend date is Tuesday, March 10th. This represents a $4.40 annualized dividend and a yield of 1.6%. Travelers Companiess payout ratio is presently 17.30%. Several equities analysts have recently weighed in on TRV shares. Wall Street Zen downgraded Travelers Companies from a buy rating to a hold rating in a research report on Sunday, October 19th. The Goldman Sachs Group downgraded shares of Travelers Companies from a buy rating to a neutral rating and set a $304.00 target price on the stock. in a research note on Wednesday, January 7th. JPMorgan Chase & Co. lifted their price target on shares of Travelers Companies from $302.00 to $305.00 and gave the stock an underweight rating in a research note on Wednesday, January 7th. Barclays reduced their price objective on shares of Travelers Companies from $315.00 to $312.00 and set an equal weight rating on the stock in a research report on Thursday, January 8th. Finally, Piper Sandler raised their price objective on shares of Travelers Companies from $320.00 to $322.00 and gave the stock an overweight rating in a research note on Friday, October 17th. One equities research analyst has rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, five have issued a Buy rating, thirteen have issued a Hold rating and one has given a Sell rating to the companys stock. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, the stock presently has an average rating of Hold and a consensus price target of $299.69. Get Our Latest Report on Travelers Companies Travelers Companies News Roundup Here are the key news stories impacting Travelers Companies this week: Insider Activity In related news, EVP Michael Frederick Klein sold 8,572 shares of the stock in a transaction dated Tuesday, October 28th. The shares were sold at an average price of $270.73, for a total value of $2,320,697.56. Following the completion of the transaction, the executive vice president directly owned 33,638 shares in the company, valued at $9,106,815.74. This trade represents a 20.31% decrease in their position. The sale was disclosed in a legal filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available through this hyperlink. Also, Vice Chairman William H. Heyman sold 1,803 shares of the companys stock in a transaction dated Thursday, November 13th. The stock was sold at an average price of $289.55, for a total transaction of $522,058.65. Following the completion of the transaction, the insider owned 255,086 shares in the company, valued at approximately $73,860,151.30. The trade was a 0.70% decrease in their position. The disclosure for this sale is available in the SEC filing. Over the last 90 days, insiders sold 46,295 shares of company stock worth $13,011,918. 1.46% of the stock is currently owned by corporate insiders. Travelers Companies Company Profile Get Free Report) The Travelers Companies, Inc (NYSE: TRV) is a leading provider of property and casualty insurance products and services. The company underwrites a broad range of commercial and personal insurance lines, offering coverage designed to protect individuals, small and midsize businesses, and large corporate clients against property loss, liability, and other operational risks. Travelers is known for combining underwriting, claims management and risk control services to help clients prevent losses and recover when incidents occur. On the commercial side, Travelers writes primary and specialty coverages including property, general liability, commercial auto, workers compensation, professional and management liability, surety and inland marine. Recommended Stories Receive News & Ratings for Travelers Companies Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Travelers Companies and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. iShares MSCI Peru and Global Exposure ETF (NYSEARCA:EPU Get Free Report) shares traded up 0.3% during mid-day trading on Wednesday . The company traded as high as $86.16 and last traded at $85.04. 158,721 shares were traded during mid-day trading, an increase of 47% from the average session volume of 107,686 shares. The stock had previously closed at $84.78. iShares MSCI Peru and Global Exposure ETF Price Performance The company has a market capitalization of $352.92 million, a P/E ratio of 12.17 and a beta of 0.76. The firms 50-day moving average is $70.59 and its 200-day moving average is $61.20. Get iShares MSCI Peru and Global Exposure ETF alerts: Institutional Investors Weigh In On iShares MSCI Peru and Global Exposure ETF Several hedge funds and other institutional investors have recently modified their holdings of EPU. Innealta Capital LLC bought a new position in iShares MSCI Peru and Global Exposure ETF in the 3rd quarter worth $355,000. City of London Investment Management Co. Ltd. purchased a new stake in iShares MSCI Peru and Global Exposure ETF in the second quarter worth about $680,000. Flow Traders U.S. LLC bought a new position in shares of iShares MSCI Peru and Global Exposure ETF in the second quarter worth about $857,000. Finally, Fifth Third Securities Inc. bought a new position in shares of iShares MSCI Peru and Global Exposure ETF in the second quarter worth about $1,408,000. About iShares MSCI Peru and Global Exposure ETF The iShares MSCI Peru ETF (EPU) is an exchange-traded fund that is based on the MSCI All Peru Capped index, a market-cap-weighted index of Peruvian firms. EPU was launched on Jun 19, 2009 and is managed by BlackRock. Further Reading Receive News & Ratings for iShares MSCI Peru and Global Exposure ETF Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for iShares MSCI Peru and Global Exposure ETF and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. The Western Investment Company of Canada Limited (CVE:WI Get Free Report)s stock price was down 2.4% during mid-day trading on Wednesday . The stock traded as low as C$0.80 and last traded at C$0.80. Approximately 57,113 shares changed hands during trading, an increase of 52% from the average daily volume of 37,564 shares. The stock had previously closed at C$0.82. Western Investment Company of Canada Stock Performance The firms 50 day moving average is C$0.66 and its 200 day moving average is C$0.63. The stock has a market cap of C$127.08 million, a P/E ratio of 29.01 and a beta of -0.96. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 58.77, a quick ratio of 0.07 and a current ratio of 2.23. About Western Investment Company of Canada (Get Free Report) The Western Investment Company of Canada Limited, is a private equity firm specializing in buyout and middle market investments. It seeks investments in retail and distribution, human services, agriculture and related services and special situations. The firm prefers to invest in USA and Canada with a focus in companies which are headquartered in Western Canada like Alberta, British Columbia, Manitoba and Saskatchewan. Through its subsidiaries, operates as an automotive glass service company in Canada. Read More Receive News & Ratings for Western Investment Company of Canada Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Western Investment Company of Canada and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Industria de Diseno Textil (OTCMKTS:IDEXY Get Free Report) and Deckers Outdoor (NYSE:DECK Get Free Report) are both large-cap retail/wholesale companies, but which is the better investment? We will compare the two businesses based on the strength of their profitability, valuation, dividends, institutional ownership, earnings, risk and analyst recommendations. Institutional & Insider Ownership 97.8% of Deckers Outdoor shares are owned by institutional investors. 0.4% of Deckers Outdoor shares are owned by insiders. Strong institutional ownership is an indication that hedge funds, large money managers and endowments believe a company is poised for long-term growth. Get Industria de Diseno Textil alerts: Volatility and Risk Industria de Diseno Textil has a beta of 0.96, suggesting that its share price is 4% less volatile than the S&P 500. Comparatively, Deckers Outdoor has a beta of 1.15, suggesting that its share price is 15% more volatile than the S&P 500. Profitability Net Margins Return on Equity Return on Assets Industria de Diseno Textil 15.40% 32.94% 17.22% Deckers Outdoor 19.47% 40.54% 26.95% Valuation and Earnings This table compares Industria de Diseno Textil and Deckers Outdoors net margins, return on equity and return on assets. This table compares Industria de Diseno Textil and Deckers Outdoors gross revenue, earnings per share (EPS) and valuation. Gross Revenue Price/Sales Ratio Net Income Earnings Per Share Price/Earnings Ratio Industria de Diseno Textil $41.81 billion 4.86 $6.32 billion $0.55 29.65 Deckers Outdoor $4.99 billion 2.98 $966.09 million $6.75 15.12 Industria de Diseno Textil has higher revenue and earnings than Deckers Outdoor. Deckers Outdoor is trading at a lower price-to-earnings ratio than Industria de Diseno Textil, indicating that it is currently the more affordable of the two stocks. Analyst Ratings This is a summary of current recommendations and price targets for Industria de Diseno Textil and Deckers Outdoor, as reported by MarketBeat.com. Sell Ratings Hold Ratings Buy Ratings Strong Buy Ratings Rating Score Industria de Diseno Textil 0 0 1 5 3.83 Deckers Outdoor 3 11 8 2 2.38 Deckers Outdoor has a consensus target price of $117.58, suggesting a potential upside of 15.24%. Given Deckers Outdoors higher probable upside, analysts plainly believe Deckers Outdoor is more favorable than Industria de Diseno Textil. Summary Deckers Outdoor beats Industria de Diseno Textil on 9 of the 15 factors compared between the two stocks. About Industria de Diseno Textil (Get Free Report) Industria de Diseno Textil, S.A. engages in the retail and online distribution of clothing, footwear, accessories, and household products. The company sells its products under the Zara, Pull & Bear, Massimo Dutti, Bershka, Stradivarius, Oysho, and Zara Home brands. It is also involved in the textile manufacturing, logistics, design, insurance, construction, and real estate businesses, as well as provides financial services. The company operates in Spain, rest of Europe, the Americas, Asia, and internationally. Industria de Diseno Textil, S.A. was founded in 1963 and is headquartered in A Coruna, Spain. About Deckers Outdoor (Get Free Report) Deckers Outdoor Corporation, together with its subsidiaries, designs, markets, and distributes footwear, apparel, and accessories for casual lifestyle use and high-performance activities in the United States and internationally. The company offers premium footwear, apparel, and accessories under the UGG brand name; footwear, apparel, and accessories for ultra-runners and athletes under the HOKA brand name; and sandals, shoes, and boots under the Teva brand name. It also provides relaxed casual shoes and sandals under the Sanuk brand name; casual footwear fashion line under the Koolaburra brand name; and footwear under the AHNU brand name. The company sells its products through domestic and international retailers; international distributors; and directly to its consumers through its direct-to-consumer business, which includes e-commerce websites and retail stores. Deckers Outdoor Corporation was founded in 1973 and is headquartered in Goleta, California. Receive News & Ratings for Industria de Diseno Textil Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Industria de Diseno Textil and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Atico Mining Co. (OTCMKTS:ATCMF Get Free Report) shares traded down 0.7% on Wednesday . The company traded as low as $0.1890 and last traded at $0.2016. 123,550 shares traded hands during mid-day trading, a decline of 4% from the average session volume of 128,150 shares. The stock had previously closed at $0.2030. Atico Mining Price Performance The companys 50 day simple moving average is $0.16 and its two-hundred day simple moving average is $0.14. Get Atico Mining alerts: About Atico Mining (Get Free Report) Atico Mining Corp. (OTCMKTS: ATCMF) is a Canadian?based mineral exploration and development company focused on advancing copper and copper?silver assets in Peru. The companys principal activities include the acquisition, exploration, and operation of base?metal properties, with an emphasis on near?term production potential. Atico has leveraged a strategy of selective asset purchases and disciplined project management to move resource?stage deposits toward commercial extraction. Aticos core portfolio is concentrated in the Marcona mineral district of southern Peru, where it holds interests in several copper?silver projects. Featured Stories Receive News & Ratings for Atico Mining Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Atico Mining and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Intermediate Capital Group plc (OTCMKTS:ICGUF Get Free Report) shares were up 5.2% during trading on Wednesday . The company traded as high as $27.72 and last traded at $27.72. Approximately 100 shares traded hands during mid-day trading, a decline of 25% from the average daily volume of 133 shares. The stock had previously closed at $26.35. Intermediate Capital Group Stock Performance The firms 50 day moving average price is $26.73 and its two-hundred day moving average price is $27.23. Get Intermediate Capital Group alerts: Intermediate Capital Group Company Profile (Get Free Report) Intermediate Capital Group plc (OTCMKTS:ICGUF) is a specialist asset manager providing flexible private capital solutions to support companies and fund managers globally. Founded in 1989 and headquartered in London, the firm offers a diversified range of investment strategies spanning private debt, credit, real estate, infrastructure and private equity. Through tailored financing structures, ICG works alongside mid-market and large corporations to deliver direct lending, debt refinancing, equity co-investments and bespoke portfolio solutions. ICGs private debt and credit platform encompasses senior and subordinated loans, unitranche financing, mezzanine debt and special situations across developed and emerging markets. Featured Stories Receive News & Ratings for Intermediate Capital Group Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Intermediate Capital Group and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. iShares MSCI Kuwait ETF (BATS:KWT Get Free Report) shares shot up 6.6% during trading on Wednesday . The company traded as high as $35.67 and last traded at $37.8950. 1,915 shares changed hands during trading, a decline of 82% from the average session volume of 10,905 shares. The stock had previously closed at $35.5362. iShares MSCI Kuwait ETF Stock Up 6.6% The firm has a market cap of $89.05 million, a price-to-earnings ratio of 17.65 and a beta of 0.45. The business has a 50 day moving average price of $38.86 and a 200-day moving average price of $39.10. Get iShares MSCI Kuwait ETF alerts: Institutional Trading of iShares MSCI Kuwait ETF Hedge funds have recently made changes to their positions in the company. Jane Street Group LLC acquired a new position in shares of iShares MSCI Kuwait ETF during the second quarter worth $10,561,000. IFM Investors Pty Ltd purchased a new stake in iShares MSCI Kuwait ETF during the 3rd quarter worth $4,351,000. JPMorgan Chase & Co. lifted its holdings in iShares MSCI Kuwait ETF by 573.4% in the 3rd quarter. JPMorgan Chase & Co. now owns 27,144 shares of the companys stock worth $1,074,000 after buying an additional 23,113 shares in the last quarter. Flow Traders U.S. LLC acquired a new position in iShares MSCI Kuwait ETF in the 2nd quarter worth $793,000. Finally, MIRAE ASSET GLOBAL ETFS HOLDINGS Ltd. purchased a new position in iShares MSCI Kuwait ETF in the 1st quarter valued at about $357,000. iShares MSCI Kuwait ETF Company Profile The iShares MSCI Kuwait ETF (KWT) is an exchange-traded fund that mostly invests in total market equity. The fund tracks a market-cap-weighted index of all-cap stocks in Kuwait. KWT was launched on Sep 1, 2020 and is managed by BlackRock. See Also Receive News & Ratings for iShares MSCI Kuwait ETF Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for iShares MSCI Kuwait ETF and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Wall Street Zen upgraded shares of Mettler-Toledo International (NYSE:MTD Free Report) from a hold rating to a buy rating in a report issued on Monday morning. Several other analysts also recently weighed in on MTD. JPMorgan Chase & Co. increased their target price on Mettler-Toledo International from $1,200.00 to $1,285.00 and gave the company a neutral rating in a research note on Thursday, October 9th. Wells Fargo & Company upped their price target on Mettler-Toledo International from $1,400.00 to $1,450.00 and gave the stock an equal weight rating in a report on Monday, December 15th. Morgan Stanley initiated coverage on Mettler-Toledo International in a research report on Tuesday, December 2nd. They issued an equal weight rating and a $1,550.00 price objective for the company. Stifel Nicolaus boosted their target price on shares of Mettler-Toledo International from $1,450.00 to $1,600.00 and gave the stock a buy rating in a research report on Monday, November 10th. Finally, The Goldman Sachs Group started coverage on shares of Mettler-Toledo International in a report on Tuesday, December 9th. They issued a neutral rating and a $1,475.00 price target for the company. Six equities research analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating and seven have issued a Hold rating to the company. Based on data from MarketBeat, the company currently has a consensus rating of Hold and a consensus target price of $1,441.67. Get Mettler-Toledo International alerts: View Our Latest Stock Report on Mettler-Toledo International Mettler-Toledo International Trading Up 2.9% NYSE MTD opened at $1,444.47 on Monday. Mettler-Toledo International has a 1 year low of $946.69 and a 1 year high of $1,525.17. The company has a fifty day simple moving average of $1,432.38 and a 200 day simple moving average of $1,343.27. The company has a market cap of $29.51 billion, a P/E ratio of 36.02, a P/E/G ratio of 4.17 and a beta of 1.41. Mettler-Toledo International (NYSE:MTD Get Free Report) last announced its earnings results on Thursday, November 6th. The medical instruments supplier reported $11.15 EPS for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of $10.62 by $0.53. Mettler-Toledo International had a net margin of 21.20% and a negative return on equity of 426.96%. The firm had revenue of $1.03 billion for the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $997.36 million. During the same quarter last year, the firm posted $10.21 EPS. The businesss quarterly revenue was up 7.9% on a year-over-year basis. Mettler-Toledo International has set its Q4 2025 guidance at 12.680-12.880 EPS and its FY 2025 guidance at 42.050-42.250 EPS. Equities research analysts forecast that Mettler-Toledo International will post 42.71 EPS for the current fiscal year. Insider Transactions at Mettler-Toledo International In related news, CEO Patrick Kaltenbach sold 2,000 shares of the companys stock in a transaction dated Wednesday, November 12th. The shares were sold at an average price of $1,462.50, for a total value of $2,925,000.00. Following the sale, the chief executive officer owned 3,670 shares of the companys stock, valued at $5,367,375. The trade was a 35.27% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The transaction was disclosed in a legal filing with the SEC, which is available through this hyperlink. Also, insider La Guerroniere Marc De sold 6,055 shares of the stock in a transaction dated Tuesday, November 25th. The stock was sold at an average price of $1,488.18, for a total transaction of $9,010,929.90. Following the completion of the transaction, the insider directly owned 187 shares of the companys stock, valued at $278,289.66. This trade represents a 97.00% decrease in their position. Additional details regarding this sale are available in the official SEC disclosure. Over the last three months, insiders have sold 19,565 shares of company stock worth $28,683,737. 1.94% of the stock is currently owned by company insiders. Institutional Investors Weigh In On Mettler-Toledo International Hedge funds have recently made changes to their positions in the company. Geneos Wealth Management Inc. grew its stake in Mettler-Toledo International by 83.3% during the first quarter. Geneos Wealth Management Inc. now owns 66 shares of the medical instruments suppliers stock worth $78,000 after buying an additional 30 shares during the last quarter. Wealth Enhancement Advisory Services LLC boosted its holdings in shares of Mettler-Toledo International by 13.1% in the 2nd quarter. Wealth Enhancement Advisory Services LLC now owns 2,490 shares of the medical instruments suppliers stock worth $3,011,000 after acquiring an additional 288 shares in the last quarter. CX Institutional grew its position in Mettler-Toledo International by 18.2% during the 2nd quarter. CX Institutional now owns 175 shares of the medical instruments suppliers stock worth $206,000 after acquiring an additional 27 shares during the last quarter. GAMMA Investing LLC grew its position in Mettler-Toledo International by 53.5% during the 2nd quarter. GAMMA Investing LLC now owns 502 shares of the medical instruments suppliers stock worth $590,000 after acquiring an additional 175 shares during the last quarter. Finally, KFG Wealth Management LLC increased its holdings in Mettler-Toledo International by 12.0% during the 2nd quarter. KFG Wealth Management LLC now owns 475 shares of the medical instruments suppliers stock valued at $558,000 after purchasing an additional 51 shares in the last quarter. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 95.07% of the companys stock. Mettler-Toledo International Company Profile (Get Free Report) Mettler-Toledo International Inc is a global manufacturer and distributor of precision instruments and services for laboratory, industrial and food retail applications. The companys product portfolio includes laboratory balances and analytical instruments, industrial weighing systems, process analytics and sensors, metal detection and x-ray inspection equipment, checkweighers, and a range of automated inspection and data-management solutions. Mettler-Toledo also provides software, calibration and lifecycle services intended to support compliance, quality control and operational efficiency across customer facilities. The company serves a broad set of end markets including pharmaceutical and biotech laboratories, chemical and food processors, logistics and manufacturing operations, and retail environments where accurate weighing and inspection are critical. Featured Articles Receive News & Ratings for Mettler-Toledo International Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Mettler-Toledo International and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Mastercard (MA) is considering making a strategic investment in blockchain infrastructure firm Zerohash after acquisition talks collapsed when the crypto company opted to remain independent, according to a person familiar with the matter. Fortune reported in October that the payment processor was in late stage talks to buy Zerohash, and could pay as much as $2 billion for the firm, which provides custody, settlement and fiat on-/off-ramps so that fintech companies and brokerages can offer digital assets without building the plumbing themselves. Those talks have ended, according to three people who spoke on condition of anonymity as the matter is private. Nevertheless, investment discussions are in progress, according to two of the people. Mastercard declined to comment. "We are not entertaining an acquisition by Mastercard. We respect the Mastercard team and look forward to scaling commercial partnerships," a Zerohash spokesperson said in emailed comments. "Our team is central to our velocity, and we believe that remaining independent best positions Zerohash to continue innovating, building and delivering for our customers." Crypto merger and acquisition activity is on the rise. CoinDesk reported last week that crypto data platform CoinGecko was looking for a buyer for around $500 million. As dealmaking returns to the industry, the most attractive M&A targets are no longer speculative protocols, but proven infrastructure projects with revenue and regulatory footing. Likely candidates include licensed exchanges and brokerages that offer instant market access, custody and staking providers with institutional clients, and high-margin data and compliance firms. Mastercard has been linked to a number of other potential takeover targets in the digital assets sector. Crypto exchange Coinbase and Mastercard are both said to have considered an acquisition of BVNK, a London-based fintech that builds stablecoin payment infrastructure, according to a Fortune report in October. Zerohash raised $104 million in a Series D-2 round led by Interactive Brokers (IBKR) in October last year, valuing the company at $1 billion. The raise included new participation from Morgan Stanley (MS), Apollo-managed funds, SoFi (SOFI), Jump Crypto, Northwestern Mutual Future Ventures, FTMO, IMC and Liberty City Ventures, alongside existing backers PEAK6, tastytrade, and Nyca Partners, the company said in a press release at the time. Founded in 2017, Zerohash offers APIs and embeddable developer tools that allow financial institutions and fintechs to integrate crypto, stablecoin and tokenization services into their products. Its platform underpins offerings for clients including Interactive Brokers, Stripe, BlackRocks BUIDL fund, Franklin Templeton and DraftKings, reaching more than 5 million users across 190 countries. Read more: Crypto data platform CoinGecko weighs sale for around $500 million, sources say (UPDATE 14:09 - adds context in the final paragraph) Louisiana-Pacific Corporation (NYSE:LPX Get Free Report) has been given a consensus rating of Moderate Buy by the ten brokerages that are covering the firm, Marketbeat.com reports. One research analyst has rated the stock with a sell recommendation, three have issued a hold recommendation and six have assigned a buy recommendation to the company. The average 1 year price target among brokers that have updated their coverage on the stock in the last year is $106.5714. Several brokerages have issued reports on LPX. DA Davidson reaffirmed a buy rating and set a $117.00 price target on shares of Louisiana-Pacific in a research note on Thursday, November 20th. Barclays boosted their target price on Louisiana-Pacific from $100.00 to $108.00 and gave the stock an overweight rating in a research report on Thursday, January 15th. Truist Financial upped their target price on Louisiana-Pacific from $102.00 to $108.00 and gave the stock a buy rating in a research note on Tuesday, January 6th. Vertical Research assumed coverage on shares of Louisiana-Pacific in a research note on Monday, October 20th. They set a buy rating on the stock. Finally, Royal Bank Of Canada lowered their price target on shares of Louisiana-Pacific from $114.00 to $104.00 and set an outperform rating for the company in a research note on Thursday, November 6th. Get Louisiana-Pacific alerts: View Our Latest Research Report on LPX Insiders Place Their Bets Hedge Funds Weigh In On Louisiana-Pacific In related news, CEO William Bradley Southern sold 14,166 shares of Louisiana-Pacific stock in a transaction on Thursday, January 15th. The shares were sold at an average price of $93.08, for a total value of $1,318,571.28. Following the sale, the chief executive officer owned 489,215 shares in the company, valued at $45,536,132.20. The trade was a 2.81% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The transaction was disclosed in a legal filing with the SEC, which is available at this link . Also, Director Stephen E. Macadam acquired 3,200 shares of the firms stock in a transaction on Friday, November 7th. The stock was bought at an average price of $78.06 per share, with a total value of $249,792.00. Following the completion of the acquisition, the director directly owned 41,149 shares in the company, valued at approximately $3,212,090.94. This represents a 8.43% increase in their position. The SEC filing for this purchase provides additional information. Insiders sold 113,344 shares of company stock valued at $10,170,949 in the last ninety days. 1.42% of the stock is currently owned by insiders. A number of institutional investors and hedge funds have recently made changes to their positions in the business. American Century Companies Inc. lifted its holdings in shares of Louisiana-Pacific by 5.7% during the 2nd quarter. American Century Companies Inc. now owns 555,489 shares of the building manufacturing companys stock valued at $47,766,000 after buying an additional 29,803 shares during the period. Ceredex Value Advisors LLC increased its position in Louisiana-Pacific by 57.2% during the second quarter. Ceredex Value Advisors LLC now owns 124,100 shares of the building manufacturing companys stock valued at $10,671,000 after acquiring an additional 45,175 shares during the last quarter. Entropy Technologies LP bought a new position in Louisiana-Pacific in the second quarter valued at about $424,000. Elo Mutual Pension Insurance Co purchased a new position in Louisiana-Pacific in the second quarter worth about $977,000. Finally, Highland Capital Management LLC bought a new stake in shares of Louisiana-Pacific during the 2nd quarter valued at about $1,360,000. Institutional investors own 94.73% of the companys stock. Louisiana-Pacific Trading Up 0.3% Shares of Louisiana-Pacific stock opened at $92.21 on Monday. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.20, a current ratio of 2.93 and a quick ratio of 1.72. Louisiana-Pacific has a 1 year low of $73.42 and a 1 year high of $119.91. The firm has a market cap of $6.42 billion, a PE ratio of 29.84 and a beta of 1.80. The company has a 50 day simple moving average of $83.59 and a two-hundred day simple moving average of $88.30. Louisiana-Pacific (NYSE:LPX Get Free Report) last issued its quarterly earnings results on Wednesday, November 5th. The building manufacturing company reported $0.36 EPS for the quarter, missing analysts consensus estimates of $0.37 by ($0.01). Louisiana-Pacific had a return on equity of 14.90% and a net margin of 7.69%.The company had revenue of $663.00 million during the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $670.26 million. During the same period in the previous year, the company earned $1.22 EPS. Louisiana-Pacifics quarterly revenue was down 8.2% on a year-over-year basis. Analysts expect that Louisiana-Pacific will post 5.27 earnings per share for the current fiscal year. Louisiana-Pacific Announces Dividend The firm also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Friday, November 21st. Shareholders of record on Friday, November 14th were given a dividend of $0.28 per share. The ex-dividend date of this dividend was Friday, November 14th. This represents a $1.12 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 1.2%. Louisiana-Pacifics dividend payout ratio is presently 36.25%. About Louisiana-Pacific (Get Free Report) Louisiana-Pacific Corporation (NYSE: LPX) is a leading manufacturer of building materials and engineered wood products for residential, industrial and light commercial construction. The company produces a diverse portfolio of products, including oriented strand board (OSB), engineered wood siding, trim, molding, sheathing panels and subflooring. Its flagship product lines, such as LP SmartSide trim and siding, are designed to offer enhanced durability, moisture resistance and ease of installation, helping builders and homeowners achieve long-lasting performance in a variety of climates. Founded in 1973 as a spin-off from Georgia-Pacific, Louisiana-Pacific established its reputation by pioneering innovative manufacturing techniques for OSB, becoming one of the first companies to bring the product to market in the 1980s. Recommended Stories Receive News & Ratings for Louisiana-Pacific Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Louisiana-Pacific and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Djerriwarrh Investments (ASX:DJW) executives used the companys half-year results briefing to emphasize the listed investment companys income-first strategy, while also addressing the drivers of recent underperformance versus the broader share market and outlining portfolio repositioning over the past six months. Get alerts: Income objective and dividend settings Portfolio Manager Brett McNeill reiterated that Djerriwarrhs primary objective is to deliver an enhanced level of fully franked income with a dividend yield higher than the broader market. As of Dec. 31, 2025, management cited dividends over the prior 12 months totaling AUD 0.155 per share, equating to a 6.6% dividend yield (including franking credits) measured on net asset backing (NAB). On the same basis, management said the ASX 200 yield (including franking credits) was 4%, implying an enhanced yield of 2.6%. McNeill also noted that using the share price at Dec. 31, 2025, Djerriwarrhs dividend yield was 7.1% (including franking credits). For context, the company referenced a 12-month term deposit rate of around 4.1%. CFO Andrew Porter said the board declared a dividend of AUD 0.0725 per share for the half-year, which he described as the final six-monthly dividend. Djerriwarrh plans to move to quarterly dividend payments going forward, and Porter noted that this change means shareholders will receive an extra quarters worth of dividend in the current financial year. Management said the first quarterly dividend payment is expected in May 2026. Half-year profit summary and cost ratio Porter highlighted the companys net operating result as its key profit measure, describing it as profit excluding the impact of the open options position and the figure used by the board when setting the dividend. The net operating result for the half-year was AUD 19.7 million, down from AUD 21.0 million, which Porter attributed largely to lower dividends received compared with the prior corresponding period. McNeill walked through a summarized profit and loss statement, saying the net operating profit was driven primarily by: Dividend and distribution income of AUD 16.6 million, down 8%. Option income of AUD 7.5 million, flat versus the prior period. He said finance costs increased to AUD 0.9 million and administration costs declined to AUD 1.8 million, resulting in an operating result before tax of AUD 22.2 million and an income tax expense of AUD 2.5 million. On a per-share basis, management cited net operating profit of AUD 0.0749 per share, which it said covered the AUD 0.0725 per-share dividend. On costs, Porter reported a management expense ratio of 0.38% (the cost of running the company over total portfolio value), compared with 0.46% in the prior year, which he described as unusually high. He said the current level was more in line with prior years. Dividend income trends and option income expectations McNeill said dividend and distribution income has declined over the last two half-year periods, reflecting a broader market backdrop where dividends from large companiesparticularly resource stocks such as BHP and Rio Tintofell over the last six months. He also pointed to Djerriwarrh-specific factors including portfolio repositioning following option exercises in banks and a more defensive stance that included holding more cash than usual. Despite the recent decline in dollar income, McNeill said that on a yield basis Djerriwarrhs dividend and distribution income remained above the market in the most recent periods shown. Looking ahead, he said the expectation is for the portfolios dividend yield to be around the level of the market, referencing the ASX 200. On options, management again emphasized covered call writing as a key contributor to the enhanced income objective. McNeill said option income was AUD 7.5 million for the period, and that on a yield basis the option income yield was about 1.7%, the same as the prior year. He added that an option income yield around 1.7% is considered a reasonable expectation for future periods, while noting it depends on market conditions. Why returns lagged the market While management stressed the focus on income, it also addressed Djerriwarrhs secondary objective of generating attractive long-term total returns. McNeill said the companys one-year total return of 5.5% lagged the markets 11.5%, and that this gap flowed into longer-term comparisons. Over five years, Djerriwarrhs total return was cited as 8.6% per annum (including franking credits), compared with 11.3% for the broader share market. McNeill attributed the last 12 months of portfolio underperformance to three broad factors: Large holdings that detracted: He cited CSL (down 37% in calendar 2025 on a total return basis) and ASX (down 18%). McNeill described CSL as having suffered a huge derating after a poor 2025 profit result, but said the company still sees long-term growth potential and intends to maintain the holding. For ASX, he pointed to higher expenses after a botched tech upgrade and ongoing regulatory pressure, while saying the company still wants to own the dominant exchange operator over the longer term. He cited CSL (down 37% in calendar 2025 on a total return basis) and ASX (down 18%). McNeill described CSL as having suffered a huge derating after a poor 2025 profit result, but said the company still sees long-term growth potential and intends to maintain the holding. For ASX, he pointed to higher expenses after a botched tech upgrade and ongoing regulatory pressure, while saying the company still wants to own the dominant exchange operator over the longer term. Small-cap detractors: McNeill cited Equity Trustees (down 23%), IDP Education, and ARB. He said Djerriwarrh was reducing its Equity Trustees position until uncertainty around ASIC action related to the First Guardian super products is resolved. On IDP Education, he said the company bought the stock too early in hindsight after cuts to international student numbers affected profit, but management intends to hold as long as it retains confidence in management and the balance sheet. For ARB, he said the business outlook and balance sheet remain strong, but the stock was derated, prompting the portfolio to add to the position. McNeill cited Equity Trustees (down 23%), IDP Education, and ARB. He said Djerriwarrh was reducing its Equity Trustees position until uncertainty around ASIC action related to the First Guardian super products is resolved. On IDP Education, he said the company bought the stock too early in hindsight after cuts to international student numbers affected profit, but management intends to hold as long as it retains confidence in management and the balance sheet. For ARB, he said the business outlook and balance sheet remain strong, but the stock was derated, prompting the portfolio to add to the position. Not owning enough gold exposure: McNeill said gold was a major market story, with the gold price almost doubled. While Djerriwarrh owned Newmontup 156% over the past yearhe noted the portfolio did not own other strong-performing gold stocks in the ASX 200 such as Evolution Mining (up 170%) and Northern Star (up 78%), which weighed on relative performance. Portfolio activity, bank exposure, and outlook Assistant Portfolio Manager Olga Kosciuczyk described how the portfolios call option coverage shifted over the period. She said it began financial year 2026 at 32%, fell briefly to 28% in mid-July after option exercises in several names, then rose as the market advanced, peaking at 48% in late October. The portfolio maintained higher coverage until mid-December, which Kosciuczyk said generated option income but reduced exposure to a strongly rising market. Call option coverage finished calendar 2025 at 37% after significant December exercises. She added the portfolio had no put option exposure at the end of December. Kosciuczyk said recent transactions included significant option exercises across ANZ, NAB, Westpac, and other stocks including Rio Tinto, Telstra, and Region Group. The company also exited PEXA Group and Dominos Pizza, which she described as disappointing investments. During the six-month period, she said the portfolio invested almost AUD 240 million as opportunities emerged, including adding to Telstra, Woolworths, Region Group, and Transurban for income, and increasing exposure to REA Group and ResMed for growth. She also said the portfolio added a new holding in Sigma Healthcare following its merger with Chemist Warehouse, describing it as a high-quality retailer with growth opportunities. In Q&A, McNeill clarified that Djerriwarrh has not exited all banks, but said the weighting is lower than at times in recent years. He said the company still owned ANZ, NAB, and Westpac but fully exited Commonwealth Bank during 2025, largely through option exercises and then active selling above AUD 180. He called CBA the most expensive bank in the world and said valuation made it difficult to hold, though he said management is open to buying back in at the right price. On positioning, McNeill said the market was near all-time highs and moderately expensive on long-term valuation metrics, leading the team to remain defensively positioned. He added that dividend income is now more reliant on miners and industrials such as supermarkets and telcos, and significantly less reliant on the major banks, while the options book already has a good amount of income written for the second half of financial year 2026. At Dec. 31, 2025, management reported net tangible assets of AUD 3.35 per share versus a share price of AUD 3.12, a discount of about 7%. McNeill said the board and management continue to focus on closing the discount through initiatives including quarterly dividends, marketing efforts, and on-market buybacks to neutralize shares issued under the dividend reinvestment plan. About Djerriwarrh Investments (ASX:DJW) Djerriwarrh Investments Limited is a publicly owned investment manager. The firm invests in public equity markets of Australia. The firm invests in diversified portfolio of Australian equities. Djerriwarrh Investments Limited was founded in November 1989 and is based in Melbourne, Australia. See Also National Grid Transco (NYSE:NGG Get Free Report) and Power Assets (OTCMKTS:HGKGY Get Free Report) are both large-cap utilities companies, but which is the better business? We will contrast the two businesses based on the strength of their valuation, analyst recommendations, dividends, profitability, risk, institutional ownership and earnings. Insider & Institutional Ownership 4.7% of National Grid Transco shares are owned by institutional investors. 1.0% of Power Assets shares are owned by insiders. Strong institutional ownership is an indication that endowments, hedge funds and large money managers believe a stock is poised for long-term growth. Get National Grid Transco alerts: Dividends National Grid Transco pays an annual dividend of $2.11 per share and has a dividend yield of 2.6%. Power Assets pays an annual dividend of $0.16 per share and has a dividend yield of 2.2%. Analyst Ratings Sell Ratings Hold Ratings Buy Ratings Strong Buy Ratings Rating Score National Grid Transco 1 5 4 0 2.30 Power Assets 0 0 0 0 0.00 This is a summary of current recommendations and price targets for National Grid Transco and Power Assets, as provided by MarketBeat.com. National Grid Transco currently has a consensus target price of $83.80, suggesting a potential upside of 3.67%. Given National Grid Transcos stronger consensus rating and higher probable upside, equities research analysts plainly believe National Grid Transco is more favorable than Power Assets. Risk and Volatility National Grid Transco has a beta of 0.8, meaning that its share price is 20% less volatile than the S&P 500. Comparatively, Power Assets has a beta of 0.32, meaning that its share price is 68% less volatile than the S&P 500. Profitability This table compares National Grid Transco and Power Assets net margins, return on equity and return on assets. Net Margins Return on Equity Return on Assets National Grid Transco N/A N/A N/A Power Assets N/A N/A N/A Valuation & Earnings This table compares National Grid Transco and Power Assetss revenue, earnings per share (EPS) and valuation. Gross Revenue Price/Sales Ratio Net Income Earnings Per Share Price/Earnings Ratio National Grid Transco $23.61 billion 3.40 $3.70 billion N/A N/A Power Assets $117.77 million 133.36 $784.46 million N/A N/A National Grid Transco has higher revenue and earnings than Power Assets. Summary National Grid Transco beats Power Assets on 8 of the 10 factors compared between the two stocks. About National Grid Transco (Get Free Report) National Grid plc transmits and distributes electricity and gas. It operates through UK Electricity Transmission, UK Electricity Distribution, UK Electricity System Operator, New England, New York, National Grid Ventures, and Other segments. The UK Electricity Transmission segment provides electricity transmission and construction work services in England and Wales. The UK Electricity Distribution segment offers electricity distribution services in Midlands, and South West of England and South Wales. The UK Electricity System Operator segment provides balancing services for supply and demand of electricity on Great Britains electricity transmission system; and acts as an agent on behalf of transmission operators. The New England segment offers electricity and gas distribution, and electricity transmission services in New England. The New York segment provides electricity and gas distribution, and electricity transmission services in New York. The National Grid Ventures segment provides transmission services through electricity interconnectors and LNG importation at the Isle of Grain, as well as sale of renewables projects. The Other segment engages in the leasing and sale of commercial property, as well as insurance activities in the United Kingdom. The company was founded in 1990 and is headquartered in London, the United Kingdom. About Power Assets (Get Free Report) Power Assets Holdings Limited, an investment holding company, engages in the generation, transmission, and distribution of electricity in Hong Kong, the United Kingdom, Australia, Mainland China, and internationally. It generates energy from thermal, renewable energy, and waste sources. The company also transmits and distributes oil and gas; and provides trust administration and management services. It has a generation capacity of 879 MW renewable energy/energy from waste, 5,262 MW gas fired, and 3,567 MW coal/oil fired; and operates 114,900 km of gas/oil pipeline, as well as 388,200 km of power network serving 19,790,000 customers. The company was formerly known as Hongkong Electric Holdings Limited and changed its name to Power Assets Holdings Limited in February 2011. Power Assets Holdings Limited was founded in 1889 and is based in Central, Hong Kong. Receive News & Ratings for National Grid Transco Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for National Grid Transco and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Shares of Century Communities, Inc. (NYSE:CCS Get Free Report) have received a consensus recommendation of Hold from the eight research firms that are covering the firm, MarketBeat Ratings reports. One investment analyst has rated the stock with a sell recommendation, four have issued a hold recommendation, two have issued a buy recommendation and one has issued a strong buy recommendation on the company. The average 1 year price objective among brokerages that have issued ratings on the stock in the last year is $76.50. Several brokerages have commented on CCS. Citizens Jmp started coverage on Century Communities in a research report on Wednesday. They issued a market outperform rating and a $92.00 target price for the company. Weiss Ratings reissued a hold (c) rating on shares of Century Communities in a report on Wednesday, October 8th. JPMorgan Chase & Co. restated an underweight rating and issued a $56.00 target price on shares of Century Communities in a research note on Thursday, December 4th. Citigroup started coverage on Century Communities in a research report on Wednesday. They set an outperform rating on the stock. Finally, Zacks Research raised shares of Century Communities from a strong sell rating to a hold rating in a report on Friday, September 26th. Get Century Communities alerts: Read Our Latest Report on CCS Century Communities Price Performance Century Communities stock opened at $69.11 on Friday. Century Communities has a 52-week low of $50.42 and a 52-week high of $81.10. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.45, a quick ratio of 0.54 and a current ratio of 0.54. The stock has a market capitalization of $2.03 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 10.09 and a beta of 1.56. The stocks 50 day moving average price is $62.15 and its two-hundred day moving average price is $62.33. Century Communities (NYSE:CCS Get Free Report) last posted its earnings results on Wednesday, October 22nd. The construction company reported $1.52 EPS for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of $0.86 by $0.66. The company had revenue of $980.28 million during the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $906.10 million. Century Communities had a net margin of 5.16% and a return on equity of 9.36%. The firms revenue for the quarter was down 13.8% on a year-over-year basis. During the same period in the previous year, the firm posted $2.77 earnings per share. On average, equities analysts predict that Century Communities will post 11.07 earnings per share for the current year. Century Communities Announces Dividend The business also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Wednesday, December 10th. Shareholders of record on Wednesday, November 26th were given a dividend of $0.29 per share. The ex-dividend date was Wednesday, November 26th. This represents a $1.16 annualized dividend and a yield of 1.7%. Century Communitiess payout ratio is presently 16.93%. Hedge Funds Weigh In On Century Communities A number of large investors have recently added to or reduced their stakes in CCS. Traub Capital Management LLC purchased a new stake in Century Communities in the second quarter worth $39,000. EverSource Wealth Advisors LLC raised its stake in shares of Century Communities by 175.5% in the second quarter. EverSource Wealth Advisors LLC now owns 730 shares of the construction companys stock worth $41,000 after purchasing an additional 465 shares during the last quarter. Jones Financial Companies Lllp lifted its stake in Century Communities by 1,513.3% during the 1st quarter. Jones Financial Companies Lllp now owns 1,210 shares of the construction companys stock valued at $81,000 after acquiring an additional 1,135 shares during the period. GAMMA Investing LLC raised its holdings in shares of Century Communities by 17.4% during the second quarter. GAMMA Investing LLC now owns 1,854 shares of the construction companys stock valued at $104,000 after purchasing an additional 275 shares during the last quarter. Finally, State of Wyoming lifted its holdings in shares of Century Communities by 37.3% during the 3rd quarter. State of Wyoming now owns 1,644 shares of the construction companys stock valued at $104,000 after buying an additional 447 shares during the period. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 99.54% of the companys stock. Century Communities Company Profile (Get Free Report) Century Communities, Inc is a national homebuilder and land developer headquartered in Greenwood Village, Colorado. The company is engaged in the acquisition, development, construction and sale of single- and multi-family residential homes, offering a range of floor plans and design options to homebuyers. In addition to its core homebuilding activities, Century Communities provides ancillary services such as mortgage financing, title and closing services, and insurance products through its wholly owned subsidiaries, aiming to deliver a comprehensive homebuying experience. Founded in 2009, Century Communities rapidly expanded through both organic growth and strategic land acquisitions, positioning itself in high-growth markets across the United States. Featured Articles Receive News & Ratings for Century Communities Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Century Communities and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Robert Half Inc. (NYSE:RHI Get Free Report) has been assigned a consensus rating of Reduce from the nine research firms that are currently covering the firm, Marketbeat Ratings reports. Five analysts have rated the stock with a sell recommendation, three have issued a hold recommendation and one has issued a buy recommendation on the company. The average twelve-month price target among analysts that have issued ratings on the stock in the last year is $30.6250. RHI has been the topic of several recent research reports. Zacks Research downgraded Robert Half from a hold rating to a strong sell rating in a research note on Wednesday, November 19th. Barclays dropped their target price on Robert Half from $45.00 to $36.00 and set an equal weight rating on the stock in a research report on Thursday, October 23rd. Truist Financial set a $35.00 price target on Robert Half in a research report on Friday, December 12th. The Goldman Sachs Group decreased their price target on shares of Robert Half from $31.00 to $27.00 and set a sell rating for the company in a research note on Thursday, October 23rd. Finally, UBS Group cut their price objective on shares of Robert Half from $30.00 to $27.00 and set a sell rating on the stock in a research report on Thursday, October 23rd. Get Robert Half alerts: View Our Latest Research Report on Robert Half Insider Activity Institutional Inflows and Outflows In related news, Director Dirk A. Kempthorne sold 6,505 shares of the companys stock in a transaction dated Tuesday, October 28th. The stock was sold at an average price of $28.87, for a total transaction of $187,799.35. Following the sale, the director owned 11,712 shares in the company, valued at approximately $338,125.44. This represents a 35.71% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The transaction was disclosed in a legal filing with the SEC, which is accessible through this hyperlink . Corporate insiders own 3.10% of the companys stock. Institutional investors have recently made changes to their positions in the stock. Pzena Investment Management LLC boosted its position in shares of Robert Half by 80.3% in the second quarter. Pzena Investment Management LLC now owns 2,377,277 shares of the business services providers stock valued at $97,587,000 after acquiring an additional 1,058,569 shares during the period. Evergreen Capital Management LLC acquired a new stake in Robert Half in the 3rd quarter worth about $1,204,000. Russell Investments Group Ltd. boosted its holdings in Robert Half by 25.7% in the 2nd quarter. Russell Investments Group Ltd. now owns 404,024 shares of the business services providers stock valued at $16,585,000 after purchasing an additional 82,645 shares during the period. Quadrature Capital Ltd grew its position in shares of Robert Half by 531.4% during the 2nd quarter. Quadrature Capital Ltd now owns 28,371 shares of the business services providers stock worth $1,165,000 after purchasing an additional 23,878 shares in the last quarter. Finally, First Trust Advisors LP grew its position in shares of Robert Half by 7.4% during the 2nd quarter. First Trust Advisors LP now owns 1,212,441 shares of the business services providers stock worth $49,771,000 after purchasing an additional 83,232 shares in the last quarter. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 92.41% of the companys stock. Robert Half Stock Up 3.4% Robert Half stock opened at $28.13 on Friday. The stock has a market capitalization of $2.85 billion, a PE ratio of 18.27 and a beta of 0.85. Robert Half has a twelve month low of $25.22 and a twelve month high of $71.44. The company has a 50 day moving average of $27.49 and a 200-day moving average of $32.25. Robert Half (NYSE:RHI Get Free Report) last issued its quarterly earnings data on Wednesday, October 22nd. The business services provider reported $0.43 EPS for the quarter, hitting analysts consensus estimates of $0.43. The business had revenue of $1.35 billion for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $1.36 billion. Robert Half had a net margin of 2.85% and a return on equity of 11.76%. The firms quarterly revenue was down 7.5% on a year-over-year basis. During the same period last year, the business posted $0.64 earnings per share. Equities analysts anticipate that Robert Half will post 2.48 EPS for the current fiscal year. Robert Half Announces Dividend The firm also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Monday, December 15th. Stockholders of record on Tuesday, November 25th were paid a dividend of $0.59 per share. This represents a $2.36 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 8.4%. The ex-dividend date was Tuesday, November 25th. Robert Halfs dividend payout ratio is currently 153.25%. About Robert Half (Get Free Report) Robert Half International Inc, founded in 1948 by Robert Half, is a global professional staffing and consulting firm headquartered in Menlo Park, California. As a pioneer in specialized staffing, the company has built a reputation for matching skilled professionals with leading organizations across a range of industries. Robert Halfs shares trade on the New York Stock Exchange under the ticker RHI, reflecting its position as one of the longest?standing and best?known firms in the staffing sector. The company offers a comprehensive suite of services, including temporary staffing, permanent placement, and consulting solutions. Featured Stories Receive News & Ratings for Robert Half Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Robert Half and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Shares of Northern Oil and Gas, Inc. (NYSE:NOG Get Free Report) have been assigned a consensus rating of Hold from the ten ratings firms that are presently covering the company, Marketbeat.com reports. One research analyst has rated the stock with a sell recommendation, five have issued a hold recommendation, three have issued a buy recommendation and one has issued a strong buy recommendation on the company. The average 1-year price objective among brokers that have issued ratings on the stock in the last year is $29.5714. NOG has been the subject of several analyst reports. Morgan Stanley restated an underweight rating and issued a $26.00 price objective (down from $27.00) on shares of Northern Oil and Gas in a research note on Tuesday, October 14th. Royal Bank Of Canada reduced their price target on Northern Oil and Gas from $33.00 to $30.00 and set a sector perform rating for the company in a research report on Tuesday. Weiss Ratings reaffirmed a hold (c-) rating on shares of Northern Oil and Gas in a research note on Wednesday, October 8th. Mizuho set a $29.00 price objective on Northern Oil and Gas in a research note on Wednesday. Finally, Citigroup reduced their target price on shares of Northern Oil and Gas from $32.00 to $28.00 and set a buy rating for the company in a report on Monday, October 20th. Get Northern Oil and Gas alerts: Check Out Our Latest Stock Analysis on NOG Institutional Investors Weigh In On Northern Oil and Gas Northern Oil and Gas Price Performance Institutional investors have recently bought and sold shares of the business. MassMutual Private Wealth & Trust FSB grew its position in shares of Northern Oil and Gas by 133.3% during the second quarter. MassMutual Private Wealth & Trust FSB now owns 954 shares of the companys stock worth $27,000 after purchasing an additional 545 shares in the last quarter. UMB Bank n.a. grew its holdings in Northern Oil and Gas by 200.3% during the 2nd quarter. UMB Bank n.a. now owns 955 shares of the companys stock valued at $27,000 after buying an additional 637 shares in the last quarter. First Horizon Corp bought a new stake in shares of Northern Oil and Gas during the third quarter valued at approximately $27,000. Laurel Wealth Advisors LLC lifted its holdings in shares of Northern Oil and Gas by 2,736.1% in the second quarter. Laurel Wealth Advisors LLC now owns 1,021 shares of the companys stock worth $29,000 after buying an additional 985 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Jones Financial Companies Lllp boosted its position in shares of Northern Oil and Gas by 181.0% during the first quarter. Jones Financial Companies Lllp now owns 1,107 shares of the companys stock worth $33,000 after acquiring an additional 713 shares during the last quarter. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 98.80% of the companys stock. Shares of NYSE:NOG opened at $23.51 on Friday. The company has a quick ratio of 1.10, a current ratio of 1.10 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.05. The stock has a market capitalization of $2.29 billion, a PE ratio of 13.28 and a beta of 0.98. The firms 50 day moving average price is $22.27 and its 200-day moving average price is $24.08. Northern Oil and Gas has a twelve month low of $19.88 and a twelve month high of $40.72. Northern Oil and Gas (NYSE:NOG Get Free Report) last announced its earnings results on Thursday, November 6th. The company reported $1.03 EPS for the quarter, beating analysts consensus estimates of $0.82 by $0.21. Northern Oil and Gas had a net margin of 7.61% and a return on equity of 20.61%. The business had revenue of $556.64 million during the quarter, compared to analysts expectations of $528.36 million. During the same period in the prior year, the company earned $1.40 earnings per share. The firms revenue was down 26.1% on a year-over-year basis. Equities research analysts expect that Northern Oil and Gas will post 5.18 EPS for the current year. Northern Oil and Gas Dividend Announcement The company also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Friday, January 30th. Stockholders of record on Tuesday, December 30th will be given a dividend of $0.45 per share. This represents a $1.80 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 7.7%. The ex-dividend date is Tuesday, December 30th. Northern Oil and Gass dividend payout ratio (DPR) is presently 101.69%. About Northern Oil and Gas (Get Free Report) Northern Oil and Gas, Inc is a publicly traded independent energy company focused on the acquisition, exploration and development of oil and natural gas resources in the United States. The companys primary operations are concentrated in the Williston Basin, where it secures acreage positions and partners with drilling operators to advance upstream projects. Through strategic leasehold acquisitions and joint ventures, Northern Oil and Gas seeks to expand its footprint in both conventional and unconventional reservoirs. Northern Oil and Gas employs horizontal drilling and hydraulic fracturing technologies to develop unconventional resource plays, particularly in the Bakken, Three Forks and Red River formations of North Dakota and Montana. See Also Receive News & Ratings for Northern Oil and Gas Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Northern Oil and Gas and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Massachusetts Financial Services Co. MA trimmed its position in shares of Weyerhaeuser Company (NYSE:WY Free Report) by 51.9% during the 3rd quarter, according to its most recent 13F filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The firm owned 1,875,477 shares of the real estate investment trusts stock after selling 2,019,739 shares during the period. Massachusetts Financial Services Co. MA owned 0.26% of Weyerhaeuser worth $46,493,000 at the end of the most recent reporting period. Other large investors also recently modified their holdings of the company. Maryland State Retirement & Pension System boosted its holdings in Weyerhaeuser by 4.8% in the 3rd quarter. Maryland State Retirement & Pension System now owns 35,722 shares of the real estate investment trusts stock worth $886,000 after buying an additional 1,649 shares during the period. Bfsg LLC boosted its stake in shares of Weyerhaeuser by 3.2% in the third quarter. Bfsg LLC now owns 190,384 shares of the real estate investment trusts stock worth $4,720,000 after acquiring an additional 5,819 shares during the period. Peoples Financial Services CORP. grew its position in shares of Weyerhaeuser by 125.6% during the third quarter. Peoples Financial Services CORP. now owns 2,130 shares of the real estate investment trusts stock worth $53,000 after purchasing an additional 1,186 shares in the last quarter. Wilmington Savings Fund Society FSB grew its position in shares of Weyerhaeuser by 10.3% during the third quarter. Wilmington Savings Fund Society FSB now owns 27,046 shares of the real estate investment trusts stock worth $670,000 after purchasing an additional 2,521 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Wealth Effects LLC raised its stake in Weyerhaeuser by 32.1% during the 3rd quarter. Wealth Effects LLC now owns 18,500 shares of the real estate investment trusts stock valued at $459,000 after purchasing an additional 4,500 shares during the period. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 82.99% of the companys stock. Get Weyerhaeuser alerts: Insider Buying and Selling In related news, Director Sara Grootwassink Lewis acquired 4,500 shares of the stock in a transaction dated Wednesday, December 17th. The stock was acquired at an average cost of $23.61 per share, with a total value of $106,245.00. Following the purchase, the director directly owned 25,978 shares of the companys stock, valued at approximately $613,340.58. This trade represents a 20.95% increase in their ownership of the stock. The transaction was disclosed in a legal filing with the SEC, which is available at this hyperlink. Also, CEO Devin W. Stockfish sold 90,162 shares of Weyerhaeuser stock in a transaction that occurred on Monday, December 15th. The stock was sold at an average price of $23.33, for a total value of $2,103,479.46. Following the completion of the transaction, the chief executive officer owned 1,024,861 shares of the companys stock, valued at approximately $23,910,007.13. This trade represents a 8.09% decrease in their position. The SEC filing for this sale provides additional information. Corporate insiders own 0.27% of the companys stock. Weyerhaeuser Trading Up 0.4% Shares of WY opened at $27.07 on Thursday. The stock has a market capitalization of $19.51 billion, a PE ratio of 60.16, a P/E/G ratio of 106.93 and a beta of 1.04. The companys fifty day moving average is $23.49 and its 200 day moving average is $24.41. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.52, a quick ratio of 0.78 and a current ratio of 1.23. Weyerhaeuser Company has a fifty-two week low of $21.16 and a fifty-two week high of $31.66. Weyerhaeuser (NYSE:WY Get Free Report) last released its quarterly earnings data on Thursday, October 30th. The real estate investment trust reported $0.06 EPS for the quarter, beating the consensus estimate of ($0.07) by $0.13. Weyerhaeuser had a net margin of 4.68% and a return on equity of 3.04%. The business had revenue of $1.72 billion during the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $1.71 billion. During the same quarter last year, the business earned $0.05 earnings per share. Weyerhaeusers quarterly revenue was up 12.1% compared to the same quarter last year. Sell-side analysts expect that Weyerhaeuser Company will post 0.78 earnings per share for the current fiscal year. Weyerhaeuser Dividend Announcement The business also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Friday, December 12th. Shareholders of record on Friday, November 28th were paid a dividend of $0.21 per share. This represents a $0.84 annualized dividend and a yield of 3.1%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend was Friday, November 28th. Weyerhaeusers payout ratio is presently 186.67%. Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades WY has been the subject of several recent analyst reports. DA Davidson dropped their price target on Weyerhaeuser from $35.00 to $31.00 and set a buy rating for the company in a research note on Monday, November 3rd. JPMorgan Chase & Co. cut their target price on shares of Weyerhaeuser from $28.00 to $27.00 and set an overweight rating for the company in a research note on Friday, November 14th. Weiss Ratings reiterated a sell (d+) rating on shares of Weyerhaeuser in a report on Monday, December 29th. Zacks Research upgraded shares of Weyerhaeuser from a strong sell rating to a hold rating in a research note on Wednesday, November 12th. Finally, Citigroup increased their price objective on shares of Weyerhaeuser from $26.00 to $30.00 and gave the company a buy rating in a report on Wednesday, January 14th. Six investment analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating, three have given a Hold rating and two have given a Sell rating to the company. According to MarketBeat.com, the stock has a consensus rating of Hold and a consensus price target of $28.50. View Our Latest Analysis on Weyerhaeuser Weyerhaeuser Profile (Free Report) Weyerhaeuser Company (NYSE: WY) is a leading integrated forest products company whose core businesses are timberland ownership and forest products manufacturing. The company owns and manages large tracts of timberland and harvests, processes and sells wood and wood-derived products used primarily in residential and industrial construction. Its manufacturing operations produce a range of building materials, including lumber, engineered wood products and wood panels, alongside fiber-based products that serve multiple commercial applications. Founded in 1900 by Frederick Weyerhaeuser and headquartered in Seattle, Washington, the company has a long history in the North American forest products industry. Read More Want to see what other hedge funds are holding WY? Visit HoldingsChannel.com to get the latest 13F filings and insider trades for Weyerhaeuser Company (NYSE:WY Free Report). Receive News & Ratings for Weyerhaeuser Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Weyerhaeuser and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Maryland State Retirement & Pension System reduced its position in Radian Group Inc. (NYSE:RDN Free Report) by 50.7% in the 3rd quarter, according to the company in its most recent disclosure with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The firm owned 19,473 shares of the insurance providers stock after selling 20,006 shares during the quarter. Maryland State Retirement & Pension Systems holdings in Radian Group were worth $705,000 at the end of the most recent quarter. Several other institutional investors and hedge funds have also recently bought and sold shares of RDN. Financial Consulate Inc. acquired a new position in shares of Radian Group in the 3rd quarter valued at $29,000. Geneos Wealth Management Inc. increased its stake in Radian Group by 191.3% in the first quarter. Geneos Wealth Management Inc. now owns 871 shares of the insurance providers stock valued at $29,000 after acquiring an additional 572 shares during the period. Salomon & Ludwin LLC bought a new stake in Radian Group in the third quarter valued at about $33,000. Headlands Technologies LLC acquired a new position in Radian Group in the second quarter worth about $50,000. Finally, EverSource Wealth Advisors LLC lifted its stake in Radian Group by 94.0% during the second quarter. EverSource Wealth Advisors LLC now owns 1,860 shares of the insurance providers stock worth $67,000 after purchasing an additional 901 shares during the period. Institutional investors own 95.33% of the companys stock. Get Radian Group alerts: Insider Buying and Selling at Radian Group In other news, EVP Eric Ray sold 13,957 shares of the companys stock in a transaction that occurred on Tuesday, December 2nd. The shares were sold at an average price of $35.60, for a total transaction of $496,869.20. The sale was disclosed in a document filed with the SEC, which is available through this hyperlink. Corporate insiders own 2.01% of the companys stock. Radian Group Price Performance Radian Group stock opened at $33.48 on Thursday. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.24, a quick ratio of 1.67 and a current ratio of 1.67. The firm has a market cap of $4.54 billion, a P/E ratio of 8.35 and a beta of 0.82. The businesss fifty day moving average is $35.27 and its two-hundred day moving average is $34.79. Radian Group Inc. has a 52 week low of $29.32 and a 52 week high of $38.84. Radian Group (NYSE:RDN Get Free Report) last announced its earnings results on Wednesday, November 5th. The insurance provider reported $1.15 earnings per share for the quarter, beating analysts consensus estimates of $0.95 by $0.20. Radian Group had a return on equity of 13.29% and a net margin of 45.90%.The company had revenue of $303.19 million during the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $308.77 million. During the same period last year, the company posted $1.03 earnings per share. The firms quarterly revenue was down 3.3% compared to the same quarter last year. Equities research analysts forecast that Radian Group Inc. will post 3.79 earnings per share for the current fiscal year. Radian Group Dividend Announcement The business also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Tuesday, December 9th. Shareholders of record on Monday, November 24th were given a $0.255 dividend. This represents a $1.02 annualized dividend and a yield of 3.0%. The ex-dividend date was Monday, November 24th. Radian Groups dividend payout ratio (DPR) is presently 25.44%. Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth Several research firms have recently weighed in on RDN. Zacks Research lowered Radian Group from a strong-buy rating to a hold rating in a research note on Tuesday, January 6th. UBS Group decreased their price target on Radian Group from $43.00 to $40.00 and set a neutral rating on the stock in a research note on Wednesday, October 15th. Roth Mkm reiterated a buy rating and set a $45.00 price objective on shares of Radian Group in a research note on Friday, January 2nd. Weiss Ratings downgraded shares of Radian Group from a buy (a-) rating to a buy (b+) rating in a research note on Tuesday, January 13th. Finally, Keefe, Bruyette & Woods upped their target price on shares of Radian Group from $40.00 to $41.00 and gave the stock a market perform rating in a report on Thursday, December 18th. Two research analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating, four have assigned a Hold rating and one has issued a Sell rating to the company. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, the company presently has an average rating of Hold and an average price target of $40.00. Check Out Our Latest Report on Radian Group About Radian Group (Free Report) Radian Group Inc (NYSE:RDN) is a leading provider of private mortgage insurance and related risk management solutions in the United States. Through its primary subsidiary, Radian Guaranty Inc, the company underwrites borrower-paid and lender-paid mortgage insurance that protects lenders and investors from potential losses arising from borrower defaults. Radians core business focuses on supporting residential mortgage originations and servicing by offering capital-efficient credit protection and credit risk transfer strategies. Beyond mortgage insurance, Radian offers an array of real estate transaction services under its Radian Title division. Further Reading Receive News & Ratings for Radian Group Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Radian Group and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Maryland State Retirement & Pension System decreased its stake in ESCO Technologies Inc. (NYSE:ESE Free Report) by 51.1% in the third quarter, according to the company in its most recent filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission. The institutional investor owned 3,713 shares of the scientific and technical instruments companys stock after selling 3,876 shares during the quarter. Maryland State Retirement & Pension Systems holdings in ESCO Technologies were worth $784,000 at the end of the most recent quarter. A number of other institutional investors also recently modified their holdings of the stock. Invesco Ltd. increased its stake in shares of ESCO Technologies by 345.8% in the second quarter. Invesco Ltd. now owns 707,244 shares of the scientific and technical instruments companys stock worth $135,699,000 after acquiring an additional 548,600 shares during the last quarter. Tributary Capital Management LLC grew its stake in ESCO Technologies by 92.5% in the third quarter. Tributary Capital Management LLC now owns 311,910 shares of the scientific and technical instruments companys stock valued at $65,847,000 after purchasing an additional 149,918 shares in the last quarter. Hood River Capital Management LLC increased its position in ESCO Technologies by 60.1% in the 2nd quarter. Hood River Capital Management LLC now owns 303,651 shares of the scientific and technical instruments companys stock worth $58,262,000 after purchasing an additional 113,940 shares during the last quarter. Prudential Financial Inc. increased its position in ESCO Technologies by 94.9% in the 2nd quarter. Prudential Financial Inc. now owns 185,928 shares of the scientific and technical instruments companys stock worth $35,674,000 after purchasing an additional 90,528 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Emerald Advisers LLC purchased a new stake in shares of ESCO Technologies during the 2nd quarter worth about $17,084,000. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 95.70% of the companys stock. Get ESCO Technologies alerts: Wall Street Analyst Weigh In Several brokerages recently commented on ESE. Weiss Ratings cut ESCO Technologies from a buy (a-) rating to a buy (b+) rating in a research note on Monday, January 12th. Wall Street Zen upgraded shares of ESCO Technologies from a hold rating to a buy rating in a research note on Saturday, December 6th. Zacks Research raised shares of ESCO Technologies to a hold rating in a research report on Tuesday, December 16th. Finally, CJS Securities upgraded shares of ESCO Technologies to a strong-buy rating in a research note on Thursday, December 11th. One investment analyst has rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, three have assigned a Buy rating and one has assigned a Hold rating to the companys stock. According to MarketBeat.com, ESCO Technologies presently has a consensus rating of Buy and an average price target of $187.50. ESCO Technologies Stock Up 2.8% ESE opened at $226.69 on Thursday. The business has a 50 day moving average price of $207.69 and a 200 day moving average price of $205.31. ESCO Technologies Inc. has a twelve month low of $128.59 and a twelve month high of $229.46. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.11, a quick ratio of 0.93 and a current ratio of 1.35. The firm has a market cap of $5.86 billion, a P/E ratio of 19.63 and a beta of 1.23. ESCO Technologies (NYSE:ESE Get Free Report) last announced its quarterly earnings results on Thursday, November 20th. The scientific and technical instruments company reported $2.32 EPS for the quarter, beating the consensus estimate of $2.13 by $0.19. ESCO Technologies had a return on equity of 12.21% and a net margin of 25.76%.The company had revenue of $286.50 million for the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $306.39 million. During the same quarter last year, the company posted $1.46 earnings per share. The companys revenue for the quarter was up 28.9% compared to the same quarter last year. ESCO Technologies has set its Q1 2026 guidance at 1.250-1.350 EPS and its FY 2026 guidance at 7.500-7.800 EPS. Research analysts forecast that ESCO Technologies Inc. will post 5.65 EPS for the current year. ESCO Technologies Announces Dividend The company also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Friday, January 16th. Shareholders of record on Friday, January 2nd were given a dividend of $0.08 per share. The ex-dividend date of this dividend was Friday, January 2nd. This represents a $0.32 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 0.1%. ESCO Technologiess payout ratio is currently 2.77%. Insider Activity In other news, CEO Bryan H. Sayler sold 401 shares of the firms stock in a transaction dated Wednesday, November 26th. The stock was sold at an average price of $220.00, for a total value of $88,220.00. Following the sale, the chief executive officer directly owned 20,254 shares of the companys stock, valued at approximately $4,455,880. This trade represents a 1.94% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The sale was disclosed in a document filed with the SEC, which can be accessed through this hyperlink. Also, Director Vinod M. Khilnani sold 3,000 shares of the businesss stock in a transaction dated Wednesday, November 26th. The stock was sold at an average price of $217.99, for a total value of $653,970.00. Following the transaction, the director directly owned 20,468 shares of the companys stock, valued at $4,461,819.32. This represents a 12.78% decrease in their position. The disclosure for this sale is available in the SEC filing. Insiders have sold 21,699 shares of company stock valued at $4,778,734 over the last three months. 0.70% of the stock is currently owned by insiders. ESCO Technologies Company Profile (Free Report) ESCO Technologies Inc is a diversified manufacturer of engineered products and systems designed to meet customers critical performance requirements in the test, measurement, control, and filtration of data, fluids, and gases. The company serves a wide range of end markets, including commercial aerospace, defense, industrial, medical, and communication network sectors. ESCOs solutions are tailored to environments where reliability, precision and regulatory compliance are paramount. Operating through multiple business segments, ESCO Technologies delivers test and measurement instruments such as RF and microwave components, signal distribution systems, and integrated test enclosures that support defense and aerospace programs. See Also Want to see what other hedge funds are holding ESE? Visit HoldingsChannel.com to get the latest 13F filings and insider trades for ESCO Technologies Inc. (NYSE:ESE Free Report). Receive News & Ratings for ESCO Technologies Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for ESCO Technologies and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Ouster, Inc. (NYSE:OUST Get Free Report) General Counsel Megan Chung sold 5,837 shares of the businesss stock in a transaction that occurred on Friday, January 16th. The stock was sold at an average price of $27.24, for a total value of $158,999.88. Following the completion of the transaction, the general counsel directly owned 183,141 shares in the company, valued at approximately $4,988,760.84. This represents a 3.09% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The transaction was disclosed in a filing with the SEC, which can be accessed through this hyperlink. Ouster Stock Performance OUST stock opened at $25.29 on Thursday. Ouster, Inc. has a one year low of $6.34 and a one year high of $41.65. The companys fifty day moving average price is $23.56 and its 200-day moving average price is $27.08. The company has a market capitalization of $1.52 billion, a PE ratio of -9.84 and a beta of 2.93. Get Ouster alerts: Institutional Trading of Ouster A number of institutional investors have recently bought and sold shares of OUST. NewEdge Advisors LLC increased its position in Ouster by 2,532.6% during the second quarter. NewEdge Advisors LLC now owns 1,132 shares of the companys stock valued at $27,000 after acquiring an additional 1,089 shares during the last quarter. Nisa Investment Advisors LLC boosted its stake in shares of Ouster by 153.3% during the 2nd quarter. Nisa Investment Advisors LLC now owns 1,211 shares of the companys stock worth $29,000 after purchasing an additional 733 shares during the period. TD Waterhouse Canada Inc. grew its holdings in Ouster by 8,823.5% during the 2nd quarter. TD Waterhouse Canada Inc. now owns 1,517 shares of the companys stock valued at $37,000 after purchasing an additional 1,500 shares during the last quarter. Gordian Capital Singapore Pte Ltd raised its position in Ouster by 38.1% in the 3rd quarter. Gordian Capital Singapore Pte Ltd now owns 2,900 shares of the companys stock worth $78,000 after purchasing an additional 800 shares during the period. Finally, North Capital Inc. lifted its stake in Ouster by 102.7% in the second quarter. North Capital Inc. now owns 3,000 shares of the companys stock worth $73,000 after purchasing an additional 1,520 shares during the last quarter. 31.45% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors. Wall Street Analyst Weigh In OUST has been the subject of a number of research analyst reports. Northland Securities set a $38.00 price objective on Ouster in a research report on Wednesday, November 5th. Cantor Fitzgerald set a $33.00 price target on Ouster in a report on Thursday, November 6th. Oppenheimer reaffirmed an outperform rating on shares of Ouster in a research note on Thursday, December 4th. Zacks Research downgraded Ouster from a strong-buy rating to a hold rating in a research report on Monday, October 13th. Finally, Westpark Capital restated a buy rating and issued a $50.00 price target on shares of Ouster in a research report on Wednesday, November 5th. Four investment analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating and one has issued a Hold rating to the companys stock. According to MarketBeat, the company currently has a consensus rating of Moderate Buy and a consensus target price of $32.17. Read Our Latest Stock Report on Ouster Ouster Company Profile (Get Free Report) Ouster, Inc is a leading provider of high-resolution digital lidar sensors, software and services designed to enable advanced perception capabilities across a range of industries. Headquartered in San Francisco, California, the company develops modular lidar solutions that capture precise three-dimensional data in real time, supporting applications from autonomous vehicles and robotics to mapping, smart infrastructure and industrial automation. The companys core product lineup features multi-beam digital lidar units available in various form factors, including compact models for robotics and drones and larger units for automotive and mapping systems. Featured Articles Receive News & Ratings for Ouster Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Ouster and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. The artificial intelligence revolution has turned out to be one of the most important and influential trends in the market we've seen in a very long time. Indeed, since the rise of the internet, I can't think of a technology that has the potential to reshape society in terms of how we all live and work in a similar way to AI. Quick Read Trump administrations Venezuela intervention aims to shift global oil flows and reshape energy markets. Lockheed Martin, Northrop Grumman and General Dynamics stand out as defense plays amid heightened geopolitical risk. Northrop Grumman delivered strong Q3 results driven by solid demand across its aircraft and missile portfolio. A recent study identified one single habit that doubled Americans retirement savings and moved retirement from dream, to reality. Read more here. The debate around the potential benefits and risks tied to the rollout of AI technology continues on. There are plenty of sub-trends within this space, from chip and memory demand, to surging power needs and the rise of data centers within certain communities (with plenty of debate on this front as well). That said, I'm going to steer clear of AI and all its associated benefits and potential headwinds in 2026, and highlight one key trend I see as being perhaps just as influential for investors looking to benefit from sector-specific upside in 2026. The Defense Sector Could Become a Growth Engine Again usarmyeurope_images / Public Domain / Flickr usarmyeurope_images / Public Domain / Flickr Image of a tank I'm of the view that one trend which has the potential to overshadow AI as the discussion point of the year could be global weapons stockpiling ahead of more major conflicts in 2026. We've already seen the Trump administration step into the fray in Venezuela, capturing the current president and looking to impose the administration's will on the current administration in the South American country, in a bid to shift oil flows globally. The implications of this move from an energy standpoint are significant, and any future action taken against other oil-producing nations such as Iran could further provide some volatility in the market for investors who have significant exposure to oil stocks. That said, if we do see a continued ratcheting up of rhetoric, and other actions from the Chinese or Russians toward Taiwan, Ukraine, or any other nation, defense stocks could be the biggest beneficiary of increased geopolitical risk this year. Which Defense Stocks Look the Most Attractive Right Now? Getty Images / Getty Images News via Getty Images Getty Images / Getty Images News via Getty Images Missile blasting off U.S. defense stocks are still the envy of the world, producing impressive quantities of air, sea and land weaponry used not only domestically, but by many of the country's top allies. McGraw Hill, Inc. (NYSE:MH Get Free Report) has received a consensus recommendation of Moderate Buy from the fifteen research firms that are covering the stock, Marketbeat Ratings reports. One investment analyst has rated the stock with a sell recommendation, two have assigned a hold recommendation, eleven have assigned a buy recommendation and one has issued a strong buy recommendation on the company. The average twelve-month price target among analysts that have issued a report on the stock in the last year is $20.6333. A number of analysts have weighed in on the company. Weiss Ratings reaffirmed a sell (d-) rating on shares of McGraw Hill in a research report on Monday, December 29th. BTIG Research increased their price target on McGraw Hill from $19.00 to $22.00 and gave the stock a buy rating in a report on Tuesday, December 2nd. Macquarie reiterated an outperform rating and issued a $19.00 price objective on shares of McGraw Hill in a research report on Tuesday, January 13th. Morgan Stanley upped their price objective on shares of McGraw Hill from $20.00 to $21.00 and gave the stock an overweight rating in a research report on Wednesday, December 17th. Finally, Zacks Research downgraded shares of McGraw Hill from a strong-buy rating to a hold rating in a report on Monday, January 12th. Get McGraw Hill alerts: Get Our Latest Analysis on McGraw Hill Insiders Place Their Bets Institutional Trading of McGraw Hill In other McGraw Hill news, Director Steven Reinemund bought 15,710 shares of the companys stock in a transaction on Friday, November 14th. The shares were bought at an average price of $15.03 per share, for a total transaction of $236,121.30. Following the transaction, the director owned 15,710 shares of the companys stock, valued at approximately $236,121.30. This trade represents a ? increase in their position. The transaction was disclosed in a legal filing with the SEC, which is accessible through this link Several hedge funds have recently modified their holdings of MH. Ameritas Investment Partners Inc. purchased a new stake in shares of McGraw Hill in the third quarter valued at approximately $25,000. Legal & General Group Plc acquired a new stake in McGraw Hill in the third quarter valued at $30,000. Strs Ohio purchased a new stake in shares of McGraw Hill during the 3rd quarter worth $54,000. BNP Paribas Financial Markets purchased a new stake in shares of McGraw Hill during the 3rd quarter worth $83,000. Finally, SG Americas Securities LLC acquired a new position in shares of McGraw Hill during the 4th quarter worth $163,000. McGraw Hill Stock Performance Shares of McGraw Hill stock opened at $14.55 on Thursday. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 3.52, a current ratio of 1.01 and a quick ratio of 0.92. The stock has a market cap of $2.78 billion and a P/E ratio of 10.39. McGraw Hill has a 1 year low of $10.69 and a 1 year high of $18.00. The stocks fifty day simple moving average is $16.37. McGraw Hill (NYSE:MH Get Free Report) last announced its earnings results on Wednesday, November 12th. The company reported $1.40 EPS for the quarter, beating analysts consensus estimates of $0.35 by $1.05. The business had revenue of $669.19 million during the quarter, compared to analysts expectations of $638.76 million. The firms revenue for the quarter was down 2.8% compared to the same quarter last year. About McGraw Hill (Get Free Report) McGraw Hill (NYSE:MH) is a global learning science company specializing in educational content, digital learning platforms, and assessment solutions. The company offers textbooks and course materials for K-12 and higher education, along with professional development resources for corporate and workforce training. Its digital solutionsincluding adaptive learning platforms and analytics-driven toolssupport personalized instruction, progress tracking, and interactive engagement in both classroom and remote environments. Founded in 1888 in New York City, McGraw Hill has evolved from a technical periodical publisher into one of the worlds leading providers of educational content and technology. See Also Receive News & Ratings for McGraw Hill Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for McGraw Hill and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Shares of Hormel Foods Corporation (NYSE:HRL Get Free Report) have been given an average rating of Hold by the nine ratings firms that are covering the company, MarketBeat reports. One research analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating, five have assigned a hold rating and three have given a buy rating to the company. The average 1-year price target among brokerages that have issued ratings on the stock in the last year is $28.2857. HRL has been the topic of a number of research reports. Piper Sandler restated a neutral rating and issued a $26.00 price target (up from $25.00) on shares of Hormel Foods in a research note on Friday, December 5th. JPMorgan Chase & Co. raised their target price on Hormel Foods from $27.00 to $28.00 and gave the stock an overweight rating in a research report on Friday, December 5th. Bank of America boosted their price target on Hormel Foods from $25.00 to $26.00 and gave the company a neutral rating in a research note on Friday, December 5th. The Goldman Sachs Group set a $27.00 price objective on shares of Hormel Foods and gave the stock a buy rating in a research note on Thursday, October 30th. Finally, Weiss Ratings reissued a sell (d+) rating on shares of Hormel Foods in a report on Wednesday, October 8th. Get Hormel Foods alerts: Get Our Latest Stock Report on Hormel Foods Hormel Foods Stock Performance Shares of HRL stock opened at $24.44 on Thursday. The company has a quick ratio of 1.20, a current ratio of 2.47 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.36. The company has a 50 day moving average price of $23.52 and a 200-day moving average price of $25.19. Hormel Foods has a 52 week low of $21.03 and a 52 week high of $32.07. The firm has a market capitalization of $13.44 billion, a PE ratio of 28.09, a P/E/G ratio of 2.49 and a beta of 0.33. Hormel Foods (NYSE:HRL Get Free Report) last issued its earnings results on Thursday, December 4th. The company reported $0.32 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of $0.30 by $0.02. Hormel Foods had a net margin of 3.95% and a return on equity of 9.41%. The company had revenue of $3.19 billion for the quarter, compared to analysts expectations of $3.24 billion. During the same quarter last year, the company posted $0.42 earnings per share. The firms quarterly revenue was up 1.5% on a year-over-year basis. Hormel Foods has set its FY 2026 guidance at 1.430-1.51 EPS. As a group, equities research analysts expect that Hormel Foods will post 1.65 earnings per share for the current year. Hormel Foods Increases Dividend The firm also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Tuesday, February 17th. Stockholders of record on Monday, January 12th will be given a dividend of $0.2925 per share. This represents a $1.17 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 4.8%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Monday, January 12th. This is a positive change from Hormel Foodss previous quarterly dividend of $0.29. Hormel Foodss payout ratio is presently 134.48%. Hedge Funds Weigh In On Hormel Foods Several institutional investors and hedge funds have recently bought and sold shares of HRL. Revisor Wealth Management LLC lifted its position in shares of Hormel Foods by 3.3% during the 2nd quarter. Revisor Wealth Management LLC now owns 11,342 shares of the companys stock valued at $357,000 after acquiring an additional 360 shares during the period. G&S Capital LLC grew its holdings in shares of Hormel Foods by 2.6% in the 2nd quarter. G&S Capital LLC now owns 15,914 shares of the companys stock worth $481,000 after acquiring an additional 398 shares during the period. Exchange Traded Concepts LLC increased its stake in Hormel Foods by 0.8% in the 4th quarter. Exchange Traded Concepts LLC now owns 55,180 shares of the companys stock valued at $1,308,000 after purchasing an additional 437 shares in the last quarter. Voya Investment Management LLC increased its stake in Hormel Foods by 0.6% in the 1st quarter. Voya Investment Management LLC now owns 87,438 shares of the companys stock valued at $2,705,000 after purchasing an additional 484 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Siemens Fonds Invest GmbH raised its holdings in Hormel Foods by 3.8% during the third quarter. Siemens Fonds Invest GmbH now owns 13,407 shares of the companys stock worth $332,000 after purchasing an additional 486 shares during the last quarter. 40.99% of the stock is currently owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors. Hormel Foods Company Profile (Get Free Report) Hormel Foods Corporation is a global branded foods company primarily engaged in the production, marketing and distribution of value-added, high-quality meat and food products. The companys portfolio spans a range of categories including refrigerated and frozen meats, pantry staples, specialty foods and shelf-stable items. Through manufacturing facilities located across North America and international markets, Hormel Foods supplies retail grocers, foodservice operators, convenience stores and e-commerce platforms. Among its best-known brands, Hormel Foods produces SPAM canned meats, Jennie-O turkey products, Skippy peanut butter and Applegate natural and organic meats. See Also Receive News & Ratings for Hormel Foods Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Hormel Foods and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Shares of Heidelberg Materials AG (OTCMKTS:HDELY Get Free Report) crossed above its 50-day moving average during trading on Wednesday . The stock has a 50-day moving average of $24.93 and traded as high as $25.02. Heidelberg Materials shares last traded at $24.93, with a volume of 27,257 shares changing hands. Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades Separately, Citigroup restated a neutral rating on shares of Heidelberg Materials in a research note on Thursday, January 15th. One equities research analyst has rated the stock with a Buy rating and two have issued a Hold rating to the company. According to MarketBeat, the stock has an average rating of Hold. Get Heidelberg Materials alerts: Check Out Our Latest Analysis on Heidelberg Materials Heidelberg Materials Trading Down 1.7% About Heidelberg Materials The firms fifty day simple moving average is $24.93 and its two-hundred day simple moving average is $24.93. (Get Free Report) Heidelberg Materials (OTCMKTS: HDELY) is a global building materials company based in Germany that produces and supplies a broad range of construction materials and related services. Its core products include cement, aggregates (crushed stone, sand and gravel), ready-mixed concrete and asphalt, which are used in infrastructure, commercial and residential construction projects. The company also provides complementary products and technical services such as admixtures, precast concrete components and logistics support to construction customers and industrial clients. The business operates across multiple regions worldwide, serving customers in Europe, North America, Asia, Africa, the Middle East and Latin America. Further Reading Receive News & Ratings for Heidelberg Materials Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Heidelberg Materials and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. John Hancock Preferred Income Fund III (NYSE:HPS Get Free Report)s stock price crossed below its fifty day moving average during trading on Wednesday . The stock has a fifty day moving average of $14.62 and traded as low as $14.51. John Hancock Preferred Income Fund III shares last traded at $14.57, with a volume of 54,088 shares changing hands. John Hancock Preferred Income Fund III Stock Performance The stocks 50 day moving average price is $14.62 and its 200-day moving average price is $14.84. Get John Hancock Preferred Income Fund III alerts: John Hancock Preferred Income Fund III Announces Dividend The business also recently announced a monthly dividend, which will be paid on Friday, January 30th. Shareholders of record on Monday, January 12th will be issued a dividend of $0.11 per share. The ex-dividend date is Monday, January 12th. This represents a c) dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 9.1%. Institutional Inflows and Outflows John Hancock Preferred Income Fund III Company Profile Institutional investors and hedge funds have recently made changes to their positions in the stock. Royal Bank of Canada lifted its stake in shares of John Hancock Preferred Income Fund III by 11.4% during the 1st quarter. Royal Bank of Canada now owns 51,471 shares of the companys stock worth $772,000 after purchasing an additional 5,264 shares during the last quarter. Wealth Enhancement Advisory Services LLC purchased a new stake in shares of John Hancock Preferred Income Fund III during the second quarter valued at about $326,000. Fifth Third Bancorp purchased a new stake in shares of John Hancock Preferred Income Fund III during the second quarter valued at about $72,000. Ameritas Advisory Services LLC bought a new stake in shares of John Hancock Preferred Income Fund III in the 2nd quarter valued at about $52,000. Finally, Wolverine Asset Management LLC purchased a new position in shares of John Hancock Preferred Income Fund III in the 2nd quarter worth approximately $59,000. (Get Free Report) John Hancock Preferred Income Fund III (NYSE:HPS) is a publicly traded, closed-end management investment company that seeks to provide a high level of current income. The fund offers investors access to a diversified portfolio of income-producing securities, with a primary focus on preferred stocks and similar instruments. As a closed-end fund, HPS issues a fixed number of shares that trade on the New York Stock Exchange, allowing investors to participate in its income strategy through the open market. The fund pursues its objective by investing primarily in preferred securities of U.S. Recommended Stories Receive News & Ratings for John Hancock Preferred Income Fund III Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for John Hancock Preferred Income Fund III and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Verdence Capital Advisors LLC purchased a new position in shares of The Kroger Co. (NYSE:KR Free Report) during the third quarter, according to its most recent 13F filing with the SEC. The institutional investor purchased 17,075 shares of the companys stock, valued at approximately $1,162,000. Several other hedge funds also recently modified their holdings of the stock. SOA Wealth Advisors LLC. grew its holdings in Kroger by 6,840.0% in the second quarter. SOA Wealth Advisors LLC. now owns 347 shares of the companys stock worth $25,000 after purchasing an additional 342 shares during the period. Atlantic Union Bankshares Corp bought a new position in shares of Kroger during the 2nd quarter worth about $28,000. Rossby Financial LCC acquired a new stake in shares of Kroger in the 2nd quarter valued at about $29,000. Whipplewood Advisors LLC increased its position in Kroger by 10,425.0% in the 2nd quarter. Whipplewood Advisors LLC now owns 421 shares of the companys stock valued at $30,000 after buying an additional 417 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Vermillion & White Wealth Management Group LLC raised its stake in Kroger by 87.8% during the 2nd quarter. Vermillion & White Wealth Management Group LLC now owns 445 shares of the companys stock worth $32,000 after buying an additional 208 shares during the period. Institutional investors own 80.93% of the companys stock. Get Kroger alerts: Kroger Trading Up 1.2% Shares of KR stock opened at $63.92 on Thursday. The Kroger Co. has a 52-week low of $58.15 and a 52-week high of $74.90. The company has a 50-day simple moving average of $63.62 and a two-hundred day simple moving average of $66.83. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 2.28, a quick ratio of 0.45 and a current ratio of 0.88. The company has a market capitalization of $40.45 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 59.18, a PEG ratio of 1.77 and a beta of 0.61. Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth Kroger ( NYSE:KR Get Free Report ) last issued its quarterly earnings results on Thursday, December 4th. The company reported $1.05 EPS for the quarter, beating analysts consensus estimates of $1.03 by $0.02. Kroger had a return on equity of 38.06% and a net margin of 0.54%.The company had revenue of $33.86 billion during the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $34.27 billion. During the same period last year, the business posted $0.98 earnings per share. Krogers revenue was up .7% on a year-over-year basis. Kroger has set its FY 2025 guidance at 4.750-4.800 EPS. Research analysts anticipate that The Kroger Co. will post 4.44 EPS for the current fiscal year. A number of equities analysts have recently weighed in on KR shares. Wells Fargo & Company reaffirmed an overweight rating and set a $70.00 target price (down from $78.00) on shares of Kroger in a research report on Thursday, December 4th. Telsey Advisory Group reaffirmed an outperform rating and issued a $80.00 price objective (down from $82.00) on shares of Kroger in a research note on Monday, December 1st. Deutsche Bank Aktiengesellschaft upgraded shares of Kroger from a hold rating to a buy rating and set a $75.00 price objective for the company in a report on Thursday, January 8th. Citigroup restated a neutral rating and issued a $68.00 target price (down previously from $74.00) on shares of Kroger in a report on Wednesday, December 10th. Finally, Evercore ISI set a $77.00 price target on Kroger and gave the company an outperform rating in a research note on Friday, December 5th. Eight investment analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating and seven have issued a Hold rating to the stock. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, the stock presently has an average rating of Moderate Buy and a consensus target price of $73.80. View Our Latest Stock Report on Kroger Kroger Company Profile (Free Report) The Kroger Co (NYSE: KR) is one of the largest supermarket operators in the United States, offering a wide range of retail grocery and related services. Founded in Cincinnati in 1883 by Bernard Kroger, the company operates a portfolio of supermarket and multi-department store banners and provides customers with fresh foods, packaged groceries, deli and bakery items, meat and seafood, produce, and prepared foods. Krogers stores commonly include pharmacy services and fuel centers, positioning the company as a broad-based neighborhood retail destination for everyday needs. In addition to traditional in-store retailing, Kroger manufactures and distributes a variety of private-label brands and operates its own food production and supply-chain facilities. Recommended Stories Receive News & Ratings for Kroger Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Kroger and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Parsons Capital Management Inc. RI acquired a new position in shares of iShares U.S. Small Cap Equity Factor ETF (NYSEARCA:SMLF Free Report) in the 3rd quarter, according to its most recent filing with the SEC. The fund acquired 6,308 shares of the companys stock, valued at approximately $469,000. Several other institutional investors and hedge funds also recently added to or reduced their stakes in the business. Dynamic Wealth Strategies LLC increased its holdings in shares of iShares U.S. Small Cap Equity Factor ETF by 0.9% in the third quarter. Dynamic Wealth Strategies LLC now owns 20,583 shares of the companys stock valued at $1,530,000 after purchasing an additional 181 shares during the last quarter. Arkadios Wealth Advisors raised its position in iShares U.S. Small Cap Equity Factor ETF by 7.9% in the third quarter. Arkadios Wealth Advisors now owns 3,435 shares of the companys stock valued at $255,000 after purchasing an additional 252 shares during the period. Wealth Enhancement Advisory Services LLC grew its holdings in shares of iShares U.S. Small Cap Equity Factor ETF by 3.4% during the 3rd quarter. Wealth Enhancement Advisory Services LLC now owns 27,473 shares of the companys stock worth $2,040,000 after purchasing an additional 897 shares during the period. Leavell Investment Management Inc. boosted its stake in iShares U.S. Small Cap Equity Factor ETF by 24.7% during the third quarter. Leavell Investment Management Inc. now owns 5,087 shares of the companys stock worth $378,000 after buying an additional 1,007 shares during the period. Finally, PTM Wealth Management LLC boosted its position in shares of iShares U.S. Small Cap Equity Factor ETF by 5.4% during the 3rd quarter. PTM Wealth Management LLC now owns 171,808 shares of the companys stock worth $12,898,000 after purchasing an additional 8,746 shares during the period. Get iShares U.S. Small Cap Equity Factor ETF alerts: iShares U.S. Small Cap Equity Factor ETF Trading Up 2.0% SMLF stock opened at $79.94 on Thursday. The businesss fifty day moving average price is $75.80 and its 200 day moving average price is $73.69. iShares U.S. Small Cap Equity Factor ETF has a 12-month low of $53.39 and a 12-month high of $80.22. The company has a market capitalization of $3.13 billion, a PE ratio of 17.17 and a beta of 1.10. iShares U.S. Small Cap Equity Factor ETF Profile The iShares MSCI USA Small-Cap Multifactor ETF (SMLF) is an exchange-traded fund that is based on the STOXX U.S. SmallCap Equity Factor index. The fund tracks an index of small-cap US equities. Stocks are selected and weighted to increase exposure to four factors (quality, value, momentum, and low volatility). SMLF was launched on Apr 28, 2015 and is managed by BlackRock. Featured Articles Receive News & Ratings for iShares U.S. Small Cap Equity Factor ETF Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for iShares U.S. Small Cap Equity Factor ETF and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Verdence Capital Advisors LLC purchased a new stake in Dover Corporation (NYSE:DOV Free Report) in the 3rd quarter, according to the company in its most recent Form 13F filing with the SEC. The firm purchased 3,756 shares of the industrial products companys stock, valued at approximately $668,000. Several other hedge funds have also modified their holdings of DOV. AdvisorShares Investments LLC purchased a new stake in Dover during the 2nd quarter worth about $30,000. Vermillion & White Wealth Management Group LLC grew its position in shares of Dover by 122.4% during the second quarter. Vermillion & White Wealth Management Group LLC now owns 169 shares of the industrial products companys stock worth $31,000 after buying an additional 93 shares in the last quarter. Caldwell Trust Co acquired a new stake in Dover in the second quarter valued at approximately $31,000. Harbour Investments Inc. lifted its stake in Dover by 51.7% in the second quarter. Harbour Investments Inc. now owns 176 shares of the industrial products companys stock worth $32,000 after acquiring an additional 60 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Investment Research & Advisory Group Inc. acquired a new position in Dover during the 2nd quarter worth approximately $33,000. 84.46% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors and hedge funds. Get Dover alerts: Analysts Set New Price Targets Several equities research analysts have recently issued reports on the stock. BNP Paribas Exane initiated coverage on shares of Dover in a research report on Thursday, December 4th. They set a neutral rating and a $195.00 price objective for the company. Wall Street Zen downgraded Dover from a buy rating to a hold rating in a report on Saturday, November 8th. Robert W. Baird set a $235.00 price objective on shares of Dover in a report on Friday, October 24th. UBS Group set a $256.00 price target on shares of Dover and gave the stock a buy rating in a research note on Sunday, January 4th. Finally, Royal Bank Of Canada reaffirmed a sector perform rating and set a $199.00 price objective on shares of Dover in a report on Thursday, January 15th. Seven investment analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating and five have issued a Hold rating to the company. According to MarketBeat.com, Dover has an average rating of Moderate Buy and a consensus target price of $218.09. Dover Stock Up 3.6% DOV opened at $208.61 on Thursday. Dover Corporation has a 52 week low of $143.04 and a 52 week high of $222.31. The business has a 50 day moving average price of $194.65 and a two-hundred day moving average price of $183.11. The company has a quick ratio of 1.44, a current ratio of 2.04 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.35. The company has a market cap of $28.61 billion, a PE ratio of 12.83, a P/E/G ratio of 1.40 and a beta of 1.31. Dover (NYSE:DOV Get Free Report) last issued its quarterly earnings results on Thursday, October 23rd. The industrial products company reported $2.62 earnings per share for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of $2.50 by $0.12. The firm had revenue of $2.08 billion during the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $2.11 billion. Dover had a return on equity of 17.62% and a net margin of 28.37%.The companys revenue for the quarter was up 4.7% on a year-over-year basis. During the same period last year, the company earned $2.27 earnings per share. As a group, research analysts anticipate that Dover Corporation will post 9.45 EPS for the current year. Dover Announces Dividend The company also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Monday, December 15th. Investors of record on Friday, November 28th were issued a dividend of $0.52 per share. This represents a $2.08 annualized dividend and a yield of 1.0%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend was Friday, November 28th. Dovers dividend payout ratio is currently 12.79%. Insider Buying and Selling In other news, SVP Ivonne M. Cabrera sold 2,630 shares of the firms stock in a transaction that occurred on Thursday, December 4th. The stock was sold at an average price of $190.80, for a total value of $501,804.00. Following the completion of the sale, the senior vice president directly owned 72,968 shares of the companys stock, valued at $13,922,294.40. This trade represents a 3.48% decrease in their position. The transaction was disclosed in a filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available through this hyperlink. Also, CFO Christopher B. Woenker sold 1,627 shares of the companys stock in a transaction on Friday, November 28th. The stock was sold at an average price of $186.04, for a total value of $302,687.08. Following the transaction, the chief financial officer directly owned 2,553 shares in the company, valued at $474,960.12. This represents a 38.92% decrease in their position. The disclosure for this sale is available in the SEC filing. 1.30% of the stock is currently owned by insiders. Dover Profile (Free Report) Dover Corporation is a diversified global manufacturer of industrial products, components and specialty systems that serve a wide range of commercial and industrial end markets. Headquartered in Downers Grove, Illinois, the company has built a portfolio of operating businesses that design, manufacture and distribute engineered equipment, aftermarket parts and related services for customers around the world. Dovers activities span several product and solution categories, including fluid-handling and pumping systems, material handling and processing equipment, refrigeration and foodservice technologies, product identification and printing systems, precision components and automation and sensing solutions. Featured Stories Receive News & Ratings for Dover Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Dover and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Sse Plc (OTCMKTS:SSEZY Get Free Report) reached a new 52-week high during mid-day trading on Thursday . The stock traded as high as $32.00 and last traded at $31.91, with a volume of 91289 shares trading hands. The stock had previously closed at $31.49. Analyst Ratings Changes A number of research analysts have weighed in on the stock. Morgan Stanley reaffirmed an overweight rating on shares of SSE in a research note on Wednesday, January 7th. UBS Group cut shares of SSE from a strong-buy rating to a hold rating in a research report on Thursday, November 27th. Royal Bank Of Canada reissued an outperform rating on shares of SSE in a report on Friday, November 14th. Deutsche Bank Aktiengesellschaft restated a buy rating on shares of SSE in a report on Friday, November 14th. Finally, Zacks Research upgraded SSE from a strong sell rating to a hold rating in a report on Friday, December 19th. Three research analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating, two have given a Hold rating and one has assigned a Sell rating to the companys stock. According to MarketBeat.com, the company presently has a consensus rating of Hold. Get SSE alerts: Check Out Our Latest Research Report on SSEZY SSE Trading Up 1.3% SSE Company Profile The company has a quick ratio of 0.89, a current ratio of 0.97 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.65. The business has a 50 day moving average price of $29.82 and a two-hundred day moving average price of $26.31. (Get Free Report) SSE plc (OTCMKTS:SSEZY) is a United Kingdombased energy company engaged across the electricity value chain. Its principal activities include power generation, energy supply to residential and commercial customers, and ownership/operation of electricity networks. The company has a significant presence in renewable energy development alongside conventional generation, and it provides a range of energy-related services and infrastructure solutions. On the generation side, SSEs portfolio spans both low-carbon technologiessuch as onshore and offshore wind and hydroelectric assetsand thermal generation that supports system reliability. Recommended Stories Receive News & Ratings for SSE Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for SSE and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. NorthCrest Asset Manangement LLC bought a new stake in Newmont Corporation (NYSE:NEM Free Report) during the third quarter, according to the company in its most recent disclosure with the Securities & Exchange Commission. The institutional investor bought 7,006 shares of the basic materials companys stock, valued at approximately $609,000. A number of other institutional investors have also made changes to their positions in NEM. Harbor Capital Advisors Inc. increased its holdings in Newmont by 53.5% in the 3rd quarter. Harbor Capital Advisors Inc. now owns 399 shares of the basic materials companys stock valued at $34,000 after purchasing an additional 139 shares during the last quarter. Concord Wealth Partners grew its stake in shares of Newmont by 534.7% in the second quarter. Concord Wealth Partners now owns 457 shares of the basic materials companys stock valued at $27,000 after buying an additional 385 shares in the last quarter. Evermay Wealth Management LLC lifted its stake in Newmont by 408.2% during the 2nd quarter. Evermay Wealth Management LLC now owns 498 shares of the basic materials companys stock worth $29,000 after acquiring an additional 400 shares in the last quarter. Salomon & Ludwin LLC purchased a new position in Newmont during the 3rd quarter valued at about $44,000. Finally, Capital A Wealth Management LLC increased its stake in Newmont by 1,648.3% during the second quarter. Capital A Wealth Management LLC now owns 507 shares of the basic materials companys stock worth $30,000 after purchasing an additional 478 shares during the period. 68.85% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors and hedge funds. Get Newmont alerts: Newmont News Summary Here are the key news stories impacting Newmont this week: Positive Sentiment: Seeking Alpha reiterates a Strong Buy thesis, citing robust gold and copper price tailwinds, superior margins and undervaluation on forward P/E and PEG metrics the report argues structural copper shortages and central bank gold demand create durable upside for Newmont. Article Title Seeking Alpha reiterates a Strong Buy thesis, citing robust gold and copper price tailwinds, superior margins and undervaluation on forward P/E and PEG metrics the report argues structural copper shortages and central bank gold demand create durable upside for Newmont. Positive Sentiment: DZ Bank upgraded Newmont to strong-buy, adding fresh analyst support that could attract momentum buying and validate the bullish earnings/cash-flow outlook. Article Title DZ Bank upgraded Newmont to strong-buy, adding fresh analyst support that could attract momentum buying and validate the bullish earnings/cash-flow outlook. Positive Sentiment: 247WallStreet includes Newmont among gold miners with potential upside in 2026, reinforcing the narrative that sustained higher gold prices benefit Newmonts revenue and margins. Article Title 247WallStreet includes Newmont among gold miners with potential upside in 2026, reinforcing the narrative that sustained higher gold prices benefit Newmonts revenue and margins. Neutral Sentiment: Zacks runs pieces highlighting the sector and comparing Barrick vs. Newmont; these note both firms benefit from golds rally but underscore differences in project exposure and capital allocation useful context but not an immediate catalyst. Article Title Zacks runs pieces highlighting the sector and comparing Barrick vs. Newmont; these note both firms benefit from golds rally but underscore differences in project exposure and capital allocation useful context but not an immediate catalyst. Neutral Sentiment: Zacks also published a thematic piece on taking advantage of basic materials stocks using the Earnings ESPhelpful for traders hunting earnings surprises but not specific to Newmonts near-term fundamentals. Article Title Zacks also published a thematic piece on taking advantage of basic materials stocks using the Earnings ESPhelpful for traders hunting earnings surprises but not specific to Newmonts near-term fundamentals. Neutral Sentiment: A comparative piece examines Triple Flag Precious Metals vs. Newmont useful for relative-valuation and strategy discussions but not a direct negative for Newmont. Article Title Analyst Ratings Changes Several research analysts have recently commented on the stock. Scotiabank raised shares of Newmont from a sector perform rating to a sector outperform rating and raised their price objective for the company from $71.50 to $114.00 in a research note on Thursday, October 23rd. Weiss Ratings reaffirmed a buy (b-) rating on shares of Newmont in a research report on Monday, December 29th. Macquarie upgraded Newmont from a hold rating to a strong-buy rating in a research note on Friday, December 5th. Zacks Research cut Newmont from a strong-buy rating to a hold rating in a research note on Tuesday, November 18th. Finally, Citigroup restated a buy rating on shares of Newmont in a report on Monday, January 12th. Six equities research analysts have rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, twelve have given a Buy rating and three have given a Hold rating to the company. According to MarketBeat.com, the stock currently has an average rating of Buy and a consensus price target of $99.49. Check Out Our Latest Report on Newmont Insider Buying and Selling at Newmont In other Newmont news, Director Bruce R. Brook sold 2,080 shares of the firms stock in a transaction dated Monday, December 1st. The stock was sold at an average price of $92.36, for a total transaction of $192,108.80. Following the transaction, the director owned 32,709 shares of the companys stock, valued at approximately $3,021,003.24. This trade represents a 5.98% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The sale was disclosed in a document filed with the SEC, which can be accessed through this hyperlink. Also, CEO Thomas Ronald Palmer sold 5,000 shares of the businesss stock in a transaction dated Monday, November 3rd. The shares were sold at an average price of $81.34, for a total value of $406,700.00. Following the completion of the sale, the chief executive officer directly owned 279,923 shares of the companys stock, valued at $22,768,936.82. The trade was a 1.75% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The disclosure for this sale is available in the SEC filing. Insiders sold 9,160 shares of company stock valued at $767,206 in the last 90 days. 0.05% of the stock is currently owned by insiders. Newmont Stock Performance Shares of NEM opened at $118.88 on Thursday. The company has a market capitalization of $129.73 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 18.46, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 0.90 and a beta of 0.41. Newmont Corporation has a 52-week low of $40.85 and a 52-week high of $121.45. The company has a quick ratio of 1.74, a current ratio of 2.04 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.17. The stock has a 50 day moving average price of $99.20 and a 200 day moving average price of $83.88. Newmont (NYSE:NEM Get Free Report) last issued its quarterly earnings data on Thursday, October 23rd. The basic materials company reported $1.71 earnings per share for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of $1.27 by $0.44. Newmont had a net margin of 33.42% and a return on equity of 20.35%. The business had revenue of $5.52 billion during the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $5.14 billion. During the same quarter in the previous year, the firm earned $0.81 EPS. The companys revenue was up 20.0% compared to the same quarter last year. Research analysts predict that Newmont Corporation will post 3.45 EPS for the current fiscal year. Newmont Company Profile (Free Report) Newmont Corporation (NYSE: NEM) is a leading global gold mining company engaged in the exploration, development, processing and reclamation of gold properties. The companys core business centers on the production of gold, with additional byproduct metals produced from its operations. Newmont operates a portfolio of long?lived mines and development projects, and its activities span the full mine life cycle from early-stage exploration through to mining, milling and closure. Founded in 1921 and headquartered in Greenwood Village, Colorado, Newmont has grown through organic development and strategic acquisitions. Featured Stories Receive News & Ratings for Newmont Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Newmont and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Vest Financial LLC boosted its holdings in shares of Applied Industrial Technologies, Inc. (NYSE:AIT Free Report) by 15.6% during the 3rd quarter, Holdings Channel reports. The fund owned 20,784 shares of the industrial products companys stock after buying an additional 2,801 shares during the period. Vest Financial LLCs holdings in Applied Industrial Technologies were worth $5,426,000 as of its most recent SEC filing. Several other large investors have also modified their holdings of the business. Norges Bank purchased a new stake in shares of Applied Industrial Technologies in the 2nd quarter worth approximately $107,228,000. Qube Research & Technologies Ltd bought a new position in Applied Industrial Technologies in the second quarter worth approximately $81,722,000. Dundas Partners LLP boosted its position in Applied Industrial Technologies by 12,956.0% during the 2nd quarter. Dundas Partners LLP now owns 266,212 shares of the industrial products companys stock valued at $61,881,000 after acquiring an additional 264,173 shares in the last quarter. Squarepoint Ops LLC boosted its position in Applied Industrial Technologies by 11,885.4% during the 2nd quarter. Squarepoint Ops LLC now owns 258,286 shares of the industrial products companys stock valued at $60,039,000 after acquiring an additional 256,131 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Royal London Asset Management Ltd. increased its holdings in shares of Applied Industrial Technologies by 69.2% in the 2nd quarter. Royal London Asset Management Ltd. now owns 393,743 shares of the industrial products companys stock valued at $91,526,000 after acquiring an additional 161,048 shares during the period. Institutional investors own 93.52% of the companys stock. Get Applied Industrial Technologies alerts: Wall Street Analyst Weigh In A number of brokerages recently weighed in on AIT. Weiss Ratings restated a buy (b) rating on shares of Applied Industrial Technologies in a research note on Monday, December 29th. Mizuho set a $305.00 price target on shares of Applied Industrial Technologies in a research report on Wednesday, October 29th. Six investment analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating and one has assigned a Hold rating to the stock. According to data from MarketBeat, Applied Industrial Technologies currently has a consensus rating of Moderate Buy and an average target price of $287.50. Applied Industrial Technologies Trading Up 2.3% Applied Industrial Technologies stock opened at $283.76 on Thursday. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.30, a quick ratio of 2.50 and a current ratio of 3.55. The stock has a market cap of $10.70 billion, a PE ratio of 27.31, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 2.83 and a beta of 0.87. The stock has a 50-day moving average of $261.36 and a two-hundred day moving average of $260.81. Applied Industrial Technologies, Inc. has a one year low of $199.96 and a one year high of $286.19. Applied Industrial Technologies (NYSE:AIT Get Free Report) last posted its quarterly earnings data on Tuesday, October 28th. The industrial products company reported $2.63 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, beating the consensus estimate of $2.47 by $0.16. The firm had revenue of $1.20 billion for the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $1.19 billion. Applied Industrial Technologies had a net margin of 8.61% and a return on equity of 21.86%. The companys revenue for the quarter was up 9.2% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same quarter in the prior year, the company posted $2.36 earnings per share. Applied Industrial Technologies has set its FY 2026 guidance at 10.100-10.850 EPS. On average, research analysts anticipate that Applied Industrial Technologies, Inc. will post 9.9 EPS for the current fiscal year. About Applied Industrial Technologies (Free Report) Applied Industrial Technologies, listed on the New York Stock Exchange under the symbol AIT, is a leading distributor of industrial products and services. The company offers a comprehensive range of bearings, power transmission components, fluid power products, industrial rubber products, and automation solutions. Through its network of distribution centers and branch locations, Applied Industrial Technologies serves diverse end markets including manufacturing, oil and gas, mining, food and beverage, and wastewater treatment. Founded in 1923 and headquartered in Cleveland, Ohio, Applied Industrial Technologies has grown through a combination of organic expansion and strategic acquisitions. Further Reading Want to see what other hedge funds are holding AIT? Visit HoldingsChannel.com to get the latest 13F filings and insider trades for Applied Industrial Technologies, Inc. (NYSE:AIT Free Report). Receive News & Ratings for Applied Industrial Technologies Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Applied Industrial Technologies and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Bank of America Corporation (NYSE:BAC) is included in our list of the 10 Goldman Sachs undervalued stocks to invest in. Morgan Stanley Remains Bullish on Bank of America (BAC) Following Strong Q4 Results Pixabay/Public Domain On January 15, 2026, Morgan Stanley reduced its price target on Bank of America Corporation (NYSE:BAC) from $68.00 to $64.00, while reiterating an Overweight rating. The update came after the company posted solid Q4 results, beating consensus EPS by roughly 2%. However, the firm noted the share price drop following the results announcement, as management was expected to tighten its 55%-59% medium-term expense ratio to 54%-58%. The investment firm also touched upon the accounting change, which adds roughly $1.00 billion per quarter to fees, complicates comparisons, and tempers short-term sentiment despite the earnings beat. The companys January 14, 2026, earnings release featured diluted EPS of $0.98 versus $0.96 expected, net income of $7.60 billion, and revenue of $28.50 billion, slightly above consensus. The quarter marked trading strength, with sales and trading revenue rising 10% to $4.50 billion, driven by benefits from volatile markets. At the same time, net interest income (NII) rose 9.7% to $15.75 billion. Looking ahead, Bank of America Corporation (NYSE:BAC)s management expects 7% NII growth in Q1 2026, while reaffirming 5%-7% growth for the full year 2026, with loan growth and easing deposit costs driving optimism. Bank of America Corporation (NYSE:BAC), a diversified U.S. financial institution, offers consumer banking, wealth management, investment banking, and global market services to individuals, corporations, and institutional clients. While we acknowledge the potential of BAC as an investment, we believe certain AI stocks offer greater upside potential and carry less downside risk. If you're looking for an extremely undervalued AI stock that also stands to benefit significantly from Trump-era tariffs and the onshoring trend, see our free report on the best short-term AI stock. READ NEXT: 7 Best Rising Tech Stocks to Buy Now and 12 Best Multibagger Stocks to Buy Heading into 2026. Disclosure: None. Prudential Financial, Inc. (NYSE:PRU Get Free Report) has been given an average recommendation of Hold by the twelve analysts that are covering the stock, Marketbeat reports. One investment analyst has rated the stock with a sell recommendation, ten have given a hold recommendation and one has given a buy recommendation to the company. The average 1 year target price among brokerages that have covered the stock in the last year is $118.80. Several brokerages have weighed in on PRU. Wells Fargo & Company raised their price target on Prudential Financial from $113.00 to $115.00 and gave the stock an equal weight rating in a report on Tuesday, January 13th. Wall Street Zen cut shares of Prudential Financial from a buy rating to a hold rating in a research note on Saturday, January 10th. Weiss Ratings upgraded shares of Prudential Financial from a hold (c+) rating to a buy (b-) rating in a research note on Monday, January 12th. Piper Sandler raised their price target on shares of Prudential Financial from $110.00 to $120.00 and gave the stock a neutral rating in a report on Tuesday, December 23rd. Finally, UBS Group boosted their price objective on shares of Prudential Financial from $111.00 to $116.00 and gave the company a neutral rating in a report on Thursday, January 8th. Get Prudential Financial alerts: Read Our Latest Report on Prudential Financial Prudential Financial Price Performance Shares of PRU opened at $109.54 on Thursday. The company has a 50 day moving average of $112.26 and a two-hundred day moving average of $107.22. The company has a quick ratio of 0.16, a current ratio of 0.16 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.58. Prudential Financial has a twelve month low of $90.38 and a twelve month high of $123.88. The company has a market cap of $38.34 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 15.05, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 0.92 and a beta of 0.97. Prudential Financial (NYSE:PRU Get Free Report) last posted its quarterly earnings data on Wednesday, October 29th. The financial services provider reported $4.26 earnings per share for the quarter, topping analysts consensus estimates of $3.72 by $0.54. Prudential Financial had a return on equity of 16.60% and a net margin of 4.65%.The firm had revenue of $17.89 billion during the quarter, compared to analysts expectations of $13.77 billion. During the same quarter last year, the firm earned $3.48 EPS. As a group, analysts predict that Prudential Financial will post 14.36 earnings per share for the current fiscal year. Prudential Financial Dividend Announcement The company also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Thursday, December 11th. Stockholders of record on Tuesday, November 18th were issued a $1.35 dividend. The ex-dividend date of this dividend was Tuesday, November 18th. This represents a $5.40 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 4.9%. Prudential Financials dividend payout ratio is currently 74.18%. Insider Transactions at Prudential Financial In related news, Chairman Charles F. Lowrey sold 48,164 shares of Prudential Financial stock in a transaction dated Monday, November 10th. The stock was sold at an average price of $107.39, for a total transaction of $5,172,331.96. Following the completion of the sale, the chairman owned 165,564 shares of the companys stock, valued at $17,779,917.96. The trade was a 22.54% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The transaction was disclosed in a document filed with the SEC, which is available through this hyperlink. Also, SVP Timothy L. Schmidt sold 8,000 shares of the stock in a transaction that occurred on Tuesday, December 2nd. The stock was sold at an average price of $107.69, for a total transaction of $861,520.00. Following the completion of the transaction, the senior vice president owned 11,535 shares in the company, valued at approximately $1,242,204.15. This trade represents a 40.95% decrease in their position. The SEC filing for this sale provides additional information. Insiders sold a total of 62,719 shares of company stock worth $6,796,067 over the last three months. 0.25% of the stock is currently owned by insiders. Institutional Investors Weigh In On Prudential Financial Several hedge funds have recently added to or reduced their stakes in the business. Vanguard Group Inc. lifted its holdings in shares of Prudential Financial by 1.4% in the 2nd quarter. Vanguard Group Inc. now owns 42,502,160 shares of the financial services providers stock valued at $4,566,432,000 after buying an additional 600,482 shares during the period. Geode Capital Management LLC lifted its holdings in Prudential Financial by 1.8% in the second quarter. Geode Capital Management LLC now owns 9,402,393 shares of the financial services providers stock valued at $1,010,474,000 after acquiring an additional 163,874 shares during the period. Legal & General Group Plc boosted its position in Prudential Financial by 2.4% in the 3rd quarter. Legal & General Group Plc now owns 2,701,116 shares of the financial services providers stock worth $280,214,000 after purchasing an additional 62,366 shares in the last quarter. Charles Schwab Investment Management Inc. grew its stake in shares of Prudential Financial by 1.3% during the 2nd quarter. Charles Schwab Investment Management Inc. now owns 2,408,942 shares of the financial services providers stock worth $258,817,000 after purchasing an additional 31,088 shares during the period. Finally, Nordea Investment Management AB increased its holdings in shares of Prudential Financial by 16.6% during the 4th quarter. Nordea Investment Management AB now owns 2,044,374 shares of the financial services providers stock valued at $231,321,000 after purchasing an additional 291,422 shares in the last quarter. 56.83% of the stock is owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors. Prudential Financial Company Profile (Get Free Report) Prudential Financial, Inc, headquartered in Newark, New Jersey, is a diversified financial services company with roots dating to 1875. The firm provides a range of insurance, retirement and investment products aimed at helping individual and institutional clients manage risk, accumulate and protect wealth, and plan for retirement. Prudentials long history in life insurance and related financial services has positioned it as a major participant in the U.S. insurance market and a provider of services to a broad client base. Prudentials core business activities include individual life insurance, annuities, retirement solutions and group insurance products for employers. Featured Articles Receive News & Ratings for Prudential Financial Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Prudential Financial and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Comp En De Mn Cemig ADS (NYSE:CIG Get Free Report) released its earnings results on Tuesday. The utilities provider reported $0.16 earnings per share for the quarter, FiscalAI reports. Comp En De Mn Cemig ADS had a net margin of 9.45% and a return on equity of 15.20%. Comp En De Mn Cemig ADS Stock Up 2.7% CIG stock opened at $2.09 on Thursday. Comp En De Mn Cemig ADS has a one year low of $1.59 and a one year high of $2.30. The firm has a market cap of $5.81 billion, a PE ratio of 10.43 and a beta of 0.92. The firms 50 day moving average price is $2.04 and its 200-day moving average price is $2.01. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.45, a quick ratio of 1.00 and a current ratio of 1.00. Get Comp En De Mn Cemig ADS alerts: Comp En De Mn Cemig ADS Dividend Announcement The company also recently declared a special dividend, which was paid on Wednesday, January 7th. Stockholders of record on Monday, December 29th were given a dividend of $0.0264 per share. The ex-dividend date of this dividend was Monday, December 29th. Comp En De Mn Cemig ADSs payout ratio is presently 85.00%. Wall Street Analyst Weigh In Separately, Weiss Ratings reissued a hold (c+) rating on shares of Comp En De Mn Cemig ADS in a research note on Monday, December 29th. One equities research analyst has rated the stock with a Hold rating and one has given a Sell rating to the companys stock. According to data from MarketBeat, Comp En De Mn Cemig ADS has an average rating of Reduce. Read Our Latest Stock Analysis on CIG Institutional Investors Weigh In On Comp En De Mn Cemig ADS A number of institutional investors and hedge funds have recently added to or reduced their stakes in CIG. GAMMA Investing LLC lifted its stake in shares of Comp En De Mn Cemig ADS by 69.2% in the 2nd quarter. GAMMA Investing LLC now owns 15,227 shares of the utilities providers stock valued at $30,000 after purchasing an additional 6,227 shares during the last quarter. Caprock Group LLC purchased a new stake in Comp En De Mn Cemig ADS in the 3rd quarter valued at about $35,000. PFG Advisors raised its holdings in Comp En De Mn Cemig ADS by 34.2% in the 3rd quarter. PFG Advisors now owns 18,392 shares of the utilities providers stock valued at $39,000 after buying an additional 4,685 shares during the period. Invested Advisors acquired a new position in Comp En De Mn Cemig ADS in the third quarter valued at about $40,000. Finally, Brooklyn Investment Group acquired a new position in Comp En De Mn Cemig ADS in the third quarter valued at about $40,000. About Comp En De Mn Cemig ADS (Get Free Report) Companhia Energetica de Minas Gerais SA (Cemig ADS) is a leading Brazilian energy company primarily engaged in the generation, transmission, distribution and commercialization of electric power. Headquartered in Belo Horizonte, the company operates as a vertically integrated utility, serving residential, commercial and industrial customers across its concession areas. In addition to its core electricity business, Cemig maintains interests in natural gas distribution and distinct energy-related ventures, including renewable sources and infrastructure projects. In its generation segment, Cemig manages a diversified portfolio that includes hydroelectric, photovoltaic and wind power plants. Featured Articles Receive News & Ratings for Comp En De Mn Cemig ADS Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Comp En De Mn Cemig ADS and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Universal Beteiligungs und Servicegesellschaft mbH increased its holdings in United Parcel Service, Inc. (NYSE:UPS Free Report) by 13.2% in the 3rd quarter, according to the company in its most recent filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The institutional investor owned 732,850 shares of the transportation companys stock after acquiring an additional 85,579 shares during the quarter. Universal Beteiligungs und Servicegesellschaft mbH owned about 0.09% of United Parcel Service worth $61,215,000 as of its most recent filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). Several other hedge funds have also bought and sold shares of the business. Brighton Jones LLC grew its stake in shares of United Parcel Service by 63.8% in the 4th quarter. Brighton Jones LLC now owns 12,126 shares of the transportation companys stock worth $1,529,000 after buying an additional 4,723 shares during the last quarter. Sivia Capital Partners LLC bought a new stake in United Parcel Service in the second quarter worth $277,000. Farther Finance Advisors LLC boosted its holdings in United Parcel Service by 14.5% in the second quarter. Farther Finance Advisors LLC now owns 14,338 shares of the transportation companys stock worth $1,447,000 after acquiring an additional 1,811 shares in the last quarter. GAMMA Investing LLC grew its stake in shares of United Parcel Service by 87.7% in the second quarter. GAMMA Investing LLC now owns 12,280 shares of the transportation companys stock worth $1,240,000 after acquiring an additional 5,738 shares during the last quarter. Finally, CHICAGO TRUST Co NA increased its holdings in shares of United Parcel Service by 171.4% during the second quarter. CHICAGO TRUST Co NA now owns 10,172 shares of the transportation companys stock valued at $1,027,000 after acquiring an additional 6,424 shares in the last quarter. Institutional investors own 60.26% of the companys stock. Get United Parcel Service alerts: Key United Parcel Service News Here are the key news stories impacting United Parcel Service this week: Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades A number of equities analysts recently issued reports on UPS shares. Wolfe Research reiterated a peer perform rating on shares of United Parcel Service in a research note on Thursday, January 8th. Deutsche Bank Aktiengesellschaft decreased their target price on shares of United Parcel Service from $100.00 to $88.00 and set a hold rating for the company in a report on Thursday, October 2nd. Evercore ISI increased their price target on shares of United Parcel Service from $94.00 to $113.00 and gave the company an in-line rating in a report on Wednesday. Truist Financial raised their price target on shares of United Parcel Service from $100.00 to $120.00 and gave the company a buy rating in a research report on Wednesday, October 29th. Finally, Susquehanna boosted their price objective on shares of United Parcel Service from $105.00 to $115.00 and gave the stock a neutral rating in a report on Tuesday. One analyst has rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, nine have assigned a Buy rating, fifteen have given a Hold rating and four have given a Sell rating to the companys stock. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, the company currently has an average rating of Hold and a consensus price target of $111.84. Get Our Latest Stock Analysis on UPS United Parcel Service Stock Up 1.8% UPS opened at $108.48 on Thursday. The stock has a market capitalization of $92.03 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 16.77, a PEG ratio of 2.31 and a beta of 1.11. The firm has a 50 day moving average price of $99.96 and a 200-day moving average price of $93.29. United Parcel Service, Inc. has a twelve month low of $82.00 and a twelve month high of $136.99. The company has a quick ratio of 1.30, a current ratio of 1.30 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.50. United Parcel Service (NYSE:UPS Get Free Report) last posted its earnings results on Tuesday, October 28th. The transportation company reported $1.74 EPS for the quarter, topping analysts consensus estimates of $1.31 by $0.43. The business had revenue of $21.42 billion during the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $20.94 billion. United Parcel Service had a net margin of 6.15% and a return on equity of 40.07%. The firms revenue was down 3.7% on a year-over-year basis. During the same quarter in the previous year, the firm posted $1.76 EPS. Equities research analysts forecast that United Parcel Service, Inc. will post 7.95 earnings per share for the current year. United Parcel Service Announces Dividend The company also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Thursday, December 4th. Investors of record on Monday, November 17th were given a dividend of $1.64 per share. This represents a $6.56 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 6.0%. The ex-dividend date was Monday, November 17th. United Parcel Services dividend payout ratio is 101.39%. United Parcel Service Profile (Free Report) United Parcel Service (NYSE: UPS) is a global package delivery and supply chain management company that provides a broad range of transportation, logistics and e-commerce services. Its core business centers on small-package delivery and last-mile distribution for business and individual customers, supported by a network of ground transportation, air cargo operations (UPS Airlines) and sorting facilities. In addition to parcel delivery, UPS offers freight transportation, contract logistics, warehousing, customs brokerage and reverse-logistics solutions designed to support domestic and international commerce. The company traces its roots to 1907 when it began as a small messenger service in the United States and later evolved into the United Parcel Service. Recommended Stories Receive News & Ratings for United Parcel Service Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for United Parcel Service and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Universal Beteiligungs und Servicegesellschaft mbH lifted its position in shares of Rockwell Automation, Inc. (NYSE:ROK Free Report) by 4.9% during the third quarter, according to the company in its most recent filing with the SEC. The institutional investor owned 140,931 shares of the industrial products companys stock after buying an additional 6,629 shares during the quarter. Universal Beteiligungs und Servicegesellschaft mbH owned approximately 0.13% of Rockwell Automation worth $49,260,000 at the end of the most recent quarter. Other hedge funds also recently bought and sold shares of the company. Root Financial Partners LLC bought a new position in shares of Rockwell Automation in the third quarter worth about $64,000. Slow Capital Inc. bought a new stake in Rockwell Automation during the 3rd quarter valued at approximately $1,662,000. Turtle Creek Wealth Advisors LLC lifted its holdings in Rockwell Automation by 6.9% in the 3rd quarter. Turtle Creek Wealth Advisors LLC now owns 653 shares of the industrial products companys stock worth $228,000 after purchasing an additional 42 shares in the last quarter. Verdence Capital Advisors LLC bought a new position in Rockwell Automation in the 3rd quarter worth approximately $960,000. Finally, Tradewinds LLC. purchased a new stake in Rockwell Automation during the 3rd quarter valued at approximately $345,000. Institutional investors own 75.75% of the companys stock. Get Rockwell Automation alerts: Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades Several equities analysts have recently commented on the stock. Citigroup boosted their target price on shares of Rockwell Automation from $439.00 to $466.00 and gave the stock a buy rating in a report on Monday, December 8th. Evercore ISI started coverage on shares of Rockwell Automation in a report on Monday, December 15th. They set an in-line rating and a $440.00 price objective for the company. Weiss Ratings reaffirmed a hold (c) rating on shares of Rockwell Automation in a report on Monday, December 29th. Jefferies Financial Group boosted their target price on Rockwell Automation from $450.00 to $470.00 and gave the stock a buy rating in a research report on Wednesday, December 10th. Finally, Barclays raised their price target on Rockwell Automation from $435.00 to $450.00 and gave the company an overweight rating in a report on Wednesday, January 7th. Two equities research analysts have rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, nine have assigned a Buy rating and nine have assigned a Hold rating to the stock. According to MarketBeat, the company currently has an average rating of Moderate Buy and an average price target of $406.69. Rockwell Automation Trading Up 4.2% Shares of NYSE ROK opened at $420.78 on Thursday. Rockwell Automation, Inc. has a 1-year low of $215.00 and a 1-year high of $425.90. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.70, a current ratio of 1.14 and a quick ratio of 0.77. The businesss 50 day moving average is $397.87 and its two-hundred day moving average is $366.56. The stock has a market capitalization of $47.24 billion, a P/E ratio of 54.93, a PEG ratio of 2.70 and a beta of 1.52. Rockwell Automation (NYSE:ROK Get Free Report) last posted its quarterly earnings data on Thursday, November 6th. The industrial products company reported $3.34 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, beating the consensus estimate of $2.94 by $0.40. The business had revenue of $4.63 billion during the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $2.19 billion. Rockwell Automation had a return on equity of 32.69% and a net margin of 10.42%.The companys revenue for the quarter was up 13.8% on a year-over-year basis. During the same period last year, the company earned $2.47 EPS. Rockwell Automation has set its FY 2026 guidance at 11.200-12.200 EPS. As a group, research analysts expect that Rockwell Automation, Inc. will post 9.35 EPS for the current year. Rockwell Automation Increases Dividend The company also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Wednesday, December 10th. Shareholders of record on Monday, November 17th were given a dividend of $1.38 per share. This represents a $5.52 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 1.3%. This is a positive change from Rockwell Automations previous quarterly dividend of $1.31. The ex-dividend date was Monday, November 17th. Rockwell Automations dividend payout ratio (DPR) is presently 72.06%. Insiders Place Their Bets In other Rockwell Automation news, VP Terry L. Riesterer sold 800 shares of the companys stock in a transaction dated Friday, January 2nd. The shares were sold at an average price of $392.00, for a total value of $313,600.00. Following the transaction, the vice president directly owned 1,234 shares in the company, valued at $483,728. This represents a 39.33% decrease in their position. The sale was disclosed in a legal filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available at this hyperlink. Also, VP Isaac Woods sold 229 shares of the companys stock in a transaction on Wednesday, December 10th. The stock was sold at an average price of $401.92, for a total value of $92,039.68. Following the completion of the sale, the vice president owned 2,058 shares of the companys stock, valued at $827,151.36. This represents a 10.01% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The SEC filing for this sale provides additional information. In the last quarter, insiders have sold 88,053 shares of company stock valued at $34,718,919. 0.76% of the stock is currently owned by company insiders. About Rockwell Automation (Free Report) Rockwell Automation is a global industrial automation and digital transformation company headquartered in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. The firm designs, manufactures and supports control systems, industrial control hardware and software, and related services that help manufacturers and industrial operators automate processes, improve productivity and enable data-driven decision making. Rockwell traces its heritage to the Allen-Bradley and Rockwell automation businesses and positions itself as a provider of integrated automation solutions across discrete and process industries. The companys product portfolio includes programmable logic controllers (PLCs), human-machine interfaces (HMIs), variable frequency drives, sensors, safety components and other industrial control hardware, often marketed under the Allen-Bradley brand. Further Reading Receive News & Ratings for Rockwell Automation Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Rockwell Automation and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Universal Beteiligungs und Servicegesellschaft mbH grew its stake in HCA Healthcare, Inc. (NYSE:HCA Free Report) by 5.8% during the third quarter, according to the company in its most recent 13F filing with the SEC. The institutional investor owned 139,880 shares of the companys stock after purchasing an additional 7,720 shares during the quarter. Universal Beteiligungs und Servicegesellschaft mbH owned approximately 0.06% of HCA Healthcare worth $59,617,000 as of its most recent filing with the SEC. Several other institutional investors and hedge funds have also recently bought and sold shares of HCA. Park Place Capital Corp raised its position in shares of HCA Healthcare by 2,336.0% during the 2nd quarter. Park Place Capital Corp now owns 1,218 shares of the companys stock worth $474,000 after buying an additional 1,168 shares in the last quarter. Cerity Partners LLC raised its holdings in HCA Healthcare by 13.1% during the third quarter. Cerity Partners LLC now owns 43,920 shares of the companys stock worth $18,719,000 after purchasing an additional 5,092 shares in the last quarter. Swiss National Bank boosted its stake in HCA Healthcare by 4.3% during the 2nd quarter. Swiss National Bank now owns 558,900 shares of the companys stock valued at $214,115,000 after purchasing an additional 23,100 shares in the last quarter. Cherokee Insurance Co acquired a new stake in shares of HCA Healthcare in the second quarter valued at $3,869,000. Finally, Harrell Investment Partners LLC grew its holdings in HCA Healthcare by 176.3% during the second quarter. Harrell Investment Partners LLC now owns 1,815 shares of the companys stock worth $695,000 after acquiring an additional 1,158 shares during the period. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 62.73% of the companys stock. Get HCA Healthcare alerts: Insiders Place Their Bets In other HCA Healthcare news, EVP Michael R. Mcalevey sold 3,892 shares of the companys stock in a transaction dated Wednesday, November 5th. The stock was sold at an average price of $473.79, for a total value of $1,843,990.68. Following the transaction, the executive vice president directly owned 3,487 shares of the companys stock, valued at $1,652,105.73. This represents a 52.74% decrease in their position. The sale was disclosed in a document filed with the SEC, which is available at this hyperlink. 1.30% of the stock is currently owned by insiders. Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth Several equities analysts have recently issued reports on HCA shares. Morgan Stanley cut shares of HCA Healthcare from an equal weight rating to an underweight rating and set a $425.00 price objective on the stock. in a research note on Monday, December 15th. Sanford C. Bernstein reaffirmed a market perform rating and issued a $503.00 price target on shares of HCA Healthcare in a report on Tuesday, January 6th. Raymond James Financial set a $525.00 price objective on HCA Healthcare in a research note on Monday, October 27th. Wall Street Zen upgraded HCA Healthcare from a buy rating to a strong-buy rating in a research report on Saturday, October 25th. Finally, Weiss Ratings restated a buy (b) rating on shares of HCA Healthcare in a report on Monday, December 29th. Fourteen analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating, eight have assigned a Hold rating and one has assigned a Sell rating to the companys stock. According to MarketBeat.com, HCA Healthcare presently has an average rating of Moderate Buy and an average target price of $487.00. View Our Latest Stock Analysis on HCA Healthcare HCA Healthcare Trading Up 0.3% Shares of HCA Healthcare stock opened at $465.58 on Thursday. The company has a market cap of $106.24 billion, a P/E ratio of 18.00, a P/E/G ratio of 1.28 and a beta of 1.36. HCA Healthcare, Inc. has a 1 year low of $295.00 and a 1 year high of $520.00. The stock has a 50-day moving average price of $480.55 and a 200 day moving average price of $432.66. HCA Healthcare (NYSE:HCA Get Free Report) last posted its quarterly earnings results on Friday, October 24th. The company reported $6.96 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, topping analysts consensus estimates of $5.64 by $1.32. The business had revenue of $19.16 billion during the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $18.55 billion. HCA Healthcare had a net margin of 8.53% and a negative return on equity of 792.25%. The firms revenue was up 9.6% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same period in the prior year, the firm earned $4.90 earnings per share. HCA Healthcare has set its FY 2025 guidance at 27.000-28.000 EPS. On average, equities analysts forecast that HCA Healthcare, Inc. will post 24.98 earnings per share for the current fiscal year. HCA Healthcare Dividend Announcement The company also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Monday, December 29th. Investors of record on Monday, December 15th were issued a dividend of $0.72 per share. This represents a $2.88 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 0.6%. The ex-dividend date was Monday, December 15th. HCA Healthcares dividend payout ratio (DPR) is currently 11.13%. About HCA Healthcare (Free Report) HCA Healthcare is a for?profit operator of healthcare facilities headquartered in Nashville, Tennessee. Founded in 1968, the company owns and operates a network of hospitals and related healthcare facilities and has grown through organic expansion and acquisitions to become a large provider of inpatient and outpatient services. The companys core activities include the operation of acute care hospitals, freestanding surgical and emergency centers, and outpatient clinics. HCAs services encompass inpatient care, surgical services, emergency medicine, diagnostic imaging and laboratory testing, and various outpatient and ambulatory care offerings. Featured Articles Want to see what other hedge funds are holding HCA? Visit HoldingsChannel.com to get the latest 13F filings and insider trades for HCA Healthcare, Inc. (NYSE:HCA Free Report). Receive News & Ratings for HCA Healthcare Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for HCA Healthcare and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. IMI plc (LON:IMI Get Free Report)s stock price reached a new 52-week high during mid-day trading on Thursday . The stock traded as high as GBX 2,752 and last traded at GBX 2,740, with a volume of 1551905 shares. The stock had previously closed at GBX 2,672. Wall Street Analyst Weigh In Several equities research analysts have recently weighed in on IMI shares. Royal Bank Of Canada lowered IMI to a sector perform rating and raised their target price for the stock from GBX 2,475 to GBX 2,500 in a research report on Tuesday, October 14th. Panmure Gordon reiterated a buy rating and issued a GBX 2,760 price target on shares of IMI in a research note on Tuesday, November 25th. JPMorgan Chase & Co. raised their price objective on shares of IMI from GBX 2,850 to GBX 2,960 and gave the stock an overweight rating in a report on Thursday, December 4th. Finally, Berenberg Bank boosted their price objective on shares of IMI from GBX 2,550 to GBX 2,900 and gave the stock a buy rating in a research report on Thursday, November 6th. Six research analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating and one has given a Hold rating to the companys stock. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, the company presently has a consensus rating of Moderate Buy and a consensus target price of GBX 2,670.71. Get IMI alerts: Read Our Latest Stock Report on IMI IMI Stock Performance IMI Company Profile The stock has a 50 day moving average of GBX 2,494.23 and a two-hundred day moving average of GBX 2,352.64. The stock has a market capitalization of 6.74 billion, a PE ratio of 29.35, a P/E/G ratio of 1.12 and a beta of 1.08. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 68.33, a current ratio of 1.36 and a quick ratio of 0.80. (Get Free Report) IMI plc is a specialist engineering company operating in fluid and motion control markets. We combine our deep engineering knowledge with strong applications expertise to develop solutions for the most acute industry problems. We help our customers become safer, more sustainable and more productive. IMI employs around 10,000 people, has manufacturing facilities in 19 countries and operates a global service network. The Company is listed on the London Stock Exchange and is a constituent of the FTSE4Good Index. Featured Stories Receive News & Ratings for IMI Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for IMI and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Central Asia Metals (LON:CAML Get Free Report) was downgraded by Royal Bank Of Canada to a sector perform rating in a report released on Thursday, MarketBeat.com reports. They currently have a GBX 200 target price on the mining companys stock, down from their prior target price of GBX 220. Royal Bank Of Canadas price target would indicate a potential upside of 1.03% from the stocks previous close. A number of other research analysts also recently weighed in on the company. Berenberg Bank reiterated a hold rating and set a GBX 170 price target on shares of Central Asia Metals in a report on Monday, January 12th. Peel Hunt reaffirmed a buy rating and set a GBX 205 target price on shares of Central Asia Metals in a research note on Friday, October 10th. Finally, Canaccord Genuity Group reissued a hold rating and issued a GBX 175 price target on shares of Central Asia Metals in a research report on Thursday, October 16th. One research analyst has rated the stock with a Buy rating and three have assigned a Hold rating to the stock. According to data from MarketBeat.com, the stock currently has a consensus rating of Hold and an average price target of GBX 187.50. Get Central Asia Metals alerts: Check Out Our Latest Analysis on Central Asia Metals Central Asia Metals Stock Down 5.5% Insider Transactions at Central Asia Metals Shares of CAML stock opened at GBX 197.97 on Thursday. The businesss fifty day moving average is GBX 178.82 and its 200-day moving average is GBX 163.62. The stock has a market cap of 340.68 million, a PE ratio of 9.97 and a beta of 1.12. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.55, a quick ratio of 1.97 and a current ratio of 5.15. Central Asia Metals has a 1 year low of GBX 134.46 and a 1 year high of GBX 213.50. In other news, insider Gavin Ferrar purchased 12,669 shares of the businesss stock in a transaction on Thursday, November 6th. The stock was purchased at an average price of GBX 158 per share, with a total value of 20,017.02. 9.00% of the stock is owned by corporate insiders. Central Asia Metals Company Profile (Get Free Report) Central Asia Metals (CAML) is a base metals producer quoted on the AIM market of the London Stock Exchange with copper operations in Kazakhstan, and a zinc and lead mine in North Macedonia CAML is based in London and owns 100% of the Kounrad solvent extraction and electrowinning (SX-EW) copper facility in central Kazakhstan and 100% of the Sasa zinc and lead mine in North Macedonia. It is an established low-cost, diversified base-metals producer, with capacity to generate annual copper production of up to 14,000 tonnes, zinc production of up to 21,000 tonnes and lead production of up to 29,000 tonnes. CAML was incorporated in the United Kingdom and raised $60 million at IPO in September 2010, which was used to build the Kounrad recovery plant in central Kazakhstan. Read More Receive News & Ratings for Central Asia Metals Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Central Asia Metals and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Resolute Mining (LON:RSG Get Free Report)s stock had its buy rating restated by Berenberg Bank in a report issued on Thursday,Digital Look reports. They currently have a GBX 74 price target on the stock. Berenberg Banks price objective suggests a potential upside of 11.45% from the stocks previous close. Resolute Mining Trading Up 0.5% LON:RSG opened at GBX 66.40 on Thursday. The company has a current ratio of 1.19, a quick ratio of 0.41 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 9.86. Resolute Mining has a 12 month low of GBX 16.90 and a 12 month high of GBX 68.60. The firm has a fifty day simple moving average of GBX 58.33 and a two-hundred day simple moving average of GBX 46.71. The stock has a market capitalization of 1.41 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 114.48 and a beta of 1.28. Get Resolute Mining alerts: Resolute Mining Company Profile (Get Free Report) Featured Articles Resolute is an African-focused gold miner with more than 30 years of experience as an explorer, developer and operator. Throughout its history the Company has produced more than 9 million ounces of gold from ten gold mines. The Company is now entering a growth phase through the development of the Doropo project in Cote dIvoire which will supplement the existing production from the Syama mine in Mali and Mako mine in Senegal. The Company trades on the Australian Securities Exchange (ASX) and the London Stock Exchange (LSE) under the ticker RSG. Receive News & Ratings for Resolute Mining Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Resolute Mining and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Rogco LP boosted its position in shares of iShares Core S&P 500 ETF (NYSEARCA:IVV Free Report) by 3.3% during the 3rd quarter, HoldingsChannel reports. The firm owned 88,303 shares of the companys stock after buying an additional 2,787 shares during the period. iShares Core S&P 500 ETF comprises about 20.8% of Rogco LPs investment portfolio, making the stock its largest holding. Rogco LPs holdings in iShares Core S&P 500 ETF were worth $59,101,000 at the end of the most recent quarter. Several other hedge funds have also made changes to their positions in IVV. Nvwm LLC lifted its stake in iShares Core S&P 500 ETF by 210.5% in the second quarter. Nvwm LLC now owns 59 shares of the companys stock worth $37,000 after acquiring an additional 40 shares during the period. Hager Investment Management Services LLC bought a new position in shares of iShares Core S&P 500 ETF during the second quarter valued at approximately $61,000. Rice Partnership LLC increased its holdings in iShares Core S&P 500 ETF by 460.0% during the second quarter. Rice Partnership LLC now owns 112 shares of the companys stock valued at $70,000 after buying an additional 92 shares during the period. Creative Capital Management Investments LLC bought a new position in iShares Core S&P 500 ETF in the second quarter worth approximately $80,000. Finally, Missouri Trust & Investment Co lifted its holdings in iShares Core S&P 500 ETF by 33.0% during the second quarter. Missouri Trust & Investment Co now owns 133 shares of the companys stock worth $83,000 after buying an additional 33 shares during the period. 70.12% of the stock is currently owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors. Get iShares Core S&P 500 ETF alerts: iShares Core S&P 500 ETF Trading Up 1.1% Shares of NYSEARCA IVV opened at $688.32 on Thursday. iShares Core S&P 500 ETF has a 12-month low of $484.00 and a 12-month high of $699.17. The stocks fifty day simple moving average is $684.98 and its two-hundred day simple moving average is $665.82. The stock has a market capitalization of $758.77 billion, a PE ratio of 25.10 and a beta of 1.00. Trending Headlines about iShares Core S&P 500 ETF iShares Core S&P 500 ETF Profile Here are the key news stories impacting iShares Core S&P 500 ETF this week: (Free Report) iShares Core S&P 500 ETF (the Fund) is an exchange-traded fund. The Fund seeks investment results that correspond generally to the price and yield performance of the Standard & Poors 500 Index (the Index). The Index measures the performance of the large-capitalization sector of the United States equity market. The component stocks are weighted according to the total float-adjusted market value of their outstanding shares. The Fund invests in a representative sample of securities included in the Index that collectively has an investment profile similar to the Index. Featured Stories Want to see what other hedge funds are holding IVV? Visit HoldingsChannel.com to get the latest 13F filings and insider trades for iShares Core S&P 500 ETF (NYSEARCA:IVV Free Report). Receive News & Ratings for iShares Core S&P 500 ETF Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for iShares Core S&P 500 ETF and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Triad Wealth Partners LLC lifted its stake in Chevron Corporation (NYSE:CVX Free Report) by 382.9% in the third quarter, according to its most recent Form 13F filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The firm owned 24,375 shares of the oil and gas companys stock after acquiring an additional 19,327 shares during the period. Triad Wealth Partners LLCs holdings in Chevron were worth $3,785,000 at the end of the most recent reporting period. Other institutional investors also recently modified their holdings of the company. Vishria Bird Financial Group LLC grew its stake in shares of Chevron by 1.2% during the third quarter. Vishria Bird Financial Group LLC now owns 5,285 shares of the oil and gas companys stock valued at $821,000 after buying an additional 65 shares during the last quarter. Nexus Investment Management ULC increased its stake in shares of Chevron by 0.9% during the third quarter. Nexus Investment Management ULC now owns 7,641 shares of the oil and gas companys stock valued at $1,187,000 after purchasing an additional 65 shares in the last quarter. Scott & Selber Inc. raised its holdings in Chevron by 0.5% in the third quarter. Scott & Selber Inc. now owns 13,391 shares of the oil and gas companys stock worth $2,079,000 after buying an additional 65 shares during the last quarter. White Knight Strategic Wealth Advisors LLC increased its holdings in Chevron by 3.0% in the 2nd quarter. White Knight Strategic Wealth Advisors LLC now owns 2,230 shares of the oil and gas companys stock worth $319,000 after buying an additional 65 shares in the last quarter. Finally, William B. Walkup & Associates Inc. lifted its holdings in shares of Chevron by 1.0% during the 3rd quarter. William B. Walkup & Associates Inc. now owns 6,356 shares of the oil and gas companys stock valued at $987,000 after buying an additional 66 shares during the period. 72.42% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors. Get Chevron alerts: Insiders Place Their Bets In other news, Director John B. Hess sold 275,000 shares of the firms stock in a transaction that occurred on Thursday, November 20th. The stock was sold at an average price of $150.75, for a total value of $41,456,250.00. Following the completion of the sale, the director directly owned 1,128,045 shares of the companys stock, valued at $170,052,783.75. This trade represents a 19.60% decrease in their position. The transaction was disclosed in a filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available through this hyperlink. Also, CFO Eimear P. Bonner sold 28,334 shares of Chevron stock in a transaction dated Monday, January 5th. The stock was sold at an average price of $165.05, for a total value of $4,676,526.70. Following the sale, the chief financial officer owned 4,366 shares of the companys stock, valued at approximately $720,608.30. This represents a 86.65% decrease in their position. The SEC filing for this sale provides additional information. Over the last 90 days, insiders have sold 635,190 shares of company stock worth $100,254,408. Company insiders own 0.21% of the companys stock. Key Chevron News Chevron Price Performance Here are the key news stories impacting Chevron this week: NYSE:CVX opened at $166.71 on Thursday. The stocks fifty day moving average is $154.12 and its two-hundred day moving average is $154.60. The company has a market capitalization of $335.67 billion, a P/E ratio of 23.45, a P/E/G ratio of 10.81 and a beta of 0.70. Chevron Corporation has a 52 week low of $132.04 and a 52 week high of $169.37. The company has a quick ratio of 0.86, a current ratio of 1.15 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.19. Chevron (NYSE:CVX Get Free Report) last announced its earnings results on Friday, October 31st. The oil and gas company reported $1.85 EPS for the quarter, beating analysts consensus estimates of $1.71 by $0.14. The company had revenue of $48.17 billion during the quarter, compared to analysts expectations of $46.99 billion. Chevron had a return on equity of 8.74% and a net margin of 6.57%.Chevrons revenue for the quarter was down 1.9% on a year-over-year basis. During the same period last year, the business posted $2.48 EPS. Equities analysts expect that Chevron Corporation will post 10.79 EPS for the current year. Chevron Announces Dividend The firm also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Wednesday, December 10th. Shareholders of record on Tuesday, November 18th were issued a $1.71 dividend. This represents a $6.84 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 4.1%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend was Tuesday, November 18th. Chevrons payout ratio is currently 96.20%. Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth A number of brokerages have commented on CVX. Barclays upped their price target on Chevron from $158.00 to $166.00 and gave the stock an equal weight rating in a research report on Wednesday. Morgan Stanley increased their target price on Chevron from $177.00 to $180.00 and gave the company an overweight rating in a research report on Thursday, November 13th. Piper Sandler lowered their price objective on Chevron from $178.00 to $174.00 and set an overweight rating for the company in a research note on Thursday, January 8th. Hsbc Global Res raised Chevron from a hold rating to a strong-buy rating in a research note on Monday, December 1st. Finally, Bank of America lowered their price target on Chevron from $183.00 to $180.00 and set a buy rating for the company in a report on Thursday, December 11th. One research analyst has rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, fourteen have assigned a Buy rating, seven have given a Hold rating and four have assigned a Sell rating to the company. According to MarketBeat.com, the stock presently has a consensus rating of Hold and a consensus target price of $170.29. View Our Latest Report on Chevron Chevron Profile (Free Report) Chevron Corporation (NYSE: CVX) is an American multinational energy company engaged in virtually all aspects of the oil and gas industry. As an integrated energy firm, Chevrons core activities include upstream oil and natural gas exploration and production, midstream transportation and storage, downstream refining and marketing of fuels and lubricants, and petrochemical manufacturing through joint ventures and subsidiaries. The company markets fuels under brands such as Chevron, Texaco and Caltex and supplies a range of products and services to retail customers, industrial users and commercial fleets worldwide. Chevron traces its corporate lineage to the early petroleum companies that eventually became Standard Oil of California and has evolved through significant mergers and restructurings, including the acquisitions of Gulf Oil and Texaco. Featured Stories Want to see what other hedge funds are holding CVX? Visit HoldingsChannel.com to get the latest 13F filings and insider trades for Chevron Corporation (NYSE:CVX Free Report). Receive News & Ratings for Chevron Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Chevron and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Photographer: Brendan Smialowski/AFP/Getty Images Billionaire Elon Musk is going to the World Economic Forum in Davos for the first time, after years of trading barbs with the organizers of the annual gathering of plutocrats. Most Read from Bloomberg Musk was confirmed as a last minute addition for a Thursday afternoon session, speaking to BlackRock Chief Executive Officer Larry Fink. An appearance from Musk, the CEO of Tesla Inc., SpaceX and xAI, marks a major shift in the relationship between the worlds richest man and the event that draws world leaders, billionaires and global media to the mountains of Switzerland every January. It comes on the tails of an appearance by his ally, US President Donald Trump, who spoke on Wednesday for well over an hour in a speech that covered everything from censorship to why the US should control Greenland. Musk was invited last year, but didnt go. Musk has in the past called the annual gathering of the worlds elite boring and slammed the WEF as a body thats increasingly becoming an unelected world government that the people never asked for and dont want. How is WEF/Davos even a thing? Are they trying to be the boss of Earth!? he posted on his X social media platform in 2022. The WEF a Geneva-based nonprofit that aims to foster collaboration between governments and businesses to serve society and the planet has responded in kind. A spokesman said in 2023 that Musk hadnt been invited since 2015. The relationship began to thaw last year when organizers asked the newly elected Trump and Musk to join. The WEF said that Musk was welcome last year because of interest in his new role in the Trump administration. While Musk has since stepped away from his place in the Trump administration trying to improve government efficiency, hes at the center of a number of key global conversations, from SpaceXs role in providing internet access in places like Iran and Ukraine to to the outcry around sexualized images generated by his Grok artificial intelligence tool. --With assistance from Chad Thomas. Most Read from Bloomberg Businessweek 2026 Bloomberg L.P. Twin Peaks Wealth Advisors LLC increased its position in iShares U.S. Equity Factor Rotation Active ETF (NYSEARCA:DYNF Free Report) by 27.0% in the 3rd quarter, HoldingsChannel reports. The fund owned 155,055 shares of the companys stock after buying an additional 32,991 shares during the quarter. iShares U.S. Equity Factor Rotation Active ETF makes up about 3.1% of Twin Peaks Wealth Advisors LLCs holdings, making the stock its 3rd largest holding. Twin Peaks Wealth Advisors LLCs holdings in iShares U.S. Equity Factor Rotation Active ETF were worth $9,179,000 at the end of the most recent quarter. Several other institutional investors have also recently made changes to their positions in DYNF. Cedar Mountain Advisors LLC bought a new position in shares of iShares U.S. Equity Factor Rotation Active ETF during the 3rd quarter valued at about $25,000. Bogart Wealth LLC purchased a new position in iShares U.S. Equity Factor Rotation Active ETF during the second quarter worth $43,000. Root Financial Partners LLC purchased a new stake in iShares U.S. Equity Factor Rotation Active ETF in the 3rd quarter worth about $43,000. Kentucky Trust Co purchased a new position in iShares U.S. Equity Factor Rotation Active ETF during the 2nd quarter valued at $57,000. Finally, Family Legacy Financial Solutions LLC bought a new position in shares of iShares U.S. Equity Factor Rotation Active ETF in the third quarter worth about $106,000. Get iShares U.S. Equity Factor Rotation Active ETF alerts: iShares U.S. Equity Factor Rotation Active ETF Stock Up 0.8% Shares of NYSEARCA DYNF opened at $60.42 on Thursday. The business has a fifty day simple moving average of $60.68 and a two-hundred day simple moving average of $58.82. iShares U.S. Equity Factor Rotation Active ETF has a twelve month low of $42.10 and a twelve month high of $61.82. The firm has a market cap of $31.34 billion, a PE ratio of 24.23 and a beta of 1.03. iShares U.S. Equity Factor Rotation Active ETF Company Profile The BlackRock U.S. Equity Factor Rotation ETF (DYNF) is an exchange-traded fund that mostly invests in total market equity. The fund is an actively-managed fund of large- and mid-cap US stocks that uses five equity style factors. DYNF was launched on Mar 19, 2019 and is managed by BlackRock. Read More Want to see what other hedge funds are holding DYNF? Visit HoldingsChannel.com to get the latest 13F filings and insider trades for iShares U.S. Equity Factor Rotation Active ETF (NYSEARCA:DYNF Free Report). Receive News & Ratings for iShares U.S. Equity Factor Rotation Active ETF Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for iShares U.S. Equity Factor Rotation Active ETF and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Oxford Nanopore Technologies (LON:ONT Get Free Report) had its price objective boosted by equities researchers at Deutsche Bank Aktiengesellschaft from GBX 210 to GBX 225 in a note issued to investors on Thursday,Digital Look reports. The brokerage presently has a buy rating on the stock. Deutsche Bank Aktiengesellschafts target price suggests a potential upside of 33.77% from the stocks previous close. Several other equities research analysts also recently commented on the company. Berenberg Bank reiterated a buy rating and issued a GBX 250 price objective on shares of Oxford Nanopore Technologies in a report on Monday, January 12th. Peel Hunt reiterated a hold rating and set a GBX 153 price target on shares of Oxford Nanopore Technologies in a research note on Friday, December 5th. Finally, Royal Bank Of Canada upped their price target on Oxford Nanopore Technologies from GBX 280 to GBX 300 and gave the stock an outperform rating in a research report on Wednesday. Four research analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating and one has issued a Hold rating to the company. Based on data from MarketBeat, the stock presently has a consensus rating of Moderate Buy and a consensus target price of GBX 233.60. Get Oxford Nanopore Technologies alerts: View Our Latest Research Report on Oxford Nanopore Technologies Oxford Nanopore Technologies Stock Performance About Oxford Nanopore Technologies Shares of ONT stock opened at GBX 168.20 on Thursday. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 8.07, a quick ratio of 6.01 and a current ratio of 4.45. Oxford Nanopore Technologies has a fifty-two week low of GBX 88.60 and a fifty-two week high of GBX 224.80. The stock has a 50 day moving average price of GBX 134.29 and a two-hundred day moving average price of GBX 155.96. The company has a market capitalization of 1.62 billion, a P/E ratio of -11.36 and a beta of 0.80. (Get Free Report) Oxford Nanopore Technologies goal is to bring the widest benefits to society through enabling the analysis of anything, by anyone, anywhere. The Group has developed a new generation of nanopore-based sensing technology that is currently used for real-time, high-performance, accessible, and scalable analysis of DNA and RNA. The technology is used in more than 125 countries, to understand the biology of humans, plants, animals, bacteria, viruses and environments as well as to understand diseases such as cancer. Read More Receive News & Ratings for Oxford Nanopore Technologies Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Oxford Nanopore Technologies and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Hudson Edge Investment Partners Inc. raised its stake in International Business Machines Corporation (NYSE:IBM Free Report) by 7.9% during the third quarter, according to its most recent filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The fund owned 26,533 shares of the technology companys stock after buying an additional 1,949 shares during the period. International Business Machines comprises about 1.2% of Hudson Edge Investment Partners Inc.s investment portfolio, making the stock its 22nd biggest position. Hudson Edge Investment Partners Inc.s holdings in International Business Machines were worth $7,487,000 as of its most recent filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). A number of other hedge funds also recently made changes to their positions in IBM. Mattson Financial Services LLC purchased a new stake in shares of International Business Machines during the third quarter valued at approximately $852,000. Vise Technologies Inc. bought a new position in International Business Machines in the 2nd quarter valued at approximately $16,565,000. Vanguard Group Inc. boosted its stake in International Business Machines by 2.1% during the 2nd quarter. Vanguard Group Inc. now owns 95,051,475 shares of the technology companys stock valued at $28,019,274,000 after purchasing an additional 1,913,708 shares during the last quarter. Thames Capital Management LLC bought a new stake in shares of International Business Machines in the 2nd quarter worth $2,710,000. Finally, CWM LLC raised its stake in shares of International Business Machines by 3.0% in the second quarter. CWM LLC now owns 122,623 shares of the technology companys stock worth $36,147,000 after purchasing an additional 3,537 shares during the last quarter. 58.96% of the stock is owned by institutional investors. Get International Business Machines alerts: Key Stories Impacting International Business Machines Here are the key news stories impacting International Business Machines this week: International Business Machines Stock Performance Shares of NYSE IBM opened at $297.51 on Thursday. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.97, a current ratio of 0.93 and a quick ratio of 0.89. International Business Machines Corporation has a 1 year low of $214.50 and a 1 year high of $324.90. The firm has a fifty day moving average price of $302.58 and a 200-day moving average price of $282.60. The stock has a market cap of $278.09 billion, a PE ratio of 35.59, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 2.82 and a beta of 0.70. International Business Machines (NYSE:IBM Get Free Report) last issued its earnings results on Wednesday, October 22nd. The technology company reported $2.65 earnings per share for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of $2.45 by $0.20. The company had revenue of $16.33 billion during the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $16.10 billion. International Business Machines had a net margin of 12.09% and a return on equity of 37.76%. International Business Machiness quarterly revenue was up 9.1% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same quarter in the prior year, the firm posted $2.30 EPS. Equities analysts anticipate that International Business Machines Corporation will post 10.78 earnings per share for the current fiscal year. Analyst Ratings Changes Several research firms recently commented on IBM. Erste Group Bank raised International Business Machines from a hold rating to a buy rating in a research report on Friday, December 5th. Stifel Nicolaus boosted their price objective on shares of International Business Machines from $295.00 to $325.00 and gave the company a buy rating in a report on Tuesday, December 9th. JPMorgan Chase & Co. lifted their target price on shares of International Business Machines from $290.00 to $312.00 and gave the stock a neutral rating in a research report on Wednesday. Bank of America upped their price objective on International Business Machines from $315.00 to $335.00 and gave the company a buy rating in a research report on Tuesday, January 13th. Finally, UBS Group reissued a sell rating on shares of International Business Machines in a research report on Tuesday, December 9th. One equities research analyst has rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, twelve have issued a Buy rating, five have given a Hold rating and one has issued a Sell rating to the stock. Based on data from MarketBeat, the stock has a consensus rating of Moderate Buy and a consensus price target of $306.86. Read Our Latest Research Report on IBM International Business Machines Profile (Free Report) International Business Machines Corporation (IBM) is a global technology and consulting company headquartered in Armonk, New York. Founded in 1911 as the Computing-Tabulating-Recording Company (CTR) and renamed IBM in 1924, the company has evolved from early electromechanical machines to a diversified technology provider serving enterprises and governments worldwide. IBM is publicly traded on the New York Stock Exchange under the ticker symbol IBM. IBMs principal businesses encompass cloud computing and software, infrastructure and systems, consulting and technology services, and research and development. See Also Want to see what other hedge funds are holding IBM? Visit HoldingsChannel.com to get the latest 13F filings and insider trades for International Business Machines Corporation (NYSE:IBM Free Report). Receive News & Ratings for International Business Machines Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for International Business Machines and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Simplicity Wealth LLC lowered its holdings in shares of Chevron Corporation (NYSE:CVX Free Report) by 32.9% during the third quarter, Holdings Channel reports. The firm owned 24,116 shares of the oil and gas companys stock after selling 11,831 shares during the period. Simplicity Wealth LLCs holdings in Chevron were worth $3,745,000 as of its most recent SEC filing. Other institutional investors and hedge funds have also modified their holdings of the company. Perigon Wealth Management LLC raised its position in shares of Chevron by 19.3% during the 3rd quarter. Perigon Wealth Management LLC now owns 73,448 shares of the oil and gas companys stock valued at $11,406,000 after buying an additional 11,875 shares in the last quarter. New York State Teachers Retirement System increased its position in Chevron by 15.3% during the third quarter. New York State Teachers Retirement System now owns 1,620,231 shares of the oil and gas companys stock valued at $251,606,000 after acquiring an additional 215,345 shares during the last quarter. Solitude Financial Services boosted its stake in shares of Chevron by 8.2% during the 2nd quarter. Solitude Financial Services now owns 25,325 shares of the oil and gas companys stock worth $3,626,000 after purchasing an additional 1,913 shares during the period. Pictet North America Advisors SA purchased a new stake in shares of Chevron in the third quarter worth approximately $5,662,000. Finally, Shell Asset Management Co. lifted its stake in shares of Chevron by 21.4% during the 2nd quarter. Shell Asset Management Co. now owns 51,115 shares of the oil and gas companys stock worth $7,319,000 after acquiring an additional 9,002 shares during the last quarter. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 72.42% of the companys stock. Get Chevron alerts: Chevron News Summary Here are the key news stories impacting Chevron this week: Chevron Price Performance CVX stock opened at $166.71 on Thursday. The company has a market capitalization of $335.67 billion, a PE ratio of 23.45, a P/E/G ratio of 10.81 and a beta of 0.70. Chevron Corporation has a 12-month low of $132.04 and a 12-month high of $169.37. The company has a current ratio of 1.15, a quick ratio of 0.86 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.19. The businesss fifty day moving average price is $154.12 and its 200 day moving average price is $154.60. Chevron (NYSE:CVX Get Free Report) last announced its quarterly earnings data on Friday, October 31st. The oil and gas company reported $1.85 EPS for the quarter, beating analysts consensus estimates of $1.71 by $0.14. Chevron had a net margin of 6.57% and a return on equity of 8.74%. The company had revenue of $48.17 billion for the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $46.99 billion. During the same period in the prior year, the firm posted $2.48 EPS. The companys quarterly revenue was down 1.9% compared to the same quarter last year. On average, sell-side analysts anticipate that Chevron Corporation will post 10.79 EPS for the current year. Chevron Dividend Announcement The business also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Wednesday, December 10th. Shareholders of record on Tuesday, November 18th were given a dividend of $1.71 per share. This represents a $6.84 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 4.1%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend was Tuesday, November 18th. Chevrons dividend payout ratio (DPR) is presently 96.20%. Insider Buying and Selling In other news, CFO Eimear P. Bonner sold 28,334 shares of Chevron stock in a transaction that occurred on Monday, January 5th. The shares were sold at an average price of $165.05, for a total transaction of $4,676,526.70. Following the completion of the sale, the chief financial officer directly owned 4,366 shares in the company, valued at approximately $720,608.30. This trade represents a 86.65% decrease in their position. The transaction was disclosed in a legal filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is accessible through the SEC website. Also, CEO Michael K. Wirth sold 320,700 shares of the stock in a transaction dated Monday, January 5th. The stock was sold at an average price of $162.99, for a total value of $52,270,893.00. Following the transaction, the chief executive officer owned 14,450 shares in the company, valued at $2,355,205.50. This trade represents a 95.69% decrease in their ownership of the stock. Additional details regarding this sale are available in the official SEC disclosure. Insiders sold 635,190 shares of company stock valued at $100,254,408 in the last ninety days. Company insiders own 0.21% of the companys stock. Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades A number of equities research analysts recently weighed in on the stock. Barclays lifted their price objective on shares of Chevron from $158.00 to $166.00 and gave the company an equal weight rating in a report on Wednesday. BMO Capital Markets reiterated an outperform rating on shares of Chevron in a research note on Thursday, January 8th. Weiss Ratings restated a hold (c) rating on shares of Chevron in a research note on Wednesday, October 8th. Citigroup lowered their target price on shares of Chevron from $185.00 to $179.00 and set a buy rating for the company in a research note on Monday, January 5th. Finally, Raymond James Financial reiterated an outperform rating and set a $160.00 price objective (down previously from $170.00) on shares of Chevron in a research note on Friday, October 17th. One equities research analyst has rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, fourteen have issued a Buy rating, seven have assigned a Hold rating and four have given a Sell rating to the companys stock. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, the company presently has a consensus rating of Hold and a consensus target price of $170.29. View Our Latest Report on CVX Chevron Profile (Free Report) Chevron Corporation (NYSE: CVX) is an American multinational energy company engaged in virtually all aspects of the oil and gas industry. As an integrated energy firm, Chevrons core activities include upstream oil and natural gas exploration and production, midstream transportation and storage, downstream refining and marketing of fuels and lubricants, and petrochemical manufacturing through joint ventures and subsidiaries. The company markets fuels under brands such as Chevron, Texaco and Caltex and supplies a range of products and services to retail customers, industrial users and commercial fleets worldwide. Chevron traces its corporate lineage to the early petroleum companies that eventually became Standard Oil of California and has evolved through significant mergers and restructurings, including the acquisitions of Gulf Oil and Texaco. Featured Articles Want to see what other hedge funds are holding CVX? Visit HoldingsChannel.com to get the latest 13F filings and insider trades for Chevron Corporation (NYSE:CVX Free Report). Receive News & Ratings for Chevron Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Chevron and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Rogco LP lifted its stake in Eli Lilly and Company (NYSE:LLY Free Report) by 3,975.0% in the 3rd quarter, Holdings Channel.com reports. The firm owned 489 shares of the companys stock after buying an additional 477 shares during the quarter. Rogco LPs holdings in Eli Lilly and Company were worth $373,000 as of its most recent SEC filing. Several other institutional investors also recently bought and sold shares of LLY. Sumitomo Mitsui Financial Group Inc. purchased a new stake in shares of Eli Lilly and Company during the second quarter valued at approximately $27,000. Evolution Wealth Management Inc. purchased a new position in Eli Lilly and Company in the 2nd quarter worth approximately $29,000. Steph & Co. lifted its position in Eli Lilly and Company by 290.0% in the 3rd quarter. Steph & Co. now owns 39 shares of the companys stock valued at $30,000 after acquiring an additional 29 shares in the last quarter. Financial Gravity Companies Inc. purchased a new stake in Eli Lilly and Company during the 2nd quarter valued at $31,000. Finally, Bare Financial Services Inc increased its holdings in shares of Eli Lilly and Company by 263.6% in the 2nd quarter. Bare Financial Services Inc now owns 40 shares of the companys stock worth $31,000 after purchasing an additional 29 shares in the last quarter. 82.53% of the stock is owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors. Get Eli Lilly and Company alerts: Eli Lilly and Company News Summary Here are the key news stories impacting Eli Lilly and Company this week: Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades A number of research analysts have recently issued reports on LLY shares. Deutsche Bank Aktiengesellschaft upped their price target on Eli Lilly and Company from $1,000.00 to $1,200.00 and gave the company a buy rating in a report on Wednesday, December 17th. Jefferies Financial Group raised their price target on shares of Eli Lilly and Company from $976.00 to $1,300.00 and gave the company a buy rating in a report on Thursday, January 8th. Morgan Stanley boosted their price objective on shares of Eli Lilly and Company from $1,171.00 to $1,290.00 and gave the company an overweight rating in a report on Monday, November 24th. Leerink Partners set a $1,234.00 target price on shares of Eli Lilly and Company in a report on Monday, January 5th. Finally, National Bankshares set a $1,286.00 target price on shares of Eli Lilly and Company in a research report on Monday, December 1st. Four investment analysts have rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, eighteen have issued a Buy rating and four have given a Hold rating to the stock. According to data from MarketBeat.com, Eli Lilly and Company has a consensus rating of Buy and a consensus target price of $1,174.61. Read Our Latest Analysis on Eli Lilly and Company Eli Lilly and Company Stock Performance Shares of NYSE LLY opened at $1,078.98 on Thursday. The firm has a 50 day moving average of $1,055.07 and a 200 day moving average of $876.57. The company has a current ratio of 1.55, a quick ratio of 1.24 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.71. The firm has a market capitalization of $1.02 trillion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 52.79, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 0.78 and a beta of 0.35. Eli Lilly and Company has a 12-month low of $623.78 and a 12-month high of $1,133.95. Eli Lilly and Company (NYSE:LLY Get Free Report) last released its quarterly earnings results on Thursday, October 30th. The company reported $7.02 earnings per share for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of $6.42 by $0.60. The business had revenue of $17.60 billion for the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $16.09 billion. Eli Lilly and Company had a net margin of 30.99% and a return on equity of 109.52%. The companys quarterly revenue was up 53.9% on a year-over-year basis. During the same period last year, the firm earned $1.18 earnings per share. Eli Lilly and Company has set its FY 2025 guidance at 23.000-23.700 EPS. On average, research analysts anticipate that Eli Lilly and Company will post 23.48 earnings per share for the current year. Eli Lilly and Company Increases Dividend The business also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Tuesday, March 10th. Investors of record on Friday, February 13th will be given a dividend of $1.73 per share. This represents a $6.92 annualized dividend and a yield of 0.6%. This is a boost from Eli Lilly and Companys previous quarterly dividend of $1.50. The ex-dividend date is Friday, February 13th. Eli Lilly and Companys dividend payout ratio (DPR) is presently 29.35%. About Eli Lilly and Company (Free Report) Eli Lilly and Company (NYSE: LLY) is a global pharmaceutical company founded in 1876 and headquartered in Indianapolis, Indiana. The company researches, develops, manufactures and commercializes a broad range of medicines and therapies for patients worldwide. Eli Lilly maintains operations and commercial presence across North America, Europe, Asia and other regions, serving both developed and emerging markets. The company has been led in recent years by President and Chief Executive Officer David A. Featured Stories Want to see what other hedge funds are holding LLY? Visit HoldingsChannel.com to get the latest 13F filings and insider trades for Eli Lilly and Company (NYSE:LLY Free Report). Receive News & Ratings for Eli Lilly and Company Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Eli Lilly and Company and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Wilkins Investment Counsel Inc. reduced its stake in Novartis AG (NYSE:NVS Free Report) by 3.9% during the 3rd quarter, Holdings Channel.com reports. The firm owned 133,977 shares of the companys stock after selling 5,443 shares during the period. Novartis accounts for 2.4% of Wilkins Investment Counsel Inc.s holdings, making the stock its 14th largest holding. Wilkins Investment Counsel Inc.s holdings in Novartis were worth $17,181,000 as of its most recent filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). A number of other hedge funds also recently modified their holdings of NVS. GFG Capital LLC bought a new stake in shares of Novartis during the 2nd quarter worth about $26,000. Legacy Investment Solutions LLC acquired a new stake in Novartis during the second quarter worth approximately $30,000. Barrett & Company Inc. bought a new stake in shares of Novartis during the second quarter worth approximately $31,000. MCF Advisors LLC boosted its holdings in shares of Novartis by 66.0% during the second quarter. MCF Advisors LLC now owns 264 shares of the companys stock worth $32,000 after acquiring an additional 105 shares during the period. Finally, Highline Wealth Partners LLC grew its position in shares of Novartis by 82.4% in the second quarter. Highline Wealth Partners LLC now owns 290 shares of the companys stock valued at $35,000 after purchasing an additional 131 shares during the last quarter. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 13.12% of the companys stock. Get Novartis alerts: Novartis Price Performance Novartis stock opened at $145.10 on Thursday. The firm has a market cap of $306.51 billion, a PE ratio of 19.82, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 1.87 and a beta of 0.51. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.50, a current ratio of 0.88 and a quick ratio of 0.68. The stocks fifty day moving average price is $135.64 and its two-hundred day moving average price is $128.31. Novartis AG has a one year low of $97.71 and a one year high of $146.35. Wall Street Analyst Weigh In Novartis ( NYSE:NVS Get Free Report ) last released its earnings results on Tuesday, October 28th. The company reported $2.25 earnings per share for the quarter, missing analysts consensus estimates of $2.26 by ($0.01). The company had revenue of $14.36 billion for the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $13.70 billion. Novartis had a net margin of 26.49% and a return on equity of 41.21%. The businesss revenue was up 8.5% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same quarter in the previous year, the company posted $2.06 earnings per share. As a group, research analysts expect that Novartis AG will post 8.45 EPS for the current fiscal year. A number of brokerages have recently weighed in on NVS. Weiss Ratings reiterated a buy (b) rating on shares of Novartis in a research note on Monday, December 29th. Bank of America raised Novartis from a neutral rating to a buy rating in a report on Tuesday, November 25th. Deutsche Bank Aktiengesellschaft reissued a buy rating on shares of Novartis in a report on Friday, January 16th. TD Cowen reissued a hold rating on shares of Novartis in a research report on Monday, November 10th. Finally, Cfra Research raised shares of Novartis to a hold rating in a research report on Wednesday, October 29th. One equities research analyst has rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, five have given a Buy rating, seven have given a Hold rating and two have assigned a Sell rating to the company. According to MarketBeat, the stock currently has a consensus rating of Hold and an average price target of $119.75. Check Out Our Latest Stock Analysis on Novartis About Novartis (Free Report) Novartis is a Swiss multinational pharmaceutical company headquartered in Basel that researches, develops, manufactures and commercializes prescription medicines and related health-care products. Formed through the 1996 merger of Ciba-Geigy and Sandoz, Novartis operates globally and focuses on bringing therapeutics from discovery through clinical development to commercial markets worldwide. The companys activities center on innovative pharmaceuticals across several therapeutic areas, including oncology, immunology, cardiovascular and metabolic diseases, neuroscience and ophthalmology, alongside capabilities in advanced therapies such as biologics, cell and gene therapies. Recommended Stories Want to see what other hedge funds are holding NVS? Visit HoldingsChannel.com to get the latest 13F filings and insider trades for Novartis AG (NYSE:NVS Free Report). Receive News & Ratings for Novartis Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Novartis and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Abbott Laboratories (NYSE:ABT Get Free Report) issued an update on its FY 2026 earnings guidance on Thursday morning. The company provided earnings per share guidance of 5.550-5.800 for the period, compared to the consensus earnings per share estimate of 5.670. The company issued revenue guidance of -. Abbott Laboratories also updated its Q1 2026 guidance to 1.120-1.180 EPS. Analysts Set New Price Targets ABT has been the topic of a number of recent analyst reports. Royal Bank Of Canada restated an outperform rating and issued a $147.00 price target on shares of Abbott Laboratories in a report on Thursday, October 16th. William Blair upgraded shares of Abbott Laboratories to a strong-buy rating in a research note on Thursday, November 20th. Weiss Ratings reaffirmed a buy (b-) rating on shares of Abbott Laboratories in a research report on Monday, December 29th. Mizuho raised their price objective on Abbott Laboratories from $135.00 to $140.00 and gave the stock a neutral rating in a research report on Tuesday, October 14th. Finally, Benchmark began coverage on Abbott Laboratories in a research note on Friday, October 10th. They issued a buy rating and a $145.00 price target for the company. Two analysts have rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, seventeen have assigned a Buy rating and three have given a Hold rating to the stock. According to data from MarketBeat.com, Abbott Laboratories presently has an average rating of Moderate Buy and an average price target of $147.42. Get Abbott Laboratories alerts: Get Our Latest Report on Abbott Laboratories Abbott Laboratories Stock Down 0.3% ABT opened at $120.82 on Thursday. The company has a fifty day moving average of $125.65 and a two-hundred day moving average of $128.68. The stock has a market capitalization of $210.10 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 15.14, a PEG ratio of 2.01 and a beta of 0.72. Abbott Laboratories has a fifty-two week low of $113.50 and a fifty-two week high of $141.23. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.23, a quick ratio of 1.24 and a current ratio of 1.70. Abbott Laboratories (NYSE:ABT Get Free Report) last posted its earnings results on Thursday, January 22nd. The healthcare product maker reported $1.50 EPS for the quarter, meeting analysts consensus estimates of $1.50. Abbott Laboratories had a return on equity of 17.60% and a net margin of 31.88%.The firm had revenue of $11.46 billion for the quarter, compared to analysts expectations of $11.80 billion. During the same period last year, the firm earned $1.34 EPS. The companys quarterly revenue was up 4.4% on a year-over-year basis. Abbott Laboratories has set its Q1 2026 guidance at 1.120-1.180 EPS and its FY 2026 guidance at 5.550-5.800 EPS. On average, research analysts expect that Abbott Laboratories will post 5.14 earnings per share for the current year. Abbott Laboratories Increases Dividend The company also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Friday, February 13th. Shareholders of record on Thursday, January 15th will be given a $0.63 dividend. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Thursday, January 15th. This represents a $2.52 annualized dividend and a yield of 2.1%. This is an increase from Abbott Laboratoriess previous quarterly dividend of $0.59. Abbott Laboratoriess dividend payout ratio is presently 31.58%. More Abbott Laboratories News Here are the key news stories impacting Abbott Laboratories this week: Institutional Investors Weigh In On Abbott Laboratories A number of hedge funds have recently added to or reduced their stakes in the business. Credit Agricole S A acquired a new position in shares of Abbott Laboratories in the third quarter worth $175,044,000. Arrowstreet Capital Limited Partnership boosted its holdings in Abbott Laboratories by 123.5% in the third quarter. Arrowstreet Capital Limited Partnership now owns 1,138,787 shares of the healthcare product makers stock valued at $152,529,000 after purchasing an additional 629,222 shares during the period. Canada Pension Plan Investment Board grew its stake in Abbott Laboratories by 25.6% during the 2nd quarter. Canada Pension Plan Investment Board now owns 1,435,683 shares of the healthcare product makers stock worth $195,267,000 after purchasing an additional 292,547 shares in the last quarter. CANADA LIFE ASSURANCE Co grew its stake in Abbott Laboratories by 13.7% during the 3rd quarter. CANADA LIFE ASSURANCE Co now owns 2,191,068 shares of the healthcare product makers stock worth $291,558,000 after purchasing an additional 264,285 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Meridiem Capital Partners LP purchased a new stake in Abbott Laboratories during the 2nd quarter worth about $33,620,000. 75.18% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors and hedge funds. About Abbott Laboratories (Get Free Report) Abbott Laboratories is a global healthcare company headquartered in Abbott Park, Illinois, that develops, manufactures and markets a broad portfolio of medical products and services. Founded in 1888, Abbott operates through multiple business areas that focus on diagnostics, medical devices, nutritionals and established pharmaceuticals. The company supplies hospitals, clinics, laboratories, retailers and direct-to-consumer channels with products intended to diagnose, treat and manage a wide range of health conditions. In diagnostics, Abbott provides laboratory and point-of-care testing platforms and assays used to detect infectious diseases, chronic conditions and biomarkers; its Alinity family of instruments and rapid-test solutions are examples of this capability. Read More Receive News & Ratings for Abbott Laboratories Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Abbott Laboratories and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. ConocoPhillips (NYSE:COP Get Free Report) had its price objective raised by investment analysts at The Goldman Sachs Group from $108.00 to $115.00 in a report released on Thursday,MarketScreener reports. The firm presently has a buy rating on the energy producers stock. The Goldman Sachs Groups price target points to a potential upside of 19.19% from the companys current price. Other analysts also recently issued reports about the stock. Mizuho increased their price target on shares of ConocoPhillips from $120.00 to $121.00 and gave the company an outperform rating in a research report on Friday, December 12th. Weiss Ratings reiterated a hold (c-) rating on shares of ConocoPhillips in a report on Monday, December 29th. Raymond James Financial boosted their price target on shares of ConocoPhillips from $98.00 to $113.00 and gave the company an outperform rating in a report on Thursday. Susquehanna reduced their target price on ConocoPhillips to $113.00 and set a positive rating on the stock in a report on Monday, October 20th. Finally, Sanford C. Bernstein lowered their price target on ConocoPhillips from $116.00 to $98.00 and set an outperform rating for the company in a report on Monday, January 5th. Sixteen equities research analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating, seven have assigned a Hold rating and one has assigned a Sell rating to the companys stock. According to MarketBeat.com, the company currently has a consensus rating of Moderate Buy and an average target price of $111.00. Get ConocoPhillips alerts: Get Our Latest Stock Analysis on ConocoPhillips ConocoPhillips Trading Down 0.7% Shares of COP opened at $96.48 on Thursday. The stocks fifty day simple moving average is $93.11 and its 200-day simple moving average is $92.97. The firm has a market capitalization of $119.22 billion, a PE ratio of 13.66, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 2.82 and a beta of 0.32. ConocoPhillips has a 12-month low of $79.88 and a 12-month high of $106.20. The company has a quick ratio of 1.18, a current ratio of 1.32 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.35. ConocoPhillips (NYSE:COP Get Free Report) last announced its quarterly earnings data on Thursday, November 6th. The energy producer reported $1.61 earnings per share for the quarter, beating the consensus estimate of $1.41 by $0.20. ConocoPhillips had a net margin of 14.25% and a return on equity of 13.64%. The business had revenue of $15.03 billion for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $14.51 billion. During the same period in the prior year, the business posted $1.78 earnings per share. ConocoPhillipss revenue was up 14.1% compared to the same quarter last year. As a group, research analysts predict that ConocoPhillips will post 8.16 earnings per share for the current year. Insider Transactions at ConocoPhillips In other ConocoPhillips news, Director William H. Mcraven acquired 5,768 shares of the companys stock in a transaction on Monday, November 10th. The shares were purchased at an average price of $86.68 per share, for a total transaction of $499,970.24. Following the completion of the purchase, the director directly owned 5,768 shares of the companys stock, valued at approximately $499,970.24. This represents a ? increase in their ownership of the stock. The transaction was disclosed in a filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is accessible through the SEC website. Also, CEO Ryan Michael Lance sold 500,708 shares of the firms stock in a transaction that occurred on Friday, December 19th. The shares were sold at an average price of $92.50, for a total value of $46,315,490.00. Following the completion of the sale, the chief executive officer directly owned 325,972 shares of the companys stock, valued at approximately $30,152,410. The trade was a 60.57% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The disclosure for this sale is available in the SEC filing. Company insiders own 0.24% of the companys stock. Institutional Investors Weigh In On ConocoPhillips Hedge funds have recently added to or reduced their stakes in the business. IMS Capital Management bought a new stake in shares of ConocoPhillips during the 2nd quarter worth about $275,000. Mather Group LLC. lifted its position in ConocoPhillips by 1.8% during the second quarter. Mather Group LLC. now owns 22,842 shares of the energy producers stock worth $2,050,000 after acquiring an additional 399 shares during the last quarter. Clarus Group Inc. boosted its holdings in shares of ConocoPhillips by 16.9% during the second quarter. Clarus Group Inc. now owns 9,355 shares of the energy producers stock worth $840,000 after acquiring an additional 1,355 shares during the period. Harrell Investment Partners LLC lifted its holdings in ConocoPhillips by 162.5% during the 2nd quarter. Harrell Investment Partners LLC now owns 8,653 shares of the energy producers stock worth $777,000 after purchasing an additional 5,357 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Exeter Financial LLC lifted its holdings in shares of ConocoPhillips by 1.9% during the second quarter. Exeter Financial LLC now owns 20,742 shares of the energy producers stock worth $1,861,000 after buying an additional 392 shares in the last quarter. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 82.36% of the companys stock. About ConocoPhillips (Get Free Report) ConocoPhillips (NYSE: COP) is a Houston-based international energy company focused on exploration and production of oil and natural gas. Formed in 2002 through the merger of Conoco Inc and Phillips Petroleum Company, the firm operates as an independent upstream company that explores for, develops and produces crude oil, natural gas and natural gas liquids across a portfolio of global assets. The companys activities span conventional and unconventional resources and include onshore and offshore operations in multiple regions around the world. Read More Receive News & Ratings for ConocoPhillips Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for ConocoPhillips and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. DRDGOLD Limited (NYSE:DRD Get Free Report)s stock price hit a new 52-week high during mid-day trading on Tuesday . The stock traded as high as $38.20 and last traded at $37.77, with a volume of 79705 shares changing hands. The stock had previously closed at $36.24. Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth A number of equities analysts have weighed in on DRD shares. Weiss Ratings reissued a buy (b) rating on shares of DRDGOLD in a research report on Wednesday, October 8th. Wall Street Zen lowered DRDGOLD from a strong-buy rating to a buy rating in a report on Saturday, January 3rd. Zacks Research upgraded DRDGOLD from a strong sell rating to a hold rating in a research note on Monday, November 24th. Finally, HC Wainwright lifted their price objective on shares of DRDGOLD to $36.25 and gave the stock a buy rating in a research report on Friday, October 17th. Two analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating and one has given a Hold rating to the company. According to MarketBeat, DRDGOLD has an average rating of Moderate Buy and a consensus target price of $36.25. Get DRDGOLD alerts: Get Our Latest Analysis on DRDGOLD DRDGOLD Trading Up 2.5% Institutional Trading of DRDGOLD The firm has a 50-day simple moving average of $31.11 and a two-hundred day simple moving average of $24.61. Hedge funds and other institutional investors have recently bought and sold shares of the business. Farther Finance Advisors LLC grew its position in shares of DRDGOLD by 88.2% during the 3rd quarter. Farther Finance Advisors LLC now owns 1,690 shares of the basic materials companys stock worth $47,000 after purchasing an additional 792 shares in the last quarter. GAMMA Investing LLC boosted its stake in shares of DRDGOLD by 29.7% in the second quarter. GAMMA Investing LLC now owns 6,422 shares of the basic materials companys stock valued at $86,000 after buying an additional 1,469 shares during the period. Osaic Holdings Inc. boosted its stake in shares of DRDGOLD by 11.5% in the second quarter. Osaic Holdings Inc. now owns 6,892 shares of the basic materials companys stock valued at $92,000 after buying an additional 713 shares during the period. BNP Paribas Financial Markets acquired a new stake in DRDGOLD during the third quarter worth approximately $102,000. Finally, Blue Trust Inc. increased its stake in DRDGOLD by 21.8% during the 4th quarter. Blue Trust Inc. now owns 4,476 shares of the basic materials companys stock worth $139,000 after acquiring an additional 800 shares during the period. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 14.70% of the companys stock. About DRDGOLD (Get Free Report) DRDGOLD (NYSE: DRD) is a South African gold producer focused on the retreatment of surface tailings from historic mining operations on the Witwatersrand Basin. The company recovers fine gold particles from low?grade tailings using an integrated, carbon?in?leach (CIL) processing circuit that is designed to maximize yield and minimize environmental impact. DRDGOLDs operations are centered on sustainable resource utilization, transforming previously discarded material into saleable gold dore bars. The company operates two primary tailings retreatment facilities on the West Rand and East Rand of Gauteng Province. See Also Receive News & Ratings for DRDGOLD Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for DRDGOLD and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Telefonica Brasil S.A. (NYSE:VIV Get Free Report) shares hit a new 52-week high on Thursday . The company traded as high as $13.62 and last traded at $13.6650, with a volume of 109447 shares changing hands. The stock had previously closed at $13.00. Analysts Set New Price Targets Several research analysts have recently issued reports on VIV shares. Morgan Stanley set a $12.00 price objective on Telefonica Brasil in a research note on Wednesday, October 8th. Barclays reaffirmed an overweight rating and issued a $14.50 price objective on shares of Telefonica Brasil in a report on Monday, November 3rd. Bank of America assumed coverage on shares of Telefonica Brasil in a research report on Thursday, December 11th. They set an underperform rating and a $14.00 target price for the company. Wall Street Zen raised Telefonica Brasil from a buy rating to a strong-buy rating in a research report on Sunday, January 11th. Finally, Weiss Ratings cut Telefonica Brasil from a buy (b-) rating to a hold (c+) rating in a report on Monday, December 29th. Two equities research analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating, four have given a Hold rating and two have given a Sell rating to the companys stock. Based on data from MarketBeat, the stock presently has a consensus rating of Hold and an average price target of $13.12. Get Telefonica Brasil alerts: Check Out Our Latest Report on VIV Telefonica Brasil Trading Up 4.4% The stock has a market cap of $22.08 billion, a PE ratio of 20.58, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 0.76 and a beta of 0.70. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.19, a quick ratio of 0.96 and a current ratio of 1.02. The company has a 50 day moving average of $12.39 and a two-hundred day moving average of $12.22. Telefonica Brasil (NYSE:VIV Get Free Report) last posted its quarterly earnings data on Friday, November 14th. The Wireless communications provider reported $0.11 EPS for the quarter. Telefonica Brasil had a return on equity of 8.67% and a net margin of 10.37%.The business had revenue of $2.81 billion during the quarter. Sell-side analysts anticipate that Telefonica Brasil S.A. will post 0.6 earnings per share for the current fiscal year. Hedge Funds Weigh In On Telefonica Brasil Several hedge funds and other institutional investors have recently made changes to their positions in the company. Rhumbline Advisers raised its stake in Telefonica Brasil by 337.7% in the 1st quarter. Rhumbline Advisers now owns 4,233 shares of the Wireless communications providers stock valued at $37,000 after purchasing an additional 3,266 shares during the last quarter. Westfuller Advisors LLC purchased a new stake in shares of Telefonica Brasil during the third quarter worth $59,000. EverSource Wealth Advisors LLC raised its position in shares of Telefonica Brasil by 214.0% in the second quarter. EverSource Wealth Advisors LLC now owns 4,766 shares of the Wireless communications providers stock valued at $54,000 after buying an additional 3,248 shares during the last quarter. Farther Finance Advisors LLC lifted its stake in shares of Telefonica Brasil by 543.7% in the second quarter. Farther Finance Advisors LLC now owns 4,918 shares of the Wireless communications providers stock worth $56,000 after buying an additional 4,154 shares in the last quarter. Finally, PNC Financial Services Group Inc. boosted its position in Telefonica Brasil by 45.7% during the second quarter. PNC Financial Services Group Inc. now owns 5,163 shares of the Wireless communications providers stock worth $59,000 after acquiring an additional 1,619 shares during the last quarter. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 5.16% of the companys stock. About Telefonica Brasil (Get Free Report) Telefonica Brasil SA, commonly marketed under the Vivo brand, is one of Brazils largest telecommunications providers, offering a broad range of consumer and enterprise communications services. The companys core activities include mobile voice and data services, fixed-line telephony, broadband internet (including fiber-to-the-home), and pay-TV solutions. It also provides ICT and managed services for business customers, such as cloud, data center, connectivity, Internet of Things (IoT) and security solutions. Vivo operates a nationwide network across Brazil and serves both individual consumers and corporate clients. Recommended Stories Receive News & Ratings for Telefonica Brasil Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Telefonica Brasil and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Key Takeaways Netflix reports earnings after the market closes today, with analysts expecting rising revenue and profits. Ahead of the results, the company announced an update to its offer for Warner Bros. Discovery to an all-cash deal rather than a mix of cash and stock. Investors are about to get some fresh financial results from one of the streaming industry's biggest players. Netflix (NFLX) is scheduled to report fourth-quarter earnings after the market closes today, with analysts expecting growing revenue and profits. The streaming giant's revenue is projected to come in at $11.97 billion for the quarter, up 17% year-over-year. Earnings per share are expected to rise to $0.55 from $0.43 a year ago, per estimates compiled by Visible Alpha. Ahead of the release, Netflix announced an agreement to convert its deal to acquire Warner Bros. Discovery (WBD) to an all-cash offer rather than a mix of cash and stock. Netflix said that the new deal, which could help fend off rival bidder Paramount Skydance (PSKY), "provides enhanced certainty around the value WBD stockholders will receive at closing," and that Warner Bros. Discovery shareholders are expected to vote on the deal as soon as April. Why This Matters to Investors Quarterly earnings calls offer an opportunity for investors and analysts to get a look into the financial health of a company. Netflix's call comes at an important time, with analysts likely to ask questions about the financing of the Warner Bros. Discovery deal and its timelines for regulatory reviews. Options pricing suggests that traders expect Netflix stock could make a big swing in the days following the report. Shares are down some 30% since Netflix's last quarterly report in October, when a surprise tax expense in Brazil dragged profits below estimates, and have been pressured since amid questions surrounding the Warner Bros. acquisition. Analysts have said the report is likely to reflect a solid end to 2025, but that investor attention could be focused more on concerns about the Warner Bros. deal, including regulatory uncertainty and competition from Paramount Skydance. Netflix shares were little changed in recent trading, at a time when broader markets lost ground as investors reacted to President Donald Trump's threats of new tariffs against European countries unless the U.S. is allowed to acquire Greenland. Read the original article on Investopedia Black Diamond Group Limited (TSE:BDI Get Free Report) reached a new 52-week high during trading on Thursday . The stock traded as high as C$16.95 and last traded at C$16.60, with a volume of 47075 shares trading hands. The stock had previously closed at C$16.70. Analysts Set New Price Targets BDI has been the topic of a number of research reports. Canaccord Genuity Group raised their price objective on shares of Black Diamond Group from C$13.50 to C$17.00 and gave the stock a buy rating in a report on Wednesday, September 24th. Raymond James Financial cut shares of Black Diamond Group from a strong-buy rating to a moderate buy rating and lifted their price target for the stock from C$18.00 to C$20.00 in a research note on Tuesday. Finally, BMO Capital Markets boosted their price objective on shares of Black Diamond Group from C$18.00 to C$20.00 in a research report on Friday, January 16th. Three analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating, According to data from MarketBeat.com, the stock presently has a consensus rating of Buy and a consensus price target of C$18.50. Get Black Diamond Group alerts: View Our Latest Research Report on Black Diamond Group Black Diamond Group Stock Down 1.2% The company has a market capitalization of C$1.11 billion, a PE ratio of 28.45 and a beta of 0.85. The companys fifty day moving average is C$14.70 and its 200-day moving average is C$13.44. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 88.46, a quick ratio of 1.05 and a current ratio of 1.17. Black Diamond Group (TSE:BDI Get Free Report) last announced its quarterly earnings data on Thursday, October 30th. The company reported C$0.18 EPS for the quarter. Black Diamond Group had a net margin of 6.46% and a return on equity of 8.11%. The firm had revenue of C$105.32 million for the quarter. As a group, analysts predict that Black Diamond Group Limited will post 0.5349233 EPS for the current fiscal year. Insider Buying and Selling In other news, Director Robert Wagemakers sold 20,000 shares of the businesss stock in a transaction dated Friday, November 21st. The stock was sold at an average price of C$14.10, for a total value of C$282,000.00. Following the transaction, the director directly owned 543,580 shares in the company, valued at C$7,664,478. The trade was a 3.55% decrease in their ownership of the stock. 23.83% of the stock is currently owned by corporate insiders. About Black Diamond Group (Get Free Report) Black Diamond Group Ltd rents and sells space rental solutions and modular workforce accommodations to business customers in Canada, the United States and Australia. The company also provides specialized field rentals to the oil and gas industries of Canada and the United States. Besides, Black Diamond Group provides turnkey lodging services, as well as a host of related services that include transportation, installation, dismantling, repairs, maintenance, and ancillary field equipment rentals. From its locations, the company serves multiple sectors including oil and gas, mining, power, construction, engineering, military, government, and education. Featured Articles Receive News & Ratings for Black Diamond Group Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Black Diamond Group and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. IREN, Freeport-McMoRan, Coeur Mining, Critical Metals, and Hecla Mining are the five Mining stocks to watch today, according to MarketBeats stock screener tool. Mining stocks are shares of publicly traded companies involved in exploring for, developing, extracting and sometimes processing natural resources such as gold, copper, iron ore, coal and other minerals. These equities tend to be cyclical and sensitive to commodity prices, operational and geopolitical risks, and environmental/regulatory factors, so they often show higher volatility but can offer leverage to rising metal prices and potential dividend income. These companies had the highest dollar trading volume of any Mining stocks within the last several days. Get alerts: IREN (IREN) IREN Limited, formerly known as Iris Energy Limited, owns and operates bitcoin mining data centers. The company was incorporated in 2018 and is headquartered in Sydney, Australia. Freeport-McMoRan (FCX) Freeport-McMoRan Inc. engages in the mining of mineral properties in North America, South America, and Indonesia. It primarily explores for copper, gold, molybdenum, silver, and other metals. The company's assets include the Grasberg minerals district in Indonesia; Morenci, Bagdad, Safford, Sierrita, and Miami in Arizona; Chino and Tyrone in New Mexico; and Henderson and Climax in Colorado, North America, as well as Cerro Verde in Peru and El Abra in Chile. Read Our Latest Research Report on FCX Coeur Mining (CDE) Coeur Mining, Inc. explores for precious metals in the United States, Canada, and Mexico. The company primarily explores for gold, silver, zinc, and lead properties. It markets and sells its concentrates to third-party customers, smelters, under off-take agreements. The company was formerly known as Coeur d'Alene Mines Corporation and changed its name to Coeur Mining, Inc. Read Our Latest Research Report on CDE Critical Metals (CRML) Critical Metals Corp. engages in the mining, exploration, and development of lithium metals. It owns Wolfsberg Project and Tanbreez Project. The company was founded on October 24, 2022 and is headquartered in British Virgin Islands. Read Our Latest Research Report on CRML Hecla Mining (HL) Hecla Mining Company, together with its subsidiaries, provides precious and base metal properties in the United States, Canada, Japan, Korea, and China. The company mines for silver, gold, lead, and zinc concentrates, as well as carbon material containing silver and gold for custom smelters, metal traders, and third-party processors; and dore containing silver and gold. Read Our Latest Research Report on HL Further Reading BigBear.ai, Tempus AI, Hut 8, SoundHound AI, Fluence Energy, Rezolve AI, and SentinelOne are the seven Artificial Intelligence stocks to watch today, according to MarketBeats stock screener tool. Artificial intelligence stocks are shares of companies that develop AI technologies (such as machine?learning models, AI software, or specialized chips) or generate significant revenue by embedding AI into their products and services. Investors treat them as growth-oriented but often higher?risk assets because of rapid technological change, valuation volatility, competitive pressure, and regulatory or ethical uncertainties. These companies had the highest dollar trading volume of any Artificial Intelligence stocks within the last several days. Get alerts: BigBear.ai (BBAI) BigBear.ai Holdings, Inc. provides artificial intelligence-powered decision intelligence solutions. It offers national security, supply chain management, and digital identity and biometrics solutions. The company also provides data ingestion, data enrichment, data processing, artificial intelligence, machine learning, predictive analytics, and predictive visualization solutions and services. Tempus AI (TEM) Tempus AI Inc. is a technology company advancing precision medicine through the practical application of artificial intelligence principally in healthcare. The company provides AI-enabled precision medicine solutions to physicians to deliver personalized patient care and in parallel facilitates discovery, development and delivery of optimal therapeutics. Read Our Latest Research Report on TEM Hut 8 (HUT) Hut 8 Corp., together with its subsidiaries, acquires, builds, manages, and operates data centers for digital assets mining, computing, and artificial intelligence in the United States. It operates in four segments: Digital Assets Mining, Managed Services, High Performance Computing Colocation and Cloud, and Other. Read Our Latest Research Report on HUT SoundHound AI (SOUN) SoundHound AI, Inc. develops independent voice artificial intelligence (AI) solutions that enables businesses across automotive, TV, and IoT, and to customer service industries to deliver high-quality conversational experiences to their customers. Its products include Houndify platform that offers a suite of Houndify tools to help brands build conversational voice assistants, such as Application Programming Interfaces (API) for text and voice queries, support for custom commands, extensive library of content domains, inclusive software development kit platforms, collaboration capabilities, diagnostic tools, and built-in analytics; SoundHound Chat AI that integrates with knowledge domains, pulling real-time data like weather, sports, stocks, flight status, and restaurants; and SoundHound Smart Answering is built to offer customer establishments custom AI-powered voice assistant. Read Our Latest Research Report on SOUN Fluence Energy (FLNC) Fluence Energy, Inc., through its subsidiaries, offers energy storage products and solution, services, and artificial intelligence enabled software-as-a-service products for renewables and storage applications in the Americas, the Asia Pacific, Europe, the Middle East, and Africa. The company sells energy storage products with integrated hardware, software, and digital intelligence. Read Our Latest Research Report on FLNC Rezolve AI (RZLV) Rezolve AI Plc operates in the mobile commerce industry with its cutting-edge engagement platform powered by artificial intelligence and machine learning. It develops AI-based mobile commerce and engagement solutions, simplifying the purchasing process by providing relevant information and facilitating seamless transactions with a single tap. Read Our Latest Research Report on RZLV SentinelOne (S) SentinelOne, Inc. operates as a cybersecurity provider in the United States and internationally. Its Singularity Platform delivers an artificial intelligence-powered autonomous threat prevention, detection, and response capabilities across an organization's endpoints, cloud workloads, and identify credentials, which enables seamless and autonomous protection against a spectrum of cyber threats. Read Our Latest Research Report on S Recommended Stories iShares Core MSCI Europe ETF (NYSEARCA:IEUR Get Free Report) reached a new 52-week high during mid-day trading on Thursday . The company traded as high as $73.42 and last traded at $73.2280, with a volume of 108717 shares changing hands. The stock had previously closed at $72.86. iShares Core MSCI Europe ETF Price Performance The firms fifty day simple moving average is $70.51 and its 200 day simple moving average is $68.49. The company has a market capitalization of $7.36 billion, a PE ratio of 16.78 and a beta of 0.93. Get iShares Core MSCI Europe ETF alerts: Hedge Funds Weigh In On iShares Core MSCI Europe ETF Several institutional investors have recently made changes to their positions in IEUR. Bank of America Corp DE grew its position in iShares Core MSCI Europe ETF by 73.5% during the third quarter. Bank of America Corp DE now owns 5,374,280 shares of the companys stock valued at $366,096,000 after buying an additional 2,277,084 shares during the period. Envestnet Asset Management Inc. boosted its stake in shares of iShares Core MSCI Europe ETF by 15.0% during the 3rd quarter. Envestnet Asset Management Inc. now owns 6,513,210 shares of the companys stock worth $443,680,000 after acquiring an additional 847,912 shares in the last quarter. Elm Partners Management LLC boosted its stake in shares of iShares Core MSCI Europe ETF by 83.6% during the 2nd quarter. Elm Partners Management LLC now owns 997,863 shares of the companys stock worth $66,059,000 after acquiring an additional 454,272 shares in the last quarter. Benjamin Edwards Inc. acquired a new stake in shares of iShares Core MSCI Europe ETF during the 3rd quarter valued at about $30,907,000. Finally, JPMorgan Chase & Co. increased its stake in shares of iShares Core MSCI Europe ETF by 4.4% in the 2nd quarter. JPMorgan Chase & Co. now owns 8,954,178 shares of the companys stock valued at $592,767,000 after purchasing an additional 375,479 shares in the last quarter. About iShares Core MSCI Europe ETF The iShares Core MSCI Europe ETF (IEUR) is an exchange-traded fund that is based on the MSCI Europe IMI index, a market-cap-weighted index of developed European securities. IEUR was launched on Jun 10, 2014 and is managed by BlackRock. Featured Articles Receive News & Ratings for iShares Core MSCI Europe ETF Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for iShares Core MSCI Europe ETF and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. SharkNinja (NYSE:SN Get Free Report) had its price target lifted by research analysts at Bank of America from $140.00 to $145.00 in a note issued to investors on Thursday,Benzinga reports. The brokerage presently has a buy rating on the stock. Bank of Americas price objective would suggest a potential upside of 16.08% from the stocks previous close. SN has been the subject of a number of other research reports. Guggenheim lifted their target price on shares of SharkNinja from $120.00 to $140.00 and gave the stock a buy rating in a research report on Tuesday, December 16th. Canaccord Genuity Group set a $140.00 price objective on SharkNinja in a research report on Thursday, January 8th. Oppenheimer upped their target price on SharkNinja from $130.00 to $140.00 and gave the company an outperform rating in a research note on Tuesday, January 13th. Morgan Stanley set a $110.00 price target on SharkNinja in a research report on Monday, October 27th. Finally, Wall Street Zen raised SharkNinja from a hold rating to a buy rating in a report on Saturday, January 17th. Nine equities research analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating and three have issued a Hold rating to the companys stock. According to data from MarketBeat.com, the company currently has an average rating of Moderate Buy and a consensus price target of $137.67. Get SharkNinja alerts: Check Out Our Latest Report on SharkNinja SharkNinja Price Performance Institutional Trading of SharkNinja Shares of NYSE:SN traded up $1.75 during midday trading on Thursday, hitting $124.91. 466,603 shares of the stock were exchanged, compared to its average volume of 1,571,782. SharkNinja has a twelve month low of $60.50 and a twelve month high of $129.19. The company has a current ratio of 1.96, a quick ratio of 1.26 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.29. The company has a 50 day moving average price of $109.20 and a 200-day moving average price of $108.04. The stock has a market cap of $17.63 billion, a P/E ratio of 30.84, a PEG ratio of 1.91 and a beta of 1.41. Institutional investors have recently made changes to their positions in the stock. Geneos Wealth Management Inc. purchased a new position in shares of SharkNinja in the 3rd quarter worth $29,000. Larson Financial Group LLC increased its stake in SharkNinja by 64.3% during the third quarter. Larson Financial Group LLC now owns 322 shares of the companys stock worth $33,000 after acquiring an additional 126 shares during the last quarter. New York State Teachers Retirement System purchased a new position in shares of SharkNinja in the 2nd quarter worth about $43,000. Sunbelt Securities Inc. purchased a new position in shares of SharkNinja in the 3rd quarter worth about $46,000. Finally, TFC Financial Management Inc. acquired a new position in shares of SharkNinja in the 3rd quarter valued at about $55,000. 34.77% of the stock is owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors. SharkNinja Company Profile (Get Free Report) SharkNinja (NYSE: SN) is a leading designer, marketer and distributor of innovative small home appliances under the Shark and Ninja brands. The companys product portfolio spans floorcare, cleaning and home environment products, including upright, cordless and robotic vacuum cleaners, steam mops and air purifiers. In the kitchen category, SharkNinja offers a broad range of cooking and food preparation solutions, such as countertop ovens, air fryers, multicookers, blenders and coffee makers. Its products are positioned to deliver user-friendly performance, innovative features and durable design for everyday household tasks. Founded in 1998 as Euro-Pro Operating LLC, the company initially focused on the European market before expanding its presence in North America. Featured Stories Receive News & Ratings for SharkNinja Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for SharkNinja and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Shares of Stora Enso Oyj (OTCMKTS:SEOAY Get Free Report) gapped up prior to trading on Thursday . The stock had previously closed at $11.61, but opened at $12.1901. Stora Enso Oyj shares last traded at $12.3240, with a volume of 2,686 shares. Analyst Ratings Changes Separately, BNP Paribas Exane raised Stora Enso Oyj from a strong sell rating to a hold rating and set a $10.80 price target on the stock in a report on Monday, September 29th. Three analysts have rated the stock with a Hold rating and one has given a Sell rating to the companys stock. According to MarketBeat.com, Stora Enso Oyj currently has an average rating of Reduce and an average price target of $10.80. Get Stora Enso Oyj alerts: View Our Latest Report on Stora Enso Oyj Stora Enso Oyj Stock Up 2.4% The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.35, a quick ratio of 0.80 and a current ratio of 1.23. The company has a market capitalization of $9.77 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 1,239.74 and a beta of 0.71. The stocks fifty day simple moving average is $12.08 and its two-hundred day simple moving average is $11.47. Stora Enso Oyj (OTCMKTS:SEOAY Get Free Report) last announced its quarterly earnings data on Thursday, October 23rd. The basic materials company reported $0.30 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of $0.08 by $0.22. Stora Enso Oyj had a net margin of 0.14% and a negative return on equity of 2.55%. The company had revenue of $2.65 billion for the quarter, compared to analysts expectations of $2.34 billion. On average, sell-side analysts anticipate that Stora Enso Oyj will post 0.67 EPS for the current year. Stora Enso Oyj Company Profile (Get Free Report) Stora Enso Oyj is a Finland?based provider of renewable solutions in packaging, biomaterials, wooden construction and paper. The company draws on centuries of forest industry experience and leverages sustainable practices to produce a wide array of products, including paperboard for consumer goods, specialty papers for printing and publishing, and pulp for industrial applications. Its portfolio also encompasses wood products such as cross-laminated timber, sawn timber and building components, designed to meet growing demand for environmentally friendly construction materials. Formed through the 1998 merger of Swedish mining and forestry giant Stora and Finnish paper maker Enso, Stora Enso combines deep heritage with ongoing investments in innovation. See Also Receive News & Ratings for Stora Enso Oyj Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Stora Enso Oyj and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Karman (NYSE:KRMN Get Free Report)s stock had its sell rating reissued by stock analysts at BWS Financial in a research note issued to investors on Thursday,Benzinga reports. They presently have a $37.00 price objective on the stock. BWS Financials price objective indicates a potential downside of 67.13% from the companys current price. A number of other research analysts have also issued reports on KRMN. Truist Financial set a $118.00 price target on shares of Karman in a research note on Friday, January 9th. Piper Sandler initiated coverage on Karman in a research report on Wednesday. They issued a neutral rating and a $98.00 target price on the stock. Royal Bank Of Canada increased their price objective on shares of Karman from $85.00 to $125.00 and gave the stock an outperform rating in a report on Thursday. Citigroup raised their price objective on Karman from $123.00 to $125.00 and gave the stock a buy rating in a research note on Thursday. Finally, KeyCorp assumed coverage on Karman in a report on Thursday, December 18th. They set an overweight rating and a $80.00 price objective on the stock. One equities research analyst has rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, seven have issued a Buy rating, two have assigned a Hold rating and one has given a Sell rating to the companys stock. Based on data from MarketBeat, Karman currently has an average rating of Moderate Buy and an average price target of $98.67. Get Karman alerts: Check Out Our Latest Analysis on KRMN Karman Price Performance NYSE:KRMN traded up $7.77 during trading hours on Thursday, hitting $112.56. The stock had a trading volume of 2,201,419 shares, compared to its average volume of 2,059,024. The firm has a market capitalization of $14.89 billion and a price-to-earnings ratio of 450.32. Karman has a one year low of $25.02 and a one year high of $116.90. The company has a 50 day simple moving average of $77.14 and a two-hundred day simple moving average of $67.82. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.27, a current ratio of 2.86 and a quick ratio of 2.69. Karman (NYSE:KRMN Get Free Report) last issued its quarterly earnings results on Friday, November 7th. The company reported $0.10 earnings per share for the quarter, meeting the consensus estimate of $0.10. The firm had revenue of $121.79 million during the quarter. Karman had a return on equity of 11.11% and a net margin of 2.65%.Karmans revenue was up 41.7% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same quarter in the previous year, the business earned $0.04 earnings per share. Insider Activity In other Karman news, insider Stephanie Sawhill sold 62,000 shares of the businesss stock in a transaction that occurred on Thursday, November 13th. The stock was sold at an average price of $63.93, for a total value of $3,963,660.00. Following the completion of the sale, the insider owned 504,939 shares in the company, valued at approximately $32,280,750.27. The trade was a 10.94% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The sale was disclosed in a filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which can be accessed through this hyperlink. Also, COO Jonathan Beaudoin sold 74,000 shares of the stock in a transaction dated Thursday, November 13th. The shares were sold at an average price of $63.69, for a total transaction of $4,713,060.00. Following the completion of the transaction, the chief operating officer owned 666,861 shares of the companys stock, valued at $42,472,377.09. This represents a 9.99% decrease in their position. Additional details regarding this sale are available in the official SEC disclosure. Insiders sold a total of 251,000 shares of company stock valued at $15,419,170 in the last three months. Institutional Inflows and Outflows A number of institutional investors and hedge funds have recently bought and sold shares of the business. GAMMA Investing LLC raised its holdings in Karman by 83.7% in the 4th quarter. GAMMA Investing LLC now owns 373 shares of the companys stock worth $27,000 after acquiring an additional 170 shares during the period. Towarzystwo Funduszy Inwestycyjnych PZU SA acquired a new position in Karman in the third quarter valued at about $29,000. Farther Finance Advisors LLC raised its holdings in shares of Karman by 56.4% in the third quarter. Farther Finance Advisors LLC now owns 455 shares of the companys stock valued at $33,000 after buying an additional 164 shares during the last quarter. Wexford Capital LP bought a new position in Karman in the third quarter valued at about $41,000. Finally, Hilltop National Bank bought a new stake in shares of Karman during the 4th quarter valued at $42,000. Trending Headlines about Karman Here are the key news stories impacting Karman this week: Positive Sentiment: Citigroup raised its price target on Karman from $123 to $125 and maintained a buy rating, signaling institutional confidence and providing an analyst?driven valuation uplift. Benzinga Citigroup raised its price target on Karman from $123 to $125 and maintained a buy rating, signaling institutional confidence and providing an analyst?driven valuation uplift. Positive Sentiment: Karman materially raised its revenue outlook: FY2025 revenue guidance of roughly $470471M (vs. consensus ~$463M) and FY2026 guidance of $700715M (well above the ~$579M consensus), implying significant top?line acceleration that supports higher valuation and growth expectations. This guidance lift is a primary positive catalyst. Business Wire Karman materially raised its revenue outlook: FY2025 revenue guidance of roughly $470471M (vs. consensus ~$463M) and FY2026 guidance of $700715M (well above the ~$579M consensus), implying significant top?line acceleration that supports higher valuation and growth expectations. This guidance lift is a primary positive catalyst. Positive Sentiment: Karmans Seemann and MSC acquisitions (and related maritime market expansion) are being highlighted by management as ways to boost access to U.S. Navy programs and improve 2026 results a strategic rationale behind the upgraded guidance and a likely driver of investor enthusiasm. MSN Karmans Seemann and MSC acquisitions (and related maritime market expansion) are being highlighted by management as ways to boost access to U.S. Navy programs and improve 2026 results a strategic rationale behind the upgraded guidance and a likely driver of investor enthusiasm. Neutral Sentiment: Piper Sandler initiated coverage of Karman with a neutral recommendation a new sell?side voice that could temper some momentum depending on their published target and rationale. MSN Piper Sandler initiated coverage of Karman with a neutral recommendation a new sell?side voice that could temper some momentum depending on their published target and rationale. Neutral Sentiment: Market coverage noted Karman among early premarket leaders, reflecting broad market interest but not new company?specific facts. Such coverage can amplify moves but is not a standalone fundamental driver. Barrons Market coverage noted Karman among early premarket leaders, reflecting broad market interest but not new company?specific facts. Such coverage can amplify moves but is not a standalone fundamental driver. Neutral Sentiment: Management hosted/announced an investor conference call and an M&A call transcript is available useful for details on integration, margin outlook, and timing but requires parsing for material new information. Investors should listen for margin assumptions and backlog details. Seeking Alpha Management hosted/announced an investor conference call and an M&A call transcript is available useful for details on integration, margin outlook, and timing but requires parsing for material new information. Investors should listen for margin assumptions and backlog details. Neutral Sentiment: Comparative writeups (e.g., head?to?head with BWX Technologies) provide peer context for valuation and defense exposure but are informational rather than immediate catalysts. American Banking News About Karman (Get Free Report) We specialize in the upfront design, testing, manufacturing, and sale of mission-critical systems for existing and emerging missile and defense, and space programs. Our integrated payload protection, propulsion, and interstage system solutions are deployed across a wide variety of existing and emerging programs supporting important Department of Defense (DoD) and space sector initiatives. We estimate that no single program accounted for more than 10% of sales for the nine months ended September 30, 2024 or the twelve months ended December 31, 2023, with revenue from over 100 active programs supporting current production and next-generation space, missile, hypersonic, and defense applications. Featured Articles Receive News & Ratings for Karman Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Karman and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Seabridge Gold, Inc. (NYSE:SA Get Free Report) (TSE:SEA) traded up 10% during trading on Thursday . The stock traded as high as $35.74 and last traded at $36.0160. 400,212 shares traded hands during mid-day trading, a decline of 64% from the average session volume of 1,111,995 shares. The stock had previously closed at $32.74. Wall Street Analyst Weigh In Several equities analysts recently issued reports on the company. Weiss Ratings reiterated a sell (d-) rating on shares of Seabridge Gold in a report on Monday, December 29th. Wall Street Zen lowered shares of Seabridge Gold from a hold rating to a sell rating in a research note on Saturday, November 22nd. B. Riley lifted their price target on shares of Seabridge Gold from $50.00 to $65.00 and gave the stock a buy rating in a research report on Tuesday, December 2nd. Finally, Zacks Research upgraded shares of Seabridge Gold from a strong sell rating to a hold rating in a report on Thursday, January 1st. One investment analyst has rated the stock with a Buy rating, one has issued a Hold rating and one has issued a Sell rating to the company. According to data from MarketBeat.com, the company has an average rating of Hold and a consensus target price of $65.00. Get Seabridge Gold alerts: Get Our Latest Research Report on Seabridge Gold Seabridge Gold Stock Up 12.8% The firm has a market cap of $3.94 billion, a P/E ratio of -97.21 and a beta of 0.82. The firms 50 day moving average is $29.07 and its two-hundred day moving average is $23.00. The company has a current ratio of 2.99, a quick ratio of 2.99 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.55. Seabridge Gold (NYSE:SA Get Free Report) (TSE:SEA) last posted its earnings results on Wednesday, November 12th. The basic materials company reported ($0.23) earnings per share for the quarter, missing the consensus estimate of ($0.03) by ($0.20). Institutional Investors Weigh In On Seabridge Gold A number of hedge funds and other institutional investors have recently bought and sold shares of the company. Van ECK Associates Corp raised its holdings in shares of Seabridge Gold by 210.3% in the third quarter. Van ECK Associates Corp now owns 8,178,662 shares of the basic materials companys stock valued at $197,514,000 after purchasing an additional 5,543,170 shares during the last quarter. Kopernik Global Investors LLC grew its position in Seabridge Gold by 0.5% in the second quarter. Kopernik Global Investors LLC now owns 7,382,606 shares of the basic materials companys stock valued at $107,195,000 after purchasing an additional 39,651 shares in the last quarter. Tidal Investments LLC increased its stake in Seabridge Gold by 12.4% in the 3rd quarter. Tidal Investments LLC now owns 3,071,781 shares of the basic materials companys stock valued at $74,184,000 after buying an additional 339,913 shares during the last quarter. Cibc World Market Inc. increased its stake in Seabridge Gold by 16.5% in the 3rd quarter. Cibc World Market Inc. now owns 2,131,185 shares of the basic materials companys stock valued at $51,396,000 after buying an additional 302,476 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Ontario Teachers Pension Plan Board lifted its position in Seabridge Gold by 10.8% during the 2nd quarter. Ontario Teachers Pension Plan Board now owns 1,490,415 shares of the basic materials companys stock worth $21,652,000 after buying an additional 145,528 shares in the last quarter. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 34.85% of the companys stock. About Seabridge Gold (Get Free Report) Seabridge Gold Inc, together with its subsidiaries, engages in the acquisition and exploration of gold properties in North America. The company also explores for gold, copper, silver, and molybdenum deposits. The company was formerly known as Seabridge Resources Inc and changed its name to Seabridge Gold Inc in June 2002. Seabridge Gold Inc was incorporated in 1979 and is based in Toronto, Canada. Featured Stories Receive News & Ratings for Seabridge Gold Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Seabridge Gold and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Telecom Argentina Stet France Telecom S.A. (NYSE:TEO Get Free Report)s stock price traded up 12.9% on Thursday . The company traded as high as $12.91 and last traded at $12.70. 439,405 shares changed hands during trading, an increase of 99% from the average session volume of 221,023 shares. The stock had previously closed at $11.25. Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades A number of brokerages have issued reports on TEO. UBS Group set a $17.00 target price on Telecom Argentina Stet France Telecom and gave the company a buy rating in a research report on Monday, November 3rd. Zacks Research cut Telecom Argentina Stet France Telecom from a hold rating to a strong sell rating in a research note on Thursday, January 15th. Finally, Weiss Ratings reiterated a sell (d-) rating on shares of Telecom Argentina Stet France Telecom in a report on Monday, December 29th. Two equities research analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating, one has issued a Hold rating and three have assigned a Sell rating to the companys stock. According to data from MarketBeat, Telecom Argentina Stet France Telecom has a consensus rating of Reduce and an average target price of $11.93. Get Telecom Argentina Stet - France Telecom alerts: Read Our Latest Stock Analysis on TEO Telecom Argentina Stet France Telecom Stock Performance The firm has a market capitalization of $5.46 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of -36.20 and a beta of 1.22. The firm has a 50 day moving average price of $11.78 and a 200-day moving average price of $9.89. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.56, a current ratio of 0.52 and a quick ratio of 0.50. Telecom Argentina Stet France Telecom (NYSE:TEO Get Free Report) last released its earnings results on Monday, November 10th. The utilities provider reported ($0.36) EPS for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of ($0.49) by $0.13. The firm had revenue of $1.50 billion during the quarter, compared to analysts expectations of $1.50 billion. Telecom Argentina Stet France Telecom had a negative return on equity of 2.64% and a negative net margin of 2.55%. As a group, sell-side analysts expect that Telecom Argentina Stet France Telecom S.A. will post 1.28 earnings per share for the current fiscal year. Telecom Argentina Stet France Telecom Announces Dividend The company also recently announced a special dividend, which was paid on Wednesday, December 3rd. Investors of record on Monday, November 24th were paid a dividend of $0.0452 per share. The ex-dividend date was Monday, November 24th. Telecom Argentina Stet France Telecoms dividend payout ratio is presently -14.29%. Institutional Inflows and Outflows Institutional investors have recently added to or reduced their stakes in the company. Van ECK Associates Corp purchased a new stake in shares of Telecom Argentina Stet France Telecom in the 3rd quarter valued at approximately $43,000. Engineers Gate Manager LP acquired a new position in shares of Telecom Argentina Stet France Telecom during the second quarter worth $110,000. Qube Research & Technologies Ltd purchased a new position in Telecom Argentina Stet France Telecom in the third quarter valued at $98,000. Bank of America Corp DE raised its stake in Telecom Argentina Stet France Telecom by 21.3% in the second quarter. Bank of America Corp DE now owns 26,872 shares of the utilities providers stock valued at $237,000 after buying an additional 4,714 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Acadian Asset Management LLC purchased a new stake in Telecom Argentina Stet France Telecom during the 1st quarter worth about $379,000. Telecom Argentina Stet France Telecom Company Profile (Get Free Report) Telecom Argentina Stet France Telecom (NYSE:TEO) is an integrated telecommunications provider based in Buenos Aires, Argentina. Originally formed through the 1990 privatization of the state-owned Empresa Nacional de Telecomunicaciones (ENTel), the company was initially backed by Italian state carrier STET and French operator France Telecom. Since its listing on the New York Stock Exchange under the ticker TEO, Telecom Argentina has evolved into one of the countrys principal communications groups, offering a comprehensive portfolio of voice and data services. The companys core business activities span fixed-line telephony, mobile services, broadband internet and digital television. Featured Stories Receive News & Ratings for Telecom Argentina Stet - France Telecom Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Telecom Argentina Stet - France Telecom and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Youdao, Inc. Unsponsored ADR (NYSE:DAO Get Free Report) shares traded down 3.9% during trading on Thursday . The company traded as low as $10.72 and last traded at $10.83. 118,813 shares were traded during mid-day trading, a decline of 1% from the average session volume of 120,358 shares. The stock had previously closed at $11.27. Analysts Set New Price Targets A number of equities analysts have issued reports on DAO shares. Weiss Ratings reaffirmed a sell (d+) rating on shares of Youdao in a report on Monday, December 22nd. Wall Street Zen downgraded Youdao from a buy rating to a hold rating in a research note on Sunday, November 30th. One analyst has rated the stock with a Sell rating, According to MarketBeat, the stock presently has an average rating of Sell. Get Youdao alerts: View Our Latest Stock Analysis on Youdao Youdao Price Performance Institutional Investors Weigh In On Youdao The firm has a market capitalization of $1.29 billion, a P/E ratio of 63.52 and a beta of 0.27. The stock has a fifty day simple moving average of $10.05 and a two-hundred day simple moving average of $9.71. An institutional investor recently raised its position in Youdao stock. Public Employees Retirement System of Ohio boosted its holdings in Youdao, Inc. Unsponsored ADR (NYSE:DAO Free Report) by 34.8% in the second quarter, according to its most recent 13F filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The institutional investor owned 21,557 shares of the companys stock after buying an additional 5,565 shares during the period. Public Employees Retirement System of Ohios holdings in Youdao were worth $185,000 as of its most recent filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 21.91% of the companys stock. About Youdao (Get Free Report) Youdao, Inc (NYSE: DAO), established in 2006 as a subsidiary of NetEase, is headquartered in Beijing, China. The company went public on the New York Stock Exchange in October 2019, marking a significant milestone in its development as an intelligent learning and knowledge service provider. Since its inception, Youdao has combined cloud computing, artificial intelligence and big data analytics to create an adaptive learning ecosystem designed to meet the needs of individual learners and organizations. At the core of Youdaos offerings is its suite of digital dictionaries and translation tools, including the flagship Youdao Dictionary app and translation engine. See Also Receive News & Ratings for Youdao Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Youdao and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Nuclear Vision's core focus is the development of critical mineral deposits that are integral to the energy transition industry, leveraging strategically located assets and helping advance projects towards commercialisation. Adding the Projects to a robust land position of uranium projects in Botswana further diversifies the Company's commitment to creating a well-rounded energy transition project portfolio. Through methodical de-risking, Nuclear Vision aims to attract high-quality capital partners and become a key participant in the critical mineral supply chain. Development Roadmap: The Company intends to advance verification work, including confirmation programs, with the objective of completing an NI 43-101 compliant mineral resource estimate, if warranted . Critical Timing: The acquisition coincides with the EU's Critical Raw Materials Act (CRMA) mandates and Germany's recent 3 billion EV stimulus package 1 , which favors the high-manganese, low-cost battery chemistries (LMFP) that these assets are ideally suited to supply. Offtake Proximity: The Projects are strategically located near prominent battery and vehicle manufactures and gigafactories, making them well-positioned to benefit from the growing demand for battery grade materials. Infrastructure Ready: The Projects benefit from immediate proximity to established rail, power, and road networks, de-risking the development timeline. Svabovce has a historical resource of 13.9 Mt at 14.47% Mn * (b) , one of the largest manganese deposits in the EU *A qualified person has not done sufficient work to classify the historical estimates as current mineral resources or mineral reserves and the Company is not treating the historical estimates as current mineral resources or mineral reserves. See "Notes Regarding Historical Estimates" below for further information regarding the above historical estimates. The Carbonate Advantage: Nuclear Vision is acquiring strategically positioned manganese carbonate (MnCO 3 ) deposits in Slovakia. Unlike typical oxide deposits, the Projects host manganese in carbonate form. This can enable direct acid leaching, bypassing the energy-intensive and carbon-heavy reduction roasting required for oxide ores. The Acquisition positions the Company as an early mover in the European Union's quest for domestic mineral sovereignty. The Projects are strategically located within 300 kilometers of major automotive and battery manufacturing hubs, including the Gotion-InoBat gigafactory in Surany and Volvo's upcoming EV facility in Kosice. Vancouver, British Columbia--(Newsfile Corp. - January 22, 2026) - Nuclear Vision Limited (CSE: NUKV) (" Nuclear Vision " or the " Company ") is pleased to announce that it has entered into a definitive agreement to acquire a 100% interest in two manganese carbonate projects, Svabovce and Michalova (together, the " Projects "), located in the heart of Slovakia's emerging "Battery Belt" (the " Acquisition "). Story Continues "These two projects improve our growth potential and allow us to expand our exposure to energy-critical minerals beyond our uranium assets," said Derrick Dao, CEO of Nuclear Vision. "Manganese presents a meaningful opportunity for Nuclear Vision, while supporting the continent's industrial resilience." Notes Regarding Historical Estimates: (a) The historical estimate for the Michalova Project was published by Slovak State Geological Institute (SGUDS) as part of the State Balance of Mineral Reserves in 1993 under the Slovak GKZ system. The historical estimate is reported as 10.4 Mt at 9.49% Mn and was classified under the GKZ "alphabetical" system (A+B+C1+C2), which differs from CIM categories as defined under NI 43-101. While GKZ categories are sometimes compared conceptually with CIM categories, such comparisons are approximations only and are not considered equivalent. The foreign historical estimate is considered relevant as it was reportedly derived from historical drilling and underground sampling. However, the historical estimate has limited reliability as the Company does not currently have access to supporting information including drill core and/or core photographs; detailed sampling, sample preparation, and analytical methodology; quality assurance/quality control (QA/QC) data; core recovery information; downhole surveys or collar survey data; or sample security information. The historical estimate was reportedly estimated using the polygonal method assuming an underground mining scenario and prevailing metal prices at the time. Key assumptions and parameters (including cut-off grade, bulk density, grade capping, interpolation parameters, and QA/QC procedures) are not available to the Company at this time. The Company is not aware of any more recent mineral resource estimates for the Project prepared in accordance with NI 43-101. To verify the historical estimate as current mineral resources in accordance with NI 43-101, the Company intends to complete verification work, including a site visit and data validation, and may undertake additional confirmation programs and modern QA/QC procedures to support an NI 43-101 compliant mineral resource estimate, if warranted. A qualified person has not done sufficient work to classify the historical estimate as current mineral resources or mineral reserves and the Company is not treating the historical estimate as current mineral resources or mineral reserves. (b) The historical estimate for the Svabovce Project was published by Slovak State Geological Institute (SGUDS) as part of the State Balance of Mineral Reserves in 2000 under the Slovak GKZ system. The historical estimate is reported as 13.9 Mt at 14.47% Mn and was classified under the GKZ "alphabetical" system (A+B+C1+C2), which differs from CIM categories as defined under NI 43-101. While GKZ categories are sometimes compared conceptually with CIM categories, such comparisons are approximations only and are not considered equivalent. The foreign historical estimate is considered relevant as it was reportedly derived from historical drilling and underground sampling. However, the historical estimate has limited reliability as the Company does not currently have access to supporting information including drill core and/or core photographs; detailed sampling, sample preparation, and analytical methodology; QA/QC data; core recovery information; downhole surveys or collar survey data; or sample security information. The historical estimate was reportedly estimated using the polygonal method assuming an underground mining scenario and prevailing metal prices at the time. Key assumptions and parameters (including cut-off grade, bulk density, grade capping, interpolation parameters, and QA/QC procedures) are not available to the Company at this time. The Company is not aware of any more recent mineral resource estimates for the Project prepared in accordance with NI 43-101. To verify the historical estimate as current mineral resources in accordance with NI 43-101, the Company intends to complete verification work, including a site visit and data validation, and may undertake additional confirmation programs and modern QA/QC procedures to support an NI 43-101 compliant mineral resource estimate, if warranted. A qualified person has not done sufficient work to classify the historical estimate as current mineral resources or mineral reserves and the Company is not treating the historical estimate as current mineral resources or mineral reserves. Details of the Acquisition The Company entered into an Assignment of Option Agreement and Consent to Assignment (the "Assignment Agreement"), dated January 21, 2026, with Private Equity Pty. and Kluane Capital FZCO (together, the "Assignor"), both of which are arm's length parties to the Company, whereby the Assignor has agreed to assign to the Company all of its rights, title and interest in an existing Option to Purchase Agreement dated January 14, 2026 (the "Option Agreement") with VMS Exploration S.R.O. ("VMS") (the "Assignment"). Under the Option Agreement, the Assignor held an option to acquire a 100% interest in the mineral titles comprising the Projects held by VMS. The Company has agreed to assume the obligations of the Assignor under the Option Agreement. Pursuant to the terms of the Assignment Agreement and subject to receipt of all necessary regulatory approvals and the satisfaction of customary closing conditions, the Company will provide the following consideration to the Assignor and VMS: a 100,000 cash payment; and 10,000,000 common shares of the Company (the "Nuclear Shares"), to be issued pursuant to an exemption from prospectus requirements of applicable securities laws. The number of Nuclear Shares issuable will be adjusted for any capital reorganization to preserve the Assignor's proportionate entitlement. Further, the Assignor and Assignee have provided customary representations and warranties including, but not limited to, authority, enforceability and absence of conflicting obligations. The Nuclear Shares are not registered under the United States Securities Act of 1933, as amended or the securities laws of any state of the United States. The Nuclear Shares will be subject to a statutory hold period expiring four months and one day after the date of issuance, as set out in National Instrument 45-102 - Resale of Securities. Concurrent Financing In connection with the Acquisition, the Company is pleased to announce a non-brokered private placement (the "Offering") of 20,000,000 units (each, a "Unit") at a price of $0.25 per Unit for gross proceeds of $5,000,000. Each Unit will consist of one common share of the Company (a "Share") and one-half of one common share purchase warrant (each whole warrant, a "Warrant"). Each Warrant will entitle the holder to purchase one additional Share at a tiered exercise price for a period of 24 months from the date of issuance as follows: $0.375 per Share if exercised within the first 12 months following the closing date; $0.50 per Share if exercised after 12 months but on or before 24 months following the closing date. The Company intends to use the net proceeds from the Offering to fund the advancement of the Svabovce and Michalova manganese projects in Slovakia and for general working capital purposes. All securities to be issued pursuant to the Offering will be subject to a statutory four-month and one day hold period. Finder's fees may be payable in connection with the Offering, all in accordance with the policies of the Canadian Securities Exchange (the "CSE"). None of the securities sold under the Offering have been and will not be registered under the United States Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and no such securities may be offered or sold in the United States absent registration or an applicable exemption from the registration requirements. This news release shall not constitute an offer to sell or the solicitation of an offer to buy nor shall there be any sale of the securities in the United States or any jurisdiction in which such offer, solicitation or sale would be unlawful. Europe's Critical Mineral Challenge Europe has been grappling with a historical underinvestment in its mining sector, leading to virtually no domestic production of certain minerals. This has resulted in an economic model heavily reliant on imports, primarily from China, which currently supplies over 90% of High Purity Manganese (HPM). The transition to greener, local supplies is now emerging as a priority mandated by the European Union with the recent European Critical Minerals Act and Environmental, Social, and Corporate Governance (ESG) style investment groups. Additionally, the evolving battery composition necessitates a higher Manganese (Mn) content, particularly with Lithium Manganese Ferro Phosphate (LMFP) batteries emerging as a potential dominant product2. The Company anticipates that the Projects will offer strategically located, drill-ready targets with the potential to provide manufacturers with local EU products, reducing the dependency on overseas sources. To view an enhanced version of this graphic, please visit: https://images.newsfilecorp.com/files/10510/281253_01cc8514f4474b18_001full.jpg Advancing the Energy Transition: Introduction to Nuclear Vision's European Manganese Projects Nuclear Vision is excited to announce its focus on several critical manganese projects within the European Union, in line with our vision of contributing to the global energy transition. These projects are of particular importance, given the important role of manganese in the manufacture of batteries, and in reducing Europe's dependence on imported High Purity Manganese. Production of High Purity Manganese3,4: Manganese ore occurs mostly as a carbonate or oxide (5% - +50%). Typically, the carbonate ore will be less rich in grade (closer to the 5%-10%). Manganese ore is produced in nearly 20 countries, but processing this ore into high purity Manganese is monopolised by China (92% of global capacity). Based on demand and lack of processing capacity there is likely to be a deficit of high purity Manganese metal and high purity Manganese sulphate. Carbonate ores are comparatively rare and are easily leachable with sulfuric acid, providing a processing advantage. Carbonate ores are mostly used in EMM, EMD and MnSO4 due to this characteristic compared with Oxide ore which are more commonly used in the steel industry. China has developed technologies for batteries to replace 40% to 60% of the Iron in Lithium Ore Phosphate batteries with Manganese to produce Lithium Ore Manganese Phosphate. The important difference for battery manufacturers is not in the percentage of Manganese grade (%) but in the various impurities Subject to closing the Acquisition, a brief overview of Nuclear Vision's manganese carbonate projects in Slovakia is provided below. Figure 1 Location map To view an enhanced version of this graphic, please visit: https://images.newsfilecorp.com/files/10510/281253_01cc8514f4474b18_002full.jpg Michalova Manganese Project The Michalova Manganese deposit is a carbonate-hosted, shallow flatbed deposit, with historical exploration drilling (Figure 2). Located 50km southeast of the city of Brezno (Figure 1) the project is contained within a granted 14.34 km2 tenement. While the previous works are undergoing verification works to report inline with the NI 43-101 standards, there is a historical resource estimate of 10.4 Mt at 9.49% Mn(1) (see "Notes Regarding Historical Estimates" above) classified by the Slovak State Geological Body. Importantly, this project has already seen historic small-scale mining and some initial metallurgical operations, providing valuable initial insights for our team. Whilst the current deposits are constrained from surface to~30m depth, two historical holes drilled in 1954 have indicated the presence of multiple separate Manganese carbonate beds throughout depths ranging from ~30 to 70m in MS-1 and again from ~40m to ~200m as Mn-carbonate interbeds with Mn-bed horizons at ~75 and 170m, in M-171 as shown in Table 1. With these intercepts requiring further drill test, this highlights the exceptional exploration potential across the property (Figure 3). Figure 3 Plan view of tenement with Historical Drillholes To view an enhanced version of this graphic, please visit: https://images.newsfilecorp.com/files/10510/281253_01cc8514f4474b18_003full.jpg Hole ID From (m) To (m) interval (m) Lithology Stratigraphy MS-1 28.60 29.00 0.40 Mn-carbonates Eocene MS-1 32.20 33.00 0.80 Mn-carbonates Eocene MS-1 37.50 37.60 0.10 Mn-carbonates Eocene MS-1 37.90 38.20 0.30 Mn-carbonates Eocene MS-1 43.10 43.75 0.65 Mn-carbonates Eocene MS-1 48.20 48.60 0.40 Mn-carbonates Eocene MS-1 52.00 52.40 0.40 Mn-carbonates Eocene MS-1 60.00 61.00 1.00 Mn-carbonates Eocene MS-1 69.50 70.00 0.50 Mn-carbonates Eocene MS-1 49.00 49.10 0.10 Mn-carbonates Paleogene MS-1 56.00 56.30 0.30 Mn-carbonates Paleogene MS-1 58.00 59.00 1.00 Mn-carbonates Paleogene MS-1 76.00 77.00 1.00 Mn-carbonates Paleogene MS-1 132.60 132.70 0.10 Mn-carbonates Paleogene Table 1 Historical Drill Intercepts out of the historical resource estimate Source: Company internal data from historical drill hole Figure 3. Plan view with cross Section with intercepts. Source: Company internal data To view an enhanced version of this graphic, please visit: https://images.newsfilecorp.com/files/10510/281253_01cc8514f4474b18_004full.jpg The Michalova Manganese Project aligns with Nuclear Vision's objective to develop critical mineral deposits that play an important role in the global energy transition. The project is anticipated to provide a local, EU product that assists in reducing the European battery manufacturers' reliance on High Purity Manganese imports, thereby offering a greener, more sustainable supply chain. Svabovce Manganese Project The Svabovce Project comprises a 47.24 km granted exploration license with a four-year term. Notably, this location boasts a historical resource estimated at 13.9 Mt at 14.47% Mn(2) (see "Notes Regarding Historical Estimates" above). The deposit was open cut mined from the 1850s until 1907, with underground mining operations continuing until 1971 with historical drilling currently being verified. The local geology is characterised by an outcropping slightly dipping manganese mineralisation seam situated between underlying carbonates and overlying siltstones. This sediment-hosted manganese carbonate deposit extends to 250m depth, offering exploration potential. Figure 2: Long Section To view an enhanced version of this graphic, please visit: https://images.newsfilecorp.com/files/10510/281253_01cc8514f4474b18_005full.jpg The project also holds historical significance, having contributed to the Soviet planned industry, particularly between the 1950s and 1970s. It features approximately 35 km of underground workings, providing valuable infrastructure for future mining operations. Qualified Person The scientific and technical information contained in this news release has been reviewed and approved by Lorne Warner, P.Geo., Director of Nuclear Vision Ltd., who is a Qualified Person as defined by National Instrument 43-101 - Standards of Disclosure for Mineral Projects. The historical assay results referenced herein are derived from prior work completed by previous operators. The Company has not independently verified these historical results, and they should not be relied upon until verified by Nuclear Vision through future exploration programs. Portfolio Diversification The addition of the Slovak manganese assets complements Nuclear Vision's existing portfolio of uranium projects in Botswana and reinforces the Company's strategy of building a diversified energy transition metals platform focused on: Secure jurisdictions Infrastructure-ready assets Clear pathways to commercialisation Through disciplined project advancement and systematic de-risking, Nuclear Vision aims to attract strategic partners and become a meaningful participant in the global critical minerals supply chain. About Nuclear Vision Ltd. Nuclear Vision Ltd. is an energy transition focused exploration and development company advancing a diversified portfolio of uranium and critical mineral assets in stable, mining-friendly jurisdictions. The Company's strategy is to identify underdeveloped assets with strong fundamentals, advance them through disciplined technical programs, and create long-term value through responsible development. For more information, please contact: Derrick Dao Chief Executive Officer info@nuclearvisionltd.com +1 825 558 3828 Carrie Howes Investor Relations chowes@nuclearvisionltd.com +1 647 725 9639 Footnotes, sources German Ministry of Environment as reported by Reuters Jan 19, 2026 https://source.benchmarkminerals.com/article/benchmark-launches-manganese-sulphate-market-outlook European Commission: Directorate-General for Internal Market, Industry, Entrepreneurship and SMEs, Study on the critical raw materials for the EU 2023 Final report, Publications Office of the European Union, 2023 https://pubs.usgs.gov/periodicals/mcs2025/mcs2025-manganese.pdf https://source.benchmarkminerals.com/article/visualising-critical-mineral-refining-by-2030 Forward-Looking Statements: This news release contains forwardlooking statements and forwardlooking information (collectively, "forwardlooking statements") within the meaning of applicable Canadian legislation. Forwardlooking statements are typically identified by words such as: "believes", "expects", "anticipates", "intends", "estimates", "plans", "may", "should", "would", "will", "potential", "scheduled" or variations of such words and phrases and similar expressions, which, by their nature, refer to future events or results that may, could, would, might or will occur or be taken or achieved. All statements in this news release that are not purely historical are forwardlooking statements and include statements regarding beliefs, plans, expectations and orientations regarding the future, the Company obtaining all required consents and approvals for the Acquisition, the Company's ability to close the Acquisition, the continued demand for manganese carbonate and electric batteries, the drill-readiness of the Projects, the anticipated results of exploration and development on the Projects, the Company's ability to commercialize the Projects, the Company's ability to form strategic relationships with key customers and supply chain partners, the intended timing and expected completion of the Offering, the amount to be raised under the Offering and the intended use of proceeds therefrom. Although the Company believes that such statements are reasonable and reflect expectations of future developments and other factors which management believes to be reasonable and relevant, the Company can give no assurance that such expectations will prove to be correct. In making the forwardlooking statements in this news release, the Company has applied several material assumptions, including without limitation, that market fundamentals will support the viability of Manganese carbonate exploration, the availability of the financing required for the Company to carry out their planned future activities on the Projects, the Company and the Assignors completing the Acquisition, the availability of and the ability to retain and attract qualified personnel, and that the Company will complete the Offering on the timing and terms anticipated. Other factors may also adversely affect the future results or performance of the Company, including general economic, market or business conditions, future prices of minerals, changes in the financial markets and in the demand for minerals and electric batteries, changes in laws, regulations and policies affecting the mineral exploration industry and electric battery industry, the risk that the Company will not complete the Offering on the timing or terms anticipated or at all, as well as the risks and uncertainties which are more fully described in Company's annual and quarterly management's discussion and analysis and in other filings made by the Company with Canadian securities regulatory authorities under the Company's SEDAR+ profile. Ongoing labour shortages, inflationary pressures, changing interest rates, the global financial climate and the conflicts in Ukraine and Palestine and surrounding regions are some additional factors that are affecting current economic conditions and increasing economic uncertainty, which may impact the Company's operating performance, financial position, and future prospects. Collectively, the potential impacts of this economic environment pose risks that are currently indescribable and immeasurable. No assurance can be given that any of the events anticipated by the forwardlooking statements will occur or, if they do occur, what benefits the Company will obtain from them. Readers are cautioned that forwardlooking statements are not guarantees of future performance or events and, accordingly, are cautioned not to put undue reliance on forwardlooking statements due to the inherent uncertainty of such statements. The Company does not undertake any obligation to update such forwardlooking information whether because of new information, future events or otherwise, except as expressly required by applicable law. Neither the Canadian Securities Exchange nor the Market Regulator (as that term is defined in the policies of the Canadian Securities Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release. To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/281253 This one is worse than it seems . . . From what we've heard so far . . . Gunfire broke out near an intersection in broad daylight and sent many commuters into panic mode. The bright side is that there is a ton of video surveillance in and around the corridor. For now, here is the info police are sharing with media as their investigation continues . . . Homicide Linwood and Broadway Tonight right at 4:30pm officers were called to Linwood and Broadway on a sound of shots call. While en route officers were advised there was a person possibly shot inside a vehicle there. On arrival officers were directed to a vehicle near the intersection where they located an adult male shooting victim unresponsive alone inside the vehicle. Officers called for EMS who responded for treatment of the victim. EMS subsequently transported the victim to the hospital where he was ultimately declared deceased by medical personnel. This case is being investigated as a homicide, and Homicide detectives and crime scene investigators have responded to the scene. They are canvassing for witnesses and processing the scene for all available evidence. Preliminary information from callers and people at the scene when officers arrived indicates the victim was inside the vehicle when another vehicle pulled along side his vehicle and shots appear to have been fired from that vehicle into the victim vehicle striking the victim. This is a heavily traveled area with vehicle and foot traffic at this time of day, detectives are optimistic that there could be multiple very valuable witnesses. If anyone was in the area and heard or saw anything or has any information they are asked to contact Homicide detectives directly at 816-234-5043 or the TIPS Hotline anonymously at 816-474-TIPS. There is a reward of up to $25,000 for information submitted anonymously to the TIPS hotline. We are committed to assisting victims of violent crimes through use of Missouris Protection Program for Victims/Witnesses of Violent Crime. Funding for temporary, or even permanent relocation, may be available but is subject to pre-approval by the States administering agency. ######## Read more via www.TonysKansasCity.com links . . . 1 man shot to death inside a vehicle Wednesday afternoon in midtown Kansas City, Missouri One man was shot to death inside a vehicle Wednesday afternoon at Linwood and Broadway boulevards in Kansas City, Missouri. 1 dead following afternoon shooting in Kansas City's Midtown At least one person has died following an afternoon shooting in Kansas City's Midtown. Developing . . . This morning in celebration of #TBT we start our dive into news with celebraiton of actress, fashionista and celeb hottie Liz as we check pop culture, community reporting and top headlines. Check TKC news gathering . . . Answering Winter Worries Kansas City Fire Department shares home safety tips, fire risk ahead of winter storm The Kansas City Fire Department warns homeowners of potential fire risks when using space heaters ahead of winter weekend storm. Meth Town Fights Future Independence council OKs power plan for data center as residents raise noise concerns There's been progress on the construction of a more than 2 million-square-foot data center in eastern Independence. American Tradition Endures 65 immigrants become US citizens in KCMO's first naturalization ceremony of 2026 On Wednesday, the first naturalization ceremony of the year in Kansas City saw 65 immigrants gain U.S. citizenship. Midwest Prep Time Winter weather preparations underway across Kansas and Missouri MoDOT has allocated significant resources for winter weather response, spending $64 million statewide last year. Public Radio Postscript . . . As KCUR leaves its building, longtime staffers reminisce about their decades at 4825 Troost KCUR was told that it must vacate its longtime home in Kansas City by the end of January. Without a permanent space set up yet, Up To Date will produce new shows from UMKC's Digital Collaboration Studio starting next week. During our last episode at 4825 Troost Ave, KCUR staffers discuss their memories from the building. Old School Deep Dive Elizabeth Hurley, 60, models teeny cheetah-print bikini from her own swimwear line Elizabeth Hurley, 60, stunned fans with a picture of herself in a skimpy cheetah-print bikini from her swimwear line that she posted to social media on Sunday. MAGA Sets Terms What we know about Trump's 'framework of a future deal' over Greenland Denmark and Greenland have made it clear they will not relinquish sovereignty of the world's largest island. Push Back Against La Migra Democrats set to vote against ICE bill amid outrage over Trump crackdown Majority of 213-strong House caucus expected to reject funding bill but party has no plans to enforce whip Progressively Worse Idea Kelly, to CNN, says he's seriously thinking about running for president Sen. Mark Kelly (D-Ariz.) told CNN he is seriously considering running for president in 2028. "I still think it needs to be the right person for the moment, and we don't know what that moment is ye... Allegedly Terrible Tactics Turning Political Tide ICE Agents Grab Five-Year-Old Boy, Use Him 'As Bait To Knock On the Door' To Find Immigrants Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents took a five-year-old boy named Liam Ramos - and his father - who had just arrived home from the child's school. MAGA Hard Case Cont'd Jack Smith makes first public defense of Trump indictments "My fear is that we have seen the rule of law function in this country for so long that many of us have come to take it for granted." Big Trouble For Bubba Fam?!? House Oversight votes to hold Clintons in contempt over Epstein subpoena The Clintons said they already provided the committee with the "limited" information they had about Epstein. Retro Opt Out US officially exits WHO today citing 'mishandling of Covid-19 pandemic that arose out of Wuhan, China President Donald Trump has signed an executive order to withdraw the United States from the World Health Organization, citing concerns over mismanagement, political influence, and funding. The move pauses US support while officials plan alternative global health partnerships Euro War Forever?!? Ukraine war briefing: Zelenskyy expected in Davos after all to meet Trump Unclear if presidents will have anything to sign; Mark Rutte urges Nato to pour out their air defence stockpiles for Ukraine. What we know on day 1,429 Conspiracy Against Left Coast Leader Alleged Gavin Newsom says Trump administration blocked his Davos event The California governor, whose state has the fourth largest global economy, said the event was cancelled just before it was set to begin. Friendly Far East War Games TOP SECRET: Thousands of Chinese Pilots Are Trained Every Year in California and Arizona, Strengthening the CCP's Military Power Peter Schweizer details in his new book how the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) is "using our openness and generosity against us" by sending thousands of future military pilots posing as civilians to the United States to learn how to fly. Classic Hostess Solves Puzzle Vanna White, John Donaldson tie the knot in private ceremony Vanna White announced she and her longtime partner John Donaldson are married. Old School Lady Practice Anything But Boring . . . Sex toy use linked to orgasm frequency in women over 60 | Contemporary OB/GYN A US study of women over 60 found that frequent sex toy use during masturbation was strongly associated with higher orgasm frequency. Hipsters Roll Out Faboosh Welcome Wagon For Celeb Queer Eye's Jonathan Van Ness brings Hot and Healed tour to Kauffman Jonathan Van Ness is calling in from The Big Apple, which feels correct in a cosmic alignment kind of way. He's got a lot happening. Meetings. Momentum. Hair that has opinions. But the minute Kansas City enters the conversation, his pace softens, and his obvious affection for Cowtown kicks in. Old School Reflections Offered Truman and Eisenhower's grandchildren take the stage at Avila "Dialogue with Descendants" will discuss legacies of Presidents Harry S. Truman and Dwight D. Eisenhower Old School Dox Debut National tour of Founding-era documents to make first stop in Kansas City, Missouri A national tour of Founding-era documents to celebrate 250 years of America will make its first stop in Kansas City, Missouri. Classic Local Coffee Talk Serve good karma, get good karma: How Brian Roberts is keeping coffee shop's flavor in Year 2 - Startland News After a caffeinated burst of early word-of-mouth support, Brian Roberts' new coffee and wine space near Tower East got a months-long jolt of good karma, he said - but as its newness cooled on the counter, the fledgling business began to lose its grip on thirsty customers. Snowpocolypse Countdown Starts WEATHER BLOG: Winter storm watch issued ahead of Arctic air with snow chances Arctic air will begin to pour southward into Kansas and Missouri Thursday night into Friday morning. From longer ago than it seems, 112 [feat. The Notorious B.I.G. & Mase] - Only You [Remix] is the #TBT song of the day and this is the OPEN THREAD for right now. We currently expect a full year tax rate of 16% to 17% in fiscal 2026 because we expect advanced manufacturing investment tax credits of between $700,000 and $1 million to offset the impact of other tax law changes. And net income increased 11% to $3.38 million or $0.70 per diluted share from $3.05 million or $0.63 per share. The increase was primarily due to increased revenue and decreased operating expenses, partially offset by decreased gross margin, a decrease in other income and an increase in our effective tax rate. Our profitability metrics remained strong. Operating margin was 60%. Pretax margin was 68% and net margin was 54%. Other income decreased by $135,000, which is primarily from reclaiming precious metals used in our manufacturing process in the prior year quarter. Our effective tax rate, which is the provision for income taxes as a percentage of income before taxes increased to 20% for the third quarter of fiscal 2026 compared to 15% for the third quarter of fiscal 2025. The increase in our effective tax rate was primarily due to the noncash impact of tax law changes on certain tax deductions this fiscal year. Total operating expenses decreased 12% for the third quarter of fiscal 2026 compared to the third quarter of fiscal 2025 due to a 9% decrease in R&D expense and a 19% decrease in SG&A. The decrease in R&D was due to completion of some of our wafer level chip scale packaging activities and reassignment of some R&D resources to manufacturing. The decrease in SG&A was primarily due to the timing of selling and marketing activities and reassignment of some SG&A resources to manufacturing and new product development. Interest income decreased 3% due to a decrease in our marketable securities portfolio as proceeds from bond maturity, partially funded dividends and fixed asset purchases. Daniel Nelson: Thanks, Dan. As Dan said, revenue for the third quarter of fiscal 2026 increased 23% year-over-year. The increase was due to a 16% increase in product sales and a 335% increase in contract R&D revenue. The increases were across most of our product lines and channels. Gross margin for the third quarter of fiscal 2026 was 79% of revenue compared with 84% in the prior year quarter. The decrease in gross margin percentage was due to a less profitable product mix and increased distributor sales for the quarter. The increase in distributor sales is positive, although distributor sales typically have lower gross margin than direct sales. We're pleased to report a 23% increase in revenue and an 11% increase in earnings for the third quarter of fiscal 2026 compared to the prior year quarter, driven by broad-based growth across our revenue lines, including defense and nondefense sales as well as distributor and direct channels. Daniel Nelson will cover details of the financials. Daniel? Story Continues For the first 9 months of fiscal 2026, total revenue increased 0.4% to $18.7 million from $18.6 million for the 9 months of the prior year as growth in the most recent quarter more than offset year-over-year decreases in the first 2 quarters of the fiscal year. The revenue increase for the first 9 months was due to a 0.8% increase in product sales, partially offset by an 8% decrease in contract R&D. Net income for the 9 months decreased 8% to $10.3 million or $2.12 per diluted share. Turning to cash flow items. Cash flow from operations was $12.2 million in the first 9 months of the fiscal year. Accounts receivable decreased $1.1 million during the first 9 months of fiscal 2026 primarily due to the timing of customer payments. Inventories decreased by $177,000 due to increased product sales. Prepaid expenses and other assets increased $323,000 primarily due to increased accrued bond interest and a decrease in federal and state taxes due. The decrease in taxes due was because we deducted previously unamortized research and development expenses in the quarter ended December 31, 2025, and as permitted under the federal budget reconciliation bill enacted July 4, 2025. We expect accelerated deductions of previously unamortized research and development expenses to reduce our cash taxes for the full fiscal year ending March 31, 2026 by approximately $1.1 million. Accrued payroll and other current liabilities decreased $366,000 primarily due to the payments of federal and state taxes balance due as of March 31, 2025, and decreased accrual for performance-based compensation. Fixed asset purchases were $2.18 million for the first 9 months of the fiscal year, including $1.05 million in the December quarter. We substantially completed spending on our 2-year multimillion dollar expansion. We expect to put the equipment into service in the current quarter. Pete Eames will discuss the new equipment. Now I'll turn the call over to Pete Eames, our Vice President of Advanced Technology to talk about our plans for the new equipment and to cover new products and R&D. Pete? Peter Eames: Thanks, Daniel. I'll cover new equipment and R&D. New equipment in the past year has increased our capacity, increased our capabilities and allowed us to do smaller and more precise wafer-level chip scale package parts in-house. We completed installation and calibration of a new equipment cluster in the past quarter in an expanded production area on the east end of our building. The new equipment allows extremely precise control of spintronic materials deposition to well within 1 atomic layer. This capability translates into more precise spintronic devices and expands our capacity with existing products. We've made good progress developing new advanced spintronic processes on the equipment. And as Daniel said, we expect to place new equipment into service by March 31. Our R&D strategy is to make the world's best electronics for high-value markets such as medical devices, electric and autonomous vehicles, advanced factory and humanoid robotics in highly automated Fourth Wave Factories using the artificial intelligence of things. We've had a continuous flow of new products as part of that strategy. Just yesterday, we announced a new wafer-level chip scale sensor a part that's just 0.65 millimeter square, about the size of the period at the end of our quarterly report and about as thick as the paper that it's printed on. The sensor is about 1/3 the size of the conventionally packaged version, and this tiny size allows for unmatched miniaturization and special sensitivity. There are demonstrations of our new products on our website and our YouTube channel. Now I'll turn it back over to Dan Baker. Daniel Baker: Thanks, Pete. I'll cover customers sales and marketing. Starting with customers. We're proud to supply products to some of the world's most demanding customers, including Abbott Laboratories. Abbott is a leading supplier of implantable medical devices. In the past quarter, we executed an extension to our supplier partnering agreement with Abbott. In recent years, the extensions have been for 1 year, but this extension is for 2 years through December 31, 2027. It provides for price increases for 2026 and 2027. The agreement was filed with the Form 8-K and their links in our just filed 10-Q on our website and the SEC's website. Turning to sales and marketing. We exhibited at the Medical Design & Manufacturing Trade Show in the past quarter. Medical devices are an important market for us. We have a convincing benefit proposition for medical devices with small size, low power and superb reliability. At the show, we highlighted new wafer-level chip scale parts for miniaturization of implantable medical devices and surgical robots, high-field sensors to enable MRI-tolerant medical devices, high-sensitivity sensors for medical device navigation and our best-in-class electrical isolators to ensure the safety of medical instruments. The show generated good leads, and we believe our investments and shows payoff and future sales. With the success of that show, we'll also exhibit at Medical Device & Manufacturing West for the first time. The exhibition starts February 3 in Anaheim, California and host attendees from all over the world. Now we'd like to open the call for questions. Daniel Baker: [Operator Instructions] Jeffrey Bernstein: Dan, it's Jeff Bernstein from Silverberg Bernstein Capital. So we talked during the quarter about this idea of magnetic navigation in GPS compromised areas and whether you're magnetometer sensors were appropriate for that kind of application. Can you just talk a little bit about that and if you made any contact with anybody in the BOW about this? Peter Eames: Jeff, this is Pete Eames. I'm happy to answer that question. We have looked at MagNav. And for those who aren't familiar with it, this is a new technology that replaces GPS in the defense applications that are susceptible to GPS jamming. So typically, NVE sensors are lower power and much smaller than the sensors that are used to detect the magnetic field anomalies and magnet systems. But it is an interesting application for us. It's evolving and it's one of the things that we keep an eye on in the defense community to see how it evolves. And hopefully, we have an opportunity there in the future. Jeffrey Bernstein: So do you have a part that you would deem appropriate for that application today or now? Peter Eames: Not exactly. MagNav is pretty new. It's still a relatively nascent technology. One of the problems with MagNav is that the maps that are being generated and used by sensors for this technology are still too imprecise. So it's still -- it's not a mature enough technology that we would chase it for example. But it's something that is interesting and fits within our defense systems and something that we think has a bright future. Unknown Analyst: Dan, this is [ Pete Prevett ] in Florida, how you guys. A couple of quick questions. Your new equipment up and running in March, I recall being at the shareholders meeting in '24, it'll be almost 2 years. Is that pretty much on the expected schedule that you thought? Daniel Baker: It is. Thanks for the question, Pete. As you saw, we just had a blank space when you were here and at the annual meeting in 2025, we had a much more finished blank space. And now we've got a piece of equipment that's up and running, and as Daniel and Pete both mentioned, we plan to deploy it in an accounting sense this quarter. So things are going well, and we were -- it's a complicated piece of -- set of equipment and a complicated process, but our guys have done a great job of getting it done on schedule. So we're pleased with how it's going. Unknown Analyst: That's great to hear. With that, is there an expectation that, that new equipment will help with new product sales like adding to new revenue and/or I guess, better profitability because it's packaging, right? Some of it's for packaging, so you don't have to outsource the packaging? Peter Eames: Yes. This is Pete Eames again. Yes, Pete, I think there is a lot of optimism surrounding the technology that we're developing with the new equipment. I talked about one of the sensors in our earlier remarks. We're definitely selling samples of those parts. And we're -- again, we're looking forward to continued sales there. So I think the optimism continues. Unknown Analyst: And do you guys see the distributors building up inventory? Again, I know that, that was an issue that they had lots of inventory and had sell that down. Is that starting to pick up again? Daniel Baker: Yes, it is. It's very positive. And Daniel mentioned that in the prepared remarks that our distributor sales are picking up and have been through the fiscal year. And that's an indication that some of those inventories that had built up during the semiconductor slowdown the last fiscal year and prior to that, have been depleted, burned off and end user demand is increasing. So we feel like we have the wind at our backs and we've got excellent products. and the inventory situation in the semiconductor industry as a whole is much better than it was. Unknown Analyst: That's fantastic. And let me ask you about the other company or one of the other companies in your space, Everspin. There seems to be a lot of interest in them lately and some talk about their intellectual property being valuable for quantum computing, possibly. How does NVE's intellectual property compare to what they have? And have you had any discussions with other companies about licensing your IP? Daniel Baker: We have had discussions about licensing from time to time over the years, including we had a license agreement with predecessors of Everspin technology, including Motorola going way back. So we believe we have excellent intellectual property. We deploy it mostly for anti-tamper and HUF. So we are in a different market than ever spin, but we do have technology that applies to MRAM. We continue to develop MRAM. And we've talked about it from time to time. Pete didn't talk about it on this call in the prepared remarks, but we continue to work on developing advanced MRAM mostly for defense applications, defense and anti-tamper applications. And we believe that the intellectual property has significant value, and we'll look for opportunities to monetize that through licensing or other means. Unknown Analyst: And I don't know too much about it, but with Flash memory, is MRAM a replacement of Flash? I on someone who mentioned something about memory and MRAM being a lot better with spintronics. Is there anything you could talk about there? Peter Eames: Yes. In general, MRAM is a nonvolatile memory, meaning it retains its information when the power is removed. And for some applications, that's a very powerful technology, and it's something that's already used in some embedded computing systems today. So it is very useful, and that's one of the things that, as Dan said, makes us believe that our IP is very valuable here. Unknown Analyst: Okay. Great. And last question. Dan, we love your post on Twitter. Do you employ or have a meeting company? Is there any plans to expand marketing? Not that we don't love your videos and stuff, but just curious about how you guys look at marketing to promote the company. Daniel Baker: Well, we've been spending more on marketing, doing more marketing. So we try to do more of what works and what's been working, as I mentioned in the prepared remarks, our trade shows work very well for us. So we're going to more trade shows than we ever have. And we are working more and more on demonstrations. So the videos are one manifestation of demonstrations, but we also provide demonstrations at trade shows and for a specific customer targeted applications. The newsletters are also very effective. We have a very high click rate, a very high response rate. So we measure our marketing activities, and we continue to boost the ones that work. So those are the kinds of things that we've been doing and we do get some response from Twitter. However, it's not a huge sales driver. Some of that is more fun and content that we have from other sources or for other targets such as trade shows. Unknown Analyst: Keep up the good work. I appreciate it. Jeffrey Bernstein: Dan, it's Jeff Bernstein again. Just wanted to check in on the application for rare earth magnets for position sensing? And what kind of traction you've gotten there? And have we seen any revenue actually come through from any design wins? Or what's the design win situation looking like? Daniel Baker: Yes, that's a good point. There's still a lot of concern in the supply chains about rare earth elements. And our sensors are uniquely positioned to use rare earth free ferrite magnets because of their high sensitivity. And we continue to offer ferrite magnets they do not use rare earth elements. They use iron and oxygen, which are 2 of the most abundant elements in the earth's crust. So we're well positioned in that, and we have gotten some sales, and we've gotten some interest in both the magnets and in the sensors that go with them. So we do see it as a promising application. And the concern about rare earth magnets has done nothing but increase. So it's hard to quantify exactly how many are targeted at rare earth replacement and how many we're getting or we wouldn't have gotten, if it were for the concerns about rare earth, but it certainly helps us. [Operator Instructions] Unknown Shareholder: Can you hear me? Daniel Baker: Yes. Unknown Shareholder: This is [ Christopher Chevski ], a private investor. I was just wondering if there's any comments you can make on the current quarter, especially I'm wondering about your defense business, which happens to be a little bit more volatile? Peter Eames: Yes. I can try to add a little bit there, Christopher. I think we've talked fairly about some of the past quarters and explained that things have been relatively weak there. And in general, I think we're optimistic going forward. I think it's safe to say that we'll be returning to somewhat of a more normal flow there if that's of any help. Unknown Shareholder: Yes. That's very helpful. And the rise in NRE revenues, does that pretend for additional future nondefense business? Daniel Baker: That's certainly the goal. When we invest in R&D. We invest heavily in R&D. Pete talked about some of the programs. We talked about some of the things that we're doing in the medical space for new products and for advancements especially in miniaturization. So that's been a significant portion of our R&D, and we've been pleased with the response of customers and prospects to those products. And we believe they're going to pay off in future sales, and that's why we make the R&D investments. Unknown Shareholder: Okay. And your 2-year agreement with Abbott, are there any market gains in that? Are you in any new devices? Daniel Baker: Unfortunately, we can't talk about what devices they use our parts in, they use our sensors and we're bound by confidentiality. However, they make some remarkable devices, medical devices, and we're pleased to be a partner with them. We've been a partner with them for many years. And we're proud of the role that we play in making devices that can change people's lives. We also have other medical customers that sometimes we can't talk about. And we're promoting and meeting more of them, promoting our products and meeting more of those prospects and customers at the trade shows such as MDM here in Minneapolis recently and in early February, MDM West. Unknown Analyst: Dan, this is Pete again. Just one last question. The company, obviously, has been very, very solid over many years of delivering good performance. Can you talk a little bit about what the potential of customers being recurring, right? So rather than kind of sawtooth revenues quarter after quarter, year after year, where you're going to eventually have recurring orders from the same customers and then revenues might hit $6 million, $8 million, $10 million, $12 million per quarter because you've got repeat orders from the same customers, can you just give some clarity as to what the product mix looks like and if there's potential of that type of expectation from these customers that would order consistently so all investments are just adding on to revenues quarter after quarter? Daniel Baker: Yes, that's a good point and a good question, Pete. So we look to increase our sales to our current customers with existing products and then we look to add new products to existing customers because we feel like our existing customers are our best prospects. They know us. They've seen the quality of the product we produce and the quality of the support that we provide. So we work on both. Our goal is to grow faster than our customers. We have to add customers we have to continue to add products and expand the products that we sell to existing customers. And so I just mentioned Abbott, which is a great example of a customer that we've had for 20 years at least and they continue to buy our products, and they've expanded over years, the number of products that they use. So that we see is driving growth. And then we've added additional new customers, and then we add products for existing customers, new products for existing customers. Jeffrey Bernstein: Jeff Bernstein. Just a follow-up question. As far as you guys have talked about in the past that at Abbott, you have exposure in the cardiac rhythm management area. You have exposure in the, I guess, neuromodulator area. In terms of the other medical customers that you're talking to, are these very similar kinds of applications? Or are there other applications I think you discussed medical robots and I'm kind of curious about why a big piece of equipment like that would need tiny parts like yours unless it's a sensitivity issue. But can you just flesh through that a little bit? Daniel Baker: Yes. So we cover a variety of medical products. We cover life support medical devices, which are the types of pacemakers and ICDs that Abbott makes. We cover non-life support medical devices, and we cover medical instruments. We sell products for medical instruments, which would be monitors, pumps and things of that nature. They require different types of products. They have different design cycles, but they share a common goal of miniaturization of low power high sensitivity, high accuracy. As far as the medical robots, which we talked about before, Pete touched on that with our wafer-level chip scale parts that the smaller parts Well, you're right, they might not need them because it's a relatively -- the robots are relatively large, but they offer more special sensitivity, which means that the robot can detect smaller displacement more precisely. And for medical robots, being able to do delicate operations is a key benefit, and our sensors enable that. Unknown Analyst: This is [ Ittai Abraham] from [ Principal Global ]. I just wanted to come back to the MRAM point. I'm curious if you can talk a little bit more if that's really just kind of an IP opportunity or if the added capacity can actually help you sell into some of MRAM and customers as well? And then I have one more. Daniel Baker: Okay. Thanks for the question, Ittai. Our strategy has been to not make large-scale memories. That often requires multibillion-dollar fabs. So what we've been doing is specializing in high value-added memories that are used in specialized applications such as crypto keys for anti-tamper devices but we believe that the intellectual property is applicable to larger MRAMs that would have broader applications. So that's how we would participate in that market by licensing intellectual property that we've developed over the years. Unknown Analyst: Got it. That's super helpful. And then my second question is on the new capacity, I'm curious if you could give us a high-level view on the current mix shift may shift in terms of end market and how the new capacity might change the end market mix? Daniel Baker: Right. So the new capacity is targeted at applications such as the Internet of Things and the artificial intelligence of things, which are emerging markets for industrial automation, merging the Internet of Things with artificial intelligence. So we see those as tremendous opportunities. They require inputs, which is what we do. We make sensors. And the future appears to have ubiquitous sensors, many very small sensors distributed in many robots and other locations in order to provide the information for smart factories that are that are self optimizing. So we see a historic opportunity there, and that's part of the reason why we were confident making such a large investment. Unknown Analyst: Got it. And congrats on the results. Daniel Baker: Well, if there are no other questions, we were pleased to report strong increases in revenue and earnings driven by broad-based growth. We look forward to speaking with you again in early May for our fiscal year-end call. A replay of this call will be available on the Investor Events page of our website, that's nve.com and our YouTube channel, that's youtube.com/nvecorporation. Thank you for participating in this call. Dont miss this second chance at a potentially lucrative opportunity Ever feel like you missed the boat in buying the most successful stocks? Then youll want to hear this. On rare occasions, our expert team of analysts issues a Double Down stock recommendation for companies that they think are about to pop. If youre worried youve already missed your chance to invest, now is the best time to buy before its too late. 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Please see our Terms and Conditions for additional details, including our Obligatory Capitalized Disclaimers of Liability. The Motley Fool has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. NVE (NVEC) Q3 2026 Earnings Call Transcript was originally published by The Motley Fool Tonight we wanna share what we're reading for night owls & early birds by way of pop culture, community reporting and top headlines. Check TKC news gathering . . . Today's Inferno Metaphor Firefighters battle massive junkyard fire in Kansas City Firefighters are battling a massive junkyard fire in Kansas City. Rock Chalk Cash Justification Lawmakers asked questions about Chiefs' $4 billion stadium deal during Wednesday committee meeting Kansas lawmakers asked questions about the tax implications of the Kansas City Chiefs' proposed move to Kansas during a Wednesday committee hearing in Topeka. Local Housing Burn Rate One dead, another critically injured after RV fire spreads to home in Kansas City A man was killed, and a woman was critically injured on Wednesday after a fire broke out in a recreational vehicle parked beside a home in Kansas City. Upscale Interlude Hen House Market in Fairway, Kansas, to temporarily close Hen House Market in Fairway, Kansas, is temporarily closing its doors as it undergoes a refresh to elevate the shopping experience of its customers. Hip-Hop Prizes For Realz Kansas City rapper 'Top Meech' wins $100,000 in national contest The Grandview-based rapper and producer was recently named one of just 10 winners of TIDAL's "Upload Headliners" contest Sofia Vergara vs. Heidi Klum Who'd You Rather?! Infinite Icons Edition Grab your popcorn 'cuz this selfie of Sofia Vergara and Heidi Klum is bound to make your mouth water ... the two Hollywood hotties hit Paris Hilton's "Infinite Icon: A Visual Memoir" in Los Angeles, and we just GOTTA know, who would you rather cozy up with?! Unsavory European TACO Serving Trump backs down on Greenland and cancels tariff threat after NATO agrees to future Arctic deal President Donald Trump says he has scrapped the tariffs that he threatened to impose on eight European nations to press for U.S. control over Greenland. Chilling Search & Seizure Context ICE says its officers can forcibly enter homes during immigration operations without a judicial warrant: 2025 memo A May 2025 internal Immigration and Customs Enforcement document shows that the agency told officers and agents they can forcibly enter homes of people subject to deportation without a warrant signed by a judge Progressively Turning On Bubba "Total miscalculation": Inside Democrats' shock revolt on holding Bill Clinton in contempt "Now that you had nine people from the committee vote for it, how do you lock this down now?" Holy Land Deadline Israeli strike in Gaza kills three journalists, first responders say Another eight Palestinians were killed by Israeli artillery and gunfire across Gaza on Wednesday, according to medics. Far East Scheme Exposed CCP SPY $$$ SPIGOT EXPOSED: How a U.S. Visa Program Designed by a Chinese Spy Lets Beijing Funnel Money into American Elections Peter Schweizer's new book details how a seemingly innocuous program to entice foreign investors became a massive operation for laundering foreign donations to American politicians, primarily Democrats. Horizontal Dancing Advice Non-Basic Sex Tips That You Haven't Heard Already So worth the effort. Upscale Local Sounds Chris Thile with the Kansas City Symphony at the Kauffman Center for the Performing Arts Chris Thile with the Kansas City Symphony at the Kauffman Center for the Performing Arts in Kansas City, MO, on Thursday, Feb. 12, 2026. River City Chill Warning Mild day Thursday before dangerous cold, potential snow in Kansas City Friday, Saturday, Sunday and Monday are Alert Days due to the bitter Arctic air and possible snow. And this is the OPEN THREAD for right now. Sadly, local taxpayer funded circus of freebies are even more hilarious and fun the second time around. INSIDERS: KANSAS CITY WILL SPEND AT LEAST ONE MILLION BUCKS MORE TO REVIVE THE PROSPECT SLUM FRESH!!! The local TV news report doesn't offer much deets . . . So we're filling in a few blanks with behind the scenes chatter about the deal. Remember . . . It only took about a decade to burn close to ten million bucks fighting a "food desert" that never really existed in the first place . . . So this new round of "urban financing" ahead of the midterm elections should be even more efficient . . . Here's a preview: "After announcing that United Market KC would be taking over the space, more city money and a focus on security hallmarked a meeting of the Linwood Shopping Centers Community Improvement District board on Wednesday. "Kansas Citys council is expected to continue finalizing details of the stores funding in the next week, and the store is still expected to open in April of 2026." Read more via www.TonysKansasCity.com link . . . Developing . . . At end of last year Mayor Q & local leaders didn't REALLY make a big deal out of crime drop that has taken hold over the last two years. Why? Probably because Kansas City might still be in shock following historic record-breaking numbers achieved in 2023 and throughout the tenure of the current administration. Also . . . When they tried the same stunt last year they where universally rebuked for playing stat games . . . Even the most progressive local journalists offered a wrist-slap for their attempt at spin in matters of life & death. Again . . . Make no mistake, it is a FACT that Mayor Q has presided over the bloodiest years KCMO has ever witnessed in recorded history. #TBT context . . . KC had seen high numbers during the civil rights era, during the 90s gang/crack wars and even when Hurricane Katrina emptied New Orleans slums across the nation causing urban center probs that extended all the way to Cali. But flare ups only lasted a year and then quickly quieted down. This time around the violence has been consistent, exceptionally brutal and often claiming the lives of innocents. However . . . Many denizens of the discourse who stay inside their bubble might not understand the dilemma or can only see it through a partisan lens that either blames Prez Trump for everything or marginalizes "Blue cities" full of immigrants for the crisis without much examination of local migrant communities that are strangely safer than many parts of the East side. Nevertheless . . . The reality is that crime is trending down this year and we can only hope that this progress takes hold in Kansas City given that most of the local conversations about local violence seem unproductive. Here's a big picture view for perspective as we leave the question open for our most loyal readers who still have the patience to check back during the midday . . . "After a pandemic-era rise in murders commonly attributed to a lack of policing, Seattle recorded fewer homicides in 2025 than in 2019, despite a much-smaller police force. If less policing made crime go up following the George Floyd protestsand most people thought it didthen what has made it go down? "What happened in Seattle is happening even more dramatically across the country, as America experiences a once-in-a-lifetime improvement in public safety despite a police-staffing crisis. In August, the FBI released its final data for 2024, which showed that Americas violent-crime rate fell to its lowest level since 1969, led by a nearly 15 percent decrease in homicidethe steepest annual drop ever recorded." Read more via www.TonysKansasCity.com link . . . The Great Crime Decline Is Happening All Across the Country Even cities with understaffed police departments have made record gains. Here's an archive version because BEST & BRIGHTEST TKC READERS have taught us well. You decide . . . BAKU, Azerbaijan, January 16. Azerbaijan's Minister of Digital Development and Transport Rashad Nabiyev and Mastercard's Vice Chairman and President of Strategic Growth Jon Huntsman discussed the creation of a cybersecurity center of excellence, the publication of Nabiyev on his X page says, Trend reports. "During the meeting, we discussed opportunities for cooperation in artificial intelligence, cybersecurity, and digital development, as well as transit and transportation in general. Furthermore, we exchanged views on the creation of a cybersecurity center of excellence in Baku," the minister noted. Mastercard is considering cooperation with critical infrastructure organizations, including government authorities, the Central Bank of Azerbaijan, telecommunications operators, and the oil and gas sector. As part of the development of local infrastructure, the company plans to establish local cybersecurity teams in Azerbaijan and increase investments in products and human resources, ensuring the implementation of Mastercards know-how and technologies used globally in the local market. Stay up-to-date with more news on Trend News Agency's WhatsApp channel BAKU, Azerbaijan, January 22. The leading global media outlets have widely covered Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyevs remarks made during the panel session on Defining Eurasia's Economic Identity and the Azerbaijan Executive Breakfast event held as part of the World Economic Forum in Davos, Trend reports. The European, Russian and Arabic-speaking countries published several articles highlighting the speech of the Azerbaijani President at the panel session on Defining Eurasia's Economic Identity. The articles mainly focused on the new realities that have emerged in the region following the war between Armenia and Azerbaijan, which is left in the past, as well as the forward-looking perspectives between the two countries. The articles posted by Turkish Anadolu, Ihlas news agencies, Russian newspapers and portals such as Kommersant, Komsomolskaya Pravda, Vedomosti, Vesti, Gazeta, TASS news agency, Arabic-language portals lebanon24, Al bayader noted that Azerbaijan and Armenia had closed the chapter of war, referring to President Ilham Aliyevs speech. The head of state mentioned that it was a very responsible and critical decision to stop at the right time as the leader of a country that has endured suffering for thirty years. The articles emphasized that the decision to lift all restrictions on the transit of goods from Kazakhstan and Russia to Armenia is an important turning point for enhancing stability and cooperation in the region. gulfpress.net, inkl.com, indexbox.io, alsaudiapress.com portals also published articles highlighting the Azerbaijani Presidents remarks made in Davos on international law, European energy security and geopolitical aspects of energy supply. Several media outlets drew attention to President Ilham Aliyevs remarks made at the Azerbaijan Executive Breakfast event, particularly his remarks on the future of Azerbaijani oil. News portals and newspapers such as mk.ru, vesti.ru, life.ru, Komsomolskaya Pravda, Vzglyad highlighted President Ilham Aliyevs remarks saying that a second oil boom could occur in Azerbaijan. The articles published by the above-mentioned media outlets also quoted President Ilham Aliyev as saying: Diversification of the economy for our country is the number one priority. By 2032, we expect to have eight gigawatts of solar and wind energy, because there is a lot of sun and a lot of wind. And we see a big potential. We have already contracted several projects, and now we are thinking about storage capacity. The first storage capacity is already being installed. BAKU, Azerbaijan, January 22. Opportunities for cooperation in mine action, cybersecurity, and other areas were discussed between Azerbaijan and NATO, the statement of the Azerbaijani Ministry of Foreign Affairs says, Trend reports. The discussion took place during the reception of NATO Deputy Secretary General Radmila Shekerinska by Azerbaijan's Foreign Minister Jeyhun Bayramov. The meeting also discussed the current cooperation agenda and prospects within the partnership between Azerbaijan and NATO and the work carried out within the framework of partnership mechanisms, as well as regional and international security issues. The parties, noting the importance of cooperation between Azerbaijan and NATO, have emphasized that the dialogue and mutual activities carried out within the existing partnership framework have made a positive contribution to regional security. The experience of Azerbaijans participation in NATO's peace-support operations and missions, its close support for processes in Afghanistan, defense sector reforms, and efforts to ensure interoperability were praised. The visit of a mission consisting of permanent representatives of NATO member countries to Azerbaijan last November was also recalled with satisfaction. During the meeting, information was provided on the Azerbaijan-Armenia normalization process, diplomatic efforts to ensure sustainable and lasting peace in the region, confidence-building measures, agreements reached during the August 8 Washington summit, and peace prospects, as well as regional transportation and connectivity projects. The parties also exchanged views on other bilateral and regional issues of mutual interest. Azerbaijan's cooperation with NATO began in March 1992 through the North Atlantic Cooperation Council (NACC), but a significant partnership was established on May 4, 1994, with late President Heydar Aliyev's signing of the Partnership for Peace (PfP) Framework Document. Key milestones include joining the Euro-Atlantic Partnership Council (EAPC) and the Planning and Review Process (PARP) in 1997, as well as ongoing participation in PfP activities and NATO-led missions in Kosovo and Afghanistan. Stay up-to-date with more news on Trend News Agency's WhatsApp channel DAVOS, Switzerland, January 22. A sincere dialogue took place in Davos between the President of the Republic of Azerbaijan, Ilham Aliyev and the President of the U.S. Donald Trump, Trend reports. The informal dialogue took place during the signing ceremony of the Board of Peace Charter document within the framework of the World Economic Forum. The stated goal of the Board of Peace is to promote stability, restore legitimate governance, and ensure lasting peace in conflict regions, primarily in the Gaza Strip after the 2023-2025 war. On January 16, Trump announced his decision to create an international organization called the Board of Peace and invited the Republic of Azerbaijan to become a founding member of the organization. Azerbaijan accepted this invitation and informed the American side of its intention to become a founding member of the Board of Peace. BAKU, Azerbaijan, January 22. Speaker of the Azerbaijani Parliament Sahiba Gafarova has met with a delegation led by NATO Deputy Secretary General Radmila Sekerinska, a source in the parliament told Trend. The meeting highlighted more than 30 year-long cooperation between Azerbaijan and NATO, and highly appreciated the alliances role in ensuring international peace and security. During the conversation, the parties emphasized the importance of the existing sustained and substantive political dialogue, noting that President of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyevs visits to NATO Headquarters, the visit of NATOs former Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg to Azerbaijan in 2024, ongoing negotiations, and regular contacts have brought new momentum to the partnership and are regarded as indicators of the intensification of political dialogue. Azerbaijan was described as a reliable and committed partner for NATO, with an emphasis on the countrys participation in the Alliances peacekeeping operations in Afghanistan and its significance as a regional transport and logistics hub. The meeting further highlighted Azerbaijans contribution to the Alliances energy security, noting that the country currently supplies natural gas to 10 NATO member states and two partner countries. This was described as being of particular importance at a time when energy security has become an integral part of national security. The speaker also underlined Azerbaijans key transit role in the Middle Corridor, noting that this makes an important contribution to stability and cooperation in the region. Gafarova also touched upon the peace process between Azerbaijan and Armenia, saying that under the leadership of President Ilham Aliyev, Azerbaijan has restored its sovereignty and created new realities in the region. She pointed out that Azerbaijan was the party that put forward the peace initiative and, following the Washington Summit, has taken consistent and practical steps to advance cooperation with Armenia. Sekerinska stated that the alliance attaches special importance to developing relations with Azerbaijan and highly values the close political dialogue between the parties. She expressed confidence that these relations would be further deepened within the framework of the new Partnership Program, thanked Azerbaijan for its cooperation with NATO and for its significant contributions to ensuring the energy security of the Alliances member states, and emphasized that the partnership will continue successfully in the future. The deputy secretary general also conveyed congratulations regarding the process of peace and normalization of relations between Azerbaijan and Armenia. The discussion also highlighted the importance of relations between the Azerbaijani parliament and the NATO Parliamentary Assembly, and reviewed prospects for cooperation. Stay up-to-date with more news on Trend News Agency's WhatsApp channel By Scott DiSavino NEW YORK, Jan 22 (Reuters) - Oil prices slid about 2% to a one-week low on Thursday after U.S. President Donald Trump softened threats toward Greenland and Iran, and on some positive movement that could lead to a solution to end Russia's war in Ukraine. Brent futures fell $1.18, or 1.8%, to settle at $64.06 a barrel, while U.S. West Texas Intermediate (WTI) crude fell $1.26, or 2.1%, to settle at a one-week low of $59.36 a barrel. Trump said he has secured total and permanent U.S. access to Greenland in a deal with NATO, whose head said allies would have to step up their commitment to Arctic security to ward off threats from Russia and China. European Union leaders, meanwhile, will rethink ties with the U.S. at an emergency summit on Thursday after Trump's threat of tariffs and even military action to acquire Greenland badly shook confidence in the transatlantic relationship, diplomats said. "There is a deflation of risk premium related to the Greenland debacle and Iran supply risk has also been reduced," said Ole Hansen, chief commodity analyst at Saxo Bank. Trump also said he hoped there would be no further U.S. military action in Iran, but added the U.S. would act if Iran resumes its nuclear program. Iran, operating under sanctions, is the third-biggest crude producer in the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) behind Saudi Arabia and Iraq. With less tension around Greenland and Iran, oil prices should hold at around $60 a barrel, according to Tony Sycamore, an analyst with online broker IG. RUSSIA AND UKRAINE President Volodymyr Zelenskiy of Ukraine said on Thursday after talks with Trump in Davos that terms of security guarantees for Ukraine had been finalized, but the vital issue of territory in its war with Russia remains unsolved. Trump has pressured Ukraine to secure peace after nearly four years of war, despite few signs Russia wants to stop fighting. A deal to bring peace to Ukraine and lift sanctions on Russia, the world's third-biggest crude producer, could reduce oil prices by making more fuel available on global markets. The French navy intercepted a Russian tanker in the Mediterranean suspected of being part of a shadow fleet that enables Russia to export oil despite sanctions. Russian oil output fell 0.8% to 10.28 million barrels per day (bpd) last year, around a tenth of global production, according to data published on Thursday. In Venezuela, another sanctioned OPEC member, trading houses Vitol and Trafigura were exporting fuel oil under a U.S.-backed deal following capture of Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro. Photo: Press service of the President of the Republic of Azerbaijan BAKU, Azerbaijan, January 22. Footage of President Ilham Aliyev's visit to Switzerland was posted on his social media accounts, Trend reports. The post reads: President Ilham Aliyev in the annual meeting of the World Economic Forum (Davos, January 19-21, 2026) Photo: Press Service of the President of the Republic of Azerbaijan BAKU, Azerbaijan, January 22. Footage of President Ilham Aliyev's participation in the signing ceremony of the "Board of Peace Charter" and his meeting with the U.S. President was posted on his social media accounts, Trend reports. The post reads: "President Ilham Aliyev's participation in the signing ceremony of the "Board of Peace Charter" and his meeting with the U.S. President (Davos, January 22, 2026)." Photo: Press service of the President of the Republic of Azerbaijan BAKU, Azerbaijan, January 22. President of the Republic of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev has shared a post about the meetings held within the framework of the Annual Meeting of the World Economic Forum, Trend reports. The post reads: "Meetings of President Ilham Aliyev within the framework of the Annual Meeting of the World Economic Forum. Davos January 19-22, 2026." BAKU, Azerbaijan, January 22. Within the 2026 Individual Partnership Cooperation Programme between the Ministry of Defense of the Republic of Azerbaijan and NATO, a course on Communication, Information Systems and Cyber Operations was conducted in Baku by the Mobile Training Team of NATO Allied Land Command Headquarters in Izmir, Turkiye, Trend reports via the Ministry of Defense. The main objective of the course organized at the Military Institute named after Heydar Aliyev was to enhance the theoretical and practical knowledge of servicemen in the fields of communication, information systems, and cyber operations, to teach the application of modern technological solutions, methods, and tools, as well as to familiarize participants with NATO standards and procedures in these areas. During the course, NATOs Mobile Training Team delivered briefings on communication, information technologies, cybersecurity, and other topics and conducted theoretical and practical training sessions. At the end of the course, the participants were awarded certificates. Subscription to paid content Gain access to all that Trend has to offer, as well as to premium, licensed content via subscription or direct purchase through a credit card. ASHGABAT, Turkmenistan, January 22. The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) praised reforms in Turkmenistans agricultural sector and confirmed its interest in expanding cooperation with the country, Trend reports via the press service of the Turkmen Government. The issue was discussed during a meeting between President of Turkmenistan Serdar Berdimuhamedov and FAO Director-General Qu Dongyu on January 21. President Berdimuhamedov emphasized that cooperation with the UN and its specialized agencies, including FAO, is a key priority of Turkmenistans foreign policy. The sides confirmed their readiness to continue and expand cooperation. Turkmenistan is implementing projects with FAO support aimed at modernizing agriculture, improving land use, increasing productivity, and introducing modern technologies. Initiatives are also being carried out within the Green Climate Fund and the One Health framework. Turkmenistan became a member of the FAO in 1995. The collaboration was reinforced as the country participated in regional programs, with notable involvement in the initial phase of the FAO-Turkiye Collaboration Programme (FTPP) from 2009 to 2015. Initial collaboration concentrated on assisting the Turkmen government in enhancing cotton production, mechanizing harvesting processes, and providing technical help for agricultural and environmental conservation. Stay up-to-date with more news on Trend News Agency's WhatsApp channel BAKU, Azerbaijan, January 22. Azerbaijan is making significant progress toward its non-oil export targets, said Vusal Gasimli, Executive Director of the Center for Analysis of Economic Reforms and Communication (CAERC), Trend reports. Speaking at a press conference reviewing 2025 results, Gasimli noted that the countrys socio-economic development strategy for 20222026 aims to increase non-oil exports by 1.2 times compared to 2021. "If we achieve a 1015% growth in non-oil exports this year, we will reach our goal by 2026," he said. Gasimli emphasized the strategic shift towards higher-value-added products within Azerbaijans non-oil export structure, particularly the prioritization of finished goods over raw materials and semi-finished products. He pointed out that the petrochemical and metallurgical sectors are leading this transformation. The CAERC official further noted that Azerbaijans export strategy is not confined to goods alone, but also includes the expanding potential of service exports. In particular, he highlighted the growing prominence of transport services, which have become one of the most significant sectors in the country's export portfolio in recent years. ''Under President Ilham Aliyev's leadership, Azerbaijan has evolved into a regional transport hub, with services flourishing at the confluence of the East-West and North-South trade corridors. Today, the export of transport services has grown to match the scale of Azerbaijans commodity exports. Tourism also represents a major service export opportunity. While there were some declines last year, the sectors long-term prospects remain strong. I believe that by 2026, Azerbaijan can achieve even greater success in tourism services. In addition, sectors such as finance, banking, insurance, and other professional services hold immense untapped potential, which we are determined to harness," Gasimli added. Stay up-to-date with more news on Trend News Agency's WhatsApp channel TASHKENT, Uzbekistan, January 22. Uzbekistan and Japan discussed the implementation of solar farm projects and the deep processing of agricultural products in the Syrdarya Region, Trend reports via the regional administration. The discussions were held during a meeting in Tokyo between a delegation from the Sirdarya Region, led by regional governor Erkinjon Turdimov, and representatives of Momiki Co. Ltd., Farmdo Group, and Altai Trading. The talks also focused on prospects for exporting legumes and other agricultural products from Uzbekistan to the Japanese market, as well as on cooperation in agricultural processing. Following the meeting, the parties outlined concrete areas for developing mutually beneficial cooperation, implementing joint projects, and expanding export potential. It was noted that the agreements reached would contribute to strengthening bilateral economic ties between Uzbekistan and Japan. Uzbekistan's legume sector is expanding, with significant production of chickpeas, mung beans, lentils, and various beans, often following wheat crops, enhancing food security and export opportunities, particularly to Asia and the Middle East. Key trends include rising chickpea production in drought-prone regions like Samarkand and Kashkadarya, increasing mung bean exports to East Asia, and diverse lentil varieties. In 2024, grain and legume harvests reached 8.9 million tons. Legumes ranked as Uzbekistan's 9th most exported product in 2023, supported by government policies favoring their cultivation. Future prospects focus on improving yields through better practices and sustainability initiatives, essential for long-term growth amid increasing domestic and global demand. Over the past eight years, trade turnover between Uzbekistan and Japan has doubled, while the number of Japanese enterprises operating in Uzbekistan has increased tenfold ASHGABAT, Turkmenistan, January 22. Turkmenistan and India engaged in discussions regarding the prospects of economic and trade cooperation, focusing on key sectors such as energy, transport, and agriculture, as well as the mechanisms for strengthening joint intergovernmental collaboration, Trend reports via the Turkmen MFA. The discussions were conducted during meetings between the foreign ministries of the countries in Ashgabat on January 21. The Turkmen delegation was represented by Turkmen Foreign Minister Rashid Meredov and Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Myahri Byashimova, while the Indian side was led by Secretary (West) of the Ministry of External Affairs Sibi George. During these consultations, the ministries discussed a broad range of topics, including the enhancement of inter-parliamentary dialogue, the development of a legal framework to support bilateral relations, and the promotion of scientific and educational exchanges. They also explored avenues for cultural and humanitarian cooperation, alongside collaboration within regional and international organizations, notably the United Nations. The parties underscored the importance of strengthening private sector partnerships and expanding cooperation across key sectors, emphasizing the crucial role of the Joint Intergovernmental Turkmen-Indian Commission on Trade, Economic, Scientific, and Technological Cooperation. Earlier, Indian Ambassador to Turkmenistan, Bandaru Wilsonbabu, conveyed Indias willingness to share expertise and technologies with Turkmenistan, particularly in the areas of IT, digitalization, pharmaceuticals, healthcare, education, and human resource development. He emphasized that these efforts would further bilateral economic ties, with a focus on the mutually beneficial utilization of Turkmenistans natural resources. Meanwhile, Turkmenistan has identified the successful construction of the Serhetabat-Herat section of the Turkmenistan-Afghanistan-Pakistan-India (TAPI) gas pipeline as a top priority for its oil and gas sector in 2026. ASHGABAT, Turkmenistan, January 22. Turkmenistan and Japan discussed plans for economic cooperation in 2026, including the implementation of joint projects aimed at further strengthening bilateral partnership, Trend reports via the Turkmen MFA. The issues were discussed during the meeting between Turkmen Ambassador to Japan Atadurdy Bayramov and Chairman of the Japan-Turkmen Committee for Economic Cooperation Hiroyuki Tsubai on January 21 in Tokyo. The Japanese side confirmed the importance of continuing work on economic projects highlighted by the Turkmen president during the first Central Asia + Japan Dialogue Summit held in Tokyo on December 20, 2025, including initiatives in the field of circular economy. The parties also emphasized the significance of further developing the medical cluster in Arkadag city, in which the Japanese company Sumitomo Heavy Industries, Ltd. is actively involved. At the end of the meeting, the sides agreed to set a date for the 16th joint session of the Turkmen-Japanese and Japan-Turkmen Committees for Economic Cooperation in Tokyo in 2026. Stay up-to-date with more news on Trend News Agency's WhatsApp channel GoodEnough Energy has commenced operations at a seven gigawatt-hour (GWh) battery energy storage system (BESS) manufacturing facility at Noida in the Indian state of Uttar Pradesh. The company plans to increase this capacity to 25GWh over the next three years. Founded in 2023 with an initial investment of Rs4.5bn ($49.4m), GoodEnough Energy aims to support Indias efforts to boost domestic production of battery storage equipment and reduce reliance on imports, particularly from China. This development aligns with Indias target of achieving 500GW of non-fossil power capacity by 2030, which will require storage of approximately 230GWh for grid stability. The Indian Government approved Rs94bn in funding in 2023 for domestic manufacturing of battery storage systems, offering up to 40% of the capital costs for such projects, Reuters reported. GoodEnough Energy has begun deploying its BESS across the country as demand from various sectors continues to grow. The Noida facility was established by Adit Agarwal, Gaurav Aggarwal and Akash Kaushik and is positioned to enhance local capabilities in advanced energy storage technologies. The factory is also expected to generate employment, and support more than 100 small and medium enterprises in its supply chain. The operational phase of the plant supports high-emission industries such as infrastructure, manufacturing, mining, healthcare and commercial real estate. At full capacity, the facility is projected to help eliminate up to 15 million tonnes (mt) of carbon dioxide emissions by 2026, with its current output designed to prevent more than 5mt annually. The deployment of advanced battery energy storage technology from this facility may also help to expand electric vehicle charging infrastructure across regions with weaker grid connectivity. Features such as time shifting and peak shaving are incorporated to optimise energy use and support integration with renewable sources. "Operations begin at GoodEnough Energys 7GWh battery storage factory in India" was originally created and published by Energy Monitor, a GlobalData owned brand. BAKU, Azerbaijan, January 22. Issues of developing economic relations and realizing existing potential were discussed between Azerbaijan and the European Union (EU), Azerbaijan's Minister of Economy Mikayil Jabbarov wrote on his X page, Trend reports. "Within the framework of President Ilham Aliyevs participation in the World Economic Forum in Davos, we held a meeting with Marta Kos, EU Commissioner for Enlargement. We highlighted key priorities on the AzerbaijanEU economic cooperation agenda, including the trade and energy partnership, as well as ongoing measures to further develop transport and logistics infrastructure. We also exchanged views on opportunities to unlock the full potential of AzerbaijanEuropean Union economic relations," the post reads. The value of trade turnover between Azerbaijan and EU countries amounted to $18.7 billion during the first 11 months of 2025, marking a rise of $951.2 million, or 5.3%, compared to the same period in 2024. BAKU, Azerbaijan, January 22. The State Oil Company of Azerbaijan (SOCAR) and Swiss SICPA SA signed a services agreement, Azerbaijan's Minister of Economy Mikayil Jabbarov wrote on his X page, Trend reports. "Within the framework of President Ilham Aliyevs participation in the World Economic Forum in Davos, SOCAR and Switzerlands SICPA SA signed a services agreement. This collaboration will establish a framework for joint activities based on modern traceability technologies. The planned solutions will contribute to strengthening security across the energy supply chain and enhancing transparency," the post reads. SICPA is a Swiss technology company that supports the effective governance and long-term prosperity of nations. Established in 1927 and headquartered in Switzerland, SICPA is best known for safeguarding the majority of the world's banknotes. Stay up-to-date with more news on Trend News Agency's WhatsApp channel BAKU, Azerbaijan, January 22. Azerbaijan's state oil company SOCAR has signed an agreement with Italian Eni S.p.A. to acquire a 10% participating interest in the development project of the Baleine oil and gas field located offshore Cote dIvoire, Trend reports via SOCAR. The Agreement was signed between SOCAR President Rovshan Najaf and Eni S.p.A. CEO Claudio Descalzi on the sidelines of the World Economic Forum Annual Meeting 2026. "This transaction represents SOCARs entry to Africas vast oil and gas resources and aligns strategically with SOCARs global expansion vision. The transaction also forms part of a broader strategic collaboration between SOCAR and Eni S.p.A across various segments of the energy industry. The implementation of this agreement and the closing of the transaction are subject to obtaining the necessary approvals from relevant regulatory authorities, as well as the fulfillment of other customary terms and conditions," said SOCAR. Baleine is considered one of the largest oil and gas discoveries made in West Africa in recent years. The giant offshore oil and gas field was discovered in 2021, with production commencing in 2023. Baleine field currently produces over 62,000 barrels of oil and more than 75 million cubic feet (approximately 2.1 million cubic meters) of gas per day from Phases 1 and 2 of its development. With the launch of Phase 3, production is expected to rise to 150,000 barrels of oil and 200 million cubic feet (approximately 5.7 million cubic meters) of gas per day. Baleine is Africas first net-zero emissions offshore oil and gas project. BAKU, Azerbaijan, January 22. Bulgaria has signed an agreement enabling state participation in offshore oil and natural gas exploration in the Black Sea, marking a strategic step to strengthen the countrys energy security and diversify supply sources in Southeast Europe, Trend reports via the country's energy ministry. The agreement was signed in the presence of Prime Minister Rosen Zhelyazkov and Energy Minister Zhecho Stankov and brings together Bulgarian Energy Holding (BEH), OMV Offshore Bulgaria, and NewMed Energy Balkan Limited. Under the deal, BEH will acquire a 10% stake in exploration activities in Block 1-21 Khan Asparuh, located in Bulgarias deepwater Black Sea area. Speaking at the signing ceremony, Energy Minister Stankov said the move reflects Bulgarias consistent and strategic efforts to enhance national energy security and reduce dependence on external energy sources. Following approval by the Council of Ministers, BEH will join OMV and NewMed as a partner in the project, marking the first time a Bulgarian state-owned company has taken part in offshore hydrocarbon exploration. In addition to concession fees which can reach up to 30% for oil and gas production the Bulgarian state will also receive 10% of future revenues from any commercial output, Stankov said. He described the agreement as a key step toward securing domestically produced, competitively priced natural gas for Bulgarian consumers. For the first time in Bulgarias modern history, the state will actively participate as an investor with a direct stake in oil and gas exploration rights in the Bulgarian sector of the Black Sea, the energy minister said, adding that the move signals a new phase in the development of the national energy sector and reinforces Bulgarias role in the regional energy landscape. The project is also seen as strategically important for the wider region, contributing to the diversification of energy supplies and enhancing long-term energy security in Southeast Europe. The approved exploration work program, running through October 18, 2026, the drilling of three wells Vineh-1, Krum-1, and Vineh-2. Drilling of the first well is already underway, while BEH will participate alongside OMV and NewMed in the remaining two wells. Azerbaijan steps up its electricity imports from Georgia Azerbaijan's electricity exports to Georgia in 2025 saw a significant decline in both volume and value compared to the previous year, while its overall electricity trade with multiple countries showed varied results. Access to paid information is limited If You already have a account, please log in Login Register Italy scales up oil imports from Azerbaijan in 2025 In 2025, Azerbaijan saw a rise in its crude oil and petroleum product exports, with a notable increase in volume. However, despite the growth in exports, the overall value of these shipments slightly declined. Italy remained the top importer of Azerbaijani oil during this period. Access to paid information is limited If You already have a account, please log in Login Register BAKU, Azerbaijan, January 22. On the sidelines of the World Economic Forum, the European Investment Bank (EIB) has announced a 50 million commitment to Amber Dragon Ukraine Infrastructure Fund I (ADUIF), the first specialised infrastructure equity fund dedicated to Ukraine, Trend reports via the EIB. The fund aims to mobilise private capital to support the countrys recovery and long-term reconstruction efforts. Alongside the EIBs commitment, the fund is expected to attract contributions from the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD), the International Finance Corporation (IFC), Swedfund, and Impact Fund Denmark. These combined commitments are projected to reach approximately 200 million at first close, exceeding half of ADUIFs 350 million target and enabling the fund to begin making investments. ADUIF will focus on renewable energy, transport, and digital infrastructure, supporting essential services, economic activity, and Ukraines resilience. The fund is managed through a joint venture between Amber Infrastructure, a European infrastructure investor, and Dragon Capital, a leading Ukrainian investment manager, blending international expertise with strong local market knowledge. The European Investment Bank, the EUs financing institution, has been active in Ukraine since 2007. Following Russias full-scale invasion in 2022, the EIB significantly increased support for critical infrastructure and resilience-building projects, providing more than 4 billion in financing to date. The EIBs support is channelled through instruments such as the EU for Ukraine Fund (EU4U) and the broader 50 billion Ukraine Facility, in partnership with the European Commission, EU Member States, and international partners. The EU4U Fund, established in 2023, is backed by 16 EU countries and aims to finance recovery projects that might not otherwise secure funding. It has supported small businesses, emergency services, and urban transport modernisation, helping maintain essential services and strengthen Ukraines economic resilience. Amber Infrastructure is part of Boyd Watterson Global Asset Management, managing over $36 billion in assets globally. The firm specialises in infrastructure investment and fund management across energy, transport, digital, and demographic sectors. Dragon Capital, founded in 2000, is one of Ukraines leading independent private investment and asset management firms, with nearly three decades of experience investing in the countrys top manufacturers, service providers, and landmark real estate projects. ASTANA, Kazakhstan, January 22. A special commission has been established to investigate the technological incident that occurred at the Tengiz oil field on January 18, Trend reports via the Ministry of Energy of Kazakhstan. According to the ministry, the commission was created to determine all circumstances surrounding the shutdown of gas turbine units and has already begun its work. The commission includes representatives of the territorial department of the Committee for State Energy Supervision and Control, the Energy Department of the Atyrau regional akimat, and the system operator KEGOC JSC, as well as representatives of Tengizchevroil LLP. By order of Kazakhstans Minister of Energy Yerlan Akkenzhenov, Vice Minister Kaiyrkhan Tutkyshbayev is present directly at the Tengiz field to oversee the situation and ensure effective coordination with the operator. Regarding the temporary suspension of production, the ministry noted that this decision was taken by Tengizchevroil in line with safety protocols aimed at protecting personnel and equipment. The commission is currently conducting a detailed technical analysis of the causes of the incident. All official conclusions and comments on the reasons and consequences will be announced exclusively upon completion of the commissions work, the ministry said. On January 18, 2026, two fires broke out at the GTES-4 power generation plant at Kazakhstan's Tengiz oil field, affecting power distribution systems and leading operator Tengizchevroil (TCO) to suspend oil production at Tengiz and Korolev fields for safety reasons. The incident involved fires at transformers for generation trains 9.3 and 9.5, causing a temporary shutdown of output, with no injuries reported, though technicians are still investigating the root cause. Stay up-to-date with more news on Trend News Agency's WhatsApp channel Photo: Official information source of the Prime Minister of the Republic of Kazakhstan ASTANA, Kazakhstan, January 22. Kazakhstan is set to build four new pharmaceutical plants, Trend reports via the Kazakh government. The government has approved investment agreements between the Ministry of Health of Kazakhstan and the companies AltINPHARM, MSP-ROMPHARM, Abdi Ibrahim Global Pharm, and Nobel Almaty Pharmaceutical Factory for the localization of pharmaceutical production. The total investment in the approved projects amounts to 173 billion tenge ($340 million). The corresponding resolutions were signed by Prime Minister Olzhas Bektenov. The implementation of these projects involves the localization of production for 356 types of medicines, including socially significant drugs. The product range will cover medications for cancer and diabetes treatment, as well as immunobiological, antiviral, anti-anemia, pain-relieving, anti-inflammatory, cold and flu, and antimicrobial medicines. The new plants will be located in Almaty (two projects), as well as in the Turkestan and Almaty regions. In particular, the AltINPHARM project will involve the construction of a pharmaceutical plant in the Special Economic Zone "Park of Innovative Technologies" in Almaty. The Nobel Almaty Pharmaceutical Factory project also plans the construction of a pharmaceutical complex in Almaty for the production of active pharmaceutical ingredients, medicines, and biopharmaceuticals. The Abdi Ibrahim Global Pharm project will establish a pharmaceutical complex with multi-profile production lines in the Almaty region. The MSP-ROMPHARM project involves the construction of a high-tech pharmaceutical plant in the TURAN Special Economic Zone in the Turkestan region. Kazakhstan's pharmaceutical sector includes 207 manufacturers as of mid-2025, up from 193 in 2023. This count features 43 medicine producers (25 with GMP certification) and 164 medical device manufacturers. Domestic production surged in 2024, bolstered by government initiatives favoring local output through long-term contracts and import substitution strategies. Key production regions include Shymkent, Almaty city, the Almaty region, and the Karaganda region. Stay up-to-date with more news on Trend News Agency's WhatsApp channel Opus One Gold has commenced a drilling programme at its fully owned Noyell gold project in the Abitibi mining district of Quebec, Canada. Located near Matagami, the project currently utilises two drill rigs, with the potential to introduce a third by February if required. This initiative builds on the successful 2025 exploration of Zone 1. The current diamond drilling campaign aims to cover approximately 14,000m over 26 holes. It seeks to enhance and expand Zone 1 by targeting various drilling points identified for development. Additionally, the company plans to investigate a newly targeted area around 3km west of Zone 1. This location has shown indications of gold from historical drilling records dating back to the 1980s and 1990s from previous operators. The new target zone is believed to be part of the same geological structure as Zone 1, extending into the western section of the property. Opus One will conduct its initial exploration in this area by drilling five shallow holes. These efforts align with ongoing activities nearby on the N2 Project by Formation Metals, which has been engaged in defining a significant historical gold resource. The N2 Project to the west already hosts an established gold resource and is undergoing extensive drilling, as reported in December 2025. Opus One CEO Louis Morin said: We are very enthusiastic about our upcoming new drill programme. In 2025, Opus One completed 9,000m of successful drilling on its Zone 1 discovery, carried out a bio-geochemical sampling survey around Zone 1 and a laser-induced breakdown spectrometry study on mineralised core to characterise the gold bearing horizon and host units. Additionally, Opus One is developing new quality gold targets on the property. The company is therefore expanding its main mineralised zone, initiating the mineralogical characterisation of its gold bearing structure and gearing up for new discoveries along the same favourable structure and, hopefully, along parallel ones. No doubt 2026 will be another exciting year for the company. "Opus One begins drilling at Noyell gold project in Quebec, Canada" was originally created and published by Mining Technology, a GlobalData owned brand. ASTANA, Kazakhstan, January 22. Chairman of the Management Board of Kazakhstans national oil and gas company KazMunayGas (KMG) Askhat Khassenov and Turkiyes Minister of Energy and Natural Resources Alparslan Bayraktar discussed prospects for strengthening bilateral cooperation in the oil and gas sector, Trend reports via KMG. During a meeting in Ankara, Turkiye, the sides reviewed opportunities to expand cooperation between KazMunayGas and Turkish energy companies. In particular, KMG and Turkiyes state-owned Turkish Petroleum Corporation (TPAO) have conducted active work to assess promising geological exploration projects in both countries and are currently considering a transition to their practical implementation. Khassenov said that expanding cooperation with Turkish partners would help intensify geological exploration, introduce advanced technologies, and support the development of human capital. Following the meeting, the parties reaffirmed their intention to continue joint efforts to strengthen cooperation in the oil and gas sector in the interests of the economic development of Kazakhstan and Turkiye. In July 2025, TPAO and KMG signed a cooperation agreement. The document outlines the collaboration between the two companies in geological exploration and hydrocarbon extraction in Kazakhstan. This includes conducting comprehensive geological studies of promising areas, exploring opportunities for joint work on existing oil and gas fields, and providing oilfield services. Stay up-to-date with more news on Trend News Agency's WhatsApp channel BAKU, Azerbaijan, January 22. The International Atomic Energy Agency must determine its position regarding Iranian nuclear facilities that have been attacked, the country's Vice President and Chairman of the Atomic Energy Organization, Mohammad Eslami, said, Trend reports. He made the announcement at an event dedicated to the presentation of new achievements of Iran's National Center for Laser Science and Technology. According to Eslami, the Iranian authorities had formally addressed the issue by sending a letter to Rafael Grossi, Director General of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA). He further emphasized the need to establish clear guidelines for inspecting nuclear facilities that have been subjected to attacks. These protocols should be developed specifically for scenarios involving military strikes or threats to environmental safety. The vice president also pointed out that, following last years assault on Iranian nuclear facilities, inspections were only conducted at sites that had not been damaged. At present, there are no IAEA inspectors in Iran. In June 2025, following Israeli and American air strikes on Iranian nuclear facilities, the country minimized its relations with the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA). In response, the Iranian parliament passed a law on cooperation with the IAEA. According to the law, any cooperation with the IAEA is possible only with the consent of Iran's Supreme National Security Council. On the morning of June 13, 2025, Israel launched military air strikes against Iran. The strikes killed a large number of high-ranking military officials, generals, nuclear scientists, and other high-ranking officials. In the evening of the same day, Iran responded to Israel with Operation True Promise III: hundreds of ballistic missiles and drones were launched at many targets, including Tel Aviv, resulting in civilian casualties and widespread destruction. On June 22, the US launched military airstrikes on three Iranian nuclear facilities. It was reported that the airstrikes destroyed Iranian nuclear facilities. On the evening of June 23, Iran launched airstrikes on a U.S. military base in Qatar. On June 24, the Israeli Prime Minister's Office announced that the Israeli government had agreed to a ceasefire with Iran, brokered by US President Donald Trump. Iran's Supreme National Security Council also issued a statement noting that the attacks had ceased. BAKU, Azerbaijan, January 22. Iran and Egypt have stressed the importance of helping to maintain peace and stability in the region and continuing the diplomatic process, Trend reports. This issue was discussed in a phone conversation between Iranian Foreign Minister Seyyed Abbas Araghchi and his Egyptian counterpart Badr Abdelatty, on January 21. During the conversation, the Iranian and Egyptian ministers exchanged views on bilateral relations and regional and international issues. The ministers also underscored the importance of strengthening bilateral relations and continuing consultations on regional and international issues. On September 9, 2025, a new agreement was signed in the Egyptian capital, Cairo, between Iran and the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) on the resumption of cooperation. Iran's cooperation with the IAEA was reduced to a minimum following air strikes on Iranian nuclear facilities in June last year. On January 21, in Davos, Abdelatty and the Director General of the IAEA, Rafael Grossi, exchanged views on Iran's nuclear program. Stay up-to-date with more news on Trend News Agency's WhatsApp channel DAVOS, Switzerland, January 22. This is not just a Board of Peace, this is a Board of Action, U.S. Senator, Secretary of State, Marco Rubio said during the ceremony of signing the Board of Peace Charter at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Trend reports. He noted that the newly established Board of Peace will focus on concrete action rather than rhetoric. This is not just a Board of Peace, this is a Board of Action. Just like President Trump is a President of Action, Rubio said, emphasizing the action-oriented nature of the initiative. Referring to the situation in Gaza, Rubio said that only months ago, many believed it could not be resolved without further violence. No one thought that that would ever come to a resolution without more fighting and more bloodshed along the way, he noted, describing the conflict as something many considered intractable. He stressed that the Boards first priority is ensuring lasting peace. Obviously, with a focus first and foremost on making sure that this peace deal in Gaza becomes enduring, Rubio said. DAVOS, Switzerland, January 22. Rafah crossing will open next week in both directions, said the Head of the National Committee for the Administration of Gaza Ali Shaath, Trend reports. He made the remarks in a video message for the participants of the Board of Peace Charter signing ceremony held today in Davos as part of the World Economic Forum. I want to start by thanking President Donald J. Trump and his administration for their intensive efforts to advance peace in the whole region. I also thank Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi, Qatar, and Turkiye as mediators, the Palestinian Authority, and members of the United Nations Security Council for welcoming the comprehensive peace plan. These efforts created the opportunity for a new future in Gaza Strip, said Shaath. He pointed out that what will really matter is what comes next. This transition will succeed only if it delivers real tangible improvements in daily life for Gazans. As Chief Commissioner of the National Committee for the Administration of Gaza, it's my responsibility to turn this moment into action, to restore order, to rebuild the institutions, and to create a future for the people of Gaza defined by opportunity and dignity under the principle of one authority, one law, and one weapon. As a first step, I am pleased to announce the Rafah crossing will open next week in both directions. For Palestinians in Gaza, Rafah is more than a gate. It is a lifeline and symbol of opportunity. Opening Rafah signals that Gaza is no longer closed to the future and to the world. I want to be clear, there is much more work ahead, and none of it is easy. The road forward will involve difficult decisions and setbacks, but this is a real step, and it marks a new direction, Shaath added. Meanwhile, the stated goal of the Board of Peace Charter is to promote stability, restore legitimate governance, and ensure lasting peace in conflict regions, primarily in the Gaza Strip after the 2023-2025 war. The United Nations approved this in November 2025 with Resolution 2803. On January 16 this year, the White House announced that two structures would be subordinate to the Board of Peace Charter: the Executive Council and the Executive Committee on Gaza. The heads of dozens of states received invitations to join it. DAVOS, Switzerland, January 22. Iran wants to engage in negotiations, U.S. President Donald Trump said during the signing ceremony of the Board of Peace Charter held as part of the World Economic Forum (WEF) in Davos, Trend reports. Iran does want to talk, and well talk, he emphasized. According to the United States (US) president, a great victory was achieved in June toward the main goalpeace. Trump added that the US had completely destroyed Irans nuclear capability during Operation Midnight Hammer. Every bomb from the B-2 bombers hit the shafts and went deep into the ground, completely destroying everything they were working on. They were just two months away from creating a nuclear weapon. We could not allow that, he explained. In addition, Trump said that the US carried out strikes against the Islamic State (ISIS) in Syria. We destroyed ISIS. During the Biden administration it recovered a bit, but we delivered powerful strikes against it in Syria, he noted. The US president added that Syria is making significant progress and that the lifting of all sanctions has given the country room to breathe. Trump also stated that the global situation is stabilizing. A lot of things are happening, and many of them are good news. Threats to Europe and America, the Middle East, and other regions are decreasing. Everything is very different from a year ago. Just a year ago, the world was literally on fire, he said. On January 21, Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi issued a warning to the U.S., stating that the countrys armed forces would respond without hesitation with everything we have if we are subjected to a new attack. In late December 2025, Iran was swept by a wave of mass protests after the sharp devaluation of the national currency, the Iranian rial, deepened public anger and economic anxiety. In response, authorities tightened security measures, and police used tear gas and non-lethal weapons against demonstrators. Iranian officials accuse external forces of organizing the unrest; in particular, the countrys Ministry of Foreign Affairs stated that the U.S. and Israel were involved in the actions of the protesters. Stay up-to-date with more news on Trend News Agency's WhatsApp channel OX2, a renewable energy developer, has completed the construction of the Lestijarvi wind farm in Finland and handed over to a consortium comprising energy companies Oulun Energia, Kymppivoima and Kuopion Energia. The wind farm features 69 turbines and has a total capacity of 455.4MW. According to figures for 2024, the annual electricity generation from Lestijarvi stands at more than 1.3 terawatt-hours, approximately 1.6% of Finlands total electricity production. The municipality hosting the wind farm expects to receive around 2.4m ($2.8m) each year in real estate tax revenue from the project. Kymppivoima CEO Anders Renvall said: The Lestijarvi wind farm provides its owners with a significant source of renewable energy for the next 35 years and supports the energy transition in Finland with its production. OX2 will continue to manage both the technical and financial aspects of the site following its completion. OX2 CEO Matthias Taft said: The completion of Finlands largest wind farm marks a milestone not only for OX2 but for the countrys energy transition. This 650m investment, owned by domestic stakeholders, strengthens Finlands energy independence and creates long-term value for society. OX2 remains committed to ensuring strong operational performance. OX2 currently has five further wind power projects under construction within the country, representing a combined capacity of roughly 750MW. OX2 works on projects involving onshore and offshore wind, solar power and energy storage, with an overall portfolio spanning approximately 33GW across development, construction, asset management and operations. The company also pursues initiatives related to other renewable technologies such as hydrogen. In August 2025, OX2 secured an asset management agreement with Renewable Power Capital covering four wind farms in Sweden. The Knasjoberget, Sorlidberget, Viberget and Storhojden sites have a total capacity of 550MW. OX2 will oversee the technical, commercial and financial operations of these facilities. "OX2 hands over Lestijarvi wind farm to Finnish energy consortium" was originally created and published by Power Technology, a GlobalData owned brand. Since early December, the headlines have been grim. In The Wall Street Journal: How the U.S. is Tightening the Reins on Federal Student Loans. In Newsweek: Warning Issued for Student Loan Borrowers. In Bloomberg: How the Trump Administration is Putting the Squeeze on Student Borrowers. A big part of that squeeze is a change on the limits on student borrowing. Last summers One Big Beautiful Bill Act eliminates the existing GradPlus loan program for new students after July 1. It also imposes annual limits on new borrowers $50,000 for professional degree students, and $20,500 for all other graduate students. The lifetime limits are $200,000 and $100,000, respectively. The controversy over the professional designation stems from the fact that federal rules which have not changed categorize only a limited number of degrees as professional. The relevant degrees at the University of Maryland, Baltimore (UMB) are the MD, DDS, JD, and PharmD degrees. Others, like graduate nursing degrees, Doctor of Physical Therapy, and Master and Doctor of Social Work degrees are not included on the professional list. As you might expect, nursing advocacy groups in particular were quick to respond, arguing that any policy that may dissuade potential nursing students will only exacerbate a serious and growing nursing shortage. We have a primary care crisis in this country, said Deborah Trautman, president and chief executive officer of the American Association of Colleges of Nursing. The omission is not only harmful for nursing; the omission is not good for anyone who needs health care. The U.S. Department of Education (DoED) defended the classifications saying the categories are merely an internal definition and have no bearing on whether a program is professional in nature or not. DoED argued that 95 percent of nursing students borrow below the new limit, and placing a cap on loans for graduate nursing programs will force colleges to reduce program costs and thereby reduce future student debt. So, how many students will be impacted by the new limits? According to the Federal Reserve Bank of Philadelphia, about 28 percent of graduate borrowers nationally would have exceeded the new limits in recent years. And about four in 10 of those probably wouldnt qualify for private financing without a co-signer. There are also parts of the new federal rules that impact existing student borrowers who now hold more than $1.6 trillion in loans. Many of the existing repayment plans are being phased out and replaced by a new plan called RAP, which includes income-driven payments of between 1 percent and 10 percent of a borrowers income. Also, starting this year, most student loan forgiveness is taxable as federal income. And the government announced, but decided on Friday to pause, wage garnishments for borrowers in default. In a media interview in late November, Secretary of Education Linda McMahon explained that all of these actions are intended to reduce the cost of a college education and push students to enter careers with higher returns on investment or opt out of higher education entirely. When you think about the fact that a university could just simply say, this is how much it costs to come and get this program, and then a student could borrow that amount, what incentive is there for colleges and universities then to reduce their cost? she said, adding, I dont think everyone needs a four-year college education. We have to change that thinking because today we have many jobs that are available for our skilled workforce about 700,000 openings in the skilled workforce. Students can go right into those kinds of programs with community colleges or trade schools and get into the economy and start making money for themselves. As for that return on investment, the DoED is also putting pressure on schools to ensure graduates are earning substantially more money than they would have without their degree. On Jan. 12, a Department of Education committee approved another new rule requiring that all higher ed programs face an earnings premium test. When and if that rule gets final approval, programs whose graduates earn too little two out of three years would be cut off from federal student loans. On Jan. 20, UMB Provost and Executive Vice President Roger J. Ward, EdD, JD, MSL, MPA, hosted a special hybrid edition of the Universitys Face to Face program. He was joined by Patricia Scott, assistant vice president of enrollment administration and University registrar. The two discussed the status of student financing for existing students as compared with students enrolling after July 1, 2026, including the new RAP repayment program, a DoED plan to implement a degree program earnings test, loan forgiveness, and alternative financing. They also answered questions from the in-person and virtual audience. Watch the entire program by accessing the link at the top of this page. Welcome Guest! You are here: Home Maharashtra Class 10 (SSC) 2026 Hall Ticket released The Maharashtra State Board of Secondary & Higher Secondary Education (MSBSHSE) released today on its official website mahahsscboard.in the Hall Ticket (Admit Card) of the students who have registered for SSC (also known as Class X and Class 10th SSC) 2026 exams Maharashtra SSC Hall Ticket 2026: The Maharashtra State Board of Secondary & Higher Secondary Education (MSBSHSE) released today on its official website mahahsscboard.in the Hall Ticket (Admit Card) of the students who have registered for SSC (also known as Class X and Class 10th SSC) 2026 exams. Maharashtra 10th students should however note that they are not required to download the Hall Ticket or Admit Card of Maharashtra board 2026 exams. As per the Maharashtra State Board of Secondary & Higher Secondary Education (MSBSHSE) directives, the respective schools will download the Hall Tickets and Admit Cards, and distribute them to the SSC or Matric students. Steps: How To Download SSC Hall Ticket? Visit the official website " mahahsscboard.in ". ". On the homepage, login with the required credentials. The admit card will be displayed on the screen. Download and save it for future reference. The Maharashtra State Board had earlier published on its official website the final time table according to which the SSC Class 10 or Class Xth 2026 exams will begin on February 20 and end on March 18, 2026. Maharashtra 10th, 12th Exams 2025 The Class 10 exams in Maharashtra last year were held from February 21 to March 17, 2025. The Class 10th result 2025 was declared on May 13, 2025. On the other hand, the Class 12 exams in Maharashtra last year started on February 11 and ended on March 11, 2025. The Class 12th result 2025 was declared on May 05, 2025. The Higher Secondary Certificate (HSC) and Secondary School Certificate (SSC) Examinations in the state are conducted by the Maharashtra State Board of Secondary & Higher Secondary Education MSBSHSE) during the months of February and March through its nine Divisional Boards, which are primarily located at Pune, Mumbai, Nashik, Aurangabad, Kolhapur, Latur, Nagpu, Amravati and Ratnagiri. The Maharashtra State Board of Secondary and Higher Secondary Education (MSBSHSE) is an autonomous body constituted under the provisions of the Maharashtra Act No. 41 of 1965. The office of the board at present is in Pune. Follow ummid.com WhatsApp Channel for all the latest updates. Select Language to Translate in Urdu, Hindi, Marathi or Arabic Jan 22 (Reuters) - Paramount Skydance on Thursday extended the deadline on its hostile tender offer for Warner Bros Discovery to February 20, giving it more time to persuade investors that its bid for the Hollywood studio trumps a rival deal with Netflix. With DC Comics, iconic franchises from "Friends" to "Batman" and the HBO Max streaming service at stake, a successful deal would change the power dynamics of Hollywood and could help power growth at its suitor for years to come. Netflix on Tuesday revised its $82.7 billion offer to go all-cash in hopes of expediting the deal closure and providing greater financial certainty to investors worried about its previously stock-and-cash deal. It is now paying all the $27.75 a share bid in cash for the streaming and studio assets of the David Zaslav-led company, an offer that was unanimously approved by the Warner Bros board. Paramount has launched a charm offensive and sued Warner Bros to bring the HBO owner to the negotiation table. But Warner Bros has suggested that Paramount needs to raise its $108.4 billion, or $30-per-share, offer for the whole company to restart deal talks. Warner Bros' board earlier this month rejected an amended Paramount bid that included a $40 billion in equity personally guaranteed by Oracle's co-founder and Paramount CEO David Ellison's father, Larry Ellison. The deadline for Paramount's offer was originally January 21. The race is expected to come to a head at a shareholder vote expected to be held by April as Warner investors weigh the value of cable assets that Paramount argues are worthless. Warner Bros has said that its advisers used three separate approaches for valuing Discovery Global - the spinoff company that would include the cable assets. The lowest share price they arrived at was $1.33 per share, by applying a single value across the whole company. The high end of the range was a price of $6.86 a share, if the spinoff became involved in a future deal. Paramount has repeatedly said that its offer is superior to Netflix's deal and has a clearer path towards regulatory approval. The Ellisons have argued their relationship with President Donald Trump gives them an easier regulatory path to approval. Netflix co-CEO Ted Sarandos said on a post-earnings call on Tuesday that the company has made progress towards securing the necessary regulatory approvals. Netflix expects the addition of HBO Max would allow it to offer more personalized and flexible subscription options to better meet the needs of its diverse global audience. It also sees the theatrical business as a new revenue stream. A financially stretched US consumer continues to power mixed earnings results at P&G. Procter & Gamble (PG) stock fell 1.5% in premarket trading on Thursday as the company's second fiscal quarter sales missed estimates in the grooming, fabric care, and baby categories as consumers traded down to cheaper private label options. P&G did beat earnings estimates and maintain its full-year outlook. "We are seeing sales growth in our categories in the US and Europe, albeit at a slower pace," Procter & Gamble CFO Andre Schulten told Yahoo Finance. "The consumer is choosing to be a little bit more diligent in terms of using pantry inventory, maybe dosing the product a little bit more carefully, maybe making choices in terms of how frequently they use," Schulten said. "None of this is untypical. None of this will sustain. So we firmly believe the category over time will return to three to 4% growth." The Street has braced for softer results from P&G, with the stock down about 6% in the past six months. "The K-shaped economy powers trade-down in basics but trade-up within the more discretionary Beauty sub-sector," said Evercore analyst Robert Ottenstein on the headwinds consumer products companies are currently experiencing. Read more: What is a 'K-shaped' economy, and whats causing the divide? Earnings insight: Sales misses in key product categories Net sales: $22.2 billion, +1% from the prior year vs. $22.32 billion estimate Organic sales growth: Unchanged vs. +0.54% estimate Beauty segment organic revenue growth: +4% vs. +2.87% estimate Grooming segment organic revenue growth: 0% vs. +2.42% estimate Healthcare segment organic revenue growth: +3% vs. +1.73% estimate Fabric and home care segment organic revenue growth: 0% vs. +1.2% estimate Baby, feminine, and family care segment organic revenue growth: -4% vs. -3.2% estimate Gross margin: 51.2% vs. 52.2% estimate Adjusted EPS: $1.88, unchanged from the prior year vs. $1.86 estimate What else caught our attention: Reaffirmed outlook Full-year organic sales growth: Reiterated (previous: 0% to +4%; estimate: +1.7%) Full-year earnings per share: Reiterated (previous: $6.83 to $7.09; estimate: $6.97) Correction: A previous version of this article misspelled Procter & Gamble. We regret the error. Brian Sozzi is Yahoo Finance's Executive Editor and a member of Yahoo Finance's editorial leadership team. Follow Sozzi on X @BrianSozzi, Instagram, and LinkedIn. Tips on stories? Email brian.sozzi@yahoofinance.com. Click here for all of the latest retail stock news and events to better inform your investing strategy Registered nurse Lindsay Nevarez demonstrates how nitrous oxide is administered to patients in the Women and Children Center at Ivinson Memorial Hospital. (IMH Photo) Ivinson Memorial Hospital (IMH) and the University of Wyomings Fay W. Whitney School of Nursing have partnered to address critical nursing education needs through an embedded clinical faculty position -- a creative solution to the nationwide challenges in nursing education and workforce development. Enhancing strategic partnerships within our community is a high priority for Ivinson, and we are particularly invested in the partnership with the University of Wyomings Fay W. Whitney School of Nursing for the embedded faculty program, says Sagan Wheeler, IMHs chief human resources officer. Not only will this program allow opportunity for career growth in our current employees; it will strengthen our critical recruitment pipeline with the university. Under this partnership, a nurse at IMH also will serve as an embedded faculty member, working both at IMH and as a member of the UW nursing faculty -- a dual role that creates a natural bridge between academic preparation and clinical practice. This position will be financially supported by both UW and IMH. Across the country, nursing schools are experiencing challenges hiring clinical faculty due to the shortage of nursing professionals. These clinical faculty play a crucial role in educating future nurses. They oversee nursing students during clinical rotations, assign students to patients and evaluate their competencies as they prepare to become registered nurses. The traditional model means that hospitals can lose experienced nurses to full-time academic positions. This creates gaps in the workforce -- which is particularly challenging for the rural health care facilities in Wyoming. The embedded faculty model offers an innovative alternative, allowing experienced nurses to expand their roles while maintaining their hospital positions. We are thrilled to have this expanded partnership with IMH that benefits both the clinical teaching needs of our program and the career opportunities for IMH nurses to support nursing workforce needs for our community, says Sherrill Smith, dean of the Fay W. Whitney School of Nursing. This partnership delivers significant advantages for both institutions. For UW, the partnership helps maintain current enrollment levels and positions the nursing school for expanded capacity in the future. The school previously had to reduce enrollment from 48 to 40 students in 2020 due to faculty shortages, making this partnership crucial for expanded nursing cohorts. For IMH, the partnership allows experienced nurses to grow professionally while continuing to serve patients. The embedded faculty member also serves as an ambassador and recruiter, giving students direct exposure to employment opportunities at IMH. Additionally, this collaboration supports IMHs pursuit of Pathway to Excellence designation and goals outlined in the hospitals Roadmap 2030 strategic plan. The embedded faculty model has shown success at institutions across the country. The University of Southern Mississippi, for example, has been able to admit more students and provide a direct solution to increasing the number of nursing graduates entering the workforce. Research published in nursing education journals has documented the effectiveness of these partnerships in addressing faculty shortages while maintaining educational quality. IMH has been and continues to be a significant partner with the University of Wyoming, says Angela Ver Ploeg, senior director of corporate engagement at the UW Foundation. We are grateful to have their support for this unique opportunity and the ability to think innovatively alongside them to help meet mutual needs for nurse education. IMH has served the Laramie community and surrounding region for over a century, providing comprehensive health care services to southeastern Wyoming. The hospital is committed to excellence in patient care, employee development and community health. UWs Fay W. Whitney School of Nursing is dedicated to educating the next generation of nursing professionals through innovative teaching methods and strong community partnerships. The school offers Bachelor of Science in Nursing, Master of Science in Nursing and Doctor of Nursing Practice programs and is committed to addressing health care workforce needs across Wyoming and beyond. March NY world sugar #11 (SBH26) today is down -0.23 (-1.54%). March London ICE white sugar #5 (SWH26) is down -4.90 (-1.15%). Sugar prices are sliding today amid ramped-up production in India. On Monday, the India Sugar Mill Association (ISMA) reported that India's 2025-26 sugar output from Oct 1-Jan 15 is up +22% y/y to 15.9 MMT. More News from Barchart Higher sugar production in Brazil is also bearish for prices after Unica reported last Tuesday that Brazil's cumulative 2025-26 Center-South sugar output through mid-December rose by +0.9% y/y to 40.158 MMT. Also, the ratio of cane crushed for sugar rose to 50.91% in 2025/36 from 48.19% in 2024/25. The outlook for a global sugar surplus is weighing on prices. Last Monday, Covrig Analytics raised its 2025/26 global sugar surplus estimate to 4.7 MMT from 4.1 MMT in October. However, Covrig projects that the 2026/27 global sugar surplus will fall to 1.4 MMT, as weak prices discourage production. Signs of stronger sugar output in India are negative for prices. The India Sugar Mill Association (ISMA) on November 11 raised its 2025/26 India sugar production estimate to 31 MMT from an earlier forecast of 30 MMT, up +18.8% y/y. The ISMA also cut its estimate for sugar used for ethanol production in India to 3.4 MMT from a July forecast of 5 MMT, which may allow India to boost its sugar exports. India is the world's second-largest sugar producer. Sugar prices have been under pressure amid prospects of higher sugar exports from India, after India's food secretary said the government may permit additional sugar exports to reduce a domestic supply glut. In November, India's food ministry said it would allow mills to export 1.5 MMT of sugar in the 2025/26 season. India introduced a quota system for sugar exports in 2022/23 after late rain reduced production and limited domestic supplies. The outlook for record sugar output in Brazil is bearish for prices. Conab, Brazil's crop forecasting agency, on November 4 raised its Brazil 2025/26 sugar production estimate to 45 MMT from a previous forecast of 44.5 MMT. An excessively long position in London ICE white sugar futures could exacerbate any price decline. Friday's weekly Commitment of Traders (COT) report showed funds boosted their white sugar positions by 4,544 net long positions to a record 48,203 (data from 2011). Geneva M. Paulson, age 82, of Parkers Prairie, died peacefully on Friday, January 30, 2026, at St. Williams Living Center under the exceptional care of their staff and the assistance of Hospice of Douglas County. Ryanair (RYAAY) stock closed higher on Jan. 20 after Elon Musk, the billionaire chief executive of Tesla (TSLA), asked his social media followers if he should buy the discount airline. His poll on X followed a public dispute with Ryanairs head Michael OLeary, who dismissed the idea of partnering with Starlink for in-flight WiFi. More News from Barchart Including todays gains, Ryanair stock is up a remarkable 72% versus its 52-week low. www.barchart.com Does Musks Poll Matter for Ryanair Stock? Ryanairs refusal to install Starlink for in-flight WiFi citing cost concerns reinforces the companys commitment to capital discipline. While Musks social media poll amplified retail interest in RYAAY shares today, it doesnt really mean anything for investors given the lack of credibility from a regulatory standpoint. The European Unions aviation regulations mandate that airlines operating within the bloc maintain at least 50% ownership and effective control by EU nationals. Its a requirement that would categorically block Musk a U.S. citizen from acquiring controlling interest in Ireland-based Ryanair Holdings Plc. In short, the investment thesis for RYAAY remains rooted in the air carriers fundamentals rather than speculative chatter of a potential acquisition on social media. Should You Buy RYAAY Shares Today? While Ryanair shares had a blockbuster 2025, theres reason for investors to consider trimming their exposure to the low-cost airline this year. Why? Because its financials could make it increasingly difficult for the stock to push any higher. RYAAY will report its Q3 earnings next week on Jan. 26. Consensus is for it to record $0.16 per share of earnings, down an alarming 45% from the same quarter last year. Moreover, the airline is going for about 14x forward earnings, more than double the multiple on its peer Deutsche Lufthansa (DLAKY). Note that Ryanair remains below its 20-day moving average (MA), indicating bears could remain in control in the near term. How Wall Street Recommends Playing Ryanair Despite expected weakness in Q3 financials, Wall Street analysts continue to recommend sticking with RYAAY stock. The consensus rating on Ryanair sits at Moderate Buy with the mean target of about $73 signaling potential upside of more than 5% from here. By Yoruk Bahceli LONDON, Jan 22 (Reuters) - Europe accounted for 80% of foreign buying of U.S. Treasuries from April to November last year, according to portfolio data tracked by Citi, suggesting little interest in the region for the 'Sell America' trade during last year's market turmoil. Since U.S. President Donald Trump announced his sweeping "Liberation Day" tariffs in April, Europe has accounted for 240 billion euros ($280.85 billion) of the total 301 billion-euro increase in foreign holdings of U.S. Treasuries, Citi wrote, citing data through November released by the U.S. Treasury last week. Foreign holdings of U.S. Treasuries reached a record high in November, the data showed. Trump's threat last weekend to raise tariffs on several European countries unless the United States is allowed to buy Greenland prompted analysts, including Deutsche Bank, to question whether European investors might offload U.S. assets. Similar concerns surfaced last year amid doubts over the safe-haven status of Treasuries and the dollar, as Trump clashed with allies over trade and security and publicly criticised the Federal Reserve. The U.S. data may however overstate European investor ownership of Treasuries, given that this region is home to large financial centres that market participants from elsewhere use to trade or hold assets. NORDIC PENSION FUNDS SELL TREASURIES This week, Swedish pension fund Alecta announced it had sold most of its U.S. Treasury holdings over the last year, while Denmark's AkademikerPension said it would sell its holdings by the end of this month. Financial markets have calmed down after Trump ruled out seizing the island by force and dropped his tariff threats on Wednesday. "Investor focus may remain on the 'sell America' narrative amid persistent headline risk out of the U.S. In this debate, the context from post-'Liberation Day' flows might be useful," Citi analysts led by senior European rates strategist Aman Bansal wrote in a note to clients. One of the key themes investors watched last year was whether concerns around the safety of U.S. assets would boost Europe's appeal for investors. Separate data released by the European Central Bank through November this week shows a pick-up in the monthly purchase rate of euro zone debt by foreign investors since April, Citi noted. "On balance, these data indicate an increased global appetite for euro-area fixed income, but alongside strong continued inflows into U.S. Treasuries and with no signs of European selling since Liberation Day," they added. Marymount International School is seeking part-time recess monitors for 2 hours per day for the Elementary School. Immediate start, fixed-term contract until end of June 2026. Candidates must be bilingual, fluent in both English and Italian, and have a genuine interest in working with children. Those interested are asked to visit the School's website www.marymountrome.com to download the Recruitment Form and send to essecretary@marymountrome.com. Zanabazar exhibition at Galleria Borghese from 20 January until 22 February 2026. Rome's Galleria Borghese hosts an exhibition that bridges the gap between the European Baroque and the Far East. This exhibition is a collaboration with the Museum of Oriental Art in Turin and highlights the work of Zanabazar (16351723), a pivotal spiritual leader and artist known as the "Michelangelo of Mongolia." For the first time in Europe, visitors can see two of his masterpieces from the Chinggis Khaan National Museum: the Green Tara and a bronze self-portrait of the artist. The exhibition places these Buddhist bronze sculptures in direct conversation with the Baroque masterpieces of Gian Lorenzo Bernini. This juxtaposition explores the concept of a "Global Baroque" - showing how different cultures across the world simultaneously pursued a similar artistic energy, formal elegance and spiritual intensity. For exhibition details and tickets see the Galleria Borghese website. Image: Zanabazar alla Galleria Borghese. Dalla Mongolia al Barocco Globale - Installation view. Photo: A. Benedetti Galleria Borghese. By Bairbre Holmes, Press Association Therapists and survivors of sexual abuse handed in bags of shredded counselling notes to the Department of Justice on Thursday, describing changes in the laws around the use of such records during trials as patronising. A letter from survivors to Minister for Justice Jim OCallaghan was also handed in as part of the protest, which took place shortly before a Bill legislating on the matter was debated in the Dail. An amendment to the Criminal Law and Civil Law (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2025 would require a disclosure hearing takes place before counselling records are allowed into evidence during sexual assault trials. Under the current legislation, complainants can waive their right to such a hearing. We feel that they're actually pushing us backwards and not forwards. Were trying to get survivors a right to heal, as well as a right to seek justice Bairbre Kelly, campaigner Speaking in the Dail, Mr OCallaghan said this has not operated as intended and complainants feel pressurised to agree to the waiver. The amendment will remove the waiver, so there will be a hearing in all cases. Speaking on the steps of the department, Paula Doyle, who had her counselling notes used in evidence during a rape trial, said the experience left her feeling so contaminated and vile she self-harmed. She agreed to hand her records over to the Director of Public Prosecutions as a hearing would have delayed her case another six to nine months. Ruth Coppinger backed a complete ban on therapy notes being used in trials. Photo: Brian Lawless/PA. I was barely surviving at the time, she said. I couldnt see tomorrow, never mind six to nine months. So, I said, Oh, its OK, take them not knowing that they would actually be used in court. Prior to handing them over to the Director of Public Prosecutions, she had to read three and a half, four years of records. She said it was distressing, it was really difficult, it was hard to relive what she had gone through. Jim OCallaghan said the law had not worked as intended. Photo: Conor O Mearain/PA. I was healing, but that just sent me straight back. Campaigner and therapist, Bairbre Kelly, described the amendment as patronising and it doesnt go nearly far enough. If anything, we feel that theyre actually pushing us backwards and not forwards. Were trying to get survivors a right to heal, as well as a right to seek justice. She said the amendments are proving that survivors are not protected and respected in Irish law. The Therapists Against Harm founder said a campaign launched last week, where therapists take a pledge to never hand over counselling notes, is growing incredibly fast. People Before Profit-Solidarity TD Ruth Coppinger has backed the campaign. She said the amendment takes agency away from the complainant and hands all power to the judge and introduces another traumatising hearing for victims to sit through. A similar system introduced in Canada in 2020 led to an increase in requests for counselling notes from the defence, she said. She added: We want a complete ban, there shouldnt be any fear on behalf of somebody that their notes will be accessed at all. Addressing the Dail, Mr OCallaghan said the attorney generals advice was that such a ban is not compatible with the constitution, but said the legislation being debated was not the end of the matter. He said: Im committed to restricting intrusions into victims privacy rights to the maximum extent permissible under the constitution. Mr OCallaghan said he was looking into other measures which would mean it would become the default position that counselling notes are not to be disclosed. And they would only be used if an accuseds fair trial rights are at risk. He said he intends to expand the protections of the legislation to encompass other records containing sensitive personal data, such as medical records, child protection records and other such documents. If you have been affected by any of the issues raised in this article, you can call the national 24-hour Rape Crisis Helpline at 1800-77 8888, access text service and webchat options at drcc.ie/services/helpline/ or visit Rape Crisis Help. In the case of an emergency, always dial 999/112. Investors are selling America in spades Tuesday: The 10-year Treasury yield is at its highest point since August; the U.S. dollar slid; and the traditional safe-haven metal investmentsgold and silversurged once again to record highs. The CEO of UBS Group, the worlds largest private bank, thinks this market is making a dangerous bet. Diversifying away from America is impossible, UBS Group CEO Sergio Ermotti told Bloomberg in a television interview at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, on Tuesday. Things can change rapidly, and the U.S. is the strongest economy in the world, the one who has the highest level of innovation right now. The catalyst for the selloff was fresh escalation from U.S. President Donald Trump, who has threatened a 10% tariff on eight European alliesincluding Germany, France, and the U.K.unless they cede to his demands to acquire Greenland. Trump also threatened a 200% tariff on French wine and Champagne to pressure French President Emmanuel Macron to join his Board of Peace. Trumps favorite Mr. Tariff is back, and bond investors are unhappy with the volatility. But if investors keep getting caught up in the chaos of day-to-day politics and shun the U.S., theyll miss the forest for the trees, Ermotti argued. While admitting the current environment is bumpy, he pointed to a statistic: Last year alone, the U.S. created 25 million new millionaires. For a wealth manager like UBS, that is 1,000 new millionaires a day. To shun that level of innovation in U.S. equities for gold would be a shortsighted move that ignores the long-term innovation of the U.S. economy. We see two big levers: First of all, wealth creation, GDP growth, innovation, and also more idiosyncratic to UBS is that we see potential for us to become more present, increase our market share, Ermotti said. But if something doesnt give in the standoff between the European Union and Trump, there could be potential further de-dollarization, this time, from Europe selling its U.S. bonds, George Saravelos, head of FX research at Deutsche Bank, wrote in a note Sunday. Indeed, on Tuesday, Danish pension funds sold $100 million in U.S. Treasuries, allegedly owing to poor U.S. finances, though the pension funds chief said of the debacle over Greenland: Of course, that didnt make it more difficult to take the decision. Europe owns twice as many U.S. bonds and equities as the rest of the world combined. If the rest of Europe follows Denmarks lead, that could be an $8 trillion market at risk, Saravelos argued. Ellen O'Donoghue The Luas extension to Poolbeg is finally powering ahead, a Fine Gael TD has said. It is set to arrive "far sooner than anyone expected," according to Fine Gael's Dublin spokesperson, James Geoghegan. He said he received the confirmation from the National Transport Authority (NTA) through a parliamentary question. This project was once viewed as decades away but is now advancing to the next stage of development ahead of major changes in population growth and infrastructure planning in Dublins docklands, Mr Geoghegan said. The NTA confirmed the Luas Poolbeg pre-feasibility study has been completed, and Transport Infrastructure Ireland (TII) has been instructed to progress the project to phase one of the NTA's Project Approval Guidelines in 2026, including the procurement of engineering designers. In 2021, the NTA considered the Luas to Poolbeg a long-term project that would not be examined until after 2042, based on demand projections at that time, but that position has now changed significantly, according to Mr Geoghegan. "Ive been campaigning for the Luas to Poolbeg for many months because the facts on the ground have fundamentally changed. In 2021, this was seen as something decades away, but that position has now shifted decisively," he said. We are now seeing real housing delivery in the area, including almost 1,000 people currently moving into the Glass Bottle site alone, with many thousands more to follow as development continues. "I have consistently pushed for a common-sense approach, aligning the Luas extension with Dublin Ports expansion plans, including the new bridge which has already been structurally designed to accommodate Luas tracks," Mr Geoghegan said. He added that the confirmation from the NTA shows that the project is "now actively moving forward and on a dramatically accelerated timeline compared to what was originally envisaged. "The new bridge forms part of the 3FM and Southern Port Access Route project and is designed to remove heavy goods vehicles and port traffic from existing public roads while also enabling high-capacity public transport into the Poolbeg area. As part of a pilot project BreakingNews.ie has used AI to suggest headline options for this article. The final headline was chosen and edited by BreakingNews.ie journalists. Find out more Criticism is being directed at the OPW (Office of Public Works) regarding their shameful response to the status of four vacant Garda barracks in County Waterford. The former barracks in Kill, Lemybrien, Rathgormack and Kilmeaden have been out of use for decades. However, in a recent statement to Waterford City & County Council, the OPW asserted that the four buildings are still operational as Garda stations and therefore cannot be repurposed. A subsequent statement this newspaper received from Waterford City and County Council, said: "The Garda stations referenced are all operational and as An Garda Siochana has not advised the OPW that any of these properties is surplus to requirements, the OPW is not in a position to plan for the conversion or re-use of any of the properties listed." In November, The Waterford News & Star also contacted An Garda Siochana for comment, however no answer was received. Representatives from the impacted areas spoke this week about the issue, voicing frustrations over the OPWs handling of the matter. Cllr Liam Brazil described the OPWs response as an insult to councillors and to Waterford City and County Council. I dont accept the answer that came back from the OPW saying these buildings are in use, because I can guarantee you any of the four buildings havent been in use for the past twenty years Cllr Brazil said. Cllr Brazil compared the handling of the issue to the Leinster House bike shed debacle. There was an issue raised about the bike shed a couple years ago up in Dublin, and this is an example of the same thing. At the OPW, one hand doesnt know what the other hand is doing. That will tell you what were dealing with." Meanwhile, Cllr Seanie Power said that its a shame to see the barracks lying idle. He added that derelict garda stations in neighbouring county Cork have recently been put onto the market, whilst the Waterford stations remain dormant. Councillors were informed during last week's Comeragh District meeting that the issue would be brought back to Waterford City and County Councils Housing Director, with a view to opening further engagement with the OPW. READ MORE (Funded by the Local Democracy Scheme) There were scenes of great celebration in County Waterford recently when a local member of the clergy celebrated his 100th birthday. Expressions of good will and congratulations were extended to Very Rev. Fr. Donal OConnor who celebrated his milestone birthday at the Community Hospital, Dungarvan. Canon OConnor was born in Modeligo, on January 11, and at a young age travelled to Rome to complete his postgraduate studies. Upon returning to Ireland, Cannon OConnor worked as a curate and also taught theology in St. Johns College, Waterford, and St. Patricks College, Maynooth, before being appointed Parish Priest of Ardmore and Grange. Canon OConnor continued to work as a Parish Priest until the age of 75, when he retired as a full-time priest and moved to Dungarvan to work as an assistant priest before fully retiring. Canon OConnor has given a lifetime of service to many communities, who congratulate him on his 100th birthday and wish him the very best of health and happiness for the future. Music fans in Waterford are in for a real treat next month when a double headline gig takes place in Phil Grimes pub. Shane Barry & the Night Post and Rooftop Fox, will share the bill on Saturday, February 7, with the gig kicking off at 8.30pm. One of Waterfords most accomplished songwriters, Barry will make a welcome return with a brand new band and a whole new set of songs. The show will also be Shane Barry & the Night Post's Waterford debut in Phil Grimes, bringing the sound of Americana and roots to Barrys latest batch of compositions. Complemented by Conor Walsh on drums, Cian Dalton on double bass, Gerry Madden on mandolin, and Fintan Kavanagh on violin, Shane Barry & the Night Post will unveil songs about being jailed for Jesus, hen nights gone wrong, kids first days at school, a new anthem for commuting workers, and many more. Having made his name under Shane Barry & the Distractions over 15 years ago with the album, Radio Friction, Shane has been releasing music and performing his own songs with various lineups since then, culminating recently in the 12-piece band performances of his solo album, Songs from the Silver South. The new lineup is specifically chosen for their musical expertise and experience to allow Shane to present his most recent narrative-driven songs in a more acoustic, looser, Americana setting. This gig is a double-headline gig with UK indie band Rooftop Fox, featuring Chris Dunne, formally of this parish. Rooftop Fox will be performing at the gig Once described as Tom Waits meets Radiohead, alternative-rock project Rooftop Fox weaves Christophers unique vocals through a spectrum that shifts from melodic folk to lush, psychedelic rock. Recent EP, Problem Solving For an Ever Evolving Problem, was written and recorded by Christopher in London, in his own flat with the help of talented friends and collaborators from Cork and Clare, in Ireland. The EP marks a new chapter in the Rooftop Fox journey. Determined to create a more raw and organic sound, Christopher turned to live drums, recorded at Brendan Fennessys (O Emperor) studio in Cork, and enlisted the expertise of renowned guitarist Alan Comerford (O Emperor, Mick Flannery) to elevate the electric textures. Energised by the response to the live sound of their second EP, Christopher was inspired to form his first band in over a decade, in early 2025. The four-piece has since played multiple shows across London and they are eager to bring their sound home to audiences in Ireland. Organised over a flurry of WhatsApp messages, the two bands have carved out a weekend of gigs together, starting in Cork and finishing in Kilkenny. For local music fans the Waterford gig will offer a great night of original music and give fans to experience something just a little bit different.. Tickets are 10 advance on ie.powertik.com or 12 on the door. For more information go to shanebmusic or rooftopfoxmusic on Instagram Former Waterford Whisky owner Mark Reynier is making a bid to buy back 12 million worth of bulk stock from the companys receivers, the Waterford News & Star understands. Founded in 2014 by Mr Reynier, Waterford Whisky entered receivership in November 2024 after a sustained period of financial hardship and a failure to raise fresh equity. The company now lies in the hands of Interpath Advisorys Mark Degnan and Daryll McKenna. The intellectual property and distillery owned by Waterford Whisky are to be offloaded separately from its stock. According to the latest filings from Waterford Whisky in 2022, the stock was valued at 40 million. Tennessee Distilling Group is in exclusive talks with Interpath Advisory to take over the distillery. The company was founded by former Tennessee state legislator Mike Williams. Photo: Joe Evans That figure accounts for the cost of production of whiskey, but the retail value of the whiskey is understood to be in excess of 100 million. The stock now sits in Stafford Bonded's warehouse in Tramore. Tennessee Distilling Group, an American whiskey contract producer, have been in exclusive negotiations to take over the distillery and Waterford Whiskys IP for 6 million. Terroir-based premium Waterford Whisky was founded in 2014, with Mr Reynier taking control of the former Diageo brewery on Grattan Quay for a price of 7.2 million. Mr Reynier sought to create a premium whiskey product based on terroir - the idea that the natural environment shapes the flavour profile of given products. The brand emphasised a unique level of traceability. Each bottle of whiskey had a QR code that, when scanned, would show consumers the exact farmer who grew the whiskeys barley, the soil type it was planted into, and the relevant fertiliser used. The brand sold its whiskey at a high market value - a 700ml bottle of Ballybannon Single Malt Whiskey retails at 89.95 on CarryOut.ie. Waterford Whisky went to market in March 2020. Just days after its launch, former Taoiseach Leo Varadkar addressed the nation, ushering in Covid restrictions that would eventually span almost two years. Waterford Whisky created a significant surplus of stock, partly to sustain the brand as it scaled and partly to ensure the company had tranches of stock to sell quickly if it encountered choppy waters. Unbeknownst to Mr Reynier was that most industry heavyweights were using the same playbook, with titans like Jameson flooding the pandemic-era market. Waterford Whisky was unable to shift stock quickly, and rising rates of interest meant that Waterford Whisky couldnt claw back revenue quickly enough without a dedicated consumer base. The Bank of Englands rates rose from 0.25 at the end of 2021 to 5.25 in September 2023. A downturn across the entire drinks industry has also been well-publicised. Guinness owner Diageo's stock has plummeted post-pandemic, shedding almost 44% of its share value over the past two years. Pernod Ricard, the owner of Jameson Whiskey, has shed 50% of its value in the same period. Issues with Waterford Whisky's American import partner only helped to contribute to the companys fiscal woes. When Waterford Whisky did fall into receivership, the company reportedly owed almost 70 million to their main lender, HSBC. Mr Reynier spoke to the News & Star in December 2024. Costs were bleeding us dry, and we had an inability to develop our sales because of the market situation globally, he said. Mr Reynier also owns Renegade Rum, a premium rum produced in Grenada. Mr Reynier began as a French wine distributor in the 1980s. He made his grand entrance to the drinks industry when he bought an abandoned distillery in Islay, Scotland, for 6 million from Jim Beam in 2000. He then revived the Bruichladdich distillery, eventually flipping the asset to French spirits group Remy Cointreau for 58 million in 2012. Mr Reynier made it clear during interviews in 2024 that he still holds vast affection for the company, and harbours ambitions to gain back at least partial control. The Irish Farming Association (IFA) wrote to Waterford City and County Council requesting to meet urgently to get the full facts surrounding the pollution of River Mahon being attributed to farmers. Every four months, lobbying groups must disclose their activities under Irish law. The IFA have long been considered the most prolific lobbying force in Ireland- with political opposition to Mercosur case in point- but disclosures released on January 20 show they also narrow in on local issues. In Waterford, the farming group lobbied current Waterford Council Chief Executive Sean McKeown and his predecessor Michael Walsh through a series of emails, informal communications and one designated meeting. The IFA said pollution of the Comeragh Mountains River Mahon and its estuary was attributed to agriculture. IFA understand that this was challenged, and the Council accepted that there was no evidence to support this classification, the association wrote in its lobbying disclosures. The IFA sought to emphasise that agriculture seems to have been named as the cause of poor water quality by default." The IFA and its members are fully committed to improving water quality, and IFA members in the Mahon area and beyond have already taken significant actions on their farms," it said in its disclosure. To ensure that any instances where failed bathing water results were attributed to agricultural diffuse pollution without supporting evidence are reviewed and corrected where necessary. Chamber lobbying Waterford council was also lobbied by both of the countys chambers of commerce. Correspondence was sent to the council asking to freeze commercial rates on businesses before the councillors voted in their 2026 budget that raised rates by 3.5%. Dungarvan & West Waterford Chamber e-mailed West Waterford councillors, Waterford TDs, Senator Joe Conway and various Government ministers requesting a revised approach to rental policy. The Chamber requested that a three-year security model be considered as opposed to the six-year tenancies of minimum duration (that come into effect after six months) applied to all new tenancies from 1 March 2026. Waterford Chamber of Commerce sent an email to Waterford TD John Cummins and Mary Butler, as well as the Taoiseach and Tanaiste, asking them to consider hosting some of Irelands 26 EU Presidency meetings in Waterford. The chamber also called on the councils executive to consider parking fee concessions over the Christmas period. The disclosures show clear-cut examples of the effect lobbying can have on concrete policy. On Tuesday, January 21st, records were filed that detailed communications between the National Youth Centre for Mental Health and Director of Services for Waterford council, Ivan Grimes, in identifying a suitable property for a Jigsaw service. Fianna Fail councillor and Metropolitan Mayor Adam Wyse received requests from the coalition Mental Health Reform asking to speak at an event to highlight the contribution of mental health charities in the South East. The Order of Malta contacted Fine Gael councillor Lola OSullivan to provide grant aid to fix the organisations roof in Tramore. Oireachtas influence Waterford TDs were lobbied across a range of areas, largely relating to their own areas of expertise. Minister for Mental Health Mary Butler TD saw communications from the Irish Hospital Consultants Association that sought to ensure the adoption of key principles in the restructuring of mental health services including a whole system approach. Minister Butler also met with Waterford Intellectual Disability Association in relation to funding deficits for the organisation. Minister of State for Local Government and Planning John Cummins TD was lobbied by groups like Ibec, Cork Chamber and the Royal Institute of Architects of Ireland (RIAI). An opaque lobbyist called the Godland Group contacted Minister Cummins about a new alternative, debt-free mortgage model and a proposal that would bring in approximately 5060 billion in foreign direct investment to support the delivery of c.350,000 affordable, sustainable homes. The group held a virtual meeting with Sinn Fein housing spokesperson Eoin O Broin on July 9 2025. Sinn Fein health spokesperson David Cullinane TD received contacts from the Irish Voluntary Healthcare Association, Irish Heart Foundation, Alcohol Action Ireland and Pfizer. Sinn Fein TD Conor McGuinness, who chairs the Oireachtas Committee on Fisheries and Maritime Affairs, was lobbied by Irish Fish Producers Organisations Ltd and Irish-language education activists Gaeloideachas. Funded by the Local Democracy Scheme Students across County Waterford are being encouraged to go out and shoot their trees. However, the 'shooting' in this case is through the lens of a camera as Coillte is inviting primary schools in Waterford to take part in the 2026 National Tree Week photography competition. Schools in Waterford are invited to capture a photo of their favourite tree or outdoor nature space, for a chance to win a class trip to Beyond the Trees Avondale, in Co Wicklow..a The Schools Photography Competition is now open with entries accepted until 12 noon on Tuesday, February 24th. National Tree Week will take place from Sunday, March 8, to Sunday, March 15. The theme of this years National Tree Week will be 'Growing a Greener Future Together'. The competition, which will be third time it's been run, was launched in celebration of National Tree Week. An aim of the competition is to celebrate the important role Ireland's trees, forests and woodlands play in building a greener, more sustainable future. Last years competition attracted hundreds of entries from across the country and the four winning entries came from schools in counties Wicklow, Cork, Galway and Donegal, with classes taking part from junior infants to sixth class. The competition is designed to encourage students to connect with nature and reflect on the importance of trees. Schools are invited to submit a photograph, along with a short explanation as to why the tree or outdoor space captured is meaningful to them, through coillte.ie/national-tree-week/. National Tree Week, an initiative of The Tree Council of Ireland and supported by Coillte, will feature a wide variety of free events across Ireland designed to inspire, educate, and connect people of all ages to the importance and benefits of trees and forests. Commenting on the photography competition, Pat Neville, Communications Manager at Coillte said: The Coillte Schools Photography Competition has proven really popular among schools right across the country in recent years. Initiatives like this are designed to encourage a deeper appreciation of trees and the natural world and to reflect on the benefits of forests for climate, nature, wood, and people. Were excited to see the competition entries this year and encourage all schools to participate. Two women from Waterford were among the largest cohort of Irish Travellers to be conferred with postgraduate degrees from University of Limerick. At the recent ceremony thirteen members of the Travelling community were conferred with a Graduate Diploma/Master's in Sociology (Youth, Community and Social Regeneration). Described as a a proud moment for the Traveller community in Limerick and a landmark achievement for the Limerick Traveller Network, the ceremony marked a significant milestone as it featured the largest group of Irish Travellers to graduate from an Irish university. The historic event, which took place on Thursday, January 22, marked the largest group of Irish Travellers to graduate with Level 9 postgraduate qualification from any Irish university at any one time. Eleven of students are connected with the Limerick Traveller Network and two of the graduates, Ellen Casey and Bridie Casey, are from Waterford City but now live in Limerick. A spokesperson for UL commented that just 4.7 per cent of Travellers in Ireland have a third-level education in comparison to 47.7 per cent of the general population. Around 2 per cent of Travellers have obtained degrees, which indicates an alarmingly low level of participation by Travellers in higher education in Ireland. The UL Minceir/Traveller Programme was created in 2023 to ensure the educational aspirations of Minceir/Travellers was supported. Based on the principle of co-creation, the programme supports are designed and developed based on the needs identified by the Traveller community. In 2024, a collaboration was established between UL and the Limerick Traveller Network (LTN), a community-led network of Traveller representatives from across Limerick. Fourteen women from eight Traveller sites and two standard housing areas in Limerick, have been central to the work of the LTN with education identified early on as a key priority by LTN founders, Olive OReilly and Margaret OBrien, both of whom were among the graduates on Thursday. Margaret OBrien was conferred with a BA in Psychology while Olive OReilly is one of 11 Traveller women connected with the LTN to graduate from ULs MA in Sociology (Youth, Community and Social Regeneration). Dr Sindy Joyce, a Human Rights Defender (HRD), is Course Director of the MA in Sociology (Youth, Community and Social Regeneration) at UL and was the first Irish Traveller to graduate with a PhD in Ireland when she was conferred with her doctorate from UL in 2019, the same year that Olive OReilly and Margaret OBrien established the Limerick Traveller Network. Dr Joyce said: As a Traveller, an academic and Course Director of ULs MA in Sociology (Youth, Community and Social Regeneration), I am immensely proud of all my students graduating today. This masters has existed in UL for 15 years and has successfully trained students to work in a wide variety of settings in the youth and community sectors. With a strong international element, the MA attracts students from all over the world, including recent graduates as well as those already working in the NGO sector." I am particularly proud to have 13 of the students graduating from this years cohort coming from my own community, which shows me how our education system, once harmful to Travellers, can now be a tool of resistance," she said. Historically, for Travellers, the Irish education system was about changing our culture and leaving our identity behind but today highlights that our culture is not in conflict with our education system. Traveller voices and knowledge belong in our university spaces, and our epistemologies bring important methods and frameworks to research," she said. Dr Joyce went on to comment: Each Traveller graduating today makes it a little bit easier for our younger generation to engage with a system that was once so harmful to our community. I feel such pride today to celebrate this important milestone for our Traveller students who have shown courage, endurance and determination throughout their time here in UL. Meanwhile, Olive OReilly, co-founder of the Limerick Traveller Network and who graduated with a Masters in Sociology, described the overall graduation ceremony as a landmark achievement that marks a first for the Limerick Traveller Network and a proud moment for the wider Traveller community in Limerick". Olive left school at the age of 12 and returned to education in 2006 to complete a Diploma in Womens Studies at UL before embarking on her masters journey in 2024. She has devoted many years of her life to advocating and supporting her community on a voluntary capacity and is extremely passionate about human rights. Third-level qualifications play a critical role in improving access to employment and career progression for members of the Traveller community," she said. Of the 11 women who completed the masters programme at UL, one was already in employment, and four graduates have since secured employment, highlighting the direct impact of education on achieving employment and independence," she added. She said the graduates' achievements showed Travellers across the country that anything is possible if they believe in themselves and put their mind to it. Ellen OReilly, who graduated with a Masters in Sociology, left school at 15. Passing my Masters as a Traveller woman and a mother of four fills my heart with pride," she said. "There were moments I doubted myself, but I kept going. I did this for my children, for my community, and for every young Traveller who needs to see that their dreams are possible," she added. Margaret OBrien, co-founder of the Limerick Traveller Network, who graduated with a BA in Psychology, spoke of the significance of the occasion for the Traveller community in Limerick. The Limerick Traveller Network doesnt just open doors, we walk through them together and leave them wide open behind us," she said. Today the LTN celebrates 12 of our members graduating at UL, the home of firsts that awarded the first PhD to a Traveller," she added. "Now the first university in Ireland to award 13 Travellers with postgraduate qualifications, 11 of whom are members of the LTN." She said it was milestone within the Travelling community because it raised the bar for Travellers nationwide with seven more Travellers from the Limerick Traveller Network now studying at postgraduate level in UL following in the footsteps of the current graduates. The Minceir/Traveller Programme is led by the UL Access Office, through the Minceir/Traveller Coordinator, Edel ODonnell, who said: As the Minceir/Traveller programme coordinator in UL Access Office, I am proud to see 15 Traveller students graduate this week at UL who I have been supporting; 13 students on the MA in Sociology and a further two graduating with undergraduate degrees in Psychology and Nursing." Their achievements represent a personal journey of commitment, resilience and academic excellence, grounded in lived experience and self-belief," she said. The determination and achievement of each Traveller graduate, whose success not only marks their own personal milestone but contributes to widening participation and representation within higher education, stands as a powerful example of what is possible when individual lived experience is recognised, respected and valued within academic spaces," she added. Advertisement NationalWABondi shooting Bondi mourners pay respects at interfaith Perth service Hamish Hastie January 22, 2026 12:12pm Save You have reached your maximum number of saved items. Remove items from your saved list to add more. Save this article for later Add articles to your saved list and come back to them anytime. Got it Share A A A The head of Western Australias Anglican Church has declared light will win following the Bondi terror attack that claimed 15 innocent lives in a moving National Day of Mourning service at St Georges Cathedral in Perth. Archbishop of Perth Kay Goldsworthy led the service, which featured members of a range of communities of faith, including Jewish Community Council of WA president Dr Michael Levitt, who read from the book of Isaiah. Anglican Archbishop of Perth Kay Goldsworthy at the National Day of Mourning service at St Georges Cathedral in Perth. Hamish Hastie WA Premier Roger Cook, Governor Chris Dawson, and Emergency Services Minister Paul Papalia, Energy Minister Amber Jade Sanderson and Jewish upper house MP Simon Ehrenfeld also attended the service. The service was one of two held in Perth to mark the day following a service in the City of Stirling led by Stirling Mayor Mark Irwin and Perth Hebrew Congregation chief rabbi Daniel Lieberman on Thursday morning. Advertisement The theme of the day was light will win a gathering of unity and remembrance, which Goldsworthy spoke to in her prayer. Wherever we are, were holding before us a simple and powerful conviction. Light will prevail. Light will win, she said. Jewish Community Council of WA president Michael Levitt and Premier Roger Cook at the National Day of Mourning service at St Georges Cathedral in Perth. Hamish Hastie We dont say these words casually, and not because the darkness has been small. The very opposite, the violence that erupted in a place of everyday joy at Bondi on 14th of December, shattered lives, families, community and the sense of safety that many 21st-century Australians have been able to take for granted. Advertisement We gather today not to deny the darkness of that day and the days since, but to stand honestly within that darkness we gather to affirm that it does not that it will not have the final word. Editor's pick Political leadership The Coalition has split again. How did we get here? There will be a minute of silence at 4.01pm WA time. Monuments across WA will be lit up in white on Thursday night, including Optus Stadium, Matagarup Bridge, Mount Street Bridge, Sky Ribbon Bridge, Joondalup Drive Bridge, Graham Farmer Freeway Tunnel and Great Northern Highway Port Hedland Interchange Bridge. Flags outside WA government offices will be flown at half-mast. Advertisement Cook said he was putting the theme of light will win into practice by always acting with a sense of inclusion. As the leader of the state, that is always my abiding principle, that everyone feels that they belong in Western Australia, he said. Everyone feels at peace and feels safe in this great state, and that we always take the opportunity to reinforce those principles. Be the first to know when major news happens. Sign up for breaking news alerts on email or turn on notifications in the app. For investors who entered crypto markets last year and now find themselves underwater, the timing can feel brutal. Price drawdowns have revived familiar doubts about whether crypto has slipped into a bear market in 2026. According to Andreas Brekken, founder of Sideshift AI, those concerns are understandable but ultimately misplaced. During a recent interview with TheStreet Roundtable at Solana Breakpoint, Brekken drew on his experience across several market cycles to demonstrate how sentiment has changed over time. Related: Analyst predicts Bitcoin could revisit $110K after slow bleed' "Crypto is dead!" Not exactly "In the couple first bear markets, I was personally very concerned that I had chosen a profession that was dying. Actually, not only the profession, but I put all my money into something that was dying," Brekken said. "I was actually very concerned." That fear has faded over time. Even as prices fall, Brekken said the underlying conviction has strengthened. In the last few bear markets, I havent had any concern like this, he explained. This technology is here to stay. Theres no competition for this technology. His reasoning is practical rather than ideological. Bitcoin and blockchain networks solve problems that still have no real alternative. Crypto's down, but don't sell For investors feeling pressure after buying earlier this year, Brekken offered a grounding exercise. If youre underwater from the summer like me, because Im still buying, he said, then just go to the bank, deal with the bank, doing something normal, send an international transfer, and just see how difficult that still is. Then I think youll feel better about Bitcoin, about Solana, and about stablecoins. The comparison, he suggested, makes the value of crypto infrastructure easier to appreciate. More news: The four year Bitcoin cycle Brekken also addressed the idea that crypto markets follow a predictable four year cycle tied to Bitcoins halving schedule. While he once hoped the industry would break free from that pattern, he has grown more skeptical. He even warned investors to be cautious when they hear the four year cycle is dead. As soon as somebody says the four year cycle is over, he said, you should probably sell, because that has become a bit of a top signal. For long term participants, the takeaway is that time in the market beats timing the market. Volatility remains, but the question of whether the technology is here to stay is no longer up for debate. This story was originally published by TheStreet on Jan 20, 2026, where it first appeared in the MARKETS section. Add TheStreet as a Preferred Source by clicking here. Advertisement WorldOceaniaExtreme weather A caravan almost hit me: Australian tourists terrifying escape from NZ campground landslide Eva Gallot Updated January 22, 2026 11:01am ,first published 9:56am Save You have reached your maximum number of saved items. Remove items from your saved list to add more. Save this article for later Add articles to your saved list and come back to them anytime. Got it Share A A A Tauranga/Melbourne: An Australian tourist has described his terrifying escape from a landslide at Mount Maunganui on New Zealands North Island, saying he was swimming in a pool when a caravan smashed through a cinder block wall and crashed down beside him. Multiple people are missing after the landslide at about 9.30am (7.30am AEDT) wiped out parts of the Beachside Holiday Park in Mount Maunganui, a popular tourist spot in the Bay of Plenty region along the northern coast of New Zealand. Police District Commander Superintendent Tim Anderson said the number was in the single figures while Emergency Minister Mark Mitchell confirmed children were among those unaccounted for. Speaking to a Stuff reporter, Sonny Worrall from Newcastle said he had to dive into the next pool to avoid being struck. Sonny Worrall from Newcastle said the scene felt like a movie. Tony Wall/Stuff As Im swimming, I heard this huge landslide behind me, trees cracking, and there was a caravan that almost hit me. I was just fearing for my life, he said. It was the scariest thing Ive ever felt in my life. Advertisement Still visibly shaken, he said the scene felt like a movie. Luckily, there were no children in the kids pool. But who knows there could have been someone inside the caravan that was swept over. Fire and Emergency NZ commander William Pike said voices were initially heard in the rubble but no survivors had been recovered by late Thursday. Members of the public tried to get into the rubble and did hear some voices, he told reporters at the site. Our initial fire crew arrived and were able to hear the same. Shortly after our initial crew arrived, we withdrew everyone from the site due to possible movement and slip. Advertisement No sign of life had been detected since, he said. Were going right through [the night] until weve rescued anyone, he said. Its a complex and high-risk environment. Pike said the slip, which hit the back of the pools at the campground, was still moving when emergency services responded. They would now try to de-layer part of the rubble. Anderson said it was possible we will find someone alive. Tauranga Mayor Mahe Drysdale said some of the people who were unaccounted for had checked out of the holiday park without informing officials. Advertisement Another Australian tourist, Glynn Jones, had been walking on the beach and was just about to return to his hotel opposite the Mount Hot Pools when he heard a crack and looked up. I just saw the whole landslide coming a pohutakawa tree coming, he said. Emergency services continue to search for survivors. Lisette Reymer/Stuff Then all of a sudden a caravan got tossed up in the air and then the [tree] went up in the air and landed on its side. It was horrendous. Jones said his son and grandchildren from Wellington were staying at the campground but were OK. Advertisement Whoever is under there, all we can do is hope and pray, he said. Penny Carnaby saw the devastation unfold from the apartments directly across the road. The slip, which hit the back of the pools at the campground, was still moving when emergency services responded. Stuff NZ She heard a loud crack and rushed to the verandah. I just saw it keep coming and coming, and everyone was running and there was screaming and yelling It just happened so fast. It was just horrific. Advertisement She said in the desperate minutes before emergency services arrived, bystanders raced to the scene of the slip to help. There was nothing that they could do, because theres so much dirt, a tearful Carnaby told Stuff. It took out the whole kitchen block. The slip happened about 9.30am (7.30am AEDT). AP Heavy rains have caused widespread damage on the east coast of the North Island, with homes evacuated, thousands without power and roads closed. Geoscientists are now assessing the mountain to determine whether it is safe. Advertisement Prime Minister Christopher Luxon said on X that he was actively monitoring situations across the country including the major incident in Mount Maunganui. New Zealand forecaster MetService has lifted all weather warnings in the North Island as the tropical low moves east. Some warnings remain in place for the South Island, but they are expected to ease on Thursday. A Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade spokesperson said officials were making urgent inquiries with local authorities to determine whether any Australians had been affected. Our thoughts are with those affected by the landslide at New Zealands Mount Maunganui, they said. Advertisement Separately, two people were killed when a landslide hit a house in the community of Welcome Bay. Stuff.co.nz, AP, Reuters Get a note directly from our foreign correspondents on whats making headlines around the world. Sign up for our weekly What in the World newsletter. By Divya Chowdhury and Ankita Yadav DAVOS, Switzerland, Jan 20 (Reuters) - Alternative asset manager SkyBridge Capital is tilting further towards macro strategies as policy uncertainty under U.S. President Donald Trump's administration fuels market swings, founder Anthony Scaramucci said in Davos, Switzerland. "Because of the volatility, the macro traders have done better," Scaramucci told the Reuters Global Markets Forum on the sidelines of the World Economic Forum's annual meeting. Scaramucci, a staunch crypto advocate whose firm has invested heavily in digital assets, believes bitcoin's long-term story is intact despite a sharp pullback from last year's record highs. "This is more of a timing issue than a direction issue. I don't think the fundamental story for bitcoin has changed. If anything, you've seen a lot of consolidation," he said. His U.S.-based firm's September 2025 filings showed its SkyBridge Opportunity Fund, focused on alternative investment strategies, shifting to a heavy macro weighting of 69%, from its March 2025 weighting of 65% in cryptocurrency and digital assets. Bitcoin saw a tumultuous 2025, with the world's largest cryptocurrency hitting an all-time high of over $126,000 in October, followed by a subsequent crash that led to more than $19 billion worth of liquidations across leveraged crypto market positions, the largest liquidation in crypto history. "I would like to see bitcoin back to $125,000 to $150,000," Scaramucci said. "But it's bitcoin ... (it) does whatever it wants." Bitcoin was hovering below $90,000 on Tuesday, about 28% lower than its October 2025 record high. Scaramucci, who in 2024 predicted that bitcoin would hit $170,000 by late 2025, said: "All of us in the bitcoin community got overly enthusiastic about the end of repressive regulation in digital assets ... and none of that happened," he said, referring to the stablecoin legislation, the Genius Act, and crypto market structure bill, the Clarity Act, under consideration by the U.S. Congress. The stablecoin legislation was ratified in July last year. Meanwhile, the Clarity Act, which would define when crypto tokens are securities, commodities or fall into other categories, is under consideration in the U.S. Senate. "I'm cautiously optimistic. I think we'll have an OK year," he said. (Reporting by Divya Chowdhury in Davos and Ankita Yadav in Bengaluru; Editing by Lisa Shumaker) Copyright 2026 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission. Sonoco Products Company has disclosed that its chief operating officer (COO) Rodger Fuller will retire on 28 February 2026. Fullers career with the packaging manufacturer spans four decades, during which he held various senior roles. Fuller has been COO since 2020, taking responsibility for Sonocos operations across consumer and industrial sectors, as well as its diversified business activities and IT. He was also interim CEO for Sonocos Metal Packaging EMEA business, a role that continued until the end of last year. Sonoco will not fill the COO position following Fullers departure. Instead, each business unit president will report directly to president and chief executive officer Howard Coker. Coker said: Rodger is an exceptional business operator and widely respected leader in the paper and packaging industry. He has always been willing to take on new challenges and drive for improved operational and financial performance for our company. I want to express our deepest gratitude to Rodger for his extraordinary leadership and unwavering commitment to Sonoco over the past four decades, and we wish him well in his next chapter. Fuller first joined Sonoco in 1985 as a customer service representative and subsequently moved up through various managerial and executive appointments. These included posts such as executive vice president of global operations, senior vice president of global consumer packaging, display and packaging and protective solutions, as well as senior vice president of paper and engineered carriers. His responsibilities have covered operations in both North America and Europe. Beyond his roles within Sonoco, Fuller has participated in several industry and community groups. Fuller commented: Its been my honour to work alongside so many talented people at Sonoco and participate in the extraordinary progress we have achieved during my tenure in transforming the company into a global leader in consumer and industrial metal and paper packaging. Last November, Sonoco combined its metal packaging and rigid paper container units into a single consumer packaging structure, organised by geography. The reorganised structure has two divisions: Consumer Packaging EMEA/APAC and Consumer Packaging Americas. "Sonoco COO Rodger Fuller to retire in February 2026" was originally created and published by Packaging Gateway, a GlobalData owned brand. By Kyu-seok Shim SEOUL, Jan 22 (Reuters) - South Korea introduced on Thursday what it says is the world's first comprehensive set of laws regulating artificial intelligence, aiming to strengthen trust and safety in the sector, but startups fretted that compliance could hold them back. Seoul is hoping that the new AI Basic Act will position the country as a leader in the field. It has taken effect in South Korea sooner than a comparable effort in Europe, where the EU AI Act is being applied in phases through 2027. Global divisions remain over how to regulate AI, with the U.S. favouring a more light-touch approach to avoid stifling innovation. China has introduced some rules and proposed creating a body to coordinate global regulation. One key feature of the laws is the requirement that companies must ensure there is human oversight in so-called "high-impact" AI which includes fields like nuclear safety, the production of drinking water, transport, healthcare and financial uses such as credit evaluation and loan screening. Other rules stipulate that companies must give users advance notice about products or services using high-impact or generative AI, and provide clear labelling when AI-generated output is difficult to distinguish from reality. The Ministry of Science and ICT has said the legal framework was designed to promote AI adoption while building a foundation of safety and trust. The bill was prepared after extensive consultation and companies will be given a grace period of at least a year before authorities begin imposing administrative fines for infractions. The penalties can be hefty. A failure to label generative AI, for example, could leave a company facing a fine of up to 30 million won ($20,400). The law will provide a "critical institutional foundation" for South Korea's ambition to become a top-three global AI powerhouse, Science minister Bae Kyung-hoon, a former head of AI research at electronics giant LG, told a press conference. But Lim Jung-wook, co-head of South Korea's Startup Alliance, said many founders were frustrated that key details remain unsettled. "There's a bit of resentment why do we have to be the first to do this?" he said. Jeong Joo-yeon, a senior researcher at the group, said the law's language was so vague that companies may default to the safest approach to avoid regulatory risk. The ministry has said it plans a guidance platform and dedicated support centre for companies during the grace period. "Additionally, we will continue to review measures to minimise the burden on industry," a spokesperson said, adding that authorities were looking at extending the grace period if domestic and overseas industry conditions warranted such a measure. SHREVEPORT, La. This weeks Paws to Care spotlight shines on Amsterdam, a small but mighty dog from Ninnas Road to Rescue. Amsterdam has captured the hearts of everyone at Ninnas Road to Rescue but now, shes looking for the perfect home. Ninna Lopez, founder of Ninnas Road to Rescue, joined Paws to Care to share Amsterdams story and why she believes this lovable dog deserves a great home. About Amsterdam Amsterdam is a 1-year-old mixed-breed female who came to the rescue after being surrendered by her elderly owners, who were overwhelmed. She is mixed with yorkie and Chihuahua. She is very healthy, spayed, vaccinated, microchipped and heart worm negative. Lopez said, She's really sweet. She gets along with everyone. Amsterdam is also very calm, so she would be great for any family. About Ninnas Road to Rescue Founded in March 2012, Ninna's Road to Rescue is a 501(c)3 non-profit organization. The rescue is in Benton, LA. and primarily rescue and re-home small-breed dogs. Adopting a rescue dog like Amsterdam not only transforms her life it opens space for the rescue to help more dogs in need. How to meet Amsterdam Those interested in meeting Amsterdam can contact Ninnas Road to Rescue directly through their website or Facebook page. Adoptions are scheduled by appointment only with approved adopters. To find adoptable pets, go here; to apply for an adoption, go here. Paws to Care is a weekly feature dedicated to helping rescued pets find loving homes. Soybeans closed the Tuesday session with contracts down 4 to 5 cents lower. The cmdtyView national average Cash Bean price was 5 1/2 cents lower at $9.82 3/4. Soymeal futures were up 70 cents to $1.60 in the front months and down 10 to 20 cents in the deferred contracts, with Soy Oil futures 4 to 10 points lower. USDA reported a private export sale of 190,000 MT of soybean meal to the Philippines this morning. More News from Barchart Monday mornings Export Inspections report showed 1.34 MMT (49.1 mbu) of soybeans shipped in the week of 1/15. That was 16.1% below the week prior but 35.1% larger than the same week last year. China was as the largest destination of 611,983 MT, with 116,120 MT shipped to Germany and 106,120 MT to Mexico. The marketing year total is now 19.335 MMT (710.44 mbu) of soybeans shipped, which is now 40.2% below the same period last year. Brazilian soybean harvest is estimated at 2% complete as of last Thursday according to AgRural. ANEC estimates the Brazilian soybean export for January at 3.79 MMT, a 0.06 MMT increase from last weeks number. Mar 26 Soybeans closed at $10.53, down 4 3/4 cents, Nearby Cash was $9.82 3/4, down 5 1/2 cents, May 26 Soybeans closed at $10.64, down 4 3/4 cents, Jul 26 Soybeans closed at $10.76 1/4, down 5 cents, On the date of publication, Austin Schroeder did not have (either directly or indirectly) positions in any of the securities mentioned in this article. All information and data in this article is solely for informational purposes. This article was originally published on Barchart.com Leesville, LA (71446) Today Partly cloudy this evening, then becoming cloudy after midnight. Low 51F. Winds S at 5 to 10 mph.. Tonight Partly cloudy this evening, then becoming cloudy after midnight. Low 51F. Winds S at 5 to 10 mph. Her Departure After 32 Years In Office Headlines Kimball Area Elections This Year The filing period for the 2026 primary election continues in Kimball County, with several long-serving county officials announcing they will not seek re-election. After 31 years of service 32 by the end of her current term Kimball County Clerk Cathy Sibal confirmed that she will not be filing for another term. It will be hard for me to let go, but it is time for me to pass the baton, Sibal said. It has been a real honor and blessing to serve the community. Sibals longtime deputy, Josi Morgan, has filed to run for Kimball County Clerk. As of Friday morning, no other candidates have filed for the position. In another notable announcement, Clerk of the District Court Deb Diemoz said she will not be filing for re-election this year. Deb shared that It has been an honor to work for this community for all these years. She began her career in Kimball in April of 1990 and has served for nearly 36 years. Deb said she feels very blessed. As of the most recent filing update, no candidates had yet filed for that position. The filing period has also drawn attention to the County Commissioner race. Current County Commission Chair Rich Flores is up for re-election. When asked whether he intends to file, Flores said, We will see. Ive got plenty of time left to file. County Attorney Filing One new candidate among the filings is Andy Taylor, who has filed for the position of Kimball County Attorney. Taylor recently moved to Kimball from Brown County, where he currently serves as county attorney. He previously appeared before the Kimball County Commissioners in July as an applicant for the role, outlining more than 26 years of experience in criminal prosecution. Taylor began his legal career in Fort Collins, Colorado, in 1999, where he was recognized by Bright Horizons for his work advocating for victims of domestic violence. Before entering the legal profession, Taylor served in the Army National Guard as a Green Beret in Special Forces, bringing a military background to his legal career. During his appearance before the commissioners, Taylor said he had reviewed Kimball Countys legal caseload over the past five years and felt confident in his ability to manage the workload, noting that he has handled significantly higher case volumes in previous positions. He emphasized his commitment to ethical prosecution and said his priorities would include violent crimes and drug-related offenses. Taylor also described his newness to the area as an advantage, explaining that it could reduce potential conflicts of interest. As of 9 a.m. Jan. 16, the following candidates had filed for office: County Offices County Commissioner Carl Stander Elyse Schlake Lukassen (incumbent) County Assessor Sherry R. Winstrom (incumbent) County Attorney Andy Taylor County Clerk Josi Morgan County Sheriff Dave J. Hottell (incumbent) County Treasurer Cindy Rahmig (incumbent) City of Kimball Kimball City Mayor Gabriel Miller Kimball City Council Aaron John Abraham Ron Buchart School Boards Kimball School Board Travis Cook (incumbent) Village Boards Dix Village Board John Vowers (incumbent) Kimball County Clerk Cathy Sibal said the filing deadline for incumbent candidates is Feb. 17, while non-incumbents have until March 2 to file. The primary election will be held May 12. Sibal noted that filing activity often increases as deadlines approach and encouraged anyone considering a run for office to contact the county clerks office for information on eligibility and filing requirements. Additional filings are expected in the coming weeks. Illnesses Said To Be Circulating In Schools, But No Spikes In Community Averages As influenza activity continues across the region this winter, local health officials say Kimball County has so far avoided the sharp increases being reported in other areas, including parts of Colorado. According to Kimball Health Services, flu activity locally has remained consistent with average levels from previous seasons. Officials report no concerning spikes in positive flu tests and no influenza-related hospital admissions to date. We continue to monitor the influenza activity closely, said Stevie Webb, COO/CNO of Kimball Health Services. Our flu testing so far this season has been consistent with our average levels in previous years, and we have not yet experienced any concerning spikes in positive tests. We have also had no admissions related to influenza this season. Nationally, influenza activity remains elevated, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. In its Weekly U.S. Influenza Surveillance Report for Week 1, ending Jan. 10, the CDC stated: Seasonal influenza activity remains elevated nationally, but influenza activity has decreased or remained stable for two consecutive weeks. CDC will continue to monitor for a second period of increased influenza activity that often occurs after the winter holidays. Health systems in Colorado have reported increased influenza cases since the beginning of January, drawing heightened attention to flu trends across the region. While those trends have not yet been mirrored locally, Kimball Health Services officials encourage continued awareness as flu season progresses. While healthcare providers report steady flu activity locally, schools are seeing an increase in illness among students. In a notification sent to families on January 9, Kimball Public Schools acknowledged the presence of illness circulating within the district, stating: There is a significant amount of illness circulating in our schools. If your child is ill, please keep them home to help prevent further spread. If your student will be absent, please call the office of the school they attend to notify us. Thank you for your cooperation in helping keep our schools healthy. School officials did not specify the type of illness but emphasized the importance of keeping sick students home to reduce further spread. Health officials note that increased illness in school settings during winter months is common and can involve a variety of respiratory viruses. Kimball Health Services continues to offer influenza testing and flu vaccines at its Kimball and Pine Bluffs, Wyoming, locations. Residents are encouraged to practice good hand hygiene and remain home when experiencing flu-like symptoms. Common symptoms of influenza include fever, chills, cough, sore throat, body aches, and fatigue. Webb emphasized the importance of early treatment, particularly for individuals considered high risk. We encourage people to seek treatment within the first 48 hours of symptoms if needed, Webb said. Those who are considered high risk, such as older adults, young children, and individuals with other medical conditions, should seek treatment as soon as possible. Local health providers say they will continue monitoring influenza trends closely and will keep the community informed should conditions change. When unpopular law enforcement turns lethal, history doesnt shock. It shrugs. Officer Rowland Davis was circumspect about why he left his position and fled his home following a large protest against his agencys attempt to seize a popular local man. Davis told his superiors that he was obliged to abscond on account of a woman being killed in the same riot, but neglected to mention that it was he who had actually shot Mary Jenkins when the protest suddenly and fatally escalated. Army Sergeant George Harkness confirmed he brought him off from a numerous mob who attempted to take away his life as the military beat a retreat from the furious crowd. At first glance, this incident feels very contemporary - a symptom of our uniquely febrile political moment in the United States. Yet it is separated by from us by thousands of miles and 275 years. Officer Davis was not on duty during the ICE protest in Minneapolis city, Minnesota, during January 2026. But during April 1751, in rural Dromahair in Co Leitrim. Same scene. An enforcement operation carried out by the state, angrily opposed by a vitalised crowd. A protesting woman shot and killed. Both deaths followed protests against raids by government agents widely regarded as unjust. Both involved officers backed by armed force. In both cases, a moment of confrontation escalated suddenly, violently, and fatally. And in both, a woman who was not the original target of enforcement ended up dead. Minneapolis, 2026 On January 7, 2026, in Minneapolis, Renee Nicole Good, a 37-year-old US citizen and mother of three, was shot and killed by an officer of US Immigration and Customs Enforcement during a federal enforcement operation. Good was driving in a residential neighbourhood when federal agents confronted her and others nearby. Video footage and eyewitness accounts show her vehicle moving away from the scene when a single ICE officer fired multiple shots into the drivers side, killing her. The officer, Jonathan Ross, a veteran agent with nearly two decades of service, later claimed he acted in self-defence, alleging the vehicle posed a threat. That account was immediately disputed. Video evidence suggested the shots were fired as the car was turning away. Protests erupted in Minneapolis and across the country. The FBI assumed control of the investigation. Lawyers were hired. Statements were issued. The machinery of the state shifted quickly from enforcement to damage control. Within days, the violence spread. In Portland, ICE and border patrol officers were attacked during further immigration operations. A man was shot and wounded by federal agents during a traffic stop and later charged with assaulting an officer. The cycle tightened: enforcement, protest, escalation, injury. Dromahair, 1751 In late April 1751, excise officer Rowland Davis, accompanied by a detachment of the army, attempted to arrest a man convicted of illicit brewing in the Dromahair area of Co Leitrim. Local residents gathered to resist the arrest. During what officials called an assault and rescue, Davis used lethal force, killing a woman named Mary Jenkins. While disturbances linked to excise enforcement were common in the west of Ireland at the time, fatalities were rare. Jenkins killing was the moment everything changed. The crowd erupted. Soldiers and the excise officer were chased as they retreated. Davis later claimed he was forced to flee because locals attempted to seize and kill him. Military reports confirm he was extracted under threat. In the aftermath, the familiar process began. Officers petitioned for medical expenses and legal costs. Despite initial institutional backing, Davis was later accused of acting illegally. He was tried at the Summer Assizes of 1751 on a charge of murder and formally indicted the following year. Reduced to last resorts, revenue officials sought a royal pardon on his behalf. The record does not tell us whether it worked. Nothing new under authority What links these two deaths is not politics or ideology, but human behaviour under orders, under protest, under pressure. Crowds protest laws they believe are unjust. Officials enforce laws they did not write. Armed authority arrives to impose order and instead sharpens fear. A single officer overreacts in a moment of stress. A woman dies. The crowd radicalises. The state closes ranks. What is perhaps most striking is what happens when the justice system turns its attention back on the enforcers themselves. In 1751, despite panic and institutional self-protection, Rowland Davis was not simply exonerated; he was tried for the murder of Mary Jenkins, formally indicted, and ultimately reduced to pleading for mercy to the highest authority available - the Kings pardon from George II - as his fellow officials scrambled to shield him. Will the FBIs investigation of Officer Ross follow the same path? President Donald Trump, whose administration has driven ICEs immigration surge, has defended federal agents actions and described the Minneapolis shooting as sad to see on both sides", while stopping short of committing to whether he would pardon an ICE agent if convicted, choosing instead to let legal proceedings play out before weighing intervention. Trumps broader posture has been to justify aggressive immigration enforcement while making clear that, whatever the outcome in court, the ultimate authority now rests in the executives hands, just as it once did with a king. In Ireland, neither the protests nor the Revenue raids stopped after 1751. There would be many more unfortunate killings like Mary Jenkins into the 19th century. Poitin - the very thing those raids sought to crush - was not legalised until 1997, long after resistance had burned itself out. America now faces a similar question. Will protests against immigration enforcement fade quietly, or will they continue to generate the same escalations, injuries and deaths that history tells us follow when authority hardens and patience runs out? History does not repeat itself exactly. But when the state reaches for force to enforce an unpopular law, it has an old habit of rehearsing familiar actions in the red hot febrile atmosphere of resistance, provocation and escalation. History echoes - sometimes with the cold sound of gunfire. Ice Cold Killing. Former Justice Department special counsel Jack Smith, center, is escorted by Capitol Police through a crush of reporters as he arrives to testify before the House Judiciary Committee about his investigations into President Donald Trump, Thursday, Jan. 22, 2026 at the Capitol in Washington. (AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite) Riyadh Air, a startup airline owned by Saudi Arabias PIF sovereign wealth fund, has established a cargo division to manage goods transport in the lower hold as it gears up to start flights for the general public this quarter. The national carrier began daily service from Riyadh to London Heathrow airport in late October for employees, friends and family using a leased Boeing 787-9. On Wednesday, Riyadh Air said it has begun hauling shipments on those passenger flights. Management has previously said it needs at least three aircraft to sell tickets to the public. The company has firm orders for more than 120 aircraft, including 39 787-9s and 25 Airbus A350-1000 widebody aircraft. Riyadh Air said it is now transporting a wide range of products, including textiles, fresh flowers, seafood, tea, and coffee. International airlines almost universally sell excess belly capacity to businesses that need to move products to other facilities or customers in other markets. Riyadh Cargo has been built with a clear focus on operational discipline, reliability, and long-term scalability, said Pravin Singh, global head of cargo, in a news release. Launching within a live environment allows us to test, learn, and continuously refine how we operate, while delivering real value to our customers from the get-go. The launch of the brand is a foundational step in building a cargo business that grows alongside our network expansion and supports Saudi Arabias broader logistics ambitions. Riyadh Cargo said it has adopted a cargo management system from Champs that provides centralized airwaybill control, enhanced shipment tracking and decision-making tools that can support future volume and network growth. Shipping containers will have tracking devices to enable shipment visibility and real-time monitoring so customers can manage product flow. Riyadh Cargo last year engaged Singapore-based SATS to handle cargo transfers at King Khalid International Airport in Riyadh, with future support extending to airports in Dammam and Jeddah. Riyadh Air has set a target of reaching more than 100 destinations by 2030. Saudi Arabia has identified tourism and logistics as key focus areas of its economic diversification strategy in which the government is investing hundreds of billions of dollars. Riyadh Air is being created even though the nation of 35 million people already has Saudia as a flag carrier. Click here for more FreightWaves stories by Eric Kulisch. Write to Eric Kulisch at ekulisch@freightwaves.com. RECOMMENDED READING: FedEx deepens presence in Saudi Arabia amid trade growth The post Startup airline Riyadh Air phases in cargo operations appeared first on FreightWaves. Allentown, PA (18103) Today Becoming mainly clear; brisk and bitterly cold with near or below zero wind chills. . Tonight Becoming mainly clear; brisk and bitterly cold with near or below zero wind chills. Key Points Stellantis seemingly lost its identity after its 2021 merger, and now needs to invest in its brands to drive a turnaround. Stellantis is banking on Jeep, Ram, and hybrids to help push sales and revenues higher. The automaker will invest $13 billion into its U.S. operations over the next four years. 10 stocks we like better than Stellantis "Buy low and sell high" is seemingly as simple an investing axiom as can be, yet far more challenging to achieve, since there's little use trying to time the market. That complexity helps explain the apparent opportunity that Stellantis (NYSE: STLA) currently offers investors. In fact, over the past three years, Stellantis' stock has shed 35% of its value. Meanwhile, Ford Motor Company -- which is battling warranty costs and quality issues -- posted a 9% gain, and General Motors left competitors in the dust with a 122% gain as the Detroit icon's stock appears to be firing on all cylinders. The complexity goes even further for potential Stellantis investors because they need to consider another question: Can recently appointed CEO Antonio Filosa transform a struggling, identity-lacking Stellantis into a high-flying investment? Image source: Stellantis. What's the plan with Stellantis? Stellantis has lost its way a bit. It never fully formed a new true identity after the 2021 merger of Fiat Chrysler and France's PSA Group left a portfolio of 14 brands and just as many questions as answers. Despite a sweeping review of its entire business and strong promises of change, Stellantis now intends to maintain its current construction as a global automaker. It believes that powerhouse brands from Chrysler, such as strong performer Jeep, are no more important than Fiat and Peugeot on the other side of the equation. Stellantis began suffering serious market-share declines under former CEO Carlos Tavares, along with a number of other difficulties, such as a strained relationship with its dealer network. To begin the automaker's drastic turnaround, it will take a series of difficult decisions, adjusted targets, and hefty investments. One example: While former CEO Tavares pledged to sell only electric vehicles (EVs) in Europe, and 50% EVs in the U.S. market, by 2030, Stellantis has walked back and downplayed these targets since his departure in December 2024. One key investment will involve the core of its product portfolio and a significant driver of its bottom line: Jeep. Jeep remains the key cog in the Stellantis machine. The automaker plans to launch four new or refreshed Jeep models over a 12-month period, including a highly important new Cherokee model that will help to fill the shoes of high-volume discontinued products. Last weekend, Trump threatened new tariffs on eight European allies until Denmark agrees to sell the Arctic territory. The countries backing Denmark's refusal to sell include Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Norway, the Netherlands, Sweden, and the U.K. The president said products from those countries will be taxed at 10% in February, and the tariff rate will automatically jump to 25% in June without a deal for the "complete and total purchase" of Greenland. President Trump says the United States needs to own Greenland, an autonomous Arctic island that is owned by Denmark, because its strategic location makes it vital to national security. Leaders from Greenland and Denmark have repeatedly told Trump the territory is not for sale, and its residents do not want to be part of America. But the president is not taking "no" for an answer. Unfortunately, investors recently got more concerning news about President Trump's tariffs, and the timing is especially bad, because the S&P 500 is sounding an alarm last witnessed during the dot-com crash. Here are the important details. Trump said tariffs would create U.S. jobs, but the Bureau of Labor Statistics says the U.S. economy added only 584,000 jobs last year. That means, apart from the pandemic in 2020, the jobs market is weaker today than it has been since the Great Recession. Trump said tariffs would bring manufacturing activity back to America, but the Institute for Supply Management (ISM) says U.S. manufacturing activity has actually contracted for 10 consecutive months. Trump claimed exporters would absorb the tariffs, but Goldman Sachs research indicates that U.S. companies and consumers collectively paid 82% of the tariffs in October 2025. Furthermore, Goldman estimates consumers alone will bear 67% of the cost by July 2026. The S&P 500 (SNPINDEX: ^GSPC) added 14% during the past year despite President Trump's tariffs hiking the average tax on U.S. imports to its highest level since 1935. However, while the stock market's strong performance is encouraging, investors have several reasons to be nervous: The S&P 500 recorded a cyclically adjusted price-to-earnings (CAPE) ratio above 39 in December, an extremely high valuation last seen during the dot-com crash. President Trump hopes to push Denmark into selling Greenland by imposing additional tariffs on eight European countries that account for more than 13% of U.S. imports. The S&P 500 advanced 14% in the past year, but investors have reason to be nervous because President Trumps tariffs have coincided with weakness in the jobs market. Story Continues While Trump has not provided specifics, new tariffs will likely be added to existing duties, currently 15% for most European goods and 10% for most U.K. goods. That could hurt the U.S. economy, not only because the countries threatened by Trump account for 13% of U.S. imports (making them collectively as important China or Canada), but also because the European Union plans to retaliate with tariffs on $100 billion in U.S. exports. Here is the big picture: Trump has reignited the trade war with Europe, which bodes ill for the U.S. economy. Federal Reserve researchers recently reviewed 150 years' worth of data, and they arrived at this conclusion: Tariff hikes raise unemployment and lower GDP growth. The S&P 500 sounds an alarm last witnessed during the dot-com crash The S&P 500 had a cyclically adjusted price-to-earnings (CAPE) ratio of 39.9 in December, the most expensive valuation since the dot-com crash in October 2000. In fact, the index has only recorded a CAPE ratio higher than 39 during 25 months since its creation in 1957, meaning the index (a benchmark for the entire U.S. stock market) has only been this expensive 3% of the time in history. Unfortunately, the stock market usually generates poor forward returns when starting from such a high valuation. The table shows the S&P 500's best, worst, and average return over different time periods following incidents when its monthly CAPE multiple topped 39. Time Period S&P 500's Best Return S&P 500's Worst Return S&P 500's Average Return One year 16% (28%) (4%) Two years 8% (43%) (20%) Data source: Robert Shiller. Table by author. As shown, when the S&P 500 has recorded a monthly CAPE ratio above 39, the index has declined by an average of 4% during the next year, and by an average of 20% during the next two years. In other words, history says the S&P 500 will drop 4% by January 2027 and 20% by January 2028. Of course, past performance is never a guarantee of future results. Investors may tolerate higher CAPE ratios today because they expect artificial intelligence (AI) to increase profit margins and accelerate earnings growth in the future. In that scenario, the S&P 500 could continue moving higher while its CAPE ratio moderates. Nevertheless, now is a good time to review your portfolio and sell any stocks you feel uncomfortable holding if there's a steep drawdown. Additionally, create a cash position in your portfolio; readily available capital will make it easy to buy future dips in the stock market. Should you buy stock in S&P 500 Index right now? Before you buy stock in S&P 500 Index, consider this: The Motley Fool Stock Advisor analyst team just identified what they believe are the 10 best stocks for investors to buy now and S&P 500 Index wasnt one of them. The 10 stocks that made the cut could produce monster returns in the coming years. Consider when Netflix made this list on December 17, 2004... if you invested $1,000 at the time of our recommendation, youd have $474,578!* Or when Nvidia made this list on April 15, 2005... if you invested $1,000 at the time of our recommendation, youd have $1,141,628!* Now, its worth noting Stock Advisors total average return is 955% a market-crushing outperformance compared to 196% for the S&P 500. Don't miss the latest top 10 list, available with Stock Advisor, and join an investing community built by individual investors for individual investors. See the 10 stocks *Stock Advisor returns as of January 21, 2026. Trevor Jennewine has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool has positions in and recommends Goldman Sachs Group. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. The Stock Market Sounds an Alarm as Investors Get More Bad News About President Trump's Tariffs. History Says This Will Happen Next. was originally published by The Motley Fool Johannesburg has failed its informal traders Informal trading is an integral part of the city of Johannesburgs identity and while policies are in place, but action is needed to manage this economy. Johannesburgs inner city is a bustling hub of economic life a dense, dynamic web of informal traders, adjacent businesses and other users. Informal trading remains an essential survival strategy for many households. It is also a key source of affordable goods and services. Managing this activity, however, is not straightforward. The city authorities face legitimate pressures to maintain order, safety, hygiene and accessibility in highly contested urban spaces. At the same time, they have a mandate to support livelihoods and encourage inclusive economic participation. Balancing these objectives is complex. But, as urban planners and researchers, we believe its possible and necessary. It needs to be done in a way that recognises the realities of both municipal constraints. These include budgets, conflicting political pressures and traders contributions. Traders generate local economic activity and provide convenient, affordable goods and services. Johannesburgs informal trading sector should not be viewed as a problem to eliminate. Rather, it should be managed effectively. The focus for the city should be on improving how this is done. The city has a chequered history of managing informal traders. In October 2025, Johannesburg authorities removed informal traders from De Villiers Street in the heart of the citys central business district. The city went on to expand the operation to other inner-city areas and townships to promote order and cleanliness. This approach was reminiscent of the 2013 Operation Clean Sweep, which disrupted livelihoods and increased urban inequality and violence. After the events in 2025, the Gauteng High Court ruled in favour of traders who took the city to court. But the courts ruling has not been implemented. The citys 2022 informal trading policy provides a roadmap for a different approach. It provides a structured framework that includes: recognising informal traders as essential contributors to the urban economy setting out clear procedures for registration, spatial planning, permit processes and trader support. Its strength lies in offering a coherent, rights-based approach that can bring transparency and fairness to how trading spaces are allocated and managed. But its success hinges on implementation that is transparent, inclusive and responsive. A durable solution In our view, Johannesburg can turn contested spaces into engines of shared prosperity by: investing in adequate infrastructure promoting collaboration among traders, property owners, municipal authorities and other affected stakeholders enforcing regulations that protect livelihoods instead of punishing them. A durable solution requires systematic reforms grounded in provisions of the citys 2022 informal trading policy. This emphasises co-management by various stakeholders. Among them are officials from various relevant departments, municipal-owned entities and the informal traders. But laws and regulations have to be updated. By-laws passed in 2012 are still being used to regulate the sector. This is even though a new policy was adopted in 2022. Updated by-laws would enable the city to reflect the policys developmental orientation. This includes its focus on supporting livelihoods and expanding access to jobs and entrepreneurial opportunities. It also includes creating a conducive regulatory and management environment for informal traders. The policy adopted in 2022 contains several important provisions that support more effective management of informal trading. Key elements include: 1) Informal trading plans. A comprehensive, independently conducted census of all traders registered and unregistered will form the evidence base for this plan. This will enable the city to understand the full scale and distribution of informal trading. The city must make enough suitable trading sites available. This expanded access would help accommodate more traders legally and reduce pressure on overcrowded locations. Throughout the process, the city must balance the need to demarcate trading sites with: the principle of minimal relocation to protect livelihoods ensuring that pavements, transport routes and other public amenities remain accessible to all. 2) Appropriate infrastructure and services. Ensuring that informal traders have adequate services supports their livelihoods and also contributes to cleaner, safer, and more attractive streets for all users. All informal trading environments in the inner city would benefit from access to better infrastructure. This includes water, electricity, street lighting, storage, improved sidewalks, trading shelters and ablution facilities. 3) Clear articulation of traders rights and responsibilities. The greatest responsibility rests with the city to transform informal trading management. But the policy also makes clear that informal traders themselves have important responsibilities to ensure the system works effectively. Once allocated trading sites, traders are expected to: operate only within designated areas avoid restricted or prohibited spaces help to maintain order conduct their business in line with applicable regulations, policies and by-laws play an active role in maintaining the cleanliness and upkeep of their trading spaces work collaboratively with the City, neighbouring businesses and other local stakeholders. The plan also envisages the establishment of an independent informal trade forum, an informal trading task team and a dedicated informal trade unit. Urgent action is needed to constitute these structures. Next steps The City has an opportunity to shift from reactive, enforcement-driven approaches to a proactive, developmental model that values informal trading as a central part of Johannesburgs economy and identity. There are key next steps that need to be taken. Firstly, fully operationalising the commitments of the 2022 policy by updating by-laws. Secondly, by completing a transparent and comprehensive census of all traders. This needs to include involving them meaningfully in decisions about management processes. Alongside this, the city should prioritise investment in adequate infrastructure and strengthen communication and collaboration platforms. It also needs to establish the dedicated structures envisioned in the policy. Together, these actions can build an enabling system that protects livelihoods, reduces conflict, and supports a vibrant, inclusive and economically resilient inner city. Mamokete Modiba, Senior Researcher, Gauteng City-Region Observatory; Claire Benit-Gbaffou, Associate Professor at Aix-Marseille University, Aix-Marseille Universite (AMU); Sarah Charlton, Associate Professor, University of the Witwatersrand, and Tanya Zack, Visiting senior lecturer, University of the Witwatersrand This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article. SWEAT Africa 2026 Positioning Africa at the centre of global innovation, investment and collaboration. SWEAT Africa takes place from 1314 February 2026. Africas first experiential start-up and venture festival, uniting entrepreneurship, innovation, and investment, launches in just a few weeks. Hosted at the Bertha Retreat between Stellenbosch and Franschhoek, SWEAT Africa brings together students, entrepreneurs, investors, venture capitalists, researchers, and founders from across the continent and beyond creating a space where ideas, collaboration, and investment opportunity converge to showcase Africa as a global hub for innovation. Some of the top universities in South Africa (e.g. Stellenbosch University, University of Cape Town, University of Witwatersrand, University of Pretoria, University of KwaZulu-Natal, and Free State University) have joined SWEAT Africa and are sending some of their top start-ups. In addition, around 100 international investors and founders are attending the event because this inaugural event will also host one of the top start-up programmes in Africa, established by the Open Startup International in partnership with the MIT Executive Programme. SWEAT Africa was born after a 14 km Cape Epic mountain run, when a group of young founders, still dripping with sweat, joked with international Angel investors from Google and OpenAI about hosting a tech acceleration program in Africas hottest month. Inspired by Finlands Slush and fuelled by laughter (and heat), they came up with SWEAT Students Working to Empower African Talent and decided to create an event combining world-class startup acceleration, mentorship, and networking. More than a startup accelerator, SWEAT Africa is a human accelerator: a place to sweat, work, invest and connect together while shaping the Africa we envision and dream of. Intentionally different from traditional conferences, SWEAT Africa is a curated platform recognising that sustainable progress happens where ideas, people, and context intersect. The programme combines focused startup engagement and investor access with shared experiences designed to foster openness, trust, and long-term collaboration. SWEAT Africa creates space for the kinds of conversations that matter across disciplines, sectors and borders, said Centre for Epidemic Research and Innovation (CERI)s director and co-founder of SWEAT, Professor Tulio de Oliveira. SWEAT will host over 100 start-ups from Africa and 50 venture capitalists and investors together. When one puts founders and investors together with the top universities, thats where real innovation starts. At its core, SWEAT Africa is a two-day, high-impact gathering connecting top investors with Africas leading deep-tech startups and early-stage founders. The 2026 programme features: Deep-tech startups from across the continent. The Open StartUp BRAIN 5.0 accelerator programme, hosted in partnership with MIT. Participation from international investors and ecosystem stakeholders, enabling cross-border collaboration and co-investment. Curated networking experiences, including facilitated matchmaking between founders, venture capitalists, and lending partners. Pitchin Picnics highlighting investment-ready startups. Founder and investor storytelling sessions, including the SWEAT panel inspired by the Hot Ones format, offering candid perspectives on building and scaling deep-tech ventures in Africa. SWEAT Africa is organised collaboratively, bringing together partners from academia, industry, startup ecosystems, and investment networks. This approach ensures equal representation and shared ownership, reflecting a vision of ecosystem-building that prioritises contribution over hierarchy. One of the co-organisers, Open Startup, expressed huge motivation for this new partnership; We love the idea of African organisations teaming up to promote science-led ventures. This will showcase the momentum for African Deep Tech, and that Africans are ready to SWEAT for it! said Houda Ghozzi. Another co-organiser, University of Witwatersrand, is equally excited. We recognise the depth of talent in our universities and how often promising ideas stall due to limited opportunities. As an institution committed to research translation and societal impact, Wits wants to help innovators move from proof of concept to real-world adoption, while building ethical, inclusive businesses that create jobs and address meaningful challenges, said Professor Lynn Morris, Deputy Vice-Chancellor: Research & Innovation. Africas next generation of founders should not have to leave the continent to access world-class support. SWEAT will help participants clarify a credible path forward, build practical skills in validation, team formation, and pitching, form strong networks of mentors and peers, and gain the confidence to innovate at global standards from an African base. A key objective of SWEAT Africa is connecting African startups with global investors and partners in practical, meaningful ways. Through curated pitch sessions, targeted matchmaking, and facilitated discussions, founders gain access to capital and international networks, while investors engage directly with ventures shaping Africas future across deep tech, emerging technologies, and impact-driven sectors. For Africa to harness its true potential, we need to provide opportunities for entrepreneurs to develop inter-dependant ecosystems where economies grow and thrive at regional and continental levels. This is an amazing opportunity to catalyse this and break down the barriers between siloed funding programmes, by connecting ecosystems in Africa, said Dr Richard Gordon from the South African Medical Research Council (SAMRC), also a SWEAT co-organiser. Africas biggest gap for startups is funding. This limits scalability and growth, said UVU Bios Dheepak Maharajh, a SWEAT Africa co-organiser. SWEAT brings together all key players in the ecosystem and gives startups an opportunity to showcase their business ideas to a multitude of different investors. It allows the ecosystem to engage and share ideas and learn from each other. Beyond formal programming, SWEAT Africa emphasises community and cultural immersion. Outdoor runs through the Winelands, shared meals, informal networking, and celebratory moments reinforce the belief that relationships built through shared experiences, hard work, and even sweating together are stronger and longer-lasting. Ross Vermeulen, SWEAT Africa co-organiser, added: Were designing an environment where connection happens naturally through movement, conversation, and time spent together. Thats how lasting collaborations are formed. SWEAT Africa 2026 invites those building, funding, and supporting innovation as well as anyone interested in Africas rapidly evolving tech and entrepreneurial landscape to participate in a gathering that positions the continent as a leading hub for innovation, collaboration, and global relevance. Tickets are on sale now and in high demand. In line with SWEAT Africas commitment to inclusivity, opportunities to win tickets will also be offered to students, early-stage founders, and community members, supporting broad access and diverse participation. Dont miss your chance to be part of the future of African innovation, culture, and community and to inspire the next generation of entrepreneurs and tech leaders. Learn more and secure your ticket at: https://sweat.africa/ Wits-led genetic study adds over 1000 new African genomes to global science Project will likely uncover millions of novel genetic variants that could reshape how disease risk is predicted and how treatments are tailored. A newly published paper in Nature describes the complex process of launching a nine-country collaboration in Africa to significantly expand scientists understanding of human genetic diversity. This can reveal new insights into diseases such as cancer, mental illness, diabetes, and heart disease, benefitting health systems globally. The Assessing Genetic Diversity in Africa (AGenDA) project has generated whole-genome sequence data from more than 1000 individuals from communities that are largely underrepresented in global genomic databases. It is anticipated that this effort will uncover millions of novel genetic variants that could reshape how disease risk is predicted and how treatments are tailored. AGenDA is a deeply collaborative project with balanced contributions developed through a process of co-creation. The study includes hunter-gatherer communities, Nilo-Saharan and Afro-Asiatic speakers, understudied Bantu-speaking groups, and North African and Indian Ocean island communities. In partnership with local research groups, participants were recruited in Angola, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Kenya, Libya, Mauritius, Rwanda, Tunisia, and Zimbabwe with overall project coordination from South Africa. Most genomic datasets that are used to predict disease risk come from people of European origin. As a result, the genetic patterns guiding modern medicine are very Eurocentric and poorly predict diseases in African populations. AGenDA was designed to increase representation of African genomic data in global datasets to address this disparity and to ensure that African populations can also benefit, says Professor Michele Ramsay, Director of the Sydney Brenner Institute for Molecular Bioscience (SBIMB) at Wits University and lead author of the study. African genomes are older and more diverse than those of any other continent. Two Africans from different regions can be more genetically different from each other than a European and an Asian. When African data are missing, genetic tools can fail to detect important risk variants and produce inaccurate disease-risk predictions. AGenDA is about correcting that imbalance so that genetic research and resulting medical interventions work for African people and for the world, says Dr Furahini Tluway, AGenDA Project Coordinator at SBIMB and a co-author of the study. By sequencing whole genomes and not just small genetic panels, we are creating rich reference data that scientists everywhere can use, she says. Professor Scott Hazelhurst, SBIMBs head of bioinformatics, explains the technical impact: Genome-wide association studies (GWAS) rely on recognising patterns in DNA, but those patterns look very different across populations. Without African data, risk-prediction models are biased and often inaccurate for African patients. By expanding African genome reference data, AGenDA is making GWAS more scientifically robust and more ethically sound. Meanwhile AGenDA hopes to be an exemplary research governance model: it is led from the continent by African scientists. Data sharing is managed through African-based data-access committees that review who can use the data, for what purpose and under what conditions. Communities are engaged before any sampling begins, and consent processes are adapted to local languages, cultures, and governance systems. This approach ensures that participants are not passive subjects of research but informed partners whose rights, values, and expectations shape how data are collected, stored, and shared. It also protects against the historical exploitation of African data without African control. AGenDA builds on more than a decade of African-led genomic science through the Human Heredity and Health in Africa (H3Africa) Consortium. H3Africa is a pan-African initiative established to strengthen genomics research capacity on the continent and ensure that African populations benefit from genomic medicine. H3Africa has supported dozens of large-scale studies, trained scientists across Africa, and created major genomic resources that are now used globally. One of these resources is AWI-Gen (Africa Wits-INDEPTH Partnership for Genomic Studies), a flagship H3Africa project co-led from Wits University. AWI-Gen studies the genetic and environmental drivers of cardiometabolic diseases such as diabetes, obesity, and hypertension in African populations. The choice of populations for sequencing in genomic studies has usually been chosen from existing samples. Of course, this has resulted in significant gaps in genomic representation in terms of geography and ethnolinguistic diversity. Our strategy of focusing on understudied geographies and identifying partners from these regions has enabled us to address some of the most prominent geographic gaps, such as North Africa, and to make the dataset more comprehensive by including Nilo-Saharan, Afro-Asiatic and African Islander populations that are not adequately represented in current public datasets, says Dr Ananyo Choudhury, the co-lead for AGenDA and a senior scientist at SBIMB. In the long term, AGenDA data will help build African genetic reference databases used for disease research, genetic testing, and medicine worldwide. This will improve research on diseases, such as heart disease, diabetes and other chronic illnesses and infections, that strongly affect African populations. In turn, this will make global medical science more accurate. Because African genomes contain the deepest branches of human genetic history, they help scientists distinguish genetic variants that are ancient from those that arose more recently and help to detect variants that truly influence disease. Studying African diversity improves genetic science for everyone, notes Ramsay. (Corrects chairman's first name to Ray, not Rey, in paragraph 8) By Wen-Yee Lee TAIPEI, Jan 22 (Reuters) - Taiwan's Compal, a contract manufacturer for notebook and personal computers, said surging memory prices would continue into 2027 and have a significant impact on the industry. The company said it expected global notebook and personal computer shipments to fall by a low-single-digit percentage in 2026. We believe the total market will be impacted for sure, Chief Executive Officer Anthony Peter Bonadero said, adding Compal's own notebook and PC business was expected to be flat or see slight growth, supported by its customer mix. "It's a true super cycle (in memory chips) that we haven't really seen," said Bonadero. The world's top three memory chip producers - Samsung Electronics, SK Hynix and Micron - have said in recent months that they are struggling to keep up with demand, as a boom in artificial intelligence data center rollouts has tightened supply of memory chips. "We expect to see more of what we saw towards the end of '25 with pricing volatility in the memory space, with the big three memory manufacturers prioritizing AI server high-bandwidth-memory (HBM)," Bonadero said. Memory chips typically account for about 15% to 18% of a PC's materials cost, but the share could now rise to as much as 35% to 40%, he said. The computer maker has also been restructuring to expand its AI-related and AI server business, Chairman Ray Chen said. Compal last year approved $500 million to expand operations in the U.S., with a factory in Texas expected to be completed by the second quarter and to begin producing AI servers later this year. The company also said that customers wanted supply to be more geographically diversified, adding that it was currently expanding capacity in the U.S., Taiwan and Vietnam. (Reporting by Wen-Yee Lee. Editing by Muralikumar Anantharaman and MarkPotter) A Socialist Equality Party team campaigned outside Westbourne Park bus garage in west London this week. There are 350 bus drivers, engineers and other staff at the garage employed by First Bus (part of the corporate transport giant FirstGroup plc). The SEP members distributed copies of the statements Oppose Trumps criminal invasion of Venezuela! Release Maduro! and For a general strike to stop Trumps occupation of Minneapolis!, both of which were warmly welcomed by workers. Most who passed stopped to speak, eager to make clear their hostility to the rampage being carried out by Trumps Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) gestapo squads, including the murder of Renee Nicole Good in Minneapolis. Workers at Westbourne Park Bus Garage One driver pledged they would do anything I can to help fight Trump. Another said, What Trump is doing is unacceptable and I support [this] fight. A young driver explained, I saw the killing by ICE of the protester. We need to stand together and fight in unity. Another driver said, you need unity in your struggle. Another agreed, Ive been following this situation. Stand firm, dont let them divide you; unity and solidarity in the fight against Trump. One worker commented, I was surprised people voted for Trump. I knew it would be a disaster but hes not only starting wars, hes starting a war against his own citizens. Ive seen ICE in operation: they have to be stoppedTrump has to be stopped. I dont think protests will stop him. Will a general strike? What I do know is [UK Labour Prime Minister Keir] Starmer and Europe are frightened of Trump; its down to the people. Its not just Trump, weve got our own problems with Starmer, and he should be brought down. Another driver responded, Trump does not care about ordinary poor people. I can see the same thing happening elsewhere. We workers are having to tighten up on spending on food in order to try get by. I dont think Trump or any government wants to help workers and the poor; we are going to have to unite and help each other. I dont know what its going to take to stop him. The driver was among others at the depot who said they were interested in the fact that a general strike is being called for in Minneapolis, as they had attended many protests in the UK against the Gaza genocide and it was evident to them that protests do not change anything. One young driver said workers had to stand strong together in unity to defeat Trump. I have followed online the protests against the killing of the lady [Renee Nicole Good] and the attempt by Lang to divide the people, happy to see him driven out. Fascist Jake Lang held a small pro-ICE protest in Minneapolis that was broken up by a large counter-protest. Of the Minneapolis general strike planned for January 23, the driver asked, What will happen? Will it shut down everything, how will that affect things? A strike just in Minneapolis wont stop Trump. I see hes preparing to send troops; if he does it will start a civil war. I will read and get in touch with your website, thank you for this information. A worker described the attack on Venezuela as terrible, its a sovereign country. Trump thinks he can get away with it. Somebody needs to stop him. Others added, If he can do that to Venezuela, he can do that to anyone; Trump says its about drugs but it is all about oil. One observed, Trump is ignoring Congress and the law as if it does not matter. It is very difficult to see this happen, its very shocking. Where is this going to stop? They went on, The Europeans are doing nothing, but he is coming for them next. After Venezuela it will be Greenland. The SEP team cited passages from the statement that explained the European powers are themselves engaged in the largest rearmament campaign since the Second World War and see the invasion of Venezuela as a green light for the restoration of their former colonial empiresall to be funded through the destruction of jobs, wages and the social and democratic rights of workers in their own states. This will meet enormous global opposition. What is required is the development of a socialist political programme among the international working class which can turn general resistance into a conscious struggle against capitalist exploitation and imperialist war. As the statement Oppose Trumps criminal invasion of Venezuela! Release Maduro! concluded: The ruling class has made clear what they want 2026 to be: a year of unrestrained military violence. The answer must be to make 2026 a year of class struggle and the development of a mass movement for socialism. The fight against war is a fight against the capitalist system that breeds it. This struggle must be led by the working class, rallying all progressive sections of the people in a struggle to establish genuine democracy and equality. Police officers and firefighters inspect the damage after a commuter train derailed as a retaining wall collapsed onto the tracks in Gelida, near Barcelona, Spain, Wednesday, Jan. 21, 2026. (AP Photo/Joan Mateu Parra) [Photo: Joan Mateu Parra] At least 42 people are dead after a horrific train collision near the town of Adamuz on Sunday night, around 7:45 p.m. As anger mounts among workers who have long warned of poor maintenance and underfunding of rail security amid the rail privatization program overseen by Spains Socialist Party (PSOE)-Sumar government, train drivers are calling for strikes. The accident occurred when the rear carriages of a high-speed train of the private Italian firm Iryo, traveling north from Malaga to Madrid, derailed on a straight stretch of track. It crossed onto an adjacent rail line and smashed into the front of an Alvia train of Spanish state operator Renfe going south from Madrid to Huelva. With both trains reportedly traveling around 205 km/h (127 mph), the Renfe trains lead carriages derailed and crashed down a 4-meter embankment. Rescuers worked under floodlights in the hilly rural area around Adamuz, to rescue survivors and retrieve bodies from the twisted wreckage of the train. Over 150 people were injured, with 12 in critical care, while bodies were still being found Monday night as the death toll mounted to 42, including the 28-year-old driver of the Renfe train. Anger among rail workers and the general public grew after news emerged that a trainee train driver had died in another derailment in Gelida, near Barcelona, when a commuter train collided with a retaining wall that had collapsed onto the tracks. Tuesday morning, the Spanish Union of Rail Machinists (SEMAF) union was compelled to issue a strike call. Criticizing the relentless deterioration of train materiel, it called to guarantee the safety and reliability of the network. Claiming that its strike call aimed to give legal authorization to mobilizations by working people, it stressed the criminal responsibility of persons tasked with guaranteeing the security of rail infrastructure. While individual officials may well be criminally liable for their role in the catastrophe, it must be bluntly stated that such crimes flowed from the right-wing policies of the PSOE-Podemos and then Podemos-Sumar governments. Relentlessly diverting funds to rail privatization, the military, and the enrichment of Spains capitalist oligarchy, they starved the railways of necessary maintenance. This created the conditions for catastrophes like the Adamuz collision. Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez (PSOE) traveled to Adamuz, where he claimed that his government would be honest with the public about the causes of the accident. We are all asking ourselves how this can have happened, what happened. We will find the truth, he said. When we discover it, we will inform the public with full transparency. I can guarantee the victims that we will protect them and assist them as long as is necessary. Podemos, the Stalinist-Pabloite party that governed for four years in alliance with the PSOE and whose Sumar faction is still in government, made similar points. In a brief statement on Adamuz, Podemos organization secretary and national co-spokesperson Pablo Fernandez thanked the tireless work of rescue teams, adding: We hope that the causes of this terrible accident will be clarified as soon as possible and that at all times there will be the best possible transparency. But despite all the promises of transparency from the PSOE and Podemos, they are covering up the causes of the catastrophe and their own responsibility for it. On Monday, Transport Minister Oscar Puente declared that the accident was strange, very strange, it is currently difficult to explain Currently we cannot speculate on whether the fault is with the rolling stock or the rails. We do not know. He added: Concretely, work on interchanges on this part of the track ended in May. Given this, the accident, on a straight portion of the track, is extremely strange We hope the investigation can help us clarify what took place. Puentes arguments are absurd lies in defense of his governments privatization agenda. While both the trains and the rail infrastructure clearly remain to be fully investigated, workers had repeatedly warned that the track where the accident occurred was poorly maintained and dangerous. The Madrid-Andalucia high-speed rail line is Spains oldest, launched in 1992. It has seen a surge in traffic amid rail privatization, as Ouigo and Iryo (private firms partly owned by the French and Italian state railways, respectively) grabbed parts of this lucrative rail corridor from Spains state rail operator, Renfe. But necessary upkeep was not done. Instead, a state company spun off from Renfe in 2005, Adif, was left to handle the trackseven as revenues from their use were diverted from maintenance towards shareholders of private firms like Ouigo and Iryo. Throughout last year, rail workers alerted Adif and state authorities of the dangers in the Adamuz area. Adif was forced to issue eight reports last year of problems in signaling equipment, potholes and bumps in the tracks, and imbalances in overhead power lines in the region. These reports continued at least until October, well after Puente claimed the rail track had been repaired. In August, complaints from train drivers became so serious that the SEMAF union had to write a letter to Adif, warning of severe wear and tear on rail infrastructure. The letter said train drivers were raising concerns daily, but that no action had been taken. Yesterday, the British Independent cited an anonymous source close to the investigation as saying that experts had found a broken joint on the rails. Technicians on site identified wear on the joint between sections of the rail, known as a fishplate, which they said showed the fault had been there for some time. The source declined to be identified due to the sensitivity of the issue. Technicians are raising possible problems with the Iryo train, as well. Jose Trigueros, president of Spains Association of Road Engineers, examined images released by Spanish authorities and warned of a possible failure of the undercarriage of the back units in the Iryo train. While more details must emerge on the precise causes of the accident, it is rooted in the refusal of state authorities and private firms to fund necessary maintenance. Such funding is incompatible with the right-wing priorities of the PSOE-Podemos, then PSOE-Sumar governments. As the railways were privatized, these governments handed out tens of billions of euros in EU bailout funds to Spanish banks. From when the PSOE-Podemos government took office in 2020 until today, they nearly doubled publicly-reported military spending, from 18 to 34 billion. Over the same period, the wealth of top Spanish billionaires surged from 70 to 110 billion for Ormancia Ortega, 4 to 8 billion for Rafael del Pino, and 5 to 8 billion for Juan Roig. Spains two rail disasters in the last two days underscore that society cannot function amid the monopolization of such vast wealth by parasitic capitalist oligarchs, abetted by middle class, pseudo-left parties like Podemos. Workers must be mobilized as broadly as possible against the privatization policies of the PSOE-Sumar government. Workers entering into struggle must also be warned on Podemos, Sumar and union bureaucracies allied to these parties. They have not simply delayed taking necessary action to halt the plunder of the rail industry. In major strikes such as the 2021 Cadiz metalworkers strike or the 2022 Spanish truckers strike, the union bureaucracies worked to rig votes and shut down strikes, while Podemos sat in government as riot police were sent to assault strikers. Today, they will work consciously and relentlessly to strangle strike action against their own privatization policies. Workers seeking to strike against these policies must organize independently, in rank-and-file security committees, to take control over their working and security conditions. This struggle must proceed as part of a broader, socialist struggle of the working class to expropriate capitalist oligarchs who are plundering society, and use this wealth, created by the working class, to meet social need, not for private profit. The World Socialist Web Site (WSWS) will host an online meeting in support of the 15,000 striking New York nurses at 3 p.m. EST on Sunday, January 25. Click here to register for the meeting. The issues nurses are fighting againstinadequate staffing ratios, substandard pay and benefitsare part of a corporate attack on public health. At the federal level, Trumps Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. is suppressing medical science and attacking vaccinations, leading to the resurgence of previously suppressed or eliminated diseases such as measles and hepatitis. The nurses strike, located in the center of world finance, is part of a broader movement of the working class, whose logic culminates in a national and international movement against oligarchy and dictatorship. On Friday, workers in Minneapolis will conduct a general strike against the occupation of the city by ICE agents, who have already killed one person, Renee Nicole Good. The World Socialist Web Site welcomes this development and calls for the expansion of such actions to New York City and across America. An upcoming strike by 31,000 West Coast nurses, strike votes by teachers in Los Angeles and academic workers at the University of California, as well as the contract expiring next month for 30,000 oil refinery workers, shows the potential for a broader movement in which the demands in every workplace coalesce into a class movement aimed at the entrenched privileges of the capitalist elite. To prepare such action, workers should form broad, democratic, rank-and-file organizations to link up their struggles and mobilize in opposition to the entire political establishment. Register now to attend the public meeting, support the striking nurses and organize a fight for workers control of society. On January 15, Japan and the Philippines signed two new defense agreements in Manila, deepening the integration of Japanese forces into the US-led alliance system preparing for war with China in the Asia-Pacific. Japanese Foreign Minister Toshimitsu Motegi met with Philippine Foreign Secretary Theresa Lazaro to conclude an Acquisition and Cross-Servicing Agreement (ACSA) and an Official Security Assistance pact. Japanese Foreign Minister Toshimitsu Motegi, left, and Philippine Foreign Secretary Theresa Lazaro shake hands in Manila, January 15, 2026. [AP Photo/Joeal Calupitan] The ACSA enables the Japanese Self-Defense Forces and the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) to provide each other with ammunition, fuel, food and other supplies on a tax-free basis during training, joint operations, disaster response and related activities. The parallel $US6 million security assistance arrangement commits Tokyo to funding construction of storage facilities and boathouses for Japanese-donated patrol craft. Both governments framed the agreements as responses to increasingly severe security conditions and unilateral attempts to change the status quo by force in the East and South China Seasdiplomatic language aimed squarely at China. The January agreements build directly on the Japan-Philippines Reciprocal Access Agreement signed in July 2024 and ratified by the Philippine Senate in December 2024. The Philippines is the first country in Asia to sign such a pact with Tokyo. The spectacle of Japanese forces preparing to operate from Philippine soil has profound historical significance. Both the United States and Japan subjected the Philippines to brutal colonial rule in the twentieth century. Washington conquered the Philippines in a bloody war that killed hundreds of thousands. Japans wartime occupation ravaged the archipelago. Manila was one of the most devastated capital cities of World War II, along with Berlin and Warsaw. Now, the two former rulers are back, in tandem, embedding their militaries in Philippine bases in preparation for a new and even more catastrophic war. Chinas Foreign Ministry spokesperson Guo Jiakun responded to the new military deal between Tokyo and Manila, stating, All peace-loving countries and peoples should firmly oppose the revival of Japanese militarism and its re-militarisation. The new Japan-Philippines pacts form part of a rapidly thickening web of Status of Visiting Forces Agreements (SOVFAs) binding Manila to Washington and its allies. Australia already has an SOVFA with the Philippines, signed in 2007 and ratified in 2012. In August 2025, Australian Defense Minister Richard Marles and Philippine Defense Secretary Gilbert Teodoro announced plans to sign a new, upgraded defense agreement in 2026 that will include the construction, upgrade and maintenance of eight defense infrastructure projects at five locations on Luzon, modeled on the framework established by the US Enhanced Defense Cooperation Agreement (EDCA). Over the past two years, the Philippines concluded or advanced SOVFA-type accords with New Zealand and Canada. In April 2025, the Marcos administration signed an SOVFA with New Zealand; by November 2025, Canada became the fifth country with a visiting-forces agreement, explicitly presented as a response to rising tensions in the South China Sea. Negotiations are underway with France and other nations as Philippine officials openly tout building an alliance network against China. These agreements dovetail with EDCA, which grants American forces military basing facilities at numerous locations throughout the country, particularly in Palawan and northern Luzon. EDCA is an executive agreement presenting the basing of US troops as a rotational presence that bypassed legislative ratification. The terms authorize unlimited US troops to agreed locations governed entirely by the United States. Filipinos are not allowed entry. The facilities are rent-free and US troops are immune from Philippine law. In August 2025, US Indo-Pacific Command and the AFP approved an 8-Star plan for over 500 joint military activities in 2026. At the center stands Balikatan 2026, the largest combat exercise staged in Southeast Asia, prepared as a multi-domain war rehearsal involving land, sea, air, cyber and space operations. Recent iterations of Balikatan have taken place in the northernmost Batanes islands, just across the Bashi Channel from Taiwan. There, US and Philippine forces have deployed anti-ship missile systems and rehearsed amphibious landings. It was in the context of Balikatan 2024 that the US first deployed its Typhon missile systemcapable of firing SM-6 and Tomahawk missilesto the Philippines, marking a major step in the integration of the archipelago into US war plans. Ostensibly brought into the country for training exercises, the missile batteries have remained in the Philippines. From northern Luzon, Typhon can strike targets across the South China Sea, the Luzon Strait and deep into mainland China, including coastal provinces such as Guangdong and Fujian, and with the capacity to reach as far as Beijing. What is being created is a layered offensive network: land-based missiles, naval and air forces, and island bases from Japan through Taiwan to the Philippines, all linked by joint command structures and logistics pacts. The re-emergence of Japanese militarism is an integral part of these preparations. The entire alliance structure is cloaked in the rhetoric of a rules-based or law-governed world order supervised and protected by Washington. At a press conference on December 31, 2025, Defense Secretary Teodoro denounced Chinas aggression, and stated that the Philippines sought to uphold a free, open, stable and rules-based Indo-Pacific where differences are resolved through peaceful means without deception, coercion or intimidation. The hypocrisy of such claims is staggering. The linchpin to these whirling claims of rules, freedom and peace is Washington, the White House and Donald Trump. While Japan and the Philippines inked the military deals claiming to uphold law, Trump ordered airstrikes on Venezuela and a special forces raid that abducted President Nicolas Maduro and his wife, flying them to the United States to face drug-trafficking chargesa flagrant act of imperialist banditry. He openly threatened to seize Greenland the hard way if Denmark refuses to hand over the territory, declaring that the US can do what we want on Greenland whether they like it or not. Washington asserts a limitless right to bomb other countries, abduct the head of a sovereign state, annex vast territories by force, and yet it lectures China on respect for international law and demands that its allies deter Beijing in the name of a rules-based order. Last November, Labour Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood outlined Restoring Order and Control plans severely restricting the rights of asylum seekers. These were so vicious that the far-right Reform UK party led by Nigel Farage said it could hardly better them. These came together with a one in, one out agreement with France: Labours response to the far-right-led clamour to stop the small boat crossings made by asylum seekers across the Channel. Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood speaking in Parliament, September 7, 2023 [Photo by House of Commons/Flickr / CC BY-NC-ND 2.0 Formalised last August, it was agreed that France would accept a returned asylum seeker arriving in the UK via a small boat in return for a migrant in France seeking asylum in the UK who had not attempted a small boat crossing. Those selected from France would be subjected to security and eligibility checks. By January 5 this year, 193 asylum seekers had been returned to France, and 195 others had been granted access to the UK. On the evening of January 14, around 100 asylum seekers at Harmondsworth near Heathrow airport and Brook House near Gatwick airport protested over being issued tickets and told they were being put on a flight to France the following day. Harmondsworth and Brook House are the main detention centres where asylum seekers slated for removal under one in, one out are held. The Guardian, the only national newspaper to report the protests, said they were co-ordinated across both camps. It reported: Detainees told the Guardian they were peacefully resisting being taken to the airport because they believed that while France was generally a safe country, it was not safe for some of them who had received threats from people smugglers. Some also fear that under European Union law they will be returned to another EU country and from there forcibly returned to their country of origin, where they believe their lives may be in danger. Detainees said another grievance was the arbitrary nature of the scheme whereby some asylum seekers would be able to have their asylum claim processed in the UK others faced being forcibly removed to France. Harmondsworth Immigration Removal Centre [Photo: Global Detention Project ] The intention was to hold a peaceful demonstration, but migrants were immediately punished. One message sent to the Guardian explained: All is good. More than 60 here [at Harmondsworth] and 50 at Brook House, all protesting in a very nice and safe way. We are in the hall they locked the doors. We cant go to toilet or have a rest or eat and drink. We dont know what they gonna do next. Please help us. Do whatever u can for us. More messages from the protestors in the early hours of Thursday morning described how the situation rapidly deteriorated as security officers with dogs and riot shields were sent in to brutally smash up the protest. According to the Guardian, they also used teargas. One protestor messaged the newspaper at 2.14 a.m. saying he had pain in his head after being beaten and had been locked in a solitary cell. Another detainee not due to be flown out, but who had supported the protest, messaged the newspaper at 3.33 a.m. to say, They brought special forces for us, they used [teargas], they took us by force inside rooms, they took the ones who have tickets by force. We are in pain; our eyes and bodies are burning. The Joint Council for the Welfare of Immigrants responded to the assault: This cruel UK-France scheme ultimately amounts to state sanctioned human trafficking. We stand in complete solidarity with their demands. Prior to the protest, asylum seekers held at Harmondsworthincluding some from Afghanistan, Iran, Iraq, Syria and Sudan, states all devastated by imperialist war and oppressiondocumented the fear, humiliation and psychological distress caused by their treatment in the UK. One of the reports notes that many of the detainees are young adults between 17 and 30. It states, There have been multiple incidents involving individuals experiencing severe mental health crises, including self-harm attempts. Detainees report being placed in isolation or disciplinary units. This environment has created constant fear, despair, and uncertainty, with detainees expressing that they feel dehumanised and invisible. Not only have detainees been refused decisions on their asylum claims, they also have no access to lawyers. As the policy was agreed last year, Louise Calvey, the Asylum Matters Executive Director stated, The one-in-one-out plan is yet another attack on the human right to seek sanctuary. In reinforcing the criminalisation of people exercising their legal right to seek asylum, our Government continues to ignore the Refugee Conventionwhich permits travel by irregular means to seek sanctuaryand punish people for using the only means available to them to reach safety. Its a grubby trade in human lives that will do nothing more than remove people from this country back into the hands of people smugglers. It will send them back to French shores where theyll face escalating police violence: boats being slashed with families onboard, children being teargassed, violence which we know makes Channel crossings even more dangerous. The Medical Justice charity which sends independent clinicians into immigration detention centres also called for the one in one out scheme to be scrapped. It surveyed 33 migrants awaiting deportation to France and said there was a near total disregard for identified vulnerabilities, adding that the scheme failed to protect trafficking and torture survivors. One of the documents drawn up by the asylum seekers, Report on conditions and treatment at Harmondsworth Immigration Removal Centre, stated that the detainees had come to Britain in the pursuit of safety, dignity and a chance to live a peaceful life. But such is their treatment that they are demanding the United Nations and human rights groups urgently investigate conditions. After the Guardian article appeared, six MPs tabled an early day motion on January 12, calling on the government to launch an immediate inspection of the treatment and conditions of these detained asylum seekers. This basic request has fallen on deaf ears in Parliament. Ten days later, the EMD has received a total of just 17 signatures including, eight Labour MPs. Mahmoods plans include granting successful asylum seekers core protection. But this still means a potential 20-year wait before achieving permanent status. Mimicking the role of Trumps gestapo-like Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) squads in the US, the Labour government is meanwhile stepping up immigration enforcement raids. The Home Office boasted in a January 12 press release that Illegal working arrests and raids have reached the highest level in UK history the number of raids [has] soared by 77 percent in the UK since the government came into power, leading to an 83 percent rise in arrests (July 2024 to end of December 2025. It stated there were 17,400 raids and over 12,300 arrests. A Construction News article of January 7 noted, The number of immigration arrests on UK construction premises during the first nine months of 2025 was almost three times the 2024 figure and the highest for at least a decade from January to September there were 206 immigration enforcement visits at construction premises, with 477 people arrested. Seeking to implement a key goal of the far-right, Labour is also committed to closing hotels which have been repurposed to accommodate asylum seekers. In a dog-whistle to the far-right the Home Office announced they would shift asylum seekers into other accommodation including former barracks. Adopting the language of the fascistswho sieged hotels for months last summer demanding the asylum seekers who were living in luxury be kicked out and deportedon Thursday the government moved 27 asylum seekers into barracks at the former Crowborough training camp in Sussex. This was part of its mission to end the use of expensive hotels, with Mahmood saying, Crowborough is just the start. This story was originally published on Food Dive. To receive daily news and insights, subscribe to our free daily Food Dive newsletter. Dive Brief: Tapatio hot sauce is being acquired by private equity firm Highlander Partners for an undisclosed amount, the companies said in a statement. The Saavedra family, which founded the brand in 1971, will retain a minority stake in Tapatio following the transaction. With Highlander's investment and partnership, Tapatio plans to enter new geographies, distribution channels and develop additional products. Tapatio's products have a large following in the Western U.S. Dive Insight: As younger consumers hunger for spicy flavors, food companies have looked for ways to deepen their presence in the space. Some brands, including Kraft Heinzs signature ketchup and Italian sauce brand Ragu, have launched spicy versions of their popular brands. PepsiCo established Flamin Hot as its own brand within its portfolio to make it easier for consumers to identify the products. Tapatio has previously partnered with Doritos, Bud Light and Idahoan on product collaborations, according to its website. Other firms have opted to diversify their spicy portfolio through M&A, including McCormick & Co., which purchased hot-sauce maker Cholula for $800 million in cash in 2020 and Franks RedHot three years earlier. More than half of Generation Z consumers identify themselves as hot sauce connoisseurs, according to a 2024 survey published by NC Solutions. It also found that 62% of all consumers surveyed indicated they are more likely to buy a food or beverage item if it is advertised as spicy. While Tapatio says it is the No. 5 hot sauce brand in the U.S., the offering is confident about the opportunities for expansion due to the fast-growing market, coupled with opportunities to stretch its reach into other parts of the country. "We are excited to partner with Tapatio, a generational business that is distinguished by a strong, authentic brand in the fast growing hot sauce category, Jeff L. Hull, president and CEO of Highlander Partners, said in a statement. We believe that Tapatio is poised to benefit from several secular trends that are dramatically reshaping consumer food choices, and we look to take advantage of the brand's significant whitespace opportunity. Recommended Reading Postal workers and community members march in opposition to Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) in Minneapolis, Minnesota, January 18, 2026. On January 20, an online planning meeting was held by the Detroit January 23 Coalition to organize a protest in solidarity with demonstrations in Minneapolis against Trumps Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) rampage. The meeting was organized by a coalition, including the Peoples Assembly, the Party for Socialism and Liberation (PSL), Detroit Will Breathe, the Democratic Socialists of America (DSA) and Detroit Community Action Committee (DCAC). Larry Porter, a national committee member of the Socialist Equality Party (SEP), was invited to the meeting by a member of the DCAC. In remarks to the meeting, Porter supported the call for a general strike and raised the fundamental political issues involved in opposing the paramilitary occupation in Minneapolis and the escalating conspiracy for dictatorship. He insisted that any genuine working class protest must oppose both capitalist parties and the trade union apparatus. A vote was held on the SEPs participation in the January 23 event, with the proposal defeated 74. Voting against the SEPs inclusion were representatives of the PSL, the CPUSA, Moratorium Now and the Freedom Road Socialist Party. The basic political motivation was to block the emergence of an independent movement of the working class and to suppress opposition to the Democratic Party. Below are the remarks delivered by Porter to the meeting. *** My name is Lawrence Porter. I am a member of the Socialist Equality Party and a former autoworker, and have been active in the struggles of workers here in Detroit for many decades. I would like to address a number of critical issues and call for a member of the SEP to be included in the list of speakers at this demonstration. We are discussing at this meeting the organization of a demonstration in Detroit supporting the demonstrations in Minneapolis against ICE, state violence and the escalating drive toward dictatorship under the Trump administration. That is entirely necessary. But the decisive question before us tonight is not simply whether a protest takes place. It is what political perspective will guide this movement and where it is being led. That requires political clarity. There are two critical issues that must be addressed openly. First: the necessity of a complete and unequivocal break with the Democratic Party The Democrats are not an ally in the fight against Trump. They are an enemy. They represent the same capitalist oligarchy, the same imperialist interests and the same repressive state apparatus. They are responsible for the genocide in Gaza. They funded ICE. Over the past year, as Trump has openly prepared dictatorship, they have done nothingbecause they fear mass opposition from below more than they fear Trump. The only significant disagreement the Democratic Party has with Trump is over the war in Ukraine. To subordinate this movement to the Democrats is to disarm it politically. This raises the proposal to include a speaker from the Democratic Socialists of America. We must be clear: The DSA is a faction of the Democratic Party, with members in Congress and city halls. It functions to channel opposition back into a party of Wall Street and the military. Look at the example of Zohran Mamdani, the newly elected DSA mayor. He met with Trump, shook his hand, smiled for the cameras, and pledged a partnership with this gangster. He has already dropped demands to tax the rich as he develops close ties with Democratic Governor Hochul. If this rally becomes a platform for the Democratic Party, it will serve to contain opposition, not advance it. Second: the role of the trade union apparatus Autoworkers, nurses, transit workers, educatorsall workers must be at the center of this fight. But we must tell the truth: The union bureaucracy does not support strike action against Trumps dictatorship. The UAW apparatus under Shawn Fain backs Trumps economic nationalism. It enforces labor discipline, suppresses opposition and blocks any movement toward a general strike. More broadly, in Minneapolis, the unions have told workers they cannot strike, that contracts forbid action, that everything must remain legal and orderlywhile the government itself operates outside the law. The Minnesota AFL-CIO has not even endorsed the January 23 event. These bureaucracies are closely allied with the Democratic Party. Their function is to prevent the emergence of an independent working class movement. So we must ask plainly: Will this rally promote the very institutions that are collaborating with Trump? Or will it outline a strategy for a real counteroffensive against fascism and dictatorship? The central slogans of this rally must be: Break with the Democratic Party Abolish ICE, CBP and DHS Build an independent movement of the working class For a nationwide general strike to defeat the drive to dictatorship and fascism That is why it is essential that this meeting and the rally include a speaker from the Socialist Equality Partya party that is independent of the Democrats, opposed to the trade union bureaucracy, and fighting to build rankandfile committees and a mass working class movement against capitalism itself. If this demonstration is to be more than a gesture, if it is to contribute to a real struggle, it must advance a perspective that can guide the fight against Trump and fascism, not lead it into another blind alley. New York Mayor Zohran Mamdani speaks during a press conference with New York Governor Kathy Hochul and NYPD Commissioner Jessica Tisch, Tuesday, Jan. 6, 2026, in New York. [AP Photo/Yuki Iwamura] Eleven days into the strike by 15,000 nurses in New York City, talks are set to resume Thursday between the New York State Nurses Association (NYSNA) and the hospital systems of Montefiore, Mount Sinai and NewYork-Presbyterian. In a statement on its website, NYSNA attributed the resumption of talks to the hospitals being urged back to the negotiating table by Governor Hochul and Mayor Mamdani. It is clear that NYSNA is working closely with Democratic Party officials, principally Zohran Mamdani, who appeared on the picket line this week for the second time in an effort to bring the strike to a close as quickly as possible. The NYSNA statement even suggested that the union is prepared to send workers back to the job before they have a chance to vote on any potential deal, stating that the strike will continue only until tentative agreements are reached with the hospitals. At a rally outside Mount Sinai on Tuesday, Mamdani reiterated his role in pushing for a deal to end the strike, stating, We are encouraging everyone to return to that bargaining table. He added that a strike is not where workers want to be and called for a swift and urgent resolution, making clear his priority was to bring the nurses back to work as quickly as possible. Mamdanis comments were calculated to appeal to the sentiments of striking nurses, many of whom have emphasized over the past week and a half that their strike is a defensive action. It has become necessary because the hospitals refuse to address intolerable conditions. Chronic understaffing is jeopardizing patient safety and the wellbeing of nurses, driving many to leave the profession altogether. The hospitals are even going further, demanding cuts to benefits, including to nurses own health coverage. But in waging this struggle, nurses are not simply reacting defensively to unacceptable contract proposals from the hospitals. Their fight for safe staffing levels poses a direct challenge to the priorities that dominate the healthcare industrypriorities set by millionaire executives and the billionaires who sit on the boards of New Yorks hospital systems. Nurses are insisting that the needs of patients and healthcare workers must come first, not the financial interests of pharmaceutical companies, insurance giants or hospital-affiliated venture capital funds. It is under these conditions that Mamdanis intervention in the strike arises. Striking nurses, many of whom voted for Mamdani, must understand the social and political forces the mayor represents. What does his intervention in the strike signify? When he calls for an agreement to end the strike, whose interests will such a deal serve? To answer these questions, it is instructive to review Mamdanis relationship with the other major Democrat involved in the strike, Governor Kathy Hochul. While Mamdani frequents the picket line mouthing words of support, Hochuls hostility to the strike has been impossible to conceal. As governor, she signed an executive order authorizing hospitals to engage in strikebreaking operations by allowing travel nurses to operate without a license in New York state. Hochuls strikebreaking even earned the praise of the far-right hacks on the New York Posts editorial board, who wrote of the governors conduct during the strike, New York is lucky to have at least one top executive who retains a firm grip on reality. Appearing last week on MS NOWs The Briefing With Jen Psaki, Mamdani said he appreciates the relationship and the partnership hes built with Hochul, who campaigned with the mayor in the closing stages of last years election. He added, Its almost felt as if there are two different constituencies that they represent, when in fact, were all representing New Yorkers. And Ive appreciated this governor, Governor Hochul, in showcasing the leadership necessary to deliver for those same New Yorkers. In his commitment to govern for all New Yorkers, including the ultra-wealthy, Mamdani recently set aside his campaign pledge to raise taxes on millionaires and corporations at Hochuls behest. Instead, the pair have announced their intention to phase in an expansion of child care, though the source of funding for even the initial, extremely modest phase remains unclear. The abandonment of the proposal to tax the rich, presented as a pragmatic maneuver, is indicative of the political subterfuge that Mamdani specializes in. While Mamdani makes populist-sounding appeals to fight the oligarchy, his politics aim to convince workers that their interests can be reconciled with those of Wall Street, big real estate, and corporate CEOs who dictate economic conditions. Mamdanis politically duplicitous role was expressed in the partnership he announced with President Trump during his visit to the White House in November. Since then, Mamdani has maintained what he describes as an honest and productive relationship with the fascist Trump. Mamdanis perspective, that workers can achieve gains by working with a gangster in the midst of establishing a presidential dictatorship, will come to define the term political bankruptcy. The fact that nurses at some of the wealthiest hospitals in the wealthiest city in America have been forced to strike over such basic issues as safe staffing levels, the preservation of health care coverage, and safe working conditions demonstrates that the needs of workers are coming into direct conflict with the interests of the oligarchy. Nurses immediate demands, along with broader social needs, including the establishment of healthcare as a fundamental social right guaranteed to all, can only be realized to the extent that workers take up a struggle against the oligarchy rather than accept their subordination to it. Mamdanis intervention in the strike is an attempt to bring the workers mobilization to an end as quickly as possible on terms demanded by the ruling class. New York, along with the rest of the country, is experiencing levels of social anger that are bursting at the seams. The Democratic Party, which represents a section of Wall Street and the military intelligence apparatus more concerned with ensuring continuity and stability, is deeply concerned about the potential for struggles like the nurses strike to go beyond immediate contractual issues and spark a broader movement against inequality, exploitation and dictatorship. The success of the nurses strike depends on a clear assessment of the forces involved. Its not a question of Mamdani or any other politician showing up on the picket line, with their honeyed words. The two big-business political parties are well schooled in speaking out of both sides of their mouths. Ultimately its a question of whose class interests they serve. While the NYNSA works with Mamdani to try to shut down the strike, the rest of the trade union apparatus is doing nothing to mobilize broader support. To take forward the struggle, the WSWS urges nurses to build rank-and-file strike committeesdemocratically elected and led by nurses themselvesto establish democratic control over the strike. Nurses should formulate their non-negotiable demands as the precondition for accepting any contract or ending the strike. The real allies of striking nurses are the fellow hospital workers who are being forced by their union to cross picket lines, the nurses at other public and non-profit hospitals that face the exact same conditions, the transit workers who are launching a contract struggle of their own presently, and the logistics workers struggling against dangerous working conditions. The nurses strike coincides with a broader intensification of the class struggle. Trump is accelerating this process, most recently by deploying thousands of ICE agents and other federal forces to occupy Minneapolis, part of a broader attempt to impose dictatorial control and suppress any and all opposition. The response by the working class is not acquiescence, but the initiation of a struggle against it, including calls for a general strike in Minneapolis on Friday. Beyond Minneapolis, workers are being drawn into struggle, including nurses in California who are preparing a strike of their own against Kaiser Permanente, raising the possibility of coordinated action among healthcare workers around the country. To win the strike, nurses must connect with and develop the initiative of the workers, building rank-and-file committees to transform the strike into a wider offensive. President Donald Trump speaks during a meeting of Global Business Leaders at the Annual Meeting of the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, Wednesday, Jan. 21, 2026. [AP Photo/Evan Vucci] The World Economic Forum, which opened Monday in Davos, Switzerland, was dominated by the deepening rift between the United States and the European powers over US President Donald Trumps efforts to take control of Greenland. By the end of Wednesday evening, Trump had announced that he would walk back his earlier threats to annex Greenland by military force or impose tariffs against European states, in exchange for what he called an agreement over control of the territory. Greenland is an autonomous territory of Denmark, a founding member of the NATO alliance. Trump met with NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte on Wednesday and announced the framework of a future deal, though the precise terms remain unclear and disputed. The New York Times reported, citing unnamed senior officials familiar with the discussions, that NATO military officers discussed a compromise in which Denmark would give the United States sovereignty over small pockets of Greenlandic land where the United States could build military bases. Two officials compared the proposal to Britains sovereign base areas in Cyprus. The Telegraph said the framework would allow the US to perform military operations, intelligence, and training without seeking permission from Denmarkan arrangement similar to the US militarys control of Guantanamo Bay in Cuba. Danish officials rejected the characterization that any real agreement had been reached. Danish Foreign Minister Lars Lkke Rasmussen told public broadcaster DR that US ownership of Greenland remains a red line for Denmark. Sascha Faxe, a member of the Danish parliament, told Sky News the purported deal is not real, adding: Its two men who have had a conversation. Its definitely not a deal. Rutte himself told Fox News that the question of whether Greenland would remain under Danish control did not come up in his talks with Trump. Trump withdrew tariff threats against eight European countries following the announcement, sending stock markets sharply higher after the S&P 500 had posted its worst day since October on Tuesday. The crisis at Davos exposed the advanced state of disintegration of the transatlantic alliance. Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney, speaking at the forum on Tuesday, delivered a stark assessment of the global situation. Let me be direct: We are in the midst of a rupture, not a transition, Carney declared. He warned that the rules-based order is fading and invoked the ancient Greek historian Thucydides: the strong do what they can, and the weak suffer what they must. Carney received a standing ovation from the audience, while Trumps address was met with tepid applause. French President Emmanuel Macron denounced the Trump administrations trade strategy as an effort to weaken and subordinate Europe. The depth of the rift between the US and Europe was illustrated by European Central Bank President Christine Lagarde, who walked out of a dinner during a speech by US Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick that was critical of European economic policies. Whatever the final form of the arrangement, it represents an expansion of US military control over the Arctic. In his address to the forum, Trump framed his efforts to control Greenland within the context of the US conflict with Russia and China. Greenland is a vast, almost entirely uninhabited and undeveloped territory sitting undefended in a key strategic location between the United States, Russia and China, he said. Doubling down on this bizarre geography (Greenland is 5,000 miles, or 8,000 kilometers, from China), he added, Thats exactly where it is, right smack in the middle. While walking back his threat to use military force, Trump made clear he would use economic coercion to achieve his aims. You can say yes and we will be very appreciative, he declared, or you can say no and we will remember. The Trump administrations drive to seize control of Greenland is part of a broader effort to reorganize the Western Hemisphere under direct US domination. The administration views the consolidation of American power over its near abroad as essential for projecting power against American imperialisms principal rival: China. Canada and Greenland, with their vast mineral resources, energy deposits and access to Arctic seaways, are critical to this effort, as is the Panama Canal. This strategy of hemispheric consolidation aims to secure a continental resource base for great-power conflict. Greenlands strategic value has grown as climate change transforms the Arctic. The Northwest Passage, once impassable for most of the year, is becoming increasingly navigable, offering a shipping route that cuts thousands of miles and weeks of transit time from journeys between Asia and the Atlantic. Control of the Arctic waters and the territories that border them has emerged as a central preoccupation of all the major imperialist powers. The Arctic has become a zone of intensifying militarization. The United States maintains the Pituffik Space Base, formerly known as Thule Air Base, in northern Greenland, its northernmost military installation. The base houses critical missile defense and early warning systems that would provide minutes of additional warning time in the event of a nuclear exchange with Russia or China. Trump has spoken repeatedly of his Golden Dome missile defense system, for which Greenlands position would be invaluable. The high Arctic territory sits astride the shortest flight paths between the continental United States and both Russia and China, making it irreplaceable for both offensive and defensive military operations. Beyond its strategic location, Greenland contains enormous deposits of rare earth minerals essential for advanced technology and weapons systems, as well as uranium and substantial oil reserves beneath its continental shelf. The gathering of the worlds financial oligarchy at Davos took place against the backdrop of the staggering growth of billionaire wealth documented in the Oxfam report Resisting the Rule of the Rich, released to coincide with the forum. The report found that billionaire wealth grew at three times the rate of the previous five years, with the 12 richest individuals on Earth now possessing more wealth than the poorest half of humanity combined. The crisis over Greenland sent investors fleeing toward safe-haven assets. Gold prices surged to record highs as precious metals registered their sharpest gains in months. The flight to gold and other stores of value reflects the deep unease within financial markets over the trajectory of great-power relations and the growing risk of a broader conflict. The surge in precious metals is a barometer of capitalist instability, indicating that sections of the ruling class see in the current crisis the harbinger of something far worse. Whatever the temporary resolution of the standoff over Greenland, the underlying trajectory is toward mounting conflict between the US and Europe, in which American imperialism will be increasingly impelled to rely on its one main advantage: military force. The eruption of this crisis at the premier gathering of the global capitalist elite exposes the crisis of the entire post-World War II international order. Neither Trumps America First nationalism nor the European bourgeoisies response offers any way forward for the working class. Both represent factions of a ruling class that is incapable of resolving its conflicts through any means other than violence, economic warfare and ultimately military confrontation. The January 15 appearance of the Spanish Minister of Foreign Affairs, Jose Manuel Albares, in parliament has once again exposed Madrids posturing. The Socialist Party (PSOE) and Sumar coalition government have cynically distanced themselves from US aggression against Venezuela in words but align with it in practice. There will be no genuine opposition to wars of plunder from a government that is also working to loot Venezuelawhether through sanctions, diplomatic activities, or active complicity with Trump. Albares issued empty statements that commit Madrid to nothing and offer no criticism of the Trump administrations criminal actions. He spoke of a Global Alliance for Multilateralism, the defense of international cooperation and the peaceful resolution of conflicts, and the defense of international peace and security. He also rambled that no future, no community, no hope can be built on arbitrariness and violence, and that the questioning and flagrant violations of international law and the United Nations Charter carry a devastating cost. On Venezuela, which was supposedly the central focus of his address, he stated that no solution can be imposed from outside and much less by force, and that the will of the Venezuelan people and sovereignty over natural resources, which are also part of the sovereignty of every country, must be respected. Albares spoke as if Spain bore no responsibility for the very crimes and wars for oil and resources that he now claims to oppose. But in reality, Madrid joined US-led wars of aggression in Afghanistan (2001), Iraq (2003), Libya (2011) and Syria (2011-2025). It also has provided logistical, political and military support for the genocide being carried out against the Palestinian people in Gaza since October 2023. The PSOE-Podemos (2019-2023) and PSOE-Sumar (2023-) governments have also funded and hosted in Madrid right-wing Venezuelan opposition forces committed to regime change against the government of Nicolas Maduro. Spain has twice participated directly in coup attempts in Venezuela: first in April 2002 under the right-wing Popular Party (PP) government of Jose Maria Aznar, then in January 2019 under the PSOEs Pedro Sanchez, when Madrid recognised US-backed operative Juan Guaido as president. Albares was careful never to name or criticize Trump or the US at any point, and he avoided committing to any concrete measures. Like the PSOE-Sumar government as a whole, he aimed only to appear to oppose Trumps actions, aware of the strong opposition that the imperialist invasion of Venezuela has provoked among Spanish workers. According to a CIS (Centre for Sociological Research) survey, only 13.6 percent of Spaniards believe that Trump acted correctly in intervening in Venezuela. Fully 61.5 percent say his actions endangered world peace. The PSOE and Sumar are well aware of this and fear a radicalization of the Spanish working class, especially as public servicesparticularly healthcare and educationdeteriorate, housing prices keep soaring out of reach of working class youth, and wages barely allow workers to make ends meet. At the same time, Madrid fears that the Trump administrations policy of forcibly establishing neocolonial dominance over the entire western hemisphere seriously endangers Spanish imperialisms interests and those of its companies in Latin America. Nearly 30 percent of Spanish outward investment is directed toward this region, with Venezuela as one of the key countries. Thus, on January 9, while the CEO of the Spanish oil company Repsol met with other oil executives and Donald Trump to discuss carving up Venezuelan oil, Albares spoke by phone with US Secretary of State Marco Rubio. The US Department of State stated only that the discussion had focused on the need to ensure an appropriate and prudent transfer of power in Venezuela, making it clear Albares accepted the US imperialist invasion. This means effectively endorsing Trumps political transition aiming to turn Venezuela into a protectorate. Diplomatic sources cited by pro-PSOE daily El Pais said the conversation addressed the situation of Spanish companies in Venezuela, such as Repsol. While the Spanish government maneuvered to safeguard the interests of the Spanish bourgeoisie before Marco Rubio, Repsol CEO Jon Imaz was participating in the meeting of the White House with other top executives from the worlds leading oil companies. Prostrating himself before Trump as would-be Fuhrer of America, Imaz conveyed to the White House his commitment to investing in Venezuelas oil sector: We are ready to invest more in Venezuela and to triple production there over the next two or three years. He explained that Repsol was committed both to its presence in the US marketa way of groveling to Trumps America First policyand to significantly expanding its role in Venezuela. We are a Spanish company, but we are fully committed to investing in the United States. Over the past 15 years, we have invested $21 billion in the U.S. oil and gas industry, Imaz said. He continued, We are in Venezuela, together with our partners at [Italian oil firm] Eni, and we produce the gas that guarantees the stability of half of Venezuelas electricity grid. So we are committed to that stability. We have personnel, facilities, and technical capabilities. We are ready to invest more in Venezuela today. We are currently producing 45,000 gross barrels per day, and we are ready to triple that figure over the next two or three years by investing heavily in the country. Imaz, the former president of the right-wing Basque Nationalist Party and today one of the parliamentary pillars of the PSOE-Sumar government, is thus ready to actively participate in the imperialist plundering of Venezuela. That Repsols interests are a central priority of the PSOE-Sumar government was stated openly last Friday by Spains Minister of Economy, Carlos Cuerpo. He declared that the PSOE-Sumar government is working hand in hand with the company, backing it in whatever may be necessary so that, in this so-called moment of transition, Repsol continues to function as an essential factor for stability in Venezuela. For their part, the pseudo-left milieu of Sumar and allied parties, though it seeks to appear more critical, has limits itself to issuing rhetorical criticisms of a government it continues to support, providing political cover for its policy of financing rearmament via austerity. Sumar has five ministers in the government that, via the comments of Albares and its collaboration with Repsol, prostrated itself before Trump. However, its deputy Santos proclaimed the need for more Europe and to rebuild the EU as an international actor, while describing the US invasion of Venezuela as a blatant violation of international law and humanitarian law that seeks to expropriate its resources, its oil. Ione Belarra, secretary-general of the former government partner Podemos, went further in her rhetoric. She proposed that the Executive recognize that NATO is dead and that we must leave NATO, close U.S. bases in Spain, and internationally isolate Trump. But, as always, these statements did not translate into any concrete action to leave NATO or compel the closure of military bases in Spain. It merely sought to legitimize the PSOE-Sumar government and its policies of rearmament and austerity. From 2020, when Podemos formed a government with the PSOE, until 2023, and since then when Sumar, a splinter of Podemos, did the same, Spain has experienced its largest rearmament in history. According to a report by the anti-militarist group Tortuga in 2018, real military spending was 30 billion; by 2025 it had risen to over 66 billion. It is projected to reach 80 billion in 2026 (about 5 percent of GDP). This military spending disproportionately falls on the poorest: the bottom 10 percent of the population contributes 30 times more, proportionally, than the top 10 percent. Resources that could be allocated to healthcare, education or pensions are instead used to prepare for war. This is the policy that Podemos and Sumar have actually implemented in government. The fight against imperialist war cannot be waged via appeals to any faction of the bourgeoisie, or by pressuring governments committed to defending capitalist property. It requires a conscious break by the working class with pro-capitalist parties, forming rank-and-file organizations of struggle in the working class, and building an independent, international anti-war movement rooted in socialist principles. Such a movement must unite workers and youth across national borders in a common struggle against imperialism, militarism, and capitalism itself. The defense of Venezuela, like the defense of Gaza and the opposition to war in Ukraine, is inseparable from the fight for workers power, the expropriation of the major corporations and banks, and the reorganization of society on the basis of social need, not private profit. Only through the development of socialist internationalism can humanity put an end to war, exploitation, and the descent into barbarism. House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries told a closed-door meeting of congressional Democrats that while he would personally oppose legislation to fund the Department of Homeland Security for the remainder of the fiscal yearthrough September 30the Democratic leadership would not seek to whip the vote, now set for Thursday. The effect of this move is to ensure passage of full funding for the DHS and, in particular, Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), in the wake of the murder of Renee Nicole Good by an ICE agent in Minneapolis on January 7, and the full-scale occupation of the Twin Cities by thousands of federal agents. House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-New York), flanked by Democratic Whip Rep. Katherine Clark (D-Massachusetts), left, Rep. Teresa Leger Fernandez (D-New Mexico), right, and Rep. Jim McGovern (D-Massachusetts), second from right, talks to reporters at the Capitol in Washington, Tuesday, Nov. 11, 2025. [AP Photo/Jose Luis Magana] The American Prospect reported that several Democrats in closely contested districts would be voting for the ICE appropriation. Theyre terrified of being labeled antilaw enforcement, an unnamed source told the liberal magazine. They want this to go away so they can talk about the cost of living more. Problem is, its not going away. Through backroom maneuvers with House Speaker Mike Johnson and other top Republicans, the magazine reported, Democratic leadership worked it so that the DHS appropriations bill will get a separate vote from the other three bills in the package released on Tuesday. While a full four-bill package may have needed support from House Democrats, the DHS appropriation alone, with its meager accountability measures and funding for immigration enforcement, can be expected to get full support from House Republicans. It is notable that Jeffries did impose the party whip on votes related to the government shutdown of October-November last year. He has chosen not to do so in the impending vote on the DHS budget. The report continued: The Hill source told the Prospect that in general, Democratic leadership was uninterested in fighting on the issue of ICE and immigration enforcement. Theyll just yell at Trump as he escalates and hope people forget and dont punish them for failing to use what little power they had when it mattered, the source said. It is not electoral calculations that drive this two-faced policy. Trumps persecution of immigrants is deeply unpopular, and more Americans favor abolishing ICE entirely than allowing it to continue its vicious operations, according to recent opinion polls. The Democratic leadership wont block funding for ICE because it regards both ICE and DHS as a whole as critical parts of the machinery of the capitalist state, which they, like the Republicans, uphold and support. The legislative situation barely a week before the shutdown is still highly uncertain. Congress has just approved a so-called minibus, a bill to provide full-year funding for the Interior, Justice and Commerce departments, the Environmental Protection Agency and some scientific agencies, for a total of $180 billion. The bill was adopted by huge bipartisan majorities, passing the House of Representatives January 8 by a vote of 397-28 and passing the Senate a week later, by a vote of 82-15. Only six Democrats voted no in the House, including only one left, Rashida Tlaib. The 15 Senate no votes included 11 Democrats, among them Bernie Sanders and Elizabeth Warren. Both Democratic senators from Minnesota and all four Democratic House members from that state, including Ilhan Omar of Minneapolis, voted for the funding bill. Other left Democrats in the House who supported the legislation included Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez of New York and Greg Casar of Texas, both members of the Democratic Socialists of America, and Pramila Jayapal, chair of the Progressive Caucus. Passage of the minibus still leaves six of the 12 annual appropriations bills required to fund the government. The departments still threatened with partial shutdown include three of the largest: Defense, Homeland Security, and Health and Human Services (HHS), as well as Transportation, Housing and Urban Development (HUD), Labor, Education and State. Senate and House leaders in both capitalist parties are working out the terms of several multi-department bills to be passed before January 30. The legislation ending the October-November shutdown included full-year appropriations for the Agriculture and Veterans Affairs departments, as well as for military construction and the operations of Congress itself. All other funding was continued at fiscal year 2025 levels until January 30, when spending authorization would expire. Congressional appropriations committee leaders reached agreement January 19 on a second three-bill minibus that would fund most domestic social spending, including the departments of Labor, HHS, Education, Transportation and HUD, but the bill has not yet been formally adopted by either house of Congress. There is little likelihood that Congress will allow spending authorization for the Pentagon or DHS to expire, particularly in the midst of nearly continuous US military operations in the Caribbean against Venezuela and against multiple targets in the Middle East. The Pentagon authorization will top $900 billion, while the DHS is to receive nearly $108 billion. Even if the Democrats were to delay funding for DHS, as a political stunt directed toward the 2026 midterm elections, there would be no effect on ICE operations. The agency received a huge increase provided by Trumps One Big Beautiful Bill (OBBA), passed last summer, giving it virtually unlimited resources for arrests, detentions and deportations. Under OBBA, the budget for ICE skyrocketed from $10 billion to $75 billion, divided into $30 billion for operationsthe raids that are currently devastating city after cityand $45 billion for detention facilities, the massive concentration camps that are expected to hold hundreds of thousands, and even millions, of immigrant detainees. ICE has already become the most-funded federal police force, more than doubling in size to 22,000. In terms of the number of agents, it trails only Customs and Border Protection (CBP), with 47,000. Both agencies have been mobilized for massive sweeps through targeted cities, with Minneapolis-St. Paul occupied for the past two months, and Portland and Lewiston, Maine facing anti-migrant sweeps this week. With extraordinary rapidity, the Coalition, the opposition in the federal parliament, broke apart today with its leaders publicly hurling mutual recriminations at one another. The immediate trigger of the rupture was a dispute between the erstwhile Coalition partners, the Liberals and the Nationals, over whether to back anti-democratic legislation introduced to parliament by the Labor government on Tuesday. Australian Nationals leader David Littleproud and Liberal Party leader Sussan Ley [Photo by Commonwealth of Australia, North East CMA / CC BY 3.0 The divisions, however, run deeper and the break-up of the Coalition is not a conjunctural development. Instead, it is the sharpest expression of a crisis of the entire parliamentary set-up, under conditions of mounting popular discontent and the collapse of any stable, mass base of the old parties of capitalist rule. The Coalition has been in place for almost the entire post-World War II period. Together with the Labor Party, it has been one of the two mainstays of the two-party system. Amid a massive social polarisation over the past forty years, the broad, middle-class base of the Liberalsthe urban component of the Coalitionhas collapsed. That longer-term erosion was expressed in the May 2025 election, when the Liberals suffered their worst result in history, retaining just nine out of 88 metropolitan seats across the country. Since then, the rump Coalition has only just held together, with Liberal leader Sussan Ley widely viewed as a lame duck. Elements of the Coalition have peeled off to One Nation and other far-right outfits, amid attempts by segments of the ruling class to cultivate a right-wing populist or even fascistic movement to capture discontent and serve as a mechanism for deeper authoritarianism. Those issues were at play in the conflicts within the Coalition over Labors legislation. Labor, acting on behalf of the ruling class, has exploited the December 14 Bondi atrocity to accelerate attempts to ban mass opposition to the Israeli genocide in Gaza, and to institute police-state measures. It recalled parliament a fortnight early at the beginning of this week, in a bid to pass some of the most authoritarian legislation in decades. Both Liberal leader Ley and National head David Littleproud had publicly demanded that Prime Minister Anthony Albanese urgently convene parliament to press ahead with the crackdown on civil liberties after Bondi. But when he did, divisions were exposed. Together, both elements of the Coalition opposed expanded racial vilification offenses. Fraudulently presented by Labor as a bid to combat hate speech, the legislation potentially criminalised political speech, including strident denunciations of Israel or any other power. The opposition of the Coalition had nothing to do with the sweeping implications of such measures for democratic rights. Instead, it was fearful that the broad character of the legislation could capture its own racist dog-whistling and attacks on immigrants, refugees, Indigenous people and other minorities. The Coalition had thus called for more targeted measures, particularly directed against Muslims and opponents of the genocide. That basic reality has been covered up by the corporate media, which has obfuscated the reasons for the Coalitions opposition. The fear is that the Coalitions effective defence of racism exposes the hypocrisy of the official discussion on hate speech, and the extent to which genuine xenophobia is being promoted from above. Without the numbers to pass the racial vilification laws through parliament, Labor shelved them and split what had been an omnibus bill. It introduced two main pieces of legislation to parliament on Tuesday. Tightened gun control measures were opposed by the entire Coalition, but passed with the backing of the Greens. The controversy within the Coalition hinged on laws that provide the Home Affairs Minister with extraordinary powers to ban hate groups, not on the basis of any criminal actions, but because of their political speech. The Coalition party room decided to back that police-state measure. But three National MPs in the shadow cabinet crossed the floor and voted against it in parliament. Again, their opposition had nothing to do with civil liberties. It expressed the fact that elements of the Coalition, including the Nationals, have ties to fascistic and anti-immigrant forces. The decision of the MPs to cross the floor was a breach of shadow cabinet solidarity. It was effectively a move to split the Coalition, given that the agreement between the Liberals and the Nationals is meaningless if they vote as they please on legislation. Ley responded by calling a meeting yesterday. There was no contrition from the Nationals MPs, and they were backed by Littleproud. With Ley being pushed to take disciplinary measures, all eight Nationals MP in the shadow cabinet quit this morning. Speaking shortly after, Littleproud declared that the Coalition was over. Our Coalition has become untenable, Littleproud told the media. He launched a broadside against Ley, declaring that she has put protecting her own leadership ahead of maintaining the Coalition. It was time for the Liberal Party to work out who they are and what they are. The Liberal leadership of the Coalition has always been premised on its ability to win a sufficient number of urban seats for the two-party outfit to form government. With its wipeout at the May 2025 election, the basis for that political authority no longer exists. More fundamentally, as Littleprouds comments indicated, the Liberal Party is being torn apart. In successive elections, since 2019, it has lost formerly safe blue-ribbon seats to Teal independents, who combine pro-business policies with genuflections to environmental concerns. So-called moderate Liberals have increasingly lost their seats to the Teals and been sidelined, while hard-right forces have grown more prominent. Leys leadership has been based on a desperate attempt to hold the various factions and sub-factions together. But that has become increasingly untenable. The Nationals have, since the election, played a role in attempting to push the Coalition further to the right. The Coalitions defeat was bound up, not with popular support for Labor, but with a mass repudiation of the Liberal-Nationals association with the fascistic US President Donald Trump. In the immediate wake of the election debacle, the Nationals demanded that the Coalition maintain a policy of developing a domestic nuclear power industry, one of the Trumpian elements of its election campaign. When Ley refused, the Coalition collapsed, only to be patched back together in an uneasy truce a fortnight later. Then in November, the Nationals unilaterally announced they were ditching the Coalitions previous commitment of achieving net-zero carbon emissions by 2050. That forced Leys hand, with the Liberals being compelled to announce that they were also abandoning net-zero. The net-zero target was always a fraud, unaccompanied by the necessary steps to achieve it or alleviate the climate crisis. But its abandonment was intended as a marker of a shift to the right and was directed against those moderates who remained within the Liberal Party. One element of the crisis is that not only is the Liberal Party imploding, but together with the Nationals it is losing support to the far-right One Nation. That was most sharply expressed in November, when former Nationals leader and previous Deputy Prime Minister Barnaby Joyce defected from the Coalition to join One Nation. Joyce has declared there are a number of other National MPs considering a similar move. The latest Newspoll, released on Monday, showed that One Nations primary vote had eclipsed that of the Coalition for the first time in history. Combined, the Liberal-Nationals were at a record low of 21 percent, while the right-wing populist outfit was at 22 percent. Labors polling was at its lowest level since the election, of 32 percent. The figures are one indication of a break-up of the old two-party system. That has vast implications, not only for the erstwhile Coalition, but for the Labor Party and capitalist rule itself. Pointing to that, Albanese at the beginning of the week made a public plea for the two-party system to be defended and strengthened. One Nation, he said, appeal to grievance and they appeal to division. Theyre a divisive force I dont want to see One Nation with a higher vote than the Coalition. I think that the parties of government and alternative government, which change of course in Australia over time, have served our nation pretty well [and] our political system, compared with what we see overseas, Albanese declared. Albaneses fear is not the right-wing program advanced by One Nation. His own government is relentlessly scapegoating immigrants for a social crisis caused by its own pro-business policies. It is slandering opposition to the genocide as antisemitism and cracking down on democratic rights. And it is committed to the alliance with American imperialism under the leadership of the fascist Trump. On all of these issues, Labor and One Nation are effectively in agreement. Albaneses lament is instead over the crisis of a two-party system that has been central to maintaining capitalist rule. Without a viable opposition, the Labor Party alone is responsible for implementing a ruling-class agenda of war, austerity and authoritarianism, without the safety valve of curated divisions and theatre within parliament. It is tasked with imposing those inherently unpopular measures, moreover, under conditions where Labors own base in the working class has collapsed. The crisis of the two-party set-up presages major social and political struggles, which will pit an increasingly radicalised working class against the moth-eaten parliamentary establishment and the profit system itself. The critical issue is transforming the opposition that exists into an organised, mass movement of the working class fighting for socialism. Elevenlabs AudioNative Player People appear in Josie Robertson Plaza in front of The Metropolitan Opera house at Lincoln Center in New York on March 12, 2020. [AP Photo/Kathy Willens, File] The Metropolitan Operafor generations the stage on which the greatest dramatic tragedies have been performednow finds itself the setting for one that is all too real. The largest performing arts organization in the United States is staring into the abyss. The companys announcement this week of yet another round of devastating cutbacks exposes, with brutal clarity, the incapacity of American capitalism to sustain even its most celebrated cultural institutions. What is unfolding at the Met is not merely a financial crisis; it is a cultural execution in slow motion, and a scathing indictment of a system that has long since abandoned any pretense of nurturing the higher aspirations of human civilization. The figures speak for themselves. The company has hemorrhaged $120 million from its endowment over just three years, leaving a mere $217.5 million, barely two-thirds of its annual $330 million operating budget. Twenty-two administrative positions will be eliminated. Executives will absorb salary cuts between 4 and 15 percent. The 202627 season will offer a pathetic 17 productions, down from 25 before the pandemic. Most damning of all, the Met is now contemplating the sale of its iconic Marc Chagall murals, The Triumph of Music and The Sources of Music, commissioned for the opera houses opening at Lincoln Center in 1966 and valued at $55 million. Management, acutely aware that removing these masterworks would be tantamount to a declaration of bankruptcy, is desperately stipulating that any buyer must leave them hanging in the Grand Tier. The murals would remain, but with a plaque commemorating their new owner as a grotesque visual reminder of institutional humiliation. To grasp the enormity of this collapse, one must understand what the Metropolitan Opera once represented. Founded in 1883, the Met rapidly became the premier opera house in the Western Hemisphere and one of the greatest in the world. For over a century, virtually every legendary voice in opera graced its stage: Caruso, whose golden tenor made him a household name across America; Maria Callas, the volcanic dramatic soprano who redefined operatic acting; Kirsten Flagstad, Lauritz Melchior, Rosa Ponselle, Renata Tebaldi, Jussi Bjorling, Birgit Nilsson, Franco Corelli, Luciano Pavarotti, Placido Domingo, Jonas Kaufmann and many others. The roster reads like a pantheon of vocal immortals. For decades, the Met brought opera into millions of American homes through its legendary Saturday afternoon radio broadcasts, which began in 1931. These weekly transmissions, sponsored for years by Texaco, created an enormous national audience for an art form that might otherwise have remained the exclusive province of the wealthy. Families gathered around their radios to hear live performances from the Met stage. Opera was not an elitist curiosity; it was a vital part of American cultural life. Caruso and Callas were not obscure names known only to connoisseurs. They were celebrities whose fame rivaled that of film stars. Under the management of Rudolf Bing, who led the company from 1950 to 1972, the Metropolitan Opera achieved historic significance in ways that extended beyond artistic excellence. Bing, though he fastidiously avoided public political pronouncements, integrated the company in 1955 by hiring the great African American contralto Marian Anderson. Six years later, Leontyne Price made her debut in Verdis Il Trovatore to a 42-minute standing ovationone of the most celebrated moments in operatic history. Price, Grace Bumbry, George Shirley, Shirley Verrett and others of their generation found at the Met a stage worthy of their extraordinary talents. The opera house, for all its dependence on wealthy patrons, served as a vehicle for transcendent artistry that spoke to something universal in the human experience. In 1966, the Metropolitan moved to its magnificent new home at Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts, a complex conceived as the nations premier venue for the performing arts. The new Met, with its soaring travertine arches and its Chagall murals, was intended as a monument to American cultural ambition. But the unveiling of the new opera house coincided with a critical turn in the fortunes of American capitalism. As was soon to become clear, 1966 was the high-water mark of American liberalism. What has happened since then? The growing political reaction that has engulfed American society over the past half-century has taken a devastating toll on culture. The assault on living standards, the decimation of public education, the relentless coarsening of public lifeall have contributed to a growing indifference toward the arts. Opera, once accessible to a broad audience, became the preserve of an ever-narrower stratum of the wealthy. Ticket prices at the Met soared to staggering heights$300, $400, $500 and more for decent seatsplacing attendance beyond the reach of ordinary New Yorkers. The art form that had once entered millions of homes through the radio increasingly retreated behind walls of exclusivity. Yet even the patronage of the rich has proven insufficient. The Met, like opera houses throughout history, has always depended on the largesse of wealthy donors. But the American ruling class, bloated with wealth beyond all historical precedent, has demonstrated a bottomless contempt for sustaining the cultural heritage of humanity. New York Citythe world capital of financialized capitalism, home to the Wall Street banks and hedge funds that have looted trillions from society and presided over levels of inequality that almost defy comprehensioncannot apparently muster the resources to support its own opera company. Berlin maintains three opera houses. Vienna, Milan, Paris, Munich and London sustain thriving companies with substantial public funding. The difference is not that American capitalism lacks the resources. It is that American capitalism, long before Trump, became the spearhead of global social counterrevolution. And now the Met has descended to begging for alms from the blood-soaked Saudi monarchy. The deal announced months ago would see Met productions touring to Saudi Arabia annually for eight years, in exchange for $200 million. Let us be clear about what this represents: the Metropolitan Opera, one of the most storied cultural institutions in the world, has agreed to serve as a propaganda vehicle for an authoritarian regime implicated in the assassination and dismemberment of journalist Jamal Khashoggi, in the starvation and slaughter of tens of thousands in Yemen, in the systematic repression of women and dissidents. General Manager Peter Gelb, defending this squalid arrangement, told the New York Times with breathtaking cynicism: All the democratic governments that I know of are engaged in business with Saudi Arabia. I have to put the survival of the institution of the Met first. ... I dont operate the Met according to my personal feelings on every issue. This from the same Peter Gelb who transformed the Met into a virtual propaganda outlet for the imperialist proxy war in Ukraine, who fired the world-renowned soprano Anna Netrebko because, while she condemned the invasion of Ukraine, she declined to denounce Putin by namea distinction Gelb found unacceptable. Gelbs personal feelings align perfectly with the policy imperatives of dominant sections of the American ruling class. When it comes to Russia, he is a moralist; when it comes to Saudi Arabia and its cash, he is a pragmatist. The hypocrisy is nauseating. Even this Faustian bargain now hangs in doubt. I understand the Saudis have had to recalibrate their budgets because of their own economic concerns, Gelb admitted to the Times. Ive been assured its going to go forward. But we have been waiting for some time. The Met has sold its dignity and may not even collect the payment. The opera house is also pursuing the sale of its naming rights, following the degrading example of its Lincoln Center neighbors. Philharmonic Hall became Avery Fisher Hall and is now Geffen Hall, after the billionaire media executive donated $100 million. The New York State Theater was rechristened the David H. Koch Theater, honoring the right-wing billionaire whose fortune helped fund the dismantling of environmental protections and the assault on workers rights. The world-famous Metropolitan Opera, which once seemed immune to such indignity, is now on the auction block. The crisis at the Met recalls the 20132014 assault on the Detroit Institute of Arts during that citys bankruptcy, when emergency manager Kevyn Orr sought to appraise and potentially sell the museums $20 billion art collection to pay creditors. The same logic is at work: the cultural heritage of humanity is to be liquidated to satisfy the demands of capital. This broader assault on culture now extends to the highest levels of the American state. The Kennedy Center has been thrown into turmoil since Trump was named chairman of its board in February 2025. Artists across genresfrom Hamilton to the Martha Graham Dance Company to the Washington National Operahave canceled appearances, refusing to perform at a venue transformed into a vehicle for the glorification of a would-be dictator. The Trump administration has threatened the Smithsonian Institution with funding cuts if it does not submit to ideological demands. The proposed budget eliminates funding entirely for institutions including the Anacostia Community Museum and the National Museum of the American Latino. The defense of culture cannot be entrusted to the ruling class, which has demonstrated its utter indifference to sustaining the artistic achievements of civilization. It cannot be entrusted to administrators like Gelb, who during the height of the COVID pandemic collected nearly $1.4 million annually while stagehands and chorus members were thrown out of work. The working classthe inheritor of all that is progressive in human civilizationis the only social force capable of defending the cultural heritage of humanity. The Achilles heel of American artistic institutions has always been their dependence on private donors, on the whims of the wealthy. But art is not a charitable indulgence; it is an indispensable element of human existence. Society must guarantee the resources necessary for its flourishing. That this elementary truth is even contested exposes the barbarism of a system that subordinates every human need to private accumulation. The fate of art is inextricably bound up with the struggle for socialism and the reorganization of societys resources in the interests of all humanity. Quebecs chauvinist, avowedly pro-big business Coalition Avenir Quebec (CAQ) government is pushing through a new law targeting worker rights, Bill 3. Introduced in the National Assembly by Labour Minister Jean Boulet last fall, Bill 3 will impose stricter state oversight over the provinces trade unions with the aim of smothering working class opposition to the CAQs right-wing, class-war agenda. Under the pretext of promoting transparency, the proposed legislation would strengthen state control over union finances and reduce the ability of unions to conduct political protest campaigns or legal challenges to government policies. Bill 3 would also give the state increased powers to monitor strike votes and collective-bargaining ratification votes. Labor Minister Boulet has linked the measure to the recently adopted Law 14 (Bill 89), which places sweeping new restrictions on workers right to strike. He told an October 2025 press conference: We began last spring with legislation to give greater consideration to the needs of the population in the event of a strike (Law 14). Bill 3 is the necessary complement. On the one hand, we are protecting services to citizens, and on the other, we are ensuring that union members have full control over how their money is used to influence public debate. It is neither the population nor union members that the CAQ government is seeking to defend with its two anti-worker laws. Rather, it is acting on behalf of big business and the financial elite, who are demanding the removal of any and all obstacles to their frontal assault on workers jobs, rights and living standards. Premier Legault and the ultra-right-wing program of the Lucides At the instigation of former Parti Quebecois Premier Lucien Bouchard, a group of prominent Quebecers published a right-wing manifesto in October 2025, Pour un Quebec lucide (For a clear-eyed Quebec). As premier, Bouchard had presided over a massive assault on public services and social supports between 1996 and 1999 in the name of achieving a zero deficit and creating winning conditions for a third referendum on Quebec independence. However, in 2005 Bouchard fronted a call from prominent leaders of both the federalist and pro-Quebec sovereignty camps for the so-called constitutional question to be set aside in favour of an intensified assault on the working class. The main target of the Lucide manifesto was what its authors called the Quebec model. This term referred to what had constituted the class strategy of Quebecs ruling elite since the so-called Quiet Revolution of the early 1960s: the provision of a minimal (and ever-declining) level of public services and social programs, and the integration of the union bureaucracy into a network of corporatist, tripartite ties so as to better use it to suppress the class struggle and subordinate workers to big business and the capitalist state. But the most rapacious sections of the ruling class, represented by the Lucides, were impatient with the incremental attacks on workers social gains. They demanded a brutal and rapid anti-worker offensivewholesale privatization and contracting out, the dismantling of what remained of the welfare state, and the gutting of workers democratic and social rights. At the same time, the Lucides doubted the ability of the union apparatusesdespite their decades of loyal service as big businesss police force in the workplaceto maintain control over rank-and-file members under condition of an all-out ruling-class offensive. They urged that workers rights under the labour code (and those of the unions that serves as their legal bargaining agent) be sharply curtailed, and state power deployed to break working class resistance. The Lucides program has been largely implemented by successive governments of the Quebec Liberal Party, the Parti Quebecois, and most recently the CAQ. Quebec Premier Francois Legault, who founded the CAQ in 2011 to unite federalists and sovereignists in the common pursuit of brutal austerity, was deeply influenced by the Lucides. In 2025, under conditions where the entire Canadian ruling class responded to the second Trump administration by moving sharply right, his CAQ government intensified its implementation of austerity measures, agitation against immigrants, and attack on worker rights in the name of shock therapy. Law 14 and Bill 3 Adopted by the National Assembly last spring with only token opposition from the trade unions, Law 14 (Bill 89) came into force on November 30. It severely limits the right to strike by extending the definition of essential services to the private sector (and to new branches of the public sector) and gives the Quebec Labor Minister the power to unilaterally illegalize any strike and impose collective agreements through binding arbitration. In drafting their Law 14, Legault and Boulet drew inspiration from the federal Liberal government, which criminalized a series of strikesby longshore workers, Canada Post employees, Air Canada flight attendants, etc.by invoking a fraudulent reinterpretation of Section 107 of the Canada Labor Code without even the fig leaf of a parliamentary vote. The assault on the right to strike is the response of the Quebec and Canadian ruling elite to the increase in worker unrest and walkouts across the country against the backdrop of an intensification of the class struggle internationally. The recent wave of strikes in Canada has seen rank-and-file workers routinely repudiate sell-out agreements reached by their union leaders. In the case of the Air Canada strike, flight attendants went so far as to defy a Carney Liberal government order to return to work. The authoritarian turn of the ruling class, which includes the promotion of the far right, is part of an international trend linked to the systemic crisis of global capitalism. Democratic rights are incompatible with growing social inequality, the domination of society by the financial oligarchy, and the pursuit of imperialist war. Bill 3, for its part, imposes financial audits on unions based on their size, and gives the government increased oversight of their bylaws, rules and procedures, including strike votes. Unions will also have to provide their members with full details of their expenses (salaries and other costs) at annual general meetings. The bills central measure is the creation of an optional union dues requirement that will apply to the financing of any campaign or action not directly related to workplace grievances or collective bargaining. A majority of members must vote to approve the dues use for a specific political campaign before the money can be collected and spent. With this provision the CAQ aims to neutralize opposition to the chauvinistic and anti-immigrant policies at the heart of its right-wing nationalist propaganda. Bill 3 is a direct response to the legal challenge launched by the FAE (Federation autonome de lenseignement) teacher union against Law 21. This discriminatory law, passed in 2019, bans certain state employees, including teachers, from wearing religious symbols, including the Muslim hijab, Jewish kippah, and Sikh turban, and mandates their dismissal in the case of non-compliance. In defending Bill 3, the Legault government has put forward the reactionary notion that the only legitimate role of unions is to represent their members in the workplace and that they should refrain from all political activityincluding court challenges to an anti-strike law or an abusive, anti-democratic measure targeting their members such as Bill 21. Generally, only under military dictatorships or fascist regimes have we seen such efforts to legally muzzle trade unions. By interfering in the internal affairs of unions and threatening their main source of funding, the most right-wing elements of the ruling class represented by Legault intend to discipline the union bureaucracy so as to ensure its complete submission to an increasingly authoritarian state acting on behalf of big business to intensify worker-exploitation. The dishonest response of the unions There is a striking contrast between the unions inaction in the face of Legaults Law 14 and the federal governments deployment of Section 107 to routinely illegalize strikes, and their vocal opposition to Bill 3. While the ruling elite is waging a frontal assault on the right to strike, a fundamental right won through mass struggles and at great sacrifice by generations of workers to assert their class interests, the unions have not lifted a finger to oppose it. Pan-Canadian unionsincluding the Canadian Union of Public Employees (CUPE) and the Canadian Union of Postal Workers (CUPW)have kowtowed to the federal Liberal government. Postal workers and flight attendants who sought to defy back-to-work orders under Section 107 confronted a union bureaucracy that was determined to bring them to heel. In Quebec, the unions prevented the mobilization of the working class against Law 14, organizing a grand total of two poorly advertised demonstrations with minimal participation prior to its adoption. The Canadian Labour Congress failed to even issue a press release condemning Law 14, let alone mobilize any of its 3 million members to oppose it. The unions are bitterly hostile to uniting workers in Quebec with their class brothers and sisters in English Canadas in a common struggle against the attacks being mounted by the federal and provincial governments. Rather, they work at every turn to uphold and deepen the regional and ethnic divisions cultivated by the ruling class to keep workers divided. The unions reaction to Bill 3 was markedly different. Top union officials issued thunderous denunciations and on November 29, the unions organized a major protest demonstration, at which they accused Legault and Boulet of threatening social peace. The reason for this very different response is that unlike Law 14, Bill 3 threatens the union bureaucracys material intereststhat is their control over and access to worker dues revenue. They also fear that the new legal requirements to reveal their lavish salaries and expense accounts to the workers they purport to represent will undermine what little credibility they have left, and thus their ability to control the rank-and-file and enforce social peace on behalf of the ruling class. Quebec Federation of Labour (FTQ) President Magali Picard denounced the CAQs authoritarianism and raised the possibility of paralyzing the province with a social strike to prevent Bill 3s adoption. After criticism from within the FTQ apparatus, Picard quickly softened her tone and reiterated the need for social dialogue with the CAQ government. At the unions November 29 anti-Legault demonstration in Montreal, neither Law 14 nor Ottawas arrogation of the power to unilaterally criminalize strikes under Section 107 merited a single mention in the official speeches that top union bureaucrats gave to the approximately 50,000 workers in attendance. A section of the November 29 demonstration The aim of the demonstration was not to mobilize the working class in struggle, but rather to channel workers anger toward other establishment parties in the run-up to the provincial elections scheduled for the fall of 2026. The union bureaucracy enjoys close political ties with the Parti Quebecois, a chauvinist party increasingly oriented toward the far-right that spearheads the campaign for Quebecs separation from Canada. Build rank-and-file committees The Socialist Equality Partys (SEP) socialist critique of the union bureaucracy is well-known: the unions have integrated themselves ever more completely with corporate management and the state over the past four decades and served as the enforcers of austerity, wage and job cuts and increased worker-exploitation. But settling accounts with the union bureaucracy is the task of the working class, not the capitalist state. Coming from the ruling class and the political representatives who serve at their beck and call, the campaign around union corruption is utterly fraudulent and serves as a pretext to attack the working class, its real target. The corruption that plagues these organizations and the corporatist ties that their leaders maintain with the bosses and the statethrough tripartite committees and the management of wealthy investment funds such as the FTQs Solidarity Fundare the result of their nationalist and pro-capitalist character, and grow out of the social interests of the privileged layer of the middle class for which the bureaucracy speaks. The unions systematically isolate the various contingents of the working class on a trade and regional basis and betray their struggles. This is producing an upsurge of rank-and-file militancy and growing anger with the bureaucracy. Fearing that the bureaucracy could lose control of the workers it has policed for decades on behalf of the capitalists, Legault and the CAQ are resorting to ever more open forms of state repression. Workers must break with the moribund apparatuses known as unions by building new organizations of strugglerank-and-file committees, created and controlled by the workers themselves, the only ones capable of mobilizing the social power of the working class to defend public services and the jobs, wages, and working conditions of all. For its part, Quebec Solidaire (QS) has sided with the union bureaucracy and acted as an advisor to the Legault government, suggesting that it remove the controversial issue of optional dues from its bill. As a representative of the privileged middle classes concerned with preserving the established order, QS does not want the working class to be propelled into action and the CAQ government overthrown through class struggle. Rather, its aim is to provide a left cover for the PQs explicitly right-wing project of Quebec secession, which would paralyze the working class by reinforcing nationalist divisions. Workers must oppose Bill 3 on the basis of a fierce defense of their right to strike and organization. This includes vigorous opposition to Law 14 as well as Ottawas anti-democratic actions to criminalize strikes. The fight to defend the right to strike must be part of a broader opposition to the entire austerity program of the ruling elite, the attack on public services, privatization, militarization and the shift toward dictatorship. Quebec workers must repudiate the nationalism promoted by the union bureaucracy and unite with their class brothers and sisters in the rest of Canada and across North America in an industrial and political offensive aimed at establishing workers power and reorganizing socio-economic life along socialist lines so as to meet social needs rather than further enrich a tiny capitalist oligarchy. Following the December 2024 overthrow of the Russian and Iranian-backed regime of President Bashar al-Assadby Islamist jihadists supported by the US and its regional allies such as TurkiyeSyria reached the brink of a new civil war in 2026. The Damascus regime, led by the al-Qaeda-rooted Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS), launched an attack earlier this month on areas controlled by the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), led by Kurdish nationalist groups. Both HTS and the SDF were proxies of US imperialism in the war for regime change. A masked fighter carries a flag of the Al-Qaeda linked Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) in the courtyard of the Umayyad Mosque in the old walled city of Damascus, Syria, December 10, 2024 [AP Photo/Hussein Malla] The Damascus regime first seized the Kurdish neighborhoods in Aleppo, forcing over 100,000 civilians to flee. Then, with Arab tribes within the SDF switching sides, the Damascus regime quickly seized Arab-majority provinces under SDF control, such as Raqqa and Deir ez-Zor. Kurdish forces within the SDF retreated to defensive positions in Kurdish-majority centers such as Hasakah and Qamishli. Damascus forces are reported to have surrounded places such as Kobani. On January 20, while a four-day ceasefire was in place, the Damascus regime imposed an agreement on the SDF. According to this agreement, dated January 18 and backed by the US and Turkiye, all energy resources under SDF control will fall into Damascus hands, while SDF forces and the de facto autonomous administration in the region will be dismantled. It is anticipated that forces affiliated with the SDF will join the Syrian army individually. SDF leaders will be integrated into the central government in positions such as deputy defense minister. Kurdish forces will form the local police force in Kurdish cities. The balance shifts against Kurdish forces The HTS regime received the full support of President Recep Tayyip Erdogans government in its offensive against Kurdish forces. But it was Washingtons green light for the attack and its abandonment of the Kurdish movement once again that isolated the SDF and forced it to retreat. Israel, which had previously declared the Kurds a natural ally, also aligned itself with Washingtons position. US imperialism aims to secure complete control over the resources, energy, and trade routes in the Middle East; to this end, it seeks to eliminate the influence of Russia and China in the region, change the regime in Iran, and bring its allies to their knees. Behind all the aggression, from Israels genocide in Gaza to the attacks on Hezbollah in Lebanon and the US-Israel war against Iran, lies this broader plundering ambition. In the meantime, the HTS regime has proven that it is not only an ally of Turkiye but also serves the interests of the US and Israel. While remaining silent on Israels expansion of its occupation in southern Syria, it helped launch a war against Iran. Ahmed al-Sharaa, a former Al Qaeda leader who had a bounty on his head a year ago, was welcomed at the White House last November as Syrias interim president. While Damascus joined the anti-ISIS coalition, US-European sanctions against Syria were lifted. Finally, the Damascus regime and Israel met in Paris on January 6 under US auspices, and a security mechanism was established between the two countries. This was followed by attacks on the SDF. Erdogan has shifted towards a foreign policy more aligned with US imperialism following Trumps return to the White House. He crowned his tacit complicity in the Gaza genocide by playing an active role in imposing Trumps Peace Plan on Hamas. The US wanted to secure the full support of its NATO ally Turkiye in advancing its interests in the Middle East and to prevent the countrys growing rivalry with Israel from escalating into conflict, particularly in Syria. The key to this lies in completing the SDFs integration process with Damascus. The USs preference for HTS The SDFs efforts to gain as much autonomy as possible in the armed forces and de facto administration were deemed unacceptable by Ankara, which was negotiating with the SDFs sister organization, the Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK). Fearing that such a political status could also encourage Kurds in Turkiye, Ankara secured Washingtons support in exchange for more fully serving US imperialist plans in the Middle East. By the end of the year, with protests in Iran raising the prospect of regime change and US military intervention, Washington opted to rely on HTS to cut the Gordian knot in Syria. This policy change was made official in a tweet posted on Tuesday by Tom Barrack, the US Ambassador to Turkiye and Special Envoy for Syria. Barracks statement clearly declared that the Kurdish forces had no choice but to accept the agreement. U.S. Ambassador to the Republic of Turkiye and Special Envoy for Syria meets President al-Sharaa at the Presidential Palace in Syria [Photo: Ambassador Tom Barrack meets President al-Sharaa] Barrack, in his statement, made no secret of the fact that, with the regime change in Syria, the USs temporary alliance with the SDF had ended: This shifts the rationale for the US-SDF partnership: the original purpose of the SDF as the primary anti-ISIS force on the ground has largely expired, as Damascus is now both willing and positioned to take over security responsibilities, including control of ISIS detention facilities and camps. Barrack, who presented the agreement imposed on the SDF as a unique window for Kurdish integration, added that the US prioritizes defeating ISIS remnants, supporting reconciliation, and advancing national unity without endorsing separatism or federalism. He advised the Kurdish people to be satisfied with their citizenship rights related to culture and language. This was a reference to a decree issued by al-Sharaa last week. Barracks statement also indicated that the US did not plan to keep its troops in areas of Syria controlled by the SDF in the long-term. This points to a plan to balance the existing Turkish military presence in the north of the country against the Israeli military presence in southern Syria. No support from Israel Barracks comments, leaked from recent meetings, underscore the bankruptcy of the Kurdish nationalist perspective oriented toward imperialism. According to Middle East Eyes diplomatic sources, at a meeting in Erbil on Saturday, Barrack accused SDF leader Mazlum Abdi of stalling, failing to implement the agreement with the Syrian government, and relying on foreign powers. According to sources, Barrack told Abdi, You are trying to drag Israel into the conflict, and this will not happen, warning that such a move would bring destruction and risk friction between Turkiye and Israel, Washingtons two most important allies in the region. AFP reported that Ilham Ahmed, one of the leaders of the Rojava Autonomous Administration, said in a statement on Tuesday, There are certain figures from the side of the Israeli state engaged in communications with our side... and if this conversation leads to support, we would be open to support... from any source. U.S. Ambassador to the Republic of Turkiye and Special Envoy for Syria meets President al-Sharaa, Presidential Palace, Damascus, May 29, 2025 [Photo: Ambassador Tom Barrack/X] Israel, seeking to expand its influence by encouraging autonomy for the Druze, Kurdish, Alawite, and Christian minorities in Syria, was pursuing a policy aimed at counterbalancing Ankaras influence over the Damascus regime. With the Paris agreement on January 6, it became clear that the US had, for the time being, reconciled the interests of Turkiye and Israel in Syria. Israel remained silent on HTSs attack, and the SDF leadership did not receive the support it hoped for from Tel Aviv, which is still subjecting Palestinians in Gaza to genocide. Abdullah Ocalan, the imprisoned leader of the PKK, who plays a leading role in negotiations with Ankara, addressed the attacks during a meeting on January 17 with lawyer Faik Ozgur Erol, a member of the Imrali Delegation of the Peoples Equality and Democracy Party (DEM Party). According to the reported conversation, Ocalan stated, The process that began with the Paris Agreement aims to turn northern Syria into southern Syria. It is clear that while Israel took the Golan Heights and Suwayda, al-Sharaa was promised the area between the Euphrates and Tigris rivers. Ocalan also said, It would be a historical mistake for Turkiye to consider this a process in its favor. Erdogan and Ocalan had proposed a reactionary Turkish, Kurdish, Arab alliance against Israels growing influence in Palestine, Lebanon, Syria, and the Middle East in general, and against its ambitions for a Greater Israel. A socialist internationalist perspective against pro-imperialist nationalism The agreement imposed on the SDF demonstrates the bankruptcy of the bourgeois nationalist perspective based on maneuvering between imperialist and regional capitalist powers. Despite all the narratives of the Rojava Revolution, what was advanced was not a struggle against the US-led imperialist powers that have been destroying the Middle East and ultimately Syria for over 35 years, attempting to re-colonize it, but rather a struggle waged alongside them. In this war of plunder, just as the Turkish bourgeoisie and other Arab regimes played a pro-imperialist and reactionary role, the Kurdish bourgeois leaderships also voluntarily became imperialisms proxy forces. Now, as imperialist bandits declare the end of this agreement at the expense of the Kurdish people, the Kurdish nationalist leadership expresses its anger towards the US and its European allies. But it does not change its pro-imperialist line. As explained in Tuesdays statement by the Sosyalist Esitlik Partisi Dorduncu Enternasyonal (Socialist Equality Party Fourth International): The Kurdish nationalist movements willingness to act as an ally of imperialism is not a mistake but the outcome of its bourgeois class character. As Leon Trotsky explained in his Theory of Permanent Revolution, in regions with belated capitalist development, such as the Middle East, the national bourgeoisie is incapable of establishing even formal democratic rights, including those of minorities, or of pursuing an anti-imperialist policy, due to its deep ties to imperialism and its fear of the working class above all else. These tasks fall to the working class as part of a struggle for socialism, which must unite all the oppressed behind it in the struggle for workers power against the bourgeoisie and imperialism. The SDFs reconciliation with the Al-Qaeda regime in Syria cannot fulfill the democratic and social aspirations of either the Kurdish workers or workers of other nationalities and sects. This fragile agreement will be subject to the ambitions of US imperialism, and particularly its preparations for war against Iran. In the Middle East and the rest of the world, workers cannot advance their interests without opposing imperialism and its regional and local capitalist proxies. This means fighting to build a socialist movement within the working class in the Middle East and internationally against imperialist war. UPS worker at the Minneapolis hub, Minnesota, January 21, 2026. UPS workers in Minneapolis expressed support for a city-wide general strike on Friday, January 23, to force the withdrawal of Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) paramilitary forces from the city and secure the prosecution of those responsible for the killing of Minneapolis resident Renee Nicole Good. Workers spoke to WSWS reporters at the UPS distribution/sorting facility in Minneapolis Wednesday afternoon amid escalating opposition to the Trump administrations militarized occupation of the city. Federal immigration agents, backed by Department of Homeland Security (DHS) tactical units, have already arrested more than 3,000 residents in sweeping operations that have targeted entire neighborhoods, workplaces and schools. The repression has provoked weeks of protests, high school walkouts and community demonstrations across Minnesota. In response, a coalition of unions and community organizations called for a city-wide day of action on Friday, urging residents to participate in no work, no school, no shopping. Workers interpreted the call as a general strike to use the power of the working class to shut down economic activity and oppose state repression. However, the trade union apparatus has moved swiftly to suppress any independent action by workers. Teamsters Local 638, which has over 5,000 members in Minnesota and North Dakota, circulated a letter warning members that participation in a work stoppage would violate their labor agreements with the corporate bosses. The collective bargaining agreement that applies to you includes a no-strike provision, so you are not legally permitted to strike, the statement declared. Teamsters L. 638 letter says, "The collective bargaining agreement that applies to you includes a no-strike provision, so you are not legally permitted to strike." [Photo: IBT L. 638] UPS workers spoke with WSWS reporters, sharply criticizing both the federal crackdown and the efforts by union officials to block collective action. We are not doing anything on Friday. Its a general strike, one worker said. No work, no school, no shopping. If we can shut the economy down, thats the goal. No ICE. Get out. Thats the only thing thatll do it. Workers got to take the power. Its ours to take. The union official I spoke to said they cant support it because its a work stoppage, so it doesnt sound like Teamsters are backing us up, he said. Asked if he thought workers should demand the calling of a mass membership meeting so rank-and-file workers could decide what course of action they should take, the worker replied, Absolutely. Were now realizing what black and brown people have dealt with their entire lives for generations. Were being attacked now, just like everybody else was, and its enlightening. Were just numbers and dollars to them. We have the power to shut this city down. As workers spoke out, the Trump administration was preparing to escalate the repression still further. The Pentagon has issued a prepare-to-deploy order for active-duty military police soldiers based at Fort Bragg in North Carolina. At least several hundred troops from an Army military police brigade are being readied for possible deployment to Minneapolis. This follows orders issued last Friday to mobilize 1,500 soldiers from the Armys 11th Airborne Division, a unit stationed in Alaska that specializes in winter warfare conditionsan unmistakable signal of preparations for sustained domestic military operations. A veteran UPS driver denounced the occupation of the city and the broader implications for democratic rights. Its ridiculous. Theyre not following the laws of due process. We need big changes in this country right now, and this is not making America great at all. So, people need to wake up and pay attention, turn off American Idol. People around the world are looking at us, and theyre not, theyre laughing. Its disgusting. A lot of my friends who know history are thinking this is very Naziesque, Hitleresque. People are waking up and I hope its not too late. As a kid, I remember, how Swedish immigrants were mistreated. This type of thing has been going on forever. But, somehow, we figured it out. Now, this clown [Trump] is doing it again. I know people who are immigrants, who are here legally, some for 30 years and I thought to myself, Oh, my God, I hope they have their passports. You never thought you would live in a country where someone would demand, Show me your papers. When people forget history, it has a way of repeating itself. If its not coming to work on certain days or something else, people need to do their part because we cant remain silent. Reports from the corporate media have confirmed the lawless character of ICE operations. The Wall Street Journal reported that agents are receiving bonuses tied to the number of arrests they make, creating financial incentives for mass roundups regardless of legal status. The Associated Press revealed the existence of an internal memo authorizing ICE agents to enter private residences without a judicial warrant. While the Teamsters bureaucracy insists that workers must uphold the no-strike clause they agreed to, Trump has no such respect for the law. On January 16, a federal judge in Minnesota issued a temporary restraining order banning federal agents from using tear gas or retaliating, arresting or detaining those engaged in peaceful protests. Trumps paramilitary forces totally ignored the order, and on Wednesday an appeal judge overturned the order after Trump officials argued it was interfering with their law enforcement operations. Videos released Wednesday showed senior Border Patrol official, Gregory Bovino, throwing tear gas at residents at close range, while other agents pinned a community member filming ICE activities and sprayed gas directly into his face from less than a foot away. Another UPS inside worker spoke bluntly: ICE needs to get the hell out of this city. Donald Trump needs to be locked up, and the key thrown away. Kristi Noem needs to be tried for murder. The entire Homeland Security is a fraudulent joke. Get out of our state, ICE. Asked about the Teamsters opposition to strike action, he said, Frankly I dont agree with the Teamster leadership, Im not a fan of Sean OBrien. Hes turned his back on the Teamsters and doesnt care. Hes a big backer of Trump. I said two years ago during our contract negotiations that he wasnt for us, that we were going to get screwed on this contract. And we did get screwed in 2023. OBrien doesnt care about anybody but making his pocket richer. Now, UPS is cutting thousands of jobs. The anger expressed by workers is rooted in concrete experience. The Teamsters sellout of the 2023 national UPS contract paved the way for mass layoffs and restructuring. In 2025 alone, UPS eliminated roughly 48,000 jobs. This year, another 20,000 job cuts are expected as United Parcel Service accelerates plans to close nearly 200 facilities through 2028, consolidating smaller operations into massive, highly automated regional hubs. These changes are being imposed to boost profits and productivity, while workers, with the complicity of the Teamsters bureaucracy, pay the price through job losses, speedup and intensified exploitation. Responding to the bipartisan backing for repression, including the Congressional Democrats support for a bill that would provide $10 billion to ICE, the worker added, Thats why Im not for either one of these parties. Im all for workers and everybody uniting against this corrupt administration. The administration is doubling down politically as well as militarily. Vice President JD Vance is scheduled to visit Minneapolis on Thursday to deliver remarks focused on restoring law and order in Minnesota and to meet with ICE agents, demonstrating the White Houses unwavering support for federal immigration officials. A young UPS worker denounced the killing of Renee Nicole Good, the 37-year-old mother. I think ICE should be out of Minnesota and Trump is horrible, she said, adding, What that [agent] did to Renee was terrible. Another young worker emphasized the unity developing across communities: America, its a country for all people. Its not just one race or the other. Theres reason, we got so many people in Minnesota banding together and standing and fighting for our Mexicans, Latinos, Muslims, all those people, you know? Its whats just, in my opinion. He continued: At the end of the day, ICE has to get out of Minnesota, by whatever it means that takes. Theyre killing people. Theyre taking citizens as well. At first it seemed like they were strictly racially profiling people. But then it was Renee Good. They murdered her for no reason, and its just really messed up. A general strike would be great. Asked about the Teamsters claim that striking is illegal, he replied, Trump doesnt care about the laws. He was forced to release the Epstein files more than a month ago, and he still hasnt done that. It seems theyre above the law at this point which is just insane. Another inside worker concluded, Minneapolis is my hometown, and were supposed to be loving community, not fighting, not killing, nothing like that. So, these ICE guys are not welcome at all. They need to go and never come back. I believe in the strike. The growing militancy among UPS workers underscores a central lesson of the unfolding struggle: The defense of democratic rights cannot be entrusted to the pro-corporate union bureaucracy or either of the two big business parties. What is required is the independent mobilization of the working class. UPS and other workers must form rank-and-file committees, independent of the union apparatus, to democratically determine their own course of action, link up with workers across Minneapolis and nationally, and wield the enormous social power of the working class, not only on Friday, January 23, but in a sustained struggle against repression, layoffs and dictatorship. Quick Read Intel (INTC) surged 147% over the past year but trades at 809x trailing earnings. Intels earnings collapsed 95% since 2021. Tesla trades at 285x trailing earnings with a $1.4T valuation despite 37% year-over-year earnings decline. Netflix announced an $83B Warner Bros. Discovery acquisition while ceasing buybacks. Full-year 2025 EPS was flat versus 2024. A recent study identified one single habit that doubled Americans retirement savings and moved retirement from dream, to reality. Read more here. The AI gold rush has created winners and losers, but the market hasn't fully sorted them yet. While everyone chases AI exposure, some household names are getting swept up in hype despite questionable positioning. These five stocks deserve scrutiny. 5. Salesforce (CRM): Software AI vs. Infrastructure Reality Salesforce has woven AI into its CRM platform, promising productivity gains and automated workflows. The fundamentals look solid: 38.6% earnings growth year-over-year, 24% operating margins, and bullish analyst consensus. But revenue grew just 8.6% year-over-year while earnings surged 38.6%. That gap screams margin expansion and share buybacks, not organic AI-driven growth. The company trades at 29x trailing earnings and 17x forward earnings, commanding a premium for AI features bolted onto existing software. Salesforce benefits from AI as a productivity tool, but it's not selling the picks and shovels. The stock has cratered 31% over the past year while the AI narrative supposedly strengthens. That's the market telling you something about who actually captures AI economics. 4. Netflix (NFLX): Defensive Moves Disguised as Growth Netflix reported earnings on January 20, beating estimates with $0.56 per share against expectations of $0.55. Revenue hit $12.05 billion, topping the $11.97 billion consensus. The company crossed 325 million global subscribers. The stock fell 5% in after-hours trading. Why? Lower-than-expected guidance for Q1 2026 and the full year. Netflix announced an $83 billion all-cash acquisition of Warner Bros. Discovery, a defensive play against subscription fatigue rather than an offensive AI move. The company is ceasing stock buybacks to fund the deal. Netflix has no meaningful AI infrastructure business. Its AI applications are internal: recommendation algorithms and content optimization. Those are table stakes, not competitive moats. The Warner deal signals management sees consolidation as the path forward, not AI-driven expansion. Full-year 2025 EPS of $1.97 was flat compared to 2024's $1.98. The preparation of a draft budget by Prime Minister Sebastien Lecornu, backed by the bourgeois Socialist Party (PS) confirms the crisis of French democracy, and the complicity of Jean-Luc Melenchons New Popular Front (NFP) with Lecornu and President Emmanuel Macron. The draft budget now going to the National Assembly tramples underfoot the will of the French people and above all the working class. It continues with austerity, in line with the 2023 pension cuts opposed by 91 percent of the French people, to finance rearmament despite the utter unpopularity of Macrons call to send troops to Ukraine for war with Russia. The budget depends on the aid of the PS, who has only maintained a presence in the Assembly after collapsing to less than 2 percent of the vote in 2022 thanks to its alliance with Melenchon. By openly violating democratic principles, the budget negotiation discredits Macron and the NFP. It opens the path for the far-right National Rally (RN) to consolidate support among working class voters disgusted by Macron, the NFPs impotent opportunism, and the union bureaucracies sellout of mass strikes against the 2023 pension cuts. In 2026, French military spending is to hit 57.1 billion (apart from pension costs), up 13 percent from 2025, a yearly spending increase of 6.7 billion. This increase, flowing from the Military Programming Law for 2024-2030 and a further infusion of state funds, is largely dedicated to purchasing weapons. This includes Rafale fighters (to bring the total fleet size to 286 jets), drones, artillery and cyberwarfare. It also goes to finance the French nuclear arsenal and exterior operations, that is to say, imperialist wars. Tens of billions of euros are being taken from health, education, pensions and local services in order to finance a rearmament drive and a war policy that has no support in the working class. Lecornu is slashing jobs and funding in numerous state administrations, eliminating 3,119 positions, and cutting national state subsidies to regional and municipal authorities. Several ministries are seeing their funding slashed across the boardincluding labor, territorial cohesion, solidarity, and equality of opportunity, with cuts of 2 to 27 percent. The Social Security budget would cut the financing provided by the national state to 17.5 billion from 23 billion in 2025, by increasing payroll taxes and taxes on supplemental health insurance that will be paid overwhelmingly by working people. The overwhelming majority of the funding for the Social Security systems 684 billion budget will thus come from payroll taxes paid by workers or from business taxes, not from the state. As Lecornu leads a government that has only a minority in the National Assembly, he was unable to get a budget passed last autumn. His governments survival depends on an alliance with factions of the NFPabove all, the bourgeois PS. This alliance is however both extremely fragile and unstable, as all the parties in the Assembly are terrified of a new social explosion of working class anger. The budget Lecornu presented in October called for 30 billion in social cuts was not adopted for lack of a parliamentary majority. None of the opposition parties dared to openly state their support for Macrons unpopular measures. To avoid an interruption of the functioning of the state as the new year began, a special emergency transitory law was voted at the end of December, provisionally allocating funds in line with the last years budget. The government is therefore still trying to get a 2026 budget, three weeks into the new year. Both the NFPthat is primarily Melenchons France Unbowed (LFI)and the RN are trying to distance themselves from the PS alliance to Lecornu and the budget of a deeply unpopular government, by repeatedly presenting censure motions against Lecornu. But these motions, presented by parties that also only have minorities in the Assembly, are only impotent gestures. An LFI motion on January 14 failed because the PS and right-wing The Republicans (LR) groups abstained, as did a later motion from the RN. These motions were not aimed however at attacking the budgetary or military policies of Lecornu and Macron, but the free-trade agreement between the European Union and the Mercosur bloc signed by Ursula von der Leyen on January 17 in Paraguay. To avoid a social explosion and being deserted by their own voters, Lecornu and the PS abandoned a few of the most provocative budgetary measures they had proposed last year. These were, however, only cynical maneuvers. The planned doubling of co-pays on medicine is abandoned, but replaced by a tax on supplemental health insurance. Macrons 2023 pension cut is temporary suspended, but this only means that the retirement age has been raised from 62 and frozen at 63.5, not 64. Lecornu also symbolically granted a small increase in income taxes on high earners, increased the job bonus for low income families by 50 euros, and extended a program to charge students 1 in university canteens. But the formulation of a budget with partial support of the PS and allied sections of the trade unions, like the CFDT bureaucracy, does not solve the budget crisis. Friday night, Lecornu spoke to discuss his strategy to avoid a fall of the government amid the already long-delayed budget vote. He brandished the politically explosive threat of imposing the budget without a parliamentary vote, either using Article 49.3 of the constitution, or imposing it by decree. If Lecornu used the 49.3 thriceto force adoption of the revenue provisions, spending provisions, and then again overall on the budgethe could face each time a possible censure motion. Imposing the budget by decree depends on Article 47 of the Constitution, which states: If the parliament has not taken a position in 70 days, the provisions of a draft can be placed into legal effect by decree. The council of ministers would then approve the budget even if the government were then censured, which the PS has threatened to do. There is no path for workers to defend democratic principles and oppose austerity and imperialist war in the rotten framework of French parliamentarism. No parliamentary opposition party, LFI and RN included, opposes French and European rearmament, and the RN is openly preparing a draconian, 100 billion austerity plan. A large majority of the French people has declared its support for blockading the economy via a general strike that would bring down Macron, and against his policies of austerity and war. How can the readiness of the workers to struggle, constantly trodden underfoot, be imposed against a reactionary, anti-democratic ruling elite? The working class must be organized independently of the parties and union bureaucracies of the NFP, on an internationalist perspective to defend democratic and social rights by a revolutionary struggle for workers power and socialism. The NFP is the principal obstacle to such a struggle. LFI, its leading party, has never launched any appeal to the 8 million people who voted for Melenchon in 2022, who are concentrated in the working class districts of Frances largest cities, to strike against Macron. It adapted to the union bureaucracies sellouts of struggles like those against Macrons pension cuts, and allied to the PS, a bourgeois party of French imperialism with a decades-long record of anti-worker policies. As new social explosions are being prepared, in France and internationally, workers will have to act from below, building their own rank-and-file committees. Against the populists of LFI and petty-bourgeois pseudo-left parties that orbit around the NFP, the Parti de legalite socialiste will fight to build a Trotskyist revolutionary vanguard, struggling for the transfer of power to such workers organizations of struggle and the building of a socialist society. An online question-and-answer event hosted January 20, 2026 by PayDay Report founder Mike Elk, ostensibly to discuss the general strike in Minneapolis on Friday, January 23, exposed the hostility of the union bureaucracy and its allies to the independent mobilization of the working class. Screenshot of a Zoom Q&A hosted by PayDay Report, January 21, 2026. Visible in the screenshot is CWA Local 7520 President Keiran Knutson (left) and Mike Elk, founder of PayDay report. The event featured Communications Workers of America (CWA) Union Local 7520 President Keiran Knutson as a main speaker. The local has 500 members, including AT&T and other telecom workers in Minneapolis. As a whole, the CWA has 700,000 current and retired members throughout the United States, Canada and Puerto Rico. The online meeting was framed as a response to the federal occupation of Minneapolis, the mass Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) raids and kidnappings, and the murder of Renee Nicole Good by Department of Homeland Security thug Jonathan Ross. In practice, the discussion made clear that while union officials and their political allies pay lip service to militant rhetoric, they are determined to prevent workers from exercising their collective power through strike action. Under conditions where workers are demanding a general strike to drive federal immigration agents out of Minnesota, the bureaucracy is working systematically to confine opposition to an impotent protest, explicitly rejecting any action that would violate collective bargaining agreements and no-strike clauses negotiated by the unions themselves. This reporter attended the meeting and posed the following question to Knutson: The regional AFL-CIO has made it clear that workers must adhere to collective bargaining agreements and not engage in strike action. Brother Kieran, will you call a mass meeting of workers, including all union members, to decide on a course of action to be taken on Friday, January 23rd? Knutson responded with open hostility to the proposal that the union leadership might actually hold a meeting of the workers it claims to represent to allow them to voice their opinions and decide on collective action. He replied: Well, Brother, why dont you call a meeting? You know? You think you got a good idea for a meeting, why dont you call one? Ill just say this. Like, the effect of our, I mean, youre right in the sense that this will not in and of itself defeat the legal handcuffs that CBAs have on the labor movement. That sort of open defiance of those is yet to come. But Id ask you this, are we going to be closer to overcoming it after Friday? I think well be a lot f***ing closer. And a lot f***ing closer than, like, you know, a meeting called by some lefties that promoted the idea. Knutson offered no explanation as to how strict adherence to CBAs would protect workers and their families, many of whom are union members and have already been illegally attacked or kidnapped by ICE. Nor did Knutson explain how blocking strike action would bring workers a lot closer to defying the very contractual restrictions he insisted were sacrosanct. As every worker knows, the fascist president in the White House has no concern for legal niceties and is openly violating both the Constitution and international law. Knutson made explicit that January 23 was not to be a strike, stating: Its actually illegal to declare a strike. People could get sued. You know, I could do that, and maybe itd be politically right, but then if they sue our bank, then all of our members will lose, you know, potentially lose the money we have. So its just like a matter of deciding what the step is to do at the moment. This statement lays bare the real priorities of the apparatus. The overriding concern is not defending workers against state repression, but protecting the financial assets of the apparatus itself. Those assets are substantial. An analysis of the latest LM-2 filings from the national CWA, found at least 118 officials and staff receive total compensation exceeding $100,000 annually, with senior figures earning as much as $180,000 to $199,000. These assets are not used for the dues-paying members, as Knutson claims. More than $55 million was spent last year on representational activities and staff payroll, while strike benefits totaled only $10.4 million. For Knutson and the bureaucracy, these funds exist not to sustain a genuine strike, but to maintain a privileged bureaucratic layer materially insulated from the conditions faced by rank-and-file workers. When workers ask how a strike would be financed, the answer is clear. The resources exist, but they are monopolized by an apparatus that views any independent movement of the working class as a threat to its own position. Knutson further revealed the pro-corporate orientation of the bureaucracy by explaining that the strategy behind the January 23 protest is to appeal to wealthy executives to intervene with Trump. He stated: One of the things that SEIU put forward, which I thought was interesting, was that in San Francisco, apparently, you know, I remember Trump had been talking about San Franciscos one of the cities they are going to go to. But SEIU pointed out that I guess that one of the big Silicon Valley billionaire tech bros called up Trump and said, Hey, we dont need you in San Francisco, and Trump agreed to it. So part of the thinking I think behind this from SEIUs point of view is that were gonna put pressure on the CEO of Target, of United Healthcare, of Delta Airlines, of 3M, of Medtronic, that kind of thing. And that thats gonna be some leverage to try and get the dogs called off. The orientation is unmistakable. The apparatus is seeking to smother growing opposition and redirect it behind an appeal to billionaires to persuade Trump to get the dogs called off. Later in the meeting, WSWS Labor Editor Jerry White addressed Knutsons response, stating: I was somewhat taken aback by brother Knutsons response to the question. I thought it was quite a legitimate question. Why shouldnt the rank and file workers actually democratically decide in a mass meeting what the course of action should be taken? If the union apparatus is preoccupied with the danger of lawsuits and the danger of their financial positions being threatened, isnt it the case that rank and file workers have to take matters into their own hands? White continued: We are dealing with a totally unprecedented situation. Trump gave a speech today in which he doubled down on his defense of the killing of Renee Nicole Good, denounced Somalis, and threatened to invoke the Insurrection Act. And rank-and-file workers are supposed to accept that union leaders say we have to stick by legal niceties about collective bargaining? In the view of the World Socialist Web Site, rank-and-file workers should build their own committees to take the conduct of this struggle into their own hands. Knutson attempted to adapt rhetorically to this position before launching an attack on Trotskyism and the Socialist Equality Party, declaring that he had never seen organs of popular power emerge from some sterile Trotskyist group making a call for it. When asked whether the Trotskyists who led the 1934 Minneapolis General Strike were sterile, Knutson offered no response. The role of figures like Knutson, a supporter of the US-NATO war against Russia in Ukraine, is to suppress the class struggle in defense of big business and the Democratic Party. Alongside the open violence of the ICE and federal police, the labor bureaucracy functions as a central mechanism for enforcing state repression by blocking independent working-class action. But the development of events is escaping the union bureaucracies control. In Minneapolis, it has been the independent initiative of workers and young people that has led to walkouts, mass protests and the formation of neighborhood ICE Watch networks, not actions led or organized by the trade union apparatus. This opposition must be consciously developed and organized through the formation of rankandfile committees in every workplace and neighborhood. January 23 cannot be treated as an endpoint. Trump is not retreating but escalating, and workers cannot afford to wait on the union apparatus or Democratic politicians who seek to limit and dissipate resistance. Rankandfile committees must be established to organize discussion, share information, and plan and initiate mass actionindependently and democraticallyagainst the developing dictatorship and the assault on jobs, wages and living conditions. These committees should link up locally and nationally through the International Workers Alliance of RankandFile Committees (IWARFC), providing the organizational framework to coordinate struggle in Minneapolis and throughout the country and to mobilize the collective power of the working class. The following statement is from the Postal Workers Rank-and-File Committee, which was founded in late 2023 to oppose attacks on the USPS workforce by management and their enablers in the union bureaucracy. To contact the committee, fill out the form below. In Philadelphia, a United States Postal Service carrier sorts mail to be delivered. [AP Photo/Matt Rourke] To postal workers across the US and the world: Last year, in responses to the deaths of two of our coworkers at facilities in Michigan and Georgia, the Postal Workers Rank-and-File Committee launched an investigation into workplace safety at the United States Postal Service. This investigation is independent and worker-led, we explained, because Management, OSHA and the union bureaucracy have repeatedly failed to protect us. The purpose, we explained, is not only to establish responsibility for these deaths, but to produce clear demands and plans to enforce safe working conditions under workers control. This statement reviews some of the initial findings, using evidence provided to us by our coworkers. But to begin with, we want to say we support Fridays general strike in Minneapolis. It is part of a wave of class struggle across the country which has the potential to change the balance of power in this country from the corporate elite to working people. We wholeheartedly support postal workers demand that ICE be expelled from USPS property, which they are using as staging areas for the occupation of the city. We urge our coworkers to hold mass meetings and vote on collective action to participate in Fridays action and beyond. Trumps deployment of ICE forces is part of a broader war on the working class. In truth, however, this war has been going on for years in workplaces across the country, as our investigation has revealed. The deaths we are investigating include the following: Nick Acker, who died at the Detroit Network Distribution Center after falling into a mail sorting machine. The autopsy report lists the cause of death as asphyxiation, with his body covered in lacerations and contusions. We are still investigating why standard lockout/tagout procedures were not followed. Russell Scruggs, who died the same week at the Palmetto Regional Processing and Distribution Center after falling and hitting his head. According to the autopsy report we obtained, the official cause of death was a heart attack. This suggests that his life may have been saved with timely medical intervention. Instead, there was no first aid, no defibrillators on site, and significant delays in emergency medical services. USPS blocking of cell phone signals delayed the call to EMS, and first responders then faced difficulty entering the building. Scruggs death was the third death at the Palmetto facility in two years. Palmetto is one of USPS newest facilities, built as part of the Delivering for America restructuring. Billions of dollars are being spent on automated, networked equipment. Yet there is no money for medical equipment, on-site health professionals, or even basic safety procedures. According to sources speaking to our investigation, the facility has never had written safety protocols. At the North Metro Processing and Distribution Center in Duluth, Georgia, a former postal worker told us they fell into a coma after inhaling particles from construction work conducted inside the building while normal operations continued. They are now being denied workers compensation, a familiar experience for workers across the country injured on the job. We also learned of the death of Lucy Diaz at the Morgan Processing and Distribution Center in New York City last November. Management provided no information to workers about her death. But as an operator of an Automated Package Processing System (APPS) machine, she was likely left alone for extended periods without immediate supervision or assistance. Workers at the facility report that there is no nurse on staff. In addition, there were heat-related deaths last year of two letter carriers, Jacob Taylor in Dallas and Dan Workman in Grand Junction, Colorado. These deaths occurred in the context of the USPS use of automated surveillance systems to impose discipline for stationary events, forcing carriers to keep working without rest even in extreme heat. Similar patterns exist across industries, from auto plants to aviation and rail, where cost-cutting and regulatory indifference have led to repeated mass-casualty incidents. The conditions at USPS are, in particular, the product of the Delivering for America program to consolidate operations into a smaller number of massive automated facilities. Parallel restructurings are underway at UPS, Amazon and FedEx. New technology is being deployed not to make jobs easier or safer, but to intensify labor and discipline workers. Government regulators offer no protection. OSHA does nothing. Even when workers are killed, fines are typically on the order of $15,000 and are quickly appealed or reduced. Management temporarily cleans things up when OSHA inspectors arrive or when a congressperson visits in response to resident complaints. Once the inspection is over, conditions revert immediately to what they were before. The union bureaucrats at NALC, the APWU and NRLCA are worse than useless. Union officials cultivate friendly relations with management and openly support restructuring. Their primary function is to let management off the hook and block independent action from below by workers. The only answer is for workers to take matters into our own hands. We fight for workers control over safety, because safety is fundamentally incompatible with the interests of the corporate politicians and former private sector executives who run USPS as a business. We advance the following immediate demands: Defibrillators and fully stocked first aid equipment in every building Nurses in every USPS facility An end to the blocking of cell phone signals to allow prompt emergency response Written emergency plans and designated safety personnel in every building, subject to approval and oversight by workers to prevent corner-cutting by management Strict, enforceable observation of lockout/tagout procedures Comprehensive heat mitigation measures for letter carriers and all other workers during the summer months These safety demands are inseparable from broader demands needed to protect both jobs and lives by ending overwork: An end to the restructuring and no more facility closures Full protection for career jobs, with none lost through attrition For temporary workers, including CCAs, PSEs and others, full-time status for all who want it Use of automation and technology to improve safety and reduce the physical burden of work, not to discipline and monitor workers An end to privatization and a reaffirmation of the USPS as a public service, funded not through forced self-sufficiency but through taxes on major corporations such as Amazon that rely heavily on postal services We must fight for these demands by taking action ourselves. No right has ever been won by pleading with those in power. Rights are asserted and secured through struggle. Anything else leaves our demands as empty words on paper. We declare that we have the right to take all actions deemed necessary to protect our lives. This includes the right to stop work whenever conditions are unsafe and to take broader collective measures to win our demands. In formulating our strategy, we should recall that the Post Office itself is a product of the American Revolution against the British Crown. We should also draw lessons from the past struggles of postal workers, including the 1970 wildcat strike, which was organized in defiance of opposition from union officials. In both cases, new organizational structures were required to prepare and lead action from below. We call on our coworkers to hold mass meetings, elect trusted workers to rank-and-file safety committees, and collectively enforce safety standards. We urge workers to establish links with other facilities to plan joint actions. The USPS Workers Rank-and-File Committee will help put workers in touch with one another and, through the International Workers Alliance of Rank-and-File Committees, link up with postal workers in Canada, Britain, Germany and Australia who are fighting the same issues. Management stooges will point to undemocratic laws banning strikes by federal workers. But without action to back them up, demands are not worth the paper they are written on. In any case, the government itself is acting illegally. As Trump himself has stated, the only restraint is my own mind. What is happening in the United States, in Minnesota and beyond, marks the beginning of something far bigger movement of the working class. This movement has the potential to change everything, as workers confront oligarchy, inequality and authoritarianism. Within this struggle, the fight for workers control over safety must be taken up as a key demand. If you agree, join us. Fill out the form below. I am appealing to you today to make as large a donation as you can to the World Socialist Web Site New Year Fund. The first weeks of 2026 are a turning point in history. In Minneapolis, the power of the federal government is being deployed against the people. An ICE agent executed Renee Nicole Good at point-blank rangeand the Trump administration has justified it. The city is under para-military occupation. Trump has threatened to invoke the Insurrection Act and has put the military on alert for deployment. Speaking to the billionaire oligarchs assembled in Davos, Trump declared that sometimes you need a dictator. The violent repression in Minneapolis is the implementation of Trumps plan to overthrow the Bill of Rights. What is happening in Minneapolis and other American cities is the domestic face of a government waging war on multiple fronts. On January 3, the administration launched an unprovoked invasion of Venezuela, killing civilians and abducting President Nicolas Maduro. Days later came threats to bomb Iran and reassertions of intent to annex Greenland by force. Threats are also being made against Canada. The violence abroad and repression at home flow from the same source, the crisis of American and world capitalism, and the staggering level of social inequality that prevails in this country and internationally. An Oxfam report this week found that in 2025, the net worth of US billionaires surged 22 percent to a record $8.2 trillion. Elon Musks wealth alone now exceeds $700 billionfar more than the GDP of most countries. This concentration of wealth in the hands of an oligarchy produces, inevitably, war abroad and dictatorship at home. The World Socialist Web Site is unequaled in the depth and breadth of its coverage and analysis of events, which is rooted in Marxist theory and enriched by the vast experience of revolutionary struggles that span more than a century. From the invasion of Venezuela, the World Socialist Web Site connected imperialist aggression to the logic of capitalism. When Renee Nicole Good was killed, the WSWS placed her murder in contextnot as isolated violence, but as fascist policy. The World Socialist Web Site does not merely report the newsit fights to develop the political leadership of the working class on a world scale. On December 12, 2025, the WSWS and the International Committee of the Fourth International launched Socialism AI, a groundbreaking initiative arming workers and young people with the knowledge necessary to fight capitalism. The WSWS is utilizing this powerful technology in the interests of the working classnot for profit, but to provide access to Marxist theory, revolutionary history and the program of the Trotskyist movement to millions of workers and young people throughout the world. As events move with extraordinary speed, Socialism AI makes accessible the accumulated knowledge of the revolutionary tradition to anyone seeking to understand and change the world. Moreover, it facilitates the organization of resistance of workers and young people to the attacks on their rights. The World Socialist Web Site requires resources. Your donation goes directly toward daily coverage of critical events, socialist educational content which is translated into multiple languages, and which plays an indispensable role in training a new generation of fighters for socialism. But while we need your financial support, we also urge you to become directly involved. Make your daily reading of the World Socialist Web Site the basis of your direct participation in the fight for socialism. Use Socialism AI. Write to us, we will answer your inquiries. Attend meetings. Help build the International Workers Alliance of Rank-and-File Committees in factories, workplaces and neighborhoods to organize and unify the struggles of the working class. The crisis which is now unfolding will not be resolved by passive observation. It demands the conscious intervention of workers and young people prepared to act. This year marks the 250th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence. That declaration proclaimed the ideals of equality and the inalienable Rights of Man. The principles proclaimed in that revolutionary struggle now acquire renewed and urgent significance. Today it is the international working class that carries forward the struggle for human emancipation. The fight against imperialist war, against fascism, against the dictatorship of the capitalist oligarchy, is a world struggle of the working class for socialism. Join this fight. Take a stand against war, dictatorship and inequality. Held at the Euronews Hub at the Hotel Davoserhof on January 20, the invitation-only event looked at the ways in which tourism can contribute to economic growth, job creation and international cooperation at a time of global uncertainty. Opening the programme, Gombojav Zandanshatar, prime minister of Mongolia, set out Mongolias view of tourism as a central element of its development strategy. Speaking about the countrys efforts to diversify its economy, he said, Tourism is viewed as the second sector of Mongolia. This is the strategic pillar of our economic diplomacy and long-term drive to inclusive economic growth. Publicprivate partnerships and tourism investment The first panel focused on how publicprivate partnerships can drive long-term tourism investment, bringing together perspectives from government, industry and investors. Marcio de Jesus Lopes Daniel, Angolas minister of tourism, said governments must create the right conditions for private investment by focusing on infrastructure and reducing barriers. The state has to play its role, he said, adding that Angola has declared a war on bureaucracy in tourism to make projects easier to deliver. For him, the clearest sign of success is long-term commitment: You succeed when investors profit and decide not to repatriate the money, but to reinvest in the country. Alessandra Priante, CEO of ENIT, Italys tourism board, stressed the importance of stable government and coordination across public institutions to make destinations competitive. She argued that investment should be judged on long-term impact rather than volume alone. We absolutely have to get out of the number-of-visitors KPI, she said, pointing instead to economic and social value. Senthil Gopinath, CEO of the International Congress and Convention Association, concluded that PPPs work best when governments focus on enabling frameworks and the private sector delivers growth. He described tourism as a private-sector-led industry, helping to drive innovation and investment across destinations. Tourism as diplomacy A later session explored tourisms role in diplomacy and international cooperation. Dr Harini Amarasuriya prime minister of Sri Lanka, spoke about her countrys experience of using tourism to build connections, particularly after periods of crisis. She recalled how continued tourist arrivals sent a strong signal of confidence and solidarity. People responded, and we were able to record the highest number of arrivals in our history, she said. She argued that tourism plays a broader role in shaping how countries are perceived, adding that we need stories of hope, stories of recovery, stories of resilience in a world marked by conflict and division. By Dave Graham DAVOS, Switzerland, Jan 22 (Reuters) - President Donald Trump's use of tariffs as a foreign policy tool added fresh impetus in Davos this week to efforts to boost global trade beyond the U.S., with frustration palpable among many of Washington's top trading partners. Tariffs roared back into focus when Trump last weekend threatened new tariffs on European allies opposing his designs on Greenland, before stepping back from them on Wednesday after announcing a deal framework with NATO over the Arctic island. "It's the speed, scale, and scope of change that is really rattling the world," Canadian Finance Minister Francois-Philippe Champagne said during a panel discussion on tariffs at the World Economic Forum's annual meeting in the Swiss mountain resort. The WEF is meeting in Davos for the first time since Trump last year hiked U.S. tariffs to their highest level in nearly a century, sending countries scrambling to pick up the slack by trading more with each other. Trump, who says his policies are bringing back jobs to the United States, spurring trillions of dollars in investment and firing up growth, is ever present in WEF debates over how to temper exposure to the U.S., which studies forecast will play a lesser role in overall global trade than it did in the past. Canada's Champagne said countries were diversifying their commercial relations and doing more at a regional level to make their economies more resilient to trade policy shocks. "When you talk to CEOs today, what do they want? Stability, predictability, and the rule of law. I would say it's in short supply," he said, days after Canada and China struck a deal to slash tariffs on electric vehicles and canola. Hot on its heels came the signing of a free trade agreement this month between the European Union and South American bloc Mercosur after 25 years of negotiations - the EU's largest ever trade pact, if it overcomes remaining legal obstacles. Diversification of supply chains and reducing over-dependence are backed by the World Trade Organization, whose director-general Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala said such moves helped spread job creation and growth to other countries. "This helps build global resilience and we are very supportive of it," she told Reuters in Davos. 'THE WORLD HAS BECOME MORE EXPENSIVE' Boston Consulting Group forecasts the U.S. share of global goods trade could decline from 12% to 9% in the decade through 2034, giving way to more domestic U.S. economic activity. We recently published 10 Big Names Leaving Wall Street Behind; 7 Are Hitting Record Highs. Transocean Ltd. (NYSE:RIG) was one of the worst performers on Wednesday. Transocean climbed to a new 52-week high of $4.72 on Wednesday, up 9.76 percent, as investors cheered the successful first phase of drilling exploration on ConocoPhilips Otway Basin project offshore Victoria, Australia. At market close, the stock trimmed gains to end the day just up by 7.67 percent at $4.63 apiece. In an updated report, ConocoPhilips confirmed the completion of the first phase which saw significant gas approximately 160 meters above the primary target. The program has utilized Transocean Ltd.s (NYSE:RIG) Equinox semi-submersible drilling rig. Transocean (RIG) Hits Fresh High on Successful Drilling ConocoPhilips said that it would now move to the next phase of the program, albeit the second phase will no longer be operated by Transocean Ltd. (NYSE:RIG). In other news earlier this month, the listed drilling services company announced that it recently bagged a $168 million contract for two of its rigs. Transocean Ltd. (NYSE:RIG) said that its Deepwater Mykonos secured the first contract in Brazil, covering a 302-day campaign which is expected to start in the third quarter of 2026 and contribute approximately $120 million in backlog. In Norway, three one-well options have been exercised for the Transocean Enabler, covering 105 days of work which is an extension of the rigs current drilling operations. The Norway project alone is projected to rake in $48 million in backlog. While we acknowledge the potential of RIG as an investment, our conviction lies in the belief that some AI stocks hold greater promise for delivering higher returns and have limited downside risk. If you are looking for an extremely cheap AI stock that is also a major beneficiary of Trump tariffs and onshoring, see our free report on the best short-term AI stock. READ NEXT: 30 Stocks That Should Double in 3 Years and 11 Hidden AI Stocks to Buy Right Now. MILAN After two decades, the Max Mara Art Prize for Women is becoming nomadic. The first partner in this new phase of the initiative will be the Museum MACAN in Nusantara in Jakarta, Indonesia. Founded in 2017, it is the countrys first museum of contemporary art. More from WWD Advertisement Advertisement On Thursday morning at the Max Mara headquarters in Milan, Luigi Maramotti, president of the Max Mara Fashion Group, proudly introduced this new development, curated by Cecilia Alemani, director and chief curator of High Line Art in New York. Together with Max Mara and Collezione Maramotti, the familys private contemporary art collection and gallery, Alemani will identify a different country and institution as the focus of each new edition to support the work of emerging and midcareer artists who identify as women. Maramotti recalled how the prize was established in 2005 stemming from our commitment to support womens empowerment and offering an opportunity that did not exist in the West at the time. Back then, he said, creating an award that enabled women artists to fully realize their potential was a truly groundbreaking endeavor. It provided a one-of-a-kind opportunity for holistic growth nurturing artists not only technically and creatively, but also personally and culturally. Advertisement Advertisement Smiling, he said the initiative was seen by some as politically incorrect, targeting only women, and it was precisely this kind of comment that drove him to proceed, just as he did now traveling to Indonesia. The prize becomes nomadic in a difficult context, he admitted, and this idea of making the prize itinerant was aligned with being once again politically incorrect, in a world that is closing on itself, grappling with fear and uncertainty, but we dare to explore this world and bring the prize to a different level. In light of this scenario, we turned to Cecilia. She knows how to walk on an alternative path, said Maramotti. He praised the very special partnership with the Whitechapel Gallery in London, which has been the prizes partner since its first edition in 2005, and led to successful achievements, he touted. Advertisement Advertisement This is the 10th edition of the biennial prize and marks the conclusion of the partnership with Whitechapel Gallery, which has played a fundamental role and is renowned for its commitment to promoting emerging and established women artists, said Maramotti, significantly boosting their visibility. Because of the positive trajectory within the U.K. art scene, Maramotti said he was more confident than ever in the new direction of the prize. As we take this initiative to the global stage, the prize will serve as an even more effective and significant springboard, advancing the careers of artists from a rich tapestry of cultures worldwide. Max Mara, which celebrates 75 years in business in 2026, underscored the womens role within the company, making up 70 percent of its workforces, and offering womenswear collections that aim to empower women, ever since his father Achille founded the company in 1951, he said. Indonesia was chosen because the country has many of the characteristics we were looking for, explained Alemani. Its one of the worlds most populous countries, with 280 million people. Its a very young nation, where 68 million people are aged less than 25 years and the average age is 38. It has a fragmented geographical identity, with 17,000 islands. There is much to discover, the artistic scene is recent, dating back to the end of the 1980s, and offers a wide plurality of social and cultural voices. Advertisement Advertisement She added that the decision to bring the prize to Indonesia reflected not only a geographic expansion, but a clear statement: in our era, the West holds no monopoly on artistic innovation. Alemani, who was the first Italian woman to hold the position of curator of the Venice Art Biennale in 2022, is also the chair of the jury, which this edition will comprise the director of the Museum MACAN Venus Lau; curator Amanda Ariawan; gallerist Megan Arlin; collector Evelyn Halim, and artist Melati Suryodarmo. Between March and May, five finalists and the winner of the prize will be revealed, followed by a bespoke six-month residency in Italy. The purpose of the residency organized by Collezione Maramotti is to provide the winner with the time and space to focus on the creation of a new artistic project, which will then be exhibited in two solo shows: one at the partner institution for that edition, and the other at Collezione Maramotti, which will acquire the works. Alemani described the prize as an outstanding model of support for female artists. With its newly global, traveling format, the award is evolving into a full-fledged tool of cultural diplomacy and international dialogue. Advertisement Advertisement To be sure, the current geopolitical and social scenario was top of mind for all those present and the prize was seen as a way to build the kind of solid, lasting ties that are essential not only for the blossoming of individual careers, but for the growth and reinvention of the entire ecosystem of contemporary art, said Alemani. Sara Piccinini, director of Collezione Maramotti, said this new course of the prize fits in perfectly with the mission of Collezione Maramotti, which aspires to serve as a mirror for the original, innovative, ambitious artistic ideas and practices of our time. Collezione Maramotti opened to the public in 2007 at the former historical headquarters of the Max Mara company in Reggio Emilia. In addition to a permanent collection of more than 200 works from 1950 to 2019, it regularly presents new projects and commissions from international midcareer and emergent artists. Previous winners of the Max Mara Art Prize for Women range from, most recently, Dominique White and Emma Talbot, to Margaret Salmon in the first edition, followed by Hannah Rickards. Advertisement Advertisement The prize will continue to be a fundamental contribution to achieving truly equal opportunity for women artists, building bridges to other parts of the world, fostering creative diversity and offering inspiration and positive models to new generations of artists, said Piccinini. In a statement, Gilane Tawadros, director of Whitechapel Gallery, expressed her pride in having been a formative partner of the prize, which has played a vital role in the ecosystem of the U.K. art landscape for two decades. We are committed to safeguarding the prizes important legacy and look forward to seeing its continuing impact value and support for women artists across the globe, as it enters this new phase in its development, said Tawadros. MACANs director Lau said the prize, as a leading platform that amplifies womens voices in the international art world, plays a key role in shaping contemporary discourse and expanding opportunities for women artists. We are proud to be part of this initiative and to foster a cultural exchange that will continue beyond this edition. Advertisement Advertisement She touted how the six-month residency in Italy will allow in-depth research, expanded networks and working methods that may not yet be available locally. Its impact extends not only to the selected artist, but also to Indonesias broader art ecosystem, which continues to strengthen its support for women artists. This prize encourages new conversations about representation, opportunities and perspectives, while positioning the practices of Indonesian women artists within a more equitable global dialogue. Best of WWD Sign up for WWD's Newsletter. For the latest news, follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. Actor and director Timothy Busfield was spotted out of his orange jail jumpsuit for the first time since facing allegations of child sex abuse. Busfield, 68, was photographed Wednesday dressed in an all-black outfit and holding a water bottle as he was being picked up by a limo from his ritzy $750 a night New Mexico Airbnb, according to TMZ. The West Wing actor was joined by a member of his legal team, as his supportive wife, Melissa Gilbert, was seen waving goodbye to him from the posh estate. Actor Timothy Busfield was spotted for the first time since his release from jail. BACKGRID The West Wing star faces child sex abuse allegation, and awaits trial. BACKGRID He left the Airbnb to deal with something related to his case and will return to the rental property Wednesday night, sources told the outlet. Advertisement Advertisement Prosecutors have charged Busfield with two counts of criminal sexual contact of a minor and one count of child abuse for allegedly inappropriately touching two child actors on the Fox series The Cleaning Lady, which he has denied doing. The abuse began in 2022 when the two young actors, both boys, were just 7 years old, court documents alleged. An investigation began in November 2024 after a physician notified cops that they suspected sexual abuse and grooming after examining one of the children at the University of New Mexico Hospital, the criminal complaint said. Busfield was also accused by prosecutors in Bernalillo County, New Mexico, of sexually abusing a 16-year-old girl several years ago in Sacramento, California, in a motion filed Jan. 14. Advertisement Advertisement Judge David Murphy ordered on Tuesday that Busfield be released on his own recognizance until the trial. The Emmy-winning actor was told he could leave the state to live at home. He will also be supervised upon his release by a pretrial service in Albuquerque. Several of Busfields former co-stars, including Ken Olin, Patricia Wettig, and Peter Horton, have penned letters of support testifying to his character, according to Deadline. Busfields attorneys have been adamant in court filings that there is a lack of evidence of the alleged crimes. Jane Fonda has offered pointed commentary about the current state of the U.S. under Donald Trump. The 9 to 5 actor, 88, appeared Wednesday night on The Late Show with Stephen Colbert, where she discussed the consequences of the presidents current polices. During the episode, Colbert asked her opinion on how Americans can protect their First Amendment rights under the Trump administration. If the government is not meeting the needs of its people, theres something wrong, right? Were seeing things happen that have never happened before. This isnt like it was in the 40s and 50s. Authoritarianism has made its way into every single nook and cranny of our government, she said. Advertisement Advertisement They are kidnapping people. They are legally deporting American citizens. Jane Fonda said during Wednesdays episode of The Late Show with Stephen Colbert that Americans need to form a community to protect their First Amendment rights (Getty) Fonda is known for her long-standing activism, including protesting against the Vietnam War and participating in the Civil Rights Movement (Getty) The veteran actor also referenced the fatal shooting of Renee Nicole Good by an ICE agent in Minneapolis earlier this month after her vehicle blocked a street during an active ICE operation. Department of Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem has claimed that officers were forced to open fire because Good had engaged in domestic terrorism. The incident has led to widespread protests across the country. Minneapolis, where they shot Ms. Goodthey are shooting people. They are blinding people, Fonda continued. All kinds of really, really bad things are happening. And its not a question of right or left. I dont care what party you belong to. Its a question of right or wrong. Right? I think lines are being crossed. And its enough. Weve had enough. Right? We are the land of the brave. Our loved ones fought and many died for these freedoms. We cant allow them to be taken away from us, because if we let them go, they wont be there later when we need them back. Advertisement Advertisement She explained that people need to band together in solidarity to protect their rights, adding that we have to not be alone. Fonda has been known for her activism for years, in addition to her long-standing acting career, as she notably participated in protests against the Vietnam War and was active in the Civil Rights Movement. Jane Fonda accepts the Lifetime Achievement gong at the 31st SAG Awards (Getty) She previously issued a dig at Trump at the 2025 SAG-AFTRA Awards, now rebranded as The Actor Awards. During her acceptance speech for the SAG-AFTRA Lifetime Achievement award, she did not mention the president by name, but she did shout out Sebastian Stan, who played the president in The Apprentice. Though you may hate the behavior of your character, you have to understand and empathize with the traumatized person youre playing, she said. Advertisement Advertisement Empathy is not weak or woke. And, by the way, woke just means you give a damn about other people, she said. A whole lot of people are going to be really hurt by what is happening, what is coming our way. And even if they are of different persuasion we need to call upon our empathy and listen with our hearts and welcome them into our tent. Because we are going to need a big tent to resist successfully what is coming at us. Fonda added: We are in our documentary moment. We mustn't for a moment kid ourselves about what is happeningWe must not isolate, we must stay in community, we must help the vulnerable. Originally appeared on E! Online Nicole Kidman is keeping it cool. The Oscar winner shared she's officially traveled to all seven continents after completing a trip to Antarctica, two weeks after finalizing her divorce from Keith Urban. Nicole celebrated the moment with her and Keiths two daughters Sunday Rose, 17, and Faith Margaret, 14. Thank you @SilverSea for taking me to my 7th continent!, the 58-year-old wrote alongside a Jan. 21 Instagram carousel that featured a picture of her and her daughters wearing matching coats and holding a sign marking their travel. Once in a lifetime adventure with family and friends. Advertisement Advertisement Nicoles post also included solo shots of her posing in front of glaciers, smiling alongside her travel group and taking in the sights from inside of the luxury cruise liner. The Big Little Lies star also shared a follow-up post offering a closer look at one of the highlights of her trip: a kayak voyage amid the ice. Nicole posted a series of photos including a close-up pic of a group of penguins. More from E! Online Advertisement Advertisement Nicoles trip to the arctic comes two weeks after she and Keith officially ended their 19-year marriage. The couple finalized their divorcethree months after Nicole filedon Jan. 6, according to documents obtained by E! News. The filing was signed off on by a judge in Tennessee Jan. 6, and the docs confirmed both Nicole and Keith agreed to waive all rights to child and spousal support, making each parent responsible for their own legal fees and expenses. The pair also settled on a custody plan with their kids, with Nicole spending 306 days a year with their daughters while Keith will have every other weekend, totaling 59 days. Nicolewho is also mom to Bella Kidman Cruise, 32, and Connor Cruise, 30, with ex-husband Tom Cruisehas been embracing her latest chapter with her youngest daughters by her side. Indeed, the Nine Perfect Strangers star rang in the new year alongside Sunday and Faith, as she shared her goals included, Looking forward into 2026. Part of her latest chapter also includes helping Sunday and Faith navigate their places in the public eye. Which, according to Nicole, has proved to be easier than she expected. Advertisement Advertisement Im raising teenage girls right now, and its fascinating, Nicole said in a conversation with Ariana Grande for Interview magazine in November. I think they have an armor that we didnt get, or that I certainly didnt get, because there was no social media. The very, very young now have already gone, We know exactly how to handle this. For a look back at Nicole and Keiths relationship, keep reading Beginning of Summer 2025: Split Nicole Kidman and Keith Urban privately separated and started living apart at the beginning of summer, E! News learned. But there were many notable moments over the summer that ultimately led to their divorce filing. May 22, 2025: Keith Urban Begins His Tour His High and Alive World Tour kicked off in Alabama and he spent the summer traveling across the U.S., Canada and Australia. June 20, 2025: Last Public Outing The pair last appeared together publicly at the FIFA Club World Cup 2025 in Nashville, where they were seen laughing and smiling. June 25, 2025: 19th Wedding Anniversary In honor of 19 years of marriage in June, Kidman posted a photo of the couple with the caption, "Happy Anniversary Baby." Urban commented a heart emoji but did not write a post of his own. Advertisement Advertisement July 1, 2025: Keith Urban Walks Out of Interview After Nicole Kidman Question The country singer raised eyebrows when he abruptly ended an interview after being asked about Kidman's onscreen chemistry with costar Zac Efron in A Family Affair. The first thing I thought of with your beautiful wife, Nicole Kidman, being on so many great movies, TV shows all the time, a radio host said on Australias Mix 102.3s Hayley & Max in the Morning. What does Keith Urban think when he sees his beautiful wife with beautiful younger men like Zac Efron having these beautiful love scenes on TV and radio? Suddenly, Urban disappeared from the call. He's disconnected from Zoom, a radio staffer said. I think his team hung up on us because they didn't want us to ask that question. His rep didn't respond to E!'s request for comment at the time. July 24, 2025: It's Revealed That Nicole Kidman Applied for Residency in Portugal E! News learned that the Practical Magic star had submitted application to become a resident of Portugal, with Urban preparing to do the same himself. Keith was unable to be in Portugal for this appointment as he is currently on tour in the U.S.," a source with knowledge of the situation told E!, "and it is mandatory for applicants to be physically present in order to apply for the visa. He is scheduled to submit his application at a later date that works with his tour schedule." At the time, the source said both planned to maintain a permanent residence in Nashville as well. Aug. 6, 2025: Sunday Rose Shares Insight Into Family Life The couple's eldest daughter Sunday Rose shed light on on their parenting dynamic in an interview, saying that "there are two big rules" at home. "The first was that I couldnt explore any kind of fashion work until I was 16," she told Nylon, "and the second is that school always has to come first, which at first I hated, but I am actually really glad that I have these rules in place because it keeps me in a good mindset." Aug. 19, 2025: Keith Urban Not Pictured in Nicole Kidman's Family Photos Kidman shared a look at her summer memories with her teens Sunday Rose and Faith Margaret, but her husband was absent from the Instagram carousel. "Summer memories," the actress wrote. "Now back to school." Advertisement Advertisement Aug. 28, 2025: Nicole Kidman's Lawyer Prepares Parenting Plan In August, her lawyer prepared a Child Support Worksheet included in a Parenting Plan stating that Kidman and Urban would be "joint custodians" of their teen daughters Sunday Rose and Faith Margaret. However, the Oscar winner was listed as the "primary residential parent," with the girls spending 306 days a year with their mother and 59 days with their father (Urban will have the children every other weekend.). Neither will pay child support, according to the doc obtained by E! News. The mother and father will behave with each other and each child so as to provide a loving, stable, consistent and nurturing relationship with the child even though they are divorced, it stated. They will not speak badly of each other or the members of the family of the other parent. They will encourage each child to continue to love the other parent and be comfortable in both families. Aug. 29, 2025: Keith Urban Signs Paperwork Urban moved forward with their Marital Dissolution Agreement, getting it notorized in August, per the doc obtained by E! News. The document said that Kidman would "institute divorce proceedings against" him due to irreconcilable differences. It also stated that neither party would be getting alimony or spousal support in their split. The same date, he also signed off on the Parenting Plan. Sept. 6, 2025: Nicole Kidman Signs Paperwork A week after Urban, the actress had the Marital Dissolution Agreement notorized as well and signed the Parenting Plan. The same day, a judge signed off on an order that both stars would complete a manditory parenting seminar unless they file for an exemption, per the doc obtained by E! News. Sept. 25, 2025: Nicole Kidman Steps Out Still Wearing Wedding Ring Despite signing the documents, she still wore her engagement ring during an event at the Academy Museum in Los Angeles. Advertisement Advertisement Sept. 29, 2025: News Breaks of Their Split Their breakup made headlines as E! News confirmed that the pairwho started dating in 2005had privately called it quits. Sept. 30, 2025: Nicole Kidman Files for Divorce The Big Little Lies star officially filed to end their marriage, listing their date of separation as the date of filing: Sept. 30, 2025. Their Marital Dissolution Agreement and Parenting Plan were officially submitted the same day to be approved by a court in Tennessee. For the latest breaking news updates, click here to download the E! News App Actor and director Timothy Busfield appeared in court Tuesday as he faces allegations of child sex abuse. New photos show Busfield, 68, at a hearing in the Second District Judicial Court at the Bernalillo County Courthouse in Albuquerque, New Mexico. His wife, Melissa Gilbert, 62, was seen sitting in the courtroom behind him, supporting him. Timothy Busfield in the Second District Judicial Court at the Bernalillo County Courthouse, in Albuquerque, New Mexico. via REUTERS Melissa Gilbert, Busfields wife, sits in the gallery during her husbands hearing. Getty Images Prosecutors have charged Busfield with two counts of criminal sexual contact of a minor and one count of child abuse, which he denied. Advertisement Advertisement On Jan. 9, an arrest warrant was issued for Busfield, on allegations of child sex abuse in New Mexico. The actor and director is best known for his roles in Field of Dreams and The West Wing. He has denied the accusations but he surrendered to police Jan. 13. According to court docs obtained by KOAT, the investigation into the matter was launched in November 2024 when an officer was dispatched to the University of New Mexico Hospital after a doctor called police. An officer reportedly spoke with two parents who claimed that their children were actors on the Fox series The Cleaning Lady. Busfield is accused of inappropriately touching one of the boys three or four times, and the other five or six times, according to the arrest warrant. Gilbert at the hearing. Getty Images Busfield greets defense attorney Christopher Allen Dodd before his hearing. Getty Images Currently, he remains behind bars. Advertisement Advertisement The Little House on the Prairie actress has been married to Busfield since 2013. Gilbert submitted a letter of support for her husband that was obtained by People and published Sunday. I only want this extraordinary man safe and whole, Gilbert wrote. She continued, Please, please, take care of my sweet husband. As he is my protector, I am his, but I cannot protect him now and I think that, more than anything else, is what is truly breaking my heart, I am relying on you to protect him for me. Defense attorney Amber Fayerberg, Busfield and Dodd listen as Bernalillo Country Deputy District Attorney Savannah Brandenburg-Koch presents during the hearing. Getty Images Busfields lawyer Larry Stein at the Bernalillo County Courthouse. AP After his arrest, Busfield was edited out of an upcoming Amazon MGM film. Per the Hollywood Reporter, he will no longer appear in the rom-com You Deserve Each Other starring Meghann Fahy, Penn Badgley, Kyle MacLachlan and Justin Long. This story contains graphic descriptions that some readers may find disturbing. Since he was taken into custody on child sex abuse charges, actor Timothy Busfield has garnered a solid support base of family friends and Hollywood colleagues. More than 70 people wrote letters to a New Mexico judge attesting to the 68-year-old's character, according to a Jan. 16 court filing from Busfield's legal team reviewed by USA TODAY. Advertisement Advertisement The character witnesses ranged from Busfield's kindergarten friends to neighbors, former costars and family members. His wife, the actor Melissa Gilbert, her children and mother Barbara Gilbert Cowan were among the relatives who submitted letters alongside Busfield's siblings and his son, Samuel Busfield. "The West Wing" alum's costars on ABC's Emmy-winning series "Thirtysomething," including Polly Draper, Peter Horton, Mel Harris, Ken Olin, Patricia Wettig Olin and Melanie Mayron each wrote positive messages of support, as did showrunners Marshall Herskovitz and Edward Zwick. Actor and director Timothy Busfield is be eligible for release from a New Mexico jail as he faces charges of child sex abuse, a judge ruled on Tuesday, Jan. 20, during a pretrial hearing in New Mexico. The ruling was made during Busfield's first in-person appearance in a New Mexico courtroom. A tearful Melissa Gilbert, who was seated behind her husband in the gallery, quietly celebrated the judge's decision. During the Tuesday, Jan. 20, pretrial detention hearing, Judge David A. Murphy ruled there was no probable cause to show that "The West Wing" alum must remain behind bars due to a public safety risk. Murphy denied state prosecutors' motion and allowed the 68-year-old to be released of his own recognizance after spending a week in jail. Busfield's wife attended and sat in the courtroom. Timothy Busfield greets defense attorney Christopher Allen Dodd, right, before his hearing. Busfield was charged with two counts of criminal sexual contact of a minor and one count of child abuse on Jan. 9, according to a criminal complaint obtained by USA TODAY. A warrant for his arrest was issued that day. Busfield walked into the courtroom wearing an orange prison uniform and socks with open-toed slippers. He put on brown-rimmed glasses to read over documents with his lawyers in the minutes leading up to the judge's arrival. Busfield was charged with two counts of criminal sexual contact of a minor and one count of child abuse on Jan. 9, according to a criminal complaint obtained by USA TODAY. A warrant for his arrest was issued that day. Gilbert previously submitted a letter in support of her actor husband and in it, called him "my love, my rock, my partner in business and life." Busfield takes notes during the hearing. Busfield and his defense attorney Christopher Allen Dodd. Busfield reviews documents with his defense attorneys Amber Fayerberg and Christopher Allen Dodd. Defense attorney Amber Fayerberg talks with the director. Busfield looks on before his Tuesday hearing. Busfield's wife attends his hearing. Defense attorney Amber Fayerberg, Timothy Busfield and defense attorney Christopher Allen Dodd listen as Bernalillo Country Deputy District Attorney Savannah Brandenburg-Koch, left, presents arguments. Alan Caudillo, director of photography for the television show "The Cleaning Lady," was called to the witness stand by defense attorney Christopher Allen Dodd (not pictured) during the Timothy Busfield hearing in the Second District Judicial Court at the Bernalillo County Courthouse on Jan. 20, 2026. Defense attorney Christopher Allen Dodd presents during the Timothy Busfield hearing. An attendee wipes away tears after director and actor Timothy Busfield arrived for a hearing in the Second District Judicial Court at the Bernalillo County Courthouse on Jan. 20, 2026. An exterior view shows the Bernalillo County Courthouse ahead of director and actor Timothy Busfield's pre-trial detention hearing on Jan. 20, 2026, in Albuquerque, New Mexico. Melissa Gilbert supports Timothy Busfield in court amid child sex abuse charges 1 of 16 Actor and director Timothy Busfield is be eligible for release from a New Mexico jail as he faces charges of child sex abuse, a judge ruled on Tuesday, Jan. 20, during a pretrial hearing in New Mexico. The ruling was made during Busfield's first in-person appearance in a New Mexico courtroom. A tearful Melissa Gilbert, who was seated behind her husband in the gallery, quietly celebrated the judge's decision. Busfield is charged with two counts of criminal sexual contact of a minor and one count of child abuse. He is accused of "inappropriate physical contact" with two child actors, who were 7 and 8 years old at the time, as they worked on the Busfield-directed Fox series "The Cleaning Lady" between late 2022 and early 2024, according to prosecutors. One of the boys, who has allegedly been diagnosed with post-traumatic stress disorder and anxiety, disclosed during a safe house interview that Busfield had touched the child's genitals over clothing several times while they were on set. His twin brother "independently disclosed unwanted touching" by Busfield and "corroborated the pattern of inappropriate physical contact," per prosecutors. Advertisement Advertisement Busfield has denied all claims, alleging the accusations are an act of retaliation after the boys were recast on the show. 'Thirtysomething' costars trust Timothy Busfield 'completely' "I know Tim up close and personal, and over time. Tim is not only a great actor and a really good director, more than all of that, Tim is a good man. Through and through," Horton wrote, in part, in his letter to the judge, noting he's known his former costar for 38 years. As an onscreen couple in "Thirtysomething," Wettig Olin wrote, "We had two children, ages three and six. Watching Tim on the set with those kids was extraordinary. He was delightful." "They loved him and they trusted him completely. We had intimate scenes with them where we held them in bed with us and we played with them on the floor. I admired how easily Tim could give up his personal ego and any needs of his own, so he could be present to give them his complete focus and generous heart," she continued. Advertisement Advertisement "He is a wonderful man and I trust him completely." Busfield's defense attorneys gathered the dozens of letters in the span of about a week. He'd surrendered to authorities on Jan. 13, following an arrest warrant that was issued Jan. 9. In the hours after a judge denied the state's request to keep him behind bars until his trial, Busfield was released from jail on Jan. 20. Melissa Gilbert's son Michael Boxleitner says 'Timothy Busfield is my hero' Gilbert, the actor's wife of more than a decade, wrote in her letter to the judge that Busfield is "my love, my rock, my partner in business and life. He is my comfort and my council. His joy, humor and quick wit bring sparkle to my life. Tim is, quite simply, the beating heart of our wild and wonderful extended family." Her mother, Gilbert Cowan, said "the world is a better place with Timothy Busfield in it," while her son Michael Boxleitner Busfield's "youngest stepson" wrote, "Timothy Busfield is my hero." In prosecutors' motion for pretrial detention, it was revealed that the family of another alleged victim came forward. Advertisement Advertisement A man, Colin Swift, told law enforcement on Jan. 13 that Busfield sexually abused his daughter "several years ago" in Northern California. The allegation is not part of the criminal complaint against the actor. If you or someone you know has experienced sexual violence, RAINN's National Sexual Assault Hotline offers free, confidential, 24/7 support to survivors and their loved ones in English and Spanish at: 800.656.HOPE (4673) and Hotline.RAINN.org and en Espanol RAINN.org/es. This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Timothy Busfield's 'Thirtysomething' costars submit letters of support MINNEAPOLIS A federal magistrate judge in Minnesota has refused to sign a criminal complaint against former CNN anchor and independent journalist Don Lemon after he was at a protest that interrupted a church service. The protest took place Sunday at Cities Church in St. Paul. Investigators were looking into whether Lemon could face criminal charges for his role in the event. Lemon was at the church when a group of people walked in and chanted against U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, or ICE. The protesters were upset because they believed a church leader also worked for ICE. That disagreement led to a tense scene inside the church, with some worshippers leaving early. Advertisement Advertisement Federal prosecutors asked a magistrate judge to sign a complaint that would allow them to charge Lemon with a crime, but the judge said no and would not sign the document. That means Lemon will not face federal charges at least for now. Its not clear whether prosecutors will try again. Lemon has said he had no connection to the group that planned the protest. He said he was recording what was happening and talking to people there. Attorney General Pam Bondi announced earlier that at least two people were arrested in connection with the church protest. One was a local school board member, and the other was a civil rights attorney. They face charges for allegedly organizing the event that disrupted the service. The protest reflected broader tensions in Minnesota over federal immigration enforcement. The demonstration drew attention after the recent shooting death of Renee Good, a Minneapolis-area resident who was killed by an ICE officer earlier this month. Protesters have been urging changes to immigration policy and more answers about Goods death. Advertisement Advertisement The judges refusal to sign the complaint against Lemon is rare. Federal prosecutors rarely have their requests rejected by judges at this level. Legal experts say the decision could make it harder for the Justice Department to take the case forward without new evidence or a grand jury indictment. Read the original article on cleveland.com. White House crypto and AI advisor David Sacks said U.S. banks will eventually adopt cryptocurrencies, especially stablecoins, once new legislation reshapes how the sector is regulated. Sacks said the divide between banks and crypto firms will vanish after Congress passes market structure rules currently in development. Were not going to have a separate banking industry and crypto industry. Its going to be one digital assets industry, he said in a CNBC interview. Sacks comments reflect the Trump administrations belief that its legislative push will further unlock institutional participation in crypto markets. Many major U.S. banks have historically remained on the sidelines, wary of unclear rules and regulatory risks. Institutional adoption grew after the GENIUS Act was passed in July 2025. Its intent is to regulate stablecoins, and now lawmakers are working on a major bill aiming to define how federal regulators can oversee cryptocurrency markets. That legislative effort has brought attention to the potential competition between cryptocurrency market players and traditional banks over stablecoin yield, leading to a clash between both sectors in negotiations over crypto market structure legislation currently pending before Congress. Stablecoins, cryptocurrencies pegged to the value of fiat currencies and commodities, could be a benefit for traditional banks. Sacks said these institutions might come to view stablecoin issuance as a way to offer yields and compete with fintech firms. I bet you over time the banks like the idea of paying yield because theyre going to be in the stablecoin business, he said. The banking industry at large has been lobbying against allowing companies to offer stablecoin yield or rewards in ongoing negotiations over the market structure bill. Sacks did acknowledge concerns from banks about uneven oversight, with crypto firms often subject to lighter rules. Everyone offering the same product should be regulated in the same way, he said. The upcoming legislation, according to Sacks, will aim for balance. A good compromise leaves everyone a little bit unhappy, he said. It's official: "Primitive War 2" is a go. For those who may not be familiar, "Primitive War" was a true surprise in 2025. I argued that it's the greatest non-"Jurassic Park" dinosaur movie ever made. Based on Ethan Pettus' novel series of the same name, it asks: What would happen if the Vietnam War also included dinosaurs? The answer to that question was presented to us by director Luke Sparke, who will now further explore this wild premise in a sequel. According to Variety, "Primitive War 2" is officially in late development and targeting a 2027 release. Sparke is on board to write, direct, and produce once again. Carmel Imrie, Carly Sparke, executive producer Geoff Imrie, and co-producer Alex Becconsall are also returning, alongside much of the crew who helped make the original movie possible. Sparke previously told /Film that VOD would determine whether or not the "Primitive War" sequel happened. Evidently, it did quite well. We've even got a teaser poster for the sequel now, which you can check out below. "Primitive War 2" is said to expand the scope and mythology of the franchise and will take audiences deeper into the conflict zone where the Vietnam War collides with dinosaurs. The sequel is also described as being "darker" and a "more intense escalation and more grounded war epic continuing the series' distinctive blend of military realism and survival horror." The synopsis for the next installment in the franchise reads as follows: Set in the aftermath of the original film, "Primitive War 2" follows a new U.S. platoon sent into an increasingly unstable valley, where competing kill zones, rival apex predators, and secret Cold War agendas converge. As containment collapses, the mission becomes one of survival and the cost of failure threatens to extend far beyond the battlefield. Read more: The 50 Scariest Horror Movie Monsters Ranked Primitive War 2 will expand the scope of the franchise A T-rex in the woods in Primitive War - Sparke Films "The first film was about discovery," director Luke Sparke said in a statement. "This is about escalation what happens when control is lost, when nature adapts faster than military doctrine, and when the war itself becomes secondary to what's been unleashed." He added, "I had a blast watching the first 'Primitive War' film, and I'm excited to see how the sequel goes!" Advertisement Advertisement Based on the description, it sounds like a new human cast will be added this time around. Ryan Kwanten ("True Blood"), Jeremy Piven ("Entourage"), and Tricia Helfer ("Battlestar Galactica"), among others, starred in the first movie. Hollywood studios declined the chance to make "Primitive War" after Sparke secured the rights. So, determined to see things through, he decided to find a way to make the movie anyhow. He did so with a budget of less than $10 million a tiny fraction of what most modern blockbusters cost and didn't skimp on the spectacle one bit. The movie clocks in at well over two hours and is jam-packed with dinosaurs of all sorts. It is, in a word, outlandish. "Primitive War" was released in theaters throughout the world, albeit on a somewhat limited basis, but became something of a word-of-mouth sensation, generating a lot of chatter online. While "Jurassic World Rebirth" was undoubtedly the biggest dinosaur movie of 2025, this was the most unexpected, offering something different to audiences who enjoy prehistoric action. "Primitive War 2" doesn't currently have a release date, but stay tuned. If you're looking for the easiest way to keep up with all the major movie and TV news, why not sign up to our free newsletter? You can also add us as a preferred search source on Google. Read the original article on SlashFilm. I cant believe we are about to embark on our last Sundance in Utah. Before Covid, I attended the festival every year of my life. Sundance and Robert Redford were more than inspirations for my pursuit of a life in the arts. They shaped my entire worldview about the value of artistry, and about what becomes possible when people who believe in art come together with shared purpose. More from Variety Advertisement Advertisement As Sundance prepares to leave Utah, and as we reckon with the loss of its founder, we are being tested on whether we still believe in the values that made independent film matter in the first place. Sundance was never just a festival to me. It was also a place. Yes, Park City, where the festival has lived since the 1980s. But also Sundance Resort itself the mountain where Bob made his home, where the Sundance Institute was born, and where artists, filmmakers, donors, philanthropists and billionaires, a motley crew gathered in unlikely communion. They came from different backgrounds, different industries and different corners of the country, but they were united by a single conviction: film, filmmaking and filmmakers matter. I practically grew up on that mountain. My father, Gary Beer, was one of the original founders of the festival and its first president, before returning to Washington, D.C. from whence he came after meeting Redford at an environmental fundraiser. They were introduced by the late, wonderful Salt Lake City mayor Ted Wilson. Bob wanted to know if my dad could raise money for the Sundance Institute the way he had for political causes. That question changed our lives. A native New Yorker, who smoked a pack a day, moved to Utah in the early 80s, when youd be hard-pressed to find a cup of coffee or a New York Times. My siblings and I were born there, raised there for a time, surrounded by filmmakers, artists, and magical thinkers who believed perhaps irrationally, certainly stubbornly that art could shape culture. Those early founders coined the term independent film, a story unto itself, but one rooted in an uncompromising idea. It was imperative to Redford that films at Sundance be entirely free of studio involvement. Advertisement Advertisement Totally free. You didnt need to visit his ranch to understand that he was a cowboy at heart. He had a profound respect for the environment, but also for places their integrity, their limits, their dignity. When I was ten, I wrote him a thank-you note for letting me and a few classmates stay at his Manhattan apartment for an academic competition. As kids do, I ended the note by parroting something I had heard adults say: We came, we saw, we conquered. He wrote me back a several-page letter explaining why New York could never be conquered. I wish I still had it. It was my first lesson that culture isnt something to dominate, but something to steward from within as part of a greater whole. Redford demanded intellectual rigor from everyone around him, not just from the films he programmed. He believed in the larger forces of life, in the responsibility that comes with influence and in the idea that art was a public trust. When he passed recently, I felt a profound loss not just personal, but cultural. He represented an era of cinema that people now say is out of reach. He made movies that mattered, when movies mattered. I believe they still do. But for that to remain true, we have to buy into a shared dream the way the early founders of Sundance did. Advertisement Advertisement Long after my father left the organization, I continued attending the festival because it was the perfect way to begin a year: a week dedicated to watching peoples dreams come true. No matter how dark, small, niche, or seemingly insane the film, those artists had not only pushed a boulder up a mountain to get their work made, they had pushed the mountain itself. How fitting, then, and how strange, that Sundance is now literally moving mountains, from Utah to Colorado. It was those early lessons the importance of film, the belief in possibility that eventually led me to Los Angeles to pursue a career in the industry. My dad had left the business long before, just in time for me to catch the bug but know no one. I moved west with my sister, Alexandra, and our childhood friend Chris Slager. We knew no one but each other. We took assistant jobs, built our networks from the ground up, and stubbornly pursued the shared delusion Sundance had instilled in us: that anything was possible if you believed in the work. I dont know what will happen to Sundance after the death of its founder and the displacement of its cultural roots. I am wary. I am sad about chapters closing. But I am also cautiously optimistic. Loss, after all, has been one of my greatest teachers. Advertisement Advertisement If we can hold fast to the values that gave birth to Sundance independence, rigor, community, and faith in artists I believe the institution can continue to matter, wherever it lives. Art matters. Artists matter. Now, more than ever. Whether at Sundance, in a local coffee shop, or on a studio lot, we can continue to make movies matter, one shared dream, or delusion, at a time. Lindsey Anderson Beer is best known for writing and directing the hit Paramount+ movie Pet Sematary: Bloodlines. Beers production company Lab Brew, which she leads with vice presidents Alexandra Banks and Spencer Walken, has a first-look deal with Paramount Pictures. Upcoming film projects include fresh takes on popular IP like American Girl, Hello Kitty and Sleepy Hollow, as well as 1313, a TV project described as a darker reimagining of the Munsters. Best of Variety Sign up for Variety's Newsletter. For the latest news, follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. Vampire period horror film "Sinners" smashed the all-time Oscars record with 16 nominations, the Academy announced Thursday. The blues-inflected race allegory from director Ryan Coogler scored nominations in nearly every category possible, including best picture. In doing so, "Sinners" blasted past the previous record of 14, jointly held by "Titanic," "La La Land" and "All About Eve." Advertisement Advertisement Coogler told industry website Deadline that the "pretty crazy" record haul of nominations was "so rewarding." A rare original Hollywood film that is not based on any existing franchise, "Sinners" was viewed with skepticism by many in the business before its April release, but became a $360 million global hit. Coogler said he "did not have any expectations" for awards, adding that "people just showing up to the movies and having a good time, that would've been enough." But its huge tally included a best actor nomination for Michael B. Jordan -- who plays twins returning home to the 1930s segregated US South -- plus nods for everything from screenplay to score. Advertisement Advertisement There was also a nomination for best casting, the first new category to be added to Hollywood's most prestigious awards in more than two decades. "One Battle After Another" came in second place with 13 nods including best picture, best actor for Leonardo DiCaprio and best director for Paul Thomas Anderson. But its female lead, 25-year-old newcomer Chase Infiniti, was surprisingly snubbed by Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences voters. Both of the top two nomination getters came from Warner Bros, the movie studio that is currently the target of a bidding war between Netflix and Paramount. Advertisement Advertisement Guillermo del Toro's monster epic "Frankenstein," Timothee Chalamet's ping-pong drama "Marty Supreme" and Norwegian arthouse favorite "Sentimental Value" each bagged nine nominations. "Hamnet," a period drama in which William Shakespeare and his wife struggle to cope with the loss of their son in plague-ravaged Elizabethan England, secured eight. Jessie Buckley was nominated for playing the Bard's long-suffering wife Agnes, though the film's male lead Paul Mescal missed out. "There's no part of Agnes that exists without Paul... and what he poured into this story," Buckley told The Hollywood Reporter after the announcement. Advertisement Advertisement - Acting races - The nominations set the stage for the 98th Oscars ceremony on March 15. While "Sinners" tops the nominations, "One Battle" remains the frontrunner to win best picture, having won almost every precursor prize going so far this awards season. The zany thriller about a retired revolutionary looking for his teen daughter against a wild backdrop of radical violence, immigration raids and white supremacists broke the all-time record for nominations by Hollywood's Screen Actors Guild. DiCaprio, Chalamet and Jordan will do battle for the best actor Oscar, along with Ethan Hawke for Broadway period drama "Blue Moon," and Wagner Moura from Brazilian political thriller "The Secret Agent." Advertisement Advertisement For best actress, Buckley will compete with Emma Stone playing an alien -- or is she? -- in conspiracy theorist drama "Bugonia," Renate Reinsve in "Sentimental Value," Kate Hudson in quirky music biopic "Song Sung Blue," and Rose Byrne as a struggling mom in indie hit "If I Had Legs I'd Kick You." - International voters - With the Academy's overseas voter base rapidly expanding, both "Sentimental Value" and "The Secret Agent" were nominated for best picture. But Persian-language Palme d'Or winner "It Was Just An Accident" missed out in the top category, and will compete for best international film, along with Spain's nomadic hippie odyssey "Sirat" and heart-wrenching Palestinian docudrama "The Voice of Hind Rajab." Advertisement Advertisement Pop megastar Ariana Grande surprisingly missed out on a best supporting actress nomination for her portrayal of Glinda in "Wicked: For Good," which failed to pick up any nods. Recently appointed Academy president Lynette Howell Taylor opened the early-morning announcement in Los Angeles with a warning about the threat of artificial intelligence. "We live in a time of limitless technology that enables us to push the boundaries of our cinematic experience," she said. "And our profound belief is that the heartbeat of film is and will always remain unmistakably human." amz/sst This story discusses suicide. If you or someone you know is having thoughts of suicide, please contact the Suicide & Crisis Lifeline at 988 or 1-800-273-TALK (8255). When Virginia Madsen thinks of her late nephew, she beams then fights to hold back tears. "When he came to visit, he had matured," the Oscar nominee recalled to Fox News Digital. "He had changed. He was stronger. You never thought this person would be taken from us and he was." Advertisement Advertisement Sheepdog Shines Light On The War After War, As Veterans Continue To Struggle With Life Back Home Virginia Madsen stars in "Sheepdog," a film she describes as a heartfelt tribute to her late nephew, Hudson Madsen. (Fox News) "It was joyous the last time I saw him," she shared. "I was so glad I had that visit. I was so proud of him." The actress last saw her nephew, Hudson Madsen the son of her late older brother, actor Michael Madsen in 2018 while he was home on leave from the Army. Read On The Fox News App Hudson Madsen is seen here with his grandmother. The 26-year-old Army sergeant died by suicide in January 2022, shortly after completing a tour of duty in Afghanistan. Hudson was stationed at an Army base in Oahu, Hawaii, where he lived with his wife, Carlie. WATCH: VIRGINIA MADSEN SHARES PERSONAL MISSION BEHIND VETERAN FILM SHEEPDOG As she grappled with grief and supported her family, Madsen felt compelled to speak out, determined to shine a light on the silent battles many combat veterans face when they return home. Less than a year after Hudsons death, she received the script for "Sheepdog," which opened in theaters Jan. 16. Advertisement Advertisement Steven Grayhm who wrote, directed and stars in the film previously told Fox News Digital the story had been a deeply personal project. It was shaped by conversations with veterans, their families and mental health professionals about the often unseen toll of life after service. Steven Grayhm stars as Calvin Cole, a decorated combat veteran fighting to rebuild his life. "Its a good-news story about recovery," Madsen said. "Its about a guy who comes back, gets help and has the support of other veterans. He can choose life and I loved that part of it. I wish my nephew had been able to have that kind of help." Virginia Madsen told Fox News Digital she received the script for "Sheepdog" less than a year after Hudson Madsen's passing. "We were so devastated, but also, at the same time, isolated in our grief," the 64-year-old reflected. "I just didnt know what to do. I wanted to do something. I wanted to be able to help my family, and I wanted to be able to put my grief into action. But what to do?" "I didnt want to make a war movie," she clarified. "I wanted to talk about what happens when a veteran comes home." Virginia Madsen earned an Oscar nomination for "Sideways" in 2004. "I cant understand what my nephew was carrying and what he was going through internally. What Ive learned from others is that they are trained to be soldiers. Theyre not trained to come home and be civilians. Ive heard about PTSD but didnt really know much about it. But theres also growth after trauma. Its possible to heal." Advertisement Advertisement Click Here To Sign Up For The Entertainment Newsletter Actor Michael Madsen is seen here with his son Hudson Madsen. Madsen described Hudson as "a golden child" who dreamed of serving his country. "It was so surprising that he said, I want to join the Army. I want to be in the service of my country," the actress recalled. "Well, OK. So, we supported him. And he really believed in it. He was training before he signed up on his own. So, I knew that it really meant something to him. And I felt really proud of him. I wanted to be supportive, even though I was really afraid." Hudson Madsen, pictured here with his father Michael Madsen, was just 26 when he died, having recently completed a tour of duty in Afghanistan. "I wrote letters, and it was scary," she said. "Sometimes we would get pictures of him while he was serving when he was allowed to send them. And I think he was very proud, too." Michael Madsen (far right) and sons (left to right) Max Madsen, Hudson Madsen, Christian Madsen and Luke Madsen attend the "Free Willy" 20th anniversary celebration at the Egyptian Theatre on Aug.17, 2013, in Hollywood. Looking back, Madsen said she had no idea her nephew was struggling when he returned home. As she portrayed a therapist treating soldiers with PTSD in "Sheepdog," Hudson was always on her mind. Advertisement Advertisement "What you went through was not normal, but you are normal," she said. "You can live, and you can come back into [society]. [But] theyre changed. And what does the family do with that change? What do their friends do? What do they do on their own? How do they get the courage to speak out and ask for help? That has to come first. And maybe someone reaching out to them could be the key." WATCH: FILM SHEEPDOG CHRONICLES COMBAT VETERANS RETURN HOME "Each case is very different, but I didnt know," Madsen continued. "I didnt know that he was as troubled as he was. I think many families find themselves in that place. So its a good thing to ask. Its a good thing not to say, Are you OK? but to ask, How are you doing? Call a friend that you miss, that you havent talked to in a while, and say, How are you doing?" Like What Youre Reading? Click Here For More Entertainment News Michael Madsen, seen here embracing his sister Virginia Madsen, died in 2025. He was 67. Before agreeing to do "Sheepdog," Madsen sought the blessing of her family, including Hudsons widow and his father. Michael, known for playing tough guys in films like "Kill Bill" and "Reservoir Dogs," died in 2025 of cardiac arrest after a long struggle with alcoholism. He was 67. Advertisement Advertisement "I cannot fathom the depth of grief that a mother and father go through with the loss of a child," said Madsen. "Hudson was not my son, but he sure felt like it. And we are a close family." In "Sheepdog," Virginia Madsen plays a therapist for soldiers with PTSD. "I did not take this job lightly," Madsen said of agreeing to do the film. "This was more than a paycheck. This job would involve my heart and soul, which means it would involve my family." WATCH: NEW FILM SHEEPDOG SHINES LIGHT ON HIDDEN BATTLES VETERANS FACE AFTER MILITARY SERVICE "I wanted them to know that I was doing it for all of us. I wanted to know if it was OK that I would make something like this. They trusted my judgment. And I know that for some, theyre glad that the story is out there. That Hudson is not anonymous. He isnt gone. He is remembered. He is honored. And by doing this, I can honor others as well." Advertisement Advertisement As "Sheepdog" made its way through theaters and film festivals, Madsen came face-to-face with veterans and loved ones eager to share their stories. Those encounters became a lifeline. Virginia Madsen at the world premiere of "Sheepdog" at the Boston Film Festival on Sept. 20, 2024, in Massachusetts. "I got a lot of hugs," she said. "They told me their stories, but they were generous enough to hear my story, hug me and tell me, I understand. And wow, they really did." Virginia Madsen hopes to get "Sheepdog" in more theaters across the country, as well as streaming platforms. "I ended up going on my own exploration of healing. They convinced me it was OK to get therapy I needed that, too. So, I did. I took their advice, and it really helped." "They really helped me feel part of them," Madsen said. "They were generous and kind. And Im better for it. Im stronger now." Virginia Madsen emphasized to Fox News Digital the urgent need to care for service members and veterans. Madsen hopes to bring "Sheepdog" to more theaters and streaming platforms. Proceeds from the films online merchandise will fund free tickets for veterans to see "Sheepdog." Virginia Madsen has been connecting with veterans and their loved ones at screening for "Sheepdog." The film premiered on Jan. 16, 2026. Advertisement Advertisement "I love that probably more than anything," she said with a smile. "Its a way to share. People can get something and support our troops." Though the pain never fades, Madsen cherishes every chance to talk about Hudson and keep his memory alive. She believes "Sheepdog" will inspire others fighting unseen battles to speak out. From left: Dominic Fumusa, Steven Grayhm, Virginia Madsen, Lilli Cooper and Matt Dallas at the premiere of "Sheepdog" in 2024. "Hudson was a beautiful human being," she said. "He was selfless. He wanted to serve, and he did. He was on a journey, and in this case, he took another exit. But were blessed to have had him as long as we did. He shared his life with us for as long as he could. He was a good man. He did his best. And hes loved." Original article source: Virginia Madsen says veterans arent trained to come home after nephews suicide Hannah Montana fans can have the "Best of Both Worlds" for just $60,000 per month! The Malibu, California, beach house that was the setting of the iconic Disney Channel show has hit the market for those looking to drop a pretty penny on rent. "You can now rent the real-life house of the 'Hannah Montana' family home for $60,000 per month," Realtor.com shared via Instagram on Wednesday, January 21. According to a previous listing from September 2025 that saw the 5,600-square-foot estate selling for $21 million, the home features seven bedrooms and eight bathrooms. Advertisement Advertisement "This Cape Codstyle retreat might look familiar from the hit Disney show, but while the interiors were filmed on studio sets, the exterior remains one of Malibus most recognizable homes," Billionaire Houses shared via Instagram at the time. "Beyond its fame, the estate delivers seamless indoor-outdoor living with sweeping ocean views, a detached guesthouse, and even an outdoor shower for those perfect beach days." Millennials will, of course, recognize the beachfront abode as the Stewart family home from the beloved series. Miley Stewart (played by Miley Cyrus) lived in the home with her father, Robby Ray Stewart (played by Billy Ray Cyrus), and brother Jackson Rod Stewart (played by Jason Earles). While the home does not come with a hidden Hannah Montana closet, and was only used for exterior shots on the show, HBO fans might also recognize it as Madeline Mackenzie's residence (played by Reese Witherspoon) on Big Little Lies. This story was originally published by Parade on Jan 21, 2026, where it first appeared in the News section. Add Parade as a Preferred Source by clicking here. Late-night host Jimmy Kimmel aimed at President Donald Trump during his monologue. This comes after reports surfaced of a letter the president sent to Norways prime minister ahead of a major international summit. Addressing Trumps remarks about the Nobel Peace Prize and comments on Greenland, focused on the presidents frustration over not receiving the medal. He questioned whether the exchange was appropriate. Jimmy Kimmel mocks Donald Trump Jimmy Kimmel used his late-night monologue to criticize Donald Trump. This comes after details surfaced about a letter the U.S. President sent to Norwegian Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Stre. The letter was sent shortly before Trumps scheduled appearance at the World Economic Forum in Switzerland. It referenced his belief that he had been overlooked for the Nobel Peace Prize. In the message, Trump wrote, Considering your Country decided not to give me the Nobel Peace Prize for having stopped 8 Wars PLUS, I no longer feel an obligation to think purely of Peace. Addressing the situation on his show, Kimmel focused on the nature of the communication itself, calling it a weird thing. He criticized the presidents decision to send the message directly to a foreign leader and questioned whether it was appropriate. The host added, The idea that hes typing out a bhy little message to the Prime Minister of Norway, a message that explicitly says, Since you didnt give me the peace prize, Im thinking about taking Greenland away. Its unheard of. Advertisement Advertisement Kimmel compared Trump to a character from Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory, calling him President Veruca Salt. He also mocked Trumps frustration over not receiving the Nobel Peace Prize and his focus on Greenland. The host said, I want Greenland. I want it now! All because he didnt get a little medal around his neck. Hes a child. Originally reported by Disheeta Maheshwari on Mandatory The post Jimmy Kimmel Mocks Donald Trump Over Norway PM Message appeared first on Reality Tea. Jimmy Kimmel has ridiculed Donald Trump over his speech to world leaders in Switzerland, with a pointed jab at the First Lady. Trump discussed his efforts to takeover Greenland during a lengthy address to the World Economic Forum in Davos, Wednesday, referring to it as a big beautiful piece of ice. Kimmel took shots at the presidents performance in his opening monologue, joking that Trump wanted the Danish territory because the icy island reminded him of Melania. Advertisement Advertisement Greenland, Greenland, Greenland. He said: Greenland is not even land, its a big, beautiful block of ice, Kimmel joked. And, he should know: Hes been married to one of those for twenty years. Jimmy Kimmel said that Donald Trump was talking 'Donsense' at Davos (Jimmy Kimmel Live!) During Trumps address, he returned to his common theme of other nations needing to be grateful to the United States, particularly for its involvement in World War 2. We saved Greenland. We won it big, Trump said at the Davos event. Without us, right now youd all be speaking German anda little Japanese perhaps. Kimmel retorted: Does anyone want to guess what the predominant language in Switzerland is? Thats right, its German. They are speaking German. Advertisement Advertisement The comedian, who has a long standing rivalry with the president, described the speech as Donsense, and highlighted a number of errors Trump made. Trump seemingly confused Iceland and Greenland in his Davos speech (AFP/Getty) Buckle in, folks, were at Dementiacon 5, Kimmel laughed, pointing out that the president repeatedly pronounced Azerbaijan as Aber-baijan. The late-night show host also pointed out that Trump seemingly confused Greenland with Iceland and even offered the president a word of advice on the topic. Heres a tip to help you remember, Mr President, Greenland is covered in ice, and ICE-land is what youre turning Minneapolis into, Kimmel said, taking a swipe at the president flooding federal agents into the Minnesota city. Advertisement Advertisement Kimmel concluded his Wednesday night routine by pointing out that talk shows are once again facing threats from the FCC. Kimmel joked that Melania was a giant block of ice (AP) He shared a picture of one of the presidents Truth Social posts, in which Trump said that the federal agency could impose new rules on The View and Jimmy Kimmel Live! He shared this story about how his minions at the FCC are planning to make it difficult for shows like ours and The View to interview politicians they dont align with, Kimmel warned. For real, we are once again getting threatened by the FCC. I might need your help again, he added. Kimmel made headlines last year, after his show was abruptly suspended. The show was pulled after the Trump Administration took umbrage with a joke about the presidents mourning of Charlie Kirk, but was later put back on the air following a huge surge of support for Kimmel. Maxie Jones fans can officially celebrate. General Hospital star Kirsten Storms has returned to work, stepping back into the role she has played since 2005. Storms shared the news on Instagram on January 21, posting a mirror selfie from her GH dressing room and confirming she is once again filming in Port Charles. According to a representative for the ABC soap, Storms will return to the screen on Thursday, February 12. Key Takeaways Kirsten Storms is officially back at General Hospital, with Maxie Jones returning to Port Charles on February 12 after a months-long absence. The actress stepped away from the soap in August 2025 to relocate to Tennessee and prioritize her daughter, health, and overall well-being. Storms revealed she is currently monitoring a brain aneurysm discovered in January 2025, following a prior brain surgery in 2021. Maxies comeback places her at the center of major drama, including Nathans shocking return, shifting relationships, and a dangerous hostage crisis. Back on Set With a Bittersweet Moment In her Instagram post, Storms kept things short and joyful. Boom, she wrote. 2026 alreadythat was fast. Back at work! Advertisement Advertisement She also shared a personal note about her daughter, Harper Rose Barash, 12, whom she shares with ex-husband Brandon Barash. Seriously missing my BugBug though, Storms added. California doesnt feel right without her here. Why Storms Took a Leave From GH Storms has been off-screen since August 2025, when Maxie was written out in a storyline that sent the character to a Boston care facility after falling into a coma. The plot allowed Storms to take an extended leave of absence something she had carefully planned with the show. In July, Storms revealed on Instagram that she had approached GH executive producer Frank Valentini to discuss relocating without leaving the series. She shared that June marked her final taping day for the year and confirmed she was moving from Los Angeles to Tennessee, where Barash had recently settled, so she could live closer to Harper. I really want to thank GH, the ABC network executives, the writers for agreeing to let me take this time, Storms said at the time, expressing gratitude for the shows support. Health Concerns Added Urgency to the Move A few months later, in October, Storms revealed that her move was also influenced by serious health concerns. In 2021, the actress underwent a craniotomy to drain and remove noncancerous cysts from the left side of her brain. Advertisement Advertisement In January 2025, a follow-up brain scan revealed something new: an aneurysm on the right side of her brain. Since I knew what an aneurysm was, the scan in January majorly freaked me out, she admitted. Storms explained that doctors had discussed a possible coiling procedure a surgery designed to prevent the aneurysm from bursting. She shared that the discovery made it clear she needed to make immediate life changes. Leaving Los Angeles, she said, was essential for Harper, for her physical and mental health, and for her overall happiness. A Promising Update Before the Holidays Just before Christmas, Storms offered fans another update. After meeting with a new neurosurgeon in St. Louis, she learned she was in a gray zone regarding surgery. Advertisement Advertisement The aneurysm, she explained, is not small but not yet large enough to require mandatory intervention. For now, monitoring is an option. He told me I wasnt in immediate OMG! Its going to burst tomorrow! kind of danger, she wrote, calling the news a relief. She admitted she was still deciding whether she felt comfortable with a wait and see approach, noting she wasnt eager to rush into another operation. At the end of that post, Storms teased what fans hoped to hear: Maaaaybe you will be seeing me back in Port Charles soon. Maxie Returns to Chaos in Port Charles Now, that tease has become reality. Storms is officially back on set, and Maxies return couldnt come at a more dramatic time. While she was in a coma, her supposedly deceased husband Nathan (Ryan Paevey) resurfaced as did her sister-in-law Britt (Kelly Thiebaud). Nathan has also grown closer to Maxies best friend, Lulu (Alexa Havins). Advertisement Advertisement Meanwhile, Sidwell (Carlo Rota), the man responsible for Maxies coma, is now holding her godmother, Anna Devane (Finola Hughes), hostage. Storms previously promised fans that Maxies return would be worth the wait. I promise you the storyline they have going on until my return to Port Charles is kind of incredible, she said. You guys are gonna freak out, actually. With her on-screen comeback just weeks away, its clear Maxie Jones is heading straight back into the heart of the drama. Are you excited to see Maxie return to General Hospital? Let us know in the comments below. read next This story was originally reported on Soap Hub on January 22, 2026. Add Soap Hub as a Preferred Source by clicking here. Fox News host Laura Ingraham alleged that European leaders threw a temper tantrum after President Donald Trump demanded that Denmark give the U.S. a piece of its territory, while refusing to rule out military action against an ally. Apropos of no new geopolitical developments vis-a-vis Greenland, Trump demanded that Denmark, a NATO ally, hand over the Arctic territory of 56,000 people. Trump cited national security reasons, even though a 1951 agreement with Denmark permits the U.S. to drastically expand its military presence in the territory, which already has a U.S. base. The president has also said taking the territory is what I feel is psychologically needed for success. Trump repeatedly refused to rule out the use of force to take Greenland, though on Wednesday at the World Economic Forum in Davos, he said, I wont use force, but he nonetheless still demanded the territory. Later, he claimed to have arrived at a concept of a deal with European leaders, who expressed concern at Trumps demand in recent weeks. Advertisement Advertisement On Wednesdays edition of The Ingraham Angle, the host said a temper tantrum had been thrown by the Europeans. Europes pointless temper tantrum, she said, beginning her show. Once again, Donald Trump and his team remind the world that the United States is the only power capable of holding the West together by protecting Europe from its own stupidity and weakness. As she spoke, the chyron read, Dad sets the rules, kids learn to obey. For most of its history, the relationship has been lopsided, she said of the U.S. and the rest of NATO. Now, that was great for the other NATO countries, but it was a lousy deal for the United States, our taxpayers. Other presidents just let the imbalance slide, but not Trump. Advertisement Advertisement Ingraham went on to accuse the Europeans of being snooty. Watch above via Fox News. The post Laura Ingraham Claims European Leaders Not Trump Threw a Temper Tantrum Over Greenland first appeared on Mediaite. The post Alaskan Moose Tower Over Grizzlies In Rare Wilderness Footage appeared first on A-Z Animals. Watch the Video Click here to watch on YouTube Quick Take Confronting a 1,808-pound Alaskan Yukon moose requires grizzlies to prioritize safety over apex dominance. An 80-inch antler span creates a physical constraint that prohibits grizzlies from engaging in close-quarter combat. 700-pound bears are often physically outmatched by the largest deer species on Earth. Scouting the summer salmon runs at Brooks River is necessary to witness this specific predatory avoidance behavior. Advertisement Advertisement Grizzly bears are one of the few apex predators. Theyre at the top of the food chain and will attack almost anything if theyre hungry enough. Brown bears are also known to be incredibly territorial. They share the wilderness with other animals, such as cougars, birds, coyotes, and more. A real wilderness location, Katmai National Park and Preserve, is located about 260 miles southwest of Anchorage. The Valley of 10,000 Smokes surreal volcanic beauty attracts some visitors, but bears are the main draw. The park is home to over 2,200 brown bears, many of whom concentrate on the Brooks River to gorge on the summer salmon runs, making it one of the greatest places in Alaska to see bears. A YouTube channel by the name Bradjosephs was visiting the area when he saw something peculiar. Two Grizzlies Encounter a Massive Moose Multiple bears were foraging by the river, looking for fresh salmon to eat. In the distant meadow, a giant moose appears. Even though bears are territorial, theyll rarely attack a moose. Its too dangerous, even for a wild animal as ferocious as a grizzly. Grizzly bears are one of the largest land animals in North America. Falade Adewale/Shutterstock.com (Falade Adewale/Shutterstock.com) The two animals walk almost side-by-side at one point, giving us viewers an idea of just how big the moose is. The average grizzly bear weighs around 700 pounds. Males can weigh anywhere between 400 and 790 pounds, making them heavier than females. A big female might weigh anything between 290 and 400 pounds. Advertisement Advertisement Thats huge! Grizzly bears are one of the largest land animals alive today. But as we can see in this footage, they look like teddy bears next to the gorgeous Alaskan moose. Female small-sized moose can weigh up to 800 pounds. Males of this size can weigh up to 1,600 pounds and grow as tall as about 6 feet. Hunting Tactics Its not unheard of for a bear to attack a moose, but the teddies in this video know better. They have plenty of fish to snack on while letting the moose safely pass by. Its also not uncommon for moose to kill bears. Its not unheard of for a moose to kill a bear, especially if provoked. JacobLoyacano/Shutterstock.com (JacobLoyacano/Shutterstock.com) Moose have been known to gore bears with their antlers, trample them underfoot, or rake them with their hooves. Moose are not hostile creatures. However, they still pose a threat. They will protect themselves if threatened. Grizzlies and polar bears are often not killed by moose, but they can cause significant harm to wolves, black bears, and coyotes, which are smaller prey. Moose and bears have the capacity to be deadly to people, depending on the circumstances. However, because they are predators, whereas moose are not, bears tend to be more dangerous. If you ever find yourself in a situation like this one, be sure to keep a safe distance from any wild animal. Is This Normal Behavior for a Grizzly to Avoid a Moose? Yes, bears normally stay away from fully-grown moose. Moose have very large antlers, and they can easily tear a grizzly bear apart, so bears usually leave moose alone. If it came to a fight, a grizzly bear would probably win, but it would be a tough fight, and the bear is smart enough to avoid it. See our article about this situation: Moose vs Bear: Who Would Win in a Fight? The grizzly has an advantage in its powerful bite and long, sharp teeth for tearing an opponents flesh. Scott E Read/Shutterstock.com (Scott E Read/Shutterstock.com) However, bears are commonly known to attack moose calves below the age of two months, as they do not have full-grown antlers to defend themselves. Advertisement Advertisement During the spring season, when grizzly bears just come out of hibernation, they are known to ignore their own instincts and attack an isolated moose or two. Lifespan The average lifespan of a moose is 10-20 years in the wild, while bears can live up to 30 years. D.serra1/Shutterstock.com (D.serra1/Shutterstock.com) Moose in the wild typically have a lifespan of about 10-20 years. Bears, on the other hand, can live for much longer and may even reach 30 years old in some cases. The main threats to their survival are human activities such as hunting and habitat destruction due to deforestation or urbanization. Other natural predators also pose risks, especially for young moose or bear cubs, which are more vulnerable to predation than adults. Both species must also contend with environmental factors, such as harsh winters that can lead to malnutrition and disease, which can shorten their lives if not properly managed. How Large Can a Moose Get? The Alaskan Yukon moose is the largest subspecies. JacobLoyacano/Shutterstock.com (JacobLoyacano/Shutterstock.com) Its no wonder grizzlies hesitate to take on a full-grown moose they are gigantic! The Alaskan Yukon moose, the largest subspecies, can grow to a massive 1,808 pounds, stand up to 7.7 feet tall, and sport antlers more than 80 inches across. The height of a moose is measured at the shoulder so its hoof-to-antler height could easily reach 10 feet! East Siberian moose are only slightly smaller tipping the scales at 1,600 pounds. Advertisement Advertisement Moose are the largest species of deer, with an average Yellowstone bull standing over 6 feet tall and weighing around 1,000 pounds. Females are slightly smaller and tend to weigh around 800. So, even when considering the average-sized moose and the average-sized 500-pound grizzly its easy to see why the typically lazy bear would hold off on such a risky, demanding fight. Only the hungriest grizzly eating for hibernation would even consider such much less act on it. Watch the Video Click here to watch the video. The post Alaskan Moose Tower Over Grizzlies In Rare Wilderness Footage appeared first on A-Z Animals. Trump Media and Technology Group plans to airdrop or distribute tokens to shareholders, and on Tuesday set a cutoff date for investors in the Truth Social operator. The company linked to U.S. President Donald Trump will treat Feb. 2 as the record date for an initiative involving new digital tokens for investors, according to a press release. The company added that various rewards will be made available for them in the future. The Sarasota, Florida-based firm previously disclosed that the tokens will not represent interest in Truth Social, nor any company. Tump Media also doesnt expect tokens to be transferable, exchangeable for cash, or doled out to shareholders that arent beneficial owners. The company suggested that shareholders contact their brokerage to ensure that they arent designated as an objecting beneficial owner, noting that the classification could cause delays in its process for determining who is eligible for the distribution. Investors must also own at least one full share to be eligible, it added. Trump Media has shared little details about what purpose the token will serve, but it underscores the company's efforts to integrate crypto across its businesses, which include fintech brand Truth.Fi, and products like prediction market Truth Predict. Trump Media said the tokens would be "minted in partnership with Crypto.com, the crypto exchange that powers Trump Medias prediction market product, via the Cronos blockchain. The crypto exchange said in August that its infrastructure for digital wallets would be integrated with Truth Social. Trump Meme Coins First Year Leaves Crypto Policy in Limbo Trump Medias shares recently changed hands around $14.19 a 2.2% increase, according to Yahoo Finance. The price of Cronos (CRO) had fallen 5% over the past day to $0.09, according to CoinGecko. That announcement said Trump Media was adopting Cronos as a utility token, with plans to let Truth Social users purchase subscriptions and services using the token. Tuesdays press release noted that the token initiative could include discounts related to Trump Media products. In a statement, Trump Media's CEO and Chairman Devin Nunes said the companys planned use of Crypto.coms blockchain is in accordance with SEC regulations. Under Trump, the regulator closed an investigation into Crypto.com last March. Warren Presses SEC Over Crypto Risk as Trump Pushes Crypto Into Retirement Plans Crypto.coms parent company, Foris DAX, spent $2.8 million lobbying on Capitol Hill last year, according to Open Secrets. The company also donated funds to PACs that supported Trumps bid for re-election, a fact scrutinized by Democratic lawmakers in a recent letter. Bitter, dangerous cold and wind chills are in the forecast for the Milwaukee area for Friday, Jan. 23. The National Weather Service has issued an extreme cold warning across all of Wisconsin. For southeastern Wisconsin, the warning is in effect from midnight to 1 p.m. Friday, Jan. 23. An extreme cold warning means temperatures or wind chills are expected to be minus 30 degrees or lower what the National Weather Service considers "life-threatening cold." Advertisement Advertisement After 1 p.m. Friday, Jan. 23, winds are expected to calm down, ending the warning-level cold. However, it'll still be very cold into next week. Just like with extreme heat, you shouldn't leave certain things in your car during subzero weather. Here are six items you shouldn't leave in your car when it's freezing outside: Aerosol cans Extreme temperatures can cause aerosol cans to "become unstable" and potentially break or explode, according to Capital One Auto Navigator. Canned beverages and foods Canned goods that freeze can present health risks, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture. The USDA says cans can swell if the food inside expands when its frozen or because of a bacteria so you should discard them. Advertisement Advertisement Cans that are not swollen but have thawed out are also unsafe and should be discarded, per the USDA. For more information on canned food safety, click here. Beverages can also expand inside their containers when frozen, leading to cracks or breakage, according to Capital One Auto Navigator. Eggs Eggs should not be frozen in their shells, the USDA says. "If an egg accidentally freezes and the shell cracked during freezing, discard the egg," the agency said on its website. "Keep any uncracked eggs frozen until needed; then thaw in the refrigerator." Electronics Leaving electronics, like your cell phone or tablet, in a freezing car can impact how they function. Advertisement Advertisement Some manufacturers like Apple and Samsung recommend you don't expose products to extreme temperatures at all, since most devices work best when used at temperatures above 32 degrees. More: How to keep your tech protected from frigid temperatures: Video tutorial Glasses Glasses left in a cold car can cause any plastic on the frames to "become brittle" and potentially break, according to Capital One Auto Navigator. Medications Medicine is another item that shouldn't be frozen. When medications do freeze accidentally, there's no visual indicators that they're still safe to take, according to Springfield, Massachusetts-based Baystate Health. Advertisement Advertisement "So even if you thaw it out, its best to get it replaced than to take the risk that it's ineffective or even dangerous," the health system said on its website. In general, any liquid medication in a "suspended state" will likely be negatively affected if its frozen, according to the AARP. The AARP recommends reaching out to your provider or pharmacist if you have questions on your medication's storage. This article originally appeared on Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: Don't leave these 6 things in your car in freezing Wisconsin weather When temperatures plunge in Wisconsin, pets left outside face life-threatening risks, including frostbite and hypothermia. Here's some advice from local animal welfare experts on how to tell when an animal needs help and what to do next. If it's too cold for you, it's too cold for them That's the rule of thumb, according to Wisconsin Humane Society spokesperson Angela Speed. Even dog breeds meant to withstand the cold can get hypothermia or frostbite, which often starts on the paws, ears and tail, she said. Advertisement Advertisement Thats especially important to remember as extreme cold is expected from Jan. 22 through Jan. 24. "We recommend only taking your dog out for a potty break, and skip the walk, especially when we get winter cold advisories," Speed said. Wayne Kapke walks his dog Oliver in the Copernicus Park neighborhood on Saturday November 29, 2025 in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. A winter storm was expected to bring 8 to 12 inches of snow to southern Wisconsin. Ideally, cats should always be kept inside during freezing temperatures. Karen Sparapani, executive director of the Milwaukee Area Domestic Animal Control Commission, or MADACC, said if cats must be outside, they need insulated shelter, such as a cooler lined with straw or a heated outdoor cat house. Without that, she said, cats may crawl under cars or into engine compartments for warmth, which can be deadly. What to look for if you see an animal outside in the cold Start by assessing the situation. Sparapani said to first check the temperature anything below 32 degrees should raise concern. Advertisement Advertisement Then ask: Does the animal have proper shelter? Look for a structure that protects from the elements, with straw bedding and fresh, unfrozen water. Is the breed suited for the cold? Only certain dogs like Siberian huskies, Bernese Mountain dogs, and St. Bernards are built for extreme cold. But even those breeds can struggle if theyre mostly indoor pets and not acclimated to long stretches outside. How long have they been outside? Breeds commonly seen in Milwaukee such as pit bull mixes, cane corsos and mastiffs cant tolerate more than 15 minutes in freezing weather. Fluffy coats can be misleading. Many small dogs have hair, not insulating fur. Are they in distress? Watch for signs like paw lifting, crying, or being unable to move. What to do if you're worried about an animal The first step is to call your local non-emergency police number. In Milwaukee, that's 414-933-4444. Officers are responsible for investigating potential animal neglect, whether its a stray or a pet left outside in someones yard. Under Wisconsin law, animals must have shelter suited to the weather. Advertisement Advertisement In Milwaukee County, police can contact MADACC if needed. You can also call MADACC directly during its business hours before 7 p.m. on weekdays or 5 p.m. on weekends. After hours, law enforcement can bring the animal to MADACCs overnight drop-off area. Elsewhere, officers may coordinate with the Wisconsin Humane Society, which handles Kenosha, Racine, Ozaukee, Brown, Kewaunee and Door County. What if it's your neighbor's pet? If youre on good terms, you can offer to help. Sparapani said most pet owners love their animals they just may not realize how dangerous the cold can be. "I am hopeful that kind assistance will encourage more weather-appropriate care," she said. Advertisement Advertisement But if thats not possible, or nothing changes, Sparapani said you shouldn't wait to call the non-emergency police line. Where pet owners can turn for assistance in extreme weather If you or a neighbor need support keeping pets safe in the cold, both MADACC and the Wisconsin Humane Society may be able to help by providing resources like straw bedding and insulated shelters. Wisconsin Human Society Community Resource Navigator : Call 4144316115 or email petresources@wihumane.org. MADACC: Email info@madacc.org to ask about available supplies or resources. Quinn Clark is a Public Investigator reporter for the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. She can be emailed at QClark@gannettcom. Questions or tips? Contact Public Investigator Government corruption. Corporate wrongdoing. Consumer complaints. Medical scams. Public Investigator is a new initiative of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel and its sister newsrooms across Wisconsin. Our team wants to hear your tips, chase the leads and uncover the truth. We'll investigate anywhere in Wisconsin. Send your tips to watchdog@journalsentinel.com or call 414-319-9061. You can also submit tips at jsonline.com/tips. This article originally appeared on Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: How to report a pet or animal left out in Wisconsin's extreme cold The scenic coast enclave of Newport, Rhode Island, is no stranger to historic grandeur, but even in this rarefied locale, Boxcroft stands apart. The Red Cross Avenue residence, designed by the vaunted firm McKim, Mead & White, who helped define American architecture at the turn of the 20th century, has just returned to the market after undergoing a meticulous restoration, asking $8.25 million, a notable leap from its last sale in July 2023, when it traded for $3.5 million. Compass agent Eric Kirton holds the listing. The house was originally built for Samuel Colman, a respected landscape painter and decorative tastemaker who also served as the first president of the American Watercolor Society. Over the years, Boxcroft passed through the hands of several prominent local families, including one with ties to the first president of New Yorks Corn Exchange Bank. Colmans influence is still felt in the homes sense of proportion and detail, and today the shingled-sided home is layered with Newports rich history without tipping into museum territory. More from Robb Report Advertisement Advertisement RELATED: A 1930s L.A. Home by a Case Study Architect Can Now Be Yours for $4.9 Million boxcroft newport rhode island A recent renovation by Horan Building Company focused on a careful refinement rather than a full-scale reinvention. The public spaces retain the graceful scale that McKim, Mead & White was known for, making the interiors feel both substantial and comfortably livable. Much of the original millwork was carefully restored, with staircases and moldings brought back to life, and modern systems quietly integrated so the house functions like a 21st-century home while still feeling true to its origins. boxcroft newport rhode island The main residence spans just over 7,200 square feet, with an additional 1,350 square feet on the lower level, for a total of almost 8,600 square feet. Altogether, there are eight bedrooms and eight and a half baths, including six en-suite bedrooms. The primary suite reads as a private retreat, complete with a spa-like bath, walk-in closets, and a dedicated office, while two of the guest suites include a kitchenette, perfect for long-term visitors or live-in staff. RELATED: An Architect Spent 20 Years Renovating This $5.5 Million Brooklyn Townhouse boxcroft newport rhode island The roughly two-thirds of an acre parcel feels inviting and unexpectedly serene for its central Newport location. Manicured grounds frame the home, a heated saltwater pool anchors the backyard, and a secluded patio, outfitted with an outdoor kitchen and fire pit, creates an easy setting for summer evenings that stretch well past sunset. Advertisement Advertisement In a city defined by an architectural legacy of grandiose homes, Boxcroft feels refreshingly personal and eminently approachable, less a gilded showpiece and more a thoughtfully revived historic home that bridges the past with both the present day and the future. Click here to see more photos of the Rhode Island home. boxcroft newport rhode island Best of Robb Report Sign up for RobbReports's Newsletter. For the latest news, follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. Click here to read the full article. The Providence Journal and United Way of Rhode Island have partnered to highlight the state's nonprofits. Each week, a nonprofit identified by United Way will be spotlighted in the Providence Sunday Journal, and the United Way will share how it supports that organization. This week, we feature Leadership Rhode Island, which has been a recognized leader among organizations of its type from the beginning in 1981. We asked Mei Mei Long, development and communication manager, to tell us more about the organization. What is your mission and vision? Our mission is to engage and connect people through shared experiences that positively transform individuals, organizations and communities. Advertisement Advertisement We envision a Rhode Island that is flourishing economically, civically, culturally and built on a foundation of ever-improving human capital whose strengths and potential we spend each day revealing and igniting. We see the lessons of this lively leadership experiment being shared and amplified around the country and the world to nurture the kind of fully-engaged societies that create lasting, positive change. Leadership Rhode Island engages and connects people through shared experiences that positively transform individuals, organizations and communities. How do you measure success? At Leadership Rhode Island (LRI), we believe true impact goes beyond numbers. We look at how individuals, relationships, organizations and communities grow and thrive. Its not just what we do its the meaningful change we create. At the individual level, LRI helps participants gain knowledge, skills and confidence whether exploring careers, preparing for leadership or improving well-being. At the interpersonal level, we focus on building strong, lasting relationships, knowing that meaningful connections drive collaboration and innovation. At the community level, we provide spaces for leaders and residents to envision possibilities, contribute in meaningful ways, and deepen their ties to Rhode Island. By nurturing growth at every level, LRI strengthens the states civic fabric, empowers leaders, and inspires collective action that benefits communities across Rhode Island. What are your biggest challenges currently? Forty-five years ago, Leadership Rhode Island began with a simple, powerful idea that when people connect, communities thrive. Over the decades, more than 3,200 leaders have stepped forward bridging differences, solving problems and shaping the future of our state. But today, Rhode Island faces new challenges: disconnection, loneliness and division. Our civic fabric needs repair, renewal and reactivation. LRI is well-suited to tackle this challenge through building relational trust, fostering intergenerational collaboration and facilitating cross-sector connections to bring more Rhode Islanders together. How can volunteers or donors get involved? Volunteers and donors can get involved by supporting our newest initiative, the LRI Civic Activation Network (LRI CAN). Launched in celebration of our 45th Anniversary, LRI CAN provides a dynamic platform for engaged and influential individuals to collaborate, share ideas and take collective action. The network bridges generations, sectors and communities empowering people to listen, learn and lead together. By connecting leaders from business, government, education, nonprofits and grassroots organizations, were working to strengthen civic health, spark innovative problem-solving and make Rhode Island the most connected state in the nation. Advertisement Advertisement Join us by engaging with LRI CAN. Your participation helps build the infrastructure and capacity needed to launch and sustain this transformative effort. Because when we connect Rhode Island CAN. What are some recent accomplishments or projects youre proud of? We are proud of our recent work developing a Public Service Announcement (PSA) that highlights the power of hope and belonging to bridge divides. Directed by LRI, produced by Based On A True Story (B.O.A.T.S.), and facilitated and narrated by Chachi Carvalho (2020 Pi II), the project brings authentic Rhode Island voices together at Centreville Bank Stadium (RIFC). This PSA embodies our belief that leadership begins with shared humanity that fostering social trust and connection across differences can counter polarization and inspire a renewed sense of community. Advertisement Advertisement The project also advances LRIs mission and goals: raising public awareness, inspiring engagement and partnership and fostering alumni pride. Its a vivid expression of who we are and the hope we champion that together, Rhode Islanders can lead with empathy and belonging. For more information about Leadership Rhode Island, email Executive Director Michelle Carr at mcarr@leadershipri.org. This article originally appeared on The Providence Journal: Leadership RI wants the state to flourish by building connections The post Think Cockroaches Are Gross? This Valentines Day Fundraiser Flips the Script appeared first on A-Z Animals. Quick Take The Birmingham Zoo is offering a unique and vengeful Valentines Day gift idea: name a cockroach after your ex. Your cheeky donation will go to a good cause, helping the zoo care for its animals. In return, youll receive a Certificate of Naming, a cockroach fact sheet, and the sheer knowledge that theres a living, breathing roach with your exs name. We all have an ex (or two) who felt more like a pest than an actual partner. You know the type: they come into your life when you least expect them, create a mess of everything, spread their toxicity with zero regard, and require repeated extermination efforts to finally get rid of them. Advertisement Advertisement Basically, theyre like the human form of a cockroach. If you relate to this at all, my condolences to you. But thankfully, you can get your sweet (yet harmless) revenge on themand just in time for Valentines Day. Thats right: the Birmingham Zoo is helping people channel their anger and resentment toward their ex by naming a cockroach after them. Instead of spending Valentines Day pining after your pest of an ex-partner, have some lighthearted fun with the Birmingham Zooall while giving back to animals in need. About the Cockroach Campaign The Birmingham Zoos Valentines Day Fundraiser is all the rage this yearand for good reason. Rather than spending the night alone crying on the couch, you now have a second option: channel your grief and pettiness toward a good cause. Advertisement Advertisement The Birmingham Zoo wanted to do something fun for Valentines Day. In addition to the traditional plush animals and Valentines events, this year we added roaches to the mix, Bill Lang, Director of Marketing and Events for the Birmingham Zoo, tells A-Z Animals. A few other zoos in the Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA), with us, have tried something similar in the past, and it has gone well, so we are trying it ourselves. According to Lang, the feedback has been phenomenal. Based on reactions on social and traditional media, people are loving this lighthearted app-roach, he quips. How It Works Wondering how the name-a-roach fundraiser works? Weve got you covered. All you need is a minimum $20 donation and the vengeance of a scorned lover. Advertisement Advertisement Anyone can Name a Roach for $20, Lang explains. They will receive a digital certificate, and the roach names will be displayed at the entrance to the Zoo over the Valentines weekend. Dont worry: only your exs first name will be displayed on the infamous Cockroach Naming Window at the entrance of the Zoo. But real ones will know the truth. The zoo will name a Madagascar hissing cockroach after your lying ex-partner. iStock.com/OKrasyuk (iStock.com/OKrasyuk) If youre really in the mood to stir the pot, you can even send the certificate to your ex as a cheeky Valentines Day gift. Were not judging. In addition to the digital Certificate of Naming, youll also receive a cockroach fact sheet. You know, in case you wanted to learn a little more about these creatures. You might be shocked to discover that theyre far friendlier and more helpful than your ex ever was. In addition to the traditional plush animals and Valentines events, this year we added roaches to the mix. Bill Lang, Director of Marketing and Events for the Birmingham Zoo Cockroaches play an important role in our ecosystems, and this is a fun way to highlight them and help raise money to care for the zoo animals, including the Madagascar hissing cockroaches, says Lang. How to Participate Ready to name your roachwhether for yourself or on behalf of a heartbroken friend? To do so, you must submit your donation by the end of the day on February 12. Advertisement Advertisement Heres how to participate: Visit this page on the Birmingham Zoos website and click Adopt an Animal at the bottom. Scroll to the bottom of the next page, where youll see the option to Name a Cockroach. Select this option. Fill out the certification, including the first and last name youd like listed; or , if youre donating this to a friend, select: This Adopt an Animal is a gift and fill out the proper fields. Consider donating additional money to help feed the zoo animals. On Valentines Day, look out for photos of the naming board shared across the Zoos social media channels. Giving Back to Birmingham Zoo All of the Valentines Day fundraisers proceeds directly support the care of animals at Birmingham Zoo. In addition to donating to this hilarious campaign, you can help the zoo in a variety of other ways. (Click the Get Involved tab for more information.) Advertisement Advertisement For example, you can browse the variety of Adopt an Animal packages, from the $25 Go Green option to the $500 Animal Ambassador one. Through these donations, you can receive perks like fact sheets, photos, invitations to donor events, plushes, and more, depending on the level you choose. And, of course, consider becoming a member to offer ongoing support. The post Think Cockroaches Are Gross? This Valentines Day Fundraiser Flips the Script appeared first on A-Z Animals. TOPEKA (KSNT) Lebo native Ron Zink knew from a young age what he wanted to be when he grew up. In this weeks Veteran Salute, we introduce you to one of the Armys elite sky soldiers. Even in his younger years, Zink experimented with defying gravity, foreshadowing his future in the Army. Well, I always had the curiosity, you know, to jump, Zink said. In fact, I made my first jump when I was a, like, eight years old with a big umbrella of my dads garage. Sprained both ankles. Advertisement Advertisement Zink jumped into the military right after high school, enlisting in the Army and winding up in the 173rd Airborne Brigade. He would later serve multiple tours in Vietnam. Zink remembers one day that nearly ended his life. One experience that keeps coming to mind is we were in Natto, Vietnam and we had three C-130s parked on the tarmac, and we started getting rocketed, Zink said. Two of the C-130s were completely destroyed. Me and a bunch of other guys were unloading one of them that got destroyed. Its the foundation of what Ive become: How the Army shaped a Kansas man into the leader he is today Experiences like that didnt stop Zink from understanding what he was accomplishing during his three years in the Army. Advertisement Advertisement Oh, I was proud the whole time I was in service, Zink said. You know, what better way to serve your country? Than be in the military. Since leaving the military, Zink has been a member of the Vietnam Veterans of America for 30 years and is a lifetime member of the VFW and the American Legion. If you know a veteran you would like to nominate and showcase, email veterans@ksnt.com. For more Veteran Salute, click here. Keep up with the latest breaking news in northeast Kansas by downloading our mobile app and by signing up for our news email alerts. Sign up for our Storm Track Weather app by clicking here. Advertisement Advertisement Copyright 2026 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KSNT 27 News. One of the most renowned homes in Detroit, Bishop Mansiona grand, 35,029-square-foot brick and lime estatehas just sold for $800,000 after originally being listed for $9 million. One might think this is a sad story of a mega price cut, but it has the happiest of endingsor new beginnings, if you will. The property, Motor City's largest, was built in the 1920s and once owned by the Catholic Archdiocese of Detroit, serving as the home of Catholic Bishop Michael Gallagher. Advertisement Advertisement The estate fell into grave disrepair, with seemingly staggering restoration costs. But Calvin Gee, 35, a former Michigan resident who is currently an Austin, TX-based angel investor, rode into Motown on a proverbial white tech stallion, with the intent of restoring the mansion to its former glory and helping to build the local tech economy in the process. The estate sprawls over 2 acres in one of Detroit's most prestigious neighborhoods. Gee grew up in West Bloomfield, graduated from the University of Michigan, and was well aware of the Bishop Mansion, as was almost every longtime Detroit resident. It sits on 2 acres in the lofty Palmer Woods neighborhood, where Detroit movers and shakers have lived for over a century. Real estate investor and local culture pundit Greg Russell went to high school nearby, and says that the neighborhood was the famous domain of those who made the city, from automobile magnates to Motown stars to legendary professional athletes. It's natural to assume, when hearing about the mansion's drastic price cut, that the neighborhood has degenerated and the home values have plummeted. But not so here, according to Russell. Advertisement Advertisement "The mansions in the area would put Beverly Hills to shame," he says. "It's still one of the city's most upscale areas. It's just that restoration costs on this particular home are daunting, and then the cost to run a house of that size is also intimidating." While still grand on the outside, interior listing photos revealed that there was much work to be done inside. Austin tech titan Calvin Gee, 35, grew up in Detroit and has swooped in to restore the Bishop Mansion to its former glory. Gee intends to use it as a personal residence and innovation hub. (Photo: Ryan Doyle) Gee has big plans for the mansion, which features 12 bedrooms, eight full bathrooms, six half baths, and a restored carriage house and garage. It includes restoration work that would accommodate a personal residence and an innovation hub. He intends to move into the mansion full time and relocate his company, Engage, from Austin to Detroit. "Detroit has always been part of my story," says Gee. "Whether it was my work with the Autism Alliance of Michigan or my time on Mojo in the Morning radio and the community work we did there, this city shaped who I am. Advertisement Advertisement "Now Im bringing Engage homeworld-class AI and robotics innovation and real job opportunities for Detroit," he says. "The Bishop House is a statement of my commitment to this city and my belief in its future. I plan to preserve the rich history and character of the mansion while modernizing it so it will last another century. I'm taking just as much care in restoring this property as I am in building my company here. This isn't an investmentits a homecoming." The mansion has had several prominent owners, not all of them as deeply committed to the community, however. In addition to the Catholic Church, Detroit Pistons great John Salley purchased it in 1989, reportedly saying he needed a house with at least 10-foot ceilings. It was transferred in 1995 to Great Faith Ministries International. Later, in 2017, Bishop Wayne T. Jackson, founder of Impact Network, sold the estate to a California investor for more than $2.5 million. Advertisement Advertisement Ownership and sales prices after that become a bit complicated, according to the Detroit Free Press. It was listed for sale at $9 million in 2023, then dropped to $1 million. At that point, according to Russell, who worked as a home tour guide, he would say, "See that mansion? It's listed for $1 million. At that price and size, we could all go in on it, move in, and never have to see each other!" Listing photos reveal soaring ceilings and intricate custom woodwork. Multiple original limestone fireplaces are still intact. Some ceilings still feature intricate plasterwork. Carved pillars and hardwood floors still grace the interiors. Advertisement Advertisement The kitchen has been updated, but not really to the standards of such a palatial home. Listing photos reveal that while many parts of the mansion were crumbling, it still had beautiful historical features like vast rooms with soaring vaulted ceilings, intricate custom woodwork and staircases, original marble surfaces, stained glass windows, a private chapel, carved stonework and limestone fireplaces. The home also featured dumbwaiters and an elevator shaft, as were required in elegant mansions of that time period. But alas, the HVAC system had pretty much been demolished, plumbing and electrical systems were beyond repair, the roof needed to be replaced, and there was visible scarring throughout. It was put up for auction in 2024, and while the bids were sealed, a warranty deed recorded Oct. 28, 2024, showed a sale price of $400,000. Gee was well aware that the restoration costs could well triple the $800,000 selling price, but he was not daunted when he purchased it on Jan. 15, 2026. Advertisement Advertisement "The sale of the Bishop Mansion reflects a thoughtful approach to historic ownership in Detroit," said the buyer's agent, Celeste Gee of Re/Max Leading Edge, who also happens to be Calvin's aunt. "Calvin is deeply committed to preserving the integrity of the property while giving it a sustainable future. "Detroits historic homes play an important role in the citys identity and revival, and when properties of this significance are approached with long-term stewardship, the benefits extend beyond the walls of the home and into the surrounding community." In the late 1990s and early 2000s, millennials developed a fascination with India. Backpacking through this South Asian country became a rite of passage for many, giving them a vision of the globalized world. Tie-dyed T-shirts, tapestry and yoga all experienced a popularity bump. Lately, another Asian country has come into focus for American youth: Japan. This interest has evolved into an obsession. Take the latest social media trend for example. Simply labeling mundane scenes with Tokyo creates a romanticized effect. Advertisement Advertisement But young peoples admiration goes beyond surface-level curiosity. They talk about admiring Japans civility, technological advancements and rich cultural tapestry, viewing it as an intricate blend of the old and the new, the serious and the whimsical. A man and a woman look at a park map as they walk by a tunnel of seasonal lighting decorations at Ashikaga Flower Park in Ashikaga, north of Tokyo, Friday, Dec. 19, 2025. | Hiro Komae Japans increased global influence is thanks to the cultural export of everything from food to movies over the course of decades. Many of these exports adopt a cultural universality. Consider Hello Kitty, ramen or sushi. Somebody going out to get some sushi doesnt say, Im going to go eat Japanese food. They say theyre going to go eat sushi, said Merry White, an anthropology professor with expertise on Japan at Boston University. Advertisement Advertisement She described it as the Japan, not Japan phenomenon. The interesting thing about sushi is, she added, in Japan, its a very high-end thing to eat. You do not walk down the street with a Styrofoam box of sushi. Its status changed as it traveled across the oceans. White said she thinks the culinary scene in Japan is also a big draw. That includes the pricey and chef-curated Omakase, typically a few hundred dollars, as well as the egg salad sandwich available at local convenience stores like Lawson or 7-Eleven. Anthony Bourdain, the late celebrity chef and travel documentarian, once articulated, I love Tokyo. If I had to eat only in one city for the rest of my life, Tokyo would be it. Advertisement Advertisement Most chefs I know would agree with me, he said in the second season of Explore Parts Unknown. Its worth noting that Tokyo has more Michelin-starred restaurants than any other city globally, a title it has held for over 15 years. Japan-U.S. relations through the ages Sensoji temple is reflected in a puddle as people arrive for New Year's prayer in Tokyo, Friday, Jan. 2, 2026. | Hiro Komae Japans influence over the world, especially the U.S., has transformed over the decades. After decades of economic growth following World War II, Japan became an economic superpower in the 1980s. The people who were buzzing about Japan in the bubble years they felt they were super reasonable because Japan had so much to teach the West, said White. American midlevel managers visited this country in droves to learn the secrets of Japanese success, displayed by global companies like Toyota and Sony. Advertisement Advertisement But the eagerness to learn led to oversimplified buzzwords and mantras about commitment and teamwork while ignoring the essence of Japanese corporate culture, which promotes values like commitment and loyalty. They would say, Heres the formula, you just apply this to your company and youll be successful too. Never mind that the people they were applying it to had not been raised in Japan, said White. The economic bubble burst in 1991 as this East Asian country grappled with recession and waning influence. This shifted Japans influence from an economic power to a cultural exporter. People walk along a pedestrian crossing at a shopping street Wednesday, June 4, 2025, in Tokyo. | Eugene Hoshiko Following the burst of Japans economic bubble in the early 1990s, there was a significant shift in Japans influence on the U.S. from economic dominance to cultural exports or soft power, as Harvard political scientist Joseph Nye theorized. Advertisement Advertisement When you can get others to admire your ideals and to want what you want, you do not have to spend as much on sticks and carrots to move them in your direction, Nye wrote in "Soft Power: The Means to Success in World Politics." Seduction is always more effective than coercion, and many values like democracy, human rights and individual opportunities are deeply seductive. Japans soft power came in the form of anime, manga, video games and technological innovations like the Tamagotchi, a virtual pet. White was teaching summers at the University of Hawaii in the late 90s and remembers the public swimming pools in Honolulu at the time had installed a Tamagotchi babysitter so that kids who went swimming could be sure that their Tamagotchi wouldnt die from their absence. These virtual pets hung along a wall while someone watched over them. We all thought, This is insane, she recalled. But she also saw the value in it. You dont always have to be deadly serious or have proof of rationality, White said. Advertisement Advertisement By the 2000s, series like Pokemon, Dragon Ball Z and Naruto became staples in Western television. Each era has its Japan, in a way, she added. Now Gen Z seems more obsessed with Japan than other generations. The statistics agree. In 2025, Netflix said that anime viewership tripled over the past five years. American Express Travels research into its own booking data found that Japans popularity skyrocketed among Gen Z and Millennials. Bookings to this country have increased by 1,300% since 2019. Meanwhile, clothing brands like Uniqlo and designer labels such as Comme des Garcons and Issey Miyake, automotive makers like Toyota, and electronic manufacturers like Sony are well recognized globally. Advertisement Advertisement As blogger Noah Smith wrote in a Substack post, I often joke that the U.S. is in the middle of a great shift in the 19th and 20th centuries, high class in America was defined as anything French while in the 21st century its defined as anything Japanese. A place of civility People stroll along Marunouchi Naka-dori Street illuminated with winter lights Wednesday, Dec. 10, 2025, in Tokyo. | Eugene Hoshiko Aside from food, the tech and everything Kawaii, the Japanese word for cute, this East Asian country represents a place where young tourists go searching for comfort, safety and civility. Take public cleanliness, for example. Tokyo is widely considered clean despite being one of the most populated and dense cities. Yet its really hard to find a public wastebasket in Japan. Theres almost none. It means that people are taking personal responsibility, said White. Sure, there are littering laws but I think that it lends closer to public civility, a quality we lack deeply now. Advertisement Advertisement You dont have to love everybody you happen to be talking to but you do need to be civil. Here, we just think civility is a personal choice, said White. According to a report from Berkshire Hathaway Travel Protection, a major American travel insurance company, Japan is ranked ninth in the world for the safest country to travel, ranking No.1 in safety from crime and on public transportation. Young people view Japan as a leading example of modern progress and social order, often describing the country as living in the future with its high-speed rails, innovative vending machines, and clean, safe walkable cities. Update: Cottage Grove Police Chief Cory Chase released the name of the man killed in Cottage Grove on Jan. 20. He was identified as 50-year-old Eusebio Pablo Pablo, a resident of Cottage Grove. Chase said the death is being investigated as a homicide. A man is dead and a shooter is at large after a shooting in the 1500 block of Highway 99 in Cottage Grove the morning of Jan. 20. Cottage Grove police responded to the scene around 5:30 a.m. after reports that a man was found unconscious on the ground, bleeding, according to Cottage Grove Police Chief Cory Chase. Advertisement Advertisement Officers arrived to find the man with an apparent gunshot wound. They attempted CPR, but the man was pronounced dead at the scene, Chase said. Witnesses reported hearing gunshots and seeing an unknown person wearing dark clothing running from the scene. No suspects have been identified and the name of the victim is being withheld pending death notification to his next of kin. An investigation is ongoing. Cottage Grove Police are being assisted by the Lane County Sheriff's Office and the Lane County District Attorney's Office. Anyone with information was asked to contact Cottage Grove Police at 541-942-9145. This story will be updated. Advertisement Advertisement Haleigh Kochanski is a breaking news and public safety reporter for The Register-Guard. You may reach her at HKochanski@gannett.com. This article originally appeared on Register-Guard: Police investigate shooting death of Eusebio Pablo Pablo in Cottage Grove NEED TO KNOW An 18-year-old hiker was found dead after he disappeared on Mount Slamet in Indonesia on Dec. 28 His friend was found safe, but the young man's body was found on Jan. 14 after weeks of search efforts Officials believe he may have fallen to his death, according to reports An 18-year-old man has been found dead after he went missing while hiking a mountain in Indonesia with his friend. The young man was discovered following a 16-day, complex search operation. On Wednesday, Jan. 14, the body of Syafiq Ridhan Ali Razan was found near post 9 of the hiking trail, at the base of a slope on the southern side of Mount Slamet, The Independent and The Star reported. Advertisement Advertisement The teen's body had to be transported out of a 65-foot ravine, per The Independent. According to BBC News Indonesia, Razan's body was recovered by a group of volunteers. Its a tragic end to what was supposed to be a grand adventure. On Dec. 27, Razan and his friend, Himawan Haidar Bahran, began their ascent up the mountain from the Dipajaya basecamp in the Pemalang Regency, according to the outlet. The pair separated the next day when Bahran got a cramp and wasnt able to keep going, prompting his friend to descend the mountain to get help. After Razan didnt return, his companion climbed to post 9, less than 2,000 feet from the summit, where he was eventually found alive by search and rescue teams on Dec. 30, The Independent and The Star reported. That same day, Razan was reported missing, but it would take search teams more than two weeks to locate his body, not far from where his friend was found safe. Following an examination, it is believed that Razan died two weeks before his body was recovered from the ravine, The Independent and The Star reported. Advertisement Advertisement Evidence of a fracture in his left thigh indicates that the young man fell to his death, the Goeteng Taroenadibrata General Hospital in Purbalingga, located in Java, told The Independent. Never miss a story sign up for PEOPLE's free daily newsletter to stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from celebrity news to compelling human interest stories. The hospital and SAR Semarang did not immediately respond to PEOPLEs requests for comment. Semarang SAR Office chief, Budiono, told The Star the teen's cause of death will be announced by the hospital. Read the original article on People Key Points A day after stocks plunged on the threat of a trade war, they swung higher on an agreement. According to reports, the U.S. will own small pieces of land in Greenland where it can build military bases. Tariff threats have become a favorite negotiation tool of President Trump 10 stocks we like better than S&P 500 Index One day after stocks tumbled on fears of a trade war with Europe over Greenland, the S&P 500 (SNPINDEX: ^GSPC) was bouncing back, climbing up 1.2% on Wednesday after those tensions cooled. President Trump, who had said at one point that the U.S. would take Greenland "one way or the other," pulled back from threats to tariff eight European countries by 10% in order to coerce them to strike a deal to give the U.S. control over the Danish territory, as he said the two sides were working toward a deal. Image source: Getty Images. A familiar pattern Investors who bought the dip would have been rewarded, and that pattern with President Trump has repeated itself enough times that it has been given a nickname in the media: TACO, or Trump Always Chickens Out. The President has used the threat of tariffs for negotiations in a way that no previous president in modern times has, but he's stepped back from threats before. For example, a week after stocks plunged on his "Liberation Day" tariffs announcement, Trump announced a pause on those rates, and stocks soared. There's been a similar back-and-forth on chip exports to China and other key policies that affect investors. What it means for investors Trump said that the U.S. and Europe reached the "framework of a deal" on Greenland with Europe, which appears to give the U.S. sovereignty over small pieces of land in Greenland to build military bases. Still, tariffs are likely to remain a theme in the economy for the duration of the Trump administration as it's a favorite negotiating tactic and form of leverage for Trump, and he tends to see the import taxes as a way to encourage more production in the U.S. The geopolitical risk underlying the Greenland threat and his abasement of Europe are also likely to persist over the next three years. For investors, there seem to be two ways to approach this. One is to assume that Trump's negotiating pattern will continue and that sell-offs are buying opportunities because he often pulls back from statements that roil markets. Another way to handle it is to diversify away from the U.S., especially if you're looking for an off-ramp from the uncertainty of threats like the Greenland dispute. The U.S. stock market is historically expensive, and investors can find cheaper alternatives in Europe, China, South Korea, and elsewhere if you're looking to diversify internationally. The Brief SNAP benefit amounts for 2026 are based on household size and location. Maximum monthly benefits vary, and most households receive less than the maximum. Actual payments depend on income and allowable deductions. PHILADELPHIA - SNAP, the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, provides monthly food assistance based on household size and financial circumstances. Heres how SNAP benefit amounts are calculated for 2026. What we know The Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, commonly known as SNAP, provides monthly food assistance to eligible households across the United States. Benefit amounts are calculated using federal guidelines that take household size, income and certain expenses into account. Advertisement Advertisement Each households SNAP payment is individualized, meaning most recipients do not receive the maximum amount allowed for their household size. Maximum SNAP benefit amounts for 2026 For households in the 48 contiguous states and Washington, D.C., the maximum monthly SNAP benefits for 2026 are: 1 person: $298 (up $6) 2 people: $546 (up $10) 3 people: $785 (up $17) 4 people: $994 (up $19) 5 people: $1,183 (up $25) 6 people: $1,421 (up $31) 7 people: $1,571 (up $35) 8 people: $1,789 (up $33) Each additional person: + $218 Larger households qualify for higher maximum benefits, while smaller households receive lower maximum amounts. These figures represent the highest possible monthly benefit and apply only to households with very low or no net income. Advertisement Advertisement SNAP benefit amounts are higher in Alaska, Hawaii, Guam and the U.S. Virgin Islands due to higher food costs in those areas. The minimum monthly SNAP benefit in most states is $24. How SNAP benefits are calculated SNAP benefits are not flat payments. Instead, they are calculated using a formula that considers a households net income after certain deductions are applied. Allowable deductions may include: Housing and utility costs Child care expenses Medical expenses for elderly or disabled household members Because of this, two households with the same number of people may receive very different benefit amounts. What SNAP benefits can be used for SNAP benefits can be used to purchase most grocery items, including fruits, vegetables, meat, dairy products and bread. Advertisement Advertisement Benefits generally cannot be used to buy: Alcohol or tobacco Vitamins or supplements Hot prepared foods Non-food items such as cleaning supplies or toiletries What we don't know Because SNAP benefits are calculated individually, there is no way to determine an exact benefit amount without reviewing a households full financial situation. Income changes, housing costs or household size adjustments can all affect monthly payments. Why you should care SNAP plays a critical role in helping millions of households afford groceries and maintain food security. Knowing the maximum benefit levels and how payments are calculated can help families better understand their assistance and plan ahead. Click to open this PDF in a new window. The Source This article was written using information from the U.S. Department of Agricultures SNAP guidance for fiscal year 2026. Three stores inside the Oak Park mall are set to close before the end of the month. Employees at both Chicos and Eddie Bauer told the Star on Wednesday morning that they will close on Sunday, Jan. 25, and Wednesday, Jan. 28, respectively. A sales lead at the Overland Park malls Chicos location told the Star that the stores last day is Jan. 25. There is plenty of inventory left in the clearance section but said that they have begun shipping out their full-priced items. There are five other Chicos around Kansas City. Advertisement Advertisement The popular womens clothing brand opened in 1983 in Sanibel Island, according to their website. They now have over 500 boutiques across the country. The company was acquired by Sycamore Partners, a New York-based private equity firm in 2023, according to the Fort Meyers News Press. There are five other Chicos locations throughout the metro. Eddie Bauer, a popular outdoor clothing store opened originally in downtown Seattle in 1920, according to their website. In 1935, Eddie Bauer created the first down-insulated jacket in the country, which is what the company is now widely known for. There is only one other Eddie Bauer location, an outlet inside The Legends in Kansas City, Kansas. Samuel Cristman, the general manager of Eddie Bauer at the Oak Park Mall, said they have seen a lot of foot traffic ahead of the closure. Advertisement Advertisement Were already kind of low on inventory, Cristman said. Its down to a third of the store. The third, Francescas, is closing its store inside the Johnson County mall as part of a nationwide closure. Francescas is also liquidating its inventory, according to Womens Wear Daily. The Star reached out to Francescas but did not immediately hear back. Three district administrators in Durham Public Schools were indicted Tuesday on criminal charges stemming from an alleged incident of child abuse at Eno Valley Elementary School in November 2024. In legal documents, authorities allege Dr. Tanya Giovanni, the Deputy Superintendent of Administrative, Legal and Compliance Services, Ayesha Hunter, Senior Executive Director of Employee Relations, and Dr. Tounya Wright, who had been serving as Principal at Eno Valley Elementary, were, to varying degrees, misleading or not forthcoming with information, including when they learned of the allegation. Giovanni is facing five counts of felony obstruction of justice. Hunter is facing six counts of felony obstruction of justice and two counts of perjury. Wright is facing three counts of felony obstruction of justice and one count of perjury. Advertisement Advertisement The initial incident involves an educator who allegedly tied a six-year-old girl with autism to a chair with a rope. "I think it's every parent of a special needs child's worst nightmare," said Rachel Cordero, who has three children at Durham Public Schools, including a 10-year-old with autism, though he does not attend Eno Valley Elementary School. Superintendent Anthony Lewis said this stems from a 2024 incident at Eno Valley Elementary School. Cordero is upset by claims, particularly involving a student with special needs. "These kids cannot advocate for themselves. And I think that is all the more reason why we as a community kind of have to stand up for them in this moment, because we're seeing a lack of leadership in DPS doing what we need them to do and protecting our children," Cordero said. Advertisement Advertisement Giovanni, Hunter, and Wright are not accused of or charged with child abuse; the indictments focus on their response and actions following the alleged abuse. "Documents state that Wright claimed she received an anonymous photo of the six-year-old girl tied to a chair with a rope under her door on November 22, 2024, and reached out to HR the same day she learned about the photo. However, two staffers separately stated that Wright was made aware of the alleged incident and existence of photos days earlier, and was sent a text message of the photos by a staffer on November 21, 2024." During a July 2025 meeting held with the District Attorney's Office, a court document notes that Giovanni stated, "That Human Resource investigations are not this super formalized thing where you're like documenting everything." Separately, she is accused of not producing evidence that was in the possession of Durham Public Schools in response to a search warrant and court orders. Hunter is accused of withholding witness statements and interview notes from law enforcement, and falsely claiming during a hearing in Durham County Superior Court that "the Principal reported the child abuse the same day she found out about it." Advertisement Advertisement Cordero criticized the district, expressing frustration over what she felt was a lack of communication regarding the allegation and subsequent investigative process. "(DPS is) showing us and they've shown us before that when problems arise, they're going to hide them as best as they can," said Cordero. Durham Public Schools Superintendent Dr. Anthony S. Lewis sent two separate e-mails regarding the allegations - one to DPS families and a second to Eno Valley Elementary families. In an email to DPS families, Lewis wrote: Dear Durham Public Schools Families, I want to personally share with you an important issue involving our shared responsibility to protect students. Advertisement Advertisement Yesterday, three district administrators were indicted in connection with their response to a 2024 incident at Eno Valley Elementary School involving student safety and subsequent court orders and law enforcement inquiries. These matters are also the subject of a thorough review initiated by Durham Public Schools, and the individuals involved have been suspended with pay pending the outcome of that process. Let me provide some background about the initial incident, which occurred at Eno Valley in November 2024. These allegations were reported to law enforcement and the instructional assistants involved resigned shortly thereafter. Because active legal and personnel matters are ongoing, there are limits on what additional details I can share at this time. What I want to be clear about is this: nothing is more important than the safety and well-being of our students. Any matter involving student safety must be handled with urgency, care, and full cooperation. Our focus remains on supporting students and maintaining safe, positive learning environments. Durham Public Schools has established policies and procedures in place to protect student safety. As our review moves forward, we will reinforce expectations and apply what we learn to ensure those practices meet the high standards families expect and students deserve. Advertisement Advertisement We understand that this news may raise questions for families. Our schools continue to operate as usual, and our educators and staff remain focused every day on supporting student learning, safety, and well-being. If you would like to discuss any concerns, please contact your school principal or email public_affairs@dpsnc.net. Thank you for your trust and partnership as we continue this important work together. The three individuals were suspended with pay pending the outcome of the investigation. Lewis did not identify the educators in either email to parents. Superintendent addresses indictments Thursday, DPS Superintendent Anthony Lewis delivered an address regarding the indictments. Advertisement Advertisement "I know there are thousands of families across Durham, the entire Durham community, who place a tremendous amount of trust in us each day, not just to educate their children, but to care for them. And most importantly, most importantly, to keep them safe. Both of those responsibilities are critically important. But our most foundational and fundamental job is to ensure that our students are safe and well," said Lewis. Lewis, who spoke for just over seven minutes, did not name the three indicted staffers during his remarks and cited "confidential personnel matters and an ongoing investigation that limit our ability to share information." "There was an incident at Eno Valley Elementary School related to student safety. It was reported to law enforcement by our staff and investigated by the Durham Police Department. The employees in that classroom were questioned about the incident, suspended and then later resigned. In the months that followed, law enforcement questioned various members of our staff and court orders were issued to the school system for a variety of documents. Now, while some records provided, law enforcement raised concerns that our response was not as timely, accurate or complete as it should be. And let me be clear - we take these concerns very seriously. Earlier this week, one of our principals and two of our district administrators were indicted for obstruction of justice, and two of the three were also charged with perjury. These charges are related to how they responded to these court orders and to law enforcement inquiry," said Lewis. A parent, who has requested anonymity, says her child was in that classroom and shared thoughts on how the district has handled the matter. Advertisement Advertisement "I just feel like everything got swept under the rug," said the parent. The parent voiced particular concern over the alleged incident involving a child with autism. "It makes me concerned for all non-verbal (students). This wouldn't have been able to happen in a regular first-grade classroom. Those kids would have gone home and immediately told their parents," said the parent. In a timeline shared by a DPS spokesperson, the incident was reported to school leadership and law enforcement in November 2024, and the two instructional assistants from the classroom were suspended. In December, the assistants resigned their positions. In January 2025, DPS was served with a search warrant seeking personnel records and documents related to the alleged abuse, which was acknowledged by district staff. Advertisement Advertisement In March to August of 2025, Durham Public Schools provided documents to law enforcement in response to the initial and follow up requests. In July 2025, District administrators met with the Durham County District Attorney's Office, in which Prosecutors raised concerns about the completeness and timeliness of prior document production. In October 2025, a show-cause hearing was held in Durham County Superior Court related to document production, in which District administrators testified. "When the Board (of Education) and I learned that members of our team were being investigated by law enforcement in December (2025), we worked together to quickly launch an investigation. That review is being conducted by the Tharrington Smith law firm, and it is an active and ongoing review and it is separate from the law enforcement investigation and indictments," said Lewis. Advertisement Advertisement Lewis did not answer any questions from the media following his address, which a DPS spokesperson informed would be the case when initially announcing the press conference on Wednesday. ABC 11 has reached out to a DPS spokesperson for clarification on the timeline provided by the district, including over when Lewis and/or the Board of Education learned of the allegations or whether they were informed or aware that administrators were being questioned as part of a legal matter related to their respective response following an allegation of child abuse. As of 3:30 Thursday afternoon, the district has not responded to this specific inquiry. Lewis laid out measures the district is taking in response to the matter and indictments. "We are establishing systems to standardize how we log and store legal documents, how we create and manage investigative files, and how we notify legal counsel on all of these legal requests. We are establishing regular communications with the District Attorney's Office to ensure that we are fully cooperating with investigative efforts. As a matter of fact, I've scheduled a meeting with the Assistant District Attorney just next week to continue to strengthen our partnership and relationship, because we view the DA's office as a valuable partner in terms of protecting our scholars. We are also conducting mandatory training each year that has always been in place. But we're taking a look at that training to see how we can enhance and make that training a little bit more robust for all of our staff and any staff that interacts with children. And this particular training is on child abuse recognition, (as well as) reporting and the obligations that our professionals have, as well as their professional boundaries and this is beginning with immediate retraining for our principals and administrators. We are also providing retraining to our exceptional children, staff, administrators and others to reinforce expectations when it comes to physical contact and use of restraint," Lewis explained. The parent believes more need to be done. "(I'd like) cameras in the classrooms. Parents need to know if their kids have been questioned on (school) grounds," the parent shared. In a press releaseon Wednesday, Durham Police announced charges against the administrators. These charges stem from an investigation into the handling of a report regarding the abuse of a special needs student at Eno Valley Elementary in November of 2024. Following the execution of search warrants at administrative offices and a forensic review of digital evidence, investigators determined that these officials willfully withheld exculpatory evidence and provided false testimony to the Court. The systematic withholding of evidence and fabrication of the investigative timeline by these officials directly compromised the integrity of the criminal case. The parent said she was not informed of the alleged incident by the school, but by a separate parent in the following summer. "I have yet to be informed by DPS that this happened with my son in the classroom. If I didn't know from my friend, I still wouldn't know (until the news yesterday)," said the parent. WATCH: DPS superintendent talks indictments of district admins DPS superintendent talks indictments of district admins: Full Press Conference ABC11 has made attempts to reach all three individuals for comment. The Durham Association of Educators tells ABC 11 it does not have a statement regarding this matter. . The Supreme Court explored several pathways as it weighed the monumental battle over President Trumps firing power at the Federal Reserve on Wednesday. Though the justices appeared open to arguments from Fed board of governors member Lisa Cook that she was unlawfully removed, it remains unclear after the two-hour argument how broadly the court will rule. Justices in both ideological camps expressed concern that greenlighting Trumps firing would gut the Feds independence, but not all of Cooks arguments landed, either. Advertisement Advertisement Here are five takeaways from the argument: Justices concerned about gutting Feds independence Both liberal and conservative justices alike expressed fears about how the Cook case weaken the Feds independence. Justice Brett Kavanaugh, a Trump appointee, said the administrations position could effectively make Fed board members fireable at-will and subject the central bank to considerable political influence. Your position that theres no judicial review, no process required, no remedy available, very low bar for cause that the President alone determines that would weaken, if not shatter, the independence of the Federal Reserve that we just discussed, Kavanaugh said. Advertisement Advertisement If this were set as a precedent, it seems to me, just thinking big picture, what goes around, comes around, he continued. Justice Sonia Sotomayor was one among several liberal justices who warned about the impact a snap decision on the Cook firing could have on the Feds independence. We know that the independence of the agency is very important, and that independence is harmed if we decide these issues too quickly and without due consideration. Skepticism that pre-office conduct isnt cause At the center of the case is what constitutes fireable cause under the Federal Reserve Act. The president cant remove the central bank governors without it. Advertisement Advertisement In reinstating Cook, a federal district judge had ruled that Fed governors conduct before they are appointed cant count. Thats relevant for Cook. The mortgage documents in question were from 2021, but she didnt take office until the next year. Even as Cooks other arguments were met with openness Wednesday, several Supreme Court justices expressed skepticism that conduct can be cast aside merely because it was before assuming office. Lets see how far youre willing to go, Justice Samuel Alito, one of the courts leading conservatives, told Cooks lawyer before firing off hypotheticals. He asked if Trump could fire a Fed governor if videos later surfaced showing they had a deep admiration for Adolf Hitler or the Ku Klux Klan. Advertisement Advertisement Paul Clement, Cooks attorney, acknowledged it was an uncomfortable hypothetical. But he stood firm that it wouldnt qualify. Im going to stick with my position, and Im going to say thats an official that would be impeached in a heartbeat, said Clement. And the fact that they would be impeached in a heartbeat is going to cause them to resign in half a heartbeat. Sotomayor doesnt like Trump firing via Truth Social Cook also made a second argument: due process. She contends she didnt receive proper notice and a hearing, so Trump wrongfully removed her regardless of whether the mortgage fraud claims have merit. Trump had issued the firing via a Truth Social post. Sotomayor made clear shes no fan. Advertisement Advertisement This whole case is irregular, starting with the Truth Social notice, or thinking of it as notice at all. It certainly didnt invite an opportunity to be heard, said Sotomayor, the courts senior most liberal justice. But thats where we are. It wasnt just Sotomayor. Why wouldnt he have to send the letter to her? asked Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson, former President Bidens sole appointee to the court. How is that we can assume that she is on social media or has looked at the news? And at turns, the justices explored what a hearing would even look like if they accept Cooks argument. Justice Neil Gorsuch, Trumps first appointee, wondered if the president meeting with the Fed governor in the Roosevelt Room of the White House would suffice. Justice Amy Coney Barrett, Trumps third appointee, later picked up the example. Advertisement Advertisement It just wouldnt be that big a deal, it seems, if thats enough, said Barrett. Court may pursue narrow ruling A ruling that revolves around Cooks due process arguments or the meaning of cause would pose major repercussions for the Feds future. But several justices bristled at the court potentially setting a major precedent by ruling on whether to uphold an early decision. If those two decisions which, to be fair, of course, were issued under a time constraint might have some flaws, why shouldnt it go back to reconsider it? Gorsuch said. Youve advanced a lot of new arguments here. One pathway is for the court to send the case back with a ruling that Cook can remain at the Fed until the case is resolved, because Trump hasnt shown hed face irreparable harm otherwise. Advertisement Advertisement Jackson questioned why Cook needed to be immediately removed from her Fed position, given the nature of the offense at the center of Trumps for-cause rationale. Now its not as if shes been incompetent, negligent or committed malfeasance while in office. This is something pre-office, so keeping her in office is not causing an immediate harm to the agency, Jackson said. The notion of blocking Cooks firing while her challenge plays out contrasts with the Supreme Courts emergency rulings last year. The conservative majority enabled Trump to terminate leaders at three other independent agencies the National Labor Relations Board, Merit Systems Protection Board and Consumer Product Safety Commission as their lawsuits proceed. Advertisement Advertisement At the time, the court judged that the Trump administration would face greater harm in the officials continuing to exercise their power than the harm the officials would face by being out of their jobs. And hanging over it all is the DOJs argument that Cooks dismissal cant be judicially reviewed. If youre correct that courts do not have the authority to reinstate the removed officer, why are we wasting our time wondering if theres cause or not? Chief Justice John Roberts asked D. John Sauer, the governments lawyer. Economic reaction looms over courts decision The courts ruling could have significant implications for the Fed and the central role it plays in the global financial system. Advertisement Advertisement Former Fed chairs and Treasury Department secretaries have joined scores of economists and financial experts in writing amicus briefs supporting Cook and warning the Supreme Court against upholding her firing. Allowing Cooks dismissal to hold could also open the door to future criminal charges and a similar firing of Fed Chair Jerome Powell, who confirmed last week he was under investigation by the Justice Department. Barrett asked Sauer whether the court should consider the warnings from experts, including the risk of a recession, when assessing the case. We have amicus briefs from economists who tell us that if we grant you your stay, that it could trigger a recession, she said. How should we think about the public interest in a case like this? Copyright 2026 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to The Hill. The Brief A 74-year-old woman and a 76-year-old man are dead after a shooting Tuesday afternoon, Jan. 20, at a home near Higley and Riggs roads. Gilbert Police said a woman called 911 to report gunshots during an argument between her parents. Police say the incident is being investigated as a murder-suicide. GILBERT, Ariz. - A woman called police to report she heard gunshots during an argument between her parents on Tuesday afternoon, and not long after, her mother was found dead, and her father died at the hospital, police said. What we know The Jan. 20 shooting happened around 3 p.m. at a home near Higley and Riggs roads. Advertisement Advertisement Gilbert Police say officers responded to the scene after a woman contacted them saying her parents were arguing, and she heard her father saying he would kill her mother. "When officers arrived, they forced entry into the home and located two individuals with serious injuries, a 74-year-old woman, who was pronounced deceased at the scene, and a 76-year-old man, who was transported to the hospital in critical condition," police said. Police investigation at a home in Gilbert on Jan. 20, 2026, near Higley and Riggs roads. The woman who died was identified as Genifrances Williamson. Her husband, David Williamson, died at the hospital. There are no outstanding suspects, and there is no threat to the public. Police say the incident is being investigated as a murder-suicide. What you can do Help is available.If you or someone you know is struggling or in crisis, call or text 988. The 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline provides free and confidential emotional support 24 hours a day, 7 days a week to civilians and veterans. Support in Spanish is also available. You can also chat with crisis counselors via online chat . CLICK HERE for the warning signs and risk factors of suicide. Map of the area where the investigation is The Source The Gilbert Police Department Temperatures are expected to get dangerously low in Aberdeen this week. On Thursday, the temperature in Aberdeen is expected to reach minus 35, falling to minus 31 degrees in Huron. This cold weather brings extreme cold weather warnings throughout the state. Frigid temperatures are expected to arrive in eastern South Dakota during the afternoon and evening of Jan. 22, with wind chills dropping to between minus 30 and minus 40 degrees by the morning of Jan. 23. Advertisement Advertisement The National Weather Service issued an extreme cold warning for much of eastern South Dakota, including the Sioux Falls area, that will take effect at midnight for most of the region. However, it goes into effect earlier at 9 p.m. for a smaller area north of Sioux Falls that includes Brookings, De Smet and Madison. The weather service recommends exercising caution by limiting time spent outdoors and, if you have to venture out, dressing in layers and covering any exposed skin. The "dangerously cold wind chills" in the forecast could cause frostbite on exposed skin in as little as 10 minutes, the weather service website states. The coldest wind chills are expected to slowly improve by mid-morning on Jan. 23, but below-zero wind chills are forecast to stick around until next week, according to the National Weather Service. More: See the winning names submitted for South Dakota's snowplow naming contest Temperatures will plummet this afternoon and evening, leading to wind chill values late tonight into Friday morning as low as -40 in a few locations. While not as cold, wind chills of -15 to -25 will continue Friday afternoon through Sunday night. pic.twitter.com/xPzvGMrVuS NWS Sioux Falls (@NWSSiouxFalls) January 22, 2026 How cold will it get in eastern South Dakota the next two days? Here are the predicted wind chills in eastern South Dakota by 9 p.m. Thursday, Jan. 22 and 6 a.m. Friday, Jan. 23. Aberdeen 9 p.m. Thursday: minus 35 6 a.m. Friday: minus 35 Brookings 9 p.m. Thursday: minus 37 6 a.m. Friday: minus 37 Huron 9 p.m. Thursday: minus 31 6 a.m. Friday: minus 31 Mitchell 9 p.m. Thursday: minus 26 6 a.m. Friday: minus 32 Sioux Falls 9 p.m. Thursday: minus 29 6 a.m. Friday: minus 31 Vermillion 9 p.m. Thursday: minus 23 6 a.m. Friday: minus 31 Watertown 9 p.m. Thursday: minus 41 6 a.m. Friday: minus 42 Yankton 9 p.m. Thursday: minus 21 6 a.m. Friday: minus 29 What is an extreme cold warning? The National Weather Service has a few different cold weather alerts. Here's what each of them means: Advertisement Advertisement A cold weather advisory is issued for dangerously cold conditions that aren't expected to reach warning criteria. Be sure to dress appropriately and cover exposed skin when outside. An extreme cold watch is issued when extremely dangerous cold conditions or wind chills are possible, but the occurrence, timing and location are uncertain. Adjust plans to avoid being outside during the coldest parts of the day. An extreme cold warning is issued when extremely dangerous cold conditions or wind chills are expected or occurring. Avoid going outside. If you have to be outdoors, dress in layers, cover exposed skin and make sure at least one other person knows your whereabouts. This article originally appeared on Sioux Falls Argus Leader: NWS issues extreme cold warning for Aberdeen South Dakota LAKE PLACID Adirondack Community Foundation announced last week it is one of three recipients selected for the F. M. Kirby Foundations inaugural Innovation Engine Grant Program. ACF will receive an award of $300,000, distributed over three years, to advance its Safety Net initiative. The Safety Net initiative is a strategic effort designed to create links among fragmented social services across the Adirondack region. Four collaborative projects are underway, demonstrating creative ways to overcome the unique challenges of our rural landscape, including transportation barriers, social isolation, stable employment and housing. Advertisement Advertisement This generous support from the F.M. Kirby Foundation validates the hard work of our community partners who are striving to close the gaps in our rural social safety net, ACF President and CEO Cali Brooks said in a press release. This funding allows us to empower our partners to take bold steps forward and implement sustainable, collaborative solutions that will improve lives across the region. The F. M. Kirby Foundation is a family foundation established in 1931. While based in New Jersey, the family has a long history in the Adirondacks and supports a wide array of organizations in both regions. The Innovation Engine Grant Program represents the foundations support for strategic growth among its nonprofit partners. Inspired by the Twin Engines model developed by researchers Ann Mei Chang and Laura Lanzerotti, the initiative encourages organizations to balance proven solutions with innovation to maximize social impact. ACF is joined by national cross-partisan organization Braver Angels and New Jersey-based social services organization Prevention is Key as inaugural Innovation Engine grantees Advertisement Advertisement What excites us most about these projects is how each organization identified unmet needs and developed creative solutions that extend their impact, F. M. Kirby Foundation President Justin Kiczek said in a press release. Adirondack Community Foundation is tackling service delivery across a challenging geography. Each recipient has developed a thoughtful approach to expanding their reach while staying true to their core mission. Theyre not just scaling what works, theyre reimagining how to address persistent challenges in their communities. To learn more about ACFs Social Safety Net initiative, visit adkcommunityfoundation.org/safetynet or contact Director of Community Impact Kim Trombly at kim@adkcommunityfoundation.org. President Donald Trump took to his Truth Social account to criticize the United Kingdoms ongoing plan to hand over sovereignty of the Chagos Archipelago, including the strategically critical island of Diego Garcia, to Mauritius. In a Truth Social post that has garnered thousands of reactions, Trump described the move as an act of total weakness and great stupidity, warning that adversaries like China and Russia are watching closely. He also linked the decision to other ongoing national security strategies, reiterating his push to acquire Greenland from Denmark to help solidify Americas military defense network. The post, published on January 20, reads in part: Shockingly, our brilliant NATO Ally, the United Kingdom, is currently planning to give away the Island of Diego Garcia, the site of a vital U.S. Military Base, to Mauritius, and to do so FOR NO REASON WHATSOEVER. There is no doubt that China and Russia have noticed this act of total weakness. Diego Garcia, the largest island in the remote Chagos Archipelago in the Indian Ocean, hosts a joint U.S.-UK military base operated by the U.S. Navy. Established in the early 1970s, the base serves as a key logistics hub for American forces, a quick refueling stop, a crucial supply hub, and a hub that facilitates the deployment of troops across the Middle East, East Africa, and South Asia. Its extremely isolated location over 1,000 miles from the nearest landmass also provides some very rare and valuable strategic advantages, including the ability to house long-range bomber aircraft and submarines. The facility has been instrumental in past military operations, such as supporting U.S. forces during the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, counter-terrorism missions against ISIS, and maintaining overall command and control in the Indian Ocean. Americas military leaders have previously spoken about its crucial role in countering emerging modern threats, including potential threats from China, which has expanded its influence in the Indo-Pacific. Advertisement Advertisement In a speech on the importance of the island in November of 2024, Sen. John Kennedy (R-LA) said, China says, Fine. That sounds good to us. Why? Because, number one, China has already started currying favor with Mauritius. And, number two, Mauritius will now be in charge of the security of the Chagos Islands and our military base and the waters surrounding it. ChinaXi Jinpinghes as happy as a gopher in soft dirt. Hell be hacking the Mauritius security as soon as the trade is made. And it is not just any military base. It is an extraordinarily important military base. Our military base is one of the few in the world where our military can reload submarines hugely important, Kennedy added. The bases history is long-rooted in Cold War geopolitics. In 1965, the UK detached the Chagos Archipelago from Mauritius then a British colony, to form the British Indian Ocean Territory (BIOT), which also created a 1966 agreement with the U.S. to establish the military base. Advertisement Advertisement However, this process involved a controversial depopulation of the islands, where around 1,500 Chagossian inhabitants were forcibly relocated to Mauritius and the Seychelles between 1968 and 1973 to make way for the base. That move has been condemned by some political leaders worldwide, with a 2019 International Court of Justice advisory opinion deeming the detachment unlawful and calling for the UKs administration to end the agreement. A following UN General Assembly resolution in 2019 echoed this, urging the return of the archipelago to Mauritius. Politically, issues in the area have simmered for nearly half a century, with Mauritius pushing its own sovereignty claims since its independence in 1968. According to the Library of Congress, the UK provided Mauritius with a 3 million grant (about $4 million at the time) and promised to return the islands when no longer needed for defense purposes. However, the bases continued importance for defense has kept the territory under British control. Recent developments date back to October 3, 2024, when the UK and Mauritius announced a historic agreement to transfer sovereignty of the Chagos Archipelago to Mauritius, while securing the operations of the Diego Garcia base for 99 years through a lease arrangement. A joint statement from the UK and Mauritius governments posted that same month reads: The treaty will address wrongs of the past and demonstrate the commitment of both parties to support the welfare of Chagossians. Mauritius will now be free to implement a programme of resettlement on the islands of the Chagos Archipelago, other than Diego Garcia, and the UK will capitalise a new trust fund, as well as separately provide other support, for the benefit of Chagossians. Advertisement Advertisement The deal included UK commitments to fund a trust for Chagossians, support resettlement on other islands (excluding Diego Garcia), and work together on environmental protection and maritime security initiatives. Initial statements from the Biden administration welcomed the agreement, with former Secretary of State Antony Blinken saying it would secure the operational future of the joint U.S.-UK military facility on Diego Garcia into the next century. By May 2025, the agreement was formalized, with the U.S. State Department under the incoming Trump administration initially expressing support. A statement from Secretary of State Marco Rubio, published on May 22, 2025, reads: This milestone reflects the enduring strength of the U.S.-UK relationshipa relationship that, as demonstrated by the U.S.-UK trade deal announced on May 8, extends far beyond defense to encompass economic growth, innovation, and shared global leadership. Although the United States is not a party to this agreement, we remain responsible for operating the U.S. Naval Support Facility on Diego Garcia, which continues to play a vital role in supporting forward-deployed operational forces and advancing security across the region, Rubio added at that time. Advertisement Advertisement However, opposition has mounted recently, particularly from Republicans concerned about Mauritiuss ties to China and potential security risks. Sen. Kennedy has continued to be vocal about the importance of holding on to Diego Garcia, warning earlier this year that the transfer could expose the area to Chinese espionage and urging the U.S. not to bow to UN plans that benefit Beijing. In a February 2025 speech, Kennedy renewed his vocal calls to protect the base ahead of Starmers Washington visit. Mauritius is very close to China. Mauritius has a very lucrative trade agreement with China, and youll not be surprised to learn that, after all of this has been developing, China all of a sudden is Mauritiuss best friend. Do you know why? Because if Prime Minister Starmer does this, Mauritius is going to own the base. They are going to own the base, Kennedy said in February. For now, the UK is pressing ahead with the transfer of sovereignty over the Chagos Archipelago to Mauritius. German police have arrested three people at an aircraft hangar housing Chancellor Friedrich Merz's private plane in western Germany, authorities said on Thursday. Two women and one man aged 23, 28 and 56 are believed to have been looking to damage the plane, prosecutors in Merz's home town of Arnsberg said. They were arrested for trespassing after gaining unauthorized access to the Arnsberg-Menden airfield overnight. Advertisement Advertisement Merz, who took office last May, is an avid pilot and is based in Arnsberg, some 400 kilometres south-west of Berlin. Police officers became suspicious when a driver asked for directions to an airfield in the area. He was later identified as a known left-wing activist and police turned their attention to the airfield housing Merz's plane, leading to the arrest of the three German nationals. Among the the three people arrested was 28-year-old German climate activist Anja Windl, who is a leading figure in Austria's climate movement, a spokeswoman for prosecutors in Arnsberg said. Windl and the two other suspects have come to the attention of authorities with a number of protest actions in the past, the spokeswoman said. Advertisement Advertisement All three suspects did not comment on the accusations when questioned by police, she added. They have since been released and investigations have been launched against them. A group called Resistance Collective has claimed responsibility for the attempted plot, saying it had "attempted to ground Friedrich Merz's private jet as part of a protest action." The group said the activists had planned to daub the plane with pink paint to ground it long-term. "We are acting in self-defence," Windl is quoted as saying in the statement, noting that while the climate crisis is escalating, Merz is flying around in his own plane. Advertisement Advertisement Windl has been arrested in Austria several times for participating in sit-ins and similar protest actions, according to local authorities. In January 2025, she protested against the start of coalition negotiations between the conservative Austrian People's Party (OVP) and the far-right Freedom Party of Austria (FPO). The FPO came in first in Austria's 2024 elections, but coalition talks with the OVP led nowhere, and the conservative party later entered into a coalition with the liberal NEOS and the centre-left Social Democratic Party (SPO). At the time, Windl smeared the words "You smell like brown shit" on the wall of the OVP party headquarters, a reference to the colour associated with Germany's Nazi Party. In response, Austrian authorities issued a two-year entry ban, which is yet to become legally binding, however. Steve Conn, an activist with the Detroit Committee to Stop ICE, calls on the Wayne County Airport Authority to stop allowing ICE flights at Willow Run Airport. Jan. 21, 2026. Screenshot. Activists called on airport officials to halt the flights by ICE out of Willow Run Airport near Ypsilanti during the public comment period of the Wayne County Airport Authority board meeting on Wednesday. According to the ICE Flight Monitor, a project by the organization Human Rights First, ICE used Willow Run as a stop for flights, usually to major immigration detention hubs in the South, regularly throughout the second half of 2025. Advertisement Advertisement Steve Conn, an activist with the Detroit Committee to Stop ICE, called the airport a key link in the chain, down to Texas or Louisiana overnight during the public board meeting. SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX Chad Newton, the Chief Executive Officer of the Wayne County Airport Authority, said in his report to the board during the meeting that he is often asked if the airport authority has any contracts with ICE. Our response remains, the Wayne County Airport Authority does not have any involvement in the agreements between airlines and their partners, including federal agencies, as long as those agreements meet legal and safety requirements, he said. Advertisement Advertisement But many present did not find Newtons argument about the authoritys lack of responsibility convincing, arguing that no activity takes place at an airport without approval and urging those in attendance to use their power to stop such activity and make it more difficult for it to continue. George Washington, a lawyer in the Detroit area, similarly said that, while the board may not have made the decision to initially permit ICE to use the airport, they should be acting on it now. We know that this board did not set up that system that was set up by the Trump administration, but we know also that by allowing Willow Run to do this, youre collaborating with this system, he said. Youre collaborating because you said nothing about it, because even till this day, you will not condemn it. You will simply say its not our problem. Washington also criticized the board for not mentioning the usage of the airport by ICE during the main portion of the meeting, a significant portion of which focused on upgrades to restrooms in the McNamara terminal. Advertisement Advertisement Airlines conducting ICE flights out of Willow Run include Colorado-based Key Lime Air, as well as Eastern Air Express. Photos shared with Michigan Advance by the Detroit Committee to Stop ICE, showed people with shackled wrists boarding a plane at Willow Run. Additionally, online records from the Federal Aviation Administration show that the tail number on one of the aircraft seen in the pictures matched up with a plane operated by Eastern Air Express. A report by Human Rights First said there were 88 outbound ICE flights from Willow Run in 2025. According to the Detroit Committee to Stop ICE, the planes then usually flew from Ypsilanti to major immigration detention hubs in the South, such as Alexandria, Louisiana, where ICE maintains a deportation staging facility operated by the GEO Group. Thats the same corporation which operates the North Lake Processing Center in Baldwin, Michigan, ICEs largest detention facility in the Midwest. ICE-Flight-Monitor-US-Immigration-Enforcement-Flights-Report_Dec2025 Jessi Hanson-DeFusco, an assistant professor of public policy at Lawrence Technological University, also shared the potential risks for airports like Willow Run that are being used by ICE. Advertisement Advertisement Anyone who comes through one of our airports who has damages, suffers personal injuries, property damage, or was wrongfully detained, or has medical malpractice, will legally be able to sue any partners or entities, including counties like Wayne County for having taken part in that, she said. Are you sure, out of the thousands of people who have come through our airports, that each individual has received due process and was detained legally, lawfully and ethically? Conn also urged the broader Wayne County community to protest the use of the airport by ICE, adding that he urged airport employees to shut the airport down if needed. You must act. You must do everything you can, and you can do so much, he said. When this is such an injustice and so critical to the future of our country, we must take action. We must do everything we can. This is a threat to you and you and me, every single person here, he said. The second year of President Trump's second term just got more complicated for the nation's largest bank and its longtime CEO Jamie Dimon. On Thursday, Trump's legal team filed a $5 billion lawsuit against JPMorgan Chase (JPM) and Dimon, accusing the nations largest bank of debanking him, or terminating bank services, for political reasons. The lawsuit, filed in a a Florida court in Miami, accuses the bank of breaching its "implied convenant of good faith and fair dealing," citing the bank's code of conduct and "Dimon's lofty assertions" and quoting from the CEO's 2021 shareholder letter. "Despite claiming to hold these principles dear, JPMC violated them by unilaterally and without warning or remedy terminating several of Plaintiffs bank accounts," Trump's attorney wrote in the complaint. The move comes after Trump wrote in a social media post last weekend that he planned to sue the bank for "inappropriately debanking" him. A lawyer representing Trump in the suit stated in the filing that in February 2021, JPMorgan allegedly without warning or provocation, notified Trump, the Trump Organization and his family that several accounts they controlled would be closed in two months. The lawyer further alleged that JPMorgan's "unsubstantiated, 'woke' beliefs" prompted the decision for the bank to "distance itself from President Trump and his conservative political views." Jamie Dimon, CEO of JPMorgan Chase, leaves the U.S. Capitol after a meeting with Republican members of the Senate Banking Committee on the issue of debanking on Feb. 13, 2025. (Tom Williams/CQ-Roll Call, Inc via Getty Images) Tom Williams via Getty Images The suit further alleged that JPMorgan's actions "in violation of its code of conduct and Dimons lofty assertions, [are] a key indicator of a systemic, subversive industry practice that aims to coerce the public to shift and re-align their political views." A JPMorgan spokesperson said it plans to contest the lawsuit in court, according to emailed statements. While we regret President Trump has sued us, we believe the suit has no merit. We respect the Presidents right to sue us and our right to defend ourselves thats what courts are for," a JPMorgan spokesperson said in emailed comments. The bank said it "does not close accounts for political or religious reasons," adding that it does "close accounts because they create legal or regulatory risk for the company." For years, conservatives and certain industries, including crypto firms, have said that US banks have denied accounts to certain customers for political reasons. In August, Trump signed an executive order calling for federal bank regulators to investigate if the decisions made by agencies or financial institutions to deny access to certain customers were examples of politicized or unlawful debanking. BRISTOL, Va. (WJHL) The Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry (ATSDR) held a public meeting on Wednesday at Virginia High School to discuss its Bristol Quarry Landfill Health Consultation. The ATSDR is a federal agency that is part of the Public Health Service in the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS). The public meeting consisted of an overview by ATSDR Region 3 Director Michael Byrns of the agencys assessment of the now-closed landfill and remediation efforts. Advertisement Advertisement Byrns told News Channel 11 that the study followed community members ongoing complaints about the landfills odor and potential health hazards. The City of Bristol, Virginia, claimed in a statement that the findings in the report are misleading because it draws conclusions from stale data that is four years old, collected before remediation efforts began. We did an assessment of data that was collected by the Virginia Department of Environmental Quality and EPA in the City of Bristol for the landfill because of the concerns about the odors and people feeling like they were experiencing health effects, he said. Its mostly an opportunity for the public to engage with us and ask questions I think the risk of cancer is one concern that has come up. And, just the general health effects from the odor. Advertisement Advertisement A question and answer session took place with feedback from the following ATSDR experts, moderated by Mount Rogers Health District Director Meagan Helnick, PhD, MPH, CHES: Virginia Department of Health Christopher Reh, PhD; ATSDR Deputy Director Elizabeth Irvin, PhD; Epidemiologist and Director of the Office of Community Health and Hazard Assessment (OCHHA) Michelle Zeager, MD and Byrns. Byrns said the meeting was intended to facilitate an opportunity for residents to gain insight into the data collected and analyzed so far. The City said it has met all conditions under a consent decree approved by the Virginia Attorney Generals Office and Virginia Department of Environmental Quality. Copyright 2026 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WJHL | Tri-Cities News & Weather. The artificial intelligence boom dominates headlines: billion-dollar data centers, talent wars for engineers and endless hype about who will win the tech race. Whats missing is something far more basic: AI cannot be built or maintained without skilled tradespeople. A recent WIRED article said it plainly: the real AI talent war is for plumbers, electricians, and HVAC technicians. That matters deeply for Indiana. Between Googles major data-center investment in Fort Wayne and Metas campus at River Ridge, Indiana is helping build the physical backbone of the AI economy. Thats good news if we have the workforce to support it. Right now, we dont. Advertisement Advertisement Jacob Stewart: Indiana's data center boom will kill renewable energy This isnt just a local workforce issue. Its a national competitiveness issue. The U.S. is competing directly with countries like China, which are investing aggressively not only in AI, but in the infrastructure and labor needed to support it. If we cant staff the projects we recruit, we dont just fall behind; we hand the advantage to competitors who can. Workforce analysts and employers have warned for years about shortages in the skilled trades. This isnt a future problem. Its already slowing projects and threatening growth. Whats often misunderstood is why the shortage exists. Kids dont avoid the trades they often never see them as an option early enough. I saw this firsthand at a recent elementary career day: One student had never touched a drill, while another helps a parent on job sites. Same classroom. Same community. Very different exposure. Peyton French, a Henry County resident, holds a sign in support of a proposed data center during a Henry County planning commission meeting Thursday, Nov. 20, 2025, in New Castle, Ind. Board members recommended approval for a planned unit development near the intersection of Interstate 70 and State Road 109 in Henry County. The area will potentially house a data center. Theres not very many bigger jobs this side of the state, French said. This deserves attention from the Indiana Economic Development Corp., the River Ridge Development Authority, and Gov. Mike Brauns office. Attracting projects is only half the job. Staffing them is the other half. Advertisement Advertisement The future isnt built by buzzwords. Its built by people who know how to do the work. Elizabeth Northern lives in Indianapolis. This article originally appeared on Indianapolis Star: Indiana can't build AI data centers without skilled trades | Letters Charges are allegations only. All arrested persons are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt. SALT LAKE COUNTY, Utah (ABC4) A man in Utah has been placed in custody after reportedly stealing thousands of dollars worth of personal belongings in Salt Lake County. Michael Anthony Morales, 42, has been arrested for three counts of theft, theft of a firearm, theft of a vehicle, and pattern of unlawful activity. Kia Sportage theft According to court documents, on Jan. 13, the Salt Lake City Police Department received two reports of stolen property. The first complainant stated that his 2018 Gray Kia Sportage was broken into while parked in a parking lot in Salt Lake City. He told police that his front passenger window was broken and his camera equipment, computer, and AirTag were stolen. Advertisement Advertisement How to make ABC4 your preferred news source on Google On Jan. 14, the complainant used his AirTag tracker to locate his belongings near 4100 South and 4000 West in West Valley City. When he arrived at the address, he found a 2019 black GMC Arcadia. He activated the AirTags sound feature and heard it coming from the vehicle. A search warrant was served on the GMC. During the search, law enforcement discovered a stolen firearm, stolen personal documents, the first complainants stolen equipment, and drugs. Toyota 4Runner robbery Law enforcement also noticed a 2014 Gray Toyota Sienna parked next to the GMC. Court documents state that it belonged to the same possible owner of the GMC: Morales. An electronic search warrant was granted for the Toyota. Advertisement Advertisement Detectives used GPS tracking and found that on the morning of Jan. 15, the Toyota Sienna was near 3200 East and 6200 South in Holladay. A records check in the area showed that a third complainant reported to the Unified Police Department that his 2016 Silver Toyota 4Runner had been stolen from the Hampton Inn at 3210 East Millrock Road. The Toyota 4Runner was found parked in front of the Toyota Sienna in Salt Lake City. Toyota Tacoma break in Another complainant stated that her 2019 Toyota Tacoma was broken into while parked in Salt Lake City. She said that her back window was smashed and work bag with personal items was stolen. Detectives continued monitoring all vehicles and found the address that Morales was staying at. Law enforcement detained Morales and the two others who lived the apartment. Advertisement Advertisement Charging documents reveal new details about LDS church shooting after man charged with obstruction of justice Inside of the apartment, detectives located the keys to the stolen 4Runner, the first complainants stolen cameras and equipment, the second complainants Pandora heart Jewel, and several other items that were stolen from other burglaries in Salt Lake County over the past several weeks. During an interview with detectives, Morales admitted that he traded the work bag belonging to the owner of the Toyota Tacoma for drugs. Morales has been booked into the Salt Lake County Jail where he is being held without bail. Latest headlines: Advertisement Advertisement Copyright 2026 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to ABC4 Utah. Alabama Supreme Court Chief Justice Sarah Stewart has implemented a new and rarely used state law to expedite the court proceedings in the capital murder case of Lowndes County Sheriff John Big John Williams. The law, known as the Speedy Trial Act, allows the chief justice of the Alabama Supreme Court to appoint a sitting or retired judge to preside over a specific case or cases involving a violent offense. Under the act, the attorney general or a district attorney must request the appointments. Advertisement Advertisement Williams was shot to death outside the QV convenience store in Hayneville on Nov. 23, 2019. William Chase Johnson of Montgomery, 18, has been charged with murder. Stories by Heather Gann Alabama Attorney General Steve Marshalls Office requested the visiting judge appointment to ensure the case moves forward expeditiously, after the previous judge assigned to the case withdrew, according to a news release. Advertisement Advertisement Stewart on Wednesday appointed retired Circuit Judge Allen T. Jolley as a visiting judge in in Macon County Circuit Court to hear the case against Johnson. In her order, Stewart stated that the interests of the public require the expeditious resolution of this case to prevent undue delay and ensure the prompt administration of justice. The Macon County Circuit Clerk has been directed to provide Jolley with full access to the case file and notify all attorneys of record of the appointment, according to the release. Read the original article on al.com. BIRMINGHAM, Ala. (WIAT) With the potential for winter weather impacts across Alabama, the Alabama Law Enforcement Agency is urging drivers to prepare now for hazardous road conditions. Freezing temperatures combined with rain could create dangerous driving conditions, and conditions are expected to begin worsening on Friday, Jan. 23. ALEA encourages drivers to do the following before conditions get worse: Advertisement Advertisement Weather Aware: Winter Storm Bringing Major Impacts To Alabama This Weekend Keep your gas tank full Pack an emergency supply kit with a blanket, flashlight, first-aid kit and basic necessities Carry a fully charged cell phone and a vehicle charger Check antifreeze levels, tires and overall vehicle conditions before the weather arrives Use windshield washer fluid rated for freezing temperatures ALEA is also reminding drivers to follow the following safety tips: Avoid travel when hazardous conditions develop, if possible Slow down and increase following distance on wet, icy or slick roads Avoid using cruise control or Advanced Driver Assistance Systems such as adaptive cruise control, lane keeping assist, blind spot monitoring and traffic jam assist in rain, freezing temperatures or icy conditions. Use extreme caution on bridges and overpasses, which freeze before other roadways Be alert for changing conditions, especially overnight and early morning Turn on headlights during rain or reduced visibility and remain alert for emergency vehicles and first responders Advertisement Advertisement Copyright 2026 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to CBS 42. Snow, sleet, and ice could arrive in Upstate South Carolina as early as this weekend, potentially impacting travel, power, and school operations across Anderson and Pickens counties through next week. Forecasts predict that South Carolina could see snow or ice, along with freezing temperatures, starting on Saturday, Jan. 24. Upstate South Carolina is under a winter watch from Saturday, Jan. 24, at 7 a.m., until Monday, Jan. 26, at 1 p.m. Advertisement Advertisement Total snow and sleet accumulations are expected to be between one and three inches, and ice accumulations between one-half and one inch are possible, according to the weather service. More: SC hit with winter storm watch as snow, ice set to hit. Here's the latest Various agencies and organizations across Anderson and Pickens Counties are preparing for the upcoming storm. County emergency management, school districts, and local governments are preparing for potential worsening conditions as the storm intensifies over the weekend. Many are also worried about potential power outages and damage from falling limbs and trees. Emergency preparation According to Anderson County Emergency Management Director Josh Hawkins, the division is working with various organizations, agencies, and municipalities in preparation for the storm. Advertisement Advertisement The South Carolina Department of Transportation is working with the management divisions to pre-treat roads around Anderson. "We're hoping that will help with the significant ice. We want to make sure that our plans are all in place and all coincide with each other so that we make appropriate decisions to not only protect the citizens of Anderson, but also protect our responders," Hawkins said. Local hospitals, fire departments, and EMS stations are being notified by emergency management to be ready in case quick responses are needed after the storm hits. Will warming shelters open? Hawkins said the emergency division is considering opening a second warming shelter during this time. Advertisement Advertisement Currently, the only warming shelter in Anderson is HOPE Missions, located at 213 S. Towers St. The warming shelter will be open at various times daily through Feb. 2. The location and timing for a second shelter aren't determined yet. For people seeking medical shelter due to power outages caused by the storm, Hawkins urged them to call 1-833-351-9990. He said the number will be active for use after noon, Jan. 23. School districts monitoring weather Darian Byrd, the chief communications officer for the School District of Pickens County, said they're monitoring the current weather conditions. If they worsen and extend into next week, students might have to go to e-learning. Advertisement Advertisement "Each winter, our schools prepare for the possibility of inclement weather," The Pickens County School District said in a statement. "If there are any changes to the school schedule, staff and families will be notified through telephone calls, text messages, email, the district website, social media, and local news media." The school district's Weather Team consists of individuals from transportation, operations, and administration. Road conditions, bus routes, visibility, and timing will be evaluated to ensure safe transportation for students and employees. Anderson County School District One and Two Communications Coordinator, Jennifer Mazza, said the school districts are closely monitoring the winter storm and consulting with Emergency Management. At this time, they have not made any decisions regarding e-learning or class cancellations. Communities urged to come together Hawkins is recommending that people prepare for the storm with essential items. He recommended fueling vehicles and charging phones and devices. Advertisement Advertisement Before the winter weather hits, you can try stocking up on these snowstorm essentials in advance, per Direct Energy: Bottled water (one gallon per day for at least three days) Canned foods like soups and stews Snack food (package-sealed chips, crackers, and cookies) Cereal and granola Anything jarred, like jelly, pickles, and meats Canned tuna and salmon Shelf-stable peanut butter and other nut-based butters Dried pasta and jarred sauce Wax-sealed hard cheeses Hawkins also said this is a time when neighbors should support each other and make sure everyone can survive the potential outages a storm can cause. "Check on your neighbor, even if you've never met him, even if you've never seen him come outside. Go knock on the door, see if they need anything, and see if you can help them," He said. This article originally appeared on Anderson Independent Mail: How Anderson, Pickens counties are preparing for winter storm BAXTER COUNTY, Ark. An Arkansas man has been arrested on an outstanding bench warrant after being charged with three felony counts of sexual solicitation of a minor. According to a Baxter County Sheriffs Office press release, Kenny Ray Slack, 48, was arrested on Wednesday, Jan. 21, following an investigation in which he is accused of messaging people on Facebook whom he believed to be three juveniles. Law enforcement says they responded to an address on Highway 5 South on Aug. 31, 2025, to speak with representatives from an organization called Bikers Against Predators from Indiana. Advertisement Advertisement The organization explained that Slack had been messaging with what he believed to be two 13-year-old juveniles and one 10-year-old juvenile. Messages shown to officials were between June 8, 2025, and July 21, 2025, with sexually explicit content shown. A Bikers Against Predators representative showcased audio and visual recordings of contact with Slack through telephone and in person. The group reportedly planned to confront him about his conduct. Investigators read through the messages Slack had sent to what he thought was juveniles and found he was communicating in a sexual manner, the sheriffs office says. Slack indicated in the messages that he planned to drive to Indiana to pick up the juveniles, and is accused of knowing the ages of the fake juveniles. Advertisement Advertisement The case was sent to the Prosecuting Attorneys Office for formal charges, and the warrant was served on Wednesday. Slack has posted a $50,000 bond and is scheduled to appear in court on Monday, Jan. 26. Copyright 2026 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KOLR - OzarksFirst.com. Assembly Speaker Robin Vos and Assembly Minority Leader Greta Neubauer announced the agreement on WisconsinEye during a joint press conference on Thursday. (Photo by Baylor Spears/Wisconsin Examiner) Assembly Speaker Robin Vos (R-Rochester) and Assembly Minority Leader Greta Neubauer (D-Racine) announced a tentative agreement on providing state funding to WisconsinEye, the nonprofit that provides livestream coverage of state government. Its been a little over a month since WisconsinEye, which launched in 2007, halted its coverage of legislative hearings, floor sessions and other state government business due to financial difficulties. Since WisEye shut down, the state Capitol has held dozens of committee hearings without any being livestreamed and archived, and members of the public have been prohibited from recording or livestreaming. Only credentialed media has been allowed to record activity. Advertisement Advertisement Vos and Neubauer announced the agreement during a joint press conference on Thursday. According to Neubauer, the agreement will include an endowment, funded with the $10 million that lawmakers first set aside for WisconsinEye in 2023, as well as requirements that WisconsinEye fundraise to cover some operational costs. The interest will go to WisconsinEye each year so that they can fund the majority of their Capitol operations, Neubauer said. This is a really good start. Its very important for the public to have access, and so were optimistic that were going to reach a bipartisan solution here soon. Vos said legislators also want to sign a short-term contract with WisconsinEye so the organization can broadcast the February floor period. Well hopefully turn that into a longer term contract where we provide them limited funding, Vos said. I think its a win-win for all. Advertisement Advertisement As of Thursday, the Assembly will have met four times on the floor without livestreamed or archived coverage of the sessions. The Senate has met once with a livestream facilitated by the Legislative Technology Services Bureau. The Wisconsin Supreme Court has announced plans to livestream its upcoming oral arguments on the Wisconsin Court Systems website. The idea of having one network and one operation for the courts and another for the Legislature, another for the executive branch, certainly is going to cost more than any amount we would give WisconsinEye, Vos said. Theyve already done a pretty good job. Were going to make sure that theyre financially stable, and hopefully they continue doing the work that theyve already done. Vos said that under the tentative agreement, $10 million in state funds would go into a trust fund and the interest accrued from it would be given to a revamped board of directors. He said it would be still transparent and private. Advertisement Advertisement The $10 million in state funds was initially set aside in the state budget for the organization to use to build a permanent endowment, but it came with a requirement that WisconsinEye raise equivalent matching funds. The organization hasnt raised enough money to access the funds. In the weeks since shutting down, WisconsinEye launched a GoFundMe that has raised nearly $50,000 from more than 260 donations. Neubauer said that the interest from the trust fund is not expected to cover the organizations nearly $1 million annual budget, so there is an expectation that it would raise a few hundred thousand dollars each year. They have said they are able to do [that] and are optimistic, Neubauer said. Neubauer said there will also be a few other provisions related to additional transparency in the organizations operations and reporting to the Legislature. Advertisement Advertisement The agreement would also need support from the state Senate. Vos said there was a good discussion on Thursday morning, that Assembly leaders probably are more in sync than their counterparts in the other house of the Legislature. I think theyre still working through some of the details of how theyd like to work, and thats why we dont have a finalized agreement, Vos said. We wanted to get the bill out there, start the idea. If they have a different concept, well certainly go through to finalize it, but I think at least based on my discussions this morning, I feel like all four of us are in a similar place. I think our caucuses, wed like to have some kind of access, its just whats the best vehicle to do it. Senate Majority Leader Devin LeMahieu (R-Oostburg) told reporters on Wednesday that his caucus believes that giving the public access to see what were doing is important, but just blindly giving money to an organization thats asking us for money, but not giving us any answers, is certainly not the solution at this time. Lawmakers had sent questions to WisconsinEye requesting information on its operations and didnt receive answers until about 12 days after the deadline. SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX A deadly storm this week dumped nearly six months of rain on the Greek capital Athens in less than a day, one of the country's top weather experts told AFP on Thursday. Wednesday's storm lashed the country and left two dead, with disaster crews spending Thursday cleaning up debris. Kostas Lagouvardos, research director at the National Observatory in Athens, said the "extreme" weather phenomenon had dumped up to 170 millimetres of rain on the capital. Advertisement Advertisement That amounted to "about 40 percent of the rain that falls annually in Athens", he told AFP on the sidelines of a presentation of annual weather data for Greece. A 56-year-old woman died on Wednesday evening after being carried away by floodwater and trapped under a car in the Athens hillside suburb of Ano Glyfada. Hours earlier, a 53-year-old coastguard was hit by a wave and fatally hurt whilst trying to help locals secure their boats in the Peloponnese port town of Astros. The storm front moving eastwards across Greece saw winds exceed 100 kilometres (62 miles) an hour, prompting authorities in Athens and in the west and the south to shut schools. Advertisement Advertisement The fire department said it had responded to over 900 flood-related emergency calls across the capital. Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis cancelled a planned trip to the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland. Deadly flooding in Greece during intense rainfall in recent years has forced the authorities to improve floodworks to limit damage. In September 2023, the agricultural region of Thessaly in central Greece was devastated by a storm and catastrophic flooding that left 17 dead and drowned hundreds of thousands of farm animals. In November 2017, heavy rain in Mandra, a semi-rural region near Athens, left 25 dead and dozens injured. Advertisement Advertisement Experts have repeatedly called for infrastructure upgrades, especially in the greater Athens area, which is surrounded by mountains and crisscrossed by hundreds of waterways, most of them covered to accommodate rampant urbanisation in recent decades. wv-jph/jxb The FBI Atlanta announced on Wednesday that a local financial planner has pleaded guilty to orchestrating a Ponzi scheme with thousands of victims. Channel 2s Courtney Francisco was there as the FBI confirmed Todd Burkhalter took a plea deal. Investigators say Burkhalter founded Drive Planning in Alpharetta and advertised it as a financial planning business. [DOWNLOAD: Free WSB-TV News app for alerts as news breaks] They say he encouraged 2,000 people to invest their retirement and real estate funds, but there wasnt actually any property. Advertisement Advertisement Federal prosecutors say, in total, Burkhalter took $380 million. They say he spent that money on a yacht, clothes, jewelry, a condo in Cabo, Mexico, cars, private jet trips, beauty treatments and more. TRENDING STORIES: U.S. Attorney Theodore Hertzberg said that Burkhalters victims will likely never get their money back. A lot of this money is going to be lost, and thats the problem, and why people have to be so vigilant about what they invest in," he said. Burkhalter faced up to 20 years in prison, but prosecutors are recommending 17-and-a-half years because of the deal. [SIGN UP: WSB-TV Daily Headlines Newsletter] Jamie Dimon speaks at the World Economic Forum in Davos on Wednesday. Photograph: Denis Balibouse/Reuters Photograph: Denis Balibouse/Reuters Donald Trump has sued JPMorgan Chase and its CEO, Jamie Dimon, for at least $5bn after accusing Americas largest bank of debanking him. The US president alleged that the bank stopped offering him banking services in the wake of the Capitol riot on January 6. Earlier this month, he claimed it had incorrectly and inappropriately discriminated against him. Related: Trump says hell sue JPMorgan Chase for allegedly cutting him off after US Capitol riot The lawsuit was filed in Miami by Alejandro Brito, Trumps Miami-based personal lawyer, who also has been involved in Trumps legal action against media companies such as ABC News and the BBC for defamation. While we regret President Trump has sued us, we believe the suit has no merit, JP Morgan said in a statement. We respect the presidents right to sue us and our right to defend ourselves thats what courts are for. The bank does not close accounts for political or religious reasons, a spokesperson added. We do close accounts because they create legal or regulatory risk for the company. We regret having to do so but often rules and regulatory expectations lead us to do so. Shares in JP Morgan slipped slightly after the filing was first reported. They closed up 0.4% late in New York. In the lawsuit, Trumps lawyers alleged that the bank had put Trump, the Trump Organization and its affiliated entities, along with members of Trumps family, on a blacklist. JP Morgan did not provide plaintiffs with any recourse, remedy or alternative its decision was final and unequivocal, the lawsuit claims, claiming that Trump and the other plaintiffs are confident that JPMCs unilateral decision came about as a result of political and social motivations, and JPMCs unsubstantiated, woke beliefs that it needed to distance itself from President Trump and his conservative political reviews. Later on Thursday, Trump told reporters he had not spoken directly to Dimon. Last weekend, the president announced on social media he would file a lawsuit against the bank, accusing it of removing his accounts after the January 6 insurrection. Trump has said several banks, including JP Morgan and Bank of America, rejected his deposits after the riot, though both banks have denied the allegations. The post seemed to be inspired by a Wall Street Journal report that Trump had offered Dimon the role of Federal Reserve chair last year. Trump denied the accusation and said he would be suing the bank. In response to Saturdays social media post, JP Morgan said in a statement: We agree that no ones account should ever be closed because of political or religious beliefs. Australia's Liberal-National Coalition, the country's main opposition, has split after a row over hate speech laws, casting the future of Liberal leader Sussan Ley into doubt. The centre-right Coalition, which has been on rocky ground since a resounding election loss last year, had been divided over how to respond to reforms moved by the government after a terror attack targeting a Jewish festival at Bondi Beach killed 15 people last month. The Nationals ultimately refused to follow the shadow cabinet decision, a breach of longstanding Coalition rules. Advertisement Advertisement "Our party room has made it clear that we cannot be part of a shadow ministry under Sussan Ley," leader David Littleproud told reporters. Announcing the split on Thursday - a national day of mourning for those killed in the shooting on 14 December - Littleproud said the Coalition "was made untenable". He did not rule out a return to the Coalition, refusing to "speculate", but said it was "probably a good thing" if Australia's two main conservative parties spent "some time apart". It is the second time in less than a year that the Nationals have pulled out of the Coalition, with a brief split - largely over climate and energy policy - in May last year resolved within a week. Advertisement Advertisement Ley, whose leadership is under pressure, is yet to comment on the split. She released a statement on Thursday to mark the national day of mourning, saying "my responsibility as leader of the opposition and leader of the Liberal party is to Australians in mourning". Though both parties in the Coalition voted against legislation tightening gun controls, the Liberals had sided with the Labor government on Tuesday to pass hate speech reforms introduced after the Bondi Beach attack. But their Nationals colleagues abstained from the vote in the lower house and voted against the measure in the senate, despite a shadow cabinet agreement, citing concerns that the legislation had been rushed and posed a threat to free speech. The laws includes provisions that will ban groups deemed to spread hate and introduce tougher penalties for preachers who advocate violence. Advertisement Advertisement On Wednesday three Nationals frontbenchers offered their resignations, which Ley accepted despite a warning from Littleproud that if she accepted them the rest of the Nationals front bench would follow. The rest of the shadow cabinet duly resigned. "This process was wasn't all Sussan Ley's fault," Littleproud said. "Prime Minister Anthony Albanese put her in this process. But it has been mismanaged by Sussan Ley." Ley had already been struggling to assert her authority over the Coalition after being elected the Liberal party's first female leader after last year's bruising election defeat. Some political analysts and observers had predicted she would be ousted by the end of last year and Thursday's events have reignited those conversations. Advertisement Advertisement The Coalition, in its current form, dates back to the 1940s, and before the brief break-up last year, had not parted way since 1987. The Nationals mainly represent regional communities and often lean more conservative than the Liberals. On local radio, senior Nationals member Bridget McKenzie - who was one of the senators who went rogue - was asked: "Why on earth are you playing leadership games today?" "I think the timing's appalling," McKenzie told the Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC), but said the question was unfair. Former Liberal Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull, himself no stranger to scuffles with the Nationals, told the ABC both Coalition party leaders had "mismanaged" the disagreement and now faced an un-electability crisis. Advertisement Advertisement "It looks like just a smouldering wreckage, doesn't it?" he said of the Coalition. Another former Liberal leader and one of the nation's longest serving prime ministers, John Howard, told The Australian Ley had had "no choice" after the Nationals senators' revolt and had "behaved absolutely correctly". A former Austrian intelligence official pleaded not guilty Thursday to charges that include handing over sensitive devices and selling secret information to Russia. The trial is the latest to stem from a sprawling case that broke in 2024 and centres on former agent Egisto Ott. The 63-year-old faces a slew of charges including suspected abuse of office, corruption and espionage to the detriment of Austria. He has denied the accusations. Advertisement Advertisement Through his actions, Ott risked inflicting "serious damage" on Austria's reputation among friendly intelligence services, according to the indictment seen by AFP. Between 2015 and 2022, Ott is alleged to have acted on the orders of Jan Marsalek, an Austrian executive of collapsed German payment processing firm Wirecard, in return for a total payment of more than 80,000 euros. Fugitive Marsalek is wanted on fraud charges and is suspected of working for Russia's intelligence services (FSB). On the first day of his trial in Vienna, Ott pleaded "not guilty" to the charges, according to an AFP reporter. Advertisement Advertisement "I am innocent, and I reject all the prosecutor's accusations," Ott told the court. The trial had kicked off at 9:00 am local time (0800 GMT) at Vienna's criminal court, with dozens of journalists thronging around Ott, who was dressed entirely in black. Ott could face up to five years in prison if found guilty, according to local media. His lawyer, Anna Mair, defended Ott's not guilty plea, claiming that if he did indeed carry out research, it was for Austria and approved by his superiors, and not for Russia. "It is the job of spies to gather information, even outside their official mandate," she told the jury. Advertisement Advertisement - 'Assassination manual' - To gather information, Ott allegedly used "European databases" and sent "requests for assistance" to Italy and Britain, which resulted in those countries "unknowingly acting in the interest" of Moscow, prosecutors say. Prosecutors also accuse Ott of handing over several cell phones of top Austrian interior ministry officials. This gave the Kremlin access to thousands of contacts and put at risk the safety of Ukrainian and Chechen refugees living in Austria. He is also accused of handing over an encrypted laptop containing "hardware for secure electronic communication not publicly known". Advertisement Advertisement The laptop, designed by a German company, was handed over to the FSB and sold on to Iran, according to the indictment. Through his access to databases, Ott is alleged to have been able to leak information on individuals "at risk of reprisals" such as a former Russian spy who had taken refuge in Montenegro. Investigators also found a document Ott had allegedly written after the 2019 murder of a Georgian man of Chechen origin in Berlin by an agent sent by Moscow. Prosecutors dubbed it an "instruction manual for future smooth and successful assassinations on EU territory". Austria long saw itself as a bridge between Moscow and the West, but in recent years the EU member country has been rocked by several cases centred on suspected spying for Russia. Advertisement Advertisement Ott was suspended from his post at Austria's intelligence services in 2017. He has already been tried and acquitted of charges of violating official secrecy for allegedly passing information to a far-right politician. bg-kym/st Former intelligence official Egisto Ott has gone on trial in Vienna, accused of spying for Russia in what is being dubbed Austria's biggest spy trial in years. Egisto Ott, who told the court on Thursday that he was not guilty, is charged with having handed over information to Russian intelligence officers and to Jan Marsalek, the fugitive executive of collapsed German payments firm Wirecard. The prosecutor told the court that Ott, 63, was "not romantic about Russia" but had acted out of financial motives and frustration with his career. "Simply put, this was betraying the country." he said. Advertisement Advertisement Ott's lawyer, Anna Mair, rejected the allegations. "Don't you think that if he had really been spying for Russia, he would have covered his tracks?" she asked. The prosecutor argued that people like Ott were "very susceptible" to working for the Russians, saying: "They are frustrated in their careers and urgently need money." Ott had done "excellent" work for the Russian secret service", the prosecution added. The former intelligence official had been broke since 2013 at the latest, the court heard: "The Russian secret service pays very well." Advertisement Advertisement He is alleged to have "abused his authority" as an Austrian intelligence official by collecting large amounts of personal data, such as locations, vehicle registration numbers, or travel movements. Prosecutors say he did this between 2015 and 2020 without authorisation, often using national and international police databases. They also accuse him of supporting "a secret intelligence service of the Russian Federation to the detriment of the Republic of Austria" by collecting secret facts and a large amount of personal data from police databases between 2017 and 2021. As well as abuse of authority, Egisto Ott is charged with corruption and espionage against Austria and if found guilty faces up to five years in prison. Advertisement Advertisement The spy scandal has revived fears that Austria remains a hotbed of Russian espionage activity and observers will also be watching closely for details that could emerge about Jan Marsalek. Marsalek, who is also an Austrian citizen, is wanted by German police for alleged fraud and is currently believed to be in Moscow, having fled via Austria in 2020. The subject of an Interpol Red Notice, he is alleged to be an intelligence asset for the FSB, Russia's secretive security service. Prosecutors allege that Egisto Ott handed information to Marsalek and unknown representatives of the Russian intelligence service, and received payment in return. Advertisement Advertisement In 2022, they say, Marsalek commissioned him to obtain a laptop containing secret electronic security hardware used by EU states for secure electronic communication. The laptop, they say, was handed over to the Russian intelligence service. Ott is also accused of handing over three Austrian government cell phones to Russia via Marsalek. The devices belonged to high-ranking employees of the Austrian interior ministry. Ott told the court he had not handed over the cell phones to anyone - "certainly not to the Russian secret service". He said he had "physically destroyed" the devices by smashing them with a hammer. He said the media had made him "public enemy number one" and rejected the prosecutor's claims that he was frustrated or broke. "I am almost 64 years old and want nothing more than to retire," he said. Jan Marsalek, former executive at Wirecard, is believed to have escaped to Moscow [Munich Police] Meanwhile, prosecutors in the Austrian town of Wiener Neustadt have told the BBC that a former MP, Thomas Schellenbacher, has been charged with helping Marsalek to escape following the collapse of the Wirecard company in 2020, when it emerged that 1.9bn (1.7bn) was missing from its accounts. Advertisement Advertisement Schellenbacher is alleged to have helped Jan Marsalek fly to Belarus, from Bad Voslau in Austria, in June 2020. Schellenbacher was an MP for the far-right Freedom Party (FPO), which has been accused by Austria's Green Party, now in opposition, of enabling Russian espionage, of acting as "an extension of Russia's arm" in Austria. The FPO and its leader Herbert Kickl have denied the allegations - and have not faced any legal action in connection with any of them. Marsalek, who was the Wirecard's Chief Operating Officer, has since been charged with fraud and embezzlement, suspected of having inflated company's balance sheet total and sales volume. Advertisement Advertisement He is also believed to have been the controller of a group of Bulgarians who were convicted in London in 2025, of spying for Russia. Messages from that trial reveal Marsalek has had plastic surgery to alter his appearance as well as details of his life as a fugitive. "I'm off to bed. Had another cosmetic surgery, trying to look differently, and I am dead tired and my head hurts," he wrote to one of the Bulgarians, Roussev, on Telegram in February 2022. In another, dated 11 May 2021, Roussev congratulated Marsalek for learning Russian. "Well I am trying to improve my skills on a few fronts. Languages is one of them," the Austrian responded. "In my new role as an international fugitive I must outperform James Bond." WASHINGTON (AP) A Cuban migrant held in solitary confinement at an immigration detention facility in Texas died after guards held him down and he stopped breathing, according to an autopsy report released Wednesday that ruled the death a homicide. Geraldo Lunas Campos died Jan. 3 following an altercation with guards. U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement said the 55-year-old father of four was attempting suicide and the staff tried to save him. But a witness told The Associated Press last week that Lunas Campos was handcuffed as at least five guards held him down and one put an arm around his neck and squeezed until he was unconscious. Advertisement Advertisement His death was one of at least three reported in little more than a month at Camp East Montana, a sprawling tent facility in the desert on the grounds of Fort Bliss, an Army base. The autopsy report by the El Paso County Medical Examiners Office found Lunas Campos' body showed signs of a struggle, including abrasions on his chest and knees. He also had hemorrhages on his neck. The deputy medical examiner, Dr. Adam Gonzalez. determined the cause of death was asphyxia due to neck and torso compression. The report said witnesses saw Lunas Campos become unresponsive while being physically restrained by law enforcement. It did not elaborate on what happened during the struggle but cited evidence of injuries to his neck, head and torso associated with physical restraint. The report also noted the presence of petechial hemorrhages tiny blood spots from burst capillaries that can be associated with intense strain or injury in the eyelids and skin of the neck. Dr. Victor Weedn, a forensic pathologist who reviewed the autopsy report for AP, said the presence of petechiae in the eyes support the conclusion that asphyxia caused the death. Those injuries suggest pressure on the body and are often associated with such deaths, he said. Advertisement Advertisement He said the contusions on Lunas Campos body may reflect physical restraint and the neck injuries were consistent with a hand or knee on the neck. The autopsy also found the presence of prescription antidepressant and antihistamine medications, adding that Lunas Campos had a history of bipolar disorder and anxiety. It made no mention of him attempting suicide. Government provided changing accounts of what happened ICE's initial account of the death, which included no mention of an altercation with guards, said Lunas Campos had become disruptive and staff moved him into a cellblock where detainees are held away from others. Advertisement Advertisement While in segregation, staff observed him in distress and contacted on-site medical personnel for assistance, the agency said in its Jan. 9 statement. Medical staff responded, initiated lifesaving measures, and requested emergency medical services. Lunas Campos was pronounced dead after paramedics arrived. Last Thursday, after Lunas Campos' family was first informed the death was likely to be ruled a homicide, Department of Homeland Security spokesperson Tricia McLaughlin amended the government's account, saying he had attempted suicide and guards tried to help him. Campos violently resisted the security staff and continued to attempt to take his life, she said. During the ensuing struggle, Campos stopped breathing and lost consciousness. Advertisement Advertisement After the final autopsy report was released Wednesday, McLaughlin issued a statement emphasizing that Lunas Campos was a criminal illegal alien and convicted child sex predator. New York court records show Lunas Campos was convicted in 2003 of sexual contact with a person under 11, a felony for which he was sentenced to one year in jail and placed on the states sex offender registry. Lunas Campos was also sentenced to five years in prison and three years of supervision in 2009 after being convicted of attempting to sell a controlled substance, according to the New York corrections records. He completed the sentence in January 2017. ICE takes seriously the health and safety of all those detained in our custody," McLaughlin said Wednesday, adding that the agency was investigating the death. DHS has not responded to questions about whether any outside law enforcement agency was also investigating. Deaths put a spotlight on Camp East Montana Advertisement Advertisement The AP reported in August that the $1.2 billion contract to build and operate Camp East Montana, expected to become the largest detention facility in the U.S., was awarded to a private contractor headquartered in a single-family home in Richmond, Virginia. The company, Acquisition Logistics LLC, had no prior experience running a corrections facility and has subcontracted with other companies to help operate the camp. It was not immediately clear whether the guards present when Lunas Campos died were government employees or those of a private contractor. A final determination of homicide by the medical examiner would typically be critical in determining whether any guards are held criminally or civilly liable. The fact that Lunas Campos died on an Army base could limit state and local officials legal jurisdiction to investigate. Lunas Campos was among the first detainees sent to Camp Montana East, arriving in September after ICE arrested him in Rochester, New York, where he lived for more than two decades. He was legally admitted to the U.S. in 1996, part of a wave of Cuban immigrants seeking to reach Florida by boat. Advertisement Advertisement ICE said he was picked up in July as part of a planned immigration enforcement operation due to criminal convictions that made him eligible for removal. In addition to Lunas Campos, ICE announced that on Dec. 3 an immigrant from Guatemala held in Camp East Montana died after being transferred to a El Paso hospital for care. While the cause of death was still pending, the agency said Francisco Gaspar-Andres, 48, was suspected to have died of liver and kidney failure. On Sunday, ICE announced that Victor Manuel Diaz, a 36-year-old immigrant from Nicaragua, died at Camp East Montana on Jan. 14 of a presumed suicide. The agency said Diaz was detained by ICE earlier this month during the immigration crackdown in Minneapolis. Unlike with the two prior deaths, Diaz's body wasn't sent to the county medical examiner in El Paso. McLaughlin said Wednesday that the autopsy for Diaz is being performed at the Army medical center at Fort Bliss. DHS again did not respond to questions about whether any agency other than ICE will investigate the death. Advertisement Advertisement Rep. Veronica Escobar, a Democrat whose district includes El Paso, called on DHS Secretary Kristi Noem and acting ICE Director Todd M. Lyons to brief Congress about the recent deaths. DHS must preserve all evidence including halting their effort to deport the witnesses, Escobar said Wednesday. I reiterate my call for Camp East Montana to be shut down and for the contract with the corporation running it to be terminated. ___ Foley reported from Iowa City. Farmers on land and sea across B.C. are pleased to learn tariffs on exports of their products to China will be lowered in coming weeks, but some say high tariffs should never have been an issue to begin with. China imposed 25 per cent tariffs on a range of Canadian products in March 2025, in response to Canada slapping a 100 per cent tariff on Chinese EVs in 2024. For many British Columbian food producers, that meant having to reduce the sale price of their goods to get China to buy them, if they continued to purchase at all; according to B.C. Crab Fishermens Association executive director Megan Eadie, the value of Dungeness crabs, for example, was down 34 per cent compared to the year prior. Advertisement Advertisement It's a loss of about $25.3 million in those months, and the harvesters have really felt that, she told CBCs On The Island. LISTEN | Some products remain unclear: She said some harvesters were considering closing up shop, but the news of the trade deal came at just the right time. Our crab season starts in April, Eadie said. Crab fishermen tend to think in terms of that season when they're planning their business, so now they're able to think about a 2026 season that might be back to normal and that they might therefore have been able to weather this storm. Eadie was one of many happy to hear that, following Prime Minister Mark Carneys trade mission to China, Beijing will remove tariffs on Canadian canola meal, lobsters, crab and peas as of March until at least the end of 2026. According to the Canadian government , this will improve market access to $2.6 billion worth of Canadian agricultural goods. Advertisement Advertisement Tariffs on canola seed will be reduced to 15 per cent. It really feels like a huge win. Crab fishermen are feeling hopeful for the first time since March," Eadie said. B.C. Grain Producers Association president Malcolm Odermatt also welcomes the news, but says tariffs never should have soared that high to begin with. Theres good relief however its frustrating that it even had to occur in the first place, he said. China was very slow in putting on these tariffs, they gave us tons of warning, and the federal government didnt listen and they went through. Some products uncertain When Katie Lindsay with the B.C. Underwater Harvesters Association heard the tariff news, she was doing cartwheels. Advertisement Advertisement But the celebration quickly died down as she read further to find that geoducks large saltwater clams known for their long siphon arent specifically listed as a product that will be impacted by the changes. Instead, the preliminary agreement between the two countries indicates other products. Were still not really sure what those products are, Lindsay said. She said geoduck harvesters remain hopeful they will be included once the deal is finalized. And while hope and relief are a common theme among food producers who have been affected by tariffs between China and Canada, Northpine Farmers Institute president Wayne Kuzak said theres more to do in regard to canola farming in particular, hed like to see more canola processing done locally. Were not out of the woods yet by any means, he said. CHEYENNE Wyomings high veteran population and rural landscape pose a unique set of challenges, veterans told U.S. Sen. John Barrasso, R-Wyo., and U.S. Secretary of Veterans Affairs Doug Collins on Wednesday. Representatives from various veterans organizations were invited to voice their challenges to Collins and Barrasso at a veterans roundtable, hosted at the Wyoming National Guard Joint Forces Readiness Center. The concerns varied, including efficiency of services, quality of care, cost of care, transportation and staffing. Advertisement Advertisement This is a frontier state (with) extra challenges due to the distances, Barrasso stated to the media following the event. We have a high percentage of the population of Wyoming who have served in the military. And were doing a lot right to help our veterans, and we can always do better. We just heard ways to improve the system. The effort to hear from veterans follows last months announcement that the Department of Veterans Affairs intends to reorganize the management structure of the Veterans Health Administration (VHA), with the goals of improving health care for veterans, empowering local VA medical directors, eliminating duplicative layers of bureaucracy and ensuring consistent application of VA policies across all department medical facilities. My hope is, by the time that I leave this job, that theyll be able to say that Ive been to one VA, Ive been to them all, Collins told roundtable attendees. You cant say that right now. Wyoming presents many opportunities for Collins to make progress on his goals to reduce redundancies, ensure the quality of care and assure veterans that they should not have to pay to receive help from the VA, based on the issues local veterans and veteran advocates have brought to the table. Advertisement Advertisement Russell Stafford, who spoke on behalf of the Wyoming American Legion, brought up communication issues within the medical system, excessively long wait times for care, and the needs of the Veterans Home of Wyoming, located in Buffalo, which is struggling to maintain veterans living standards due to lack of funding. Lyle Wadda, who spoke on behalf of some of Wyomings veterans from the Wind River Indian Reservation, brought up serious transportation issues and trouble with access to buses to transport veterans. Other veterans also discussed the challenges of transportation in Wyoming. Having veterans in rural areas means that veterans in their 80s and 90s are looking at long, hard travel days to access their benefits, or theyre relying on inconsistent home care or transportation services, several veterans told Barrasso and Collins. Advertisement Advertisement Wyoming Veterans Commission Chairman Kelly Ivanoff pointed out that while care should be the same in every state, Wyomings unique landscape and population will require unique solutions. The difference in Wyoming is our veterans are in Medicine Bow, Wright and Lovell, Ivanoff said. We plan to travel in Wyoming as folks do in Afghanistan. Ivanoff, who served in Afghanistan, continued to say that Wyoming and Afghanistan have similar geographic travel challenges. Long routes over mountain ranges mean that a simple blood draw can become a full-day affair. Collins addressed most concerns either by discussing what solutions were in process or promising to give the issue more attention outside of the roundtable. Advertisement Advertisement One man brought up an issue with having to retake medical exams because the documentation of exams was not being properly shared between medical professionals. Others brought up claim sharks taking advantage of older veterans and convincing them to pay thousands for help that the VA provides for free. Collins discussed the many ways these issues will be addressed in the reorganization of the VHA. With the reorganization, some local veterans are concerned about losing access to care, but Collins assured those present that there was no need to worry. I think the only concern about care that they need to be worried about is how much better care theyre going to get, Collins said. Oklahoma County District Attorney Vicki Behenna has announced she will be seeking the death penalty in the case of a 24-year-old accused of killing an Oklahoma City convenience store employee in 2024. It will be the first death penalty case brought by Behenna in her three years as the Oklahoma County DA. Anthony Gonzalez is charged with the first-degree murder of 18-year-old Jaedynn Anthony, a clerk who'd been working alone overnight at the 7-Eleven gas station at Wilshire Boulevard and Council Road. Advertisement Advertisement On Oct. 18, 2024, around 2 a.m., a man that prosecutors identified as Gonzalez was seen on surveillance footage walking into the store and appearing to make a purchase, according to a news release from the DA's office. The video showed Jaedynn Anthony opening the cash register and handing the man money from the drawer, after which he stabbed her and fled on foot, the DA's office said. Callers to 911 later found the convenience store employee "in medical distress," Oklahoma City police said, but after officers arrived around 2:45 a.m., she was dead. The man had fled on foot with less than $40, according to prosecutors. Gonzalez was arrested Oct. 22, 2024, in a joint operation by OKC police and the US Marshals Service. According to a GoFundMe page organized by her family, Anthony was a "bright light in our lives, full of dreams and laughter." She was survived by a son, Brayden, who was just 13 months old at the time of her death. As detailed by the fundraising page, Anthony had recently taken the gas station job to secure an apartment on her own and support herself and her child. Jaedynn Anthony, 18, was killed during a robbery at a convenience store in Oklahoma City, leaving behind her 13-month-old son, Brayden. Behenna, who won election in 2022 as the county's first female district attorney, had not sought the death penalty in a murder case since she took office. She had dropped the death penalty from several cases filed by previous district attorney David Prater, who'd retired after 16 years in the position. Advertisement Advertisement Brook Arbeitman, a spokeswoman for the county prosecutor, confirmed that the case against Gonzalez is the first in which Behenna will pursue the death penalty as the DA. "Our office treats the decision to seek the death penalty with the utmost seriousness," Behenna said in a news release announcing the decision Wednesday, Jan. 21. "It is never made lightly and never made in haste. This determination is based on a careful review of the facts, the law, and extensive discussion with experienced prosecutors in my office." More: Executions in OK County are among the highest in the nation. The DA may change that In a bill of particulars filed Wednesday morning, prosecutors cited multiple "aggravating circumstances" justifying the decision. The DA's office described the murder as "especially heinous," committed for the purpose of preventing a lawful arrest, with the probability that the accused would continue constituting a threat to society. Advertisement Advertisement Gonzalez appeared in Oklahoma County court before Judge Jason Glidewell on Wednesday. Upon hearing testimony from witnesses and reviewing exhibits, Glidewell bound Anthony Gonzalez over to stand trial, according to court records. Gonzalez remains in custody on a $10 million bond. His arraignment is scheduled for April 1. Behenna is a former federal prosecutor and the previous executive director of the Oklahoma Innocence Project, an organization dedicated to identifying and reversing wrongful convictions. A Democrat, she has registered her reelection campaign for district attorney with the Oklahoma Ethics Commission. The election is November 3. This article originally appeared on Oklahoman: Death penalty pursued in 2024 OKC gas station murder case Big Dog Ranch Rescue in Loxahatchee has a new pet lodge, where it will offer free dog boarding to veterans and deployed soldiers. The $4 million, 18,000-square-foot Patriot Pet Lodge opened on Jan. 19 at the rescue along Okeechobee Boulevard. Big Dog Ranch Rescue is Palm Beach Countys largest no-kill, cage-free dog rescue, according to a spokesperson. The lodge has 80 private rooms that can house as many as 160 dogs. It will also help grow the nonprofits veteran dog training programs, which train service dogs for veterans in need. Advertisement Advertisement The Patriot Pet Lodge reflects our unwavering commitment to the men and women who have served our country, wrote Lauree Simmons, the rescues founder, in a prepared statement. By removing the burden of pet care during deployment or times of need, were able to support veterans while ensuring their dogs are safe, loved, and cared for. Live cam: Florida manatees huddle at West Palm FPL plant to stay warm in cold weather In May 2025, Gov. Ron DeSantis traveled to Big Dog Ranch Rescue to sign two bills aimed at cracking down on animal negligence and abuse. The rescue has 800 dogs available for adoption in Palm Beach County right now, a spokesperson said. Maya Washburn covers northern Palm Beach County for The Palm Beach Post, part of the USA TODAY Florida-Network. Reach her at mwashburn@pbpost.com. Support local journalism: Subscribe today. This article originally appeared on Palm Beach Post: Big Dog Ranch Rescue opens free dog boarding spot for Florida veterans State Sen. Ben Adams took an unconventional approach with his proposal to preserve public lands, he told fellow lawmakers. In August, months before the 2026 legislative session, Adams publicly proposed to amend the states constitution to prevent Idaho from selling off lands it acquired from the federal government. The Nampa Republican proposed to create a public lands trust fund to distribute revenues from any such lands to outdoor facilities and public schools in rural communities. I wanted feedback, he told members of the Senate State Affairs Committee on Wednesday. I wanted a lot of feedback, because it dealt with and deals with a very personal matter for every Idahoan, and that is our public land here in Idaho. Sen. Ben Adams, R-Nampa He got what he hoped for. Since August, hes had thousands of conversations with Idaho residents about his proposed language. The gist of his written proposal stayed the same, though he made tweaks that cleaned it up, he said Advertisement Advertisement The beauty of this is it didnt lose the heart of this amendment, he told committee members. Adams initially floated his plan after U.S. Sen. Mike Lee, a Utah Republican, proposed in June to sell off millions of acres of public land, including in Idaho. Rep. Rod Furniss, R-Rigby, told the Idaho Capital Su n at the time that his mailbox had exploded with messages from people opposed to the idea. In response, protecting public lands emerged as a rare point of consensus among Idaho lawmakers across the political spectrum. Lees plan was shelved, at least for now. But in Boise, the state Senate committee voted unanimously to introduce Adams bill, which will allow it to receive a full committee hearing with public testimony. Advertisement Advertisement Unlike a bill, which needs only a simple majority to pass both chambers, amending the Idaho Constitution requires the support of two-thirds of both the state House and Senate. If Adams amendment secures those votes, it would appear as a ballot measure for voters on the November 2026 general election ballot. The Idaho Conservation League is excited about the proposal, said John Robison, the organizations public lands and wildlife director. The league has questions about the specifics of how the public fund would be managed, he told the Idaho Statesman, but appreciates the measure as a big conversation-starter. There might be more ideas coming our way, Robison said. Sweet Connie Trail (Sarah A. Miller/Sarah A. Miller) To protect Idaho public lands, GOP lawmaker wants to change state constitution New map shows public land in Idaho flagged for potential disposal Senate Bill 69 may be the one piece of proposed legislation in 2026 that any Utah kid old enough to own a cellphone likely holds an opinion about. So perhaps its apt that SB69 is being tackled during the opening days of the 2026 Legislature. That bill, of course, enhances the states current default K-12 cellphone policy by prohibiting cellphones in school from opening bell to closing bell. Last year, lawmakers passed a bill restricting cellphones during class time while allowing schools or districts to opt for a different standard. Advertisement Advertisement But many including Utah Gov. Spencer Cox said simply restricting students from using their cellphones during class instruction didnt go far enough. I am convinced, more than ever, that a bell-to-bell cellphone ban is the single most important thing that we can do for our students in our schools today, said Cox earlier this month when announcing the enhanced cellphone policy. The enhanced bills co-sponsor Sen. Lincoln Fillmore, R-South Jordan said during Wednesdays Senate Education Committee meeting that his proposal is not a state-mandated cellphone ban. Sen. Lincoln Fillmore, R-South Jordan, presents in the Senate Education Committee on SB69 a bell-to-bell phone ban in Utah schools in Salt Lake City on Wednesday, Jan. 21, 2026. | Scott G Winterton, Deseret News But rather, added Fillmore, it recognizes that cellphones are ever-present. If the state does nothing, then were putting this entirely on schools to decide. Advertisement Advertisement If ratified, SB69 would enhance the states default policy by prohibiting student cellphone use bell-to-bell. However, the bill empowers school districts to craft the policy that is right for every school district but to do so in a way that frames the question as: How can we integrate this technology into our education to make it more meaningful and more helpful so that students and families can thrive?. Said Committee member Sen. Mike McKell of SB69: This is arguably one of the most significant bills of the entire session. We are long overdue. Heavy-handed legislation? Sen. Dave Hinkins, R-Orangeville, whispers to Sen. Kathleen Riebe, D-Cottonwood Heights, during public comments as Sen. Lincoln Fillmore, R-South Jordan, presents in the Senate Education Committee on SB69 a bell-to-bell phone ban in Utah schools in Salt Lake City on Wednesday, Jan. 21, 2026. | Scott G Winterton, Deseret News Sen. Kathleen Riebe, D-Cottonwood Heights, cast Wednesdays lone vote against sending the bell-to-bell cellphone prohibition bill for full Senate consideration, calling it heavy-handed. Advertisement Advertisement Riebe said violence remains a problem in schools and students having access to cellphones may present a remedy. If you have a student that feels threatened or they feel uncomfortable at school, their phone is their lifeline. Utah K-12 students who are learning English also rely upon cellphones during class as translation tools, argued Riebe, adding that the default policy forces teachers to police their classroom. I think that there are a lot of kids that are using their phones really wisely, said Riebe. I have two phones, and when somebody asks me a question, and I dont understand what they asked, I Google it right away. Now why would we take a tool like that away from our kids? Advertisement Advertisement Responding to Riebes concerns, Fillmore said that the bill articulates allowances for cellphone use during school emergencies emphasizing that any school district may establish any policy for any other circumstance when a student may use a cellphone. Every school district is empowered to make that decision locally. Committee meeting: Broad public support for bell-to-bell Liddy Johnson, a senior at Northridge High School, gives testimony as Sen. Lincoln Fillmore, R-South Jordan, presents in the Senate Education Committee on SB69 a bell-to-bell phone ban in Utah schools in Salt Lake City on Wednesday, Jan. 21, 2026. | Scott G Winterton, Deseret News Several people participated in the public comment period Wednesday with all expressing support for the bell-to-bell cellphone prohibition. Liddy Johnson, a senior at Laytons Northridge High School, said she has experienced school with and without cellphones. During her first couple years of high school, Johnson used only a flip phone. She remembers being more focused and more present during her classes. I wasnt distracted by notifications, social media or the internet and my attention was on my teachers and my schoolwork. And I learned better because of it. Advertisement Advertisement When Johnson switched to a smartphone she noticed a difference. Focusing and paying attention in class became challenging. She saw the same thing happening with her peers. The second that classes end, everybodys straight on their phones and they arent staying engaged in school, Johnson said. A bell-to-bell ban on cell phones is about creating a better learning environment. Kathleen Barlow is a mother, grandmother, educator and a founding member of the Smartphone Free Childhood/U.S. Some people, she said, argue that students need access to their phones to best learn how to manage their phone usage. I would propose that the best way we can help our kids learn how to manage their phones is to learn how to be comfortable staying off of them. WASHINGTON President Donald Trump on Thursday, Jan. 22, sued JPMorgan Chase & Co. and its CEO Jamie Dimon, accusing the bank of dropping Trump as a client for political reasons after the Jan. 6, 2021, attack on the U.S. Capitol. The lawsuit, which which filed in state court in Florida, seeks $5 billion in damages and other costs. Trump's attorneys argue the president and his companies "suffered considerable financial harm and losses" after JPMorgan on Feb. 19, 2021, gave a two-month notification that several bank accounts Trump controlled would be closed. "Plaintiffs are confident that JPMCs unilateral decision came about as a result of political and social motivations, and JPMCs unsubstantiated, 'woke' beliefs that it needed to distance itself from President Trump and his conservative political views," the lawsuit reads. "In essence, JPMC debanked Plaintiffs Accounts because it believed that the political tide at the moment favored doing so." The lawsuit describes a "devastating impact" for Trump by JPMorgan denying him the ability to access money in the accounts and by having to enter into less-favorable business arrangements with other financial institutions. The lawsuit alleges that JPMorgan's decision was "final and unequivocal" with no recourse, remedy or alternative. Trump experienced initial blowback in the business world in the weeks after a mob of his supporters attacked the Capitol on Jan, 6, 2021, in an attempt to overturn his loss in the 2020 election. He was also impeached by the House of Representatives and charged with federal crimes. The federal charges against him were dismissed after he won the 2024 election. More: Trump says US getting 'total access' to Greenland JPMorgan responded to the lawsuit in a statement. "While we regret President Trump has sued us, we believe the suit has no merit. We respect the President's right to sue us and our right to defend ourselves," JPMorgan said. Trump teased the lawsuit against Dimon and his bank for several days. Over the weekend, Trump wrote on his social media website Truth Social that he planned to sue JPMorgan within two weeks for "incorrectly and inappropriately DEBANKING me after the January 6th Protest, a protest that turned out to be correct for those doing the protesting The Election was RIGGED!" The lawsuit was filed as Trump returned back to Washington, DC, from Davos, Switzerland, where he attended the annual World Economic Forum meeting. Dimon was also at the summit, featuring the world's top political and business leaders. JPMorgan Chase CEO Jamie Dimon attends the 56th annual World Economic Forum meeting in Davos, Switzerland, January 21, 2026. Dimon criticized Trump's heightened immigration enforcement actions in a panel talk in Davos. I dont like what Im seeing, five grown men beating up a little old lady, Dimon said, adding that, "I think we should calm down a little bit on the internal anger about immigration. Indiana may become the latest state to require public schools teach students to wait until marriage to have children part of a newly popularized, yet controversial, effort based on an early 2000s theory that following a specific "success sequence" could virtually eliminate poverty. The sequence, which Senate Bill 88 adds to a list of "good citizenship instruction," includes earning a high school degree, getting a full-time job and waiting to have kids after marriage. The idea emerged from a 2006 report for the National Campaign to Prevent Teen Pregnancy before catching the eye of think tanks including Brookings, the American Enterprise Institute and the Heritage Foundation, the group behind Project 2025. Advertisement Advertisement Critics, though, say it lacks sufficient evidence and shames students for whom the issue may be personal or sensitive. Legislation promoting the sequence has passed in Utah and Tennessee and has been considered in a handful of other states. The Indiana bill passed out of the Senate Education Committee along party lines on Jan. 21 and now heads to the full Senate for consideration. How does the 'success sequence' fight poverty? Groups that have promoted the "success sequence" argue that following its three rules can uplift young people who are born into poverty even when the odds appear stacked against them. Sen. Spencer Deery, R-West Lafayette, claimed that following the sequence would nearly eliminate the chance of a child being poor as an adult. A report by the Institute for Family Studies and the American Enterprise Institute makes similar claims based off of a national survey of adults between 2013 and 2014. It found only 3% of adults ages 28-34 who graduated from high school, had a full-time job and did not have kids before marriage were in poverty. The number rises to 8% for those who graduated and had a full-time job, but did not marry or have kids yet. Advertisement Advertisement "From an antipoverty standpoint, this might be the single most important thing we could be teaching," Deery said. But others, including the libertarian Cato Institute, have questioned if the relationship is correlation instead of causation. Sen. Andrea Hunley, D-Indianapolis, asked if lawmakers had evidence tied specifically to teaching the sequence, and bill author Sen. Gary Byrne, R-Byrneville, said he did not. Democrats were unsuccessful in trying to strip the language from the bill with a flurry of amendments, including one that would have required more comprehensive sexual education. A controversial section on curriculum was later removed by the bill author, who said it should be left up to school boards and local superintendents. "The legislature proclaiming or declaring a preferred private life pathway to students I think is questionable," said Sen. Shelli Yoder, D-Bloomington, "and I would agree it should be left up to the school board." Advertisement Advertisement The bill would also require state educational institutions to accept the Classic Learning Test in the same way they would the ACT and SAT in their admission criteria. Contact breaking politics reporter Marissa Meador at mmeador@gannett.com or find her on X at @marissa_meador. This article originally appeared on Indianapolis Star: Bill would make schools teach students to put marriage before kids In an effort to provide a streamlined and cost-efficient option for moving freight to and from the region, BNSF Railway, which handles a significant portion of North Americas containerized freight, along with Hobby Lobby, officially opened a new intermodal facility in south Oklahoma City Thursday. Hobby Lobby is the inaugural customer of the Class I railroad to utilize the new 42-acre site for the movement of its shipments from ports in southern California to its central distribution center in Oklahoma City. By the end of 2026, Hobby Lobby CFO John Cargill said the company will have more than 1,100 stores in all 48 lower states. With the new facility, they will be able to service them more optimally, he said. Advertisement Advertisement More: Hobby Lobby founder talks about family, faith and legacy in new book This is an exciting opportunity for Hobby Lobby to partner with the BNSF, Cargill said. As we grow our business, more efficient movement of product will allow us to continue to offer the great value our customers have come to expect. How logistics change with the BNSF intermodal facility Hobby Lobby leadership says the facility, operational for a few weeks, will improve the supply chain by reducing truck trips. Cargill said typically, their imports come in from Asia and hit southern California ports. Before the BNSF facility became operational, goods were then loaded on a rail to Dallas, where they would clear customs. Hobby Lobby trucks would pick the containers up in Dallas and drive them north up Interstate 35 to Oklahoma City to be unloaded. Finally, a truck would take the empty container back to Dallas. Advertisement Advertisement Now this is just railing directly here. That same process is happening here, Cargill told The Oklahoman Thursday. Were going to clear customs here in this facility, then we will have, instead of the round trip of 300-plus miles, were eight to 10 miles from our main distribution center across town. So, just a lot faster, more efficient and economical way for us to do it. BNSF Railway, North Americas leading intermodal provider, along with Hobby Lobby Inc., had a ribbon cutting Jan. 22 to mark the official opening of BNSFs new intermodal facility in Oklahoma City. How the facility impacts Oklahoma City and the state Oklahoma City ranks as the 20th largest city in the U.S. by population, according to Census reports. State Transportation Director Tim Gatz said as growth continues, investments like the new BNSF facility are crucial. Gatz expects less trucks on state highways will help with rapidly growing traffic volumes, adding that the facility is the first of its kind in Oklahoma. This opens a new door for freight movement, Gatz said. Its the beginning of something that is going to turn into something very special for our state, for the future. Advertisement Advertisement Mayor David Holt said the intermodal facility is the latest chapter for a company thats one of the great entrepreneurial stories in American history. This would not have been possible without the commitment from BNSF, who, of course, has been a partner since the earliest days of our city and has made a major investment here that were very grateful for, Holt said. In turn, their investment would not have been possible without the business commitment and opportunity that is presented by Hobby Lobby. BNSF Railway, North Americas leading intermodal provider, along with Hobby Lobby Inc., had a ribbon cutting Jan. 22 to mark the official opening of BNSFs new intermodal facility in Oklahoma City. Farmers and other businesses in the state will eventually have the opportunity to use the facility for exporting products to the west coast. It will be a great asset to the economic infrastructure of our city, Holt said. Advertisement Advertisement Group Vice President of BNSFs Consumer Products Jon Gabriel said expanding into the new rail market is an example of listening to customer needs and developing solutions that will spur shared growth opportunities across the region. We are excited to offer this unique solution to Hobby Lobby, which creates a much more effective supply chain and at full potential could eliminate up to 60,000 truck moves off the highway each year, Gabriel said. This article originally appeared on Oklahoman: BNSF and Hobby Lobby celebrate new intermodal facility in Oklahoma City President Donald Trump's new international "Board of Peace" is built on a charter that gives him extensive powers as inaugural chairman, including the ability to veto decisions, set the agenda, invite members, dissolve the body and name his own successor, according to a draft charter described by The New York Times and a leaked version reviewed by NPR. The board was formally unveiled at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, on Wednesday, with 19 world leaders present. Its stated mission now extends well beyond its original United Nations-backed mandate in Gaza. NewsNation, citing the White House, reports more than two dozen signatories to Trump's Board of Peace, including Bahrain, Morocco, Argentina, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Bulgaria, Egypt, Hungary, Indonesia, Jordan, Kazakhstan, Kosovo, Mongolia, Pakistan, Paraguay, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Turkey, Uzbekistan and the U.A.E. Advertisement Advertisement Several European allies declined to join, including France, Norway and Sweden. The United Kingdom declined to be one of the initial signatories because Trump invited Russia to the board, despite its four-year-long invasion of Ukraine. Israel has agreed to join the Board of Peace, but Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu did not attend the signing ceremony in Davos to avoid arrest on an International Criminal Court warrant charging him with war crimes in Gaza. Why Trump's peace board challenges the UN The U.N. Security Council endorsed the creation of a Board of Peace in November as a temporary administration through 2027 to oversee reconstruction and redevelopment in Gaza. The Trump administration has since recast the project as a global peace institution whose mission overlaps with the U.N.'s role in maintaining international peace and security. Supporters, including former Trump national security aide Fred Fleitz, describe the board as a way to codify a more assertive U.S.-led push to resolve conflicts, while critics warn it could weaken or even supplant multilateral institutions built after World War II. Advertisement Advertisement Cambridge University international law professor Marc Weller called the initiative "a direct assault on the United Nations" and "a takeover of the world order by one individual in his own image," according to The Times. Former Irish president Mary Robinson told NPR it is not a peacemaking body at all but "the board of the power of one person." What the charter gives Trump and what it asks of members The proposed charter says the Board of Peace will "secure enduring peace in areas affected or threatened by conflict" and establishes Trump as inaugural chairman with broad authority to shape its work. Robinson said the leaked charter makes Trump chair "for as long as he likes," gives him exclusive power over creating or dissolving subsidiary bodies and allows him to choose his successor, who would then select theirs. Advertisement Advertisement "Trump has the exclusive authority to create, modify or dissolve subsidiary bodies," Robinson said. "Trump is chairman for as long as he likes, and then he chooses his successor, and the successor will choose his - their successor." According to reports, countries would be expected to pledge $1 billion to secure a permanent seat, with standard membership limited to three-year terms. A U.S. official told The Times that contributions would be subject to "the highest financial controls and oversight mechanisms" and held only in approved accounts at reputable banks. The same official confirmed Trump could retain a central role after leaving office, saying he can hold the chairmanship "until he resigns it," while a future U.S. president could designate the U.S. representative to the board. Trump has said he "wished the United Nations could do more" and suggested the Board of Peace "might" replace the U.N. He also said the world body should continue because its potential is "so great," according to The Times. Secretary of State Marco Rubio described the new body as "not just a board of peace" but "a board of action." Who is joining the board and who is pushing back The 19 leaders gathered onstage at Davos for the signing ceremony included only two European representatives - from Hungary and Bulgaria. The ceremony highlighted both Trump's ambition to reshape the global order and European resistance to his desires.. Advertisement Advertisement Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban wrote on Facebook, "If Trump, then peace," and accepted the invitation, while Saudi Arabia, Egypt, Israel, Belarus and Pakistan also signaled they would join ahead of the signing ceremony. France, Norway, Sweden, Denmark and Slovenia have declined to participate under the board's initial charter. In response to France's snub, Trump threatened a punitive 200% tariff on French wine, including Champagne. Some governments - including Canada, Russia and China - have said they need more time to study the proposal, while Belgium's foreign minister publicly contradicted a White House list that claimed his country had signed on. Russia and China were invited as part of an effort to make the board "broad-based" and reduce the chances that other powers would try to sabotage it, former Trump national security aide Fred Fleitz told The Times. Advertisement Advertisement Russian President Vladimir Putin has not formally accepted the offer and instead suggested contributing $1 billion from Russian assets frozen in the West, if allowed. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said it was "very difficult" to imagine Ukraine and Russia serving together on the same council, while Polish officials voiced similar concerns. How Gaza, other conflicts and the UN fit into the plan Under the Security Council resolution, the Board of Peace is authorized as a transitional administration to coordinate reconstruction in Gaza through 2027, even though Gaza is not mentioned in the new body's leaked charter. The White House has also tasked Trump's peace team - including Rubio, special envoy Steve Witkoff, the president's son-in-law Jared Kushner and former British Prime Minister Tony Blair - with using the board to address other flash points such as the Russia-Ukraine war and disputes over Greenland. Canada's government has accepted membership "on principle" but conditioned its participation on the resumption of a "full flow" of humanitarian aid to Gaza, while its finance minister has ruled out paying $1 billion for a permanent seat. Advertisement Advertisement According to Robinson, the former Irish president, the initiative is "trying to replace the United Nations and, in particular, the Security Council." She urged other countries to defend and reform the existing rules-based system rather than invest in what she called "one Trump imperial idea." The post At the Board of Peace,' power belongs to Trump appeared first on Straight Arrow News. Related Links Gov. Mike Braun visited Saint Philip Neri Catholic School to mark the occasion of opting into the new federal tax credit. (Courtesy photo) Gov. Mike Braun announced Thursday that Indiana will opt into a new initiative allowing Hoosiers to collect federal tax savings for investments made in K-12 scholarships. The new federal tax credit was established under President Donald Trumps One Big Beautiful Bill and applies to charitable contributions made to scholarship-granting organizations that serve eligible K-12 students. Advertisement Advertisement Parents are in charge of their childrens education, Braun said in a news release. As a state, we are prioritizing that through universal school choice and a state tax credit for donations made to scholarship granting organizations, which helps make a high-quality education accessible and affordable for every Hoosier family. Under President Trumps leadership, we welcome this increased focus on school choice at the federal level and are ready to leverage this additional, federal tax credit to expand opportunities for students and families across our state, he continued. Braun visited Saint Philip Neri Catholic School to mark the occasion, speaking with teachers and students. Families can access scholarships through eligible scholarship-granting organizations to support qualified educational expenses, including costs incurred for children at public and private schools such as tuition, fees, tutoring, educational therapies, transportation or technology. Advertisement Advertisement Beginning Jan. 1, 2027, Hoosiers will be eligible for a nonrefundable federal tax credit of up to $1,700 for contributions to participating scholarship-granting organizations. Any unused credit may be carried forward for up to five years. Indiana Education Secretary Katie Jenner speaks at the annual Dentons Legislative Conference on Thursday, Dec. 18, 2025. (Photo by Leslie Bonilla Muniz/Indiana Capital Chronicle) Every child is unique, and Indiana is home to a variety of high-quality educational options to meet those needs, regardless of a familys income or ZIP code, said Indiana Education Secretary Katie Jenner. This new federal tax credit will continue to drive investments in scholarships, ensuring high-quality educational opportunities are within reach for every learner, in an environment that helps them reach their greatest potential, she said. The state of Indiana also offers a 50% tax credit for donors to qualified Indiana scholarship-granting organizations. There are no limits to the amount a donor can contribute to them. Advertisement Advertisement Several GOP-led states have also opted in, according to Ballotpedia News. Students in states that do not opt in cannot receive scholarships funded under the program, but donors in those states can still receive a federal tax credit by donating to scholarship-granting organizations in participating states. In order to qualify for a scholarship under the program, students must live in households earning no more than 300% of the areas median gross income and be eligible to enroll in K-12 schools. Senate Majority Leader Winnie Brinks (D-Grand Rapids) endorses Jocelyn Benson at a campaign event. Jan. 22, 2026. | Photo by Katherine Dailey/Michigan Advance. Senate Majority Leader Winnie Brinks (D-Grand Rapids) endorsed Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson for governor at a Lansing event on Thursday, praising Benson for her work combating misinformation in the 2020 election and transforming the branch offices of the Department of State. Too often in politics, we focus on what candidates care about, and not whether they have the plans or the skills to implement it, Brinks said. She has proven that she knows how to make government actually work for people when families need help accessing health care, when they need someone to cut through the bureaucracy instead of creating more of it. We need a governor who has already proven that they can deliver Advertisement Advertisement Brinks also called Benson a tide that lifts all boats, emphasizing the impact of the gubernatorial nominee on the rest of the ticket. I dont take it lightly that Ill be a leader on this ticket that will help bring back and restore Democratic trifecta here in Michigan and deliver real results on affordability for Michigan families, Benson said at the event. I know we have that work cut out for us, but I know we can do it, because we are the party that stands for the people. SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX Right now, it feels far too often like government is showing up everywhere we dont want it, and nowhere where we actually need it, she added. Im going to make sure that government is showing up for the people Ive spent my entire career fighting to make that real. Advertisement Advertisement Benson also doubled down on her support for data centers at the event, calling them an incredible opportunity to bring wealth and green jobs to the state. Bensons support for the data centers, which have become a key issue around the state, fell under scrutiny due to her husbands role as president of a company seeking to create a data center in Washtenaw County. We have to do this the right way and build guardrails to ensure that we have a transparent and rigorous process in determining what data centers should come to which communities and that we also statewide, are creating and enforcing real guardrails so that, among other things, data centers have to use the most modern technology to protect against unnecessary water use and also develop partnerships to drive down energy costs and invest in clean energy transitions throughout our state, she continued. Secretary of State and gubernatorial candidate Jocelyn Benson speaks at a campaign event. Jan. 22, 2026. | Photo by Katherine Dailey/Michigan Advance. Benson is generally seen as a front-runner for the Democratic nomination at this point, especially following the decision of Lt. Gov. Garlin Gilchrist to drop out of the race and run instead for Secretary of State. Advertisement Advertisement Benson also snagged the endorsement earlier in the week of former U.S. Rep. Brenda Lawrence, who represented a district in Southeast Michigan until 2022. I have had the opportunity to watch her serve in many roles, and she has proven herself to be a fierce defender of the rule of law and our election systems, with an unwavering commitment to serving all people, Lawrence said in a press release from Bensons campaign on Tuesday. As we look toward the governors seat, I strongly urge everyone to support the leader we need at this moment in our history. Jocelyn Benson knows the people of Michigan, is willing to do the hard work, and will keep our state moving forward as a leader in the nation. Buc-ee's is opening another store in the Midwest in 2026, and once again, the Texas-based convenience store chain skipped over Iowa. Buc-ee's is slated to open three new locations in 2026, USA TODAY reported in December 2025. On Jan. 20, residents of Gretna, Nebraska, a suburb of Omaha, learned that their community is on track to be the first Buc-ee's in Nebraska. The Gretna City Council gave initial approval to annex about 43 acres in the community for a 74,000-square-foot Buc-ee's store with 100 gas pumps, according to the Nebraska Examiner. The site would be south of Interstate 80, near Highway 31, according to the Examiner. That's about 25 miles west of the Iowa-Nebraska border. Advertisement Advertisement Several more rounds of City Council approval are required for the annexation, which would be finalized in March. Still, according to Gretna's mayor, Mike Evans, all signs point to the deal coming to fruition. "We are thrilled to have Buc-ee's select a site in Nebraska and our community," Evans said in a statement to Omaha's KETV. "Gretna's location along I-80 makes it the perfect stop for travelers across the country, while also serving as another great experience for local residents." What Buc-ee's are opening in 2026? According to USA TODAY, Buc-ee's is set to open these three locations in 2026: Huber Heights, Ohio in April Goodyear, Arizona in June San Marcos, Texas in July Advertisement Advertisement Neither Gretna City Council nor Buc-ee's officials have released a date for when the Nebraska center is expected to open. However, Evans told KETV that groundbreaking is to start later this year. More than a dozen new Buc-ee's are slated to open across the U.S. in 2027 and 2028, according to USA TODAY. Which Buc-ee's stores are closest to Des Moines? The proposed Omaha Buc-ee's will be the closest store to Des Moines when it opens. Des Moines is roughly 153 miles from Gretna, which is less than half the distance to the next closest Buc-ee's, 361 miles away in Springfield, Missouri. The Springfield location at 3284 N. Mulroy Road opened in December 2023 after more than a year of construction. A Buc-ee's in development in Oak Creek, Wisconsin and scheduled to open in 2027, would be closer than Springfield at 305 miles away. The chain also started construction on a Kansas City area store that's expected to open in 2027, according to the Kansas City Star. That store, at 205 miles, would be the closest to Des Moines until the Omaha store opens. Will Iowa ever get a Buc-ee's? Buc-ee's was the second-most requested store in the Des Moines metro, according to a Register survey from November 2025. Advertisement Advertisement In July 2025, Norwalk Mayor Tom Phillips and other city officials championed an online petition to have Buc-ee's first Iowa location be in Norwalk. The petition attracted more than 3,500 signatures as of late September 2025. Phillips told the Register in November 2025 that the city sent a proposal to Buc-ee's officials. "They responded and said the location isn't ideal, but that it's certainly not off the table," Phillips said. "One thing they would require is having an interchange here for the interstate, and we're working on that, so at some point in time, we're gonna have Buc-ee's [officials] up here to look at the area, and see what they say." Cooper Worth is a service/trending reporter for the Des Moines Register. Reach him at cworth@gannett.com or follow him on X @CooperAWorth. This article originally appeared on Des Moines Register: Buc-ee's to open new Midwest store. How close is it to Iowa? Jan. 22 (UPI) -- Police in New York responded to a burglary alarm at a Suffolk County bank, and arrived to find the suspect was a deer that crashed through a window. The Suffolk County Police Department said officers were summoned to Webster Bank in Ridge on Sunday when a burglary alarm was triggered. They arrived to find a buck had crashed through a window and became trapped inside. The animal made a mess of the bank's office in its attempts to find its way out. The department said officers were able to lasso the deer and lead it outside, where it was returned to the wild. "We think the buck was looking for bucks," police joked on social media. Related Articles * \u0009\u0009\u0009\u0009\u0009\u0009\u0009\u0009\u0009\u0009\u0009Trespassing arrest on South Airport Road: Longmont police notes\u0009\u0009\u0009\u0009\u0009\u0009\u0009 * \u0009\u0009\u0009\u0009\u0009\u0009\u0009\u0009\u0009\u0009\u0009Assault reported on Sunset Way: Longmont police notes\u0009\u0009\u0009\u0009\u0009\u0009\u0009 Advertisement Advertisement * \u0009\u0009\u0009\u0009\u0009\u0009\u0009\u0009\u0009\u0009\u0009Robbery arrest on Main Street: Longmont police notes\u0009\u0009\u0009\u0009\u0009\u0009\u0009 * \u0009\u0009\u0009\u0009\u0009\u0009\u0009\u0009\u0009\u0009\u0009Longmont police notes: Trespassing, theft on South Hover Street\u0009\u0009\u0009\u0009\u0009\u0009\u0009 * \u0009\u0009\u0009\u0009\u0009\u0009\u0009\u0009\u0009\u0009\u0009Menacing arrest on Main Street: Longmont police notes\u0009\u0009\u0009\u0009\u0009\u0009\u0009 Longmont police officers made an arrest for a burglary at 7:01 p.m. Wednesday in the 00 block of Ninth Avenue. Advertisement Advertisement Officers also made arrests for DUIs and executed warrant arrests on Wednesday. On Tuesday, police made an arrest for trespassing in the 1200 block of South Airport Road. Among Wednesdays other calls: At 1:02 a.m., police made an arrest for a DUI in the 300 block of Ninth Avenue. At 9:51 a.m., police executed a warrant arrest in the 2500 block of Main Street. At 12:51 p.m., police executed a warrant arrest in the 9800 block of North 119th Street. At 2:19 p.m., officers executed a warrant arrest in the area of South Sunset Drive and Delaware Place. At 3:01 p.m., police made an arrest for a suspicious situation in the 1000 block of South Hover Street. Advertisement Advertisement At 3:42 p.m., police made an arrest for a DUI in the area of Clover Basin Drive and South Airport Road. At 8:16 p.m., officers made an arrest for a DUI in the 200 block of Lashley Street. At 11:14 p.m., police made an arrest for a DUI in the area of Ken Pratt Boulevard and South Sherman Street. Most mornings, Longmont police report the previous days calls, reports, warnings and arrests. For details from police logs from this past week and beyond, visit the Times-Call police notes page at timescall.com/tag/police-blotter. California Governor Gavin Newsom has said he was blocked from speaking at a World Economic Forum event in Davos and blamed the Trump administration. Newsom's office said on X that USA House, the official US pavilion at the global event, denied his entry to speak there on Wednesday despite being invited as part of an event by media partner Fortune. The Democratic governor, whose state has the fourth largest global economy, wrote on X: "California was just denied at the USA House. Last we checked, California is part of USA." Advertisement Advertisement The White House criticised the governor for attending the summit of global leaders and said that he should instead focus on his state. "No one in Davos knows who third-rate governor Newscum is or why he is frolicking around Switzerland instead of fixing the many problems he created in California," White House spokeswoman Anna Kelly said in a statement to the BBC. Kelly did not say why Newsom was denied entry or whether the administration had anything to do with his speaking event being cancelled. Newsom is a vociferous critic of the Trump administration and is weighing a 2028 presidential run. Advertisement Advertisement His office said on X that USA House denied his entry "under pressure from the White House and State Department". "How weak and pathetic do you have to be to be this scared of a fireside chat?" Newsom wrote on X. The governor's office told the BBC that Newsom had been invited to speak at the event earlier this month, and Fortune had been promoting the event. Shortly before the event was set to begin, a USA House official informed them that they were cancelling Fortune's event and that the governor would not be permitted to speak with media at the pavilion, the governor's office said. Advertisement Advertisement The governor's office said that another "elected official" speaking did not "align with their afternoon programming". Several Trump administration officials spoke at the venue, including Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent, who mocked Newsom during his remarks. Bessent suggested in his remarks that the California governor should focus on issues like homelessness, wildfires and state budgets - instead of attending a world forum. The governor's office said USA House offered, as an alternative, that Newsom speak at a nightcap reception. Advertisement Advertisement The second-term governor was also among those in the crowd on Wednesday when Trump delivered a wide-ranging speech to world leaders in which he demanded Denmark cede control of Greenland. In the address, Trump took aim at a number of world leaders. He also called out Newsom by name, saying they used to get along and the governor was a "good guy". "I would say this, if I were a Democrat governor, or whatever, I would call up Trump, I'd say, 'Come on in. Make us look good,'" Trump said. As Trump spoke, a camera showed Newsom smiling and appearing to chuckle at moments in the speech. Advertisement Advertisement "There was nothing offered there," Newsom told reporters later. "It was, at times, boorish but even by Trump's standards. "So it was just remarkable in its inconsequential nature. I expected more from him. I really did." SEOUL, South Korea (AP) Dozens of South Koreans allegedly involved in online scams in Cambodia were returned to South Korea on Friday to face investigations in what was the largest group repatriation of Korean criminal suspects from abroad. The 73 South Korean suspects allegedly scammed fellow Koreans out of 48.6 billion won ($33 million), according to a South Korean government statement. Upon arrival in South Korea's Incheon airport aboard a chartered plane, the suspects 65 men and eight women were sent to police stations. Advertisement Advertisement The suspects, in handcuffs and wearing masks, were escorted by police officers and boarding buses. They were among about 260 South Koreans detained in a crackdown in Cambodia in recent months. When it comes to crimes that harm our people, we'll track down and arrest those involved to the very end and get them to face corresponding consequences," senior police officer Yoo Seung Ryul told a televised briefing at the airport. Public outrage over scam centers in Southeast Asia flared up in South Korea when a Korean student was found dead last summer after reportedly being forced to work at a scam compound in Cambodia. Authorities said at the time that he died after being tortured and beaten, and South Korea sent a government delegation to Cambodia in October for talks on a joint response. The suspects repatriated Friday include a couple who allegedly operated a deepfake romance scam to dupe 12 billion won ($8.2 million) from about 100 people in fraudulent investment schemes. South Korea has made various efforts to bring them back home, including more than 10 rounds of video meetings with Cambodian officials, the Justice Ministry said in a statement. Advertisement Advertisement At the airport briefing, senior Foreign Ministry official Yoo Byung-seok expressed gratitude to the Cambodian government over Friday's repatriation. He said that South Korea hopes to continue close bilateral coordination until online scams targeting South Koreans are eradicated in Cambodia. Cybercrime has flourished in Southeast Asia, particularly in Cambodia and Myanmar, as trafficked foreign nationals were employed to run romance and cryptocurrency scams, often after being recruited with false job offers and then forced to work in conditions of near-slavery. According to estimates from the U.N. Office on Drugs and Crime, scam victims worldwide lost between $18 billion and $37 billion in 2023. Cambodian Information Minister Neth Pheaktra said in a statement that the deportation of the 73 South Koreans, along with 136 Myanmar citizens, was part of his government's efforts to crack down on cross-border crime and combat technology-based fraud. The statement said that Cambodian authorities detained 5,106 suspects of 23 nationalities and deported 4,534 to their countries of origin over the past seven months. In January, Cambodia said that it had arrested and extradited to China a tycoon accused of running a huge online scam operation. Advertisement Advertisement Since October, about 130 South Korean scam suspects from Cambodia as well as more than 20 such Korean suspects from Laos, Vietnam, Thailand and the Philippines have been sent back home. After Friday's repatriation, about 60 South Koreans will remain detained in Cambodia awaiting repatriation, according to police. Neth Pheaktra's statement said that Cambodia deported 244 South Korean nationals last year. South Korean officials said in October that about 1,000 South Koreans were estimated to be in scam centers in Cambodia. Some are believed to be forced laborers. On Thursday, South Korean President Lee Jae Myung called for stern responses to transnational cybercrimes that he said erodes mutual trust in society and triggers diplomatic disputes with other countries. By Mark John, Susan Heavey, Jacob Gronholt-Pedersen and Steve Holland DAVOS, Switzerland/NUUK, Jan 22 (Reuters) - President Donald Trump said on Thursday he had secured total and permanent U.S. access to Greenland in a deal with NATO, whose head said allies would have to step up their commitment to Arctic security to ward off threats from Russia and China. News of a framework deal came as Trump backed off tariff threats against Europe and ruled out taking Greenland by force, bringing a degree of respite in what was brewing to be the biggest rupture in transatlantic ties in decades. Trump's U-turn triggered a rebound in European markets and a return toward record highs for Wall Street's main indexes, but also raised questions about how much damage had already been done to transatlantic ties and business confidence. Details of any agreement were unclear and Denmark insisted its sovereignty over the island was not up for discussion. EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas said the bloc's U.S. relations had "taken a big blow" in the past week, as EU leaders met for an emergency summit. Greenland's Prime Minister Jens-Frederik Nielsen welcomed Trump's comments but said he was still in the dark on many aspects. "I don't know what there is in the agreement, or the deal, about my country," he told reporters in the capital Nuuk. "We are ready to discuss a lot of things and we are ready to negotiate a better partnership and so on. But sovereignty is a red line," he said, when asked about reports that Trump was seeking control of areas around U.S. military bases in Greenland as part of a wider deal. "We cannot cross the red lines. We have to respect our territorial integrity. We have to respect international law and sovereignty." Speaking to reporters aboard Air Force One on his return from the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, Trump said a new deal was being negotiated that would be "much more generous to the United States, so much more generous." He skirted questions on sovereignty, but said: "We have to have the ability to do exactly what we want to do." Earlier Trump told Fox Business Network the deal would essentially bring "total access" for the United States. "There's no end, there's no time limit." A source familiar with the matter said NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte and Trump had agreed in Davos on further talks between the U.S., Denmark and Greenland on updating a 1951 agreement that governs U.S. military access and presence on the Arctic island. TORONTO (AP) Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney responded to U.S. President Donald Trump 's comment that Canada lives because of the United States on Thursday by saying Canada thrives because of Canadian values. Carney said Canada can show the world that the future doesnt have to be autocratic after returning from Davos, Switzerland, where he gave a speech that garnered widespread attention. In Davos at the World Economic Forum, Carney condemned coercion by great powers on smaller countries without mentioning Trump's name. Advertisement Advertisement Upon returning home to Canada, Carney responded to Trump directly by referencing Trumps remarks in Davos. Canada lives because of the United States, Trump said. Remember that, Mark, the next time you make your statements. Canada doesnt live because of the United States. Canada thrives because we are Canadian, Carney responded Thursday. Carney said Canada and the U.S. have built a remarkable partnership in the areas of economy, security and rich cultural exchange, but said we are masters in our home, this is our own country, its our future, the choice is up to us. Trump later revoked his invitation to Carney to join his Board of Peace. Advertisement Advertisement Dear Prime Minister Carney: Please let this Letter serve to represent that the Board of Peace is withdrawing its invitation to you regarding Canadas joining, what will be, the most prestigious Board of Leaders ever assembled, at any time, Trump posted on social media. Carney left Davos before Trump inaugurated his Board of Peace to lead efforts at maintaining a ceasefire between Israel and Hamas. Trump has talked about making Canada the 51st state and posted this week an altered image of a map of the U.S. that includes Canada, Greenland, Venezuela and Cuba as part of its territory. Trump said in Davos that Canada gets many freebies from the U.S. and should be grateful. He said Carneys Davos speech showed he wasnt so grateful. Advertisement Advertisement Trump said Canada wants to participate in Golden Dome a multibillion-dollar missile defense system that he says will be operational before his term ends in 2029. In a speech before a cabinet retreat in Quebec City, Carney said staying true to Canadas values is key to maintaining its sovereignty. We can show that another way is possible, that the arc of history isnt destined to be warped toward authoritarianism and exclusion; it can still bend toward progress and justice, Carney said. Carney said Canada must be a beacon an example to a world at sea. Carney said in a time of rising populism and ethnic nationalism, Canada can show how diversity is a strength, not a weakness. Advertisement Advertisement There are billions of people who aspire to what we have built: a pluralistic society that works," Carney said. He said Canada delivers shared prosperity and has a democracy that chooses to protect the vulnerable against the powerful. "Its a great country for everyone. It is the greatest country in the world to be a regular person. You dont have to be born rich, or to a landed family. You dont have to be a certain color or worship a certain god, he said. U.S. Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick earlier complained about Carneys speech at the World Economic Forum. Give me a break, Lutnick said on Bloomberg TV. They have the second best deal in the world and all I got to do is listen to this guy whine and complain." Advertisement Advertisement Canada has been shielded from the worst impacts of Trumps tariffs by the Canada-U.S.-Mexico Agreement on trade, known as USMCA, but the agreement is up for a mandatory review this year. California Gov. Gavin Newsom, a potential Democratic presidential candidate in 2028, told the forum that multiple leaders in the United States sent him transcripts of Carneys speech. I respect what Carney did because he had courage of convictions. He stood up and I think we need to stand up in America and call this out with clarity, Newsom said. We can lose our republic as we know it. Our country can become unrecognizable." Advertisement Advertisement Newsom said the fact that Carney came back from China with a deal to introduce low-cost, high-quality electric vehicles into Canada, not made from Michigan, but from overseas shows how reckless Trumps foreign policy is. Its a remarkable thing to break down 80-plus years of alliances, he said. Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney has called for national unity in his first address on home soil after making waves in Davos with his warning of a "rupture" in the postwar international order. In remarks directed to Canadians, Carney said his government intends to move quickly to implement "ambitious" plans to bolster the economy in the face of global turmoil. He delivered the speech ahead of a meeting with his federal cabinet retreat at La Citadelle, a military fortress in Quebec City built to secure Canada from invasion in the 19th Century. Advertisement Advertisement Carney also took a swipe at President Donald Trump, who said in his own Davos address that "Canada lives because of the United States". The prime minister on Thursday said that Canada and the US "have built a remarkable partnership" over many decades. "But Canada doesn't live because of the United States," he said. "Canada thrives because we are Canadians." He vowed to fight for Canadian values in a "divided" world. "There are long periods of history when these values can prosper unchallenged," he said. "Ours is not one of them." Advertisement Advertisement The speech builds on themes Carney touched on in Davos, where he warned that the old rules-based international order "is not coming back", and urged other "middle powers" to reject economic coercion by "greater powers". Carney did not mention Trump by name, but said the "bargain" that included American hegemony no longer works. His Davos remarks came as European leaders were scrambling to respond to the president, who had threatened to tariff allies that had opposed his plans for America to acquire Greenland. Trump has since backed off the threat, saying on Wednesday that a "framework" of a potential agreement on the island has been reached. Advertisement Advertisement Carney's Davos speech has received praised in Canada and abroad. Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum said on Wednesday it was "in tune with current times". But there are concerns it could affect Canada's relationship with the Trump administration. Canada has yet to secure a trade deal with the US and will soon enter renegotiations with the Americans on USMCA, the North American free trade agreement - an agreement Trump has said is not "relevant" to the US. On Thursday, US Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick accused Canada of being "arrogant" and said Carney is pandering to a domestic audience by adopting an anti-US stance. Advertisement Advertisement "What that is, is political marketing," Lutnick said in an interview with Bloomberg. He added that Canada has "the second best deal" with the US due to USMCA, which has kept the bulk of US-Canada trade tariff free. "They are playing with a set of rules that they haven't really thought through," Lutnick said. "They've given a roadmap of saying: 'I guess we should change the whole deal'. You want to be like the rest of the world, you don't want to be a favoured neighbour." Advertisement Advertisement In Canada, Carney's political opposition has pushed the prime minister to follow his Davos address with concrete action. "Mark Carney cannot simply return to Parliament and expect, as he has for the past year, that re-announcing projects or creating new bureaucracies will suffice", said Conservative MP Michelle Rempel Garner in an online post. Carney acknowledged in his speech that his government needs to act quickly to solve pressing economic and cost-of-living issues. "Now we need to execute, fairly and fast," he said, laying out his plan to break down domestic barriers to trade, fast-track major projects and secure trade deals with non-US allies. Advertisement Advertisement The speech comes after an eight-day trip that included stops in Qatar and China, where Carney said he secured deals to lower tariffs and boost investments in Canada. Polling suggest that Carney is viewed favourably by roughly half of Canadians, with 47% saying they approve of his government. The Brief A rare, well-preserved 1903 Colt pistol was discovered hidden in a duct beneath Thornton Distillery, Illinois oldest standing former brewery. The loaded, holstered gunfound by Dead Drop Spirits founder Andrew Howellis believed to date back to the Al Capone era, prompting a police investigation. Authorities cleared the weapon and are restoring it, after which it will be displayed as part of the distillerys historical tour. THORNTON, Ill. - Down in the artesian well, one story beneath the restaurant at Thornton Distillery Company, home to the oldest standing former brewery in all of Illinois, is a duct that is believed to have been at one time attached to a potbelly stove. Advertisement Advertisement It was in that duct that Andrew Howell, founder of "Dead Drop Spirits," discovered something rare by todays standards, but not in the era of notorious Chicagoland mobster Al Caponea chrome-plated, 1903 Colt pistol loaded, holstered, and remarkably well-preserved. "I cant believe its in such good condition," Howell told Fox Chicago. Dig deeper Upon the discovery, he immediately wondered whether the Colt was in fact once used by some infamous gangster. The police were called and an investigation into the guns past ensued. The police cleared the weapon and now begin the task of restoring it to its former glory while also trying to figure out exactly where it came from: "Were just trying to learn more about it. We know it's a Capone-era pistol, and its associated with some of those folks from those days, so were just trying to learn more. Like, how did it get in there, when did it get put in there?" Howell adds. Advertisement Advertisement Once returned to its original condition, the Colt will find a place among the many collectibles at Thornton Distillery to be enjoyed by those who embark on the companys guided tour. What you can do For more information about the distillery, visit thorntondistilling.com/history. Editor's note: The gun model was initially misidentified. It's a 1903 Colt pistol, and not a 1908 Colt pistol. The Source This story contains reporting from Fox Chicago's Scott Schneider. Investing.com -- Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carneys recent address at the World Economic Forum has sparked an unexpected diplomatic alignment between Ottawa and Mexico City. Leaders in both nations are signaling a desire for deeper cooperation as they face increasingly aggressive trade and territorial rhetoric from the United States. Carney used the global stage to argue that middle powers must abandon the "pleasant fiction" of a stable rules-based order and prepare for a reality where great powers weaponize economic integration. "You cannot live within the lie of mutual benefit through integration, when integration becomes the source of your subordination," Carney told the Davos audience. Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum endorsed the Prime Ministers assessment during a news conference, describing his analysis of the shifting global order as being in tune with the current times. The endorsement highlights a shared anxiety among middle powers regarding the erosion of traditional rules-based international trade. Advertisement Advertisement Federal Deputy Dolores Padierna Luna emphasized that the two nations must synchronize their strategies ahead of the critical CUSMA renewal negotiations. I believe that Canada and Mexico need to speak more, always more deeply, and provide mutual support, she said in an interview with CBC News. Opposition figures in Mexico also noted that Carneys speech provided a blueprint for emerging forces to navigate the rivalries of larger hegemons. Deputy Juan Ignacio Zavala Gutierrez reportedly praised the address as a powerful, clear and intelligent roadmap for states seeking to preserve their strategic autonomy. The shift in posture follows a series of social media provocations from Washington, including images depicting the U.S. flag covering Canadian territory. Padierna Luna called the post insulting and offensive," and told CBC, "Canada and Mexico need to unite to defend our sovereignty." Carneys rhetoric has already drawn a sharp rebuke from U.S. President Donald Trump, who used his own Davos appearance to demand greater gratitude for American military protection. Asserting a dominant role in continental security, Trump remarked that Canada lives because of the United States before warning, "Remember that, Mark, next time you make your statements." Advertisement Advertisement Related articles Carneys Davos speech draws Sheinbaums praise and Trumps dismissal JPMorgan outlines ten strategic themes that could shape the outlook for 2026 This sector is 'poised for a big, beautiful year': Truist CORRY Fire investigators are probing the cause of a massive fire Jan. 21 that gutted a large manufacturing building and took a large number of fire departments from throughout the region hours to knock down. The fire at 9 Pennsylvania Ave., which housed Hensa, formerly Chase Manufacturing, continued to smolder Jan. 22, and the Corry Fire Department was called back to the site shortly before 7:30 a.m. to put out a reported rekindle. Corry Fire Chief Ryan Card said he expects his department will be at the site over the next couple of days dealing with hot spots and flare-ups in the rubble. "We have metal I-beams, tin. It's just a buried mess," Card said Jan. 22. A massive fire Jan. 21 gutted a manufacturing building at 9 Pennsylvania Ave. in Corry. The fire was reported at the metal stamping and fabricating business at 4:17 p.m. Jan. 21, according to Erie County 911. Card said the department had just returned from another call when they were dispatched to the Pennsylvania Avenue site, and when crews traveled about three blocks from the fire station to the site they encountered heavy smoke coming from all floors of the building. Advertisement Advertisement Card said conditions were poor as far as smoke at the complex, which featured two large commercial stories and a 200-foot-long, single-story shop area. An interior crew attempted to make it in to where the fire was burning, but they didn't make it all the way, he said. "Thank goodness, because about 15 minutes after the fire just grew in size. We had a collapse, but no one was injured," said Card, who measured the building as covering 1.3 acres. A large area of command was set up on every side of the building, and fire crews from throughout the Erie region were called in to help fight the fire, Card said. He said heavy westerly winds were a factor in helping the fire spread, adding that the building did not have a sprinkler system. Manufacturing work in the building was done for the day at the time of the fire, but two workers remained inside, Card said. Both got out safely, he said. Advertisement Advertisement Three firefighters were evaluated for possible injuries while fighting the fire, according to Card. Two were evaluated for smoke inhalation, and the third suffered a sprained wrist, he said. Streets were blocked and the power grid was shut down while firefighters were fighting the blaze. The Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection was also involved due to chemical exposure and runoff, Card said. Fire crews remained on the scene until 11:59 p.m. Jan. 21, 911 reported. More: Cause sought in fire that leveled multi-business building in Millcreek Pennsylvania State Police fire marshals were called to the site to investigate the fire's possible cause. The cause remained under investigation Jan. 22. Advertisement Advertisement Card on Jan. 22 thanked area fire departments that assisted in fighting the fire and community members who supported the firefighters in their efforts. "When stuff like this happens, the fire service is a great thing. Everyone comes together. And the community of Corry came together with food and beverages," he said. Contact Tim Hahn at thahn@usatodayco.com. This article originally appeared on Erie Times-News: Cause under investigation in fire that gutted Corry manufacturing site EVANSVILLE The Evansville/Tri-State area could get anywhere from 5 to 12 inches of snow between Friday night and Sunday evening. The Paducah, Kentucky office of the National Weather Service issued that warning in its latest update Wednesday, putting the entire Tri-State on alert for a winter storm that could snarl traffic, bring days of widespread school and business closures, and plunge the area in frigid temperatures until at least the middle of next week. Exact snow totals are still up in the air, NWS lead forecaster Justin Gibbs said in a conference call with media outlets. But "everyone (across the Tri-State) will have something." Advertisement Advertisement And well probably something significant enough that youre going to have major travel impacts," he said. Evansville and Henderson, Kentucky are now included under a winter storm watch. Locales don't earn that designation unless they face the likelihood of 4 inches of snow or more. Gibbs said NWS will likely issue a winter storm warning on Thursday. A graphic from the Paducah, Kentucky office of the National Weather Service shows Evansville has a 30-40% chance of "major impacts" from a winter storm that could sweep into the area between Jan. 23 and Jan. 25, 2026. How much snow could Evansville get? That's still unfolding. Gibbs said totals could vary wildly between Southwestern Indiana and parts of Western Kentucky. A "heavier band" of snow about 40 miles wide will sweep through the area Saturday, bringing "eye-popping numbers" as much as 16 inches in places. Advertisement Advertisement As of Wednesday, NWS had Evansville perched at the northern end of that possible band, meaning parts of the city could get the worst of it. It could also stay well south. The Evansville area currently has a 60-80% chance of 4 inches of snow or more, and a 50-60% chance of 6 inches or more. Whatever we get will stick around. Gibbs said the Tri-State won't even flirt with above-freezing temperatures until Tuesday or Wednesday. The heavy snow pack will make reaching that plateau even harder, meaning some residents could be stuck inside for five days or more. When will the snow start? Gibbs said it will likely come in waves. The first will arrive sometime between late Friday night and early Saturday morning, with a second, heavier blast later on Saturday. A graphic from the National Weather Service shows the potential for dangerous wind chills in the Evansville area. Cold could bring 'life-threatening' travel conditions But the snow isn't the only thing to worry about. Advertisement Advertisement The high temperature on Saturday won't get out of the mid-teens in Evansville, while the low will be in the single-digits. Wind chills, meanwhile, could dip well below zero both Saturday and Sunday night. Gibbs cautioned against any kind of travel during the coldest stretches. Conditions could be "life-threatening" if a person gets stuck in the snow after a wreck. What about ice and freezing rain? This is one of the few positive notes in all this mess: the likelihood of freezing rain in the Evansville area is very low. Forecast models shared by NWS Wednesday didn't show freezing rain drifting any farther north than the Hopkinsville, Kentucky area. And it may not even get there. That means we shouldn't, at least as of now, get a repeat performance of January 2025. Advertisement Advertisement Despite our likely troubles, that will make us lucky compared to the southeastern swath of the U.S. A behemoth line of "dangerous" freezing rain and ice could swallow everywhere from Central Texas to the Carolinas, the NWS Prediction Center believes, putting millions of Americans in the path of "widespread power outages" and "treacherous travel conditions." OK, how about wind? Despite the dangerous wind chills, the actual severity of the breezes should be relatively tame. Gibbs said winds across the Tri-State will likely top out at 12 miles per hour. He told some Kentucky officials to "prepare" for possible power outages, but didn't paint them as potentially widespread. What should I do to protect myself and my home? As always, the NWS urged everyone to avoid unnecessary travel during the stretches of heavy snow and brutal cold. Advertisement Advertisement Residents should also stock up on emergency supplies in both their homes and vehicles. That includes plenty of food, batteries, and warm clothes coats, hats, gloves, scarves, the whole bit. You should also leave your faucets dripping Friday night through at least Wednesday night to help keep pipes from freezing. If you do lose power, keep any generators at least 20 feet from your house, and don't cover space heaters with blankets or clothes. Is there still a chance we don't get much snow? Sure, but that's getting less and less likely as the hours and days wear on. Gibbs said cold air pushing in from the north will create a barrier resulting in "sharp cutoffs" in snow totals. "Youll have maybe 5, 6 inches in a place, and then youll have 1 or 2 or less (nearby)," he said. "But it does look increasingly likely that cutoff is going to be northwest of the area. This article originally appeared on Evansville Courier & Press: How much is it going to snow in Evansville? A city of Chicago employee who police say sent a northwest Illinois state lawmaker two threatening emails last year was sentenced to two years probation after pleading guilty to a lesser charge of attempting to threaten the elected official, officials said Wednesday. Joseph Haggerty, an inspector for the city of Chicagos Buildings Department, sent the emails in September to Republican state Sen. Andrew Chesney of Freeport, indicating he wanted to physically attack him, authorities have said. He had previously been charged with two felony counts of threatening a public official. Haggertys conviction comes amid growing concerns from Republicans and Democrats nationwide that public officials and politicians running for office have increasingly become subject to violence and threats. Records show Haggerty told Illinois State Police he sent the emails to Chesney because he had been angry a lot lately, especially about politics. Advertisement Advertisement Threats against public servants are not protected speech and they will be taken seriously, Stephenson County States Attorney Carl Larson, who prosecuted the case, said in a statement Wednesday. This resolution reflects the defendants accountability for his actions, while also providing a structured path for continued treatment and supervision to reduce the risk of future harm. As part of the plea deal, Haggerty was also given a 60-day stayed jail sentence, which means hed have to go to jail if he doesnt comply with the terms of his probation, Larson said. The deal also requires Haggerty to complete both a drug and alcohol evaluation and a mental health evaluation, and to follow through with any recommended treatment. Larson said Haggerty has served 15 days in jail and was released to a treatment facility, where he completed a course of treatment. He also issued a written letter of apology as part of this resolution, Larson said. Haggerty is also ordered to have no contact with Chesney, his family or his staff. My priority has always been protecting my family and protecting the public, Chesney said Wednesday in a statement. I hope this outcome sends a clear message that threats will never be tolerated, while also recognizing that taking responsibility and getting the help you need is the right path forward. Advertisement Advertisement According to a police report, state police alleged Haggerty sent two threatening emails within a minute of each other to Chesneys government email address on Sept. 2. The first email from Haggerty stated he would love to meet the senator on the street anywhere and explained how he would cave your f teeth in and make you sip your food through a straw for the rest of you dumb hole coward life. The second email called Chesney spineless and contained another threat and insults. The following day, Chesney told a state police investigator that he didnt know Haggerty and thought Haggerty might have been responding to an interview the senator did on WLS-Ch. 7 hours before the emails were sent to him. In that interview for a story about Republican President Donald Trumps then-plans to send National Guard members to Chicago, Chesney accused Gov. JB Pritzker, Mayor Brandon Johnson and other Illinois Democrats of fostering a pro-crime, a pro-criminal environment. Advertisement Advertisement In the report, Haggerty was identified as a city of Chicago employee who works as an Inspector. City records show an employee with the same name works as an inspector for the Buildings Department and has an annual salary of $133,431.96. A spokesperson for the Buildings Department declined to comment on the case Wednesday. Nearly seven tons of chicken have been recalled in seven U.S. states over fears of listeria contamination. Georgia-based company Suzannas Kitchen is recalling 13,720 pounds of ready-to-eat grilled chicken breasts after listeria monocytogenes were found in tests of the products by a third-party laboratory, the US Department of Agricultures Food Safety and Inspection Service announced Friday. No illnesses have been reported in connection with the product. Suzannas Kitchen did not immediately return The Independents request for comment. Advertisement Advertisement The 10-pound cases, two five-pound bags of fully cooked chicken with rib meat, were produced October 14, 2025, and distributed to food service operators in Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Missouri, New Hampshire, North Carolina, and Ohio. The specific product has lot code 60104 P1382 287 5 J14 on the side of the case and on the package. Products subject to the recall have the USDA mark of inspection on the cases label and establishment number P-1382 printed on the side of the package. 13,720 pounds of chicken breasts sold by Suzanna's Kitchen have been recalled due to potential listeria contamination (Getty Images) Ten-pound containers of grilled chicken breast fillets have been recalled (USDA) Food service sales centers have been urged to check their inventories immediately and remove any matching products. Anyone with concerns is encouraged to contact a healthcare provider. Listeria thrives in unsanitary food production environments and can be found in places including soil, water, sewage, and animals, according to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. It can survive in contaminated products even when refrigerated, and is transmitted when food is prepared or stored in contaminated conditions. Advertisement Advertisement The bacteria is especially dangerous for newborns, pregnant women, and elderly adults with weakened immune systems, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The CDC estimates that 1,250 people contract listeria infections each year, and 172 people die from it. Symptoms of listeria exposure can develop anywhere from three to 70 days after eating contaminated food, ranging from fever and nausea to, in more serious cases, headaches, loss of balance, and convulsions. Last month, Suzannas Kitchen issued another recall of approximately 62,550 pounds of fully cooked, bone-in breaded chicken products. The recall was due to misbranding and an undeclared allergen because soy was not put on the label of 18-pound cases of eight-piece cut, bone-in breaded chicken portions. The recalled cooked chicken had been shipped to restaurants nationwide, but no illnesses have been reported to date. The FSIS shared concerns that restaurants still had the product in the freezers and urged businesses to throw the chicken away immediately. Nebraska Supreme Court Chief Justice Jeffrey Funke, left, shakes hands with State Sen. John Cavanaugh of Omaha before giving his annual "State of the Judiciary" address from the floor of the Nebraska Legislature. Jan. 22, 2026. (Zach Wendling/Nebraska Examiner) LINCOLN Nebraska Supreme Court Chief Justice Jeffrey Funke on Thursday celebrated the judicial branchs work to deliver justice to Nebraskans, often at lower costs than incarceration. In his second annual State of the Judiciary speech, made annually before the Legislature, Funke highlighted how the states court-overseen problem-solving courts, probation system and more help keep wayward Nebraskans out of prison. Nebraska Supreme Court Chief Justice Jeffrey Funke gives his annual State of the Judiciary address from the floor of the Nebraska Legislature. Jan. 22, 2026. (Zach Wendling/Nebraska Examiner) Funke said it costs about $5,000 each year to supervise a participant in one of 35 problem-solving courts, a portion of which participants pay, and about $3,500 each year to supervise an adult on probation. Advertisement Advertisement By comparison, Funke said, incarceration costs state taxpayers about $50,000 each year. The work of the Judicial Branch is challenging and regularly involves issues which plague our society, Funke said. Support from both the executive and legislative branches is necessary to ensure that we continue to achieve our shared goals. Problem-solving courts The chief justice said more funding would expand the successes of the states problem-solving courts. These are labor-intensive programs in which judges, prosecutors, defense attorneys and community leaders volunteer to provide targeted support and interventions to people facing criminal charges. Funke said nearly 2,000 individuals accessed a problem-solving court in 2025, but more people can and should be able. That would require more funding. Advertisement Advertisement Many of those turned away will languish in county jails or end up in our states already overcrowded prisons, Funke said. The justices of the Nebraska Supreme Court join Nebraska Gov. Jim Pillen, center left in a blue suit, and Lt. Gov. Joe Kelly, far left, for the elevation of Douglas County District Judge Derek Vaughn, center, to the Supreme Court. Vaughns future colleagues, from left, are Justice John Freudenberg, Jason Bergevin, Jeffrey Funke (chief), William Cassel, Stephanie Stacy and Jonathan Papik. Nov. 10, 2025. (Zach Wendling/Nebraska Examiner) A total of 42 trial judges last year volunteered to help problem-solving courts. Most of those judges serve in district courts. However, Funke said more and more county court judges and separate juvenile court judges are getting involved. Types of problem-solving courts include adult drug courts, veterans treatment courts, reentry courts, DUI courts, family courts, a young adult court, a mental health court and a juvenile drug court. The judges role in our problem-solving courts is often referred to as the secret sauce and is vital to the success of these programs, Funke said. Advertisement Advertisement In 2024, state lawmakers passed a comprehensive law calling for criminal justice diversion plans for certain eligible veterans through evidence-based treatment and case plans in all Nebraska courts. Its one of many judicial programs that received strong legislative support and a signature from the governor but set no funding aside. Sometimes, Funke has said, the court system has tried to absorb the cost. As the states budget worsened, lawmakers last year delayed implementation of the program by two years, to July 2027. Funding has yet to be set aside, with costs estimated at $4.7 million annually. Probation system On the probation side, Funke said more than 80% of adult probationers complete probation, contributing to an exceptional low recidivism rate of 19%. Recidivism measures a rate of people sentenced who reoffend after release. On a given day, there are nearly 14,000 adults supervised while on probation and another 2,400 juveniles, according to Funke. He said juvenile probationers have an all-time low recidivism rate of 17%. Advertisement Advertisement The court has, on average, another 1,300 individuals on post-release supervision each day who are not suitable for probation after incarceration. Of them, fewer than 10% are resentenced. Funke also highlighted the importance of transitional housing, a service 1,400 people accessed in 2025, in which the judicial system provides safe, sober and supportive housing as individuals reintegrate into the community and navigate treatment and employment. Without transitional living, which could have been at risk with deeper budget cuts, Funke said individuals would risk housing insecurity and an increased chance of reoffending. Last year, the state probation system launched a grant-funded project in Douglas, Hall and Buffalo Counties for a specialized model of supervising emerging adults, aged 18-25. Its an age group Funke said stands out as the most overrepresented in the states justice system. Advertisement Advertisement Of adults in that age group at higher risk to reoffend nationally, two in five complete probation. Outcomes from the project are promising, Funke said, and more than 60% of participants have not been in violation status or arrested on new allegations. The chief justice said state probation systems in South Dakota and Massachusetts now follow Nebraskas model. A separate grant from the State Justice Institute, in partnership with Douglas County judges and court staff, also continues to develop plain-language instructions and court forms so people without attorneys can more seamlessly navigate the judicial branch themselves. Judicial branch budget Nebraska Gov. Jim Pillen attempted to veto about $12 million from the judicial branch budget in 2025. The Legislature said the line-item veto had been returned in a way that made it unconstitutional, and Pillen dropped the matter before it escalated to a legal fight, possibly in front of Funkes court. Advertisement Advertisement Court officials estimated the veto would have closed four problem-solving courts; all transitional housing reimbursements for adults on probation, post-release supervision or using problem-solving courts for that purpose; and non-required services for juvenile probation, as well as a reduction in reimbursement for placing those youths. While Pillen suggested he might seek to trim the court budget again this year, Funkes branch instead found efficiencies to contribute to the budget and mitigate cuts. Nebraska Gov. Jim Pillen listens during a summit of the governors of South Dakota, Iowa and Nebraska with business leaders in the Sioux City area. (Makenzie Huber/South Dakota Searchlight) State Sen. Rick Holdcroft of Bellevue has also introduced Legislative Bill 1228, at Pillens request, which would establish a new baseline state docket fee on civil cases and traffic misdemeanors or infractions. The fee would be $38 for small claims, $61 in traffic cases, $70 in civil cases in county courts or separate juvenile courts and $116 in civil cases in district court or before the Supreme Court. Advertisement Advertisement Funke, noting the judicial branch understands tax revenues are on the decline and additional funding is limited, said he trusts LB 1228 and the budget reductions will be a reasonable method to ensure all services are not sacrificed and public safety is not compromised. The chief justice has repeatedly said the branch has exhausted its available resources at the request of the governor and the funding decisions of the Legislature. One increasing cost for the courts has been interpreters. The branch offered interpretation for 71 different languages at more than 22,000 interpreting events last year. The court is implementing a training program designed to increase local interpreter services as costs continue to increase for services, partly due to the need to seek out-of-state interpreters. JUSTICE 2.0 Funke on Thursday also highlighted the judicial branchs steps for a modernized online case management system, known now as JUSTICE. The effort is known as JUSTICE 2.0. Advertisement Advertisement The new system is anticipated to streamline court processes, incorporate electronic exhibit use and retention, facilitate an electronic jury management system, simplify accurate data collection and dissemination, refine the process of collecting court fees and fines and improve communication with court users. Attorney Daniel Gutman argues before the Nebraska Supreme Court. From left on the bench are Justices Jason Bergevin, Jonathan Papik, William Cassel (not pictured), Jeffrey Funke (chief justice), Stephanie Stacy and John Freudenberg. At right is Gage County District Judge Rick Schreiner, who is rounding out the court due to a temporary vacancy at the time. Dec. 3, 2025. (Zach Wendling/Nebraska Examiner) JUSTICE was first implemented in 1994, and Funke said it has saved millions in tax dollars. However, tens of millions more dollars are needed to complete the modernization. The courts will first seek increased rates to search court case information, the new docket fee specifically to maintain JUSTICE and file applications for grant funding before seeking new tax dollars in 2027. Funke thanked state lawmakers for funding his branch in 2025 amid enormous pressure in creating the state budget and said the branch remains willing to assist in budgetary matters. Advertisement Advertisement Over the years, when the three branches of state government communicate well and appreciate the good work of each other, we are all successful, Funke said. This year provides us another opportunity to find innovative ways to serve our beloved state. SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX Real estate in Greater Cincinnati is booming. Here at The Enquirer, we aim to bring you in-depth real estate coverage about the developments and neighborhood issues you care about the most. Going Up is a series that introduces you to the need-to-know projects around the region. Submit suggestions to sfranklin@enquirer.com or tag @Enquirer on social media. Please include the address or cross streets of the project you want us to look into. The basics of West Chester's Kroger Marketplace Address: 7855 Tylersville Road, West Chester Township. Building type: Retail/Grocery store. Owner/developer : Kroger, Regency Centers. Size: Approximately 123,000 square feet. Cost: $35 million. A new Kroger Marketplace is being built behind the current Kroger on Tylersville Road. A bigger store with more stuff: What to know about new Kroger Marketplace A new Kroger Marketplace will soon replace the Kroger store in West Chester Plaza. Advertisement Advertisement The revamped store will be almost twice as big as the current shop around 123,000 square feet. West Chester's Kroger Marketplace will also offer more non-grocery items, like kitchenware and clothes, according to a press release from the company. It will also feature: A Murrays Cheese section. Starbucks store. Kroger Pickup. A pharmacy with drive-thru. A Kroger fuel center. The store will employ more than 250 additional staff members. Kroger's total investment in the new store is $35 million. When will the Kroger Marketplace open in West Chester? The current Kroger store will remain open throughout construction. The Kroger Marketplace, being constructed behind the old store, is on track to be completed this summer, said Danielle Gentry, a local Kroger spokesperson. Advertisement Advertisement West Chester trustees approved a zoning change and plan for the project in 2023. Once the Kroger Marketplace opens, the old store will be demolished. In an email, Gentry said Kroger Marketplace stores allow the company to offer a larger store with an expanded selection. A new Kroger Marketplace opened in Edgewood last fall. In early 2025, Kroger announced plans to invest $130 million in new and expanded stores throughout Cincinnati and Dayton. This article originally appeared on Cincinnati Enquirer: Kroger Marketplace going up in Cincinnati's West Chester Township UnitedHealth Group officials on Wednesday said they intend to provide rebates to customers who bought health insurance policies through an Affordable Care Act marketplace. Photo by Romy/Pixabay Jan. 21 (UPI) -- UnitedHealth Group officials on Wednesday said the health insurer will return the profits earned on policies obtained via the Affordable Care Act marketplace aka Obamacare. UnitedHealth Group is the largest health insurer in the United States, but its 1 million ACA policies rank well behind the larger Obamacare insurers, such as Centene and its 6 million such policies, according to Politico. "We are working with the [Trump] administration on the details, and our intent is to provide rebates to members in some manner," UnitedHealth Group spokesman Robert Josephson told Politico. The health insurer's announcement came a day before several health insurer executives are scheduled to testify before a pair of House committee hearings on Thursday. UnitedHealth Group Chairman and Chief Executive Officer Stephen Hemsley has prepared his testimony, which the insurer has posted online. It largely focuses on the costs of hospitalization, diagnostic services and prescription medications as primary factors in rising healthcare costs in the United States. The House Energy and Commerce Committee on Health is conducting a hearing in the morning, followed by a House Ways and Means Committee hearing in the afternoon. The respective committees are examining the high cost of health care in the United States and how to make it more affordable and accessible. Former UnitedHealth Group Chief Executive Officer Brian Thompson was shot and killed on a New York City sidewalk on the morning on Dec. 4, 2024. Accused murderer Luigi Mangione is charged with first-degree murder and other related charges in the U.S. District Court for Southern New York and could be sentenced to death if found guilty. Mangione also faces state charges in New York and Pennsylvania, where he was arrested after Thompson's murder. After years of legal battles, the City of Binghamton will finally take the title to the Binghamton Plaza on the city's North Side. At a Jan. 21 press conference, Mayor Jared Kraham announced that pre-demolition work for the site has begun ahead of the city receiving ownership of the plaza in early March. The plaza, located at 33 West State St., has long been in a state of disrepair, despite a handful of businesses continuing operations in the plaza. In June 2024, the city won its eminent domain case against the plaza's owners, paving the way for an offer of purchase that will see the city buy the property for $1.55 million. Pre-demolition efforts to begin at Binghamton Plaza Binghamton's Colliers Engineering and Design will conduct environmental testing and demolition design of the site, and will also help determine bid specifications for the plaza's demolition. In December, City Council authorized an $83,000 contract with the firm. Advertisement Advertisement The city has also hired MKSK, a Rochester-based planning firm, to develop a feasibility study and redevelopment plan for the site following demolition efforts. The study will evaluate the economic impacts, job creation, infrastructure needs and funding opportunities to pave the way for the site's redevelopment. The firm will also lead community engagement to ensure the future of the site reflects the needs and wishes of the North Side community. The City of Binghamton is pursuing ownership of the Binghamton Plaza on the city's North Side. MKSK's work will be supported by a $75,000 Empire State Development grant through New York State's Strategic Planning and Feasibility Studies program. In late January, City Council will vote on whether to accept the grant funds and enter into a contract with MKSK. A total of $2 million has been allocated toward the plaza's demolition, which Kraham says will begin following a bidding process after pre-demolition efforts are complete. Advertisement Advertisement According to Kraham, future developments on the site could include commercial development or multi-unit residential development. "I think that this site, with how strategic it is, should have a development that drives people from across the region," said Kraham. "Either some sort of commercial destination, or something that gets people off the highway and has them spend money in the City of Binghamton." In 2015, plaza owners worked alongside the Department of Environmental Conservation to complete cleanup activities for the site, which was formerly a municipal landfill. Kraham said the city will work with Colliers to identify if additional site cleanup is needed. The Binghamton Plaza on State Street Aug. 11, 2025. More: Polar vortex to bring 'hazardous weather' to Binghamton Jan. 22-25. See forecast New York Pizzeria to change location ahead of Binghamton Plaza demolition According to Kraham, the plaza's most popular business, New York Pizzeria, has identified a new location in Binghamton and will begin to relocate in the spring. Advertisement Advertisement A daycare and convenience store located in outbuildings in the plaza are not part of demolition plans as of Jan. 21. Kraham said the city will partner with the Binghamton Local Development Corporation for property management of the site, including the outbuildings. For years, Binghamton Plaza has been what Kraham calls "Binghamton's largest eyesore." Now, in 2026, it seems the future of the plaza has never been brighter. "We had a North Side community and neighborhood that was asking for years and years for something to be done with this blighted plaza," said Kraham. "The future of this site is very, very bright. We're going to eliminate these blighted, dilapidated buildings. We're going to improve access to the Chenango Riverfront. We're going to expand park space from Cheri A Lindsey Memorial Park. And most importantly, reinvigorate this commercial district." This article originally appeared on Binghamton Press & Sun-Bulletin: Blighted Binghamton Plaza set for demolition, redevelopment The struggle for influence in the Arctic is intensifying as US President Donald Trump continues pressing the case for Greenland to join the United States. However, CNN says Moscow holds a dominant position in the Arctic region. Source: CNN Details: CNN notes that although Trump's claims over territory belonging to one of America's closest and most reliable allies have perplexed the world, the race for the Arctic has been underway for decades. Advertisement Advertisement Quote: "And for a long time, Russia has been winning it. There's no question that Moscow has had a dominating presence in the Arctic region. It controls roughly half of the land and half of the maritime exclusive economic zone north of the Arctic Circle. Two thirds of the Arctic region's residents live in Russia." Details: CNN adds that although the Arctic accounts for only a small share of the global economy about 0.4%, according to the Arctic Council, a forum representing Arctic states Russia controls two-thirds of the region's GDP. Russia has been expanding its military presence in the Arctic for decades, investing heavily in infrastructure across the region. Advertisement Advertisement The Arctic contains 66 military sites and numerous other defence facilities and outposts, according to the Canadian non-profit Simons Foundation, which monitors Arctic security and nuclear disarmament. Based on publicly available data and research by the Simons Foundation, 30 of these are located in Russia, while 36 are in NATO countries with Arctic territory: 15 in Norway (including one UK base), eight in the United States, nine in Canada, three in Greenland, and one in Iceland. Experts say Russia cannot currently match NATO's military capabilities; however, the scale of Russia's military presence and the pace of its expansion in recent years are a cause for serious concern. The Royal United Services Institute (RUSI), a UK-based defence think tank, has noted that in recent years, Russia has invested significant resources and effort in modernising its fleet of nuclear-powered submarines, which forms the backbone of its military power in the Arctic. While continuing its war against Ukraine, Russia has also enhanced its radar, drone and missile capabilities. Advertisement Advertisement The situation was not always this dangerous. For many years after the end of the Cold War, the Arctic was one of the regions where Russia and Western countries appeared able to cooperate successfully. The Arctic Council, established in 1996, sought to bring Russia closer to the other seven Arctic nations and promote closer cooperation on issues such as biodiversity, climate change and the protection of indigenous peoples' rights. For a time, there were even attempts at security cooperation: Russia took part in two meetings of the Arctic Chiefs of Defence Forum before being excluded following the occupation of Crimea in 2014. Since then, most forms of cooperation have been suspended, and relations between the West and Moscow fell to a new post-Cold War low after Russia launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022. Advertisement Advertisement The accession of Finland and Sweden to NATO in 2023 and 2024 has effectively split the Arctic region into two roughly equal parts: one controlled by Russia and the other by NATO. Trump has repeatedly said the US needs Greenland for national security reasons, citing the ambitions of Russia and China in the Arctic. He has claimed that Denmark, which has sovereignty over the world's largest island, is not strong enough to protect it from threats posed by the two countries. Although China is not an Arctic state, it has made no secret of its interest in the region. In 2018, it declared itself a "near-Arctic state" and outlined the "polar silk road" initiative for Arctic shipping. In 2024, China and Russia began joint patrols in the Arctic as part of broader cooperation between the two countries. Advertisement Advertisement Quote: "But security is not the only reason why interest in the Arctic is growing. The region is transforming faster than any other area of the world as the climate crisis deepens, warming up around four times faster than the global average. Sea ice is shrinking at a rapid rate. But while scientists are warning that this could have incredibly damaging consequences for the natural world and the livelihoods of the people who rely on it, there are many who argue melting sea ice could also unlock a huge economic opportunity in terms of mining and shipping." Details: Two shipping routes that were largely impassable just 20 years ago are now opening due to dramatic ice melt although researchers and environmental groups warn that sending fleets of vessels through this pristine, remote and hazardous region could lead to environmental and human catastrophe. The Northern Sea Route, which runs along Russia's northern coast, and the Northwest Passage, which skirts the northern coast of North America, have been largely ice-free at the height of summer since the late 2000s. Advertisement Advertisement The Northern Sea Route cuts the sailing time between Asia and Europe to around two weeks, roughly half the time required via the traditional route through the Suez Canal. CNN adds that the situation changed in the early 2010s, when the passage became more accessible, and since then, the number of transits has risen from just a few per year to around 100. Since 2022, Russia has increasingly used this route to transport oil and gas to China after sanctions cut it off from its previous European customers. Similarly, the Northwest Passage has also become more navigable: the number of crossings has risen from a handful per year in the early 2000s to 41 in 2023. Advertisement Advertisement A third, central route running directly across the North Pole may also become possible in the future, although the level of ice melt required would have alarming consequences, accelerating global warming, intensifying extreme weather events and destroying valuable ecosystems in the region. Quote: "As for mining, there is a possibility that the melting ice could expose land that was previously impossible to exploit. Greenland in particular could be a hot spot for coal, copper, gold, rare-earth elements and zinc, according to the Geological Survey of Denmark and Greenland. However, researchers say it would be extremely difficult and expensive to extract Greenland's minerals because many of the island's mineral deposits are in remote areas above the Arctic Circle, where there is a mile-thick polar ice sheet and darkness reigns much of the year." Details: The idea that these resources could be easily extracted for the benefit of the United States was described by CNN as "completely bonkers" by Malte Humpert, founder and senior fellow at the Arctic Institute. Advertisement Advertisement Although Trump has recently focused on Greenland's security aspects, his former national security adviser Mike Waltz said in 2024 that the administration's attention to Greenland was centred on critical minerals and natural resources. Support Ukrainska Pravda on Patreon! The U.S. Coast Guard is facing further scrutiny after a recent Government Accountability Office report cited ongoing failures in how the service has reported cases of sexual assault and harassment to Congress since 2022. The GAO found that in a 2022 report to Congress on this issue, the Coast Guard reported 226 incidents of sexual assault and 88 incidents of sexual harassment. That report, however, contained only five of the 11 required reporting elements, only partially included four and did not include two, the GAO stated. Some of the required elements of a complaint include victim information; incident details, such as time and location; type of support requested per victim; and any additional evidence. Advertisement Advertisement The Coast Guard also submitted the 2022 report about a year late, according to the GAO. The GAO also noted that the Coast Guards reports covering fiscal years 2023 and 2024 due on Jan. 15, 2024, and January 15, 2025, respectively remained unissued as of December 2025. Additionally, in one 2022 report, the Coast Guard acknowledged that it had not adequately communicated the findings and scope of Operation Fouled Anchor, which was a series of investigations that examined more than 100 separate allegations of sexual assault from 1990 to 2006 at the Coast Guard Academy. As a junior officer, if I had failed to produce reports on a timely basis, I would have been fired, K. Denise Rucker Krepp, a former Coast Guard officer familiar with the vetting process for sexual assault cases, told Military Times. So, why has a single admiral not been held accountable for the delay in the reports? Thats a fireable offense. Advertisement Advertisement Rucker Krepp added that officers responsible should face courts martial or have certain operational funds withheld. A previous report by Navy Times, meanwhile, detailed that many Coast Guard service members did not feel safe or trust in their leadership, according to a 90-day internal review initiated by reports of sexual assault and harassment. The U.S. Coast Guard subsequently apologized for previously failing to adequately handle cases of sexual assault and harassment at the services Connecticut-based academy. The service also acknowledged at the time that it did not widely disclose its six-year internal investigation into dozens of cases from 1988 to 2006. Advertisement Advertisement Rucker Krepp told Military Times that Coast Guard sexual assault survivors are taking actions to speak with congressional lawmakers on the matter. Its not going to be the Coast Guard that holds itself accountable because theyve shown they cant do it, Rucker Krepp said. Its going to have to be an outside entity either Congress or the president or the secretary of Homeland Security whos going to say, For the need of the service, its time to start holding people accountable. GAO issued two recommendations in its recent report. First, it recommended that the Coast Guard ensure that annual sexual assault and sexual harassment reports to Congress address all required elements. Secondly, the report noted that the reports should be issued on time. The Department of Homeland Security agreed with the recommendations. If you happen to have $950,000 and a hangar to spare, a famed - and heavily discounted - American warbird in the California desert can be yours. Described as the "World's Only Privately Owned F-4 Phantom Capable of Flight" by its listing agents, the McDonnell F4H-1F has a significant and storied past: During a demonstration in 1961, this exact plane dropped several 500-pound bombs on Fort Bragg, influencing the U.S. Air Force's decision to order them. However, during a weapons test, its undercarriage door and pylon were burned by a Sidewinder missile, a supersonic heat-seeking projectile used in aerial combat, the listing says. The aircraft later experienced engine failure and was decommissioned in 1964. Advertisement Advertisement First flown in 1958, "the Phantom Menace" was a powerful symbol of America's military during the Cold War and an instrument of death in Vietnam. It has since become the most produced American jet fighter in history according to war museums, and it ushered in a new era of combat with its advanced radar and missile technology. For the past decade, this Phantom has been under restoration at the French Valley Airport in Riverside County, where it's now seeking a new owner - and based on its features, it seems that it's being prepared for takeoff. According to the aircraft's description, it has two "hot" ejection seats, along with new parachutes, survival kits and upgraded engines. Though the listing offers few details, when an ejection is "hot," this usually means that the seats are jet-powered, leading to dizzying and sometimes violent ejections that have been known to cause head and spinal injuries among pilots. The Phantom's restoration is about 85% complete, and the aircraft has been discounted from $3 million to $950,000. Its listing agents did not respond to SFGATE's request for more information by the time of publication. More News - ABC7 reporter, a fixture on Bay Area TV news, dies at 78 - Bay Area man broke into 114 vehicles in 2 days, police say - San Francisco coyote swims to Alcatraz for first time ever - Bay Area canned food giant shuts down plant, cutting 600 jobs Sign up for daily SFGATE breaking news alerts here. This article originally published at A Cold War-era death machine is being resurrected at an obscure California airport. Rep. Mike Nathe, R-Bismarck, speaks during a meeting of the Joint Appropriations Committee as part of a special session of the Legislature on Jan. 21, 2026. (Photo by Michael Achterling/North Dakota Monitor) A bill that would provide free school meals to North Dakota students narrowly received support from a legislative committee late Wednesday, advancing to the House with a do-pass recommendation. House Bill 1624, sponsored by Rep. Mike Nathe, R-Bismarck, mirrors a constitutional ballot measure that would require the state to cover the cost of lunch and breakfast for all K-12 students. Advertisement Advertisement The Together for Free School Meals coalition is gathering signatures for the measure with hopes to have voters decide the issue during the November election. North Dakota Monitor special session coverage House members of the committee voted 17-5 and Senate members voted 8-7 in support of Nathes bill. His proposal attempts to put the meal program in state statute, rather than the state constitution, which would make it easier for lawmakers to amend if the cost becomes unsustainable. But several lawmakers expressed concerns Wednesday that even in statute, a meal program would be difficult for lawmakers to cut in the future if the state could not afford it. Some expressed concerns about potential drops in state oil tax revenue. The bill is projected to cost $65 million for the 2026-27 school year. Advertisement Advertisement Another bill concerning school meals, House Bill 1627, sponsored by Rep. Ty Dressler, R-Richardton, would increase the states free and reduced school lunch program to include families earning up to 300% the federal poverty limit, which is about $96,000 for a family of four. Lawmakers were not able to reach consensus on Dresslers bill and advanced the measure to the House without a recommendation. The House is scheduled to convene at 8:30 a.m. Thursday. Rep. Ty Dressler, R-Richardton, speaks about free or reduced school meals during a special session of the Legislature on Jan. 21, 2026. (Photo by Michael Achterling/North Dakota Monitor) Rep. Jon Nelson, R-Rugby, was among those who favored Nathes bill. We can bet yes or no whether it (the ballot measure) will pass or not, but were playing Russian roulette with that decision, if we allow the constitutional measure to go forward, Nelson said. And I would hope we would allow future legislatures to change it, if they have to. Advertisement Advertisement House Minority Leader Rep. Zac Ista, D-Grand Forks, said providing school meals helps families who are struggling with affordability right now. I think there can be some joy at the prospect of an opportunity to send $65 million back to the taxpayers, Ista said. Sen. Jonathan Sickler, R-Grand Forks, said his local school district is cutting back electives and raising extra curricular fees due to budgetary issues. Its an issue of priorities, Sickler said. And the feedback Im getting from people in my district is the priorities are different than passing free lunch and free breakfast at this point. Advertisement Advertisement Rep. David Monson, R-Osnabrock, voted against the measure and called Nathes bill pure socialism. I really hate this bill, Monson said. How does every democracy or republic end? People start voting free money for themselves. This story was updated to correct committee vote totals. North Dakota Monitor reporter Michael Achterling can be reached at machterling@northdakotamonitor.com. SUPPORT: YOU MAKE OUR WORK POSSIBLE SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX A key US congressional panel has voted to hold former President Bill Clinton and his wife, former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, in contempt of Congress over their refusal to comply with subpoenas in its investigation of convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein. The Republican-led House Oversight Committee approved the contempt measure, with the support of several Democrats, and it will now go to the full House of Representatives for a vote. If it passes the chamber, the matter will be referred to the justice department. Advertisement Advertisement The committee had summoned both Clintons to testify about Epstein, with whom Bill Clinton has appeared in photographs in the 1990s and early 2000s. Bill Clinton has never been accused of wrongdoing by survivors of Epstein's abuse, and has denied knowledge of his sex offending. Lawyers for the Clintons had called the Oversight Committee subpoenas "unenforceable", and said they had already provided the "limited information" they had about Epstein. On Wednesday, nine Democrats voted with Republicans to hold Bill Clinton in contempt of Congress, while three Democrats voted to hold Hillary Clinton in contempt. Advertisement Advertisement If the full House votes in favour, the Department of Justice would decide whether to prosecute the charges, which is a misdemeanour offence punishable by a fine up to $100,000 (74,500) and imprisonment up to a year. In a statement, Oversight Committee Chairman James Comer urged the full House to hold the Clintons in contempt, saying his committee had sent a "clear message" that "no one is above the law, and justice must be applied equally - regardless of position, pedigree, or prestige". The Clintons had contended the subpoenas - legal orders to provide testimony - were "nothing more than a ploy to attempt to embarrass political rivals, as President Trump has directed". In a letter to Comer, lawyers for the Clintons said they had communicated "proactively and voluntarily" with the committee. Advertisement Advertisement The attorneys also said the subpoenas were "untethered to a valid legislative purpose, unwarranted because they do not seek pertinent information, and an unprecedented infringement on the separation of powers". Bill Clinton appears with Epstein and at the late financier's estate in photographs that were recently released by the justice department after Congress passed a law requiring the agency to release material related to investigations of Epstein. One picture shows the former president swimming in a pool, and another shows him lying on his back with his hands behind his head in what appears to be a hot tub. Clinton's spokesman, Angel Urena, said when the photos were released that they were decades old and Clinton stopped associating with Epstein before his crimes came to light. Advertisement Advertisement The majority of documents as part of the Epstein files has yet to be released as required by law, which mandated their release by 19 December. Many of those that were released included redactions that weren't explained, which was also required by law. Faces and names of figures who were investigated by authorities were among the redactions. Officials have noted there are still millions of documents that have yet to be made public. DANBURY - The attorney for a plaintiff in a Greenwich-based breach of contract lawsuit contends the defendant's lawyer used artificial intelligence in court filings that were rife with bogus and "hallucinated" case law. "The unfettered use of AI without ensuring the accuracy of the content submitted to the Court is problematic, as it impugns the integrity of our judicial system and is a violation of the standards of accuracy, candor and professionalism owed to the Court," Greenwich attorney Philip Russell wrote in a motion for sanctions against the defendant contractor and its attorney, Nicholas Mingione. Advertisement Advertisement Mingione could not be reached immediately for comment Tuesday. The call for sanctions stems from a lawsuit filed in December 2024 by J. Salvatore & Sons Inc. contending that sloppy masonry work by New Fairfield-based Gencor Contracting Corp. at a construction project on Midwood Road in Greenwich led to flooding and damage estimated at more than $80,000. Dated Jan. 16 and filed in state Superior Court in Danbury, Russell's call for sanctions focuses on the defendant's two "motions to strike," filed in October and November last year. Russell cites 12 misrepresentations in Mingione's first motion, including cited quotes that do not appear anywhere in the highlighted decisions, and cited cases that "do not exist." Catherine R. Keenan, an attorney in Russell's firm, emailed Mingione on Nov. 3 about the suspected AI-generated fabrications. Advertisement Advertisement "This is a potential fraud on the court and is sanctionable conduct," Keenan wrote, according to court filings. Mingione, an attorney with Russo & Gould, which has offices in Stamford and Hartford, replied the same day, according to court filings. "Our legal research software does in fact have an AI component that assists in legal drafting," Mingione wrote, according to the court filing. "With that said, no attempt to confuse the court would ever be attempted." "As a show of good faith," Mingione wrote that he had withdrawn the motion to strike and would refile it with different citations to make the same argument. Advertisement Advertisement The second motion to strike, however, "also suffers from AI fabrications," Russell's call for sanctions says, including the same fabricated quote highlighted from the first motion to strike. Rules of conduct for Connecticut attorneys say "a lawyer shall not knowingly make a false statement of material fact or law to a tribunal." However, Russell in his motion for sanctions says there is "a dearth of law on the misuse of AI by attorneys in court filings." The Rules Committee of the Connecticut Superior Court has been discussing the issue, according to meeting agendas and minutes. Members at the Jan. 12 meeting considered a proposal that would require attorneys who use AI programs in their legal research to certify that they have independently verified the accuracy of the citations, according to meeting minutes. No action was taken. In the motion for sanctions, Russell cites a notice issued in September from the U.S. District Court in Connecticut to lawyers and litigants that warns against using AI without verifying accuracy, "like any other shoddy research method from other sources or tools." Advertisement Advertisement The federal court, the notice says, "has a no-tolerance policy for any briefing (AI-assisted or not) that hallucinates legal propositions or otherwise severely misstates the law." Sanctions sought against Gencor and its counsel, according to Russell's motion, include "reimbursement of counsel's time for investigating and addressing the AI hallucinations in the two motions" and any other sanctions the court deems appropriate. The promise and pitfalls of AI have been much-discussed issues in legal circles across the nation. In December, the American Bar Association's Task Force on Law and Artificial Intelligence released a report that includes guidance and recommendations meant to "uphold our profession's core values of competence, integrity, and public trust," the organization's immediate past president, William R. Bay, wrote in the introduction. Advertisement Advertisement "The future of our profession will be shaped by how we meet this moment," Bay wrote. "Together, we will work to promote a future where AI serves both our clients and the public good." This article originally published at Connecticut lawyer accused of citing AI-generated fake cases in court filings. This story has been updated to include new information about the death penalty case. Connie Pillich, the first Democrat to head the Hamilton County Prosecutors Office in nearly a century, begins her second year in the position in 2026. Pillichs first year was demanding. She had to run an office that handles thousands of criminal cases at the same time as she battled multiple political headwinds. She also had to replace 35 attorneys who left, including three she fired. Advertisement Advertisement Pillich is also overseeing what had been the offices first new death penalty prosecution since 2021. The case is scheduled to go to trial in April. Her office announced in early January that it would no longer seek the death penalty because the defendant has a serious mental illness. But 2026 will see some new initiatives within the office, including a unit staffed by outside people that will re-examine questionable convictions. The office will also be introducing a (very endearing) therapy dog. Pillich, an Air Force veteran and former state representative, is looking forward to the challenge. What to expect in 2026 Pillich spoke at a county commissioners meeting Dec. 9 and unveiled her vision for a conviction integrity unit that will be staffed by three people from outside the office. Advertisement Advertisement The unit will look at convictions that have been identified as questionable by organizations like the Ohio Innocence Project. Thats got to be part of what we do, she said in an interview. I am ethically obligated to seek justice. Hamilton County Prosecutor Connie Pillich sits inside a library at her offices on Dec. 4. Its staff will include an attorney from outside the office who will head it full time. Pillich also said she wants to expand the elder justice unit and hire more victim advocates who help lead victims and their families through the court process. Overall, her office presented an increasing number of cases to grand juries in 2025, as the number of felony cases involving serious crimes went up. She said the increase can been seen in child abuse cases as well as cases involving videos and photos of children being sexually abused. Therapy dog to start serving The office also will have a therapy dog in 2026. The dog was donated by a breeder and is living with the family of one of her assistant prosecutors. Advertisement Advertisement The dog, "Basil, will work with grand jurors as well as witnesses, crime victims and others who testify before grand juries. He will be 7 months old in January. What drives Pillich Pillich said what drives her the most is a deep-rooted commitment to service and wanting to help victims and their families knowing that they need justice for the trauma theyve gone through. This article originally appeared on Cincinnati Enquirer: Hamilton County Prosecutor Connie Pillich | People to Watch The man leading a review of how much tax Guernsey receives from businesses says islanders are to be asked their views on the introduction of a proposed new 10% or 15% rate of corporate tax. Deputy Charles Parkinson said the consultation into taxes was set to begin on Friday. The tax review sub-committee, which he leads, is set to return to the States with full proposals for tax reform before the end of June, including whether to introduce a goods and services tax (GST). Advertisement Advertisement The States is set to debate plans for GST next month, which could see a 5% rate to include food, or a 6% rate if food is excluded. Policy and Resources (P&R) member Parkinson has been a long-time critic of the island's current corporate tax regime and came third at 2025's general election. Since 2008, most companies in Guernsey have paid no tax on their profits, while certain finance businesses in banking, fiduciary services, and insurance have been taxed at 10%, under a regime known as 0/10. There also some businesses that fall into a 15% or 20% band of tax. Advertisement Advertisement Parkinson attempted to change the island's corporate tax regime in 2023, but failed. In June last year, outgoing Chief Minister Lyndon Trott warned the States against making changes to corporate tax without moving in line with other jurisdictions like Jersey and the Isle of Man. The island's business representative groups, like the Guernsey International Business Association, have consistently argued against changing corporate tax. Delivering tax reform has been proposed as one of the States' "super priorities" for this term, as part of P&R's government work plan. What could the corporate tax changes be? There are several options that could be voted in, two of them would be a new 10% or 15% corporate tax rate. Advertisement Advertisement However, Parkinson said: "One option would be to widen the 15% and 20% bands to include other business that are not already in those bands. "Another option would be - at the moment the tax rate is determined by the actual business that's being undertaken, it's not by the company. "We say company X has to pay tax on certain steams of income, Jersey taxes the company on all of the income, if it's within the scope of that band, that's another option for us." Parkinson said he wanted to hear from businesses regarding the options in the tax consultation package, adding there would also be an opportunity for the general public to have its say. Who is working on plans for corporate tax reform? The tax review sub-committee was created by P&R and consists of: Advertisement Advertisement Deputy Charles Parkinson (chair) Deputy Gavin St Pier Bill Dodwell Mike Williams Peter Harris Tony Mancini It is considering how companies are taxed and whether a system of territorial corporate tax should be implemented. Alongside that, it is reviewing a package that was agreed by States members in November 2024 that included plans for a 5% GST, which could now become the 6% GST option instead. It is also looking at a lower income tax rate for earnings under 32,400, an increase to income tax allowances, and a restructuring of social security contributions. Follow BBC Guernsey on X and Facebook and Instagram. Send your story ideas to channel.islands@bbc.co.uk. More on this story Related internet links Belgium has denied that it signed up to be part of Donald Trumps controversial peacekeeping board in a blow to the U.S. president. Trumps Board of Peace, which offers permanent membership for a $1 billion dollar fee, has the stated goals of promoting stability and restoring lawful governance in conflict zones, initially focusing on reconstruction of the Gaza Strip. European partners have expressed skepticism about the initiative over fears it could replace the United Nations and after Trump invited Russian tyrant Vladimir Putin, whos engaged in a bloody war against Western ally Ukraine, and Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko, a close Putin ally and key enabler of that conflict. Advertisement Advertisement Ahead of the signing ceremony on Thursday, the White House shared a list of signatories, which included countries like Belgium, Egypt, and Saudi Arabia. But Belgium says it is not among the signatories. Belgium has NOT signed the Charter of the Board of Peace. This announcement is incorrect, Maxime Prevot, Belgiums deputy prime minister and minister of foreign affairs, said in a post on X. President Trump launched his We wish for a common and coordinated European response. As many European countries, we have reservations to the proposal. The Daily Beast has contacted the White House for comment. Prevot on Tuesday accused Trump of trying to replace the United Nations system with his transitional Board of Peace. He described the project as totally unacceptable, and said Trump was trying to create his own personal board. President Donald Trump greets Prime Minister of Hungary Viktor Orban as he presents the Board of Peace onstage at the World Economic Forum on Jan. 22, 2026 in Davos, Switzerland. / Chip Somodevilla / Getty Images Tensions between the U.S. and European countries have already been high in recent weeks amid Trumps threats to take control of Greenland, an autonomous territory of NATO ally Denmark. Advertisement Advertisement The presidents critics say these moves undermine the postwar system of international norms, while Trump has threatened to slap 10 percent tariffs on any countries that oppose his bid to seize control of the Danish-owned territory. Amid the rift, not a single representative from a Western European country was present at the signing ceremony on Thursday. Fewer than 20 nations made an appearance, well below the 35 anticipated by senior White House officials. Among the countries in attendance were Gulf States like Saudi Arabia, Qatar and the UAE, along with Argentina and Paraguay. Israel was not in attendance. Every one of thems a friend of mine, Trump said from the stage. In this group I like every single one of them, can you believe it? Usually I have about two or three that I cant stand. Theyre great people, he added. Theyre great leaders. The Office of the US Trade Representative (USTR) has confirmed plans to introduce phased tariff increases on imports from Nicaragua from 2027, following a Section 301 investigation into labour rights, human rights and rule-of-law concerns. Under the proposal, an additional tariff will apply to all Nicaraguan goods that do not qualify as originating under the Dominican RepublicCentral AmericaUS Free Trade Agreement (CAFTA-DR). The tariff will be set at zero from 1 January 2026, rising to 10% from 1 January 2027 and 15% from 1 January 2028. The measures will stack on top of existing duties, including most-favoured-nation tariffs and the 18% reciprocal tariff imposed earlier under the International Emergency Economic Powers Act. USTR says its decision to take more limited measures balances the need for action and the importance of limiting disruption for US businesses, including limiting the impact on US exports to Nicaragua and US companies producing in Nicaragua. AAFA welcomes limits on CAFTA-DR goods The American Apparel & Footwear Association (AAFA) welcomed USTRs decision not to extend additional Section 301 tariffs to CAFTA-DR qualifying goods, warning that broader measures would risk destabilising deeply integrated regional supply chains. We support the USTRs decision in choosing not to impose additional tariffs on CAFTA-DR qualifying goods as part of the section 301 investigation, said AAFA president and CEO Steve Lamar. This approach allows the US to hold trading partners accountable to address unfair practices that harm US workers and businesses, while still safeguarding free trade agreements that are essential to our economy. CAFTA-DR directly supports tens of thousands of American jobs in our industry, with Nicaragua playing a major role in the production of textiles and apparel. In a previous joint submission to USTR alongside the National Retail Federation, Retail Industry Leaders Association and the United States Fashion Industry Association, AAFA highlighted the risks of sweeping trade action for apparel and textile supply chains. The organisations said the CAFTA-DR yarn-forward rules have created deeply interconnected and complex supply chains involving US cotton farmers, mills and manufacturers across Central America, with Nicaragua a key production hub in the Western Hemisphere. In Nicaragua alone, we estimate that tens of thousands of jobs are directly connected to CAFTA-DR trade, the groups said, urging USTR to avoid measures that could disrupt sourcing networks and lead to significant job losses. DES MOINES, Iowa Former Des Moines Public Schools Superintendent Ian Roberts plans to plead guilty to both of his federal charges on Thursday, according to a newly-filed 15-page federal plea agreement. Ian Roberts, the former Superintendent of Des Moines Public Schools. If convicted, Roberts could face significant prison time, potentially up to 20 years. The date next to his signature on the paperwork shows he signed the plea agreement on Wednesday, a move that could prevent the maximum sentence. Roberts, a federal inmate in custody of the U.S. Marshals Service, has been incarcerated at the Polk County Jail, where he has been held for more than three months. Previous court filings had indicated he had been negotiating with government prosecutors. Roberts was arrested by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents on September 26 in Des Moines after investigators said he led law enforcement on a vehicle pursuit. Advertisement Advertisement After he was captured, authorities said a search of Roberts district-issued vehicle turned up a loaded handgun, a fixed-blade knife, and $3,000 in cash. A search warrant later executed at his metro home uncovered three additional firearms. Roberts, a native of Guyana in South America, was charged with makeing a false statement for employment, for allegedly claiming he was a U.S. citizen on his employment application for DMPS, as well as with being an illegal alien in possession of a firearm. He initially pleaded not guilty. Ian Roberts in 2026, 2020 and the handgun allegedly found in his district-issued vehicle. Photos: U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement After months of scrutiny surrounding his personal and professional life, court filings show Roberts now admits to knowingly and intentionally providing false information about his immigration status on his DMPS application, while being aware he was unlawfully present in the United States. He also admits to possessing multiple firearms that at some point crossed state lines. The latter admission qualifies as an aggravated felony, which, one former federal prosecutor said, could make it difficult for Roberts to challenge deportation. Advertisement Advertisement Those are very serious offenses, former Assistant U.S. Attorney Bob Teig told WHO 13s Katie Kaplan. And it could make it very difficult, unless there had been some type of extenuating circumstances that are being taken into account. Teig, who has not worked on the Roberts case, worked in the Northern District of Iowa for nearly three decades. Ian Roberts Plea DealDownload Under the plea agreement, Roberts has agreed to forfeit his firearms and could be deported immediately after completing his sentence, according to the documents. If he were to return to the United States illegally, he would face enhanced charges. In exchange for his guilty plea, the federal government has agreed not to bring additional charges. Advertisement Advertisement The remaining question now is what sentence Roberts will receive. That decision will be left entirely to the judge. While Roberts may be required to answer questions under oath during Thursdays court appearance, he will not be able to contest his sentence, according to the plea agreement. Roberts faces up to 20 years in prison and fines totaling as much as $500,000. WHO 13 reached out to Roberts attorney, Alfredo Parrish of the Parrish Kruidenier Law Firm, multiple times over several days seeking comment, but did not receive a response. Metro News: Advertisement Advertisement Copyright 2026 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to who13.com. Jan. 22A Cullman County man with a pending third-degree burglary case was arrested Thursday after leading Morgan County sheriff's deputies on a chase exceeding 100 mph during a narcotics investigation, according to a deputy's affidavit. Alan Lee Eliff, 54, was booked into the Morgan County Jail early Friday morning and charged with felony attempting to elude a police officer, drug trafficking, tampering with physical evidence, possession of drug paraphernalia and two counts of failure to appear related to drug possession, jail records show. His bond totals $13,100, with one no-bond warrant and the drug trafficking charge still awaiting a bond determination. Agents with the Morgan County Drug Enforcement Unit were conducting a narcotics investigation when they attempted to stop a blue Honda Accord driven by Eliff in the 800 block of Bird Spring Road near the Basham community, the affidavit states. Advertisement Advertisement "As the vehicle turned into a driveway, Eliff refused to stop and fled the scene, traveling eastbound on Bird Spring Road," the affidavit said. Agents pursued Eliff from Bird Spring Road onto Norris Mill Road, where they observed him throwing a black bag from the passenger-side window of the vehicle. The bag was recovered by one of the pursuing deputies. Eliff continued at a high rate of speed from Norris Mill Road to Forest Chapel Road before traveling west on Alabama 36. He then turned onto New Cut Road, continued onto Evergreen Road and later onto Alabama 157, where deputies reported speeds of about 110 mph. The pursuit ended when the vehicle exited the roadway on Fowler Road and became disabled. "Agents approached the disabled vehicle with weapons drawn and issued verbal commands to the occupants," the affidavit said. "The front-seat passenger, identified as Courtney Marshall, was detained without incident. The driver, Alan Eliff, initially resisted but was detained after a brief struggle. A third occupant in the back seat, identified as Kimbrell Robert Young, complied with commands and exited the vehicle without incident." Advertisement Advertisement The black bag thrown from the vehicle contained a trafficking amount of methamphetamine, a digital scale and glass meth pipes, according to the affidavit. Additional drug paraphernalia was also recovered from inside the vehicle. All three occupants were arrested. Marshall and Young were charged with possession of drug paraphernalia and taken to the Morgan County Jail. Jail records show Marshall remained in the Morgan County Jail on Wednesday in lieu of a $300 bond and Young was released after porting the same bond amount Friday. Court records show Eliff was previously charged in Cullman County with third-degree burglary for allegedly entering an unoccupied building rented by another person in January 2023 with the intent to commit theft. The following month, prosecutors allege he received a stolen U-Haul truck and cut off its catalytic converter. He was also charged with first-degree receiving stolen property, second-degree criminal mischief and first-degree theft of property. Records also show Marshall, 30, of Hartselle, was charged last year in Limestone County with attempting to elude after deputies said she fled at speeds of about 70 mph in a 45-mph zone on Aug. 7. She was also charged with two counts of possession of a controlled substance and two counts of possession of drug paraphernalia. She was released two days later on a $2,500 bond. Advertisement Advertisement In 2021, Marshall pleaded guilty in Cullman County to possession of a controlled substance and received a suspended 32-month prison sentence and two years of probation, according to court records. Records also show Young, 66, pleaded guilty in 2003 in Cullman County to possession of a controlled substance and received a 10-year prison sentence, with eight years suspended. wesley.tomlinson@decaturdaily.com or 256-340-2442. Jan. 21Bernalillo County District Attorney Sam Bregman sent a letter Wednesday to a top Immigration and Customs Enforcement official in Albuquerque warning that some practices of federal agents in other states could be prosecuted as a felony offense under New Mexico law. ICE officials who detain someone without a warrant signed by a judge can be charged under New Mexico's felony false imprisonment law, which contains no exceptions for law enforcement officers, Bregman wrote." I write to express my deep concern about ICE procedures and operations across the country," he said in the letter sent to William Shaw, assistant field office director for ICE in Albuquerque." Advertisement Advertisement ICE's nationwide pattern of unconstitutional enforcement actions give rise to questions and unease about ICE activity in New Mexico," Bregman wrote. "Specifically, certain activity by ICE agents reported in other states would be criminal under the laws of New Mexico." Bregman said he received no response to the letter on Wednesday. Shaw is the assistant field director of ICE's Enforcement and Removal Operations in Albuquerque. The Journal did not receive a response Wednesday to a request for comment from Albuquerque officials at the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, which oversees ICE. Bregman said he wrote the letter in response to videos and news reports about ICE activities in other states and was not prompted by any specific incidents in New Mexico. Advertisement Advertisement "I'm trying to get ahead of this so that it's very clear," Bregman said in a phone interview. "I'm not going to sit by and watch anybody violate the law and turn a blind eye to it. To the contrary, we're going to hold people accountable, and that means everybody." The Associated Press reported Wednesday that ICE officers are asserting sweeping power to forcibly enter people's homes without a judge's warrant, according to an internal ICE memo and whistleblower complaint. The memo, signed by acting director of ICE, Todd Lyons, states that administrative warrants signed by an agency official are sufficient for forced entry if there's a final order of removal. The change reverses previous guidance and raises concerns about constitutional protections against illegal searches. Bregman's letter highlights New Mexico's statute for false imprisonment, which is defined as "intentionally confining or restraining another person" without lawful authority such as a signed warrant, reasonable suspicion or probable cause. False imprisonment is a fourth-degree felony with a basic sentence of 18 months in prison. Advertisement Advertisement New Mexico law contains no exception for law enforcement officers, Bregman wrote in the letter." Therefore, any ICE agent who, without a signed warrant and without reasonable suspicion or probable cause, detains, confines or retrains a person in Bernalillo County may be subject to prosecution," it said. Bregman said in the interview that videos and news reports from other states show ICE officers engaging in racial profiling by arbitrarily pulling over Hispanic people and demanding to know where they were born." We are a majority Hispanic state," he said. "I represent the biggest populated county in the state. I'm laying this down to make sure everybody knows that we're not going to tolerate whoever they are violating our criminal statutes." Dangerously cold temperatures are on their way to the Milwaukee area and meteorologists are advising people to stay indoors if possible. The National Weather Service has issued an extreme cold warning across all of Wisconsin. For southeastern Wisconsin, the warning is in effect from midnight to 1 p.m. Friday, Jan. 23. An extreme cold warning means temperatures or wind chills are expected to be minus 30 degrees or lower what the National Weather Service considers "life-threatening cold." Advertisement Advertisement Cameron Miller, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service in Milwaukee/Sullivan, said the actual temperature in Milwaukee overnight Thursday, Jan. 22 into Friday morning Jan. 23 is expected to reach minus 10 to minus 15 degrees, with wind chills as low as minus 38 across Milwaukee County. The National Weather Service has issued an extreme cold warning across southeastern Wisconsin from midnight to 1 p.m. Friday, Jan. 23. Wind chills may reach colder than minus 42 degrees in some areas, meteorologists say. Farther inland into Waukesha, Washington, Walworth and Jefferson counties as well as parts of western Kenosha County, may get even colder, in the range of minus 15 to minus 20, with wind chills of minus 40 to minus 42. In temperatures that cold, it's not safe to be outside for any extended period of time. "With the wind chills that are expected to occur tonight ... frostbite can occur in as little as 15 minutes on exposed skin," Miller said. "So, obviously, we're stressing that people take the precautions to bundle up if they necessarily have to be outdoors, or just completely avoid being outdoors altogether tonight because it's not going to be pretty as far as temperatures are concerned." Advertisement Advertisement For those without access to warm housing, the Milwaukee Coalition on Housing and Homelessness operates several shelters throughout the city. While the shelters are normally open from 7 p.m. to 7 a.m. daily, most have extended their hours through the weekend due to the severe weather. County officials said no one will be turned away from warming shelters during the cold spell, even if shelters reach their typical capacity. People in emergencies can get immediate help as well as social resources, including for immediate shelter needs, by calling IMPACT 211 at (414) 773-0211. The city of Milwaukee also offers cold weather safety information and links to resources online at city.milwaukee.gov/Health/Information/coldweathersafety. RELATED: This warming shelter in Milwaukee will be open 24 hours a day through Sunday, Jan. 25 Advertisement Advertisement Miller also reminded people to make sure their homes are winterized if not already, because bursting pipes could be a concern. The Milwaukee area hasn't had wind chills this cold since January 2019, when a polar vortex moved through the area, Miller said. After 1 p.m. Friday, Jan. 23, winds are expected to calm down, ending the warning-level cold. However, it'll still be very cold into next week, Miller said, so people should continue safety precautions. Along with the subzero temperatures, some light snow may come to southern Wisconsin on Saturday, Jan. 24 into Sunday, Jan. 25, he said. (This story was updated to add information and a video.) Advertisement Advertisement Contact Kelli Arseneau at (920) 213-3721 or karseneau@gannett.com. Follow her on X at @ArseneauKelli. This article originally appeared on Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: Milwaukee weather forecast Friday has dangerous cold, bitter wind House Speaker Kyle Hilbert speaks to news reporters on March 5, 2025, in his office at the state Capitol in Oklahoma City. (Photo by Nuria Martinez-Keel/Oklahoma Voice) OKLAHOMA CITY Heading into his second year as Oklahoma House Speaker, Kyle Hilbert, hopes to pass reforms to education policy and regulate data centers. With education initiatives among his top priorities, Hilbert, R-Bristow, said he wants to see legislation passed that permanently bans cellphones in schools and that improves early childhood literacy and reading scores. Advertisement Advertisement For too long, we as Oklahomans have just accepted, frankly, failure on the part of the education system and being at or near the bottom of education rankings and outcomes for our kids, and I just think thats unacceptable, he said. Weve got to strive for excellence. Hilbert, who leads the lower chamber, said he filed legislation aimed at improving literacy that is modeled after whats known as the Mississippi Miracle. This refers to a series of policies in Mississippi that were focused on improving childhood literacy, including student supports, a focus on phonics, tutoring, accountability metrics and teacher training programs. The programs success was bolstered by a $100 million donation to create it. House Bill 4420 would align colleges of education in teaching the science of reading, emphasize early identification of literacy deficiencies, and create a third grade retention standard. The goal, though, is not to retain a bunch of kids in the third grade, Hilbert said. The goal is that we have this accountability metric that says if you dont pass the third grade, youre retained. But the hope is for school districts to identify students if theyre behind in kindergarten, first grade, second grade, to have those earlier interventions and meet with parents, meet with students, and let them know you know their students behind, and so we can catch them up sooner. Advertisement Advertisement Hilbert said he also wants to pass legislation to permanently expand the states school cellphone ban. The Legislature passed a law in 2025 that banned cellphones in schools for one year. Hilbert said it was very effective. The law required all public school districts to comply with the cellphone ban for the 2025-26 school year and gave local school boards control over continuing the policy afterward. Hilbert said he expects regulation of data centers to be another major topic of conversation at the Capitol this session. He said he was working on legislation, as were other lawmakers, on ensuring data centers pay their own way in Oklahoma. Advertisement Advertisement The goal of the legislation would be to protect consumers in Oklahoma from having to pay for increased energy capacity to support data centers, he said. Data centers currently qualify for an ad valorem reimbursement program, where manufacturers coming to Oklahoma are exempt from paying property taxes for the first five years with the state paying instead, Hilbert said. If theyre going to come to Oklahoma, taxpayers should not be subsidizing that, he said. They should pay their own way in terms of utility rates and in terms of the tax structure. The number of data centers have been growing with a need to keep up with demand for energy from artificial intelligence use. These centers have been under increased scrutiny as their presence often drives up costs of energy for the consumer. SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX SUPPORT: YOU MAKE OUR WORK POSSIBLE BEIJING, Jan 22 (Reuters) - China defended its wind power record and reinforced its commitment to promote the global transition to low-carbon energy, after U.S. President Donald Trump's criticism at the World Economic Forum annual meeting in Davos, Switzerland. "China's efforts to tackle climate change and promote the development and application of renewable energy in the world are obvious to all," Guo Jiakun, a spokesperson for the Chinese foreign ministry, said at a regular press conference on Thursday. In a speech to delegates at the Davos meeting including political and business leaders, Trump said China makes almost all of the windmills but he had not "been able to find any wind farms in China", characterising China's buyers as "stupid". Advertisement Advertisement Guo said that China's installed capacity of wind power has ranked first in the world for 15 consecutive years, and its exports of wind power and photovoltaic products reduced carbon emissions by about 4.1 billion tons for other countries. "As a responsible developing country, China is willing to work with all parties to continue to promote the global green and low-carbon transformation," he said. Trump has been openly critical of wind power, calling wind turbines ugly, expensive and inefficient. Offshore wind developers face repeated disruptions under his administration. China is the world's leading producer of wind power. The European Union launched an investigation in 2024 into subsidies received by Chinese suppliers of wind turbines destined for Europe, aiming to shield domestic firms from cheap Chinese imports. Beijing has called the probe an act of "protectionism". Advertisement Advertisement Wind and solar power produced more electricity than fossil fuels in the EU for the first time last year, indicating the bloc's continued shift towards low-carbon energy despite resistance from some governments. (Reporting by Colleen Howe and Ethan Wang; Editing by Muralikumar Anantharaman and Emelia Sithole-Matarise) The death toll from a fire at a shopping centre in the Pakistani city of Karachi has risen to at least 67, health and police officials said, after dozens of bodies were found. Health official Dr Summaiya Syed said on Thursday that rescue teams were still searching the severely damaged Gul Plaza, days after the blaze ripped through the densely packed complex on Saturday. Syed said at least 67 people were confirmed dead a death toll that was also corroborated by senior Karachi police official Asad Raza. Advertisement Advertisement The increased toll came after local officials said at least 30 bodies were recovered from a store on the mezzanine floor of the shopping centre, Dubai Crockery. Karachi South Deputy Commissioner Javed Nabi Khoso said the victims had locked themselves in the shop in a bid to protect themselves. Local media reported that the victims had taken refuge inside the store after a stampede broke out in the mall during the early moments of the fire, which investigators say erupted at a time when most shop owners were either closing for the day or had already left. Rescue teams have been working to locate dozens of people still missing after the blaze quickly spread through the shopping centre, fuelled by goods such as cosmetics, clothing and plastic household items. Sindh Chief Minister Murad Ali Shah expressed grief over the rising death toll and ordered that debris removal be halted until all bodies were retrieved, local media reported. Advertisement Advertisement Teams were collecting samples from remains found in the complex for identification, as officials warned the toll could rise further. More than 50 families have given DNA samples, Syed, the police surgeon, told reporters on Wednesday. We will hand over the [remains] to the family, once DNA samples are matched, she said outside the Civil Hospital Karachi mortuary, the AFP news agency reported. Relatives of the missing have criticised the slow operation at the three-storey complex in the wake of the blaze. Faraz Ali, whose father and 26-year-old brother were inside the mall, told AFP he wanted the bodies to be recovered and handed over to their rightful families. Advertisement Advertisement That is all so that the families may receive something, some comfort, some peace. At least let us see them one last time, in whatever condition they are, so that we may say our final goodbye, the 28-year-old said. Karachi Commissioner Syed Hassan Naqvi, head of an inquiry committee formed by the Sindh government to investigate the fire, visited the mall on Wednesday and said that the fire safety measures did not meet international standards, local media reported. No specific cause has yet been given for the blaze. Karachi has a history of deadly fires, often blamed on poor safety standards and illegal construction, although ones with such a high death toll are rare. In November 2023, a fire at a shopping centre in the city killed 10 people and injured 22 others. A blaze at a garments factory in Karachi in 2012 killed 260 people. Jan. 21 (UPI) -- The death toll from Sunday's train crash in southern Spain rose to 43 on Wednesday when another victim was found among the wreckage. The 43 people were killed Sunday evening when a private Iryo train traveling from Malaga to Madrid with about 300 people on board derailed, with several of its cars jumping onto adjacent tracks. A state-run Renfe train traveling in the opposite direction collided with the derailed cars, forcing it from the tracks and sending its two front cars down a 13-foot embankment. Advertisement Advertisement The crash occurred near Adamuz, located 145 miles south of the capital Madrid in Cordoba province in southern Spain. Clean-up efforts have focused on inspecting and removing the remains of those two cars, with the remains of the 43rd victim being found in the second car, the Andalusian government said in a statement. Forty-three missing-person reports had been filed. A total of 123 people, including 118 adults and five children, were injured in the crash. On Wednesday, the local government said all but 31 had been discharged from the hospital. Of the reaming 31 people hospitalized, six patients, including one child, remain in intensive care units, while 25 others remain hospitalized on regular wards across multiple hospitals, it said. Advertisement Advertisement More than 400 people have been deployed to the crash site as investigators continue to probe the cause of the incident. Investigators have turned their focus to the tracks as a possible cause of the crash as rail damage has been discovered and is being examined to see if it was a factor in the incident or a consequence of it. Angel Garcia de la Bandera, director of traffic at the state-owned railway infrastructure manager Adif, told reporters Wednesday in a press conference that the Madrid-Seville high-speed line was completed in May at a cost of $818.4 million. He said Adamuz section has been inspected four times in the last four months since Oct. 13. "None of the four inspections detected a fault that would, at first glance, indicate a link to the accident," he said, according to a readout from the Ministry of Transport. Advertisement Advertisement Transport Minister Oscar Puente said he will be fully transparent with the public once information becomes available and will voluntarily appear before the full Congress. He called on the public to avoid speculation as the investigation continues, stating, "talking about causes before having technical conclusions is premature and, above all, shows little respect for the victims and their families." "We will continue to ensure that victims and their families receive care, information and accompaniment, not only in the first hours but also in the days and weeks afterward, which are particularly difficult from a human and emotional standpoint," he said. President Pedro Sanchez of Spain on Wednesday spoke with Andalusian President Juanma Moreno, and they agreed to hold a state tribute to the victims on Jan. 31. Advertisement Advertisement The death toll rose as Spain was confronting a second train crash on Tuesday night in northern Catalonia, which killed one person and injured 37 others. Following days of rain, a retaining wall collapsed on the tracks, causing the passenger train to crash. Puente on Wednesday called on the public to remain confident in Spain's rail system, which has been a point of pride in the western European country. "We are going through an especially painful moment, but we must not call into question public transport in our country," he said. "It is not perfect or infallible, but it is a strong transport system." Five attorneys general and Portland-based writer Cheryl Strayed gathered for a town hall in Portland on Wednesday. (Photo by Shaanth Nanguneri/Oregon Capital Chronicle) PORTLAND, Ore. Five Democratic attorneys general who have waged high-profile legal battles against the federal government had a clear message on Wednesday ahead of the upcoming midterm elections: The fight against President Donald Trumps administration has only just begun. There is no way in hell we are going to let this president continue to chip away at our rights, at our democracy at this time. Were going to continue to fight for this entire term and do our job as attorneys general, Oregon Attorney General Dan Rayfield told a hall filled with hundreds of attendees. And what we need you to do this is a partnership in all communities, you have a voice, you must exercise it. Advertisement Advertisement California Attorney General Rob Bonta, Hawaii Attorney General Anne Lopez, Maine Attorney General Aaron Frey and Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison joined Rayfield at Portlands Revolution Hall, with the United States and Oregon state flag behind them as they discussed their response to executive federal overreach. The town hall moderated by Portland-based writer Cheryl Strayed came exactly a year after Oregon signed onto its first federal lawsuit against the Trump administration, joining Arizona, Washington and Illinois to sue over its attempt to end birthright citizenship. Constituent questions about the attorneys generals tools and next steps for responding to federal overreach dominated the town hall, covering issues such as threats to funding for child care, abortion and civil rights violations by immigration agents. Former Oregon Attorney General Ellen Rosenblum, who often joined other states in their lawsuits against the first Trump administration, was in the audience. Ellison told reporters before the town hall that were all considering the issue of election integrity ahead of the 2026 midterm season, during which Democrats could make significant gains in the face of an unpopular Republican-controlled White House and Congress as well as favorable special election results. Advertisement Advertisement The U.S. Department of Justice, in the meantime, has sued more than 20 states seeking unredacted information about each states voter rolls, according to the left-leaning Brennan Center for Justice. A federal judge in Oregon indicated last week that hell block the federal government from obtaining personal information, including drivers license numbers and partial Social Security numbers, for more than 3 million Oregon voters. Were very well aware that it is an election year midterm, and that everybodys reading the polls, and some folks want to forestall the voters will, Ellison told reporters. So were all concerned about that. The attorneys general stressed that they took their adversarial legal approach to secure billions of dollars in threatened funding and civil rights for their constituents. They encouraged their Republican counterparts in other states to join them. Donald Trump decides when and if we will sue him. If he breaks the law, we sue. If he doesnt break the law, we dont sue. Its really that simple, Bonta told attendees. So he decided he wanted to get sued more than once a week, and so we obliged and sued him. Advertisement Advertisement Since President Donald Trump took office a year ago, Oregon has sued his administration more than 50 times, often teaming up with other Democratic states to prevent federal funding cuts and to block new policies from disproportionately impacting the environment, immigrants and people seeking gender-affirming care. Those moves have secured billions of dollars in funding meant for Oregon Health & Science University research, electric vehicle infrastructure, sexual health education programs and education programs supporting low-income and unhoused students. Oregon attorneys also secured a November court order permanently blocking Trumps attempted deployment of the National Guard to Portland in late September, though the case is being appealed. Ellison, who received a thunderous standing ovation, said the Trump administration has sent more than 3,500 people working as immigration agents to Minnesota, a figure he described as wholly disproportionate. What has happened is that there are way more people that are needed to carry out that task. So what are these 3,500 doing? Ellison said. Theyre harassing everybody in our state. Theyre standing outside of grocery stores, demanding to people show their papers, people who are citizens, people who are not citizens, but who have legal status, anybody who speaks accented English. AGs provide update on shootings Two of the attorneys general, Rayfield and Ellison, have also made headlines this month for their involvement in independent state-backed investigations into shootings by federal agents with the U.S. Department of Homeland Security. Those agents enjoy significant criminal immunity from state prosecutions under an 1890 U.S. Supreme Court precedent, but legal experts say that protection is not absolute when they act outside the reasonable scope of their authority. Advertisement Advertisement In Oregon, U.S. Border Patrol shot and wounded two Venezuelan nationals on Jan. 8 who were later charged for allegedly assaulting a federal officer with a vehicle and illegally entering the United States. Rayfield subsequently announced that he would investigate whether any agents acted outside the scope of their authority, aligning with a previous warning he and three Portland-area district attorneys issued to the federal government over concerns of excessive force by federal agents. One day prior, an Immigration and Customs Enforcement agent fatally shot 37-year-old U.S. citizen Renee Nicole Good in Minnesota. After the federal government effectively froze out local and state prosecutors from an investigation into the shooting, Ellison and the Hennepin Countys local prosecutors office opened a public portal for individuals to submit photos, evidence and videos that could help prosecutors better grasp the case, the Minnesota Reformer reported. The U.S. Department of Justice has since said it will not pursue an investigation into the agent who shot Good, and it has reportedly subpoenaed multiple high-profile Democrats in the state, accusing them of conspiring to impede law enforcement during the Trump administrations immigration crackdown. Advertisement Advertisement Ellison, among those being investigated, has fired back by accusing Trump of deflecting from Goods killing and weaponizing the justice system against political adversaries. On Wednesday, Ellison told reporters he was not taking a position on whether Goods killing merited criminal charges. Instead, he pointed to the resignations of several federal prosecutors in response to a reported push by federal officials to pursue an investigation of Goods wife. He confirmed he received a subpoena for documents from his office, but declined to comment beyond saying it was a pending legal matter and that he was looking into all legal recourse possible. The federal government is investigating me and others, but theyre not investigating the person who killed Renee Good, and Im not even saying what the outcome of that investigation should be, no prosecutor should ever say what an investigation should result in before the investigation is completed, he said. But it is disturbing that theyre not even investigating at all. Advertisement Advertisement In Oregons case following its subsequent shooting, Rayfield issued a statement saying that he would investigate whether any federal officers acted outside the scope of their authority, in keeping with a November warning he and district attorneys of the states three largest counties gave the federal government that the state will investigate and prosecute federal agents who engage in excessive force. Rayfield told reporters that Oregon is in a very different situation than Minnesota. He did not explicitly say whether he had access to the federal governments evidence in its investigation, but he noted that the Oregon Department of Justice is working with Multnomah County District Attorney Nathan Vasquez and the Portland Police Bureau. Were really trying to do this sanitized and do it properly, he said, which is why Ive been incredibly quiet on the facts of the investigation. Ellison, meanwhile, called Oregon a beacon to the nation. He urged people to resist division on the lines of race, gender or class and continue sharing evidence such as video footage. Advertisement Advertisement Ultimately, this country will be saved by the people of the United States, and so that means youre protesting, youre gathering evidence, youre sharing with us. You communicating with us is actually how were going to win, Ellison said. You showing up tonight, being present tonight, thats how we win. SUPPORT: YOU MAKE OUR WORK POSSIBLE By Kanishka Singh WASHINGTON, Jan 22 (Reuters) - Democrat U.S. Senator Amy Klobuchar has filed paperwork to run for governor of Minnesota, positioning herself to succeed Democrat Governor Tim Walz, who announced earlier this month that he will not seek a third term while responding to political attacks from President Donald Trump's administration. Klobuchar has filed paperwork with the Minnesota Campaign Finance and Public Disclosure Board, which on Thursday listed her as having formed a gubernatorial campaign committee, according to the boards public filings. Advertisement Advertisement The election is scheduled for November. Klobuchar has long been critical of Trump, a Republican, including his administration's actions in Minnesota. The Trump administration has deployed about 3,000 U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement officers around Minnesota's largest city, where residents have been on edge since an immigration officer shot and killed a U.S. citizen this month. Democrats and local leaders have accused federal agents of aggressive and unnecessary tactics that have left many immigrant communities afraid. The state and its largest city, Minneapolis, have seen large protests. Advertisement Advertisement Trump casts his actions as aimed at tackling allegations of fraud and illegal immigration. Walz said this month he will not seek another term, adding he would instead focus on allegations of fraud in the state's welfare system that became a crisis after mounting pressure from the Trump administration. Rights advocates have said the Trump administration has used fraud allegations as an excuse to target immigrants and political opponents. They have also dismissed Trump's ability to tackle fraud, citing pardons from Trump to those who have faced fraud convictions in the past. Klobuchar has in recent weeks met with school principals from her state and said she "heard horror stories of kids and parents 'under siege' by ICE." She has urged residents to remain peaceful and said the Trump administration's actions go beyond tackling fraud allegations. (Reporting by Kanishka Singh in Washington; editing by Diane Craft) DAVOS, Switzerland, Jan 22 (Reuters) - The world needs to more than double oil production, U.S. Energy Secretary Chris Wright said on Thursday, while criticising the European Union and the U.S. state of California for wasting money on what he described as inefficient green energy. In recent years, the World Economic Forum's discussions on energy have centred on ways to boost lower-carbon policies. But during Wright's discussion with energy company Occidental's CEO Vicki Hollub in Davos, they emphasised that the world will depend on oil for decades to come. Increased natural gas production and investment in LNG export terminals have put the U.S. in a position to replace Europe's imports of Russian gas that were slashed after the start of the conflict in Ukraine in 2022, Wright also said. But he added that corporate environmental regulations in the European Union posed risks to energy cooperation with the United States. "These regulations could threaten you (U.S. producers) liability-wise to send gas to Europe," Wright said. "We're working with our colleagues here in Europe to remove those barriers." The EU requires importers of oil and gas into Europe to monitor and report methane emissions associated with those imports, in a bid to curb emissions of the planet-warming gas. After months of pressure from companies and governments, the European Union agreed last month to reduce the scope of its sustainability disclosure rules. However, investors have said that less transparency will make it harder to identify which companies are genuinely moving toward low-carbon operations. The European Union did not immediately respond to a request for comment. CALIFORNIA CRITICISM Wright also criticised California's energy policies, which he said resembled Europe's and had contributed to higher energy prices for residents, while Hollub cited regulations as the reason for Occidental's 2014 departure from the state. Two refineries that make up around 17% of the state's gasoline production capacity are currently slated to close, which has put pressure on Democratic California Governor Gavin Newsom to stop fuel prices from surging. California's crude production has also slumped to 300,000 barrels of crude a day in 2024, from a peak of 1.1 million bpd in 1985, according to U.S. Energy Information Administration data going back to the early 1980s. California is isolated from refining centres along the U.S. Gulf Coast and in the Midwest and can experience swings in energy prices. A group of Senate Democrats are demanding to know whether President Donald Trumps inner circle stands to profit from Venezuelan oil sales after CNN recently reported details of the administrations private talks with the nations biggest oil companies. In a letter sent Wednesday night to White House chief of staff Susie Wiles, 14 Democrats are urging senior officials to immediately disclose any financial interests they have in companies dealing with the oil industry in Venezuela. They point to the administrations recent sales pitch to those companies, dangling private security guarantees as they seek to convince oil executives to invest in the politically unstable country, citing CNN reporting. The calls for transparency led by Sens. Adam Schiff of California and Elizabeth Warren of Massachusetts, among others come as Democrats increasingly scrutinize the White House for what they say could amount to possible insider trading. Democrats like Schiff have also previously taken aim at senior Trump officials for offering inadequate financial disclosures about their own stock-buying after taking part in market-moving tariff discussions. Advertisement Advertisement The senators are also raising concerns about Trumps close connection to a top oil executive at Vitol the oil giant that secured the first sale of American-controlled Venezuelan oil, after that same employee attended a White House meeting on the subject earlier this month. That executive, John Addison, is a top donor to Trumps presidential campaign. Given the urgency of the matter and the enormous risk of profiteering and corruption, the Administration has a heightened obligation, beyond existing financial disclosure requirements, to clarify for Congress and the American public whether and to what extent the financial ties described above exist and the concrete measures implemented, if any, to prevent the personal financial enrichment of the President and Administration officials, they wrote in the letter, first obtained by CNN. And, hinting at future action by Democrats should they seize back power in Washington, they added: Such financial ties and any corrupt dealings or profiteering, moreover, will be subject to ongoing scrutiny and may lead to future accountability measures. Other Democrats who signed onto the letter Sen. Chuck Schumer of New York, the chambers minority leader, as well as Sens. Sheldon Whitehouse of Rhode Island, Richard Blumenthal of Connecticut, Andy Kim of New Jersey and Chris Van Hollen of Maryland. For more CNN news and newsletters create an account at CNN.com House Republicans overcame widespread Democratic opposition on Thursday to approve a bill funding the Department of Homeland Security, the federal agency spearheading Donald Trumps immigration crackdown. The 220-207 vote, with seven Democrats joining nearly all Republicans, came amid mounting outrage over its heavy-handed and violent tactics in Minnesota and elsewhere. Democrats opposition to the DHS funding measure had grown in recent weeks since an Immigration Customs and Enforcement (ICE) agent shot and killed Renee Good, a 37-year-old US citizen, in Minneapolis earlier this month. Advertisement Advertisement Taxpayer dollars are being misused to brutalize US citizens, including the tragic killing of Renee Nicole Good, the Democratic leader, Hakeem Jeffries, Democratic whip, Katherine Clark, and Democratic caucus chair, Pete Aguilar, said in a joint statement on Wednesday. This extremism must end. The House on Thursday also approved a package of three measures to fund the defense, labor, health, education, transport and housing departments through 30 September. The broader package was approved with strong bipartisan support, on a 341-88 tally. The funding measures now move to the Senate, which must act by 30 January to avoid a partial government shutdown. The speaker, Mike Johnson, hailed the votes to approve the years final batch of spending bills as another monumental achievement. Republicans have delivered once again in making the America First agenda a reality, he said in a statement. We have finally turned the page, and we are not turning back. Advertisement Advertisement Party leaders told a closed-door meeting on Capitol Hill on Wednesday that they would vote against the homeland security funding bill, citing insufficient provisions to rein in ICE. However, they did not whip their caucus against the funding bill. In the Senate, the outstanding funding bills are expected to be stitched together into one big package, putting pressure on Senate Democrats who want to use the measure as leverage to constrain ICE. Several Democrats have already announced their opposition, including the Arizona senator Ruben Gallego, who announced on Wednesday: Yeah, I am not voting to give whatever ICE has become more taxpayer money. Its no longer an immigration enforcement arm of the US government. Still, other Democrats are unlikely to reject spending for the defense department and other key domestic agencies. Advertisement Advertisement The Democratic thumbs-down in the House came despite provisions in the bill that keep the agencys $10bn annual budget flat, reduces ICE enforcement and removal operations, and imposes a 5,500 reduction to its number of detention beds. The legislation also secured $20m for the procurement, deployment, and operations of body worn cameras to be worn by ICE agents, thanks to Democrats efforts. Such palliatives are unlikely to placate anger in the party over the agencys operations in Minnesota. In the last 24 hours, weve heard our members speak loudly that ICE isnt doing enough, these reforms arent doing enough. This lawlessness has to stop, Aguilar told reporters after a Wednesday meeting on Capitol Hill. They are only doing this because the president of the United States wants to use them to terrorize communities, to terrorize US citizens. Rosa DeLauro, a representative from Connecticut and the ranking Democrat on the appropriations committee, said it was still better for the bill to pass rather than run the risk of a renewed government shutdown that could affect other agencies. I understand that many of my Democratic colleagues may be dissatisfied with any bill that funds ICE, she said. Advertisement Advertisement I share their frustration with the out-of-control agency. I encourage my colleagues to review the bill and determine what is best for their constituents and communities. But she added: The homeland security funding bill is more than just ICE. If we allow a lapse in funding, TSA [transportation security administration] agents will be forced to work without pay, Fema [federal emergency management agency] assistance could be delayed, and the US Coast Guard will be adversely affected. All while ICE continues functioning without any change in their operations due to $75 billion it received in the One Big Beautiful Bill. DeLauro ultimately ended up voting against the bill. Jan. 22OLYMPIA As the Washington Legislature moves through the early days of its 60day session, Rep. Tom Dent, RMoses Lake, says the tone at the Capitol has been calmer than last year, with lawmakers still sorting through priorities and positioning their bills for consideration. "It's early. There have been a lot of bills dropped, and we're hearing bills in committees," Dent said. "But there hasn't been anything really controversial show up in my world at the moment." Dent said that while controversial bills do exist, they have not appeared in the committees he serves on. Instead, he sees a cooperative mood taking shape. Advertisement Advertisement "I think there's a spirit of cooperation so far, is how we get solved some of the problems that we have," he said. With thousands of bills filed and a compressed timeline, Dent said many proposals are already beginning to fall away. "We're still just going to sort everything out, and seeing some priorities come together, and we're seeing some bills that are out there that probably aren't going anywhere," he said. "By next week or the week after, we're going to start seeing the stuff shake out." Asked what constituents should realistically expect to advance this year, Dent was blunt. Advertisement Advertisement "Bills that don't cost money," he said. "Anything that costs money isn't going to move. Any real controversial thing probably won't move, because there'll be so much pushback on it." Dent said the Legislature is still influenced by the tone of last year's session, which he described as unusually difficult. "Last year was the most contentious session that I've been through, and most of the members here said the same thing," he said. "It's good to see they seem to be a little bit more subdued this year." Despite the slower start, Dent said lawmakers are already grappling with major policy challenges, particularly around child welfare and the state budget. He pointed to renewed discussions around laws passed several years ago related to keeping children at home. Advertisement Advertisement "Our child fatality rate has gone up exponentially," Dent said. "We're looking at some fixes on that, and there's going to be a fix... it may not be what we all want, but there'll be something." Budget negotiations, however, remain the largest unanswered question of the session. "The budget's the big thing, how we can fix the budget," he said. Dent said he opposes new taxes and believes the solution lies in spending restraint. "I'm all in to say, well, let's prioritize our spending," he said. "I'm not going to vote for a tax increase at all ... We don't need it. We need to prioritize our spending, not increase our budget." Advertisement Advertisement With it being an election year, Dent said tax proposals face an uphill climb. "It'll be interesting to see who wants to vote for a tax increase in an election year," he said. Although Dent is in the minority party, he said the dynamics unfolding behind the scenes are familiar. "It's really interesting right now because we see all these different players jockey for position on the bills that they really want," he said. "And know that if it costs money, it's not going anywhere." Several of Dent's own bills are moving through the process, though he said he is realistic about which will advance. Advertisement Advertisement "I don't expect a lot of movement on some of them," he said. "But I've got a couple of them that are pretty darn good bills, and I think they'll move." Among those, Dent believes his aviation assurance funding bill, HB 2104, has a strong chance. Other proposals, including changes related to aircraft taxation, timber sales, and the Department of Children, Youth, and Families accountability board, may move in some form, Dent said, particularly because many do not carry new costs. As for whether lawmakers will pass a balanced budget within the 60day session, Dent said it is too soon to tell. Advertisement Advertisement "That's anybody's guess," he said. "I don't have a read on it ... we're still jockeying for position and trying to sell programs." Still, Dent said the coming weeks will bring clarity. "By the third week and then the fourth week, we're going to have a pretty good idea of where we're going," he said. For now, Dent described the session as typical for this early stage cautious, strategic and far from settled. "This is a great process... and you watch this stuff move through here," he said. "We'll just kind of see where it goes." Advertisement Advertisement Dent's sponsored bills: House Bill 2327 County forest trust audit Requires an independent review of how county forest trust lands are managed by the Department of Natural Resources to ensure compliance with original trust agreements and fair revenue for counties. Referred to the Agriculture and Natural Resources Committee on Jan. 12; no fiscal impact. House Bill 2322 Alternative jet fuel Supports development of lowtozero carbon sustainable aviation fuel by clarifying carbon intensity calculations and providing certainty around existing tax incentives to encourage investment. Referred to the Environment & Energy Committee on Jan. 12; no fiscal note filed. Advertisement Advertisement House Bill 2109 Securing vehicle loads Strengthens highway safety laws by clarifying requirements for securing and covering vehicle loads and cleaning debris from vehicles to prevent road hazards. Referred to the Transportation Committee on Jan. 12, with a public hearing set for Jan. 22; estimated cost of $73,000 over two years. House Bill 2104 Wildland fire aviation resources Makes permanent a program that ensures local and tribal fire departments can use aviation resources for early wildfire suppression. Referred to the Agriculture and Natural Resources Committee on Jan. 12; public hearing scheduled for Jan. 23. Advertisement Advertisement House Bill 2511 Imminent physical harm definition Defines "imminent physical harm" in child welfare law to provide clearer guidance when determining if a child is at immediate risk due to abuse, neglect, unsafe conditions, or caregiver impairment. Referred to the Early Learning & Human Services Committee on Jan. 15; no fiscal note filed. House Bill 2529 DCYF accountability board Modernizes and clarifies oversight of the Department of Children, Youth, and Families by establishing a streamlined DCYF Accountability Board focused on performance monitoring, transparency, and outcomes. Referred to the Early Learning & Human Services Committee on Jan. 16; no fiscal note filed. House Bill 2584 Farm equipment tax exemption Creates a temporary sales and use tax exemption for qualifying farm machinery purchased by small and mediumsized farmers to reduce costs and support local food production. Referred to the Finance Committee on Jan. 20; no fiscal note filed. Pro-Palestinian protestors and Jewish worshipers scuffle in West Orange on Nov. 13, 2024. (Courtesy of the U.S. Department of Justice) One day after former Gov. Phil Murphy pardoned a Jewish dentist accused of assaulting a pro-Palestinian protestor outside a West Orange synagogue, the dentist says he is profoundly grateful to Murphy and a Muslim civil rights group is condemning the ex-governor for sending a deeply troubling message. Murphy pardoned Moshe Glick, who heads a nonprofit called Israel365 Charity, on Tuesday during his final hours in office as part of a yearlong clemency initiative. Advertisement Advertisement Glick, 53, had been charged by the Essex County Prosecutors Office with aggravated assault, bias intimidation, and weapons offenses after police accused him of bashing a Muslim protester in the head with a metal flashlight during a fracas outside Congregation Ohr Torah in November 2024. Pro-Palestinian activists were there protesting the sale of Jerusalem properties, according to a police report. The injured man got four staples to close a head wound, the report says. Selaedin Maksut, executive director of the Council on American-Islamic Relations of New Jersey, said Wednesday that Glicks pardon sends a deeply troubling message at a time when all faith communities are facing heightened threats and deserve assurance that the law will be applied fairly and consistently. This is not about politics it is about principle, Maksut said in a statement. Selective accountability, especially in cases touching public safety, weakens confidence in our justice system. The prosecutors were doing the right thing, and Governor Murphy stifled justice from taking its course. Our state must be clear: no one is above the law, and no communitys safety or dignity is expendable. The case won national attention after President Donald Trumps administration last September sued the pro-Palestinian protesters and accused them of assaulting Jewish worshippers that night, a complaint that includes a starkly different description of the incident than how West Orange police and the Essex County Prosecutors Office characterized it. The lawsuit says Glick hit the alleged victim to stop him from attacking a worshiper. Advertisement Advertisement The aggressor was actively choking an elderly man. Had that assault continued, the outcome could have been catastrophic, Glick told the New Jersey Monitor. Glicks attorney Michael Bachner said his client is profoundly grateful to Murphy and noted that Glick had not been convicted of a crime. The charges against Moshe were meritless. What began as an act of defending a person from violent assault outside of his synagogue has ended with the truth prevailing. This prosecution was a gross overreach, selective prosecution, and an attempt to criminalize Jewish self-defense amid rising antisemitism, Bachner said. A spokesman for the Essex County Prosecutors Office did not return a request for comment. Advertisement Advertisement Essex prosecutors indicted another man, David Silberberg, on similar offenses after police accused him of pepper-spraying the same victim. Silberberg, 65, of Millburn, did not receive a pardon, and his case remains ongoing. His attorney did not respond to a request for comment. Glick was among 148 people who Murphy pardoned or commuted the sentences of Tuesday. West Orange has declined requests for copies of the police-worn body camera footage of the incident outside the synagogue. SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX New details are emerging in the arrest of an off-duty Glendale firefighter in connection with the brutal beating death of his wife, allegedly with an axe. The victim, identified by family members as Mayra Jimenez, 46, was described by friends as a caring educator who was a union representative with United Teachers Los Angeles. A member of the union, who attended the couples 2014 wedding, confirmed that she taught at a local elementary school and said hed never seen any signs of conflict between the couple. Advertisement Advertisement Investigators with the Los Angeles Police Department said her husband, Glendale Firefighter Paramedic Andrew Jimenez, 45, walked into the departments Northeast Community Police Station around 4 a.m. Jan. 21 and requested a welfare check on his wife. Officers responded to the 5600 block of Satsuma Avenue and found the victim, who was dead and had been brutally beaten. Mayra Jimenez, a North Hollywood resident, seen this undated photo. (Mayra Jimenez) Shocked neighbor Camilla Cabrera watched as investigators carried out boxes of evidence, including two large rifles, from the North Hollywood home where the victim was reportedly bludgeoned to death with an axe. Such a violent crime, the extreme, she told KTLAs Rachel Menitoff. Theres never been any violence or domestic violence or signs of that at all. So, Im really surprised. Advertisement Advertisement LAPD Robbery and Homicide Lt. Guy Golan said that Jimenez, who is in custody at the departments Northeast Station, does appear to be responsible for the incident and he appears to be in a cohabitating relationship with our victim. Homicide investigators on the scene of a gruesome murder in North Hollywood on Jan. 21, 2026. (KTLA) Homicide investigators on the scene of a gruesome murder in North Hollywood on Jan. 21, 2026. (KTLA) Glendale Firefighter Paramedic Andrew Jimenez seen with his wife, Mayra, at ceremony for a recent promotion he received. (Monica Tina Jimenez) Andrew Jimenez, a firefighter paramedic at the Glendale Fire Department was arrested in connection with the death of his wife on Jan. 21, 2026. (Mayra Jimenez) A homicide investigation is seen underway after a woman was found deceased at a North Hollywood home. January 2026. (KTLA) Family members of the victim were visibly distraught when they arrived at the scene, while longtime neighbors expressed dismay at learning that a man charged with saving lives was allegedly responsible for taking one. Hes supposed to be protecting us, Cabrera said. Whats come of this world? While investigators have yet to release a possible motive, Jimenezs attorney said in a statement to KTLA: Our office is currently in contact with law enforcement regarding a diary of the decedent, apparently read moments before the homicide, that verified infidelity by the decedent. Advertisement Advertisement Home invasion attempt by armed man in L.A. thwarted by family dog In a statement released by the Glendale Fire Department, officials said they were aware of the active homicide investigation and are cooperating with law enforcement. This is an extremely serious and deeply troubling matter. First and foremost, our hearts are with the victims family and loved ones, and we extend our sincere condolences as they grieve this tragic loss, the statement read. Due to the active and ongoing nature of the investigation, the City of Glendale and the Glendale Fire Department are unable to provide additional comments at this time. Jimenez began his service with the Glendale Fire Department in 2008 and was recently promoted. He was considered a distinguished firefighter who helped battle the Palisades Fire. Advertisement Advertisement He was booked for murder and is being held on $2 million bail. Though he has not been formally charged with his wifes death, he has been relieved of duty and placed on administrative leave. Anyone with information about this incident is asked to call LAPDs Valley Bureau Section at 818-374-9550. Anonymous tips can be provided to L.A. Regional Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-8477 or online at lacrimestoppers.org. Copyright 2026 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KTLA. ST. LUCIE COUNTY A recent shooting incident that left four wounded by gunfire included several teens and is thought to have involved a firearm transaction, Sheriff Richard Del Toro said Jan. 20. The case began as sheriffs investigators about 1:15 p.m. Jan. 18 went to a reported shooting in the 3600 block of Avenue R. Investigators found four people with gunshot wounds, and they were taken to a hospital. Those wounded by gunfire include a 16-year-old, a 17-year-old and two 18-year-olds, Del Toro said. Advertisement Advertisement Del Toro said initial information that investigators gathered suggested the incident may have originated from an attempted online marketplace transaction regarding an iPhone. Investigators initially believed that one individual arrived to complete a transaction and was allegedly ambushed by three suspects, Del Toro said. Our detective corporals also considered the possibility of a fifth individual being involved based on initial witness and victim accounts. The investigation continued and officials recovered two guns and about 30 cartridge casings. This was a full-blown shootout in broad daylight, Del Toro said. Advertisement Advertisement Investigators executed a search warrant at a home in the 1900 block of North 37th Street, identified as the location where one alleged shooter fled following the incident. Five rifles and three handguns were recovered there, including one potentially involved in the shooting, Del Toro said. Del Toro said investigators have since learned the incident involved a firearm transaction coordinated via messaging apps. They also believe six people were involved, three of whom arrived in a black Mercedes-Benz. When the three in the Mercedes arrived, they got out and waited for the seller of the gun. One occupant unfamiliar with the area initially had difficulty locating the designated meeting point on Avenue Q, and during the communications between the buyer and alleged seller, the seller kept changing the meeting location, Del Toro said. Victim and witness accounts indicate that three individuals came from the vicinity of a vacant residence on Avenue R and within moments the transaction escalated into gunfire. Advertisement Advertisement Of the five identified, Del Toro said, one is 16, two are 17, and two are 18. Officials are working to identify the sixth person. Of the four individuals shot, three were the original occupants of that black Mercedes, Del Toro said. Arrest made: Florida homicide victim reportedly found in semi-truck, shot in head 100 mph on U.S. 1?: Florida driver accused of being a DUI 'super speeder' Del Toro said its especially concerning that those not of legal age to possess firearms apparently had them. He said those in the Mercedes attend the same high school. Del Toro said the incident escalated quickly, and the investigation is continuing. Advertisement Advertisement They were basically all doing something illegal, but at the same time weve got to get to the bottom of it to figure out how it escalated, Del Toro said. We've got a lot more work to do on this case. Will Greenlee is a breaking news reporter for TCPalm. Follow Will on X @OffTheBeatTweet or reach him by phone at 772-267-7926. E-mail him at will.greenlee@tcpalm.com. This article originally appeared on Treasure Coast Newspapers: New details released in Florida 'full-blown shootout' Haiti's devastating 7.0 magnitude earthquake in 2010 killed 222,570 people, injured 300,000 more and left 1.3 million displaced. The United States offered Haitians special immigration protections, and now sixteen years later, they are set to end. Secretary of Homeland Security Kristi Noem directed the agency twice in 2025 to end Haiti's temporary protected status, a designation that arose out of the 1990 Immigration Act. An unnamed DHS spokesperson said in a release that Haiti's environmental condition has improved, warranting citizens a safe return to the country. "This decision restores integrity in our immigration system and ensures that Temporary Protective Status is actually temporary," the spokesperson said. Advertisement Advertisement But for Natasha Atkinson, a U.S.-born Haitian American, she said that's not true. "Major airlines won't even fly into our capital city of Port-au-Prince," she told Straight Arrow News. "If your capital isn't secure and safe, there are significant concerns for folks to go back." Atkinson has spent her life advocating for Haitians, inspired by a north Miami protest her grandmother took she and her siblings to so they could call out former President George H. W. Bush's rhetoric that blamed Haitians for the spread of HIV/AIDS. She remembered having rocks thrown at her family during school and parents spreading falsehoods about the spread of HIV. She saw it proliferate again in the past presidential campaign with Vice President JD Vance's remarks about Haitians eating cats and dogs. Atkinson now works for Michigan state Rep. Emily Dievendorf, a Democrat, and furthers the advocacy for Haitians her grandmother instilled in her. Advertisement Advertisement They lose protections on Feb. 3, according to U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services, and must either leave or seek out other ways to stay in the country legally. Atkinson said that meant some people who came to the U.S. as kids in 2010 would be leaving as college-educated adults this year. "These folks have been here since 2010. They have cemented themselves in our communities," she said. "We're not just talking about some person working at QD [Quality Dairy]. Folks from the [Michigan State] university, doctors and lawyers have TPS status." Program gives immigrations safe refuge from turmoil The Secretary of Homeland Security can order designations to last six, 12 or 18 months at a time, according to the American Immigration Council. The secretary must decide at least 60 days before status expiration on extending or terminating the designation based on a review of the country's conditions. If they don't act, designation gets automatically extended for six months. The law doesn't explicitly define temporary, which has allowed for countries like Haiti and Somalia to get extensions. Despite it, Noem said the program isn't meant to be permanent and is terminating the status for Somalians. Advertisement Advertisement "Country conditions in Somalia have improved to the point that it no longer meets the law's requirement for Temporary Protected Status," she wrote. "Allowing Somali nationals to remain temporarily in the United States is contrary to our national interests." The U.S. Department of State has issued a level four do not travel advisory for Somalia since May 14 due to threats of violence, civil unrest, terrorism and piracy. The United Nations also said in May that the al-Shabaab and Daesh armed groups are still inflicting harm on the country, allegedly killing, trafficking and committing sexual crimes against Somalians. According to the Library of Congress, there were 17 countries and 1.3 million people covered under TPS as of March 31, 2025. The law mandates a report every March 1. Despite the Trump administration urging that the designation should only be temporary, seven countries have statuses extended through 2026. Those countries are: Advertisement Advertisement Yemen, whose status ends on March 3 Somalia, whose status ends on March 17 Lebanon, whose status ends on May 27 El Salvador, whose status ends on Sept. 9 Ukraine, whose status ends on Oct. 19 Sudan, whose status ends on Oct. 19 Leaving, Atkinson said, meant immigrants have to rebuild their lives again. Under the status, she said some Haitians arrived to the U.S and joined the medical field, became lawyers, parents or executives. Now, options are limited on where to go, as she said Haitian advocacy groups like Haitian Bridge Alliance are trying to educate federal officials and politicians that it's not safe to return. The nonprofit U.S. Committee for Refugees and Immigrants said in a Dec. 12 release that there's still a severe threat of abduction, sexual violence and killings in Haiti by armed groups. Those in Haiti also face famine, with about 5.7 million Haitians facing food insecurity. "The situation is so dire that the UN Security Council voted in September 2025 to send a new Gang Suppression Force (GSF)' into Haiti to neutralize, isolate, and deter gangs that continue to threaten the civilian population, abuse human rights and undermine Haitian institutions,'" according to the nonprofit. Temporary in name, not practice The Trump administration has emphasized that it's not meant to be a permanent solution, but Atkinson said reality isn't always like that. Haiti, for instance, has faced back-to-back natural disasters and ensuing political unrest since 2010 that's afforded reissuance of TPS. Advertisement Advertisement The status was first incorporated for those affected by the 2010 earthquake. A short time later, the country faced the brunt of Hurricane Matthew in 2016, a Category 4 storm. The hurricane killed nearly 500 people. Political instability and natural disasters started operating as a tango for the country, creating conditions that led to the assassination of President Jovenel Moise and the fall of the nation's government, Atkinson said. "All of that, taken into consideration, and examined under the lens of why the United States even has TPS status, it meets the criteria," she said. The larger effect, Atkinson said, isn't going to be felt on the federal government, but on Haitians who arrived in the U.S. to escape catastrophe at home through the past 16 years and have rebuilt their lives in the states. Advertisement Advertisement "I think the question really is going to be in the next few years, is what the Haitian diaspora in the United States is going to be able to do to build stability in our country so that we are not dependent on these systems," Atkinson said. The post Disaster-induced gang violence looms for US-based Haitians told to return next month appeared first on Straight Arrow News. Related Links Donald Trump addressed global leaders at the World Economic Forum in Davos, where a series of remarks sparked widespread attention. The president appeared to confuse Greenland and Iceland multiple times while discussing U.S. foreign policy and NATO relations. Donald Trump mixes up Greenland and Iceland At the World Economic Forum in Davos on January 21, 2026, President Donald Trump repeatedly referred to Greenland as Iceland during his speech. He made the error four times, including when discussing NATO, stock markets, and U.S. territorial interests. In one instance, Trump said, Im helping NATO, and until the last few days, when I told them about Iceland, they loved me, while referring to Greenland. He later added, Theyre not there for us on Iceland, that I can tell you. I mean, our stock market took the first dip yesterday because of Iceland. Advertisement Advertisement Trump has long expressed interest in acquiring Greenland, a self-governing territory of the Kingdom of Denmark rich in oil and minerals. On January 9, 2026, he stated, We are going to do something on Greenland, whether they like it or not, because if we dont do it, Russia or China will take over Greenland. During the Davos speech, Trump defended the proposed acquisition by describing Greenland as a piece of ice, cold and poorly located, that can play a vital role in world peace and world protection. He also said, You can say yes, and we will be very appreciative, or you can say no, and we will remember a strong and secure America means a strong NATO. Greenland is about 20 times larger than Iceland. Both territories are part of NATO. Following the speech, White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt denied the mix-up, replying to a reporter, No he didnt Youre the only one mixing anything up here. No he didnt, Libby. His written remarks referred to Greenland as a piece of ice because thats what it is. Youre the only one mixing anything up here. https://t.co/awRQO3eN3Y pic.twitter.com/pkAQysW06h Karoline Leavitt (@PressSec) January 21, 2026 A White House statement added, President Trump delivered a historic speech in Davos laying out Americas compelling national security interests involving Greenland President Trump continues to deliver results while the failing, liberal media melts down. The post Donald Trump Confuses Greenland & Iceland During Speech appeared first on Mandatory. Donald Trumps financial gains during his latest term have sparked renewed attention following a new report. The president reportedly made over $1.4 billion in personal profit within a single year in office, raising questions about the intersection of politics, business, and influence. How Donald Trump made $1.4 billion in one year Donald Trump allegedly made $1.4 billion in one year since returning to office, according to a New York Times investigation. The report stated, Mr. Trump has profited from his return to the presidency by an amount of money equal to 16,822 times the median U.S. household income. The sources of income include cryptocurrency, foreign real estate deals, licensing agreements, media sales, and gifts. The Times highlighted that Trumps largest earnings came from cryptocurrency, estimating that he and his family earned at least $867 million through ventures like World Liberty Financial and a meme coin. Advertisement Advertisement It is probable that Mr. Trump has collected several hundred million dollars in additional profits from his cryptocurrency ventures over the past year, the editorial board stated. Forbes previously reported that $2 billion of a $3 billion increase in net worth came from crypto. Eric Trump told the Financial Times that the familys crypto earnings were probably even larger than the reported estimates. In addition to crypto, the Trump Organizations real estate deals expanded abroad. The company announced $10 billion in new projects in Saudi Arabia shortly after Trump hosted Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman at the White House. Trump dismissed concerns, stating, I have nothing to do with the family businessTheyve done very little with Saudi Arabia, actually. Trump and Melania Trump also earned $28 million from Amazon for rights to her documentary Melania, following a $1 million campaign donation from Amazons CEO. Qatar gifted Trump a $400 million jet after his company secured a resort deal in Doha; Qatar later received U.S. approval to build at an Air Force base. The Times noted that the $1.4 billion figure is an underestimate because some of his profits remain hidden from public view. And they continue to grow. Trump rated the economy in his second term an A-plus-plus-plus-plus-plus. The post Donald Trump Made Over $1.4 Billion Profit in One Year of Presidency Report appeared first on Mandatory. As freezing weather approaches the Houston area this weekend, local officials are urging residents to prepare their pipes. An arctic cold front moving across the state is expected to bring below-freezing temperatures to southeast Texas, and it's stirring up memories of the deadly February 2021 winter storm as Houstonians rush to protect their homes. While there's no question that freezing temperatures can pose a risk to plumbing, experts don't always agree on whether residents should leave their faucets dripping to prevent pipes from freezing or bursting. Advertisement Advertisement Houston Public Works Director Randy Macchi advised residents during a Wednesday city council meeting not to leave their faucets dripping, as it can strain the city's water distribution system. Temperatures are expected to stay below freezing for roughly 48 consecutive hours, Mayor John Whitmire said, adding that engineers will likely sleep on the floor of the city's water treatment plants to monitor pressure throughout the night. RELATED: Ted Cruz responds to photo of him en route to California before Texas winter storm Macchi also encouraged homeowners to know where their water cutoff valve is located. If residents are concerned their pipes might freeze or burst, Macchi recommended they shut off their water and let their pipes drain ahead of the storm. Older houses may have less insulation, meaning pipes are at greater risk of freezing, he said. Advertisement Advertisement "The more people that are dripping, the more water that's being used, the more demand there is on that system and the more difficult it becomes, if we encounter a challenge in one of our plants, to address that," he told council members. Unlike Houston, the City of Katy encourages residents to allow cold water to drip from pipes that are susceptible to freezing. The city is also urging residents to drain water lines for swimming pools and sprinkler systems to avoid freezing. Chato Woodward with Plumbers Local Union # 68 said residents who plan to leave their homes for a day or more during the freeze should drain their water pipes, vacuum breakers and sprinkler lines to prevent any bursts. Woodward explains in a video posted to YouTube by Ready Harris how to properly shut off a property's water valve and drain water ahead of freezing weather. Advertisement Advertisement "A lot of people forget about their vacuum breaker and sprinkler piping outside," he said. This article originally published at Should you drip your faucet during freezing weather? Here's what Houston officials recommend. By Arpan Chaturvedi NEW DELHI, Jan 22 (Reuters) - The U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission has asked a U.S. court for permission to personally email summons to Indian billionaire Gautam Adani and group executive Sagar Adani over alleged fraud and a $265 million bribery scheme, filings show. India, the SEC said, has previously refused two requests to serve the summons. In the most high-profile legal case in the U.S. involving an Indian conglomerate, the SEC has been trying to send summons to Adani group founder Gautam Adani and his nephew Sagar since last year. Adani group has called the allegations "baseless" and said that it would seek "all possible legal recourse" to defend itself. It did not immediately respond to Reuters' request for comment on the latest SEC filing, dated January 21. In the response to the New York court, the U.S. markets regulator said it "does not expect service to be completed" through the current route and should be allowed to directly email the summons to the Adani group executives. India's law ministry also did not immediately respond to a Reuters' request seeking comment on the latest filing. It has previously described the issue as a legal issue between private firms and the United States. ALLEGED SCHEME TO BRIBE INDIAN OFFICIALS The indictment, which was unsealed in November 2024, accused Adani group executives of being part of a scheme to pay bribes to Indian officials for buying electricity produced by Adani Green Energy, a unit of the Adani group. The SEC complaint says the executives also misled U.S. investors by providing information about the company's anti-graft practices. The two rejections by India to serve the summons, the SEC filing said, were based on procedural reasons, such as signature and seal requirements, none of which it said is needed in summons sent to individuals in another country under the international treaties of the Hague Convention. In its second rejection in December last year, the court filing added that India's law ministry appeared to raise doubts about the SEC's authority to request service of summons. "These responses demonstrate that further attempts through the Hague Convention are unlikely to succeed," the SEC filing said. Ties between India and the U.S. have deteriorated over U.S. President Donald Trump's imposition of tariffs. (Reporting by Arpan Chaturvedi; editing by Barbara Lewis) BROCKTON Drivers will begin receiving citations for passing Brockton school buses when they have stop signs extended and red lights flashing, even if an officer is not present. School police officers will issue citations based on video footage gathered from cameras on buses, Brockton Police Lt. Paul Bonanca said at the Jan. 20 meeting of the Brockton School Committee. The first offense costs $250, second $500 and third $1,000. Officers have already issued four citations, Bonanca, the school police liaison said. "Just be aware, we are very aggressive when it comes to traffic in schools zones," Bonanca said. Brockton Police Lt. Paul Bonanca, who supervises Brockton School Police, provides to the School Committee Wednesday, Sept. 18, 2024, on the investigation into a reported sexual assault of a West Middle School student while she was walking home from school Tuesday. 304 fewer English learners: Brockton schools see decline in number of ELL students. Why? Previous incident "Many people" don't stop for buses, Bonanca said. Advertisement Advertisement "I've seen it," committee member Joyce Asack added. "We have all seen it. We get calls all the time [about] people driving right past the buses." Drivers will begin receiving citations for passing Brockton school buses when they have stop signs extended and red lights flashing, even if an officer is not present. In March 2024, a student at Hancock Elementary School in Brockton was hit by a passing vehicle while getting off a school bus. The bus had its red lights and stop sign activated when the vehicle attempted to pass, according to a statement from the school district. The student did not suffer serious medical injuries as a result of the incident, the statement said. New state law allows 'automated enforcement' Bonanca said a state law signed by the governor last year allowed districts to use "automated enforcement" systems to punish drivers who illegally pass school buses. These systems generate videos and still shots for police to use to issue citations, according to the Massachusetts Municipal Association. Advertisement Advertisement School police don't have enough officers to monitor buses on their own at all 24 school properties in the district, he said. With reporting by Amelia Stern Send education reporter Jacob Posner story ideas or news tips at JPosner@enterprisenews.com This article originally appeared on The Enterprise: Cameras on Brockton school buses now identify illegal passers Ecuadors President Daniel Noboa has revealed that, next month, his country will start to impose a 30 percent security tariff on its neighbour Colombia for failing to contain illegal mining and the trafficking of cocaine. Wednesdays announcement echoes similar measures taken by United States President Donald Trump, who has criticised Colombias left-wing government for not pursuing a more aggressive approach to drug trafficking. In a social media post, Noboa unveiled the new tariff on Colombian imports. He warned that the new tax would remain in place until the country showed a real commitment to jointly confronting drug-trafficking and illegal mining at the border. Advertisement Advertisement We have made genuine efforts to cooperate with Colombia, even while facing a trade deficit exceeding $1bn annually, Noboa wrote. But while we have insisted on dialogue, our military continues to confront criminal groups linked to drug trafficking at the border without any cooperation from Colombia. Therefore, given the lack of reciprocity and decisive action, Ecuador will apply a 30 percent security tariff on imports from Colombia starting February 1. US Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem is greeted by Ecuadors President Daniel Noboa at Ecuadors Ulpiano Paez Air Base on November 6, 2025 [Alex Brandon/Reuters, pool] Close ties to Trump Noboa, 38, is a right-wing leader who has expressed affinity for Trump and his policies. When Trump was re-elected in 2024, Noboa hailed the victory with a social media post saying that the future looks bright for the Continent. Advertisement Advertisement And since his own re-election in 2025, Noboa has backed Trumps attempts to increase US influence across Latin America, most notably championing a failed referendum in November that would have allowed the construction of US military bases in Ecuador. Noboas administration has argued that close cooperation with the US is necessary to combat violent crime in the country. But the tight relations have also bolstered Trumps efforts to expand US authority throughout the Western Hemisphere. Twice over the past year, Noboa has hosted Trumps Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem: once in July and a second time before the November ballot referendum. Ecuador has been an excellent partner to the U.S. in our work to stop illegal immigration, drug trafficking, and smugglers on land and on the seas, Noem wrote at the time. Advertisement Advertisement Trump has made tariffs a hallmark of his second term in office, calling the term the most beautiful word in the dictionary. Since returning to the White House in January 2025, he has enacted a sweeping tariff campaign, which includes a baseline tariff of 10 percent on nearly all trading partners and additional individualised tariffs for certain countries. Trump has argued that tariffs protect domestic industries while feeding government coffers. He has also used the economic penalty as a means of forcing trading partners to submit to policy demands. Last year, for instance, Trump threatened the USs neighbours, Mexico and Canada, with tariff hikes if they failed to adequately combat drug smuggling and cross-border immigration. His administration has similarly imposed a tariff on China to incentivise the country to staunch the flow of fentanyl. Advertisement Advertisement But critics have questioned the legality of Trumps tariff campaign and its coercive nature. Economists have also warned that the tax hikes on imports could result in higher consumer prices domestically. President Gustavo Petro delivers a speech during a police ceremony in Bogota, Colombia, on December 15, 2025 [Fernando Vergara/AP Photo] Fraying relations with Petro For his part, Noboa appears to be using the threat of tariffs not only to force compliance with Ecuadors crime crackdown but also to strike back at Colombias President Gustavo Petro. A former rebel fighter, Petro was elected in 2022 as his countrys first left-wing president. But he has faced criticism, both domestically and abroad, about his efforts to combat drug trafficking. Colombia remains the worlds largest producer of cocaine. In a 2024 report, the United Nations said the country had seen 10 consecutive years of rising production potential. Nearly 253,000 hectares (645,000 acres) in the country were dedicated to the cultivation of coca leaves, the raw ingredient in cocaine. Advertisement Advertisement Complicating efforts is a six-decade-long internal conflict in Colombia. The slow-simmering conflict has long pitted government forces, right-wing paramilitaries, left-wing rebels and criminal networks against each other. Since taking office, Petro has departed from the heavy-handed crackdowns of his right-wing predecessors, instead opting for a Total Peace plan that involves dialogue with armed rebels and criminal groups. His administration has also overseen a shift away from the forced eradication of coca crops, largely grown by impoverished rural farmers. Instead, it has pursued a strategy of voluntary crop substitution, while attacking the laboratories and facilities that process the leaf into drugs. Petro has claimed his strategy has resulted in the destruction of nearly 18,400 drug-making labs. In addition, last November, his administration claimed to have made Colombias largest drug bust in a decade, seizing 14 tonnes of cocaine. Advertisement Advertisement But right-wing figures like Trump have called for more aggressive action from Colombia. The US president has gone so far as to threaten military action, saying Petro should watch his a**. US Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem joins Ecuadors President Daniel Noboa for a horseback ride in Salinas, Ecuador, on November 5, 2025 [Alex Brandon/Reuters, pool] Differences over crime and politics Noboa has been among Petros critics in the region. His election was buoyed, in part, by a pledge to tamp down on Ecuadors burgeoning crime crisis. Since the COVID-19 pandemic, Ecuador has shed its reputation as an island of peace in Latin America, as criminal activity spiked. That trend coincided with a steep rise in murders. As of 2024, the think tank Insight Crime found that Ecuador had a homicide rate of 44.6 for every 100,000 people, the highest proportion of any South American country. A total of 7,062 homicides were reported that year. Advertisement Advertisement Experts say the crime wave reflects, in part, Ecuadors strategic position between Colombia and Peru, the worlds second-largest cocaine producer. But the timing of Noboas tariffs has raised questions about the presidents motives and whether he was strictly focused on crime, rather than politics. On Tuesday, one day before the new tariffs were unveiled, Petro posted on social media a message in support of Ecuadors former Vice President Jorge Glas, a left-wing figure. In 2024, Noboa had authorised a controversial raid on Mexicos embassy in Quito to arrest Glas on bribery charges. Glas currently resides in a maximum security prison, and Petro has accused the Ecuadorian government of using psychological torture against the former politician. Advertisement Advertisement Just as I demanded the release of political prisoners in Venezuela and Nicaragua, I believe Jorge Glass should be released, Petro wrote on Tuesday. The Glas case has been a source of ongoing tension between Petro and Noboa, leading some critics to speculate whether the tariffs were, in part, a response to Tuesdays post. Ecuador and Colombia are among each others top trading partners, and the new taxes are likely to spur questions about the future of regional trade agreements. Weve reached the point in Americas polarization story where not even churches are sacred spaces. Protesters angry about the fatal shooting of Renee Good and the increased presence of federal agents in the Minneapolis area crossed a line when they entered Cities Church in St. Paul and disrupted Sunday worship. Videos posted online show scenes of a mob of people marching into the church, angrily expressing their frustration over the Trump administrations immigration enforcement activity. Advertisement Advertisement Children are present who look visibly afraid, and of course they do a group of adult strangers has entered their place of sanctuary, yelling and screaming at them and their parents, as well as confronting the pastor, Jonathan Parnell, who appears to do his best to remain calm and ensure the safety of his parishioners. Churchgoers can be seen either fleeing the sanctuary, sitting frozen in their seats or trying to reason with the intruders. Protesters alleged one of the churchs pastors not Parnell has ties to immigration enforcement. Regardless, that doesnt give anyone the right to invade a worship service. Its up to the church to decide who leads them. If the protesters who showed up at Cities Church had set up outside, fine, so long as they werent preventing people from getting to church. If they had posted up around the corner, all good. But to enter the church, berate peaceful worshipers and scare children crosses a line. The First Amendment robustly protects protests and political speech, but it does not grant the right to commandeer private property or disrupt lawful assemblies. Courts have long recognized that religious worship is entitled to protection, and both state and federal law prohibit intentional interference with a congregations ability to practice its faith. Advertisement Advertisement If youre tempted to reflexively respond yes, but one of the pastors works for ICE in some capacity, you may also be surprised to learn that you also cant break into his house because you dislike his actions. The Department of Justice is investigating the incident, and a St. Paul Police spokesperson said in a statement that they are actively investigating this incident as a disorderly conduct investigation, according to ABC News. Weve written before that some places should be off limits. We were outraged that federal authorities chased one of their quarry inside a day care center in Chicago, alarming kids. Churches are in the same category. Thats why we were appalled when the Trump administration rolled back long-standing guidance discouraging immigration arrests in sensitive locations such as churches. And its why were alarmed now. We dont pretend to know how higher powers feel about immigration enforcement. But we do know this: If you find yourself storming a church filled with people who are peacefully practicing their religion, you are not in the right. _____ At a march and rally in Commerce on Wednesday morning, El Super employees and customers called for federal immigration agents to be kept out of the company's supermarkets. The activists made their way to the corporate headquarters of Chedraui USA, the parent company of El Super, to "demand immigration protections for families who work and shop at El Super, as well as an end to poverty wages," organizers said. Community members at the rally said they were asking for clear immigration protocols that will help protect them in the event of immigration raids. Advertisement Advertisement "Today we tried to deliver El Super community support letters," Giovanni Garcia, chair of the Voices of Neighborhood Council, said during remarks at the rally. "Over 50 organizations representing thousands of residents across Southern California have signed on the demand that El Super offers their employees better staffing, living wages and immigration protections." Employees said the letters they tried to deliver to officials at Chedraui USA's corporate headquarters were not accepted. Organizers say they were barred from entering the building. "The community already supports us. That's why we brought these petitions they signed in support," El Super employee Araceli Pinedo said in Spanish. "Our customers understand the need for more staff in the stores." Employees and community members say some of the changes they're demanding are long overdue - higher wages, increased staffing and clear protections in the event of an immigration enforcement raid inside stores. Advertisement Advertisement "I want to feel safe going there," Garcia said. "I want to know that once I go in if there is an ICE raid they will close the doors, they will protect me as a customer, and of course they should protect their employees." In statement to Eyewitness News, the company said: "While we cannot speak to the specifics of an ongoing negotiation, we value our team members and the communities we serve, and remain committed to bargaining in good faith, following all labor laws, and creating a safe and respectful workplace for every associate while continuing to provide affordable food for our customers." NEED TO KNOW Ohio State Highway Patrol said a car driven by Micaela Pedicone traveling south on Interstate 71 crossed over a median and entered the northbound lanes on Jan. 19 Pedicone's car collided head-on into Darnell McKinney Jr.'s vehicle, authorities said, and both died at the scene Pedicone was an elementary school teacher and McKinney was a custodian and a father of seven kids One of the two victims killed in a two-vehicle collision on a highway in Ohio earlier this week was an elementary school teacher, officials confirmed, while the other was a custodian and father of seven. The incident occurred on Monday, Jan. 19, just before 1 p.m. local time on Interstate 71 in Union Township, Warren County, according to an Ohio State Highway Patrol (OSHP) news release shared with PEOPLE on Wednesday, Jan. 21. Advertisement Advertisement Authorities said that based on an initial investigation, a Chevrolet Malibu driven by Micaela Pedicone, 28, of Lebanon, Ohio, was traveling southbound when it crossed a median and entered the northbound lanes. The OSHP added that the Malibu collided head-on with a Honda Odyssey traveling northbound and driven by Darnell McKinney Jr., 49, of Cincinnati. Both Pedicone and McKinney, the only occupants in their vehicles, were pronounced dead at the scene, authorities said. The crash is being investigated by the OSHP. In a statement shared with PEOPLE on Wednesday, the Kings Local School District confirmed that Pedicone was a teacher at South Lebanon Elementary School in Maineville, Ohio. Advertisement Advertisement Micaela was a valued member of our school community who cared deeply for her students and colleagues. Her loss is felt profoundly across our district, the district shared. The district also stated that South Lebanon Elementary was closed to students on Tuesday, Jan. 20, to offer support to the school community after the tragedy. We are working closely with Micaelas family and will share additional information as appropriate. Our thoughts are with her family, friends, students, and colleagues, the districts statement concluded. Relatives of McKinney, who worked as a custodian at the ReGeneration Bond Hill school, told Fox affiliate WXIX that their loved one was the father of seven children and a grandfather to one child. Neither ReGeneration Bond Hill nor relatives of McKinney immediately responded to PEOPLE's request for comment. Never miss a story sign up for PEOPLE's free daily newsletter to stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from celebrity news to compelling human interest stories. He loved to dance, he loved to sing. He loved to make people laugh and thats just a tragedy for our family, said Lakesha James, McKinneys sister. Advertisement Advertisement A vigil for McKinney was held on Tuesday at the familys home and included a balloon release. Its a tragedy for both families, James said of the crash that claimed the lives of McKinney and Pedicone, WHIO reported. James added, But I just want the world to know that my brother was a good man. He will be missed. We all love him. Our family is here to support each other and just hope that you guys just pray for us during this tragedy. Read the original article on People The Connecticut Port Authority has learned a couple of letters in an email address can make a big difference when paying bills. A subtle change in an email address used to pay a vendor allowed a fraudulent source to pocket more than $16,000 from the quasi-public agency, according to a recent report submitted to state auditors. The authority oversees the New London pier and deep water ports in Bridgeport and New Haven. Advertisement Advertisement Although $14,166 of the $16,666 stolen payment was recovered through an insurance claim, port officials said the incident spurred changes in how it operates and pays bills. "The Port Authority has undertaken steps to prevent a recurrence of a similar situation," Finance Director Fayola Haynes told state auditors in a Dec. 16, 2025 letter explaining the loss. Fayola said the port authority has since reviewed its policies and procedures and has renewed its focus on critical factors and loopholes, improved security, data encryption and plans to conduct monthly cyber security training and awareness. Officials from the authority did not respond to a request for additional comment about their phishing incident. Advertisement Advertisement The Federal Trade Commission says cyber scams, with phishing being a major contributor, cost the U.S. $12.5 billion in losses in 2024. Phishing, a term for sending emails and other messages to gain personal information or mislead recipients, results in 36% of U.S. annual data breaches, experts say. The scam According to the letter from Haynes, the port authority phishing incident involved a routine payment for recruitment services to Flagship Management, totaling $16,666. The invoice for the services was received by the authority on Feb. 3, 2025, via the email address of jack@flagshipmat.com. A follow up email on Feb. 12, sent under the slightly different address of jack@flagshipmigt.com, inquired about the payment and informed the authority that the "vendor is updating its payment information." The port authority processed the $16,666 payment through the latest email address, which turned out to be fraudulent, Haynes explained in her letter. "Discovery of this fraudulent payment was made on 04/11/2025 when the accurate vendor reached out regarding payment and the Finance Director reviewed the payment history," Haynes wrote. "It was only at this time that the varying domain accounts were observed." Advertisement Advertisement Haynes said the port authority contacted several agencies, including its bank, which attempted to recapture the funds but found the "fraudster had already withdrawn the funds from the recipient bank." The port authority's outside IT services company reported in April it had discovered the source of the breach and provided relevant documents, Haynes said. The port authority reported the incident to the Old Saybrook Police Department and the FBI, Haynes said, adding "no updates" had been received from either agency. This article originally published at Email address change costs Connecticut Port Authority $16K in phishing scam. Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney said the quiet part out loud at the World Economic Forum: what many call the global rules-based order was either collapsing or had collapsed already. In the last few weeks, the United States, whose military and financial heft underpinned much of that order, has invaded Venezuela, has threatened to invade the European territory of Greenland, and has promised to levy tariffs on any of its Western allies that might oppose it. Moreover, in place of the United Nations, the organisation intended to embody the modern world order, US President Donald Trump is pushing what he has hinted may be its successor, the Board of Peace. Advertisement Advertisement Speaking in the Swiss town of Davos on Tuesday, Carney accepted that, in light of the behaviour of the US most recently in its push to take Greenland the rules-based order was essentially over. In its place, he said, was the coming era of great power rivalry, where the comfortable fiction of the past withered in the unforgiving light of day. The systems power comes not from its truth, but from everyones willingness to perform as if it were true, and its fragility comes from the same source, he told world leaders. When even one person stops performing the illusion begins to crack. We participated in the rituals, and we largely avoided calling out the gaps between rhetoric and reality, Carney added. This bargain no longer works. Let me be direct. We are in the midst of a rupture, not a transition. In Trumps speech in Davos the following day, the US president made clear that times had changed. He nodded to Venezuela, where his forces conducted a raid to abduct the countrys President Nicolas Maduro earlier this month. He criticised Europe, calling the countries there weak. Advertisement Advertisement And he constantly referenced his desire to take Greenland, no matter what Greenlanders, or Denmark the country they are part of think. We want a piece of ice for world protection. And they wont give it, Trump said. So they have a choice. You can say yes, and we will be very appreciative. Or you can say no, and we will remember. Trump has made clear that the old way of doing things does not interest him. The post-World War II rules-based order concepts of sovereignty, and the resolution of disputes through negotiations, no longer mattered. Not an ally but a predator The actions of Trump and his administration have forced lawmakers across Europe and the West to confront their reliance upon the US and weigh the difficulties of confronting the worlds most significant superpower, which NATOs former deputy allied commander for Europe, Richard Shirreff, described on Tuesday as having turned from ally to predator. Advertisement Advertisement Limited attempts on the part of Europe to counter US ambitions in Greenland have seen the deployment of a token number of troops to the island, only to be met by American fury and the immediate threat of tariffs. The rules-based order is over, and its ending reflects the decades-old fallacy that European and US values and security interests were the same, said Geoffrey Nice, a human rights lawyer and former lead prosecutor in the war crimes trial of Serbias former president, Slobodan Milosevic. Over the years, the US has exempted itself from numerous international treaties, such as the International Criminal Court, whose warrant against Russian President Vladimir Putin was actively pursued by former US President Joe Biden, despite Washingtons refusal to accept the jurisdiction of the court itself. Similarly, when the International Court of Justice ruled against the US in a 1986 case on Washingtons support for rebels in Nicaragua, the US simply dismissed the ruling. Other international obligations, such as those on climate, or commitments to Iran to ease sanctions in return for greater transparency of its nuclear programme, have been similarly shrugged off. Advertisement Advertisement The reality has been that, time and again, the US has placed its own interests and its own sovereignty first. The United States interest in international law, going back to the Nuremberg, has always been ad hoc rather than treaty based, Nice told Al Jazeera, referring to the Nuremberg trials of Nazi leaders after World War II. Whats compounded this is that, for over 80 years, Europe and others have deluded themselves that this isnt the case. Protesters take part in a march in front of the US Consulate, under the slogan, Greenland belongs to the Greenlandic people, in Nuuk, Greenland, March 15, 2025 [Christian Klindt Soelbeck/Ritzau Scanpix/via Reuters] Hypocritical order Longstanding criticisms of the so-called rules-based order have grown increasingly marked over the last few decades. Perhaps most notable for many was continued Western support for Israel despite its genocidal war on Gaza, in which it has killed more than 71,550 Palestinians in the last two years. Western leaders have largely ignored the International Criminal Courts arrest warrant for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, raising questions about whether international law matters for some, but not for others. The idea of holding to a singular and often deeply hypocritical rules-based order is finished, to the extent it ever truly existed, said HA Hellyer of the Royal United Services Institute for Defence and Security Studies in London. Critics say the hypocrisy of the global rules-based order has been exposed during Israels war on Gaza [Abdel Kareem Hana/AP Photo] The recognition of that reality by the Canadians and Europeans is landing very differently across the world. For some, similar to Europe and Canada, it feels like a shocking collapse, Hellyer said. For others, its simply the moment when a system that never protected Black and brown populations, or the Global South, is finally being named for what it was. Advertisement Advertisement Its telling that the supposed breaking point for the rules-based order is really the threat to Greenland, not the devastation of Gaza, or other examples before now, Hellyer added. The cases are not identical, and Im not equating them but its difficult to argue that talk of annexation is more offensive to international norms than the destruction of an entire people and territory. But in the case of Israel, the main underwriter of the rules-based order i.e., the US did not only work to ensure no accountability for the violation of international law, but actively emboldened and empowered those violations. There is nothing new about Western commentators claiming that events on their own doorstep define the state of the world, regardless of conditions elsewhere, said Karim Emile Bitar, a professor of international relations at the Saint Joseph University of Beirut. This is why we see such a stark contrast between Western attitudes toward Gaza as opposed to Western attitudes when a blue-eyed, blonde Ukrainian lady arrives as a refugee, he said. When a territory that is part of the European Union is under threat, they completely shift course and no longer try to use the usual mendacious justifications that were used for decades and decades. Advertisement Advertisement For smaller countries that have been forced to rely upon alliances rather than rules for decades, or much of the Global South, the collapse of the rules-based order will mean little. For those in the Global North and their representatives at Davos, it represents a seismic shift. In a statement, the Turkish presidency said the leader had discussed the latest developments in Iran, after the worst domestic unrest since the 1979 Islamic Revolution. Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan told his Iranian counterpart, Masoud Pezeshkian, in a phone call on Thursday that Turkey opposed any foreign intervention in Iran and valued its neighbors' peace and stability, the Turkish presidency said. In a statement, the presidency said the leader had discussed the latest developments in Iran, after the worst domestic unrest since the 1979 Islamic Revolution. It said Erdogan also said that resolving problems without further escalation was to Ankara's benefit. EU condemns brutal crackdowns as protests continue in Iran The European Union voted on Thursday in favor of a resolution calling on the Iranian regime to end executions and release detainees, and called for the European Council to immediately designate the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC). Advertisement Advertisement Protests in Iran have been going on since late December 2025, with official reports saying 5.000 people were killed in the crackdown on the protests, while some estimates say up to 20.000 people were killed. Standing in solidarity with the protesters, the parliament called for an immediate end to the violence, a halt to the executions, and cessation of the murder and repression of civilians. Members of the Iranian police attend a pro-government rally in Tehran, Iran, January 12, 2026. (credit: STRINGER/WANA (WEST ASIA NEWS AGENCY) VIA REUTERS ATTENTION EDITORS) Former CIA director warns Iran situation 'not sustainable' On Monday, former CIA director David Petraeus said that the Iranian crackdown on protests signals enormous questions about the regimes ability to sustain the situation. He then admitted that it is starting to look like the regime will be able to put [the protests] down. Leo Feierberg Better contributed to this report. The European Parliament has voted to refer the long-negotiated EU-Mercosur trade agreement to the blocs highest court, a move that could delay a final decision on the pact for at least a year. In a closely split vote, 334 MEPs backed a resolution requesting a legal opinion from the European Court of Justice (ECJ) on the legal basis of both the overarching EU-Mercosur Partnership Agreement (EMPA) and the Interim Trade Agreement (ITA). A total of 324 MEPs voted against and 11 abstained. Advertisement Advertisement The ECJ review is likely to take more than 12 months, pushing back the timetable for ratification of the accord with the Mercosur bloc of Brazil, Argentina, Paraguay and Uruguay. The parliamentary move comes after EU governments reached a qualified majority decision on 9 January in favour of the agreement, despite vocal opposition from European farm groups that have labelled the arrangement fundamentally unbalanced and flawed. The deal was signed on 17 January in Paraguay. At the time, European Commission president Ursula von der Leyen said the blocs creating the largest free trade zone in the world, together. The European Parliament, however, has signalled it will not move to its own final vote until judges in Luxembourg have ruled. Advertisement Advertisement In its resolution adopted yesterday (21 January), it confirmed the scrutiny of the texts would continue while awaiting the courts opinion, saying Only then, parliament will be able to vote to grant consent (or not) to the agreement. MEPs pressed ahead with the referral despite a late intervention from von der Leyen urging them not to do so. Addressing the parliament, she said Mercosur is hotly debate in this house but argued that the deal secures our access to raw materials, our industry needs, and the benefits to European companies will be huge. It will deliver huge gains also for the producers of dairy, wine, spirits, oil and much more. At the same time, we have listened carefully to your concerns, and to our farmers and we have secured strong safeguards for sensitive agri-food sector, von der Leyen added. Advertisement Advertisement The agreement centres on reciprocal tariff liberalisation. The EU plans to gradually eliminate customs duties on 92% of imports from Mercosur over a period of up to ten years. In return, Mercosur countries would phase out tariffs on 91% of EU goods over 15 years. The EU is Mercosurs second-largest trading partner, accounting for almost 17% of the South American blocs total trade in 2024. Bilateral trade in goods that year totalled more than 111bn ($129.7bn). Political and sectoral reactions have been sharply divided. German Chancellor Friedrich Merz criticised the Parliaments decision to trigger court scrutiny. Advertisement Advertisement Writing on X, he said: The European Parliament's decision on the Mercosur agreement is regrettable. It misjudges the geopolitical situation. We are convinced of the agreement's legality. No more delays. The agreement must now be provisionally applied. Farm lobby Copa-Cogeca, which represents EU agricultural organisations and cooperatives, backed the referral. Copa-Cogeca described the accord as divisive and added: European farmers and agri-cooperatives are the first to pay for geopolitical upheavals and unrest. Fair and balanced trade, coherent with internal policies needs to be a certainty, even in uncertain times. Trade policy cannot continue to reward lower standards while European farmers are asked to do more with less. By contrast, European wine trade body Comite Europeen des Entreprises Vins criticised the move, warning of prolonged uncertainty for exporters. Advertisement Advertisement The organisation said: Such a referral will result in a delay of 18 to 20 months in the ratification process, creating unnecessary uncertainty for businesses. [We are] disappointed because time is money. At a time of increasing geopolitical and economic challenges, it is more important than ever for the European Union to secure and diversify its trade relations with trusted partners without delay. "The EUMercosur Agreement has the potential not only to enhance the competitiveness of European wines abroad, but also to reinforce the EUs role as a global leader in promoting stability and open, rules-based trade. The agreement now remains in limbo until the ECJ delivers its opinion, after which the European Parliament will decide whether to give or withhold its consent. "EU Parliament sends Mercosur deal for court review" was originally created and published by Just Drinks, a GlobalData owned brand. Last year, for the first time, wind and solar supplied more power than fossil fuels to the E.U., according to a new analysis. The shift is largely due to the rapid expansion of solar energy, which is growing faster than any other source of electricity. Together, wind and solar generated 30 percent of E.U. power last year, while fossil fuels provided 29 percent, according to the analysis from Ember, a think tank based in London. Including hydro, renewables provided nearly half of all E.U. power in 2025. E.U. power generation. EMBER / ADAPTED BY YALE ENVIRONMENT 360 The analysis finds that solar is making gains in every E.U. country, while coal is broadly in retreat. Last year, solar alone supplied more than 20 percent of power in Hungary, Cyprus, Greece, Spain, and the Netherlands. Meanwhile, in 19 European countries, coal accounted for less than 5 percent of power. In 2025, both Ireland and Finland joined the ranks of European countries that have shuttered their last remaining coal plants. Advertisement Advertisement Warming, however, continues to challenge the shift to clean energy as drought saps hydropower. Last year, hydro output dropped slightly in the E.U., and natural gas power rose to compensate. The next priority for the E.U. should be to put a serious dent in reliance on expensive, imported gas, said Ember analyst Beatrice Petrovich. Gas not only makes the E.U. more vulnerable to energy blackmail, its also driving up prices. In parts of Europe, there are signs that increasingly cheap batteries are beginning to displace natural gas in the early evening, when power demand is high, but solar output is waning. Said Petrovich, As this trend accelerates it could limit how much gas is needed in evening hours, therefore stabilizing prices. ALSO ON YALE E360 An E.U. Plan to Slash Micropollutants in Wastewater Is Under Attack Jan 22 (Reuters) - A profound proposed reform of Venezuela's hydrocarbons law would allow foreign and local companies to operate oilfields on their own through a new contract model, commercialize output and receive sale proceeds even if acting as minority partners of state company PDVSA, drafts seen by Reuters on Thursday showed. Venezuela's interim President Delcy Rodriguez last week submitted the reform proposal, expected to deeply modify the backbone of the OPEC country's oil industry by changing late President Hugo Chavez's landmark oil law, to the National Assembly. Lawmakers are scheduled to begin its discussion on Thursday, following a flagship 50-million-barrel oil supply deal between Caracas and Washington this month, agreed after the U.S. capture of President Nicolas Maduro. Oil executives and potential investors as part of Washington's ambitious $100 billion reconstruction plan for Venezuela's energy industry are demanding autonomy to produce, export and cash sale proceeds in the country after Chavez's nationalizations and assets expropriations two decades ago. The proposal would allow the government to adjust royalties down to 15%, from a current rate of 33%, for special projects and those requiring massive investments. It also adds the possibility of resorting to independent arbitration to solve controversies. (Reporting by Reuters; Editing by Julia Symmes Cobb) The European Parliament has decided to have the contested EU free trade agreement with four countries from the Latin American Mercosur bloc reviewed by the European Court of Justice (ECJ). At a vote on Wednesday, 334 European Union lawmakers voted in favour of the legal assessment, 324 against and 11 abstained. Waiting for the court's opinion could significantly delay the ratification process for the agreement with the four Mercosur countries Brazil, Argentina, Paraguay and Uruguay. Advertisement Advertisement It is unclear how long it will take for the judges at the ECJ in Luxembourg to submit their assessment, but previous assessments took between 16 and 26 months. The agreement, which was signed last week in Paraguay after more than 25 years of negotiations, aims to remove trade barriers and customs duties and boost the exchange of goods and services. Wednesday's motion criticized the fact that the deal was set up in a way that it only requires the approval of the European Parliament but not ratification by national parliaments. Critics of the deal also see a problem in a mechanism that allows Mercosur countries to demand compensatory measures and financial redress. Additionally there are fears that EU standards on consumer protection, the environment and animal welfare could be compromised. LAS VEGAS (KLAS) An embattled former Nevada assemblyman will avoid prison time after he led Las Vegas police officers on a chase, a judge ruled Tuesday. In July 2024, Metro police arrested Steven Brooks after they said he drove his car on a median and refused to comply with their instructions, documents said. During the interaction, Brooks threatened officers and asked to shoot it out before driving off. The pursuit, which reached speeds of 70 mph, ended at Las Vegas Boulevard and Bonanza Road, where Brooks got out of the vehicle stumbling and losing balance as well as yelling incoherently at officers, documents said. Advertisement Advertisement Brooks, who represented North Las Vegas as a Democrat, was expelled from the Nevada Legislature in 2013 after he threatened to murder then-Assembly Speaker Marilyn Kirkpatrick. Following that incident, he has had a series of arrests and served time in prison. Former Nevada lawmaker Steven Brooks makes an initial appearance in Las Vegas Justice Court on June 28, 2024. (KLAS) Last August, Brooks pleaded guilty to a charge of performance of act or neglect of duty in willful or wanton disregard of safety resulting in substantial bodily harm, records said. As part of the deal, prosecutors agreed to a sentence of probation with the stipulation that it includes a mental health evaluation and possible treatment. On Tuesday, Clark County District Court Judge Eric Johnson sentenced Brooks to two years probation, including the conditions that he submit to substance abuse and mental health evaluations and pay $10,000 restitution to police, a court spokesperson said. Should Brooks fail to comply with the terms of his probation, Johnson could send him to prison for two to five years. Advertisement Advertisement Copyright 2026 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KLAS. By Mark John DAVOS, Switzerland, Jan 22 (Reuters) - The framework deal on Greenland agreed with U.S. President Donald Trump would require NATO allies to step up on Arctic security and the first results of this will be seen this year, NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte told Reuters on Thursday. It was now up to NATO commanders to work through the details of extra security requirements, Rutte said in an interview at the World Economic Forum's (WEF) annual meeting in Davos, Switzerland, adding that he was sure non-Arctic NATO allies would want to contribute to the effort. Advertisement Advertisement "We will come together in NATO with our senior commanders to work out what is necessary," an upbeat Rutte said, adding: "I have no doubt we can do this quite fast. Certainly I would hope for 2026, I hope even early in 2026." Rutte said minerals exploitation was not discussed during his meeting with Trump in Davos on Wednesday. Negotiations on the Arctic island would continue between the United States, Denmark and Greenland itself, he said. Rutte also said the intensified Arctic effort would not drain resources in support of Ukraine, which relies heavily on NATO members for military backing in its war with Russia. Trump on Wednesday said the U.S. would not use force to pursue his ambition to acquire Greenland and later dropped the threat of additional tariffs against some of Washington's European allies and fellow NATO members over the issue. Advertisement Advertisement Asked if NATO allies can take Trump at his word, Rutte replied: "You can always take Donald Trump at his word". Rutte, who was given a shout-out by Trump during his widely-watched Davos address on Wednesday, was also asked how it was he seemed to be emerging as the person who can best bring a conversation with the U.S. president to a positive conclusion. "I've no idea. I can only tell you that I like the guy, that I respect his leadership," Rutte said. (Reporting by Mark John; Writing by Alexander Smith; Editing by Jon Boyle, Aidan Lewis) ROCKFORD, Ill. (WTVO) An Extreme Cold Warning remains in effect across northern Illinois, including the Rockford area, with wind chills expected to drop as low as 30 degrees below zero, according to the National Weather Service. The dangerous cold increases the likelihood that water pipes will freeze, especially in unheated areas of homes and apartments. Frozen pipes can burst if pressure builds, resulting in significant property damage. Plumbing experts recommend leaving faucets slightly running if a pipe is suspected of being frozen. Opening cabinet doors allows warmer air to circulate. Advertisement Advertisement Frozen pipes can be thawed slowly, using gentle heat sources, such as hair dryers, heating pads, or hot towels. Open flames and portable, fuel-burning heaters should not be used, due to fire and carbon monoxide risks. If a pipe breaks, residents should immediately shut off the water supply and contact a licensed plumber. Electrical outlets near water should be turned off. To prevent a pipe from freezing, experts recommend insulating pipes, sealing drafts, keeping garage doors closed, letting faucets drip slowly, and maintaining constant indoor temperatures throughout the duration of the cold weather. Officials have also urged residents to check on vulnerable neighbors and family members. Advertisement Advertisement Electrical utility ComEd said it is taking steps to respond quickly to power interruptions. This is going to be a dangerous cold event that will spread across our entire system, said David Perez, executive vice-president and chief operating officer, ComEd. Our teams are actively monitoring the system and are fully prepared to respond, with crews ready to restore any outages swiftly and safely. Copyright 2026 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to MyStateline | WTVO News, Weather and Sports. An impending extreme cold warning across most of Iowa might have students and parents wondering when it is too cold for schools to cancel classes. The low for Friday, Jan. 23, in Des Moines is expected to be 5 degrees below zero, with wind gusts up to 21 mph, and the National Weather Service forecasts a wind chill as low as 30 degrees below zero. In northern Iowa cities like Estherville and Mason City, the wind chill is supposed to be 41 degrees below zero at 6 a.m. Friday. UPDATES: See which Des Moines area schools are closed Friday due to extreme cold Advertisement Advertisement Here's what we know about the policies that metro school districts use when canceling or delaying classes, so you can plan when the forecast calls for freezing temperatures. While many school districts don't have a concrete answer to this question, others do. When is it too cold for classes in the Ames Community School District? Ames does not have a set temperature it uses to determine when it's safe to hold classes. "We continually monitor the forecast from the NWS to make the best decision for students, staff, and families in a timely manner," according to the page on weather delays and cancellations from the district's website. The page also states how the Ames Community School District superintendent "consults with a variety of experts both inside and outside of the district" before deciding to cancel or delay school due to extreme weather. When is it too cold for classes in the Dallas Center-Grimes Community School District? Dallas Center-Grimes Community School District decides to cancel or delay school when the wind chill in the area reaches 30 degrees below zero, district spokesperson AJ Ellingson previously told the Register. Advertisement Advertisement "We use the NWS as our 'source of truth' when it comes to temperature readings," Ellingson wrote. When is it too cold for classes for Des Moines Public Schools? Des Moines relies on guidance from experts instead of a set temperature. "There is no set temperature cutoff" when deciding whether to cancel or delay Des Moines Public Schools due to cold weather, said DMPS Communications and Public Relations Specialist Amanda Lewis. "We rely on guidance from the NWS in Des Moines and the expertise of the district's operations team who have managed many tough Iowa winters when making this important decision," Lewis wrote in an email to the Register in February 2025. Advertisement Advertisement Lewis also said DMPS takes several factors into account when deciding to delay or cancel school due to extremely cold temperatures, including air temperature, wind chill and the timing of both. When is it too cold for classes in the Johnston Community School District? Johnston Community School District may cancel classes if the NWS predicts air temperatures of 25 degrees below zero or if the forecast wind chill is 40 degrees below zero at 6 a.m. the day of school, according to the district's website on inclement weather procedures. "The decision to start school late or cancel classes before the start of a school day will be made, when all possible, before 6 a.m.," according to the district's website. When is it too cold for classes in the Southeast Polk Community School District? Southeast Polk does not have a set temperature either. Advertisement Advertisement "The Superintendent or his designee will make decisions on closing or delaying school based on information provided by the NWS, the Department of Transportation, city and county officials, local law enforcement, meteorologists, and school staff personal inspection," according to the district's website on school cancellations and delays. The superintendent's decision is normally made no later than 5:30 a.m. to delay or cancel school. The decision to cancel school following a decision to delay will usually be made by 6:30 a.m. and no later than 7:00 a.m., according to the district's website. When is it too cold for classes in the Urbandale Community School District? Urbandale cancels school when the NWS predicts the temperature will drop to 25 degrees below zero or the wind chill will be 30 degrees below zero, according to the district's website. "Our goal is to inform families and staff of school delays or cancellations by 5:45 a.m. for morning situations and by 11:00 a.m. for afternoon situations," according to the district's website. When is it too cold for classes in the Waukee Community School District? Waukee's superintendent will close or delay school based on predictions and timing of real and "feels like" temperatures and the duration of a weather advisory, according to the district's website. Advertisement Advertisement The website says the superintendent will base their decision on weather forecasts and feedback from city and county crews and other sources of relevant information. The superintendent usually decides by 5:30 a.m. to delay the beginning of the school day or to cancel school, according to the district's website. The decision to cancel school following a decision to delay is usually made by 6:30 a.m. and no later than 7:00 a.m. When is it too cold for classes in the West Des Moines Community School District? West Des Moines Community School District decides to cancel or delay school when the wind chill in the area reaches 30 degrees below zero, according to district spokesperson Bryan Geelan. A decision to delay or cancel school is normally made by 5:45 a.m., according to the WDMCS website. Advertisement Advertisement Cooper Worth is a service/trending reporter for the Des Moines Register. Reach him at cworth@gannett.com or follow him on X @CooperAWorth. This article originally appeared on Des Moines Register: Will schools be closed Friday? See Iowa policies on extreme cold Fairfield County property owners who disagree with the valuation of their real property can file a formal complaint with the Fairfield County Board of Revision (BOR). The deadline to file a complaint for the 2025 tax year is March 31, according to a community announcement. The Board of Revision process begins with the filing of a formal complaint. The Ohio Revised Code specifies which individuals or entities have legal standing to file. Complaint forms are available on the Fairfield County Auditors website or at the office. Filing period Complaints may be filed Jan. 1-March 31. Complaints must be received or postmarked by March 31 to be considered timely. Late filings will be dismissed as required by law. Advertisement Advertisement Complaints filed in 2026 must relate to the 2025 tax year. Board of Revision hearing procedures The Fairfield County Board of Revision allows parties or their legal counsel to attend hearings in person or virtually, provided advance notice is requested. BOR hearings are formal and recorded proceedings. Each hearing begins with an introduction of the case and exhibits. Parties and attorneys must identify themselves, and attorneys must formally enter their appearances for the record. Presentation of evidence and testimony The complainant presents evidence and/or testimony supporting their opinion of the propertys market value. The BOR reviews valuation only, not tax amounts. Counter-complainants are given the same opportunity to present evidence. All testimony is given under oath. Parties may question opposing witnesses. The BOR administrator and board members may also ask questions. Advertisement Advertisement After evidence is presented, the BOR administrator explains appeal rights, if applicable. The Board issues a written decision within 30 days of the hearing, which is mailed or emailed to the parties or their counsel. Evidence considered by the Board of Revision Generally, sufficient evidence includes: A sale between unrelated parties within 24 months of the tax lien date (Jan. 1 of the tax year at issue), provided the alleged sale meets the requirements set forth in Ohio Revised Code 5715.19(A)(6)(a), if applicable A formal appraisal prepared by a licensed appraiser who personally evaluated the property as of the tax lien date Documentation of negative property conditions (such as damage), including invoices, contracts, or photographs which directly supports the opinion of value requested Generally, insufficient evidence includes: Advertisement Advertisement Comparable sales data without a formal appraisal General economic condition statements Listing prices for unsold properties Undocumented claims of property damage General statements of under-valuation or over-valuation without appraisal support Complaint forms and 2026 BOR case files are available online at bit.ly/FFCoBOR. A video explaining the BOR can be found on YouTube at bit.ly/FFCoBORVideo. For questions, contact the Fairfield County Auditors Real Estate Office at 740-652-7030. This story was created by Jane Imbody, jimbody@usatodayco.com, with the assistance of Artificial Intelligence (AI). Journalists were involved in every step of the information gathering, review, editing and publishing process. Learn more at cm.usatoday.com/ethical-conduct/. This article originally appeared on Lancaster Eagle-Gazette: How to dispute Fairfield County property valuations The usual steady flow of deep-fried tacos topped with neon orange powdered cheese, finely shredded lettuce and tomato salsa being served out of the In-A-Tub kitchen on Prairie View Road was suddenly halted Tuesday afternoon when a pickup truck crashed into the side of the iconic Kansas City taco and burger joint. Now, dedicated fans and customers of the longtime restaurant known for its unique take on Midwestern tacos are rallying behind the beloved spot aiming to keep the business afloat in the midst of the wreckage that has now temporarily closed its doors. A truck crashed into the In-A-Tub on Prairie View Road on Tuesday, injuring the owner and closing the restaurant. (Derek Donovan) Theyve made it through COVID. They stood strong through all that. Theyre gonna make it through this just fine, said Ashley Handley, a lifelong In-A-Tub customer. Just gotta keep going to the Tub and get those tacos so we can have our second location back. Advertisement Advertisement The driver of a Ford F150 collided into the restaurant on Tuesday around 4 p.m. after they pulled into the parking spot adjacent to the business and suddenly accelerated, driving through the side of the business, according to the Kansas City Police Department. The owner of the business, who was inside at the time, was struck during the crash and taken to the hospital with life-threatening injuries. She was still hospitalized as of Wednesday afternoon, but was stable and recovering, according to KCPD. The driver of the Ford was uninjured. She is recovering from surgery with a long road ahead. This is our main priority. At this time, we ask for your prayers of healing, mentally and physically, the business said in a Facebook post about the accident, which was flooded with comments from people sharing their love and support for the local restaurant. Some Facebook commenters shared notes about being lifelong fans of the restaurant, while others wrote about their personal experiences and traditions at In-A-Tub, like visiting the location every year on their birthday or taking out-of-town friends for pocket burgers. A lot of commenters offered their thoughts and prayers for the owner during her recovery and vowed to eat at the second location at 4000 North Oak Trafficway until the one on Prairie View reopens. Advertisement Advertisement For Emily Costelow, who grew up in Gladstone and now lives in South Carolina, trips to In-A-Tub to get three of their signature deep-fried tacos are a must when shes in town. In-A-Tubs deep-fried tacos are a take on the Kansas City-style taco, originally a Mexican-Italian fusion food from the early 1900s. (Rachel Schlueter) Growing up, Costelow would go to the In-A-Tub in the former Antioch Center with her family before getting dessert at the nearby Orange Julius stand. It was always a special treat, she recalled. Now, In-A-Tubs tacos help ease her homesickness when shes back in Kansas City. Its just one of those things you cant really find anywhere else, and its just one of those very specific and niche cravings that you get, she said. Its just very nostalgic. Like Costelow, Handley, a native to the Kansas City area, remembers trips to In-A-Tub as a little girl after afternoons spent shopping at the Metro North Mall. And in high school, she would swing by the south location while cruising North Oak with her friends. Advertisement Advertisement Then I just kept eating it my whole life, she said. To this day, Handley still orders the same thing every time she visits an In-A-Tub: Three regular tacos with mild sauce and a fried burrito with cheese. The deep-fried tacos are In-A-Tubs most popular menu item. (Rachel Schlueter) But In-A-Tub is more than just comfort food for Handley. Its where she has celebrated achievements, ate after ballgames and spent time with loved ones following funerals. It feels like going home to me, she said. Its the nostalgia of it to me and that small town feeling that you just dont get in a lot of places anymore. While she currently lives closer to the Prairie View In-A-Tub, Handley said she will frequently be in line at the North Oak location, and she hopes the rest of her Northland community will do the same. I really hope that our city shows up and shows everybody from In-A-Tub how much they mean to us because it really is a staple in our community, especially for us Northlanders, she said. The day that Joy Wheeler lost everything, but her life, was a Tuesday. In a nursing home Tuesdays are not much different than Wednesdays or Sundays, something Wheeler, 59, has learned over the last five years. The routine of each day blends into the one before it. On that Tuesday, two days before Christmas, Wheeler, who is crippled by neuropathy in her legs, wheeled herself to the first-floor activity room of the Bristol Health & Rehab Center. A Cross and flowers hang from the netting surrounding the Silver Lake Nursing Home explosion site in Bristol Township on Jan. 12, 2026. After eating lunch, she returned to her second-floor room. She climbed into bed and started scrolling on her cellphone. Advertisement Advertisement Soon after, the world came crashing down around her and more than 100 others inside the Tower Road building on Dec. 23, 2025. I said to my roommate, What the hell was that? I thought I was dreaming, Wheeler said recently. Then I got into my wheelchair, and I cant get out of this room. Before that cold Tuesday ended two people would be dead; a third died 13 days later. Another 19 were injured including Wheeler. Residents and employees were displaced, ripped from the familiar and thrust into the unknown by an explosion that would rock the neighborhood between Bath Road and Veterans Highway, a short walk from Lower Bucks Hospital. Advertisement Advertisement The National Transportation Safety Board is leading the accident investigation and is expected to release its preliminary findings this month, a spokesman confirmed Jan. 20. PECO and the nursing home immediately confirmed that a suspected natural gas leak in the basement was being worked on before the explosion. Four weeks later, a black mesh-covered fence guards the perimeter of what is left of the two-story building, known in the community by its former name, Silver Lake Nursing Home. A single Christmas decoration peeks through one of the last intact windows and a tilted picture frame is seen through another. Plywood hides the holes of the other missing windows. Christmas decoartions hang in one of the rooms at the Silver Lake Nursing Home explosion site in Bristol Township on Jan. 12, 2026. Parts of the buckled brown brick facade look like a Jenga tower on the verge of toppling. Empty wheelchairs and patient beds wait among the debris piles behind the fence. Advertisement Advertisement In neon orange paint the word OK, with an arrow pointed toward the Lower Bucks Hospital campus appears to signal where the building sustained the least damage. Other signs of the chaos that Tuesday are scattered throughout the property. Half-filled cases of water sit as if just placed there. Purple latex gloves and yellow CAUTION tape lay in the mud and grass. Memorials of artificial flowers are planted at the nursing home sign at the corner of Fayette Drive and King Street. More flowers and a gold crucifix are fixed on the fence. Glass shards fill thin cracks in the asphalt driveway like shiny rivers of tears. Advertisement Advertisement Vehicles slow as they approach the collapsed wing above the basement where the natural gas lines are located. Some stop for a few minutes to take in the devastation. The depth of the terror and bravery on that day and every one since is still being absorbed by those who lived it. The accounting of what was lost is still being calculated. I feel totally abandoned totally forgotten, Wheeler said recently. I just feel totally alone like I have no one. Im in a box and I cant get out. Fire chief talks about a rescue effort like none he experience before The Third District Volunteer Fire Co. station sits less than a mile away from the 174-bed nursing home. Advertisement Advertisement Weeks after the fatal blast, Chief Howard McGoldrick is still learning about the heroic acts of not only the hundreds of firefighters and police who converged on the property that day, but employees and bystanders. Residents of Winder Village, the neighborhood next to the nursing home, ran out of their warm homes with blankets and coats for those rescued, some wearing only in thin cotton house coats. Hed also love to know the name of the plumbing company whose passing van stopped and its workers jumped out to help rescuers carry victims to safety. Emergency crews are on scene in response to a call about an explosion at Silver Lake Nursing Home in Bristol Township on Dec. 23, 2025. The chief thinks often of the nursing home maintenance man, injured in the blast, who signed himself out of the hospital and walked back to the scene to help bring people out. Advertisement Advertisement There were upwards of 50 window rescues, many on the second floor, a number that McCormick called astronomical. Window rescues are high risk efforts, he said. In his 36 years as a volunteer firefighter McGoldrick said he has only taken three people out of buildings through the window. Emergency responders carry a man by stretcher to an ambulance from the explosion and fire at Silver Lake Nursing Home in Bristol on Dec. 23, 2025. By his count, an estimated 119 residents and eight employees required assistance to get out of the building, McCormick said. Other employees were blown out through windows on the first floor. Responding Bristol Township police officers carried residents unable to walk over their shoulders. One unidentified officer carried people two at a time. Advertisement Advertisement The officers who participated in the rescues declined to be interviewed. Police Chief C.J. Winik said they told him they were just doing their job. The Silver Lake Nursing Home explosion site in Bristol Township on Jan. 12, 2026. Bristol Health & Rehab employee buried alive requests prayers for survivors Certified nursing assistant Natalie Olive opened her eyes and saw darkness that Tuesday. Dirt and dust clogged her ears and nose. She could taste it in her mouth and feel it in her hair. Her clothes felt soaking wet. She was buried alive with a coworker beneath who knows how much concrete, metal and glass. All I remember is when I saw a light, I grabbed my coworker and said, We have to get out, Olive said. Weeks later, what Olive remembers about her 7 a.m. to 3 p.m. shift is it was colder than usual inside the building. There was also a strange gas smell. Advertisement Advertisement The smell was so strong that around 1:30 pm Olive went outside for a walk to get some fresh air. She still had 15 minutes left before she had to return to work so she went to the first-floor break room to use her cellphone. There was a boom immediately followed by the walls around them and the ceiling above collapsing. It just happened out of nowhere. Olive and the coworker managed to push themselves out of the debris and climb out of the wall into the parking lot. Once outside, all around her Olive saw coworkers lying on the ground bleeding, she said. We were just cold, wet and waiting for help, said Olive, her voice choking with emotion. Advertisement Advertisement She spent Christmas Eve and Christmas day in the hospital. She lost her cellphone, bank card, and identification. And she lost her job. Perhaps worst of all, she simply feels lost. Everybody keep praying for us please, she said. Hopefully it never happens anywhere else again. Debris at the Silver Lake Nursing Home explosion site in Bristol Township on Jan. 12, 2026. 80 miles away, a Bristol Health & Rehab Center resident feels like a prisoner Robert Flesch remembers the sound and feel of that Tuesday it was like a garbage truck ramming into the wall. Then the room caved in. Your whole body was concussed. It was like a giant concussion, Flesch, 64, said. It scared the hell out of me. Flesch didnt know what happened. He had suspicions. Hours earlier, a maintenance guy came to his door, he said. Flesch had to go to a common area down the hall. There was a gas leak in the building, the man said. But PECO was working on it. The gas smell hit Flesch when he entered the hallway. The smell followed him into the common room where about 50 other residents sat watching TV. There is a gas leak here. We should all be evacuated, Flesch said he told other residents in the room. But nothing happened until around 1:30 p.m., he said. That is when the maintenance guy returned and told them they could go back to their rooms. The gas smell was still really strong, Flesch said. Strong enough he mentioned it to the maintenance guy. Its just the residual, the man said. PECO told me it was fixed. PECO crews work in the explosion site at Silver Lake Nursing Home in Bristol Township on Dec. 29, 2025. Three minutes later, Flesch, who lost a leg above the knee to a spider bite, was struck with chunks of concrete and glass. Dust smothered him. He lost hearing in one ear. His wheelchair was surrounded debris two-feet deep. My room was decimated, he said. God had me in a bear hug. If I was one inch to the left or one to the right, Id have been gone. He heard a familiar voice in the hallway asking if anyone was inside. An assistant psychiatrist helped Flesch navigate his wheelchair through the rubble, then out a side door. Once Flesch was outside, the man went back in the building to rescue others. He went door-to-door on the whole floor, Flesch said. He got a lot of people out, he added. Flesch waited in the damp, freezing winter cold with other victims on someones front lawn. About 90 minutes later, he and the others were wheeled over to the nearby Lower Bucks Hospital, he said. The Silver Lake Nursing Home explosion site in Bristol Township on Jan. 12, 2026. From there, he and two other residents were taken to a nursing home 83 miles away in Northampton County with nothing but a blanket he had grabbed off his bed, he said. Everything else he owned is most likely buried including two prosthetic legs that cost $174,000 and $1,000 orthopedic shoes, he said. At the new nursing home the staff collected old clothes he could wear. His brother recently made the 90-minute drive to bring him a few new outfits, he said. Flesch said he reached out to the Bristol Health & Rehab Center administrator asking what was going on with his personal belongings. A company will retrieve and restore what is salvageable and return it to him, he was told. How long will that be? Flesch asked. I told her I want my legs. She didnt have an answer, he said. Without his prosthetics, Flesch cant get physical therapy, he said. He still can't hear out of his left ear either. Before the explosion, Flesch said he was making arrangements to leave the nursing home and move into a South Philadelphia apartment in January. But when he contacted the Social Security office in Bucks County about transferring his monthly check to him instead of the nursing home, he was told that hed have to come in person to make the change. When he told the clerk that he was in a nursing home more than 80 miles away with no way to get to the Fairless Hills office, he was told there was nothing they could do. He is starting to feel like a prisoner with no parole date, Flesch said. They brought us out here and forgot about us, Flesch said. I dont like being forgotten. Hundreds of mourners attended the funeral services for Muthoni Nduthu, 52, on Jan. 17, 2026 at St. Ephrem Catholic Church in Bensalem. Nduthu was one of three people killed Dec. 23, 2025 in a nursing home explosion in Bristol Township. She was remembered as a woman who loved fiercely and lived with purpose Remembering those lost at Bristol Health & Rehab Center Muthoni Nduthu had less than an hour left on her 7 a.m. to 3 p.m. nursing shift before her Christmas break started. The spiced chicken she prepared for the family dinner the day before was marinading in the refrigerator. She also made a batch of her famous mandazi, a deep fried dough snack popular in her Kenya homeland. The next day, Christmas Eve, Nduthu, 52, her husband, three sons and granddaughter would leave for North Carolina to visit her brother for the holiday. Family always came first to the Bristol Township woman, those who knew her said. And everyone in her life, it seems, was like family. On Dec. 23, around 2:14 p.m. Nduthu was standing beside a coworker on the first-floor of Bristol Health & Rehab Center when it crashed into the basement. Her coworker was rescued but severely injured including brain trauma and a broken leg that twisted her foot backwards, according to one of a handful of lawsuits filed so far. She survived. Nduthu would be claimed in the blast and collapse Firefighters recovered Nduthus body from underneath the debris six hours later. She was the only nursing home employee killed in the explosion. Her cause and manner of death has not yet been released. Bensalem resident and nurse Theresa Conejo comforts a nurse overcome with emotion as she clutches the uniform of the late Muthoni Nduthu to her chest at her funeral services Jan. 17, 2026. Her Jan. 17 funeral service drew hundreds of mourners to St. Ephrem Catholic Church in Bensalem. They included her parents, who flew in from Kenya, 12 siblings, coworkers and two nurse honor guards. In a dozen tributes Nduthu was remembered with words like kind, generous, dedicated, funny, joyful, strong, compassionate, and as a great, great, GREAT chef. Husband David Ndegwa Mathenge wrote in his eulogy how they met in 1992 in Mombasa, a coastal city in Kenya and married two years later. In 2004 the family moved to the United States. Nduthu became a U.S. citizen. She worked her way up from certified nursing assistant to registered nurse guided by a passion for helping others, Mathenge wrote. Her legacy lives on in our sons, in the friendships she nurtured, and in the strong foundation of family she built, he added. Her youngest son, Kaumu K.K. Ndegwa, a senior at Harry S Truman High School, called his mother truly my best friend in the whole world. The day my mom slept her permanent sleep a piece of me was lost, he wrote. No matter who I hug now, I know I will never feel anything quite like a hug from my mom. Joseph Ndegwa says good bye to his mom, Muthoni Nduthu at her funeral services in Bensalem on Jan. 17, 2026. Nduthu, a registered nurse, was among three people killed Dec. 23, 2025 in a nursing home explosion in Bristol Township. Far less is known about the lives of the two female residents who died at hospitals after the explosion. The name of only one has been released. Patricia Ann Mero, 66, died Jan. 5 at St. Mary Medical Center. Her cause of death was blunt force chest trauma, according to the Bucks County Coroners Office. Her two sentence obituary included no information about family and listed her services as private. But former Bristol Health & Rehab Center employees left their memories of Mero under her online obituary. I will always remember Pat coming in the beauty shop every Wednesday to have her hair done and she loved the chocolate candies I always had, wrote Ellie Taylor in an online message. Colleen McCarthy called Mero an amazing soul. I loved her enthusiasm and spirit during our activities and especially the music programs we had, McCarthy wrote. Her light would shine then for sure. Singing and dancing along. Bristol Health & Rehab Center resident rescued from second floor: 'I thought I was going to die right there' Joy Wheeler has trouble remembering where she is. I stare at the ceiling and say, 'This is Silver Lake. Im not anywhere else, '" she said. "I just cant comprehend Im not in there anymore. But the memories of that Tuesday play as if on a loop in her mind. The room shook as if struck by lighting. The thick fog of smoke and dust filled the room. The groaning sound of the wall in front of her bed as it collapsed. She learned later the nursing station on the other side dropped onto the first floor, she said. I dont know how my room didnt fall through, she said. I literally thought this was a dream. This cant be happening. Beds and wheelchairs sit out on the lawn at the Silver Lake Nursing Home explosion site in Bristol Township on Jan. 12, 2026. Her roommate ran out, leaving Wheeler behind. She managed to get into her wheelchair, but debris blocked her exit. When she attempted to move the rubble out of the way, she fell out of her wheelchair. I thought this is it. This is where I am going to die. I thought I was going to die right there. Wheeler still had her cellphone with her. She called her daughter, Summer, and told her the room collapsed and she was trapped. Suddenly, Wheeler heard a voice, it was Mary, the head of activities. She screamed for her. Mary helped Wheeler back into the wheelchair, then cleared a path out of the room. The heavy smoke stung their eyes as Mary navigated them to another room on the floor. At the empty window frame Mary screamed, catching the attention of firefighters below, Wheeler said. As firefighters reached them, Wheeler's daughter could hear her mother screaming the building blew up. What are you talking about mom? But the call abruptly ended after Wheeler dropped the phone as a firefighter lifted her over his shoulder and down the ladder. Once on the ground, the head administrator put her in a wheelchair and brought her to an area where other residents were waiting. Someone wrapped a blanket around her. We were all just sitting outside and looking at each other. Is this real? she said. We were all in shock. We couldnt even talk. Her panicked daughter drove to Lower Bucks Hospital, then ran the quarter of a mile to the nursing home looking for her mom. Someone there directed her back to the hospital where Wheeler was being treated for a knee injury and deep gash in her back that took 13 staples to close. I have no idea how the glass got there, she said. "I thought this is just a dream." Until the next day, Christmas Eve, when she woke up in a hospital room. She looked in the mirror. Her blonde hair and bare feet were pitch black. That is how bad the smoke was in there, she said. A nurse told her that someone would be coming later that day to take her and two others to a new nursing home in Northeast Philadelphia. The new place isnt bad, she said. But it isnt the same. Silver Lake, to me it was home," she said. "I knew everybody and everybody knew me. After the staples in her back were recently removed, Wheeler said she developed a painful infection in the wound requiring antibiotic treatment. But she is more concerned with getting a new her driver's license, which was left behind with all her belongings including her shoes. She had got a new one in November after waiting six years, she said. No one has answered her questions about replacing her driver's license, or her belongings, or if she will be able to move to a nursing home back in Bucks County. No one has even asked my daughter, and they all know my daughter, and they know how to get in touch with her, Wheeler said. I feel like my five years living there never happened. No one cares. (This story was updated to add new information.) Reporter Jo Ciavaglia can be reached at jciavaglia@gannett.com This article originally appeared on Bucks County Courier Times: Bristol nursing home explosion aftermath impacts residents, employees A Chandler man who owns stakes in four East Valley sushi restaurants is accused in federal court of employing undocumented workers and housing them in multiple residences investigators described as stash houses in Tempe, Mesa, Gilbert and Scottsdale. Yung Lau also is alleged to have used passenger vans to shuttle workers to and from the restaurants, according to a criminal complaint and a Homeland Security Investigations affidavit filed in U.S. District Court in Arizona last month. He was described as an owner of Sakura Sushi, which has venues in Ahwatukee, Gilbert, Chandler and Mesa. Laus involvement in the Gilbert Sakura is unclear, as court records said he admitted owning the other three Sakura Sushi venues. Advertisement Advertisement Lau, who is charged in a two-count criminal complaint, was released on bond with the condition that he have no contact with anyone associated with the case. Further action in his case was deferred on Dec. 30 to an unspecified date this year. The indictment alleges Lau knowingly conceal[ed], harbor[ed], and shield[ed] from detection two people identified as Noe Nunez-Perez and Francisco Salas-Maldonado, knowing or recklessly disregarding that they were in the United States unlawfully. The two men were ordered detained at the request of investigators, who said they are citizens and residents of Mexico or Guatemala who entered the United States illegally and who would return to Mexico or Guatemale if released and that they could not be required of the court system of the United States and securing each presence by subpoena would become impractical. Advertisement Advertisement Lau engaged in a pattern and practice of knowingly hiring and continuing to employ unauthorized workers, the indictment states. The complaint is supported by a lengthy affidavit by Justin Cowan, a special agent with Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), who said the agency began looking into the operation last March. He said agents developed information about suspected unlawful employment and harboring tied to four restaurants in the Phoenix metropolitan area. The affidavit said Lau has full or partial ownership in Sakura Sushi Phoenix Inc., 4747 E. Elliot Road, Ahwatukee; Mesa Sakura Sushi Inc., 1545 S. Power Road, Mesa; Akita Sushi Inc., 9011 E. Via Linda, Scottsdale; and Sakura Sushi Gilbert, 825 S. Cooper Road, Gilbert. Advertisement Advertisement Investigators also identified four residences they said were used to house workers near the restaurants: 1029 E. Mission Drive, Tempe; 2635 E. Vermont Court, Gilbert; 11302 E. Jenan Drive, Scottsdale; and 1753 E. Gable Avenue, Mesa. Cowan alleged Lau owned the Tempe, Gilbert and Mesa homes and that each had a corresponding vehicle used to transport workers. The affidavit said the vans would each come in the morning, drive to a restaurant, and return to the house at night after closing. Cowan wrote that in March 2025 he visited the Ahwatukee restaurant and noticed what he described as a split workforce. Some employees appeared to be of Asian ethnicity and others appeared Hispanic. He said the communications appeared one-way, with Chinese employees giving directives and Hispanic employees doing tasks with limited interaction with customers. He also described a young Hispanic female employee who cleared tables without making eye contact and did not respond when asked a question; a Chinese employee answered instead. Advertisement Advertisement Cowan wrote that he grew concerned there could be unlawful employment in human trafficking. The affidavit cites Tempe Police reports from 2023 and 2024 in which callers reported a van comes and goes full of people and suggested possible human trafficking. Cowan said he spoke with a neighbor who reported that several men lived at the Tempe house and only left as a group in the van each morning. On March 25, 2025, Cowan and another agent conducted surveillance and reported seeing several people leave the Tempe home, enter the van around 9:30 a.m., and drive directly to the Ahwatukee restaurant. The passengers then entered the restaurant through a rear door, the agent wrote. Advertisement Advertisement On April 2, he wrote, a Tempe police officer stopped the van around 9 p.m. for a traffic violation and found seven people in the vehicle, none of whom spoke English. The officer reported that another employee arrived at the scene and identified the seven people as employees of the Ahwatukee Sakura. Further investigation found that five of the individuals were in the country illegally from. Mexico including one who had been deported earlier. Investigators also found none of the seven people were listed anywhere officially as employees of the Ahwatukee restaurant. The affidavit describes multiple traffic stops by local police departments that investigators said supported the allegations. Advertisement Advertisement A second stop involved the Mesa operation. Cowan wrote that on March 25, he saw several Hispanic men exit the Mesa restaurant late at night, enter a van and drive to the Gilbert residence. He later cited a June 16 Mesa Police traffic stop of that van shortly after closing time. Officers identified six occupants, including a driver and that DHS checks indicated the other occupants were undocumented or lacked employment authorization. Cowan again said DES records did not list those individuals as employees. Cowan said surveillance on April 1 showed four Hispanic men leaving the Scottsdale restaurant and traveling in a passenger van to the Scottsdale residence. He later described additional surveillance in June 2025 in which two Asian men entered the front seats of the van and Hispanic men entered through the rear, which the agent characterized as appearing deliberate. For the Gilbert restaurant, Cowan said surveillance in early June 2025 showed several Hispanic-appearing individuals leaving the restaurant at closing time in a van and traveling to the Mesa residence, where agents also saw a BMW with California plates. Advertisement Advertisement On Nov. 25, HSI agents conducted surveillance at all four residences, the affidavit says. In each of them agents saw vans leaving homes in the morning, transporting occupants to the corresponding restaurants, and the workers entering through employee entrances. The affidavit also references updated DES records obtained on Nov. 24, stating that the restaurants collectively reported about 60 employees in 2025 and that the names and Social Security numbers identified them as being of Chinese origin except for one, even though agents said the males they saw transported were Hispanic. On Dec. 10, HSI executed federal search warrants at the four restaurants, the four residences, and Laus Chandler home. Advertisement Advertisement They arrested multiple people they said were foreign nationals without authorization to be in the U.S. or to work. In the affidavit, the agent lists six Mexican nationals without legal status in the Tempe home, seven in the Mesa home, eight in Gilbert, including the two men who have been detained for further court action in Laus case, and seven in Scottsdale. An eighth man at the Scottsdale home was a Chinese national with no authorization to work in the U.S. The affidavit also describes living conditions at the Scottsdale residence, saying rooms were subdivided multiple times using drapes hanging from the ceiling to create private areas for multiple occupants. Cowan said agents seized Laus cellphone and that Lau and his wife initially declined to speak after receiving Miranda warnings in Mandarin. Advertisement Advertisement The criminal complaints two named alleged harboring victims, Nunez-Perez and Salas-Maldonado, are central to the governments narrative. Cowan reported that Nunez-Perez told agents in a recorded Spanish-language interview that he worked at the Mesa restaurant, was hired by the boss, and identified Lau from a photograph as that boss. Nunez-Perez allegedly said he was paid $1,500 every 15 days and that the person who paid him was Laus brother, whom he identified as Qin Liu. Nunez-Perez said he lived at the Gilbert residence, paid no rent, and had lived there about three years, beginning when he started work at the Mesa restaurant, according to the affidavit. Cowan reported that Salas-Maldonado, in another recorded interview, said he was born in Guatemala and entered the U.S. on or about Sept. 25, 2025, paying 80,000 Guatemalan quetzals to be smuggled in. He allegedly said he was told in Mexico about a job and housing, was brought to the Gilbert residence and lived there with one Asian male and seven Latino males. Salas-Maldonado said he was paid cash every 15 days, about $2,000 per month, did not receive overtime pay, and did not receive tips. According to the affidavit, on Dec. 11, Lau waived his rights and acknowledged owning stakes in all four restaurants and stated he operated three of the ones in Ahwatukee, Mesa and Scottsdale. Cowan wrote that Lau described having two categories of workers Chinese workers paid by check and Mexican workers paid in cash. The agent said Lau initially claimed he had documents for all workers, but later admitted that the Mexican workers were illegal. Cowan also wrote that Lau said he hired unauthorized workers because it was hard to find workers, and that he knew it was wrong. The affidavit further alleges Lau admitted owning three of the residences used to house workers and said he provided housing as a benefit. Cowan wrote that Lau said there was at least one Chinese worker living in each residence as a caretaker to monitor the Mexican workers. FBI agents search the Shakopee townhome of Abdimajid Mohamed Nur, who was convicted in a Feeding Our Future case and then convicted again for attempting to bribe a juror. (Photo by Madison McVan/Minnesota Reformer) Four years ago this week, FBI agents raided dozens of sites all over the Twin Cities metro, collecting evidence that dozens of people were falsely claiming to feed hungry children and fraudulently collecting millions of dollars in taxpayer money. The investigation has led to 78 indictments and nearly 60 convictions, and sprawled well beyond its namesake, Feeding Our Future, which is the nonprofit at the center of the scheme. Advertisement Advertisement Investigative journalists and law enforcement discovered that some of the child meal fraudsters were also in the child autism business, while others were collecting money to (not) provide housing stability for the homeless. The state has identified 14 Medicaid programs at risk of significant fraud and instituted an anti-fraud protocol thats delaying critical funding from some legitimate providers and their vulnerable clients. As predicted, the fraud is undermining support for public programs that had helped make Minnesota an island of social democracy in the Upper Midwest. The image of leading Democrats like Gov. Tim Walz and Attorney General Keith Ellison has been tarnished by the scandal. More important: My entire community is now under siege because of the actions of the fraudsters and the politicians who looked the other way. In short, Feeding Our Future has upended the states social service programs and its politics. Wed do well to learn some lessons: 1. Its bigger than you know, and some people are likely going to walk. The Reformer reviewed Minnesota Department of Education data for meal sites that claimed to have served at least $1 million from the two main federal programs that were fleeced between 2020 and 2021. Prosecutors have charged defendants associated with roughly half of those 126 meal sites. In other words, people associated with fully half of the sites in which MDE paid out at least $1 million have thus far escaped charges. Advertisement Advertisement Among the notable institutions and people who participated in the meals program but have not been charged: a nonprofit founded by a well-known athlete, houses of worship, the wife of a politician. Theres no evident indication that they are being investigated by federal law enforcement or that charges are forthcoming, so the Reformer isnt naming them. The lead federal prosecutor on the case, Joseph Thompson, has resigned, joined by other key attorneys on the case, which doesnt bode well for more Feeding Our Future charges. The case may be winding down, but the ramifications will be with us for many years. 2. Government officials suffered from a failure of imagination. When the Reformer asked the Department of Human Services in 2023 whether Feeding Our Future defendants had any contracts with the agency, DHS after stonewalling for months gave a curious response: Half the people indicted in the federal Feeding Our Future case, DHS said, have no record of working in current DHS-funded services. Meaning, the other half, at some point, received other state contracts. This should have been a serious wakeup call to DHS. The thieves were in the building. If they examined the Feeding Our Future cases closely, theyd see the scale and brazenness of the theft people set up entire companies with the sole purpose of stealing from the public. Advertisement Advertisement DHS should have known that if the fraudsters were doing it with Feeding Our Future, they would do the same with DHS programs, especially programs with low barriers to entry. Until the Legislature finally acted, for instance, you didnt need a license to be an autism services provider. Thats how you get a 3,000% increase in spending in five years. 3. Elected and government officials suffered from a failure of nerve. Lets recall the political moment: George Floyd had been murdered by Minneapolis police not two years prior, and Minnesotas business and political establishment was publicly agonizing over the states vast disparities in income, education and health between white and Black Minnesotans. Feeding Our Future ringleader Aimee Bock, who is white, tried to use the legal system and her strong political network to bully bureaucrats and politicians to keep the money flowing when the Department of Education made a feckless effort to rein it in. She largely succeeded. State Sen. Omar Fateh, DFL-Minneapolis, said in June 2021 at a party to celebrate Feeding Our Futures legal victory over the Department of Education that their pressure campaign was paying off: What I can tell you is that leadership hears you. Folks at the Capitol hear you. The pressure is really on, and its working. Advertisement Advertisement People who work at DHS probably want to help people who need it and never imagined themselves tasked with stamping out widespread fraud in well-intentioned programs. This is understandable, but they failed nonetheless. Ryan Pacyga, an attorney who has represented several defendants charged by the U.S. Attorneys Office, told The New York Times that it was so easy that some defendants were sure the state was tolerating the fraud. No one was doing anything about the red flags. It was like someone was stealing money from the cookie jar and they kept refilling it. Even when DHS referred potential child care fraud to law enforcement, the agency balked when it came time to help the Bureau of Criminal Apprehension, according to a recent KARE 11 report. The problem with finding fraud is that when you find it, you have to confront it, which would be a serious headache for Democrats and their allies in the Somali community. 4. Without a largely apolitical Minnesota Office of U.S. Attorney, the fraud would have gone on unabated for years. The raids occurred during the Biden administration. Then-U.S. Attorney Andy Luger announced the first charges in 2022. The lead prosecutor became the acting U.S. attorney and continued the investigation, taking it in new directions, including Medicaid fraud. This consistency and a record of piling up convictions gave the investigation bipartisan credibility and focused the minds of Minnesotans on an issue that needed it. Advertisement Advertisement Unfortunately, the investigation now risks being badly politicized. Its unclear who will replace Thompson, but we know right-wing politicians and influencers have become central figures in the fraud issue. Thats likely to polarize the issue and turn Democrats who are a majority of the state into skeptics. 5. We Somalis needed mature political leadership from elected officials from our community. Unfortunately, we didnt get that leadership. The first response to the investigation by some newly empowered Somali politicians was to allege discrimination. At a June 2021 celebration when Feeding Our Future won a court victory, Minneapolis City Council Member Jamal Osman* crowed that hed pushed back on state bureaucrats: Im one of those people that push back and call it what it is. Which is racist tactics, Osman said. In December 2021, just weeks before the FBI raid, Fateh spoke at the 1st Annual Somali American Elected Officials Town Hall and alleged that the Minnesota education and health departments, as well as DHS, were consistently targeting immigrant businesses. Advertisement Advertisement Revelations that 90% of the defendants in Feeding Our Future and related Medicaid fraud have Somali origin have been met with silence and defensiveness. Our leaders are right to stand up to the unconstitutional actions of the Trump administration and scoff at the right-wing tourists knocking on our doors, but they should also be urging even if only privately our religious, cultural and business leaders to spread the word that our communitys reputation is suffering from the actions of a few and in need of repair. That begins by delivering honest work for honest pay. Were hardly the first group of immigrants to go through this theres an entire genre of American cinema about the Italian mob, after all but the sooner we get it fixed, the sooner we can get back to what we all came here for: the American Dream. *Disclosure: Magan resigned from the Office of the Minnesota Attorney General to run against Osman for Minneapolis City Council in 2023. Jan 20 (Reuters) - Venezuela's interim president Delcy Rodriguez said on Tuesday that the country has received $300 million from oil sales, the first proceeds from U.S. President Donald Trump's announced 50-million-barrel oil supply deal with Caracas, following the capture of President Nicolas Maduro earlier this month. Trump said separately on Tuesday his country had taken the 50 million barrels out of Venezuela, and was selling some of it in the open market, though shipping records show that volume has not yet been exported. Reuters reported last week that four Venezuelan banks had been notified by the country's government that they would split $300 million of oil revenues deposited in an account in Qatar, enabling them to sell dollars to Venezuelan companies that need foreign exchange to pay for materials. "We should inform you that we have gotten funds, from the sale of oil, and we have gotten, of the first $500 million, $300 million," Rodriguez said at an event in Caracas. "These first funds will be used through the exchange market in Venezuela, by national banks and the central bank, to consolidate and stabilize the market and protect the incomes and purchasing power of our workers." Elsewhere on Tuesday, Rodriguez's brother, lawmaker Jorge Rodriguez, said a reform of the country's main oil law expected to be debated for the first time this week will be based on a partnership structure first introduced during President Nicolas Maduro's administration, though he provided no details. Interim president Rodriguez told lawmakers last week that the government supported changes to the hydrocarbons law to boost foreign investment. The law has a single contract model of joint ventures controlled by state company PDVSA, but the country has been introducing so-called 'productive participation contracts' for new partnerships in recent years, whose terms have not been fully disclosed. Those contracts are "a fundamental element to be expressed in the law's reform," Jorge Rodriguez told journalists. (Reporting by Reuters) Finnish President Alexander Stubb warned Wednesday that its not over yet after President Trump de-escalated his aggressive stance on possibly acquiring Greenland for the U.S. by force. I took two positive takeaways from this speech, Stubb said on Amanpour & Co with CNNs Christiane Amanpour. One was he said there will be no military intervention, and the second one is he wants to improve our Arctic security for national and international reasons. So, I think weve now de-escalated but, obviously, its not over yet. Stubb said Europe faced three scenarios with the U.S. plans over acquiring Greenland. He called these scenarios the good, bad and ugly. Advertisement Advertisement And the good would be to find an off-ramp and create a process to improve Arctic security through NATO, he told Amanpour. The bad one would be to have a tariff war continued, and the ugly one would have been military intervention. Trump said he reached the framework of a deal with NATO about Greenlands future and chose not to impose 10 percent tariffs on Denmark and other European countries. The president has frequently said the U.S. needs Greenland for national security reasons. The president met with NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte, where they talked about the critical significance of security in the Arctic region to all Allies, including the United States, according to a statement obtained by MS NOW from a NATO spokesperson. Discussions among NATO Allies on the framework the President referenced will focus on ensuring Arctic security through the collective efforts of Allies, especially the seven Arctic Allies, the spokesperson wrote. Negotiations between Denmark, Greenland, and the United States will go forward aimed at ensuring that Russia and China never gain a foothold economically or militarily in Greenland. Advertisement Advertisement After what he called a very productive meeting with Rutte, Trump said the solution of the future deal, if consummated, will be a great one for the United States of America, and all NATO Nations, Trump wrote in a Truth Social post. Trump threatened military action if the U.S. could not acquire Greenland through diplomacy, though he backtracked from those remarks at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland. We probably wont get anything unless I decide to use excessive strength and force where we would be frankly unstoppable, the president said. But, I wont do that. I dont have to use force. I dont want to use force. I wont use force. All the United States is asking for is a place called Greenland. Ahead of the deal, the president was mocked by two Democratic governors who could run as their partys nominee in the 2028 presidential election. Advertisement Advertisement California Gov. Gavin Newsom (D) told CNNs Kaitlan Collins that the presidents address was remarkably boring. He was never going to invade Greenland; it was never real, Newsom said. So that was always a fake, and so he says, We should negotiate. Everybody here has been willing to negotiate for a year. Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear (D) also slammed the speech, calling Trumps words dangerous, disrespectful and unhinged. Copyright 2026 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to The Hill. By Dave Graham DAVOS, Switzerland, Jan 22 (Reuters) - Finnish President Alexander Stubb said on Thursday he wants a plan to bolster Arctic security to be ready by a NATO summit in July after the United States announced a framework deal to de-escalate a row over Greenland's future. Earlier, President Donald Trump said he had secured total and permanent U.S. access to Greenland in an accord with NATO, whose head said allies would have to step up their commitment to Arctic security to ward off threats from Russia and China. Advertisement Advertisement The deal came as Trump dropped threats to impose tariffs on eight European allies for their stance on Greenland and ruled out taking the vast, mineral-rich island by force. Stubb said he wanted a package of measures to be put together to boost Arctic security that would be "not dissimilar" to a deal agreed in The Hague last June, when NATO leaders backed a big rise in defence spending, as demanded by Trump. SCANDINAVIAN MEMBERS KEY TO PLAN "In an ideal world, we would have something ready by the NATO summit in Ankara," Stubb told Reuters on the sidelines of the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland. Advertisement Advertisement Stubb said that a more robust Arctic security architecture should draw on closer cooperation between NATO's five Scandinavian members - Sweden, Finland, Norway, Denmark and Iceland - plus the United States and Canada. The armed forces of Finland itself were trained to operate in the region, he added. "We have one million women and men who've done their military service in Arctic conditions," said Stubb, who many diplomats and political analysts regard as one of the European leaders most adept at building bridges with Trump. Trump's threat last weekend to impose tariffs on European countries that opposed his ambition to acquire Greenland has rattled European capitals, and EU leaders are meeting in Brussels later on Thursday for talks on the issue. Advertisement Advertisement Stubb said he was confident that the EU leaders would maintain a united front on Greenland, and he underlined that it was especially important for the views of Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen to be heard. Greenland is an autonomous region of the kingdom of Denmark. Trump has argued only the U.S. can ensure Greenland's security in the face of what he says are Chinese and Russian ambitions in the Arctic. But his approach has threatened to blow apart the NATO alliance and reignite a trade war with Europe. Stubb, who extolled the role of NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte in finding common ground with Trump over Greenland, said he was optimistic about the future of the alliance. Advertisement Advertisement "I think it's completely justified for President Trump to ask Europeans to do more about their defence, and also to pay more for the alliance and have more capability," he said. "So the stronger NATO is, the better off we are." (Reporting by Dave Graham;Editing by Alison Williams, Gareth Jones and Andrew Heavens) DAVOS, Switzerland, Jan 22 (Reuters) - Finnish President Alexander Stubb said on Thursday U.S. President Donald Trump is putting pressure on Russia over the war in Ukraine and argued that conditions are evolving favourably from the perspective of western powers. Speaking after the United States and Europe stepped back from a row over Greenland, Stubb said efforts to craft a peace deal had gained strength since Trump's son-in-law Jared Kushner began complementing U.S. envoy Steve Witkoff's own endeavours. Stubb said he was optimistic about the peace process from the point of view of Ukraine, the United States, and Europe, highlighting a 20-point peace plan encompassing security guarantees for Ukraine and the reconstruction of the country. Advertisement Advertisement "I think President Trump is putting a lot of pressure on Russia, and I hope he continues to do that," Stubb told Reuters in an interview on the sidelines of the World Economic Forum in the Swiss mountain resort of Davos. However, Stubb said he was not convinced Russia would accept the plan out of domestic political considerations. Trump said a meeting with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy in Davos was "very good" and that his message to Russian President Vladimir Putin is that the war must end. (Reporting by Dave Graham, Editing by Timothy Heritage) After years of assurances that his health care plan was just two weeks away, Donald Trump was pressed during a 2024 debate on this elusive blueprint. The Republican famously declared, I have concepts of a plan. The claim quickly became the punch line to countless jokes. Common sense suggested that Trump would have to avoid similar phrases forevermore. And yet, after the president announced that hed agreed to a framework with NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte on the future of Greenland, the Republican faced inevitable questions about the agreements contents, and he decided to lean once again on a familiar phrase. Advertisement Advertisement We have a concept of a deal, Trump told CNBC on Wednesday afternoon. As the dust settles on the head-spinning developments, here are five key elements to keep in mind: 1. For now, the details of the deal dont appear to exist. Shortly after announcing the breakthrough by way of his social media platform, the American president conceded to reporters, Its right now a little bit in progress. On Thursday morning, during a Fox Business interview, he added, Its really being negotiated now, the details of it. Any suggestion that theres a meaningful agreement in place appears misguided. 2. Be prepared for a fresh round of TACO mockery. Throughout 2025, the president confronted consistent Trump Always Chickens Out ridicule, mostly driven by his willingness to back off his tariffs threats in the face of sharp stock market downturns. This week, it happened again. The Republican referred to the stock market three times during his remarks at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, shortly before caving which left little doubt about why he was eager to back away from the crisis he created. Advertisement Advertisement 3. The new policy is likely to look a lot like the old policy. In his Fox Business interview, Trump suggested that it was unlikely the United States would actually take ownership of the Arctic island a priority that he had said in recent days was paramount though he emphasized that he expects the eventual deal to provide U.S. officials with greater access to Greenland. What he neglected to mention is that we already have access. As writer Julian Sanchez summarized, If this is meaningfully different from the status quo, its not obvious to me how. Weve had an agreement granting us jurisdiction over US military bases there for 75 years. We could easily have arranged to build another one without this psychotic brinksmanship. 4. The damage has already been done. As part of Wednesday afternoons developments, Trump also backed off his tariff threats against several European nations, but that didnt change the dramatic and lasting harm he has done to the Western alliance. Trump decided to shatter the United States standing as a global leader, and his decision to surrender wont instantly put things right. 5. He could still reverse course again. The incumbent American president hasnt exactly earned a reputation for steadfastness and consistency. There were few similarities between his approach to Greenland on Tuesday and his approach on Wednesday. What will his position be next week or next month? No one knows, and thats part of the broader problem: Trump is an erratic and easily confused official who tends to be swayed by the last person to have his ear, which necessarily makes it difficult for anyone, including our closest allies, to have confidence about the future. Watch this space. The post Five things to know about Trumps concept of a deal on Greenland and tariffs appeared first on MS NOW. This article was originally published on ms.now Chief Financial Officer Blaise Ingoglia announced today that Nassau County has engaged in over $53 million of excessive spending, which he claims reflects wasteful financial management by local officials. Ingoglia highlighted that the countys budget has surged by more than 96% in the last five years, while the population has only increased by 18%. He emphasized the need for tax relief for residents of Nassau County, urging officials to reconsider their financial strategies. Advertisement Advertisement The Nassau County General Fund Budget has increased by $96,206,198 since the fiscal year 2019-2020, with only 16,597 new residents moving to the county during that period. This translates to a budget increase of approximately $5,797 for each new resident and $23,188 per family of four. [DOWNLOAD: Free Action News Jax app for alerts as news breaks] The Florida Agency of Fiscal Oversight has recommended that Nassau County lower its millage rate by 0.95 mills without affecting essential services. CFO Ingoglia claims to have found over $1.9 billion in wasteful spending across twelve local governments for the fiscal year 2024-2025. Advertisement Advertisement During the press conference in Fernandina Beach, he emphasized that he intends to continue investigating public expenditures across the state to promote transparency and accountability in local government finance. [SIGN UP: Action News Jax Daily Headlines Newsletter] Click here to download the free Action News Jax news and weather apps, click here to download the Action News Jax Now app for your smart TV and click here to stream Action News Jax live. FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. (AP) Democratic state Rep. Angie Nixon announced her candidacy Thursday for the Florida U.S. Senate seat held by Republican Ashley Moody. Moody was serving as Florida's attorney general when Republican Gov. Ron DeSantis appointed her to fill out the term of Marco Rubio when he became secretary of state in President Donald Trump's second administration. Nixon, who represents a district in Jacksonville, said her decision to enter the 2026 election is based on an affordability crisis that Florida's leadership has ignored for far too long. Advertisement Advertisement During a tour of the state over the past few months, Nixon said she heard the same message from Republicans, independents and Democrats: We can't afford to go on like this. Nixon said politicians, including Moody aren't listening to the people. Meanwhile, the cost of everything is exploding: groceries, healthcare, and childcare. Property insurance has doubled in the last four years, and housing costs are driving Floridians out of the towns they grew up in, Nixon said in a statement announcing her campaign. The GOP holds a 53 to 47 Senate lead over the Democratic caucus, which includes two independents. That means the party would have to flip four seats in November and protect the ones they occupy to take the majority a tall task, although Democrats are increasingly optimistic about their chances in the 2026 midterms. Advertisement Advertisement While Florida leans heavily Republican, Nixon cited the recent Miami mayoral race in which Democrat Eileen Higgins defeated Trump-backed candidate Emilio Gonzalez, a former city manager. It was the first time a Democrat won a Miami mayoral race in nearly 30 years. The race was officially nonpartisan, but Higgins campaigned as a proud Democrat. People are fed up. Everyone, not just Democrats, Nixon said. The Miami mayoral race is only one of the signs that a big shift is coming. People want leaders who will actually fight for them rather than fight each other on TV. Its time. Change cant wait any longer. Nixon was elected to the Florida House of Representatives in 2020. She has been outspoken against the governor's redistricting plan, and she sued the state after being denied access to the South Florida detention center known as Alligator Alcatraz. She also has introduced legislation that would require ICE and other law enforcement agents to unmask and identify themselves on the job. She graduated from the University of Florida in 2007, and has served as executive director for Florida for All, a statewide coalition that has registered new voters across the state. ___ This story has been updated to correct the attribution in a quote to Nixon instead of Moody. ST. LUCIE COUNTY A fingerprint belonging to Olson Jean, arrested in the homicide of his cousin, was present on a magazine in a 9mm handgun found in the area of a semi-truck where the cousins body ultimately would be located. That and other details regarding the homicide of Wendy Moncion, 32, of Coconut Creek, were contained in court records released Jan. 22 related to the arrest of Jean, 41, of Pompano Beach, on murder and other charges. St. Lucie County Sheriff Richard Del Toro in a Jan. 20 briefing provided information about the case, which began at 10:16 p.m. Jan. 15 when a 911 caller reported a man was on the ground rolling around in the area of South Rock Road on the west side. Advertisement Advertisement That man, identified by the Sheriffs Office as Jean, ultimately would be linked to a semi-truck in the area with what appeared to be blood on the exterior and interior. He also would be accused in the death of Moncion, found Jan. 16 with a gunshot wound to the head in a storage area under the bed in the semi truck after it was towed to the Sheriffs Office, records state. When deputies got to the scene at 10:25 p.m. Jan. 15, Jean was walking south on South Rock Road toward Okeechobee Road. He said he was taking a breather, and going to the store as he pointed toward Okeechobee Road. The Pilot truck stop is in the area. Just jogging around Wendy Moncion Asked where he was coming from, Jean said he was just jogging around and when asked where he lived he pointed behind him and said on the other side. Advertisement Advertisement He denied being associated with the semi-truck, found near Okeechobee and South Rock roads. After being queried about how he got there, Jean said, Whats up with all the questions? and left on foot. Deputies found a copious amount of possible blood on the semi-trucks exterior, and extensive blood spatter throughout the interior of the cab. A container typically used for firearm or firearm accessory storage also was inside, and a firearm magazine was in it. Investigators reported Jean was the only person near the semi-truck, alleging he couldnt give a reliable account of what he was doing there. Advertisement Advertisement He was later found at the nearby Pilot truck stop, and investigators reported it appeared he had a small amount of blood on his sweatshirt. At the Sheriffs Office, Jean was described as uncooperative. Jeans wife Jeans wife told investigators that Jean left Pompano Beach on Jan. 11 traveling to Davenport, which is around 30 miles from Lakeland. She said that about one or two days prior he sounded paranoid on the phone. She said he reported he didnt feel safe sleeping in his tractor and had little sleep in the previous days. She also said hed been traveling in Georgia. On Jan. 16, investigators reported finding a rifle, a 9mm handgun and apparent magazines for the handgun just over 0.1 mile from where Jean initially was encountered. Advertisement Advertisement About 4 p.m. Jan. 16, Jeans wife told investigators shed just learned that Moncion, one of Jeans cousins, was traveling with him in the semi-truck from Georgia toward Florida. Moncion reportedly flew from Fort Lauderdale to Georgia where Jean picked him up. She last spoke to Moncion about 6:40 p.m. Jan. 15. Treasure Coast pursuit: St. Lucie County man accused of fleeing at more than 115 mph with $8,800 Martin County drug bust: Florida woman found with more than pound of cocaine, deputies said The semi-truck was towed to the Sheriffs Office, and on Jan. 16 a search warrant executed. Moncions body, with an apparent gunshot wound to the back of the head, was found in a storage area under a bed in the sleeper berth area. Advertisement Advertisement On Jan. 17, investigators reported that a fingerprint on the magazine of the recovered 9mm handgun belonged to Jean. Jean was held Jan. 22 in the St. Lucie County Jail on charges including resisting an officer without violence, first-degree murder with a firearm and tampering with evidence. Will Greenlee is a breaking news reporter for TCPalm. Follow Will on X @OffTheBeatTweet or reach him by phone at 772-267-7926. E-mail him at will.greenlee@tcpalm.com. This article originally appeared on Treasure Coast Newspapers: Florida man's fingerprint on handgun magazine; new details in homicide Amid tales of corrupt homeowners associations and people losing houses over unpaid fees and fines, a House panel has advanced a bill giving residents more power to fight back or even dissolve rogue HOAs. The legislation (HB 657) would create a new community association court system where disputes between HOAs and residents could play out. It would remove authority from a state agency, the Department of Business and Professional Regulation, that supporters say has been largely useless under Gov. Ron DeSantis. But for residents still unsatisfied or alarmed by the actions of the board governing their developments, a provision in the bill allows for abolishing an association with a vote of support from at least two-thirds of homeowners. State Rep. Juan Porras, as seen in this undated photo, in debate on the floor of the Florida House. This is not working, said Rep. Juan Porras, R-Miami, the bills sponsor. HOAs have been a failed social experiment in our state. Advertisement Advertisement Porras lives in and represents the massive Hammocks development in Miami-Dade County, where eight HOA board members, officials and vendors were arrested on racketeering and fraud charges stemming from a yearslong investigation into the theft of $6 million in association funds. The Hammocks HOA oversaw about 40 communities including 6,500 homes and condos, and is one of the largest homeowners associations in the state. Florida is a huge HOA state State records show that in 2024 almost 10 million Floridians, just under half the population, lived in communities with an HOA, among the largest shares in the nation. But the Hammocks saga wasnt the only HOA cited for shady behavior during a Jan. 21 Housing, Agriculture and Tourism subcommittee hearing. Advertisement Advertisement A handful of speakers supporting Porras bill told tales of their own HOA woes. Hope Bush, from Santa Rosa Countys Holley by the Sea, also a huge HOA, said residents there have lost homes due to unpaid fines and fees. Short of cash, these residents ended up in foreclosure over accusations she said many viewed as minor disputes. Theres no fairness in that, theres no justice in that, Bush said. Kimberly McDaniel, with the HOA Reform League, said that shes facing bankruptcy after spending $26,000 of her own money in a clash with her HOA. She accused HOA officials of falsely accusing her of not having homeowners insurance after she had complained to DBPR about the board. Advertisement Advertisement McDaniel told the House panel she is legally blocked now from refinancing or selling her home. The system has failed me, McDaniel said. Some concerns from lawmakers No HOA management organizations spoke out at the House hearing. But some lawmakers on the panel said they were concerned with various elements of Porras legislation, including the relatively low 20% of residents who needed to sign a petition to get a later vote on dissolving an HOA. Others questioned whether the proposed community association court would only drive up costs for residents battling an HOA. A deeper dive into HOA bill... Want your Florida HOA to go away? What to know about bill HB 657 Advertisement Advertisement A re-do of developer law?... Lawmakers take second look at law seen as gift to developers Rep. Michelle Salzman attends the Speaker Designate Ceremony on Thursday, Oct. 9, 2025. But the subcommittees chair, Rep. Michelle Salzman, R-Pensacola, said that while Floridas Republican leaders are pointing to property taxes as a burden for many homeowners, a larger weight may be coming from HOAs. This is not a partisan issue. This is a people issue, Salzman said. The real problem are HOAs its just the truth, she added. Weve heard story after story from people all over the state who are losing their homes to developers, to bad actors. John Kennedy is a reporter in the USA TODAY Networks Florida Capital Bureau. He can be reached at jkennedy2@gannett.com, or on X at @JKennedyReport. This article originally appeared on Tallahassee Democrat: Florida homeowners could gain power over HOAs INDIAN RIVER COUNTY The Moms for Liberty chapter that started a national movement helping ban books and eliminate school mask mandates has temporarily gone dark. Jennifer Pippin, who was active in the organization since the Indian River County chapter's inception in 2021, resigned from the position earlier this month, saying she disagreed with the national organization's increased emphasis on federal issues. "We wanted to be more grassroots and local," Pippin said in a text message. "It was getting to be too much at the White House." Advertisement Advertisement Former Indian River County School Board member Tiffany Justice formed Moms for Liberty in 2021 with former Brevard County School Board member Tina Descovich, initially to fight COVID-era mask mandates and to push for parental rights in school. Moms for Liberty quickly grew to about 130,000 members and 300 chapters nationwide, according to its website. The group moved from mask mandates to challenging books in school libraries that members feel were inappropriate for children because of their sexual content. Relationships built "I am truly grateful for the relationships built and the work we have done together," Pippin wrote to chapter supporters in her resignation letter. "However, I can no longer reconcile my continued service with the direction the organization has taken. The Moms for Liberty I joined was rooted in valuing its volunteers, prioritizing parents over politics and maintaining clear moral and ethical standards." Moms for Liberty chapter: Cub Scouts aren't being 'transparent' in school recruiting Advertisement Advertisement 128 books under review in Indian River County school libraries; some already removed Justice resigned from Moms for Liberty in January 2025 to oversee the Heritage Foundation's parental-rights initiative. Despite the changes, Moms for Liberty remains "stronger than ever before," Descovich, the organization's CEO, said in an email. In 2025, the group helped elect 32 new school board members nationwide, delivered its one-millionth copy of the Cconstitution to middle school students and helped pass 58 pieces of legislation across the country, Descovich said. "Our focus is the same today as it was when we were founded in 2021. We are dedicated to fighting for the survival of America by unifying, educating and empowering parents to defend their parental rights at all levels of government," Descovich said. New group launches Since leaving Moms for Liberty, Pippin has launched a new group, "Family First Indian River County," with other former Moms for Liberty members, and is the group's chair. Advertisement Advertisement "I was advocating for parents and children long before Moms for Liberty existed, and I will continue to do so moving forward," Pippin said in her resignation letter. "The work does not stop because you no longer check a box for one organization." The national Moms for Liberty organization currently is searching for new chapter leaders, according to its website. Launching a chapter requires a chair, two chapter leaders and five members, the website said. Moms for Liberty is hopeful to have a new Indian River County chair in the future, Descovich said. "Were always excited to welcome new chapter chairs," Descovich said. "Sometimes the baton happens sequentially so that there isnt a gap in the chapters meetings, and other times the chapter has a break before restarting." Colleen Wixon is the Indian River County government watchdog reporter for TCPalm and Treasure Coast Newspapers. This article originally appeared on Treasure Coast Newspapers: Florida Moms for Liberty chapter dissolves after chair resigns A proposed constitutional amendment meant to protect religious expression in public schools sparked heated debate on Jan. 22 in its final committee stop, where critics warned that the measure could diminish freedoms for students with a minority religion or no religion. Rep. Chase Tramont, R-Port Orange, filed HJR 583 with the intention of bringing multiple aspects of Florida law into the state constitution, essentially strengthening the existing statutes from being repealed during a legislative session. The measure would require public schools to allow students to express religious beliefs in artwork, coursework and assignments. If passed by the Legislature, the measure would be in the hands of voters in November to decide with a minimum 60% threshold in the midterm ballot. Advertisement Advertisement More: Florida school religion amendment clears first House test Yet speakers during public comment largely opposed the measure, drawing concerns that it may have the opposite effect of protecting religious expression. "There is nothing radical about this bill, certainly nothing new or controversial here as was stated," Tramont said. "It makes me wonder why anyone would be so adamantly opposed to this, enough to even testify so adamantly opposed that they don't even want the people to decide for themselves. That's how much people oppose prayer." One public education advocate, Kristin Muschett, said she was concerned about the "constitutional permanence" of these measures. Advertisement Advertisement "My concern is governance and the unintended consequences, not religion itself," Muschett said. "Advance these protections if desired through statute, but not through the constitution." Lawmakers advanced the proposed resolution in the House Education & Employment Committee Jan. 22, which was its last committee stop. Its companion Senate resolution, SJR 1104, has yet to appear in committee, and both resolutions would need to pass through its respective chambers to make it through to the ballot. One lawmaker, Rep. Jennifer Harris, D-Orlando, voted against the resolution. She said she felt that most of the provisions were already codified by not only the Florida constitution, but also the U.S. Constitution, and that it's up to courts to uphold religious freedom under the First Amendment. Harris also was concerned about the broadness of "expression," since complications could arise when one person's religion offends another person's religion. Advertisement Advertisement "I'm afraid that in some way this bill could actually do the opposite, because it has a tendency to allow the religion of majority," Harris said. But Rep. Jervonte Edmonds, D-West Palm Beach, disagreed. He applauded the bill for its goal of protecting religious expression. "This bill does not force religion into schools, it does not elevate one faith, it does not ask teachers to preach, it does not change curriculum," Edmonds said. This reporting content is supported by a partnership with Freedom Forum and Journalism Funding Partners. USA Today Network-Florida First Amendment reporter Stephany Matat is based in Tallahassee, Fla. She can be reached at SMatat@gannett.com. On X: @stephanymatat. This article originally appeared on Tallahassee Democrat: School religion amendment heads to Florida Hou Verizon, one of the top U.S. wireless carriers, has been facing tougher competition in the broadband market despite record growth. In Verizons most recent earnings report, the company revealed that it added 61,000 new Verizon Fios internet customers during the third quarter of 2025, its best quarterly result in two years. Our broadband base is up 1.3 million subscribers from a year ago and is now over 13.2 million subscribers, said Verizon Chief Financial Officer Anthony Skiadas during an earnings call in October. Verizon Fios even has the highest consumer satisfaction rate among its wired internet competitors, according to a recent J.D. Power survey. However, Verizons rivals have a leg up due to Verizon Fios unavailability outside of the East Coast. Wired internet U.S. consumer satisfaction rates: Six months before October 2025, wired internet providers saw a 6% increase in new customers. The average satisfaction score for wired internet is 554 (on a 1,000-point scale). In the East Coast, Verizon beats all of its wired internet competitors with a satisfaction score of 578. However, in the North Central and West coasts, AT&T has the highest wired internet satisfaction rates, with scores of 554 and 561 , respectively. In the South, GFiber takes the top spot with a satisfaction score of 703. Source: J.D. Power Verizon is facing stiff competition in the broadband market. Shuttershock Shuttershock Verizon completes acquisition of growing rival As Verizons limited Fios availability sets it back, the company has just made a significant move to expand its reach to more consumers nationwide. Verizon has completed its $20 billion acquisition of Frontier Communications. The acquisition was first announced in September 2024. At the time, Verizon said in a press release that it aims to accelerate the delivery of its mobility and broadband services to current and new customers by purchasing Frontier. Now that the deal is finalized, Verizon says that its network footprint now reaches 31 states and Washington, D.C., offering better value and more choices to millions more customers, according to a new memo from Verizon CEO Dan Schulman. Related: Verizon cracks down on internet customers violating key rule Frontier has executed an impressive turnaround, consistently delivering strong results, and the momentum is clear, said Schulman in the memo. Our combined strength immediately creates an unparalleled fiber network. Frontier has indeed rapidly grown its internet customer base in recent months, following its exit from Chapter 11 bankruptcy in 2021. During the third quarter of 2025, Frontier added 133,000 new fiber internet customers, reflecting a 20.2% year-over-year increase, according to its latest earnings report. The companys fiber broadband revenue growth also spiked by 25%, compared to the same time period in 2024. Verizon bets big on Frontier deal to win back wireless customers Verizon hopes that this deal will not only help its Fios internet service reach more consumers but also repair its recent wireless customer losses. In the third quarter of last year, after implementing price hikes and ending several discounts, Verizon lost 7,000 postpaid phone customers, pushing its churn rate to 0.91%. The loss comes at a time when more consumers nationwide are considering switching phone carriers as they battle higher monthly bills, according to a survey from Market Force Information last year. How U.S. consumers feel about Verizons wireless service: Approximately 65% of consumers use phone services from the "Big 3" carriers: Verizon, T-Mobile, and AT&T, spending over $100 per month on their wireless services. On average, Verizon customers pay over $150 for service. About 23% of Verizon customers are considering switching to another carrier in the next year or two, citing better pricing, promotions and coverage as the primary reasons. Verizon scored 40% in overall brand performance across customer experience metrics. Smaller wireless carriers such as Consumer Cellular and Mint Mobile scored 73% and 65.8%, respectively. Source: Market Force Information "There's a clear shift in the market towards smaller, more agile wireless carriers who are delivering superior customer experiences," said David Murray, senior director of client strategy at Market Force Information, in a press release. "While cost and coverage are always key factors, today's consumers are placing more importance on ease of service and overall satisfaction with their provider, he continued. Verizon hopes that combining its mobile offers with Frontiers internet service will increase customer loyalty and improve its postpaid phone churn rate by approximately 50%. Verizon made bold promises to secure Frontier acquisition Verizon had to jump through hurdles to complete its acquisition of Frontier. In May last year, the wireless carrier cut its diversity, equity and inclusion policies to gain approval from the Federal Communications Commission for the acquisition. Also, last week, to secure approval from California state regulators for the acquisition (the final step in finalizing the deal), Verizon vowed to invest in 75,000 new fiber locations and build 25 new wireless towers to expand service in rural areas of the state, according to a recent report from Reuters. More Telecom News: Verizon also agreed to provide free internet service to many lowincome households in California for at least 10 years. In response to the finalized Verizon and Frontier deal, analysts at S&P Global stated that the acquisition will give cable companies tougher competition. Cable giants, such as Spectrum and Xfinity, have recently been ramping up deals on bundled phone, internet and TV services to attract more customers, posing a major threat to wireless carriers nationwide. The transaction, which we view as integral to Verizons current identity and future strategy, will enable Verizon to bundle in home broadband and mobile services to a wider footprint to better compete with incumbent cable providers, said S&P Global analysts William Savage and Allyn Arden in a recent report. Related: T-Mobile quietly makes cold move as loyal customers leave This story was originally published by TheStreet on Jan 22, 2026, where it first appeared in the Retail section. Add TheStreet as a Preferred Source by clicking here. (The Cente Square) The Florida Supreme Court has ruled that law schools in the state will no longer be required to obtain accreditation from the American Bar Association. During a ruling on Jan. 15, the court stated its approval alone is sufficient for law school accreditation. At present, the ABA is the sole programmatic accreditor recognized by the United States Department of Education to accredit programs in legal education that lead to the first professional degree in law, the ruling reads. The Court acknowledges that additional programmatic accreditors for legal education programs may be recognized in the future and expresses its support for that possibility; this amendment is intended to accommodate that outcome. Advertisement Advertisement The decision comes amid broader concerns raised by the Trump administration regarding the bar association's objectivity. In February 2025, U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi stated that the organization [h]as subjected law faculties and law students to unlawful race and sex discrimination under the guise of diversity mandates by forcing schools to ensure staff and students are diverse in gender, race and ethnicity. That requirement blatantly violates our nation's civil rights laws, Bondis letter stated. Earlier this month, the Texas Supreme Court ruled that the ABA should no longer have the final say on whether a law schools graduates are eligible to sit for the Texas bar exam and become licensed to practice law in Texas. Advertisement Advertisement Jenn Rosato Perea, managing director of the ABA Section of Legal Education and Admission to the Bar, told The Center Square in an email Thursday that the Florida Supreme Courts Order reinforces the authority that it has always had over the licensure of law graduates and the law schools it recognizes as accredited. Perea said the order continues to recognize the ABA Council as the sole accreditor of law schools recognized by the Department of Education, allowing Florida law schools to continue seeking council accreditation and ensuring that graduates of all council-accredited law schools remain eligible to sit for the Florida bar examination. Perea emphasized that the council has dedicated itself to quality legal education for over 100 years and said it will continue to improve its standards while promoting the benefits of a national accreditation system for students, employers, law schools and states. The Center Square reached out to various Florida law schools but has yet to receive a response. The Brief A woman who was supposed to be caring for a disabled Vietnam veteran is accused of stealing $30,000 worth of his property. Detectives said they tracked down the woman who had been caring for the victim, Irlene Innocent Saint Armand, and discovered that she pawned some of the stolen items. Saint Armand was arrested at another clients home in Englewood. ENGLEWOOD, Fla. - A woman who was supposed to be caring for a disabled Vietnam veteran is accused of stealing $30,000 worth of his property. The backstory A Port Charlotte man contacted the Charlotte County Sheriffs Office on December 21, 2025, and reported that someone had gotten into his Winchester gun safe and took gold jewelry and multiple types of currency worth $30K. Advertisement Advertisement According to investigators, the victim, who is an elderly, disabled Vietnam veteran, received care from a home health care service. Detectives said they tracked down Irlene Innocent Saint Armand, the woman who had been caring for the victim, and discovered that she pawned some of the stolen items. READ: Sarasota County School Board votes to cooperate with all law enforcement including ICE in ceremonial vote Saint Armand was arrested at another clients home in Englewood. Courtesy: Charlotte County Sheriff's Office Dig deeper When questioned, detectives said she made a full confession and led investigators to additional property that had not been pawned. Advertisement Advertisement While executing a search warrant at Saint Armands house, detectives recovered the stolen items. What they're saying "Stealing is bad enough, but to steal from a Vietnam veteran someone who put his life on the line and went through the horrors of that war is absolutely disgusting," stated Sheriff Bill Prummell. "This individual will face the consequences for her decision, and I am very grateful for the efforts of my detectives to make sure of that. What this man is owed far outweighs what was in that safe." READ: Abduction attempt leads to deadly self-defense shooting in Bradenton on New Year's Day: MCSO Advertisement Advertisement Saint Armand was arrested and charged with grand theft from a person 65 or older more than $10K, less than $50K, dealing in stolen property and exploitation of elderly or disabled adult more than $20K, less than $100K. The Source This article was written with information found in a press release from the Charlotte County Sheriffs Office. A former postal worker has pleaded guilty in federal court to accusations he stole more than $250,000 when he issued himself fraudulent money orders while working at post offices in Hartford and West Hartford. Miguel Cruz Quiles, 34, of East Hartford appeared Wednesday in federal court in Bridgeport where he waived his right to be indicted and admitted that he cashed or deposited at least $250,320 in government funds, according to the U.S. Attorneys Office for the District of Connecticut. He pleaded guilty to one count of theft of government property. Federal officials said had been employed in a number of different positions at the U.S. Postal Service since 2012, including as a window clerk providing customer service and as a human resources safety clerk. In 2024, officials allege Cruz Quiles issued himself more than 250 fraudulent money orders from the service counters at the Blue Hills Post Office in Hartford and the Bishops Corner Post Office in West Hartford. Advertisement Advertisement According to authorities, most of the fraudulent money orders were issued in amounts of $1,000. To conceal the fraud, Cruz Quiles used the credentials of another employee to access the postal services computer system at the service counter and fraudulently coded the transactions, federal officials said. Some of the transactions were found to have occurred when the service counter was not open to the public. Officials said Cruz Quiles would cash the money orders or deposit them into his own bank accounts. Investigators allegedly found that in one day in December 2024, Cruz Quiles issued to himself 30 fraudulent money orders for $1,000 each. Cruz Quiles is currently free on a $50,000 bond pending sentencing, which has been scheduled for April 15. He faces a maximum of 10 years in prison. A Georgia lawmaker accused of pandemic fraud changed her plea in federal court on Wednesday. State Rep. Karen Bennett (D-Stone Mountain), who resigned on Jan. 1, pleaded guilty to making false statements. The U.S. Department of Justice says Bennett defrauded taxpayers by receiving pandemic unemployment assistance she wasnt entitled to. Bennett was elected to represent her fellow citizens and took a solemn oath to promote the best interests and prosperity of the State of Georgia, said U.S. Attorney Theodore S. Hertzberg. Instead, she violated that oath and, during an unprecedented emergency, lied to line her own pockets with taxpayer money intended to help community members in need. [DOWNLOAD: Free WSB-TV News app for alerts as news breaks] Prosecutors say Bennett received $13,940 for her in-home physical therapy company, Metro Therapy Providers, which she says could not operate during the COVID-19 pandemic. Advertisement Advertisement However, investigators say the company was only briefly closed, and remained open through the majority of the pandemic. On her application, Bennett only reported receiving income from Metro Therapy and the Georgia General Assembly. But she failed to disclose that she was also employed through a church and was receiving more than $900 weekly. TRENDING STORIES: Court documents show the sentencing recommendation will be time served with no period of supervised release. She also agrees to pay $13,940 as restitution plus interest to the Georgia Department of Labor, according to the plea documents. Advertisement Advertisement A federal judge will look at the recommendations and sentence Bennett on April 15. She isnt the only Georgia lawmaker who has been accused of pandemic fraud. In December, a federal grand jury indicted Covington Democrat Rep. Sharon Henderson on charges for fraudulently taking $17,000 in pandemic unemployment funds. As for Bennetts seat, the Georgia Secretary of States Office set a special election calendar for Georgia District 94, which covers parts of DeKalb and Gwinnett counties. Here are the dates to know: Jan. 26-28: Candidate qualifying Feb. 9: Last day to register to vote Feb. 16: Advance in-person absentee voting begins March 10: Special election April 7: Runoff if needed [SIGN UP: WSB-TV Daily Headlines Newsletter] The former superintendent of Iowa's largest school district is set to plead guilty Thursday to a pair of federal charges following his arrest by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) last year. Ian Roberts, a native of Guyana in South America and once the leader of Des Moines Public Schools, was detained by federal immigration officers on Sept. 26, 2025. He resigned from his position shortly afterward. In October, Roberts initially pleaded not guilty to one count of making a false statement for employment and one count of unlawfully possessing a firearm while being in the U.S. illegally. Together, the charges carry a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison, according to prosecutors. Advertisement Advertisement Roberts is now expected to plead guilty to both charges, according to a plea agreement he signed Wednesday. The agreement also indicates that Roberts is aware he could face deportation after he serves his sentence. Former Des Moines Schools Superintendent Taken Into Doj Custody On Federal Firearms, Immigration Charges The Des Moines Public Schools board voted 70 to accept Superintendent Ian Roberts resignation after ICE agents detained him and officials ruled he lacked both a valid license and authorization to work in the U.S. (Fox News) The Department of Homeland Security previously said Roberts has an extensive criminal history, including drug and weapons possession. Read On The Fox News App "Ian Andre Roberts, a criminal illegal alien with multiple weapons charges and a drug trafficking charge, should have never been able to work around children," DHS Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin said around the time of his arrest last September. "When ICE officers arrested this superintendent, he was in possession of an illegal handgun, a hunting knife, and nearly $3,000 in cash." Advertisement Advertisement A federal grand jury in October returned a two-count indictment. According to the plea agreement, Roberts admitted he knowingly and intentionally made a "false attestation" on the Employment Eligibility Verification form, known as an I-9, that he submitted in Des Moines, claiming he was a U.S. citizen. That carries a punishment of up to five years in prison and a fine. Dem State Election Board Under Fire After Ice-arrested Superintendent Surfaces On Voter Rolls Roberts completed the I-9 form when he was hired in 2023 and submitted a Social Security card and drivers license as verifying documents, according to the district. He also stated he was a U.S. citizen in his application to the state board of educational examiners, which issued Roberts a professional administrator license in 2023. Roberts was subject to a notice to appear before an immigration judge in October 2020, just months before his work authorization was set to expire, and a final removal order in 2024, authorities said. District officials said they were not aware of the immigration issues, The Associated Press reported. Advertisement Advertisement Alfredo Parrish, one of Roberts attorneys, has said his client was under the impression from a prior attorney that his immigration case was "resolved successfully." Roberts also faces a federal weapons charge, punishable by up to 15 years in prison and a fine. The indictment describes two pistols, a rifle and a shotgun found in Roberts possession. In addition to the one in his vehicle when he was arrested, three firearms were found during a search of Roberts home, authorities said. Click Here To Download The Fox News App Roberts will agree to forfeit the weapons, according to the agreement. Advertisement Advertisement Fox News Digitals Louis Casiano and The Associated Press contributed to this report. Original article source: Former Iowa school superintendent arrested by ICE expected to plead guilty to federal charges An RAF officer will be Britains most senior military commander in Nato for the first time in more than four decades. Air Chief Marshal Sir John Stringer, a former fighter pilot who flew in the Balkans and Iraq, has been appointed as Natos deputy supreme allied commander in Europe (DSACEUR). Sir John will be the first RAF officer to hold the post since 1984, and only the third RAF officer in history. Advertisement Advertisement He will be second in command to Gen Alexus G Grynkewich, the supreme allied commander, who has served as a pilot in the United States air force. The Ministry of Defence said the appointment reflected Britains Nato-first approach at a time of rising tensions within the alliance. Donald Trump told the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, on Wednesday that he was not sure Nato would be there for us if we gave them the call. In response, Mark Rutte, the Nato secretary general, reminded the US president that Nato countries lost one soldier for every two Americans killed in Afghanistan. Mr Trump claims to have struck a deal with Nato over Greenland that would allow the US to control parts of Greenland by designating them as sovereign base areas, in an arrangement which mimics that of Britain in Cyprus. Advertisement Advertisement The announcement was made hours after Mr Trump demanded the immediate right to buy Greenland from Denmark. Sources told The Telegraph that during their meeting with Mr Trump, Nato negotiators criticised Emmanuel Macron, the French president, in order to curry favour with the mercurial president. Mr Macron has fiercely opposed the US presidents expansionist rhetoric, proposing that the EU unleash a bazooka by blocking US companies from the continents internal market. Critical time for European security Sir John will take over from Admiral Sir Keith Blount KCB OBE in March 2026. Admiral Blount, who servedin the Royal Navy, has held the position since July 2023. Advertisement Advertisement Matthew Savill, the director of Military Sciences at Rusi, told The Telegraph: Its to Johnnys credit that he was successful as for both the deputy and the chief coming from air force backgrounds could have counted against him. Mr Savill added that his air force background would help Nato as air defence from both the ground and the air will be a priority in conflicts to come. John Healey MP, the Secretary of State for Defence, said: Air Chief Marshal Johnnys deep experience in Nato, including commanding the Allied Air Command, makes him the right person to help lead the alliance. We need to meet this era of increasing threats with hard power, strong alliances and sure diplomacy and that is exactly what Nato represents. This is the UKs Nato-first approach in action. Advertisement Advertisement He expressed his gratitude for Admiral Blunts dedication and commitment and wished him all the best for the future. Sir John, an Oxford graduate who flew Jaguar and Typhoon jets, said: It is a great privilege to have been appointed as Natos deputy supreme allied commander [in] Europe, and to follow the superb example set by Sir Keith and his UK predecessors over 76 years. This is a critical time for the defence and security of Europe and the North Atlantic, deterring those who would do us harm and keeping the one billion citizens of Nato nations safe. I look forward to playing my fullest possible part with our vital allies and partners in maintaining our national and collective security as DSACEUR. Advertisement Advertisement Sir John has served as deputy commander of Natos Allied Air Command since August 2022 and before that as chief of staff at UK Joint Forces Command and director of strategy at UK Strategic Command. Born in Sale, Greater Manchester, Sir John was educated at Watford Boys Grammar School and New College, University of Oxford, where he earned a Master of Arts in History in 1990. Sir John was awarded an OBE for services in Iraq in 2007 and was appointed as a Companion of the Order of the Bath (CB) in the 2023 Birthday Honours. Air Chief Marshal Sir Richard Knighton, the head of the Armed Forces, is also an RAF officer. He said: I have been clear in recent months that the threats we face dont respect national boundaries. Advertisement Advertisement Our ability to respond depends on the strength of our alliances and how effectively we work alongside partner nations. That is why our role in Nato is so vital for the security of the UK, and I would like to congratulate ACM Stringer on this appointment I know he will excel at Nato and ensure the UK continues to take a lead on European security. Try full access to The Telegraph free today. Unlock their award-winning website and essential news app, plus useful tools and expert guides for your money, health and holidays. Former special counsel Jack Smith, testifying Thursday before the GOP-led House Judiciary Committee, was unequivocal about who caused the Jan. 6, 2021, attack on the U.S. Capitol. "Our investigation revealed that Donald Trump is the person who caused Jan. 6, that it was foreseeable to him and that he sought to exploit the violence," Smith testified. "We followed the facts and we followed the law -- where that led us was to an indictment of an unprecedented criminal scheme to block the peaceful transfer of power." Smith, who led investigations into Trump's alleged interference in the 2020 election and alleged mishandling of classified documents, testified publicly for first time about his probes. Advertisement Advertisement Jack Smith testifies before House Judiciary Committee about his Trump probes Trump pleaded not guilty to all charges in both cases, before both cases were dropped following Trump's reelection due to the Justice Department's long-standing policy barring the prosecution of a sitting president. The former special counsel said that partisan politics did not play a role in his decision to charge Trump in his two investigations. "Some of the most powerful witnesses were witnesses who, in fact, were fellow Republicans who had voted for Donald Trump, who had campaigned for him and, who wanted him to win the election. These included state officials, people who worked on his campaign and advisors," Smith said of his election interference probe. Advertisement Advertisement In seeking to challenge the results of the 2020 election, Trump was "looking for ways to stay in power," Smith testified. Saul Loeb/AFP via Getty Images - PHOTO: Former special counsel Jack Smith, testifies before the House Judiciary Committee about his investigations into President Donald Trump on Capitol Hill in Washington, January 22, 2026. Trump was not "was not looking for honest answers about whether there was fraud in the election. He was looking for ways to stay in power. And when people told him, things that conflicted with him staying power, he rejected them or he chose not even to contact people like that," Smith told committee members. Smith told legislators that he would not be intimated by President Trump's statements calling for him to be investigated. "The statements are meant to intimidate me. I will not be intimidated. I think these statements are also made, as a warning to others what will happen if they stand up," Smith said. "I'm not going to be intimidated. We did our work pursuant to Department policy. We followed the facts, and we follow the law." Advertisement Advertisement Asked about the sweeping pardons Trump granted those who were charged with attacking the Capitol on Jan. 6, Smith said, "I do not understand why you would mass pardon people who assaulted police officers. I don't get it. I never will." Republican Rep. Troy Nehls, who is retiring from the House, addressed the Capitol Police officers who were in the chamber. "I would like to quickly address the police officers from Jan. 6, " Nehls said. "I'm a member of the new select committee to actually examine, actually examine what happened that day, and I can tell you gentlemen that the fault does not lie with Donald Trump. It lies with ... the U.S. Capitol leadership team. We know, we know they had the intelligence, and there was going to be a high propensity for violence." Jacquelyn Martin/AP - PHOTO: Founder of the Oath Keepers Stewart Rhodes listens to the testimony of former Justice Department special counsel Jack Smith before the House Judiciary Committee, Jan. 22, 2026 at the Capitol in Washington. Under questioning from Democratic Rep. Zoe Lofgren, Smith discussed the witnesses his team had interviewed in his election interference probe. Advertisement Advertisement "There were witnesses who I felt would be very strong witnesses, including, for example, the secretary of state in Georgia who told Donald Trump the truth, told him things that he did not want to hear and put him on notice that what he was saying was false," Smith said. "And I believe that witnesses of that nature, witnesses who are willing to tell the truth, even if it's going to impose a cost on them in their lives -- my experience as a prosecutor over 30 years is that witnesses like that are very credible, and that jurors tend to believe witnesses like that, because they pay a cost for telling the truth." Smith said that he got the phone toll records for some members of Congress because his office was investigating the conspiracy to stop the peaceful transfer of power. "We wanted to conduct a thorough investigation of the matters, that were assigned to me, including attempts to interfere with the lawful transfer of power. The conspiracy that we were investigating, it was relevant to get toll records, to understand the scope of that conspiracy, who they were seeking to coerce, who they were seeking to influence, who was seeking to help them," Smith said, arguing that it was a normal piece of an investigation. In a back-and-forth with Republican Rep. Darryl Issa, Smith said he didn't target then-President Joe Biden's political enemies. Advertisement Advertisement Timeline: Special counsel's probe into Trump's efforts to overturn 2020 election "Maybe they're not your political enemies, but they sure as hell were Joe Biden's political enemies, weren't they? They were Harris' political enemies. They were the enemies of the president and you were their arm, weren't you?" Issa asked. "No," Smith said. "My office didn't spy on anyone." He said that the decision to bring charges against Trump was solely his decision and that he was not pressured by any Biden official. "President Trump was charged because the evidence established that he willfully broke the law, the very laws he took an oath to uphold," Smith said. "Grand juries in two separate districts reached this conclusion based on his actions as alleged in the indictments they returned." Advertisement Advertisement In his introductory remarks, Smith also said the president illegally kept classified documents at his Mar-a-Lago estate. "After leaving office in January of '21, President Trump illegally kept classified documents at his Mar-a-Lago Social Club and repeatedly tried to obstruct justice to conceal his continued retention of those documents. Highly sensitive national security information withheld in a ballroom and a bathroom," Smith said. Saul Loeb/AFP via Getty Images - PHOTO: Former special counsel Jack Smith, testifies before the House Judiciary Committee about his investigations into President Donald Trump, in the Rayburn House Office Building on Capitol Hill in Washington, January 22, 2026. Smith said that the facts and the law supported a prosecution, and that he made decisions not based on politics, but the facts and the law. "Our investigation developed proof beyond a reasonable doubt that President Trump engaged in criminal activity. If asked whether to prosecute a former president based on the same facts today, I would do so regardless of whether that president was a Democrat or a Republican," he said. Advertisement Advertisement "No one, no one should be above the law in this country, and the law required that he be held to account. So that is what I did," Smith said. "To have done otherwise on the facts of these cases, would have been to shirk my duties as a prosecutor and as a public servant, of which I had no intention of doing." He also criticized what he said was the retribution carried out by the president and his allies against agents and prosecutors who investigated the cases. Timeline: Special counsel's investigation into Trump's handling of classified documents "My fear is that we have seen the rule of law function in our country for so long that many of us have come to take it for granted," he said. "The rule of law is not self-executing. It depends on our collective commitment to apply it. It requires dedicated service on behalf of others, especially when that service is difficult and comes with costs. Our willingness to pay those costs is what test and defines our commitment to the rule of law and to this wonderful country." Advertisement Advertisement In his opening statement, Committee Chairman Jim Jordan blasted Smith for what he called a partisan investigation into President Trump and other Republicans. "Democrats have been going after President Trump for ten years, for a decade, and the country should never, ever forget what they did," Jordan said. Jamie Raskin, the committee's ranking Democrat, said that Smith proved that Trump "engaged in a criminal scheme to overturn the results of the 2020 election and to prevent the lawful transfer of power." Kylie Cooper/Reuters - PHOTO: Former Special Counsel Jack Smith arrives to testify before a House Judiciary Committee hearing about his criminal investigation President Donald Trump, on Capitol Hill in Washington, January 22, 2026. "Special counsel Smith, you pursued the facts. You followed every applicable law, ethics rule and DOJ regulation. Your decisions were reviewed by the Public Integrity section. You acted based solely on the facts -- the opposite of Donald Trump," Raskin said. Advertisement Advertisement Democratic Rep. Eric Swalwell said that Republicans on the dais "are a joke." "They're wrong. History will harshly judge them," he said. Smith's appearance Thursday marked his second time before the committee, after he appeared behind closed doors in December. It is customary for former special counsels to appear before Congress publicly to discuss their findings. Mark Schiefelbein/AP - PHOTO: Former Justice Department special counsel Jack Smith stands before the House Judiciary Committee before a hearing about his investigations into President Donald Trump, Jan. 22, 2026 at the Capitol in Washington. In his closed-door testimony, Smith defended his decision to twice bring charges against Trump -- telling lawmakers his team "had proof beyond reasonable doubt in both cases" that Trump was guilty of the charges in the 2020 election interference and classified documents cases, according to a transcript of the hearing. And Smith fervently denied that there was any political influence behind his decision -- contrary to allegations of Republicans on the Judiciary Committee, who requested the testimony -- such as pressure from then-President Joe Biden or then-Attorney General Merrick Garland, the transcripts shows. "No," Smith responded continuously to those allegations, according to the transcript. Just over an hour before his testimony on Dec. 17, the Department of Justice sent an email to Smith's lawyers preventing him from discussing the classified documents case, according to the 255-page transcript of the deposition, released last year by the Judiciary Committee along with a video of the hearing. J. Scott Applewhite/AP, FILE - PHOTO: In this Dec. 17, 2025, file photo, former Department of Justice Special Counsel Jack Smith departs at the end of a Republican-led deposition before the House Judiciary Committee, on Capitol Hill in Washington, D.C. This meant Smith was unable to answer most questions on that case and the deposition -- intended to ask questions about the alleged weaponization of the DOJ against Trump and his allies -- mainly focused on the 2020 election case instead. His team also said Smith will comply with U.S. District Judge Aileen Cannon's order that blocked the release of the second volume of his report dealing with the classified documents case. Smith's counsel said the DOJ also refused to send a lawyer to advise Smith on whether his statements were in line with their determination of what he could or could not say regarding the cases, according to the deposition. Smith did say, however, that Trump "tried to obstruct justice" in the classified documents investigation "to conceal his continued retention of those documents. Former special counsel Jack Smith on Thursday defended his findings that President Trump "willfully broke the law" in his efforts to overturn the results of the 2020 presidential election, telling lawmakers that Republican efforts to discredit the probe are "false and misleading." No one should be above the law in our country, and the law required that [Trump] be held to account. So that is what I did, Smith said during a frequently heated five-hour hearing before the House Judiciary Committee. Smith appeared at the request of Judiciary Committee Chair Jim Jordan (R-Ohio), who accused him of pursuing a politically driven investigation and "muzzling a candidate for a high office." Advertisement Advertisement "It was always about politics and to get President Trump, they were willing to do just about anything," Jordan said. Jordan called investigations into the Jan. 6 insurrection "staged and choreographed," and said Smith would have "blown a hole in the 1st Amendment" if his charges against Trump had been allowed to proceed. Trump has repeatedly called for Smith to face prosecution over the probe, demanding he be disbarred and suggesting that Atty. Gen. Pam Bondi look into his conduct. "I believe they will do everything in their power to [indict me] because they have been ordered to do so by the president," Smith said at the hearing. Advertisement Advertisement Read more: Fifth anniversary of the Jan. 6 attack brings fresh division to the Capitol Smith's 2023 investigation found that following Joe Biden's 2020 victory, Trump led a months-long disinformation campaign to discredit the results, evidenced by audio from a call in which he pressured Georgia Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger to "find 11,780 votes." Trump's attempt to sow election discord culminated in the Jan. 6, 2021, Capitol insurrection, Smith said. The president directed rioters to halt the certification of the election results, he added. In closed-door testimony to the committee last month, Smith said the Department of Justice had built a strong base of evidence of Trump's criminal schemes to overturn the election. Advertisement Advertisement A separate case alleged that the president unlawfully kept classified documents at his Mar-a-Lago club after the loss. Trump was indicted in the documents case in June 2023, and later for the alleged election conspiracy and fraud claims. Both cases were abandoned after his victory in the 2024 election on the basis of presidential immunity. In his opening remarks, Smith reiterated his findings. "President Trump was charged because the evidence established that he willfully broke the law, the very laws he took an oath to uphold," he said. "Rather than accept his defeat, President Trump engaged in a criminal scheme to overturn the results and prevent the lawful transfer of power." Advertisement Advertisement Republicans asserted that Justice Department subpoenas of phone records were an abuse of prosecutorial power and constituted surveillance of top government officials. Smith replied that obtaining such data was "common" in conspiracy investigations and that the records showed call dates and times not content encompassing the days around Jan. 6, 2021. Jordan questioned the special counsel's judgment in personnel selections, which included Department of Justice investigators who probed the Trump campaign over alleged collusion with Russia in the 2016 presidential election. "Democrats have been going after President Trump for 10 years a decade and we should never forget what they've done," he said. Advertisement Advertisement Read more: Capitol riot 'does not happen' without Trump, Jack Smith told Congress Smith, who has since left the Justice Department to open a private firm with his former deputies, was quick to defend the integrity of his team, adding that Trump has since sought to seek revenge against career prosecutors, FBI agents and support staff for their involvement in the cases. "Those dedicated public servants are the best of us," he said. "My fear is that we have seen the rule of law function in our country for so long that many of us have come to take it for granted." The hearing routinely devolved into disputes between party adversaries, with Rep. Darrell Issa (R-Vista) lodging scathing accusations against Smith, butting heads with Rep. Jamie Raskin (D-Md.) over procedure and yielding his time "in disgust" of the witness. Advertisement Advertisement GOP committee members attempted to poke holes in Smith's findings about the events of Jan. 6. Rep. Jasmine Crockett (D-Texas) accused Republicans on the committee of trying to "rewrite the history" of Jan. 6. Midway through the hearing, Trump called Smith a "deranged animal" in a Truth Social post where he once again suggested his Department of Justice investigate the former special counsel. I will not be intimidated, Smith said. "We followed the facts and we followed the law. That process resulted in proof beyond a reasonable doubt that he committed serious crimes. Im not going to pretend that didnt happen because he threatened me. The hearing came as Trump continues to repeat false claims that he had won in 2020. Advertisement Advertisement "It was a rigged election. Everybody knows that now. And by the way, numbers are coming out that show it even more plainly," Trump said Tuesday at a White House news briefing. In an address to a global audience in Davos, Switzerland, the following day, he said that "people will soon be prosecuted for what they did." Get the L.A. Times California Politics newsletter. Deeply reported insights into legislation, politics and policy from Sacramento, Washington and beyond, in your inbox twice per week. This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times. NORTH KINGSTOWN, R.I. (WPRI) Former state Rep. Anthony DeLuca, an important figure in the push to legalize same-sex marriage in Rhode Island, has died. He was 88 years old. An obituary posted by Nardolillo Funeral Home said the former representative died Saturday at his home in Saunderstown, surrounded by family. DeLuca, a Democrat, also served as a city councilor in Cranston and at one point was the council president. Advertisement Advertisement Born in Naples, Italy, DeLuca immigrated to Providence at nine years old when his family moved to Providence. He went to Classical High School and obtained degrees from Providence College and the Rhode Island School of Design. The representative was a teacher at Cranston West High School and Western Hills Middle School during his career. He taught Italian and Spanish. Congressman Seth Magaziner said in a statement Tuesday he was deeply saddened to learn of DeLucas passing. I had an opportunity to work closely with Anthony and Sylvia as a board member of Marriage Equality Rhode Island, Magaziner said. At a time when it was difficult for people of his generation to speak out for equality, Anthonys voice never wavered. Advertisement Advertisement I am grateful for the difference he made as a Councilman, Representative and moral leader for our state, Magaziner continued. DeLucas immediate family will be holding a private gathering to celebrate the representatives life. Download the WPRI 12 and Pinpoint Weather 12 apps to get breaking news and weather alerts. Watch 12 News Now on WPRI.com or with the free WPRI 12+ TV app. Follow us on social media: Close Thanks for signing up! Watch for us in your inbox. Subscribe Now Daily Roundup Copyright 2026 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WPRI.com. Multiple news outlets are reporting that troops stationed at Fort Bragg have been placed on standby for a potential deployment to Minnesota as officials prepare for ongoing protests, Pentagon and military sources reportedly told The Associated Press. The protests in Minneapolis follow the Jan. 7 death of Renee Good, a 37-year-old mother, who was shot at least four times by an ICE agent, according to USA TODAY. Good's family said she and her wife stopped to observe ICE agents in their neighborhood when agents became aggressive and tried to pull Good from her vehicle. Advertisement Advertisement The Trump administration has said the officer fired in self-defense and accused Good of trying to run him over. Citing anonymous sources, The New York Times and MS Now, formerly MSNBC, first reported that some of the soldiers on standby would come from a Fort Bragg military police unit. The 16th Military Police Brigade is the only military police unit at Fort Bragg. People march through downtown Minneapolis during a "Stop ICE Terror" protest after a U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agent fatally shot Renee Nicole Good on Jan. 7 during an immigration raid, in Minneapolis on Jan. 20, 2026. Fort Bragg officials would not confirm whether the brigade has received orders to deploy or prepare to deploy and referred questions to the White House. Multiple attempts to reach the White House were unsuccessful as of press time. A spokesperson for the Pentagon also told The Fayetteville Observer on Jan. 21 that they "don't have anything to provide at this time." Advertisement Advertisement ABC News and the Associated Press have reported that similar orders have been issued for soldiers in the Armys 11th Airborne Division in Alaska and as many as 200 Texas National Guard troops. According to the New York Times, the orders come amid President Donald Trumps Jan. 15 threat to invoke the Insurrection Act, which allows a president to deploy military forces inside the United States to suppress rebellion or violence against the government. It was last invoked in 1992 at the request of California officials after widespread riots broke out in Los Angeles following the acquittal of four police officers in the beating of Black motorist Rodney King. The U.S. Supreme Court ruled in late December that Trump could not deploy troops to Illinois over objections from state and local officials, reinforcing limits on federal authority over domestic troop deployments, The New York Times reported. The decision prompted Trump to halt plans to deploy National Guard troops to Chicago, Los Angeles and Portland. Staff writer Rachael Riley can be reached at rriley@fayobserver.com or 910-486-3528. This article originally appeared on The Fayetteville Observer: Could Fort Bragg troops deploy to Minneapolis for protest response? Volkswagen Groups Brand Group Core is preparing a major reorganisation that will trim management layers and combine production and development operations across its high-volume marques. Brand Group Core coordinates Volkswagens volume brands by pooling production, processes and resources across multiple plants. The German carmaker said changes to production alone are expected to generate cumulative savings of 1bn ($1.16bn) by 2030. The programme will begin this month and is due to be largely in place by the summer, with additional reductions in management structures planned over the medium term. By that point, the number of board members across Volkswagen Passenger Cars, Skoda, SEAT&CUPRA and Volkswagen Commercial Vehicles is set to fall by roughly a third. From the start of 2026, production, technical development and procurement will increasingly be overseen at group level through a newly formed Brand Group Core board of management. Individual brand boards will retain four posts - CEO, board member for finance, board member for human resources and board member for sales. The central body will handle cross-brand decisions and supervision to simplify processes and shorten decision chains. Operationally, more than 20 factories worldwide will be regrouped into five regions, each run by regional teams responsible for joint planning, steering and logistics. The first of these clusters has already been created on the Iberian Peninsula, bringing several plants under a single cross-brand structure. Volkswagen management board member, Volkswagen Passenger Cars brand CEO and Brand Group Core head Thomas Schafer said: Our synergistic steering model is the next step in our cooperation. The new Brand Group Board of Management brings greater speed and steering for the optimal cross-brand outcome. That is why the focus is on management efficiency - and on faster process speed for more competitive products. The new governance reduces costs and structures - while at the same time increasing our efficiency level. This reorganization is a significant step for the future viability of the Brand Group Core. Volkswagen added that the updated governance framework is also intended to lower technical development spending by expanding shared projects between brands, while enabling the wider group to concentrate on strategic priorities such as software and batteries. "Volkswagen plans cross-brand overhaul and management cuts" was originally created and published by Just Auto, a GlobalData owned brand. The Democratic gubernatorial field prepares to take the stage Wednesday. Left to Right: Joel Brennan, Kelda Roys, Francesca Hong, Sara Rodriguez, Missy Huges, Mandela Barnes and David Crowley. (Photo by Erik Gunn/Wisconsin Examiner) In a music hall just east of Milwaukees trendy Walkers Point neighborhood Wednesday evening, seven Democratic hopefuls in the 2026 race for governor fielded questions from an assortment of small business owners before a friendly crowd of more than 300 people. Their answers showed only occasional differences on matters of policy. The greater contrasts were in style, tone, vocabulary and presentation. Lt. Gov. Sara Rodriguez, who is seeking the Democratic nomination to run for governor, speaks at a forum Wednesday, June 21, 2026 in Milwaukee. David Crowley looks on. (Photo by Erik Gunn/Wisconsin Examiner) Answering an audience members question about how each of the hopefuls would address Wisconsins teacher shortage, Lt. Gov. Sara Rodriguez drew attention to a new state program to create teacher apprenticeships enabling working teaching assistants to get a bachelors degree while they are teaching assistants with full-time wages, full-time benefits. They will graduate with no debt. Advertisement Advertisement It was modeled after a similar apprenticeship program to produce more nurses, noted Rodriguez, a nurse who entered politics in mid-career. Milwaukee County Executive David Crowley said prospective teachers should be encouraged, but added that working teachers also need support after years of being demoralized by disrespect and inadequate funding from the Republican-led Legislature. We have to create a much better pipeline, making sure that were supporting those who are currently in the profession and utilizing them to be the trusted messengers to help recruit more young people into the field, he said. Put a stake in Act 10, and repeal it, and ensure that it never happens again, said state Rep. Francesca Hong referring to the 2011 law that stripped most public employees of most union rights and that has been blamed for contributing to teacher shortages in Wisconsin. Fully fund public education. Reimburse special education at 90% from the state, in parity with voucher schools, she said, adding, end the voucher program so we no longer siphon away resources from our public schools to private schools. Advertisement Advertisement State Sen. Kelda Roys, former Wisconsin Economic Development Corp. CEO Missy Hughes, former Department of Administration Secretary Joel Brennan and former Lt. Gov. Mandela Barnes also took part in the Wednesday night forum. With Democratic Gov. Tony Evers decision this past July not to run for a third term, the 2026 governors race is the first in Wisconsin without an incumbent since 2010. It has drawn a broad field of potential successors in Evers own party. Cletus Hasslinger, 78, of Milwaukee, attended a similar forum back in 2018, when Evers was one of 10 candidates seeking the Democratic nod to run for governor. He turned out for the Wednesday night event and was impressed. This is a much stronger group! Hasslinger said. It energizes me. Sponsored by small business advocates The forum was held at The Cooperage, a venue in the shadow of Milwaukees iconic Hoan Bridge, and was organized by Main Street Action, the political arm of Main Street Alliance. MSA is a small-business organizing group with an agenda centered on economic fairness, contrasting many of its interests with those of large corporations. Advertisement Advertisement The group has embraced the Affordable Care Act, Medicaid expansion and state and federal support for child care and paid leave for workers, among other policies. MSA also campaigns for tax policies that would require big business to pay more and stronger government action against corporate concentration. We elevate the testimony, the stories of small business owners, said Richard Trent, MSAs national executive director, who counts MSAs national membership at 30,000 people and said Wisconsin is one of the organizations hubs. So much of how we think about our economy, how we think about whats best for our cities, our towns that whole narrative is shaped by the largest corporations, the wealthiest Americans, Trent told the Wisconsin Examiner. Its the small business owners who are driving most of the productivity in our economy, yet get almost none of the say in the policies that actually strengthen their communities. The eighth Democrat seeking the nomination, former state Rep. Brett Hulsey, was not invited to join Wednesday nights forum, which qualified participants if they were polling at better than 0% or if they had raised at least $100,000 in donations. Advertisement Advertisement U.S. Rep. Tom Tiffany and Washington County Executive Josh Schoemann are seeking the GOP nomination. Trent said there arent plans for a Republican forum before that partys primary, also in August, but that MSA intends to bring the winners of both nomination contests together for a forum in the fall. Questions draw out similar stances Moderated by Dan Shafer, who publishes The Recombobulation Area political analysis and opinion column on Substack and who holds the title of political editor at Civic Media, the forum ran about 20 minutes over its original allotment of 90 minutes. Shafer brought a half-dozen business owners and Main Street Alliance members to the stage, each posing a question to the gubernatorial hopefuls, then finished the session with a handful of questions submitted by audience members. Many of the answers didnt diverge wildly. Expanding BadgerCare to cover more people had broad support. So did the idea of a BadgerCare public option, enabling people to pay into the Medicaid-funded health plan if their incomes were not low enough to qualify them for the program. Kelda Roys speaks during a forum for Democrats running for governor on Wednesday, Jan. 21, 2026. (Photo by Erik Gunn/Wisconsin Examiner) Roys suggested another variation, allowing Wisconsin residents to buy into the health plan that is available to state employees. Advertisement Advertisement Support for child care funding from the state was also widely endorsed, as was a paid leave program funded through a payroll deduction. Rodriguez observed that a paid family leave program was in the last budget that the governor and I put out (it was cut by the Joint Finance Committees GOP majority). Crowley said after he took office as Milwaukee County executive, his administration created a paid family leave policy for county employees to help recruit workers. Hong pointed to legislation she introduced in the Assembly in the previous session that would have created one of the most comprehensive paid leave programs. And Roys cited a paid leave bill she co-authored in 2011, during her previous time in the Legislature. Making this universal is going to help small businesses start, Roys said. Its going to help them attract and retain employees and compete with the big businesses who can afford to offer more generous policies. Core themes and personal biographies All seven participants largely stuck to the core themes theyve sketched out in their campaigns and the biographical details that they hope will persuade primary voters in August why theyre the best choice to carry the partys standard in November. Advertisement Advertisement Rodriguez highlighted her current role as lieutenant governor visiting all 72 counties every year since assuming that office. She led a health care workforce task force that Evers appointed in 2024. Shawn Phetteplace of Main Street Alliance holds up a red card to alert a forum speaker that their time for talking is up. (Photo by Erik Gunn/Wisconsin Examiner) Crowley emphasized ways in which, as a county executive, he has to deal with issues at the local level that the forum was putting on the agenda for the next governor: housing, health care costs, family leave policies and preparing for Immigrations and Customs Enforcement officers to descend on Milwaukee. Hong stressed her experiences as a restaurateur and as a single mom, and her stark assessment that as a worker and as an employer, the system is rigged against us where people value corporate power and greed more than anything else. Roys presented herself as a fierce challenger to the Republicans controlling the White House and Congress: We need a governor with a spine of steel who will stand up to this Republican regime in all the ways that they are hurting Wisconsin, and especially our small businesses and our family farmers, she said. Advertisement Advertisement But Roys also declared herself to be experienced in the operations of state government, having had a state Assembly seat previously during the administration of Gov. Jim Doyle and the beginning of Gov. Scott Walkers first term. And she cast herself as a visionary who sees a window of opportunity to make real change in Wisconsin in the coming years. Hughes said that in her time at WEDC, I have worked with small businesses all across the state, with Main Street businesses working to understand the challenges that they face, including day-to-day operations, finding workers and supporting employees who need child care or other resources. She called attention to an economic plan she released this week with provisions for education, labor-management partnerships and expanding affordable housing. Brennan described himself as an experienced problem-solver and relationship builder, and a voice for calm in a time of turmoil. Advertisement Advertisement We live in times that are unlike any other. And we are angry. Were angry at Donald Trump for what he has done to really do away with some of the values that we hold dear as Americans and as citizens, Brennan said. But when some people get angry, they want to get even. When I get angry, I want to roll up my sleeves and get something done. Pandemic relief roles Hughes and Barnes both emphasized roles in Wisconsins Main Street Bounceback program, which provided $10,000 grants for businesses to upgrade their operations, including taking over vacant storefronts, in downtowns across the state. Barnes was lieutenant governor in Evers first term, forgoing reelection in 2022 in order to run for Senate against Republican Sen. Ron Johnson, a race he lost by about 26,000 votes. Forme Lt. Gov. Mandela Barnes explains his reason for running for governor. (Photo by Erik Gunn/Wisconsin Examiner) Barnes executive branch duties included helping to promote our Main Street Bounceback program, which helped so many small businesses across the entire state that had been dealt a bad hand, Barnes said. We stepped up, we filled the gap, and we met a need. Thats exactly what I intend to do as governor. Hughes brought up the program when Chloe Longmire, a Milwaukee entrepreneur, asked the candidates how they would work with economic development agencies to help women-owned and minority-owned small businesses. Advertisement Advertisement Coming out of the pandemic, I saw across the state Main Streets where businesses had survived and businesses had not survived, and there were vacant spaces, Hughes said. Main Street Bounceback was designed to enable businesses to occupy vacant spaces easily, with a one-page application and the support of a community member. And we trusted those business owners to invest that money in the ways that needed to happen, Hughes said, with 9,500 businesses in each of Wisconsins 72 counties getting aid. We saw Main Streets at 100% capacity full, looking for more businesses, looking for more opportunities to move businesses into vacant spaces. Brennan, as secretary of the Department of Administration, tracked how the states $4.5 billion in pandemic relief was spent. A program focused on movie theaters made a particular impression, he said, with one memorable venue in central Wisconsin that passed through three generations to the granddaughter of the first owner. And the $30,000 that they were getting from the COVID relief money was going to pay for utilities, going to pay for their mortgage it was going to be the light at the end of the tunnel, Brennan said. Thats the kind of thing you need to do in a crisis, but its also the way you need to be responsive when youre operating day-to-day, and thats what well do in a brand new administration. After reiterating his involvement in Main Street Bounceback, Barnes pivoted to the original questions emphasis on businesses owned by women and minorities. We should have to incorporate targeted investments in communities, he said. From there he pivoted again, to a proposal he announced earlier Wednesday for the state to invest in grants for startup grocery stories in food deserts. People arent able to afford groceries, and were going to connect our family farms . . . to bring local food into communities because we cant have a food desert in a state that produces as much food as we do in Wisconsin, Barnes said. A range of answers on taxing the rich Questions about Wisconsin taxes drew a wider variety of responses. Roys dismissed the manufacturing and agriculture tax credit, available primarily to larger businesses, as a giveaway to the wealthiest individuals and corporations in the state that fails to help economic development. We need to restore our progressive taxation system where the amount of money that you pay in to support the public services that all of us enjoy and all of us rely on is based on the money that you earn, she said. Right now, working people, the middle class are shouldering a disproportionate burden for paying those services. Hong was equally dismissive. Our small businesses are paying a higher tax rate than some of the wealthiest corporations, she said. So, get rid of it. No major corporations should be paying no income tax. Crowley said tax credits should focus on small and mid-size companies. Millionaires and billionaires, lets face it, they dont deserve a tax credit, he said, adding that he would favor a blue ribbon commission to examine state taxes and spending comprehensively. Rodriguez called for measurable job gains in return for the credit. If we are going to get tax benefits, we need to tie it to actually increasing the number of people that they are hiring, she said. Hughes said that when she was at WEDC and met with business leaders looking to relocate to Wisconsin, they were much less interested in taxes than issues such as the strength of local schools and the university system and the availability of workers. Missy Hughes speaks during a forum for Democrats running for governor on Wednesday evening, Jan. 21, 2026, as Joel Brennan listens. (Photo by Erik Gunn/Wisconsin Examiner) She demurred on a question about raising taxes on the wealthiest to provide services for people in need and suggested that a sustainable economy is more important. My focus is going to be on growing the economy, because my fear is that if we simply increase taxes on the wealthy, the next team will get elected and come back in and take that away, Hughes said. It could mean that we increase taxes on the most wealthy, but in addition to that, we need to be thinking about creating a system that works election after election and administration after administration, she said. Growing the economy and making sure that everyone is paying their fair share is the foundation of my candidacy. The last question of the night looked to the unease that has been gripping the country after federal immigration agents descended on Minneapolis earlier this month and an Immigration and Customs Enforcement officer shot and killed Minneapolis resident Renee Good as she sat at the wheel of her van near her home. How would each of the Democratic hopefuls navigate maintaining law and order and avoid being positioned by the right as being soft on crime, while ensuring the state citizens wont be infringed upon by federal government overreach? Shafer asked, reading from a written submission. Rodriguez cited her recent statement calling on lawmakers to apply the same rules for ICE as for local law enforcement: ready identification, body cameras and no masks for agents, and forbidding them from going into sensitive areas such as schools without a judicial warrant. It is personal to me, said Rodriguez, whose husband is a U.S. citizen born in Mexico. Crowley said Milwaukee County is currently discussing how it will respond to an ICE influx. Standing up for peoples constitutional rights, whether a citizen or not, is not soft on crime at all, he said. We have to make sure that we continue to protect everybody and make sure that we are a safe community. Hong said shes been in touch with mutual aid groups in Minneapolis, and that ICE is a rogue agency. Abolishing ICE is a meaningful policy. Roys vowed to bring the weight of criminal as well as civil liability down on ICE and act against people who break our laws and brutalize our people. Hughes said at meetings in Eau Claire, community leaders told her they are looking to members of the immigrant community and understanding what they needed and what they were looking for. Brennan urged learning from the civil rights work of Martin Luther King Jr., locked in arms with his fellow man and with the people in his community. Barnes said he has spoken with people in Minneapolis, and said the next governor must be unafraid of retribution from the White House. We need change and somebody whos going to stand up and be strong in this moment, he said. State Rep. Francesca Hong speaks during a forum for Democrats seeking the partys nomination to run for governor. (Photo by Erik Gunn/Wisconsin Examiner) SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX France says it has seized an oil tanker in the Mediterranean suspected of being part of Russia's sanction-busting "shadow fleet". French President Emmanuel Macron said the tanker, named the Grinch, was "subject to international sanctions and suspected of flying a false flag". The French navy, with the assistance of allies including the UK, boarded the vessel on Thursday morning between Spain and Morocco. French maritime authorities said that a search of the vessel had "confirmed the doubts as to the regularity of the flag". Advertisement Advertisement Russia's embassy in Paris said it had not been informed of the seizure. Moscow's so-called shadow fleet is a clandestine network of tankers used to evade Western sanctions on Russian oil exports by shipping the oil on aged tankers with obscure ownership or insurance. The Grinch was travelling from the Arctic port of Murmansk in northern Russia when it was intercepted, French authorities said. The vessel had been flying a Comoros flag, according to ship tracking websites marinetraffic and vesselfinder. Announcing the seizure on X, Macron said: "We are determined to uphold international law and to ensure the effective enforcement of sanctions. Advertisement Advertisement "The activities of the "shadow fleet" contribute to financing the war of aggression against Ukraine," he said, adding that the vessel had been "diverted". Defence Secretary John Healy said the UK navy had provided "tracking and monitoring" support, with HMS Dagger monitoring the tanker through the Straits of Gibraltar. He added: "Alongside our allies, we are stepping up our response to shadow vessels to choke off the funds that fuel Putin's illegal invasion of Ukraine." The UK has imposed sanctions on 544 Russian shadow fleet vessels. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky welcomed the action, saying it was "exactly the kind of resolve needed to ensure that Russian oil no longer finances Russia's war". Advertisement Advertisement "Vessels must be apprehended. And wouldn't it be fair to confiscate and sell the oil carried by these tankers?" he said on X. Speaking at Davos earlier, Zelensky exhorted Europe to do more to ensure its own security, saying: "Europe loves to discuss the future but avoids taking action". Many Western countries imposed sanctions on Russian energy following Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022. Earlier in January, British armed forces supported a US operation to seize a Russian-flagged tanker in the Atlantic that US officials said had broken sanctions by carrying oil for Venezuela and Russia. Advertisement Advertisement Moscow denounced the move, saying no state had the right to use force against vessels properly registered in other states' jurisdictions. Last October, France seized another sanctioned tanker, the Boracay, off its west coast before releasing it a few days later. Shadow fleets are becoming increasingly common, with Venezuela, Iran and Russia all accused of using them to avoid sanctions on oil. Financial intelligence firm S&P Global estimates that one in five oil tankers worldwide are used to smuggle oil from sanctioned countries. More on this story Rep. Mike Nathe, R-Bismarck, speaks about free school meals on the House floor on Jan. 22, 2026. (Photo by Michael Achterling/North Dakota Monitor) The North Dakota House of Representatives on Thursday approved a bill to provide free school meals to K-12 students, sending the bill to the Senate. The Senate will take up the bill Friday, the last scheduled day of North Dakotas special legislative session. The House, after a lengthy debate, passed House Bill 1624, 55-38. Advertisement Advertisement Bill sponsor Rep. Mike Nathe, R-Bismarck, said the bill mirrors a constitutional ballot measure that would require the state to cover the cost of lunch and breakfast for all K-12 students. He admitted that without the push for the constitutional amendment, the debate on the bill would not be taking place. He said putting free school meals into state law, instead of changing the constitution, gives the Legislature the flexibility it needs to tweak the law, if needed. The Together for Free School Meals coalition is gathering signatures to put free school meals up to a statewide vote in November. Nathe said he expected the coalition to support the bill because it covers what it is in the measure, but provides the funding starting in the 2026-27 school year a year earlier than the measure would. Advertisement Advertisement So if they truly believe and support kids, as theyve been telling me, . they would support this bill, Nathe said. The bill would provide $65 million to cover the cost of breakfast and lunch at public schools. Private and tribal schools would be able to opt in. The Legislature expanded the states free and reduced lunch program but lawmakers have held back on free school meals for all students. Among the opponents was Rep. Steve Vetter, R-Grand Forks, who opposed paying for school meals for families with six-figure incomes that can afford school meals. He referenced Charles Dickens A Christmas Carol, saying he supports paying for meals for poor Tiny Tim but not for rich Uncle Scrooge. Advertisement Advertisement Its a bad idea to feed Scrooge, he said. North Dakota Monitor special session coverage Several supporters noted polls that show a free school meal program is a priority for North Dakota residents. Rep. SuAnn Olson, R-Baldwin, said she believed people would prefer expanded property tax relief over free school meals, if given the choice. Rep. Todd Porter, R-Mandan, said the free meals will mean school districts will not have to use property tax money to erase school lunch debt. This bill is property tax relief. Theres no two ways about it, Porter said. Some House supporters of free school meals for all on Thursday said the state should not discriminate against higher income families, just as the states efforts to reduce property taxes have gone to all primary residence homeowners, rich or poor. Advertisement Advertisement We didnt talk about income guidelines, Rep. Austen Schauer, R-West Fargo, said of an expanded property tax credit passed in 2025. He said understood wanting to maintain the principle of not providing free meals for families that can afford it, but said it was more important for the Legislature to maintain control over the program, rather than changing the constitution. He said many children from wealthy families will still choose to eat out rather than eat a school lunch. Rich kids will not be using free lunches, Ill guarantee it, Schauer said. The Senate is scheduled to convene at 8:30 a.m. Friday. Advertisement Advertisement The bill received a narrow do-pass recommendation in committee Wednesday. The bill had less support from the Senate members of the committee, who supported it with an 8-7 vote. During the 2025 legislative session, members of the Senate did not vote on either of the two House bills that would have provided free meals to K-12 students. Both bills were defeated in the House. Other meal bill fails House members voted down another option to expand eligibility to free and reduced lunch. House Bill 1627, failed 48-45. The bill sponsored by Rep. Ty Dressler, R-Richardton, would increase the states free and reduced school lunch program to include families earning up to 300% of the federal poverty limit, which is about an annual income of $96,000 for a family of four. Advertisement Advertisement That bill would have required families to provide financial information to show eligibility, similar to previous legislation approved by lawmakers. This story has been updated with additional reporting. A Fresno County jury on Tuesday heard key evidence in the murder trial of Shane Shahan, as prosecutors called their first witness to testify about a fatal crash in January 2023. The witness, Fresno Police Officer Vincent Tinoco, was among the first officers to respond to a crash at First and McKinley. Prosecutors allege Shahan caused the collision while driving at a high rate of speed and under the influence, resulting in the death of passenger Jesse Espino. Advertisement Advertisement Tinoco testified that Shahan fled the crash scene after officers arrived. "They looked back to our vehicle and proceeded to run northbound along the 41," Tinoco said. RELATED: Trial begins for deadly Central Fresno crash charged as murder Jurors were shown video that prosecutors said depicts Shahan driving nearly 80 miles per hour before running a red light and crashing into a Hyundai. Investigators said Espino was taken to a hospital, where he later died. Prosecutors also said Shahan had alcohol and marijuana in his system. Tinoco described Shahan's behavior after he was detained following the crash. Advertisement Advertisement "He was just saying, 'Sorry. Sorry. Sorry, I got scared. I didn't know what to do,'" Tinoco testified. The officer told jurors he observed several behaviors he associated with intoxication. "He was scared. I could smell the odor of alcohol on him. He was sweating profusely. Talking erratically," Tinoco said. Shahan has pleaded not guilty to a murder charge. Prosecutors argue the charge is based on alleged intoxication at the time of the crash, though Shahan was not charged separately with driving under the influence. Defense attorney and Action News Legal Analyst Tony Capozzi questioned Tinoco about his observations, suggesting Shahan may not have shown clear signs of impairment. Advertisement Advertisement "You didn't recall any slurred speech, correct?" Capozzi asked. "That's correct," Tinoco replied. "You don't recall bloodshot eyes?" Capozzi asked. "No, sir," the officer responded. Capozzi also questioned whether photos taken after the crash could show signs of intoxication. "[Were] any pictures taken of the defendant's face?" Capozzi asked. "That, I can't recall. I wasn't there for that," Tinoco said. Later testimony indicated Tinoco was not specifically looking for bloodshot eyes while assessing Shahan at the scene. Attorneys in the case estimate the trial will last about two weeks. For news updates, follow Gabe Ferris on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. A senator from Utah has demanded that Charlie Kirk's alleged killer be executed in public. Senator Mike Lee, who has been serving since 2011, made the comment in a post on X shortly after Charlie's wife called for a speedy trial of the accused, Tyler Robinson. Tyler Robinson already faces the death penalty if he is found guilty at trial, but has yet to enter a plea amid the ongoing legal proceedings. Senator Mike Lee Wants The Accused Publicly Executed For Allegedly Assassinating Charlie Kirk Ron Sachs - CNP / MEGA Senator Mike Lee of Utah would rather have Charlie Kirk's alleged assassin publicly executed than go through the legal process of ascertaining his guilt. Advertisement Advertisement The accused is Tyler Robinson, who was arrested days after Charlie was shot in the neck during an event for his nonprofit, Turning Point USA, last September. Taking to X, Lee wrote candidly, "Execute Tyler Robinson. In public." He had previously made a similar statement, claiming that the accused deserved to be "publicly executed" for allegedly doing the same to the late right-wing influencer. "Tyler Robinson publicly executed Charlie Kirk," Lee wrote at the time. "Tyler Robinson should be publicly executed." While there is no law allowing public executions in the state of Utah, Robinson could still face execution, as prosecutors have announced their intention to seek the death penalty if he is convicted at trial. Social Media Users Blast The Senator Over His Call For A Public Execution Execute Tyler Robinson In public https://t.co/AjtJTjdXzR Mike Lee (@BasedMikeLee) January 20, 2026 X users were quick to call out the politician for his remarks, with many arguing that such a statement is unbecoming of a sitting senator. Advertisement Advertisement One person noted sarcastically, "Very pro-life of you," while another simply stated, "Due process." A third person said, "The amount of absolute morons in govt is just mind-bending." "Mike, you are truly a disgrace to your profession and humanity! STFU!" another individual commented under the senator's post. One more person stated, "You just called for the public execution of a man who has not yet had his day in court to argue his innocence. Start searching for God before it's too late for your soul." Charlie Kirk's Wife Demanded The Speedy Trial Of Tyler Robinson Instagram | Erika Kirk Lee's call for the public execution of Robinson comes after Charlie's wife, Erika, urged the court to speedily try her husband's alleged killer, per The Blast. Advertisement Advertisement Via her lawyer, she recently filed a motion to that effect, which noted that Utah law allows her to seek a speedy trial as a victim. "The Utah Code affords victims of a crime 'the right to a speedy disposition of the charges free from unwarranted delay caused by or at the behest of the defendant,'" read the filing by Erika's attorney, Jeffrey Neiman. "This Court is tasked with the critically important function of ensuring the Defendant has a fair trial, but this Court must also do so while balancing Mrs. Kirk's right to a speedy trial, and therefore this Notice invokes Mrs. Kirk's rights under applicable Utah Code," the doc further read. Judge In The Tyler Robinson Case Ordered For No Recordings Of The Accused Killer Facebook | Amber Robinson Robinson last appeared in court on Janaury 16, during which the judge, Tony Graf, was forced to take a drastic move over the pool cameraman's recordings of the proceedings. Advertisement Advertisement "During the remainder of this hearing, the camera shall not photograph Mr. Robinson at all," Graf declared midway through the hearing, per the New York Post. "That will be the sanction of this court. I will allow the pool camera operator to reposition the camera to adhere to that." The Utah district judge made the ruling after Robinson's attorneys raised concerns that a cameraman had zoomed in on their client during the proceedings, seemingly to capture private conversations. The defense also presented previous footage that they claimed showed the cameraman violating an earlier order from Judge Graf regarding recording during hearings. Advertisement Advertisement After considering the attorneys' arguments and making his ruling, Graf also warned that such close-up footage of Robinson could prejudice the remainder of the proceedings. However, he declined to hold the videographer in contempt or issue a fine, though he noted that doing so was within his authority. The Alleged Charlie Kirk Shooter's Attorneys Want One Of The Prosecutors Removed Facebook | Amber Robinson The January 16 hearing saw Robinson's attorneys continue their push to remove a local prosecutor from the case over an alleged conflict of interest. In a previous hearing, Robinson's counsel, Richard Novak, claimed that a family member of one of the prosecutors was present at the event where Charlie was killed, and that keeping that particular prosecutor on the case could prejudice the matter. Now, as part of their argument to have the request granted, Robinson's attorneys asked for it to be referred to the Utah Attorney General's Office. Advertisement Advertisement In response, Judge Graf declined and ruled that an evidentiary hearing would be held to determine whether the prosecutor should be removed. Robinson is now expected to return to court on February 3 and has yet to enter a plea. California Gov. Gavin Newsom is touting knee pads for business, political, and academic leaders who he says have caved to Donald Trump. Newsom has done so before, but he did again at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland. The last round of knee pads sold out, just as our law firms are selling out, he said Thursday in an interview with Ben Smith, editor in chief of the news site Semafor. Many American universities are selling out, and yes, many corporate leaders are selling out to this administration. He then held up a knee pad printed with Trumps signature. Theyre the new Trump signature series knee pads, he said. - YouTube www.youtube.com Advertisement Advertisement Newsom, a contender for the 2028 Democratic presidential nomination and a frequent troller of Trump, was scheduled to speak Wednesday at USA House, a private venue at Davos sponsored by major corporations, including Microsoft and Pfizer, but endorsed by the U.S. government. But his appearance was canceled at the last minute, and he blamed the Trump administration, specifically the State Department. But an organizer at USA House told Politico that a decision had been made to focus on business leaders and not include U.S. elected officials. Related: California Gov. Newsom is considering a presidential run. Here's his LGBTQ+ rights record The governor had denounced powerful peoples subservience to Trump as well as Trump himself earlier in the four-day forum. I cant take this complicity of people rolling over, he told U.K. outlet Sky News Tuesday. I should have brought a bunch of knee pads for all the world leaders. I mean, handing out crowns, the Nobel prizes that are being given away. Its just pathetic. And I hope people understand how pathetic they look on the world stage. Advertisement Advertisement There are some who consider Newsom's knee pads remarks homophobic, implying that those giving in to Trump are going to perform a sexual act on him. "I guess it's ok to use homophobic language if you're a Democrat?" an X user going by RBPundit wrote. "It's so easy to oppose trump without being either misogynistic or homophobic. There's no reason for this," said Daniel Z, a commenter on Bluesky. But another Bluesky user, Mike Friedman, wrote, "You're overthinking it. It could also be kneeling before their Lord. Just relax. Try not to overthink jokes. OK? This old queen doesn't think it's homophobic." The Advocate has contacted Newsom's office for comment. Advertisement Advertisement In the interview with Smith, Newsom said the Trump administration has been marked by corruption and graft at a scale weve never seen in American history. He also denounced the administrations authoritarian tendencies. Related: Trump is pulling America under authoritarian rule, international human rights groups warn He emphasized that nothing is permanent, however. Trump will be remembered in years, not decades, he said. Newsoms interview came a day after Trump spoke at the forum, giving a bizarre speech in which he backed off from threats to seize Greenland by military force, claimed the U.S. gained the rights to Greenland after World War II (it didnt) but "gave it back" to Denmark, and frequently confused Greenland and Iceland. Greenland is a semi-autonomous territory of Denmark. Iceland, which is much smaller, is an independent nation. This article originally appeared on Advocate: Gavin Newsom touts knee pads for leaders who've caved to Trump German police have arrested three people at an aircraft hangar housing Chancellor Friedrich Merz's private plane in western Germany. Two women and one man aged 23, 28 and 56 are believed to have been looking to damage the plane, prosecutors in Merz's home town of Arnsberg said. They were arrested for trespassing after gaining unauthorized access to the Arnsberg-Menden airfield overnight. Merz, who took office last May, is an avid pilot and is based in Arnsberg, some 400 kilometres south-west of Berlin. Advertisement Advertisement Police officers became suspicious when a driver asked for directions to an airfield in the area. He was later identified as a known left-wing activist and police turned their attention to the airfield housing Merz's plane, leading to the arrest of the three German nationals. A group called Resistance Collective has claimed responsibility for the attempted plot, saying it had "attempted to ground Friedrich Merz's private jet as part of a protest action." Reports of militants from the Islamic State escaping from prisons in Syria are causing concern among Germany's security authorities. In recent days, Syria's transitional government has advanced further into areas in the country's north-east that were previously under the control of the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), prompting the SDF to withdraw from several camps and prisons that they controlled which held Islamic State fighters and their relatives. Government troops have since taken control of al-Shaddadi prison, the al-Hol camp and possibly another prison in Raqqa. Advertisement Advertisement Germany's domestic intelligence agency, the Federal Office for the Protection of the Constitution, said this process, which was accompanied by violent clashes, "very likely led to breakouts and uncontrolled releases." According to its information, some 40 people holding German citizenship were in the custody of Kurdish forces prior to the start of the offensive. An overview of how many of them may have escaped during the fighting in recent days is not yet available. On Wednesday, the US Central Command said it had launched a new mission to transfer up to 7,000 Islamic State detainees from north-eastern Syria to Iraqi facilities amid the growing instability. When asked about German Islamic State fighters on Wednesday, a spokesman from the German Foreign Office said there are currently no plans to repatriate the men imprisoned there. Advertisement Advertisement The domestic intelligence service considers people returning from Syria who have been trained in the use of weapons and indoctrinated with Islamist ideology or traumatized by their experiences to pose a high risk. It has also warned against underestimating the women and children who have been held in al-Hol camp for years, saying they could be "highly traumatized and radicalized." Reports of militants from the Islamic State escaping from prisons in Syria are causing concern among Germany's security authorities. In recent days, Syria's transitional government has advanced further into areas in the country's north-east that were previously under the control of the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), prompting the SDF to withdraw from several camps and prisons that they controlled which held Islamic State fighters and their relatives. Government troops have since taken control of al-Shaddadi prison, the al-Hol camp and possibly another prison in Raqqa. Advertisement Advertisement Germany's domestic intelligence agency, the Federal Office for the Protection of the Constitution, said this process, which was accompanied by violent clashes, "very likely led to breakouts and uncontrolled releases." According to its information, some 40 people holding German citizenship were in the custody of Kurdish forces prior to the start of the offensive. An overview of how many of them may have escaped during the fighting in recent days is not yet available. On Wednesday, the US Central Command said it had launched a new mission to transfer up to 7,000 Islamic State detainees from north-eastern Syria to Iraqi facilities amid the growing instability. When asked about German Islamic State fighters on Wednesday, a spokesman from the German Foreign Office said there are currently no plans to repatriate the men imprisoned there. Advertisement Advertisement The domestic intelligence service considers people returning from Syria who have been trained in the use of weapons and indoctrinated with Islamist ideology or traumatized by their experiences to pose a high risk. It has also warned against underestimating the women and children who have been held in al-Hol camp for years, saying they could be "highly traumatized and radicalized." According to reports, no attacks have been carried out in Germany by returnees from Syria. In 2023, however, a man was arrested and sentenced to eight years in prison in Germany for agreeing to carry out an attack on a pro-Israeli demonstration. He had travelled to Syria in 2013 and was sentenced to five years in juvenile detention after his return in 2017. He then took part in a programme for people leaving extremist groups. Germany and Ethiopia on Thursday highlighted the importance of the United Nations for conflict resolution, as US President Donald Trump launched a new international body widely considered a challenge to the decades-old organization. "In times of geopolitical crises, the answer cannot be to withdraw from the international order and seek to replace its central institutions," German Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul said after talks with Mahmoud Ali Youssouf, chairperson of the African Union Commission, in Addis Ababa. "We all know that the international order is being disrupted, that creates a sense of uncertainty and unpredictability for the future," Youssouf said. Advertisement Advertisement "It's certainly not helpful, nor can we properly plan the full execution of our peace and development agenda in these circumstances. Let us hope that reason and wisdom will prevail over reckless and disrupting decisions that have global impacts." Wadephul, who did not refer to Trump's so-called Board of Peace directly, said that Germany was seeking to expand its global partnerships, "with the clear aim of defending the rules-based world order." Trump signed the founding charter of the Board of Peace at the World Economic Forum in Davos on Thursday. The US president himself chairs the board, which he bills as a new international organization to spearhead peace-building initiatives. Trump originally conceived of the board as a body to oversee the reconstruction of the Gaza Strip following the two-year war between Israel and the militant group Hamas. Novo Nordisk A/S (NVO) kicked off 2026 with a major milestone: the U.S. launch of the Wegovy weight-loss pill. This marks the first oral GLP-1 therapy, which was approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in late December. And this wasnt just another product rollout. It signaled a strategic shift in the way obesity treatment is delivered. Where injectable GLP-1 drugs require in-office or self-administered shots, a daily pill dramatically lowers the barrier to treatment for millions of patients who prefer a familiar, convenient option. More News from Barchart Early traction has been encouraging, with the first few days on the market showing the Wegovy pill amassing over 3,000 retail prescriptions. Further, that figure doesnt include online pharmacy data, which is believed to push the actual total even higher. Investors took notice, driving the companys shares up sharply following the launch. However, with fierce competition brewing, will the recent momentum be sustainable? About Novo Nordisk Stock Headquartered in Denmark, multinational pharmaceutical and healthcare company Novo Nordisk continues to be a leader in chronic disease treatment since its founding in 1923. Best known for its diabetes and obesity care products, including blockbuster medicines such as Ozempic, Rybelsus, and the recently launched Wegovy weight-loss pill, it also develops treatments for cardiovascular disease and rare disorders. Novo Nordisk is a heavyweight in the global healthcare sector with a market cap of $270.9 billion. Over recent weeks, Novo Nordisks stock performance has shifted from muted to noticeably stronger, driven largely by renewed enthusiasm around its newly launched Wegovy weight-loss pill. After a challenging stretch last year, with the share price under pressure, the 52-week performance was at -22.89%. The narrative changed in late December when the FDA's approval of its pill sparked a rally, with shares jumping as much as 7.3% on Dec. 23 as investors priced in the potential of the first-of-its-kind oral GLP-1 therapy. But the official U.S. launch earlier this month prompted investors to continue to bid up the stock. Novo shares climbed 5.2% on Jan. 5, following the launch announcement. Germany and Ethiopia on Thursday highlighted the importance of the United Nations for conflict resolution, as US President Donald Trump launched a new international body widely considered a challenge to the decades-old organization. "In times of geopolitical crises, the answer cannot be to withdraw from the international order and seek to replace its central institutions," German Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul said after talks with Mahmoud Ali Youssouf, chairperson of the African Union Commission, in Addis Ababa. "We all know that the international order is being disrupted, that creates a sense of uncertainty and unpredictability for the future," Youssouf said. Advertisement Advertisement "It's certainly not helpful, nor can we properly plan the full execution of our peace and development agenda in these circumstances. Let us hope that reason and wisdom will prevail over reckless and disrupting decisions that have global impacts." Wadephul, who did not refer to Trump's so-called Board of Peace directly, said that Germany was seeking to expand its global partnerships, "with the clear aim of defending the rules-based world order." Trump signed the founding charter of the Board of Peace at the World Economic Forum in Davos on Thursday. The US president himself chairs the board, which he bills as a new international organization to spearhead peace-building initiatives. Advertisement Advertisement Trump originally conceived of the board as a body to oversee the reconstruction of the Gaza Strip following the two-year war between Israel and the militant group Hamas. He has since suggested the body's ambitions could be stepped up to handle conflicts and crises worldwide and said at the ceremony that the board "can spread out to other things" beyond Gaza. Many analysts see such a suggestion as an attack on the UN, which Trump says he values but has repeatedly criticized for failing to resolve conflicts. Wadephul, who arrived in Ethiopia on the heels of a one-day visit to Kenya, highlighted the importance of strengthening ties with the African Union, an intergovernmental organization headquartered in Addis Ababa and made up of 55 member states. Advertisement Advertisement "At a time when the fundamental principles of the world order are being openly questioned, we need partnerships to defend these very principles," the German minister said. "We are united by the conviction that integration and rule-based cooperation make us strong." Germany and the African Union are looking to launch a strategic dialogue for jointly developing solutions to major global challenges, with Wadephul mentioning peace and security, energy and climate, and migration and mobility as possible areas of cooperation. Germany is expelling a Russian embassy staffer over links to a woman arrested on suspicion of spying for Moscow, Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul said on Thursday. It comes after authorities in Berlin arrested a woman on Wednesday suspected of spying for a Russian intelligence agency and passing on information related to the war in Ukraine. The German-Ukrainian national is believed to have been in contact with a middleman at the Russian embassy in the German capital who worked for a Russian intelligence service, according to the Federal Public Prosecutors' Office. Advertisement Advertisement Since November 2023 at the latest, the suspect provided the contact with "information relating to the war between the Russian Federation and Ukraine" on several occasions, Germany's top law enforcement agency said in a statement. The German Foreign Office has since summoned the Russian ambassador and declared the person in question undesirable, Wadephul said on the sidelines of a visit to Ethiopia. Germany is expelling a Russian embassy staffer over links to a woman arrested on suspicion of spying for Moscow, Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul said on Thursday. It comes after authorities in Berlin arrested a woman on Wednesday suspected of spying for a Russian intelligence agency and passing on information related to the war in Ukraine. The German-Ukrainian national, who has since been placed in pre-trial detention, is believed to have been in contact with a middleman at the Russian embassy in the German capital who worked for a Russian intelligence service, according to the Federal Public Prosecutors' Office. Advertisement Advertisement Since November 2023 at the latest, the suspect provided the contact with "information relating to the war between the Russian Federation and Ukraine" on several occasions, Germany's top law enforcement agency said. More specifically, the woman is accused of gathering background on participants in "high-profile political events" as well as "information on the locations of the arms industry, drone tests and planned deliveries of drones to Ukraine." To that end, she also contacted former German Defence Ministry employees "whom she knew personally." The German Foreign Office has since summoned the Russian ambassador and declared the person in question undesirable, Wadephul said on the sidelines of a visit to Ethiopia. Advertisement Advertisement Wadephul said that it was made clear to the Russian ambassador "that this is a hostile act and that intelligence activities are completely unacceptable in our country especially under the guise of diplomacy." Germany's response shows that "we are watching Russia's actions very closely and we are taking action against them. Russia's aggressive behaviour has consequences." BERLIN, Jan 22 (Reuters) - German Chancellor Friedrich Merz welcomed on Thursday U.S. President Donald Trump's shift in rhetoric on Greenland and urged Europeans not to be too quick to write off the transatlantic partnership. Merz was addressing the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, a day after Trump abruptly stepped back from threats to impose tariffs as leverage to seize Greenland and ruled out the use of force. The U.S. threats had risked the deepest rupture in transatlantic relations in decades and a global trade war. Advertisement Advertisement "Despite all the frustration and anger of recent months, let us not be too quick to write off the transatlantic partnership," Merz said in a sweeping speech covering global security and European competitiveness. "We Europeans, we Germans, know how precious the trust is on which NATO rests. In an age of great powers, the United States, too, will depend on this trust. It is their and our decisive competitive advantage." Europe and the United States must repair the trust on which the transatlantic alliance was built, he said. Germany was among the seven European countries that sent small numbers of military personnel to Greenland last week as Denmark said it was pressing on with plans for a larger and more permanent NATO presence to secure the island. (Reporting by Madeline Chambers and Sarah Marsh in Berlin) German Chancellor Friedrich Merz expressed relief over US President Donald Trump's surprise announcement to no impose additional tariffs on some European countries over a possible agreement on Greenland. "I am very grateful that President Trump has refrained from his original plans to take over Greenland. And I am also grateful that he has refrained from imposing additional tariffs on February 1," said Merz on Thursday as he arrived at an EU summit in Brussels. The meeting was originally convened to find a joint response to the threatened tariffs. EU leaders are now focused on drawing lessons from the past days and find a way of dealing with changing transatlantic relations. Advertisement Advertisement Merz said that the "we will have to strengthen the resilience and robustness of the European Union." "The European Union, the European part of NATO, must be able to defend itself," Merz said, adding that despite progress "we are still a long way from achieving everything we need to achieve." In addition, the EU has to improve its competitiveness, he said. Airlines flying from Europe to the Far East have become reliant on a precarious 85-mile air corridor above the Caucasus, which is at risk of anti-aviation weaponry and military ops according to one air traffic control body. Since 2022, Russian airspace has been closed to Western airlines, and many operators are advised to avoid Iranian airspace. As a result, airlines have been forced to redraw their flight paths from Europe to the Far East, through the skies of Azerbaijan. Most international air traffic control bodies consider the Azerbaijan corridor to be safe. However, Canadas government warns: Caution [is] advised to Canadian operators in the airspace of Azerbaijan due to potential risk from anti-aviation weaponry and military ops. Advertisement Advertisement This hasnt stopped international carriers from maximising on the air corridor, which was busier than usual this month after Iran temporarily closed its airspace following threats from Donald Trump. Saudi Arabia, the Black Sea and even the Arctic have also seen busier skies as a result of recent geopolitical events. However, due to its narrow width 85 miles at its tightest point the Azerbaijan corridor is worth closer inspection. If this were to close for any reason, the impact on global aviation would be massive. Very close to Russian airspace The rise in traffic through Azerbaijans airspace is stark. Figures published by the aviation organisation CANSO shows that air traffic volume for the January to June period has grown from 78,100 in 2023 to 97,900 in 2024 to 125,600 in 2025: a 60 per cent increase in two years. As the route grows in popularity, more airlines are selecting Azerbaijans main airport, Heydar Aliyev International in Baku, as a stopover hub. In 2025, the number of transit passengers passing through the airport was 974,000 up 30 per cent on the 750,000 recorded in 2024. Advertisement Advertisement Brian Smith, a pilot for a cargo airline, flies the Azerbaijan corridor on a regular basis. He says the it adds between two and three hours of flight time to routes that previously traversed Russian airspace. In fact, its a narrower corridor than first might appear as it generally avoids entering Azerbaijan through Armenia, since there is tension there after the unresolved conflict over Nagorno-Karabakh, Mr Smith says. For decades, Azerbaijan and Armenia have been embroiled in a territorial dispute over the Nagorno-Karabakh region. In March 2025, the leaders of the two countries agreed to end the nearly 40-year conflict. However, tensions remain fresh in the memory, with rocket fire in the region as recently as December 2020. It is due to these historic tensions that Canada continues to caution airlines flying through the region. The UK Foreign Office advises against all travel to within 5km of the border with Armenia, due to tensions between Azerbaijan and Armenia. Advertisement Advertisement Consequently, most if not all traffic passes through Georgia from Turkey and enters Azerbaijan in the north, skirting very close to Russian Federation airspace, says Smith. This, too, represents a pressure point. Due to ongoing tensions, the FCDO advises against all travel to within 5km of the Armenia/Azerbaijan border - AP Photo/Sergei Grits On Dec 25, 2024, an Azerbaijan Airlines flight from Baku, Azerbaijan, to Grozny, Russia, was struck by a Russian surface-to-air missile during its approach to Grozny. The pilots attempted an emergency landing by crossing the Caspian Sea towards western Kazakhstan, where it crash-landed close to Aktau Airport, killing 38. Smith says he is confident that the corridor is safe from the point of view of aircraft separation, given that air traffic control must ensure vertical (1,000 feet) and lateral (20 nautical miles) gaps between aircraft. However, there are concerns over what might happen in an emergency scenario. From a contingency point of view it does offer fewer alternate airfields than we might like, if there is a need to divert in a hurry. What if the corridor closed? There are a few hypothetical scenarios worth entertaining. The Armenia-Azerbaijan peace deal could fall apart, leading to a flare up of tensions in the Nagorno-Karabakh region. Chechen anti-aircraft missiles could stray into northern Azerbaijan and come worryingly close to commercial airliners. Or external military forces could target Iranian naval bases on the Caspian Sea, less than 100 miles from Azerbaijan. Advertisement Advertisement Any one of these events could lead to a NOTAM (notice to air missions) to avoid Azerbaijan airspace. David Mumford of OpsGroup, an international organisation which monitors global airspace for risks, explains what would happen next. With Russia and Ukraine off-limits, and most operators now avoiding Iran, if Azerbaijan were to have significant issues with its airspace then it would certainly impact east to west traffic, with most operators then having to route via Egypt and Saudi via the UAE for flights between Europe and Asia, Mr Mumford says. Mr Smith calculates the impact: If the corridor was to close, it would force airlines to use the southern route. This would represent an additional 3,000 miles or so and a very punitive increase in costs. The number of transit passengers at Azerbaijans Heydar Aliyev Airport increased by 30pc between 2024 and 2025 - Thankful Photography/Alamy Stock Photo A technical stop would likely be necessary in, say, the UAE to uplift fuel, as the trip may not be possible in one hop. Such a detour would inevitably trickle down to the passenger by way of higher ticket prices. Advertisement Advertisement Alternatively, and this depends largely on the insurance aspects, flights can enter Iraq from southern Turkey and skirt western Iran in the Gulf, but Iraq is also busy and lacks capacity and infrastructure to offer any significant increase in traffic, he added. Iraq airspace has intermittently closed in recent years due to military exchanges between Iran and Israel. In July 2025, OpsGroup posted: There are high risks to civil aircraft in Iraq. Iraqi airspace should be avoided entirely, except for specific routes and altitudes. A final option, were the Azerbaijan corridor to close, would be for airlines travelling between Europe and the Far East to adopt the Polar route. This is also prohibitively expensive for flights from Europe, says Smith, and presents other challenges in airspace management and capacity, given there is no radar surveillance over the North Pole. Advertisement Advertisement Every day many hundreds sometimes north of 1,000 planes pass through the Azerbaijan air corridor. Most passengers, looking at the line on their in-flight screen, wont know they are in a passage fringed by live and dormant war zones. The corridor may remain open and functional for many years, but it still serves as an important reminder for all the technological developments in aviation, our flight paths are dictated by events at ground level. Try full access to The Telegraph free today. Unlock their award-winning website and essential news app, plus useful tools and expert guides for your money, health and holidays. President Trump has said he wants to create a national missile system, which he's called the "Golden Dome for America," to protect the U.S. from foreign threats. But the plans are far from coming to fruition, and it would come with a steep price. Already though, China has criticized the plan as a threat that it says would increase the risks of militarizing space, and fuel a global arms race. The president said his administration had "selected an architecture" for the "state-of-the-art system," which could cost hundreds of billions of dollars and put U.S. weapons in space for the first time in history. In January 2026, Mr. Trump said a framework agreement he'd reached with America's NATO allies to defuse a standoff over his demands for the U.S. to take control of Greenland would include "a piece of" the Golden Dome being situated on the vast Arctic island. Advertisement Advertisement Greenland is in a crucial location for U.S. defense, as any attack by America's biggest adversaries, be it with missiles, drones or ships, could be deployed across the Arctic, which is the shortest path from Asia to the U.S. East Coast. What is the Golden Dome and how would it work? The Golden Dome would be a multilayered defense system that the president has said will include "next-generation technologies" deployed on "land, sea and space, including space-based sensors and interceptors." "The Golden Dome will be capable of intercepting missiles even if they are launched from other sides of the world and even if they are launched from space," the president said, adding that he wants it to be operational before his second term ends. Advertisement Advertisement The concept includes capabilities that would defend against missiles by detecting and destroying them ahead of launch, intercepting them early in flight, halting them midcourse, and stopping them in the last few moments of approaching a target. The initiative would have multiple layers that expand on what the U.S. already has and build new programs to counter the full range of aerial threats, according to Gen. Gregory Guillot, the head of U.S. Northern Command, who testified in front of Congress in April. He described one layer of defenses that would track threats, and then two other layers: "The first being an ICBM (intercontinental ballistic missile) defeat layer, which largely exists today with the GBIs (ground-based interceptors) that can defeat a North Korean threat and then an air layer that would defeat cruise missiles and air threats." "The time to intercept a missile is when it launches," retired Gen. Frank McKenzie, a CBS News contributor and former commander of the U.S. Central Command, told CBS News. He said that early in a missile's flight, it is on "a highly predictable" path, can't maneuver and can't deploy systems to spoof radars, making that the ideal time to disable it. Advertisement Advertisement "And to do that, you really have to go into space. You have to have a space-based system to do that," McKenzie said. "That's very possible. We've looked at this at different times." McKenzie said he hoped "that's where our thinking and our science is going to take us." "This is not going to be off the cuff," Tom Karako, the director of the Missile Defense Project at the Center for Strategic and International Studies, told CBS News in an interview. "This is going to be well-rooted in the systems engineering and the understanding of the threat and in the overall architecture plans that have been in the works for a long time." Sen. Dan Sullivan, a Republican from Alaska, told CBS News' Margaret Brennan in August 2025 that his state has long been home to key pieces of America's national missile defense infrastructure, and that he was working with the Pentagon on the development of plans for the Golden Dome. Advertisement Advertisement "We have new threats. We have hypersonics, we have drones. We have, heck, even we've seen it here in Alaska, spy balloons. What we need to do is upgrade the system with what's called a layered defense, not just the ground based system here," Sullivan said. "You work it more with different systems, Aegis Ashore, THADD, and then including space-based systems both for tracking and intercepting and you do that with the open architecture in terms of software to integrate those systems." How much will the Golden Dome cost? The initiative, which will encompass many programs, will be built in states including Florida, Georgia, Indiana and Alaska, according to Mr. Trump, and involve multiple American defense and technology companies that have not yet been selected. The Congressional Budget Office has estimated a cost of $542 billion for the space-based components alone. Advertisement Advertisement "The cost is certainly a daunting thing," McKenzie said. "But on the other hand, the ability to defend the United States against a nuclear attack, not necessarily a massive Russian attack, but, you know, an attack from North Korea, an attack from Iran, a potential attack from a country like Pakistan, who's working to develop an ICBM. Those are all things that I think are feasible, and I think certainly are worth the cost that would be necessary to work the system." Aerospace and defense company Lockheed Martin, which said on X that it was ready to support the dome mission, described it as a "revolutionary concept." "This is a Manhattan Project-scale mission, one that is both urgent and crucial to America's security," the company said. Lockheed Martin COO Frank St. John said it would protect against nuclear missiles as well as intermediate-range ballistic and cruise missiles, and other threats. Advertisement Advertisement Mr. Trump said U.S. Space Force Gen. Michael Guetlein would be responsible for overseeing the dome's progress. However, there is no funding yet to match the plan, which is "still in the conceptual stage," Air Force Secretary Troy Meink told senators at a hearing in May 2025. The Pentagon is also still developing the requirements that the dome will have to meet, The Associated Press reported. Israel's Iron Dome The Golden Dome idea first came to public light during Mr. Trump's joint address to Congress in March 2025, when he asked for funding for it. "Israel has it, other places have it, and the United States should have it, too," he said. Advertisement Advertisement The president was referring to Israel's Iron Dome defense system, which at least partially inspired the Golden Dome concept. Israel's system, installed in 2011 to defend against incoming projectiles, largely addresses shorter-range threats like rockets, while two other air defense systems work to defend against missiles. The Iron Dome, developed with U.S. backing, has intercepted thousands of rockets and has a success rate topping 90%, according to Israel. China responds China's foreign ministry has called on the U.S. "to abandon the development and deployment of a global missile defense system as soon as possible." Advertisement Advertisement "The United States, in pursuing a 'U.S.-first' policy, is obsessed with seeking absolute security for itself," a ministry spokesperson said last year. "This violates the principle that the security of all countries should not be compromised and undermines global strategic balance and stability. China is seriously concerned about this." The spokesperson added that the Golden Dome plan, "heightens the risk of space becoming a battlefield" and "fuels an arms race." "It's kind of humorous that the Chinese would talk about militarizing space, since I would guess they've done more work on militarizing space than any other nation in the world," McKenzie said. "I would argue this is an inherently defensive system, and it's designed to protect the United States from attack." A U.S. Defense Intelligence Agency assessment shows that the U.S. military expects, over the coming decade, to contend with missile threats that are greater in "scale and sophistication." It also said that "China and Russia are developing an array of novel delivery systems to exploit gaps in the current U.S. ballistic missile defenses." Advertisement Advertisement China has rapidly developed its missile and other military capabilities, while deepening ties with Russia. The two nations said in a joint statement in 2025 that the dome project was "deeply destabilizing in nature" and would turn space into "an arena for armed confrontation." Karako said that the Golden Dome initiative was "a belated realignment of U.S. missile defense policy" to counter both China and Russia. "Could [the Golden Dome] launch another spiral of offensive developments to try to break through?" McKenzie said. "Certainly that's possible. And I recognize that's a possibility. Having said that, I still think it's an objective worth pursuing." Tim Walz, Jacob Frey and more Minnesota officials subpoenaed by DOJ Sneak peek: The Ivy League Murder Jury deliberating in trial for former Uvalde officer charged over school shooting response California Gov. Gavin Newsom was denied entry to the US Pavilion at Davos on Wednesday. Newsom's office, in social media posts, blamed the Trump administration for blocking his entry. "How weak and pathetic do you have to be to be this scared of a fireside chat?" Newsom wrote on X. California Gov. Gavin Newsom accused the Trump administration of pressuring the official US pavilion at the World Economic Forum to block his entry to a scheduled speaking event, according to posts from his office. How weak and pathetic do you have to be to be this scared of a fireside chat? https://t.co/esUCsDaYcw Gavin Newsom (@GavinNewsom) January 21, 2026 Newsom had been invited by Fortune, the event's official media partner, to speak to the press at the US pavilion on Wednesday afternoon, in addition to planned remarks at the World Economic Forum scheduled for Thursday. The governor's Thursday appearance is still on the Economic Forum's schedule. Advertisement Advertisement However, his public remarks planned for Wednesday were abruptly canceled when he was not permitted to enter the USA House, the church acting as the official US pavilion for the World Economic Forum, due to "pressure from the White House and State Department," the Governor's office said in a post on X. A representative for the Governor's office told Business Insider that, around 3 p.m. local time in Davos, a representative for the USA House reached out to rescind the invitation to the event, saying that an "elected official" speaking did not "align with their afternoon programming." The refusal to allow Newsom to participate came after multiple Trump Administration officials spoke at the USA House throughout the day, the governor's office said. This included remarks by Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent, who attacked Newsom directly, calling him "economically illiterate" and "worse than Kamala." In lieu of the planned public remarks, the USA House offered Newsom the option to attend a "nightcap reception" later in the evening, a representative for the Governor's office said. Advertisement Advertisement "How weak and pathetic do you have to be to be this scared of a fireside chat?" Newsom said in a separate post after his public remarks to the press had been canceled. The incident unfolded several hours after President Donald Trump gave a speech, which Newsom publicly criticized as boring. Business Insider's Ben Bergman, who attended Trump's speech, reported earlier in the day that Newsom said the audience response was muted because the president spoke down to them and mocked them. Newsom told reporters, "Had there not been cellphones, I think a few people would have passed out from boredom." Advertisement Advertisement Anna Kelly, a White House spokeswoman, told Business Insider when reached for comment about the tension between the two lawmakers, that "No one in Davos knows who third-rate governor Newscum is or why he is frolicking around Switzerland instead of fixing the many problems he created in California." Read the original article on Business Insider In her third State of the Commonwealth Address on Thursday night, Massachusetts Gov. Maura Healey will outline new steps her administration is taking to lower costs for residents and businesses. Among several new initiatives, Healey will announce immediate reductions to utility bills for all Massachusetts residential customers in February and March 2026. According to a spokesperson for Healeys office, electric bills will be reduced by 25 percent and gas bills will be reduced by 10 percent. Advertisement Advertisement The Healey administration will cover the $180 million cost of these reductions using existing funding sources. Customers will begin seeing the discounted rates reflected in their February utility bills. I called on the utilities to lower bills this winter, and now relief is on the way, Healey said in a statement shared with Boston 25 News on Thursday morning. Massachusetts customers will see their February and March electric bills reduced by 25 percent and gas bills reduced by 10 percent. We also know that longterm help is needed. Thats why were going to keep working every day to bring more energy into our state, oppose rate hikes, and get charges off of bills. In a statement, Energy and Environmental Affairs Secretary Rebecca Tepper emphasized the administrations broader commitment to addressing high energy costs. Families cannot support big winter energy bills right now, so we called for more relief. Our administration is working to help families make ends meet with $180 million in support, while continuing our advocacy for major reforms, Tepper said. Advertisement Advertisement Tepper noted that the administrations energy affordability legislation is designed to deliver lowercost energy during winter months by increasing energy supply in the state, securing more competitive energy prices, and reducing delivery costs. With energy costs rising nationwide, were going to keep calling for strong action in Massachusetts, Tepper added. This comes after the Healey administration took several steps to combat rising energy prices last year, including sending $220 million in relief to consumers through rebates and lower bills. Healeys State of the Commonwealth Address starts at 7 p.m. You can watch it live on Boston 25 News and streaming on Boston25News.com. Download the FREE Boston 25 News app for breaking news alerts. Follow Boston 25 News on Facebook and Twitter. | Watch Boston 25 News NOW Fog hangs over the Tillamook State Forest in Oregon. Kacey KC, Nevada's state forester, could soon be in charge of the Oregon Department of Forestry and the management and protection of 745,000 acres of state forestland. (Photo courtesy of Oregon Department of Forestry) After a year-long search, Gov. Tina Kotek has chosen Nevadas state forester to take the helm of the Oregon Department of Forestry. Kacey KC would be the first woman to permanently hold the directors position in the 115-year-old agencys history. The Oregon State Senate would need to confirm her appointment during the upcoming legislative session before she could take office on March 1. Advertisement Advertisement KC, from Nevada, most recently spent eight years as Nevadas State Forester Firewarden and three years as president of the National Association of State Foresters. Kacey KC brings tenacity and a get-it-done style to her management approach and knows how to build strong partnerships across all levels of government to tackle complex challenges, Kotek said in a statement. Kacey KC. (Photo courtesy of Gov. Tina Koteks Office) Its also the first time Kotek has had the authority to choose the state forester, rather than leaving the decision to the governor-appointed Board of Forestry, following the passage of Senate Bill 1051 during the summer. Leading up to the change in hiring authority in 2025, the Oregon Department of Forestry had been roiled by controversies in 2024, including going to the Legislature for emergency money to cover its wildfire season bills, executive investigations and firings over workplace misconduct, as reported by The Oregonian/OregonLive. Former director Cal Mukumoto resigned early last year at the urging of Kotek and the agency has been run by interim director Kate Skinner, who was previously lead forester in the Tillamook district. Advertisement Advertisement The Oregon state forester reports to the governor and the forestry board, and oversees the management and protection of 745,000 acres of forestland owned by the state of Oregon, as well as wildfire protection for 16 million acres of forestland in the state. All of this requires negotiating the desires of environmentalists, logging companies, tribes and private property owners. They also oversee a biennial budget of more than $570 million and roughly 1,400 employees. If confirmed, KC would earn $19,700 per month for the first six months on the job, after which her salary would increase to $21,069 per month, or roughly $252,000 per year. KC holds a bachelors degree in forestry from the University of Montana and is an alumna of the Peace Corps, where she volunteered for two years on community forestry projects in Nepal. Afterward, she returned to her home state to work for the Nevada Division of Forestry, then spent 10 years working on wildfire fuels reduction programs at the Nevada Department of Conservation and Natural Resources, including as program manager of the states Sagebrush Ecosystem Program. She returned to the forestry division as a deputy administrator of wildfire management in 2015, and in 2018 Nevadas governor appointed her as state forester firewarden. Advertisement Advertisement In 2021, she was appointed by Congress to a national Wildland Fire Mitigation and Management Commission to update the nations wildfire protection systems, and in 2023 her peers elected her president of the National Association of State Foresters. I am extremely excited for the opportunity to join the Oregon Department of Forestry team, KC said in a statement. While I am not from Oregon, my experience at both the national and state level equips me to deepen key relationships while leading and supporting the strong work and mission of the Department. SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX The wheat complex is trading with weakness on Tuesday across the three markets. Chicago SRW futures are posting 6 to 7 cent Tuesday losses. KC HRW futures are showing 3 to 4 cent losses at midday. MPLS spring wheat is down 2 to 3 cents in the front months on Tuesday. USDAs FGIS tallied wheat export shipments at 392,661 MT (14.43 mbu) during the week ending on January 15. That was 23.48% larger than the week prior and 49.97% above the same week last year. Mexico was the top destination of 110,660 MT, with 82,764 MT headed to Japan and 54,455 MT to Taiwan. Marketing year exports for 2025/26 are 15.975 MMT (586.96 mbu) since June 1, which is now 19.84% larger than the same period last year. More News from Barchart The weekly CFTC update via Commitment of Traders data showed managed money trimming just 936 contracts from their net short in CBT wheat futures and options to 106,229 contracts by Tuesday. As of January 13, specs were net short just 12,781 contracts in KC wheat futures and options, a 2,874 contract reduction from the week prior. Saudi Arabia purchased a total of 907,000 MT of wheat in a tender on Monday. Algeria also purchased an estimates 600,000 MT of wheat in a tender on Monday. European commission data showed 11.8 MMT of wheat exports from July 1 to January 15, which is behind the 12 MMT from the same period last year. Mar 26 CBOT Wheat is at $5.10 3/4, down 7 1/4 cents, May 26 CBOT Wheat is at $5.22, down 6 3/4 cents, Mar 26 KCBT Wheat is at $5.23 1/4, down 4 cents, May 26 KCBT Wheat is at $5.34 1/2, down 3 3/4 cents, Mar 26 MIAX Wheat is at $5.62 1/4, down 2 3/4 cents, May 26 MIAX Wheat is at $5.74 1/4, down 2 1/4 cents, On the date of publication, Austin Schroeder did not have (either directly or indirectly) positions in any of the securities mentioned in this article. All information and data in this article is solely for informational purposes. This article was originally published on Barchart.com A day after US President Donald Trump and NATO's chief purportedly struck a deal on Greenland, residents expressed anger and frustration that the Danish territory was again being sidelined in talks about its future. Carrying two steaming cappuccinos from a popular American coffee chain on Thursday, Niels Berthelsen took the time to stop despite the icy cold winds whipping the streets of Nuuk, the Greenlandic capital. "If they want to make deals about Greenland, they have to invite Greenland to the negotiating table," the 49-year-old skipper told AFP. Advertisement Advertisement "Nothing about Greenland without Greenland," he insisted repeatedly. Trump backed down on threats to seize Greenland by force after meeting NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte on Wednesday, saying they had reached a "framework" deal on the Danish autonomous territory. While details of the agreement made at the World Economic Forum in the Swiss ski resort of Davos remained scant, many Greenlanders, who fiercely defend their right to self-determination, were disappointed. "It's obviously a good thing that the military threat has gone down," Berthelsen said. "But they could just as easily have reached an agreement by inviting Greenland to the table, rather than having Mark Rutte negotiate a deal with Trump by himself. I find that very disrespectful on Mark Rutte's part." Advertisement Advertisement Fellow Nuuk resident Esther Jensen agreed. "I'm very disappointed, because Rutte cannot make any kind of agreement with Trump without Denmark or Greenland, and Denmark cannot make any decision without Greenland either. So we are very disappointed," said Jensen. Greenland's prime minister said he was not aware of the contents of the framework agreement, but stressed no deal could be made without involving the island. "Nobody else than Greenland and the Kingdom of Denmark have the mandate to make deals or agreements about Greenland and the Kingdom of Denmark without us," Jens-Frederik Nielsen told a press conference. Advertisement Advertisement "We have some red lines... We have to respect our territorial integrity. We have to respect international law, sovereignty." Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen said Rutte had coordinated with her and the Greenlandic government -- though Defence Minister Troels Lund Poulsen said on social media that Rutte "cannot negotiate an agreement on behalf of Denmark or Greenland". - Longing for quieter times - A Danish colony for three centuries, Greenland, which today has around 57,000 inhabitants, gradually gained autonomy in the second half of the 20th century. But Denmark's assimilation policies -- including de facto bans on the Inuit language and forced sterilisations -- have left Greenlanders bitter and angry. Advertisement Advertisement "Our country will neither be given away, nor will our future be gambled with," Greenland's Deputy Prime Minister Mute Egede said in a post on Facebook. "It is unacceptable to attempt to hand our land to others. This is our land -- we are the ones who shape its future." In Nuuk, some residents wondered what really went down in Davos. "We know all too well that Trump has a tendency to read too much into some things," said 80-year-old pensioner Arkalo Abelsen. "When Rutte... says that they've spoken about some possible solutions, in Trump's mind, that becomes a deal," Abelsen said, leaning on a crutch. Advertisement Advertisement "That's not a deal. There's no agreement." The unwelcome surge of interest in Greenland, and the turbulence caused by recent events, has tested locals' tranquil temperament. "Ever since Trump was re-elected president, we never know what's going to happen from one day to the next," said Abelsen. "Especially when he goes after our country like it's a piece of ice drifting in the sea. It's very destabilising. We feel powerless. "My wife and I speak about it every day. We say, 'If only we could go back to the days before Trump.' Back then, we knew what was going to happen." Susan Gudmundsdottir Johnsen, a 52-year-old travel agency employee, also said she longed for quieter times. "From now on, we need peace and quiet." cbw-phy/po/jhb/jj Sir Keir Starmer has said it is "a good thing" that Donald Trump has dropped threats of tariffs over Greenland - and that now the "hard yards" of bolstering Arctic security can begin. The prime minister welcomed the US presidents sudden shift in position while speaking to residents at a village hall in Hertfordshire. I think you will have noticed that the last few days have been incredibly serious in relation to big things happening on the world stage, he said. Advertisement Advertisement And you may have seen but it is a good thing that yesterday, the threat of tariffs against the United Kingdom was lifted and now we can start hard yards and finding a way forward on security in the Arctic, which may seem a long way away, pretty remote, but actually it does matter to all of us in terms of the safety and security of our country. And weve got through the last few days with a mix of British pragmatism, common sense, but also that British sense of sticking to our values and our principles. But now, as I say, the hard yards of actually finding a better way for security for our country, for Europe and across the globe. He said that he had not spoken to Donald Trump since he lifted his tariff threat, but told BBC Three Counties Radio that he will do so very soon. Advertisement Advertisement Nato, Greenland, and wind farms: Key points from Donald Trump's Davos speech What is Nato, and how could Trump's Greenland threats impact its future? The US president had been threatening to add a 10% tariff to goods from eight European countries, including the UK, over their opposition to his push to acquire Greenland. They were scheduled to go into effect on February 1. He had also threatened to increase the tariffs to 25% from June 1, until a deal was agreed for the US purchase of Greenland. However on Wednesday, President Trump said he and Nato's Mark Rutte have agreed "the framework of a future deal" on the Arctic. Advertisement Advertisement In response, Denmark's prime minister insisted that her country cant negotiate on Greenland's sovereignty and has been "informed that this is not the case". Mette Frederiksen, who is set to meet Starmer later in the day, said in a statement that security in the Arctic is a matter for all of Nato, and it is good and natural that it be discussed between the US president and the Nato Secretary General. She said that she had spoken with Rutte on an ongoing basis, including before and after he met Trump in Davos. This is not the first time Trump has threatened tariffs, only to later row them back, as ITV News Economic Editor Joel Hills reports: Writing on Truth Social on Wednesday, the president said: "Based upon a very productive meeting that I have had with the Secretary General of NATO, Mark Rutte, we have formed the framework of a future deal with respect to Greenland and, in fact, the entire Arctic Region. Advertisement Advertisement "This solution, if consummated, will be a great one for the United States of America, and all NATO Nations. Based upon this understanding, I will not be imposing the Tariffs that were scheduled to go into effect on February 1st. "Additional discussions are being held concerning The Golden Dome as it pertains to Greenland. Further information will be made available as discussions progress. "Vice President JD Vance, Secretary of State Marco Rubio, Special Envoy Steve Witkoff, and various others, as needed, will be responsible for the negotiations They will report directly to me. Thank you for your attention to this matter!" Speaking to reporters after posting the Truth Social post, Trump said there was now "the concept of a deal" on the table, but said it was "complex". Trump speaking to reporters at Davos after making his Truth Social post. Credit: AP But, he said, everybody was "very happy" with the deal, saying it "gives us everything we needed to get." Advertisement Advertisement "It's a long-term deal. It's the ultimate long-term deal, and I think it puts everybody in a really good position, especially as it pertains to security and minerals and everything else." He also said the deal would be "forever", although no official agreement had yet been signed. Appearing on Fox News on Wednesday evening, Rutte gave little hint about what precisely he and Trump agreed to, but said that a US takeover of Greenland "did not come up anymore in my conversations tonight with the president". We agreed that hes right, and hes right that collectively we have to protect the Arctic regions, Rutte said. Advertisement Advertisement Denmarks foreign minister Lars Lokke Rasmussen said the day was ending on a better note than it began. He added: Now, lets sit down and find out how we can address the American security concerns in the Arctic while respecting the red lines of the KoD (Kingdom of Denmark). Subscribe free to our weekly newsletter for exclusive and original coverage from ITV News. Direct to your inbox every Friday morning. The abrupt change of heart emerged hours after Trump had insisted that he wants to "get Greenland, including right, title and ownership," but said he would not use force to do so while deriding European allies and vowing that Nato should not try to block US expansionism. Advertisement Advertisement In a wide-ranging speech at the World Economic Forum in Davos, the president claimed he was asking for a territory that was "cold and poorly located". He said the US had effectively saved Europe during World War II, arguing that Greenland was a "very small ask" considering what the US has given Nato for "many, many decades." We probably wont get anything unless I decide to use excessive strength and force, where we would be frankly unstoppable. But I wont do that, OK? Trump said, later adding, I dont have to" and "I dont want to use force. This is not the first time Trump has threatened tariffs before, only to later row them back. In April, after first warning he would slap massive tariffs on nations from around the world - prompting a sharp negative market reaction - Trump eased off. Advertisement Advertisement Trump also moderated what had been aggressive posturing on Greenland on Wednesday when he said he would not take the territory by force. Want a quick and expert briefing on the biggest news stories? Listen to our latest podcasts to find out What You Need To Know... A Guatemalan man convicted of child sex crimes in Warren County has pleaded guilty to illegally reentering the country. [DOWNLOAD: Free WHIO-TV News app for alerts as news breaks] William Noe Cuellar Montufa, 39, of Guatemala, recently pleaded guilty in U.S. District Court, according to a spokesperson with the U.S. Attorneys Office, Southern District of Ohio. TRENDING STORIES: Advertisement Advertisement In January 2006, he was convicted of attempted unlawful sexual conduct with a minor, followed by a conviction in September 2007 for unlawful sexual conduct with a minor. After serving his sentences, he was deported in 2008, the spokesperson said. Montufa was arrested on Oct. 29 in Colerain Township, Ohio, where he was found to be illegally residing. Cincinnati Homeland Security Task Force (HSTF) agents learned that Montufa had a warrant for homicide from Guatemala, the spokesperson said. The agents acted upon intelligence alerts from U.S. Border Patrol regarding his potential presence in the area and observed associated vehicles before apprehending him. Advertisement Advertisement This defendant illegally reentered the country after being deported following his convictions for sex crimes and is now wanted for murder in Guatemala, U.S. Attorney Dominick S. Gerace II said. The identification, apprehension, and prosecution of criminal illegal aliens like Cuellar Montufa is essential to protect our communities, and my office will continue aggressively to pursue these cases. [SIGN UP: WHIO-TV Daily Headlines Newsletter] Military authorities in coup-prone Guinea-Bissau have scheduled presidential and legislative elections for 6 December, despite calls for a swifter transition to civilian rule. Transitional President Horta N'Tam signed a decree on Wednesday after meeting members of the National Transitional Council, military, and government officials, as well as representatives of the electoral commission. He told reporters the conditions for free and fair elections had been met. Advertisement Advertisement Since seizing power from President Umaro Sissoco Embalo in November, Guinea-Bissau's coup leaders have been under pressure from the West African regional body, Ecowas, to organise elections within a short transitional timeframe. The regional bloc had previously rejected the junta's notion of a one-year timeline, suspended the country from its decision-making bodies, and threatened further sanctions. It remains unclear how Ecowas will react to the election timetable now that it has been formally announced by the junta. The November 2025 coup drew widespread criticism, with many challenging the military's decision to seize power on the eve of the official proclamation of presidential election results. Advertisement Advertisement At the time, both President Embalo and his main challenger Fernando Dias claimed victory. The military said it intervened to thwart a plot to destabilise the politically fragile and unstable West African nation. But some regional observers, including former Nigerian President Goodluck Jonathan, argued the coup was staged. Many now wait to discover the identities of those aspiring for the country's top job. The transitional charter adopted shortly after the coup already bars interim leader N'Tam and his prime minister from running. But given the trend of coup leaders in West Africa consolidating power and extending their stay in office, observers will no doubt question whether Guinea-Bissau will be any exception. [BBC] More BBC stories on Guinea-Bissau: [Getty Images/BBC] Go to BBCAfrica.com for more news from the African continent. Follow us on Twitter @BBCAfrica, on Facebook at BBC Africa or on Instagram at bbcafrica BBC Africa podcasts CONAKRY, Guinea (AP) Junta leader Gen. Mamadi Doumbouya was sworn in Saturday as president of Guinea after he overwhelmingly won last year's presidential election despite an earlier promise not to present himself as a candidate. Doumbouya took power in a 2021 military coup and has run the country with an iron fist. In December, he won the presidential election, which was held under a new constitution that revoked a ban on military leaders running for office and extended the presidential mandate from five years to seven years. Doumbouya was accused by critics of clamping down on opposition and dissent. On Saturday, Doumbouya took the oath of office in a brand-new 55,000-seat stadium located in the suburbs of Conakry, the capital, before an audience of African leaders and representatives of the African Union Commission and the ECOWAS Commission. Advertisement Advertisement I fully appreciate the immense responsibility that the people of Guinea have entrusted to me following the presidential election," he said. This mandate that has just been given to me is not a personal honor; it is a commitment to the Guinean people. A commitment to address the various governance challenges facing our country. Although rich in mineral resources, half of Guineas 15 million population is mired in poverty and experiences record levels of food insecurity, according to the World Food Program. The Simandou iron ore project, a 75% Chinese-owned mega mining project at the worlds largest iron deposit, has been the focal point of infrastructural and economic revitalization for the junta. Production at the site began late last year after decades of delay. The authorities are banking on the project to create thousands of jobs and open investments in other sectors, including education and health. Many supporters of the president-elect attended the ceremony. Swept up in the lively atmosphere, 28-year-old law student Rokiatou Kaba, from the Kankan Prefecture Doumbouyas hometown was overjoyed. Advertisement Advertisement Guinea is fully back on the international stage. Economic takeoff is imminent, prosperity is guaranteed," he told The Associated Press. But not everyone was convinced. In the corner of the stadium, Hassmiou Balde, a 26-year-old economics student, seemed lost in thought, oblivious to the atmosphere around him. This is all just theater," he said. After driving out all the real opposition, he surrounded himself with minor, unknown rivals. He added: It's a charade. A power grab. Guinea is one of the several West African countries that have seen a coup or coup attempt since 2020. Military officers have taken advantage of popular discontent with deteriorating security, underwhelming economies, or disputed elections to seize power. State Sen. Casey Crabtree, R-Madison, speaks in the South Dakota Senate during the 2024 legislative session at the Capitol in Pierre. (Photo by Makenzie Huber/South Dakota Searchlight) PIERRE A South Dakota Senate committee unanimously voted Thursday to advance legislation that removes silencers from the states definition of a controlled weapon. Unregistered possession of a controlled weapon is a felony, which could result in two years of jail time. Advertisement Advertisement State regulation is unnecessary, said Sen. Casey Crabtree, a Republican from Madison who introduced the legislation and is seeking the Republican nomination for U.S. House. Gun suppressors are not weapons. They are simply hearing protection. A suppressor quiets the reports from gunfire, and supporters of deregulation say its a hearing protection measure for hunters and people in the surrounding area. Opponents of deregulation, including the national organization Everytown for Gun Safety, say silencers make it harder for bystanders or law enforcement to identify and react quickly to gunshots. Nobody testified against the bill Thursday. SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX Advertisement Advertisement Republican Attorney General Marty Jackley supports the legislation. Listing a silencer as a controlled weapon, he said, doesnt promote or help public safety. There are already protections in place at the federal level, he said. Its simply extra government that doesnt achieve any result, Jackley told the committee. Brian Gosch, a lobbyist who spoke on behalf of the National Rifle Association, said theres also the good neighbor aspect to consider. If you have a suppressed AR, thats going to be quieter for the neighbors, he said, referring to AR-style rifles. If were all out shooting suppressed shotguns in the field, were going to be able to communicate a lot better like that. The bill now goes to the full Senate. For broadcasters: (The Center Square) Citing a growing lack of civility in U.S. politics, New Hampshire lawmakers are considering proposals seeking to limit online harassment and intimidation based on a persons' political affiliation or views. One proposal, HB 1464, would criminalize so-called "doxing" and prevent employers from firing or discriminating against a person because of their political affiliation or opinion. It would also expand a state law that outlaws abusive phone threats and other behavior to include online harassment. Under the bill, perpetrators could be charged with a Class B felony if the harassment resulted in the victim losing their jobs or suffering economic harm, and if the doxing causes a reasonable person to suffer substantial emotional distress or fear for their safety, employment, or economic well-being." Advertisement Advertisement Another bill, HB 1367, would define doxing as the "intentional" posting of someone's personal information "without their consent with the intent to "threaten, intimidate, harass, or cause substantial emotional distress or physical harm." It would become a Class A misdemeanor, with violators facing up to a year in jail and up to a $2,000 fine. The primary sponsor of both bills, state Rep. Terry Roy, R-Deerfield, says political speech New Hampshire and elsewhere has reached dangerous heights. "People are being harassed. They are being scared out of their homes and jobs. And let's be frank, people are being killed," Roy, who chairs the panel, told fellow lawmakers. "We have to take the steam out of this balloon, it's going to pop. You can't watch the news without somebody being harassed. And this is both parties. It's happening to everyone." Roy said under New Hampshire's current laws, a landlord could choose not to rent to a prospective tenant because they are a Democrat or a Republican. That's because a person's political affiliation is not considered a "protected class" under current state law. Advertisement Advertisement "That should not be legal," Roy told the panel. "We should not be allowed to discriminate against people because of what they believe politically. That's what this bill does." If approved, New Hampshire would join nearly a dozen states that penalize the act of doxing, according to the Council of State Governments. The laws defining doxing differ by state, as do criminal and civil penalties, the council said. The Foundation for Individual Rights and Expression, a free speech advocacy group, has warned that anti-doxing laws can unnecessarily infringe on First Amendment rights by punishing those who post what is otherwise considered public information. The group said federal and state laws already protect against harassment and intimidation."Merely disclosing the names of government agents or places where they carry out their official duties is constitutionally protected speech, especially when tied to political criticism," the group said in a recent statement. But political observers say coordinated doxing campaigns are on the rise. Critics say social media companies are playing a role in online harassment, which has prompted some companies to tighten their posting policies. Following the assasination of conservative activist Charlie Kirk, online groups targeted academics, teachers, government workers and others who posted negative comments about him. Advertisement Advertisement Roy said while New Hampshire hasn't experienced any recent acts of political violence, his proposal seeks to stop online harassment before it leads to a tragedy in the state. He said the need for a law is a reflection of a society where people with opposing political viewpoints are resorting to threats and violence instead of civil discourse. "These are things we used to celebrate in this country," he said. "We need to treat each other better. Unfortunately, we used to be able to do that without laws. Apparently, we don't anymore." NEED TO KNOW Researchers have discovered an outline of a hand inside a cave in Indonesia, which could be the oldest cave art ever found Archeologists also believe Indigenous Australians created the art The piece displays a reddish hand that was reworked to illustrate a claw image, researchers said An outline of a hand inside a cave in Indonesia could be the oldest cave art ever found. Researchers have discovered the stencilled print on the larger island of Sulawesi, according to new reports by the BBC, NBC News and U.K. newspaper The Guardian. Advertisement Advertisement Scientists believe the painting, which is located inside the Liang Metanduno limestone cave on Muna, an island off of Sulawesi, dates back to at least 67,800 years ago. The piece displays a reddish hand that was reworked to illustrate a claw image, researchers said, per the BBC. Archeologists also believe the art was created by Indigenous Australians, The Guardian reported. This is due to the pointed shape of the finer tips, which suggests that the work was the outline of a human hand, NBC News reported. Cover Images via AP Images Oldest cave art discovered in Sulawesi, Indonesia Oldest cave art discovered in Sulawesi, Indonesia Never miss a story sign up for PEOPLE's free daily newsletter to stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from juicy celebrity news to compelling human interest stories. Researchers say the original artist would have poured pigment onto a hand before pressing it against the rock, per the outlet. Advertisement Advertisement Theres a lot of rock art out there, but its really difficult to date, Prof Maxime Aubert, an archaeologist at Griffith University in Queensland, told The Guardian. When you can date it, it opens up a completely different world. Its an intimate window into the past, and an intimate window into these peoples minds. Researchers were able to predict the age of the painting by examining the mineral crusts that had developed on top of the piece, according to NBC News. Adam Brumm, a co-author of the study which was published in the journal Nature on Wednesday, per NBC News, said the finding is pretty extraordinary, because usually rock art is very difficult to date, and it doesnt date back to anywhere near that old. The painting of the hand is over 15,000 years older than another cave painting on Sulawesi that researchers found in 2024, the outlet reported. Cover Images via AP Images Oldest cave art discovered in Sulawesi, Indonesia Oldest cave art discovered in Sulawesi, Indonesia The younger painting, believed to be around 51,200 years old, reportedly portrays three human-like figures with a pig. Advertisement Advertisement I thought we were doing pretty well then, but this one image just completely blew that other one away, Brumm told NBC News. It really just shows how long people have been making rock art in that part of the world. Its a very long time, he added. The previous record holder for the oldest cave art in the world was Spain's red hand stencil in Maltravieso cave in Western Spain, which is 66,700 years old, according to the BBC. Read the original article on People HARLINGEN WaterWorks officials are warning theyll cut off Primeras water supply if the citys fails to pay on its $40,000 service debt. After months of talks, officials are requesting Primera residents demand the city pay up. WaterWorks pleads to the citizens of Primera to insist and demand of their elected and appointed officials to resolve this issue by paying their delinquent account, the agency said in a news release, adding it has no desire other than to help our neighboring communities but (it) will not do so on the backs of Harlingen ratepayers. Advertisement Advertisement At Primera City Hall, officials could not be reached for comment. For more than a year, sister-city officials had been negotiating, aiming to renew a water service agreement which expired last May, WaterWorks said in a news release. After a series of meetings, Primera officials said they didnt agree with the proposed agreements terms, planning to turn to the North Alamo Water Supply Corporation for a water service agreement, the release said. Meanwhile, WaterWorks continued supplying Primera with water, it said. After contacting Primera officials several times on the status of their talks with the North Alamo Water Supply Corporation, officials told them WaterWorks would not continue to supply the city with water at its former rate, giving it until Oct. 1 to interconnect with another water supplier, the news release said. Advertisement Advertisement Meanwhile, WaterWorks officials said the agency would charge a more appropriate rate set for customers outside city limits, the release said. When WaterWorks raised the water rate on Nov. 1, Primera officials objected, failing to pay the citys entire bill, making the account deliquent, it said. After Primera officials requested WaterWorks reconsider its proposed agreement, the agencys board of directors determined a new rate was reasonable and appropriate, the release said. While the board told Primera that WaterWorks would supply water at the formerly proposed rate, the agency agreed to offer the city a credit for the difference of the rate it began charging Nov. 1, it said. Advertisement Advertisement Primera chose to continue to object and demand that (WaterWorks) provide them the water they need at the price they demand, the news release said. After Primera filed a complaint with the Public Utility Commission of Texas, citing the rate and pending service interruption, the state requested WaterWorks respond, the release said. In its statement to Primera, the states Consumer Protection Division stated it was unable to render a determination of wholesale rates or the pending disconnection from (WaterWorks) because the matter falls outside their scope, it said. Since the states decision, WaterWorks has reached out to Primera on this issue and there has been no movement by Primera, it said. The post Harlingen warning Primera to pay $40,000 water debt appeared first on MyRGV.com. Jan. 21A grand jury indicted a man accused of sexually abusing a girl for about eight years, resulting in the birth of a child. What was he indicted on? Indictment: Munta Wells, 40, is facing four counts of rape of a person younger than 10, three counts each of sexual battery and unlawful sexual conduct with a child, two counts of rape of person younger than 13 and one count of gross sexual imposition in Montgomery County Common Pleas Court. Advertisement Advertisement What was he accused of? Sexual abuse: Wells is accused of raping and sexually abusing a girl in Harrison Twp. for nearly a decade. The abuse began when she was 6 years old and he began raping her when she was 8, according to Vandalia Municipal Court records. He reportedly continued to assault her until she was 14. School reports abuse: The investigation began on Dec. 12 after a Northridge High School staff member reported a sex offense involving a minor, according to the Montgomery County Sheriff's Office. The staff member contacted deputies after the student disclosed the sexual abuse. DNA test: On Dec. 15, a detective responded to a Harrison Twp. home for a forensic interview. Advertisement Advertisement No disclosures were made, but because it was the second time Wells was accused of sexually assaulting the girl, the detective asked if he would consent to DNA testing for the girl's child, according to municipal court records. On Jan. 8, the detective received the results of the paternity test. The test showed a 99.99% probability Wells was the father of the girl's child, according to municipal court documents. Interview: During an interview on Dec. 17, the girl told the detective she did not disclose the abuse previously because Wells threatened to harm her and/or her mother, according to an affidavit. He also reportedly made comments he was going to harm himself. What happens next? Arraignment: Wells is scheduled to be arraigned on Tuesday. He is being held in the Montgomery County Jail. Key Points Alibaba has begun to recover as the worries of past years have begun to abate. Founder Jack Ma's return to Alibaba seems to have boosted investor confidence. Alibaba's low valuation may point to the potential of geopolitical tensions reemerging. 10 stocks we like better than Alibaba Group After years of struggle, investors might finally be buying back into Alibaba (NYSE: BABA) stock. Over the last year, the stock has doubled in value. Alibaba has benefited from unexpected tailwinds, especially in 2025. Now, that begs the question of what will happen to Alibaba over the next year? Will the gains continue in 2026, or should investors expect a pullback? Image source: Alibaba. Alibaba in the 2020s Alibaba stock surged in the last half of the 2010s, but troubles began to emerge after it peaked in 2021. Even though he was no longer running the company, founder Jack Ma disappeared after criticizing the Chinese government. Additionally, e-commerce growth had begun slowing as competition intensified. Also, in 2022, Chinese stocks like Alibaba faced the threat of delisting from the SEC due to a lack of access to company audits. Even though Chinese regulators and the SEC resolved that dispute, the controversy wiped out all the stock's historical gains. Beginning in 2024, concerns began to abate, and the stock moved higher. Consequently, since the beginning of 2024, Alibaba is up by more than 110%. Many factors seem to have contributed to the recovery. The world witnessed a reduction in political tensions between the U.S. and China. That improved environment has highlighted the company's artificial intelligence (AI) capabilities. Moreover, sales in its two e-commerce segments, Taobao and Tmall, have returned to double-digit annual growth. Furthermore, amid the gains, its P/E ratio stands at just 23. Considering that one must pay 52 times earnings for its Southeast Asian counterpart, Sea Limited, and a 34 P/E ratio for Amazon, many investors may see its valuation as attractive. Gearing up for the next five years Still, despite the lower valuation, investors may have good reason to temper their expectations. For one, its business growth has slowed. In the first half of fiscal 2026 (ended Sept. 30), revenue of $69.6 billion rose by just 3%. Also, during that time, operating income fell, leading to a net income of $8.8 billion during the first half of the year, a 7% drop from year-ago levels. A closer look at its revenue shows similarities to Amazon, as the cloud intelligence group grew revenue by 30% over the same period. Unfortunately, revenue for the "all others" category, a conglomeration of Alibaba's smaller businesses, dropped by 27%. That is concerning, as the performance of these noncore businesses stands in contrast to the improvements across the rest of the company. Jan. 22A Hazleton man convicted by a Luzerne County jury in the fatal shooting of a store clerk in Hazleton has filed an appeal with the Pennsylvania Superior Court. Jafet De Jesus Rodriguez, 45, was sentenced by Judge Michael T. Vough in July 2025, to life in prison without parole plus an additional seven years, six months to 15 years in prison after a jury convicted him of first-degree murder, robbery and theft. Rodriguez recently filed the appeal with the state appellate court after Vough rejected a request for a new trial. Advertisement Advertisement Rodriguez was convicted in the fatal shooting of Ashokkumar Patel during a robbery of Craig's Food Mart on West Broad Street, Hazleton, on Dec. 12, 2020. Patel was employed by the food mart and was mopping the floor when Rodriguez, who concealed his face and hands, rushed inside, shoved Patel into a closet, and shot him in the shoulder/neck area, severing his tongue. Surveillance footage of the robbery and a bloody Patel crawling on the floor to a phone was played to the jury during the four-day trial held in June 2025. After Patel was shot, Rodriguez ran behind the counter and stole a bank bag used to pay out the winnings of skill chance machines. Advertisement Advertisement Hours before the shooting and robbery, Rodriguez was inside the store gambling and lost a large sum of cash. The jury deliberated for nearly four hours before convicting Rodriguez. Specially assigned Assistant District Attorney Drew McLaughlin and Assistant District Attorney Gerry Scott prosecuted. Massachusetts Gov. Maura Healey will give her third State of the Commonwealth on Jan. 22, detailing her plan to lower costs as she chases her second term in office. In her speech, Healey is planning to announce that the state will spend $180 million to reduce electricity bills by 25% and gas bills by 10% for all Massachusetts residential utility customers in February and March. I called on the utilities to lower bills this winter, and now relief is on the way, said Healey in an announcement Jan. 22. We also know that long term help is needed. Thats why were going to keep working every day to bring more energy into our state, oppose rate hikes and get charges off of bills. Advertisement Advertisement Affordability is likely to be a theme in this years State of the Commonwealth address, which comes just a couple of days after Healey officially announced her re-election campaign. In her announcement, she painted herself as a fighter against President Donald Trump and listed the ways she has worked to combat him, like protecting access to vaccines, food stamps and abortion care. These could be actions she mentions in her speech if she tests campaign messaging. Gov. Maura Healey speaks during the 36th annual Firefighter of the Year awards ceremony at Mechanics Hall in Worcester on Nov. 25. Shell also likely discuss her budget priorities and other plans for the coming year, as governors typically do in State of the Commonwealth addresses, as well as highlight her accomplishments from 2025 and explain why Massachusetts is "the best place to live, work and learn." When is the State of the Commonwealth? Healey will give her State of the Commonwealth address at 7 p.m. on Jan. 22. How to watch the State of the Commonwealth Healey will give her speech in the House Chamber at the Massachusetts State House. It will be livestreamed here. This article originally appeared on Telegram & Gazette: Healey to give third State of the Commonwealth: When is it, how to watch A Joint Appropriations Committee studies a bill Jan. 21, 2026, related to federal rural health funds. (Photo by Mary Steurer/North Dakota Monitor) North Dakota lawmakers on Wednesday advanced a budget bill to authorize the Department of Health and Human Services to spend Rural Health Transformation Program money. Legislative Management convened an interim committee in the fall to guide the states grant application and prepare the proposal, House Bill 1623. Advertisement Advertisement The Rural Health Transformation Program, passed by Congress last year, sets aside $50 billion through 2030 for states. Each state is guaranteed a minimum of $500 million and is eligible to receive up to $1 billion. North Dakota Monitor special session coverage The federal government in late December awarded North Dakota $199 million for the first year of the grant. The state plans to dedicate $33.4 million of the award award on technology, $116 million to expand health care access in rural areas, $32.2 million to address workforce issues and $17.1 million to promote healthy lifestyles. The budget bill, as currently written, gives the department the authority to move money between these categories as needed. Advertisement Advertisement Interim Health and Human Services Commissioner Pat Traynor said organizations can use the money for a wide variety of purposes. A community gym could apply for a grant to purchase new equipment, for instance, Traynor said. Clinics could seek grant money to purchase automatic sweepers and moppers to free up staff to handle other tasks, too, he added. Traynor also suggested that health care facilities apply for a grant to improve their cyber security. Carlotta McCleary, spokesperson for the Mental Health Advocacy Network, testified in support of the bill. McCleary said she hopes the program money will be used to invest in improving childrens mental health services across the state including for crisis intervention programs, peer support groups and temporary housing. Advertisement Advertisement Tracee Capron, executive director of HIA Health, said her organization hopes to use grant money to expand its palliative care and hospice care to rural and tribal communities across the state. Whats held us back from expansion was having the resources, she said in testimony before the Joint Appropriations Committee. The state must obligate all $199 million by Oct. 30 and spend it within the following year. Tracee Capron, executive director of HIA Health, testifies to a legislative committee Jan. 21, 2026, about federal rural health care dollars. (Photo by Mary Steurer/North Dakota Monitor) Make sure your entities know when DHHS comes out with applications, they need to apply, Sen. Brad Bekkedahl, a Williston Republican and co-chair of the Joint Appropriations Committee told lawmakers. Advertisement Advertisement All grant applications must be approved by the federal government. Grant money will be provided on a reimbursement basis. Once the state and federal government agree to fund an expense, a local organization will spend the money and submit receipts for reimbursement afterward. Traynor said the agency wont be adding more full-time employees to help implement the program. Instead, it will hire contract workers. Were not gonna grow state government, he said. Traynor said the department does not know how much it will cost the state to stand up the grant program, but cannot spend more than 10% of its award on administrative costs. Advertisement Advertisement The budget bill authorizes the North Dakota Department of Health and Human Services to spend roughly $397.9 million for the 2025-2027 budget cycle the amount the state expects to receive for the first two years of the Rural Health Transformation Program. The legislation would become effective immediately upon its passage. Lawmakers approved an amendment brought by Rep. Don Vigesaa, R-Cooperstown, to allow the state-owned Bank of North Dakota to provide up to $40 million in short-term loans to approved grant applicants while theyre waiting for their expenses to be reimbursed by federal money. North Dakota Monitor reporter Mary Steurer can be reached at msteurer@northdakotamonitor.com. SUPPORT: YOU MAKE OUR WORK POSSIBLE SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX Two cases of Nipah virus, a rare, bat-borne pathogen, have been confirmed in an Indian hospital, prompting a nationwide alert as well as local quarantine and surveillance measures. The cases, both in nurses working at the private Narayana Multispeciality Hospital in Barasat, West Bengal, 16 miles from the capital city Kolkata, have raised fears that the disease, which inspired the Hollywood film Contagion, could be spreading undetected. Two nurses at a private hospital are infected with Nipah virus, and one of them is in critical condition, Mr Narayan Swaroop Nigam, Principal Secretary, Health and Family Welfare Department, West Bengal, told The Telegraph. Advertisement Advertisement The pair were on duty together between December 28 and 30. Between December 31 and January 2, they developed high fevers and respiratory distress and were admitted to the hospitals intensive care unit on January 4 after their conditions worsened. Initial investigations suggest that both nurses, one of whom is in a coma, caught the virus while treating a patient with severe respiratory symptoms who later died before testing could be carried out, sources at the hospital said. The most likely source of infection is a patient who had been admitted to the same hospital previously. That individual is being treated as the suspected index case, and investigations are ongoing, said a senior health official involved in West Bengals Nipah surveillance efforts. The outbreak prompted the health authorities to impose quarantine and emergency surveillance and contact tracing measures in the area. Advertisement Advertisement So far 180 people have been tested and 20 high risk contacts quarantined. All of them are asymptomatic and tested negative. We will again test them before their 21-day quarantine ends, Mr Nigam said. Indias Ministry of Health and Family Welfare issued a nationwide alert, urging states to strengthen surveillance, detection, and preventive measures to reduce risk and prevent any further spread. India has faced sporadic outbreaks of Nipah in recent years. The virus lives in bats and can be passed to humans through contaminated food or by contact with the bodily fluids of infected animals. It can also jump from bats to pigs, opening up another route for onward transmission to people, where it spreads from person to person through droplets and saliva. Advertisement Advertisement The virus has a fatality rate of up to 75 per cent and causes a range of symptoms, beginning with a fever, vomiting and fatigue before developing into respiratory issues and swelling of the brain. Neurological issues like encephalitis can appear months or years after an initial infection In response to the new cases, several Indian states have directed their health authorities to strengthen surveillance for Acute Encephalitis Syndrome (AES), a broad term for brain inflammation that can be caused by Nipah infection. Persons admitted with AES, particularly those with travel or contact history linked to West Bengal, should be closely monitored and evaluated for possible Nipah virus infection, reads one advisory issued by the authorities in Tamil Nadu, a state in southern India. Government and private hospitals must be alerted about the Nipah virus situation and directed to promptly notify all AES cases, it said. Advertisement Advertisement The focus on examining cases of AES will help stop undiagnosed Nipah infections from flying under the radar, said Ali Althaf, a senior health official at Government Medical College, Thiruvananthapuram in Kerala, who has done extensive work on the Nipah virus. There were over 100 cases of AES, a key indicator for diseases like Nipah, reported last year in Kerala, and if we subjected all of them to diagnostic testing, its plausible that wed uncover a greater number of Nipah infections, he told The Telegraph. b' \xe2\x80\x98We survived the terrifying disease that inspired Contagion \xe2\x80\x93 our blood may help to treat it\xe2\x80\x99 ' Misidentifying Nipah infections as AES or as other respiratory illnesses has serious consequences, particularly for healthcare providers, he added. Advertisement Advertisement We have repeatedly seen human-to-human transmission occurring within hospital settings, he said. When cases are not recognised early, healthcare workers are placed at the highest risk of exposure to this often fatal virus. The senior health official involved in West Bengals Nipah surveillance efforts denied the initial case had been misdiagnosed, but conceded the case had probably been missed. I wouldnt describe it as misdiagnosis. Its more accurate to say a missed diagnosis, he said. He added: We are expanding the criteria for testing so clinicians know when to suspect Nipah and when to order broader panels. This is not only about Nipah, several emerging and re-emerging infections, including respiratory diseases, can present with AES-like syndromes. The state is therefore expanding case definitions and lab testing protocols. Advertisement Advertisement Protect yourself and your family by learning more about Global Health Security Try full access to The Telegraph free today. Unlock their award-winning website and essential news app, plus useful tools and expert guides for your money, health and holidays. A new report from the American Heart Association (AHA) has found that US cardiovascular disease (CVD)-related deaths declined between 2022 and 2023 bucking a five-year upward trend. Published in the AHA's journal Circulation, The 2026 Heart Disease and Stroke Statistics: A Report of U.S. and Global Data From the American Heart Association, reveals that 915,973 people in the US died from CVD in 2023 compared to 941,652 in 2022. Both values include patients who passed away due to stroke, heart disease, hypertension and heart failure. This follows the prior five-year upward trend in heart disease and stroke deaths, which the AHA says is likely driven, in part, by the Covid-19 pandemic. Advertisement Advertisement While Latha Palaniappan, professor of cardiovascular medicine at Stanford University, is encouraged by the decline in deaths, she added that around half of all US adults continue to have some form of CVD. Rates [in the US] are still higher than they were before the pandemic, and persistent increases in common conditions like high blood pressure, diabetes and obesity continue to drive the risk, Palaniappan said. Based on 2023 data, heart disease remains the leading cause of death in the US, while stroke has now become the fourth most common reason for mortality, with this previously being Covid-19. Stroke remains area of unmet need As CVDs remain among the top five causes of death in the US, there is a clear need to provide patients with safe and effective medications that can manage these conditions, improve quality of life (QoL) and reduce the risk of premature mortality. Advertisement Advertisement Within the CVD segment, stroke remains a strong area of unmet need, with limited treatment options available to patients. Until the US approval of TNKase (tenecteplase) in March 2025, Genentechs Activase (alteplase) was the only clot-busting drug on the stroke market for three decades. TNKase is a modified version of Activase offering easier, single-dose administration. This unmet need has led certain biotech and pharma companies to explore further treatment options for this indication, with many now in clinical trials. This includes Silver Creek Therapeutics, which recently shared mixed results from the Phase II ARPEGGIO study (NCT05585606) on its late-intervention acute ischemic stroke candidate, SCP-776. Revalesio is also looking to progress its oxygen-enriched saline formulation, RNS-60, to Phase III in early- and late-window patients following the positive outcome of its mid-stage trial on the asset, which saw the drug reduce brain tissue loss. Advertisement Advertisement In the haemorrhagic stroke subset, which shares overlapping risk factors with CVDs like heart failure, Belgian biotech Bioxodes is progressing its candidate, BIOX-101 to late-stage trials after the drug demonstrated its strong potential in Phase II. If BIOX-101 displays efficacy in haemorrhagic stroke, it could become the first approved treatment for this indication. GlobalData forecasts that the stroke market will be worth $10.5bn across the eight major markets (8MM: the US, France, Germany, Italy, Spain, the UK, Japan and China) in 2027. GlobalData is the parent company of Pharmaceutical Technology. "Heart disease and stroke deaths take a downturn, AHA report reveals" was originally created and published by Pharmaceutical Technology, a GlobalData owned brand. We are now hearing what a 13-year-old Volusia County student told officers moments after he was attacked by a homeless man Tuesday while he was waiting at a school bus stop. According to newly-released body camera video, he told officers he saw a man walking down the sidewalk. Then he approaches me and starts saying some stuff that I dont understand. And he grabbed me and pulled his knife out, he told police. According to Deland Police, the suspect was identified as Christopher Schwable. Advertisement Advertisement The student told police Schwable hit him with his fists and knocked him to the ground. Police noted visible injuries to the boys head. The child was able to break free and run home. Authorities say a witness driving by saw Schwable choking the boy and stopped to intervene. When the Good Samaritan jumped out of his truck, he says Schwable pulled out a knife. He has a big a** knife, the witness said. The witness told police he grabbed a toolbox from his truck and struck Schwable in the head in self-defense. Video from the scene shows a pool of blood around Schwables head. Neighbors say the attack has shaken the community. Advertisement Advertisement Its a horrible thing that happened so close to the house, Perfetto said, about the man attacking the boy. Perfetto says parents are now worried about children waiting at nearby bus stops. Volusia County School District says they are working closely with law enforcement to increase monitoring at bus stops throughout the area. Schwable remains in the Volusia County Jail on aggravated child abuse and aggravated assault charges. Click here to download our free news, weather and smart TV apps. And click here to stream Channel 9 Eyewitness News live. Madeline Marchiano realizes that this winters runaway heating prices mean she cant afford to raise her thermostat enough to warm her entire South Philadelphia rowhouse. So Marchiano, who also lacks the budget to replace drafty old windows, avoids the colder rooms. The heating bill is yet another cost pressure facing many Americans like Marchiano, who says prices are "outrageous" for groceries and other staples. Advertisement Advertisement "I try to survive," said the 61-year-old, who lives on a fixed income. "Like everyone else, I worry about bills." Even before winter started, consumer advocates sounded the alarm on higher heating costs in light of torrid electricity demand growth and costly revamps of pipes and other infrastructure that have led to utility rate hikes. US households are expected to spend $995 on heating this winter, an increase of 9.2 percent from last year, according to a December forecast from the National Energy Assistance Directors Association (NEADA). Of course, the final tally will depend on the weather. So far, the 2025-26 season has been a bear in Philadelphia, with forecasts of an arctic blast and a potential blizzard expected to boost usage further. Advertisement Advertisement Through mid-January, the average temperature in Philadelphia was 36.2, the sixth coldest since the year 2000 and about six degrees colder than the winter of 2023-24, said Chad Merrill, a meteorologist at Accuweather. - Assistance programs - Pennsylvania bars utilities from shutting off low-income consumers during the winter months. But consumers who fall behind can face a shutoff once the moratorium ends at the end of March. "It catches up to you," Luz Laboy, who assists low-income consumers through a maze of assistance programs, said of consumers who don't pay winter bills. She works at Hunting Park Neighborhood Advisory Committee, an NGO in North Philadelphia. Advertisement Advertisement Qualifying consumers are eligible for federal assistance through the US Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP), which pays an annual stipend, as well as crisis funding that provides grants of up to $1,000. Other Pennsylvania programs allow consumers with large balances to establish a monthly payment plan or to apply to repair broken radiators. Jose Rosario, 75, a retiree who lives on his monthly Social Security check of $1,038 and pays $375 to rent his basement apartment, came to the NGO for help completing his LIHEAP application and managing a $4,000 gas balance. Also there was Linda Croskey, who has borrowed heaters from her sister after her nearly 70-year-old system broke down. Staffers at the NGO think a replacement is likely given the age of the equipment. Advertisement Advertisement Croskey, 61, made too much income in prior years for LIHEAP. But she spent much of last year taking care of her husband, who suffered a stroke, meaning she made less in her job as an insurance broker. "It is what it is, I am not mad about anything," she said. "I just hope to have heat." - Middle-class hit - Laboy said this winter's number of applicants for LIHEAP is about the same as last year, but the process has been more fraught. "It is a lot more stressful this year," said Laboy, noting the program was delayed by the US government shutdown. US President Donald Trump's administration eliminated the Washington LIHEAP staff in the spring and had initially sought to zero out funding. But Congress ultimately maintained funding for the program. Advertisement Advertisement Seth Blumsack, a professor of energy and environmental economics at Pennsylvania State University, tied this winter's increase in natural gas prices mainly to costs associated with replacing aging infrastructure. This is also a factor behind higher electricity rates, although a bigger driver is the growth of energy-guzzling data centers, he said. "Electricity demand in the US is increasing...in ways we have not seen in decades," said Blumsack, who pointed to the retirements of older generation units as another factor. The issue resonates with Pennsylvania lawmakers like Representative Heather Boyd. Boyd's most recent electric and gas bill was for $860, up from $660 the prior month, for a 1,400 square foot home in suburban Philadelphia, she said at a hearing Tuesday on energy affordability. Advertisement Advertisement "When I can't pay that, my community can't pay that," she said. The cost-of-living struggle means "it's not just the poorest families" strained by higher heating prices," said NEADA executive director Mark Wolfe. "It's affecting middle-class families, which is why it's becoming a political issue." jmb/sla (Corrects typographical error in media identifier) By Sarah Morland and Rodrigo Gutierrez SANTIAGO/MEXICO CITY, Jan 21 (Reuters) - Some Venezuelans scattered throughout Latin America say they are weighing whether to plot a future back home as the U.S. ouster of long-time leader Nicolas Maduro raises cautious hopes for democratic elections and a way out of economic collapse. About a quarter of Venezuela's population has fanned out across Latin America, the Caribbean, Spain and the United States since 2014, fleeing an oil-dependent economy crippled by mismanagement. Advertisement Advertisement "I want to return to my country, I want to help rebuild," said Juan Carlos Viloria, a doctor who helps run a migrant advocacy group in Colombia, host to Latin America's largest Venezuelan migrant population. However, with Maduro's former vice president, Delcy Rodriguez, tightening her grip on power, fears about continued government repression and economic insecurity were holding people back, he said. He added that border communities in northeastern Colombia he works with have even seen a rise in people crossing into Colombia to earn some cash while the situation in Venezuela stabilizes. The exodus of about 8 million people from the OPEC member transformed demographics throughout the Americas. In the United States, Venezuelans arrived in such large numbers at the southern border that they became the face of U.S. President Donald Trump's hard-line migration policy. Some have settled in their new countries, and moving again would not be an easy choice. But their decision to return or stay put could dramatically influence Venezuela's future. Advertisement Advertisement "Rebuilding Venezuela will require many of the talents of those of us who have left," said Viloria, one of a dozen migrants - from day workers to business owners to engineers - that Reuters interviewed in Colombia, Peru, Chile, Mexico and Panama, countries that all saw an influx of Venezuelans in recent years. Nicole Carrasco, who moved to Chile in 2019 after her father was arrested, said she feared nothing had yet changed for political prisoners and their families. "It is not as if Venezuela is free yet - there are still many very bad people in power," Carrasco said, adding that she longed to return home to see family and eat traditional foods like arepas. Opposition leader and Nobel Peace Prize winner Maria Corina Machado - whose candidate was widely seen as the legitimate winner of the 2024 election that Maduro was accused of rigging - has called for a transition of power as soon as possible so Venezuelans can return home. Advertisement Advertisement While many migrants Reuters spoke to expressed uncertainty about the short term, they were hopeful the change will ultimately be for the better. Luis Diaz was traveling through Panama, back to Venezuela after a year in Mexico. "I don't know whether it's good or bad," he said. "Now they've done what they've done, something different is going to start." Omar Alvarez, a Venezuelan migrant also passing through Panama on his journey home, said he was confident, however, that with hard work Venezuela could become a better place to live in. "All of us outside Venezuela, I think we can come together and recover our country by working together, like we have always done in every country we've arrived in," he said. "I say that with all of us united, our country's economy will rise again." (Reporting by Sarah Morland and Diego Delgado in Mexico City, Rodrigo Gutierrez in Santiago and Enea Lebrun in Miramar; Editing by Daina Beth Solomon and Rosalba O'Brien) Washington The House approved the final legislation needed to fund the government through September on Thursday, sending a package of bills to the Senate as lawmakers face a deadline to avoid a partial shutdown next week. In a 341 to 88 vote, 149 Democrats and 192 Republicans voted in favor of a three-bill package related to the departments of Defense; Labor, Health and Human Services and Education; and Transportation and Housing and Urban Development. The chamber also voted 220 to 207 to approve a separate measure to fund the Department of Homeland Security. The funding bills now head to the Senate for approval. They are expected to be packaged together with two other measures that passed in the lower chamber last week. That should speed up passage in the Senate, but the chamber will still have to work quickly, with just days to go before a Jan. 30 deadline. A brewing winter storm is also threatening to upend senators' plans to return to Washington early next week. Advertisement Advertisement After weeks of working to craft individual funding bills following the longest shutdown in history last year, House and Senate appropriators released the text of the final four pieces of legislation earlier this week. GOP leaders faced hurdles heading into Thursday, with multiple factions looking to use leverage to extract concessions in the final funding fight until September. A procedural vote was on the brink of failing before leaders wrangled the votes needed to move forward. The DHS appropriations bill was taken up separately after many Democrats said they would not support it because it did not include extensive reforms to Immigration and Customs Enforcement, following the deadly shooting of Renee Good by an ICE officer in Minneapolis. Top Democratic appropriators acknowledged that the DHS funding didn't go as far as some in their party had hoped. But they pointed to several concessions they secured, including new restrictions on DHS' ability to allocate funds if it does not comply with reporting requirements, new training benchmarks for officers and $20 million for body cameras for immigration enforcement agents. Democratic leaders said they would oppose it anyway. Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, a New York Democrat, said at a news conference that "ICE is totally out of control, using taxpayer dollars to brutalize American citizens and law-abiding immigrant families." Advertisement Advertisement "The American people deserve an Immigration and Customs Enforcement agency that conducts itself in a manner consistent with every other law enforcement agency in the country," Jeffries said. The measure ultimately picked up enough support for passage, with moderate Democrats crossing the aisle. House Speaker Mike Johnson, a Louisiana Republican, urged lawmakers to "listen to the common-sense reasonable Democrats who helped to put these bills together." The speaker touted the funding bills more broadly, saying they would "fund the Trump agenda and Republican efforts to restore peace through strength, to defend our borders and to deport criminal illegal aliens, to rebuild America's infrastructure and to make America healthy again." Advertisement Advertisement Republican leaders have pushed for a return to regular order in the appropriations process, pursuing the passage of all 12 funding bills rather than last-minute "omnibus" packages that have become commonplace in recent years. Johnson celebrated the appropriations work on Wednesday, saying there were many people who claimed "that this could not be done, that a regular appropriations process is a thing of the past." "Critics said our margins were too slim to bring it back, to rebuild that muscle memory that I committed to when I became speaker," Johnson said. "They said we had too many bills left to pass and too many disagreements left to reconcile. But I'm happy to report that all of those prognostications were flat wrong, and we've gotten it done." In a surprise move on Thursday, the House also approved an amendment that would repeal a controversial provision that allows senators to sue for $500,000 if federal investigators search their phone records without their knowledge. The move effectively jams the upper chamber by including the repeal in the funding package without the necessary time to reverse course, giving the Senate no option but to approve it. Sneak peek: The Ivy League Murder Jury deliberating in trial for former Uvalde officer charged over school shooting response PETA suggests 3D hologram replace Punxsutawney Phil on Groundhog Day WASHINGTON (AP) The House rejected a Democratic-backed resolution Thursday that would have prevented President Donald Trump from sending U.S. military forces to Venezuela after a tied vote on the legislation fell just short of the majority needed for passage. The tied vote was the latest sign of Republican House Speaker Mike Johnson's tenuous hold on the majority, as well as some of the growing pushback in the GOP-controlled Congress to Trump's aggressions in the Western Hemisphere. A Senate vote on a similar resolution was also tied last week until Vice President JD Vance broke the deadlock. To defeat the resolution Thursday, Republican leaders had to hold the vote open for more than 20 minutes while Republican Rep. Wesley Hunt, who had been out of Washington all week campaigning for a Senate seat in Texas, rushed back to Capitol Hill to cast the decisive vote. Advertisement Advertisement On the House floor, Democrats responded with shouts that Republican leaders were violating the chamber's procedural rules. Two Republicans Reps. Don Bacon of Nebraska and Thomas Massie of Kentucky voted with all Democrats for the legislation. The war powers resolution would have directed Trump to remove U.S. troops from Venezuela. The Trump administration told senators last week that there are no U.S. troops on the ground in the South American nation and committed to getting congressional approval before launching major military operations there. But Democrats argued that the resolution is necessary after the U.S. raid to capture Venezuelan leader Nicolas Maduro and since Trump has stated plans to control the country's oil industry for years to come. The response to Trumps foreign policy Advertisement Advertisement Thursday's vote was the latest test in Congress of how much leeway Republicans will give a president who campaigned on removing the U.S. from foreign entanglements but has increasingly reached for military options to impose his will in the Western Hemisphere. So far, almost all Republicans have declined to put checks on Trump through the war powers votes. Rep. Brian Mast, the Republican chair of the House Armed Services Committee, accused Democrats of bringing the war powers resolution to a vote out of spite for Trump. Its about the fact that you dont want President Trump to arrest Maduro, and you will condemn him no matter what he does, even though he brought Maduro to justice with possibly the most successful law enforcement operation in history, Mast added. Still, Democrats stridently argued that Congress needs to assert its role in determining when the president can use wartime powers. They have been able to force a series of votes in both the House and Senate as Trump, in recent months, ramped up his campaign against Maduro and set his sights on other conflicts overseas. Advertisement Advertisement Donald Trump is reducing the United States to a regional bully with fewer allies and more enemies, Rep. Gregory Meeks, the top Democrat on the House Foreign Affairs Committee, said during a floor debate. This isn't making America great again. Its making us isolated and weak. Last week, Senate Republicans were only able to narrowly dismiss the Venezuela war powers resolution after the Trump administration persuaded two Republicans to back away from their earlier support. As part of that effort, Secretary of State Marco Rubio committed to a briefing next week before the Senate Foreign Relations Committee. Yet Trump's insistence that the U.S. will possess Greenland over the objections of Denmark, a NATO ally, has alarmed some Republicans on Capitol Hill. They have mounted some of the most outspoken objections to almost anything the president has done since taking office. Trump this week backed away from military and tariff threats against European allies as he announced that his administration was working with NATO on a framework of a future deal on Arctic security. Advertisement Advertisement But Bacon still expressed frustration with Trump's aggressive foreign policy and voted for the war powers resolution even though it only applies to Venezuela. I'm tired of all the threats, he said. Trump's recent military actions and threats to do more have reignited a decades-old debate in Congress over the War Powers Act, a law passed in the early 1970s by lawmakers looking to claw back their authority over military actions. The war powers debate The War Powers Resolution was passed in the Vietnam War era as the U.S. sent troops to conflicts throughout Asia. It attempted to force presidents to work with Congress to deploy troops if there hasn't already been a formal declaration of war. Advertisement Advertisement Under the legislation, lawmakers can also force votes on legislation that directs the president to remove U.S. forces from hostilities. Presidents have long tested the limits of those parameters, and Democrats argue that Trump in his second term has pushed those limits farther than ever. The Trump administration left Congress in the dark ahead of the surprise raid to capture Maduro. It has also used an evolving set of legal justifications to blow up alleged drug boats and seize sanctioned oil tankers near Venezuela. Democrats question who gets to benefit from Venezuelan oil licenses As the Trump administration oversees the sale of Venezuela's petroleum worldwide, Senate Democrats are also questioning who is benefiting from the contracts. Advertisement Advertisement In one of the first transactions, the U.S. granted Vitol, the world's largest independent oil broker, a license worth roughly $250 million. A senior partner at Vitol, John Addison, gave roughly $6 million to Trump-aligned political action committees during the presidential election, according to donation records compiled by OpenSecrets. Congress and the American people deserve full transparency regarding any financial commitments, promises, deals, or other arrangements related to Venezuela that could favor donors to the Presidents campaign and political operation, 13 Democratic senators wrote to White House Chief of Staff Susie Wiles Thursday in a letter led by Democratic Sen. Adam Schiff of California. The White House has said it is safeguarding the South American country's oil for the benefit of both the people of Venezuela and the U.S. Gold (GC=F) futures opened at $4,940 per troy ounce on Friday, up 0.5% from Thursdays closing price of $4,913.40. The price of gold reached an all-time high of $4,970 in early trading. Golds rise above $4,900 per ounce follows a conflict over Greenland that may have damaged U.S. alliances with NATO countries. President Trump demanded the U.S. purchase Greenland, a territory of Denmark. He threatened tariffs on allies who resisted and, at one point, implied the U.S. could use military action. He changed course later, announcing he would not use force to obtain the Arctic island. The conflict was resolved after a meeting between Trump and NATOs secretary general. That meeting resulted in a framework of a deal, according to President Trump. The details of that framework have not been publicized. While the Greenland conflict has settled down, some experts are concerned that Trumps actions have undermined trust among U.S. allies. This concern is likely driving continued safe-haven demand for gold. Current price of gold The opening price of gold futures on Friday rose 0.5% from Thursdays close. Heres a look at how the gold price has changed versus last week, month, and year: One week ago: +7.2% One month ago: +9.7% One year ago: +79% At 79%, golds one-year gain is the highest it has been in 2025 and 2026. 24/7 gold price tracking: Don't forget you can monitor the current price of gold on Yahoo Finance 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Want to learn more about the current top-performing companies in the gold industry? Explore a list of the top-performing companies in the gold industry using the Yahoo Finance Screener. You can create your own screeners with over 150 different screening criteria. Learn more: Gold vs. crypto: Which should investors own in debasement trade? How much gold should you own? A gold investment can add stability and inflation protection to your portfolio. But it can also dilute your gains when stock prices are rising quickly. Finding the right balance between golds diversification benefits and profiting from growth potential in other assets can be challenging. Even the experts are divided on how to achieve the correct balance. Below, five experts explain their recommended gold allocations, which range from 0% to 20%. Learn more: How to invest in gold in 4 steps No gold: Trade-off is too high Robert R. Johnson, professor at Creighton Universitys Heider College of Business, does not advocate gold investing. In his words, while having a small position in precious metals may dampen portfolio volatility in the short-run, the tradeoff between slightly dampened volatility and the lost long-term return is certainly not a prudent one, particularly for Gen Z/millennials with long investing time horizons. 2% to 5% allocation, depending on the situation Brett Elliott, director of content and SEO at American Precious Metals Exchange (APMEX), recommends setting an allocation that aligns with your investing goals. Growth-oriented investors may be comfortable with an allocation of 10% or 15%, according to Elliott. But income investors will prefer a smaller position, because gold provides no yield. A 2% to 5% gold allocation can provide some resiliency without an excessive drag on income potential. Learn more: Who decides what gold is worth? How gold prices are determined. 5% to 8% gold allocation Blake McLaughlin, executive vice president at Axcap Ventures, said historical data support a gold allocation of 5% to 8%. Gold may not offer the outsized return potential of private investments, but the metal holds a set of attributes that are increasingly hard to ignore, according to McLaughlin. Those attributes include the metals resilience amid economic uncertainty and geopolitical unrest. 5% to 15% gold allocation Thomas Winmill, portfolio manager at Midas Funds, believes most investors will benefit from a long-term gold allocation of 5% to 15%. Winmill specifically advocates investing in gold mining companies through a mutual fund. Your risk tolerance and current mix of financial versus hard assets can guide you to an appropriate allocation, according to Winmill. Risk tolerance: Keep your allocation percentage low if you tend to panic in volatile cycles. Financial vs. hard assets: Financial assets are stocks and bonds. Hard assets include tangible items like real estate, gold, collectibles, classic cars, and equipment. If you have no home equity and your wealth is primarily in financial assets, you can set your gold allocation higher. Or, if your home is paid for and more valuable than your stock portfolio, gold investing may not be necessary. Learn more: Thinking of buying gold? Here's what investors should watch for. 20% gold allocation Vince Stanzione, CEO and founder at First Information, recommends a 20% gold allocation, specifically in physical gold or a gold ETF. Stanzione argues for a higher exposure to gold as a wealth protection strategy. As he says, gold keeps with inflation and gold retains its purchasing power, while paper currencies are devaluing around the world. Learn more: Gold IRA: Benefits, risks, and how it differs from a traditional IRA Price-of-gold chart Whether youre tracking the price of gold since last month or last year, the price-of-gold chart below shows the precious metals steady upward climb in value. WASHINGTON The House of Representatives passed legislation funding the Department of Homeland Security on Thursday with no meaningful constraints on President Donald Trumps often violent crackdown on immigrants in Minnesota and other blue states across the country. SevenDemocrats voted with all but one Republican to approve the bill, sending it to the Senate over the objections of Minnesotas Democratic lawmakers. Politics: JD Vance Asked For Help Finding 'A *** Offender' And You Already Know What Happened Next It is unjustifiable to shoot an American citizen in the face, to have masked men jumping out of unmarked cars asking American citizens for their papers, Rep. Ilhan Omar (D-Minn.) told HuffPost. And this is not just happening in Minneapolis, its happening across Minnesota, and we cannot normalize this terror that our communities are feeling. Advertisement Advertisement The legislation includes $10 billion for Immigration and Customs Enforcement and $18 billion for Customs and Border Protection, the two federal agencies conducting sweeping raids involving thousands of federal agents in areas including Minnesota and, most recently, Maine. Thats on top of the unprecedented $75 billion boost in funding ICE received from Trumps so-called Big Beautiful Bill that Republicans passed unilaterally last year. Democrats sought to include restraints on some of ICEs tactics by requiring that its agents obtain a warrant before detaining immigrants and that they follow a standard use-of-force policy, steps that might have prevented the fatal shooting of Renee Good by an ICE agent in Minneapolis. But those demands were blocked by Republicans in bicameral negotiations over the legislation, prompting many House Democrats, including House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (N.Y.), to oppose the bill. However, Jeffries didnt whip the bill, allowing moderates and front-line Democrats to vote their conscience, including Henry Cuellar (Texas), Vicente Gonzalez (Texas), Laura Gillen (N.Y.), Jared Golden (Maine), Marie Glusenkamp Perez (Wash.), Don Davis (N.C.), and Tom Suozzi (N.Y.). A no vote on the bill would likely be weaponized by the GOP against Democrats in districts where Trump is popular, potentially threatening their partys path to winning back control of the House in Novembers midterm elections. Politics: Trump Baselessly Claims NATO Troops Stayed Off The Frontlines In Afghanistan Democrats who helped negotiate the DHS budget argued that its the least bad option because ICE would continue to operate even if Democratic lawmakers withheld their votes for the bill, resulting in a funding lapse on Jan. 30. The $75 billion ICE received last year would ensure Trumps immigration crackdown keeps running, while other, more popular agencies within DHS like the Federal Emergency Management Agency and the Transportation Security Administration would experience a partial shutdown. Advertisement Advertisement The suggestion that a shutdown in this moment might curb the lawlessness of this administration is not rooted in reality: under a [continuing resolution] and in a shutdown, this administration can do everything they are already doing but without any of the critical guardrails and constraints imposed by a full-year funding bill, Sen. Patty Murray (Wash.), the top Democrat on the Senate Appropriations Committee, said in a statement. Passing the bill, those Democrats argue, would allow them to impose at least some constraints on ICE. Those include $20 million for new body-worn cameras for ICE and CBP officers, de-escalation training for ICE and CBP agents, and training to remind officers of Americans right to record any interactions they have with them. The bill would also establish oversight and transparency of the agencys massive budget. Shutting the agency down would mean not getting any of those things. Politics: Democrats Support Bill That Would Give ICE $10 Billion But Democrats who voted against the bill on Thursday argued theres a moral imperative to find another way to rein in ICE and border patrol agents. Advertisement Advertisement They have no business being in American cities, Omar told HuffPost. Their mission has been to occupy, to terrorize, and to intimidate communities. Rep. Rosa DeLauro (D-Conn.), who negotiated the bill alongside Murray and who defended it earlier this week, also voted against it in a sign of how toxic ICE has become in the Democratic Party. ICE believes it can act with impunity and is behaving accordingly, DeLauro said in a speech on the House floor. Politics: Trump Border Patrol Official Defends Coat Gavin Newsom Called 'SS Garb' Trumps immigration agenda is getting a thumbs-down from the public, according to a new New York Times/Siena University poll released on Thursday. Just 40% of voters said they approve of his policies, while 58% said they disapprove. A whopping 71% of independents also said ICE has gone too far in its enforcement efforts. Advertisement Advertisement The Senate is expected to take up the DHS budget bill as part of a larger funding package for six other government departments next week, days before the Jan. 30 funding deadline. The other departments include Defense, Labor, Health and Human Services, Transportation, and Housing and Urban Development. The package will need support from at least eight Democratic senators to overcome a filibuster and its likely to get that. Democrats arent looking to force another government shutdown this time, having failed to get an extension of Obamacare subsidies last year when they staged the longest government shutdown in history. Progressive senators, however, vowed to oppose the bill anyway over its funding for ICE. Politics: 'Beyond Parody': Trump's 'Board Of Peace' Logo Is Already Under Attack The Gestapo tactics used by ICE reveal their inhumanity and lack of training, Sen. Angela Alsobrooks (D-Md.) said in a statement on Thursday. The lawlessness and abject cruelty of this Administration are harming our Country, making us less safe here and across the world. Read Next Read the original on HuffPost Hunger Mountain Co-op shoppers helped raise nearly $22,000 for the Vermont Foodbank during the holiday season, according to a community announcement. The Montpelier co-op's "Neighbors Helping Neighbors" campaign has raised more than $107,000 and collected over 5,000 pounds of food since it began in 2020, according to the announcement, which the organization released Jan. 19. This year's campaign brought in $21,844, the most to date, amid ongoing uncertainty about federal assistance programs, according to the announcement. Advertisement Advertisement "Strengthening the food system is part of our mission, and that includes ensuring that everyone has access to healthy food," the co-op said in the announcement. "Whether we are aware of it or not, we are likely all familiar with someone struggling to put food on the table." The Hunger Mountain Co-op in Montpelier, shown March 8, 2023. Hunger Mountain Co-op teamed up with Northfield Savings Bank to kick off the fundraiser, with each organization contributing $2,500. Shoppers were then challenged to raise an additional $2,500 by rounding up their purchases to the nearest dollar. Shoppers surpassed that goal, raising $4,384. This triggered matching funds of $2,500 each from Hunger Mountain Co-op, Northfield Savings Bank, Cabot Creamery, Radio Vermont Group and Farrell Distributing, according to the announcement. The total of $21,844 went to the Vermont Foodbank, according to the announcement, which says that for every $1 donated, the food bank can provide $4.14 worth of food. Advertisement Advertisement That means the campaign helped supply more than $90,000 in food to Vermonters in need, says the co-op. In addition to monetary donations, shoppers contributed nearly 900 pounds of food during the campaign. The Vermont Foodbank is the state's largest hunger-relief organization. It distributes food through a network of more than 300 community food shelves, meal sites, schools, hospitals and housing sites. Last year, the food bank distributed over 14 million pounds of food, with about half of it being fresh produce, meat and dairy. The co-op says the need for food assistance doesn't end with the holiday season and that women, people of color and older people experience higher rates of food insecurity and are at greater risk of hunger. Advertisement Advertisement "We are proud of what we've accomplished, but the need does not end with the holiday season," the announcement said. This story was created by reporter Beth McDermott, bmcdermott1@usatodayco.com, with the assistance of Artificial Intelligence (AI). Journalists were involved in every step of the information gathering, review, editing and publishing process. Learn more at cm.usatoday.com/ethical-conduct. This article originally appeared on Burlington Free Press: Hunger Mountain Co-op raises record $21K for Vermont Foodbank campaign ICE agents in Minnesota have taken President Donald Trumps immigration crackdown to a shocking new low, detaining a 5-year-old boy after using him as bait, according to school officials. Preschooler Liam Ramos and his dad, Adrian Alexander Conejo Arias, who is originally from Ecuador, were picked up by agents in a Minneapolis suburb after arriving home from school on Tuesday. They were apprehended and then transported all the way to a Texas detention center, according to Zena Stenvik, the superintendent of Liams school district in Columbia Heights. The familys lawyer, Marc Prokosch, told The Washington Post the two are now in the custody of Homeland Security in San Antonio. It comes amid the Trump administrations deployment of over 2,400 Department of Homeland Security agents to the state of Minnesota. Trump officials have only doubled down on raids there in the wake of the fatal shooting of 37-year-old mother Renee Good by an ICE agent. A masked agent ushers the child through a yard. / Columbia Heights Public Schools Stenvik said she drove to the scene as soon as she heard what was happening with Liam, and she arrived to find Liams fathers car still running after he had just returned home following school pick-up. Advertisement Advertisement In a statement, she said the child, who just turned 5, was taken from the car by an ICE agent and told to knock on his front door to be let into his home in order to see if anyone else was homeessentially using a five-year-old as bait." ICE agents did not allow another adult from the home, who was outside at the time, to take care of the child, she added. Liams older brother, a middle schooler, came home just after the child and his father had been taken away, Stenvik said. The familys attorney said they arrived in the U.S. at an official entry point and have been following the legal process perfectly, with a pending asylum case and no orders against them. The family did everything they were supposed to in accordance with how the rules have been set out, he said. They did not come here illegally. They are not criminals. Advertisement Advertisement Photographs released by the school district capture the horror on the childs face. Liam, wearing a blue beanie with flappy ears, looks confused and terrified as an agent, holding onto a superhero backpack, loads him into a vehicle to be taken to Texas. Another shows a masked agent leading him through a yard. Why detain a five-year-old? You cannot tell me that this child is going to be classified as a violent criminal, Stenvik said at a press conference. Zena Stenvik, the superintendent of Liams school district in Columbia Heights, described the scene. / Columbia Heights Public Schools Homeland Security Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin declined to answer specific questions, instead saying in a statement that the pair was picked up during a targeted operation. She added that the father was an illegal alien from Ecuador who was RELEASED into the U.S. by the Biden administration. Advertisement Advertisement ICE did NOT target a child, she said. McLaughlin also alleged the father fled on footabandoning his child." She claimed that the agent was actually protecting the child. For the childs safety, one of our ICE officers remained with the child while the other officers apprehended [his father], she said. Parents are asked if they want to be removed with their children, or ICE will place the children with a safe person the parent designates, she added. ICE agents approach a house before detaining two people on Jan. 13, 2026 in Minneapolis, Minnesota. / Stephen Maturen/Getty Images Prokosch, the familys attorney, said the detention will affect other kids. Once his classmates learn the government took him away Im not qualified to talk about how much damage that is going to cause. Its not just the family, its the entire community and all of those kids who are now going to be facing secondary trauma," he said. Advertisement Advertisement A 17-year-old Columbia Heights student was also taken by armed and masked agents without parents present on Tuesday, Stenvik said. ICE agents pushed their way into an apartment and detained a 17-year-old high school girl and her mother last week, too, she added. Earlier this month, a 10-year-old fourth-grade student was also allegedly snared by the immigration task force on her way to elementary school with her mother. The National Weather Service in Tallahassee says the weekend weather picture has changed for North Florida: the winter storm threat that once appeared to be edging southward has now shifted north but the change brings a new set of concerns for the Big Bend and surrounding areas. In a graphic posted Thursday morning, the NWS meteorologists highlighted the increasing potential for thunderstorms across North Florida and South Georgia on Sunday as warmer, more unstable air arrives behind the departing winter system. The map illustrates a corridor of atmospheric instability stretching from the central Gulf Coast through the Big Bend and toward Jacksonville. While the threat level is modest, forecasters caution they are sufficient to support thunderstorms, and though the probability remains low, an isolated strong or severe storm cant be ruled out. Winter weather chances have decreased as the system trends north. However, this could now bring a potential for isolated strong/severe storms due to an influx of warmer, unstable air from the Gulf on Sunday. We will provide further updates as the threat evolves. #FLwx #ALwx #GAwx pic.twitter.com/9Tv2v6cwIT NWS Tallahassee (@NWSTallahassee) January 22, 2026 Meteorologists emphasized that residents should monitor updates as the weekend approaches. Why the forecast changed The shift comes as a powerful winter storm one of the most expansive in recent years prepares to sweep across the South and up the East Coast, delivering a dangerous mix of snow, sleet, ice, and brutal cold to millions. The storm, named Winter Storm Fern by the Weather Channel, is expected to spread wintry precipitation from Texas through the Mississippi Valley and into the Carolinas and MidAtlantic, producing hazardous travel, power outages, and subfreezing temperatures across a large swath of the country. Advertisement Advertisement Cold air associated with the system will spill into the Deep South, but the heaviest snow and most substantial freezing rain are projected to stay north of Florida, affecting parts of Alabama, Georgia, Tennessee, and the Carolinas. There is now only a 0 to 5% chance of any impact to the region covered by NWS Tallahassee, which covers south Alabama and south Georgia as well as much of the Panhandle. Deja vu: Historic winter storm buried parts of Florida in snow 1 year ago today While that northward track frees the Big Bend from the threat of accumulating snow or ice it replaces it with the risk of thunderstorms fueled by warm Gulf air riding up along the southern edge of the system. What the shift means for Tallahassee and the Big Bend? For Tallahasseearea residents, the weekend outlook now includes: Advertisement Advertisement No significant winter weather threat , with freezing rain or snow remaining unlikely. Increasing chances for rain and thunderstorms Sunday , some of which could become stronger depending on how instability develops. A surge of colder air behind the storm, with temperatures dropping into the 40s by Sunday night. Monday and Tuesday could see a hard freeze with lows in the upper 20s. The NWS says the lowprobability but nonzero risk of a stronger storm is tied to how quickly warm, unstable air moves in ahead of the cold front. Forecast updates will finetune expectations as models clarify the timing and strength of the returning cold air. Travel still a major concern especially northbound The Weather Channel warns people to prepare for Winter Storm Fern. For Floridians traveling north this weekend, conditions could become dangerous very quickly. States from Texas to Mississippi to Alabama to Tennessee and North Carolina are bracing for significant ice accumulation, downed trees, road closures, and widespread power outages. Air travel delays are likely across major hubs in Atlanta, Charlotte, Nashville, and the MidAtlantic. The Weather Service urges North Florida residents to finish travel early, monitor conditions closely, and avoid heading into regions under winter storm warnings. A storm with long reach Even though Florida may escape the worst impacts of Winter Storm Fern, the systems massive footprint means its effects will be felt nationwide. More than 150 million people could see snow, ice, or dangerous cold as the storm barrels east from central Texas all the way to New England. Advertisement Advertisement For the Big Bend, this means a weekend of rain, thunderstorms, and dropping temperatures rather than snow or ice but the National Weather Service stresses that the region is still close enough to the storms influence that residents should stay alert. Stay informed. Get weather alerts via text This article originally appeared on Tallahassee Democrat: As ice storm threat shifts, Florida could see severe storm The most dangerous and potentially destructive part of a massive winter storm will continue to affect the southern United States this weekend, where a glaze of freezing rain up to an inch thick is possible from Texas to the Carolinas and Virginia. Farther north, heavy snow will bring its share of disruptions, while a combination of snow and ice in parts of the Plains, Tennessee Valley and mid-Atlantic will further add to travel and infrastructure problems. This winter storm will shut it all down. Advertisement Advertisement "It is rare for a storm to combine this much snow, ice and bitter cold over such a large area - a widespread travel-halting, winter storm will stall daily life for days," AccuWeather Senior Vice President Evan Myers said. AccuWeather.com The scope of the ice portion of the storm will extend for 1,800 miles from far western Texas to the mid-Atlantic coast, encompassing more than a dozen states and 200 million people. In some locations, ice may continue to accrue for more than 24 hours. "Some of the power outages associated primarily with a buildup of ice affecting utility customers will last a few days or more, meaning many of the same population will be without heat as Arctic air charges in behind the storm," AccuWeather Chief Meteorologist Jon Porter said. About 60 million people will experience some icing conditions, with potentially 1 million without power for an extended time. AccuWeather.com In many areas hit hard by Helene in late September 2024, temporary power lines set up have still not been upgraded and may come down more easily than permanent lines. The massive extent of the ice storm may stretch resources and personnel in North Carolina and other states to the limit. Advertisement Advertisement "Entire supply chains may break down from prolonged days of extensive interstate closures," AccuWeather Storm Warning Meteorologist William Clark said. "Critical supplies of pharmaceuticals, baby formula and basic necessities may become scarce in the hardest-hit areas and even snowball into large parts of the country." Ice storm to down trees; make travel dangerous The intensity of the storm may shut down long stretches of major highways and close schools, businesses and airports for days. A storm of this magnitude in the Northern states, where equipment and ice-melting compounds are plentiful, would pose an extreme challenge. Such a storm as this in the Southern states, where equipment and materials are scarce, could shut down travel for an extended period. One-quarter of an inch of freezing rain is all it takes for power outages to begin, based on the weight on tree limbs and power lines. This zone is forecast to extend from near San Angelo, Texas, to east of Raleigh, North Carolina. Advertisement Advertisement Areas that have a potential for the glaze of half an inch to 1 inch include northeastern Louisiana, southwestern Arkansas, northern and central Mississippi, northeastern Georgia and upstate South Carolina. This amount of ice is projected to occur near Greenville, South Carolina; Tupelo, Mississippi; and Monroe, Louisiana. Under these conditions, scores of trees and branches will be downed. Trees and live wires will block roads. In some cases, transformers may explode. While icy conditions are expected throughout the Atlanta area early Sunday morning, the worst conditions will be north and northeast of the city core. Wet areas left over Sunday night will freeze, unless treated. Sleet could lessen the impacts of the ice storm. Areas that get more sleet than freezing rain will have less ice buildup on trees and power lines. Farther north, including parts of the mid-Atlantic, sleet could also reduce how much snow falls with this storm. The thick ice on streets, sidewalks, parking lots and highways will harden as much colder air moves in later this weekend to early next week with temperatures dipping into the 20s, teens and even the single digits in some locations as the storm moves away. AccuWeather.com Some areas close to the Gulf Coast that experience little or no freezing rain and sleet during the storm may experience a quick freeze-up of wet, untreated surfaces. Advertisement Advertisement Travel during and after the storm may be extremely dangerous. All-weather or summer tires do not provide adequate traction on ice. Experts warn that braking action on an icy surface is practically zero. GET THE FREE ACCUWEATHER APP Thousands of flights are likely to be canceled throughout the region and across the nation due to the scope of aircraft and crews that will be displaced by the ice and snow portion of the storm. Airline passengers are urged to call ahead or check apps before departing for the airport, even if the weather outside their window is dry and clear. AccuWeather.com For homes and businesses planning to use portable generators, extreme caution is advised due to the risks of carbon monoxide poisoning, electrocution and fire. Want next-level safety, ad-free? Unlock advanced, hyperlocal severe weather alerts when you subscribe to Premium+ on the AccuWeather app. AccuWeather Alerts are prompted by our expert meteorologists who monitor and analyze dangerous weather risks 24/7 to keep you and your family safer. (The Center Square) Federal immigration authorities have descended on Maine as part of President Donald Trump's nationwide crackdown on illegal immigration. The U.S. Department of Homeland Security said they have launched Operation Catch of the Day, a U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement operation in Maine "targeting the worst of the worst criminal illegal aliens who have terrorized communities." More than 50 "illegal aliens" have been arrested since the operation got underway on Tuesday, a federal agency said. Governor Mills and her fellow sanctuary politicians in Maine have made it abundantly clear that they would rather stand with criminal illegal aliens than protect law-abiding American citizens," Tricia McLaughlin, assistant DHS secretary, said in a statement. Advertisement Advertisement McLaughlin said on Wednesday authorities arrested "illegal aliens charged and convicted of aggravated assault, false imprisonment, and endangering the welfare of a child." Those detained included Dominic Ali, a Sudanese national convicted on charges of false imprisonment, aggravated assault, obstructing justice, and violation of a protective order, according to the federal agency. "Under President Trump and Secretary Noem, we are no longer allowing criminal illegal aliens to terrorize American citizens," McLaughlin said. The state's top Democrats, who last week warned residents in Portland and Lewiston of the impending immigration raids, criticized the Trump administration for targeting the state and vowed to push back against any aggressive tactics. Democratic Gov. Janet Mills took to social media Wednesday night to confirm that ICE has "ramped up" immigration enforcement in the state, "leaving many fearful of what's to come." Advertisement Advertisement "Together, we will continue to place the safety and civil rights of Maine people above all else, and remain vigilant in our defense of due process and the rule of law," Mills said. Secretary of State Sheena Bellows, a Democrat who is running for governor, also criticized the ICE operation as "unconscionable" and pointed out that Maine is ranked as one of the safest states in the nation. "There can be no pretense that ICE is here to keep us safe; they are here to stoke fears, play political games, and try to destroy the Maine spirit," she said in a statement. "Our immigrant neighbors make our communities stronger, and they are a critical part of what makes Maine the best place to live. ICE Deputy Assistant Director Patricia Hyde told Fox News that ICE agents have already apprehended at least 50 suspects. Hyde said the agency is seeking about 1,400 individuals in the state, and also criticized the state's Democrats for trying to impede the operation. Advertisement Advertisement We have approximately 1,400 targets here in Maine, ranging from rape of a child to drug trafficking, sexual assault, simple assaults, DUI, you name it, theyre on the target list, Hyde said. Maine Republicans have blamed Mills and other top Democrats for encouraging the immigration crackdown by passing a "sanctuary" state law restricting cooperation with federal authorities. State Rep. Billy Bob Faulkingham, R-Winter Harbor, encouraged Mainers to "stay calm" and not to get into ICE's way while it conducts the operation. "Folks, calm down about all this ICE stuff," Faulkingham posted on social media. "Calm down about all this federal law enforcement. They are doing their jobs. These men and women are professionals. Stay out of the way of law enforcement operations, or you're gonna get somebody hurt." BONNEVILLE COUNTY, Idaho (ABC4) The Bonneville County Sheriffs Department (BCSD) is investigating an apparent murder-suicide that occurred near the Idaho-Wyoming border. According to BCSD, around 8:06 a.m., their dispatchers received a call from a man who stated that he had just shot his wife. The call was made in southeast Bonneville County, less than a mile from the Wyoming border. The caller identified himself as 43-year-old Christopher Moon and his wife as 23-year-old Cassandra Moon. Moon reportedly told dispatchers that he had a gun and planned to take his own life. Advertisement Advertisement BCSD, Lincoln County Wyoming Sheriffs Office, and a SWAT team, as well as a Star Valley Ambulance, were dispatched to the area. They also closed Jackknife Road from the State Line Road at the Idaho-Wyoming border to the west. How to make ABC4 your preferred news source on Google When officers arrived, they saw two vehicles belonging to Christopher and Cassandra Moon on the side of the road. They were able to establish brief contact over the phone with Christopher Moon and attempted to convince him to surrender peacefully. Unfortunately, Moon reportedly shot himself using his gun. When deputies approached the vehicles, they did find both Christopher and Cassandra Moon deceased from apparent gunshot wounds. Advertisement Advertisement BCSD says that the investigation is ongoing and no further information is available at this time. Latest headlines: Copyright 2026 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to ABC4 Utah. Idaho Supreme Court Chief Justice G. Richard Bevan, standing at center, shakes hands with Idaho House Speaker Mike Moyle, left, after delivering the annual State of the Judiciary address Jan. 21 at the Idaho State Capitol in Boise. (Photo by Clark Corbin/Idaho Capital Sun) Idaho Supreme Court Chief Justice G. Richard Bevan highlighted an increase in violent threats directed at judges, court personnel and elected officials during speeches to the Idaho Legislature on Wednesday at the Idaho State Capitol in Boise. SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX Advertisement Advertisement Threats directed at Idaho judges and courts have increased significantly in recent years, and while most never materialize, those that do require precautions that can disrupt court operations and delay the delivery of justice, Bevan told legislators. During the 22-minute speech, which he delivered to both the Idaho Senate and the Idaho House of Representatives, Bevan raised concerns about a Dec. 26 shooting at the Shoshone County Sheriffs Office in Wallace, near the county courthouse and other government buildings. KBOI and other news organizations reported that a suspect began shooting outside the Shoshone County Sheriffs Office, injuring two members of the public and a law enforcement officer. The 77-year-old suspect was killed following a standoff with law enforcement officers after the suspect entered the sheriffs office and barricaded himself inside, KBOI reported. Need to get in touch? Have a news tip? CONTACT US Its only been a month since a man approached the Shoshone County Sheriffs Office and began firing his weapon, Bevan said. The nearby courthouse was closed for a state holiday. But had it been open, it is unsettling to imagine county clerks, court staff, the public or judges finding themselves in harms way. All of us who serve in public office understand that the risk is not theoretical. Advertisement Advertisement In a separate incident, the Idaho State Judicial Branch issued a press release in September calling for an end to public threats against a judge who sentenced a defendant who was originally charged with a felony for lewd conduct with a minor child under 16 to probation after a plea agreement for a different charge was agreed upon. Following the sentencing, Idaho court officials say the judge and his family and children were subject to numerous nationwide threats including calls to hunt the judge down. Idaho court officials said the volume and seriousness of the threats against the judge required additional security precautions at public expense. Legislators, judges and executive officials alike have been reminded tragically that public service can make one a target especially given the importance of conducting public business in a space open to the public and that reality places sustained pressure on courthouse security, Bevan said. In Wednesdays speech, Bevan noted that state funds are constrained this year, and he did not bring any specific proposals or funding requests to the Idaho Legislature. But he did ask legislators to thoughtfully consider how best to protect public officials and members of the public who use the court system. The state of Idaho has a legitimate interest in the security of courthouses where state employed judges conduct the publics business, Bevan said. SUPPORT: YOU MAKE OUR WORK POSSIBLE The death of a 55-year-old Cuban detainee who died on Jan. 3 at a federal immigration detention camp in El Paso was ruled a homicide Wednesday by the El Paso Medical Examiners office. Geraldo Lunas Campos, who had been detained at Camp East Montana, died from asphyxia due to neck and torso compression, according to the autopsy report, meaning that he couldnt breathe because of pressure on his neck and chest. Immigration and Customs Enforcement in a Jan. 9 press release said Lunas Campos died after experiencing medical distress. About a week later, ICE told the Associated Press that he instead died after attempting suicide and ICE staff attempted to save him. Advertisement Advertisement That change came after the Washington Post published a story saying the El Paso Medical Examiner was likely to rule his death a homicide. Lunas Campos daughter shared a recording of a conversation she had with an employee at the medical examiners office with the newspaper. The autopsy report says Lunas Campos became unresponsive while being physically restrained by law enforcement, and that his medical records show that he experienced bipolar disorder and anxiety. Lunas Campos, who was a registered sex offender and convicted felon, is the third detainee to die at Camp East Montana, a tent facility hastily built last summer at Fort Bliss, an Army base in El Paso. The camp was built to hold a growing number of immigrants detained by ICE after the Trump administration launched a national effort to arrest and deport large numbers of undocumented immigrants. The camp is now the countrys largest immigration detention center, with a capacity to hold 5,000 people. Advertisement Advertisement ICE has recorded four deaths in the last two months in detention centers across Texas, three of them at Camp East Montana. The first death at Camp East Montana happened on Dec. 3 when Francisco Gaspar-Andres, a 48-year-old Guatemalan, died from what ICE said in a press release was liver and kidney failure. The El Paso Medical Examiner is investigating his death and an autopsy is pending. Victor Manuel Diaz, a 34-year-old Nicaraguan who died at Camp East Montana on Jan. 14, was the most recent death. He was found unconscious and unresponsive in his room, according to a press release from ICE, which added that he may have died because of a suicide attempt but his death is still being investigated. Two days after Lunas Campos death, Luis Gustavo Nunez, 42, died at the Joe Corley Processing Center in Conroe, near Houston. The Honduran man died because of chronic heart-related health issues according to ICE. Advertisement Advertisement Lunas Campos, a father of four, was arrested by immigration officers in July 2025 in Rochester, New York, where he lived for nearly two decades. He had been held at the El Paso camp since Sept. 6 and was one of the first detainees sent to Camp East Montana. ICE said an immigration judge ordered his deportation in March 2005 but he wasnt removed because the government could not obtain travel documents. Southern California officials and communities are continuing to question the legality and tactics of federal immigration agents amid a series of shootings tied to enforcement operations dating back to last summer. The latest incident occurred Wednesday morning in Willowbrook where a federal agent opened fire during an immigration enforcement operation. "When you create an atmosphere of mistrust that even if it might have been a legitimate arrest, the neighborhoods don't trust this situation because of what was going on in Minneapolis, but what's been going on here since last June, and it hasn't stopped," Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass said. Advertisement Advertisement Immigration raids turning violent are not rare in Southern California. In October, a federal operation in South L.A. left a popular TikToker, Richard Parias, hospitalized with a gunshot wound. Agents said Parias tried to drive into them, but a federal judge later dismissed the charges filed against him. A week and a half later, Carlos Jimenez - an American citizen - was shot in the shoulder by an Immigration and Customs Enforcement agent in Ontario. ICE said Jimenez tried to hit agents with his car. Last August, federal immigration officers opened fire on a truck while attempting to arrest a San Bernardino man. His son and son-in-law were also inside. No one was hit, and agents said the driver tried to run them over. Advertisement Advertisement L.A. County Supervisor Holly Mitchell represents the district where the shooting in Willowbrook occurred. "There is no law enforcement best practice that suggests that you stand in front of a moving vehicle, or you shoot into a moving vehicle," Mitchell said. "It calls into question for me the training, the orientation and the true intent behind these ICE agents." The state and county have passed laws barring law enforcement officers from hiding their faces in most situations - laws federal agents have mostly ignored. Meanwhile, the Associated Press published an internal ICE memo that gives its agents permission to forcibly enter homes with just an administrative warrant instead of a judge's warrant. Legal experts are calling that unconstitutional and say it will be challenged in the courts. NEW DELHI, Jan 21 (Reuters) - India will withdraw its diplomats' families and dependents from Bangladesh in the face of security threats as tension rises ahead of a February 12 general election, an Indian official said on Wednesday. Campaigning begins on Thursday for Bangladesh's election, which has sparked protests and counter-protests. Ties between the South Asian neighbours soured after former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina fled to India in 2024, following deadly protests. India's withdrawal move was part of "internal readjustments", the official said, without elaborating. The official, who spoke on condition of anonymity, pointed to Indian media reports of New Delhi's decision. Advertisement Advertisement It was not immediately clear when the families would return. The foreign ministries of India and Bangladesh did not immediately respond to requests for comment. In December, India summoned Bangladesh's high commissioner, or ambassador to voice its concern over what it called a deteriorating security situation there, particularly threats targeting the Indian mission in the capital, Dhaka. The interim government led by Nobel laureate Muhammad Yunus has repeatedly sought Hasina's extradition to Bangladesh, while rejecting New Delhi's concerns over violence targeting members of the minority Hindu community. (Reporting by Shivam Patel in New Delhi and Ruma Paul in Dhaka; Editing by Clarence Fernandez) Indiana Gov. Mike Braun, front left, stands next to Senate President Pro Tem Rodric Bray and House Speaker Todd Huston during a Statehouse event on Jan. 5, 2026. (Photo by Casey Smith/Indiana Capital Chronicle) Republican state senators have a strong fundraising head start going into their primary campaigns as a presidential threat of political retribution looms over many of them from the failed Indiana congressional redistricting push. That advantage, however, could quickly vanish if Gov. Mike Braun dips into nearly $2.3 million in campaign cash he built by the end of December to carry through on vows to back primary challengers to Republican senators who voted against redistricting. Advertisement Advertisement A look at the potential political fallout from the doomed effort demanded by President Donald Trump for new congressional maps comes from updated state campaign finance reports released Wednesday covering through the end of 2025. Besides the Republican intra-party square off, the new reports also show a fast fundraising start by secretary of state candidate Beau Bayh that made him the rare Democrat to have a campaign cash lead as he looks to challenge Republican incumbent Diego Morales. Senate Republican retribution threat Both Trump and Vice President JD Vance renewed calls of political vengeance over the weekend from the bruising Indiana Senate defeat in December of a proposed new U.S. House map aimed at giving Republicans all nine of the states congressional seats. They both cast blame again on Senate President Pro Tem Rodric Bray for the Indiana redistricting loss, this time pointing to Virginia Democrats last week advancing a plan for new maps in that state. Advertisement Advertisement A Trump social media post on Saturday said: I was with David McIntosh of the Club for Growth, and we agreed that we will both work tirelessly together to take out Indiana Senate Majority Leader Rod Bray, a total RINO, who betrayed the Republican Party, the President of the United States, and everyone else who wants to, MAKE AMERICA GREAT AGAIN! Were after you Bray, like no one has ever come after you before! Signs at a pro-redistricting rally at the Indiana Statehouse on Friday, Dec. 5, 2025. (Leslie Bonilla Muniz/Indiana Capital Chronicle) The threats from Trump and Braun against Bray that began last fall did not seem to dent fundraising by the Senate Republican campaign committee or by Brays campaign. That organization, which Senate Republican leadership controls and typically backs all incumbent GOP senators, reported raising almost $1.3 million last year and ending 2025 with $2.3 million in available cash. Bray, who isnt up for election until 2028, ended December with just over $1 million in his campaign account after raising about $335,000 during the year. Advertisement Advertisement Meanwhile, of the eight Republican senators seeking reelection this year who voted against redistricting, only one reported less campaign cash on hand than any GOP challengers. That was Sen. Greg Walker, who raised no money last year as he planned to retire from the Legislature before reversing his decision this month. Former Sen. Jim Merritt, who was a longtime leader of the Republican campaign arm before leaving the Senate in 2020, said he believed it was too late for many of the challengers to organize effective campaigns. If youre gonna take on a Senate incumbent, youve gotta have a bazooka, Merritt said in an interview. Youve gotta have some might behind your name and none of those people do. Josh Kelley, Brauns chief of staff and top political adviser, told the Indiana Capital Chronicle in a text message that he would not comment on whether the Braun campaign will direct money toward primary challengers. Advertisement Advertisement Brauns gubernatorial campaign, coming off his 2024 election win, raised $2.5 million last year and ended December with $2.3 million available. A pro-redistricting campaign group called Fair Maps Indiana Action reported no fundraising activity for 2025 despite announcing in December plans to spend seven figures in key state Senate and House primary races. Fair Maps Indiana leader Marty Obst, an Indiana Republican operative who held senior leadership roles in Trumps 2016 and 2020 presidential campaigns, said the group spent more than $500,000 on redistricting efforts through its nonprofit organization that isnt required to disclose its funding sources. Obst told the Capital Chronicle that the group would be raising money for both the nonprofit and campaign organizations for the primary races. Advertisement Advertisement Our team will work closely with aligned efforts such as Club For Growth and multiple political committees supporting the presidents priorities, Obst said. Our intention is to spend seven figures opposing those senators and supporting top-tier challengers. Neither Brays office nor the Republican Senate campaign committee commented in response to the new salvos from Trump and Vance. Merritt said he doubted the redistricting issues influence in legislative primary races. If Trump were on the ballot, yes, I think there would be some push, he said. I think thered be some leverage there. Secretary of state action The top 2026 political target for Indiana Democrats is the secretary of states office, a race where many party leaders hope Bayh will be able to successfully challenge first-term Republican incumbent Morales. Advertisement Advertisement Bayh, the son of former Gov. Evan Bayh and grandson of former U.S. Sen. Birch Bayh, leveraged those deep political ties for a quick fundraising haul after formally launching his campaign in early October. Beau Bayh meets with the media at Holliday Park in Indianapolis on Oct. 6, 2025. (Whitney Downard/Indiana Capital Chronicle) In those three months, Beau Bayh raised $1.8 million and ended 2025 with nearly $1.6 million available. That compares to the $500,000 raised by Morales for the year and his campaigns $1.2 million available. Those figures already put the secretary of state campaigns well ahead of spending for the entire 2022 cycle, when Morales raised $1.3 million and Democratic challenger Destiny Wells raised $860,000. Advertisement Advertisement Beau Bayhs campaign touted the fundraising haul as evidence of momentum in support of his candidacy. People are demanding change an end to the blatant corruption, an end to the no bid contracts, and an end to the waste of taxpayer money, he said in a statement. With the support of more and more Hoosiers on our side, we will defeat Diego Morales. Secretary of State Diego Morales at a pro-redistricting rally at the Indiana Statehouse on Dec. 5, 2025. (Leslie Bonilla Muniz/Indiana Capital Chronicle) Morales derided Bayh as Trust Fund Beau and said his own campaigns fundraising indicates that we have energized donors through our focus on protecting elections, defending Hoosiers and delivering results during my first term in office. Our ongoing fundraising success and recent financial reports from other candidates show that I am the only Republican who will have the resources to win in November, Morales said in a statement. While we are standing toe-to-toe with the Democrats in raising funds, we have the experience and the proven leadership to continue enhancing the critical election protections and business services reforms that Hoosiers demand. Advertisement Advertisement The Republican and Democratic nominations for secretary of state will be decided at their state party conventions in June. Morales is being challenged by Knox County Clerk David Shelton, who reported raising $48,000 and having $7,000 remaining at years end. Another Democratic candidate is Blythe Potter, a small business owner and Army veteran from Bargersville. She reported raising $136,000, with $116,000 available on Dec. 31. Potter on Wednesday denounced Beau Bayh for relying on what her campaign cited as $310,000 from Republican-aligned donors and $615,000 from out-of-state contributors. Potter called on Beau Bayh to return a $25,000 contribution from Marc Rowan, the CEO of Apollo Global Management private equity firm whom Trump has named to his planned Board of Peace. Advertisement Advertisement Hoosiers deserve to know who candidates are really accountable to, Potter said in a statement. If Beau Bayh wants to run as a champion for Indiana voters, he should start by returning money from Trump-aligned billionaires who sit on pay-to-play advisory boards and bankroll the Republican agenda. Bayh campaign manager Jack Tormoehlen did not comment directly on Blythes criticism, saying in a statement that Beau has been clear about his priorities in cleaning up the corruption in the secretary of states office, and we are building a winning campaign with supporters who agree we shouldnt be wasting taxpayer dollars on no-bid contracts and luxury cars. This story has been updated with additional comment from Diego Morales campaign and Fair Maps Indiana group. SUPPORT: YOU MAKE OUR WORK POSSIBLE The Brief A Gary man has been charged with arson after a fire severely damaged an apartment building in Carpentersville last November. Prosecutors say the blaze caused more than $100,000 in damage and affected 24 families, with one person treated for smoke inhalation. The suspect was arrested in Indiana and is being held in custody ahead of his next court appearance. CARPENTERSVILLE, Ill. - A Gary man was charged with arson after allegedly setting fire to an apartment complex in Carpentersville last November, heavily damaging the building and displacing dozens of residents. What we know Garland McGheee III, 30, allegedly set the fire on Nov. 29 at Meadowdale Apartments located at 104 Meadowdale Court, according to the Kane County State's Attorney's Office. Advertisement Advertisement The fire extended from the first floor to the roof and damaged the homes and property of 24 families living in the building. Officials said the damage was in excess of $100,000. The fire was put out within a couple of hours. One person was treated at the scene for smoke inhalation but was not hospitalized. Dozens of residents were displaced and assisted by the Red Cross, Kane County OEM and the local Moose Lodge with temporary living conditions. McGhee was arrested in Indiana on Jan. 14 and charged with aggravated arson, residential arson, arson to personal property with damage more than $150 and criminal damage with fire of more than $100,000, all felonies. On Tuesday, McGhee was ordered to be held in custody ahead of his trial. Advertisement Advertisement The video below came from a previous Fox Chicago report. What's next His next court appearance was scheduled for Jan. 28 at the Kane County Judicial Center. The Source The information in this article came from the Kane County State's Attorney's Office and previous Fox Chicago reporting. John Wilson, representing the Allen County Board of Commissioners, testifies in favor of public records legislation in committee on Wednesday, Jan. 21, 2026. (Photo by Leslie Bonilla Muniz/Indiana Capital Chronicle) As local units of government report an influx of time-consuming public records requests they suspect of being phishing attempts, Hoosier lawmakers are cracking down. This bill addresses a real and emerging threat that is happening largely out of public view, said John Wilson, representing the Allen County Board of Commissioners. Advertisement Advertisement This threat is the large-scale harvesting of government data, often by bots or AI-driven systems outside of our state, he told the Houses government committee Wednesday. Need to get in touch? Have a news tip? CONTACT US Wilson described how the county received a commercial public records request seeking a spreadsheet of every purchase from 2021 to the present, including unit pricing, vendor IDs, quantities, totals and more in the requesters own format. We dont think this is a request for transparency. We think this is a request to replicate our internal purchasing system, he said. If Im someone committing fraud, I want to appear as legitimate as possible. A unit of government is about as legitimate as it gets. Advertisement Advertisement Other requests, per Wilson, sought 10 years worth of purchase orders above a certain threshold and, also in the requesters own format, internal capital planning information across nearly every category of public infrastructure. After an amendment taken Wednesday, House Bill 1360 would allow but not require state and local public agencies to set up online public records portals distinguishing bots from humans and Hoosiers from out-of-staters. A portal could incorporate CAPTCHAs or other mechanisms to ensure a requester is human, and log submissions suspected of being automated or to have originated from known sources of phishing or data scraping. Those logs would get reported to the Office of the Public Access Counselor. The PAC would also track requests to identify patterns or sources of such suspect requests. Rep. Matt Lehman, R-Berne, talks about his public records bill in committee on Wednesday, Jan. 21, 2026. (Photo by Leslie Bonilla Muniz/Indiana Capital Chronicle) A portal could also require verification of a requesters physical address and indicate to the public agency if the requester is an Indiana resident. Advertisement Advertisement A public agency would be able to charge supplemental fees to out-of-state requesters capped at 25 cents per page or $25 per staff hour and to prioritize asks filed by Indiana residents and for non-commercial uses. Those would include civic, journalistic, academic or personal purposes. When non-Hoosiers and non-humans consume our resources, both the state and the local government should be able to recoup these costs, Allen Countys Wilson said. Some of these out of state requests are legitimate he added. But many (have) fake names, (from) companies that dont show up when you Google them. Advertisement Advertisement The bills author, Rep. Matt Lehman, said the measure isnt meant to hurt journalistic data-gathering efforts by out-of-state outlets or using automated tools. He noted Hoosier agencies can waive fees if they determine a request serves the public interest. You have to be able to make your argument as to why gathering the data is journalistic, Lehman, R-Berne, told the Capital Chronicle. So if you say, Look, Im getting 50 states data on this particular thing to write a story, I think that makes sense. SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX Local government officials across Indiana wouldn't be able to purchase luxury vehicles with taxpayer money and some may even have to give existing vehicles back if a bill moving through the Indiana General Assembly is signed into law. Democratic Rep. Mitch Gore of Indianapolis, who authored last year's legislation that took aim at Lt. Gov. Micah Beckwith and Secretary of State Diego Morales' luxury SUVs, is back this year with a bill to weed out high-end vehicle purchases made by local governments. Gore said House Bill 1066, approved unanimously by the House government reform committee on Jan. 21, was prompted by a suggestion last year from a fellow lawmaker to expand his original bill. Advertisement Advertisement He said the idea that government officials are riding around in luxury when the "average Hoosier" can't afford cars like that doesn't sit right with him. "Unlike last year, nobody specific this year drew my ire - but I'm positive it is happening in local government," Gore told IndyStar. It's unclear how many of these cars exist across the state. A fiscal analysis prepared by the Legislative Services Agency states that the current number of vehicles "that would require disposal" as a result of the bill is unknown. At least one such recent purchase that would be "no dice" under Gore's bill, according to the lawmaker, is the nearly $52,000 purchase in 2024 by Lawrence Mayor Deb Whitfield's administration of a 2024 Ford Explorer Timberline, according to a purchase order obtained by IndyStar. Advertisement Advertisement The SUV, which has been criticized by some Lawrence residents amid concerns about her administration's handling of finances, includes an upgraded sound system and a moonroof. Gore, who was not previously aware of the purchase, said his impression of the SUV is that "it would not comply with these new standards." Under the bill, local government officials who have already purchased such vehicles would be required to sell them by 2028, or following the end of the useful life of the vehicle. Whitfield's chief of staff Greg Goodnight said it wouldn't be a big deal if Whitfield was forced to get rid of the vehicle. Advertisement Advertisement "I don't think she has a preference on what she drives," he said. "With everything going on in the world and the country and state of Indiana I'm sure that's the least of her concerns." The legislature nearly unanimously passed Gore's bill last year after IndyStar reported that both Morales and Beckwith had recently bought nearly $90,000 high-trim SUVs on the taxpayers' dime. Morales' GMC Yukon Denali, which advertises itself as a car designed to "immerse yourself in luxury" came from Kelley Automotive Group, one of his campaign donors. More: $90K taxpayer-funded SUVs raise eyebrows, questions. Here's what to know Advertisement Advertisement Currently, the governor's office and the Indiana State Police are exempt from the base-model rule. Gore wanted to change that this year but a Republican amendment, approved unanimously by the committee, keeps the exemption in place. The bill still has a long journey to becoming law. It now moves to the full House and will also have to pass through the Senate before heading to the governor's desk. Contact senior government accountability reporter Hayleigh Colombo at hcolombo@indystar.com or follow her on X @hayleighcolombo. Sign up for our free weekly politics newsletter, Checks & Balances, curated by IndyStar political and government reporters. This article originally appeared on Indianapolis Star: Are Indiana's local officials buying luxury cars? Bill seeks to curb it Rep. Kenan Judge, D-Waukee, spoke on Iowa House Democrats "Iowa Health Water Act" plan Jan. 22, 2026, that would provide funding and new incentives to improve water quality and monitoring in the state. (Photo by Robin Opsahl/Iowa Capital Dispatch) Iowa House Democrats released a proposal Thursday aimed at improving the quality of Iowas drinking water and waterways through increased monitoring and more incentives for farmers and landowners to implement best practices. Water quality has been a major topic in the state among environmental advocates for years, who have warned about the impacts of farm runoff and chemicals like PFAS in the states water. But these concerns have been further elevated in the past year as central Iowa faced elevated nitrate levels in the Des Moines and Raccoon rivers in 2025. Advertisement Advertisement The Iowa Healthy Water Act is House Democrats proposal to tackle water quality concerns throughout the state. The measure, which was not yet available on the Legislatures website, includes five components, Democrats said at a Thursday news conference. SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX The proposal would establish a $600,000 statewide water monitoring program, led by Regents institutions including the Iowa Flood Center, with information accessible through a public, statewide dashboard. In October 2025, Polk County supervisors voted to invest $200,000 to fund the states monitoring system, the Iowa Water Quality Information System, or IWQIS, led by the University of Iowa that was set to end in the summer of 2026 due to lapsed funding diverted in 2023. Democrats proposal would provide the full amount estimated for the system to be fully operational. Advertisement Advertisement Rep. Kenan Judge, D-Waukee, said this funding was necessary if the state wants ensure the effectiveness of any efforts to improve water quality. If were leaders, we need to come out and we should oversee water, Judge said. It shouldnt be a mishmash of testing. If we cannot measure it, we cannot manage it. The Iowa Department of Natural Resources also monitors water quality and provides assessments on sections of Iowa waterways every other year as mandated by the Clean Water Act. However, some advocates say more monitoring is necessary, with citizen scientists providing additional testing through groups like the Nitrate Watch program. The House Democrats proposal also calls for the state to triple its funding from $10 million to $30 million for Iowas Nutrient Reduction Strategy. This strategy, developed by the Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship, the Iowa Department of Natural Resources and Iowa State University as a part of a 12-state task force, provides recommendations to farmers on how to reduce nitrogen loads. Advertisement Advertisement Though the strategy does not mandate any conservation practices, Democrats said the increased funding would allow more best practices to be implemented, highlighting wetlands, buffer strips, bioreactors and cover crops as areas for increased funding. Two tax incentive programs were also proposed. One was a state income tax credit for farmers, refundable for up to 50% of out-of-pocket expenses for implementing best management practices for water quality and reduced runoff, and the other , the Iowa Clean Water Certification program, would provide a $5 per acre property tax credit for farms that voluntarily follow an approved nutrient management plan and adopt practices from the Nutrient Reduction Strategy. The proposal would also create a loan program, offering zero-interest loans for agricultural equipment linked with improved water quality. While Democrats did not have estimates for the costs of implementing these five measures, Rep. Austin Baeth, D-Des Moines, an internal medicine physician, said the proposal was a small amount of money to address a problem which, left unaddressed, will cost the state greatly in the future through ongoing health concerns. Advertisement Advertisement When you look about the economic viability of this state down the road, were going to need to have clean water, and were going to need to have lower cancer rates, Baeth said. This is not only playing economic offense, its playing economic defense because if we lose our workforce, our economy is going to be in rougher shape. So it is in everyones best interest here in the state of Iowa, its in every single Iowans interest that we drink healthy water. And so it makes sense that we all invest in fixing this problem together. Some Democrats and advocates have linked Iowas high cancer rates to water pollution. Grassley cites state investment in water quality While some Republicans have said water quality is an issue in Iowa, House Speaker Pat Grassley said it is important to note the DNR is already monitoring water quality and Iowas drinking water is approved by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. As a state, were investing as much, if not more, than any other state in the nation, in water quality, Grassley told reporters Thursday. We have to do a better job not only those of us in agriculture, but in the Legislature, that have led on these issues of telling the actual story of what weve done. SUPPORT: YOU MAKE OUR WORK POSSIBLE DES MOINES, Iowa The Iowa Capitol was filled with veterans speaking with lawmakers and advocating for state-level veteran programs during the annual Iowa Veterans Day on the Hill Wednesday. Top priorities outlined by veterans included property tax relief, protecting VA benefits, and raising awareness about mental health and veteran homelessness. Lawmakers and advocates also discussed a tuition parity bill introduced in the Iowa House that would expand higher education benefits for veterans. A major focus of the day centered on legislation proposed by Gov. Kim Reynolds last week that aims to modernize Iowas claims service system to help more veterans access benefits. Advertisement Advertisement Iowa is home to about 178,000 veterans, but fewer than one-third currently receive VA benefits. That places the state 44th in the nation for compensation per capita. The governors proposal would create a performance-based county grant program designed to incentivize counties to increase the number of veterans receiving benefits. Trump to deliver speech on energy and economy in Iowa next week The bottom line is that the result of this legislation will increase benefits to those who are eligible, through better connecting the federal, state and county partners, said Todd Jacobus, commandant of the Iowa Department of Veterans Affairs. The easy way forward is to continue to do what weve always done. We are asking our elected officials to reinforce success and pass passage of this legislation. Advertisement Advertisement Deputy Adjutant General of the Iowa Army National Guard William McClintock emphasized the broader impact of veteran advocacy. Together, we will ensure that Iowa remains a state that honors our veterans, invests in the future, stands united and committed to service, he said. As you meet with your state legislators, know that your voices carry the weight and experience in the wisdom in the service. The requests you bring to the table today are not just about improving individual lives. Theyre about strengthening the very fabric of our communities and of our state, the state of Iowa. Darlene McMartin, chair of the Iowa Commission of Veterans Affairs, said legislative action is essential. We often say support our veterans, support our troops. Today, that support must be more than words. It must be reflected in the laws we pass. Strong veteran legislation is not charity. Its a fulfillment of a contract, a contract between a nation and those who stand ready to sacrifice everything in its defense, McMartin said. Advertisement Advertisement Several leaders also paused to recognize the sacrifices made by service members, including those who gave their lives in service. Tributes were paid to Iowas Staff Sgt. William Nate Howard and Staff Sgt. Edgar Torres Tovar, who were killed in the line of duty in December. Iowa news Copyright 2026 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to who13.com. Jan 22 - French market research firm Ipsos plans to invest 1.2 billion euros ($1.4 billion) over five years in artificial intelligence and acquisitions as it seeks to reverse sluggish growth, its CEO Jean-Laurent Poitou said in an interview. The investment plan will be split between acquisitions, targeting specific technologies, and improving its internal capabilities, he said. "We will increase the proportion of data scientists and artificial intelligence engineers among Ipsos' talent pool in the coming years. This is one of the reasons why we will be investing," Poitou said. Ipsos currently employs over 1,000 data scientists and AI engineers. Advertisement Advertisement The company intends to focus its AI efforts on commercial research, which constitutes the bulk of its revenue, rather than political polling, a smaller service line. Ipsos plans to develop or acquire most of its core technologies though it remains open to partnerships if they accelerate progress or align better with financial objectives. The firm primarily uses data it owns, such as that from syndicated studies sold to multiple clients, for training its AI models. Proprietary studies commissioned by clients involve contractual agreements that determine data ownership, Poitou said. ($1 = 0.8546 euros) (Reporting by Leo Marchandon in Gdansk; Editing by Matt Scuffham) More than 10,000 members of the ultra-hardline terror group have been held for years in about a dozen prisons and detention camps guarded by the SDF in Syria's northeast. Iraq's Supreme Judicial Council said on Thursday it would begin legal proceedings against Islamic State (ISIS) detainees transferred from Syria, after the rapid collapse of Kurdish-led forces in northeast Syria triggered concerns over ISIS security. More than 10,000 members of the ultra-hardline terror group have been held for years in about a dozen prisons and detention camps guarded by the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) in Syria's northeast. Advertisement Advertisement The US military said on Tuesday its forces had transferred 150 ISIS detainees from Syria to Iraq and that the operation could eventually see up to 7,000 detainees moved out of Syria. It cited concerns over security at the prisons, which also hold thousands more women and children with ties to the terror group, after military setbacks suffered by the SDF. A US official told Reuters on Tuesday that about 200 low-level ISIS terrorists escaped from Syria's Shaddadi prison, although Syrian government forces had recaptured many of them. A soldier in an ISIS uniform prepares ammunition. (credit: SHUTTERSTOCK) ISIS terrorists to be transferred to Iraq Iraqi officials said Prime Minister Mohammed Shia alSudani mentioned the transfer of ISIS prisoners to Iraq in a phone call with Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa on Tuesday, adding that the transfers went ahead following a formal request by the Iraqi government to Syrian authorities. Advertisement Advertisement Iraqi government spokesperson Basim al-Awadi said the transfer was "a preemptive step to protect Iraqs national security," adding that Baghdad could not delay action given the rapid pace of security and political developments in Syria. The Sunni group emerged in Iraq and Syria, and at the height of its power from 2014-2017 held swathes of the two countries, ruling over millions of people. Its "caliphate" eventually collapsed after a military campaign by a US-led coalition. An Iraqi military spokesperson confirmed that Iraq had received a first batch of 150 ISIS detainees, including Iraqis and foreigners, and said the number of future transfers would depend on security and field assessments. The spokesperson described the detainees as senior figures within the group. In a statement, the Supreme Judicial Council said Iraqi courts would take "due legal measures" against the detainees once they are handed over and placed in specialized correctional facilities, citing the Iraqi constitution and criminal laws. Relatives of some detainees worried about their fate "All suspects, regardless of their nationalities or positions within the terrorist organization, are subject exclusively to the authority of the Iraqi judiciary," the statement said. Advertisement Advertisement Iraqi officials say under the legal measures, ISIS detainees will be separated, with senior figures, including foreign nationals, to be held at a highsecurity detention facility near Baghdad airport that was previously used by US forces. The transfers have raised concerns among some relatives of ISIS detainees in Europe. A European woman whose relative joined the group and was detained in Syria said her family was alarmed by reports that ISIS prisoners were being moved to Iraq. Speaking on condition of anonymity, she said the family initially hoped changes in control in Syria might bring information on her relatives fate. "At least we thought we might finally learn where he is, whether he is alive or sick," she said. Advertisement Advertisement "But when we saw that the prisoners were being taken to Iraq, that frightened us," she added, citing Iraqs use of the death penalty. Two Iraqi legal sources said the ISIS detainees sent from Syria include a mix of nationalities, with IraqISIS making up the largest group, alongside Arab fighters from other countries, as well as European and other Western nationals. The sources said the detainees include nationals of Britain, Germany, France, Belgium, and Sweden, and other European Union countries, and will be prosecuted under Iraqi jurisdiction. By Ahmed Rasheed, Maya Gebeily and Michelle Nichols BAGHDAD/UNITED NATIONS, Jan 22 (Reuters) - The United Nations said on Thursday it was taking management responsibility for vast camps in Syria housing tens of thousands of women and children associated with Islamic State, after the rapid collapse of Kurdish-led forces who guarded them for years. Iraq, which has begun taking in detainees transferred from prisons in Syria as the Kurds retreat, said it would begin prosecuting them through its criminal justice system, and called on other countries to help take them in. Advertisement Advertisement More than 10,000 members of Islamic State, and tens of thousands of women and children associated with them, have been held for years in about a dozen prisons and detention camps guarded by the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) in Syria's northeast. The SDF has rapidly retreated this week after clashes with Syrian government forces, raising concern about security at prisons and humanitarian conditions at the camps. The United Nations said the SDF withdrew on Tuesday from al-Hol, which along with another camp, Roj, houses 28,000 civilians, mainly women and children who fled Islamic State's strongholds as the group's self-proclaimed caliphate collapsed. They include Syrians, Iraqis and 8,500 nationals of other countries. Syrian government forces had established a security perimeter around the camp and teams from the U.N. refugee agency UNHCR and the U.N. children's agency UNICEF reached the camp on Wednesday, officials said. Advertisement Advertisement "UNHCR which has taken over camp management responsibilities is actively coordinating with the Syrian government to urgently resume the safe delivery of life-saving humanitarian assistance," senior U.N. aid official Edem Wosornu told the U.N. Security Council. U.N. officials had not yet been able to enter because "the situation in the camp remains rather tense and volatile with reports of looting and burning," U.N. Spokesperson Stephane Dujarric told reporters. He said the Syrian government had expressed a willingness to provide security and support for UNHCR and aid groups. DETAINEES SENT TO IRAQ The U.S. military said on Tuesday its forces had transferred 150 detainees from Syria to Iraq at the start of an operation that could eventually see up to 7,000 detainees moved out of Syria. Advertisement Advertisement A U.S. official told Reuters on Tuesday that about 200 low-level IS fighters escaped from Syria's Shaddadi prison, although Syrian government forces had recaptured many of them. Iraq's Deputy U.N. Ambassador Mohammed Sahib Mejid Marzooq told the U.N. Security Council on Thursday that Iraq was accepting detainees to protect regional and international security, but that other countries should be prepared to help. "This issue should not be left to become a long-term strategic burden on Iraq alone. The insistence of some states on considering their terrorist nationals a threat to their national security and the refusal to repatriate them is unacceptable," he said. Islamic State emerged in Iraq and Syria, and at the height of its power from 2014-2017 held swathes of the two countries, ruling over millions of people. Its "caliphate" eventually collapsed after military campaigns by regional governments and a U.S.-led coalition. Advertisement Advertisement An Iraqi military spokesperson confirmed that Iraq had received a first batch of 150 IS detainees, including Iraqis and foreigners, and said the number of future transfers would depend on security and field assessments. The spokesperson described the detainees as senior figures within the group. RELATIVES OF SOME DETAINEES WORRIED ABOUT THEIR FATE Iraq's Supreme Judicial Council said Iraqi courts would take "due legal measures" against detainees once they are handed over and placed in specialised correctional facilities. "All suspects, regardless of their nationalities or positions within the terrorist organisation, are subject exclusively to the authority of the Iraqi judiciary," the statement said. Advertisement Advertisement Iraqi officials say IS detainees will be separated, with senior figures including foreign nationals to be held at a highsecurity detention facility near Baghdad airport previously used by U.S. forces. The transfers have raised concern among some relatives of IS detainees in Europe. A European woman whose relative joined the group and was detained in Syria said her family was alarmed by reports that prisoners were being moved to Iraq, noting that Iraq has the death penalty. Speaking on condition of anonymity, she said the family initially hoped changes in control in Syria might bring information on her relatives fate. "At least we thought we might finally learn where he is, whether he is alive or sick," she said. "But when we saw that the prisoners were being taken to Iraq, that frightened us." Advertisement Advertisement Two Iraqi legal sources said the IS detainees sent from Syria include a mix of nationalities, with Iraqis making up the largest group, alongside Arab fighters from other countries and nationals of Britain, Belgium, France, Germany and Sweden. (Reporting by Ahmed Rasheed in Baghdad and Maya Gebeily in Beirut and Michelle Nichols at the United NationsEditing by Peter Graff) Israeli President Isaac Herzog said on Thursday that Irans leadership has been significantly weakened by the recent nationwide anti-government protests, describing the Islamic Republic as being in "quite a fragile situation." "The people are suffering tremendously. There's shortage of food and water and so many other basics. The economy is in shambles," Herzog said during a discussion at the World Economic Forum in Davos on Thursday. "It's clear to me that the ayatollah regime is in quite a fragile situation." Advertisement Advertisement He said there could be no future for the Iranian people without a change of leadership, adding that any such shift must ultimately come from "within" Iran, with backing from the international community. "The horizon, the future for the Iranian people can only be in a regime change." He criticized what he described as a lack of a vocal international opposition to Iran's leadership, contrasting it with global demonstrations of solidarity with Palestinians seen during the war in Gaza. Last June, Israel and Iran fought a 12-day conflict marked by intense mutual attacks. Amid recent speculation over a possible new US strike on Iran, the two countries have since exchanged threats again. Advertisement Advertisement Iran on Wednesday published official death toll figures for the protests that started at the end of December, saying that a total of 3,117 people were killed. Rights group, however, say the actual number of victims is likely to be significantly higher. Archaeologists in Italy have unearthed the remains of a 2,000-year-old basilica designed by the pioneering ancient Roman architect Vitruvius. Italy's Culture Minister, Alessandro Giuli, likened the discovery to that of Tutankhamun's tomb, adding that it is something that our grandchildren will be talking about. The archaeological treasure was discovered during excavations for the redevelopment of Piazza Andrea Costa, in the city of Fano, in the region of Le Marche. Researchers were able to positively identify it as Vitruvius design after finding columns that directly corresponded with the architects description. The rediscovery of a missing basilica The newly excavated basilica is the only building definitively attributed to Marcus Vitruvius Pollonius, a founding figure of western architecture. Advertisement Advertisement Vitruvius' De Architectura (The Ten Books on Architecture) is the only complete treatise on architecture to survive from antiquity and is regarded as the first book on architectural theory. His instruction on the classical proportions of buildings underpinned artists works for centuries after, including Leonardo da Vinci, whose totemic drawing of the human body is known as the Vitruvian Man. Vitruvius, who lived in Fanum Fortunae (now Fano) in the first century BC, referred to the basilica specifically in his seminal text, describing it as a majestic public building intended for the administration of justice and business affairs. But the buildings location was lost over time, and became a mystery. For centuries, scholars and archaeologists have searched for traces of it. Advertisement Advertisement "For more than 2,000 years we have been waiting for this discovery," said Fano Mayor Luca Serfilippi during the presentation of the finding. "Today in Fano, a fundamental piece of the mosaic that preserves the deepest identity of our country was discovered, Giuli added at the conference. The history of archaeology and research is now divided into before and after this discovery. Something exceptional for the city of Fano Authorities say the finding is set to shine an international spotlight on the city of Fano in Le Marche, one of Italys less well-known regions. "This remarkable discovery truly represents something exceptional in the history of archaeology, architecture, and the morphology of the city of Fano, said Giuli. Advertisement Advertisement "In the coming months and years, we will realise the importance of this extraordinary find and, at the same time, a renewed public awareness of the importance of protection, conservation, and archaeological research in places like Fano." The city has a Vitruvian Study Centre that Serfilippi said has been working to promote the figure of Virtruviou for more than 30 years. President of the Le Marche region, Francesco Acquaroli, said, We are fully aware of the value this heritage can bring, not only economically, but above all in terms of tourism and culture. Investigations will continue at the construction site to see how much more of the basilica can be unearthed and whether the site will be opened to the public. WASHINGTON Jack Smith has no regrets about pushing criminal charges against President Donald Trump, the former special counsel told lawmakers on Thursday. President Trump was charged because the evidence established that he willfully broke the law, the very laws that he took an oath to uphold, Smith said in his opening statement before the House Judiciary Committee. Politics: House Republicans Subpoena Jack Smith But Don't Want A Public Hearing Smith secured two grand jury indictments against Trump for his schemes to overturn the 2020 presidential election result and his hoarding of classified documents after the end of his first term as president. Advertisement Advertisement Since the Justice Department has a policy against prosecuting a sitting president, the cases went away after Trump returned to the White House, and Smith never had a chance to take Trump to trial. Thursdays hearing was Smiths first chance to defend his work in public and to square off against some of the Republicans whove spent years vilifying him for prosecuting some of the most obvious crimes in American history. Democrats have been going after President Trump for a decade, and the country should never, ever forget what they did, House Judiciary Committee Chair Jim Jordan (R-Ohio) said in his opening statement, which claimed Smith used underhanded prosecutorial means in a purely political quest to keep Trump from getting back into the White House. But even though Smith said he was eager to correct false and misleading narratives about his work, he spoke softly and avoided getting in arguments with lawmakers. The days most dramatic moment actually came during a break in the hearing when two members of the audience nearly got into a fight, a moment that was captured from multiple angles by C-SPAN cameras. Former Washington Metropolitan Police Department officer Michael Fanone, left, and Ivan Raiklin, second from right, stand up and argue during a recess of testimony of former Justice Department special counsel Jack Smith before the House Judiciary Committee at the Capitol in Washington, Thursday, Jan. 22. via Associated Press Rep. Jamie Raskin (D-Md.), the committees top Democrat, said Republicans would only make fools of themselves by attacking Smith. Politics: 'Beyond Parody': Trump's 'Board Of Peace' Logo Is Already Under Attack They will only be stroking the wounded ego of the lawless, twice impeached, convicted felon president, Raskin said, who not only unleashed a mob against Congress and his own vice president, but has now pardoned and released into our communities, hundreds of extremists, insurrectionists and cop-beating felons who have proceeded to commit dozens more crimes against the American people since they were pardoned. Advertisement Advertisement With four police officers who fought Trumps mob on Jan. 6, 2021, sitting behind Smith in the hearing room, the former special counsel paused before giving answers and seemed determined to keep his testimony understated. Rather than accept his defeat in the 2020 presidential election, President Trump engaged in a criminal scheme to overturn the results and prevent the lawful transfer of power, Smith said. After leaving office in January 2021, President Trump illegally kept classified documents at his Mar-a-Lago social club after he left office, and he repeatedly tried to obstruct justice to conceal his continued retention of those documents. Republicans asked a number of questions about relatively trivial parts of Smiths case against Trump, and sometimes they asked about things that were only tangentially related. Politics: Trump's ICE Surge In Maine Complicates Life For GOP Sen. Susan Collins Jordan, for instance, asked Smith about Cassidy Hutchinson, the former White House aide who told the House Jan. 6 committee shed heard secondhand that Trump was so mad his security detail wouldnt take him to the Capitol that day, he lunged at his driver. Smith said he hadnt confirmed her testimony, which has been disputed, but that hed understood it to have been secondhand. He said that he hadnt decided, before the case was dismissed, whether hed call her as a witness. Advertisement Advertisement That says it all, Jordan said. Thats the degree the left and Democrats were willing to go to get President Trump: putting on the witness stand someone everybody knows is making it up. The indictment against Trump was based largely on direct witness testimony from dozens of Republicans, including several who said theyd told Trump themselves hed lost the 2020 election. The disputed anecdote about the driver wasnt part of it. Another major Republican focus on Thursday was Smiths decision to obtain toll records reflecting incoming and outgoing calls for several Republican members of Congress. Republicans have expressed outrage about the phone records, which did not include the actual content of their conversations, claiming it was an infringement of constitutional separation of powers between Congress and the executive branch. Politics: MS NOW Medical Analyst Flags Concerning Trend In Trumps Cognitive Behavior Smith said hed subpoenaed the records, without notifying the lawmakers, in accordance with Justice Department policy. He acknowledged the policy that the department changed in December 2024. Advertisement Advertisement You know why everyone knows its wrong? Because the public integrity section at the Justice Department has now changed its policy, Jordan said. The only catch? The department changed its policy after an internal watchdog discovered the first Trump administration had obtained lawmakers phone records as part of an investigation into media leaks. In response to a question from Rep. Dan Goldman (D-N.Y.), Smith explained the phone data helped corroborate part of his case about how Trump used the riot at the Capitol to try to delay lawmakers from certifying his loss. We had evidence that the president had directed Rudy Giuliani, one of his co-conspirators, to contact members of Congress to try to further delay the proceedings and exploit the violence that happened in the Capitol, Smith said. We had evidence that those calls had happened. We wanted to get more evidence of that, to corroborate it for trial. Political Updates Read the original on HuffPost Jack Smith, the former special counsel, has defended his decision to seek criminal charges against Donald Trump for his efforts to overturn the 2020 election in his first and perhaps only public appearance to discuss the cases after they were dropped last year. No one should be above the law in this country, and the law required that he be held to account, Smith said in his opening remarks before the House judiciary committee. So that is what I did. Smiths appearance came with the risk of Trump and his allies on Capitol Hill poised to seize on any admissions or misstatements that could be used as a basis to refer him for investigation by the justice department, which Trump has demanded for years. Advertisement Advertisement At the same time, the public hearing provided an opportunity for Smith to rebut accusations from Republicans that he had been motivated by partisan politics when he indicted Trump, and to deliver a sober recitation of Trumps conduct that formed the backbone of the criminal cases. Smith was appointed in late 2022 to oversee two criminal investigations into Trump that had begun at the justice department before his arrival: Trumps retention of classified documents at his Mar-a-Lago club, and his alleged push to overturn the results of the 2020 election. The cases were dropped after Trump was elected to a second term, with Smith citing judicial precedents that prevented prosecutions against a sitting president. He instead completed reports into both cases before resigning from his position before Trump took office. Republicans on the judiciary committee were particularly focused on Smith obtaining the so-called toll records of phone calls between Trump and the White House and members of Congress, who supported Trumps efforts to overturn the results of the 2020 election. Advertisement Advertisement Toll records do not contain the content of the conversations, but Republicans portrayed Smiths move to obtain the records and get a gag order to prevent targeted lawmakers from being notified as spying on Trump. Smith defended the move as necessary to build a timeline of Trumps efforts to enlist those Republican lawmakers to block the certification of the election results in Congress on 6 January 2021, as well as to not tip his hand during the investigation. The subpoenas that we secured, we secured with non-disclosure orders from a judge, because I had grave concerns about obstruction of justice in this investigation, specifically with regards to Donald Trump, Smith said. Smith did not directly address the technical point that obtaining toll records of lawmakers risked violating the speech or debate clause in the constitution, and that obtaining a gag order meant there was no way for them to challenge him in court. Advertisement Advertisement But despite Republicans focus on the toll records, the metadata of the phone calls ultimately played a vanishingly small role in the election interference case, and was unlikely to have offered Trump even a procedural defense had the case gone to trial. Smith testified that he opted not to charge Trump with insurrection but, in remarks that at times resembled the kind of closing arguments he might have made at trial, asserted that the Capitol riot was principally the fault of the president. Our assessment of the evidence is that he is the person most responsible for what happened on January 6. He caused what happened. It was foreseeable to him, and then when it happened, he tried to exploit it in furtherance of the conspiracy, Smith said. At other times, Republicans berated Smith for what they characterized as an attempt to weaponize the justice department to destroy Trump and his re-election campaign. Advertisement Advertisement Maybe theyre not your political enemies, but they sure as hell were Joe Bidens political enemies, werent they? They were Harriss political enemies, Darrell Issa, a Republican congressman, said. They were the enemies of the president. And you were their arm, werent you? No, Smith responded, later adding that he was never ordered by Biden or Merrick Garland, then the attorney general, to bring charges against Trump. Trump has repeatedly called for Smith to be prosecuted for investigating him, but there did not appear to be a clear avenue or misstatement from Smith that could form the basis of a criminal referral to the justice department. Lanny Breuer, the lawyer representing Smith, earlier said his client welcomed the opportunity to publicly defend the investigations into Trump. Advertisement Advertisement Jack has been clear for months [that] he is ready and willing to answer questions in a public hearing about his investigations into President Trumps alleged unlawful efforts to overturn the 2020 election and his mishandling of classified documents, Breuer said. The hearing followed a closed-door interview last month that lasted for more than eight hours, where he largely repeated the same arguments he had made previously. Most of the December interview focused on the election interference case, after Smith declined to answer questions about the documents case on grounds that Aileen Cannon, the US district judge in Florida appointed by Trump who dismissed the case, also blocked the release of Smiths report. A Jacksonville woman accused of assaulting law enforcement officers during an immigration operation appeared in federal court Thursday, where she pleaded not guilty to multiple charges. Jennifer Cruz told the court she has been diagnosed with anxiety and depression and is currently taking medication. Cruzs arrest, captured in a viral video, happened during an Immigration and Customs Enforcement operation along Beach Boulevard on January 13. Prosecutors said her actions led to a series of state and federal charges, including assaults on officers. Advertisement Advertisement Cruz entered a not guilty plea and told the court she had been diagnosed with depression. When asked whether Cruz had been diagnosed with anxiety and depression before the incident, her attorney declined to go into detail. Those details are going to be discussed at great specificity at the hearing on Monday when were presented to the court information that explains that and gives the context, along with the other data and information that will bear upon the judges ruling and decision, Alan Ceballos, attorney for Jennifer Cruz, said. According to the U.S. Attorneys Office, the 40-year-old is accused of assaulting officers during the immigration operation and faces up to eight years in prison if convicted. Investigators say Cruz was driving by and recording on her phone as a Florida Highway Patrol trooper conducted a traffic stop. Authorities say she parked nearby and began yelling at the trooper while continuing to record. When another trooper asked for her drivers license, Cruz was described as argumentative and allegedly made inflammatory statements, including comparing ICE to Nazis. Advertisement Advertisement A records check showed Cruzs drivers license had been suspended. When a tow truck was called, authorities say Cruz drove away. Troopers later stopped her vehicle, ordered her to exit, and attempted to take her keys. Prosecutors say Cruz then punched a trooper in the face, resisted arrest, and kicked multiple officers, including an ICE agent who was injured during the struggle. Even after being placed in a patrol vehicle, Cruz allegedly continued kicking the windows and roof. Court records state Cruz later apologized, saying she did not know why she acted that way and that the incident escalated over a set of keys. Advertisement Advertisement Cruz remains in the Duval County Jail as she awaits a detention hearing scheduled for Monday. >>> STREAM ACTION NEWS JAX LIVE <<< [DOWNLOAD: Free Action News Jax app for alerts as news breaks] [SIGN UP: Action News Jax Daily Headlines Newsletter] Click here to download the free Action News Jax news and weather apps, click here to download the Action News Jax Now app for your smart TV and click here to stream Action News Jax live. James Fishback is nobody's patsy, he told reporters in Tallahassee Jan. 22, and he's running for Florida governor to win. Fishback, a 30-year-old investment firm CEO and political novice, was asked about a recent blowup on social media in which Gov. Ron DeSantis senior adviser Christina Pushaw publicly renounced her informal alliance with him, calling it a mistake and apologizing for her involvement. Florida political insiders mused afterward whether Pushaw had been surreptitiously setting him up to split the vote against U.S. Rep. Byron Donalds, R-Naples, in the Aug. 18, 2026 GOP primary. Donalds is seen as the leading Republican, with an endorsement from President Donald Trump; he and the term-limited DeSantis also have become political rivals. James Fishback, seen talking to reporters about his run for governor. This was outside the old Capitol in Tallahassee, Fla., Jan. 22, 2026. "I can affirmatively, definitely and unequivocally tell you that Christina Pushaw never held me at gunpoint and told me to run for governor," Fishback said. "I respect (her), I respect Gov. DeSantis and the first lady. (Pushaw)'s entitled to vote for who she wants. Advertisement Advertisement "... I talked to her a couple times a week. She gave me some good advice, she gave me some bad advice, and that was pretty much it," he added, saying he hasn't spoken to the governor or Casey DeSantis about his candidacy. Mrs. DeSantis' possible candidacy had been much discussed last year by the state's opinion leaders and political cognoscenti but didn't materialize. As to whether he spoke to anyone else connected to DeSantis, he smiled and said, "Not to my knowledge." Fishback had called an impromptu news conference to say he was narrowing down his choices for a running mate and would announce his lieutenant governor pick by Easter Sunday, April 5. Related: Who is James Fishback? DOGE dividend creator runs for Florida governor Pushaw admitted to advising Fishback, who has been dogged by scandals Christina Pushaw, then-Gov. Ron DeSantis' press secretary, in an undated photo. Pushaw, who's been a state employee after leaving DeSantis' unsuccessful presidential campaign, said she offered Fishback occasional, unpaid political advice after he reached out to her last fall. Advertisement Advertisement She cut ties, she added, when she felt misled and feared Fishback might spread damaging falsehoods about her. She also posted that she asked him to delete messages, raising questions about compliance with Floridas public-records laws. Fishback shared private text screenshots and call logs, prompting Pushaw to accuse him of betraying her trust. As of Jan. 22, she remained on the governor's office payroll with a $179,000 yearly salary. Since announcing his run, Fishback has been fending off "oppo dumps," negative information meant to sway voters or dominate the news cycle about his personal and professional life. He's been accused of having an inappropriate romantic relationship with a woman who says it began when she was underage; he denied it and no criminal charges were filed. Moreover, Fishback has been ordered to turn over stock and luxury items to satisfy a $200,000-plus civil judgment, in which the judge warned that failing to comply with the turnover order could lead to a contempt of court finding. Advertisement Advertisement In response, Fishback told reporters he just had to borrow $50 from his mother to buy food at Chipotle. "She'll be getting paid first," he said. He's also made news referring to Donalds, who is Black, as "a slave"; promising a special tax on OnlyFans adult content creators, who he called "degenerate," and telling megabillionaire Elon Musk and Trump they should issue "DOGE Dividends," $5,000 payments to working Americans. Other GOP candidates include Lt. Gov. Jay Collins, a former U.S. Army Green Beret, and Army veteran and former House Speaker Paul Renner. DeSantis has not endorsed a successor. Democrats include former Republican U.S. Rep. David Jolly, who switched parties, and Orange County Mayor Jerry Demings. More politics news: State Rep. Angie Nixon of Jacksonville tees up race for U.S. Senate Advertisement Advertisement This story contains previously published reporting. Jim Rosica is a member of the USA TODAY NETWORK Florida Capital Bureau. Reach him at jrosica@tallahassee.com and follow him on Twitter/X: @JimRosicaFL. This article originally appeared on Tallahassee Democrat: Florida governor candidate Fishback responds to Pushaw fallout JEA crews will deploy to Myrtle Beach, South Carolina, this week to assist with power restoration efforts as a major winter storm approaches the area. The deployment is part of a mutual aid response involving 15 Florida public power utilities. On Friday morning, 40 JEA team membersincluding 37 electric crew members and three fleet support personnelwill head to Myrtle Beach. The storm is expected to bring extreme cold and icy conditions to South Carolinas Atlantic Coast. Advertisement Advertisement JEA operates as part of a national network of public power utilities that work together to support recovery during weather events. This upcoming collaboration aims to ensure prompt restoration of electricity to affected areas during the winter storm. We are honored to assist a neighboring community when they need us most, Managing Director Vickie Cavey and CEO of JEA said. The JEA crews will work in coordination with Santee Cooper, a public power utility, once they arrive in Myrtle Beach. >>> STREAM ACTION NEWS JAX LIVE <<< [DOWNLOAD: Free Action News Jax app for alerts as news breaks] [SIGN UP: Action News Jax Daily Headlines Newsletter] Click here to download the free Action News Jax news and weather apps, click here to download the Action News Jax Now app for your smart TV and click here to stream Action News Jax live. MS Now host Jen Psaki had plenty of material to pick from as she roasted President Donald Trump over a rambling speech he delivered Wednesday during the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland. It was hard to keep track of all the gaffes and distortions the U.S. president dropped during his address, during which he argued that countries sometimes need a dictator, repeatedly mixed up Greenland and Iceland, and bizarrely bragged about people calling him daddy. Politics: 'Rent Free': Gavin Newsom Gloats After Triggering Epic Trump Meltdown During Wednesdays episode of The Briefing with Jen Psaki, the former White House press secretary used the icky nickname to mock Trump. Advertisement Advertisement Hey, daddy, I have a question for you. Why are we talking about Iceland all of a sudden? she asked. Jen Psaki roasted President Donald Trump after a gaffe-packed speech at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland. MS Now I mean, I thought the territory that you wanted to take over is Greenland, not Iceland, the pundit continued. You can see them on the map there. Two different countries. Sarcastically, Psaki added, But hey, we all make mistakes from time to time. A slip of the tongue. I mean, its not like you repeated that mistake over and over and over again in front of the entire world, right? Politics: UK Emergency Operator Chastised Barron Trump In Call He Made To Report Attack: Transcript The Nordic name-swap seemed even more remarkable considering Trumps yearslong fixation with the idea of the U.S. annexing Greenland, a self-governing territory of Denmark. Advertisement Advertisement Watching the speech, you could almost feel European leaders relief when the president of the United States said he does not plan to use force to take over Greenland. He did, however, call his supposed continental allies ungrateful for not helping him seize control of what he described as just a piece of ice. Watch Psakis savage show opening here: Related... Read the original on HuffPost Preparations are already underway for this weekend's winter storm, including in New Jersey, where some officials have reported a shortage of salt. In Essex County, officials met to make sure everyone is on the same page ahead of the storm. They said there are going to be heating centers opened up across the county way ahead of the first snowfall so that people can get to them safely if they need to. Advertisement Advertisement They are preparing for the worst and hoping for the best. Essex County says they have all the plows and salt spreaders they need to tackle what may be coming on Sunday and have more than enough salt to get the job done. They are also making sure all of their municipalities have the salt that they need for local roads. They are coordinating with power companies for any outage issues that they may have. Everyone is on high alert here as they prepare, and that is the message that they are giving everyone to be prepared. They are urging residents to start running errands now if you can, so you have what you need for any emergencies that might come up, including food, medicine, or anything you may need so you can avoid being out in the storm when it hits. Advertisement Advertisement "So, what we want people to do, the way they can help us is stay off the roadways. Stay in if it comes down," said Essex County Executive Joe DiVincenzo said. "We know it's going to be heavy. Stay in Sunday. Stay in Monday." New Jersey Gov. Mikie Sherrill also weighed in with a message for residents. "Already been on the phone with a lot of the counties to make sure they have what they need," Sherrill said. "We'll be pushing out information on forecasting from the Office of Emergency Management. So, yes, but that said, I would encourage everyone to, you know what, have a great family day at home this weekend. Play some board games. Don't go out in this. Stay off the streets if you can." As far as schools are concerned of course, it will be up to individual school districts and superintendents to decide if there is going to be a school on Monday. Advertisement Advertisement The executive in Essex County is saying that they will make sure that all of the roads are clear for safe travel on Monday in case schools are open. ---------- * Get the AccuWeather App * More AccuWeather * Follow us on YouTube * More local news * Sign up for free newsletters * Download the abc7NY app for breaking news alerts Submit Weather Photos and Videos Have weather photos or videos to share? Send to Eyewitness News using this form. Terms of use apply. Environmentalists cheered new flood rules as a needed move to guard against climate impacts, while businesses said they would raise construction costs. (Photo by Michael Loccisano/Getty Images) New Jersey regulators approved a series of controversial flood rules in the hours before Phil Murphys second term as governor ended Tuesday, capping a six-year process that, at times, left both its backers and its detractors flummoxed. The rules called Protection Against Climate Threats Resilient Environments and Landscape Rule, or PACT REAL raise elevation requirements in some areas of the state, expand flood maps, create new wetland protection and stormwater management rules, and place some limits on construction in flood-prone areas, among dozens of other changes. Advertisement Advertisement Environmentalists hailed the Department of Environmental Protections adoption of the rules as a long-sought victory that would prepare New Jersey for higher water lines and worsening weather over the coming decades. Allison McLeod, acting executive director of the New Jersey League of Conservation Voters, said the group is thrilled to see the rules finally adopted after years of hard work and advocacy. Every storm and flood makes it painfully clear how exposed our communities are as the climate crisis accelerates, McLeod said. Among other things, the rules will require new buildings in flood-prone coastal areas to be elevated by at least 4 feet, a requirement business and construction groups have charged will raise costs and depress development. Advertisement Advertisement That requirement was pared down from 5 feet by changes made to the rules proposal in July in an effort to assuage detractors, though the change did little to win their support. The adopted rule will still carry new costs for developers and discourage construction in the state, said Ray Cantor, deputy chief government affairs officer for the New Jersey Business and Industry Association. These rules, across the board, throughout the state, make it much more difficult to get a permit approved, much more costly to even apply for a permit, he said. We think this is going to hold New Jersey back from building more affordable houses and urban redevelopment, more energy facilities. Supporters have argued that worsening weather systems and increasingly common floods like a flash flood that killed two in Plainfield in July necessitated stricter standards, ones that would only become more necessary as sea levels continue to rise over the coming decades. Advertisement Advertisement Doug OMalley, executive director of Environment New Jersey, said what the state has done with the new rules is say, We need to get ready for the future. We dont need to shake the magic eight ball to say whats going to happen with sea level rise, whats going to happen with climate change, OMalley said. Though the rules were adopted Tuesday, they permit developers to submit applications under the prior regulatory scheme until July 20. The rules adoption, made in the hours before Gov. Mikie Sherrill took office, could complicate Sherrills push for permit reform, Cantor said. The proposal imposes some new permitting requirements on certain construction inside flood plains, though some requirements can be met with only a notification to state authorities. Advertisement Advertisement Sherrill campaigned in part on streamlining the states permitting processes. On Tuesday, she issued an executive order directing the state to weigh new technologies to speed permit applications, among other things. You cant move New Jersey forward with a regulatory system thats going to hold everything back, Cantor said. The Department of Environmental Protection declined to comment, referring questions to the governors office. Acting Environmental Commissioner Ed Potosnak advocated for the adoption of the new rules prior to joining the administration. A Sherrill spokesperson did not return a request for comment. Advertisement Advertisement OMalley said he doesnt expect much discord between the new rules and Sherrills push for permitting reform, arguing looser rules would bring little benefit if they also brought shoddy homes. Ultimately, every governor and certainly Governor Murphy and Governor Sherrill wants to make sure the rules you have around development ensure that those homes are going to be there not just next year or next decade but for decades to come, he said. SUPPORT: YOU MAKE OUR WORK POSSIBLE When former Vice President Kamala Harris passed over Josh Shapirothe popular governor of the must-win state of Pennsylvaniain favor of perpetually befuddled (and subsequently scandal-plagued) Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz to join her presidential ticket, many assumed there was bad blood between the two. And that certainly appears to be the case: In his new book, Shapiro side-eyes the Harris campaign for seeking to relegate him to the role of extreme junior partner, insisting that he walk back certain policy statements, and asking whether he was an Israeli double agent. This last issue generated significant coverage on social media this week. The mainstream media treated it as big news. Some Democrats expressed frustration with Team Harris and suggested that the question was inappropriate. In grilling Shapirowho is notably Jewish, and who was the victim of an arson attack during Passoveron his views regarding Israel, Harris' people were implicitly playing into the noxious stereotype that Jews are more loyal to the state of Israel than to the United States. Shapiro himself seemed to feel this way about the question: He writes in the book that he was offended by the line of inquiry, and told the Harris campaign as much. As I wrote in response on X, I like Shapiro much more than Harris' other potential veeps; indeed, I like him much more than I like Harris. It's crystal clear she should have picked him instead of the uninspiring Walz. Advertisement Advertisement Yet it does not seem to me like these questions should have been deemed unreasonable. If Shapiro were merely asked about his ties to Israel because he is Jewish, then yes, that would have been scandalous. But Shapiro also spent five months living and studying in Israel during his college years, which included volunteering with the Israeli Army, according to The New York Times. Shapiro has subsequently claimed that this involved service projects on a military base: He did not perform military duties or activities. There is nothing wrong with any of that, but in an election that involved Israel as a significant wedge issue for the Democratic coalition, Shapiro could have expected questions about it from voters and the media. It seems odd, then, for him to take umbrage with the Harris campaign for due diligence. The campaign also asked Walz about his ties to China, which were far more extensive. In retrospect, they should have looked more closely at his actual record of governance in Minnesota, which has not aged well. Harris doesn't seem to generate very much positive media coverage these days: A typical, recent profile of her in Politico essentially makes the point that there isn't a particular constituency clamoring for her to return to politics, even though she appears determined to make another go of it. If anything, it's Shapiro who now generates glowing mentions: See this profile of him from The Atlantic in December. It begins: "It is a rare thing to see Josh Shapiro sweat." If that's true, then he shouldn't take offense at being asked about his time abroad. In Other Shapiro News Another Shapiro moment that caught my eye: After Shapiro criticized Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., the official HHS X account unleashed on him for having "forced masks on babies and toddlers" during the COVID-19 pandemic. Josh Shapiro forced masks on babies and toddlers. https://t.co/m6Ddo7j4fG pic.twitter.com/1lPZ5SuZ1d HHS Rapid Response (@HHSResponse) January 22, 2026 There's just one problem: Shapiro was not the governor during the COVID-19 pandemic. He took office in 2023. Advertisement Advertisement That tweet referenced and screenshotted by HHS was not written by Shapiro, but rather by his predecessor, former Gov. Tom Wolf, from the official governor of Pennsylvania social media account. When a new governor assumes the position, he inherits the account, and the little profile icon changes. If a Republican were eventually elected governor of Pennsylvania, you could make it look like he had written in favor of masking toddlers, too. This can produce some pretty amusing results. Glenn Greenwald called attention to this old X post from former New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio that now looks like it was written by Mayor Zohran Mamdani: That Zohran took over the @NYCMayor account without deleting all of the old tweets from Eric Adams and Bill De Blasio, or doing anything else to prevent old tweets from appearing under his name, will be a never-ending source of confusion (and amusement): https://t.co/r609R5ofxm Glenn Greenwald (@ggreenwald) January 8, 2026 Too Late To Apologize I ran out of time to turn in this newsletter the last two weeksand I apologize for that!so I am late weighing in on this: Two left-of-center comedians issued groveling apologies after (correctly) pointing out that Rep. Jasmine Crockett (DTexas) is not going to win the Texas Senate race and Democrats would be better off spending their money elsewhere. Matt Rogers: "Don't waste your money sending to Jasmine Crockett." Bowen Yang: "I must agree." pic.twitter.com/ljM5dVaoVJ Keith Edwards (@keithedwards) January 8, 2026 "I have great respect and admiration for Rep. Crockett, and I regret that my words suggested otherwise," said Matt Rogers in a statement. "I just want us to win and I will be better at finding ways to help." Advertisement Advertisement He had it right the first time, and in any case, there was zero reason to apologize for slagging Crockett. I suspect the reason he did so was because he faced pushback from online progressives along the lines of How dare he criticize a black woman! Of course, he did not criticize her because he harbors racism or sexism; he criticized her because she is a thoroughly unimpressive and gaffe-prone candidate who is obviously far less likely to win a general election in Texasa red statethan her opponent, James Talarico. Remember when she accused Republican opponents of taking money from Jeffrey Epsteinbut it was a different Jeffrey Epstein? This Week on Free Media I am joined by Amber Duke to discuss the news of the week. Also, are you watching Freed Up, my new show with Christian Britschgi? It's taking the world by storm! Worth Watching Many people have asked for an update on my fantasy novel, so here it is: It's coming along! Obviously I missed my self-imposed, very aggressive deadline of January 1. Nevertheless, I have completed about two-thirds of it, maybe more. A third of that is in really good shape and only requires minimal editing, and another third is done but needs serious revision. The last third is still being written. My new plan is to finish by the end of next month. That's probably a bit ambitious, but progress is progress. The post Josh Shapiro Goes to War With Kamala Harris appeared first on Reason.com. Independent journalist Nick Shirley says exposing government fraud has made him a target, and now hes turning his focus to California. Shirley gained national attention after releasing videos he says expose fraud in Minnesota. He testified before House lawmakers earlier this week during a hearing investigating the state's fraud scandals. Shirley said the work has been dangerous, but California is his next target. Advertisement Advertisement "Fraud will be exposed in California. It'll be exposed all across the United States, because we're learning that there's so much fraud that's taking place," Shirley said Wednesday on "The Ingraham Angle." Trump Demands California Hand Over Recipient Lists As $10B Paused Amid Fraud Concerns Conservative influencer Nick Shirley films protesters demonstrating against U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement arrests in New York City on Oct. 22, 2025. (Getty Images) "Whether it be through daycares or these projects like that high-speed light rail that Newsom's been trying to build for years," he added. Read On The Fox News App Pam Bondi Dispatches Federal Prosecutors To Minnesota Following Somali Fraud Allegations Critics have accused Gov. Gavin Newsom and the state of California of allowing fraud to prosper under a lack of oversight. Advertisement Advertisement First Assistant U.S. Attorney for the Central District of California Bill Essayli launched a task force in April to investigate corruption in the state, with a focus on programs for the homeless. "California has spent $24 billion in the last five years on homelessness, and no one can account for where that money has really gone," Essayli said on "Fox & Friends" in early January. California Gov. Gavin Newsom looks on during a bill-signing event related to redrawing the states congressional maps in Sacramento on Aug. 21, 2025. Shirley warned that investigating government fraud has become increasingly dangerous, with the backlash extending beyond online harassment into real-world threats. He said he was forced to hire 24-hour security after his home address was doxxed, and his family members received calls from the public. Noem Puts Newsom On Notice, Vows California Probe After Minnesota Fraud Bust Advertisement Advertisement "I was just exposing fraud, and then you see all this hatred come at you for doing a giant public service for America," Shirley said. "The majority of Americans are super happy, I'd say 99%, but then you have that crazy 1% that just gets super upset because they're the fraudsters," he added. Click Here To Download The Fox News App Shirleys reporting in Minnesota helped bring national scrutiny to the alleged misuse of taxpayer dollars, though Minnesota officials have disputed aspects of the fraud claims, saying previous inspections of childcare centers did not uncover widespread wrongdoing. Advertisement Advertisement Democratic Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz pushed back on what he argued are politically motivated allegations, writing in a post on X, "This is Trumps long game. Weve spent years cracking down on fraudsters. Its a serious issue but this has been his plan all along." Original article source: Journalist who exposed alleged Minnesota fraud says Newsom, California are his next targets A federal judge will decide the fate of the "beautiful and spectacular" White House ballroom envisioned by President Donald Trump next month as he considers a lawsuit by a preservationist group aimed at halting the construction of the $400 million project. U.S. District Judge Richard Leon in Washington, D.C., on Jan. 22 held a hearing on a December lawsuit filed by the National Trust for Historic Preservation against Trump and several federal agencies. He did not issue an opinion from the bench but said it would come next month. The group argues the project did not consult with regulatory bodies, has not completed an adequate environmental assessment or sought congressional authorization. Advertisement Advertisement Following the hearing, National Trust President and CEO Carol Quillen said the group had "fiercely defended the interests of the American people and advocated compliance with the law." "We will continue to advocate for the administration to follow the law and to give the public a chance to be heard before the continuation of construction activity makes the outcome irreversible," she said in a statement. After the White House announced the project in July, the sudden and complete demolition of the East Wing in October to make way for the ballroom took many by surprise, sparking concern from critics, preservationists and a few former residents, including former first ladies Michelle Obama and Hillary Clinton. At 90,000 square feet of new construction, Trump's project "will overwhelm the White House itself," which is 55,000 square feet, said Quillen, adding: "(The addition) may also permanently disrupt the carefully balanced classical design of the White House with its two smaller, and lower, East and West Wings." Advertisement Advertisement The Trump administration is asking the court to deny a preliminary injunction, which would halt construction while litigation continues. Early site excavation and other construction work for the 90,000-square foot ballroom is already underway, which Trump wants to be ready by January 2029. Demolition of the East Wing was not protected under the National Historic Preservation Act of 1966, which requires reviews of projects that affect most historic buildings, but explicitly exempts the White House, Supreme Court building and U.S. Capitol. The demolition of the East Wing of the White House, the location of U.S. President Donald Trump's proposed ballroom is seen from an elevated position on the North side of the White House in Washington, D.C., U.S., October 23, 2025. REUTERS/ Andrew Leyden/File Photo The White House has argued the National Capital Planning Commission the central planning agency of the federal government since 1952 does not have jurisdiction over the demolition of federal buildings, only the construction of them. Advertisement Advertisement Matthew Quinn, the deputy director of United States Secret Service, in a court filing supporting the Trump administration, said unless the remaining work is completed, the Secret Services ability to protect the president, first family and the White House complex is "hampered." Earlier this month, the National Capital Planning Commission held its first hearing on the ballroom plans, which was submitted by the White House in December. On March 5, NCPC members are expected to vote on the project. An online portal allowing the public to register to speak will open on Feb. 12, according to recently filed court documents. USA TODAY was the first to report on the filing. Swapna Venugopal Ramaswamy is a White House Correspondent for USA TODAY. You can follow her on X @SwapnaVenugopal This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Judge to decide in Feb the fate of White House ballroom construction Washington The Justice Department on Wednesday ordered federal prosecutors to stop pursuing criminal charges and drop all pending cases targeting the sale of illicit "defeat devices" that are used to tamper with air pollution control systems in diesel-powered vehicles, according to a memo seen by CBS News. The edict, issued by Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche, marks the first time that the Justice Department has formally taken steps to scale back environmental criminal enforcement since President Trump took office in January 2025. In the memo, Blanche wrote that he was taking this step "to ensure consistent and fair prosecution under the law, as well as to ensure the best use of Department resources," according to a copy reviewed by CBS News. Advertisement Advertisement Although the Trump administration took drastic steps throughout 2025 to roll back environmental rules targeting greenhouse gas emissions, many of those actions focused on regulations or civil enforcement, as opposed to criminal environmental enforcement. In justifying the decision, Blanche cited a new and untested legal theory that runs counter to conclusions reached by both career federal prosecutors and attorneys for the Environmental Protection Agency, according to internal government records reviewed by CBS and multiple sources familiar with the matter. The theory posits that the violations could not be prosecuted as crimes under the Clean Air Act, and could only be pursued as civil offenses. A Justice Department spokesperson, when asked for comment on the memo, pointed to a social media post made late Wednesday afternoon. It said the department was "exercising its enforcement discretion to no longer pursue" criminal charges of the Clean Air Act based on allegations of tampering with the software associated with emissions control devices. Advertisement Advertisement Blanche's memo comes several months after Mr. Trump in November pardoned Troy Lake, a Wyoming-based diesel mechanic who served seven months in federal prison for conspiring to violate the Clean Air Act by disabling emissions-control devices inside diesel trucks. The pardon came at the urging of Wyoming Republican Sen. Cynthia Lummis, who alleged that the Lake case represented an example of a "weaponized" prosecution by the Biden administration. She did not cite any evidence for her claim. Lummis has also championed legislation that would strip the Environmental Protection Agency's ability to regulate air pollution rules for vehicle emissions and ban the federal government from forcing auto manufacturers to install emissions control systems. Blanche's order could potentially impact more than a dozen pending criminal cases across the country targeting companies and individuals who allegedly sold after-market emissions defeat devices, as well as more than 20 ongoing investigations, according to two sources familiar with the matter and court filings. Advertisement Advertisement Several of the pending criminal cases, including two in different districts in Pennsylvania, were indicted in 2025 during the first year of Mr. Trump's second term in office, court filings show. The Clean Air Act requires the EPA to regulate air pollution levels generated by vehicles. In order to comply with those rules, auto manufacturers are required to install emissions control systems to reduce the level of pollutants, such as including nitrogen oxides and carbon monoxide. It is unlawful to tamper with those systems, but there's a robust black market for after-market emissions defeat devices because deleting or tuning them can help boost horsepower and improve mileage. Advertisement Advertisement Historically, the EPA and the Justice Department have focused on defeat devices used in diesel vehicles because of the greater pollutant levels they cause. A 2020 study by the EPA found that in the last decade, emissions controls had been removed from some 550,000 diesel pickup trucks, leading to the emission of 570,000 tons of excess oxides of nitrogen. The Justice Department's most high-profile Clean Air Act criminal case related to emissions cheating was Volkswagen. In 2017, at the tail end of the Obama administration, the company pleaded guilty to criminal charges that it sought to deceive the EPA and state regulators in California by installing defeat devices into its emissions control systems in a failed attempt to cheat emissions tests. Advertisement Advertisement As part of the plea, Volkswagen paid a $2.8 billion criminal fine, and also agreed to pay another $1.5 billion in separate civil resolutions. After Mr. Trump was inaugurated for his first term, the EPA decided to start scrutinizing after-market emissions defeat devices and went on to make it an investigative priority. Untested defense bar arguments The push to kill all of the pending defeat device cases was championed by Adam Gustafson, the principal deputy assistant attorney general for the Justice Department's Environment and Natural Resources Division who previously worked for Boeing and at the EPA, according to two of those sources and government records seen by CBS News. Advertisement Advertisement He has not specialized in the practice of criminal environmental law. Although Gustafson has previously signed off on at least some of the pending indictments involving after-market defeat devices, a new and novel defense bar argument that surfaced over the summer later changed his mind, the sources said. In July, an autobody shop owner named Tracy Coiteux appealed her criminal conviction under the Clean Air Act for tampering with emissions control systems before the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 9th Circuit. Her attorneys put forth a legal theory alleging that she cannot be held criminally liable because the software associated with emission controls, known as "onboard diagnostic systems," is not "required to be maintained" under the Clean Air Act. Advertisement Advertisement For this reason, they claimed that such an offense can only be charged as a civil violation, not a criminal one. Coiteux's attorneys, Alex Bourelly and Andrew George, told CBS in a statement they are "thrilled for Tracy and grateful that the government has agreed her case should be dismissed." The Justice Department filed a notice Thursday with the court indicating it intends to dismiss the case. Andy Mergen, a longtime former appellate lawyer in the Justice Department's Environment and Natural Resources Division, said Blanche's memo to prosecutors is "essentially a confession of error," which complicates matters in the Ninth Circuit litigation because it means the department is now deciding that it was wrong to bring a case on which it ultimately prevailed at trial. "Confession of error is an important responsibility of the Justice Department, and the process is intended to be rigorous. The decision is understood to be in the domain of the solicitor general," he told CBS. Advertisement Advertisement Making such a determination, he said, entails carefully weighing a variety of factors, including the reasonableness of the position, and the credibility of the U.S. government. "Environmental crimes are challenging and deserve attention, but the process used here makes me question whether the rigorous standards that govern a confession of error were applied here," Mergen said. Lawyers for John and Josh Owens, a father and son who own a diesel truck products business in Washington state, have since raised similar arguments in an effort to get the charges against their clients dismissed. "This is the right decision: the Clean Air Act was never intended to be used in this way to impose criminal liability," said Bill McSwain of Duane Morris. These prosecutions targeting hardworking American tradesmen were wrongheaded from the start. Our clients are pleased to put this misguided, weaponized case behind them." McSwain, who is counsel to Josh Owens and Diesel Truck Products, previously served as U.S. attorney in Philadelphia during Mr. Trump's first term. Advertisement Advertisement An internal EPA memo reviewed by CBS News shows that career attorneys disagree with the arguments made by defense lawyers in the 9th Circuit case. The memo argues that there are "multiple respects" in which diesel truck emissions software systems are "required to be maintained" under the law, and therefore tampering with them can be a crime. "When Congress enacted the Clean Air Act, legislators sought to ensure that regulated motor vehicles/engines would meet applicable emission standards not only at the time of manufacture and initial sale, but thereafter in everyday use," the memo says. Although the 9th Circuit has not yet ruled on the matter, the legal theory resonated with Gustafson, who started raising questions about the pending cases, one of the sources said. After Lake was pardoned in November, the topic picked up steam and Gustafson began reaching out to prosecutors with pending cases and asked them to justify the criminal charges, two of the sources said. Because some of the pending cases are being handled by other U.S. attorney's offices and not by the office that Gustafson leads, he could not order all of the cases to be dismissed on his own. He sought support from Blanche's office, and also from the EPA's incoming head of the Office of Enforcement and Compliance Assurance, Jeffrey Hall, whom the Senate confirmed on Dec. 18, three sources said. Shortly before Blanche issued his memo, Hall told staff that he had "carefully examined EPA enforcement for tampering with onboard diagnostic units" and that after speaking with the Justice Department, he was directing EPA to "no longer investigate or pursue criminal cases" related to the tampering of emissions control software. Tim Walz, Jacob Frey and more Minnesota officials subpoenaed by DOJ Sneak peek: The Ivy League Murder Jury deliberating in trial for former Uvalde officer charged over school shooting response The union representing 31,000 nurses and other health care workers at Kaiser Permanente plan to start an open-ended strike Monday at dozens of Kaiser locations in California and Hawaii, including in the Bay Area. The union, UNAC/UHCP (United Nurses Association of California/Union of Health Care Professionals), issued a notice to strike last week over what workers say are unsafe staffing levels, access to care and fair wages. The union's contract with Oakland-based Kaiser expired Sept. 30, and the two sides have been in contract negotiations since then. Advertisement Advertisement Thousands of UNAC/UHCP workers previously participated in a five-day strike in October. UNAC/UHCP represents registered nurses, pharmacists, nurse anesthetists, nurse practitioners, midwives, physician assistants and other workers. Workers plan to picket outside 20 hospitals and 200 clinics in Los Angeles, San Diego, Honolulu and elsewhere. In the Bay Area, the locations include medical offices in Walnut Creek, Antioch, San Jose, Daly City, San Rafael, Dublin, Fairfield, Fremont, Redwood City, Hayward, Oakland, Milpitas, Napa, Pleasanton, Richmond, San Francisco, South San Francisco, Santa Clara, Santa Rosa and Union City. In the event of a strike, Kaiser hospitals and medical centers will stay open but some pharmacies may close, Kaiser said. They encourage patients to pick up their prescription by Friday, or use mail-order pharmacy. Advertisement Advertisement Patients who have nonurgent appointments and elective surgeries scheduled during a strike day may have those rescheduled. Kaiser said patients should not attempt to reschedule those appointments themselves, and that Kaiser will reach out to them if needed. In Northern California, UNAC/UHCP represents about 2,800 workers, Kaiser said. UNAC/UHCP is part of the Alliance of Health Care Unions, which negotiations contracts for 23 local unions, including UNAC/UHCP. UNAC/UHCP said contract negotiations have stalled for a month and Kaiser management has refused to return to the bargaining table. In December, the union filed an unfair labor practice charge against Kaiser with the National Labor Relations Board, accusing Kaiser of trying to bypass the agreed-upon national bargaining process and interfering with good-faith negotiations. Advertisement Advertisement Kaiser said it paused national bargaining in December because of an incident with UNAC/UHCP leadership in which a union leader asked to meet with a Kaiser bargaining leader outside the normal negotiations process. At the meeting, the union official claimed to have evidence of illegal and unethical information about Kaiser and threatened to release it, but said there was no need for anyone else to see it if the two sides could reach an acceptable agreement, Kaiser Chief Human Resources Greg Holmes said in a statement. Kaiser asked the union to share the information so it could be investigated. "Illegal threats are a line that cannot be crossed," Holmes said. "This union official's actions have compromised the national bargaining process and undermined both parties' ability to continue good-faith bargaining. We've made the difficult decision to pause national bargaining while we evaluate the situation and determine the best path forward." This article originally published at Kaiser nurses plan open-ended strike across California and Hawaii starting Monday. White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt on Wednesday falsely claimed that President Trump did not repeatedly mix up Iceland and Greenland in a marquee speech at the World Economic Forum in Davos, as the Republican detailed his contentious plans to take control of the latter island. No he didnt, Leavitt wrote on X in response to a reporter accurately describing the speech, sharing a Google result featuring an image of Greenland. His written remarks referred to Greenland as a piece of ice because thats what it is. Youre the only one mixing anything up here. In fact, during the presidents speech on Wednesday, he used the wrong countrys name four times. Advertisement Advertisement Im helping Europe, Im helping NATO, and until the last few days, when I told them about Iceland, they loved me, Trump told the crowd at one point. Theyre not there for us on Iceland, that I can tell you, he continued shortly after, referring to European nations. I mean, our stock market took the first dip yesterday because of Iceland. So Icelands already costs a lot of money. The White House attempted to claim Donald Trump did not mix up the names of Greenland and Iceland during a recent speech at the World Economic Forum, even though videos and transcripts of the speech captured him making the apparent mistake multiple times (X / @PressSec) Elsewhere in the speech, the president did refer to Greenland as a piece of ice, as Leavitt pointed out. But now what Im asking for is a piece of ice, cold and poorly located that can play a vital role in world peace and world protection, Trump said. Advertisement Advertisement The Davos gaffe was not the first time Trump has mixed up Greenland, an autonomous Danish territory off the northeast coast of Canada, and Iceland, an island nation in northern Europe. "As an example, Iceland without tariffs, they wouldn't even be talking to us about it," Trump said on Tuesday during a White House press conference. President Trump has said he will hold off on threatened tariffs on U.S. allies who opposed his Greenland plans, thanks to a framework of a deal reached with NATO (Copyright 2026 The Associated Press. All rights reserved) On social media, meanwhile, the president has announced hes putting aside his threat to tariff U.S. allies who objected to his Greenland plans. Instead, Trump wrote on Truth Social, U.S. and NATO reps have formed the framework of a future deal with respect to Greenland and, in fact, the entire Arctic Region, following closed-door discussions at Davos. The Greenland-Iceland mistake was not Trumps only geographical error during his Davos speech. Referring to some of the eight wars he claims to have ended, he once again mispronounced Azerbaijan as Aberbaijan, something he has done before. However, this time he correctly identified the other country involved in the conflict as Armenia, having previously referred to it as Albania. White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt joked about the benefits of Donald Trumps gifted Qatari jet amid Air Force Ones technical difficulties. Trumps Air Force One jet was forced to turn back to Joint Base Andrews Tuesday evening while en route to the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland. The White House said the plane suffered a minor electrical issue and turned around about 30 minutes into the trip out of an abundance of caution. Trump boarded another plane around midnight and has since safely arrived in Davos. Advertisement Advertisement As the issue unfolded, Leavitt joked to reporters that a Qatari jet sounded much better, according to the Associated Press. The comment was a reference to the $400 million luxury Boeing 747 jet Qatar gifted to the Trump administration last year. White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt joked about the Trump administration's Qatari jet amid technical troubles on Air Force One (AP) Trump defended the move in a Truth Social post at the time, writing that it was a gift given to the United States Air Force/Department of Defense, NOT TO ME! It is a gift from a Nation, Qatar, that we have successfully defended for many years, he added. It will be used by our Government as a temporary Air Force One, until such time as our new Boeings, which are very late on delivery, arrive. In this February 15, 2025 a Qatari Boeing 747 sits on the tarmac of Palm Beach International airport after US President Donald Trump toured the aircraft (AFP via Getty Images) The jet was accepted in accordance with all federal rules and regulations and the Defense Department plans to ensure proper security measures on board, Pentagon spokesperson Sean Parnell told the Associated Press in May. Advertisement Advertisement The jet could be ready for use as soon as February, Trump said last summer. Trumps opponents were quick to criticize the gift and raise ethical concerns. Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer said in May that it was a stain on the office of the presidency that cannot go unanswered. People walk off Air Force One after a minor electrical issue on Tuesday night (Getty) This isnt the first time in recent months that a member of the Trump administration has faced plane troubles. In February, Secretary of State Marco Rubios Air Force plane returned to Washington, D.C., due to a mechanical issue. He was forced to take another plane to Germany for the Munich Security Conference. A military plane with Hegseth on board also made an emergency landing in the U.K. in October due to a cracked windshield. One of only 50 known engraved copies of the Declaration of Independence, along with five other historic documents tied to the founding of the United States, are headed to Kansas City in celebration of the nations 250th anniversary in 2026. Kansas City is to be one of eight U.S. cities to receive the Freedom Plane National Tour: Documents that Forged a Nation exhibit, the National Archives and Records Administration announced Tuesday. Kansas City will is the first stop on the tour of the exhibit scheduled to go on display at the National World War I Museum and Memorial in Penn Valley Park starting Friday, March 6 and running through Sunday, March 22. Advertisement Advertisement That the first stop on this tour is the National WWI Museum and Memorial is particularly meaningful, especially in our centennial year, Matthew Naylor, President and CEO of the National WWI Museum and Memorial, said in a statement. For the past 100 years, the Museum and Memorial has honored the courage and sacrifice of those who left our shores during WWI in defense of liberty and democracy, ideals forged in the very documents that founded our nation and that will be on display here. George Washington's 1778 Oath of Allegiance (War Department Collection of Revolutionary War Records) Tickets for the exhibit are to become available on Friday, Feb. 6. Besides the Declaration of Independence engraving, the other documents include: The 1774 Articles of Association: Signed by all 53 delegates, the Articles of Association urged colonists to boycott British goods and was the Continental Congresss first major unified act of resistance against Britain. From 1778, George Washingtons, Alexander Hamiltons, and Aaron Burrs Oaths of Allegiance: They are the oaths that all officers of the Continental Army signed during the Revolutionary War. The 1783 Treaty of Paris: signed by John Adams, Benjamin Franklin and John Jay, this Treaty with Great Britain formally recognized the United States as an independent nation. The 1787 Secret Printing of the U.S. Constitution in Draft Form: The document is a rare copy of the U.S. Constitution in draft form, with the delegates handwritten notes made during the Constitutional Convention in 1787. The 1787 Tally of Votes Approving the U.S. Constitution: The voting records of the Constitutional Convention reflect the debates, resolutions, and eventual vote on the final text that would become the U.S. Constitution. Advertisement Advertisement Americans across the country can bear witness to the people and principles that shaped our nation through the Freedom Plane National Tour, said Senior Advisor to the Archivist of the United States Jim Byron. There is no more noteworthy an occasion than Americas 250th birthday to share this history, to inspire our fellow Americans to champion our nations founding ideals into the future. The 1783 Treaty of Paris (Courtesy of the National WWI Museum and Memorial) The 2026 tour of artifacts, carried by a Boeing 737, is inspired by the Bicentennial Freedom Train, also known as the American Freedom Train, that toured through the 48 contiguous states in 1976 and stopped in Kansas City, Kansas from March 27 to March 30. The train carried 500 historic artifacts that included George Washingtons copy of the Constitution and Judy Garlands dress from the 1939 movie classic, The Wizard of Oz. The 2026 tour, whose sponsors include The Boeing Co., Comcast Corp, Microsoft and P&G, runs through Aug. 16. The tours other cities are Atlanta from March 27 to April 12; Los Angeles from April 17 to May 3; Houston from May 8 to May 25; Denver from May 28 to June 14, Miami from June 20 to July 5, Dearborn, Michigan from July 9 to July 26 and Seattle from July 30 to Aug. 16. As the 21st century got underway, Americans had reason to celebrate a public health breakthrough: Measles had been eliminated in the United States. The good news, however, did not last, and there were multiple measles outbreaks in U.S. communities in 2025. In fact, The Hill reported, The U.S. on Tuesday met one of the key conditions for losing its measles elimination status, more than 25 years after it achieved this distinction and one year into a second Trump administration that has deprioritized the prevention of infectious diseases. One might expect the leaders of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to react to these developments with great concern. But the Trumpified CDC is apparently content to shrug with relative indifference. STAT News reported: With measles transmission in the United States at levels that havent been seen in decades, the principal deputy director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said Tuesday that he would not view the loss of the countrys measles elimination status as a significant event. Not really, said Ralph Abraham, a physician who formerly served as Louisianas surgeon general. You know, its just the cost of doing business, with our borders being somewhat porous [and] global and international travel. Of course, international travel was also common between 2001 and 2024, and according to Republicans, our domestic borders were plenty porous. Advertisement Advertisement Abraham added, We have these communities that choose to be unvaccinated. Thats their personal freedom. As The San Francisco Chronicle noted, public health advocates responded to the CDC deputy directors comments with disgust. Pediatrician and vaccine specialist Paul Offit said in an online discussion hosted by the health blog Inside Medicine this week, When you hear somebody like Abraham say the cost of doing business, how can you be more callous? Three people died of measles last year in this country. If Abrahams name sounds at all familiar, its probably because Republican Gov. Jeff Landry tapped the former GOP congressman to serve as Louisianas surgeon general two years ago, where his tenure was not without controversy. The Washington Post reported, Abraham drew intense criticism in office for instructing health officials to stop promoting vaccines including flu shots and instead emphasize personal choice and consulting with doctors. In a December legislative hearing, Abraham said he regularly sees patients injured by coronavirus vaccines and alleged adverse reactions were being covered up, NPR reported. He has also supported research into an extensively debunked connection between vaccines and autism. Advertisement Advertisement Abraham has gone so far as to describe Covid shots as dangerous (they are not) and touted ivermectin during the 2020 pandemic, despite science showing the drug was an ineffective treatment. Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. nevertheless brought the Louisiana Republican in to serve as principal deputy director at the CDC, effectively the agencys No. 2. Three months later, Abraham appears wholly unconcerned about the United States losing its measles elimination status. This post updates our related earlier coverage. The post Key CDC leader calls measles outbreaks the cost of doing business appeared first on MS NOW. This article was originally published on ms.now There are 2,600 residential buildings in Kyiv around 25% of the city's housing supply that remain without heating after Russian attacks on critical infrastructure, Kyiv Mayor Vitali Klitschko said on Jan. 22. Home to more than 3 million people, Kyiv is still struggling to restore power, heating and water after Russian attacks on Ukraine's critical infrastructure on Jan. 9 and Jan. 20. Some homes have been without heating and power since Jan. 9. Heating was restored to 600 buildings overnight and during the day on Jan. 22 for the second time in two weeks after two massive Russian attacks targeted the Ukrainian capital, according to the mayor. Most of the buildings are in eastern Kyiv, on the left bank of the Dnipro River. Advertisement Advertisement "Emergency power cuts continue in Kyiv. Utility and energy workers are working around the clock to restore heat and light to Kyiv residents' homes," Klitschko said. The mayor's report came on the day that Energy Minister Denys Shmyhal described as "the most difficult day for the energy system since the blackout in November 2022," the first year of Russia's full-scale invasion. Russia has increased targeted strikes on Ukraine's energy sector as temperatures have remained below minus 10 degrees Celsius (14 degrees Fahrenheit) in recent weeks. As of Jan. 21, 4,000 of the 5,635 high-rise apartment buildings, which were left without heating after the Russian attack on Jan. 20, were still without heating, according to Klitschko. Advertisement Advertisement Klitschko said 600,000 people have left the capital in January following a series of Russian strikes that led to severe power outages and the lack of heating in many homes under subzero temperatures, the Times reported on Jan. 20. Klitschko's press service told the Kyiv Independent that the 600,000 number was calculated from mobile phone billing data. Yet, Kyiv's Military Administration did not confirm the mayor's claims that 600,000 residents left the city. "If such a number of consumers who are provided with electricity services had left, then, probably, the electricity situation would not be so critical," spokesperson Kateryna Pop said on the national television. President Volodymyr Zelensky said on Jan. 21 that almost 60% of Kyiv had no electricity as of the morning. Kyiv, Kharkiv, Sumy, Chernihiv, and Dnipro, and their surrounding regions were enduring the "most difficult" situation, he added. Advertisement Advertisement The evacuation recommendation came after the Jan. 9 overnight attack left about 6,000 apartment buildings across Kyiv, nearly half of the city's total. Zelensky also declared a state of emergency in the energy sector on Jan. 14 as Russia escalated its energy blitz, in an apparent attempt to lower Ukrainians' morale in the freezing capital nearly four years into the full-scale war. Read also: Exclusive: American, European microchips found in Russias latest missile-like drone Weve been working hard to bring you independent, locally-sourced news from Ukraine. Consider supporting the Kyiv Independent. Longtime Democratic Sen. Amy Klobuchar on Thursday made her first move ahead of likely launching a 2026 race for governor in her home state of Minnesota. The senator's first steps came a couple of weeks after the stunning announcement by Democratic Gov. Tim Walz to end his re-election bid amid political fallout from the blue-leaning state's massive fraud scandal. Klobuchar, who less than 15 months ago was handily re-elected to a fourth six-year term in the U.S. Senate, filed preliminary paperwork with the Minnesota Campaign Finance Board. Advertisement Advertisement "This is a preliminary step necessary for any candidate considering a run. The senator will make an announcement of her plans in the coming days," a source close to Klobuchar told Fox News Digital. Walz On Gop Calls For Him To Resign Over Fraud Scandal: Over My Dead Body Democratic Sen. Amy Klobuchar of Minnesota is launching a campaign for governor in the 2026 race to succeed Gov. Tim Walz, a fellow Democrat. (Reuters) Since Walz's announcement earlier this month that he was scrapping his bid for an unprecedented third term as Minnesota governor, Klobuchar had been receiving calls urging her to run, Democratic sources confirmed. Read On The Fox News App And sources also confirmed that the senator met with Walz, who was the Democratic Party's 2024 vice presidential nominee, on the eve of his announcement to discuss his decision to drop his re-election effort. Advertisement Advertisement Klobuchar didn't weigh in on her future political plans in the hours after Walz' blockbuster news. But she said the governor "made the difficult decision to focus on his job and the challenges facing our state rather than campaigning and running for re-election." A day later, Klobuchar emphasized to CNN, "I love my job, I love my state, and Im seriously considering it." The senator has won all four of her Senate elections by healthy margins, including a nearly 16-point re-election in 2024. But Klobuchar, who is currently number three in Senate Democratic leadership, faces hurdles to rise higher in party leadership in the chamber. Advertisement Advertisement Fraud Fallout Forces Walz To Abandon Gubernatorial Re-election Bid Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer of New York is the top Democrat in the upper chamber and isn't expected to leave his post. Senate Minority Whip Dick Durbin of Illinois, the number two Democrat in the chamber, is retiring from Congress, leaving an opening to fill in the leadership pecking order. But Sen. Brian Schatz of Hawaii is the expected heir apparent for that position. Before serving in the Senate, Klobuchar was elected twice as county attorney in Hennepin County, Minnesota's most populous. She also ran unsuccessfully for the Democratic Party's 2020 presidential nomination. And a trip by Klobuchar last summer to the first-in-the-nation presidential primary state of New Hampshire sparked speculation that Klobuchar may be mulling another White House run in 2028. Democratic Sen. Amy Klobuchar of Minnesota is interviewed by Fox News Digital in Gilsum, New Hampshire, on July 11, 2025. Walz launched his re-election bid in September, but the past couple of months had been facing a barrage of incoming political fire from President Donald Trump and Republicans, and some Democrats, over the large-scale theft, under his watch as governor, in a state that has long prided itself on good governance. Advertisement Advertisement More than 90 people most from Minnesota's large Somali community have been charged since 2022 in what has been described as the nation's largest COVID-era scheme. How much money has been stolen through alleged money laundering operations involving fraudulent meal and housing programs, daycare centers and Medicaid services is still being tabulated. But the U.S. attorney in Minnesota said the scope of the fraud could exceed $1 billion and rise to as high as $9 billion. Inside The Rise And Fall Of Tim Walz Prosecutors said some of the dozens that have already pleaded guilty in the case used the money to buy luxury cars, real estate, jewelry and international vacations, with some of the funds also sent overseas and potentially into the hands of Islamic terrorists. Democratic Gov. Tim Walz speaks during a news conference Tuesday, Jan. 6, 2026, in Minneapolis. (AP Newsroom) "This is on my watch, I am accountable for this and, more importantly, I am the one that will fix it," Walz told reporters last month, as he took responsibility for the scandal. Advertisement Advertisement Click Here To Download The Fox News App But the fraud scandal was eclipsed earlier this month by the fatal shooting by an Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agent of Renee Good, a Minnesota woman and mother of three, who was protesting an ICE operation. Video of the shooting went viral, sparking protests and a national debate over the agency's efforts to carry out Trump's push for the mass deportation of millions of undocumented migrants. And with a massive deployment this month of ICE agents to Minnesota, it's made the state ground zero in the political battle over the Trump administration's aggressive efforts to combat illegal immigration. Original article source: Klobuchar takes first steps towards Minnesota governor bid in race to replace embattled Walz CAPE TOWN, South Africa (AP) Torrential rains and severe flooding across parts of southern Africa have killed more than 100 people in three countries, destroyed thousands of homes and caused tens of millions of dollars worth of damage in one of Africas premier wildlife parks. Mozambique, South Africa and Zimbabwe have experienced unusually heavy rains since late last year and the resulting floods have been the region's worst in years. Authorities expect the death toll to rise with rescue operations continuing. Here's what to know about the disaster: Advertisement Advertisement Towns under water More than 30 people have died in the flooding in South Africa and at least 70 in heavy rains in Zimbabwe, its northern neighbor. In Mozambique, 13 deaths have been directly attributed to flooding over the past two weeks, though the actual toll is believed to be higher. Central and southern parts of Mozambique have been hard hit, with authorities ordering people to evacuate some towns in the southern Gaza province, where the governor says more than 300,000 people have been displaced. More than half a million people across Mozambique have been impacted by the flooding, according to the government. The Gaza provincial capital of Xai-Xai and the nearby agricultural town of Chokwe have been submerged by the floods, with only the tips of the roofs of buildings visible in some areas. The tourist town of Marracuene, north of the capital, Maputo, is surrounded by water and effectively cut off. Advertisement Advertisement Renowned Kruger Park damaged In South Africa, the Kruger National Park, one of Africa's top wildlife parks, has sustained damage amounting to tens of millions of dollars and parts of it have been totally cut off by the flooding, Environment Minister Willie Aucamp said Thursday. He said roads and bridges were washed away, staff and tourist accommodation had been destroyed, and the damage was so severe in the huge park that it will likely take years to fully recover. A special fund has been set up to rebuild the park, which covers nearly 20,000 square kilometers (7,722 square miles) nearly the same size as Israel and often attracts more than 1 million visitors a year. No deaths were reported in the park, though hundreds of tourists and staff were evacuated from flood-stricken areas, some by helicopter. Kruger officials said the animals generally move to higher areas in times of flooding, but the extent of the impact on the wildlife in the park, which includes critically endangered black rhinos, is not yet clear. Advertisement Advertisement Cross-border rescue operations The South African Air Force has deployed helicopters to rescue people stranded in trees and on the tops of buildings in the northern provinces of Mpumalanga and Limpopo. It said it was also conducting cross-border operations to assist in neighboring Mozambique and had rescued nearly 500 stranded people there. The military shared images of some of its rescue operations, which showed people huddled on rooftops surrounded by some of their possessions. Thousands of homes and other buildings have been destroyed, and South Africa has declared a national disaster. South African authorities are also concerned about the stability of a dam in the northeast that is under pressure from the flooding and have sent safety engineers to work on it and have ordered evacuations in case it breaches. Advertisement Advertisement Fears over hunger and disease Humanitarian agencies say there is now increased hunger and disease, with the extreme weather wiping out crops that millions of small-scale farmers rely on to feed themselves, while the water-borne cholera disease is often a threat following major flooding. The United Nations Children's Fund said children are especially vulnerable among the more than half a million people affected in Mozambique, with access to clean water, food and healthcare uncertain for those people. ___ Associated Press writers Charles Mangwiro in Maputo, Mozambique, and Michelle Gumede in Johannesburg contributed to this story. ___ AP Africa news: https://apnews.com/hub/africa PARIS (AP) In a hypothetical nuclear war involving Russia, China and the United States, the island of Greenland would be in the middle of Armageddon. The strategic importance of the Arctic territory under the flight paths that nuclear-armed missiles from China and Russia could take on their way to incinerating targets in the United States, and vice versa is one of the reasons U.S. President Donald Trump has cited in his disruptive campaign to wrest control of Greenland from Denmark, alarming Greenlanders and longtime allies in Europe alike. Trump has argued that U.S. ownership of Greenland is vital for his Golden Dome a multibillion dollar missile defense system that he says will be operational before his term ends in 2029. Advertisement Advertisement Because of The Golden Dome, and Modern Day Weapons Systems, both Offensive and Defensive, the need to ACQUIRE is especially important," Trump said in a Truth Social post on Saturday. That ushered in another roller-coaster week involving the semiautonomous Danish territory, where Trump again pushed for U.S. ownership before seemingly backing off, announcing Wednesday the framework of a future deal on Arctic security that's unlikely to be the final word. Heres a closer look at Greenland's position at a crossroads for nuclear defense. ICBM flight paths Intercontinental Ballistic Missiles, or ICBMs, that nuclear adversaries would fire at each other if it ever came to that tend to take the shortest direct route, on a ballistic trajectory into space and down again, from their silos or launchers to targets. The shortest flight paths from China or Russia to the United States and the other way would take many of them over the Arctic region. Advertisement Advertisement Russian Topol-M missiles fired, for example, from the Tatishchevo silo complex southeast of Moscow would fly high over Greenland, if targeted at the U.S. ICBM force of 400 Minuteman III missiles, housed at the Minot Air Force Base in North Dakota, the Malmstrom Air Force Base in Montana and the Warren Air Force Base in Wyoming. Chinese Dong Feng-31 missiles, if fired from new silo fields that the U.S. Defense Department says have been built in China, also could overfly Greenland should they be targeted at the U.S. Eastern Seaboard. If there is a war, much of the action will take place on that piece of ice. Think of it: those missiles would be flying right over the center, Trump said Wednesday at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland. Pituffik Space Base Advertisement Advertisement An array of farseeing early warning radars act as the Pentagon's eyes against any missile attack. The northernmost of them is in Greenland, at the Pituffik Space Base. Pronounced bee-doo-FEEK, it used to be called Thule Air Base, but was renamed in 2023 using the remote location's Greenlandic name, recognizing the Indigenous community that was forcibly displaced by the U.S. outpost's construction in 1951. Its location above the Arctic Circle, and roughly halfway between Washington and Moscow, enables it to peer with its radar over the Arctic region, into Russia and at potential flight paths of U.S.-targeted Chinese missiles. That gives the United States more time to think about what to do, said Pavel Podvig, a Geneva-based analyst who specializes in Russias nuclear arsenal. Greenland is a good location for that. The two-sided, solid-state AN/FPS-132 radar is designed to quickly detect and track ballistic missile launches, including from submarines, to help inform the U.S. commander in chief's response and provide data for interceptors to try and destroy warheads. Advertisement Advertisement The radar beams out for nearly 5,550 kilometers (3,450 miles) in a 240-degree arc and, even at its furthest range, can detect objects no larger than a small car, the U.S. Air Force says. Expert sees holes in Trump's arguments Pitching the Golden Dome in Davos, Trump said that the U.S. needs ownership of Greenland to defend it. You cant defend it on a lease, he said. But defense specialists struggle to comprehend that logic given that the U.S. has operated at Pituffik for decades without owning Greenland. French nuclear defense specialist Etienne Marcuz points out that Trump has never spoken of also needing to take control of the United Kingdom even though it, like Greenland, also plays an important role in U.S. missile defense. Advertisement Advertisement An early warning radar operated by the U.K.'s Royal Air Force at Fylingdales, in northern England, serves both the U.K. and U.S governments, scanning for missiles from Russia and elsewhere and northward to the polar region. The unit's motto is Vigilamus" Latin for We are watching. Trump's envisioned multilayered Golden Dome could include space-based sensors to detect missiles. They could reduce the U.S. need for its Greenland-based radar station, said Marcuz, a former nuclear defense worker for Frances Defense Ministry, now with the Foundation for Strategic Research think tank in Paris. Trumps argument that Greenland is vital for the Golden Dome and therefore that it has to be invaded, well, acquired is false for several reasons," Marcuz said. One of them is that there is, for example, a radar in the United Kingdom, and to my knowledge there is no question of invading the U.K. And, above all, there are new sensors that are already being tested, in the process of being deployed, which will in fact reduce Greenlands importance. Advertisement Advertisement Golden Dome interceptors Because of its location, Greenland could be a useful place to station Golden Dome interceptors to try to destroy warheads before they reach the continental U.S. The highly complex system can only work at its maximum potential and efficiency ... if this Land is included in it," Trump wrote in his post last weekend. But the U.S. already has access to Greenland under a 1951 defense agreement. Before Trump ratcheted up the heat on the territory and Denmark, its owner, their governments likely would have readily accepted any American military request for an expanded footprint there, experts say. It used to have multiple bases and installations, but later abandoned them, leaving just Pituffik. Denmark was the most compliant ally of the United States, Marcuz said. Now, its very different. I dont know whether authorization would be granted, but in any case, before, the answer was Yes. US President Donald Trump has announced there is a "framework of a future deal with respect to Greenland". Wednesday's statement came as a surprise after days and weeks of mounting tensions - even a threat to use military force to seize the semi-autonomous territory of Nato ally Denmark. So what could this deal entail and will it be acceptable to Denmark and Greenland - both of which have made it clear they will not relinquish sovereignty of the world's largest island in the Arctic? What has been said about the framework deal? President Trump made the announcement after talks at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland. Advertisement Advertisement "Based upon a very productive meeting that I have had with the Secretary General of NATO, Mark Rutte, we have formed the framework of a future deal with respect to Greenland," he said on his Truth Social media platform. He did not give details, but said talks would continue to reach the agreement. Rutte said he had not discussed the key issue of Danish sovereignty over Greenland in his meeting with Trump. Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen said Danes could negotiate on everything, but "we cannot negotiate on our sovereignty". Greenland's prime minister echoed Frederiksen, saying sovereignty was "a red line". Significantly, Jens-Frederik Nielsen said he did not know the details of the deal being discussed. Is there any detail? What are the options? Citing anonymous officials, the New York Times said one idea entailed Denmark ceding sovereignty over small areas of Greenland where the US would build military bases. Advertisement Advertisement This arrangement would be similar to the status of two such bases in Cyprus, which have been under UK sovereignty since Cyprus became independent in 1960. It is not clear how that model would apply if both Denmark and Greenland reject relinquishing sovereignty. In arguing in favour of seizing Greenland, Trump has mentioned the threat of Chinese and Russian vessels around the island, even though Denmark says there is no threat "today". On this point, Nato allies have tried to reassure the US that they will boost security in the Arctic and Mark Rutte says the framework deal will also require this contribution. Advertisement Advertisement "I have no doubt we can do this quite fast. Certainly I would hope for 2026, I hope even early in 2026," he said on Thursday. UK Foreign Secretary Yvette Cooper said the UK had called for setting up an Arctic Sentry "very similar to the approach that Nato has taken to the Baltic Sentry" - a mission to increase the surveillance of ships in the Baltic Sea. Will any deal short of 'ownership' please Trump? Under a 1951 agreement with Denmark, the US can send as many troops as it wants to Greenland. It already has more than 100 military personnel permanently stationed at its Pituffik base in the north-western tip of the territory. So discussions to reach a deal may centre on a renegotiation of that agreement, according to US officials. Advertisement Advertisement Hovering over negotiations is Trump's insistence to "own" Greenland. If he were to have his way, in addition to overcoming the red lines over sovereignty, negotiators would also need to find a solution to the constitutional ban on the sale of land in Greenland. One model is offered by the US naval base at Guantanamo Bay in Cuba, which has been under total US control since 1903 after a kind of permanent lease agreement. It is not clear whether these were some of the options that prompted Trump's U-turn at Davos to drop the threat of military action to annex Greenland to the relief of his Nato allies. Advertisement Advertisement Nato was founded in 1949 on the principle that an external attack on one ally is an attack on all. Denmark had made it clear that a military attack by an ally on another would spell the end of the trans-Atlantic alliance, where the US is the major partner. The fact that Trump's announcement of a "framework" came after he met Mark Rutte has prompted some concern in Greenland that negotiations on their future were being conducted in their absence. On Thursday, Greenland's Foreign Minister Vivian Motzfeldt said his government had not asked him to negotiate on their behalf but to convey "the red lines directly to President Trump". Rutte has not confirmed this has been the case. Advertisement Advertisement He has been criticised for the praise he has constantly showered on President Trump. Why does Trump want Greenland? Is it minerals? Trump says Greenland is essential for his plan to build a Golden Dome defence system, designed to protect the US against missile attacks from Russia and China, and that European allies could co-operate in this endeavour. The island has vast - and largely untapped - reserves of rare earth minerals, many of which are crucial for technologies including mobile phones and electric vehicles. Advertisement Advertisement Trump has not said the US is after Greenland's riches, but that a US control over the island "puts everybody in a really good position, especially as it pertains to security and to minerals". You can also send us your questions by following this link US President Donald Trump has announced a framework for a permanent deal over Greenland, backing off his threat to seize the territory from Denmark -- but offered no details. The U-turn came after weeks of belligerent rhetoric and a vow to slap tariffs on eight European countries starting February 1 unless the autonomous territory was ceded to the United States. After talks with NATO chief Mark Rutte in Davos, Trump withdrew his tariff threat and pointed to a "future deal with respect to Greenland and, in fact, the entire Arctic Region". Advertisement Advertisement Here is what we know about the two men's meeting and the purported framework: - Defence pact review - The US president insisted the deal gave Washington "everything we wanted" and will be in force "forever", but both Rutte and Trump gave scant details on what was agreed. A source familiar with the talks told AFP the United States and Denmark will renegotiate a 1951 defence pact on Greenland. The decades-old agreement, updated in 2004, already essentially gives Washington carte blanche to ramp up its troop deployments provided it informs the authorities in Denmark and Greenland in advance. Advertisement Advertisement The United States currently has one base on Greenland -- the Pituffik Space Base on the northwest of the island that constitutes a crucial link in the US missile defence system. - Keeping Russia, China 'out' - Rutte said one "work stream" to emerge was how NATO allies -- including its seven members in the Arctic -- can "collectively make sure that the Arctic stays safe, that the Russians and the Chinese stay out". He said he discussed with Trump how to "ensure that the Chinese and the Russians will not gain access to the Greenland economy", or militarily. Some European nations have pushed for NATO to launch a mission in the Arctic to shore up security in the region after Trump used security concerns to justify his desire for Greenland. Advertisement Advertisement - What about sovereignty? - The source close to the talks pushed back at suggestions that American military bases on Greenland could be placed under US sovereignty, insisting that "did not come up" between Rutte and Trump. Rutte likewise said he did not discuss the issue of Danish sovereignty over Greenland with Trump. That message was reinforced by Denmark's Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen -- who said she spoke with Rutte before and after his meeting. "The position of Denmark and that of Greenland are the same, and no negotiations were held yesterday with NATO about our sovereignty," Frederiksen told Danish television. burs-del/raz/ec/jh Arizona Attorney General Kris Mayes said her office reached a settlement over allegations of elder abuse and consumer fraud tied to the assisted living facility formerly known as Heritage Village Assisted Living, a Mesa property that drew years of complaints and scrutiny. Under a consent judgment filed Jan. 22, Mayes asked the court to permanently bar Gary Langendoen, Tracy Langendoen and companies owned by the California real estate investors from providing health care services to vulnerable adults in Arizona. The defendants will also pay $100,000 in civil penalties, according to the Attorney Generals Office. Heritage Village was one of the most notorious assisted living facilities in Arizona, and I filed a lawsuit to make sure that the people responsible for the Heritage Village horror stories can never again put Arizonas elderly at risk of serious injury or death, Mayes said. Todays settlement achieves that goal. Advertisement Advertisement The states lawsuit alleged violations of the Arizona Consumer Fraud Act and the Adult Protective Services Act, which allows the attorney general to sue to prevent abuse, neglect or exploitation of vulnerable adults. Mayes office previously asked the court to place the facility into receivership, a court-ordered takeover that puts an independent, court-appointed manager in charge of the facilitys operations and finances instead of the owners, with the goal of stabilizing conditions and protecting residents. The court appointed Peter Davis as receiver in April 2024, the office said. At the time, the Attorney Generals Office said the facility faced many serious problems, including reports that residents suffered violence and sexual assault by other residents and staff. The office said the facility was on the brink of permanent closure, facing potential license revocation and foreclosure by its mortgage lender. The lawsuit and receivership led to immediate improvements in resident care and prevented a full closure that would have forced families to find new housing options on short notice, Mayes office said. Last year, a court approved the sale of the facility to new owners focused on resident care. Advertisement Advertisement "Although Heritage Village is gone forever, the facility itself is still going strong under new management, Mayes said. My office has not received any consumer complaints about the former Heritage Village since the new owners took control. In a statement, Gary Langendoen disputed the validity of Mayes' claims but said putting the litigation "behind us allows these defendants, the dedicated employees and valued residents to move forward." "This agreement ends strongly contested claims without any admission of wrongdoing," said Jennifer Wassermann, an attorney representing the Heritage Village owners. "Regardless of the Attorney General's self-serving statements in her press release on this topic, the health and safety of the employees and residents at Heritage Village have always been a high priority to the defendants." The consent judgment bars the Langendoens and their companies from applying for a license to provide health services in Arizona and from holding any ownership or management interest in a business that provides care to vulnerable adults, according to the Attorney Generals Office. The $100,000 in penalties will be paid to the states consumer protection revolving fund, the office said. Advertisement Advertisement This settlement closes the book on Heritage Village and the Langendoens, but we still have plenty of work ahead of us in this case and others, Mayes said. I will pursue all facility operators and caregivers who refuse to comply with the laws and regulations that protect our most vulnerable citizens. If you have information about elder care facilities endangering residents, please contact my office so we can investigate. Arizona politics: GOP plan to reform Arizona elections advances Arizonas new memory-care standards The settlement comes as Arizona begins enforcing new statewide standards for memory care in assisted living. Arizonas first-ever rules for memory care were set to take effect July 1 after a year of negotiations led by the state health department, following a push by senior advocates and resistance from industry groups. The rules, signed into law by Gov. Katie Hobbs last summer, followed a yearlong Arizona Republic investigation that found widespread violence in assisted living facilities where staff lacked training to manage dementia symptoms. AARP Arizona had sought tougher state action for years, but gained momentum during last years legislative session. Advertisement Advertisement Among the changes: caregivers working with dementia patients must complete more dementia-specific training, including eight hours at the start of the job and four hours annually after that, through state-approved programs. Facilities that advertise memory care must also develop dementia-specific policies and staffing plans tailored to residents needs and the rules increase potential penalties and oversight for facilities that continue to put residents at risk. How to report concerns Mayes office said anyone with concerns about elder care facilities can call 602-542-8888 or email seniorabuse@azag.gov. (This story was updated to include new information.) This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: Kris Mayes settlement bars Mesa facility owners from elder care The daughter of Austin Beutner, candidate for Los Angeles mayor and former superintendent for the Los Angeles Unified School District, has died, the family announced Wednesday. She was 22. Emily Beutner died at a hospital on Jan. 6, according to records from the L.A. County Medical Examiner. Her cause of death was not released. "My family has experienced the unimaginable loss of our beloved daughter. We ask for privacy and your prayers at this time," Beutner said in a statement. Advertisement Advertisement Beutner, who launched a mayoral campaign last year, will challenge Mayor Karen Bass in the June 2026 election. Bass issued a statement about his daughter's death, which reads in part: "There is no way to describe the depth of pain experienced by parents who have lost a child. My heart is broken for the Beutner family, and I offer Austin, his wife Virginia, and their entire family my deepest condolences. I will hold them close in my heart, and I am ready to assist the family with whatever they might need." At least three people have been killed, and a man wounded, in a shooting in a rural Australian town on Thursday, with reports that the shooter was still at large, the police said. Three people two women and a man were dead, while another man was taken to the hospital in a serious but stable condition, the New South Wales (NSW) police said. Residents of Lake Cargelligo, a small town of around 1,500 people west of Sydney, were urged to stay indoors and avoid the area where the shooting took place. Advertisement Advertisement Assistant commissioner Andrew Holland said the police have identified an offender, who is still at large. We have a large search in the area underway, he told reporters. The shooter, who has an apprehended violence order (AVO) against them, fled the scene in a council-owned vehicle, the local 7News reported. The AVO prohibits a person from threatening, intimidating, harassing, stalking, assaulting, or damaging the property of a person in need of protection. The Sydney Morning Herald newspaper reported that a gunman was believed to be holed up in the town with a long-arm weapon. The emergency services were called to the area at about 4.40pm local time following reports of a shooting. The public is urged to avoid the area and for local residents to stay inside, the NSW police said. Three shot dead in Australia's Lake Cargelligo (The Independent) A crime scene has been established, and an investigation into the circumstances of the incident has commenced, they said in a statement. Advertisement Advertisement A tactical operations unit armed with high-power weapons was on their way from Sydney to contain the threat, according to local media. Manisha, a local resident who did not want to give her family name, told Sydneys The Daily Telegraph that there were police cars and ambulances all over town. The town is made of just two main streets. We can hear the sounds of sirens, she told the newspaper. Lake Cargelligo is located in the centre of NSW, about 240km south-west of Dubbo City. According to the SMH, the incident was being treated as a suspected domestic violence attack, and not as an act of terror. Advertisement Advertisement A police spokesperson reiterated to ABC that people in the town should stay inside. We will be throwing everything at it that is available. Mr Holland has said that upon arrival, police located a male and female deceased in a vehicle, and a short time later, a second report of shots fired was made. Upon arriving at the second scene, police discovered another male and female with gunshot wounds, he said. He added: Any death in a small country town is confronting, but again, a scene where you have people shot by firearms is obviously going to make people very, very tense and very, very concerned. Im sure they'll be looked after by police, and well be caring for their welfare in the future. What I will say is that it's a tragedy that has taken place in a very small town that will have a big effect on the community. Advertisement Advertisement Roy Butler, the MP for Barwon, said in a social media post that he had learned the tragic news just moments after getting off a plane. Its a terrible situation, and its still live, so we dont have much information. My thoughts are with the victims and their families, he said. The shooting occurred as Australia observed a National Day of Mourning for the 15 people shot dead at Sydneys Bondi Beach during a Hanukkah celebration on 14 December. Prime minister Anthony Albanese said on Thursday he was profoundly sorry for his failure to prevent the Bondi Beach mass shooting. Addressing the families of the victims, he said: You came to celebrate a festival of light and freedom and you left with the violence of hatred. I am deeply and profoundly sorry that we could not protect your loved ones from this evil. Advertisement Advertisement Australia on Tuesday passed a new law to enable a national gun buyback and tighten background checks for firearm licences in response to the shooting. NSW, which has the most guns of any state in the country, has also passed laws to limit individuals to possession of four guns and mandate gun club membership for licence holders. A 24-year-old man pleaded guilty Wednesday to two counts of first-degree murder for killing his pregnant sister and dismembering her body in his Lakeville townhome in 2024. Jack Joseph Ball entered the guilty pleas on the same day a court trial was to begin before a Dakota County judge in the killings of 30-year-old Bethany Ann Israel of Bloomington and her unborn child, who was four months along. Ball has asserted a defense of mental illness. Minnesota law states that a person is not criminally responsible if a mental illness made the person unable to understand what they were doing or know that it was wrong at the time the offense was committed. A court trial on Balls defense of mental illness is still scheduled for May 21. Advertisement Advertisement If convicted, Ball faces a mandatory sentence of life imprisonment. He remains in custody at the Dakota County jail. Police were called to the home on Encina Path near 170th Street and Pilot Knob Road just before 11 p.m. on May 23, 2024. They saw dismembered body parts believed to be those of Israel and found a saw, hatchet and large knives, all of which were covered in blood. Soon after police arrived, a resident in Rosemount reported seeing a man on their home security camera and he placed what appeared to be a body part on their front step. Law enforcement found Bell in the backyard of a neighboring home. He had a self-inflicted knife wound across his throat and was hospitalized before being jailed. Advertisement Advertisement Police searched the area and found several dismembered body parts believed to be those of Israel. Investigators later found journals and other writings by Ball. He wrote that he was angry his sister was pregnant and no longer innocent, according to the complaint. The Hennepin County Medical Examiners Office determined Israels cause of death was complex homicidal violence and confirmed she was 17 to 18 weeks pregnant. The baby would have been the first child for Israel and her husband, Josh, who were married in 2021, according to her obituary. They planned to name the boy Levy. Related Articles A Mansfield Township man has been indicted on 72 charges after police say he drugged and sexually assaulted at least two men for several months who rented rooms in his home, according to court documents. Investigators say the alleged assaults by 60-year-old Craig Cardella began in 2020. One resident described the situation as "sad and frightening." Craig Cardella Neighbors who asked not to be identified said they were stunned to learn of the allegations involving the home on Greenbrook Drive. Advertisement Advertisement "It's awful," one neighbor said. "It's crazy the fact that they're houses down." The investigation started in December 2024, when one victim reported waking up to Cardella in his bed, sexually assaulting him. According to the criminal complaint, "Cardella placed a silicone mask over his mouth and nose. He smelled an odor coming from the mask that he described as smelling like permanent markers." The complaint states the victim felt groggy and terrified and pretended to be asleep. One neighbor said he rarely saw Cardella. "Maybe seen him four times throughout the five years we've lived here. Haven't seen him much at all," the neighbor said. Advertisement Advertisement During a search of the home, police found a safe containing masks, a camcorder, hard drives, glass bottles with chloroform, prescription sleep medication, and SD cards. Detectives believe the chloroform was used to keep victims from waking up. Residents expressed concern for the tight-knit neighborhood. "Having two little kids, and in the community there's a lot of other little kids around here, so we don't need any of that over here," a neighbor said. Another resident added, "When you pick a neighborhood, you think this is a safe neighborhood, this is a good area, my kids would be safe, they can go and walk outside. But then they're not because you don't know who is living in a house next to you." Advertisement Advertisement Police are urging potential victims to come forward. "They're probably afraid to speak up, and there's going to be a lot of psychological trauma that everybody has to go through," a neighbor said. Cardella pleaded not guilty at his arraignment on Tuesday. He is scheduled to return to court on Feb. 17. His attorney declined to comment. Prosecutors say anyone who believes they were victimized by Cardella is asked to contact Detective Allen at allen@mansfieldpd.org. The state of Illinois has launched an investigation into what prompted the immigration raid of a South Side apartment complex last summer It alleges housing discrimination could be involved. The Illinois Department of Human Rights is looking into whether the landlord or building management of 7500 S. Southshore Drive may have tipped off the Department of Homeland Security, prompting the high-profile raid last September. It's something tenants and others have wondered about as well. The raid happened September 30 at 75th and South Shore Drive. Gaining national attention during "Operation Midway Blitz." Advertisement Advertisement It was a brazen middle of the night raid, involving Border Patrol, FBI and other federal agent, who descended from helicopters and stormed the building at 7500 S. Southshore Drive. The Trump administration released highly produced video of the operation predicated on finding members of the Venezuelan gang Tren de Aragua. Thirty-seven people were arrested, however, the state says DHS never gave an update on official charges or deportations. Now, the Illinois Department of Human Rights has launched in investigation to find out if the raid was prompted by discriminatory motives. "So we were very suspicious for a long time that the landlord or the property manager was involved in calling for this raid, and really outraged by that, and the impact that doing that had on the people of the building," said Jonah Karsh with the Metropolitan Tenants Organization. Advertisement Advertisement In the new filing, Illinois officials say agents dragged tenants and their children outside, separated them based on their race, ancestry and national origin, and left them zip-tied for hours. The building owner and landlord is accused of telling the federal government about immigrants living in the building to "intimidate and coerce Black and Hispanic tenants into leaving." PREVIOUS COVERAGE: Dozens of tenants in South Shore building immigration agents raided being evicted In the aftermath of the raid, the 130-unit building was deemed unfit for habitation, and in December, all of the residents were forced to move out. But earlier last summer, the tenants had been been trying unionize and brought concerns about unsafe living conditions to advocates and the City Council Committee on Housing. Advertisement Advertisement 'We cannot normalize that when we are using federal enforcement as retaliation, when people may be behind rent and not being able to make payments," said Ald. Byron Sigcho-Lopez, Chair of the Housing and Real Estate Committee. "That is what the due process, and that's what it's important that we get to the bottom of it so this does not become the norm." The landlord and management companies did not respond to ABC7's request for comment. One tenant told ABC7 that just days before the raid, maintenance went through tagging certain doors with an X, as if to direct authorities on which apartments to raid. "It wasn't over everybody's door, it wasn't over my door, it wasn't over my neighbor's door, but it was over specific units, mainly squatting units or just vacant units," the tenant said. Advertisement Advertisement "If these allegations are substantiated, appears that the landlord and property manager may have been using the federal agents as sort of a private eviction force," Karsh said. "If that can happen in this building, and it can happen somewhere else, yeah, I mean, it's incredibly egregious." The hope is the investigation into what prompted the raid serves as a warning to other landlords about due process. "That these illegal practices will not be tolerated and will be investigated and there will be accountability and justice," Sigcho-Lopez said. Governor JB Pritzker said in a statement, "These allegations of housing discrimination raise serious concerns for people struggling to maintain housing - and the communities that have been profiled and relentlessly targeted by the federal government during its violent immigration enforcement operations. State law prohibits discrimination, and that includes aiding or abetting conduct intended to interfere with housing and civil rights." A spokesperson for DHS said, "This operation was performed in full compliance of the law. Given that two individuals of a Foreign Terrorist Organization were arrested, at a building they are known to frequent, we are limited on further information we can provide." Jan. 22 (UPI) -- At least two people were killed and several remain missing after landslides triggered by heavy rainfall hit New Zealand's North Island on Thursday during the peak summer holiday season. The fatalities were in Welcome Bay, a popular tourist destination 110 miles southeast of Auckland, with rescue teams searching a second affected site, a campground, in nearby Mount Maunganui, warning "no signs of life" had been detected. Authorities declined to provide numbers for those unaccounted for, apart from that they included "at least one young girl." Advertisement Advertisement "This is a complex and high-risk environment, and our teams are working to achieve the best possible outcome while keeping everyone safe," Urban Search and Rescue deputy commander Megan Stiffler said as darkness fell at the site at the foot of Mount Maunganui, an extinct volcano. Australian Sonny Worrall described how he just escaped with his life after a hillside broke away and careered toward a swimming pool he was using at Mount Maunganu. "As I'm swimming, I heard this huge landslide behind me, trees cracking, there was a caravan that almost hit me. I had to dive in the next pool. It was the scariest thing I've ever felt in my life," he said. In Papamoa, eight miles southeast of Mount Maunganui, one person was seriously injured and two were missing after a landslide hit their home at 4 a.m. Advertisement Advertisement Police on the Northland Peninsula were continuing to search for a man in his 40s swept away by floodwaters on Wednesday. Areas of the North Island have been deluged in recent days, causing widespread flooding and leaving thousands without power, with as much as three months of rain falling on Thursday in the Bay of Plenty region, where the affected sites are located, prompting authorities to declare a state of emergency. The emergency declaration also extended to Northland, Coromandel, Tairawhiti and Hauraki on Auckland's North Shore. Prime Minister Christopher Luxon said the country was in shock over the loss of life. "These losses are deeply shattering and New Zealand is heavy with grief," he said in a social media post in which he blamed the incidents on recent extreme weather and pledged government help both in the immediate aftermath and during the recovery ahead. The News A year ago, it seemed plausible that the worlds most important gathering would fizzle. Then the CEO of the worlds largest money manager took it over, twisted some elbows and its so back. BlackRock CEO Larry Fink stepped in at a precarious moment for the World Economic Forum. Its longtime chair, Klaus Schwab, had departed under a cloud of scrutiny. Populists and nativists had upended its globalist view. CEOs cloistered themselves inside the hotels to do business to avoid associations with the conferences progressive programming. Fink cajoled CEOs onto the Congress Centers main stage and pushed some WEF programming out into the wild. And he personally asked US President Donald Trump to come, he confirmed in an interview Thursday, an appearance that cemented Davos relevance. Advertisement Advertisement I played some role in bringing people here, but it was not a hard lift, Fink told Semafor. All the uncertainty that everybody writes about, everybody wanted to come here and talk about it. Semafors view The 2026 World Economic Forum was the most substantive either Ben (a white-badger since he worked for BuzzFeed) or I (so sophisticated I let my colleagues take the fancy badges) can remember, a sentiment confirmed in our conversations with attendees whove been coming far longer. It was a bit less fun, less spontaneous, perhaps though maybe were just getting old. This was a working year for us, and for Fink: When asked to relay his wackiest encounter of the week, the BlackRock CEO said he had scarcely made it out of the Congress Center. But if Davos was less free-wheeling than in years past, so is the world. Reflecting that reality saved Davos from the populists, and from itself. Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carneys address was a speech for the ages, Fink said, though he declined to weigh in on Carneys assessment of an unfixable rupture in the world order. Advertisement Advertisement I may not agree with everything everyone said, but I believe we created a forum where people were speaking louder and more boldly, Fink said. I was encouraged by the openness of conversation. The signing of the Board of Peace charter, whatever you think of Trumps intentions or its America-centered logo, brought Davos back to its early days as a place to not just ponder, but act. In the late 1980s, WEF brokered a climbdown between Greece and Turkey. In 1992, Nelson Mandela, newly released from prison, appeared on stage with South African President FW de Klerk. Thursdays memorial Lally Weymouth lunch, organized by Dina Powell McCormick, put Israeli President Isaac Herzog, HRH Princess Reema of Saudi Arabia, and Sheikh Salman of Bahrain in the same room. So Davos is here to stay. And Fink also signaled, for all the talk of Detroit and Jakarta, that its staying in Switzerland. When it comes to a rumored move, weve never had a formal conversation at the governance committee or the board, he said, adding that we can create more dialogue, not just in Switzerland and mentioning WEF spinoffs in Istanbul and Mexico City. Notable Tsafrir, a veteran Mossad and Shin Bet official and Israels last station chief in Tehran before 1979, played a central role in Israels early regional intelligence efforts. Eliezer Tsafrir, a senior Mossad and Shin Bet (Israel Security Agency) official whose career spanned Israels formative decades and who served as the last Mossad station chief in Tehran before the 1979 Islamic Revolution, died on Sunday at the age of 92. Known as Geizi, Tsafrirs intelligence career began during the War of Independence (1948-49) and extended through the Cold War-era Middle East, placing him at the center of some of Israels most consequential clandestine operations, particularly in Iraqi Kurdistan, Iran, and Lebanon. Advertisement Advertisement Nowhere was that more evident than in Iran, where Tsafrir served during the collapse of the Shahs regime and the rise of Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini witnessing firsthand the moment one of Israels most important regional relationships imploded. Born in Tiberias in 1932 to a Kurdish Jewish family that had emigrated overland from northern Iraq via Syria during the Ottoman period, Tsafrir became involved in security activity at a young age. From age 14, during Israels War of Independence, he carried messages between IDF positions in Tiberias, Tsafrirs son Raz told Radio North 104.5. He served as an intelligence officer in Israels other wars, always in the field. Archival photo of Eliezer ''Geizi'' Tsafrir in Iraqi Kurdistan. (credit: Yossi Aloni/Maariv Archives) Tsafrir later served as an intelligence officer in the Sinai Campaign in 1956 and the Six Day War in 1967. He joined the Shin Bet in the early 1950s, serving for 12 years, including as coordinator for Arab villages in the Jerusalem area. In 1962, he was recruited to the Mossad, then still a relatively young organization. Advertisement Advertisement Much of Tsafrirs career revolved around two pillars of early Israeli strategy: the periphery doctrine, which sought alliances with non-Arab states such as Iran, Turkey, and Ethiopia; and the strategy of minorities, which aimed to build ties with non-Arab communities across the Middle East. Appointed head of the Mossad station in Iraqi Kurdistan in 1974, Tsafrir oversaw Israels clandestine assistance to Kurdish forces fighting Baghdad, an operation logistically dependent on close cooperation with pre-revolutionary Iran and its intelligence service, SAVAK. We supplied weapons, conducted courses, and gathered intelligence on the Iraqi army, Tsafrir told The Jerusalem Post in 2021. Kurdish officers within the Iraqi military provided Israel with a rare intelligence window on a key regional adversary, he said. That mission ended abruptly in March 1975, following the Algiers Agreement between Iran and Iraq, which resolved their dispute over the Shatt al-Arab waterway. Iran withdrew support for the Kurds overnight, leaving Tsafrir and a small Mossad team exposed as Iraqi forces advanced. They were evacuated via Iran shortly before Iraqi troops closed the border. Advertisement Advertisement If they had reached us, they would have made us into shashlik [shish kebab], Tsafrir later joked, recalling his narrow escape via Iran. Tehran, revolution, and a final request Following Kurdistan, Tsafrir was appointed Mossad station chief in Tehran. He assumed the post during a period of close Israeli-Iranian strategic cooperation and remained in place as Iran entered its most turbulent phase. His family lived in Iran, and his son remembers a country that, at the time, felt open and familiar. Warm people. A big country. Very comfortable living, Raz Tzafrir recalled. It was the only place besides Paris with an Israeli school. There was a huge Israeli community. That world collapsed in 1978. As protests spread, Tsafrirs mission shifted from cooperation with Iranian intelligence to monitoring unrest and eventually to evacuating Israelis as the revolution gathered force. Advertisement Advertisement The defining moment came when Tsafrir was summoned to meet the Shah himself. They told me the Shah wanted the Mossad to kill Khomeini in Paris, Tsafrir later recounted. Israel refused. In retrospect, I regret it, he said decades later, regarding that decision. We could have saved the whole Iranian nation from this situation and Israel from the nuclear threat. As Tehran descended into chaos, Tsafrir oversaw the evacuation of more than 1,300 Israelis. His son remembers standing on the balcony at night, hearing gunfire and watching a city burn. We were evacuated on the last El Al plane to leave Tehran, Raz Tsafrir said. My father stayed for months longer to get out all the Israelis and Jews who wanted to leave. Advertisement Advertisement Thirty-four Israelis left, but there was a Jewish community of 84,000 still remaining, he told the Post in 2021. We couldnt interfere, but we brought as many EL Al planes as possible so that as many as possible could leave. There was a guy called Tzion Bar Yitzhak afterward I recommended that he light a torch on Independence Day and he went around all the communities, not only in Tehran, and explained how if they wanted to leave, to get to El Al and so on, and large numbers left. After the revolution, we continued from Europe, activating contacts to get Jews out, using smugglers. In February 1979, revolutionary forces seized the Israeli embassy in Tehran and raised a PLO flag on its roof. Tsafrir coordinated the final evacuation of the remaining 34 Israeli citizens with US assistance and departed Iran with them, marking the end of Israels diplomatic and intelligence presence in the country. Advertisement Advertisement That was the end, he said. After leaving Iran, Tsafrir served for three years in Latin America, where he worked on tracking Nazi war criminal Josef Mengele and strengthening security for Jewish communities. From 1983-1984, he served as Mossad station chief in Beirut, during Israels alliance with the Christian Lebanese Forces and the early emergence of Hezbollah. His final appointment was as an adviser on counterterrorism to Prime Minister Yitzhak Shamir. Tsafrir retired from the Mossad in 1992. In retirement, Tsafrir published three books on his intelligence career and gave extensive interviews to Israeli media. He continued advising senior Israeli officials on Iran into his later years. His assessments of Iran, in particular, grew more foreboding with time. Advertisement Advertisement Iran is pursuing nuclear weapons, and if they obtain them, they will use them against us, he warned repeatedly, advocating preemptive action. In interviews as late as 2023, he said he continued advising senior Israeli figures. Some of his predictions would later be cited during the brief but intense Israel-Iran 12-day war last June. Tsafrirs apartment north of Tel Aviv was filled with reminders of a life lived across borders photographs with Kurdish leaders, Lebanese figures, and Mossad chiefs. Tsafrirs career exemplified an entire generation of Israeli intelligence officers who were shaped by regional fluency, cultural familiarity, and long-term engagement rather than formal diplomacy. His work in Kurdistan and Iran, in particular, remains central to understanding Israels pre-1979 regional strategy and its abrupt collapse with the Islamic Revolution. DAVOS, Switzerland (AP) U.S. President Donald Trump used the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, to unveil a proposed Board of Peace for Gaza, bringing leaders from more than a dozen countries onstage Thursday, although many top American allies arent participating in the board. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, meanwhile, scolded European allies for what he described as a slow and fragmented response to Russias invasion, likening it to the movie Groundhog Day where the main character endlessly relives the same day. Elon Musk also drew chuckles in his Davos debut, riffing on the difference between Trumps Board of Peace and the U.S. taking a piece of Greenland and Venezuela. Advertisement Advertisement Attention now shifts from the Swiss Alps to the United Arab Emirates, where trilateral meetings involving the U.S., Ukraine and Russia are set to begin Friday. Trumps envoys Steve Witkoff and son-in-law Jared Kushner are expected for talks in Moscow later Thursday. Here is the latest: Greenlands leader is cautious about Trumps Arctic security deal Greenlandic Prime Minister Jens-Frederik Nielsen on Thursday voiced guarded relief but he said he knew no concrete details of the agreement Trump cited for Arctic security. I dont know what there is in the agreement, or the deal about my country, Nielsen told reporters, calling Greenlands sovereignty a red line. Advertisement Advertisement Much about the potential deal remained unclear, though Trump said in a Fox Business interview that were going to have total access to Greenland. He added that were going to have all the military access we want. Read more about Greenland People in Gaza dig through garbage for things to burn to keep warm a far cry from Trumps vision Desperate Palestinians at a garbage dump in Gaza are digging with their bare hands for plastic items to burn to keep warm in the cold and damp winter. This is our life, said Sanaa Salah, who lives in a tent with her husband and six kids. We do not sleep at night from the cold. Advertisement Advertisement The scene contrasts starkly with the vision for the territory projected by world leaders inaugurating Trumps Board of Peace, which will oversee war-battered Gaza. Trump claimed in Davos this week that record levels of humanitarian aid had entered Gaza since a U.S.-brokered ceasefire started in October. His envoys triumphantly touted the territorys development potential. While aid flows have significantly increased, Gaza residents say fuel and firewood are in short supply. Prices are exorbitant and searching for firewood is dangerous. Two 13-year-old boys were shot and killed by Israeli forces on Wednesday as they tried to collect firewood, hospital officials said. Israel has killed more than 470 people in Gaza since the truce began. Advertisement Advertisement Musk is optimistic for European approval of self-driving software Musk said Tesla is hoping to get approval from European regulators for drivers to use its partial self-driving software by next month, a significant development that could help reverse a sales plunge. Musk had previously promised European approval in the first few months of last year. Tesla sales have fallen hard in Europe as Chinese and European electric vehicle makers have introduced new, appealing models and customers boycotted his brand due to his embrace of far right-wing politicians. Musk draws laughter with piece vs. peace Advertisement Advertisement At the start of Musks session, the tycoon joked about attending the Davos meeting because of Trumps Board of Peace. I heard about the formation of the peace summit, and I was like, is that p-i-e-c? You know, a little piece of Greenland, a little piece of Venezuela, he said, laughing. All we want is peace, he added to quiet chuckles from the audience. Zelenskyy is hopeful about upcoming trilateral meetings Still, the Ukrainian president said the issue of land in the countrys war-torn east remains the most difficult during his discussions with the U.S. This is the issue we cannot solve yet, he said. Advertisement Advertisement Zelenskyy believes the two days of trilateral meetings in the United Arab Emirates, beginning Friday, will be positive. The meetings will include the national security advisers of the U.S., Ukraine and Russia, the Ukrainian president said. He also said the document covering security guarantees for Ukraine has been completed. The bilateral deal with the U.S. and Ukraine, however, would only come into effect if Russia agrees to end the war. Musk gently criticizes tariffs on solar power as an obstacle to AI growth As the conversation turned to artificial intelligence and the massive energy demands that come with it, Musk critiqued Trumps trade policy. Advertisement Advertisement Unfortunately in the U.S., the tariff barriers for solar (panels) are extremely high, Musk said. And that makes the economics of deploying solar artificially high, because China makes almost all the solar and the tech, he said. Musk imagines a world full of robots Musk predicted that robots would transform society and would help humanity by reducing the need for human work an idea he has touched on in the past. He predicted that one day robots will end up manufacturing more robots. There will be such an abundance of goods and services because, he said. Therell be more robots than people. Advertisement Advertisement He added that everyone on Earth is going to want a robot to take care of older parents or children. He said Tesla will begin selling robots to the public by the end of next year. Musk aims to make life multiplanetary Musk, whose companies include Tesla, SpaceX and Starlink, says their goal is to maximize the probability that civilization has a great future. He kicked off his Davos address with a high-level overview of his companies, talking about robotics, artificial intelligence, sustainable technology and making life multiplanetary. Zelenskyy criticizes European troop deployment to Greenland Advertisement Advertisement Zelenskyy said Europe needs to know how to defend itself properly and the recent troop deployment to Greenland was not a serious military build-up. You either declare that European bases will protect the region from Russia and China and establish those bases, the Ukrainian president said, or you risk not being taken seriously, because 30 or 40 soldiers will not protect anything. Zelenskyy also offered Ukraines expertise to help defend the Arctic. Musk promises an interesting event at his Davos debut Musk has taken the main stage in his debut appearance at Davos. Were gonna make this interesting, the billionaire and former top Trump advisor said. Musks session was billed as a conversation moderated by the forums interim co-chair, who encouraged the crowd to applaud more enthusiastically for the billionaire. Gaza high-rise redevelopment is totally unrealistic, expert says Bar-Yaacov, an international lawyer and expert in conflict resolution, described the Board of Peaces initial concept for redeveloping the Gaza Strip as totally unrealistic and an indication that Trump views the project as a real estate developer, not a peacemaker. A project with so many high-rise buildings would never be acceptable because each one would provide a clear view of Israeli military bases near the border, she said. Bar-Yaacov also expressed concern that the board seems to give greatest weight to the rich and powerful, rather than multi-lateral cooperation. A conflict resolution expert is skeptical of the Board of Peaces makeup The composition of Trumps Board of Peace does not bode well for the projects success, said Nomi Bar-Yaacov, an international lawyer and expert in conflict resolution. Among the troubling signs are the likely inclusions of Netanyahu and Putin, Bar-Yaacov told the AP. Both of them have been indicted for war crimes by the International Criminal Court, she said. So what kind of a board of peace is this? Zelenskyy decries Russias targeting of energy infrastructure during harsh winter Zelenskyy says Russias repeated targeting of Ukraines energy infrastructure was an effort to cause blackouts in Ukraine during the harshest winter the country has faced in years. This is the face of Russia, Zelensky said. He said while Ukraine is now able to produce thousands of interceptor drones per day, it is not enough to defend against the number of drones and missiles Russia uses against Ukraine. Zelenskyy announces trilateral meetings between US, Ukraine and Russia Zelenskyy has announced two days of trilateral meetings between the U.S., Ukraine and Russia in the Emirates starting Friday. The trilateral meetings will follow the American negotiating teams visit to Moscow the day before. Russians have to be ready for compromises because, you know, everybody has to be ready, not only Ukraine, Zelenskyy said, and this is important for us. Zelenskyy criticizes Europe and references Groundhog Day Zelenskyy has delivered strong words criticizing European leaders on the continents security. Just last year, here in Davos, I ended my speech with the words: Europe needs to know how to defend itself. A year has passed. And nothing has changed. We are still in a situation where I must say the same words again, he said in a speech at Davos. He added that Europe needs to act now, referencing the film Groundhog Day. The war in Ukraine approaches the fourth anniversary of Russias full-scale invasion. Zelenskyy says documents for a deal to end war are nearly, nearly ready Zelenskyy said documents for a deal to end the war in Ukraine are nearly, nearly ready. Some of the documents seek security guarantees, while others cover economic plans for the future of Ukraine. Zelenskyy calls Trump meeting productive and substantive Zelenskyy has called his meeting with Trump productive and substantive in a post Thursday on social media. The Ukrainian president said on X that he and Trump spoke about air defense for Ukraine. Zelenskyy also wrote that he thanked the U.S. leader for the previous package of air defense missiles, while asking for an additional one. Our previous meeting with President Trump helped strengthen the protection of our skies, and I hope that this time we will reinforce it further as well, he said. Trump has a long drive back to Zurich Trump is leaving Davos, but bad weather kept his helicopter grounded, meaning he faces a drive from the mountain town to Air Force One that could take as long as two hours. Trump says he had a good meeting with Zelenskyy The U.S. and Ukrainian leaders were together for about an hour in what Trump described to reporters as a good meeting. The Russia-Ukraine war has to end, Trump said, adding, We hope its going to end. I think the meeting was good, he said. U.S. representatives will meet with Russian President Vladimir Putin on Friday. Trump says emerging Greenland deal includes all the military access we want Were going to have total access to Greenland, Trump said in a Fox Business interview with Maria Bartiromo. Were going to have all the military access we want. Trump said the deal, if completed, will also allow for the U.S. to install an element of his Golden Dome, part of a multibillion dollar missile defense system, on the Danish territory. The president on Wednesday scrapped the tariffs that he threatened to impose on eight European nations to press for U.S. control over Greenland after he said he came to an agreement with the head of NATO on a framework of a future deal on Arctic security. Trump-Zelenskyy meeting ends after about an hour A meeting between President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and President Donald Trump has ended, Ukrainian presidential spokesman Serhii Nykyforov said. The meeting between the two leaders at Davos lasted about an hour. They had a brief one-on-one conversation at the end, Nykyforov added. Zelenskyys media adviser Dmytro Lytvyn said: We didnt count how long the meeting lasted, but it was good. The two leaders stayed off camera, and there was no photo op nor questions taken. Trump and Zelenskyy in Davos together The Ukrainian president passed reporters on his way into a meeting with Trump at the World Economic Forum. Trump said earlier today that ending the Russia-Ukraine war remains a priority. Were working to end the horrible killing in Ukraine, Trump said at the launch of his Board of Peace. U.S. representatives will meet with Russian President Vladimir Putin later Thursday, Trump said after the event. Zelenskyy arrives for Davos talks Ukrainian President Volodymyr has arrived at the Congress Center ahead of his panel discussion. He walked past the media without answering questions. Putin meets with Palestinian President Abbas in Moscow Russian President Vladimir Putin on Thursday hosted Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas in Moscow for talks. The Russian leader noted that back in 1988, the Soviet Union recognized the Palestinian state, and we maintain the same position today. Our approach to the issues of Palestine and the Middle East settlement is principled, not opportunistic. We believe that only forming and proper functioning of the Palestinian state can lead to a final settlement of the Middle East conflict, Putin said. Putin said the two will discuss the situation in Gaza and on the Israeli-Palestinian track, including Trumps Board of Peace. Moscow is considering an invitation to join, according to Putin, who has proposed sending $1 billion to the board from Russian assets frozen in the U.S. First and foremost in order to support the Palestinian people, allocate these funds for rebuilding Gaza, generally on solving problems of Palestine, Putin told Abbas. I think it is quite possible, Putin added. We have discussed such options before with the representatives of the U.S. administration, and today a meeting and a conversation on this topic is planned in Moscow. Putin is due to meet Thursday with Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner. China refutes Trump wind power claim China on Thursday refuted Trumps claim that it doesnt use wind power turbines at home while dominating the international market for them. Trump blasted wind energy in a speech Wednesday in Davos, saying stupid people were buying windmills from China, which doesnt use them at home. Foreign Ministry spokesperson Guo Jiakun said China had 600 million kilowatts of wind power capacity as of the end of November, adding that Chinese exports of wind and solar power equipment had helped other countries reduce their carbon emissions. Chinas efforts in addressing climate change and promoting the development and application of global renewable energy are evident to all, he said in Beijing. Israel does not immediately comment on Rafah crossing Israels Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahus office and the Israeli military did not have immediate comment on the possible opening of the Rafah crossing. Kushner, Trump tout Gaza development potential Jared Kushner, Trumps son-in-law who has been involved in Middle East negotiations, gave a slide deck presentation at the Board of Peace launch that included real estate development plans by zones. We do not have a plan B, Kushner said, adding that people in Middle East build cities in two or three years. Trump, during his closing remarks, noted his own experiences in real estate. He described Gaza as this beautiful piece of property and suggested his push for peace between Israel and Hamas all began with the location. Rafah border crossing to open next week Ali Shaath, head of new technocratic government in Gaza, announced the Rafah border crossing will open in both directions next week. Israel said in early December it would open the crossing between Gaza and Egypt, but has yet to do so. Shaath spoke by video message to leaders at the forum. Marco Rubio praises board, emphasizes Gaza mission The U.S. secretary of state praised the Board of Peace as a group of leaders that is about action and credited Trump for bringing it together. Hes not limited by some of the things that have happened in the past, and hes willing to talk to or engage with anyone in the interest of peace, Rubio said. Rubio stressed the bodys job first and foremost is making sure that this peace deal in Gaza becomes enduring. Then, Rubio said, it can look elsewhere. With details of the boards operations still unclear, Rubio described it is a work in progress. Many others who are going to join, you know, others either are not in town today or they have to go through some procedure internally in their own countries, in their own country, because of constitutional limitations, but others will join, Rubio said. Board of Peace takes shape with few details about mandate, membership Trump inaugurated his newly created Board of Peace with a handful of founding members but offered few details about its mandate and how the panel will work or might pursue efforts to end global conflicts. Trump hailed the board as something very, very unique for the world. Speaking at a ceremony to sign the boards charter, Trump said it could work with the United Nations to resolve wars not only in the Middle East, where the Israel-Hamas war in Gaza was the genesis of the concept. But he did not provide specifics about how the board would cooperate with the U.N. A number of countries, many of them close U.S. allies, have expressed concerns Trump might want the board to supplant or rival the U.N. and have either refused to sign on or remained noncommittal. Trump and others signing Board of Peace documents The U.S. president concluded his remarks and he and leaders from Board of Peace nations are signing documents. The White House billed the ceremony as a sort of charter launch, but no charter draft has been publicly released. Nor is a complete membership list clear yet. Some invitees are still considering whether to join. Trump affirms global ambition for his Board of Peace Trump reaffirmed the Board of Peace will start with a focus on Gaza but then look globally. I think we can spread out to other things as as we succeed with Gaza, were going to be very successful in Gaza, he said, adding, We can do numerous other things. Once this board is completely formed, we can do pretty much whatever we want to do. He promised again to work in conjunction with the United Nations, though he still criticized the U.N. for not doing enough historically. I think the combination of the Board of Peace with the kind of people we have here, coupled with the United Nations, can be something very, very unique for the world, Trump said. Trump suggests Middle East problems can end easily The U.S. president says the Israel-Hamas war in Gaza is really coming to an end and Hezbollahs presence in Lebanon amounts to remnants. On Gaza, Trump said, Theyre down to little fires. We can put them out very easily. Trump acknowledged Hezbollah remains in Lebanon, but he downplayed the groups strength. These are remnants. I call them remnants, Trump said. Trump mentions UN as a partner In his opening remarks praising the launch of his Board of Peace, Trump made a point to mention the United Nations. He said many nations have been part of establishing the body. Then he added, Well work with many others, including the United Nations. Trump has been highly critical of the U.N. and withdrawn the U.S. from multiple international organizations, and he has expressed ambitions recently that the new international board can replicate if not compete with the U.N. as an international broker. Board of Peace logo focuses on US, other parts of Americas Trump initially billed his Board of Peace focused on Gaza. Then he said it could play alongside the U.N. as a global broker. But the logo featured at the Davos event depicts North America and only parts of South America. The White House and State Department in Trumps second presidency also been highly focused on the Western Hemisphere, complete with Trump dubbing his approach the Donroe Doctrine as a play on the Monroe Doctrine established under the fifth U.S. president. Trump has arrived for Board of Peace launch The U.S. president will pitch his new international body with heads of government and top diplomats from multiple continents. Secretary of State Marco Rubio and U.S. envoy Steve Witkoff also are with Trump. The board initially was billed as part of the peace process for Israel and Gaza but Trump has since expanded his ambitions for the group, saying it can play a role mediating other international conflicts. Merz supports talks between Denmark, Greenland and US Chancellor Friedrich Merz of Germany, one of the European countries that had faced Trumps threat of tariffs over Greenland, said he supports talks between Denmark, Greenland and the U.S. but reaffirmed the Danish kingdoms sovereignty. It is good news that we are making steps into that right direction, Merz said at Davos. I welcome President Trumps remarks from last night this is the right way to go. Rubio, Witkoff, Kushner lead Board of Peace US delegation with Trump Trumps core foreign policy advisers are expected to join him at the Board of Peace event, with Trumps son-in-law Jared Kushner in the room alongside Secretary of State Marco Rubio and U.S. envoy Steve Witkoff. Witkoff and Kushner have been at the center of multiple international negotiations, with Kushner involved especially in Middle East despite not having an official White House role as he did in the first Trump presidency. Trump and other leaders set to launch Board of Peace The U.S. president will host presidents, prime ministers and top diplomats from more than a dozen countries to tout his international Board of Peace. The list of attendees, according to a World Economic Forum schedule, is heavy on the Middle East and South America. But it remains short on major U.S. allies from Europe and the full membership list still isnt clear. Among the heads of government: Argentina President Javier Milei and Indonesia President Prabowo Subianto, both Trump allies; Paraguays conservative President Santiago Pena; Uzbekistan President Shavkat Mirziyoyev; Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif; Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan and Azerbaijan President Ilham Aliyev. Pashinyan and Aliyev agreed to their own peace deal at the White House last year. Attendees also include ministers and diplomats from Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, Turkey and Morocco, among others. Elon Musk to speak at Davos in newly scheduled session Tech billionaire Elon Musk is set to speak at Davos on Thursday in a newly scheduled session. The World Economic Forum, which Musk previously criticized, confirmed it will be the Tesla owner's first time attending the elite event in the Swiss Alps. His address is billed as a conversation with Laurence Fink, BlackRocks CEO and interim co-chair of the forum. Musk is embroiled in a war of words with Ryanair CEO Michael OLeary that began with a dispute over installing Starlink systems on Ryanair planes. O'Leary on Wednesday dismissed the tech titans suggestion he would buy the budget airline. Asian shares rise, tracking Wall Street gains as Trump backs off Greenland Asian shares mostly advanced on Thursday, tracking Wall Street, after Trump walked back from imposing tariffs on eight European countries over Greenland and ruled out using military force to take control of the territory. The future for the S&P 500 was up 0.4% on Thursday, while that for the Dow Jones Industrial Average increased 0.3%. Tokyos Nikkei 225 climbed 1.9% to 53,760.85, with technology stocks among those leading the gain. SoftBank Group jumped 11% and chipmaker Tokyo Electron rose 3.7%. Rutte stresses keeping Ukraine as priority The NATO chief is urging allies to keep our eyes on the ball of Ukraine after a standoff over Greenland that rattled the alliance appeared to ease a day earlier. Rutte, speaking at the Ukraine breakfast, didnt address a question about whether Greenland, which Trump has coveted, would remain a part of Denmark under the framework of a future deal announced by the president. Rutte noted European plans to free up funds for Ukraines defense and U.S.-led talks about a peace deal, but said those efforts wouldnt bear fruit immediately and Russia continues to launch drone and missile attacks on Ukraine. What we need is to keep our eyes on the ball of Ukraine. Lets not drop that ball, Rutte said. Trump seeks to spotlight his proposed Board of Peace Trump wants to spotlight his proposed "Board of Peace" at Davos on Thursday, looking to create momentum for a project that has been overshadowed this week by Greenland. The new board initially was envisioned as a small group of world leaders overseeing the Gaza ceasefire, but has morphed into something far more ambitious. Skepticism about its membership and mandate has led some traditional U.S. allies to take a pass so far. Trump expressed confidence in his idea ahead of what the White House said would be a charter announcement on the sidelines of the forum in the Swiss Alps. Danish PM says she wont negotiate on sovereignty Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen said Thursday that her country cant negotiate on its sovereignty. She has been informed that this has not been the case following the announcement of a new framework with NATO on Arctic security without the U.S. using force to take over Greenland. In a statement, the Danish leader said security in the Arctic is a matter for all of NATO and good and natural that it be discussed between the U.S. president and NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte. Frederiksen said she has spoken with Rutte on an ongoing basis, including before and after he met Trump in Davos. ___ AP World Economic Forum: https://apnews.com/hub/world-economic-forum Regarding "Laurel police compiled Haitian immigrants addresses, shared with FBI," DelawareOnline.com, Jan. 17: Many Americans have been incensed at the images coming out of Minneapolis over the past several days. After the tragic killing of Renee Nicole Good, people have taken to the streets to protest the aggressive and dangerous tactics of federal agents across the country. And in Delaware, news broke recently that a local police department maintained a list of immigrants in their community and turned it over to the federal government. While Delaware has taken some action to prohibit formal cooperation between local law enforcement and Immigration and Customs Enforcement, President Donald Trump's immigration enforcement regime is still impacting Delaware. Local law enforcement may still provide assistance to ICE, albeit informally. Whether its assisting with violent operations that terrorize our communities like in Seaford or carrying out detainer requests that facilitate the transfer of individuals into ICE custody, police departments continue to participate in federal immigration enforcement. Delaware must not share data While much of this collaboration is visible on our streets, the rapid expansion of digital surveillance and the collection of sensitive personal information is facilitating a far more secretive form of collaboration: data-sharing. Advertisement Advertisement Data-sharing between state agencies and ICE allows ICE to gain access to sensitive personal information that can be weaponized for immigration enforcement efforts. And Delaware is partaking in this dangerous, backdoor collaboration. Recently, news broke that in January 2025 the Laurel Police Department sent the FBI a list it had voluntarily compiled of addresses where it encountered Haitian immigrants, including houses. The FBIs increased participation in immigration enforcement raises serious questions about what this list was used for. Laurel Police Chief Robert Kracyla admitted that he did not know why the FBI wanted the list. Furthermore, Laurel Police Departments willingness to disclose this information with no warrant and no clear motive for the request jeopardizes the safety and security of all immigrant communities across our state. Gov. Matt Meyer addresses his legislative priorities for the upcoming year during an interview with The News Journal on January 14, 2026. It also demonstrates profoundly poor judgment on behalf of the Laurel Police Department. To create any list of names or addresses of people based on their national origin, race, or other factors is simply un-American and has no place in a state that values community policing and civil rights. Then to take that list and turn it over to federal authorities is a grave violation of the communitys trust. Advertisement Advertisement Despite Gov. Matt Meyers continued vocal commitments to protecting our immigrant neighbors, he has yet to take firm action to ensure sensitive personal information related to nationality, citizenship, or immigration status is protected. With no clear guidance on our states data-sharing policies, preventing Laurel Police Department and state agencies from sharing sensitive personal information in the future is vastly more difficult And this is not the only way Delawareans sensitive personal information is at risk. Sarah McBride: I fight to protect Delaware. And I'll keep going | Opinion Delaware shares driver data with ICE Delaware remains one of 41 states that have chosen to make drivers data available to ICE through the Nlets, a data sharing loophole that allows ICE to access sensitive personal information through state DMV databases. House Bill 182, which banned 287(g) agreements between ICE and local and state law enforcement, originally included a provision to ban sharing data with ICE. That provision was taken out before Governor Meyer signed the bill into law in July 2025, leaving the door open for ICE to access many Delawareans sensitive personal information. Advertisement Advertisement Governor Meyer must make good on his previous commitments and issue an executive order that explicitly prohibits data sharing between ICE and the Delaware DMV, or any other state agency that retains personal data. Data-sharing with federal agencies is simply dangerous right now, whether its done voluntarily, through formal agreements, or loopholes. With a federal government seeking to terrorize immigrant communities, punish its enemies, and squelch peaceful dissent, data-sharing practices undermine trust in law enforcement, weaken public accountability and transparency, and pose a grave threat to the individual privacy and civil liberties of all Delawareans. We cannot and will not sit idly by while secretive, data-sharing practices force our states immigrant communities to live in fear and chip away at our civil liberties. Delawareans have been clear we do not want our law enforcement, state agencies and personnel to serve the federal administrations attempts to target our immigrant communities. Its past time for Meyer to take firm action that permanently closes backdoor channels for collaboration with ICE. Advertisement Advertisement Send a message urging Governor Meyer to take action now: https://action.aclu.org/send-message/protect-immigrants Helen Salita is ACLU-DE campaign manager. This article originally appeared on Delaware News Journal: Delaware Gov. Matt Meyer must ban data-sharing with ICE White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt is as committed as ever to promoting her bosss beliefsand his blunders. Leavitt, 28, snapped at a reporter who noted that President Donald Trump, 79, appeared to confuse Greenland and Iceland during a rambling, at times incoherent speech at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland. After NewsNation reporter Libbey Dean posted on X that during his Davos remarks, Trump appeared to mix up Greenland and Iceland around three times, Leavitt issued a fiery response. Advertisement Advertisement No, he didnt, Libby, she wrote, misspelling Deans first name. His written remarks referred to Greenland as a piece of ice because thats what it is. Youre the only one mixing anything up here. Trump repeatedly confused Iceland and Greenland in his speech. / Screenshot/X / Screenshot/X Karoline Leavitt quickly jumped to Trump's defense on X. / Screenshot/X / Screenshot/X The failed congressional candidate included a screenshot of a Google search showing Greenlands icy waters to bolster her claim. But video of Trumps remarks tells a different story. During the speech, the president repeatedly referred to Greenland as Icelanda much smaller island roughly 200 miles awayas he lashed out at European allies for failing to meet his demands to acquire the Danish territory. Advertisement Advertisement I know wed be there for them. I dont know that theyd be there for us with all of the money we expend, with all of the blood, sweat and tears Theyre not there for us on Iceland, I can tell you, Trump said. Their stock market took the first dip yesterday because of Iceland. CNN media reporter Brian Stelter noted that Leavitts response appeared to hinge on a technicality. Trump took a swipe at Leavitt during her own press briefing on Tuesday. / ANDREW CABALLERO-REYNOLDS / AFP via Getty Images Intriguing: A NewsNation reporter pointed out that Trump appeared to mix up Greenland and Iceland around three times, Stelter wrote on X. Leavitt now claims he didnt, even though everyone heard him do it. But shes pointing to his written remarks instead of the video. Advertisement Advertisement Leavitts defensiveness could potentially be amped up after the president swiped at her at her own press briefing on Tuesday. During a lengthy speech marking his first year back in office, Trump complained that his administrations message about the economy wasnt getting throughand suggested his staff might be at fault. Weve had the best stock market in history, the best 401Ks in history. And we inherited a mess. The numbers that we inherited were way up. And now we brought them, almost all of them, way down, he insisted. I mean, Im not gettingmaybe I have bad public relations people, but were not getting it across. Trumps country-swapping gaffe wasnt the only head-turning moment in his Davos appearance, which came amid rising tensions between the United States and its European allies. Advertisement Advertisement During the speech, the president ranted about wind farms, lashed out at Somalis in Minneapolis, repeated false claims that the 2020 election was stolen, and veered into a discussion of American credit card debt. He also argued that America should own Greenland because only the U.S. had the capacity to defend it, bizarrely suggesting that nations could not defend something they dont own. Trump also invoked the German invasion of Denmark in World War II and criticized America for not seizing Greenland at that time. Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen has rejected his demands, emphatically, asserting his countrys sovereignty over the Arctic territory. The Daily Beast has reached out to the White House for comment. SPRINGFIELD, Mo. A bill filed by a Laclede County lawmaker has stirred up emotions in the Springfield area. HB 2847, as its currently written, would prohibit a home rule city partially located in any county between 260,000 and 300,000 residents from using the referendum process to fight back against zoning decisions by local governments. The bill only applies to zoning decisions, and with the most recent 2020 census giving Greene County a population of just under 290,000, many residents are worried about a potential state law that would eliminate local referendum petitions. Advertisement Advertisement The bills creator, State Rep. Jeff Knight (R District 142), says he filed the bill with Springfield in mind. There was some people in Springfield that just reached out to me on situation where some development claims had kind of been squandered through this process, Knight said. When asked, Knight would not say who specifically reached out, but said, There were some business organizations and some developers. With housing being a concern of everyones, especially affordable housing, they asked me if I would file it because Im close to Springfield. Honestly, some of the pro-business folks in Springfield was wanting to see Springfield grow and progress. Advertisement Advertisement The bill has sparked some opposition from residents in Galloway Village, a Springfield neighborhood, who most recently used the petition process to take a zoning issue to a city-wide vote. Its a vote that was heavily in favor of the neighbors and shot down a development planned across Sequiota Park. I think this is a sort of an unfair interference, really, in the rights that Springfields citizens have had for a long time, to be able to petition the city government and challenge zoning decisions, which we disagree with, Stephen Berkwitz said. It strikes me as odd that an elected representative in Lebanon, a city in a completely different county, would write a bill that would carve out Springfield to be essentially targeted by this legislative act. I think its a fairly cynical move to single out the people of Springfield and take away our rights to conduct referendum petitions. To me, its about silencing a community that has used the referendum and theyre trying to punish us and punish the citizens and take our voice that way, Wendy Huscher said. Advertisement Advertisement In the 1990s, the city of Springfield put the zoning referendums to the voters, who overwhelmingly chose to keep the method in place. We would be happy to have another vote on it as to what the city thinks is appropriate, but for an outsider to come in and attempt to do an end run around our rights, to do favors for their friends, which is basically what we feel is happening, thats completely inappropriate and its indefensible, Melanie Bach said. The issue has even caught the eye of Springfield City Councilmembers, like Brandon Jenson, who plans on addressing the bill at an upcoming city council meeting. To my knowledge, there had not been any communication with city council or members of city staff that a bill was being drafted or was going to be filed that would seek to address the referendum process and rights that are currently encoded in our city charter. It was pretty shocking and a little bit frustrating that a [lawmaker] would move something like that forward without communicating with the city, Jenson said. He isnt a representative of the Springfield community in any capacity, which is why its a little bit surprising that he would be the one to carry a bill forward thats specifically tailored to the city of Springfield, and yet no Springfield state legislative member is bringing this forward. I havent had the chance to speak with him directly. Advertisement Advertisement OzarksFirst reached out to lawmakers from the Springfield area with their reaction to the bill. State Rep. Melanie Stinnett (R- District 133) gave us a statement that reads, Springfields future should be shaped by the people who live, work, and invest here. When major decisions are being made about growth and development, Springfield citizens deserve a real voice in the process. We have to ensure Springfield remains a place where businesses can confidently invest, create jobs, and grow. That means clear rules, a fair and transparent zoning process, and the stability that employers and families need to plan for the long term. I look forward to visiting with residents, business owners, and community leaders in the weeks ahead to hear directly from Springfield about the zoning process; whats working, what isnt, and what we all want Springfield to look like in the years to come. State Rep. Betsy Fogle (D District 135) said, When I was sworn in as a State Representative, I made a commitment to never use my platform to increase my own power or diminish the power of the people I serve. House Bill 2487 limits the ability of Springfield residents to have a say in the legislative process, and it tells those who worked hard to have their voices heard that their efforts didnt matter. As it stands, I will not be supporting House Bill 2487 because it silences the voices of Springfield residents. State Rep. Stephanie Hein (D District 136) gave a statement that reads, I firmly believe that local control is a critical component of responsive governance. Springfields citizen referendum is an important part of local control and I oppose state level efforts to impact that right. Advertisement Advertisement OzarksFirst has reached out to State Rep. Alex Riley (R District 134) but did not get a response at the time of publication. The residents OzarksFirst spoke to say theyre hoping the bill doesnt pass, and are glad theyre voicing their concerns. I think we hope to see a bipartisan rejection of this because this is something that affects all of Springfield and it affects our rights as citizens. I will call on our delegation in Jeff City to oppose it, Berkwitz said. We want to make sure people are aware of HB 2847 and how it would take away our rights to referendum petitions and encourage people to act so that we can save it. What we hope is that Representative Knight, will hear loud and clear that he needs to pull that bill. Its inappropriate and it does not represent his constituents, Bach said. Advertisement Advertisement Knight says hes willing to work on the bill with people, as it has not currently been heard by any committee or advanced past the initial filing. Knight says a similar/companion bill will be filed in the state senate, but did not say who would be filing it. Copyright 2026 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KOLR - OzarksFirst.com. A North Fort Myers man with an out-of-state criminal history faces murder charges following a North Fort Myers shooting. The Lee County Sheriff's Office on Thursday, Jan. 22, announced the arrest of Joseph Delnegro, 49, on charges of second-degree murder, possession of a firearm by a convicted felon and grand theft of a firearm. According to the sheriff's office, deputies on Jan. 21 responded to a shooting at a home on Delft Avenue, in North Fort Myers. Joseph Delnegro, 49, who authorities say is an out-of-state convicted felon, faces second-degree murder charges in a deadly Wednesday, Jan. 21, 2026, shooting. Deputies found a woman suffering from a gunshot wound. Authorities began lifesaving efforts, but the woman died, the sheriff's office said. Advertisement Advertisement The sheriff's office has not publicly identified the victim and court documents in the case were not available by publication. The sheriff's office said the investigation revealed Delnegro is a convicted felon from Colorado and does not have his rights restored to legally possess a firearm. The gun authorities said he used was stolen. Jail records show Delnegro remains jailed without bond. His arraignment date was not available by publication. Tomas Rodriguez is a Breaking/Live News Reporter for the Naples Daily News and The News-Press. You can reach Tomas at TRodriguez@gannett.com or 772-333-5501. Connect with him on Threads @tomasfrobeltran, Instagram @tomasfrobeltran, Facebook @tomasrodrigueznews and Bluesky @tomasfrodriguez. This article originally appeared on Fort Myers News-Press: Arrest made in deadly North Fort Myers shooting, sheriff says Kim Lawrence testifies in favor of a state constitutional amendment to protect marriage equality in New Hampshire, Jan. 21, 2026. (Photo by Ethan DeWitt, New Hampshire Bulletin) This story was updated on Jan. 23 at 7:43 a.m. to clarify Rep. Donald McFarlanes question on whether marriage is a civil right. Kim Lawrence moved to New Hampshire not for its mountains but for its marriage policies. In 2011, Lawrence had been living with her now-wife in a Western state that did not allow LGBTQ+ people to marry. The Granite State was one of the first states to break that trend and pass marriage equality legislation into law. It was an instant draw. Advertisement Advertisement Now, 15 years later, Lawrence feels less secure. Though the U.S. Supreme Court legalized same-sex marriage nationwide in the 2015 decision of Obergefell v. Hodges, some LGBTQ+ advocates fear the current conservative court could revisit that decision. The possibility has Lawrence worried New Hampshires statute does not provide strong enough protections. On Wednesday, Lawrence and other advocates urged the House Judiciary Committee to support an amendment to make marriage equality a right in the state constitution. We know how it is to live without those protections, Lawrence said about her and her wife. So thats why I feel like this is really important. The proposed amendment, CACR 25, would declare in the state constitution the right to marry as a fundamental civil right. The amendment would state that the state of New Hampshire recognizes and shall protect the right of every individual, regardless of sex, gender identity, sexual orientation, or race, to marry and to have their marriage legally recognized. It would prohibit any laws or government actions from preventing that marriage, and would bar any unequal treatment. Advertisement Advertisement The effort has Democrats support. Rep. Alice Wade, a Dover Democrat, who is transgender, said she had heard from LGBTQ+ married couples who are scared of the current climate at the Supreme Court. There are Granite Staters who have reached out to me that have been married for over a decade and dont know how long theyll have that right. Ive heard from couples who have already started planning where theyd move to if marriage equality is overturned, leaving New Hampshire, their jobs, and their communities behind just to keep their families intact, she said. You might ask, why? But I would ask, why not? If there is no harm in proactively protecting these rights, why wouldnt we? But Republicans appeared skeptical. Rep. Joe Alexander, a Goffstown Republican, questioned why the amendment would be necessary when the law already exists. Alexander, who is gay, said he had not seen a lawmaker introduce a bill to overturn the states gay marriage laws in recent year. Advertisement Advertisement The possibility of the Supreme Court overturning the landmark Obergefell decision seems distant for now. In a solo opinion in the 2022 decision overturning Roe v. Wade, Justice Clarence Thomas stated that outright, writing that the court should reconsider its earlier decisions establishing the right to marriage and the right to contraception access. But Thomas was writing for himself, and there are currently no federal cases that challenge the Obergefell decision and made it to the Supreme Court. In November, the court denied an appeal to Kim Davis, the former Kentucky county clerk who was ordered to pay a $100,000 fine to a gay couple to whom she had refused to issue a marriage license. That denial blocked the courts clearest avenue in recent history to revisit Obergefell. On Wednesday, Alexander argued that even if the Supreme Court were to overturn the Obergefell decision, it would likely take the approach of Dobbs v. Jackson Womens Health Organization the decision overturning Roe v. Wade and send the question of marriage equality laws back to the states. Advertisement Advertisement If theres been no proposals whatsoever of rolling back marriage equality, why would we need this? Alexander said. Aimee Terravechia, the executive director of 603 Equality, an LGBTQ+ advocacy group, challenged that assumption, noting that serious attempts to repeal New Hampshires abortion protections emerged only after the Dobbs decision. Should the Supreme Court rule the same for marriage equality, Terravechia said, more challenges might emerge. CACR 25 would enshrine what Granite Staters already know to be true in the states constitution: that marriage equality is a fundamental civil right, Terravechia said. Another Republican, Rep. Donald McFarlane, of Orange, questioned why the proposed amendment listed marriage as a civil right. Advertisement Advertisement Would you clarify why you have indicated in this amendment that you regard marriage as a civil right, and what your predicate for that is? he said. Wade responded that its a civil right in the sense that its the right for people to love who they love, and its the right for people to get married that has historically been restricted for gay couples, but she said she would be okay removing those words. I dont want this bill to get killed over an issue about some vocab words that we could very easily flip around with an amendment, she said. McFarland later asked a question stating that rights of conscience are already protected in our constitution, citing Article 4 in the states Bill of Rights. As a constitutional amendment, CACR 25 must pass both the House and Senate with at least three-fifths support, and then be approved at the ballot box by at least two-thirds of New Hampshire voters. Advertisement Advertisement New Hampshire passed its law legalizing marriage in 2009, under Democratic Gov. John Lynch and a Democratic-led House and Senate. The law took effect in 2010. Today, the equal access to marriage statute, RSA 457:1-a, describes marriage as the legally recognized union of 2 people. Any person who otherwise meets the eligibility requirements of this chapter may marry any other eligible person regardless of gender or race, it states. The reference to race was added by the Legislature in 2023. Since its passage, polling has shown high support for marriage equality in New Hampshire. A Public Religion Research Institute poll in 2022 found that 76% of Granite Staters support the states equal marriage law. Still, for Kaley Michaels, the prospect of the states law changing would be devastating. Michaels married her wife in October at a private ceremony in a New Hampshire forest. Recalling that moment Wednesday, she fought back tears. Im grateful every day I found my wife, she said. Shes the kind of person who shows up when things are hard. Our wedding was beautiful, and its everything I could have hoped for, and Im choosing to tell you about it because it reflects something very innately human: the desire to love, be seen, and build a life with somebody who feels safe. This right is worth protecting. Idaho must stare down a projected budget deficit of over $500 million, Gov. Brad Little said in his State of the State address. Its also facing continued challenges related to growth that shows no signs of stopping. In the world of transportation infrastructure, that means more cars traveling on roadways, more congestion and more crashes including more deadly ones. All of which cost money to mitigate. Advertisement Advertisement Little proposed a one-time, $275 million cut to a state and local roads fund for the fiscal year starting July 1. That includes cuts of $165 million to the Idaho Transportation Department and $110 million to local highway districts. Its the largest one-time cut Little proposed. Little also recommended that an additional $45 million dedicated for state highways be transferred to the states general fund to offset an immediate revenue shortage. What effect would these cuts have on road projects state and local transportation agencies say are needed? Not all agencies agree. According to John Tomlinson, a communications manager for ITD, the cuts could slow new construction on state highways and bridges and shift the departments focus to maintenance. A spokesperson for the Ada County Highway District, meanwhile, contended that not receiving the funds would not on its own delay projects that have been planned. Advertisement Advertisement And officials from the Governors Office argue that the absence of cash would offer a different kind of gift: time. Over the past six years, the state has invested over $1.8 billion in improvements to roads, bridges, pedestrian projects and congestion mitigation, said Lori Wolff, Littles budget manager, in a presentation to the Legislatures budget committee on Jan. 12. The funding pause this year gives ITD and local districts the ability to use these historic investments and catch up on the backlog of transportation projects. In a statement emailed to the Idaho Statesman, Joan Vargas, Littles press secretary, doubled down. The Strategic Initiatives Fund was designed to flex with revenue changes, scaling up or down as needed, Vargas said. Under the cuts, agencies would gain the necessary time to advance and complete a substantial backlog, and if revenues grow, the governor plans to restore the fund, Vargas said. Gov. Brad Little gives the State of the State address at the Idaho Capitol on Jan. 12. (Sarah A. Miller/smiller@idahostatesman.com) Big construction projects could be delayed if cuts pass, ITD says In an interview with the Statesman, Tomlinson said that while already-funded work would continue unaffected, the cuts would absolutely impact the rate and priority of construction projects on ITDs seven-year plan. Advertisement Advertisement If this does come to fruition and we dont get those funds, were going to be going to more of an operation-focus, Tomlinson said. Youre not going to be seeing these big (congestion and mitigation) projects starting, because were going to be focused on pavement preservation. Were going to be focusing on bridge repairs .... filling potholes ... doing all those things that are going to help maintain, operate and preserve the state system that we already have now. Congestion and mitigation-focused projects, like the Idaho 16 extension, are funded primarily through sales tax revenue, but the fund whose money Little proposed to cut can supplement that to accelerate work, Tomlinson said. In 2025, that fund made up roughly 18% of ITDs revenue, according to data he provided. Tomlinson noted that maintenance and employee salaries would not be affected. He added that ITD has contingency funds and other funds to keep high-priority work happening though priority will be more limited to whats crucial. We will just kind of see how far we can stretch that money and then be ready for more, he said. Orange barrels are not going away. State funds saved local taxpayer money, ACHD says Rachel Bjornestad, a spokesperson for the Ada County Highway District was optimistic that work would continue with or without additional funding from the state. Advertisement Advertisement Bjornestad said the highway district, which manages roads in Idahos most populous county, doesnt build its budget around state funds, so budgeted projects would not experience any delay. But she said money from the fund Little is cutting has let ACHD accelerate large-scale, high-dollar projects, including on Ustick, Franklin and Linder roads, all roads expected to be impacted by Idaho 16. Speeding up those projects, Bjornestad said, ultimately (saved) taxpayers from deferred maintenance and other costs. Thats a take on the fund similar to the governors in 2023, when he rolled out $100 million to local highway districts for 48 projects. Advertisement Advertisement Investments in infrastructure is property-tax relief, Little said at the time. Were taking the financial burden off local governments that would have raised taxes or fees on residents. Littles proposed budget drew harsh criticism from Rep. Josh Tanner, R-Eagle, who wanted to see more spending cuts, including to Medicaid. Lawmakers will have to set the budget before they can adjourn. Sex work. Reckless driving. Wearing masks. Idaho lawmakers want to crack down Legislative budget leader sets stage for showdown with Little over spending Taxpayer funds went to Disney+, water parks. Little calls to stop it Newsom: The Treasury Secretary talked about a Barbie doll. It was if he was reading a diary and had just broken up with someone. Were deeply in their head. I think the affordability agenda is that Im living rent free in the Trump administrations head. pic.twitter.com/nFtkpDky6t Acyn (@Acyn) January 22, 2026 California Governor Gavin Newsom returned Treasury Secretary Scott Bessents Davos mockery of him by comparing him to a juvenile obsessed with an ex, joking he was living rent-free inside the heads of President Donald Trump and his top cabinet officials. The clapback came a day after Bessent used his own appearance at the World Economic Forum on Wednesday to joke that Newsom reminded him of a cross between American Psycho Patrick Bateman and Sparkle Beach Ken. The governor hit back with relish, in conversation with Semafors Ben Smith, portraying the attack as evidence of political insecurity at the heart of the Trump administration. Advertisement Advertisement The Treasury Secretary talked about a Barbie doll, Newsom said. It was as if he was reading a diary and had just broken up with someone. I mean, that was the Secretary of the Treasury using valuable time yesterday on the world stage. Were deeply in their head. I think the affordability agenda appears to be Im living rent-free in Trumps head, Trump administrations head, he said. After Smith presented Newsom with his own tweets about the president and his administration, the governor defended the aggressive social media offensive, remarking, Fight fire with fire. When asked whether the rhetoric was unbecoming of lawmakers, he agreed, adding: This is not normal, its a deviation of normalcy. Weve got to call it out. So I put a mirror up to Trump and Trumpism in all caps. Advertisement Advertisement The governor ridiculed conservative media outlets like Fox News for criticizing his posts, contrasting it with the silence that greeted Trumps own online theatrics: Youve never said a word about Trump dressing up as the Pope, tweeting out and cosplaying on the world stage. Watch above via X. The post Living Rent-Free: Gavin Newsom Claps Back at Scott Bessents American Psycho-Ken Doll Jab first appeared on Mediaite. By Hannah Drown cleveland.com ELYRIA, Ohio The Lorain County Commissioners meeting Jan 16 opened with a formal proclamation recognizing 911 dispatchers as first responders, a move county leaders and emergency officials said is long overdue. The proclamation affirms that 911 telecommunicators, classified under Ohio law as clerical or administrative workers, perform essential emergency response functions and face many of the same stresses as police officers, firefighters and paramedics. Advertisement Advertisement Kurt Scholl, Director of Lorain County 911, addressed commissioners and a room filled with dispatchers and staff, describing the realities of the job and the toll it can take. Scholl said dispatchers are the first point of contact in nearly every emergency, guiding callers through CPR, childbirth, active shooter situations, domestic violence calls, and large-scale disasters, often while coordinating multiple responding agencies. In moments of crisis, they provide life-saving instructions, coordinate police, fire, and medical response, and make rapid high-stake decisions that directly affect outcomes, Scholl said, adding that repeated exposure to traumatic calls creates long-term mental health risks comparable to those faced by other first responders. Formal recognition, he said, is more than symbolic. It could help improve access to mental health resources, specialized training, retirement benefits, and legal protections, while also supporting retention in a demanding profession that often operates behind the scenes. Advertisement Advertisement Commissioner Jeff Riddell said his appreciation for dispatchers grew during his time on the Avon Lake Civil Service Commission, where officials realized the role required specialized skills not all law enforcement officers possess. There are skills dispatchers are trained in that not every law enforcement officer is trained in, Riddell said. It is with great pride that we recognize them as first responders today. The proclamation highlights the sacrifices dispatchers make, including working nights, weekends and holidays, and enduring the emotional strain of constant exposure to crisis with little public recognition. Commissioner David Moore shared a personal story from early in his career that cemented his belief in the importance of properly trained dispatchers, recalling a 911 call in which a supervisors expertise helped save a babys life over the phone. Advertisement Advertisement You guys are professionals, Im proud of you, Moore told the group. My daughters a first responder. I know the work you go through and the stress you go through. Im just proud. Im really proud of our 911 right now. The board unanimously adopted the proclamation, which also encourages continued advocacy at the state level to formally recognize 911 dispatchers as first responders under Ohio law. Top Gun or Terminator? French President Emmanuel Macron's sporting of aviator shades at Davos this week tickled the press and inspired viral memes online, while prompting a surge in visitors to the eyewear brand's website. Macron, speaking at the World Economic Forum on Tuesday, wore sunglasses on stage due to a broken blood vessel that has left him with a bloodshot eye since last week, according to the Elysee's chief physician. While the French president stood up for European sovereignty and blasted "unacceptable" threats by his US counterpart Donald Trump to impose tariffs on countries opposed to his plans to seize Greenland, it was Macron's flashy blue sunglasses that grabbed much of the attention. Advertisement Advertisement "Top Gun or Terminator?", read a headline in Le Parisien daily, highlighting the viral commentary which ranged from memes photoshopping laser beams shooting from Macron's eyes to his face on the "Miami Vice" film poster. Other images on social media showed Macron playing the rebel Maverick from the Top Gun franchise, while facing off to Trump. "These sunglasses were unintentionally a very fitting visual vocabulary for the message he wanted to convey," said communications professor Philippe Moreau-Chevrolet at Paris's Sciences Po university. "It gave a Hollywood-style dimension -- cool and masculine at once -- that answered Trump." Advertisement Advertisement Trump mocked the look, stating: "I watched him yesterday with those beautiful sunglasses. What the hell happened?" "But I watched him sort of be tough," Trump added, after Macron said France rejected "bullies". The UK's Telegraph newspaper published the headline "Can Macron's sunglasses save the West?" in an analysis of the heated and divisive tone taken by largely male world leaders at the summit. "Testosterone is the primary currency in Davos this year, and the French president's aviators have placed him at the top of the pecking order," the Telegraph wrote. Advertisement Advertisement The hype surrounding Macron's look led to a surge in traffic to the French eyewear maker Henry Jullien's website, causing it to crash. "Our eShop website is experiencing an exceptional volume of visits and enquiries" following the "significant visibility" given to the sunglasses by Macron, said a notice on the brand's website. It added that it had launched a "temporary page" featuring solely the 'Pacific' model worn by Macron, "to ensure stable and secure access for everyone". bur-giv/ah/rlp This takes the cake. Some MAGA House Republicans gathered at the Kennedy Center this week to slice up a cake of Greenland covered by an American flag to celebrate President Donald Trumps threats to annex the Arctic island even by force. Politics: Trump-Friendly Rep Sparks Outrage With Pathetic Greenland Idea The president backed down from his menacing tone on Wednesday in Davos, Switzerland, but the distasteful stunt lingered on social media. Advertisement Advertisement In one clip, Rep. Anna Paulina Luna (R-Fla.), alongside Rep. Andy Ogles (Tenn.), plunges the knife into the cake for the ceremonial first slice. We cut it! she said. Watch it here. The half-baked antics drew the ire of Antoine Bondaz, who works on an advisory service for the European Commission, according to LinkedIn. Politics: Trump Envoy Gets Cold Shoulder In Greenland As Key Event Pulls Invitation This is how some in the US view Greenland and its peopleas a cake to be cut up and shared with smiles and laughter, he wrote on X. Sorry, but this is deeply disrespectful and frankly pathetic. Advertisement Advertisement George Simion, a hard-right nationalist who modeled his campaign after Trump in losing the Romanian election for president in May, was also on hand to cut the cake. We will be there for all the free people in the world, Simion said. As the clip cuts out, he could also be heard commenting about having to get rid of French President Emmanuel Macron, who has been critical of Trumps aggression. Trump had threatened to punish European nations that didnt get in line with his Greenland quest by implementing 10% tariffs on them. But he backed off on Wednesday amid an apparent solution. The president said he had arrived at the framework of a future deal for the United States role in Greenland. Trumps announcement prompted Luna to propose another Greenland cake event. Advertisement Advertisement In light of recent developments I will be ordering a Greenland cake and inviting members of the press to come cut it with me to have a slice in celebration, she wrote. In light of recent developments I will be ordering a Greenland cake and inviting members of the press to come cut it with me to have a slice in celebration. pic.twitter.com/vLucy9whXD Rep. Anna Paulina Luna (@RepLuna) January 21, 2026 H/T The New Republic Related... Read the original on HuffPost A Minnesota federal magistrate judge refused to sign a complaint charging independent journalist Don Lemon in connection with a protest inside a church in St. Paul on Sunday, multiple sources familiar with the proceedings told CBS News. "The attorney general is enraged at the magistrate's decision," said a source familiar with the matter. Attorney General Pam Bondi has been in Minnesota for two days, as the Justice Department has sought to surge prosecutorial and law enforcement resources there. A different source stressed that the process is not over, and the Justice Department could find other avenues to charge Lemon. Advertisement Advertisement The magistrate judge who declined to approve charges for Lemon was Douglas Micko, sources told CBS News. Micko previously worked as a federal public defender. Lemon's attorney, Abbe Lowell, said in a statement Thursday that the magistrate's actions "confirm the nature of Don's First Amendment protected work this weekend in Minnesota as a reporter." "Should the Department of Justice continue with a stunning and troubling effort to silence and punish a journalist for doing his job, Don will call out their latest attack on the rule of law and fight any charges vigorously and thoroughly in court," Lowell said. The government had hoped to charge Lemon along with a raft of other people who participated in the protest at the church. Advertisement Advertisement On Thursday morning, Bondi announced two arrests connected to the church protests Chauntyll Louisa Allen, who serves on the St. Paul School Board, and civil rights attorney Nekima Levy Armstrong. Bondi alleged that Armstrong was involved in organizing the protest. Bondi later said a third person, William Kelly, was arrested. Allen and Armstrong both appeared in federal court in St. Paul on Thursday, where they were each charged with violating a civil rights law that prohibits two or more people from conspiring to interfere with constitutionally protected rights, like the free practice of religion. Micko, who presided over Thursday's hearing, declined to approve a second criminal charge against the two local activists that accused them of violating a provision in the FACE Act which makes it a crime to use force, threats, or physical obstruction to injure, intimidate, or interfere with a person who is exercising their First Amendment right of religious freedom at a place of worship. In a copy of an arrest warrant against Allen obtained by CBS News, the second charge was physically crossed off, with "NO PROBABLE CAUSE" written in the margin. An attorney for Armstrong said that the magistrate judge also crossed off a charge on her arrest warrant. NEW: Arrest warrant for church protest suspect Chauntyll Allen shows two original charges but one is scratched off by magistrate judge for no probable cause. @CBSNews @MacFarlaneNews @JenniferJJacobs @SarahNLynch @camiloreports @WCCO pic.twitter.com/58LFuOXXzK Jonah Kaplan (@JonahPKaplan) January 22, 2026 Tension was evident during Thursday's hearing to review the arrests. Just minutes after Micko began the hearing, federal prosecutors conceded they had yet to provide copies of the arrest warrants to the two women arrested and their attorneys. Advertisement Advertisement "We can get them," Robert Keenan, an attorney in the Civil Rights Division, told the judge. Micko then ordered a recess and vowed not to proceed until that happened, prompting audible gasps and some cheers from those in attendance watching in overflow rooms. When proceedings restarted, the Justice Department's request for Armstrong and Allen to be detained was swiftly denied, as were their requests for detention hearings. Keenan argued that the allegations involved "crimes of violence," but Micko shot back that he didn't see "any threat or use of force." Ultimately, both Armstrong and Allen were ordered to be released on condition they remain in Minnesota, stay off the church's property and avoid contact with any witness or victim. Advertisement Advertisement But later Thursday, defense attorneys told CBS News that both Armstrong and Allen would not be released pending the Justice Department's plan to appeal and seek their detention. "This is the due process for the prosecution that doesn't seem to happen to folks we try to get out of Whipple [Federal Building] or any other f***ing jail in this city," lamented attorney James Cook, who represents Allen. A judge is expected to make a ruling on the Justice Department's appeal on Friday. Prosecutors also asked that the criminal complaints remain sealed despite the very public nature of the case a motion that was approved for 24 hours. Advertisement Advertisement The two federal prosecutors who appeared in the courtroom are not from Minnesota. Before joining the Civil Rights Division, Keenan previously worked as a federal prosecutor in Los Angeles, where he argued that a local deputy sheriff convicted of civil rights violations should have his conviction on the felony counts struck and should not serve prison time. The efforts to strike the felony conviction led several prosecutors on the case to resign in protest. Most recently, he was dispatched to Louisville to handle the sentencing for a former Louisville police officer who was convicted of violating Breonna Taylor's civil rights, where he asked the judge to impose a sentence of just one day. Orlando Sonza, a former congressional candidate from Ohio, was tapped by Mr. Trump to work in the Civil Rights Division last summer. Advertisement Advertisement Protesters against ICE enter St. Paul church service Protesters said they entered St. Paul's Cities Church on Sunday, after discovering that an Immigration and Customs Enforcement official appeared to be one of the pastors at the church. Protests and clashes between some residents and federal immigration officers in the Twin Cities have been occurring daily since the Trump administration deployed thousands of ICE and Border Patrol agents to the area. Among other demands, protesters have called for accountability in the death of Renee Good, a U.S. citizen and Minneapolis resident who was fatally shot by an ICE officer on Jan. 7. Lemon, a former CNN anchor, attended the protest, which interrupted the Sunday service, prompting congregants and their families to leave. Advertisement Advertisement In an interview with the pastor, Lemon said, "There's a Constitution and a First Amendment, and freedom of speech and freedom to assemble and protest." Harmeet Dhillon, the assistant attorney general for the Civil Rights Division, has publicly hinted that Lemon could potentially face charges for his role in disrupting the service. Being a journalist "is not a badge or a shield that protects you from criminal consequences," she said during an appearance on the "Benny Show," hosted by far-right podcaster Benny Johnson. Dhillon declined to comment when reached by CBS News. Advertisement Advertisement The U.S. Attorney's Office in Washington, D.C., faced similar hurdles last year, after President Trump flooded the streets with federal agents as part of an initiative to crack down on violent crime. Prosecutors in U.S. Attorney Jeanine Pirro's office were ordered to pursue every case as a federal offense when possible a plan that backfired as the Justice Department began to see grand juries reject charges and magistrate judges push back on cases they viewed as flimsy or that contained constitutional defects. In an Oct. 8, 2025, opinion, Magistrate Judge Zia Faruqui in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia revealed that over the course of eight weeks since the crime surge began in August, the government moved to dismiss 21% of all cases that were charged by criminal complaint. That statistic is "shocking," he wrote, compared with the 0.5% of cases charged by criminal complaint that the government dismissed in the district over the past decade. Sneak peek: The Ivy League Murder Jury deliberating in trial for former Uvalde officer charged over school shooting response The difference between administrative and judicial warrants (NewsNation) Mahmoud Khalil, the Syrian-born activist the Trump administration has sought to deport over pro-Palestinian demonstrations he helped organize in New York, will be retaken into custody and sent to the North African country of Algeria, a top official with the Department of Homeland Security said Wednesday. Khalil and his attorneys for months have legally challenged the White Houses efforts to remove the green card holder, who is of Palestinian heritage, saying it would violate the Constitution. An appellate court decision last week, however, was widely seen as a victory for the Trump administration. It looks like hell go to Algeria. Thats what the thought is right now, Tricia McLaughlin, DHS assistant secretary for public affairs, told Katie Pavlich Tonight when asked about Khalil. Advertisement Advertisement How does Mahmoud Khalils case affect those with green cards? Its a reminder for those who are in this country on a visa or on a green card. You are a guest in this country act like it, she added. It is a privilege, not a right, to be in this country to live or to study. Pro-Palestinian activist Mahmoud Khalil poses for a portrait during an interview, July 3, 2025, in New York. On Jan. 15, the 3rd U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in a 2-1 ruling reversed a lower court decision that released Khalil from an immigration jail, bringing the government one step closer to detaining and ultimately deporting the Palestinian activist. NewsNation has reached out to a member of Khalils legal team for a response. Mahmoud Khalil a major target of Trump administration Khalil, a former Columbia University graduate student, was arrested by ICE agents March 8, 2025, becoming the first campus activist swept up in President Trumps crackdown on pro-Palestinian activists during the Israel-Hamas war in Gaza. Advertisement Advertisement The Trump administration has argued that Khalil supports Hamas, a terrorist organization, and lied on documents as he applied for permanent U.S. residency. Speaking before supporters at a rally in June, Khalil denied that he supports violence. Who is Mahmoud Khalil? Mahmoud Khalil is a human rights defender. Mahmoud Khalil is a freedom fighter. Mahmoud Khalil is a refugee. Mahmoud Khalil is a father and husband, and above all, Mahmoud Khalil is Palestinian, he said. Khalil filed a $20 million claim against the Trump administration, alleging he was falsely imprisoned and maliciously prosecuted. The activist missed the birth of his first child while he was being detained at a Louisiana ICE facility. Advertisement Advertisement The Associated Press contributed to this report. Copyright 2026 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to NewsNation. The local area is expected to see snow this weekend from a massive winter storm making its way across the country, but how much remains unclear. National Weather Service information from the Baltimore/Washington Forecast Center and State College, Pennsylvania, shows a high chance of snow in Washington County, Maryland, and Franklin County, Pennsylvania, Saturday night, Jan. 24, 2026, into Sunday, Jan. 25, 2026. Whats the word from forecast centers concerning snow? A winter storm will bring accumulating snowfall Saturday evening and Sunday. Significant accumulations are possible, according to the National Weather Service in State College. Advertisement Advertisement Moved from winter to spring: Learn how the Waynesboro Expo is changing in 2026 Potential impacts include significant travel delays and closures. Plan ahead to minimize impact to you and your family, is the warning from the Baltimore/Washington Forecast Center. The region is in for a moderate to high impact event, said Jeremy Geiger, a meteorologist in the Baltimore/Washington Forecast Center. He declined Wednesday morning to say how much snow is expected because I could give you a number and it would be stale within 12 hours. The picture will be clearer about three days prior to the storm, which is expected to hit Saturday evening and continue through most of Sunday. Cold temperatures coming, too Winter Storm Planning Timeline Following moderate temperatures late this week, dangerous wind chills also are predicted at times throughout the weekend and into early next week. Advertisement Advertisement Thursday and Friday are good days to prepare shovels, snowblowers and other supplies ahead of the storm. Highs will be in the mid-40s on Thursday and mid-30s on Friday. Those are the last days the temperature will be above freezing in the foreseeable future. Plan a winter excursion: Liberty Mountain Resort snow tubing is a Top 10 pick among USA Today Readers. Learn why. Highs over the weekend will be in the teens, with overnight lows in the single digits, according to NWS forecasts. Daytime highs will climb into the 20s Monday and Tuesday. Heres the bigger picture Forecasters are warning of a sprawling winter storm thats predicted to spread a mess of ice and snow over a 2,000 mile stretch of the nation later this week, all the way from Texas to the Northeast, according to USA TODAY. Advertisement Advertisement Exactly where this storm sets up and tracks will determine where the snow and ice will be, according to AccuWeather. Residents from Colorado and Wyoming through the mid-Atlantic and New England coasts are urged to stay on alert for forecast updates, especially with the threat of ice becoming a possibility, USA TODAY reports. The ingredients are coming into place for a long-duration storm that brings a substantial amount of snow, sleet and freezing rain from Texas and southern portions of the Plains to the lower and middle parts of the Mississippi Valley late this week and then into the East this weekend, AccuWeather Senior Meteorologist Alex Sosnowski told USA TODAY. This article originally appeared on Waynesboro Record Herald: Major snowstorm headed to Washington, Franklin counties A SWAT standoff that lasted for nearly 12 hours ended on Thursday after a man and police exchanged gunfire. The man died at the hospital. No officers were hurt. The Georgia Bureau of Investigation has now taken over the officer-involved shooting investigation. All the latest developments with the GBI now on scene, LIVE on Channel 2 Action News This Morning starting at 4:30 a.m. DeKalb County police officers responded to the home on Young Road to serve a court-mandated eviction on Wednesday. Officers said the man refused to come out and barricaded himself inside. Channel 2s Tyisha Fernandes was live as the standoff unfolded starting on Channel 2 Action News at 4:00 p.m. As it extended into the night, neighbors told Channel 2s Courtney Francisco they couldnt get back into their homes and had to stand out in the cold during WSB Tonight. [DOWNLOAD: Free WSB-TV News app for alerts as news breaks] At some point during the standoff, DeKalb County police said the officers used less-lethal options to try to take the man into custody. Advertisement Advertisement Police said the man then fired at officers, who returned fire. The man was taken to the hospital in critical condition, but died from his injuries. The GBI and police have not released the mans name at this time. TRENDING STORIES: [SIGN UP: WSB-TV Daily Headlines Newsletter] Officers responded to a shooting incident at 6500 Trixie Street Wednesday at about 8 p.m., where a male victim sustained a non-life threatening gunshot wound to his foot. The victim, an adult male in his late 30s, was assisting someone with loading clothing into a vehicle when he was shot, a Jacksonville police news release states. Emergency services transported him to a local area hospital via Jacksonville Fire and Rescue Department (JFRD). Preliminary investigation indicates that the victim reported the suspect shot him from the drivers seat of a vehicle. The suspect is described as a male in his 50s, with a bald head and beard. The suspect was last seen driving away in a gray pickup truck. Advertisement Advertisement >>> STREAM ACTION NEWS JAX LIVE <<< [DOWNLOAD: Free Action News Jax app for alerts as news breaks] [SIGN UP: Action News Jax Daily Headlines Newsletter] Click here to download the free Action News Jax news and weather apps, click here to download the Action News Jax Now app for your smart TV and click here to stream Action News Jax live. "We're waiting for President Trump to keep his promise," she said. "Mr. Trump, where are you now?" "I can say, as someone who has participated in every protest in Iran that's happened over the last few years, that this was the largest, most impressive turnout that we've ever seen in Iran's streets," said Sara, a woman from Tehran, in an interview with N12 on Wednesday. Sara described how, even knowing about the brutality of the regime, what she saw was beyond the pale. Advertisement Advertisement "Someone close to me, a young guy who'd gotten a leg injury, was taken to the hospital. After being treated, he was released and went back home. Security forces came to his address, stood in his doorway, and murdered him right there." The response from the Iranian government to the ongoing protests against the regime has been particularly deadly, with the US-based HRANA rights group confirming nearly 5,000 deaths linked to the unrest, and an additional 9,000 under review. "The truth is that us, those of us who returned home, who stayed alive, we lost a lot," Sara said. "Beyond the people who died, the friends who were murdered, the many who were arrested, wounded, or lost the light in their eyes. It seems that something was uprooted from within all of us." According to Sara, only a few days before, regime forces could be seen wandering the streets, wielding guns, batons, and military equipment, hoping to intimidate. "They're less prominent [now]," she explained, "but they still have forces in civilian clothes in places where protests are meant to happen." Illustrative People step on an Iranian flag at a march in support of nationwide protests in Iran, Los Angeles, California, U.S., January 18, 2026. (credit: REUTERS/JILL CONNELLY) 'Mr. Trump, where are you now?' The Iranian people need help fighting the Islamic Republic, Sara said. Advertisement Advertisement "We're waiting for President Trump to keep his promise," she said. "Mr. Trump, where are you now?" US President Donald Trump had previously promised consequences if Iran did not stop oppressing and killing protestors, including threatening the regime with US strikes. "How many more of us need to be killed so that you understand that instead of talking to the Islamic Republic, you need to act against it in a decisive military action?" Sara asked. "Our hands are empty. We can't overcome them with empty hands." The Iranian people's only hope, Sara explained, is foreign military aid. "If a strike...were conducted," she concluded, "then, despite all the horror we've been through and all the crimes we've seen with our own eyes, we will return to the streets." As a dangerously cold weather front plunges into the U.S., tens of millions across much of the country can expect heavy snow, sleet and freezing rain. The storm system hit the northern Plains with subzero temperatures. It's now on its way to the Mississippi Valley, and expected to reach the Northeast and the Ohio Valley by Sunday. Texas and other Southern states could experience dangerously low temperatures as soon as Saturday. Advertisement Advertisement The Winter Storm Severity Index from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administrations Weather Prediction Center forecasts how dangerous conditions will become for travel and key infrastructure. NBC News is tracking the centers data on the interactive map below, which shows the storm forecast for the next 72 hours. It will be updated with the latest data every two hours. The Weather Prediction Center uses forecasts of various factors, including the amount of snow expected, projected accumulation of ice and the likelihood of blowing snow, to help predict how bad it will get in certain places. For this storm, the National Weather Service predicts hazardous travel conditions, prolonged power outages and falling trees because of snow and ice in Southern states. Northern states can expect snow-covered roads and subzero temperatures. Follow more coverage of winter weather here. This article was originally published on NBCNews.com Mark Carney spoke for Americas frustrated allies at Davos but theyre not going anywhere Americas Western allies have had enough or so they say. This week at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, one world leader after another expressed frustration with the United States over its increasingly hostile behavior toward them and called for a new path forward. According to European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, its time for Europe to seek a permanent break with the U.S. Nostalgia will not bring back the old order, said von der Leyen. Its time to seize this opportunity and build a new independent Europe. If all this talk sounds familiar, its because weve heard it before. So many red lines are being crossed, said Belgian Prime Minister Bart De Wever in response to President Donald Trumps threat to impose tariffs over Greenland, that you have the choice between your self-respect being a happy vassal is one thing. Being a miserable slave is something else. Advertisement Advertisement Europe has very strong tools now, and we have to use them when we are not respected, huffed French President Emmanuel Macron. But perhaps the most direct criticism of Trump and call for a new world order came from Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney, who told the assembled global elite, We are in the midst of a rupture, not a transition. Carney declared that great powers using economic integration as weapons, tariffs as leverage, financial infrastructure as coercion, supply chains as vulnerabilities to be exploited, cannot continue. We live in an era of great-power rivalry, said Carney. The rules-based order is fading, and middle powers [such as Canada] must act together because if were not at the table, were on the menu. These comments are the logical endpoint of Trumps first year in office, in which he has seemingly gone out of his way to stick a finger in the eye of key NATO allies and undermine some of Americas most enduring and beneficial bilateral relationships. Advertisement Advertisement But if all this talk sounds familiar, its because weve heard it before. In the waning days of the Cold War, Luxembourgs Prime Minister and President of the Council of Europe, Jacques Loos, infamously declared, This is the hour of Europe, not the hour of the Americans. In February 2003, as America prepared to go to war in Iraq and U.S. leaders were sneering at Americas old European allies, French President Jacques Chirac warned of a unipolar world dominated by the U.S. and said Europe must realize the importance of expressing its own vision of world problems and of supporting it with a common, credible defense. In 2017, after a disastrous G-7 summit with Trump, German Chancellor Angela Merkel said, The days when Europe could rely on others were over, and argued that Europe must take its fate into its own hands. Advertisement Advertisement But a funny thing happened next. Loos was referring to the unfolding war in the former Yugoslavia, and while many European leaders believed that the time had come for Europe to look after its own continents affairs, it was U.S. military might combined with diplomatic heft that brought an end to the conflict in the Balkans. Perhaps this time is different, and Americas allies have reached their breaking point with Americas bullying and dalliance with unilateralism. But skepticism is warranted. In 2009, when President Barack Obama replaced George W. Bush in the White House, Europe returned to the tried-and-true paradigm of following Americas lead on the world stage. In 2021, when Joe Biden arrived in the Oval Office, the same pattern emerged again. And when Russia invaded Ukraine in 2022, it was once again the U.S. that took the lead in assembling a European coalition to oppose Vladimir Putins military aggression. Perhaps this time is different, and Americas allies have reached their breaking point with Americas bullying and dalliance with unilateralism. But skepticism is warranted. Advertisement Advertisement As Chris Fettweis, a professor of international affairs at Tulane University, said to me, People always think were on the cusp of a new world order and theyre usually wrong. Indeed, one striking element of Carneys Davos speech was how powerfully the Canadian prime minister spoke about the importance of multilateralism and the dangers of great powers going it alone. A world of fortresses, he said, will be poorer, more fragile and less sustainable. If great powers abandon even the pretense of rules and values for the unhindered pursuit of their power and interests, the gains from transactionalism will become harder to replicate. Carneys vision of multilateralism, laid out in Davos, was offered as a hedge against American bullying and a path for middle-power countries to follow, so long as America is in the grip of Trumps mania and know-nothingness. In recent weeks, Canada has acted on Carneys words. Ottawa has reduced trade barriers with China, including a deal last week with Beijing that will increase the importation of electric vehicles in return for China easing restrictions on Canadian agricultural imports. French President Emmanuel Macron also spoke in Davos of encouraging more Chinese investment in Europe. Advertisement Advertisement But Carney surely knows that for Canada, which is so uniquely dependent on the U.S. as a trading partner, a partnership of middle powers wont outweigh a full American heel turn toward rogue nation status. The same is almost certainly true of Europe. Americas allies might be exasperated by Trumps behavior, but they, too, prefer a return to the status quo over any other potential outcome. Great and occasionally benevolent powers like the U.S. do not grow on trees, and an economic and political alliance with China for Canada and Europe is not really on the table. Indeed, there was another implicit message in Carneys words and indeed they can be heard in the words of nearly every European leader who decries what America has become: Come back to reality! All that Trump has seemingly broken can still be put back together again. For all of Trumps excesses and belligerent rhetoric, he has left mostly hurt feelings in his wake. Trump hasnt pulled the U.S. out of NATO. He has largely maintained American support for Ukraine. And on Wednesday night, Trump announced he was calling off his threatened trade war with Europe after having formed the framework of a future deal with respect to Greenland which The New York Times reports will likely be little more than a compromise in which Denmark would give the United States sovereignty over small pockets of Greenlandic land where the United States could build military bases. Advertisement Advertisement In other words, all that Trump has seemingly broken can still be put back together again. Canadian and European leaders are no doubt frustrated and infuriated by how uncertain an ally the U.S. has become and by how frequently this pattern of misbehavior has repeated itself over the past 25 years. But make no mistake, they would almost certainly welcome a sane America back with open arms. The post Mark Carney spoke for Americas frustrated allies at Davos but theyre not going anywhere appeared first on MS NOW. This article was originally published on ms.now (This story has been updated to add new information.) QUINCY The Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court, the state's highest appeals court, has agreed to hear the case over two controversial statues depicting Catholic saints for Quincy's new public safety building. A lower court issued a preliminary injunction temporarily barring their installation in October. Quincy Mayor Thomas Koch commissioned the two 10-foot-tall bronze statues of St. Michael the Archangel and St. Florian, patron saints of police and firefighters, without informing the public or the city councilors who approved the project's budget. The statues' estimated cost ranges between $850,000 and $1 million. Advertisement Advertisement Details of the statues were first reported by The Patriot Ledger in February 2025, leading to public outcry and eventually a lawsuit. In May, lawyers for the ACLU and other civil liberties organizations sued Koch and the city on behalf of 15 residents, claiming the statues violate Article 3 of the Massachusetts Declaration of Rights, which requires government neutrality in religion. The article states that "no subordination of any one sect or denomination to another shall ever be established by law." Koch maintains the saints were selected for their longstanding association with police and firefighters, not their religious significance. The city of Quincy wants to install these two saint statues on the front of the new public safety building. After Norfolk Superior Court judge William Sullivan issued the preliminary injunction, Koch applied to the Supreme Judicial Court for "direct appellate review," asking for the case to bypass an intermediate appeals court. The plaintiffs supported the request for direct appellate review. ACLU responds to SJC's taking up the case On Thursday, Jan. 22, both parties welcomed the Supreme Judicial Court's decision to hear the case. Advertisement Advertisement "We asked the Supreme Judicial Court to take up the appeal of this important constitutional question, and we are grateful that they will do so," wrote ACLU of Massachusetts legal director Jessie Rossman. "This case goes to the heart of our state constitution's guarantee of equal protection for residents of all faiths and no faith. It is imperative that all community members feel welcome in a public safety building. We look forward to asking the SJC to affirm the lower court's thorough, well-reasoned decision and to provide clear guidance that the government must remain neutral on matters of religion." Mayor Koch's released the following statement on Thursday evening: "We look forward to defending Quincys plan to honor our brave first responders at the Massachusetts high court, Koch said. Advertisement Advertisement These statues will reflect the values our police officers and firefighters live out every daycourage, sacrifice, and service. Honoring those ideals should unite a community, not divide it. Supreme Judicial Court Justices solicit amicus briefs On Wednesday, Jan. 21, the high court accepted the application, and the Justices announced their solicitation of amicus briefs on two issues: Whether installation of two statues of Catholic saints outside Quincy's public safety building violates the Massachusetts Declaration of Rights Whether the court should evaluate that question pursuant to the framework set forth in Lemon v. Kurtzman or whether a different framework should apply. Chief Mark Kennedy looks at the entrance for the new public safety building on Sea Street. A first look at the soon to be completed new Quincy Public Safety building which will be the headquarters for the Quincy police and fire departments on Tuesday November 4, 2025 What is Lemon v. Kurtzman, and why is it relevant to the Quincy statues case In their motion for preliminary injunction, the plaintiffs argued that 1979 Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court case Colo v. Treasurer and Receiver General must provide the framework for the court's ruling, an argument the lower court accepted. Advertisement Advertisement In Colo, 29 taxpayers sued the Treasurer and Receiver General, claiming the use of public money to pay the chaplains, who opened sessions of the Massachusetts House of Representatives and Senate with prayers, violated constitutional provisions. The plaintiffs did not succeed. Colo adopted the 1971 U.S. Supreme Court ruling in Lemon v. Kurtzman, which established a three-pronged test, known as the "Lemon Test," for adjudicating Establishment Clause cases: Does the government action have a primarily secular purpose? Does it inhibit or advance religion? Does it cause excessive government entanglement with religion? Colo added a fourth prong which arose out of Massachusetts history: Does the action have potential for political divisiveness? Advertisement Advertisement Quincy City Solicitor James Timmins argued against applying standards established in Lemon v. Kurtzman and Colo v. Treasurer and Receiver General because the U.S. Supreme Court abandoned the "Lemon Test" with its 2022 decision in Kennedy v. Bremerton School District. Quincy city attorney Jim Timmons asks the court to expedite the hearing so the statues may be installed when they are complete. In Norfolk Superior Court, Dedham Judge William Sullivan listened to pretrial arguments from the ACLU representing Quincy residents looking to block the installation of two statues at the new Quincy Police headquarters. Tuesday August 19, 2025 Timmins asked the lower to court to apply the standard adopted by Supreme Court in Kennedy, replacing the four-pronged test with reference to "historical practices and understandings." "This Court does not base its understanding of the Massachusetts Declaration of Rights solely on what its founders envisioned at the time they signed the document," Sullivan wrote. "To do so would perpetuate the petty bigotries of the past." What happens next in the Quincy statues case? Under Massachusetts appellate procedural rule, Quincy has until Feb. 13 to file its brief. The plaintiffs then have until March 13 to file their brief, with oral arguments expected in April or May. Advertisement Advertisement Peter Blandino covers Quincy for The Patriot Ledger. Contact him at pblandino@patriotledger.com. Thanks to our subscribers, who help make this coverage possible. If you are not a subscriber, please consider supporting quality local journalism with a Patriot Ledger subscription. Here is our latest offer. This article originally appeared on The Patriot Ledger: SJC will hear appeal in lawsuit on Quincy's contested saint statues The Montgomery County Sheriff's Office said deputies arrested and charged a man for aggravated sexual assault of a child in their jurisdiction last week. In a statement, MCSO said deputies responded to a residence in Porter on Jan. 16 in reference to a sexual assault of a child investigation. When they arrived, deputies secured the scene and began an extensive investigation with assistance from the MCSO Special Victims Unit and the Montgomery County District Attorney's Office, executing multiple search warrants, according to officials. Advertisement Advertisement Authorities said SVU detectives discovered video depicting the sexual assault of a 2-year-old child. Officials identified the suspect as 40-year-old Victor L. Corey Paillet III, according to the statement. ABC13 spoke to the victim's mother, who asked to conceal her identity to protect the child. "She's just a baby, like why would you do this to a baby, like how can you do this to her, how can you do this to me?" the mother said. The victim's mother said she found the videos on her boyfriend's phone and reported it. "I just keep seeing that video over and over in my head. And just everything, and I literally haven't been able to sleep, I've just been crying so much lately," she said. Advertisement Advertisement She added it's also still leaving a mark on her daughter right now as well. "She's just been so clingy now, she has changed since that happened, she's just been crying so much lately and we both do need to seek therapy for sure we're going to try and get some help and I had to break the lease at the house, we can't go back to that house where the trauma happened," the victim's mother said. According to MCSO, Paillet was arrested and charged with promotion of child pornography and aggravated sexual assault of a child, both of which are first-degree felonies. Paillet was booked into the Montgomery County Jail, where he is currently being held with no bond, according to officials. Advertisement Advertisement Investigators said they learned that Paillet has ties to the Houston area, as well as Louisiana. They added that Paillet may be known by the aliases "Kandy Red" and "Kandy Red Bread." "I just hope everyone comes forward, so we can all get the justice that we deserve," the mother said. Detectives said there may be additional victims, based on their investigation. Officials are asking anyone with information regarding Victor Paillet or any related sexual offenses to contact the Montgomery County Sheriff's Office at 936-538-3474 and reference case number 26A017864. MCSO Arrests Suspect for Child Sexual Assault; Detectives Seek Potential Additional Victims https://t.co/kb7Fq6OWRQ pic.twitter.com/hPbaPW3ehK MCTXSheriff (@MCTXSheriff) January 21, 2026 For news updates, follow Brianna Willis on Facebook, x and Instagram. Medicaid and Medicare were signed into law by President Lyndon B. Johnson, left, on July 30, 1965, at the Harry S. Truman Library in Independence, Mo. Truman, seated right, was the first person to enroll in Medicare. (President Lyndon B. Johnson Library photo by Unknown/Public Domain photo) Access to health care shouldnt depend on your ZIP code or be the difference between a hospital bill and a funeral bill. Rhode Island celebrated the 60th anniversary of its Medicaid program in 2025. This may sound like just another policy milestone, but the data tells a different story: Medicaid expansion has profoundly impacted lives across the state. Advertisement Advertisement Rhode Island expanded Medicaid under the provisions of the 2010 Affordable Care Act (ACA), which allowed states to expand Medicaid coverage to adults with incomes up to 138% of the poverty level (now about $21,597 annually for an individual or $36,777 for a family of three). As a result, the state achieved a record-low uninsured rate of 2.2% in 2024 far below the 17.4% average in states that opted not to expand. The state now outperforms the national average on key health metrics, including adult smoking rates, vaccination coverage, and infant mortality rates. The overall health of Rhode Islands children has also improved, contributing to higher school attendance and lower dropout rates. In other words, Rhode Island demonstrates that Medicaid expansion works. Now imagine the opposite. In the 10 states refusing to expand Medicaid, approximately 1.4 million adults remain uninsured. Many fall into a coverage gap, earning too much to qualify for Medicaid, but too little to receive subsidies for ACA Marketplace plans. These Americans are simply left out of receiving insurance. Note: *State has a trigger law that would end expansion coverage or require states to take steps to mitigate increases in state costs if federal funding for the expansion is reduced. Source: KFF tracking and analysis of state actions related to adoption of the ACA Medicaid expansion and Searing, Adam. Federal Funding Cuts to Medicaid May Trigger Automatic Loss of Health Coverage for Millions of Residents of Certain States. Say Ahhh! Georgetown Center for Children and Families, November 27, 2024. KFF A comparison between Rhode Island and Texas highlights the stark disparities between an expansion state and a non-expansion state. Rhode Island ranks among the top five states in overall health system performance, while Texas ranks among the bottom five. The consequences are clear. In Texas, 13.7% of children are uninsured, compared with just 3.8% in Rhode Island. Cost remains a significant barrier to care, with 17.6% of Texans forgoing needed care due to expense, nearly double the rate in Rhode Island (10%). Primary care access follows the same pattern: 75.9% of Texans report having a primary care provider, compared with 87.5% of Rhode Islanders. For Rhode Island readers, this may feel distant as weve already closed that gap here. But travel a bit south, and the border between Kentucky and Tennessee becomes more than a line on a map. There, a treatable diagnosis could become not just a health crisis, but also a financial one. In Tennessee, a non-expansion state, residents often delay care because of cost, leading to medical bills they cannot afford. Nearly 59% of Tennesseans report receiving an unexpected medical bill. Just across the border, Kentuckys Medicaid expansion has made health care more affordable and accessible, allowing residents to receive treatment earlier rather than facing preventable crises. Advertisement Advertisement Rhode Islands success should serve as a model for others. Peer-reviewed research has linked Medicaid expansion to decreases in mortality in cancer patients, significant reductions in all-cause mortality, and fewer rural hospital closures. Rhode Islands success should serve as a model for others. Expanding Medicaid was a long-term investment in Rhode Islands economy, not just another item in the budget. When Rhode Islanders are healthier, they are more productive in the workforce; families are more financially secure; the economy grows as people stay in the labor force; and hospitals arent overwhelmed by uncompensated care. Other states have recognized this. North Carolina expanded Medicaid in 2023, extending coverage to over 600,000 adults to support rural hospitals and reduce medical debt. In Oklahoma and South Dakota, voters took matters into their own hands and passed expansion directly at the ballot box. Public support is not a barrier. Polling shows that about two-thirds of residents in non-expansion states support expanding Medicaid. Yet policymakers ignore them and make unsupported claims that expansion would reduce labor force participation. Research actually shows no drop in employment and, in some cases, small gains. One scholarly review calls the refusal to expand Medicaid the most potent symbol of political resistance to governments role in health policy. Its in a states own interest to expand Medicaid. The 90% federal match would send billions of dollars to their hospitals and communities, rather than sending that money to expansion states. Advertisement Advertisement Rhode Islands experience demonstrates that political choices matter and can yield tangible results. Its fourth-place ranking in overall health systems nationwide is not an abstract achievement; it is the direct outcome of Medicaid expansion. This success gives the state a strong voice in the national Medicaid debate. Policymakers, health leaders, and advocates can point to this evidence to counter misinformation and support expansion efforts in the 10 remaining states. Weve already proven that expansion saves lives. Now remaining states should follow our lead. The El Paso County medical examiner officially ruled homicide as the cause of death of a migrant who died at an ICE detention center in El Paso. Geraldo Lunas Campos' cause of death was "asphyxia due to neck and torso compression," stated the autopsy report released by the medical examiner on Wednesday, Jan. 21. "Based on the investigative and examination findings, it is my opinion that the cause of death is asphyxia due to neck and torso compression, the report states. The manner of death is homicide. Geraldo Lunas Campos Lunas Campos, 55, died Jan. 3 at Camp East Montana, an ICE detention center in East El Paso. The detention center is located on Fort Bliss property. He had been held at the facility for nearly four months. Advertisement Advertisement Camp East Montana is the largest ICE detention center in the U.S. It is projected to hold 5,000 detainees for deportation. The facility has grown to a capacity of 3,250 people as of Dec. 19. The site continues to generate reports of inhumane conditions and human rights violations since it opened in August. ICE officials in a Jan. 9 news release claimed Lunas Campos became "disruptive" while in line for medication. He was placed in segregation where staff observed him in distress and contacted on-site medical personnel for assistance, the release said. The autopsy report states Lunas Campos became unresponsive while being physically restrained by law enforcement. Advertisement Advertisement He had scattered superficial abrasions all over his body, the report states. The medical examiner also found a hemorrhage involving the strap muscles and connective tissues of the neck. He also had petechial hemorrhages in the eyelids and in the front and side of his neck. He also suffered fractured ribs. More: Cuban immigrant's death at Camp East Montana likely 'homicide' Lunas Campos medical history included suffering from bipolar disorder and anxiety, the report states. The examiner wrote that a toxicology report found that Lunas Campos had trazodone, an antidepressant, and hydroxyzine, an antihistamine, in his system. Advertisement Advertisement While the autopsy report states the cause of death is homicide, it is not a legal finding and does not mean criminal charges will be filed against those involved in the incident. ICE officials said the death was under investigation but have not commented further. FBI officials said they cannot confirm or deny if an investigation is underway because of the U.S. Department of Justice policy. Typically, the FBI investigates homicides at federal facilities and on federal property. ICE response to reports of homicide ruling The Washington Post first reported that the El Paso medical examiner was going to rule the death a likely homicide in a Jan. 15 report. ICE officials responded to the report in a social media post on Jan. 16, claiming that Lunas Campos was attempting to commit suicide and "violently resisted the security staff." Advertisement Advertisement "On January 3rd, Geraldo Lunas Campos, a criminal illegal alien and convicted child sex predator, attempted to take his own life while he was detained at the Camp East Montana detention facility," the post said. "The security staff immediately intervened to save his life. Campos violently resisted the security staff and continued to attempt to take his life." The post claims Lunas Campos stopped breathing and lost consciousness during the struggle. Medical staff made "repeated attempts to resuscitate him," but he was pronounced dead at the detention center. More: Second migrant death reported at Camp East Montana ICE facility "ICE takes seriously the health and safety of all those detained in our custody," the post said. "This is still an active investigation, and more details are forthcoming. ICE investigates the circumstances of all deaths in custody." Advertisement Advertisement Lunas Campos was arrested by immigration authorities on July 14 "during a planned enforcement operation in Rochester, New York," ICE officials said. He was moved to El Paso on Sept. 6. They alleged Lunas Campos had a lengthy criminal record, including convictions for criminal possession of a weapon, sexual contact with a child under 11, reckless driving, possession of a controlled substance and sale of a controlled substance. Deaths at migrant ICE detention center in El Paso, Texas Lunas Campos was the second migrant to die at the El Paso detention center. There have been at least three deaths at the center since it opened in August. The latest death was 36-year-old Victor Manuel Diaz, a Nicaraguan immigrant, on Jan. 14. ICE announced his death on Sunday, Jan 18. Diaz died of a presumed suicide, ICE officials said in a news release. Advertisement Advertisement More: Exclusive: She survived ICE custody; her husband died during detention The first death at the detention center was 48-year-old Francisco Gaspar Cristobal Andres, a Guatemalan immigrant. He was taken to Hospitals of Providence East on Nov. 16 and died on Dec. 3. He died because of liver and kidney failure, ICE officials said in a news release. Aaron Martinez covers the criminal justice system for the El Paso Times. He may be reached at amartinez1@elpasotimes.com. This article originally appeared on El Paso Times: El Paso ICE migrant death ruled homicide; investigation continues Earlier this month, US Immigration and Customs Enforcement announced a Cuban migrant had died at a Texas detention camp after experiencing medical distress, giving little detail of what led up to his final moments. Now, a medical examiner ruled that the death of Geraldo Lunas Campos was a homicide, the Associated Press reported Wednesday a revelation that is likely to heighten scrutiny of the facility after three of its detainees have died in recent weeks. The 55-year-olds body showed signs of struggle, with the autopsy report noting abrasions on his chest and knees and hemorrhages on his neck, AP reported. He died of asphyxia caused by compression of his neck and torso, the report said. Advertisement Advertisement Lunas Campos died inside the Camp East Montana facility in El Paso the night of January 3, according to a release from ICE. The Department of Homeland Security told CNN in a statement that Lunas Campos violently resisted staff who tried to intervene while he was trying to kill himself. But a witness told AP last week that Lunas Campos was handcuffed during the incident as at least five guards held him down. The witness said one guard put an arm around his neck and squeezed until he was unconscious. The autopsy report notes witnesses saw Lunas Campos become unresponsive while being physically restrained by law enforcement, but does not provide more detail, AP reported. It did, however, point to evidence of injuries to his neck, head and torso associated with physical restraint. The homicide finding does not imply intent to kill, but that the victims death was caused by another person, Lee Ann Grossberg, an independent forensic pathologist who reviewed the autopsy, told The Washington Post. Advertisement Advertisement CNN has reached out the El Paso County Medical Examiners Office for information on the autopsy. ICE initially provided a less detailed account of what happened before the mans death. That day, Lunas Campos had been put in a segregated unit after he became disruptive while in line for medication and refused to return to his assigned dorm, ICE said in a January 9 release. Later on, staff observed him in distress, the agency said. Medical personnel and EMS were summoned, but he was pronounced dead shortly after 10 p.m. In a statement Wednesday, a DHS spokesperson said the man was attempting suicide and security staff immediately intervened to save his life. Advertisement Advertisement Campos violently resisted the security staff and continued to attempt to take his life. During the ensuing struggle, Campos stopped breathing and lost consciousness, the spokesperson said. Lunas Campos had been in federal custody since July, when he was arrested in Rochester, New York, as part of an immigration operation, ICE said. He was transferred to the El Paso facility in September. After Lunas Campos arrived in the US in 1996, he amassed years of criminal charges and convictions, some of which are felonies, according to ICE. The agency cited 10 convictions between 1998 and 2009, including selling a controlled substance, armed robbery and sexual contact with a child under 11. Though a judge ordered him to be removed from the US in 2005, Lunas Campos was not deported because the government was unable to secure travel documents, ICE said. In its announcement of the death, ICE said it is committed to ensuring that all those in custody reside in safe, secure and humane environments. It added that comprehensive medical care is provided from the moment individuals arrive and throughout the entirety of their stay. Three of the camps detainees have died Lunas Campos is among at least three Camp East Montana detainees to die while in ICE custody in recent weeks, including one who died while receiving treatment at a nearby hospital. Advertisement Advertisement Francisco Gaspar-Andres, a Guatemalan who ICE has said entered the US illegally, received medical care several times following his September 1 detainment for issues including alcohol withdrawal, acid reflux, flu-like symptoms and hypertension, according to an ICE statement last month. Gaspar-Andres, 48, was admitted to an El Paso hospital due to low sodium levels in November, and his health continued to decline before he died December 3, the statement said. His cause of death had yet to be determined but medical staff attributed it to natural liver and kidney failure, ICE said. The other detainee, Victor Manuel Diaz, was found unconscious and unresponsive in his room at Camp East Montana on January 14 by contract security staff who began life-saving measures, according to ICE. Shortly after EMS took over, they determined Diaz had died. (Diaz) died of a presumed suicide; however, the official cause of his death remains under investigation, ICE said January 18. Advertisement Advertisement Diaz, a 36-year-old from Nicaragua, was detained in Minneapolis earlier this month for an immigration violation, according to ICE. Its not clear when he was moved to Camp East Montana. Camp East Montana has drawn criticism from Texas Democratic lawmakers and the ACLU, who have voiced concern over the detainee deaths, migrant treatment and living conditions. US Rep. Veronica Escobar, a Texas Democrat, cited Gaspar-Andress death as one of several concerns she has about hygiene and safety at the facility. In a letter to Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem and ICE Acting Director Todd Lyons last month, she called conditions at the camp dangerous and inhumane. The ACLU in Texas, which has called for the camp to be shut down, said it believes Lunas Camposs death is part of a broader pattern of unchecked violence and abuse carried out by ICE against members of our communities on the taxpayers dime. Advertisement Advertisement DHS Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin said in September that any claim that there are inhumane conditions at ICE detention centers are categorically false. All detainees are provided with proper meals, medical treatment, and have opportunities to communicate with lawyers and their family members. It is a longstanding practice to provide comprehensive medical care from the moment an alien enters ICE custody, McLaughlin said, adding she believes the facility provides the best healthcare that many aliens have received in their entire lives. Camp East Montana, a tent facility erected at Fort Bliss, is expected to become the largest detention facility in the US, according to the AP. The outlet reported in August that the $1.2 billion facility would be operated by a private contractor. For more CNN news and newsletters create an account at CNN.com More than 100 years ago, President Calvin Coolidge famously said, The chief business of the American people is business. That motto seems to be the philosophy behind the Trump administrations recently released Great Healthcare Plan. And based on the way Mehmet Oz, the administrator for the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, described the plans goals to Fox News on Wednesday, it sounds pretty dang dystopian. Politics: Trump Gets Cooked In Supreme Court Arguments Over Federal Reserve Removal Most people might assume a good health care plan should hope to help citizens stay healthy so they can pursue, as the Declaration of Independence puts it, life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness. Advertisement Advertisement But the former TV doctor, widely known as Dr. Oz, suggested to Maria Bartiromo that the presidents plan is designed so American businesses can basically suck every last bit of effort out of workers before they punch that final time card. If we can get the average person ... to work one more year in their whole lifetime just stay in your workplace for one more year that is worth about $3 trillion to the U.S. GDP. Thats the productivity we would unleash. ... If youre sick, you cant work, Oz explained. Dr. Oz: "If we can get the average person to work one more year in their whole lifetime -- just stay in your workplace for one more year -- that is worth about $3 trillion to the US GDP. That's the productivity we would unleash ... if you're sick, you can't work." pic.twitter.com/9xixeDm2ux Aaron Rupar (@atrupar) January 21, 2026 Considering Trumps health care plan is already being criticized for lacking specifics, many people on social media didnt agree with Ozs suggestion that health care should focus solely on keeping people healthy so they can keep working for their corporate overlords. You want me healthier so you get one more year of work out of me instead of just because good health is better and cheaper for me? Or instead of changing economic trends so I can retire earlier, happily and comfortably? You so good to me, boss https://t.co/oGdD9acmra David Neal (@DavidJNeal) January 21, 2026 I think the admin should put Dr. Oz and his matrix vision of the future where we all batteries for capital on the airwaves as much as possible https://t.co/SrSHnmTOIw Dan Kanninen (@dkanninen) January 21, 2026 I'm sure everyone would be happy to work another year iif work meant getting paid millions of dollars to spout utter nonsense on Fox, CBS, and other right-wing outlets. https://t.co/TzNedSEOxl Dean Baker (@DeanBaker13) January 21, 2026 Advertisement Advertisement Aaron, this is the tell: they keep promising trillions in growth, but the lever is always the same. More sacrifice from people who already did their part. Oz basically says the quiet part out loud. Add a year of labor, and the economy wins. Unless you are sick, in which case Mike Young (@micyoung75) January 21, 2026 If we could get the average billionaire to pay their fair share of taxes, the average person wouldnt need to work one more year, go without healthcare or have to eat three dollar meals. Bluedog (@HereLiesBlueDog) January 21, 2026 Advertisement Advertisement We are about to hear changes to age requirements for Social Security & Medicare AT THE SAME TIME that it is IMPOSSIBLE to get a job after 55 that is WORTHY of the qualifications a 55+ candidate brings to a job!! https://t.co/tpQ7dfqoWv Bonnie s BenSolo (@BonnieSwims) January 21, 2026 Increase the GDP by making people work until they die. That's what good patriots do. https://t.co/9juEY7xGuo Ross Elder (@RossElderWrites) January 21, 2026 Just letting right-wing rich guys talk is the best campaign ad for the Democratic Party. https://t.co/1gCsm9uc0s Mike Mitchell (@MikeMitchNH) January 21, 2026 Advertisement Advertisement Oz has a long history of saying things that seem divorced from facts or reason, or just out of touch such as the many quack treatments he was criticized for promoting during his time as a TV personality. Earlier this month, Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. said Oz had claimed Trump has the highest testosterone level of anyone over 70 years old that he has ever seen. Politics: Mehmet Oz Just Redefined Math To Make Donald Trumps Numbers Work He unhelpfully suggested in November that the solution to reducing health care spending in America is to get healthier. And he told Americans nervous about losing their Medicare benefits last July to adjust to any changes by eating less cake. Advertisement Advertisement In April 2020, Oz sparked widespread controversy toward the start of the COVID-19 pandemic by lobbying for schools to reopen, arguing that doing so would only cost us 2-3%, in terms of total mortality. Related... Read the original on HuffPost German Chancellor Friedrich Merz has vowed to ramp up German involvement in protecting the Arctic region, amid pressure from US President Donald Trump who seeks to acquire Greenland citing security threats from Russia and China. "Our neighbours and partners in Europe, including Denmark and the people of Greenland, can count on our solidarity," Merz said at the World Economic Forum in Davos on Thursday. "We will protect Denmark, Greenland, the north, from the threat posed by Russia. We will uphold the principles on which the transatlantic partnership is founded, namely, sovereignty and territorial integrity." Advertisement Advertisement The German leader said he welcomed the US taking "seriously" the threat posed by Russia in the region. "We share the conviction that as European NATO allies, we must do more to secure the high north as NATO," he said. "Germany is doing just that. We are doing it in the framework of NATO, and we will do more." MEXICO CITY (AP) Mexican authorities said Thursday that they arrested an alleged organized crime figure in the western state of Michoacan in connection with last Octobers killing of an outspoken leader of the states lime growers. Security Secretary Omar Garcia Harfuch said that authorities arrested the man known as El Botox, allegedly responsible for extorting lime growers and for various homicides, including the killing of agricultural leader Bernardo Bravo. A Michoacan state official, who spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to speak publicly, confirmed the suspects full name was Cesar Alejandro Sepulveda Arellano, leader of a group known as the White Trojans, or Blancos de Troya. The group is known to work with Los Viagras, a criminal organization allied with the Jalisco New Generation Cartel. Advertisement Advertisement Garcia Harfuch said there were 11 arrest orders for him for extortion and homicide. He has also been accused of attacking authorities with explosives. Michoacan Gov. Alfredo Ramirez Bedolla said in a statement that his arrest Thursday represented "an overwhelming blow against extortion in the state, which is Mexicos largest producer of limes and avocados. In October, the body of Bravo, president of the Apatzingan Valley Citrus Producers Association, was found in his vehicle on a road in the area. Bravo had denounced organized crimes permanent commercial hijacking of any commercial activity. Advertisement Advertisement Two weeks after his killing, a gunman killed popular Uruapan Mayor Carlos Alberto Manzo, another outspoken critic of the cartels control of Michoacan. The two homicides and the popular outcry that followed spurred the administration of Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum to send more troops to Michoacan. ___ Follow APs Latin America coverage at https://apnews.com/hub/latin-america Miguelito's Mexican Grill & Cantina launched its first San Antonio location in June 2024, expanding from its South Texas roots. Now, nearly two years later, the Alamo City outpost has been locked out of its home at Park North Shopping Center. A post on the San Antonio Restaurants Facebook group shared concerns that Miguelito's had closed, so MySA stopped by to check out the status of the business. A lockout notice dated January 14 from the landlord, DPEG Park North, LP, was taped to the front door of the restaurant. Advertisement Advertisement The notice alleges that Miguelito's Mexican Grill & Cantina failed to pay its rent on time, resulting in a debt of $53,736. The notice also stated that "unauthorized entry is strictly prohibited." Miguelito's Mexican Grill & Cantina is locked out of its home at Park North Shopping Center. (Polly Anna Rocha/MySA) "The Landlord will pursue all legal remedies available, including criminal prosecution, against any individual who enters or attempts to enter the space without authorization," the notice said. MySA attempted to contact Park North for comment, but did not hear back at the time of publishing. MySA also attempted to contact Miguelito's, but the restaurant's listed phone number was seemingly disconnected. We also sent an email to the address posted on Miguelito's Facebook page, but the message bounced back. Lastly, MySA sent a direct message on Facebook to the grill asking for further comment, but did not hear back at publication. We will update our story if and when we hear back from Miguelito's. Advertisement Advertisement Miguelito's Mexican Grill & Cantina has been around for at least 18 years, according to the restaurant's website. There are locations in Carrizo Springs and Crystal City, Texas. The San Antonio location found its home at Park North Shopping Center, a shopping destination that is slated to go through changes of its own after being purchased for $115 million by Houston-based private equity group Dhanani Private Equity Group. This article originally published at Mexican eatery at popular San Antonio shopping area locked out for alleged debt. Hugo and Lily Cortes, a duo based in Juarez, perform Juan Gabriels Que Bonito Es Santa Fe for Mexican dignitaries and New Mexico lawmakers outside of the Roundhouse on Jan. 21, 2026. Both chambers announced Mexico-New Mexico Advocacy Day, and committed to continued cooperation and partnership despite tensions at the federal level. (Danielle Prokop/Source NM) New Mexico lawmakers on Wednesday welcomed what they said was the largest delegation of Mexican officials to ever visit the Roundhouse, with Speaker Javier Martinez (D-Albuquerque) pledging continued cooperation with the states neighboring country. We share history, we share values, we share customs, we share a commitment to making life better for every single person, Martinez said. No matter how divisive the federal administration might be right now, no matter how dark some of these times are for our communities, New Mexico will continue to stand strong in our commitment, in our ally, in our connection to our brothers and sisters south of the border. From left, New Mexico Border Authority Gerardo Fierro, New Mexico House Speaker Javier Martinez (D-Albuquerque) and Patricia Pinzon, who serves as the consul of Mexico in Albuquerque, celebrate Mexico-New Mexico Advocacy day at the Roundhouse on Jan. 21, 2026. (Danielle Prokop/Source NM) Standing before the New Mexico, U.S. and Mexico national flags, several lawmakers welcomed the more than one dozen delegates from Mexico, which included state representatives, mayors and other delegates from the states of Chihuahua, Sonora and Nuevo Leon as well as federal diplomats. Advertisement Advertisement After remarks, Juarez-based Juan Gabriel impersonator Hugo Cortes and wife Lily Cortes serenaded the crowd with a rendition of Que Bonito Es Santa Fe. Despite continued uncertainty from the Trump Administrations tariff policies, talks between New Mexico and the states of Sonora and Chihuahua on trade are ongoing, Patricia Pinzon, who serves as the Consul of Mexico in Albuquerque, told Source NM in an interview after the event. Conversations have not stopped, they have only increased, she said. Once more, we are so thankful to be in an immigrant collaborative, cooperative state such as this. Gerardo Fierro, the executive director of the states Border Authority, said he expects continued investment at the states border regions and crossings, noting that New Mexicos exports increased from $7 billion to $10 billion in trade with Mexico. Mexico is the number one trading partner with the U.S., but it is also the number one trading partner for New Mexico, he said. Were looking to make strategic investments at the border to bring more companies there. Advertisement Advertisement He also said the delegation would hold discussions with state lawmakers on the continued impact of the New World screwworm, a remergent parasitic worm which has shut down cattle trade between the U.S. and Mexico. Its affecting jobs across the U.S., with jobs on the feed lots and meat factories being lost, because we are no longer having cattle that used to be fed in New Mexico and Texas, he said. Its imperative that both federal governments start resolving these issues. SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX Two reputed regional leaders of the Sinaloa drug cartel on the Chihuahua-Texas border were among 37 high-level organized crime figures transferred by Mexico to the United States this week. Mexico's secretary of security, Omar Garcia Harfuch, in a post on X stated that the transferred prisoners were "individuals who represented a real threat to the country's security." Borderland: 'Still too many' Juarez records fewer than 1,000 homicides in 2025 Advertisement Advertisement Mexican federal security forces removed the detainees from prisons and transported them into U.S. custody in an operation in cooperation with the U.S. government on Tuesday, Jan. 20, Garcia Harfuch stated. Mexican federal security forces transferred 37 high-level criminal and drug cartel suspects to the United States on Jan. 20, 2026. The prisoners were flown on Mexican military aircraft to various U.S. cities where they were sought by U.S. authorities. The prisoners were flown aboard seven Mexican military aircraft to Washington D.C., Houston, San Antonio, San Diego, New York and the state of Pennsylvania. Borderland: Juarez mayor says US border deportations had no major impact The U.S. Department of Justice agreed not to seek the death penalty in any of those cases as part of the agreement with Mexico, Garcia Harfuch said. Mexico has now handed over 92 "high-impact criminals" to the U.S. since last year during the administration of President Claudia Sheinbaum, he added. Advertisement Advertisement "This is another landmark achievement in the Trump administrations mission to destroy the cartels," U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi said in a statement. "These 37 cartel members including terrorists from the Sinaloa Cartel, CJNG (Cartel de Jalisco Nueva Generacion), and others will now pay for their crimes against the American people on American soil." Reputed Sinaloa cartel leaders in Valley of Juarez, Ojinaga extradited The list of the 37 suspected narco-traffickers and drug cartel leaders Mexico handed to U.S. authorities includes at least two from the Juarez region and Chihuahua state, according to a list reported by El Universal, one of Mexico's leading newspapers. Humberto Rivera, alias "El Viejon," "El Don," and "El Chato," is accused of being a Sinaloa drug cartel regional boss in the Valley of Juarez, southeast of Juarez, Mexico. He was arrested by Mexican security forces in Juarez on Feb. 13, 2025. Humberto Rivera: Nicknamed "El Viejon" (the old man), is accused of being a regional leader of the Sinaloa cartel faction in the Valley of Juarez border smuggling corridor, southeast of Juarez. Rivera, who is also known by the monikers "El Chato" and "El Don," was flown to Mexico City after being arrested by Mexican law enforcement in a multi-agency operation in February 2025. He was also wanted by U.S. federal law enforcement in the Western District of Texas. Advertisement Advertisement Roberto Gonzalez Hernandez, alias "El 04": Gonzalez, known as El 04, pronounced "El Cero Cuatro," is reputedly the founder of the faction of Los Cabrera in Ojinaga, across the border from Presidio, Texas. Los Cabrera are a faction of the Sinaloa cartel. Gonzalez was wanted by the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration on drug, firearms trafficking and money laundering charges, El Universal reported. El Universal lists both Rivera and Gonzalez as associated with the Cartel del Pacifico (Pacific cartel), which is another name for the Sinaloa cartel. Daniel Borunda may be reached at dborunda@elpasotimes.com and @BorundaDaniel on X. More: Mexican president inaugurates womens center in Juarez This article originally appeared on El Paso Times: Mexico hands 37 cartel members to US, including reputed border narcos New Mexico has one of the weakest lobbyist disclosure systems in the country, according to a 50-state report card from F Minus. (Patrick Lohmann/Source NM) Imagine theres a lobbyist dedicated to helping New Mexicans get better access to cancer care, except this lobbyist also works for an oil and gas company whose drill sites are exposing people to carcinogens. Imagine theres a lobbyist for a ski resort that is running out of snow, and even running out of water used to make artificial snow, and yet this ski resorts own lobbyist also works for an oil and gas trade association whose products are making global warming worse, and ski seasons shorter. Advertisement Advertisement And imagine a university where heroic researchers are documenting the impacts of fossil fuels, chemicals and microplastics on human healthexcept the universitys lobbying firm also works for the mother of all climate denialists, ExxonMobil. These three examples may sound like a parody of the obscene power that fossil fuel lobbyists enjoy in New Mexico. Something like WildEarth Guardians Exxtreme Energy campaign, which last October mocked climate denialism by almost holding (they were kicked out before they could) a wine-style tasting of pretend produced water at the Albuquerque Balloon Festival. But these are real examples of New Mexico lobbyists who are effectively playing both sides of the climate crisis. They get paid to further the states dependence on fossil fuels, and they also get paid to help people and businesses cope with the impacts of the crisis. Example number one is the firm Alarid Consulting, whose clients include Chevron and The US Oncology Network. Number two is lobbyist Lawrence Horan, whose clients include the New Mexico Oil & Gas Association and Taos Ski Valley, which is owned by billionaire conservationist Louis Bacon. Advertisement Advertisement And number three is a doozy. In 2024, researchers at the University of New Mexico found trace amounts of plastics in 100% of the human placentas they studied. The vast majority of plastics, a product of the petrochemical industry, end up in landfills where, the UNM researchers explained, they degrade and re-enter the environment and can enter our food. Previous studies of microplastics effects on human health have found connections between the pollutant and cardiovascular disease, cancer, metabolic disorders, and fertility complications. And yet UNM uses the Weaks Law Firm as one of its lobbying arms as does ExxonMobil, one of the largest producers of the chemicals used to make single-use plastics. In September 2024, California sued ExxonMobil for decades of lying to the public about the recyclability of plastics. The company also produces more than 270,000 barrels of crude oil per day in New Mexico. What is the Weaks Firm lobbying on for ExxonMobil? Their disclosure for 2025 is the vague and meaningless, All matters of interest to the employer. For Alarid Consulting and their work for Chevron, there isnt even this much, just a blank space where the disclosure should be. How much are these climate double-agents paid by their fossil fuel clients versus their other clients? Wouldnt it be nice to know. New Mexico has one of the weakest lobbyist disclosure systems in the country, according to a 50-state report card from F Minus. Lobbyists do not have to disclose compensation received from their clients, or the numbers of bills lobbied upon or positions taken on these bills. Advertisement Advertisement Like their lobbyists, oil and gas companies are given ludicrous leeway to self-report and police themselves when it comes to compliance with state regulations. In February 2023, satellite images showed a major methane leak from one of ExxonMobils Eddy County facilities. The company did not admit to this leak until confronted with these images. This demonstrates why New Mexico needs stronger independent monitoring of its oil and gas companies, as well as stronger monitoring of their lobbyists. Last year, a bill sponsored by Sen. Jeff Steinborn and Rep. Sara Silva would have strengthened the states lobbyist law to require disclosure of bills lobbied upon and positions taken on these bills. But this reform bill was vetoed by Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham, with the disingenuous excuse that elected officials with a donor base should also be required to disclose when they change their position on an issue. The governor should change her own position here and demonstrate some independence from her donor base of oil and gas lobbyists by supporting Rep. Silvas new lobbying reform bill, HB 35. With the climate crisis becoming more severe every year, the activities of fossil fuel lobbyists should not be left to the imagination. Legislation to ban student cell phone use in class moved one step closer to Gov. Gretchen Whitmer's desk. The Michigan Senate voted on a pair of bills Thursday, Jan. 22 that would prohibit students from using smartphones and other wireless communication devices, such as tablets, during instructional time. Many states have pursued cell phone bans in schools to combat digital distractions and cyberbullying. Some states have enacted so-called bell-to-bell bans that prohibit phone use throughout the entire school day. The Michigan bills, however, would let school districts allow K-12 students to use their phones outside of instructional time, such as during recess and lunch. Some districts already restrict student phone use, but the legislation would require all of them to develop a device use policy. Advertisement Advertisement Whitmer called on lawmakers to pass phone restrictions in class in her 2025 State of the State speech. "This year, let's pass bipartisan legislation to limit the use of phones in class," she said. That didn't happen after competing proposals became caught up in a partisan fight in the divided Michigan Legislature. Students returned to the classroom last fall without a statewide phone policy in place. But new momentum on the legislation and a bipartisan compromise mean a ban could be in place by the next school year. State Sen. Dayna Polehanki, D-Livonia, the chair of the Senate Education Committee and one of the bill sponsors, said that the legislation sets the "minimum" state-level requirements for phone bans. But districts can pursue stricter policies, she said in a floor speech before the votes. Her bill requires school districts to update their emergency plans to include a protocol outlining when and how students can use cell phones and other devices in an emergency, a sticking point during negotiations on the legislation. The Michigan House of Representatives must pass her bill to head to Whitmer for approval. Both chambers have passed a separate bill introduced by state Rep. Mark Tisdel, R-Rochester Hills, that establishes the requirements of a statewide phone ban policy. "Every parent knows that phones are addictive devices. We've got to give kids their childhood back," Tisdel said in a statement following the House vote Jan. 14. Advertisement Advertisement More: Conservative justices sound doubtful about Trump's firing Cook now In addition to the exception for emergencies, the proposed policy would allow students to use devices in class if they are issued by the school, are medically necessary or used for special education programs and specific lessons. Michigan House Speaker Matt Hall, R-Richland Township, has expressed hope that Whitmer could sign the legislation before she delivers her next State of the State address, which is scheduled for Feb. 25. Contact Clara Hendrickson at chendrickson@freepress.com or 313-296-5743. This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: Michigan ban on cell phones in school classrooms takes step forward State Sen. Barbara Anne Washington said the bill would tell mothers, "We see you. We want to lower all the barriers...that come along with being a new parent" (Annelise Hanshaw/Missouri Independent). Baby bottles, baby wipes and breast pump supplies would be exempt from state and local sales taxes under a bill discussed by a Missouri Senate committee Wednesday. The bill, sponsored by Democratic state Sen. Barbara Anne Washington of Kansas City, would eliminate what she described as a parenting tax on the items. Advertisement Advertisement Anything we can do for mothers and to help the families is what I think we should all be down here doing, Washington told The Independent. Washington said the bill complements a law passed by the General Assembly last year that excluded diapers and feminine hygiene products from the state sales tax, and state lawmakers in the Senate Committee on Economic and Workforce Development expressed support. But Washington said she anticipates her bill will face opposition this year. The bill comes as Gov. Mike Kehoe calls for the elimination of Missouris individual income tax and state lawmakers consider increases in sales taxes to help replace revenue the state would lose. A constitutional amendment introduced on Jan. 13, the day of Kehoes annual State of the State address, would allow lawmakers to raise state and local sales taxes for the purpose of reducing and eliminating the state individual income tax. Advertisement Advertisement Though Kehoe said in his speech that he would not tax agriculture, health care or real estate, the proposed amendment, if passed by Missouri voters, would authorize state lawmakers to tax transactions involving any goods and services. Kehoes budget plan proposes cutting $600 million in general revenue expenditures in fiscal year 2027, and the governor in his speech warned lawmakers against reversing his recommended cuts or introducing new spending items. Washington said she doesnt think Missouris dwindling revenues and diminishing surplus should rule out measures to help families in need. If we can let rich people not pay taxes on capital gains, why cant we let the working people have a benefit as well? Washington said. Advertisement Advertisement State lawmakers last year repealed Missouris capital gains tax despite concerns at the time that revenue losses projected by the state for the measure were inaccurate. The state now anticipates that the tax cut will cost about $500 million in revenue during the current fiscal year and then $360 million annually more than triple the original estimates. Parents spend an average of $60 to $150 on baby bottles during a childs first year, according to an estimate from the states revenue department. Though most insurance companies cover the cost of a basic breast pump, according to that estimate, 40% to 55% of parents pay an additional $70 to $200 to purchase an upgraded pump. The fiscal note for Washingtons bill indicates it could cost the state roughly $1.8 million in fiscal year 2027 and then $2.4 million annually. State lawmakers praised Washingtons proposed legislation and another bill sponsored by state Sen. Mike Moon, an Ash Grove Republican, that would give a $2,400 tax exemption to taxpayers during the year of their childs birth. Advertisement Advertisement State Sen. Adam Schnelting, a Republican from St. Charles, voiced support for Washingtons bill. Anytime I can get on board with reducing or eliminating taxes and encouraging a higher birth rate and encouraging families to grow, I think its a good bill, Schnelting said. Ryan DeBoef, testifying on behalf of Cross-Lines Community Outreach, which runs Diaper Bank of the Ozarks, described the bill as a nice resourceto make these kind of products more accessible for our neediest. While the bill in its current form would exempt infant care products from state and local sales taxes, Washington said she is open to an amendment leaving local taxes intact. Advertisement Advertisement Washington said that for mothers struggling to make ends meet, the bill is more than the pennies and the dimes that theyll save. It keeps more money in the pockets of Missourians, especially as we are challenging affordability at this time, Washington said. It reduces the toxic stress that leads to poor health for the mother, which in turn leads to [poor health for] the baby. A Moline woman was sentenced to 139 months (over 11.5 years) in federal prison on January 20 for wire fraud and aggravated identity theft, according to a news release from the Department of Justice, Southern District of Iowa. Public court documents and evidence presented at sentencing showed that Rianne Len Brinker, 36, embezzled $551,961.66 from her employer in Bettendorf from October 2020 to October 2023. Brinker applied for a credit account that reimbursed funds to her personal bank account as part of the fraud and opened a credit card using the identifiers of her employer. Brinker also registered a fraudulent business with the Illinois Secretary of State to try to legitimize her theft from her employer. Brinker was convicted of credit union embezzlement in the United States District Court for the Central District of Illinois in 2008. She was also convicted in Illinois and Iowa for other theft-related offenses. Advertisement Advertisement Brinker must serve a three-year term of supervised release after her term in prison. There is no parole in the federal system. She was also ordered to pay $534,461.66 in restitution. United States Attorney David C. Waterman of the Southern District of Iowa made the announcement and the FBI investigated the case. Copyright 2026 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WHBF - OurQuadCities.com. Donald Trump stood on stage and turned to his Board of Peace before declaring: I like every one of them. Behind him sat a collection of heads of state and politicians who had joined him at the World Economic Forum in Davos to sign the boards founding charter. Showing up at the signing ceremony were Argentina, Mongolia, Turkey, Saudi, Kosovo, Paraguay as well as Viktor Orban of Hungary, alone representing Europe. Most are countries with very little connection to the Middle East or Gaza. Advertisement Advertisement But the big powers were absent. All of the other permanent members of the United Nations Security Council Russia, China, Britain and France stayed away. Nevertheless, for Mr Trump it was a moment of great achievement. He had corralled about 30 countries into signing on to the Board of Peace and declared during the ceremony that the world is calming down thanks to his efforts. He repeated claims that he brought peace in the Middle East, settled eight wars and will end the one in Ukraine soon. Several more countries, including Russia, have been invited to sign on. Those in the room, Mr Trump said, were an incredible group of people. The board is running beautifully. Every country wants to join. They are great people, great leaders. In fact, he said, they are stars. Every single one of them. And together they can achieve world peace. Advertisement Advertisement But what exactly is it meant to do? Not even Donald Trump seems to know. The new board was initially envisioned as a small group of world leaders overseeing the Gaza ceasefire. Mr Trump made clear that remains its first test. It has a defined role within that plan as an interim government of the territory. Yet he clearly wants the Board to work beyond Gaza an ambition as lofty as it is vague and to have a broad mandate to resolve global conflicts. Donald Trump is applauded as he holds the signed founding charter of his Board of Peace - Gian Ehrenzeller/EPA/Shutterstock Scepticism about its membership and mandate has led some traditional US allies to take a pass so far, including Britain and France. Critics point out that the boards charter makes no direct reference to the Palestinian territory. Advertisement Advertisement The decision to extend invitations to Vladimir Putin and Alexander Lukashenko, the Belarus dictator who is a staunch ally of Moscow, has unnerved Americas European allies. Mr Orban, a Right-wing nationalist, and Benjamin Netanyahu, Israels prime minister, are two other controversial figures invited to join on behalf of their countries. States seeking a permanent seat on the board beyond a three-year term limit have also been asked to contribute at least $1bn (750m), putting up another barrier to membership. The charter outlines a multi-level structure that includes a chairman, Mr Trump, a main board composed of the leaders of countries and an executive board that will focus on diplomacy and investment. Advertisement Advertisement The executive board includes Tony Blair, the former British prime minister, Marco Rubio, the US secretary of state, and Jared Kushner, Mr Trumps son-in-law. Jared Kushner hugs Tony Blair in Davos - Romina Amato/Reuters A Gaza executive board, meanwhile, will direct the National Committee for the Administration of Gaza, which will administer the territory under the proposal. Some 35 countries had so far agreed to sign on to the project, a senior administration official told reporters, and 60 nations had been invited to join including Russia, Belarus, Qatar, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates. He added that his administration is also receiving queries about membership from countries that hadnt been invited to join. Others have declined: France was the first significant nation to say it wouldnt join, angering Mr Trump. Now Sir Keir Starmer has followed suit, citing the invitation of Russia as the main reason. Advertisement Advertisement Mr Trump, who has spoken about the board replacing some of the functions of the United Nations and perhaps even making it eventually obsolete, said some countries leaders have indicated that they plan to join but still require approval from their parliaments. Donald Trump launched his Board of Peace a day after saying he would not take Greenland by force It is no secret that many countries are frustrated with the UNs unwieldy paralysis. Mr Trump did not say the board would replace the UN outright. In fact, he said it might work alongside the United Nations, which has great potential but struggles to realise it. But the UN has 193 members. As with all multilateral organisations, its failures can usually be traced back to disagreements between those nations. Ukraine, which has now suffered under Russian invasion for almost four years, has also been invited to the board. Advertisement Advertisement It is therefore difficult to see how the Board of Peace, if it is made up of sovereign countries, could escape that trap. Unless, of course, it is not meant to be a board of sovereign equals but a club with one leader who gives the orders and others who obey them. Try full access to The Telegraph free today. Unlock their award-winning website and essential news app, plus useful tools and expert guides for your money, health and holidays. Rising Star Casino, located along the Ohio River, wants to move locations after seeing its attendance, employees and revenue drop. (Getty Images) Three more counties would get a chance at landing a new Indiana casino under changes made to a bill moving in the Legislature. Revisions adopted Thursday to House Bill 1038 added northeastern Indianas DeKalb and Steuben counties and Wayne County in eastern Indiana as casino contenders with Fort Waynes Allen County. Advertisement Advertisement The original version had Allen County as the sole possible location for transfer of the casino license from the Ohio River city of Rising Sun. The revised proposal would require the company building the new casino to spend at least $500 million on the project within five years of the doors opening to gamblers. More relocation competition House Public Policy Committee Chair Ethan Manning, R-Logansport, said Allen County would be the most-likely site for such an investment but that the additional counties would provide more competition. These counties are included because they have in one way or other, raised their hands as being interested, Manning said. Theyve got a significant amount of alignment within their local governments. Advertisement Advertisement Wayne and Steuben county leaders pitched their communities as attractive locations for the new casino. Steuben County Commissioners President Wil Howard told the committee that the county in the states far northeastern corner would draw in gamblers from Michigan and Ohio. In the past month, weve gained a lot of ground in terms of community support and cohesion for Steuben County being included, Howard said. The current Rising Star Casino owned and operated by Las Vegas-based Full House Resorts generates the least casino tax in the state and has seen revenues plummet since casinos opened in Ohio and gambling expanded in Kentucky. Advertisement Advertisement Full House has for several years sought permission to move the casino to a new location, but the revised bill would allow all operators of Indianas current 13 state-regulated casinos to submit proposals for the license transfer. Rising Sun and Indianapolis considerations A study released by the Indiana Gaming Commission in October found that Indianapolis was the top location for a casino relocation, followed by northeast Indiana. While the Indianapolis region would bring the state more tax revenue, the study found it would also hurt the two casinos nearby in Shelbyville and Anderson that also have horse tracks and help support the horse racing industry. The Fort Wayne area was seen as more of an open market, impacting casinos in Ohio and Michigan. Among details of the proposal: Advertisement Advertisement The Indiana Gaming Commission would select the new casino operator by April 15, 2027. While a city mayor and board of county commissioners would need to endorse any casino proposals for a site in their communities, the bill doesnt provide for a voter referendum on local support as many previous casino projects have required. The company winning the project would pay a $50 million fee to the state over a five-year period. If Full House doesnt obtain the transferred license, the winning company would have to pay the fair market value of the Rising Star Casino as determined by an independent consultant hired by the gaming commission. Another provision calls for the new casinos operator to pay a total of $30 million to the city of Rising Sun and Ohio County as compensation for their lost casino tax revenue. Rising Sun City Attorney Andrew Baudendistel said that compensation level was inadequate as the city and county have averaged about $5 million in annual casino tax revenue in recent years. He suggested the city and county receive a small percentage of the new casinos revenue in perpetuity. Baudendistel also said the bill should include requirements for assisting with redevelopment of the casino site to ensure an abandoned lot and riverboat arent the first thing you see when entering our city. Advertisement Advertisement Some Indianapolis legislators have pushed for a downtown casino in the city, but have been rebuffed. That remains very difficult for me to square, based on the evidence as studies have consistently shown Indianapolis would be the most productive location for a casino, said committee member Rep. Blake Johnson, D-Indianapolis. Next steps in debate The Public Policy Committee voted 9-1 in favor of the bill. The House Ways and Means Committee, which is responsible for reviewing the bills financial impact, must advance it by a Monday deadline for the proposal to face a full House vote. A Senate committee in December endorsed Senate Bill 70 that would allow Full House to relocate its casino to Allen County. That bill, however, has not been taken up by the Senate Appropriations Committee. Advertisement Advertisement Republican House Speaker Todd Huston said he supported the casino relocation over proposals for legalizing more online gambling. Youre talking about a major, hundreds of millions of dollars economic impact in northeast Indiana, Huston told reporters Thursday. I think thats different than somebody playing on their phone. SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX Moving internet cables away from Chinas proposed super-embassy could disrupt the City of London, insiders have warned. Vital telecoms cables beside the Royal Mint Court site, near the Tower of London, may have to be relocated to reduce security risks from Chinas planned embassy at the five-acre site. Britains intelligence agencies have granted ministers assurances that they have mitigations for the national security risks around the development, which was approved by the Government on Tuesday. Advertisement Advertisement The measures are believed to include either switching off the cables or physically relocating them to avoid the potential for spying. b' ' It is understood it is also possible for physical protective measures to be placed on the cables, including alarming or pressuring them to trigger an alert if anyone tries to tamper with them, although experts stressed these were not foolproof. Insiders, however, have now said that relocating the cables next to the embassy could disrupt internet connectivity to the City of London. A City source said: Disrupting the cables that link Londons financial centres could cause delays and inflict financial consequences, at a time when growth and stability are at the forefront of the national conversation. Advertisement Advertisement A telecoms insider said that re-routing cables would be a serious concern for the finance industry in London because of the potential for disruption. Any lengthening of the fibre link to avoid the Chinese embassy is detrimental to performance of that fibre for its end-customers, particularly in the finance segment where every millisecond counts, he added. There will be a latency impact. It will be minor, but minor if youre in the world of finance can be significant. However, he said diverting the cables away from the embassy would probably not be necessary as major telecom players should have sufficient security of their own lines to preclude any risk. An artists impression of the new Chinese embassy in London Cables beside the Chinese embassy owned by Colt Technologies and Verizon Business help connect the City to Canary Wharf, as well as data centres in Slough that link the UK to the internet, as The Telegraph disclosed earlier this month. Advertisement Advertisement About 750,000 market trades are made on the London Stock Exchange every day, with daily transactions typically exceeding 6bn in value. Each of those trades depends on a fast and stable internet connection. Verizon and Colt specialise in private point to point links, where cables have a small number of users and link them directly to other companies. Public cables from the likes of BT Openreach are used by thousands of internet users all at once, meaning connection speeds can be variable. Stock market trading firms spend huge sums of money to gain access to the fastest telecoms cables. In the early 2010s telecoms company Hibernia spent $300m laying a transatlantic cable that would shave just six milliseconds off transmission times between London and New York. Advertisement Advertisement It was claimed at the time that a one millisecond advantage could be worth up to $100m (74.5m) a year to the bottom line of a large hedge fund. In a letter made public on Tuesday, the heads of MI5 and GCHQ said it was not realistic to expect to be able wholly to eliminate each and every potential risk regarding the new Chinese embassy, which is understood to have more than 200 secret rooms. It is understood a package of national security mitigations will be deployed to minimise the risks caused by the new mega-embassy, although precise details have not been disclosed. Nigel Inkster, a former deputy head of MI6, said: Probably the simplest thing would be to re-route them and that would seem to be the inference from that letter which has ended up in the public domain. Advertisement Advertisement Obviously there will be some disruption and cost here and I assume that the British taxpayer is going to foot the bill ... I dont see that will be a problem. The Government hopes to use the embassy decision to pave the way for trade talks which will attract fresh Chinese investment into the UK. Sir Keir Starmer is now expected to visit president Xi Jinping in Beijing at the end of January. A BT Openreach spokesman said: We have robust security measures in place to protect all our data and assets, including our physical buildings like telephone exchanges. We also conduct individual risk assessments, and work closely with the Government and appropriate authorities, to ensure that we have appropriate security controls in place at each of our sites. Advertisement Advertisement Verizon Business and Colt Technologies were contacted for comment. Try full access to The Telegraph free today. Unlock their award-winning website and essential news app, plus useful tools and expert guides for your money, health and holidays. Milwaukee area school districts, universities and colleges are calling off classes and activities because of artic air in the forecast. The National Weather Service issued an extreme cold watch across Wisconsin. Windchills between 30 and 40 below zero are expected beginning the night of Thursday, Jan. 22, into the morning of Friday, Jan. 23. The agency warns exposed skin is at risk of frostbite in as little as 10 minutes under these conditions. Most Milwaukee area school districts have called off school for Friday, Jan. 23, including: Advertisement Advertisement Milwaukee Public Schools Arrowhead Union High School District Elmbrook Schools Fox Point-Bayside School District Franklin School District Glendale-River Hills School District Grafton School District Greendale School District Greenfield School District Hamilton School District (Hamilton High School will have virtual classes) Hartland Lakeside School District Kenosha Unified School District Kettle Moraine School District Lake Country School District Maple Dale-Indian Hill School District Menomonee Falls Schools Mequon-Thiensville School District Mukwonago Area School District Muskego-Norway Schools New Berlin School District Nicolet Unified School District North Lake School District Oak Creek-Franklin Joint School District Oconomowoc Area School District Pewaukee School District (grades 612 will have virtual classes) Port Washington-Saukville School District Racine Unified School District Shorewood School District South Milwaukee School District St. Francis School District Stone Bank School Swallow School District Wauwatosa School District West Allis-West Milwaukee Schools West Bend School District Whitefish Bay School District Whitnall School District Several higher education institutions have also made announcements: Marquette University canceled classes Jan. 23, save for the dental school, law school and health sciences professional programs. Milwaukee Area Technical College announced they will close Jan. 23 and 24. Online classes will continue as scheduled. The University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee canceled all public events and campus activities on Jan. 23. Classes don't begin until Jan. 26. Waukesha County Technical College is closing its campuses Jan. 23. Carroll University moved classes online Jan. 23. Milwaukee Institute for Art and Design canceled classes and closed offices and labs Jan. 23. Alverno College moved to online operations for Jan. 23, including an orientation. Classes for the day were already scheduled to be online. Mount Mary University is closed Jan. 23. UW-Madison also canceled classes Jan. 23, though all other campus operations will continue as normal. It's just the 13th weather-related closure for the state flagship since 1965. Advertisement Advertisement (This story will be updated as more announcements come in. To notify the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel of a closure, email jsmetro@jrn.com.) This article originally appeared on Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: Milwaukee schools cancel school Friday due to cold New Jersey will continue controlling Atlantic Citys finances and key government functions through 2031, after Gov. Phil Murphy signed a lastminute law extending the states takeover just hours before leaving office. The move prolongs a state intervention launched in 2016 under former Gov. Chris Christie, when Atlantic City was on the brink of becoming the first New Jersey municipality to go bankrupt since 1938. The new law keeps the state Division of Local Government Services in charge of the citys budget through Dec. 1, 2031, extending an oversight regime that has shaped everything from union contracts to asset management and council authority. Advertisement Advertisement It is the second time Murphy has extended the takeover, which he once campaigned to end. The law now carries state control through new Gov. Mikie Sherrills first term, which ends in 2030. Her office did not immediately respond to a request for comment. The extension comes as Atlantic City continues a slow financial rebound from the casino crisis that prompted the takeover. Beginning in 2014, five casinos closed, wiping out roughly $100 million in tax revenue. Two properties later reopened as the Hard Rock Hotel & Casino and Ocean Resort Casino; the Showboat reopened as a nongaming resort. City officials say recovery efforts are showing results. Moodys recently raised Atlantic Citys credit rating, and the city has erased about $272 million in debt after liabilities peaked at $500 million. Still, officials say the city carries about $228 million in debt. Advertisement Advertisement The New Jersey Casino Reinvestment Development Authority praised the financial turnaround, calling the collaboration between the city, its finance team and the state a fruitful partnership that has restored fiscal stability. Under the takeover law, the state may negotiate union contracts, retain or dismiss employees, and override decisions of the City Council. The new extension grants Trenton an additional authority: appointing a master developer to direct Atlantic Citys redevelopment efforts. That expansion immediately drew criticism. State Sen. Vince Polistina, who represents Atlantic City, said he opposed concentrating redevelopment power in a single stateappointed individual. Advertisement Advertisement He plans to consider legislation returning some functions to local control and noted he had originally pushed for a fiveyear extension rather than the six Murphy approved. I think everybody agrees, from a financial standpoint, that the takeover has worked well, and that the citys finances have been stabilized, said Polistina, R-Atlantic. City Council Vice President Kaleem Shabazz called the redevelopment provision overreach and an extra layer of bureaucracy. He argued the city was being penalized for making the very progress the takeover was intended to spur and suggested Sherrills arrival could reopen the issue. Advertisement Advertisement Mayor Marty Small Sr. has previously described the states role as a partnership, though his office did not respond to a request for comment. The state has not determined how much the extended takeover will cost, according to the state Office of Legislative Services. When Christie implemented the takeover in 2016, it was scheduled to end in 2021. Murphy granted the first extension in response to the economic fallout from the COVID19 pandemic, pushing state control through the end of his term. The new law stretches oversight into the next decade and well beyond what Murphy promised during his first campaign for governor. His office also did not return a request for comment. Read the original article on NJ.com. Add NJ.com as a Preferred Source by clicking here. Ever since their discovery more than 165 years ago, massive fossilized structures left by an organism known as Prototaxites have proven impossible to categorize. Researchers in the UK have suggested in a recently published study that there's a very good reason these oddities don't fit neatly on the tree of life they belong to a branch all of their own, with no modern equivalent. Some 400 million years ago, the swamps of the late Silurian period would have sprouted a mix of horsetails, ferns, and other prototype plants that look positively alien today. Related: Stunning Grand Canyon Fossils Reveal Evolution's Weird Experiments Among them stretched 8-meter (26-foot) tall towers that defy easy identification. Wide and branchless, these organisms may have been a form of algae or ancient conifer, researchers suspect, based on what little evidence remains. Advertisement Advertisement Fossils found on the shores of Gaspe Bay in Quebec, Canada, were initially considered by geologist John William Dawson to be the remains of rotting trees, leading to his naming it 'first conifer' back in the 1850s. A confocal laser scanning microscopy image revealing the microstructure of a Prototaxites fossil. ( Laura Cooper/BlueSky Though the name stuck, confusion over the fossil's classification continued until National Museum of Natural History paleontologist Francis Hueber confirmed in 2001 that Prototaxites was indeed most likely an enormous fungus. That conclusion was backed up years later in 2017 by a subsequent analysis of a fossil fragment assumed to be from the peripheral region of a smaller Prototaxites species named P. taiti. The 2017 study claimed to identify textures that resembled the fertile structures of today's Ascomycota fungi. Magnified image of a thin section showing characteristic tubes and medullary spots of P. taiti. (Loron et al., Science, 2026) Not everybody is convinced, however, given the possibility that the distinct fragments might not have even been connected. Related: Newly Discovered Organism Could Represent a Whole New Branch in The Tree of Life "In the books and books of anatomy written about living fungi, we never find structures like that," University of Edinburgh paleobotanist Alexander Hetherington told Erik Stokstad at Science Magazine. Advertisement Advertisement Hetherington co-led a study on three different P. taiti fragments, concluding there's insufficient evidence to conclude Prototaxites is a fungus at all. Comparisons between Prototaxites fossils and other organisms put it into a group of its own. (Loron et al., Science, 2026) Through a review of microscopic anatomy and chemical analysis of its tubular structures, the team of researchers systematically eliminated each and every candidate group, leaving no modern organism with which it might share some kind of ancestral relationship. Fungi? Rejected thanks to the unique way its anatomy connects. A plant or algae? Not likely given its chemical composition. A mix of the two, such as a lichen? Not with that anatomy. Some bizarre animal? Cell walls say no chance. Audition now for ScienceAlert's Casting Call "Based on this investigation we are unable to assign Prototaxites to any extant lineage, reinforcing its uniqueness," the researchers claim. Advertisement Advertisement "We conclude that the morphology and molecular fingerprint of P. taiti is clearly distinct from that of the fungi and other organisms preserved alongside it in the [Devonian deposit], and we suggest that it is best considered a member of a previously undescribed, entirely extinct group of eukaryotes." Related: Complex Life May Be a Billion Years Older Than We Thought What might have happened to this long-dead group of organisms is anybody's guess. Further reviews may even return the mystifying group back to its box among ancient fungi. Without similar specimens to relate them to, Prototaxites may simply remain a fossil anomaly a reminder that evolution is a constant experiment, one littered with far more failures than we may ever have realized. Advertisement Advertisement This research was published in Science. An earlier version of this article was published in March 2025 before the research was peer-reviewed. Related News Three activists who organised annual vigils to commemorate the 1989 Tiananmen Square crackdown have gone on trial in Hong Kong, facing charges under the city's controversial national security law. Chow Hang-tung, 40, Lee Cheuk-yan, 68, and Albert Ho, 74, are accused of inciting others to subvert state power under the China-introduced law. Ho has made a guilty plea while the other two pleaded not guilty. The trio - part of the now-disbanded Hong Kong Alliance - face up to 10 years in jail if convicted. They have been in custody since 2021. Advertisement Advertisement Hong Kong used to be one of the only places in Chinese territory where people could gather to mark the deadly 1989 crackdown against pro-democracy protesters. Authorities banned these gatherings in 2020, citing Covid-19 policies, but they have never resumed. This was also the year the national security law, which makes illegal a wider range of dissenting acts, officially came into force. Hong Kong Alliance (HKA) was founded in May 1989 to support students holding pro-democracy rallies. Weeks later, the Communist Party sent troops and tanks to crush pro-democracy protests in Beijing's Tiananmen Square. Tens of thousands of protesters had gathered by then, and estimates of the death toll range from a few hundred to many thousands. Advertisement Advertisement Over the next three decades, HKA called on authorities to accept responsibility for the crackdown, free dissidents and introduce democratic reform. On the mainland however, public discussions and remembrance of the crackdown are not allowed. In their opening statement to Thursday's trial, prosecutors argue that one of HKA's slogans "bring the one-party rule to an end" is subversive to the Chinese constitution. The trial is expected to last 75 days. It opens a day after judges rejected Chow's bid to quash her charge, in which she argued that the prosecution did not specify what was unlawful about her actions. Advertisement Advertisement "This case is not about national security. It is about rewriting history and punishing those who refuse to forget the victims of the Tiananmen crackdown," Sarah Brooks, Amnesty International's deputy regional director for Asia, told Reuters news agency. Critics say the national security law - introduced and drafted in Beijing - has created a climate of fear in Hong Kong and weakened the city's autonomy, but authorities argue it is necessary to maintain stability. Among other things, the law criminalises anything considered as secession, or breaking away from China; subversion; terrorism; and collusion with foreign or external forces. You might also be interested in: Chow Hang-tung spoke to the BBC in 2021, weeks before her arrest on 4 June 2022. The rift between President Donald Trump and the Catholic church's leadership is reaching biblical proportions. This week, the countrys highest-ranking Catholic archbishops took the rare step of issuing a joint statement rebuking the United States foreign policy, saying recent and ongoing events in Venezuela, Ukraine and Greenland have called into question the countrys moral role in confronting evil around the world. Their statement on Jan. 19 came a day after Timothy P. Broglio, the Catholic archbishop for U.S. military forces, told the BBC troops would be morally justified in disobeying orders that betrayed their conscience. Addressing Trumps threats to forcefully occupy Greenland, Broglio said he feared for military personnel because they could be put in a situation where theyre being ordered to do something which is morally questionable. Advertisement Advertisement The public stances taken by the churchs most senior U.S. leaders marked the latest salvos in what has become an increasingly contentious relationship between the Catholic Church and Trumps administration, among the most strained Vatican-U.S. relationships in the post-Vatican II era especially when it comes to foreign policy. Its deeply fractured among moral and theological lines, especially regarding war, nationalism and the use of force, said Andrew Chesnut, a professor of religious studies at Virginia Commonwealth University in Richmond. What we are witnessing is not routine policy disagreement but a clash of world views one rooted in Catholic social teaching and multilateralism, the other in transactional power politics. Since starting his second presidential term a year ago, Trumps policies and actions have drawn ire on multiple fronts where disagreements have typically featured less drama, from laid-off park rangers seething after being abruptly let go via email or Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey telling U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement to get the f out of the city after a 37-year-old mother of three was fatally shot by one of its agents. But the foreign policy statement by the archbishops on Jan. 19, all of them appointed cardinals, reflected not just a rare case of U.S. Catholic leaders explicitly framing presidential policy as morally disordered but the degree to which the Church and Trump's administration are at cross-purposes. Advertisement Advertisement This is no mere minor statement but a major unanimous statement from all three actively serving U.S. cardinals challenging the trajectory of Trump's foreign policy and its use of military force not in self-defense, but for partisan political and economic self-interest, said Jonathan Tan, a professor of Catholic studies at Case Western Reserve University in Cleveland. Tan said the statement aligned with Pope Leo XIV in issuing a clear and unambiguous call to the Trump administration to reverse course on its global political ambitions and its use of military force to achieve those ambitions. A parishioner prays at St. George Ukrainian Catholic Church in New York City as President Donald Trump prepared to meet with Russian President Vladimir Putin in Alaska on Aug. 15, 2025. Chesnut said the cardinals statement signals their belief that Catholic moral principles just war, human dignity and devotion to conscience are being seriously threatened. When cardinals publicly intervene at this level, it suggests they see silence as complicity and believe pastoral responsibility now requires public resistance rather than quiet diplomacy, he said. Dissent over immigration policy The Trump administration's heightened immigration enforcement has also sparked opposition from the Catholic Church. Before his death last April, Pope Francis clashed with Vice President JD Vance over Trumps mass deportation policies and issued a letter to U.S. bishops saying the moment offered an opportunity to reaffirm not only our faith in a God who is always close, incarnate, migrant and refugee, but also the infinite and transcendent dignity of every human person. Advertisement Advertisement In November, Pope Leo XIV, who became the first North American pope when he succeeded Francis, said he was troubled by the United States' treatment of immigrants. When people have lived good lives many of them for 10, 15, 20 years treating them in a way that is, to say the least, extremely disrespectful, and with instances of violence, is troubling," the pope said. Pope Leo XIV greets US Vice President JD Vance, after a Holy mass for the beginning of his pontificate, in St Peter's basilica in The Vatican. More recently, Archbishop Broglio, former president of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops, criticized U.S. assaults on suspected drug smugglers at sea, particularly the killing of survivors of such an attack off the Venezuelan coast. No one can ever be ordered to commit an immoral act, and even those suspected of committing a crime are entitled to due process under the law, Broglio said in a statement last month. Our Nation has a long tradition of responding to injustice, liberating the oppressed, and leading the free world. We cannot tarnish that reputation with questionable actions that fail to respect the dignity of the human person and the rule of law. U.S. Vatican envoy sparks backlash The ongoing friction has been evident even in diplomatic relations: Earlier this month, the United States' Vatican Ambassador drew backlash for downplaying Pope Leo XIVs concerns over military action in Venezuela in a post on social media, with some calling it an unprecedented misrepresentation that could undermine future diplomatic relations with Rome. Advertisement Advertisement Brian Burch, the countrys ambassador to the Holy See, told followers in a brief summary posted Jan. 5 on X that the pope was following developments in Venezuela and was praying for peace: "He emphasized the need to work together to build a future for the Venezuelan people based on cooperation, stability and harmony, Burch wrote. Pope Leo XIV leads the Angelus prayer from the window of the Vatican's Apostolic Palace on January 4, 2026. Afterward, the pope delivered a short statement about the US' Jan. 3 raid in Caracas, Venezuela, that resulted in the capture of Venezuelan leader Nicolas Maduro, expressing his desire to see Venezuelan sovereignty protected. Critics said that was only part of the story, noting that the popes address had cited Venezuelas guaranteed right to self-rule as among his major concerns. The post seems to be willfully misrepresenting Leo XIV's views, which emphasize nonviolence and sovereignty, said Mathew Schmalz, a professor of religious studies at the College of the Holy Cross in Worcester, Massachusetts. Eric McDaniel, a professor of history at the University of Texas at Austin, said the post diverged from the manner in which previous administrations have characterized papal disagreements, often underplaying dissent but stopping short of falsely implying agreement. Advertisement Advertisement I do think this is different, McDaniel said. In the past, they [presidential administrations] have been willing to say, The pope may not be supportive of everything weve done. But this administration behaves in a way that is distinct from past administrations. Church has clashed with previous U.S. presidents The tangle between the Church and administration isnt without precedent, said Michael Pasquier, a professor of religious studies and history at Louisiana State University in Baton Rouge. While Catholic leaders staunchly supported anti-communist foreign policy in the 1960s and early 1970s, he said, they began to refine their stance as the Vietnam War dragged on, reasserting the Churchs responsibility to encourage peace and human rights. President Ronald Reagan makes a speech outside 10 Downing Street during a state visit to London, UK, on 9th June 1982. British Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher is standing to the right and US Secretary of State Alexander Haig is behind and to the left of Reagan. The relationship was further tested with the presidency of Ronald Reagan as the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops forcefully opposed the administrations military activities against leftist guerrillas in Central America. For instance, Pasquier said, Bishop John McCarthy of Houston questioned the United States' arming and training of oppressive Salvadoran government military forces, which are obviously oppressing its people. By the 1980s, Pasquier said, Catholic leaders in the United States, at frequent odds over foreign policy with then-Secretary of State Alexander Haig, no longer felt it necessary to prove their national allegiance by flexing their anti-communist bona fides when theological and moral standards demanded taking a stand. Advertisement Advertisement This shift was made evident in the American Catholic hierarchys consistent call for nuclear disarmament and demilitarization for the remainder of the 20th century to the present, Pasquier said. In the early 2000s, he said, Pope John Paul II strongly and publicly opposed President George W. Bushs decision to go to war in Iraq, saying war itself is an attack on human life. When the pope met with Bush at the Vatican in 2004, he asked the president on live television to end the war as quickly as possible in order to ensure a speedy return of Iraqs sovereignty. The popes position was backed by the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops, Pasquier said. A picture of a fallen soldier adorned with roses sits on a gravesite on Memorial Day at section 60 at Arlington Cemetery on May 28, 2007 in Arlington, Virginia. This area of the cemetery is where U.S. soldiers killed in Iraq and the Afghanistan war are buried. At least since the Second Vatican Council and the Vietnam War, American Catholic bishops had have a rather consistent record of publicly opposing U.S. foreign policy when it conflicted with Catholic social teachings on peace, human rights, and life, he said. 'A zeal for war is spreading' Pope Leos Jan. 9 address to members of the Holy Sees diplomatic corps swelled with urgency, lamenting that diplomacy built on dialogue and consensus is being replaced by a diplomacy based on force. Advertisement Advertisement War is back in vogue and a zeal for war is spreading, he said. . Peace is sought through weapons as a condition for asserting ones own dominion. This gravely threatens the rule of law, which is the foundation of all peaceful civil coexistence. The U.S. archbishops statement on Jan. 19 reiterated that point, citing situations in Venezuela, Ukraine and Greenland. As pastors entrusted with the teaching of our people, we cannot stand by while decisions are made that condemn millions to lives trapped permanently at the edge of existence, said Cardinal Blase J. Cupich, archbishop of Chicago. Pope Leo has given us clear direction and we must apply his teachings to the conduct of our nation and its leaders. Thousands of people participate in a 'No Wars, No Kings, No ICE' protest and march down Fifth Avenue in Manhattan against the policies of the Trump administration in New York City, New York, on January 11, 2026. Protests broke out in New York City and across the country in response to the Trump administration's recent actions in Venezuela and following the death of 37-year-old Renee Nicole Good after being shot by a U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officer in Minneapolis. Added Cardinal Joseph W. Tobin, archbishop of Newark, New Jersey: Escalating threats and armed conflict risk destroying international relations and plunging the world into incalculable suffering. Advertisement Advertisement Our nations debate on the moral foundation for American policy is beset by polarization, partisanship, and narrow economic and social interests, their statement read. Pope Leo has given us the prism through which to raise it to a much higher level. We will preach, teach, and advocate in the coming months to make that higher level possible. Chesnut, of Virginia Commonwealth, said that with Pope Leo XIV at its helm, the Church appears prepared for sustained engagement less a rupture than an extended, uneasy standoff over the soul of American power and its moral limits. This looks more like a prolonged period of moral friction that will persist as long as nationalism on steroids defines U.S. policy, he said. This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: 'Nationalism on steroids:' Trump, Catholics battle over morality By Kanishka Singh WASHINGTON, Jan 21 (Reuters) - NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte said on Wednesday the issue of whether Greenland will remain with Denmark did not come up in his talks with Donald Trump, as the U.S. president stepped back from threats of tariffs and ruled out the use of military force to take control of Greenland. Rutte made his comments in an interview on Fox News' "Special Report with Bret Baier" show. Advertisement Advertisement WHY IT'S IMPORTANT Earlier in the day, Trump abruptly stepped back from threats to impose tariffs as leverage to seize Greenland, ruled out the use of force, and said a deal was in sight to end a dispute over the Danish territory. After meeting Rutte, Trump said on Wednesday that Western Arctic allies could forge a new deal over the strategic island territory of 57,000 people that satisfies his desire for a "Golden Dome" missiledefense system and access to critical minerals, while blocking Russia and China's ambitions in the Arctic. Trump had previously repeatedly said Washington must own Greenland, an autonomous part of the kingdom of Denmark that houses a U.S. airbase, to prevent Russia or China from occupying the strategically located and minerals-rich Arctic territory. Advertisement Advertisement KEY QUOTES Rutte was asked if Greenland will still be "under the Kingdom of Denmark in this framework deal" that Trump mentioned. "That issue did not come up anymore in my conversations tonight with the president," Rutte said in response. "He (Trump) is very much focused on what do we need to do to make sure that that huge Arctic region - where change is taking place at the moment, where the Chinese and the Russians are more and more active - how we can protect it." CONTEXT Greenland and Denmark have said Greenland is not for sale. Denmark and the U.S are NATO members. Trump's foreign policy agenda has been cast by many experts as imperialist in nature. (Reporting by Kanishka Singh in Washington; Editing by Chris Reese and Michael Perry) ASHEVILLE - Gov. Josh Stein has declared a State of Emergency as North Carolina prepares for the impacts of a major winter storm. A winter storm is approaching, and now is the time to prepare," Stein said in a Jan. 21 news release. Please get ready. Get everything you need in advance of the storm and have a plan in case your power goes out. I encourage all North Carolinians to stay home and off the roads this weekend unless absolutely necessary so first responders can do their jobs safely and effectively. Gov. Josh Stein chats with employees inside Clothes To Kids of Haywood County during a visit to the town of Clyde on July 8, 2025, to highlight the importance of rebuilding main streets in Western North Carolina to support local economies. The State Emergency Response Team has been activated ahead of the storms arrival on the morning of Jan. 24 to assist affected communities with any response needs. In preparation for the winter storm, the release said: Advertisement Advertisement NCDOT crews and contractors have been busy over the past few days pre-treating roads, bridges and overpasses with brine, restocking salt supplies and making sure equipment is ready to respond to the storm and its aftermath. With concurrence from the Council of State, Stein directed the waiver of certain transportation regulations for vehicles supporting emergency response efforts across the state. This action allows for better coordination of response efforts. The State Emergency Response Team is working closely with local partners statewide as well as with state agencies, the private sector, and nonprofit and volunteer agencies to ensure that needed resources are provided to support impacted communities, North Carolina Emergency Management Director Will Ray said in the release. "Between now and Friday evening, North Carolinians need to finish preparations at home, and travel should be limited or paused, if possible, this weekend as conditions are expected to deteriorate across the state. The storm could begin rolling in Jan. 22 in Western North Carolina, the Citizen Times reported. According to the National Weather Service, a winter storm watch is in effect from Jan. 24-26. It called for possible heavy mixed precipitation, with total snow and sleet accumulations between one and 6 inches, and ice accumulation of less than an inch possible. Advertisement Advertisement It said the most slow and sleet are possible north of Interstate 40, with the highest accumulations possible across the southern mountains of North Carolina, the mountains of northeast Georgia and the mountains of South Carolina. Roadway conditions are expected to deteriorate early Jan. 24 and could remain hazardous for several days after the storm due to the sustained subfreezing temperatures that are expected throughout the next week. While uncertainty remains, confidence is increasing that an impactful winter storm will bring a mix of precipitation to much of the state over the weekend. Impacts will likely linger into next week as dangerously cold wind chills and snowpack/ice accumulation may linger through next week, the governor's release said. From the mountains to the coast, our crews are already out brining roads and bridges ahead of the winter storm," North Carolina Department of Transportation Secretary Daniel Johnson said in the release. "Were asking everyone to do their part to prepare now and avoid travel once the storm hits so crews can safely clear the roads. To prepare for winter weather, North Carolina Emergency Management officials recommend these tips: Advertisement Advertisement Pay close attention to your local forecast and be prepared for whats expected in your area. Keep cell phones, mobile devices and spare batteries charged. Use a National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) weather radio or a weather alert app on your phone to receive emergency weather alerts. Dress warmly. Wear multiple layers of thin clothing instead of a single layer of thick clothing. Store an emergency kit in your vehicle. Include scraper, jumper cables, tow chain, sand/salt, blankets, flashlight, first-aid kit, and road map. Gather emergency supplies for your pet, including leash and care supplies, enough food for several days, and a pet travel carrier. Do not leave pets outside for long periods of time during freezing weather. Look out for your friends, neighbors, and the elderly during winter weather. If your power goes out: Ensure generators are operated outside and away from open windows or doors to prevent carbon monoxide poisoning. Never burn charcoal indoors or use a gas grill indoors. Properly vent kerosene heaters. Use battery-powered sources for light, instead of candles, to reduce the risk of fire. Visit ReadyNC.gov for more information on winter weather safety and preparation. For real-time travel information, visit DriveNC.gov, or follow NCDOT on social media. Advertisement Advertisement Sarah Honosky is the city government reporter for the Asheville Citizen Times, part of the USA TODAY Network. News Tips? Email shonosky@citizentimes.com or message on Twitter at @slhonosky. This article originally appeared on Asheville Citizen Times: NC in State of Emergency ahead of winter storm, declared by Gov. Stein Maj. Gen. Craig Strong (left), and Gov. Jim Pillen (right), speak about an upcoming deployment of 200 Nebraska National Guard members to Washington D.C. (Erin Bamer/Nebraska Examiner) LINCOLN Roughly 200 of Nebraskas National Guard members will be sent to Washington, D.C., to serve as security for the countrys 250th anniversary celebration, Gov. Jim Pillen announced Thursday. Nebraska will join 10 other states Pillen said are answering the call after being asked by the chief of the National Guard Bureau to keep national monuments safe. He said the initiative has been ongoing since August. Nebraska is sending troops in late February. Advertisement Advertisement This [is] everybodys Capitol, said Lt. Gov. Joe Kelly, a former prosecutor. Not Virginias, not Marylands, but a federal Capitol. Now Nebraska is delighted to do our bid to keep that place safe. Nebraskas mission will last between 90 to 120 days, according to Maj. Gen. Craig Strong, Nebraskas adjutant general. Working in groups of four, Strong said Nebraskas troops will primarily serve as monument security and conduct safety patrols throughout the Capitol region. Pillen said the mission would not cost Nebraska taxpayers a nickel, as the project is entirely federally funded. Pillen said he hasnt heard any indication that national monuments would be under threat during the festivities. However, he said, having a National Guard presence would be a deterrent for potential crimes. Advertisement Advertisement When theres a presence, bad people stay away, Pillen said. Pillen has deployed National Guard members multiple times throughout his first term, including multiple trips to the southern border and in eastern Nebraska and western Iowa for emergency response following the 2024 tornadoes. SUPPORT: YOU MAKE OUR WORK POSSIBLE SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX Gavin Newsom's office said the California governor was blocked by the Trump administration from speaking at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, on Wednesday. Newsom had been asked to speak at an event at USA House, an American pavilion at the annual gathering of world leaders. Newsom's office staff said they were told that a "venue-level decision" was made to "not include an elected U.S. official" in the programming. The fireside chat was scheduled for Wednesday evening in Davos, which is nine hours ahead of Pacific Standard Time, with media outlet Fortune. "How weak and pathetic do you have to be to be this scared of a fireside chat?" Newsom wrote on the social media site X. Advertisement Advertisement Newsom's office said the governor had planned to respond to the speech President Trump had made in Davos just hours before. During that address, Trump said he wanted to get Greenland, including right, title and ownership, while insisting he would not use force to do so. Trump used his remarks at the World Economic Forum to repeatedly criticize European allies and to suggest that the North Atlantic Treaty Organization should not interfere with U.S. expansionist ambitions. After Newsom was disinvited to the speaking event hosted by USA House, his office said the governor was offered a consolation, to attend a "VIP nightcap" reception to have a drink and speak off the record instead, the governor's office said. Newsom declined. A second public speaking appearance by Newsom at a different location on Thursday morning in Davos has not been canceled. A spokesperson for Fortune said Newsom was invited to participate in a conversation at USA House, but that the venue later "determined it would not be able to accommodate the governors participation and communicated that decision to Fortune." A White House spokesperson declined to say whether Newsom was blocked by the Trump administration from speaking at the USA House event, instead providing a statement attacking Newsom and using a derogatory name for the governor. Advertisement Advertisement No one in Davos knows who third-rate governor Newscum is or why he is frolicking around Switzerland instead of fixing the many problems he created in California," White House spokeswoman Anna Kelly said in the statement. The latest squabble between the two leaders came to light after Trump called out Newsom during his speech at the World Economic Forum, whose stated mission is to encourage forward-looking discussions to address global issues and set priorities. The California governor was listening to the president's remarks, and at one point a camera showed him smiling and appearing to chuckle when Trump mentioned him by name. "We're going to help the people in California. We want to have no crime," Trump said. "I know Gavin was here. I used to get along so great with Gavin when I was president. Gavin is a good guy. And if you needed it, I would do it in a heartbeat." Advertisement Advertisement Trump quipped, "if I were a Democrat governor, or whatever, I would call up Trump, Id say, Come on in. Make us look good. Following Trump's remarks, Newsom told a CNN reporter that he thought the president's speech was "remarkably boring." There wasnt anything new about that speech for the American audience, the governor said. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent also took a shot at Newsom while speaking in Davos, criticizing his economic policies and saying the Trump administration would be coming to California to "crack down on waste, fraud and abuse." Bessent appeared to acknowledge that he knew Newsom's speech scheduled afterward had been canceled. Advertisement Advertisement "I was told he was asked to give a speech on his signature policies, but he's not speaking because what have his economic policies brought? Outward migration from California, a gigantic budget deficit, the largest homeless population in America, and the poor folks in the Palisades who had their homes burned down," Bessent said. "He is too smug, too self-absorbed and too economically illiterate to know anything." The incident comes as Newsom, who is weighing a 2028 presidential run, has increasingly positioned California as a counterweight to Washington. This week in Davos, the Democratic governor publicly rebuked world leaders for their complicity for failing to confront Trumps aggressive posture on issues such as trade and a potential takeover of Greenland. Speaking to reporters there, Newsom urged European and other global leaders to stand tall and firm and to have a backbone, bemoaning that too many have been rolling over in the face of Trumps actions and rhetoric. Its just pathetic, Newsom told reporters. Advertisement Advertisement Trump declined to comment on the substance of Newsom's foreign policy remarks during a rare appearance at a White House press briefing on Tuesday. He instead said that he does not think Newsom "is going to be the nominee" for the Democratic Party in 2028. I just hate how California is being run," Trump told reporters. "We actually have people leaving, its never happened before, but I hate the way its being run. He and I had a very good relationship, really close to the word exceptional, but now we seem not to. Newsom has accused the Trump administration of slow-walking billions of dollars in requested recovery funding for Los Angeles County wildfire victims, which has left communities in prolonged limbo. While in Washington, D.C., in December, Newsom told The Times that the Federal Emergency Management Agency denied his request for a meeting regarding Californias $33.9-billion appeal for long-term disaster funding nearly a year after the devastating fires ignited. Advertisement Advertisement The Associated Press contributed to this report. Sign up for Essential California for news, features and recommendations from the L.A. Times and beyond in your inbox six days a week. This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times. State Rep. Sarah Silva (D-Las Cruces), one of the co-sponsors for HB35, said the lobbyist transparency bill has been revised for reintroduction in the 2026 legislative session to be more streamlined. (Danielle Prokop/Source NM) Two Democratic lawmakers from Las Cruces are again seeking to pass legislation that would require lobbyists to disclose which bills they were hired to work on and disclose their positions on said bills. The hidden role of lobbying plays such a huge role across making different policies and it continues to be a critical issue for the New Mexico government to address, Sen. Jeff Steinborn told Source NM in a recent interview. Advertisement Advertisement Currently, lobbyists are only required to disclose their employers, but face no requirement to state which bills they are advocating for or against. For instance, as Source previously reported, it remains unclear to this day why Texas-based Cicero Institute and its advocacy arm Cicero Action had a lobbying presence in the 2025 session. Steinborn is co-sponsoring House Bill 35 with Rep. Sarah Silva, similar to a bill they carried last year, which lawmakers passed but Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham vetoed. In her veto message, Lujan Grisham called the bills requirement for lobbyists to file the reports including a change of position on a bill within 48 hours of the lobbying activity onerous. Silva told Source NM in a recent interview that the new bill reflects feedback from the governor and lobbyists who opposed the bill. HB35, if approved, would require lobbyists and their employers to file only one report that included the list of legislation and their positions. There would no longer be a requirement to update their positions on bills within 48 hours. Silva said making lobbyists publicly disclose their positions on bills allows New Mexicans to see a full picture of whats happening in Santa Fe during legislative sessions. Advertisement Advertisement Power moves in three different ways. Its organized money, organized ideas, and organized people lobbyists have a significant amount of each of those things, Silva said. That in and of itself isnt a bad thing, but its when its kept in the dark, it can become very dangerous. And so thats why this is increasingly important in preserving our democracy. According to the records from the Secretary of States Office, 67 lobbyists reported spending a little over $166,000 in political expenditures in the latest lobbyist reporting period, which covers the last quarter of the year. The figure captures spending on lobbying activities like meals for lawmakers, special events or advertising. That puts total lobbyist expenditures at about $1.45 million for 2025. Lobbyist spending had already reached the highest level in at least five years by May of this year, according to Secretary of State data. The Secretary of State data includes more than 600 lobbyists who reported no spending in the latest period, though many of them may have failed to report by the Jan. 15 filing deadline and are therefore out of compliance. Advertisement Advertisement F Minus, an advocacy organization that exposes ties between fossil fuel lobbyists and lawmakers, gives the state an F- grade on lobbyist transparency, due in part to the fact that lawmakers are volunteer, along with the lack of mandated lobbyist reporting requirements. The biggest spender in the last quarter of 2025 is Kimberly Legant, a lobbyist who reports 20 different employers. She spent about $46,000 of the $52,000 she spent all year in the last three months, reporting expenses including $15,000 to New Mexico Senate Democrats, $10,000 for New Mexico House Republicans and $20,000 for two other political action committees. She made those expenditures on behalf of Nextera Energy, a power company that has entered into power purchase agreements with Meta, Inc. and PNM for the companys New Mexico power needs, according to a December news release. EAU CLAIRE Court records show talks are ongoing between prosecutors and an Eau Claire woman charged with stealing money from an elderly relative. Misty Knauf, 49, faces a single charge of theft in a business setting involving between $10,000 and $100,000, with an enhancement because the victim is elderly. Authorities say she misused a power of attorney she was granted in 2022 for an elderly relative. The case began in 2024, according to the criminal complaint, when the Department of Adult Protective Services in Chippewa County contacted authorities over concerns about finances for a resident at a care facility. They told police they suspected money was being withheld for even basic items like haircuts. Soon afterwards the victims residence contacted authorities, saying they had not been paid for room and board since January 2023. Advertisement Advertisement A review of the financial transactions from the victims accounts showed hundreds of suspicious transactions between July 2022, when Knauf was given power of attorney, and July 2024, when it was rescinded. Investigators found they often came to several hundred dollars per month. Much of the money was transferred to Knaufs personal account, while others appeared to cover payments for travel and to casinos. The total amount was more than $23,000. The full financial damage is higher, though, as investigators noted the victims care facility was forced to write off more than $14,000 in unpaid bills. When Knauf was confronted by investigators she admitted to failing to pay for her relatives expenses and using money for personal expenses. Advertisement Advertisement During a Wednesday hearing the attorneys said there is no plea agreement at this time, but indicated negotiations are ongoing. A settlement conference is scheduled for early March. The charge against Knauf is a Class G felony which, under Wisconsin law, could bring up to five years in prison, five years extended supervision and fines of up to $25,000. The Transportation Security Administration checkpoint inside Rhode Island T.F. Green International Airport in March 2023. (Photo by Christopher Shea/Rhode Island Current) Planning to fly out of Rhode Island T.F. Green without a Real ID next month? Its going to cost you. Starting Feb. 1, the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) will require travelers without compliant forms of identification to verify their identity through a biometric or biographic system before they are allowed to pass through a TSA checkpoint. Advertisement Advertisement Travelers can do so ahead of time online through the TSAs new ConfirmID program, which comes with a $45 charge. Passengers will need to have a printed or electronic copy of their receipt to show the TSA officer verifying identification at the airport checkpoint. It takes an average of 15 minutes to use the ConfirmID program, but it could take as long as half an hour in some cases, TSA officials say. A ConfirmID receipt is valid for 10 days following its purchase, according to the TSA. Travelers without a valid ID or receipt may not be allowed through security and risk missing their flight, an agency spokesperson said in an email to Rhode Island Current. Those who do not want to pay the $45 fee for the modernized ID verification still have time to get their REAL ID-compliant drivers license or another acceptable form of ID, Daniel Burche, TSA federal security director for Rhode Island, said in a statement. While most travelers provide acceptable identification, it is our responsibility to confirm that passengers are who they claim to be. Advertisement Advertisement As of May 2025, travelers 18 or older nationwide must present either a U.S. passport or a REAL ID card marked with a gold star in the top right corner to board domestic flights or enter federal buildings. President George W. Bush signed a law mandating the IDs in 2005 in response to security concerns raised by the 9/11 terrorist attacks. The original compliance deadline was in 2008, but has been delayed by the federal government several times. Since Real ID started last year, 97% of the passengers at T.F. Green have shown some form of identification that conforms with Real ID standards, according to the TSA. Rhode Islanders can make appointments to get a real REAL ID through either the states Division of Motor Vehicles (DMV) or at local AAA branches if they are members. First time applicants will be required to provide one proof of identity document such as a birth certificate, proof of Social Security, and two proofs of Rhode Island residency such as a utility bill. Advertisement Advertisement If your name has changed, youll need to provide official documentation, such as a government-issued marriage certificate, divorce decree, or adoption paperwork. Travelers applying for a REAL ID within their license renewal period, which is the 90 days before a license or ID expires, dont have to pay any additional costs. Outside that renewal period, it will cost $27.50 to upgrade to a REAL ID. As of Jan. 1, the states DMV issued 593,157 Real ID cards representing nearly 69% of all active IDs, according to data provided to Rhode Island Current. People traveling with a Real ID or another approved identification method can skip the $45 fee. Acceptable forms of ID include: REAL ID U.S. passport U.S. passport card DHS trusted traveler cards (Global Entry, NEXUS, SENTRI, FAST) U.S. Department of Defense ID, including IDs issued to dependents Permanent resident card Border crossing card An acceptable photo ID issued by a federally recognized Tribal Nation/Indian Tribe, including Enhanced Tribal Cards HSPD-12 PIV card Foreign government-issued passport Canadian provincial drivers license or Indian and Northern Affairs Canada card Transportation Worker Identification Credential U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services Employment Authorization Card U.S. Merchant Mariner Credential Veteran Health Identification Card SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX SHANGHAI, Jan 22 (Reuters) - There are no records of imports of recalled Picot brand infant formula products from French company Lactalis entering China, the country's General Administration of Customs said in a statement on Thursday. On Wednesday, the French dairy group said its nutrition unit was recalling batches of baby milk in 18 countries, including China, due to the presence of a toxin also cited in a recall by Nestle of some batches of infant nutrition products earlier this month. (Reporting by Casey Hall. Editing by Mark Potter) Just three weeks into the job, the now acting superintendent of Whitman-Hanson public schools, Dr. John Marcus, is busy at work, trying to pick up the pieces from a budget deficit debacle. Dr. John Marcus has a long career in education, including stints as Stoughtons superintendent and Sharons assistant superintendent. He most recently served as the principal of Duval Elementary in Whitman starting in 2024. Advertisement Advertisement Whitman-Hansons superintendent, Jeff Szymaniak, stepped down at the turn of the new year after facing backlash over a $1.4 million budget deficit that led to widespread district cuts, including two dozen paraprofessionals and teachers being cut. Whitman-Hanson teachers jobs on the line amid $1.39 million budget deficit Emotions from parents and students ran high this Fall in light of the personnel cuts to multiple schools. With experience in overseeing budgets and leading a district, he volunteered to step into Szymaniaks role. This is not something I planned, he told Boston 25 news reporter Daniel Coates exclusively on Wednesday. Its been nonstop every day. Advertisement Advertisement Marcus said he is working on solidifying the FY2026 budget so that the FY2027 budget doesnt repeat the mistakes of the past. As principal of Duval Elementary, he was forced to lay off 11 paraprofessionals and staff. I think it was tough for all of us, he said. Our friends, our colleagues have been moved all over the place or dont have positions anymore... We have to do whats best for the kids. Three weeks into the job, he said theyre still trying to Figure out what went wrong. Figure out what were spending now. And figure out how we put something together for 2027 that is actually going to be stable and work. Advertisement Advertisement He continued, This is incredibly painful. This is really hard. But our kids only have one shot at it. So, we just have to do it. Marcus is preparing to present the reworked budget to the district alongside the school committee on February 4th. He told Boston 25 that he plans to retire in a year, or at the end of the school calendar next year. In the meantime, hes been meeting with school leaders, students, and teachers. He said his door is open to anyone and everyone as the dust settles from the budget crisis. We got this, he said. People need to feel recognized, supported, and heard, so that we feel better about who we are as a district, and we feel stronger as a community so that we can move forward. Advertisement Advertisement Marcus told Boston 25 he hopes to hand the district off to another superintendent better than when he found it. This is a developing story. Check back for updates as more information becomes available. Download the FREE Boston 25 News app for breaking news alerts. Follow Boston 25 News on Facebook and Twitter. | Watch Boston 25 News NOW Ahead of her third State of the Commonwealth Address on Thursday night, Massachusetts Gov. Maura Healey announced new steps shes taking to lower utility costs. The announcement is drawing criticism with some folks wondering if its really going to benefit Bay State residents and businesses in the long-term. Though, some residents said they appreciate any effort to reduce costs. According to a spokesperson for Healeys office, electric bills will be reduced by 25 percent and gas bills will be reduced by 10 percent in the months of February and March. Advertisement Advertisement The Healey administration will cover the $180 million cost of these reductions using existing funding sources. Customers will begin seeing the discounted rates reflected in their February utility bills. Conservative advocacy group, Massachusetts Fiscal Alliance is calling the initiative disingenuous. Executive director Paul Craney said its a way of kicking the can down the road. The governor is feeling a lot of heat because the energy bills are so high, Craney said. The governor is not actually lowering bills, shes just extending bills to be paid down the road. High utility bills have been a concern of many residents for months. Advertisement Advertisement Michelle Curran moved into her home in Plymouth three years ago and said her electric bill used to be around $100 or less. However, Curran said the newest bill she got on Wednesday is more than triple what she used to pay. I know a lot of people in the community, myself included, were just struggling to get by. The increase in cost of just basic essentials, its been difficult for a lot of us, Curran said. For Ben Threadgould, he recently bought a town house in Oxford but hasnt moved in yet. He said he hasnt plugged in any appliances and keeps the heat at the bare minimum so the pipes dont freeze. Even so, he just got slammed with a $1,250 bill from National Grid. Its out of control. Ive never come even close to half of this bill in utilities combined, Threadgould said. Had I known this previous, I wouldnt have purchased a house back in Massachusetts. Even at a reasonable mortgage payment, to have an electric bill ranging anywhere from $800 to $1,200 dollars is...why would I ever sign up for that when I can go somewhere else, buy cheaper real estate, cheaper cost of living overall than staying in Massachusetts and seeing all of our money just going out the window? Advertisement Advertisement Both residents said they appreciate efforts to alleviate the financial strain of these rate hikes, but question how its getting done. None of this accounting makes sense at all, Threadgould said. I think we need to look into long term solutions and I also question where is that money coming from? Curran questioned. In regard to the governors initiative, Eversource provided the following statement: We share Governor Healeys focus on energy affordability and are working every day to keep costs as low as possible while maintaining safe, reliable service for our customers. We are actively working with the Administration to implement winter bill relief for customers in February and March and will be communicating directly with customers as those details are finalized. Were still finalizing details, and because the 10% reduction for gas customers and 25% reduction for electric customers will be volumetric (or based on usage), specific bill impacts will vary by customer and based on the weather. Advertisement Advertisement Boston25 also reached out to National Grid for comment on the new state initiative, but we have yet to hear back. Download the FREE Boston 25 News app for breaking news alerts. Follow Boston 25 News on Facebook and Twitter. | Watch Boston 25 News NOW NORFOLK, Va. (WAVY) Jaquan Hassan Brehon, 26, was sentenced to one and a half years in prison after pleading guilty to fraud charges stemming from a scheme that unfolded at a Norfolk gas station. The crime, which involved fraudulently obtaining a Navy Federal Credit Union loan, occurred on Nov. 17, 2023, at a gas station on Newtown Road in Norfolk. Virginia Beach man sentenced to 45 years for fraud and identity theft scheme Advertisement Advertisement Brehon opened a loan of $6,000 on the victims cellphone without their permission, convincing the victim to return $5,000 under the guise of mistakenly sending too much money. The fraud took place after Brehon and an associate approached the victim at the gas station, where he claimed to need help buying gas. While using the victims phone, Brehon applied for the loan, which was approved and funded without the victims knowledge. He initially claimed to have sent the victim $60, then deceived the victim into believing he had sent $6,000. Norfolk man pleads guilty in connection with fraud scheme targetting Navy Federal After the victim was alerted to the fraud by a family member, he confronted Brehon and his associate, who subsequently fled the scene in a vehicle, leaving behind an unsuccessful attempt to withdraw an additional $1,000 in cash. Advertisement Advertisement Following a photo lineup with the victim, police secured arrest warrants against Brehon, who was taken into custody by Virginia Beach Police a month later. On Nov. 6, 2025, Brehon pleaded guilty to three felonies: obtaining money by false pretenses, computer fraud and identity fraud. As part of his plea agreement, he received a sentence of 1.5 years, with an additional 9.5 years suspended, conditioned on completing supervised probation. Judge Jennifer L. Fuschetti accepted Brehons plea agreement, which included the stipulation that he pay $5,000 in restitution to the victim. Brehons probation will last for three years, along with a requirement for five years of good behavior after his release. Commonwealths Attorney Ramin Fatehi issued a warning regarding the scam, stating, Mr. Brehon cynically targeted a good Samaritan who believed Mr. Brehons lies, only to be defrauded and victimized. I caution any good Samaritan, especially those with accounts at Navy Federal Credit Union, never to give a stranger access to their banking applications or information. Be kind, be charitable, but be cautious, too. Advertisement Advertisement Court records show Brehon is currently in Chesapeake City Jail. Related WAVY.com Coverage: Copyright 2026 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WAVY.com. The North Central Massachusetts Chamber of Commerce has added four new team members to support its regional business initiatives, according to a community announcement. The hires include Corina "Cory" Wells as loan operations administrator, Jon Ashley as marketing and communications manager, Jessica Yakusik as executive assistant and Oriana Cabas Jimenez as a spring intern. Corina Wells to oversee loan operations Corina Wells joins the North Central Massachusetts Development Corporation (NCMDC) as Loan Operations Administrator. Wells will manage microlending and revolving loan fund operations for the North Central Massachusetts Development Corporation, the chamber's economic development arm. She will work with borrowers and lending partners to ensure compliance with program requirements and funding guidelines. Advertisement Advertisement Wells previously served as energy operations and vendor coordinator at Community Action of Pioneer Valley, where she oversaw more than $12 million in grant-funded weatherization and energy assistance programs. She has also held lending roles at Middlesex Savings Bank. Wells holds a master's degree in business administration with a focus on community economic development and a bachelor's degree in international business from Southern New Hampshire University. She is also a licensed real estate agent in Massachusetts and a certified volunteer tax preparer. She can be reached at cwells@northcentralmass.com or 978-353-7600, ext. 228. Jon Ashley to lead marketing and communications Jon Ashley joins the team as Marketing and Communications Manager. Ashley will oversee marketing and communications strategy across the chamber and its affiliate organizations. He will also play a key role in the new Fitchburg Tourism Destination Marketing District, which launched Jan. 1, 2026. Advertisement Advertisement Ashley brings experience in content creation, brand storytelling and digital marketing. He previously served as sales marketing and business development manager at Celerity DCX, where he led creative strategy for global enterprise marketing. He also worked as associate director of marketing and communications at Cushing Academy. Ashley holds a master's degree in divinity from Boston University and a bachelor's degree in youth work from the University of Chester in the United Kingdom. He can be reached at jashley@northcentralmass.com or 978-353-7600, ext. 240. Jessica Yakusik to provide administrative support Jessica Yakusik has joined the Chamber as Executive Assistant. Yakusik will provide board support and administrative tasks for the chamber and its affiliates, and will serve as the main point of contact for members. Advertisement Advertisement Yakusik has more than 11 years of operations and administrative experience. She previously worked as facilities and support operations manager at CapEx FSC, LLC in Leominster, where she oversaw daily office and warehouse operations. She also spent nearly 12 years at Regional Home Care. Yakusik is currently pursuing an associate degree in business administration at Mount Wachusett Community College. She can be reached at jyakusik@northcentralmass.com or 978-353-7600, ext. 222. Oriana Cabas Jimenez joins as spring intern Oriana Cabas Jimenez joined the Chamber as an intern for the Spring 2026 semester. Jimenez, a communications media major with a minor in graphic design at Fitchburg State University, has joined the chamber as an intern for the spring 2026 semester. She will work directly with the chamber's programs and events manager and marketing manager on various projects throughout the semester. Advertisement Advertisement Jimenez can be reached at ojimenez@northcentralmass.com. New hires to strengthen chamber's mission These four additions strengthen our ability to serve our members and advance the economy of North Central Massachusetts, said Nascimento. Each brings unique skills and experience that will enhance our work across economic development, marketing, administration and community engagement. Businesses or community members interested in learning more about the North Central Massachusetts Chamber of Commerce can visit northcentralmass.com or call 978-353-7600. This story was created by Kimberly Green, KGreen@usatodayco.com, with the assistance of Artificial Intelligence (AI). Journalists were involved in every step of the information gathering, review, editing and publishing process. Learn more. This article originally appeared on Gardner News: New hires join North Central Mass Chamber to support business North Korea is producing enough nuclear material a year for up to 20 weapons, the South's President Lee Jae Myung said on Wednesday, warning that Pyongyang's ambitions could pose a global danger. The North carried out its first atomic test in 2006 in violation of UN resolutions and is now believed to possess dozens of nuclear warheads. "Even now, nuclear materials sufficient to produce 10 to 20 nuclear weapons a year are still being produced" in North Korea, Lee told reporters at a New Year news conference. Advertisement Advertisement At the same time, the North is continuing to improve its long-range ballistic missile technology aimed at striking the US mainland, Lee added. "At some point, North Korea will have secured the nuclear arsenal it believes it needs to sustain the regime, along with ICBM capabilities capable of threatening not only the United States but the wider world," he said, referring to intercontinental ballistic missiles. "And once there is excess, it will go abroad -- beyond its borders. A global danger will then emerge," he said. Pyongyang has for decades justified its nuclear and missile programmes as a deterrent against alleged regime change efforts by Washington and its allies. Advertisement Advertisement A pragmatic attitude was needed in addressing North Korea's nuclear issue, Lee said, adding the "Trump-style approach" could help in communicating with Pyongyang. "The suspension of nuclear material production and ICBM development, as well as a halt to overseas exports, would also be a gain," he said. "It would be a gain for everyone," he added, noting that he had laid out the argument to both US President Donald Trump and his Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping. Since his inauguration in June, Lee has pushed for dialogue with the North without preconditions, a stark departure from the hawkish approach of his predecessor. Advertisement Advertisement - 'Trump-style approach' - While Pyongyang has snubbed Seoul's dialogue offers, Lee said Trump could pave the way forward with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un -- with whom the US leader has expressed his affinity over the years. "President Trump is a somewhat unique figure, but I think that very trait can at times be a significant asset in resolving problems on the Korean peninsula," Lee said. "The Trumpstyle approach seems to help when it comes to talking with Kim ... I am willing to play the role of a pacemaker in that process." Trump met Kim three times during his first term in efforts to reach a denuclearisation deal. Advertisement Advertisement But since his second summit in Hanoi fell through over differences about what Pyongyang would get in return for giving up its nuclear weapons, no progress has been made between the two countries. Trump had expressed hopes for a meeting with Kim ahead of the APEC summit in South Korea in October, which went unanswered by the North Korean leader. Recently North Korea accused the South of flying a drone into the border city of Kaesong. Lee's office has denied it was behind the incursion but alluded it might have been carried out by civilians. One man has claimed responsibility for the breach, telling local media that he had carried it out to measure radiation levels at a North Korean uranium processing facility. kjk/mtp University of Nebraska Dr. Jeffrey Gold, right, speaks with state senators and NU regents after a forum with dozens of Nebraska state senators regarding NU's proposal to buy out the share of Nebraska Medicine owned by Clarkson Regional Health Services. At center is Dr. Bill Lydiatt, Clarkson's CEO, and at left is State Sen. Mike Jacobson of North Platte. Jan. 14, 2026. (Zach Wendling/Nebraska Examiner) LINCOLN The University of Nebraska and Clarkson Regional Health Services are replacing nearly all members of the Nebraska Medicine Board of Directors as NU moves forward with an $800 million deal for sole ownership of the nonprofit medical provider. The restructuring could end a lawsuit pursued by the Nebraska Medicine board to stop the deal. A majority of four new voting members, all NU and Clarkson leaders, support the deal. Advertisement Advertisement [NU and Clarkson] have since determined that this action was necessary to protect the organizations reputation, stability, and future, and to ensure it can continue to fulfill its charitable mission effectively long into the future, NU and Clarkson said in a joint statement. Legal fights escalate The NU Board of Regents announced in a Thursday news release that it, along with Clarkson, had filed new articles of incorporation for Nebraska Medicine with the Nebraska Secretary of States Office. The amended articles were filed shortly after 8 a.m. Thursday. NU and Clarkson have overseen the nonprofit hospital and clinic partner of the University of Nebraska Medical Center in a 50-50 split since 1997. The NU-Clarkson transaction includes NU paying Clarkson $500 million for its 50% stake in the nonprofit, plus $300 million for related properties. The deal is expected to close by June 30. After the transaction finishes, Clarkson has pledged to donate $200 million back to NU for Project Health, a $2.19 billion endeavor to build up the next generation of health care. Advertisement Advertisement Regents say the Nebraska Medicine changes are needed because NU and Clarkson have serious concerns about recent actions and behavior of previous Nebraska Medicine board members. NU and Clarkson argue those actions threatened critically important mission-driven strategic initiatives. The NU regents on Jan. 8 asked the Nebraska Attorney Generals Office to investigate the nonprofit board, too. We have initiated a thorough review of these allegations, an AGs Office spokesperson said in a text last week. Any investigation our office conducts will remain strictly confidential. The Nebraska Medicine board, before the changes, pushed back on those claims before and said they had no merit and said they were an effort to distract from questions about the NU-Clarkson deal. The former board members said they had been left out of meaningful negotiations, including a possible alternative. Advertisement Advertisement In a statement last week issued by the nonprofits former leadership, the board said it must uphold its fiduciary duties to Nebraska Medicine, and our opposition to and questions about the regents transaction fully [align] with that duty. Transformative transaction According to the joint statements Thursday, NU and Clarkson said they desired to complete the transformative transaction without board changes. They say the changes came after a careful review of current circumstances, Nebraska Medicines governing documents and the law. The four voting members will be: Dr. Jeffrey Gold, president of NU since July 2024 who previously served as chancellor of the University of Nebraska Center beginning in 2014. Dr. Dele Davies, interim UNMC chancellor who will chair the interim board. Dr. Bill Lydiatt, a retired surgeon and CEO of Clarkson Regional Health Services. Stephanie Moline, a current Clarkson board member and retired executive vice president of First National Bank Omaha. Advertisement Advertisement Only Davies was actively on the board before Thursday. Gold was a member during his time as UNMC chancellor, starting as the inaugural board chair in 2016. There will also be four nonvoting members who all previously served on the Nebraska Medicine board by virtue of their positions. They are the dean of the UNMC College of Medicine, chair of surgery in the UNMC College of Medicine, Nebraska Medicines chief nursing officer and chief of staff of The Nebraska Medical Center medical staff. The changes remove Nebraska Medicines CEO, Dr. Michael Ash, and seven other members, including Lance Fritz, the previous chair, who led opposition to the NU-Clarkson changes. Fritz, who was president and CEO of Union Pacific between 2015 and 2023, did not immediately return a call seeking comment Thursday. Came out of left field The day before the vote last week, NU and Nebraska Medicine hosted competing forums with state lawmakers on the deal. In the wake of Thursdays board restructuring, multiple senators said they needed to review what had happened before commenting. Advertisement Advertisement State Sen. Eliot Bostar of Lincoln called the board changes the nuclear option. Another senator said it was like adding gasoline to a fire. State Sens. Jared Storm of David City, Tony Sorrentino of the Elkhorn area, Dan Lonowski of Hastings and Glen Meyer of Pender, from left. Jan. 7, 2026. (Zach Wendling/Nebraska Examiner) Multiple senators described the situation as a clash of the titans, which was only made public Jan. 2 after strict non-disclosure agreements. The deal proceeded in less than two weeks. State Sen. Merv Riepe of Ralston, a former hospital administrator, said he worried about impacts to the Omaha philanthropic community. State Sen. Tony Sorrentino of the Elkhorn area proposed Legislative Bill 1125 this year at Nebraska Medicines urging. It would require any such NU deals for hospitals above $100 million to obtain legislative approval. Advertisement Advertisement Thursdays action might increase pressure for lawmakers to step in. Came out of left field, Sorrentino said Thursday of the board restructuring. SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX " " Machu Picchu still stands as a testament to the brilliance of the Inca civilization. BETO SANTILLAN / Shutterstock Why did the Inca empire fall? How could a mighty empire collapsed in just a few decades? The Inca Empire once controlled much of western South America, stretching from modern Ecuador to northern Chile. Its fall was not the result of a single battle but of a deadly combination of internal conflict, disease, and the arrival of Spanish conquistadors. The National Weather Service has issued an ice storm warning for parts of north Alabama, as the region braces for a potentially dangerous winter event starting late Friday night. Heres what to know. Ice storm warning in Alabama The warning affects Lauderdale, Colbert and Franklin counties, including cities such as Florence, Muscle Shoals, Sheffield, Tuscumbia, Red Bay and Russellville. The alert is in effect from midnight Friday, Jan. 23, through 6 p.m. Sunday, Jan. 25. Advertisement Advertisement Forecasters are warning of significant ice accumulations ranging from a quarter inch to a full inch, along with up to one inch of snow and sleet. Officials say the storm could make roads, bridges and overpasses extremely slick, posing a major hazard to drivers. Travel advisories for the ice storm warning The National Weather Service advises that travel should be restricted to emergencies only and that if travel is necessary, drive with extreme caution and prepare for the possibility of becoming stranded. Officials recommend keeping a winter storm kit on hand, including tire chains, booster cables, flashlights, blankets, extra clothing, water and a first-aid kit. Jennifer Lindahl is a Breaking and Trending Reporter for the Deep South Connect Team for USA Today. Connect with her on X @jenn_lindahl and email at jlindahl@usatodayco.com. This article originally appeared on The Tuscaloosa News: NWS Ice storm warning hits north Alabama. What to know, see the map COSHOCTON A recent grant from the Ohio Arts Council will help the Johnson-Humrickhouse Museum to continue to provide programming to the Coshocton County area. The sustainability program grant for $13,089 will assist with operational needs and strengthen the organization's ability to deliver cultural and educational programming to the community, according to an announcement. The grant will fund about 6% of the museum's $200,000 annual operating budget. It also receives $65,000 from the Coshocton County District Library, $70,000 from the Johnson-Humrickhouse Foundation and $35,000 from the Friends of the Museum. Advertisement Advertisement In awarding this grant, the OAC review panel highlighted the museum's excellence in programming, community outreach and administration. Reviewers noted the strength of the museums team, which brings varied expertise to its work, the announcement said. They also recognized the museums collaborations with local organizations for broad community engagement. The museum receives about 10,000 visitors each year through educational programs, lectures, school tours, hands-on art activities and exhibitions. The OAC awarded 558 sustainability grants in its latest cycle totaling more than $18.1 million. The grants provide flexible funding to organizations to ensure residents and visitors have access to high-quality artistic experiences. Additionally, the JH Museum is offering free admission to Coshocton County residents on Sundays through support of the Schooler Family Foundation. The museum at 300 N. Whitewoman St. is open from noon to 4 p.m. Friday to Sunday during the winter months. Find more information at the museum's website. This article originally appeared on Coshocton Tribune: Johnson-Humrickhouse Museum receives $13,000 Ohio Arts Council grant OKLAHOMA CITY (KFOR) Oklahoma Educational Television Authority presented its financial update on Wednesday before House lawmakers. Despite recently losing out on nearly $2 million in federal funding, they didnt ask for more money. Where we are at, we are at a crisis, said OETA Executive Director Shawn Black on Wednesday before lawmakers. Black said he has been in his position at OETA since October, after the Trump Administration said it would cut over $1 billion from public television. Advertisement Advertisement Those cuts led to the closure of the Corporation for Public Broadcasting, which provides crucial support for PBS and NPR stations nationwide, and forced significant changes and job losses. Last week, the CPB announced that it voted to dissolve. OETA posted soon after that; they are still here and still operating. Sales tax plan to fund new county jail collapses Although recent headlines note the shutdown of the Corporation for Public Broadcasting (CPB), OETA and PBS are not shutting down. At Wednesdays subcommittee meeting in the House Appropriations and Budget Education Subcommittee, Black explained the loss so far. He said that they have hope that Congress will come back around and help them out. Advertisement Advertisement Do I think that they (donors) can get to $2 million every year? I do not, thats impossible, said Black to lawmakers. Black talked about the programs and initiatives that they have lost since losing that funding. One of the main ones was the Ready to Learn initiative. That was aimed at low-income families. It used PBS Kids content to boost early childhood education for ages 2-8. For now, he said that they are relying heavily on donors and partnerships where they can. We just need the states support to keep us going as an agency, said Black to News 4 on Wednesday. However, that seems like a harder task ahead. Advertisement Advertisement In 2023, lawmakers in both the House and Senate voted to override Gov. Kevin Stitts veto that would have led to the end of Oklahomas public television broadcaster. He tried but failed. Now, Senator Lisa Stanridge (R-Norman) has filed a bill, SB 1867, which would essentially separate OETA from the state. After the lack of funding seen, this could end up gutting them. The bill proposed would take the money OETA got for Fiscal Year 2026 and give it to the Department of Tourism. It would hand over facilities owned by OETA to the Office of Management and Enterprise Services, and it would relinquish OETA, which has been essential for the state. In doing so, we save the state some money, and everything is great, said Senator Standridge. Advertisement Advertisement Stanridge emphasized that her efforts are a way to privatize OETA and didnt mention that its because she feels they have a bias or are left-leaning. That is something that the Trump Administration gave as to why he wants to defund public broadcasting. The basis of the bill is that it would let OETA be its own private entity. Its no longer the states responsibility to subsidize them, said Senator Stanridge. Do you think Oklahoma needs OETA? As a private entity, sure. But, not on the dime of the taxpayer, said Senator Stanridge. There are lots of people out there who need OETA. Whether it is in Guymon and its the only broadcast you get or not, its important and necessary to many Oklahomans, said Black. Advertisement Advertisement In a letter to Oklahoman, Black made it known that they are not gone. In part writing, We are also investing in our future. The State of Oklahoma recently funded a full replacement of all OETA transmitters statewide, a once-in-a-generation infrastructure upgrade that will keep our broadcast signal strong and reliable for the next 20+ years. At the same time, we remain committed to expanding our digital capacities so we can meet our growing audiences wherever they choose to watch on-air, online, or on-demand. I also want to note that our PBS WARN emergency alerting system remains fully active. This vital service ensures that, during disasters or communication failures, public safety agencies can continue to deliver life-saving information to stations across the country. This system is secure, operational, and unaffected by the CPB shutdown. Copyright 2026 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KFOR.com Oklahoma City. An off-duty Glendale firefighter was arrested Wednesday in connection to the murder of his wife in North Hollywood, authorities said. Officers responded to a home in the 5600 block of Satsuma Avenue after a man went to a police station around 4 a.m. and requested a welfare check on his wife, according to the Los Angeles Police Department. Police say they found the victim, identified as 55-year-old Mayra Jimenez, bludgeoned inside the couple's home. She was pronounced dead at the scene. Advertisement Advertisement The city of Glendale sent ABC7 a statement, saying that the fire department was notified by LAPD that an off-duty member of the department had been detained in connection with the investigation. "LAPD is the lead investigating agency and the matter is ongoing," the city's statement read. The city of Glendale identified the suspect as 45-year-old firefighter-paramedic Andrew Jimenez, who has served with the Glendale Fire Department since April 28, 2008. He has been placed off duty and on administrative leave effective immediately, according to the city. According to court records, he's been booked into jail on suspicion of murder with a $2 million bail. Advertisement Advertisement Detectives working the crime scene said they found Mayra Jimenez's body with injuries from blunt force trauma inside the home. They said Andrew Jimenez, her husband, alerted police to the gruesome scene. A statement from an attorney retained by Andrew Jimenez's family appeared to suggest he found out his wife was having an affair. "Our office is currently in contact with law enforcement regarding a diary of the decedent, apparently read moments before the homicide, that verified infidelity by the decedent," the statement said. Detectives say the tragedy appears to be an incident of domestic violence. Advertisement Advertisement "From what we've determined, very preliminarily at this stage, this was an isolated incident of domestic violence between cohabitating adults," LAPD Lt. Guy Golan said. "There's no threat to public safety at this time. The individual who is in custody at Northeast Station, we believe, is responsible for the incident." Detectives were seen carrying out two large rifles from the scene. Neighbor Camille Cabrera said she overheard detectives talking about the crime scene. "I could just hear them talk about how horrific it was... it was just bloody. Next thing you know they found an axe. They said they found an axe," she said. Advertisement Advertisement Loved ones told Eyewitness News the couple had been married for more than 10 years. They said Mayra Jimenez was a teacher at Wilshire Park Elementary. Friends say Mayra loved helping others - from teaching children to serving as a non-denominational ordained minister for weddings. They added that she was a huge Dodgers fan. The incident remains under investigation. In eastern Bolivia, a 30,000-hectare forest has been used sustainably for the last twenty years, protected from the deforestation that has plagued the surrounding area. Now, however, just when it was on the verge of being sold to conservationists and placed under even stronger protection, the deal has been canceled at the last minute, and the land has been transferred to a company that intends to cut the forest down, Mongabay reported. What's happening? The Chiquitano dry forest in eastern Bolivia contains a 74,178-acre area that used to be selectively logged for specific types of wood, such as rosewood, by Dutch wood flooring producer INPA. The company held multiple FSC certifications for sustainable work on the plot, but those certifications have expired. The conservation organization Amazonas For Life Europe AB had arranged around $26.1 million in financing to purchase the plot of land with the backing of Rabobank, Invest International, and the Netherlands Development Finance Company. With their help, the conservation organization would have planted the area with cashews and baru nuts and used it to back carbon credits, preserving it for the future. Advertisement Advertisement However, instead, the land has suddenly been sold to the agricultural company Bom Futuro for $20 million. The company is likely to cut down the forest in the area and use the land to produce its usual products, such as soy, cotton, corn, and beef. Why is this land deal important? The Chiquitano dry forest serves as a vital buffer between the Gran Chaco and Cerrado savannas and the Amazon rainforest. The more of the forest is removed, the more the area is vulnerable to desertification, which impacts the Indigenous communities present in the region. "[Losing the INPA forest] would accelerate degradation and drought across Chiquitania and beyond," Amazonas For Life Europe AB founder Helena Lindemark told Mongabay. "But it's not too late to act." What's being done about the land purchase? Lindemark is raising money for a legal challenge against the land deal. Her other organization, the 2022 Initiative Foundation, will back the local Lomerio and Monte Verde Indigenous groups in petitioning Bolivia's regulatory agencies to stop the deforestation of the plot. Get TCD's free newsletters for easy tips to save more, waste less, and make smarter choices and earn up to $5,000 toward clean upgrades in TCD's exclusive Rewards Club. The snowstorm expected to move in this weekend could be the biggest snowfall event Rhode Island has had in four years. As of early Thursday morning, the National Weather Service was giving most of Rhode Island an 88% chance of 6 or more inches of snow. It looks like the highest totals will accumulate in the southeastern parts of Southern New England. There's a 60 to 70% chance some of Rhode Island could see a foot or more of snow, the weather service said. The biggest Rhode Island snowfall in recent memory dates back to January of 2022, when 19.3 inches fell in the Providence area from Jan. 28 (a half-inch) through Jan. 29, when another 18.8 inches blanketed the area. Advertisement Advertisement This weekend's storm is likely to start Sunday, Jan. 25 and continue into Monday, Jan. 26. What are the 10 snowiest two-day periods for the Providence area? Here's a list from the National Weather Service of the 10 snowiest two-day periods for the Providence area: 1 28.6 inches 1978-02-07 2 24.0 inches 1996-01-08 3 23.4 inches 2005-01-23 4 19.5 inches 1996-01-09 5 19.3 inches 2022-01-29 6 19.1 inches 2015-01-27 7 18.8 inches 2022-01-30 8 18.3 inches 1961-02-05 - 18.3 inches 1961-02-04 10 18.0 inches 2013-02-09 Last value also occurred in one or more previous years. Period of record: 1904-11-01 to 2026-01-21 When was our snowiest January? The snowiest January for the Providence area was in 2005, when 36.7 inches fell. Through Wednesday, Jan. 21, the area has had 5.4 inches of snow in 2025. On average, since records started in 1904, January has brought 10 inches of snow to the Providence area. A storm dumped a layer of wet, heavy snow from Jan. 18 to Jan. 19, 2026, in Rhode Island, as seen here in Coventry. What is the record snowfall for Jan. 25 and Jan. 26? The snowiest Jan. 25 was in 2021, when the Providence area had 3.8 inches. The snowiest Jan. 26 was in 1941 when the Providence area had 9 inches. How cold is January in Rhode Island? January is typically Rhode Island's coldest month with an average temperature of 29.3 degrees, according to National Weather Service records dating back to 1905. Advertisement Advertisement The coldest January was in 1970, when the average temperature was 19.6 degrees. The warmest was 1932 when the average was 38.6 degrees. Through the first 21 days, this January has been above average at 31.8 degrees. When was Rhode Island's coldest day? With dangerous cold moving into the region Friday, readers might wonder how that compares with Rhode Island records. The coldest period this weekend should happen overnight Friday into Saturday when the temperature is expected to drop to about 4 degrees. The coldest January day on record happened Jan. 23, 1976 when the temperature fell to 13 degrees below zero. But it was still warmer than Feb. 9, 1934, when the temperature dropped to 17 degrees below zero. This article originally appeared on The Providence Journal: When were RI's coldest, snowiest days? DAYTON, Ohio (WDTN) A Vandalia man pleaded guilty to the distribution of Fentanyl and to aiding / abetting the distribution of Fentanyl in West Virginia this Wednesday. The man, 30-year-old Roderick Tyrone Boyd, reportedly was a part of two transactions in Cross Lanes, West Virginia. Per the court documents and statements, on March 26, 2025, Boyd aided and abetted another person in the sale of Fentanyl. He also distributed Fentanyl on April 26, 2025. Advertisement Advertisement Residential fire causes $70K damage in Sidney Hes facing a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison, at least three years of supervised release and a fine which could be up to $1 million. Officials said he will be sentenced on May 19, 2026. The United States Attorney, Alfred Moore Capito, made the announcement and praised the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) for its investigative work. The hearing was presided over by Senior United States District Judge David A. Faber. The prosecutor is Assistant United States Attorney JC MacCallum. Copyright 2026 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WDTN.com. State Superintendent Lindel Fields, center, speaks at a meeting of the Oklahoma State Board of Education on Oct. 9 in Oklahoma City. The board approved a proposal from Fields' administration to remove a requirement that newly certified teachers pass the U.S. Naturalization Test. (Photo by Nuria Martinez-Keel/Oklahoma Voice) OKLAHOMA CITY Oklahomas top school board on Thursday proposed removing a requirement that new teachers pass a written version of the U.S. Naturalization Test to become fully certified, potentially undoing another of former state Superintendent Ryan Walters policies. The Oklahoma State Board of Education and the state Legislature implemented the requirement last year, but since then, Walters has resigned from office and the board has had a complete turnover of its members. Advertisement Advertisement State Superintendent Lindel Fields, who succeeded Walters, and the board voted unanimously to submit a bundle of new administrative rules, including the proposal to strike the testing requirement, to the Legislature for consideration in its 2026 session. The Oklahoma State Department of Education received four written public comments that favored eliminating the testing rule, said Kory Kile, an agency attorney overseeing the rulemaking process. Broken Arrow Public Schools communications chief Tara Thompson, who also acts as a spokesperson for Fields administration, said districts have complained the test adds an extra hurdle to teacher recruitment. Its just one more barrier, Thompson said after the state board meeting Thursday. So, anything that the state Board of Education can do to remove barriers to onboarding and recruiting good teachers, I think we saw today that theyre willing to do that and have those conversations. State Superintendent Ryan Walters, pictured July 24, advanced a rule last year that added the U.S. Naturalization Test to teacher certification. (Photo by Emma Murphy/Oklahoma Voice) Fields other proposed rules would encode laws the Legislature already passed or would make small changes to administrative processes. Advertisement Advertisement Walters, on the other hand, sought to make sweeping policy changes through administrative rulemaking. His failed proposal to collect public school students immigration status put him at odds with Gov. Kevin Stitt, who overhauled the state Board of Education with new appointees in response. Lawmakers rejected Walters immigration policy, but they partially approved his rule introducing the U.S. Naturalization Test to teacher certification. Rather than requiring the American civics test for all public school teachers, the Legislature agreed to mandate it only for educators earning their certification for the first time. Fields already has reversed several of his predecessors priority policies. He pledged to rewrite Walters controversial academic standards for social studies and rescinded an order that public schools keep a Bible in every classroom. Removing the naturalization test from the certification process is a move in the right direction, Thompson said. SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX SUPPORT: YOU MAKE OUR WORK POSSIBLE The Old Farmer's Almanac has just announced the 2026 Spring Weather Forecast with welcoming predictions of warmer temperatures ahead, despite the massive cold winter storm brewing across the country with sub-zero temperatures. Here's when and what to expect for spring. The almanac released its predictions for the spring and the vast majority of the Northeast looks warm and dry with few April showers predicted to bring May flowers, according to the periodical's forecast. "The U.S. spring outlook predicts warmer-than-normal temperatures for most of the country, with a few exceptions: Washington, Oregon, Idaho, and parts of Montana and Colorado, where it will be near to below normal," The Almanac website says. Noting less precipitation, "Much of the country will experience less rainfall than usual" with exceptions in the upper Alaska, TexasOklahoma, the northern Appalachians, the High Plains, Upper Midwest, and the Intermountain regions. The Old Farmer's Almanac Spring 2026 Weather Forecast The Old Farmer's Almanac's long range weather predictions for April and May in the Northeast region call for warmer-than-average temperatures, especially in May, where they forecast three degrees above normal, and precipitation below average in both months. When does spring 2026 start? When is spring equinox 2026? Spring starts on the spring equinox in the Northern Hemisphere, which will occur on Friday, March 20, at 10:46 a.m. ET. Advertisement Advertisement The spring equinox, also known as the vernal equinox, is the moment when the sun crosses the celestial equator, marking the start of astronomical spring in the Northern Hemisphere, resulting in nearly equal hours of day and night globally due to the Earth's axial tilt. What The Old Farmer's Almanac says about spring for Pennsylvania? Pennsylvania's spring temperatures in the Appalachians are predicted to be slightly warmer than usual, and precipitation will range from below-normal rainfall in the north to above normal in the south, according to The Old Farmer's Almanac forecast. While temperatures aren't expected to be as warm as their neighboring states to the north or along the Atlantic corridor, such as New Jersey and Delaware, they are all predicted to get below-normal rainfall, precipitation. The southwest region of Pennsylvania, hugging the Ohio Valley region, is an exception where it is forecast to get the warm and "wet" spring weather. How accurate is The Old Farmer's Almanac? "Overall, our accuracy rate in forecasting the direction of temperature departure for a representative city in each region was 44.4%," The Old Farmer's Almanac says. "This makes last winters total accuracy rate 64%, below our traditional average rate of 80%, a reflection of how abnormal recent weather patterns have been." Advertisement Advertisement The 2026 Almanac states they use three disciplines to forecast: solar science, climatology, and meteorology. Temperature and precipitation levels are compared with historical averages. Many weather experts aren't fans of the almanac's claims of near 80% accuracy, as a University of Illinois study published in Weatherwise magazine in 1981 found that the almanac was only 51.9% accurate in monthly precipitation forecasts and 50.7% accurate in monthly temperature forecasts over a five-year period. This article originally appeared on Delaware News Journal: Old Farmer's Almanac spring predictions say PA will be warm and dry Americans are frustrated with politics, and one group claims to have the answer. Self-appointed election reformers promise that if we enact their plans, things will get better. One problem is that they have a lot of different, conflicting proposals. Worse, many of them would double-down on past reform mistakes. A recent string of losses on state ballot measures should be a wake-up call for reformers if theyre willing to learn. Just two years ago, ranked-choice voting (RCV) was hot and the it reform according to a Minnesota political science professor interviewed by NPR. Maine had adopted RCV in 2016 and Alaska in 2020. It was used in a slew of cities and towns, including a dozen in Utah under a statewide pilot project. Money was flooding into ballot measure campaigns in six states pushing what Politico Magazine had dubbed the hottest political reform. The party ended on election night. Voters rejectedandelectoralsystemballotmeasures,2024#Results) RCV in purple Arizona and Nevada, red Idaho and Montana, and blue Colorado and Oregon. It was adopted in the District of Columbia, but only because RCV was bundled with other, more popular, changes. In Alaska, RCV survived a repeal effort by just 737 votes and another repeal campaign is already underway. Advertisement Advertisement Undeterred, RCV groups narrowed their focus for 2026 to Michigan. Yet that campaign is already over, after lackluster fundraising and strong opposition left it without enough signatures to reach the ballot. The pilot project in Utah is winding down after most of the cities that tried RCV later rejected it. And since 2022, 17 states have proactively banned the use of RCV in their elections. So why has RCV gone from hot to not? One reason is, as it gets used in a few places, people can see that it fails to live up to the hype. This is a common theme with political reforms. Advocates claim to have the answer, yet never seem to fix anything. And in some cases, they make things worse. Consider campaign finance reform. The late Sen. John McCain promised 25 years ago that he would get the government out of the hands of the special interests, the big-money people. His Bipartisan Campaign Reform Act passed, making it much harder for political parties to raise and spend money, but now that money and a lot more money goes to less accountable, less transparent political groups. Sen. McCain complained that, in 2000, lobbyists spent $1.4 billion in Washington, DC. Yet a quarter century after McCain passed his signature reform, that amount has only grown, reaching a record high $4.5 billion in 2024. Advertisement Advertisement Campaign finance reform failed, and it made things worse. By piling on new regulations, it tipped the scales in favor of bigger groups that can afford lots of lawyers and accountants. And by weakening parties, McCains bipartisan reform made politics less accountable and more extreme. Todays would-be reformers include some of the same people and organizations that pushed campaign finance reform, but instead of owning up to past mistakes, theyre doubling down. Reforms like RCV and open or top-two primary elections are designed to further weaken political parties. Those organizations are easy to criticize, but as weve seen, the alternatives are shadowy groups and nastier politics. Healthy parties are essential for a healthy democratic process. They engage voters in a way that is bigger than individual candidates, more focused on ideas, and more willing to compromise and look to the future. Voters seem to be catching on, at least when it comes to RCV. While those pushing the change promise kinder, gentler politics, research from Maine found just the opposite there. Oakland, California, uses RCV and their last mayor was recalled and then indicted. The system fails to make things better but does add complexity and delays. Who needs that? RCV campaigns spent more than $100 million pushing failed state ballot measures in 2024. They lost their one campaign this year, in Michigan, before the year even began. Reformers should pay attention to voters, who understand that tinkering with our elections comes at a cost. Public policy is rarely about solutions its about tradeoffs, and also learning from the past. The last thing Americans need are reforms like RCV that double down on past election reform mistakes. At present, as Uzbekistan continues to pursue a consistent policy of openness and international cooperation, special attention is being paid to expanding practical dialogue with leading countries and regions around the world. Through the initiatives of our countrys leader, strategic partnership relations are acquiring new substance, opening new directions in the economic, investment and spiritual spheres. One of the important steps in this direction was President Shavkat Mirziyoyevs reception of a business delegation that included Elder David A. Bednar, a distinguished leader and a member of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, and Miles Hansen, chairman of the Stirling Foundation. The meeting was of great significance. During the meeting, it was emphasized that the strategic partnership between Uzbekistan and the United States has been developing steadily. In this context, the parties discussed prospects for expanding trade, economic and investment cooperation with the state of Utah, as well as implementing joint projects in the fields of digitalization, education and social protection. Elder David A. Bednar meets with a delegation from the Office of the Advisor to the President, Mr. Ruslanbek Davletov. | Church News It was also noted that there is significant potential for cooperation in such areas as innovation, the mining industry, womens entrepreneurship, inclusive education, health care, water supply and sanitation. At the conclusion of the meeting, an agreement was reached to organize a visit of a delegation headed by the governor of Utah to Uzbekistan in order to further strengthen interregional cooperation. Advertisement Advertisement These processes are creating opportunities not only for advancing economic and political spheres but also for studying best practices aimed at ensuring social stability and the harmony of the spiritual environment. This is because the state of Utah is recognized today as a region distinguished by dynamic economic growth, social stability, and a harmonious moral and cultural climate. Utahs strengths This state is consistently mentioned in various international ratings and analytical center reports as one of the most stable and socially advanced regions in the United States. According to data from the Utah Foundation, in 2021, Utah ranked among the top 10 U.S. states in the Social Capital Index. This indicator reflects levels of public trust, economic stability, strength of family relationships, social cohesion and civic engagement. The states economic development has also been progressing in a steady and sustainable manner. Based on data from the U.S. Census Bureau and the Gardner Policy Institute, Utahs economy has grown in recent years at rates exceeding the national average. Advertisement Advertisement In 2024, the real growth of the GDP surpassed the nationwide indicators. Moreover, between 2010 and 2020, the population increased by 18%, making Utah one of the fastest-growing states in America. This demonstrates a high quality of life and continually improving living conditions for families in Utah. The population of Utah has a high level of education: more than 60% of residents aged 25-64 hold higher or secondary specialized degrees. Accordingly, it can be said that the states economy has a large share of highly qualified personnel. Naturally, this has turned the state into a region that exports science and scholars. From a demographic perspective, Utah holds a unique place in the United States. According to data presented in 2024, the average age of the population is 32.4, making it the youngest demographic indicator in the country (the national average age is 39.1). A large share of the young generation creates a foundation for economic dynamism, innovation potential and stable labor market development. According to research by the Utah Foundation, levels of social trust, family well-being and civic engagement among the population are notably high. These factors have made Utah one of the most exemplary states in America not only economically but also spiritually. How religion in Utah affects public life One of the key forces ensuring stability and cohesion in Utahs social life is religion. Advertisement Advertisement Here, religion is not merely worship or tradition. On the contrary, it has become an integral part of peoples lifestyles, interpersonal relations and the overall moral environment. Religious values, harmoniously blended with local customs and traditions, unite people and strengthen the sense of mutual assistance and responsibility. In this regard, Utahs experience attracts global interest: in a society where economic achievements coexist harmoniously with moral and ethical priorities, stability and prosperity become a natural state. In many respects, Utah differs from other regions. The role of religion in public life, its influence on social relations, and its importance in strengthening the unity and cohesion of the population deserve particular recognition. Religious organizations operating in the state serve not only as places of worship but also as important moral and social centers. Advertisement Advertisement They actively participate in almost all spheres of public life. Their responsibilities include assisting families in need, preparing youth for education and employment, supporting the materially and spiritually vulnerable, and promoting volunteerism. Thus, in the activities of religious organizations, the needs of society occupy a central place, and their mission is to alleviate peoples difficulties and help raise individuals to become independent and responsible members of society. Elder Paul Picard, Area Seventy (far left), Elder Bednar, Miles Hansen, President of the Stirling Foundation (far left); Elder David A. Bednar (centre left); Elder Jack N. Gerard, Europe Central Area Presidency (centre right) and the delegation from the National Agency of Social Protection. | Church News Social structure In Utahs social structure, the family holds special importance. Therefore, the state has established a systematic framework for organizing parental education courses, counseling programs on marriage and family relations, and educational and moral training activities for children and adolescents. Through special programs for youth, their interest in work, community service, science and culture is strengthened. As a result, young people learn not only to assist others but also to develop a sense of responsibility and solidarity. Advertisement Advertisement Utahs social programs are aimed at providing comprehensive support to citizens, combating poverty aggressively, developing education and ensuring employment. At the heart of this approach lies the principle of helping a person return to an independent life through work. Today, modern Utah stands as a model for the whole world by demonstrating through real, measurable results the idea of prosperity through labor. Here, assistance is not viewed merely as charity, but is delivered through a system designed to restore a persons activity and responsibility. As a result of such systematic and humane efforts, social equality, compassion and a strong sense of community have taken root in Utahs society. This very experience of Utah can serve as an example not only for America but also for other countries, including Uzbekistan nations with rich spiritual traditions. This is because Utahs model vividly demonstrates that religion can function as a time-tested social force grounded in universal human values within a modern society. The Utah experience also represents a refined example of balance and mutual respect in relations between the state and religion. In this state, although clear boundaries exist between governmental institutions and religious organizations, they do not interfere with one anothers functions. Instead, they cooperate toward a shared goal of human well-being and social stability. Religion and the state At the foundation of this cooperation lies an important truth: Religion and the state are not rivals, but two wings that together serve the human being. In Utah, the state does not prioritize or grant privileges to any religious organization, yet it values their positive contribution to society. For the government, religion is a matter of personal belief as well as an important social factor in fostering a healthy moral environment. Therefore, in policy, the state remains neutral, while in society, it supports the positive role of religion. Advertisement Advertisement This is reflected in various spheres. For example, state institutions cooperate with religious organizations in implementing social programs: in the fields of poverty reduction, educational development, strengthening families and enhancing moral education among youth, religious organizations and government agencies work together in harmony. In Utah, volunteerism is organized in a systematic manner, and its cooperation with state institutions in providing assistance to the population is particularly effective. The government provides material support to citizens, while religion strengthens their spiritual resilience. Thus, together they serve to meet both the physical and spiritual needs of individuals. In Utahs experience, religion remains separate from political processes. Churches do not support political parties or candidates, and they do not interfere in public administration. This ensures that religion is preserved as a purely moral, educational force and a social reality. However, distancing itself from politics does not mean distancing itself from society. Religion plays an active role in the daily life of citizens. In particular, religious teachings play an important role in areas such as family relations, education, morality and social cohesion. Understanding Uzbekistan The experience of Utah and the recent trajectory of Uzbekistan although emerging from two societies far apart geographically affirm a common truth: Religion is not only worship but also a source of enlightenment, humanism and social stability. Advertisement Advertisement Although both have developed within different historical and cultural contexts, they are united by a deep belief in the positive role of religion in social life. Over the past eight years, Uzbekistan has implemented large-scale reforms aimed at ensuring harmony between religion and society. At the initiative of President Shavkat Mirziyoyev, while maintaining the principle of separation of religion and state, the role of religion in the countrys spiritual and educational life has been reevaluated. During his meeting with religious leaders on June 19, 2018, President Mirziyoyev stated, Religion must be a source of enlightenment and goodness. These words defined the spiritual direction and historical foundation of this policy and became an important guiding principle for all religious organizations, academic institutions and members of society in the country. As the president of Uzbekistan has profoundly emphasized, it is necessary to support religion kept away from politics, yet close to the spiritual and moral education of society. On this basis, a new stage began in the state policy toward the religious sphere, one aimed at ensuring harmony between religious education, science and culture. Advertisement Advertisement In recent years, Uzbekistan has established the Center for Islamic Civilization, along with the Imam Bukhari, Imam Termiziy, Imam Maturidi and Bahauddin Naqshband scientific centers. These institutions not only promote religious knowledge but also serve to strengthen the nations spiritual identity. Through these centers, religious knowledge is integrated with modern scientific approaches, with the aim of nurturing individuals who are intellectually and spiritually mature. President Mirziyoyev stated, Today we must instill in our youth the true humanistic essence of our religion, which is based on enlightenment, compassion, and kindness. This is the most important task for our future. Thus, in Uzbekistan, religion is viewed not merely as a sphere of worship, but as an important component of the system of enlightenment and education. As in Utahs experience, in Uzbekistan, the state does not interfere in religious affairs, yet it supports the positive social role that religion plays. It is worth noting that this approach is in harmony with the ideas put forward by our great theologian ancestors such as Abu Mansur al-Maturidi and Abu Muin al-Nasafi. According to their teachings as well, any religion and religious doctrine must strictly and unwaveringly adhere to the existing legal framework. Advertisement Advertisement As a result of Uzbekistans forward-looking policy, an environment of religious freedom and tolerance has strengthened throughout the country. Today, representatives of various confessions and denominations live in peace and harmony, and religious organizations contribute to different spheres of social life. At the same time, state institutions are expanding cooperation with religious organizations in social fields. For example, youth upbringing, family relations and the formation of a culture of tolerance in society have become important aspects of this cooperation. In Utahs society, religion calls people not only to worship, but also to serve the community. Similar ideas are gaining strength in Uzbekistan as well. President Shavkat Mirziyoyev emphasized this by stating: We must deeply understand and embody in our lives the true essence of Islam, our peoples centuries-old religion which is based on tolerance, peace, compassion, and the pursuit of knowledge. When comparing the paths of Utah and Uzbekistan, a common feature emerges: In both cases, religion is understood as a unifying force that creates a morally healthy environment in society. In Utah, religious organizations actively cooperate with the educational system. For example, fields such as religious studies, ethics and social philosophy are well developed at universities, and volunteerism has become an integral part of education. In Uzbekistan, the system of religious and educational training has entered a new stage. At institutions such as the Uzbekistan International Islamic Academy and higher and secondary religious education institutions under the Muslim Board of Uzbekistan, young people are not only mastering religious knowledge but also deeply engaging with modern sciences. This process ensures the harmony of knowledge and religion while strengthening freedom of thought and belief in society. In both Utah and Uzbekistan, religion places the human being at the center. Religion encourages people toward goodness, fosters social cohesion and helps the state maintain moral stability. In Uzbekistan, this direction is closely linked with the grand ideals of the New Uzbekistan and the campaign for Enlightenment against Ignorance. As President Shavkat Mirziyoyev emphasized: New Uzbekistan is, first and foremost, a society where goodness, tolerance, and compassion are paramount. This idea aligns with the core principle observed in Utah: ensuring moral stability through the harmony of religion and society. A model for global societies Although the world is home to diverse cultures and religions, there are universal values that unite them. The experiences of Utah and Uzbekistan demonstrate that when properly guided, religion becomes a source of enlightenment, humanism and social stability. A similarity between the two societies is that religion has not been transformed into a political instrument; rather, it is valued as a source of morality. This principle remains relevant in todays global world: religion is not a divisive force, but a unifying one, guiding individuals toward goodness and society toward stability. The experiences of Utah and Uzbekistan provide dual evidence of this truth. In this model, religion not only strengthens personal faith but also encourages participation in community life, helping others and living responsibly principles essential for any society. First, religion enhances social responsibility. In Utah, the activities of religious organizations play an invaluable role in cultivating public consciousness. Such a system reinforces compassion, respect, and a sense of responsibility among people. In this way, religion motivates individuals not only to worship but also to act humanely and positively influence the lives of others. Second, trust between religion and the state ensures social stability. In Utah, government and religious organizations operate on the basis of mutual respect and trust. The state does not interfere in religious affairs but fully understands their social significance. Religion, in turn, creates a positive moral environment without engaging in politics, guiding people to live justly and conscientiously. Third, religion is not only worship but also love, enlightenment and service. In Utah, the core principle of religious life is caring for individuals and benefiting the community. Through religion, both moral and social issues among people are addressed, demonstrating an effective way to direct religious activity toward societal development. Consistent reforms in the social and religious-educational sphere contribute to the integration of religion with enlightenment. Religion in society From Utahs experience, one can conclude that actively applying religion in society as a force for enlightenment and social cohesion can unite people while strengthening responsibility and compassion. Therefore, religion must serve as a source of personal faith, societal service, spiritual purification and moral maturity, a principle that has historically proven true. In this sense, Uzbekistan is developing its national model of religion as a moral force that serves both individuals and society. On this honorable path, Uzbekistans centuries-old rich heritage, the wisdom of its great ancestors, their unique works and foreign experiences tested through hardships undoubtedly serve as essential sources of guidance. Elizabeth Camara, a No Kings rally counterprotester holds a sign protesting against the transportation package Democratic lawmakers passed during a special session earlier this year in Salem, Oregon. (Photo by Mia Maldonado/Oregon Capital Chronicle) Democratic leaders in the Oregon Legislature want to move a statewide vote on transportation taxes from November to May. After submitting enough signatures to the Oregon Secretary of States Office, petitioners with the Republican-led No Tax Oregon campaign blocked hikes to the gas tax, vehicle registration and title fees and payroll tax included in a 2025 transportation law from taking effect pending a statewide vote in the November general election thus delaying $791.2 million in revenue for the Oregon Department of Transportation in the 2025-27 budget cycle. Advertisement Advertisement However, House Speaker Julie Fahey, D-Eugene and Senate President Rob Wagner, D-Lake Oswego announced late Wednesday that they will introduce legislation to set the date of the referendum for the statewide primary election on May 19. Voters were clear that they want to have a say on this bill, and legislators and our local partners need to know the transportation funding landscape so meaningful conversations can continue, Wagner said in a statement. Setting the election date for May achieves both these goals. Senate President Rob Wagner and House Speaker Julie Fahey speak to reporters shortly after midnight on Saturday, June 28, 2025. (Julia Shumway/Oregon Capital Chronicle) But Republicans vowed to fight the effort to reschedule a vote. Rep. Ed Diehl, a Scio Republican and one of the leaders behind the referendum campaign called Democrats efforts to move it to May callous. (Gov. Tina Kotek) doesnt want to be on the same ballot as this referendum, Diehl told the Capital Chronicle. Im going to fight it tooth and nail. Theyre not going to get away with this. Advertisement Advertisement Kotek and legislators will be on primary ballots in May, but only Democratic ballots. Oregons closed primary system means only registered Democrats receive Democratic ballots and registered Republicans get Republican ballots, while the more than one-third of voters who arent affiliated with either major party receive shorter primary ballots with only ballot measures and nonpartisan races. Fahey said setting the referendum date for the May primary gives lawmakers and Oregonians the needed clarity on the next steps for Oregons transportation future. In this time of uncertainty, were focused on governing, not politics, Fahey said. That means acting as quickly as possible to prevent disruption in our transportation system and to protect the roads and bridges that connect Oregonians to work, school and emergency services. Transportation department short on funding The transportation department is behind $242 million for the current two-year budget cycle. Starting next year, it will only be able to afford paving its interstates, meaning Oregon drivers can expect more potholes, rutted roads, faded pavement markings and higher vehicle repair costs, department chief engineer Tova Peltz previously told lawmakers. Advertisement Advertisement The efforts to move the referendum come weeks after Gov. Tina Kotek called on lawmakers to repeal the transportation law she championed and Democratic lawmakers passed in a September special session to raise $4.3 billion in transportation maintenance funding over the next 10 years. However, a 1935 Oregon Attorney General opinion states the Oregon Legislature cant repeal a law once it has been referred to the ballot. Rep. Ed Diehl, R-Scio, was a lead petitioner in the No Tax Oregon campaign, which blocked portions of a 2025 transportation law from taking effect. In this photo, he greets supporters at a campaign launch event for his bid for governor in the May primary. (Photo by Mia Maldonado/Oregon Capital Chronicle) Chief Legislative Counsel Dexter Johnson wrote a legal opinion to Diehl on Jan. 9 that if the legislature repeals the transportation law, then it ceases to be an act which means there is no longer a basis for a referendum. But Johnson since reversed his opinion, Diehl said, concluding that Oregonians have a right to the referendum process and the Legislature cannot repeal a measure that has been referred, though it can set a date for the election. Lawmakers have done this before. Transportation legislation passed in the 1999 session was referred by voters and went to the ballot in May 2000. Advertisement Advertisement Kotek told the Capital Chronicle that shes focused on providing stability to the transportation department so it can provide essential services. Im focused on solving the problem, and thats, to me, the easiest thing to do, Kotek said. The most direct approach is to start over, then solve the problem, and then get back to the table on what we need to do for transportation long term as we go into the next session in 2027. Republicans criticize attempts to move referendum to May Diehl was a lead petitioner for the campaign alongside Senate Minority Leader Bruce Starr, R-Dundee, and Jason Williams, director of the Taxpayer Association of Oregon. On Nov. 12, they received approval from the Oregon Secretary of State to begin collecting signatures to refer the law to the ballot, and within a month the group submitted nearly 200,000 signatures. When we did the referendum, we marked that box that says we want it on the November 2026 ballot, he said. We got all the signatures, all verified for November 2026. This ship has sailed. I know they have the legal right to move it, but November is the peoples day to vote. Thats when the people show up to vote in the general election. Advertisement Advertisement Starr echoed Diehls concerns, noting that primaries usually have less voter turnout than general elections. In the states last gubernatorial election year in 2022, voter turnout reached 37% in the primary, compared to 67% in the general election. Republicans have been clear from the beginning that we can balance ODOTs budget without raising taxes, and that is exactly what we are working to do, Starr said. We are having real conversations about priorities and accountability, and that is how governing is supposed to work. Manipulating the election calendar to avoid political consequences is not how Oregonians expect their government to operate. Gubernatorial candidate Sen. Christine Drazan, R-Canby, also criticized the attempts to move the referendum. This is what desperation looks like, Drazan said in a statement. Tina Kotek is afraid of being on the same ballot as her gas tax. At the end of the day she cant avoid Oregonians; they will hold her accountable. Advertisement Advertisement Oregonians rallied together in record time to advance the referendum, and for the first time Democrats are realizing the power of the political minority, House Republican Leader Lucetta Elmer, R-McMinnville, said in a statement. If this policy is so good, it should stand on its own on a full, general election ballot, Elmer said. Trying to tuck it away in an off-cycle election only confirms what the people already know: this gas tax is unpopular, and the public deserves a real say. SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX Oregon Capital Chronicle Reporter Shaanth Nanguneri contributed to this story. A former Oregon firefighter was sentenced to federal prison Jan. 20 for ordering live-streamed videos of child sexual abuse and for traveling to the Philippines to sexually abuse children himself, the U.S. Attorney's Office for Oregon said in a release. Kenneth Green, 57, of St. Helens, was working for the Lake Oswego Fire Department when he committed the crimes. He was sentenced to 12.5 years in federal prison and a lifetime of supervised release, the U.S. Attorney's office said. He must also pay a $50,000 special assessment to a fund for child pornography victims. Advertisement Advertisement Federal prosecutors say Green paid child sex traffickers to abuse kids on livestreams from 2017 through 2019. He gave the traffickers specific instructions, which they would carry out and livestream for him, according to court documents. Law enforcement seized devices from Green's residence upon obtaining a search warrant that revealed more chats with traffickers. Green spent months planning a trip to the Philippines to abuse children in 2019, officials said. He discussed travel, accommodations and sexual abuse of kids ranging in age from 9 to 17. That November, Green traveled to the Philippines in order to have sex with minors, officials said. When he arrived in the country, Green said he was sick and could not meet with the trafficker. A federal grand jury in February of 2024 indicted Green on four counts of exploitation of children, receiving child pornography, interstate travel with the intent to engage in illicit sexual activity, and attempted foreign sex tourism. In October of 2025, Green pleaded guilty to sexual exploitation of children and interstate travel with intent to engage in illicit sexual activity. Eder Campuzano is the local news editor for the Statesman Journal. He can be reached at ecampuzano@statesmanjournal.com. Find him on Bluesky at @ederc.bsky.social or Threads @ederc. This article originally appeared on Salem Statesman Journal: Oregon firefighter traveled to Philippines to have sex with children Orlando Health Watson Clinic Lakeland Highlands Hospital will hold a hiring event at Polk State Colleges Lakeland campus from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Saturday, Jan. 31. This event is open to the public. While no registration is required and walk-ins are welcome, interested individuals are encouraged to review open positions at OrlandoHealth.com/Lakeland and may apply online in advance. Individuals are asked to bring a printed copy of their resume. Hiring managers will be onsite to speak with eligible candidates. The new Orlando Health Watson Clinic Lakeland Highlands hospital off Lakeland Highlands Road. The job fair will be divided into two categories: Advertisement Advertisement 9 a.m. to noon Recruiters will be talking with people applying for non-nursing and non-physician jobs, including clinical departments like therapy, respiratory, imaging, pharmacy, food and nutrition, environmental services, customer service and more. 1 to 4 p.m. Nursing and nursing support professionals will be interviewed in the afternoon. The event will be in Polk State College's Lakeland Technology Building (LTB), 3425 Winter Lake Road, Lakeland. This article originally appeared on The Ledger: Orlando Health Watson Clinic Lakeland Highlands Hospital hosts job fair Just dont lose me, Maggie Towne said to a friend at a Tuesday protest in Santa Fe. It was unlikely. Towne, arm-in-arm with husband Gary Pikarsky, was wearing an inflatable green frog suit a Christmas present from her husband of 20 years. Its an act of tactical frivolity, Towne said, a phrase she picked up from coverage of protests in Portland, Ore.: I think people have to keep their sense of humor. Im making people smile. Advertisement Advertisement The Abiquiu couple were among the crowds of people flooding the streets Tuesday to march from the Santa Fe Plaza to the state Capitol. More than 1,000 people turned out for the demonstration organizers put estimates at more than 1,500. The first day of the New Mexico legislative session, which also marked a year since President Donald Trumps second inauguration, protesters demonstrated against a mix of local, federal and international issues, including climate change and U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement patrols. Many carried pro-Palestine signs or wore keffiyehs, a traditional Palestinian shawl. One attendee stapled ICE OUT flyers to open wood fences and posts on the walk to the Capitol. 012026-GC_Protest02rgb.jpg Andrea Ramirez of Albuquerque poses for a portrait while sporting face paint one side painted to denounce ICE, while the other featured a Palestinian flag while protesters arrived at the New Mexico State Capitol on Tuesday, the first day of the legislative session. Advertisement Advertisement One sign urged state legislators to adopt the Clear Horizons Act, which would codify state emissions targets, and House Joint Resolution 3, or the Green Amendment, which would put to voters a proposal to enshrine the right to a clean environment in the state Constitution. Next to that, the same sign exhorted Europe to stand up to Trump and for the U.S. government to keep its hands off Greenland. The broad net was by design, said Jonathan Juarez, an organizer for Youth United for Climate Crisis Action, or YUCCA. The youth-led group, which has been organizing first day demonstrations at the Roundhouse for four years, was joined by two dozen partner organizations Tuesday. What were living through is not a collection of separate problems, Juarez said, speaking outside of the state Capitol building. It is overlapping crises, created by the same system, wearing different uniforms, passing different policies and speaking different languages. Advertisement Advertisement He added, But the harm always seems to land the same. One our bodies, on our land, on our families and ultimately on our future. A protester who goes by Mama Zeigh wore a red handprint across her face a symbol of the Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women movement. 012026-GC_Protest05rgb.jpg A protester who goes by Mama Zeigh begins to tear up during a prayer at the New Mexico State Capitol on Tuesday. Zeigh wore a red handprint across her face a symbol of the Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women movement.The Albuquerque resident, who is Latina, Native and Black, said she wanted to represent the Native side of New Mexico. Although she marched in Santa Fe, her thoughts were with Minnesota. Right now, if I had the financial capacity, Id be in Minnesota, Zeigh said. It makes me sad not to be on the front lines. This is the back end. This is just the hind leg. Advertisement Advertisement The Albuquerque resident, who is Latina, Native and Black, said she wanted to represent the Native side of New Mexico. Although she marched in Santa Fe, her thoughts were with Minnesota. Right now, if I had the financial capacity, Id be in Minnesota, Zeigh said. It makes me sad not to be on the front lines. This is the back end. This is just the hind leg. But she sees the protest as a kind of preventive measure; she doesnt want to see the same thing happen in New Mexico. We got to bring awareness to the fact that its coming, Zeigh said. Minnesota is coming here. Minnesota is coming to Albuquerque. Minnesota is coming to Santa Fe. Advertisement Advertisement For Towne, keeping ICE out of New Mexico and medical malpractice reform are two of her priorities in the upcoming legislative session. In Abiquiu, she said, clinics have struggled to keep doctors. Presbyterian is a wonderful little hospital, and theyre hanging in there, but the dental clinic cant seem to hold onto a dentist, Towne said. I mean, turnover, turnover, turnover. Bobbe Besold carried a circular sign painted with the words water protector. On the flip side, she had painted a turtle and the words Protect and honor Mother Earth. Water is life, water is the first medicine, Besold said. Water is the reason were all standing around here. Advertisement Advertisement Besold said she fears people suffer from amnesia when it comes to water issues. Besold is concerned about the reuse of produced water, a byproduct of the fracking process, and increased water demands from data centers and artificial intelligence infrastructure. Tony Malmed, a longtime local business owner, said he believe the majority of the demonstrators also had an eye on environmental issues. But other issues may feel more acute and immediate this year. Malmed said he was encouraged by the number of young people hitting the streets. Terry Brewer, a fine artist and frequent protester in the Santa Fe area, agreed. Its so good to finally see kids out, Brewer said. BAY COUNTY, Fla. (WMBB) The future of the downtown Panama City marina is in the hands of the people. Panama City held its first of three charrettes on Wednesday night. The charrettes are a platform for residents to share what they want and dont want to see built on the marina. We want to see a lot of open spaces and a lot of places for families and children and everyone to enjoy our biggest asset, I would say, in Panama City, resident Teresa Sheffield said. Advertisement Advertisement Most residents are in favor of a potential amphitheater, aquarium, public restroom, boat ramp, or neighborhood square. I think that its important that we celebrate multiple cultures. So, weve got the fishing culture, and weve got the arts culture thats pretty new, right? Especially to Panama City, resident Brandon Henderson-Jansenius said. Some residents said they see the benefit of having residential buildings on the uplands, but most locals at the charette were opposed to building homes in the area. But most residents agreed on one thing. I dont want to see a parking garage, Sheffield said. Advertisement Advertisement If you look behind us, nobody wants to see a parking garage, Henderson-Jansenius said. Urban design firm Dover, Kohl & Partners is leading the planning effort and has been since 2019, after Hurricane Michael. One of the things theyve said from the very beginning is that the waters edge belongs to the public and it needs to have continuous public access. So that walkway that goes around the Hotel Indigo is there because it was one of the things that citizens demanded in the 2019 plan, town planner and urban designer Victor Dover said. Now Dover, Kohl & Partners is gathering more opinions on what the waterfront should look like. Advertisement Advertisement Then theyll create design plan options based on which ideas were most popular among residents and present them in March or April. But one thing is clear: progress is ramping up along the waterfront downtown. I think the word tonight was were starting with a blank slate here in downtown. The city has already invested in the bulkheads, which are kind of that foundation around it. Weve got St. Joe, whos been a great partner with the city, came in and spent nearly $40 million of their own money that didnt cost the city a dime to build a hotel and to go into Harrisons restaurant and grill. And so that really, that you know, it just the excitement is palpable, Panama City City Manager Jonathan Hayes said. Dover said hes impressed by how fast the city of Panama City is moving with progress since Hurricane Michael. And he said that speed is a good thing. Advertisement Advertisement There are two more opportunities to make your voice heard. Thursday from 12 p.m. to 2 p.m., theres an open house and planning session in room 10 of City Hall. And theres another from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. on Thursday in the rotunda. Copyright 2026 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to mypanhandle.com. PANAMA CITY, Fla. (WMBB) A Panama City woman was arrested on Monday after she allegedly poisoned her roommates spaghetti with a cleaning solution. According to court documents, Carolyn Marie Chalfant, 63, added bleach or peroxide to the leftover spaghetti that was set out for the victim. This was allegedly after the victims wife and children finished eating. Panama City Police reported that once the victim returned home, Chalfant turned on the stove to reheat the spaghetti, and after the victim made himself a bowl. Advertisement Advertisement Panama City man indicted for unlawful possession of a firearm by a felon It was reported that the victim realized it tasted odd after he ate about four bites. His wife then tasted the spaghetti and told him not to eat anymore because it smelled like bleach. Officers said that after inspecting the bottom of the pan, they noticed it no longer had the color of the spaghetti sauce. Officers also reported that earlier in the day, the victim noticed two bottles of peroxide on the counter near the kitchen. Chalfant was arrested for poisoning food, water, or medicine with the intent to kill or injure. Copyright 2026 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to mypanhandle.com. House Speaker Don Scott and Del. Adele McClure join parents and advocates for early childhood and access for a gathering in Richmond on Jan. 21, 2026. (Nathaniel Cline/Virginia Mercury) Kaila Brewer, a Chesapeake mother and special education teacher, had to leave her job during the COVID-19 pandemic to care for her five-year-old son, who is autistic. Child care services were scarce at the time, and the few available could not accommodate her childs special needs. It was extremely disheartening I felt like my child was unwanted or pushed aside, Brewer said. Advertisement Advertisement That experience spurred her to advocate alongside other parents and supporters at the state Capitol on Wednesday and urge lawmakers to expand early childhood care options.The group addressed the urgent demand for high-quality child care and pressed for the state to increase child care investments to benefit more families. A recent survey found that 65% of Virginia employers said their workers struggle to find open child care slots and more than 85% cited cost as a major burden for their employees. During the pandemic, the federal government distributed relief funds to states, including Virginia, to stabilize child care providers, expand subsidy programs and increase access. But after the funds expired in 2023, a gap was left for the commonwealth to fill. Advertisement Advertisement Lawmakers and then-Gov. Glenn Youngkin responded by investing nearly $1 billion in child care. House Speaker Don Scott, D-Portsmouth, said lawmakers invested around $900 million in child care over the past two budget cycles during a meeting with parents Wednesday morning. He also proposed successful legislation that made the commonwealth the first to create a child care reimbursement program for his colleagues in the House. I understand how important early child care is, Scott said. If Im not known for anything else when I leave this job as speaker, it would be that we have done everything that we can to make child care more affordable and more accessible in the commonwealth. Still, advocates are asking lawmakers to go further to make child care more accessible. Advertisement Advertisement The Virginia Promise Partnership, a coalition of organizations advocating for fully funding high-quality child care, is requesting a state investment of $681 million in the 2027-2028 biennial budget. The partnership said this will help meet families needs, compensate educators, keep classrooms open and incentivize employers to support employees child care needs. Tomashia Cornitcher, a parent and Family Connections for Kids First Years coordinator, said her family benefited from early childhood education. Shes now working with other parents to have the same opportunities. We are grateful for our representatives, Cornitcher said. However, we are still in dire need because that investment helped us prevent families from losing services, but did not extend access to more families who are on the wait list. VPM News reported last October that nearly 14,000 children were on a wait list for the Child Care Subsidy Program alone. Advertisement Advertisement Ryan OTooole, co-executive of Freedom Virginia, a coalition member, said another key priority is paying quality teachers fairly. If a child is in a child care program, those teachers are teaching, OToole said. It is not babysitting or caring until the parent comes home, but its early education that is crucial to a childs development and having a successful system that can promote economic mobility, that can promote economic stability, that helps businesses keep their employees. All of that only works if we have those providers. In addition to the child care challenges low-income families face, Cornitcher also said middle-class families are feeling the financial pinch. She said in some cases, families earn too much to qualify for free or low-cost early childhood education, and too little to afford private options. Advocates are backing legislative proposals aligned with Gov. Abigail Spanbergers plan, which underscores expanding access and strengthening the early child care workforce as the pathway for a stronger, more inclusive system. Advertisement Advertisement Sen. Lashrecse Aird, D-Petersburg, and Del. Adele McClure, D-Arlington, are carrying a proposal to create the Employee Child Care Assistance Program, which would allow employers to receive state matching funds to help pay for an employees child care. Sen. Mamie Locke, D-Hampton, and Del. Briana Sewell, D-Prince William, filed bills to expand Virginias Child Care Subsidy Program so more families qualify based on income. The proposal directs the Virginia Department of Education to create a phased reduction for the Child Care Subsidy Program, so aid decreases gradually as families earn more. Del. Jackie Glass, D-Norfolk, along with Locke, is also carrying legislation that would make child care subsidies decline more gradually as families earn more, rather than drop off abruptly. Advertisement Advertisement Del. Mike Cherry, R-Colonial Heights, told the Mercury he supports Glass legislation and wants to build on the commonwealths progress. We are ahead, and we will stay ahead, Cherry said. We want to continue to innovate and continue looking at what were doing how do we encourage people to upskill, how do we encourage people to make more money, to be more self-sufficient, to not need the subsidies? Its by providing them that safety net as they climb that corporate ladder, to be the resources for them, to encourage them to be better and to do more. SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX (WHTM) The Pennsylvania Emergency Management Agency is urging residents to prepare for the major winter storm expected to hit over the weekend, which could dump a foot of snow in some places. The agency says residents should plan ahead by making sure they have a place to stay indoors during the worst of the storm. Residents should also postpone travel if they can when the storm arrives on Saturday night and continues through Sunday. Close Advertisement Advertisement Thanks for signing up! Watch for us in your inbox. Subscribe Now Severe Weather Alerts Drivers can also check 511pa.com for travel conditions and road closures. Its also advised that residents keep their devices, such as cellphones and computers, charged in case they need to contact someone in an emergency. Having extra chargers, nonperishable food, and winter weather supplies in your car is also recommended, as is having at least half a tank of gas PEMA also says residents should gather the following supplies in case they are snowed in for several days. Bottled water Nonperishable food Snow supplies, such as ice melt and shovels Manual can opener Baby items, including diapers and formula Flashlight and batteries Blankets Pet food Advertisement Advertisement The agency also says you should think about how to stay warm and what to eat if you lose power, and to check in on older neighbors. abc27 has Weather Alerts available for mobile devices and email to help you plan for your snow day. Copyright 2026 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to ABC27. OLD SAYBROOK, Conn. (WTNH) A months-long investigation led to the arrest of a Pennsylvania woman allegedly connected to a multi-state motor vehicle theft operation, according to the Old Saybrook Police Department. Tiffine Kyte, 37, of Johnstown, Pennsylvania, is facing multiple charges related to an alleged motor theft operation across Connecticut, New York and New Jersey. Former Stratford teacher accused of running scam with school computers, selling stolen cars faces new felony charges Advertisement Advertisement On Feb. 5, 2025, officers responded to Vachon Buick GMC in Old Saybrook for a report of two previously stolen vehicles. Initial investigation revealed that the vehicles were taken after their key fobs had been cloned while suspects posed as potential customers the day prior. Multiple departments identified a consistent pattern of motor vehicle thefts across New England dating back to March 2024. Tiffine Kyte During the alleged thefts, suspects would pose as potential customers visiting dealerships to view specific vehicles. In each case, the vehicles key fob was cloned or swapped, and the vehicle was later stolen or a theft was attempted, according to police. Police said the group was responsible for seven motor vehicle thefts or theft attempts in Connecticut with a combined value exceeding $662,000. Advertisement Advertisement A racketeering arrest warrant was issued for Kyte. She was arrested in Warren County, New Jersey and extradited to Connecticut on Thursday. Waterbury police say more work needs to be done to tackle auto thefts She was charged with four counts of first-degree larceny of a motor vehicle and six counts of first-degree conspiracy to commit larceny of a motor vehicle, stemming from incidents in Glastonbury, Coventry, Ridgefield, Old Saybrook and Fairfield. Following this investigation, Old Saybrook police said they have been contacted by eight departments in New Jersey and three departments in New York, reporting nearly identical thefts. In total, police believe 20 vehicles were stolen or targeted across three states with a total value exceeding $2.4 million. Advertisement Advertisement This case highlights the value of strong partnerships between law enforcement agencies and the private sector, Old Saybrook Police Chief Onofrio said. Organized theft rings rely on opportunity and anonymity. When businesses, residents, and police share information and remain vigilant, we significantly reduce those opportunities and protect our communities. Evidence gathered by the Old Saybrook Police Department has been used by agencies in New York and New Jersey. Copyright 2026 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WTNH.com. By Marco Aquino LIMA, Jan 21 (Reuters) - Peruvian President Jose Jeri told lawmakers on Wednesday that calls for his removal over undisclosed meetings with a Chinese businessman are an attempt to destabilize his government and disrupt upcoming elections. Jeri, who took office in October after the expulsion of former President Dina Boluarte, addressed a congressional oversight committee that is investigating him for meetings with businessman Zhihua Yang on December 26 and January 6. Advertisement Advertisement "There is an intention, which investigations will surely determine who is behind it, to cause harm beyond just the person, to generate instability and to alter an ongoing electoral process," the president told the committee, emphasizing the need for transparency and responsibility in clarifying matters of public interest. Jeri's failure to publicly disclose the meetings as part of his official agenda sparked criticism over a lack of transparency and potential corruption. Opposition legislators are trying to advance motions to impeach or censure Jeri, 39, who is carrying out the current government's term until July. The meetings are also being investigated by the public prosecutor's office. In his defense before Congress, Jeri apologized for his off-agenda meetings with the Chinese businessman, stating that they discussed the upcoming celebration of an anniversary of Peruvian-Chinese ties. He admitted his mistake in holding the meeting in a "hidden" manner and denied receiving any "irregular" requests. Advertisement Advertisement Regarding the second meeting at one of the businessman's stores selling household goods and food, Jeri said he went to buy "various products, candies, and things like paintings, normal occurrences that have been deliberately distorted." Peru, which has had a revolving door of seven presidents since 2018 due to resignations or dismissals, is scheduled to hold elections on April 12 to choose a new president, 60 senators and 130 deputies. (Reporting by Marco Aquino; writing by Brendan O'Boyle; Editing by Alistair Bell) By Karen Lema MANILA, Jan 22 (Reuters) - Current ASEAN chair the Philippines said it looked forward to further talks with opponents of Myanmar's ruling junta, and expected to engage more groups while staying open to the outcome of its general elections, but has not endorsed the vote. Official results of the two completed rounds of voting in Myanmar's three-phase ballot show the majority of seats going to a party allied with the military, ahead of Sunday's third round. Advertisement Advertisement Despite low turnout, the junta has called the election "a victory for the people", saying it will bring political stability. "I'm not endorsing the elections," said ASEAN's special envoy on the Myanmar crisis, Ma. Theresa Lazaro. "Even as the Philippines, we are not endorsing the elections, but we're open to what should come up from these events unravelling before us," she told Reuters in an interview. Myanmar has been ravaged by conflict since a 2021 coup that triggered a protest movement, which was brutally suppressed by the military, unleashing a civil war with a loose alliance of rebel groups. Advertisement Advertisement While critics and some Western governments have called the election a one-sided sham to perpetuate army rule through civilian proxies, ASEAN has not sent observers to monitor it. STAKEHOLDERS' MET IN PHILIPPINES THIS WEEK Lazaro, who took on her post this year, said de-escalation, facilitating aid delivery and fostering political dialogue featured in a Manila-led "stakeholders' meeting" on the crisis held in the Philippine town of Tagaytay this week. The Chin National Front, an ethnic minority rebel group that holds territory near Myanmar's northern border with India, confirmed to Reuters it had attended the two-day meeting and praised Lazaro for early headway in talking to all sides. Advertisement Advertisement "This was a positive meeting," its spokesperson Salai Van said. "Within one month, ASEAN's new chair met with Myanmar stakeholders and we are optimistic about the situation." A junta spokesperson did not answer telephone calls to seek comment on Thursday. Myanmar's shadow National Unity Government did not immediately respond to a request for comment on the meeting, but Lazaro confirmed it had participated. The meeting followed Lazaro's visit to Myanmar this month, when she met ruling general Min Aung Hlaing in a "warm and constructive exchange of views", as Manila described the talks. Advertisement Advertisement Lazaro said she hoped more engagement drawing in other groups "that have to be heard" would follow the first meeting of stakeholders during the Philippines' term as chair of the ASEAN bloc. In a message on X, Lazaro said she was encouraged by the groups' "active, constructive and meaningful sharing of perspectives" on adopting a peace plan agreed in 2021 by the Association of Southeast Asian Nations and Myanmar. Lazaro said she supported a longer term for envoys instead of the current yearly rotation but said such changes would need to be discussed by the 11-member bloc. PEACE PLAN HAS MADE LITTLE PROGRESS AMID FIGHTING Advertisement Advertisement As fighting roiling swathes of the country, the peace plan, known as the ASEAN five-point consensus, has made little progress, however, aside from improvements in humanitarian access. Last year's ASEAN chair, Malaysia, had voiced optimism that its efforts to engage various sides in the conflict could bear fruit. A resource-rich former British colony governed by the military for most of the past six decades, Myanmar is grappling with one of Asia's worst humanitarian crises. Thousands have been killed in post-coup conflict in which the United Nations says 3.6 million people were displaced. (Reporting by Karen Lema; Additional reporting by Shoon Naing; Writing by Mikhail Flores and Martin Petty; Editing by Thomas Derpinghaus and Clarence Fernandez) The Pierce County Sheriffs Office (PCSO) says a violent struggle happened at the Ellyson Apartments in Tacoma, Wash., as deputies attempted to arrest a man accused of violating a protection order. The incident escalated when the suspect attempted to grab a deputys gun, according to PCSO. He grabbed at the gun several times before running and jumping from a third-story balcony, deputies say. Domestic violence is one of the most dangerous type of scenes that any of our deputies or any officer can go to, said Deputy Carly Cappetto with the Pierce County Sheriffs Office. Advertisement Advertisement It happened in the morning of Jan.13 on 104th St. S., near S. Steele St. Deputies were notified of the incident when the victim texted 911. A lot of people are not aware that you can text 911 to ask for help, Cappetto said. I think its made a big difference with our domestic violence victims, particularly because it is a safe way to contact 911, and get help there without alerting that person that could be agitated very quickly. Washingtons Emergency Management Division says calling 911 is still preferred, but texting is available when you cant. Photos, videos or emojis cannot be sent to 911 at this time. Advertisement Advertisement If youre texting 911, be sure to include your address. It is not always able to find your address from a message alone. You can read more about the states 911 text program here. The suspect was taken into custody and was treated at a hospital. PCSO says the suspect will face charges for violating the protection order, in addition to resisting arrest and assaulting police officers. Once the prosecutor reviews the whole thing, there could potentially be a handful more of charges that come down on that one, Cappetto said. EAU CLAIRE A man charged with armed robbery after a drug deal gone bad will be sentenced in March after reaching a plea agreement settling two cases. Izaya Sopiarz, 23, Eau Claire, pleaded no contest to charges of possession with intent to deliver narcotics, armed robbery as party to a crime and possession of a firearm by a felon. Prosecutors dropped enhancements for repeat offenses on the latter two charges as part of the agreement. The agreement also saw eight counts of bail jumping dropped, as well as charges of possession of narcotic drugs and drug paraphernalia. Advertisement Advertisement While each of the charges remaining is a felony, the armed robbery charge is by far the most serious. Its a Class C felony under Wisconsin law, which means it is punishable by up to 25 years in prison, 15 years extended supervision and fines of up to $100,000. There are indications the sentence wont approach that length. Both sides asked the court to follow a joint sentencing recommendation in which the defense can argue for any term and the prosecution will cap its recommendation at up to five years initial confinement. But part of that agreement allows the prosecution to seek consecutive sentences for each count. The armed robbery charges stem from a report last September, when Sopiarz and Patrick Woodruff were charged. According to the criminal complaint, a man said he had met with the two to purchase an Xbox game system, but was threatened with a pistol and a cut down AR-15 style rifle. Eventually the victim admitted the purchase was intended for $1,600 of marijuana. Woodruff has pleaded not guilty and is next due in court Friday. Nuclear weapons testing has affected every single human on the planet, causing at least four million premature deaths from cancer and other diseases over time, according to a new report delving into the deadly legacy. More than 2,400 nuclear devices were detonated in tests conducted worldwide between 1945 and 2017. Of the nine countries known to possess nuclear weapons -- Russia, the United States, China, France, the United Kingdom, Pakistan, India, Israel and North Korea -- only Pyongyang has conducted nuclear tests since the 1990s. Advertisement Advertisement But a new report from the Norwegian People's Aid (NPA) humanitarian organisation, provided exclusively to AFP, details how the effects of past tests are still being felt worldwide. "They poisoned us," Hinamoeura Cross, a 37-year-old Tahitian parliamentarian who was aged seven when France detonated its last nuclear explosion near her home in French Polynesia in 1996. Seventeen years later, she was diagnosed with leukaemia, in a family where her grandmother, mother and aunt already suffered from thyroid cancer. The explosions are known to have caused enduring and widespread harm to human health, societies and ecosystems. Advertisement Advertisement But the NPA report details over 304 pages how an ongoing culture of secrecy, along with lacking international engagement and a dearth of data, have left many affected communities scrambling for answers. "Past nuclear testing continues to kill today," said NPA chief Raymond Johansen, voicing hope the report would "strengthen the resolve to prevent nuclear weapons from ever being tested or used again". - 'Very dangerous' - The issue has gained fresh relevance after US President Donald Trump's suggestion last November that Washington could resume nuclear testing, accusing Russia and China of already doing so -- charges they rejected. Advertisement Advertisement "This is very, very, very dangerous," warned Ivana Hughes, a Columbia University chemistry lecturer and head of the Nuclear Age Peace Foundation, who contributed to the NPA report. "The nuclear testing period shows us that the consequences are extremely long-lasting and very serious," she told AFP. The heaviest burden of past tests has fallen on communities living near test sites, today located in 15 different countries, including many former colonies of nuclear-armed states. Survivors there continue to face elevated rates of illness, congenital anomalies and trauma. The impact is also felt globally. Advertisement Advertisement "Every person alive today carries radioactive isotopes from atmospheric testing in their bones," report co-author and University of South Carolina anthropology professor Magdalena Stawkowski told AFP. - Millions of early deaths - Hundreds of thousands of people around the globe are known to have already died from illnesses linked to past nuclear test detonations, the report highlighted. It pointed to strong scientific evidence connecting radiation exposure to DNA damage, cancer, cardiovascular disease and genetic effects, even at low doses. "The risks that radiation poses are really much greater than previously thought," report co-author Tilman Ruff told AFP. Advertisement Advertisement The atmospheric tests alone, which were conducted up to 1980, are expected over time to cause at least two million excess cancer deaths, he said. And "the same number of additional early deaths (are expected) from heart attacks and strokes", said Ruff, a Melbourne University public health fellow and co-founder of the International Campaign to Abolish Nuclear Weapons, which won the 2017 Nobel Peace Prize. Ionising radiation, or particles that can snap DNA bonds in cells and turn them cancerous, is "intensely biologically harmful", he said. "There is no level below which there are no effects". Advertisement Advertisement The risks are not uniform, with foetuses and young children most affected, and girls and women 52-percent more susceptible to the cancer-inducing effects of radiation than boys and men. - Culture of secrecy - The NPA report documented a persistent culture of secrecy among states that had tested nuclear weapons. In Kiribati, for instance, studies by Britain and the United States on health and environmental impacts remain classified, preventing victims from learning what was done to them. And in Algeria, the precise sites where France buried radioactive waste after its tests there remain undisclosed, the report said. Advertisement Advertisement None of the nuclear-armed states has ever apologised for the tests, and even in cases where they eventually acknowledged damage, the report said compensation schemes have tended to "function more to limit liability than to help victims in good faith". Local communities, meanwhile, frequently lack adequate healthcare and health screening, as well as basic risk education -- leaving people unaware of the dangers or how to protect themselves. "The harm is underestimated, it's under-communicated, and it's under-addressed," Stawkowski said. - 'Guinea pigs' - When Cross was diagnosed with leukaemia aged 24, she did not immediately blame the nuclear explosions in French Polynesia decades earlier. Advertisement Advertisement "France's propaganda was very powerful," she told AFP, adding that in school she had only learned about the tests' positive economic impact for France's South Pacific islands and atolls. She was later "shocked" to discover that rather than a handful of harmless "tests", France conducted 193 explosions in French Polynesia between 1966 and 1996. The biggest was around 200 times more powerful than the bomb the United States dropped on Hiroshima in 1945. "These weren't just tests. They were real bombs," she said, charging that her people had been treated as "guinea pigs" for decades. Advertisement Advertisement - 'Trauma' - Other communities near test sites have also borne a heavy burden. Hughes pointed to the impact of the United States' 15-megaton Bravo test at Bikini Atoll in the Marshall Islands on March 1, 1954 -- "equivalent to 1,000 Hiroshima bombs -- an absolute monstrosity". It vaporised one island and exposed thousands nearby to radioactive fallout. Rongelap, about 120 kilometres (75 miles) from Bikini, saw "vaporised coral atoll mixed in with radioactive isotopes falling onto the island from the sky, with the children thinking it was snow", Hughes said. The report criticised the "minimal" international response to the problem. It especially highlighted the nuclear-armed states' responsibility to scale up efforts to assess needs, assist victims and clean up contaminated environments. "We want to understand what happened to us," Cross said. "We want to heal from this trauma." nl/rjm/phz/ceg Poland must accept a penalty payment of 68.5 million ($80 million) over a dispute linked to the Turow mine, the European Court of Justice ruled on Thursday. The case concerns a long-running conflict over the open-cast lignite mine, which is close to the three-way border between Poland, Germany and the Czech Republic. The previous Polish government sought to expand operation at the site despite fears of environmental damage. Advertisement Advertisement The European Court of Justice ordered a halt to lignite mining in 2021 in response to a Czech lawsuit. When Poland did not comply, the court imposed a fine of 500,000 per day, with the funds set to be transferred to the European Union's budget. While an agreement with Prague was reached in 2022, the Polish government refused to pay the outstanding fine. The European Commission subsequently decided it would offset the sum against its payments to Poland, prompting Warsaw to file a lawsuit. In a ruling on Thursday, the Luxembourg-based court said the commission's move was legal, confirming a decision by the lower-instance General Court. The Polish agreement with the Czech Republic could not result in a court order being retroactively amended or revoked, the judges ruled. WARSAW, Jan 22 (Reuters) - Poland said on Thursday it had detected heightened activity of small drones near its border with Belarus on Wednesday evening, in a further sign of tensions after an airspace violation involving suspected smuggling balloons last week. The violation saw the summoning of the Belarusian envoy in Warsaw on Wednesday. Relations between Minsk and Warsaw have sunk to new lows since Belarus's ally Russia invaded Ukraine in 2022, with disputes over illegal migration and smuggling raising tensions created by the war even further. Advertisement Advertisement "On Wednesday, January 21, 2026, in the evening hours, increased activity of small-sized unmanned aerial vehicles operating over the Polish-Belarusian border was observed," the Polish military's operational command wrote on X. It said that no threat to the safety of Polish airspace was detected. "At the same time, it should be emphasized that this type of incident fits into hybrid actions undertaken by the Belarusian side, aimed at destabilizing the security situation and testing (Poland's) airspace defense system." In Lithuania, smuggling balloons drifting over the Belarusian border have forced repeated shutdowns at the airport in the capital Vilnius, in what authorities call a "hybrid attack" by Belarus, a Kremlin ally. In December Lithuania declared a state of emergency due to the incursions. (Reporting by Karol Badohal; Editing by Raju Gopalakrishnan, Alexandra Hudson) STAR-ADVERTISER STAR-ADVERTISER Honolulu police today arrested a 32-year-old man for the alleged kidnapping of a 34-year-old woman in Kailua. At about 10 :30 a.m. today, officers responded to a domestic incident, according to a news release. Police said the woman was allegedly assaulted while attempting to leave a residence in Kailua, and that the suspect used physical force to prevent her from leaving, causing injuries. Advertisement Advertisement The victim managed to escape and called police. She was treated for her injuries at a hospital. Anyone with information is asked to call 911 or contact Crimestoppers at 808-955-8300. See more : 1 Comments By participating in online discussions you acknowledge that you have agreed to the. An insightful discussion of ideas and viewpoints is encouraged, but comments must be civil and in good taste, with no personal attacks. If your comments are inappropriate, you may be banned from posting. Report comments if you believe they do not follow our. Having trouble with comments ? . Investigators are asking for the publics help in identifying a suspect connected to a series of incidents in southwest Atlanta. [DOWNLOAD: Free WSB-TV News app for alerts as news breaks] According to Atlanta police, on Jan. 17, just before 10 a.m., officers responded to a reported robbery in the 400 block of Fairburn Road SW. Investigators say the suspect approached two victims who were doing construction work at the location, pulled out a gun and robbed them. Advertisement Advertisement Police say the suspect was spotted traveling from the 415 Fairburn Road SW before the robbery. TRENDING STORIES: Investigators believe the same suspect may be responsible for at least three more robberies in the area: December 29, 2025: 510 Fairburn Rd SW January 2, 2025: 400 Fairburn Rd SW January 8, 2025: 3860 Old Gordon Rd NW The suspect is currently wanted for questioning in connection with these incidents. [SIGN UP: WSB-TV Daily Headlines Newsletter] Anyone who recognizes the suspect or has information related to the cases is urged to contact Crime Stoppers Atlanta. Tipsters can remain anonymous and may be eligible for a reward of up to $5,000. Tips can be submitted anonymously in the following ways: From left: Democratic Michigan Sens. Stephanie Chang of Detroit, Dayna Polehanki of Livonia, Darrin Camilleri of Trenton, Kevin Hertel of St. Clair Shores and Mallory McMorrow of Royal Oak speak at a press conference unveiling new legislation to protect kids from social media addiction, privacy concerns and potentially harmful interactions with AI chatbots. Jan. 21, 2026 | Photo by Ben Solis/Michigan Advance Safeguarding kids from social media overload and potentially harmful interactions with artificial intelligence are the focal points of a plan by Michigan Senate Democrats to regulate the technology industry. The legislation includes Senate Bill 757, Senate Bill 758, Senate Bill 759 and Senate Bill 760, sponsored by Sens. Kevin Hertel (D-St. Clair Shores), Darrin Camilleri (D-Trenton), Stephanie Chang (D-Detroit), Mallory McMorrow (D-Royal Oak) and Dayna Polehanki (D-Livonia). Advertisement Advertisement At a press conference on Wednesday to unveil the package, the legislators said the bills create commonsense measures to ensure big tech is putting kids safety over clicks. That includes protections for data privacy, rampant online targeting and potential exploitation of minors. Big Tech has deliberately designed its digital platforms to keep our kids scrolling nonstop, profiting off minors social media addiction and private online data. This puts our youth in real danger, and as a new parent myself, Im committed to holding Big Tech accountable and ensuring our kids are better protected from these online threats, said Camilleri, who sponsored Senate Bill 757 along with McMorrow. Hertel said the bills will also aim to put parents more squarely in command of what their children are exposed to in a quickly advancing AI-heavy tech landscape. At the end of the day, every parent wants the same thing: to know their kids are safe, happy, and healthy. But in todays increasing digital world, Big Techs exploitative practices are making that harder than ever, said Hertel, who sponsored Senate Bill 758. As both a parent and a legislator, I refuse to raise my children in a world where Big Tech profits at their expense and the expense of their classmates. Advertisement Advertisement Chang, who sponsored Senate Bill 759, said lawmakers have a duty to protect children from imminent danger in both physical and digital spaces. As social media and AI platforms continue to grow and advance, we must be proactive in regulating these exploitative and often dangerous online spaces that do not care about the well-being of its youngest users, Chang said. Polehanki, a former high school teacher, sponsored Senate Bill 760, which focuses on AI chatbots. I know firsthand just how much our kids are online and how much unfettered digital activity inhibits their ability to learn, socialize with one another, and live a healthy, balanced lifestyle, Polehanki said. And as a legislator, Ive also seen how unregulated AI companion chatbots have inflicted real-life harm to kids across the nation. Advertisement Advertisement The bills were referred to the Michigan Senate Finance, Insurance and Consumer Protection Committee. Reporters asked the group if the onus was on big tech companies or parents, given that a large focus is on parental consent. Polehanki said it was important for parents to step up their game, in terms of being aware of what their kids are consuming on social media and the internet. However, a Gen X parent, or even a millennial parent, has not been faced with anything like this before, she said. This is unprecedented, so I have a feeling a lot of parents just dont know that. There are even AI chat bots out there that are seeking to have inappropriate relationships with their kids. We dont live in a world anymore where you can give a kid a phone and just let them go scroll for a couple of hours in a corner. Its dangerous out there. Advertisement Advertisement Hertel said that hes found, as a parent of a young child, that the few parental controls available havent kept up with the glut of data collected from kids devices. I think every parent, while we all have to have an active role in enforcing how our kids interact online, we cant simply just take it away, Hertel said. We need the tools to be able to do that in a meaningful way. Even as more people become aware of the dangers of too much screen time and social media addiction, Americas health institutions have yet to classify it as a specific addiction disorder much like psychological dependencies on alcohol, drugs and nicotine. The senators were asked if it would be helpful to legislative causes, like the package introduced Wednesday, if social media addiction was classified as an official disorder. Camilleri said the legislation doesnt contemplate that move, but it was something both kids and adults are grappling with every day. Weve added these new addictions across decades, things like gambling. They were never considered an addiction, but now it is, and perhaps this is something that is becoming one of those addictions thats not just inflicting kids, its afflicting adults too, Camilleri said. So I think its worth looking at, but I dont know that were at that point of calling it a legislative category that we should be addressing. Soon after Donald Trump had escalated his threats against Denmark to the level of a mafia don If we dont do it the easy way, were going to do it the hard way I suggested a possible solution to the Greenland confrontation. Suppose Americas military installations in Greenland were to be converted into sovereign base areas on the Cyprus model, I wrote on Jan 13. Given that this arrangement has worked for nearly seven decades on a small and crowded Mediterranean island, it should be relatively simple to replicate on a vast and largely empty territory like Greenland. Could this be the answer? It turned out that it might well be. On Wednesday night, Trump struck what he called a fantastic deal at Davos, which apparently includes turning US military facilities on Greenland into sovereign bases. Advertisement Advertisement If so, Trump will be given the satisfaction of planting the Stars and Stripes in the snow and claiming new territory for the United States. And at these locations, America would have complete freedom to do what it wishes, without having to consult Denmark or anyone else. Locals outside the US consulate in Greenlands capital, Nuuk, are opposed to Trumps so-called fantastic deal - Mads Claus Rasmussen/Ritzau Scanpix/Getty Images The reason why this may be the only viable solution is simple. Trumps public reasons for claiming Greenland make no sense. When he says that Americas national security is at stake, he overlooks Americas existing agreement with Denmark signed in 1951 and renewed in 2004 that allows the US to construct, install, maintain and operate whatever military bases it might need on Greenland. When Trump claims that Russian and Chinese ships are all over the seas around the island, he is fantasising in the case of China, but even if this were true, America is free to respond by dispatching its own navy into the icy waters if it wishes. Trumps warships can hunt for imaginary Chinese frigates as much as they want. Put bluntly, what Trump says he needs, he has already got. So why on earth would he wish to take responsibility for governing Greenland? The Danish Defence can now operate across all of Greenland, allowing it to increase its presence in the Arctic - Danish Defence The only rational explanation is that his real motive is to gain territory for the United States and to achieve a place in history as an expansionist president in the mould of Andrew Johnson, who bought Alaska from Russia in 1867. Advertisement Advertisement The great virtue of the idea of sovereign bases is that it could hand Trump the victory he craves without, in reality, changing very much. Over the last six decades, America has voluntarily closed all but one of the 17 military facilities that it once maintained on Greenland (so much for the idea that the island is vital for US security). All that remains is Pituffik Space Base, on the shores of Baffin Bay, over 900 miles north of Greenlands capital, Nuuk. If Trump could plant the Stars and Stripes at this lonely outpost of the US early warning system, just as the Union Flag flies over the Britains sovereign RAF base at Akrotiri on the southern coast of Cyprus, then the president would be able to claim that he had redrawn the map of the world in Americas favour and gained territory for his country. America has voluntarily closed all but one of its 17 Greenland military facilities the Pituffik Space Base - Thomas Traasdahl/Getty Images And if Trump were to be allowed to do the same for the archipelago of abandoned US bases dotted across the icy wastes, then he could raise perhaps 16 more American flags and fire off an abundance of triumphant social media posts. Advertisement Advertisement In practice, no ones life would be changed if the Stars and Stripes were to fly over some windswept patches of polar desolation, high above the Arctic Circle. Trump would have the victory he cherishes, and everything would continue much as before. But, of course, life is not that simple. As I wrote the article last week, I was conscious of how bitter and painful this would be for Denmark. No matter how the agreement might be dressed up, it would still involve an independent state being bullied and browbeaten into sacrificing sovereign territory, violating the first principle of a peaceful and orderly world, which is that big countries cannot be allowed to dismember small ones. The territory in question might be remote and uninhabited, but the vital principle would still be broken. Worse, all the threats have come from Denmarks Nato ally, the very country which is bound by treaty to go to war to defend Danish territory. Under Trump, America is willing to grab the very same territory that it has promised to protect. So giving the United States sovereign base areas on Greenland is, in all frankness, a terrible solution. But it might be a necessary one for the simple reason that the alternative could be even worse. If Trump were to use force against an ally, this would destroy Nato and release all manner of dangers upon Europe and the wider world. Advertisement Advertisement If Denmark makes this sacrifice, it will be acting for the sake of the rest of us. We should be grateful. Try full access to The Telegraph free today. Unlock their award-winning website and essential news app, plus useful tools and expert guides for your money, health and holidays. An Immigration and Customs Enforcement detention facility is eyed to be built at a warehouse in Oklahoma City, according to documents obtained by The Washington Post. The Oklahoman first reported the plans on Sunday, Jan. 18, and since then, the city released an unsigned statement indicating the Department of Homeland Security will be asked to apply for a special use permit, typically required to open a detention facility. However, federal law explicitly exempts detention centers from local zoning regulations. ICE arrests have spiked in the state of Oklahoma in the past year, with over 2,300 total arrests reported for Oklahoma by October 2025. "Operation Guardian," in early November, resulted in 70 arrests on Interstate-40, Gov. Kevin Stitt's office wrote in a statement. Advertisement Advertisement Does Oklahoma currently have any ICE detention facilities? Where do detainees go after being taken into custody? Here's what we know. How many ICE detention facilities are there in Oklahoma City? U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement leases a former warehouse at 1220 Sovereign Row in Oklahoma City as its current office. Building permits submitted for the location show it was originally designed with six holding rooms, a search room and a weapons and ammunition space. The new location would be at 2800 S Council Rd., a 415,981-square-foot warehouse built in 2023. The OKC location would be one of 16 new detention centers, as reported by The Washington Post, fitting up to 1,500 people. The state of Oklahoma has three detention centers: the Kay County Detention Center, the Grady County Law Enforcement Center and the David L. Moss Criminal Justice Center. Where do detainees currently go? ICE detainees are primarily sent to the Diamondback Correctional Facility in Watonga, 70 miles northwest of OKC. The facility, closed since 2010, reopened in 2026 under Core Civic operation and can hold more than 2,000 people. Advertisement Advertisement Detainees can also be sent to local county jails, such as the Grady County Law Enforcement Center in Chickasha, which serves as both a detention center and holds inmates for local and state crimes. Immigration offices in Oklahoma City Immigration and citizenship locations, like USCIS offices, are different from ICE facilities or detention centers. USCIS Field Offices are designated for immigration appointments (such as obtaining a Green Card), naturalization ceremonies, and other appointments for information and additional services. Oklahoma City has one USCIS Field Office, located at 4400 Southwest 44th Street, Suite A. Demonstrators gather in an anti-ICE protest at Scissortail Park in Oklahoma City on Sunday, Jan. 11, 2026, following the death of Renee Good, a U.S. citizen who was fatally shot by an ICE agent in Minneapolis, on Sunday, Jan. 11, 2026. How does detention work? Immigration detention refers to the practice of incarcerating people as they go through the deportation proceedings to determine whether or not the individual will be allowed to remain in the United States. Advertisement Advertisement According to ICE's website, detention is non-punitive. "ICE uses its limited detention resources to detain aliens to secure their presence for immigration proceedings or removal from the United States as well as those that are subject to mandatory detention, as outlined by the Immigration and Nationality Act, or those that ICE determines are a public safety or flight risk during the custody determination process," the statement reads. Can the city stop the facility from being built? The City of Oklahoma City said there is not much it can do to stop the facility's construction, as the federal government is not required to apply for zoning or building permits. Oklahoma City released an unsigned statement Tuesday afternoon that indicates the Department of Homeland Security will be asked to apply for a special use permit one that typically would be required before opening a detention facility. The city also plans to seek help from its congressional delegation, but warns that it does not believe it has the power to stop the federal government from opening a detention center. Advertisement Advertisement Oklahoma City Mayor David Holt said the supremacy clause of the U.S. Constitution dictates that federal laws override conflicting state and local laws. The federal government operates in our community and doesnt think its their role to inform me, Holt said. I would welcome communication. The federal government has never asked for much permission for their activities. We appreciate their engagement and information if offered, but its not something we typically receive. Reports of a second building in Durant While not mentioned by The Washington Post, a second ICE detention center is reportedly being eyed for Durant, in the Choctaw Nation. In their Jan. 13 meeting, the Durant City Council discussed reports theyve heard that a detention center is set to be built in a former Big Lots warehouse. In response, the city council approved an ordinance to provide the city with oversight over confinement centers and jails being built without undergoing zoning review. Advertisement Advertisement Protesters angrily sought to stop the vote, and City Attorney Doug Elliott affirmed the ordinance was not to make it easier to open a detention center in the city. A similar ordinance was previously implemented in Houston, Texas. Elliott said the city has not been contacted and he doesn't know who is looking to operate it. The Durant City Council approved the resolution with an emergency status, going into effect immediately. The Choctaw Nations tribal council also opposed the rumored ICE detention center, as it would be close to some of the tribes operations. Tribal council member Regina Mabray said potential protests and traffic impacts risk placing avoidable burdens on the surrounding community. Steve Lackmeyer contributed to this story. Advertisement Advertisement Isa Almeida is a trending reporter for The Oklahoman. Have a story idea for Isa? She can be reached at ialmeida@oklahoman.com or on X/Twitter at @ialmeidasports. Support Isa's work and that of other Oklahoman journalists by purchasing a digital subscription today at subscribe.oklahoman.com. This article originally appeared on Oklahoman: Proposed ICE detention facility in OKC raises questions: What we know Former Special Counsel Jack Smith, who led two criminal cases against then-former President Donald Trump, asked to testify publicly as he defends the prosecutions against Republican accusations of politicization. On Jan. 22, he will get his chance. Smith spent eight hours being deposed behind closed doors by the House Judiciary Committee last month, and told lawmakers he had evidence to convict President Donald Trump in the Jan. 6, 2021 attack on the U.S. Capitol. "Our view of the evidence was that he caused it and that he exploited it and that it was foreseeable to him," Smith said of Trump's alleged culpability for the Capitol riot. The committee released video of the deposition and a 255-page transcript of it late on Dec. 31, New Years Eve. Advertisement Advertisement Before that private deposition, the former prosecutor asked to instead give public testimony. Republican Chairman Jim Jordan (ROhio), who has called the cases against Trump "lawfare," rejected that request, but he later called for the Jan. 22 hearing in front of live cameras. Smith secured two indictments against Trump in 2023, one accusing the real estate mogul of illegally retaining classified documents after his first term in office and another alleging Trump plotted to overturn his defeat in the 2020 election. Smith dropped both cases after Trump won the 2024 election, citing a Justice Department policy against prosecuting a sitting president. Trump and Republican lawmakers investigate the investigators The Republican probe of Smith's investigations comes as the Justice Department under Trump is now investigating or attempting to prosecute various perceived enemies of the president, including former FBI Director James Comey, New York Attorney General Letitia James, and Smith himself. Former U.S. Special Counsel Jack Smith walks on the day of a closed-door deposition as part of a House Judiciary Committee inquiry into his now-dismissed cases against U.S. President Donald Trump over his efforts to overturn the 2020 election results and his retention of classified documents, on Capitol Hill in Washington, D.C., U.S., December 17, 2025. The investigation into Smith has reportedly looked at whether his prosecutions of Trump violated the Hatch Act, a law that prohibits federal employees from engaging in political activity. Lawyers for Smith have called that investigation "baseless," and said Smith followed the example set by a special prosecutor who investigated President Richard Nixon in the 1970s. Advertisement Advertisement Richard Painter, a White House ethics lawyer under President George W. Bush, posted on X that he didn't see how Smith's actions would violate the Hatch Act. Painter noted that Smith's legal filings were accepted by courts. In addition, the Justice Department under Trump fired more than a dozen officials who helped Smith in the prosecutions, according to a Justice Department spokesperson. Smith to defend cases against Trump In his December deposition, Smith staunchly denied that there was any political motivation to his prosecutions of Trump, pushing back on the suggestion by Trump and his supporters that the special counsel was trying to influence the 2024 election. Trump has repeatedly criticized Smith, calling him "deranged" and a "wacko" who was "used for Crooked Joe Bidens attack on his Political Opponent." Advertisement Advertisement "I would never take orders from a political leader to hamper another person in an election. That's not who I am," Smith said in the deposition. Smith also defended the prosecutions in a report released days before Trump returned to the Oval Office, saying Trump's "unprecedented efforts to unlawfully retain power after losing the 2020 election and his unlawful retention of classified documents after leaving office... compelled prosecution" under established Justice Department principles. This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Jack Smith, the Jan. 6 Trump special prosecutor, to testify to Congress Several signs pointed to Israels close relationship with the Kurdish community. One read Israel loves Kurdistan, while others went further, openly calling for military action against the regime. Around 50 protesters gathered outside the US embassy on Wednesday night, their voices rising in protest against what they described as Washingtons inaction in the face of the latest massacre carried out by the Sharaa regime. This time, after months of attacks on Syrian minorities, the violence was directed at Syrian Kurds. Several signs pointed to Israels close relationship with the Kurdish community. One read Israel loves Kurdistan, while others went further, openly calling for military action against the Sharaa regime. Bomb Juliani now, one banner declared. Advertisement Advertisement Calls for Israeli intervention were not limited to a fringe of the crowd. Protesters appeared to come from a wide range of ethnic and religious backgrounds. Many argued that Israels own security was at stake if an Islamist regime with a track record of brutality towards minorities was allowed to reign unchecked along its borders. To not see another October 7 on Haifas border, we need to help eachother, one protester told the crowds. Yehuda Ben Yosef, president of the Kurdish community in Israel, told The Jerusalem Post that he wanted both the US and Israel to do whatever was necessary to end what he described as a genocide. I don't know what [should be done to stop the violence], Ben Yosef said. But I trust Netanyahu. He will do all he can, maybe with the military military [or] maybe only say if you do something, we will come and we will take our our our army to this place. Around 50 protesters gathered outside the US embassy to protest against what they described as Washington's inaction in the face of the latest massacre in Syria carried out by the Sharaa regime, on January 21, 2026. (credit: DANIELLE GREYMAN-KENNARD) We are asking our prime minister, Netanyahu, to please help the Kurds, Ben Yosef told the crowds. Do what you can. We know Israel is fighting with a lot of [enemies], we know it is difficult, but we must do something. The Jewish people know what a Holocaust is, and for more days it has been a Holocaust in Rojava (The Democratic Autonomous Administration of North and East Syria). Advertisement Advertisement Crowds filled the sidewalk with handwritten signs, flags, and shouted chants against Sharaa, and Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan, while encouraging the US to finally take action to support its long-time ally, the Syrian Democratic Forces. A shared sense of betrayal Among Kurdish demonstrators and their allies, a shared sense of betrayal was palpable. Protesters accused Sharaa and Erdogan of terrorism, noting the formers long history in Islamist terror groups, while demanding the United States take responsibility for a community they said had long stood on the front lines against Islamist extremism. Their anger followed fresh remarks from Erdogan, who views the SDF and several other Kurdish groups as terrorists, who said on Wednesday that the SDF must lay down their arms and disband to avoid further bloodshed. Elyana, a political researcher, adviser to the Kurdish Jewish community, and activist, said the sense of urgency among protesters was fueled by the images and videos emerging from Syria. Advertisement Advertisement We saw videos of women who were kidnapped and sold into sexual slavery. We saw videos of beheadings. We saw all kinds of crimes against humanity that are being committed right now, and we also saw the world be absolutely silent, she told The Post. International pressure, she said, had already forced al-Sharaa to agree to a ceasefire, but she warned that sustained pressure was needed to ensure it held. Elyana noted that minorities across Syria have repeatedly been targeted, naming Druze and Alawite communities among the victims, while the Islamist group now in power has continued to carry out massacres largely unchallenged. Asked what kind of intervention she wanted from the United States, Elyana said she believed military support was necessary. I want the United States to stand very firmly next to the people that they have been calling their allies for years. I want them to stand to live up to their promises. Kurds, of course, they fought. They fought ISIS to protect themselves, to protect the region, to protect the world, but they also fought for their liberation. They fought to be able to rule themselves democratically, to be able to speak their own language, to be able to live with their own ancient traditions and cultures, she said. Advertisement Advertisement Many protesters also expressed outrage at recent statements by US officials, including US President Donald Trumps complimentary comments about al-Sharaas appearance. Mr. President, hear our cry, dont let our Kurdish allies die, the protesters chanted. Speaking at a news conference in Washington, Trump appeared to back Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa and said the United States was also trying to protect the Kurds. Despite ongoing reports of violence by regime forces, US envoy Tom Barrack described the regimes offer to integrate Kurdish forces into the central Syrian state as the greatest opportunity available to them. He added that the original purpose of the SDF, which Washington backed in the fight against Islamic State, had largely expired and said the US had no long-term interest in remaining in Syria. Elyana said Barracks remarks reflected a broader pattern. I think hes speaking of the Kurds like a disposable weapon that they no longer need, she said. Advertisement Advertisement For many protesters, the regimes assault on the formerly US-backed SDF represented a profound betrayal. The Kurdish-led force spent years battling Islamic State and, at times, al-Sharaas Hayat Tahrir al-Sham when it was still designated a terrorist organization by Washington. While Kurdish communities in northeastern Syria had previously exercised a degree of autonomy, protesters said the regime was now dismantling that arrangement under the banner of national unity. It is absolutely crazy to me that Sharaa, who was once the most one of the most wanted men by the US, who had a bounty on his head worth millions of dollars has now been legitimized as a president of a country, and now, after just slapping on a suit on to him, and after trimming his beard a little bit, we are supposed to forget that this man was a member of al Qaeda, was a member of ISIS, and so far, all of his actions in Syria prove that he is exactly what he has always been, Elyana said. He is a terrorist. The conflict has also seen thousands of Islamic State fighters released from detention after the SDF were forced to abandon the al-Homs camp, where they were guarding thousands of prisoners. "International indifference toward the issue of the ISIS terrorist organization and the failure of the international community to assume its responsibilities in addressing this serious matter" was behind the move, the SDF said on X. SDF spokesperson Farhad Shami also told Iraqi news site Rudaw that around 1,500 ISIS militants including both foreign and Syrian nationals had been released by regime-affiliated armed groups from Shaddadi prison in southern Hasaka. Videos circulating online have purported to show widespread war crimes carried out by regime forces and released terrorists. The videos and accusations allegedly displayed the use of sexual violence, the killing and abduction of civilians, including women and children, and acts of torture. In one video mentioned by Elyana, which was reviewed but not verified by the Post, men allegedly belonging to the regime forced a Kurdish man to bark like a dog before gouging his eyes out. Advertisement Advertisement Although the SDF and regime forces have reached several ceasefire agreements under US pressure, both sides have accused the other of violating the terms. Only a day after one such agreement was announced, Syria accused the SDF of attacking seven of its soldiers, a claim the Kurdish force denied. Reuters contributed to this report. The Boeing wide-body luxury jet that Qatar is donating to the White House for use as Air Force One is slated to arrive this summer, according to The Wall Street Journal. The report indicates that President Donald Trump wants the plane's exterior painted in red, white and blue, potentially to coincide with America's 250th birthday celebrations in July. Air Force confirmation of delivery In a statement to the WSJ, the U.S. Air Force confirmed the timeline: Advertisement Advertisement "The Air Force remains committed to expediting delivery of the VC-25 bridge aircraft in support of the Presidential airlift mission, with an anticipated delivery no later than summer 2026." It is the first time the Air Force has publicly pinpointed a delivery window, though it did not say whether the aircraft would be ready for service by then. The estimated $400 million jumbo jet is described as an "unconditional gift" from Qatar, while any retrofitting costs would be covered by the U.S. government. Reports say the Pentagon will oversee all modifications needed to make the aircraft suitable for presidential use, including installing secure communications systems. The Journal reports that defense contractor, L3Harris of Melbourne, Florida, is handling the work. Advertisement Advertisement Earlier this week, Air Force One, carrying Trump and his staff to Davos, Switzerland, was forced to turn around due to a mechanical issue. White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt, who was on board, joked that the Qatari Jet was sounding "much better" by comparison. Current planes The current Air Force One fleet consists of two Boeing 747s that have been in service since the George H. W. Bush administration in 1990. Their capabilities include midair refueling, defense, defenses against air attacks and specialized communications systems. Leavitt later added, "The new Air Force One will be a welcome donation to the United States Air Force, not just for the President, but for the entire AF1 crew." Boeing deal and delays In 2018, during his first term, Trump struck a $4 billion deal with Boeing to build two new 747s for Air Force One. The program is now years behind schedule due to technical problems, supplier delays and labor shortages. Advertisement Advertisement The Air Force has said the first of the two jets would not be ready until mid-2028, just months before the end of Trump's current term. The Qatari donation has sparked controversy and bipartisan criticism. Some lawmakers questioned whether accepting the aircraft violates the Constitution's Foreign Emoluments Clause, which restricts officials from receiving large gifts from foreign governments without congressional approval. Others suggested Qatar may expect something in return. Trump ally and conservative influencer Laura Loomer criticized the deal on X, writing, "We cannot accept a $400 million gift from jihadists in suitsthis is going to be such a stain on the admin." Trump has rejected such pushback, calling the Qatari gift a generous gesture. Advertisement Advertisement The post Qatari-donated plane to be used as Air Force One to arrive this summer: Report appeared first on Straight Arrow News. Related Links SIOUX FALLS, S.D. (KELO/AP) Greenlands involvement in the international news prompts a variety of reactions from Sanne Edmonson of Sioux Falls. A lot of things, Edmonson said Wednesday. First of all, like scared, worried, angry, and just like, in the beginning I could kind of laugh at it, cause it, just so crazy. Why would an ally of Denmark go and take part of our country. Windy winter weather impacting KELOLAND Advertisement Advertisement Edmonson was born and raised in Denmark; she became an American citizen in December. Edmonson tells KELOLAND News she practiced law in Denmark and today translates legal documents from Luxembourgs European Court of Justice. President Donald Trump on Wednesday said a forceful acquisition of Greenland wasnt going to happen. Trump has wanted the United States to acquire the Danish territory. People thought I would use force, Trump said Wednesday in Switzerland at the World Economic Forum. But I dont have to use force. I dont want to use force. I wont use force. Its different messaging than the president shared on Jan. 9 at the White House. Advertisement Advertisement I would like to make a deal, you know, the easy way, Trump said Jan. 9. But if we dont do it the easy way, were going to do it the hard way. Developments have had Edmonson checking in with loved ones. In contact with my friends and family every day just to hear, how are you guys doing, she said. Compared to the United States or all of Denmark, Greenland doesnt have many people; all told, more live in Rapid City, S.D. And Edmonson doesnt want Greenlands people forgotten. I feel like nobodys thinking about them, Edmonson said. Like, youre just talking about them as if you could sell them, and he, today I think President Trump said that its just a block of ice. And yeah, maybe to him it is, but to somebody living there its their home. Its where they grew up. Advertisement Advertisement We want a piece of ice for world protection, Trump said in Switzerland Wednesday. And they wont give it. Trump posted on social media Wednesday that he and Mark Rutte, NATOs secretary general, had met and formed the framework of a future deal with respect to Greenland and, in fact, the entire Arctic Region. In Sioux Falls, Edmonson says shes reached out to Senate Majority Leader John Thune of South Dakota with her concerns. As of early Wednesday afternoon, she hadnt heard back from his office but was hopeful the senator listens. I just really want people here in South Dakota to call him, Edmonson said. Call Senator Thune and just say that youre concerned, and you want, you dont want to mess up your relations with a long-time ally. Greenland is a territory of Denmark. The United States and Denmark are each part of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization, with 30 other countries joining them. They are able to stand together because the North Atlantic Treaty says an armed attack in North America or Europe on one of them or more than one of them is seen as an attack on all of them. Advertisement Advertisement KELOLAND News reached out to South Dakotas congressional delegation in Washington, D.C. for this reporting. Sen. John Thunes office said he was unavailable. Rep. Dusty Johnsons office said he was unavailable Wednesday but had time Thursday; KELOLAND News is set to talk with him Thursday morning. Sen. Mike Rounds office had said he might be available Wednesday but had not provided a later update. Copyright 2026 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KELOLAND.com. Renee Nicole Good's family has released the results of an independent autopsy commissioned as part of an ongoing civil investigation into her killing. The autopsy, first reported by ABC7, is consistent with reports from first responders on the scene, which found there were three gunshots on Good's body. There was one shot in her left forearm, one through her right breast, and one in the left side of her temple that exited on the other side. Related: Who was Renee Nicole Good? Remembering the Minneapolis poet and mother killed by ICE The 37-year-old poet and mother-of-three was killed by an ICE officer January 7 in Minneapolis, Minnesota during what Department of Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem called targeted operations" near East 34th Street and Portland Avenue. Advertisement Advertisement Noem alleged that rioters began blocking ICE officers, claiming that Good weaponized her vehicle by attempting to run over agents. Noem labeled Good's actions as "domestic terrorism" and those of the officers as "self defense," but multiple eyewitness accounts and video footage from the incident contradict this. The footage shows Good was attempting to leave the scene by turning right when an agent, identified as 43-year-old Jonathan Ross, circled her vehicle from the front and opened fire into her driver's seat window. The vehicle then crashed into a nearby light post, with Ross then walking away from the wreckage uninjured. Footage Ross took from his own cellphone shows that he was not in the path of the vehicle, and that he called Good a fucking bitch" after firing. The vehicle Good was driving has been confiscated by the Department of Justice, which has prevented attorneys for Good's family from accessing it. Antonio M. Romanucci, a civil rights lawyer and one of the founding partners of Chicago-based law firm Romanucci & Blandin, told All Rise News on Wednesday that their requests to preserve the evidence have gone unanswered. Related: Renee Good's family will be represented by the same lawyer as George Floyd's "We gave the federal government a letter of preservation last week," Romanucci said. "We asked them to preserve that vehicle to make sure that its stored in a safe manner so that none of the evidence gets altered ... That is an example of one piece of evidence that we dont have access to." Advertisement Advertisement The law firm is launching a civil investigation into Good's killing, seeking to file claims against ICE, the federal government, and other responsible parties. Meanwhile, instead of investigating Ross, the man who killed her, the DOJ is investigating Good's widow, Becca, prompting six prosecutors to resign in protest. This article originally appeared on Advocate: Renee Good's family shares independent autopsy results, says DOJ is withholding evidence RELATED WARWICK, R.I. (WPRI) State Rep. Joseph Solomon Jr., a Democrat from Warwick, announced Tuesday he will run for Rhode Island attorney general, making him the fourth Democrat to enter the race. Solomon, 42, has represented R.I. House District 22 since 2015. He is the son of former Warwick Mayor Joseph Solomon Sr., who died in 2021. Im not running to learn on the job, Solomon said in a statement. Ive spent my career in the courtroom, making the tough calls as a bail commissioner, and writing laws that protect Rhode Island families. Advertisement Advertisement Ive already been doing this work, and Rhode Island deserves an Attorney General who shows up ready on day one, Solomon continued. Solomon served as a court-appointed bail commissioner for more than 10 years and was a prosecutor in the office of the Warwick City Solicitor. The representative said that during his campaign, hell focus on holding violent offenders accountable, protecting consumers from scammers and defending the state from overreach, among other policy goals. Solomon shared that he has the backing of R.I. Senate Majority Whip David Tikoian, a Smithfield Democrat whos a former North Providence police chief. Advertisement Advertisement Working alongside Joe Solomon in the General Assembly, Ive seen his commitment to public safety firsthand, Tikoian said. He fully appreciates what it takes to keep our communities safe and has my ardent support for Attorney General. This years race wont have an incumbent, since R.I. Attorney General Peter Neronha, who was first elected in 2018, is term-limited. Solomon enters a Democratic primary that has three other candidates. Those candidates are state Rep. Jason Knight; Keith Hoffmann, who was recently a senior aide to Neronha and has his former boss endorsement; and Kim Ahern, a former chair of the R.I. Cannabis Control Commission. Aherns campaign responded very quickly to Solomons entry into the race with a statement of her own. Advertisement Advertisement I welcome Representative Solomon to the race for Attorney General, and I look forward to a spirited campaign and a substantive conversation about how best to keep Rhode Islanders safe, Ahern said. The Attorney General is the states top law enforcement officer, and we need a prosecutor not a politician with a proven track record of putting dangerous criminals behind bars, defending our fundamental rights, and fighting for working families. As of Oct. 31, Solomon has $250,000 in his campaign account. Hoffmann has $205,000 as of Oct. 31, and Knight has $94,000. Aherns campaign said last week that she raised $273,000 during the final fundraising quarter of 2025. Solomon will also have to give up his seat in the General Assembly in order to run for attorney general. Potential candidates for his district, House District 22, are Republican former state Sen. Anthony DeLuca II, who told 12 News hes undecided but hasnt ruled out a run, and Democratic City Councilor Salvatore DeLuise. No Republicans or independents have entered the race for attorney general. Chas Calenda, the new interim U.S. attorney for Rhode Island, was exploring a run, but hasnt made his plans clear after his recent appointment. The last time a Republican was elected attorney general was Jeff Pine in 1994. Advertisement Advertisement The statewide primary election is Sept. 8, and the general election is Nov. 3. Download the WPRI 12 and Pinpoint Weather 12 apps to get breaking news and weather alerts. Watch 12 News Now on WPRI.com or with the free WPRI 12+ TV app. Follow us on social media: Close Thanks for signing up! Watch for us in your inbox. Subscribe Now Daily Roundup Copyright 2026 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WPRI.com. A Republican guest on CNN NewsNight defended President Donald Trump for repeatedly confusing Greenland with Iceland on Wednesday, arguing it was just the presidents brand. The president of the United States on four separate occasions mixed up Greenland with Iceland. He made up statistics about all sorts of things, said CNN host Abby Phillip during a panel debate. How is that not something that is of concern to everybody? T.W. Arrighi, a former staffer for Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-SC) and former U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, responded, Cause this is the same speech he wouldve given last year, the year before, the year before that. This is his brand. Advertisement Advertisement He wanted to invade Greenland and he called it Iceland! interrupted Tara Palmeri. CNN political commentator Bakari Sellers then weighed in, The disappointing part about the tenor of this conversation is that we laugh it off and we excuse it as just Donald Trump, or at least something he wouldve done before. The comparison I look at is that Donald Trumps mental acuity, even before he aged, was mediocre at best. Its somebody who came from a failed business background. Its somebody who believes that they were born, that they hit a home run, they were born on third base. His daddy gave him $1 million to start his business, he continued. This is somebody whos failed, and failed, and failed. Sellers protested, This man comes on stage in front of the world, and he rambles and he misspeaks and he says this. I mean, he could have said that we solved the war between Wakanda and Namor, right? And the Republicans would have been like, Oh, yeah, Im glad we stopped that African country.' Advertisement Advertisement Palmeri concluded, Can we just agree that men over 80 start to ramble and sound crazy and that is why we also got a lot of slip-ups from Biden? Watch above via CNN. The post Republican Defends Trump Mixing Up Greenland With Iceland, Chalks It Up to His Brand first appeared on Mediaite. As a fraud scandal unraveled in Minnesota, revealing the theft of over $1 billion in taxpayer money in recent years, online activists decided to do their own sleuthing into some of Idahos own government subsidies. Those efforts raised a flurry of suspicion that culminated in a late-December letter from two Republican state lawmakers. They called for the Idaho Health and Welfare Department to suspend recently authorized government subsidies for child care programs until program-integrity and fraud-prevention safeguards were in place. The investigations and enforcement actions in Minnesota have revealed systemic vulnerabilities in child care subsidy programs similar in structure to Idahos, Rep. Josh Tanner, R-Eagle, and Sen. Brian Lenney, R-Nampa, wrote to Juliet Charron, the departments director. Their letter also raised concerns about potential vulnerabilities within Idaho programs. Advertisement Advertisement Tanner did not respond to a question about what they meant by that phrase. In response, Health and Welfare has surged its oversight capacity to review all providers receiving federal money through the Idaho Child Care Program, said AJ McWhorter, a spokesperson for the department. It anticipates sharing results from this review within 60 days, he told the Idaho Statesman on Friday. In the meantime, the department has released some data from its own routine audits of child care providers. That data shows little in the way of fraud among Idaho day care providers receiving Idaho Child Care Program funds. In 1,045 routine, randomized evaluations of child care providers receiving money through that program since 2022, Idaho Health and Welfare identified 16 cases of questionable or poor business practices in which it took some kind of regulatory action, McWhorter said. Advertisement Advertisement He shared the dates on which the department sent notices of regulatory action, but did not provide dates that these business practices, which potentially include fraud, occurred. Idaho Health and Welfare has taken increasing numbers of regulatory actions against providers in recent years, from five in 2022 to 25 in 2025. But there is little evidence in this data that those actions related to heightened fraud: Of the 45 actions the department took in that period, 29 were for health and safety issues. Only eight concerned poor business practices, according to department data. In response to a question about how this number of concerns among day care providers compares with other programs the department administers, McWhorter said only that the department is committed to protecting children, families and public funds and aims to prevent fraud, waste and abuse in all its public programs. McWhorter didnt directly answer a question from the Statesman about whether the department had been able to substantiate tips it had received from Idaho residents who reached out in recent weeks in response to the problems in Minnesota. Advertisement Advertisement The department has established processes for fraud and abuse identification and mitigation, McWhorter told the Statesman by email. Outcomes may range from correcting an overpayment to more serious and intentional provider misuse. Whichever the outcome, it is treated very seriously, and next steps are taken to resolve the concern. Questions raised about child care subsidies over foreign-sounding names Many of the people involved and convicted in the Minnesota schemes were members of the states Somali diaspora, prosecutors have said. One X user, who identifies herself as an ethnic American, posted screenshots in December from the Idaho Department of Health and Welfares website, which showed the names, owners, addresses and inspection histories of child care providers in Idaho. Something is up with day cares, she wrote, but she did not specify what she meant. Days later, in a Substack post, writer and Republican activist Brian Almon clarified: The X users concern, which he shared, was that dozens, perhaps hundreds of the facilities and their owners had foreign-sounding names. Advertisement Advertisement He wrote that he was just raising questions about child care subsidies in Idaho, but that the system of allowing federal funding to subsidize day cares seemed designed to be exploited. Refugee-focused organizations like Jannus, he wrote, train refugees to start their own child care businesses that serve only a small number of children from the same insular community. On Tuesday, Almon told the Statesman that he was just speculating about potential concerns in the program and had found no evidence of fraud in his own research. The Idaho Child Care Program, which is mostly funded by the federal Child Care and Development Block Grant, subsidizes some child care costs for Idahos low-income working families, said Greg Stahl, a spokesperson for the Health and Welfare Department. Child care providers who wish to participate in the program must go through a household health and safety inspection, sign an agreement consenting to background checks and staff training, and agree to audits, Stahl said. Once they are authorized to participate, providers must maintain records, including attendance information. Advertisement Advertisement Lenneys and Tanners letter referred to a separate program authorized in 2025 under Senate Bill 1206 that used the same federal funds, which the state had underspent in previous years. In a Jan. 12 letter responding to their concerns, Charron noted that those funds had not yet been awarded or paid out to providers. Child care workers, parents and children gathered at the Idaho Capitol Building in 2023 to protest a budget cut to child care provider funding. In December, Republican state lawmakers called to pause other child care funding, citing unspecified concerns about fraud. (Sarah A. Miller/smiller@idahostatesman.com) Idaho day care remains a struggle. Why Boise says it could get worse The children of Idaho will suffer: Plan to cut child care regulations advances in Senate Back Reverse engineering Lyft bikes for fun (and profit?) January 2026 12 min read Subscribe One cold San Francisco summer morning in Haight-Ashbury, my commute down to Market was interrupted by the sight of a lucky duck taking the last Lyft bike again. "I should really just wake up 15 minutes earlier", I thought, fleetingly. Then instead proceeded to spend the next month reverse engineering Lyft's private API, bypassing SSL encryption, chasing loose bikes across the city, triggering an internal incident, and somehow making a profit. I learned a lot doing this, so I'm writing it up in case you might too. Technical summary, for the impatient (spoilers!) Goal: Remotely unlock a Lyft bike. Steps: Capturing iOS App Encrypted Traffic to re-construct request Replaying Modified Unlock Request to bypass geofence Brute-forcing Bike ID since not available remotely Capturing iOS App Encrypted Traffic I used Charles Proxy to capture outgoing requests from the Lyft app on my iPhone. Charles supports SSL Proxying , which injects its own ephemeral certificates during SSL handshake, making sure requests from both sides are being signed with keys it controls. This allows us to decrypt, read, and re-encrypt traffic in transit. The ephemeral certificates are signed by a Charles Certificate Authority, which needs to be installed on your phone so Charles's certificates are not rejected. SSL traffic content is then viewable. Replaying Modified Unlock Request From the Charles captures, we see the unlock request uses a rent endpoint with the following structure: POST "https://layer.bicyclesharing.net/mobile/v2/fgb/rent" HEADERS { "api-key": "sk-XXXXX", "authorization": "bearer-XXXXX", ... } DATA { "userLocation": { "lat": 37.7714859, "lon": -122.4449036 }, "qrCode": { "memberId": "user-XXXXX", "qrCode": "12345" }, ... } A simple python replay script: import requests url="https://layer.bicyclesharing.net/mobile/v2/fgb/rent" headers={ "api-key": "sk-XXXXX", "authorization": "bearer-XXXXX", } station_coords = { "lat": 37.7730627, "lon": -122.4390777 } # from maps bike_id = "12345" # dummy id data={ "userLocation": station_coords, "qrCode": { "memberId": "user-XXXXX", "qrCode": bike_id}, } requests.post(url, headers=headers, json=data) Brute-forcing Bike ID Bike IDs are only accessible through the physical bikes (not counting eBikes, which were out of scope), to unlock one remotely, we need to brute force it. Five-digit IDs, but in practice only the 10000 to 20000 range is used, so 10,000 IDs to try. A naive implementation takes ~3 hours: def payload(i): return { "userLocation": station_coords, "qrCode": { "memberId": "mem123", "qrCode": i}, } def send_one(i): requests.post(url, headers=headers, json=payload(i)) for i in range(10_000, 20_000): send_one(i) But we can use asyncio and aiohttp to reduce that to ~15 seconds: import asyncio, aiohttp async def send_one(session, i): # non-blocking async with session.post(url, headers=headers, json=payload(i)): pass async def main(): async with aiohttp.ClientSession() as s: tasks = [send_one(s, i) for i in range(10_000, 20_000)] # start all await asyncio.gather(*tasks) # wait for all asyncio.run(main()) Et voila. Disclaimer: This writeup is meant for educational purposes only. Vulnerabilities discussed here were disclosed to Lyft in 2019, who promptly responded and patched them. Not long after, they also introduced bike reservations as an official feature, solving my original problem and rendering the below techniques obsolete. Table Of Contents The Acquisition Back in 2019 Lyft Bikes (BayWheels) used to be called Ford GoBikes, and used to be unlocked on a per-station basis. You'd generate a temporary code for a specific station on your app, then punch it into that station which would release a random bike. My goal was to make sure nobody would take a bike while I was on-route to the station, so what if I just kept manually generating codes until I arrived? Maybe that might block others from doing so. So I tried it. No luck. Generating a code didn't block others, and that was the only way to unlock bikes. Welp, nothing left to try... ...until the next day when Lyft, who had apparently just acquired Ford GoBikes, rebranded it to BayWheels, and changed the whole unlock mechanism. All hail Lyft. The new BayWheels map also showed bikes at stations, but now you'd unlock a bike directly by scanning a QR code on it. Each bike also had a 5-digit number you could use in case scanning didn't work. Cool! This means maybe if I typed a bike's code into my app when I left my house, it would be unlocked (and hopefully still there) by the time I arrived? So I tried it. You are too far from this station. They had geofenced it. I spent a solid day Googling how to spoof GPS on iPhone but no luck. I then wondered, fatefully, "what does the app actually send to Lyft during an unlock?", and my journey of capturing encrypted iOS traffic began. Intercepting iOS App Requests If you've used Chrome DevTools (aka Inspect Element ) you may have noticed a Network tab that lets you see the traffic between a website and its backend. Unfortunately it's not so simple for iOS. Some helpful Reddit posts led me to Charles Proxy which lets you see all traffic from your computer, and a friendly eight sentences explained how to wire it up to my phone's traffic. It's basically a consensual man-in-the-middle attack. First I had to forward my phone's traffic to Charles on my laptop. To do this I enabled "HTTP Proxy" on my phone's wifi settings, and set the [ip]:[port] to 192.168.0.7:8888 : 192.168.0.7 is my laptop's local IP which I got by running ipconfig getifaddr en0 is my laptop's local IP which I got by running 8888 is the port Charles Proxy is running on Now my traffic was being forwarded to Charles Proxy and huzzah! I could see all requests coming out of my phone. But... I can't see the content? Oh, right. SSL encryption. The thing making sure we can trust the internet was getting in my way. Spoofing SSL Root Certificate Authorities SSL ensures traffic from the Lyft app is encrypted using the lyft.com public key, so only lyft.com can decrypt it . All modern applications & websites do this, and you can find the public key on a website's SSL certificate. In theory, this means my traffic can't be decrypted once it leaves my phone, even by me. However, Charles has a workaround: by enabling SSL Proxying , Charles will prevent the real lyft.com SSL certificate from making it back to your phone, and instead sends a new one it generates on the fly. This means your phone is now encrypting lyft.com traffic with Charles's public key, so Charles can decrypt it, save it, then re-encrypt it with the real lyft.com cert and forward it along. But there's a catch if anyone between you and Lyft can do this (coffee shop, cell provider, etc.), how can we ever know the certificate is really Lyft's? Well, your phone will reject a certificate unless it's been signed by a Certificate Authority, endorsing it actually belongs to lyft.com . These CAs are third-party organizations acting like notaries that issue "root certificates", and your phone comes with many trusted CA root certificates pre-installed. So Charles just asks you to install one more root certificate the Charles Root Certificate, used to sign all the other certificates Charles creates. And just like that, my phone trusts Charles, and I can see SSL traffic. Anatomy of a Lyft Request So, let's unlock a bike from my phone, shall we? Vehicle not found. Right. Well, I used 12345 as the bike ID, so that's expected. Charles managed to capture some traffic anyway. Let's see if we can find the unlock request. So many requests and API routes! I see one endpoint called rent , which I bet is the unlock request. Lets look at the contents. POST "https://layer.bicyclesharing.net/mobile/v2/fgb/rent" HEADERS { "api-key": "sk-XXXXX", "authorization": "bearer-XXXXX", ... } DATA { "userLocation": { "lat": 37.7714859, "lon": -122.4449036 }, "qrCode": { "memberId": "user-XXXXX", "qrCode": "12345" }, ... } Yup, looks like it is. Look at these fields (I omitted the unrelated, redacted the sensitive.) There's some auth in the headers ( api-key , authorization ), the bike qrCode I used ( 12345 ), a memberId which I assume identifies my account, and... userLocation coordinates! Bingo. Now I just need to replay that request with a python script, but set the lat , lon to be right next to the station (whose coordinates I got using google maps). import requests url="https://layer.bicyclesharing.net/mobile/v2/fgb/rent" headers={ "api-key": "sk-XXXXX", "authorization": "bearer-XXXXX", } station_coords = { "lat": 37.7730627, "lon": -122.4390777 } # from maps bike_id = "12345" # dummy id data={ "userLocation": station_coords, "qrCode": { "memberId": "user-XXXXX", "qrCode": bike_id}, } requests.post(url, headers=headers, json=data) Sweet, now I just needed a real bike_id to test it on. It was very late at night but I was excited, so out I went with my PJs, flip flops, and laptop to squat by my target bike. I found its ID, entered it into my script, hit run, and holy shit it worked. The bike unlocked. I re-locked it, ran back to my apartment, hit run again, ran back, and there she was. Unlocked, and inconspicuously so. Nobody would think to take it but me. I was in business. I Promise its not a Denial of Service Attack Except the bike IDs are only printed on the bikes. How would I know what bike_id to use without going to the station? Maybe some other request Charles captured might have all the bike IDs at a station? Short answer no. Two days of digging through captured traffic yielded no way to fetch bike IDs. After considering many fruitless ideas, like hiding a little camera pointed at the bikes and using OCR, I thought could I just try all IDs? Five digits, thats 100,000 combinations and thinking back, I had only seen IDs between 10000 and 20000 . 10,000 loop iterations is not that many for python! This runs in less than a second: for i in range(10_000, 20_000): print(i) This, however, takes ~a second per request. So ~three hours for 10,000 requests. def payload(i): return { "userLocation": station_coords, "qrCode": { "memberId": "mem123", "qrCode": i}, } def send_one(i): requests.post(url, headers=headers, json=payload(i)) for i in range(10_000, 20_000): send_one(i) But we dont have to wait for each request to come back we can run them in parallel. After trying multiprocessing and threading , I massaged a stack overflow code snippet I found using aiohttp to start a bunch of requests without blocking on a response. Heres a slightly simplified version. import asyncio, aiohttp async def send_one(session, i): # non-blocking async with session.post(url, headers=headers, json=payload(i)): pass async def main(): async with aiohttp.ClientSession() as s: tasks = [send_one(s, i) for i in range(10_000, 20_000)] # start all await asyncio.gather(*tasks) # wait for all asyncio.run(main()) I benchmarked this against Postman's API (meant for testing) and it ran in 15 seconds! That's ~650 RPS. But, hm is that too much for their servers? In April 2019 there were about 9,000 trips per day, so even if 80% of those all happened during rush hour (8-10am, 5-7pm) that's still a whopping 0.5 RPS at its peak. I'd be single-handedly 1,300x-ing their peak traffic on this endpoint. To be fair, (Google informed me,) 650 RPS is not that crazy for most servers. But a sudden spike like that might still look to Lyft like a Denial-of-Service attack... To: security@lyft.com ...which it's not. Let me know if this is an issue and I'll stop. I'm just a student, please don't call the cops. Sincerely, Ilan Aaaand sent . Ok now let's run it on all the IDs. The Test I'm about to run python unlock_script.py when a thought occurs to me: Is there any chance, however slim, that I'm about to unlock every single Lyft Bike in and around the Bay Area? The geofence should prevent that, in theory. Only the station at my selected coordinates should respond. But what if it fails? What if eh screw it, let's live a little. Enter 10,000 IDs fly through my screen. 1000 not-so-milli seconds tick by. Then, I get my first blessed You are too far from this station. Then another. They start to trickle in, slowly at first, then suddenly flood my terminal. Ok, that's a good sign. I'm not actively unlocking the whole city. Then, another second or so pass by, until... Bike 12539 unlocked Hellllll yeah! Oh my freaking god it worked! It actually wor Bike 17322 unlocked Done. Wait, what? Um. Ok? Two bikes got unlocked? That's strange, my Lyft membership only allows me to unlock one bike at a time. But hey, a) I didn't unlock the whole city, and b) it worked, so what do I care. Let's go find my bikes. And there they were. Resting peacefully in their docks, but secretly not actually locked. If someone tried scanning it, they'd just see an error and try a different one. I had accomplished what I had set out to do. The Good Days And boy was it nice. Every morning I'd wake up, get ready for work, run my script, glance at the unlocked ID (sometimes two), leisurely stroll to the station, (re-lock the second bike if necessary), and be on my merry way. I mostly kept this to myself, and a few trusted people including my parents, who were happy for me but nervous that I was now certainly a criminal waiting to be arrested. But what fun, and what a pleasantly happy ending to this adventure. Jun 21, 2019, 12:27 PM hey ilan! super random, but are you doing anything with the lyft bikes api? What. Oh no. Hey! um, potentially? Why? oh lmao. i'm interning here and just saw a sev email about this and for some reason thought of you Oh no. 12:54 PM Oh lol wait is sev "severe"? Should I stop? It just means there was an incident lol were you reverse engineering endpoints? Ok I'm I don't want to get in trouble so loll Yeah, why? ok yeah that's what the email was about 12:58 PM Hmmmmm should I be nervous? It says "potentially DoS but probably just trying to reverse engineer" lmao I think just stop doing it Panic? Panic. Hacker One I think I spent ~two and a half minutes hyperventilating before I decided to start using my brain. I hadn't intended for this to cause an issue for Lyft: I had done the math, sanity checked with Google, and even let them know in advance. Even still, this could be interpreted maliciously and it'd be nice not to get arrested. So... what to do? Well, how do hackers avoid getting arrested? Responsible disclosure! Companies will give bounties to people who report vulnerabilities, so hackers can keep hacking legally, and companies get to fix issues. Win-win! And maybe, just maybe, this might keep me out of jail. Win-win-win! So I found HackerOne, and immediately a problem: Lyft's vulnerability disclosure guidelines state brute-force approaches aren't eligible. In reality, my approach wasn't bypassing anything at all I was still unlocking a bike and paying like normal. No bugs to be reported. Although... the second bike! Definitely not normal behavior, and I wasn't getting charged for it. Let's hope it's enough to show I come in peace. HackerOne Report Summary: This vulnerability is specifically for the BayWheels bike sharing service. By brute-forcing the https://layer.bicyclesharing.net/mobile/v2/fgb/rent endpoint, an attacker is able to unlock more than one bicycle at a given station. Proof of Concept: Trivial. Steps To Reproduce: Locate relevant auth info (api-key and authorization code) from downloaded app (possibly using Charles proxy MitM). Discover rent endpoint (also using Charles proxy). Quickly send rent requests for all possible bike IDs. Retrieve bike. Impact: An attacker could unlock more than one bike without having to go through the paywall. (Yes I'm embarrassed to say I did actually write "trivial" because I was nervous about sharing my code.) And now we wait. Except by sheer luck , my summer roommate was also working at Lyft (unrelated to the intern friend who messaged me), and found the thread discussing my vulnerability report. Even though Lyft could have labeled my submission ineligible due to my somewhat... unorthodox methods, their security team treated my newbie submission seriously, asked a couple follow-ups, and eventually decided to make an exception and award me a bounty of $250. They even threw in an extra $250 bonus for a "good report"! My goodness $500 is better than jail. In the end I did what any (relieved, not arrested) student would do with a surprise $500 and threw an absolutely stocked little house party... ...and, naturally, invited the Lyft interns. Closing Thoughts Two-bike unlock: While I never got confirmation, I believe the two-bike unlock issue was ultimately a race condition in the rent endpoint. Given the layer.bicyclesharing.net URL, I'm guessing Lyft inherited some legacy code during the Ford GoBikes acquisition which did not correctly handle multiple simultaneous requests from the same user. I expect they have since migrated these endpoints to their own first-party (likely more modern) backend. Geofence bypass: As far as I understand, there's no easy way to enforce a geofence server-side other than timing, consistency, etc. You sort of just have to trust whatever the phone tells you. So what did I learn? Even scary "physical" systems have digital interfaces you may recognize. There's few better ways to learn about a system than reverse engineering. Curiosity and determination are unreasonably effective, and seem to create luck. If you made it to the end, you might just enjoy this stuff. So I leave you with homework: Go reverse engineer something. Just, be nice about it. Happy hacking. Hacker News Discussion Republican Robert Raimondo, 58, of North Kingstown, announces his gubernatorial bid at a sparsely attended campaign kickoff at Brewed Awakenings Coffee House in Warwick on Thursday, Jan. 22, 2026. (Photo by Laura Paton/Rhode Island Current) Is Rhode Island ready for another Governor Raimondo? Robert Raimondo hopes so. The North Kingstown Republican formalized his bid for the governors seat in a kickoff event at Brewed Awakenings Coffee House in Warwick Thursday morning. Aside from regular coffeehouse customers, the event drew two attendees, a Rhode Island Current photographer and a cameraperson for WPRI-TV 12. Advertisement Advertisement Unlike former Gov. Gina Raimondo, who Robert said is a distant cousin, Robert Raimondo is a political newcomer. Hes never run for office before, and moved back to Rhode Island in October with the express purpose of fulfilling his lifelong dream to serve as state governor, he said in an interview Thursday. The 58-year-old had not even registered to vote in the state at the time he filed his campaign paperwork in November, the Providence Journal reported. He has since registered. Inexperience and a slow start to the campaign did not dissuade Raimondo. At some point, if you want to do something you need to put your neck out there and try it, Raimondo said. Of the turnout for his event, he added, It is what it is. Advertisement Advertisement Hes hoping to gain attention through his policies, including a bold promise to eliminate state personal income taxes. Rhode Islanders are taxed enough, Raimondo said in a press release. Eliminating state income taxes will lower costs for families, help seniors on fixed incomes, and make our state a magnet for jobs and opportunity. Asked how he would offset the $2.1 billion in revenue from state income taxes the largest source of income for the state each year Raimondo explained that saving people money on taxes would spur more spending, generating income via state sales taxes. He also suggested businesses would be drawn to set up or expand in the state with a competitive income tax policy, further boosting state coffers. Raimondo also backs the perennial Republican proposal for a state inspector general to reduce fraud and monitor state spending. Advertisement Advertisement He criticized Gov. Dan McKees administration for so many things going wrong, naming paycheck errors for state workers, the Washington Bridge and losing Hasbro as examples. Every time you pick up the paper, its another thing, Raimondo said. It feels like everything is aligned, this is the point in my life, to try and change that. His policy ideas reprise the GOP playbook, but Raimondo does not consider himself a dyed-in-the-wool Republican. He voted for Kamala Harris in the 2024 presidential election, though he said he now supports Trump, naming his economic and health policies under Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. A Providence native and certified public accountant, Raimondo moved to California in 1991 in search of work, according to his campaign website. His career took off away from home, with positions at top accounting firms and businesses in California and Hawaii. Advertisement Advertisement Since November, a month after moving back to his native state, he has served as founder of Leather and Lace, a holistic wellness studio development business, according to his LinkedIn page. The company is registered at the same Cranston address listed on Raimondos campaign finance account, but Raimondo said the corporate headquarters is preliminary. Raimondo is the third Republican to enter the 2026 gubernatorial race; Aaron Guckian, a former aide to Gov. Don Carcieri, kicked off his campaign in the same location on Dec. 1. Retired comedian Elaine Pelino unveiled a campaign website in July 2025, but has not held a formal kickoff event or promoted her campaign to the press. The state GOP has not endorsed a candidate in the race. On the Democratic side, McKee is seeking a second full term, facing off against his 2022 rival, Helena Buonanno Foulkes and, potentially, House Speaker K. Joseph Shekarchi, who has not announced his decision yet. Gregory Stevens, who owns a trio of local Pats Italian Restaurants, also filed paperwork to run as a Democrat in the race. Laura Paton contributed to this story. SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX U.S. Sen. Mike Lee has called for a public execution of the man accused of assassinating Charlie Kirk at Utah Valley University in Orem, Utah. After Kirks widow Erika Kirk formally requested a speedy trial in the case against Tyler James Robinson, the Utah senator who is a member of the Republican Party wrote on X (formerly Twitter), Execute Tyler Robinson. In public. According to The Blast, the 54-year-old politician made similar statements in the past. He reportedly once wrote, Tyler Robinson publicly executed Charlie Kirk. Tyler Robinson should be publicly executed. Advertisement Advertisement Social media users responded to Lees recent X post in shock, pointing to Robinsons constitutional right to a fair trial. Mike, you are truly a disgrace to your profession and humanity, one person wrote. While Robinson is currently facing multiple charges, including one count of aggravated murder, in connection to Kirks death at age 31 on September 10, 2025, he has not been found guilty. The 22-year-old made his first in-person court appearance on December 11, but he has not yet entered a plea. He is being held without bail as the case proceeds through pretrial motions. Robinson is scheduled to return to court in early February. Advertisement Advertisement According to recent court records filed in Utah, Erikas attorney, Jeffrey Neiman, invoked the states victim rights statute and argued that the legal proceedings have been unnecessarily delayed and that the case should move forward without further postponement. Under Utah law, crime victims are entitled to a timely resolution of criminal cases, a provision that goes beyond federal standards. Robinsons attorneys have argued that the local prosecutor should be removed from the case because the daughter of a deputy in the county attorneys office was present at the rally when Kirk was killed. Kirks sudden death gained national attention after he was killed while speaking at Utah Valley University as part of his American Comeback Tour. Erika who shares two young children with her late husband has spoken out numerous times following the death of the Stop, in the Name of God author. Advertisement Advertisement I want to encourage you to know and understand something that Charlie knew and understood so deeply, she said in a speech at Fox Nations Patriot Awards in November. He knew that evil wins when good people stay silent, and so for the rest of my life, I will make sure that I dont stay silent. Read More From National Enquirer This story Republican Utah Senator Calls for Public Execution of Charlie Kirks Alleged Assassin first appeared on National Enquirer. Add National Enquirer as a Preferred Source by clicking here. MELBOURNE, Australia (AP) Landslides hit a house and a campground in New Zealand on Thursday, leaving at least two dead while emergency crews were trying to rescue others buried in rubble, officials said. The first hit a house in the community of Welcome Bay on New Zealands North Island at 4:50 a.m., police said. Two people escaped the house, and the bodies of two who were trapped inside were recovered hours later, Emergency Management Minister Mark Mitchell said. Later the same morning, emergency services were called to a second slide at the base of nearby Mount Maunganui. The rubble hit Beachside Holiday Park in a town named after the extinct volcano. Images showed vehicles, travel trailers and an amenities block crushed by debris. Advertisement Advertisement Police Superintendent Tim Anderson said the number of people missing was in the single figures." No survivors or bodies had been recovered by late Thursday from the Mount Maunganui rubble, where dogs were being used to sniff for human victims, Mitchell said. There was a shower block and a, sort of, combined shower block-kitchen block and there were people using that at the time the slide came through and they are some of the ones that we're working hard to try and recover now, Mitchell told Australian Broadcasting Corp. Further north near Warkworth, a man was missing after floodwaters swept him from a road Wednesday morning as heavy rain lashed large swathes of the North Island, a police statement said. Advertisement Advertisement New Zealand Prime Minister Christopher Luxon urged residents in affected areas to heed local authorities' safety advice during the extreme conditions. Extreme weather continues to cause dangerous conditions across the North Island. Right now, the government is doing everything we can to support those impacted, Luxon posted on social media. Fire and Emergency NZ commander William Pike said there were some signs of life immediately after the Mount Maunganui slide. Members of the public ... tried to get into the rubble and did hear some voices, Pike told reporters. Our initial fire crew arrived and were able to hear the same. Shortly after our initial crew arrived, we withdrew everyone from the site due to possible movement and slip." Advertisement Advertisement Mayor Mahe Drysdale said those unaccounted earlier had included people who had left the campground without notifying authorities. The campground was closed after the disaster. Australian tourist Sonny Worrall said he was lazing in a hot pool within the campground when he heard then saw the landslide. I looked behind me and theres a huge landslide coming down. And Im still shaking from it now, Worrall told New Zealand's 1News news service. I turned around and I had to jump out from my seat as fast as I could and just run. He looked back to see the rubble carrying a travel trailer behind him. It was like the scariest thing Ive ever experienced in my life, Worrall said. ___ This version has corrected the location where a landslide hit a house, to Welcome Bay, not Bay of Plenty. The United States will control parts of Greenland by designating them as sovereign base areas under the terms of a proposed deal agreed in Davos. Under the deal, which mimics Britains agreement with Cyprus, American bases on the Arctic island would be considered US territory, The Telegraph understands. It would allow the US to carry out military and intelligence operations, as well as training, while also facilitating some local development, potentially including rare earth mining. Advertisement Advertisement The framework was agreed between Donald Trump and Mark Rutte, the Nato secretary-general on Wednesday evening, and will ease Danish fears that the US is preparing to annex the semi-autonomous region. The announcement came only hours after Mr Trump demanded the immediate right to buy Greenland from Denmark during a meandering two-hour speech at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland. Well-placed sources told The Telegraph that the proposed deal stopped short of the sale of Greenland to the US. Mr Trump declined in a series of interviews to explain the terms of the deal but admitted the issue of ownership was a little complex. b' ' Advertisement Advertisement The US president also dropped his threat of punitive 10 per cent trade tariffs on the UK and other European countries who had refused to support his plan to annex Greenland. Mr Trump said he had agreed upon a future framework for Greenland and the entire Arctic region during a very productive meeting with Mr Rutte. Confirming the plan, a diplomatic source told The Telegraph: The idea was to give Trump a deal. Mette Frederiksen, Denmarks prime minister, appeared to reject Mr Trumps plan on Thursday, insisting that her country could not negotiate on its sovereignty. She said in a statement that security in the Arctic is a matter for all of Nato, and it is good and natural that it be discussed between the US president and Mr Rutte. Advertisement Advertisement She wrote that Nato was aware of Denmarks position that anything political could be negotiated on, including security, investment and economic issues but we cannot negotiate on our sovereignty. I have been informed that this has not been the case, she said, adding that only Denmark and Greenland could make decisions on issues concerning Denmark and Greenland. A Nato spokesman said: The secretary-general did not propose any compromise to sovereignty during his meeting with the president in Davos. Mark Rutte and Donald Trump agreed a deal on Wednesday - Chip Somodevilla/2026 Getty Images The Cyprus-UK style plan is seen as a creative work-around to Mr Trumps demands for ownership of the island, which he views as being strategically important to Americas defence. Advertisement Advertisement The terms of the UKs agreement with Cyprus grants Britain sovereignty over two military bases for strategic purposes while allowing Cypriots within the areas rights similar to elsewhere in the Republic. The US is already permitted to build and operate military bases in Greenland while having unrestricted freedom of operation between designated defence areas, including air, land, and sea. In theory, the proposed new framework would allow the US to control parts of Greenland and potentially expand to mineral-rich areas which are coveted by Mr Trump. b' ' It also means that the US would not have to seek permits, such as planning permission. Advertisement Advertisement The proposal would also make it easier for the US to position assets belonging to the Golden Dome, a proposed missile defence system, there. Sources told The Telegraph that during their meeting with Mr Trump, Nato negotiators criticised Emmanuel Macron, the French president, in order to curry favour with the mercurial president. Mr Macron is amongst those most fiercely opposed to Mr Trumps Greenland takeover threats and has argued for the use of the EUs bazooka blocking US companies from the continents internal market. Speaking to reporters on Wednesday, the president said: Its a deal that people jumped at, really fantastic for the USA, gets everything we wanted, including especially real national security and international security. Donald Trump addresses the media as he leaves the Word Economic Forum in Davos - AFP Mr Rutte said he had not discussed the key issue of Danish sovereignty over Greenland in his meeting with the US president. Advertisement Advertisement [Mr Trump is] very much focused on what do we need to do to make sure that that huge Arctic region, where change is taking place at the moment, where the Chinese and Russians are more and more active, how we can protect that, he said in a televised interview with Fox News on Wednesday night. A Nato spokesman said: The secretary-general had a very productive meeting with President Trump during which they discussed the critical significance of security in the Arctic region to all allies, including the United States. Discussions among Nato allies on the framework the president referenced will focus on ensuring Arctic security through the collective efforts of allies, especially the seven Arctic allies. Negotiations between Denmark, Greenland, and the United States will go forward aimed at ensuring that Russia and China never gain a foothold economically or militarily in Greenland. Natos military leaders arrived in Davos this week with the aim to take the political heat out of the rift between Europe and Washington. Advertisement Advertisement On Wednesday, Gen Alexus Grynkewich, Natos supreme allied commander in Europe, briefed his alliance counterparts on the threat assessment around Greenland and the wider Arctic. At a meeting in Brussels, he told his fellow generals there had not been a step change in the threat posed by Russia and China in the High North. But Gen Grynkewich did highlight gaps in the surveillance and detection of ballistic missiles as a particular concern. European Union leaders will still proceed with an emergency summit on Thursday, which was called to coordinate a response to the presidents threats over the territory. Advertisement Advertisement But The Telegraph understands that Natos chiefs of defence staff in Europe had put plans for a military mission to Greenland on the back burner to allow for political tensions to subside. While some allies had pushed for an immediate deployment to the region, military chiefs decided that a mission would risk political escalation. Meanwhile, Wall Street stocks rose sharply after Mr Trump reversed course on the threat of a trade war, recovering from steep declines earlier in the week. Try full access to The Telegraph free today. Unlock their award-winning website and essential news app, plus useful tools and expert guides for your money, health and holidays. A Rhode Island man has been arrested and charged in connection with the hit-and-run crash of a Salem Police Officer, the Essex County District Attorneys Office announced. 33-year-old Lucas D. Fulcar-Bautista of Coventry, Rhode Island, was arrested on Wednesday in Lawrence following a multi-state search. Fulcar-Bautista is accused of striking a Salem police officer with his vehicle on the night of January 15. Advertisement Advertisement Fulcar-Bautista was arraigned in Salem District Court on the following charges: Trafficking in more than 10 Grams of Fentanyl Negligent Operation of a Motor Vehicle Assault and Battery with a Dangerous Weapon (Motor Vehicle) Assault by Means of a Dangerous Weapon (Motor Vehicle) Speeding Disorderly Conduct Leaving the Scene of a Personal Injury Accident Failure to Stop for Police Fulcar-Bautista pleaded not guilty and has been ordered to be held without bail pending a dangerousness hearing, which is scheduled for January 26 in Salem District Court. All suspects and defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law. Advertisement Advertisement This is a developing story. Check back for updates as more information becomes available. Download the FREE Boston 25 News app for breaking news alerts. Follow Boston 25 News on Facebook and Twitter. | Watch Boston 25 News NOW HANOI, Vietnam (AP) Southeast Asias demand for coal is growing faster than anywhere else in the world, undermining efforts to lower carbon emissions that contribute to global warming. Regional coal demand will rise by more than 4% a year through the end of the decade, driven by rising needs for electricity as economies grow across the region of more than 600 million, according to a recent International Energy Agency report. Indonesia, a nation of about 285 million people, will account for more than half of that, followed by Vietnam. The trends raise questions over the $15.5 billion-dollar deals both countries signed in 2022 in Just Energy Transition Partnerships, or JETP, to help fund their renewable energy transitions. Moves under U.S. President Donald Trump to reverse policies meant to address climate change add to the challenges. Advertisement Advertisement This is a decisive decade for Southeast Asia as the region bears much of the burden of extreme weather and other impacts from climate change. Were standing on two opposite grounds wanting to build clean energy, but not letting go entirely of coal, said Katherine Hasan, an analyst with the Centre for Research on Energy and Clean Air, a Finland-registered think tank. Coal emits more planet heating emissions than other fossil fuels like oil and gas when it is burned. Pollution from coal also adds to toxic haze that often blankets many Southeast Asian cities. Southeast Asia's coal dependence lingers Advertisement Advertisement Coal supplies just over a third of Southeast Asias electricity, the IEA says, making it the third-largest coal-consuming region in the world after India and China. Global coal demand is expected to plateau as alternatives expand and major coal buyers like South Korea cut back. But Southeast Asia is headed in the opposite direction. The two main factors driving that trend are cost and energy security. Nobody burns coal for fun, said Paul Baruya of FutureCoal, a group backed by the fossil fuel industry, formerly known as the World Coal Association. Coal still underpins a level of energy security that the region needs, he said, noting that coal cutbacks would mean writing off billions of dollars' worth of fossil fuel-related infrastructure including power plants and mines. Advertisement Advertisement A recent regional survey by Singapores ISEASYusof Ishak Institute found a growing public preference for delaying giving up coal until 2030 or even 2040, as concerns over adequate power supplies and costs counter worries about climate change. Governments across the region are echoing that logic. What is important is that our government is firm in its stance that there will be no phase-out of fossil fuels, said Hashim Djojohadikusumo, brother to Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto and the country's special climate envoy, last month. Weve rejected that; were sticking with a phase-down," he said. "Indonesias economy, especially its industry and electricity sector, will continue to rely on fossil fuels." Advertisement Advertisement Indonesia backtracks on coal phase out Indonesia is the worlds largest coal exporter and Southeast Asias biggest carbon emitter making it vital for the region s energy transition. If Indonesia cannot transition away from coal, then why would other developing countries? said Dinita Setyawati, with the United Kingdom-registered think tank Ember. For Indonesia, its not so much a fear of the unknown, but a reluctance to change and the inertia of change. A years-long effort to retire a coal plant in West Java fell through last month, highlighting Indonesia's struggle to move beyond coal. Indonesia's updated climate pledge, which dropped a promise to phase out coal by 2040, was rated critically insufficient by Climate Action Tracker, which said the country's aims don't align with the Paris Climate Agreement. Advertisement Advertisement Currently, Indonesia is considering re-opening the door for future construction of new coal plants. This is despite mounting costs from climate change. Last year more than 700 people were killed in deadly floods and landslides associated with extreme weather worsened by climate change. Continued coal use will also likely worsen Indonesia's air pollution, especially in cities like Jakarta. Vietnam reaches energy crossroads Vietnam has stood out in fossil fuel-dependent Southeast Asia, expanding its solar generating capacity from 4 megawatts in 2015 to 16 gigawatts a decade later. It has plans to grow that to as much as 73.4 gigawatts by 2030 and up to 295 gigawatts by 2050. Advertisement Advertisement Yet coal use is still rising. Vietnam hit a record-high in 2025 with the import of more than 65 million metric tonnes of coal, which was up 2.6% by volume from a year earlier, according to the latest data from Vietnam's customs department. That partly reflects caution over generating capacity following power shortages in 2023, when a drought sapped hydropower output, causing about $1.4 billion in losses, according to the World Bank. In order to sustain GDP growth of around 10% a year through 2030, Vietnam aims to increase electricity sales to the point that they are equivalent to Germany's current annual energy consumption. Advertisement Advertisement It has allowed large companies like Danish toymaker LEGO and South Korean manufacturer Samsung, to buy electricity directly from Vietnamese wind and solar power producers to meet their climate targets. This could potentially double Vietnams renewable energy share from about 19% to 42%, Ember says. However, Vietnams power grid is already under strain from the rapid, uneven rollout of renewables and years of underinvestment in transmission equipment. The government estimates it needs about $18 billion by 2030 to upgrade the system. But progress has been slow, and funding committed so far covers only a fraction of the need. A pushback on clean energy transitions The momentum for JETP-backed projects in Indonesia and Vietnam is unlikely to pick up this year, according to Putra Adhiguna, with the Jakarta-based think tank, the Energy Shift Institute. Advertisement Advertisement Indonesia's cancellation of the early retirement of the West Java coal plant, and the 2025 U.S. withdrawal from JETP under the Trump administration, has shaken faith in the rollout of tangible projects in 2026. Expectations for the billion-dollar JETP deals were set too high, Adhiguna said. JETP was basically a brute force attempt to do a transition," he said. Governments were trying to bulldoze through ... But fundamentally there are things that take a bit of time and political commitment to happen. ___ Delgado reported from Bangkok. Associated Press writer Edna Tarigan in Jakarta contributed to this report. Advertisement Advertisement ___ The Associated Press climate and environmental coverage receives financial support from multiple private foundations. The AP is solely responsible for all content. Find APs standards for working with philanthropies, a list of supporters and funded coverage areas at AP.org. Mark Rutte, the Nato secretary general, has confronted Donald Trump by reminding him that Nato countries lost one soldier for every two Americans killed in Afghanistan. Mr Rutte challenged the US president over his claims that allies would not be there to help the US. Mr Trump told the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, on Wednesday that he was not sure Nato would be there for us if we gave them the call. Advertisement Advertisement Mr Rutte told him: Theres one thing I heard you say yesterday and today. You were not absolutely sure Europeans would come to the rescue of the US if you will be attacked. Let me tell you, they will and they did in Afghanistan. He added: For every two Americans who paid the ultimate price, there was one soldier from another Nato country who did not come back to his family from the Netherlands, from Denmark, and particularly from other countries. So you can be assured, absolutely, if ever the United States was under attack, your allies will be with you. There is an absolute guarantee. I really want to tell you that because it pains me if you think it is not. Nato allies suffered a heavy toll of casualties during the war in Afghanistan. Britain lost 457 service members, while France, Germany, Italy, and Denmark also recorded significant casualties. Advertisement Advertisement Mr Trump labelled Denmark, which suffered the highest per capita death toll among coalition forces in Afghanistan, as ungrateful for American efforts during the Second World War. Try full access to The Telegraph free today. Unlock their award-winning website and essential news app, plus useful tools and expert guides for your money, health and holidays. An aerial view of an area affected by a landslide triggered by heavy rains, in Mount Maunganui (Amy Till/Reuters) At least two people have died after landslides struck a popular tourist destination in New Zealand. The disaster comes after days of inclement weather, which caused extraordinary volumes of rainfall across large parts of the countrys North Island. One landslide struck a holiday campground that sits at the base of the extinct Mount Maunganui volcano, a sacred place that is culturally important to Maori people. Advertisement Advertisement The small volcano, also known as Mauao, is popular with hikers and families, and is renowned for its views of the Bay of Plenty. The town of Mount Maunganui, named after the volcano, is also visited by those seeking the healing properties of its thermal baths and natural hot salt water. The local council has now fully closed Mount Maunganui to the public until further notice as search and rescue efforts continue. What has happened? Police said the first landslide hit a house in Welcome Bay at about 4.50am on Thursday (3.50pm GMT on Wednesday). Two people escaped, but the bodies of two others trapped inside were later recovered, according to emergency management minister Mark Mitchell. Advertisement Advertisement Hours later, a second landslide hit Beachside Holiday Park, at the base of Mount Maunganui, crushing vehicles, campervans and an amenities block. Mount Maunganui is a popular tourist attraction for hikers and is a spiritually significant site (Getty/iStock) Fire and Emergency New Zealand said early searches detected voices from beneath the debris, but crews were later forced to withdraw because of unstable ground. As many as nine people are thought to be missing, according to local media. Further north, a man remains missing after being swept away by floodwaters near Warkworth on Wednesday. Are the mountain trails and roads closed? Tauranga City Council said that the mountain and the areas surrounding it are fully closed to the public until further notice due to the large slips that have made the area unsafe. Advertisement Advertisement The council said that the recent severe weather has significantly destabilised the mountain, creating an ongoing risk for further slips and falling debris. Fencing is being put up in the area and security will also be present during the closure. In addition to the closure of Mount Maunganui, the New Zealand Transport Agency has also closed the State Highway 2 Eastern Link due to surface flooding. Police and officials walk following a landslide while a search is underway by local emergency services for missing people at Mount Maunganui in Tauranga (AFP/Getty) All westbound and eastbound traffic is being diverted through Papamoa, which is causing significant traffic congestion. People are advised to follow all detours and, if possible, delay travel. Those in the area are encouraged to refrain from non-essential travel. Advertisement Advertisement The Bay of Plenty Civil Defence adds: Please remember to take care if you plan to head outdoors or travel. Slips, fallen trees, and dangerous driving conditions are still possible. Is more bad weather on the way? MetService New Zealand said that the weather system that caused the torrential rain on the North Island this week continues to head eastward. While all weather warnings have been discontinued on the mainland, orange wind warnings are still in place for the Chatham Islands with gusts forecast up to 120km/h. A yellow rain watch is also in place for the islands, which are found 430 miles east of New Zealand's South Island. Has the UK government given any advice? The Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO) has not issued any travel advice relating to the landslides in Mount Maunganui. Advertisement Advertisement Its general advice does say that if a natural disaster happens in New Zealand, you should follow the advice of the local authorities and the National Emergency Management Agency. Can I cancel my holiday? If you have booked accommodation near Mount Maunganui, it is recommended that you contact the operators directly for the most up-to-date advice. The Beachside Holiday Park is currently closed and staff have said they will be in touch with guests as soon as possible. Package holidays are operating as usual across the country. If you have an upcoming trip booked and want to postpone, get in touch with your tour operator or holiday provider; they may offer some flexibility. Advertisement Advertisement However, if not, there are currently no grounds for travellers to expect a refund if they cancel, nor to claim the money back through travel insurance, as the UKs Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO) has not issued a blanket avoid all non-essential travel advisory for New Zealand. If FCDO advice changes to advising against all travel, you can cancel a package holiday without penalty for a full refund. Your travel insurance could be invalidated if you travel against advice from the FCDO. Follow live: Mount Maunganui landslide latest race to reach survivors after deadly floods hit popular campsite and homes SAN DIEGO (FOX 5/KUSI) A San Diego realtor is speaking out after one of her listings became the site of a large illegal house party that caused thousands of dollars in damage. Authorities said nearly 100 people showed up at the Skyline home earlier this month, despite a flyer advertising the party that urged guests to please respect the house. The house was not respected whatsoever, said realtor Vanessa Munoz. Advertisement Advertisement The home was left littered with trash, shattered glass and damage in nearly every room. After receiving reports from neighbors and police, Munoz conducted her own investigation and discovered the party had been advertised on social media. She also found videos showing people partying inside the home. I hopped on Instagram and there they are, Munoz said. Theres videos of people partying inside the living room of my listing. A packed house. The party footage cannot be shared without permission from the original source, but Munoz shared video and photos of the aftermath. A neighbor also provided Ring camera video showing groups of teens walking to and from the home. Advertisement Advertisement There was fireworks, a huge hole in the wall, somebody got into a physical fight. We heard there was weapons and drugs, Munoz said. There was so much going on. Were just so grateful that it wasnt worse and nobody actually got hurt. Munoz said the damage from the party cost the sellers about $10,000 in repairs. We had to get the work done. We couldnt wait on insurance or any of that because we have a new homeowner whos going to be closing on the home soon, Munoz said. They need to move in. San Diego police said the overwhelming number of people at the house made it difficult to shut the party down immediately. Officers remained on patrol in the area, made contact with attendees, and took reports as people left the scene. Advertisement Advertisement Munoz said she is already aware of another party advertised on social media by the same group, scheduled for Friday, Jan. 23. I have another listing in Skyline, so when I saw that their flyer says theres another one in Skyline, Im like, No, Munoz said. We have to be on high alert and make sure that we are keeping an eye on the property. She is urging other realtors and sellers to take similar precautions. Im advising all my clients that have properties that are vacant to set up cameras, do whatever you can, take the security measures to make sure that this does not happen to your property, Munoz said. Advertisement Advertisement San Diego police said the case remains under investigation. Anyone identified and prosecuted could face charges ranging from trespassing to breaking and entering and vandalism. Authorities are urging the community to remain vigilant not only in Skyline, but in any area with vacant properties. Copyright 2026 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to FOX 5 San Diego & KUSI News. A deadly shootout in the South Bay led to a massive response, and now more than a day-long investigation in downtown San Jose and beyond. San Jose police gave us more details as to what happened Wednesday just before the injured sergeant was released from the hospital after being shot in the head by a carjacker. "Under fire, wounded and under extreme stress, his training and resolve kicked in," SJPD Chief Paul Joseph said. "Only a person with a warrior spirit could fight through an encounter like that and live." Advertisement Advertisement It's nothing short of a miracle that the 13-year veteran sergeant was the only confirmed injury in the violent crime spree and deadly shootout that spanned several days. It covered hundreds of miles, with multiple armed robberies and carjackings, across multiple counties and cities. It involved several jurisdictions, and it all culminated in the suspect being shot and run over by police. PREVIOUS STORY: San Jose officer injured, armed carjacking suspect dead following shootout, chase: authorities "This was a scene none of us ever want to witness in real life," Joseph said. "It's the kind of footage people might expect from an action movie. But this was not a movie. This was a battle for that sergeant's life unfolding in the middle of our city in broad daylight with members of the public in the crossfire." Advertisement Advertisement San Jose Police Chief Paul Joseph gave us a better look at the timeline Thursday afternoon. San Jose Police Chief Paul Joseph gave an update to the press on Thursday after a deadly shootout with a carjacker that took place on Wednesday afternoon. The chief says the suspect, 30-year-old Muhammed Hussein of Davis, stole a red corvette from a dealership in Sacramento on Saturday, Jan. 17 and committed multiple armed robberies in Northern California and the Bay Area over the next few days. On Wednesday, license plate readers spotted that stolen red Corvette in San Jose, but officers were not able to find the driver. Advertisement Advertisement A pursuit began when the suspect stole a bright green Corvette at gunpoint from Capitol Chevrolet in San Jose. The police chopper followed the carjacker about 45 miles south to Hollister, where the man got into a shootout with San Benito Sheriff's deputies and Hollister Police. The man stole another car in Hollister -- seen on cell phone video -- then drove back to San Jose as he fired at California Highway Patrol officers along the way. INTERACTIVE: Take a look at the ABC7 Neighborhood Safety Tracker It all ended in downtown San Jose, as shown in video from a law enforcement helicopter obtained by Fugitive.com. Advertisement Advertisement You can see the carjacker shoot the SJPD sergeant, hitting him in the head and fracturing his skull, before trying to steal the sergeant's patrol car before running off. Police shot him and drove over him at Julian Street and Notre Dame Avenue. "Nothing about a deadly force encounter is pretty," Joseph said. "And at that point, you have an incredibly dangerous situation with a dangerous individual and that individual needs to be stopped. And whatever means the officers needed to use to stop that individual, they made a decision in that moment." A lengthy investigation will now begin into that fatal use of force and all images and video collected by police, including body cam footage, will be released in 45 days per state law. If you're on the ABC7 News app, click here to watch live COMPANY NEWS: Accolades include Tech Ascension Award for AI-Powered Agent Solution of the Year, Top Tech of the Year Award (Las Vegas), Silver Globee Award in the Customer Service Team of the Year Category and Women Leading IT Award for client, Hitachi Vantara Rimini Street, the Software Support and Agentic AI ERP Company, and the leading third-party support provider for Oracle, SAP and VMware software, has been recognised by top industry award programs for its innovation, technical excellence and client-first culture. Winner of the AI-Powered Enterprise (Agent) Solution of the Year Category for Fueling Innovation and Driving Business Outcomes Rimini Street earned a 2025 Tech Ascension Award in the AI-powered Enterprise (Agent) Solution of the Year category for delivering innovative solutions and measurable business outcomes. The Tech Ascension Awards honour technology that solves critical industry challenges and drives real value for customers. The winners embody the power of AI to drive meaningful change, said David Campbell, CEO of the Tech Ascension Awards. From reimagining enterprise workflows to empowering SMBs with intelligent automation, these solutions demonstrate how AI can deliver scale, precision, and innovation while addressing the real-world challenges organizations face today. Winner of the Top Tech of the Year Award, Honoring a Culture of Trust, Innovation and Community Impact Celebrating its fifteenth year in Las Vegas, the annual Top Tech Awards honour outstanding leaders who have significantly contributed to the advancement of the tech industry and economy through their innovative work. Rimini Street CEO Seth Ravin received the 2025 Top Tech of the Year Award, testament to the companys commitment to technical rigour, extraordinary solutions and a culture built on trust, innovation and client success. Ravin was recognised for the insight that led to Rimini Streets core offerings, including an AI-powered service platform, unmatched support for Oracle, SAP, VMware and other systems, and business processes that prioritise client value and personalised service. Winner of Silver Globee Award for Customer Service Team of the Year, Delivering Industry-Leading Service to Clients Rimini Street was named the Best of Category winner for Customer Service Team of the Year in the 2025 Globee Awards for Impact. This global awards program celebrates organisations and individuals making a real difference through purposeful leadership, social responsibility, innovation and sustainable business practices. All winners were selected through a rigorous, merit-based evaluation process conducted by independent industry experts and peers from around the world. Rimini Street is recognised with the highest scores in the category for its industry-leading service standard, including a guaranteed 10-minute response time for critical issues, delivered on average in less than two minutes. Im truly honoured for Rimini Street to be recognised by the Tech Ascension, Top Tech and Globee Award committees. These achievements reflect our unwavering commitment to a client-first culture, as well as our leadership in delivering mission-critical enterprise software support, managed services and Agentic AI ERP solutions, said Ravin. Were also incredibly excited to bring our latest wave of innovation to market Rimini Agentic UX Solutions redefining whats possible with ERP today, enabling clients to accelerate transformation, orchestrate cross-application workflows and achieve meaningful business outcomes without the cost, risk or disruption of traditional ERP upgrades or migrations. Celebrating Rimini Street Client, Hitachi Vantara, Winner of the 2025 Women Leading IT Award Nominated by Rimini Street, Gauri Kapur, VP of Corporate Applications and Data Analytics at Hitachi Vantara, was honoured by Info-Tech Research Group with a 2025 Info-Tech Award in the Women Leading IT category. This award celebrates exceptional women whose leadership strength drives transformation within their organisations and the IT industry. Kapurs leadership and partnership with Rimini Street have driven innovation and measurable results, aligning technology strategy with business goals. We at Rimini Street extend our heartfelt congratulations to our client, Gauri Kapur of Hitachi Vantara, on being named a Women Leading IT award recipient by Info-Tech, said Nancy Lyskawa, EVP and chief client officer, Rimini Street. Gauri is an inspiring leader who champions inclusion, empowers women in technology, and drives meaningful change across the global IT community. Its an honour to work with incredible clients like Gauri who not only transform technology but also create a lasting impact on people and culture. Denise White covered her mouth, a look of shock on her face, as Pinellas County Schools Superintendent Kevin Hendrick approached her with a bouquet of flowers after announcing her as the districts 2026 Teacher of the Year. Oh my God, she said, telling the person standing next to her that they might have to hold her up until she could get her bearings. I was just blown away and so overwhelmed, said White, 54, a language arts teacher at James B. Sanderlin K-8, an International Baccalaureate World magnet school. Advertisement Advertisement Did she expect the honor? I did not. Colleagues who joined White at the Hilton St. Petersburg Carillon Park for the celebration said they were not surprised. She is the bomb dot com, said Dr. Phi Nguyen, who taught with White at Woodlawn Elementary, Whites first teaching job. She is the best person ever. Lisa Dahlstrom, who taught with White at Sanderlin until transferring to a different school, shared that enthusiasm. Besides being an incredible teacher, she is a great friend, said Dahlstrom. She deserves all the wonderful things coming. Students featured in a video introducing White as one of 10 finalists called her caring, ambitious, organized, positive and loving. Advertisement Advertisement She makes me feel like Im actually doing something better, one boy said. Thats a critical goal for White, who said she knew teaching was where I belonged soon after taking her first education courses at the University of South Florida. Her motto is Be awesome today, words she keeps posted above the board in her classroom as a reminder to be engaging, firm and caring as she addresses every students needs. White said she focuses on building relationships, nurturing a love for learning and taking joy in the small victories that students experience daily. Its my hope that we all strive to be awesome each day, she told the audience. Its awesome work that we do. Advertisement Advertisement Kim Jowell, chief executive officer of the Pinellas Education Foundation, called Whites honor especially powerful, stressing her strong Pinellas County roots that reflect generations of pride and a lifelong commitment to the district that shaped her journey. The foundation sponsored and organized the Teacher of the Year event. Even as they celebrated 10 teachers on Wednesday, leaders made clear that they value all educators and the work they do daily. Let us be very clear, St. Petersburg Mayor Ken Welch said. Every educator here and across the district matters. ... Our community is grateful every single day. Advertisement Advertisement Superintendent Hendrick echoed the sentiment: Our teachers are the reason that there is hope for the future. The other finalists were Bobby Coston Jr., Campbell Park Elementary; Kathleen Earle, Dunedin Highland Middle; Kira Guyotte, John Hopkins Middle; Adam Kersey, Palm Harbor University High; Christine Marr, Shore Acres Elementary; Brian Minkin, Pinellas Technical College St. Petersburg; Jennifer Narkier, Ozona Elementary; Gina Scolino, Ponce de Leon Elementary; and Mariangelie Vazquez Llanis, Garrison-Jones Elementary. As the winner, White will get several prizes including a trip to Hawaii, a luxury car rental and a limousine ride to Sanderlin in the morning. She also is eligible to compete for Florida Teacher of the Year. White said she would work out the logistics for the limo, but added the excitement wont distract her from the rest of the day. Advertisement Advertisement Ive got my lesson plans, she said. Weve got things to do. Jeffrey S. Solochek is a reporter covering education as a member of the Tampa Bay Times Education Hub. You can contribute to the hub through our journalism fund by clicking here. Scam calls, texts surge across Louisiana as technology makes fraud harder to spot BATON ROUGE, La (Louisiana First) Scam calls and texts are flooding phones across Louisiana at an alarming rate, and experts warn the trend is only accelerating. The latest scam report shows more than 58 million scam calls and over 3.4 million scam texts targeted Louisiana residents in just one month. Consumer advocates said the sharp increase is being fueled by artificial intelligence (AI), which allows scammers to create messages that look, sound, and feel legitimate. These scammers are very intelligent, said Better Business Bureau President Carmen Million. They know how to make it look and sound valid. Advertisement Advertisement For years, older adults were considered the primary targets of phone scams and recent cases in Louisiana show seniors losing more than $200,000 to fraud. But Million says scammers are now expanding their reach. Most consumers, including younger people, are more accessible, said Million. With smartphones constantly within reach, scammers are exploiting how people communicate, bank, work, and socialize all from the same device. Scam calls in Louisiana are rising month by month, ranking third in the nation with more than fifty million calls targeting Louisianians last month. Million said its not just old people being targeted. Advertisement Advertisement Most consumers, including younger people, are more accessible, she said. Using our phones every day makes it easier for scammers to know exactly who their next victim will be. They have their phones attached to their hips, she said. They have technology right at their fingertips. They are an age group that thinks that nothing can happen to them. Not trusting the messages is the number one way to avoid these types of scams if it is coming from a number that is not familiar, just simply dont answer. What you need to do is not trust the phone call, text, or email. Investigate it before you get involved. Dont assume that its valid. Be very skeptical, Million added. Latest News Advertisement Advertisement Copyright 2026 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to Louisiana First News. ST. CLAIR COUNTY, Mo. Osceola was once the kind of town people bet the future of southwest Missouri on busy, growing, and wealthy enough to draw trade from across the region and into northern Arkansas. Then, in September 1861, it was raided, looted and burned, and its climb never fully resumed. On a map, Osceola is easy to miss a small county seat tucked into the bends of west-central Missouri, about 70 miles north of Springfield. Advertisement Advertisement In the 1850s and early 1860s, though, newspaper accounts describe Osceola as the kind of place that could have become a regional capital: a river port at the head of navigation on the Osage, a trading hub for southwest Missouri and northern Arkansas, and a town busy enough that wagons sometimes jammed the streets waiting for freight. One later retrospective traced its start to a log house begun in the winter of 1835-36 and said that by 1861 Osceola had about 2,000 residents one of the liveliest towns in the state, a contemporary writer was quoted as saying. Then the growth stopped. In September 1861, a Kansas-based force linked to Union commander Jim Lane entered Osceola at night. By the time Lanes men left, newspaper accounts say, goods had been hauled away, buildings had been torched and the expensive courthouse was in ruins. Advertisement Advertisement The raid didnt just destroy a town; it rerouted its future. Later writers would argue that Osceola never recovered its prewar importance first because of the fire, and then because the transportation economy changed. The river that once made Osceola lively mattered less as railroads took over, and a later push to finance rail development with bonds, newspaper accounts say, ended badly, adding a financial wound to the physical one. If Springfield became the regions gravity, Osceola reads like a version of history where the gravity shifted a town that had the early ingredients for prominence, then lost the decades that would have made it inevitable. A boomtown that drew attention Local accounts in old newspapers describe Osceola as a town with wholesale and retail houses, saloons and blacksmith shops, churches, a carding factory, a tan yard, a newspaper office and a bank. Advertisement Advertisement One history-based narrative offered a snapshot of traffic: at times as many as 100 wagons from surrounding counties were on the streets or in the bank yards waiting for loading. The same narrative used civic finances as proof of prosperity, pointing to a common school fund of $98,000 in 1860 which equals roughly $4 million today. It also emphasized geography: Osceola stood high above the river, with springs nearby and access to upstream shipping. Prosperity can be a shield. In the border war, it became a target. A border already boiling Newspaper and historical accounts returned repeatedly to the idea that the war along the Missouri-Kansas line did not begin at Fort Sumter. Advertisement Advertisement Writers described years of violence tied to the Kansas statehood fight raids and reprisals that hardened into a pattern. Jayhawkers and guerrillas, the later accounts said, were the product of that cycle: bands moving back and forth across the line, striking in the name of revenge. In Missouri retellings, Lane appears as a central figure in that frontier feud. A later account claimed that even before 1861 he had threatened to raid Osceola for its bank, and that in December 1860 he gathered followers and moved toward the town before turning back after residents organized for defense. By September 1861, those same accounts argue, Lane saw his opening: Confederate forces were elsewhere, local defenses were thin and Osceola still wealthy, still exposed was within reach. The raid, as military mission One wartime newspaper dispatch presented the march on Osceola as strategy. Advertisement Advertisement The writer said information had been received that Confederate-aligned forces left a large amount of army stores in Osceola. The objective, he wrote, was to cut off the retreat, seize supplies and deal with other matters the cause might demand. The dispatch tracks the march with a soldiers attention to movement. An advance column under Col. Montgomery left camp the evening of Sept. 17 with infantry, cavalry and artillery. It reached the Sac River, about five miles west of Osceola, where a burned bridge left a key ford as the only practical crossing for miles. A man named Harris, described as a former Confederate quartermaster, tried to organize resistance at the crossing but was captured, the writer said. The force reached Osceola after nightfall. A guides mistake, the dispatch said, put the advance element on the outskirts sooner than expected. Shots came from the brush near the road. The writer described a series of volley exchanges and said the attackers fled, leaving 14 dead and wounded behind. Two Union soldiers were slightly wounded, he wrote. Advertisement Advertisement The dispatch said another volley came from a log house and that Capt. Moonlight turned a howitzer on the building, routing the shooters and setting it on fire. At dawn, the writer said, troops saw a secession flag over the courthouse. That symbol, he wrote, was enough to condemn the building, and he claimed the courthouse had been turned into a defensive position. Moonlights howitzer fired again. The courthouse became a heap of ruins. Afterward, the writer said, troops searched the town and found lead, powder, army clothing and provisions. Wagons were loaded to capacity. Orders were given to return. Then came the decision that would echo: whether Osceola should be spared. Advertisement Advertisement The dispatch said one officer favored sparing the town, but others prevailed and ordered its destruction. The writer listed their reasons: the town was traitorous to the core, served as a rendezvous for the enemy, and could be fortified and reused if left standing. The government, he added, could not afford to repeat such expeditions. Finally, the writer explained the intended effect in plain terms. They hoped, he wrote, to give enemies the benefits of the terror of our arms. The raid, as plunder and punishment Later narratives published in newspapers relying on county history and anniversary retellings offered a different center of gravity. Advertisement Advertisement These accounts describe Lanes men entering Osceola around 8 p.m. with torches and artillery. They stress that no Confederate soldiers were occupying the town at the moment, though they describe a local captain, John M. Weidmeyer, and about 40 men firing from brush and retreating toward Warsaw. Then comes the bank. The accounts say the banks deposits, said to total about $5.5 million in todays currency, had been moved away for security. Lanes men broke in anyway, removed the safe and blew it open finding only private papers. Lane, the history says, was furious. The raid, it claims, shifted from strike to punishment: the town would be searched, looted and burned. Those accounts describe pickets keeping citizens out while plunder proceeded and include incidents in which civilians approaching the town were shot at. Advertisement Advertisement One story describes Dr. John Trollinger and others crossing the river by skiff, unaware the town was occupied, and coming under fire when they landed. Trollinger was hit by buckshot, the story says; another man, Summers, was shot in the mouth with a Minnie ball and permanently injured as a chunk of his jawbone was blown off. By night, the accounts say, wagons were loaded with spoils. Goods too bulky to carry were tossed into the streets. Whiskey barrels were broken open and liquor ran in rivulets into the river. The courthouse was broken into, the history said, and county records were destroyed, although later accounts say they were recovered years after the war. Lanes force freed around 200 slaves. Some of those enslaved people subsequently enlisted in the First Kansas Colored Volunteers, a regiment that Lane had organized. A 1929 recollection from a man described as an eyewitness added a detail that later writers kept returning to: the system and order of the looting. He remembered wagons lining up and squads assigned to break in and load. He remembered order breaking down when the men reached whiskey in a store basement and began getting drunk, leading to confusion and a near riot. He also said county records were seized and carried away to Kansas and returned in 1868, after a new courthouse had been built. In these later accounts, the raid ends with the torch applied widely the business district engulfed, county buildings burning and the town reduced to a smoking mass of ruins. Some versions add that women and children were prevented from salvaging belongings as homes burned. Disputed toll, debated blame Even in the newspaper record, the numbers dont line up neatly. One account said some two score defenders a kind of home guard were killed. Other accounts emphasize shootings of civilians and refer to executions. It is generally accepted today that Lanes force killed at least nine men in Osceola. A former participant in the destruction of Osceola was quoted years later insisting it was fair to history to say Osceola was not burned by Lanes direct order. That claim tries to separate the commander from the match and place the act in the chaos of irregular war. Criticism also appears within Kansas in later reporting: one account said Kansas Gov. Charles Robinson condemned Lanes conduct and argued the government should not tolerate such proceedings. The slow comeback and the second setback After the fire, the town struggled. In 1862, Osceola had 2,077 residents, and by 1865, only 183 people remained. One postwar account said Osceola did not seriously rebuild until after the war, when it was made a post and a stockade was erected around a building once used as a livery stable to quarter militia and other troops. Another later summary said the destruction scattered residents so completely that many never returned. Then came the change Osceola could not outbuild: the shift from river to rail. Newspaper accounts describe Osceolas disappointment in failing to secure a railroad connection a blow that set the town back for years. Later writing also refers to railroad-development bonds that became a disaster, leaving Osceola not only burned and bypassed but financially strained as the regions rail-centered economy moved elsewhere. By the time Osceola regained stability, one later account said, railroads had taken the place of the river as the dominant means of transportation. The town never regained the importance it enjoyed before its destruction. A town that became a lesson Some accounts tie the raid directly to later retaliation, arguing that the burning of Osceola helped set the stage for what happened at Lawrence, Kansas. Others warn against keeping the violence alive through commemoration. The 1929 eyewitness, reacting to a Lawrence parade decades later, said he could not understand why communities would revive old hate and try to pass it down. Copyright 2026 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KOLR - OzarksFirst.com. As 2026 gets under way, Democratic governors face a difficult choice: whether to play ball with the Trump administration on the new federal scholarship tax credit that takes effect on Jan.1, 2027. This is an especially important decision in light of the 36 gubernatorial elections this November, which will come after most governors have already decided whether they will opt their state in. In December, Colorado Gov. Jared Polis made waves by announcing his intention to opt his state into the program, becoming the first Democrat to do so and setting the stage for his Democratic peers. Three other Democratic governors Tina Kotek of Oregon, Michelle Lujan Grisham of New Mexico and Tony Evers of Wisconsin have announced that they wont opt in. Get stories like this delivered straight to your inbox. Sign up for The 74 Newsletter So the question remains: Will most Democrats stay the course and reject federal support for school choice? Or will they follow Poliss example, bucking the traditional party line? How they proceed may have profound impacts on Democrats electoral chances this year. Advertisement Advertisement As approved by Congress last summer, the program allows donors to receive a $1,700 federal tax credit for money given to organizations providing scholarships for private school tuition, tutoring and other education costs for families whose annual income is at or below 300 percent of their areas median income. The Internal Revenue Service is currently drafting guidance for administering the tax credit, and states are evaluating whether to participate. In addition to Polis, 10 Republican governors have either opted in or declared their plans to do so. One Democrat, North Carolina Gov. Josh Stein, vetoed an opt-in bill but said he expects to sign up after he reviews the IRS rules. Related As School Choice Tax Credit Goes National, the Battle over Regulation Begins Jorge Elorza, CEO of Democrats for Education Reform (DFER) and former mayor of Providence, has been pushing Democratic governors to opt into the program. This is part of a marked change in DFERs positioning on private school choice, which Elorza casts as a turn in the right direction for a party that has, according to DFERs polling, lost its lead with voters on education. For Democrats concerned about being out of touch with the majority of voters on school choice, this decision represents a lifeline, he told me. It is a convenient off ramp so that we can not only talk about K12 education policy in a new way, but also take an important step in the direction of choice. Advertisement Advertisement The main argument he uses to get them on board, he said, is that if a state does not opt in, then by default, the first $1,700 in every single federal taxpayers taxes is going to leave your state. Because its a federal tax credit, Californians are every bit as eligible to donate as Floridians. But because states have to opt in, Californias children arent eligible to receive scholarships unless Gov. Gavin Newsom or the state legislature decides to participate. Elorza believes the decision for Democrats is a no brainer. John Schilling, a school choice advocate, offered another argument: its all additive. Because its a tax credit, it is adding K-12 resources, which are going directly to parents and students. It does not affect what the federal government or what state governments provide for K12 education. And since the law allows public school students to benefit from the scholarships, tutoring or afterschool activities, Schilling sees little reason why Democratic governors wouldnt opt in. He too called it a no-brainer. Not everyone agrees. Thomas Toch, the director of the Georgetown University think tank FutureEd, argues the decision to opt in could be very problematic for governors, especially if they cant target scholarships to students from low-income families or provide much oversight of private schools. Because there are so many unanswered questions, Toch hopes governors will wait until they understand in detail what the parameters of the program will be before they opt in or out, which wont be until the IRS releases its rules later this year. Another concern is a perennial one for school choice opponents: that private schools can discriminate against students, including LGBTQ kids. Jon Valant, director of the Brown Center on Education Policy at the Brookings Institution, said the tax credit is effectively a backdoor voucher program that states actually have very little control over. Democrats might be wary of opting into a program where, for example, they can do very little to protect against some discriminatory behaviors. Advertisement Advertisement Such concerns are why Robert Enlow, president and CEO of the school choice research and advocacy organization EdChoice, believes governors in states on the harder sort of left he mentioned California, Massachusetts and Connecticut may choose not to opt in. Toch added: In some states, especially where teacher unions are influential, theres going to be a lot of pressure to just say no for nos sake. Related Big Tax Bill Passes Senate With Less Beautiful Plan for National School Choice Advocates argue that school choice, and particularly the scholarship tax credit, is popular. In September, DFER released polling showing that 64% of voters wanted their governor to opt into the program, including 61% of Democrats and 59% of Independents, with even stronger showings among Hispanic and Black voters. Enlow also pointed to polling done by EdChoice and Morning Consult showing that 65% of adults and 75% of school parents support tax-credit scholarship programs. With numbers like these, opting in is not just popular, it is overwhelmingly popular, DFERs Elorza said. Yet in 2024, voters in three states Colorado, Kansas, and Nebraska rejected pro-school choice ballot measures. Elorza chalks these defeats up to coordinated campaigns that raise a parade of horribles that will materialize if these measures are adopted. Coordinated campaigns or no, those ballot measure defeats are surely going to give fodder to opponents of the tax credit scholarship program. Advertisement Advertisement For now, most Democratic governors seem content to wait for the IRS rules. As a spokesperson for Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro put it in an email: The Shapiro Administration is awaiting federal guidance to address key questions about how this program would work, including which students will be eligible, how this federal initiative will interact with existing programs, and more. We look forward to reviewing that guidance. The offices of the governors of Illinois, Michigan, California and Michigan did not respond to requests for comment. Toch applauds the wait-and-see approach: My argument is that the devil is in the details, and the political leaders in both parties should scrutinize the details carefully and not commit to a program unless it serves valuable public policy ends. The question for Democratic governors facing re-election is simple: After a decade of declining student achievement, will voters want a massive change in how education is delivered? Or will they prefer a more cautious approach that maintains stricter oversight? Leah* is already battling with both her fellow pupils and teachers over the wording for this years Holocaust Memorial Day assembly. At her Manchester private school, sixth formers from the Jewish society are meant to write a script for the assembly jointly with the humanitarian society. Last year, fellow pupils tried to insert references to the Gaza genocide into the document while a teacher suggested a paragraph about Israels war against Hamas stirring up anti-Muslim hatred. Leah and a fellow Jewish student pushed back against both suggestions, wanting Holocaust Memorial Day to focus on the Holocaust itself. This year, the struggles have started again. A pupil wanted to put in a paragraph about the recognised genocides in the Middle East and Sudan in the last 12 months, she says. It kind of sums up what has been happening in my school where Ive overheard people say about a younger pupil, I wouldnt be friends with her because she supports Israel and lots of other instances that I complain about. It feels like nothing is ever done, but now the other Jewish pupil and I will have to fight to get this paragraph removed before the assembly. Advertisement Advertisement But at least her school will still be commemorating the annual Holocaust Memorial Day next Tuesday, which is timed to mark the liberation of Auschwitz on January 27, 1945. Since the October 7 massacre by Hamas in 2023, the number of schools commemorating Holocaust Memorial Day (HMD) has more than halved. The Holocaust Memorial Day Trust (HMDT), which collates data on events across the country, said that while 2,000 secondary schools commemorated the day in 2023, that number dropped to 1,200 in 2024 and 854 last year. Survivors at the Auschwitz concentration camp, liberated by the Red Army in January 1945 - Universal History Archive/Getty There are people who have cancelled [their commemorations] for what we would still see as a good-faith agenda and others with a bad-faith agenda, says HMDT chief executive officer Olivia Marks-Woldman. Some teachers will say to us, I am not confident about leading this because I dont know what to say if people try to bring in unrelated conflicts. We try to provide them with guidance: that this day only commemorates the Holocaust, some of the other communities who were persecuted by the Nazis and the recognised genocides which followed the Holocaust in Cambodia, Rwanda, Bosnia and Darfur. But then there are people with their own agenda who want to use HMD to attack the memory of the Holocaust. We have had people write to us saying they will only commemorate HMD on certain conditions, for example, if we put out a letter condemning Netanyahu. I find this shocking learning about and commemorating the Holocaust should not be conditional on anything. We know there are teachers who are facing pushback from parents who might be withdrawing their children from HMD events. Some of our sister organisations say that although they havent had a drop in numbers from schools engaging, they have seen a smaller number of students attend. Advertisement Advertisement Last year, the Islamic Human Rights Commission, an Iran-linked group that has backed Palestine Actions violent protest campaign, sent a letter to 460 local councils and universities urging them to snub HMD events, saying it was morally unacceptable that Gaza was not included on the list of genocides being marked on the day. They are a fringe group, but their call for a boycott was falling in this broader context of lack of confidence from teachers, which may have led to disengagement, says Marks-Woldman. Mala Tribich, a 95-year-old survivor of Ravensbruck and Bergen-Belsen, has noticed less interest from schools. I cant explain why, says Mala, who was appointed an MBE for services to education in 2012. I have been going into schools less, but instead, I have been going into offices to talk. You would be surprised how many people in offices know absolutely nothing about the Holocaust. It is not just children who need to be educated. Bergen-Belsen survivor Mala Tribich says that even among office workers, you would be surprised how many people know absolutely nothing about the Holocaust - Yui Mok/PA Hannah*, the Jewish mother of a child at a multi-faith south London secondary, says the school has taken the easy option of ignoring the day since the October 7 attacks. It was hard to know what to say to them as you tend to only find out after the event and I am not someone who wants to draw attention to myself or the fact that my child is Jewish, she says. After the terrorist attack on a Manchester synagogue in October, a very sweet parent, who isnt Jewish and whose husband is half Muslim, wrote to the school asking them to do an assembly for for Holocaust Memorial Day, but they said they were busy with other commemorations, Hannah says. I was touched that shed made the effort even though it seems it was easier for them to just say no. Advertisement Advertisement The Holocaust is part of the national curriculum for Year 9 pupils, but commemorating HMD is up to individual schools. Even for those schools still marking it, there has been tension, however. School librarian Jo* does a HMD exhibition every year at her large comprehensive in north London and noticed an immediate difference after October 7. In accordance with the charity that does HMD, I include material on the genocides in Cambodia, Bosnia and Darfur, but the bulk of it was about the Holocaust, she says. For the first time, some colleagues responded saying we should include Gaza, and then others chimed in with other historical events that have not been classified as genocide. It felt like an attempt to totally undermine the Jewish centrality to HMD and explicitly to turn Jewish victimhood into Jewish guilt re Gaza. I responded with a strongly worded email openly accusing those concerned of anti-Semitism. On the positive side, I got numerous private messages of support but the whole thing left a very nasty taste in my mouth. I am dreading it this year. There are signs of light of a kind. The pressure is off a little with the shaky ceasefire in Gaza still holding. Since the Manchester synagogue attack last year, at least some Holocaust education charities are seeing an uptick in bookings, which may mean that the figures will go up again this year. Signs of light: candles arranged in the shape of the Star of David at York Minster to mark Holocaust Memorial Day in 2023 - Ian Forsyth/Getty Hannah Goldstone, who works in the senior management team at Holocaust Centre North in Huddersfield and is the granddaughter of a Holocaust survivor, says she has seen increased interest since October. Advertisement Advertisement What happened in Manchester really affected the wider community, not just the Jewish community, she says. I think people want to show solidarity, show support and they want to learn. We find that when schoolchildren come in with their parents and grandparents, we are teaching all of them things they didnt know. This years HMD theme is bridging generations and that is about Holocaust survivors passing the baton to their children and grandchildren but also for the children we are teaching to explain it to their parents and grandparents. While, in the wake of October 7, Holocaust survivors and their descendants found themselves being challenged on Israels actions in Gaza, that seems to have quietened down too. You would walk into a few places and know that the Gaza question was going to come up, Goldstone says. Sometimes, if you said you just wanted to talk about the Holocaust, you would get an eye roll. But I think because of what happened in Manchester on Yom Kippur and the ceasefire, things have changed slightly. However, that slight improvement offers little comfort to those who study the issue closely. Delivering the keynote speech for the Holocaust Education Trust in Westminster on Monday night, historian Simon Sebag Montefiore described how the Holocaust is increasingly being used as a weapon against Jews. Historian Simon Sebag Montefiore says the Holocaust is being used to stir up anti-Semitism - David Levenson/Getty He described how Soviets, in an attempt to attack Israel, an American ally, started calling the countrys war against Arabs a genocide in 1969. Now the Holocaust, instead of being used to explain the perils of anti-Semitism, is instead being used to stir it up. With slogans like globalise the intifada, Holocaust inversion is so damning that it justifies and encourages murder. The moral power of the Holocaust, a sacred pillar of the Wests rules-based order that made the accusation of genocide the polite worlds very definition of evil, so poisonous and diabolical, now commandeers the six million to justify boycotts and the ultimate murder of Israelis and Jews. *Names changed Try full access to The Telegraph free today. Unlock their award-winning website and essential news app, plus useful tools and expert guides for your money, health and holidays. We obviously believe that giving the public access to see what we're doing is important, but just blindly giving money to an organization that's asking us for money, but not giving us any answers, is certainly not the solution at this time, LeMahieu said. (Photo by Baylor Spears/Wisconsin Examiner) The Wisconsin Senate passed three constitutional amendment proposals Wednesday, including one to eliminate DEI, one to limit the executive partial veto power and another to prohibit closures of places of worship during emergencies. With WisconsinEye, the state government video streaming service, still offline, the first floor session of the year for the Senate was livestreamed with the help of the Legislative Technology Services Bureau. Advertisement Advertisement Senate Majority Leader Devin LeMahieu (R-Oostburg) told reporters ahead of the session that after WisconsinEye halted its coverage on Dec. 15, the co-chairs of the Legislative Joint Audit Committee sent a letter with questions to the nonprofit organization. The letter had a Jan. 9 deadline to reply, but the organization did not provide responses until Jan. 21. We obviously believe that giving the public access to see what were doing is important, but just blindly giving money to an organization thats asking us for money, but not giving us any answers, is certainly not the solution at this time, LeMahieu said. LeMahieu said he had not yet reviewed the answers WisconsinEye sent on Wednesday morning. He said the livestream was not a way to explore replacing WisconsinEye. The state Legislature set aside $10 million in 2023 to help the organization build an endowment. But that grant came with a requirement that WisconsinEye to raise enough money to match the funds in order to access the state dollars. As it ran out of funds, WisconsinEye asked the state to make money available for its operating expenses without the match requirement. Advertisement Advertisement LeMahieu noted that the organization had three years to raise funds and request money from the Joint Finance Committee. We just want to figure out, really, whats going on. Its not proof that we dont need WisconsinEye, LeMahieu said. The point of today is just so that the general public can see us in action today. During the floor session, the Senate also took up bills on tax exemptions and education. Constitutional amendments on DEI, partial veto and places of worship The Senate passed three constitutional amendment proposals, each of which is on its second consideration, during its Thursday floor session. Constitutional amendment proposals in Wisconsin must pass two consecutive sessions of the Legislature before they go to the voters for final approval. Advertisement Advertisement Republicans have relied on constitutional amendment proposals in recent years to bypass Democratic Gov. Tony Evers. According to a Ballotopedia review, Wisconsin voters decided on 258 ballot measures between the states founding in 1846 and April 2025. About 71% or 185 measures were approved and 28% or 73 were defeated. In the last five years, Wisconsin voters will have decided on 10 constitutional amendment questions a divergence from some points in state history when Wisconsin has gone years without a constitutional amendment going before voters. The Senate voted 18-15 to pass a constitutional amendment that seeks to target and eliminate diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) efforts throughout Wisconsin local and state governments, officially setting it to go before voters in November. If approved by voters, AJR 102 would amend the state constitution to prohibit governmental entities in the state from discriminating against, or granting preferential treatment to, any individual or group on the basis of race, sex, color, ethnicity, or national origin in public employment, public education, public contracting, or public administration. Advertisement Advertisement Democratic lawmakers said the amendment would take the state backwards. They suggested amending the proposal to enshrine equality and same-sex marriage protections. Those proposals were voted down. State Sen. Dora Drake (D-Milwaukee), who chairs the Legislative Black Caucus and has been working to call attention to the proposal over the last few weeks, likened the amendment to lawmakers rolling back Reconstruction efforts after the Civil War. She said the abandonment of Reconstruction efforts to bring justice to those who were enslaved, are the reason why the U.S. lived with Jim Crow laws for so long. Lawmakers made a decision to not protect [Americans], Drake said. Anything that was built was destroyed. It took nearly 80 years for our country to rectify that mistake with the Civil Rights Act, the Voting Rights Act and landmark Supreme Court decisions to undo that harm. Drake said the amendment would cause harm and eliminate measures that keep Wisconsinites safe. Advertisement Advertisement Republicans will send us back to the pre-Civil Rights era, possibly further, Drake said. Sen. Steve Nass (R-Whitewater) said the proposal is long overdue and would give Wisconsin voters the final say on discrimination at all levels of government. He said that programs including the Supplier Diversity Program, which was established in the 1980s and certifies minority-owned, service-disabled veteran-owned and woman-owned businesses to provide better opportunities for them to do business with the state of Wisconsin, and scholarships and loans within the states higher education system that consider race amount to discrimination. Past discrimination, however wrong, cannot be corrected with more discrimination, Nass said, adding that merit, character and ability should be the only things considered when it comes to programs. The Senate also voted on voice vote to pass SB 652, which would amend several programs offered in the University of Wisconsin system to focus on disadvantaged students as opposed to considering race. Some of those programs include the minority teacher loan program and minority undergraduate grants. Advertisement Advertisement Bill coauthor Sen. Eric Wimberger (R-Oconto) said the proposal will make it so people are able to receive help based on their specific life experiences, rather than having their life experiences presumed. Well finally make eligibility based on need, Wimberger said. Drake emphasized that several of the programs, including the Minority Teacher Loan Program that was signed into law by Republican Gov. Tommy Thompson, were bipartisan efforts at the time they were created. She said lawmakers were forgetting history and abandoning the previous work that was done to address the barriers that students face. She said that the only thing that has changed is the election of President Donald Trump, who has targeted DEI initiatives, and launched a war against Black and brown people. Shifting the policy solely to disadvantaged students without acknowledging racial, ethnic disparities risks eroding the progress made to address educational inequities, Drake said. That doesnt solve anything, it covers up the issue. Curtailing partial veto powers SJR 116, if approved by voters, would prohibit the governor from using the states partial veto power to create or increase a tax or fee. It passed the Senate 18-15 along party lines and still needs to pass the Assembly before it would be set to go to voters. Advertisement Advertisement The proposal was introduced in reaction to Gov. Tony Evers partial veto that he exercised on the state budget in 2023 that extended annual school revenue limits for 400 years. Sen. Melissa Ratcliff (D-Cottage Grove) spoke against the proposal, saying that the partial veto power is one of the only checks that can correct harmful or irresponsible provisions that come from the Legislature and will weaken one of the few checks that protects the public. AJR 10 would prohibit the state from ordering the closure of places of worship during a state of emergency. The Senate concurred in the bill in a 17-15 vote, meaning it will officially go to voters in November. The proposal was introduced in response to actions taken during a state of emergency declared by Evers during the COVID-19 pandemic. There was no debate on the floor about the measure. Tax exemptions The Senate concurred in AB 38, which would mirror federal policy to exempt tips from state income taxes, in a 21-12 vote. Sen. Sarah Keyeski (D-Lodi), Sen. Brad Pfaff (D-Onalaska) and Jamie Wall (D-Green Bay) joined Republicans in favor of the bill. The Assembly passed the bill last week, so it will now head to Evers for consideration. Advertisement Advertisement The bill would allow tipped employees to deduct up to $25,000 in tips annually from their federal taxable income. Those earning more than $150,000 would not be eligible for the deduction. According to a Department of Revenue fiscal estimate, the bill would result in Wisconsin collecting $33.7 million less in revenue annually. The Democratic lawmakers who opposed the bill said it didnt do enough to ensure that employees make a stable wage. Tipped employees in Wisconsin can currently make a minimum wage of $2.33. Sen. Kelda Roys (D-Madison) said that raising the minimum wage would ensure that a persons wage doesnt rely on the mood that somebody is in or somebodys willingness to be sexually harassed. Advertisement Advertisement We should not put working people through that, Roys said. You dont get everything you want in life, Jacque said. I think this is something that is going to make life a little bit easier for those who work in the service industry. We dont make the employers pay these people fairly, Sen. LaTonya Johnson (D-Milwaukee) said. These are the same people who have to rely on child care subsidies, who have to rely on Medicaid. Pfaff said in a statement that he voted for the bill because hard working people continue to feel the pressure of rising costs every time they go to the grocery store, pay their rent and utility bills, and receive their new health insurance premium. SB 69, which will allow teachers who spend money on classroom expenses to claim a subtraction on their state income taxes of up to $300, passed unanimously. Three education bills pass The Senate voted 18-15 to concur in AB 602, a bill that instructs Evers to opt into the federal school choice tax credit program. It now goes to Evers. A provision in the federal law signed by President Trump will provide a dollar-for-dollar tax credit of up to $1,700 to people who donate to a qualifying scholarship granting program to support certain educational expenses including tuition and board at private schools, tutoring and books, but governors must decide whether to opt in and have until Jan. 1, 2027 to do so. Sen. Mary Felzkowski (R-Tomahawk) said during a press conference that the program would help provide additional funding to students without using state dollars. She emphasized that if the state doesnt opt in, then Wisconsinites could still benefit from the credit by donating to programs in participating states, but those dollars would not go to Wisconsin students. We want to see those dollars stay in Wisconsin, Felzkowski said. Evers has previously said he wouldnt opt the state into the program. He could veto the Republican bill instructing him to do so when it arrives at his desk. Sex ed legislation SB 371 passed 18-15 along party lines. It would add requirements for school districts that provide human growth and development programs to show high definition video of the development of the brain, heart, sex organs and other organs, a rendering of the fertilization process and fetal development and a presentation on each trimester of pregnancy and the physical and emotional health of the mother. It now goes to the Assembly for consideration. Roys, the Madison Democrat, criticized the bill as being part of a nationwide effort by some of the most extreme anti-abortion to try to indoctrinate young children. She noted that some of Wisconsins prominent anti-abortion organizations support the bill including the Wisconsin Catholic Conference, Pro-Life Wisconsin and Wisconsin Right to Life. Felzkowski, the GOP author of the bill, said young people deserve to know what happens to them, what happens to their body, what happens to a fetus What are you afraid of? Why would a child having knowledge scare you? The Senate concurred in AB 457 18-15 and will now go to Evers for consideration. The bill would require Wisconsin school districts to submit their financial reports to the Department of Public Instruction (DPI) on time before they can ask voters for funding through a referendum. It was introduced in reaction to Milwaukee Public Schools approving a large referendum and a subsequent financial reporting scandal in 2024. SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX BOSTON (WWLP) The Massachusetts Senate is joining the House in a push for early literacy reform, as announced via Wednesday morning blog post. Lawmakers are tackling the complicated question of how to teach young learners how to readwork the House kicked off in October by passing their version of an early literacy bill. Wary parents divided over AI use in schools, poll shows The Senate says their version will echo much of what the House has to say, and it will regulate reading curricula to match evidence-based literacy programs. The House version of the bill details making tools and resources available to teachers and requires the states education department to report on statewide literacy progress every year. Advertisement Advertisement In her blog post, Senate President Karen Spilka said early reading education is directly linked to the states economic success, but it is in danger. It is the secret sauce that makes our economic success possible while powering our democracy, said Spilka. But we should make changes when students overall success is threatened. While Massachusetts has long been known as a leader in education, and public school reading scores still lead the nation, these scores have dropped significantly since the COVID-19 pandemic and show growing disparities between different districts and student demographics. The Senate version of the bill will be released on Thursday, and it is scheduled for floor debate the following Thursday, January 29. Local News Headlines WWLP-22News, an NBC affiliate, began broadcasting in March 1953 to provide local news, network, syndicated, and local programming to western Massachusetts. Download the 22News Plus app on your TV to watch live-streaming newscasts and video on demand. Advertisement Advertisement Copyright 2026 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WWLP. Alex Shepard has a message for City Hall: The time for corruption is over. For the first time in its history, San Francisco has hired an inspector general to root out waste, fraud and abuse. That person is Shepard, an ex-federal prosecutor who helped bring down former Public Works head Mohammed Nuru for taking bribes from city contractors. Shepard, 55, was one of the feds focused on Recology, the garbage company that supplied Nuru with a stream of benefits while he controlled its trash pick-up rates. She and her colleagues nicknamed themselves "team trash." Advertisement Advertisement She helped send Nuru to prison for seven years, prosecute his ex-girlfriend and former City Hall colleague Sandra Zuniga for money laundering and fine Recology $36 million. Now Shepard, who started as the city's anti-corruption czar Jan. 5, has her sights set on flushing out other bad actors and saving San Francisco money. She also hopes anyone who might consider pilfering the city's coffers takes that as a warning. "We can't get everything, we just can't," Shepard said. "But what we hope is that the message will get out and that we'll either stop conduct that's happening right now or that we'll deter future conduct, or both." New San Francisco Inspector General Alex Shepard, right, meets with City Controller Greg Wagner in his office in San Francisco City Hall in San Francisco, California Thursday, Jan. 15, 2026. (Jessica Christian/S.F. Chronicle) Shepard talked to the Chronicle about why San Francisco is so often mired in corruption scandals and how she plans to do her job. The interview has been edited for clarity and length. Advertisement Advertisement Chronicle: I don't think it's a leap to say (the Nuru) case really rattled City Hall and San Francisco. What was it like working on that case and what role did you play? Shepard: The Nuru case had already been charged. I came in later and did the sentencing. We all contributed pieces to what ultimately became Nuru's sentence. So for example, his conduct with Recology was a part of what he pled to and what he was sentenced for. The Recology team, that was my team. It was me and a group of agents from FBI and IRS Criminal Investigations. We picked up what started out as some conversation on the wiretap on Nuru's phone between him and Paul Giusti from Recology and we kind of ran with it from there. You interview a lot of people, you subpoena and review a lot of documents and we did all of that sort of methodically to build that case. Can you tell me about yourself beyond these cases? Who are you? I moved to San Francisco about 25 years ago from D.C. after 9/11. Most of my family lives here now, but we have roots going back to the Gold Rush in the city. I stayed because San Francisco is magical. Advertisement Advertisement For most of my career, I've been in public service at the DOJ. I decided I wanted to do it because I had been working at this small law firm in Vermont, where I went to college. We represented a diner which had openly discriminated against a pregnant waitress. Our job was to defend them. The way they treated her was not right, so I decided that I wanted to join the other side. How did you come to get the job as inspector general? When the ballot measure first appeared, I remember saying to my husband, "I think I could do this job." I voted for it and then I sort of set it aside and went on with my job. When the announcement came out my husband sent it to me and he said you should apply. I did, and truly it was a very straightforward process. New San Francisco Inspector General Alex Shepard talks with Steven Munoz while meeting with her team at City Hall. (Jessica Christian/S.F. Chronicle) Why does San Francisco need an inspector general? Advertisement Advertisement We have a lot of resources here in the city and each one is sort of devoted to their lane. The DA's office has criminal cases, the city attorney handles administrative and civil cases. There's a lot of money here in the city and where there is money there are people who want to take it. So the inspector general position gives us the flexibility that our colleagues at the city attorney and the DA and the ethics commission might not have to go after big impact cases. In your view, what has corruption looked like in the city? Are there any through lines that you see when you look at the different cases that have become public? San Francisco is very much like its peer large cities. I don't think it has any special corruption problem. San Francisco has a lot of money. And we, for example, do a lot of big capital construction projects. There were perhaps less robust controls and money to be made and so people took advantage of that. Sometimes it was city employees who didn't make a ton of money who were soliciting bribes in order to approve something, for example, say DBI or Nuru. Sometimes it is people who were sort of along for the ride. Zuniga in particular. But it all comes back to the money. Advertisement Advertisement So your job is to investigate fraud, waste and abuse. How much of that do you think you're going to find when you start digging in? Is there a lot of that going on in San Francisco? It's fair to say that we'll find enough to keep us busy. The public can expect there will be some more high-profile cases, but I anticipate that we'll also see a lot of stuff that doesn't get a lot of press, for example, waste. The hope is that we'll be able to focus on cases where we'll return money to the city. A lot of nonprofits have gotten in trouble. Is there something about the way that San Francisco outsources so many services to nonprofits that is causing problems? The answer to that is probably no. There are a small number of bad actors at nonprofits and a lot of great, hardworking, good actors at nonprofits who provide much-needed services to the city. There have been recent investigations and resolutions involving nonprofits, that may just be where we are at the moment. If you pull back and look at this from a 50,000-foot view, I see as many, probably more private sector defendants being charged in these cases, and a handful of nonprofits. Advertisement Advertisement San Francisco already has a robust ecosystem of agencies that work to root out corruption in one way or another. What are you going to do differently? I'm going to float off to the side or on top, depending on the investigation. I'm not bound by any jurisdictional lines, I don't have a specific lane. I don't need to just do criminal or ethics code violations, I can look at anything, so that's one piece of it. The second is that I can be proactive. I can initiate an investigation. One of the ways that I can do that is that we and the controller's office have access to all of the city's data sets. The controller office has created a front end that can query all those data sets, and we can use that to draw connections. We're going to be able to query bid data and look for patterns of bid rigging and price fixing among city contracts. The inspector general though does not have any enforcement authority. I can write reports, but at the end of the day, I will partner up with these various entities and potentially also federal entities, the U.S. Attorney's Office and perhaps FBI. Advertisement Advertisement Do you think that you will have enough independence to do the job that you were hired to do? I do, and the reason is that the inspector general's office is situated in the controller's office. The controller has a 10-year term. New San Francisco Inspector General Alex Shepard meets with her team at San Francisco City Hall in San Francisco, California Thursday, Jan. 15, 2026. (Jessica Christian/S.F. Chronicle) Do you have a team? I do, a very small team. But we can draw from extensive resources inside the controller's office. They have a large team of auditors and a good sized staff that handles the whistleblower complaints. We also are going to hire two auditor investigators. What benchmarks do you think the public should use to measure your success? Ideally, it would focus on dollars, because at the end of the day that's the goal. The city's money should be spent on its citizens and not go into the pockets of bad actors. Advertisement Advertisement How soon do you think people will start seeing the results? I'm thinking about a matrix of potential investigations, which includes different time horizons. I'd like to focus on something that has a relatively short wrap-up time. There may be things which require quite a bit of time to do correctly. So we're going to shoot to have our first report mid-fall. You said there's nothing special about corruption in San Francisco. But in terms of a yes or no answer, does San Francisco have a corruption problem? We've certainly seen a lot of cases between federal and city authorities in the last few years. Sometimes that becomes a feedback loop. San Francisco has done a great job examining itself over the last few years. I hesitate to call it a corruption problem because that really kind of misstates the issue. There will always be bad actors who want to take our money and that's true not just for San Francisco, but for other major cities. Advertisement Advertisement Shepard encourages tipsters to confidentially report waste, fraud and abuse via the controller's whistleblower email at whistleblower@sfgov.org. Her office can also be reached at inspectorgeneral@sfgov.org. Michael Barba can be reached at michael.barba@sfchronicle.com or at michaelbarba.42 on Signal. This article originally published at She prosecuted S.F. corruption for the feds. Now she's taking on City Hall from the inside. HENDERSON The Henderson Police Department is investigating a shooting that occurred on the night of Jan. 20. Three individuals, including a 7-month-old infant, were injured. Officers responded to a report of shots fired within the 100 block of Wester Avenue just before 9 p.m. Upon arrival, officers discovered three victims inside a white four-door vehicle suffering from gunshot wounds. The victims have been identified as Quincy Rodwell, 24, Kenya Knott, 24 and an infant. Advertisement Advertisement Preliminary investigations indicate that the victims were parked in front of a residence when a dark-colored SUV pulled alongside their vehicle. Occupants of the SUV opened fire into the victims car before fleeing the scene toward East Winder Street. Kenya Knott and the infant were transported to an area medical facility, where both are reportedly alert and aware. Quincy Rodwell, who was also struck, refused medical treatment at the scene and departed shortly after. The Henderson Police Department is being assisted by the North Carolina State Bureau of Investigation. This remains an active investigation, and authorities are working to identify the perpetrators and vehicle involved. Anyone with information regarding this incident is urged to contact the Henderson Police Department at 252-438-4141 or submit a tip through the Henderson Vance Crime Stoppers at 252-492-1925 or via the P3 App. U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement has drawn backlash for the name of its newly launched immigration crackdown in the state of Maine. The name of the surge Operation Catch of the Day was slammed on social media as a sick joke and so disgusting. Its demagogic branding meant to excite and distract the simpletons, said one critic. The name is deliberately disrespectful to human beings, added another. Advertisement Advertisement ICE announced the launch of the operation in Maine on Wednesday, claiming it would target 1,400 of the worst of the worst criminal illegal aliens who have terrorized communities. Nearly 50 people have been arrested in the operation so far, according to local reports. Related... Read the original on HuffPost GUEST OPINION: Business efficiency is often associated with large-scale investments or major system overhauls. In reality, many improvements come from small, practical tech decisions made consistently over time. When businesses focus on usability, reliability, and everyday workflows, technology becomes a tool rather than a distraction. Minor adjustments can reduce friction, save time, and support smoother operations. Paying Attention to Everyday Tools Efficiency starts with the tools employees use most frequently. Phones, laptops, and tablets are central to communication and coordination, especially in fast-moving work environments. 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Businesses benefit when employees feel comfortable using their tools. Straightforward software encourages consistent use and minimises reliance on workarounds. Improving Communication Through Small Adjustments Clear communication supports efficiency across teams. Choosing a limited number of communication channels prevents messages from being missed or duplicated. Consistency helps everyone know where to find information. Adjusting notification settings also matters. Reducing unnecessary alerts allows employees to focus without constant interruptions while still staying informed. Supporting Mobility and Flexibility Modern businesses are increasingly mobile. Employees may work from different locations, attend meetings off-site, or respond to issues on the go. Supporting this flexibility improves responsiveness. Small decisions, such as enabling mobile access to key systems or using cloud-based tools, allow work to continue without delays. Mobility often enhances efficiency when managed thoughtfully. Organising Digital Information Disorganised files slow down decision-making. Clear folder structures and naming conventions make information easier to find. This reduces time spent searching and avoids duplicate work. Consistency is key. When everyone follows the same organisational system, collaboration becomes faster and more reliable. Maintaining Devices Proactively Technology performs best when it is maintained regularly. Updates, basic cleaning, and timely replacement of worn accessories prevent unexpected downtime. Proactive care is often more efficient than reactive fixes. Scheduling routine maintenance tasks helps ensure they are not overlooked. These habits extend the useful life of equipment and support consistent performance. Automating Small Repetitive Tasks Automation does not need to be complex to be effective. Simple automations such as calendar reminders, invoice generation, or data syncing reduce manual effort. These tools free up time for higher-value work. Even small automations can reduce errors. When repetitive tasks are handled consistently, accuracy improves alongside efficiency. Aligning Technology With Actual Workflows Efficiency improves when technology supports how work is actually done. Tools should adapt to existing workflows rather than forcing teams to change unnecessarily. Misalignment often creates frustration and inefficiency. Regularly reviewing how tools are used helps identify gaps. Adjustments can then be made incrementally without disrupting operations. Encouraging Mindful Tech Use Efficiency is not only about tools but also about habits. Encouraging mindful technology use helps prevent burnout and distraction. Clear expectations around availability and response times support focus. When employees understand how and when to use technology, productivity improves. Intentional use often leads to better outcomes than constant connectivity. Letting Small Choices Drive Bigger Gains Efficiency does not always come from sweeping changes. Small, practical tech decisions shape daily experiences and long-term performance. Over time, these choices influence how smoothly a business operates. By focusing on usability, consistency, and alignment with real needs, businesses can improve efficiency without major disruption. Thoughtful technology use creates an environment where work flows more naturally and effectively. What was scheduled to be a tightly timed appellate hearing in Washington, D.C., on Thursday, instead turned into a nearly three-hour grilling of the Trump administrations transgender military ban, as judges across ideological lines pressed government lawyers with pointed questions, voiced skepticism about the policys mechanics, and repeatedly zeroed in on whether the ban is designed to predetermine the removal of transgender troops already serving honorably. At oral argument in Talbott v. USA, a panel of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit appeared deeply engaged, and often unconvinced, by the governments claims that the ban is a neutral medical policy entitled to sweeping military deference. Instead, judges repeatedly questioned whether the policys waiver and separation processes are meaningful at all, or merely formalities masking a foregone outcome. The hearing did not address the ultimate legality of the ban itself. Instead, the judges were considering whether to uphold a preliminary injunction issued by the district court, a temporary order blocking enforcement of the policy while the full case proceeds. Related: Federal judge roasts Trump DOJ attorney over frankly ridiculous claims in transgender military ban case Advertisement Advertisement Related: D.C. appeals court keeps Trumps transgender military ban in place despite one judges blistering dissent For Nicolas Talbott, the cases lead plaintiff, the tenor of the hearing mattered. Talbott traveled from Ohio to D.C. to sit in the courtroom and listen as judges debated whether people like him should be allowed to keep the jobs they are already doing. I feel like cautiously optimistic is becoming my catchphrase, Talbott told The Advocate afterward. I joked to a friend recently I kind of need an action figure at this point. Pull the string, and thats what it says. The three-judge panel included Judith Ann Wilson Rogers, appointed by President Bill Clinton; Robert L. Wilkins, appointed by President Barack Obama; and Justin R. Walker, appointed by President Donald Trump. The judges questioning repeatedly converged on the same concerns. Everybody could be fired today or tomorrow From the outset, Rogers grounded the argument in immediate consequences rather than abstractions. After government lawyers emphasized that no one has yet been discharged under the policy, she cut in. Advertisement Advertisement Related: Federal judge blocks Trump's transgender military ban Related: Pentagon says it will start kicking transgender people out of military this month I want to be clear, Rogers said, that while the government says no ones been discharged, the way I read the policy, theres absolutely nothing to prevent the government from discharging all the plaintiffs tomorrow. That observation framed much of the hearing. Rogers emphasized that every named plaintiff is currently serving and presumptively disqualified under the policy. When the government pointed to administrative separation boards and waiver procedures, she questioned whether those mechanisms could change anything. Advertisement Advertisement So its a meaningless process, Rogers said. Its just moving paper around. Theres no chance that one of the plaintiffs could continue to serve. Abuse of discretion is not a blank check Rogers also challenged the governments claim that Judge Ana Reyes of the District Court of Washington, D.C., abused the courts discretion by blocking the ban last year. When government counsel leaned heavily on the U.S. Supreme Courts unexplained stay allowing the policy to proceed, she noted the absence of reasoning. Related: Meet the transgender Army lieutenant who is challenging Donald Trump's military ban Related: Trump's Justice Department files complaint about lesbian judge hearing trans military case Advertisement Advertisement Right. Okay. So we dont know exactly for what reason, she said. Absent clear guidance from Congress or a reasoned Supreme Court opinion, Rogers suggested, appellate judges cannot simply discard the district courts factual findings and balancing of harms in the name of deference. Career harm, dignity, and the meaning of honorable discharge Rogers was openly skeptical of the governments argument that discharge causes no irreparable harm because service members would receive honorable discharges. When you lose your job, and youre told that youre all these terrible things, she said, that you couldnt possibly serve honorably in trying to defend your country thats a whole other ball of wax. Advertisement Advertisement Related: Attorneys urge appeals court to see Trumps trans military ban is rooted in bigotry, not national security Related: Trump's DOJ struggles defending trans military ban during D.C. appeals court hearing Those concerns echoed Talbotts account of life under the policy. Were already seeing people, myself included, having our careers put on hold in this limbo area, he told The Advocate. Wilkins: where is the justification? Wilkins focused on the governments failure to explain why it abandoned earlier policies that allowed transgender troops to remain based on reliance interests. I found the only explanation in a single paragraph, he said, asking whether any other justification existed in the record. Advertisement Advertisement You have people who have been in for years and are serving fine, getting bronze stars and other commendations, Wilkins added, and you adopt a policy revoking a reliance exception without even looking at data for how its worked. Walker probes inevitability and singling out Walker, the panels lone conservative appointee, repeatedly pressed the government on whether gender dysphoria is uniquely targeted. Related: Federal judge dismantles Trump's trans military ban in explosive hearing Putting aside the waiver process, he said, in both situations the conclusion is foregone. The government struggled to identify any other condition that would trigger automatic separation without an individualized medical evaluation. Plaintiffs describe harm already underway Another plaintiff, Gordon Herrero, described concrete damage he is already experiencing in an interview with The Advocate after the hearing. Advertisement Advertisement I was selected for promotion to major, Herrero said, but shortly after that my scroll was withheld, and when my sequence number comes up, I will not be promoted with my peers. A third plaintiff, Jamie Hash, an active-duty Air Force senior master sergeant with more than 14 years of service, said the hearing underscored the substantial evidence already available that transgender service members strengthen the force. We have nearly a decade of evidence showing improved readiness and unit cohesion, she said. To have policies that specifically target us as a group of people its hard not for it to feel personal. Attorneys: This is not normal Lead attorney Shannon Minter of the National Center for LGBTQ+ Rights said the judges questions underscored just how far the policy departs from both military practice and constitutional norms, and why, he argued, courts should resist the temptation to treat it as routine. Advertisement Advertisement This is such a shocking policy, Minter told The Advocate after the hearing. One of the biggest challenges for all of us is resisting the urge to normalize it just because weve been living with it for a while. This is a complete departure from precedent. This is not normal. This is not how the military operates. Minter said he was encouraged that the panel appeared unwilling to gloss over the policys mechanics or accept the governments characterizations at face value. Instead, he said, the judges repeatedly drilled into how the ban actually functions, and grew visibly frustrated when government lawyers offered shifting or imprecise explanations. I felt like they were really listening, he said. They were digging into the details. And honestly, I felt like there was frustration with the government saying things that were confusing, unclear, and in some cases just inaccurate. That frustration, he said, was not incidental. It went to what Minter described as the policy's central danger: that it attempts to reframe categorical exclusion as ordinary medical judgment, even though the military has never treated any other group of service members the same way. Advertisement Advertisement Co-counsel Jennifer Levi of GLAD Law said the governments difficulty answering basic questions about comparators only reinforced that point. Over days of argument below, months of briefing, and now hours of argument today, they have still never identified a single medical condition for which this is true, Levi said, referring to the automatic routing of transgender service members into administrative separation without individualized medical review. Levi said the confusion during the argument, including government efforts to conflate different review systems before walking those claims back, exposed what she called the policys core design. At the end of the day, they really cant dispute whats obvious on the face of the policy and in how its being implemented, she said. Its designed to purge the military of transgender service members. They can try to make it sound complicated or technical, but its actually very straightforward. Levi also rejected the governments insistence that the harm to plaintiffs is minimal or speculative, noting that the judges questions tracked closely with what service members are already experiencing. These are people who have committed decades of their lives to serving their country, she said. Theyre being pulled out of operations, placed on administrative leave, denied promotions, and forced into separation proceedings meant for misconduct cases, even though the government agrees theyve done nothing wrong. Thats devastating harm, and its happening right now. The panel gave no indication when it will rule. Theres always that nervousness about the unknown, Talbott said. Its just very hard to predict what this is going to look like moving forward. This article originally appeared on Advocate: Skeptical judges grill Trump government lawyers on logic of meaningless process in trans military ban RELATED Most or all of central North Carolina, including the Triangle, is likely to get wintry precipitation this weekend, according to the National Weather Service. The amounts of precipitation and where it will fall is still unknown, said Brandon Dunstan, a meteorologist at the National Weather Service in Raleigh. Its a little too far out to tell you, OK, we know how much snow is going to occur, Dunstan said. We just know were going to have a very good potential for some impacts from a winter storm this weekend. When I say impacts, were going to have some potential for snow, freezing rain and sleet across the area. Advertisement Advertisement Meteorologists expect that there will be plenty of cold air and moisture in place for precipitation to form, including heavy amounts of precipitation. As the weekend approaches, meteorologists will begin to have more certainty about accumulation and timing, Dunstan said. The National Weather Service has issued a winter storm watch, in effect Saturday afternoon, Jan. 24 through Monday afternoon, Jan. 26. The watch covers Wake, Durham, Orange, Johnston and Chatham counties, along with others across the Piedmont and portions of the central and northern Coastal Plain. High temperatures Saturday, Jan. 24 in the Triangle are expected to stay below freezing. (Courtesy of National Weather Service) How cold will it be? The forecast calls for dangerous cold temperatures during and after the storm, which would make it harder for precipitation to melt. Advertisement Advertisement Heres how cold it will be in the Triangle this weekend and into next week: Saturday, Jan. 24 : high temperatures in the 20s Saturday night : temperatures will dip into the teens Sunday, Jan. 25 : high temperatures in the 20s Sunday night : low temperatures in the teens Monday, Jan. 26 : high temperatures in the low 30s Monday night: low temperatures in the single digits When to expect snow or ice The storm is expected to last between Saturday morning and Sunday evening, though the timing could change in coming days. Precipitation could begin to move into central North Carolina as early as Friday night, Jan. 23, Dunstan said. Potential impacts from the winter storm Travel could be dangerous, so the National Weather Service is encouraging people to be prepared to stay home this weekend and maybe early next week. Advertisement Advertisement Residents should make sure they have emergency supplies for their home and car including non-perishable food, water, warm clothing and blankets and rock salt or environmentally safe products to melt ice on walkways. Power outages are possible during winter storms. Have a good supply of heating fuel and dry, seasoned wood for fireplaces. Do not use a camp stove or charcoal grill indoors for heating or cooking. North Carolina Emergency Management also recommends people winterize their home. Fix roof leaks, clear rain gutters, insulate pipes, allow faucets to drip, and cut away tree branches that could fall on structures during the storm. People need to be prepared for not only the winter weather, but the cold, the bitterly cold temperatures, especially as the system moves to the east of the area early next week, Dunstan said. Ask the North Carolina Service Journalism Team Questions about life in North Carolina? Or have a tip or story idea youd like to share? The service journalism teams at The News & Observer and The Charlotte Observer want to hear from you. You can submit your question by filling out this form. Could weekend snow delay the monks trip to Raleigh? What we know This weekends snow forecast brings to mind Raleighs once-in-a-lifetime storm A snowboarder has died after a crash at Keystone Resort. The rider fell and hit the snow hard on Monday, January 19, 2026, according to 9News, the local NBC station. The crash was reported around 2 p.m., and CPR had already been performed when deputies were notified, according to the Summit County Sheriff's Office. Ski patrollers offered additional medical care before the man was taken to the hospital. The rider died while in the hospital, 9News reported. The man was visiting from Colorados Front Range, and crashed on Lower Go Devil, a black diamond run near the Mountain House base area, according to the sheriffs office. Advertisement Advertisement The rider was wearing a helmet, and riding with several friends. No trees, blunt objects, or other people are believed to be involved in the crash, the sheriffs office said in a Facebook post. After the crash, a snowboarder's friend contacted Keystone Ski Patrol, which responded, provided medical care, and transported the snowboarder to the Keystone Medical Center, where he was pronounced dead. The investigation is ongoing. Details are subject to change. The Summit County Coroners Office will release the name of the individual at a later time. Right now, that office is responsible for determining the cause and manner of death, the sheriffs office says. Every loss of life on our ski slopes is deeply felt in our community, Advertisement Advertisement Sheriff Jaime FitzSimons said in a statement. We extend our sincere condolences to the snowboarders loved ones during this difficult time. Our thoughts go out to the family and friends of this rider. Hug your riding partners today. Related: Jeff Keenan to be Honored at Memorial Banked Slalom Event This story was originally published by Snowboarder on Jan 22, 2026, where it first appeared in the News section. Add Snowboarder as a Preferred Source by clicking here. SOMERSET The Special Town Meeting held Saturday, Jan. 17, heard 11 articles mainly concerning updates to public safety and Somerset's schools. Though some with greater impact to zoning by-laws and the towns waterfront overlay district, or another that sought to establish a funding mechanism to support business development in town, were put off till a later date. The weekend morning meeting, which stretched to three hours and drew close to 150 residents who actively voted, heard typical meeting agenda items, like paying town bills, and also asked residents to consider larger appropriations for public safety vehicle maintenance and the payment of vendors. Here's how residents voted on some of the key articles: Advertisement Advertisement Infrastructure inventory: Do Somerset water pipes have lead? Town wants to find out. The new voting device used at the Somerset town meeting May 19, 2025. Town OKs $100,000 for ADA improvements Somerset voted 127-18 in favor of Article 4, which would authorize $100,000 in improvements and maintenance for features at town facilities that comply with Americans with Disabilities Act requirements. This includes elevators, ramps, signs, lights and more. Watch for detours: MassDOT to inspect Veterans Memorial Bridge, lane closures scheduled $2.29 million will fund school repairs Voters agreed 152-32 to replace all of the original 1973 windows and exterior doors at North Elementary School on Whetstone Hill Road. The School Department, which said replacing them would improve energy efficiency, security and comfort, had their wish granted Saturday morning. The current windows cant be opened, preventing circulation of fresh air into the school beyond the HVAC system. Advertisement Advertisement The project, listed in Article 5 of the meeting warrant, would cost about $2.29 million with $1.227 million reimbursed by the Massachusetts School Building Authority. Somerset town meeting May 19, 2025. $250,000 couldve helped local businesses is shot down again Article 9, a motion to help business owners maintain their storefronts or alleviate the burden of business-related expenses, was moved up on the agenda at the meeting but was ultimately postponed indefinitely. The town sought a quarter-million to kick off a trust fund that would be used to help local business development. The fund would have granted $10,000 to local businesses for facade improvements and signs, reimburse retail stores for equipment, and provide rent assistance for a business first year up to $10,000. Approving the article would not allocate the funds, but would ask the Board of Selectmen to petition the Legislature for a home-rule petition to establish that grant program. Advertisement Advertisement Funds from the trust would be granted to qualifying businesses that serve the public interest and address a community need. Plans for the Somerset Business Incentive Grants Trust were initially floated in the May 2025 annual Town Meeting, but were indefinitely postponed at the time. Waterfront business district changes on hold Any tweaks to Section 9.5 of Somerset's Zoning By-law, which establishes the Slades Ferry Crossing District, as outlined in Article 10, were postponed indefinitely, at Selectman Todd Costa's request. The town's Advisory & Finance Committee did not recommend this item. The zone is roughly a triangle bounded by the Taunton River on the east, Newhill Avenue on the north, and Brayton Avenue on the west. The town established the district in 2013 as an overlay district, meaning its regulations sit on top of already established zoning for the area. This article originally appeared on The Herald News: Somerset's Special Town Meeting saw two wins for capital improvements NEED TO KNOW After a fire broke out at a large market in Pakistan on Jan. 17, the death toll has risen to at least 50 The blaze lasted for 24 hours, and the search continues for the missing One man said his brother had called their parents from inside the blaze asking for help At least 50 people are dead after a catastrophic fire swept through a multi-level market in Pakistan over the weekend. As the search continues for missing market-goers, survivors and family members are sharing their collective grief. On the evening of Saturday, Jan. 17, a fire broke out at the Gul Plaza in Karachi, the largest city in Pakistan, spreading through more than 1,200 shops, PEOPLE previously reported. Days later, at least 50 fatalities have been confirmed as first responders continue to search through the ash and rubble, Reuters and German outlet Deutsche Welle reported. Advertisement Advertisement One local, identified as Haroon, told the BBC that two of his three brothers had escaped, but one remains missing as of Tuesday, Jan. 20. My brother called our parents from inside the plaza asking them to save him, the man said. He also called his friends and appealed to them, but no one could save him. Muhammad Qaiser also told the BBC that his wife, sister and daughter-in-law had yet to be found as of Tuesday. They had said that they were going to the market, he told the outlet. The last contact with them was at 20:00 when it was discovered that a fire had broken out. We do not know what happened to them." Advertisement Advertisement Eighty-four people have been reported as missing, DW reported. The flames were difficult for firefighters to control and continued to blaze for 24 hours, according to the outlet. When we arrived, the fire from the ground floor had spread to the upper floors, and almost the entire building was already engulfed in flames," Pakistan Emergency Services Department (Rescue 122) spokesperson Hassanul Haseeb previously told Reuters. In the immediate aftermath of the disaster, Sindh Inspector General Javed Alam Odho told reporters at the scene that the fire seemed to have started because of a "short circuit" at one of the shops in the mall, the Pakistani newspaper Dawn reported. An investigation into the cause of the fire remains ongoing, and government officials did not immediately respond to PEOPLE's requests for further information. Sabir Mazhar/Anadolu via Getty At least 50 people have died so far, officials said. At least 50 people have died so far, officials said. As family members grieve their dead or wait for news of the missing, theyre also protesting for change, DW reported. Advertisement Advertisement Witnesses told the BBC that there were not enough working fire exits and the densely packed spaces increased the fires deadly consequences. Business owners and urban planners have also accused authorities of a history of mismanagement of Karachi, The New York Times reported. Sabir Mazhar/Anadolu via Getty First responders at the scene on Jan. 20. First responders at the scene on Jan. 20. Never miss a story sign up for PEOPLE's free daily newsletter to stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from celebrity news to compelling human interest stories. Murad Ali Shah, the chief minister of the Sindh Province, of which Karachi is the capital, has launched an investigation into the deadly fire, the Times reported. As surviving shopkeepers try to find a new way forward, other locals are now burying their dead. If the fire engines had arrived on time, with proper ladders, this could have been contained, Mujtaba Ali told the Times. They were calling us from inside, saying the stairways were locked. What chance did they have? Read the original article on People South Africa's Police Minister Firoz Cachalia has said that the security forces are not yet able to defeat deadly criminal gangs, in a stark admission that underscores the scale of the country's crime crisis. Gang violence, alongside robberies, accounts for many murders in South Africa, which has one of the world's highest homicide rates. Cachalia said gang violence had become increasingly complex, especially in the Eastern Cape and Western Cape provinces, requiring new strategies beyond traditional policing. Advertisement Advertisement "I do not believe that we are currently in a position to defeat these gangs," the minister told journalists on Wednesday. South Africa, the continent's most industrialised nation, has long struggled with entrenched organised crime. Many people in South Africa own licensed firearms for personal protection, but there are many more illegal guns in circulation. Police data shows that an average of 63 people were killed each day between April and September last year. Advertisement Advertisement Speaking after his visit to crime-infested Nelson Mandela Bay in Eastern Cape, Cachalia said criminal gangs were on a "killing spree" in the two provinces. "We had a discussion about the problem of organised crime in the Eastern Cape, including extortion rackets, gang violence and related issues," said the minister. "I indicated that this is a grave problem throughout the country, that these cartels wield significant wealth and power, and that this is deeply concerning," he added. Despite the creation of an anti-gang unit in 2019, Cachalia said gangsters seemed to be winning the war. Advertisement Advertisement "Establishing gang units from time to time is an ad hoc response to a growing problem. I really don't think that we should be approaching this matter in a point-scoring way." He said South African police were doing their best to fight the violence "but the problem is a growing one. That is my view". His visit comes months after Nelson Mandela Bay was hit by a wave of killings. A deadly spike in violence hit the area in the latter half of last year, leaving 118 people dead between August and December, a local prevention group said. The violence has continued into the new year, with around 40 people killed across the region in January, local media reported. Advertisement Advertisement There are about three million legally held firearms in South Africa, but there are at least the same number of unlicensed weapons in circulation in the country, which has a population of 63 million, according to statistics cited by Gideon Joubert from the South African Gunowners' Association. Last month, 11 people were killed in a mass shooting linked to illegal mining turf wars near Johannesburg. The shooting occurred just two weeks after another attack at the Saulsville Hostel in the capital Pretoria, where 11 people, including a three-year-old child, were killed. In another incident last May, gunmen killed eight customers at a tavern in the south-eastern city of Durban. Advertisement Advertisement President Cyril Ramaphosa has promised stronger law enforcement action and increased police deployment to tackle the gang violence in the country. More about South Africa from the BBC: [Getty Images/BBC] Go to BBCAfrica.com for more news from the African continent. Follow us on Twitter @BBCAfrica, on Facebook at BBC Africa or on Instagram at bbcafrica BBC Africa podcasts Two South Annville Township parents were sentenced Jan. 21 for child endangerment after hospital officials reported their 3-month-old son was suffering from malnutrition. Lebanon County Court of Common Pleas Judge Charles Jones Jr. sentenced Paul and Allyson Speraw each on two charges of endangering the welfare of children and recklessly endangering another person. In both sentencings, Jones remarked that the children under the Speraws' care will be affected for years to come. "There's a whole lot of pain here that you folks caused these children," Jones said during Paul Speraw's sentencing. "That pain will unfortunately follow them for the rest of their lives." Advertisement Advertisement Paul Speraw was sentenced to a minimum of 18 months in a state correctional institution. The 41-year-old pled guilty on Nov. 17, the same day jury selection was to begin for his trial. First Assistant District Attorney Amy Muller said the conditions of the home where the three-month-old and his 4-year-old brother were formerly residing were "worse than deplorable." "The child in question that essentially brought everything to light had been admitted to the hospital multiple times," she said to Jones. "(Paul Speraw) was given multiple opportunities to rectify how to care for these children, and that was not done." Paul Speraw did not speak much during his hearing other than to answer direct questions. Attorney Joshua Harshberger, who represented Paul Speraw, said during sentencing that he has been taking steps to allow the children to be adopted by other caretakers. Advertisement Advertisement "I believe this goes a long way in recognizing and accepting responsibility for this, and recognizing the remedy of the harm that had occurred," Harshberger told Jones. Allyson Speraw was sentence to a minimum of nine months in the Lebanon County Correctional Facility. The 26-year-old pleaded no contest to the charges March 27. A no contest plea allows a defendant to neither admit nor deny guilt, but accepts the court's punishment as if they were guilty. Allyson Speraw also did not speak much during her hearing, except to apologize to the court for her decisions during these incidents. Miller indicated that Allyson Speraw provided extensive information to the Lebanon County District Attorney's office after she was arrested, and "closed a couple of holes" in questions about the case. Advertisement Advertisement "She seemed generally sorry for her participation in the failures of these children," Muller said to Jones. What happened In 2023, the Penn State Health Hershey Medical Center personnel reported to Lebanon County Children and Youth that the Speraws' 3-month-old son had been admitted on three separate occasions for failure to thrive. According to court documents, medical personnel attributed this failure to malnutrition and nutritional neglect. Lebanon CYS referred the case to the Lebanon County Child Abuse Response Team following a safety plan home visit to the residence in the 400 block of Palm City Park. According to a report by the Lebanon County Detective's Bureau, CYS described the living conditions of the residence as "deplorable." Photos taken of the South Annville Township residence depicted "extensive clutter, trash strewn about, rotting food, stained floors, and overall extremely unhealthy and unsanitary living conditions." The Detective's Bureau joined CYS on a follow-up visit, and confirmed that the living conditions of the residence were unhealthy. Advertisement Advertisement CYS identified a second child, a 4-year-old male, was also living in the home during the time of the incidents. "Based on living conditions of the home, CYS removed both children from the home for health and safety concerns," law enforcement said in court documents. Dr. Kathryn Crowell, a pediatrician on the Center for the Protection of Children team, reviewed all of the 3-month-old's medical records. In a six-page opinion to law enforcement, Crowell concluded there was no medical cause for the child not to thrive. In follow-up correspondence, Crowell said the child's malnutrition and poor growth were a direct result of his caregivers not feeding him appropriately. Nutritional neglect, such as was seen in the 3-month-old, can put children at risk of serious complications, including death. Advertisement Advertisement "There were multiple points in the medical record that demonstrate that caregivers were provided clear instructions with how to feed the (3-month-old)," Crowell said in officials court report. "He had previously demonstrated good weight gain in the hospital when these instructions were followed. However, caregivers did not follow the provided instructions at home and (he) again lost weight." The Department of Human Services operates a 24/7 hotline about the welfare of a child and to report suspected child abuse. ChildLine can be reached at 800-932-0313. Matthew Toth is a reporter for the Lebanon Daily News. Reach him at mtoth@ldnews.com or on X at @DAMattToth. This article originally appeared on Lebanon Daily News: South Annville PA parents sentenced for child endangerment (Corrects in paragraph 9 to "Han's lawyer said", not "the lower court judge" said) By Heejin Kim and Joyce Lee SEOUL, Jan 21 (Reuters) - A South Korean court on Wednesday sentenced former Prime Minister Han Duck-soo to 23 years in jail for charges including engaging in a key action of insurrection concerning ex-President Yoon Suk Yeol's declaration of martial law in December 2024. Advertisement Advertisement The Seoul Central District Court found Han guilty because he was considered instrumental in setting up the outward appearance of a cabinet meeting that facilitated the martial law declaration, a judge said, calling it a "top-down insurrection". "The defendant was a Prime Minister who had been indirectly given democratic legitimacy and responsibility... Nevertheless, the defendant chose to turn a blind eye... and participate as a member of the December 3 insurrection," the judge said. "As a result of the defendant's actions, South Korea was in danger of returning to the dark past when the basic rights and liberal democratic order of the people were violated, potentially preventing them from escaping from the quagmire of dictatorship for a long time." The lower court also found Han guilty of related charges such as perjury and creating a false official document. Advertisement Advertisement Han had denied wrongdoing for all charges except partial perjury. Han, 76, is the first former cabinet minister to be handed a ruling by a lower court on criminal charges directly related to martial law. Han was detained by the court immediately after the ruling. The ruling can be appealed, and Han's lawyer said he expected the ruling to be appealed up to the Supreme Court. (Reporting by Heejin Kim and Joyce LeeEditing by Ed Davies) SEOUL, Jan 22 (Reuters) - South Korea's special prosecution team said on Thursday it has filed an appeal after a court sentenced former President Yoon Suk Yeol on charges including obstructing attempts to arrest him following his failed bid to impose martial law. The Seoul Central District Court last week sentenced the ex-president to five years in prison in the case. Yoon could have faced up to 10 years in jail over the obstruction charges. (Reporting by Heejin KimEditing by Ed Davies) Are you or someone you know a recent survivor of domestic violence? Help is available. Los Angeles County has a hotline, which can be reached at 1-800-978-3600. A national hotline can be reached at 1-800-799-7233. The Brief LAPD officers discovered a woman who was not breathing at her North Hollywood home after conducting a welfare check. She was declared dead at the scene. Sources described the scene as "horrific." Investigators believe the victim was beaten to death with an axe. Advertisement Advertisement LOS ANGELES An investigation was launched Wednesday after a woman was found dead at her San Fernando Valley home. Andrew Jimenez, a firefighter with the Glendale Fire Department, has since been detained over the death of his wife, Mayra. Mayra Jimenez What we know Sources told FOX 11's Gigi Graciette it all started several miles away at the Los Angeles Police Department's Northeast Station in Glassell Park, where Andrew Jimenez flagged down passing officers and asked them to do a welfare check, claiming he was unable to reach his wife. LAPD officers then conducted a welfare check at the couple's home located in the 5600 block of Satsuma Avenue in North Hollywood, located near the intersection of Riverton Avenue and Burbank Boulevard, where they made a bloody and gruesome discovery. Advertisement Advertisement When officers arrived at the scene, they discovered Mayra Jimenez, who was not breathing and with injuries consistent with what appeared to be blunt force trauma. She was pronounced dead at the scene by LA City paramedics. Investigators believe she may have been bludgeoned to death and found an axe at the scene. Around 4:25 a.m., Andrew Jimenez was taken in for questioning when he allegedly confessed to the crime. He was later arrested. Andrew Jimenez Glendale FD releases a statement What they're saying The City of Glendale released two statements on Wednesday. The first statement, released by the Glendale Police Department, confirmed LAPD is investigating the incident. Advertisement Advertisement "The Glendale Fire Department was notified by the Los Angeles Police Department that an off-duty member of the department has been detained in connection with an active homicide investigation in the North Hollywood area. LAPD is the lead investigating agency, and the matter is ongoing." Later in the evening, the City of Glendale released an updated statement saying Jimenez has been placed off duty and has been placed on administrative leave: "The City of Glendale is aware of an active homicide investigation being conducted by the Los Angeles Police Department involving a member of the Glendale Fire Department. This is an extremely serious and deeply troubling matter. First and foremost, our hearts are with the victims family and loved ones, and we extend our sincere condolences as they grieve this tragic loss. Advertisement Advertisement The Los Angeles Police Department is the lead agency in this investigation, and the Glendale Fire Department is cooperating fully. Due to the active and ongoing nature of the investigation, the City of Glendale and the Glendale Fire Department are unable to provide additional comments at this time. The individual has been identified as Firefighter/Paramedic Andrew Jimenez, who has served with the Glendale Fire Department since April 28, 2008. He has been placed off duty and on administrative leave effective immediately. 'Our condolences are with the victims family and loved ones,' said Fire Chief Jeff Brooks. 'We are prepared to support those impacted by this tragedy, and we are also ensuring our firefighters and staff have access to support resources as they process this loss.'" Possible case of domestic abuse Dig deeper Officials said they're seeing a disturbing uptick in domestic violence incidents and, at this stage of the investigation, they believe this is another tragic case. Advertisement Advertisement Neighbors say the couple had an argument the night before. Andrew's attorney described their relationship as loving, but alluded in an earlier statement that his office is talking with detectives about a diary from Mayra, apparently read moments before the homicide, that mentioned infidelity. Local perspective Mayra is a third-grade teacher at Wilshire Park Elementary. The school released the following message, "We are heartbroken by this loss, and many of us are still processing this information, as we only just learned of it. Mrs. Jimenez was a beloved teacher, colleague, and friend, and she made a lasting impact on our school community and the students she served. Our thoughts are with Mrs. Jimenez's family, loved ones and all who are grieving during this incredibly difficult time. We ask that the community respect the privacy of Mrs. Jimenez's family during this difficult time." Advertisement Advertisement Crisis counseling support is available for students and staff. The Source This story was reported using information from the Los Angeles Police Department. FOX 11's Christina Gonzalez confirmed the couple's identities through loved ones, neighbors at the scene and a criminal attorney representing Andrew Jimenez. GUEST RESEARCH: As drone technology becomes both more sophisticated and accessible across the country, researchers from Innovation Central Canberra (ICC) at the University of Canberra have teamed up with Australian tech company DroneShield to understand the risk profile of cyber-attacks to critical infrastructure. With the rapid expansion of drone tech reshaping Australias security landscape, Defence, national security and critical infrastructure face new challenges meeting these requires capability that is not only technologically advanced, but also assessed and refined through rigorous, independent research environments. We know how drones have changed traditional warfare, but are we oblivious of the role they play in cyber security? That's a worry, and an opportunity for our drone and cyber industry, said Professor Frank den Hartog, Cisco Research Chair in Critical Infrastructure at the University. The project began with a team comprising Professor den Hartog and ICC students Andrew Giumelli and Simone Chitsinde, undertaking targeted analysis and interviewing critical infrastructure operators to further understand the cyber threat environment through the use of drones. In the independent report, researchers found no recorded domestic cyber incidents using drones to date but limited drone detection capabilities and awareness, minimal government guidance, and rising drone use are creating vulnerabilities. This highlights a gap in reporting on drone-enabled cyber threats in Australia. It warns that the combinations of steadily increasing drone capability, limited awareness across industry, and a lack of targeted government guidance is creating a widening gap. The report emphasises that drones are no longer emerging technology. Their capability, affordability and accessibility have increased dramatically in recent years, and malicious actors are experimenting with drone-borne cyber techniques overseas. Within the next five years, as drone and cyber capabilities continue to evolve, operators may need to reassess the likelihood and relevance of drone-enabled cyber threats. This research highlights the need for greater education, more industry collaboration, improved knowledge-sharing, and broader consideration of counter-drone capabilities across critical infrastructure sectors, said Professor den Hartog. We need to encourage operators to periodically and critically review how drones are used within their operations, assess the cybersecurity implications of increased adoption, and explore strategies to integrate drone risk into existing security and resilience programs. The outcome underscores the value of industry working with ICC when progressing complex, high-consequence technology. ICCs model is built around student-led applied research, giving organisations a secure and collaborative environment to pressure test ideas, refine system-level thinking and draw on multidisciplinary capability. This approach helps industry partners move faster, reduce uncertainty and ensure their innovation pathways remain aligned to real-world operational needs. DroneShields engagement with ICC highlights the importance of research-industry collaboration in strengthening Australias sovereign capability. Both organisations are exploring opportunities to continue the partnership as the capability evolves. The full case study is available on the Innovation Central Canberra website. This article was originally published by Mirror Indy, and is republished through our partnership with Free Press Indiana. Many Decatur Township residents are fighting an uphill battle as they try to prevent a data center from being their new neighbor. Sabey Data Centers wants to build its largest data hub yet on roughly 130 acres near Kentucky Avenue and Camby Road on the southwest side of Indianapolis. Since the land is already zoned industrial for the previously proposed Decatur Technology Park, Sabeys proposal wont be voted on by City-County Councilors a big distinction between this data center proposal and the one proposed last year in Franklin Township. Advertisement Advertisement Some residents continue to fight against the data center altogether, while others are working toward finding common ground. If this passes, then its too late at that point to get any sort of concessions or protections, said City-County Councilor Josh Bain during a video of a recent community town hall. The best way that I feel like I can serve this district is to get as many protections as possible on this development. Bain confirmed with Mirror Indy that hes basing this opinion on previous decisions the city has made regarding data centers. Indianapolis City-County Councilor Josh Bain talks to community members after a town hall meeting about a data center proposal from Sabey Corporation. In 2025, Googles proposed data center in Franklin Township was approved by the citys hearing examiner and the Metropolitan Development Commission despite strong community opposition. Since the land in Franklin Township needed additional zoning exceptions to allow for industrial projects, the proposal went before City-County councilors. The plan was ultimately withdrawn by Google, because the trillion dollar company didnt have enough support from city-county councilors. Advertisement Advertisement But, Sabeys proposal is different; the buck stops with the Metropolitan Development Commission instead of councilors. This is the system that we have, Bain said to residents. Its not the one that we want to have; its the one that we do have. Its a state law. What's next The Decatur Township Civic Councils full board, composed of more than 200 people, is expected to vote on the executive committees decision to send the Metropolitan Development Commission a letter of opposition to Sabeys plan. The meeting is 7 p.m. Monday, Jan. 26, in Decatur Central High Schools cafeteria, 5251 Kentucky Ave. The city hearing examiner was expected to listen to presentations from Sabey staff and anti-data center neighbors Thursday, Jan. 29, but the meeting was postponed. Now, the proposal in Decatur Township will be discussed at 1 p.m. Thursday, Feb. 26, at the City-County building, 200 E. Washington St. Advertisement Advertisement Mirror Indy, a nonprofit newsroom, is funded through grants and donations from individuals, foundations and organizations. Mirror Indy reporter Elizabeth Gabriel covers the south side of Marion County. Contact her at elizabeth.gabriel@mirrorindy.org. Follow her on X at @_elizabethgabs. This article originally appeared on Indianapolis Star: Indianapolis Southside councilor believes a new data center will be approved DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (AP) Iran on Tuesday warned Donald Trump not to take any action against the countrys Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, days after the U.S. president called for an end to Khameneis nearly 40-year reign. Trump knows that if any hand of aggression is extended toward our leader, we not only cut that hand but also we will set fire to their world, Gen. Abolfazl Shekarchi, a spokesman for Irans armed forces, said. The comments came after Trump described Khamenei in an interview with Politico on Saturday as a sick man who should run his country properly and stop killing people, adding that its time to look for new leadership in Iran. Advertisement Advertisement Tension between the U.S. and Iran has been high since a violent crackdown by authorities on protests that began over Irans ailing economy on Dec. 28. Trump has drawn two red lines for the Islamic Republic the killing of peaceful protesters and Tehran conducting mass executions in the wake of the demonstrations. The USS Abraham Lincoln, which had been in the South China Sea in recent days, had passed through the Strait of Malacca, a key waterway connecting the South China Sea and Indian Ocean, by Tuesday, ship-tracking data showed. A U.S. Navy official, speaking on condition of anonymity, said the aircraft carrier and three accompanying destroyers were heading west. While naval and other defense officials stopped short of saying the carrier strike group was headed to the Middle East, its current heading and location in the Indian Ocean means its only days away from moving into the region. Advertisement Advertisement It would not be first time in recent years that a carrier strike group deployed to the Pacific was moved to the Middle East to address instability in the region. The Abraham Lincoln was rerouted to the Middle East in 2024. Last June, the USS Nimitz strike group was ordered to the region. The death toll from the protests has reached at least 4,519 people, the U.S.-based Human Rights Activists News Agency said Tuesday. The agency has been accurate throughout the years of demonstrations and unrest in Iran, relying on a network of activists inside the country that confirms all reported fatalities. The Associated Press has been unable to independently confirm the figure. The death toll exceeds that of any other round of protest or unrest in Iran in decades, and recalls the chaos surrounding the 1979 revolution that brought the Islamic Republic into being. Although there have been no protests for days, there are fears the number could increase significantly as information gradually emerges from a country still under a government-imposed shutdown of the internet since Jan. 8. Khamenei said on Saturday that the protests had left several thousand people dead and blamed the United States. It was the first indication from an Iranian leader of the extent of the casualties. Advertisement Advertisement More than 26,300 people have been arrested, according to the Human Rights Activists News Agency. Comments from officials have led to fears of some of those detained being put to death in Iran, one of the worlds top executioners. National police chief Gen. Ahmad Reza Radan has said those turning themselves in would receive more lenient treatment than those who dont. Those who were deceived by foreign intelligence services, and became their soldiers in practice, have a chance to turn themselves in, Radan said in an interview carried by Irans state television on Monday. In case of surrender, definitely there will be a reduction in punishment. They have three days to turn themselves in. He did not elaborate on what would happen after the three days. ___ Konstantin Toropin in Washington contributed to this report. Federal agents block in and stop a woman to ask her for another person's whereabouts Monday, Jan. 19, 2026 in south Minneapolis. (Photo by Nicole Neri/Minnesota Reformer) Any day now a swarm of armed state police dressed for war could descend on a metropolitan area in southwest Ohio. The small town of Springfield in Clark County is awaiting an invasion of unaccountable thugs who conceal their faces and identities, drive in unmarked vehicles with blackened windows, stomp on the Bill of Rights, and viciously brutalize human beings based on race and accent. Advertisement Advertisement The clock is ticking for 20 to 25% of the citys population from Haiti. In two weeks, barring last-minute legal or congressional intervention, immigrants from the violently imploding Caribbean country will lose their legal protection from rampaging ICE warriors eager to fill deportation quotas. The militarized sweep of terror unleashed by unrestrained federal Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents that has traumatized Minneapolis and the nation writ large could be coming to Springfield soon. An estimated 12,000 to 15,000 Haitian residents in the metro area many of whom have been living, working, and raising families in the area for close to a decade under a legal immigration lifeline will be stripped of their Temporary Protected Status (TPS) on Feb. 3. That means on Feb. 4, a paramilitary ICE force of masked tough guys can grab and deport as many Creole-speaking Black people in Springfield as possible. Advertisement Advertisement Those who protest the savagery deployed against their neighbors could face the same harassment and dispersement tactics demonstrators in the Twin Cities did with flash grenades, tear gas, rubber bullets or, like Renee Good, worse. The Ohio city is bracing for the barbaric. Haitian residents cut off from their legally protected status could meet the same fate as other immigrants besieged by cosplaying federal Rambos with weapons and short fuses. The Haitians who flocked to Springfield to escape a violent homeland trusted Ohio to have their backs. They worked their tails off and endured much to revive a dying Rust Belt region. But the lives they painstakingly built in Ohio as co-workers, business owners, community activists and church-going family people are nearing an expiration date. Advertisement Advertisement The huddled masses who yearned to be free in Springfield are terrified of being returned to Haiti which is even more turbulent and deadly than when they left. It is considered too dangerous by the U.S. for its own citizens. The State Department gave Haiti its highest Level Four: Do Not Travel advisory due to extreme risks of being caught in gunfire or ongoing gang violence, kidnappings, armed robbery, sexual assault, and severe shortages of basic necessities including fuel, water, and food. Yet while acknowledging (in a gross understatement) that certain conditions in Haiti remain concerning, the Trump regime insists the bloody hellscape is safe enough to ship 350,000 Haitian immigrants legally employed in the U.S, including Springfield, back home. Advertisement Advertisement The Department of Homeland Security even dangled a $1,000 incentive to Haitians who self-deport. One Springfield immigrant who is haunted by the bodies he saw regularly on the streets of Haiti, gunned down by roving gangs, flinched at an exit bonus to armed conflict. You could be self-deporting to your death, he said. The Haitians who turned to Ohio for security, employment, and hope rescued Springfield said local pastor Carl Ruby. The town had been in decline for 70 years before the 2017 arrival of Haitians, he explained. We had shrunk all the way back to the population we had in 1910, and the influx of immigrants, granted temporary refuge in Springfield, was one of the best things that has happened in terms of economic growth and tax revenues despite initial growing pains. Advertisement Advertisement There were legitimate issues when such a large group arrived all at once, but weve made a lot of progress in dealing with those issues and its going to be both an economic and humanitarian disaster if TPS ends. SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX At the Haitian Support Center in Springfield, executive director Viles Dorsainvil said many of his compatriots who survived political upheaval, insecurity and abductions in Haiti believed they had come to Ohio to work hard, raise their families, go to school and contribute to their community. Now they shudder with fear and uncertainty as their final hours of safety and stability ebb away. Advertisement Advertisement But we keep going because we are a resilient people, sighed Dorsainvil. Yet if the Trump regime revokes the Haitians temporary protected status a couple of weeks from now ICE agents could quickly invade Springfield, like other targeted cities, and drag documented immigrants from their children their homes, their dreams. Anxious town leaders are appealing for calm. Meanwhile, Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine warned of a looming economic crisis in Springfield if area factories and business cannot find replacements for the thousands of terminated Haitian employees slated for indefensible deportation to what DeWine called one of the most dangerous places in the world. Advertisement Advertisement These immigrants were a godsend to American employers who struggled with hard-to-fill jobs. In a sane world, Republican leadership in Ohio would be fighting tooth and nail to protect the TPS holders from Haiti building a robust economic comeback in Clark County because it is clearly in the best interest of the state to do so. Ohios U.S. senators would be racing to obtain a TPS extension or redesignation for Haiti to give Springfields immigrant community work permit protections against removal to an extraordinarily unsafe country. But they acquiesce without a fight while the madness of a militarized sweep of terror comes to southwest Ohio. And it will. Any day now. SUPPORT: YOU MAKE OUR WORK POSSIBLE Cincinnatis historic St. Francis Seraph Church will soon close its doors after 167 years in Over-the-Rhine, joining a growing list of once-thriving Catholic churches that couldnt survive in the citys urban core. The Franciscan Friars, which run St. Francis Seraph, said they will close the church this summer and put the building and property up for sale. The two friars who staff the church will be reassigned to St. Clement Church in St. Bernard. The move is part of a nationwide reorganization of Franciscan churches that leaders of the religious order say will best serve parishioners by marshaling resources and putting their roughly 700 friars where they are needed most. Advertisement Advertisement When you look at this decision, you have to look at it from a more global perspective, said Kerting Baldwin, a spokeswoman for the Franciscans. She described the decision to close St. Francis Seraph as difficult but prayerful and noted that friars still will be involved at the nearby St. Francis Seraph School, which is owned by the Archdiocese of Cincinnati and is expected to remain open after the church closes. Friars also will remain active at Roger Bacon High School, St. Clement Church and the St. Anthony Shrine. Theres still a good number of friars serving in Cincinnati, and there is a commitment to continue serving in Cincinnati, Baldwin said. Advertisement Advertisement But the loss of St. Francis Seraph is undeniably a loss to Catholics and the community at large. The church, which has for years described itself as the heart of Over-the-Rhine, has been both a place of worship and a neighborhood gathering place since its founding in 1859. Although Sunday Mass attendance at St. Francis Seraph has improved in recent years, climbing from about 120 a decade ago to 190 last year, it still falls far short of the hundreds of parishioners who once filled its pews. There are fewer friars, too. The friary located on church grounds closed two years ago and neither of the two friars who serve the church today live on the premises. Churches struggle as demographics change Its a story of decline that has played out for more than a half century in urban neighborhoods in Cincinnati and other Midwestern cities, as the number of priests declined and Catholics moved from city centers to the suburbs. Advertisement Advertisement The Rev. Thomas Gaunt has studied this trend for years as the executive director of Georgetown Universitys Center for Applied Research in the Apostolate. He said the combination of changing demographics and older churches that are expensive to maintain has made it difficult for churches like St. Francis Seraph to survive. The neighborhoods have all changed, Gaunt said. What had been a very Catholic neighborhood now has a small number of Catholic families. Students at the end of the school day at St. Francis Seraph School in 2003. The Franciscan Friars decision to close St. Francis Seraph Church in June 2026 will not affect the school, which is owned by the Archdiocese of Cincinnati and will remain open. Gaunts research has found this is true across the Midwest and Northeast, which once were home to most American Catholics. Migration patterns, Gaunt said, have left cities in those regions with older, hard-to-maintain churches and dwindling Catholic populations. A study he co-authored four years ago found the share of the nation's Catholic population that resides in the Midwest had fallen from 29% to 19% from 1980 to 2019. Most of those Catholics moved South or West. Advertisement Advertisement And since Catholic church buildings couldnt follow the departing Catholics, churches like St. Francis Seraph became shells of their former selves, leaving local dioceses and religious orders, like the Franciscans, to make some hard choices. Is your energy on maintaining buildings, or on the life and ministry of the church? Gaunt said. All across the country, its this way. Its happened before in Cincinnatis urban neighborhoods. St. Louis Church in downtown Cincinnati closed a few years ago. Holy Trinity closed in the late 1950s, St. John the Baptist in the 1960s and St. Paul in the 1970s. All those churches once served a large Catholic population that has since moved on to the suburbs or beyond. The Archdiocese of Cincinnati is in the midst of a diocese-wide reorganization, known as Beacons of Light, that attempts to address some of those demographic changes through parish consolidations. Losing historic church 'a significant event' When St. Francis Seraph was designed by James W. McLaughlin, who also designed the Cincinnati Art Museum, it reflected the needs and sensibilities of the thousands of German Catholics who lived in 19th Century Over-the-Rhine. Advertisement Advertisement St. Francis Seraphs German Romanesque qualities would have been recognizable to Cincinnatis German immigrant population at the time, according to the book, Architecture in Cincinnati. The church had considerable historical significance, even when it opened, because it was built on the site of the first Roman Catholic church in southern Ohio. Crypts dating to that time still are accessible today in the basement of St. Francis Seraph. Once a center of German Catholic life in Cincinnati, St. Francis Seraph began a slow decline in the 20th Century as those immigrants left the neighborhood. Still, it remained an important part of the community. St. Francis Seraph Church in Over-the-Rhine in 1951. After more than 160 years, the Franciscan Friars plan to close the historic church in June 2026. St. Francis Seraph Ministries, based next to the church at the St. Anthony Center, provides hot meals Monday through Friday and other services for people in need, including a foot care clinic and daily activities, such as crafts and jewelry making. Advertisement Advertisement Mary Pat Raupach, executive director of St. Francis Seraph Ministries, said the center operates independently of the church and will remain open. The work could become more difficult, however, because the center relies on St. Francis Seraph parishioners for much of its volunteer work. Raupach said the decision to close the church also carries an emotional wallop for those who know and respect the Franciscans many decades of service to the poor in Over-the-Rhine. Were sad this is happening, she said. To see the church go is a significant event. Recently, the church has sometimes struggled to balance its service-oriented work with the need to protect its property. Last summer, after budget cuts eliminated a security guard, St. Francis Seraph closed to visitors during the day and posted No Trespassing signs to discourage people from loitering on the steps outside the church. Advertisement Advertisement At the time, the friars worked with city officials to address complaints about drug dealing and other criminal activity occurring on or near church property. Baldwin, the Franciscans spokeswoman, said the last Mass at St. Francis Seraph will be celebrated June 28. The building will then go up for sale, and the friars will leave the grounds for the first time in more than 160 years. St. Francis Seraphs pastor, the Rev. Al Hirt, recently noted the significance of the churchs closure in his weekly column in the church bulletin. He expressed hope parishioners would move with him to St. Clement Church, but he acknowledged some grieving must come first. I know we are all struggling with the sad news of our church closing, he wrote. I can only imagine what various feelings and thoughts are welling up in each of you. Enquirer history columnist Jeff Suess contributed to this report This article originally appeared on Cincinnati Enquirer: Franciscans will close Cincinnati's historic St. Francis Seraph church City of Bellevue sign. (Courtesy City of Bellevue website) BELLEVUE, Nebraska The Nebraska state auditor admonished the City of Bellevue to clean up a wretched mess that centers on top city administrators allegedly manipulating an online vehicle auction process for personal benefit. Nebraska State Auditor Mike Foley. (Courtesy of State Auditors Office) On Wednesday, Auditor Mike Foley sent a 26-page letter to Bellevue Mayor Rusty Hike and the City Council of Nebraskas third most populous city. It laid out concerns uncovered during a probe spurred by tips alleging that certain city vehicles were sold to high-ranking officials or their relatives, contrary to Bellevues typical process and at an apparent discount. Advertisement Advertisement This appears to have been a brazen attempt by some entitled senior city officials to enrich themselves at the expense of local taxpayers, Foley said in a statement. It is a slap in the face to all Bellevue residents, who deserve better. Bellevue has different opinion Bellevue officials, however, said an independent evaluation sought by the city showed no violation of city policy or improper sale of public property. In a statement provided Wednesday by a city spokesperson, Bellevue said it was taking steps to reinforce safeguards that ensure compliance with state law and city policies governing the sale of surplus property. It is both frustrating and disappointing when the agency purportedly tasked with ensuring government transparency acts so opaquely with the public. City of Bellevue statement But, the statement said, officials were disappointed that Foley omitted key facts and presented conclusions that do not reflect the full record. Advertisement Advertisement It is both frustrating and disappointing when the agency purportedly tasked with ensuring government transparency acts so opaquely with the public, the statement said. Such misrepresentation of the facts threatens to irreparably damage the reputation of the city. Foleys team dug its heels deeper, replying that the Auditors Office strongly disagrees with the citys claim that its policies were not violated. Findings pertaining to the questionable transactions in 2024 and 2025 were forwarded to the Nebraska Attorney Generals Office, Sarpy County Attorneys Office and Nebraska Accountability and Disclosure Commission. The Nebraska State Auditors Office in the Nebraska Capitol. (Aaron Sanderford/Nebraska Examiner) At the crux of the probe is an online auction process used by the city. Soliciting competitive bids for surplus property on a national web portal called GovDeals aims to ensure the greatest return. The payoff goes back into city coffers and can reduce taxpayer burden for other purchases. Advertisement Advertisement A Bellevue City Council member said that GovDeals, reportedly used by the city for more than a decade, also is supposed to mitigate concerns about possible conflicts of interest because city employees would bid on an item the same as other interested individuals, the audit report said. Foley alleges that in a few instances, certain officials directed a Bellevue employee who handles the auction process to remove vehicles from the auction website prematurely. He said that allowed a subsequent purchase by that official or a relative at an apparent discount. Said Foley: City personnel who want to buy surplus government property should bid on it like everyone else, not manipulate the auction process for their personal benefit. The investigation named City Administrator James Ristow and City Finance Director Richard Severson as taking a part in what Foley alleged to be conspicuous mishandling of public property. Three vehicles in question The property in question included a 2010 Chevrolet Tahoe SUV, a 2001 Ford F-550 truck with a dump flat bed and a 2017 Ford F-550 bucket truck. A city worker responsible for posting surplus city vehicles on the auction site reportedly told Foleys team that he withdrew the three offerings from the online auction at the direction of Ristow and Severson. Advertisement Advertisement The vehicles in question, according to the auditors report, now are owned by a Ristow relative, Severson or his wife, and Willow Springs Ranch LLC, which lists Severson as its registered agent. Attempts to reach Ristow and Severson were directed to the Bellevue media spokesperson, Phil Davidson, who provided the city statement. I think the taxpayers are owed a full explanation. What are the consequences of the people doing this? Mike Foley, Nebraska state auditor The probe showed that the vehicles had initially been listed for sale on the online auction platform but were withdrawn and placed in inactive status at the request of the city. Reasons provided for the withdrawals included placed back into service and not selling at this time. Advertisement Advertisement But, the report said, the city did, in fact, sell those automobiles. It laid out details: The 2010 Chevrolet Tahoe was withdrawn from auction six days after it was posted, when the high bid was $4,250. About a month later, Bellevue sold it for $5,000 to Ristows father. The auditor report said the city had set the initial minimum auction price for the Tahoe at $8,500. The auditor report also said that an average going rate for such a vehicle, according to carfax.com, was $10,809, twice the amount charged by the city. The city appears, therefore, to have sold this vehicle at a considerable discount to the city administrators father, doing so outside of the online auction platform normally used for such municipal sales, the report said. Advertisement Advertisement Bellevue, in its response, said values used by the auditor wrongly rely on comparisons to private, consumer-owned vehicles. The city says those are not equivalent to government fleet vehicles typically driven under demanding conditions and sold as-is, often requiring immediate repairs and maintenance. For example, it said, the 2010 Tahoe had an issue with the oil monitor that did not allow it to be driven more than 10 miles an hour. Odd sequence of events In the case involving the 2001 Ford F-550 truck and flat bed, the audit said the city withdrew the truck from auction seven days after posting. At the time, more than 20 bids had been placed, the highest being $4,800. The auditor called it odd that the city sold the vehicle the next day. The new owner was listed as Seversons Willow Springs Ranch. The city had set the minimum auction price at $7,500, the same amount Seversons company paid for it. According to the audit letter, similar trucks were going for three times more than that sales price. Advertisement Advertisement Bellevue said the flatbed was extremely rusted, a factor that helped determine the final sales price. The third vehicle in question, the 2017 Ford F-550 bucket truck, had been on the auction site for nine days, attracting 17 bids with a high offer of $18,000. Three days after the bucket truck was taken off the auction site, the city issued Severson a sale invoice totaling $25,000. That was about $10,000 less than the minimum auction price the city had set for the vehicle, the auditor said. Bellevue said the bucket truck had been taken out of service due to safety issues and the turntable for the boom lift would not pass certification. Advertisement Advertisement SUPPORT: YOU MAKE OUR WORK POSSIBLE Foleys team said auction listings were handled by longtime city employee Thomas Woodard, who bought his own surplus city car in 2024 for $1,000: a 1996 GMC Sierra C2500 pickup. Foley said the vehicle was never offered on the GovDeals website and may have been worth more. The auditors letter said the purchase invoice showed the transaction was approved by Ristow. Woodard reportedly told the audit team the Sierra truck was badly rusted, the oldest in the citys fleet and a replacement had already been acquired. Police captains ATV In another case, a Bellevue police captain paid $1,070 for an abandoned 2022 Polaris Sportsman 450 ATV that had no title and had been in city possession for more than two years. Advertisement Advertisement Foley said that the vehicle also was held from public auction and may have been worth considerably more. The audit letter said Ristow approved the sale. Bellevue said the ATV required $2,000 in repairs and still is not fully operational. Other surplus Bellevue property, including mowers, bicycles and a boat were sold to city employees, businesses or other municipalities without being offered for auction on GovDeals, Woodard told Foleys team, according to the audit. The audit teams letter said its review points to the apparently improper sale of the citys personal property through the deliberate circumvention of the citys normal surplus asset disposal process. Foley notes that state statute prohibits public employees from using their positions for personal financial gain beyond their lawful earnings. Foley said his teams efforts to talk further with Ristow and Severson were unsuccessful. He said Severson directed them to the city attorney and that Ristow did not return the teams phone calls. Bellevue posted its response on the city website late Wednesday. I think the taxpayers are owed a full explanation, Foley told the Examiner. What are the consequences of the people doing this? SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX Some of Borings original plans for stations have already fallen through.(LVCVA Vegas Loop photo) If you find yourself in a hole, stop digging. That is the attitude some state lawmakers have about the Vegas Loop, Elon Musks Boring Company project, a 4-mile underground tunnel system beneath the Las Vegas Convention Center that critics fear is expanding faster than its oversight. Nevada State Sen. Fabian Donate, a Democrat whose district includes the convention center, during an interim legislative meeting Wednesday questioned the Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority (LVCVA)about its persistent enthusiastic support for Boring Co. Advertisement Advertisement What weve seen over the last several years is that there are continuous concerns environmental concerns, labor concerns, he said. And so I guess the question becomes: To what extent are we sacrificing our workers and our communities at the expense of our taxpayers to subsidize or support a company without essential oversight. Donate referenced numerous high-profile incidents at Borings construction sites, which have included a crushing injury, workers and firefighters enduring chemical burns, and digging errors that exposed the foundation of two Las Vegas Monorail columns. Overall, Nevada state regulators have accused the company of nearly 800 environmental violations, according to reporting from ProPublica and City Cast Las Vegas. Boring Co. has also been cited by the Nevada Occupational Safety and Health Administration. Some of those citations were rescinded after Boring Co. president Steve Davis called Gov. Joe Lombardos office, raising concerns of backdoor deals and a deep-pocked companys ability to skirt regulatory oversight, according to reporting by Fortune. The governors office has disputed that report. Democratic Assemblymembers Cinthia Moore and Venise Karris, both Democrats from Las Vegas, have publicly called on the Clark County District Attorneys Office to investigate the accusation. Advertisement Advertisement An LVCVA official during Wednesdays meeting acknowledged the publicly reported safety issues at Vegas Loop construction sites. There have been events, and we should have been better, said Ed Finger, the authoritys chief strategy officer. The Boring Company should have been better than they were. It is The Boring Companys goal to be better. But Finger also seemed to suggest the incidents might not be out of the realm of normalcy. He also told lawmakers that, on the rider experience side, the Vegas Loop has had a near flawless operational safety experience. Ill suggest to you that reasonable people can have a difference of opinion about how much of that was built safely and done well, versus those events, and what happens across multiple-year total construction projects and transportation projects in general, he said, addressing Donate. Advertisement Advertisement Finger said the LVCVA has attempted to improve our awareness, and our coordination and understanding of safety concerns on the construction sites. He emphasized the LVCVA has no technical or contractual responsibilities with regulatory agencies like OSHA but is choosing to be proactive, including sending their own ex-OSHA employee into the field on a periodic basis. Finger said the mission of LVCVA is to maximize the biggest economic engine in the State of Nevada, meaning the Las Vegas Strip. We believe its within our purview to attempt to work with our Southern Nevada partners to also try to facilitate improvements in the Strip resort corridor, specifically transportation, he added. Advertisement Advertisement That mission drove the acquisition of the Las Vegas Monorail after its second bankruptcy, he said, and it drives the facilitation of the Vegas Loop. We have a sincere, vested interest in the success of this destination, said Finger. We believe that The Boring Company system will be transformative to Strip corridor transportation and will be a unique asset that further separates Las Vegas as the greatest tourism destination in the United States of America and competitive in the world. Vegas Loop presentation materials state there are currently eight operational stations at the convention center, Encore, Resorts World, and Westgate. An additional 15 are expected to become operational in the next few months. Were at a current pace of better than a million passengers per year, Finger told lawmakers. Thats about a quarter of the ridership volume of the monorail. Advertisement Advertisement But Boring has been approved for 68 miles of tunnels and 104 stations. If those ambitious goals actually come to fruition, it would be the second largest tunnel transportation system in the country, behind only the New York City subway system, according to Vegas Loop materials. The annual ridership of the New York City subway system was 1.2 billion in 2024. Some of Borings original plans for stations have already fallen through. UNLV denied the companys offer to build a station on campus for free, according to the Las Vegas Weekly. The university cited parking enforcement as the primary reason. Advertisement Advertisement Meanwhile, Nevadas entanglement with Boring Co. could grow beyond Las Vegas. According to reporting from Fortune, the Economic Development Authority of Western Nevada (EDWAN) is conducting a feasibility report for a potential tunnel project leading to Tahoe-Reno Industrial Center (TRIC), where Musks Tesla Gigafactory is located. Environmental groups like the Sierra Club Toiyabe Chapter have already publicly vowed to fight any proposals by the company. My responsibility is to protect Nevadas land, water, and communities from harm, and that responsibility requires me to oppose this project outright, and forcefully, given the Boring Companys egregious record of environmental violations already in Nevada, said Executive Director Olivia Tanager in a statement Sunday. A monorail? A taxi? A limousine, kinda? The ultimate vision is for the entirety of Vegas Loop travel to happen within the tunnels, Finger told lawmakers on the interim legislative committee on revenue, but before that vision is fully realized there exists an interim opportunity for above-ground transportation connecting passengers from existing stops in the tunnel system to future ones, most prominently Harry Reid International Airport. Advertisement Advertisement Last year, a Boring subsidiary called Paradise Transportation received approval from state regulators to transport people above-ground, so long as the trips include the underground system. State Sen. Dina Neal, a Democrat from North Las Vegas, said the question for the interim revenue committee is: What changes when the Vegas Loop Teslas emerge from the tunnels and begin operating on surface streets? The Vegas Loop tunnels are statutorily considered a monorail system, she said. Boring owns the tunnels and operates the Vegas Loop under a franchise agreement with Clark County and City of Las Vegas. But, with the expansion to above-ground transportation using public roadways, they appear to many to be operating more like a transportation network company like Uber or Lyft. Neal said it raises questions about whether that new hybrid service is being properly taxed by the state: Do we need to have statutory changes that reflect that new behavior and activities? Advertisement Advertisement TNCs, colloquially referred to as rideshare, and taxis are both subject to a 3% excise tax. Taxi and limousine companies have said Borings above-ground plans will decimate their industry. Nevada Transportation Authority Chair Vaughn Hartung told lawmakers the Vegas Loop vehicles cannot be classified as TNCs because passengers are not connected to their rides through a digital network, which is part of the states definition of a TNC. It also cannot be classified as a taxi because they dont use meters. So, it is classified for us the same as we would classify a limousine, he said. State lawmakers wanted to further question Hartung and his staff about the classification of the above-ground operations of the Vegas Loop, but the agencys administrative attorney Yoneet Wilburn intervened to advise they could not answer such questions because of pending litigation. Advertisement Advertisement The Livery Operators Association of Las Vegas in November filed a petition for judicial review, asking a district court to review the Nevada Transportation Authoritys decision to give Vegas Loop the greenlight to provide above-ground transportation. We need to fully adjudicate that court process, said Wilburn. These questions are getting into the application process and the hearing and how we decided. Wilburn told lawmakers a hearing is expected in the next few weeks. Pennsylvania State Police are asking for the publics help in identifying the suspect in a theft at an Indiana County bank. Police say a woman arrived at S&T Bank in Burrell Township around noon on Tuesday. The woman allegedly used a fake ID card to pose as another person. She then tried to deposit a fake check for $3,700 and withdrew $5,000 from the other persons account. Police say the woman then went to S&T Bank in Armagh and posed as another person. Advertisement Advertisement Similar incidents have been reported in the Altoona, Ebensburg and Gallitzin areas, police say. The woman is described as middle-aged and white with long, straight hair. Police say her fingernails were painted white during the incident in Burrell Township. Anyone with information is asked to call PSP Indiana at 724-357-1960 or PSP Tips Toll Free at 1-800-472-8477. You can also submit a tip online by clicking here. A cash reward is offered for information that leads to an arrest, the solving of a crime/cold case or the location of a wanted person/fugitive or missing person. Download the FREE WPXI News app for breaking news alerts. Follow Channel 11 News on Facebook and Twitter. | Watch WPXI NOW California Gov. Gavin Newsom has claimed that White House Deputy Chief of Staff Stephen Miller deliberately avoided him while the pair were standing backstage at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland. Stephen Miller refused to even make eye contact with @CAGovernor Gavin Newsom backstage at Davos, Newsoms press office posted on X, adding, Total beta! When contacted by the Daily Beast, a spokesperson for Newsom said, They were backstage at the same time. A bunch of senior Trump officials were fangirling the Governor and went out of their way to say hi to their Daddy but Stephen Miller clocked the Governor and scurried off like the little ghoul cuck he is. Honestly, we almost feel bad for Katie. The Daily Beast has contacted the White House for comment. Stephen Miller refused to even make eye contact with @CAGovernor Gavin Newsom backstage at Davos. Total beta! Governor Newsom Press Office (@GovPressOffice) January 21, 2026 Newsom continued his trolling of Miller with a second post to X later in the day, sharing an image of senior Border Patrol official Greg Bovino in a long black coat that he had previously described as Nazi-coded and asking, Hey, Stephen when are you going to start wearing one of Gregs coats? Advertisement Advertisement Miller, who is Jewish, has previously been denounced by his own relatives for the cruelty he has overseen as the architect of the Trump administrations hardline border control and anti-immigration policies. We celebrated holidays each year with the reminder to stand up and say never again. But what you are doing breaks that sacred promise. It breaks everything we were taught, Millers cousin Alisa Kasmer wrote in a heartfelt Facebook post in July 2025. Hey, Stephen when are you going to start wearing one of Gregs coats? https://t.co/pyEHqqkoLX Governor Newsom Press Office (@GovPressOffice) January 22, 2026 Newsom and Miller are both in Davos for the World Economic Forum alongside a host of world leaders, including President Donald Trump, who delivered a rambling, barely coherent 70-minute speech on Wednesday in which he discussed his relationship with Newsom. Referring to his relationship with the California governor in the past tense, Trump said that he had a great relationship with Newsom during the fires that ravaged the Pacific Palisades in January 2025. Advertisement Advertisement Were going to help the people in California. We want to have no crime, Trump said. I know Gavin was here. I used to get along so great with Gavin when I was president. Continuing, Trump said, Gavins a good guy, and were going to. If he needed it, I would do it in a heartbeat. Id love to seewe did help them a lot in Los Angeles, a lot with the early, early in my term, when they had some problems, but we would love to do it. California Governor Gavin Newsom (C) listens to U.S. President Donald Trump address the World Economic Forum in the Davos Congress Center on Jan. 21, 2026. / Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images Speaking with CNNs Kaitlan Collins after Trump had concluded, Newsom described the speech as remarkably boring and remarkably insignificant, adding, Honestly, I was a little disappointed, I was a little nonplussed. Newsom later posted on social media that USA House, the official U.S. pavilion at Davos, had denied him entry after being pressured by the Trump administration. Advertisement Advertisement Under pressure from the White House and State Department, USA House (a church acting as the official US pavilion) is now denying entry to @CAGovernor Gavin Newsom to speak with media after Fortune the official media partner invited him to speak, Newsoms press office wrote on X. California was just denied at the USA House, Newsom wrote on his own X account. Last we checked, California is part of USA. BREAKING: Under pressure from the White House and State Department, USA House (a church acting as the official US pavilion) is now denying entry to @CAGovernor Gavin Newsom to speak with media after Fortune the official media partner invited him to speak. Governor Newsom Press Office (@GovPressOffice) January 21, 2026 White House spokesperson Anna Kelly denied Newsoms accusations in a statement to the Daily Beast, saying, No one in Davos knows who third-rate governor Newscum is or why he is frolicking around Switzerland instead of fixing the many problems he created in California. In a private text message obtained by Politico, a USA House representative denied that Newsom had been uninvited and that the governor was still welcome at the venue. Advertisement Advertisement Newsom, an outspoken critic of the Trump White House who has already emerged as the frontrunner for the 2028 Democratic presidential nomination, has not shied away from making his feelings on senior Trump officials like Miller known. Hes about cruelty and chaos, Newsom said of Miller in an interview last month, adding that he had nothing good to say about Miller. I dont know what his motivations are, but the one thing all his actions have in common is cruelty. CHICAGO (WGN) A suburban police officer has been convicted of federal corruption charges for conspiring to steal cash and drugs from people inside vehicles during traffic stops. The U.S. Attorneys Office for the Northern District of Illinois said Antoine Larry, a former patrol officer for the Phoenix, Illinois Police Department, conspired with another police officer to solicit cash and drugs from occupants of vehicles during traffic stops in exchange for reducing, dropping or declining to press charges, or allowing the vehicles to avoid impoundment. FBI, police investigate attempted armored truck robbery in Blue Island Advertisement Advertisement The criminal acts began in at least 2020 and continued until 2022. Court documents said the officers falsified police reports to hide their corruption. After a two-week trial in U.S. District Court in Chicago, a jury on Friday convicted Larry, 49, of Bolingbrook, Illinois on all four counts against him, including charges of conspiracy, extortion and attempted extortion. The extortion and attempted extortion charges carry a maximum sentence of 20 years in federal prison, while the conspiracy charge is punishable by up to five years. Read more: Latest Chicago news and headlines The other police officer who worked with Larry, identified as Jarrett Snowden of Lansing, Illinois, pleaded guilty to a conspiracy charge prior to trial and admitted to participating in the scheme. Advertisement Advertisement Snowden is currently awaiting sentencing. Copyright 2026 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WGN-TV. LIMA Superior Credit Union will open a downtown Lima branch at the corner of Elm and Main streets this summer. The branch will be located at 241 S. Main St., by Old City Prime and the Good Foods Restaurant headquarters, becoming the latest business to move into one of the newly renovated properties on S. Main Street. The historic building, built in 1908, once housed the Pabst Tied House at the northeast corner of Main and Elm streets. Advertisement Advertisement We have been a part of the Lima community since our inception in 1954, said Phil Buell, president and CEO of Superior Credit Union, in a news release about the downtown branch. We are excited to support the downtown revitalization with our new branch. We look forward to giving our members another convenient location offering excellent service and technology. The downtown branch is Superiors seventh Lima location and 26th Ohio branch, with 28,000 members in Lima. The new branch will offer financial products such as certificates of deposit and home loans, as well as 24-7 access to deposit-taking ATMs and online banking, according to the release. Jessie Buckley is "so proud and honoured" to have been nominated for an Oscar. Jessie Buckley is nominated for the Best Actress Oscar The 36-year-old actress' portrayal of Agatha Shakespeare in Hamnet has seen her shortlisted for the Best Actress prize at the upcoming Academy Awards alongside Rose Byrne (If I Had Legs Id Kick You), Kate Hudson (Song Sung Blue), Renate Reinsve (Sentimental Value) and Emma Stone (Bugonia) and she couldn't be happier. Speaking on a telephone interview with The Hollywood Reporter, she said: "My babys screaming in the background, but I am thrilled. "Im so proud and honoured to be beside all those extraordinary women and to be there with Hamnet. Im delighted." Hamnet is nominated for a total of eight awards, including the coveted Best Picture accolade and Best Director for Chloe Zhao, but Paul Mescal was a surprise snub in the Best Supporting Actor category. However, Jessie believes her own recognition "belongs" to her co-star just as much as it does to herself because of how much she needed him for her own performance. Asked her reaction to his omission, she said: "Yeah, look, I think hes extraordinary in this film. I know Ive met a partner for life in doing this with him. I dont know what to say apart from he is, to me, my absolute. "His artistry is something that will continue to grow and be a theme in so many different ways. I know what we created together is something thats so special to us, and I hold that so dearly in my heart, and theres no part of Agnes that exists without Paul. "Theres no part of what I created or what we created in this story which exists without Paul and what he poured into this story. "So what is recognised belongs to him as much as him being recognised in his own category would." Jessie regards the cast and crew of Hamnet as a "family". She said: "Being on the trail as a family has been what it felt like when we were making it. We were a little village. Any time we make these films to share, this is the next leg, to put it out into the world and share with an audience and feel their response... But look, I love those guys so much. It was an absolute privilege of my life to tell this story with them and Im so proud and honored that its been responded to the way it has in the cinema because thats who we make it for." SIGN UP FOR THE DAILY JWR UPDATE. IT'S FREE. (AND NO SPAM!) Just click here. Crypto companies are investing in Democrats as they seek to muscle an industry-friendly regulatory regime through Congress and ensure new laws persist. Cryptocurrency exchange Coinbase Global Inc. added David Plouffe, a former senior adviser to Kamala Harris' 2024 presidential campaign and Barack Obama aide, to its global advisory council. Meanwhile, stablecoin giant Tether Holdings SA recently registered Lilette Advisors, a firm founded by staffers for former President Joe Biden, as their lobbyist, according to public disclosures filed at the end of May. Ankit Desai, a partner of the firm who used to work for Biden, is listed as El Salvador-based Tether's only lobbyist in the registration. "In the long run, Democrats are likely to take power back in at least one of these chambers or the presidency," said Austin Campbell, an adjunct professor at New York University's Stern School of Business and the head of the stablecoin company WSPN USA. "So if you made this industry explicitly partisan, boy do you have a problem." Venture capital firm Andreessen Horowitz, one of crypto's largest investors, hired Michael Reed, formerly a top adviser to House Minority Whip Katherine Clark, as a government affairs partner. The founders of what's known as a16z were among the largest donors to Trump's 2024 presidential campaign. Democrats are essential to advancing crypto legislation in the Senate, where 60 votes are needed to clear procedural hurdles for most bills. Crypto's massive spending on campaigns aiding crypto-friendly Democratic Senate candidates and opposing crypto skeptics paid off, when the chamber voted 67-27 to cut off debate on landmark stablecoin legislation known as the GENIUS Act. Sixteen Democrats voted with the Republican majority, with final passage of the bill expected, despite Republicans successfully blocking Democratic efforts to amend the measure to block Trump from profiting off of his many crypto ventures. Crypto companies have become increasingly worried the stablecoin measure, which also must pass the House, might be the only digital asset legislation signed into law. They are pushing to ensure broader market structure legislation - advanced last week by the Financial Services and Agriculture committees on bipartisan votes - doesn't stall. Banking Chair Tim Scott, a Republican from South Carolina, told Bloomberg News he anticipates holding a hearing on that broader measure. Some other Republicans however want the House to package both bills together. "Time is your enemy when you're trying to pass a bill," Campbell said. "Everybody comes out of the woodwork to try to staple completely unrelated stuff onto it. That's how we end up with these giant thousand page omnibus bills that do 80 different things." Democrats initially united to filibuster the legislation earlier amid a furor over Trump's crypto dealings, with progressive Senators Elizabeth Warren of Massachusetts and Jeff Merkley of Oregon leading demands that the president be barred from profiting off his memecoin and a separate stablecoin venture. Two Senate Republicans voted to filibuster the stablecoin bill. Josh Hawley of Missouri had sought to amend the bill to block large technology companies from issuing their own stablecoins. And Rand Paul of Kentucky wanted to add an amendment requiring an audit of the Federal Reserve. An effort by retailers and their allies in the Senate to mandate competition in credit card processing also failed to get a vote amid Republican infighting. Coinbase has been lobbying to allow interest to be paid on stablecoin accounts, but those efforts have so far been unsuccessful in persuading lawmakers in the House or the Senate. While hostility to the Biden Administration's regulatory policies led many major crypto participants to support Trump's most recent campaign, the crypto industry has not always leaned Republican. Sam Bankman-Fried, the disgraced co-founder of crypto exchange FTX, was the second-biggest individual donor to Democrats in the 2022 election cycle. Many members of Congress shied away from crypto after his exchange collapsed and politicians ended up returning Bankman-Fried's funds. The House Financial Services and Agriculture committees advanced the Digital Asset Market Clarity (CLARITY) Act, informally referred to as crypto's market structure bill. The House has been moving swiftly on the far more complicated piece of legislation, but not without rifts between Democrats and Republicans over amendments targeting Trump's crypto profits. The CLARITY Act aims to provide a comprehensive regulatory framework, including delineating responsibilities between the Commodity Futures Trading Commission and the Securities and Exchange Commission. "Market structure is a whole different kettle of fish," Campbell said. "They're trying to boil the ocean with that bill and it's going to have a lot of knock on effects they have not thought about." (COMMENT, BELOW) Israels Supreme Court has ruled that the name of a man accused of infiltrating IDF command facilities after October 7 may be published, easing secrecy in a sensitive espionage case. The Supreme Court on Thursday ruled that the identity of a man accused of infiltrating IDF command facilities in the immediate aftermath of the October 7 Hamas attack may be published, marking a significant shift in a case that has raised acute concerns over wartime security breaches at the heart of the military command structure. The ruling relates to criminal proceedings underway at theBeersheba District Court against Assaf Shmuelovitz, who is charged with a series of serious security offenses, including aggravated espionage, unlawfully obtaining and transmitting classified information, fraud under aggravated circumstances, and unauthorized entry into military facilities. Advertisement Advertisement According to the indictment permitted for publication, Shmuelovitz allegedly exploited the chaos that prevailed during the first days of the war to gain access to highly sensitive areas within the Southern Command, presenting himself as a reserve officer holding the rank of captain. Prosecutors allege that he obtained classified operational material, documented it, and shared it with unauthorized civilian and military figures, none of whom were cleared to receive such information. Since the indictment was filed in November 2023, the case has been subject to sweeping publication bans, imposed at the states request on the grounds that disclosure could endanger national security, expose sensitive operational methods, and risk identifying senior IDF officers involved in the investigation. IDF Chief of Staff Lt.-Gen. Eyal Zamir (center) addresses senior Southern Command personnel at the regional command HQ, June 18, 2025. (credit: IDF SPOKESPERSON'S UNIT) Over the past two years, the Beersheba District Court gradually eased the restrictions, first allowing a paraphrased description of the affair and later permitting publication of a heavily redacted indictment. Advertisement Advertisement The defendants name, however, remained under a gag order, with courts citing both security considerations and the defendants complex mental health condition. In December 2025, the district court ruled that the balance between secrecy and transparency had shifted. Citing the passage of time, the de-escalation of hostilities, and a revised assessment by military information-security authorities, the court authorized publication of a detailed, court-approved summary of the proceedings including the defendants full name while staying the decision pending appeal. Writing for the Supreme Court, Justice Gila Canfy-Steinitz rejected Shmuelovitzs appeal and upheld the lower courts determination that continued anonymity was no longer justified. Advertisement Advertisement The ruling emphasized the centrality of the principle of open justice, noting that while national security considerations may warrant exceptional secrecy, such restrictions must be narrowly tailored and periodically reassessed. The court found no evidentiary basis for claims that publication of his identity posed a concrete threat to his life or safety, and rejected arguments that disclosure would constitute a disproportionate violation of privacy. The justices also noted that Shmuelovitzs name had already appeared in public judicial decisions in related civil proceedings, diminishing the practical effectiveness of maintaining anonymity in the criminal case. Court limits disclosure of senior IDF witnesses identities At the same time, the court partially accepted the states appeal, tightening limits on what may be disclosed about senior IDF witnesses. Advertisement Advertisement While the district court had permitted publication of witnesses ranks alongside the first letter of their names, the Supreme Court ruled that for officers holding the rank of colonel and above, even that information could lead to identification and pose security risks. Such witnesses may now be identified by rank alone. According to the court-approved summary of proceedings, state-appointed psychiatric experts determined that Shmuelovitz was not criminally responsible for his actions at the time of the alleged offenses a conclusion ultimately accepted by the prosecution. Despite this, the defendant has elected to conduct a full evidentiary trial, seeking to establish that he did not commit the acts attributed to him. Advertisement Advertisement The defense argues that Shmuelovitz acted with authorization, was exposed only to information he was entitled to access, and communicated with individuals who possessed relevant military backgrounds and security clearances. Prosecutors dispute those claims, maintaining that he knowingly exploited systemic confusion during the beginning of the war to obtain and disseminate classified material. As of early January, testimony from 21 prosecution witnesses had been heard, with two remaining before the close of the states case. Shmuelovitz has been held in custody under hospitalization conditions, with courts periodically reviewing whether a supervised alternative to detention may be appropriate. The Syrian army said an attack took place as soldiers were securing a captured military base containing explosives, calling it a dangerous escalation. Syria's government said a drone strike by the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces killed seven of its soldiers on Wednesday, though the SDF denied this, in an incident that threatens to derail a ceasefire after days of fighting in the northeast. The Syrian army called the attack, which it said took place as soldiers were securing a captured military base containing explosives, a dangerous escalation. Advertisement Advertisement The SDF, previously the main US ally in Syria, said it had not carried out a strike and that the blast had occurred when Syrian soldiers were moving explosives. It accused the Syrian army of violating the truce with attacks in several locations. After days of rapid gains, the government on Tuesday said it had reached an understanding with the SDF for the SDF to agree to a four-day ceasefire to integrate into the central state, and that, otherwise, the SDF would face an assault on the two last main cities it holds. How Syria's government has redrawn map with advances against the Kurds The Syrian government has seized swathes of northern and eastern Syria from Kurdish forces, consolidating President Ahmed al-Sharaa's rule nearly 14 months after Bashar al-Assad was toppled. Syrian Interim President Ahmed al-Shara attended the Antalya Diplomacy Forum on April 11, 2025 in Antalya, Turkiye. (credit: Mert Gokhan Koc/ dia images via Getty Images) The rapid turn of events has brought almost all of Syria back under the authority of the Damascus-based state, following years of conflict that fractured the country, and puts a spotlight on shifting US policy. What triggered the Syrian army advances? Tensions had been simmering between the government and the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces for months. Advertisement Advertisement Damascus has demanded that the SDF, spearheaded by the Kurdish YPG, merge fully into the security forces and that governing bodies in the Kurdish-run regions also be integrated. The Kurdish-led forces have resisted, aiming to preserve their regional autonomy and expressing concerns that the Islamist-led administration in Damascus seeks to dominate Syria. Conflict erupted this month, with government troops seizing Kurdish-run districts of Aleppo before thrusting eastwards last week, forcing Kurdish fighters to retreat. What is the US position? While the US military built close ties with the SDF, Washington never backed the SDF's political goal of securing a high degree of autonomy for the northeast. Advertisement Advertisement US policy has been complicated by objections from NATO member Turkey, which deems the YPG an extension of the outlawed Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK) and sent troops into Syria several times to counter its influence. With Assad toppled, US President Donald Trump has developed close ties to Sharaa, lifting sanctions and welcoming Syria into an international anti-Islamic State coalition. US envoy Tom Barrack said on Tuesday the original purpose of the SDF had largely expired, and that the US had no long-term interest in retaining its presence in Syria. Barrack described the offer of integration into the central state with citizenship rights, cultural protections, and political participation as the "greatest opportunity" the Kurds have. Trump on Tuesday also appeared to back Sharaa, saying he was "working very hard", adding that Washington was also "trying to protect the Kurds." Court records from Taste of Belgiums bankruptcy reveal its sales slumped by nearly a fifth in the last two years, saddling the popular eatery with more than $6 million in debts. Founded in 2007 in Findlay Market, Taste of Belgium helped usher in the restaurant renaissance of Over-the-Rhine. But an ill-timed expansion since the COVID-19 pandemic has led to a wave of bistro closures. On Jan. 6, the company filed individual bankruptcies for its two remaining bistro locations, which are organized as separate business entities. Filings show that Taste of Belgiums Rookwood location has seen its annual sales slide 15% from $2.8 million in 2023 to $2.4 million last year, while receipts at The Banks bistro dropped 22% from $3 million in 2023 to $2.3 million last year. Restaurant owes federal agency $3.7M Each location lists total debts of $3.4 million, but share some overlapping obligations, notably a $523,000 loan from Emery Federal Credit Union, one of the eaterys largest creditors. The credit union is also owed more than $600,000 on another loan. Advertisement Advertisement Taste of Belgium also owes the U.S. Small Business Administration $3.7 million for loans taken out during the pandemic. The company also owes more than $425,000 in taxes to the state of Ohio. Taste of Belgium lists more than $300,000 in assets for the two bistros, mostly restaurant fixtures and equipment. Taste of Belgium has one other location, its stand at Findlay Market, which is not involved in the bankruptcy proceedings. This article originally appeared on Cincinnati Enquirer: Bankruptcy filings detail Taste of Belgium debts, struggles Screenshot via Verdict with Ted Cruz podcast Sen. Ted Cruz (R-TX) pushed back on critics pouncing on him over an image of the senator on a plane to California just days before Texas is set to get hit with a major winter storm. Senator Ted Cruz (R-Texas) was spotted earlier today, January 20, 2026, on a plane heading to Laguna Beach as the state of Texas braces for a rare ice threat and arctic cold front, political strategist Shea Jordan Smith wrote on X this week. Advertisement Advertisement Included was an image of Cruz on his flight. The post itself has more than eight million views as of Thursday. Senator Ted Cruz (R-Texas) was spotted earlier today, January 20, 2026, on a plane heading to Laguna Beach as the state of Texas braces for a rare ice threat and arctic cold front. pic.twitter.com/lVTcqP8LR4 Shea Jordan Smith (@shea_jordan) January 21, 2026 Cruzs office later put out a statement, dismissing criticism and explaining that Cruz was on a pre-planned trip and hell actually be returning to the Lone Star State before the storm is projected to hit. Senator Cruz is currently on pre-planned work travel that was scheduled weeks in advance. He will be back in Texas before the storm is projected to hit, a spokesperson for the senator said in a statement, first shared with KHOU. Multiple critics invoked another moment from Cruzs career where he went viral and earned plenty of mockery. In February 2021, Cruz was heavily criticized after took a trip to Cancun, Mexico, while Texas was hit with the deadly Winter Storm Uri. Advertisement Advertisement The senator returned to Texas at the time and admitted his trip was obviously a mistake. It was obviously a mistake, and in hindsight, I wouldnt have done it, he said. The latest storm is expected to stretch across 2,000 miles eventually, while itll begin in Texas and Oklahoma. Heavy snowfall and freezing rain are expected to begin Friday, hitting northern Texas and cities like Dallas and Houston. The storm will eventually move its way to the East Coast. Texas Governor Greg Abbott (R) has declared a state of emergency in his state over the approaching harsh weather. Based on current forecasts, the State of Texas is acting to ensure Texans have the resources they need before severe winter weather impacts communities across Texas, the governor announced this week. I thank emergency management personnel and first responders for working tirelessly to keep Texans safe. The post Ted Cruz Bites Back at Critics Furious Over His Leaving Texas Ahead of Major Winter Storm first appeared on Mediaite. Ted Cruz was photographed on Tuesday on a plane headed to a popular beach town as the state of Texas braces for a winter storm. Political strategist Shea Jordan Smith shared a photo of the Republican Texas senator standing in the busy aisle of an aircraft, dressed in what appeared to be a blue suit. Smith claimed the plane was departing for Laguna Beach, a small coastal city in Orange County, California, and a popular vacation destination. Senator Ted Cruz (R-Texas) was spotted earlier today, January 20, 2026, on a plane heading to Laguna Beach as the state of Texas braces for a rare ice threat and arctic cold front. pic.twitter.com/lVTcqP8LR4 Shea Jordan Smith (@shea_jordan) January 21, 2026 Senator Ted Cruz (R-Texas) was spotted earlier today, January 20, 2026, on a plane heading to Laguna Beach as the state of Texas braces for a rare ice threat and arctic cold front, Smith wrote on X, sharing the image. Advertisement Advertisement A spokesperson for Cruz told the Daily Beast in a statement: Senator Cruz is currently on pre-planned work travel that was scheduled weeks in advance. He will be back in Texas before the storm is projected to hit. The senator has previously drawn attention for leaving Texas during major emergencies affecting the state. Last July, Cruz was on vacation in Greece while Texas experienced deadly flooding, the Daily Beast revealed. He was also went on a trip to Cancun, Mexico, in 2021 as a winter storm struck Texas, leaving millions without power or water. Ted Cruz was in Athens while rescuers were searching for flood victims in Texas. / The Swamp People in Texas are literally freezing to death and yet Ted Cruz went on vacation to Cancun, Democratic Rep. Pramila Jayapal wrote on X at the time. Advertisement Advertisement Activist Charlotte Clymer accused the senator of fleeing the state to Cancun in 2021 while millions of vulnerable Texans were without heat and water. Responding to the Daily Beasts reporting that Cruz was in Athens last year, the senators communications director claimed he returned from Greece to Texas as fast as humanly possible, although an internal review of flight options found he could have been back sooner. Forecasters at the National Weather Service (NWS) have warned that a large portion of Texas could be affected this weekend by dangerously cold temperatures. Moderate to heavy accumulations of snow, sleet, or ice are likely across the region Friday through Saturday night. In addition, dangerously cold temperatures are expected Saturday night through Monday morning, NWS said in an alert for North and Central Texas. Advertisement Advertisement In a post on X on Tuesday, Cruz said his team was monitoring the situation. My team and I are monitoring the incoming cold front that could bring snow, ice, and disruptive weather conditions to parts of the Lone Star State later this week, he wrote. Meanwhile, Governor Greg Abbott urged Texans to remain weather-aware. A storm system is expected to move through the state, bringing the possibility of freezing rain, sleet, and snow that could create hazardous travel conditions into the weekend and cause impacts to infrastructure, the governors office said. A spokesperson for U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz responded to online criticism after Cruz was spotted on a flight to California Tuesday, ahead of an arctic storm that is set to hit Texas this weekend, saying he was on a work trip scheduled weeks ago. "He will be back in Texas before the storm is projected to hit," the spokesperson said in a statement. They declined to answer where Cruz was headed in California and why. Advertisement Advertisement A photograph of Cruz aboard the flight began circulating early Wednesday morning, racking up 3.3 million views by midday. One X user wrote, "You can count on (Cruz) to be on a flight to somewhere warm and tropical and (sic) the first sign of Mother Nature." Houston city officials warned residents Wednesday to ready for temperatures to dip this weekend into the low 20s or upper teens, along with wind chill in the low teens or single digits. Cruz, a Texas Republican, has taken criticism for flying out of Texas around inclement weather before. In 2021 he flew to Cancun with his daughters following a winter storm that left millions of Texans without power, explaining he had "two girls who have been cold for two days and haven't had heater power, and they're saying, Hey, look, we don't have school why don't we go, let's get out of here.'" He later apologized, saying, "It was obviously a mistake and in hindsight I wouldn't have done it." Advertisement Advertisement The photo of Cruz flying Tuesday was posted by Shea Jordan Smith, who previously worked for late U.S. Rep. Sheila Jackson Lee, a Houston Democrat. "Senator Ted Cruz (R-Texas) was spotted earlier today, January 20, 2026, on a plane heading to Laguna Beach as the state of Texas braces for a rare ice threat and arctic cold front," he wrote. This article originally published at Ted Cruz responds to photo of him en route to California before Texas winter storm. Sen. Ted Cruz was spotted on a flight from Texas to California as his home state braces for a severe winter storm. Shea Jordan Smith, a political strategist, posted a photo of the Texas Republican on a Jan. 20 flight to Southern California on X later the same day. Cruz's office said in a statement to USA TODAY that the trip was, "pre-planned work travel that was scheduled weeks in advance." The statement added that the senator would be back in Texas ahead of the storm's arrival. Advertisement Advertisement The post claims that the flight was destined for Laguna Beach, however the tiny beach town south of Anaheim does not have an airport. John Wayne Airport in Orange County is the nearest airline hub. USA TODAY has reached out to Smith to clarify the flight's destination. The photo drew comparisons to a 2021 incident in which the senator fled the state for Cancun, Mexico, in the midst of an ongoing winter storm. Cruz said at the time the trip was "obviously a mistake." Cruz was out of the country on a pre-planned vacation to Athens, Greece, when devastating flash floods hit the Texas Hill Country in 2025. Cruz "promptly" booked a return flight, his office said at the time. U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz attends the Texas Department of Transportation and the Ports-to-Plains Alliance ribbon cutting and signage unveiling ceremony of adding U.S. Highway 87 to Interstate 27 on April 14, 2025 in Lubbock, Texas. Winter storm threatens wide swath of nation Forecasters are warning of a sprawling winter storm that's predicted to spread a mess of ice and snow over a 2,000-mile stretch of the nation later this week, from Texas to the Northeast. Advertisement Advertisement "Confidence continues to increase on an expansive major winter storm impacting much of the southern and eastern portions of the country Friday (Jan. 23) through Sunday (Jan. 25)," the National Weather Service said on Jan. 20. A fierce Arctic blast of bitterly cold air is poised to overtake much of the central, eastern and southern U.S. over the next few days, dropping temperatures well below average as far south as Florida. See the impact. Raul Fuentes shovels snow off of his front steps during a snow storm on Thursday, Jan. 15, 2026, in South Bend, Ind. Liam Seymour, 4, plays in the snow while his sisters shovel their driveway during a snow storm on Thursday, Jan. 15, 2026, in South Bend, Ind. Bentley, a 15-year-old maltese, wears a sweater crocheted by his owner to keep warm during a morning walk, Jan. 16, 2026, at Indian RiverSide Park in Jensen Beach, Fla. Even the manatees, seen in Willoughby Creek at the Manatee Bridge on the corner of Southeast Indian Street and Southeast St. Lucie Boulevard, are trying to warm up during a cold morning, Jan. 16, 2026, in Martin County, Fla. Ice collects on the fountain Friday, Jan. 16, 2026, at the Westin Poinsett Hotel in Greenville, South Carolina. The area is expected to see freezing temperatures and the possibility of snow over the weekend. A woman wears gloves to keep warm while walking, Jan. 16, 2026, on Southeast Indian Street in Martin County, Fla. A pedestrian crosses East Kilbourn Avenue and North Milwaukee Street as the snow falls in Milwaukee, Wisconsin on Jan. 14, 2026. Snow squalls hinder visibility as drivers head south on State Route 8 in Akron on Jan. 15, 2026. Snow piles up on a tree limb on a snowy afternoon in Akron, Jan. 15, 2026, in Akron, Ohio. A pedestrian crosses High Street on a snowy Thursday morning, Jan. 15, 2026, in Akron, Ohio. A cold front moves through Volusia County, Fla., emptying the beach except for a few bikers and beach walkers, Thursday, Jan. 15, 2026. Ice collects on a sculpture on Jan. 16, 2026, in Greenville, South Carolina. The area is expected to see freezing temperatures and the possibility of snow over the weekend. Sean Daugherty turns his back to the snow as he waits for his son to sled down the hill at Goodyear Heights Metropark in Akron on Jan. 15, 2026. Photos show heavy snow, frigid weather from Arctic blast 1 of 14 A fierce Arctic blast of bitterly cold air is poised to overtake much of the central, eastern and southern U.S. over the next few days, dropping temperatures well below average as far south as Florida. See the impact. Warming shelters, salt stockpiles: The South braces for winter storm Specifically, the wide-ranging winter storm will produce great swaths of heavy snow, sleet and treacherous freezing rain from the southern Rockies/Plains and Mid-South starting Friday and shifting toward the East Coast through Sunday. Exactly where the storm sets up and tracks will determine where the snow and ice will be, according to AccuWeather. Residents from Colorado and Wyoming through the Mid-Atlantic and New England coasts are urged to stay on alert for forecast updates, especially with the threat of ice becoming a possibility. Contributing: Savannah Kuchar, USA TODAY This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Ted Cruz seen on flight to California as Texas preps for winter storm Editors note, Jan. 24, 2026: The Texas Tribune has the latest winter storm updates here. DALLAS Nearly five years after Winter Storm Uri sparked widespread power outages and killed hundreds of Texans, officials and residents are once more girding for a round of severe winter weather that will blanket large parts of the state. Dangerously cold temperatures from an arctic blast will descend upon the state beginning Friday morning, and with the cold come chances of wintry precipitation in the form of snow, sleet and freezing rain. That winter blast is expected to grip the state from Friday evening to early next week. Advertisement Advertisement Gov. Greg Abbott said at a press conference Thursday morning that he was issuing a disaster declaration for more than 130 counties. He also said the northern two-thirds of the state from the Panhandle to potentially as far south as the San Antonio region was expected to be hit the hardest. The severity of it is not quite as great, and the size of it is not quite as great as winter storm Uri, Abbott said. That said, people would be making a mistake if they dont take it serious. ERCOT forecasts project that there will be a slim difference between power demand and power supply a 6,000 megawatt difference by Monday morning. ERCOT said they are monitoring conditions 24/7 and did not provide additional information. Officials dont expect widespread power outages, though Texans could still see local power outages if ice or falling tree branches knock out power lines. Nym Kidd, chief of the Texas Division of Emergency Management, and Gov. Greg Abbot at a briefing and press conference on the winter storm approaching Texas on Thursday, Jan. 22, 2026, in Austin. Sergio Flores for The Texas Tribune Officials this week have set about making preparations for the weather. Abbott announced a series of steps state departments are taking that include working with local governments to update local warming center maps and monitor water and wastewater. State officials are also helping set up teams of firefighters, state patrol agents and the National Guard. Advertisement Advertisement Additionally, crews with the Texas Department of Transportation began treating roadways on Wednesday to prevent them from accumulating ice. The department will be at peak operations over the next few days, with 5,000 personnel as well as hundreds of vehicles and equipment working across the state to prepare roads, according to TxDOTs Executive Director Marc Williams. Still, officials told Texans they should stay home during the worst of the winter weather if they can help it. If you dont have to go outside, please dont, Dallas Police Chief Daniel Comeaux said during a news conference Wednesday afternoon. State officials reiterated the warning Thursday, while adding that the Texas Department of Public Safety will have crews deployed to respond to road accidents and help stranded motorists. The National Guard will also provide assistance, on top of delivering food and water for those in need, according to Abbott. Advertisement Advertisement The goal is to make it through with no life lost, the governor said. Is the Texas grid ready for ice and cold? Years after Uri dropped record amounts of snow onto the state, left millions of Texans without power and killed at least 246 people, officials say Texas is better prepared to handle winter weather. Perhaps the most crucial part of that preparedness is the stability of the states electrical grid. The grid, managed by the Electric Reliability Council of Texas, failed catastrophically during the February 2021 storm. Questions about whether the grid will hold up come up any time the state faces severe weather, hot or cold. Texans have grown particularly attentive to how the grid will hold up in a cold snap. The grid is in better shape than it was in February 2021, state officials and energy experts have said. So far, the agency is projecting that Texas will have enough power to meet demand throughout the weekend. Advertisement Advertisement At this time, we are not anticipating any reliability concerns on the statewide electric grid as a result of this weather event, ERCOT CEO Pablo Vegas said Thursday. Thats owing to two factors, said Matthew Boms, executive director of the Texas Advanced Energy Business Alliance, an industry trade group. For one, theres more power on the grid than there was in 2021, and most of that new generation is in the form of solar panels, wind turbines and battery storage, Boms said. Thats a gigantic change, Boms said. We didnt really have battery storage on the grid during Winter Storm Uri, and now we have thousands of megawatts of batteries. Thats a huge asset when we have this kind of winter event. Texas lawmakers also forced natural gas plants to harden their facilities against severe cold, Boms noted. Advertisement Advertisement Natural gas is the backbone of Texas electricity, especially during extreme cold. More than half of the states power comes from natural gas. When gas production freezes, power plants lose fuel and shut down. At the same time, winter storms drive up demand for both heating and electricity. If gas facilities arent running, the electricity simply cant be generated. After Winter Storm Uri in 2021, the Texas Legislature directed the Railroad Commission of Texas, which oversees the states oil and gas industry, to strengthen how the state prepares natural gas facilities for weather emergencies and power outages. That directive led to the creation of the Critical Infrastructure Division, which focuses on identifying key natural gas facilities as critical and making sure theyre ready for all-weather emergencies, including winter storms. This designation also ensures these facilities receive power first in hopes it will prevent blackouts like those from Winter Storm Uri. The agency inspected more than 7,400 natural gas facilities last year, the agency said. Abbott also assured Thursday that there is an abundance of natural gas. Advertisement Advertisement Bottom line: no concern about any loss of access to the natural gas to make sure power generators stay on in ERCOT, he said. Are cities and other utilities prepared? Just because theres more power on the grid doesnt mean there wont be any power outages, officials caution. The storm brings a strong chance of ice for most of the state, which can build up on power lines and tree branches, causing lines to break and people to lose power. Utilities said Wednesday they have crews at the ready to restore power as quickly as possible. Mark Bell, president of the Association of Electric Companies of Texas, which represents companies like Oncor, El Paso Electric and CenterPoint Energy, said his members were ready. In areas that will be affected by the winter storm, electric generating companies and utilities are implementing their emergency operations plans, mobilizing staff, re-checking weatherization measures, procuring needed fuel and equipment, among other activities, he said. Advertisement Advertisement Even a thin layer of ice can add several hundred pounds of weight to a power line, causing it to sag and break. Ice buildup can even bring down utility poles. In a worst-case scenario with ice loading, youll get a domino effect with poles, said Chester Brown, an operations director for Xcel Energy in Amarillo. One finally gives up and breaks, and then youll have a whole string of poles that could break it at a certain time. The year before Uri, a winter storm brought heavy ice to the Panhandle, bringing down power lines and causing widespread power outages. Xcel in the years since has continually replaced poles with ones made of stronger material, Brown said. That ice buildup was a key factor in leaving tens of thousands of Austin households and businesses without power in the wake of a severe winter storm in early 2023. Advertisement Advertisement Thats a tough problem to fix, officials and experts said Wednesday. Cities and utilities in the past several years have tried to beef up their vegetation management to pare tree branches to prevent them from falling on power lines during severe weather. On Thursday, Public Utilities Commission Chair Thomas Gleeson said there has been historic investment into vegetation management in recent years. Gleeson pointed to House Bill 2555 from 2023, which he said got Oncor to do vegetation management on 8,000 extra lines. The utility company also replaced almost 20,000 additional distribution poles, he said. But the most straightforward solution, officials have said, would be to bury above-ground power lines. Doing so, however, would be enormously costly. Burying Austins city-owned network of above-ground power lines would cost $50 billion, according to a city-commissioned estimate published last year. Instead of burying every power line, utilities in Houston and Austin have focused on burying lines in places most at risk of power outages, Homs said. If you did it everywhere, that would cost tens of billions of dollars and ultimately raise electric bills, Homs said. Advertisement Advertisement Austin Energy, the citys publicly owned utility, doesnt expect widespread power outages, General Manager Stuart Reilly told Austin City Council members this week, though the utility continues to monitor the situation and prepare for the ice storm, KUT reported. A lot can move between now and Friday night, and so well just keep an eye on it, he said. But so far, the predictions arent for the worst-case scenario. Other preparations abound. In Dallas, officials will open up facilities at Fair Park, the site of the State Fair of Texas, to shelter folks experiencing homelessness from the cold. If the city sees widespread power outages caused by the storm, officials plan to open up additional facilities for people to get warm and charge their phones, they said Wednesday. Those facilities didnt have backup power to open as warming centers during Uri, Dallas City Manager Kimberly Bizor Tolbert said Wednesday. In the years since, the city drew down federal dollars to outfit them with generators in the case of severe cold weather, she said. Camila Beraldo Maia and Alex Nguyen contributed. Disclosure: CenterPoint Energy, El Paso Electric Company and Oncor have been financial supporters of The Texas Tribune, a nonprofit, nonpartisan news organization that is funded in part by donations from members, foundations and corporate sponsors. Financial supporters play no role in the Tribunes journalism. Find a complete list of them here. MADISON, Wis. (WFRV) A 43-year-old Texas man was sentenced on January 16 to nine years in prison for cocaine possession and conspiracy to distribute in Wisconsin. 24-year-old Menasha student teacher gets deferred 1.5-year jail sentence for sexual misconduct According to Chadwick Elgersma, Acting United States Attorney for the Western District of Wisconsin, Donald Spivey of Spring, Texas, was convicted on a guilty plea in October for conspiring to distribute at least 500 grams of cocaine. Advertisement Advertisement The charge stems from November 30, 2021, when a United States Postal Inspection Service worker intercepted a suspicious package from Houston to Verona, Wisconsin, associated with Spivey. The package contained about two kilograms of cocaine, and an investigation ensued. Officers identified a Sun Prairie apartment to be connected with Spivey, as he stored his drugs there. A search warrant on April 6, 2024, led to multiple item seizures: Two kilograms of cocaine $5,160 in cash Multiple cell phones Heat sealer Shipping items Digital scale Drug press Numerous texts also revealed Spiveys involvement in drug trafficking, and he confessed to regular trafficking of cocaine from Texas, with multiple coconspirators homes being searched. Advertisement Advertisement The coconspirators, Shelby Longino and Darnold Thomas, were sentenced to five years in prison and 90 months, respectively, after searches of their homes found the following: Longino: 183 grams of drugs: Fentanyl pills Cocaine Heroin Ecstasy $22,878 in cash Thomas Two kilograms of methamphetamine 20-year-old Wisconsin woman arrested for battery after alleged stabbing Spivey was found responsible for bringing a significant amount of cocaine into the community, as U.S. District Judge William M. Conley deemed a lengthy sentence necessary. The charges stemmed from investigations from numerous agencies, including several in Wisconsin, along with federal agents and the Kansas Highway Patrol. Advertisement Advertisement Copyright 2026 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WFRV Local 5 - Green Bay, Appleton. Pittsburgh police are looking for the person accused of breaking into at least eight cars in South Oakland, shattering the cars passenger windows and taking valuable items from some of them. Students who attend classes at the nearby University of Pittsburgh told Channel 11 they know of at least nine cars vandalized, and there could be even more. This week, MacBooks, iPads and other personal items were stolen from some of the cars parked along Ophelia Street, according to some of the victims. Students said the crime spree started in early January when roommates Rylee Dyroff and Sophia DeGurian both had their cars vandalized. Advertisement Advertisement Every day that I walk to my car, (Im) scared that its going to have its window smashed again, Dyroff said. When they broke my window, they broke the window frame, so I have to get my whole door replaced, DeGurian said. Students shared a cell phone video with Channel 11, showing a line of cars that all had windows blown out. Dyroff said she also had a gym bag stolen out of her car. Yesterday, when we were walking to our house, is when we saw six cars get hit down our block, Pitt senior Olivia Murphy said. I literally had the thought in the morning, Let me check my windows to see if they were smashed into. Thank God they were not, but six cars were, Pitt senior Colette Chardt said. Advertisement Advertisement Pittsburgh police are investigating and are asking anyone with information to give them a call. Download the FREE WPXI News app for breaking news alerts. Follow Channel 11 News on Facebook and Twitter. | Watch WPXI NOW Several thousand people took part in pro-Kurdish demonstrations across Germany on Wednesday evening, police said, following clashes between Kurdish-led forces and government troops in Syria. Police said in Hamburg around 2,000 people rallied in support of protecting Kurds in northern and eastern Syria. In Berlin, demonstrators marched from the Brandenburg Gate towards Potsdamer Platz, with police estimating the crowd at around 1,000. Advertisement Advertisement In Hanover, reporters on the scene put the number of participants at about 2,000, while police estimated around 800. Isolated incidents involving pyrotechnics were reported, a police spokesperson said. In Bremen, police estimated that about 2,300 people took part, some of whom had covered their faces, according to a dpa reporter. Pro-Kurdish demonstrations were also held in the cities of Frankfurt, Kassel and Fulda. A large number of police officers were deployed to monitor the protests. Clashes had broken out at pro-Kurdish demonstrations in Stuttgart and Hanover on Tuesday, during which police officers were attacked with bottles and pyrotechnics. Advertisement Advertisement Renewed fighting broke out early this year in Syria between the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) - a key US ally in the fight against extremist militia organization Islamic State - and government troops. The fighting has centred on power, influence and territorial control in northern and eastern Syria. Despite an officially declared ceasefire, attacks on Kurdish-controlled areas have continued, critics said. Lynne Walz, a distant relative of Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz (D), launched a campaign on Wednesday for governor of Nebraska. After listening to folks across the state, I am officially running for Governor! Nebraska is built on grit and common sense, and I am ready to bring those values to Lincoln, Lynne Walz said in a post on the social platform X. In an accompanying video, she said her campaign is about bringing our neighbors together again, stressing a desire to connect across the political spectrum. Advertisement Advertisement She faces an uphill climb in a race rated by Cook Political Report as solid Republican. Republicans have held the Nebraska governors mansion since the 1990s, and incumbent Gov. Jim Pillen (R) already has President Trumps support and endorsement for reelection this fall. Lynne Walz was first elected to the Nebraska state Legislature, which is officially nonpartisan, in 2016 and won reelection by double digits in 2020. She ran in 2018 as a lieutenant governor candidate alongside Democrat Bob Krist, but the pair lost to then-Gov. Pete Ricketts (R). She then launched an exploratory committee for the role in November, the Nebraska Examiner reported. The states primary is May 12. We are all in for Lynne Walz for Nebraska governor! Lynne has the experience that is needed to lead our state. Her rural roots will serve her well as she tackles the issues affecting everyday Nebraskans, the states Democratic Party said in a post on Bluesky. Advertisement Advertisement Lynne Walz is married to a third cousin of Tim Walz, who was born in Nebraska, according to a 2024 fact sheet from Nebraska Democrats released during the Harris-Walz presidential campaign. Im super, super excited to have a Nebraskan who cares about the Midwest, somebody who cares about working families and our values. Somebody who cares about education and economic development here in the Midwest, she told KETV in Omaha when Tim Walz was selected as former Vice President Kamala Harriss running mate. Copyright 2026 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to The Hill. KNOXVILLE, Tenn. (WATE) Storm Team 6 is monitoring a weather system moving into East Tennessee that could bring wintry weather, including snow, ice, and freezing rain. Although some may be interested in potential amounts of snow, Storm Team 6 Chief Meteorologist Ken Weathers warned the bigger concern is that the mixture of sleet, snow, and freezing rain will cause travel concerns for most, if not all, of the region. Because of a mix of icy precipitation and likely below freezing temperatures, Saturday may end up being the worst day to travel. Photos capture winter weather in East Tennessee Sunday morning Temperatures will start near 32 at sunrise with freezing rain mixing with/transitioning to rain, but some areas farther south of I-40 and south of Knoxville could see mainly rain as surface temperatures look slightly warmer. Some untreated roads could still be impacted. Southeastern Kentucky will have the biggest travel impacts Sunday as temperatures stay very close to freezing much of the day. Sunday afternoon Temperatures will climb back above freezing with most areas topping out in the mid-upper 30s, although the Southern Valley and areas near the Smokies is expected to see low to mid 40s. Advertisement Advertisement Periods of rain will continue through the afternoon, with locally heavy amounts possible. An isolated spot of flooding cannot be ruled out. The heavier rain and milder temperatures could ease travel issues for some areas, especially along and south of I-40. Sunday evening Any wet roads at sunset Sunday will re-freeze as low temperatures will fall into the teens overnight. A light coating of snow is also expected in spots Sunday night as the moisture exits. The higher elevations will be the favored spots to see some of this snow. This could lead to some travel issues on Monday morning as well. Rain today could re-freeze tonight leading to additional slick spots Next week Early next week, it is possible there will be some lingering impacts as temperatures are forecasted to stay very cold. Highs on Monday will only reach the mid-20s, with brisk winds making it feel even colder. Overnight into Tuesday, temperatures will dip into the single digits, meaning some roads will still be a concern, and so will some uninsulated pipes in houses. Advertisement Advertisement Stay up to date with the latest forecast by visiting the Storm Team 6 Weather Blog. Copyright 2026 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WATE 6 On Your Side. The premier federal prosecutors office in the country is consumed by the task of reviewing files related to Jeffrey Epstein, according to four people familiar with the matter and internal memos obtained by POLITICO. Virtually every prosecutor in the Southern District of New York who isnt handling an imminent or ongoing trial including some who are working on other major cases has been tasked with helping to review more than two million files to redact information about Epsteins sex-trafficking victims. Even the high-ranking executive staff and unit chiefs are poring over the documents, often working weekends. Prosecutors are being crushed by the work, said one person familiar with the matter, who, like others quoted in this article, was granted anonymity to discuss internal processes. And while people in the office hope the task will take no longer than a few more weeks, no one is really sure when it will be completed. Advertisement Advertisement The scale of the review has raised questions about whether the task is stretching prosecutors too thin and pushing other work to the back burner in an office that regularly handles some of the countrys most important white-collar, terrorism and financial crimes cases. Even several of the prosecutors working on the narco-terrorism and drug trafficking case against deposed Venezuelan leader Nicolas Maduro, perhaps the most prominent prosecution in the justice system at the moment, are also assigned to work on the Epstein documents, according to a person familiar with the matter. Some prosecutors tasked with the Epstein review have weighed asking for extensions on deadlines in their other work, according to another person familiar with the matter. A spokesperson for the Manhattan U.S. attorneys office declined to comment. Advertisement Advertisement Justice Department officials have described the scope of the work in recent court filings, although the burden on the Manhattan office appears to be even more significant than some of those descriptions suggest. In a filing earlier this month, Jay Clayton, the top federal prosecutor in the office, told a federal judge that over 125 lawyers in the Southern District of New York, which employs about 200 assistant U.S. attorneys, were working on the effort. Many lawyers assigned to the task were expected to spend the next few weeks dedicating all or a substantial portion of their workday to reviewing and redacting files, Clayton wrote. In an update last week, he disclosed that more than 500 people across the Justice Department including attorneys at the departments headquarters and in the Southern District of Florida have been reviewing the files. The scope of the work in Manhattan stems at least in part from the fact that the office handled both the sex trafficking case against Epstein and the successful prosecution of his co-conspirator, Ghislaine Maxwell. She is serving a 20-year prison sentence. The massive Epstein undertaking began several days before the Dec. 19 deadline by which the government was legally obligated to begin disclosing the files. Karl Metzner, the offices Associate U.S. Attorney, who supervises the Victim/Witness Unit and Privilege Review team, suggested to prosecutors in a memo that the initial marching orders were unclear. This obviously raises a whole bunch of questions, which we dont have all the answers to at the moment, he wrote. Advertisement Advertisement A follow-up memo from another official notified staff that we (as in, every AUSA in the Office) will soon be asked to take on redactions of discovery materials in connection with the Epstein files. The note continued: We appreciate that this is unexpected and may be disruptive as people wind down their work for the remainder of the year. All we can do is try to gather as much information as we can, and help you balance this ask with all the other competing deadlines you are juggling. A third memo that appears to have been sent the day before the deadline read: We expect to ask that each AUSA (chiefs, deputy chiefs, executive staff included) complete a batch of approximately 75 documents to certify by the end of today. At bottom, we are being entrusted to protect victim information, it said. While the timing of this review is challenging for many reasons (including that you are all very busy ), this is an important task, and we owe it to the victims to do it right. Advertisement Advertisement Though the Justice Department released multiple tranches of Epstein material in late December, it hasnt published any additional documents since then. On Dec. 31, Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche wrote that DOJ lawyers from Main Justice, FBI, SDFL, and SDNY are working around the clock through the holidays, including Christmas and New Years, to review documents in compliance with federal law. The effort, Blanche wrote, is truly is an all-hands-on-deck approach and we're asking as many lawyers as possible to commit their time to review the documents that remain. Required redactions to protect victims take time but they will not stop these materials from being released. It is unclear, however, when additional material will be released, and Claytons recent disclosures havent provided any guidance on timing. The burdens on prosecutors spilled into public view last week in one of the Manhattan offices highest-profile cases. A defense attorney for one of a trio of wealthy, jet-setting brothers facing trial this week for an alleged sex trafficking conspiracy suggested the offices production of evidence to the defense has been delayed by the Epstein review. Advertisement Advertisement They have half of the U.S. attorneys office on the Epstein files, Teny Geragos, an attorney for Oren Alexander, complained. We have a trial starting next week, your honor. While U.S. District Judge Valerie Caproni acknowledged that the prosecutors working on the Alexander brothers case arent themselves tasked with Epstein review, she suggested perhaps others in the office could be freed up to assist them. I do take the defenses point that perhaps a few people could be sprung from Epstein obligations to deal with Alexander obligations, the judge said. Given the facts that these people are on trial, and Epstein is dead. Demonstrators rally in support of transgender Utahns at the Capitol in Salt Lake City on Wednesday, Jan. 21, 2026. (Will Ruzanski/Utah News Dispatch) Chanting echoed through the Capitols marble halls as transgender Utahns and their allies marched from the front steps to the rotunda on Wednesday, calling on lawmakers to halt a set of bills targeting transgender people. More than 60 people participated in the protest. Were here because trans people are continuously being attacked in Utah and across the country. Frankly, weve had enough, said Veronika DaVil, a drag artist who organized the protest. Advertisement Advertisement This marks the fifth consecutive year with multiple bills targeting transgender people from Utahs Republican-controlled Legislature. One bill in particular HB183, which seeks to implement sweeping changes to gender and sex designations, eliminating protections for transgender Utahns has been described as the most harmful and outrageous bill LGBTQ+ advocates have seen. Im anticipating a big fight, said Rep. Sahara Hayes, D-Millcreek, Utahs only openly queer legislator who has publicly said shes the partner of a transgender woman. While speaking to reporters on Wednesday, she described the bill as possibly the most egregious anti-trans bill that Ive seen being run by the state at all. Demonstrators march through the Capitol in support of transgender Utahns in Salt Lake City on Wednesday, Jan. 21, 2026. (Will Ruzanski/Utah News Dispatch) DaVil told Utah News Dispatch transgender people are a marginalized community that keeps being attacked over and over again to distract from larger issues, emphasizing that people need to stand up for the trans community because they cant do it by themselves. This is such a small community, she said. Attacking trans people wont make rent cheaper. Attacking trans people wont make our groceries more affordable. It is a smoke screen. Advertisement Advertisement Rep. Jen Dailey-Provost, D-Salt Lake City, expressed her concerns with HB183 during House Democrats media availability, saying it could not be more mean spirited, misguided. Kree Arias, a transgender man and member of the grassroots activist group Utah March, described LGBTQ+ groups as being under attack. He told Utah News Dispatch that protesters chose to come to the Capitol during the Legislatures first week back in session to increase visibility for the community. We are here to take a stand and make sure that people are aware that we are here, and were not going anywhere, he said. Demonstrators rally in support of transgender Utahns at the Capitol in Salt Lake City on Wednesday, Jan. 21, 2026. (Will Ruzanski/Utah News Dispatch) Arias worries Republicans in Utahs Legislature wont listen to queer input, saying, I feel like saying things is just going to be repetitive. Advertisement Advertisement I would like to just sit down with them and be like, hey, you know, this is who we are, he said. I dont want to talk about our transness or our gayness, or any of that. I want to talk about who we are as people. Were brothers, were sisters, were uncles. He said the transgender community in Utah is here to stay. Were people, and this is what were about, being ourselves, being beautiful and proud, he said. Contributing: Katie McKellar Advertisement Advertisement SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX Severe cold temperatures hitting much of the country this week could branch out literally. As people brace for the winter weather, some social media posts in recent days have warned of the chance for exploding trees. But experts say that's not entirely true. A sudden drop in temperature can cause a break in a tree known as a frost crack, Bill McNee, a forest health specialist with the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources, told the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, part of the USA TODAY Network. Advertisement Advertisement While frost cracks can be loud and cause branches to fall off, it would be extremely rare for a tree to fully explode because of it, McNee said. Here's what we know about "exploding" trees. See the maps: Extreme cold, major snow likely for millions across US Ice collects on the fountain Friday, Jan. 16, 2026, at the Westin Poinsett Hotel in Greenville, South Carolina. The Upstate is expected to see freezing temperatures and the possibility of snow over the weekend. Maclovio Vega shows his 9-year-old son Maky Vega how to go down a hill with a sled at McKinley Park on Saturday Jan.17, 2026 in Milwaukee, Wisc. A white-tailed deer forages along Impounding Dam Road in the snow, Saturday, Jan. 17, 2026, in West Manheim Township, Pa. A worker uses a leaf blower to clear snow along Route 202 in Somers, NY on Jan. 17, 2026. Traffic is slow entering Interstate 684 in Brewster, NY during a steady snowfall on Jan. 17, 2026. A North Salem Highway Department snowplow works along Route 116 in North Salem, NY on Jan. 17, 2026. A workers clearing snow on a sidewalk along Katonah Ave in downtown Katonah, NY on Jan. 17, 2026. Snow falls on Grove Street in Montclair, NJ, early on Sunday, Jan. 18, 2026. A town snow plow clears an intersection in Ashburnham, Mass. on Jan. 18, 2026. Ashburnham received 7 inches of snow, according to the National Weather Service. Snow falls early Sunday morning Jan. 18, 2026 off University Pkwy in Pensacola, Fla. Snow falls early Sunday morning Jan. 18, 2026 at The University of West Florida in Pensacola, Fla. A sign warns of possible icy conditions in Pensacola, Fla. on Jan. 18, 2026. Snow falls early Sunday morning Jan. 18, 2026 at a car dealership in Pensacola, Fla. See a brutal cold blast blanket the Eastern US 1 of 13 Ice collects on the fountain Friday, Jan. 16, 2026, at the Westin Poinsett Hotel in Greenville, South Carolina. The Upstate is expected to see freezing temperatures and the possibility of snow over the weekend. Can severe weather really cause exploding trees? McNee said it's not uncommon for a sudden drop in temperature to cause "frost cracks" in trees. These longitudinal cracks can run the full length of a tree and are accompanied by a loud "bang," according to the Wisconsin DNR. "It's going to get cold enough that this sap may actually finally freeze. And when it does that, like ice cubes in your freezer, they expand very quickly," McNee told the Journal Sentinel. "That just creates a lot of physical pressure that can lead to the frost cracking appearing suddenly, branches can fall off, and people hear this really loud crack from their tree, almost like it's a gunshot." Advertisement Advertisement It would be unlikely for a tree to fully explode because of frost cracking; usually, the crack becomes part of the tree, McNee said. "I've never seen the damage of it, but from what I have seen and what I read online is that it is rare for there just to be so much pressure that is suddenly released inside this tree that it almost does explode," McNee said. McNee advised anyone who sees a severe crack in a tree to consult an arborist to evaluate if the tree is a safety hazard. Severe frost cracking could cause trees to fall. A fallen tree is covered with fresh fallen snow, inviting hikers to cross the icy waters. What are frost cracks? 'Exploding tree' phenomenon Frost cracks are vertical openings that can extend deep into the wood of a tree. They are most often on the trunk, but branches can also be effected, according to the University of Connecticut. Advertisement Advertisement McNee said frost cracks occur because the thick sap inside a tree freezes at a colder temperature than water, and usually stays liquid even when temperatures are well below freezing a state known as "supercooling." Another factor that can lead to frost cracks, according to the Wisconsin DNR, is that when temperatures drop suddenly, the exterior of a tree can get much colder than a tree's inner wood, causing the cells of the tree's bark to shrink and lead to "unequal contraction" between the tissues of the tree's exterior and interior. Frost cracks are most likely to occur in thin-barked trees like maples, lindens and sycamores, but can happen in other species, according to the DNR. McNee said any tree that has sap could have frost cracking in the right conditions. Frost cracking is common for many trees every few winters, and some trees adapt by dehydrating themselves before winter, making it less likely for physical damage to occur, McNee said. For most trees that do get a crack, the living part of the tree typically heals over the "wound" over time, he said. However, a crack can expose a tree to fungal infection or decay, which could lead to the tree dying. Other strange weather effects: Thundersnow, pancake ice So-called exploding trees aren't the only strange weather phenomena out there. Advertisement Advertisement Thundersnow, a rare weather event, occurs when snow, rather than rain, accompanies a thunderstorm. Pancake ice in Lake Michigan, seen Sunday, Jan. 4, 2026, in St. Joseph, Michigan. Pancake ice, a type of ice that resembles the breakfast staple, forms in bodies of water in cold weather when waves are still churning the surface. Chunks of ice collide and clump together, forming round, flat disks that resemble pancakes floating on the waters surface, according to The Weather Channel. Snow rollers, a kind of nature-made snowball, are a cylindrical forming of snow that happens when snow chunks roll down hills or are blown along the ground by wind, according to the Idaho State Department of Education. And when it comes to cracks, another phenomenon known as a frost quake or cryoseism can create cracks in the ground caused by the freezing and expansion of water deep within the earth's crust, according to AccuWeather. Forecast: Severe cold is on the way An arctic front is expected to bring frigid temperatures to the middle and eastern part of the country from Jan. 22 through Jan. 26, according to the National Weather Service's latest forecast. Advertisement Advertisement Wind chills could fall as low as minus 60 across Illinois, Minnesota and North and South Dakota. From the northeast to states as far west as Colorado and Montana, wind chills are expected to hover around 10 degrees below zero. In the southern half of the country, from New Mexico to South Carolina, wind chills could be around 10-20 degrees. Meanwhile, a winter storm will bring heavy snow from the Southern Rockies and Plains through the Mid-Atlantic and into the Northeast through the weekend, per the National Weather Service. Melina Khan is a national trending reporter for USA TODAY. She can be reached at melina.khan@usatoday.com. (This story was updated because an earlier version included an inaccuracy.) This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Do trees explode in severe cold? They're frost cracks Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear had some choice words to say about President Donald Trumps threats to take control of Greenland. Over the course of just one year, this president has taken America from being leader of the free world to the bully on the playground, Beshear said Jan. 21 in Davos, Switzerland, while attending the World Economic Forum. From trying to promote democracy worldwide and always standing firm with our allies and friends to saying we can use force just because we can. ... I dont curse in public, but this Greenland play by the president is dumb as hell, he continued. ...It is so damaging, so concerning, and this is not who we are. Advertisement Advertisement The president also spoke at the conference Wednesday where he publicly said his administration had ruled out using force to take control of Greenland from Denmark. Later in the day, Trump announced there was a framework for a future deal concerning Greenland, though he did not share specifics. Trump has said he wants to acquire Greenland for national security reasons and in recent years, according to the BBC, the Arctic island has drawn interest for its natural resources, including rare earth minerals, uranium and iron. Beshear also slammed Trumps speech in a social media post, calling it dangerous, disrespectful and unhinged. He also noted the president repeatedly confused Greenland, semiautonomous territory of Denmark, with Iceland, which is a separate island nation. The governor joined a panel of U.S. governors Wednesday, alongside Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer, who is a Democrat, and Oklahoma Gov. Kevin Stitt, who is a Republican. Advertisement Advertisement On the panel, Beshear touted his administrations previous efforts to sue the Trump administration over withheld social program funds and talked with the two other state leaders about the role of small government in economic and workforce development, especially when it involves foreign investment. He said its easy for foreign companies to make their first American investment in Kentucky because we do logistics better than just about anybody, and highlighted other perks of the Bluegrass State including his administrations policy pushes for more reentry programs, universal pre-K and other things he talked about in his latest State of the Commonwealth address. Beshears appearance in Switzerland is notable, as his name has been floated for several months as one of many considered to be a 2028 presidential contender. The World Economic Forum is an invitation-only conference that brings together business and government leaders for international networking. This years annual meeting has the theme A Spirit of Dialogue meant to focus on collaboration, resilience and competitiveness, sustainability and more. Advertisement Advertisement The forum is one of the first events Beshear has attended as chair of the Democratic Governors Association, a position in which he will play a crucial role in fundraising, messaging and coordinating party strategy. While overseas attending the forum, Beshear also made stops in Finland and Sweden. His office said last week before the forum began that Beshear would be joined by members of his administration who are scheduled to meet with 260 business leaders and 16 companies with existing Kentucky facilities that employ more than 13,600 workers. The team is also expected to meet with eight companies with prospective Kentucky projects that include nearly 650 proposed jobs. Also Wednesday in Switzerland, Beshear joined a press conference on closing the manufacturing talent gap. A World Economic Forum study found that by 2030, the U.S. will face 2.5 million unfilled manufacturing jobs, with 7.5 million more worldwide. Advertisement Advertisement Government can create these good workforce development programs, can work with our community colleges, but the company has to walk through that door, establish that relationship and make sure theyre taking advantage of that program, Beshear said. The program, SmartStart, is a result of previous meetings of the World Economic Forum set to be introduced through pilot programs in select U.S. regions, including Kentucky. SmartStart integrates academic learning with exposure to manufacturing technology intent on preparing students for entry-level roles and for continuing education. NEW YORK The Trump administration said it plans to rearrest Mahmoud Khalil, with the goal of deporting the Columbia University activist of Palestinian descent to Algeria a move that Khalils lawyers panned Thursday as illegal. Khalil was being held in Louisiana until a federal judge ordered him released last June. But last week, an appeals court dealt a major blow to Khalils legal challenge to his detention, reversing the lower court order, 2-1, and paving the way for him to be arrested again. It looks like hell go to Algeria. Thats what the thought is right now, Tricia McLaughlin, a top Department of Homeland Security official, told NewsNation on Wednesday night. Khalil lived in Algeria, where he has citizenship, as a Syrian refugee, before relocating to the United States for his studies. Advertisement Advertisement Its a reminder for those who are in this country on a visa or on a green card, youre a guest in this country. Act like it, added McLaughlin, an assistant secretary for public affairs. The plan also drew criticism from New York City Mayor Mamdani. Asked if he was in touch with President Donald Trump directly about Khalils case, the mayor said he would make clear to everyone that efforts to deport the activist were part of a broader attack on free speech. Mahmoud Khalil is a New Yorker. He should remain in New York, Mamdani said at an unrelated press conference Thursday. Khalil publicly supported Mamdanis bid for mayor and attended his inauguration. We have seen this attack on him is part of a larger attack on the freedom of speech that is especially pronounced when it comes to the use of that speech to stand up for Palestinian human rights, and I will make that clear to everyone, Mamdani said. Advertisement Advertisement Khalils lawyers have questioned the legality of rearresting him before last weeks decision could be reviewed. The Daily News has reached out to his legal team for clarity. Mahmoud cannot be legally detained or deported now because his appeals process has not concluded, they wrote in a statement Thursday to the Columbia Spectator. But its no surprise to hear the government reiterate what has always been its ultimate goal: to impose the extreme punishment of deportation on Mahmoud for his pro-Palestinian speech. Khalil, who served as a negotiator between Columbia protesters and the school administration in spring 2024, became the public face of Trumps crackdown on pro-Palestinian advocacy after federal officials detained him in March. He is a green card holder and married to an American citizen, who recently gave birth in the U.S. to their first child. The Trump administration has argued in court that Khalils presence in the United States is a threat to foreign policy interests, while accusing him in public of antisemitism and sympathies for Hamas. Khalil has denied the allegations and spoken out against antisemitism, including before his arrest. _____ The Trump administration will block organizations that receive US foreign aid from subsidizing diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) initiatives and what the administration calls gender ideology. The new policy will affect about $30bn in foreign assistance. The decision, confirmed to the Guardian by a state department spokesperson on Thursday morning, marks a dramatic expansion of the so-called Mexico City policy, which blocks non-US non-governmental organizations (NGOs) from receiving some forms of US funding if they provide abortion-related services or advocate for abortion rights overseas. Now, that policy which abortion rights supporters call the global gag rule will also apply to international organizations and US-based NGOs operating abroad. President Trump continues to deliver on his promise to end woke foreign assistance, the state department spokesperson said in an emailed statement. Advertisement Advertisement First introduced by Ronald Reagan in 1984, the Mexico City policy is typically rescinded whenever a Democrat wins the White House and reinstated whenever a Republican wins. Usually, the policy applies only to dollars that have been set aside for family planning assistance, which account for about $600m worth of aid. However, during his first administration, Trump extended the policy to apply to all global health assistance, changing the terms of an estimated $7.3bn worth of aid. The effect was ruinous, advocacy groups say. MSI Reproductive Choices, a global family planning organization that works in nearly 40 countries, has said that the policy led it to shutter services in countries like Uganda, Madagascar and Nepal. You then end up with a whole generation of women and girls who are growing up in this stigmatized environment with no notion of where to go to find out information about their health and their rights, said Sarah Shaw, MSI Reproductive Choices associate director of advocacy. Any effort to expand this is even more catastrophic. After returning to power in January 2025, Trump reinstated his version of the Mexico City policy. Now, his newest expansion of the policy will affect not only money earmarked for global health aid, but vast swathes of foreign assistance. Advertisement Advertisement It will also block groups from using foreign assistance funds if they pay for what the state department spokesperson called abortion as a form of family planning. The spokesperson did not immediately reply to a request for clarification about how that requirement differs from past versions of the Mexico City policy. The new Mexico City policy decision deepens the Trump administrations ongoing crackdown on DEI efforts, and rights for transgender and nonbinary people. (Gender ideology is the rightwing shorthand for the idea that gender is fluid and trans and non-binary people exist.) Trump has signed a flurry of executive orders that generally ended the federal governments support for DEI initiatives, proclaimed that there are only two genders and attacked government efforts to recognize trans people. His administration has also undermined research that worked to further racial and gender equity. Fox News Digital first reported on the news of the extended Mexico City policy. The state department will officially release three final rules outlining the new policy on Friday, when thousands of anti-abortion activists are expected to gather in Washington DC for an annual gathering called the March for Life. Advertisement Advertisement Without those final rules, experts say, it is difficult to know how the policy will work or how many people it will affect. The impacts could be endless. They could have impacts in ways we cant even imagine right now, said Amy Friedrich-Karnik, director of federal policy at the Guttmacher Institute, which supports abortion rights. This policy not only exports harsh US abortion bans around the world were also exporting ideologically driven mandates to countries and the world that are anti-human rights, anti-health, anti-equity. Its just devastating. WASHINGTON (AP) The Trump administration is expanding its ban on U.S. foreign aid for groups supporting abortion services to include assistance going to international and domestic organizations and agencies that promote gender identity as well as diversity, equity and inclusion programs. An administration official said Thursday that the State Department would release final rules that expand the scope of the Mexico City policy that has already severely reduced assistance to international organizations that provide abortion-related care. The policy was first established under President Ronald Reagan, rescinded by subsequent Democratic administrations and reinstated in Trump's first term. The new rules, first reported by Fox News, would halt foreign assistance from going toward not only groups that provide abortion as a method of family planning but also those that advocate gender ideology and DEI, according to the official, who spoke on condition of anonymity ahead of the rules publication in the Federal Register on Friday. Advertisement Advertisement The change, which threatens billions in funding for groups around the world, was part of a series of actions that the Trump administration timed to this week's anniversary of the now-overturned Roe v. Wade ruling and anti-abortion activists annual March for Life demonstration in Washington. The official said the expanded policy would apply to more than $30 billion in foreign aid that the U.S. provides and would cover not only foreign and U.S.-based aid agencies but international organizations. LGBTQ+ and abortion rights advocates said the changes would force humanitarian aid groups and others to choose between U.S. funding and the sometimes entirely unrelated lifesaving services they provide around the world. The Trump administrations expanded global gag rule puts politics between people and their care, Human Rights Campaign President Kelley Robinson said in a statement. Simply put, the White House is putting medically necessary health care at risk for people around the world in service to a political agenda. Advertisement Advertisement Beirne Roose-Snyder, senior policy fellow at the Council for Global Equality, said, It's hard for me to even begin to anticipate how destructive this will be. Anti-abortion advocates welcomed the expansion. SBA Pro-Life America President Marjorie Dannenfelser said on a call with reporters that the Trump administration presented it to them alongside other new actions. Among them were the National Institutes of Health halting funding for research that uses human fetal tissue and the Small Business Administration launching a review into Planned Parenthood's use of COVID-era loans. All of these things are fantastic news, Dannenfelser said. It was not immediately clear how significant the impact of the foreign aid ban's expansion would be. The Trump administration has already slashed hundreds of millions of dollars in foreign aid and dismantled the U.S. Agency for International Development, which had been the main provider of U.S. assistance. Advertisement Advertisement But if the new rules are written as expected, many more billions of dollars will be affected than in any prior period, said Jen Kates, senior vice president and director of the Global and Public Health Policy Program at the health care research nonprofit KFF. It is also the latest effort by the Trump administration to take aim at DEI programs in the federal government. The White House reposted a Fox News article on X seemingly confirming the plans, but did not immediately respond to an emailed request for comment. It's been one full year of President Donald Trump 2.0, and a new poll found a majority of U.S. voters are not pleased with the Republican leader's job performance. Less than a third of voters, 32%, think the country is better off than it was when Trump returned to the White House in January 2025, according to a new poll from The New York Times and Siena University released Jan. 22. Another 49% of voters said the country was worse off now than when Trump returned to office. A majority of respondents said Trump has focused on the wrong issues and disapprove of how he has handled the economy, immigration, the war between Russia and Ukraine and his actions in Venezuela. Activists hold signs during a protest on the one-year anniversary of President Trump's inauguration on Jan. 20, 2026 in Washington, D.C. Protestors gathered to call for Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) to leave Washington, D.C. Activists carry signs during a protest on the one-year anniversary of President Trump's inauguration on Jan. 20, 2026 in Washington, D.C. Protestors gathered to call for Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) to leave Washington, D.C. Activists hold signs reading "Justice For Renee Good" as they demonstrate against ICE during a protest on the one-year anniversary of President Trump's inauguration on Jan. 20, 2026 in Washington, DC. Protestors gathered to call for Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) to leave Washington, D.C. Activists hold signs reading "Justice For Renee Good" as they demonstrate against ICE during a protest on the one-year anniversary of President Trump's inauguration on Jan. 20, 2026 in Washington, DC. Protestors gathered to call for Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) to leave Washington, D.C. Activists hold signs during a protest on the one-year anniversary of President Trump's inauguration on Jan. 20, 2026 in Washington, D.C. Protestors gathered to call for Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) to leave Washington, D.C. A demonstrator holds an upside-down U.S. flag, with name Renee Good written on it, after a U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agent fatally shot Renee Nicole Good on January 7 during an immigration raid, as people attend a rally against U.S. President Donald Trump's policies, on the one-year mark into his second term in office, in Washington on Jan. 20, 2026. Demonstrators hold placards during a protest against U.S. President Donald Trump's policies on the one-year mark into his second term in office, in Manhattan, New York City on Jan. 20, 2026. Demonstrators shout during a protest against U.S. President Donald Trump's policies on the one-year mark into his second term in office, in Manhattan, New York City on Jan. 20, 2026. A demonstrator holds a sign as people gather at Pershing Park during the "Walk Out for Freedom" demonstration on Jan. 20, 2026 in Washington, DC. Students across the nation are walking out to protest against the Trump Administration's policies, including immigration enforcement. Dustin Pack holds an upside down American flag at Pershing Park while a crowd gathers below during the "Walk Out for Freedom" demonstration on Jan. 20, 2026 in Washington, DC. Students across the nation are walking out to protest against the Trump Administration's policies, including immigration enforcement. About 50 people gather on the north and south sides of the Merrill P. Barber bridge, Jan. 20, 2026, to participate in the "Free America Walkout" in solidarity with the Women's March and other grassroots organizations in Vero Beach. The gathering was organized by Jeanne Warfield, who described the group as a mix of both seasonal and full-time Vero Beach residents; many of whom live at the Vero Beach Municipal Marina. Americans across Florida and the U.S. walked out of their jobs and schools in protest to what organizers call President Donald Trump's "second regime." About 50 people gather on the north and south sides of the Merrill P. Barber bridge, Jan. 20, 2026, to participate in the "Free America Walkout" in solidarity with the Women's March and other grassroots organizations in Vero Beach. The gathering was organized by Jeanne Warfield, who described the group as a mix of both seasonal and full-time Vero Beach residents; many of whom live at the Vero Beach Municipal Marina. A nationwide Free America Walkout protest on the anniversary of Trump's presidency took place outside the Ohio Statehouse in Columbus. A nationwide Free America Walkout protest on the anniversary of Trump's presidency took place outside the Ohio Statehouse in Columbus, Ohio. A nationwide Free America Walkout protest on the anniversary of Trump's presidency took place outside the Ohio Statehouse in Columbus. Protestors assembled outside of Wilmington City Hall for a Free America Walkout protest of the Trump administration in Wilmington, N.C., on Jan. 20, 2026. Activists hold signs and listen to speakers after marching from San Jacinto Plaza to Aztec Calendar Park near the El Paso County Courthouse in Downtown El Paso, Texas, during a Free America Walkout peaceful protest on Tuesday, Jan. 20, 2025. Activists hold signs and listen to speakers after marching from San Jacinto Plaza to Aztec Calendar Park near the El Paso County Courthouse in Downtown El Paso, Texas, during a Free America Walkout peaceful protest on Tuesday, Jan. 20, 2025. Thousands rally against ICE on anniversary of Trumps second term 1 of 18 Activists hold signs during a protest on the one-year anniversary of President Trump's inauguration on Jan. 20, 2026 in Washington, D.C. Protestors gathered to call for Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) to leave Washington, D.C. The poll is the latest in a string of surveys coinciding with the end of Trump's first year of his second term. The results hew closely to other opinion surveys showing consistent feelings of anxiety and disapproval around the state of the U.S. economy and the cost of living. Advertisement Advertisement The survey results also echo similar sentiments of disapproval regarding the president's barrage of foreign policy actions over the last month, including the early January strikes on Venezuela and capture of its president, and the president's recent threats to take over the Danish territory of Greenland. More: Trump sues JPMorgan, Jamie Dimon over 'political' debanking Some 42% of voters said Trump was on track to be one of the worst presidents in American history and 19% said he was headed to become one of the nation's best. His overall approval rating was 40%, down three points since the poll's September numbers. His disapproval rating has also moved in the negative direction, up two points, to 56%. Advertisement Advertisement The poll of 1,625 registered voters was conducted from Jan. 12 to 17, and has a margin of error of 2.8 percentage points in either direction. President Donald Trump speaks during a press briefing at the White House, on the one-year mark into his second term in office, in Washington, D.C., U.S., January 20, 2026. Affordability woes follow Trump into second year One of the most reliable pain points for the president, evidenced by months of polling and the Democratic victories in the November 2025 elections, is the economy. It's an issue likely to dominate the midterm elections this year, when Trump and the GOP will fight to maintain its narrow control of Congress. Poll respondents identified it as their top concern, with 19%, followed by immigration at 12%. The New York Times poll found 51% said Trumps policies have made life less affordable for them. Only 24% of voters said he had made life more affordable. A little more than a third, 34%, believed Trump has so far handled the issue of the cost of living well. More: New WSJ poll shows voters increasingly unhappy with Trump on economy Advertisement Advertisement In a hypothetical question about the 2026 midterm elections, 48% of voters in the poll said they favored a Democratic candidate over a Republican, a 5-point lead. Among independent voters, favorability toward Democrats was 15% higher than for Republicans, although a sizable share of independent voters declined to pick a preferred party. Majority disapprove of approach to immigration, foreign policy On immigration, which was identified as the second-most pressing issue for respondents, Trump's approval was still on the low end. A majority said they disapproved of Trump's performance on immigration, 58%, while 40% said they approved. Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelenskiy and President Donald Trump pose for a picture during their meeting while Donald Trump's son-in-law Jared Kushner enters a room, at the sidelines of the 56th annual World Economic Forum, in Davos, Switzerland, January 22, 2026. Trump's position on the border between the United States and Mexico scored the highest numbers: 50% approved and 46% disapproved. Trump's handling of the files related to the convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein got the worst ratings among the top 10 issues, at a 66% disapproval. Majority disapprovals were recorded among the remaining topics all of which have dominated headlines in the last several months. Trump failed to break a 50% approval rating for managing the federal government, his Venezuela actions, relationships with other countries, the Israeli-Palestinian conflict and the war between Russia and Ukraine. Advertisement Advertisement Kathryn Palmer is a politics reporter for USA TODAY. You can reach her at kapalmer@usatoday.com and on X @KathrynPlmr. Sign up for her daily politics newsletter here. This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Trump is worse on affordability, new poll finds President Donald Trumps administration is planning to orchestrate regime change in Cuba before the end of this year, emboldened by the recent capture of Nicolas Maduro in Venezuela, according to a report. The administration is searching for Cuban government insiders who can help cut a deal to push out the Communist regime, The Wall Street Journal reports, noting that its officials had met with exiles and civic groups in Miami and Washington in the hoping of identifying an official in Havana ready to see the writing on the wall. Trumps team reportedly do not have a concrete plan in place for toppling Cubas Communist government, in place since Fidel Castros revolutionaries overthrew Fulgencio Batista in 1959, and former Obama administration official Ricardo Zuniga has warned of the difficulty of achieving such a goal. Advertisement Advertisement These guys are a much tougher nut to crack, Zuniga told the WSJ. Theres nobody who would be tempted to work on the U.S. side. Workers fly the Cuban flag at half-staff near the American embassy in Havana in memory of the 32 Cubans who died during the U.S. raid on Venezuela (AP) Trump has made his intentions towards Cuba plain since the fall of Maduro, who was abducted along with his wife Cilia Flores in a dramatic raid on Caracas in the early hours of January 3 that saw them spirited away to New York to answer federal narco-terrorism charges, to which the ousted president pleaded not guilty. Cuba lived, for many years, on large amounts of OIL and MONEY from Venezuela, Trump wrote on Truth Social on January 11. In return, Cuba provided Security Services for the last two Venezuelan dictators, BUT NOT ANYMORE! THERE WILL BE NO MORE OIL OR MONEY GOING TO CUBA ZERO! I strongly suggest they make a deal, BEFORE IT IS TOO LATE. Advertisement Advertisement Secretary of State Marco Rubio, the son of Cuban exiles raised in Miamis anti-communist Cuban expatriate community, has also spent much of his career denouncing leftist governments in South America over their hostility towards the U.S. and has long advocated for regime change in his ancestral homeland. President Donald Trump and Secretary of State Marco Rubio are reportedly feeling emboldened to turn their attention towards Cuba (AP) The administration believes now is the time to strike because Cubas economy is in danger of collapse, dealing with chronic shortages of basic goods and medicines and suffering regular power outages, according to U.S. intelligence assessments cited by the WSJ. The country benefited from subsidized Venezuelan oil under Maduro and Hugo Chavez before him and Washington is now in a position to completely cut off that supply, now that it is dictating terms to Venezuelas Acting President Delcy Rodriguez, which would further weaken the government in Havana. However, the temptation to see Venezuela as a blueprint for action in Cuba arguably overlooks the fact that, despite Maduros authoritarian rule, Caracas was at least nominally a democracy and had an existing political opposition, tolerated protests and staged regular elections, which is not the case in the single-party state across the water. Miguel Diaz-Canel is the president of Cuba (AP) Cubas rulers are incompetent Marxists who have destroyed their country, and they have had a major setback with the Maduro regime that they are responsible for propping up, a White House official told the WSJ, repeating Trumps demand that they make a deal before its too late. The State Department meanwhile said that it is in the U.S.s national security interests for Havana to be competently run by a democratic government and to refuse to host our adversaries military and intelligence services. Donald Trump appeared to confuse Greenland with Iceland during a speech to world leaders, as he continued his pursuit of the Arctic territory. Addressing the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, on Wednesday, the president continued to argue that the US needed to take ownership of Greenland to ensure national security. During the speech, he referred to Greenland as a big piece of ice. But at one point, Trump also repeatedly referred to the country of Iceland. Advertisement Advertisement Our stock market took the first dip yesterday because of Iceland, so Iceland has already cost us a lot of money, he said. But that dip is peanuts compared to what its gone up. Donald Trump addresses the annual meeting in Davos, Switzerland (World Ecomomic Forum) He went on to refer to Iceland multiple times in the speech at the World Economic Forum, as he spoke out about the continuing tense negotiations with Denmark over Greenland. Until the last few days, when I told them about Iceland, they loved me. They called me Daddy, Trump said. I went from running it to being a terrible human being. But now what Im asking for is a piece of ice, cold and poorly located, that can play a vital role in world peace and world protection. Its a very small ask compared to what we have given them for many, many decades. Advertisement Advertisement He went on to continue to attack Nato for not being there for us on Iceland despite all of the money we expend, with all of the blood, sweat and tears. Iceland and Greenland are two separate territories within the North Atlantic Ocean, separated at its narrowest point by a 290-300km stretch known as the Denmark Strait. While Greenland is an autonomous territory of Denmark with a population of more than 50,000, Iceland is its own sovereign country populated by over 390,000 people. White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt later disputed reports that Trump had mixed the two up. Replying to a post by News Nations White House correspondent Libbey Dean, Leavitt wrote: No he didnt, Libby. His written remarks referred to Greenland as a piece of ice because thats what it is. Youre the only one mixing anything up here. Advertisement Advertisement Elsewhere in the Davos speech, Trump said he would not use force to take Greenland, amid growing concerns from Nato allies over how far the president is willing to go. He did, however, warn that he would remember if Denmark and Greenland didnt give in to his demands. People across Denmark and Greenland have protested against Trumps attempts to seize the territory (Getty) Weve never asked for anything else and we could have kept that piece of land and we didn't, he said. So they have a choice: you can say yes, and we will be very appreciative, or you can say no, and we will remember. Trumps pursuit of the autonomous territory sparked thousands of demonstrators to gather across Denmark and Greenland over the weekend. An estimated 10,000 Danes gathered at Copenhagens City Hall Square to push back against Trumps threats, with many people in the crowd donning parody hats mimicking Trumps signature, bright-red MAGA cap that instead read Make America Go Away. A version of this article originally appeared in Quartzs Washington newsletter. Sign up here to get the latest business and economic news and insights from Washington straight to your inbox. British Prime Minister Harold Wilson once quipped in 1964 that a week is a long time in politics. He never experienced Trump II. It feels like three years of events have been crammed into January and the month isnt over yet. First there was the lightning U.S. military campaign on Jan. 3 that ousted Venezuelan leader Nicolas Maduro. It didnt take long for President Donald Trump to position himself as the triumphant administrator-in-chief of a new client state. A week later, Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell announced he was under a criminal investigation by Trumps Department of Justice. Advertisement Advertisement It stirred dissent among Republicans in Congress after a year of deferring to the president and his bottomless appetite to expand executive branch powers at their expense. Trump followed up the Powell probe with threats of military force in Iran and Colombia. Ultimately, he set his sights on demanding Greenland. He threatened 10% tariffs on eight European countries including Denmark, France, and Britain if the Arctic territory wasnt ceded to him. This week, Trump took his shock and awe spectacle to the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland. The annual confab of political leaders and chief executives provided a scenic Alpine backdrop to Trump and his flamethrower a year after he re-entered the Oval Office. In a meandering speech Wednesday, the president stuck to his demands for Greenland and argued it was critical to U.S. national security. Hours later, Trump announced a framework agreement that provided little specifics on Greenlands future. The White House only said more details would be released over time. It cemented a supercharged, winner-take-all capitalism that has Trump front-and-center, dictating to chief executives and foreign leaders to get the latest item on his wish list. Close observers argue that Davos top-down model to implement economic reforms is out of place in a world where powerful business and political elites are unable or unwilling to do so. Advertisement Advertisement Davos was born of this age when we thought that change coming down from the top could make the world system work better. Now it's apparent that can't work, Elizabeth MacBride, author of the new book Capital Evolution: The New American Economy, told Quartz Washington. So I think what's happening now is people in the middle, mid-level executives, small business owners are increasingly worried about the long-term future. A dizzying ride Those nerves did extend to Davos political and financial elite. At the start of the week, Trump threatened to impose tariffs on several European countries in his belligerent quest to annex Greenland. In doing so, he tore up an interim trade accord hed reached with the European Union last summer the latest of his cannon shots in a forever trade war. The topic is changing by day, Delaware Democratic Sen. Chris Coons told CBS News. Is it the strike on Venezuela, the threats against Iran? The threats against Cuba and Colombia? Adventurism with regards to Denmark and Greenland? Trump has taken Europe on a dizzying ride. U.S. bonds went on a mini-coaster ride. Treasury yields for both the 10-year and 30-year notes climbed to reach their highest levels since September, though they settled once Trump dialed back his aggressive rhetoric on Greenland. Investor fears were fanned after a Danish pension fund for teachers reportedly planned to dump $100 million in holdings by the end of the month. Advertisement Advertisement Its a tiny piece of the U.S. Treasury market, but the development packed a symbolic punch nonetheless and certainly raised eyebrows among financial heavyweights. Billionaire investor Ray Dalio warned of a backlash that may cause foreign investors to reconsider their willingness to hang onto U.S. assets. If you take the conflicts, you cant ignore the possibility of the capital wars, Dalio said on CNBC. In other words, maybe theres not the same inclination to buy at U.S. debt and so on. Trumps top lieutenants strained to prevent blowback in financial markets, including Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent. What I am urging everyone here to do is sit back, take a deep breath, and let things play out, Bessent said Tuesday. However, he stripped his diplomatic touch when it came to Denmark. Denmarks investment in U.S. Treasury bonds, like Denmark itself, is irrelevant, Bessent said a day later. Advertisement Advertisement Perhaps the most blunt remarks came from Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney. He described a rupture in the institutions-based international order that has long prioritized open markets, free trade, and human rights. Now the integration underpinning that Western-based order was weaponized, he said in his own Davos speech. Notably, he didnt assign blame, naming neither the U.S. or Trump. He urged middle powers to band together and develop strategic autonomy to ensure their prosperity: Middle powers must act together because if you are not at the table, you are on the menu. WASHINGTON, Jan 22 (Reuters) - U.S. President Donald Trump on Thursday called for former U.S. Special Counsel Jack Smith, who unsuccessfully prosecuted him, to be "prosecuted for his actions," saying on social media without providing evidence that Smith has committed "large scale perjury." Trump said his comments were based on Smith's testimony before Congress earlier on Thursday. It was the first time he publicly testified since stepping down as special counsel last year ahead of Trump returning to the White House. During that testimony, Smith said he believed that Trump's Justice Department will find some way to indict him. (Reporting by Jasper Ward; editing by Scott Malone) Donald Trump has again disparaged Americas Nato allies, claiming that troops from allied nations stayed a little back, a little off the frontlines while fighting in Afghanistan in support of the US campaign against the Taliban. The only time Nato has ever invoked its mutual defence clause stating that an attack on one member represents an attack on all came after the terrorist attacks of September 11, when member states deployed thousands of troops to Afghanistan. Related: What is Nato explained in 30 seconds Advertisement Advertisement More than a thousand non-US service members were killed in the conflict, and Trumps comments are likely to further heighten tensions between the US and its allies. As he ratchets up his grievances against Nato, of which the US is a founding member, Trump has repeatedly questioned whether the 31 other nations that make up the alliance would come to the USs defence. Related: Donald Trumps remarks about UK troops will not be soon forgotten Speaking to Fox News on Thursday, Trump said he was not sure Nato would meet the ultimate test of defending the US if it were under threat. Weve never needed them Theyll say they sent some troops to Afghanistan and they did, they stayed a little back, a little off the frontlines, he said, adding the US has been very good to Europe and to many other countries. It has to be a two-way street. Advertisement Advertisement Those remarks follow similar comments earlier in the week, when he described the alliance as overrated and questioned its members willingness to respond to a crisis. I know well come to [Natos] rescue, but I just really do question whether or not theyll come to ours, he said before attending the World Economic Forum in Davos. Trump continued his campaign late on Thursday, posting on Truth Social: Maybe we should have put NATO to the test: Invoked Article 5, and forced NATO to come here and protect our Southern Border from further Invasions of Illegal Immigrants, thus freeing up large numbers of Border Patrol Agents for other tasks. A total of 3,486 Nato troops died in the 20-year conflict, of which the majority, 2,461, were US service members. Advertisement Advertisement Four hundred and fifty-seven British troops died, while another 2,000 military and civilian personnel were wounded in action. Canada, long the USs closest ally and largest trading partner, suffered 165 deaths, including civilians. Canadas 12-year deployment was the countrys longest combat mission, with more than 40,000 personnel, and the deadliest since the Korean war in the 1950s. Other Nato allies, including Italy, Germany and France, also had soldiers who died. Trump has singled out Denmark, which controls Greenland a territory the US president has said Washington must take over as being ungrateful for US protection during the second world war. Denmark suffering 44 combat deaths iin Afghanistan, the most per capita outside the US. Advertisement Advertisement Following Trumps claims earlier in the week, the Nato secretary general, Mark Rutte, told Trump members of the alliance will defend the US, pointing out they did in Afghanistan. For every two Americans who paid the ultimate price, there was one soldier from another Nato country who did not come back to his family from the Netherlands, from Denmark and particularly from other countries, said Rutte. You can be assured, absolutely, if ever the United States was under attack, your allies will be with you, said Rutte. There is an absolute guarantee. I really want to tell you that, because it pains me if you think it is not. In the days since the presidents remarks, users on Reddit have posted pictures of veterans in combat, as well as flag draped coffins of soldiers who died while doing nothing for America. In one instance, a photograph shows a bridge lined with mourners in Ontario with the caption: Welcoming home a young Canadian that was killed in Afghanistan while doing nothing for the USA. US President Donald Trump is considering the establishment of a duty-free zone for Ukraine, which could become a driver of industrial growth as part of the country's post-war recovery. Source: Trump's Special Envoy Steve Witkoff during the Ukraine Breakfast event on the sidelines of the World Economic Forum in Davos Quote: "The president has talked about a tariff-free zone from Ukraine that I think would be game-changing." Advertisement Advertisement Details: Witkoff said the model would enable businesses to set up production in Ukraine and gain a competitive edge in the US market thanks to the absence of tariffs. He also suggested that, if implemented, the idea could lead to a large-scale relocation of industrial companies to Ukraine. He said these companies could outperform rivals because they would not have to pay tariffs when exporting goods to the US. Witkoff made the remarks ahead of a trip to Moscow. The US is engaging with the Kremlin on possible paths to a peaceful resolution of the war in Ukraine. He is then expected to travel to Abu Dhabi to take part in working groups, particularly on security and economic cooperation. Advertisement Advertisement Background: Trump previously said he has laid the groundwork for a future agreement on Greenland during a meeting with NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte. Media reports indicate that Denmark may grant the United States sovereignty over small parts of Greenland for the construction of American military bases. Support Ukrainska Pravda on Patreon! President Donald Trump himself is controlling the release of funds garnered from Venezuela, an administration official told Semafor, in another sign of the leverage he wields over the country. Semafor first reported that the Trump administration had completed its first oil sale, valued at $500 million, and that many of the funds are being held in Qatar. Interim president Delcy Rodriguez revealed that $300 million of those funds were released to Venezuela this week. The Trump administration official told Semafor that all of the funds from the first sale will be given to Venezuela because its current government has fully cooperated with the US. But its unclear whether any of the funds will be held in the US; the official told Semafor proceeds from sales will first settle in US controlled accounts at globally recognized banks. Advertisement Advertisement Trumps top advisers are constantly engaged in positive discussions with oil companies that are ready and willing to make unprecedented investments in Venezuela, White House spokeswoman Taylor Rogers said. They laughed at me when I said Chagos would become one of the major issues of this Parliament, but it has now appeared in Keir Starmers rear-view mirror like a looming juggernaut. Its an issue that I believe could yet bulldoze the Government. I put down questions after the election to the newly burnished Starmerite lieutenants, enquiring as to their intentions for the British Indian Ocean territory. Their answers were characteristically deceptive and in the year and a half since, ministers have continued to act both incompetently and disingenuously. And now their entire Chagos plan has exploded like a bunker buster dropped on Labour HQ. The Prime Minister only has himself to blame. He ignored the many opponents to this bizarre deal, even as their voices grew louder whether in the public, in the media, or in the House of Lords where all opposition parties and the crossbenchers have expressed reservations about the Bill to implement his treaty. Advertisement Advertisement Worst of all, Starmer has sidelined the Chagossians themselves, many of whom want to remain British and who are fighting heroically to stop this deal. Starmer has ignored the growing opposition to the Chagos treaty, even from Chagossians themselves - Carl Court/Getty Images Now the world has heard from the one person the Prime Minister cannot ignore. I am tempted to say it may be a case of better late than never: but, joking aside, Donald Trump has completely kiboshed Starmers sell-out deal, which he called an act of great stupidity. Like a B2 emerging from the heat haze above the runway at Diego Garcia, the US president imploded Starmers plan in one brutal sortie, whatever No 10 might say. Firstly, Trumps statements on Chagos are an effective veto because even though the UK and Mauritius have signed a bilateral treaty, it has not yet been ratified. Even if the relevant legislation passes in Parliament (and it likely will, with Labours majority), the US was not a party to that treaty. Like a B2 emerging from the runway at Diego Garcia, Trump has devastated Starmers plan in one brutal sortie - Planet Labs PBC/AP The military base on Diego Garcia, one of the islands within the Chagos archipelago at the heart of this debate, is a joint US-UK military facility. It is infeasible that the UK will now implement the treaty without the approval of the US that bilateral deal between the UK and Mauritius has been negotiated without American engagement in any of the details. Advertisement Advertisement And it is not just me who says that. It has been stated by David Lammy, the former foreign secretary himself, who said in a memorable interview last year to add to his personal oeuvre: If President Trump doesnt like the deal, the deal will not go forward theyve got to be happy with the deal or there is no deal. It was a statement as clear as the pristine waters of the Chagos maritime preservation area. Trump referred to Starmers decision to give away the Chagos islands as an act of total weakness - Mandel Ngan/Getty Images That leads to my second reason: it is implausible that ministers will now push forward with implementing the deal, because the situation is taken so seriously in Washington DC that the Americans could withdraw elements of intelligence cooperation with the United Kingdom. I do not support any pause in the vital intelligence relationship but I firmly believe this is a real possibility if Starmer continues on his course with Chagos. When it comes to the defence relationship, the US holds the Trump cards the Prime Minister will put the deal on pause rather than lose access to vital US intelligence. Thirdly, there are many rational reasons to listen to Trumps concerns. He is, after all, the Commander-in-Chief of our closest military ally. The US president said: There is no doubt China and Russia have noticed this act of total weakness. This is directly at odds with Starmers absurd claim that those countries in fact opposed his deal as I have pointed out all along, hostile states were thrilled with Labours actions. Sir Keir Starmer signed the Chagos deal last May after declaring it was the only way to protect the Diego Garcia military base from the influence of countries such as China - Simon Dawson/No 10 Downing Street Ministers feebly point to a non-binding press release in the name of secretary of state Marco Rubio from last year on Chagos. Well, when I last checked, the president outranks the secretary of state who I am sure in his heart never supported the Chagos deal anyway. Advertisement Advertisement Starmer is letting the special relationship bleed out on his watch. Repairing it does not mean conceding to every demand of our great ally as Labours ingenuous may say but it does mean working together for the good of the free world. Even if the Chagos Bill passes, even if the treaty is nominally ratified, Starmer cannot implement the deal in the face of the presidents opposition. Instead, he should let the deal quietly die as one of the many hundreds of international agreements never seen through to fruition. That is the best way to kill this deal I urge all of its opponents to get behind Trump. Try full access to The Telegraph free today. Unlock their award-winning website and essential news app, plus useful tools and expert guides for your money, health and holidays. Trumps framework of a future deal on Greenland is a relief, but thorny questions remain President Donald Trump appears to have pulled back from the brink of possible economic and military warfare with Europe in his quest to annex Greenland. He announced on Wednesday a framework of a future deal over the Arctic island after a meeting with NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte, and he called off tariffs against eight European countries that had opposed his Greenland agenda. Trump then claimed on Thursday that the U.S. is going to have total access to Greenland and all the military access that we want, but the scope and details of the negotiations remain unclear. Theres a lot we still dont know but at the very least its a relief that Trump seems to have found an off-ramp from the most severe kind of clashes with allies over one of the dumbest and most dangerous foreign policy ideas hes ever had. That Europe was forced to send troops to Greenland for military exercises and was gearing up for a potential trade war was madness. Trump wrote on Truth Social, This solution, if consummated, will be a great one for the United States of America, and all NATO Nations. He added in his announcement that additional discussions are being held concerning The Golden Dome as it pertains to Greenland. The Golden Dome is Trumps idea of a missile defense system that would protect North America from foreign attacks, although the administration hasnt released details on it. Advertisement Advertisement Trumps announcement of a NATO deal on social media came hours after he suggested he was cooling on the idea of using force to seize Greenland. In ambiguous, threat-laced language, he indicated he wont use force to try to annex the semiautonomous Danish territory for now at least. The apparent diplomatic breakthrough is good news insofar as the threat of a full-on confrontation has abated for the moment. That Europe was forced to send troops to Greenland for military exercises and was gearing up for a potential trade war was madness. NATOs implosion seemed like a real possibility although it still is likely permanently damaged. The day ended better than it started, Danish Foreign Minister Lars Lkke Rasmussen said on Wednesday. Now, lets sit down and find out how we can address the American security concerns in the Arctic while respecting the red lines of the Kingdom of Denmark, he said. He later said, sovereignty is a red line. We dont have any details of the purported framework of a future deal yet, but based on the limited bits of reporting indicating some possibilities for its scope, there are both positive and negative ways to look at what Trump may be angling to secure. Advertisement Advertisement The New York Times, citing three senior officials familiar with the talks, reported on Wednesday that NATO officials had discussed among one another the possibility of the United States obtaining sovereignty over land for military bases in Greenland. Two of those officials likened a potential arrangement to the United Kingdoms military bases in Cyprus. According to the Times, the officials said that Mr. Rutte had been pursuing a compromise this week, but they did not know if the concept of the United States having some sovereignty over small pockets of Greenland for military bases was part of the framework announced by Mr. Trump. In an interview with Fox News, Rutte said the question of whether Greenland will remain a territory of Denmark did not come up anymore in his conversation with the president Thursday. So we dont know if Rutte discussed the idea of potential land for U.S. bases in Greenland, and Rutte does not have the right to simply sell off parts of Danish territory. But insofar as some version of this idea may be in play, there are two takeaways. One way to look at it is as a reward to Trump for bad behavior. It may be that his threats have made Europe scramble to give him something to chew on and sell to his political base as a successful imperialistic maneuver. Some Greenlandic politicians have objected to the idea of NATO officials going over the heads of Greenlanders and discussing excising small parts of the islands territory to give to the U.S. as a peace offering. On the other hand, there is a version of this that is somewhat more benign. The U.S. already has a small military installation in Greenland, and under a 1951 agreement it has the right to set up more. It would depend on the details, but if the U.S. built a few new bases there under an already existing agreement, then that wouldnt be the cardinal violation of sovereignty that many feared. In fact, it could even be a reprisal of an established Trump strategy of withdrawing threats in exchange for a weak or largely illusory deal. He backed off a set of tariffs against Canada and Mexico in 2025 based on agreements on border policies that were largely about optics or that were already planned to go into effect. Advertisement Advertisement That being said, there are other worrisome possibilities under the 1951 agreement path as well, such as an extremely expansive renegotiation of that agreement, or a bad faith interpretation of what that agreement allows the U.S. to do. Its far too early to render judgment on Trumps potential deal. Greenlands sovereignty remains up in the air. But the worst outcome seems to have been averted for now. The post Trumps framework of a future deal on Greenland is a relief, but thorny questions remain appeared first on MS NOW. This article was originally published on ms.now President Donald Trump on Jan. 21 announced a "framework of a future deal" on Greenland, in an abrupt turnaround after weeks of increasingly aggressive threats of taking over the Arctic island. In the president's social media post first sharing the development, Trump said he formed the framework after a meeting at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland. In his remarks at the event earlier in the day, the president said he would not use force to take the Danish territory. "Based upon a very productive meeting that I have had with the Secretary General of NATO, Mark Rutte, we have formed the framework of a future deal with respect to Greenland and, in fact, the entire Arctic Region," Trump said. Advertisement Advertisement Here's what to know about the president's latest announcement. President Donald Trump arrives in Davos to attend the World Economic Forum (WEF), on January 21, 2026 in Davos, Switzerland. The annual meeting of political and business leaders comes amid rising tensions between the United States and Europe over a range of issues, including Trump's vow to acquire Greenland, a semi-autonomous Danish territory. President Donald Trump (C-R) attends a bilateral meeting with NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte (C-L) alongside U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio, U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent, U.S. Secretary of Commerce Howard Lutnick, U.S. Secretary of Energy Chris Wright and U.S. Special Envoy to the Middle East Steve Witkoff on the sidelines of the World Economic Forum (WEF) Annual Meeting on January 21, 2026 in Davos, Switzerland. The annual meeting of political and business leaders comes amid rising tensions between the United States and Europe over a range of issues, including Trump's vow to acquire Greenland, a semi-autonomous Danish territory. President Donald Trump applauds after his special address during the World Economic Forum (WEF) annual meeting in Davos on Jan. 21, 2026. The World Economic Forum takes place in Davos from Jan. 19 to Jan. 23, 2026. President Donald Trump gestures as he leaves the congress centre during the World Economic Forum (WEF) annual meeting in Davos on January 21, 2026. The World Economic Forum takes place in Davos from January 19 to January 23, 2026. President Donald Trump leaves a plenary session at the Congress Hall, walking past journalists after his speech on the sidelines of the 56th annual meeting of the World Economic Forum (WEF) in Davos on Jan. 21, 2026. The World Economic Forum is taking place in Davos from Jan. 19 to Jan. 23, 2026. President Donald Trump (R) listens as NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte speaks during a bilateral meeting on the sidelines of the World Economic Forum (WEF) Annual Meeting on January 21, 2026 in Davos, Switzerland. The annual meeting of political and business leaders comes amid rising tensions between the United States and Europe over a range of issues, including Trump's vow to acquire Greenland, a semi-autonomous Danish territory. President Donald Trump looks on during the World Economic Forum (WEF) annual meeting in Davos on January 21, 2026. The World Economic Forum takes place in Davos from January 19 to January 23, 2026. President Donald Trump speaks during a bilateral meeting with NATO's Secretary-General on the sidelines of the World Economic Forum (WEF) annual meeting in Davos on January 21, 2026. The World Economic Forum takes place in Davos from January 19 to January 23, 2026. President Donald Trump leaves the congress centre during the World Economic Forum (WEF) annual meeting in Davos on January 21, 2026. The World Economic Forum takes place in Davos from January 19 to January 23, 2026. President Donald Trump addresses the media as he leaves the congress centre during the World Economic Forum (WEF) annual meeting in Davos on January 21, 2026. The World Economic Forum takes place in Davos from January 19 to January 23, 2026. President Donald Trump looks on as he leaves the congress centre during the World Economic Forum (WEF) annual meeting in Davos on January 21, 2026. The World Economic Forum takes place in Davos from January 19 to January 23, 2026. President Donald Trump gives a speech at the World Economic Forum (WEF) on January 21, 2026 in Davos, Switzerland. The annual meeting of political and business leaders comes amid rising tensions between the United States and Europe over a range of issues, including Trump's vow to acquire Greenland, a semi-autonomous Danish territory. President Donald Trump (R) speaks to Apple CEO Tim Cook (L) as he attends a reception for business leaders at the World Economic Forum (WEF) Annual Meeting on January 21, 2026 in Davos, Switzerland. The annual meeting of political and business leaders comes amid rising tensions between the United States and Europe over a range of issues, including Trump's vow to acquire Greenland, a semi-autonomous Danish territory. President Donald Trump greets executives during a reception for business leaders at the World Economic Forum (WEF) Annual Meeting on January 21, 2026 in Davos, Switzerland. The annual meeting of political and business leaders comes amid rising tensions between the United States and Europe over a range of issues, including Trump's vow to acquire Greenland, a semi-autonomous Danish territory. President Donald Trump speaks during a reception for business leaders at the World Economic Forum (WEF) Annual Meeting on January 21, 2026 in Davos, Switzerland. The annual meeting of political and business leaders comes amid rising tensions between the United States and Europe over a range of issues, including Trump's vow to acquire Greenland, a semi-autonomous Danish territory. President Donald Trump appears on a large screen as he addresses the World Economic Forum (WEF) in the Davos Congress Center on January 21, 2026 in Davos, Switzerland. The annual meeting of political and business leaders comes amid rising tensions between the United States and Europe over a range of issues, including Trump's vow to acquire Greenland, a semi-autonomous Danish territory. CEO of BlackRock Larry Fink (L) embraces U.S. President Donald Trump during an evening reception with business leaders at the World Economic Forum (WEF) at the Davos Congress Center on January 21, 2026 in Davos, Switzerland. The annual meeting of political and business leaders comes amid rising tensions between the United States and Europe over a range of issues, including Trump's vow to acquire Greenland, a semi-autonomous Danish territory. President Donald Trump takes the stage before delivering a speech at the World Economic Forum (WEF) at the Davos Congress Center on January 21, 2026 in Davos, Switzerland. The annual meeting of political and business leaders comes amid rising tensions between the United States and Europe over a range of issues, including Trump's vow to acquire Greenland, a semi-autonomous Danish territory. A Blackhawk helicopter, part of the U.S. Marine Corps HMX presidential helicopter squadron, travels between Zurich and Davos on its way to the World Economic Forum on January 21, 2026 near Liechtenstein. The annual meeting of political and business leaders comes amid rising tensions between the United States and Europe over a range of issues, including U.S. President Trump's vow to acquire Greenland, a semi-autonomous Danish territory. President Donald Trump disembarks Marine One as he arrives in Davos to attend the World Economic Forum (WEF), on January 21, 2026 in Davos, Switzerland. The annual meeting of political and business leaders comes amid rising tensions between the United States and Europe over a range of issues, including Trump's vow to acquire Greenland, a semi-autonomous Danish territory. Trump mingles with global leaders in Davos for World Economic Forum 1 of 20 President Donald Trump arrives in Davos to attend the World Economic Forum (WEF), on January 21, 2026 in Davos, Switzerland. The annual meeting of political and business leaders comes amid rising tensions between the United States and Europe over a range of issues, including Trump's vow to acquire Greenland, a semi-autonomous Danish territory. More: Trump says US getting 'total access' to Greenland More: Trump backs away from blowing up NATO over Greenland for now Trump announces framework. What's in it? Trump did not say what the agreement entailed, only that "further information will be made available as discussions progress," and that he'd tapped Vice President JD Vance, Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Special Envoy Steve Witkoff to take on the negotiations. He said additional discussions were being held concerning the Golden Dome missile defense system "as it pertains to Greenland." The system, which the White House initially called the "Iron Dome for America," is a proposed U.S. system that takes inspiration from Israel's well-known multi-layered defense system of the same name. It would form a collective web or "dome" of air defense via sensors and intercepting weapons meant to protect the United States from aerial foreign attacks. Trump has also floated the idea of Canadian inclusion in the program. Advertisement Advertisement Rutte told Reuters that minerals exploitation was not discussed during his meeting with Trump, adding that specific negotiations on the Arctic island would continue between the United States, Denmark and Greenland. A view shows a sign at the U.S. military's Pituffik Space Base in Greenland on March 28, 2025. A 1951 agreement between the United States and Denmark established the U.S. right to construct military bases in Greenland and move around freely in Greenlandic territory. This is still the case as long as Denmark and Greenland are informed of American actions. More: Trump says Ukraine deal 'coming soon' during Board of Peace ceremony The United States currently operates one base on Greenland, and USA TODAY reported this month that federal officials were quietly preparing to pour tens of millions of dollars into upgrading the Pituffik Space Base. Post-framework news, Trump backs off tariff threat Along with the framework, Trump also announced he was pulling back his threats to impose tariffs on eight of the United States' closest European allies. Advertisement Advertisement Visual explainer: Trump's Greenland gambit explained with maps "This solution, if consummated, will be a great one for the United States of America, and all NATO Nations," Trump said in his Jan. 21 post. "Based upon this understanding, I will not be imposing the Tariffs that were scheduled to go into effect on February 1st." U.S. President Donald Trump holds a bilateral meeting with NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte at the World Economic Forum (WEF) in Davos, Switzerland, January 21, 2026. REUTERS/Jonathan Ernst The economic sanctions pushed transatlantic relations to near-crisis levels over the weekend, as the European nations contemplated responding with a powerful series of economic and trade moves. The nations of Denmark, Norway, Sweden, France, Germany, the United Kingdom, the Netherlands and Finland have consistently pushed back on Trump's efforts to seize the ice-covered Danish territory. Trump's threats also outraged many people in Denmark, who took to the streets over the weekend to protest against the U.S. president's plan and express support for the island nation's predominantly Indigenous residents' rights to self-determination. Denmark says it 'cannot negotiate on our sovereignty' Denmark has responded to Trump's recent announcement by reaffirming it would not give up any sovereignty, but it welcomed further NATO investment to Arctic security. Advertisement Advertisement Trump has said the United States needs Greenland because its strategic location and vast stores of minerals make it strategically important. He also said the island is at risk from Russian and Chinese influence. Denmark and many of its NATO and European Union allies have pushed back on this claim, repeating their own years-long commitments to security in the Arctic region. Denmark's Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen holds a press conference during a European Union leaders' summit, in Brussels, Belgium December 19, 2025. Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen said in a statement she had been in close dialogue with NATO and spoke to Rutte after he met with Trump. "We can negotiate on everything political; security, investments, economy," she said. "But we cannot negotiate on our sovereignty." Greenland's Foreign Minister Vivian Motzfeldt said on Jan. 22 she viewed recent developments with the United States as "positive," although she noted that uncertainty persisted. Advertisement Advertisement "No formal agreement has been entered into regarding Greenland... The Government of Greenland has not asked the secretary general of NATO to negotiate on behalf of Greenland, but the secretary general has conveyed our position and red lines directly to President Trump," Motzfeldt said. Contributing: Reuters. Kathryn Palmer is a politics reporter for USA TODAY. You can reach her at kapalmer@usatoday.com and on X @KathrynPlmr. Sign up for her daily politics newsletter here. This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: What does Trump's Greenland deal entail? Here's what we know so far WASHINGTON Despite psychologically needing to acquire Greenland, President Donald Trump Thursday headed back to the United States with just the framework of an agreement that appears to exist only in his own mind. Weeks of antagonizing both Denmark and all of NATO with threats of tariffs and even war, in Trumps telling, won the United States key concessions in the Danish territory following a one-on-one meeting with the alliances secretary general, Mark Rutte, at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland. Politics: Is This What JD Vance Meant By 'Absolute Immunity'? Were getting everything we wanted total security, total access to everything, Trump bragged to Fox Business Thursday morning, acknowledging that the details are still being worked out. Essentially, its total access. Theres no end. Theres no time limit. Advertisement Advertisement Yet Trump could barely begin his victory lap for his claimed achievement before it began falling apart. Rutte who notwithstanding his strategy of continually praising Trump to avoid conflicts felt the need Wednesday to publicly correct Trumps false claim about NATOs willingness to protect the United States if needed said Greenland never even came up in his discussion with Trump. Then, after the White House leaked a claim that the agreement would give the U.S. ownership of small pockets of land on Greenland for military purposes, the Danish prime minister announced that that was not true. We can negotiate all politically: security, investment, economy, Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen said in a statement Thursday. But we cant negotiate our sovereignty. News: Trump Sets His Favorite Made-Up Deadline For Details On Greenland Deal She repeated that message speaking to reporters in Davos: We have said from the very beginning that a discussion about our status as a sovereign state, it cannot be discussed. Advertisement Advertisement Added Jens-Frederik Nielsen, Greenlands prime minister: We are ready to negotiate a better partnership and so on, but sovereignty is a red line. The White House nevertheless insisted that Trump had won a major victory. If this deal goes through, and President Trump is very hopeful it will, the United States will be achieving all of its strategic goals with respect to Greenland, at very little cost, forever. President Trump is proving once again hes the Dealmaker in Chief. As details are finalized by all parties involved, they will be released accordingly, White House spokeswoman Anna Kelly said. President Donald Trump (R) listens as NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte speaks during a bilateral meeting on the sidelines of the World Economic Forum (WEF) Annual Meeting on Jan. 21 in Davos, Switzerland. Chip Somodevilla via Getty Images Neither Trump nor the White House mentions that a 1951 treaty with Denmark already gives the United States access to the semi-autonomous region for military bases. Indeed, the U.S. had more than a dozen there during the Cold War years and still has one there today. The one thing Trump did manage with his weekslong campaign to wrest Greenland away from a founding NATO member was to alienate traditional allies in Western Europe even further. I think its sad and totally absurd that we have an American president whos blackmailing the rest of us trying to get a bit of land, a piece of land, or buy it through threats, Swedish Finance Minister Elisabeth Evantesson told reporters in Davos this week. We will never back down. Politics: Democrats Consider Partial Government Shutdown To Curb ICE Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, meanwhile, complained to world leaders and business executives assembled in Davos that Trumps desire to own Greenland had distracted from Russias existing war of territorial conquest against his country the largest land war in Europe since World War II. Advertisement Advertisement Everyone turned attention to Greenland, and its clear most leaders simply are not sure what to do about it. And it seems like everyone is just waiting for America to cool down on this topic, hoping it will pass away. But what if it will not? he said in remarks shortly after meeting with Trump. He added that if the United States and Europe are truly worried about Russian ships sailing around Greenland, they should seek help from Ukraine, which has proven its ability at sinking Russian vessels in the Black Sea. We have the expertise and weapons to ensure not one of those ships remains. They can sink near Greenland, just as they do near Crimea. No problem, he said. We will solve this problem with the Russian ships. Political Updates Read the original on HuffPost Donald Trump claims to have hashed out the framework of a future deal on Greenland following weeks of threats to annex the Danish territory. The US president emerged from talks with Nato secretary general Mark Rutte on Wednesday confident that a deal was in sight and that all parties were happy with it. Denmark said it was open to dialogue so long as its borders are respected but have notably not endorsed any aspects of the agreement briefed to the media or discussed publicly by Mr Rutte. Advertisement Advertisement The shape of the arrangement was a little bit complex, Mr Trump said, and would have to be explained down the line. However, he waived his previous threat of tariffs against European allies in an apparent attempt to defuse tensions. Mr Rutte said that Denmark would retain its sovereignty and stressed that Nato allies would have to step up on Arctic security within months under the framework deal currently being discussed. Officials close to the negotiations briefed media outlets that a deal could see greater US freedom to build on the island, modelled on Britains overseas arrangements. But concrete details of what could form part of the deal remain scarce and there is no guarantee that Mr Trumps demands will be accepted by Europe. The Independent looks at how the US may look to strike an agreement with Denmark and Nato. Mark Rutte said he had held a very good discussion with Donald Trump on how to ensure Arctic security (AP) US sovereignty over military bases In the hours before Mr Trumps announcement, Nato officials were discussing the possibility of the US obtaining sovereignty over land for military bases, according to three senior officials familiar with the talks. Advertisement Advertisement Such a deal could resemble the agreement Britain has with Cyprus to run its own bases on land regarded as UK territory. Akrotiri, Episkopi, Dhekelia and Ayios Nikolaos are termed British Sovereign Base Areas (SBAs), which stayed under British control when the independent Republic of Cyprus emerged in 1960. They function as British overseas territories, with a civilian administration responsible for many civil government duties, like law and justice and immigration. They also have a police force and a mixed demographic with military and UK-based personnel and their dependents working alongside Cypriots. Britain has a longstanding agreement with Cyprus to treat its bases on the island as British territory (Kirsty Wigglesworth/PA) An official briefed on the Nato-US discussions told The New York Times that the plan for Greenland would be modelled after the British arrangement in Cyprus although the exact dimensions were unclear. Sources also told The Telegraph the proposals resembled Britains agreement with Cyprus. They said the deal under discussion did not involve selling Greenland. Rare earth mining The US military maintains a permanent presence at the Pituffik airbase in northwest Greenland under a 1951 agreement that also allows it to build bases provided it notifies Denmark and Greenland. A new arrangement could allow it to build without planning permission and expand into mineral-rich areas, according to The Telegraph. Advertisement Advertisement Its a long-term deal, Mr Trump told reporters. Its the ultimate long-term deal. It puts everybody in a really good position, especially as it pertains to security and to minerals. A 2023 survey showed that 25 of 34 minerals deemed critical raw materials by the European Commission were found in Greenland. The extraction of oil and gas is banned in Greenland for environmental regions, and investment in the mining sector currently faces challenges. Graphite, copper, nickel, zinc, gold, diamonds, iron ore, titanium-vanadium, tungsten and uranium are all found in Greenland. Greenland's Pituffik Space Base, where the US have a permanent military presence (Ritzau Scanpix) How Greenland has reacted Denmark has said it is open to discussions that do not compromise territorial integrity. But the issue will also need approval within Greenland. The island is organised as a semi-autonomous territory with its own prime minister, who has strongly opposed American threats in recent weeks. Advertisement Advertisement Prime minister Jens-Frederik Nielsen has, notably, not yet commented on Mr Ruttes talks with Mr Trump. Aaja Chemnitz Larsen, a Greenlandic member of the Danish parliament, said she feared that Nato was bartering over Greenlands future without the islands involvement. What we are witnessing these days in statements from Trump is completely insane. Nato has absolutely no mandate to negotiate anything whatsoever without us in Greenland, she wrote on social media. And the fact that Nato should have anything to say about our country and minerals is completely in the hemp. The people of Greenland remain strongly opposed to the US controlling the island, protesting in large numbers last week (AP) Mr Rutte said on Thursday that specific negotiations would involve the US, Denmark and Greenland. It would be up to Nato commanders to work through the details of extra security requirements, which could see Nato allies doing more in the region. Advertisement Advertisement "I have no doubt we can do this quite fast. Certainly I would hope for 2026, I hope even early in 2026," he said. What is the deal missing? The framework remains informal and lacks specifics. If the main challenges are, as Nato says, combatting Russian and Chinese investment and interference, the US already has the right to build bases and Denmark has countered Chinese investment in the past. With Nato allies already moving to the region to boost security, it is not clear what a new deal would add. The development of the islands mining sector is also wrapped up in red tape and opposition from indigenous people, and it is unclear how Greenland would be compensated if the US tries to extract rare minerals. The extraction of oil and gas is banned for environmental reasons. Advertisement Advertisement A deal modelled on the British bases in Cyprus will need further clarity, as the arrangement has evolved greatly since 1960. Even if land becomes de facto American, negotiators will have to agree on remits for development and independence. Crucially, the Nato alliance has been shaken by the repeated threats from the US, and allies will have to rebuild relationships to work together on security. Sergi Reboredo/VWPics via AP Images & Andrea Renault/STAR MAX/IPx NATO released a statement on Wednesday shortly after President Donald Trump announced he and NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte had formed a framework for a deal on Greenland. The NATO statement came amid new reporting from the New York Times that the deal may include the U.S. being given sovereignty over small pockets of land in Greenland. Trump has recently vowed to acquire Greenland from NATO ally Denmark, including by using military force if necessary. Advertisement Advertisement NATO Spokesperson Allison Hart released a statement saying, The Secretary General had a very productive meeting with President Trump during which they discussed the critical significance of security in the Arctic region to all Allies, including the United States. Discussions among NATO Allies on the framework the President referenced will focus on ensuring Arctic security through the collective efforts of Allies, especially the seven Arctic Allies. Negotiations between Denmark, Greenland, and the United States will go forward aimed at ensuring that Russia and China never gain a foothold economically or militarily in Greenland, concluded Harts statement. Trump refused to offer any specifics of the deal when pressed by CNBCs Joe Kernen in an interview shortly after the announcement, but said the deal would be forever and confirmed he was dropping the threat of additional tariffs on Europe. The Times reported NATO members discussed a compromise in which Denmark would give the United States sovereignty over small pockets of Greenlandic land where the United States could build military bases, according to three senior officials familiar with the discussion. Advertisement Advertisement The Times added that the idea came from Rutte, a former prime minister of the Netherlands who is seen as being close to Trump. The officials spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss a sensitive diplomatic matter, and they said the idea was one Mr. Rutte had been pursuing. Two of the officials, who attended the meeting, compared it to the United Kingdoms bases in Cyprus, which are regarded as British territory, added the report. The post Trump-Greenland Deal Reportedly Includes U.S. Sovereignty Over Small Pockets of Territory first appeared on Mediaite. Trump officials are furiously at work on secret plans to continue the presidents newfound interventionist streak by toppling the Cuban regime before the end of the year. Insiders told The Wall Street Journal those efforts so far have included meetings with exiled political actors and civic groups in Washington, D.C. and Miami to identify both potential turncoats within the Cuban government and pressure points beyond the dismal state of the island nations economy. Trump campaigned on a promise of reducing U.S. involvement in conflict overseas, which many of his more grassroots supporters see as having historically distracted Washington from more pressing issues affecting everyday voters. Trump appears emboldened by his lightning invasion of Venezuela to capture Nicolas Maduro earlier this month. / XNY/Star Max / GC Images The MAGA leader has defied that promise over the past month by bombing Nigeria, invading Venezuela, threatening to annex Greenland and Panama, and floating U.S. intervention in a string of other countries. Advertisement Advertisement He has also now launched a new international Board of Peace initiative to promote stability and lawful governance in global conflict zones. Critics have decried the body as little more than a MAGAfied version of the United Nations for autocratic leaders. Now, it appears Trump may be eyeing similar action against Cuba before the end of the year. / AFP/Getty Officials with knowledge of the administrations Cuba plans told the Journal the Jan. 3 invasion of Venezuela to grab Nicolas Maduro served as a potential blueprint for any prospective action against the Communist island country. Maduros capture was assisted in part by an asset within the Venezuelan leaders inner circle, the newspaper noted, adding that the operation had also seen 32 Cuban members of Maduros security detail killed. It is reportedly on the same basis that MAGA is now on the hunt for figures within the Cuban government who may be dissatisfied enough with the leadership of President Miguel Diaz-Canel to facilitate some sort of coup. Advertisement Advertisement That likelihood is thought to have been increased by Cubas weakening economy, with U.S. intelligence assessments reportedly attesting to chronic shortages of basic goods, medicines and frequent blackouts. The Daily Beast has reached out to the White House for comment on this story. Cubas rulers are incompetent Marxists who have destroyed their country, and they have had a major setback with the Maduro regime that they are responsible for propping up, a White House official told the Journal, adding that Cuba should make a deal before its too late. In President Donald Trumps America First mindset, allies are afterthoughts and previous US presidents were stupid. While Trump eased some angst in the Western world Wednesday by clarifying, finally, that he would not use force to take Greenland and then retreating from his latest tariff threat, he also twisted history and insulted nations the US has long considered to be friends. Not an Allied victory, but a US victory in World War II It wasnt the Allies but rather the US alone that won World War II in Trumps unique version of history, which he shared with global elites in an hourlong address at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland. Advertisement Advertisement We won it big, Trump told the European-centric audience. Without us, right now youd all be speaking German and a little Japanese, perhaps. Without getting into an examination of blood and treasure spilled 80 years ago, suffice it to say that among the Allies, the Soviet Union gave the largest number of lives multiple millions to the war effort, followed by China. Great Britain gave a large portion of its population. And Americans fought and died in great numbers too. British troops take positions on Sword beach during the D-Day storming of Normandy. - Imperial War Museum/AFP/Getty Images All these nations have a reasonable claim on having played a major role: Americans were the saviors of the other allies, the Soviets wore down the Germans in the East, and the British can be proud to have stood up when few others did. It was the Allied countries of the US, the Soviet Union and the UK, the so-called Big Three, that met at Potsdam to organize the end of the war. Why the US has military bases in Greenland Trump did accurately say that Denmark, a much smaller neighbor of Germany, was overwhelmed and surrendered to the Nazis within hours after being invaded in 1940. Advertisement Advertisement But from there he left some things out, beginning with his idea that the US was compelled to set up bases in Greenland during World War II. Denmark knows that we literally set up bases on Greenland for Denmark. We fought for Denmark. We werent fighting for anyone else, he said. The actual history has a lot more nuance. The US negotiated an agreement with Denmarks ambassador to the US after his country had surrendered to the Germans and before the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor. The US set up bases in order to secure shipping lanes and guard the Western hemisphere, a fact Trump breezed past. Heres how President Franklin D. Roosevelt put it in a May fireside chat to Americans a month after the 1941 agreement with Denmarks ambassador was signed. When the US wanted no territory or profit or selfish advantage At that time, the US was big on allies. In an August 1945 fireside chat, after the Potsdam Conference, President Harry Truman said it was imperative to build diplomacy through the UN and spare the US from the ravages of any future breach of the peace. Advertisement Advertisement That is why, though the United States wants no territory or profit or selfish advantage out of this war, we are going to maintain the military bases necessary for the complete protection of our interests and of world peace, Truman said. President Harry S Truman in 1945. - MPI/Getty Images While we now know Truman secretly offered to buy Greenland from Denmark in 1946, his comments to Americans explain the logic behind keeping the US military abroad in the decades after the war. The US already has broad military power in Greenland Trumans multilateral view also led to the rise of NATO, the North Atlantic Treaty Organization, in 1949, providing a counterweight to the Soviet Union. Denmark, along with the US, is a founding member of NATO. The US signed a supplementary agreement with Denmark in 1951 that gave it the almost unfettered ability to build up a military presence in Greenland. Most bases, however, were drawn down or even abandoned after the Cold War. Trump now says the US needs Greenland to build up his Golden Dome missile defense shield. He doesnt mention that the US retains the right under that 1951 agreement to build its Greenland bases back up. Stupid to give back what the US never technically had In Trumps view, the US acquired Greenland during World War II and then gave it back to Denmark, which is a view not supported by the 1941 and 1951 agreements between the US and Denmark. Advertisement Advertisement How stupid were we to do that? Trump said, even though the US never technically acquired Greenland during World War II. All for one in NATO The NATO charter says that nations must try to solve disagreements peacefully, and its Article 5 states that an armed attack against one or more of them in Europe or North America shall be considered an attack against them all. But, in another history-defying insult, Trump said he doubts other NATO countries would help the US. Presumably he meant Greenland, but the larger issue is his claim about NATO countries looking out for themselves. The US is the only NATO member to ask everyone else for help Trumps public doubt that NATO countries would not defend the US ignores that NATOs Article 5 has been invoked exactly one time. Advertisement Advertisement After the 9/11 terror attacks, NATO countries answered the Article 5 call and helped the US fight in Afghanistan. The coffins of two Danish soldiers, killed in a suicide attack in Gereshk, Afghanistan, are carried out of a military transport plane upon its arrival at the Skrydstrup Airport in Jutland, Denmark on March 23, 2008. - Claus Fisker/AFP/Getty Images Denmark lost 43 members of its military, which is a much smaller number than the nearly 2,500 Americans who died fighting, but a large sacrifice for an American ally of less than 7 million people. Living within a lie Its no wonder that in another speech at Davos, the leader of another US ally, Canada, which also fought in World War II and in Afghanistan, warned other small and middle-sized countries that the rules-based world order that was anchored for decades by the US is a thing of the past. We are in the midst of a rupture, not a transition, Prime Minister Mark Carney said, encouraging other countries to band together and pursue a new form of multilateralism. Not admitting this fact, he argued, is to be living within a lie. Carney was not referring to Trumps version of history or his take on alliances, but the point probably still applies. For more CNN news and newsletters create an account at CNN.com People thought I would use force. I dont have to use force. I dont want to use force. I wont use force. This statement, made by President Donald Trump at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, generated a collective sigh of relief in Europe and America. The worst-case scenario the United States attacking one of its NATO allies to seize territory seems to be off the table. For now. Advertisement Advertisement All the United States is asking for is a place called Greenland, Trump added. Despite signs of a burgeoning deal with Denmark to placate him, there will be a long reckoning for the unnecessary crisis manufactured by the American president. The damage is already done. Many American allies look at the U.S. with increasing dismay and wariness. The problem isnt Trump. The problem is the U.S., writes Lars Christensen, a Danish economist who runs the financial advisory firm Paice. When the outside world observes Trumps insane behavior and his threats against allies, and we at the same time observe that there is no real action from the U.S. public, Congress, the U.S. Supreme Court, or the U.S. media about this insanity, we will all have to conclude that the U.S. accepts this behavior. This sentiment has been echoed to Rolling Stone in several candid conversations with European officials and analysts. Advertisement Advertisement There is a much bigger problem than anyone wants to admit, says one Swedish security official with experience working with the Trump administration. Even aside from Greenland, it is clear to us that Washington is not on the same page as the rest of NATO, no matter what the president says. We fear this will be an issue for years to come. The Greenland crisis entered its apogee on Sunday, when Trump sent a now-infamous letter addressed to Norwegian Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Stre, and distributed widely to European diplomats by the U.S. State Department. It demanded Greenland as compensation for Trumps lack of a Nobel Peace Prize, written in Trumps preferred informal style, random noun-capitalization and all. Considering your Country decided not to give me the Nobel Peace Prize for having stopped 8 Wars PLUS, I no longer feel an obligation to think purely of Peace, although it will always be predominant, but can now think about what is good and proper for the United States of America, Trump wrote. I have done more for NATO than any person since its founding, and now, NATO should do something for the United States, he continued. The World is not secure unless we have Complete and Total Control of Greenland. Advertisement Advertisement That the president decided to bring Norway into the picture as Greenland is a semi-autonomous part of Denmark, a completely different country is a sign of either the presidents ignorance or obsession with the Peace Prize or both. The self-absorbed derangement on display in this missive caught even stalwart Trump supporters off guard, with some initially decrying its message and asserting the letter must surely be a hoax. Upon learning it most assuredly was not, they promptly flip-flopped to defend the genius move. Such is the high-wire balancing act required of one who supports a president who politics aside has a mind that has passed its recommended Use By date. Trumps veiled threat to abandon peace was reinforced by his subsequent refusal to rule out a military option. When NBC News asked him on Tuesday if he would use force to seize Greenland, Trump replied simply: No comment. To add insult to injury, Trump further insisted that the U.S. has gotten nothing out of NATO. This is a slap in the face to Americas NATO allies, who sacrificed more than 1,000 soldiers in the U.S. war in Afghanistan, and especially to Denmark, which sent 18,000 soldiers there with 43 never coming home. Advertisement Advertisement Every day Trump remains in office, distrust of the U.S. increases, and the cost for the U.S. will go up day by day. And this is irreversible. It takes years to build trust, but you can destroy it by your actions in minutes, the economist Christensen observes. Military action against Greenland would almost certainly spell NATOs doom, which is unlikely to have bothered the U.S. president, who has never been a fan of the alliance judged by most historians to be the most successful pact in history. As far back as 1987, after a visit to Moscow to pursue investment opportunities, Trump spent nearly $100,000 (about $285,000 in todays dollars) on full-page ads inveighing against the alliance. He has now surrounded himself with vocal critics of both the European Union and of NATO. Trumps bull-in-the-china-shop efforts to pull out of NATO unless member states picked up more of the tab for their defense a refrain since his first term in office began nearly 10 years ago have yielded results. Overall, defense spending by NATO members has increased markedly, but much of that is driven less by American prodding, and more by concern over Russias invasion of Ukraine starting in 2022. Advertisement Advertisement But Trump was never really interested in other countries military spending. That is something tacked on to his anti-alliance antics by more responsible policymakers within the White House. In any case, destroying NATO would be a strange way to reform it although not out of character for an administration that has methodically dismantled sources of American global influence and soft power. Hard power, Trump and his cohorts believe, is the only currency that matters. Riding high on the martial prowess displayed by Special Operations Command in kidnapping the Venezuelan president a mere two weeks ago, it shouldnt then be surprising that Trump is now emboldened to throw his weight around and bully whomever he wishes. That obviously does not include Russian President Vladimir Putin. After a year of failed diplomacy, Trump appears to have finally accepted that his sycophantic goodwill to the Kremlins dictator will not be reciprocated with a peace deal in Ukraine. He still has yet to enact secondary sanctions on Russia. Despite supposedly giving a greenlight to a sanctions bill intended to squeeze Russian energy revenues, it continues to languish in congressional limbo. In fact, Trump is far more focused on getting Putin to join his Board of Peace. This organization ostensibly proposed to work for a permanent solution to the crisis in Gaza has been revealed as little more than an grift. The boards charter and invitation letters made public by various world leaders outline what sounds like a pay-for-play exclusive networking club with membership to the tune of $1 billion a pop and Trump as chairman for life. Advertisement Advertisement Many prominent leaders, such as French President Emmanuel Macron and British Prime Minister Keir Starmer, have already turned it down. But if Putin does decide to accede, he will join the leader of the free world at the table with such champions of liberty as Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, Belarusian President Aleksandr Lukashenko, and Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban. We knew the story of the international rules-based order was partially false, that the strongest would exempt themselves when convenient, that trade rules were enforced asymmetrically, Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney said in a speech at Davos on Tuesday. And we knew that international law applied with varying rigour depending on the identity of the accused or the victim. This fiction was useful, and American hegemony, in particular, helped provide public goods, open sea lanes, a stable financial system, collective security and support for frameworks for resolving disputes, Carney said. This bargain no longer works. Let me be direct. We are in the midst of a rupture, not a transition. However one feels about the neo-liberal world order that America has dominated for decades, you neednt look too deeply into the historical record to understand that when established orders collapse, it means more war, greater economic hardship and scarcity, and less freedom. Advertisement Advertisement It will also mean more nukes, as an array of nations previously protected by Americas nuclear umbrella seek the ultimate security guarantee something already being contemplated, from Seoul to Stockholm. Trumps push for Greenland is against a backdrop in which authoritarian states are attempting a revolutionary reordering of the global system, returning humanity to a world of armed imperialism in which the strong consume the weak. Whether this can correctly be called Realism on the part of the U.S. is debatable; a key aspect of such a philosophy is the pursuit of self-interest, not self-sabotage. In an upside-down world, madness is painted as strategy, while provincialism and ignorance are touted as sophistication and wisdom. Hubris is paraded as strength. But hubris is ever the precursor to downfall. For now, despite these seismic shocks permanently altering Americas trajectory with its allies, Trumps speech in Davos contained the magic formula to generate relief on both sides of the Atlantic: I will not use force. Advertisement Advertisement Which is good, because if the president were to dispatch the U.S. Armys 11th Airborne Division, the Arctic Angels, to seize Greenlands largest airbase, the soldiers might be in for a surprise. Under an existing agreement with Denmark, its already defended by the U.S. Space Force. More from Rolling Stone Best of Rolling Stone Sign up for RollingStone's Newsletter. For the latest news, follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. By Steve Holland DAVOS, Switzerland, Jan 22 (Reuters) - U.S. President Donald Trump on Thursday launched his Board of Peace, initially designed to cement Gaza's rocky ceasefire but which he foresees taking a wider role worrying to other global powers, although he said it would work with the United Nations. "Once this board is completely formed, we can do pretty much whatever we want to do. And we'll do it in conjunction with the United Nations," Trump said, adding that the U.N. had great potential that had not been fully utilised. Advertisement Advertisement Trump, who will chair the board, invited dozens of other world leaders to join, saying he wants it to address challenges beyond the stuttering Gaza ceasefire, stirring misgivings that it could undermine the U.N.'s role as the main platform for global diplomacy and conflict resolution. While regional Middle East powers including Turkey, Egypt, Saudi Arabia and Qatar, as well as major emerging nations such as Indonesia, have joined the board, global powers and traditional Western U.S. allies have been more cautious. Trump says permanent members must help fund with a payment of $1 billion each, and Reuters could not immediately spot any representatives from governments of top global powers or from Israel or the Palestinian Authority at the signing ceremony. U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio said the board's focus would be on making sure the plan for peace in Gaza was fulfilled but that it could also "serve as an example of what's possible in other parts of the world". Advertisement Advertisement GLOBAL ROLE Apart from the U.S., no other permanent member of the U.N. Security Council - the five nations with the most say over international law and diplomacy since the end of World War Two - has yet committed to join. Russia said late on Wednesday it was studying the proposal after Trump said it would join. President Vladimir Putin said Moscow was willing to pay $1 billion from frozen U.S. assets in the U.S. "to support the Palestinian people", state media said. France declined to join. Britain said on Thursday it was not joining at present. China has not yet said whether it will do so. Advertisement Advertisement The board's creation was endorsed by a United Nations Security Council resolution as part of Trump's Gaza peace plan, and U.N. spokesperson Rolando Gomez said on Thursday that U.N. engagement with the board would only be in that context. Few of the countries that have signed up for the board are democracies, although Israel, Argentina and Hungary, whose leaders are close allies of Trump and supporters of his approach to politics and diplomacy, have said they will join. "There's tremendous potential with the United Nations, and I think the combination of the Board of Peace with the kind of people we have here ... could be something very, very unique for the world," said Trump, who has long disparaged the U.N. and other institutions of multilateral cooperation. Board members also include Rubio, the U.S. Gaza negotiators Jared Kushner and Steve Witkoff, and former British Prime Minister Tony Blair. Advertisement Advertisement BRITTLE GAZA CEASEFIRE Kushner, who is Trump's son-in-law, said the next phase of the Gaza ceasefire deal would address funding for reconstruction in the territory, which lies mostly in ruins, as well as disarmament by Gaza's dominant Palestinian militant group Hamas, one of the most intractable unresolved issues. "If Hamas doesn't demilitarise, that would be what holds this plan back," Kushner said. "The next 100 days we're going to continue to just be heads down and focused on making sure this is implemented. We continue to be focused on humanitarian aid, humanitarian shelter, but then creating the conditions to move forward." Advertisement Advertisement In a sign of progress on unresolved elements of the first phase of the truce, the Palestinian technocratic committee leader Ali Shaath said the Rafah border crossing with Egypt, Gaza's main gateway, would reopen next week. The ceasefire in Gaza, agreed in October, has sputtered for months with Israel and Hamas trading blame for repeated bursts of violence in which several Israeli soldiers and hundreds of Palestinians have been killed. Both sides accuse each other of further violations, with Israel saying Hamas has procrastinated on returning a final body of a dead hostage and Hamas saying Israel has continued to restrict aid into Gaza despite an ongoing humanitarian disaster. Each side rejects the other's accusations. Advertisement Advertisement Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu accepted an invitation to join the board, the Israeli leader's office said. Palestinian factions have endorsed Trump's plan and given backing to a transitional Palestinian committee meant to administer the Gaza Strip with oversight by the board. Even as the first phase of the truce falters, its next stage must address much tougher long-term issues that have bedevilled earlier negotiations, including Hamas disarmament, security control in Gaza and eventual Israeli withdrawal. (Reporting by Steve Holland in Davos; additional reporting by Rami Ayyub in Jerusalem and Emma Farge in Geneva; writing by Angus McDowall; editing by Mark Heinrich) US President Donald Trump signed the charter to formally launch his "Board of Peace" initiative in Davos on Thursday, calling it a "very exciting day, long in the making". "We're going to have peace in the world," Trump announced. "And we're all stars." "Just one year ago the world was actually on fire, a lot of people didn't know it," Trump said in his opening speech. Yet "many good things are happening" and the threats around the world "are really calming down," the US president said. Advertisement Advertisement Flanked by leaders of the board's founding member countries including Argentinian President Javier Milei and Hungarian Premier Viktor Orban Trump also praised the work of his administration, "settling eight wars," and added that "a lot of progress" has been made toward ending Russia's all-out war in Ukraine. He then took a moment to thank the heads of state in attendance. "We are truly honoured by your presence today, Trump said, stating they were "in most cases very popular leaders, some cases not so popular. "In this group I like every single one of them," Trump quipped. US Secretary of State Marco Rubio was next to praise the Board of Peace as a group of leaders that is about action and credited Trump for bringing it together. Advertisement Advertisement Hes not limited by some of the things that have happened in the past, and hes willing to talk to or engage with anyone in the interest of peace, Rubio said. Rubio stressed the bodys job first and foremost is making sure that this peace deal in Gaza becomes enduring. Then, Rubio said, it can look elsewhere. With details of the boards operations still unclear, Rubio described it as a work in progress. Many others who are going to join, you know, others either are not in town today or they have to go through some procedure internally in their own countries, in their own country, because of constitutional limitations, but others will join, Rubio said. 'Most prestigious board ever' Trump has previously described the newly-formed body as potentially the "most prestigious board ever formed." Advertisement Advertisement The project originated in his 20-point Gaza ceasefire plan endorsed by the UN Security Council but has expanded far beyond its initial mandate. Approximately 35 nations had committed to joining while 60 received invitations, according to Trump administration officials. The president suggested the board could eventually assume UN functions or render the world body obsolete. "We have a lot of great people that want to join," Trump said during a Wednesday meeting with Egyptian President Abdel-Fattah el-Sisi, whose country confirmed membership. Some leaders required parliamentary approval before committing, while uninvited nations were asking to be included, according to Trump. Advertisement Advertisement Trump also defended inviting Russia's Vladimir Putin who said he was consulting with "strategic partners" over Moscow's involvement and strongman figures such as Belarus' Aliaksandr Lukashenka, saying he wanted "everybody" who was powerful and could "get the job done". Several European allies declined participation. Norway, Sweden and France rejected invitations, with French officials expressing concern that the board might replace the UN as the world's main venue for conflict resolution, while affirming support for the Gaza peace plan itself. Slovenian Prime Minister Robert Golob said "the time has not yet come to accept the invitation," citing worries the mandate was overly broad and could undermine international order based on the UN Charter, according to STA news agency. Canada, Ukraine and China had not indicated their positions. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu agreed to join on Wednesday. Advertisement Advertisement The UK said it would not sign the treaty at Trump's ceremony over concerns regarding the invitation to Putin, British Foreign Secretary Yvette Cooper said. One billion dollar fee Countries seeking permanent membership face a $1 billion contribution fee, with Trump designated as permanent chairman even after leaving office, according to a copy of the charter obtained by media outlets. Non-paying members would have a three-year mandate. Trump's peace initiative follows threats of military action against Iran this month during violent government crackdowns on large street protests that killed thousands. The president signalled no new strikes after receiving assurances that Tehran would not execute detained protesters. Trump argued his aggressive Iran approach, including June strikes on nuclear facilities, proved essential for achieving the Israel-Hamas ceasefire. Iran served as Hamas' primary backer, providing hundreds of millions in military aid, weapons, training and financial support over the years. Advertisement Advertisement "If we didn't do that, there was no chance of making peace," Trump said. Related Meanwhile, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy arrived in Davos on Thursday morning with Trump expressing frustration with both Zelenskyy and Putin over their inability to end the nearly four-year war. "I believe they're at a point now where they can come together and get a deal done," Trump said. "And if they don't, they're stupid that goes for both of them." President Volodymyr Zelensky says trilateral talks on ending the war in Ukraine are to take place with Russia and the US in the United Arab Emirates, after he met President Donald Trump in Davos. As the diplomatic pace appeared to intensify, Trump said his meeting with Zelensky was good, and US envoy Steve Witkoff headed to Moscow for talks with Russia's Vladimir Putin. Witkoff, who was travelling to Moscow with Trump's son-in-law Jared Kushner, said he was optimistic about a deal. Advertisement Advertisement "I think we've got it down to one issue and we have discussed iterations of that issue, and that means it's solvable," he said before leaving the Swiss resort. Trump's envoy gave no details about the remaining sticking point, but Zelensky later clarified that the future status of eastern Ukraine remained the unsolved issue. He made clear that the planned talks in the Emirates would involve Russia as well as the US and Ukraine, adding that "the Russians have to be ready for compromises, not only Ukraine". "It's all about the land. This is the issue which is not solved yet," Zelensky told reporters at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland - adding that trilateral talks might provide the two sides with "variants". Advertisement Advertisement The US proposal for Ukraine's industrial heartland in Donbas is for a demilitarised and free economic zone in exchange for security guarantees for Kyiv. "If both sides want to solve this, we're going to get it solved," Witkoff said, explaining that he would be heading to Abu Dhabi after Moscow, where working groups would be covering military issues as well as economic prosperity. Zelensky also told reporters that he had reached an agreement with Trump on future US security guarantees for Ukraine in the event of a deal. He gave no details but said it would need to go before the US Congress and Ukrainian parliament before signing. Although he said the "Coalition of the Willing", led by the UK and France, had committed forces on the ground to monitor the deal, he was adamant a Trump backstop would be necessary too: "No security guarantees work without the US." Advertisement Advertisement Earlier he used his Davos speech to criticise his European allies for a lack of "political will" to take action against Russia. "There are endless internal arguments and things left unsaid that stop Europe from uniting and speaking honestly enough to find real solutions," he said, drawing a contrast with the US under Trump. "President Trump loves who he is, and he says he loves Europe, but he will not listen to this kind of Europe," he said. Advertisement Advertisement The Ukrainian president had travelled through the night to get to Davos. He had initially called off his trip to deal with the aftermath of Russian strikes on Kyiv's power infrastructure, which have left large areas of the capital without heating, water or power during the harshest winter so far in almost four years of Russia's full-scale war. Thousands of apartment blocks remain without heating. Zelensky said last month that a 20-point US plan to end the war was 90% ready and that Ukraine's position on Donbas, in eastern Ukraine, was different to Russia's. As part of the US 20-point plan, Zelensky has offered to withdraw troops by up to 40km (25 miles) from the 25% of the Donetsk region that Ukraine still controls in order to create an economic zone in Donbas, if Russia does the same. Advertisement Advertisement Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said on Thursday that discussions with the American envoys would continue "on the Ukrainian issue and other related topics" and refused to say whether he shared Witkoff's optimism on achieving a deal. Putin is known to covet control of the entire region, and Russian forces have advanced slowly in the east in the past year. Another big sticking point that Zelensky highlighted last month was future control of Ukraine's enormous Zaporizhzhia nuclear plant, seized by Russia in March 2022. Zelensky joked that he hoped the Emirates knew about the planned meeting, but in a measure of the seriousness of the talks he named some of his most senior officials in the Ukrainian team taking part. Advertisement Advertisement The head of the country's national security and defence council, Rustem Umerov, was already talking to US officials in Davos, along with Kyrylo Budanov, the head of Zelensky's office, and negotiator David Arakhamia. They will be joined by the chief of the general staff, Andrii Hnatov. Last year, questions regarding president Donald Trumps physical health started swirling after photographs showed a large, greenish bruise appearing on his right hand. White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt offered an eyebrow-raising explanation, telling reporters at the time that the bruises were the result of him constantly working and shaking hands all day every day. But now onlookers have spotted a similar bruise on his left hand. In other words, Trump has either been using his left hand to shake the hands of world leaders or Leavitts explanation was one more example of the Trump administrations dismal relationship with the truth. Advertisement Advertisement One things for sure: the mysterious injury is looking grisly. Photos of Trump at this years World Economic Forum in Switzerland show an even gnarlier darkish bruise on his left hand. Experts have suggested that the bruising is the result of blood being drawn via an intravenous needle. Needles can puncture the walls of veins, causing blood to leak into surrounding tissues. That explanation dovetails with other details the public has learned about Trumps medical situation. After the 79-year-old was spotted with significant swelling in his legs, the White House announced in July that Trump had been diagnosed with chronic venous insufficiency, a common condition among older people that causes blood to pool in the extremities. George Washington University professor Jonathan Reiner told CNN last month that he has seen similar bruising in patients who take strong blood-thinner medications, including ones that are more potent than aspirin, a drug Trump is known to be fond of. Advertisement Advertisement Any attempts to gain clarity on the situation have been met by hostility, suggesting its a highly sensitive topic among Trump administration officials. Any so-called medical professionals engaging in armchair diagnosis or false speculation for political purposes are clearly breaking the Hippocratic Oath theyve sworn to, and they should get their head examined, fumed White House communications director Steven Cheung in a statement to CNN. Yet Trumps inability to form coherent sentences, his garbling of words, and recent shuffling of his feet have once again raised questions over the presidents health. Last week, Washington State University professor of medicine Bruce Davidson argued during a podcast appearance that Trump appears to have suffered a stroke thats impacting his ability to move. Advertisement Advertisement Beyond questions surrounding Trumps physical health, experts have long speculated about his cognitive health as well. Former White House attorney Ty Cobb speculated this week that there has been a significant decline in his mental faculties. Hes always been driven by narcissism, he told MS Now on Wednesday. But I think the dementia and the cognitive decline are, you know, palpable, as do many experts, including many physicians. More on Trumps health: Doctor Says Trump Appears to Be Showing Signs of a Stroke President Donald Trump hosted a signing ceremony for his Board of Peace on the sidelines of the World Economic Forum in Davos on Thursday, saying that it was a "very exciting day" and that the collective would become one of the "most consequential bodies" ever created. "As everyone can see today, the first steps toward a brighter day for the Middle East and a much safer future for the world are unfolding right before your very eyes," Trump said in his opening remarks. He added, "Together we are in a position to have an incredible chance -- I don't even call it a chance, I think its going to happen -- to end decades of suffering, stop generations of hatred and bloodshed and forge a beautiful, ever-lasting and glorious peace for that region." Advertisement Advertisement More than two dozen countries have so far accepted Trump's invitation to join the board, but none of the U.S.'s major European allies have yet made a commitment and some have rejected the idea. Trump was flanked on the stage in Davos by more than a dozen leaders whose countries had agreed to be signatories. He described those who were present as "just the countries that are here." U.S. special envoy Steve Witkoff said in an interview on CNBC on Wednesday that up to 25 countries had accepted the invitation to join the board. Fabrice Coffrini/AFP via Getty Images - PHOTO: President Donald Trump (C) holding a signed founding charter at the "Board of Peace" meeting during the World Economic Forum (WEF) annual meeting in Davos on Jan. 22, 2026. Trump could potentially chair Board of Peace for life; $1 billion contributions are voluntary: US official Invitations were sent over the weekend to more than 50 world leaders, according to U.S. officials. A White House official said about 30 countries were expected to join. Advertisement Advertisement The initiative has drawn cautious responses from several U.S. allies who did not explicitly endorse the board or accept Trump's invitation as leaders question whether a U.N. alternative body is necessary. Amir Cohen/Reuters - PHOTO: Destruction in Gaza as seen from the Israeli side of the Israel-Gaza border in southern Israel, January 21, 2026. "I think the board of peace will be the most prestigious board ever, and it's going to get a lot of work done that the United Nations should have done," Trump said Wednesday. "And we'll work with the United Nations. But the Board of Peace is going to be special. We're going to have peace." When asked by a reporter at the White House on Tuesday if the board would replace the U.N., Trump said: "It might." France, Norway, and Sweden, have declined or expressed significant reservations about the board, while others like Germany, the United Kingdom and Italy have remained noncommittal. Advertisement Advertisement Russia was also extended an invitation, the Kremlin confirmed this week, despite the country's continued assault on Ukraine. "The proposal made to us primarily concerns the settlement in the Middle East and the search for possible ways to resolve the pressing problems of the Palestinian people and the most acute problems of the humanitarian situation in the Gaza Strip," Russian President Vladimir Putin told a Russian Security Council meeting, state media reported. Evan Vucci/AP - PHOTO: President Donald Trump speaks during a Board of Peace charter announcement during the Annual Meeting of the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, Thursday, Jan. 22, 2026. As of Thursday morning, more than 20 countries had said that they had accepted Trump's invitation. Those countries were: Albania, Argentina, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Bahrain, Belarus, Bulgaria, Egypt, Hungary, Indonesia, Israel, Jordan, Kazakhstan, Kosovo, Kuwait, Mongolia, Morocco, Pakistan, Paraguay, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Turkey, the United Arab Emirates, Uzbekistan and Vietnam. "This is the greatest board ever assembled, and everybody wants to be on it," Trump told reporters in Davos on Wednesday. "I have some controversial people on it, but these are people that get the job done. These are people that have tremendous influence." Advertisement Advertisement The full invitation list has not been made public by the White House. Fabrice Coffrini/AFP via Getty Images - PHOTO: Visitors gather ahead of the Board of Peace meeting during the World Economic Forum (WEF) annual meeting in Davos on Jan. 22, 2026. The World Economic Forum takes place in Davos from January 19 to Jan. 23, 2026. Yvette Cooper, the U.K.s foreign secretary, said during a BBC interview on Thursday that her country would not be among the signatories in Davos. Part of the reasoning behind that decision, she said, was the U.K.'s "concerns" about Putin being invited to be "part of something that's talking about peace when we've still not seen any signs from Putin that there will be commitment to peace in Ukraine." During his remarks at the Board of Peace signing ceremony Thursday morning, Gaza ceasefire negotiator and real estate investor Jared Kushner unveiled some of the plans to redevelop war-torn Gaza. Kushner said the plans for Gaza will emulate those of other newly redeveloped Middle Eastern cities, suggesting it will be completed in just two or three years. Advertisement Advertisement We've developed ways to redevelop Gaza. Gaza, as President Trump's been saying, has amazing potential, and this is for the people of Gaza, Kushner said. "We think this could be done in two, three years. We've already started removing the rubble and doing some of the demolition," he said. But first, Kushner said, the next 100 days will be focused on sending humanitarian aid into the Gaza Strip, with quantities consistent with what was included in the Jan. 19, 2025, agreement, including rehabilitation of infrastructure (water, electricity, sewage); rehabilitation of hospitals and bakeries; and entry of necessary equipment to remove rubble and open roads. The Board of Peace was first introduced last year with a two-year United Nations Security Council mandate to manage and rebuild Gaza, but the board's charter makes no direct reference to Gaza at all. Advertisement Advertisement A copy of the charter draft reviewed by ABC News makes clear the Board of Peace has a much broader mandate as an "international organization" and "peacebuilding body" seeking to resolve the world's conflicts and securing enduring peace, akin to a U.S.-led alternative to the United Nations. Trump, who is expected to chair the board, can potentially hold the position for life. "The Chairmanship can be held by President Trump until he resigns it," a U.S. official said. "A future U.S. president, however, may choose to appoint or designate the United States' representative to the Board." Fabrice Coffrini/AFP via Getty Images - PHOTO: President Donald Trump holds a signed founding charter at the "Board of Peace" meeting during the World Economic Forum (WEF) annual meeting in Davos on Jan. 22, 2026. Trump's Board of Peace faces headwinds from allies as mandate appears broader than Gaza Advertisement Advertisement The charter draft states that nations that accept the invitation will be given a three-year membership term, but permanent membership would be given to member states that contribute more than $1 billion in cash to the Board of Peace within the first year. The U.S. official said that contributions to the board are "voluntary" and should not be considered as an entry fee to join. If member states choose to contribute money, the Board of Peace will "implement the highest financial controls and oversight mechanisms," the official said. Putin suggested Russia could pay its $1 billion from assets frozen by the U.S. over its war with Ukraine. The executive committee that would oversee the board will include former British Prime Minister Tony Blair, Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney and U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio, as well as Witkoff and Trump's son-in-law Jared Kushner. ABC News' Morgan Winsor contributed to this report. Jan. 22 (UPI) -- U.S. President Donald Trump was due to meet with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky in Davos in a renewed push to bring an end to the war in Ukraine, which also sees U.S. Special Envoy Steve Witkoff and Trump's son-in-law, Jared Kushner, headed to Russia. Zelensky arrived in Davos ahead of his meeting with Trump at 1 p.m. local time, which was expected to focus on Trump's proposed peace plan to end the Russia-Ukraine conflict, which marks its fourth anniversary next month, but also on a $800 billion post-war U.S.-Ukraine economic partnership. Negotiations that have been on the back burner since U.S.-Ukraine talks in late December that both sides hailed as bringing a peace deal within touching distance, resumed last weekend when Witkoff's team held talks with Ukrainian officials in the United States and then with lead Russian negotiator Kirill Dmitriev on the sidelines of the World Economic Forum. Advertisement Advertisement Before departing from Davos for Moscow, Witkoff said that only one element of the peace framework -- understood to be arrangements around Ukraine's withdrawal from parts of Donestsk that it still controls -- was still outstanding. "We've got it down to one issue. We've discussed iterations of that issue, and that means it's solvable. So if both sides want to solve this, we're going to get it solved," he told a panel at an event titled "Ukrainian Breakfast." "I think we've made significant progress. I think there was a little bit of confusion at the beginning of this process. I'm going to Moscow, but I think it was important to go there because we're at the finish line. And I'm actually optimistic," he said. Witkoff said the trip to Moscow was at the invitation of Russian President Vladimir Putin, whom he believed wanted to reach a deal. Advertisement Advertisement "The Russians have invited us to come and that's a significant statement from them," said Witkoff. Witkoff said that following the talks in the Kremlin, he and Kushner would not overnight in Moscow, but would head directly to the United Arab Emirates, where they would participate in working groups, "military-to-military and on prosperity [in post-war Ukraine]." He said that the prosperity aspects under discussion covered everything from growth to the financial system, capital markets and jobs. Witkoff revealed that Trump had raised the prospect of a tariff-free zone from Ukraine that Witkoff said would be "game changing", because it would see industry moving into Ukraine in a big way because it would allow Ukraine to "outcompete, because you're not paying tariffs." By Nandita Bose, Humeyra Pamuk and Simon Lewis WASHINGTON, Jan 21 (Reuters) - President Donald Trump's retreat from threats of force as an option for acquiring Greenland capped weeks of policy chaos, as top aides scrambled both to accommodate the president's demands and ease the panic they caused among U.S. allies, according to two sources with knowledge of the conversations. In remarks on Wednesday at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, Trump ruled out using military force after weeks of refusing to do so, and in a social media post said he would no longer be imposing tariffs that he had threatened to put into effect on February 1. Advertisement Advertisement White House officials had pushed a less provocative approach, with several key members of the president's team unenthusiastic about possibly using military force to seize the Danish territory, the two White House sources said. They spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss internal deliberations. After saying on Wednesday that tariffs are off the table, Trump said he and NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte had "formed the framework of a future deal with respect to Greenland and, in fact, the entire Arctic Region" during talks in Davos. He tasked top officials with negotiating a potential deal. The episode underscored how Trump's long-running fascination with acquiring Greenland keeps crashing into diplomatic and political reality, emblematic of a second term defined by abrupt policy shifts and rapid reversals. Again and again, the Republican president has changed course on tariffs and other issues under economic, political or market pressure. Asked about Trump's aides not pursuing military options seriously on Greenland, White House spokeswoman Anna Kelly said: "The White House does not rule out options for President Trump unless he does so himself." Advertisement Advertisement "He announced today that he will not use force to take Greenland, and the entire administration will follow his lead," Kelly said, adding that if a deal is reached, the United States would achieve its goals in Greenland at minimal long-term cost. TRUMP'S ARCTIC AMBITIONS REJECTED In recent weeks, Trump has revived his long-standing ambition to acquire the Arctic island, arguing that it is vital to U.S. national security as great-power competition intensifies in the Arctic. The leaders of Greenland and Denmark, which oversees the territory, have rejected Trump's overtures, stressing that the island's future is for its people to decide and accusing the United States of bullying tactics. Advertisement Advertisement In a social media post on Saturday, Trump said he would implement a wave of increasing tariffs on European allies until the U.S. was allowed to buy Greenland, which major EU states decried as blackmail. The idea to use tariffs came from Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick and other cabinet members, the White House sources said. Lutnick did not respond to a request for comment. The threats in Trump's post came after some European countries sent small numbers of military personnel to Greenland, ostensibly to show that they took U.S. warnings about the island's security seriously. Ahead of the Davos summit, European leaders stepped up their pushback against the U.S. acquiring Greenland. Advertisement Advertisement "He doesn't like being cornered," said one of the White House sources, explaining Trump's tariff threat. That announcement set off a scramble in the White House to develop a tariff plan and understand how it would play out. Different agencies are still working out the "cycle of retaliation and counter-retaliation with tariffs" on EU members, the White House source said. A spokesperson for the Danish embassy did not comment for this story. TARIFF THREAT CATCHES AIDES OFF-GUARD Trump first floated the idea of taking over Greenland in 2019 but ramped up rhetoric after returning to power a year ago. In meetings last year, U.S. officials assured their Danish counterparts that relations were stabilizing, leaving them with the impression that any military takeover of the Arctic territory was no longer top of mind for the administration, according to two separate sources familiar with those discussions. Advertisement Advertisement That changed in December, when Trump abruptly announced that Louisiana Governor Jeff Landry would serve as special envoy to Greenland and renewed his push to acquire the territory, seemingly emboldened by the successful January 3 operation to capture Venezuelan leader Nicolas Maduro. While aides were broadly aligned on the goal of taking over Greenland, they were split over the president's aggressive approach, the two White House sources said. In most White House meetings, more officials have urged caution than those pushing for the United States to take the island by force, said the sources, who were unaware of serious discussions on military options to seize Greenland. Tom Dans, appointed by Trump to lead the U.S. Arctic Research Commission, along with Vice President JD Vance and Secretary of State Marco Rubio, had been "pushing for a middle ground" on Greenland, while White House Deputy Chief of Staff Stephen Miller showed a willingness to keep annexation and the potential use of military force on the table, the sources said. Advertisement Advertisement Dans and Miller did not immediately respond to a request for comment. A spokeswoman for Vance declined comment. A State Department official said: "President Trump's team, including Secretary Rubio, routinely present him with a suite of options on issues of national concern." Trump himself has been driving the issue, the sources said. One of them, speaking before Trump's turnaround on tariffs and the use of force, said the president had wanted to retain the option of a military move. U.S. officials have not said what a military operation in Greenland would entail. As a Danish territory, the island is already a member of NATO and the United States maintains a military base there. Advertisement Advertisement A 1951 agreement between Denmark and the United States allows the U.S. military free access to the territory to defend Greenland or other NATO territories something experts say already gives Washington the ability to send additional troops to Greenland. Vance and Rubio last week hosted Danish and Greenlandic foreign ministers at the White House for talks characterized by Denmark's Foreign Minister Lars Lokke Rasmussen as "frank but constructive." Military action was not considered seriously at that meeting, where Vance discussed how a solution should be found despite seemingly incompatible positions, one of the White House sources said. (Reporting by Nandita Bose, Humeyra Pamuk and Simon Lewis; Additional reporting by Patricia Zengerle, Nolan Mccaskill, Idrees Ali and Phil Stewart; Writing by Simon Lewis; Editing by Don Durfee, Colleen Jenkins and Edmund Klamann) ABOARD AIR FORCE ONE (AP) President Donald Trump on Thursday inaugurated his Board of Peace to lead efforts at maintaining a ceasefire in Israel's war with Hamas, insisting everyone wants to be a part of the body he said could eventually rival the United Nations despite many U.S. allies opting not to participate. In a speech at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, Trump sought to create momentum for a project to map out a future of the war-torn Gaza Strip that has been overshadowed this week, first by his threats to seize Greenland, then by a dramatic retreat from that push. The new peace board was initially envisioned as a small group of world leaders overseeing the ceasefire, with Trump as chairman, but it has morphed into something far more ambitious and skepticism about its membership and mandate has led some countries usually closest to Washington to take a pass. Advertisement Advertisement Norway and Sweden indicated they wouldn't participate in the board. France declined, citing concerns the board could seek to replace the U.N. Canada was uncommitted. Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney had given unusually blunt remarks about the rupture in the rules-based order at Davos. On his way home from the forum, Trump hit back. Please let this Letter serve to represent that the Board of Peace is withdrawing its invitation to you regarding Canadas joining, what will be, the most prestigious Board of Leaders ever assembled, at any time, he wrote to Carney on social media. Thank you for your attention to this matter! It wasnt immediately clear how many countries have signed on. In Davos, Trump told reporters were going to have, I think, over 50 countries join. Advertisement Advertisement But at his launch, Trump was joined by officials from 19 countries. He told the group, ranging from Azerbaijan to Paraguay to Hungary, Youre the most powerful people in the world. Flying back to Washington, Trump told reporters: The letter only went out two days ago. We had almost 30 people already." Trump said some leaders have told him they want to join but first require approval from their parliaments, specifically naming Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni and Polish President Karol Nawrocki. The charter for the board has not yet been publicly released. Asked whether the document would allow him to remain chairman beyond his time in office, Trump said he would have the right to stay on if he so chose. Its in theory, for life but Im not sure I want that, Trump said. There are many questions about how the board will work Advertisement Advertisement Trump has spoken about the board replacing some U.N. functions, but in his Thursday speech he said the two bodies would work together. This isnt the United States, this is for the world, he said, adding, I think we can spread it out to other things as we succeed in Gaza. Trump's event featured Ali Shaath, the head of a new, future technocratic government in Gaza, announcing that the Rafah border crossing will open in both directions next week. But there was no confirmation of that from Israel, which said only that it would consider the matter next week. The Gaza side of the crossing, which runs between Gaza and Egypt, is currently under Israeli military control. The idea for the Board of Peace was first laid out in Trumps 20-point Gaza ceasefire plan and even was endorsed by the U.N. Security Council. An Arab diplomat in a European capital said that Middle Eastern governments coordinated their response to Trumps invitation to join the Board of Peace and that it was crafted to limit the acceptance to the Gaza plan as mandated by the U.N. Security Council. Advertisement Advertisement Speaking on the condition of anonymity to discuss the matter more freely, the diplomat said the announced acceptance is preliminary and that the charter presented by the U.S. administration contradicts in some parts the United Nations mission. The diplomat also said that other major powers are unlikely to support the board in its current form. Some countries have raised questions about invitations Trump extended to Russian President Vladimir Putin and other authoritarian leaders. Britains foreign secretary Yvette Cooper told the BBC that there were concerns about President Putin being part of something which is talking about peace, when we have still not seen any signs from Putin that there will be a commitment to peace in Ukraine. As for Putin, he said his country is still consulting with Moscows strategic partners before deciding to commit. The Russian was hosting Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas on Thursday in Moscow. The Kremlin said Thursday that Putin planned to discuss his proposal to send $1 billion to the Board of Peace and use it for humanitarian purposes during his talks with Abbas if Russia can use assets the U.S. had previously blocked. Asked about that idea by reporters, Trump said, If hes using his money, thats great. Advertisement Advertisement Peace in Ukraine remains elusive In Davos, Trump also met privately Thursday for about an hour with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy. He was circumspect about how it went. I had a good meeting but Ive had numerous good meetings with President Zelenskyy and it doesnt seem to happen, Trump said. He expressed some sympathy for Ukrainians struggling without heat in the winter because of Russian attacks on infrastructure, but also frustration that he has not been able to broker a deal to end the war, noting the same things that have been holding it up for the past year continue to be sticking points. Trumps special envoy Steve Witkoff and his son-in-law Jared Kushner traveled to Moscow on Thursday for talks with Putin. Advertisement Advertisement Zelenskyy on Thursday said there would be two days of trilateral meetings involving the U.S., Ukraine and Russia in the United Arab Emirates starting Friday. Trump said Zelenskyy told him in the meeting that hed like to make a deal. There were times when Putin didnt want to make a deal, times when Zelenskyy didnt want to make deal, Trump said. Now I think they both want to make a deal but well find out. Iran looms large Trump's push for peace comes after he threatened military action this month against Iran as it carried out a violent crackdown against some of the largest street protests in years, killing thousands of people. Advertisement Advertisement Trump, for the time being, has signaled he won't carry out any new strikes on Iran after he said he received assurances that the Islamic government would not carry out the planned hangings of more than 800 protesters. He said Thursday that the U.S. is moving a fleet of ships toward Iran just in case it wants to take action against the country over its crackdown. And he said he was keeping in place a threat to slap 25% tariffs on countries doing business with Iran. Were doing that, he said. The White House has not yet provided details on that tariff plan, which Trump had announced more than a week ago. ___ Advertisement Advertisement This story has been corrected to fix Trumps references to the number of countries involved in his Board of Peace. Trump said 59 countries had been involved with the ceasefire he brokered for Gaza. He did not say that 59 countries had signed on to the Board of Peace. ___ Madhani and Weissert reported from Washington. Associated Press writers Ali Swenson in Washington and Samy Magdy in Cairo contributed. President Donald Trump has suggested that the proposed $2,000 tariff dividend checks for Americans can be implemented without the need for Congressional approval. Trump Outlines Income Limit for Checks Trump made this statement in response to a reporters question during his inauguration anniversary at the White House press conference on Tuesday. He stated that the $289 billion in tariff revenue collected last year would be allocated to issuing the checks and lowering the national debt, which stands at $38 trillion. Would probably set a limit of income limitwhere it made sense, stated Trump as he confidently added, "I believe we can do that without Congress." Don't Miss: Missed Nvidia and Tesla? RAD Intel Could Be the Next AI Powerhouse Just $0.85 a Share Sam Altman Says AI Will Transform the Economy This Platform Lets Investors Back Private Tech Early Advertisement Advertisement Though he did not mention the income level, in November, the president had stated that the tariff dividend checks would be given to "individuals of moderate income, middle income. He has also stated that the checks could come in Mid-2026 or earlier. Trump's Checks Claim Conflicts With Aides This statement by Trump contradicts the position of top people in his administration, who have previously stated that approval is necessary for the issuance of the checks. This includes White House economic adviser Kevin Hassett, who had suggested that the checks would depend on what happens with Congress and that a formal proposal would need to be brought to Congress. See Also: Bezos' Favorite Real Estate Platform Launches A Way To Ride The Ongoing Private Credit Boom Previously, Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent had stated that the tariff dividend checks would be for the working class and that the proposal needs legislation or congressional approval to proceed with any such dividend. Advertisement Advertisement Trumps claim also comes amid ongoing discussions about the use of emergency powers to implement tariffs, with the Supreme Courts delay in delivering a verdict being seen as a potential sign of a favorable outcome for the Trump administration. During the press conference on Tuesday, Trump reiterated that he is anxiously waiting for the verdict. Read Next: Americans With a Financial Plan Can 4X Their Wealth Get Your Personalized Plan from a CFP Pro Its no wonder Jeff Bezos holds over $250 million in art this alternative asset has outpaced the S&P 500 since 1995, delivering an average annual return of 11.4%. Heres how everyday investors are getting started. Photo courtesy: Shutterstock/ IAB Studio Advertisement Advertisement Up Next: Transform your trading with Benzinga Edge's one-of-a-kind market trade ideas and tools. Click now to access unique insights that can set you ahead in today's competitive market. Get the latest stock analysis from Benzinga: This article Trump Says $2,000 Tariff 'Dividend' Checks Can Be Issued Without Congressional Approval originally appeared on Benzinga.com President Donald Trumps suggestion Tuesday that his Board of Peace might replace the United Nations is likely to compound concerns that the body meant to oversee the reconstruction of Gaza and that he will indefinitely chair will instead become a vehicle for him to attempt to supersede the body established 80 years ago to maintain global peace. Before Trumps comments, some diplomats already had myriad concerns over the boards possible membership and the fact a permanent seat is up for sale at $1 billion. Trump made the remarks before heading to the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, where he faces mounting anger from NATO members over his insistence that the US should own Greenland. The White House on Friday announced a founding Executive Board, including Trumps son-in-law Jared Kushner, Secretary of State Marco Rubio, special envoy Steve Witkoff and former British prime minister Tony Blair. Advertisement Advertisement And according to the charter draft, a copy of which was obtained by CNN, Trump will serve as indefinite chairman of the board, possibly holding the post beyond his second term as president. Trump will be replaced only due to voluntary resignation or as a result of incapacity, as determined by a unanimous vote of the Executive Board. A future US president can appoint or designate the US representative to the board in addition to Trump, a US official said. Trump has sent invitations in recent days to dozens of countries to join and is expected to host a signing ceremony in Davos on Thursday. A senior administration official said around 35 of the approximately 50 countries invited to join that ceremony are expected to attend. The official did not provide further details. Questions remain about which countries will actually join the board. Although some, such as the United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia and Bahrain, have confirmed their participation, others have yet to commit and some, such as France, have declined. Russia and China invited Russia is among the nations invited to join, raising alarm about how a country actively waging war could be involved in an effort to secure peace. China and Belarus have also been invited. Advertisement Advertisement Trump told CNN on Wednesday that Russian President Vladimir Putin has accepted his invitation to join the Board of Peace. He acknowledged that Putins participation would be controversial but defended inviting people that get the job done. So he was invited, Trump said. Hes accepted. But at a meeting Wednesday of the Russian Security Council, Putin did not commit to joining the board but said his Foreign Ministry would study the documents and consult with our strategic partners. He also floated using Russian assets frozen in the US to pay the $1 billion fee for a permanent seat and for further reconstruction of Gaza. Putin would certainly use Russias membership on the Board of Peace to undermine the UN and, by extension, sow further divisions in Americas alliances, said Robert Wood, a former deputy US ambassador to the UN. Advertisement Advertisement Putin is not a man of peace, and I dont think he belongs in any organization with peace in the name, British Foreign Secretary Yvette Cooper said Tuesday. On Wednesday, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu announced that he has accepted Trumps invitation to join the Board of Peace, even though he has openly fumed at the inclusion of Turkish and Qatari officials on the executive board for the implementation of the 20-point Gaza ceasefire plan. There are major concerns among some officials that the boards broad charter is an attempt to replace the work of the UN, an organization that Trump has consistently berated. The charter draft, which was sent along with the invitations to join, does not even reference Gaza. The charter describes the Board of Peace as an international organization that seeks to promote stability, restore dependable and lawful governance, and secure enduring peace in areas affected or threatened by conflict. Advertisement Advertisement Trump on Tuesday seemed to confirm that intention as he took a swipe at the UN, saying his board might replace the international body. The UN just hasnt been very helpful. Im a big fan of the UNs potential, but it has never lived up to its potential, Trump told reporters during a White House press briefing. The UN should have settled every one of the wars that I settled. I never went to them. I never even thought to go to them. On Wednesday, UN deputy spokesperson Farhan Haq said the organization will continue to relentlessly work for peace. He noted that there have been any number of organizations that have coexisted with the UN over the 80 years that the UNs been in existence. Advertisement Advertisement Its too early to tell what the Board of Peace will look like, Haq said. One thing we are aware of is, of course, that the Security Council has endorsed the Board of Peace strictly for the work on Gaza, and, of course, we continue to abide by that resolution. He referred to a UN Security Council resolution passed last year that codified Trumps 20-point plan on Gaza. Allies voice concerns France and Norway have declined to become members of the board for now, in part citing questions about how it would operate in conjunction with the UN. The American proposal raises a number of questions that requires further dialogue with the United States, Norwegian State Secretary Kristoffer Thoner said in a statement. Norway will therefore not join the proposed arrangements for the Board of Peace, and will therefore not attend a signing ceremony in Davos. Thoner noted that for Norway, it is important how this proposal is linked to established structures as the UN, and to our international commitments. Advertisement Advertisement When you read the charter, it doesnt only apply to Gaza, whereas the resolution that we had voted (on) at the Security Council of the United Nations was really targeting Gaza and the Middle East, French Foreign Ministry spokesperson Pascal Confavreux told CNN. Point two is that it raises very important concern regarding the rationality with the charter of the United Nations. Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni said she would not be participating in the signing ceremony Thursday. There is a constitutional compatibility issue because reading the statute revealed some elements of incompatibility with our Constitution, she said. There is work that needs to be done, but my position remains one of openness, she told the Rai 1 television channel. Irish Foreign Minister Helen McEntee said her country would give the invitation careful consideration, but she noted that the body proposed by Trump would have a mandate wider than the implementation of the Gaza Peace Plan. Advertisement Advertisement The United Nations has a unique mandate to maintain international peace and security, and the legitimacy to bring nations together to find common solutions to shared challenges. While it may be imperfect, the UN and the primacy of international law is more important now than ever, she said in a statement. On Tuesday, the UNs top humanitarian official, Tom Fletcher, said Trumps Board of Peace will not replace his organization. Aaron David Miller, a former Middle East negotiator for the US, cast doubt on the Board of Peaces ability to replace the work of the UN. The whole thing is tethered to a galaxy far, far away, not to the realities back here on planet Earth, he told CNN. Advertisement Advertisement I just dont see how you instrumentalize it, he said. Conflicts are resolved not by external organizations, but by mediators working with two parties in confrontation and conflict. Miller noted that even with the UNs flaws and dysfunction, how do you replace or compete with an organization that has been in existence since 1946, which has a Security Council with five permanent members, which has done a lot of very good humanitarian work and peacekeeping work through the decades? You cant rival this organization, he said. Its too big, its too durable, and its too integral to so many different pieces of the international landscape. Wood noted that any attempt for the Board of Peace to replace the UN would certainly be opposed by most UN member states. Advertisement Advertisement Whether the (Board of Peace) has any future internationally as a conflict-resolution mechanism will depend on what it can accomplish in Gaza, he told CNN. $1 billion for a permanent seat Members of the board will serve for three-year terms. If they want a permanent seat, it comes with a steep cost a contribution of $1 billion. According to the US official, the $1 billion commitment is not an entry fee, and there is no mandatory funding obligation for each country. The official said countries that make significant contributions to projects and want to have proper oversight can stay involved. Not every country that has the ability to fork out $1 billion is necessarily best-suited to oversee peace and security in the international arena, Wood said. Some diplomats said the steep fee was a matter their country would need to study. We would like to join, but we have to study it because it requires a financial commitment which is a fairly high amount of us, one ambassador from a country invited to join said of the fee for a permanent seat. This will require a substantial study from our economy team and the budgetary process. A US official claimed the funds will go toward rebuilding Gaza. US officials have had early discussions with contracting companies about rebuilding efforts, but none of those plans have been finalized or even sketched out, two sources familiar with the discussions said. Miller said the fee is akin to joining Trumps Mar-a-Lago club. I cant imagine anyone who has any semblance of a democratic process being able to join this and overcome the legal and political obstacles of surrendering your own participation to Trumps veto, let alone shelling out a billion bucks to go beyond a three-year membership, he said. Still, some countries that were not invited to join are privately expressing interest in participating, and they are even considering offering to pay the steep $1 billion fee to become a part of the board, according to a source familiar with those discussions. CNNs Kevin Liptak, Ivana Kottasova and Hira Humayun contributed to this report. For more CNN news and newsletters create an account at CNN.com (The Center Square) President Donald Trump said Thursday a deal structure regarding Greenland is developing after he stepped back from threatened tariffs on European allies, which he previously linked to Denmark handing over control of the semi-autonomous Arctic island. Danish officials say Greenland's sovereignty is non-negotiable. Trump, however, asserts that an agreement is being worked on, but he gave no additional details. "The Greenland structure is being worked on, and will be amazing for the U.S.A.," Trump wrote in a social media post while flying back to Washington, D.C., on Air Force One. Advertisement Advertisement Trump's comments come after he announced a "framework" for a future deal on Greenland with NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte on Wednesday in Davos, Switzerland. NATO is a 32-nation political and military alliance that includes the U.S. and much of Europe, including Denmark. Rutte told reporters Thursday that the agreement involved heightened NATO security in the Arctic. Trump backed off from threatened tariffs after meeting with Rutte. Over the weekend, Trump warned that NATO allies who opposed his plans to acquire Greenland would face escalating tariffs: a 10% duty on all exports to the U.S. from Denmark, Norway, Sweden, France, Germany, the United Kingdom, the Netherlands and Finland beginning Feb. 1, rising to 25% by June 1. Trump said the tariffs will remain in effect until Denmark hands over Greenland. Advertisement Advertisement Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen said the two countries can talk, but Denmark and Greenland will remain sovereign. "We can negotiate on everything political: security, investments, economy. But we cannot negotiate on our sovereignty," she said in a statement. She added: "Only Denmark and Greenland themselves can make decisions on issues concerning Denmark and Greenland." German Chancellor Friedrich Merz welcomed the change. "It is good news that we are making steps in that right direction," he said. U.S. Rep. Don Bacon, R-Neb., questioned Trump's diplomatic efforts. Advertisement Advertisement "We had an opportunity to add bases in Greenland without all the drama, hostility, and threats," he said. "Denmark and Greenland would have welcomed a friendly discussion. This has damaged our relationships with allies, including the most successful alliance in history." Trump maintains that U.S. ownership of Greenland is crucial to national security. He argues that Denmark cannot protect the island's mineral-rich territory from major powers such as China and Russia. Public polling shows Greenlanders overwhelmingly oppose joining America. Experts say as ice melts in the Arctic, more shipping and military ship routes could open in the region, changing the global trade and the defensive relationship between the U.S. and Russia. More mining and drilling exploration could also open up. Advertisement Advertisement Buying the nation could cost U.S. taxpayers billions or trillions, depending on how the Arctic island is valued. Greenland is almost entirely reliant on fishing and Danish subsidies of about $1 billion a year. Earlier this month, Denmark's central bank found Greenland faces "challenges for public finances in the form of large deficits and a long-term sustainability problem." President Volodymyr Zelensky used a speech at the World Economic Forum on Jan. 22 to deliver a sharp warning to Europe, accusing its leaders of recognizing global threats year after year while failing to act decisively. "Just last year, here in Davos, I ended my speech by saying Europe needs to know how to defend itself," Zelensky said. "A year has passed, and nothing has changed. I am forced to say the same words again." Zelensky spoke shortly after holding talks with U.S. President Donald Trump on the sidelines of the forum, in what marked their first in-person meeting this year. Advertisement Advertisement After the talks, the Ukrainian president said a two-day trilateral meeting involving Ukraine, the U.S., and Russia is scheduled to begin on Jan. 23 in the United Arab Emirates. On the Ukrainian side, the talks will include top officials such as National Security and Defense Council Secretary Rustem Umerov and Presidential Office head Kyrylo Budanov. The discussions come at a sensitive moment for Kyiv, as Washington presses ahead with a diplomatic push to end the war while Russia continues large-scale attacks on Ukraine. The meeting between Zelensky and Trump lasted about an hour and included a one-on-one conversation afterward. Zelensky later called the talks "important," saying he raised the issue of strengthening air defense amid Russian strikes on energy infrastructure. Advertisement Advertisement "Our teams are working almost every day," Zelensky said. "The documents to end this war are nearly ready. Ukraine is acting with honesty and determination. Russia must also be forced to end this aggression." Zelensky later announced a new support package of air defense systems from Ukraine's allies as Kyiv faces a shortage amid brutal Russian strikes on energy infrastructure. The talks in Davos coincided with preparations by U.S. Special Envoy Steve Witkoff to meet Russian President Vladimir Putin later the same day. President Volodymyr Zelensky during negotiations with U.S. President Donald Trump on Jan. 22, 2026, in Davos, Switzerland. (Volodymyr Zelensky / X) Against that backdrop, Zelensky's Davos address broadened beyond Ukraine to a sweeping critique of Europe's political inertia. He described a cycle in which European leaders repeatedly acknowledge dangers, but fail to build the capacity to deter them. Advertisement Advertisement "If Europe is not seen as a global force, if its actions do not scare bad actors, then Europe will always be catching up with new dangers and attacks," he said. Zelensky warned that Europe's hesitation carries consequences far beyond Ukraine. He pointed to Iran as an example of how delayed and cautious responses send dangerous signals to authoritarian governments. "Who in Europe needs that message to become reality? And yet Europe has not even tried to build its own response," the Ukrainian president added. He also warned that Europe's credibility as a global actor is eroding as Russia continues to produce missiles used to strike Ukrainian cities and energy infrastructure, exposing the limits of existing pressure. Advertisement Advertisement "Last year, most of the time was spent discussing long-range weapons for Ukraine, and everyone said the solution was within reach. Now, no one is even talking about it," Zelensky said. "Today, they target Ukraine. Tomorrow, it could be any NATO country." As progress has remained elusive, Trump has blamed both Moscow and Kyiv for stalling efforts to achieve a settlement, arguing that neither side has shown sufficient flexibility. Moscow has shown no clear willingness to engage with the U.S.Ukraine peace plan finalized in December, although it has acknowledged receiving the provisions. After the December meeting with Trump, Zelensky said the leaders had reviewed "all aspects of the peace framework," adding that significant progress had already been made. Advertisement Advertisement He said the 20-point plan was "around 90% agreed," while bilateral U.S.Ukraine security guarantees were "fully agreed," with a broader U.S.EuropeUkraine security arrangement nearing completion. Read also: Exclusive: Trumps new Board of Peace could tackle Russia-Ukraine war, source says Witkoff said at the World Economic Forum on Jan. 22 that only a"single issue" in the peace framework remains unresolved, likely referring to Ukraine's withdrawal from Donbas. "We've discussed multiple iterations of that issue, which tells me it is solvable," he said. Advertisement Advertisement Russia has continued to insist that Ukraine withdraw from partially occupied Donetsk and Luhansk oblasts and that the international community recognize Russia's illegal occupation of Ukrainian territories, demands Kyiv has repeatedly rejected. Since December, Ukrainian and U.S. negotiators have held regular talks on three core documents underpinning the diplomatic effort: a framework agreement, security guarantees, and a reconstruction plan. Earlier this week, Witkoff also met top Russian negotiator Kirill Dmitriev on the sidelines of the World Economic Forum in Davos to discuss the Washington-backed plan. Both sides described the two-hour meeting as constructive, following additional discussions Ukrainian officials held with Witkoff and other U.S. negotiators in the U.S. over the weekend. Advertisement Advertisement Read also: Trump says Putin accepted Board of Peace invite while Russia mulls paying for permanent seat with frozen assets Read also: From ice to blackouts, Kyivs most challenging winter exposes city leadership failures Read also: Trump blames Ukraine war negotiations deadlock on Moscow, Kyiv failing to align on talks Weve been working hard to bring you independent, locally-sourced news from Ukraine. Consider supporting the Kyiv Independent. Every day, nurses make thousands of clinical decisions that directly shape patient outcomes, safety, and recovery. Yet in many hospitals across the country, these critical choices are still guided by experience-based models rather than current evidence. For a profession that defines itself as patient-centered and science-driven, this approach contradicts the very standard of care we strive to uphold. True excellence in nursing is not defined by technology alone or by well-intentioned policy language. It is defined by whether the most current and credible evidence is consistently applied to patient care, in real time, by empowered nurses. Evidence-based practice, or EBP, is frequently misunderstood. It is not simply a reference buried in a policy manual or an abstract concept reserved for academic journals. At its core, EBP is a structured, disciplined process that enables nurses to identify gaps in care, evaluate the best available evidence, apply proven interventions, and measure outcomes with clarity and consistency. It replaces variability with intentional practice and transforms decision-making from reactive to informed. A clear example is the prevention of catheter-associated urinary tract infections (CAUTIs). Research has demonstrated that standardized evidence-based bundles, including proper catheter placement using aseptic technique, regular assessment of continued need, and timely removal, significantly reduce infection rates. When these interventions are applied consistently, complications drop, hospital stays shorten, and patient safety improves. Similarly, evidence-based assessment of patient mobility, combined with structured repositioning protocols and pressure injury prevention strategies, has been shown to dramatically reduce hospital-acquired pressure injuries. This is not theory. It is science translated into daily practice, where clinical excellence and operational efficiency intersect. Despite the proven impact of EBP, many health care organizations struggle to embed it into daily nursing workflows. The barrier is rarely a lack of motivation or capability among nurses. Instead, it is a systemic challenge. When nurses are managing multiple complex patients across a 12-hour shift, they are often forced to prioritize task completion over reflective clinical inquiry. Without protected time, reliable access to current research, leadership reinforcement, and formalized pathways to integrate evidence into practice, EBP becomes aspirational rather than operational. EBP as a strategic imperative for retention and quality The importance of evidence-based practice extends beyond clinical outcomes. It plays a critical role in nurse retention, professional satisfaction, and long-term workforce stability. Nurses who are empowered to deliver care grounded in evidence report stronger confidence in their clinical judgment, increased engagement, and a deeper sense of professional purpose. When nursing evolves from task-based execution to knowledge-driven care, it elevates the nurse from implementer to clinical partner. Nurses bring not only observations but data-supported insights into interdisciplinary discussions, strengthening collaboration and reinforcing their leadership role in patient care. This shift fosters professional respect, improves team dynamics, and contributes directly to safer, more coordinated care. Nurses remain where they feel valued, where their expertise is recognized, and where their contributions have measurable impact. In an era defined by workforce shortages and clinician burnout, nurse retention is no longer solely a human resources concern. It is a strategic operational priority linked directly to patient safety, financial stability, and long-term sustainability. Evidence-based practice also produces tangible financial benefits. Reduced complications, decreased variability, shorter lengths of stay, and fewer readmissions contribute to cost efficiency without compromising quality. It demonstrates that clinical excellence and fiscal stewardship are not competing priorities, but outcomes that reinforce one another when care is delivered with intention and precision. Building a culture of inquiry Organizations that have successfully embedded evidence-based nursing do not rely on isolated individual effort. They cultivate environments where inquiry is encouraged, professional governance structures are strong, and continuous improvement is part of daily practice. Magnet-recognized institutions exemplify this approach by ensuring that research is accessible, clinical questioning is normalized, and frontline nurses are empowered to lead change. At Emerson Health, our commitment to strengthening evidence-based practice is rooted in the belief that nursing must remain both compassionate and intellectually rigorous. We are actively embedding EBP into daily practice by expanding access to clinical research at the point of care, strengthening nurse-led governance structures, and introducing structured evidence-based frameworks such as the Iowa Model to guide practice change. Equally important, we are investing in education, mentorship, and professional development pathways that build confidence and skill in applying evidence at the bedside. By ensuring nurses have protected time and organizational backing to engage in inquiry, implement improvement initiatives, and evaluate outcomes, we move EBP from concept to culture. When nurses understand how to identify a clinical problem, consult the evidence, implement change, and measure its impact, they gain ownership of practice. That ownership strengthens professional identity and translates directly into higher-quality patient care and a more resilient workforce. The future of nursing will not be shaped by technology alone. It will be defined by how effectively health care systems enable nurses to integrate research, clinical expertise, and compassion into deliberate action. ADVERTISEMENT To my peers across the health care landscape, the message is clear: Evidence-based practice is not a program to be launched. It is a culture to be sustained. The question is no longer whether we support EBP in principle. The question is whether we are prepared to invest in what it truly requires: protected time, accessible resources, robust education, and unwavering leadership commitment from the C-suite to the bedside. Because excellence in nursing is not achieved by chance. It is achieved by design. And that design must begin with evidence. Mark Mahnfeldt is a health care executive. President Donald Trump joined world leaders for a signing ceremony in Switzerland on Jan. 22 for his "Board of Peace" and said it has the potential to be "one of the most consequential bodies," though it wasn't clear what specific function the board will have or under whose authority it might act. Trump suggested during the presentation that a peace settlement connected to Russia's war in Ukraine was "coming very soon." Ukrainian officials did not immediately return a request for comment on Trump's assertion. Trump and Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelenskyy were holding talks in Davos. Advertisement Advertisement The peace board was initially aimed at helping end the two-year war between Israel and Hamas in Gaza as well as overseeing the reconstruction of the Palestine enclave. Gaza peace plan: Trump administration announces next phase However, a leaked charter does not appear to mention the territory and suggests it may have some overlap with the role traditionally played by the United Nations and its various specialized agencies. President Donald Trump arrives in Davos to attend the World Economic Forum (WEF), on January 21, 2026 in Davos, Switzerland. The annual meeting of political and business leaders comes amid rising tensions between the United States and Europe over a range of issues, including Trump's vow to acquire Greenland, a semi-autonomous Danish territory. President Donald Trump (C-R) attends a bilateral meeting with NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte (C-L) alongside U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio, U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent, U.S. Secretary of Commerce Howard Lutnick, U.S. Secretary of Energy Chris Wright and U.S. Special Envoy to the Middle East Steve Witkoff on the sidelines of the World Economic Forum (WEF) Annual Meeting on January 21, 2026 in Davos, Switzerland. The annual meeting of political and business leaders comes amid rising tensions between the United States and Europe over a range of issues, including Trump's vow to acquire Greenland, a semi-autonomous Danish territory. President Donald Trump applauds after his special address during the World Economic Forum (WEF) annual meeting in Davos on Jan. 21, 2026. The World Economic Forum takes place in Davos from Jan. 19 to Jan. 23, 2026. President Donald Trump gestures as he leaves the congress centre during the World Economic Forum (WEF) annual meeting in Davos on January 21, 2026. The World Economic Forum takes place in Davos from January 19 to January 23, 2026. President Donald Trump leaves a plenary session at the Congress Hall, walking past journalists after his speech on the sidelines of the 56th annual meeting of the World Economic Forum (WEF) in Davos on Jan. 21, 2026. The World Economic Forum is taking place in Davos from Jan. 19 to Jan. 23, 2026. President Donald Trump (R) listens as NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte speaks during a bilateral meeting on the sidelines of the World Economic Forum (WEF) Annual Meeting on January 21, 2026 in Davos, Switzerland. The annual meeting of political and business leaders comes amid rising tensions between the United States and Europe over a range of issues, including Trump's vow to acquire Greenland, a semi-autonomous Danish territory. President Donald Trump looks on during the World Economic Forum (WEF) annual meeting in Davos on January 21, 2026. The World Economic Forum takes place in Davos from January 19 to January 23, 2026. President Donald Trump speaks during a bilateral meeting with NATO's Secretary-General on the sidelines of the World Economic Forum (WEF) annual meeting in Davos on January 21, 2026. The World Economic Forum takes place in Davos from January 19 to January 23, 2026. President Donald Trump leaves the congress centre during the World Economic Forum (WEF) annual meeting in Davos on January 21, 2026. The World Economic Forum takes place in Davos from January 19 to January 23, 2026. President Donald Trump addresses the media as he leaves the congress centre during the World Economic Forum (WEF) annual meeting in Davos on January 21, 2026. The World Economic Forum takes place in Davos from January 19 to January 23, 2026. President Donald Trump looks on as he leaves the congress centre during the World Economic Forum (WEF) annual meeting in Davos on January 21, 2026. The World Economic Forum takes place in Davos from January 19 to January 23, 2026. President Donald Trump gives a speech at the World Economic Forum (WEF) on January 21, 2026 in Davos, Switzerland. The annual meeting of political and business leaders comes amid rising tensions between the United States and Europe over a range of issues, including Trump's vow to acquire Greenland, a semi-autonomous Danish territory. President Donald Trump (R) speaks to Apple CEO Tim Cook (L) as he attends a reception for business leaders at the World Economic Forum (WEF) Annual Meeting on January 21, 2026 in Davos, Switzerland. The annual meeting of political and business leaders comes amid rising tensions between the United States and Europe over a range of issues, including Trump's vow to acquire Greenland, a semi-autonomous Danish territory. President Donald Trump greets executives during a reception for business leaders at the World Economic Forum (WEF) Annual Meeting on January 21, 2026 in Davos, Switzerland. The annual meeting of political and business leaders comes amid rising tensions between the United States and Europe over a range of issues, including Trump's vow to acquire Greenland, a semi-autonomous Danish territory. President Donald Trump speaks during a reception for business leaders at the World Economic Forum (WEF) Annual Meeting on January 21, 2026 in Davos, Switzerland. The annual meeting of political and business leaders comes amid rising tensions between the United States and Europe over a range of issues, including Trump's vow to acquire Greenland, a semi-autonomous Danish territory. President Donald Trump appears on a large screen as he addresses the World Economic Forum (WEF) in the Davos Congress Center on January 21, 2026 in Davos, Switzerland. The annual meeting of political and business leaders comes amid rising tensions between the United States and Europe over a range of issues, including Trump's vow to acquire Greenland, a semi-autonomous Danish territory. CEO of BlackRock Larry Fink (L) embraces U.S. President Donald Trump during an evening reception with business leaders at the World Economic Forum (WEF) at the Davos Congress Center on January 21, 2026 in Davos, Switzerland. The annual meeting of political and business leaders comes amid rising tensions between the United States and Europe over a range of issues, including Trump's vow to acquire Greenland, a semi-autonomous Danish territory. President Donald Trump takes the stage before delivering a speech at the World Economic Forum (WEF) at the Davos Congress Center on January 21, 2026 in Davos, Switzerland. The annual meeting of political and business leaders comes amid rising tensions between the United States and Europe over a range of issues, including Trump's vow to acquire Greenland, a semi-autonomous Danish territory. A Blackhawk helicopter, part of the U.S. Marine Corps HMX presidential helicopter squadron, travels between Zurich and Davos on its way to the World Economic Forum on January 21, 2026 near Liechtenstein. The annual meeting of political and business leaders comes amid rising tensions between the United States and Europe over a range of issues, including U.S. President Trump's vow to acquire Greenland, a semi-autonomous Danish territory. President Donald Trump disembarks Marine One as he arrives in Davos to attend the World Economic Forum (WEF), on January 21, 2026 in Davos, Switzerland. The annual meeting of political and business leaders comes amid rising tensions between the United States and Europe over a range of issues, including Trump's vow to acquire Greenland, a semi-autonomous Danish territory. Trump mingles with global leaders in Davos for World Economic Forum 1 of 20 President Donald Trump arrives in Davos to attend the World Economic Forum (WEF), on January 21, 2026 in Davos, Switzerland. The annual meeting of political and business leaders comes amid rising tensions between the United States and Europe over a range of issues, including Trump's vow to acquire Greenland, a semi-autonomous Danish territory. "We can do pretty much whatever we want to do," Trump said onstage in Davos in the Swiss Alps, where he is attending the World Economic Forum. Trump said the board has "tremendous potential" and would work in conjunction with the United Nations. Russia's Putin on 'Board of Peace'? The signing ceremony featured leaders from Azerbaijan, Argentina, Indonesia, Qatar and Kosovo. The only European leader on the board was Hungary's Prime Minister Viktor Orban. Trump has said Russia's leader Vladimir Putin has accepted an invitation to appear on the board. Russia's government has not confirmed that. Advertisement Advertisement Trump concluded the event by talking about Gaza. "I'm a real estate person at heart, and it's all about location, and I said look at this location on the sea. Look at this beautiful piece of property, what it could be for so many people." The signing ceremony in Davos comes in the wake of Trump's announcement while at the mountain forum that he had negotiated "the framework of a future deal about Greenland and the wider Arctic that rules out taking the territory by force. Trump has repeatedly said the United States needs to annex Greenland for reasons of national security. He said that deal meant he was lifting the threat of tariffs against European allies opposed to his designs on the Danish territory. Greenlandic and Danish officials have they have seen few details about the deal floated by Trump. This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Trump says Ukraine deal 'coming soon' during Board of Peace signing WASHINGTON President Donald Trump said the United States will have "total access" to Greenland as a result of a deal he says he negotiated, and build as many military bases as it wants on the Arctic island. The framework is still being negotiated, Trump told Fox Business anchor Maria Bartiromo. But he said, as he wrapped up a trip to the World Economic Forum meeting in Davos, Switzerland, "We will have everything we want. We're getting everything we want at no cost." "Im not going to have to pay anything. Were going to have total access to Greenland. Well have all the military access that we want," Trump said. President Donald Trump arrives in Davos to attend the World Economic Forum (WEF), on January 21, 2026 in Davos, Switzerland. The annual meeting of political and business leaders comes amid rising tensions between the United States and Europe over a range of issues, including Trump's vow to acquire Greenland, a semi-autonomous Danish territory. President Donald Trump (C-R) attends a bilateral meeting with NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte (C-L) alongside U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio, U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent, U.S. Secretary of Commerce Howard Lutnick, U.S. Secretary of Energy Chris Wright and U.S. Special Envoy to the Middle East Steve Witkoff on the sidelines of the World Economic Forum (WEF) Annual Meeting on January 21, 2026 in Davos, Switzerland. The annual meeting of political and business leaders comes amid rising tensions between the United States and Europe over a range of issues, including Trump's vow to acquire Greenland, a semi-autonomous Danish territory. President Donald Trump applauds after his special address during the World Economic Forum (WEF) annual meeting in Davos on Jan. 21, 2026. The World Economic Forum takes place in Davos from Jan. 19 to Jan. 23, 2026. President Donald Trump gestures as he leaves the congress centre during the World Economic Forum (WEF) annual meeting in Davos on January 21, 2026. The World Economic Forum takes place in Davos from January 19 to January 23, 2026. President Donald Trump leaves a plenary session at the Congress Hall, walking past journalists after his speech on the sidelines of the 56th annual meeting of the World Economic Forum (WEF) in Davos on Jan. 21, 2026. The World Economic Forum is taking place in Davos from Jan. 19 to Jan. 23, 2026. President Donald Trump (R) listens as NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte speaks during a bilateral meeting on the sidelines of the World Economic Forum (WEF) Annual Meeting on January 21, 2026 in Davos, Switzerland. The annual meeting of political and business leaders comes amid rising tensions between the United States and Europe over a range of issues, including Trump's vow to acquire Greenland, a semi-autonomous Danish territory. President Donald Trump looks on during the World Economic Forum (WEF) annual meeting in Davos on January 21, 2026. The World Economic Forum takes place in Davos from January 19 to January 23, 2026. President Donald Trump speaks during a bilateral meeting with NATO's Secretary-General on the sidelines of the World Economic Forum (WEF) annual meeting in Davos on January 21, 2026. The World Economic Forum takes place in Davos from January 19 to January 23, 2026. President Donald Trump leaves the congress centre during the World Economic Forum (WEF) annual meeting in Davos on January 21, 2026. The World Economic Forum takes place in Davos from January 19 to January 23, 2026. President Donald Trump addresses the media as he leaves the congress centre during the World Economic Forum (WEF) annual meeting in Davos on January 21, 2026. The World Economic Forum takes place in Davos from January 19 to January 23, 2026. President Donald Trump looks on as he leaves the congress centre during the World Economic Forum (WEF) annual meeting in Davos on January 21, 2026. The World Economic Forum takes place in Davos from January 19 to January 23, 2026. President Donald Trump gives a speech at the World Economic Forum (WEF) on January 21, 2026 in Davos, Switzerland. The annual meeting of political and business leaders comes amid rising tensions between the United States and Europe over a range of issues, including Trump's vow to acquire Greenland, a semi-autonomous Danish territory. President Donald Trump (R) speaks to Apple CEO Tim Cook (L) as he attends a reception for business leaders at the World Economic Forum (WEF) Annual Meeting on January 21, 2026 in Davos, Switzerland. The annual meeting of political and business leaders comes amid rising tensions between the United States and Europe over a range of issues, including Trump's vow to acquire Greenland, a semi-autonomous Danish territory. President Donald Trump greets executives during a reception for business leaders at the World Economic Forum (WEF) Annual Meeting on January 21, 2026 in Davos, Switzerland. The annual meeting of political and business leaders comes amid rising tensions between the United States and Europe over a range of issues, including Trump's vow to acquire Greenland, a semi-autonomous Danish territory. President Donald Trump speaks during a reception for business leaders at the World Economic Forum (WEF) Annual Meeting on January 21, 2026 in Davos, Switzerland. The annual meeting of political and business leaders comes amid rising tensions between the United States and Europe over a range of issues, including Trump's vow to acquire Greenland, a semi-autonomous Danish territory. President Donald Trump appears on a large screen as he addresses the World Economic Forum (WEF) in the Davos Congress Center on January 21, 2026 in Davos, Switzerland. The annual meeting of political and business leaders comes amid rising tensions between the United States and Europe over a range of issues, including Trump's vow to acquire Greenland, a semi-autonomous Danish territory. CEO of BlackRock Larry Fink (L) embraces U.S. President Donald Trump during an evening reception with business leaders at the World Economic Forum (WEF) at the Davos Congress Center on January 21, 2026 in Davos, Switzerland. The annual meeting of political and business leaders comes amid rising tensions between the United States and Europe over a range of issues, including Trump's vow to acquire Greenland, a semi-autonomous Danish territory. President Donald Trump takes the stage before delivering a speech at the World Economic Forum (WEF) at the Davos Congress Center on January 21, 2026 in Davos, Switzerland. The annual meeting of political and business leaders comes amid rising tensions between the United States and Europe over a range of issues, including Trump's vow to acquire Greenland, a semi-autonomous Danish territory. A Blackhawk helicopter, part of the U.S. Marine Corps HMX presidential helicopter squadron, travels between Zurich and Davos on its way to the World Economic Forum on January 21, 2026 near Liechtenstein. The annual meeting of political and business leaders comes amid rising tensions between the United States and Europe over a range of issues, including U.S. President Trump's vow to acquire Greenland, a semi-autonomous Danish territory. President Donald Trump disembarks Marine One as he arrives in Davos to attend the World Economic Forum (WEF), on January 21, 2026 in Davos, Switzerland. The annual meeting of political and business leaders comes amid rising tensions between the United States and Europe over a range of issues, including Trump's vow to acquire Greenland, a semi-autonomous Danish territory. Trump mingles with global leaders in Davos for World Economic Forum 1 of 20 President Donald Trump arrives in Davos to attend the World Economic Forum (WEF), on January 21, 2026 in Davos, Switzerland. The annual meeting of political and business leaders comes amid rising tensions between the United States and Europe over a range of issues, including Trump's vow to acquire Greenland, a semi-autonomous Danish territory. Trump conceded the United States may not end up formally acquiring Greenland, which he had previously insisted upon. Advertisement Advertisement "Well, I don't know if I could say that, but it could be. It's possible. Anything's possible," Trump said of U.S. ownership. In the meantime, the United States is getting "total security" and "total access" to the Danish territory, with "no time limit" for America's military footprint there to end, Trump said. He also said the Golden Dome air defense system that the United States is building will cover Greenland. "We're getting everything we wanted," Trump said. "I noticed the stock market went up very substantially after we announced it," Trump said. "But the details are being negotiated now. It will be very good." Advertisement Advertisement Related: Why Trump's Greenland deal has some saying 'TACO' again Trump backs off threatened tariffs on Europe The emerging agreement that Trump said he brokered on Jan. 21 with NATO's secretary general in Davos represents a stunning climbdown for the U.S. president, who used his address at the Swiss summit to berate America's allies. In his speech, he ruled out the notion of using military force to take control of the island. Still, he argued that Denmark should transfer ownership of Greenland to the United States. America has greater means than Denmark to protect the Arctic territory from foreign adversaries, Trump said. U.S. President Donald Trump at the 56th annual World Economic Forum meeting in Davos, Switzerland, January 22, 2026. The stock market reacted poorly to Trump's pressure campaign. The S&P 500 index posted its worst day in three months on Jan. 20. It rebounded after Trump announced on Truth Social that he'd "formed the framework of a future deal with respect to Greenland" after meeting with NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte and backed off tariffs he said he'd be putting on European nations. Advertisement Advertisement Asked about Denmark's position on the deal as he traveled back to the United States aboard Air Force One, Trump said: I think everyone likes it." "I mean, I think? Ill let you know in about two weeks," he added. Danish Minister for Foreign Affairs Lars Lkke Rasmussen breathed a sigh of relief after Trump's Truth Social announcement, saying in a statement, The day is ending on a better note than it began." "We welcome that President Trump has ruled out to take Greenland by force and paused the trade war with Europe. Now, lets sit down and find out how we can address the American security concerns in the Arctic while respecting the red lines of the Kingdom of Denmark," he said. Advertisement Advertisement A 1951 treaty with Denmark already allows the United States to establish or operate "defense areas" inside Greenland with the permission of the Danish government. The treaty allows the United States "to improve and generally to fit the area for military use," in collaboration with Denmark. It was not immediately clear how the deal that Trump said he was negotiating would differ. The United States and Denmark previously announced the formation of a "working group" of high-level officials to discuss the dispute over Greenland. Visual story: Trump's Greenland gambit explained with maps Contributing: Zac Anderson This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Trump discusses Greenland deal, says US is getting 'total access' President Donald Trump says the US is exploring a potential deal on Greenland after talks with Nato as he backed off threats to tariff European allies that had opposed his plans for America to acquire the island. On social media, Trump offered few details about a discussion that both he and Nato described as "very productive". After rattling the transatlantic alliance with weeks of rhetoric, the US president said the meeting had led to the "framework" of a potential agreement. Advertisement Advertisement But there was no suggestion of a deal that might meet Trump's demand for "ownership" of Greenland, an ambition he restated at the World Economic Forum in Switzerland, while also ruling out military force. On Truth Social on Wednesday, the US president said: "We have formed the framework of a future deal with respect to Greenland and, in fact, the entire Arctic Region. "This solution, if consummated, will be a great one for the United States of America, and all Nato Nations." Diplomatic sources told the BBC's US partner CBS that there was no agreement for American control or ownership of the autonomous Danish dependent territory. Advertisement Advertisement Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Special Envoy Steve Witkoff would "report directly" to him, Trump added, as negotiations continued. Danish Foreign Minister Lars Lkke Rasmussen said in a statement: "The day is ending on a better note than it began." He added: "Now, let's sit down and find out how we can address the American security concerns in the Arctic while respecting the red lines of the Kingdom of Denmark." In the hours that followed, some details trickled out. Advertisement Advertisement After meeting Nato Secretary General Mark Rutte at the Swiss Alpine resort, Trump told reporters the possible deal could involve mineral rights. He also said European allies could work together on Trump's other plan for a Golden Dome defence system to protect the US from long-range missile strikes. Along with Greenland's strategic location, the US has spoken about the island's vast - and largely untapped - reserves of rare earth minerals, many of which are crucial for technologies including mobile phones and electric vehicles. "It's the ultimate long-term deal," Trump told reporters. "It puts everybody in a really good position, especially as it pertains to security and to minerals. Advertisement Advertisement "It's a deal that's forever." Nato's secretary general said he had not discussed the key issue of Danish sovereignty over Greenland in his meeting with Trump. Rutte told Fox News the "issue did not come up anymore in my conversations tonight with the president". Trump had previously dismissed the idea of leasing Greenland, saying that "you defend ownership. You don't defend leases." Nato spokeswoman Allison Hart said in a statement after the meeting between Trump and Rutte: "Negotiations between Denmark, Greenland, and the United States will go forward aimed at ensuring that Russia and China never gain a foothold - economically or militarily - in Greenland." Advertisement Advertisement However, one of two Greenlandic lawmakers in the Danish parliament questioned why Nato would have any input on the island's mineral wealth. "Nato in no case has the right to negotiate on anything without us, Greenland. Nothing about us without us," Aaja Chenmitz said. According to US media, the potential plan could allow the US to build more military bases on the territory. Officials who attended the Nato meeting on Wednesday told the New York Times a template for the suggested arrangement might be similar to British sovereign bases in Cyprus. The bases, which include Akrotiri and Dhekelia, remained under UK sovereignty after Cyprus became independent in 1960. However, Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen said on Thursday that Denmark could negotiate on "everything political; security, investments, economy. But we cannot negotiate on our sovereignty". Advertisement Advertisement Under existing agreements with Denmark, the US can bring as many troops as it wants to Greenland. It already has more than 100 military personnel permanently stationed at its Pituffik base in the north-western tip of the territory. Trump had been threatening to place a 10% tariff "on any and all goods" sent from the UK to the US from 1 February, increasing to 25% from 1 June, until a deal was reached for Washington to purchase Greenland from Denmark. The same would have applied to goods from Denmark, Norway, Sweden, France, Germany, the Netherlands and Finland all of which are members of Nato, the defence alliance founded in 1949. But the US president abandoned talk of a trade war after meeting Rutte. Advertisement Advertisement "Based upon this understanding, I will not be imposing the Tariffs that were scheduled to go into effect on February 1st," Trump said in his post on Truth Social. In his first speech in six years to the World Economic Forum in Davos on Wednesday, Trump said he was "seeking immediate negotiations" to acquire Greenland, but insisted the US would not take the territory by force. "We probably won't get anything unless I decide to use excessive force. We'd be unstoppable, but we won't do that," Trump said. "I don't have to use force. I don't want to use force. I won't use force." He also urged world leaders to allow the US to take control of Greenland from Denmark, saying: "You can say yes and we will be very appreciative. Or you can say no and we will remember." Advertisement Advertisement In his own speech at Davos a day earlier, French President Emmanuel Macron criticised Trump's previous threat of import taxes. He said an "endless accumulation of new tariffs" from the US was "fundamentally unacceptable". Macron was among those urging the EU to consider retaliatory options against new US levies. In his speech, Trump took aim at Macron, saying France had been "screwing" the US for decades. The US president also took a swipe at Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney, who urged "middle powers" such as Australia, Argentina and his own country to band together when he spoke at Davos a day earlier. Advertisement Advertisement In response, the US president accused Carney of being ungrateful to the US. "Canada lives because of the United States," Trump said. "Remember that, Mark, the next time you make your statements." President Donald Trump said hes reached an agreement with NATO on a Greenland framework and will not be imposing planned tariffs on European allies. The president said in a social media post the deal will be a great one for both the U.S. and NATO allies but did not elaborate on the details of the agreement with NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte. Based upon this understanding, I will not be imposing the Tariffs that were scheduled to go into effect on February 1st, Trump wrote. Advertisement Advertisement The deal eases tensions over control of Greenland, which Trump has aggressively sought to wrest control of from Denmark while citing national security concerns. In an interview on CNBC conducted shortly after his social media post, the president said, We have a concept of a deal. I think it's going to be a very good deal for the United States, also for them, and we're going to work together on something having to do with the Arctic as a whole, but also Greenland. And it has to do with the security, great security, strong security, and other things. Trump steered clear of providing further details, including whether the framework involved any degree of U.S. ownership of Greenland or mineral rights. It's a little bit complex, but we'll explain it down the line. Advertisement Advertisement Asked how long the deal will last, Trump said forever. Trump, in his Truth Social post, said discussions around a missile defense system pertaining to Greenland are part of the negotiations, which will be led by Vice President JD Vance, Secretary of State Marco Rubio and special envoy Steve Witkoff. NATO spokesperson Allison Hart said in a statement the framework will focus on Arctic security "through the collective efforts of Allies, especially the seven Arctic allies." Hart added that negotiations between the U.S. and Denmark over Greenland "will go forward." Danish Foreign Minister Lars Lkke Rasmussen welcomed Trump's decisions to back off his tariff threat and rule out military force in Greenland in a post Wednesday evening. Advertisement Advertisement "Now, lets sit down and find out how we can address the American security concerns in the Arctic while respecting the red lines of the [Kingdom of Denmark]," Rasmussen said. U.S. stock markets rallied Wednesday on news Trump had backed off his tariff threat. Prior to his trip to the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, Trump had threatened new duties on eight European nations, including Denmark and major NATO allies like the United Kingdom, France and Germany. At the time, the president said the tariffs would be in effect until a Deal is reached for the Complete and Total purchase of Greenland. U.S. imports from the eight countries were about $302 billion from January through October of 2025, about 10.5 percent of total U.S. imports in that period. Advertisement Advertisement Trump had also dangled the possibility of using military force to annex the Danish territory and was exploring a range of options that included military action to take control of Greenland earlier in January. But in a speech at Davos on Wednesday, Trump ruled out the use of military action in Greenland. We probably wont get anything unless I decide to use excessive strength and force, where we would be frankly unstoppable. But I wont do that, OK? Trump said in the speech. The U.S. campaign to take control of Greenland has been met with unusually strong resistance from European allies, who have insisted that Greenlands geographic significance in defending the Arctic is critical to NATO member states and should be controlled in coordination with NATO. European allies had been threatening strong responses to the looming tariffs. European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said Wednesday the EU is fully prepared to act in retaliation to the tariffs. Keir Starmer, prime minister of the United Kingdom, said he will not yield over Greenland despite the threat of tariffs. Advertisement Advertisement A spokesperson for the Danish Embassy in the U.S. did not immediately respond to a request for comment. In a panel at Davos on Wednesday, Rutte said NATO nations should be happy with Trumps role in reshuffling NATO, a security alliance he has sharply criticized dating back to his first term in office. Rutte acknowledged that his embrace of Trump is not popular with European nations. In backing off, Trump may be able to maintain a fragile status quo with Europe, even as U.S. officials have expressed frustration that the European Union isnt living up to a July trade agreement that eliminated tariffs on a variety of U.S. goods in exchange for a 15 percent tariff on most European goods. But the latest episode renews questions about the reliability of the United States as a trading partner. Last year, the Trump administration struck trade deals with both the EU and the U.K. that set new reciprocal U.S. tariffs on them at 15 percent and 10 percent, respectively. Advertisement Advertisement Speaking in Davos on Wednesday at an event hosted by Axios, U.S. Trade Representative Jamieson Greer brushed aside such concerns, saying Trumps agreements arent intended to permanently spare countries from tariff threats if new issues arise. We have a trade deal we agreed to last summer with the EU. It was not comprehensive. It was not a deal that said, you know, Here's a deal, and if there's any other issues, we just won't raise them. We won't talk about them and pretend they don't exist, Greer said. Gavin Newsom said he was denied entry to the U.S. hub in Davos, Switzerland, on Wednesday after he ripped into President Donald Trumps speech before political and business leaders. The California governor, 58, accused the White House and the State Department of pressuring USA House, the official pavilion for Americans at the World Economic Forum, into canceling his talk with Fortune at the last minute. Under pressure from the White House and State Department, USA House (a church acting as the official US pavilion) is now denying entry to @CAGovernor Gavin Newsom to speak with media after Fortune the official media partner invited him to speak, his press office wrote on X. BREAKING: Under pressure from the White House and State Department, USA House (a church acting as the official US pavilion) is now denying entry to @CAGovernor Gavin Newsom to speak with media after Fortune the official media partner invited him to speak. Governor Newsom Press Office (@GovPressOffice) January 21, 2026 California was just denied at the USA House, Newsom later said. Last we checked, California is part of USA. California was just denied at the USA House. Last we checked, California is part of USA. https://t.co/YSSxBe9txf Governor Gavin Newsom (@CAgovernor) January 21, 2026 The White House swiftly denied the Democratic firebrands accusation. Advertisement Advertisement No one in Davos knows who third-rate governor Newscum is or why he is frolicking around Switzerland instead of fixing the many problems he created in California, White House spokesperson Anna Kelly said in a statement to the Daily Beast. The state department referred the Daily Beast to the White Houses statement. USA House states on its website that it does not represent the U.S. government and does not organize official government programming. In a private text exchange obtained by Politico, a USA House representative denied to a Newsom administration official that the organization un-invited the California governor or acted with a political motive. USA House emphasized in the text exchange that Newsom was still welcome to the venue, according to the outlet. Earlier on Wednesday, Newsom tore into the 79-year-old presidents rambling speech that he described as boring, and at times boorish. Advertisement Advertisement It was insignificant in its insignificance. He said what we all knew: that hes not going to invade Greenland, he told The Guardian. Trump delivered a low-energy speech after he landed in Switzerland nearly three hours behind schedule following an electrical issue on Air Force One that forced the presidential jet to make an abrupt U-turn to Washington, D.C. late Tuesday night. The president spent more than an hour promising not to take Greenland, a semiautonomous territory of Denmark, by forcewhile mistakenly referring to it as Icelandand airing grievances against European allies. Newsom was namedropped at one point. Advertisement Advertisement Were going to help the people in California. We want to have no crime, Trump said. I know Gavin was here. I used to get along so great with Gavin when I was president. Gavins a good guy, and were going to. If he needed it, I would do it in a heartbeat. Id love to seewe did help them a lot in Los Angeles, a lot with the early, early in my term, when they had some problems, but we would love to do it, he went on. Cameras captured Newsom breaking into a grin as he listened on. The President of the United States is at Davos addressing the worlds top leaders and he still cant stop thinking about @CAGovernor Gavin Newsom, his press office later quipped on X. US President Donald Trump is expected to hold a signing ceremony for a deal establishing a "Board of Peace" at the World Economic Forum in Davos on Thursday 22 January. Source: ABC News Details: ABC News, citing US officials, said invitations to the "Board of Peace" had been sent to more than 50 world leaders over the weekend. A White House spokesperson said around 30 countries are expected to join. Advertisement Advertisement Some US allies have reacted cautiously to the initiative, either withholding public support for the board or turning down Trump's invitation, as they question the need for an alternative to the United Nations. Quote from Trump: "I think the board of peace will be the most prestigious board ever, and it's going to get a lot of work done that the United Nations should have done. And we'll work with the United Nations. But the 'Board of Peace' is going to be special. We're going to have peace." Details: Asked on Tuesday at the White House whether the board would replace the UN, Trump replied: "It might." Advertisement Advertisement France, Norway and Sweden have either refused to join or expressed serious reservations about the board, while Germany, the UK and Italy have remained noncommittal. The Kremlin confirmed this week that Russia had also received an invitation, despite its ongoing war against Ukraine. The full list of invitees has not been released by the White House. It is unknown how many countries will sign the agreement during Thursday's ceremony. A draft charter reviewed by ABC News states that the "Board of Peace" would have a broader mandate as an international organisation and peacekeeping body, aiming to resolve global conflicts and secure lasting peace, similar to a US-led alternative to the United Nations. Advertisement Advertisement Trump is expected to chair the board and could potentially hold the position for life. Quote from an American official: "The Chairmanship can be held by President Trump until he resigns it. A future US president, however, may choose to appoint or designate the United States' representative to the Board." Previously: Trump has invited 49 countries and the European Commission to join a "Board of Peace" for Gaza. Ukraine is among the invitees, but has not yet responded. Background: It was reported earlier that Russia and Belarus are among the countries that have been invited to join Trump's "Board of Peace". On 20 January, self-proclaimed Belarusian president Alexander Lukashenko became the first world leader to sign an official confirmation that his country would accept Trump's invitation to join the "Board of Peace". According to Trump's plans, the "Board of Peace for Gaza" is to be created under the broader umbrella of the "Board of Peace". Trump intends to ask countries to pay US$1 billion for permanent membership. Kremlin leader Vladimir Putin said that Russia is willing to contribute US$1 billion from Russian assets frozen in the US to Trump's "Board of Peace for Gaza". Support Ukrainska Pravda on Patreon! Some of the United States longest standing allies have scorned en masse a signing ceremony for Donald Trumps new Board of Peace initiative. Not a single representative from a Western European country was present at the launch Thursday morning at the World Economic Forum in Davos. Armenia's Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan, Donald Trump and Argentina's President Javier Milei, left, sign founding charter at the Fewer than 20 nations made an appearance, among them Gulf States like Saudi Arabia, Qatar and the UAE, along with Argentina and Paraguay. The number stands well below the 35 anticipated by senior White House officials. Leaders who did show up included Azerbaijani despot Ilham Aliyev and far-right Hungarian leader Viktor Orban. / Chip Somodevilla / Getty Images Every one of thems a friend of mine, Trump said from the stage. In this group I like every single one of them, can you believe it? Usually I have about two or three that I cant stand. Advertisement Advertisement Theyre great people, he added. Theyre great leaders. As about a dozen world leaders sat stone-faced on the stage, Trump went on to brag that his new group would bring glorious peace to the Middle East. For that region and for the whole region of the world, because Im calling the world a region, he said. The world is a region. Everybody in this room is a star. Youre all stars, he said. There were moments during the signing when Leavitt appeared to be the only person applauding Trump. / FABRICE COFFRINI / AFP via Getty Images At several points throughout the signing ceremony, White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt appeared to be the only person in the room loudly applauding before others slowly joined in. Trumps Board of Peace, which offers permanent membership for a $1 billion dollar fee, has the stated goals of promoting stability and restoring lawful governance in conflict zones, initially focusing on reconstruction of the Gaza Strip. But critics have slammed the initiative as an effort by Trump to create a MAGA-fied corollary to the United Nations. Advertisement Advertisement Israel, whose president Isaac Herzog is presently at the Davos summit, did not send a representative to Wednesdays ceremony. Other invitees whod otherwise attended the conferenceamong them French President Emmanuel Macron, German Chancellor Friedrich Merz, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carneyalso did not show up. European partners have expressed skepticism about the Board of Peace given the U.S. presidents decision to invite Russian tyrant Vladimir Putin, whos engaged in a bloody war against Western ally Ukraine, and Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko, a close Putin ally and key enabler of that conflict. Macron, who had stern words for the U.S. during the Davos summit, had already left for France by the time of Trump's ceremony. / FABRICE COFFRINI / AFP via Getty Images The initiatives unveiling also came amid Trumps own mounting threats to take control of Greenland, an autonomous territory of NATO ally Denmark, which the president has chalked up to his snub for the Nobel Peace Prize last year. Advertisement Advertisement Considering your Country decided not to give me the Nobel Peace Prize for having stopped 8 Wars PLUS, I no longer feel an obligation to think purely of Peace, the MAGA leader wrote in a letter to Norways prime minister earlier this week. The Norwegian government is not in any way affiliated with the Nobel Committee, a non-state body that decides independently who will be granted its various prestigious awards. On Wednesday, Trump said progress had been made toward a deal on advancing U.S. interests in Greenland while avoiding military confrontation with other NATO members and the brewing trade war with Europe his threats have helped spark. Despite his public threats about taking control of Greenland, including potentially by military force, President Donald Trump arrived in Davos on Wednesday looking to negotiate a deal that would give the United States more control over security of the island and the broader Arctic region, a congressional official and two former U.S. officials told NBC News. Trump dispatched senior U.S. officials to Davos ahead of his trip to lay the groundwork for an agreement, the officials said. Trumps pressure campaign rattled longtime U.S. partners, and his threat to impose tariffs on countries standing in his way on Greenland escalated the clash into a transatlantic crisis. Advertisement Advertisement He backed off that threat after meeting with NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte on Wednesday, saying in a Truth Social post that he would not proceed with the tariffs and announcing the pair had agreed to the framework of a future deal on Greenland. Trump went into the meeting with the expectation that he would announce a broad framework of a deal on Greenland, the congressional official and one of the former U.S. officials said. Negotiations on a deal are preliminary, and its not clear the president will secure a final agreement or what that would entail. Trump has mentioned possibly adding U.S. troops and more military bases in Greenland, particularly with respect to supporting the Golden Dome missile defense system, the two former U.S. officials said. Advertisement Advertisement Follow live coverage here Trump said during his Davos address that he would not use military force to acquire Greenland, a position he had privately conveyed to his close advisers and with allies in advance, according to the congressional official, the two former U.S. officials and a European diplomat. The private signaling to allies was that this wasnt going to be Venezuela, the European diplomat said. An increased NATO presence in the Arctic would send a stronger message to China and Russia and support the Golden Dome missile defense system, the European diplomat said. Some of the presidents close advisers have tried to persuade him in recent days against the idea of using military force to take over Greenland, a current U.S. official, the congressional official and the two former U.S. officials said. Advertisement Advertisement Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Dan Caine laid out potential options for Trump and the impacts of using military force to seize Greenland, and the president decided against it, the current U.S. official and congressional official said. A spokesperson for the Joint Staff declined to comment on the specifics of any private discussions. The Chairmans job is to provide military advice and a range of options for the president, secretary of defense and the National Security Council, the spokesperson said. Americas NATO allies have also tried to convince Trump that acquiring Greenland, particularly through military force, would hurt the U.S. in part by shattering longtime alliances. The U.S. already has huge leeway to establish military bases on Greenland as part of a 1951 agreement. (Jonathan Nackstrand / AFP via Getty Images) (Jonathan Nackstrand) Denmark welcomed the news of the framework deal but on Thursday, the country's prime minister insisted it cant negotiate on its sovereignty. A NATO spokesperson also stressed that Rutte did not propose any compromise to sovereignty during his meeting with Trump in Davos on Wednesday. Advertisement Advertisement Trump said Thursday that he was seeking total access to Greenland and that the U.S. would get everything we want at no cost. In an interview with Fox Business Network, Trump said a piece of the Golden Dome system would be on Greenland. Its really being negotiated now, the details of it, but essentially its total access. Theres no end, theres no time limit, he said. Im not gonna have to pay anything. Were gonna have total access to Greenland. Were gonna have all military access that we want, Trump told host Maria Bartiromo. Were going to be able to put what we need on Greenland because we want it. Were talking about national security and international security. White House spokesperson Anna Kelly said in a statement, If this deal goes through, and President Trump is very hopeful it will, the United States will be achieving all of its strategic goals with respect to Greenland, at very little cost, forever. President Trump is proving once again hes the Dealmaker in Chief. As details are finalized by all parties involved, they will be released accordingly. Advertisement Advertisement Trump told reporters before the meeting with Rutte that he could see there being a reasonable price for Greenland, but did not say what that figure could be. NBC News has reported that Greenland could cost as much as $700 billion to purchase. In Trumps speech at Davos, he set up a choice for European leaders, telling the crowd that we want a piece of ice for world protection, and they wont give it. You can say yes and we will be appreciative, Trump said. Or, say no and we will remember. The European diplomat said U.S. allies have been looking for options that would make Trump happy without selling Greenland. Advertisement Advertisement The official was hopeful Davos would offer an opportunity for direct conversations with Trump on a path forward. Everyone is looking for an offramp, but I think only President Trump knows what that could be, the diplomat said. This article was originally published on NBCNews.com NEED TO KNOW A Florida lawsuit filed on behalf of President Donald Trump accuses JPMorgan Chase and CEO Jamie Dimon of "debanking him" The president accused America's biggest bank, and its leader, of notifying him that his accounts would be closed following the Jan. 6, 2021, Capitol riot, with the lawsuit stating the president is "confident" that the decision was political "While we regret President Trump has sued us, we believe the suit has no merit," a JPMorgan Chase spokesperson told NBC News. "We respect the Presidents right to sue us and our right to defend ourselves thats what courts are for" President Donald Trump is suing JPMorgan Chase and its CEO, Jamie Dimon, as he accuses the company of debanking him. Trump, 79, alleges in a lawsuit that America's biggest bank severed ties with him for political reasons after the Capitol riot on Jan. 6, 2021, claiming JPMorgan Chase incorrectly and inappropriately discriminated against him. Advertisement Advertisement The suit, filed in Florida and obtained by multiple outlets, alleges that in February 2021, the bank notified Trump saying his accounts would be closed within two months. The president is seeking $5 billion in damages. "Plaintiffs are confident that JPMCs unilateral decision came about as a result of political and social motivations, and JPMCs unsubstantiated, 'woke' beliefs that it needed to distance itself from President Trump and his conservative political views," the lawsuit claims, according to USA Today. "In essence, JPMC debanked Plaintiffs Accounts because it believed that the political tide at the moment favored doing so." Attorney Alejandro Brito, who filed the suit on Trump's behalf, has also been involved in the Trump family's defamation suits and legal threats against media companies like ABC News and BBC, and individuals like Hunter Biden and Michael Wolff. Advertisement Advertisement A spokesperson for JPMorgan Chase told The Guardian that the bank does not close accounts for political or religious reasons. We do close accounts because they create legal or regulatory risk for the company," the spokesperson added. "We regret having to do so but often rules and regulatory expectations lead us to do so. In a separate statement to NBC News, a spokesperson for the bank said, "While we regret President Trump has sued us, we believe the suit has no merit," adding, "We respect the Presidents right to sue us and our right to defend ourselves thats what courts are for." PEOPLE reached out to Brito for comment. Advertisement Advertisement The lawsuit comes two months after the financial institution's leader, Dimon, revealed that he had no intention to help fund Trump's new White House ballroom a 90,000-square-foot addition to the White House with an estimated $400 million price tag. The ballrooms construction is reportedly funded by Trump and other donors, including Amazon, Apple, Google, HP, Microsoft, T-Mobile, Booz Allen Hamilton, Union Pacific Railroad, Palantir Technologies, the Lutnick family, and Tyler and Cameron Winklevoss. JPMorgan chase was not on the list. Never miss a story sign up for PEOPLE's free daily newsletter to stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from celebrity news to compelling human interest stories. During a November 2025 interview with CNNs Erin Burnett, Dimon was asked why his company did not contribute. We have an issue, OK, which is anything we do, since we do a lot of contracts with governments here and around the world, we have to be very careful about how anything is perceived, Dimon replied. And also how the next DOJ is going to deal with it. He went on to say, So, were quite conscious of risks we bear by doing anything that looks like buying favors or anything like that. Advertisement Advertisement So, do we do things like that? And by the way, we also have policies where we dont do certain things because it makes it easier for us, he added. During the 2024 election, Trump falsely claimed that Dimon had endorsed him, NBC News reported. The CEO has at times been critical of the presidents policies, saying on Wednesday, Jan. 21, during the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, "I dont like what Im seeing." Read the original article on People NEW YORK (AP) President Donald Trump sued banking giant JPMorgan Chase and its CEO Jamie Dimon for $5 billion on Thursday over allegations that JPMorgan stopped providing banking services to him and his businesses for political reasons after he left office in January 2021. The lawsuit, filed in Miami-Dade County court in Florida, alleges that JPMorgan abruptly closed multiple accounts in February 2021 with just 60 days notice and no explanation. By doing so, Trump claims JPMorgan and Dimon cut the president and his businesses off from millions of dollars, disrupted their operations and forced Trump and the businesses to urgently open bank accounts elsewhere. JPMC debanked (Trump and his businesses) because it believed that the political tide at the moment favored doing so, the lawsuit alleges. Advertisement Advertisement In the lawsuit, Trump alleges he tried to raise the issue personally with Dimon after the bank started to close his accounts, and that Dimon assured Trump he would figure out what was happening. The lawsuit alleges Dimon failed to follow up with Trump. Further, Trumps lawyers allege that JPMorgan placed the president and his companies on a reputational blacklist that both JPMorgan and other banks use to keep clients from opening accounts with them in the future. In a statement, JPMorgan said it believes the suit has no merit. Trump threatened to sue JPMorgan Chase last week at a time of heightened tensions between the White House and Wall Street. The president said he wanted to cap interest rates on credit cards at 10% to help lower costs for consumers. Chase is one of the largest issuers of credit cards in the country and a bank official told reporters that it would fight any effort by the White House or Congress to implement a rate cap on credit cards. Bank industry executives have also bristled at Trump's attacks on the independence of the Federal Reserve. Debanking occurs when a bank closes the accounts of a customer or refuses to do business with a customer in the form of loans or other services. Once a relatively obscure issue in finance, debanking has become a politically charged issue in recent years, with conservative politicians arguing that banks have discriminated against them and their affiliated interests. Advertisement Advertisement Debanking first became a national issue when conservatives accused the Obama administration of pressuring banks to stop extending services to gun stores and payday lenders under Operation Choke Point. Trump and other conservative figures have alleged that banks cut them off from their accounts under the umbrella term of reputational risk after the Jan. 6, 2021, attack on the U.S. Capitol. Since Trump came back into office, the president's banking regulators have moved to stop any banks from using reputational risk as a reason for denying service to customers. JPMCs conduct ... is a key indicator of a systemic, subversive industry practice that aims to coerce the public to shift and re-align their political views, Trumps lawyers wrote in the lawsuit. Trump accuses the bank of trade libel and accuses Dimon himself of violating Floridas Unfair and Deceptive Trade Practices Act. Advertisement Advertisement In its statement, JPMorgan said that it regrets that Trump sued the bank but insisted it did not close the accounts for political reasons. JPMC does not close accounts for political or religious reasons, a bank spokesperson said. "We do close accounts because they create legal or regulatory risk for the company. This is not the first lawsuit Trump has filed against a big bank alleging that he was debanked. The Trump Organization sued credit card giant Capital One in March 2025 for similar reasons and allegations. That lawsuit is still winding its way through the court system, The White House has called for a review of federal funding to more than a dozen Democrat-led states. The Office of Management and Budget issued a data request Tuesday seeking information on funding to 13 blue states as well as Washington, D.C., in an attempt to facilitate efforts to reduce the improper and fraudulent use of those funds, according to a copy of the memo obtained by CNN. The memo specifies that the info pull is simply a data-gathering exercise and does not involve withholding funds. But the initiative is eerily reminiscent of other recent attempts to punish the home states of sanctuary cities that have not supported Donald Trumps political aspirations or immigration agenda. Advertisement Advertisement The affected states are California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Illinois, Massachusetts, Minnesota, New Jersey, New York, Oregon, Rhode Island, Vermont, and Washington state. We are moving forward with taking fraud seriously, an OMB spokesperson told The Washington Post. Earlier this month, the Department of Health and Human Services cut off $10 billion in funding for social services such as childcare and aid for poor families in five blue statesCalifornia, Colorado, Illinois, Minnesota, and New Yorkover unsupported claims that the funds had been subject to fraud. Those funds were ordered to resume after a judge issued a temporary restraining order just two days later. HHS also attacked millions in federal childcare credits for Minnesotans after 23-year-old right-wing YouTuber Nick Shirley alleged there was a sprawling fraud scheme taking federal funds from Minnesota-based, Somali-owned day care facilities. Shirleys report was riddled with problems, howeverin no small part due to the fact that the results were skewed by which day cares granted him and another lone white man unannounced admittance to their premises. (Viewed another way, what well-reputed day care would willingly shuttle complete strangers into a facility full of children?) Advertisement Advertisement The Trump administration, in turn, embraced the report, using it as leverage to usher a scourge of ICE agents upon Minneapolis, where their violent presence has only caused more problems, such as the killing of a 37-year-old mother, Renee Nicole Good. The video also offered fodder for a fresh wave of racism against the citys Somali community, which the president has utilized to clamp down on immigration from East Africa. Trump has long scorned sanctuary cities, ruing the fact that they have opposed ICE and his federal deportation mandates in favor of their local immigrant communities. Though he has tried several times to cut funding to such cities, the efforts have been routinely blocked by the nations courts. But last week, the president decided hed try again. Starting February 1, were not making any payments to sanctuary cities or states having sanctuary cities, because they do everything possible to protect criminals at the expense of American citizens, Trump said while delivering a speech in Detroit. And it breeds fraud and crime and all of the other problems that come with it. US President Donald Trump will show off his new "Board of Peace" at Davos on Thursday -- burnishing his claim to be a peacemaker a day after backing off his own threats against Greenland. Trump will host a signing ceremony for the founding charter of his body for resolving international conflicts, which has a $1 billion price tag for permanent membership. That membership has however proved controversial, with the inclusion of leaders like Russian President Vladimir Putin, who invaded Ukraine four years ago. Trump said Putin had agreed to join, while the Russian leader said he was still studying the invite. Advertisement Advertisement Other members include Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Hungary's Viktor Orban, while Pope Leo XVI has also been sent an invitation. "This is the greatest board ever assembled," Trump, who is the chairman of the board, told reporters including AFP on Wednesday at the World Economic Forum in the Swiss ski resort. "Yeah, I have some controversial people on it but these are people who get the job done, these are people who have tremendous influence." Originally meant to oversee the rebuilding of Gaza after the war between Hamas and Israel, the board's charter does not limit its role to the Strip, and has sparked concerns that Trump wants it to rival the United Nations. Advertisement Advertisement "It's going to get a lot of work done that the United Nations should have done," added Trump. Key US allies including France and Britain have expressed skepticism, with the UK saying Thursday it would not attend the ceremony. But others have signed up, particularly in the Middle East where Trump-friendly Saudi Arabia, Qatar and Egypt have agreed to join. About 35 world leaders have committed so far out of the 50 or so invitations that went out, a senior Trump administration official told reporters on Wednesday. The launch of the board comes against the backdrop of Trump's frustration at having failed to win the Nobel Peace Prize, despite his disputed claim to have ended eight conflicts. Advertisement Advertisement - Trump to meet Zelensky - The inclusion of Putin has caused particular concern among US allies, but especially in Ukraine as it seeks an end to Moscow's nearly four-year-old invasion. Trump said he would meet Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky in Davos after the "Board of Peace" ceremony to discuss a ceasefire in Ukraine -- the major peace deal that continues to elude him. The two leaders will meet at 1:00 pm (1200 GMT), the Ukrainian presidency said, with Zelensky due to address the Davos forum some 90 minutes later. Trump's special envoy Steve Witkoff, who is due to travel to Moscow to meet Putin later Thursday, said in Davos that talks to end the war had made a "lot of progress" and were down to one issue. Advertisement Advertisement "I think we've got it down to one issue, and we have discussed iterations of that issue, and that means it's solvable," said Witkoff, without saying what the issue was. Witkoff added that he and the US leader's son-in-law Jared Kushner would not stay in Moscow overnight but fly straight to Abu Dhabi for "military to military" talks. At Davos on Wednesday, Trump repeated his oft-stated belief that Putin and Zelensky were close to a deal, although he has veered between blaming one or the other for the lack of a ceasefire so far. Trump has long been a skeptic of US support for Ukraine and says that it is now up to NATO and Europe to back Kyiv. But his belief that he has a personal connection with Putin has not brought an end to the war so far. Advertisement Advertisement Zelensky has meanwhile voiced fears that Trump's push to seize Greenland -- which has dominated Davos so far and threatened to unravel the transatlantic alliance -- could divert focus away from Russia's invasion of his country. Trump however said late Wednesday he had reached a "framework of a future deal" after meeting NATO chief Mark Rutte, and that he would therefore waive tariffs scheduled to hit European allies on February 1. He gave no further details, leaving Europeans drawing only cautious sighs of relief. A source close to the talks told AFP that a 1951 Greenland defence pact would be renegotiated as part of the deal. Rutte told AFP in Davos that the meeting had been "very good" but that there was "still a lot of work to be done" on Greenland. Trump insists the mineral-rich Arctic island is vital for US and NATO security against Russia and China. dk-st/yad US President Donald Trump said on Wednesday that he "won't use force" to take control of Greenland before later dropping his threat to impose new tariffs on European nations over the dispute. Trump said he still wants "immediate negotiations" over a US acquisition of the the Danish Arctic island, but talks with NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte appear to have further eased tensions. Trump hinted at a possible agreement over Greenland which might satisfy all parties. His speech at the World Economic Forum in Davos was highly anticipated and Trump pulled back from a position which had threatened 80 years of comparative harmony between Western allies. Advertisement Advertisement "People thought I would use force, but I don't have to use force," the US president told the forum - and many in the rest of the world watching the livestream from the Swiss resort. "I don't want to use force. I won't use force." European leaders had been on edge after repeated Trump statements insisting the large island, thought to have mineral wealth, become part of the United States for national and global security reasons. Previously Trump had refused to rule out sending the US military to fulfil his demand. 'Formed the framework of a future deal' Following the meeting with Rutte, Trump withdrew threats to impose punitive tariffs on European countries supporting Denmark on his Truth Social platform. Advertisement Advertisement European NATO allies have voiced solidarity with Denmark and Greenland, even sending troops there, which had led Trump to say he would impose punitive tariffs from February 1 to apply pressure. "Based upon a very productive meeting that I have had with the Secretary General of NATO, Mark Rutte, we have formed the framework of a future deal with respect to Greenland and, in fact, the entire Arctic Region," Trump wrote. "This solution, if consummated, will be a great one for the United States of America, and all NATO Nations. Based upon this understanding, I will not be imposing the Tariffs that were scheduled to go into effect on February 1st." Trump also told US broadcaster CNBC that he believed he was moving towards a permanent agreement on Greenland, saying the broad outlines of a deal were in place, though he refused to provide further details. Advertisement Advertisement Asked whether the US would own the island, Trump said the issue was somewhat complex but added that "it'll be forever for Greenland at this point, forever." Rutte says 'still a lot of work to be done' Rutte later confirmed Trump's statements regarding a framework for a possible agreement on Greenland, but said there was "still a lot of work to be done" among the parties involved. Speaking to US broadcaster Fox News, he said he and Trump had agreed during talks in Davos that the Arctic region needed to be protected jointly. The NATO boss added that the US would continue its talks with Greenland and Denmark, including on preventing Russia and China from gaining access to Greenland's economy. Advertisement Advertisement He described the talks as producing a "very good" outcome. Rutte said the sides had agreed to look at what NATO could collectively contribute to make sure that the whole Arctic region is safe, emphasizing the need for measures on land, at sea and in the air to protect what he called an important part of the world and of NATO territory. Asked whether a possible agreement would ensure that Greenland remained Danish, Rutte said the issue had not come up again in his conversations. The focus, he said, had been on protecting Greenland. Denmark sees positive signals, but draws red lines Danish Foreign Minister Lars Lkke Rasmussen welcomed Trump's announcement. Advertisement Advertisement "The day is ending on a better note than it began," Rasmussen said in a statement posted on X. He said Denmark welcomed that Trump "has ruled out to take Greenland by force and paused the trade war." "Now, let's sit down and find out how we can address the American security concerns in the Arctic while respecting the red lines of the KoD [Kingdom of Denmark]," Rasmussen added. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has begun a meeting with his US counterpart Donald Trump in Davos, Switzerland. Source: Serhii Nykyforov, spokesperson for Zelenskyy, as reported by European Pravda Details: The meeting is taking place on the sidelines of the World Economic Forum (WEF). Zelenskyy is also expected to deliver his main address at the WEF later today. He will also take part in a panel session entitled International Advisory Council for Ukraine's Recovery. As part of the event, Zelenskyy is set to meet with representatives of energy companies. Background: Earlier, US digital news outlet Axios reported that Zelenskyy was planning to meet with Trump in Switzerland, while White House envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner would travel to Moscow to meet Russian leader Vladimir Putin. Both meetings are expected to focus on discussing the US "peace plan" to end the war in Ukraine. Support Ukrainska Pravda on Patreon! WASHINGTON (AP) Barely a month into his presidency, Joe Biden had a message for Europe. America is back, Biden told the Munich Security Conference in 2021. The transatlantic alliance is back. It was a promise Biden delivered often as he sought to cast the disruptions of his predecessor, Donald Trump, as an anomaly. But nearly five years later, Biden's assurances have proven short-lived. In his second term, Trump has cast aside alliances forged over seven decades with Europe that helped lead to the reunification of Germany and the collapse of the Soviet Union. He has hectored leaders, making demands and leveling accusations more commonly associated with enemies. In the process, he has rocked the stability that has sustained the relationships and left countries to chart a course without U.S. leadership. Advertisement Advertisement The most stark example of this shift has been Trump's threat to take over Greenland, dismissing the nation as a large piece of ice as he demanded that Denmark cede control to the U.S., a move that could have caused NATO to rupture. He called Denmark, which had the highest per capita death toll among coalition forces in Afghanistan, ungrateful for U.S. protection during World War II. He posted private text messages that showed European leaders trying to court him. Trump shared images of him planting the U.S. flag in Greenland and, in an extraordinary speech at the World Economic Forum in Davos, said Europe was not heading in the right direction. At one point, he said that sometimes you need a dictator. Then, hours later, he announced a framework of a future deal on Arctic security. Following a long pattern, however, he offered scant details. An uncertain standing for the US in the world Advertisement Advertisement Though Trump has for now backed away from his most potent threats to obtain Greenland, the episode has left America's standing in the world uncertain. NATO leaders already were responding to Trump's threats by signaling strategies that don't include the U.S. That could make it much harder for the next president whether they are a Democrat or Republican to attempt the same type of reputational repair that Biden sought. To an extent, things can be improved, said Jon Finer, who was Biden's deputy national security adviser and is now a distinguished senior fellow at the Center for American Progress. But they will never be the same in large part because I think any country that is behaving rationally in terms of its relationship with the United States will realize that we can only be counted on in four year increments, if at all." Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney, who parried Trump's gambit to make Canada the 51st state, has already set out on a more independent path. In Davos, Carney was candid that the notion of the longstanding rules-based order was an illusion. Advertisement Advertisement Let me be direct: We are in the midst of a rupture, not a transition, Carney said as he called on so-called middle powers to act together. Unable to reach a deal with Trump to cut tariffs, Carney was in Beijing last week meeting with President Xi Jinping and brokering a deal that cut levies on Chinese electric cars in return for lower tariffs on certain agricultural and food products including Canadian canola, lobsters and crab. While there, he said ties between Ottawa and Washington were much more multifaceted than with Beijing, but added the way our relationship has progressed in recent months with China, it is more predictable. Over the weekend, the European Union and the Mercosur bloc of South American countries formally signed a long-sought free trade agreement, which European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen portrayed as a bulwark against the Trump administration. EU lawmakers narrowly voted on Wednesday to hold up the deal for now. European leaders were unsparing Advertisement Advertisement Ahead of Trump's appearance in Davos, European leaders were unsparing, using language that until recently would have been unthinkable in relation to a dispute with the U.S. French President Emmanuel Macron cautioned against colonial adventures, warning of a shift towards a world without rules. Belgian Prime Minister Bart De Wever said so many red lines have been crossed, adding, being a happy vassal is one thing. Being a miserable slave is something else. If you back down now, youre going to lose your dignity. This moment was also notable for the criticism of Trump from longtime allies on the right. In the UK, Nigel Farage said in an interview with U.S. House Speaker Mike Johnson that he understood the security issues Trump was raising in the Arctic. But he added that Trump's approach amounted to the biggest fracture in the transatlantic relationship in decades. To have a U.S. president threatening tariffs unless we agree that he can take over Greenland, by some means, without it seems even getting the consent of the people of Greenland, I mean, this is a very hostile act, Farage told Johnson. Advertisement Advertisement Jordan Bardella, president of Marine Le Pens far-right National Rally party in France and a European Parliament lawmaker, posted that the EU should suspend last years tariff deal with the U.S., describing Trumps threats as commercial blackmail. Trump mostly has support from GOP in Congress Congressional Republicans so far have largely supported Trump or stayed silent. House Foreign Affairs Committee Chairman Brian Mast likened the dispute to a hard conversation" and questioned the long-term consequences. Trump used his 2025 State of the Union address to express a desire to reclaim the Panama Canal. Advertisement Advertisement If you went back exactly one year, you might say, man the tensions with Panama were the worst theyd ever been,' said Mast, a Florida Republican. Panama came in last week, things were the best that they'd ever been because we had some really tough conversations with each other that we needed to have. The most pointed concerns from inside the GOP have largely come from those who aren't running for reelection this year, including Rep. Don Bacon of Nebraska, who said on Wednesday that all of this has been totally unnecessary. Threatening Greenland with force was absurd, he said. For their part, Democrats have encouraged a more robust response both from Europe and in the U.S. Advertisement Advertisement California Gov. Gavin Newsom, a potential Democratic presidential candidate in 2028, was in Davos this week and blasted Europeans for focusing on diplomatic efforts ahead of Trump's appearance. Diplomacy with Donald Trump? he said. Hes a T-Rex. You mate with him or he devours you. In an interview, Rep. Gregory Meeks, the top Democrat on the House Foreign Affairs Committee, said it may take some time for a future president to rebuild trust with allies. But he argued a full recovery in global relationships may require a more lasting shift in U.S. politics. Allies will continue to hold their breath until you have two consecutive elections when we know we have a president that is going to stick by our institutions, he said. Everybody's just looking at us now as a nation and trying to see where we will be. ___ Associated Press writers Rob Gillies in Toronto, Sam McNeil in Brussels and John Leicester in Paris contributed to this report. ST. JOSEPH, Mo. (News-Press NOW) Two people are in custody following a monthslong narcotics investigation in Northwest Missouri that led to the seizure of various controlled substances. The Nodaway County Sheriff's Office announced Tuesday that two suspects were arrested on drug and weapons charges after search warrants were carried out in Clearmont, Missouri, and Atchison County in connection with an ongoing narcotics investigation that began last year The operations were carried out with the help of the Northwest Missouri Drug Task Force and led to the seizure of controlled substances, multiple firearms and materials tied to distributing narcotics. Advertisement Advertisement The subject, a convicted felon, was taken into custody and held on $100,000 bond for charges including distribution of a controlled substance in a protected location, driving while revoked/suspended, possession of a controlled substance and unlawful possession and use of a firearm. According to the department, the investigation initially began with a traffic stop that lead to a search warrant and seizure of approximately one ounce of methamphetamine and packaging material from a residence in rural Nodaway County. This Clearmont investigation led to another search warrant and the arrest of one person in Atchison County, Missouri. Charges filed in that case include: * Distribution of a Controlled Substance in a Protected Location * Possession of a Controlled Substance * Tampering with Physical Evidence * Resisting/Interfering with an Arrest for a Felony Two people have died and several are feared buried after landslides in New Zealand's North Island. The deaths were reported at Welcome Bay, while rescue workers are still searching through rubble at a different site in a popular campground on Mount Maunganui. There are no "signs of life", authorities said, adding that they have a "rough idea" of how many people are missing but are waiting for an exact figure. They provided no other details except that the group includes "at least one young girl". Advertisement Advertisement The landslides were triggered by heavy rains over the last few days, which led to flooding and power outages across the North Island. One minister said the east coast resembled "a war zone". [BBC] New Zealand is "heavy with grief" after the "profound tragedy" caused by recent weather, Prime Minister Christopher Luxon said on X. Footage from the campsite on Mount Maunganui, an extinct volcano, shows a huge slip near the base of the volcanic dome, as rescuers and sniffer dogs comb through crushed caravans and flattened tents. Authorities said that the search would continue through the night. "This is a complex and high-risk environment, and our teams are working to achieve the best possible outcome while keeping everyone safe," said Megan Stiffler, the deputy national commander for the Urban Search and Rescue team, Advertisement Advertisement The extinct volcano is a sacred Maori site and one of the most popular campgrounds in New Zealand, with a local holiday website describing it as a "slice of paradise". But it has been repeatedly hit by landslides in recent years. "I heard this huge tree crack and all this dirt come off, and then I looked behind me and there's this huge landslide coming down," Australian tourist Sonny Worrall told local broadcaster TVNZ. "I'm still shaking from it now... I turned around and had to jump out of my seat and just run,"he added. He saw it happen while swimming in a hot pool. Hiker Mark Tangney told the New Zealand Herald he heard people screaming from under the rubble. "So I just parked up and ran to help... We could hear people screaming: 'Help us, help us, get us out of here'," he said. Advertisement Advertisement Those calls persisted for about half an hour and then went silent, Tangney said. A surf club in another part of Mount Maunganui has been evacuated following fears of more landslides. A state of emergency has been declared in the Bay of Plenty where Mount Maunganui sits, and various parts of the North Island, including Northland, Coromandel, Tairawhiti and Hauraki. Several areas reported their wettest days on record on Thursday. Tauranga in the Bay of Plenty, for example, received three months worth of rain within a day, according to local media. Some 8,000 people were without power as of Thursday morning, Radio New Zealand (RNZ) reported. Advertisement Advertisement The wife of a man who was swept away in the Mahurangi River is holding out hope that he will survive. "I know his personality is strong, wise," she told RNZ, adding that he was a fisherman back home in Kiribati and knew how to swim and dive. The man, 47, was driving to work with their nephew when the car they were in fell into the river. He had pushed the nephew towards a branch so the nephew could hoist himself onto land; but the older man did not manage get back up himself, according to the report. Advertisement Advertisement "It's been a very big event for us as a country, really hitting almost our entire eastern seaboard of the North Island," said Minister for Emergency Management Mark Mitchell. "The good news is that everyone responded really quickly, and there was time to get prepared. That helps to mitigate and create a very strong response," he told RNZ. December to February are typically the sunnier months in New Zealand but in recent years heavy rains and storms have become more frequent. In February 2023, parts of the island were devastated by Cyclone Gabrielle, which is to date the costliest cyclone to hit the Southern Hemisphere, with damage amounting to NZ$13.5bn ($7.9bn; 5.9bn). This week's flooding has added to the toll for the local communities that are still rebuilding. Additional reporting by Vandhna Bhan and Koh Ewe The United States on Thursday unveiled plans for a New Gaza, to be rebuilt after the region faced widespread destruction during the Israel-Hamas war. It comes after President Donald Trump negotiated a ceasefire deal, which included a plan for Trump to chair a Board of Peace and head an economic development plan to rebuild and energize Gaza. Trump was in Davos, Switzerland, at the World Economic Forum, where he delivered remarks Wednesday focused on his desire to have the U.S. to acquire Greenland, which is currently controlled by Denmark. Advertisement Advertisement On Thursday, Trump participated in a signing ceremony for the Board of Peace. As everyone can see today, the first steps toward a brighter day for the Middle East and a much safer future for the world are unfolding right before your eyes, he said. U.S. President Donald Trump signs the charter of his Board of Peace initiative at the Annual Meeting of the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, Thursday, Jan. 22, 2026. | Markus Schreiber, Associated Press So far, more than two dozen countries have signed on to be part of the Board of Peace, but none of the United States key European allies have joined. Trumps son-in-law, Jared Kushner, presented the pitch to other world leaders about the New Gaza plans, after the war-torn Gaza Strip was decimated during the war. In the beginning, we were toying with (building) a free zone, and then (having) a Hamas zone, Kushner said. And then we said, you know what? Lets just plan for catastrophic success. Advertisement Advertisement Kushner, who was central in negotiating the ceasefire deal alongside special envoy Steve Witkoff, presented the master plan, which included a map with areas for residential development and more. The renderings are earning some criticism online, as they show large buildings along the coast of the Mediterranean Sea. The plans were in motion for months after negotiations for the ceasefire deal ended. Jared Kushner presented a 'master plan' for Gaza at the Board of Peace event this morning. Slides included 'New Gaza' and 'New Rafah'. pic.twitter.com/ctnrRbvJZc Kyle Griffin (@kylegriffin1) January 22, 2026 Under the 21-point peace plan, which Trump is hoping to recreate for the Russia-Ukraine war, all remaining hostages living and dead in Hamas control were released to Israel. Members of Hamas who commit to nonviolence and want to remain in Gaza will receive amnesty and those who wish to leave the territory were provided safe passage. Israeli troops were set to withdraw from Gaza to an agreed upon line and the Rafah border crossing was set to be opened for the flow of humanitarian aid to reach Gazans. What is the Board of Peace? The United States was set to work with Arab countries to develop a temporary International Stabilization Force deployed in Gaza, which provides support to Palestinian police, secures borders, prevents munitions from entering Gaza and helps facilitate the aid deliveries. Advertisement Advertisement The plan said Gaza was to be governed by a temporary transitional governance of a technocratic, apolitical Palestinian committee that will help return the state to regular day-to-day running. The committee is to be overseen by an international body called the Board of Peace, which will be overseen by Trump and other world leaders. Kushner shared Thursday that a conference will be held in Washington in the following weeks, where a lot will be announced regarding the contributions made, particularly as he did not say who would be funding the redevelopment plans in Gaza. Its estimated that there is 68 million tons of rubble and debris from the war that would need to be cleared, Reuters reported. Its the latest development in Trumps plan to put money and resources into the demolished region after previously floating the idea that Gaza should become the Riviera of the Middle East. Muwanga Kivumbi is accused of organising attacks on police stations - which his party denies [NUP/X] Ugandan police have detained a lawmaker, and close ally of opposition leader Bobi Wine, for his alleged role in election-related violence last week. Muwanga Kivumbi, a deputy leader of Wine's National Unity Platform (NUP), is accused of organising attacks on a police station and a vote-tallying centre after their electoral loss, which the party denies. The police have said that seven people were killed in the incident, but the politician has given a different account, saying that 10 people were killed at his home as they waited for parliamentary election results. Advertisement Advertisement The Uganda Police Force said in a post on X on Thursday that Kivumbi would be "arraigned before court in due course". "His arrest is in connection with recent incidents of political violence," it added. Kivumbi's arrest follows tensions after last week's elections in which President Yoweri Museveni was re-elected for a seventh term. Advertisement Advertisement During his victory speech over the weekend, Museveni warned opposition figures including Kivumbi of coordinated plans to attack polling stations. He said seven people were shot dead by police after groups of alleged opposition supporters, armed with machetes, attempted to carry out violent attacks in Butambala district outside the capital, Kampala. Wine, Museveni's closest challenger and who is in hiding after fleeing a raid on his house after the elections, has denounced the results as "fake", citing electoral fraud. He has also alleged that there was "silent massacre" under way and a crackdown targeting political activists. Advertisement Advertisement On Tuesday, he posted on social media that more than 100 people had been killed in election violence, without stating evidence. This came after Uganda's army chief Gen Muhoozi Kainerugaba, who is also Museveni's son and his potential successor, said the security forces had killed 22 opposition supporters during poll-related violence. Since the election, Ugandan authorities have reportedly arrested dozens of youths on various charges linked to election-related incidents in Kampala. Museveni first came to power as a rebel leader in 1986. He will have served for 45 years when the next term ends in 2031. Advertisement Advertisement Uganda has not witnessed a peaceful transfer of presidential power since independence. [BBC] Go to BBCAfrica.com for more news from the African continent. Follow us on Twitter @BBCAfrica, on Facebook at BBC Africa or on Instagram at bbcafrica BBC Africa podcasts This is Tania Myronyshena reporting from Kyiv on day 1,429 of Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine. Today's top story: President Volodymyr Zelensky said Jan. 22, 2026, at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, that Russia is producing about 500 attack drones and "dozens" of ballistic missiles every day, calling on Europe to strengthen its own defenses as the war in Ukraine grinds on. Advertisement Advertisement Zelensky said Ukraine is manufacturing about 1,000 interceptor drones per day and using them against Russian air attacks, but that the current output is still not enough to counter the scale of Russia's strikes. "We have really created, I think, great ideas with interceptor drones. We use them. We really produce about 1,000 interceptors a day. But this is not enough. This is still not enough," he said. In the same speech, Zelensky criticized European leaders for what he described as overreliance on NATO and U.S. protection. "If Putin decides to take Lithuania or strike Poland, who will respond?" he asked. He also referenced what he described as a recent European deployment of several dozen troops to Greenland, calling it a weak signal to Moscow and Beijing and questioning what message such a mission sends to Denmark. He said Ukraine has the expertise and weapons to stop Russian warships if they were operating freely near Greenland, adding that Kyiv had not been asked to help. Advertisement Advertisement Zelensky accused Europe of failing to take independent action on Iran and of not supporting Belarusian protesters in 2020, saying the consequences have returned to Europe. He said Russia has deployed Oreshnik missiles in Belarus, placing most European capitals within range. Read also: Zelensky blasts Europes inaction, reveals Jan. 23 talks with US and Russia in UAE SBU detains Russian GRU agents scouting Oreshnik strike aftermath in Lviv Oblast Last updated 8:15 p.m. Kyiv time. Ukraine's Security Service (SBU) has detained two agents of Russia's military intelligence (GRU) tasked with assessing the aftermath of an Oreshnik ballistic missile strike on civilian infrastructure in Lviv Oblast overnight on Jan. 9, the agency said on Jan. 22. Advertisement Advertisement Russia used the Oreshnik intermediate-range ballistic missile for the second time in a Jan. 9 attack on Lviv, about 60 kilometers (40 miles) from the Polish border. The detained suspects include a 64-year-old resident of Mukachevo in Zakarpattia Oblast and his 22-year-old neighbor, according to the SBU. Following the strike, the younger suspect traveled to Lviv Oblast to photograph the aftermath and record GPS coordinates, which he passed to the older agent. The latter communicated directly with his Russian handler. Both men were detained simultaneously one in Mukachevo, Zakarpattia Oblast, and the other in Lviv Oblast while examining the aftermath of the attack near the impact site, the SBU said. Advertisement Advertisement The SBU seized electronic devices containing evidence of collaboration with Russian intelligence and intercepted conversations with their handler. The detainees have been charged with high treason under martial law and may face life imprisonment with confiscation of property. Russia first used the Oreshnik in an attack on Dnipro on Nov. 21 Read also: Russia hits Lviv with rare Oreshnik missile, SBU says French Navy boards Russia's 'shadow fleet' oil tanker in Mediterranean Sea, Macron says Last updated 5:59 p.m. Kyiv time. French Navy boarded a so-called Russian "shadow fleet" oil tanker on Jan. 22, French President Emmanuel Macron said on X. The move comes as Ukraine's European partners step up efforts to counter Russia's "shadow fleet," a network of oil tankers used to circumvent international sanctions imposed over Moscow's aggression against Ukraine. The fleet allows the Kremlin to continue exporting oil despite the restrictions. Advertisement Advertisement Macron wrote that on the morning of Jan. 22, the French Navy conducted an operation to board an oil tanker arriving from Russia. The action took place on the high seas in the Mediterranean and was supported by several allies of France, according to Macron. Read also: French Navy boards Russias shadow fleet oil tanker in Mediterranean Sea, Macron says Ukraine returns 3 children from occupied territories Last updated 4:53 p.m. Kyiv time. Three Ukrainian children aged 12 to 17 returned to Ukraine from Russian-occupied territories, Kherson Oblast Governor Oleksandr Prokudin said on Jan. 22. "Among those rescued is a 12-year-old girl, whose house was searched by Russian military personnel after a report that the family allegedly kept the Ukrainian flag," Prokudin said in a post on social media. Advertisement Advertisement The latest news on the return of Ukrainian children from Russian-occupied territories comes as Russia intensifies its propaganda and militarization efforts, even among minors. The United Nations has demanded "an immediate return" of Ukrainian children who were deported or forcibly sent from occupied territories to Russia throughout the war. Ukraine confirms strike on Russia's Tamanneftegaz oil terminal, radar stations in Crimea also hit Last updated 4:24 p.m. Kyiv time. Ukrainian drone strikes inflicted damage on Russian oil and weapons facilities in widespread attacks carried out overnight on Jan. 22, the General Staff of Ukraine's Armed Forces confirmed. Targets included Russia's Tamanneftegaz oil terminal, several radar stations in Russian-occupied Crimea, a drone storage facility in the occupied part of Kherson Oblast, command and observation post of Russian military personnel in Donetsk Oblast. Advertisement Advertisement Tamanneftegaz, located in the village of Volna, Krasnodar Krai, operates the Taman transshipment complex, handling crude oil, petroleum products, and liquefied hydrocarbon gases. The complex is one of the largest in the Black Sea region. According to Ukraine's General Staff, there was a direct hit on the terminal, resulting in explosions and a fire. The extent of the damage is being assessed, it added. Krasnodar Krai Governor Veniamin Kondratiev wrote on Telegram on the evening of Jan. 21 that as a result of the attack, four tanks containing petroleum products caught fire. He claimed that two enterprise employees died, and several others were injured in the attack. Previously the terminal was attacked on Dec. 22, 2025, Ukraine's General Staff said. A source in Ukraine's military intelligence agency (HUR) told the Kyiv Independent at the time that the Ukrainian strike damaged equipment at the oil terminal, the liquefied hydrocarbon gas pier, and other port infrastructure, triggering a large-scale fire. Advertisement Advertisement Ukraine reported additional strikes on military targets in Russian-occupied regions, including Crimea, Kherson and Donetsk oblasts. Read also: Ukraine confirms strike on Russias Tamanneftegaz oil terminal, radar stations in Crimea also hit Russian attacks on Dnipropetrovsk Oblast injure at least 19, including 5 children Last updated 2:52 p.m. Kyiv time. Russian drone and missile attacks on Dnipropetrovsk Oblast injured at least 19 people, including five children, local authorities said on Jan. 22. The cities of Dnipro and Kryvyi Rih in Dnipropetrovsk Oblast came under attack in the afternoon, according to Ukraine's Air Force. A Russian missile damaged a two-story residential building in Kryvyi Rih, injuring at least 12 people, including four children, aged one-and-a-half, two, eight, and 10, Governor Oleksandr Hanzha said. Advertisement Advertisement Rescuers continue to examine the strike site and assist those affected, the State Emergency Service said on Jan. 22. Hanzha also reported that a 16-story residential building was hit in Dnipro, with a fire breaking out in two apartments. Dnipro Mayor Bory Filatov said that seven people were injured as a result of the attack. A 14-year-old girl is among the victims, according to Hanzha. Filatov also said that emergency services rescued 16 people from the damaged building. "We are working on a life support mechanism for the undamaged part of the building," Filatov said. Over 50 rescuers and 17 units of equipment from the State Emergency Service have been involved in dealing with the aftermath of the attack, the service said. The attack came amid Russia's mass attacks on Ukraine's critical infrastructure, which have left thousands of Ukrainians without electricity and heating. Scheduled power outages are in effect in Dnipropetrovsk Oblast according to DTEK, Ukraine's largest private energy company. At least 3 killed, 16 injured in Russian attacks on Ukraine over past day At least three people have been killed and 16 others injured in Russian attacks against Ukraine over the past day, local authorities said on Jan. 22. Russia launched 94 drones of various types at Ukraine overnight, Ukraine's Air Force reported. Ukrainian air defenses intercepted 80 drones. Ten drones struck 10 locations across the country, and drone debris was recorded at four additional sites. In Donetsk Oblast, Russian attacks killed one person and injured another in Kramatorsk, and killed one and injured two in Druzhkivka, local authorities said. In Kherson Oblast, Russian attacks killed one person and injured six others over the past day, Governor Oleksandr Prokudin reported. In Sumy Oblast, a Russian drone strike in the Seredyna-Buda community injured two men, aged 49 and 55, overnight, local authorities said. In Dnipropetrovsk Oblast, an 81-year-old woman and a 70-year-old woman were injured in overnight Russian drone attacks, Governor Oleksandr Hanzha said. In Kharkiv Oblast, Russia attacked three settlements over the past day, injuring a 74-year-old woman in the village of Kivsharivka, according to Governor Oleh Syniehubov. In Zaporizhzhia Oblast, one man was injured in a Russian attack, local authorities reported. Over the past day, Russian forces launched 726 strikes on 30 settlements across the region. In Odesa Oblast, a Russian drone struck a residential high-rise, prompting the evacuation of 58 people, including eight children. A 17-year-old boy was injured in the attack, local authorities said. A kamikaze drone struck between the 18th and 19th floors of a high-rise apartment building but did not detonate. The attack damaged the building's facade, shattered windows, and damaged several parked cars. Read also: Klitschko says nearly 3,000 residential buildings in Kyiv remain without heating as freezing weather persists General Staff: Russia has lost 1,230,810 troops in Ukraine since Feb. 24, 2022 Russia has lost around 1,230,810 troops in Ukraine since the beginning of its full-scale invasion on Feb. 24, 2022, the General Staff of Ukraine's Armed Forces reported on Jan. 22. The number includes 1,070 casualties that Russian forces suffered over the past day. According to the report, Russia has also lost 11,596 tanks, 23,943 armored fighting vehicles, 75,416 vehicles and fuel tanks, 36,516 artillery systems, 1,623 multiple launch rocket systems, 1,282 air defense systems, 434 airplanes, 347 helicopters, 112,828 drones, 28 ships and boats, as well as two submarines. Read also: Zelensky arrives in Davos for talks with Trump as US envoy prepares to meet Putin Weve been working hard to bring you independent, locally-sourced news from Ukraine. Consider supporting the Kyiv Independent. This is Kateryna Hodunova reporting from Kyiv on day 1,428 of Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine. Today's top story: Ukrainian law enforcement agencies have detained an officer from a military unit in Sumy Oblast on suspicion of abusing and torturing subordinates, the State Investigation Bureau (DBR) said on Jan. 21. Investigators did not disclose the names of the detainee or the victims, or identify the military unit involved. The suspect is the deputy commander of a battalion stationed in Sumy Oblast, according to investigators. Advertisement Advertisement Two subordinates secretly recorded a conversation in which the officer threatened to shoot them for failing to carry out an order. The recording was later posted on social media, after which the suspect allegedly began pressuring those who made it public to delete it. The officer later lined up the soldiers and fired five shots from his service pistol at their feet and over their heads, allegedly simulating an execution, according to the investigation. The officer also reportedly beat the soldiers. One of them suffered a torn meniscus after being struck with a helmet. After the incident, the soldiers did not remove the recording from social media. Investigators said the officer then fired an automatic weapon at the mobile phone and later shot one of his subordinates in the foot. Advertisement Advertisement The suspect reportedly ordered that the injury be recorded as self-inflicted. There was also a separate incident in which the officer allegedly struck another deputy battalion commander in the head before a work meeting, the investigation said. The officer has been charged with torture, violation of military regulations, and abuse of power. He faces up to 12 years in prison. The suspect was transferred to a detention center, and the case has been referred to court, the bureau said. Read also: Top Ukrainian energy official killed at electrical substation 11 Ukrainians charged with collaboration, treason after joining illegal Russian armed group in occupied Kherson Oblast Last updated 7:06 p.m. Kyiv time. Eleven Ukrainians have been charged in absentia with collaboration and treason after joining an illegal Russian armed group in the Russian-occupied part of Kherson Oblast, the National Police said Jan. 21. Advertisement Advertisement The group was formed in 2023 in the city of Henichesk by Volodymyr Saldo, a Ukrainian politician installed by Moscow as the head of the occupied part of Kherson Oblast. The so-called volunteer battalion was tasked with carrying out sabotage operations in southern Ukraine. The suspects joined the group voluntarily, according to the police. They include five residents of Russian-occupied Crimea, two former residents of Odesa Oblast, three from Kherson Oblast, and one from Donetsk Oblast. The suspects range in age from 35 to 66 and face up to 15 years in prison, the report read. One suspect, a 46-year-old resident of the village of Nova Mayachka in Kherson Oblast, is also charged with treason, an offense punishable by life imprisonment with confiscation of property under Ukrainian law. Advertisement Advertisement Saldo is listed in the case as the organizer of the illegal armed group and faces up to eight years in prison on that charge, the police said. Read also: From ice to blackouts, Kyivs most challenging winter exposes city leadership failures Ukrainian soldier in intensive care after FSB-linked attack in Zaporizhzhia Last updated 4:23 p.m. Kyiv time. An alleged agent of Russia's Federal Security Service (FSB) stabbed a Ukrainian soldier in the city of Zaporizhzhia, leaving the serviceman in intensive care, Ukraine's Security Service (SBU) and the National Police said on Jan. 21. Authorities detained a 25-year-old unemployed man suspected of carrying out the attack after he allegedly agreed to cooperate with Russian special services in exchange for money, law enforcement agencies said. Advertisement Advertisement Russian handlers ordered the suspect to kill a 23-year-old platoon commander who was undergoing rehabilitation after being wounded, according to the SBU. The suspect used a fake female profile on a dating website to arrange a meeting. During the encounter, he stabbed the soldier six times in the neck, chest, abdomen, and right leg, the National Police said. The attacker fled the scene but was detained several hours later. The detainee has been charged with attempted murder carried out on commission and for financial gain. He faces 10 to 15 years in prison or life imprisonment, with confiscation of property. Advertisement Advertisement The soldier remains in serious condition in intensive care. Law enforcement agencies did not disclose the names of the attacker or the victim. Severe frosts could enable mechanized Russian assaults in Donetsk Oblast, military says Last updated 2:23 p.m. Kyiv time. Russian forces may find favorable conditions for mechanized assaults in Ukraine's eastern Donetsk Oblast due to frost and frozen ground, Roman Pysarenko, head of communications for the 79th Brigade based near Myrnohrad, told Suspilne on Jan. 21. "There is no mud, and heavy equipment will not get stuck," Pysarenko said. "At the same time, the enemy has serious logistics problems our brigade's drones are already flying more than 30 kilometers (19 miles) and striking the enemy deep in the rear," Pysarenko added. Advertisement Advertisement The Ukrainian military official said the situation around Myrnohrad, a satellite town of Pokrovsk where his brigade is stationed, remains difficult as Russian troops attempt to infiltrate the town. Russian forces are using mass assaults and small infantry groups to carry out the tactic, he added. "The enemy is infiltrating the city, finding basements and houses to hide in. You can even encounter the enemy face to face when entering or leaving (a position)," Pysarenko said. As a countermeasure, Ukrainian units are conducting search-and-strike operations to detect and destroy Russian forces in Myrnohrad and the surrounding areas, he said. Advertisement Advertisement Pokrovsk, a key fortress city in Donetsk Oblast, has been one of the most fiercely contested areas of the front line, with Ukrainian forces holding off a major Russian assault for the past year. Myrnohrad is located less than 3 kilometers (2 miles) from the embattled city. Ukraine's Donetsk Oblast (Nizar al-Rifai/The Kyiv Independent) 600,000 people leave Kyiv in January amid Russia's energy blitz, mayor Klitschko says Last updated 12:23 p.m. Kyiv time. Kyiv Mayor Vitali Klitschko said 600,000 people have left the capital in January following a series of Russian attacks that led to severe power outages and the lack of heating in many homes under subzero temperatures, the Times reported on Jan. 20. Home to over 3 million people, Kyiv is struggling to restore power, heating, and water as Russian missiles and drones continue to target the city's critical infrastructure, as Ukrainian air defenses are strained. Advertisement Advertisement Klitschko's press service told the Kyiv Independent that the 600,000 number was calculated from mobile phone billing data. President Volodymyr Zelensky said on Jan. 21 that almost 60% of Kyiv had no electricity as of the morning. Kyiv, Kharkiv, Sumy, Chernihiv, and Dnipro, and their surrounding regions are enduring the "most difficult" situation, he added. The report comes nearly two weeks after Klitschko urged residents on Jan. 9 to "temporarily leave the city" if there is a possibility. The evacuation recommendation came after the Jan. 9 overnight attack left about 6,000 apartment buildings across Kyiv, nearly half of the city's total, without heating as temperatures dropped below -10C (14F). Klitschko said on Jan. 21 that 4,000 of the 5,635 high-rise apartment buildings, which were left without heating after yet another Russian attack on Jan. 20, were still without heating. "The situation is difficult because most of these buildings are being reconnected for the second time following damage to critical infrastructure on Jan. 9," Klitschko said in a Jan. 21 Telegram post. Read also: 600,000 people leave Kyiv in January amid Russias energy blitz, mayor Klitschko says 11 reported injured in southern Russia as separate drone strike hits oil refinery Last updated 7:20 a.m. Kyiv time. Eleven people were injured in an overnight attack in Russia's Republic of Adygea, while a separate drone strike sparked a fire at an oil refinery in neighboring Krasnodar Krai, local authorities and media reported Jan. 21. Adygea Governor Murat Kumpilov said a residential building in the Takhtamukaysky District was damaged after a drone was detected in the area. He said 11 people, including two children, were injured. Kumpilov reported that the attack sparked a fire at an apartment building and a nearby parking lot in the village of Novaya Adygea, prompting an emergency response. Russian state media outlets TASS and RIA Novosti claimed that the fire was caused by a Ukrainian drone strike on the residential building. Ukrainian officials have not commented on the incident. However, independent Russian outlet ASTRA reported that the damage was caused by a Russian air defense missile, citing eyewitness video, accounts from residents, and open source intelligence analysis. ASTRA said debris consistent with an air defense interceptor was visible at the site. The incident occurred amid reports of drone activity and air defense operations in the area. Responsibility for the damage has not been independently confirmed. Separately, in neighboring Krasnodar Krai, drones struck the Afipsky oil refinery overnight, sparking a fire at the facility, Russian media and local authorities reported. Regional officials said drone fragments fell onto the refinery's grounds, igniting the blaze. The regional operations headquarters said there were no casualties and no damage to critical infrastructure, adding that the fire was quickly extinguished. The Afipsky refineryone of the largest in southern Russiahas been targeted repeatedly in previous drone attacks, including strikes reported last September and November that caused fires at the facility. Read also: 11 reported injured in southern Russia as separate drone strike hits oil refinery At least 7 killed, 29 injured in Russian attacks on Ukraine over past day At least seven people have been killed and 29 others injured in Russian attacks against Ukraine over the past day, local authorities said on Jan. 21. Russia launched one Iskander-M ballistic missile and 97 drones at Ukraine overnight, the Air Force said. Ukrainian air defenses intercepted 84 drones. At least 13 drones and the missiles made it through, striking 11 locations. The fall of debris was recorded at one location. In Zaporizhzhia Oblast, Russian attacks killed four and injured six civilians over the past day, according to the local military administration. In Dnipropetrovsk Oblast, Russian drones killed two people and injured another in the Synelnykove district, Governor Oleksandr Hanzha said. In Donetsk Oblast, a Russian strike killed one person in the city of Lyman, while a separate attack killed a civilian in the village of Osykove. Five people were injured in Druzhkivka, and another civilian was wounded in the city of Kostiantynivka, according to Governor Vadym Filashkin. In Kherson Oblast, Russian forces targeted 35 settlements, injuring 10 people, including a child, over the past day, the local military administration said. In Sumy Oblast, Russian guided aerial bombs injured a 42-year-old woman and a 21-year-old man in the Bilopillia community. A Russian drone attack injured a 63-year-old man in the Hlukhiv community, according to the local military administration. In Odesa Oblast, Russian forces attacked the southern part of the region, injuring a 50-year-old man, Governor Oleh Kiper said. In Kharkiv Oblast, a 41-year-old man suffered injuries in the village of Husynka, Governor Oleh Syniehubov said. Read also: Ukraine needs billions in US arms as Greenland dispute pushes alliance to breaking point, documents reveal General Staff: Russia has lost 1,229,740 troops in Ukraine since Feb. 24, 2022 Russia has lost around 1,229,740 troops in Ukraine since the beginning of its full-scale invasion on Feb. 24, 2022, the General Staff of Ukraine's Armed Forces reported on Jan. 21. The number includes 1,170 casualties that Russian forces suffered over the past day. According to the report, Russia has also lost 11,587 tanks, 23,938 armored fighting vehicles, 75,238 vehicles and fuel tanks, 36,463 artillery systems, 1,621 multiple launch rocket systems, 1,279 air defense systems, 434 airplanes, 347 helicopters, 112,159 drones, 28 ships and boats, and two submarines. Read also: We aim to kill 50,000 Russians a month, Ukraines new defense minister says Weve been working hard to bring you independent, locally-sourced news from Ukraine. Consider supporting the Kyiv Independent. By Sarah Morland Jan 22 (Reuters) - A U.N.-backed security force deployed to Haiti to help local police fight off armed gangs that have taken over much of the country should get more troops in April and reach full strength by summer, the U.N.'s special envoy for Haiti said on Thursday. The pledge of more troops comes at a time of growing political uncertainty in the Caribbean nation, with the current transitional government's mandate set to end on February 7 without an official succession plan. Advertisement Advertisement U.N. envoy Carlos Ruiz said the force should reach its full strength - envisioned at 5,500 troops - by the summer, or autumn at latest. He did not say where the troops would come from. Around 1,000 mostly Kenyan police are currently in Haiti as part of the force, a deployment that has been marked by delays and severe lack of funding. Since the first deployment in June 2024, gangs have expanded to much of central and rural Haiti. By comparison, there are an estimated 12,000 Haitian police and a similar number of gang members. The criminal groups are well armed, largely with guns smuggled in from the United States. Haiti has been in deep crisis over recent years. The gangs have killed thousands of Haitians and taken control of most of the capital Port-au-Prince, expanded to the agricultural heartlands, and carried out multiple massacres, mass rapes, ransom kidnappings and arson. Advertisement Advertisement In April 2024, a transitional presidential council was set up to help oversee a move towards fresh elections. But their term has been marked by political infighting and corruption accusations, while worsening insecurity has repeatedly pushed back the likelihood of holding the country's first election in a decade. A majority of members of the transitional presidential council, the CPT - effectively Haiti's top executive - have sought to oust Prime Minister Alix Didier Fils-Aime days before the council's mandate ends, Haiti newspaper Le Nouvelliste reported on Thursday, citing a CPT member. The Miami Herald later reported, citing unnamed sources, that the council president had opposed the plan and that another measure was being planned to remove him. Advertisement Advertisement None of Haiti's CPT members have publicly commented on the reported attempt to oust the prime minister. Should it happen, this would be the CPT's second ouster of a prime minister since they were appointed. "The country cannot spare more internal fighting," Ruiz said. "The current authorities should still make use of the couple weeks they have to do whatever they can to benefit the country." If a plan is not agreed, Ruiz said, "we know the constitution provides for the prime minister to continue if that's the case, and we need an authority and a government that is stable enough." Advertisement Advertisement WARNINGS ABROAD U.S. Deputy Secretary of State Christopher Landau warned on Wednesday that such a move by non-elected CPT members so close to the end of their tenure would face consequences. "The U.S. would consider anyone supporting such a disruptive step favoring the gangs to be acting contrary to the interests of the United States, the region, and the Haitian people and will act accordingly," Landau said on X. The Bureau of Western Hemisphere Affairs hardened Washington's position in a post on Thursday, accusing politicians of conspiring with the gangs. "It is the responsibility of corrupt Haitian politicians who use gangs and other armed groups to create chaos in the streets and then insist on a role in government to turn down the chaos they themselves have created," it said on X. Advertisement Advertisement "The members of the TPC (Transitional Presidential Council) who have followed this path are not Haitian patriots. They are criminals like the gangs they conspire with." Canada's embassy in Haiti also said it would "take measures against any actor who compromises Haiti's peace, security and stability," urging council members to leave office once their mandate ends. Haiti's armed gangs have a history of close ties with figures in power but have in recent years become more economically independent as they forged alliances and cemented control over new territories. Some 1.4 million people have been internally displaced by the conflict. (Reporting by Sarah Morland and Brendan O'Boyle in Mexico City and Michelle Nichols at the United Nations, Editing by Bill Berkrot and Rosalba O'Brien) The United Nations (UN) says it will take over management of a camp in north-eastern Syria holding holding thousands of people with alleged links to the jihadist group Islamic State (IS). It comes after Kurdish-led forces that had been running the camp withdrew in the face of an advance by Syrian government forces, triggering unrest that forced aid agencies to suspend operations. Residents were reported to have rushed camp perimeters in an apparent attempt to escape, prompting unrest and looting. Advertisement Advertisement A ceasefire agreement has brought much of Syria's north-east under the control of Damascus, ending years of autonomous Kurdish rule. Briefing the UN Security Council on Thursday, UN official Edem Wosornu said the UN refugee agency UNHCR had "taken over camp management responsibilities" at al-Hol and was working with Syrian authorities to restore humanitarian access. Syrian forces, she said, had established a security perimeter around the camp. However, UN spokesman Stephane Dujarric cautioned that conditions inside remained "tense and volatile", with humanitarian operations still suspended following the violence. Meanwhile, the US has launched a parallel effort to remove high-risk detainees from the region altogether. US Central Command said on Wednesday that it had begun transferring up to 7,000 suspected IS fighters from prisons in northeast Syria to Iraq, confirming that 150 detainees had already been moved to a "secure location" across the border. Advertisement Advertisement Iraqi authorities said all transferred detainees would be prosecuted under Iraqi law. "This is a measure aimed at protecting regional and international security from an imminent threat. Nevertheless, we stress that this issue should not be left to become a long-term strategic burden on Iraq alone," Iraq's deputy UN ambassador, Mohammed Sahib Mejid Marzooq, said. Syria's UN ambassador Ibrahim Olabi said the Syrian government welcomed the US operation to transfer IS detainees out of Syrian territory and was ready to offer support. Advertisement Advertisement Rights groups have warned that the transfers could expose detainees to serious abuses. The Reprieve charity said it believed up to ten British men could be among those transferred, along with juvenile detainees and urged the UK government to intervene urgently. Around 55 to 60 British nationals, most of them children, remain detained across camps and prisons in the region, it said. "The prisoners transferred face being tortured, sentenced to death and executed, without being granted any meaningful opportunity to contest the allegations against them", Katherine Cornett, Reprieve's deputy director told the BBC. The Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), US and UN have long called for the repatriation of foreign IS suspects and their families from north-eastern Syria, citing the political instability and dire conditions in the prisons and camps, but many countries have refused to take them. As Haiti approaches the end of another political transition without elections or a clear governing framework, the United Nations and other international partners are warning that political self-interest and infighting could further unravel an already fragile country. The warning came amid intense negotiations and warnings from the U.S. embassy in Port-au-Prince and others as the nine-member Transitional Presidential Council tried Wednesday to once more, oust Prime Minister Alix Didier Fils-Aime, after failing to reach consensus on how the government should be run after Feb. 7, when their term is scheduled to end. We are observing with profound concern that efforts to establish a legitimate transitional government at this juncture have failed to yield concrete results, Latvias representative, Sanita Pavluta-Deslandes, said during a meeting Wednesday of the United Nations Security Council. Advertisement Advertisement Members of the Security Council made clear that the Transitional residential Councils, TPC, mandate will end in 17 days. Yet, despite this, members seem poised to remain in office while targeting Fils-Aimes, who is trying to avoid the fate of his predecessor Garry Conille, who was also fired by the council. But unlike Conille, who was fired after six months and lost support from Washington, Fils-Aime is in a different position. Foreign diplomats in Port-au-Prince and U.S. Deputy Secretary of State Christopher Landau have made it clear the councils days are numbered and that Fils-Aime, a businessman, must stay on for continuity and to avoid a political vacuum that could further embolden gangs. Let us be clear: the country has no time to waste on prolonged internal conflicts Carlos Ruiz-Massieu, the U.N.s special representative in Haiti, said as he briefed the Security Council on Haitis deteriorating political and security situation. His comments seemed directed squarely at Haitian leaders. Objektif Etazini pou Ayiti rete etabli yon nivo minimom sekirite ak estabilite. Nenpot tantativ Konsey Prezidansyel Tranzisyonel (KPT) a ki pa eli a ta fe pou chanje konpozisyon gouvenman an nan etap manda li ki tre avanse konsa, Etazini ta konsidere li kom yon manev pou febli U.S. Embassy Haiti (@USEmbassyHaiti) January 22, 2026 He called for Haitis politicians to work to contain political fragmentation, set aside their differences, preserve institutional continuity and focus on organizing elections, which are scheduled for this summer. Advertisement Advertisement The situation demands that authorities, political parties, civil society, the private sector and community leaders prioritize the national interest and act with responsibility and restraint, Ruiz-Massieu said. But restraint appeared in short supply in Port-au-Prince, where residents awoke on Wednesday to burning barricades in several neighborhoods, and where uncertainty over the prime ministers future fueled fears of renewed instability. Late Wednesday, council members ended a day of meetings reportedly one signature short of the five votes needed to fire Fils-Aime, and they agreed to meet again at 10 a.m. Thursday. Counselor Smith Augustin would later confirm to the local daily, Le Nouvelliste, that he did provide the fifth signature on a resolution to fire the prime minister. U.S. issues warning The U.S. Embassy in Port-au-Prince said late Wednesday in a post on X that Washingtons objective for Haiti remains the establishment of baseline security and stability. The U.S. would regard any effort to change the composition of the government by the non-elected TPC at this late stage in its tenure to be an effort to undermine that objective and as such null and void, the post warned. The U.S. would consider anyone supporting such a disruptive step favoring the gangs to be acting contrary to the interests of the United States, the region, and the Haitian people and will act accordingly. Advertisement Advertisement U.S. Deputy Secretary of State Christopher Landau issued a separate post, repeating the embassys position and the February 7 expiration of the presidential councils mandate. Earlier in the day, the U.S.s alternative to the U.N. Jennifer Locetta said: The United States remains relentless in pursuing those who undermine Haitian security and arm or finance terrorist gangs. We will expand our use of all available tools, including financial sanctions, arms seizures, visas and other immigration restrictions, to counter the endemic impunity that robs the Haitian children of their future. Laurent Saint-Cyr, the current coordinator of the presidential council, is among those who has consistently opposed Fils-Aimes firing. Haiti cannot make short-sighted political calculations or hasty decisions, he said in a two-page letter his office made public after the U.S. embassys social media post. I oppose any resolution aimed at calling into question the stability of the government in the approach of February 7 and denounce any attempt to haste or make major decisions without a broader, structured and truly representative dialogue of the different sectors of national life, he said. Council members have been trying to get rid of the prime minister since December when it became clear he was favored by some to remain in power when they were not. Few foreign diplomats appear willing to continue backing the presidential council, which came to power in April 2024, and have been engulfed in allegations of corruption, accused of ties to armed groups and as a body, failed to deliver on their central task: lead Haiti to elections. Despite that, council members have been campaigning to remain in power either as a group or in some configuration after Feb. 7, the day they were supposed to hand over power to an elected government under the agreement they signed. With the February 7 deadline for democratic transition fast approaching and with no interim solution in sight, we urge all stakeholders to intensify the integration dialogue to agree on new transitional governance arrangement until the holding of elections, leveraging the support of regional organizations and the good offices of the U.N. Integrated Office in Haiti, Greeces representative, Aglaia Balta, said. Advertisement Advertisement Chinas deputy representative, Geng Shuang, addressed the crisis as well. The political transition is a means to hold consensus and restore order. It must not become an excuse for procrastination or evading responsibility, he said. All Haitian parties and factions must prioritize the nations future and the peoples interests. The political uncertainty is unfolding against a backdrop of worsening violence, diplomats stressed. More than 8,100 killings The U.N. reported that more than 8,100 killings were documented nationwide in Haiti last year, a figure it said was likely underreported because of limited access to gang-controlled areas. Those areas not only encompass much of Port-au-Prince, but theyve spread into rural parts of the Artibonite region and the Central Plateau. In a report released ahead of the meeting, Secretary General Antonio Guterres said killings had increasingly targeted people suspected of cooperating with police or resisting gang control, while sexual violencepredominantly against women and girlswas being used as a punitive tactic. Advertisement Advertisement Gangs continued to engage in kidnapping for ransom, extortion and the destruction of property, obstructing access to essential services, including healthcare and education, exacerbating food insecurity and economic hardship, he said. Reports also indicated an increase in the trafficking in children, with children continuing to be used by gangs in multiple roles, including in violent attacks. The US objective for Haiti remains the establishment of baseline security and stability. The US would regard any effort to change the composition of the government by the non-elected Transitional Presidential Council at this late stage in its tenure (set to expire on February Christopher Landau (@DeputySecState) January 22, 2026 John Brandolino, the acting executive director of the U.N. Office on Drugs and Crime, told the Security Council that criminal groups in Haiti had evolved from fragmented local gangs into structured networks with defined leadership, territorial ambitions and diversified revenue streams. The crisis, he said, has grown more violent, more systemic and more embedded. Even as rivalries persist between gangs, the armed groups have consolidated into federated coalitions to coordinate their actions, and in some cases now even frame their activities in political language, Brandolino said. Advertisement Advertisement Haitis representative to the council, Ericq Pierre, stressed that the authorities were responding. The Haitian National Police, with limited resources, is currently gradually retaking control of certain key localities, breaking the hold of criminal gangs over strategic areas, he said. Wednesdays meeting was convened to review the mandate of the U.N. Integrated Office in Haiti, known by its French acronym BINUH, and to assess preparations for a U.N.-backed Gang Suppression Force, which is expected to deploy initial components to Haiti by early April. France said the effort was making good headway, but warned that preserving institutional stability would be essential. The New York State Department of Environmental Conservation will hold a public meeting Jan. 26 on a proposed $1 million cleanup of hazardous waste at the 3.2-acre former Gibson Scrapyard site in the town of Corning. The cleanup meeting will be at 5 p.m. Monday at the Southeast Steuben County Library, 300 Nassar Civic Center Plaza, in Corning. The Proposed Remedial Action Plan focuses on cleaning up contaminated sites at the property located at 2972 Main St. in the Hamlet of Gibson. After cleanup efforts, the land will be returned to beneficial use, according to the DEC. People are encouraged to provide comments at the meeting, and during the 30-day comment period which ends Feb. 13. Advertisement Advertisement The site operated as an industrial waste landfill from about 1940-1950, and a scrap metal dump from 1950 to 1985, DEC officials said. The site is currently zoned as commercial and is vacant. The New York State Department of Environmental Conservation will hold a public meeting Jan. 26 on a proposed $1 million cleanup of hazardous waste at the 3.2-acre former Gibson Scrapyard site in the town of Corning. The proposed cleanup for the site includes: Construction of a temporary vehicle traffic bridge to provide physical access to the site. Placement of a demarcation layer and site cover of at least two feet of soil that meets established soil cleanup objectives across the entire site. Installation of a security fence to control access to the site. Implementing a Site Management Plan for long term maintenance of the remedial systems. Recording of an Environmental Easement to ensure proper use of the site. DEC developed the proposed cleanup after reviewing the detailed investigation of the site and evaluating the cleanup options in the Feasibility Study submitted under New Yorks State Superfund Program. Advertisement Advertisement Under the next step, the DEC will consider public comments as it finalizes the cleanup for the site, explaining why the plan was selected and responding to public comments. A detailed design of the selected cleanup will then be prepared, and the cleanup will be performed. The site is 3.2 acres and is located at the north end of Main Street in the Hamlet of Gibson within the town of Corning. It is currently unoccupied and contains a concrete slab associated with a former weigh station. The 3.2-acre former Gibson Scrapyard site in the town of Corning operated as an industrial waste landfill from about 1940-1950, and a scrap metal dump from 1950 to 1985. Former Gibson Scrapyard site has unexploded ordnance According to the DEC, the site is adjacent to a railroad track to the west, Narrows Creek to the south, vacant residential property to the southeast, and a steep wooded hillside to the north and east. The primary contaminants of concern at the site are polychlorinated biphenyls, metals, and semi-volatile organic compounds, primarily polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, according to the DEC. These contaminants are present site-wide in soil and groundwater. Advertisement Advertisement More: Rockwell Museum celebrates 50th anniversary throughout 2026. See schedule Small munitions debris and unexploded ordnance were also observed buried throughout the site during previous investigations, which could pose a hazard to onsite workers and trespassers. Sites that pose a significant threat to public health and/or the environment go through a process of investigation, evaluation, cleanup and monitoring, officials said. The DEC attempts to identify parties responsible for site contamination before committing state funds for investigation and cleanup. This article originally appeared on The Leader: DEC plans $1 million cleanup of hazardous Gibson Scrapyard in Corning By Timothy Gardner WASHINGTON, Jan 22 (Reuters) - The Trump administration is allowing China to purchase Venezuelan oil but not at "unfair, undercut" prices at which Caracas sold the crude before the U.S. removed President Nicolas Maduro, a U.S. official said on Thursday. While the oil will be sold in the global marketplace, the administration has required that the majority be sold to the United States, the administration official said on condition of anonymity. The U.S. says it will control Venezuela's oil sales indefinitely after seizing Maduro on January 3. Advertisement Advertisement "Thanks to President (Donald) Trumps decisive and successful law enforcement operation, the people of Venezuela will collect a fair price for their oil from China and other nations rather than a corrupt, cheap price," the official said. China has been Venezuela's top oil buyer for years, and the sales helped Caracas repay massive loans to Beijing in debt-for-oil deals. The administration is allowing China to buy the oil at "fair market prices - not the unfair, undercut prices" at which Maduro sold oil to China to pay debts, the official said. U.S. Energy Secretary Chris Wright said last week that the U.S. was receiving about $45 per barrel for Venezuelan oil compared with the roughly $31 Venezuela was getting before Maduro's capture. Advertisement Advertisement Trading houses Trafigura and Vitol have sold some 11 million barrels of oil in an initial supply deal between Venezuela and the U.S. of stranded crude, representing about a quarter of the $2 billion agreement. Trafigura completed its first crude sale to a customer in a deal with Spanish company Repsol while Vitol has negotiated cargoes to U.S. refiners including Valero and Phillips 66 and to its refinery in Italy, sources said. China's oil imports from Venezuela are expected to slump starting in February as fewer tankers have managed to leave after the U.S. claimed control of the OPEC producer's sales, traders and analysts said last week. (Reporting by Timothy Gardnerin Washington; Additional reporting by Nidhi Verma in New Delhi; Editing by Matthew Lewis and Andrea Ricci ) The US attorney general announced Thursday the arrest of two women who allegedly disturbed a church service while protesting the massive immigration crackdown in Minnesota, as Vice President JD Vance prepared to visit the state. Nekima Levy Armstrong and Chauntyll Louisa Allen were arrested in connection with a Sunday protest at Cities Church in the state capital St. Paul, Attorney General Pam Bondi announced on X. St. Paul and the neighboring metropolis of Minneapolis have been the epicenter of a major deployment of federal agents by the Trump administration to the Democratic-led northern US state. Advertisement Advertisement Tensions have flared in the state over a wave of arrests and the killing of protester Renee Good by an Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agent. Vance, who has aggressively defended the officer who killed Good, was due in Minnesota later Thursday and is expected to meet ICE officers, as well as community and business figures. Good, 37, was shot dead in her car by the ICE officer on January 7. Homeland Security Investigations and FBI "agents executed an arrest in Minnesota," US Attorney General Pam Bondi wrote on X. "So far, we have arrested Nekima Levy Armstrong, who allegedly played a key role in organizing the coordinated attack on Cities Church in St. Paul, Minnesota. We will share more updates as they become available. Listen loud and clear: WE DO NOT TOLERATE ATTACKS ON PLACES OF WORSHIP." Advertisement Advertisement She later wrote that officers had also arrested Allen for the action where an immigration official was apparently leading a service, according to US media. "WE WILL PROTECT OUR HOUSES OF WORSHIP," she posted. FBI Director Kash Patel posted on X that Armstrong had been arrested under the FACE Act, a law intended to protect those seeking to access abortion clinics and places of worship. Minnesota has sought a temporary restraining order for the ICE operation in the state which, if granted by a federal judge, would pause the sweeps. There will be a hearing on the application Monday. There have been confrontations between federal agents and protesters who have demanded a full investigation of Good's killing, with officers frequently deploying pepper spray and tear gas. Advertisement Advertisement A number of school children have walked out of classes in protest at the ICE operation in the city. The officer who fired the shots that killed Good, Jonathan Ross, has neither been suspended nor charged with any crime. Trump and his officials quickly defended his actions as being legitimately made in self-defense. The federal immigration sweeps in Minneapolis occurred amid a highly politicized fraud investigation in Minnesota. bur-gw/des A source familiar with talks between Trump and NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte said the agreement would be revised, but stressed that placing American bases on Greenland under US sovereignty had not been discussed. The 1951 agreement will get renegotiated, the source told the French news agency AFP adding that European allies would also step up security in the Arctic. The defence pact, last updated in 2004, already allows Washington to increase troop deployments on the island as long as authorities in Denmark and Greenland are informed in advance. Advertisement Advertisement The US currently operates one base there, the Pituffik Space Base in the north-west, which plays a key role in its missile defence system. Trump said on Wednesday he had reached a framework agreement with Rutte covering Greenland and the wider Arctic region. Trump reverses course on Greenland, drops tariff threat, citing 'deal' But Danish Defence Minister Troels Lund Poulsen said NATOs chief had no authority to negotiate on Denmarks behalf. In a social media post, Poulsen said it was very positive that NATO wanted to strengthen Arctic security, but warned there were firm limits. We have a clear red line, he said. We will not cede sovereignty over parts of the kingdom. Advertisement Advertisement A NATO spokesperson later said talks would continue, stressing that negotiations between Denmark, Greenland and the US would go forward aimed at ensuring that Russia and China never gain a foothold, economically or militarily, in Greenland. Unclear framework Trumps earlier threats over Greenland, an autonomous territory within the Kingdom of Denmark, had shaken relations between Washington and its European allies. He had repeatedly said he wanted the territory to become part of the United States, and threatened tariffs of up to 25 percent against Denmark and other European countries. Based on his talks with Rutte, Trump said he would not impose the tariffs that were due to take effect on 1 February. Advertisement Advertisement Trump arrives in Davos as Europe struggles for unity over Greenland European diplomats said the shift in tone had eased tensions, but warned that key questions remain unanswered. NATO has insisted that Rutte did not propose any compromise to sovereignty in his talks with Trump. Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen said she had been informed that Greenlands status was not discussed. We can negotiate all political aspects: security, investment, the economy, she said. But we cannot negotiate our sovereignty. Aaja Chenmitz, one of two Greenlandic lawmakers in the Danish parliament, questioned why NATO should have any role in discussions touching on the islands resources. NATO in no case has the right to negotiate on anything without us, Greenland, she wrote on social media. (with newswires) The Trump Administration has been pushing to deport Khalil, while the activist's lawer arguing that the removal of his green card would violate the US Constitution. Pro-Palestinian activist Mahmoud Khalil will be deported to Algeria over his role in pro-Palestinian demonstrations in New York, NewsNation reported on Thursday, citing a Department of Homeland Security (DHS) official. Khalil, who was born in Syria to a Palestinian family, holds a green card and entered the US with a student visa, was one of the main figures in the 2024 protests at Columbia University Campus. Advertisement Advertisement The Trump Administration has been pushing to deport Khalil, while the activist's lawer arguing that the removal of his green card would violate the US Constitution. It looks like hell go to Algeria. Thats what the thought is right now, Tricia McLaughlin, DHS assistant secretary for public affairs, told NewsNation. Its a reminder for those who are in this country on a visa or on a green card. You are a guest in this country, act like it, she added. It is a privilege, not a right, to be in this country to live or to study. Columbia University graduate Mahmoud Khalil attends a pro-Palestinian protest outside Columbia University, in Manhattan in New York City, US, October 7, 2025 (credit: REUTERS/RYAN MURPHY) Court overturns ruling to free Khalil Last week, a federal appeals court ruled that a judge had no jurisdiction to order the release of Khalil from immigration detention, delivering President Donald Trump's administration a victory in its efforts to deport the anti-Israel activist. Advertisement Advertisement The 2-1 ruling by a panel of the Philadelphia-based 3rd US Circuit Court of Appeals paves the way for Khalil's rearrest after it ordered the dismissal of a lawsuit he filed challenging his initial detention. The court said that under the Immigration and Nationality Act, the district court that considered his lawsuit was not the proper forum to address his claims, which should have been heard through an appeal of a removal order from an immigration judge. Reuters contributed to this report. In the shadow of the coal industry, already struggling communities across the U.S. could see long-promised cleanup efforts stalled after lawmakers moved to redirect hundreds of millions of dollars meant to address lingering damage from decades of mining. What's happening? The House of Representatives passed a bill in early January that would repurpose $500 million earmarked for remediating environmental and safety hazards caused by a century of coal mining. The Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, signed in 2021, authorized more than $11 billion in new funding to reclaim lands and waterways damaged by abandoned mines. Advertisement Advertisement However, the House passed an appropriations bill that would redirect $500 million in funding to pay for wildland fire management. A cloture motion for the bill was presented in the Senate on Jan. 13; if it passes in that chamber, it must be signed by the president to take effect. According to Inside Climate News, states like Pennsylvania will be hurt the most, even as all but one of their representatives voted for the bill. Pennsylvania has the highest number of abandoned coal mines of any state, which continue to ignite underground fires, cause sinkholes, and contaminate 5,500 miles of waterways. Advertisement Advertisement "Congress is taking back money again to continue to punish the impoverished communities that have been suffering for a century," said former head of the federal Office of Surface Mining Reclamation and Enforcement Joe Pizarchik. Why is this concerning? Abandoned coal mines continue to contaminate water, soil, and air with acid mine drainage (AMD), heavy metals, methane, and sediment, harming wildlife and rendering rivers unusable for fishing or recreation, according to the National Park Service. These pollutants can move up the food chain through biomagnification, causing animals to die or lose the ability to reproduce, as the EPA warned. Abandoned mines limit development, tourism, and job creation, prolonging economic decline in areas already hit hard by the coal industry's downturn, locals say. Advertisement Advertisement In some Appalachian communities, cleanup funds have been used to build public water lines in areas where drinking water was rendered unsafe by abandoned mines. "We're horribly disappointed," said Amanda Pitzer, executive director at Friends of the Cheat, a nonprofit organization in West Virginia that works to restore the Cheat River watershed through treatment systems that clean up acid mine drainage. "Less money means less reclamation, period," Pitzer added. What's being done about it? Advocacy groups and local officials have urged the Senate to block the funding shift, warning it could set a precedent for further reductions. Advertisement Advertisement Organizations like Friends of the Cheat and Appalachian Voices continue pushing for mine cleanup as a path toward safer water, restored ecosystems, and long-term economic recovery. For residents living with the consequences of unregulated corporate activity and past generations' actions, taking local action and talking with friends and family about climate issues can be pivotal in pressuring lawmakers to effect change. Get TCD's free newsletters for easy tips to save more, waste less, and make smarter choices and earn up to $5,000 toward clean upgrades in TCD's exclusive Rewards Club. By Steve Holland, Rami Ayyub and Nidal al-Mughrabi DAVOS, Switzerland/JERUSALEM/CAIRO, Jan 22 (Reuters) - The United States on Thursday announced plans for a "New Gaza" rebuilt from scratch to include residential towers, data centres and seaside resorts, part of President Donald Trump's push to advance an Israel-Hamas ceasefire shaken by repeated violations. In the Gaza Strip, health officials said Israeli airstrikes on Thursday had killed five people in the enclave. There was no immediate Israeli comment on the violence, the latest to fray the October truce accord. Advertisement Advertisement Trump has parlayed the ceasefire into a broader "Board of Peace" initiative aimed at resolving conflicts globally. After hosting a signing ceremony for the board in Davos, Switzerland, on Thursday, Trump invited his son-in-law Jared Kushner to present development plans for Gaza, its densely populated cities and towns now in ruins from two years of war. "In the beginning, we were toying with (building) a free zone, and then (having) a Hamas zone," Kushner told an audience in Davos of Trump's early plans to rebuild Gaza, where nearly the entire 2 million population is internally displaced. "And then we said, you know what? Let's just plan for catastrophic success." Advertisement Advertisement 'MASTER PLAN' Kushner presented the audience with a slideshow depicting a "master plan" for what he termed a "New Gaza", displayed on a colour-coded map with areas reserved for residential development, data centres and industrial parks. The slides included an image of a Mediterranean coastline packed with glittering towers akin to those in Dubai or Singapore. They suggested redevelopment would begin in Rafah in the south, an area under complete Israeli military control. But they did not address key issues such as property rights or compensation for Palestinians who lost their homes, businesses and livelihoods during the war. Nor did they address where displaced Palestinians might live during the rebuilding. Advertisement Advertisement Kushner did not say who would fund the redevelopment, which would first require clearing an estimated 68 million tons of rubble and war debris. A conference will be held in Washington in the coming weeks "where we'll announce a lot of the contributions that will be made ... from the private sector," Kushner said, without elaborating. The slides shown by Kushner were nearly identical to slides leaked to the Wall Street Journal in December. The newspaper reported then that the U.S. had offered to "anchor" 20% of the redevelopment project, without going into detail. Trump has floated the idea of transforming long-impoverished and dilapidated Gaza into the "Riviera of the Middle East", an idea that has drawn criticism from Palestinians. Advertisement Advertisement RAFAH CROSSING Kushner's presentation in Davos followed remarks by Ali Shaath, the Palestinian technocrat leader backed by Washington to administer the enclave under Trump's 20-point plan for Gaza. A key unfulfilled element of the ceasefire has been the reopening of Gaza's key Rafah border crossing with Egypt for the entry and exit of Palestinians. Shaath, speaking by video link, announced the Rafah crossing would open next week. "Opening Rafah signals that Gaza is no longer closed to the future and to the war," Shaath said. Israel, which controls the Gaza side of the crossing, has rejected reopening it until Hamas fulfills its ceasefire obligation of returning the remains of the last hostage held in the territory. Advertisement Advertisement After Shaath's announcement, an Israeli political source said a special effort was being made to return Ran Gvili's remains and that Israel would discuss reopening the crossing starting next week. PERSISTENT VIOLENCE The next phase of Trump's Gaza plan would see Hamas disarm and international peacekeepers deploy in the crowded, coastal enclave as Israeli troops withdraw further. The first phase left Israel in control of well over half of Gaza, with Hamas holding a sliver of territory along the coast. Israel has continued to carry out air and artillery strikes in Gaza, often accusing Hamas militants of preparing attacks on its troops or encroaching into areas it controls. Advertisement Advertisement Health officials at Al Shifa Hospital, Gaza's largest, said four Palestinians were killed on Thursday by Israeli tank shelling in the Zeitoun suburb of eastern Gaza City. A fifth person was killed by Israeli fire in Khan Younis in the south, health officials said. Israel's military did not immediately provide comment. A day earlier, Israeli fire killed 11 people including two boys and three journalists, health officials said. On Thursday, Palestinians in Gaza held funerals for the three journalists, who press advocates said had been using a drone to film tents housing displaced people. Without providing evidence, the Israeli military said the drone they were operating was "affiliated with Hamas" and "posed a threat to (troops') safety." The troops "precisely struck the suspects who activated the drone", the military said. Advertisement Advertisement Israel has killed more than 480 Palestinians since the ceasefire took effect, health officials say, while militants have killed three Israeli soldiers. Israel launched its air and ground war in Gaza after a Hamas-led cross-border attack on October 7, 2023 that killed 1,200 people, according to Israeli tallies. Israel's assault has killed 71,000 Palestinians, health authorities say. (Reporting by Steven Holland, Rami Ayyub, Nidal al-Mughrabi and Pesha Magid; editing by Mark Heinrich) The US is poised to leave the World Health Organization (WHO) as the one-year countdown of legal notice comes to an end, despite warnings from the agencys chief on adverse public health consequences. President Donald Trump set the wheels in motion for the countrys departure back in January 2025, signing an executive order (EO) outlining his formal intention for the US to withdraw from the WHO on his first day in office. As per US law, a years notice is required before leaving, along with paying outstanding fees. According to news agency NPR, the US has failed to pay its WHO membership dues, which were a total of $260.6m for 2024 and 2025, contradicting the countrys original 1948 agreement with the health agency. Advertisement Advertisement A spokesperson for the US Department of State told Clinical Trials Arena that the EO explicitly pauses the future transfer of any United States Government funds, support, or resources to the WHO. The spokesperson added: The WHOs failure to contain, manage, and share information with the global community cost the US economy between $14tn and $16tn. The American people have paid more than enough to this organisation, and this economic hit is beyond a down payment on any financial obligations to the organisation. A WHO spokesperson told Clinical Trials Arena: The US reserved its right to withdraw from the organisation on a one-year notice, provided however that the financial obligations of the United States to the organisation shall be met in full for the organisations current fiscal year. The spokesperson added that the matter is on the agenda of an upcoming executive board meeting. Advertisement Advertisement Trump has been vociferous in his issues with the WHO, citing the health agencys political sways, mishandling of Covid-19, and unfair payment demands. Historically, the US is the largest contributor to WHO. Under former president Joe Biden, the US gave the WHO $1.28bn. This amounted to 12-15% of the WHOs total budget, though voluntary contributions increased this number by an extra 5%. WHOs director-general Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus has previously said that the withdrawal of the US from its ranks makes the world less safe. Ghebreyesus said that he deeply regretted the decision, adding that the consequences on public health extend to the rest of the world. He hopes the US will reconsider its decision. In a January 2025 statement, Avril Benoit, CEO of Doctors Without Borders/Medecins Sans Frontieres in the United States, said: "President Trump's decision to withdraw from the WHO could have life-threatening consequences for people in the humanitarian contexts where we work as well as in the US. WHO revamps amid US funding gap Relationships between the US and the WHO were further fractured in the past year after Trump significantly cut the amount it spends on foreign aid. Around $68bn was spent by the US on international aid in 2023. Pauses in several health programmes that were made in 2025 mean that HIV, malaria and tuberculosis treatment services in low-income countries have slowed. Advertisement Advertisement Amid the impending funding shortfall left by the US, WHO member countries will pay 20% more in membership fees as part of a revamped budget agreed in May 2025. The 2026-2027 annual budget was approved at $4.2bn, a knockdown from the WHOs previous aim of $5.3bn. At the time, WHO cited financial constraints on the downsizing. China has pledged to provide $500m in additional funding to WHO over the next five years, aiming to increase its global health influence as the US focuses on domestic policies. In a perceived win showcasing unity, WHO member states adopted the worlds first Pandemic Agreement. The framework, signed at the World Health Assembly in May 2025, includes a variety of measures to shore up the worlds infectious disease defences via health initiatives and instilling a One Health approach. Amid its shift away from the international health stage, the US turned much of its focus to domestic health agendas. Celebrating a year of the Trumps administration second term in office, US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) commissioner Marty Makary outlined the most important reforms at the agency over the past 12 months. Top 10 reforms at @US_FDA in Year 1 of the Trump administration. Dr. Marty Makary (@DrMakaryFDA) January 21, 2026 "US set to officially exit WHO in culmination of Trumps domestic push" was originally created and published by Clinical Trials Arena, a GlobalData owned brand. The Trump administrations recent announcement that it is withdrawing from 66 international organizations and treaties is another blow to the global system where all countries unite to share concerns, agree on rules of conduct and determine agendas for collective action. Coming on the heels of the U.S. attack on Venezuela considered a violation of international law the White House claims, without specific justification, that these organizations and initiatives operate contrary to U.S. national interests, security, economic prosperity or sovereignty. Some experts say many of these organizations are niche and peripheral initiatives. They say the groups receive little money from the U.S., anyway. Advertisement Advertisement Additionally, most of the U.N. entities on the administrations list are part of the U.N.s main body, the Secretariat, which gets its funding primarily from membership dues that are required by legal obligations. In fact, the U.S. cant technically withdraw from these groups without leaving the U.N. completely. It can, however, select not to participate in meetings of these bodies or finance them through additional funds. Moreover, with the White House already defunding the foreign assistance that supported many of these organizations and the U.N. system, regardless of congressional appropriations, this stated withdrawal is unlikely to alter much for these organizations in the short term. The loss is likely greater to America. Foreign policy experts assert that leaving empty the U.S. seat at the table will result in an increasingly isolated America and enable its adversaries, such as China, to fill the void. Advertisement Advertisement As a democracy and peacebuilding scholar, and from my years working at the U.N., I know U.S. withdrawal from these organizations also risks undercutting lasting peace and human rights accountability, especially for women and children terrorized by violence and conflict. Women and children die first Peace and human rights-related groups loom large on the list of organizations the U.S. has withdrawn from. The list includes key U.N. bodies that seek to hold states accountable for rape and use of child soldiers in conflict, among other crimes. The U.N. offices of the Special Representative on Children in Armed Conflict and on Sexual Violence in Conflict are unique global repositories of detailed reporting used by countries, courts and advocates. Advertisement Advertisement These offices can identify violations and trigger action to prevent rape and violence against women and children. This can lead to targeted sanctions against people and other restrictions, national action plans compelling reform, and even international criminal prosecutions. Additionally, the U.S. will no longer support U.N. peacebuilding efforts. That includes the Peacebuilding Commission and its attendant Peacebuilding Fund. Yet by virtue of its permanent member status on the Security Council, the U.S. is a member of the commission. Established in 2005 to help countries avoid a return to conflict, the Peacebuilding Commission claims among its successes formerly war-torn but now stable countries such as Sierra Leone and Liberia, which had Africas first democratically elected female leader. These bodies prioritize women and youth engagement in building peace. A U.S. soldier shouts to evacuees to hurry as they board a helicopter at the West African peacekeeping force ECOMOG compound in Monrovia, Liberia on April 12, 1996. AP Photo/Christophe Simon, Pool Also on the list is the United Nations group focused on gender equality and womens empowerment, known as UN Women. Established in 2010, the agency promotes womens rights and helps women and girls prosper. UN Women has helped improve laws and policies for women in 83 countries and leads major efforts, including the Spotlight Initiative that aims to end violence against women and girls in more than 25 countries. Advertisement Advertisement More than half of UN Womens current budget of over US$2 billion for 2026 through 2029 goes to empowering women in war-affected societies and tackling violence against women and girls. The U.S. served multiple times on the UN Women executive board, which steers the direction of the organization, including between 2023 and 2025. It does this, in part, by approving its strategy, plans and budget. With the U.S. leaving its seat in steering the organization, Secretary of State Marco Rubio recently said that UN Women has failed to define what a woman even is. With such an adversarial approach, the absence of the Trump administration seeking to spoil human rights protections might be advantageous for these groups in the short term. Advertisement Advertisement But the lack of U.S. financial and political support may weaken these organizations in the long term, eroding their legitimacy and even opening the door for other countries to further undermine their efforts. That might endanger the already politically sensitive challenge of promoting accountability for serious violations of womens and childrens rights. Adapt, shrink or die The specter of the U.S. further abandoning peace and human rights efforts remains. Rubio said on Jan. 7, 2026, that the administrations review of additional organizations continues. That reinforces a recent State Department statement to the U.N. adapt, shrink or die. Some key international and U.N. entities that promote peace and human rights were not on the list, including the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights, the U.N.s chief human rights institution a bully pulpit that has been used sparingly against the second Trump administration so far. U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio, center, listens to President Donald Trump during the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, on Jan. 21, 2026. AP Photo/Evan Vucci But the U.S. has recently been disrupting long-standing, U.N.-mediated agreements on human rights concerns, including for children. Advertisement Advertisement In 2025, it voted against 38 resolutions in the General Assemblys human rights committee alone. For example, for the Rights of the Child resolution, the U.S. took the unusual and divisive step of calling for a general vote, even though text had been previously agreed upon. Despite the U.S. no vote, the resolution passed, with over 170 states voting in favor. The Trump administration has also selectively funded certain U.N. peace efforts. For example, of its $682 million contribution to U.N. peacekeeping, it has earmarked $85 million for Haiti around half of what it actually owes. It cherry-picked the conflict areas to fund excluding Yemen, Afghanistan and Gaza with its $2 billion in humanitarian aid, a steep decline from the U.S. contribution of around $14 billion in 2024. And it refused to participate in the U.Ns Universal Periodic Review the only global peer review process for all countries human rights efforts. The groups recommendations, though voluntary, often trigger action to improve human rights. Failure to show up in November 2026 for a postponed review would mean that America becomes the first country ever to undermine this singular means of accountability. Advertisement Advertisement For now, most other U.N. member states are not following suit. While the U.S. has been able to force changes to language on sexual- and gender-based violence in Security Council resolutions where it holds a veto its efforts have gained little traction in the broader body. Losing that language erases years of progress in recognizing that men and boys are also subject to sexual violence and exploitation and deserve international protection. Most tellingly, the Trump administrations new Board of Peace ostensibly for Gaza appears designed to displace the U.N. itself without reference to the core principles, including human rights, on which the U.N. Charter stands. This article is republished from The Conversation, a nonprofit, independent news organization bringing you facts and trustworthy analysis to help you make sense of our complex world. It was written by: Shelley Inglis, Rutgers University Advertisement Advertisement Read more: From May 2023 until July 1, 2025, the author served in the Bureau for Democracy, Human Rights, and Governance at the United States Agency for International Development (U.S.A.I.D.). Utah Gov. Spencer Cox reaffirmed the states current approach to immigration as state lawmakers consider clashing proposals amid national tension over Trump administration deportation tactics. The Republican-led Legislature has launched the 2026 general session with bills on whether to further restrict access to jobs, welfare, housing, transportation, transactions and elections for immigrants. House majority leadership has been less vocal on the issue of immigration than they were last year, when they championed a package of bills seeking to remove obstacles for immigration authorities in Utah. Advertisement Advertisement But this year House members are getting much more pressure from the federal side to do something, according to Rep. Trevor Lee, who is the sponsor of the immigration bills receiving the most pushback. In an interview with the Deseret News, Utahs governor said the state has already established a track record of immigration policies that combine public safety with strong communities and he intends to preserve that posture. In Utah, we believe in two things. We believe in the rule of law, and we believe in treating everyone with dignity and respect, Cox said. Weve done a good job of trying to balance those two things. Well continue to work to do so. Gov. Spencer Cox answers interview questions in his office on the opening day of the 2026 legislative session at the Capitol in Salt Lake City on Tuesday, Jan. 20, 2026. | Kristin Murphy, Deseret News New Utah poll on immigration When asked to rate President Donald Trumps first year back in office, Cox praised his action at the border. The Biden administration had told governors it could not shut down illegal crossings. Turns out that was not true, Cox said. Advertisement Advertisement Last week, U.S. Customs and Border Protection announced that in December the agency had released zero immigrants into the country for the eighth consecutive month amid record low border encounters nationwide. I think with any administration, its been a mixed bag, Cox said. We needed a president who was serious about protecting our borders, and President Trump has certainly done that, and were grateful for his leadership there. Cox did not mention the Trump administrations mass deportation campaign which flooded Los Angeles, Chicago and Minneapolis with federal authorities, and resulted in a massive increase of street arrests of immigrants in Utah. Utahns are split in half over Trumps immigration agenda, according to the latest Deseret News/Hinckley Institute of Politics poll, which found that 49% of registered voters approve of Trumps handling of immigration policy, and 46% disapprove. Advertisement Advertisement Party affiliation was the dominant divide: 76% of Republicans approve, including 49% who strongly approve. Meanwhile, 89% of Democrats disapprove, including 79% who strongly disapprove. Nearly two-thirds of independents also disapprove. DN-Immigrationpoll Deportation methods used by ICE and Border Patrol were equally polarizing: 41% of Utah voters approve and 43% disapprove. Approval among Republicans was 64%. Disapproval hit 90% among Democrats and 67% among independents. The poll was conducted by Morning Consult between January 7-12, among a sample of 799 registered Utah voters. Results from the full survey have a margin of error of +/- 3%. One Utah Democrat is using the legislative session to take a stand against deportation efforts. Advertisement Advertisement Sen. Nate Blouin, D-Salt Lake City, has introduced a bill, SB136, that would prohibit state and local law enforcement from assisting federal immigration authorities in public libraries, government health care facilities, courts or houses of worship. The bill would require government entities to prevent access to these sensitive locations for federal authorities who are conducting an immigration enforcement operation. It also creates a criminal penalty for authorities who wear facial coverings. A more punitive approach Rep. Cory Maloy, R-Lehi, talks about HB0209 Voting Amendments, which he is sponsoring, during a House Government Operations Standing Committee meeting in the House Building in Salt Lake City on Wednesday, Jan. 21, 2026. | Kristin Murphy, Deseret News But most immigration-related bills this session focus on limiting state resources available to immigrants. The largest reforms were introduced by Lee, who is sponsoring a bill, HB287, to repeal the driving privilege card program, which allows individuals who cant prove lawful presence to legally drive in Utah after proving residency, identity and passing a driving test. Advertisement Advertisement Utah became one of the first states in the nation to create such a program in 2005. Over two decades later, Utah remains the only Republican-leaning state to have a drivers license for undocumented immigrants, according to the National Immigration Law Center. Lee also introduced legislation, HB88, that he says would prevent welfare fraud by requiring verification of lawful presence for public health immunizations, public health testing for communicable diseases, soup kitchens and homeless shelters. The bill would also eliminate alternative eligibility for otherwise ineligible children to qualify for the Childrens Health Insurance Program, Lee said. This would remove benefits for roughly 1,800 individuals, according to the Department of Workforce Services. Finally, Lee intends to introduce legislation preventing immigrants who are in the country illegally from renting or buying a home. Foreign immigration accounted for a majority of Utah growth in 2023 and 2024, and Lee said this contributes to a shortage of affordable homes. Advertisement Advertisement Stop incentivizing those who break the law when they come here, Lee, R-Layton, told the Deseret News. Its only going to exacerbate the problem. Its going to make it worse if we continue down that path. An AP analysis of CBP data in October found Salt Lake City was the third most common self-reported destination for immigrants from May 2023, to January 2025. Utah came in No. 7 for immigrant arrivals for every 100,000 residents above California and Arizona. Cox rejects the idea that Utah policies have made the state a magnet for illegal immigration. The most important factor is proximity to the border, Cox said. There are many left-leaning states that have lower immigration arrival rates, he pointed out. While he has yet to see Lees bills, Cox cautioned lawmakers to consider that there are already laws banning noncitizens from public benefits, and that driving privilege cards were created to protect Utahns by enabling immigrants to get car insurance. Advertisement Advertisement Its important for people to actually think a little bit about these things, to understand why they exist, what the purpose of them was, and then we can make better decisions, Cox said. Are noncitizens voting in elections? House Speaker Mike Schultz, R-Hooper, told the Deseret News his caucus will have serious discussions about a couple of Lees bills, particularly as it relates to concerns over fraud and subsidies, which Schultz said are justified. Utah Senate Democrats held a press conference on Tuesday where they called Lees bills horrifying, questioned the impact on the states economy and decried what they said would be the impact of the bills on immigrant children. It really is not what Utah is about, said Senate Minority Leader Luz Escamilla, D-Salt Lake City. Some of these bills are pretty mean. It is, at the core, keeping kiddos without access to health care or food at school. Thats a new low level. Advertisement Advertisement Other bills being proposed by House Republicans that would impact immigrants who are in the country illegally include: HB136, proposed by Rep. Matt MacPherson, R-West Valley, would enable law enforcement to charge someone driving without a license with a misdemeanor, to identify them with an automated fingerprint system and to impound their vehicle. HB141, proposed by Rep. Stephanie Gricius, R-Eagle Mountain, would impose a 2% tax on international money transmissions for individuals that cannot provide valid identification of lawful presence in the U.S. HB294, proposed by Rep. Tiara Auxier, R-Morgan, would increase the number of businesses that must use E-Verify to determine the legal working status of new employees by reducing the company size threshold from 150 employees down to 50. Rep. Ryan Wilcox, R-Ogden, also intends to introduce a piece of legislation that would prohibit those without legal status from driving large trucks through the state, according to a House Majority spokesperson. One immigration-related bill that already has the backing of House leadership is HB209, which would create a process for local election officials to verify the citizenship of individuals who seek to register to vote. This would create a separate process for state versus federal voter registration. Ryan Cowley, state elections director, speaks in favor of HB0209 Voting Amendments during a House Government Operations Standing Committee meeting in the House Building in Salt Lake City on Wednesday, Jan. 21, 2026. | Kristin Murphy, Deseret News It is already illegal in Utah for noncitizens to vote. But election officials currently lack guidelines and tools to check the citizenship status of individuals. During a hearing on Wednesday, Davis County Clerk Brian McKenzie and State Elections Director Ryan Cowley both endorsed the bill. Advertisement Advertisement We know that our Utah Constitution requires a person to be a U.S. citizen in order to vote, McKenzie said. But we also know that we dont want to do something that inadvertently disenfranchises a citizen of our state from voting. This bill takes both of those interests into play as it balances those out. The state has verified at least four instances of immigrants in the country illegally who successfully registered to vote and voted in an election before being removed from the voter rolls, Cowley said, citing information from an audit the Lieutenant Governors Office is conducting on noncitizens voting in Utah. Members of the Virginia House of Delegates meet at the Capitol in Richmond on the opening day of the 2026 General Assembly session, where Democrats advanced four proposed constitutional amendments addressing abortion rights, voting rights, marriage equality and congressional redistricting. (Photo by Markus Schmidt/Virginia Mercury) Six years ago, as Virginia headed down the path to bipartisan redistricting, reform advocates came up with a clever way to remind voters how politicians hold onto power by manipulating legislative boundaries. Voters were shown the shape of a few particularly contorted districts and were asked to describe what they saw. Advertisement Advertisement It kind of looks like the Loch Ness Monster, a woman said. A snake that looks like it was run over by a car, one man offered. Like a dragon on its back, floating in a pool or something, another woman ventured. Last week, Democrats on party-line votes in both chambers of the General Assembly paved the way for a statewide referendum in April in which voters will be asked whether or not Virginia should make a limited return to its gerrymandering past. If Democrats succeed in re-introducing partisan gerrymandering this year, Virginia voters may be even more flummoxed by an inkblot test of the states 11 congressional districts. Virginias redistricting amendment: What is it and what happens if voters pass it? Democratic legislative leaders approved a proposed constitutional amendment that could result in a gerrymander so extreme that a new congressional map would leave Virginias far southwestern tip as the only safe haven for Republican candidates. General Assembly Republicans railed against the plan, but were powerless to stop it. Advertisement Advertisement Democrats say their plan is a one-time and necessary response to President Donald Trumps unprecedented mid-decade redistricting arms race. The Republican president has demanded that red states like Texas and Florida rejigger their congressional maps in order to flip a few more Democratic districts this November in midterm elections. When other states manipulate their maps to gain unfair advantage they also harm Virginias ability to have its fair representation in Congress, Democratic Majority Leader Scott Surovell said during Fridays floor debate. Were simply seeking to level the playing field in Congress. The Democrats reason that a short-term return to gerrymandering in Virginia is better than to sit by and allow Trump to manipulate the midterms and escape any check on his seemingly boundless notion of presidential power. By the end of this month, Democrats are expected to unveil a map of how far they would press their political advantage. The states current congressional district split of 6-D, 5-R roughly reflects the states two-party competition. Advertisement Advertisement Democratic legislative leaders want to flip four of the five Republican seats, leaving conservative voters in Tidewater, Southside Virginia and the Shenandoah Valley with little expectation for the rest of this decade of being able to pick a congressional candidate of their choice. Gov. Abigail Spanberger, a former three-term congresswoman who made a name for herself by winning in Republican-leaning districts, has said she believes Democrats can pick up two seats this November without touching the maps. In a December interview with Politico, Spanberger noted that she had carried the 1st District and the 2nd Districts, which stretch from Henrico County to Virginia Beach. I want to flip seats in the House of Representatives, and I know that we can because we just I just won those districts, she said. Advertisement Advertisement Legislative leaders say they also want to flip the 5th District,which extends from Charlottesville to the North Carolina line, and the 6th District, which runs the length of the Shenandoah Valley from Roanoke to Winchester. In her first address to the General Assembly on Monday, Spanberger gave her strongest endorsement so far of the April ballot measure, calling it a justifiable response to actions by other states to undermine democratic norms. Make no mistake, she said, her tone firmer, Virginia will be responsive, targeted and only with the will of the people. And I trust the voters to get this one right. What would Democrats 10-1 map look like? The reaction of the voters could depend on how extreme of a gerrymander Democrats put forward later this month. Advertisement Advertisement There is a debate among Democrats about how far to push their advantage. Democratic leaders including Virginia Senate President Pro Tempore Louise Lucas, D-Portsmouth, have advocated for a 10-D,-1-R map. Hobbyist mapmakers have posted various options for a 10-1 configuration, including one that shows deep-blue Fairfax County broken into five narrow channels of voters that fan out into the rest of the state. This unofficial rendering could be what Virginia Democrats10-d, 1-R congressional district map will look like, according to hobbyists mapmakers. Democrats have said they will release their proposed map before it goes to the public for a vote in April. (Photo courtesy DavesRedistricting.org) In this version, people as far as Rockingham County in the Shenandoah Valley, Powhatan in the western exurbs of Richmond and Mathews County on the lower Chesapeake Bay could find themselves represented by someone from Fairfax County. Its hard to know if people will be bothered by the disruption caused by so many voters being shifted to districts. Will voters care that a 10-1 map could result in nearly half of the states congressional residing in Fairfax County? Advertisement Advertisement Spanberger has cautioned against a maximalist map, which could put at risk some of the six districts currently represented by Democrats. Lucas did not respond publicly to Spanberger, but on social media told the states Democratic congressmen to put on their big-boy pants. Anyone in the congressional delegation who wants a seat needs to campaign for it and not expect a safe seat, she said. Analysts split on whether Virginias mid-decade changes will make a difference Dave Daley, a national redistricting expert, said that Democrats in Virginia and elsewhere are placing too much emphasis on the short-term promise of gerrymandering. Daley said the only sure path forward for a Democratic majority in the U.S. House of Representatives is for the party to learn how to replicate Spanbergers success in reaching voters in rural districts. Advertisement Advertisement The long-term math simply wont work for Democrats after congressional seats are reapportioned based on the next Census in 2030, Daley said. California and northeast states stand to lose 12-14 seats to fast-growing red states like Texas, Arizona and Florida. And if the U.S. Supreme Court invalidates the last vestiges of the Voting Rights Act later this year, another 12-19 Democratic seats in the deep South would be at risk. Democrats cant gerrymander their way out of this, he said, They have to find a way to persuade voters that they are on their side. Im not against fighting back against unfairness, Im simply saying if you are going to charge up a hill, have a plan that works. Some analysts predict that Trump with his foreign policy interference, ICE raids in Democratic cities and voters mounting worry about rising health insurance costs will lose so many House seats this November that one or two extra seats from Virginia would hardly be worth the effort. Advertisement Advertisement Veteran Democratic analyst James Carville recently forecast that Democrats will gain a minimum 25 seats, maybe as high as 45. Frankly, its going to be a wipeout, Carville said. What do Virginias 2020 redistricting reform advocates say now? In November 2020, voters overwhelmingly approved a constitutional amendment to rein in politicians ability to draw district lines. The measure passed in every Virginia locality except Arlington County. OneVirginia 2021, the bipartisan group that was the moral voice behind the states 2020 redistricting effort, mobilized roughly 500 volunteers who used to show up at the polls statewide with signs reading Fair elections start with fair districts or Its not about right vs. left. Its about right vs. wrong. Advertisement Advertisement While the success or failure of Virginias mid-decade redistricting effort has yet to be determined, one thing seems certain: OneVirginia 2021 now rebranded as UpVote Virginia will not be calling out oddly-shaped districts or questioning the whip-lash reversion to politicians picking their voters instead of voters picking the politicians. UpVote Virginia has shifted its focus to improving the democratic process through ranked-choice voting. The groups executive director Liz White said that UpVote will stick to its new mission and has no plans to get involved in this years redistricting fight. I feel like everyone is disappointed to be having this conversation again, and felt that Virginia will not be part of this ugly national fight, White said. Its disheartening. Similarly, last fall in California, when Democrats sought to counter a mid-decade redistricting in Texas, reform groups did not oppose a ballot initiative that bypassed the bipartisan California Citizens Redistricting Commission. People who previously had worked on redistricting reform were basically told to stay on the sidelines, said Carah Ong Whaley, who, as the executive director of a California democracy reform group, was one of the few reform advocates who spoke out. Many of the in-state groups were frustrated. Ong Whaley, who also is a program manager at the University of Virginia Center for Politics, took the position that fighting fire with fire leads to a scorched earth democracy. I dont see why wed want to go back, when what is best for our country, period, is free and fair elections that are competitive, she said. When Trump launched the mid-decade redistricting battle, other reform advocates in Virginia thought the state would be immune because the process of amending the state constitution usually takes several years. We were patting ourselves on the back and thinking, Oh, this cant happen in Virginia, said Kathy Utgoff, a retired economist who served as a commissioner of the Bureau of Labor Statistics from 2002 to 2006. Utgoff also volunteered with OneVirginia 2021 in the Falls Church area and found meaning in grassroots work to bring fair elections to Virginia. She now chairs the UpVote Virginia board of directors. When Democrats devised a way to speed up the process by putting the question to voters in a special statewide election in April, Utgoff was frustrated. Ending (gerrymandering) took the better part of a decade. Now the plan is to undo the commission in the matter of months, she said. Still, other reform advocates support a limited, one-time carve out. Bob Gibson, who served on the advisory board for OneVirginia 2021 and once led the bipartisan-nurturing Sorensen Institute, called the upcoming amendment a necessary response if we are going to preserve democracy in this country. I think this is an unfortunate thing that has to be done, added Gibson, who lives in Charlottesville. Democrats emphasize that their proposal is a temporary exception that would leave Virginias bipartisan Redistricting Commission in charge when lines are scheduled to be redrawn in 2031. They emphasize that voters will get a chance to see the proposed map and must give their permission to any changes in the states congressional maps. The main thing is itll go to a referendum, Lucas said. But I think (voters) are going to love the maps and theyre going to love the 10-1. Pro-redistricting campaign takes shape With reform advocates on the sidelines, a Democrat-funded organization called Virginians for Fair Elections has appropriated the reform groups rhetoric and moral certainty. We can restore fairness with an amendment that gives Virginians the power to level the playing field, says a video released by Virginians for Fair Elections. And its temporary, reaffirming Virginias commitment to bipartisan redistricting. Virginians for Fair Elections had yet to file paperwork with the state Department of Elections, but has already lined up social media influencers to talk up the April ballot measure, including TikTok star Suzanne Lambert, also known as the Regina George liberal. Lambert encouraged her Instagram audience to vote yes to Virginias redistricting amendment in April and reminded them that it would be a temporary measure. Democracy is not doing so hot right now, Lambert said in a rat-a-tat cadence. No one wants to see this long term. Think of this as like a situationship and not the one you bring home to mom. SUPPORT: YOU MAKE OUR WORK POSSIBLE CARACAS, Venezuela (AP) The son-in-law of Venezuelan opposition figure Edmundo Gonzalez was released on Thursday after being held incommunicado for more than a year, his wife said. Rafael Tudares Bracho's release, two months after he was sentenced to 30 years in prison, is part of a trickle of prisoners being released by the interim government, after former President Nicolas Maduro was captured by American forces to face drug-trafficking charges. The Trump administration has praised the releases as a gesture of goodwill to the United States. After 380 days of unjust and arbitrary detention having endured more than a year of the inhumane reality of enforced disappearance my husband Rafael Tudares Bracho returned home this morning, Mariana Gonzalez, daughter of Edmundo Gonzalez, said on X. It has been a stoic and profoundly difficult struggle. Advertisement Advertisement Tudares Bracho was arrested just days before Maduros inauguration for a third term. His wife denounced the legal proceedings as a sham, noting that his trial took place in a single 12-hour session on Nov. 28, resulting in convictions for conspiracy, terrorism and criminal association. It wasn't until Jan. 16 that Mariana Gonzalez was granted her first 25-minute visit with her husband since his arrest. The release of Tudares Bracho comes as families of Venezuelan prisoners hold vigils outside prisons and demand the release of nearly 800 imprisoned critics, journalists and members of the opposition still detained in the South American nation. Edmundo Gonzalez, an exiled former diplomat who is widely regarded as the legitimate winner of Venezuelas 2024 presidential election, posted a video on social media hailing his son-in-laws freedom and calling for the release of the many other Venezuelans that he said remain unjustly detained. It would be a mistake to reduce this event to a personal story, he said. There are still men and women who remain deprived of their liberty for political reasons, without guarantees, without due process, and in many cases, without truth." Advertisement Advertisement As of Tuesday, Venezuelas leading prisoner rights organization, Foro Penal, had verified the release of 145 people it considers to be political prisoners. At least 775 more remain in detention, according to the organization. ___ Follow APs coverage of Latin America and the Caribbean at https://apnews.com/hub/latin-america Jacob Mace messaged a co-worker who sold firearms at their store in Southern Maryland. Does Walmart sell single shot shotguns? he wrote. Subscribe to The Post Most newsletter for the most important and interesting stories from The Washington Post. Yes, the worker replied. How much is the cheapest one? Theyre all $99. The exchange, days before Mace bought a 20-gauge Hatfield shotgun and a box of ammunition to take his life, is at the heart of a 10-day civil liability trial unfolding inside a federal courtroom in Greenbelt, Maryland. Maces family says Walmart store managers knew he was suicidal and the gun should not have been sold. Walmart says the managers didnt know his intentions and cast blame for Maces death on his struggles with mental health and family strife. Advertisement Advertisement Proceedings so far have mixed complicated legal questions with raw emotion. Maces widow, mother and father broke down on the witness stand, as did the stores former assistant manager. It haunts me every day, his dad, Mark Mace, struggled to say. Everybody was devastated, said the manager, Brennan Jones, his voice filling with emotion. He was a great kid. Mace died in November 2019. His family sued Walmart in April 2021 - litigation that was then moved from state to federal court. The lawsuit seeks unspecified damages from the nations largest retailer. Jurors began deliberations Wednesday afternoon and will reconvene Thursday, sorting through the companys firearm sales policies, deciding whether they were followed and weighing the differing accounts of how widely Maces troubles were known within the store, which is 45 miles south of D.C. in St. Marys County. Advertisement Advertisement Walmart should never have sold this gun, Mace family lawyer Kevin Sullivan told jurors. As a result of their failures, Jake is no longer with us. Sullivan said Mace was open about his deep struggles with mental illness. Six days before his death, on a day he wasnt working, Mace texted a co-worker his intensions: Slit wrists. Buy a gun. Please, please, please dont, the co-worker wrote back, according to copies of the text shown to jurors. The co-worker said she forwarded her text exchange to the assistant store manager and asked if Mace could be put on a do-not-sell-to list, according to her testimony. Advertisement Advertisement The managers knew exactly what Jake planned to do, Sullivan said. They had in writing, from his words, what he was going to do. The assistant store manager, Jones, testified that he never received the text message and that besides having customers go through standard government background checks, there was no store-level do-not-sell-to list. He acknowledged being told Mace was suicidal and said he told the co-worker to call the police. Jones said that when Mace returned to the store several days later, he made sure Mace knew about the companys counseling services. Walmart was not responsible for Jacob Maces suicide, one of the companys attorneys, Kevin Schiferl, told jurors. Store management acted appropriately at all times. He said Maces wife regularly read his Facebook messages and she saw the exchange about buying a shotgun, but neither she nor any family member reported it to Walmart. They didnt go to any manager and say, Dont sell him guns, Schiferl said. Advertisement Advertisement At the store, the hourly worker Mace messaged about the shotgun did not know of his troubles, and Maces interest in the gun was not widely known. During the actual sale, over his lunch break, Mace was asked questions by the same worker for a standard federal background check. He stated he had never been involuntary committed to a hospital, which was true, Sullivan said, because Maces psychiatric admissions were all voluntary. Mace left the store with the gun, drove to a nearby parking lot and ended his life. This is not a trial about the right to bear arms or sell guns or how the government should screen potential buyers. The proceedings have instead focused on specific communications among employees within a specific store - and what, if anything, Walmart should have done to halt the sale of a shotgun to one of its own employees. Our thoughts continue to go out to family and loved ones of Jacob Mace, Walmart said in a statement. We are committed to being a responsible firearms dealer. Advertisement Advertisement Mace began struggling with thoughts of suicide in middle school and underwent numerous hospitalizations through the years, according to attorneys in the case. He could also be a source of joy and loved showing co-workers photos of his young son. He would say, Look what he did today, said Jones, the assistant store manager. Mace held a maintenance position at the store. Both sides in the case have homed in on a two-week stretch in the fall of 2019 at the end of Maces life. It was marked by heightened tensions in his home life, at least one suicide attempt and several hospitalizations. A key trial debate is how much store managers knew about Maces hospitalizations. As jurors sift through that and other questions, they will be asked to do so under a legal framework that connects store managers with the corporations headquarters. If the managers at Walmart know things, if they have knowledge of things, that means that Walmart knows these things, Sullivan said. Advertisement Advertisement Walmarts witnesses testified that employees must report medical absences to an outside administrator, which by design limits specific medical information going to store managers. There is no evidence that Walmart ever knew about any of these hospitalizations, Schiferl said. In particular, jurors will have to sort through competing accounts about a specific day: Nov. 9, 2019, six days before Maces death, when he was not working. The differences were framed in large part by two witnesses: Jones, the assistant store manager, and Christina OShea, an hourly employee who received two troubling texts from Mace that day. I feel broken, the first text began as Mace said hed been suicidal all week. Nothing helps. I just want it to end. Goodbye. Advertisement Advertisement OShea began crying, according to her testimony, and got on the store intercom to ask Jones to come see her. She testified Jones was in a management meeting. A supervisor was sent to see OShea, according to OSheas testimony, and that supervisor told her to call the police. Deputies from the St. Marys County Sheriffs Office found Mace and took him to a hospital. From the hospital, Mace sent OShea another text, saying he intended to buy a gun. OShea said she forwarded the message to Jones, an assertion bolstered when Maces family attorneys showed jurors a screenshot of OSheas phone that included a forwarding arrow next to Joness first name. I did not receive that message, Jones told the jurors. Maces family attorneys asked Jones why two years earlier, during a deposition, he said he didnt remember one way or another whether he received the text. The truth has not changed, only my recollection of the time, Jones answered. Advertisement Advertisement Another fiercely debated subject from that day: the significance of OShea asking Jones to get Maces name on a list that she thought existed and would halt sales to potential gun buyers no matter how they answered questions on the background check. Jones recalled the request and said it prompted him to check with a human resources manager, who told him such a list didnt exist. Walmarts lawyers said the company had a block list at its corporate headquarters but it was known to only a few people there. At the end of the day, there isnt a store-level block list, one of their witnesses, Scott Braum, testified. Lawyers for Maces family have highlighted the list, saying if store managers werent aware of it they should have been. Advertisement Advertisement Jones said that days after his exchange with OShea, when Mace returned to the store, he made sure to check on him. He was jovial, Jones recalled. He said, I was just having a bad day, but everythings fine. I was like, Okay, you know, we were worried about you, and he said, No, no problems. Of course he went right to his phone and said, Hey, look at what he did, and he showed me some more pictures of his child. Two days later, in the same store, Mace walked out with the shotgun. - - - If you or someone you know needs help, visit 988lifeline.org or call or text the Suicide & Crisis Lifeline at 988. Related Content Queer Eye ends in D.C. with tension, tears and armpit Botox Trump administration admits DOGE accessed personal Social Security data Stay-at-home sons are here and theyre not going anywhere The National Weather Service in Louisville is predicting freezing temperatures and possibly more than 8 inches of snow in the coming days, which might remind some locals of past significant storms that have impacted the city. Here's a look back at the 10 most significant storms to hit Louisville, as documented by the NWS. January blizzard 1994 A storm that hit Louisville from Jan. 17-19, 1994, set a single-day snowfall record on its first day after dumping more than 15 inches on the city and forcing temperatures to an all-time low record of -22 degrees. In Shelbyville, temperatures were recorded as low as -37 degrees. "Great Ice Storm" of 1951 Ice blanketed much of the commonwealth from Jan. 29-Feb. 2, 1951, shutting down transportation. The roads were so bad that bulldozers were brought in to help clear them, though they didn't make much of a difference. Kentucky wasn't alone in suffering from this storm that affected a large swath of the country, from Louisiana to Ohio. "Easter Freeze" of 2007 Between April 5 and 10, 2007, Louisville was enjoying an early spring streak of warmth that had temperatures in the 70s and 80s. Things changed quickly over Easter weekend, with temperatures falling into the 20s and 30s. Louisville reported a temperature of 25 degrees on April 7, and the storm cost Kentucky and southern Indiana $130 million in crop damages. Snowstorm of February 1998 Lasting from Feb. 3-6, 1998, the system led to major power outages across the Louisville area as parts of Kentucky got as much as 25 inches of snow. In Louisville, 22.4 inches of snow were recorded. "Christmas Snowstorm" of 2004 A weather system in December 2004 brought a white Christmas to Kentuckiana and snarled holiday air travel out of Louisville International Airport. At one point, snow fell in the region at a rate of 4 inches per hour, and some snow drifts measured as high as 2-5 feet. January blizzard of 1978 Capping off a frigid start to 1978 that was eventually marked at one of the top five coldest months ever recorded in Louisville, the January storm brought a then-record 15.7 inches of snow to the region. Advertisement Advertisement Louisville weather 2026: When will incoming winter storm hit Kentucky? Key dates, possible duration "Ohio Valley Ice Storm" of 2009 What started as a wintry mix eventually caused the biggest power outage in Kentucky history, with 609,000 homes and businesses without power across the commonwealth. It took 10 days to fully restore power to all 205,000 customers who lost it in the Louisville area. "Bluegrass Ice Storm" of 2003 Reports of an inch in ice accumulations along Interstate 64 were part of this winter weather system that drove freezing rain across Kentucky that then became sheets of ice as temperatures fell into the 20s. Snowstorm of March 1996 The west-central part of Kentucky fared the worst in this storm, recording 10-12 inches of snow. Much of that was heavy and wet, leading to down power lines and widespread outages. Pre-spring freeze of March 1960 A series of cold bursts and snowstorms made for a late start to spring in 1960. It was at the time the snowiest March on record in Louisville and the third-snowiest month ever in the city. Things changed rapidly at the end of the month, with temperatures jumping into the 80s. Advertisement Advertisement Reporter Mary Ramsey contributed. Contact breaking news reporter Marina.Johnson@courier-journal.com. This article originally appeared on Louisville Courier Journal: Worst winter storms, weather events in Louisville, KY A new effort to address food insecurity in Chicago was unveiled Thursday. The Legler Regional Chicago Public Library opened its doors to the first-of-a-kind food pantry on Chicago's West Side. In many ways, the Legler Regional Library looks like any other public library. But it is far from that. Tucked in its basement is something incredibly unique. It's a full-service food pantry operating inside the library. Advertisement Advertisement "I really wanted to say how important this is and how meaningful it is that we are able to serve the community, not just as a library but also as a safe harbor," Chicago Public Library Board President Linda Johnson Rice said. Chicago's mayor toured the food pantry, which had a soft opening on July 31, and was created in partnership with the Greater Chicago Food Depository. "This partnership is a clear statement of our commitment to the West Side and to the people who have always made this community strong, even in the face of disinvestment," Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson said. The library-based food access program is free, and operates like a full-service grocery store, providing a rotating selection of meats, fresh fruits and vegetables, dairy and other essential staples. Advertisement Advertisement The Chicago public library is the second library system in the nation behind Baltimore, Maryland to launch the innovative idea, which served over 700 families in its first eight weeks. "Today it serves on average over 600 households per month," Chicago Public Library Commissioner Chris Brown said. SEE ALSO: Chicago organization says thousands more homeless in 2024 than city data show The food pantry is located at 115 S. Pulaski Road in the city's West Garfield Park neighborhood. The West Side community is considered a food desert and one of Chicago's most food insecure communities. "If you come here on an average day, you'll see individuals who may not be in the best shape in life, but they're getting the assistance that they need," 28th Ward Alderman Jason Ervin said. Advertisement Advertisement According to the 2025 Greater Chicago Food Depository Hunger Report, around one in four people in the greater Chicagoland area experience food insecurity. Twenty one percent of Chicago-area households with children experienced food insecurity mid-2024: a rate near pandemic levels. Advocates say the crisis will be made worse because of cuts to the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, or SNAP, under President Donald Trump's "One Big Beautiful Bill Act." "We anticipate as many as 120,000 people in Cook county will lose their SNAP benefits," Greater Chicago Food Depository CEO Kate Maehr said. In addition to supplying the food, the Greater Chicago Food Depository also paid for the library food pantry's cold storage refrigerator and freezers. Advertisement Advertisement The Legler Regional Food Pantry is open 4 to 7 p.m. Thursdays and 1 to 4 p.m. Sundays. Organizers of this effort say if this pilot program goes well, they'll look into possibly expanding pantries to other libraries around the city. It was an abduction so brazen that local law enforcement officials said they had never seen anything like it in their careers. A 14-year-old Utah girl named Elizabeth Smart had been taken at knifepoint out of the bedroom of her family home in June 2002 with her 9-year-old sister in the room. An intensive manhunt ensued, while the search for her abductor put members of her family under stressful scrutiny. Meanwhile, Smart was in captivity in the mountains outside Salt Lake City under the control of a violent kidnapper. Advertisement Advertisement The saga of Smart's abduction, her terrifying ordeal and her rescue are the subject of the new Netflix documentary, "Kidnapped: Elizabeth Smart," which began streaming on Jan. 21. Here is what to know about her story. What Happened to Elizabeth Smart? Smart was a 14-year-old girl living in Salt Lake City with her parents, four brothers and younger sister when she was abducted by a man at knifepoint from her bedroom on June 5, 2002. Her family describes her in the documentary as a normal teenager who enjoyed playing the harp and hanging out with her friends and siblings. Her younger sister, Mary Katherine, who was 9 years old at the time, was in the room during the abduction. Mary Katherine says in the documentary, and elsewhere like in the investigative book "In Plain Sight: The Startling Truth Behind the Elizabeth Smart Investigation," the man told her he would kill her if she alerted their parents. Advertisement Advertisement She recognized his voice, but couldn't pinpoint who it exactly was, and her parents were unaware of the intruder. Mary Katherine ultimately alerted them to Elizabeth being taken at 3:58 a.m., and they discovered a screen had been cut in the kitchen and a window was open. "I didnt keep her from harms way," their father, Ed Smart, says in the documentary. "That just repeats over in your mind, over and over and over again." A bloodhound brought by police tracked Elizabeth's scent up a hill in the backyard, but lost the scent when the dog reached the street. Who Was Investigated for Elizabeth Smart's Abduction? As police began searching for leads, they looked into Ed Smart and his two brothers, David and Tom Smart, who are Elizabeth's uncles. Advertisement Advertisement Ed Smart recalled his reaction after his now-ex-wife, Lois Smart, told him that law enforcement did not believe he had nothing to do with their daughter's disappearance. "I was overwhelmed to the point that I was shaking and couldnt stop shaking," he says in the documentary. Ed Smart added that the scrutiny on him and his brothers also had the negative effect of fewer people wanting to help the effort to find Elizabeth. After the police found nothing suspicious among the family, the spotlight turned to Richard Ricci, a contractor who had been in a dispute with Ed Smart after doing work on the family's home. Ricci had a criminal past and was brought in for questioning. Advertisement Advertisement He vehemently denied having anything to do with Smart's abduction in interrogation footage seen in the film. On July 24, 2002, police said someone tried to break into the home of Smart's cousin, using a similar method to the break-in at the Smarts' home. Ricci was in jail at the time, and Mary Katherine Smart says in the documentary that she knew Ricci was not the man in the room that night. Ricci died from an aneurysm in his prison cell while Elizabeth was still missing. How Did Police Identify Elizabeth Smart's Abductor? Weeks after Smart's abduction, Mary Katherine Smart said she remembered a name associated with the man's voice she heard that night: Immanuel. Advertisement Advertisement The girls had met the man while he was preaching on the street in Salt Lake City months earlier, and he had done work on the Smarts' home. According to the book "In Plain Sight: The Startling Truth Behind the Elizabeth Smart Investigation" by Lee Benson and Tom Smart, Lois Smart saw Mitchell begging for money on the street and handed him money and her husband's phone number, in case he was willing to work. He worked for five hours at the Smarts' home. The family ultimately released the sketch to the crime show "America's Most Wanted," which led a man to call Ed Smart's brother, Tom Smart, and say the man in the sketch might be his brother-in-law, Brian David Mitchell. What Happened to Elizabeth Smart After She Was Abducted? In the documentary, Smart describes her horrific treatment at the hands of Mitchell after being taken into the mountains into a tent by him and his wife, Wanda Barzee. "I remember feeling like my doom was approaching," Smart said in the documentary. "He said, 'I hereby seal you to me as my wife before God and his angels as my witnesses.'" Advertisement Advertisement Smart screamed and was told if she screamed again, he would kill her. She said Mitchell then raped her in the tent, which continued throughout her captivity. "I had gone from never even holding a boys hand to being raped every day, multiple times a day," she said in the film. She remembered not even knowing the difference between consensual sex and rape at the time. "I felt a lot of shame, and I felt like I was filthy. I felt like if my family knew what happened to me, would they still want me back?" she said. "Maybe it would be better if nobody ever found me." Smart said in the film that Mitchell also walked her around like a dog and forced her to drink alcohol until she vomited. Advertisement Advertisement "More than anything, he loved power," she said. "He loved feeling like he was in control." She also reflects on questions on why she didn't try to escape or alert others when Mitchell and Barzee took her to Salt Lake City for excursions. "The thought of crying out did cross my mind, but I was 14, (and) I had been extremely abused for months," she said. "When I disobeyed, I was raped. I did have food withheld from me. So when I made my bid for freedom, I wanted it to be a sure thing." How Was Elizabeth Smart Rescued? Smart had a few close calls before she was ultimately found. She said in the documentary that at one point she, Mitchell and Barzee were looking at maps in a Salt Lake City library when a homicide detective approached them and wanted to ask some question. Advertisement Advertisement Smart was in a long, white robe with a face covering, and Mitchell refused to let the detective pull it down, saying it was against their religion. The detective accepted the explanation and walked away. A nightclub patron described seeing the trio at a Salt Lake City establishment, where Barzee and Smart were dressed in the same white robes with face coverings. Smart also recalled another moment in which she could faintly hear her name being called in the woods, when searchers were presumably yelling out for her. She said Mitchell threatened to kill her if she tried to answer them. After being taken to a location outside San Diego, Smart said she convinced Mitchell to return them to Salt Lake City, so they took a bus to Sandy, Utah. Advertisement Advertisement On March 12, 2003, a person called local police saying they believed they had just seen Elizabeth Smart walking on the street after recognizing Barzee and Mitchell from the "America's Most Wanted" episode. Police cars pulled up alongside Smart, Barzee and Mitchell. After separating Smart from her captors, they asked if she was Elizabeth Smart. "My captors were just right there," she said. "I was terrified. I needed the safest answer I could possibly give." When the officers asked if she was Elizabeth Smart, she responded, "If thou sayeth," confirming it was her. She was now 15 years old and had been missing for nearly 300 days. What Happened to Brian David Mitchell and Wanda Barzee? Smart's rescue was not the end of her ordeal, as the court case involving Mitchell and Barzee dragged out until 2010. Mitchell was sentenced to life in prison on kidnapping and sexual assault charges, NBC News reported at the time, while Barzee received a 15-year sentence after pleading guilty to assisting the kidnapping and was given credit for seven years she had already served. Brian David Mitchell was sentenced to life in prison and his wife, Wanda Barzee, served a total of 15 years in prison before being released in 2018. (AP, Reuters) (AP, Reuters) Barzee was released from prison in 2018. Smart begged prison officials to reconsider. Barzee, 79, was arrested in May 2025 for visiting two parks in Salt Lake City, which she cannot do because of her status as a sex offender. Where Is Elizabeth Smart Today? Smart, 38, has become an advocate for survivors of sexual violence and a child safety activist through her work with the Elizabeth Smart Foundation. She also wrote a book about her harrowing experience, My Story, which was released in 2013. Smart marked 20 years since being rescued in 2023. She also is a married mother of three children with husband Matthew Gilmour. "I have good days, I have bad days, but I developed a better relationship with myself," she says in the documentary. "My inner voice has changed from, 'You shouldve done this,' or, 'You couldve done that,' to, 'You'll make it through this, you can finish this, youre strong, keep going. You can survive anything that comes your way.'" This article was originally published on TODAY.com X screenshots The White House has confirmed that it posted a fake arrest image of a Minnesota protester to its official X account Thursday. CNN fact-checker Daniel Dale reported, The White House has confirmed its official X account posted a fake image of a woman arrested in Minnesota after interrupting a service at a church where an ICE official appears to be a pastor. Dale continued, The White House image altered the actual photo to wrongly make it seem like the defendant was sobbing. Asked for comment, the White House sent a link to a spokespersons X post that said, Enforcement of the law will continue. The memes will continue. Advertisement Advertisement On Thursday, Attorney General Pam Bondi announced that the Department of Homeland Security and the FBI arrested a civil rights attorney who took part in the protest on a Minnesota church. So far, we have arrested Nekima Levy Armstrong, who allegedly played a key role in organizing the coordinated attack on Cities Church in St. Paul, Minnesota, Bondi wrote. We will share more updates as they become available. Listen loud and clear: WE DO NOT TOLERATE ATTACKS ON PLACES OF WORSHIP. Bondi also announced the arrests of protesters Chauntyll Louisa and William Kelly, with more to come. The White House posted a photo of what appeared to be an upset Armstrong sobbing as an officer escorted her toward the camera. However, Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem posted a nearly identical photo of Armstrong appearing calm as she was led away. Homeland Security Investigators and FBI agents arrested Nekima Levy Armstrong who played a key role in orchestrating the Church Riots in St. Paul, Minnesota. She is being charged with a federal crime under 18 USC 241. Religious freedom is the bedrock of the United States - pic.twitter.com/LHh994fXf3 Secretary Kristi Noem (@Sec_Noem) January 22, 2026 Some observers claimed the difference in the photos was brought about through A.I. Advertisement Advertisement Anna Bower, senior editor at Lawfare, wrote, Hi @WhiteHouse @PressSec. Was this photo digitally altered to make it appear that the defendant is crying? A similar photo posted by @Sec_Noem does not show her crying. Hi @WhiteHouse @PressSec. Was this photo digitally altered to make it appear that the defendant is crying? A similar photo posted by @Sec_Noem does not show her crying. pic.twitter.com/Lk6uBtFKlg Anna Bower (@AnnaBower) January 22, 2026 Other pundits followed suit. InsiderWire, which bills itself as News for Patriots by Patriots, posted, Great job! But why use an AI photo? Podcaster Jordan Crowder wrote, Not just ai. Bad ai. Brett Maiselas with MeidasTouch wrote, This is some dark, evil shit, while MeidasTouch itself wrote, Can you please provide comment on why this image was manipulated using AI to make it appear that the woman was crying? Advertisement Advertisement Also joining the protesters was former CNN anchor-turned-podcaster Don Lemon. Bondi attempted to bring charges against Lemon on Thursday, but a federal magistrate judge refused to sign a complaint bringing charges against him, according to CBS News justice correspondent Scott MacFarlane. Many others also commented on the photo differences. The official White House account is posting edited photos of arrested people. The original was posted by Kristi Noem, in which the arrested woman wasnt crying. pic.twitter.com/wwqJAK9SeJ Vatnik Soup (@P_Kallioniemi) January 22, 2026 The White House altered this photo because the right doesnt care about crime, they care about hurting people. The get off on causing misery, like serial killers pic.twitter.com/cMbbAl87JP evan loves worf (@esjesjesj) January 22, 2026 Left: real photo Right: AI-edited propaganda released by the White House pic.twitter.com/ecvlOJX2mM Molly Ploofkins (@Mollyploofkins) January 22, 2026 Disgusting.Trumps @WhiteHouse account is posting an AI altered image of the woman they arrested for that so called church "riot" pic.twitter.com/AYVLzGIVsV Wu Tang is for the Children (@WUTangKids) January 22, 2026 Advertisement Advertisement The post The White House Confirms It Altered Photo of Arrested Protester to Depict Her Sobbing: The Memes Will Continue first appeared on Mediaite. President Donald Trump said Thursday that a large bruise on his left hand came after he bumped it on furniture in Switzerland. I clipped it on the table, he told CNNs Samatha Waldenberg aboard Air Force One. I put a little what do they call it? cream on it. But I clipped it, he explained. The White House had made a similar statement earlier Thursday, saying Trump hit his hand on the signing table during a Board of Peace event in Davos, Switzerland, earlier in the day. Advertisement Advertisement At the Board of Peace event today in Davos, President Trump hit his hand on the corner of the signing table, causing it to bruise, White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said in a statement. Trump said that his high does of aspirin made him prone to bruising, something his doctor has previous cited. I would say, take aspirin if you like your heart, but dont take aspirin if you dont want to have a little bruising, Trump said on Air Force One. I take the big aspirin, and when you take the big aspirin, they tell you, you bruise. The doctor said, You dont have to take that, sir, youre very healthy. I said, Im not taking any chances. A White House official shared photos of the president in Davos on Wednesday and Thursday, telling CNN: Pictures from yesterday and this morning clearly show no bruising. Advertisement Advertisement At the start of the Board of Peace signing event, video of Trump did not appear to show heavy bruising on his hand. However, the bruising was noticeable roughly 10 minutes later after he was sitting at the table and signing several documents. Trump has long had bruising on his right hand, which CNN has reported predated his return to the White House. But it drew more attention after he began trying to cover it with heavy makeup and bandages and shield it from cameras with his other hand. And left-hand bruising spotted late last year raised further questions about his health. Trump told the Wall Street Journal in an interview published earlier this month that he takes a higher dose of daily aspirin than his doctors recommend, arguing aspirin is good for thinning out the blood. The presidents physician, Dr. Sean Barbabella, told the Journal that Trump takes 325 milligrams of aspirin a day, arguing that it causes him to bruise easily. According to the Mayo Clinic, a low dose of aspirin, which can help prevent heart attack or stroke, ranges from 75 to 100 milligrams, and 81 milligrams is commonly recommended. The Mayo Clinic also says that for aspirin therapy, the daily dose is usually between 75 to 325 milligrams. For more CNN news and newsletters create an account at CNN.com Donald Trumps speech at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, was an embarrassing mess. The American president peddled a series of absurd falsehoods, he needlessly targeted U.S. allies with baseless whining, and he reminded much of the Western world over the course of an hour and a half why the Trump-led United States has seen its international standing collapse. But one part of the Republicans weird, meandering remarks generated attention for an unexpected reason. Roughly halfway through the speech, Trump claimed that he was popular with NATO leaders, until the last few days, when I told them about Iceland. About a minute later, again referring to ostensible U.S. allies, the American president added, Theyre not there for us on Iceland, that I can tell you. I mean, our stock market took the first dip yesterday because of Iceland. So Iceland has already cost us a lot of money. Advertisement Advertisement In context, Trump clearly misspoke, referring to Iceland when he meant Greenland. The timing of the mistake was far from ideal just last week, his spectacularly unqualified nominee to serve as U.S. ambassador to Iceland, Billy Long, joked about Iceland becoming the 52nd state but accidents happen. It would have been easy for the White House simply to acknowledge that the president had misspoken. Since everyone misspeaks from time to time, this likely would have generated very little attention. But thats not what happened. The New York Times reported: Karoline Leavitt, the White House press secretary, denied that Mr. Trump had misspoken, responding in a social media post to a reporter who wrote that he had appeared to mix the countries up multiple times. No he didnt, she wrote to the reporter. His written remarks referred to Greenland as a piece of ice because thats what it is. Youre the only one mixing anything up here. In other words, Leavitt would have us believe that when Trump said Iceland four times, he was really commenting on ice land. As in a land of ice. Advertisement Advertisement In context, that is obviously preposterous. The Orwellian pushback, however, was oddly familiar. Ahead of the New Hampshire presidential primary during the 2024 election cycle, Trump spoke at a campaign rally and accidentally referred to former Ambassador Nikki Haley, his principal intraparty rival at the time, when he meant to talk about House Speaker Emerita Nancy Pelosi. There was no great mystery behind the slip-up. Haley was obviously on his mind days ahead of a closely watched primary, so he mentioned her name in error. Soon after, then-House Republican Conference Chair Elise Stefanik, desperate to impress Trump, told a national television audience that this wasnt a mix-up, despite what everyone heard him say. Advertisement Advertisement Something similar happened in 2019. As Hurricane Dorian approached the United States, Trump published a tweet that included Alabama among the states most likely be hit (much) harder than anticipated. Soon after, the National Weather Service told the public the opposite: The region was in danger, but Alabama wasnt among the states likely to be affected. When news outlets noted the presidents error, Trump took great offense, insisting he was right, despite the obvious fact that he was mistaken. It set in motion a series of increasingly ridiculous events, culminating in Trump displaying a map to which he literally took a pen, drawing a bump onto the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration forecast so he could make the scientific prediction conform retroactively to his mistake. (The mess became known as Sharpiegate.) Leavitts line on the presidents Iceland reference is a page from the same book. Since Trumps loyalists insist he is incapable of being wrong, even minor, inconsequential slip-ups have to be rejected and denied. The tactics make the White House and its allies look worse. By all appearances, they dont care. The post White House insists Trump didnt say what everyone heard him say about Iceland appeared first on MS NOW. This article was originally published on ms.now If you like to prepare for winter weather days ahead of time, you may find yourself frustrated by rapidly shifting and varying snowstorm predictions. As much as it might be more convenient if forecasters could provide precise, high-confidence weather predictions a week out, forecasters say this is not possible using current meteorological models. You have to be patient, said Adam Frederick, a New Hampshire-based amateur meteorologist of 20 years known as the New England Weather Guy to more than 135,000 social media followers. Its not an exact science. Its a best-educated guess. Why forecasts change over time Small changes in conditions close to a weather event can lead to vastly different outcomes, according to forecasters. Among these conditions are temperature, humidity, dew point, wind and the direction in which a system ultimately travels. Advertisement Advertisement Forecasters use a variety of models that predict how, when and where storm systems will move based on current weather conditions when creating a forecast, according to forecasters. Some of these models make predictions for more than a week into the future, while others only forecast a few days ahead. National Weather Service Boston forecaster Rob Megnia said the weather service considers more than 100 models such as the ECMWF or European model and the GFS or American model when creating its forecasts. Not only are those models open to interpretation, but forecasters also take into account how accurate each model has been in the past when predicting weather for their specific geographic location, Frederick said. For instance, most models typically underestimate how much snow will fall in southern New Hampshire. The further into the future a model predicts, the more variance there will be between each individual models prediction, Megnia said. The range of weather outcomes predicted by the models is known as a spread. Advertisement Advertisement As you get closer to a weather event and the models begin predicting days or hours into the future, the models begin to converge on a single prediction, Megnia said. This is why forecasters gain confidence in their forecasts and include more detailed information about a storm when it is only a day or two out. But even small differences between a models prediction and what actually happens can cause predicted weather impacts to look substantially different from actual weather impacts, forecasters said. Sometimes, for the more dynamic, tricky storms, there can still be a spread of 25 to 50 miles for a storm track, which could be the difference between a foot of snow for some location and no snow, Megnia said. What to expect from storm tracking Forecasters often notice a potential storm brewing on a long-range model eight to 14 days out, Frederick said. But at that point, there are many potential paths the storm could take and conditions that could change. Advertisement Advertisement Its very low probability of happening, but still something to look at and keep an eye on, he said. Five to seven days before a storm hits, forecasters have a better idea of what locations are likely to be affected, Frederick said. Models produce new predictions at regular intervals, such as every six or 12 hours. So forecasters also take into account how similar the new prediction is to the last prediction. When the model run comes in and it shows something thats fairly similar to the last one, then that increases our confidence level for that particular track, he said. Three to four days before a storm system hits, forecasters can typically feel confident about when it will reach a given location, as well as whether the precipitation will come down as rain, snow, sleet, etc., Frederick said. Advertisement Advertisement Once a storm system is 24 to 48 hours away from reaching a location, forecasters can feel confident in their predictions of what areas will see the most precipitation. But theres always a chance conditions could change and cause vastly different weather impacts than were previously predicted even when a storm is just a few hours away, Frederick said. This weekends snowstorm As for the snowstorm thats expected to hit Massachusetts this weekend, both Megnia and Frederick agreed that its current track indicates it will reach the state on Sunday, and that it could bring up to a foot of snow to parts of Massachusetts. Read more: Perfect scenario for big snow storm: What experts say about Mass. forecast Advertisement Advertisement The public can expect forecasters to have a better idea of which Massachusetts communities are likely to be impacted and how big of an impact the snowstorm may have by the end of the day on Thursday. More weather Read the original article on MassLive. Add MassLive as a Preferred Source by clicking here. Delaware residents are beginning to receive an idea of what they are in for this weekend as the National Weather Service forecast gets more specific. The afternoon forecast on Thursday, Jan. 22 is providing more details about the storm that should start impacting the First State on Saturday, Jan. 24. How much snow is Delaware going to receive? Our initial snowfall forecast for the weekend winter storm is for a widespread 8-18". Mixing will likely reduce totals near and SE of I-95. Precip falling mainly late Saturday night through early Monday morning. A Winter Storm Watch remains in effect for the entire region. pic.twitter.com/Nk9Fzr0Di5 NWS Mount Holly (@NWS_MountHolly) January 22, 2026 The National Weather Service is predicting a range from 8 to 18 inches depending on where you live in the state. New Castle County and Kent County should receive between 12 to 18 inches of snow. Sussex County should receive between 8 to 12 inches of snow. The totals could be depressed near and south of Interstate 95 because there could be a mixing of sleet and ice. Delaware snow projections The first snow total forecast from the National Weather Service called for the following: Advertisement Advertisement Wilmington: 14.3 inches Dover: 13.4 inches Bethany Beach: 10.5 inches One thing to remember these forecasts can change quickly as the front moves. What advisories have been issued for Delaware? Delaware advisories Delaware is under a cold weather advisory and a winter weather watch. The cold weather advisory runs from at 12:01 a.m. to 10 a.m., Saturday, Jan. 24. The entire state of Delaware will experience very cold wind chills dropping to -8. Frostbite and hypothermia will occur if unprotected skin is exposed to these temperatures. The winter weather watch under a winter storm watch from 7 p.m., Saturday Jan. 24 through 1 p.m., Monday, Jan. 26, according to the National Weather Service. Residents should expect heavy snow with possible sleet and freezing rain Sunday, Jan. 25. Travel could be very difficult and the hazardous conditions could impact the morning commute on Monday, Jan. 26. Delaware snow forecasts Along with the National Weather Service, other outlets are making predictions. Snow projections for Delaware The National Weather Service isn't alone in predicting snow totals. Here's a look at other forecasts. Advertisement Advertisement AccuWeather.com: The forecast is calling for 6-10 inches of snow in New Castle and Kent Counties. In Sussex County, the forecast is calling for 4-8 inches. AccuWeather is also predicting there's 50% chance schools will be closed on Monday, Jan. 26 in New Castle County and an 80% chance they will be closed in Kent and Sussex Counties. The Weather Channel: The forecast is calling for 10 to 16 inches of snow in Wilmington. Dover should get 8 to 13 inches of snow and ice. Georgetown is expected to get 6 to 10 inches of snow and ice. Apple Weather app: The app is calling for Wilmington to receive 13 to 16 inches of snow. Dover is expected to get 10 to 13 inches of snow, and Georgetown is expected to get 3 to 4 inches of snow. How to prepare for winter weather Here are a few tips to prepare for the cold weather. Advertisement Advertisement Stock up on snow removal supplies: Add rock salt or ice melt, space heaters and snow shovels to your snow preparation arsenal. Make sure your snowblower is working: There's nothing worse than having heavy snow and finding out your snowblower isn't working. Before the storm hits, do a test run or take it in for a tune-up. Clean the gutters. Remove all dead leaves and other debris so that your gutters can do what theyre intended to do collect water from the roof and channel it down to the ground. Inspect the roof. Repair or replace any damaged shingles or hire someone to do it for you. Trim tree branches. Cut or trim back any trees that are close to your house. Add more insulation. Call in a pro to check your insulation and add more where necessary. Seal up cracks. Inspect doors and windows for drafts and seal up any openings to avoid the loss of heat and warm air. Insulate your pipes. Frozen pipes can burst, flooding your home and yard. What is frostbite? According to the Mayo Clinic, frostbite is an injury caused by the freezing of skin and the underlying tissue. Exposed skin is at risk of frostbite in conditions that are freezing cold and windy or wet. Frostbite also can occur on skin covered by gloves or other clothing. Frostbite is most common on the fingers, toes, ears, cheeks, chin and tip of the nose. How to prevent frostbite Here are some simple ways to prevent frostbite. Advertisement Advertisement Limit your time outdoors: Watch your local weather forecast and pay attention to your body when you're outside. The risk of frostbite goes up the longer you're outside. You can also get frostbite instantly by touching something cold like frozen metal. Dress in loose layers: Avoid cotton layers next to your skin that hold moisture. After a base layer of clothing that wicks moisture away, wear a layer of wool or fleece and then a waterproof and windproof jacket. If gloves, socks or a hat get wet, change out of them, as soon as possible. Wear a hat and mittens: Make sure your hat covers your ears and use mittens instead of gloves they offer better protection from the elements. Do not drink alcohol: The alcohol will impair your judgement and make your body lose heat faster. Keep moving: Exercise keeps your blood moving and helps you stay warm. Plan ahead: Have an emergency kit with supplies, blankets and warm clothing when traveling in the winter. Also, have a charged cell phone with you to alert others if you run into problems. This article originally appeared on Delaware News Journal: Delaware winter storm forecast, snow totals, advisories, safety tips The National Weather Service says the winter storm bearing down on Upstate South Carolina is likely to cause significant ice accumulation on power lines and tree limbs that may cause widespread and long-lasting power outages. A winter storm watch is in effect beginning Saturday morning and continuing until Monday. Ice and snow covered roadways will become treacherous and impassable, the weather service said Wednesday. Advertisement Advertisement Ryan Mosier, spokesman for Duke Energy, said company meteorologists are monitoring forecasts to evaluate the potential for power outages and to support outage response preparations. He said they expect storm-related power outages this weekend across the Carolinas. Outages from snow breaking limbs and felling trees typically occur with about 6 inches or more of snow, but about a quarter of an inch of ice will do the same thing, he said. Higher accumulations of a half-inch or more on power lines can sometimes cause the power lines to sag or even fall as well, he said. Company crews are trimming tree limbs ahead of the storm, he said. Advertisement Advertisement Outages may be reported to: Text OUT to 57801 (standard text and data charges may apply). Visit duke-energy.com/outages on a desktop computer or mobile device. Call the automated outage-reporting system at 800.POWERON (800.769.3766). The NWS said on Wednesday it expects heavy mixed precipitation with total snow and sleet accumulations between 1 and 6 inches and ice accumulations between four tenths and one inch possible. The South Carolina EMS Association issued a warning about serious medical risks that come with cold weather. Hypothermia, a dangerous drop in core body temperature, can develop indoors when homes are inadequately heated, especially for older adults and babies, SCEMSA said. Advertisement Advertisement Signs are uncontrollable shivering, confusion, extreme fatigue, or slurred speech. Cold temperatures also place added strain on the heart. As blood vessels constrict, blood pressure rises and the heart must work harder to circulate blood, SCEMSA said. Cold, dry air can worsen asthma, COPD and other lung problems. They offer these tips: Never use a gas oven, stove top, or charcoal grill for indoor heating. Stay indoors as much as possible. Dress in multiple layers to trap body heat if you must go out. Have extra blankets and flashlights ready in case of power failure. The Weather Service said the highest snow and sleet accumulations are likely north of Interstate 40, across the southern mountains of North Carolina, the mountains of northeast Georgia, and the mountains of South Carolina. Advertisement Advertisement Their final thought: Stay home. If you cant, remember to have tire chains, booster cables, flashlight, shovel, blankets, extra clothing, water and a first aid kit. And anything else that would help you survive in case you become stranded, the Weather Service said. The potential for winter weather across Missouri and Columbia already is leading to delays and postponements. The Ward 1 Let's Talk Local with Valerie Carroll originally scheduled for 1:30 p.m. Jan. 25 at the Columbia Public Library at 100 W. Broadway is postponed until further notice by the city due to the winter storm potential. The discussion topic was to be on developing strong neighborhood communities. The city will issue an updated registration link when a new date is selected. Advertisement Advertisement Let's Talk Local events are part of a monthly public engagement series that take place in each of the city's six wards. Residents from all wards are welcome to attend. City staff are on hand to answer questions, along with the respective council member host. Residents still can submit questions through the Ask City Council page on the BeHeardCoMo website. Not sure which ward you live in? The city has maps, including an interactive map online. This article originally appeared on Columbia Daily Tribune: Winter storm potential delays Columbia Ward 1 Let's Talk Local meeting ST. LOUIS The National Weather Service has issued a winter storm warning for Saturday and Sunday in the St. Louis region for a highly-anticipated forecast that includes strong snow chances and extreme cold this weekend. All St. Louis-area counties south of the Interstate 70 corridor in Missouri and Illinois are now under a winter storm warning. According to the National Weather Service, a Winter Storm Warning indicates that heavy snow of at least 6 inches in 12 hours (or at least 8 inches over 24 hours), is expected. It can also be issued if sleet accumulation will be at least half an inch. Advertisement Advertisement With recent data, confidence is high that the vast majority of our viewing area will see at least four inches of snow, and some counties will see much more than that. Four inches will act as our starting baseline, while some models project up to a foot of snow (in isolated spots) by Sunday. Where snowfall will be the worst this weekend: Map Light snow is projected as early as 8 a.m. Saturday and intensify throughout the day. Much of the St. Louis region could winter storms that bring accumulating snowfall through early evening Sunday, then a second wave beginning Sunday evening from 9 p.m. to midnight. By the time snowfall ends, St. Louis City, St. Louis County and many neighboring counties are expected to see around 4 to 8 inches of snow. Advertisement Advertisement Most counties south of the immediate St. Louis metropolitan area more south than Jefferson and Franklin counties could see anywhere from 6 to 10 inches of snow, based on current projections. Courtesy: Chris Higgins Additionally, Saturday morning will begin with temperatures near 0 degrees with highs in the teens, only improving to around 20 degrees by Sunday. These conditions could bring dangerous wind chills (feels-like temperatures) as low as -10 degrees. Meanwhile, a NWS-issued winter storm watch remains in effect for many counties north of Lincoln County in Missouri and Calhoun County in Illinois, indicating smaller snowfall totals are expected. Still, many spots north of I-70 could see at least 2 to 4 inches of snow by the end of the weekend. Advertisement Advertisement To stay up-to-date on ever-changing conditions, watch FOX 2 on our smart TV app. FOX2STL+ and download the FOX 2 mobile app via the Apple or Google app stores. Copyright 2026 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to FOX 2. Jan. 21A developing winter weather system is expected to bring rain, followed by a wintry mix, to north Alabama heading into the weekend, prompting the National Weather Service in Huntsville to issue a winter storm watch. According to the National Weather Service, light rain will move into the area Wednesday and continue through Friday morning. Conditions are expected to worsen late Friday into Friday evening as rain changes to a wintry mix, which is forecast to persist through the weekend. A winter storm watch is in effect from 6 p.m. Friday through 6 p.m. Sunday, the agency said. Advertisement Advertisement The NWS forecast indicates a sharp drop in temperatures heading into the weekend, with daytime highs falling into the mid-20s to mid-30s Saturday and Sunday, and overnight lows dropping into the teens and 20s. Precipitation chances increase significantly Saturday, with wintry precipitation possible through Sunday night. The National Weather Service said impacts from the cold and wintry weather could linger into next week as cold temperatures persist even after precipitation ends. Residents are urged to prepare for potential travel disruptions, power outages, and hazardous conditions. Officials also encourage checking on elderly neighbors and bringing pets indoors during the cold snap. Updated forecast: Winter storm warning - What Indianapolis can expect this weekend A cold weather advisory is in effect across Indiana through at least 1 p.m. Jan. 23, 2026, according to the National Weather Service (NWS). A winter storm is bearing down across the country, from Texas to the East Coast, over the next few days. "We're on the northern edge of that system as it moves through," NWS Indianapolis meteorologist Greg Melo told IndyStar. "Those cold temperatures could extend to next weekend." Advertisement Advertisement Along with snow possibilities, dangerous subzero windchills what the temperature feels like are in the forecast. Here's what people living in Indianapolis can expect. Timing of winter storm in Indianapolis An early look at what's expected in the forecast starting Jan. 22, 2026. Jan. 22: The high near low 30s. Lows near 0 single digits. Windchills will be -10 to -15 degrees toward daybreak and early Friday morning. Jan. 23: The high will be in the low to mid-teens. Low near 0, lower single digits. Windchills are as low as -10 to -12 degrees. Jan. 24: The high in the low to mid teens. Low in the upper single digits to low teens. Windchills Saturday night into Sunday morning will be negative single digits. Advertisement Advertisement Jan. 25: The high in the mid to upper teens. Lows in the lower single digit to possible digits. Windchills could be as low as -10. How much snow will Indianapolis get While exact amounts remain very uncertain, confidence is increasing in significant snowfall amounts across southern and south central Indiana with a greater than 50 percent chance of 6+ inches. Continue to monitor the forecast in the coming days. #INwx pic.twitter.com/orGang3wHj NWS Indianapolis (@NWSIndianapolis) January 22, 2026 It's still too early to determine snowfall amounts, according to the NWS Indianapolis, which said there's a probability of seeing at least 4 inches before it could increase to 6 inches in certain parts of the city. "We're not expecting snow until Saturday afternoon, likely," Melo said. "The heaviest amounts will fall overnight Saturday." What the weather advisories mean Weekly weather forecast: Bundle up, NWS Indianapolis says Here's the weather service definition for some of the map terms: Winter weather advisory Issued for any amount of freezing rain or when 2 to 4 inches of snow, alone or in combination with other precipitation, is expected to cause a significant inconvenience. Advertisement Advertisement Extreme cold watch Issued when extremely dangerous cold conditions or wind chill values are possible, but the occurrence, location and/or timing is still uncertain. Winter storm warning A significant combination of hazardous winter weather is occurring or imminent. Winter storm watch A potential for significant and hazardous winter weather exists within 48 hours. How much snow fell near you in Indiana? Search by address Indianapolis weather radar Weather travel advisories Indianapolis and Indiana road conditions Check road conditions, including road closures, crashes and live webcams using Indiana's online Trafficwise map at 511in.org, or visit our gridlock guide page for live traffic cams and more. INDOT's CARS Program provides information about road conditions, closures and width and weight restrictions. The website has a color-coded map of Indiana's highways and highlights hazardous road conditions and travel delays. Advertisement Advertisement The interactive map also shows road work warnings, closures, roadway restrictions and other information helpful to drivers. Jade Jackson is a Public Safety Reporter for the Indianapolis Star. You can email her at Jade.Jackson@IndyStar.com and follow her on X, formerly Twitter @IAMJADEJACKSON. Dinah Voyles Pulver contributed to this article. This article originally appeared on Indianapolis Star: Jan. 22 forecasts for Indianapolis ahead of storm Will Smith narrowly dodged death while scuba diving in the Arctic as part of his Disney+ travel series. Will Smith almost died while he filmed his Pole to Pole Disney+ travel series Minutes into the 57-year-old actor's underwater adventure under thick ice, an emergency abort forced him to ascend into solid ice, and he accidentally pulled off his mask. Will recalled the terrifying incident that happened whilst filming Pole to Pole on Tuesday's (20.01.26's) episode of NBC's The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon. He told the 51-year-old host: "We went scuba diving at the North Pole. So we did a dive under the ice. So you go under the ice, and the ice can be up to 10 feet thick. So were under, we went out about 40 yards away Its like an upside-down ice mountain range. "We went under, and I start hearing, 'Abort dive! Abort dive! Abort! And Im like, Oh no.' "So I went to ascend and hit ice. I was like, 'Oh no, Will, calm down. Calm down.' You have a tether on, and you have to grab your tether and pull yourself back to the hole. I grabbed and accidentally pulled my mask off." Amid oxygen loss, Will immediately put the mask back on his face, and he tried his best to calm himself down. He continued: "I was like, 'Oh no. Will, calm down.'" The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air alum then joked: "And I was like, 'If I get out of here, Im only gonna do Black stuff from here on out.' I promise, Lord! African American behaviour from here on out!" Amid calming his nerves, Will felt someone grab "my tether up top and started pulling him to safety. He added: "And when I realised I was good, I just relaxed and I looked around and when I tell you, the sun is coming through the ice, and it went from terror to the most spiritual, beautiful thing.And I was just like, 'Whoevers up there, dont let go of my tether!" After reliving the "rough" and deadly experience, Will then told Jimmy about the time he hunted for anaconda while in the Amazon for his Disney+ travel series. The Men in Black star recalled: "We were with the natives, and they didnt even have no clothes on, their whole name and address was hanging out. "And so were going down the river, and they see the anaconda and jump out of the boat into the water and swim for the anaconda." Will noted that the task was part of a "conservation" initiative. He said: "They had a sense that there was some kind of illegal dumping going on, and the scales of the anaconda they hold whatevers in the water. So they would take a scale from the anaconda and test it to be able to use it in court. "It was really wild. I don't know why they needed me!" Wisconsin Department of Health Services Secretary Kirsten Johnson on Jan. 21 urged the state Legislature to take up a nearly $70 million measure to shore up the state's food assistance program, following months of discussions. The state faces the possibility of tens of millions in extra costs from changes to the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, also known as food stamps, made by the sweeping tax and spending law, called the "One Big Beautiful Bill," that President Donald Trump signed last summer. The law imposed new work requirements on some people who receive benefits through the food assistance program, which is called FoodShare in Wisconsin. It also shifted more of the administrative costs of the program onto states and will force states to foot potentially hundreds of millions of dollars in benefit costs if they make too many overpayment or underpayment errors. Advertisement Advertisement "Due to federal red tape and changes made over the summer, Wisconsin needs to act now to protect this vital program," Johnson said in comments to reporters. "We needed these resources yesterday and delaying this investment hurts Wisconsin." As part of the nearly $70 million measure, Gov. Tony Evers' administration has proposed spending $16.2 million in state funds over the 2025-27 biennium to hire dozens more quality control staff to ensure error rates remain low and the state does not incur penalties. Additional administrative costs beginning in October are expected to cost the state $32.3 million in its next fiscal year. Plus, state officials anticipate having to spend about $20.7 million over the biennium to cover increased enrollment in a job training program for FoodShare recipients, according to the state Legislative Fiscal Bureau. The Evers administration made its initial request for the nearly $70 million in August, Johnson said, and discussions are ongoing between the Democratic governor's office and the Republican-controlled Legislature. In a December interview with the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, Assembly Speaker Robin Vos said he was "optimistic" about negotiations to reach a deal. Advertisement Advertisement "I feel like it's a decent package. I feel like the Assembly Republicans are there," he said at the time. "We just have to kind of keep working with all of our colleagues to see if we can get everybody across the finish line." A spokesman for Vos did not immediately return a request Jan. 21 for comment. A spokesman for Senate Majority Leader Devin LeMahieu did not immediately respond to a separate request. Republican legislative leaders have floated the idea of attaching the funding to a bill that would bar FoodShare recipients from using benefits to purchase sugary foods like soda and candy. Johnson did not comment on whether she supported the idea. She called for urgency in addressing the funding shortfall, saying her biggest concern was the possibility of the state's error rate getting too high and costing taxpayers. Advertisement Advertisement The state faces tens, or even hundreds, of millions of dollars in additional costs if county and state workers commit too many errors in calculating FoodShare payments. State officials expect the state's error rate to be above 6% for federal fiscal year 2025 because of a change in how errors are counted, according to an October memo from the nonpartisan Legislative Fiscal Bureau. If the state does not bring its error rate below 6% this year, taxpayers would be on the hook for anywhere from $68 million to $205 million in federal fiscal year 2028, according to the memo. Under Trump's tax and spending law, the higher a state's error rate, the more it owes in benefit costs. Previously, the federal government covered the full cost of benefits for the food assistance program, while splitting administrative costs evenly with the states. Trump's tax and spending law cut the percentage of administrative costs covered by the federal government from 50% to 25%, beginning in October. Advertisement Advertisement Under Evers' proposal, the state would add 56 employees and would increase funding for counties to hire an additional 76 workers to review FoodShare cases for accuracy and avoid errors, the memo says. Last year, nearly 700,000 Wisconsinites per month relied on Foodshare benefits to pay for groceries, according to state data. Addition of work requirements make FoodShare verification more difficult New work and eligibility requirements for some FoodShare recipients also have complicated the process for reviewing cases and ensuring accuracy. Work requirements that previously only applied to adults up to 54 years old without children now extend to all adults up to 64 years old without a child under age 14 in the home. The law also removed exemptions for veterans and homeless people. Advertisement Advertisement State and county workers who determine eligibility for FoodShare have struggled to phase in the new work and eligibility requirements imposed by last summer's law, amid a tight timeline to comply, confusing federal guidance and the interruption caused by last fall's federal government shutdown, the longest in U.S. history. Last fall, Wisconsin and other states sued the Trump administration over eligibility guidelines for the food assistance program related to non-citizens and argued the timeline for implementing the changes was unrealistic and inadequate. "We have begun working with our counties to implement the work requirements and continue to update them as we get new information," said Wisconsin Medicaid Director Bill Hanna. "It's an ongoing process." In Dane County, older adults will be expected to comply with work requirements to remain eligible for FoodShare as soon as February, said Tanya Andersen, a spokesperson for Dane County Human Services. Advertisement Advertisement Meanwhile, Brown County officials say they are awaiting more guidance. "Trying to do this as fast as has been requested has been a challenge, said Erik Pritzl, executive director of Brown County Health and Human Services. Brown County leads the Bay Lake Consortium, which processes FoodShare applications for residents of Brown, Door, Shawano, Oconto and Marinette counties. Its complicated work and our specialists go through a lot of intense training to do this. They have to be accurate about benefits, assess whos eligible, and make sure people are getting the right amount of benefits, Pritzl said. Changes have to be implemented carefully and we want to get it right. Advertisement Advertisement Reporter Jessie Opoien, of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, contributed to this story. Reporter Sarah Volpenhein can be reached at svolpenhei@usatodayco.com or at 414-607-2159. Natalie Eilbert covers mental health issues for the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. You can reach her at neilbert@gannett.com. This article originally appeared on Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: Wisconsin official urges lawmakers to act on $70M to bolster FoodShare US President Donald Trump's Special Envoy Steve Witkoff has said he will visit the Ukrainian capital Kyiv soon. Source: European Pravda, citing Novyny.LIVE, a Ukrainian news outlet Details: Asked by a journalist on the sidelines of the Ukrainian Breakfast in Davos when he might visit Kyiv, Witkoff replied: "Soon." He did not specify when exactly the visit will take place. Background: During his speech at the Ukrainian Breakfast, Witkoff highlighted "a lot of progress" in talks on a potential end to the Russo-Ukrainian war and praised Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy for his engagement on the issue. On Saturday 17 January, a Ukrainian delegation consisting of Rustem Umierov, Secretary of Ukraine's National Security and Defence Council (NSDC), Kyrylo Budanov, Head of the Office of the President, and Davyd Arakhamiia, leader of the Servant of the People parliamentary faction, arrived in the US for a meeting with the US negotiation team. It was reported that the purpose of the Ukrainian team's visit to Florida was to finalise agreements on security guarantees and economic support for Ukraine from its US partners to help the country prosper. At the time, Zelenskyy said that the Ukrainian delegation in the US was to provide a full and accurate picture of events and the damage caused by Russian strikes. Support Ukrainska Pravda on Patreon! The Brief Nearly $400,000 reported stolen from Lumpkin County funds. Suspect arrested in Florida and extradited to Georgia. More than $100,000 recovered; no bond granted. LUMPKIN COUNTY, Ga. - A 52-year-old woman is facing a felony charge after investigators say nearly $400,000 was stolen from the Lumpkin County Finance Department. What we know According to the Lumpkin County Sheriffs Office, the theft was reported on Nov. 4, 2025. Authorities said $399,416.33 in county funds was taken in violation of Georgia law under a charge of theft by deception, a felony offense. The case was assigned to the sheriffs office Criminal Investigations Division. Advertisement Advertisement Investigators said their work led to the recovery of $100,008.96 of the stolen money and the identification of a suspect. Authorities named Magdalena Magadan, 52, as the offender in the case. Magadan was located in Orlando, Florida, and arrested by law enforcement there. Following her arrest, extradition proceedings were initiated. She was transferred to the Lumpkin County Sheriffs Office Detention Center on Jan. 14, 2026, where she was processed on the felony theft by deception charge. What's next Officials said Magadan was given a no-bond status during her first court appearance. The investigation into the theft remains ongoing. MINNEAPOLIS (AP) A prominent civil rights attorney and at least two other people involved in an anti-immigration enforcement protest that disrupted a service at a Minnesota church have been arrested, Trump administration officials said Thursday, even as a judge rebuffed related charges against journalist Don Lemon. Vice President JD Vance, speaking in Minneapolis, urged state and local law enforcement to collaborate with federal officials and said protesters must stop getting in their way. Attorney General Pam Bondi posted online that Nekima Levy Armstrong had been arrested. On Sunday, protesters entered the Cities Church in St. Paul, where an U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement official serves as a pastor. Bondi later posted that a second person had been arrested, and FBI Director Kash Patel announced a third. Advertisement Advertisement The Justice Department quickly opened a civil rights investigation after the group interrupted services by chanting ICE out and Justice for Renee Good," referring to the 37-year-old mother of three who was fatally shot by an ICE officer in Minneapolis earlier this month. Listen loud and clear: WE DO NOT TOLERATE ATTACKS ON PLACES OF WORSHIP," the attorney general wrote on X. Cities Church belongs to the Southern Baptist Convention and lists one of its pastors as David Easterwood, who leads an ICE field office. Many Baptist churches have pastors who also work other jobs. Church lawyers praise the arrests Advertisement Advertisement Prominent leaders of the Southern Baptist Convention have argued that compassion for migrant families cannot justify violating a sacred space during worship. Attorneys representing the church hailed the arrests. The U.S. Department of Justice acted decisively by arresting those who coordinated and carried out the terrible crime, Doug Wardlow, director of litigation for True North Legal, said in a statement. The St. Paul-based nonprofit law firm has taken on religious freedom cases, including filing an amicus brief to the U.S. Supreme Court supporting a Christian counselor who challenged bans on LGBTQ+ conversion therapy for kids as a violation of her First Amendment rights. Advertisement Advertisement Levy Armstrong, an attorney and longtime activist, had called for the pastor affiliated with ICE to resign, saying his dual role poses a fundamental moral conflict. You cannot lead a congregation while directing an agency whose actions have cost lives and inflicted fear in our communities, she said Tuesday. When officials protect armed agents, repeatedly refuse meaningful investigation into killings like Renee Goods, and signal they may pursue peaceful protesters and journalists, that is not justice it is intimidation. Vance wants local law enforcement to assist federal officers State and local elected officials have opposed the crackdown that has become a major focus of Department of Homeland Security sweeps. Advertisement Advertisement Vance arrived in the state less than a month after Renee Good was killed. He has called Goods death a tragedy of her own making. Before his Minnesota visit, Vance warned the church protesters: Those people are going to be sent to prison so long as we have the power to do so." Later in Minneapolis, he urged state and city law enforcement to help federal immigration officers. Were doing everything that we can to lower the temperature, Vance said, adding that he wants state and local officials to meet us halfway. Greg Bovino, a U.S. Border Patrol official, said Minneapolis police failed to help federal agents Wednesday who were surrounded by protesters at a gas station. Minneapolis police responded later that they hadn't received any requests from federal agents for assistance on Wednesday. Advertisement Advertisement Protesters appear in court Levy Armstrong has helped lead protests after the high-profile police-involved killings of Black Americans, including George Floyd, Philando Castile and Jamar Clark. She is a former president of the NAACPs Minneapolis branch. Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem posted a photo on X of Levy Armstrong with her arms behind her back next to a person wearing a badge. Noem said she faces a charge under a statute that bars threatening or intimidating someone exercising a right. Patel posted on X that Chauntyll Louisa Allen, the second person Bondi said was arrested, is charged under a law that prohibits physically obstructing or using the threat of force to intimidate or interfere with a person seeking to participate in a service at a house of worship. Patel said William Kelly has also been arrested. Advertisement Advertisement Levy Armstrong, Kelly and Allen have all been booked about 35 miles (56 kilometers) north of Minneapolis in Sherburne County Jail, where people in federal custody are usually held. A message seeking comment was sent to Allen's and Kelly's attorney. Saint Paul Public Schools, where Allen is a board of education member, said it is aware of her arrest but will not comment on pending legal matters. Allen and Levy Armstrong are part of a community of Black Minnesota activists. Kelly has defended the protest and criticized the church for associating with a pastor who works for ICE. In court Thursday, federal magistrate judge Doug Micko granted the women bond and restricted them from traveling outside Minnesota or from going near the church. The government said it would appeal and the women remained in federal custody Thursday afternoon. Advertisement Advertisement Levy Armstrongs attorney, Jordan Kushner, said he offered for her to turn herself in peacefully, but the Trump administration insisted on arresting her. They wanted a spectacle, Levy Armstrongs husband, Marques Armstrong, said, recalling around 50 agents came to detain her. Arrests follow a DOJ civil rights investigation The Justice Department investigated the church protest swiftly, but found no basis for a civil rights investigation into Good's death. Administration officials have said the officer acted in self-defense and that the driver of the Honda was engaging in an act of domestic terrorism when she pulled toward him. Past administrations, however, have moved quickly to probe shootings of civilians by law enforcement officials. Advertisement Advertisement The Justice Department has separately opened an investigation into whether Minnesota officials impeded or obstructed federal immigration enforcement though their public statements. Prosecutors this week sent subpoenas to the offices of Gov. Tim Walz, Attorney General Keith Ellison, Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey, St. Paul Mayor Kaohly Her and officials in Ramsey and Hennepin counties, according to a person familiar with the matter. Judge rejects charges against Lemon A magistrate judge rejected federal prosecutors bid to charge journalist Don Lemon related to the church protest, said Kushner, Levy Armstrongs attorney. Lemon has said he was at the church as a journalist and not a protester. Advertisement Advertisement Once the protest started in the church we did an act of journalism which was report on it and talk to the people involved, including the pastor, members of the church and members of the organization, Lemon said in a video posted on social media. Thats it. Thats called journalism. Lemon's attorney, Abbe Lowell, said in a statement that the judges action confirms Lemons work as a reporter was protected by the First Amendment. It wasnt immediately clear what the Justice Department would do after the judges decision. Authorities could return to a magistrate judge to again seek a criminal complaint or an indictment against Lemon before a grand jury. CNN, which fired Lemon in 2023, first reported the ruling. ___ Durkin Richer reported from Washington. Associated Press reporters Chris Megerian in Washington; Corey Williams in Detroit; Jack Dura in Bismarck, North Dakota; and Mike Catalini in Trenton, New Jersey, contributed. ___ Associated Press religion coverage receives support through the APs collaboration with The Conversation US, with funding from Lilly Endowment Inc. The AP is solely responsible for this content. A red stencil of a hand pressed against the wall of an Indonesian cave is the oldest rock art ever discovered, scientists said Wednesday, and sheds light on how humans first migrated to Australia. The cave art dates back at least 67,800 years, according to research published in the journal Nature by a team of Indonesian and Australian archaeologists. "We have been working in Indonesia for a long time," study co-author Maxime Aubert of Australia's Griffith University told AFP. Advertisement Advertisement This time they ventured to caves on the island of Muna in the Sulawesi province on the advice of Indonesian archaeologist Adhi Agus Oktaviana, the study's lead author. There they found "handprints in negative, stencilled, probably using red ochre," Aubert said. The fingers of one of the hands were "retouched to become pointed like claws -- a style of painting only seen in Sulawesi," the Canadian archaeologist added. To determine the art's age, the team took five-millimetre samples from "cave popcorn", which are small clusters of calcite that form on the walls of limestone caves. Advertisement Advertisement Then they zapped the layers of rock with a laser to measure how the uranium decayed over time, compared to a more stable radioactive element called thorium. This "very precise" technique gave the scientists a clear minimum age for the painting, Aubert explained. At 67,800 years old, the Indonesian stencil is more than a thousand years older than other hand stencils found in a Spanish cave which has been attributed to Neanderthals. However the dating of that cave art "has been controversial," the study cautioned. The new discovery is also more than 15,000 years older than previous art found in the Sulawesi region by the same team. Advertisement Advertisement The scientists also established that the Muna caves had been used for rock art many times over a long period. Some of the ancient art was even painted over up to 35,000 later, Aubert said. - A fork in the road - Beyond setting a new record, the art also offers clues for a long-running historical mystery. Scientists have been divided about how Homo sapiens first journeyed from Asia to Australia. They could have taken the northern route, travelling by boat through Indonesia islands including Sulawesi to Papua New Guinea. These ancient humans could then have walked the rest of the way -- at the time, Papua New Guinea and Australia were both part of a supercontinent called Sahul. Advertisement Advertisement Or the migrants could have taken the southern route, travelling through the islands of Sumatra, Java and Bali before heading for Timor. Then a boat ride was required to finally make it to Australia. "These paintings provide the first evidence that modern humans were on these Indonesian islands at that time," Aubert said. The discovery also "reinforces the idea that people arrived in Australia via Papua, perhaps around 65,000 years ago", he said. But it could not be ruled that other people were also making their way to Australia via the southern route at the same time, he added. The researchers also said that the paintings were very likely created by people closely linked to the ancestors of Indigenous Australians. fbr/dl/jj A bill in the West Virginia Senate would, if passed, require the Aitken Bible to be displayed in some public and charter school classrooms. (Photo by Will Price/West Virginia Legislative Photography) The Senate is advancing a bill that would require certain public school classrooms to display a version of the Bible. Public schools and charter schools would have to make the Robert Aitken Bible accessible in all fourth grade, eighth grade and 10th grade social studies classrooms, according to Senate Bill 388. Advertisement Advertisement Schools can accept and use private donations to purchase the Aitken Bible. No public funds may be used for this purpose, the legislation said. Senate Education Chair Amy Grady, R-Mason, who sponsored the legislation, explained that the grades were chosen for the requirement based on the standards that schools are supposed to be teaching. They deal with the American revolution, she said. The Aitken Bible was the first English-language translation of the Bible printed in the United States in 1782. This is a great bill Im very much in favor, said Sen. Craig Hart, R-Mingo, a public school teacher. Advertisement Advertisement The Senate Education Committee approved the legislation, sending it to the full Senate for consideration. The bill was modeled after a 2025 Senate measure that required all public primary and secondary schools, as well as institutions of higher education, to display the United States motto In God we Trust in a main building of the school that is accessible to the public. Gov. Patrick Morrisey signed the bill into law. Thursday was also Day of the Bible at the West Virginia State Capitol. SUPPORT: YOU MAKE OUR WORK POSSIBLE CHEYENNE No clear decision came out of Wyoming lawmakers discussion Wednesday of a bill aimed at addressing the ongoing lawsuits against Cheyenne and Laramie over stormwater drainage fees. Municipal officials argue the fees are necessary for resident safety, while some fee-payers see it as unconstitutional. The bill would have forced cities to seek voter approval before imposing stormwater drainage fees. It ultimately came to a stalemate Wednesday as the Wyoming Legislatures Select Water Committee voted 6-6, effectively killing the measure for the current session, though lawmakers agreed to move the issue to an interim study for further refinement throughout the year. Advertisement Advertisement The bill, sponsored by Sen. Gary Crum, R-Laramie, sought to clarify a growing legal gray area between two sections of state law: Title 15, which grants cities broad authority to manage utilities and set rates, and Title 16, the Surface Water Drainage Utility Act, which requires a public election to approve the means of financing such systems. This bill ... is not trying to change the law, Crum told the committee. Its just trying to make it very clear, if were doing one part of it, we need to follow the other part of our statutes. Crum argued that the measure was about real local control, ensuring that voters have the final say on capital projects that could cost residents and businesses millions of dollars. The debate comes as Cheyenne and Laramie face significant legal challenges from residents and entities, including the University of Wyoming, over recently implemented stormwater fees. Both cities have struggled to fund maintenance for vast networks of pipes, culverts and detention ponds, many of which are deteriorating. Advertisement Advertisement Cheyenne Mayor Patrick Collins advocated for the necessity of dedicated funding, recalling the devastating 1985 flood that killed 12 people and caused over $61 million in damages. For 40 years, our storm fund has been chronically underfunded, he said, noting that the city currently only allocates $1 million annually for a system that requires far more. He defended the citys use of Title 15 to set fee-for-service rates, rather than taxes. Supporting this stance, Cheyenne Councilman Pete Laybourn reminded the committee of the physical stakes involved. You can argue the law, but this is physics, Laybourn said, also referencing the 1985 flood. ... Without maintenance money, someday were going to experience something that is going to be very devastating. Advertisement Advertisement However, critics of the fees argued that labeling the charges as fees, rather than taxes, is a semantic dodge to avoid the ballot box. Patrick Crank, an attorney representing the University of Wyoming, provided a detailed history of the legislation, arguing that the cities were attempting to use an unrelated amendment from 2020 to bypass the 1995 voter approval requirement in Title 16. You cant make an innocuous amendment in a constitutionally suspect manner to Title 15 and then start charging your citizens fees and taxes without their approval, Crank said. He further alleged that the fees constitute an unlawful tax on the state, noting that under the original formula, the university would be charged more than $400,000 annually. Public comment from business owners underscored the financial impact of the fees. Arvin Martinez, a salvage yard owner in Laramie, told the committee his initial assessment was more than $800 a month. Im not against fixing the system, but we need to figure out how to adequately pay for this, Martinez said, urging that the matter be brought to a vote. Similarly, Brian Tyrrell, a Cheyenne business owner who filed a lawsuit against the city, argued that if the infrastructure were truly vital, the public would support it. Advertisement Advertisement Im a believer in democracy ... the people of Cheyenne and the people of Wyoming would vote for infrastructure that is truly needed, Tyrrell said, supporting Crums bill. Municipal advocates expressed concern that the bill would set a dangerous precedent for other utilities. Ashley Harpstreith, executive director of the Wyoming Association of Municipalities (WAM), argued that the bill threatened local authority. We believe we are following the letters of the law, Harpstreith said. ... Once you start creeping into stormwater, thats going to pull every other enterprise and utility that we administer. Pinedale Mayor Matt Murdock, serving as current WAM president, echoed these concerns, stating the bill unintentionally reclassifies municipal utility fees as taxes. He warned that the bills retroactive nature, requiring cities to hold elections for fees already in place, would create immediate legal and financial instability. Advertisement Advertisement The committee itself was deeply divided. Rep. Ken Chestek, D-Laramie, who ultimately voted against the bill, expressed confusion over the mess of the competing statutes and initially moved to table the bill for interim study. This bill clearly does interfere with [pending litigation], Chestek said, referencing the ongoing lawsuits. It doesnt solve the problem. ... It just kind of conflates the two and pushes them together. Conversely, Rep. Tomi Strock, R-Douglas, argued the committees primary duty was to the constituents. How are we to protect the people? she asked. You are losing businesses. This was here to protect the people, and we forget about the people. After a motion to table the bill failed on a tie vote, the committee adopted an amendment proposed by Crank to further simplify the language regarding the necessity of an election. Despite the amendment, the final roll call vote resulted in a 6-6 tie, which meant the bill failed to move forward to the full Legislature. The committee unanimously voted to adopt the interplay of Title 15 and Title 16 as a priority interim topic to continue discussion throughout 2026, until the general session in January 2027. A New York state judge ruled that New York Citys only Republican-held congressional district was drawn unconstitutionally, ordering a new map. Judge Jeffrey Pearlman concluded that the Staten Island-based 11th District, which is represented by GOP Rep. Nicole Malliotakis, diluted Black and Latino voting power. Pearlman said New Yorks independent redistricting commission must redraw the states congressional map by Feb. 6. His decision is likely to be appealed. Advertisement Advertisement In the Democratic-led lawsuit, the petitioners argued that a new map should pair Staten Island with part of southern Manhattan, instead of southern Brooklyn, and move the southern Brooklyn area in question into New York's 10th District, which Democrat Dan Goldman represents. Since the 10th District is heavily Democratic, moving part of it into the 11th District could give the party a chance to flip it in the midterm elections. Democrats control 19 of New York's 26 districts. "In the short term, this is a victory for the Democrats with a clouded future," said Jeffrey Wice, a professor at New York Law School and expert on redistricting in the state. The order doesn't lay out a plan for what happens if the state redistricting commission deadlocks as it has in the past and it's unclear how quickly the appeals will move through the state courts, Wice said. Advertisement Advertisement The ruling in New York comes amid the broader redistricting battle playing out across the country. President Donald Trump kick-started it last summer, urging GOP-led states to pursue new maps outside of the typical 10-year period to help the party protect its narrow House majority. Democrats have since managed to respond more forcefully than initially anticipated. Most notably, California Democrats circumvented the state's independent redistricting to pass a map that could allow the party to net up to five seats, potentially canceling out any gains Republicans make under new district lines in Texas. All told, six states enacted new congressional maps last year. This year, Democrats in Virginia are putting a constitutional amendment before voters that would pave the way for a new map, while Florida Republicans will hold a special legislative session on redistricting in the spring. In Maryland, Democrats are still debating whether to join the fray, too. House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, D-N.Y., who has pushed his party to respond to Republican redistricting efforts, celebrated the ruling in his home state. Advertisement Advertisement This ruling is the first step toward ensuring communities of interest remain intact from Staten Island to Lower Manhattan, Jeffries said in a statement. The voters of New York deserve the fairest congressional map possible. New York Republican Party Chair Ed Cox slammed the ruling. "This was a partisan ruling made by a partisan judge in a case brought by a notoriously partisan attorney," he said in a statement. "The Staten Island/Brooklyn Congressional District has existed for almost 45 years." This article was originally published on NBCNews.com DAVOS, Switzerland (AP) Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy blasted his European allies Thursday for what he portrayed as the continents slow, fragmented and inadequate response to Russias invasion nearly four years ago and its continued international aggression. Addressing the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, Zelenskyy listed a litany of grievances and criticisms of Europe that he said have left Ukraine at the mercy of Russian President Vladimir Putin amid an ongoing U.S. push for a peace settlement. Europe looks lost, Zelenskyy said in his speech, urging the continent to become a global force. He contrasted Europes response with Washingtons bold steps in Venezuela and Iran. Advertisement Advertisement The former comic actor referred to the movie Groundhog Day, in which the main character must relive the same day over and over again. Just last year, here in Davos, I ended my speech with the words: Europe needs to know how to defend itself. A year has passed. And nothing has changed. We are still in a situation where I must say the same words again, Zelenskyy said. He said that Ukrainians, too, seem caught in that reality in the war, "repeating the same thing for weeks, months and, of course, for years. And yet that is exactly how we live now. Its our life. European countries, which see their own future defense at stake in the war on its eastern flank, have provided financial, military and humanitarian support for Kyiv, but not all members of the 27-nation European Union are helping. Ukraine also has been frustrated by political disagreements within Europe over how to deal with Russia, as well as the blocs at times slow-moving responses. Advertisement Advertisement A meeting with Trump His speech came after he met behind closed doors for about an hour in Davos with U.S. President Donald Trump, who described the talks as very good. Zelenskyy called them productive and meaningful. Speaking to reporters aboard Air Force One as he flew back to Washington from Davos, Trump said his meeting with Zelenskyy went well, adding that the Ukrainian president told him he wants to make a deal to end the war. I had a good meeting, but Ive had numerous good meetings with President Zelenskyy and it doesnt seem to happen, he said. Trump noted that both Putin and Zelenskyy want to reach a deal and that everyones making concessions to try to end the war. Advertisement Advertisement He said the sticking points in talks remain the same as theyve been during talks held during the past six or seven months, noting boundaries was a key issue. The main hold-up is the same things thats been holding it up for the last year, he said. Trump said he and Zelenskyy talked about how Ukrainians were surviving the cold winter without heat. Its really tough for the people of Ukraine, Trump said, noting that it was amazing how residents have been able to persevere through the winter facing relentless Russian strikes. Its no way to live, he said. Russias bigger army has managed to capture about 20% of Ukraine since hostilities began in 2014 and its full-scale invasion of 2022. But the battlefield gains along the roughly 1,000-kilometer (600-mile) front line have been costly for Moscow, and the Russian economy is feeling the consequences of the war and international sanctions. Advertisement Advertisement Ukraine is short of money and, despite significantly boosting its own arms manufacturing, still needs Western weaponry. It is also short-handed on the front line. Its defense minister last week reported some 200,000 troop desertions and draft-dodging by about 2 million Ukrainians. Zelenskyy is also striving to keep the world's attention focused on Ukraine despite other conflicts. Zelenskyy cites inaction on key decisions He chided Europe for being slow to act on key decisions, spending too little on defense, failing to stop Russias shadow fleet" of oil tankers that are breaking international sanctions, and balking at using its frozen assets in Europe to finance Ukraine, among other things. Advertisement Advertisement Europe, he said, still feels more like a geography, history, a tradition, not a real political force, not a great power. Some Europeans are really strong, its true, but many say we must stand strong, and they always want someone else to tell them how long they need to stand strong, preferably until the next election, he said. The Trump administration is pushing for a peace settlement, with its envoys shuttling between Kyiv and Moscow in a flurry of negotiations that some worry could force Ukraine into an unfavorable deal. A meeting in Moscow Trumps special envoy Steve Witkoff and his son-in-law Jared Kushner arrived in Moscow late Thursday and sat for talks with Putin for more than 3 hours, according to the Kremlin. Advertisement Advertisement One major issue remains to be resolved in negotiations, Witkoff said at Davos, without saying what it was. Zelenskyy said the future status of land in eastern Ukraine currently occupied by Russia is unresolved but that peace proposals are nearly ready. Postwar security guarantees, should a deal be reached, are agreed between the U.S. and Ukraine, although they would require each country's ratification, he said. Zelenskyy said two days of trilateral meetings involving the U.S., Ukraine and Russia are due to begin Friday in the United Arab Emirates. Russians have to be ready for compromises because, you know, everybody has to be ready, not only Ukraine, and this is important for us, he said. Advertisement Advertisement Trump and Zelenskyy have had a fraught relationship, and the American president has at times also rebuked Putin. Zelenskyy said he thanked Trump for providing U.S.-made Patriot air defense systems that can help stop Russian missiles that are repeatedly hitting Ukraines power grid, causing hardship for civilians denied light, heating and running water. He said he asked Trump for more of them. After Trump cut support for Ukraine, other NATO countries began buying weapons from the U.S. to donate to Kyiv under a special financial arrangement. ___ Hrabchuk reported from Kyiv, Ukraine. Josh Boak on Air Force One, Meg Kinnard in Houston and Ali Swenson from Washington contributed to this report. ___ Follow APs coverage of the war in Ukraine at https://apnews.com/hub/russia-ukraine Reach Donald W. Meyers at dmeyers@yakimaherald.com or 509-577-7748. He can also be reached securely at donaldwmeyers.93 on Signal or at donaldwmeyers@protonmail.com. Get the day's news. Sign up for our Daily Headlines newsletter delivered to your inbox every morning at 7 a.m. Rep. Tarra Simmons shows off her service dog during a joint session of the state Legislature for Gov. Bob Ferguson's state of the state address. (Ken Lambert / The Seattle Times) By PAMELA JANSSON [email protected] BESSEMER Members of the Gogebic County Board of Commissioners voted on Jan. 14 to reduce their regular monthly meetings from two to one. Until now, the board has held standard meetings on the second and fourth Wednesday of the month. We have never done that, said county administrator Juliane Giackino regarding the reduction in meetings. But she explained to commissioners that, by continuing to meet on the second Wednesday of the month, they would be in a position to receive a full recap of the prior month, in relation to financial matters or... ANOKA, Minn. - Beverly "Bev" Ann (Savant) Beauchamp, 88, our beloved mother and grandmother, peacefully went home to be with the Lord on Monday, Jan. 12, 2026, at her home in Anoka, Minnesota. Bev was born on Sept. 9, 1937, in Hurley, Wisconsin, to the late James "Jim" and Lena (Piazza) Savant. She attended grade school at St. Mary's in Hurley and graduated in 1955 from J.E. Murphy High School. On July 12, 1958, she married Francis Eugene Beauchamp. The family moved to Whitehall, Wisconsin, in 1982, where Bev worked as an insurance agent at The Insurance Center before retiring in 2001 and moving to Anoka, Minnesota. Bev cherished her annual trips to Door County, Wisconsin, and loved to travel and cruise all around the world with her children. She was most proud of her grandchildren and never missed a birthday, a graduation, or a reason to celebrate with them. At home, she loved spending time with her beloved Beagle pups and was a devoted homemaker who loved cooking huge Italian meals and baking many tasty desserts. Bev's legacy of resilience, generosity of spirit, love, and her unwavering faith will be carried on by all those who were blessed to know her. In addition to her parents, Bev is preceded in death by her husband of 25 years, Francis; her son, David; and her sister, Violet. Bev is survived by her sons, Daniel and Darrell (Cindy); daughter, Diane; and grandchildren, John, Mary and Anna. She is also survived by her brothers-in-law, Lawrence (Jo), Clarence (Mary Lou) and John (Mary Anne); as well as her sister-in-law, Mary Ann (Richard). Bev will be missed dearly by countless extended family members and friends. A visitation will be held at 10 a.m., followed by a funeral mass celebrating Bev's life at 11 a.m. on Wednesday, Jan. 28, 2026, at St. Mary of the Seven Dolors Catholic Church in Hurley. A graveside burial service will be held at a later date at Saint Mary's Cemetery in Hurley. In lieu of flowers, the family respectfully asks that memorial contributions in Bev's name be made to A Breath of Hope Lung Cancer Foundation of Bloomington, Minnesota. The family has chosen the McKevitt-Patrick Funeral Home in Ironwood to honor Bev's legacy of life. To make an online condolence, visit McKevittPatrickFuneralHome.com. In the wake of a recent Constitutional Court ruling, the city of Budapest will "continue to fight for justice" in a suit concerning the city's solidarity tax, Mayor Gergely Karacsony said on Facebook. Referring to the top court's Tuesday decision, Karacsony said the court had "rejected without any meaningful consideration" a lower court's concerns about the tax imposed on the capital, maintaining its position on the matter published in 2024. The top court said in 2024 that the amount of the tax should be set "in a fair procedure" and the government must ensure that "the amount is not exaggerated" to an extent that it could compromise municipal services, the mayor said, adding that "those conditions were not met in 2025." Govt office head: Budapest budget 'based on fictitious numbers, unlawful' The Constitutional Court ruled for the second time that the solidarity contribution is not contrary to the Fundamental Law, the head of the Budapest government office said on Facebook on Wednesday, adding that the Budapest budget "is based on fictitious numbers and is unlawful." Botond Sara said in a video that the budget contained some 100 billion forints (EUR 259.4m) in revenues "which [Mayor] Gergely Karacsony and the opposition Tisza party supporting him are hoping to come by when the court orders solidarity contributions to be paid back." The decision of the Constitutional Court "has made it clear that would never happen. That means that there is a large deficit in the city budget, and that is unlawful," Sara said. Sara said that while Karacsony and Tisza were "riling up Budapest citizens and bringing unreliability, uncertainty and near-insolvency ... we are working to restore lawful operations because that is in the interest of Budapest citizens," he said. Source: MTI Hungarys national news agency since 1881. While MTI articles are usually factual, some may contain political bias, and readers should be aware that such content does not reflect the position of XpatLoop, which is neutral and independent. Since the goal of XpatLoop is to keep readers well briefed, right across the spectrum of opinions, MTI items are shared to ensure readers are aware of all narratives within the local media. XpatLoop believes in empowering readers to form their own views through complete and comprehensive coverage. To facilitate this XpatLoop has a balanced range of news partners, as you can see when you surf around XpatLoop.com ********************************************************************************************* You're very welcome to comment, discuss and enjoy more stories via our Facebook page: Facebook.com/XpatLoopNews + via XpatLoops groups: Budapest Expats / Expats Hungary You can subscribe to our newsletter here: XpatLoop.com/Newsletters Showcase Your Business to Expats in the Loop: As an independent portal were grateful to all commercial supporters who help keep you in the loop with fresh insights and inspiration. Do you want your business to reach tens of thousands of potential high-value expat customers? If so please contact us here. The European Anti-Fraud Office (OLAF) has opened an investigation into Hungarys long-delayed electronic property registry, independent MP Akos Hadhazy reports. In a letter seen by Telex, OLAF said it had reviewed the information provided and launched an inquiry into the EU-funded e-property registry project, financed from the European Social Fund. The government began digitising the real-estate registration system in 2015, absorbing Ft 16 billion in EU funding, but remains incomplete. The E-ING system was declared complete in 2024, yet important capabilities have still not gone live, prompting scrutiny over the use of the funds. Hadhazy, who filed a complaint in May last year, said the system was billed as enabling fully electronic land-registry administration but has failed to deliver. After a decade, he said, the only tangible outcome is online access to property records something that existed before while promised functions remain unavailable. ********************************************************************************************* You're very welcome to comment, discuss and enjoy more stories via our Facebook page: Facebook.com/XpatLoopNews + via XpatLoops groups: Budapest Expats / Expats Hungary You can subscribe to our newsletter here: XpatLoop.com/Newsletters Showcase Your Business to Expats in the Loop: As an independent portal were grateful to all commercial supporters who help keep you in the loop with fresh insights and inspiration. Do you want your business to reach tens of thousands of potential high-value expat customers? If so please contact us here. The fresh newsletter for the International Community in Hungary - described by readers as a "Great read each week" - is now available for your interest and use via the link below. The Hungarian House of Music is bringing back its immersive Sound Dome Festival this winter, offering a week of live music, concert films, special screenings and audience discussions inside one of Budapests most distinctive cultural venues. The festival, known as Dome_Reload, will run from 38 February 2026 at the House of Music in City Park. It follows the success of last years inaugural edition and focuses on the venues unique 360-degree cinema and multi-channel sound system. According to the organisers, the early-year festival has become a new tradition celebrating the Hangdom (Sound Dome) a purpose-built immersive space combining a full dome screen with a 40-channel sound system designed for experimental audiovisual projects. New films, live music and returning favourites This years programme includes several new elements alongside audience favourites from previous seasons. Visitors can expect: * Re-screenings of the most popular Sound Dome films, followed by audience Q&A sessions with their creators * Two brand-new Dome_Live productions created specifically for immersive dome venues * The launch of a new live concert series inside the Sound Dome * The first screening of a 360-degree concert film featuring Vad Fruttik and Makrohang Zene Among the new premieres is Partita for 8 Voices, an immersive interpretation of Pulitzer Prize-winning composer Caroline Shaws work, with visuals inspired by minimalist artist Sol LeWitts famous Wall Drawings. Another highlight is Continuum, an emotionally rich audiovisual journey that uses the dome format to transport audiences into the vastness and beauty of outer space. Live performance meets immersive cinema A new series titled Dome_Replay will also debut at this years festival. Its first event will feature the international ensemble Meybahar, whose music draws on Greek and Asia Minor traditions. The group will perform live alongside one of the Sound Domes most popular films, Dome_016 Csontvary: Levante. Throughout the week, themed screening days will focus on animated short films and works inspired by the visual arts, with opportunities for audiences to meet and question the filmmakers and creators. The full Dome_Reload festival programme is available on the House of Music website. For expats living in Budapest, the Sound Dome offers a rare chance to experience concerts and films in a fully immersive setting that blends music, visual art and digital technology in a striking architectural space. More: House of Music Hungary 1146 Budapest, Olof Palme stny. 3. A HUF 100bn action plan for restaurants is coming, the government announced in a post on social media. According to information, representative functions related to restaurant services will be tax-free, the tourism development contribution will be reduced, and favourable taxation of the service charge will be expanded. Industry players will receive preferential loans through the Kisfaludy Tourism Credit Centre, an advertising brochure is being prepared, administrative burdens will be reduced, and administration will be made fully digital from 2027, the post said. Catering associations welcome government stimulus measures Three of the biggest catering industry associations in Hungary welcomed stimulus measures announced by National Economy Marton Nagy in a statement issued. Pal Zoltan Gal, who heads the Hungarian Hospitality Employers' Association (VIMOSZ), said a reduction in the tourism development contribution from 4pc to 2pc would help slow the recent wave of business closures. He added that raising the threshold for reduced tax on service fees to 20pc of turnover would ease the payroll burden for catering establishments. Govt to roll out HUF 100bn support package for restaurants The government has approved a HUF 100bn package to support the local catering industry, daily Magyar Nemzet said, citing a post on social media by National Economy Minister Marton Nagy. The economy cabinet cleared the package of six measures after assessing the performance of the tourism sector at a meeting a week earlier, the paper said. Source: MTI Hungarys national news agency since 1881. While MTI articles are usually factual, some may contain political bias, and readers should be aware that such content does not reflect the position of XpatLoop, which is neutral and independent. Since the goal of XpatLoop is to keep readers well briefed, right across the spectrum of opinions, MTI items are shared to ensure readers are aware of all narratives within the local media. XpatLoop believes in empowering readers to form their own views through complete and comprehensive coverage. To facilitate this XpatLoop has a balanced range of news partners, as you can see when you surf around XpatLoop.com ********************************************************************************************* You're very welcome to comment, discuss and enjoy more stories via our Facebook page: Facebook.com/XpatLoopNews + via XpatLoops groups: Budapest Expats / Expats Hungary You can subscribe to our newsletter here: XpatLoop.com/Newsletters Showcase Your Business to Expats in the Loop: As an independent portal were grateful to all commercial supporters who help keep you in the loop with fresh insights and inspiration. Do you want your business to reach tens of thousands of potential high-value expat customers? If so please contact us here. The government will freeze household utilities bills in January amid the extreme cold, Prime Minister Viktor Orban said in a message on Facebook. Orban said the government would take over the cost of turning up the heat during the unusually cold weather. He added that those costs presented "an unexpected and significant burden" to households. He said the extreme weather conditions in January had "put Hungary to the test", but the country had "beat the snow" a week earlier. Cold snap - Orban: Utility cuts scheme to be 'cranked up' "We need to crank up the regulated utilities price scheme and we will," Prime Minister Viktor Orban said on Facebook, adding that "it will be the most important task for Wednesday's cabinet meeting." "We have not had a January as cold as now for decades; this makes us realise the value of the regulated utilities price scheme and appreciate that in today's crazy world we still have access to cheap Russian oil and gas," the prime minister said. Gulyas: January utility bills freeze to shield Hungarian households The government has set up a working group, headed by Energy Minister Csaba Lantos, to work out the details of a planned measure to compensate households for higher-than-usual utilities bills amid the extreme cold, Gergely Gulyas, the head of the Prime Minister's Office, said at a weekly press briefing. As temperatures dropped to lows not seen in 15 years, Gulyas said the government has decided that Hungarian families should not have to pay for the consequences of the extreme weather. He added that the government would approve the details of the plan to compensate households for higher than usual January heating bills at the cabinet meeting next Wednesday, at the latest. Prime Minister Viktor Orban announced late on Wednesday that the government would take over the cost of turning up the heat during the unusually cold weather. Gulyas thanked the police, soldiers, disaster management and other staff for their "superhuman" efforts during the recent "snow situation". MTI Stock Photo - for illustrative purposes only Source: MTI Hungarys national news agency since 1881. While MTI articles are usually factual, some may contain political bias, and readers should be aware that such content does not reflect the position of XpatLoop, which is neutral and independent. Since the goal of XpatLoop is to keep readers well briefed, right across the spectrum of opinions, MTI items are shared to ensure readers are aware of all narratives within the local media. XpatLoop believes in empowering readers to form their own views through complete and comprehensive coverage. To facilitate this XpatLoop has a balanced range of news partners, as you can see when you surf around XpatLoop.com ********************************************************************************************* You're very welcome to comment, discuss and enjoy more stories via our Facebook page: Facebook.com/XpatLoopNews + via XpatLoops groups: Budapest Expats / Expats Hungary You can subscribe to our newsletter here: XpatLoop.com/Newsletters Showcase Your Business to Expats in the Loop: As an independent portal were grateful to all commercial supporters who help keep you in the loop with fresh insights and inspiration. Do you want your business to reach tens of thousands of potential high-value expat customers? If so please contact us here. Toyota Urban Cruiser Ebella Details: Toyota has officially introduced the Urban Cruiser Ebella, marking its first electric car for the Indian market. This new EV is based on the upcoming Maruti Suzuki e Vitara but comes with visible Toyota-specific updates. If you are considering Toyotas new electric midsize SUV, here are 6 things you need to know. Price announcement Toyota has started accepting bookings for the Urban Cruiser Ebella. It will be sold in three variants: E1, E2, and E3. The company has said that official prices will be revealed in the coming weeks. The price range is expected to fall between Rs 19 lakh and Rs 24 lakh (ex-showroom). Design highlights Although the Ebella shares its platform with the e Vitara, Toyota has given it a distinct look, especially at the front. It features a unique fascia with triangular LED headlights, eyebrow-like DRLs, plenty of gloss black finish, slim vertical air intakes, and a subtle silver skid plate. Add Zee News as a Preferred Source From the side, the similarities are more obvious. It rides on 18-inch aero-style alloy wheels, the same as the e Vitara. The heavy body cladding, sloping roofline, hidden rear door handles, and rear bumper design remain unchanged. At the rear, however, the light bar gets a different LED pattern. Colour options The Urban Cruiser Ebella is offered in five monotone colours: Bluish Black, Cafe White, Enticing Silver, Gaming Grey, and Sportin Red. There are also four dual-tone options with a black roof, including Cafe White, Enticing Silver, Land Breeze Green, and Sportin Red. Features Inside, the Ebella is nearly identical to the e Vitara, apart from Toyota branding and software tweaks. It offers a 10.25-inch touchscreen, wireless Android Auto and Apple CarPlay, a 10.1-inch digital cluster, fixed glass roof, powered driver seat, JBL audio system, 360-degree camera, Level 2 ADAS, ventilated seats, ambient lighting and more. Battery options Toyota will offer two LFP battery packs with Ebella: 49kWh and 61kWh. Both power a front-mounted electric motor. The smaller battery produces 144hp, while the larger one delivers 174hp. Torque remains the same at 189Nm. The claimed range is 440km for the 49kWh version and 543km for the 61kWh variant. Both battery packs come with an 8-year warranty. Rivals In the electric midsize SUV space, the Urban Cruiser Ebella will compete with the Hyundai Creta Electric, Mahindra BE 6, Tata Curvv EV, VinFast VF6, MG ZS EV, and the upcoming Maruti e Vitara. New Delhi: Border 2 has emerged as one of the biggest Bollywood releases of 2026. Slated for a Republic Day weekend release on January 23, 2026, the war drama brings together Sunny Deol, Varun Dhawan, Diljit Dosanjh, and Ahan Shetty. Directed by Anurag Singh, the film continues the legacy of JP Duttas 1997 blockbuster Border, a movie that remains etched in Indias cinematic memory. Since its announcement, Border 2 has generated massive buzz, not just for its star cast but also for its scale and patriotic appeal. Here are five compelling reasons why Border 2 deserves a spot on your must-watch list: 1. A Return of a Film That Defined a Generation Add Zee News as a Preferred Source The 1997 movie, Border is remembered as one of the most emotional and impactful war films in Indian cinema. Border 2 brings back that legacy, with Sunny Deol the movie revisits the spirit, music, and patriotism that made the original iconic. For fans of the first film, this sequel promises a strong emotional callback, making nostalgia one of its biggest strengths. 2. A Cast That Brings Together Old and New One of the biggest draws of Border 2 is its multi-generational ensemble. Sunny Deol leads the film, while Varun Dhawan, Diljit Dosanjh, and Ahan Shetty add fresh energy. Varun Dhawan steps into the shoes of Param Vir Chakra awardee Major Hoshiar Singh Dahiya, while Diljit Dosanjh portrays Flying Officer Nirmal Jit Singh Sekhon, a revered hero of the Indian Air Force. Supporting actors like Mona Singh and Sonam Bajwa further strengthen the lineup. 3. A Broader War Narrative Across All Three Forces Unlike the first Border, which largely focused on the Army, Border 2 widens its lens. The film highlights the coordinated efforts of the Indian Army, Navy, and Air Force during the 1971 IndiaPakistan War, offering a more expansive and layered portrayal of Indias military strength and strategy. 4. Grand-Scale Action with Contemporary Filmmaking Under Anurag Singhs direction, Border 2 uses advanced visual effects and modern action choreography to recreate historic battles. From intense ground combat to aerial missions and naval operations, the film is designed as a full-fledged big-screen spectacle, blending realism with cinematic scale. 5. Rooted in Real Stories and Real Locations What adds depth to Border 2 is its connection to real-life heroism. The storyline draws inspiration from multiple true accounts of war heroes, stories that were reportedly shared by late General Bipin Rawat. To enhance realism, key portions were filmed at authentic military locations, including the National Defence Academy in Pune, with actual soldiers appearing on screen. Border 2 release ban: Filmmaker Anurag Singh has co-written and directed Border 2 - the film which is high on expectations is all set to hit the screens on January 23, 2026, coinciding with the Republic Day weekend. Set against the backdrop of the IndiaPakistan war of 1971, the emotionally-charged movie has a starry ensemble cast, headlined by Sunny Deol. The movie is a sequel to renowned director JP Dutta's iconic 1997 blockbuster Border. According to a report by Bollywood Hungama, the film will reportedly not get a theatrical release in Gulf countries much like recently released super successful Dhurandhar. Here's a list of countries where Border 2 will not release reportedly. Take a look: The film will not get a theatrical release in Gulf countries, including the UAE, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Kuwait, Oman, and Bahrain. Add Zee News as a Preferred Source This move comes allegedly over films which are intended to be having 'anti-Pakistan' content. ALSO READ: Border 2 early reviews, box office prediction: Netizens hail Sunny Deol-Starrer as an emotionally-loaded war drama, Check viral reactions Other Bollywood Films Which Faced Ban Sunny Deols Gadar 2 (2023) also faced a ban in the Gulf region for the same reason. Tiger 3 (2023), starring Salman Khan, was banned in Oman, Kuwait and Qatar. The Kashmir Files (2022) was banned in several Gulf states. UAE initially banned it but later was cleared it with an adults-only certificate. Hrithik Roshan-Deepika Padukone starrer Fighter faced initially banned in all the Gulf countries, except the UAE (United Arab Emirates). Reason? Depiction Of Pulwama attack and alleged anti-Pakistan agenda. After uproar, even the UAE suspended its release in its territory. Akshay Kumar-starrer Sky Force (2025) and John Abraham's The Diplomat (2025) were also banned in several countries of the Middle East. Article 370 (2024), a film based on the revocation of the article in Jammu and Kashmir, was also reportedly refused certification in GCC. New Delhi: Siddhant Chaturvedi and Mrunal Thakurs Do Deewane Seher Mein is all set to hit theatres in February. After the teaser garnered praise from fans, the makers have now released a new track titled Aasma Aasma". The song teaser offers a glimpse into a love story that feels lived-in, surprising, and deeply relatable. Taking to social media, the makers shared the song, Aasma, describing it as soothing and heartfelt. Announcing the songs release, they captioned the post: How can one not fall in isq with this track? Aasma Aasma - OUT NOW! This Valentines, isq se isq ho jayega!" Add Zee News as a Preferred Source The chemistry between Mrunal Thakur and Siddhant Chaturvedi has been drawing appreciation from fans. Soulfully sung by Jubin Nautiyal and Neeti Mohan, Aasma strikes an emotional chord. Hesham Abdul Wahabs beautiful composition elevates its romantic fervour, while Abhiruchi Chands evocative lyrics make it a song that lingerstruly defining it as a refreshing new sound of love this season. Do Deewane Seher Mein Teaser The teaser opens on a simple, introverted young man, Shashank (played by Siddhant Chaturvedi), seated at Roshnis (played by Mrunal Thakur) home, surrounded by both families. It soon becomes clear that this is an arranged marriage meeting. While Shashank appears nervous yet sincere, Roshni seems unimpressed by the formal setup and her prospective groom, hinting at underlying tension and contrasting personalities. Do Deewane Seher Mein is being described as a perfect love story between two imperfect people. The film promises a modern romance that feels intimate and nostalgiclike a memory you didnt even know you were holding on to. Directed by Ravi Udyawar, the story explores love, hesitation, and emotional connection in an urban setting. Do Deewane Seher Mein stars Mrunal Thakur and Siddhant Chaturvedi and is directed by Ravi Udyawar. The film is produced by Sanjay Leela Bhansali, Prerna Singh, Umesh Kumar Bansal, and Bharat Kumar Ranga, in association with Ravi Udyawar Films. It is slated for a theatrical release on February 20, 2026. Siddhant Chaturvedi rose to fame with his breakout role in Gully Boy, which screened at the Berlin Film Festival. He has since starred in films such as Gehraiyaan, Kho Gaye Hum Kahan, and Dhadak 2. Mrunal Thakur, meanwhile, continues her strong run with notable projects including Sita Ramam, Jersey, Son of Sardaar 2, and Netflixs Lust Stories 2. Baba Vangas spine-chilling 2026 predictions: Early this year, Baba Vangas name began trending aggressively on social media, with netizens revisiting her most unsettling prophecies for 2026. This deep dive explores why the blind Bulgarian mystic, who passed away in 1996, is once again at the centre of global anxiety, curiosity, and debate. Why Baba Vanga Is Back In The Spotlight, Again Often called the Nostradamus of the Balkans, Baba Vanga has long been associated with some of the most dramatic claims in modern prophecy lore. Her followers believe she foresaw major world events, from political upheavals to natural disasters. Critics, however, argue that her predictions are cryptic, symbolic, and often interpreted after events unfold, making them easy to mould into existing realities. Add Zee News as a Preferred Source Still, history shows one thing clearly: whenever the world enters a phase of uncertainty, Baba Vangas name inevitably returns. The Most Terrifying Claim: World War 3 In 2026? One of the most widely circulated interpretations of Baba Vangas predictions suggests that a major global war could erupt in 2026, often labelled online as the beginning of World War 3. As geopolitical tensions, regional conflicts, and military stand-offs continue to dominate headlines, many social media users claim the signs are already aligning. Supporters of the prophecy believe her warning pointed to escalating global rivalries and irreversible consequences, while skeptics insist this is a classic case of retrofitting vague predictions to modern fears. No official authority or global body has issued any confirmation of such a scenario, but that hasnt stopped the speculation from spreading like wildfire. Alien Contact In 2026? The Internet Thinks So As if a world war wasnt unsettling enough, another prediction attributed to Baba Vanga has captured global imagination: humanitys first direct contact with extraterrestrial beings in 2026. Online chatter suggests this contact may coincide with a massive global event or a rare astronomical phenomenon. With increased reports of unexplained aerial sightings, renewed interest in space exploration, and governments becoming more transparent about UFO data, believers argue that the timing feels too perfect to ignore. Once again, historians caution that Baba Vanga never wrote these predictions herself, most were passed down verbally and documented years later, leaving ample room for exaggeration and reinterpretation. Are Baba Vangas Predictions Real? Most of Baba Vangas prophecies were symbolic statements, not dated forecasts. Many so-called predictions attributed to her surfaced decades after her death and were reshaped to match unfolding events. Scholars repeatedly warn against treating these claims as literal timelines. Yet, despite the lack of concrete evidence, the fascination refuses to fade. Why We Keep Believing The obsession with Baba Vangas 2026 predictions reveals something deeper about human psychology. In times of chaos, people instinctively search for meaning, whether through prophecies of destruction or visions of cosmic breakthroughs. These narratives offer a strange sense of order in an unpredictable world. No scientific institution, space agency, or political authority has confirmed any imminent global war or alien encounter. Still, the conversation around Baba Vanga continues to dominate online spaces, fuelled by fear, curiosity, and the eternal question: What if she was right? (This article is intended for your general information only. Zee News does not vouch for its accuracy or reliability.) Happy Basant Panchami 2026: Basant Panchami, also known as Vasant Panchami, is a significant Hindu festival celebrated with great enthusiasm across India. It will be celebrated tomorrow, i.e., January 23, 2026, and marks the arrival of spring and is dedicated to Goddess Saraswati, the goddess of wisdom, learning, and arts. This festival holds special importance in states like West Bengal, Bihar, Uttar Pradesh, Punjab, and Rajasthan, where devotees offer prayers and seek blessings for knowledge and creativity. How to Write a Perfect Basant Panchami 2026 Essay in English Writing an essay on Basant Panchami in English is simple if you follow a structured format. Below is a guide to help you draft the perfect essay that will impress your teachers and fetch you full marks. Add Zee News as a Preferred Source 1. Introduction Basant Panchami is an important Hindu festival celebrated in India. It marks the arrival of the spring season and is particularly known for the worship of Goddess Saraswati. On this day, devotees seek her blessings for wisdom, knowledge, and artistic excellence. 2. Importance of Basant Panchami This day holds great significance as it is associated with education and knowledge. Schools and colleges organize special Saraswati Puja ceremonies. People wear yellow clothes, as yellow symbolizes prosperity, wisdom, and energy. Kite flying is also a popular activity during this festival, adding to the excitement and joy. 3. Celebrations and Rituals Saraswati Puja is performed in homes and temples. Students place their books and musical instruments at the feet of Goddess Saraswati for blessings. Special sweets like kesar halwa and yellow rice are prepared. Kite flying events are organized in many states. 4. Conclusion Basant Panchami is not just a festival; it represents dedication to education, music, and art. On this day, we should seek blessings from Goddess Saraswati and embrace knowledge and creativity in our lives. Happy Basant Panchami 2026: Sample Essays Essay 1: Happy Basant Panchami 2026 Basant Panchami is a joyful festival that marks the arrival of spring and is celebrated with great devotion across India. Observed on the fifth day of the bright half of the Hindu month of Magha, Basant Panchami 2026 holds special significance as it is dedicated to Goddess Saraswati, the goddess of wisdom, learning, music, and art. The festival symbolises new beginnings, positivity, and intellectual growth. On this day, people wear yellow clothes, prepare yellow-coloured sweets, and decorate homes and temples with flowers. The colour yellow represents energy, prosperity, and the vibrance of spring. Students, artists, and scholars especially seek blessings from Goddess Saraswati for knowledge, focus, and success. Schools and educational institutions often organise Saraswati Puja, encouraging children to value education and learning. Basant Panchami also reminds us of the importance of wisdom in shaping our lives. In a fast-paced world, the festival encourages reflection, creativity, and clarity of thought. As we celebrate Happy Basant Panchami 2026, it is a time to welcome hope, nurture learning, and embrace the beauty of growth and renewal that spring brings with it. Essay 2: Happy Basant Panchami 2026 Happy Basant Panchami 2026 is a celebration of knowledge, culture, and the changing season. The festival signifies the end of winter and the beginning of spring, bringing warmth, freshness, and optimism. It is believed that Goddess Saraswati was born on this day, making it an auspicious occasion for starting education, creative pursuits, and spiritual practices. The festival is celebrated with prayers, music, and devotion. People place books, musical instruments, and study materials near the idol of Goddess Saraswati, seeking her blessings for wisdom and creativity. Farmers also view Basant Panchami as a positive sign, as it marks the blooming of mustard fields and the promise of a good harvest. Beyond rituals, Basant Panchami carries a deeper messageit teaches us that true progress comes through knowledge and discipline. It inspires individuals to remove ignorance and walk on the path of learning and enlightenment. As we celebrate Happy Basant Panchami 2026, the festival encourages everyone to welcome positivity, respect education, and move forward with clarity and confidence in life. Final Tips for Writing a Great Essay Use simple and effective language. Present the topic in a structured manner. Explain the historical and cultural significance of the festival. Adding personal experiences can make the essay more impactful. By following this structure, you can easily write an essay that will earn you full marks. (This article is intended for your general information only. Zee News does not vouch for its accuracy or reliability.) New Delhi: Until five years ago, Indias doors were nearly closed to Chinese companies. Business organisations campaigned vigorously for boycotts of Chinese goods, and public sentiment strongly supported such measures. The political situation changed after developments in the United States. As anti-India statements from Washington became more frequent, the government began looking at new strategies. Now, officials are preparing to relax some of the restrictions on Chinese companies while keeping sensitive sectors protected. Experts say that economic impact, employment and technology transfer are taking precedence over political symbolism. Add Zee News as a Preferred Source A senior government said that since 2020, Chinese firms were barred from bidding for Indian government contracts and restricted in making investments. Within the system, a strong consensus has emerged that investment creating jobs and strengthening domestic capacity should be welcomed. Strategic sectors such as telecommunications, defense and critical infrastructure are off-limits to Chinese companies. Discussions are also underway on allowing Chinese companies to participate in government procurement in non-strategic sectors. The focus is on investments that enhance employment opportunities and technology. Companies would be evaluated on their capabilities and economic contribution rather than nationality. The aim is to attract capital while safeguarding national interests. Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) rules are also expected to see controlled relaxation. Since 2020, India had tightened scrutiny over investments from countries sharing land borders, requiring pre-approval before allowing them. Now, the rules may be eased in sectors where domestic industries can benefit from foreign investment, especially in renewable energy and manufacturing. Officials stress that these adjustments do not remove security measures but allow controlled access where investment and technology are needed. Government contracts could also see relaxed restrictions for Chinese participation. Some of these rules may be adjusted to revive commercial ties and reduce project delays. Economic reasoning underpins these potential changes. Officials say that when Indian manufacturers are forced to import goods that could locally be produced, it leads to job losses at home. They also point out that capital then gets routed through countries like Japan or Mauritius that reduces the impact of nationality-based restrictions. Any policy relaxation will be selective, applying only in sectors where national security concerns are minimal. Data-sensitive and strategic technologies will continue under strict oversight, while opportunities for investment in other sectors will expand. Industry leaders emphasise that easing restrictions must occur under strict monitoring to ensure critical supply inputs are secured and strategic interests are not compromised. Indias trade recalibration with China shows a strategic pivot aimed at balancing economic growth, domestic employment and technological advancement while maintaining oversight over critical sectors. 2000 Red Fort Terror Attack: The Supreme Court has issued a notice to the Delhi government, seeking its response to a curative petition filed by death-row convict Mohammad Arif alias Ashfaq, a Pakistani national convicted for his role in the 2000 Red Fort terror attack. A three-judge bench headed by Surya Kant took up the matter on Thursday and agreed to examine the plea by asking the Delhi government to place its stand on record. A curative petition is considered the final legal remedy available after all other appeals are exhausted. Arifs death sentence was upheld by the apex court in November 2022, when it dismissed his review petition and held that his guilt had been proven beyond reasonable doubt. Earlier, in 2011, the Supreme Court of India had awarded him the death penalty. His mercy plea was later rejected in 2024 by President Droupadi Murmu. Add Zee News as a Preferred Source The case relates to the terror attack at the Red Fort on the night of December 22, 2000. Armed terrorists belonging to Lashkar-e-Toiba breached security at the historic monument around 9 pm, opening indiscriminate fire with automatic rifles and hurling grenades. Three Army personnel from the 7 Rajputana Rifles were killed in the attack. According to court records, the attackers managed to flee after an exchange of fire with the Quick Reaction Team, scaling the rear boundary wall of the complex and escaping towards Ring Road. Arif was later arrested and prosecuted by the Delhi government. The courts found him guilty of actively aiding the terrorists involved in the attack. While rejecting his earlier review plea, the Supreme Court had noted that the case fell within the rarest of rare category, warranting capital punishment. In his latest plea, Arif has challenged the confirmation of his death sentence through a curative petition, which is meant to address alleged gross miscarriages of justice after the dismissal of a review petition. With the Supreme Court now seeking a response from the Delhi government, the matter will be examined once again before a final decision is taken. (With ANI Inputs) At least six people were killed and more than ten were injured after a blast reportedly happened at sponge iron factory in Chhattisgarh's Baloda Bazar-Bhatapara district on Thursday. ' The incident has caused widespread alarm in the industrial area, highlighting persistent concerns about safety in heavy industries. Preliminary police reports indicate that the blast happened suddenly while workers were operating near the furnace. Add Zee News as a Preferred Source State Health Minister Shyam Bihari Jaiswal stated that he has contacted the district collector and directed that the injured receive the best possible medical care. He also instructed the district administration to conduct a thorough investigation and take prompt and strict action against those responsible. In a statement, Jaiswal assured the families of the deceased that the state government stand with them and will provide all necessary assistance. The explosion occurred in the plant's dust settling chamber, killing six workers on the spot and seriously injuring five others, according to District Collector Deepak Soni. Police and administrative officials rushed to the site to carry out relief and rescue operations, and the injured were taken to the Chhattisgarh Institute of Medical Sciences in Bilaspur. Meanwhile, Former Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel on his X handle posted, We have received the tragic news of an explosion at a sponge iron factory in the Bakulahi area of Balodabazar district. Many factory workers have reportedly died in this horrific accident. May God grant peace to the departed souls and give strength to the bereaved families to bear this immense loss. "We request the government and administration to ensure that proper medical treatment is provided to the injured. We also urge that adequate compensation be provided to the families of the deceased, a high-level enquiry be conducted into this incident, and strict action be taken against those responsible for this tragedy. However, Vishnu Deo Sai led Chhattisgarh government is yet to announce any compensation to the victims and their families, news agency IANS reported. The company has yet to release an official statement. Eyewitnesses reported a huge column of black smoke rising high into the sky and flames consuming parts of the furnace area. The explosions force blackened the buildings walls and scattered ash and burnt coal across the site, creating a scene of chaos. NEW DELHI / PUNJAB: The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) fulfils its promise of free healthcare in Punjab as National Convenor Arvind Kejriwal and Chief Minister Bhagwant Singh Mann launch the Mukh Mantri Sehat Yojna (MMSY) in Mohali, extending free treatment of up to Rs 10 lakh to every family in the state. With the scheme now in force, even the most expensive private hospitals previously accessible only to the wealthy are opened to the poor, marking a decisive shift in public welfare delivery. Punjab, under the AAP government, now becomes the first state in the country to guarantee free healthcare, free education, free electricity, and free bus travel for women, while Arvind Kejriwal asserts that power-hungry opposition parties remain consumed by internal battles, and that only the AAP can secure a safe future for Punjab. On this occasion, AAP Convenor Arvind Kejriwal and CM Bhagwant Singh Mann handed over Mukh Mantri Sehat Yojna cards to some of the eligible beneficiaries. During the launch of the Mukh Mantri Sehat Yojna, AAP National Convenor Arvind Kejriwal said that today is not just a big and historic day for Punjab, but for the entire country. The work that is going to be done in Punjab today should perhaps have been done back in 1950. All those who fought for independence did not struggle so that one day the British would leave and our own governments would be formed, only for those governments to do nothing for the people, he said. Add Zee News as a Preferred Source The AAP Supremo said that over the past 75 years, many governments came and went, but none of them truly cared for the people. Big promises were made, but the public was neglected. He said there was a time when Punjab was plagued by severe terrorism, and then came a phase when drugs were rampant. But everything has its time. The phase that Punjab has been going through for the past four years will be written in golden letters in the history of Punjab and the country, he added. Referring to the promises made during elections, Arvind Kejriwal said that when he and CM Bhagwant Mann went campaigning, they used to give guarantees. At that time, they spoke of Kejriwals Guarantees, one of which was a health guarantee, that free and quality healthcare would be provided for every person and every citizen of Punjab. People did not believe it back then, he said. The AAP Supremo continued, In those days, the Congress government was in power. First, Captain Amarinder Singh was the CM, and then Charanjit Singh Channi. They used to say that the treasury was empty, the government was running in deficit, and there was no money. They said that Arvind Kejriwal was roaming around spreading lies about free electricity, free healthcare, and free education, and that none of this was possible because there was no money. But the AAP government proved that all the guarantees could indeed be fulfilled, he added. Arvind Kejriwal said that today, electricity is being provided for free and good schools are being built. Free healthcare arrangements had been started earlier, but todays step is a very big one. In the past four years, the government has built around 1,000 mohalla clinics located in villages and neighborhoods, he asserted. He pointed out that these are not ordinary clinics, and stated, Over the last 75 years, the Akali Dal, BJP, and Congress governments together opened only 400 primary health centers, while the present government has built 1,000 mohalla clinics in just four years, and another 500 are under construction. In the next four to five months, 2,500 Pind Clinics will be opened in every village. The work that previous governments did in 75 years, this government has perhaps done ten times that in just four years, Arvind Kejriwal asserted. Arvind Kejriwal stated that the primary health centers of previous governments were locked up, with dogs roaming inside. That is what their health centers were like. But the mohalla clinics that have now been built are splendid and air-conditioned, he stated. He added, Those who have received treatment there know how good they are. When you go there, it doesnt feel like a government hospital, but like a private clinic. Now mohalla clinics are opening far and wide, in villages everywhere. The AAP Head further said that earlier, Punjab government hospitals faced a severe shortage of doctors. Over the past four years, 1100 specialist doctors have been recruited, and now there is no shortage of doctors in government hospitals. Earlier, machines did not work, but now all machines have been installed and each one is functioning properly, he said. He continued to highlight that earlier, medicines were not available, but now medicine distribution counters have opened and people are receiving free medicines. Government hospitals have been made excellent, he stated. The AAP National Convenor said that sometimes a disease becomes so serious that one has to go to a private hospital. Many people choose private hospitals for treatment. Therefore, today such a Yojna (Scheme) is being implemented under which the best and most premium private hospitals of Punjab, where even the richest people go for treatment, will now also be accessible to the poorest farmers, laborers, and rickshaw pullers. They will not need to worry about money, he continued. Arvind Kejriwal said that a farmer works extremely hard under the scorching sun to grow food for all of us, but if someone in his family falls ill, he has to mortgage his land. He continued, He ends up selling his land and jewelry, loses his house, and even then there is no guarantee that the patient will survive. Even for the smallest illness, if someone goes to a private hospital, the minimum package is Rs 2 lakh to Rs 3 lakh, and the person is completely ruined. But now people need not worry. The AAP head said that Punjabs CM Bhagwant Singh Mann works 24 hours a day for the people. All other Chief Ministers are currently roaming around at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, along with their wives and children. One Chief Minister even went there in the private jet of an industrialist from his own neighboring state, signed some agreements, and came back, he said. Arvind Kejriwal continued, They did not go there to work, but to vacation. On one side, there are Chief Ministers going to Switzerland, and on the other side, Punjabs Chief Minister is sitting here preparing health cards for the people. He too could have gone, and probably wanted to go, but he did not. Arvind Kejriwal further explained that this is a 10 lakh rupee insurance scheme, People can go to any hospital, whether government or private. The government has already started fixing everything, and soon government hospitals will become even better than private ones. But for now, patients can go anywhere, he said. He further continued, For both major and minor illnesses, all medicines and tests up to Rs 10 lakh will be free. As soon as a patient is admitted to a hospital, everything will be free. They will not be asked anything, only to bring their health card. There are about 65 lakh families in Punjab, including rich and poor, Hindus, Muslims, Sikhs, Christians, and people of all religions and castes. No one has been left out. He said that governments usually impose many conditions, but they have imposed none. Everyone is human, everyone is Punjabi, and everyone is Indian, so why exclude anyone? This card is for everyone, and 65 lakh families will benefit directly, he asserted. Arvind Kejriwal said to recall the time of the past four years and before that, when Congress, Akali Dal, and BJP governments were in power. He pointed out that punjab was full of drugs, and said, Their big ministers used to sell drugs and distribute them through their government vehicles. He recalled that when major drug traffickers were arrested, they named these very ministers, saying that so-and-so minister was running the drug trade. He said that for the first time, a government has shown the courage to arrest corrupt ministers and send them to jail. But he felt deeply saddened that when that minister was arrested, all these parties came together and started abusing. They abused the AAP, Bhagwant Mann, and Arvind Kejriwal, saying that human rights were being violated, he said. The AAP Chief questioned, When Punjabs children were dying due to drugs and their futures were being destroyed, were their human rights not being violated? Now when action is taken against criminals, human rights are suddenly being violated? He said that these people do not love anyone. This is all their business. Bhagwant Mann has shut down their business. Those who sell drugs belong to these very parties, their followers, and their relatives. Now that drug traffickers are being caught and a war has been launched against gangsters, these parties are abusing and saying that human rights are being violated, Arvind Kejriwal said. They care about gangsters and extortionists, not about Punjabis. When ordinary people receive extortion calls and are threatened that their children will be killed if they dont pay, these people dont remember human rights. The public must stay alert against these parties and must not vote for them again, or else that dark era will return, he added. Arvind Kejriwal said that with great difficulty, God has created a party like AAP, and stated, This is natures miracle, because neither he, nor Bhagwant Mann, nor Manish Sisodia, nor Satyendar Jain has money. They are small people, but by a miracle of nature, the party was formed and came to power in Punjab after Delhi so quickly. This is all being done by God and Waheguru. He said that even this new Rs 10 lakh scheme will be opposed by these people. He told Congress, BJP, and Akali Dal leaders that if something good is happening, they should praise it. This Rs 10 lakh treatment will be available to everyone. They and their families will also be treated under this scheme. The AAP government has not discriminated, nor put any condition that Congress or Akali members will not be treated. Everyone will be treated. May God keep everyone happy, he continued. Arvind Kejriwal said that these people do not love Punjab or Punjabis, and highlighted, They only want power so they can make money. Their cycle is money from power and power from money. Today, these parties are in a bad state. AAP is flourishing, while Congress leaders are busy stabbing each other in the back and everyone wants to become Chief Minister. The condition of the Akali Dal is also bad. Arvind Kejriwal concluded by asserting that only the AAP can shape the future of Punjab and the families of its people and take care of them, and said, They want nothing for themselves. They are deeply thankful and grateful for the opportunity of service given by the people. They only ask that the public continues to give them love and trust. Meanwhile, Punjab CM Bhagwant Singh Mann said the scheme has been launched for the welfare of every section of society, inspired by the teachings of Guru Sahiban. Health cards will be issued to all 65 lakh families, covering nearly three crore citizens of Punjab, he said, adding that for the first time no income limit has been fixed for any health scheme in the state. With the launch of this scheme today, Punjab has set a new benchmark for the entire country, the Chief Minister said, underlining that Punjab has now become the first state to provide free healthcare, free education, free electricity, and free bus travel for women. Explaining the scope of the initiative, the Chief Minister said that government employees, pensioners, and every other citizen would be eligible for the health card. These health cards can be obtained from facilitation centres and Common Service Centres, or through online registration using Aadhaar card or voter card, he said, adding that youth club members would also assist citizens by making cards door to door. He further stated that 850 government and private hospitals have already been empanelled under the scheme and more hospitals will be added in the coming days. Highlighting the expanded coverage, the Chief Minister said that more than 2,356 treatment packages have been included under the scheme, compared to 1,600 earlier. Specialised treatments such as Orthopaedics, General Medicine, Cardiology, Neurology, Nephrology, Urology, Oncology, and several others are being offered, he said. CM Bhagwant Singh Mann added that the scheme also covers cardiac procedures, cancer treatment, kidney dialysis and transplants, brain and spine surgeries, maternity and newborn care, accident and emergency services, knee and hip replacement surgeries, cataract surgery, and many other critical treatments. The Chief Minister said that along with hospital expenses, diagnostic services have also been included in the scheme. Any citizen can now get free treatment at any government or private hospital in Punjab or Chandigarh, he said, adding that hospitals will be paid the treatment cost within 15 days after treatment. He noted that the state government has already paid the advance premium to the insurance company to ensure smooth implementation. Reiterating the core objective of the scheme, CM Bhagwant Singh Mann said that no citizen of Punjab will now be forced to skip treatment due to lack of money. We pray for the good health and well-being of all Punjabis, but if someone falls ill, they no longer need to worry about arranging money for treatment, he said. Sharing personal experiences, he said he knew families who had lost their entire savings on medical treatment and others who had surrendered to disease due to financial pressure. If anyone registers for this scheme today, they become eligible for its benefits from today itself, he said. Drawing comparisons, the Chief Minister said that the Union government launched the Ujjwala scheme to provide LPG connections to poor families but later made such families ineligible for the Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana. He also referred to a previous state government scheme where students were not failed till Class 8 only to enrol them under the Atta-Dal scheme. Bhagwant Singh Mann highlighted the Business Blasters scheme, stating that students under the initiative have secured memorandums of understanding worth around Rs 45 crore with companies. Taking a dig at the opposition, the Chief Minister said that Congress leaders are fighting among themselves to become Chief Minister. This fight is not for sewa but for mewa, he remarked. He said that the state government has provided Rs 1 crore to the families of defence personnel who attained martyrdom in the line of duty. He further said that the state government provides Rs 2 crore honorarium to the families of police personnel in case of losing their lives during duty. CM Bhagwant Singh Mann said that the entire leadership of the Aam Aadmi Party comes from the common man and that the government is working relentlessly for the welfare of ordinary citizens. Speaking about the governments tenure, the Chief Minister said that the state government will complete four years on March 16. In these four years, several path-breaking initiatives have been taken for every section of society, he said, listing Aam Aadmi Clinics, Schools of Eminence, government jobs to more than 61,000 youth, water supply to tail-end areas, and free electricity to 90 percent households. He said that such citizen-centric initiatives will continue in the future to ensure progress of the state and prosperity of its people. Meanwhile, AAP Punjab Sah-Prabhari Satyendar Jain and Health Minister Dr Balbir Singh also addressed the gathering. Cabinet Ministers Aman Arora, Harpal Singh Cheema, AAP Punjab Prabhari Manish Sisodia, MLAs Amansher Singh Sherry Kalsi and Kulwant Singh, along with other party leaders and workers, were present on the occasion. The world is keenly watching the upcoming Free Trade Agreement between India and the European Union. While the EU leaders have termed the agreement 'mother of all deals' and also added that a defence agreement is also on the cards, European leaders have now said that the era of protectionism and isolationism is over. Speaking at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Germanys Chancellor Friedrich Merz said that this era has opportunities for countries that see benefits in the FTA. In a few days, the EU Commissioner will go to India to agree on principles for a free trade deal. I was in India a week ago. This era has opportunities for countries that see benefit in free trade and not protectionism and isolationism," said Merz. Finland's President Alex Stubb also hailed Europes FTA with India, terming it the right geopolitical thing. Add Zee News as a Preferred Source JP Morgan chief Jamie Dimon, while discussing Canadian PM Mark Carneys speech that rattled the United States, said that America is doing some things that may not be good for it in the long run. Canada's PM Carney was in China, and now he's going to India," said Dimon, while hinting that alienating these nations is not in a good taste for the US. Speaking at the WEF, Carney has said that missing out on India, China, MERCOSUR and EU was a mistake for any country. That's not managing your relationships properly. You need a web of connections," he said. Notably, many experts and even US Congress leaders have slammed Trump for pushing India towards Russia and China with biased tariffs. External Affairs Minister Dr S Jaishankar interacted with the Ambassadors from EU countries on Thursday and spoke to them about the current state of the world with volatility and instability as the new normal. Sharing details of the meeting on X, Dr Jaishankar said that India made a case for stronger India-EU relations that will derisk the world economy by cooperating on resilient supply chains; reassure the international community by providing public goods like HADR, anti-piracy operations, development projects etc and stabilise the global order through stronger trade, mobility and security partnership. India and the EU are looking to start a new chapter as strategic partners. EU leadership will be in India for Republic Day and the 16th EUIndia Summit on 27 January, advancing cooperation for the welfare of peoples prosperity and global stability. Sexual harassment case: In a shocking incident, a South Korean woman was sexually harassed during a routine security check at Kempegowda International Airport (KIA) in Bengaluru. The incident took place on January 19, when the woman had arrived at the airport to travel back to South Korea, according to news agency ANI. Based on her complaint, the Kempegowda Airport (KIAL) police arrested the accused and registered a criminal case. Police officials said an investigation is currently underway. Incident during security check Add Zee News as a Preferred Source According to the police, the incident occurred during ticket inspection and security screening. The airport staffer allegedly told the woman that a beeping sound was coming from her bag. On this pretext, he asked her to undergo a separate check. The accused then took the woman to a mens toilet area, claiming it was part of the inspection process. Police said that during this time, the staffer touched her inappropriately under the pretext of conducting a security check. Woman raised objection The South Korean national reportedly strongly objected to the staffers actions. Despite her protest, the accused allegedly continued the search. Police said the staffer touched her private parts and forcibly hugged her during the incident. After the alleged assault, the accused reportedly said, Okay, thank you, and walked away from the spot. (Also Read: 3 killed as bus and truck collide head-on in Andhra Pradesh's Nandyal) Complaint and immediate action Following the incident, the woman approached airport security staff and lodged a complaint. Acting swiftly, the security personnel detained the accused and informed the KIAL Airport police. Police officials said that CCTV footage from the airport confirmed the sequence of events described in the complaint. Based on the evidence, the accused was taken into custody. Case registered under BNS The Kempegowda Airport Police registered a case under Section 75 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), which deals with sexual harassment. The accused has been formally arrested. Police said further investigation is ongoing to gather more details and complete legal procedures. Authorities have assured that strict action will be taken as per the law. Patna: Women associated with the Jeevika self-help group programme staged a protest outside the Janata Dal (United) office in Patna on Thursday, alleging non-payment of the Rs 10,000 assistance promised under the Bihar governments Chief Ministers Womens Entrepreneurship Scheme. Raising slogans and holding placards, the protesters demanded the immediate release of the pending amount. The women said they were residents of the Sultanganj block in Bhagalpur district. According to the protesters, they had applied for the scheme by following all prescribed procedures. However, despite several months having passed, the promised financial assistance has yet to be credited to their bank accounts. Add Zee News as a Preferred Source The women also alleged that instead of resolving their grievances, some officials behaved unfairly and even registered cases against a few Jeevika members who questioned the delay. Appealing to Chief Minister Nitish Kumar and Deputy Chief Minister Samrat Choudhary, the protesters sought intervention to ensure justice and accountability. They demanded the immediate disbursal of the pending Rs 10,000 instalment and action against officials accused of causing delays and harassment. The protesting women said the government had announced the scheme ahead of the 2025 Bihar Assembly elections, assuring financial support to promote womens employment and entrepreneurship. However, they alleged that the situation changed after the elections, resulting in uncertainty and delays in payments. They further claimed that several women in urban areas who applied through the online portal have also not received the benefit, leading to growing discontent among applicants. One Jeevika member alleged that negligence by Jeevika secretaries in certain rural areas prevented many women from completing the enrolment process. As a result, several eligible applicants were excluded from the scheme, she claimed. The application portal for the scheme was closed on December 31, 2025. However, the government has stated that the scheme remains active and that payments to beneficiaries are ongoing. Despite these assurances, a section of applicants maintains that they have not received even the first instalment, fuelling frustration and prompting protests. (With Inputs From IANS) Prime Minister Narendra Modin on Thursday spoke with his Brazilian counterpart Lula da Silva where the two leaders dicussed bilateral ties and emerging situations in the world. Sharing a post on X, PM Modi said he looks to welcome the latter to India very soon. "Glad to speak with President Lula. We reviewed the strong momentum in the India-Brazil Strategic Partnership, which is poised to scale new heights in the year ahead. Our close cooperation is vital for advancing the shared interests of the Global South. I look forward to welcoming him to India soon," said PM Modi. Glad to speak with President Lula. We reviewed the strong momentum in the India-Brazil Strategic Partnership, which is poised to scale new heights in the year ahead. Our close cooperation is vital for advancing the shared interests of the Global South. I look forward to welcoming Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) January 22, 2026 Add Zee News as a Preferred Source Recalling their meetings last year in Brasilia and South Africa, the two leaders noted with satisfaction the significant progress achieved across diverse areas of bilateral cooperation, including trade and investment, technology, defence, energy, health, agriculture, and people-to-people ties. The leaders also exchanged views on regional and global issues of mutual interest. They also underscored the importance of reformed multilateralism in addressing shared challenges. The call also comes at a time when US President Donald Trump led Gaza Board of Peace has taken a shape with many countries signing the charter to become a member of the board. Trump has invited dozens of nations to be a part of the board incuding Russia, India and Brazil, all part of the BRICS grouping that the US President is opposed to. India, Russia and Brazil are yet to formally accept the invitation and join the Gaza Board of Peace. Just yesterday, Lula criticized Trump for attempting to "rule the world" through social media. "Have you noticed that Trump wants to rule the world through Twitter?" Lula said at a public event in Rio Grande, a municipality in Brazil's southern state of Rio Grande do Sul, Xinhua news agency reported. "He says something different every day. It's not possible. And do you think it's possible to treat people with respect if we don't look them in the face? To think of them as objects rather than human beings?" he added. It will be a first in history for India's largest Central Armed Police Force when 26-year-old Assistant Commandant Simran Bala leads an all-men marching contingent of the Central Reserve Police Force on Republic Day on January 26. This is a major landmark in the Indian security establishment as a reinforcement of a paradigm shift in leadership traditions in which women officers are going to command lead, and ceremonial formations irrespective of their composition. The road from Rajouri to Kartavya Path: A story of steadfastness Add Zee News as a Preferred Source From the region of Nowshera, a district along the Jammu and Kashmir border in the Rajouri district, Bala marks the beginning of women from her area being commissioned as Group A officers in the CRPF. Having been exposed to a region that has been subjected to cross-border firing, she took her cues from the uniforms that encircled her. Bala qualified to join the police force after acing the UPSC CAPF (Assistant Commandants) exam in the first attempt, ranking in the top 100 in the country. Leading 140 men: Precision and command Bala will oversee a pool of more than 140 male personnel with evaluations carried out through full dress drilling and senior command assessment. Bala went through a rigorous selection process involving full-dress drilling and command assessment. #WATCH | Rajouri, J&K | Sister of CRPF Assistant Commandant Simran Bala, Shail Bala says, "It is a proud moment for us, entire Nowshera, J&K and the country... We are full of gratitude... Nowshera is a border area, and when someone reaches such a height, it makes us all happy... https://t.co/a22c3mHvnD pic.twitter.com/RcS3ivq0m7 ANI (@ANI) January 22, 2026 Speaking about preparations, Bala said: "We worked on team unity, accuracy, and carrying out commands. I am greatly honoured to lead CRPF personnel during this national event. This proves that hard work really does pay off," added Thapa. Hardened combat leadership Though young, Bala is not new to a tough operational setting. Her first posting at an operational battalion is in the Bastar region of Chhattisgarh, which is an area hit by Left-Wing Extremism. Specialists describe her as "composed and decisive," qualities which have recently made her the prominent ceremonial character in the force. A message to the women of the valley Being a pioneer in her own right, hailing from Jammu and Kashmir, Bala hopes her representation at the 77th Republic Day Parade will inspire girls in her region. "To all the girls in the Valley, I would say: believe in yourself and dream big. Today, opportunities are based purely on merit. As a nation, we need committed women as part of the workforce in every field," she said. Organisational change in the CAPFs The authorities have said that Bala's decision to command an all-male contingent is not only for the sake of ceremonial appearances but also symbolises the gradual evolution of the force. The CRPF, being the pathbreakers in introducing women battalions, is witnessing the induction of female officers in combat positions that have long been the preserve of the male gender. Her parade at the saluting dais on January 26th will be a statement of the "merit over gender" ideology that is transforming India's uniformed organisations. ALSO READ | Karachi fire horror: 30 bodies found trapped behind shutters in single shop; toll rises to 61 Delhi Chief Minister Rekha Gupta on Thursday attended the nine-day Ram Katha organised for world peace at Bharat Mandapam and dedicated her one months salary to the World Peace Mission. The Ram Katha is being delivered by the renowned spiritual orator Morari Bapu. Addressing the gathering, the Chief Minister said that Morari Bapus Ram Katha conveys the values of service, compassion and the moral ethos of the nation. Add Zee News as a Preferred Source She stated that the programme, organised under the guidance of Param Pujya Acharya Lokesh Muni, strengthens Indias cultural consciousness and the tradition of non-violence. Inspired by the continuous service and public welfare initiatives undertaken by these institutions, the Chief Minister announced the dedication of her one months salary to the World Peace Centre Mission, describing it as her humble contribution towards social responsibility and human values. Chief Minister Rekha Gupta also delivered a message of World Peace from the Ram Katha platform. Former President of India and Chairman of the Organising Committee Ram Nath Kovind said that the Chief Ministers decision to dedicate one months salary to the World Peace Mission is an inspiring example. He added that the Ram Katha has emerged as a powerful medium for social awareness alongside spiritual awakening. Earlier, on the sixth day of the Ram Katha, Pujya Morari Bapu, while addressing devotees from the US, the UK, Canada and various states of India, said that Sanatan Dharma is eternal and universal. He invited Jain Acharya Lokesh Sanatani to the dais and bestowed his affectionate blessings. He also expressed happiness over the Chief Ministers resolve to clean the Yamuna River at the earliest. The programme was also attended by Manoj Tiwari, Member of Parliament from North East Delhi, along with several other distinguished dignitaries. Delhi's Rouse Avenue Court on Thursday acquitted former Congress MP Sajjan Kumar in a case linked to alleged incitement of violence in the Janakpuri and Vikaspuri areas of Delhi during the 1984 anti-Sikh riots. The court had discharged Sajjan Kumar from the offence of murder, news agency ANI reported. Special Judge Dig Vinay Singh delivered a brief oral order acquitting Kumar. A detailed order is still awaited. Add Zee News as a Preferred Source Charges against Sajjan Kumar In August 2023, the court framed charges against Kumar for rioting and promoting enmity, but dropped the charges of murder and criminal conspiracy. Earlier, in February 2015, a special investigation team registered two FIRs against Kumar based on complaints of violence during the 1984 riots in the Janakpuri and Vikaspuri areas. The first FIR pertained to the Janakpuri incident in which two men, Sohan Singh and his son-in-law Avtar Singh, were killed on November 1, 1984. The second FIR related to the Vikaspuri case, where Gurcharan Singh was allegedly set on fire on November 2, 1984. Sajjan Kumar was sentenced to life imprisonment Kumar, who is currently incarcerated, was awarded life imprisonment by a trial court on February 25 last year in a case related to the deaths of Jaswant Singh and his son Tarundeep Singh, who were killed on November 1, 1984, in the Saraswati Vihar area. The court observed that although the killing of two innocent persons was a grave offence, it did not meet the threshold of the rarest of rare category required to impose the death penalty. The court further noted that the incident formed part of the same sequence of events and could be treated as a continuation of the case in which Kumar was sentenced to life imprisonment by the Delhi High Court on December 17, 2018. The High Court had found him guilty of being responsible for the deaths of five individuals during a comparable outbreak of rioting in the Palam Colony area after the assassination of former Prime Minister Indira Gandhi. According to the Nanavati Commission report, which was constituted to investigate the violence and its aftermath, a total of 587 FIRs were registered in Delhi in relation to the riots that claimed 2,733 lives. Of these cases, approximately 240 were closed by the police as untraced, while about 250 resulted in acquittals. Only 28 of the 587 FIRs ultimately led to convictions, with around 400 individuals being found guilty. Nearly 50 people, including a former Member of Parliament, were convicted on charges of murder. At least 10 Indian Army personnel were killed and 10 others injured on Thursday when their armoured vehicle skidded off the road and rolled down into a deep gorge in the Doda district of Jammu and Kashmir. The accident took place during a routine movement toward a high-altitude post in the treacherous mountainous terrain. Accident at Khanni Top The incident occurred at Khanni Top along the Bhaderwah-Chamba interstate road. The army vehicle was a bulletproof Casper, and it was carrying around 20 men in all. According to officials, the driver lost control while negotiating a sharp bend. The vehicle tumbled over and rolled down around 200 feet into the rocky ravine. Add Zee News as a Preferred Source Rescue operations and medical emergency Immediately after the crash, a joint rescue operation was launched by the Indian Army, Jammu and Kashmir Police, and local volunteers. Initial recovery: The bodies of four soldiers were recovered by the first responders at the site. Evacuation: In this particular incident, thirteen injured personnel were first rescued from the debris and subsequently rushed to a nearby military medical facility. Airlift to Udhampur: The critical injuries sustained by some defense personnel required them to be airlifted to the Command Hospital at Udhampur to undergo specialist medical treatments. Although doctors worked tirelessly on them, seven more lost their lives in the afternoon, leading to a total death toll of ten. LG Manoj Sinha 'deeply grieved' Lieutenant Governor of J&K, Manoj Sinha, pays homage to the martyred soldiers and calls the tragedy "a supreme sacrifice." "Deeply saddened to hear about the loss of lives of 10 of our brave Indian Army jawans in an unfortunate road accident in Doda," said the LG on his X (Twitter) account. "We shall never forget their valuable service and supreme sacrifice from our brave jawans," he further stated in his post on X (Twitter). He has confirmed that his administration has asked his top officials to provide the best medical treatment to the remaining eight jawans who have been injured in this accident, he further stated in his X post on Twitter. Deeply saddened at the loss of lives of 10 of our brave Indian Army soldiers in an unfortunate road accident in Doda. We will always remember the outstanding service and supreme sacrifice of our brave soldiers. My deepest condolences to the grieving families. Office of LG J&K (@OfficeOfLGJandK) January 22, 2026 Heightened alert amid Republic Day The accident occurred at a time of high security across the Union Territory. Military and civil authorities have arrived at the scene to conduct a formal inquiry into whether the crash was caused by a mechanical failure or the challenging road conditions. Security remains tight as the administration prepares for upcoming Republic Day functions. ALSO READ | Who is Delhi Police watching? AI smart glasses to identify 65,000 suspects on Republic Day 2026 DAVOS: India is fast emerging as a strong global power hub, driven by its large and young population, expanding economy and growing innovation ecosystem, global industry leaders said on Thursday. Speaking to IANS on the sidelines of the World Economic Forum here, business leaders highlighted Indias rising importance in global economic development and its ability to attract long-term international investment. Sharing a global perspective, Tu Chang, Founder of the Forum for Business, Taiwan, said Indias demographic advantage makes it one of the most important economic forces in the world today. Add Zee News as a Preferred Source India is emerging as a strong global power hub. With its large and young population, India offers immense potential for growth and innovation, Chang stated. Tu Chang said India is already being seen as one of the key powerhouses of global economic growth and will continue to play this role in the coming years. He added that the World Economic Forum is addressing a wide range of issues this year, including sustainable development, capital flows, investments and political challenges, all of which are closely linked to economic progress. The countrys demographic advantage and expanding economy are key factors that will attract more global investment, he explained. He also praised Prime Minister Narendra Modis leadership, saying that the Indian government is making strong efforts to improve economic performance. Indias young workforce is a major strength and under Prime Minister Modis leadership, the country is well-positioned to perform even better in the years ahead, Tu Chang said. Milind Pimprikar, Founder of Caneus International, said discussions at the World Economic Forum this year are focused on scaling up technologies in a responsible manner. He said Caneus is working with the Government of Maharashtra and the Government of India to create a new framework that helps startups and deep-tech innovations move from development to large-scale commercialization. "Today at the World Economic Forum, the theme is how to scale up technologies responsibly, he said. Through our partnership with the Government of Maharashtra and India, we are proposing to create a so-called mid-technology readiness level to scale up these technologies and startups to the next level, Pimprikar told IANS. Pimprikar said the partnership aims to introduce a mid-technology readiness level that will help promising technologies and startups reach the next stage of growth. He added that an agreement was signed with the Maharashtra Chief Minister to establish an institute dedicated to the commercialization of deep technologies, which will support innovation-led growth in India. "Indias strong economic momentum, expanding infrastructure, and mature business ecosystem make it an attractive destination for global investors," Frank Meehan, co founder, frontier one, Australia said. In the latest episode of friction between a governor and a state government, Karnataka Governor Thawarchand Gehlot on Thursday cut short his customary address to the joint session of the legislature, reading out only two lines before walking out of the Assembly. The move reportedly stemmed from his objection to 11 paragraphs in the government-drafted speech that were said to contain criticism of the Centre and its policies. It was believed Karnataka governor's arrival at Vidhana Soudha will end to hours of political suspense. Chief Minister Siddaramaiah received him at the sate legislature. Gehlot's decision to curtail his speech to the joint session attracted sharp criticism from Congress, with Siddaramaiah saying that his act violates the Constitution. Add Zee News as a Preferred Source #WATCH | Bengaluru | Karnataka Governor Thawarchand Gehlot walks out of the Karnataka Legislative Assembly; Congress leader BK Hariprasad seen trying to stop the Governor pic.twitter.com/QZjWSlZJgx ANI (@ANI) January 22, 2026 On Wednesday, Governor Gehlot declined to deliver the customary address to the Karnataka legislature, triggering a standoff over the speech that traditionally outlines the state governments policies. Reports said he objected to 11 paragraphs in the draft prepared by the government, which allegedly criticised the Centre and its policies, including references to the repeal of MGNREGA and issues related to fund devolution. The governor sought the removal of these portions. On Thursday, he greeted members of the legislature and said he was happy to address the joint session. Reading a brief statement in Hindi, he said, My government is committed to doubling the economic, social and physical development of the state. Jai Hind, Jai Karnataka, before concluding. The move drew strong protests from Congress legislators, who expressed their displeasure by chanting Shame, Shame on the floor of the House. As the Mahayuti alliance moves through Maharashtras ongoing local body elections, BJP leaders are questioning whether continuing the alliance with Ajit Pawar-led NCP is necessary, following its poor performance in corporation polls. As per The Indian Express reports, while a section of the state BJP is willing to part ways with the NCP and focus on organisational expansion due to long-standing differences and Ajit Pawars alleged role in an irrigation scam, the partys central leadership wants to keep channels open, even if the NCP and NCP (SP) merge. If Sharad Pawars NCP (SP) reconciles with the BJP after resolving issues with Ajit Pawars NCP, it should be welcomed. Sharad Pawars party has eight Lok Sabha MPs, and their support would reduce the BJPs dependence on the Shinde-led Shiv Sena, a state BJP leader said, The Indian Express reported. Add Zee News as a Preferred Source The BJP has made a significant impact in the recently concluded polls. The party maintained a winning streak in 19 of the 29 municipal corporations, including Mumbai. In Pune and Pimpri-Chinchwad, the BJP secured power, dealing a blow to the NCP (Ajit Pawar) faction. The party retained its stronghold in Nagpur. In Sambhajinagar, the BJP managed to seize power, challenging the dominance of the Thackeray faction. New Delhi: A 25 year old man was fatally stabbed in Delhis Mangolpuri area, police said on Thursday, adding to a growing list of violent crimes reported in the national capital in recent days. The incident occurred on Wednesday, and the victim has been identified as Akash. Police officials said the accused has been identified and multiple teams have been deployed to trace and arrest him. An investigation is underway and more details are awaited. The killing comes close on the heels of another stabbing incident reported earlier this month. On January 16, a 21 year old man was stabbed to death on Sindhu Farm Road under the jurisdiction of the Jaitpur police station in southeast Delhi. The victim in that case was identified as Krishna Sahu, a resident of Shukra Bazar Road in Hari Nagar Extension. Add Zee News as a Preferred Source Following that incident, police arrested two people, including a juvenile, in connection with the attack that took place late on the night of January 15. The assault left one person dead and two others injured. Initial investigations revealed that the violence stemmed from a personal dispute between two groups over a mutual acquaintance. Police said the prime accused, identified as Deepak, had allegedly been harassing the complainant, 19-year-old Prince, through social media before the incident. According to officials, the victims were invited to meet the other group on the pretext of settling the matter amicably. However, the meeting reportedly turned hostile after a heated argument broke out, escalating into a knife attack. The accused allegedly fled the spot after stabbing the victims. Police said the crime team inspected the scene and collected key forensic evidence, and a case is being registered under the relevant sections of law. Earlier on January 15, two more stabbing deaths were reported from different parts of the city. In one case, a known criminal identified as Mukesh, around 40 years old, was stabbed to death in the Kalyanpuri area of East Delhi. He was found critically injured near a public toilet in Block-18 and was declared dead on arrival at Lal Bahadur Shastri Hospital. In another incident the same day, a 23 year old man named Ranjan was stabbed to death in the JJ Colony area of Bawana in north Delhi. Police said investigations are ongoing in all cases. The National Investigation Agency (NIA) on Thursday conducted a series of searches at multiple locations in three border districts of Punjab as part of its ongoing probe in the 2025 Amritsar temple grenade terror attack case. A host of incriminating materials, including mobiles, digital devices and documents, were seized during the searches carried out at 10 locations in Amritsar, Tarn Taran and Gurdaspur districts. An explosion had occurred outside the Thakur Dwara Sanatan Temple at Khandwala on Sher Shah Road in Amritsar on the night of March 14 last year. The attack was carried out on the directions of several foreign-based handlers, who had arranged for explosives and weapons to spread terror in the region, investigations by NIA had subsequently revealed. Add Zee News as a Preferred Source The temple attack was among many such grenade attacks carried out by operatives of different terror groups in the state of Punjab as part of the terror conspiracy. NIAs investigation in the case further showed that the foreign-based handlers had been recruiting and funding many individuals in India to carry out these grenade attacks. The anti-terror agency, after taking over the probe from the state police in the instant case, had found that the grenade had been hurled at the Amritsar temple by accused Vishal and Gursidak. While Vishal has been arrested by NIA, Gursidak is now deceased. The duo had received the explosive from Sharanjeet Kumar of Qadian, Batala, who had fled to Jharkhand and Bihar, from where he was subsequently arrested by NIA in September. Sharanjeet, who had received consignments of explosives and grenades from foreign-based handlers, had also concealed three hand grenades and one pistol, which were later recovered by the NIA from a location in Gurdaspur district. The agency is continuing with its efforts to combat terror modules threatening the security and sovereignty of the country. A pastor in Odisha's Dhenkanal district faced a violent assault and public humiliation on January 4, 2026, amid allegations of religious conversions. Police detained nine individuals from Parjang village following a complaint by the pastor's wife filed on January 13. Bipin Bihari Nayak, a pastor from Bhalumunda village in Dhenkanal district, had travelled to Parjang upon Krushna Naik's invitation to lead a prayer meeting. According to his wife Bandana's complaint, around 11 a.m. on January 4, approximately 20 young men arrived on motorcycles, armed with bamboo sticks, and forced their way into Krushnas house while the pastor was praying inside. Add Zee News as a Preferred Source According to a report by the Indian Express, Dhenkanal SP Abhinav Sonkar confirmed investigations of the conversion allegations alongside the assault claims, but dismissed other assertions. Reports that Naik was forced to drink drain water or eat cow dung were deemed incorrect, as they were absent from the complaint and unsupported by evidence. While the growing communal crimes in the state have raised concerns, with opposition slamming the BJP government over irregularites calling the government jungle raj. Over the past months, Odisha has witnessed a surge in communal tensions under BJP government. Last year, in December Right-wing groups heckled vendors selling Christmas items, sparking tensions in the temple town of Puri. Similary in October 2025, during a Durga idol immersion procession, triggered stone-pelting near a Dargah, injuring 25 civilians and 8 police, night curfew was imposed in Cuttack. Recently On January 14, a Muslim youth was allegedly lynched by 'cow vigilantes' in Odisha's Balasore district. Just weeks earlier, 30-year-old Jewel Sheikh from West Bengal's Murshidabad was beaten to death in Sambalpur district. In both cases, police initially denied any hate crime angle. While Jewel Sheikh's co-workers and family alleged he was assaulted over suspicions of being an illegal Bangladeshi immigrant, authorities claimed the victim and the accused knew each other and fought over a bidi, leading to six arrests later. According to Union Ministry of Home Affairs data presented in the Parliament, Odisha recorded nine communal incidents in 2018 and zero in 2019. National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB) figures show 10 such incidents in Odisha for 2021, a rise to 44 in 2023 (a pre-election year), and 15 in 2025. The opposition has raised concerns over the rise in communal violence in the state, calling the BJP governments rule Jungle raj. BJD Rajya Sabha MP Sulata Deo accused the Odisha government of complete lawlessness, alleging an ecosystem backed by those in power encourages such attacks, and stressed the state's duty to protect all citizens, especially minorities, according to the Indian Express. Congress leader Amiya Pandav labelled the incidents as carefully organised crimes promoted and patronised by the ruling BJP. Meanwhile BJP has rejected opposition claims as baseless. While former Chief Minister and BJD president Naveen Patnaik urged the state government and communities to safeguard Odisha's tradition of communal harmony. Republic Day 2026: The Indian Air Force (IAF) will showcase a special aerial formation named Sindoor during the flypast at the Republic Day parade in 2026. The formation will feature fighter aircraft that took part in Operation Sindoor, highlighting Indias air power and the IAFs preparedness. According to officials, the Sindoor formation will include two Rafale fighter jets, two Su-30 aircraft, two MiG-29 fighters, and one Jaguar fighter jet. The flypast is expected to be one of the major highlights of the Republic Day celebrations. Operation Sindoor and Its significance Add Zee News as a Preferred Source Operation Sindoor was launched on May 7 in response to the Pahalgam terror attack, in which 26 people lost their lives. Following the attack, Pakistan retaliated, leading to a brief conflict that lasted from May 7 to May 10. During the operation, India claimed to have neutralised over 100 terrorists in just 23 minutes. The operation involved the use of Rafale jets armed with SCALP missiles and HAMMER bombs. Officials said the strikes caused major damage to terrorist infrastructure while ensuring minimal harm to civilians. Most of the terrorists killed were linked to banned terror organisations such as Jaish-e-Mohammed, Lashkar-e-Taiba, and Hizbul Mujahideen. The Defence Ministry stated that the operation was carried out with precision and achieved its objectives effectively. (Also Read: Doda Army accident: 10 Soldiers killed, several injured as vehicle plunges into gorge at Khanni Top) AI-Based security systems Alongside the military display, security arrangements for Republic Day 2026 will see major technological upgrades. The Delhi Police will deploy AI-enabled smart glasses and advanced facial recognition systems to strengthen surveillance across the national capital. Additional Commissioner of Police Devesh Kumar Mahala said that all CCTV cameras will be equipped with video analytics and Facial Recognition Systems (FRS). Selected police personnel will also wear smart glasses along the parade route to monitor crowds and identify potential threats. This will be the first time the Delhi Police will use such wearable technology during the Republic Day parade, marking a significant step in technology implementation on a big day for the country. US: US President Donald Trump has invited world leaders of eight nations to join his Board Of Peace initiative with an aim to resolve global conflict. However, diplomats caution the potential harm it could have on the work of United Nations. Some traditional allies of US have also responded cautiously and in a few cases have rejected Trump's offer. Although other nations that has long strained ties with Washington and has also accepted the invitation such as Belarus. What is Trump's Board of Peace? Add Zee News as a Preferred Source US President Donald Trump first floated the idea of a Board of Peace in last September while unveiling his proposal to bring an end to the war in Gaza. He later clarified that the bodys scope would not be limited to Gaza alone but would be widened to address conflicts across the globe. Trump himself would serve as the boards first chairman. The proposed body would focus on advancing global peace initiatives and facilitating the resolution of international disputes. The charter further states that member countries would normally serve three year terms. However, nations willing to contribute $1 billion each towards funding the boards operations would be granted permanent membership. The White House has named US Secretary of State Marco Rubio, Trumps special envoy Steve Witkoff, former British prime minister Tony Blair, and Trumps son-in-law Jared Kushner as members of the initiatives founding Executive Board. Which Countries have accepted Trump's invitation? In a joint statement released on Wednesday, the foreign ministers of Qatar, Turkiye, Egypt, Jordan, Indonesia, Pakistan, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates welcomed the invitation extended by US President Donald J Trump to their leaders to become part of the proposed Board of Peace. The statement said the ministers had conveyed their countries collective decision to join the initiative. It noted that each nation would complete the formal process of signing the joining documents in line with its domestic, legal and procedural requirements. Egypt, Pakistan and the UAE, the statement added, have already publicly announced their decision to join, as per NDTV. Reaffirming their backing for President Trumps peace initiatives, the ministers reiterated their commitment to supporting the Board of Peaces mandate as a transitional mechanism outlined in the Comprehensive Plan to End the Gaza Conflict. They said the effort aligns with United Nations Security Council Resolution 2803 and is aimed at securing a lasting ceasefire, aiding Gazas reconstruction and working towards a just and durable peace, reportedly. The ministers emphasised that the broader goal remains the realisation of Palestinian self-determination and statehood in accordance with international law, which they said is essential for long-term peace, security and stability across the region, as per the reports. Who Am I? Social media is a abuzz with latest update about none other than actress Rimi Sen. Remember the Dhoom star, who has worked with A-listers including Salman Khan, Akshaye Khanna and Ajay Devgn? Well, she quit acting long back and is now actively involved in real estate. Some of her current photos have also gone viral on the internet, leaving netizens surprised with her new unrecognisable look. Meet Rimi Sen - The Real-Estate Agent In her latest interview with Buildcaps Real Estate LLC, she said, "Dubai is very welcoming, which is why 95% of the population here consists of expatriates, while the rest are Emiratis. Dubai has welcomed everyone warmlythere are mosques here, there are temples too. They think about everyone, and the city's major focus is on how to make people's lives better, easier, and more comfortable. Add Zee News as a Preferred Source "This is something we don't really see in our country, because the government keeps changing policies overnight, making people's lives more difficult. There are thousands of taxes, endless complications, and it is no longer a business-friendly nation. The real estate market here functions smoothly because there is discipline. You have to work only with agents and agencies. Developers do their work, agencies do their part, and there is a proper system in place." Rimi added, "In India, if you ask for two months' brokerage, people look at you as if you have committed a crime." Rimi Sen's Unrecognisable New Look Check out some of the photos and videos of the actress where she is donning a new glam avatar. ALSO READ: Rimi Sen Reacts To Her Plastic Surgery Rumours; 'Ab In Sab Se Hi Kaam Chal Raha Hai' Who Is Rimi Sen? Rimi Sen was born as Subhamitra Sen. She graduated with a degree in commerce from the University of Calcutta. Rimi featured in several Hindi, Telugu, and Bengali films. Her acting debut was in 2000 in a Bengali film titled Paromitar Ek Din. She also did a Telugu movie called Ide Naa Modati Prema Lekha in 2001 but her debut as a lead actress in the language is credited as Nee Thodu Kavali (2002). This was followed by her 2003 Bollywood debut in the comedy film Hungama. Rimi Sen's Filmography & Bigg Boss Her successful film trajectory includes Baghban (2003), Dhoom (2004), Garam Masala (2005), Kyon Ki (2005), Deewane Huye Paagal (2005), Phir Hera Pheri (2006) and Golmaal: Fun Unlimited (2006). The stunner also featured as a participant in reality television show Bigg Boss in 2015 and garnered a lot of attention for her bold statements on the show. After successful Bigg Boss stint, she also did dance celebrity reality show, Jhalak Dikhhla Jaa 9 as a wild card entrant. Rimi switched back to her real name, Subhamitra Sen for her production venture. She bankrolled a venture called Budhia Singh - Born to Run. New Delhi: If you have filed your Income Tax Return (ITR) and are still waiting for your refund, you are not alone. Many taxpayers face delays every year, even after completing all formalities. While most refunds are issued within a few weeks of return processing, several factors can slow down the process. Heres a simple guide to why refunds get delayed, how to check your status, and what steps you can take. What Is an Income Tax Refund? Add Zee News as a Preferred Source An income tax refund is issued when the tax paid by you during the financial year is more than your actual tax liability. This usually happens due to excess TDS, advance tax, or self-assessment tax. Once your return is processed by the Income Tax Department, the extra amount is credited back to your bank account. Common Reasons for ITR Refund Delays 1. ITR Not Verified If your return is not e-verified, it will not be processed. Verification is mandatory and must be completed within the given time. 2. Mismatch in Tax Details If the income or tax figures in your return do not match with Form 26AS or AIS, your return may be sent for review, delaying the refund. 3. Incorrect Bank Account Details Wrong IFSC code, account number, or an unvalidated bank account can stop the refund from being credited. 4. Outstanding Tax Dues If you have any pending tax demand from previous years, the department may adjust your refund against it. 5. PAN-Aadhaar Not Linked If PAN and Aadhaar are not linked, the refund may be blocked. 6. Manual Verification or Scrutiny Some returns are picked for additional checks, which increases processing time. How Long Does a Refund Normally Take? In most cases, refunds are issued within 4 to 6 weeks after your ITR is processed. If your case is flagged for verification, the wait may be longer. How to Check Your Refund Status You can check your refund status online: Log in to the Income Tax e-Filing portal and go to Refund/Demand Status Or visit the TIN NSDL refund status page using your PAN and assessment year The status will show whether your refund is under process, approved, paid, or adjusted. What To Do If Your Refund Is Delayed Complete e-verification immediately Re-check and pre-validate your bank account Respond to any notice from the tax department Raise a grievance on the e-filing portal if the delay is long Final Take Income tax refund delays usually happen because of data mismatches or verification issues, not because of system failure. Keeping your records accurate and responding quickly to department notices can help you receive your refund faster. India and China are leaving the past behind and moving toward a path of friendship. Both countries have agreed to resume trade, the Mansarovar pilgrimage and air travel. Following President Trumps tariff announcement, PM Modi is scheduled to visit China at the end of August. Ubisoft cancelled games: The French video game publisher Ubisoft has cancelled several game projects as part of a major company restructuring, disappointing gamers around the world. In an announcement on January 21, 2026, the company confirmed that six games have been cancelled, including the highly anticipated Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time Remake. The move comes as Ubisoft reorganises its internal structure into five specialised Creative Houses, each focused on different genres and franchises. According to the company, these changes are designed to help improve creative output and place greater focus on the quality of future releases. Six games cancelled Add Zee News as a Preferred Source Among the six games that have been scrapped, the most talked about is Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time Remake, which many fans had been eagerly waiting for. The remake had been in development for several years and was expected to launch eventually, but Ubisoft said it no longer fits the companys quality and strategic goals. In addition to the remake, Ubisoft has cancelled four unannounced titles, including three new IPs, along with one mobile game that had not been publicly revealed. The cancellations have led to disappointment within the gaming community, especially among those who were hoping to see these projects come to life. Social media posts from fans have expressed sadness and frustration over the news. (Also Read: OnePlus To Be Dismantled? What It Means For Existing Users As India CEO Breaks Silence And Says...) More games delayed Ubisoft has also confirmed that seven other games currently in development will be delayed to allow developers more time to improve quality. One of the delayed titles is believed to be a remake of Assassins Creed IV: Black Flag, which has been rumoured for some time. These delays mean players will have to wait longer for these games to be released, likely in 2027. Company restructuring According to reports, the game cancellations are part of a broader reset aimed at strengthening Ubisofts creative strategy. The company plans to focus more on its major franchises and new technologies, including AI-driven game development and improved player experiences. Ubisoft has also revised its financial outlook due to the cancellations and delays, expecting lower bookings and continued cost-cutting measures. Artificial intelligence would not replace human jobs but can only reshape work by automating tasks, said leading business executives from technology companies at the ongoing World Economic Forum 2026 in Davos. Kian Katanforoosh, Founder and Chief Executive Officer of Workera, said language matters when describing AI. Personally, Im not a fan of calling AI agents or co-workers, he told a WEF session, arguing that AI excels at tasks but cant outperform humans at entire jobs. Humans, by contrast, perform hundreds of tasks at times. Predictions that AI would wholesale replace jobs have so far been wrong, he added. Add Zee News as a Preferred Source Munjal Shah, co-founder and CEO of Hippocratic AI, agreed that AI will augment human employees at a massive scale rather than replace them. He forecast a future of 8 billion people and 80 billion AIs, saying most systems will enable new use cases rather than replacing existing human roles. He pointed to an AI system that called thousands of people during a heatwave, guiding them to cooler locations and offering health advice. Getting it right required rigorous testing. We have models that check models that check models, he said. Kate Kallot, Founder and CEO of Amini, said AI firmly remains a tool that cannot make value-based decisions. It cant choose the best outcomes because it doesnt yet have the right inputs, Kallot said. Christoph Schweizer, CEO of BCG, said the experience of working with AI can feel like collaborating with a co-worker. You are now in a reality where it feels like a co-worker, whether you call it that or not, he said. Schweizer argued that success depends on how companies change their organizations, not just their tools. They will succeed if they really change how their people work, he said. He urged that AI be treated as a CEO problem that cannot be delegated. Enrique Lores, President and Chief Executive Officer of HP, urged balance in AI usage, with restraint in being more demanding of AI co-workers than of human employees. In HPs call centres, AI sometimes gives the wrong answer; yet overall accuracy is higher than before, and customer satisfaction has improved, he added. Winter accessories are very significant in ensuring that you are warm and enhance your style. An effective muffler not only keeps your neck warm when you are in cold winds but also makes your winter wardrobe look more graceful. It is an Amazon Great Republic Day Sale and it is the appropriate time to improve your winter wardrobe. It discusses four of the best winter mufflers among men in the formof scarvess made of pure wool, branded fashion mufflers, and items that can be used daily to keep warm as well as feel comfortable and stylish. Image Source- Amazon.in Order Now Knitkala Winter Knitted Woollen Muffler is meant to be offered to men who like traditional warmth in a plain design. It is made of soft knitted wool and is an excellent insulator, for it is used when the weather is cold. Key Features Soft knitted wool for natural warmth Lightweight and comfortable on the neck Classic design suitable for daily wear Easy to pair with jackets and sweaters Provides good protection against cold winds Limited color choices available Image Source- Amazon.in Order Now Monte Carlo is a recognized brand in the field of winter fashion,hion and this plain wool muffler portrays the quality of the brand. It has been created to be very warm and sophisticated, with a soft touch and the best finishing. Key Features Made from pure wool for superior warmth Soft and skin-friendly texture Stylish design suitable for formal wear Durable fabric for long-term use Comfortable fit around the neck Requires careful washing and maintenance Image Source- Amazon.in Order Now This is a basic, but useful winter muffler made of Men's Pure Wool. It is well concentrated on comfort and warmth and does not contain any superfluous design features. Key Features Pure wool material for natural insulation Simple and classic appearance Suitable for daily and office wear Soft texture for comfortable use Lightweight yet warm design Design may feel too basic for fashion-focused users Image Source- Amazon.in Order Now The JACK & JONES Men's Scarf is meant to suit modern men who do not consider comfort as a major factor. Being a fashion-loving brand, this scarf gives a fashionable touch to winter garments. Key Features Trendy and modern design Comfortable fabric for daily wear Easy to style with winter outfits Lightweight with adequate warmth Trusted brand quality and finish The warmth level may be moderate for extremely cold weather The winter muffler really matters when it comes to comfort and appearance. Knitkala provides a traditional knitted comfort, Monte Carlo provides high-quality pure wool sophistication, the Men Pure Wool Muffler is a simple and warm muffler, and JACK & JONES is a modern fashion style. All the mufflers have their functions, daily use, office, and fashionable outings. Today, the Amazon Great Republic Day Sale is underway, so you should not miss a chance to spend money on quality winter accessories. Not only does a good muffler keep you warm, but it also gives you a sense of confidence and comfort, as well as completes your winter look. Add Zee News as a Preferred Source Disclaimer: At IDPL, we help you stay up-to-date with the latest trends and products. It should not be construed as an endorsement to buy. IDPL may make a very small commission from its sale if one chooses to buy the product from any of the links in this article. A security alert briefly interrupted a World Economic Forum (WEF) event Wednesday evening when a "cough-inducing smell" and smoke led to a partial evacuation of the Congress Centre. Swiss officials have confirmed that a small fire at a nearby building is what led to a false alarm for the major event center. Emergency response at the Congress center The alarm was raised late Wednesday when delegates in some sections of the Congress Centre complained of a strong and peculiar smell that resulted in physical discomfort. Organisers adhered to tight high-security procedures and started a probe evacuation process in the affected halls. Add Zee News as a Preferred Source Firefighters, as well as emergency services personnel, who were already on standby due to the summit, quickly responded, taking minutes to sweep through the building. The incident was dealt with quickly, ensuring there would be no disruptions at the global summit. The World Economic Forum was temporarily evacuated as a precaution after a fire alarm triggered by smoke near the conference center. The situation was quickly brought under control. No injuries or serious damage reported. #Davos26 pic.twitter.com/XUY1Gn9Z23 Anoncandanga (@anon_candanga) January 21, 2026 Originally traceable to a local 'Fondue Hut' An inquiry conducted by the Graubunden Cantonal Police found the smoke was not originating from inside the Congress Center. It was found that the suspicious odor was emanating from a small wooden fondue hut located in the vicinity of the hotel complex next to the Congress Center. Even though it was a small fire in the hut, the changing mountain currents blew the strong smell of smoke straight into the ventilation system of the Congress Centre, sparking the initial panic. Meanwhile, a nearby hotel was briefly evacuated out of caution before the fire was put out. Trump and world leaders unaffected The event caused an instantaneous worldwide focus, mainly due to the leaders that were in attendance, such as US President Donald Trump. Security update: There was a clarification regarding President Trump, stating that he was inside the building but not in the vicinity when the alarm went off. White House confirmation: "The President's schedule was unaffected, and the President had completed his primary activity for the morning prior to the beginning of the evacuation procedure," a spokesperson confirmed. Summit continues with limited security controls After conducting a safety sweep, officials issued an "all-clear" to participants to return to the Congress Centre. Journalists indicated that there were tense moments when attendees had to leave their belongings behind, but the situation went back to normal by nightfall. The World Economic Forum has reiterated its commitment to the safety of its over 3,000 delegates by assuring that the rest of its 2026 meeting will go on as scheduled. ALSO READ | Republic Day 2026: Who is Simran Bala? Meet the first woman CRPF officer to lead all-male contingent Russia-Ukraine war: After meeting US President Donald Trump in Davos, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said that representatives from Kyiv, Russia and the United States will sit together for trilateral talks in the United Arab Emirates (UAE), calling it the first such meeting between the three nations. These talks are scheduled to take place on Friday (January 23) and Saturday (January 24) in Abu Dhabi. Zelenskyy described this as an important step toward restoring peace after Russias invasion. He said the trilateral meetings will follow efforts by US negotiators, including envoys Steven Witkoff and Jared Kushner, who are expected to visit Moscow before heading to the UAE to begin detailed workinglevel discussions on military and diplomatic matters. In Davos, he described his talks with Trump as positive and said progress on key documents aimed at ending the war, including proposals for security guarantees and rebuilding Ukraines economy once hostilities end. Although he acknowledged that the central issue of territory still needs resolution, he said that his meeting with the US president had strengthened the prospects for negotiations in Abu Dhabi. Add Zee News as a Preferred Source Trump also spoke to reporters after his meeting with Zelenskyy, stressing that his message to Russian President Vladimir Putin would be that the war must end and that a deal should be reached. He said the meeting with Zelenskyy was productive and indicated that discussions with Russia were moving forward, though he offered few specific details on a timeline or final outcomes. A US delegation was already expected to travel to Moscow to meet with Russian authorities as part of this diplomatic push, indicating coordination between Washington and the Kremlin ahead of the Abu Dhabi talks. Zelenskyy made clear that any success in the talks would require all sides to be ready for compromise. He further said that he hoped Moscow would engage constructively when the threeway discussions begin. He also said documents meant to formalise a plan to end the war were nearing completion. A good meeting with @POTUS productive and substantive. We discussed the work of our teams, and practically every day there are meetings or communication. The documents are now even better prepared. We also spoke today about air defense for Ukraine. Our previous meeting with pic.twitter.com/E1j8kpJazN Volodymyr Zelenskyy / (@ZelenskyyUa) January 22, 2026 The announcement of trilateral negotiations comes during ongoing global concern about the human and economic toll of the conflict, which began with Russias fullscale invasion in 2022. While there has been some international pressure for peace, the talks in Abu Dhabi represent an unprecedented direct engagement involving all three countries. As Russian aerial and ground operations continue to strain Ukrainian infrastructure and energy supplies, the diplomatic effort highlights a growing urgency among world leaders to explore all possible avenues for ending the war in a way that addresses security, reconstruction and territorial questions raised during nearly four years of fighting. The trilateral meeting in the UAE is being watched closely by capitals around the world, with diplomats and analysts hoping that this rare threeway engagement could unlock a pathway toward peace that has been elusive despite repeated negotiations over the years. Donald Trump has never been subtle in the exercise of power. But his latest moves on the world stage have pushed even long-standing allies to openly question his methods, motives and the limits of American authority. As leaked messages, tariff threats and provocative imagery collide, one senior British politician has summed up the growing unease with a stark label, international gangster. At the centre of the storm is Greenland. Trump has declared that bringing the vast Arctic territory under US control is non-negotiable, framing the ambition as a matter of global security. Experts, however, as per the reports, see something more troubling --- a campaign that blends economic pressure, public intimidation and digital theatrics to force outcomes once settled by diplomacy. Greenland is not the only front. Gaza has been drawn into Trumps widening foreign policy agenda, alongside a more confrontational stance towards Europe and a renewed willingness to test the patience of NATO partners. Add Zee News as a Preferred Source In his second term, the former property developer and reality television figure has adopted a harder edge. This follows Washingtons recent military-backed intervention in Venezuela, which led to the removal of President Nicolas Maduro. Trump is now openly challenging Danish sovereignty over Greenland, while pressing European leaders to fall in line with his plans for Gaza and the wider Middle East. Tensions sharpened after France signalled it was unlikely to join Trumps proposed Board of Peace for Gaza. His relationship with President Emmanuel Macron deteriorated further when Trump released a private text message from the French leader, expressing confusion over Washingtons Greenland ambitions. French officials later confirmed the message was genuine and consistent with Macrons public position. Despite alarm spreading through diplomatic circles as leaders gathered at the World Economic Forum in Davos, the White House has played down the fallout. US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent dismissed international concern as exaggerated, while Trump refused to rule out the use of force to secure what he sees as strategic interests. Trump insists Greenland is essential to US and global security, pointing to rising competition with China and Russia in the Arctic. After talks with NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte, he posted that Americas need for Greenland was beyond debate. Behind the scenes, his rhetoric appears to have hardened further. In private correspondence to Norway, Trump reportedly linked his long-held frustration at never receiving the Nobel Peace Prize to a loss of interest in diplomatic restraint. Although Venezuelas opposition leader, Maria Corina Machado, the 2025 Nobel laureate, has symbolically offered her medal to Trump, the Nobel Foundation has underlined that prizes cannot be transferred. Symbolism has played a central role in Trumps approach. He has shared AI-generated images of himself planting a US flag on Greenland, alongside a redesigned Oval Office map showing Greenland and Canada absorbed into American territory. His repeated suggestion that Canada could become the 51st state has drawn firm rebuttals from Ottawa and added to concerns about his disregard for diplomatic norms. Economic pressure remains Trumps favoured tool. He has announced tariffs of between 10 and 25 per cent on imports from eight European countries that support Denmarks refusal to discuss Greenlands sale. Due to take effect in February, the measures were explicitly linked to European troop deployments on the island. Similar tactics have been deployed elsewhere. India has faced pressure over its energy ties with Russia, while France was threatened with a 200 per cent tariff on wine and champagne after Macron hesitated over joining the Gaza Board of Peace. Trump brushed aside the French presidents political future as he made the warning. The proposed board itself has raised eyebrows. Member states would be required to contribute $1 billion to retain their status beyond three years, with invitations reportedly sent to more than 60 countries, including India, Pakistan and Russia. In Britain, the response has been unusually blunt. Liberal Democrat leader Ed Davey used the Commons to accuse Trump of coercion, corruption and weakening NATO by turning tariffs against allied nations. He argued that years of trying to placate Trump had failed, warning that the so-called special relationship was nearing breaking point. In his view, the real beneficiaries of Trumps approach were authoritarian leaders such as Vladimir Putin and Xi Jinping. Across the Channel, preparations are underway for retaliation. EU officials are weighing countermeasures worth up to 93 billion, including the possible use of the blocs Anti-Coercion Instrument. That could open the door to sanctions, limits on investment and restrictions on access to Europes digital markets. European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen has described the moment as a wake-up call, urging the continent to become more self-reliant and strategically independent. Washington, however, remains defiant. Speaking in Davos, Bessent insisted that transatlantic ties had never been stronger. Whether allies agree may depend on what comes next. For now, Trumps mix of pressure, spectacle and brinkmanship has left Europe bracing for economic pain and diplomatic strain and has earned him a nickname that speaks volumes about how his leadership is increasingly seen beyond Americas borders. New Delhi: US President Donald Trump used the global stage at the World Economic Forum in Davos to once again place Greenland at the centre of his foreign and security agenda, presenting the Arctic territory as a decisive factor in global stability, NATO security and future defence planning. Addressing the gathering, he reiterated his resolve to acquire Greenland and called it a strategic necessity rather than a territorial ambition. What I am asking for is a piece of ice, cold and poorly located, that can play a vital role in world peace, he said. He argued that Greenlands geographic position makes it central to Arctic and global security, claiming the territory is "almost completely undefended" and asserting that "no country can secure Greenland other than the United States. Add Zee News as a Preferred Source Trump went further by declaring that Greenland is "part of North America and that's our territory. While calling for talks on Greenlands future, he ruled out military action, repeating a line he has used frequently in the past. "We never get anything unless I decide to use excessive force," he said, before adding, "But I won't do that -- that's the biggest statement I made." The president revisited history to reinforce his argument, recalling Denmarks collapse during World War II and the subsequent American military presence in Greenland. "We fought to save Denmark. We set up bases in Greenland, and after World War II we gave Greenland back," he said, adding, "How stupid we were to give it back. How ungrateful are they now." Despite voicing "tremendous respect" for the people of Greenland and Denmark, he criticised Copenhagens defence posture, pointing to what he described as an unfulfilled commitment made in 2019 to strengthen Greenlands security. Trump dismissed claims that Washingtons interest is driven by mineral wealth, stating, "There is no such thing as rare earth -- there is rare processing. We don't need Greenland for rare earth. We need it for international security." He also turned his focus to NATO, repeating US participation in the alliance while questioning whether that commitment is fully mutual. "We will be there for NATO 100 per cent, but I am not sure if they will be there for us," he said. He argued that the United States has long shouldered the alliances defence burden, claiming allies increased their military spending only after pressure from his administration. "What we got out of NATO is nothing except protecting Europe from the Soviet Union and Russia," he said. Calling on Europe to take greater responsibility for its own defence, Trump criticised European energy policies as "horrible", while stressing that the United States "cares greatly for the people of Europe, citing his own family roots in Scotland and Germany. He said the US defence budget now stands at $1.5 trillion and shared ambitious plans to modernise military capabilities, including the return of battleships that he said would be "100 times more powerful than the big battleships of the past. He also announced plans for the "biggest ever Golden Dome" missile defence system, to be built in Greenland, describing it as essential for Arctic security and regional protection. "The Golden Dome in Greenland will also protect Canada," he said, adding that Ottawa "should be more grateful". On Ukraine, he repeated his claim that the war would not have started had the 2020 US election not been "rigged. He described Russian President Vladimir Putin as "a great guy" and said Ukraine had been "the apple of his eye. Trump claimed the United States has spent $350 billion on Ukraine and argued that Washington should avoid being pulled into distant conflicts. "We are thousands of miles away from Ukraine. We have nothing to do with it," he said. Even while emphasising strength as leverage, Trump reiterated that he would not use force to pursue Greenland. "We never get anything unless I decide to use excessive force. But I won't do that -- that's the biggest statement I made," he said again. Hours after his Davos address, Trump indicated at a tactical change, announcing that he would withdraw his threat to impose tariffs on European nations over Greenland. The decision followed what he described as a "very productive" meeting with NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte, during which the groundwork for a framework on Greenland and the wider Arctic region was laid. In a post on Truth Social, Trump wrote, "Based upon a very productive meeting that I have had with the Secretary General of NATO, Mark Rutte, we have formed the framework of a future deal with respect to Greenland and, in fact, the entire Arctic Region. This solution, if consummated, will be a great one for the United States of America and all NATO Nations. Based upon this understanding, I will not be imposing the Tariffs that were scheduled to go into effect on February 1st." He added that further discussions would take place "concerning the golden dome", adding that the issue "pertains to Greenland. Trump said Vice President JD Vance, Secretary of State Marco Rubio, Special Envoy Steve Witkoff and other senior officials would handle negotiations and report directly to him. In a separate post, Trump reiterated that Greenland is "vital for the Golden Dome we are building" and essential for US national security. Earlier at the 56th Annual WEF Summit, Trump had called for "immediate negotiations" with European allies, insisting that US control over Greenland would pose "not a threat to NATO". He argued that Greenland could be better developed and secured under American leadership, offering benefits to both the United States and Europe. "It's the United States alone that can protect this giant mass of land, this giant piece of ice, develop it and improve it and make it so that it's good for Europe and safe for Europe and good for us," he said. Trump acknowledged that he had previously warned of escalating tariffs of 10 per cent from February 1, 2026, and 25 per cent from June 1, 2026, if negotiations failed. He insisted that US control of Greenland would "greatly enhance" NATOs security, repeating that the United States has been "treated very unfairly by NATO". "This would not be a threat to NATO. This would greatly enhance the security of the entire alliance," he said. Trump is firm in his pursuit of Greenland, citing national security as the driving force. Denmark, Greenland and European leaders have rejected the idea, emphasising self-determination and warning of potential consequences for NATO unity. Some European leaders have cautioned that any attempt by Washington to seize Greenland could place severe strain on the alliance, even as negotiations now move into a new and uncertain phase. The tragic event that has unfolded in the wake of the major fire at the Gul Shopping Plaza in Karachi has turned even deadlier as the body count rose to 61 yesterday. In a horrifying find, the authorities managed to retrieve 30 dead from a China shop in the basement six days after the fire first broke out in the congested area of Saddar. Authorities said that with cooling operations still underway and scores of people unaccounted for, the confirmed toll could exceed 100. Behind Shutters: The 'Dubai Dinnerware' Tragedy Add Zee News as a Preferred Source DIG Karachi South, Asad Raza, confirmed that the 30 victims were discovered in a shop called 'Dubai Crockery' located on the mezzanine floor. Initial investigation findings revealed the tragic struggle for survival, which showed that while the iron shutters were brought down by shopkeepers and people in anticipation of protecting themselves from the oncoming smoke and fire, they ended up trapping everyone inside the shop, culminating in their deaths. "The victims were trapped inside as the fire engulfed the floor. Data from recovered mobile phones confirms these individuals had been on the mezzanine level since Saturday night," officials stated. Challenges Of Identification Among Ruins "The state of the bodies of the recovered victims is heart-breaking for the medical team. Most of the bodies that were delivered to the mortuary are charred beyond recognition," Police Surgeon Dr. Summaiya Syed explained. DNA Testing: The authorities are gearing up to perform a DNA test on people in order to identify whom the victims are and give them back to their grieving families. Suspended Search: Debris removal operations in the other floors momentarily ceased in favor of removing the deceased from the china shop. 73 Remain Missing, Including 16 Children The Sindh provincial administration has also published a dreadful list of 73 missing persons presumably trapped under the rubble. This list consists of women and elderly men, as well as 16 boys aged 10-18 years already engaged as shop assistants or out shopping when the fire started on January 17. 'Zero Safety Standards': Government Probe Begins Karachi Commissioner Syed Hassan Naqvi, who led an investigation team, strongly condemned "gross negligence on the part of the management" associated with this building. Violations: The plaza, a large wholesale market, had no compliance with international standards of fire safety and no functioning fire extinguishers. The Blaze: The fire started on Friday night and raged for nearly 36 hours before being brought under control, but heat pockets continue to ignite in the basement. ALSO READ | Delhi's Air Quality Remains 'Very Poor' with AQI Of 330; Rain Expected As IMD Warns With Yellow Alert US President Donald Trump unveiled the "Board of Peace" at the World Economic Forum in Davos on January 22, securing signatures from leaders. Roughly 35 countries have signed the Board of Peace, according to Al Jazeera. The U.S.-led entity is a major force in international mediation, especially in the Israel-Hamas conflict. The event marked the formal launch of this new international organization aimed at securing lasting peace in conflict zones, starting with Gaza's reconstruction as a transitional administration until 2027, according to a report by The New York Times. Add Zee News as a Preferred Source The Board of Peace originates from US President Donald Trump's 20-point Gaza ceasefire proposal, which gained United Nations Security Council endorsement, though it has since broadened significantly beyond that original scope. During the official signing ceremony, Trump called it a "very exciting day, long in the making". Just one year ago, the world was actually on fire; a lot of people didn't know it," added President Trump. Trump has called the newly formed Board of Peace potentially "the most prestigious board ever. Countries like Saudi Arabia, UAE, Turkey, Egypt, Israel, Hungary, Argentina, Bahrain, Morocco, Vietnam, Kazakhstan, Armenia, Azerbaijan, and Belarus. Leaders like Israeli PM Benjamin Netanyahu and Morocco's King Mohammed VI have joined the Board of Peace. While the invitation for Board of Peace was rolled out to New Delhi as well, India has shown cautious interest in the Board of Peace, aligning with its strategic priorities in West Asia amid evolving US-India ties. As a key player in Gaza peace talks and a BRICS member, India has neither officially accepted nor rejected the Invitation. Though traditional US allies like France, the UK and other Western countries have refrained from the Board of Peace. Trump's peace initiative follows his earlier threats of military action against Iran amid violent crackdowns on mass street protests that killed thousands this month. The president indicated no new strikes after securing Tehran's assurances against executing detained protesters. While launching the new international peace body in Davos, Trump affirmed continued cooperation with the United Nations on Gaza reconstruction and beyond. Speculation around a possible backchannel understanding between US President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin has intensified ahead of their expected meeting, the first in nearly 160 days. While the location of the meeting has not been disclosed, diplomatic circles believe discussions could revolve around two critical flashpoints: the ongoing Ukraine war and the strategic future of Greenland. The emerging narrative suggests a recalibration of great-power politics at a time when the global order already appears under strain. In todays episode of DNA, Rahul Sinha, Managing Editor of Zee News, conducted a detailed analysis of these developments, questioning long-held assumptions in West Asia and beyond. The analysis challenges the belief within Irans leadership that Russia would automatically come to Tehrans aid in the event of a US strike, arguing that shifting geopolitical interests may no longer align Moscow with Tehran in the same way as before. Add Zee News as a Preferred Source At the center of the debate is Greenland. As much of Europe resists Trumps renewed interest in the Arctic territory, Putin has made remarks that appear to indirectly support Washingtons position, even drawing historical parallels with Denmarks 1917 sale of the Virgin Islands to the United States. Analysts interpret this as a signal that Moscow may be open to facilitating pressure on Denmark, potentially in exchange for American concessions elsewhere. Ukraine remains the other key pillar of the speculation. Trumps recent statements, including those made at Davos, indicate a softer tone toward Russia and a sharper criticism of Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky. Trump has repeatedly suggested that a deal to end the war is close, while implying that Kyiv has been a hurdle in past negotiations. These remarks closely mirror Moscows narrative, further fueling talk of a possible understanding between the two leaders. Three broad scenarios are being discussed by observers. One suggests that Washington could allow Russia to retain control over parts of eastern Ukraine, including Donbas, while Moscow assists the US in advancing its Greenland strategy. Another point to a reduction in US military support for Ukraine under the banner of a ceasefire, alongside increased Russian military activity in the Arctic to pressure Denmark. A third scenario involves easing sanctions on Russia and keeping Ukraine out of NATO in return for Russia limiting Chinas role in Arctic geopolitics. Adding to the intrigue are reports that Trumps special envoy Steve Witkoff and the former presidents son-in-law are scheduled to meet Putin in Moscow. Officially framed as efforts to halt the Ukraine conflict, these meetings are also being viewed as potential groundwork for a broader geopolitical bargain. Experts warn that if such an arrangement materialises, it could mark a return to a sphere of influence world order reminiscent of the postSecond World War era shaped at the 1945 Yalta Conference. In such a scenario, powerful nations would dominate regions at the expense of smaller states, potentially triggering fresh conflictsfrom East Asia to the Middle East. While Trump and Putin have both spoken of peace initiatives, including support for a Gaza peace plan, analysts caution that transactional diplomacy between major powers may ultimately deepen global instability rather than resolve it. In an era of shifting alliances, the coming days could prove pivotal for the future balance of power. US President Donald Trump's second term has explicitly revived the Monroe Doctrine, now termed as the "Trump Corollary." He vows to reassert American dominance by excluding foreign powers like China and Russia from the Western Hemisphere. This push unfolds through bold actions. US strikes in Venezuela under Operation Absolute Resolve aim to secure dominance. Greenland annexation efforts counter perceived threats from Russia and China. Pressure on Colombia and Canada further bars outsiders from what Trump calls "our hemisphere." Recently, Trump amplified the message by sharing an image online. It depicted Canada, Greenland, and Venezuela as part of US territory, underscoring his vision for wider control. US Secretary of State Marco Rubio echoed the stance, declaring the region "our hemisphere" to block BRICS expansion. Add Zee News as a Preferred Source The January 3, 2026, Operation Absolute Resolve captured Venezuelan leader Nicolas Maduro on narco-terrorism charges. The move secures US control under national security pretexts, mirroring Trump's long-standing bids to annex Greenland. Trump has extended these ambitions to the Indian Ocean. He sharply criticized the UK-Mauritius deal over the Chagos Archipelago, calling it an "act of great stupidity" that endangers the vital US military base on Diego Garcia. By slamming the agreement, despite his administration's prior approval, Trump seeks unchallenged dominance in key sea lanes, countering China and Russia while pressuring allies. The Indian Ocean Dominance Push On January 20, US President posted on Truth Social that the UK was handing over Diego Garcia "FOR ABSOLUTELY NO REASON," warning it would embolden China and Russia. He linked it to his push for US control of Greenland, reversing his administration's prior support for the deal. While the bid for annexation of Greenland and control over the Arctic is still in rounds, the United States of America has raised concerns over its dominance in the Indian Ocean. UK-Mauritius Deal The UK and Mauritius signed an agreement in May 2025, transferring sovereignty of the Chagos Archipelago, including Diego Garcia, to Mauritius while securing a 99-year lease for the UK to maintain the joint US-UK military base. Donald Trump's sharp criticism of the UK-Mauritius Chagos Islands deal underscores America's determination to maintain unchallenged military dominance in the Indian Ocean, a critical theater beyond its Western Hemisphere focus. While the USA already holds a lease of Diego Garcia island and maintains military presence in the region with its bases in Gulf countries like Al Udeid Air Base in Qatar, Naval Support Activity Bahrain, Camp Arifjan, Ali Al Salem Air Base in Kuwait, Al Dhafra Air Base in the UAE and Prince Sultan Air Base in Saudi Arabia. Exploring New Access Points The US is already a power giant in the Indian Ocean, but the continuous slamming of Russia and Chinas presence in the Western Hemisphere and the Indian Ocean has become a part of Trumps new gameplan. While there have been constant speculations about Washington exploring Pakistan as an option for its military bases to counter its Afghanistan withdrawal, the deepening Islamabad-Washington ties and restricted temporary arrangements for logistics, training, and overflights amid counterterrorism cooperation gives USA leverage in the region. Apart from Pakistan and West Asia post-August 2024 upheaval under Muhammad Yunus's interim government, the US military engagement surged in southeastern Bangladesh, particularly Chittagong (Chattogram) and Cox's Bazar regions near India's northeast and Myanmar borders. Recently In September 2025, the USs C-130J Super Hercules aircraft landed at Chittagong's Shah Amanat Airport for joint exercises like Pacific Angel-25, with 150 troops staying in Chattogram hotels. Activities extended to Cox's Bazar for humanitarian drills amid post-Hasina shifts, countering China and alarming India over strategic Bay of Bengal positioning. Indian Ocean Presence: Challenging the China Threat? The US leverages Diego Garcia, which is strategically placed, equidistant from Bab-el-Mandeb and the Malacca Straits, providing both power projection over Iran and countering the Chinese presence. China's Foothold Fuels US Counters, with the advancing ChinaPakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) and Gwadar investments, string of Pearls initiative and arms pipeline to Pakistan enables PLA access to Arabian Sea chokepoints, directly challenging US Gulf bases and Diego Garcia operations highlighted in Trump's Donroe Doctrine. These attempts to maintain a strong military presence in the Indian Ocean region mirror Western Hemisphere exclusion by projecting power extra-hemispherically, barring Beijing from trade routes vital to the United States. The Indian Impact The Ministry of External Affairs stated India consistently backed Mauritius's claim over Chagos, aligning with its anti-colonial principles and rules-based order, while pledging maritime security cooperation. With the presence of the USA in the Indian Ocean, New Delhi gains indirect deterrence as US operations from Diego Garcia monitor Chinese Navy movements, securing Andaman-Lakshadweep points without hosting American bases, aligning with India's Security and Growth for All in the Region (SAGAR) doctrine. Indias strained relations with the US, along with its close neighbours like Pakistan and Bangladesh, and their growing fondness with Washington, are another concern for New Delhi. Although Indias indigenous initiatives and the unification of global south nations offer strategic depth, the US's expanding military footprint in the Indian Ocean, particularly through its enduring control of the Diego Garcia base on the Chagos Archipelago despite the UK's sovereignty transfer to Mauritius, heightens New Delhi's apprehensions over encirclement and diminished regional primacy. Pakistans US endorsements under Trump, alongside Bangladesh's post-Hasina overtures to Washington, are potentially tilting the balance against India's maritime security interests, demanding New Delhis recalibrated Quad partnerships and BRICS engagements to counterbalance US pressure while safeguarding vital sea routes. Trump Greenland Deal: United States President Donald Trump announced in Davos that he had finalised a plan for a future deal on Greenland during talks with NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte. He also confirmed that his earlier threat to impose 10 percent trade tariffs on eight European countries opposing the acquisition of the Arctic island would be withdrawn, halting the planned increase to 25 percent later in the year. A self-governing territory within the Kingdom of Denmark, Greenland has consistently stated that it is not for sale. Rutte met Trump at the World Economic Forum in Switzerland to ease tensions with Europe, while Trump said he still wants to acquire Greenland but will not use force. NATO officials indicated that European countries would increase security efforts in the Arctic as part of the deal. Trump described the framework a step toward a long-term arrangement for Greenland and the Arctic that will focus on security and access to minerals. The United States plans to hold further negotiations led by Vice President JD Vance, Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Special Envoy Steve Witkoff, though the schedule and participants from Europe are not known. Add Zee News as a Preferred Source Washington had previously set a 10 percent tariff on exports from Denmark, Norway, Sweden, France, Germany, the United Kingdom, the Netherlands and Finland, threatening to raise it to 25 percent if no agreement on Greenland was reached. The European Union (EU) held emergency discussions on potential retaliatory measures. Trumps announcement in Davos removed the immediate trade pressure, but the larger questions of ownership, sovereignty and the exact scope of the framework are still unresolved. Trump emphasised Greenlands strategic importance, adding that its position between the Arctic and North Atlantic oceans is as a critical corridor for military operations and early-warning systems. The island also contains abundant untapped mineral deposits, including rare earth metals essential for technology and defense industries. Global warming has further increased interest in Greenland, opening new shipping routes and economic opportunities. Historically, the United States occupied Greenland during the World War II but never held sovereignty, and current agreements with Denmark allow extensive military operations without transferring ownership. Trump has stated that the United States should own Greenland rather than lease it, citing national and international security concerns. Analysts say that Denmark and Greenlands legal frameworks would limit any US ambitions to military or operational rights rather than territorial control. While details of the framework are vague, it is expected to include enhanced US access to Greenland, updates to defense agreements and targeted cooperation on security and minerals. Experts suggest that governance measures, joint oversight and transparency requirements could influence and regulate US involvement on the ground. Greenlands government and representatives have emphasised that any agreement must involve the island itself, rejecting negotiations conducted solely between the United States and Denmark or NATO officials. European leaders have cautiously welcomed the pause on tariffs but continue to stress the importance of dialogue and adherence to sovereignty. Greenland is one of Denmarks two self-governing overseas territories, along with the Faroe Islands. The Arctic island became a Danish colony in the early 18th century after an expedition led by Danish-Norwegian missionary Hans Egede arrived in 1721. It gained self-governing status in 1979. Since 2009, Greenland has had the legal right to hold a referendum to declare full independence. The Arctic islands sparse population, combined with its strategic and economic value, has made it a point of interest for global powers, including the United States, Russia and China. The United States, like the United Kingdom, France and Australia, has overseas territories that govern themselves to different extents, often for military or strategic reasons. The United Kingdom has 14 overseas territories across the Atlantic, Caribbean, Pacific and polar regions. Most of these territories, including Bermuda, the Falkland Islands, the British Virgin Islands, Anguilla, Gibraltar and Montserrat, are largely self-governing while London handles defence and foreign affairs. The United States has five permanently inhabited territories: Puerto Rico, Guam, the US Virgin Islands, American Samoa and the Northern Mariana Islands. Each has local governments but limited federal representation. Puerto Rico is the biggest and governs itself as a commonwealth. In addition, Washington has nine mostly uninhabited islands used mainly for strategic or military purposes. France oversees 13 overseas territories spread across the Atlantic, Caribbean, Indian Ocean, Pacific and South America. China has two Special Administrative Regions, Hong Kong and Macau, which operate with considerable autonomy in political, economic and legal matters. Australia, the Netherlands, Norway, New Zealand and Portugal also have overseas territories with varying levels of self-government. These territories often combine strategic, military and economic significance, giving their controlling nations both a local presence and access to important resources. Greenlands location in the Arctic, for example, has made it a point of interest for global powers due to its mineral wealth, strategic air and sea routes and evolving shipping lanes caused by melting ice. As the Greenland talks progress, questions rise about the frameworks legal, economic and security implications. The world continues to watch closely as Washington moves to strengthen its Arctic presence while balancing alliances, trade and territorial sensitivities in a region rapidly gaining strategic prominence. US President Donald Trump has softened his stance regarding proposed tariffs on eight European nations over the Greenland dispute. Trump has walked back his threat to impose broad US tariffs on eight EU countries, stating that he had reached the framework of a future deal concerning Greenland, The Gurdian reported, Just four days after threatening significant import duties on several US allies over their support for Greenlands continued status as an autonomous Danish territory, the president stepped back. Add Zee News as a Preferred Source Trump announced on his Truth Social platform that the US will not implement 10% tariffs on Denmark, Norway, Sweden, France, Germany, the UK, the Netherlands, and Finland starting February 1. He had also previously warned that the tariffs could rise to 25% from June 1. The threat sparked widespread concern, drawing criticism from senior European leaders who stated they will not allow ourselves to be blackmailed, along with cautionary remarks from economists. Following what he described as a very productive meeting with NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte on Wednesday, Trump said he had established the framework of a deal regarding Greenland, though he did not provide further details. Based upon this understanding, I will not be imposing the Tariffs that were scheduled to go into effect on February 1, the president said. Trump offered no additional details about the agreement but said discussions are ongoing regarding a US missile defence system that would partly be based in Greenland. He asserted at the Davos economic forum in Switzerland that the deal would last forever. Speaking to CNBC, he added, We have a concept of a deal. I believe it will be very good for both the United States and them. Its somewhat complex, but we will provide more details later. Denmarks foreign minister said it was a positive development that Trump had ruled out using military force to take Greenland. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy announced Thursday that US, Russian, and Ukrainian officials will hold the first trilateral talks in the United Arab Emirates. The two-day trilateral meeting is set to begin Friday, following Zelensky's address at the World Economic Forum in Davos. According to an AFP report, "It will be the first trilateral meeting in the Emirates, tomorrow and the day after," Zelenskyy said. He added that Russia must be ready for compromises. The announcement follows Zelenskyy's meeting with U.S. President Donald Trump at Davos, which he called "productive and substantive." Add Zee News as a Preferred Source Also Read: 'We will settle another war': Trump's Board Of Peace takes shape with 35 Nations in Davos In an X post, Zelenskyy said the leaders reviewed their teams' work, with meetings or communications nearly every day, and that documents are now better prepared. The talks covered Ukraine's air defense; Zelenskyy noted their prior meeting strengthened sky protection and expressed hope to reinforce it further. He thanked Trump for a previous package of air defense missiles, requested another, and stressed that this protects lives, builds resilience, and supports joint diplomatic efforts. A good meeting with @POTUS productive and substantive. We discussed the work of our teams, and practically every day there are meetings or communication. The documents are now even better prepared. We also spoke today about air defense for Ukraine. Our previous meeting with pic.twitter.com/E1j8kpJazN Volodymyr Zelenskyy / (@ZelenskyyUa) January 22, 2026 Earlier today, French President Emmanuel Macron announced on X that the French Navy boarded a Russian-bound oil tanker on the high seas in the Mediterranean Sea. Subject to international sanctions and suspected of flying a false flag, the vessel was intercepted in a coordinated operation backed by several allies. Thank you, France! Thank you, @EmmanuelMacron! This is exactly the kind of resolve needed to ensure that Russian oil no longer finances Russias war. Russian tankers operating near European shores must be stopped. Sanctions against the entire infrastructure of the shadow fleet https://t.co/6t0DbJ9xS1 Volodymyr Zelenskyy / (@ZelenskyyUa) January 22, 2026 U.S President Trump, meanwhile, described his one-hour meeting with Zelenskyy as "good" and stressed that the Ukraine war "has to end." "We hope it's going to end. There are a lot of people being killed," Trump said, according to the Associated Press. He called the negotiations "an ongoing process." Russia, Ukraine, and the US are advancing trilateral peace talks amid intensified diplomacy at Davos. These build on months of efforts led by President Trump to end the nearly four-year war. LaKeith Stanfield is excited to "stretch the boundaries" of his own style with Dior. LaKeith Stanfield in Dior The 34-year-old actor and musician has represented the fashion label at its Paris Fashion Week menswear show, and he tried something new with a layered outfit with patchwork denim. He told WWD: I havent appeared in any looks that are similar to this. So Im like, let me stretch the boundaries a little bit. "Do something new, do something different, get into a new comfort zone." He's taking a similar approach with his acting career, particularly with his upcoming role in genre-bending new film I Love Boosters. The movie - set to be released in May - also stars Keke Palmer and Naomi Ackie, and while the film features characters described as "fashion mavens", firmer plot details are being kept under wraps. He teased: "What I think I can safely say is no one has seen anything like this. It was nice to have a piece of art that can critique it. "[It] seems like we live in a world increasingly spearheaded by greed, so its nice to kind of survey that and then think about how it impresses upon us." LaKeith joined Dior as an ambassador earlier this month, having been the first to wear the fashion house's floral-embroidered blue denim 'revolution' coat, matching waistcoat and light blue boot-cut jeans at the British Fashion Awards in December. Announcing the latest step in their partnership, creative director Jonathan Anderson said in a statement: "LaKeith has an energy that feels both spontaneous and composed. Hes an actors actor, with a remarkable range, bringing something unexpected and magical to every role. I cant wait to work together." The Judas and the Black Messiah actor hailed the partnership "humbling". He said in his own statement: "To collaborate with Jonathan Andersons astute vision, within a house whose history reads like art itself, where detail becomes design and design becomes story, is humbling and inspiring." One of the Soviet Unions most outspoken critics, nuclear physicist Dr Andrei Sakharov, has been ordered into internal exile. Officials in Moscow were angered by an interview Dr Sakharov gave American television last week, in which he called for the withdrawal of Soviet troops from Afghanistan. It was the final straw after the Nobel peace prize winner had escaped arrest during more than 13 years of dissident activity. In the interview, Dr Sakharov also told American viewers he supported plans to boycott the summer Olympics in Moscow. He said he was in favour of the US sanctions ordered by President Carter in retaliation for the invasion. The scientist and his wife, Yelena Bonner, were seized by officers of the Soviet secret service, the KGB, while walking in a Moscow street. Dr Sakharov was stripped of his official honours. The couple were given two hours to pack before being sent to Gorky, an industrial city 250 miles east of Moscow and off limits to foreign reporters. Dr Sakharov was credited with creating the first Soviet hydrogen bomb but later became involved in campaigning for nuclear disarmament. He won the 1975 Nobel Peace Price because of his fight for human rights. In a recent interview with the BBC, Dr Sakharov spoke about the need for change in the Soviet Union. He said: Our country, like every modern state, needs profound democratic reforms. It needs political and ideological pluralism, a mixed economy and protection of human rights and the opening up of society. Courtesy BBC News In context Dr Sakharov spent nearly seven years in exile in Gorky where he continued to write letters and appeals in support of human rights activists. He staged three hunger strikes protesting at his own persecution and seeking permission for his wife to go to the United States for medical treatment for eye and heart problems. In 1983, Yelena Bonner was charged with slander against the Soviet state as she was about to board a plane to fly to the US. Dr Sakharov claimed it was a trumped-up charge to prevent her travelling abroad. She, too, was ordered to remain in exile in Gorky. After President Mikhail Gorbachev ordered his release in 1986, Dr Sakharov became a leading member of the pro-democracy movement. He also helped to lead the opposition in the new Soviet parliament in 1989 and was involved in drafting a new constitution. He died on 14 December 1989 of a heart attack. Like this: Like Loading... While acknowledging the low overall unemployment rate, Chief Executive (CE) Sam Hou Fai has announced plans for a comprehensive review and enhancement of the non-local worker approval system to better regulate the number of non-local workers. The CE recently attended the 76th anniversary gala of the Macau Federation of Trade Unions. During his address, he expressed five hopes for the union, stating, Assist citizens in engaging in diversified industries, support local workers especially young people in enhancing their professional skills and competitiveness, actively promote the moderate diversification of Macaus economy, and make greater contributions to the long-term development of the Macau Special Administrative Region (SAR) and the Guangdong-Macau In-Depth Cooperation Zone in Hengqin. According to him, Macaus current economic development remains stable and positive, with all major economic indicators showing improvement. He stated, Since its return to the motherland, Macau has maintained steady economic growth, continuously improved peoples livelihoods, and ensured overall social stability. The government prioritizes safeguarding residents employment rights, emphasizing that promoting high-quality employment for residents is a key priority in this years administration. The CE stated, Whenever local residents are capable and willing to perform a job, they will be given priority in hiring. In emphasizing efforts to address employment issues for Macau residents, Sams speech proposed the continuous improvement of labor-related laws and regulations, along with further strengthening job-matching programs, vocational training, and initiatives focused on occupational safety and health. Meanwhile, the CE emphasized that, with the central governments strong commitment and support for Macaus development, he encourages, according to the statement, the union to unite and lead the workforce in supporting his government in lawful governance, collaborating to enhance governance effectiveness. He further urged the union to continue actively providing constructive suggestions for the governments policies and to serve as a bridge in governance. He also called on the union to support Macaus integration into the national development agenda by focusing on the new positioning of Macau + Hengqin to improve living standards, labor services, and talent development in the Guangdong-Macau In-Depth Cooperation Zone in Hengqin and the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macau Greater Bay Area. Like this: Like Loading... A 43-year-old Indonesian domestic helper faces charges of profiteering and illegally withholding documents after allegedly lending MOP170,000 to about 60 non-residents since 2024. The suspect is believed to have pocketed MOP90,000 in interest, the Judiciary Police (PJ) announced yesterday. Police arrested the woman Tuesday following a Public Security Police (PSP) referral on Jan. 16. Loans typically ranged from MOP500 to MOP5,000 for cash emergencies among non-residents. According to the PJ, one victim borrowed a total of MOP4,000 from the suspect between October and November 2024 for urgent medical expenses. The suspect seized his passport as collateral and demanded 20% monthly interest. Recently, the victim approached the suspect to retrieve his passport for a job-related matter. The suspect refused the victims request, prompting the victim to file a police report. Upon arresting the woman, the PJ uncovered that she was holding identification documents from over 50 victims, including 51 Indonesian passports and one blue card. Authorities stated that they have contacted four victims and are in the process of tracing the others. The case has been transferred to the Public Prosecutions Office for further investigation. NS Like this: Like Loading... A South Korean court ruled yesterday that the ill-fated imposition of martial law by the then President Yoon Suk Yeol constituted an act of rebellion, as it sentenced his prime minister to 23 years in prison for his involvement. Ex-Prime Minister Han Duck-soo became the first Yoon administration official convicted of rebellion charges in relation to the martial law imposition in December 2024. The verdict is expected to set the stage for upcoming rulings involving Yoon and his other associates, who also face rebellion charges. Han, who was appointed by Yoon, served as one of the three caretaker leaders during the martial law crisis that led to Yoons impeachment and eventually his removal from office. Rebellion is one of the gravest criminal charges in South Korea, with the independent counsel recently demanding the death penalty for Yoon, who was charged with masterminding a rebellion. The Seoul Central District Court is to rule on Yoons rebellion charges on Feb. 19. In a televised verdict, the Seoul court determined Yoons martial law decree amounted to a rebellion, viewing his dispatch of troops and police officers to the National Assembly and election offices as a riot or a self-coup that was meant to undermine the constitutional order and was serious enough to disrupt stability in South Korea. The court sentenced Han for playing a key role in the rebellion by trying to give procedural legitimacy to the martial law decree by getting it passed through a Cabinet Council meeting. The court also convicted Han of falsifying the martial law proclamation and destroying it and lying under oath. Han, 76, who could appeal the ruling, has steadfastly maintained that he had told Yoon that he opposed his martial law plan. He has denied most of the other charges. The court said Han neglected his responsibilities as prime minister the No. 2 post in South Korea to protect the constitution, choosing instead to take part in Yoons rebellion in the belief that it might succeed. Because of the defendants action, the Republic of Korea could have returned to a dark past when the basic rights of the people and the liberal democratic order were trampled upon, becoming trapped in the quagmire of dictatorships for an extended period, judge Lee Jin-gwan said. MDT/AP Like this: Like Loading... The Government Information Bureau (GCS) hosted a media gathering yesterday, inviting representatives from media organizations to promote dialogue and foster greater collaboration. We hope to create a platform that strengthens interaction and exchange among media, said acting director Louie Wong. In his brief speech, Wong described 2026 as a significant year for China and Macau. This year marks the start of Chinas 15th Five-Year Plan, the fifth anniversary of the Guangdong-Macao Deep Cooperation Zone, and Macau will host the APEC Tourism Ministers Meeting in June, he said. Last year, the eighth Legislative Assembly election was successfully held. The 15th Games, jointly organized by Guangdong, Hong Kong and Macau, as well as events commemorating the 80th anniversary of the victory in Chinas War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression and the World Anti-Fascist War, were also successfully carried out, he added. Wong praised the medias contribution, concluding: These achievements were made possible thanks to media coordination and support, and your continued attention and reporting have greatly helped disseminate information widely and promote better governance. He also noted the governments expectation that the media continue assisting in promoting government initiatives, gathering public opinion, and building social consensus. LV Like this: Like Loading... A Japanese court sentenced a man who admitted assassinating former Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe to life imprisonment yesterday. The case has revealed decades of cozy ties between Japans governing party and a controversial South Korean church. Tetsuya Yamagami, 45, earlier admitted to killing Abe in July 2022 as the former prime minister was giving a campaign speech in the western city of Nara. Abe, one of Japans most influential politicians, was serving as a regular lawmaker after leaving the prime ministers job when he was killed in 2022 while campaigning in the western city of Nara. It shocked a nation with strict gun control. Yamaguchi told investigators he was motivated by a desire to expose Japanese politicians ties to the Unification Church, which he blamed for encouraging his mother to neglect him during a difficult childhood. Yamagami pleaded guilty to murder in the trial that started in October. The Nara District Court announced yesterday that it had issued a guilty verdict and sentenced Yamagami to life in prison, as prosecutors requested. Takashi Fujimoto, one of the defense lawyers, said the decision did not take into consideration their request for clemency based on the defendants difficult upbringing and was regrettable. He added that Yamagamis legal team would consider an appeal after consulting with their client. Shooter said he was motivated by hatred Yamagami said he killed Abe after seeing a video message the former leader sent to a group affiliated with the Unification Church. He added that his goal was to hurt the church, which he hated, and expose its ties with Abe, investigators have said. Prosecutors demanded life imprisonment for Yamagami, noting the seriousness of the attack and the danger it caused at a crowded campaign venue. His lawyers sought a sentence of no more than 20 years, citing his troubles as the child of a church adherent. Japanese law authorizes the death penalty in murder cases, but prosecutors do not usually request it unless at least two people are killed. The revelation of close ties between the ruling Liberal Democratic Party and the church caused the party to pull back from the church. It prompted investigations into the churchs fundraising and recruiting tacics that ended with a court decision that stripped the churchs Japanese branch of its tax-exempt religious status and ordered it dissolved. The church has since appealed, pending a decision. The killing also led the National Police Agency to increase police protection of dignitaries. Abe was one of Japans most influential politicians A political blue blood, Abe was Japans longest-serving postwar leader, holding power for nine years before stepping down in 2021. He led the largest faction of the governing party and forged a friendship with U.S. President Donald Trump. Abe is remembered for his arch-conservative views on security and historical issues, and was backed by right-wing groups including the Unification Church. Similar views are now represented by his protege Sanae Takaichi, who took office in October as Japans first female Prime Minister. An investigation into Abes assassination revealed close ties between his governing party and the church, dating back to a 1960s anti-communist movement supported by Abes grandfather, former Prime Minister Nobusuke Kishi. Yamagami said that as he plotted his attack, he saw Abes appearance in a video message shown to a meeting of church-related Universal Peace Federation. Shooting at a crowded campaign venue Abe was shot on July 8, 2022, while giving a speech outside a train station in Nara. In footage captured by television cameras, two gunshots ring out as the politician raises his fist. He collapses holding his chest, his shirt smeared with blood. Officials say Abe died almost instantly. Yamagami was captured on the spot. He said he initially planned to kill the leader of the Unification Church, but switched targets to Abe because of the difficulty of getting close to the leader. He told the court last year that he chose Abe as a figure who exemplified the connection between Japanese politics and the church, according to NHK. Yamagami, apologized to Abes widow, Akie Abe, in an earlier court session, saying he had no grudge against his family and that he had no excuse to defend him, NHK said. Yamagami won sympathy from people skeptical of church Yamagamis case and his descriptions of his childhood brought attention to other children of Unification Church adherents, and influenced a law meant to restrict malicious donation solicitations by religious and other groups. Investigators said that Yamagamis mother joined the church when he was a child, and began making massive donations that eventually drove the family to bankruptcy, as she neglected him and his two siblings. MARI YAMAGUCHI, TOKYO, MDT/AP Like this: Like Loading... The Times Higher Education (THE) has released its World University Subject Rankings, highlighting the top 100 universities across 11 academic disciplines, with the University of Macau (UM) featured in all categories, while the Macau University of Science and Technology (MUST) and the City University of Macau (CityU Macau) also made the list. The 2026 THE World University Subject Rankings cover 11 disciplinary categories: Arts and Humanities, Business and Economics, Medical and Health Sciences, Computer Science, Education Studies, Engineering, Law, Life Sciences, Physical Sciences, Psychology, and Social Sciences. In this ranking, the University of Macau made improvements across several disciplines. Notably, its Education program entered the global top 100, ranking 83rd, up from 126th150th in 2025, while Computer Science, Engineering, and Psychology advanced to the 101st125th positions. Additionally, Arts and Humanities, Medical and Health Sciences, Life Sciences, Physical Sciences, and Social Sciences all entered the top 200. The other two ranked institutions in Macau secured positions in Business and Economics, Computer Science, Education Studies, Medical and Health Sciences, Psychology, and Social Sciences. Notably, the Macau University of Science and Technology outperformed UM in Business and Economics, ranking 175th overall. According to the rankings highlights, five universities from mainland China have been positioned in the top 40, up from three last year, while a record six spots in the top 200 have been occupied by Hong Kong universities due to improved teaching metrics. Phil Baty, chief global affairs officer at THE, reportedly stated that this years rankings reaffirm the shifting landscape of global higher education and research, with East Asia challenging the traditional dominance of Western institutions. Significant strides have reportedly been made in geostrategically critical fields such as Computer Science and Physical Sciences, particularly by China. The THE World University Subject Rankings are adjusted based on the methodology used in the World University Rankings. Covering 11 major disciplinary fields, the rankings utilize 18 performance indicators across five key areas: teaching, research environment, research quality, international outlook, and industry. These rankings provide a comprehensive assessment of academic and research performance of universities worldwide. Like this: Like Loading... Cheating on UK driving tests surged almost 50 per cent last year, with fraudsters increasingly turning to hidden technology and impersonation, official figures show. UK authorities report a sharp rise in driving test cheating, with tech-assisted methods A freedom of information request by the Press Association News Agency revealed 2,844 attempts to cheat on theory and practical driving tests in England, Wales and Scotland in the year to September 2025 a 47 per cent increase on the previous year. Of these, more than 1,100 incidents involved Bluetooth earpieces or other hidden devices, often used to receive real-time assistance during theory tests. Impersonation attempts were also widespread: 1,084 people tried to take theory tests on behalf of others, while 647 attempted to sit practical tests as someone else. In total, 96 individuals were prosecuted for attempting to cheat or impersonate candidates. The DVSA has strengthened safeguards, including matching candidates faces with photo ID for practical tests and checking that pockets and sleeves are empty during theory exams. Marian Kitson, the DVSAs director of enforcement services, said: It is essential that all drivers demonstrate they have the right skills, knowledge, and attitude to drive safely. People who attempt to cheat driving tests put all road users at risk by trying to obtain a driving licence fraudulently. Our counter-fraud team carries out robust investigations into suspected fraud, working with the police to bring fraudsters to justice and keep Britains roads safe. Experts warn the risks extend beyond legal consequences. Dr Rasha Kassem, leader of the Fraud Research Group at Aston University, said: It means that there will be more accidents, collisions, insurance issues as well, damage to the car, and damage to human beings, injuries, and in some cases, death. There has to be public awareness, because this is a serious crime, from my perspective, and also in the eyes of the law. It is fraud. Long waiting times for practical tests may be a contributing factor. Carly Brookfield, chief executive of the Driving Instructors Association, told the BBC: It almost seems inevitable in an era of lots of demand, but very little consistent supply, that you are going to get people engaging in risky behaviours, like using a cheat service to try and pass. The DVSA says it continues to invest in detection methods and enforcement to combat the growing trend. Wing Lei Bar at Wynn Palace has reintroduced its Unity signature menu, inspired by its global collaborations, and announced the launch of Wing Lei Bar & Friends, a year-long series of quarterly cocktail takeovers. Curated by head mixologist Mark Lloyd, Unity reflects a year of travel and collaborations with renowned bars from Buenos Aires to Bangkok. Drawing on his background in industrial chemistry and craft distilling, Lloyd emphasizes relationships alongside recipes, creating cocktails that combine creativity and precision. The menu spans four categories Classics, Sours, Alternatini, and Stirred and features inventive highlights such as Hand of God, a banana-infused Boulevardier inspired by Argentinas Tres Monos, Tommys Holiday, a tribute to tequila legend Julio Bermejo, and Not Quite a Penicillin, a smoky reinterpretation incorporating oyster sauce and sand ginger. Wing Lei Bar & Friends will host rotating guest bartenders, transforming the 29-seat salon into a platform for elite mixology talent throughout the year. Like this: Like Loading... SINGAPORE To reduce the hierarchy between academic and vocational pathways, countries must provide real opportunities for people to excel and attain mastery in technical fields, said President Tharman Shanmugaratnam. Singapore is focused on this, Mr Tharman said in remarks opening a session at the World Economic Forum (WEF) titled A Coming Jobs Challenge In Emerging Markets? on Jan 21 in Davos, Switzerland. There still exists in education systems around the world, including in Asia, an overly academic education system, Mr Tharman said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement It should not be an either-or choice of an academic or more technical education. It has to be about providing pathways for everyone to ascend and excel through the pathway that matches their interests and capabilities. Mr Tharman raised this as one way that governments can act to create more and better jobs a chief concern for most people globally. Turning away from the geopolitics of the day, what is on the minds of most people is the need for security and growth in their careers, Mr Tharman said. If we start with what is on the minds of most people, jobs must therefore be a central priority. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement To create jobs in the developing world, one can start with lessons from what has already worked in other parts of the world, he said. Job creation has worked relatively well in several countries in East Asia, Mr Tharman noted. One way these countries have done this is in developing human capital and not just in schools. This starts much further upstream in early childhood development, starting with nutrition for children who are still in the womb, he said. He cited an example of a scheme in India known as anganwadi centres rural childcare centres in villages that focus on maternal and child health. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement These early-stage investments have the largest multipliers over a lifetime all the studies show that, Mr Tharman said. Other strategies adopted by East Asia in the past are still relevant for South Asia and Africa, but have more limited potential than in the past, Mr Tharman noted. Manufacturing is now much more a story of technology, and increasingly about advanced robotics and artificial intelligence, he said. But its potential for job creation in the developing world has not disappeared. He cited how a lot of manufacturing in China and middle-income countries like Vietnam, Brazil and Malaysia is not at the top end. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement China has moved up to very high skill levels, but it is still doing a lot of traditional low-end manufacturing using advanced equipment, he noted. If part of that can be decanted to Africa and South Asia it is already being decanted to places like Tamil Nadu in India it can create a big lift in manufacturing employment. As China addresses its domestic imbalances, including its overproduction of manufacturing goods, there is scope for moving more of that production to other parts of the developing world, Mr Tharman said. The green transition also presents a major opportunity for job creation in the developing world, he said. Africa and South Asia are rich in solar, wind, hydro and thermal energy, and they could be sites for energy-intensive production for the world, apart from their own regional markets, he noted. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Mr Tharman said studies have shown that the number of jobs created by a dollar of investment in renewable energy is some three times higher than that in fossil fuels. This is not an ideological question, or of fossil fuel versus renewable industry interests, he said. The question in regions that are critically short of jobs is where can we generate the most jobs? This is a real opportunity that did not exist at the time East Asia took off: The opportunity to create a range of jobs unskilled, semi-skilled and high-skilled through the transition to renewable energy, he noted. The session was moderated by WEF managing director Saadia Zahidi. Sri Lankan Prime Minister Harini Amarasuriya, Nigerian Finance Minister Wale Edun, Petronas chief executive Tengku Muhammad Taufik, Infosys non-executive chairman Nandan Nilekani, World Bank president Ajay S. Banga and Bloomberg journalist Stephanie Flanders also spoke. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Mr Banga opened the session along with Mr Tharman, noting that over the next 12 to 15 years, 1.2 billion young people in emerging markets will become eligible for a job. Yet those very same economies are currently projected to produce around 400 million jobs, he said. So, the issue is that we have a real challenge here in terms of getting the right impetus for their growth, while at the same time, the real opportunity that hope and optimism, and employed people, whether working for someone or entrepreneurs, that drive, that energy, that optimism, that hope, and what it means for our grandchildren. Crucial to getting the job engine going are infrastructure and people being educated with the right policies, with the right financial services, Mr Banga said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Mr Banga also shared some findings from the World Bank Group High-Level Advisory Council on Jobs, which Mr Tharman co-chairs with former president of the Republic of Chile Michelle Bachelet. The council has highlighted five sectors to focus on: infrastructure, primary healthcare, agriculture for small farmers, tourism, and value-added manufacturing. Source: The Straits Times SPH Media Limited. Permission required for reproduction Discover how to enjoy other premium articles here This article was originally published on 14 January, 2026. The situation between the USA and Greenland has developed very quickly, and so parts of this article may have been superseded by events. And yet, in analysing Trumps reasons for wanting Greenland, and the hypocrisy of the Danish ruling class who fear losing their colonial possession this article remains useful in understanding the general processes that are now unfolding at pace. [Originally published in Danish at marxist.dk] On 23 December 2024, Trump announced his ambition for the US to take over Greenland. Now, a year later, Trump and his administration are even more insistent on getting Greenland into American hands. People in Trumps administration are talking about buying the country, and Trump himself will not rule out forcing his will through military means. Last year, Foreign Minister Lars Lkke Rasmussen famously said that Trump should be taken seriously, but not literally. However, the last year of Trump in the White House has shown that Trump actually means what he says. This has caused widespread panic among the Danish establishment, which, after 300 years of rule, now risks losing its Arctic colony. The government has issued countless appeals to Trump to change course, but all their appeals have fallen on deaf ears. Trump seems determined to take over Greenland one way or another. This is the biggest foreign policy crisis for Denmark since World War II and an existential crisis for the kingdom. Martin Krasnik, editor-in-chief of Weekendavisen, aptly put into words the realisation that is spreading at the top of society: There will probably be an offensive move by the US, and it would be foolish to count on decisive help from the US Congress, the Constitution or Denmark's allies. We are at a crossroads in Danish history with the prospect of the dissolution of the Danish kingdom. In many ways, the current situation resembles a repeat of what happened last year. But the crisis is now at a higher level. The Danish government is much weaker now than it was a year ago. At the same time, following its attack on Venezuela, the American government is filled with confidence, and proven to the world that it is not afraid to use brute force to enforce its interests. But why is Trump so determined to gain control of Greenland? Imperialist great power rivalry Trumps desire to take over Greenland is an expression of the general crisis of the capitalist system, which has intensified competition for the world market and increased the contradictions between nations and their respective capitalist classes. We are witnessing a renewed rivalry between the most important imperialist powers, especially the United States and China, but also Russia, which is felt across the globe in the form of wars and conflicts. We are witnessing a renewed rivalry between the most important imperialist powers / Image: Iecs The United States is by far the strongest imperialist power in the world, but it is an imperialist power in relative decline. The time when the US was the worlds undisputed superpower and could impose its will on all corners of the world is definitely over. The world today is increasingly reminiscent of the situation leading up to World War I, when the struggle between a handful of imperialist powers led to the division of the entire world between them, into their respective spheres of influence. Trumps foreign policy is a recognition of the limitations of American capitalism and the changed global balance of power. Instead of trying to maintain American dominance across the globe, Trump has concluded that American imperialism should first and foremost prioritise strengthening its control over its immediate neighbourhood, and those parts of the world where the US has essential interests. Greenland in the Arctic is one such area. The US cannot, therefore, accept an independent Greenland for fear that China or Russia will gain a foothold on the North American continent. At the same time, it is abundantly clear to everyone that small, weak Denmark is in no way capable of defending Greenland and enforcing Danish sovereignty over the island. Since the end of World War II, such enforcement has been outsourced to the US, which defends the country militarily on behalf of Denmark. Trump is not the first American president to conclude that if the United States pays to defend Greenland, which is in a geopolitically important location for the United States, then the territory should also belong to the United States. Right now, both Denmark and Greenland have governments in power that support American imperialism. But for American imperialism, the mere possibility that this could change and that governments hostile to the US could come to power is a risk they cannot afford to take in the current global situation. The US therefore feels a need to gain direct control over Greenland to ensure that no irresponsible government comes to power that could jeopardise US interests. The American imperialists are trying to make their desire to take over Greenland appear to be a defensive action. They are trying to paint a picture of an acute Russian and Chinese threat in the Arctic, and claim that it is necessary for the US to own Greenland in order to prevent China and Russia from taking over the country. The picture that Trump paints of Greenland being surrounded by Russian and Chinese ships is an obvious lie, invented to justify the annexation of the country. It is clear who the real aggressor is: the US, which openly talks about annexing Greenland and thus pushing its border even further north to gain full control over its continent. Exacerbating all divisions The USs attempt to take over Greenland has fuelled all divisions at the top of Danish society and exacerbated the political crisis in Danish capitalism. Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen is criticised both for being too soft on Trump, and for being too hard and escalating the conflict. Whatever she does, it is wrong. The American imperialists are trying to make their desire to take over Greenland appear to be a defensive action / Image: public domain Trumps attempt to take over Greenland has also increased the divisions between the Danish and Greenlandic governments. After last years election to the Greenlandic Parliament, Jens-Frederik Nielsen from the Demokraatit party became the new Prime Minister. Demokraatit is the party that talks least about independence in the Greenlandic government, and Jens-Frederik Nielsen has subsequently struck a more conciliatory tone towards Copenhagen than has been heard from Nuuk for years. On 13 January, Mette Frederiksen and Jens-Frederik Nielsen held a joint press conference with the aim of projecting unity between the two heads of government. At the press conference, Jens-Frederik Nielsen said that If we have to choose between the United States and Denmark here and now, we choose Denmark. However, Jens-Frederik Nielsen's message, delivered at this press conference, is far from a consensus among the Greenlandic elite. Instead of radiating unity across the kingdom, the events of the last two weeks have revealed that relations between Nuuk and Copenhagen have rarely been more tense than they are right now. This was clearly evident during a Teams meeting on Tuesday, 6 January. The meeting was intended to be used to share confidential information that Danish politicians had received but had not been shared with Greenlandic politicians. Instead of sharing information, disagreements between Danish and Greenlandic politicians boiled over, and the meeting devolved into a shouting match. After the meeting, Pipaluk Lynge, chair of Greenlands Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Committee, told the Danish media: What kind of commonwealth do they imagine? Are we to be subjects who will be informed later behind closed doors or are we to be equals? In its typically know-it-all and condescending manner, the Danish Parliament has withheld confidential information from Greenlandic politicians. Pipaluk therefore pointed out that it is hypocritical when Mette Frederiksen says that decisions about Greenlands future must be made by the Greenlanders, because how can the Greenlanders make any decisions when crucial information is not shared with them? It is no surprise that Greenlandic politicians are frustrated. After all, it is their country that the US is trying to take over. But how has the Danish establishment responded to the criticism from Greenland? They have accused the Greenlanders of creating division within the Danish Realm. For example, the newspaper, Berlingske Tidende wrote in an editorial entitled The Greenlanders are feeding the US with good arguments for annexation that Pipaluks behavior is incredibly counterproductive, and it shows a lack of Greenlandic understanding of the seriousness of the situation. The more Greenlandic politicians fuel the division between Denmark and Greenland, the weaker the entire realm becomes towards the United States. According to Berlingske, it is the Greenlanders who are behaving unfairly and irresponsibly, in contrast to Denmark, the sensible adult. The old, condescending and paternalistic attitude of the Danish bourgeoisie towards Greenland shines through in every word. The editorial continues: All in all, the Greenlanders are busy feeding the US with good arguments as to why an American annexation is necessary. This is true when they talk about independence from Denmark, which is still undefined and therefore deeply risky in the context of NATO. According to Berlingske, it is the Greenlanders talk of independence and criticism of Denmark that is the problem, and the responsibility for Trumps desire to take over Greenland is thus placed on their shoulders. It never occurs to the Danish establishment and those in power that it could be Denmarks patronising and discriminatory treatment of the Greenlanders that is creating division and a legitimate desire for secession from Danish rule. In the wake of the Teams meeting, Greenlandic politicians have talked about establishing a direct connection to the US, bypassing Denmark, which is a violation of the principle in the constitution that Denmark conducts foreign policy on behalf of the entire realm. Danish politicians are insisting on being present in all talks and negotiations, for fear that the Greenlanders will agree to a deal / Image: public domain The proposal has been met with horror by Danish politicians, who are terrified that Denmark risks being cut out as an intermediary. Danish politicians are therefore insisting on being present in all talks and negotiations, for fear that the Greenlanders will agree to a deal with the US that would mean Denmark losing ownership of Greenland. At a press conference, Mette Frederiksen put into words this Danish insistence on being closely involved in any negotiations with Greenland: We come together, we stay together, and we leave together. But Denmarks condescending and patronising approach to Greenland has only confirmed the Greenlandic governments belief that they need to talk to the US without Denmark. A few days after the Teams meeting, Greenlands Minister of Foreign Affairs, Vivian Motzfeldt from the Siumut party, said that Greenland should take the lead in meetings with the US and that Greenland should actually be able to hold talks with the US without Denmark. A consensus is spreading across some of the major parties in Greenland (IA, Siumut, and Naleraq) that Greenland needs to conduct its own foreign policy without Denmark which the Danish establishment will find difficult to reverse. While the Danish establishment tries to cling to Greenland and gets upset every time Greenlandic politicians show the slightest openness towards the US, Danish politicians such as Martin Lidegaard have the nerve to say things like: Greenland could not wish for a better partner than Denmark on the issue of independence. A possible purchase agreement On 7 January, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio told the US Congress that a purchase offer is on the way ahead of the meeting with Greenland and Denmark. It is still unclear what the agreement will entail, but according to the Greenlandic media outlet Sermitsiaq, there are reports that every Greenlander will likely be offered more than 6 million kroner per person. The US attempt to buy Greenland is clearly an imperialist policy that is not about ensuring a rich and satisfying life for the Greenlandic people within the borders of the US, but only about securing the economic and security interests of the American imperialists in the Arctic. Many workers and young people in Denmark can easily see this, and are therefore disgusted by Trumps attempt to buy Greenland and its population as if they were property in a real estate deal. The only reason why the idea of being bought by the United States may seem attractive to a section of the Greenlandic population, is because of the miserable existence that life under Danish capitalism offers them, and the fact that they are still treated as a colony of Denmark. Martin Krasnik recently aptly expressed the establishments colonial mentality when he began an editorial in Weekendavisen with the words: There has been a time for most Danish children when they have sat and looked at a globe and looked at Greenland. Across the enormous, beautiful, white island, the word Greenland was written, followed by the intriguing parenthesis (Denmark). And you felt a little tug in your stomach and thought: How wild and strange that its ours. According to Krasnik, it is therefore our island, and not the land of the Greenlanders. And what kind of existence can life under Danish rule offer the Greenlandic people? Life for the vast majority of Greenlanders is characterised by poverty and a complete lack of positive prospects for the future. Over the weekend of 19-21 December, no fewer than six young people committed suicide in Greenland. Life expectancy for men in Greenland is 69 years and for women 73 years, which is ten years lower than in Denmark and on a par with Syria, which has been through a 13-year civil war! Normally, the media and politicians never talk about Greenland. The establishment has only become interested in Greenland now that Denmark is about to lose it. Even in the current situation, Danish politicians insist on taking the lead, while Greenland is expected to stand and wait politely in the wings while the adults talk to the United States. Denmark has always treated Greenland condescendingly and patronisingly, and this is still the case today. We do not share the political views of Greenlandic politician Kuno Fencker from the Naleraq party, but when asked by a journalist what Denmark should do differently in its approach to Greenland, he hit the nail on the head: Do as the US does and say that you need Greenland. Denmark has never said that. Denmark has just said that Greenland is an expense and that they should be grateful. There is no widespread desire in Greenland to be subject to the United States. Rather, there is a desire to be masters of their own house after more than 300 years of being subject to Denmark as a colony. A section of the Greenlandic population sees a possible association agreement with the US as a way to improve their lives / Image: Kenny McFly, Wikimedia Commons At the same time, however, there is a widespread feeling in Greenland that the status quo is completely untenable. American imperialism is trying to exploit this mood by promising positive improvements, if only the country submits to American domination. A section of the Greenlandic population sees a possible association agreement with the US as a way to improve their lives. Can you blame them? Hardly. While the US promises to improve peoples lives, it is Denmark that bears responsibility for the poverty that characterises the lives of Greenlanders today. A possible invasion There has been much speculation about whether the US might attack Greenland militarily. This seems an unlikely scenario, but with the attack on Venezuela, Trump has proven that he is not afraid to enforce his imperialist policies with brute force. Trump has repeatedly made threats against Greenland, such as: were going to be doing something with Greenland, either the nice way or the more difficult way. It is therefore understandable that almost four out of ten Danes believe that the US will invade Greenland. It is also understandable that many people in Greenland are nervous and fear an American invasion. In addition to the uncertainty and chaos that a military invasion would cause, many are also well aware that life under American rule would not herald a bright future for the people of Greenland, despite Trumps promises of a land of milk and honey. Right now, there are voices from both the right and the left in Denmark demanding a larger Danish military presence in Greenland to deter the US. The demand comes from, among others, the conservative politician Rasmus Jarlov. But the person pushing hardest to send Danish soldiers to Greenland is Pelle Dragsted of the Red-Green Alliance. In an interview with TV2, Dragsted says: It should not be the case that you can just land a helicopter in Nuuk and plant the American flag. We need to make it clear that it will be an armed conflict if the Americans go down that path. In an interview with Information, Dragsted subsequently admits that it is unrealistic that the Danish military would be able to win a conflict with the American military. As he himself puts it, it will probably be quickly decided. When asked the question, does that mean sacrificing Danish soldiers in a battle you know is lost in advance? Dragsted replied: When you have a defence force, it is there to be used, and when you enlist in the Armed Forces, it is of course also a known risk that you will go to war. In other words, yes, pushing for military confrontation would be sending soldiers to their certain death, completely in vain. Dragsted is therefore prepared to go to war against the worlds greatest superpower and send soldiers to their deaths, knowing full well that the battle cannot be won. For what? In a desperate and purely symbolic attempt to defend Danish imperialisms rule over Greenland. In taking a front-row seat in defence of the Kingdom, Dragsted has illustrated just how far to the right he has shifted, along with the rest of the leadership of the Red-Green Alliance. Moreover, a Danish military victory against the Americans is completely unrealistic. Denmark will never be able to defeat the American military. Even if Denmark doubled or increased its military presence tenfold, it would still be no match for the American military. The fact is that Denmark cannot defend Greenland against the US, Russia, China or any other country. This is precisely part of the problem and one reason why the US feels the need to gain direct control over the country. Danish politicians were very indignant when JD Vance criticised Denmark for neglecting its responsibility to secure Greenland. But Vance has a point, because the Danish government is openly lying about its military capabilities in Greenland and has not kept a single one of the promises it made to the US government about rearming Greenland during Trumps first term. The government claims to have invested 90 billion Danish kroner (10.5 billion) in strengthening Greenlands defence, but the Danish government only plans to invest 42 billion Danish kroner (4.9 billion) far below the 90 billion. At the same time, they are far from implementing the new weapon systems they have allocated money to purchase. Pelle Dragsted has also said that Denmark should request a force of foreign soldiers in Greenland from countries such as France and the Nordic countries but this is completely unrealistic. European countries cannot even agree to send a force to Ukraine to resist Russia, so how could this be possible with Greenland against a NATO ally? The threats from American imperialism are serious, but we cannot respond by calling on the Danish colonial power to increase its military presence / Image: public domain Several European countries, including the United Kingdom, France, and Germany, have issued a statement expressing support for Denmark and defending Greenlands sovereignty. The establishment in Denmark hopes that these statements of support will help persuade the US to change course. But behind the expressed support for Denmark from various European government leaders lies the reality that Europe is weak, in crisis, and completely dependent on the US. This is clearly revealed by the fact that no one condemns the US or mentions Trump by name. The powers that be in Europe are trying to tie American imperialism to Europe by keeping the US engaged in the Ukraine war, because the European imperialists themselves are unable to combat Russias growing influence in Eastern Europe. There are therefore clear limits to how far the support for Denmark from European leaders will go, because there are greater interests at stake that they do not want to risk jeopardising because of Greenland. European countries can neither come to the aid of the Danish kingdom against the US, nor are they willing to do so. The US is well aware of this. As Stephen Miller, one of Trumps closest advisers, said, nobody is going to fight the US militarily over the future of Greenland. The threats from American imperialism are serious, but we cannot respond by calling on the Danish colonial power to increase its military presence, or by calling on other imperialist powers in NATO to defend Greenland against the US. This is both naive and, politically speaking, deeply reprehensible. How can anything progressive ever come from strengthening the Danish states military presence in Greenland, a country it has oppressed for over 300 years? We do not fight imperialism by appealing to another imperialism. If the Danish state manages to maintain its control over Greenland, it will simply mean a continuation of the unsustainable status quo in Greenland, which for the majority of Greenlanders means a life of poverty and oppression. The world in upheaval The USs attempt to take over Greenland has exposed the weakness of the Danish ruling class. They have nothing to offer the US and no muscle to prevent the US from taking over Greenland. The entire top echelon of Danish society is therefore in disarray and panic. In early January, Mette Frederiksen said in an interview that if the US attacks another NATO country, everything stops. This reflects both the panic of those in power and the real situation of Danish capitalism. Indeed, the entire old world order, led by the US and on which Danish capitalism has been based for 80 years, is in total disarray. The mere thought of a different world, where the US does not dominate supremely, and where Denmark can no longer fly under the wing of American imperialism, is unthinkable for the Danish rulers, because they have no other alternative. It is solely by virtue of its sovereignty over Greenland that the Danish bourgeoisie has had any relevance and influence on the international scene. Since the end of World War II, the Danish bourgeoisie has benefited from a particularly close relationship with the United States, based on Denmarks ownership of Greenland a territory where the United States has important security interests. At the same time, the Danish bourgeoisie willingly played the role of the extended arm of American imperialism in Europe. It was because of this close relationship with the US that government leaders and those in power in the rest of Europe had to listen when Denmark spoke. As an expression of this, Mette Frederiksen was named the second most powerful person in Europe in 2025 by the media outlet Politico. But now that Denmarks importance on the world stage is set to be downgraded to the countrys actual size, it is highly doubtful whether various government leaders will continue to answer the phone when Mette Frederiksen calls. We are in a new era an era of undisguised imperialism, where the superpowers divide the whole world into their respective spheres of influence. We can only fight Trump and American imperialism by fighting the capitalist system, which is the very driving force behind imperialism. It is clearer than ever before that the world is governed by the principle that might is right, i.e. the strong have power over the weak. This will always be the case as long as the fundamental driving force in the world is the pursuit of profit and the world is divided into superpowers competing for control of markets, resources, and spheres of influence. In other words, there can be no freedom for small nations such as Greenland (and Denmark) as long as the capitalist system exists. We must therefore organise ourselves in the struggle to overthrow this rotten capitalist system through a socialist revolution. As communists here in Denmark, we must first and foremost fight to overthrow Danish capitalism and fight for such a revolution to spread. Just as our American sister organisation, the Revolutionary Communist of America, is doing in the United States. This is the greatest contribution Danish workers and young people can make to the Greenlanders struggle for freedom from imperialism, colonialism, and oppression. 2026 began with a bang. More precisely, it began with bombs exploding in Caracas and the kidnapping of Venezuelan president, Nicolas Maduro. In case you werent aware, thats not supposed to happen in the rules based international order. [Originally published at marxist.ca] At first, Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney tried to avoid the uncomfortable truth. In response to Trumps actions in Venezuela, he made a bland statement which failed to mention what had actually happened while simultaneously counseling all sides to adhere to international law. But now the truth is unavoidable, the so-called rules based order is deadand its not coming back. The Davos revelation Carneys speech at the World Economic Forum meeting in Davos has been called the eulogy for the old world order, by the CBC. In it, Carney explained that the new world situation is one where great powers abandon even the pretense of rules and values for the unhindered pursuit of their power and interests. Pundits across the political spectrum have praised Carney for this honest and blunt assessment of the world situation. But the fact is it was inevitable that reality was going to come to bear and force world leaders to admit that the so-called rules-based order was dead. Carney has simply been the most honest about this so far. Indeed, Carneys speech was remarkable for its blunt honesty. Rarely do we hear imperialist politicians speak so clearly about the system they have created to rule the world. In his speech, Carney described the international rules-based order as a useful fiction, dominated by U.S. hegemony. He explained that the strongest would exempt themselves when convenient, that trade rules were enforced asymmetrically, and we knew that international law applied with varied rigour, depending on the identity of the accused or the victim. While many liberals have decried Trumps actions as a return to imperialism, Carneys comments have blown up this argument. Carneys admissions confirm everything that Marxists have always explained about the United Nations, international law and the entire hypocritical international order. Carneys utopian gamble One thing that Carney did not speak so plainly about is what use, exactly, Canadian imperialism found in this old world order. The truth is that in this order, Canada was a junior partner to U.S. imperialism. Canada benefited from the military might of NATO (primarily the U.S.) and developed as a mining and banking power with interests all over the world. The useful fiction allowed Canadian imperialism to employ double speak and talk about peace keeping and democracy while they pillaged the wealth of Africa and Latin America. But with the break up of the old world order, Canadas imperialist interests abroad are threatened. Not only this, Canadas close economic ties with the United States, once a source of immense strength, are now its Achilles heel. Carneys solution is to try to form an alliance of the middle powers, because if were not at the table, were on the menu. But this is a massive utopian pipe dream. While middle powers like India and Brazil have been able to rely on China when bullied by America, the situation is different with Canada. While 18 per cent of Indian exports and 12 per cent of Brazilian exports went to the United States in 2024, this number is 76 per cent for Canada. Canada overwhelmingly relies on the American market and it will be far more difficult for Canada to pivot away from America. As well, as the Business Council of Canada president Goldy Hyder has argued: Many things have changed this year, but two havent: geography and math. The Canadian and the American economies are more integrated than any other two economies in the world. The shared border is the largest border shared by any two countries. And the U.S. consumer market is the largest in the world, and its right next door. These difficulties are compounded by the fact that there is a crisis of overproduction everywhere and the ruling class of each country is struggling to find a market for their goods. In this context, to think that Canada is somehow going to find a replacement for the United States is frankly utopian. While Carney has rushed through trade deals with a dozen countries in the last six months, these will not replace the American market. In the unlikely event that they do to some degree, it will be at great cost. And then there is the elephant in the room: What does Trump think about all of this? At Davos, Trump has made a veiled threat, stating: They should be grateful to us, Canada. Canada lives because of the United States. Remember that, Mark, the next time you make your statements. With the CUSMA trade negotiations right around the corner, the situation does not look good for Canadian capitalism. Workers of the world unite! In his speech, Carney employed an anecdote about a grocer in the U.S.S.R.-satellite state of Czechoslovakia, who had been living a fiction by putting up the sign workers of the world unite while knowing no one believed the slogan. It indeed was an empty phrase in the Stalinist Soviet Bloc countries. The bureaucracy, in prioritizing its own survival, sacrificed countless revolutions around the world to maintain peaceful coexistence with the western imperialists. But this anecdote doesnt mean working class internationalism is a fictionprecisely the opposite! What failed in the Soviet Union was not socialism or communism but Stalinism. What the 20th century taught us is that socialism in one country does not work. In this new world order, we can put no faith in any capitalist government, whether its Trump or Carney, who look out for the interests of their own ruling class above all else. In Carneys frank words, this new world order will be poorer, more fragile and less sustainable. But who will be poorer exactly? According to Oxfam, billionaire wealth increased faster in 2025 than the previous five years. Meanwhile, the living conditions of working class people have steadily declined. Make no mistake, in this new world order, just like in the old, workers will be the ones who are made to suffer from the consequences of these inter-imperialist rivalries. In his speech, Carney made that clear when he bragged that he plans on doubling military spending by the end of the decade. He also mentioned cutting capital gains and business taxes to try to spur investment. To pay for this, Carneys government is already handing out layoff notices to thousands of government employees. And this is clearly just the beginning of a massive phase of attacks on social services, layoffs, attacks on unions etc. What we are facing is a new world order of internecine imperialist conflict where the workers of each country will be forced onto the road of struggle. In this struggle they will rediscover their revolutionary traditions and learn who their real friends and enemies are. It is up to us to build a movement imbued with the spirit of working class internationalism. A movement that does not brandish workers of the world unite as a convenient fictionbut as the guiding theory to our struggle against the barbarism of capitalism in decline. Our allies are not in the boardrooms of Bay Street or the Parliament in Ottawa but in the streets of Minneapolis, the poor neighbourhoods of Paris and London, in the barrios of Venezuela and the factories and mines of China. Faced with this new world order of war, imperialist conflict, misery and decline, workers can rely only on our own strength. This article has been reviewed according to Science X's editorial process and policies . Editors have highlighted the following attributes while ensuring the content's credibility: Credit: Unsplash/CC0 Public Domain Researchers at Queen Mary's Barts Cancer Institute have found a more active approach to monitoring and treating people with a rare eye cancer (known as uveal melanoma) that has spread to the liver could help some patients to live longer. The findings, from a retrospective study of the largest UK cohort of patients with this condition to date, offer an encouraging sign of progress in this rare and difficult-to-treat cancer. Uveal melanoma is a rare type of eye cancer with around 600700 new cases each year in the UK. When the disease spreads to the liver, treatment options are limited, and most people live less than two years. Because it is so rare, large clinical trials are difficult to carry out, giving doctors little evidence to guide care. In this new study, published in Annals of Surgery Open, Professor Hemant Kocher and colleagues looked back at the records of 58 people treated between 2010 and 2024 at Barts Health NHS Trust and The London Clinic. The team wanted to see whether careful monitoring and more active removal of metastases were associated with longer survival. People whose cancer had spread to only a few small areas of the liver were offered surgery or a heat-based technique called ablation to remove or destroy the tumors, along with chemotherapy or immunotherapy where appropriate. They were then followed up closely so that, if the cancer returned, new spots could be treated straight away. Those who received the combined approach lived a median of 45 months after their liver treatmentnearly four years, where median survival for this condition is usually less than two years. A few patients who received the new approach have now lived eight to ten years after treatment, an outcome rarely seen for this cancer. One patient, Margaret, is alive today, 13 years after her original diagnosis in 2012. She comments, "I'm eternally grateful that Professor Kocher has given me all of these extra years to enjoy with my loved ones." The study's survival results also compare favorably with those seen in recent immunotherapy trials for this disease, suggesting that surgery or ablation may have an important role alongside drug treatments. Professor Kocher said, "By adapting what we've learned from more common cancers such as bowel cancer, we've shown that some people with uveal melanoma could benefit from active and repeated treatment when the cancer is found early in the liver." The researchers stress that this was a small, retrospective study rather than a clinical trial, so further research is needed to confirm the results and fully understand the factors contributing to the longer survival in these patients. They now seek to carry out larger, prospective studies and to explore the biology behind these differences. "Although our findings need to be tested in future studies, they show that people with this rare cancer do have options and reasons for hope," Professor Kocher added. "Patients with metastatic uveal melanoma need more treatment options," noted Dr. Marc Hurlbert, CEO, Melanoma Research Alliance (MRA). "Professor Kocher and his colleagues present an interesting retrospective case series on the impact of intensive surveillance for oligometastatic liver disease and the impact of surgical resection/ablation and systemic treatment on long-term remission in some cases. We look forward to additional institutions reporting their experiences and to future prospective trials and validation in multi-center cohorts across the globe." The work involved collaborators from Barts Health NHS Trust, The London Clinic and Moorfields Eye Hospital. Researchers were supported by grants from The London Clinic, Pancreatic Cancer Research Fund and the NIHR Barts Biomedical Research Center. Margaret's story Margaret is one of the patients included in the new study published by Professor Kocher and his team. Her story began in June 2012, when she told her optician that she had been seeing what looked like a hair in her vision that she couldn't seem to brush away. After further tests, she was referred to Moorfields Eye Hospital and was diagnosed with stage 4 uveal melanoma. "I was told a tumor had been found, and it was too large for any option other than to remove my eye. I was absolutely stunned. Everything had happened so quickly," Margaret explains. "Within 10 days of mentioning the hairline issue at my opticians, I had surgery booked at St Bartholomew's Hospital to remove my eye." The surgery was successful, but Margaret was also warned that there was a risk the cancer could spread to her liver. "I went for regular ultrasounds at my local hospital and everything was going well. Until they found something in my liver. Immediately, I knew I needed to be in the right hands. I knew the cancer was rare and information about it was limited, so I needed specialists," says Margaret. After expressing this to her surgeon, Margaret was referred to Professor Peter Szlosarek, Professor of Medical Oncology at Barts Cancer Institute, Queen Mary University of London, and a specialist oncologist working in London and the East of England. Margaret worked closely with her medical team to make informed decisions that reflected what mattered most to her. Professor Szlosarek outlined her options, including immunotherapy or liver surgery. "I knew immunotherapy could have side effects, so I decided to enquire about the possibility of surgery," says Margaret. Professor Szlosarek therefore recommended Margaret meet with Professor Kocher. "I met Professor Kocher and instantly knew I was in capable, safe hands. His team was fantastic, and I had complete faith in them. I can't praise him enough," says Margaret. "He empathetically considers any underlying concerns and needs I may have and then, after considered discussions, we come up with our joint action plan and I know the final decision is the right one for me. I wanted a top doctor who would listen, in a top location with excellent nurses, and that's exactly what I got!" Margaret underwent surgery to remove part of her liver in January 2016 and then received regular MRI and PET/CT scans every six months to monitor her liver's health. When the team detected another tumor in her liver in April 2021, Margaret again decided to have surgery to remove the tumor. Margaret has lived with her cancer now for more than 13 years since her original diagnosis and is still receiving regular scans. She says that she is proud to have contributed to Professor Kocher's retrospective study of the largest UK cohort of uveal melanoma patients "I'm eternally grateful that Professor Kocher has given me all of these extra years to enjoy with my loved ones," Margaret says. More information Hemant M. Kocher et al, Intensive Surveillance and Aggressive Multimodal Treatment for Liver Metastases From Uveal Melanoma, Annals of Surgery Open (2025). DOI: 10.1097/as9.0000000000000620 This article has been reviewed according to Science X's editorial process and policies . Editors have highlighted the following attributes while ensuring the content's credibility: Picture of a 3D-structure made with fluorescence microscopy: nuclei (blue), cardiac muscle cells (green), fibroblasts (yellow) and endothelial cells (red). Credit: Leiden University Researchers from Leiden University Medical Center (LUMC) and the Leiden-based biotech company Ncardia have joined forces to develop a new platform that enables the automated production of 3D cardiac microtissues. This platform will allow large numbers of drugs to be tested quickly. Congenital cardiac arrhythmias are inherited disorders of the heart's electrical system and can lead to life-threatening rhythm disturbances or sudden cardiac death. Although each condition is rare, together they affect approximately 1 in 2,000 people worldwide. For many patients, effective treatment options are still limited. Stem cell models of the heart To develop better therapies, it is essential that heart diseases are studied in models that closely reflect human heart biology. Human pluripotent stem cells offer unique opportunities in this respect. Richard Davis, group leader at LUMC and Associate Investigator at reNEW Leiden, explains: "Pluripotent stem cells can multiply indefinitely and be directed in the laboratory into almost any cell type in the body. In our group, we use them to generate heart cells that allow us to study cardiac arrhythmias and develop new treatments in a human-relevant model." In recent years, cardiac stem cell models have become increasingly complex. "Early models consisted of a single layer of heart muscle cells," says Davis. "Today, we create small 3D structures containing multiple cardiac cell types. These structures, also known as cardiac microtissues, more closely reflect the human heart." From simple cells to 3D microtissues Using fluorescent dyes that respond to calcium signals or electrical activity, researchers can monitor the beating behavior of these microtissues in great detail and study how drugs influence heart rhythm. Importantly, the researchers showed that these 3D microtissues can predict drug-induced effects on heart function at a level comparable to more labor-intensive 3D heart models. At the same time, the microtissues are generated in a standardized and reproducible format, making them suitable for both drug safety testing and drug discovery applications. Scaling up through automation Together with Ncardia (formerly the LUMC spin-off Pluriomics), the researchers automated the production and analysis of these cardiac microtissues using robotics and machine-learning pipelines. This step was essential, as many advanced 3D heart models are expensive and require specialized equipment and expertise, limiting their use in large-scale drug testing. "By combining LUMC's deep expertise in stem cellbased cardiac disease modeling with Ncardia's automation, manufacturing and analytics capabilities, we have created a scalable platform that brings human-relevant cardiac biology into early drug discovery," says Shushant Jain, Director at Ncardia. "This collaboration allows us to bridge the gap between academic innovation and industrial application, enabling faster and more predictive cardiac safety testing and therapeutic discovery." Screening more than 2,000 compounds Using the automated platform published in Trends in Biotechnology, the team screened more than 2,000 FDA-approved compounds in a model of catecholaminergic polymorphic ventricular tachycardia (CPVT1), a severe inherited cardiac arrhythmia. Through this large-scale screen, the researchers identified about 100 compounds that were able to correct abnormal heart rhythms in the model. These compounds are now being studied further to assess their potential as future therapies for patients. Potential applications The platform can be used for a wide range of applications. These include testing the cardiac safety of new drugs and studying the harmful effects of chemical substances on human heart tissue. The technology may also open new possibilities for patients who do not respond to standard therapies, a group for whom treatment options remain limited. "Using stem cells from individual patients, we can generate personalized cardiac microtissues," says Davis. "This brings us closer to tailoring treatments to the individual patient." Publication details Tessa de Korte et al, Industrialization of 3D hiPSC-cardiac microtissues for high-throughput cardiac safety and drug discovery screening, Trends in Biotechnology (2025). DOI: 10.1016/j.tibtech.2025.11.016 Journal information: Trends in Biotechnology Key medical concepts Pluripotent Stem Cells Clinical categories CardiologyClinical pharmacology This article has been reviewed according to Science X's editorial process and policies . Editors have highlighted the following attributes while ensuring the content's credibility: This illustration shows how the entire In-Motion Technologies AI tool works. From left: an infant lies on its back and is filmed by its parents. The video is processed by computer which identifies the 19 important body parts in the video. The In-Motion Technologies AI tool assesses the infants movements and assigns a risk of cerebral palsy for every five seconds of video, which a doctor can review simultaneously while viewing the video. Credit: The NTNU In-Motion Project A breakthrough method from the 1990s is now being transformed into an AI-powered tool to help doctors diagnose cerebral palsy. Imagine you're a parent with a newborn who might be at risk for cerebral palsy. Maybe your baby was born too early. Maybe there were problems with the birth: an infection or trauma that interrupted the blood flow to the baby's brain. You'd often have to wait for a definite diagnosisperhaps until your child turns two. That's a long time for a parent to wonderand even more critically, it prevents caregivers from offering help at a time when a baby's brain can best respond to treatment. So, when Lars Adde, a physical therapist working at the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) at St Olavs Hospital, first heard about an Austrian doctor's breakthrough approach to early diagnosis of cerebral palsy in the late 1990s, he was all in. In the early 2000s, he and several colleagues from his department decided to bring the technique, called the General Movement Assessment, to Trondheim. "We trained in the General Movement Assessment technique, and we did a lot of studies implementing this tool in the clinical follow-up program here at the hospital from 2002 to 2019," he said on the latest episode of 63 Degrees North, NTNU's English language podcast. How it works The General Movement Assessment technique, despite its clunky name, relies on a surprisingly simple idea: an infant lying on its back will spontaneously move its arms and legs in a seemingly random way. Doctors use the word fidgety to describe the movements. "It's like small dancing movements in the whole body. And it's like the infant is orchestrating the world while waving its arms and legs," Adde said in the podcast. But to the trained eye, these movements are noticeably different in a baby that will later develop clear signs of cerebral palsythe movements are stiffer and cramped. "You have spontaneous movements, but the quality of them is very different. This is what we call the lack of these fidgety movements. The fidgety movements that are variable are not there. And this is a sign that gives this child a higher risk," Adde explained. A valid approachbut not widely adopted Adde and his colleagues embraced the technique and worked together as a team to evaluate videos of infants from the NICU who might be at risk. But when they were talking to colleagues outside of Norway, they realized that the General Movement Assessment wasn't as widely adopted as you might think. They were initially surprised because the technique promises early diagnosis of cerebral palsy in infants long before the standard approach would give a definitive diagnosis. But both time and money could prove a significant barrier. "You need a lot of training. It's quite expensive to take these courses and to take this education, you also have to practice all the time to observe videos. So the sustainability of really having these general movement assessment teams in hospitals, all the places they are needed, it's not possible in practice," he said. Videos from across the globeand computers that look for patterns That got Adde to thinking: videos could be assessed with the help of a computer. Would that expand the ability of NICU doctors to use this early assessment technique to identify infants most at risk? To test this idea, Adde and his colleagues needed a collection of videos of infants from across the globe to establish what was normal and what would be an indicator for cerebral palsy. So that's what they did. "We set up multi-site center studies, clinical studies. We cooperated with four hospitals in Norway. We cooperated with two big hospitals in Chicago, in the United States, and with a big hospital in the southern parts of India and also in Belgium, Denmark, Turkey," he said. Eventually, he and his collaborators collected videos of about 600 infants and followed the infants all the way until they were between 3 and 5 years old. That way they knew without a doubt which infants would eventually develop cerebral palsy. Home videos and 19 data points Along the way, the researchers realized that they could probably let parents take videos of their infants themselves, and they set up a study to make sure the videos were equally useful as videos made in the hospital. The study clearly showed the home videos worked well. Now any family that is being followed up after a stay at the NICU at St Olavs is asked to do a video recording of their infant at home before they come in for their three-month checkup. The researchers also developed a computer motion tracker that made it possible to track 19 body points from the digital video images. "We trained an AI algorithm to do motion capture from 19 different body points. We were sitting with 20,000 frames from different videos, and we were annotating: where is the nose? Where is the right and left wrist? Where is the right and left ankle? So we clicked in these positions manually in 20,000 frames. And then we used this data to train an AI model to automatically track these positions from videos," Adde said on the podcast. A clinical study using the AI algorithm found a correlation between the movement data from the 19 positions and the cerebral palsy or no cerebral palsy diagnosis. It was one of the first such studies internationally to make this connection, Adde said. The next steps As the utility of the AI motion tracker as a diagnostic tool became clear, Adde reached out to NTNU's Technology Transfer Office, the TTO. As a university employee, you're required to do this if you have something you think could be commercialized. The TTO thought his idea was good. At first they thought they could find an industrial partner to license the solution from the university. But after a couple of years of unsuccessful efforts, they elected to pursue a different approach. "What we realized is that it was not straightforward to get an industrial partner on board. We then got the idea, let's try another way," Adde said. "It's a hard way, it's a difficult way, it's a probably a long way. And that was to establish a startup company ourselves." New company, and regulatory hurdles This new company is called In-Motion Technologies and has just two employees, including Adde. The company has a mock-up of how their AI tool could be used by doctors as an aid in diagnosis and is trying to find investors. And because software of this type is regulated as a medical device, it has to be approved by regulators. That in itself can be a long and challenging process. Another challenge relates to the fact that AI is involved, which is also regulated. Part of the regulatory process involves being able to understand and explain how the AI makes its decisions from the information it has been given. That's not easy either. The way that AI makes judgments is kind of opaque. Computer scientists refer to the AI's internal assessment processes as a black box. Adde and his colleagues have finally begun to crack open that black box to understand how AI makes its predictions so they can get the software approved. It's been quite a journey for someone who began his career as a young physical therapist, hoping to make the lives of at-risk infants better. "I have been in the clinical field, I've been a researcher for many years, and now I'm also an entrepreneur. So I had three hats, so lots of hats. It's a little bit challenging, but it's very fun. From the beginning, my motivation was to find new tools to give better help to small infants," Adde said. Key medical concepts Cerebral Palsy This article has been reviewed according to Science X's editorial process and policies . Editors have highlighted the following attributes while ensuring the content's credibility: Credit: CC0 Public Domain Albert Einstein once said, "Failure is success in progress." Indeed, while failure can be frustrating, painful, even demotivating, research shows it can be an effective tool for learning. Associate Professor Lauren Margulieux says the research on failure and learning really drew her in. "There's so much to learn about learning from how our brains work, but the biological components of learning are often not represented in education research," she notes. So Margulieux co-authored an article, published in Educational Psychology Review, to share how we can leverage our biology to learn better. The goals of the paper were two-fold: to explain how failure primes the brain for learning and to propose behavioral strategies for coping with the negative consequences, focusing on postsecondary students. Drawing upon neuroscience literature, the authors explain how neurochemicals can affect experiences of failure while learning, especially related to motivation, tolerance for failure and stress. The primary goal in exploring these biological factors was to offer a new framework to better understand and design other factors in education, such as interactions among peers, instructional paradigms and classroom culture. The paper has two key takeaways, according to Margulieux. The first is that failure and uncertainty are powerful tools for learning, but they go hand in hand with unpleasantness. Secondly, there are many behavioral tools people can use to help them leverage failure for learning while minimizing these unpleasant (and sometimes detrimental) consequences. These include things like breathing techniques, reframing failure to see it as positive and changing our relationship to stressors. The research shows that people can become better at failing over time to reap the rewards while suffering fewer consequences. "These findings teach us that, if we know how, we can work with our biology to improve learning," Margulieux says. "In particular, it shows that we should embrace failure as an efficient path to learning. It also gives practical tools for managing the negative aspects of failure to improve student outcomes." Margulieux adds that while most of the paper is about how to overcome failure while learning, it's important to understand that not all of the tools are a good fit for every learner. "Our goal is for people to find a tool that works for them, not that they use each of these tools," she explains. "We view it as exercise. The right exercise for you is the one that you'll stick with." More information Lauren Margulieux et al, The Biological Benefits of Failure on Learning and Tools to Manage the Fallout, Educational Psychology Review (2025). DOI: 10.1007/s10648-025-10013-7 Clinical categories Psychology & Mental health A guitar owned by Black Sabbath rocker Tony Iommi has raised 53,000 for a cancer charity. Tony Iommi's guitar auction has raised a hefty sum for a cancer charity in Birmingham The 77-year-old musician donated the instrument to the Heartlands Hospital Charity in his home city of Birmingham after the charity announced that it was fundraising to create a new state-of-the-art Haematology and Oncology Centre for cancer patients. Tony, who himself has beaten the disease after being diagnosed with lymphoma in 2012, said as he thanked fans for their support: "It'd be nice if other people can donate and support, to give patients the help they need. "In December, we had a guitar raffled for Heartlands Hospital for their Cancer Unit and I'm glad to say it raised 53,000, which is amazing, thanks to you guys." The guitar will be delivered to its new owner in the United States. Charlotte Schofield, director of fundraising for Heartlands Hospital Charity, says she was "overwhelmed" by Iommi's gesture and could "not thank him enough for his generosity and support". She said: "Thanks to this incredible donation we are well on our way to our fundraising goal of 150,000 and creating a beautiful space for patients to be comfortable while they receive their treatment." Meanwhile, the guitarist recently promised that he would be releasing a new solo album in 2026 - marking his first standalone record since 2005's Fused. In a New Year's message to fans on his YouTube channel, Tony said: "I shall have definitely, definitely my solo album out. And I'm really looking forward to that. I'm enjoying doing that, and it's been great fun, and I really hope you enjoy it." The star also reflected on a busy 2025 which saw Black Sabbath play their epic Back To The Beginning farewell show at Villa Park in Birmingham in July - just weeks before frontman Ozzy Osbourne died at the age of 76. Iommi said: "It was really great seeing Ozzy, Bill (Ward) and Geezer (Butler) for the Freedom Of The City. And at that point, of course, we were into rehearsals for the Back To The Beginning show at the Villa grounds in Birmingham. "And the amount of bands that turned up to support Sabbath on that was just fantastic. What a great event. And, of course, it raised a lot of money for charity. "It's just unfortunate and sad that Ozzy passed away a couple of weeks after that, may he rest in peace." This article has been reviewed according to Science X's editorial process and policies . Editors have highlighted the following attributes while ensuring the content's credibility: Credit: Pixabay/CC0 Public Domain Reducing annual alcohol consumption in Australia by one liter a person could significantly lower deaths from several major cancers, particularly among older Australians, a new study led by La Trobe University has found. Using more than 70 years of national mortality, alcohol and tobacco consumption, and health-expenditure data, researchers examined how long-term population level alcohol consumption in Australia is associated with mortality from four alcohol-related cancers. Published in the British Journal of Cancer, the study said that long-term alcohol exposure was a causal factor in: Some 45% of male upper aerodigestive tract (UADT) cancer deaths About 21% of female UADT cancer deaths About 48% of male liver cancer deaths About 15% of male colorectal cancer deaths and 4% for females 14% of female breast cancer deaths The researchers said these estimates are higher than in previous Australian studies, reflecting the cumulative effects of decades of drinking. The strongest alcohol-related cancer impacts were seen in people aged 50 years and older. The researchers warn that with Australia's aging populationand older cohorts drinking more than younger onesalcohol-related cancer deaths could rise without preventive action such as closing tax loopholes and using warning labels. However, the researchers found that reducing alcohol consumption by one liter per person each year could lead to a reduction in alcohol-related cancer deaths of: 3.6% fewer UADT cancer deaths in men and 3.4% fewer in women 3.9% fewer male liver cancer deaths 1.2% fewer male colorectal cancer deaths and 0.7% fewer in women 2.3% fewer female breast cancer deaths Lead author Associate Professor Jason Jiang, from La Trobe's Department of Public Health and Center for Alcohol Policy Research (CAPR), said this was the first study to examine the associations between alcohol consumption and mortality from these cancers in Australia using long-term aggregate data. "The study provides robust evidence that reducing population-level alcohol consumption in Australia could substantially lower mortality from UADT, colorectal, male liver and female breast cancers, particularly among older adults," Associate Professor Jiang said. The study said that reducing population-wide drinking through proven policies such as alcohol taxation, regulating availability and limiting advertising could deliver substantial reductions in cancer mortality. It pointed to the Australian Guidelines to Reduce Health Risk from Drinking Alcohol, which state males and females should drink no more than 10 standard drinks a week and no more than four standard drinks on any one day to reduce the lifetime risk of harm attributed to alcohol, such as cancer, cardiovascular diseases and mental disorders. "Although the WHO states that there is no level of alcohol consumption that is safe for risk of cancer, if more of the population followed drinking guidelines it would considerably reduce the risk of developing alcohol-related cancers substantially," Associate Professor Jiang said. The research was conducted by La Trobe University, the University of Melbourne, Curtin University and partner institutions, using publicly available national datasets and advanced time-series modeling techniques. Publication details Heng Jiang et al, Alcohol consumption and mortality from four alcohol-related cancers in Australia 1950-2018: a time series analysis, British Journal of Cancer (2026). DOI: 10.1038/s41416-025-03273-1 Journal information: British Journal of Cancer This article has been reviewed according to Science X's editorial process and policies . Editors have highlighted the following attributes while ensuring the content's credibility: Credit: Pixabay/CC0 Public Domain One hundred and seventy babies, kids and teens in North Carolina died after fentanyl exposure between 2015 and 2024, new state data shows. Infants, children younger than 5 and teenagers aged 13 to 17 were the most likely to die after fentanyl exposure here during the past decade, according to updated data from the Office of the Chief Medical Examiner. The data, focused on fentanyl-positive deaths between 2015 and 2024, were presented by the state Office of the Chief Medical Examiner to a committee of the state Child Fatality Task Force last week. Fentanyl is extremely dangerous because its residue is easy to ingest, and drug paraphernalia like needles or spoons often contains enough fentanyl to kill a small child. In one toddler death cited by the medical examiner's office, a 1-year-old was exposed to fentanyl left on a cotton ball next to the bed where the mother and child slept. "Illicit fentanyl really is one of the substances that is predominantly toxic to the pediatric population," Sandra Bishop-Freeman, chief toxicologist and forensic laboratory director at the state Office of the Chief Medical Examiner, told the Charlotte Observer. Among teenagers, accidental ingestion often comes via other drugseven borrowing what a teen thinks is a Tylenol from a classmate could lead to an overdose from a laced pill. In a case cited by the medical examiner's office, a 16-year-old who died of fentanyl overdose took what they thought was Xanax at a party. More 17-year-olds died than any other group among minors between 2015 and 2024, with 52 lives lost. Infants less than 6 months old had the second-highest death toll, with the total reaching 24. Among racial groups, American Indian and Black residents experienced the highest number of pediatric fentanyl-positive deaths in the state, the data says. And loss of life overall in North Carolina is much higher than a decade agogrowing from 243 deaths in 2015 to 1,954 in 2024. Despite pediatric dangers, deaths decline in recent years There is some good news: Despite the number of fentanyl-related deaths remaining elevated compared to decades past, the rate has begun to slow over the past several years. Fentanyl deaths among all age groups fell 26% statewide in October 2025 compared to the previous year, with deaths in Mecklenburg County down to 142 from 192. Overdose deaths have been declining over the past two years, CDC data released Wednesday shows. North Carolina's fentanyl overdose rate among all age groups fell by more than 30% between August 2024 and 2025. Increased access to preventatives, such as the overdose-reversing nasal spray naloxone, could be helping slow overdose death trends. A multifaceted prevention strategy has likely helped contribute to the slowdown in overdose deaths in North Carolina, according to Kella Hatcher, executive director of the NC Child Fatality Task Force. Her group has been studying pediatric overdoses for several years. "You have to keep working on a combination of efforts to make progress, and that's the case with many [preventable] causes of death," Hatcher said. Opioid settlement dollars are also funding prevention work in many North Carolina counties. The state is receiving $1.4 billion as part of national settlements with opioid companies, money aimed at bringing resources to communities harmed by the opioid epidemic. The medical examiner's office will continue to share data with state and county agencies focused on helping curb the preventable childhood deaths, toxicologist Bishop-Freeman said. "Despite the trends possibly plateauing, these pediatric deaths are still too many," Bishop-Freeman said. Key medical concepts Naloxone 2026 The Charlotte Observer. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC. This article has been reviewed according to Science X's editorial process and policies . Editors have highlighted the following attributes while ensuring the content's credibility: Credit: Pixabay/CC0 Public Domain The Red Cross is appealing to past donors and potential new donors as it says a "severe blood shortage" could result in delays for surgeries and other medical procedures. During a virtual news briefing Tuesday, officials said there was a 35% reduction in blood donations nationally in December. That equates to about 40,000 units of blood. More than 42,000 units are used by patients across the country every day, according to the Red Cross. "The need for blood is constant," said Scot Dinsmor, blood account manager, American Red Cross Michigan Region. "In order to meet that need, we need the generosity of donors." Blood only has a shelf life of 42 days, so hospitals require constant replenishment. Officials said when hospitals are low on blood, it can result in surgeries being postponed. "Sometimes what we can do depends on what we have to give patients," said Dr. Jensyn K. Cone Sullivan, a transfusion medicine and blood bank physician at Michigan Medicine. A steady supply "truly is the difference between life and death for many patients who visit our institution." Sullivan said University Hospital in Ann Arbor requires around 60,000 "blood products" (which can include red blood cells, plasma and platelets) per year and needs about 200 products on hand each day to ensure it can meet patients' needs. Currently, she said, the hospital is treating a young person who requires upwards of 100 blood products a day due to a severe hemorrhage. The Red Cross is attributing the shortfall to two main factors: extreme cold and widespread cases of influenza. Dinsmore said inclement weather last month led to the cancelation of 400 Red Cross blood drives across the U.S., including 12 in Michigan. He also believes that the "worst flu season in nearly 20 years might be sidelining donors." He said "immediate action" is needed to ensure that health care facilities have ample supply for patients who need it for issues like trauma, surgeries, childbirth and diseases. Jennifer Douglas of Howell knows first-hand how important it is for hospitals to have a readily available supply. In 2011, she had back-to-back unrelated medical incidents that required her to receive a total of 38 units of blood, plus 31 units of plasma and platelets. She said the transfusions saved not just her life, but that of her then-unborn son. "I would not be alive today if that blood was not already waiting for me," she said. Now, she and her family "live our lives every day with overwhelming gratitude to blood donors." Douglas now co-hosts two blood drives each year to show her gratitude and to help make sure others who face similar emergencies have access to blood. "If you've never donated before, I want you to know that you could be someone's hero," she said. Dinsmor said on Jan. 5 the organization announced it was "teetering" on a shortage. Donors at that time "stepped up and answered the call." But with numbers falling again, Red Cross workers have been contacting past donors and urging them to make plans to give again. The shortage is most pressing for blood types O, A-negative and B-negative, he said. Dr. Lance Wells, emergency medicine physician at Hillsdale Hospital, said it was "absolutely imperative" that Michiganians give blood. "There's an expectation that if you need blood and you come to the hospital, come to the emergency department, that we can give you blood," Wells said. Donating blood generally takes about an hour and the actual withdrawal process usually takes no more than 10 minutes, officials said. Drives are regularly held at schools, places of worship and the Red Cross' nine donation centers across the state. In Michigan, people as young as 16 can donate blood with parental consent. Potential donors can find blood drives or donation centers by calling 1-800-RED-CROSS, visiting redcrossblood.org or downloading the Blood Donor American Red Cross app. Anyone who gives blood by Jan. 25 will be automatically entered in a contest to win a trip for two to Super Bowl LX, Feb. 8 in Santa Clara, California. Key medical concepts BleedingFluInjury 2026 detroitnews.com. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC. This article has been reviewed according to Science X's editorial process and policies . Editors have highlighted the following attributes while ensuring the content's credibility: The count and rate of emergency department (ED) visits for alcohol-specific diagnoses increased from 20032004 to 20212022 among male and female individuals, according to a report issued by the National Center for Health Statistics. Xianghua Yin, Ph.D., M.D., from the National Center for Health Statistics in Hyattsville, Maryland, and colleagues present ED visit estimates by sex from 20032004 to 20212022 for alcohol-specific diagnoses. The researchers found that from 20032004 to 20212022, there was a 101% increase in the count of ED visits for alcohol-specific diagnoses among male individuals, from 1,986,000 to 3,998,000 visits. The count of ED visits for alcohol-specific diagnoses among female individuals increased by 96% during the same period, from 701,000 to 1,374,000 visits. The rate of alcohol-specific diagnosis visits for male individuals increased by 75% from 20032004 to 20212022, from 71 to 124 visits per 10,000 population; during the same period, the rate for female individuals increased by 71%, from 24 to 41 visits. "Throughout the period, the alcohol-specific diagnoses visit rate for males was higher than for females," the authors write. More information Yin X, et al. Rate of emergency department visits for alcohol-specific diagnoses, by sex: United States, 20032004 to 20212022. NCHS Health E-Stat. (2026) DOI: dx.doi.org/10.15620/cdc/174637. Copyright 2026 HealthDay. All rights reserved. This article has been reviewed according to Science X's editorial process and policies . Editors have highlighted the following attributes while ensuring the content's credibility: Kobe University dermatologist Kubo Akiharu discovered that foot odor associated with Nagashima-type palmoplantar keratosis (NPPK) was caused by an abundance of bacteria, especially Corynebacterium tuberculostearicum. Treatment using benzoyl peroxide saw decreased bacteria levels and a subsequent reduction of foot odor. Credit: N. Ono et al., Journal of Investigative Dermatology (2025) DOI: 10.1016/j.jid.2025.11.011 The distinct foot odor that comes with the skin disorder Nagashima-type palmoplantar keratosis (NPPK) is caused by the overgrowth of a specific bacterial strain, according to a study published in the Journal of Investigative Dermatology. The Kobe University result also shows that topical application of benzoyl peroxide restores balance in the bacterial skin flora, reducing the odor. Affecting some 10,000 individuals in Japan and several hundreds of thousands more across East Asia, Nagashima-type palmoplantar keratosis (NPPK) is a condition that causes several symptoms, including redness on the palms and soles of sufferers as well as a distinct foot odor. However, the cause of this odor was not well understood. Kobe University dermatologist Kubo Akiharu explains, "In 2013, our group identified SERPINB7 as the causative gene for NPPK. Since then, more patients have come to our clinic and we have learned that many of them are distressed by foot odor. This made us determined to find a way to help." Kubo noticed that when the hands and feet of NPPK patients were soaked in water, the outermost layer of skin quickly absorbed water and turned white. He hypothesized that this poor water repellent function was causing an overgrowth of bacteria, and that this overgrowth might be producing the odor. To test this hypothesis, Kubo and his team collected and tested bacteria from a total of seven skin sites, including the palms and soles, of both healthy individuals and those with NPPK, extracting DNA and analyzing the 16S rRNA gene sequences. Since each bacteria species possesses a unique rRNA gene sequence, the team was able to decipher and quantify both the type and abundance of the bacteria found on each sample. In the Journal of Investigative Dermatology, the team reports that in the foot skin of NPPK patients, bacterial abundance was significantly higher than in the skin of healthy individuals, particularly that of Staphylococcus epidermidis and Corynebacterium tuberculostearicum. To combat this bacterial abundance, the team treated NPPK patients in this study with benzoyl peroxide, which was shown to be particularly effective in decreasing levels of C. tuberculostearicum, though there was no significant decrease in S. epidermidis. The treatment also resulted in a decrease in foot odor, revealing the cause of the odor to be a proliferation of C. tuberculostearicum. While these results have revealed the cause of the foot odor associated with NPPK, the underlying source of the odor itself remains unclear. One hypothesis points to isovaleric acid, an odor-producing byproduct of the metabolism of the two bacteria. Kubo explains, "If the actual malodorous metabolites can be identified, it may become possible to develop more specific treatments, for example by inhibiting the production of those metabolites." Moving forward, the results of this study could even extend to treatment of foot odor associated with other forms of PPK. Publication details Noriko Ono et al, Microbial dysbiosis and foot odor in Nagashima-type palmoplantar keratosis: Improvement with topical benzoyl peroxide, Journal of Investigative Dermatology (2025). DOI: 10.1016/j.jid.2025.11.011 Journal information: Journal of Investigative Dermatology Key medical concepts Benzoyl PeroxideStaphylococcus epidermidis This article has been reviewed according to Science X's editorial process and policies . Editors have highlighted the following attributes while ensuring the content's credibility: Credit: CC0 Public Domain Offering non-monetary incentives such as free access to outpatient consultations to frequent blood donors is linked to an increase in donations without compromising blood safety, finds a study from China published by The BMJ. The researchers say their findings could encourage policymakers in other countries to design their own incentive models to address blood shortages. Many countries, particularly developing ones, struggle to sustain an adequate blood supply due to challenges of retaining blood donors under the "gift model"a system based on voluntary, non-paid donations driven by altruism and social duty. Several countries around the world have explored granting incentives to blood donors to stimulate donations, including lottery tickets, paid leave, and cash. But research on their effectiveness is conflicting and has raised concerns that such incentives may undermine altruistic motivation. To address this, researchers in China set out to evaluate the impact of an honor-based incentive model on the quantity and quality of blood donations. This model grants frequent blood donors privileges such as free access to public bus services and outpatient consultations in hospitals. The results are based on blood donation data from the National Reports on Blood Safety and Annual Reports on Development of China's Blood Collection and Supply Industry in 30 provinces between 2012 and 2018 and socioeconomic indicators from the China City Statistical Yearbooks and Provincial Statistical Yearbooks. During the study period, three intervention provinces introduced the honor model (Zhejiang in 2014, Jiangsu in 2017, and Hebei in 2018), leaving 27 control provinces not exposed to the model. The researchers found that the honor model increased blood donation counts by 3.5% by the end of the second year of implementation. By the end of the fifth year, this effect had doubled to 7.7%. Most of these increases were driven by absolute increases in whole blood donation (containing red cells, platelets, and plasma) of 3.3% and 7.2% by the end of the second and fifth years, respectively. What's more, the honor model did not significantly affect the donor eligibility rate (the proportion of donors who passed the necessary health screenings and were deemed eligible to donate blood), indicating maintained safety. This is an observational study, so no firm conclusions can be drawn about cause and effect. However, additional city-level analyses and robustness checks confirmed the stability of the results, suggesting that they are reliable. "Our findings show that the honor model can drive sustained improvements in blood donation counts without compromising blood safety," write the authors. "Policymakers in other countries should consider the feasibility and desirability of using the honor model and designing their own incentives to address potential blood shortage concerns," they add. Caution is still warranted when interpreting these findings, say researchers from France in a linked editorial. However, the decision to reward altruistic activities, through non-financial or indirect incentives, means that this strategy is likely to be sustainable, as the cost to the health care system should remain moderate, they note. Subsequent economic evaluations could be necessary, they say. Nevertheless, they conclude that these findings "may herald a new honor paradigm for blood donation, or alternatively, a new non-cash model for rewarding it. Only time will tell." Publication details Impact of shifting blood donation policy from gift to honour model: staggered difference-in-differences analysis in China, The BMJ (2026). DOI: 10.1136/bmj-2025-084999 Journal information: British Medical Journal (BMJ) This article has been reviewed according to Science X's editorial process and policies . Editors have highlighted the following attributes while ensuring the content's credibility: Credit: Allie Barton During a night shift when she was a resident at Yale New Haven Hospital, Cristiana Baloescu was taking care of a patient with a complex presentation of symptoms. The patient was experiencing some back and leg pain. But they also looked really sick. "Emergency physicians spend years developing the skill to recognize whether a patient looks sick or not," said Baloescu, now assistant professor of emergency medicine at Yale School of Medicine. "With patients who look sick, we spend a lot of time thinking about what's going on because if they're doing well now, they probably won't be doing very well in the next hour or two." Luckily, Baloescu figured out what was going on with the patient pretty quickly. Using what is known as a point-of-care ultrasound, she discovered that the patient had an aortic dissection, or a tear in the aortathe body's main artery that carries blood from the heart to the rest of the body. "I saw what I needed to see with an ultrasound, and we were able to get that patient the immediate medical care that they needed, and thankfully, the patient lived," she said. Emergency medicine physician Cristiana Baloescu. Credit: Allie Barton Point-of-care ultrasound is an ultrasound doctors perform and read at the bedside, giving fast, clear answers to guide care, unlike traditional scans that require a specialist and are more detailed. Portable ultrasound machines provide detailed images to physicians like Baloescu in real time so they can make informed decisions quickly. These days, artificial intelligence (AI)-guided ultrasounds could make care even more responsive to patients' needs while also supporting clinicians in making faster, more confident decisions. At Yale, Baloescu has been studying the use of AI-guided ultrasounds, specifically lung ultrasound imaging, which is essential for identifying conditions such as pneumonia and pulmonary edema. In an interview, Baloescu discusses her interest in point-of-care ultrasound, what AI could mean for this technology, and how that could improve patient care. The interview has been edited for length and clarity. How did you first get interested in point-of-care ultrasound? During my residency training, point-of-care ultrasound was a crucial bedside tool for meit allowed me to quickly understand why patients had come to the emergency department and identify what was going on with a patient in a super timely fashion, which is what emergency medicine is all about. Point-of-care ultrasound also helped me guide treatment once a diagnosis was made. For instance, with pulmonary edema from heart failure, lung ultrasound can help you determine whether you're at your diuretic goal [which relates to fluid or salt levels in the body] or whether you need to give them more based on what you see on ultrasound. Seeing it in action over several cases, I realized how much ultrasound could impact patient care. There's something powerful about being able to see inside a patient just by holding a machine in your handsnothing gives more immediate gratification, and it's exactly the kind of thing emergency physicians thrive on. Credit: Yale University When and why did you start thinking about the potential application of AI within the field of ultrasound medicine? During my fellowship training, one of my fellowship projects was with my mentor, Christopher Moore, also at Yale School of Medicine. We were looking at the application of a software (or an algorithm) that could quantify ejection fractionthat's the amount of blood that the left ventricle squeezes outand I just got involved in that project. I thought it was very interesting and had a lot of potential. I think AI can make point-of-care ultrasound even faster and more efficient, which is naturally something an emergency medicine physician gravitates toward just by the nature of our job. Where's the greatest potential for AI within point-of-care ultrasound medicine? For point-of-care ultrasound, the skill sets that AI can help with are the acquisition and the interpretation of ultrasound clips. With acquisition, that's when you need to hold the probe and get the best images you can. With interpretation, that's when you have a clip and try to understand what that tells you. AI-assisted ultrasounds could help health care professionals who are not experts in ultrasound both capture high-quality images and then understand what they mean. AI can also help with clinical workflow and education. It can help with research and administration as well. When I say administration, I am referring to quality assurance or help with completing documentation. Although practices differ across the United States, most academic institutions and hospitals that use point-of-care ultrasound spend a lot of time on documentation, image archival work, and quality assurance because we treat point-of-care ultrasound as like a diagnostic test within emergency medicine. So, you need to make sure that the work you do is of high quality. Are there any risks or challenges with using AI-guided ultrasounds? AI does have some risks. If we use ultrasound as a diagnostic test, for example, there's the risks of false positives and false negativeswhich are still there with AI guidance and interpretation. So, you still need clinicians who are experienced with ultrasound, particularly at the start of integrating AI into everyday practice, to make sure that what we are relying on is true. There also needs to be attention on what training data sets we use for building AI algorithms, because really, the AI is only as good as the training data you give it, especially for ultrasound. What could AI-guided ultrasounds mean for the patients and their health journeys? In an ideal future, it would help them get ultrasound imaging faster in their clinical journey. For example, I can envision AI being used as part of triage. So, as part of your vital signs, if appropriate for your reason for the emergency visit, a technician or a nurse could do a quick ultrasound of your heart or your lungs, and that could give the physician more information quicker so they can treat you faster and perhaps more accurately. For patients who aren't in the hospital, for example, those being seen in community health programs or during house visits, you could use the ultrasound, and an expert physician could review the clips either there or through a telehealth platform and help make some immediate decisions. AI guidance and interpretation could also help during ambulance transport. There are many areas in the United States where ambulance transport times are long. If the paramedics can use AI-powered ultrasound, that might help make faster decisions to start treatment or help facilitate targeted treatment, and more precise care tailored to what we think is going on with the patient. Key medical concepts Pulmonary EdemaAortic Dissection This article has been reviewed according to Science X's editorial process and policies . Editors have highlighted the following attributes while ensuring the content's credibility: Credit: Unsplash/CC0 Public Domain Severe vitamin D deficiency is associated with a higher rate of hospitalization for respiratory tract infections such as bronchitis and pneumonia, according to a new study led by the University of Surrey. Scientists found that those with a severe deficiency (below 15 nmol/L) were 33% more likely to be admitted to hospital for treatment than those with sufficient levels of vitamin D (at least 75 nmol/L). In the largest study of its kind, analyzing NHS data from the UK Biobank, researchers from Surrey, in collaboration with the University of Reading and University of Oxford, investigated the association between vitamin D status and the rate of hospitalization due to respiratory tract infections. The study was published in The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition. Middle and older-aged adults are at a high risk of developing respiratory tract infections, with lower respiratory tract infections (pneumonia and bronchitis) ranking among the top 20 leading causes of mortality globally for individuals aged 5074 years and in the top 10 for those aged 75 years and older. Abi Bournot, BBSRC Food Biosystems Ph.D. Research Fellow and Lead Author at the University of Surrey, said, "Vitamin D is vital to our physical well-being. Not only does it keep our bones and muscles healthy, its antibacterial and antiviral properties are also thought to help reduce the risk of respiratory tract infections that can lead to hospitalization. "This research attaches hard data to support the theory. Despite its importance to our overall health, many people are deficient and do not meet the government's recommended intake of 10 micrograms of vitamin D per day. "Supplementation of the vitamin, especially in the winter months when our exposure to sunlight is limited, is an effective way of increasing vitamin D and reducing the risk of serious respiratory tract infections. This is particularly important for older people who are at higher risk of death from such infections, and ethnic minority communities in the UK, who are at a higher risk of vitamin D deficiency." Examining data from 36,258 participants from the UK Biobank, researchers found that those with severe vitamin D deficiency (below 15 nmol/L) had a 33% higher rate of hospitalization for a respiratory tract infection, compared to those who had vitamin D levels of 75 nmol/L or greater. Scientists also found that for each 10 nmol/L increase in vitamin D, the hospitalization rate for respiratory tract infections decreased by 4%. Dr. Andrea Darling, Postdoctoral Researcher at the University of Surrey and Senior Author of the study, said, "Respiratory tract infections are a major threat to public health globally. Not only can they make an individual feel very unwell in many cases, they can also lead to hospitalization which puts strain on an already stretched health service. "Our findings of a significant association between increased vitamin D levels in our bodies and reduced hospital admission rates warrants further study, and points to the potential for vitamin D supplementation and consumption of vitamin D fortified foods to reduce the risk of hospitalization with respiratory infections in the future, and therefore mitigate pressures on the NHS." Publication details Abigail R Bournot et al, Association between serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D status and respiratory tract infections requiring hospital admission: unmatched case-control analysis of ethnic groups from the United Kingdom Biobank cohort, The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition (2025). DOI: 10.1016/j.ajcnut.2025.101179 Journal information: American Journal of Clinical Nutrition Prince William will make his first official visit to Saudi Arabia next month. Prince William will visit Saudi Arabia next month The 43-year-old royal will carry out a three-day visit to Middle East at the request of the UK Government as the two nations celebrate "growing trade, energy and investment ties". A Kensington Palace spokesman said: "At the request of His Majesty's Government, the Prince of Wales will visit the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia between Monday 9th and Wednesday 11th February. "His Royal Highness' visit comes as the UK and Saudi Arabia celebrate growing trade, energy and investment ties, and as the two nations approach a century of diplomatic relations. "This will be His Royal Highness' first official visit to Saudi Arabia. Further details will be advised in due course." Although William has never been to Saudi Arabia before, he has previously visited neighbouring nations the United Arab Emirates and Kuwait. The trip will mark the prince's first official overseas visit of 2026 and his first trip to the Middle East since his 2023 visit to Kuwait to pay his condolences after the death of the nation's former ruler Sheikh Nawaf Al Ahmad Al Sabah. William's visit will come just over a year after UK Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer travelled to Saudi Arabia to meet with Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman in December 2024 as part of a "mission" to grow Britain's economy. Meanwhile, William is first in line to the throne and revealed that he is "excited" to bring about "change" when he becomes king. The Prince of Wales - who has children Prince George, 12, Princess Charlotte, 10, and Prince Louis, seven, with his wife Catherine, Princess of Wales - told Eugene Levy on Apple TV+ series The Reluctant Traveler last year: "Obviously, I want to create a world in which my son is proud of what we do, a world and a job that actually does impact peoples lives for the better. That is caveated with, I hope we dont go back to some of the practices in the past, that (Prince) Harry and I had to grow up with and Ill do everything I can to make sure we dont regress in that situation. "I think its safe to say that change is on my agenda. Change for good. And I embrace that and I enjoy that change - I dont fear it. Thats the bit that excites me, is the idea of being able to bring some change. Not overly radical change, but changes that I think that need to happen." The hearing in the Balganga Dam irrigation scam case was shifted from the regular trial judge to another court by an Additional Sessions Judge in Thane, a move that came days after the main accused filed an application seeking the transfer of the case from the judge. In his plea before the Principal Sessions Judge, the accused claimed that the trial judge was not accommodating requests for adjournment, even though a challenge to his order was pending before the High Court. He further alleged that he was being targeted by the trial court. The Principal Judge, however, dismissed the petition, terming it frivolous, and imposed a penalty of Rs 20,000 on the accused. The case was subsequently transferred from the said judge through an administrative order, triggering concern among activists and legal observers. Reacting to the development, activist Anjali Damania, who first exposed the irrigation scam and has been at the forefront of the case, said, This is shocking and should not have happened. It appears the transfer took place under pressure from that application. I will be writing to the Principal Judge in this regard. The Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) had investigated the multi-crore scam and in 2016 filed a massive chargesheet running into nearly 30,000 pages against contractor Nissar Khatri and several public servants associated with the Konkan Irrigation Development Corporation (KIDC). The ACB alleged a loss of over Rs 92 crore to the state exchequer. Despite the scale of the alleged scam, the trial made little progress for years, with no special court in Thane framing charges. It was only in 2025 that Special Judge G.T. Pawar finally framed charges against all accused and formally commenced the trial, raising expectations that the long-pending case would finally move forward. However, in December 2025, accused Nissar Khatri moved an application before the Principal District Judge, Thane, seeking transfer of the case from Judge Pawar. The plea was strongly rejected by Principal District Judge S.B. Agrawal, who not only dismissed the petition but also imposed a cost of Rs 20,000 on Khatri. Days later, an administrative order transferred the case from Judge Pawar to Judge Durgaprasad Deshpande, effectively shifting the trial to another court despite the recent judicial order rejecting the very demand for transfer. The State government did not challenge before the Supreme Court the Bombay High Courts October 2025 order granting Rs 303 crore to Khatri in the Balganga Dam matter, a development earlier reported by Mirror. Bubbling, churning waters on the high seas. A fishing boat stuck in the vortex despite applying full throttle. Authorities hunting for answers more than a month after this scary incident. A Vasai fishermans unnerving experience off the Gujarat coast on December 17 has sent ripples of fear through the fishing community and left multiple agencies scrambling for answers after he sounded the alarm. Late on Wednesday, ONGC confirmed a gas pipeline leak from a subsea well fluid line, which has been shut down. However, panic has spread among the fishing community after the fisherman identified as Rohit Morlikhandya returned ashore on January 11 and narrated his terrifying experience. Rohit claimed that his boat got stuck in volcano-like bubbling waters in the middle of the sea and despite putting his engine in full throttle, the boat did not move forward, as if held back by an unseen force. A video he took shows the sea churning and frothing as his boat passes the area. The fisheries department, which learnt about this incident from Rohit on January 11 itself, immediately sent a letter to Western Naval Command, Indian Coast Guard, Western Offshore Basin of ONGC, the Regional Centre, and the National Institute of Oceanography the same day. Speaking to Mumbai Mirror, Vinod Lahare, the Licensing Officer of the Fisheries Department in Vasai, said, Our official visited the ONGC office in Uran on Tuesday, and it was suspected that there is an oil spill, which may be due to damage to the pipeline, and one team has been dispatched to the site for an inspection. Lahare added that Rohit was a licensed fisherman from Pachu Bandar in Vasai and had complained of some unusual happenings, where his boat could not move forward despite full throttle. Somehow he managed to sail out of this crisis and filmed the unusual ocean surface phenomenon on December 17. When he returned home, he discussed it with his neighbours, who told him that they had also noticed a similar ocean surface phenomenon. The moment the matter came to me, I wrote to all the concerned agencies and stakeholders, Lahare said. According to an ONGC spokesperson: The district disaster management officials told us that Palghar officials are coordinating with the Indian Coast Guard, the National Institute of Oceanography, and ONGC to deploy survey vessels equipped with sonar and gas sensors for on-site analysis. Responding to Lahares mail, the Chief Scientist of NIO, Dr Soniya Sukumaran, said, From the information provided in your email, it is presumed that the activity might be related to subsea pipelines. However, to confirm this, geophysical studies will probably be required. Hence, kindly mail the Director, CSIR-NIO, for further investigations into this matter. A lifebuoy from Arnala, Janardhan Meher, said that Rohit had also sent a message in Marathi alerting the fishing community, which read: My boat Om Namah Shivay was caught in this volcano-like swirling water. Though the boat was moving at full speed, it came to a standstill and to move it forward, the engine had to be revved further. This place is genuinely dangerous. It is necessary that this incident is brought to the attention of the Coast Guard or licencing authorities, as well as any fishermens leaders. According to a letter issued by the Assistant Commissioner of Fisheries, Thane-Palghar: I wish to bring to your kind notice a matter of concern regarding an unusual ocean surface phenomenon observed in the Arabian Sea near the Gujarat coast. At the GPS location 201555.4N, 715857.6E, the water was abnormally turbulent and almost as if it was boiling. Large areas of water appeared to be churning and bubbling continuously, which raised serious concern among fishermen in the area. As this region is close to marine traffic routes and fishing grounds, there is apprehension that this phenomenon could be due to seabed gas release, underwater geological activity, subsea pipeline leakage, oceanographic upwelling, or any other unknown marine or industrial cause. In view of the possible implications for marine safety, fisheries, offshore installations, and coastal communities, I humbly request the concerned authorities to kindly conduct a detailed scientific and technical investigation of this location and phenomenon, the letter read. Early verification and necessary precautionary or corrective measures will help prevent any potential risk to marine life, fishing activities, navigation, and public safety. I request you to kindly take this matter on priority and inform us about the findings in the interest of safety, the letter concluded. Rohit could not be contacted till press time. The political arithmetic in the Kalyan-Dombivli Municipal Corporation (KDMC) took a surprising turn on Tuesday, with the Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS), which has five corporators, extending support to the Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde-led Shiv Sena. The development has significantly altered post-election calculations and introduced fresh uncertainty into the contest for control of the civic body. KDMC has a total strength of 122 seats, placing the halfway mark at 62. In the recently concluded elections, the Shinde faction emerged as the single largest party with 53 seats, while the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) followed closely with 50. The narrow gap between the two Mahayuti allies had made the race for the mayors post intensely competitive from the outset. However, with the MNS throwing its weight behind the Shinde-led Sena, the partys tally has now risen to 58, leaving it just four seats short of the magic number. The move has stunned political observers, particularly because Raj Thackeray fought the civic polls in Mumbai in coordination with his cousin, Uddhav Thackeray, and aggressively targeted the Shinde-led Sena during the campaign. The sudden alignment with the Shinde camp in KDMC has therefore come as an unexpected twist, catching political pundits off guard. Confirming the development, Shindes son and Kalyan-Dombivli Member of Parliament, Shrikant Shinde, officially acknowledged the MNSs support. He said the backing had been extended in the interest of development, signalling an attempt to frame the alliance as a pragmatic move focused on governance rather than political expediency. The BJP, which is also keen on securing control of KDMC, now believes that Shinde is seeking to consolidate numbers to a point where he can stake a claim to the mayors post without having to rely on BJP support. The revised arithmetic has only strengthened that perception, deepening unease within sections of the party. Sources indicated that efforts are now underway to bridge the remaining gap, with some corporators from the Uddhav Thackeray-led Shiv Sena (UBT), which has 11 corporators in KDMC, reportedly in touch with the Shinde camp. Any crossover or outside support from that side could decisively tilt the balance in favour of the Shinde-led Sena and effectively seal its claim to the mayors chair. For now, with the Shiv Sena standing at 58 corporators and the BJP at 50, KDMC has emerged as a key battleground where shifting alliances are reshaping the post-election landscape. As negotiations continue, the outcome remains fluid. President Donald Trumps renewed demand that the United States take control of Greenland has transformed this years World Economic Forum in Davos from a routine gathering of global elites into an emergency diplomatic summit, with European leaders scrambling to contain a deepening transatlantic crisis ahead of Trumps arrival on Wednesday. What was meant to be a week of dealmaking and discussion on global growth has instead been overshadowed by Trumps overnight barrage of social media posts, which signaled little interest in de-escalation. European officials had hoped the presidents visit to Davos might help cool tensions with Denmark, the NATO ally that governs Greenland. Instead, Trump used the hours before his departure to attack allies, share what appeared to be private diplomatic messages, and reiterate his claim that US control of Greenland is imperative for National and World Security. Europe enters the forum without a home-field advantage. The United States is dominating Davos this year with its largest and most senior delegation ever, making meetings with Trump officials the most coveted engagements in town. European leaders, already unsettled by new US tariffs, now face the prospect of further economic retaliation if they oppose Trumps Greenland ambitions. As guests gathered over mulled wine and canapes in the Swiss Alps, speculation mounted over whether Trump would aggravate or avert the crisis. That question was largely answered when Trump disparaged Britain for agreeing to transfer sovereignty of the Chagos Islands to Mauritius, a move London announced last year while retaining operational control of the Diego Garcia military base with US support.Calling the decision an act of GREAT STUPIDITY, Trump argued that it demonstrated Western weakness and justified his push to acquire Greenland, warning that China and Russia have noticed this act of total weakness. The British government pushed back swiftly, insisting it would never compromise national security and noting that Washington itself had supported the deal. Trump also shared digitally altered images depicting an expansionist vision of US power, including one showing European leaders gathered in the Oval Office around a map with Greenland, Canada and Venezuela draped in the American flag. Among the posts was what appeared to be a private message from French President Emmanuel Macron, in which he expressed alignment with Trump on Syria and Iran but questioned his actions on Greenland. A French official confirmed the messages authenticity, underscoring the unusual and delicate nature of the diplomacy unfolding in public view. European leaders are weighing two broad options: seeking to defuse tensions through dialogue or mounting firmer resistance, potentially including retaliation against US tariffs. European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen warned Tuesday that Trumps threats violated a trade deal reached last year to avert a tariff war and vowed a united and proportional response. Nostalgia will not bring back the old order, von der Leyen said, calling on Europe to build greater independence if the transatlantic relationship continues to fracture. Finnish President Alexander Stubb suggested there may still be room for compromise, noting that enhanced Arctic securityone of Trumps stated concernscould provide an off-ramp from the dispute. Still, he acknowledged the situation was volatile and unpredictable. Davos itself reflects the shifting balance of power. USA House, set up to mark the 250th anniversary of American independence, now occupies prime storefronts along the towns main promenadespaces once used by technology companies. The main venue, a 19th-century church illuminated in red and blue, will host cabinet secretaries and ambassadors throughout the week, reinforcing the sense of American dominance. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent sought to strike a conciliatory note, insisting that America First does not mean America alone, though he declined to clarify whether Trump intended to ease the Greenland standoff. The rift among NATO allies has created diplomatic openings for Russia, which has been excluded from Davos since its 2022 invasion of Ukraine. This year, however, senior Russian figures are present on the sidelines. Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov added fuel to the fire by questioning Denmarks claim to Greenland and warning that Iceland could be targeted next, even as he dismissed Trumps assertion that Russia or China planned to seize the territory. Pushback against Trumps rhetoric has extended beyond governments. Senior Catholic figures, including Pope Leo XIV, the first American pontiff, have voiced concern about the revival of threats involving military force. Archbishop Timothy Broglio, who oversees US military chaplaincy, suggested American soldiers could face a moral dilemma if ordered to invade Greenland. From Davos, California Governor Gavin Newsom issued a blunt warning to world leaders against yielding to Trumps pressure. You mate with him or he devours you, Newsom said, urging unity and resistance. Trump is expected to address Davos attendees shortly after his arrival, before convening a ceremony the following day for leaders willing to join his newly announced Board of Peace. While some nations are considering joining, others fear the group could undermine existing international institutions, including the United Nations. The US delegation includes five cabinet members, along with senior advisers and envoys closely aligned with Trumps foreign policy agenda. Despite the turmoil, White House officials insist Trumps speech will focus heavily on domestic issues, particularly housing affordability and economic stagnationmessages aimed at US voters uneasy about rising costs. Even amid the tensions, USA House has emerged as the hottest ticket in town, drawing long lines and underscoring Trumps centrality to this years gathering. Whether his presence ultimately defuses the Greenland crisis or deepens the transatlantic rupture remains an open question. Michael Birnbaum in Washington, Kate Brady in Berlin, Victoria Craw in London, Ellen Francis in Brussels, Anthony Faiola in Rome and Natalia Abbakumova in Riga, Latvia, contributed to this report. How did Hindustani classical music escape the narrow confines of exclusive imperial durbars to find its place in the broader cultural fabric of the country? The missing link is a chapter that few know about, yet its role in making Hindustani music an amateur pursuit among elite and middle-class families in Mumbai remains undeniable. It all began with the formation of the Parsi Gayan Uttejak Mandali, the citys first music club, founded in 1870 by Kaikhushro Kabrajee, a noted journalist and writer. At the time, Parsi opera had started gaining momentum in the city. The performers sang in Urdu and Gujarati to tunes based on classical raagas, with Parsi music troupes insisting their actors receive training from reputed classical musicians. The samitis stated goal was to propagate among the Parsis a liking for indigenous music and promote songs rooted in sur and tal. However, as Dr Aneesh Pradhan, tabla player and researcher, will elaborate on in his lecture, the Mandali also objectively helped propagate Hindustani music outside the Parsi community, especially after it opened its doors to others. Bhatkhande connection One of the most significant examples of the mandalis influence is its support of Vishnu Narayan Bhatkhande, an eminent music educationist, Dr Pradhan says. Vishnu was not only a member of the mandali but also went on to teach there. He benefitted greatly from the knowledge that he acquired from the teachers, compiling this material and embellishing it with research from other sources to create books that continue to inform students, performers and scholars to this day. Bhatkhandes work, which includes the first modern treatise on Hindustani classical music, was supported by the mandali in its initial stages. With the influx of classical musicians to the city after their royal patronage collapsed, new patrons and audiences began to emerge. The citys diverse and dynamic nature, attributed to its port location and Western education, had given rise to a cultural appetite among the mercantile class and the educated elite. These musicians benefitted greatly from the mandali, trading in their durbars and baithaks for classrooms and jalsas. At the same time, the Parsi Gayan Uttejak Mandalis influence continued to grow, spurred by the idea of promoting a pan-Indian cultural identity in the face of the then pervasive Western view. The influence of the mandali on the countrys socio-cultural fabric saw influential faces, including scholar and political leader Dadabhai Naoroji, named as its president for five years. Importantly, the mandali helped instil and popularise the belief that Indian music was as good, or even better, than its Western counterparts, and that its preservation was warranted. A legacy of contradictions Dr Pradhan, who came across the mandalis contributions during his doctoral research and then built on it while working on his 2015 book, Hindustani Music in Colonial Bombay, found nearly 1,100 compositions that were performed by musicians associated with the mandali between 1871 and 1886. His research also revealed the inherent contradictions in the mandalis legacy. While Hindustani classical music became accessible to those from non-hereditary music families, it still remained restricted to the privileged sections of society due to a variety of reasons. At the same time, although members of the mandali were encouraged to perform in periodical concerts, no noteworthy artists emerged from these endeavours. These are some of the touch points that Dr Pradhan will elaborate upon during his talk. Whether as a nationalistic emblem of an emerging India that was still finding its voice or a cultural motif for a past that risked fading into oblivion, Hindustani classical music escaped the confines of a fading legacy through the efforts of music clubs such as the Parsi Gayan Uttejak Mandali. By carving out a trail that quickly expanded to about 150 music schools in the 1950s, these clubs spoke the language of revival and raagas to a city that was eager to listen. The Parsi Gayan Uttejak Mandali: A harbinger of institutionalised education for Hindustani music in Bombay by Dr Aneesh Pradhan will be hosted by the K R Cama Oriental Institute at 5.30 pm today Twain Harte, CA Several Twain Harte residents banded together with state wildlife officials to help a doe caught in a precarious, life-threatening position. It was a typical morning for one of those residents, Gary Lee, as he watched the local mule deer herd pass by his kitchen window at his home on Quercus Court, near Huron Drive, and off Middle Camp Sugarpine Road earlier this month. Then something caught his eye: a doe in distress with something bright red around her neck. I was making coffee, and I didnt know what I was looking at, recounted Lee. I think it was a 30-gallon trashcan but its got a hole cut in the lid. The deer stuck its head down through the lid into the container and then couldnt get its head out. Lee added that the doe was calm, so he assumed she had been wearing the collar for a few hours or possibly a day before he saw her. He also noted that she could most likely eat and drink with the collar and was unlikely to starve quickly, but that was not his only worry. So, I watched her for a while, and then I realized how serious it was, added Lee. If the deer had gotten away from us, well, then, eventually its going to die from that. If it doesnt starve to death, its going to fall victim to a predator. Lee sprang into action, alerting neighbors to be on the lookout for the doe. Then, knowing she wouldnt be able to get out of the lid on her own and would flee if approached by him, he knew it would require a tranquilizer dart. So he called the California Department of Fish and Game Wildlife Biologist Mark Abraham out of Turlock. Unfortunately, at the time, Abraham was in the high country, but told Lee if he spotted the doe again to contact him. A short while later, Lee learned that another neighbor on Huron Drive had notified Abraham of the does location. Ironically, just then, Abraham, along with his co-workers, was heading back to the office on Highway 108, just north of Twain Harte. Abraham located the doe, and Lee described what happened next: They had to stalk it close enough to shoot it with an air rifle and used a drug that put it down pretty quickly and put it to sleep. They covered its eyes with blinders so it wouldnt panic when it recovered. (As seen in the photo to the right) After the lid was cut off, the deer was left to wake up on its own so as not to spook her. She then returned to the herd unharmed. Lee praised everyone involved in saving the doe but gave most of the credit to others, stating, They handled it perfectly. Everybody that I talked to, neighbors, everybody pitched in; everything just came together. Nobodys supposed to be that lucky, but we were. So, it was just the dedication of the fish and game people. So, if anybody deserves credit for this, its the fish and game people. WASHINGTON (AP) A Cuban migrant held in solitary confinement at an immigration detention facility in Texas died after guards held him down and he stopped breathing, according to an autopsy report released Wednesday that ruled the death a homicide. Geraldo Lunas Campos died Jan. 3 following an altercation with guards. U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement said the 55-year-old father of four was attempting suicide and the staff tried to save him. But a witness told The Associated Press last week that Lunas Campos was handcuffed as at least five guards held him down and one put an arm around his neck and squeezed until he was unconscious. His death was one of at least three reported in little more than a month at Camp East Montana, a sprawling tent facility in the desert on the grounds of Fort Bliss, an Army base. The autopsy report by the El Paso County Medical Examiners Office found Lunas Campos body showed signs of a struggle, including abrasions on his chest and knees. He also had hemorrhages on his neck. The deputy medical examiner, Dr. Adam Gonzalez. determined the cause of death was asphyxia due to neck and torso compression. The report said witnesses saw Lunas Campos become unresponsive while being physically restrained by law enforcement. It did not elaborate on what happened during the struggle but cited evidence of injuries to his neck, head and torso associated with physical restraint. The report also noted the presence of petechial hemorrhages tiny blood spots from burst capillaries that can be associated with intense strain or injury in the eyelids and skin of the neck. Dr. Victor Weedn, a forensic pathologist who reviewed the autopsy report for AP, said the presence of petechiae in the eyes support the conclusion that asphyxia caused the death. Those injuries suggest pressure on the body and are often associated with such deaths, he said. He said the contusions on Lunas Campos body may reflect physical restraint and the neck injuries were consistent with a hand or knee on the neck. The autopsy also found the presence of prescription antidepressant and antihistamine medications, adding that Lunas Campos had a history of bipolar disorder and anxiety. It made no mention of him attempting suicide. Government provided changing accounts of what happened ICEs initial account of the death, which included no mention of an altercation with guards, said Lunas Campos had become disruptive and staff moved him into a cellblock where detainees are held away from others. While in segregation, staff observed him in distress and contacted on-site medical personnel for assistance, the agency said in its Jan. 9 statement. Medical staff responded, initiated lifesaving measures, and requested emergency medical services. Lunas Campos was pronounced dead after paramedics arrived. Last Thursday, after Lunas Campos family was first informed the death was likely to be ruled a homicide, Department of Homeland Security spokesperson Tricia McLaughlin amended the governments account, saying he had attempted suicide and guards tried to help him. Campos violently resisted the security staff and continued to attempt to take his life, she said. During the ensuing struggle, Campos stopped breathing and lost consciousness. After the final autopsy report was released Wednesday, McLaughlin issued a statement emphasizing that Lunas Campos was a criminal illegal alien and convicted child sex predator. New York court records show Lunas Campos was convicted in 2003 of sexual contact with a person under 11, a felony for which he was sentenced to one year in jail and placed on the states sex offender registry. Lunas Campos was also sentenced to five years in prison and three years of supervision in 2009 after being convicted of attempting to sell a controlled substance, according to the New York corrections records. He completed the sentence in January 2017. ICE takes seriously the health and safety of all those detained in our custody, McLaughlin said Wednesday, adding that the agency was investigating the death. DHS has not responded to questions about whether any outside law enforcement agency was also investigating. Deaths put a spotlight on Camp East Montana The AP reported in August that the $1.2 billion contract to build and operate Camp East Montana, expected to become the largest detention facility in the U.S., was awarded to a private contractor headquartered in a single-family home in Richmond, Virginia. The company, Acquisition Logistics LLC, had no prior experience running a corrections facility and has subcontracted with other companies to help operate the camp. It was not immediately clear whether the guards present when Lunas Campos died were government employees or those of a private contractor. A final determination of homicide by the medical examiner would typically be critical in determining whether any guards are held criminally or civilly liable. The fact that Lunas Campos died on an Army base could limit state and local officials legal jurisdiction to investigate. Lunas Campos was among the first detainees sent to Camp Montana East, arriving in September after ICE arrested him in Rochester, New York, where he lived for more than two decades. He was legally admitted to the U.S. in 1996, part of a wave of Cuban immigrants seeking to reach Florida by boat. ICE said he was picked up in July as part of a planned immigration enforcement operation due to criminal convictions that made him eligible for removal. In addition to Lunas Campos, ICE announced that on Dec. 3 an immigrant from Guatemala held in Camp East Montana died after being transferred to a El Paso hospital for care. While the cause of death was still pending, the agency said Francisco Gaspar-Andres, 48, was suspected to have died of liver and kidney failure. On Sunday, ICE announced that Victor Manuel Diaz, a 36-year-old immigrant from Nicaragua, died at Camp East Montana on Jan. 14 of a presumed suicide. The agency said Diaz was detained by ICE earlier this month during the immigration crackdown in Minneapolis. Unlike with the two prior deaths, Diazs body wasnt sent to the county medical examiner in El Paso. McLaughlin said Wednesday that the autopsy for Diaz is being performed at the Army medical center at Fort Bliss. DHS again did not respond to questions about whether any agency other than ICE will investigate the death. Rep. Veronica Escobar, a Democrat whose district includes El Paso, called on DHS Secretary Kristi Noem and acting ICE Director Todd M. Lyons to brief Congress about the recent deaths. DHS must preserve all evidence including halting their effort to deport the witnesses, Escobar said Wednesday. I reiterate my call for Camp East Montana to be shut down and for the contract with the corporation running it to be terminated. ___ Foley reported from Iowa City. By MICHAEL BIESECKER and RYAN J. FOLEY Associated Press Ryanair chief Michael OLeary has challenged Tesla and SpaceX boss Elon Musk to put his money where his mouth is and invest in the budget airline following a week-long online spat. Elon Musk X feud turns into investment dare from Ryanair chief Michael O'Leary The feud began on X after OLeary rejected installing Musks Starlink satellite internet on his 650 planes, citing costs and technical drawbacks. He warned that adding the necessary antennas would create a two per cent drag and add around 200 million to Ryanairs annual fuel bill. In response, Musk called OLeary a retarded tw** on the platform, claiming the airline boss was misinformed and suggested he should be fired. Musk later polled his followers on whether he should buy the airline. Speaking from Dublin, OLeary remained unfazed and insisted Musk could insult him all day, every day if it helped Ryanairs business. He added: He would have to join a very long queue of people who already think I am an idiot, including my four teenage children. OLeary also noted that Musk cannot buy Ryanair outright because he is not an EU citizen. However, he could still take a minority stake, which OLeary suggested would be a significantly better investment than Musks own X platform. The spat coincided with Ryanair launching a Great Idiots seat sale, offering 100,000 tickets from just 14. The airline said bookings increased three per cent following the promotion, a surge OLeary credited in part to Musks comments. Despite frequent customer complaints about delays, hidden fees, and cramped cabins, Ryanair remains Europes largest low-cost airline, carrying more passengers than any other carrier on the continent. Michael OLeary, its outspoken chief executive, has long leaned into controversy and bold promotions as part of the airlines marketing approach. Industry analysts say that the combination of low fares and aggressive publicity keeps the airline highly popular, even among passengers who grumble about the experience. COPENHAGEN, Denmark (AP) Leaders of Denmark and Greenland insisted Thursday that the islands sovereignty was non-negotiable after U.S. President Donald Trump said he had agreed with the NATO chief on the framework of a future Arctic security deal that Trump said would grant the U.S. total access to the territory. Much about the potential deal remained unclear, though Trump said in a Fox Business interview that were going to have total access to Greenland, a semiautonomous territory of NATO ally Denmark. He added that were going to have all the military access we want. NATO spokesperson Allison Hart said the alliances secretary general, Mark Rutte, did not propose any compromise to sovereignty in discussions with Trump. Trump, who has repeatedly argued that the U.S. needed Greenland to counter threats from Russia and China, on Wednesday abruptly scrapped the tariffs he had threatened to impose on eight European nations to press for U.S. control over Greenland. It was a dramatic reversal hours after he insisted he wanted to get the island including right, title and ownership though he also said he would not use force. Greenlandic Prime Minister Jens-Frederik Nielsen voiced guarded relief, but he said he knew no concrete details of the agreement Trump cited. I dont know what there is in the agreement, or the deal about my country, he told reporters. Trump called it a framework of a future deal that, if completed, would also allow the United States to install an element of his Golden Dome, part of a multibillion dollar missile defense system, in Greenland. Denmark and Greenland insist on sovereignty Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen said security in the Arctic is a matter for all of NATO, and it is good and natural that it be discussed between the U.S. president and Rutte. She said in a statement that she had spoken with Rutte on an ongoing basis, including before and after he met Trump in Davos. She wrote that we cannot negotiate on our sovereignty and added: I have been informed that this has not been the case. Frederiksen said that Denmark wants to continue engaging in constructive dialogue with allies on how to strengthen security in the Arctic, including the Golden Dome program, provided that this is done with respect for our territorial integrity. Denmark has said the U.S., which already has a military presence in Greenland, can boost its bases there. The U.S. is already party to a 1951 treaty that gives it broad rights to set up military bases there with the consent of Denmark and Greenland. Hart, the NATO spokesperson, said that Rutte did not propose any compromise to sovereignty during his meeting with President Trump. She said that negotiations between Denmark, Greenland and the U.S. will go forward aimed at ensuring that Russia and China never gain a foothold economically or militarily in Greenland. Danish officials have noted that, in any case, NATO doesnt have a mandate to negotiate a deal on behalf of Denmark and Greenland. Nielsen, Greenlands leader, said Rutte had delivered the message that Greenland is willing to do more and host a NATO mission. Until yesterday, we couldnt rule out anything, he told reporters in the islands capital, Nuuk. Respectful dialogue through the right channels is what we have been seeking from the get-go, and I also feel thats the intention now from the other parties, and Im happy for that. He pointed to a working group that the Danish and Greenlandic foreign ministers agreed with U.S. Vice President JD Vance and Secretary of State Marco Rubio to set up last week, before Trump threatened tariffs. Denmark and the White House at the time offered diverging public views on its purpose. Asked whether U.S. sovereignty over small pockets of Greenland might be a possibility, Nielsen said that we are ready to negotiate a better partnership and so on, but sovereignty is a red line. Skepticism for Trumps switch On the streets of Copenhagen, some were skeptical about Trumps switch. I think the man has said many things and done a lot of different things to what he says, said Louise Pedersen, 22, who works with a startup company. I have a hard time believing it. I think its terrifying that we stand here in 2026. She said its for Greenlanders to decide what happens with their land not Donald Trump. I dont really trust anything Mr. Trump is saying, said Poul Bjoern Strand, 70, who works in advertising. Chancellor Friedrich Merz of Germany, one of the European countries that had faced Trumps threat of tariffs over Greenland, underlined the need for European NATO allies to do more to secure the Arctic region. We will protect Denmark, Greenland, the north from the threat posed by Russia, he said at the World Economic Forum meeting in Davos, Switzerland. We will uphold the principles on which the trans-Atlantic partnership is founded, namely sovereignty and territorial integrity. We support talks between Denmark, Greenland (and) the United States on the basis of these principles, aiming for closer cooperation, Merz said. It is good news that we are making steps into that right direction. I welcome President Trumps remarks from last night this is the right way to go. Frederiksen traveled to the United Kingdom on Thursday for talks with British Prime Minister Keir Starmer, who said the hard yards of bolstering Arctic security can begin and credited Trumps pragmatism for withdrawing his tariff threats. ___ Moulson reported from Berlin and Burrows from Nuuk, Greenland. Aamer Madhani in Washington, Lorne Cook in Brussels and Pan Pylas in London contributed to this report. By GEIR MOULSON, EMMA BURROWS and JAMES BROOKS Associated Press MINNEAPOLIS (AP) A 5-year-old boy arriving home from preschool in Minnesota was taken by federal agents along with his father to a detention facility in Texas, school officials and the familys lawyer said, making him the fourth student from his Minneapolis suburb to be detained by immigration officers in recent weeks. Federal agents took Liam Conejo Ramos from a running car in the familys driveway Tuesday afternoon, Columbia Heights Public Schools Superintendent Zena Stenvik told reporters Wednesday. The officers told him to knock on the door to his home to see if other people were inside, essentially using a 5-year-old as bait, she said. The father told the childs mother, who was inside the home and has not been named, not to open the door, Stenvik told reporters Thursday. School officials said the agents wouldnt leave Liam with another adult who lives at the home or an official from the school district. But on Thursday, Department of Homeland Security spokesperson Tricia McLaughlin said in an online post that the father asked for the child to stay with him and that they are together at an immigration lockup in Dilley, Texas. The family, who came to the U.S. in 2024, has an active asylum case and had not been ordered to leave the country, Stenvik said. Why detain a 5-year-old? she asked. You cannot tell me that this child is going to be classified as a violent criminal. McLaughlin said in a statement Wednesday that ICE did NOT target a child. She said Immigration and Customs Enforcement was arresting the childs father, Adrian Alexander Conejo Arias, who McLaughlin said is from Ecuador and in the U.S. illegally. He fled on foot, abandoning his child, she said. For the childs safety, one of our ICE officers remained with the child while the other officers apprehended Conejo Arias, McLaughlin said, adding that parents are given the choice to be removed with their children or have them placed with a person of their choosing. Minnesota has become a major focus of federal immigration sweeps. Greg Bovino, a U.S. Customs and Border Protection official who has been the face of the crackdowns, said immigration officers have made about 3,000 arrests in Minnesota in the last six weeks. Others offered to take the child Stenvik suggested that the father did not run. She said another adult who lives at the home was outside when the father and son were taken, but agents wouldnt leave Liam with that person. Mary Granlund, school board chair for Columbia Heights Public Schools, told reporters Thursday that she had told agents she would take the child before they left with him. Rachel James, a Columbia Heights city council member who lives nearby the family, said she saw another neighbor from across the street tell the agents they had papers authorizing them to take care of Liam on behalf of the parents. The agents ignored them, James said. The familys lawyer, Marc Prokosch, said Thursday that he assumes Liam and his father are in a family holding cell but that they have not been able to have direct contact with them. Were looking at our legal options to see if we can free them either through some legal mechanisms or through moral pressure, he said at a news conference. Vice President JD Vance met with Minneapolis leaders Thursday and said he heard the terrible story but later learned the boy was only detained, not arrested. Well, what are they supposed to do? Are they supposed to let a 5-year-old child freeze to death? Are they not supposed to arrest an illegal alien in the United States of America? said Vance, noting that hes the parent of a 5-year-old. Vance wasnt asked about why immigration officers allegedly wouldnt leave the boy with the other adult who lives at the home and offered to take him. Conditions at the Dilley lockup Families are reporting that children are malnourished, extremely ill, and suffering profoundly from prolonged detention at the Dilley lockup, where conditions are worse than ever, said Leecia Welch, chief legal counselor at Childrens Rights. Welch visited the facility last week as part of a lawsuit over the welfare of immigrant children in federal custody. The number of children had skyrocketed and significant numbers of children had been detained for over 100 days, Welch said. The administration in December acknowledged that about 400 children had faced extended detention. Nearly every child we spoke to was sick, Welch said. Students kept home after their classmates were detained Columbia Heights Public Schools has five schools and about 3,400 students from pre-K to 12th grade, according to its website. Most come from immigrant families, Stenvik said. Before Liam, A 17-year-old was taken Tuesday while heading to school, and a 10-year-old and a 17-year-old have also been taken, Stenvik said. Attendance has dropped over the past two weeks, including one day where about one-third of the students were out from school, she said. Over the last few weeks, ICE agents have been roaming our neighborhoods, circling our schools, following our buses, coming into our parking lot multiple times and taking our kids, said Stenvik, adding that this is causing trauma. Ella Sullivan, Liams teacher, described him as kind and loving. His classmates miss him, she said. And all I want is for him to be safe and back here. ___ Golden reported from Seattle. Associated Press reporters Valerie Gonzalez in McAllen, Texas, Kathy McCormack in Concord, New Hampshire, and Audrey McAvoy in Honolulu contributed to this story. By HALLIE GOLDEN and SARAH RAZA Associated Press ATLANTA (AP) Georgia Lt. Gov. Burt Jones, a Republican gubernatorial candidate, is attacking his primary opponent Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger over the 2020 election again, this time wielding his legislative powers. State senators on Thursday slammed Raffensperger for not complying with a U.S. Department of Justice request for detailed voter data that includes names, dates of birth, residential addresses, drivers license numbers and partial Social Security numbers. Raffensperger has said that would violate state law and infringe on Georgians privacy. He did not attend the meeting, citing active litigation. Georgia is among 23 states the Justice Department has sued to get that information. But Jones emphasized an incorrect claim that there were 315,000 wrongly certified Fulton County ballots from 2020 when he demanded Raffensperger appear at the Senate Ethics Committee meeting. That appeared to be an attempt to galvanize Jones right-wing supporters. Jones is a close ally of President Donald Trump, who has repeatedly and falsely claimed the 2020 election was stolen from him. Spotlighting the 2020 election baffled some Republicans who say most Georgians have moved on. Ricky Hess, chair of north Georgias Paulding County Republicans, said in a text that voters care about election transparency but are ready to move on from relitigating 2020 and are more worried about affordability, education and public safety. Candidates who make 2020 the centerpiece risk sounding stuck, Hess wrote. Candidates who talk about practical steps that build confidence and then focus on todays issues will connect with more people. In a January 2021 phone call, the president pressured Raffensperger to help find enough votes to overturn Democrat Joe Bidens win in the states 2020 presidential election. Jones already has Trumps endorsement and the support of election skeptics, said Jason Shepherd, a Republican in Georgia who resigned from party office over disagreements with Trump supporters. Its the rest of the voters he needs to win over, and Shepherd said most trust that Georgias elections are secure. Fulton County back in the spotlight Jones was one of 16 Georgia Republicans who declared themselves electors in 2020 even though Biden had won the state. He also backed a call for a special session to declare Trump the winner. Raffensperger and Attorney General Chris Carr, Jones top rivals for the Republican nomination, spurned Trumps efforts. Raffensperger and Carr will appeal to more moderate Republicans, but Raffensperger is expected to pull ahead of Carr. Outcry over the false claim that the Fulton County ballots were wrongly certified went viral in right-wing media last year. In announcing the Ethics Committee meeting, Jones said Fulton County admitted that 315,000 ballots were not properly signed by poll workers. Ballots in Georgia are never signed. It was the tabulator tapes from scanners used to count votes during early in-person voting for the 2020 general election that poll workers failed to sign, Ann Brumbaugh, an attorney for the county, acknowledged during a State Election Board meeting last month. She added the county has new leadership overseeing elections and implemented new training and procedures for checking tabulator tapes. Raffensperger called what happened a clerical error. The Brennan Centers director of elections and security Gowri Ramachandran agreed with that assessment. Signing tabulation tapes is not how votes get counted, and the error doesnt invalidate election results, she said. There is nothing in the election code overturning it for not following a procedural rule, especially invalidating every single early vote cast in Georgias largest county, said a spokesperson for Raffensperger. Jones said in the announcement that Raffenspergers office needs oversight. I will not allow the Secretary and his allies in the press to let him escape accountability by downplaying this utter failure as a mere clerical error, Jones said. During his campaign, Raffensperger has said Georgias elections are nationally recognized as secure. In a letter to the Ethics Committees chairman, Raffenspergers office said they provided the DOJ with Georgias voter list and complied to the extent that Georgia law allows. His office filed a motion to dismiss the lawsuit Wednesday. If you and your colleagues wish to weaken the legal protections for Georgia voters private information and make millions of Georgians vulnerable to identity theft, you can certainly change the law, but that is not something that the Secretary of States office would support, the letter says. At the meeting, Republican state Sen. Randy Roberston, who filed the resolution, argued Raffensperger could legally share the information. He continuously fails to show up and answer the questions and that is the absolute truth, said Robertson. Why run 2020 again? Since Trump often laments the 2020 election with a focus on Fulton County, where he was indicted over attempts to overturn the results, its not surprising that Jones wants to keep it on voters radar, said Georgia State University political science professor Dr. Jennifer McCoy. However, Jones will have to appeal to a broad swath of voters in the general election. State GOP Chairman Josh McKoon said election security is a key concern among Republican primary voters and candidates will continue to talk about it. Shepherd said hes surprised that a bureaucratic error is galvanizing the partys MAGA wing as much as it is. Garland Favorito, a conservative activist known for espousing conspiracy theories and challenging the states 2020 results, said Fulton Countys error is just one example of what he describes as Raffenspergers lack of transparency. Republicans like Jones think that if they can win all the straw polls at the Republican Party barbecues, theyll probably win the nomination, when typically speaking, its the opposite, said Shepherd. ___ Associated Press writer Kate Brumback in Atlanta contributed to this report. ___ Kramon is a corps member for The Associated Press/Report for America Statehouse News Initiative. Report for America is a nonprofit national service program that places journalists in local newsrooms to report on undercovered issues. By CHARLOTTE KRAMON Associated Press/Report for America Backyard cottages and basement apartments could become Berkeleys next crop of starter homes, after the City Council approved a proposal that will allow property owners to sell off those and other accessory dwelling units as condominiums. The change aims to create more opportunities for people to own a home in Berkeleys notoriously expensive real estate market, where the median price for a single-family home hovers around $1.4 million and almost no new condos have been built for decades. Were trying to create more housing inventory thats available for less than $1 million and hopefully substantially less than $1 million, Councilmember Brent Blackaby said at a meeting Tuesday night where the council approved the change. State and local laws long prohibited homeowners from splitting accessory units off from their main home and selling them as a separate property. That changed with a 2023 state law, AB 1033, which gave cities the authority to allow those sales; San Jose became the first in California to do so last year. The ordinance Berkeleys City Council approved Tuesday will typically allow property owners to get fast-tracked approval to turn their ADUs into condos, without going through a public hearing or appeals process. Owners also wont have to pay the fee the city typically charges to convert units from rental apartments to condos. Homeowners will have to submit a map to the city showing how they plan to split up their property. And the ordinance changes give tenants in certain older ADUs that are covered by rent control a three-month period to make the first offer to buy their units. Accessory units have become one of Berkeleys most popular forms of new housing, with homeowners embracing them as a source of rental income or space for family members such as aging parents or those struggling to afford high housing costs. The city has issued just over 100 building permits for ADUs on average each year since 2018. Theyre so widespread two councilmembers had to recuse themselves from Tuesdays discussion of the sale proposal: Rashi Kesarwani left the dais because she owns a home that has an accessory unit, while Igor Tregub rents one. Council splits over tenant protections City Council members all supported the change in broad strokes as a step to make homeownership in Berkeley more realistic for young buyers. But they were divided on a proposal from Councilmember Cecilia Lunaparra to impose new tenant protections on accessory units, which sought to ensure people who rent ADUs today arent forced out when they go on the market. Lunaparra proposed the council amend the ordinance to bar property owners who kick out ADU tenants with a no-fault eviction from converting the unit into a condo for five years, and impose the citys Affordable Housing Mitigation Fee on ADU-to-condo conversions unless the owner agrees to subject the unit to rent control if they rent it out, among other changes. The fundamental question right now is how to balance the stability of ADU tenants and the opportunities for potential future ADU homeowners, she said. I would love to purchase a condo home in the future and start a family in Berkeley, and Im so glad to see that council is taking concrete steps in creating these opportunities and I do not want to displace my friends who are current young tenants in ADUs. The amendments were backed by members of Berkeleys Rent Stabilization Board, several of whom attended Tuesdays meeting, along with several UC Berkeley students and a representative from the Yes-In-My-Backyard organization East Bay for Everyone. Berkeley has generally limited tenant protections for accessory units, particularly those that homeowners build in their own backyards, which arent subject to rent control or limits on no-fault evictions. Most of the council was cool on Lunaparras proposed changes, saying they were concerned the tenant regulations and potential new fees would discourage property owners from converting their ADUs into condos or building them in the first place. The changes were also opposed by the Berkeley Property Owners Association, a landlord advocacy group. Im very committed to increasing pathways and opportunities for homeownership, Councilmember Terry Taplin said. I see condo conversion for ADU sales as a valuable tool, and want to be cautious to not unwittingly create impediments that would have a chilling effect on ADU production. Seeing there was little appetite for her most substantial amendments, Lunaparra pared back her proposal to a single change, requiring the three-month right of first refusal period for all tenants, not only those who are covered by rent control. But that amendment narrowly failed: Lunaparra, councilmembers Ben Bartlett and Shoshana OKeefe, and Mayor Adena Ishii voted in favor, leaving it one vote short of the five needed to pass, while Taplin, Blackaby and Councilmember Mark Humbert were opposed. The council then voted 6-1 to approve the ordinance changes without Lunaparras amendments; she cast the lone no vote. ___ This story was originally published by Berkeleyside and distributed through a partnership with The Associated Press. By NICO SAVIDGE/Berkeleyside Berkeleyside TOKYO (AP) Japan posted a trade deficit for the fifth straight year in 2025, according to government data released Thursday, as exports were hit by U.S. President Donald Trumps tariffs and a diplomatic rift with neighboring China. For the full year, Japan logged a 2.65 trillion yen ($17 billion) trade deficit, the Finance Ministry reported in its preliminary data. That was nearly 53% smaller than the deficit Japan marked the previous year. Exports for the year rose 3.1%, while imports remained about the same on-year, gaining less than 1%. For the month of December, Japan recorded a 105.7 billion yen ($669 million) trade surplus. The monthly surplus was 12% smaller than what was racked up a year ago. Imports grew 5.3% from the same month a year ago, while exports grew 5.1%. By nation, exports to the U.S. declined 11% in December, while exports to Britain, Africa and some other Asian countries rose. Imports from Europe were strong. The United States has imposed a 15% tariff on most imports from Japan, a reduction from the 25% that Trump initially proposed but an increase from before he took office a year ago. Another looming concern is the impact on Japanese manufacturing, including automakers, from Chinas curbs on exports of rare earths. The controls were announced by Beijing after Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi suggested a Chinese move on Taiwan could prompt a Japanese military response. Takaichi has called a snap elections for next month in hopes her party can gain strength in Parliament while she is popular with the public. Overall, Japans economy has held up, despite grumbling from the public about rising prices and stagnant wages. The benchmark Nikkei on the Tokyo Stock Exchange keeps hitting new records. ___ Yuri Kageyama is on Threads: https://www.threads.com/@yurikageyama By YURI KAGEYAMA AP Business Writer DAVOS, Switzerland (AP) Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy blasted his European allies Thursday for what he portrayed as the continents slow, fragmented and inadequate response to Russias invasion nearly four years ago and its continued international aggression. Addressing the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, Zelenskyy listed a litany of grievances and criticisms of Europe that he said have left Ukraine at the mercy of Russian President Vladimir Putin amid an ongoing U.S. push for a peace settlement. Europe looks lost, Zelenskyy said in his speech, urging the continent to become a global force. He contrasted Europes response with Washingtons bold steps in Venezuela and Iran. The former comic actor referred to the movie Groundhog Day, in which the main character must relive the same day over and over again. Just last year, here in Davos, I ended my speech with the words: Europe needs to know how to defend itself. A year has passed. And nothing has changed. We are still in a situation where I must say the same words again, Zelenskyy said. He said that Ukrainians, too, seem caught in that reality in the war, repeating the same thing for weeks, months and, of course, for years. And yet that is exactly how we live now. Its our life. European countries, which see their own future defense at stake in the war on its eastern flank, have provided financial, military and humanitarian support for Kyiv, but not all members of the 27-nation European Union are helping. Ukraine also has been frustrated by political disagreements within Europe over how to deal with Russia, as well as the blocs at times slow-moving responses. A meeting with Trump His speech came after he met behind closed doors for about an hour in Davos with U.S. President Donald Trump, who described the talks as very good. Zelenskyy called them productive and meaningful. Speaking to reporters aboard Air Force One as he flew back to Washington from Davos, Trump said his meeting with Zelenskyy went well, adding that the Ukrainian president told him he wants to make a deal to end the war. I had a good meeting, but Ive had numerous good meetings with President Zelenskyy and it doesnt seem to happen, he said. Trump noted that both Putin and Zelenskyy want to reach a deal and that everyones making concessions to try to end the war. He said the sticking points in talks remain the same as theyve been during talks held during the past six or seven months, noting boundaries was a key issue. The main hold-up is the same things thats been holding it up for the last year, he said. Trump said he and Zelenskyy talked about how Ukrainians were surviving the cold winter without heat. Its really tough for the people of Ukraine, Trump said, noting that it was amazing how residents have been able to persevere through the winter facing relentless Russian strikes. Its no way to live, he said. Russias bigger army has managed to capture about 20% of Ukraine since hostilities began in 2014 and its full-scale invasion of 2022. But the battlefield gains along the roughly 1,000-kilometer (600-mile) front line have been costly for Moscow, and the Russian economy is feeling the consequences of the war and international sanctions. Ukraine is short of money and, despite significantly boosting its own arms manufacturing, still needs Western weaponry. It is also short-handed on the front line. Its defense minister last week reported some 200,000 troop desertions and draft-dodging by about 2 million Ukrainians. Zelenskyy is also striving to keep the worlds attention focused on Ukraine despite other conflicts. Zelenskyy cites inaction on key decisions He chided Europe for being slow to act on key decisions, spending too little on defense, failing to stop Russias shadow fleet of oil tankers that are breaking international sanctions, and balking at using its frozen assets in Europe to finance Ukraine, among other things. Europe, he said, still feels more like a geography, history, a tradition, not a real political force, not a great power. Some Europeans are really strong, its true, but many say we must stand strong, and they always want someone else to tell them how long they need to stand strong, preferably until the next election, he said. The Trump administration is pushing for a peace settlement, with its envoys shuttling between Kyiv and Moscow in a flurry of negotiations that some worry could force Ukraine into an unfavorable deal. A meeting in Moscow Trumps special envoy Steve Witkoff and his son-in-law Jared Kushner arrived in Moscow late Thursday and sat for talks with Putin for more than 3 hours, according to the Kremlin. One major issue remains to be resolved in negotiations, Witkoff said at Davos, without saying what it was. Zelenskyy said the future status of land in eastern Ukraine currently occupied by Russia is unresolved but that peace proposals are nearly ready. Postwar security guarantees, should a deal be reached, are agreed between the U.S. and Ukraine, although they would require each countrys ratification, he said. Zelenskyy said two days of trilateral meetings involving the U.S., Ukraine and Russia are due to begin Friday in the United Arab Emirates. Russians have to be ready for compromises because, you know, everybody has to be ready, not only Ukraine, and this is important for us, he said. Trump and Zelenskyy have had a fraught relationship, and the American president has at times also rebuked Putin. Zelenskyy said he thanked Trump for providing U.S.-made Patriot air defense systems that can help stop Russian missiles that are repeatedly hitting Ukraines power grid, causing hardship for civilians denied light, heating and running water. He said he asked Trump for more of them. After Trump cut support for Ukraine, other NATO countries began buying weapons from the U.S. to donate to Kyiv under a special financial arrangement. ___ Hrabchuk reported from Kyiv, Ukraine. Josh Boak on Air Force One, Meg Kinnard in Houston and Ali Swenson from Washington contributed to this report. ___ Follow APs coverage of the war in Ukraine at https://apnews.com/hub/russia-ukraine By KAMILA HRABCHUK and KOSTYA MANENKOV Associated Press The High Court is set to deliver its judgment on February 9, 2026, on the legality of graffiti on matatus in Kenya, following the conclusion of final submissions before Justice Bahati Mwamuye. The case was brought by petitioners challenging regulations that ban graffiti on matatus, arguing that the rules were formulated without public participation. Lawyers for the petitioners said the public was never invited to submit memoranda, and crucial information was not provided in Kiswahili, limiting meaningful engagement. The totality of what we are saying is that there was no public participation. The cardinal duty lies with Parliament and NTSA, the petitioners lawyers argued. They added that no evidence, such as attendance records or minutes of public consultations, had been presented to show that citizens were engaged. The petitioners also questioned the basis for the regulations, noting that no audits or data demonstrate that matatus with graffiti pose a higher risk of accidents. They invoked Article 47 of the Constitution on legitimate expectation, highlighting that former President Uhuru Kenyatta had issued a moratorium banning arrests and prosecutions over graffiti. They further cited President William Rutos recent recognition of Nganya cultural expression, arguing that cultural expressions should be respected. Regulations cannot be enacted first and public participation sought afterward, the petitioners stressed. In response, the National Transport and Safety Authority (NTSA) argued that the regulations were constitutionally valid and that the 2024 enforcement notice aligns with both the Constitution and the NTSA Act. NTSA lawyer Mary Kihaba told the court that the rules were designed to enhance road safety and are not inconsistent with former President Kenyattas stance on graffiti. The enforcement notice of 2024 cannot be said to be unconstitutional, Kihaba argued. She further stated that the law presumes the validity of legal instruments and asked the court to dismiss the petition while upholding the 2014 regulations. The ruling, which will clarify the future of graffiti on Kenyas matatus, is expected to have nationwide implications for road safety regulations and cultural expression. Aviation workers have issued a seven-day strike notice, warning that they could ground Kenyas airspace if the Kenya Civil Aviation Authority (KCAA) fails to review their salaries and address what they describe as years of labour violations. If the strike goes ahead, no aircraft would be allowed to land or take off from Kenyan airports, bringing passenger travel, cargo operations, and regional overflights to a halt in one of East Africas busiest aviation corridors. During a union briefing on Tuesday, Kenya Aviation Workers Union Secretary General Moss Ndiema accused the government and KCAA management of indifference and arrogance, saying negotiations collapsed after the authority claimed it lacked funds to increase workers pay. The government does not care. They are simplistic. They are arrogant, Ndiema said. Today they told us point blank that the authority does not have money, that they do not have a budget to review salaries for our members. Employees who have had no increments since 2015 are being told there is no money for any incremental considerations. Ndiema said the grievances extend beyond stagnant salaries, accusing KCAA of illegal labour practices by hiring staff on rolling short-term contracts for positions that are clearly permanent. Contrary to the CBA and contrary to the law, they are employing people on contracts of three months or six months, then parking them for a month before re-employing them, he said. Courts in this country have pronounced themselves again and again that short-term contracts for permanent work are wrong. The union also raised concerns over discriminatory treatment of contract workers, particularly female employees whose medical cover is limited to themselves and does not extend to newborn children. A female employee on contract employment is given medical cover to self only, Ndiema explained. When they give birth, that baby is not covered. If there are complications, KCAA provides no cover extension. What kind of an employer is this? The ultimatum leaves the union with no choice but to prepare for industrial action if KCAA fails to provide a realistic proposal within seven days. We know the consequences. We know the sensitive role our members play in this country, he said. But where we are left with no option, we will ask our members to down tools. Ndiema warned that a strike could extend beyond KCAA staff to workers across the entire aviation sector. We will close the airspace, he said. We will ask our members at KCAA, Kenya Airways, Swissport and other aviation service providers to ground everything at JKIA and all other airports. Union chairman Walter Ongeri accused KCAA management of unilaterally restructuring the organisation without consulting employees or their representatives, arguing that the changes undermine collective bargaining and misclassify operational staff as managers. They made a structure that is not aligned and did not consult the union, Ongeri said. You cannot borrow civil service positions and bring them into the aviation sector. Aviation operates differently. He added that some employees who tried to join the union were blocked by management, a move he said violates the Constitution. Several KCAA employees voiced support for the unions stance, saying they feel disenfranchised and powerless to advocate for better working conditions without proper union representation. The Constitution of Kenya is very clear that every employee has the right to join a union, said Peter Gichuri, a KCAA employee. When we are blocked, we are left to wonder who is left to fight for us. Some staff also warned that unresolved disputes could affect aviation safety, noting that low morale and frustration have begun to influence operations. As of publication, KCAA had not publicly responded to the strike notice, while the Transport Ministry also remained silent as the seven-day countdown toward possible industrial action began. The Government has reaffirmed its strong partnership with the World Bank, recognizing the institution as one of the countrys most reliable development partners in driving economic transformation. Speaking after a high-level meeting, Treasury Principal Secretary Chris Kiptoo said, The World Bank is one of Kenyas strongest and most reliable development partners, playing a critical role in supporting our economic transformation agenda. The meeting, held alongside Cabinet Secretary for the National Treasury Hon. John Mbadi, welcomed World Bank Managing Director and Chief Administrative Officer Wencai Zhang to review ongoing support under budget operations and project financing aligned with Kenyas Bottom-Up Economic Transformation Agenda. Kenya currently manages a World Bank portfolio of 31 active projects with total commitments of USD 5.96 billion, supporting priority sectors such as education, water, housing, roads, energy, urban development, and institutional strengthening. The discussions also covered the IDA 21 cycle pipeline of priority projects, aimed at accelerating service delivery and fostering inclusive growth. A key focus of the engagement was job creation, youth empowerment, and industrialisation. PS Kiptoo highlighted progress on the World Bank-supported NYOTA Programme, which provides start-up capital, skills development, and market linkages for young entrepreneurs. The programme is a critical platform for promoting value addition, agro-processing, MSME growth, and the development of local manufacturing and industrial ecosystems, he noted. The meeting also included World Bank Vice President for Eastern and Southern Africa Ndiame Diop and World Bank Country Director for Kenya Qimiao Fan, among other senior officials. PS Kiptoo further underscored the governments commitment to clearing pending bills, a move intended to support businesses, restore confidence, and strengthen public finance management. The Pending Bills Verification Committee, gazetted in September 2023 under Gazette Notice No. 13355 and led by Edward Ouko, has verified 29,257 bills valued at KSh 155.3 billion covering obligations accumulated between June 2005 and June 2022. He added that he also met with Principal Secretary for Wildlife Silvia Museiya as the committee finalizes verification of a limited number of outstanding claims related to humanwildlife conflict compensation at Kenya Wildlife Service. The meeting aimed to address documentation gaps and ensure that all legitimate claims are settled, providing much-needed liquidity to flow back into the economy. The High Court has issued an order barring a man from publishing or republishing alleged defamatory content against Nairobi-based Pastor Richard Stanley Takim and his church across social media platforms. Justice Nixon Sifuna partially allowed an application filed by Pastor Stanley Takim in a suit against Luke Chianga Chianga. Pastor Takim moved to court after accusing the defendant of posting content on Instagram, Facebook, X and Telegram that linked him and his church to cultism and other vices. He told the court that the claims were false, malicious and calculated to damage his reputation, integrity and standing in society, both in his personal life and ministry. The court noted that the defendant had failed to file a defence to challenge the allegations. In his ruling, Justice Sifuna found that the material cited in the pleadings was potentially defamatory, observing that it could lower the plaintiffs standing in the eyes of right-thinking members of society. However, the judge made it clear that the court would only make a final decision on whether the statements were defamatory after a full hearing of the case. The court further found that the application met the legal threshold required for the grant of an interlocutory injunction. Justice Sifuna said he found the application compelling, particularly because the contested content appeared simultaneously across multiple social media platforms, greatly increasing the risk of wide circulation and repeated publication. As if to ensure it reaches a wide base of society, the judge observed, noting that such distribution heightened the potential harm to the pastors reputation. As a result, the court issued an injunction restraining the defendant, his agents or anyone acting on his behalf from publishing or republishing similar defamatory material about the plaintiff pending the hearing and determination of the suit. However, the court declined to issue a mandatory injunction compelling the defendant to pull down or delete the existing posts. Justice Sifuna ruled that the content must remain preserved, as it constitutes evidence that will be required during the trial. Clive Myrie has reflected on the poignant moment he met Nelson Mandelas grandaughter during his new BBC show. Clive Myrie has reflected on the 'poignant moment' he met Nelson Mandelas grandaughter during his new BBC show Clive Myries African Adventure follows the 61-year-old journalist as he travels across the continent exploring the rich culture and history Africa has to offer, and Clive has now looked back at the incredible opportunity he had to speak with Mandelas granddaughter. During an interview with the BBC, Clive - who previously served as the broadcaster's North Africa Correspondent - said: Meeting Ndileka Mandela, Nelson Mandelas granddaughter, was a poignant moment because I covered the funeral of her grandfather. I flew over for that incredible 10 days of mourning. South Africa buried its founding father as a black majority nation. So it was incredible to chat with her and to meet her and to meet her in the company of my old BBC colleague Milton [Nkosi] as well, who's a good friend. That was a fantastic experience. Clive teased some of his other incredible highlights from the upcoming travelogue, including the vibrant art culture in Nigeria and surfing in Cape Town. He said: There is a vibrant art scene in Nigeria which was just stunning to behold. I went surfing in Cape Town with a group of people who take street children off the streets, teach them to surf and to become lifeguards. I mean, it's just a wonderful, wonderful thing that they that they do. Clive also tried his hand at car spinning - which involves stunt drivers spinning around while sometimes hanging out of the car. He explained: Another thing I did which I wouldnt have ever expected was trying out a new craze - car spinning - youll see my face but it was fast! I met so many strong, incredible women in the series, I went on a motorcycle ride with all female motorcycle gang in Morocco that was so much fun, they were just so welcoming and warm and open. Reflecting on what he wanted viewers to take away from Clive Myries African Adventure, the journalist said he hoped people would find Africans to be multi-dimensional, just like everybody else. He added: They're not just waifs and strays on some migrant boat. They're not just victims of rapacious capitalism, whether it's digging for oil or minerals or whatever, and being left out of the riches of that. They're not just victims of tyrants or natural disasters, they have wants and feelings and ideas and creativity as much as anyone. And I hope that people understand that when they when they watch the series, and they see that it's a vibrant Continent with so much to offer beyond the usual stuff that's represented in the media. I really hope that viewers enjoy watching my journey back to the place where I may originally have come from and exploring South Africa and Morocco. This is an incredible Continent in all its diversity and richness. Clive Myries African Adventure will air on BBC Two on 26 January 2026, and will be available on BBC iPlayer. The National Transport and Safety Authority (NTSA) has issued a detailed guide for motorists buying vehicles through auctions, bank repossessions, or court-directed sales, warning that ownership will not be recognised unless a special transfer procedure is followed. In a notice issued on Wednesday, NTSA explained that the process, known as an alternative or forced transfer, is mandatory for vehicles acquired through repossessions, court orders, or tender-based sales. The requirement ensures all ownership changes are properly recorded in the national vehicle register. For vehicles sold after bank repossessions, buyers must provide proof that the auction was conducted lawfully. This includes a certified copy of the auctioneers current licence, the auctioneers registration certificate, and KRA PIN details. Buyers are also required to submit tender documents and an official letter from the bank authorising the auction. Successful applicants must present a certificate of sale, the original receipt of payment, a discharge letter from the bank, a formal transfer request, and the vehicles original logbook. NTSA added that further verification documents, such as certificates of incorporation, KRA PINs of both the bank and auctioneer, a letter identifying the highest bidder, and sworn affidavits from the auctioneer and buyer, are also mandatory. The authority also requires applicants to obtain a tape lift from the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI), complete Form C, and provide proof that the sale was advertised in a newspaper, ensuring transparency and accountability. The transfer process begins on the NTSA service portal, where buyers select the alternative or forced transfer option and provide vehicle and transaction details. All original documents must be scanned and uploaded as a single PDF file. Applicants then select a logbook collection centre and designate the authorised collector. Buyers make online payments for the transfer and vehicle inspection services. The system enforces a mandatory seven-day waiting period before scheduling the vehicle inspection. On the inspection day, the vehicle and all original documents must be presented for verification by NTSA officers. Successful verification triggers an SMS notification, and the transfer is typically finalised within three working days. NTSA noted that the cost of transfer depends on the vehicles engine size and applicable inspection fees. The authority urged all buyers to adhere strictly to the procedure to avoid disputes and ensure legal recognition of ownership. Former Nairobi Central Officer Commanding Station (OCS) Samson Taalam has secured a modest legal victory after a Milimani court ordered Safaricom to facilitate the renewal of his mobile phone line, clearing the way for him to regain control of the number. Appearing before Magistrate Carolyne Nyaguthii, Taalams lawyer told the court that repeated efforts to replace the SIM card had failed because the telecoms provider allegedly insisted on a court order before taking any action. The lawyer said Safaricom declined to renew the line without a formal directive from the court. The defence argued that Taalam urgently required the order to reclaim his mobile number, which he claims investigators misused after seizing it during ongoing investigations. According to the submissions, the former OCS lost control of the line after authorities took his phone, exposing him and his family to alleged abuse. Magistrate Nyaguthii allowed the application and directed Safaricom to facilitate the renewal of Taalams mobile phone line. The ruling came as Taalam continued giving testimony in a case in which he accuses officers from the Independent Policing Oversight Authority (IPOA) of misusing his seized phone to solicit money from his relatives and associates while he remained in custody. IPOA officers confiscated Taalams phone as part of investigations into the murder of Albert Ojwang, who died while in custody at the Central Police Station. While testifying, the former police boss told the court that after he was detained following a miscellaneous application, a relative later informed him that unknown callers had reached out demanding money to facilitate his bail. Taalam said the callers asked for varying amounts ranging from Ksh.10,000 to as much as Ksh.80,000, claiming the payments would secure his release. Disturbed by the calls, Taalam said he lodged formal complaints, insisting that someone had been using his phone without his consent. He testified that two IPOA officers, whom he identified as Jibril and Njihia, took possession of his phone alongside a photocopy of his national identity card. He maintained that he surrendered the phone strictly for investigation purposes and not for any other use. The Milimani Law Courts will mention the matter on March 25, 2026, for further directions as the case continues. Individuals named Bannruod are typically characterized by strong leadership qualities, strategic thinking, and unwavering determination. They possess a natural authority that commands respect and often excel in positions requiring decisive action and responsibility. Their personality combines practical intelligence with physical courage, making them effective in crisis situations where quick thinking and bold action are required. They tend to be protective of those under their care and demonstrate loyalty to their principles and companions. Bannruods are often perceived as reserved but intensely focused individuals who prefer action over words. They have a strong sense of duty and honor, and they approach challenges with methodical planning rather than impulsive reactions. While they may appear stern or serious to outsiders, those who know them well appreciate their reliability and steadfast nature. Their combination of strategic vision and personal bravery makes them natural leaders in both military and organizational contexts, though they may sometimes struggle with flexibility and adapting to rapidly changing circumstances that require abandoning established plans. This personality profile reflects the historical context of the name, which was borne by commanders responsible for the security and welfare of their communities. Individuals named Beiste are typically perceived as possessing immense physical strength, resilience, and a primal connection to nature. They often exhibit strong protective instincts toward family and community, combined with a straightforward, no-nonsense approach to life. These individuals tend to be action-oriented rather than contemplative, preferring practical solutions and direct confrontation over subtle diplomacy. Their strength is not just physical but often extends to emotional fortitude and unwavering determination in the face of adversity. While sometimes perceived as rough or unrefined, those named Beiste usually possess deep loyalty and a strong moral compass. They thrive in challenging environments and are often drawn to professions that require physical prowess or outdoor skills. Their communication style tends to be blunt and honest, valuing authenticity over social niceties. Despite their formidable exterior, they often have a strong sense of justice and will fiercely defend those who cannot protect themselves, making them natural leaders in crisis situations. The name suggests someone who is dependable in practical matters and possesses an innate understanding of survival and protection. Individuals named Kamrin are often perceived as confident, adaptable, and spiritually grounded. They typically exhibit a blend of traditional values and modern thinking, making them effective bridges between different generations and perspectives. Kamrins are known for their strong sense of identity and ability to maintain their core beliefs while adapting to changing circumstances, a trait that serves them well in both personal and professional settings. These individuals often demonstrate natural leadership qualities combined with empathy and emotional intelligence. They tend to be excellent communicators who can articulate their thoughts clearly while remaining open to others' viewpoints. The name Kamrin suggests someone who is both resilient and compassionate, capable of facing challenges with grace while maintaining concern for the wellbeing of others. This balance of strength and sensitivity makes them valued friends, family members, and community contributors. In social situations, Kamrins are often described as approachable yet discerning, forming deep connections while maintaining healthy boundaries. They typically possess a quiet confidence that inspires trust and respect from those around them. Their spiritual grounding often manifests as a sense of purpose and direction, combined with practical wisdom in daily decision-making. This combination of traits makes individuals named Kamrin particularly effective in roles requiring both compassion and leadership. Cultural & Historical Significance Meldrik has its roots in medieval Christian Europe, particularly in regions where milling was central to community survival and economic prosperity. The name emerged during a period when occupational surnames were becoming hereditary, and 'miller' was a position of significant importance in feudal societies. Mills represented not just economic power but also divine order, as they transformed raw creation into sustenance. Throughout Christian history, the miller was often seen as a figure blessed by God for providing the 'daily bread' referenced in the Lord's Prayer, giving the name Meldrik spiritual connotations of provision and transformation. The name gained particular prominence in Flanders and northern France during the High Middle Ages, where water mills powered both economic and spiritual communities. Several minor saints and local religious figures bore variations of this name, often associated with charitable works and community building. In Christian symbolism, the mill represents both the grinding trials that refine faith and the transformative power of God's grace, making Meldrik a name that carries deep spiritual resonance about perseverance and divine provision in Christian tradition. Emory University has received a grant of $10 million from Lilly Endowment Inc. to help transform the education of lay ministers. Based at Emorys Candler School of Theology, the grant will further develop the schools La Mesa Academy for Theological Studies and build a strong, sustainable network of institutions dedicated to the theological education of lay ministers. Candler will collaborate with the Asociacion para la Educacion Teologica Hispana (in English, the Association for Hispanic Theological Education, or AETH) and several denominational partners in this work. The large-scale collaborative grant is being funded through Lilly Endowments Pathways for Tomorrow Initiative. This initiative is designed to help theological schools across the United States and Canada as they prioritize and respond to the most pressing challenges they face as they prepare pastoral leaders for Christian congregations both now and into the future. The grant to Emory is one of 45 that was approved in this competitive round of funding to support theological schools as they lead large-scale collaborations with other seminaries, colleges and universities, and other church-related organizations. The network of institutions Candler and its partners aim to build through this grant will help strengthen the theological education of lay ministers, a group outside the population traditionally served by university-based theology schools such as Candler, which generally focus on graduate degrees. Lay ministers are providing more and more pastoral leadership in American congregations across denominations, explains Jonathan Strom , Mary Lee Hardin Willard Dean of Candler. But the vast majority of resources for the education of pastoral leaders has been designated for graduate professional degrees that are a poor fit for most lay ministers, at least as a next step. This grant will address that fundamental mismatch in American theological education. The goal of the grant is a natural outgrowth of work Candler has undertaken as part of three previous Pathways grants funded by Lilly Endowment. The first underwrote a Candler-led asset-based community organizing process with Latine, Korean/Korean American, African immigrant and charismatic and Pentecostal church leaders, which identified several needs, including an accessible educational certificate for lay ministers. The second and third grants led to a series of initiatives to address these needs, including the creation of La Mesa Academy for Theological Studies at Candler, a multicultural, multi-language program that offers a fully accredited graduate certificate as part of Emory University. Ted A. Smith, Charles Howard Candler Professor of Divinity at Candler, and Joanne Solis-Walker, associate dean of La Mesa Academy, are co-principal investigators of the grant. Both credit AETH as an essential partner throughout the Pathways process and a major collaborator in establishing La Mesa. The organization will continue as a close collaborator in this most recent Pathways grant. As a network of people and institutions working to enhance the excellence of Hispanic theological education programs, AETH has focused historically on Hispanic Bible institutes, but has expanded in recent years to offer guidance to white and Anglophone institutions seeking to better serve their Latine students. AETH and Candler have complementary gifts: AETH channels the wisdom of Bible institutes that have long excelled in certificate-level pastoral education, and Candler brings capacities that come only with a top research university, says Solis-Walker. AETH executive director Jessica Lugo agrees. Since 1991, AETH has stood alongside Bible institutes and faith communities serving on the front lines, and this initiative allows us to multiply that impact by creating new, accessible pathways for the thousands of lay ministers who sustain the life of our churches, she says. By bringing together the deep wisdom of our grassroots institutions with the resources of an institution like Candler, we are building an ecosystem of formation that is rigorous, culturally grounded, and essential for the future of our congregations, Lugo adds. Organizational capacity building Support for the transformation of the Antioquia Center into the Antioquia Accelerator, including funding for the Justo and Catherine Gonzalez Resource Center Funding for the AETH-led components of the Biblioteca Digital Pitts, an initiative to make Spanish-language theological resources available to individual and institutional members of AETH via Candlers Pitts Theology Library which effectively grants access to thousands of lay ministers, lay ministry students and Bible institute faculty across the Americas A portion of the $10 million grant to Emory will be directed to AETH for three main purposes: According to Smith, Candler and AETH have worked hard to develop their relationship as a just and durable partnership. This concept emerged in Candlers earlier Pathways grants as an approach to institutional collaboration that moves beyond transactional models in which each party collaborates only as much as necessary to serve its own self-interest. We want our Pathways partnerships to be just in the sense of being marked by reciprocity, fairness, respect and attention to the equal value of all individuals and institutions. We also want them to be durable in the sense that they should last longer than one single project in which our interests happen to align, Smith says. We want to build long-term relationships of mutual support that will give rise to new projects we could not have imagined on our own, like La Mesa. Many of Candler and AETHs partners in founding La Mesa were from ecclesial traditions with long experience in forming pastoral leaders in certificate programs. With this new phase, project leaders are developing La Mesa to serve growing numbers of lay ministers in denominations that have typically required the master of divinity degree for ordination, including the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ), Presbyterian Church (USA), The Episcopal Church, The United Methodist Church and The Vineyard. These denominations are seeing increasing numbers of lay ministers serving smaller congregations, new church plants, congregations centered in immigrant communities and large churches as members of pastoral staffs. Different traditions name the pastoral leaders we are gathering together as lay ministers in different ways, says Smith. They have different roles and expectations, but they share a desire for accessible theological education that offers spiritual formation, intellectual rigor and deeply contextual learning. They are helping us create a La Mesa that does all those things. Strom notes that this initiative for the education of lay ministers is part of the schools larger strategy of building a continuum of offerings in theological education to give more people access. He sees it as a yes/and situation rather than an either/or. Our work in education for lay ministers will complement, not displace, the masters and doctor of ministry degrees that have been the historic core of the school, Strom says. It expands Candlers offerings in ways that let us live more fully into our mission to educate faithful and creative leaders for the churchs ministries throughout the world. Lilly Endowment launched the Pathways for Tomorrow Initiative in 2021. Since then, it has provided grants totaling more than $700 million to support 163 theological schools in efforts to strengthen their own educational and financial capacities and to assist 61 schools in developing large-scale collaborative endeavors. About Lilly Endowment Inc. Lilly Endowment Inc. is a private foundation created in 1937 by J.K. Lilly Sr. and his sons Eli and J.K. Jr. through gifts of stock in their pharmaceutical business, Eli Lilly and Company. While those gifts remain the financial bedrock of the Endowment, it is a separate entity from the company, with a distinct governing board, staff and location. In keeping with the founders wishes, the Endowment supports the causes of community development, education and religion and maintains a special commitment to its hometown, Indianapolis, and home state, Indiana. A principal aim of the Endowments religion grantmaking is to deepen and enrich the lives of Christians in the United States, primarily by seeking out and supporting efforts that enhance the vitality of congregations and strengthen the pastoral and lay leadership of Christian communities. The Endowment also seeks to improve public understanding of about religion and lift up in fair, accurate and balanced ways the roles that people of all faiths and various religious communities play in the United State and around the globe traditions in the United States and across the globe. Nathan's Famous, the iconic American hot dog chain known for its Coney Island stand and annual hot dog eating contest, has been acquired by Smithfield Foods in a $450 million all-cash deal. Smithfield, a Chinese-owned pork producer, will purchase all Nathan's shares for $102 each, securing full ownership of the brand. "The Nathan's Famous acquisition is a meaningful step in the progression of Smithfield Foods allowing us to own all of the top brands in our packaged meats portfolio," said Shane Smith, CEO and president of Smithfield Foods. According to FoxBusiness, the company expects to achieve annual cost savings of about $9 million within two years of the deal closing. Smithfield Foods has held an exclusive license in the US, Canada, and Sam's Clubs in Mexico since 2014 to manufacture, distribute, and sell Nathan's Famous hot dogs, sausages, corned beef, and other products. With the acquisition, the company now owns the brand outright. "This combination is a natural fit and provides compelling valuation for Nathan's Famous stockholders," said Eric Gatoff, CEO of Nathan's Famous. "As a long-time partner, Smithfield has demonstrated an outstanding commitment to investing in and growing our brand while maintaining the utmost quality and customer service standards." #SmithfieldFoods announces acquisition of #Nathans Famous HotDogs. Smithfield is in the Top 5 Pork Producers in the US. It is owned by a subsidiary of the #CCP. How can the US allow China to own our Food Producers. Do you think that the CCP would allow the US to buy one of the ThomasCamp_MAGA (@ThomasCamp_MAGA) January 21, 2026 Nathan's Hot Dogs Now Part of WH Group Nathan's Famous has been a staple of American culture since its founding in 1916 by Nathan Handwerker. With a $300 loan, Handwerker opened a small hot dog stand on Coney Island, selling hot dogs for just five cents, LGM Corp reported. The brand quickly grew in popularity and is now celebrated for its annual hot dog eating contest, held every July 4th outside the original Coney Island location. Top competitive eaters like Joey Chestnut and Miki Sudo continue to draw fans from across the country, with Chestnut winning his 17th Mustard Belt in 2025 after consuming 70 hot dogs. Smithfield confirmed that the contest, broadcast on ESPN, will continue under the new ownership. Smithfield Foods is part of the WH Group, China's largest pork and meat processing company. WH Group acquired Smithfield in 2013 for $4.7 billion to tap into US meat supplies for export to China. The parent company also operates through Shuanghui Development in China and Morliny Foods in Europe. Originally published on vcpost.com Recent Emory College of Arts and Sciences graduate Lucas San Miguel has been named a Schwarzman Scholar for graduate study next fall in China. A Robert W. Woodruff Scholar from Atlanta, San Miguel graduated in May 2025 with a dual degree in economics and Chinese studies. He is Emorys 12th Schwarzman Scholar and one of just 150 recipients selected this year from more than 5,800 applicants. The highly selective program aims to build an international community of leaders to foster the relationship between China and the rest of the world. This is the pinnacle of my Emory experience, from being able to invest in my own interests and my own niche, San Miguel says. The Schwarzman Scholars program launched 11 years ago, inspired by the Rhodes Scholarship to promote international understanding and peace through intensive study and leadership. In addition to a one-year masters degree, the program also includes cultural immersion, personal and professional development, and career resources designed to help scholars lead in various fields upon graduation. Lucas embodies the initiative, intelligence and determination necessary to make a genuine difference in the world, says Interim Emory College Dean Joe Crespino. We are so excited that he has received this recognition, and we cant wait to see the great things that hell do next. Connecting with people has always been a defining character trait for San Miguel. He even wrote about his love of talking to strangers in his personal statement when applying to Emory. Growing up in a household influenced by his Cuban heritage alongside becoming fluent in Spanish during high school led to setting his eyes on Latin America as an area of interest for applying his economics academic background. He put those skills to use as a first-year Emory student, finding an internship in Nicaragua accompanied by a grant from Emory shortly after the country established diplomatic ties with China. San Miguel spent that summer working in Spanish, his second language, to develop community projects for a company that works with Nicaraguan nonprofits. While there, he also studied advanced Chinese through the U.S. Department of States Critical Language Scholarship Program. But San Miguel didnt limit his opportunities to Latin America. He served as Emorys Coca-Cola Ambassador for four years, consulting on Gen Z and international marketing campaigns. He secured Pathways Center internship funding to work in Thailand on Cokes launch of a sparkling water, studied for a year at the London School of Economics, and completed the State Departments CLS Portuguese immersive language program in Brazil. I am constantly impressed by Lucas, but I am not surprised, says Stephen OConnell, an associate professor of economics who met San Miguel while teaching an econometrics course. He has a clarity of purpose and impressive accomplishments, with a genuine interest in people, all while remaining truly humble. San Miguel has a clear vision of a career in international trade, with a special focus on trade at the intersection of the U.S., China and Latin America. He successfully applied to become a Robert T. Jones Scholar to expand his undergraduate study of language and quantitative economics. He will complete his masters in global sustainable development with a focus on social policy and sustainability from the University of St Andrews in Scotland this spring. Pursuing his masters degree in global affairs from Tsinghua University in Beijing as a Schwarzman Scholar will provide a more global perspective on China, especially as it has become the largest developer of trade infrastructure in Latin America. It looks like I planned it all out, but the reality is the encouragement, opportunities and structure of study at Emory allowed me to explore and confirm what I found the most meaningful, San Miguel says. From internships and grants to crafting my specific academic interests and applying them globally by learning several new languages to fluency, I felt invested in from every corner at Emory. All economies must embrace AI, blockchain: Paul Chan Paul Chan chatted to some 100 cross-sector leaders, including Nvidia chief executive Jensen Huang. Photo courtesy of Information Services Department Financial Secretary Paul Chan said all economies must embrace technologies such as artificial intelligence and blockchain as he met leaders at the World Economic Forum's annual gathering in Davos. The remark came as he delivered a speech at the "2026 Davos-Caixin CEO Luncheon" in which he said the SAR is strategically transitioning to be driven by three pillars - finance, trade, and innovation and technology. Chan said Hong Kong is piloting initiatives in fintech innovation, with the strong backing from neighbouring cities in the Greater Bay Area, which is known for its robust innovation and technological industrial chains. He said the SAR is a "worthwhile" investment destination with "tremendous" development potential. He said that as global trade undergoes a "paradigm shift", the traditional model of producing and exporting low-costs goods - commonly seen in developing economies - is changing. "Taking China as an example, the country is advancing high-level, two-way opening-up and driving its economy with a focus on expanding domestic demand," he said, according to a statement. "This not only injects momentum into China's high-quality development, but also creates vast market opportunities for quality goods and services from across the globe, fostering shared prosperity," he added. Chan also delivered a speech at a China-focused dinner, after meeting officials from Cambodia and the United Arab Emirates to discuss ways for further collaboration, and chatting to some 100 cross-sector leaders, including Nvidia boss Jensen Huang. Separately, the finance minister met a medical tech firm, Yidu Tech, to encourage the company to expand in Hong Kong. Harrison Gilberti (top) and Israeli Jones (second photo), shown in prior productions, will perform in the comedic short opera La serva pardrona in SIUs Shryock Auditorium, Feb. 6 and Feb. 8. (Photos provided) SIU Opera Theater to perform charming comedy on Feb. 6, 8 by Pete Rosenbery CARBONDALE, Ill. A comedic short opera that showcases a maids determination to marry her elderly bachelor employer and become mistress of the household unfolds in two performances next month in Southern Illinois University Carbondales Shryock Auditorium. La serva pardrona (The Maid Turned Mistress) is set 7 p.m. Friday, Feb. 6, and 2 p.m. Sunday, Feb. 8. The 45-minute performance, written in 1733 by Italian composer, organist and violinist Giovanni Battista Pergolesi, is one of the first comedic operas, said Carissa Scroggins, an associate professor of practice in voice and opera in the School of Music. The performance will be in English. Tickets are $10 apiece and can be purchased at the door with cash. SIU Carbondale students are free with a student ID. The story is charming and celebrates themes of love, perseverance and practicality, said Scroggins, who is directing the performance. Ive wanted to do this opera since my undergraduate days when I first heard it in music history class. The compact opera highlights second-year music masters student Harrison Gilberti, who plays the bachelor Umberto; Israeli Jones, a senior in musical theater who plays the maid Serpina, and Brandon James, a senior in music education, who is making his opera debut and plays Vespone, a servant who is mute. Collaborative piano will be provided by Esther Tang, a second-year masters student in music. Scroggins is the set designer with lighting design by Seth Kolhaas, a technical director in the College of Arts and Media. The School of Theater and Dance is providing costumes. Smartphones have become indispensable, yet their convenience comes with risks to personal privacy. Always-on microphones, sensors, and apps can collect location, audio, and behavioral data without obvious consent, raising questions about how much phones "listen" to users. Understanding the legal landscape clarifies what is allowed, what is restricted, and how individuals can protect themselves. Modern data protection laws attempt to balance functionality and privacy. European GDPR, U.S. state privacy acts, and emerging global regulations enforce consent, data minimization, and opt-out rights. Compliance mechanisms like Global Privacy Control (GPC) signals, anonymization requirements, and breach reporting aim to reduce unnecessary data collection. By knowing smartphone privacy rules, users can make informed choices while continuing to benefit from digital convenience. Does Your Phone Listen Without Permission Under Smartphone Privacy Laws? Smartphone privacy laws define the boundaries for audio and sensor data collection. Wake-word detection (e.g., "Hey Siri" or "OK Google") is legally treated as necessary processing, but using recorded conversations for advertising is prohibited. California's CCPA bans cross-context behavioral advertising from voice data without explicit opt-in. Indiana, Kentucky, and Rhode Island enforce deletion request timelines of 45 days for audio logs, with $7,500 fines per violation. EU AI Act classifies emotion recognition from audio as high-risk, requiring assessments before deployment. The UK's Data Use Act allows non-sensitive audio use but guarantees user contest rights. These measures do not disable microphones entirely; privacy relies on anonymization, purpose limitation, and legal compliance. How Data Tracking Operates Within Legal Boundaries Data tracking combines sensor inputsaccelerometers, gyroscopes, microphonesto infer user behaviors. Apps can detect patterns like gym visits or daily routines, which may be monetized through programmatic advertising. Connecticut and Oregon allow users to opt out of profiling decisions, while Colorado mandates audits for mobile data brokers. Global Privacy Control signals, recognized in 12 states, prevent unauthorized sales or sharing of collected data. India's upcoming DPDP Act requires end-to-end encryption for voice data and 72-hour breach notifications. Laws focus on granularity: tracking precise geolocation or personal activity without user notice or consent is enforceable. By channeling tracking through consented and regulated methods, legal frameworks aim to reduce excessive intrusion. Digital Surveillance Risks and 2026 Enforcement Trends Digital surveillance increasingly combines smartphones with AR/VR, biometrics, and AI-driven analysis, creating new privacy considerations. Minor-targeted advertising, voice training for AI, and background data collection are now under scrutiny. California mandates annual AI risk assessments for voice-enabled systems. Meta's 479M GDPR fine illustrates consequences of manipulating consent or mishandling user data. Class actions under ECPA/BIPA have produced settlements exceeding $100M, signaling increased legal risk. Enforcement fines scale with intent and harm: negligent collection triggers ~$2,663, intentional misuse up to $7,988 per violation. These trends highlight that digital surveillance extends beyond phones, making legal compliance and transparency crucial. Global Compliance Shifts Impacting Smartphone Privacy Smartphone privacy regulations are converging globally, emphasizing standardized protections and user rights. By 2026, 20 U.S. states align consent rules with GPC standards, while EU GDPR streamlines opt-outs. India's parental consent mechanisms cover voice assistants, and harmonized enforcement reduces jurisdictional loopholes. Devices increasingly integrate privacy-by-design features to meet cross-border laws. Users gain more control over data sharing, including location, audio, and sensor logs. Enterprises must audit mobile apps for compliance or face fines. Transparency reports and automated deletion protocols become standard. Navigating smartphone privacy, data tracking limits, and digital surveillance protections empowers users to make safer choices while engaging with technology. Protecting Your Privacy While Using Smartphones Smartphone privacy, data tracking, and digital surveillance are not unavoidable risksthey can be managed proactively. Users can adjust permissions, enable Global Privacy Control, and selectively share data to maintain control over personal information. Understanding how devices collect, process, and transmit information ensures safe interaction with apps and AI assistants. By staying informed about 2026 laws, including consent requirements, opt-outs, and data minimization standards, individuals can enjoy full smartphone functionality without compromising personal privacy. Being mindful of app behavior and leveraging built-in privacy tools strengthens protections against unauthorized collection. Regular audits, reviewing permissions, and limiting background access reduce the risk of misuse. Awareness of regional regulations and their enforcement also empowers users to hold companies accountable. Integrating these practices into daily smartphone use fosters a secure digital environment while preserving convenience. Frequently Asked Questions 1. Can my phone record conversations without me knowing? Phones only actively record after detecting wake words. Some data samples are collected for processing but anonymized and not linked to advertising without consent. Apps cannot legally use conversations for targeted ads without explicit opt-in. Users can manage microphone permissions in settings to further limit access. 2. What is Global Privacy Control (GPC) and how does it protect me? GPC is a browser-based signal that communicates a user's preference to opt out of data sale or sharing. Compliant websites must honor it, preventing tracking by third-party advertisers. It works across multiple apps and states where legislation recognizes it. This reduces unauthorized behavioral profiling and increases transparency. 3. Are my location and sensor data protected by law? Yes, U.S. state laws and GDPR limit data collection to what is reasonably necessary. Geolocation, accelerometer, and gyroscope data fall under consented use rules. Unauthorized sharing or sale of such data can trigger fines. Users can revoke permissions and disable background tracking for further protection. 4. How do AR/VR apps affect smartphone privacy? AR/VR apps often use cameras, microphones, and motion sensors to create immersive experiences. This data may be classified as sensitive under privacy laws. Parental consent, encryption, and purpose limitation requirements apply. Users should review permissions and opt out of unnecessary tracking features. Originally published on Tech Times Pakistan has decided to join the US President Donald Trump''s "Board of Peace" to support the implementation of the Gaza Peace Plan under the United Nations Security Council Resolution 2803, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Pakistan, said on Wednesday. "In response to the invitation extended to Prime Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif by the President of the United States, Donald J. Trump, Pakistan would like to announce its decision to join the Board of Peace (BoP) as part of its ongoing efforts to support the implementation of the Gaza Peace Plan under the framework of the United Nations Security Council Resolution 2803," the statement said. The statement further added, "Pakistan expresses the hope that with the creation of this framework, concrete steps will be taken towards the implementation of a permanent ceasefire, further scaling up of humanitarian aid for the Palestinians, as well as reconstruction of Gaza." Pakistan reiterated its support for Palestinian self-determination and an independent state. Pakistan also hopes that these efforts will lead to the realisation of the right to self-determination of the people of Palestine, through a credible, time-bound political process, consistent with international legitimacy and relevant UN resolutions, resulting in the establishment of an independent, sovereign, and contiguous State of Palestine, based on the pre-1967 borders with Al-Quds Al-Sharif as its capital. MoF added that, "Pakistan looks forward to continuing to play a constructive role as part of the Board of Peace for the achievement of these goals, as well as to end the suffering of our Palestinian brothers and sisters." The "Board of Peace" was unveiled as part of phase two of the fragile ceasefire agreement with Hamas to end the Israel-Gaza conflict, as reported by Al Jazeera. The Trump administration sent invites to several world leaders to join the body, which Trump envisages would oversee "governance capacity-building, regional relations, reconstruction, investment attraction, large-scale funding, and capital mobilisation" in the region. However, the participation of Netanyahu will add to concerns over the objectivity of the board, which Trump will lead and control the lineup. Netanyahu''s acceptance of a place on the board comes despite his office having earlier criticised the makeup of the executive committee, which includes Israel''s regional rival, Turkiye. Meanwhile, Trump came down heavily on the United Nations, arguing that its lack of competence led to his decision to establish the "Board of Peace" for Gaza to implement the 20-Point Peace Plan to end conflict in the Middle East. Addressing the press, Trump said, "We just created the Board of Peace, which I think is going to be amazing. I wish the United Nations could do more. I wish we didn''t need a Board of Peace. With all the wars they settled, the United Nations never helped me in one war." When asked whether he wants the Board of Peace to replace the United Nations, Trump said they "haven''t been very helpful," but believed in the organisation''s potential. (ANI) Sabiha Baloch, a central leader of the Baloch Yakjehti Committee (BYC), has issued a strong appeal to Baloch communities and international civil society to observe Baloch Genocide Remembrance Day on January 25, accusing the Pakistani state of carrying out systematic repression and demographic destruction across Balochistan. In a post shared on X, Baloch stated that daily life in Baloch regions reflects a deep humanitarian catastrophe that remains largely invisible to the outside world. She described how in Koh-e-Sulaiman, cancer-related deaths have become routine, while families are left without access to affordable healthcare, forcing them into debt and despair. She further highlighted the worsening conditions in Bolan and Jacobabad, once fertile regions now facing acute hunger, land dispossession, and widespread malnutrition. According to her, economic marginalisation has pushed Baloch families to the brink, with increasing cases of maternal deaths during childbirth due to the collapse of basic medical services. Referring to Makran, Baloch alleged that both land and sea, the backbone of local livelihoods, have been seized by the state, leaving communities trapped between displacement and enforced disappearances. She claimed that those resisting land takeovers are either killed or forcibly disappeared, while land is redistributed under state patronage. In Lasbela, she stated that Baloch culture and social values are being systematically eroded, pushing communities into what she termed "unaware slavery." Meanwhile, in Jhalawan and Sarawan, she accused armed groups operating with impunity of targeting civilians, including women and children, leading to fear, harassment, and long-term trauma for families searching for missing relatives. Baloch also alleged that narcotics have become more accessible than food in many areas, devastating Baloch youth, while security checkpoints allegedly facilitate this crisis rather than preventing it. Describing Balochistan as a "death well," she cited extrajudicial killings, enforced disappearances, road fatalities, cancer, and the near-total collapse of health and education systems. "The state calls this security," she said, "but destroying an entire nation in the name of security is genocide." She said January 25 also commemorates victims of mass graves such as Tootak, where unidentified remains were found, believed to be Baloch, while families, especially mothers, continue to wait for truth and justice. Dr. Baloch urged Baloch people abroad to engage embassies, journalists, and international institutions to raise awareness. (ANI) The policy focus on maintaining a balance between consumer protection, innovation, and a prudent regulatory approach will help support long-term economic growth in India, according to a report by the Reserve Bank of India (RBI). According to the RBI, the latest findings of the financial structure of India have reaffirmed the strength of the financial system. The stress test results showed that both banks and non-banking financial companies (NBFCs) are capable of withstanding losses under adverse scenarios, while maintaining capital levels well above the regulatory minimum. The RBI report stated that going forward, a policy approach that carefully balances innovation and stability, along with consumer protection and prudent regulation and supervision, will be crucial in improving productivity and sustaining long-term economic growth. It stated "the policy focus on striking a balance between innovation and stability, consumer protection, and a prudent approach to regulation and supervision should help improve productivity and support long-term economic growth". The report noted that banks remain well supported by strong capital buffers, improved asset quality, and robust profitability, even in a challenging global environment. The report also took note of the global environment as the year 2026 began with an escalation of geopolitical tensions. It highlighted developments such as US intervention in Venezuela, the continuing conflict in the Middle East, uncertainty around the Russia-Ukraine peace deal, and the escalation of the row over Greenland. These factors, the RBI said, point to still-elevated geo-economic risks and persistent policy uncertainty at the global level. Despite these global challenges, the RBI report said the current state of the Indian economy provides grounds for optimism. The GDP growth estimates for 2025-26 indicate that India will continue to remain the fastest-growing major economy in the world. The report also highlighted India's efforts to diversify and strengthen exports in order to reduce risks related to the external sector. It said India is currently engaged in trade negotiations with 14 countries or groups, representing nearly 50 nations, including the European Union, Gulf Cooperation Council countries, and the United States. In December, India concluded trade negotiations with New Zealand and Oman. Additionally, the RBI noted that 2025 witnessed major economic reforms, including the rationalisation of tax structures, the implementation of labour codes for labour market reforms, and financial sector deregulation. These measures, the report said, are expected to further strengthen India's growth prospects in the coming years. Overall, the RBI report emphasised that India's resilient financial system, reform momentum, and balanced policy framework place the economy in a strong position despite ongoing global uncertainties. (ANI) PNN Bangalore (Karnataka) [India], January 22: At a time when stories shape culture, influence perception, and drive global conversations, filmmaking has evolved from passion to profession. The M.A. Film Making Program at the School of Design, Media, and Creative Arts (SDMCA), JAIN (Deemed-to-be University) is designed for those who want to move beyond admiration of cinema and step confidently into its creation. Recognised among the best MA Film Making colleges in India, the Program belongs to a new generation of Film Making PG courses in India that combine global academic benchmarks with industry relevance. Positioned strongly within the top MA Film Making courses in Bangalore, SDMCA offers a structured MA film making pathway that balances theory, production, and entrepreneurial thinking. For aspirants evaluating film-making courses, this Program delivers clarity, capability, and career readiness. From Passion to Professional Practice Unlike conventional Film Making courses that stop at technique, this Film Making course is built to develop thinking filmmakers. Students engage deeply with storytelling, production design, cinematography, editing, television formats, and new-media platforms. As one of the best MA Film Making courses in Bangalore, the Program aligns with international academic standards while remaining rooted in the realities of the Indian film and media ecosystem. Parents often ask whether Film Making PG courses in India lead to sustainable careers. At SDMCA, employability is embedded into curriculum design--making it a trusted choice among best MA Film Making colleges in India. For learners seeking top MA Film Making courses in India, the Program offers exposure across film, television, OTT platforms, digital media, and interactive storytelling. Dr. Sujay Nair, Director- School of Design Media and Creative Arts, JAIN (Deemed-to-be University), says,"Film making today demands discipline, research, and leadership--not just creativity. Our M.A. Film Making Program ensures students are trained as professionals who can sustain long-term careers in a competitive industry." Learning That Mirrors the Real Industry The Program's strength lies in its balance. Students are trained across scripting, direction, cinematography, editing, production management, and digital media strategy--making it one of the top MA Film Making courses in Bangalore. As a contemporary MA film making offering, it prepares students for roles across film, television, gaming, web series, and interactive media. This filmmaking course also addresses the entrepreneurial side of cinema. Learners explore funding models, content marketing, distribution strategies, and media management--an essential dimension often missing in traditional Film Making courses. That is why the Program continues to be referenced among best MA Film Making courses in Bangalore and top MA Film Making courses in India. Career Confidence for Students, Assurance for Parents Graduates step into diverse roles such as Film Director, Cinematographer, Editor, Screenwriter, Producer, Showrunner, Media Educator, and Entrepreneur. This versatility distinguishes the Program from many Film Making PG courses in India, positioning it among the best MA Film Making colleges in India. Parents evaluating Film Making courses look for structured progression and credibility. The Program's academic rigor, combined with industry-anchored practice, places it firmly among top MA Film Making courses in Bangalore. As a comprehensive MA film-making degree, it enables learners to build strong portfolios, professional networks, and leadership confidence. Mr. Saurabh Kumar, Chief Manager - Admissions & Marketing, JAIN (Deemed-to-be University) and JAIN College, shares, "Parents today want assurance that creative education leads to meaningful careers. This Program ensures students graduate with both cinematic skill and professional direction." A Campus That Fuels Creative Growth Set within a vibrant creative ecosystem, SDMCA offers access to production studios, editing suites, industry mentors, and interdisciplinary collaboration. This environment strengthens its reputation among best MA Film Making courses in Bangalore and reinforces its standing within top MA Film Making courses in India. For students comparing Film Making PG courses in India, the Program's emphasis on hands-on production, critical thinking, and ethical storytelling makes a decisive difference. It is a Film Making course that respects cinema as both art and industry. The Decision That Shapes Your Story Choosing a career in cinema is a serious commitment. Choosing the right institution makes all the difference. Among best MA Film Making colleges in India, SDMCA stands apart for its clarity of purpose, academic integrity, and career focus. You don't just learn to make films here--you learn to build a future where your stories find audiences, platforms, and impact. Explore the M.A. Film Making Program at SDMCA Website: https://www.jainuniversity.ac.in/sdmca Email: sdmca@jainuniversity.ac.in Phone: +91 7022427777 (ADVERTORIAL DISCLAIMER: The above press release has been provided by PNN. ANI will not be responsible in any way for the content of the same.) An India-first trend intelligence service for the fashion and lifestyle industry, aimed at addressing an estimated USD 2 billion-plus white space created by the lack of right forecasting, has been launched this week at the French Institute in India here in the national capital. ICH NEXT, an Indian trend forecasting and intelligence platform, has partnered with global creative strategy and trend consultancy Peclers Paris for this purpose. The report, they said, is designed to address a gap in India's fashion and lifestyle ecosystem: the lack of research-led, India-first trend intelligence built for local consumers and business realities. India's fashion and lifestyle market is projected to exceed USD 240 billion, growing at over 10 per cent annually. Yet, they said, much of the industry continues to rely on global trend reports that offer broad inspiration but limited relevance to India's cultural diversity, climate, craft traditions, body types, and consumption cycles. The ICH NEXT x Peclers Paris collaboration aims to change this by combining global foresight with deeply contextual, India-based research. Anuradha Chandrasekhar and Kanika Vohra, Co-founders ICH NEXT said in a statement, "India needs a localised lens in trend forecasting because it is not a single, homogeneous market nor a fast follower of the West. Multiple consumer segments, festival-led demand cycles, extended summers, and strong cultural meanings around colour, silhouette, and occasion reshape how trends are adopted. At the same time, India is no longer only adapting global trends - it is actively shaping them. From tech and digital behaviour to beauty rituals and fashion aesthetics, the country is emerging as a source of innovation and influence, with homegrown brands, creators, and consumers setting new culturalcues." "The industry needs a research lens rooted in local culture, powered by data, and designed to solve real business challenges. This partnership allows us to combine global perspective with deep Indian insight to help businesses anticipate, adapt, and lead in a way the industry has never seen before," the Co-founders said. Launched in 2022, ICH NEXT analyses social and cultural signals and macro articles every month to deliver proper guidance across colour, fabric, silhouettes, patterns, and pricing. Brands using this platform have reported faster design cycles, improved sell-through, and stronger category performance, and revenues. ICH NEXT is looking to invest USD 1.5 million over the next three years to scale its offerings. Peclers Paris, part of the USD 20 billion WPP network, brings over five decades of experience in shaping forward-thinking brand visions, with a strong heritage in fashion, aesthetics, and design innovation. Anne Etienne-Reboul, CEO, Peclers Paris, said, "India is one of the most influential consumer markets globally today. Its cultural depth, creativity and confidence demand a different approach to forecasting. Through this collaboration, we are excited to combine our global perspective with ICH NEXT's deep local understanding to create intelligence that is both visionary and truly relevant for Indian brands." (ANI) Venezuela restored access to the social media platform X, ending more than a year of restrictions imposed under captured leader Nicolas Maduro, as interim leader Delcy Rodriguez resumed posting on the platform and signaled a return to official government use. Rodriguez announced her return to X with a message calling for unity and stability. "We reconnect through this channel," she wrote. "Venezuela remains standing, with strength and historical awareness. Let us stay united, moving forward toward economic calm, social justice and the welfare state we deserve." Retomamos contacto por esta via. Venezuela sigue de pie, con fortaleza y conciencia historica. Sigamos unidos, avanzando por la tranquilidad economica, la justicia social y el Estado de bienestar en el que merecemos encontrarnos! Delcy Rodriguez (@delcyrodriguezv) January 14, 2026 The move followed the lifting of a block ordered in August 2024, when Maduro suspended X after his fraudulent presidential reelection, accusing the platform's owner, Elon Musk, of participating in a "cyber coup" against his government. At the time, X had become one of the country's main sources of real-time information amid increased censorship of traditional media. Access remained possible only through virtual private networks. Other senior officials also resumed activity on the platform, including Interior Minister Diosdado Cabello, who said the government would again use X as a communication channel: "I'm stopping by to send a big hug to the brothers and sisters of Venezuela and around the world who have been following what's happening in our country. We're going to resume using this channel to communicate stay tuned. We will prevail!!" Paso por aqui a darle un gran abrazo a los hermanos y hermanas de Venezuela y el mundo que han estado pendientes del tema de nuestro pais, vamos a retomar esta via para comunicarnos, pendientes. Nosotros Venceremos!! Diosdado Cabello R (@dcabellor) January 13, 2026 Maduro's own X account was also reactivated, posting images of himself alongside Rodriguez and his wife, Cilia Flores, who, like Maduro, faces drug-related charges in U.S. courts. One post described Maduro's detention as a "kidnapping," marking 11 days since his arrest, as DW reports. While the platform was blocked for the general population, investigations published in November documented how pro-government networks continued operating on X throughout the ban. Research by the Venezuelan NGO Cazadores de Fake News found that anonymous accounts linked to the Ministry of Communication coordinated campaigns supporting Maduro and attacking opponents, often using coordinated hashtags, manipulated videos and artificial intelligence tools. Digital rights groups said the arrangement created an information imbalance, with citizens requiring VPNs to access X while government-linked networks maintained unrestricted activity. "The government uses the same tools it forbids its citizens," said Andres Azpurua of VE Sin Filtro, which argued the blockade lacked legal basis and violated constitutional rights. Originally published on Latin Times "Very very entertained by HAPPY PATEL. Congrats VIR. The ingenuity of mixing incredible silliness with a relentless screenplay was so much fun to watch!" the 'War 2' star wrote. A delighted Vir Das reshared the warm review on his Instagram handle, hailing Hrithik's support as he offered a subtle nod to the actor's role in Yash Raj Films' Spy Universe. "Hrithik - May every comedy lover and first time Filmaker find a star like you. You are magic on screen and it falls on all of us smaller sillier spies too! Thank you," the actor-comedian wrote. https://www.instagram.com/p/DTzuopdDF7c/ 'Happy Patel: Khatarnaak Jasoos' is a quirky, offbeat spy, which also stars Mona Singh, Sharib Hashmi and Srushti Tawade, along with special appearances by Aamir Khan and Imran Khan. Vir Das is in the lead role as an agent sent on a mission in India. The trailer hilariously shows Vir Das's character failing to assemble a rifle while also forgetting to include the trigger. It was followed by a confidential mission assignment in Goa. Unknown to the culture and traditions of India, Vir Das faces numerous problems, ranging from being tortured by Mona Singh's character to fighting Imran Khan in a slow-motion aerial battle. Aamir Khan also plays a cameo in the movie. The film is produced by Aamir Khan under the banner of Aamir Khan Productions. 'Happy Patel' opened in theatres on January 16, 2026. (ANI) The nominations for the 98th Oscars were announced on Thursday, where 'Homebound' failed to secure a spot in the International Feature Film category. Taking to his Instagram handle, the film's producer Karan Johar penned a heartfelt note for director Neeraj Ghaywan and wrote, "Proud!!!! Love you @neeraj.ghaywan for allowing us to bask in your light!" In a swift response, the filmmaker also expressed deep gratitude and added, "Thank you, @karanjohar! You have been an absolute rock. Couldn't have come this far without you. Love you!" 'Homebound', which had been considered a strong contender amid early buzz and much critical acclaim, was absent from the final list of nominees announced on Thursday. It was shortlisted under the International Feature Film category at the upcoming Oscars alongside entries from Argentina, Brazil, France, Germany, Iraq, Japan, Jordan, Norway, Palestine, South Korea, Spain, Switzerland, Taiwan, and Tunisia. Meanwhile, nominated for the coveted trophy under International Feature Film are 'The Secret Agent', 'It Was Just An Accident', 'Sentimental Value', 'Sirat', and 'The Voice of Hind Rajab'. Featuring actors Ishaan Khatter and Vishal Jethwa in the lead, 'Homebound' follows childhood friends Shoaib (Ishaan Khatter) and Chandan (Vishal Jethwa), whose shared dream of joining the police force shapes their lives, with Janhvi Kapoor adding emotional depth to a story grounded in friendship, duty, and the pressures facing young India. Directed by Neeraj Ghaywan, the film is produced by Karan Johar, Adar Poonawalla, and Apoorva Mehta, and co-produced by Marijke deSouza and Melita Toscan Du Plantier, with Martin Scorsese and Pravin Khairnar serving as Executive Producers. (ANI) Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis on Wednesday announced that the state will complete its major solar energy project by the end of this year. This project is designed to provide farmers with a steady supply of solar electricity. Devendra Fadnavis said, "We created a new company to supply power to farmers, and now around 16 GW of power will be generated through solar, through this distributed system, and we will complete this project by the end of this year." He further said that "under the leadership of PM Narendra Modi and Union Minister for Renewable Energy, Maharashtra has transformed the entire energy landscape in just less than a decade's time. With the vision of PM Modi, we decided to entirely shift the agriculture power load on solar, and we started Asia's biggest decentralised solarisation plan whereby the agriculture feeder was separately solarised." Meanwhile, Devendra Fadnavis on Wednesday (Indian Standard Time) also described the Davos summit as an important and effective platform for India to stay updated on global trends in innovation and technology. He explained that by participating in these international meetings, the state can learn about the latest developments in the world of business, which helps bring more investment and modern processes back to Maharashtra. Highlighting the learning opportunities at the forum, the Maharashtra Chief Minister said, "India's presence in Davos is being registered very effectively. The participation of ten different states reflects the spirit of cooperative and competitive federalism that Prime Minister Modi has instilled in us. We are all here representing ourselves under this spirit, and I believe Davos is essential for staying relevant in today's geopolitics and connected economy. If you want to remain relevant in this connected economy, you have to come to Davos. It's a place where businesses meet and where you learn about innovation, technology, and business processes." The 56th Annual Meeting of the World Economic Forum is being held from January 19 to 23, 2026, at Davos-Klosters, welcoming nearly 3,000 participants from over 130 countries, including a record number of world leaders, CEOs, innovators and policymakers, under the theme "A Spirit of Dialogue."World leaders from government, business, civil society, and academia will convene in Davos to engage in forward-looking discussions on global issues and set priorities. The call for bold collective action makes the meeting particularly relevant. India is Pitched as One of the World's Fastest-Growing Renewable Energy Markets at Davos. Union Minister Pralhad Joshi urges global investors to partner with India in its rapid expansion of clean energy at the World Economic Forum 2026 in Davos. (ANI) Karnataka State Law Minister HK Patil on Wednesday met Karnataka Governor Thaawarchand Gehlot at Raj Bhavan ahead of addressing the joint session of Assembly and Council on Thursday. Highlighting the disagreement, Minister HK Patil says, "The objection of the Governor's office, and in some matters of the Governor, is that 11 paragraphs of the address that we have sent are not acceptable. They are objectionable. But for us, we don't feel like that. They are the voices of the Government, of the people. We want people's voices to be heard by the Centre and the nation at large through the Governor's speech. We have requested him to come and address." He further added, "The Governor will address the joint session of the Assembly and Council tomorrow at 11 am. He will address us. The government, the Cabinet, has prepared its speech and it has sent it to him. He is expected to address the joint session. The Constitution of India mandates that the address of the Govt is to be addressed by the Governor. The governor's speech is nothing but a declaration of govt policies, programs and views. We are not in agreement with the Centre that MGNREGA should be repealed. We were prepared to change the language if there was anything objectionable. But they were keen that it should be deleted. The Cabinet has made a decision, we can't tell the Governor whether it will be done or not. We will consult the CM. CM will make the final call. Then we will communicate that to the Raj Bhavan." Meanwhile, Karnataka Minister HK Patil announced on 14th January that a joint session of the legislature will be held on Thursday, during which the Governor will be invited to address the House."We have decided to convene a joint session on January 22nd. "The Governor will be invited to address the joint session, and the Legislature will remain in session till the end of the month. "Secondly, the House will be in session from the 22nd to the 31st, and we will have a special discussion on the VB Gram G Bill," he said. He further added that "the state would also raise concerns with the Centre over employment guarantee. "We will also discuss the suggestions and pressure we will be putting on the central government to revive the Mahatma Gandhi NREGA Act," Earlier, the Karnataka Minister condemned the Centre's decision to repeal the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA), describing it as "draconian"."It is unfortunate that the government of India has repealed the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act. This is one of the draconian decisions the Government of India has made, which is to repeal MGNREGA," Patil said. He said the Act had ensured the right to work for rural citizens. "MGNREGA was giving the right to work to the people, but the central government has snatched that right from people, particularly those agricultural labourers, labourers who were dwelling in rural areas," he said. Earlier, the Congress on Saturday announced a nationwide three-phase agitation titled "MGNREGA Bachao" following the Centre's newly enacted Viksit Bharat - Guarantee for Rozgar and Ajeevika Mission (Gramin) (VB-G RAM G) Act.Addressing a press conference in New Delhi, Congress General Secretaries KC Venugopal and Jairam Ramesh accused the Centre of attempting to centralise the employment guarantee scheme and acting arbitrarily. Venugopal said the Congress Working Committee had approved a structured campaign titled "MGNREGA Bachao Sangram"."Phase 1 will begin on January 8 with a full-day preparatory meeting at Pradesh Congress Committee offices," he said. "District-level press conferences will be held on January 10, followed by a one-day fast at district headquarters on January 11 near the statues of Mahatma Gandhi and BR Ambedkar," Venugopal added.As per the party, Phase 2 of the campaign will run from January 12 to January 30. "Panchayat-level chaupals will be organised across all gram panchayats, and a letter from the Congress president will be delivered," Venugopal said. He added that Vidhan Sabha-level nukkad sabhas and pamphlet distribution are also planned. "On January 30, Martyrs' Day, the party will hold peaceful sit-ins at the ward level with MGNREGA workers," he said."Phase 3 will begin on January 31 with district-level MGNREGA Bachao dharnas at DC and DM offices till February 6," Venugopal said. "This will be followed by state-level gheraos of Vidhan Sabha buildings from February 7 to February 15 and four zonal AICC rallies across the country between February 16 and February 25," he added. (ANI) Union Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw on Wednesday described how India, after 60 years, has finally made a significant mark in the semiconductor industry. The Minister stated that one of the four semiconductor plants currently in pilot production is set to begin full operations by last week in February. Explaining the strategy behind these deals, Ashwini Vaishnaw said, "Regarding the four plants that started pilot production in the semiconductor sector, one of them will start commercial production by the last week of February. " Reflecting on the nation's progress, he shared, "This is a matter of great pride for the country, and it is the result of the Prime Minister's focused execution, demonstrating how, after 60 years, India has finally made a significant mark in the semiconductor industry." He further added, Rare earths are a very complex value chain, involving contributions from many countries around the world. India has entered into several collaborations in this complex value chain. There are collaborations with the US, Europe, Germany, Japan, South Korea, and Singapore. These collaborations aim to create an ecosystem that ensures India's continued growth." Union Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw also stressed that India is poised to become the world's third-largest economy in the next few years, driven by a decade of "well thought-through" structural changes and focused execution. Speaking at the World Economic Forum 2026, Union Minister Vaishnaw outlined a trajectory where the nation is expected to maintain a real growth rate of six to eight per cent. He attributed this momentum to four strategic pillars: massive public investment in physical, digital, and social infrastructure; inclusive growth ensuring the "entire society grows alongwith the growth of the country"; a push for manufacturing and innovation; and a rigorous drive toward simplification. "All this, combined with the base of technology that we have put in, we can very clearly say that India is going to grow with 95 per cent confidence interval in the next five years," Vaishnaw stated, highlighting that the "security of the poorest comes as a priority." (ANI) Tripura Chief Minister Manik Saha on Wednesday called for stronger bonds of brotherhood among the people to speed up the state's progress. While inaugurating the 54th Statehood Day celebrations at Rabindra Shatabarshiki Bhavan, the Chief Minister pointed out that a united society is the foundation for achieving the "Ek Tripura, Srestha Tripura" vision. Chief Minister Manik Saha today said that it is possible to accelerate the development of the state by strengthening the bond of unity among the people, and through this, Ek Tripura, Srestha Tripura will be built and the main objective of celebrating Statehood Day is to guide the socio-economic development of the people of the state on the right path. To keep the development of the state moving forward, the ultimate goal is to maintain peace and harmony everywhere. Chief Minister Manik Saha said this while inaugurating the Tripura Statehood Day celebration programme at Rabindra Shatabarshiki Bhavan on Wednesday. During the discussion on the occasion, Saha read out the greetings sent by Prime Minister Narendra Modi for the Tripura Statehood Day celebration. The Chief Minister said that the Prime Minister has called for building a developed and self-reliant India by 2047. The state government is also working in that direction. "After the death of Maharaja Bir Bikram Manikya on May 17, 1947, the Council of Regency was formed under the leadership of Maharani Kanchanprabha Devi to govern the state. On August 13, Maharani Kanchanprabha Devi signed the instrument of consent for Tripura to join the Union of India. On January 12, 1948, in consultation with the Government of India, the Council of Regency was dissolved, and Maharani Kanchanprabha Devi was appointed as the sole regent. Thereafter, Maharani Kanchanprabha Devi continued to govern Tripura as the sole representative of the state until October 15, 1949. On September 9, 1949, Maharani Kanchanprabha Devi signed the instrument of accession of Tripura to India as the regent in Delhi. Finally, on October 15, 1949, Tripura was formally included in the Union of India," he said. The Chief Minister expressed deep respect for all the individuals and citizens who have made outstanding contributions in achieving the status of a full state. "After the formation of a new government in Tripura in 2018, Tripura is today considered one of the leading states in the country in every field--agriculture, education, health, industrial infrastructure development, women empowerment, providing security in public life, and achieving self-reliance. In terms of GSDP, Tripura is also in second place among the states of the North-Eastern region. Today, Tripura has become known as the only digital state in the country. The state has won 347 awards at various levels for the proper implementation of developmental works. The state has also won the first award in deregulation," he said. The Chief Minister also said that the current government has been very successful in guiding the women of the state on the path of self-reliance. "As a result of the steps taken by the government for the socio-economic upliftment of women through self-help groups, there are currently 1 lakh 8 thousand didis in the state. Currently, 54,323 women's self-help groups are working successfully in the state. The state government is also working with specific targets for the development of the tribals of the state," he said. On the occasion, six people were awarded the State Citizen Award, and 11 people were awarded the Statehood Day Award for their contributions in various fields. The Chief Minister and other guests handed over the awards to the awardees. During the event, Agriculture and Farmers Welfare Minister Ratan Lal Nath, Tourism Minister Sushanta Chowdhury, Higher Education Minister Kishor Barman, and Director General of Police Anurag were present. (ANI) A man was found dead with stabbing injuries in Goudavelli village under Medchal police station limits in Medchal-Malkajgiri district on Wednesday night. According to a Medchal police official, "This incident happened last night around 9 PM, and we reached the spot and are investigating the matter." Last month, in December, a man died after being brutally stabbed by two people with a knife under the Reinbazar police station limits in Hyderabad, police said. The incident took place under the jurisdiction of Reinbazar Police Station. Soon after the incident, authorities reached the scene and took the victim to a nearby hospital. "We received information that two people brutally stabbed a man. We reached the scene and shifted him to the hospital for further treatment, but he later died. We have taken two suspects who were involved in the stabbing into custody and are investigating the matter. The deceased's body has been sent for post-mortem examination," police said. Police registered a case of murder. (ANI) A fresh FIR has been registered at Knowledge Park Police Station in Greater Noida in connection with the death of 27-year-old techie Yuvraj Mehta, who lost his life after his car broke through a waterlogged pit near a public road in Sector-150. The FIR cites violations under the Environmental Protection Act, the Water (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Act, and relevant sections of the Indian Penal Code, intensifying the probe into alleged lapses at the construction site. Five individuals, identified as Abhay Kumar, Sanjay Kumar, Manish Kumar, Achal Bohra, and Nirmal Kumar, have been named in the FIR. They have been booked under Section 15 of the Environmental Protection Act, 1986; Sections 24 and 43 of the Water (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Act, 1974; and Sections 290, 270, and 125 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), 2023. According to the FIR, the incident came to light on Tuesday during routine patrolling, when police discovered a large, deep pit filled with stagnant water for several years. The water had become highly polluted and muddy, with garbage accumulating, producing a foul smell, and affecting public health. The pit, located close to a public road, had no barricades, warning signs, or safety arrangements, posing a severe risk to human life. Local residents reported that the stench from the stagnant water made it difficult to breathe when winds blew from the pit. Investigations revealed that the land was purchased in 2014 by Lotus Green Construction Private Limited and later sold to Viztown in 2020. The FIR states that Lotus Green Construction continues to hold a significant share in the property. The development follows the recovery of Mehta''s car by the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) from a water-filled pit that flooded during the night of January 16-17. The Noida Police also arrested Abhay Singh, CEO of Viztown, who was produced before a local court and granted one day of judicial custody; he will be presented in court again on Thursday. This arrest follows the formation of a Special Investigation Team (SIT) to investigate the case. SIT head, Bhanu Bhaskar, who visited the incident spot along with the team, stated that they will submit their investigation report within five days. "SIT has been formed to investigate this case. We have had discussions with the officials and the deceased''s family members. The investigation has just started. We will present the report after 5 days of investigation," Bhaskar told reporters. Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) MP Mahesh Sharma, while expressing condolences for the victim, mentioned that Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath has assured him that anyone found guilty of this negligence will be identified and punished. The victim, Yuvraj Mehta, lost his life after his car broke through a drain boundary under the jurisdiction of the Knowledge Park Police Station. His family has alleged gross administrative negligence, claiming he struggled for nearly two hours before drowning, as onlookers filmed the incident instead of helping. (ANI) Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) MLA Shankar Ghosh on Thursday accused the West Bengal government of harassing opposition representatives and held a one-day hunger strike over obstruction in utilising the Member of Legislative Assembly Local Area Development (MLALAD) funds. While speaking to ANI from the strike, Ghosh stated that neither Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee nor any state government officials cooperated in the utilisation of MLALAD funds. "... The opposition representatives are being harassed by the state government... As with many other MLAs, I am being obstructed from using my MLALAD (the Member of Legislative Assembly Local Area Development Scheme)... I submitted a deputation to our chief minister within the assembly. She didn't respond. I wrote the letter to the chief secretary, informed the speaker... I asked the mayor of Siluguri Municipal Corporation to sit with me to utilise the entire MLALAD. But there was no cooperation whatsoever from the state government...," he said. Stating that the "money allotted for the MLALAD is very small," Ghosh said, "... Today I will go on a hunger strike, and it will continue tomorrow..." The MLA added that several other opposition legislators were facing similar issues in utilising the allocated development funds. Separately on Wednesday, BJP leader Dilip Ghosh criticised Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, alleging that she disrespects constitutional systems and does not want the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls to be conducted properly. "Mamata Banerjee does not respect any constitutional system; all constitutional systems are collapsing in Bengal. Courts are being challenged here. It is the job of the government, the police, and the state government employees to complete the Special Investigation Report (SIR), but they are not doing so because Mamata Banerjee does not want the SIR to be conducted and the fake names to be exposed. Therefore, the Election Commission must ensure that the SIR is conducted with utmost care...," he said. The Special Intensive Revision of electoral rolls is being carried out by the Election Commission of India (ECI) ahead of the 2026 West Bengal Assembly elections and has come under intense public and legal scrutiny. (ANI) Kerala Parliamentary Affairs Minister MB Rajesh on Thursday accused the Opposition of trying to shield those involved in the Sabarimala gold theft case, asserting that the investigation is being conducted under the supervision of the High Court. His remarks came amid a protest by United Democratic Front (UDF) members in the Assembly, who disrupted proceedings by holding placards, shouting slogans, and even singing a parody song. Later, LDF MLAs also staged a walkout from the Assembly. The Opposition demanded the resignation of the state Devaswom Minister, VN Vasavan, over the Sabarimala gold theft case. Speaking in the Assembly, Rajesh said, "These questions should be directed at UDF Convener Adoor Prakash. The question of who stole the gold must be asked of Adoor Prakash. If the answer there is not sufficient, you should go to Delhi and ask at Sonia Gandhi's residence. Why is this drama being staged now? Acting on High Court directions, an investigation is underway into gold thefts dating back to the UDF regime. To protect the thieves, the Opposition leader has been unleashed." He further termed the prime accused as "thief" and Sonia Gandhi as "beneficiary." "The thief and the one who received the stolen gold appeared in the same frame, and that frame was with Sonia Gandhi. If you want to see the thief and the beneficiary together, it is alongside Sonia Gandhi. Can you deny that fact?" Rajesh asked. The Minister criticised attempts by the Opposition to discredit the investigation. "The investigation is being conducted under the supervision of the High Court. When the Opposition Leader tried to discredit this probe, didn't he receive a setback from the High Court? When attempts were made to malign the SIT, didn't the High Court respond firmly? Having lost in the High Court, we are now seeing an attempt to fight it out in the Assembly. This should be viewed as a move against the High Court itself," he said. "Those seated there are the same people who once fabricated the story that a concrete flagpole had been destroyed by termites, and who then stole a gold-plated flagpole. The present protest is aimed at protecting those leaders who orchestrated that theft. You may be singing parody songs now, but the day will come when the accused you are trying to shield will be behind bars. We have kept a song ready for that day," Rajesh added. Addressing the Opposition's behaviour in the Assembly, Rajesh added, "It is the Opposition's right to move an adjournment motion under Rule 50. Instead of exercising that right, the Opposition is now resorting to fear-driven, unparliamentary methods. In parliamentary history, it is extremely rare for an Opposition to shy away from using its right to move an adjournment motion, and this Opposition clearly lacks the courage to do so. They are afraid that if an adjournment motion notice is submitted, the issue will have to be debated. They have come to the House to avoid such a discussion, holding placards. If they have confidence and courage, shouldn't they be prepared for a debate as per the rules?" "Whenever discussions have been held in this House, the Opposition has chosen to evade them, walking out instead. What we are witnessing now is a shameless display of cowardice. Let the people judge an Opposition that lacks the courage to exercise the rights provided by the Assembly and refuses to use the democratic space available to them," he added. The Assembly protest comes in the backdrop of revelations surrounding a photograph of Congress Parliamentary Party Chairperson Sonia Gandhi with Unnikrishnan Potti, the prime accused in the Sabarimala theft case. UDF convener and Congress MP Adoor Prakash, also featured in the image, clarified that his involvement was limited to accompanying Potti to a function and later to Sonia Gandhi's residence, stressing that nothing improper occurred. Meanwhile, legal proceedings continue in the case. The Kerala High Court on Wednesday rejected the bail requests of former Travancore Devaswom Board (TDB) president A Padmakumar, former TDB administrative officer B Murari Babu, and jeweller Roddam Pandurangaiah Naga Govardhan in connection with the gold theft investigation. On Wednesday, the Enforcement Directorate (ED) has also intensified its probe, conducting raids at 21 locations across multiple states, including Kerala, Karnataka, and Tamil Nadu, to examine alleged money laundering linked to the misappropriated temple gold. The Sabarimala gold theft case concerns allegations of the misappropriation of approximately 4.54 kilograms of gold from sacred temple artefacts, including the Sreekovil (sanctum sanctorum) door frames and Dwarapalaka idols. The theft allegedly occurred in 2019 under the pretext of refinishing and re-gold-plating temple structures. The controversy traces its origins to a 1998 donation by industrialist Vijay Mallya, who had gifted 30.3 kilograms of gold and 1,900 kilograms of copper for gold plating and cladding work at the Sabarimala Ayyappa temple. Subsequent inspections and court-monitored inquiries revealed discrepancies between the donated gold and the quantity allegedly used. (ANI) Panic briefly erupted at Terminal 3 of the Indira Gandhi International Airport in Delhi today, after the security team reported the recovery of what appeared to be a "human skeleton." The incident triggered an immediate check by airport security and the Delhi Police. Police officials said the preliminary examination revealed the skeleton to be a demo skeleton commonly used by medical students for academic purposes. The item was found inside the luggage of a medical student, confirming that it was not linked to any criminal activity. However, to rule out any doubt, Delhi Police have sent the skeleton for forensic examination. Officials said the forensic analysis will scientifically establish that the recovered remains are indeed a demo skeleton used for educational training, and not of human origin. (ANI) BJP leaders on Thursday lashed out at the ruling Congress party in Karnataka for opposing and allegedly attacking Governor Thaawarchand Gehlot over his refusal to deliver the customary address at the start of the Joint Legislature Session of the State Assembly, and called for a protest in return. Karnataka BJP chief B Y Vijayendra condemned the ruling party for "insulting the Governor" and demanded that Chief Minister Siddaramaiah apologise on behalf of his party and take action against Congress leaders. "What the Governor has done today is the right decision, whereas the ruling Congress government insulted him, which is not correct. The ruling party MLA and MLCs trying to attack his excellency is totally unconstitutional. The Chief Minister should seek an apology regarding the behaviour of his party and should take action against those who tried to stop and attack the governor," he stated. The Karnataka BJP President said that they will also "hit the streets," adding that the Congress is trying to "cover up their failures." "They have no other choice, people are cursing their government. People are upset with them. To cover up their failure, they are blaming the BJP and the governor. We will also protest politically and hit the streets," he stated. Earlier, Chief Minister Siddaramaiah had expressed his intention to approach the Supreme Court to protest the action of the Governor. "...Every new year the Governor has to address the joint session of Assembly, had the speech prepared by the Cabinet. This is a constitutional requirement. Today, instead of reading the speech prepared by the Cabinet, the Governor read the one he himself prepared. This is in violation of the Constitution of India. It violates Articles 176 and 163 of the Indian Constitution. He has not discharged his duties as per the Constitution. Therefore, we are going to protest against the attitude of the Governor. We are examining whether or not to approach the Supreme Court." The Congress accused the Governor of breaching Article 163, which mandates that the Governor act on the Cabinet's advice in executive matters, and Article 176, which requires the Governor to formally present the government's agenda to the Legislature. Responding to the allegations, the state BJP chief Vijayendra said that the Governor is "not a puppet" and alleged that the CM did not "save the dignity of the house and the Governor." "By naming a constitutional provision, you can't compel the governor to become a puppet and expect him to follow directions. I told the state government and the CM to come forward to save the dignity of the house and the governor. It is the CM who is trying to undermine and politicise the constitutional provisions," he alleged. "If he wanted to act as a political tool, he'd have skipped the session. But he didn't. He came and addressed the assembly as per the Constitution. It is the Congress's mistake," Vijayendra said. Highlighting the benefits of the VB-G RAM-G Act, the state BJP chief argued that the State government is attempting to "antagonise the people against the BJP-led Central government," by creating a "false narrative." "The ruling party is trying to misuse the Assembly and antagonise the people against the central government. The Prime Minister and the NDA government have brought in several changes in MGNREGA, which is now VB-G RAM-G. The only vision is to ensure the dream of Gandhi Ji: Ram Raj and Gram Raj comes true," he said. "Valuable changes have been made, and people are welcoming it across rural India. However, the CM is trying to politicise and create a false narrative, which is unacceptable. Siddaramaiah should remember he is the CM of the state, not of the Congress party. He shouldn't lower the dignity of the Governor and the House," he added. Additionally, Karnataka Leader of Opposition and BJP leader R Ashok said that action should be taken against the Law Minister H K Patil for interrupting the Governor's speech. Stating that the Governor did not "disrespect the house", Ashok accused the Congress of making the House "a mess." He further said that Congress destroyed the value of the Constitution and that he will be writing a letter to take action against the Congress leaders. "The Governor has done his duty. Earlier, when Bharadwaj was there, K. Khurshid Alam also gave a speech. What is wrong with this? But the Congress has made the entire House a mess. The Law Minister has interrupted his speech. There are certain rules to be followed during the Governor's speech. There is a rule that the Governor's speech should not be interrupted. If he does so, action should be taken against him; he should be thrown out of the House," he said. "The Governor has not disrespected the House. He signed all the bills in the Belagavi session. Was it right then? The Congress has made the House a congressional office. Who administered the oath to the Chief Minister's Law Minister? Now he has insulted him. Today, Congress has destroyed the Constitution's value. Therefore, I am writing to request that action be taken against him," the LoP added. during the joint session of the Karnataka Assembly, walked out without completing his address, which was drafted by the state government, amid stern opposition from the Congress. (ANI) Union Minister and Bharatiya Janata Party's (BJP) Tamil Nadu election in-charge Piyush Goyal on Thursday criticised the ruling DMK government over alleged nepotism and corruption after meeting Tamil Maanila Congress leader GK Vasan and senior National Democratic Alliance (NDA) ally AC Shanmugam in Chennai, asserting that the NDA is determined to free Tamil Nadu from what he described as "corruption" and "incompetence." Speaking after the meeting, Goyal said he was pleased to meet Vasan, whom he described as a long-time friend. "I am so happy to meet my friend GK Vasan. I have known him for more than 20 years. We have worked together in the Rajya Sabha. I have seen how well he represents the people of Tamil Nadu and how passionate he is about serving the state," he said. Goyal also praised AC Shanmugam, calling him a trusted NDA ally. "I am very delighted to meet Dr AC Shanmugam. He is a trusted and loyal partner of the NDA, and together with Mr Vasan, we will ensure that Tamil Nadu gets a good NDA government," he added. The Union Minister said the NDA is focused on good governance and inclusive development. "We will bring good governance, development and prosperity for every section of Tamil Nadu, our sisters and daughters, youth, fishermen, farmers and all sections of society, and under the guidance and leadership of Prime Minister Modi and the leader of the alliance in Tamil Nadu, Edappadi K Palaniswami," he further stated. Expressing confidence in the alliance's prospects, Goyal said the NDA would secure a decisive mandate. "I am grateful for the love and affection that the people of Tamil Nadu have always shown towards Prime Minister Modi. I have seen the concern and affection that the Prime Minister has for the people of Tamil Nadu. I am sure that in this election, the NDA will win with a thumping majority," he said. Taking aim at the ruling DMK, Goyal alleged corruption and nepotism. "GK Vasan and Dr AC Shanmugam will work with full force to defeat the nepotist and corrupt Stalin government. Tamil Nadu should not have to suffer because of incompetence and corruption," he said, also criticising Tamil Nadu Minister Udhayanidhi Stalin over alleged hate speech. Earlier in the day, Piyush Goyal met AIADMK General Secretary Palaniswami at his residence on Greenways Road in Chennai. Speaking to reporters after the meeting, Goyal expressed confidence that the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) will defeat the ruling Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) in the upcoming Tamil Nadu Assembly elections, asserting that the people of the state have rejected what he described as the "corruption, misgovernance and anti-development policies" of the DMK government. Meanwhile, PM Modi's public meeting tomorrow will mark the clarion call for the National Democratic Alliance for the Assembly polls. Prime Minister Narendra Modi will deliver a special address, and AIADMK General Secretary Edappadi K Palaniswami, GK Vasan, John Pandian, and other leaders of alliance parties will also attend the event. With elections expected in the first half of this year, the BJP-AIADMK-led NDA alliance is looking to secure a win against the DMK-Congress coalition, while the entry of debutant actor-turned-politician Vijay's Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK) has turned the contest into a triangular battle. (ANI) Italian defence firm WASS on Thursday said the contract for the Black Shark Advanced (BSA) heavyweight torpedo will significantly enhance the Indian Navy's underwater combat capabilities, and that certain parts of the HWT are likely to be made in India through future collaboration and technology transfer. Wass recently signed a deal with India under the Buy Global category to supply 48 heavyweight torpedoes for the Kalvari-class submarines of the Indian Navy. In response to an ANI email query, WASS Submarine Systems' head of marketing and sales, Andrea Ruffini, said the contract will allow the Indian Navy to integrate the BSA torpedo across all six Kalvari-class submarines, providing what it described as the best-in-class heavyweight torpedo currently available in the global market. The firm said the flexibility of the system offers long-term growth potential for both existing and future platforms of the Indian Navy. "Thanks to its flexibility, BSA can be easily integrated on already in-service or under acquisition platforms, representing a growth potential in operational capabilities of current and future Indian Navy fleet," the Italian defence firm said. The firm said the torpedo is based on state-of-the-art technology and was developed as a new-generation heavyweight torpedo to meet demanding operational requirements identified in discussions with the Italian Navy. According to the HWT manufacturer, the system is already in service with seven navies worldwide and is currently under evaluation by four others. "BSA is fully integrated in all the current in-service platforms (Uboat class, Scorpene, Vastegotaln, Kilo and Midget), any adaptation required by IN operational solution can be easily tailored," WASS told ANI. On domestic manufacturing and long-term cooperation in a move towards the "Make-in-India" initiative, the Italian firm said the heavyweight torpedo contract signed in December between the Ministry of Defence and the company follows the "Buy Global" approach, in line with the tender requirements. It added that they view this agreement as the first step towards a long-term collaboration with the Indian Navy on heavyweight torpedo programmes. The defence firm said a key strategic objective of the contract is to make the Indian Navy fully independent in carrying out in-house maintenance activities. It also expressed its willingness to support Make in India through future indigenisation efforts. "As a future step, in case of interest by the Indian Navy in additional torpedoes, WASS will be very pleased to collaborate with dedicated Indian companies, exploiting business relations already in place for many years with several industrial partners, in order to indigenize some sections through a specific Transfer of Technology/Production that will allow to increase Indian industrial capability in some specific technology," the company said. According to an earlier Ministry of Defence statement, the agreement was signed on December 30 last year for the procurement and integration of 48 heavyweight torpedoes along with associated equipment for Kalvari-class submarines under Project 75. The contract, valued at approximately Rs 1,896 crore, was signed with WASS Submarine Systems S.R.L., Italy. The Defence Ministry, too, noted in that statement that the acquisition will enhance the combat capability of all six Kalvari-class submarines of the Indian Navy. Delivery of the torpedoes is scheduled to begin in April 2028 and will be completed by early 2030. The Ministry said the torpedoes have significant operational capabilities and advanced technological features. It added that the acquisition underlines the Government's commitment to meeting the operational requirements of the Indian Navy through the induction of niche technologies and advanced weapon systems. Following the signing of the agreement, Pierroberto Folgiero, Chief Executive Officer and General Manager of Fincantieri, said, "This agreement marks a key strategic step for Fincantieri in India, a market of central importance in our long-term international growth strategy and one of the most dynamic naval hubs globally. Strengthening our presence in India means building enduring industrial and institutional partnerships in a region that plays an increasingly pivotal role in global maritime security. We are proud to deepen our cooperation with the Indian Navy and to position Fincantieri as a trusted long-term partner in this strategic geography." (ANI) The Congress is exploring its options for poll-bound West Bengal and could decide to go alone in the Assembly elections in the state with no talks held so far for alliance with Left parties, party sources said here on Thursday. Sources said several leaders in the Bengal party unit are keen that the party goes alone in the polls as it has been weakened by contesting polls mostly in alliance for over decades. They said there is still no clarity on the party's stance even as Trinamool Congress and BJP have plunged into the campaign. The sources said that the party is likely to fight the forthcoming polls on its own. The Left-Congress-Indian Secular Front (ISF) alliance had performed very poorly in the last polls, winning only one seat. The BJP emerged as the main opposition party in the state, which had long been dominated by the Left and the Congress. Congress sources said that a section of the Bengal unit feels that the party will not be able to grow in an alliance and will be decimated in areas it has not contested for a long time. They feel that the party should use the forthcoming assembly polls, likely to be held in March-April, to build its base across the state. The Left parties and Congress-led UDF have been the main contenders for power in Kerala, which will also go to the polls in the first half of this year. The BJP has in the past taunted Congress for fighting polls in alliance with Left parties in Bengal and fighting against them in Kerala. The Congress earlier this month appointed senior leader BK Hariprasad as the chairperson of the screening committee for West Bengal. The political atmosphere in Bengal is charged amid allegations and counter-allegations between the BJP and the ruling Trinamool Congress over the Special Intensive Revision of electoral rolls, and ED searches at I-PAC premises. A final decision on the poll strategy in Bengal is expected to be taken by the Congress leadership in the next few days. (ANI) A total of 30 tableaux, including 17 from States and Union Territories (UTs) and 13 from Ministries, Departments, and Services, will roll down the Kartavya Path during the 77th Republic Day parade in New Delhi on January 26. According to an Ministry of Defence release, Republic Day celebrations will feature a grand display under the themes 'Swatantrata ka Mantra: a broad theme of 'Swatantrata ka Mantra: Vande Mataram' and 'Samriddhi ka Mantra: Aatmanirbhar Bharat', the tableaux will showcase a unique mix of 150 years of national song Vande Mataram and the nation's rapid progress on the back of the growing self-reliance across sectors, dipped in its rich and vibrant cultural diversity. The list of the participating tableaux includes Assam - Asharikandi - Terracotta Craft Village of Assam; Chhattisgarh - The Mantra of Freedom - Vande Mataram; Gujarat - Mantra of Swadeshi - Self-Reliance - Freedom: Vande Mataram; Kerala - Water Metro & 100 per cent Digital Literacy; Maharashtra - Ganeshotsav; Manipur - Towards Prosperity; Nagaland - The Hornbill Festival - Celebrating Culture, Tourism & Self-Reliance; Tamil Nadu - Mantra of Prosperity; Ministry of Culture - Vande Mataram - The Soul Cry of a Nation; Ministry of Information & Broadcasting - Bharat Katha. Puducherry's tableau will celebrate its rich cultural heritage, including crafts, and the vision of Auroville, while Rajasthan will honour Bikaner's unique gold art with the "Golden Touch of the Desert." Tamil Nadu's participation will focus on prosperity through self-reliance, echoing the Aatmanirbhar Bharat mantra. Uttar Pradesh will spotlight the culture of Bundelkhand, while West Bengal will commemorate its significant role in India's freedom movement. Madhya Pradesh's tableau will pay tribute to Devi Ahilyabai Holkar, a revered figure in Indian history, while Punjab will observe the 350th year of Sri Guru Tegh Bahadur's martyrdom. The Ministry of Defence will also be represented with its tableaux, including the veteran tableau, depicting the nation-building efforts through war, and the naval tableau, "Samudra Se Samriddhi," which will reflect the country's maritime strength. According to the release, the Department of Military Affairs will showcase "Tri-Services Tableau - Operation Sindoor," focusing on the operational jointness and success of India's military forces, while the Ministry of Culture's tableau will represent the soul of India through "Vande Mataram." The Ministry of Education will present its work under the National Education Policy 2020, which is designed to drive India's school education toward global standards, paving the path for a "Viksit Bharat." The Ministry of AYUSH will focus on wellness with its "Ayush Ka Tantra, Swasthya Ka Mantra," while the Ministry of Home Affairs (NDMA & NDRF) will commemorate 25 years of resilience following the 2001 Bhuj Earthquake, the release said. Other ministries, such as the Ministry of Housing & Urban Affairs (CPWD) and the Ministry of Panchayati Raj, will showcase important milestones, including the commemoration of 150 years of "Vande Mataram" and the SVAMITVA Scheme, respectively, which aim to empower Panchayats and promote rural self-reliance. The Ministry of Power will emphasise India's journey toward energy security with its "Prakash Ganga" theme, while the Ministry of Skill Development & Entrepreneurship will present "Powered by Skills," focusing on a future-ready, self-reliant India. (ANI) In a major development in the phone tapping case, the Special Investigation Team (SIT) has issued notices to Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS) working president KT Rama Rao (KTR), following the questioning of former minister T Harish Rao. The SIT has directed KTR to appear before investigators tomorrow at 11 AM. He will be questioned by the Investigating Officer of the SIT regarding allegations that intelligence officers tapped phones under the direction of the then top leadership. "During the course of investigation, it has come to the notice of the Investigating Officer that you are acquainted with the facts and circumstances of the said case, and your personal examination is necessary for the purpose of investigation," the notice under section 160 of the Criminal Procedure Code (CrPC) read. "Therefore, in exercise of the powers conferred under Section 160 of criminal procedure code, you are hereby directed to appear in person before the undersigned Investigating Officer on January 23, 2026, at 11:00 AM at the Office of the Assistant Commissioner of Police, Jubilee Hills, Hyderabad, for examination in connection with the investigation," it added. "Please note that failure to comply with this notice without lawful excuse shall entail action as per law," it said. On January 20, Former BRS Minister and Siddipet MLA T Harish Rao underwent nearly eight hours of questioning by the Special Investigation Team (SIT) on Tuesday in connection with the alleged phone-tapping case. Heavy police deployment was made in and around the Jubilee Hills ACP office ahead of his appearance. Before entering the office, Harish Rao told the media that the notice summoning him was politically motivated. He alleged it was issued after the BRS exposed alleged irregularities involving Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy and his relatives. He said the notice was served late on Monday night at his residence, while he was campaigning in Siddipet, and directed him to appear before the SIT at 11 a.m. on Tuesday. After completing the 8-hour SIT questioning, Harish Rao reiterated that the notice was baseless and politically motivated. He thanked BRS Working President K.T. Rama Rao, Opposition Leader in the Legislative Council Madhusudana Chari, party leaders, and workers for their support. He said the inquiry involved no new questions and consisted only of repeated queries. He alleged that officers frequently stepped out after receiving phone calls. During the questioning, raising doubts about external interference. He challenged the government to order an inquiry by a sitting High Court judge if it had nothing to hide, adding that the BRS was ready to submit all evidence. Maintaining that he respects the judiciary, Harish Rao said both the High Court and Supreme Court had earlier dismissed cases against him in the phone tapping matter. He described the current probe as an attempt to revive a politically driven narrative and said the party would continue to raise public issues without fear. The Telangana government had constituted a 10-member SIT headed by Hyderabad Police Commissioner V.C. Sajjanar nearly 21 months after the case was registered. The probe concerns allegations that phones were illegally intercepted by the Special Intelligence Branch (SIB). (ANI) Kerala Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) president Rajeev Chandrasekhar on Thursday accused Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan of carrying the baggage of "political violence, corruption and incompetence of the last 10 years". He was responding to Union Minister and Republican Party of India (Athawale) chief Ramdas Athawale's invitation to Vijayan, who is the leader of the ruling Communist Party of India (Marxist), to join hands with the Nationalist Democratic Alliance (NDA) ahead of the upcoming legislative assembly elections in Kerala. Chandrasekhar said that "anybody who is interested in transforming Kerala and bringing development to Kerala is welcome to join". However, he took a jibe at Vijayan for carrying a 'lot of political baggage' alongwith him. Speaking to reporters here, he said that he's not the "right candidate" for the NDA. He said, "I have said this myself, anybody who in Kerala politics is interested sincerely in transforming Kerala and bringing development into Kerala, creating jobs, creating investments, making our economy one of the strongest in the country. Anybody who is interested should join the NDA, and that invitation applies to Pinarayi Vijayan and anybody else, but we certainly don't expect Pinarayi Vijayan to join the NDA, because Pinarayi Vijayan comes with a lot of baggage." He added, "He comes with a baggage of political violence, corruption and incompetence of the last 10 years, while our minister colleague may extend the invitation. I certainly don't think he's the right candidate for the NDA." Earlier, Ramdas Athawale on Wednesday invited Pinarayi Vijayan to join hands with the NDA ahead of the upcoming legislative assembly elections in Kerala. While the BJP-led NDA and CPI(M) are known ideological opponents, in a surprising move, Athawale said that if Vijayan joins the alliance, it would be a "revolutionary" move. As the CPI(M)-led state government has complained that the Centre is withholding funds, the RPI (Athawale) founder said that joining the alliance will bring more money and development to the state. "I appeal to the CPI(M) leader and long-serving Chief Minister of Kerala, Pinarayi Vijayan, to join the NDA, as it would be a revolutionary decision. If he and the CPI(M) join the NDA, more money will come to Kerala, which will lead to the development of the state," Athwale said in a press conference in Kannur. This comes in the backdrop of the CPI(M) alleging "discrimination" in the disbursement of funds to Kerala. Earlier, the ruling Left Democratic Alliance (LDF), led by Kerala Chief Minister, held a protest against the central government, alleging that it was withholding the state's necessary funds. Speaking with ANI, Kerala Excise Minister MB Rajesh had alleged that the BJP-led central government has "reduced grants" and "delayed payments" on several central schemes. He also accused the Centre of failing to extend support during the Wayanad landslides. Kerala is set to hold assembly elections later this year, where the Congress-led United Democratic Front (UDF) will look to win against the ruling LDF. The victory in the Thiruvananthapuram civic body polls has opened up the gates for the BJP-led NDA, turning the state elections into a triangular contest. The politics have heated up in the run-up to the polls, while the state assembly is holding its first session of the year. A controversy erupted on Tuesday, when Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan accused Governor Arlekar of making additions and deletions to the policy address approved by the Council of Ministers, while the Lok Bhavan alleged that the draft speech carried "half-truths". (ANI) Indore Mayor Pushyamitra Bhargav on Thursday inspected ongoing water supply restoration work in the Bhagirathpura locality to ensure a regular and adequate drinking water supply to residents. During the inspection, the Mayor reviewed the progress of repair and maintenance work being carried out from the water tank premises to various points in the locality. He directed officials of the Indore Municipal Corporation (IMC) to complete the work within the stipulated time frame while maintaining quality standards. Speaking to ANI, Mayor Bhargav said, "Our priority is to ensure that the situation in Bhagirathpura becomes completely normal. Wherever required, work on laying new drainage systems and drinking water supply lines is being carried out at a war footing. Today, we inspected the work of laying the main pipeline from the water tank and that work is now in its final stage." "Thereafter, interconnection pipeline works in the remaining areas of the locality and other pending works will be completed swiftly. Our foremost priority is to normalise the water supply situation in Bhagirathpura," he added. Meanwhile, when asked about the number of people still undergoing treatment after falling ill due to consumption of contaminated water, the mayor added that the number of patients was reducing in comparison to the previous situation, and the health department was continuously monitoring the situation. The water contamination incident in Indore's Bhagirathpura sparked widespread criticism, as it claimed several lives and affected many families. Earlier, Chief Minister Mohan Yadav had announced Rs 2 lakh in financial assistance to the families of the deceased and free treatment for all affected people. On January 17, the Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha, Rahul Gandhi, visited Indore and met the families of the victims who died due to the consumption of contaminated drinking water and those undergoing treatment in the hospital. The Congress leader accused the state BJP government of criminal negligence over the deaths and illnesses caused by contaminated drinking water in the Bhagirathpura area of Indore, saying the government must take responsibility and ensure compensation and assistance to the affected families. (ANI) Chief of Army Staff General Upendra Dwivedi on Thursday lauded 'Operation Sindoor' as a historic success, emphasising that the operation "shattered long-standing assumptions" about India's decision-making and "military mobilisation cycles". The Army Chief attended the launch of the book titled 'Red Lines Redrawn: Operation Sindoor and India's New Normal'. Speaking at the launch here, General Dwivedi said, "Operation Sindoor also showed that jointness is no longer something we aspire to do in seminars or discussions. It is something we practised under pressure, and we came out as a successful, synergistic organisation. I can say proudly, Operation Sindoor was the most successful operation. The old assumption that India requires a long time for decision-making, as well as a long, drawn-out mobilisation cycle to synchronise force application, was quietly etched out of the window." The Army Chief added that the economic domain played a crucial role in supporting the military efforts. "The economic domain saw a slew of actions by the government, which enabled us before, during and even after the operations," Dwivedi noted. However, he cautioned that resilience through Atmanirbharta (self-reliance) was essential for securing long-term success in future military campaigns. "We have to be careful with our supply chains and build in resilience through Atmanirbharta, which is the only solution for the long run," the army chief added. In his address, General Dwivedi also elaborated on the military's strategic actions. "There were actions in this domain from both sides, but the winner in the long run was the one whose narrative was based on truth and packed with credible evidence," he explained, referring to the precision strikes carried out during Operation Sindoor. "The world saw on their TV screens how the nine targets were destroyed in a synergistic manner, involving all three forces in 22 minutes of precision, non-escalatory strikes," he added. He further explained that the operation involved strategic wargaming by the military's red teams to prepare for various escalatory scenarios. "We were fully prepared for multiple actions to dominate the complete escalation rate," said General Dwivedi. He also praised the collaborative effort behind the book, which was co-authored by two army officers, an Air Force officer, and a diplomat. "I've read a number of books on Operation Sindoor, but this is the first book I've come across that brings together such a diverse team," General Dwivedi remarked. Reflecting on the timing of the operation, the Army Chief revealed that 'Operation Sindoor' was launched in late April, but details were kept under wraps until after the operation's success. "Operation Sindoor was given to me on the 29th-30th of April, but it was not put out in the media," he said. He added that the tweet "Justice is Served" received record-breaking social media traffic. "And as you're aware, the tweet Justice is Served had huge record hits on Twitter," he said. Operation Sindoor was a military action aimed at destroying terrorist bases in Pakistan, launched after the Pahalgam terrorist attack in April 2025, which killed 26 people. The Indian military attacked terrorist bases in Pakistan, killing several terrorists. (ANI) Bamako, Mali (PANA) - The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), in collaboration with the Malian Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, on Tuesday launched a two-day strategic planning workshop in Bamako on the formulation of the country programme for 2027-2031, organisers told PANA BRS working president KTR on Thursday alleged that the ongoing phone-tapping investigation in Telangana is politically motivated, targeting opposition leaders while diverting attention from governance failures. He received a notice from the Special Investigation Team (SIT) a day after senior BRS leader T Harish Rao was summoned. The SIT has directed KTR to appear before investigators tomorrow at 11 AM. He will be questioned by the Investigating Officer regarding allegations that intelligence officers tapped phones under the direction of the then top leadership. Addressing the media in Sircilla, KTR described the SIT probe as a "time-pass exercise", claiming notices were issued selectively to BRS leaders while senior police and intelligence officials were not being questioned. "If the investigation is genuine, senior officials should be questioned first. Instead, political leaders are being targeted," he said, calling the case baseless. KTR said intelligence gathering is a routine government function, existing since Jawaharlal Nehru's time and continuing under Prime Minister Narendra Modi. He emphasised that such systems operate within police and intelligence frameworks, not at the discretion of ministers. He challenged the government to produce a senior official willing to publicly state that opposition phones were not being tapped. KTR alleged that selective leaks were given to the media while official press briefings were avoided, and that the case has dragged on for nearly two years without a formal update. Criticising governance, he said the Congress government had failed to deliver on promises such as financial assistance for women and the six guarantees. "Instead of addressing people's issues, the government raises controversies--from Kaleshwaram to Formula E, sheep procurement, and now phone-tapping," he said. He also accused the government of selective enforcement: "When Ponguleti Srinivas Reddy's son carries out land grabbing with goons, there is no SIT. When the coal scam involving Revanth Reddy's brother-in-law is exposed, there is no SIT either. Kishan Reddy's remarks are laughable. He says a CBI inquiry will be ordered if the government asks for it--will a thief ever admit on his own that he committed the theft?" KTR demanded SIT probes into alleged irregularities in coal contracts, AMRUT projects, and Gachibowli land dealings. He said he had submitted documents in Delhi about contracts awarded to allegedly ineligible firms. Maintaining that neither he nor other BRS leaders had committed wrongdoing, KTR said the party would cooperate fully with the SIT but would not accept political harassment. "Surveillance exists solely for national security and public order--not for political targeting," he concluded. (ANI) Congress General Secretary (Organisation) KC Venugopal on Thursday clarified that the party will fight the forthcoming 2027 Punjab assembly elections under the leadership of Mallikarjun Kharge and Rahul Gandhi, dismissing any speculation regarding a leadership change in the state. After a three-hour meeting with Punjab party leaders, Venugopal said there was "no question of leadership change" in Punjab, adding that all leaders "unanimously agreed" with the party's direction moving forward. Addressing a media person after the meeting, Venugopal said, "We have given very clear direction today. Everybody unanimously agreed to the leadership's decision. Presently, there is no question of leadership change at all." "Rahul Gandhi listened to all the leaders of Punjab for three hours and said that Congress will form the government in Punjab with unity," Venugopal added. When asked about the issue of Dalit representation on big posts raised by former Punjab Chief Minister Charanjit Singh Channi, Venugopal emphasised the Congress party's long-standing commitment to ensuring equal participation for communities, especially Dalits, backward classes (OBC), and economically weaker sections. "We are committed to have a representation of communities, especially SC, ST, OBC and poor people from the general caste. This is the idea, the line that has been taken by the party all over India. This is applicable to Punjab too," he said. However, he criticised Channi's public statements and social media posts, noting that such actions do not contribute positively to the party's goals. "Going to the media and spreading such activities on social media cannot help the Congress organisation. That is our duty, the duty of the high command to ensure representation to everybody should be there. We will take care of that," he added. Venugopal stressed that discipline within the party is paramount. He said, "Tomorrow onwards, the entire Congress leaders and the Congress family will be together. We are going to win Punjab comfortably. Congress will fight unitedly and win Punjab with the support of the people of Punjab." The Congress party also announced a new protocol for communication within its ranks, stating that no leader would speak to the media regarding internal party issues. All matters should be addressed within the party forum and directed to the leadership. Regarding the controversy of 32 Punjab Congress leaders writing to Rahul Gandhi, Venugopal reiterated that while the leaders were free to meet the party leadership, any groupism or factionalism would not be tolerated. "We don't want any kind of groupism," he said. Punjab Congress in-charge Bhupesh Baghel also weighed in, emphasising that the state's importance as a border region makes a Congress government in Punjab essential for national security. "There will also be a fight over MNREGA in Punjab," he said. Baghel emphasised that the party leadership has issued strict instructions, stressing that indiscipline will not be tolerated. "Indiscipline will not be tolerated at all and the party leadership has given strict instructions," he added. (ANI) After a Rouse Avenue Court on Thursday pronounced in favour of the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), acquitting former Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal in two cases where the ED failed to prove that the summons was served properly, AAP National Media Incharge Anurag Dhanda expressed that Kejriwal is "proven right". Anurag Dhanda expressed, "Once again, Arvind Kejriwal has proven to be right. Once again, ED and the BJP have proven to be wrong. ED's lies have been exposed. The Delhi Court has acquitted Arvind Kejriwal in two cases of ED. This clearly shows that what Arvind Kejriwal had said, that summons were wrongfully issued and it is politically motivated, stands correct. When the ED arrested Arvind Kejriwal, they had said that the arrest was made because Arvind Kejriwal was not appearing before them upon being summoned. Will the BJP apologise for its dirty political conspiracy?" Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal was acquitted on Thursday in two cases linked to the alleged non-compliance with summons issued to him by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) in connection with the Delhi Excise policy case. The court refused to consider email service a valid or legal method of serving Summons. The court held that the ED failed to prove that the summons was served properly. It also failed to show that Kejriwal intentionally avoided the summons. Additional Chief Judicial Magistrate (ACJM) Paras Dalal acquitted Kejriwal after considering the evidence and submissions of counsel. The court also acquitted Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) MLA Amanatullah Khan in one such case and discharged him in another similar matter linked with the investigation of the Delhi Waqf Board money laundering case. ED had filed four complaints against Kejriwal and Amanatullah Khan in 2024, alleging that they avoided the summons issued to them to join the investigation in the respective cases. The court said that the complainant (ED) has failed to prove due service of summons against the accused in the absence of a supporting affidavit under the Evidence Act. The court also said that the complainant had failed to prove its case beyond a reasonable doubt. There are procedural, legal, and factual challenges to the complainant's case, which do not allow this court to arrive at a conclusion of culpability of the accused. (ANI) The Supreme Court on Thursday ordered an interim arrangement at the disputed Bhojshala-Kamal Maula complex in Dhar, Madhya Pradesh, to allow both Hindu and Muslim communities to perform their religious practices on Basant Panchami, which happens to fall on a Friday - coinciding with Jumuah (special midday prayer). A bench led by the Chief Justice of India, Surya Kant, passed the order while hearing a plea seeking a ban on offering namaz from sunrise to sunset on Basant Panchami to facilitate Hindu rituals at the site. The Court directed the District administration in Dhar to provide separate and exclusive spaces for both communities to carry out their respective rituals. "After knowing that persons from the Muslim community are likely to come tomorrow from 1-3 pm, an exclusive space including separate entry and exit will be made available so that namaz can be taken at the prescribed time. Similarly, a separate space shall be made available to the Hindu community to hold the celebration of Basant Panchami," the sourt noted. Appearing for the Hindu side (applicants) advocate Vishnu Jain informed the Court that the auspicious period for performing the puja on Basant Panchami lasts from sunrise to sunset. He suggested that namaz could instead be held later in the evening, around 5 pm, after the puja concludes. Senior Advocate Salman Khurshid, representing the Muslim side, stated that Namaz prayers would be held only in the afternoon, between 1 pm and 3 pm. Advocate Vishnu Shankar Jain reiterated that the religious observance (Muhurat) for Hindus spans the entire day from sunrise to sunset, and people would be praying as per their respective timings until sunset. Jain then argued that if namaz were shifted to the evening, Hindus could continue their long-standing religious practices such as Akhand Hawan. Khurshid countered this by explaining that Jumma namaz is time-specific and is offered around noon. Following submissions by the Additional Solicitor General KM Nataraj and the Madhya Pradesh Advocate General Prashant Singh, who assured that law and order would be maintained, the Court noted that members of the Muslim community are likely to arrive between 1 pm and 3 pm. It said that an exclusive area with separate entry and exit would be made available for prayers at the prescribed time. The Madhya Pradesh government assured the Court that the district administration would maintain law and order during the religious observances. Senior Advocate Salman Khurshid, appearing for the petitioners, told the Court that the approximate number of Muslim worshippers expected between 1 pm and 3 pm would be shared with the District Magistrate in advance. The Court also directed the district administration to take preventive steps to avoid any untoward incident. "The District Administration may ensure maintenance of law and order, issue passes for visitors or adopt any other fair means to ensure that no untoward incident happens," the Court said. The Bhojshala-Kamal Maula complex is a protected monument under the Archaeological Survey of India and holds religious significance for both Hindus and Muslims. Hindus consider the site as Bhojshala, associated with Goddess Saraswati, while Muslims regard it as the Kamal Maula mosque. (ANI) US President Donald Trump on Thursday (local time) said that he will not proceed with his plans to impose tariffs on some European nations over Greenland, withdrawing his earlier threat to implement the tariffs starting February 1. The decision comes following a "very productive" meeting with NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte, during which the US President also laid the ground for a framework on a future deal concerning Greenland and the broader Arctic region.In a post on Truth Social, Trump described the move as beneficial for both the United States and NATO allies. https://truthsocial.com/@realDonaldTrump/posts/115934734335579278 "Based upon a very productive meeting that I have had with the Secretary General of NATO, Mark Rutte, we have formed the framework of a future deal with respect to Greenland and, in fact, the entire Arctic Region. This solution, if consummated, will be a great one for the United States of America and all NATO Nations. Based upon this understanding, I will not be imposing the Tariffs that were scheduled to go into effect on February 1st," Trump wrote. He, in his post, further stated that additional discussion will also take place "concerning the golden dome," noting that the matter also "pertains to greenland" He stated that the top officials, including Vice President JD Vance, Secretary of State Marco Rubio, and Special Envoy Steve Witkoff, would be responsible for negotiations on the matter. "Additional discussions are being held concerning The Golden Dome as it pertains to Greenland. Further information will be made available as discussions progress. Vice President JD Vance, Secretary of State Marco Rubio, Special Envoy Steve Witkoff, and various others, as needed, will be responsible for the negotiations. They will report directly to me. Thank you for your attention to this matter!" post added on Trump Social. Trump, in a separate post earlier, stated that Washington needs Greenland for national security, noting that the Arctic Island "is vital for the Golden Dome we are building." Earlier in his address at the 56th Annual Summit of the World Economic Forum (WEF) in Davos, Trump called for "immediate negotiations" with European allies on Greenland, saying it's "not a threat to NATO" The US President argued that Greenland, an autonomous territory of Denmark, could be better developed and secured under US control, emphasising its potential benefits for both the US and European nations. "It's the United States alone that can protect this giant mass of land, this giant piece of ice, develop it and improve it and make it so that it's good for Europe and safe for Europe and good for us," Trump said. "And that's the reason I'm seeking immediate negotiations to once again discuss the acquisition of Greenland by the United States, just as we have acquired many other territories throughout our history, as many of the European nations have," he added. The US President has been calling for the annexation of Greenland and making threats to impose tariffs on European allies if the Arctic Island is not sold to Washington. In a post on Truth Social, Trump offered to negotiate with the European nations but warned of escalating tariffs of 10 per cent from February 1, 2026, and 25 per cent from June 1, 2026, if a deal wasn't reached. Addressing NATO concerns over the matter, as Denmark is also part of the alliance, Trump insisted that the US controlling Greenland will not pose any threat to the alliance but would "greatly enhance" the alliance, while noting that the US has been "treated very unfairly by NATO." "This would not be a threat to NATO. This would greatly enhance the security of the entire alliance," he said. Trump has been adamant about acquiring Greenland, a semi-autonomous territory of Denmark, citing national security concerns. Washington claims Greenland's strategic location and mineral resources are vital to its security, but the leadership in Denmark, Greenland and Europe have rejected the idea, emphasising their right to self-determination. The situation has sparked concerns about the potential impact on NATO, with some European leaders warning that a US attempt to seize Greenland could lead to the alliance's demise. (ANI) Indian Ambassador to the US, Vinay Mohan Kwatra, delivered the opening remarks at the India-US Drug Policy Framework Executive Group meeting on counter-narcotics cooperation and also held discussions to review the progress in efforts to address threats of drug trafficking. Ambassador Kwatra was joined by Sara Carter, Director of the Office of National Drug Control Policy. In a post on X, the Indian Embassy in the US highlighted that the discussions emphasised effective, focused enforcement through active bilateral coordination to curb such illicit flows. He wrote on X, "Ambassador @AmbVMKwatra delivered opening remarks at the India-US Drug Policy Framework Executive Group meeting on Counter-narcotics Cooperation along with Ms @SaraCarterDC, Director @ONDCP. Discussions reviewed the progress in mutual efforts and continuing cooperation to address the threats of illicit drug trafficking and the diversion of precursor chemicals. Effective, focused enforcement through active bilateral coordination to curb such illicit flows was emphasized." https://x.com/IndianEmbassyUS/status/2014161353104056490?s=20 Earlier on January 16, hosted 12 Members of the US House of Representatives and held talks on deepening India-US partnership spanning wide-ranging conversations. Kwatra said that India's strong economic growth projections strengthens this shared vision of prosperity. "A special evening at India House. Had the pleasure of hosting 12 Hon'ble Members of the U.S. House of Representatives. Welcomed the consistent, bipartisan support in the US Congress for the deepening India-US partnership--spanning wide-ranging conversations on trade and economic ties, cutting-edge technology and innovation, robust defence cooperation, and crucial counterterrorism efforts. India's strong economic growth--projected around 7%+ in the coming years--further strengthens this shared vision for prosperity and security," he said. Also in January, Ambassador Kwatra met 56th Speaker of the US House of Representatives Mike Johnson at Capitol Hill on Tuesday and discussed a wide range of issues aimed at further strengthening the India - US bilateral relationship. Sharing details of the meeting in a post on X, Ambassador Kwatra said, "Honored to meet Speaker Mike Johnson at Capitol Hill today. Expressed deep appreciation for his support for strengthening the IN-US bilateral relationship." He underlined that the engagement reflected the growing depth and maturity of ties between the world's two largest democracies. During the interaction, Ambassador Kwatra thanked Speaker Johnson for his solidarity with India following the terrorist attack in Pahalgam in April 2025. Highlighting India's firm stance against terrorism, he said, "Thanked him for his solidarity with India's counter-terrorism efforts following the terrorist attack in Pahalgam in April 2025." The discussion emphasized the shared commitment of India and the United States to combat terrorism in all its forms and to strengthen cooperation on security-related challenges. Kwatra also briefed the Speaker on key areas of the India - US partnership, spanning strategic, economic and technological domains. "Briefed him on key areas of our partnership including defence & security, oil and gas trade, technology including AI," the Ambassador said, pointing to the expanding scope of bilateral engagement. (ANI) Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister DK Shivakumar pitched Bengaluru as the "city of the future" at the World Economic Forum (WEF) in Davos, calling on global leaders and investors to tap into the city's vast talent pool, thriving innovation ecosystem and rapid urban growth. Addressing the global business community on Wednesday, Shivakumar highlighted India's demographic strength and long-term economic potential, asserting that the country will remain a preferred destination for talent and investment over the next 25 years. He also emphasised Bengaluru's global standing, saying that India is often identified through the city. "I come from India, a very vibrant country with a huge population and a big pool of talent. India will be the preferred destination for the next 25 years. I come from the state of Bengaluru, and India is often seen through Bengaluru. It is the IT capital of Asia," he said. Shivakumar also drew attention to Karnataka's urban growth trajectory, noting that the state's urban population currently stands at around 40 per cent and is projected to reach nearly 50 per cent in the next two to three decades. "Karnataka is growing like anything, especially in terms of urban population. It is almost 40 per cent now and may reach up to 50 per cent in the next 20 to 25 years. We are preparing ourselves for what Karnataka needs," he said. Drawing a comparison with global tech hubs, Shivakumar said that while California has around 1.3 million IT professionals, Bengaluru alone is home to nearly 2.5 million IT professionals. He added that urbanisation trends across the globe are increasingly shifting towards India, with Bengaluru emerging as a key gateway. Describing Bengaluru as a global hub for research and innovation, Shivakumar highlighted the city's diverse talent pool across multiple sectors, including information technology, aerospace, healthcare and medical research. "It is a city of innovation, research and a big talent pool. This talent pool is not limited to IT, but includes aerospace, medical and many other sectors. Especially in Karnataka, we have around 70 medical colleges, and we have 1.5 million doctors, which we produce every year in the health sector," Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister said. Inviting global leaders and investors to visit Bengaluru, Shivakumar concluded, "I invite all of you to come to our city. We will make you stronger. Working together, we will be successful. This is the city of the future. The talent pool is in the sky. Please visit our city, we are all there to work with you." The 56th Annual Meeting of the World Economic Forum (WEF) is being held from January 19 to 23, 2026, at Davos-Klosters, welcoming nearly 3,000 participants from over 130 countries, including a record number of world leaders, CEOs, innovators and policymakers, under the theme "A Spirit of Dialogue." (ANI) US President Donald Trump is looking to form the Gaza Board of Peace officially this week on the sidelines of the World Economic Forum meeting in Davos, Switzerland. Addressing reporters here, Trump called it the most prestigious board to be ever assembled, and took a dig at the United Nations saying that the peace board would get more work done than the UN. He further noted that peace in the Middle East was attained through "taking out" the Iranian nuclear threat. When posed with the dichotomy of Trump inviting Russian President Putin to the Board of Peace, while at the same time noting that Greenland sees a threat from Russia, Trump said that the peace board assembles people who "get the job done". He said, "We want everybody. We want all nations. We want all nations where people have control, people have power, that we're never going to have a problem. This is the greatest board ever assembled. And everybody wants to be on it. But yeah, I have some controversial people on it, but these are people that get the job done. These are people that have tremendous influence. All babies on the board. So he (Putin) was invited. He's accepted. Many people have accepted. think, I don't know of anybody that hasn't accepted. But it's going to be great." On the Board of Peace he further said, "I think the Board of Peace will be the most prestigious board ever. And it's going to get a lot of work done that the United Nations should have done. And we'll work with the United Nations. But the Board of Peace is going to be special. We're going to have peace. It started off with Gaza, the Middle East. We've got peace in the Middle East. Tremendous peace in the Middle East. Nobody thought that was possible. And that happened by taking out the Iran nuclear threat. Without that, it could have never happened. But the board is going to be, I think, really fantastic. And I think it will be the most prestigious board of any board ever." The formation of the Gaza Board of Peace, as part of Phase 2 of the 20-Point Peace Plan to end the conflict in West Asia, aims to promote stability and oversee post-conflict reconstruction in the Gaza Strip. The Board of Peace was proposed by Trump last September as part of his plan to end the war in Gaza, although the initiative now seems to be aimed at mediating global conflict more broadly. According to a White House statement, the proposed Executive Board members will oversee portfolios critical to Gaza's stabilisation and long-term success. These include governance capacity-building, regional relations, reconstruction, investment attraction, large-scale funding, and capital mobilisation. However, countries that commit USD 1 billion would secure permanent seats on the board, while those that do not pay could still join for a three-year term. US special envoy Steve Witkoff said ina interview to CNBC on Wednesday (local time) that up to 25 countries had accepted the invitation to join the board. Among the countries that have accepted Trump's invitation are Israel, Kosovo, the United Arab Emirates, Hungary, Belarus, Azerbaijan, Egypt, Armenia, Turkey, Pakistan, Qatar and Jordan. Meanwhile, responding to another media query on whether the United States would have the ownership of Greenland and the deal in this regard, Trump told reporters in Davos, "It's a long-term deal. It's the ultimate long-term deal. I think it puts everybody in really good position, especially as it pertains to security and minerals..." When asked how long the deal would be, he said, "Infinite. People are out there and they're working on the details of the deal. But it's what's called an infinite deal that's forever." After weeks of strong-arm tactics and rhetoric on the issue of getting control of Greenland, US President Trump appears to have settled down. On Wednesday night, the US President met with NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte and spoke of why the US wants to have a presence in the Arctic Island. "Price of safety for national and international security; it is better that we have Greenland than it is without, it's going to be better for Europe and us," Trump said when asked if he sees a price for Greenland. "We want Greenland only for security, not for anything else; even Mark wants security for NATO and beyond," he added. Trump also heaped praise on Rutte's work, and later in his post on Truth Social said the framework for a future deal on Greenland was done. (ANI) India and Turkmenistan reviewed the entire gamut of bilateral relations, comprising of several matters such as defence, security, trade-economic, cultural and Consular matters, the Ministry of External Affairs said on Thursday. The followed the visit of MEA Secretary (West), Sibi George who led an official delegation to Ashgabat, Turkmenistan for the 5th Round of India-Turkmenistan Foreign Office Consultations and the SPECA (United Nations Special Programme for the Economies of Central Asia) Economic Forum, the Ministry said. During his visit, George on Wednesday called on the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Turkmenistan and Deputy Chairman of Cabinet of Ministers, Rashid Meredov and conveyed to him warm greetings from External Affairs Minister, S Jaishankar. They also discussed ways to further strengthen the mutually beneficial partnership between India and Turkmenistan. "During the Foreign Office Consultations co-chaired by Secretary (West) and the Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs of Turkmenistan Myahri Byashimova, in Ashgabat, the same day, both sides reviewed the entire gamut of bilateral relations including Political, Defence, Security, Trade-Economic, Cultural, Education and Consular matters. The two sides also discussed cooperation under the framework of United Nations and other multilateral fora and exchanged views on regional and global issues of mutual interest", the MEA statement read. As per the MEA, representing India as a guest country at the SPECA Economic Forum, chaired by the Minister of Finance and Economy of Turkmenistan Mammetguly Astanagulov, Secretary (West) presented India's vision for enhancing trade, economic, investment and connectivity linkages between India and Central Asian countries. The statement highlighted that the visit of Secretary (West) is in line with India's 'Extended Neighbourhood' policy to strengthen ties with Turkmenistan and other Central Asian countries with which India shares long-standing bonds of friendship and cooperation. (ANI) Bangladesh's 13th Jatiya Sangsad election campaign is officially underway, marking the country's first election since Sheikh Hasina's ouster in August 2024. The election is scheduled for February 12, 2026, with nearly 2,000 candidates contesting 300 parliamentary seats. The Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) and Jamaat-e-Islami are leading the campaign, with BNP chairman Tarique Rahman addressing rallies across the country. The Election Commission has allocated symbols and confirmed final candidates, marking the start of full-scale political activity ahead of the February 12 polls. Voting will coincide with a nationwide referendum on the same day. The election is seen as a referendum on the post-Hasina political order, with the BNP holding an edge over Jamaat-e-Islami. The interim government, led by Nobel laureate Muhammad Yunus, has implemented reforms, including the reintroduction of "no vote" in single-candidate constituencies and allowing expatriates to vote. The Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) is launching its campaign in Sylhet, with its chairman, Tarique Rahman, joining rallies in seven districts. Jamaat-e-Islami Amir Shafiqur Rahman will begin his campaign in Dhaka-15 and tour eight northern districts. Political parties are participating in this election through two separate alliances under the BNP and the Jamaat-e-Islami. Tarique Rahman will return from Sylhet to Dhaka via the highway, and on his way back, he will first hold a large public gathering in Sylhet early in the morning. Then, along the way, he will conduct numerous public meetings in different districts and hold roadshows. Millions of people have gathered in Sylhet to hear Rahman, who was visiting the shrine of Hazrat Shah Jalal last night. He's visiting 17 districts, engaging directly with people and seeking votes. This traditional campaign style has a new twist - Rahman's personal outreach is setting the tone for the February 12 polls The Amir of Jamaat-e-Islami, Maulana Shafiqur Rahman, will begin his election campaign today in Dhaka and Mirpur with a public gathering in the afternoon, and subsequently, he will embark on a nationwide election tour through the northern region and Rangpur district. Following the 2024 public movement in Bangladesh, the student leaders who led it have formed a new political party called the National Citizen Party (NCP). The NCP is participating in the election in alliance with Jamaat, and the NCP leaders have begun campaigning in those constituencies. In the upcoming election in Bangladesh, many independent candidates have also stepped forward and begun campaigning in their respective constituencies. During the 2024 uprising, on August 5 of that year, Sheikh Hasina fled to India, and subsequently an interim government was formed under the leadership of Muhammad Yunus. This interim government has been tasked with overseeing the election commission and the conduct of the elections. However, Sheikh Hasina and her party, the Awami League, are unable to participate in this election, as the party's activities are currently banned. (ANI) South Carolina lawmakers are advancing several bills that would expand parental authority over education, healthcare decisions, and bathroom policies for students in public schools and colleges. House Bill 4757, known as the "Parental Rights Act," received committee consideration on Jan. 20, 2026, and represents one of the most comprehensive parental rights proposals introduced this legislative session. The bill would give parents authority to direct their children's upbringing, education, healthcare, and mental health decisions while creating new enforcement mechanisms. Parents would gain rights to review all curriculum materials, access educational records, and withdraw children from instruction about gender roles or content that conflicts with family beliefs, according to wyff4. The legislation requires schools to provide five days' notice and obtain consent before teaching about gender identity or sexual orientation. Parents could file complaints and sue school districts for violations, with liquidated damages set at five thousand dollars per violation. Education and Healthcare Authority Under New Proposal The bill also changes healthcare consent laws by requiring parental approval before medical providers can treat minors, except in emergencies. This repeals the existing South Carolina law that allows 16 and 17-year-olds to consent to most non-operative medical procedures without parental permission. Separately, House Bill 4756, called the "South Carolina Student Physical Privacy Act," held hearings on Jan. 14, 2026. The bill mandates that public school and college restrooms, changing facilities, and dormitories be designated by biological sex. Students would be prohibited from using facilities that do not match their sex assigned at birth. Schools or universities that violate the policy would face a 25 percent cut in state funding. The bill allows students to sue schools if they encounter someone of the opposite biological sex in these facilities, ACLU SC reported. Additional Senate Legislation and Policy Considerations Three related Senate bills also address parental rights. Senate Bill 243 mirrors the House parental rights legislation. Senate Bill 242 focuses specifically on healthcare consent requirements for minors. Senate Bill 240, titled the "Parental Rights to Affirm Biological Sex in Child Welfare and Placement Act," requires courts to consider a parent's affirmation of a child's biological sex as a positive factor in custody cases. All bills were introduced in January 2026 and remain in committee. The proposals have drawn support from Republican legislators who say parents deserve more involvement in their children's lives. Critics, including the ACLU and advocacy groups, argue the bills would censor teachers, reduce confidential healthcare access for vulnerable youth, and discriminate against transgender students, as per the Palmetto Voice. In a post on X, Sanghvi said, "Engaging with global industry leaders Mr. Balkrishan Goenka (Wellspun Group) and Mr. Lakshmi Mittal (ArcelorMittal) at #WEF2026, with a shared focus on Gujarat's strengths in scale, execution, and future-ready industrial ecosystems." https://x.com/sanghaviharsh/status/2014042701436440885 Meanwhile, on Tuesday, Sanghavi met with key leaders from OpenAI and Cognizant to discuss integrating artificial intelligence and expanding digital infrastructure to drive the next wave of industrial growth in Gujarat. In a significant meeting with Chris Lehane from OpenAI, the Deputy Chief Minister explored the future of AI enablement and its role in reshaping global industries. Taking to his social media, he highlighted the state's readiness to embrace emerging technologies. Sanghavi noted that Gujarat is strategically positioning itself at the forefront of this shift. He remarked, "As AI reshapes the world, Gujarat steps forward with confidence," adding that the state is "building an ecosystem where responsible AI and world-class innovation can truly thrive." The discussions underscored Gujarat's "robust digital infrastructure and a fast-growing talent base" as the foundation for this high-tech evolution. Furthering the state's agenda for global collaboration, Sanghavi also held a productive session with Jatin Dalal, Cognizant's Global CFO. The meeting focused on the impact of Cognizant's TechFin Centre at GIFT City, which Sanghavi described as "emerging as a strategic hub for delivering advanced technology solutions to global clients." The conversation centred on "strengthening workforce readiness by leveraging Gujarat's expanding pool of highly skilled technology professionals" to support the growing demands of global innovation. Speaking at WEF, he also stated, "Today, at the World Economic Forum, India has the largest and most formidable delegation." He highlighted the state's massive economic momentum, noting that "Gujarat has a strong legacy of investment." This legacy is evidenced by staggering figures; in the upcoming Vibrant Gujarat 2024 cycles, the state has already "garnered over Rs 45 lakh crore in MoUs." Furthermore, in the past three months alone during regional events, Gujarat has attracted "more than Rs 11 lakh crore in MoUs," signaling unparalleled investor confidence. (ANI) A delegation of the Baloch National Movement (BNM) has met with members of the Dutch Parliament to raise concerns over what it described as persistent and grave human rights violations in Balochistan, placing renewed international focus on Pakistan''s rights record and its GSP Plus obligations. In a post shared on X, BNM stated that the meeting involved extensive discussions on the security situation in Balochistan and the impact of alleged state actions on the civilian population. The delegation also submitted a formal petition to Dutch lawmakers, urging them to take cognisance of developments in the province and to raise the matter at European forums where Pakistan''s trade privileges and human rights commitments are reviewed. The BNM delegation was led by Muheem Abdul Raheem Baloch, President of the organisation''s Netherlands chapter. Other members included Paank Media Coordinator Jamal Baloch, Chapter Vice President Waheed Baloch, General Secretary Deedag Baloch, Finance Secretary Bahar Baloch, along with Abid Baloch and Zohra Baloch. Jamal Baloch briefed parliamentarians on the current political and security climate in Balochistan, outlining what the group termed a worsening human rights situation. During the interaction, BNM representatives alleged that Pakistani security forces continue to carry out systematic abuses in Balochistan. They claimed that military operations, aerial bombardment of residential areas, drone strikes and enforced disappearances have become routine. The delegation further alleged that enforced disappearances are no longer limited to men, asserting that women are also increasingly being targeted. BNM also told Dutch lawmakers that activists, political workers and ordinary citizens who speak out against these alleged violations face intimidation and abduction. The issue of GSP Plus was also raised during the meeting, with BNM arguing that Pakistan''s continued access to preferential trade status should be critically examined in light of its human rights commitments. (ANI) California Governor Gavin Newsom appeared at the World Economic Forum (WEF) in Davos to mount a sharp attack on US President Donald Trump, repeatedly criticising what he described as a breakdown of democratic norms in the United States. About 10 minutes into his interview with Semafor's Ben Smith, Newsom said the country was living under "the rule of Don." Referring to core democratic principles, he said, "Co-equal branches of government, the rule of law, popular sovereignty," and asked, "Tell me that that reflects the America you read about today." Newsom further claimed, "There's no rule of law. It's the rule of Don," as he accused the US Congress of being complacent. During the discussion held on the fourth day of the WEF, Newsom also criticised American universities, law firms and corporate leaders, alleging they were yielding to the administration. To underscore his point, he displayed bright red knee pads meant for executives, without naming any CEOs. "There are knee pads that are available to purchase. The last round of knee pads sold out just as our law firms are selling out," he said. Newsom, a long-time attendee of Davos, was repeatedly met with applause as he delivered several impassioned, debate-like monologues during the session. He attended the forum multiple times earlier, including during his tenure as mayor of San Francisco from 2004 to 2011. Newsom had announced last week that one of his key objectives in Davos was to push back against Trump's outlook on the future of capitalism. Trump referred to Newsom in his speech at Davos on Wednesday, saying he was aware the California Governor was present at the forum. Trump called Newsom a "good guy" and said he used to "get along so great" with him. Newsom also faced a setback at the venue after he was denied entry to the US House, even though he was scheduled to participate in a fireside chat. Following the incident, Newsom criticised the administration in a post on X, writing: "How weak and pathetic do you have to be to be this scared of a fireside chat?" Several hours after Trump's speech, Newsom was offered an invitation to the US House for a "VIP Nightcap", which he declined. Meanwhile, Newsom also traded remarks with US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent on Tuesday and Wednesday. At a press conference on Wednesday, Bessent attacked Newsom personally, calling him "smug, too self-absorbed, and too economically illiterate to know anything." In recent years, Newsom has also positioned himself as a prominent critic of leading Republicans and has frequently clashed with Florida Governor Ron DeSantis, who had earlier emerged as Trump's main challenger for the Republican presidential nomination. (ANI) India on Thursday dispatched humanitarian assistance to Afghanistan. reiterating its commitment to support partner countries in times of need. In a post on X, Ministry of External Affairs spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said, "India delivers 7.5 tons of life-saving cancer medicines to Kabul to address the urgent needs of cancer patients." The medicines were sent to meet the shortage in Afghanistan "India remains committed to supporting the friendly people of Afghanistan," Jaiswal added. In December 2025, Afghan Public Health Minister Mawlawi Noor Jalal Jalali held a meeting with MoS Prataprao Jadhav to discuss enhancing cooperation in traditional medicine systems between India and Afghanistan. They also focused on exploring pathways for mutual cooperation in education, research, regulation, and healthcare delivery. Sharing the details in a series of posts on X on Thursday, the Ministry of Ayush said that the meeting took place on the sidelines of the second WHO Global Summit on Traditional Medicine. The discussions focused on enhancing collaboration in Traditional Systems of Medicine, including Ayurveda, Unani, and Homoeopathy. Ministry of Ayush highlighted that the interaction reaffirmed the shared commitment of India and Afghanistan to promote traditional medicine as an important pillar of holistic and people-centric healthcare. During this time, Union Health Minister JP Nadda also held a productive meeting with Afghan Minister Jalali, focusing on humanitarian and healthcare assistance to the landlocked nation. At the meeting, India reaffirmed its commitment to continued humanitarian support for Afghanistan, with emphasis on the long-term supply of medicines and health assistance as a key pillar of bilateral engagement. As part of this engagement, a symbolic handover of cancer medicines and vaccines was carried out, reflecting India's commitment to supporting the medical needs of the Afghan people. In November 2025, India delivered 73 tonnes of life-saving medicines, vaccines, and essential supplements to Kabul to address urgent medical needs. In a post on X, the Official Spokesperson of the Ministry of External Affairs, Randhir Jaiswal, had said, "Augmenting Afghanistan's healthcare efforts. India has delivered 73 tonnes of life-saving medicines, vaccines and essential supplements to Kabul to cater to urgent medical needs. India's unwavering support to the Afghan people continues." In October 2025, following a series of earthquakes that struck eastern Afghanistan, killing over 800 people and injuring over 2,800, India extended urgent humanitarian assistance to support relief efforts in the region. The Ministry of External Affairs had posted on X, "India extends humanitarian assistance to Afghanistan in the wake of the earthquake." The strong earthquake of magnitude 6.3 on the Richter scale struck Afghanistan, with tremors felt across the region, including parts of Pakistan, according to the National Centre for Seismology (NCS). This was followed by a series of aftershocks with magnitudes ranging between 4 and 5. (ANI) Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy on Thursday expressed dissatisfaction over what he described as insufficient progress in establishing a special tribunal on Russian aggression at the International Criminal Court (ICC), saying justice was being delayed. Zelenskyy made the remarks during an address at the World Economic Forum (WEF) in Davos, shortly after holding a closed-door meeting with US President Donald Trump. "Too often in Europe something else is more urgent than justice," Zelenskyy said, pointing to the lack of movement on the proposed mechanism. "There is still no real progress on establishing a special tribunal for Russian aggression against Ukraine, against the Ukrainian people," he said. Zelenskyy noted that while multiple discussions had taken place, tangible steps had not followed. "Many meetings have taken place but still Europe hasn't reached even the point of having a home for the tribunal, with staff and actual work happening inside." "What's missing, time or political will?" he asked. However, Zelenskyy said he remained "grateful" for ongoing cooperation with partners on security guarantees for Ukraine after the war ends. The remarks came as Zelenskyy and Trump held talks on the sidelines of the WEF in Davos, with Russia's war in Ukraine remaining a key focus of discussions at the summit. According to CNN, the meeting concluded after lasting around an hour. The Ukrainian Presidency had earlier said the talks between the two leaders were underway before later confirming the meeting had ended. After the closed-door interaction, Zelenskyy's communications advisor said he had a "good meeting" with Trump in Davos on Thursday. Trump later told reporters the meeting had gone well but said there is still "a ways to go" toward ending the war with Russia. "The war has to end," he said as he emerged from the meeting with Zelenskyy. "We hope it's going to end. There are a lot of people being killed." The meeting took place amid indications that efforts to end the conflict may be reaching a critical phase. Negotiations aimed at ending the conflict were "down to one issue," US envoy Steve Witkoff said, according to CNN. A European official separately confirmed to the network that the issue was related to territory. With the meeting concluding, attention is now set to shift to the next steps in the diplomatic process, with Trump officials expected to meet Russian President Vladimir Putin next as part of efforts to broker a ceasefire agreement. "It's an ongoing process," Trump said. "Everybody wants to have the war end." Alongside these discussions on Ukraine, Trump also used the Davos platform to formally launch his "Board of Peace" initiative, signing the charter for the new body at the World Economic Forum and describing it as a major step towards global conflict resolution. Calling it a "very exciting day, long in the making", Trump said, "We're going to have peace in the world," and added, "And we're all stars." In his opening remarks, Trump said, "Just one year ago the world was actually on fire, a lot of people didn't know it," but claimed "many good things are happening" and threats worldwide "are really calming down." Linking the initiative to his broader diplomatic engagements, Trump said his administration was "settling eight wars" and claimed that "a lot of progress" had been made towards ending Russia's war in Ukraine. Trump said, "We have a lot of great people that want to join," and defended the inclusion of Russia's Vladimir Putin and other leaders, saying he wanted "everybody" who was powerful and could "get the job done." Trump also linked the initiative to his approach on Iran and claimed it played a role in securing the Israel-Hamas ceasefire. "If we didn't do that, there was no chance of making peace," Trump said. Meanwhile, Zelenskyy's presence in Davos came as Trump voiced frustration over the prolonged conflict between Russia and Ukraine. "I believe they're at a point now where they can come together and get a deal done," Trump said. "And if they don't, they're stupid -- that goes for both of them." (ANI) Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday spoke with Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, and said that close cooperation between India and Brazil was vital for advancing the shared interests of the Global South. The PM also said that he was looking forward to welcoming the BRICS ally to India soon. In a post on X, Prime Minister Modi said, "Glad to speak with President Lula. We reviewed the strong momentum in the India-Brazil Strategic Partnership, which is poised to scale new heights in the year ahead. Our close cooperation is vital for advancing the shared interests of the Global South. I look forward to welcoming him to India soon." In December 2025, India and Brazil signed a landmark tripartite Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to advance dairy cattle and buffalo genomics through a first-of-its-kind cross-continental genetic improvement programme. The MoU and the corresponding Technical Cooperation Project (PCT) were signed at the Embassy of India in Brasilia between Embrapa, Brazil's state-owned agricultural research organisation under the Ministry of Agriculture, Livestock, and Food Supply (MAPA), Fazenda Floresta & DNAMark (Brazil), and India's Leads Genetics Pvt Ltd (formerly Leads Agri Genetics Pvt Ltd), BL Kamdhenu Farms Ltd, and Leads Connect Services Pvt Ltd. The agreement marks the first-ever business-to-government (B2G) collaboration between India and Brazil in bovine genomics. It also represents Embrapa's first private partnership with an Indian organisation, reflecting a strategic convergence in livestock and agricultural innovation, food security priorities, and shared global leadership in cattle genetics. In another significant engagement, Chief of Naval Staff Admiral Dinesh K Tripathi, during his official visit to Brazil in December 2025, met Celso Amorim, Chief Advisor to the President of Brazil, and Jose Mucio Monteiro, Brazil's Minister of Defence, according to a statement by the Indian Navy. The discussions included a comprehensive review of expanding India-Brazil defence engagement, with a focus on strengthening strategic cooperation and enhancing bilateral defence ties. "Both sides also explored opportunities in defence industry collaboration and capability-building initiatives to support long-term interoperability and shared security objectives. Deliberations on regional and global dynamics - including the South Atlantic, the wider Indo-Pacific, and the collective role of the Global South- highlighted the shared vision of India and Brazil for a secure, stable, and rules-based international order. These high-level engagements reaffirmed the growing strategic convergence and the mutual commitment to elevate India-Brazil defence cooperation under the spirit of Bridges of Friendship," the statement added. (ANI) The leaders exchanged views on regional and global issues of mutual interest. They also underscored the importance of reformed multilateralism in addressing shared challenges. Recalling their meetings last year in Brasilia and South Africa, the two leaders noted with satisfaction the significant progress achieved across diverse areas of bilateral cooperation, including trade and investment, technology, defence, energy, health, agriculture, and people-to-people ties, a PMO release said. PM Modi conveyed that he looked forward to welcoming President Lula to India at an early date. India will host AI Impact Summit next month. India and Brazil share a close and multifaceted relationship, which was elevated to Strategic Partnership in 2006. Both countries also enjoy an excellent cooperation in plurilateral fora such as BRICS, IBSA, G20, G-4, International Solar Alliance, Global Biofuel Alliance, Coalition for Disaster Resilience Infrastructure as well as in the larger multilateral bodies such as the UN, WTO, UNESCO and WIPO. The bilateral relationship is based on a common global vision, shared democratic values and a commitment to foster economic growth with social inclusion for the welfare of the people of both countries. (ANI) French President Emmanuel Macron on Thursday said that the French Navy had boarded a Russia-linked oil tanker in the Mediterranean Sea, asserting that France would not tolerate "any violation" of international law. Macron said the tanker was subject to international sanctions and was suspected of operating as part of Moscow's so-called "shadow fleet," suspected of flying a false flag. https://x.com/EmmanuelMacron/status/2014341199507706242?s=20 In a post on X, Macron wrote, "We will not tolerate any violation. This morning, the French Navy boarded an oil tanker coming from Russia, subject to international sanctions and suspected of flying a false flag. The operation was conducted on the high seas in the Mediterranean, with the support of several of our allies. It was carried out in strict compliance with the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea. A judicial investigation has been opened. The vessel has been diverted. We are determined to uphold international law and to ensure the effective enforcement of sanctions. The activities of the "shadow fleet" contribute to financing the war of aggression against Ukraine. According to France 24, Local maritime authorities stated that the navy seized an oil tanker called "Grinch" between Spain and Morocco after it set sail from the Russian Arctic port of Murmansk. A ship named "Grinch" is under United Kingdom (UK) sanctions, while another called "Carl" with the same registration number is sanctioned by the United States and the European Union. Ship-tracking websites, marinetraffic and vesselfinder, said the vessel had been flying a Comoros flag, France 24 said. Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelensky welcomed the French action, thanking Macron for what he described as a strong and necessary step to curb Russia's war financing. https://x.com/ZelenskyyUa/status/2014362998412845442?s=20 In a post on X, Zelensky respond, "Thank you, France! Thank you, @EmmanuelMacron! This is exactly the kind of resolve needed to ensure that Russian oil no longer finances Russia's war. Russian tankers operating near European shores must be stopped. Sanctions against the entire infrastructure of the shadow fleet must be tough. Vessels must be apprehended. And wouldn't it be fair to confiscate and sell the oil carried by these tankers?" According to France 24, in late September, French authorities detained a Russian-linked ship called the Boracay, a vessel claiming to be flagged in Benin, in a move Russian President Vladimir Putin condemned as "piracy". (ANI) Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva said on Thursday that he and Prime Minister Narendra Modi had emphasised the importance of the upcoming Brazil-India Business Forum over a phone conversation. The forum is scheduled to take place amid Lula's state visit to India, coinciding with the inauguration of the Apex-Brasil office in New Delhi. In a post on X, Lula shared details of the discussion, noting his planned state visit to New Delhi from February 19 to 21 to advance the bilateral agenda between the two nations. "I spoke today by phone with the Prime Minister of India, Narendra Modi. We discussed the State visit I will make to New Delhi between February 19 and 21, as well as the bilateral agenda. We highlighted the importance of the Brazil-India Business Forum that will take place during my visit, which will also be marked by the inauguration of the APEX Office in New Delhi. We also exchanged views on the global situation, reiterating our commitment to defending peace in Gaza and in the world, multilateralism, and democracy," President Lula wrote on X. On Thursday, PM Modi spoke with Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, and said that close cooperation between India and Brazil was vital for advancing the shared interests of the Global South. The PM also said that he was looking forward to welcoming the BRICS ally to India soon. In a post on X, Prime Minister Modi said, "Glad to speak with President Lula. We reviewed the strong momentum in the India-Brazil Strategic Partnership, which is poised to scale new heights in the year ahead. Our close cooperation is vital for advancing the shared interests of the Global South. I look forward to welcoming him to India soon." In December 2025, India and Brazil signed a landmark tripartite Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to advance dairy cattle and buffalo genomics through a first-of-its-kind cross-continental genetic improvement programme. The MoU and the corresponding Technical Cooperation Project (PCT) were signed at the Embassy of India in Brasilia between Embrapa, Brazil's state-owned agricultural research organisation under the Ministry of Agriculture, Livestock, and Food Supply (MAPA), Fazenda Floresta & DNAMark (Brazil), and India's Leads Genetics Pvt Ltd (formerly Leads Agri Genetics Pvt Ltd), BL Kamdhenu Farms Ltd, and Leads Connect Services Pvt Ltd. The agreement marks the first-ever business-to-government (B2G) collaboration between India and Brazil in bovine genomics. It also represents Embrapa's first private partnership with an Indian organisation, reflecting a strategic convergence in livestock and agricultural innovation, food security priorities, and shared global leadership in cattle genetics. In another significant engagement, Chief of Naval Staff Admiral Dinesh K Tripathi, during his official visit to Brazil in December 2025, met Celso Amorim, Chief Advisor to the President of Brazil, and Jose Mucio Monteiro, Brazil's Minister of Defence, according to a statement by the Indian Navy. The discussions included a comprehensive review of expanding India-Brazil defence engagement, with a focus on strengthening strategic cooperation and enhancing bilateral defence ties. "Both sides also explored opportunities in defence industry collaboration and capability-building initiatives to support long-term interoperability and shared security objectives. Deliberations on regional and global dynamics - including the South Atlantic, the wider Indo-Pacific, and the collective role of the Global South- highlighted the shared vision of India and Brazil for a secure, stable, and rules-based international order. These high-level engagements reaffirmed the growing strategic convergence and the mutual commitment to elevate India-Brazil defence cooperation under the spirit of Bridges of Friendship," the statement added. (ANI) HOKKAIDO, Jan 22 (News On Japan) - A new disposal system that uses microorganisms to break down culled bears is drawing attention in Hokkaido, as Japan faces a growing challenge not only in preventing bear attacks but also in handling the remains after animals are killed. Bear sightings surged across the country in 2025, with human casualties reaching 230 nationwide, including two deaths in Hokkaido. Fukushima, a town in southern Hokkaido where a newspaper delivery worker was fatally attacked by a bear in July 2025, has introduced a facility capable of processing culled bears and other animals using microbes, the only such system currently operating in Hokkaido. The facility is designed to reduce the volume of animal carcasses by decomposing them almost completely. The process involves placing the animal in a tank, mixing in water and special chips coated with microorganisms, and raising the temperature to around 80 degrees Celsius. With microbial activity accelerated, the meat can be broken down in about one day, while bones and skin typically take around a week, with most of the material discharged as water and carbon dioxide. In many areas, hunters are required to dismantle culled bears and deer themselves into pieces small enough to be incinerated at local facilities. But in southern Hokkaido, where wildlife-related crop damage has continued and requests for culling have increased, hunters have been spending significant time on dismantling work, slowing down their ability to capture more animals. One local hunter said the work can be overwhelming, noting that they are sometimes asked to cut carcasses into pieces as small as 10 centimeters square. Fukushima invested about 100 million yen in 2024 to introduce the system, becoming the first municipality in Hokkaido to adopt the technology. In southern Hokkaido, where the number of bears captured rose sharply in 2024 and incineration processing began to fall behind, the town says the new system proved effective by allowing bears to be handled more quickly. Mayor Kiyoharu Narumi said Fukushima is currently managing the system, but hopes it can eventually be expanded and jointly managed by four towns in the region: Fukushima, Matsumae, Shiriuchi and Kikonai. Local officials say they aim to prevent another tragic accident by strengthening resident safety through the use of advanced technology. Source: HBC President Donald Trump signed an executive order on Tuesday aimed at stopping large institutional investors from purchasing single-family homes in an effort to make homeownership more affordable for American families. The order directs multiple federal agencies to develop restrictions within 60 days that would prevent Wall Street firms from competing with individual homebuyers in the residential housing market. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent must define what constitutes a "large institutional investor" and "single-family home" within 30 days. Within 60 days, federal housing agencies, including the Federal Housing Administration, Veterans Affairs, Fannie Mae, and Freddie Mac, will be prohibited from approving, insuring, guaranteeing, or securitizing home purchases by these large investors. Federal Agencies and Regulatory Enforcement Trump emphasized in the order that neighborhoods once controlled by middle-class families are now run by distant corporate interests, according to Reuters. "People live in homes, not corporations," the order states. The policy aims to preserve the supply of single-family homes for American families and increase paths to homeownership. The Justice Department and Federal Trade Commission received directives to review substantial acquisitions by large institutional investors for anti-competitive effects. The agencies will prioritize enforcement of antitrust laws against coordinated vacancy and pricing strategies employed by these investors in local rental markets. Wall Street entities such as Blackstone, American Homes 4 Rent, and Progress Residential have acquired thousands of single-family homes since the 2008 financial crisis triggered a surge in foreclosures. By June 2022, institutional investors held approximately 450,000 homes, representing about 3 percent of all single-family rental properties nationwide, according to a 2024 Government Accountability Office report, Scanx reported. The executive order includes narrowly tailored exceptions for build-to-rent properties. The Department of Housing and Urban Development must require landlords participating in federal housing assistance programs to disclose ownership and management information to identify any involvement of large institutional investors. Market Impact and Political Timeline Treasury Secretary Bessent clarified that the policy will be forward-looking and will not require investors to unwind current holdings. "The idea here is bygones are bygones," Bessent stated. "We're not going to have a forced sale here." Trump announced the initiative ahead of the November midterm elections as his administration seeks to address voter concerns about housing affordability. The president had previously called for a ban on social media earlier this month, stating he would urge Congress to codify the policy. Shares of major home leasing companies fell following Trump's announcement. Invitation Homes' stock dropped more than 6 percent, while American Homes 4 Rent declined 6.3 percent and Blackstone fell more than 4 percent, as per CNBC. This week, we dive into the January show at the Shochiku-za theatre in Osaka, the last New Year production to be held at this venue, and perhaps the very last in the city for the time being. (Kabuki In-Depth) Second citizenship can be lawful, but enforcement focuses on how it is used to obscure control and ownership WASHINGTON, DC Sanctions enforcement is increasingly about control rather than passports. In 2026, investigators and regulators are focused on whether a person, entity, or network is using alternative identities, proxy intermediaries, or layered structures to continue prohibited activity. A second citizenship does not automatically imply wrongdoing. But in sanctions cases, it can become relevant if it is part of a pattern designed to defeat screening. The practical enforcement posture is shaped by one reality: sanctions regimes are implemented through systems that do not understand intent. Banks, carriers, insurers, shipping platforms, and corporate registries interpret patterns. When the pattern resembles concealment, the response is escalation. The passport itself is rarely the main issue. The issue is whether the passport is being used to change who controls assets, directs transactions, or benefits from a structure. This is why 2026 sanctions cases increasingly focus on indicators of beneficial ownership, control, facilitation, and evasion. Investigators are less interested in the label on a travel document than in the operational reality of who is giving instructions, who can move funds, and who can substitute intermediaries when a channel is blocked. How sanctions cases are built in 2026 The modern sanctions case often starts with a mundane signal. A financial institution files an alert. A correspondent bank rejects a payment. A shipping record looks inconsistent with a declared trade route. A corporate registration appears to conflict with a customer profile. A sudden change in ownership appears shortly after sanctions are imposed. The lead does not need to prove intent. It needs to justify questions. Once a lead exists, investigators typically build the case in layers, moving from transaction facts to control facts. Transaction mapping Payment chains are mapped to identify originators, beneficiaries, intermediaries, and routing logic. Investigators focus on where funds actually moved, not only on who a document says initiated the movement. Rejected payments and partial attempts matter because they demonstrate that a party continued trying to access the system after a barrier appeared. Corporate ownership and control mapping Entity stacks are analyzed, including shareholding, directorships, authorized signatories, and related-party links. In many cases, the critical question is not who is listed as the owner, but who can instruct the entity, appoint directors, and replace service providers. Control is treated as a functional concept. Identity resolution Investigators compare names, dates of birth, nationalities, addresses, passports, and historical identity information across jurisdictions and datasets. This is where second citizenship becomes relevant. If an individual uses different passports to open accounts, register companies, or sign contracts, investigators test whether those actions reflect lawful complexity or deliberate fragmentation. Facilitation and enabling analysis A recurring theme in 2026 enforcement is pressure on the ecosystem. Nominee directors, corporate service providers, introducers, payment facilitators, freight forwarders, and other intermediaries are evaluated not only as passive service providers but as potential enablers. If a service appears designed to reduce transparency after sanctions exposure, it can become evidence of facilitation. Second citizenship becomes a factor when it is used to open accounts or register entities under a different national identity, especially if the underlying beneficial owner remains the same person. The core question is whether the true controller is being concealed. When investigators see rapid identity shifts paired with ownership changes or layered registrations, they treat that as a potential evasion pattern, even if the documents appear clean at first glance. Identity switching as a sanctions risk indicator Identity switching, in enforcement terms, often means shifting the presentation layer while keeping the controller constant. It may involve using a different passport for onboarding. It may involve registering a new company in a new jurisdiction with a new intermediary. It may involve changing signatories while preserving instructions from the same person. These shifts can be lawful in isolation. The risk arises when they occur in clusters that correlate with enforcement events. In 2026, three clusters drew particular scrutiny. Cluster One: timing A new passport is used immediately after account closures, adverse media exposure, or sanctions announcements. The passport is not the evidence; the timing is. When identity changes occur immediately after a barrier appears, investigators ask whether the change was intended to bypass the barrier. Cluster Two: onboarding behavior Rapid onboarding across multiple institutions, jurisdictions, or platforms, particularly when information is incomplete, inconsistent, or repeatedly corrected. In sanctions enforcement, chaotic onboarding can be read as a sign that the applicant is testing which institutions can be pressured into accepting ambiguity. Cluster Three: fragmentation Multiple identities or profiles that do not reconcile cleanly, such as different spellings, addresses, employment narratives, or disclosed ownership links. Fragmentation can be accidental. In high-risk contexts, it is treated as a tool that allows a controller to appear as multiple people or to appear unlinked from prior history. The enforcement posture is increasingly oriented around story verification. The question is whether the identity story holds together across banking, corporate ownership, shipping, and travel. If it does not, the mismatch becomes investigative leverage. Proxy directors and corporate services under pressure Enforcement trends also place pressure on professional intermediaries: nominee directors, corporate service providers, and any party that helps construct layers designed to reduce transparency. In 2026, the risk calculus is changing. A service that once felt routine can become a facilitation allegation if it appears to enable evasion. Proxy directors are especially sensitive because they exist at the intersection of legality and opacity. Some jurisdictions allow nominee arrangements within regulatory boundaries. Some structures are used for legitimate privacy and administrative convenience. The enforcement problem is that proxy arrangements can also be used to create plausible deniability, obscure control, and delay asset freezes. In sanctions matters, delays are not neutral. Delays can allow assets to move. This is why institutions demand deeper documentation. Banks want to know who truly owns and controls the entity, and they want evidence that the individuals story is consistent across jurisdictions. The cost of opacity is rising for both intermediaries and customers. Corporate service providers that fail to maintain adequate knowledge of the beneficial owner can face reputational damage, loss of banking relationships, and, in some cases, direct legal exposure. A recurring enforcement theme in 2026 is that the intermediarys file becomes part of the evidence. Due diligence questionnaires, source-of-funds records, correspondence about ownership changes, and the rationale for structural decisions can all be requested. If the file shows a pattern of avoiding clarity, that file can become as damaging as the underlying transactions. Beneficial ownership is the central battlefield Beneficial ownership is the core concept that connects sanctions enforcement, corporate structures, and identity switching. In practical terms, beneficial ownership refers to the natural person who ultimately owns or controls an entity or arrangement. Control can be exercised through shareholding, voting power, appointment rights, signatory authority, or de facto instruction via trusted proxies. In 2026, enforcement focuses on ownership and control because sanctions evasion relies on separating the economic benefit from the visible name. If a sanctioned party can continue to benefit while appearing absent from documents, the sanction fails. Enforcement, therefore, attacks the separation. This is why layered structures are scrutinized not merely because they are complex, but because complexity can be used to create distance. Distance delays identification. Distance complicates freezes. Distance introduces jurisdictional friction. A common pattern in enforcement work is to reconstruct the control chain. Investigators look for repetitive touchpoints. Who paid the formation costs? Who introduced the client to the service provider? Who provided source-of-funds documentation? Who negotiated contracts? Who has access to accounts and the banking portal? Who approves payments? Who benefits economically? Who can replace directors and service providers? Even when a proxy appears on paper, these touchpoints often point back to the controller. Identity switching becomes relevant when different passports or names are used across touchpoints, creating a misleading impression of multiple unrelated actors. Shipping, trade, and insurance as sanctions detection channels Sanctions enforcement in 2026 is not limited to banks. Trade finance, shipping, insurance, and logistics data often provide the initial thread. A shipment that does not fit a declared business profile can prompt questions. A trade route that suddenly changes can prompt questions. A cargo insurer may notice inconsistencies between the declared owner and the party giving instructions. A freight forwarder may receive documentation that conflicts with corporate registry information. These are not always criminal indicators. They are indicators of inconsistency, and inconsistency triggers scrutiny. Identity switching and proxy structures matter here because trade often relies on documentation chains. Bills of lading, letters of credit, end-user certificates, inspection reports, and corporate invoices create a record trail. When those records show shifting identities and shifting entity names without a coherent explanation, enforcement agencies treat that as a sign that the network is adapting around barriers. Compliance lessons for lawful dual citizens For legitimate dual citizens who are not attempting to evade sanctions, the takeaway is still relevant. Screening systems do not know motives. They interpret patterns. A customer who rapidly changes jurisdictions, opens accounts under different passports, and uses complex entity structures can create a pattern that appears to be an attempt to evade. The risk mitigation approach is transparency and consistency. Disclose dual nationality where required Many compliance frameworks ask for all nationalities, all passports, and all residency ties. The safest posture is to treat disclosure as a protective step. A dual citizen who discloses upfront can later show that their profile was not assembled to surprise a screening tool. Maintain a coherent identity file Ensure that names, dates of birth, addresses, and civil records reconcile. If a name change exists, maintain certified bridging documents. If transliteration differences exist, treat them as a known feature with supporting records. Consistency across bank onboarding, corporate filings, and contractual signatures reduces the risk of false positives. Keep auditable source-of-funds and source-of-wealth records In sanctions investigations, money is rarely evaluated in isolation. It is evaluated in context. Institutions increasingly demand documentary clarity about how funds were earned, how they were accumulated, and why they are being moved. A lawful customer who can produce a clear, auditable record reduces the likelihood that a transaction is interpreted as concealment. Use corporate structures for lawful purposes, and document the rationale Corporate structures are not inherently suspicious. The suspicion arises when the structure appears designed to hide control. For lawful clients, the best defense is a clear rationale supported by normal governance and transparency. If an entity exists for operational reasons, document those reasons. If a trust exists for estate planning, maintain a file that supports that purpose. If a holding company exists for investment management, ensure that reporting and governance align with that purpose. Avoid proxy arrangements that reduce transparency without necessity Nominee directors and similar arrangements can exist in lawful contexts, but they are high-friction in sanctions-adjacent environments. When proxies exist, institutions will ask why. If the answer is convenience or secrecy, friction rises. If proxies exist for legitimate operational reasons, ensure that beneficial ownership remains properly disclosed and that governance controls remain robust. Treat rapid jurisdiction shopping as a risk behavior Rapid changes in jurisdiction, banks, and corporate stacks can appear to be evasion even when the client intends lawful restructuring. In 2026, the most defensible approach is phased planning with documented transitions, not sudden shifts with thin documentation. The compliance-forward principle is simple. In 2026, the best protection is a record that can survive scrutiny. That record is built through transparent disclosures, coherent identity continuity, and auditable money trails. Why enforcement pressure is rising on helpers Enforcement agencies increasingly target not only principals but also facilitators. In sanctions contexts, facilitators are anyone who materially assists in evasion, concealment, or ongoing prohibited activity. This can include professional services and corporate support roles when they are used to create misleading structures. The effect is that compliance expectations are extending outward. Service providers who once relied on minimal onboarding are being pushed toward more thorough due diligence. Banks are pushing that pressure down the chain because they are judged by regulators on how effectively they manage sanctions risk. When a bank de-risks a corporate service provider or a trust and company provider, the provider feels the pressure in real time. In 2026, a clean compliance posture is no longer just a customer requirement. It is a survival requirement for intermediaries. Intermediaries that maintain strong beneficial ownership records and can demonstrate they did not facilitate concealment are better positioned when scrutiny arrives. The pattern problem and the look of evasion The hardest aspect of sanctions compliance is that lawful behavior can resemble suspicious behavior when executed carelessly. A dual citizen may have legitimate reasons to hold multiple passports. A business may have legitimate reasons to use multiple entities. A family may have legitimate reasons for cross-border structures. But when these are combined with rapid changes, proxy layers, inconsistent identity presentation, and unclear fund documentation, the pattern can appear to be an act of evasion. In 2026, enforcement is increasingly pattern-based. Pattern-based enforcement does not require a confession to begin. It requires a plausible inference that a person is trying to defeat screening. Once that inference is plausible, investigators seek corroboration. Corroboration can come from emails, formation invoices, banking onboarding records, repeated address overlaps, IP access logs, signature similarities, or communications with intermediaries. This is why compliance is not only about being lawful. It is about being legible. The lawful actor is the actor whose file is coherent and whose structures have clear, documented purposes. What a defensible sanctions-compliance posture looks like A defensible posture in 2026 can be described as three disciplines. Transparency discipline Disclose what must be disclosed. Avoid partial disclosures that create future contradictions. Maintain a consistent narrative across institutions. Documentation discipline Keep records in a form that can be audited. Source-of-funds documentation should be organized, consistent, and tied to real financial history. Identity files should include bridging documents where needed. Governance discipline Where structures exist, governance should reflect genuine control processes. The signatory authority should be documented. Board resolutions should exist where appropriate. Beneficial ownership reporting should be accurate. If proxies exist, the governance file should show who truly controls decisions. These disciplines reduce the likelihood that lawful activity is interpreted as evasion. They also reduce the cost of responding to inquiries when they arise, because the answer is already documented. Amicus International Consultings professional services Amicus International Consulting provides compliance-forward advisory services for lawful cross-border structuring, documentation readiness, and risk management, with a focus on transparency and regulatory alignment. Amicus International Consulting Media Relations Email: info@amicusint.ca Phone: 1+ (604) 200-5402 Website: www.amicusint.ca Location: Vancouver, BC, Canada Residential property management in Santa Barbara is governed by a combination of state and local laws that dictate how landlords handle deposits, disclosures, inspections, and required documentation. These rules protect both tenants and landlords in a market where demand and legal scrutiny are high. Security Deposits and Limits California law now caps residential security deposits at the equivalent of one months rent for unfurnished units and one month for furnished units as well. This limit includes most upfront charges landlords collect, such as key or pet deposits. Managers must account for this cap in lease agreements and ensure compliance to avoid statutory penalties. Under AB 2801, beginning in 2025, landlords must photograph units at movein and moveout to document conditions and justify deductions from the security deposit. These photos, along with detailed itemized statements, must be provided to tenants when the deposit is returned. Documentation helps resolve disputes and supports deductions that go beyond normal wear and tear. Required Disclosures Managers and landlords must provide tenants with a series of disclosures at lease signing. These include notices about mold, leadbased paint for older buildings, pest control practices, and flood risk in certain zones. Failure to deliver required disclosures in time can delay legal enforcement actions or give tenants a basis for claims. State law also requires that renters receive documentation of their rights, including information on how to report habitability issues and how disputes will be addressed. Residential managers typically build disclosure packets into lease execution checklists to ensure compliance. Inspections and Safety Requirements Santa Barbara has local ordinances that require periodic inspections for certain multiunit buildings, especially those with outdoor walkways or balconies. These inspections are documented and may involve thirdparty inspectors. Managers should schedule and document all safety checks to protect residents and meet statutory obligations. Routine preventive maintenance and inspection protocols help reduce liability and ensure units remain safe and habitable. Documentation of maintenance requests, responses, and completed repairs should be stored in tenant records. Lease and Notice Documentation Written lease agreements are mandatory for most residential tenancies. Leases must describe rent amounts, terms, tenant obligations, and conditions for lease termination. Notices related to rent increases, lease violations, and termination must be served in strict compliance with statutory delivery methods to be legally effective. These often include personal delivery, substitute service, or posting plus mail, each requiring documented proof of service. Additionally, Santa Barbaras local ordinances include justcause eviction protections and required oneyear lease offers in certain cases. Residential managers must stay abreast of these local rules to avoid unlawful eviction claims. Dispute Resolution Assistance The city operates a Rental Housing Mediation Program to help landlords and tenants resolve disputes without litigation. Managers should be familiar with this resource and include information in tenant welcome packets. Overall, successful residential management in Santa Barbara revolves around rigid adherence to legal requirements, meticulous documentation, and processes that anticipate regulatory scrutiny. From upfront disclosures to final deposit accounting, each step must be handled with compliance and recordkeeping at the core to protect both the owners asset and the tenants rights. Management Firm Differentiators: Screening, Inspections, Maintenance, Resident Services In a highcost, highdemand market like Santa Barbara, residential property managers must position their services distinctly to attract both landlords and renters. Differentiation goes beyond standard lease collection to include screening, inspections, maintenance, and service quality tailored to local expectations. Tenant Screening and Selection Top residential management firms build rigorous tenant screening processes that protect landlords and enhance portfolio quality. Screening includes credit checks, income verification, rental history evaluation, and background checks. In a competitive Santa Barbara market where demand outstrips supply, managers balance thorough vetting with fast response times to secure qualified tenants before competitors do. A strong screening protocol reduces turnover and default risk, which directly affects net operating income. Some firms go further by using predictive analytics to assess tenant risk and align screening criteria with specific property profiles. This targeted approach can reduce vacancy periods and improve overall lease performance. Inspections and Preventive Oversight Routine inspections are a cornerstone of preventive management. Firms differentiate themselves by implementing structured movein and periodic inspections that document unit condition at multiple stages of tenancy. Inspections help identify potential issues before they escalate into costly repairs or disputes. Detailed inspection reports with photos become part of comprehensive tenant files, supporting deposit returns and legal compliance. This level of documentation is increasingly important given evolving deposit regulations like Californias AB 2801, which emphasizes photographic evidence to justify posttenancy deductions. Leading firms also schedule seasonal checks for HVAC, plumbing, roofing, and exterior amenities. Proactive maintenance programs predict equipment lifespan and budget for replacements, enhancing tenant satisfaction and reducing emergency repairs. Responsive Maintenance Services Maintenance responsiveness is a major differentiator in residential management. Tenants value timely resolution of issues, and landlords benefit when small problems are addressed before they worsen. Premium managers integrate 24/7 maintenance request systems, vendor partnerships with rapid dispatch, and transparent repair tracking for owners. Some firms extend maintenance accountability by offering warranties or service guarantees. By negotiating prioritized rates with local contractors, these managers reduce downtime for tenants and control costs for owners. This reliability directly contributes to higher renewal rates and positive tenant experiences. Resident Communication and Service Platforms Modern tenants expect seamless communication channels. Differentiated firms adopt digital portals for rent payment, maintenance requests, and document access. These portals streamline administrative tasks and provide transparency for tenants. A responsive resident communication strategy also improves retention by fostering trust and clarity. Annual tenant satisfaction surveys, feedback loops, and community engagement initiatives further enhance service quality. Managers who maintain open lines of communication while setting clear expectations reduce conflict and build longterm tenancy. Local Market Expertise Santa Barbaras regulatory landscape and housing dynamics demand local knowledge. A firm that understands city ordinances, local court practices, and compliance nuances delivers value beyond basic management tasks. This includes mastering local requirements for disclosures, inspections, and tenant rights. Effective differentiation also involves targeted marketing that showcases properties to ideal tenant segments. Managers who leverage local market insights to position units whether near UCSB for student renters or close to downtown for professionals achieve faster leaseups and higher occupancy rates. In summary, residential property management firms that distinguish themselves in Santa Barbara do so through meticulous screening, proactive inspections, efficient maintenance systems, superior communication platforms, and demonstrated local expertise. These differentiators build landlord confidence and tenant loyalty, leading to better financial performance and reduced turnover. President Donald Trump launched this Thursday the Board of Peace with a signing ceremony at the World Economic Forum in Davos, in the presence of representatives of several countries including Moroccan foreign minister Bourita who signed the Boards Charter with Mr. Trump. The Board of Peace is tasked with rebuilding Gaza and resolving global conflicts. Palestinian ambassador to Morocco Jamal Choubaki said Morocco has been chosen to serve in the Peace Council because of its sound credibility and leadership on the international scene in addition to its independent and moderate foreign policy, its steadfast commitment to international peace and respect for international law. The presence of King Mohammed VI, Chairman of Al-Qods Committee, among the founding members of this international body, constitutes a guarantee for the rights of the Palestinian people, said the Palestinian diplomat. Morocco has always supported a just political solution and insisted on the establishment of Palestinian state and lasting peace in the region, underlined Mr. Choubaki, noting that Palestinians feel reassured by Moroccos presence in the Board of Peace as the Kingdom is a champion of Palestinian, Arab and Islamic causes, as well as international humanitarian causes. The setting up of the Board of Peace has been approved by the UN Security Council as part of Trumps Gaza peace plan, a multilateral agreement to address Gaza war and broader Middle Eastern crisis. According to press reports, nearly 35 countries have expressed their commitment to join the Board of Peace, including Morocco, Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Egypt, Qatar and Turkey, while some traditional allies of the United States are weighing whether to sit on the board, while others refused to join. On Monday, Moroccan ministry of foreign Affairs said King Mohammed VI has accepted Donald Trump invitation to join as a Founding Member the Peace Board to contribute to peace efforts in the Middle East. The Monarch has welcomed Trumps commitment and vision for the promotion of peace and stability in areas affected or threatened by conflict. Morocco has also welcomed the announcement of the launch of the second phase of President Trumps global peace plan, as well as the official creation of the National Committee for the administration of Gaza as a temporary transitional body. Rabat has reiterated on this occasion its constant commitment to a just, global and lasting peace in the Middle East and to the establishment of a Palestinian State on the basis of the 1967 borders with East Jerusalem as its capital. The Chavista regime's nationalization of foreign-owned assets, coupled with political repression and U.S. sanctions, accelerated the collapse of the countrys oil industry and led the U.S. to declare Venezuela a national security threat. The relationship began to fracture with the 1976 nationalization of the oil industry by President Carlos Andres Perez and deteriorated severely due to economic crises, soaring poverty, and the rise of Hugo Chavez and his anti-imperialist Bolivarian Revolution. Venezuela transitioned from a close U.S. ally after the 1958 dictatorship collapse and through the anti-Communist Betancourt presidency, becoming a key source of oil and a counterweight to Cuba during the Cold War. President Donald Trumps crusade to topple Venezuelas illegitimate President Nicolas Maduro, which culminated with his capture in a daring night raid by U.S. troops, started with a massive August 2025 naval buildup in the Caribbean. That escalated to airstrikes on suspected narcotics boats and the seizure of tankers transporting Venezuelan crude. After Maduros removal, Delcy Rodriguez, viewed as a regime moderate, replaced him as interim president. This unfolded after years of failed sanctions, broken promises and futile negotiations. Yet, less than three decades earlier, Venezuela was a staunch U.S. ally and key regional bulwark against communism. It was January 1958, and the brutal military dictatorship led by Marcos Perez Jimenez had collapsed. Months of violent protests, a failed coup and a military rebellion, all sparked by Perez Jimenez fraudulently declaring victory in the 1957 presidential election, a strategy later adopted by Maduro, left Venezuela engulfed in turmoil. After fleeing the country, the former military strongman and his cruel secret police chief, Pedro Estrada, were eventually granted asylum in the United States. This triggered considerable resentment among Venezuelans, especially the urban poor, who had suffered terribly under Perez Jimenezs rule. During U.S. Vice President Richard Nixons May 1958 goodwill visit, there were violent protests in Caracas, Venezuelas capital. The Vice Presidents motorcade was attacked by an angry mob throwing stones after it became known that Washington had granted asylum to Perez Jimenez and Estrada. The assault was so severe that Nixon and his entourage were forced to seek refuge in the U.S. Embassy. The ruling provisional junta, which assumed power after Perez Jimenez fled Venezuela, blamed the attack on communist insurrectionists taking advantage of a volatile and confusing situation. Set OilPrice.com as a preferred source in Google here Those events fanned fears of the potential for a communist insurrection in Venezuela. This was conceivable with the Cold War at its peak and the Cuban revolution nearing a conclusion, where populist revolutionaries were on the cusp of defeating a cruel right-wing dictatorship. This was a genuine concern, despite the Communist Party of Venezuelas participation in the Junta Patrioca, a clandestine alliance of political parties formed in 1957 to overthrow Perez Jimenez. Crucial to Venezuelas transition to democracy was the 1958 Puntofijo Pact, a power-sharing agreement among the three main political parties that excluded the communists. The attack on Nixons motorcade thoroughly focused Washingtons attention on Venezuela and the countrys transition to an oil-rich fledgling democracy. By the end of 1958, the official nominee of Accion Democratica, Venezuelas largest opposition party, Romulo Betancourt, emerged victorious in that years presidential election. Betancourt was an anti-Communist democrat sympathetic to the United States. With that, the White House saw an opportunity to build a strong relationship with a key member of the OPEC oil cartel, providing the U.S. with leverage over global oil supplies. Venezuelas newest president went on to demonstrate his anti-communist credentials by outlawing the Communist Party of Venezuela in May 1962. Betancourt also opposed British Guianas, the country now called Guyana, drive for independence, because of the anti-imperialist agitation of the socialist independence leaders in Georgetown. He was fearful of Cuban-inspired Venezuelan socialist insurrectionists receiving guerrilla warfare training in the British colony if a socialist government took control. As part of that strategy, Betancourt reignited Venezuelas long-standing claim to the mineral-rich Essequibo, a territory constituting two-thirds of Guyana. As Cold War tensions ebbed and flowed, Washington came to view Venezuela, with its oil wealth and liberal capitalist system, as a model progressive democracy. By the 1960s, the U.S. was selling arms to Venezuela, now an important regional counterweight to communist Cuba. Caracas became so close to Washington that Venezuela was one of the few Latin American countries receiving advanced U.S. weaponry and assistance from military advisers who modernized the countrys armed forces. A U.S. military mission was even installed in Fuerte Tiuna, the principal military complex in Caracas, where both countries shared intelligence and conducted combined operations. At this time, U.S. energy majors, including ExxonMobil, ConocoPhillips and Chevron, were investing heavily in Venezuelas oil industry. Eventually, they controlled around 70% of all oil production. By the early 1970s, U.S. drillers had invested at least $5 billion in developing Venezuelas oil infrastructure. But in 1976, President Carlos Andres Perez, a social democrat, made the bold move to nationalize Venezuelas oil industry to maximize the benefits from the countrys vast petroleum reserves. Key to this was the formation of Venezuelas national oil company (NOC), Petroleos de Venezuela S.A. (PDVSA). The newly formed state-controlled PDVSA set about taking control of all petroleum production in Venezuela, ending the direct involvement of U.S. companies in the sector until the 1990s. While this was occurring, Venezuelas heavy crude oil was becoming increasingly popular among U.S. refiners. Venezuelas proximity to the U.S. Gulf Coast, around 2,000 miles (3,218 kilometers) away, coupled with its heavy crude blends selling at discounts to the international Brent benchmark, offered refiners significant cost benefits. By the 1970s and 1980s, Gulf Coast refiners were constructing or upgrading facilities to handle Venezuela's heavy crude, allowing them to secure cheaper feedstock while boosting petroleum supply at a time when the U.S. was a net oil importer. For these reasons, Venezuela, with over 300 billion barrels of oil reserves, emerged as an important source of petroleum for the United States. Government data shows that by 1989, Venezuelan oil shipments to the U.S. reached a decade-high of 495,000 barrels per day. Despite the worsening economic and social crisis, Venezuelan oil imports continued to grow, reaching an all-time high of nearly 1.4 million barrels per day in 1997. This made Venezuelas heavy sour crude the dominant feedstock for U.S. Gulf Coast refineries, a role that only diminished after Washington began imposing sanctions. It was by the early 1980s when Venezuela started unravelling. Soaring disenchantment with the corrupt and ossified three-party system, coupled with surging economic inequality, led to the growing popularity of populist left-wing politics. In turn, this sparked a sudden increase in radical leftist political activism. Among the most notable events is Hugo Chavezs 1982 founding of the revolutionary Bolivarian Movement-200. The late-1980s oil price collapse placed incredible pressure on an already fragile economy and political system, which were highly dependent on oil profits to maintain cohesiveness. Between 1980 and 1989, Venezuelas gross domestic product (GDP) plunged a whopping 26% to $43.54 billion. This sent Venezuelas currency, the Bolivar, into freefall, sharply impacting government revenue and forcing massive spending cuts, which, among other price hikes, saw fuel prices double almost overnight. The sharp drop in fiscal income hit harder because of Venezuelas burdensome foreign debt, with Caracas giving up to 70% of fiscal income to the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and a consortium of foreign lenders. This forced further spending cuts and harsher austerity measures. For these reasons, Venezuelas poverty rate spiraled higher at a disastrous rate, surging by 10% alone to 45% between 1975 and 1987. As a result, the middle class imploded while the number of Venezuelans living an unsustainable subsistence existence soared, with it reported that anyone was forced to eat pet food to survive. Stricter austerity measures, along with endemic corruption and a crackdown on public order by an increasingly authoritarian political leadership, created a tinderbox. This exploded into the violence of the February 1989 Caracazo, a five-day rampage across Venezuela with major cities engulfed by rioting and looting. This set the stage for Chavezs rise to power. The charismatic army lieutenant colonel, responsible for a failed 1992 coup that heightened his political profile, emerged victorious from Venezuelas 1998 presidential election. After taking office on February 2, 1999, Chavez instituted a new constitution profoundly altering Venezuelas political structure while bolstering the presidents powers. This formed the foundation of his radical socialist Bolivarian Revolution. Chavezs outlook grew more authoritarian and fiercely anti-imperialist after a failed after a 2002 coup. By the mid-2000s, Chavez, a fierce critic of the U.S. and neoliberal economics, ordered the nationalization of foreign-owned assets in crucial economic sectors, such as the oil industry. Caracas decreed that state-controlled PDVSA must hold at least 60% of all heavy oil operations in the Orinoco Belt. U.S. drillers, including ConocoPhillips, Exxon and Chevron, were forced to cede control of their assets. Some companies, including Exxon and ConocoPhillips, refused to accept the new terms and chose to exit Venezuela, while Chevron persisted as a minority partner. This costs U.S. energy companies billions with no compensation from Caracas. It is this event that cast Venezuelas oil industry, the countrys economic backbone, into the abyss. That, in turn, sparked a broad economic decline as investment in the all-important hydrocarbon sector plunged, and production plummeted. A decade later, Venezuela was lifting just over 2 million barrels per day, a sharp decline from the 2.95 million barrels produced in 2007. Those events, along with harsh political repression and cronyism, triggered a brain drain. Many from Venezuelas professional classes exited the country, including a mass exodus of petroleum experts, including engineers, geologists and geophysicists. This accelerated the corrosion of Venezuelas oil industry, with key infrastructure falling into ruin. As a result, oil production continued to decline, hitting a low of 568,600 barrels per day in 2020. While technical assistance from Iran, coupled with that country's shipping condensate to Venezuela, has allowed production to climb to around one million barrels per day by December 2025. The damage caused by the Chavista regime being in power for nearly three decades is so severe it will take at least $100 billion and a decade to rebuild production to historic levels. By 2005, the White House was imposing sanctions on Venezuela and the increasingly autocratic Chavez. These include a ban on the sale of U.S. military equipment and weapons because of Caracas failure to cooperate on anti-terrorism efforts. Over subsequent decades, sanctions were ratcheted higher in response to a growing litany of human rights abuses, anti-democratic actions and terrorist acts by the authoritarian Chavista regime. The regimes cruelty worsened after Maduro succeeded Chavez, following his death in 2013. After significant anti-democratic actions, human rights abuses and meddling in regional countries, President Barack Obama declared Venezuela a national security threat in 2015. This culminated in further sanctions, which were stiffened by Trump in 2019 during his first term as president. Those new measures cut Caracas off from global financial and energy markets in a bid to topple Maduro. Those sanctions, while accelerating the collapse of Venezuelas oil industry and economy, failed to initiate regime change. Even President Joe Bidens moderate stance, including easing sanctions in exchange for democratic concessions, failed. Maduro copied military dictator Perez Jimenez to fraudulently declare victory in the 2024 presidential election despite polls showing opposition candidate Edmundo Gonzalez winning by a landslide. The regimes repressive measures aimed at securing power resemble those of the brutal military dictatorship that collapsed in 1958. Among the most conspicuous is creating a vicious, ideologically driven secret police, the Bolivarian National Intelligence Service (SEBIN), whose purpose is to root out regime opposition using extra-judicial detention, torture, rape and murder. This makes the SEBIN and Venezuelas military important power brokers in the pariah state. As such, the White House decision to back the Chavista regime, after snatching the illegitimate president Maduro, is sowing confusion and disbelief. There are allegations that the U.S. is solely seeking to enrich itself from exploiting Venezuelas vast oil reserves rather than returning the troubled nation to democracy. By Matthew Smith for Oilprice.com More Top Reads From Oilprice.com On the campaign trail to the 2024 elections, Donald Trump made affordable energy for Americans a top priorityalong with a boost for the countrys energy industry with a view to energy dominance. Now, conflicts are emerging between these priorities, making it difficult to follow them all. Two of President Trumps energy goals are compatible enough: cheaper oil makes for greater demand both at home and abroad, so cheap gasoline for Americans can go hand in hand with growing U.S. energy dominance through exports. The latter are being boosted through sanctions on Russia and pressure on India to switch from Russian to U.S. crude, and its working. The Venezuelan takeover will also go towards expanding the share of U.S. oil in the global mix. In liquefied natural gas, the dominance is even more pronounced. Last year, the United States became the first country to export over 100 million tons of the superchilled fuel, largely thanks to shipments to Europe. There is a certain sense of irony in this situation because the European Union has adopted a new methane regulation that could see LNG deliveries from the Gulf Coast take a dip because of the effect the regulation will have on prices. U.S. Energy Secretary Chris Wright has already called for its removal twiceas has Qatars energy minister. Energy affordability, then, is perfectly compatible with energy dominance. The third priority, however, boosting the energy industry, is proving tougher to fit in with the other twobecause oil and gas companies do not really thrive at low oil and gas prices. And when oil and gas companies dont thrive, they start reducing production, which lifts prices, and there goes the affordable energy goal, along with the dominance, which needs the price-sensitive energy importers such as India to grow. Related: U.S. Natural Gas Prices Surge 45% in Two Days Due to Arctic Cold The United States is the worlds biggest producer of crude oil and natural gas. The industry got to that position despite four years of a rather hostile federal government, proving that it can survive and do well even without the support of Washington. But, of course, such support is always welcomeup to a point. Some expected oil and gas producers to go on a drilling spree once Trump was elected, but instead, they remained cautious. That new normal of strict capital discipline and pickiness about new investments was not a passing fad. It is, quite literally, the industrys new normal. This is what prompted Exxon to call Venezuela univestable after the U.S. president prompted oil majors to go in and spend $100 billion to make Venezuelan oil great again over the next ten years. Wood Mackenzie said earlier this month that upstream capex fell globally last year and is about to fall further this yearnotably including in the United States. Despite the full support of the federal government. Despite the energy dominance agenda of the White House. Many are citing uncertainty about the years after Trumps second term ends, and they are right to be worried about who will replace him. Caution is the new Drill, baby, drill in the oil and gas patch. There are, however, fundamental factors at play as well. With all the predictions of a massive global oil glut, an oil company would be justified in not drilling at will. Weak prices are also not conducive to production growth, as evidenced by the slowdown in drilling activity last year. Of course, some of that was better efficiency that drove still-higher production, but the rate of growth in production has slowed substantially. The energy dominance priority is also a bit complicated. In liquefied gas, for instance, the United States has become heavily reliant on Europe, which has been taking in over half of U.S. exports. Now, part of that surge in purchases has been an attempt to please President Trump and get better trade deal terms, which did not happen. Another part is that the EU does not really have many options, and it will have one fewer soon after the ban on Russian gas imports comes into effect. The U.S. and Europe, in other words, are dependent on each other in LNG. Even so, Asia remains a major market as well, and demand for energy from the tech sector amid the AI frenzy is rather bullish for demandand for that dominance agenda. In crude oil, there is no such close interdependency with a group of buyers, but there is more competition, notably from OPEC+ but also from non-OPEC producers. None of these comes even close to the production rates of the U.S., but they do add to a market that most analysts say is already oversupplied. This oversupply situation, coupled with the intense competition in oil, makes the dominance goal harder to achieveand doesnt do anything about the industrys job satisfaction levels. The three energy priorities of the Trump administration, while individually admirable, are tricky to turn into reality all at oncebecause some come at the expense of others. By Irina Slav for Oilprice.com The deals are controversial, with critics arguing the move will hurt the Canadian economy and raise security concerns, particularly regarding potential Chinese investment in Canadian energy infrastructure. The pivot toward China is driven by the growing global economic power of Asia and an increasingly volatile relationship with the United States under President Donald Trump's nationalistic trade policies. Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney signed major trade agreements with China for electric vehicles and canola, and agreed to cooperate on energy generation, indicating a significant shift in Canada's diplomatic and trade strategy. Canada is cozying up to China as political tensions heat up between Canada and the United States. Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney made key deals with China earlier this month on a diplomatic trip to Beijing, including major agreements for Chinese electric vehicles on the Canadian market and Canadian canola on the Chinese market. Carney also agreed to cooperate with China on generating more energy both clean and conventional going forward. These deals signal a broad shift in Canadas diplomatic and trade strategy with a critical pivot away from its Western partners and toward Asia. "It's a partnership that reflects the world as it is today, with an engagement that is realistic, respectful and interest-based," Carney said of his agreements with China in a news conference held in Beijing. Carney is referring here to the fact that the lions share of global economic growth is now taking place in Asia. He is also referring to the newly volatile relationship between the United States and Canada, historically an iron-clad trade partnership and diplomatic allyship. Trumps nationalistic trade strategies and aggressive attitude toward Canada have soured relations among the neighboring nations, and Carney was elected on a platform that heavily emphasized his ability and willingness to stand up to the United States President. And in order to do that, Canada will have to strengthen its economic ties elsewhere. Set OilPrice.com as a preferred source in Google here If Canada wants to become an energy superpower, as Carney hopes, it will need to develop trade partnerships and, above all, energy partnerships with countries other than the U.S., The Conversation stated in a report earlier this week. The rapidly growing Asian market, which is seeking stability and energy security, could represent a viable long-term opportunity. These deals signal a broad shift in Canadas diplomatic and trade strategy with a critical pivot away from its Western partners and toward Asia. The BBC reports that the deal signals a significant shift in Canada's policy on China, one that is shaped by ongoing uncertainty with the US, its largest trade partner. Incredibly, Carney has asserted that under the Trump presidency, China has become a more predictable trading partner than the United States, less than a year after he called China "the biggest security threat" facing Canada. Times have changed. Already, China is replacing a good deal of its U.S. oil imports with Canadian crude. Chinese buyers purchased a record-breaking amount of crude from Canada in 2025 as the latters Trans Mountain Expansion pipeline has facilitated an increase in exports with far easier access to Asia, and a trade war continues to rage on between Trump and Chinas Xi Jinping. Its possible that China will seek to invest in the continued expansion of oil pipelines on the western Canadian coast, increasing the flow of crude bitumen from the Alberta oil sands to Chinese and other Asian markets. Canada has been pushing to build such a pipeline, and increased investment and a guaranteed buyer in China could grease the wheels, though there is considerable regional concern about Chinese companies owning or even co-owning a pivotal piece of energy infrastructure on Canadian soil. Indeed, many Canadians are sharply critical of the deal, and some pundits think that Canada will have considerable regrets about cozying up to China in the not-too-distant future. Ontario Premier Doug Ford blasted the Prime Ministers deal to remove Canadian tariffs on Chinese EVs, saying that the move "would hurt our economy and lead to job losses, and adding on X that "inviting a flood of cheap made-in-China electric vehicles without any real guarantees of equal or immediate investment in Canada's economy". A recent op-ed from the Washington Posts editorial board argued that while the move is not surprising because of President Donald Trumps bullying and the obvious short-term economic benefits of increased trading with China, there is a fine line between pragmatism and naivete which Carney has already started to blur. Frustrations with one American president need not give way to the agenda of dictators, the article went on to assert. By Haley Zaremba for Oilprice.com More Top Reads From Oilprice.com NEW YORK, Jan. 21, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- Why: Rosen Law Firm, a global investor rights law firm, reminds purchasers of securities of agilon health, inc. (NYSE: AGL) between February 26, 2025 and August 4, 2025, both dates inclusive (the "Class Period"), of the important March 2, 2026 lead plaintiff deadline in the securities class action first filed by the Firm. So what: If you purchased agilon securities during the Class Period you may be entitled to compensation without payment of any out of pocket fees or costs through a contingency fee arrangement. What to do next: To join the agilon class action, go to https://rosenlegal.com/submit-form/?case_id=46039 or call Phillip Kim, Esq. toll-free at 866-767-3653 or email [email protected] for information on the class action. A class action lawsuit has already been filed. If you wish to serve as lead plaintiff, you must move the Court no later than March 2, 2026. A lead plaintiff is a representative party acting on behalf of other class members in directing the litigation. Why Rosen Law: We encourage investors to select qualified counsel with a track record of success in leadership roles. Often, firms issuing notices do not have comparable experience, resources, or any meaningful peer recognition. Many of these firms do not actually handle securities class actions, but are merely middlemen that refer clients or partner with law firms that actually litigate the cases. Be wise in selecting counsel. The Rosen Law Firm represents investors throughout the globe, concentrating its practice in securities class actions and shareholder derivative litigation. Rosen Law Firm has achieved, at that time, the largest ever securities class action settlement against a Chinese Company. Rosen Law Firm was Ranked No. 1 by ISS Securities Class Action Services for number of securities class action settlements in 2017. The firm has been ranked in the top 4 each year since 2013 and has recovered hundreds of millions of dollars for investors. In 2019 alone the firm secured over $438 million for investors. In 2020, founding partner Laurence Rosen was named by law360 as a Titan of Plaintiffs' Bar. Many of the firm's attorneys have been recognized by Lawdragon and Super Lawyers. Details of the Case: According to the lawsuit, defendants throughout the Class Period made false and/or misleading statements and/or failed to disclose that: (1) defendants recklessly issued guidance for 2025 that they knew or should have known was not going to be achieved, given material industry headwinds of which they were aware; (2) defendants materially overstated the immediate positive financial impact from "strategic actions" taken by agilon to reduce risk; and (3) as a result, defendants' statements about agilon's business, operations, and prospects were materially false and/or misleading at all times. When the true details entered the market, the lawsuit claims that investors suffered damages. To join the agilon class action, go to https://rosenlegal.com/submit-form/?case_id=46039 or call Phillip Kim, Esq. toll-free at 866-767-3653 or email [email protected] for information on the class action. No Class Has Been Certified. Until a class is certified, you are not represented by counsel unless you retain one. You may select counsel of your choice. You may also remain an absent class member and do nothing at this point. An investor's ability to share in any potential future recovery is not dependent upon serving as lead plaintiff. Follow us for updates on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/the-rosen-law-firm or on Twitter: https://twitter.com/rosen_firm or on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/rosenlawfirm. Attorney Advertising. Prior results do not guarantee a similar outcome. Contact Information: Laurence Rosen, Esq. Phillip Kim, Esq. The Rosen Law Firm, P.A. 275 Madison Avenue, 40th Floor New York, NY 10016 Tel: (212) 686-1060 Toll Free: (866) 767-3653 Fax: (212) 202-3827 [email protected] www.rosenlegal.com SOURCE THE ROSEN LAW FIRM, P. A. For decades, fossil fuel exports have been a major driver of Canada's economy, generating hundreds of billions in revenue and supporting hundreds of thousands of jobs, with oil and gas making up about 25% of total Canadian exports. However, Canadas energy markets are characterized by a key flaw: Canada exports nearly all its fossil fuels to the U.S. thanks to geographic proximity as well as a highly integrated pipeline network built to serve U.S. markets since Canada's much smaller population cannot consume its vast output. This has normally worked out just fine for both countries. But these arent normal times. Unfortunately, the latest hostilities between Washington and Ottawa have highlighted the vulnerabilities of Canadas energy sector in a more divided and uncertain world. Last year, the Trump administration imposed 25% tariffs on most Canadian goods, with energy products (like oil, gas, minerals) carved out for a 10% tariff, justified as a response to illicit drugs. Back in 2018, Trump slapped hefty Section 232 tariffs on Canadian steel and aluminum, leading to retaliatory tariffs from Canada. Given this backdrop, its hardly surprising that Canada has been frantically searching for new markets in recent years, turning to China and Asias tiger economies in its latest foray. Last week, Canadas Prime Minister Mark Carney visited Chinese President Xi Jinping, before releasing a joint statement outlining the pillars of their new strategic partnership. The two energy superpowers agreed to collaborate in energy, clean technology and climate competitiveness. Related: U.S. Natural Gas Prices Surge 45% in Two Days Due to Arctic Cold As part of the agreement, Canada will allow up to 49,000 Chinese electric vehicles into its market per year, at a lowly tariff rate of 6.1%. Whereas this represents less than 3% of new vehicles sold in the country in a typical year, the Office of Canadas PM says it will ensure a robust build-out of Canadas EV supply chain and drive considerable joint-venture investment between the two countries, creating auto manufacturing jobs for Canadian workers in just three years. Indeed, Canada anticipates that under the agreement, more than 50% of its EVs will have a sticker price of less than $35,000 in five years, offering lower-cost options for Canadian consumers. The two countries already enjoy robust bilateral trade ties, with Canada exporting merchandise worth $30 billion to China in 2024 while importing goods worth nearly $90 billion. At its best, the Canada-China relationship has created massive opportunities for both our peoples. By leveraging our strengths and focusing on trade, energy, agri-food, and areas where we can make huge gains, we are forging a new strategic partnership that builds on the best of our past, reflects the world as it is today, and benefits the people of both our nations, said Mark Carney. Carneys China visit followed his appearance at the Association of Southeast Asian Nations summit in Kuala Lumpur in October 2025, where Canada signed a Letter of Intent with Malaysia covering LNG, oil, small modular reactors, and renewables. The agreement builds on Canadas first LNG shipment to Asia from Kitimat in July 2025, delivered with the involvement of Malaysian state energy firm Petronas, and is aimed at anchoring longer-term Canadian energy exports into Southeast Asia. The partnership also includes cooperation on SMRs, with Canada providing technical expertise for deployment in remote and industrial zones where conventional reactors are impractical. Canadian officials highlighted the countrys CANDUreactor technology, emphasizing safety systems and modular design, with the collaboration centered on knowledge transfer rather than near term construction commitments. In parallel, Asia is emerging as a major buyer of Canadian oil following the start-up of the Trans Mountain Expansion in May 2024. By nearly tripling capacity to 890,000 barrels per day and providing access to the Westridge Marine Terminal, TMX has opened a direct export route to Asian markets and reduced Canadas reliance on U.S. buyers. Roughly 75% of crude loaded at Westridge is heavy, sour oil, well suited to complex Asian refineries, with China among the leading destinations. The terminal can now handle up to 34 Aframax tanker loadings per month, with utilization expected to rise further as production increases and incremental expansion options emerge toward 2027. Canada is also continuing negotiations on the Canada-ASEAN Free Trade Agreement (ACAFTA), targeting deeper access to the $5 trillion Southeast Asian market. The proposed pact would lower tariffs, reduce non-tariff barriers, and improve investment protections for Canadian firms, while preserving flexibility for sensitive sectors such as dairy. Negotiators have already held multiple rounds of talks, with officials indicating that progress toward a deal is expected this year. Canada is recalibrating how and where it sells its energy. As export capacity expands and Asian demand continues to grow, oil, LNG, and nuclear technology are increasingly flowing toward markets beyond the United States. That shift is beginning to alter trade patterns in Asia, adding new supply options for buyers and reducing Canadas exposure to political and commercial risk tied to a single dominant customer. By Alex Kimani for Oilprice.com More Top Reads From Oilprice.com US President Donald Trump has ruled out military action to take control of Greenland while also saying he wants to hold more talks on the United States acquiring the island, which he described as our territory during a keynote speech at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, on January 21. Hours after his speech, Trump also walked back a plan to impose tariffs on some European countries for opposing his Greenland policy. In Trump's highly anticipated speech on an issue that has caused acute alarm in other NATO countries, Trump said that US ownership of Greenland was a matter for both US and international security and that only Washington had the power to defend it against threats by other countries. Trump did not name the countries but has, in recent comments, spoken of a Russian and Chinese threat to Greenland -- an autonomous territory belonging to NATO-member Denmark. No Military Action "I'm seeking immediate negotiations to once again discuss the acquisition of Greenland by the United States," Trump said. I don't have to use force. I don't want to use force. I won't use force, he added, reversing earlier comments in which he had not ruled it out. In early reaction to Trumps comments, Danish Foreign Minister Lars Lokke Rasmussen said his country was open to talks. "What is quite clear after this speech is that the president's ambition remains intact," he said, also noting that what the president said about the military was positive. But Trump made it clear that his aim of taking control of Greenland remained firmly in place and appeared to link the issue to Washingtons commitment to NATO. We want a piece of ice for world protection, and they won't give it. We'd never ask for anything elseSo they have a choice. You can say yes, and we will be very appreciative. Or you can say no, and we will remember. A strong and secure America means a strong NATO, he said. Other European leaders have vocally supported Denmarks position in recent days, and diplomats from European Union countries told RFE/RL that Trumps speech would not allay concerns in capitals across the continent. "I dont know if this quote is an implicit threat, but he said that NATO will be stronger if Greenland belongs to the US, and there is nothing Denmark or NATO can do...I think he gave the topic quite a bit of time," said an ambassador from one EU nation, who spoke to RFE/RL on condition of anonymity. Bradley Bowman, senior director of the Center on Military and Political Power at the Foundation for Defense of Democracies (FDD) in Washington, told RFE/RL it will be reasonably construed by many people as some form of a threat. I will be surprised if Trump lets this go. I think he's going to stay on Greenland like a dog on the bone. At least for now, he appears to have taken the military option off the table, he added. Other EU diplomats told RFE/RL that Trumps Davos speech changed nothing and was nothing new. Tariff Plan Scrapped Trump has also sought to apply pressure via nonmilitary means, announcing on January 17 that he would impose extra tariffs on eight European countries if they continued to oppose US ownership of Greenland. As Trump was speaking in Davos, the European Parliament announced it was freezing work on approval of the US-EU trade deal agreed in July. But, hours after finishing his speech in Davos, Trump posted a statement online saying the tariffs would not be imposed based on a deal he had struck with NATO chief Mark Rutte. "This solution, if consummated, will be a great one for the United States of America, and all NATO nations," he wrote. In his Davos speech, Trump reiterated an earlier point that, although it already had a military base in Greenland, it needed control of the island for psychological reasons -- and that a lease or other arrangement was not enough. Who the hell wants to defend a license agreement? he asked. Trump supporters have developed this point in recent days, suggesting major military investments are needed on Greenland. Trump mentioned it in his speech as a base for the planned Golden Dome missile defense system. If were going to spend a bunch of moneywe need to have the legal control and the legal protections that justify building the place up and putting our people on the ground, said Senator Lindsey Graham on January 8. The United States has particular concern about the ultimate security status of an independent Greenland, Alexander Gray, chief executive officer of American Global Strategies LLC, an international strategic advisory firm, told RFE/RL. An independent Greenland would likely follow the path of other lightly populated, developing states and quickly have its sovereignty compromised by China and Russia, directly threatening US security interests, added Gray, who served on the National Security Council (NSC) during Trumps first term in the White House. A Distraction From Ukraine? As Washington has increased the pressure, Western leaders have responded that it is threatening to cause massive harm to NATO itself. Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney warned at Davos on January 20 of a "rupture" to the US-led international system. French President Emmanuel Macron has suggested the focus on Greenland risks undermining cooperation on countries such as Iran and Syria. Other NATO leaders have warned it is diverting attention from Ukraine. The situation with respect to Greenland is absolutely distracting time, attention, and resources from Ukraine. I mean, we have European allies talking about deploying forces to GreenlandI'd rather you send those to Eastern Europe, said the FDDs Bowman. But another analyst, Daniel Hegedus from the German Marshall Fund think tank, said Ukraine may actually stand to benefit. This lack of attention does less harm for Ukraine than the intense attention and pushing the leadership of Ukraine into the direction of a very seriously unfavorable peace settlement or cease-fire with Russia, he told RFE/RL. Trump mentioned Ukraine briefly in his speech, before returning to the subject of stalled US-led peace efforts during a question-and-answer session afterwards. What happens is, oftentimes well have a deal with Russia, Russias set, and [Ukrainian] President [Volodymyr] Zelenskyy will not do it. You saw that when he was in the Oval Office. I was not happy. And then, well have President Zelenskyy wants to make a deal and [Russian President Vladimir] Putin doesnt want to make a deal, Trump said. It emerged later that, before leaving Davos on January 22 to return to Washington, Trump will meet Zelenskyy. Trumps envoy Steve Witkoff, meanwhile, would head for Moscow for talks with Putin the same day. Also on January 22, Trump is set to formally announce the first charter of the Board of Peace, a body for resolving international conflicts with a $1 billion price tag for permanent membership. Invitations to join have been sent to both Moscow and Kyiv. It was not immediately clear if either country would join, although Putin-ally Belarus has said it will take part in the project. China has declined its invitation, while Israel, Hungary, and Azerbaijan are among those signing up so far. By RFE/RL More Top Reads From Oilprice.com As domestic onshore supply continues to decline, higher LNG imports are a must for the country, and after 2031, it could have the option to produce offshore gas from Sirius, pending its FID. With the alternatives in hand, the Caribbean coast will increasingly anchor gas supply, reinforcing coast-to-interior flows, and transport infrastructure should be adapted to enable this profile change. In this context, targeted upgrades to existing high-capacity corridors are emerging as a very cost-effective and resilient strategy, while investing in greenfield developments remains a secondary priority. Colombias natural gas transmission system is fully onshore and structured around a limited number of high-capacity corridors. In recent years, gas has mainly been produced in the countrys interior (point E). Flows to the Caribbean region can vary depending on the dispatch of gas power plants in the country. Major stable-demand markets are in the main cities, such as Bogota, Medellin, Cali, and the Magdalena Valley. The system is organized around two principal axes: 1) The northern corridors, operated mainly by Promigas, connecting the Caribbean coast altogether, including the Ballena-Barranquilla, Ballena-Cartagena, and other smaller segments; and 2) the TGI-operated Ballena-Cusiana corridor, linking the coast and the Llanos Basin to central and western demand centers, including the Ballena-Vasconia and Vasconia-Cusiana trunklines, as well as other lateral pipelines. The country is also connected to Venezuela at Ballena through the bidirectional Transcaribeno pipeline; following the decline in Venezuelan gas production, this infrastructure has remained non-operational and is not expected to resume operations in the near term. The soonest expected pipeline investment in Colombia is the conversion of an existing oil pipeline, the Oleoducto de Colombia (ODC), operated by Ecopetrol. The facility is expected to play a complementary role in the country's gas supply dynamics, providing quick conversion capacity to enable additional LNG imports. Under the proposed configuration, the ODC could be partially repurposed to transport regasified LNG from the so-far-planned Covenas LNG project (point B), leveraging its existing right-of-way and strategic connectivity between the Caribbean coast and the country's interior. This solution would allow for the evacuation of imported gas volumes while minimizing the need for new pipeline construction, accelerating project timelines, and reducing permitting constraints. The project is contingent on the approval of the Covenas LNG facility, which could begin operations as early as the beginning of 2027. Several LNG infrastructure projects are underway to address supply limitations, utilizing the existing pipeline system. Proposed LNG import facilities include Covenas LNG, Ballena LNG and Buenaventura LNG, with other private proposals for new terminals. Covenas LNG may use the ODC pipeline, while Ballena LNG is planned to go inland via the Ballena-Barrancabermeja corridor. Buenaventura LNG is expected to rely on truck-based transport initially. Additionally, offshore gas from Sirius is expected to start in 2031, increasing domestic supply and offsetting declining onshore production. Sirius will need a new offshore gathering pipeline and investment to transport higher volumes inland. UPME, Colombias national energy planning agency, has outlined a twofold strategy: first, maximizing the capacity and flexibility of existing assets through upgrades and optimization strategies; and second, developing strategic greenfield corridors to address critical bottlenecks and connect key supply and demand hubs. Infrastructure optimization Ballena corridor bidirectional upgrades: The adaptation of the Ballena-Barranquilla/Barrancabermeja corridors to enable reverse flows, including optimization to favor the interconnection between the two routes. The project increases bidirectional capacity from 3 million cubic meters per day (MMcmd) to up to 4.8 MMcmd by June 2027, improving regional balancing as domestic production declines and coastal supply becomes more critical. Promigas leads the project with a $65 million investment. Valle Inferior del Magdalena pipeline conversion: Conversion of the Jobo-Vasconia segment of the existing Oleoducto de Colombia (ODC) oil pipeline corridor into gas transportation infrastructure, unlocking up to 11.4 MMcmd of incremental capacity by 2030. The project establishes a high-capacity transfer axis between the Caribbean coast and inland markets, materially strengthening system resilience under tighter supply conditions. Vasconia-La Belleza bidirectional upgrade: Led by TGI, plans to enable bidirectional flows, allowing at least 5.6 MMcmd of flexible gas movements by 2030 and enhancing the redistribution of supply between the Caribbean, Magdalena Medio, and central demand hubs. New infrastructure Magdalena Medio-Bogota corridor: Construction of a new high-capacity pipeline directly linking the Magdalena Medio supply hub to Bogota, proposed for 2030. This project is expected to add approximately 6 MMcmd of firm transport capacity, critically enhancing the energy security and supply diversity in the nation's primary consumption center. Sincelejo-Magdalena Medio interconnector: A new pipeline to connect the Caribbean coastal gas system at Sincelejo to the national trunkline at the Magdalena Medio hub, planned for 2030. With an expected capacity of 5.6 MMcmd, it creates a vital new axis to move coastal gas volumes, primarily from LNG imports from the Cartagena region. Magdalena Medio-Cucuta supply line: Development of a new pipeline to ensure a reliable, long-term gas supply from the national grid at Magdalena Medio to the Cucuta border region. With a projected capacity of up to 8 MMcmd and operations expected in 2030, the pipeline is designed to meet isolated demand and stabilize supply for industrial and residential consumers in Cucuta, which is currently isolated from the national grid. By Rystad Energy More Top Reads From Oilprice.com China imported record volumes of liquefied natural gas from Russia in December, up from the previous record set the month prior, and more than double the estimates from ship-tracking services. Chinas LNG imports from Russia hit 1.9 million tons last month, according to official customs data cited by Bloomberg on Thursday. Thats higher than the 1.6 million tons of Russian LNG imported in November, which was also a record. The officially reported volumes in December are more than double compared to 850,000 tons estimated in ship-tracking data compiled by Bloomberg. The reason for the huge difference wasnt immediately clear, but analysts have offered several possible explanations, ranging from an uptick in winter gas demand in China, to discrepancy between cargo arrivals and customs clearance, and, of course, the shadow trade of sanctioned Russian LNG volumes making their way to China. If more cargoes of the shadow fleet have switched off transponders or faked positioning and routes, ship-tracking services may have missed a lot of LNG cargo traffic bound for China. Even in the winter, Russia is keeping its sanctioned LNG trade with China alive, thanks to an ice-class vessel capable of ploughing through the thick Arctic ice. Early this month, the sanctioned Christophe De Margerie ice-class LNG tanker was set to export its third cargo since December 20 from the Arctic LNG 2 project in Russia, which is under sanctions by the United States, the EU, and the UK. The Christophe De Margerie is the only ice-breaker tanker of the Russian shadow fleet that ship-tracking services have identified so far as operating on the route between Arctic LNG 2 and the Chinese LNG import terminal of Beihai. The Chinese port has specialized in recent months in accepting all the sanctioned Russian LNG cargoes, both from Arctic LNG 2 and from the Portovaya LNG small-scale plant on the Baltic Sea, Gazproms only LNG export facility. With only one ice-class tanker capable of traveling through the Arctic ice all year round, Russia has boosted shipments from Portovaya LNG on the Baltic Sea. Portovaya and its Russia-based operator, Gazprom SPG Portovaya Limited Liability Company, were sanctioned by the United States in January 2025 in one of the last actions of the Biden Administration in a barrage of sanctions to degrade Russias energy sector. By Tsvetana Paraskova for Oilprice.com More Top Reads From Oilprice.com Tokyo Electric Power Company Holdings said on Wednesday it has halted operations at a reactor at the Kashiwazaki Kariwa nuclear power plant just one day after restarting the unit, in a move that comes as Japan continues efforts to bring nuclear capacity back online more than a decade after Fukushima, Reuters reported. The operator stopped the reactor after detecting an equipment issue during post-restart checks, marking an immediate setback at the worlds largest nuclear power station by capacity, according to Reuters. The halt follows Tuesdays restart of Unit 7, which had been offline since the 2011 Fukushima disaster and was widely seen as a critical step in restoring nuclear generation in Japans power mix. Kashiwazaki Kariwa has a combined capacity of about 8.2 gigawatts across seven reactors and is central to government efforts to reduce fuel import costs and stabilize electricity supply amid volatile global energy markets. TEPCO said the reactor was safely shut down after an alarm was triggered in auxiliary systems, with no radiation release and no impact on surrounding communities. The company added that it is investigating the cause and will determine when the unit can resume operations. The halt comes after Kashiwazaki Kariwa spent years offline over security violations, prolonged regulatory reviews, and resistance from local authorities, issues that have repeatedly delayed the restart of Japans largest nuclear plant despite extensive safety retrofits and inspections carried out since the Fukushima disaster. Japans government and utilities have been pushing to bring nuclear capacity back online to curb reliance on liquefied natural gas (LNG) and coal imports, particularly after energy costs surged following Russias invasion of Ukraine. Kashiwazaki Kariwas restart was expected to play an outsized role in easing supply constraints in the Tokyo metropolitan area and lowering wholesale power prices. By Charles Kennedy for Oilprice.com More Top Reads From Oilprice.com Kazakhstan has set up a special commission that is investigating this weekends incident which led to the halt of the huge Tengiz oilfield, the Kazakh Energy Ministry said on Thursday. The commission includes members of the Chevron-led field operator Tengizchevroil, as well as representatives of regional and state agencies. Tengizchevroil, operating the supergiant Tengiz oilfield in Kazakhstan, is managed by a consortium led by U.S. oil and gas supermajor Chevron with a 50% stake. The Tengiz oilfield was forced into a temporary shutdown this weekend after fires damaged a critical power generation and distribution facility. Production and exports were halted following damage to site power systems serving the field and the adjacent Korolev oilfield, Kazakhstan said. Two fires broke out on January 18 at transformers serving different generation trains at the GTES-4 power plant. The power unit supplies electricity to oil and gas processing facilities at Tengiz. Both fires were extinguished, and the field and related infrastructure were described as safe and secure. Before the forced shutdown, Tengiz was producing about 360,000 barrels per day (bpd) of crude oil. The oilfield is expected to remain offline for at least another seven to ten days, industry sources told Reuters on Tuesday. The halt at the huge Kazakh oilfield helped lift Brent Crude prices above the $65 per barrel mark this week. Crude oil from Tengiz is being exported through the Caspian Pipeline Consortium (CPC) pipeline to the CPC marine terminal on Russias Black Sea. The Caspian Pipeline Consortium operates the pipeline from the Caspian coast in northwest Kazakhstan to the Novorossiysk port, which handles most of Kazakhstans crude exports from giant oilfields in Kazakhstan operated by international oil firms. CPC transports crude oil from three major fields in KazakhstanTengiz, Kashagan, and Karachaganak, in which major western companies have stakes, including Chevron, ExxonMobil, Shell, and Eni. By Tsvetana Paraskova for Oilprice.com More Top Reads From Oilprice.com Oil prices fell by about 1.5% early on Thursday as U.S. President Donald Trump walked back on his threat to slap tariffs on NATO allies for supporting Greenlands sovereignty. As of 7:42 a.m. ET on Thursday, the U.S. benchmark WTI Crude had dropped below the $60 per barrel mark, which it hit early this week amid intensified rhetoric regarding the U.S. interest in taking control of Denmarks autonomous territory. WTI Crude traded 1.58% lower at $59.66. The international benchmark, Brent Crude, slipped below the $65 per barrel threshold as investors and speculators returned to assessing the oversupply on the market after the most recent geopolitical flare-ups in Iran and Greenland eased, for now. The front-month Brent futures traded at $64.27, down by 1.49% on the day. At the World Economic Forum in Davos, President Trump announced that there is a framework of a future deal with respect to Greenland. The comments were light on details but removed some of the recent tension between the U.S. and the EU over Greenland. President Trump rolled back his threats to impose 10% tariffs on several European countries. The EU was considering tariffs on U.S. products to counter the threat of tariffs over Greenland and the threats to the territorys sovereignty. Based upon a very productive meeting that I have had with the Secretary General of NATO, Mark Rutte, we have formed the framework of a future deal with respect to Greenland, President Trump said. This solution, if consummated, will be a great one for the United States of America, and all NATO Nations, the U.S. President added. The dialing down of the tensions over Greenland shifted the market focus back to the persistent oversupply that has been weighing on oil prices in recent months. Saudi Aramcos chief executive officer, Amin ?Nasser, on Thursday played down the outlook that there is an oil glut, saying that forecasts of a massive oversupply are seriously exaggerated. By Tsvetana Paraskova for Oilprice.com More Top Reads From Oilprice.com Forecasts of a massive oil glut are seriously exaggerated as demand keeps rising and global stocks are below the five-year average, according to Saudi Aramcos chief executive officer, Amin ?Nasser. Oil glut predictions are seriously exaggerated, Nasser said on the sidelines of the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, as carried by Reuters. Global oil stocks are low, while the amassed barrels in floating storage on tankers are mostly sanctioned supplies, the CEO of the worlds biggest oil firm and top crude exporter said. Moreover, spare capacity has dwindled over the past year, also limiting potential efforts to boost output in case of major supply disruptions, according to Nasser. Set OilPrice.com as a preferred source in Google here It (spare capacity) is at 2.5% and we need a minimum of 3%. If OPEC+ further unwinds cuts, spare capacity will fall even further ?and we will need to watch this very carefully, Aramcos top executive said. The market is oversupplied, analysts say, as reflected in only brief spikes in oil prices in recent weeks driven the geopolitical developments. Most investment banks and the EIA forecast that average oil prices will be below $60 per barrel in 2026 due to an emerging and persistent market oversupply, especially during the first half of the year. But OPEC, led by Saudi Arabia, insists that the market would be balanced as demand growth is robust and will remain such in 2027, too. The International Energy Agency (IEA) this week raised its oil demand growth estimate and expects growth at 930,000 barrels per day (bpd) in 2026, up by 70,000 bpd from last months assessment. The upgrade reflects a recovery in feedstock demand in the petrochemicals industry, on top of expectations of normalized economic conditions after the unpredictable and chaotic tariff policy of the Trump Administration last year. But the market continues to be oversupplied, the Paris-based agency noted. Indeed, benchmark crude oil prices remain $16/bbl lower than a year ago, reflecting the large global supply surplus that built up over the past 12 months, in line with our forecasts, the IEA said. By Tsvetana Paraskova for Oilprice.com More Top Reads From Oilprice.com U.S. President Donald Trump supervises the release of funds from sales of Venezuelas oil, an official at the U.S. Administration told Semafor on Thursday. Following the capture of Venezuelan leader Nicolas Maduro early this month, President Trump moved to create a fund to hold revenues from sales of Venezuelas oil. The money is being held in U.S. accounts and released at the discretion of President Trump, Semafor reports. Revenues from sales of Venezuelas oil will first settle in US controlled accounts at globally recognized banks, the Trump Administration official told the publication. President Trumps top advisers are constantly engaged in positive discussions with oil companies that are ready and willing to make unprecedented investments in Venezuela, White House spokeswoman Taylor Rogers told Semafor. Last week, reports emerged that the United States had sold the first cargo of Venezuelan crude it received from the country after Maduros ousting. The sale reportedly fetched $500 million. The proceeds of the sale were out into bank accounts under the control of the U.S. federal government. A source told Reuters at least one of these accounts was in Qatar, which is considered a neutral location where funds can move with U.S. approval and without risk of seizure. Venezuela has already received $300 million from oil sales, Delcy Rodriguez, the countrys acting president approved by the U.S., said earlier this week. We should inform you that we have gotten funds, from the sale of oil, and we have gotten, of the first $500 ?million, $300 million, Rodriguez told the audience at an event in the capital Caracas. The funds will be used to prop up the local currency, the bolivar, the acting Venezuelan president said. Meanwhile, commodity traders are vying for Venezuelan oil deals with Washington following the latest events. Companies including Chevron, Vitol, and Trafigura are seeking to expand their fleets in order to be able to handle the sale of the up to 50 million barrels of oil that President Trump said Venezuela would turn over to the U.S. By Charles Kennedy for Oilprice.com More Top Reads From Oilprice.com Valero and Phillips 66 have bought two cargoes of Venezuelan crude that are part of the 50 million barrels that the Trump administration said Venezuela would supply to the United States after the ousting of President Nicolas Maduro earlier this month. Reuters reported the news, citing unnamed sources, who added that the seller of the cargos was Vitol and that the price of the crude was set at a discount to Brent crude of $8.50 to $9.50 per barrel. Brent is currently trading at over $65 per barrel. That compares to a discount of $15 per barrel to Brent, which was the price at which Vitol and Trafigura bought the Venezuelan barrels, again according to the Reuters sources. Earlier this month, U.S. Energy Secretary Chris Wright said that the first sales of Venezuelan crude have been calculated to bring in some $500 million at a price $15 below Brent crude. Vitol and Trafigura got special licenses to market Venezuelan crude from the U.S. federal government earlier this month and started offering cargos to China and India, for delivery in March. Vitol, the worlds biggest independent oil trader, has approached Indian state-controlled refiners to offer the crude at a discount of $8-$8.50 per barrel versus ICE Brent on a delivered basis, one of the sources told Reuters. Vitol and Trafigura have also contacted PetroChina about potential interest in Venezuelas flagship heavy sour crude Merey, which was a staple with the Chinese state oil giant before the U.S. sanctioned Venezuelas exports during President Trumps first term in office. Valero and Phillips 66, on the other hand, used to source their Venezuelan heavy crude from Chevron as the only U.S. energy major with a license to operate in the country. According to the Reuters sources, offers of Venezuelan crude to U.S. refiners started last week, at a discount of $6 and $7.50 per barrel to Brent, but weak interest forced the traders to deepen the discount. By Charles Kennedy for Oilprice.com More Top Reads From Oilprice.com LOS ANGELES, Jan. 22, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- The Schall Law Firm, a national shareholder rights litigation firm, announces that it is investigating claims on behalf of investors of Alexandria Real Estate Equities, Inc. ("Alexandria" or "the Company") (NYSE: ARE) for violations of the securities laws. The investigation focuses on whether the Company issued false and/or misleading statements and/or failed to disclose information pertinent to investors. Alexandria reported its Q3 2025 financial results on October 27, 2025. The Company revealed quarterly earnings that failed to match analyst expectations, declining revenues, and a 7% decline in adjusted funds from operations. Based on this news, shares of Alexandria fell by almost 19.2% on the next day. If you are a shareholder who suffered a loss, click here to participate. We also encourage you to contact Brian Schall of the Schall Law Firm, 2049 Century Park East, Suite 2460, Los Angeles, CA 90067, at 310-301-3335, to discuss your rights free of charge. You can also reach us through the firm's website at www.schallfirm.com, or by email at [email protected]. The Schall Law Firm represents investors around the world and specializes in securities class action lawsuits and shareholder rights litigation. This press release may be considered Attorney Advertising in some jurisdictions under the applicable law and rules of ethics. CONTACT: The Schall Law Firm Brian Schall, Esq. 310-301-3335 [email protected] www.schallfirm.com SOURCE The Schall Law Firm Venture Global has won its second arbitration case in an LNG export dispute with half a dozen European energy companies. That case specifically was brought against the U.S. LNG producer by Spains Repsol. Shell, BP, Repsol, and other major oil and gas firms accused Venture Global in 2023 of profiteering by selling on the higher-price spot market LNG cargoes that should have been supplied under their long-term contracts. The U.S. firm used a loophole to do that by extending the deadline for officially commissioning the Calcasieu Pass export project. In August, Shell lost the arbitration against Venture Global as the tribunal ruled that the U.S. company had not violated its contractual obligations with its long-term clients. Two months later, however, the court ruled in favor of another plaintiff, BP. Venture Global claimed that it was under no obligation to honor its long-term commitments until the plant was officially commissioned, which happened earlier this year. Meanwhile, it managed to build a second LNG facility that produced its first LNG at the end of 2024before the first one was officially commissioned. The saga sparked concern among investors with stakes in Venture Globals second LNG project, Plaquemines. The fact that Venture Global asked the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission to delay the official commissioning of Plaquemines did not help client trust. This in turn prompted the company to write to them in October last year and assure them it had no plans to start selling liquefied gas on the spot market before the facility was commissioned. The companies suing the U.S. LNG producer now are investors in its first LNG facility, Calcasieu Pass. In 2022, Venture Global made billions on the spot market amid the gas crunch in Europe that began in late 2021 and grew severe after the Russian invasion of Ukraine and the sanctions that the EU responded to the events with. By Irina Slav for Oilprice.com More Top Reads From Oilprice.com Rep. Dwayne Yunker Responds to Oregons low rankings in Americas Health Rankings 2025 Annual Report By Oregon State Representative Dwayne Yunker, Grants Pass, Ore. Representative Dwayne Yunker (R Grants Pass) issued the following statement in response to the release of the Americas Health Rankings 2025 Annual Report, which shows Oregon ranking near the bottom nationally in several core quality-of-life measures. This report confirms what Oregonians already know. After nearly 40 years of one-party Democratic control, Oregon is failing in the areas that matter most: homelessness, addiction, mental health, education, and public safety, said Representative Yunker. Democrats like to brag about Oregons low uninsured rate, but that talking point collapses when you look at the outcomes, said Representative Yunker. Were 48th in homelessness, near the bottom in drug use, overdoses, suicide, and mental distress. Oregons government-run health insurance is counterproductive. Oregons children and families are paying the price too, said Representative Yunker. Fourth-grade reading and high school graduation are both near the bottom nationally, and home ownership keeps slipping further out of reach. Oregon is stuck in a doom loop, and Democrat leadership refuses to change course. And then Oregon Democrats tell us their biggest priority is preventing federal overreach, said Representative Yunker. Thats laughable. Oregon Dems have had complete control for decades, and this is the result. This report also shows Oregon and Minnesota ranking first and second in the nation for voter participation, a result that demands federal investigations into these states elections systems, said Representative Yunker. At this point, federal involvement isnt the problem, its part of the solution. The time for change has arrived, said Representative Yunker. We need to take our state back. By Jason Williams Williams is writer, researcher and founder of Taxpayers Association of Oregon, State Representative Ed Diehl said he had announcement to make, and I of course had to go since he was my fellow Chief Petitioner, along with State Senator Bruce Starr, to the gas tax referendum that made Oregon history just a few weeks ago. I arrived early to a brewery in the small town of Stayton to find the place packed out. Crowds spilled unto the street. One lady in front of me arrived two hours early to get a seat. People came on only 48 hours notice from across Oregon 300 miles away. These supporters were not just fans, but hardcore, salt-of-the-earth volunteers. The guy next me to shared on how he personally gathered 1,000 signatures for the gas tax referendum. The woman to my right was one of the Linn County petition captains who shared on how she and her volunteers would stand out in the rain for days collecting signatures. Representative Ed Diehl announced he was running for Governor. People were elated. There was a common theme people shared on how they not only are excited for Diehl, they were also excited for Oregon. Rep. Diehl played the critical role with the referendum in making the impossible into the possible. That victory blew open the doors of peoples expectations and hopes for this state. Things are changing in Oregon and people can feel it. By Taxpayers Association of Oregon OregonWatchdog.com Oregon House Speaker Julie Fahey and Senate President Rob Wagner have introduced a bill to move the vote on the gas tax from the November General Election to the May Primary. They aim to move it to an election where fewer voters show-up. Chief petitioner to the gas tax referendum State Senator Bruce Starr told KGW, I get its political. The last thing the (Democratic) majority wants is to have this on the November election In an off-year election, non-presidential election, somewhere around 68-70% of Oregonians vote. In the primary, its about a third. Chief petitioner State Representative Ed Diehl said, Do not let them deny your voice, you have a constitutional right to vote on this. We said we want it on the November ballot Chief Petitioner Jason Williams said, First, politicians and Governor ramrod the gas tax through the 2025 Legislature where it failed, only to have Governor Kotek ramrod it again through a Special Legislative Session, only to have Governor Kotek delay signing the bill in order to block voters from launching a referendum campaign, only to know have Kotek try again to block voters by pushing the election away from the popular General Election. This has been an entire year of thwarting, cheating, blocking and disenfranchising voters. Was this article helpful? If yes, please contribute online at OregonWatchdog.com (learn about a Charitable Tax Deduction or Political Tax Credit options to promote liberty). EDC THAILAND ANNOUNCES NEW DECEMBER DATES FOLLOWING STRONG EARLY-YEAR MOMENTUM THIRD EDITION SET FOR 1820 DECEMBER 2026 AT RHYTHM PARK, PHUKET Bangkok, 22 January 2026 Future Vibes, the developer and operator of international music festivals in Thailand, together with Insomniac, the global dance music experience curator and creator of Electric Daisy Carnival (EDC), today announced the return of EDC Thailand for its third edition. The festival will move from its traditional January dates to the end of the year, taking place 1820 December 2026, at Rhythm Park in Phuket. The announcement follows the strong success of EDC Thailand 2026, held this past January, which welcomed over 100,000 attendees across three days from countries around the world. The turnout reaffirmed Thailands growing reputation as a leading destination for global music and lifestyle experiences. The January edition delivered a full-scale EDC experience in line with international standards, featuring world-renowned EDM artists, cutting-edge production, immersive lighting, sound, and pyrotechnics, as well as large-scale art installations. Thailand-exclusive experiences such as Downtown EDC, Binary Beach, and Hotel EDC Thailand were introduced alongside interactive attractions including rides, Kandi Casino, Diva Show, and Karaoke Battle, all of which received strong audience response and reflected the seamless integration of global dance music culture with local identity. The third edition of EDC Thailand will build upon these experiences while further enhancing the overall festival journey. The move to December aligns the event with the global year-end celebration season and the start of Phukets peak travel period, allowing international visitors to plan extended stays, enjoy Thailands natural beauty and lifestyle, and fully immerse themselves in relaxation, celebration, and music within a single destination under ideal outdoor festival conditions. For the December 2026 edition, EDC Thailand will introduce a new All-Access Experience Pass, granting entry to the Thursday Night Official Opening Beach Party as well as Friday, Saturday, and Sunday daytime parties, offering Headliners an immersive way to extend the EDC experience beyond the festival grounds. Additional details will be announced soon. EDC Thailand has grown faster than we ever expected, said Pasquale Rotella, Founder & CEO of Insomniac. Moving the festival to December came from listening to our fans around the world. We want Thailand to be a place where people can truly spend time, relax, and ease into the EDC experience. Phuket offers everything for that, and we see incredible potential for it to become one of the worlds leading music destinations. Nopmanus Sungkasap, Chairman of the Board and CEO of Future Vibes Thailand, added, The success of EDC Thailand proves that Thailand is fully ready to host world-class music festivals. Working with Insomniac has allowed us to elevate standards across production, experience, and operations. Shifting to December gives attendees greater flexibility to plan their travels and spend more meaningful time in Thailand, while supporting our long-term vision of positioning Phuket as a sustainable global music and lifestyle destination. For the December 2026 edition of EDC Thailand, a limited-quantity presale will be available on 23 January 2026 at 10:00 AM (ICT), with 3-Day Passes starting at THB 7,090. For more information and presale access, visit https://thailand.electricdaisycarnival.com This article has been reviewed according to Science X's editorial process and policies . Editors have highlighted the following attributes while ensuring the content's credibility: Credit: Pixabay/CC0 Public Domain For decades, researchers thought that an October 1843 earthquake on the small Greek island of Chalke caused a powerful tsunami and led to the deaths of as many as 600 people. But a new analysis of primary accounts of the event by Ioanna Triantafyllou at Hellenic Mediterranean University suggests the truth was much less dramatic and destructive. As Triantafyllou reports in Seismological Research Letters, evidence from primary sources indicates that the mainshock occurred on Chalke on 17 September 1843, causing rock falls and some damage to poorly constructed houses. There were no deaths and no tsunami reported at the time. The study demonstrates how secondhand sources of a seismic event can be used to characterize an earthquake incorrectly for years, said Triantafyllou, with impacts on seismic risk calculations for a region. Without modern instrumentation and data collection, historical seismologists often must sift through accounts of a past earthquake to find clues that allow them to precisely locate the earthquake and estimate its magnitude and intensity. Triantafyllou has been investigating damaging and deadly earthquakes in Greece since beginning her Ph.D. work in 2017. "I was particularly struck by the 1843 earthquake in Chalke, which remains one of the top 10 deadliest earthquakes in Greece to date. I wondered how a small island could have had 600 casualties at that time," she said. "I began searching for primary, original historical sources to verify whether the number of victims was indeed so high." Previous researchers had concluded that the magnitude of the 1843 Chalke earthquake ranged from 6.4 to 6.75, and had caused a powerful tsunami. A 1848 study reported the earthquake's death toll to be as high as 600 people. But when Triantafyllou examined these previous studies, "most of the previous authors either had no access to primary macroseismic information sources or neglected to mention them," she wrote. Her search for primary accounts about the earthquake led to contemporary reports in Greek newspapers, a German newspaper, and newspapers published in Constantinople (Istanbul). Triantafyllou also used the contemporary testimony of Ludwig Ross, a German archaeology professor fluent in Greek. "The further back in time you go, the more difficult it is to find primary sources related to earthquakes. This information can be found in newspapers, archives, church codes, and even in travelers' writings, as in the case of Ross," she explained. "In the digital era, the systematic indexing and digitization of relevant information helps researchers gain immediate access to the content." The primary sources indicate that seismic activity on the island started at the beginning of September 1843, culminating in a strong damaging earthquake on 17 September, with some aftershocks felt into early October. "The book by Ross is a good example of a reliable author who kept a detailed diary during his travels in the Greek islands. He documented the effects of earthquakes clearly and accurately in terms of time and space," said Triantafyllou. "His earthquake descriptions provide appropriate information for reconstructing the earthquakes and assign macroseismic intensities based on building damage, ground failures and shaking felt," she added. Triantafyllou used these macroseismic intensities (shaking strength) to calculate a new magnitude for the 1843 event, concluding that the mainshock was likely a magnitude 5.93 earthquake. The magnitudes of historical earthquakes are included in regional earthquake catalogs, which are used to make seismic hazard assessments. "In my study, the magnitude of the Chalke 1843 earthquake was drastically reduced in respect to previous estimates," Triantafyllou explained. "Keeping all other factors equal, one may expect that reducing the magnitude will result in seismic hazard reduction as well." Publication details Ioanna Triantafyllou, Revision of the Allegedly Deadly and Tsunamigenic 1843 Earthquake at Chalke Island, South Aegean Sea, Greece, Seismological Research Letters (2026). DOI: 10.1785/0220250358 Journal information: Seismological Research Letters Key concepts tsunamiaftershocktsunamis This article has been reviewed according to Science X's editorial process and policies . Editors have highlighted the following attributes while ensuring the content's credibility: Credit: Mike Kit from Pexels Nine months ago, President Donald Trump signed a presidential memorandum instructing his administration to "achieve maximum speed and efficiency" in moving to block invasive Asian carp from reaching the Great Lakes. But the key project in Illinois to erect barriers that would prevent the fish from infiltrating Lake Michigan has since been paused and remains under administrative review by the Trump administration, according to lawmakers in Michigan and Illinois. The Democratic senators from both states wrote to the White House budget director and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, urging them to end the pause, review, and release the federal funds that Congress already approved to allow the project to proceed. They expressed concern that continued delay could soon affect the next round of contract awards and cause the long-delayed project's cost to spike after more than a decade of study, engineering work and planning. "The federal investment is currently on hold without justification, and additional contracts for the project cannot be awarded due to the funding pause," the senators wrote. "The current pause and review could increase the cost and slow the final completion date of (the project), increasing the likelihood that invasive carp could enter the Great Lakes. If invasive carp were to become established in the Great Lakes, they would outcompete existing fish populations, permanently damage ecosystems, and significantly impair the $7 billion Great Lakes economy." The senators who signed the Jan. 15 letter are Michigan Sens. Gary Peters of Bloomfield Township, Elissa Slotkin of Holly and Illinois Sens. Dick Durbin and Tammy Duckworth, though the project has historically had bipartisan support. Neither the White House nor the Army Corps responded to questions Tuesday about the administrative pause and halt in spending on the carp project, including when it was put in place. The episode is just the latest holdup for the $1.15 billion project at the Brandon Road Lock & Dam in Joliet, Illinois, that Congress authorized in 2020 after a decades-long effort by the Corps, scientists and state officials to address the invasive carp. The fish are currently held in check by electrical barriers downriver that are considered unreliable. Michigan and Illinois officials had reached an agreement in 2024 with the Army Corps to move forward on construction of the project at Brandon Road. The agreement allows for $274 million in federal funding and $114 million in state funding to be used for the construction of the first of three phases of the project. Almost all of the federal appropriation comes from the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law signed under former President Joe Biden. Gov. Gretchen Whitmer last year raised the Asian carp issue during face-to-face meetings with Trump and he brought it up in remarks in the Oval Office in April, calling the carp a "powerful" fish. "We're also working on a certain fish that's taken over a beautiful lake called Michigan, right? And that's a tough one," Trump said at the time. "They jump out of the water. They jump at the fishermen. I mean, I've never seen anything like it." At the time, Trump said he had spoken with the Army Corps and noted they have a "pretty gruesome method" for blocking the fish, even if it's "expensive." Discover the latest in science, tech, and space with over 100,000 subscribers who rely on Phys.org for daily insights. Sign up for our free newsletter and get updates on breakthroughs, innovations, and research that matterdaily or weekly. "It's sort of a bipartisan thing. When you get it right down there, it's a very expensive thing," Trump said. "I said, "Well, but we have to save Lake Michigan." Because these fishthey eat everything in the way, including the other fish. They eat everything." The next month, Trump issued a memorandum explicitly expressing support for what's known as the Brandon Road project and directed federal agency heads to streamline any permitting and environmental reviews or approvals for the project "as quickly as possible." Trump also demanded at the time that Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker, a Democrat, drop his hold on the project's starting construction over funding tensions, which seemed to have been resolved after the president's memorandum. Months later, in August, however, Trump suggested he'd withhold funding for Brandon Road because Pritzker hadn't made the same request for help on the issue that Whitmer did, the Chicago Tribune reported. "I think until I get that request from that guy, I'm not going to do anything about it," he said. The project near Joliet is the result of over 10 years of study and planning by the Army Corps to prevent Asian carp from traveling beyond the Brandon Road lock and dam, which is 286 miles above the confluence of the Illinois and Mississippi rivers. The location is considered a choke point in the fight against invasive species reaching Great Lakes waterways, where scientists say the fish would pose a significant threat to the region's native species and aquatic ecosystems. The Brandon Road plans involve building a series of mechanisms to block carp from traveling from the Mississippi River watershed to Lake Michigan, including an electric barrier; underwater sounds and an air bubble "curtain" that deters fish; a barge clearing device that makes sure fish don't sneak through; pesticides; upstream fishing; and other methods. It is expected to take six to eight years to complete. 2026 The Detroit News. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC. This article has been reviewed according to Science X's editorial process and policies . Editors have highlighted the following attributes while ensuring the content's credibility: Credit: Pixabay/CC0 Public Domain YouTube is a key tool in recruiting far-right activists to the largest British fascist group Patriotic Alternative (PA), according to new research. Dr. Tony Karas, Research Fellow in Criminology at City St George's, University of London, carried out an analysis of 40 PA activists who described their conversion to the far-right group in video interviews, podcasts and blog posts. The research is published in Studies in Conflict & Terrorism. A total of 33 activists said social media was an important part of their conversion. Of those, 27 cited YouTube, with many pointing toward the platform's algorithm in nudging them toward more radical content. PA espouses ethnonationalist views, including the Great Replacement theory, a far-right conspiracy theory asserting that mass immigration to Europe is being deliberately orchestrated by liberals, leftists and Jewish elites. To carry out the study, Dr. Karas analyzed content published between PA's inaugural conference in September 2019 and the end of April 2023, when the organization underwent a major split. Activists refer to their conversion to a far-right worldview as "taking the red pill," a metaphor that references a scene in 1999 sci-fi movie "The Matrix," in which the protagonist Neo is offered a red pill which will make him aware of the truth of the world. Many PA activists' "red pill" stories follow a gradual, incremental process of radicalizing beliefs. They recount beginning watching mainstream conservative and libertarian YouTubers, such as Ben Shapiro or Carl Benjamin (known under the moniker Sargon of Akkad), before YouTube's autoplay function nudged them toward more radical, overtly neo-Nazi content. One activist said, "[YouTube] autoplay was specifically what got me there." Dr. Karas said, "The far-right is undergoing an international resurgence. "YouTube is the second most visited website globally and its algorithm drives 70% of watch time on the platform. The role its algorithm played in these activists' journeys toward outright neo-Nazi beliefs is undeniable. "YouTube and other platforms must be held accountable for publishing and profiting from huge amounts of fascist propaganda." Some PA followers describe beginning their journey from a position of disillusionment or relative political ignorance. An experience of a world event, such as the Brexit referendum, the 2016 election of Donald Trump, Black Lives Matter protests, or the migration "crisis," sets them on a path of discovery. Others describe watching rightwing social media influencers' videos as a key factor in setting them on this path, ultimately reinterpreting their life stories through a racist and conspiratorial lens. For example, one activist's story begins with his experience of homelessness, which he now attributes to mass immigration and the "anti-white prejudice" of local authorities. Another attributes the urbanization of his idyllic countryside hometown to the local authorities' involvement in a grand conspiracy to demographically replace white British people. More information Tony Karas, Red Pill Stories: British Neo-Nazis' Narratives of Radicalization, Studies in Conflict & Terrorism (2025). DOI: 10.1080/1057610x.2025.2575935 This article has been reviewed according to Science X's editorial process and policies . Editors have highlighted the following attributes while ensuring the content's credibility: Bacteria embedded in a biofilm. These are slime-like structures that bacteria use to protect themselves. They often form on damp surfaces, such as in water pipes or as dental plaque. ETH Zurich researchers are studying how biofilms can be broken down and how harmful bacteria can be removed. Credit: Kateryna Kon / Science Photo Library, Keystone Whether in the human body or on surfaces, bacteria protect themselves from outside attackers using biofilms. Physicist Eleonora Secchi is researching how these slime-like protective films are formed, with the aim of making it easier to remove pathogenic bacteria. At first, her interest was purely professional. As a physicist, Eleonora Secchi has long been interested in how soft materials behave under mechanical stressthat is, when they are strained or pulled. She first became aware of biofilms during a conversation with a fellow engineer. Biofilms are slime-like structures formed by bacteria. They colonize damp surfaces, both in technical systems and in our bodies. Biofilms can be found in water pipes, for example, or as plaque in our mouths. They can clog water filters, but they can also cause tooth decay or persistent infections in our bodies. That's why Eleonora Secchi's interest in the topic is not only professional, it's also personal. Her mother suffers from a chronic infection caused by biofilms. "Seeing how difficult the disease is to treat gives me extra motivation in my research," says Secchi. Her goal is to be able to effectively combat biofilms wherever they pose a threat. The findings are published in the journal Nature Communications. Eleonora Secchi is conducting experiments to investigate how bacteria shield themselves from surrounding fluids with slime-like structures known as biofilms. The bacteria show up green in the microscope image. The extra-cellular genetic material (eDNA) which the bacteria use to build their slime-like protective coating is red. Credit: bioMatter Microfluidics Group How a matrix protects bacteria To do this, scientists must first gain a better understanding of biofilms. Physics can play a key role here, as biofilms have very specific physical properties. Rather than simply clumping together, the bacteria actively create a stable matrix that holds them together. This gel-like matrix forms a fortress-like protective barrier that shields the bacteria from the outside world. True to the saying, "There's strength in numbers", bacteria within biofilms support each other by cooperating to process nutrients and produce components for the matrix, for example. Biofilms are not always harmful. They are found on the mucous membranes in our noses, in our intestines and on our skin, for example. These communities of bacteria don't usually pose any threat to us; in fact, they perform important tasks, such as warding off pathogens or aiding digestion. It's a different story when pathogenic bacteria form biofilms. "An estimated 60% to 80% of all infections are caused by biofilms," says Secchi. The matrix is what often makes these bacteria difficult to fight off. Immune cells and antibiotic agents both have a hard time penetrating the protective shield. Bacteria are much better protected in a biofilm than they would be as individual cells. Biofilms therefore cause a great deal of suffering and high costs. That's because they can colonize ventilation tubes or joint prostheses during operations, for example. These kinds of medical devices are difficult to clean and costly to replace. Under a microscope, we can see how the bacteria form a thin film of matrix around themselves. Here, we present images of two bacteria, one red and one green, growing together: the bacteria on the left are growing in a microfluidic channel which mimics a porous medium; the bacteria on the right are growing on a flat surface and forming chains. Credit: bioMatter Microfluidics Group Biofilms harden in a current Eleonora Secchi and her team primarily investigate biofilms in flowing fluids, under conditions that mimic those found in places ranging from water hoses to the urinary tract. Under these conditions, biofilms can form so-called "streamers": long, thread-like structures that protrude into the flow. The flowing liquid provides them with a constant supply of new nutrients. On the other hand, the current exerts mechanical stress on the bacteria because they are constantly at risk of being washed away. Discover the latest in science, tech, and space with over 100,000 subscribers who rely on Phys.org for daily insights. Sign up for our free newsletter and get updates on breakthroughs, innovations, and research that matterdaily or weekly. "In response to this, streamers exhibit a particular behavior: they harden and become stiffer," says Secchi. This makes it even more difficult to remove disruptive or pathogenic bacterial communities. To study the behavior of streamers, the researchers used microfluidic technology that allows the creation of artificial mini-worlds which replicate the conditions in a blood vessel or water pipe in the lab. This allowed Secchi's team to gain valuable insights and, in a recently published paper, to demonstrate for the first time how streamers harden. They were surprised by what they found: "Previously, it had been assumed that biofilms adapt to the stress caused by a current biologically. In other words, that bacteria use molecular sensors to explore their environment and actively respond to it by changing the matrix composition," says Secchi. But that's not what happens: "Hardening is a purely passive, physical mechanism." A specific component of the matrix, known as extracellular DNA, plays a key role in this process. Alongside sugar molecules and proteins, this is an essential building block in biofilms. It acts as a physical backbone, helping to strengthen the matrix. This was also a surprise: "Human cells and bacteria both produce extra-cellular DNA constantly. However, this is not only a carrier of genetic information; bacteria also actively use it in biofilms as a building material for their protective fortress," says Secchi. Breaking down the strongest defenses Using these new findings, Eleonora Secchi wants to try to weaken the protective shield of biofilms. The idea is to make the matrix more permeable so that it is easier to remove and more vulnerable to existing treatments. For Secchi, one thing is clear: "There is no single best way to attack biofilms. We should use different strategies simultaneously." This also includes washing away biofilms or attacking them chemically. Next, Secchi and her team, with the support of the Swiss National Science Foundation, will investigate whether other forms of biofilms besides streamers also utilize stress-induced hardening as a protective mechanism. Perhaps this is a fundamental principle of how biofilms adapt to environmental conditions. At the same time, the group is investigating when and how drugs such as antibiotics manage to penetrate biofilms. "Understanding the physical defense mechanisms of biofilms better won't make antibiotics redundant. But it can help make treatments more effective by weakening one of the strongest defense strategies the bacteria use," says Secchi. Publication details Giovanni Savorana et al, Stress-hardening behaviour of biofilm streamers, Nature Communications (2025). DOI: 10.1038/s41467-025-64557-x Journal information: Nature Communications LAS VEGAS, Jan. 22, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- Arias Sanguinetti has filed a federal civil rights lawsuit on behalf of a nonverbal student with significant disabilities who was physically and verbally abused by a teacher at a Clark County School District high school. According to the complaint, the student, identified in court filings as G.R., is a young man with autism spectrum disorder and Down syndrome who was enrolled in a special education program at Basic Academy of International Studies in Henderson. The lawsuit states that on October 30, 2023, a teacher at the school physically assaulted G.R. in the classroom after becoming frustrated with behaviors related to his disabilities. The complaint also states that witnesses observed the teacher forcibly grabbing G.R. and shoving him to the ground, causing physical injuries, bruising and significant emotional trauma. Later that same day, the lawsuit further claims the teacher engaged in additional aggressive and profane conduct toward the student while assisting him in a restroom, prompting intervention by school staff. According to the lawsuit, despite knowledge of the incident, the Clark County School District failed to properly investigate or timely report the abuse to G.R.'s parents or to appropriate authorities, as required under Nevada law. The district failed to discipline the teacher, allowing him to remain employed and continue working with vulnerable students. "Students with disabilities depend on the adults around them for safety and guidance in school," emphasized Gregg Hubley, counsel for the plaintiff and a partner at Arias Sanguinetti. "When a teacher, who has the crucial responsibility of protecting these students, crosses that boundary, and the school fails to respond appropriately, it results in a troubling loss of trust and responsibility, not to mention the harm inflicted on the disabled student." The complaint asserts multiple causes of action, including assault, battery, negligence, negligent hiring and supervision, intentional infliction of emotional distress, violations of the Americans with Disabilities Act, the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, and constitutional rights violations. The lawsuit seeks financial compensation for the harm caused to G.R., enhanced and punitive damages against the teacher and any other relief that the Court finds appropriate. The case is G.R. v. Clark County School District, et al., Court: U.S. District Court for the District of Nevada, Case No. 2:25-cv-02070. About Arias Sanguinetti Wang & Team LLP Arias Sanguinetti Wang is a nationally recognized plaintiffs' law firm dedicated to representing individuals in complex civil litigation, including employment discrimination, sexual harassment, civil rights violations, catastrophic injury and wrongful death cases. The firm's trial lawyer team has been recognized by legal publications and peer organizations for its work in record-setting cases. With over $2 billion in recoveries, the firm fights for justice daily on behalf of individuals struggling against insurance companies, Fortune 500 corporations, and other large institutions. For more information, visit https://aswtlawyers.com/. SOURCE Arias Sanguinetti This article has been reviewed according to Science X's editorial process and policies . Editors have highlighted the following attributes while ensuring the content's credibility: A new list of threatened mammals in South Africa, Lesotho and Eswatini shows that 11 more species have edged closer to extinction since 2016. Those that have joined the International Union for the Conservation of Nature's regional Red List for mammals at risk are: Lesueur's hairy bat, the laminate vlei rat, the thick-tailed bushbaby, the aardvark and the African straw-colored fruit bat. The Namaqua dune mole-rat showed one of the sharpest declines, jumping from Least Concern to Endangered. Joseph Ogutu is a statistician who researches collapsing wildlife populations in Africa. He explains that of the 336 mammals assessed, 70 are now threatened and 42% of the mammals only found in South Africa are at risk of extinction. What does an uplisting on the Red List actually mean? The latest, 2025 Red List is compiled by the Endangered Wildlife Trust and South African National Biodiversity Institute. If an animal is "uplisted" on the list, it has been moved to a higher extinctionrisk category. An uplisting can reflect either: a genuine deterioration in the mammal's population (a real decline, worsening threats or a loss of habitat) or that new knowledge has come to light (for example if the mammal's numbers were previously over- or underestimated). An uplisting isn't a headline-grabbing label. It's the science catching up to whether the risk to the mammals has worsened or not, or whether conservationists have developed more accurate ways of measuring the risk. The latest Red List assessments are based on evidence gathered by 150 experts through the Endangered Wildlife Trust and South African National Biodiversity Institute between 2016 and 2025. Over this time, they monitored mammal species' populations carefully through surveys and calculated how much the mammals' habitat was shrinking (leaving them less space to live on and less chance of survival). They've also used the data recorded by citizen scientists who logged sightings of the mammals during this time. This latest Red List recognizes that mammals are declining because of drought, heat, water shortages and less opportunity to forage and graze. Even previously common animals are now on the list. Does this mean southern Africa's mammals are doomed? The uplisting shows that humans continue to drive wildlife loss. The expanding human footprint signals that pressures on mammals will increase further, placing not only rare mammals in danger but also species that were previously assumed to be resilient. This does not mean mammals are generally doomed. It means the margin of safety for mammals is shrinking. Without decisive, consistent action to reduce pressures on the mammals and protect their habitats, the outlookespecially for large mammalsremains bleak in a warmer world where the human population is increasing. A wide range of mammal species are adversely affected, including both endemic (those only found in southern Africa) and non-endemic (those found in other places too) species. They range from less widely known bat species to well known large mammals such as the thick-tailed bushbaby and the aardvark. In fact, the latest regional Red List shows that 67 mammals (about 20%) are deemed to be threatened with extinction, and 39 (11.5%) are Near Threatened. The species most in danger are those affected by where they live. In other words, how fast their habitat is changing, and how little room remains for ecological "error." They are the mammals that can't "move away" from change, because they can only live in a limited area. These mammals have less protection than was earlier thought. And to make matters worse, their habitat is contested by competing land uses: cultivation, grazing, settlement, infrastructure and extractive development, often under overlapping community, private, and state claims. I would dare say, when "common" species start becoming more at risk of extinction, it's not a verdict of doom, it's a stark warning, like a smoke alarm. Discover the latest in science, tech, and space with over 100,000 subscribers who rely on Phys.org for daily insights. Sign up for our free newsletter and get updates on breakthroughs, innovations, and research that matterdaily or weekly. Some species' numbers improved. What worked? Three species improvedthe roan antelope was downlisted from Endangered to Vulnerable, while the southern elephant seal and Hartmann's mountain zebra were both moved to Least Concern. This downlisting is due to successful interventions. These could have included sustained conservation, which reduced the threats to these mammals. It's likely there were more efforts to protect their habitats. Working in public-private partnerships with businesses could have helped. Even using better quality data to make better decisions would have been effective. The practical lesson from this is that improvement is rarely driven by one thing. Rather, it comes from ongoing measures that reduce the deaths of mammals, secure their habitat, and force managers to update tactics as monitoring shows what's workingand what isn't. Downlisting isn't luckit's what happens when protection is real, threats are reduced, and monitoring is good enough to prove it. What needs to happen next? The government, private sector and citizens need to do much more, and invest more, in protecting wildlife and habitats. The recurring trends where large land mammals are moving closer to extinction shows that not enough is being done to protect southern Africa's mammals. More money is needed to protect species and the kind of environment they need to live in. There are at least three things that need to be done urgently: Development of housing, farms, roads and energy infrastructure must be designed around the environment. Conservation can no longer happen in isolated, fenced off islands. A landscape systems approach will protect mammals and other threatened species better. This is where reserves are connected, governments work together to protect animals that live in cross boundary areas and where conservation also happens outside park fences. Climate-proof conservation is needed. This is where conservation recognizes that heat, drought and water scarcity are going to become ongoing, chronic pressures on animals as the climate heats up. They will not be rare shocks. The uplisting of so many species shows that conservation will not be saved by better words; it will be saved by better choicesfunded, enforced and maintained. The next phase of conservation needs to be about more than just saving species. It must be about redesigning the human footprint so that mammals are assured of spaces that still have enough suitable habitat (food, cover, water), lower human pressure (less use of wild land for human purposes, conflict, poaching), and stronger protection and management (parks, well-run reserves, and some conservancies). This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article. This article has been reviewed according to Science X's editorial process and policies . Editors have highlighted the following attributes while ensuring the content's credibility: A helicopter drops water to battle wildfires near Concepcion, Chile, Jan. 19, 2026. Credit: AP Photo/Javier Torres, File Chile is reeling from one of its most serious wildfire emergencies in years. Deadly flames sweeping across central and southern parts of the South American country have turned large swaths of forest and towns to ash, killed at least 20 people, forced tens of thousands from their homes and left families sifting through charred debris. Fire scientists say the blazes are being driven not only by extreme heat, drought and wind, but also by how human-shaped landscapes interact with changing climatesa lethal mix that makes fires harder to control. The fires began around mid-January in the Biobio and Nuble regions, roughly 500 kilometers (300 miles) south of the capital, Santiago. Within days, deaths were reported, more than 50,000 residents had evacuated and firefighters were battling more than a dozen active blazes. The government declared a state of catastrophea rare emergency designation allowing for military coordination in firefighting efforts. The fires have razed forests, farmland and hundreds of homes. In towns such as Penco and Lirquen, families confronted scenes of destructionroofs collapsed, vehicles melted into twisted frames and community buildings reduced to rubble. Firefighters battle a wildfire spreading through a forested area near Concepcion, Chile, Tuesday, Jan. 20, 2026. Credit: AP Photo/Javier Torres, File Scale and speed of fires What distinguishes Chile's current fire season isn't an unusual surge in the number of fires, but the amount of land they are burning. "We are living a particularly critical situation that is very far from the usual averages that are normally seen in wildfire seasons," said Miguel Castillo, director of the Forest Fire Engineering Laboratory at the University of Chile. Castillo said Chile is "almost tripling the amount of affected area," even though the number of fires so far is "within normal margins, even below average." That means fewer ignitions are causing far greater damagea pattern increasingly seen in extreme wildfire seasons around the world. "This is a huge challenge for firefighters," Virginia Iglesias, director of Earth Lab at the University of Colorado Boulder and a fire scientist and statistician, told The Associated Press. Iglesias said that the emergency involves fires of different sizes, often advancing toward communities at once. Wildfires burn near Concepcion, Chile, Jan. 19, 2026. Credit: AP Photo/Javier Torres, File Heat, drought and wind Chile is emerging from more than a decade of severe drought, leaving vegetation unusually dry. High summer temperatures and strong, shifting winds have further increased the risk. "The hotter and drier things are the more of the fuel becomes available to burn," said Mark Cochrane, a fire ecologist at the University of Maryland's Center for Environmental Science, who studies wildfires globally. "Wind leans the flames over and transfers more heat in the direction of the wind. It also oxygenates the fire, so the fires combust more fuel more quickly raising the intensity." Iglesias described wildfire risk as a simple "recipe" with three ingredients: ignition, fuel and dry conditions. While fires have long been part of Chile's ecosystems, she said, human activity has altered all three elements. Firefighters battle a blaze at a house as wildfires burn in Lirquen, Chile, Jan. 18, 2026. Credit: AP Photo/Javier Torres, File "Those winds are very erratic and very intense," she said, adding that this affects not just how large fires become, but "how fast it's going to move across the landscape." Alejandro Miranda, a researcher at Chile's Center for Climate and Resilience Research, said wildfire behavior depends on several interacting factors: ignition, climate conditions, topography and the amount and continuity of burnable vegetation. Chile's prolonged droughtnow more than a decade longhas dried forests and plantations alike, Miranda said, creating conditions that favor rapid fire spread. He said that recent extreme fire seasons, including those in 2017 and 2023, coincided with record high temperatures and rainfall deficits of more than 30% below historical averages. "These conditions are the ones that are projected to become more intense in the future," Miranda said. Discover the latest in science, tech, and space with over 100,000 subscribers who rely on Phys.org for daily insights. Sign up for our free newsletter and get updates on breakthroughs, innovations, and research that matterdaily or weekly. Why plantations burn differently Large areas of central and southern Chile are dominated by industrial pine and eucalyptus plantations, grown for timber and pulp. Fire experts say these landscapes play a major role in how fires behave once they start. "Plantations facilitate the rapid spread of fire," Castillo said. Miranda said that plantations tend to have a high fuel load, large continuous areas of similar-aged trees and abundant dead vegetation on the ground. When plantations aren't actively managed, branches beneath the canopy can create a vertical "ladder," allowing flames to climb into treetops and generate high-intensity crown fires. Cochrane said that pine and eucalyptus "are very flammable and will build up more fuels over time," and that these fires often send burning embers far ahead of the main blaze. "It isn't usually the direct fire that ignites homes," Cochrane said. "It is embers landing everywhere." Castillo said those wind-blown embers can ignite new fires behind containment lines, making suppression extremely difficult, especially in steep terrain and strong winds. Native forests, by contrast, tend to be more diverse and, in many areas, more humid, which can slow fire spread. Causes and environmental impact Nearly all wildfires in Chile are caused by human activity, whether intentional or through negligence, experts said. Iglesias said that humans add ignitions through power lines, recreation and infrastructure, and that human-caused ignitions can extend the fire season, because they aren't limited to lightning or storms. The environmental impacts extend well beyond burned trees. Iglesias said smoke degrades air quality and poses serious health risks, especially for vulnerable populations, often far from the flames. After fires, soils can become water-repellent, increasing runoff, floods and landslideswhat scientists call "cascading hazards." Sediment can also contaminate rivers and raise the cost of treating drinking water. Miranda warned that fires can permanently alter ecosystems. After intense burns, invasive species such as pine can regenerate rapidly, replacing native forests and increasing future fire risk. What comes next Looking ahead, Iglesias emphasized that while firefighting is essential, prevention matters more. She said that reducing ignitions, managing fuels, addressing climate change and redesigning communitiesincluding defensible space around homesare all critical steps. "These are very concrete actions that we can take to reduce the fire problem," Iglesias said. 2026 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission. This article has been reviewed according to Science X's editorial process and policies . Editors have highlighted the following attributes while ensuring the content's credibility: Researchers at Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory combined tiny, atom-scale simulations (right) with hydrodynamics code that describes the macroscopic world (center). The result can be used to study fusion targets at the National Ignition Facility (left). Credit: Dan Herchek / LLNL In inertial confinement fusion, a capsule of fuel begins at temperatures near zero and pressures close to vacuum. When lasers compress that fuel to trigger fusion, the material heats up to millions of degrees and reaches pressures similar to the core of the sun. That process happens within a miniscule amount of space and time. To understand this process, scientists need to know about the large-scale conditions, like temperature and pressure, throughout the target chamber. But they also want detailed information about the materialand the atomscontained within. Until now, computer models have struggled to bridge that gap across the wide range of conditions encountered in such experiments. New simulation framework bridges the gap In a study published in Physical Review E, researchers at Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL) and the University of California, Davis have created a new framework that couples tiny, atom-scale simulations to code that describes the macroscopic world, all within the same simulation. "We're talking about atoms on the order of nanometers versus, on the other hand, large flow fields on the order of meters," said Tim Linke, a UC Davis Ph.D. candidate conducting his research in-residence at LLNL. "The connection between those two lies in the material." To create this tie, the team combined a hydrodynamics code from LLNL with a molecular dynamics code from Sandia National Laboratories. The former describes big-picture conditions and how they evolve over time at specific locations. That information feeds into the latter, which calculates how individual atoms in the material respond to those conditions. The work provides a crucial advantage: both simulations run concurrently. The atomistic simulations are conducted "on the fly" alongside the large-scale code. Computational challenges and broader applications Running the framework requires massive computational power. After encountering insurmountable bottlenecks on other systems, the authors specifically tailored their code to work with the accelerated processing unit architecture of LLNL's Tuolumne supercomputer, which mimics that of its exascale sister system El Capitan. The method could have an entire suite of applications, from studying fusion to planetary science to astrophysical phenomena like asteroid impacts. "This paper is very general, and we kept it that way on purpose because we could go into phase transitions or defects or chemical reactions, or really all sorts of things that require this microscopic insight to be bridged into the macroscopic world," said Linke. Potential for future research and insights The new approach can be particularly useful for systems that evolve towards a different chemical composition during the simulation. "That is the case of wetted foam targets used at the National Ignition Facility. The targets start as a microscopically mixed system consisting of a foam and deuterium but eventually, as the system is compressed and heats up, the chemical bonds will break," said LLNL scientist and author Sebastien Hamel. "The system becomes more atomically mixed, more homogeneous." The code provides a path to better understand the material properties of such scenarios. "This opens the door to new applications where nonequilibrium material behavior, including phase transitions (e.g., liquid to solid) and chemical reactions, can be concurrently simulated with the hydrodynamics using atomistic insights, which is the next stage of this research," said LLNL scientist and author Dane Sterbentz. Publication details Tim A. Linke et al, Advancing material modeling in hydrocodes using a concurrent finite-element and molecular dynamics multiscale framework, Physical Review E (2025). DOI: 10.1103/vqc2-v6wl Journal information: Physical Review E This article has been reviewed according to Science X's editorial process and policies . Editors have highlighted the following attributes while ensuring the content's credibility: The cranial reconstruction. Credit: Heritage (2025). DOI: 10.3390/heritage8100414 For the ArchaeoSpain research team, it was a day just like any other on their dig at the castle of Zorita de los Canes (Guadalajara). They were working at the Corral de los Condes, where some knights from the Order of Calatrava are buried, when they came across some highly unusual human remains. Accompanying an apparently normal adult skeleton, was an extraordinarily narrow and elongated skull, 23 centimeters long and only 12 centimeters wide. Who was this individual and how did they survive to adulthood? What caused such a severe cranial deformity? What role did they play in the Order of Calatrava? To answer these questions, the team sent the skeleton to the laboratory of Carme Rissech, a researcher in the Department of Basic Medical Sciences at the URV. The paper is published in the journal Heritage. "I'm always very skeptical, like Saint Thomas," says Rissech, recalling the moment when she was told they were sending her the bones of some knights from Calatrava. When faced with cases like this, Rissech always follows a set procedure: first, to determine the individual's identity, she carries out a morphological study. She takes measurements of the remains and determines their sex. She explains that "just by looking at the skull you can tell if it's a male or female," but also that this information can be obtained from "the coccyx, the pelvis and the birth canal." She then looks at the markers of stress and age, which are the marks that physical activity and the aging process leave on the skeleton's bones. These indicators give researchers clues about the individuals' profession or lifestyle and an estimate of their age at the time of death. Finally, Rissech examines the skeleton for clues as to the cause of death, such as penetrating injuries, lacerations, contusions, etc. The upper (A), left lateral (B) and lower (C) views of the individual's neurocranium. Credit: Heritage (2025). DOI: 10.3390/heritage8100414 A knight killed in battle Rissech's morphological study concluded that the remains belong to a man who was around fifty years old at the time of his death, which occurred sometime between the 12th and 15th centuries. She identified marks of physical stress that indicate that he was "most likely" a member of the Order of Calatrava: "The insertion marks of the deltoid and biceps muscles on the right arm are identical to those found on the bones of other knights." This information is also consistent with other stress indicators that indicate regular horse riding. For example, the increased roughness of the linea aspera located on the front of the femur, and the sharper edges on the acetabulum, the part where the femur meets the pelvis. But what allows Rissech to state this with confidence are the lesions on the skeleton: a penetrating wound to the temple (the point where the sphenoid, frontal, temporal and parietal bones of the skull meet), another penetrating wound to the nape of the neck (the occipital bone), and a large contusion on the left tibia, which shows concentric fractures that are again very characteristic of this kind of trauma. "These are very common injuries in the remains of medieval warriors killed in battle, and they are different from those found in individuals who died during sieges. The former may be found in various parts of the body, whereas the latter usually only affect the skull. In the case of this individual, the injuries occurred when the bone was fresh and they show no signs of healing, which leads us to believe that they most likely caused his death," the researcher points out. Zorita de los Canes Castle. Credit: Oilisab, under a Creative Commons CC BY-SA 4.0 license. Discover the latest in science, tech, and space with over 100,000 subscribers who rely on Phys.org for daily insights. Sign up for our free newsletter and get updates on breakthroughs, innovations, and research that matterdaily or weekly. A unique case in archaeology And the skull? Well, after studying it in detail, Rissech reveals that it presents a very severe case of craniosynostosis, a condition where one or more cranial sutures prematurely fuses during childhood and prevents normal growth and development. This is why, according to the researcher, it is extraordinary that this individual reached adulthood: "It is the first time we have found a case like this; we have identified the remains of infants with this condition but we have never seen it in adults, and even less so in knights; it is something unique and exceptional." The skullwhich is 23 centimeters long by 12 centimeters wideshows significant damage to the jaw area, which must have prevented the man from moving it much. This hypothesis is consistent with the amount of dental plaque that it displays. All of this could be related to the lack of teeth on the right side of the mouth: "We can't prove it, but we believe they may have been extracted to enable the man to eat," the researcher conjectures. Given all these details, the research team has tried to diagnose which syndrome caused his craniosynostosis. To do this, they carried out a differential diagnosis, a clinical process that allows doctors to distinguish between two or more diseases with similar symptoms, ruling out those conditions they know for certain the individual did not have until they find the only one that is compatible with the evidence. In this case, they were able to rule out syndromes involving deformities in other parts of the skeleton or a shortened life expectancy and were thus able to arrive at the most likely diagnosis: Crouzon syndrome, a rare genetic disorder that causes syndromic craniosynostosis. According to Carme Rissech, this diagnosis makes a great deal of sense: "In most cases, Crouzon syndrome does not involve serious cognitive impairments and does not affect life expectancy." She goes on to state that to be part of the Order of Calatrava, this knight had to be functional and contribute to the community, although he may have needed help with certain tasks, such as eating. But despite any difficulties he may have had, the evidence suggests that he rode a horse and wielded a sword, and when the time came to enter battle, he would have done so just like his brothers. More information Carme Rissech et al, An Ultradolichocephaly in a Knight of the Order of Calatrava from the Castle of Zorita de los Canes (Guadalajara, Spain) Dated Between the 13th and 15th Centuries, Heritage (2025). DOI: 10.3390/heritage8100414 This article has been reviewed according to Science X's editorial process and policies . Editors have highlighted the following attributes while ensuring the content's credibility: General morphology of the lateral eyes and pineal complex with their preserved melanosomes in two species of Myllokunmingidae from the Chengjiang biota. Credit: Nature (2026). DOI: 10.1038/s41586-025-09966-0 New fossil evidence from China suggests that some of our vertebrate ancestors had four eyes. The study, published in Nature, takes a closer look at a structure found in multiple 518 million-year-old fossils, which appears to have the same features of other fossilized eyes, and may be linked to the pineal complex in modern vertebrates. Evidence of four eyes in Cambrian fossils The research team analyzed ten fossil specimens of an early fish genera called myllokunmingids, which consisted of two distinct taxa: six specimens of H. ercaicunensis and four slabs, each with several individuals, of an unnamed myllokunmingid. These Cambrian period fishes are considered some of the earliest known vertebrates. All fish in the fossils possessed lateral eye-like structures, as well as a similar-looking structure in the center of the face. Previously, the middle structurewhich only appears as a blackish blob in the center of the facewas thought to be a nasal sac. However, upon further scrutiny, the study authors found features that closer resembled the lateral eyeswhich appear as similarly colored blobs on either side of the head. Using techniques including scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM), the team identified melanin-bearing melanosomesspecialized microbodies found in the eyes of vertebratesin the center structure. The researchers note that these microbodies are identical to melanosomes found in both fossil and living vertebrates. Evolutionary scheme of the visual system in early vertebrates. Credit: Nature (2026). DOI: 10.1038/s41586-025-09966-0 "In each species, melanosomes from the median organs are consistent in size and shape with those of the respective lateral eyes; only ovoid melanosomes are identified in the median organs and lateral eyes of H. ercaicunensis, but both ovoid and cylindrical morphotypes are identified in myllokunmingid sp. These melanosome data support the presence of retinal pigment epithelium (RPE) in the median organs, which probably functioned in the same way as the lateral eyes," the researchers write. Further evidence includes the presence of two ovoid-shaped, lens-like structures in the center dark spots, indicating image-forming capability. These lenses are also found in the lateral eyes with a known "camera-like" function, which the median eyes likely shared. "We interpret this ovoid structure as an eye lens on the basis of its shape, size and position. This lens structure also occurs in the median paired dark spots . It is similar in size to the lens in the lateral eyes, making it proportionally bigger, about one third to two fifths the diameter of the retinal sphere," the authors explain. Links to the pineal complex in modern vertebrates The pineal complex is a group of light-sensing and hormone-producing brain structures, which secretes melatonin to regulate sleep. However, in reptiles, the pineal complex often includes a photosensory organ, which cannot see like a normal eye, but is sensitive to light. The evolutionary origins and light-sensing capabilities of the pineal complex in early vertebrates have been unclear. The 'third-eye' theory posits that the pineal complex evolved through successive degeneration of eye precursors. The study authors say that the pineal complex in myllokunmingids likely functioned as the camera-type eyes seen on the face, not just light sensors. "This ontogenetic relationship suggests a close homology between the pineal complex and the lateral eyes, forming the basis for positing that the pineal complex had a more complex visual function, such as photoreception and image formation, before its subsequent differentiation," the researchers write. Because myllokunmingids likely often served as prey to many Cambrian predators, having an extra set of eyes would have provided them with the protection of visual systems capable of detecting and evading threats. However, the authors say that over time predator threat lessened, which could have led to an evolution from a set of camera-like eyes to the pineal complex in modern vertebrates. Written for you by our author Krystal Kasal, edited by Gaby Clark, and fact-checked and reviewed by Robert Eganthis article is the result of careful human work. We rely on readers like you to keep independent science journalism alive. If this reporting matters to you, please consider a donation (especially monthly). You'll get an ad-free account as a thank-you. Publication details Xiangtong Lei et al, Four camera-type eyes in the earliest vertebrates from the Cambrian Period, Nature (2026). DOI: 10.1038/s41586-025-09966-0 Journal information: Nature 2026 Science X Network This article has been reviewed according to Science X's editorial process and policies . Editors have highlighted the following attributes while ensuring the content's credibility: Examples of the computer-generated, male figures used in our study. Credit: Aich U, et al., 2025, PLOS Biology, CC-BY 4.0 (creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/) Men assess potential rivals that have a larger penis as more of a threat, both physically and sexually, according to a study by Upama Aich at the University of Western Australia and colleagues, published in PLOS Biology. Relative to body size, the human penis is larger than that of other primates, a fact that has puzzled evolutionary biologists. Before the invention of clothing, the penis would have been a prominent feature that might influence potential mates and competitors. Previous studies have found that penis size can influence reproductive success by affecting the likelihood of pregnancy. However, a larger penis could also increase a male's attractiveness to females or reduce the likelihood of fights with other males, for example, by signaling higher testosterone levels and therefore greater fighting ability. Study methods and participant responses To investigate, researchers asked over 600 male and 200 female participants to rate computer-generated male figures that varied in height, body shape, and penis size. Women were asked to rate the figures' sexual attractiveness, while men were asked to assess how threatening they found them, both in terms of fighting ability and as a sexual rival. Participants either viewed life-sized images of the figures in person or scaled images in an online survey. Females rated male figures that were taller, had a higher shoulder-to-hip ratio (indicating a more V-shaped body) and a larger penis as being more attractive. However, beyond a certain point, further increases in penis size, height and shoulder breadth had diminishing benefits. Males also rated taller figures that had a more V-shaped body and a larger penis as being more intimidating as sexual rivals and fighting opponents. But, in contrast to female participants, they consistently ranked males with more exaggerated traits as more of a sexual threat, suggesting that males tend to overestimate the importance of these characteristics for attracting females. Implications and expert commentary The results suggest that both female preferences and competition with other males have favored increases in penis size, height and shoulder breadth in human males. The study provides the first experimental evidence that males consider penis size when assessing a rivals' fighting ability and attractiveness. However, height and body shape had a greater influence on how males perceived rival males, suggesting that increased penis size has been more strongly favored by evolution for its role in attracting a mate, the authors say. Dr. Aich says, "Men rated rivals with larger penises as more physically threatening and sexually competitive." Co-author Michael D Jennions notes, "While the human penis functions primarily to transfer sperm, our result suggests its unusual large size evolved as a sexual ornament to attract females rather than purely as a badge of status to scare males, although it does both," Jennions says. Publication details Aich U, et al. Experimental evidence that penis size, height, and body shape influence assessment of male sexual attractiveness and fighting ability in humans. PLOS Biology (2026). DOI: 10.1371/journal.pbio.3003595 Journal information: PLoS Biology This article has been reviewed according to Science X's editorial process and policies . Editors have highlighted the following attributes while ensuring the content's credibility: Carvalho Nanguar, Yao honey-hunter from northern Mozambique, with a male greater honeyguide released from the hand after being caught for research purposes. This photo is illustrative of the special relationship between wild honeyguides and the humans they guide to wild bees' nests. Credit: David Lloyd-Jones and Dominic Cram Researchers from the University of Cape Town (UCT), working with international collaborators, have shown that people in northern Mozambique use regionally distinct "dialects" when communicating with honeyguide birds, revealing a striking parallel to the way human languages diversify. Published in People and Nature, the study shows for the first time that human-to-wildlife communication can vary within a region in much the same way that human languages develop local dialects. These dialects allow communities to coordinate cooperation with greater honeyguides (Indicator indicator), wild birds that lead people to honeybees' nests in exchange for leftover wax and larvae, and so provide food for both people and birds. A rare example of two-way communication between humans and wild animals In parts of sub-Saharan Africa, honey-hunters and honeyguides cooperate with each other to gain access to wild bees' nests, and coordinate their behavior using distinctive calls. Cooperation between species allows humans to find and harvest more honey, and honeyguides to feed on more wax, thanks to honey-hunters' skilled use of fire and tools to subdue the bees and open their nest. Honey-harvest in the Niassa Special Reserve, Mozambique. Credit: Claire Spottiswoode This long-standing partnership is one of the few known cases of cooperation between humans and wild animals. These birds are not domesticated or deliberately trained; instead, they benefit from learning to interpret human signals in the wild, so they can readily locate humans who are seeking honey. These signals vary culturally across Africa, and earlier experiments have shown that honeyguides respond more strongly to local calls given to attract honeyguides, than to unfamiliar calls from another country. "While honey-hunters in different parts of Africa are known to have culturally distinct calls to honeyguides, we wanted to see whether calls also vary between neighboring communities and follow predictable patterns," said lead author Jessica van der Wal, a researcher affiliated with UCT's FitzPatrick Institute of African Ornithology. "In other words, whether human-to-wildlife signals show the same kinds of regional patterns that we see in human languages." Distinct regional dialects are shaped by human culture, not environment The team recorded calls from 131 honey-hunters across 13 villages in northern Mozambique's Niassa Special Reserve, drawing on deep local knowledge in a region where communitiesmostly Yaodepend heavily on wild honey and honeyguides for their livelihoods. The authors analyzed both recruitment calls used to attract a honeyguide over long distances, and quieter coordination calls used while following a guiding honeyguide at close range. Honey-hunters used a variety of calls, trills, grunts, whoops and whistles. Across both recruitment and coordination calls, the researchers found that regional variation increases with distance, with communities farther apart using more distinct calls. Yao honey-hunters Fatima Balasani and Seliano Rucunua calling for honeyguides with whom to cooperate in Niassa Special Reserve, Mozambique. Credit: Claire Spottiswoode Importantly, environmental factors such as habitat acoustics did not explain these differences. Finally, honey-hunters who moved villages seemed to match the calls used in their new community. "These regional honey-hunting calls pattern across space in a way that looks remarkably similar to human dialects," added van der Wal. "It suggests that cultural processes within human communities, rather than environmental pressures, are the primary drivers of this diversity." Discover the latest in science, tech, and space with over 100,000 subscribers who rely on Phys.org for daily insights. Sign up for our free newsletter and get updates on breakthroughs, innovations, and research that matterdaily or weekly. Honeyguides appear to learn local dialects too Despite regional differences in calls, human-honeyguide cooperation remains successful and important for human livelihoods across the Niassa Special Reserve. "This suggests that both species are adjusting to each other across the Niassa landscape," said senior author Professor Claire Spottiswoode of UCT's FitzPatrick Institute of African Ornithology, who leads the Honeyguide Research Project. "Humans learn and maintain the local signals needed to cooperate with honeyguides, and honeyguides are in turn probably learning and so helping to reinforce these local human dialectsmuch as they learn larger-scale variation in human signals across Africa, more akin to different human languages." A window into interspecies communication The findings highlight how human cultural diversity can shape interactions with wildlife, even with undomesticated animals. Spottiswoode concluded, "It's been a privilege to study this rare example of cooperation between our own species and a free-living wild animal, in collaboration with Niassa's honey-hunting communitiesand in so doing be given a window into the evolution of communication between species." Publication details Cooperative human signals to honeyguides form local dialects, People and Nature (2026). DOI: 10.1002/pan3.70234 Journal information: People and Nature Key concepts population (human) This article has been reviewed according to Science X's editorial process and policies . Editors have highlighted the following attributes while ensuring the content's credibility: Credit: Pixabay/CC0 Public Domain NASA announced Tuesday the selection of three new science investigations that will strengthen humanity's understanding and exploration of the moon. As part of the agency's CLPS (Commercial Lunar Payload Services) initiative and Artemis campaign, American companies will deliver these research payloads to the lunar surface no earlier than 2028. "With CLPS, NASA has been taking a new approach to lunar science, relying on U.S. industry innovation to travel to the surface of the moon and enable scientific discovery," said Joel Kearns, deputy associate administrator for exploration, Science Mission Directorate, NASA Headquarters in Washington. "These selections continue this pipeline of lunar exploration, through research that will not only expand our knowledge about the moon's history and environment, but also inform future human safety and navigation on the moon and beyond." The selected scientific payloads are: Emission Imager for Lunar Infrared Analysis in 3D (EMILIA-3D). The EMILIA-3D payload will create three-dimensional thermal models of the lunar terrain, using a thermal imager to measure the temperature of the landscape coupled with a stereo pair of visible-light cameras. These models will help the U.S. better image and navigate the moon's surface through improved understanding of the properties of the dusty lunar soil, called regolith, and what temperature measurements convey about the lunar surface. The principal investigator is Andrew Ryan at the University of Arizona. Lunar Instrumentation for Subsurface Thermal Exploration with Rapidity (LISTER). The LISTER instrument will measure the heat flow of the moon's interior by drilling beneath the lunar surface, pausing at intervals to measure temperature changes and the ability of the subsurface material to conduct heat. A previous version of LISTER flew on the Blue Ghost Mission 1 CLPS delivery to the moon's near side, where it took eight temperature and thermal conductivity measurements and drilled down to about three feet beneath the lunar surface. This new LISTER investigation will study the heat flow generated by the moon itself, giving us a better understanding of its thermal history. The principal investigator is Seiichi Nagihara at Texas Tech University. Site-agnostic Energetic Lunar Ion and Neutron Environment (SELINE). The SELINE payload will provide new insight into the moon's radiation environment by studying, for the first time at the lunar surface, the radiation from both primary galactic cosmic rays and their secondary particles and how this radiation interacts with the lunar regolith. Data from SELINE will improve our understanding of the planetary processes at work on the moon, as well as inform space weather preparation and safety for long-term human exploration of the lunar surface. The principal investigator is Drew Turner at Johns Hopkins University. These science experiments, selected through NASA's Payloads and Research Investigations on the Surface of the moon call for proposals, do not require a specific landing site on the lunar surface to gather their data, and NASA will assign them to specific CLPS delivery task orders at a later time. NASA uses CLPS to send scientific instruments and technology demonstrations to advance capabilities for science, exploration, or commercial development of the moon and beyond. By supporting a steady cadence of lunar deliveries, the agency will continue to enable a growing lunar economy while leveraging the entrepreneurial innovation of the commercial space industry. Provided by NASA This article has been reviewed according to Science X's editorial process and policies . Editors have highlighted the following attributes while ensuring the content's credibility: Jane Smith-Wolcott, center, widow of Challenger pilot Michael Smith puts a flower on a memorial during NASA's Day of Remembrance for the 40th Anniversary of the Challenger tragedy at the Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex in Cape Canaveral, Fla., Thursday, Jan. 22, 2026. Credit: AP Photo/John Raoux Families of the astronauts lost in the space shuttle Challenger accident gathered back at the launch site Thursday to mark that tragic day 40 years ago. All seven on board were killed when Challenger broke apart following liftoff on Jan. 28, 1986. At the Kennedy Space Center memorial ceremony, Challenger pilot Michael Smith's daughter, Alison Smith Balch, said through tears that her life forever changed that frigid morning, as did many other lives. "In that sense," she told the hundreds of mourners, "we are all part of this story." "Every day I miss Mike," added his widow, Jane Smith-Holcott, "every day's the same." The bitter cold weakened the O-ring seals in Challenger's right solid rocket booster, causing the shuttle to rupture 73 seconds after liftoff. A dysfunctional culture at NASA contributed to that disaster and, 17 years later, shuttle Columbia's. Kennedy Space Center's deputy director Kelvin Manning said those humble and painful lessons require constant vigilance "now more than ever" with rockets soaring almost every day and the next astronaut moonshot just weeks away. A memorial wreath is seen at the Astronaut Memorial during NASA's Day of Remembrance for the 40th Anniversary of the Challenger tragedy at the Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex in Cape Canaveral, Fla., Thursday, Jan. 22, 2026. Credit: AP Photo/John Raoux Challenger's crew included schoolteacher Christa McAuliffe, who was selected from thousands of applicants representing every state. Two of her fellow teacher-in-space contendersboth retired nowattended the memorial. "We were so close together," said Bob Veilleux, a retired astronomy high school teacher from New Hampshire, McAuliffe's home state. Bob Foerster, a sixth grade math and science teacher from Indiana who was among the top 10 finalists, said he's grateful that space education blossomed after the accident and that it didn't just leave Challenger's final crew as "martyrs." "It was a hard reality," Foerster noted at the Space Mirror Memorial at Kennedy's visitor complex. Twenty-five names are carved into the black mirror-finished granite: the Challenger seven, the seven who perished in the Columbia disaster on Feb. 1, 2003, the three killed in the Apollo 1 fire on Jan. 27, 1967, and all those lost in plane and other on-the-job accidents. Relatives of the fallen Columbia and Apollo crews also attended NASA's Day of Remembrance, held each year on the fourth Thursday of January. The space agency also held ceremonies at Virginia's Arlington National Cemetery and Houston's Johnson Space Center. Jane Smith-Wolcott, center, widow of Challenger pilot Michael Smith and daughter Alison Smith Balch put flowers on a memorial during NASA's Day of Remembrance for the 40th Anniversary of the Challenger tragedy at the Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex in Cape Canaveral, Fla., Thursday, Jan. 22, 2026. Credit: AP Photo/John Raoux Veteran astronaut, Bob Cabana, makes remarks during NASA's Day of Remembrance for the 40th Anniversary of the Challenger tragedy at the Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex in Cape Canaveral, Fla., Thursday, Jan. 22, 2026. Credit: AP Photo/John Raoux Veteran astronaut, Bob Cabana, left, makes remarks during NASA's Day of Remembrance for the 40th Anniversary of the Challenger tragedy at the Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex in Cape Canaveral, Fla., Thursday, Jan. 22, 2026. Credit: AP Photo/John Raoux "You always wonder what they could have accomplished" had they lived longer, Lowell Grissom, brother of Apollo 1 commander Gus Grissom, said at Kennedy. "There was a lot of talent there." 2026 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission. This article has been reviewed according to Science X's editorial process and policies . Editors have highlighted the following attributes while ensuring the content's credibility: Scientists solve 66 million-year-old mystery of how Earth's greenhouse age ended. Credit: University of Southampton A 66 million-year-old mystery behind how our planet transformed from a tropical greenhouse to the ice-capped world of today has been unraveled by scientists. Their new study has revealed that Earth's massive drop in temperature after the dinosaurs went extinct could have been caused by a large decrease in calcium levels in the ocean. An international team of experts led by the University of Southampton discovered that concentrations of calcium in the sea dropped by more than half across the last 66 million years. The study, published in Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, showed that the dramatic calcium shift may have sucked carbon dioxidea major greenhouse gasout of the atmosphere, driving global cooling. Lead author Dr. David Evans, an ocean and Earth scientist from Southampton, said that large changes in the composition of seawater chemistry may have been a key driver for climate change. Scientists examined fossils of tiny sea creatures dug up from the sea. Credit: University of Southampton How calcium levels shaped climate He added, "Our results show that dissolved calcium levels were twice as high at the start of the Cenozoic Era, shortly after dinosaurs roamed the planet, compared to today. "When these levels were high, the oceans worked differently, acting to store less carbon in seawater and releasing carbon dioxide into the air. "As those levels decreased, CO 2 was sucked out of the atmosphere, and Earth's temperature followed, dropping our climate by as much as 15 to 20 degrees Celsius." The Southampton researchers behind the study worked in collaboration with scientists from China, the U.S., Israel, Denmark, Germany, Belgium and the Netherlands. They used fossilized remains of tiny sea creatures dug up from sediments at the seafloor to construct the most detailed record of ocean chemistry to date. The chemical composition of the fossils, called foraminifera, showed a close link between the amount of calcium in seawater and the level of carbon dioxide in the air. Marine life and carbon storage Using computer-made models, the team showed that high levels of calcium change how much carbon is "fixed" by marine life, such as corals and plankton, said Dr. Evans. This effectively locked it away from the ocean and atmosphere by storing it in sediments on the seafloor. As dissolved calcium levels decreased across millions of years, it altered how these organisms produced and buried calcium carbonate on the seafloor, added co-author Dr. Xiaoli Zhou of Tongji University in China. She added, "The process effectively pulls carbon dioxide out of the atmosphere and locks it away. "This shift could have changed the composition of the atmosphere, effectively turning down the planet's thermostat." Seafloor spreading and climate shifts The experts also revealed that the drop in calcium closely matched the slowing down of seafloor spreadingthe volcanic process that continuously creates new ocean floors. As the rate of seafloor production slowed, the chemical exchange between the rocks and sea water changed, leading to a gradual decline in dissolved calcium concentrations, said co-author Professor Yair Rosenthal from Rutgers University, U.S.. He added, "Seawater chemistry is typically viewed as something that responds to other factors that lead to changes in our climate, rather than being the cause itself. "But our new evidence suggests that we must look to changing seawater chemistry to understand our planet's climate history. "It may be that changes in these deep Earth processes are ultimately responsible for much of the large climatic shifts that have taken place over geological time." Publication details David Evans et al, The major ion chemistry of seawater was closely coupled to the long-term carbon cycle during the Cenozoic, Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (2026). DOI: 10.1073/pnas.2511781122 Journal information: Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences The Baking Mixes Market is experiencing steady growth, driven by rising demand for convenience foods, increasing urbanization, and the growing popularity of home baking across both developed and emerging economies. Busy lifestyles, higher disposable incomes, and innovation in gluten-free and organic baking mixes continue to fuel adoption. However, market growth faces restraints such as fluctuating raw material prices, growing preference for fresh and homemade-from-scratch alternatives, and increasing health concerns related to preservatives and sugar content. LEWES, Del., Jan. 22, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- The Global Baking Mixes Market Size projected to grow at a CAGR of 5.3% from 2026 to 2032, according to a new report published by Verified Market Research. The report reveals that the market was valued at USD 6.61 Billion in 2024 and expected to reach USD 11.09 Billion by the end of the forecast period. For a detailed analysis of Industry Trends And Growth Drivers, Explore The Full Baking Mixes Market. Browse in-depth TOC 202 - Pages 126 Tables 37 Figures Global Baking Mixes Market Overview Market Drivers: 1. Rising Demand for Convenience Foods and Time-Efficient Baking Solutions The Baking Mixes Market continues to benefit from the accelerating demand for convenience foods across both developed and emerging economies. Urbanization, dual-income households, and time-constrained lifestyles are pushing consumers and commercial bakeries toward ready-to-use baking solutions that reduce preparation time without compromising taste or consistency. Baking mixes offer standardized quality, reduced labor costs, and faster production cycles, making them highly attractive for QSRs, cloud kitchens, and in-store bakeries. From a B2B perspective, this driver strengthens long-term demand visibility and volume stability, encouraging manufacturers to invest in capacity expansion and private-label partnerships. Market participants seeking to buy Baking Mixes Market research reports can leverage this insight to identify high-consumption regions and optimize distribution strategies. 2. Growth of Home Baking Culture and Premiumization Trends The global resurgence of home baking, supported by social media influence and evolving food preferences, has emerged as a strong growth catalyst for the Baking Mixes Market. Consumers increasingly experiment with cakes, breads, muffins, and specialty desserts at home, driving sustained demand for easy-to-use, premium baking mixes. Manufacturers respond by introducing artisanal, organic, gluten-free, and protein-enriched mixes, enhancing product differentiation and profit margins. This premiumization trend creates lucrative opportunities for brand positioning and portfolio diversification. For market research analysts and investors, this driver highlights revenue-generating segments and innovation-led growth potential, making Baking Mixes Market forecasts and competitive intelligence reports essential for informed decision-making. 3. Expansion of Foodservice Industry and Commercial Baking Applications Rapid expansion of the global foodservice sector including cafes, bakeries, hotels, and institutional catering significantly drives the Baking Mixes Market. Commercial operators prioritize baking mixes to maintain product consistency, reduce ingredient procurement complexity, and ensure scalable output across locations. Baking mixes also support cost control and operational efficiency, particularly in emerging markets where skilled labor shortages persist. This driver strengthens bulk demand and long-term supply contracts, improving revenue predictability for manufacturers. Businesses evaluating Baking Mixes Market size, trends, and regional analysis can use this insight to target foodservice-driven growth corridors and develop customized B2B offerings aligned with commercial baking requirements. Market Restraints: 1. Volatility in Raw Material Prices and Supply Chain Disruptions Fluctuating prices of key raw materials such as wheat flour, sugar, cocoa, and dairy ingredients pose a major restraint to the Baking Mixes Market. These cost variations, often influenced by climate conditions, geopolitical instability, and trade policies, directly impact manufacturing margins and pricing strategies. Supply chain disruptions further intensify cost pressures, especially for multinational producers operating across multiple regions. In a highly competitive market, passing increased costs to end users remains challenging, particularly in price-sensitive economies. Market research professionals analyzing Baking Mixes Market reports must consider this restraint when evaluating profitability forecasts, sourcing strategies, and long-term investment risks. 2. Growing Consumer Preference for Scratch Baking and Fresh Ingredients Despite rising convenience demand, a segment of consumers continues to favor scratch baking using fresh, unprocessed ingredients. Health-conscious buyers increasingly scrutinize labels, perceiving baking mixes as containing preservatives, additives, or excess sugar. This perception limits adoption, particularly among premium and wellness-focused consumers. The restraint compels manufacturers to reformulate products and invest in clean-label innovations, increasing R&D costs and time-to-market. For stakeholders planning market entry or expansion, this factor underscores the importance of product transparency and innovation, making Baking Mixes Market trends and consumer behavior analysis critical for strategic planning. 3. Intense Market Competition and Private Label Pressure The Baking Mixes Market faces intense competition from both global brands and private-label products offered by large retailers. Private labels compete aggressively on price, compressing margins for branded manufacturers and increasing promotional spending. Additionally, low entry barriers in certain regions encourage local players to enter the market, intensifying fragmentation. This restraint challenges brand differentiation and customer loyalty, particularly in mature markets. B2B decision-makers reviewing Baking Mixes Market competitive landscape reports can use this analysis to assess consolidation opportunities, pricing strategies, and differentiation levers essential for sustaining long-term growth. Download a free sample to access exclusive Insights, Data Charts, And Forecasts From The Baking Mixes Market Sample Report. Geographical Dominance: The Baking Mixes Market demonstrates strong geographical dominance led by North America, driven by high consumption of packaged bakery products, advanced food processing infrastructure, and widespread adoption of convenience foods across the U.S. and Canada. Europe follows closely, supported by a mature bakery industry, growing demand for premium and organic baking mixes, and strong retail penetration in Germany, the U.K., and France. Asia-Pacific is emerging as the fastest-growing region due to rapid urbanization, expanding middle-class populations, and rising Western-style bakery consumption in China, India, and Southeast Asia. Meanwhile, Latin America and the Middle East & Africa show steady growth, fueled by improving retail networks and increasing investment by global manufacturers, creating attractive regional expansion opportunities for B2B stakeholders. Key Players The "Baking Mixes Market" study report will provide a valuable insight with an emphasis on the global market. The major players in the market are General Mills, Conagra Brands, Unilever PLC (UK/Netherlands), Nestle SA (Switzerland), Associated British Foods plc (UK), Dawn Food Products, Inc., Continental Mills, Inc., Chelsea Milling Company, Puratos Ltd. (Belgium), Lesaffre SA (France). Baking Mixes Market Segment Analysis Based on the research, Verified Market Research has segmented the global market into Type, Components, Mode of Distribution, and Geography. Baking Mixes Market, by Type Cake & Muffin Mixes Cookie & Biscuit Mixes Bread Mixes Pancake & Waffle Mixes Other Mixes Baking Mixes Market, by Components Conventional Mixes Organic Mixes Gluten devoid Mixes Specialty Mixes Baking Mixes Market, by Mode Of Distribution Supermarkets Convenience stores Mass merchandisers Online retailers Baking Mixes Market, by Geography North America U.S. Canada Mexico Europe Germany France U.K. Rest of Europe Asia Pacific China Japan India Rest of Asia Pacific ROW Middle East & Africa Latin America Baking Mixes Market Strategic Insights: The Baking Mixes Market presents stable growth potential, supported by rising demand for convenience foods, expansion of the foodservice industry, and premiumization of home baking solutions. While innovation in clean-label and specialty mixes creates new revenue streams, market players must navigate challenges such as raw material price volatility and growing preference for scratch baking. Regionally, North America and Europe offer mature, high-value opportunities, while Asia-Pacific delivers strong volume-led growth potential. For new entrants and established manufacturers, success depends on localized product strategies, cost optimization, and channel partnerships. Stakeholders looking to buy Baking Mixes Market reports can leverage these insights to identify high-growth regions, assess competitive intensity, and optimize market entry and expansion strategies. To gain complete access with Corporate Or Enterprise Licensing, Visit The Baking Mixes Market. Key Highlights of the Report: Market Size & Forecast : In-depth analysis of current value and future projections : In-depth analysis of current value and future projections Segment Analysis : Breaks down the market by Type, Components, and Mode of Distribution for focused strategy development. : Breaks down the market by Type, Components, and Mode of Distribution for focused strategy development. Regional Insights : Comprehensive coverage of North America, Europe, Asia-Pacific, and more : Comprehensive coverage of North America, Europe, Asia-Pacific, and more Competitive Landscape : Profiles key players, their strategic initiatives, and innovation-driven growth approaches. : Profiles key players, their strategic initiatives, and innovation-driven growth approaches. Growth Drivers & Challenges : Analyzes the forces accelerating growth and the restraints hindering large-scale adoption. : Analyzes the forces accelerating growth and the restraints hindering large-scale adoption. Challenges and Risk Assessment: Evaluates ethical debates, off-target effects, and regulatory complexities. Why This Report Matters? This report delivers actionable market intelligence to help stakeholders identify high-growth segments, assess investment opportunities, and optimize go-to-market strategies. It supports data-driven decisions for expansion, product launches, and competitive positioning in the Baking Mixes Market. Who Should Read This Report? Market research professionals and industry analysts Food & beverage manufacturers and ingredient suppliers Distributors, retailers, and private-label brands Investors, consultants, and strategic decision-makers seeking to buy Baking Mixes Market reports and gain competitive insights Browse Related Reports: Global Gluten-Free Baking Mixes Market Size By Product (Cookies, Cakes & Pastries, Bread, Pizza), By Distribution Channel (Grocery Stores, Mass Merchandiser, Independent Natural or Health Food Store, Club Stores, Drug Stores), By Geographic Scope And Forecast Mexico Baking Mixes Complements Market Size By Type (Frosting, Spreads), By Application (Household, Bakery Shop), By Distribution Channel (Supermarkets & Hypermarkets, Convenience Stores), And Forecast Global Brownie Mixes Market Size By Product Type (Traditional Brownie Mixes, Gluten-Free Brownie Mixes, Organic Brownie Mixes, Vegan Brownie Mixes), By Target Consumer (Households with Children, Health-Conscious Consumers, Busy Professionals, Baking Enthusiasts), By Price Range (Premium Price Range, Mid-Range Price Range, Economical Price Range), By Distribution Channel (Online Retailers, Supermarkets and Hypermarkets, Specialty Food Stores, Convenience Stores) By Geographic Scope And Forecast Global Parchment Baking Paper Market Size By Product Type (Plain Vegetable Parchment (Uncoated), Siliconized Vegetable Parchment (Silicone Coated), Bleached Parchment Paper, Unbleached Parchment Paper, Pre-Cut Sheets, Rolls), By Grammage (Up To 40 GSM, Above 40 GSM), By Application (Bakery And Confectionery, Food Packaging, Cooking, Food Service), By Distribution Channel (Supermarkets/Hypermarkets, Online Retail Stores, Specialty Stores, Convenience Stores), By Geographic Scope And Forecast Top 7 Bakery Ingredients Companies baking delicious food items Visualize Baking Mixes Market using Verified Market Intelligence -: Verified Market Intelligence is our BI Enabled Platform for narrative storytelling in this market. VMI offers in-depth forecasted trends and accurate Insights on over 20,000+ emerging & niche markets, helping you make critical revenue-impacting decisions for a brilliant future. VMI provides a holistic overview and global competitive landscape with respect to Region, Country, Segment, and Key players of your market. Present your Market Report & findings with an inbuilt presentation feature saving over 70% of your time and resources for Investor, Sales & Marketing, R&D, and Product Development pitches. VMI enables data delivery In Excel and Interactive PDF formats with over 15+ Key Market Indicators for your market. About Us Verified Market Research stands at the forefront as a global leader in Research and Consulting, offering unparalleled analytical research solutions that empower organizations with the insights needed for critical business decisions. 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Follow Us On: LinkedIn | Twitter | Threads | Instagram | Facebook Contact Us Mr. Edwyne Fernandes Verified Market Research US: +1 (650)-781-4080 US Toll Free: +1 (800)-782-1768 Email: [email protected] Web: https://www.verifiedmarketresearch.com/ Logo: https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/2015407/VMR_Logo.jpg SOURCE Verified Market Research This article has been reviewed according to Science X's editorial process and policies . Editors have highlighted the following attributes while ensuring the content's credibility: Dozens of people lost their lives and hundreds of thousands were displaced in northeastern South Africa and neighbouring Mozambique in flooding caused by weeks of intense storms and rains. South Africa's iconic Kruger National Park suffered major damage to critical infrastructure in recent flooding, with the cost of repairs estimated to run over 30 million dollars, officials said Thursday. Torrential rains and floods last week forced the world-famous safari destination, which is nearly the size of Wales, to halt day visits and airlift guests and staff to safety as swollen rivers swallowed large stretches of land. While there had been no loss of life within the park, parts of it were still underwater a week later and 15 camps remained closed, SANParks CEO Hapiloe Sello told reporters. More than 500 members of staff were "stuck" at camps within the reserve, waiting for the water to recede so they could leave, she told reporters. "In the Kruger National Park alone, the damage to critical infrastructure is so widespread that SANParks' earliest estimates are that the damage will be in excess of half a billion rands ($30.6 million)," environment minister Willie Aucamp said at a media briefing. SANParks is a public body that manages South Africa's 21 national parks. Staff and tourist accommodation has been destroyed and there was "devastating" damage to bridges, roads and water and electrical infrastructure, he said. The loss of tourism revenue from the flagship park could put "the sustainability of the entire network of parks at risk" because of the impact on SANParks' operating budget. Kruger's faunaincluding the famed Big Five grouping of elephant, rhino, lion, leopard and buffalohad largely escaped the flooding because animals had sensed the danger and moved to higher lying areas. "We have not seen one single carcass of any animal," Aucamp said. The government has set up a fund to ensure the recovery of the site, which is in a region increasingly sensitive to climate change and natural disasters, he said, calling for local and international donations. Dozens of people lost their lives and hundreds of thousands were displaced in northeastern South Africa and neighboring Mozambique in the flooding, caused by weeks of intense storms and rains. Key concepts hazardsFloods 2026 AFP This article has been reviewed according to Science X's editorial process and policies . Editors have highlighted the following attributes while ensuring the content's credibility: Roscosmos cosmonaut Oleg Platonov, left, NASA astronauts Mike Fincke, Zena Cardman, and JAXA (Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency) astronaut Kimiya Yui are seen inside the SpaceX Dragon Endeavour spacecraft onboard the SpaceX recovery ship SHANNON shortly after having landed in the Pacific Ocean off the coast of Long Beach, Calif., Thursday, Jan. 15, 2026. Credit: NASA via AP The astronauts evacuated last week from the International Space Station say a portable ultrasound machine came in "super handy" during the medical crisis. During their first public appearance since returning to Earth, the four astronauts refused Wednesday to say which one of them needed medical attention and for what reason. It was NASA's first medical evacuation in 65 years of human spaceflight. NASA's Mike Fincke said the crew used the onboard ultrasound machine once the medical problem arose Jan. 7, the day before a planned spacewalk that was abruptly canceled. The astronauts had already used the device a lot for routine checks of their body changes while living in weightlessness, "so when we had this emergency, the ultrasound machine came in super handy." It was so useful that Fincke said there should be one on all future spaceflights. "It really helped," he said. "Of course, we didn't have other big machines that we have here on planet Earth," he added. "We do try to make sure that everybody before we fly are really, really not prone to surprises. But sometimes things happen and surprises happen, and the team was ready ... preparation was super important." The space station is set up as well as it can be for medical emergencies, said NASA's Zena Cardman, who commanded the crew's early return flight with SpaceX. She said NASA "made all the right decisions" in canceling the spacewalk, which would have been her first, and prioritizing the crew's well-being. Japanese astronaut Kimiya Yui said he was surprised how well all the preflight training paid off in dealing with the health concerns. "We can handle any kind of difficult situation," Yui said. "This is actually very, very good experience for the future of human spaceflight." Joining them on what turned out to be a 5 1/2-month missionmore than a month shorter than plannedwas Russia's Oleg Platonov. They launched last August from Florida and splashed down in the Pacific off the San Diego coast last week. Welcoming them back to Houston were their replacements, who aren't due to launch until mid-February. NASA and SpaceX are working to move up the flight. "We were hoping to give them hugs in space, but we gave them hugs on Earth," Fincke said. Key concepts Medical imagingMicrogravity 2026 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission. This article has been reviewed according to Science X's editorial process and policies . Editors have highlighted the following attributes while ensuring the content's credibility: Artist's impression of a supermassive black hole system. Infalling gas forms a bright corona near the black hole. In some systems, a jet is launched. Credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech An international research team led by scientists at Waseda University and Tohoku University has discovered an extraordinary quasar in the early universe that hosts one of the fastest-growing supermassive black holes known at this mass scale. Observations with the Subaru Telescope reveal a striking, rule-breaking combination: the quasar is undergoing extremely rapid accretion while simultaneously shining brightly in X-rays and producing strong radio emission from a jetfeatures that many theoretical models do not expect to coexist. This unexpected juxtaposition of phenomena offers a new perspective on how supermassive black holes grow in the early universe. Supermassive black holes, millions to billions of times the mass of the sun, sit in the centers of most galaxies. They grow by pulling in surrounding gas. As gas spirals inward, it forms an accretion disk and can also power a compact region of hot plasma known as a corona (a key source of X-rays). In some systems, a jet that emits strongly at radio wavelengths also forms. The brightest actively feeding black holes are called quasars. Yet a fundamental puzzle remains: how did some supermassive black holes become so massive so early in cosmic history? Breaking the 'speed limit' of black hole growth A leading idea for fast early growth is super-Eddington accretion. In the standard theory, radiation produced by infalling matter pushes back on the gas and sets an upper limit, called the Eddington limit, on steady growth. But in special conditions, black holes may temporarily exceed that limit, enabling rapid mass build-up over short cosmic timescales. Quasar luminosity (vertical axis), which traces the black hole growth rate, versus black hole mass (horizontal axis), for the newly discovered object (eFEDS J084222.9+001000; red star) and previously observed objects (purple and green symbols). The solid line indicates the theoretical upper limit of the black hole accretion rate (the Eddington limit), while the dashed line indicates gas accretion at ten times this limit. Accurate measurement of the black hole mass, thanks to the Subaru Telescope observations, revealed that this object exhibits super-Eddington accretion, exceeding the Eddington limit. Credit: NAOJ To test whether such extreme growth occurs in the early universe, the team used the Subaru Telescope's near-infrared spectrograph (MOIRCS) to measure the motion of gas close to a quasar and estimate the black hole's mass from the Mg II (2800 A) emission line. As a result, the team discovered a supermassive black hole in the early universe roughly 12 billion years ago whose accretion rate, inferred from X-ray observations, reaches about 13 times the Eddington limit. The research is published in The Astrophysical Journal. The surprise: Bright X-rays and a powerful radio jet What makes this object especially striking is its multiwavelength behavior. During super-Eddington phases, many models predict that the inner flow structure changes in ways that can reduce the observed X-ray emission, and that jets may be less prominent. However, this quasar shines brightly in both X-rays and radio wavelengths, indicating that it is growing at an extreme rate while simultaneously sustaining an active corona and a powerful jet. This unexpected combination hints at physical mechanisms not yet fully captured by current models of extreme accretion and jet launching. Catching a black hole in transition after an accretion burst The team proposes that the object may be caught during a short-lived transitional stagefor example, after a sudden burst of inflowing gas. In this picture, a rapid surge in accretion could push the system into a super-Eddington state, while a bright X-ray corona and a strong jet remain simultaneously energized for a limited time before the system settles toward a more typical regime. If correct, this discovery offers a rare observational window onto time-variable black hole growth in the early universean important step toward understanding how the massive black holes assembled so quickly. Discover the latest in science, tech, and space with over 100,000 subscribers who rely on Phys.org for daily insights. Sign up for our free newsletter and get updates on breakthroughs, innovations, and research that matterdaily or weekly. Why this matters for galaxy evolution The quasar's strong radio emission implies a jet energetic enough to influence its environment. Such jets can inject energy into the host galaxy, potentially regulating star formation and shaping how galaxies and black holes co-evolve. The link between super-Eddington growth and jet-driven feedback remains poorly understood, and this object provides a new benchmark for testing those ideas in the early universe. Lead author Sakiko Obuchi (Waseda University) says, "This discovery may bring us closer to understanding how supermassive black holes formed so quickly in the early universe. We want to investigate what powers the unusually strong X-ray and radio emissions, and whether similar objects have been hiding in survey data." Publication details Sakiko Obuchi et al, Discovery of an X-Ray Luminous Radio-loud Quasar at z= 3.4: A Possible Transitional Super-Eddington Phase, The Astrophysical Journal (2026). DOI: 10.3847/1538-4357/ae1d6d Journal information: Astrophysical Journal This article has been reviewed according to Science X's editorial process and policies . Editors have highlighted the following attributes while ensuring the content's credibility: Credit: Unsplash/CC0 Public Domain Global average temperature increases could pass the 1.5 degrees Celsius threshold outlined in the Paris Agreement by the end of the decade, according to the EU's Copernicus Climate Change Service, putting the world at greater risk of never-seen-before extreme weather events. Data released today (Wednesday) by the European Centre for Medium-Range Weather Forecasts, which operates Copernicus on behalf of the EU, shows the average global surface air temperature in 2025 was 1.47 degrees Celsius above pre-industrial times. As 2024 was the hottest year ever recorded, it means the average temperature increase over the past three years exceeded 1.5 degrees Celsius, according to the Copernicus analysis. In 2024, temperatures reached 1.6 degrees Celsius above pre-industrial levels, compared to 1.48 degrees in 2023, the European data shows. "Passing the 1.5-degree threshold is not a symbolic failurefor people in low- and middle-income countries, it would represent a material shift in daily life," said Patrick Verkooijen, chief executive, Global Center on Adaptation. "These three years stand apart from those that came before," Samantha Burgess, climate lead at the European Center for Medium-Range Weather Forecasts and deputy director of Copernicus, told a press briefing. The World Meteorological Organization (WMO) also confirmed today that 2025 was one of the three warmest years on record, releasing its consolidated analysis of eight datasets, including the one from Copernicus. However, the WMO analysis put the 2025 global average surface temperature at 1.44 degrees Celsius above the 1850-1900 average, with a margin of uncertainty of 0.13 degrees. The consolidated three-year average for 2023 to 2025 was 1.48 degrees Celsius above the pre-industrial era, with the same margin of uncertainty. The Copernicus data combines past observations, including satellite data, with computer models, while some of the other datasets are based on measurements made by weather stations, ships and buoys. "The year 2025 started and ended with a cooling La Nina and yet it was still one of the warmest years on record globally because of the accumulation of heat-trapping greenhouse gases in our atmosphere," said WMO secretary-general Celeste Saulo. She said extreme weather such as heat waves, heavy rainfall and intense tropical cyclones, underlined a "vital need for early warning systems." 2030 forecast Under the terms of the Paris Agreement, countries agreed to pursue efforts to limit global average temperatures to 1.5 degrees Celsius above pre-industrial levels. At the time of the agreement, the Copernicus service predicted that the world would pass 1.5 degrees Celsius by March 2045. However, accelerating global warming means it is now forecasting that temperatures could pass this threshold as early as 2030, based on the current rate of warming. "Overall, the globe has warmed by about 1.4 degrees Celsius above the pre-industrial level, and if warming continues at the same average rate experienced over the last 15 years, then we will reach [the] 1.5 degree level by the end this decade," said Burgess. "Every fraction of a degree matters, particularly for worsening extreme weather events." Carlo Buontempo, director of the Copernicus Climate Change Service, said it was now "inevitable" that the world would pass the 1.5 degree Celsius threshold. "Now we are effectively entering a phase where [it] is basically inevitable that we will pass that threshold and it is up to us to decide how we want to deal with the enhanced and increased risk that we face as a consequence of this," he told the press briefing. Unprecedented Passing the 1.5 degrees Celsius threshold will increase the chance of weather events that are "unprecedented in the observed record," according to an assessment by the UN's Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change. Discover the latest in science, tech, and space with over 100,000 subscribers who rely on Phys.org for daily insights. Sign up for our free newsletter and get updates on breakthroughs, innovations, and research that matterdaily or weekly. "There are people in the Pacific that may not see this report, but they will definitely live its catastrophic reality," said Fenton Lutunatabua, program manager for the Pacific and Caribbean region at the climate change group 350.org. "This data proves that now, more than ever, we need to move beyond fossil fuels." Patrick Verkooijen, chief executive of the Netherlands-based Global Center on Adaptation, said, "Passing the 1.5-degree threshold is not a symbolic failurefor people in low- and middle-income countries, it would represent a material shift in daily life. "It means more days of extreme heat that endanger outdoor workers, more volatile rainfall that undermines smallholder farmers, and more frequent floods and droughts that push vulnerable communities into poverty." Last year was marked by extreme weather events such as Hurricane Melissa in the Caribbean, drought in Brazil, and flooding in Colombia and the Democratic Republic of the Congo, according to a report by the UK-based charity Christian Aid. Harjeet Singh, of the Satat Sampada Climate Foundation, said the latest data was "an existential warning" for low- and middle-income countries. "We are moving from the era of mitigation and adaptation into the era of unavoidable loss and damage," he said. "For the Global South, passing 1.5 degrees Celsius means that heat waves in South Asia and floods in Southeast Asia will no longer be 'extreme events' but structural realities that dismantle decades of development progress overnight." Provided by SciDev.Net This article has been reviewed according to Science X's editorial process and policies . Editors have highlighted the following attributes while ensuring the content's credibility: The archaeological site of Tequendama I at the border of the Sabana de Bogota, Cundinamarca, Colombia. Credit: Angelica Triana Scientists have recovered a genome of Treponema pallidumthe bacterium whose subspecies today are responsible for four treponemal diseases, including syphilisfrom 5,500-year-old human remains in Sabana de Bogota, Colombia. The research expands knowledge about the history of this infectious disease and its occurrence in human populations. The findings are published in the journal Science. The individual was archaeologically recovered from a rock shelter near Bogota, Colombia, dating back roughly 5,500 years. The discovery pushes the genetic record of this pathogenic species back by more than 3,000 years, strengthening evidence that these infections have circulated in the Americas far longer than previously known. "Our findings show the unique potential of paleogenomics to contribute to our understanding of the evolution of species, and potential health risks for past and present communities," said geneticist Lars Fehren-Schmitz at the University of California, Santa Cruz. What are treponemal diseases? Treponema pallidum is a spiral-shaped bacterium that exists in three closely related forms today, each responsible for a different disease: syphilis, yaws and bejel. A fourth treponemal disease, pinta, is caused by Treponema carateum or Treponema pallidum subsp. carateum, but no genome for this pathogen has yet been recovered, casting doubts about its phylogenetic relationships and taxonomic classification. The archaeological site of Tequendama I at the border of the Sabana de Bogota, Cundinamarca, Colombia. Credit: Angelica Triana Although the three T. pallidum subspecies are nearly identical genetically, scientists do not know when or how the different disease forms emerged. Some data exists about the evolutionary history of pathogens, but there remain significant gaps between what skeletal remains reveal and what genetics can confirm. For the study, the research team demonstrated that the ancient DNA recovered belongs to the Treponema pallidum species, but it does not match any of the genetically known forms that cause disease today. The scientists showed that while it is closely related, it diverged early in the evolutionary tree. "One possibility is that we uncovered an ancient form of the pathogen that causes pinta, which we know little about, but is known to be endemic in Central to South America and causes symptoms localized to the skin," said Anna-Sapfo Malaspinas at the University of Lausanne and group leader at the SIB Swiss Institute of Bioinformatics. "At this time, we cannot prove this is the case, but it is a lead worth investigating further." Scientists estimate this ancient strain split from other T. pallidum lineages about 13,700 years ago. The three modern subspecies, by comparison, diverged much more recently, about 6,000 years ago, which aligns with previous research. These findings shed new light on how diverse these pathogens were in the past and serve as a reference point for understanding when they began branching into different forms. "Current genomic evidence, along with our genome presented here, does not resolve the long-standing debate about where the disease syndromes themselves originated, but it does show there's this long evolutionary history of treponemal pathogens that was already diversifying in the Americas thousands of years earlier than previously known," said Elizabeth Nelson, a molecular anthropologist and paleopathologist at SMU. A genetic puzzle Understanding how treponemal diseases emerged and how treponemal pathogens evolved is surprisingly complicated because the bacteria are almost identical genetically, yet they get transmitted differently and can vary in clinical presentation. Discover the latest in science, tech, and space with over 100,000 subscribers who rely on Phys.org for daily insights. Sign up for our free newsletter and get updates on breakthroughs, innovations, and research that matterdaily or weekly. "Our results push back the association of T. pallidum with humans by thousands of years, possibly more than 10,000 years ago in the Late Pleistocene," said researcher Davide Bozzi at the University of Lausanne and SIB Swiss Institute of Bioinformatics. This discovery builds on years of collaborative archaeological and genomic research at the Tequendama 1 site. Archaeologist Miguel Delgado at the Universidad Nacional de La Plata in Argentina and Fehren-Schmitz had previously published work offering detailed context about the skeleton. The finding emerged unexpectedly. Researchers originally sequenced the individual's DNA to study human population history, generating 1.5 billion fragments of genetic datafar more than typical studies. While screening the data, teams at the University of California, Santa Cruz and the University of Lausanne independently detected T. pallidum and joined forces to investigate. The bacterial DNA made up only a tiny fraction of the genetic material, but the unusually deep sequencing allowed researchers to reconstruct the genome without the specialized techniques normally required. The three diseases caused by T. pallidum (bejel, yaws, and syphilis) can leave marks on bones, but only at certain stages and not in every infected person. Most ancient T. pallidum genomes have been recovered from teeth or bones of people with clear signs of infection, but this skeleton showed none. Researchers sampled a tibia, or shin bone, a skeletal element not typically used for ancient DNA extraction. The approach paid off, suggesting that even bones without visible signs of disease could be valuable sources of pathogen DNA. Researchers believe understanding how infectious diseases emerged and evolved in the past could help scientists predict how they may change in the future and help societies prepare for what lies ahead. Before publishing, the researchers shared their findings with communities in Colombia, recognizing the discovery's significance to the country's medical history. They consulted with local scholars, students and community members, and connected with stakeholders through presentations and interviews. The team also obtained all necessary permits for exportation and study. "This process was essential because the findings are deeply connected to Colombia's medical and cultural history," said Delgado. "Engaging scholars, students, and Indigenous and non-Indigenous community members ensures the results are ethically communicated and interpreted in partnership with local communities. This approach builds trust, supports responsible stewardship of sensitive discoveries, and reinforces local ownership of knowledge." Publication details Davide Bozzi et al, A 5,500-year-old Treponema pallidum genome from Sabana de Bogota, Colombia, Science (2026). DOI: 10.1126/science.adw3020. www.science.org/doi/10.1126/science.adw3020 Molly Zuckerman, Uncovering the Secrets of Syphilis, Science (2026). DOI: 10.1126/science.aee7963. www.science.org/doi/10.1126/science.aee7963 , www.science.org/doi/10.1126/science.aee7963 Journal information: Science Criminal cell member distributing narcotics and extorting seaside Puerto Morelos businesses in custody Puerto Morelos, Q.R. Police say they have arrested Fernando N for drug and extortion in the town of Puerto Morelos. He was taken into custody from Ninos Heroes Avenue for possession of marijuana and methamphetamine. After his arrest, police said an investigation revealed Fernando N as a member of a local criminal cell that not only traffics narcotics, but also extorts local businesses for protection money. On Thursday, the State Attorney General (FGE) reported arresting Fernando N in flagrante delicto for his possible involvement in acts likely constituting crimes against health in the form of drug dealing and extortion. Police said the capture of Fernando N took place at the corner of Ninos Heroes and Plutarco Elias Calles streets, where he was inspected, and green and dry herb similar to marijuana was seized as well as a granulated substance with the characteristics of the narcotic known as methamphetamine. Initial investigations identify the suspect as an active member of a criminal gang that generates violence. Police said his functions were the distribution of narcotics in the maritime zone as well as extorting merchants to force them to pay protection money. Riviera Maya News bringing you headline crime news for Puerto Morelos since 2014 Your official online newspaper Letters to the Editor: No more snowbirding in Mexico. Not without a CURP! Becoming a SNOWBIRD in Mexico: Think again! Why? Because in Mexico you are allowed to buy condos that cost millions of pesos but you are not allowed to buy a car to get around, and this has been the case since January 1st, 2026: AN ABERRATION! Personally, I bought a condo at about 7 km from Playa del Carmen five years ago and during that time, I was able to easily register my car to get around, but since January 1st 2026, this is no longer possible. I need a CURP and to get a CURP I must become a permanent resident of Mexico to register my car. What options do I have left as a Snowbird, i.e. living in Mexico 4 to 5 months a year? One, the taxi or a rental car which will cost me a fortune and two, becoming a permanent resident of Mexico, which does not interest me as a Snowbird. So, if you think you can be a Snowbird in Mexico because the United States no longer interests you, think again because your travels may not be easy and could also cost you a lot of money. In Mexico, tourists are welcome as long as they dont stay too long . Michel Gaulin Canadian Over 88 million visitors: Mexicos 2025 numbers surge during U.S. government shutdown Riviera Maya, Q.R. Mexicos Secretary of Tourism Josefina Rodriguez Zamora says over 88 million people visited the country last year. One of the busiest months was during the U.S. government shutdown with over 4.5 million heading to the border in October, a 54% increase over October 2024. Rodriguez Zamora reported that from January to November 2025, 88.1 million visitors entered the country representing a growth of 13.8% compared to the previous year. She says during the first 11 months of 2025, foreign exchange earnings generated by international visitors amounted to $31.22 billion dollars, 6.7% more than in the same period of 2024, according to the International Travelers Surveys of the National Institute of Statistics and Geography (INEGI). According to Rodriguez Zamora, in November 2025 alone, nearly 8.8 million visitors entered the country, representing an increase of 15.6% compared to the same month in 2024. Cruise ship docked at a Pacific port 2025. She highlighted that during this period, Mexicos ports received 10.1 million cruise ship passengers and brought in $847.9 million in foreign exchange, representing increases of 12.3% and 13.5% compared to 2024, respectively. The data tells us of an unprecedented year for tourism in Mexico, not only because of the scale of the figures, but also because of the consistency with which they have been maintained throughout the year, she stated. As for international tourists, she reported from January to November 2025 Mexico recorded 42.6 million international visitors, a figure 5.8 percent higher than the same period in 2024. She detailed that the average expenditure of international tourists by air was $1,229.40 USD, an increase of 5.9 percent compared to the same period in 2024, 22.1 percent more compared to 2019. Visitors arriving by air increased by 5.9% during 2025. Full figures that include the month of December were not provided in the numbers she released, however, according to the National Migration Institute (INM), during 2025, 46 million international visitor arrived by air, land and sea. A large number of those visitors were recorded entering the country along its U.S. borders. October was one of the busiest months with over 8.2 million people crossing the border into Mexico. Inegi (Instituto Nacional de Estadistica y Geografia) reported during October 2025, 11.0% more visitors entered Mexico from abroad, while 6.1% more residents left the country, year-on-year. Border tourism was busiest during the U.S. government shutdown in 2025. The International Traveler Surveys, Inbound Tourism Survey and Border Traveler Survey, provide information on international visitors residing abroad who visit the country (arrivals), and on residents of the country who visit abroad (departures), as well as their expenditures. According to their figures, international visitor entries in October 2025 were 8,297,538, 11.0% more than in the same month of 2024. Of this number, 3,740,905 (45.1%) were international tourists, travelers residing abroad who stayed overnight in Mexico, representing a 0.4% increase compared to October of the previous year, and 4,556,633 (54.9%) were border excursionists. The surge in October border tourism was the same month the U.S. government began its 43 day shut down with the average visitor spending $81.53 USD while in Mexico. Riviera Maya News serving Quintana Roo Mexico since 2014 Your official online newspaper JOHANNESBURG, Jan. 22, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- Sasol has published its business performance metrics for the six months ended 31 December 2025 on the Company's website at www.sasol.com, under the Investor Centre section: https://www.sasol.com/investor-centre/financial-results. During the quarter, the business remained focused on stable and reliable operational performance, while reinforcing the importance of safety in everything that we do. Progress was made on key Capital Market Day priorities, with discipline and delivery maintained on factors within our control amid a challenging and uncertain macroeconomic environment. Safety Safety remains our foremost value and we are pleased to report that Q2 FY26 was fatality-free. Learnings from the fatality at Mining in Q1 FY26 are being embedded, with continued efforts to strengthen the safety culture across our business and ensure every employee returns home safely. Business performance In the Southern Africa business, the destoning plant reached beneficial operation (BO) in December 2025, marking an important milestone in improving coal quality. Ramp-up is progressing, with average sinks now tracking the lower end of the 12% -14% guidance range. Given the progress on destoning, all previously closed low-quality mining sections are now fully operational. This, together with improved gasifier and equipment availability at Secunda Operations (SO), supported higher SO production during the quarter. Gas supply from Mozambique was lower compared to the previous quarter, mainly resulting from the expected natural decline from our Petroleum Production Agreement (PPA) asset. Improvements are expected in FY26 H2 as the Production Sharing Agreement (PSA) ramps up. Gas and coal supply continue to be managed on an integrated basis to support reliable SO operations and value optimisation. Natref delivered improved production performance during the quarter, further supported by additional volumes from Sasol's utilisation of the Prax South Africa (Pty) Limited (Prax SA) shareholding capacity. Stronger SO and Natref operations supported higher fuels sales volumes and the continued placement of product in higher-margin channels in line with our strategy. Chemicals market conditions remained soft across all regions, resulting in lower revenue. In Chemicals Africa, sales volumes increased compared to the previous quarter, supported by operational improvements with a continued ramp up in sales volumes in the next half. In the International Chemicals business, lower US ethylene and Palm Kernel Oil (PKO) pricing and lower volumes weighed on revenue for the quarter. The Louisiana Integrated Polyethylene JV LLC (LIP JV) cracker experienced an extended outage in Q2 FY26. The plant was successfully restarted at the end of December 2025. Our self-help measures continued to deliver benefits, which led to lower costs and capital expenditure. We continue to hedge our exposure to oil prices and currency movements. Given the prevailing market conditions, a broader range of hedging instruments has been utilised to maintain downside protection. Business updates Strengthen the foundation business: As previously communicated, Sasol received notice in October 2025 that Prax SA filed for business rescue. As agreed with the business rescue practitioners, Sasol continues to operate the Natref refinery, utilising available Prax SA capacity, with product supply remaining uninterrupted. The previously communicated mothballing and closure programme in our International Chemicals business is progressing to plan. Grow and Transform: In Q2 FY26, the third and final new low-carbon boiler at Natref was successfully commissioned, improving steam and operational reliability while supporting our decarbonisation objectives. In November 2025, the National Energy Regulator of South Africa approved Sasol's electricity trading license application (trading as Nomusize (Pty) Ltd), supporting our integrated power business objectives. Outlook Fuel sales volumes for FY26 have been revised upward from 0 - 3% higher than FY25 to 5 - 10% higher, supported by the improved Natref performance. Gas production volumes have been revised down from 0 10% above FY25 to 0 - 5% below FY25 due to PSA and Central Termica de Temane (CTT) delays, as well as lower internal and external demand. Performance across the rest of the portfolio remains in line with market guidance. Looking ahead, the operating environment is expected to remain challenging, given heightened geopolitical tensions, evolving global trade dynamics and continued softness in certain end markets impacting financial performance. We remain focused on what is within our control and responding proactively to changes in the operating environment. 22 January 2026 Sandton Equity Sponsor Merrill Lynch South Africa Proprietary Limited t/a BofA Securities Debt Sponsor Absa Corporate and Investment Bank, a division of Absa Bank Limited Disclaimer- Forward-Looking Statements Sasol may, in this document, make certain statements that are not historical facts that relate to analyses and other information which are based on forecasts of future results and estimates of amounts not yet determinable. These statements may also relate to our future prospects, expectations, developments and business strategies. Words such as "believe", "anticipate", "expect", "intend", "seek", "will", "plan", "could", "may", "endeavour", "target", "forecast" and "project" and similar expressions are intended to identify such forward-looking statements but are not the exclusive means of identifying such statements. By their very nature, forward-looking statements involve inherent risks and uncertainties, both general and specific, and there are risks that the predictions, forecasts, projections and other forward-looking statements will not be achieved. If one or more of these risks materialise, or should underlying assumptions prove incorrect, our actual results may differ materially from those anticipated. You should understand that a number of important factors could cause actual results to differ materially from the plans, objectives, expectations, estimates and intentions expressed in such forward-looking statements. These factors are discussed more fully in our most recent annual report on Form 20-F filed on 29 August 2025 and in other filings with the United States Securities and Exchange Commission. The list of factors discussed therein is not exhaustive; when relying on forward-looking statements to make investment decisions, you should carefully consider both these factors and other uncertainties and events, and you should not place undue reliance on forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements apply only as of the date on which they are made and we do not undertake any obligation to update or revise any of them, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise. Forward looking statements, financial information and targets included in this statement have not been reviewed or reported on by Sasol's auditors. Media Contact: For further information, please contact: Sasol Investor Relations, Tiffany Sydow, VP Investor Relations Telephone: +27 (0) 71 673 1929 [email protected] SOURCE Sasol Limited Smell of pot leads patrolling police to Tulum taxi Tulum, Q.R. A Tulum taxi driver found in possession of nearly 11 kilos of pot has been arrested along with a alleged dealer. The pair were taken into custody after a patrol car heading in their direction smelled marijuana. Police said when the smell caught their attention, they saw two men inside a taxi handling a red container they later found was a source of the smell. Both men were arrested on Sol Poniente Street in central Tulum after police found additional drugs during an inspection of the vehicle. Aside from the 20 large bags of marijuana weighing 10.9 kilos, police also reported finding over 200 street-ready doses of crack cocaine and a brick of 2C-B. The SSC (Secretaria de Seguridad Ciudadana) of Quintana Roo said Alex Noe N and Gilberto del Angel N were arrested as suspects in drug-related offenses. They were taken into custody Wednesday by members of the Mexican Navy, the Army (Defensamx) and Municipal Police. Officers from the Secretariat of Citizen Security (SSC), while on patrol, noticed a parked white taxi with red stripes. Two people were inside, and a strong odor of marijuana was detected emanating from the vehicle, they reported. Upon approaching police observed a red cylinder, taped at one end. The top of the cylinder had no lid or connecting fittings, and a small amount of transparent synthetic material protruded from it. A green, leafy substance was visible inside, they added. The incident occurred on Sol Poniente Street, between Acuario Sur and Jupiter Sur Streets, in the Centro neighborhood of Tulum. A search of the vehicle was then conducted. The following items were seized: eight large transparent packages labeled Chocolob containing a green plant material resembling marijuana, four large transparent packages labeled Honey, three large transparent packages labeled Gorilla, two large transparent packages labeled Yara, one large transparent package with a devil print, one large transparent package labeled Fresa and one large transparent package labeled Biscott, all containing the same narcotic, they detailed. In addition, 248 small ziploc-type bags with a black and white print containing solid fragments resembling crack cocaine, and a brick-shaped container wrapped in clear plastic with pink fragments resembling 2C-B (tusi). Also seized was a red cylinder labeled Evans Hydra Smart, wrapped in tan tape and a white Nissan Sentra with red stripes and Quintana Roo license plates. Riviera Maya News bringing you headline crime news for Tulum since 2014 Your official online newspaper U.S. accepts 92 high profile drug kingpins from Mexico Mexico City, Mexico A total of 92 high-profile criminals have been transferred from Mexico to the U.S. in recent months. The latest transfer of 32 was made Tuesday in a third-round according to Omar Garcia Harfuch, the Secretariat of Security and Citizen Protection of the Government of Mexico. Harfuch said some of the drug kingpins handed over to the U.S. are prominent figures such as Caro Quintero, the founder of Los Zetas, as well as heads of the CJNG and Sinaloa cartels. He said with this collective transfer of drug traffickers, the total number of high-profile criminals sent to the U.S. is now 92. The latest transfer was made days after U.S. President Donald Trump said President Claudia Sheinbaum was afraid of the cartels that are controlling Mexico and after Marco Rubio, Secretary of State, demanded concrete and verifiable results from Mexico. On February 27, 2025, the first group of 34 drug lords was extradited to the United States. Among those handed over were Rafael Caro Quintero, implicated in the murder of DEA agent Kiki Camarena as well as the founders of Los Zetas, Miguel Angel Trevino Morales and Omar Trevino Morales, known by their aliases Z-40 and Z-42 . A second group of 26 was sent August 12, 2025. That group included La Tuta, Cuini and friends of El Chapo Guzman. The United States Department of Justice released a list with the full names of the 26 drug lords handed over by the Mexican Federal Government. In their list, they highlighted high-impact criminal profiles such as Abigael Gonzalez Cuini, leader of Los Cuinis, Servando Gomez La Tuta, leader of La Familia Michoacana and El Chavo Felix, a relative of Ismael Zambada. The third group of 32 was delivered January 20, 2026. The latest transfer of 32 took place January 20, 2026. Riviera Maya News serving Quintana Roo Mexico since 2014 Your official online newspaper The Prime Ministers Office (PMO) has accepted the Workers Partys (WP) decision not to nominate a replacement for Pritam Singh as Leader of the Opposition following his High Court conviction for lying to Parliament. The decision leaves the opposition leadership post vacant under what the PMO described as exceptional circumstances. It reiterated that integrity and honesty remain fundamental prerequisites for parliamentary leadership roles. The WP stated that it takes collective ownership of the matter and will defer any nomination until the party deems it appropriate to do so. Political analysts observed that the move helps prevent internal discord and reinforces the WPs cohesion and continued support for Mr. Singh. The PMO confirmed that the position will remain vacant until the WP is prepared to nominate a member to assume the responsibility. After a tense Davos confrontation, US President Donald Trump unveiled a new framework agreement that pulled back earlier tariff threats against Europe and formally ruled out using force to pursue US interests in Greenland. The announcement helped cool mounting fears of a transatlantic trade war and signalled a pause in the heated rhetoric. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Washington presented the deal as a "strategic recalibration" rather than a climbdown, casting it as a way to secure Arctic cooperation under NATOs watch while maintaining that US leadership in the region remains essential. European leaders welcomed the move with cautious relief, viewing their unified pushback against tariffs as an unusual display of cross-Atlantic solidarity even as lingering doubts over Trumps earlier warnings persist. More on the key takeaways from Trump's Davos speech here. Read more in our live blog below, including the latest local and international news and updates. In the news release, CFE ANNOUNCES COMMENCEMENT OF CASH TENDER OFFER, issued 22-Jan-2026 by Comision Federal de Electricidad over PR Newswire, we are advised by the company that changes have been made. The complete, corrected release follows, with additional details at the end: CFE ANNOUNCES COMMENCEMENT OF CASH TENDER OFFER MEXICO CITY, Jan. 22, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- Comision Federal de Electricidad ("CFE" or the "Company"), a state-owned public company (empresa publica del Estado) of the Federal Government of the United Mexican States ("Mexico") announced today that it commenced a tender offer (the "Offer") to purchase its 4.688% Sustainable Notes due 2029 (the "2029 Notes"), 6.125% Notes due 2045 (the "2045 Notes") and 6.264% Sustainable Notes due 2052 (the "2052 Notes" and, together with the 2029 Notes and 2045 Notes, the "Notes") for an aggregate purchase price in cash, excluding accrued and unpaid interest ("Aggregate Purchase Price"), of up to US$500,000,000 (the "Maximum Consideration"), upon the terms and subject to the conditions set forth in the offer to purchase dated January 22, 2026 (as it may be amended or supplemented from time to time, the "Offer to Purchase") and subject to (1) the Acceptance Priority Procedures (as defined below) and (2) possible proration, each as described herein and in the Offer to Purchase. The following table sets forth certain information relating to the Offer: Title of Security CUSIPs ISINs Principal Amount Outstanding Acceptance Priority Level Early Tender Premium(1)(2) Early Tender Consideration(1) (3) (4) Late Tender Consideration(1) (3) Reference U.S. Treasury Security Bloomberg Reference Page Fixed Spread (basis points)(3) 4.688% Sustainable Notes due 2029 200447 AL4; P30179 BQ0 US200447AL44; USP30179BQ04 US$1,250,000,000 1 US$50 US$1,000.00 US$950.00 N/A N/A N/A 6.125% Notes due 2045 200447 AE0; P30179 AR9 US200447AE01; USP30179AR95 US$602,337,000 2 US$50 (3) (3) 4.625% due 11/15/2045 PX1 +160 6.264% Sustainable Notes due 2052 200447 AM2; P30179 BR8 US200447AM27; USP30179BR86 US$473,000,000 3 US$50 (3) (3) 4.750% due 8/15/2055 PX1 +185 _______________________________________________ (1) Per each US$1,000 principal amount of Notes. Holders who validly tender Notes and whose Notes are accepted for purchase will also receive accrued and unpaid interest ("Accrued Interest") up to, but excluding, the applicable Settlement Date (as defined herein). CFE has agreed, subject to specified exceptions and limitations, to pay additional interest to participants in the Offer to cover Mexican withholding taxes on interest payments. (2) Holders who validly tender Notes on or prior to the Early Tender Date (as defined below) will be eligible to receive the applicable Early Tender Consideration (as defined below), which includes the early tender premium for each series of Notes specified in the table above (the "Early Tender Premium"). Holders who validly tender Notes after the Early Tender Date, but at or prior to the Expiration Date (as defined below), will be eligible to receive a tender consideration equal to the applicable Early Tender Consideration minus the Early Tender Premium (the "Late Tender Consideration"). (3) The tender consideration payable per each US$1,000 principal amount of each series of Notes validly tendered on or prior to the Early Tender Date and not validly withdrawn on or prior to the Withdrawal Date (the "Early Tender Consideration") will be (i) with respect to the 2029 Notes, the Early Tender Consideration or Late Tender Consideration, as applicable, set forth in the table above, and (ii) with respect to the 2045 Notes and the 2052 Notes determined in accordance with standard market practice, as described in the Offer to Purchase, to result in a price that equates to a yield to the maturity date in accordance with the formula set forth in Annex A to the Offer to Purchase, for the applicable series of Notes, equal to the sum of (x) the yield corresponding to the bid side price of the applicable Reference U.S. Treasury Security for such series of Notes at 10:00 a.m. (New York City time) on February 5, 2026, unless extended by CFE in its sole discretion (such date and time, as the same may be extended, the "Price Determination Date") quoted on the applicable Bloomberg reference page plus (y) the applicable fixed spread specified in the table above (the "Fixed Spread") for such series of Notes. (4) Includes the Early Tender Premium for such series of Notes. Early Tender Consideration and Late Tender Consideration Holders who validly tender their Notes on or prior to 5:00 p.m. (New York City time) on February 4, 2026 (the "Early Tender Date") and do not validly withdraw their Notes on or prior to 5:00 p.m. (New York City time) on February 4, 2026 (the "Withdrawal Date") will be eligible to receive the applicable Early Tender Consideration. The applicable Early Tender Consideration includes the Early Tender Premium per US$1,000 principal amount of the series of Notes validly tendered on or prior to the Early Tender Date and not validly withdrawn on or prior to the Withdrawal Date, but does not include Accrued Interest. Accrued Interest will be payable, in cash, in addition to the applicable Early Tender Consideration. Holders who validly tender their Notes after the Early Tender Date but on or prior to 11:59 p.m. (New York City time) on February 20, 2026 (the "Expiration Date") will be eligible to receive the applicable Late Tender Consideration, which will be equal to the applicable Early Tender Consideration minus the Early Tender Premium. The Late Tender Consideration does not include Accrued Interest. Accrued Interest will be payable, in cash, in addition to the applicable Late Tender Consideration. CFE has agreed, subject to specified exceptions and limitations, to pay additional interest to participants in the Offer to cover Mexican withholding taxes on interest payments (including gains treated as interest with respect to the sale of the Notes tendered in the Offer and the applicable Accrued Interest), such that the amount received by such holders after deduction of the withholding tax on interest payments (including gains treated as interest with respect to the sale of the Notes tendered in the Offer and the applicable Accrued Interest) will equal the Early Tender Consideration or Late Tender Consideration, as applicable, and the Accrued Interest. All references to payment of the Early Tender Consideration, Late Tender Consideration and Accrued Interest will be deemed to include, if not specified, and without duplication, reference to additional interest. Determination of Consideration The Early Tender Consideration payable by CFE for each US$1,000 principal amount of the 2045 Notes and the 2052 Notes validly tendered at or prior to the Early Tender Date and not validly withdrawn on or prior to the Withdrawal Date, and accepted by CFE pursuant to the Offer, will be determined in accordance with standard market practice, as described in the Offer to Purchase, using the applicable yield to maturity (the "Offer Yield"), which will be equal to the sum of: the yield (the " Reference Yield "), as calculated by the Dealer Managers (as defined below), that equates to the bid-side price of the applicable Reference U.S. Treasury Security specified on the table above for such series of Notes at the Price Determination Date quoted on the applicable Bloomberg reference page (or any other recognized quotation source selected by the Dealer Managers in their sole discretion if such quotation report is not available or is manifestly erroneous), plus "), as calculated by the Dealer Managers (as defined below), that equates to the bid-side price of the applicable Reference U.S. Treasury Security specified on the table above for such series of Notes at the Price Determination Date quoted on the applicable Bloomberg reference page (or any other recognized quotation source selected by the Dealer Managers in their sole discretion if such quotation report is not available or is manifestly erroneous), the applicable Fixed Spread specified in the table above for such series of Notes. Accordingly, the Early Tender Consideration (which includes the Early Tender Premium) payable by CFE for each US$1,000 principal amount of the 2045 Notes and the 2052 Notes accepted by CFE will equal: the present value on the Early Settlement Date or, if there is no Early Settlement Date with respect to such series of Notes, the Final Settlement Date, as determined at the Price Determination Date, of US$1,000 principal amount of such series of Notes due on the maturity date of such Notes and all scheduled interest payments on such principal amount of such Notes to be made from (but excluding) the applicable Settlement Date, up to and including such maturity date, discounted to the applicable Settlement Date in accordance with standard market practice as described by the formula set forth in Annex A to the Offer to Purchase, at a discount rate equal to the applicable Offer Yield, minus the applicable Accrued Interest per US$1,000 principal amount of such Notes, such price being rounded to the nearest cent per US$1,000 principal amount of such Notes. The Late Tender Consideration payable by CFE for each US$1,000 principal amount of each series of Notes validly tendered and accepted by CFE, will be equal to the applicable Early Tender Consideration for such series of Notes minus the Early Tender Premium for such series of Notes. Promptly after the Price Determination Date, CFE will issue a press release specifying the Offer Yield and Early Tender Consideration with respect to the 2045 Notes and the 2052 Notes The method for calculating the Early Tender Consideration with respect to the 2045 Notes and the 2052 Notes is set forth in Annex A to the Offer to Purchase. Early Settlement and Final Settlement Following the Early Tender Date and prior to the Expiration Date, CFE may, but is not required to, accept the Notes validly tendered at or prior to the Early Tender Date (the date of such acceptance, the "Early Acceptance Date"); provided that all conditions set forth in the Offer to Purchase have been satisfied or waived by CFE (the "Early Settlement Right"). Notes accepted on the Early Acceptance Date, if any, will be settled promptly thereafter, currently expected to be on or about the third Business Day (as defined in the Offer to Purchase) following the Early Acceptance Date (the "Early Settlement Date"). The "Final Settlement Date" is the date that CFE settles all Notes not previously settled on the Early Settlement Date, if any. Assuming that the Offer is not extended and all conditions set forth in the Offer to Purchase have been satisfied or, where applicable, waived by CFE, it expects such date to be promptly following the Expiration Date, but in any case on or prior to the second Business Day following the Expiration Date, unless the Expiration Date is extended by CFE in its sole discretion (any references to "Settlement Date" are to each of the Early Settlement Date and the Final Settlement Date as context may require). Subject to applicable law, the Offer may be amended, extended or terminated. If CFE determines, in its sole discretion, to extend the Offer beyond the Expiration Date, there will be a new Settlement Date with respect to Notes validly tendered on or prior to the Expiration Date. During any extension of the Offer, all Notes previously tendered and not accepted for purchase pursuant to the Offer will remain subject to the Offer and may, subject to the terms and conditions of the Offer, be accepted for purchase by CFE. No extension of either the Early Tender Date or the Expiration Date will require the extension of withdrawal rights, unless required by applicable law. Maximum Consideration; Acceptance Priority Procedures Subject to the terms and conditions set forth in the Offer to Purchase, CFE is offering to purchase its outstanding Notes for cash for an Aggregate Purchase Price up to the Maximum Consideration. CFE expressly reserves its right, but is not required, to increase the Maximum Consideration, in its sole discretion, without extending the Early Tender Date, the Withdrawal Date, the Expiration Date or any Settlement Date or otherwise reinstating withdrawal rights. Subject to the satisfaction or waiver of the conditions of the Offer, the Notes will be purchased in accordance with their acceptance priority level (the "Acceptance Priority Level") pursuant to the following "Acceptance Priority Procedures": first , if the Aggregate Purchase Price of all Notes validly tendered at or prior to the Early Tender Date by holders does not exceed the Maximum Consideration, then CFE will accept all such Notes validly tendered. However, if the Aggregate Purchase Price of all Notes validly tendered at or prior to the Early Tender Date by holders exceeds the Maximum Consideration, then CFE will (i) accept for purchase all validly tendered Notes of each series starting at the highest Acceptance Priority Level (level 1) and moving sequentially to Notes of each series having a lower Acceptance Priority Level (the lowest of which is level 3) until the Aggregate Purchase Price of all validly tendered Notes of a series, combined with the Aggregate Purchase Price of all accepted Notes of series with higher Acceptance Priority Levels, is as close as possible to, but does not exceed, the Maximum Consideration, (ii) accept on a prorated basis validly tendered Notes of the series with the next lower Acceptance Priority Level and (iii) not accept for purchase (x) any such Notes of a series with an Acceptance Priority Level below the series prorated in accordance with (ii) hereof or (y) any Notes validly tendered after the applicable Early Tender Date (regardless of their acceptance priority level); and , if the Aggregate Purchase Price of all Notes validly tendered at or prior to the Early Tender Date by holders does not exceed the Maximum Consideration, then CFE will accept all such Notes validly tendered. However, if the Aggregate Purchase Price of all Notes validly tendered at or prior to the Early Tender Date by holders exceeds the Maximum Consideration, then CFE will (i) accept for purchase all validly tendered Notes of each series starting at the highest Acceptance Priority Level (level 1) and moving sequentially to Notes of each series having a lower Acceptance Priority Level (the lowest of which is level 3) until the Aggregate Purchase Price of all validly tendered Notes of a series, combined with the Aggregate Purchase Price of all accepted Notes of series with higher Acceptance Priority Levels, is as close as possible to, but does not exceed, the Maximum Consideration, (ii) accept on a prorated basis validly tendered Notes of the series with the next lower Acceptance Priority Level and (iii) not accept for purchase (x) any such Notes of a series with an Acceptance Priority Level below the series prorated in accordance with (ii) hereof or (y) any Notes validly tendered after the applicable Early Tender Date (regardless of their acceptance priority level); and second, if the Maximum Consideration is not exceeded at the Early Tender Date, CFE will repeat the steps described in the prior bullet using the Aggregate Purchase Price with respect to Notes validly tendered after the Early Tender Date, but at or prior to the Expiration Date, in order to determine the aggregate principal amount of such Notes that CFE will accept for purchase. All Notes, regardless of Acceptance Priority Level, that are validly tendered at or prior to the Early Tender Date will have priority over any Notes validly tendered after the Early Tender Date. All Notes not accepted as a result of proration or otherwise will be rejected from the Offer and will be promptly returned to the tendering holder. Conditions CFE's obligation to accept for purchase, and to pay for, any Notes validly tendered pursuant to the Offer is conditioned upon the satisfaction of certain conditions, as described in the Offer to Purchase, including the Financing Condition and the General Conditions (each as defined in the Offer to Purchase). The Offer is not conditioned on any minimum amount of Notes being tendered. CFE reserves the right, in its sole discretion, to waive any and all conditions of the Offer at or prior to the Early Tender Date or the Expiration Date, as applicable. The Dealer Managers CFE has retained BBVA Securities Inc., BofA Securities, Inc., Citigroup Global Markets Inc., HSBC Securities (USA) Inc., J.P. Morgan Securities LLC, Morgan Stanley & Co. LLC, Santander US Capital Markets LLC and Scotia Capital (USA) Inc. to act as dealer managers in connection with the Offer (the "Dealer Managers"). Any questions or requests for assistance regarding the Offer may be directed to the Dealer Managers at their contact information set forth below. BBVA Securities Inc. Two Manhattan West 375 9th Ave, 9th Floor New York, New York 10001 United States of America Attn: Liability Management U.S. Toll Free: +1 (800) 422-8692 Collect: +1 (212) 728-2446 Email: [email protected] BofA Securities, Inc. One Bryant Park New York, New York 10036 United States of America Attn: Liability Management Group U.S. Toll Free: +1 (888) 292-0070 Collect: +1 (646) 855-8998 Citigroup Global Markets Inc. 388 Greenwich Street, 4th Floor Trading New York, New York 10013 United States of America Attn: Liability Management Group U.S. Toll Free: +1 (800) 558-3745 Collect: +1 (212) 723-6106 Email: [email protected] HSBC Securities (USA) Inc. 66 Hudson Boulevard New York, New York 10001 United States of America Attn: Liability Management Group U.S. Toll Free: +1 (888) HSBC-4LM Collect: +1 (212) 525-5552 Email: [email protected] J.P. Morgan Securities LLC 270 Park Avenue New York, New York 10017 United States of America Attn: Latin America Debt Capital Markets U.S. Toll Free: +1 (866) 846-2874 Collect: +1 (212) 834-7279 Morgan Stanley & Co. LLC 1585 Broadway New York, New York 10036 United States of America Attn: Liability Management Group U.S. Toll Free: +1 (800) 624-1808 Collect: +1 (212) 357-1452 Email: [email protected] Santander US Capital Markets LLC 437 Madison Avenue New York, New York 10022 United States of America Attn: Liability Management U.S. Toll Free: +1 (855) 404-3636 Collect: +1 (212) 350-0660 Email: [email protected] Scotia Capital (USA) Inc. 250 Vesey Street New York, New York 10281 United States of America Attention: Liability Management Group U.S. Toll Free: +1 (800) 372-3930 Collect: +1 (212) 225-5559 The Tender Agent and the Information Agent Copies of the Offer to Purchase may be obtained from Global Bondholder Services Corporation, the tender agent (the "Tender Agent") and the information agent (the "Information Agent") for the Offer, at https://www.gbsc-usa.com/cfe/ or +1 (855) 654-2015 (toll-free) or +1 (212) 430-3774 (collect). Disclaimer This press release must be read in conjunction with the Offer to Purchase. This announcement and the Offer to Purchase contain important information which must be read carefully before any decision is made with respect to the Offer. If any holder of Notes is in any doubt as to the action it should take, it is recommended to seek its own legal, tax, accounting and financial advice, including as to any tax consequences, immediately from its stockbroker, bank manager, attorney, accountant or other independent financial or legal adviser. Any individual or company whose Notes are held on its behalf by a broker, dealer, bank, custodian, trust company or other nominee or intermediary must contact such entity if it wishes to participate in the Offer. None of the Company, the Dealer Managers, the Tender Agent and the Information Agent and any person who controls, or is a director, officer, employee or agent of any such person, or any affiliate of any such person, makes any recommendation as to whether holders of Notes should participate in the Offer. The Offer to Purchase has not been filed with or reviewed by the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, nor has it been filed with or reviewed by any federal or state securities commission or regulatory authority of any country. No authority has passed upon the accuracy or adequacy of the Offer to Purchase, and it is unlawful and may be a criminal offense to make any representation to the contrary. THE INFORMATION CONTAINED HEREIN AND IN THE OFFER TO PURCHASE IS EXCLUSIVELY CFE'S RESPONSIBILITY AND HAS NOT BEEN REVIEWED OR AUTHORIZED BY THE MEXICAN NATIONAL BANKING AND SECURITIES COMMISSION (COMISION NACIONAL BANCARIA Y DE VALORES, OR THE "CNBV"). CFE HAS NOT FILED AND WILL NOT FILE WITH THE CNBV A REQUEST FOR AUTHORIZATION OF THE OFFER. THE OFFER DOES NOT CONSTITUTE A PUBLIC OFFERING (OFERTA PUBLICA) OF ANY KIND (INCLUDING AN OFERTA PUBLICA DE ADQUISICION) IN MEXICO AND IT MAY NOT BE PUBLICLY DISTRIBUTED IN MEXICO. THE OFFER MAY ONLY BE MADE AVAILABLE IN MEXICO TO INVESTORS THAT QUALIFY AS INSTITUTIONAL OR ACCREDITED INVESTORS (INVERSIONISTAS INSTITUCIONALES OR INVERSIONISTAS CALIFICADOS), SOLELY PURSUANT TO THE PRIVATE OFFERING EXEMPTION SET FORTH IN NUMERAL I. OF ARTICLE 8 OF THE MEXICAN SECURITIES MARKET LAW (LEY DEL MERCADO DE VALORES). IN MAKING A DECISION AS TO WHETHER TO TENDER ANY OF THEIR NOTES, ALL HOLDERS MUST RELY ON THEIR OWN REVIEW AND EXAMINATION OF THE TERMS OF THE OFFER. CFE WILL NOTIFY THE CNBV OF THE RESULTS OF THE OFFER FOR INFORMATIONAL AND STATISTICAL PURPOSES ONLY, AND THE FILING OR RECEIPT OF SUCH NOTICE BY THE CNBV DOES NOT IMPLY ANY CERTIFICATION AS TO THE INVESTMENT QUALITY OF THE NOTES, CFE'S SOLVENCY, LIQUIDITY OR CREDIT QUALITY OR THE ACCURACY OR COMPLETENESS OF THE INFORMATION SET FORTH HEREIN. The Offer is being made solely on the terms and conditions set forth in the Offer to Purchase. Under no circumstances shall this press release constitute an offer to sell or a solicitation of an offer to buy any notes that may be offered by CFE as part of any financing transaction. The Offer is not being made to, nor will the Company accept tenders of Notes from, holders in any jurisdiction in which the Offer or the acceptance thereof would not be in compliance with the securities or blue sky laws of such jurisdiction. Forward-Looking Statements Statements in this press release may be forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements are information of a non-historical nature or which relate to future events and are subject to risks and uncertainties. No assurance can be given that the transactions described herein will be consummated or as to the ultimate terms of any such transactions. CFE undertakes no obligation to publicly update or revise any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information or future events or for any other reason. Correction: The timing in the Late Tender Consideration paragraph has been updated. SOURCE Comision Federal de Electricidad At the invitation of Premier of the State Council Li Qiang, Finnish Prime Minister Petteri Orpo will pay an official visit to China from January 25 to 28. CCTV: China just released the information on the official visit of the Finnish Prime Minister Orpo to China. Could you give further information on the program of this visit? What expectations does China have on this visit? Guo Jiakun: During Prime Minister Orpos visit to China, President Xi Jinping will meet with him, and Premier Li Qiang and Chairman Zhao Leji of the Standing Committee of the National Peoples Congress will hold talks and meet with him respectively. They will have an in-depth exchange of views on bilateral relations and issues of mutual interests. Finland is one of the earliest Western countries to recognize and establish diplomatic relations with the Peoples Republic of China. In recent years, under the guidance of the two heads of state, the China-Finland future-oriented new-type cooperative partnership continues to be deepened, and practical cooperation across the board has been continually advanced. China attaches great importance to the development of China-Finland relations, and stands ready to work with Finland to have closer high-level exchanges, strengthen political mutual trust, enhance economic and trade cooperation, promote people-to-people and cultural exchanges, step up mutual understanding and coordination on multilateral affairs, and jointly bring the China-Finland relationship to new heights. AFP: NATO said yesterday that its Secretary General Mark Rutte had talks with Donald Trump on security in the Arctic. A spokesperson said that there will be negotiations between Denmark, Greenland and the United States aimed at ensuring that Russia and China never gain a foothold economically or militarily in Greenland. How does China view this and recent developments regarding Greenland? Guo Jiakun: China always advocates handling state-to-state relations in accordance with the purposes and principles of the UN Charter. The so-called China threat is groundless. China opposes fabricating baseless narratives and using China as a pretext for seeking selfish gains. Rudaw Media Network: Qutaiba Idlbi, an official from the Syrian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, stated: There have been no official requests from the Chinese government to the Syrian government regarding the Uyghur fighters to return them back to China. They believe if China has such a request, they will reply accordingly. Whats your comment on that? Guo Jiakun: The Eastern Turkistan Islamic Movement (ETIM) is a terrorist organization designated by China in accordance with the law and listed by the UN Security Council. Syria commits itself to not allowing any entity to use the Syrian territory to engage in activities that undermine Chinas security, sovereignty, and interests. Hubei Media Group: Its reported that Pakistani police said yesterday the massive fire that ripped through a shopping mall on January 17 in Karachi, the capital of the province of Sindh in southern Pakistan, has so far killed 60 people. Whats Chinas comment? Guo Jiakun: China noted the tragic fire and expresses deep condolences for the lives lost and heartfelt sympathies to the bereaved families and the injured. We wish the injured a speedy recovery. NHK: The consul general position in Chongqing has remained unfilled for more than a month since the Japanese consul general left the city last month. Some say that China has not yet allowed Japan to send a new consul general. Can I have your comment on that? Guo Jiakun: China is handling the relevant matter in accordance with procedures. Reuters: At Davos last night, Trump said China made lots of wind turbines but he had not been able to find any wind farms in China. He also said China has been selling wind turbines to stupid people. Does the Foreign Ministry have any comment? Guo Jiakun: China has developed the worlds most complete policy system on reducing carbon emissions, as well as the worlds largest renewable energy system, and actively shares its achievements in green development. Chinas installed capacity of wind power has ranked 1st in the world for 15 consecutive years. Up till the end of November, 2025, Chinas installed capacity of wind power has exceeded 600 million kw. During the 14th Five-Year Plan period, the wind power and photovoltaic products China exported helped reduce around 4.1 billion tonnes of carbon emissions in other countries in total. Chinas efforts in combating climate change and advancing the global development and application of renewable energy are widely recognized. As a responsible major developing country, China stands ready to work with all sides to continue to promote global green and low-carbon transition, and jointly build a clean and beautiful world. China Daily: China recently criticized the disinformation and smear campaign against China by a spokesperson of the Philippine Coast Guard. The Department of Foreign Affairs of the Philippines yesterday in a statement affirmed its support for publicly elected officials and government institutions performing their lawful duties in defense of Philippine sovereignty, sovereign rights, and jurisdiction. It also reiterated that differences between States are best addressed through established diplomatic channels rather than public exchanges. Can I have your comment on that? Guo Jiakun: Earlier this week, weve stated Chinas serious position on the remarks by this spokesperson of the Philippine Coast Guard. The head of the Chinese MFAs Department of Asian Affairs summoned the Philippine Ambassador to China this morning to once again lodge serious protest. It must be stressed that the Philippine side has long turned a blind eye to its Coast Guard spokesperson making inflammatory, confrontational, misleading and baseless remarks against China on maritime issues. China does not accept that. Time for the Philippine side to undo the negative impact as soon as possible and stop tolerating the smear campaign and provocations, lest they disrupt normal diplomatic communication or further harm bilateral relations. AFP: Donald Trump is expected to hold a signing ceremony in Davos today for his Board of Peace. A senior Trump administration official said yesterday that about 35 of 50 world leaders have accepted invitations to join. How does China view this Board of Peace and is it considering joining? Guo Jiakun: We have answered questions regarding the Board of Peace and have nothing to add at the moment. Reuters: Also at Davos, President Trump said that he is working to make sure that America remains the crypto capital of the world. He said that China wanted that market and he said that we have to make it so that China doesnt get hold of it. Does the Foreign Ministry have any comment on his remarks? Guo Jiakun: China actively involves itself in multilateral and bilateral monetary and financial cooperation, global macro policy coordination and international financial rulemaking. For anything specific, Id refer you to competent authorities. AFP: French company Lactalis announced a major recall of infant formula in several countries including China. This follows similar recalls by Nestle this month. French authorities say that they have linked these recalls to a single Chinese supplier, which they have not named. Does the Foreign Ministry have any more information or comment on the situation? Guo Jiakun: Im not familiar with that. The Chinese government attaches high importance to food safety and will continue taking effective measures to protect the legitimate rights and interests of consumers. Sign up for the Slatest to get the most insightful analysis, criticism, and advice out there, delivered to your inbox daily. Youve seen the Glambotthe slow-motion camera stationed on the red carpet at all of the big award shows, capturing celebs either nailing a quick pose or embarrassing themselves. Well, I never thought Id type this sentence, but: Some drama has recently unfolded that has turned the Glambots lens into crosshairs pointed right at its director (and the face of the carpet gimmick), Cole Walliser. The whole scenario is rather unintelligible and perplexingit somehow involves wedding planning and Jennifer Lopez?but dont worry if youd rather not follow the so-called scandal yourself. Im here to break down the latest target of the internets pitchforks. Who is Cole Walliser, what is a Glambot, and why are people talking about either or both of these things? The Glambot is the infamous camera that is featured, via E!, on the red carpet for many awards shows. Youd likely know a Glambot video if you saw it: Celebrities are asked to strike an easy pose in their designer gowns and tuxedos, and when it goes well, it results in a beautiful clip of your favorite celebrity. When it goes poorly, it results in a timeless meme. The person who directs the Glambot for E!s red carpet coverage is Cole Walliser, a Canadian content creator whose previous work included shooting concert footage for Katy Perry and Pink. Walliser has been directing the Glambot since approximately 2016, and his job seems to include introducing the celebrities to the camera, telling them the way the camera moves, advising them on poses, and then deciding which shot the camera operators will use to best capture their famous subject. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement If you knew Walliser, it was as the kind and cheerful guy coaxing the celebs through the camera process. Now, hes the internets public enemy. And it all somehow started with JLo. As in Jennifer Lopez? What? Walliser often posts Glambot clips from the carpet to his personal accounts. About a week ago, a video of Lopez doing the Glambot at the Golden Globes red carpet caught the attention of the online publicand not in a good way. In it, Lopez is particularly tight-lipped and efficient, failing to say much to Walliser or address him warmly. As one of the top comments on the post reads: My favorite part was when she didnt look at, speak to, or smile at you. This clip went viral on social media, developing into a larger conversation about Lopezs long-alleged rudenessa conversation that it seems like we have every three business days. (Or, as one of my colleagues aptly said: JLo being rude? Fork found in kitchen.) Some internet sleuths found other angles of the interaction as well as older clips of Lopez doing the Glambot as proof of Lopezs alleged discourtesy toward Walliser over the years. Advertisement Advertisement I still dont see how this turned into Walliser getting canceled. Well, thats where it gets complicated. A few days ago, Walliser posted a video with a full-throated defense of Lopez. In it he assures people that Glambot videos are completely elective, so he has a fondness for any celebrity who stops to do it. He also explains that red carpets are so insane and a crazy environment with celebrities getting ushered to hey do this thing, do this thing, do this thing while paparazzi are screaming at them. Walliser also reminds people that when celebrities are on the red carpet theyre at work, and just like us laypeople, they might be Chatty Cathys at work or more tight-lipped. He asserts that he has never felt that people were rude to him and that if they are distracted or terse he doesnt take it personally. He explains that Lopez arrived after the carpet was closed and she was hurrying to get inside. He even defended her lack of eye contact: It was clear to him that she had already decided what pose she wanted to do and that pose just happened to start facing away from him, he said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Plenty of celebrities sang his praises in the Instagram comments. Rachel Zegler commented that Walliser is always the kindest face to run into on what is otherwise an intensely pressure-filled evening, Ashley Park called Walliser a sweetie; Eiza Gonzalez commented that Walliser is the absolute sweetest always. So how did this turn into a hate train against him? That evening another post went viral, but this time Walliser was framed as the villain. It showed a screengrab of an email exchange from 2019 between Walliser and a bride-to-be, Yinka Animashaun. The emails show Animashaun asking Walliser for his availability and rates to bring the Glambot to her wedding. Instead of just providing the requested information, Walliser responds by explaining what the Glambot is (presumably, the woman who solicited him already knows), and saying It is not cheap, if you feel like something like this might be within your budget range, then I am happy to discuss further. When Animashaun asserts that it is likely something within her budget range, Walliser still doesnt give her the requested info, instead firing back with a dubious: I dont see how you could be since I didnt say how much it was and could be between $10,000 and $1,000,000. She responds asserting that she assumed it was going to be expensive and then asked for the steps to book. It takes even more back-and-forth before Walliser finally tells her that its $300,000. $300,000?!?!?!?! In his emails, he alleges that the cost covers a crew of about 15 people plus network set ups, rehearsals, gear drop off, camera rental, lighting rental, insurance, permits, etc etc etc. Though wedding services always cost more than they seem like they should, plenty of people have pointed out that theres no reason this should be so expensive. One of those people is Nigel Barker, the notable fashion photographer and Americas Next Top Model judge, who commented on an Instagram post that he used to creative-direct the Glambot several years ago and has since booked the camera system on other jobs like for an ALO Yoga campaign. Barker states: It costs around $25K for basic package in NY or LA. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Understandably, this has also brought up some very good questions about who even owns the Glambot, whether Walliser is even needed to operate it, and how he became such a known personality that this discourse is even something people care to participate in. Innnnteresting. So, is that where their email correspondence ends? I wish! Animashaun then says she will reach out by that Monday (the email exchange is dated to March 1, 2019a Friday). But, puzzlingly, Walliser responds: If you wanted to know how much it costs you just needed to ask, you dont need to pretend you are going to book it. Naturally, this bristly response baffled Animashaun, who then decided not to pursue it any further. As Animashauns post was going viralon X it has received 46,000 likes and 6 million views and has even been reposted by Pop Cravea response tweet by someone who goes by @EyesOnRoman, consisting of a screenshot from 2019 of his own conversation with Walliser, also gained some traction. The screenshot shows the user DMing Walliser on Instagram to ask if they could book Walliser for their wedding. According to the image, Walliser responded: Hey dude. I mean you caaaaaaaaaaan but theres a reason the Glambot is only at the Oscars, the Grammys and the Golden Globes, before ending the message with five money-bag emojis. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement OK, I cant say that I know who Cole Walliser is, but I will admit that all of this does sound unnecessarily rude. Its certainly not the way I would handle potential clients as a freelancer, but to each their own. Also, 2019 was seven years ago at this pointmaybe hes changed? But it is worth noting that some people are pointing out the possibility of a racial element to Wallisers assumption that these people couldnt afford the Glambot, considering that both parties who reached out to Walliser are nonwhite (Walliser is multiracial). Advertisement But now people are making memes and joking about Wallisers presumptuous responses. Meanwhile others are lambasting him for his rudeness. Not to be all Hollywood conspiracy theorist-y, but is there a chance JLo orchestrated this to blow some of the heat off of her? Whats so random about thisdespite the obviousis that all of this blew up after Walliser was trying to explain away the reasons people were mad at Lopez in the first place. He was coming to her defense and instead got Milkshake Ducked. Plenty of people on X have made jokes about Lopez being behind Wallisers downfall. While it seems unlikely Lopez would bother addressing an accusation of rudenessa reputation that has already been following her for yearsit is an interesting feat of timing that Lopez was caught on camera handing an unhoused man cash on Tuesday. The comments and responses are full of people launching similar criticisms that Lopezs team staged the interaction. Has the Glambot guy responded to any of this? Not yet, but you know who has? The original creator of the Glambot, prominent music video director Joseph Kahn. In a Tuesday post to X, Kahn claimed that he created the camera tech in 2016, stating that The lighting, camera work, lens choices, and methodology are all my design. He continued by explaining that he stopped directing the Glambot because he was too busy with other work. However, he did add that his original intention behind the camera was not to just be a series of poses but to tell a story and get to know the celebrities. Advertisement Additionally, Animashaun spoke to People magazine about her online interaction with Walliser. In her statement she explains: As a Black woman, I am no stranger to people making assumptions about who I am or what I am capable of, but I think his responses to me were exceptionally unprofessional and unkind. She added that to this day, his response shocks me, before concluding that she hopes this whole ordeal can be a learning experience for him and enable him [to] be better or at least a bit more kind. Advertisement I cant lie. Im surprised that people care about this at all. Me too! And dare I say: We shouldnt! We know too much about too many people these days. As one X user put it: We shouldnt know the name or face of the glambot guy. And also, can I posit that the Glambot is kinda annoying now? We as a society have moved past it. We can just talk to celebrities on red carpets about their work and how theyre doingthats always been fine. This whole ordeal is a great reminder of how scattered the concept of celebrity and notability is these days. This is simply a byproduct of the influencer economyand one of the downsides to the growing reality that truly anyone can achieve some version of fame. This controversy (if you can even call it that) will come and go, but the machine that allowed it to emerge in the first place will simply churn out a new milquetoast scandal surrounding a familiar internet face in a few weeks time. Dont say I didnt warn you. Sign up for the Slatest to get the most insightful analysis, criticism, and advice out there, delivered to your inbox daily. On Tuesday, Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney gave a speech on the need for middle-sized countries to now form their own alliances, breaking away from the destructive dominance of great powers, including the United States. On Wednesday, President Donald Trump gave a speech that unintentionally confirmed Carneys message and heightened its urgency. Both speeches were delivered at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, an annual confab of the globes political and financial leaders that usually sparks little interest outside its walls. But this years session is worth all of our attentionits marking the pivot to a whole new world. Trumps speech, lasting an hour and 12 minutes, was full of his familiar ramble of lies, ignorance, and insults. The difference was that almost everyone in this audience saw through the nonsense and wasnt amused. (Laughs were few; applause was tepid.) The only newsworthy moment came when the president said that he wouldnt use military force to acquire Greenland, prompting a sigh of relief from Europeans and a halt to Tuesdays tanking of the stock market. But then he doubled down on his insistence that the U.S. had once owned the icy island (untrue) and needs to reacquire it for national security (also untrue). Otherwise, it was a litany of false boasts (ending eight-plus wars, lowering food and gas prices, opening hundreds of steel plants across America) and baseless grievances. The latter included the stolen 2020 election, the ingratitude of everyone he has helped, and a NATO alliance in which the U.S. does everything and Europe does nothing. (He neglected, among other things, that the allies came to our aid after the 9/11 attacks, invoking the treatys Article 5 for the first time, and subsequently lost about 900 of their troops during the war in Afghanistan.) Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement It was a rude speech, maybe the rudest by a national leader in Davos history. Partly for that reason, it was also a remarkably unimportant speechbecause it failed to address, in any serious way, the Canadian leaders speech, which is being widely recognized as setting the agenda for our time. (Trump briefly scoffed at Carneys address, suggesting that he had heard it.) The prime ministers main message was that the rules-based international order, which has shaped world politics since the end of World War II, is deadand not likely to be revived. He noted that it was always a bit of a myth anyway, and that Americas allies pretended to embrace it because, for much of this time but especially during the Cold War, bowing to U.S. dominance was an acceptable cost of enjoying U.S. economic favors and security guarantees. Now, under Trump, the benefits of this arrangement have been reduced, if not eliminated. Though Carney was careful not to utter Trumps name or even draw too explicit a contrast with previous presidents, his point was clear: Advertisement Over the past two decades, a series of crises in finance, health, energy, and geopolitics have laid bare the risks of extreme global integration. But more recently, great powers have begun using economic integration as weapons, tariffs as leverage, financial infrastructure as coercion, supply chains as vulnerabilities to be exploited. You cannot live within the lie of mutual benefit through integration when integration becomes the source of your subordination. Advertisement In response to these changes, he said, middle powers, such as Canada, must engage in principled pragmatism and band together. He elaborated: This is not naive multilateralism. Its building coalitions that work issue by issue with partners who share enough common ground to act together creating a dense web of connections across trade, investment, culture on which we can draw for future challenges and opportunities. Our view is, the middle powers must act together, because if were not at the table, were on the menu. Advertisement Advertisement Unwittingly, in his speech the next day, Trump confirmed the point, bellowing the many ways that he could eat the middle countries for breakfast, bombing and tariffing them into oblivion if he so chose. Its not the first time hes made such bellicose boasts. In an interview this month with the New York Times, a conversation that Carney and everyone else at Davos no doubt read closely, the president said he feels limited in his actions not by international law but only by my own morality, my own mindits the only thing that can stop me. Observing his morality and mind on unvarnished display at Davos, the leaders of middle-sized countries could conclude only that Carneys was the most plausible path to not just peace and prosperity but, perhaps, survival. Advertisement Advertisement Related From Slate Why Does Greenland Look So Big on the Map? Read More It is a path strewn with risk. Carney noted the need for middle countries to spend more on defense, as Canada and others are already doing to some extent. He sidestepped the fact that, at least presently, neither NATO nor any other alliance can organize, much less mount, an effective defense against a determined aggressor without American leadership. Ive asked defense experts in Berlin and London how long it would take for, say, the European Union to build a cohesive, truly independent defense force if they started right now with the necessary budgets. They have all answered with the same estimate: about 10 years. Advertisement This is the craw that sticks in the throats of mindful Europeans who talk about strategic autonomy. This is why they have kowtowed to Trump, praised his wisdom, pretended that their compliments stem from respect and not, as is really the case, from fear of abandonment. The new thing in trans-Atlantic (and trans-Pacific) relationswhich this session of Davos has highlighted in the wake of Trumps vindictive tariffs and imperial threats toward Greenlandis that the pretense can no longer be sustained. As Carney put it, the bargain, which the middle countries have observed with their protector all these decades, no longer works. We participated in the rituals, and we largely avoided calling out the gaps between rhetoric and reality, but now, Carney noted, the gaps have grown too large. We are in the midst of a rupture, not a transition. Advertisement Advertisement Its clear the prime minister understands that ruptures are harder to navigate than transitions, especially when it comes to national security and defense. Advertisement This has been a season of newly prominent leaders quoting great radical thinkers. New Yorks new mayor, Zohran Mamdani, began his victory speech by quoting Eugene Debs. Carneys Davos speech drew a great deal from Vaclav Havels writings on the power of the powerless. In this spirit, I will close, a bit soberly, with a famous line from the Italian Communist Antonio Gramscis Prison Notebooks: The old world is dying, and the new world struggles to be born; now is the time of monsters. Carney laid out a vision of the new world, where from the fracture we can build something bigger, better, stronger, more just. But the tense drama of the next few months and years may be in how theyand all of usdeal with the monsters. FILE - A woman walks by a giant screen with a logo at an event at the Paris Google Lab on the sidelines of the AI Action Summit in Paris, on Feb. 9, 2025. (AP Photo/Thibault Camus,File) SAN FRANCISCO (AP) Google is leveraging its artificial intelligence technology to open a new peephole for its dominant search engine to tailor answers that draw upon people's interests, habits, travel itineraries and photo libraries. The new option rolling out Thursday will give millions of people the option of turning on a recently introduced tool called Personal Intelligence within the AI mode that has been available on Google's search engine since last year. The technology will be first offered in the U.S. to Google AI Pro and Ultra subscribers, as well as an option within its experimental Labs division for anyone with a personal Google account. If turned on, the new tool will plug Google's AI Mode into Gmail and the Google Photos app so the technology can learn more about each user's life and deliver more relevant answers tailored to personal tastes. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement For instance, someone might ask for suggestions for a weekend getaway and get a quick recommendation based on past trips and experiences. Or, when in AI mode, the search engine might automatically know a person's favorite restaurants or recognize preferred clothing styles by reviewing old pictures stored in Google Photos. Personal Intelligence transforms Search into an experience that feels uniquely yours by connecting the dots across your Google apps, Robby Stein, a vice president in Google Search, wrote in a blog post. Stein also warned Personal Intelligence won't always deliver the best answers, a pitfall that he said users can help correct by telling AI mode with words or a thumbs-down symbol. Turning on the option will require users to trust Google's search engine to protect the details that it is fed about their lives. But millions of people already have been doing that implicitly for decades while entering sometimes intimate queries into the search engine or sharing personal information within Gmail and the Photos app. Bringing Personal Intelligence to Google search is the latest sign of the company's ambitions to make its arsenal of digital services even more powerful with a boost from the latest AI model, Gemini 3i, that came out in November. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Earlier this month, Google took its first steps toward turning Gmail into a personal assistant powered by AI and now it's getting a chance to play a bigger role in a search engine that remains the foundation of its internet empire. Geminis tentacles will even be extending into the iPhone, iPad and Mac after Apple decided last week to team up with Google to bring more AI tools to those products. The partnership will focus on a long-delayed effort to turn Apples often-bumbling digital assistant, Siri, into a more conversational and versatile aide. Although Google's search engine was condemned as an illegal monopoly in 2024 by a U.S. federal judge, it remains the internet's main gateway while trying to fend off competitive threats from AI-powered answer engines offered by up-and-coming innovators such as ChatGPT and Perplexity. The potentially revolutionary changes being wrought by AI helped persuade the judge who branded Google a monopoly to reject a proposal by the U.S. Justice Department that would have forced the company to sell its Chrome web browser to curb future abuses in the market. VIRGINIA BEACH, Va., Jan. 22, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- Chorus Intelligence, a leading provider of investigative and intelligence software for law enforcement and public safety agencies, announced the appointment of Hailey Wolfe as U.S. Customer Success Manager (CSM). Wolfe brings more than 11 years of experience from the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), where she advanced complex investigations through intelligence analysis, threat assessments, and social media exploitation that contributed to successful prosecutions. Throughout her career, she served as a keynote speaker and presenter on investigative best practicesincluding OSINT, social media exploitation, and behavioral threat assessmentfor law enforcement partners across New England. In addition to her investigative work, Wolfe led targeted violence prevention initiatives and managed a multidisciplinary threat assessment team supporting agencies across the region. Prior to joining Chorus Intelligence, she was a Chorus Intelligence Suite (CIS) super-user at FBI Boston, leveraging the platform to identify threats, assess persons of concern, and produce actionable, courtroom-ready intelligence. "Hailey joins Chorus at an exciting time as we continue to grow our US customer base, the team and the capabilities of the CIS," said Neil Chivers, CEO of Chorus Intelligence. "Her depth of investigative experience with the FBI, combined with her firsthand knowledge of the CIS, gives her a unique ability to support our customers. She understands the real-world pressures analysts and investigators face and is deeply aligned with our mission to help agencies work faster, smarter, and more collaboratively." Wolfe's transition from customer to team member reflects her belief in the platform's impact and her desire to help agencies maximize their resources. "After more than a decade at the FBI, I had never used a platform that brought together OSINT, social media exploitation, analytics, and reporting in the way the CIS does," said Hailey Wolfe, U.S. Customer Success Manager at Chorus Intelligence. "I've seen firsthand how the software helps locate threats with minimal identifiers, uncover hidden connections, preserve critical data, and deliver actionable intelligence quickly. I'm excited to work alongside our customers, relate to their challenges, and help them achieve the same success I experienced using the platform." Wolfe joins the US Customer Success team, where she will focus on helping U.S. clients fully adopt and optimize the Chorus Intelligence Suite to support investigative outcomes and community safety. About Chorus Intelligence Chorus Intelligence is a trusted supplier of data cleansing, analysis, search and entity enrichment software for law enforcement, government agencies, financial and corporate institutions across the globe. Made up of one platform and a single user interface, the Chorus Intelligence Suite (CIS) can be used by all, no matter your role, to get answers from your data. Chorus is used by many North American agencies at the Federal, State, and local levels. chorusintel.com SOURCE Chorus Intelligence - North America By Foo Yun Chee BRUSSELS, Jan 20 (Reuters) - The EU plans to phase out components and equipment from high-risk suppliers in critical sectors, according to a draft proposal released by Brussels on Tuesday - a move criticised by China's Huawei, which is set to be among the companies affected. The measures, set out by the European Commission in revisions to the EU's Cybersecurity Act, follow a rise in cyber and ransomware attacks and growing concerns over foreign interference, espionage and Europe's reliance on non-EU technology suppliers. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The Commission, the 27-nation bloc's executive arm, did not name any companies or countries. Europe has, however, been tightening scrutiny of Chinese technology. Germany recently appointed an expert commission to reassess trade policy toward Beijing and has banned the use of Chinese components in future 6G telecoms networks. The U.S. banned approvals of new telecoms equipment from Huawei and Chinese rival ZTE in 2022 and has urged European allies to follow suit. "Chinese companies have long operated in Europe in compliance with laws and regulations and have never endangered Europe's national security," Guo Jiakun, a spokesperson for China's foreign ministry, said on Wednesday. He urged the EU to avoid "going further down the wrong path of protectionism". Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement NEW MEASURES CREATE MORE SAFETY, TECH SOVEREIGNTY, EU SAYS "With the new Cybersecurity Package, we will have the means in place to better protect our critical (information and communications technology) supply chains but also to combat cyber attacks decisively," EU tech chief Henna Virkkunen said in a statement. Huawei echoed criticism from China's foreign ministry. "A legislative proposal to limit or exclude non-EU suppliers based on country of origin, rather than factual evidence and technical standards, violates the EU's basic legal principles of fairness, non-discrimination, and proportionality, as well as its WTO (World Trade Organization) obligations," a Huawei spokesperson said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "We will closely monitor the subsequent development of the legislative process and reserve all rights to safeguard our legitimate interests," she said. The new measures will apply to 18 key sectors identified by the Commission, including detection equipment, connected and automated vehicles, electricity supply and storage systems, water supply systems, and drones and counterdrone systems. Cloud services, medical devices, surveillance equipment, space services and semiconductors are also classified as critical. The EU adopted a 5G security "toolbox" in 2020 to curb the use of perceived high-risk vendors such as Huawei over concerns about sabotage or espionage. Some countries have yet to remove such equipment due to its high replacement cost. Under Tuesday's proposals, mobile operators will have 36 months from the publication of the high-risk supplier list to phase out key components. Phase-out periods for fixed networks, including fibre-optic and submarine cables, as well as satellite networks, will be announced later. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "This is an important step in securing our European technological sovereignty and ensuring greater safety for all," Virkkunen said. Restrictions on suppliers from countries deemed to pose cybersecurity risks would take effect only after a formal risk assessment initiated by the Commission or at least three EU countries. Any measures would be based on market analysis and impact assessments. Telecoms lobby group Connect Europe warned that the proposals would increase the burden on the industry, with additional regulatory costs running into the billions of euros. The updated Cybersecurity Act must still be negotiated with EU governments and the European Parliament in the coming months before it becomes law. (Reporting by Foo Yun Chee; Additional reporting by Liz Lee in Beijing; Editing by Joe Bavier and Mark Potter) 2 min read Thales Alenia Space, the joint venture between Thales (67%) and Leonardo (33%), announced that it has been awarded a contract by the French Space Agency (CNES), in partnership with the French Defense Procurement Agency (DGA), for the DESIR program (Demonstrateur des Elements Souverains dImagerie Radar*). The contract covers the development and realization of the radar payload and the associated user ground segment. Tech News Of The Day The DESIR program aims to develop technologies for a sovereign French space radar imaging capability, complementing existing international agreements, and thus represents a key milestone in building a national radar imaging sector a critical technology for the Armed Forces in support of the countrys strategic autonomy. All-weather, day/night observation, enabled by synthetic aperture radar (SAR), will complement Frances existing optical Earth observation capabilities used for intelligence and surveillance. These capabilities also support vitally important dual-use applications, including environmental monitoring, crisis management, and maritime surveillance. The program will draw on Thales Alenia Spaces capabilities in Earth observation instruments and ground segments. In particular, teams responsible for altimetry will contribute to the development of the imaging radar, while the user ground segment will leverage the companys expertise already proven on export programs. An innovative consortium serving capability requirements Thales Alenia Space in France, Loft Orbital and TEKEVER France have combined their expertise under a consortium arrangement, further strengthened by the involvement of French SMEs. As the consortium lead, Loft Orbital will be responsible for the satellite and the ground control segment. Thales Alenia Space in France will deliver the payload and the user ground segment, working closely with TEKEVER France, which will develop the active antenna integrated into the imager. This partnership ensures that critical building blocks remain under national control and that the associated intellectual property stays within France. The program is expected to enter service in early 2029, followed by two years of operation, which will allow the Government to evaluate this innovative model in terms of meeting its sovereign capacity needs. A lasting contribution to French sovereignty The DESIR program builds on the DGAs and CNES ongoing efforts to foster a more agile defense space sector, notably through the pacte Espace and Cercle de Confiance Espace initiatives. Beyond its operational dimension, DESIR will help strengthen Frances economic sovereignty and sustain cutting-edge space expertise in-country. We are delighted to be working closely with Loft Orbital and TEKEVER France on the DESIR program, a mission that will serve Frances space sovereignty in radar imaging, said Herve Derrey, CEO of Thales Alenia Space. I would like to thank CNES and the DGA for their continued confidence. Thales Alenia Space will build on its expertise in developing radar altimeters and Earth observation ground segments to deliver this outstanding program. This article has been reviewed according to Science X's editorial process and policies . Editors have highlighted the following attributes while ensuring the content's credibility: Left: The share of AI-written Python functions (20192024) grows rapidly, but countries differ in their adoption rates. The U.S. leads the early adoption of generative AI, followed by European nations such as France and Germany. From 2023 onward, India rapidly catches up, whereas adoption in China and Russia progresses more slowly. Right: Comparing usage rates for the same programmers at different points in time, generative AI adoption is associated with increased productivity (commits), breadth of functionality (library use) and exploration of new functionality (library entry), but only for senior developers, while early-career developers do not derive any statistically significant benefits from using generative AI. Credit: Complexity Science Hub (CSH) Generative AI is reshaping software developmentand fast. A new study published in Science shows that AI-assisted coding is spreading rapidly, though unevenly: in the U.S., the share of new code relying on AI rose from 5% in 2022 to 29% in early 2025, compared with just 12% in China. AI usage is highest among less experienced programmers, but productivity gains go to seasoned developers. The software industry is enormous. In the U.S. economy alone, firms spend an estimated $600 billion a year in wages on coding-related work. Every day, billions of lines of code keep the global economy running. How is AI changing this backbone of modern life? A research team led by the Complexity Science Hub (CSH) found that by the end of 2024, around one-third of all newly written software functionsself-contained subroutines in a computer programin the United States were already being created with the support of AI systems. "We analyzed more than 30 million Python contributions from roughly 160,000 developers on GitHub, the world's largest collaborative programming platform," says Simone Daniotti of CSH and Utrecht University. GitHub records every step of codingadditions, edits, improvementsallowing researchers to track programming work across the globe in real time. Python is one of the most widely used programming languages in the world. Regional gaps are large The team used a specially trained AI model to identify whether blocks of code were AI-generated, for instance via ChatGPT or GitHub Copilot. "The results show extremely rapid diffusion," explains Frank Neffke, who leads the Transforming Economies group at CSH. "In the U.S., AI-assisted coding jumped from around 5% in 2022 to nearly 30% in the last quarter of 2024." At the same time, the study found wide differences across countries. "While the share of AI-supported code is highest in the U.S. at 29%, Germany reaches 23% and France 24%, followed by India at 20%, which has been catching up fast," he says, while Russia (15%) and China (12%) still lagged behind at the end of the study. "It's no surprise the U.S. leadsthat's where the leading LLMs come from. Users in China and Russia have faced barriers to accessing these models, blocked by their own governments or by the providers themselves, though VPN workarounds exist. Recent domestic Chinese breakthroughs like DeepSeek, released after our data ends in early 2025, suggest this gap may close quickly," says Johannes Wachs, a faculty member at CSH and associate professor at Corvinus University of Budapest. Experienced developers benefit most The study shows that the use of generative AI increased programmers' productivity by 3.6% by the end of 2024. "That may sound modest, but at the scale of the global software industry it represents a sizable gain," says Neffke, who is also a professor at Interdisciplinary Transformation University Austria (IT:U). The study finds no differences in AI usage between women and men. By contrast, experience levels matter: less experienced programmers use generative AI in 37% of their code, compared to just 27% for experienced programmers. Despite this, the productivity gains the study documents are driven exclusively by experienced users. "Beginners hardly benefit at all," says Daniotti. Generative AI therefore does not automatically level the playing field; it can widen existing gaps. In addition, experienced software developers experiment more with new libraries and unusual combinations of existing software tools. "This suggests that AI does not only accelerate routine tasks, but also speeds up learning, helping experienced programmers widen their capabilities and more easily venture into new domains of software development," says Wachs. Economic gains What does all of this mean for the economy? "The U.S. spends an estimated $637 billion to $1.06 trillion annually in wages on programming tasks, according to an analysis of about 900 different occupations," says co-author Xiangnan Feng from CSH. If 29% of code is AI-assisted and productivity rises by 3.6%, that adds between $23 and $38 billion in value each year. "This is likely a conservative estimate," Neffke points out. "The economic impact of generative AI in software development was already substantial at the end of 2024 and is likely to have increased further since our analysis." Looking ahead Software development is undergoing profound transformation. AI is becoming central to digital infrastructure, boosting productivity and fostering innovationbut mainly for people who already have substantial work experience. "For businesses, policymakers, and educational institutes, the key question is not whether AI will be used, but how to make its benefits accessible without reinforcing inequalities," says Wachs. "When even a car has essentially become a software product, we need to understand the hurdles to AI adoptionat the company, regional, and national levelsas quickly as possible," Neffke adds. More information: Simone Daniotti, Who is using AI to code? Global diffusion and impact of generative AI, Science (2026). DOI: 10.1126/science.adz9311. www.science.org/doi/10.1126/science.adz9311 Journal information: Science This article has been reviewed according to Science X's editorial process and policies . Editors have highlighted the following attributes while ensuring the content's credibility: Credit: Angel Bena from Pexels Colorado State University has partnered with Microsoft to pilot a university-wide artificial intelligence system similar to ChatGPT that places the land-grant institution at the front of the pack in collaborations between higher education and AI companies. Unlike ChatGPT, the custom-built CSU-GPT and its forthcoming companion RamGPT were designed on a secure network, CSU administrators said. That means information submitted by students, staff and faculty will not be used to train Microsoft's broader large language model, allowing sensitive research and student information to be entered into CSU's chatbots safely, said Brandon Bernier, vice president for information technology and chief information officer. "We get this secure, private fence that goes around all of our data, so whatever happens here stays here," Bernier said in an interview. "The models aren't getting trained on it. All of our institutional data is then protected, and that's an important thing for our researchers, students and faculty." Users can ask generative AI chatbots questions or give them prompts, and the programs draw information gathered from the internet or programmed into their network to create text responses, images and sounds to fulfill the queries. (The Denver Post and other newspapers have sued ChatGPT maker OpenAI and Microsoft, alleging the companies illegally harvested copyrighted articles to create their generative AI systems.) CSU's decision to invest in widespread AI adoption has elicited a range of reactions from the campus community. Bernier acknowledged that "there are folks who want us to use it for everything and then there are the folks who don't want it to be used for anything." University leaders emphasized the need to prepare students for the future workforce and the potential for staff and faculty to use the technology to relieve administrative burden by offloading academic drudgery. Some faculty members expressed enthusiasm over the institution's commitment to the budding technology, while others were wary about encouraging plagiarism and skirting critical thinking, as well as AI's environmental toll. "I am really, really disappointed in the whole thing," said Hannah Parcells, a CSU senior double-majoring in political science and psychology. "I just think encouraging the use of generative AI, which inherently allows students to think less, is really antithetical to an educational institution." CSU leaders are encouraging the campus to take a balanced approach when sizing up the new initiative. RamGPT will be tailored for students when it launches this spring, while CSU-GPT, which debuted in October, was designed for the campus community at large, they said. The university paid Microsoft $120,000 for the AI initiative in 2025 and will spend $142,000 on it this year and $142,000 next year, according to university spokesperson Tiana Kennedy. A representative from Microsoft declined to be interviewed for this story. "It feels like we have been on this journey from catch-up to capability," Bernier said. "AI technology moved quickly, and it's been a much more rapid evolution than some other technology cycles with the help of Microsoft and a number of other folks, we're in a spot where we're leading We created this strategic partnership with Microsoft, and we are one of few institutions who have this." Mixed feelings According to the university's website, users can upload files like class schedules or academic calendars into CSU-GPT, ask it questions to receive "current" and "factual" information, and use the program to "generate ideas, write content or analyze data." David Edwards, CSU's director of web services, is reaching out to university employees about what administrative tasks feel most tedious and how he can better automate them using CSU-GPT. The programs are being fed information about university-specific resources and protocols so a student could query for mental health help or yoga classes offered on campus and find everything they need in one spot, he said. The technology could also be used like an online career center, Bernier said. The generative AI could assist in making resumes, writing cover letters, creating LinkedIn profiles or preparing for job interviews, he said. "We're not wanting to take anybody's work and replace it with AI," Edwards said. "This is something that can help you do your job. We want to make sure there is a human in the loop. This is not automation. This is not taking people out of any of these processes." Bruce Draper, a CSU computer science professor, said it's a positive thing that his university is investing in this technology. "The world is changing so quickly that I would be uncomfortable if we weren't doing something like this," Draper said. "Not that there aren't going to be issues. It's not going to be perfect on the first rollout." The majority of other higher education institutions are proceeding more cautiously, according to 2025 research from the Chronicle of Higher Education. The publication surveyed 93 technology leaders at two- and four-year colleges in the United States. The survey found 13% of respondents said their institution was moving "full speed ahead" in their generative AI approach, 53% said they were moving gradually and a third said they were proceeding "slow and cautious." In October, CSU held an event on campus launching the Microsoft partnership, at which President Amy Parsons said the AI landscape is changing quickly. This was a reason to lead in the space instead of hesitating, she said. "AI has the potential to transform just about everything we do, from unlocking new ways to solve global challenges to supporting our daily workflows," Parsons said at the event. "Rams deserve a world-class education and the very best tools to prepare them for careers in industries where AI is a differentiator." Members of the computer science department discussed how best to test and introduce the technology. They decided to start small, Draper said, by testing it out on a few classes. Draper and his colleagues are uploading course materialstextbooks, readings, PowerPoint slides, lecture notesinto the program so that a student with a burning question in the middle of the night could type it into CSU-GPT and find an accurate response, he said. "I can't tell you how often I get an emailed question I read in the morning, but it was sent at 2:30 a.m. and, of course, I didn't answer it immediately," Draper said. "The idea of having an agent the student can ask that question to and get an answermost of the time, that is all the information they need, but it's there when they need it." To prevent students from asking CSU-GPT things like "what's the answer to question three?" Draper said he'll input guardrailslike prohibiting the use of certain promptsto deter cheating and plagiarism the best he can. The computer science department is holding off on inputting student data like grades and personal information during the early phases of the rollout, Draper said. "We'll see how that goes down the line, but we're very, very cautious where it involves anything with student data," Draper said. Meanwhile, in the writing and composition department, the forecast for the Microsoft partnership is a bit less sunny. Genesea Carter, professor and associate director of the composition program, said she's mostly heard worry and skepticism about the collaboration. "Faculty and graduate students who I've worked with generally feel worried about the environmental impacts that generative AI is going to have and the intellectual property of generative AI, so I think they feel wary about this partnership," Carter said. Her students, on the other hand, are interested in learning how to use AI ethically, she said. "I'm trying to figure out how to balance the ethical concerns and environmental concerns with the fact that these are tools students are expected to know how to use," Carter said. Parcells, the CSU senior, is so opposed to using generative AI that she said if it's programmed into resources like Canvas, the online learning management system the university uses, she will devote time to figuring out how to disable it. "I will be avoiding it like the plague," she said. Parcells is managing editor of CSU's student newspaper, The Collegian. Increasingly, student editors are receiving articles they believe were written by AI, she said. The senior is also a teaching assistant on an English course tasked with flagging work that reads like it's been written by artificial intelligencea problem so rampant, she said she's had to comfort a professor who wondered why they were even in the profession of teaching young people to think and write when students were turning to AI to do it for them. "I find it concerning to be encouraging the use of something that, at best, we don't know what it does to the human brain and, at worst, is damaging to building those foundational skills necessary for more in life," Parcells said. Carter's history professor husband used CSU-GPT to create a spreadsheet for his classes based on the academic calendar. But she said she doesn't have plans to use the program at this time. "I have not figured out how to prompt engineer it efficiently enough that it is faster than what I can do myself," she said. During her tinkering with CSU-GPT, Carter asked it to create an outline based on an assignment she taught in class. "It was OK," Carter said, describing it as "C"-level work. "It wasn't great." 'A more balanced approach' Criticisms of generative AIits environmental costs, cybersecurity risks and offloading critical thinking and writingcan conflict with the conventional core tenets of higher education. Companies are building new data centers to accommodate an increase in AI usage, and facilities inflate water consumption, energy usage and carbon emissions, according to the Environmental and Energy Study Institute. "What is Microsoft doing to offset the environmental impacts of generative AI?" Carter said. When asked what the partnership's benefit to Microsoft was, Bernier said CSU is allowing the company to conduct pilots and proofs-of-concept with an institution investing in AI. Edwards, the campus director of web services, acknowledged that there are people in the CSU community who are anti-AI. "They don't need to use it," he said. "What they can see is the use of AI at CSU is helping the student experience regardless of whether or not they're using it. It's helping the faculty and staff provide our servicesteaching and learningmore efficiently." Ultimately, leaning into AI and experimenting with it is a good way to learn more about the burgeoning technology, Bernier said. "We're really early in this technology and a lot of what people see or hear about it may not be factual yet," he said. "All of the great things AI can do might not be known yet, and all of the bad things, too. Let's just take a more balanced approach as we go." 2026 MediaNews Group, Inc. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC. This article has been reviewed according to Science X's editorial process and policies . Editors have highlighted the following attributes while ensuring the content's credibility: Credit: cottonbro studio from Pexels Are generative artificial intelligence systems such as ChatGPT truly creative? A research team led by Professor Karim Jerbi from the Department of Psychology at the Universite de Montreal, and including AI pioneer Yoshua Bengio, also a professor at Universite de Montreal, has just published the largest comparative study ever conducted on the creativity of large language models versus humans. Published in Scientific Reports, the findings reveal that generative AI has reached a major milestone: it can now surpass average human creativity. However, the most creative individuals still clearly outperform even the best AI systems. AI reaches the threshold of average human creativity The study tested the creativity of several large language models (including ChatGPT, Claude, Gemini, and others) and compared their performance with that of 100,000 human participants. The results mark a turning point: some AI models, such as GPT-4, now exceed the average creative performance observed in humans on tasks of divergent linguistic creativity. "Our study shows that some AI systems based on large language models can now outperform average human creativity on well-defined tasks," explains Professor Jerbi. "This result may be surprisingeven unsettlingbut our study also highlights an equally important observation: even the best AI systems still fall short of the levels reached by the most creative humans." Analyses conducted by the study's two co-first authorspostdoctoral researcher Antoine Bellemare-Pepin (Universite de Montreal) and Ph.D. candidate Francois Lespinasse (Universite Concordia)reveal a new and intriguing reality. While some generative AI systems now surpass average human creativity, the highest levels of creativity remain distinctly human. In fact, the average performance of the most creative half of participants exceeds that of all AI models tested, and the top 10% of the most creative individuals open an even wider gap. "We developed a rigorous framework that allows us to compare human and AI creativity using the same tools, based on data from more than 100,000 participants, in collaboration with Jay Olson from the University of Toronto," says Professor Jerbi, who is also an associate professor at Mila. How do you measure human and AI creativity? To compare human creativity with that of AI systems, the research team relied on several complementary approaches. The main one is the Divergent Association Task (DAT), a tool used in psychology to measure divergent creativitythe ability to generate many, varied, and original ideas from a single starting point. Developed by study co-author Jay Olson, the DAT asks participantshuman or AIto produce ten words that are as semantically different from one another as possible. For example, a highly creative participant might suggest: "galaxy, fork, freedom, algae, harmonica, quantum, nostalgia, velvet, hurricane, photosynthesis." Crucially, performance on this task in humans also reflects performance on other well-established creativity tests, used in idea generation, writing, and creative problem solving. In other words, although the task is language-based, it does not simply measure vocabulary skills: it engages general cognitive mechanisms of creative thinking, relevant far beyond the linguistic domain. Another major advantage is that the test is quicktaking only two to four minutesand easily accessible online to the general public. Following this logic, the researchers then asked whether AI performance on this very simple taskgenerating a small set of semantically distinct wordswould generalize to more complex creative activities closer to real-world creative practices. They therefore directly compared AI models and human participants on creative writing tasks, including haiku composition (a short three-line poetic form), movie plot summaries, and short stories. Here again, the most skilled human creators retained a clear advantage, even though AI systems can sometimes outperform average human creativity. Is AI creativity a matter of tuning? These findings naturally led the researchers to a key question: can AI creativity be modulated? The study shows that it cannotably by adjusting the model's temperature, a technical parameter that controls how predictable or daring the generated responses are. At low temperatures, AI produces cautious and predictable outputs; at higher temperatures, it introduces more randomness, takes greater risks, and encourages the system to move beyond well-trodden paths, generating more varied and original associations. The study also shows that how instructions are phrased strongly influences AI creativity. For instance, a prompting strategy based on etymologyencouraging the model to draw on the origins and structure of wordsleads to less obvious associations and higher creativity scores. Together, these findings highlight a central point: AI creativity depends closely on how humans guide and parameterize these systems, making humanAI interaction a key element of the creative process. Will human creators be replaced? These results provide a nuanced perspective on concerns about the potential replacement of creative workers by artificial intelligence. While some AI systems can now rival human creativity on specific tasks, the study also underscores the current limits of machines and the central role of humans in creativity. "Even though AI can now reach human-level creativity on certain tests, we need to move beyond this misleading sense of competition," says Professor Jerbi. "Generative AI has, above all, become an extremely powerful tool in the service of human creativity: it will not replace creators, but profoundly transform how they imagine, explore, and createfor those who choose to use it." Rather than announcing the disappearance of creative professions, the study invites us to rethink AI as a creative assistant, capable of expanding possibilities for exploration and inspiration. The future of creativity may lie less in opposition between humans and machines than in new forms of creative collaboration, where AI enriches human ingenuity instead of replacing it. "By directly confronting human and machine capabilities, studies like ours push us to rethink what we mean by creativity," concludes Professor Jerbi. More information: Divergent creativity in humans and large language models, Scientific Reports (2026). DOI: 10.1038/s41598-025-25157-3 www.nature.com/articles/s41598-025-25157-3 Journal information: Scientific Reports This article has been reviewed according to Science X's editorial process and policies . Editors have highlighted the following attributes while ensuring the content's credibility: A woman walks by a giant screen with a logo at an event at the Paris Google Lab on the sidelines of the AI Action Summit in Paris, on Feb. 9, 2025. Credit: AP Photo/Thibault Camus,File Google is leveraging its artificial intelligence technology to open a new peephole for its dominant search engine to tailor answers that draw upon people's interests, habits, travel itineraries and photo libraries. The new option rolling out Thursday will give millions of people the option of turning on a recently introduced tool called "Personal Intelligence" within the AI mode that has been available on Google's search engine since last year. The technology will be first offered in the U.S. to Google AI Pro and Ultra subscribers, as well as an option within its experimental Labs division for anyone with a personal Google account. If turned on, the new tool will plug Google's AI Mode into Gmail and the Google Photos app so the technology can learn more about each user's life and deliver more relevant answers tailored to personal tastes. For instance, someone might ask for suggestions for a weekend getaway and get a quick recommendation based on past trips and experiences. Or, when in AI mode, the search engine might automatically know a person's favorite restaurants or recognize preferred clothing styles by reviewing old pictures stored in Google Photos. Alphabet CEO Sundar Pichai speaks at a Google I/O event in Mountain View, Calif., Tuesday, May 20, 2025. Credit: AP Photo/Jeff Chiu, File "Personal Intelligence transforms Search into an experience that feels uniquely yours by connecting the dots across your Google apps," Robby Stein, a vice president in Google Search, wrote in a blog post. Stein also warned Personal Intelligence won't always deliver the best answers, a pitfall that he said users can help correct by telling AI mode with words or a thumbs-down symbol. Turning on the option will require users to trust Google's search engine to protect the details that it is fed about their lives. But millions of people already have been doing that implicitly for decades while entering sometimes intimate queries into the search engine or sharing personal information within Gmail and the Photos app. Bringing Personal Intelligence to Google search is the latest sign of the company's ambitions to make its arsenal of digital services even more powerful with a boost from the latest AI model, Gemini 3i, that came out in November. Earlier this month, Google took its first steps toward turning Gmail into a personal assistant powered by AI and now it's getting a chance to play a bigger role in a search engine that remains the foundation of its internet empire. Gemini's tentacles will even be extending into the iPhone, iPad and Mac after Apple decided last week to team up with Google to bring more AI tools to those products. The partnership will focus on a long-delayed effort to turn Apple's often-bumbling digital assistant, Siri, into a more conversational and versatile aide. Although Google's search engine was condemned as an illegal monopoly in 2024 by a U.S. federal judge, it remains the internet's main gateway while trying to fend off competitive threats from AI-powered answer engines offered by up-and-coming innovators such as ChatGPT and Perplexity. The potentially revolutionary changes being wrought by AI helped persuade the judge who branded Google a monopoly to reject a proposal by the U.S. Justice Department that would have forced the company to sell its Chrome web browser to curb future abuses in the market. 2026 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission. This article has been reviewed according to Science X's editorial process and policies . Editors have highlighted the following attributes while ensuring the content's credibility: This photo taken on July 16, 2007 shows an aerial view of Tokyo Electric Power Company Kashiwazaki-Kariwa Nuclear Power Plant in Kashiwazaki City, Niigata Prefecture. The world's biggest nuclear power plant is set to restart on January 21, 2026, for the first time since the 2011 Fukushima disaster, its Japanese operator said, despite persistent safety concerns among residents. The restart of the world's largest nuclear power plant was suspended in Japan on Thursday, with the operator saying it does not know when the problem would be solved. The Kashiwazaki-Kariwa plant in Niigata province had been closed since the 2011 Fukushima disaster, but operations to relaunch it had begun on Wednesday after it received the final green light from the nuclear regulator. However, its operator the Tokyo Electric Power Company (TEPCO) said Thursday that "an alarm from the monitoring system... sounded during the reactor startup procedures," causing it to suspend operations. "We don't expect this to be solved within a day or two. There is no telling at the moment how long it will take," site superintendent Takeyuki Inagaki told a news conference. "We will for now fully focus on trying to identify the cause of what happened," he said. The alarm that went off prompted TEPCO to "investigate the malfunctioning electrical equipment," spokesman Takashi Kobayashi told AFP. And "once it became clear that it would take time, we decided to reinsert the control rods in a planned manner," he said, adding that the reactor "is stable and there is no radioactive impact outside." Control rods are a device used to control the nuclear chain reaction in the reactor core, which can be accelerated by slightly withdrawing them, or slowed down or stopped completely by inserting them deeper. The restart, initially scheduled for Tuesday, had been pushed back after another technical issue related to the rods' removal was detected last weekenda problem that was resolved on Sunday, according to TEPCO. Kashiwazaki-Kariwa is the world's biggest nuclear power plant by potential capacity, although just one reactor of seven was restarted. The facility was taken offline when Japan pulled the plug on nuclear power after a colossal earthquake and tsunami sent three reactors at the Fukushima atomic plant into meltdown in 2011. However, resource-poor Japan now wants to revive atomic energy to reduce its reliance on fossil fuels, achieve carbon neutrality by 2050 and meet growing energy needs from artificial intelligence. Kashiwazaki-Kariwa is the first TEPCO-run unit to restart since 2011. The company also operates the stricken Fukushima Daiichi plant, now being decommissioned. Public opinion in Niigata is deeply divided: Around 60% of residents oppose the restart, while 37% support it, according to a survey conducted in September. "It's Tokyo's electricity that is produced in Kashiwazaki, so why should the people here be put at risk? That makes no sense," Yumiko Abe, a 73-year-old resident, told AFP this week during a protest in front of the plant. Earlier this month, seven groups opposing the restart submitted a petition signed by nearly 40,000 people to TEPCO and Japan's Nuclear Regulation Authority, saying that the plant sits on an active seismic fault zone and noted it was struck by a strong quake in 2007. 2026 AFP This article has been reviewed according to Science X's editorial process and policies . Editors have highlighted the following attributes while ensuring the content's credibility: Credit: Unsplash/CC0 Public Domain As artificial intelligence threatens to upend job markets in countries around the world, Nvidia Corp. Chief Executive Officer Jensen Huang brushed off longer term concerns and made the case that skilled vocational workers are seeing increasing demand now. Plumbers, electricians and construction workers are going to be able to command "six-figure salaries," thanks to demand to build data centers that run and train artificial intelligence, he said in an interview with BlackRock Inc. CEO Larry Fink at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland on Wednesday. The technology will require one of the biggest infrastructure buildouts in history, with trillions of dollars in new investment, Huang said. "We're seeing quite a significant boom in this area. Salaries have gone up nearly double," Huang said. "Everybody should be able to make a great living. You don't need to have a Ph.D. in computer science to do so." Huang's comments echo remarks made at Davos on Tuesday by Palantir Technologies Inc. CEO Alex Karp, who praised workers with "vocational training" and said AI would create more local jobs and largely eliminate the need for mass immigration. Coreweave's Michael Intrator also touched on the "physicality" of the AI boom at a panel later on Wednesday, with the data center firm's CEO describing the need for growing numbers of plumbers, electricians and carpenters. Nvidia, the leading maker of chips that help power and run the latest AI models, has benefited from the huge rush to build data centers. The company is on track to generate almost $200 billion in data center chip sales for 2025, according to an average analyst estimate compiled by Bloomberg. To date, the bulk of its revenue comes from the biggest data center buildersMicrosoft Corp., Meta Platforms Inc., Amazon.com Inc., Alphabet Inc.but it's striking deals with a growing number of smaller data center operators. Tech firms have committed to spend a combined $500 billion in data center leases in the coming years. AI's impact on the job market is already being felt. Anthropic CEO Dario Amodei has warned about a "white-collar bloodbath" that could wipe out 50% of entry-level jobs. The company's Claude AI is gaining attention for its coding abilities, a feature that could displace more junior programmers. "We're entering a world where junior-level software engineersmaybe many of the tasks of the more senior-level software engineersare starting to be done most of the way by AI systems. Now that's going to go further," Amodei said in an interview at Bloomberg House in Davos on Tuesday. While he believes the good from the technology will outweigh the bad, high unemployment and underemployment are a risk that needs to be mitigated. "There's unfortunately going to be a whole class of people who are, across a lot of industries, going to have a hard time coping," he said. On Wednesday, Fink noticeably avoided probing Huang on sensitive topics, most notably China. Nvidia's sales to the country are controversial, and the company is waiting to hear whether it will be able to sell its chips to the country and in what quantities. Just yesterday, Amodei called shipping Nvidia chips into China similar to selling nuclear weapons to North Korea. Huang is expected to visit China at the end of this month as he works to reopen a crucial market for the company's artificial intelligence chips. It's a pivotal time for the business, after the U.S. moved to ease limits on chip exports to China it's had in place since 2022. Nvidia is still blocked from shipping the top-of-the-line chips to the country, stymieing Beijing's ability to innovate beyond the cutting-edge of AI, but will be able to ship older-generation H200 AI chips. China, meanwhile, is expected to clear H200 imports for commercial use in the first three months of 2026, though it won't allow the chips for use in the military, sensitive government agencies, critical infrastructure or its state-owned enterprises, Bloomberg News reported. Some of the country's most prominent tech firms, including Alibaba Group Holding Ltd. and ByteDance Ltd., have privately expressed interest in ordering more than 200,000 units each of the chip. 2026 Bloomberg L.P. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC. Preview: CobbleStone Software announces that CEO Mark Nastasi has been named CEO of the Year 2025 by Success Knocks Magazine. PRINCETON, N.J., Jan. 22, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- CobbleStone Software, a leader in contract lifecycle management (CLM) solutions, is proud to announce that Mark Nastasi, Founder and CEO, has been recognized as CEO of the Year 2025 by Success Knocks Magazine, a distinguished business publication known for spotlighting exceptional leadership and organizational excellence. This award acknowledges Nastasi's outstanding executive performance, strategic innovation, and his continued commitment to advancing contract lifecycle management (CLM). CobbleStone Software announces that CEO Mark Nastasi has been named CEO of the Year 2025 by Success Knocks Magazine. The honor follows an independent evaluation conducted by Success Knocks, focusing on leadership impact, company performance, innovation, and contributions to the business community. The recognition considered CobbleStone Software's achievements over the past financial year, the strength of the company's solutions and strategies, and survey responses from top executives and board directors. Under Mark Nastasi's leadership, CobbleStone Software continues to expand its footprint as a trusted provider in CLM, powering contract processes for organizations in both the public and private sectors. His vision has driven the evolution of CobbleStone's flagship platform, CobbleStone Contract Insight, helping clients streamline workflows, reduce risk, and harness the power of contract intelligence just to name a few. This recognition highlights Mark Nastasi's commitment to delivering secure, forwardthinking, usercentered CLM technology and reinforces CobbleStone Software's continued momentum as an industry trailblazer. "Mark's dedication to innovation and client success is the foundation of CobbleStone's culture, and this recognition is a testament to the impact he makes every day," said Bradford Jones, VP of Sales & Marketing at CobbleStone Software. "We are thrilled to see his leadership acknowledged at a national level." Click here to read Success Knocks' feature on Mark Nastasi. Contact CobbleStone Software for a free demo. For more information, email [email protected] or call 866-330-0056. About CobbleStone Software: CobbleStone Software is a celebrated leader in contract management software solutions whose flagship CLM software solution CobbleStone Contract Insight expedites contract management, vendor management, eProcurement, and eSourcing processes while offering seamless integrations, ease-of-use, and high scalability. CobbleStone's contract lifecycle management solutions provide simplified contract and vendor tracking, highly configurable email alerts, user-friendly calendar notifications, intelligent contract workflow automation, highly robust security options, streamlined authoring of contract templates with dynamic clauses, centralized revenue/cost management, detailed text indexing and searching, future-minded vendor/client ratings, robust document version control, custom contract management reports, speedy IntelliSign electronic signatures, more intelligent contracts with VISDOM artificial intelligence and machine learning, and more. Follow CobbleStone Software on social media: > LinkedIn > X > Facebook > YouTube To stay up to date on contract lifecycle management industry trends and news, subscribe to CobbleStone's Contract Insights blog. SOURCE CobbleStone Software Report: Ransomware Attacks Plateau in Education Sector, While Third-Party Risks Loom Large Key Takeaways Ransomware attacks rose sharply overall but leveled off in education: Global ransomware incidents increased 32% in 2025, while attacks on education institutions rose just 2%, suggesting a temporary plateau rather than a reduced threat. Ransom demands are falling, including in education: Average ransom demands declined across all sectors, with education seeing a 34% drop year over year, though nearly half of victim organizations still paid to recover data. Third-party providers remain a major risk vector: Attackers increasingly target service providers to gain access to multiple organizations at once, underscoring the need for stronger vendor risk management alongside core security controls. Ransomware attacks across the globe increased by 32% in 2025 but in the education sector, attacks appeared to plateau, according to the latest research from Comparitech. Attacks by Sector Worldwide, the cybersecurity research firm recorded 7,419 ransomware attacks last year, compared to 5,631 in 2024. Of those 7,419, 1,173 were confirmed by the targeted organizations, Comparitech said. The rest were publicly claimed by ransomware groups on their data leak sites. The breakdown of attacks across industry sectors was as follows: 6,292 attacks on businesses (up 35% from 2024); 374 on government entities (up 27%); 444 on healthcare companies (up 2%); and 252 on education institutions (up 2%). Comparitech noted that the relatively flat growth in attacks on education and healthcare institutions "could be due to a number of factors," such as a change of focus among attackers to the manufacturing sector (which experienced the largest year-over-year increase in attacks, at 56%), as well as increased cybersecurity awareness due to high-profile attacks in recent years. Ransom Demands Decline The average ransom demand across all industries in 2025 was $1.04 million, a decrease of 26% compared to 2024. In education, the average ransom demand was $456,200, down 34% from 2024. Nearly half of all companies paid the ransom to retrieve their data, according to survey data from Sophos. Third-Party Service Providers a Key Attack Vector "If 2025's figures have shown us anything, it's that ransomware attacks remain a dominant threat for companies of all sizes and across all industries," commented Rebecca Moody, head of data research at Comparitech, in a statement. "As we enter 2026, hackers will likely continue to exploit vulnerabilities, target key infrastructure, public services, and manufacturers, and seek to steal large quantities of data in the process. 2025's findings also highlight that hackers see third-party service providers as the perfect target because they not only give them potential access to hundreds of companies through one source but they also enable large-scale data breaches. From the crippling attack on Collins Aerospace, which disrupted travel at multiple airports across Europe, to the ripple effects of data breaches on the likes of Marquis Software Solutions and Oracle, 2025 should serve as a stark reminder that no matter how secure an organization's systems may be, they're only as secure as the third parties they use to carry out various services. So, while companies are going to want to make sure they're on top of all the key basics (carrying out regular backups, patching vulnerabilities as soon as they're flagged, providing employees with regular training, and making sure systems are up to date), it's also critical that they're vetting the third parties they use." Find Out More For the full report, visit the Comparitech site. (TBTCO) - Chieu 2/2, tai tru so Bo Tai chinh, Bo truong Bo Tai chinh Nguyen Van Thang, Truong ban Ban chi ao Tong ieu tra kinh te nam 2026 trung uong a chu tri cuoc hop chuan bi cho Hoi nghi trien khai va ra soat, ieu chinh ke hoach Tong ieu tra kinh te nam 2026. You have reached a premium content area of Transitions. To read this entire article please login if you are already a Transitions subscriber. Not a subscriber? Subscribe today for access to: Full access to the website, including premium articles videos, country reports and searchable archives (containing over 25,000 articles). Backed by a 100-year legacy of Pinnacol Assurance, EverPeak pledges to be hardest-working solution for workers' comp market DENVER, Jan. 22, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- EverPeak Insurance , a leading national workers' compensation solution, today announced the creation of a unified leadership team, headed by insurance veteran Kathy Kranz . This new leadership structure brings together elite talent from Attune Insurance and Method Insurance, creating a powerhouse of technical agility and specialized knowledge. This alignment is designed to accelerate EverPeak's mission to be the hardest-working insurance partner for independent agents and their small- to mid-sized business clients across the country. As EverPeak continues its rapid national expansion to meet the needs of businesses and their employees, the unified team will focus on integrating advanced technology with deep human expertise to solve the industry's most persistent challenges: accessibility for hard-to-place risks and the administrative burden of traditional workers' comp. "As we scale nationally, our priority is to be the most valued and trusted partner for businesses and stakeholders alike," said Kathy Kranz, President of EverPeak. "This leadership team combines the best of our organizations to deliver effortless ease for small businesses and human expertise for more complex risks. We are dedicated to providing a tailored experience that lives up to the standard of being the hardest-working insurance in the industry." Backed by a legacy of financial strength and innovation Kranz brings a proven track record of driving financial performance and strategic growth to EverPeak. During her long tenure as CFO of Pinnacol Assurance, she led the organization to double its surplus and earn a spot on the Ward's 50 lists of top-performing insurance companies in the nation for eight consecutive years. Kranz's financial stewardship secured Pinnacol an A- (Excellent) rating from AM Best and returned $415 million in general dividends to members. Kranz was also a 2023 DigIn Women in Insurance Leadership honoree, a 2018 Business Insurance Woman to Watch, and a Colorado Titan 100. Kranz served on the board of the Colorado Business Committee for the Arts and Mile High United Way. The new EverPeak Insurance leadership team was created from the unification of Method, Attune and EverPeak. In the coming months, EverPeak will unveil digital tools more broadly that further demonstrate its ability to navigate a modern, dispersed economy. About EverPeak Insurance EverPeak Insurance is a workers' compensation insurance solution offering comprehensive coverage and market-leading service for businesses across the United States. With an approach to care based on Pinnacol Assurance's 100+ years of industry-leading underwriting, claims and risk management experience, we cover the hardest-working businesses because we work hard, too. EverPeak Insurance offers skilled protection for businesses with the toughest risks and partners with insurance agents who strive to offer the best protection to those businesses that need it most. Learn more at everpeak.com . Contact: Liz Johnson Director, Public Relations 720.939.7238 (mobile) [email protected] SOURCE EverPeak Insurance PHILADELPHIA, Jan. 22, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- FMC Corporation (NYSE: FMC) announced today that its 2026 Annual Meeting of Stockholders will be held via live webcast on Tuesday, April 28, 2026, at 2:00 p.m. ET. The board of directors established the close of business on Friday, February 27, 2026, as the record date for determining stockholders entitled to receive notice of and vote at the annual meeting. Further information regarding the annual meeting will be set forth in the proxy statement and other proxy materials. Instructions for accessing the webcast will be available on the company's Investor Relations website at https://investors.fmc.com. About FMC FMC Corporation is a global agricultural sciences company dedicated to helping growers produce food, feed, fiber and fuel for an expanding world population while adapting to a changing environment. FMC's innovative crop protection solutions including biologicals, crop nutrition, digital and precision agriculture enable growers and crop advisers to address their toughest challenges economically while protecting the environment. FMC is committed to discovering new herbicide, insecticide and fungicide active ingredients, product formulations and pioneering technologies that are consistently better for the planet. Visit fmc.com to learn more and follow us on LinkedIn. Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-Looking Statements Statement under the Safe Harbor Provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995: FMC and its representatives may from time to time make written or oral statements that are "forward-looking" and provide other than historical information, including statements contained in this press release, in FMC's other filings with the SEC, and in reports or letters to FMC stockholders. In some cases, FMC has identified these forward-looking statements by such words or phrases as "outlook," "will," "will likely result," "is confident that," "expect," "expects," "should," "could," "may," "will continue to," "believe," "believes," "anticipates," "predicts," "forecasts," "estimates," "projects," "potential," "intends" or similar expressions identifying "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995, including the negative of those words or phrases. Such forward-looking statements are based on management's current views and assumptions regarding future events, future business conditions and the outlook for the company based on currently available information. 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Media contact: Nicole Canning +1.215.299.5916 [email protected] Investor contact: Curt Brooks 215-299-6137 [email protected] SOURCE FMC Corporation The son of a southern Manitoba man who has been jailed in Venezuela for more than a decade hopes his father will be among prisoners released during the South American country's current political turmoil. Dave Sawatzky, 64, was arrested when a plane he was piloting landed on an airstrip in the western part of Venezuela in the early morning of Feb. 22, 2013. In 2018, a judge sentenced him and a Colombian national travelling with him on charges related to drug trafficking, links to organized crime and air safety violations, including transporting dangerous goods, according to Venezuelan court documents. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement But Sawatzky's son, David who is from Morden, Man. said his father has always maintained he was in Venezuela not to traffic drugs, but because he wanted to sell his aircraft to a company there. "He told me he bought it from some guy in Texas and he was basically hoping to flip it for a bit of extra money, that's all," he said. "Some national guardsmen seized his plane and took the money he had on him for a return trip, and then they said he was drug trafficking," said David. "He's been in jail ever since." The Venezuelan government has said it will release some political prisoners in the aftermath of the capture by U.S. soldiers of former president Nicolas Maduro earlier this month. About 143 people had been released as of Monday, according to the non-governmental organization Foro Penal. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement David Sawatsky says he hopes that momentum will lead to the release of his father. Relatives of detainees sit outside the Tocuyito jail as they protest against their arrests on Aug. 26, 2024. Dave Sawatzky, a Manitoban, has been in the Venezuelan prison since December. (Jacinto Oliveros/The Associated Press) "Hopefully that would allow a pair of fresh eyes to look at the case and review it and go, like, 'Hold on a minute, [we've] got this guy in here for how many years and we don't actually have anything to go on,'" he said. Dave Sawatzky and the Colombian man told local authorities they had planned to fly from Belize in Central America to a Venezuelan city hundreds of kilometres south of where they ended up landing, according to court documents. Their plane, an Aero Commander 500, had run out of fuel more than 12 hours into the trip. It was spotted by the Venezuelan national guard while circling an airstrip in the city of Acarigua, where the men hoped to refuel, according to the documents. The control tower was not operating. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Authorities said the aircraft was flying low and that its transponder had been turned off to avoid detection. The GPS destination showed a location near the Colombian border. The court documents said authorities found four 30-gallon drums they said were empty, but contained traces of aviation fuel. A drug sweep also found traces of powder cocaine in the back of the small aircraft, whose passenger seats had been removed to allow it to carry more cargo, according to Venezuelan officials. 17-year sentence Sawatzkys sentence was reduced to 17 years in prison after an appeal in 2021. A public attorney argued there had been several irregularities in how the forensic evidence was handled and that there was no proof of links to organized crime. The defender also argued it was illogical to say the men were transporting drugs in large quantities if authorities found only traces of cocaine. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement One of several lawyers who handled the case said theyre convinced Sawatzky is innocent. "No one has said he's a political prisoner, but you bring up 'the Canadian' and everyone gets scared," the lawyer said in Spanish. CBC News is not naming them because they fear the Venezuelan government will retaliate. Dave Sawatzky, centre, is seen in custody in Venezuela in an undated photo. (Submitted by David Sawatzky) The lawyer said the new sentence based on less severe charges should make Sawatzky eligible for credit based on time spent working in jail, according to Venezuelan law. They said adding those figures, he would already have spent 18 years in jail. However, the judges who have taken over the case have not done the necessary paperwork, the lawyer said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "Theyve done nothing, nothing, nothing," they said. "They treat him like he was, how should I say it just a regular criminal." The Colombian man got a shorter sentence because Sawatzky admitted in court he had been the pilot of the plane, the lawyer said. The man has since been released. Since his arrest, Sawatzky has spent time in several institutions. He was last moved to the Venezuelan jail of Tocuyito, about 100 kilometres west of Caracas. David Sawatzky says his father would spend time between Manitoba and Belize, where he had a farm, before his arrest, and only flew for crop dusting. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In the 1990s, Dave Sawatzky was acquitted after he sold more than $2 million in wheat and barley to U.S. customers without a Wheat Board permit. David Sawatzky said over the years, he's spent tens of thousands on what he calls bribes, in exchange for things such as food or to help move his father's case through the courts. "I forget how many times he missed court dates just because they say like, if there's money, then, you know, the bus is working and if there's not money, the bus isn't working," he said. Relatives of detainees and human rights activists rally outside the attorney general's office in Caracas on Tuesday, calling for the release of people they consider to be detained for political reasons. NGO Foro Penal says 700 political prisoners remained in Venezuela's jails as of Monday. (Ariana Cubillos/The Associated Press) He said that at one point, he sent a "sizable chunk" of money to an official who demanded money to let him out. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "At one point they sent a picture to relay to me that, you know, my dad was very, very skinny. And if they didn't get money, then they would potentially stop giving him food," he said. The sentence is 17 years, "but I think its like an open 17 years" David Sawatzky said. "If he stayed in there for 17 years, he still wouldn't get out like, they would come up with something else." 'Essentially a prisoner of corruption': prof Errol Mendes, professor of constitutional and international law at the University of Ottawa, said he believes Sawatzky's conviction is the result of officials engaging in corrupt activities, which is "not that far" from political imprisonment. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "The key facts the fact that the plane has disappeared and certainly his own possessions have disappeared that clearly shows that he is essentially a prisoner of corruption, as opposed to any form of criminal conviction," said Mendes. The non-profit Foro Penal said 777 political prisoners defined as people arbitrarily detained to achieve a political purpose, such as acting as hostages in negotiations with other countries remained in Venezuela as of Monday, the whereabouts of 66 of them unknown. Seventy of the prisoners are foreign or dual citizens, according to the organization. CBC News has reached out to Foro Penal to see whether Sawatzky is on its list. Ben Rowswell, who served as Canada's ambassador to Venezuela until 2017 and is now a consultant with the strategic advisory company Catalyze4, said he suspects political prisoners "will be released in drips and drabs as the Venezuelan government tries to give as little and the Americans try to take as much as possible." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Rowswell did not comment on the specifics of Sawatzky's case, but said human rights violations and abuses of power are likely to continue in Venezuela after Maduro's capture, which left the rest of his government still in power. "Hopefully, if there are Canadians among those political prisoners, they will come out soon. But the United States and Venezuela seem to be, if anything, collaborating in the repression of Venezuela," he said. David Sawatzky said hes tried several times to get attention from Canadian authorities about his father's case, but little has been done. Global Affairs Canada said in a statement its aware of the detention of a Canadian citizen in Venezuela, and that consular officials are providing assistance, but no further information can be disclosed due to privacy considerations. (Adjusts transliteration of name in paragraph 17) By Alina Smutko and Anna Voitenko KYIV, Jan 22 (Reuters) - Ukrainian soldier Andrii Onopriienko ran into a challenge when he took up his new hobby of acting: having to learn his lines just by listening to them. The 31-year-old lost both eyes when two Russian anti-tank rounds ripped into his position in the eastern Ukrainian city of Avdiivka in 2023. He memorised his part nonetheless. Like the other veterans in his Kyiv-based group of around 15 actors, Onopriienko has found healing and fulfilment on stage, after a friend told him of a theatre looking for injured veterans and suggested he join. He reluctantly agreed to take part. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "Yes, we might not have an arm, or legs, or eyes - but we aren't giving up," he said. Russia's war, now entering its fifth year, has left countless Ukrainian soldiers wounded, with tens of thousands suffering one or more amputations. Some of those with life-altering injuries struggle to reintegrate into a society itself navigating how to absorb a generation of maimed men and women. Coping methods vary. For Onopriienko and his fellow troops-turned-thespians, none of whom had ever acted before, it meant taking to the stage. Reuters followed the group, called Veterans' Theatre, as they prepared for an avant-garde performance of an 18th-century Ukrainian parody of Virgil's Aeneid. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "It's rehabilitation and socialisation," said Onopriienko. "It's...positive emotions." SEEKING MEANING IN SOMETHING NEW Russia's war has left deep scars across wide swathes of Ukraine and its population, with no end in sight despite a U.S.-backed peace push. Yehor Babenko, 27, was wounded in the first year of fighting when Russian forces struck his base in the southern region of Mykolaiv. His face deformed by severe burns, he speaks by regulating a tube in his throat with one of two mangled hands that are missing all of their fingers. That did not stop him from committing to months of taxing rehearsals full of dancing, twirling and tumbling. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Babenko, who began working as a veterans' psychologist last year, said the transformative trauma of serious injury often compels people to seek meaning in something new. "I know a lot of cases where people opened up or tried things they never dared to try," he said. For 57-year-old Roman Trokhymenko, who lost his right leg in 2024, participating in the theatre has helped reinforce the confidence he has tried hard to maintain since his injury. The director, Olha Semoshkina, told Reuters she had individually tailored the roles, which were heavily based around physical movement, to suit each veteran's injury. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "LIKE YOU'RE STANDING THERE NAKED" Performing on stage poses not only physical challenges, the actors said. Babenko, for instance, said it was difficult adjusting to a creative field which encourages free thought after spending years in the rigid order of the military. Taras Kozub, 53, lost his left arm after storming an enemy position on the southeastern front. Today, the folk music aficionado plays a hurdy-gurdy with a specially designed prosthetic appendage that attaches directly to the instrument. Even Kozub concedes the adjustment to theatre was challenging, and not a remedy for every veteran. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "The first thing I realised is that you can't fool anyone while onstage," he said. "It's like you're standing there naked." During the premiere in Kyiv, the veterans stomped and shuffled across the stage under bright neon lights, and to live musical accompaniment by Kozub and others. They received a boisterous ovation from members of the audience, some of whom cried or embraced. Babenko says it was critical for his fellow comrades to understand that life does not simply end after a serious injury. "Sometimes, you understand it's the opposite - that it just starts getting going." (Writing by Dan Peleschuk; Editing by Alexandra Hudson) Demolition of Temples: Aurangzeb vs Modi If Mughal actions are interpreted as political acts to assert imperial authority, can Modis actions also be seen as an attempt to assert personal authority and project himself as the public face of crony capitalism? While Aurangzeb is known for destroying several temples, historians confirm around a dozen specific destructions, with some sources pointing to about sixteen confirmed cases. Saffron bigots, however, often inflate this number to thousands. In contrast, the so-called Hindu Hridaya Samrat, Prime Minister Narendra Modi, ordered the destruction of more than 4050 ancient templessome of significant architectural importance, including structures from the Samudragupta erafor the creation of the Varanasi Corridor. The self-proclaimed custodian of Hindu and Hindutva, the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS), has expressed strong disapproval of the 17th-century Mughal emperor Aurangzeb, describing him as a figure who does not align with Indias ethos. By the same logic, the RSS must apply this principle to Modi and clarify whether he represents Indias ethos and adheres to Indian religious and cultural ethics. Aurangzebs temple destruction stemmed from a mix of religious orthodoxy, political expediency, suppression of rebellion, and financial motives such as confiscation of wealth. His actions were not uniformly anti-Hindu. He employed Hindus, sometimes spared temples, and even issued grants to protect others. Destruction often targeted temples associated with rebels or symbols of defiance, while many were left untouched due to local political considerations or the absence of threat. This indicates a complex and shifting policy rather than simple religious bigotry. Modi, on the other hand, destroyed temples and cultural relics to promote tourism and beautify his parliamentary constituency, Varanasi. The Kashi Vishwanath Corridor project, initiated in 2019, aimed to connect the Kashi Vishwanath Temple directly to the Ganges. This involved demolishing nearly 300400 old homes and temples. If Mughal actions are interpreted as political acts to assert imperial authority, can Modis actions also be seen as an attempt to assert personal authority and project himself as the public face of crony capitalism? Historians note that temples patronised by persons who had submitted to state authority but later became enemies were often targeted by Mughal rulers. According to Professor Richard Eaton, at least 14 temples were certainly demolished during Aurangzebs 49-year rule. Eaton documents around 80 instances of temple desecration between the 12th and 18th centuries. He also points out that temple destruction was not limited to Muslim rulers; Hindu kings since at least the 7th century similarly looted or destroyed temples patronised by enemy rulers as a political strategy to dismantle their authority. Fact Check: Plundering of Somnath and other Hindu temples Right-wing narratives frequently claim that tens of thousands of temples were destroyed during the medieval period, particularly under Aurangzeb, with figures ranging from 30,000 to 60,000. Yet these voices have remained conspicuously silent on the demolition of temples in Varanasi under the Modi regime. During the demolition drive in Varanasi, many ancient small templeshidden or built over by residential houses over centurieswere uncovered. What is most shocking is that the Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath and the state bureaucracy made no serious effort to protect these structures, despite being fully aware of their existence. Varanasi is known as the city of temples; it is inconceivable that its religious and anthropological significance was unknown to the administration. Local residents protesting the demolitions allege that numerous statues were thrown into the Ganga. Yogi Adityanath dismissed these allegations, claiming that AI-generated videos were being circulated to defame his government. This was an attempt to wash away responsibility rather than speak the truth. The demolitions occurred only after administrative clearance. While some temples were marked for preservation, many were destroyed to make way for a modern corridor. In March 2025, senior RSS leader Sunil Ambekar stated that Aurangzeb is not relevant today, while RSS Sarkaryavah Dattatreya Hosabale asserted that Aurangzebs legacy does not align with Indias ethos. Yet neither has clarified how Modi should be categorised. The RSS contrasts Aurangzeb with his brother Dara Shikoh, praising the latter for promoting harmony. Ironically, Modi falls far short of Dara Shikohs ideals. His eleven-year rule has deepened social divisions, with repeated public speeches singling out Muslims. RSS claims that its opposition to Aurangzeb is about national cohesion and decolonising the mind, but this argument rings hollow. The RSS demands reclamation of sites like Gyanvapi and Mathura, claiming restoration of lost heritage. Will it also reclaim the temple sites desecrated during the Varanasi Corridor project? The RSSs silence suggests otherwise. The RSS will never raise this issue, as doing so would endanger its own designs. Through Modi, it has brought institutions under its influence. In July 2024, the Modi government lifted a 58-year-old ban on government employees participating in RSS activities. Media, judiciary, police, and other institutions have been steadily subordinated. Only Hindu saints committed to spiritual Hinduism have resisted. The RSS has failed to create Godi saints. This campaign intensified during the Kumbh Mela, where over 60 pilgrims reportedly died. Yogi Adityanath targeted Shankaracharya Swami Avimukteshwaranand Saraswati for criticising administrative failures. On January 18, his chariot procession was stopped; on January 19, he was humiliatingly ordered to prove his legitimacy as Shankaracharya. Throughout this episode, the RSS remained silent. By denigrating Swami Avimukteshwaranand, the RSS and Yogi sent a clear message that traditional Hindu authority holds no value for them. Hindu ceremonies under Modi have increasingly followed Hindutva diktats. Dismantling the traditional saint system is central to the RSS project of a Hindu Rashtra. The demolition of Hindu vestiges in Varanasi is part of this strategy. The administration claims redevelopment aims to ease congestion and improve facilities, but controversy erupted after the removal of a madhi during the Manikarnika Tirtha Corridor project. The issue escalated after objections from the families of Ahilyabai Holkar and the Pal community. Ahilyabai Holkar, a devout Shaivite, had built a temple following a divine vision. Ironically, Aurangzeb issued a farman in 1658still preserved at Banaras Hindu Universityordering the protection of temples and Brahmin priests. He granted land and funds to the Jangambadi Math to support worship and Sanskrit study. Around 286 shivlings were uprooted during the corridor construction; only 146 were recovered. The government insists these actions were renovation and claims idols were secured, while filing FIRs against protestors to silence dissent. Temple demolitions have occurred during Modis tenure in Gujarat and nationally. In 2008, around 80 temples in Gandhinagar were razed as encroachments. Mahant Rajendra Prasad Tiwari rightly questioned how such demolitions could occur in a democracy governed by the Constitution. Aurangzeb was an autocrat; todays rulers are elected. Yet they behave no differently. [The writer, Arun Srivastava, is a Senior Journalist.] Follow ummid.com WhatsApp Channel for all the latest updates. Select Language to Translate in Urdu, Hindi, Marathi or Arabic A wave of impersonation scams is targeting online shoppers in Vietnam, as criminals use leaked personal data to pose as delivery personnel and defraud unsuspecting buyers. The Ministry of Public Security has launched an investigation into the illegal trading of personal information that fuels these schemes. Lieutenant Colonel Nguyen Dinh Do noted that data leaks and losses in cyberspace are becoming increasingly common, with several cases classified as serious. According to reports from numerous victims, orders placed on major e-commerce platforms or deliveries made via postal services are quickly followed by scam calls or messages. In these, fraudsters - disguised as shippers - request payment for goods and then disappear with the money. Speaking to VietNamNet, Lieutenant Colonel Nguyen Dinh Do Thi from the Department for Cyber and High-Tech Crime Prevention (A05) said the situation reflects a growing threat. Personal data breaches in cyberspace are becoming increasingly common, some involving very serious consequences, he said. There are even private forums and closed groups where personal data of Vietnamese users is openly traded. He explained that cybercriminals often harvest and exploit this data to commit fraud and other offenses. In response, the Ministry of Public Security is stepping up efforts to track and punish those who illegally obtain or sell such information. Authorities will focus on detecting, reviewing, and strictly handling individuals and organizations that engage in unauthorized data exploitation, Thi emphasized. At the same time, individuals must also take responsibility for protecting their personal information. Thi advised internet users to be proactive in safeguarding digital accounts - using strong passwords, avoiding public sharing of sensitive details, and staying informed about new fraud techniques. Scammers typically collect victim information in advance, creating convincing scripts for theft, he said. Raising public awareness is vital - not just to prevent crime, but to protect each person from becoming a victim. He added that when a data breach occurs or is suspected, individuals should promptly report it to authorities. The Ministry has already delegated handling of such cases to specialized units within provincial and municipal police departments. Legal protection now in force Vietnams new Personal Data Protection Law officially took effect on January 1, 2026. Thi described the legislation as a comprehensive legal framework that strengthens privacy rights and data security for individuals and businesses in the digital age. Lawyer Ha Huy Phong, director of Inteco Law Firm, said the law marks a shift from voluntary compliance to mandatory enforcement. Starting this year, personal data protection is no longer optional. Its a legal obligation with specific penalties for violations, he said. Phong also shared a personal experience - falling victim to a scam himself. The fraudster knew he had recently purchased a book and used that detail to craft a believable delivery scenario. It may seem minor, but it shows how misused personal data can lead to very real, very close consequences, he said. Thai Khang The now-viral video documenting the long-distance journey was posted by Ma Seo Lu (born 1996), who lives in Lao Cai. The elderly man in the video is Lus grandfather, Mr. Lu, currently residing in Krong A commune, Dak Lak province. Lu revealed that he was the one who accompanied his grandfather on the journey to meet his online sweetheart - an unusual love story that has touched many. Mr. Lu, a member of the Hmong ethnic group, was born in Lao Cai and relocated to Dak Lak in 2003. He has six children - three sons and three daughters - most of whom live nearby. Lus mother, however, lives in Lao Cai with her own family. Mr. Lus wife passed away five months ago. At the beginning of January 2026, Lu received word that his grandfather was planning a visit to Lao Cai. What surprised him more was learning from relatives that the trip included a stop in Son La - to meet a woman Mr. Lu had met online. Mr. Lu meets Ms. My - his online sweetheart - in person for the first time. My grandfather took a bus alone from Dak Lak to my home in Lao Cai, just as wed arranged, Lu recalled. He stayed for a week, then asked me to take him to Son La to meet his online girlfriend. With support from his mother and other family members, Lu and another relative drove Mr. Lu by motorbike through mountainous, rugged terrain - about 300km from Lao Cai to Chieng Khoong commune, Son La. There, Mr. Lu arrived at the home of Ms. Sung Thi My, a 51-year-old woman living alone in a modest house. As promised, they finally met in person. Because they had been talking for a while, things felt natural between them, Lu said. She even cooked a meal for us. After lunch, Lu and his uncle went sightseeing, leaving Mr. Lu to spend two days with Ms. My. By the end of that stay, the couple felt they were well-matched and decided to move in together. Lu helped arrange a visit with Ms. Mys family - her mother and older brother - to seek their blessing. With the familys approval, Mr. Lu formally brought Ms. My home. Her family was very supportive of the relationship, Lu said. Once everything was settled, I brought my grandfather back to my place for one night, then he boarded a bus with Ms. My to return to ak Lak and begin their life together. Mom is gone - Dad needs someone to share his life The couples first meeting leads to a heartfelt decision to live together. Since his father returned with Ms. My, Ly Seo Ky (born 1981), Mr. Lus fourth son, says their family home has felt warmer and more joyful. His mother passed away five months ago due to old age, and Mr. Lu had been living alone with his daughter, who has a disability. Though his other children live nearby, they were unable to be by his side around the clock. Wed all agreed: now that Mom is gone, we need to help Dad find a new companion, Ky shared. So when we heard he had met someone online, we were actually very happy for him. At the beginning of January, Mr. Lu gathered his children and told them about his plan to travel to Son La to meet the woman. While they couldnt go with him, they supported the decision and arranged for him to take a bus to his granddaughters house in Lao Cai before continuing the journey with Lus help. Mr. Lus family in Dak Lak prepares a warm welcome for their new mother. Photos and video provided by the family While Dad was away, I couldnt stop worrying, Ky admitted. Even though I knew the itinerary, I kept calling to check in. When Ky learned that his father had received approval from Ms. Mys family and planned to bring her home, he eagerly waited for updates. I called him and asked, Did everything go well, Dad? and he said, All went perfectly. Thats when I finally felt relieved. When Mr. Lu and Ms. My returned to Dak Lak, the family welcomed her warmly. Kys household prepared three full tables of food to celebrate the newest member of the family. The person my dad brings home, I call Mom. Thats only natural, Ky said. In the days since, Ky has noticed their family home is tidier, more vibrant - thanks to the presence of a woman who brings warmth and care. Hes grateful his father now has someone to share his days with and hopes the rest of his life will be filled with happiness. Thanh Minh CHICAGO, Jan. 22, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- Guaranteed Rate Affinity, a leading mortgage provider offering unparalleled lending services, today announced that Aaron Wise has returned to the company, operating as The Wise Team. A highly respected mortgage professional in the Chicago market, Wise brings more than two decades of industry experience to Guaranteed Rate Affinity, where he will continue serving homebuyers and real estate partners with a strong focus on reliability, speed, and service. Wise returned to Guaranteed Rate Affinity to be part of a proven platform that offers strong operational support and an environment built for long-term success. The company's processing and operational support model, including its POD structure, allows loan officers to focus on client relationships while a dedicated team manages processing and back-end workflows a level of support uniquely available within the organization and not found elsewhere, reinforcing Wise's decision to return. Wise has worked in the mortgage industry since 2001 and began intentionally building his personal brand in 2009, centering his business on long-term relationships and referrals within his own sphere. Over the years, he has become a trusted name in the Chicago market, known for his consistency, responsiveness, and hands-on approach to supporting real estate partners and clients throughout the mortgage process. "As a trusted source in the industry, returning to Guaranteed Rate Affinity allows me to double down on service and be there for my clients and give them the best mortgage experience possible," said Aaron Wise. "I'm proud to be a fast, reliable lender, someone my clients can trust and know will always pick up the phone." Wise's return builds on a strong track record with the company. He has been a member of Guaranteed Rate Affinity's President's Club since 2020 and credits the company's service model, processing strength, and operational speed as key drivers of his continued growth. "Aaron's reputation in the Chicago market speaks for itself," said Scott Brady, Regional President of the Central Region at Guaranteed Rate Affinity. "His consistency, responsiveness, and commitment to both clients and real estate partners make him exactly the kind of leader we are proud to have at Guaranteed Rate Affinity. His return strengthens our team and reinforces our focus on exceptional service." About Guaranteed Rate Affinity Guaranteed Rate Affinity is a joint venture between Guaranteed Rate, Inc. and Anywhere Integrated Services (NYSE: HOUS), which owns some of the industry's most recognized and respected real estate brands. The innovative JV has funded over $100 billion in loans since its inception. Guaranteed Rate Affinity originates and markets its mortgage lending services to Anywhere's real estate, brokerage, and relocation subsidiaries. Guaranteed Rate Affinity provides unmatched support to Anywhere brokers coast-to-coast, ensuring their customers receive fast pre-approvals, appraisals, and loan closings, creating the ability for buyers to move quickly and confidently when purchasing homes in today's competitive market. The company also provides the same services to the public and other real estate brokerage and relocation companies across the countryhelping employers improve their employees' relocation experience by prioritizing customer service, digital mortgage ease, and competitive rates. Disclosures: Guaranteed Rate owns a controlling 50.1% stake in Guaranteed Rate Affinity, and Anywhere owns 49.9%. Availability of reverse mortgage products varies by state and may not be offered in all areas. Contact a Guaranteed Rate Affinity loan officer for details on current state availability. Visit grarate.com for more information. SOURCE Guaranteed Rate Affinity Early this morning, frost formed atop Mau Son peak in Lang Son province as temperatures plunged close to 0C, creating a striking natural scene that drew in tourists and prompted local authorities to issue cold-weather warnings. Frost blankets the summit of Mount Mau Son in Lang Son province. Photo: .X On January 22, Hoang Quoc Huy, Head of the Mau Son Meteorological Station, confirmed with VietNamNet that temperatures dropped to just 0.1C at 8:00 a.m. today. The freezing conditions, coupled with light rain and dense fog, caused a thin layer of frost to develop around 5:00 a.m. The ice gradually thickened, coating fences and meteorological equipment across the summit. According to the Lang Son Hydro-Meteorological Station, a strong cold front continues to affect the region. The skies remain cloudy, with occasional drizzle. Following the rain, temperatures dropped sharply. Northeastern winds have strengthened, causing widespread cold weather. Regional temperatures range from 815C, while Mau Son recorded temperatures between 27C and humidity levels from 6785%. Several tourists have already made their way to Mau Son to witness the frost, said Huy. A thin layer of frost began forming around 5:00 a.m. and continued to build up. Photo: .X Frost seen covering weather monitoring equipment atop Mau Son. Photo: .X Deputy Chair of Mau Son Commune, Dao Thi Mai Huong, noted that due to temperatures falling below 10C, local authorities have suspended classes for kindergarten and primary school students to protect their health. In response to the extreme weather, Lang Sons Provincial Committee for Civil Defense issued a directive urging local authorities to closely monitor weather forecasts and provide timely information to communities. Leaders of communes and wards have been asked to review their emergency response plans and offer guidance to residents, particularly boarding school students, on how to stay safe in the cold. Authorities have also warned against the use of coal stoves in enclosed spaces, which poses a risk of carbon monoxide poisoning. Pham Cong At the 14th National Party Congress, Minister of Public Security General Luong Tam Quang delivered a powerful message: Vietnam must never be caught off guard on strategic matters but must act preemptively - turning challenges into opportunities to propel national development. Presenting his report, the Minister noted that the implementation of the 13th Congress's resolutions had led to significant progress in the public security sector. General Luong Tam Quang, Minister of Public Security. From the outset of the term, the Central Public Security Party Committee led the Peoples Public Security forces with a spirit of accountability, bold thinking, innovation, and a willingness to shoulder responsibility for the common good. They took the lead in streamlining organizational structures, deploying regular police to commune-level posts, eliminating district-level police units, and steering the national digital transformation. A landmark achievement was the creation of the National Population Database. National security has been maintained, with Vietnam remaining among the worlds safest nations. Potentially complex issues and key hostile targets have been identified and tackled proactively - early, remotely, and even beyond national borders. Public order is stable, society is disciplined and safe, and citizens enjoy a more peaceful and secure life. Crimes, legal violations, traffic accidents, and fires have all been brought under control. The Public Security forces continue to crack down uncompromisingly on all forms of crime, especially corruption, wastefulness, and drug offenses. Over the term, the Peoples Public Security forces have undergone a remarkable transformation - growing stronger and more capable. They are now essentially truly clean, strong, regular, elite, and modern, living up to their role as the protective shield and sword defending the Party, State, people, and the socialist system. Preserving Vietnams global position in safety and security Looking ahead, Minister Luong Tam Quang warned that, despite opportunities, the four risks previously identified by the Party remain and in some areas have intensified, emerging in new forms. The mission of national construction and defense now faces four major challenges. First is the challenge of timely understanding and responding to global trends and shifts, ensuring prompt leadership decisions to navigate internal and external affairs, development and security, risks and opportunities. The pressure to choose sides or align politically, economically, diplomatically, militarily, and technologically is increasing. Second is the need to recognize and secure new domains, spaces, and entities; to swiftly detect and mitigate emerging security risks and threats stemming from rapid advances in science and technology, Vietnams elevated position after 40 years of renovation, and the adoption of new development thinking. Third is meeting the peoples rising expectations for Vietnams growth in the new era, and successfully implementing the 14th Congress resolutions and strategic Party directives. Fourth is the challenge of fulfilling socialisms promises - ensuring social welfare, eradicating poverty, and enhancing quality of life for all citizens. In this context, the Public Security sector is committed to advancing the Partys three strategic goals: peace and stability, high-quality sustainable development, and improved living standards. The Minister emphasized a transformation in mindset: from merely executing official duties to serving the public, and from command and compliance to command, compliance, and initiative in proposing and shaping development. Female Special Forces officers parade at the 80th National Day celebration. Our mission is not only to safeguard national security from the earliest signs of danger and prevent conflict before it arises. More importantly, we must ensure Vietnam is never caught off guard, but always ready - proactively advancing, transforming challenges into momentum for national growth, bolstering our security capacity, and contributing to peace and stability both regionally and globally, General Quang stressed. The Public Security forces aim to maintain Vietnams ranking among the worlds most secure and safe nations. Their mission includes building a society that is orderly, disciplined, safe, and healthy - for the peaceful and happy lives of the people. They will intensify efforts to protect political regime security, cultural and ideological security, economic security, cybersecurity, and data security. Safeguarding high-level leaders, strategic officials, and intellectual elites in science and technology will be key priorities. All potential factors threatening security and public order must be addressed thoroughly, leaving no room for strategic surprises. General Quang highlighted the importance of proactively identifying new fields and spaces for security protection, adapting to new criminal tactics and methods, and aiming to make 50% of communes nationwide drug-free - eventually striving for crime-free localities in 18 provinces. The Peoples Public Security forces will continue leading the national digital transformation, creating the infrastructure for borderless administrative procedures, establishing digital trust, building a digital society and digital citizenship, and advancing the digital economy, data economy, and data-driven industries. He also emphasized building a revolutionary, disciplined, elite, modern police force - defined by being the most disciplined, the most loyal, the closest to the people, and taking the lead in promoting social welfare and strengthening peoples trust. We must train a cadre of officials and Party members with steel-like discipline, firm political bravery, professional excellence in law, technology and human values - and above all, deep closeness to the people, the Minister stated. Another key area is fostering breakthroughs in the self-reliant and modern development of the domestic security industry. Based on lessons from securing public order and cybersecurity during digital transformation, Vietnam aims to research, develop, and independently produce core technologies, products, and services for the security sector. This would reduce reliance on imports, meet domestic needs, and potentially open up export opportunities - all while strengthening Vietnams technological sovereignty in national security. Huong Quynh - Tran Thuong At the 14th National Party Congress today, Minister of National Defense General Phan Van Giang affirmed that Vietnams armed forces have basically completed a major reorganization. Several service branches and units are now advancing directly to modern standards, forming a streamlined and powerful military structure. General Phan Van Giang, Minister of National Defense, delivers remarks at the Congress. Presenting his report during the plenary session focused on Congress documents, General Giang emphasized the goal of building a revolutionary, regular, elite and modern Peoples Army - a core force in developing a strong, modern all-people defense system integrated with public security and rooted in public trust. Over the past five years, the global and regional landscape has seen rapid, complex shifts. In response, the Party and State have enacted bold and historic decisions, yielding significant national achievements. The nationwide political apparatus has undergone a structural revolution, creating new developmental space - including in military and defense domains. The strategic goals laid out in the 13th Party Congress regarding the militarys development have been implemented decisively and effectively, General Giang said. Throughout this period, the army has upheld its core values, heroic traditions, unity, creativity and initiative, overcoming numerous challenges. It has fulfilled its mission in all areas - with many tasks completed exceptionally - leaving a lasting mark on national defense progress. The army has actively advised and contributed to key resolutions, strategies and directives issued by the Central Committee, Politburo and Secretariat on military and defense matters - ensuring national security in both immediate and long-term contexts. Vietnams all-people defense posture - closely linked with the all-people security framework - has been continuously reinforced. Defense planning has been adjusted to align with national socio-economic strategies, administrative boundaries, and the structure of local government at two levels. The military has played a critical role in rapid-response missions, consistently present in hazardous and high-risk areas. Armed forces have coordinated with other sectors to prevent and address natural disasters, epidemics, environmental crises and rescue operations, while supporting poverty reduction and new rural development. International integration and defense diplomacy have remained one of the key pillars of the Partys foreign policy. The militarys global engagement continues to elevate Vietnams international reputation and influence. General Giang reported that major progress has been made in building a revolutionary, regular, elite and modern army. Some service branches and units have moved directly to modernization. The military has completed the restructuring of over 5,000 units, with personnel prioritized for combat-readiness missions, especially along border areas and on islands. Vietnams defense industry has advanced under a dual-use, modern approach. Breakthroughs have enabled mastery of core and foundational technologies. The army has successfully produced modern weapons, technical equipment, strategic tools, special-purpose fuels and high-tech dual-use products - significantly contributing to defense capacity and national industrialization. General Giang affirmed: Building a revolutionary, regular, elite and modern Peoples Army - the core force of a strong and modern all-people defense posture, closely tied to public security and rooted in peoples trust - is essential to ensuring the nation's steady progress in the new era. Upholding the militarys core role Delegates from the Army Party Committee attend the discussion session at the 14th National Party Congress. On the occasion of Vietnams 14th National Party Congress, political parties, organizations and international friends have sent a wave of congratulatory messages expressing solidarity, friendship and admiration for the countrys achievements under the leadership of the Communist Party of Vietnam (CPV). Presidium members at the 14th Party Congress. In its message, the Communist Party of the Russian Federation described the Congress as a significant event, marking a new chapter in the countrys development journey. It emphasized that, through collective wisdom, the Congress would comprehensively evaluate the successes gained by the CPV over the past five years - thanks to tireless efforts and creative leadership. Under the CPVs leadership, it stated, Vietnam continues to confidently implement Party resolutions, building a solid foundation for progress while staying principled and innovative in both domestic and foreign policy. The Russian Communist Party expressed pride in its enduring relationship with the CPV and its readiness to strengthen cooperation. The United Russia Party praised the CPV as the leading force in national and societal development. It affirmed that decisions made by the CPV have helped elevate Vietnams international stature while ensuring regional stability and security in the Asia-Pacific. Vietnam and Russia, the message noted, enjoy close cooperation on bilateral and multilateral platforms, including RussiaASEAN and BRICS. Party-to-party relations between United Russia and the CPV form an essential part of the VietnamRussia Comprehensive Strategic Partnership. Indias Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) highlighted the long-standing cooperation with the CPV, which has fostered deeper mutual understanding and expanded bilateral ties. BJP expressed confidence that the 14th Congress would successfully chart a clear path for Vietnams future growth and prosperity. The Communist Party of the United States expressed admiration for the CPVs steadfast dedication, calling it a source of inspiration for communist and labor movements around the globe. We look forward to strengthening our relationship with the Communist Party of Vietnam following the success of the 14th Congress. Together, we will continue our shared struggle for peace, socialism and international solidarity, the message read. The Japanese Communist Party acknowledged the dramatic transformation Vietnam has undergone through 40 years of oi moi (renovation). The countrys socioeconomic progress and rising international profile are clear indicators of its success. The 14th Congress, the message stated, will provide renewed momentum for Vietnams continued achievements and global engagement. The French Communist Party reaffirmed its commitment to deepening friendly and cooperative ties. It cited the legacy of President Ho Chi Minh - a founding member of the French Communist Party - as a lasting symbol of unity. The shared values of peace, solidarity and progress, it said, are vital assets in todays volatile world. Australias Communist Party emphasized that the 14th Congress would set the course for Vietnams continued socialist development in the new era. It paid tribute to the CPVs historical role in the struggle for national liberation and its unwavering leadership throughout the socialist revolution. The Communist Party of Sri Lanka praised Vietnam as one of the fastest-growing countries globally - with rising standards in healthcare, education and cultural life. These successes, the message noted, were achieved under the CPVs visionary leadership. South Koreas Democratic Party of Korea expressed its desire to see deeper exchanges and cooperation built on mutual trust, as the two countries continue to expand ties in politics, diplomacy, culture and economy. The Federal Party of the Philippines recognized the CPVs efforts in promoting progress and ensuring stability, which have contributed to better living conditions for the Vietnamese people. The party reaffirmed its intention to strengthen ties with the CPV across areas of mutual interest. The Mongolian People's Party described the Congress as a pivotal moment that reflects the CPVs firm commitment to national unity, prosperity and citizen wellbeing. It expressed confidence in the CPVs leadership to guide Vietnam to even greater success. Mozambiques FRELIMO Party underscored the historical significance of the 14th Congress - not just for Vietnam, but for all progressive movements worldwide. The ideals of independence, social justice and equitable development, it stated, continue to inspire people around the globe. South Africas African National Congress (ANC) extended greetings to comrades with whom we share a deep historical bond. The ANC hoped the Congresss resolutions would strengthen unity, sharpen strategic vision and advance Vietnams prosperity and social progress. Algerias National Liberation Front (FLN) affirmed its solidarity with Vietnam, grounded in a shared history of anti-imperialist and anti-colonial struggle. The FLN emphasized the enduring friendship and mutual support between the two nations and their parties. The New Azerbaijan Party praised the CPVs success in driving economic and social development and expanding Vietnams international reach. The outcomes of the 14th Congress, it noted, will lay the foundation for a new phase of growth, boosting Vietnams global influence. The Secretary-General of ASEAN also sent congratulations, commending Vietnams consistent support and contributions to ASEAN community-building and regional integration. He expressed confidence that the Congress would align Vietnams national priorities for 20262030 with ASEANs strategic direction. The Chairman of the Standing Committee of the International Conference of Asian Political Parties (ICAPP) hailed Vietnams economic dynamism, social stability and rising global standing under the CPVs leadership. The Secretary-General of the Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU) also sent a message recognizing Vietnams achievements in socio-economic development and its meaningful contributions to global parliamentary dialogue. Vietnams role in promoting peace, sustainable development and international cooperation was especially noted. Tran Thuong Hanoi Party Committee Secretary Nguyen Duy Ngoc On the occasion of the 14th National Party Congress opening in the capital city, Politburo member and Hanoi Party Secretary Nguyen Duy Ngoc recently took part in an interview about Hanoi's outstanding achievements in the past term. With the motto "Discipline, professionalism - breakthrough, creativity - efficiency, sustainability," Hanoi identifies a strong determination for action, promoting its central and locomotive role to create the foundation and motivation for the country's development in the new era. Part 1: The ready and pioneering capital city Looking back at the 13th Party Congress term and 40 years of renovation, how do you assess the outstanding contributions of Hanoi to the country's overall achievements? The 13th Party Congress term and the 40-year journey of renovation have created important, comprehensive, and breakthrough development steps for the country, affirming the firm spirit, intelligence, and aspiration of our nation. With its position as the heart of the country, Hanoi always deeply perceives its pioneering and exemplary responsibility in implementing the guidelines and resolutions of the Central Committee, especially the strategic decisions of the Politburo, the Secretariat, and the General Secretary, creating a spillover motivation for the entire nation. Promoting potential and strengths with a tradition of solidarity, firm spirit, and creativity, the City's Party Committee, government, and people have overcome all difficulties and challenges to successfully implement the Resolution of the 17th City Party Congress for the 2020-2025 term. Notably, 2025 marked a breakthrough year. Hanoi took the lead in restructuring the organizational apparatus and implementing the two-tier local government model; consolidating 526 wards, communes and townships into 126 wards and communes. The political system under the two-tier local government model began operating, gradually resolving bottlenecks and taking the lead in decentralization, administrative reform and digital transformation. Hanoi City (photo: Hoang Ha) Amid the simultaneous execution of many new and unprecedented tasks, the city maintained smooth operations, fulfilled key development targets and indicators, and ensured three pillars: high economic growth, firm national defense and security, and social welfare. For the first time in many years, Hanoi met and exceeded all 24 out of 24 major development targets. GRDP growth reached 8.16 percent, exceeding the target of 8 percent and significantly higher than in 2024 (6.52 percent). The capital citys economy size reached approximately $63.5 billion. Average income per capita fetched $7,200. State budget revenue totaled VND711 trillion, equivalent to 138.4 percent of the estimate and the highest level in many years. Disbursement of public investment capital reached nearly VND90 trillion. The 14th National Party Congress is being held in Hanoi and is seen as a milestone opening a new era of national advancement. How has the city prepared itself to be worthy of initiating this historic journey? These days, Hanoi is immersed in a particularly significant political atmosphere as the entire Party, people and armed forces look toward the 14th National Party Congress. This is a historic event that will shape the strategic vision and action platform for the countrys next development phase. Hanoi is not only honored to host the event, but also bears the highest political responsibility before the entire Party and people. We clearly understand that after 40 years of renewal, the country has accumulated sufficient momentum and capacity to enter a new development phase, the era of strong national advancement. As the heart of the country, Hanoi must be the place where the spirit, vision and reform requirements established by the 14th Party Congress are most clearly and earliest manifested. The shared mindset of the entire political system and the people of the capital can be summed up in two words: ready and pioneering. Ready in every aspect to serve and organize the Congress safely, carefully and solemnly; and pioneering in concretizing and bringing the Congresss decisions into life as quickly and effectively as possible. The city has proactively and drastically implemented political tasks, concretizing the central leadership's ideas into the city's action program. Grasping the directing spirit of General Secretary To Lam: "Hanoi says it acts quickly, acts correctly, acts effectively, and follows through to the end; the Hanoi Party Committee and the entire political system have affirmed strong political resolve, fostering a proactive and pioneering spirit, daring to think, daring to act and daring to take responsibility. Hanoi is determined to lead in realizing the Partys strategic vision, turning the nations aspiration for strength and prosperity into tangible results that the people of the capital and the entire country can see, feel and benefit from. Tran Thuong The forum provided a platform for Vietnamese and Dutch public and private sector stakeholders to gain a deeper understanding of saltwater intrusion in the Mekong Delta, strengthen cooperation, and facilitate exchanges on innovative solutions and technical expertise aimed at mitigating its impacts on crop cultivation in the region. Participants learned that about 70% of the Mekong Deltas landroughly 2.5 million hectaresis used for growing crops, with rice farming making up 60% of that. The area is home to around 10 million farming households and over 2,500 agricultural cooperatives, representing about 13% of the nations total. The Delta serves both as a cornerstone of Vietnams food security and as a vital source of livelihoods for millions of farmers. It contributes 50% of national rice output and 95% of rice exports, 65% of aquaculture production and 60% of fish exports, and nearly 70% of the countrys total fruit output. However, according to a study by the Netherlands Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries, Food Security and Nature, the most significant challenge facing agricultural exports from the Vietnamese region is small-scale and fragmented production. Dispersed farming plots make it difficult to fulfil large export orders, complicating procurement for businesses and limiting farmers adoption of advanced technologies. This results in higher production costs, inconsistent quality and difficulties in market access. In addition, climate change-related challenges, including saltwater intrusion, soil acidification, pests and diseases, flooding, drought and land subsidence, are serious threats to agricultural production in the region. Vinod Ahuja, Representative of the Food and Agriculture Organisation of the United Nations (FAO) in Vietnam, noted that for farmers in the Mekong Delta, saltwater intrusion directly leads to lower yields, uneven quality, higher production costs and unstable supply. Rising salinity is also increasing operational, market and credit risks. Associate Professor Dr Van Pham Dang Tri, Director of the Mekong Institute at Can Tho University, stressed that strengthening linkages between science, policy and practice, promoting cross-border cooperation, and sharing knowledge are key to supporting long-term, evidence-based and socially inclusive adaptation pathways for the Delta. At the forum, Dutch and international experts agreed that rather than attempting to completely prevent salinity, a smarter strategy is to manage it and learn to live with it. Areas that successfully develop profitable farming systems under saline conditions will gain a long-term competitive advantage. According to Ahuja, local farmers are already adapting, production systems are shifting, and new technologies are being tested in the fields as part of a move towards more sustainable agriculture. He recommended investment in early salinity warning systems using low-cost sensors and digital modelling. In addition, the adoption of precision drip irrigation combined with smart fertilisation would help crops adapt while meeting international standards. From the State, he said, priority should be given to infrastructure investment, including community reservoirs, reinforced irrigation canals and data-driven sluice gate systems. Raissa Marteaux, Consul General of the Netherlands in Ho Chi Minh City, affirmed that crop production and the Delta have long been priorities in cooperation between the two countries. The Netherlands remains committed to sharing knowledge and technology and to working together for shared economic and environmental benefits./. VNA Despite unprecedented challenges from global markets and the growing impacts of climate change, 2025 marked a historic milestone for Vietnams wood industry as export turnover of timber and wood products surpassed 17 billion USD for the first time. According to data from Vietnam Customs, exports of timber and wood products reached nearly 1.7 billion USD in December 2025 alone, bringing total export value for the year to 17.2 billion USD an increase of nearly 6% compared with 2024. In 2025, exports of timber and wood products to the US totalled 9.46 billion USD, up 4.4% year on year and accounting for approximately 55% of the industrys total export turnover. Vietnam continued to maintain its position as the largest supplier of wooden furniture to the US market. Meanwhile, imports from China declined sharply to 1.4 billion USD, down 36% compared with the previous year. Vietnams market share of wooden furniture in the US increased significantly, rising from 40.5% in the first eight months of 2024 to 45.3% in the same period of 2025. In contrast, the shar in China fell from 15.7% to 10.4%. This widening gap underscores Vietnams strengthening position as the leading supplier to the US market. Meanwhile exports to Japan recorded robust growth of over 23% in 2025, reaching more than 2.1 billion USD. This marked the first time exports to Japan exceeded 2 billion USD, allowing Japan to surpass China and become the second-largest market for Vietnams wood industry. Although exports to China slipped to third place, they still grew modestly, reaching nearly 2.1 billion USD. This was the second consecutive year exports to China exceeded 2 billion USD. Collectively, the three billion-dollar markets the US, Japan and China accounted for nearly 80% of Vietnams total wood and wood product exports in 2025. Other markets were considerably smaller in scale, including the Republic of Korea with 709 million USD, Canada with 288 million USD and the UK with 244 million USD. In terms of product structure, wooden furniture remained the backbone of the industrys exports. According to the Agency of Foreign Trade under the Ministry of Industry and Trade, exports of wooden furniture reached 9.4 billion USD in the first 11 months of 2025, accounting for nearly 61% of total export value. Several other product categories also recorded export values of over 1 billion USD, including wood chips at 2.2 billion USD; timber, boards and flooring at 2.1 billion USD; and wood pellets at 1.1 billion USD. Phung Quoc Man, chairman of the HCM City Handicraft and Wood Industry Association, noted that 2025 presented unprecedented challenges for the industry. These included reciprocal tax policies, anti-dumping and countervailing duty investigations from the US and mounting pressure from the European Unions upcoming Regulation on Deforestation-Free Products, as well as frequent natural disasters and floods at home that disrupted raw material supply chains and production. Nevertheless, the industry managed to sustain export growth despite these strong headwinds, demonstrating the increasing adaptability and resilience of Vietnamese wood enterprises amid global market volatility. According to the Ministry of Agriculture and Environment, exports of wood and forestry products reached 18.5 billion USD in 2025, up approximately 6.6% from 2024, generating a trade surplus of nearly 14.9 billion USD. The growth rate of forestry production value reached up to 5.8%, fulfilling around 103% of the annual target. Forest coverage remained stable at 42%, while violations of forestry regulations declined by 13.8%. Areas affected by forest fires and other damage both fell by more than 10% year on year, reflecting tangible improvements in forest management, protection and development. Looking ahead to 2026, Deputy Minister of Agriculture and Environment Nguyen Quoc Tri said that the forestry sector aimed to maintain forest coverage at around 42% and achieve forestry export turnover of about 18.5 billion USD. Key priorities would include expanding large-timber forests, promoting the application of science and technology, advancing digital transformation and strengthening trade promotion. Future efforts would focus on diversifying export markets to reduce dependence on key destinations, building the Vietnam Wood brand and developing forest environmental services and carbon markets. Building on the strong foundation established in 2025, Vietnams forestry and wood industries were expected to further enhance added value in international markets, move toward sustainable development, improve forest-based economic efficiency and make an increasingly significant contribution to the countrys green growth target./. VNA At the first plenary meeting of the Intergovernmental Negotiations (IGN) process on UNSC reform within the framework of the 80th session of the UN General Assembly in New York, Vietnam made the statement at a discussion that launched this years series of negotiations on one of the UNs most critical, complex and long-standing reform agendas. The meeting was co-chaired by the Ambassadors and Permanent Representatives of Kuwait and the Netherlands to the UN, with broad participation from UN member states. It marked the start of in-depth discussions in 2026 on UNSC reform, a key pillar of overall UN reform. At the meeting, many countries and groups underscored the necessity of reforming the UNSC to better reflect current geopolitical realities. Delegates exchanged diverse views on the scope of reform, the expansion of membership categories, working methods, the use of the veto, as well as negotiation pathways and timelines. Addressing the meeting, Minister-Counsellor Nguyen Hoang Nguyen, Charge dAffaires ad interim of the Permanent Mission of Vietnam to the UN, reaffirmed Vietnams strong commitment to multilateralism and to the UNs central role in maintaining international peace and security. He stressed that UNSC reform is an urgent requirement to improve the Councils democracy, representativeness, transparency and effectiveness. Vietnam continues to support the expansion of both permanent and non-permanent membership of the UNSC, based on ensuring equitable geographical representation and enhancing the voice and participation of developing countries, he said. Regarding working methods, Vietnam highlighted the need to improve the UNSCs transparency, inclusiveness and effectiveness. This includes strengthening substantive exchanges between the council and UN member states, and enhancing the quality of interaction between the UNSC and the General Assembly. Permanent members, he noted, should exercise restraint and use the veto cautiously, in line with the purposes and principles of the UN Charter. On the IGN process, Vietnam expressed hope that discussions in 2026 will help narrow differences on an overall reform model, creating a foundation for substantive negotiations in the time ahead. Vietnam reaffirmed that it will continue to engage in the IGN process with a constructive, responsible and cooperative spirit, and stands ready to make active contributions to joint efforts to advance UNSC reform towards concrete outcomes that meet the demands of the new situation and the legitimate interests of all UN member states./. VNA On the afternoon of January 22, in anticipation of the upcoming Lunar New Year of the Horse 2026, Deputy Minister of Ethnic and Religious Affairs Nguyen Hai Trung led a delegation to visit and extend New Year wishes to Archbishop Nguyen Nang - President of the Catholic Bishops Conference of Vietnam - at the Archdiocese of Ho Chi Minh City. Deputy Minister Nguyen Hai Trung visits Archbishop Nguyen Nang, President of the Catholic Bishops Conference of Vietnam, at the Archdiocese of Ho Chi Minh City. Photo: Nguyen Hue Speaking at the meeting, Deputy Minister Trung emphasised that the traditional Lunar New Year holds a sacred significance for all Vietnamese people. It is a time that embodies deep emotional values and a spirit of community, transcending religious differences. Reflecting on the past year, he noted that despite global upheavals, Vietnam achieved important progress in economic development, political stability, social welfare, and international standing. These national achievements reflect the valuable contributions of bishops, priests, religious figures, and Catholic followers across the country through practical actions rooted in compassion and solidarity, he remarked. Addressing religious policy, Deputy Minister Trung reaffirmed that the Party and State consistently respect and guarantee freedom of belief and religion, creating favourable conditions for religious organisations to operate in accordance with the Constitution and law. He also shared that the Ministry is actively consulting religious communities on amendments to the Law on Belief and Religion. The goal is to refine the legal framework and facilitate diverse and meaningful religious practices. Deputy Minister Nguyen Hai Trung visits the Executive Committee of the Evangelical Church of Vietnam (South). Photo: Nguyen Hue He expressed his hope that the Catholic community would continue to promote the spirit of great national solidarity, walking alongside the country in its journey into a new era of growth and renewal. With the spirit of a synodal Church, I believe that Catholic leaders and followers will continue to journey with the Party and State, contributing to the construction of a prosperous, strong, democratic, equitable and civilised Vietnam that stands proudly among global powers, he said. Earlier, Deputy Minister Nguyen Hai Trung and officials from the Ministry of Ethnic and Religious Affairs and the Government Committee for Religious Affairs also paid Tet visits to the Executive Committee of the Evangelical Church of Vietnam (South), the Minh Ly Dao Tam Tong Mieu, and the Vietnam Buddhist Sangha. At the 5th annual plenary session of the 9th term (20222027) of the Executive Council of the Vietnam Buddhist Sangha, the Deputy Minister extended Tet greetings to the Supreme Patriarch, Most Venerable Thich Tri Quang, and acknowledged the Sanghas significant achievements over the past year. He praised the Vietnam Buddhist Sangha for continuing to assert its position as a respected and responsible religious organisation, both within the country and on the international stage. Quoc Ngoc Speaking at the January 22 handover ceremony, jointly held by VietnameseGerman University and the German World University Service (WUS), Dr Kambiz Ghawami, WUS President, said Vietnam is among the leading countries in Southeast Asia in building a legal framework for artificial intelligence, with a dedicated law expected to take effect in March 2026. Alongside rapid digital transformation, Vietnams vocational education sector is undergoing positive changes, in which the Digital Transformation Expert training programme plays a key role, he noted. The Digital Classroom model follows five German-standard pillars covering digitalised school management, lecturer capacity building, interactive digital learning resources, modern teaching infrastructure, and stronger links between vocational schools and businesses. The model will be adapted to local vocational education conditions in Ho Chi Minh City. VietnameseGerman University and its German partners reaffirmed their commitment to accompanying Vietnam in advancing the digital transformation of education, while expressing their hope that the trained experts will become a core force in sustaining and spreading these values throughout the vocational education community. Sponsors expect the 12 beneficiary institutions to gradually develop into model practice centres for digital transformation, continue refining digital manuals, and implement training under a train-the-trainers approach. This will allow the Digital Classroom model to be scaled up across Vietnams vocational education system, contributing to the supply of high-quality human resources for the emerging digital labour market. The Digital Classroom model is part of the Digital Change Expert (DCE) project launched in 2023. The project is the result of a strategic partnership between the German state of Hesse and Vietnam, aimed at supporting the modernisation of the vocational education system, particularly by enhancing digital transformation capacity at training institutions. After completing Phase 1, which trained nearly 30 leaders and managers, the project has moved into Phase 2, focusing on practical application and technology transfer for 34 officials from 12 intermediate and college-level institutions in Ho Chi Minh City./. VNA PHOENIX, Jan. 22, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- As Arizona's real estate market continues to evolve, demand for flexible, fast private financing is rising at an unprecedented pace. Michael Iuculano, founder of Hard Money Lenders Arizona, is seeing firsthand how investors, builders, and developers are increasingly turning to private capital to stay competitive in today's market conditions. Hard Money Lenders Arizona - Michael Iuculano According to Iuculano, traditional lending constraints, longer approval timelines, and tighter underwriting standards have created opportunities for private lenders who can move quickly and structure loans around real-world investment needs. 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Led by Michael Iuculano, the company has funded billions in loans and earned hundreds of positive reviews by delivering dependable capital and exceptional service to real estate investors. Media Contact: Michael Iuculano [email protected] 480-867-8205 SOURCE Hard Money Lenders Arizona At the fifth annual council meeting of the Vietnam Buddhist Sanghas (VBS) 9th term (20222027) held in Ho Chi Minh City on January 22, Deputy Minister of Ethnic and Religious Affairs Nguyen Hai Trung praised the Sanghas key achievements in 2025, affirming its role as a respected and responsible religious organization. The meeting also included a New Year greeting ceremony to mark the upcoming Year of the Horse (Binh Ngo) and brought together Buddhist dignitaries and delegates from across the country. A landmark year for the Buddhist Sangha Deputy Minister Nguyen Hai Trung speaks at the annual council meeting of the Vietnam Buddhist Sangha in Ho Chi Minh City. Photo: Nguyen Hue The year 2025 held particular significance as the Sangha prepared for its 10th National Buddhist Congress and celebrated the 45th anniversary of its founding. Among the most prominent highlights was the successful hosting of the 2025 United Nations Day of Vesak. This event once again underscored the role, stature, and international prestige of Vietnamese Buddhism. It also served to promote the image of the Vietnamese nation and people, offering a vivid testament to the consistent policies of the Party and State in ensuring freedom of belief and religion, Deputy Minister Nguyen Hai Trung said. The VBS also made notable strides in social welfare, contributing nearly USD 120 million to support disaster-affected communities. Trung commended the Sanghas proactive embrace of digital transformation and efforts to strengthen its governance structure in line with modern management standards. Responding to the Deputy Ministers remarks, Most Venerable Thich Thien Nhon, who chaired the meeting, emphasized the importance of such sincere and insightful recognition. He noted that this would serve as a firm foundation for delegates to advance key Buddhist initiatives, especially the 8th revision of the Sanghas Charter to ensure alignment with the Law on Belief and Religion and contemporary national conditions. With this momentum, the Sangha enters 2026 with confidence and determination, striving to successfully organize the 10th National Buddhist Congress and affirm its spiritual and civic contributions to the country. The Sangha also reaffirmed its commitment to supporting the nations overall development, in line with the vision and mission of the Party and the State. Priorities for 2026: Responsibility and alignment with national direction Most Venerable Thich Thien Nhon, chairman of the meeting, addresses delegates. Photo: Nguyen Hue Looking ahead to a politically pivotal year, which will include the 14th National Party Congress and the 16th National Assembly elections, Deputy Minister Nguyen Hai Trung urged the Sanghas leaders to ensure the successful organization of Buddhist congresses at all levels for the 20262031 term. He stressed the need for these to strictly adhere to the Sangha Charter and legal provisions, while maintaining the religions tradition of unity with the nation. Trung also called for continued mobilization of monks, nuns, and Buddhist followers to actively participate in national political events - particularly the National Assembly and Peoples Council elections. He encouraged further promotion of Buddhisms moral values through humanitarian and charitable activities that reflect the religions core principles of compassion and human dignity. Expressing strong belief in the Sanghas ongoing development under the guiding motto Dharma Nation Socialism, Trung extended New Year greetings of peace and wellness to all monks, nuns, and lay Buddhists. He also presented Lunar New Year gifts to the Sanghas Advisory Council and Executive Council. On the same day, Deputy Minister Trung visited and extended New Year wishes to Most Venerable Thich Tri Quang, Supreme Patriarch of the Vietnam Buddhist Sangha, and representatives of the Minh Ly Dao Tam Tong Mieu religious organization. Quoc Ngoc Vietnams National Competition Commission has issued an administrative penalty of VND810 million (approximately US$32,000) against VNG Corporation, the company behind the popular social media platform Zalo, for violating consumer rights and mishandling personal data. VNG Corporation, the operator of Zalo, has been fined VND810 million for violating regulations on user consent, data transparency, and consumer protection. Photo: Zalo Following a regulatory inspection, authorities found that VNG failed to provide users with adequate options to consent - or refuse - when it came to sharing their personal information. Specifically, the company did not offer clear choices for users to control how their data was collected or used for advertising and other commercial purposes. In addition, VNG was cited for including prohibited clauses in its standard service agreement and for failing to specify when certain user policies would take effect. The company also did not publicly disclose procedures for receiving and resolving consumer complaints as required by law - either at physical business locations or via its digital platforms. Authorities noted another major issue: Zalos lack of visible, accessible policy communication tailored to vulnerable consumers, which is mandated under Vietnams consumer protection framework. The National Competition Commission has ordered VNG to cease these violations and thoroughly review and revise its policies to align with legal standards on consumer data protection. In response, VNG acknowledged the decision and expressed willingness to cooperate. The company has already begun correcting several shortcomings and is working to fully update its terms and practices. The penalty follows a wave of public criticism in late December 2025, when Zalo introduced a controversial update requiring users to accept new data-sharing terms or risk having their accounts deleted after 45 days. The move sparked intense backlash and led to an official request from regulators for VNG to clarify its policies and practices. At the time, the Commission summoned VNG for a working session to investigate compliance with the Personal Data Protection Law, which officially came into force on January 1, 2026. Tam An Cao Bang Party Committee Secretary Phan Thang An (photo: Thanh Luan) This approach has helped resolve contradictions between procedures and reality, transforming reform pressure into new growth space. At a provincial Peoples Council session in late 2025, the head of Cao Bangs government delivered some good news: budget revenue reached VND4,491 billion, up 77 percent year on year. Of this, revenue from import-export activities surged 144 percent. However, the atmosphere in the conference hall quickly turned sober when Le Hai Hoa, chair of the provincial Peoples Committee, presented some figures and comparisons. Hai Phongs budget revenue is VND190 trillion. Quang Ninh has for many years maintained revenue between VND85 trillion and VND100 trillion. The gap between Cao Bang, ranked 34th out of 34 cities/provinces after the merger, and more developed provinces remains large, he said. Provincial leaders assessed that this discrepancy stems not only from natural conditions or geography but also from the operational efficiency of the administrative apparatus. In practice, at certain times and in specific projects, multi-layered administrative processes have created delays, slowing investment progress. A typical example is the disbursement of public investment capital and the implementation of national target programs. Although capital has been allocated, many projects face obstacles due to administrative procedures and prolonged site clearance. This situation demands an urgent change in management methods to remove institutional "bottlenecks." Citing an investor in Hai Phong whose large-scale project expansion was resolved in just 1.5 days, or an educational complex completed in exactly one year, Le Hai Hoa asked: "Why can other provinces do it, while we have the funds but cannot spend them?" The answer lies in the "intermediate layer." In Cao Bang, while provincial policies are drastic, administrative orders tend to lose momentum when passing through various departments and local governments. A fear of responsibility and roundabout document handling at the enforcement level have become invisible barriers. Recognizing this resistance, Cao Bang Party Secretary Phan Thang An has repeatedly emphasized the need to continue tightening discipline and order within the Party, viewing the struggle against stagnation and evasion not just as an administrative task but as a "measure of leadership capacity and the prestige of the Party organization." This is the "institutional bottleneck" that the locality must resolve to improve the investment environment. Streamlining to accelerate In this context, the Central Government's major policy on rearranging administrative units and streamlining the apparatus for efficiency arrived exactly when Cao Bang needed a strong push. Cao Bang has embraced the two-tier local government model as a "golden opportunity" to resolve its own bottlenecks. The province recognized that this was not merely an administrative task, but a vital survival strategy for a breakthrough. July 1, 2025, marked a historic milestone as Cao Bang officially transitioned to the two-tier local government model. The operation report for December 2025 showed that the scale of this transformation was larger than initially imagined. Organizationally, the province reduced the number of department-level focal points from 21 to 16; the commune level was significantly reduced from 161 to 56 units (cutting 105 focal points). Regarding personnel, this was the largest reorganization ever, with more than 12,600 cadres and civil servants reassigned. Simultaneously, the province resolved resignation and retirement policies for 720 redundant cases in just two months. In terms of institutional economics, this solution shortens "transaction costs." By removing intermediate departments and merging communes, the distance a decision has to travel through is significantly reduced. Notably, the province boldly decentralized authority, allowing Heads of departments and Chairmen of Commune People's Committees to resolve 1,250 types of administrative procedures directly. Output indicators Initial concerns about potential disruption were dispelled by actual results. Data through late December 2025 showed that the new apparatus has been operating smoothly. After the first three months, the rate of timely and early-resolved records across the province reached 98.8 percent. At the commune level, where the impact of merging was most direct, this rate reached 99.64 percent. These figures alleviated concerns that the grassroots apparatus might be "paralyzed" during the transition. Crucially, the long-standing question of having money but being unable to spend it gradually found an answer. By removing intermediate layers, public investment capital flows have been unblocked at unprecedented speed. The impact of streamlining in Cao Bang is reflected in public investment disbursement. As of December 31, 2025, the provinces disbursement rate had reached 96.4 percent. This placed Cao Bang among ministries and localities with the highest disbursement rates nationwide, alongside Quang Ninh, Bac Ninh, Thanh Hoa, the Ministry of Justice, and the Ministry of Finance. Doan Bong BOSTON, Jan. 22, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- Health Chain, Inc., a FHIR-native health data management platform, today announced the appointment of Eric Rosow as Chief Executive Officer and Reed Perry as Chief Commercial Officer. The leadership appointments mark a new chapter for the company as it expands its focus on enterprise interoperability, regulatory readiness, and delivering a single, trusted data foundation for stakeholders across the healthcare ecosystem. Eric Rosow, Chief Executive Officer Reed Perry, Chief Commercial Officer Rosow brings more than 30 years of experience across healthcare technology, data interoperability, and venture-backed company building. He is a serial health technology entrepreneur, most recently co-founding and serving as executive chairman of Conduce Health, a multispecialty value-based care marketplace which was acquired by Switchboard Health in September 2025. He serves on the board of Hartford HealthCare, and previously co-founded and served as Chief Executive Officer of Diameter Health, which was acquired by Availity in August 2022. Earlier in his career, he held senior leadership roles at Eclipsys and Allscripts and led Premise through its acquisition by Eclipsys/Allscripts. "I'm incredibly excited to lead Health Chain at a moment when AI is poised to fundamentally reshape health diagnostics, decision-making, and care delivery," said Rosow. "As powerful as these technologies are, the old adage 'garbage in, garbage out' has never been more true. AI is only as good as the data it's built on, and healthcare data has historically been fragmented, inconsistent, and difficult to trust. Health Chain is solving that foundational problem by providing a health data management platform that organizations can rely on with confidence to unlock the full potential of AI to drive better outcomes across the healthcare ecosystem." Perry brings extensive experience in technology, interoperability, and commercial strategy across the healthcare ecosystem, working with health IT vendors, payers, providers, health information exchanges, and life insurers. Most recently, he served as Vice President of Business Development at Availity. Prior to that, he was Vice President of Strategic Partnerships at Diameter Health before its acquisition by Availity. He has also held business development and strategy roles at PatientPop and athenahealth. "Healthcare organizations across the ecosystem are being asked to do more with data that is often incomplete, inconsistent, and difficult to use," Perry said. "Health Chain delivers what the market has been missing: a single, trusted, FHIR-native data foundation that supports CMS compliance, improves quality performance, and enables faster, smarter decisions across the organization. This is the infrastructure layer the market will rely on going forward." Health Chain was founded by healthcare industry veteran Sudheen Kumar. The platform enables the use of clinical, claims, provider, and administrative data to help healthcare organizations meet CMS interoperability requirements while giving utilization management, care management, analytics, and compliance teams access to complete, reliable member data when and where it is needed. The company positions its technology as an alternative to fragmented data stacks that require organizations to integrate and maintain multiple point solutions. By consolidating these capabilities into a single system, Health Chain aims to reduce the cost and complexity of data infrastructure in an increasingly data-driven regulatory environment. About Health Chain Health Chain delivers a unified, FHIR-native health data management platform designed to help healthcare organizations navigate fragmented data environments, rising interoperability demands, and increasing regulatory pressure. Through its Centaur Data Platform, Health Data Interoperability Gateway, and Hyperion Analytics Platform, the company enables real-time interoperability, simplifies CMS compliance, improves data quality, and reduces the cost of operating disconnected systems. Health Chain is headquartered in West Hartford, Connecticut. More information is available at https://www.healthchain.com . Media Contact Name: Maddy Keller Title: Account Associate Company: Health Chain Email: [email protected] SOURCE Health Chain Nashville's First Full-Service AI Automation Agency Launches with Proven Leadership Team Behind Multi-Million Dollar Consumer Product Success FRANKLIN, Tenn., Jan. 22, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- DigitalTreehouse today announced its launch as Nashville's first full-service AI automation agency, offering AI audits, consulting, and custom automation systems to help local businesses save 10-20 hours weekly on repetitive tasks. The agency is led by Scott McIntosh, a U.S. Navy veteran and inventor of the patented Cell Phone Seat which has generated millions of dollars in sales, and Jim Aylward, a serial entrepreneur with three successful Healthcare SaaS exits totaling over $50 million in acquisitions. What This Means for Nashville Businesses Scott McIntosh - Founder, DigitalTreehouse James "Jim" Aylward Nashville-area business owners now have local access to enterprise-level AI automation capabilities previously available only to large corporations. How DigitalTreehouse AI Automation Works DigitalTreehouse provides end-to-end AI automation services including: Automated Content Systems : Daily blog articles with AI-generated images, website posting, search optimization, and social media distribution : Daily blog articles with AI-generated images, website posting, search optimization, and social media distribution AI Voice Agents : Inbound agents for customer service, outbound agents for sales and lead qualification : Inbound agents for customer service, outbound agents for sales and lead qualification Internal Minds : Private LLMs installed inside companies for team queries, trend analysis, and searchable knowledge bases : Private LLMs installed inside companies for team queries, trend analysis, and searchable knowledge bases Robotic Process Automation: Newsletters, press request monitoring, and repetitive administrative tasks handled automatically Authority & Validation Leadership Credentials: Scott McIntosh brings over a decade of advanced digital marketing experience and holds multiple U.S. patents for his Cell Phone Seat invention. He completed an intensive 50-hour AI training program to prepare for this launch. Jim Aylward led three successful Healthcare SaaS exits as CEO: Sy.Med to HealthStream, MedCenterDisplay to PatientPoint, and Preferral to AristaMD. Proven Track Record: DigitalTreehouse serves over 50 clients and is actively transitioning them into AI automation, with clients averaging 10-20 hours saved weekly. Previous Partnership Success: McIntosh and Aylward previously partnered on Cell Phone Seat, featured in Modern Retail and MotorTrend Network. FAQs What is an AI automation agency and how can it help my business? An AI automation agency like DigitalTreehouse builds custom systems that handle repetitive business tasks automatically using artificial intelligence. This includes content creation, customer service, lead qualification, internal knowledge management, and administrative processes. Nashville businesses working with DigitalTreehouse report saving 10-20 hours weekly on tasks that previously required manual effort. How do I develop an AI automation strategy for my company? DigitalTreehouse begins with an AI audit to identify which business processes can be automated for maximum time and cost savings. The agency then provides consulting to prioritize opportunities and builds custom automation systems tailored to each company's specific workflows, tools, and goals. Executive Quotes "Nashville businesses are losing hundreds of hours monthly to tasks AI can handle automatically," said Scott McIntosh, Founder of DigitalTreehouse. "We're bringing enterprise-level AI automation to local businesses at a fraction of what large corporations pay." "I didn't know AI could do things like this, and do them extremely well. Scott is a wizard and AI is his magic wand," said Jim Aylward, Vice President of Business Development at DigitalTreehouse. "Nashville businesses that adopt these systems now will have a significant competitive advantage." About DigitalTreehouse DigitalTreehouse is Nashville's first full-service AI automation agency, helping business owners save 10-20 hours weekly through AI audits, consulting, and custom automation systems. Headquartered in Franklin, Tennessee, the agency serves over 50 clients. Learn More: DigitalTreehouse: https://www.digitaltreehouse.com SmartOwner, Scott McIntosh's daily newsletter helping business leaders master AI in five minutes per day: https://www.smartowner.ai To get started, visit digitaltreehouse.com and click "Talk to Treehouse." Media Contact: Scott McIntosh Founder, DigitalTreehouse [email protected] (800) 980-7116 SOURCE DigitalTreehouse For a second year, Elantra Hybrid awarded Best Compact Hybrid for the Money For a third consecutive year, Tucson awarded Best Compact SUV for the Money FOUNTAIN VALLEY, Calif., Jan. 22, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- The Hyundai Elantra Hybrid and Tucson have made the 2026 Best Cars for the Money list by U.S. News and World Report. The Elantra Hybrid received Best Compact Hybrid for the second year in a row, while the Tucson earned Best Compact SUV for the third consecutive year and the fifth time overall. These awards recognize the best value and quality in each class and will be presented at the Washington Auto Show in Washington, D.C. on January 22. 2026 Hyundai Tucson is photographed in California City, Calif., on July 16, 2025. The Hyundai Elantra Hybrid is photographed in San Pedro, Calif., on July 16, 2025. "In a climate where affordability is a key factor in selecting a vehicle, the U.S. News and World Report Best Cars for the Money is a timely assessment," said Ricky Lao, director, product planning, Hyundai Motor North America. "The Elantra Hybrid and Tucson each offer practical features in the compact sedan and SUV segment with starting MSRPs below $30,000. Hyundai's product lineup ensures options for every budget and lifestyle." The Elantra Hybrid offers strong fuel efficiency with an estimated 49 mpg city/52 mpg highway/50 mpg combined fuel economy and delivers customer-friendly features and a more unique, purposeful, and playful character. The Tucson is Hyundai's bestselling model and offers five trim options - 2.5L ICE, Hybrid, Hybrid N Line, Plugin Hybrid, and XRT - each designed to deliver enhanced comfort, convenience, and safety based on buyer preferences. "The Best Cars for the Money awards highlight vehicles that blend good ownership experiences with long-lasting value," said Alex Kwanten, Autos managing editor at U.S. News. "The Elantra Hybrid and Tucson deliver loads of style, value and capability for their prices, and they stay inexpensive over time. Both are repeat winners as a result, notching nine of these awards between them since 2021." About U.S. News Best Cars Since 2007, U.S. News Best Cars, the automotive channel of U.S. News & World Report, has published rankings and reviews of the majority of new vehicles sold in America. Each year, U.S. News also publishes the Best Cars Awards, including Best Vehicle Brands, Best Cars for the Money and Best Cars for Families. U.S. News Best Cars supports car shoppers throughout the entire car buying journey, offering industry-leading advice for researching cars and finding cars for sale, as well as its U.S. News Best Price Program. Hyundai Motor America Hyundai Motor America offers U.S. consumers a technology-rich lineup of cars, SUVs, and electrified vehicles, while supporting Hyundai Motor Company's Progress for Humanity vision. Hyundai has significant operations in the U.S., including its North American headquarters in California, the Hyundai Motor Manufacturing Alabama assembly plant, the all-new Hyundai Motor Group Metaplant America, several cutting-edge R&D facilities and more than 855 independent dealers. These operations are part of Hyundai Motor Group, which is investing $26 billion in the U.S. from 2025 to 2028. For more information, visit www.hyundainews.com. Hyundai Motor America on Twitter | YouTube | Facebook | Instagram | LinkedIn | TikTok SOURCE Hyundai Motor America New Delhi - Vietnam is increasingly affirming its position as a proactive nation in building trust and advancing peaceful solutions to conflicts, said Pallab Sengupta, President of the World Peace Council. Pallab Sengupta, President of the World Peace Council. (Photo: VNA) Speaking to the Vietnam News Agency (VNA)'s correspondent in Delhi on the occasion of the 14th National Congress of the Communist Party of Vietnam (CPV), Sengupta shared in-depth assessments of Vietnams 40-year Doi moi (Renewal) process, as well as the countrys role and prospects in advancing peace, cooperation and sustainable development in the region and the world. He described the four decades of renewal as a historic success that vividly reflects Vietnams independent, people-centred development path. From a war-ravaged and impoverished nation, Vietnam has risen to become a country with political stability and rapid growth, recording remarkable achievements in poverty reduction, social welfare, education and healthcare, while firmly safeguarding political independence and social cohesion. Vietnams experience affirms the sacred right of every nation to independently choose a development path suited to its own conditions, free from external imposition, Sengupta stressed. At the regional and international levels, Vietnam is widely regarded as a positive factor for peace and stability. Its consistent, peace-oriented foreign policy has contributed to strengthening the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN)'s unity, promoting international cooperation, and reinforcing a multipolar world order grounded in international law and the United Nations Charter. Reviewing the five years of implementing the Resolution of the 13th National Party Congress, Sengupta said Vietnam has clearly demonstrated strong leadership capacity, strategic vision and flexible adaptability amid major global upheavals, including the COVID-19 pandemic, rising geopolitical tensions and economic instability. In this challenging context, Vietnam has maintained political stability, ensured social security and achieved economic recovery, while steadfastly pursuing a foreign policy of multilateralisation, peaceful cooperation and respect for international law. On the occasion of the 14th National Party Congress, Sengupta expressed his hope that Vietnam will continue to consolidate a development orientation centred on inclusive growth, social equity and environmental sustainability. Internationally, Vietnam is expected to further promote dialogue, strengthen ASEAN's solidarity, uphold multilateralism, and resolve disputes through peaceful means. He also voiced his expectations that Vietnam will more strongly represent the voice of developing countries in shaping a fairer and more democratic global order. Drawing on historical lessons from war and the struggle for national independence, Vietnam consistently upholds the principles of international law, the UN Charter and peaceful coexistence, thereby making practical contributions to regional stability and global peacekeeping efforts. In the new development phase following the 14th National Party Congress, Sengupta expressed his desire to further strengthen cooperation with Vietnam, particularly through the Vietnam Peace Committee, the Vietnam Union of Friendship Organisations, and mass organisations. Key areas of cooperation will include promoting people-to-people exchanges, empowering the youth in the struggle for peace, opposing militarisation and coercive policies, and coordinating efforts in climate justice, sustainable development, national sovereignty protection, and the peaceful settlement of disputes. Hanoi Manuel Rodriguez, a member of the Portuguese Communist Party (PCP) leadership and Editor-in-Chief of its official newspaper Avante, has shared his impressions on the ongoing 14th National Congress of the Communist Party of Vietnam (CPV) and the countrys development model in the current global landscape in a recent interview to the Vietnam News Agency. Manuel Rodriguez, a member of the Portuguese Communist Party (PCP) leadership and Editor-in-Chief of its official newspaper Avante (Photo: VNA) Rodriguez said he was particularly impressed by the way Vietnam has pursued strategic reforms under the CPVs leadership, above all its open foreign policy of multilateralism and persification. He described this as a highly positive signal that not only reinforces Vietnams international standing but also delivers tangible political and economic benefits to its partners. He underscored the profound, longstanding ties between the CPV and the PCP, rooted in enduring friendship, cooperation, and international solidarity. Rodriguez was struck by the scale of the 14th National Party Congress, which assembled 1,586 delegates representing more than 5.6 million Party members. This gathering, he said, reflects an extraordinary source of internal strength and a great driving force for social transformation, with significance that reaches far beyond Vietnam and Southeast Asia to carry global resonance. The PCP, he said, highly values Vietnams socialism building efforts, seeing them as a search for solutions to the fundamental concerns of workers and the broader population. He framed it as a sustained struggle for development, social progress, and peace in an increasingly volatile world. Being present to witness what he described as historic moments was, for him, an invaluable and unforgettable experience. According to him, with the CPVs steadfast leadership and the strength of great national unity, Vietnam stands as a vivid example of a country that can move forward confidently and succeed on this path. Although this marks his first visit to Vietnam and he has not yet had the opportunity to study the full preparatory process in depth, Rodriguez said his firsthand impressions have left him convinced that the CPV would emerge from the Congress with renewed vitality to realise its dream of building a developed society. He voiced his confidence that the Congress would chart strategic directions for the future, advancing social progress, safeguarding workers legitimate rights, bolstering national capacity, and affirming the determination to resist imperialism. According to the ministry, EVN and Petrovietnam were assigned sea areas for surveying without having to pay sea use fees, with a survey period of 36 months. EVN has been granted 24,000ha of sea area offshore the Long Chau archipelago and Bach Long Vi Island to conduct measurements for the Bac Bo 1.3 and Bac Bo offshore wind (OSW) power ventures. Meanwhile, PVN has been assigned over 39,800ha offshore Lam Dong province to conduct surveys for the Nam Trung Bo 1 OSW power venture. The allocation of sea areas for surveys is the starting point for OSW power development, creating a legal basis for data collection, natural condition assessment, feasibility studies, and investment planning. Thus, the regulatory body can exercise more effective control over marine space while reducing overlaps with other exploitation use The ministry stipulates that EVN and Petrovietanam must not transfer, lease, mortgage, or contribute capital using sea-area use rights. The two enterprises must strictly adhere to regulations on national defence, security, and environmental protection. In the event of pollution or coastal erosion, operations must be stopped immediately for remediation. If cultural heritage is discovered during the survey, it must be reported to the authorities for handling according to regulations. In February 2025, Ministry of Industry and Trade proposed delaying the development of OSW power until after 2030, instead of the original target of about 6,000MW in the next five years. The main reason was the high initial investment costs of around $6070 billion. However, the Standing Committee of the Government instructed the ministry not to delay the development schedule for these initiatives. According to Power Development Plan VIII, the country's OSW power capacity should reach 6,000MW by 2030 and about 17,000MW by 2035. By 2050, capacity is projected to reach 113,000-139,000MW. Rethink imperative for offshore wind agenda Barriers continue to frustrate investors and stall Vietnams clean energy goals, putting 2030 targets in jeopardy and the offshore wind industry in dire straits. Germany's PNE to develop a $4.6 billion wind farm in Binh Dinh German wind power group PNE AG plans to inject $4.6 billion into the 2,000-MW-capacity Hon Trau offshore wind farm in Binh Dinh province. Photo: MM Mega Market According to its filing to the Stock Exchange of Thailand, BJC, through its subsidiary C-Distribution Asia, will purchase all 921.8 million ordinary shares in TTC Land International (Singapore) (TCCLI) from Golden Land International at a price of THB24.41 (78 US cents) each. TCCLI is a corporate entity associated with the Thai-owned TCC Group. It wholly owns MM Mega Market Vietnam (MMVN), a major wholesale distributor focusing on serving professional business customers. MMVN is a strategic brand of TCC in Vietnam with 30 branches across the country. Upon completion of the acquisition, TCCLI and MMVN will become subsidiaries of the Thai conglomerate. The acquisition will enable BJC to expand into Vietnams fast-growing market, establish comprehensive retail and wholesale distribution channels, and improve operational efficiency via business integration, the Thai firm said in its statement. In addition, the deal is expected to strengthen the companys regional bargaining power, diversify its product range, including private label brands, and leverage MMVNs digital platforms to enhance market reach and collect valuable consumer data, it stressed. BJCs board of directors will convene an extraordinary general meeting on February 13 to decide on the acquisition. If approved, the deal is set to be completed in the second quarter of this year. MM Mega Market Vietnam currently derives about 55 per cent of its revenue from the business-to-business (B2B) segment, with the remaining 45 per cent coming from business-to-consumer customers. The company aims to lift the B2B contribution to 60 per cent by 2030. It plans to expand its retail network from 30 outlets in 2025 to 54 by 2030, combining the rollout of both large-format stores and smaller-scale models. In 2014, TCCLI acquired Metro, the former name of MM Mega Market Vietnam, from German retailer Metro AG. At the time, Metro reported losses over several consecutive years. However, after being bought and renamed, MM Mega Market Vietnams business results started to show positive signs. In the fiscal year of 2024, it reported a revenue of $600 million and net profit of $15.4 million. MM Mega Market Vietnam unveils cutting-edge last-mile delivery system MM Mega Market Vietnam chooses FarEyes platform to harness AI and machine learning for data-driven optimisation of last-mile delivery. Retailers speed up welcome to Tet holidays As the end of 2024 approaches, supermarkets and shopping malls nationwide are launching Tet products and promotions, with discounts aimed at boosting consumer spending during the festive season. BJC BIGC Thailand continues investment expansion in Vietnam As part of the Thailand Trade Representatives visit to Vietnam, on March 18 Umesh Pandey met with the management board of MM Mega Market Vietnam (MM), a strategic retail brand belonging to BJC BIGC Group, a leading Thai investor in Vietnam. Vu Hoang Ha Thu, associate and head of Intellectual Property, Indochine Counsel In the context of increasingly intensive innovation, technological development and international economic integration, the law amending and supplementing the Law on Intellectual Property (IP) was adopted by the National Assembly to address issues arising in the course of implementing the current law, which was amended in 2009, 2019, and 2022. By clarifying the scope of industrial design protection, taking the initial steps towards codifying IP issues related to AI, and establishing a legal framework for the use of published texts and data for research and technological development, these amendments hold direct significance for businesses and investors in formulating and adjusting strategies for the protection, exploitation, and commercialisation of IP assets in Vietnam. The current IP law to expand the definition of industrial designs in two notable directions. Firstly, protected subject matter includes not only the design of an entire product but also the design of a part of a product (partial design), instead of being limited to entire products or parts used for assembling complex products under the current regulations. The protection of partial design is crucial for the automotive and electronics industries, where specific components serve as core brand identifiers. Secondly, the new law expands the scope of protection for designs of non-physical products, rather than limiting such protection to physical products as provided under the current regulations. Non-physical products may be understood to include graphical user interfaces, icons, animations and motion effects, typefaces, and the shapes of certain digital assets in accordance with relevant sector-specific legislation, among other things. These forms of subject matter are becoming increasingly prevalent in the context of rapid digital technology development. This further empowers fintech and edtech companies to safeguard their unique user experiences from infringement. This amendment brings Vietnamese law into closer alignment with industrial design protection trends in numerous countries and regions, such as the United States, Japan, South Korea, China, the European Union, and Singapore. Simultaneously, it addresses the limitations of the existing legislation in protecting creative achievements and enhances the attractiveness of Vietnams technological investment environment. One notable new feature of the amended law is the first-time recognition, at the statutory level, of issues relating to the accrual and establishment of IP rights in respect of subject matter created with the use of AI systems. Specifically, Article 1.2 of the amended law supplements Clause 5 of Article 6 of the current law, which delegates authority to the government to provide detailed regulations on the accrual and establishment of IP rights where such subject matter is created using AI systems. The amended law does not recognise AI as a right holder and does not specifically provide for the protection of subject matter created entirely by AI systems. Under the current IP law, IP rights can only accrue to and be established for organisations and individuals. Where subject matter is created with the assistance of AI, the amended IP law takes a cautious approach by not providing specific criteria for determining the level of human creative contribution, leaving such matters to be addressed in future government guidance. As a result, this approach may give rise to disputes in practice, particularly in determining the decisive creative role of humans in works created within a human-AI hybrid environment. Businesses are advised to maintain an audit trail of prompts and refinements to avoid the risk of works falling into the public domain. Article 1.3 of the amended IP law supplements Clause 5 of Article 7 of the current law, allowing the use of lawfully published and publicly accessible texts and data for scientific research, testing, and AI training, provided that such use does not cause unreasonable prejudice to the legitimate rights and interests of authors and right holders. This provision marks the first time that IP law has codified, at the statutory level, the use of published texts and data for research, testing and technological development activities, including the training of AI systems. However, the concept of unreasonable prejudice has not yet been clearly defined, and detailed guidance has yet to be issued. As commercial generative AI applications can produce outputs that compete directly with original works, determining what constitutes unreasonable prejudice will be a key issue and is likely to depend on sub-law guidelines as well as dispute resolution practices. In this context, businesses and research organisations should closely monitor implementing regulations while exercising caution in designing and deploying data mining activities to mitigate the risk of conflicts with third-party IP rights. While the amended IP law permits the use of lawfully published texts and data for research, testing and the training of AI systems, such use may also involve considerations under personal data protection laws. Under the Law on Personal Data Protection, the processing of personal data must, in principle, be based on the consent of the data subject, except for specific statutory exceptions. Notably, the cases of data processing without consent under that law do not currently include exceptions for scientific research, technological development, or AI training. In practice, datasets used for AI training often contain both protected IP subject matter and personal data. This may lead to situations in which businesses comply with the requirements of the amended IP law but still face the risk of violating personal data protection regulations, if the processing of personal data fails to fully satisfy the requirements regarding consent and processing conditions under relevant laws. Chairwoman of the Japan-Vietnam Parliamentary Friendship Alliance Obuchi Yuko grants an interview to the Vietnam News Agency (Photo: VNA) Tokyo - As Vietnam enters a new development phase, the Communist Party of Vietnam (CPV) is continuing to advance wide-ranging reforms aimed at achieving higher levels of growth while making constructive contributions to peace and stability in the international community, said Chairwoman of the Japan-Vietnam Parliamentary Friendship Alliance Obuchi Yuko. In an interview granted to the Vietnam News Agency on the occasion of the 14th National Congress of the CPV, Obuchi highlighted that the CPV has consistently played a central role in steering Vietnams dynamic development process. She affirmed Japan has long been among Vietnams largest aid providers, accompanying and supporting the country for more than four decades since Doi Moi (Renewal). Japan highly values Vietnams ongoing reform efforts and remains confident in its long-term development prospects, she said, while affirming Japans desire to further strengthen bilateral cooperation. Regarding the 14th National Congress of the CPV, Obuchi described it as a particularly important milestone, marking the opening of a new era in Vietnams development. She said the Congress provides an opportunity for the Party, Government, people and localities of Vietnam to consolidate unity and consensus while setting new development goals. From an external perspective, she added, the event also demonstrates Vietnams strong determination to rise further and underscores its growing role and aspirations on the international stage. Assessing party-to-party relations, Obuchi emphasised that exchanges between the CPV and Japans Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) have been maintained regularly and effectively over many years. She noted that high-level contacts between leaders, parliamentary exchanges and interactions through the LDPs international, youth and other bodies have contributed significantly to strengthening political trust. She stressed that sustained dialogue and frank exchanges are essential for deepening mutual understanding and building long-term, reliable relations. Against the backdrop of an increasingly complex and unpredictable regional and global situation, Obuchi underscored the importance of strengthening inter-party relations as a foundation for peace and stability in the region. She said maintaining regional stability is crucial for economic development in both countries and noted the need to preserve multiple communication channels to enhance trust and cooperation. In a rapidly changing world, she added, flexible engagement and long-term friendship remain indispensable. According to a report by The Korea Herald, KDB's licence was granted on January 14, more than six years after it first submitted the application. It also marked the first such approval issued to a foreign bank since 2021. The approval was secured despite Vietnams conservative licensing stance, driven by a combination of South Koreas diplomatic support including two bilateral summits, prime ministerial talks, and high-level meetings involving financial regulators and the Foreign Ministry and KDBs sustained efforts," the bank said. With the launch of its Hanoi branch, KDB said it will capitalise on its strengths as a policy lender to deliver corporate finance, investment banking and project finance services, while contributing to a stronger, more practical foundation for financial and industrial cooperation between South Korea and Vietnam. The licence represents a decisive step that goes beyond the establishment of a branch, signalling the banks formal entry into Vietnams financial market as a long-term institutional partner. Via its Hanoi branch, KDB aims to facilitate South Korean companies overseas expansion while contributing to Vietnams economic development as a responsible financial partner. Korea Development Bank to open Vietnamese branch Korea Development Bank (KDB) is advancing its plan to open a branch in Hanoi following the central bank's approval of its application. IBK plans fully foreign-owned bank in Vietnam State-run Industrial Bank of Korea (IBK) is preparing to expand its footprint in Vietnam with plans to establish a fully foreign-owned bank in the country. The Ministry of Health (MoH) on January 21 held a meeting in Hanoi to review the licensing and renewal of pharmaceuticals and vaccines during 2025 and orientation for 2026. The event, chaired by Deputy Minister of Health Nguyen Tri Thuc, saw the participation of representatives of departments under the MoH, council members and experts. Photo: MoH The advisory council for the term of 2023-2026 operates according to the principles on regulating the registration of drugs and drug raw materials for circulation, as well as traditional medicines and medicinal herbs. According to the council, in 2025 it reviewed nearly 9,500 applications, including more than 5,900 fresh applications, 2,400 renewal applications, and about 1,190 applications for amendments or additions. The number of applications granted marketing authorisation in 2025 included more than 3,600 drugs, of which 43 were vaccines and biological products, the highest number since 2020. Council members acknowledged that professional expertise is important, but legal issues are equally crucial. Therefore, any policy and institutional obstacles related to licensing, renewal, or issues related to the council's operations, such as the low remuneration for experts reviewing and evaluating dossiers, need to be addressed promptly. It was also suggested that the application of IT should be promoted to make it easier for council members to review and read clinical records. Deputy Minister of Health Nguyen Tri Thuc. Photo: MoH Deputy Minister Thuc highly appreciated and acknowledged the important contributions of teachers, and experts as members of the council for helping the management agency ensure the supply of medicines, vaccines, and biological products to serve the needs of epidemic prevention and control as well as exam and treatment. He expressed his hope that in 2026, based on the increasing practical needs in people's healthcare, the members of the council will continue to leverage their experience and dedication in performing the council's functions and tasks to improve the quality of dossier evaluation. "The intelligence and dedication of teachers and experts are valuable and worthy of respect. They act as a rigorous filter for the Drug Administration of Vietnam (DAV) and the Traditional Medicine Management Department before granting or renewing registration certificates for drugs, vaccines, and medical biological products," he said. The deputy minister requested the leaders of the DAV and the department to take note of the issues, promptly develop a plan to resolve them, and report to the ministry's leadership. Takedas partnerships to deliver innovative medicine and vaccines Global biopharmaceutical company Takeda is deepening collaboration with stakeholders to deliver innovative healthcare solutions in Vietnam, underscoring its commitment to creating sustainable values for the community. Sanofi brings worlds first modular concept manufacturing facility to Singapore Sanofi announced on December 4 the inauguration of its state-of-the-art manufacturing facility, Modulus, in Singapore, marking a significant milestone in its commitment to delivering innovative healthcare solutions globally. DALLAS, Jan. 22, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- ICAT Logistics announced today the launch of its new brand identity, signaling the next chapter in the company's evolution. The new brand unifies ICAT's vertical divisions under a single platform designed to support complex, high-stakes operations. ICAT Logistics Launches New Brand Identity ICAT has scaled its team, developed proprietary technology, and built out strategic operating infrastructure to become a global leader in mission-critical, specialized logistics. With a network of 60 strategically located offices, the company is committed to serving customers in verticals, where sector expertise enables superior service. Specialized Vertical Divisions ICAT provides disciplined execution and differentiated logistics solutions across a focused set of industry verticals: Live Events facilitating the biggest shows in music, sports, film, theatre, and corporate events facilitating the biggest shows in music, sports, film, theatre, and corporate events Luxury supporting store rollouts and refreshes, events, art installations, and special projects for the world's most iconic fashion and luxury brands supporting store rollouts and refreshes, events, art installations, and special projects for the world's most iconic fashion and luxury brands Technology transporting high-value technology equipment to data centers, semiconductor fabs, and technology campuses across North America and Europe transporting high-value technology equipment to data centers, semiconductor fabs, and technology campuses across North America and Europe Defense & Aerospace delivering mission-critical cargo to leading aerospace companies, defense contractors, and government agencies delivering mission-critical cargo to leading aerospace companies, defense contractors, and government agencies Financial Institutions securely transporting high-value assets for leading financial institutions As the company has grown, customers across all verticals benefit from the leadership, technology, and operational disciplines of the unified platform, while retaining the advantages of sector specialization. "We are at the start of an exciting new chapter for ICAT. Our new brand reflects how our business operates every day: focused, disciplined, and engineered for results," says Brad Stogner, ICAT CEO. "We are grateful for the customers who trust us to deliver every day and for the talented team at ICAT dedicated to their success." About ICAT ICAT is the world's leading specialized logistics company, delivering customized solutions and deep vertical expertise to industries where failure is not an option. With 60 offices and operating capabilities in 190 countries, ICAT serves customers across Live Events, Luxury, Technology, Defense & Aerospace, and Financial Institutionssectors defined by uncompromising performance standards. ICAT's proprietary, AI-powered technology platform provides end-to-end visibility and predictive intelligence, enabling precise execution for the most demanding operations. The Company's new brand identity reflects its evolution into a leading global logistics platform. ICAT is backed by New Atlas Capital following its acquisition of the Company in 2024. Contact Information ICAT Logistics, Inc. 8840 Cypress Waters Blvd, Ste 325, Coppell, TX, 75019 [email protected] SOURCE ICAT Logistics, Inc. Hanoi - Political parties, organisations, and international friends have continuously sent letters and messages of congratulations to the 14th National Congress of the Communist Party of Vietnam (CPV), expressing solidarity and friendship, highly valuing the great achievements Vietnam has attained over 40 years of the Doi moi (Renewal) process, and expressing strong confidence that the Congress will be a resounding success and a historic milestone propelling Vietnam toward prosperity in a new era. he Presidium chairs the 14th National Congress of the Communist Party of Vietnam. (Photo: VNA) The congratulatory message from the Communist Party of the Russian Federation stated that the Congress is an important event marking a new stage in the implementation of policy and national development. With collective wisdom, it will conduct a profound and comprehensive assessment of the results and achievements attained by the CPV through its tireless and creative efforts over the past five-year term. Under the leadership of the CPV - a tested vanguard force, Vietnam is confidently implementing the resolutions of successive Party Congresses, laying a solid foundation for progress and its development path, upholding principles while demonstrating creativity in both domestic and foreign affairs. The Communist Party of the Russian Federation is always proud of and ready to continue cooperating with the CPV. In its message, the United Russia Party noted that the Communist Party of Vietnam is the leading force of the Vietnamese State and society, making a decisive contribution to the countrys socio-economic development. Its decisions have helped enhance Vietnams role on the international stage while ensuring stability and security in the AsiaPacific region. Vietnam and Russia are cooperating closely at both bilateral and multilateral levels, including within the RussiaASEAN and BRICS frameworks. Cooperation between the United Russia Party and the CPV is an important component of the VietnamRussia Comprehensive Strategic Partnership. We hope to further promote and deepen dialogue and cooperation between the two parties in order to effectively serve the interests of the two nations, it wrote. The congratulatory message from the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) of India wrote that the long-standing cooperative relationship between the BJP and the CPV has made practical contributions to enhancing mutual understanding and promoting cooperation between Vietnam and India. The Indian party said it believes that the 14th National Congress of the CPV will be a great success, providing clear orientations for the CPVs upcoming development path, while helping advance development aspirations and improve the living standards of the Vietnamese people. The Communist Party USA, in its congratulatory message, wrote that the enduring dedication of the CPV and the people of Vietnam continues to be a source of inspiration for the communist movement and working people around the world. It looks forward to further strengthening relations with the Communist Party of Vietnam following the successful conclusion of the 14th National Congress. The Communist Party USA and the CPV will continue to stand side by side in the common struggle for peace, socialism, and international solidarity. The congratulatory message from the Japanese Communist Party stated that the achievements of 40 years of renewal have brought about profound changes to the countrys landscape, with steady socio-economic development and the peoples increasingly prosperous and happy lives. Vietnams position and role on the international stage have continued to grow. The 14th National Congress will become a new driving force enabling Vietnam to achieve even greater accomplishments in national construction, while further promoting its positive role in the international community for peace, progress, and sustainable development based on the United Nations Charter and international law. In its congratulatory message, the French Communist Party affirmed that it is committed to further strengthening the friendship and cooperation with the CPV and between the people of the two countries. The legacy left by President Ho Chi Minh, a founding member of the French Communist Party, continues to inspire the close friendship between the two parties. The shared values of solidarity, peace, and progress are precious assets in a strongly volatile world. Meanwhile, the congratulatory message from the Communist Party of Australia stated that the Congress will determine the roadmap for the countrys development along the socialist path in the new era. It highly values the CPVs historic role in the struggles for national liberation as the consistent leading force of the Vietnamese people and the socialist revolutionary process. The Communist Party of Sri Lanka, in its message, wrote that as one of the worlds fastest-growing countries, Vietnam has continuously improved living standards, health care, education, and the cultural life for its people. All of these achievements have been won by the Vietnamese people under the great leadership of the Communist Party of Vietnam. The 14th National Congress of the CPV, tasked with reviewing the achievements of programmes initiated and led by the CPV, is an event of great significance for both Vietnam and the world. The congratulatory message from the Democratic Party of Korea (DPK) stated that In recent years, the two countries have continuously expanded cooperation in the fields of politics, diplomacy, culture, and the economy. In the time ahead, we expect both sides to further broaden exchanges and cooperation on the basis of deep mutual trust, advancing together into a new era. The slogan of this Congress Unity Democracy Discipline Breakthrough Development clearly reflects the strong resolve of the Communist Party of Vietnam to achieve a leapfrog stage of national development. In its congratulatory message, the Partido Federal ng Pilipinas (Federal Party of the Philippines PFP) said it highly appreciates the determination of the Communist Party of Vietnam to promote progress while maintaining stability, thereby helping to ensure the well-being of the people. The PFP wishes the Congress every success and affirms its desire to strengthen cooperation with the CPV in areas of shared interest. In its message, the Mongolian Peoples Party wrote that the 14th National Congress marks an important milestone, reaffirming the determination and steadfast commitment of the CPV to its chosen development path, national great unity, and the building of a prosperous country with an increasingly happy population. The Mongolian party expressed its belief that under the wise leadership of the CPV, the Vietnamese people will achieve even greater accomplishments in the new stage of development. The congratulatory message from the Front for the Liberation of Mozambique (FRELIMO) emphasised that the Congress is a political event of great historical significance not only for the CPV and the Vietnamese people, but also for progressive and revolutionary parties worldwide, where ideals of liberation, social justice and independent development continue to inspire humanity. In its message, the African National Congress (ANC) expressed its hope that the resolutions adopted by the CPVs 14th National Congress would strengthen unity, sharpen strategic vision, and further promote prosperity and social progress for the Vietnamese people. The ANC wished the CPV to continue standing firm as a beacon of sovereignty, development and internationalism in the Global South. The congratulatory message from the National Liberation Front of Algeria affirmed the historically nurtured bonds between the two peoples and the two parties, rooted in their shared struggles against imperialism, colonialism and all forms of domination and exploitation. It also stressed the need for all peace-loving forces to work together to promote a multipolar world for peace, stability and progress. The New Azerbaijan Party, in its message, noted an undeniable fact that the CPV has been successfully implementing Vietnams socio-economic development strategy and expanding the countrys international relations. The decisions adopted at the 14th National Congress will lay the foundation for a new stage of development and provide important momentum for comprehensive socio-economic progress and enhanced international prestige. In his congratulatory letter, the ASEAN Secretary-General highly appreciated Vietnams important role, strong commitment and continuous contributions to ASEAN Community-building and regional integration efforts. He expressed confidence that the 14th Congress would provide valuable orientations and make practical, relevant contributions that advance the blocs strategic directions, in line with Vietnams national development priorities for 2026-2030 and its long-term goals. The Secretary-General of the Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU), in his letter, praised Vietnams outstanding socio-economic achievements in recent years under the CPVs leadership, and acknowledged the countrys active and substantive contributions to IPU activities, particularly in promoting peace, cooperation, sustainable development and enhanced inter-parliamentary collaboration. He expressed his belief that the Southeast Asian nation would continue to achieve even greater successes on its development path in the years ahead. Meanwhile, the President of the Standing Committee of the International Conference of Asian Political Parties (ICAPP) recognised the CPVs active and responsible role in promoting dialogue, strengthening mutual understanding and enhancing cooperation among political parties across Asia. It commended Vietnams notable achievements in dynamic economic development, social stability and rising international stature under the CPVs leadership, and expressed confidence that the 14th Congress would continue to set strategic directions for the countrys prosperity, sustainable development, and deeper international integration and cooperation. Hanoi With a strong sense of responsibility, journalists across the country have made continuous efforts to reflect the atmosphere of the 14th National Party Congress an extremely important political event - in a timely, accurate and vivid manner. Member of the Party Central Committee and Minister of Justice Nguyen Hai Ninh (L) visits the working area of the Vietnam News Agency at the press centre of the 14th National Party Congress. (Photo: VNA) The ongoing Congress is expected to mark the beginning of a new stage of national development toward the goals of prosperity, civilisation and happiness. As the national news agency and a trusted strategic information body of the Party and the State, as well as the countrys leading multimedia communications organisation, the Vietnam News Agency (VNA) made thorough preparations in advance. It mobilised all its editorial departments and its network of correspondents at home and abroad to implement a comprehensive communication plan, providing a wide range of news and in-depth reports to meet the needs of the press and media system, while disseminating information about the Congress to broad domestic and international audiences. According to VNA Deputy General Director Nguyen Thi Su, fully aware of the significance of the Congress, the VNA has proactively developed and implemented an information plan in a methodical and effective manner, with an aim to supply official, reliable and perse information on this major event to domestic and foreign media outlets, thereby fulfilling its mandate as the national news agency. A key task was the development of its specialised website at https://daihoidang.vn/, featuring six language versions - Vietnamese, English, French, Russian, Chinese and Spanish - and five types of content, including text, photo, video, data and infographics providing comprehensive coverage ranging from breaking news and thematic features to archival materials on documents and personnel across 13 Party Congresses. Notably, for the first time, the VNA has built a personnel database covering nearly 150 Party organisations and more than 1,200 inpiduals. This initiative represents a concrete contribution by VNA journalists in celebration of the 14th National Party Congress. Throughout the Congress, the VNA continues to update this page with the fastest and most comprehensive information for domestic and international media organisations, which can access materials free of charge via the Danh cho bao chi (Press Information) section. To serve this peak coverage period, the agency mobilised overall resources, assigning 93 staff members to directly cover the Congress and fully leveraging the strength of its resident correspondent system. As a result, its reporting not only reflects developments at the conference venue but also captures the confidence, expectations and sentiments of officials, Party members and people nationwide, overseas Vietnamese communities across the five continents, and international friends. The VNAs coverage is prominently and vividly featured across its print and online publications and widely disseminated on digital platforms. Special attention has also been given to delivering information about and images of the Congress to ethnic minority areas through print and electronic editions of Dan Toc va Mien Nui (Nationalities and Mountain) Pictorial and Tin Tuc and Dan Toc (News and Ethnic Minorities) newspaper. After three days of the Congress, the VNA has produced and supplied more than 200 Vietnamese-language articles, over 1,500 photographs, nearly 400 reports in five foreign languages, 60 videos and dozens of infographics. These products have been widely disseminated across media outlets and digital platforms. Alongside the VNA, journalists from various press agencies and armed forces units have also upheld a strong sense of responsibility. With careful preparation, disciplined conduct and a spirit of dedication, reporters have promptly delivered comprehensive and accurate coverage, enabling domestic and international audiences to closely follow key developments of the Congress in a vibrant and uplifting atmosphere of the major national event. Vietnam Airlines seeks aircraft through dry lease, photo Vietnam Airlines Vietnam Airlines JSC is seeking to acquire aircraft under dry lease arrangements for its operation plan. Aircraft Type: Used A320/A321 Ceo/Neo equipped with P&W engines. Tentative Delivery Schedule: 20262027. Preferred Lease Term (priority will be given to shorter lease terms): Option 1 (applicable to A320/A321 Ceo/Neo): Up to three years Option 2 (applicable to A321 Ceo/Neo): Up to sixeight years Principals or mandated agents capable of and interested in offering Vietnam Airlines the above-required aircraft are invited to contact: Fleet Development Office, Vietnam Airlines Email: lanhuynh@vietnamairlines.com; gioidamquang@vietnamairlines.com; myvnc@vietnamairlines.com Interested parties should provide the following information regarding the aircraft concerned: aircraft type and available quantity; aircraft specifications; tentative delivery schedule; indicative lease term and other relevant terms. The airline will contact eligible respondents with further details or instructions for a potential bidding process. The related RFP is due to be issued in January 2026. Vietnam has emerged as a prominent manufacturing destination as global supply chains continue to rebalance in response to cost pressures, geopolitical uncertainty, and the need for greater risk diversification. A large and increasingly capable labour force, competitive production costs, supportive investment policies, and sustained public investment in industrial infrastructure and logistics have positioned the country as a key sourcing location for international buyers. These structural advantages explain Vietnams rapid rise. Yet deeper integration into global supply chains requires more than capacity expansion. Vietnam remains a manufacturing base in transition, where continued improvement in process discipline, quality consistency, and compliance capability is essential for long-term participation in buyer-led sourcing networks. In modern sourcing models, buyers are not only purchasing products but securing manufacturing capability aligned with precise technical specifications, quality acceptance criteria, regulatory obligations, and delivery commitments. As standards tighten, suppliers are evaluated not on isolated outputs, but on their ability to deliver repeatable and verifiable quality across production cycles. From cost advantage to quality governance The Vietnam Chamber of Commerce and Industry, as the national organisation representing the business community and serving as an important interface between enterprises and policymakers, plays a key role in supporting Vietnams integration into regional and global value chains. Within this broader context, quality, compliance, and transparency have become increasingly decisive factors shaping sourcing decisions. Across Vietnams manufacturing ecosystem, it is widely observed that rejected shipments often result not from major defects, but from minor deviations that recur across batches or from insufficient evidence of conformity. Acceptance decisions are increasingly governed by inspection protocols, sampling plans, and predefined thresholds rather than internal factory standards. This shift has elevated the role of inspection from a final checkpoint to a series of decision gates embedded within the production process. Factory assessments before onboarding, in-process inspections during manufacturing, and pre-shipment inspection before dispatch enable buyers to control risk at the source rather than react to problems after delivery. For manufacturers, these mechanisms serve not only as controls, but as reference points for aligning internal systems with market expectations. Over time, consistent external inspection supports capability development and reduces variability in production outcomes. Effective inspection in sourcing environments depends heavily on proximity to production sites and the ability to respond quickly. Vietnams manufacturing landscape is geographically dispersed, spanning multiple industrial clusters and covering a wide range of consumer and industrial sectors. In such an environment, fragmented or ad hoc inspection coverage limits effectiveness. This is where organisations with extensive nationwide networks play a critical enabling role. Continuous local presence allows inspection activities to be deployed in line with production schedules, ensuring that quality oversight remains practical rather than theoretical. Vinacontrol is frequently referenced by international buyers and sourcing practitioners as one of the organisations operating such on-the-ground assurance infrastructure in Vietnam. With a network of more than 40 offices and laboratories across the country, Vinacontrol can mobilise inspection resources quickly, maintain consistent coverage across manufacturing regions, and support sourcing operations without disrupting production timelines. This level of readiness is increasingly valued as buyers consolidate supplier bases while expecting uniform quality assurance standards across different locations and product categories. In this context, Vinacontrols ability to operate as a local enabler, rather than a distant auditor, has become a defining factor in effective sourcing governance. Independent assurance In complex sourcing environments, trust alone is insufficient. Buyers require objective, third-party inspection anchored to their own specifications and acceptance criteria. Independent assurance, when integrated throughout the sourcing journey, helps transform quality control from a reactive exercise into a governance mechanism that supports informed decision-making. From supplier evaluation and process capability assessment to in-process control and final acceptance inspection, continuity of oversight reduces uncertainty for buyers while providing manufacturers with clear feedback aligned to market expectations. Organisations such as Vinacontrol, operating within Vietnams broader trade and industrial ecosystem alongside institutions like the Vietnam Chamber of Commerce and Industry, contribute to this alignment by bridging global requirements with local manufacturing realities. Rather than acting solely as inspectors of final output, such organisations increasingly function as trusted companions in sourcing, helping buyers manage risk and enabling manufacturers to progressively strengthen production discipline and quality consistency. Vietnams continued ascent in global manufacturing is supported by strong fundamentals. Its next phase of integration into global supply chains will depend on how effectively quality, consistency, and verifiability are managed at the source. Independent inspection and assurance, delivered through organisations with deep local presence and cross-sector understanding, will play an increasingly important role in this transition. As sourcing models become more complex and expectations continue to rise, the availability of trusted, on-the-ground partners capable of supporting both buyers and manufacturers will remain a critical factor in determining which manufacturing locations and suppliers progress deeper into global supply chains. Vietnam to become green manufacturing hub by 2050 through net zero approach Vietnams commitment to achieving net zero emissions by 2050 at COP26 is expected to bring a tailwind of opportunities, helping to turn the country into a green manufacturing hub and facilitating the export of made-in-Vietnam products into the markets of developed nations. Vietnam on way to become new global manufacturing hub Hanoi - Vietnam is now on its way to becoming a new global manufacturing centre. The MAE estimates that the countrys total rice cultivation area in 2026 will reach about 7.09 million hectares, down 36,000ha from the previous year. Photo: baodautu.vn Average yield is projected at 6.14 tonnes per hectare, up 0.03 tonnes on-year. As a result, total paddy output is forecast at 43.55 million tonnes, an increase of 12,000 tonnes compared with 2025. Rice for export will continue to be concentrated mainly in the Mekong Delta, while production in other regions is largely earmarked for domestic consumption. Total paddy output in the Mekong Delta and part of Tay Ninh province (formerly Long An) is estimated at 24.34 million tonnes from 3.84 million ha. Of this, around 8.9 million tonnes will be used for domestic consumption in the Mekong Delta and Ho Chi Minh City, as well as for seed and animal feed. This leaves an estimated 15.46 million tonnes of marketable paddy, equivalent to about 7.73 million tonnes of export-grade rice. The export structure is expected to comprise approximately 5.8 million tonnes of high-quality and fragrant rice, accounting for 75 per cent of the total, 773,000 tonnes of glutinous rice, or around 10 per cent, and nearly 1.16 million tonnes of rice for processing, representing about 15 per cent. Rice exports in the first half of 2026 are estimated at 4.01 million tonnes, while shipments in the second half are projected at around 3.72 million tonnes. Based on these projections, the MAE has proposed that the Ministry of Industry and Trade focus on boosting rice exports during peak harvest months. It also stressed the need to maintain minimum circulation reserves in line with regulations and to strengthen inventory reporting to support monitoring and early warning mechanisms. In addition, the authorities called for enhanced trade promotion, diversification of export markets and product segments, and greater use of digital transformation in developing management scenarios for rice exports and imports, in line with global and domestic market developments. Ministry building long-term strategy on rice exports, market stabilisation: official The Ministry of Industry and Trade (MoIT) is building a long-term strategy on rice export and market stabilisation, following bans by several countries, according to Deputy Director of the MoIT's Import-Export Department Tran Quoc Toan. Myanmar eyes to increase rice exports in coming months President of the Myanmar Rice Federation (MRF) Ye Min Aung said that the tightening in global supply should help revive Myanmars rice shipments, which slumped 56 per cent in the first four months of the fiscal year, and bring it closer to its annual goal of earning 1 billion USD from exports of the grain. Agro-forestry-fishery exports see bright prospects The new record export turnover of key agricultural produce contributed a pivotal role in the agricultural industrys growth in 2023, and simultaneously paves the way for bright prospects in 2024. Rice exports soar to record 8.3 million tonnes Vietnams rice production in 2023 stood at 43.5 million tonnes, an increase of 1.9 per cent, adequately meeting domestic consumption, processing, animal feed production, and exports, which set a record of nearly 8.3 million tonnes. Rice gaining traction within major markets Rice exports in 2024 are shaping up to perform strongly overall, with promising results already achieved over the past several months. Vietnams rice exports deliver strong yield Vietnam has strengthened its position as a global rice exporter as surging prices and volumes propel the country towards a projected record-breaking eight million tonnes of exports in 2024. Rice exports set to break records According to the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development, rice exports in October reached 800,000 tonnes with a value of $505 million, bringing the total for the first 10 months to nearly 7.8 million tonnes at almost $4.9 billion. At the Towards HawaExpo 2026 seminar held on January 21, Phung Quoc Man, chairman of the Handicraft and Wood Industry Association of Ho Chi Minh City (Hawa) said Vietnams wood and wood product exports reached more than $17.2 billion in 2025, up almost 5.7 per cent compared to 2024. Photo: Ministry of Agriculture and Environment Although the figure did not meet the industrys $18 billion target, Man noted that the outcome reflected considerable efforts by the sector, particularly amid the volatility of 2025, which was marked by changes in US tariff policies. Notably, despite tariff measures, the US continued to be Vietnams largest importer of wood products over the past year. The US market accounted for 54.65 per cent of the industrys total export value, equivalent to nearly $9.5 billion, Man said. Following the US, Japan, China, and South Korea were the next largest importers of Vietnams wood and wood products. Data from the Department of Forestry and Forest Protection under the Ministry of Agriculture and Environment show that Vietnams wood and wood product exports have continued to consolidate the countrys position among the worlds top five exporters. In the segment of deeply processed wood products alone, with export turnover of $11.7 billion, Vietnam ranked second globally, behind only China. Looking ahead to 2026, the Department of Forestry and Forest Protection warned that the wood industry may face challenges on multiple fronts. These include rising trade barriers and an increase in trade defence and anti-dumping investigations from the US, volatile logistics costs due to global geopolitical uncertainties, and mounting pressure to secure certified plantation timber to meet stricter import regulations in key markets. For 2026, Hawa expects the industrys export turnover to reach as much as $19 billion. To achieve this goal, the sector needs to deepen its presence in markets that have already been opened, such as the Middle East and India. At the same time, wood enterprises must step up investment in technology to enhance competitiveness and reduce costs compared with regional and global peers, chairman of Hawa noted. VANCOUVER, BC, Jan. 22, 2026 /PRNewswire/ - International Tower Hill Mines Ltd. (the "Company") - (TSX: ITH) (NYSE American: THM) today announced the launch of a $60 million public offering of common shares, without par value, of the Company (the "Common Shares") in the United States (the "Offering"). In connection with the Offering, Paulson & Co. Inc. has entered into an agreement to purchase $40 million of Common Shares in a private placement (the "Concurrent Private Placement") at the public offering price of the Offering. The Company expects to use the net proceeds of the Offering and the Concurrent Private Placement to fund the exploration and development of the Livengood Gold Project, including drilling, metallurgical studies, feasibility studies, technical studies, baseline environmental studies, detailed engineering in support of permitting, permitting, legal support, community engagement, mineral lease and land payments, acquisitions and general corporate purposes. The Common Shares will be offered by the Company with BMO Capital Markets acting as lead book-running manager (the "Underwriter"). In connection with the Offering, an underwriting agreement will be entered into by and between International Tower Hill Mines and BMO Capital Markets as representative of the several Underwriters. International Tower Hill Mines has also granted the Underwriters an option (the "Option") to purchase additional Common Shares representing up to 15% of the number of Common Shares to be sold pursuant to the Offering. The Underwriters have 30 days from the closing of the Offering to exercise the Option. In connection with the Offering, an underwriting agreement will be entered into by and between International Tower Hill Mines and BMO Capital Markets as representative of the several Underwriters. In the event that the Option is exercised in full, the aggregate gross proceeds of the Offering and the Concurrent Private Placement will be approximately $109 million. Closing of the Offering will be subject to a number of customary conditions to be included in the Underwriting Agreement. The Offering to the public in the United States is being made pursuant to the Company's effective shelf registration statement on Form S-3, including a base prospectus, previously filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the "SEC"). The Offering in the United States will be made only by means of a prospectus and related prospectus supplement meeting the requirements of Section 10 of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended. You may obtain these documents for free by visiting EDGAR on the SEC's website at www.sec.gov. Alternatively, copies of the preliminary prospectus supplement and the base prospectus may be obtained from BMO Capital Markets Corp., Attn: Equity Syndicate Department, 151 W 42nd Street, 32nd Floor, New York, NY 10036. The Offering may also be conducted in Canada and in offshore jurisdictions on a private placement basis in accordance with applicable securities laws. The Company intends to rely on the exemption in section 602.1 of the TSX Company Manual in respect of the Offering and the Concurrent Private Placement as an eligible interlisted issuer. The consummation of the Concurrent Private Placement is subject to customary closing conditions, including the completion of the Offering, but the Offering is not contingent upon the consummation of the Concurrent Private Placement. We cannot assure you that the Concurrent Private Placement will be completed. The sale of the Common Shares under the Concurrent Private Placement will not be registered under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended. This news release does not constitute an offer to sell or the solicitation of an offer to buy Common Shares, nor shall there be any sale of these securities in any jurisdiction in which such offer, solicitation or sale would be unlawful prior to registration or qualification under the securities laws of any such jurisdiction. Forward-Looking Statements Statements in this press release that are not statements of historical or current fact constitute "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of the U.S. Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995, as amended, Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, and "forward-looking information" within the meaning of applicable Canadian securities laws (collectively, "forward-looking statements"). Such forward-looking statements involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties, and other factors that could cause the actual results of the Company to be materially different from historical results or from any future results expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. In addition to statements which explicitly describe such risks and uncertainties, readers are urged to consider statements containing the terms "intends," "estimates," "may," "might", "will," or other similar expressions to be uncertain and forward-looking. Readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements, which speak only as of the date of this press release. The forward-looking statements in this press release, including statements regarding the conduct of the Offering and Private Placement; the granting of the Underwriters' over-allotment option; the anticipated use of proceeds from the Offering and Private Placement; the occurrence of the expected benefits from the anticipated use of proceeds from the Offering, Private Placement. Actual results and the timing of events could differ materially from those anticipated in such forward-looking statements as a result of various risks and uncertainties, including, without limitation: (i) that the current exploration, development, environmental and other objectives concerning the Livengood Gold Project can be achieved and that its other corporate activities will proceed as expected and (ii) that general business and economic conditions will not change in a materially adverse manner and that permitting and operations costs will not materially increase. The foregoing list of important factors that could cause actual events to differ from expectations should not be construed as exhaustive and should be read in conjunction with statements that are included herein and elsewhere, including the risk factors detailed in the "Forward-Looking Statements," "Risk Factors" and "Management's Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations" sections of the Company's Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2024, Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the quarterly period ended March 31, 2025 and the Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the quarterly period ended June 30, 2025 and other documents that have been and will be filed by the Company from time to time with the Securities and Exchange Commission and Canadian securities regulators. All forward-looking statements contained in this press release speak only as of the date on which they were made. The Company undertakes no obligation to update such statements to reflect events that occur or circumstances that exist after the date on which they were made, except as required by applicable securities laws. About International Tower Hill Mines Ltd. International Tower Hill Mines Ltd. has a 100% interest in its Livengood Gold Project located along the paved Elliott Highway, 70 miles north of Fairbanks, Alaska. On behalf of International Tower Hill Mines Ltd. (signed) Karl L. Hanneman Chief Executive Officer SOURCE International Tower Hill Mines Ltd. 50 Challenge aims to raise 50,000 for Hope House Ty Gobaith A 50 Challenge that raises vital funds for Hope House Ty Gobaith childrens hospices is back bigger and better for 2026. The interactive charity challenge sees fundraisers work to transform 50 into thousands of pounds for the organisation. Based in Oswestry and Conwy, the hospices provide free respite, expert nursing care, therapeutic play and counselling to local children and families living with a life-threatening condition, and in 2025 raised 44,000 with the campaign. This year, Hope House Ty Gobaith childrens hospices is looking for 100 businesses and schools to help hit this years 50,000 target. Event lead Bekki Fardoe said this years challenge, taking place from March 2 until April 20, is set to be the biggest and best yet. We will give you a 50 advance and the challenge is to see by how many times you can multiply that sum by in just 50 days, explained Bekki. For the first time, we will also have a trophy to present to the team that raises the most from their investment. Will it be your team who takes this and becomes our Challenge Champion? Weve seen everything from quiz nights to coffee mornings, from sponsored swims to car washes and our loyal supporters never cease to amaze us with their enthusiasm. Last year, Wrexham-based Handelsbanken raised an impressive 1,300 through the challenge. Zoe Kempster, Assistant Banking Manager, shared: The 50 Challenge is a great initiative that allowed us to make an investment without the worry of using our own money or having to dip into our final fundraising balance. Its amazing how much we were able to raise from the original 50 investment and theres so many possibilities to make that initial money grow. We hosted a fundraising corporate quiz night. In the end we turned our 50 into over 1,300 which we were so proud of. Its so rewarding to be part of this fundraising initiative that raises a staggering amount of money it just shows how every little helps! Bekki added: Its completely free to register and well be behind you all the way as you help us to bring quality moments and lasting memories to local children and families facing an uncertain future whilst you fulfil your corporate social responsibility. Register on our website or call us now to get involved. Registration is now open for the social and fun challenge, which can be great for team building, and all entrants will be fully supported by the enthusiastic fundraisers with ideas, banners and more. To get involved visit https://www.hopehouse.org.uk/50challenge or call the fundraising team on 01691 671671. Executive Board discovers how many community councils there are in Wrexham A mathematical error in a funding report has left Wrexham Council red-faced after it emerged that five community councils were accidentally omitted from calculations distributing 1.5 million in grants. The mistake, spotted by Councillor Frank Hemmings during an Executive Board meeting, means all 34 community councils in the borough will now receive approximately 15% less funding than initially promised in the published report. The Council Leader was challenged over a funding report, as it mentions 29 Community Councils. Is that number correct?. It was not. Wrexham is one of several places in the UK awarded a capital grant from the Pride in Place Impact Fund (PiPIF) of 1.5m for two years, split 750k per year. The PiPIF cash in administered by Wrexham Council, and a report before councils explained there had been lots of focus on the city / town centre areas with previous funding, so to help counter that it would be split over community councils. Council Leader Mark Pritchard presented the report, noting its positive funding, What Ive done is Lead Member of Finance, Ive tried to share the money fairly across Wrexham borough. There has been some criticism in the past that certain wards and funding has been allocated to areas, whether its a rural grant, whether its an urban grant, but listen they are the conditions of those grants, and we have to follow them. As we all know on this occasion, this fund allows us for local authority to make the decision, and I think the decision is the right decision, to share it out between the Community Councils fairly and evenly. And I think all communities across Wrexham will benefit. The report before councillors, attributed to Councillor Mark Pritchard Finance & Asset Management and Andrew Harradine Regeneration & Business Investment Lead stated: The proposed implementation of the PiPIF in Wrexham is to allocate all funds equally to the 29 Town & Community Councils in Wrexham County Borough (based on 25,862.07 in 2025/26 and 25,862.07 in 2026/27). It then gave a formal recommendation the Executive Board: Approves the proposal to allocate the entire 1.5m Pride in Place Impact Fund to the 29 Town & Community Councils in Wrexham County Borough to invest in public and community-owned assets and infrastructure that improve Community Spaces and Public Spaces Later it reads: There are 29 Town & Community Councils in Wrexham County Borough. The Council can made direct grant awards to the Town & Community Councils based on existing financial mechanisms, which can maintain transparency and manage risk. Simple maths is conducted in the report, of 750,000 divided by 29: Consideration the implementation of the PiPIF has resulted in the proposal to allocate all funds equally to the 29 Town & Community Councils in Wrexham County Borough (based on 25,862.07 in 2025/26 and 25,862.07 in 2026/27). The 29 Town & Community Councils in Wrexham stat is repeated once more in the document. There are 34 community councils in Wrexham (eg. this list). The report likely made it through a pre-Executive Board meeting in recent weeks involving officers and councillors where all reports are collated and signed off. The mistake means each council will now receive 22,058 annually instead of the originally stated 25,862 a reduction of nearly 3,800 per year, or 7,606 over the two-year funding period. The five unnamed additional councils omitted from the initial calculation will now receive their share of the Pride in Place Impact Fund. But, the error means all 34 councils will receive approximately 15% less than the 29 would have been allocated in the published report, though the overall 1.5m pot remains unchanged. It was agreed that the report would be amended with the correct figure, and that all money is distributed on an equal share, an equal basis to all community councils. Cllr Nigel William welcomed the report contrasting its positivity to a bit of a snarky start to the meeting, Community Councils are made up of people who live in their local areas, and I think they know the best way to spend the money grassroots whats needed in their communities. So Id really welcome the reports and happy to second it. Cllr Paul Roberts echoed the positive comments, I am really pleased with this report, because it shows thinking outside the box by splitting the money the same across all the Community Councils. Its an excellent way forward, because there have been in the past, not myself, but comments made historically, that some of the pots of money and funding, have gone to certain areas of the borough, and I think its really good news, and maybe this is the way forward as regards these pots of money. Cllr Mike Morris also spoked positively on the funding and how it was being split, but noted community councils had not been informed it was coming to them, also querying if the sum had to be spent by the end of March or could be carried forward, stating that a quick turnaround could put quite a lot of strain on Community Councils if they dont get told about it for another week or so, they then got to draw up schemes, theyve got to get quotes, prices and so on and so forth. And with their meeting cycles, I think its probably a bit tight and enquired if there were any mechanism to make it more manageable. Cllr Mark Pritchard told the meeting there was a carry over facility. Cllr Frank Hemmings threw a mathematical spanner in the works, asking about the proportionality of the share of funds, but also asking , It mentions 29 Community Councils. Is that number correct? Ive seen 34 in the list. So can you just double check that for me? Cllr Mark Pritchard said he would check the numbers of community councils, We will check the numbers. Ive got 29 on mine too, so the officer will go in check that, and sure the officers will be working on it as we speak. As a list was checked, Cllr Marc Jones noted it was a capital grant not revenue and that 50k could be a sum unspendable by some community councils in that timeframe as it could be bigger than their entire yearly budget, and if a facility was created could it be maintained outside the grant, Im concerned what were doing is basically saying weve got a big pot of money, we dont really know what to do with it, so we can offload it to the community councils who dont know anything about this. Theyve not had any communication about this, and will be expected to spend it in 14 months. Cllr David A Bithell defended the report, I dont want this report to be a negative report, because its turning into be quite a negative report. I think to be fair to the Leader and the Officers, theyve done this in good faith. This is an opportunity, once in a lifetime opportunity, especially for the small community councils to have a capital sum to spend in their communities. Im sure if somebody said to me, youve got 50,000 to spend in 14 months, Id spend it in 14 days. If they dont want to spend it, can I say they can hand it back and well distribute it somewhere else. Cllr Dana Davies told the Executive Board how many community councils existed, If we have a look at the Council report from last February, when were talking about revenue, budget and council tax. Appendix three lists 34 councils. Can we accept now weve got 34? Im just concerned that potentially five will get excluded, and obviously that feeds into 2.6 of the report, where weve got a breakdown on the 25,000 dont we, because were splitting it by 34 rather than 29 Cllr Bithell didnt trust that reference, We are just checking how many community councils With Cllr Pritchard interrupting, We are checking as we speak. Listen, you know, weve looked on the website it has got the numbers that weve got in the report. We will check it and whatever number of Community Councils we have, we will share it fairly, of course, Cllr Robert Ian Williams asked, Is it true that there are 34 Community Councils? So will that sum of money, 25,000, be affected by that if there are 34 and how can such a major mistake be made in the report on the size of the number of community councils that weve got? The Officer told the meeting, I have made a mistake in the report. I apologise to all members for that. I have just had the updated list. It is 34 and we will manage the amounts accordingly the principle would be the same. I do apologise to members. The report will be adjusted to read 34 rather than 29 and the sums involved adjusted accordingly. The erroneous information likely made it through a pre-executive board meeting held in recent weeks, involving officers and councillors, where all reports are collated and signed off, including by the relevant lead member. Wrexham councillor criticises decision to block questions at executive board A Wrexham councillor has hit out at the executive board after two of his questions were rejected, claiming the refusal has limited his ability to represent residents. Plaid Cymru councillor Andy Gallanders, who represents Rhosnesni, said both questions were submitted within the required timescales but were rejected on the grounds that they related to operational matters. One of the questions concerned ongoing complaints about missed waste collections on Fridays, with Cllr Gallanders stating that some households in his ward have not had a waste collection since December 19, due to disruption over the festive period and the recent adverse weather. He added that some residents are reporting inconsistent service levels, which has led to understandable frustration and a lack of confidence in the system. Cllr Gallanders proposed the creation of a time-limited, cross-party working group, bringing together councillors, officers and, where appropriate, union and operational representatives, to assess the problems and develop practical solutions. Speaking at the executive board on Tuesday ( January 20), Cllr Gallanders challenged the decision to refuse him the opportunity to ask his questions in the public domain. Questionning operational matters is a core function of the democratic process within this council, said Cllr Gallanders. One of the questions that I asked that has been denied is to set-up a working group, which I dont think is wrong. I think that would be a healthy debate to have within this council and I just want to let my residents know that I am fighting for a better bin service for them. Unfortunately, Im not allowed to ask questions, so Im really disappointed. Leader of Wrexham Council Mark Pritchard said he had received advice from senior officers on the question, who had confirmed that it was an operational matter. Cllr Gallanders said he has now written to the councils homes and environment committee, urging councillors to consider his requests for an urgent meeting to: Examine what has gone wrong with recent Friday waste collection disruptions Assess why follow-up arrangements differ from other collection days Consider a long-term, resilient plan for managing Friday collections when disruption occurs Review and improve officer-to-councillor and public communication when services are affected The request has since been approved by the committee and will likely be discussed at a future meeting. Questions relating to the ownership of the former Hippodrome site and changes to the Active Travel Route plans on Mold Road were also rejected on operational matters. Cllr Marc Jones, Plaid Cymru councillor for Grosvenor, questioned the refusals and argued that many issues fall under operational matters. Addressing the councils monitoring officer, Cllr Jones said: Are we able to raise issues regarding operational matters at the executive board. If everything we ask about is basically an operational matter, and if we are not able to raise these questions, then there is no opportunity to ask any questions at the executive board. These concerns were echoed by Reform UK councillor for Bangor-is-y-Coed, Robert Ian Williams, who said there is a lack of functionality and getting answers to questions. Linda Roberts, monitoring officer at Wrexham Council, said: As youd appreciate in the past you have been able to ask questions here appropriately, and that is perfectly fine. These particular questions put forward were on operational matters and were directed to the appropriate people or the appropriate route to contact. LANSDOWNE, Va., Jan. 22, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- Today, the Jack Kent Cooke Foundation announced that 568 talented high school seniors have been named semifinalists for its highly selective Cooke College Scholarship Program. This year's applicants come from more than 4,100 high schools across all 50 states as well as Washington, DC, American Samoa, Puerto Rico, the Northern Mariana Islands, Guam, and the Virgin Islands. "Each of these semifinalists has demonstrated extraordinary academic achievement," said Natalie Rodriguez Jansorn, Vice President of Scholarship Programs at the Cooke Foundation. "We are continually inspired by the ambition and talents of the many students that apply for the Foundation's college scholarship, and we are excited to recognize them as they prepare to take the next big step in their education." The Cooke College Scholarship provides high-achieving, talented students with the opportunity to graduate with as little debt as possible. The award, which is last-dollar funding after all institutional aid, can provide up to $55,000 per year to pursue a bachelor's degree at any accredited undergraduate institution. In addition to the scholarship, Cooke Scholars receive college planning support, ongoing advising, and the opportunity to network with the larger Cooke community. The semifinalists listed here will now move forward in the selection process, with scholarship recipients to be announced in the spring. "With our mission to support exceptionally promising students with financial need, the Cooke Foundation has awarded more than $332 million in scholarships to nearly 3,900 students over the past 25 years," said Executive Director Giuseppe Basili. "We are so impressed by this year's tremendous semifinalists, and we're honored to recognize them as they pursue their educational goals." Cooke College Scholars are selected based on exceptional academic ability and achievement, persistence, leadership, and service to others. Applicants must be current high school seniors and demonstrate financial need. Learn more about the College Scholarship Program here and sign up to be notified when the next application opens in fall 2026. About The Jack Kent Cooke Foundation The Jack Kent Cooke Foundation is dedicated to advancing the education of exceptionally promising students who have financial need. Since 2000, the Foundation has awarded over $332 million in scholarships to nearly 3,900 students from 8th grade through graduate school, along with comprehensive educational advising, career pathway counseling, and other support services. The Foundation has also provided $144 million in grants to organizations that serve such students. www.jkcf.org SOURCE Jack Kent Cooke Foundation MINNEAPOLIS (AP) A prominent civil rights attorney and at least two other people involved in an anti-immigration enforcement protest that disrupted a service at a Minnesota church have been arrested, Trump administration officials said Thursday, even as a judge rebuffed related charges against journalist Don Lemon. Vice President JD Vance, speaking in Minneapolis, urged state and local law enforcement to collaborate with federal officials and said protesters must stop getting in their way. Attorney General Pam Bondi posted online that Nekima Levy Armstrong had been arrested. On Sunday, protesters entered the Cities Church in St. Paul, where an U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement official serves as a pastor. Bondi later posted that a second person had been arrested, and FBI Director Kash Patel announced a third. The Justice Department quickly opened a civil rights investigation after the group interrupted services by chanting ICE out and Justice for Renee Good," referring to the 37-year-old mother of three who was fatally shot by an ICE officer in Minneapolis earlier this month. Listen loud and clear: WE DO NOT TOLERATE ATTACKS ON PLACES OF WORSHIP," the attorney general wrote on X. Cities Church belongs to the Southern Baptist Convention and lists one of its pastors as David Easterwood, who leads an ICE field office. Many Baptist churches have pastors who also work other jobs. Church lawyers praise the arrests Prominent leaders of the Southern Baptist Convention have argued that compassion for migrant families cannot justify violating a sacred space during worship. Attorneys representing the church hailed the arrests. The U.S. Department of Justice acted decisively by arresting those who coordinated and carried out the terrible crime, Doug Wardlow, director of litigation for True North Legal, said in a statement. The St. Paul-based nonprofit law firm has taken on religious freedom cases, including filing an amicus brief to the U.S. Supreme Court supporting a Christian counselor who challenged bans on LGBTQ+ conversion therapy for kids as a violation of her First Amendment rights. Levy Armstrong, an attorney and longtime activist, had called for the pastor affiliated with ICE to resign, saying his dual role poses a fundamental moral conflict. You cannot lead a congregation while directing an agency whose actions have cost lives and inflicted fear in our communities, she said Tuesday. When officials protect armed agents, repeatedly refuse meaningful investigation into killings like Renee Goods, and signal they may pursue peaceful protesters and journalists, that is not justice it is intimidation. Vance wants local law enforcement to assist federal officers State and local elected officials have opposed the crackdown that has become a major focus of Department of Homeland Security sweeps. Vance arrived in the state less than a month after Renee Good was killed. He has called Goods death a tragedy of her own making. Before his Minnesota visit, Vance warned the church protesters: Those people are going to be sent to prison so long as we have the power to do so." Later in Minneapolis, he urged state and city law enforcement to help federal immigration officers. Were doing everything that we can to lower the temperature, Vance said, adding that he wants state and local officials to meet us halfway. Greg Bovino, a U.S. Border Patrol official, said Minneapolis police failed to help federal agents Wednesday who were surrounded by protesters at a gas station. Minneapolis police responded later that they hadn't received any requests from federal agents for assistance on Wednesday. Protesters appear in court Levy Armstrong has helped lead protests after the high-profile police-involved killings of Black Americans, including George Floyd, Philando Castile and Jamar Clark. She is a former president of the NAACPs Minneapolis branch. Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem posted a photo on X of Levy Armstrong with her arms behind her back next to a person wearing a badge. Noem said she faces a charge under a statute that bars threatening or intimidating someone exercising a right. Patel posted on X that Chauntyll Louisa Allen, the second person Bondi said was arrested, is charged under a law that prohibits physically obstructing or using the threat of force to intimidate or interfere with a person seeking to participate in a service at a house of worship. Patel said William Kelly has also been arrested. Levy Armstrong, Kelly and Allen have all been booked about 35 miles (56 kilometers) north of Minneapolis in Sherburne County Jail, where people in federal custody are usually held. A message seeking comment was sent to Allen's and Kelly's attorney. Saint Paul Public Schools, where Allen is a board of education member, said it is aware of her arrest but will not comment on pending legal matters. Allen and Levy Armstrong are part of a community of Black Minnesota activists. Kelly has defended the protest and criticized the church for associating with a pastor who works for ICE. In court Thursday, federal magistrate judge Doug Micko granted the women bond and restricted them from traveling outside Minnesota or from going near the church. The government said it would appeal and the women remained in federal custody Thursday afternoon. Levy Armstrongs attorney, Jordan Kushner, said he offered for her to turn herself in peacefully, but the Trump administration insisted on arresting her. They wanted a spectacle, Levy Armstrongs husband, Marques Armstrong, said, recalling around 50 agents came to detain her. Arrests follow a DOJ civil rights investigation The Justice Department investigated the church protest swiftly, but found no basis for a civil rights investigation into Good's death. Administration officials have said the officer acted in self-defense and that the driver of the Honda was engaging in an act of domestic terrorism when she pulled toward him. Past administrations, however, have moved quickly to probe shootings of civilians by law enforcement officials. The Justice Department has separately opened an investigation into whether Minnesota officials impeded or obstructed federal immigration enforcement though their public statements. Prosecutors this week sent subpoenas to the offices of Gov. Tim Walz, Attorney General Keith Ellison, Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey, St. Paul Mayor Kaohly Her and officials in Ramsey and Hennepin counties, according to a person familiar with the matter. Judge rejects charges against Lemon A magistrate judge rejected federal prosecutors bid to charge journalist Don Lemon related to the church protest, said Kushner, Levy Armstrongs attorney. Lemon has said he was at the church as a journalist and not a protester. Once the protest started in the church we did an act of journalism which was report on it and talk to the people involved, including the pastor, members of the church and members of the organization, Lemon said in a video posted on social media. Thats it. Thats called journalism. Lemon's attorney, Abbe Lowell, said in a statement that the judges action confirms Lemons work as a reporter was protected by the First Amendment. It wasnt immediately clear what the Justice Department would do after the judges decision. Authorities could return to a magistrate judge to again seek a criminal complaint or an indictment against Lemon before a grand jury. CNN, which fired Lemon in 2023, first reported the ruling. Durkin Richer reported from Washington. Associated Press reporters Chris Megerian in Washington; Corey Williams in Detroit; Jack Dura in Bismarck, North Dakota; and Mike Catalini in Trenton, New Jersey, contributed. Associated Press religion coverage receives support through the APs collaboration with The Conversation US, with funding from Lilly Endowment Inc. The AP is solely responsible for this content. COPENHAGEN, Denmark (AP) Leaders of Denmark and Greenland insisted Thursday that the islands sovereignty was non-negotiable after U.S. President Donald Trump said he had agreed with the NATO chief on the framework of a future Arctic security deal that Trump said would grant the U.S. total access to the territory. Much about the potential deal remained unclear, though Trump said in a Fox Business interview that were going to have total access to Greenland," a semiautonomous territory of NATO ally Denmark. He added that were going to have all the military access we want." NATO spokesperson Allison Hart said the alliances secretary general, Mark Rutte, did not propose any compromise to sovereignty" in discussions with Trump. Trump, who has repeatedly argued that the U.S. needed Greenland to counter threats from Russia and China, on Wednesday abruptly scrapped the tariffs he had threatened to impose on eight European nations to press for U.S. control over Greenland. It was a dramatic reversal hours after he insisted he wanted to get the island including right, title and ownership though he also said he would not use force. Greenlandic Prime Minister Jens-Frederik Nielsen voiced guarded relief, but he said he knew no concrete details of the agreement Trump cited. I dont know what there is in the agreement, or the deal about my country, he told reporters. Trump called it a framework of a future deal that, if completed, would also allow the United States to install an element of his "Golden Dome," part of a multibillion dollar missile defense system, in Greenland. Denmark and Greenland insist on sovereignty Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen said security in the Arctic is a matter for all of NATO, and it is good and natural that it be discussed between the U.S. president and Rutte. She said in a statement that she had spoken with Rutte on an ongoing basis, including before and after he met Trump in Davos. She wrote that we cannot negotiate on our sovereignty and added: I have been informed that this has not been the case. Frederiksen said that Denmark wants to continue engaging in constructive dialogue with allies on how to strengthen security in the Arctic, including the Golden Dome program, provided that this is done with respect for our territorial integrity. Denmark has said the U.S., which already has a military presence in Greenland, can boost its bases there. The U.S. is already party to a 1951 treaty that gives it broad rights to set up military bases there with the consent of Denmark and Greenland. Hart, the NATO spokesperson, said that Rutte did not propose any compromise to sovereignty during his meeting with President Trump. She said that negotiations between Denmark, Greenland and the U.S. will go forward aimed at ensuring that Russia and China never gain a foothold - economically or militarily - in Greenland. Danish officials have noted that, in any case, NATO doesnt have a mandate to negotiate a deal on behalf of Denmark and Greenland. Nielsen, Greenland's leader, said Rutte had delivered the message that Greenland is willing to do more and host a NATO mission. Until yesterday, we couldn't rule out anything, he told reporters in the island's capital, Nuuk. Respectful dialogue through the right channels is what we have been seeking from the get-go, and I also feel that's the intention now from the other parties, and I'm happy for that. He pointed to a working group that the Danish and Greenlandic foreign ministers agreed with U.S. Vice President JD Vance and Secretary of State Marco Rubio to set up last week, before Trump threatened tariffs. Denmark and the White House at the time offered diverging public views on its purpose. Asked whether U.S. sovereignty over small pockets of Greenland might be a possibility, Nielsen said that we are ready to negotiate a better partnership and so on, but sovereignty is a red line. Skepticism for Trump's switch On the streets of Copenhagen, some were skeptical about Trumps switch. I think the man has said many things and done a lot of different things to what he says, said Louise Pedersen, 22, who works with a startup company. I have a hard time believing it. I think its terrifying that we stand here in 2026. She said its for Greenlanders to decide what happens with their land not Donald Trump. I dont really trust anything Mr. Trump is saying, said Poul Bjoern Strand, 70, who works in advertising. Chancellor Friedrich Merz of Germany, one of the European countries that had faced Trump's threat of tariffs over Greenland, underlined the need for European NATO allies to do more to secure the Arctic region. We will protect Denmark, Greenland, the north from the threat posed by Russia, he said at the World Economic Forum meeting in Davos, Switzerland. We will uphold the principles on which the trans-Atlantic partnership is founded, namely sovereignty and territorial integrity. We support talks between Denmark, Greenland (and) the United States on the basis of these principles, aiming for closer cooperation, Merz said. It is good news that we are making steps into that right direction. I welcome President Trump's remarks from last night this is the right way to go. Frederiksen traveled to the United Kingdom on Thursday for talks with British Prime Minister Keir Starmer, who said the hard yards of bolstering Arctic security can begin and credited Trumps pragmatism for withdrawing his tariff threats. Moulson reported from Berlin and Burrows from Nuuk, Greenland. Aamer Madhani in Washington, Lorne Cook in Brussels and Pan Pylas in London contributed to this report. MINNEAPOLIS (AP) Insisting that he was in Minnesota to calm tensions, Vice President JD Vance on Thursday blamed far-left people and state and local law enforcement officials for the chaos that has unfolded during the White House's aggressive deportation campaign. The Republican vice president said, Were doing everything that we can to lower the temperature, adding that Minnesota leaders should meet us halfway. The Justice Department is investigating top Democrats in the state, including Gov. Tim Walz and Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey, over whether they have obstructed or impeded immigration enforcement through their public criticism of the administration. Walz and Frey have described the investigation as an attempt to bully the political opposition. Federal officers stood in a row behind Vance as he spoke, and there were two U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement vehicles emblazoned with the slogan Defend the Homeland. His visit follows weeks of aggressive rhetoric from the White House, including President Donald Trump, who has threatened to invoke the Insurrection Act and send in military forces to crack down on unrest. Asked about that option, Vance said, Right now, we dont think that we need that. Trump dispatched thousands of federal agents to Minnesota earlier this month after reports of child care fraud by Somali immigrants. Minneapolis-area officials, including Frey, as well as the police, religious leaders and the business community, have pushed back. And outrage grew after an agent fatally shot Renee Good, a U.S. citizen and mother of three, during a confrontation this month. Walz said the federal government was to blame for the turmoil. Take the show of force off the streets and partner with the state on targeted enforcement of violent offenders instead of random, aggressive confrontation, he wrote on social media. Frey, speaking from city hall, accused immigration officials of racial profiling, an accusation that Vance had rejected during his visit. They are detaining people that have done nothing wrong, Frey said. They are going after people exclusively based on the fact that they look like they are Somali or Latino, and no reason beyond that. He said the enforcement measures in the city and an influx of some 3,000 federal officers seemed designed as political retaliation, as opposed to getting criminals off the street. This is more about, tragically, terrorizing people than it is about safety, than it is even about immigration, Frey said. Vance defends actions by ICE agents Vance has played a leading role in defending the agent who killed Good, and he previously said her death was a tragedy of her own making. On Thursday, he repeated claims that Good rammed an agent with her car, an account that has been disputed based on videos of the incident. Minnesota faith leaders, backed by labor unions and hundreds of Minneapolis-area businesses, are planning a day of protests on Friday. Nearly 600 local businesses have announced plans to shut down, while hundreds of solidarity events are expected across the country, according to MoveOn spokesperson Britt Jacovich. Vance defended ICE agents who detained a 5-year-old boy as he was arriving home from preschool. When they went to arrest his illegal alien father, the father ran, Vance said. So the story is that ICE detained a 5-year-old. Well, what are they supposed to do? The boy, who was taken by federal agents along with his father to a detention facility in Texas, was the fourth student from his Minneapolis suburb to be detained by immigration officers in recent weeks. Asked about reporting that federal authorities are asserting sweeping power to forcibly enter peoples homes without a judges warrant, Vance said warrants would still be part of immigration enforcement. But Vance did not specify which kind of warrant he was referring to. Nobody is talking about doing immigration enforcement without a warrant, Vance said. Were never going to enter somebodys house without some kind of warrant, unless of course somebody is firing at an officer and they have to protect themselves. The Associated Press reported on Wednesday that federal immigration officers were asserting sweeping power to forcibly enter houses without a judicial warrant, according to an internal ICE memo, in what is a reversal of long-standing guidance meant to respect constitutional limits on government searches. Instead, the officers can use administrative warrants. Those are issued by ICE officials, as opposed to warrants signed off on by an independent judge. Vance visited Ohio earlier in the day During a stop in Toledo, Ohio, on Thursday morning, Vance acknowledged that immigration agents have made mistakes, while declining to be specific. Of course there have been mistakes made, because youre always going to have mistakes made in law enforcement, he said when asked about Trump's comments earlier this week that ICE is going to make mistakes sometimes. But Vance said the blame didn't lie with the federal government. The number one way where we could lower the mistakes that are happening, at least with our immigration enforcement, is to have local jurisdictions that are cooperating with us, he said. Vance also praised the arrest of protesters who disrupted a church service in Minnesota on Sunday and said he expects more prosecutions to come. The protesters entered the church chanting ICE out and Justice for Renee Good. Theyre scaring little kids who are there to worship God on a Sunday morning, Vance said. He added, Just as you have the right to protest, they have a right to worship God as they choose. And when you interrupt that, that is a violation of the law. Vance took the opportunity to criticize hometown Democratic Rep. Marcy Kaptur while he was in her Toledo-centered district. A crowded slate of Republicans including former ICE Deputy Director Madison Sheahan is vying to take on the longest-serving woman in Congress this fall. Vances stop in Ohio was focused primarily on bolstering the administrations positive economic message on the heels of Trump's appearance at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, and he showed support for Republicans such as gubernatorial contender Vivek Ramaswamy and U.S. Sen. Jon Husted. Convincing voters that the nation is in rosy financial shape has been a persistent challenge for Trump during the first year of his second term. Polling has shown that the public is unconvinced that the economy is in good condition and majorities disapprove of Trump's handling of foreign policy. Vance urged voters to be patient with the economy, saying Trump had inherited a bad situation from Democratic President Joe Biden. You dont turn the Titanic around overnight, Vance said. It takes time to fix what is broken. Carr Smyth reported from Columbus, Ohio, and Peoples from New York. Associated Press writers Jack Brook and Sarah Raza contributed from Minneapolis. Funding to Support Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, UPMC Children's Hospital Foundation, and The Guthrie Clinic PHILADELPHIA and PITTSBURGH and SAYRE, Pa., Jan. 22, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- Jared Isaacman today announced a $30 million commitment to three leading Pennsylvania health systemsChildren's Hospital of Philadelphia (CHOP), UPMC Children's Hospital Foundation, and The Guthrie Clinicunderscoring his long-standing dedication to children's health and the well-being of communities across the Commonwealth. The contributions will support pediatric care, critical health services, and long-term investments in medical innovation and patient access, strengthening each institution's ability to serve families throughout Pennsylvania and beyond. "Pennsylvania is my home," said Isaacman. "My children are growing up here and I want the best possible care for the community. I saw how access to strong hospitals and pediatric care can change the course of a family's life. Supporting institutions that care for children and strengthen public health across the Commonwealth is deeply personal to me." Children's Hospital of Philadelphia At Children's Hospital of Philadelphia (CHOP), Isaacman's gift will advance the hospital's mission of providing world-class pediatric care close to home through the naming of the existing Specialty Care & Surgery Center in Brandywine Valley. The contribution will support the facility's growth and renovation, with completion projected for late 2026. "Philanthropy plays an important role in helping CHOP expand our reach so we can give every child a chance at a healthy future," said Madeline Bell, CEO of Children's Hospital of Philadelphia. "Jared Isaacman's gift will help us build on this commitment and care for even more children in Delaware and Chester counties. We are deeply grateful to him and his family for their partnership and for supporting our mission of providing exceptional care to every child, close to home." UPMC Children's Hospital Foundation Isaacman's gift through UPMC Children's Hospital Foundation will support the expansion of the UPMC Children's Heart Institute, one of the nation's leading pediatric heart and heart-surgery programs. The new state-of-the-art facility will consolidate services into a single location, enabling a seamless continuum of care, dedicated specialty staff, and advanced medical technology. "We're incredibly grateful for Jared Isaacman's generosity and the impact this gift will have on pediatric heart care in Pittsburgh, across Pennsylvania, and for children around the world," said Rachel Petrucelli, president of UPMC Children's Hospital Foundation. "The expanded UPMC Children's Heart Institute will deliver care that is more innovative, integrated, and accessible for every child who needs it." The Guthrie Clinic Isaacman's support of The Guthrie Clinic will bolster emergency services across north-central Pennsylvania, strengthening Guthrie's role as a trusted provider in rural and underserved communities. "Mr. Isaacman's generous support for Guthrie's emergency care transformation will allow us to serve more patients, enhance our facilities, and better support our caregivers through additional staffing and security," said Dr. Edmund Sabanegh, president and CEO of The Guthrie Clinic. "We are deeply grateful for this gift and for Mr. Isaacman's commitment to rural healthcare." Isaacman's philanthropic efforts reflect a broader commitment to strengthening essential institutions, advancing innovation in healthcare, and ensuring that children and familiesregardless of geographyhave access to high-quality medical care. Jared Isaacman Contact: Sarah Grover [email protected] Children's Hospital of Philadelphia Contact: Kaitlyn Dvorin [email protected] UPMC Children's Hospital Foundation Contact: Mendy Nestor [email protected] The Guthrie Clinic Contact: Kristin Denlinger [email protected] SOURCE Children's Hospital of Philadelphia December 2025 Quarterly Activities Report Perth, Jan 22, 2026 AEST (ABN Newswire) - Deep Yellow Limited ( ASX:DYL ) ( JMI:FRA ) ( DYLLF:OTCMKTS ) provide a summary of key activities completed in the December 2025 quarter (the Quarter). During the Quarter, activities were focused on derisking the Tumas Project (Tumas) to ensure readiness to reach a final investment decision (FID) when the uranium market supports development of a greenfield project like Tumas. The project execution schedule, capital estimate, mining schedule and financial model are being updated as improved data for each project element becomes available, in preparation for FID. Tumas Project o Staged development of the Tumas Project is progressing well: - Detailed engineering more than 60% complete - Bulk earthworks 24% complete - Power supply agreement executed - Independent Technical Expert report successfully completed for project debt financing Namibia Exploration o A reverse circulation drill program at the Tinkas Prospect, adjacent to the Tumas Project, identified uranium mineralisation with thicknesses up to 11 m from surface o Broad-spaced exploration drilling to evaluate the Tumas Palaeochannel west of the Tumas Project, totalling 39 holes for 1,801 m, completed in November 2025 Mulga Rock Project o Ground gravity and passive seismic surveys completed in October 2025 o Trade-off studies to inform the Definitive Feasibility Study underway after the successful piloting programs reported last quarter Alligator River Project o 10 diamond core holes for 2,754 m and 9 reverse circulation holes for 1,906 m completed in November 2025 o Extensive hydrothermal alteration system identified at Q14 anomaly (Southern Flank corridor) sharing key features with Nabarlek and Angularli deposits Corporate o Group cash balance on 31 December 2025 of A$187.1 million o Mr. Greg Field appointed as Deep Yellow's Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer on 2 December 2025, and will commence with the Company on 2 February 2026 o Mr. Zebra Kasete appointed as Managing Director - Namibia on 13 November 2025 *To the full Quarterly Report, please visit: https://abnnewswire.net/lnk/53D3KSK4 About Deep Yellow Limited Deep Yellow Limited (ASX:DYL) (OTCMKTS:DYLLF) is successfully progressing a dual-pillar growth strategy to establish a globally diversified, leading uranium company producing 10+ Mlb pa. The Company's portfolio consists of two advanced projects in Tier-1 uranium mining jurisdictions - flagship Tumas in Namibia and Mulga Rock, Western Australia. Deep Yellow's future growth is underpinned by its highly prospective exploration portfolio - Alligator River, Northern Territory and Omahola, Namibia with ongoing M&A focused on high quality assets should opportunities arise that best fit the Company's strategy. Led by a best-in-class team, who are proven uranium mine builders and operators, the Company is advancing its growth strategy at a time when the need for nuclear energy is becoming the only viable option in the mid-to-long-term to provide baseload power supply and achieve zero emission targets. Importantly, Deep Yellow is on track to becoming a reliable and long-term uranium producer, able to provide production optionality, security of supply and geographic diversity. Related Companies AceShowbiz - The White Lotus is ramping up its guest list for Season 4 by adding two notable actors to its ensemble. The acclaimed comedian and two-time Oscar nominee Steve Coogan, widely recognized for his work in the biographical dramedy Philomena, has been confirmed for a role in the hit HBO series created by Mike White. He will be joined by the rising star Caleb Jonte Edwards, known for his role in Black Snow. Details regarding their characters remain a mystery, as is typical for the series, but they will join a stellar cast that includes the likes of Helena Bonham Carter, Alexander Ludwig, and AJ Michalka. Additionally, Chris Messina has recently entered discussions to join the project, further enhancing the show's impressive lineup. While specific plot details for Season 4 are still under wraps, the previous seasons of The White Lotus have provided fans with a clear sense of the show's tone and style. The series has a unique ability to explore the dynamics between affluent guests and resort staff, often revealing the darker aspects of human nature. Each season, spanning a week at a luxurious locale, has seen guests unravel their facades, leading to drama, secrets, and sometimes even murder. Having previously taken viewers to stunning locations such as Hawaii, Sicily, and Thailand, the new season promises a fresh setting in France, with the luxurious Chateau de La Messardiere in Saint-Tropez serving as the backdrop for the unfolding drama. With Coogan bringing his signature comedic flair to the series, fans can expect a blend of humor and tension that the show is known for. Throughout his career, Steve Coogan has established himself as a formidable talent, adept at navigating both comedic and dramatic roles. His participation in The White Lotus is anticipated to add a new layer of complexity to the series, further enriching the narrative fabric of the anthology. As excitement builds for the upcoming season, viewers are eager to see how the addition of Coogan and Edwards will impact the storylines. With a history of compelling storytelling and a knack for exploring the interplay of wealth and morality, The White Lotus continues to captivate audiences, setting high expectations for what lies ahead in this fourth installment. Nest Insight has published its findings from a project addressing the question: Should people be able to use some of their pension savings towards buying a first home? The year-long Housing and Pensions project brought together a range of quantitative and qualitative data, including: a nationally representative YouGov survey of 4,200 people; impact modelling for a range of potential home-buyer scenarios; analysis of the ONS Wealth and Assets Survey to understand potential reach; an online discussion forum where 48 people could exchange views and ideas on the topic, and interviews with 16 experts across the housing and pensions industries. Its final report, Using pension savings to support home ownership, aims to inform the debate over an idea which is polarising but has seen rising interest and for which there is a significant evidence gap. In the UK, home ownership has declined sharply over the past 20 years, driven partly by the growing challenge of saving for a deposit. The share of households renting privately has more than doubled, from 11% in 2003-04 to 24% in 2023-2024. If trends continue, the share of households renting privately in retirement could more than double from 6% today to around 16% by 2040 (those aged 45-64 in 2023/24). This would represent a major shift towards renting in retirement and puts pressure on income for older people meaning that many could face financial hardship because they dont have enough pension income to afford their rent. Meanwhile, more than 80% of employees now contribute to a pension often the largest asset for those who dont own their own home. This has prompted discussion in policy and industry circles over whether pension savings could be used to support home ownership. Versions of the idea have been implemented in countries such as New Zealand, Singapore and South Africa, but very little evidence exists on its applicability in the UK. The picture that emerges on pension access schemes is complex and nuanced, with findings including: Benefits for some Pension Access Schemes could potentially lower the barriers to saving for a deposit and bring forward the timeline for some in accessing a mortgage, help to reduce inequality in home ownership across and within generations, slow the trend of private renting to later ages, and for some, support greater financial security through working life and retirement. However, the relative immaturity of the automatic enrolment system means that those who need the most help to save for a deposit wont typically have built sufficient Defined Contribution (DC) pension savings to make a material difference to their ability to buy. This means that under the current system, the greatest gains will likely be limited to a relatively small group of people. Complex risks and trade-offs A much larger group of people may use a pension access scheme to accelerate home ownership, even if they could otherwise buy without using their pension savings. But this group could potentially face more complex risks and trade-offs. Concerns include mortgage defaults, pension adequacy, and systemic risks if house prices rise because supply fails to meet demand or pension funds need to hold large amounts of liquidity. Caution needed The findings highlight questions across a range of considerations to understand whether there is a version of a pension access scheme that could help people in the UK including where it might sit in a broader set of changes to housing and pension policies. Nest Insights research indicates that public support for pension access schemes is mixed, and may be difficult to achieve and maintain. People were most likely to say that using pension savings towards home ownership was a fairly good idea (29%), while 10% said it was a very good idea. In contrast, 20% of people said its not a very good idea, while 13% said its not a good idea at all. Those most likely to benefit from accessing pension savings to buy a home were generally most supportive. However, even among those who view the idea positively, concerns remain. These include widespread preference for preserving pension savings for retirement, along with doubts that this type of scheme would address the wider housing crisis, fears of undermining the pension system, objections to trading off housing security against retirement income, and worries that using pensions for home ownership could become an expectation rather than a choice in future. Renters also highlighted that lack of a deposit is only one barrier among many, with mortgage affordability a major obstacle. Will Sandbrook, Managing Director of Nest Insight, said: Time and again our work at Nest Insight leads us back to the same conclusion. To support the financial security of low- and moderate-income households, we need to take a holistic view of household finances and the products and services people use. Viewing pensions, emergency savings and debt as unrelated product categories or policy areas doesnt reflect the realities of peoples lives, especially those dealing with scarcity and financial volatility. The last couple of years have seen a rising number of proposals emerging to allow people access to their pension savings in some way, to support purchasing a home. But there has been a lack of robust, UK-specific evidence for whether and how approaches could be applied here. Thats why we embarked upon this research. It doesnt address all angles and never could have. Nor does it come down clearly in favour of or against the idea that wasnt our goal. But what emerges is a considerable degree of nuance and a clear set of questions and trade-offs that need addressing before a clearer case for or against could be made. We hope this work will help inform the discussion, and contribute to that discussion being truly evidence-based. 1984 Anti-Sikh Riots: Delhi Court Acquits Sajjan Kumar in JanakpuriVikaspuri Violence Case 2 A Delhi court on Thursday acquitted former Congress MP Sajjan Kumar in a case related to allegedly inciting violence in the Janakpuri and Vikaspuri areas of the national capital during the 1984 anti-Sikh riots. Special Judge Dig Vinay Singh of the Delhi District Court orally pronounced a brief order acquitting Kumar, while noting that a detailed, reasoned judgment will be issued later. In August 2023, the court had framed charges against Kumar for rioting and promoting enmity between communities, but discharged him of the more serious offences of murder and criminal conspiracy. The case stemmed from two FIRs registered in February 2015 by a special investigation team probing incidents of violence during the riots. The first FIR related to the killing of Sohan Singh and his son-in-law Avtar Singh in Janakpuri on November 1, 1984. The second pertained to the alleged burning alive of Gurcharan Singh in Vikaspuri on November 2, 1984. Kumar, who remains in jail, is already serving a life sentence awarded by a trial court on February 25 last year in connection with the killings of Jaswant Singh and his son Tarundeep Singh in the Saraswati Vihar area on November 1, 1984. The court had held that while the murders involved the killing of two innocent persons, the case did not fall under the rarest of rare category warranting the death penalty. The trial court had also observed that the Saraswati Vihar case formed part of the same chain of events for which Kumar was sentenced to life imprisonment by the Delhi High Court on December 17, 2018. In that verdict, the High Court found him guilty of causing the deaths of five people during post-riot violence in the Palam Colony area following the assassination of former Prime Minister Indira Gandhi. According to the Nanavati Commission report, which investigated the 1984 riots and their aftermath, 587 FIRs were registered in Delhi in connection with the violence that claimed 2,733 lives. Of these, around 240 cases were closed as untraced, while nearly 250 resulted in acquittals. Only 28 FIRs led to convictions, involving about 400 individuals, with around 50 people, including Kumar, convicted of murder. Kumar, a powerful Congress leader and sitting MP at the time of the riots, was accused in multiple cases related to the violence. His appeal against the life sentence awarded by the Delhi High Court is currently pending before the Supreme Court of India. MIAMI, Jan. 22, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- Maximo Wood, a brand of GMX Group, is proud to announce that its innovative Maximo Thermo Ayous treated with BurnBlock technology has been recognized among Golden State Lumber's Best New Products of the Year. The Best Products of the Year were presented by Robby Myer, Golden State Lumber's Architects Concierge, at the Architects Concierge Event, hosted in partnership with the American Institute of Architects (AIA) in Berkeley, CA. Headquartered in Petaluma, California, Golden State Lumber's event highlighted innovative fire-fortified building products. BurnBlock-treated Maximo Thermo products are WUI (WildlandUrban Interface) compliant, meeting stringent fire-resistance standards. Maximo Thermo Ayous treated with BurnBlock technology has been recognized among Golden State Lumbers Best New Products of the Year "The Best New Products of the Year recognition from Golden State Lumber underscores Maximo Wood's reputation as an innovator in premium lumber, delivering solutions that meet rigorous code requirements, demanding performance standards and high aesthetic expectations," said Guto Fugiwara, Managing Partner, Maximo. "Maximo Thermo Ayous with BurnBlock represents a meaningful technology advancement in how fire performance can be integrated into premium wood products." "Maximo Thermo Ayous with BurnBlock technology is a magnificent technology advancement that features on-trend beauty," said Robby Myer, Architects Concierge, Golden State Lumber. "Because it is thermally modified, it is very stable and lightweight and available in a wide variety of widths." Maximo Thermo Ayous is a premium thermally modified wood solution, crafted from sustainably sourced, fast-growing Ayous trees. Naturally lightweight and sound-absorbent, Ayous features a thermal modification process that reduces moisture content and increases durability. This results in exceptional dimensional stability that resists warping, twisting, and cupping, even in extreme climates. Perfect for walls, ceilings, fascia and trim, Thermo Ayous resists moisture, insects and decay. It is easy to install and is also backed by a 20-year warranty. BurnBlock technology is a fire-retardant treatment applied to wood through a vacuum-pressure process that penetrates the material at the cellular level, delivering durable, consistent fire resistance throughout the board, not just on the surface. BurnBlock-treated Maximo Thermo products are WUI (WildlandUrban Interface) compliant, meeting stringent fire-resistance standards. Because the treatment is fully absorbed into the wood's core, BurnBlock-treated Maximo Thermo products can be cut, profiled and machined after treatment without diminishing fire performance. The treatment leaves no residue, grease or staining and delivers a premium flame-resistant solution for a variety of architectural applications, including interior and exterior cladding. For more information about Maximo Wood, visit www.maximowood.com. About Maximo Wood Maximo Wood unites the performance of thermally modified timber with the timeless appeal of tropical hardwoods. Through its Maximo Thermo and Maximo Hardwoods lines, it offers builders and dealers a reliable, beautiful, and sustainable alternative to traditional domestic woods. It's the kind of product that keeps customers coming back. | www.maximowood.com. About Golden State Lumber + Showroom Founded in 1954, Golden State Lumber + Showroom is Northern California's premier provider of commercial and residential building materials, serving the San Francisco Bay Area with nine locations including lumberyards and product showrooms. With one of the region's largest on-ground inventory and transport fleets, the company offers same/next-day jobsite delivery. The company's commitment to excellence combines top brands with expert staff trained in the latest building trends. Learn more at www.goldenstatelumber.com. SOURCE Maximo Wood HOUSTON, Jan. 22, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- McDermott has been awarded a major* contract by ADNOC for engineering, procurement, construction and installation (EPCI) services for the Nasr-115 Expansion Project, located approximately 130 kilometers (81 miles) northwest of Abu Dhabi in the United Arab Emirates (UAE). The Nasr-115 Expansion Project is a critical component of the overall Nasr Phase II Full Field Development project expected to increase oil production capacity to 115,000 barrels per day (bpd) by 2027. Under the contract scope, McDermott will provide comprehensive EPCI services for two topside structures, one new manifold tower, one jacket, one bridge and all associated pipelines, cables and brownfield modifications. "McDermott shares ADNOC's commitment to increase offshore production capacity and will do its part with safe, efficient delivery of the Nasr-115 Expansion Project to the highest quality standards," said Mike Sutherland, McDermott's Senior Vice President, Offshore Middle East. "Our decades-long track record of delivering innovative, comprehensive solutions across complex offshore developments supports ADNOC's vision for sustainable energy growth and to meet its capacity goals as part of the P5 project." "This award underscores McDermott's position as a trusted partner in executing large-scale energy infrastructure projects in the region. We are proud to further support development of the UAE's energy sector in a safe and sustainable manner," added Angela De Vincentis, McDermott's Vice President of Operations, Offshore Middle East. *McDermott defines a major contract as between USD $750 million and USD $1000 million. About McDermott McDermott is a premier, fully-integrated provider of engineering and construction solutions to the energy industry. Our customers trust our technology-driven approach engineered to responsibly harness and transform global energy resources into the products the world needs. From concept to commissioning, McDermott's innovative expertise and capabilities advance the next generation of global energy infrastructureempowering a brighter, more sustainable future for us all. Operating in over 30 countries, McDermott's locally-focused and globally-integrated resources include more than 30,000 employees, a diversified fleet of specialty marine construction vessels and fabrication facilities around the world. To learn more, visit www.mcdermott.com. Forward-Looking Statements McDermott cautions that statements in this communication which are forward-looking, and provide other than historical information, involve risks, contingencies and uncertainties. These forward-looking statements include, among other things, statements about the expected scope, execution and value of the project discussed in this press release. Although we believe that the expectations reflected in those forward-looking statements are reasonable, we can give no assurance that those expectations will prove to have been correct. Those statements are made by using various underlying assumptions and are subject to numerous risks, contingencies and uncertainties, including, among others: adverse changes in the markets in which we operate or credit or capital markets; our inability to successfully execute on contracts in backlog; changes in project design or schedules; the availability of qualified personnel; changes in the terms, scope or timing of contracts, contract cancellations, change orders and other modifications and actions by our customers and other business counterparties; changes in industry norms; actions by lenders, other creditors, customers and other business counterparties of McDermott and adverse outcomes in legal or other dispute resolution proceedings. If one or more of these risks materialize, or if underlying assumptions prove incorrect, actual results may vary materially from those expected. You should not place undue reliance on forward-looking statements. This communication reflects the views of McDermott's management as of the date hereof. Except to the extent required by applicable law, McDermott undertakes no obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statement. Contacts: Global Media Relations Reba Reid +1 281 588 5636 [email protected] SOURCE McDermott International, Ltd Conscription is back on Europes agenda. Croatia has revived the draft; the Nordic and Baltic states already field conscript-heavy forces, and their neighbors are lining up to follow suit. After months of coalition talks, Berlins own flirtation with conscription has been scaled back. For now, the government will limit itself to mandatory screenings for young people and a package of new enlistment incentives. But the agreement is conditional: if the new incentives dont deliver, the chancellor has signaled he is prepared to move to compulsory service. Advertisement Meanwhile, a newly elected liberal coalition in the Netherlands has asked the defense ministry to design a mandatory service system that can be activated if efforts to expand the armed forces stall. In Italy, defense minister Guido Crosetto has likewise floated a new form of military service. What most people miss is how sharply Finland, Sweden, and Norways total defense model is driving the new conscription push. In fact, German defense minister Boris Pistorius is on record saying he has a soft spot for the Swedish model, seeing it as a template for a revamped German system. The trouble with this new fashion is that northern Europe's conscription is far from the success story it is made out to be. The downsides show up in domestic news, but never get international coverage. What makes it across borders is mostly diplomatic PR and patriotic self-indulgence in fantasies of strength. The result is a romanticized Nordic myth. Advertisement Yet for thousands of young men in the North of Europe, there is little romance about compulsory military service that means months of full-time work paid at rates so low they would be illegal in any civilian job. The worst of them is Finland, where new conscripts endure starvation-level wages of around 7 dollars a day. Finlands Conscript Union has long campaigned for better pay, pointing out that most prisoners earn more than the conscripts serving their country. The campaign has yet to budge the political class. In Norway, low pay and long stretches of downtime leave many conscripts scrambling for second jobs to stay financially afloat. A study published in October by Swedens defense research agency puts a hefty price tag on the total defense venture: conscription costs men an average of $55,000 in lifetime earnings, due to the negative impact on their careers, and results in significantly lower pensions. This contrasts rather awkwardly with the popular myth that the draft pays for itself by instilling discipline and leadership skills that reliably translate into better civilian careers. Advertisement A key question is whether the Nordics are truly ready for war. There are good reasons to doubt it. In a recent story, Finlands public broadcaster quoted Finnish volunteers fighting in Ukraine, warning that Finland isn't prepared to defend itself from Russia and that, if Russia attacked now, the initial losses would be catastrophic. Designed for another era, the reserves training is largely obsolete today. Some of this is inevitable, of course, as the battlefield evolves, training becomes outdated. But a draft-heavy army is about as rigid as it gets. Instead of a force you can assemble in barracks, retrain, and restructure on short notice, you have most of it dispersed back into civilian life. They are people with jobs, studies, and families, and little appetite for seminars on drone warfare. Advertisement Another problem with Nordic conscription is that it spreads thin scarce resources and produces significant waste. In Norway, former career officers sound the alarm that none of them would know where to report if there were a war tomorrow, exposing that the vast reserve conscription system was meant to ensure, exists mostly on paper. Another report from Norway describes Norwegian conscripts waiting up to nearly five months for security clearance, leaving some unable to do their assigned jobs and spending entire days using their phones. Nationally, roughly 5% of planned clearances for first service were still missing at years end. Many Nordic countries struggle to recruit and retain the experienced officers needed to lead and train mass conscript forces. Swedish media has quoted the army admitting it has enough young officers, but a lack of more experienced officers who can train the young officers. And when leadership is green, the risks multiply, including the risk that discipline morphs into abuse. Advertisement Hazing is still very much a problem in northern Europe. Reports of brawls, assaults by officers, and forced stripping for public humiliation surface on the regular. This year, one female officer in Finland was convicted for ordering a conscript to massage her to get permission to use the bathroom. Last year, six Finnish officers were charged for extorting food from conscripts, forcing prolonged, degrading punishment exercises, demanding Nazi salutes in garrison corridors, and harassing recruits in petty ways such as dumping sand in their beds. In another Finnish case, three career soldiers stripped teen recruits, kept them for long periods in the snow, and forcibly submerged them in an ice hole cut into a lake. Survey data suggests that this is not rare: about one in five men in Finland report bullying or hazing during service, and roughly one in thirty report sexual harassment. Advertisement And its not only hazing that corrodes conscript forces. Pair inexperienced officers with coerced service and discipline weakens. Conscription can compel attendance, not effort, and some draftees answer with outright insubordination or weaponized incompetence. One case reported in August involved a Swedish conscript who repeatedly ignored orders, threw his rifle when told to dismantle it, and insisted he didnt know how to do so. He also dragged out other tasks by feigning confusion or inability. Norway also shows a pattern of free speech abuses. One defense outlet reports that soldiers often avoid talking to journalists for fear of reprisals from superiors, and that the fear is not hypothetical: sources have been confronted and demanded to account for their statements after publication. One first-time soldier said that he worried for his safety if his case went public. Conscription is not building total defense. It is sowing resentment and eroding cohesion. The Nordic model may inflate the sort of numbers politicians like to recite at press conferences, but it does little to make northern Europe safer in any meaningful sense. Import Nordic crime novels and IKEA furniture all you want; just dont import Nordic defense policy. Ian Golan is a writer specializing in conscription & military economics. He serves as the executive publisher of SpeakFreely Magazine. Image: Public domain. As the 2026 midterm elections fast approach, the stakes for President Trump to impact America (and prepare the ground for Republican success in 2028) are high. The key to swinging independents and Kennedy-drawn Democrats to vote red in 2026 hinges upon the MAHA promises made by the Trump campaign and Republicans in 2024. Republican-led efforts to shield pesticide manufacturers from legal liability and to neuter EPA regulatory authority over sewage sludge and chemical pollution are viewed as a betrayal of those promises, including by conservative voters. Advertisement Republicans cannot have their MAHA cake and eat it, too. If they ignore their own base, they will lose vital independents. Legislation that tells American voters to pound sand on the health of their kids is a politically fatal gambit. Public outcry against efforts to insulate chemical manufacturers from legal liability at the state and federal levels demonstrates that the electorate has shifted its environmental lens away from carbon dioxide alarmism and toward the very real threats posed by ecotoxins in their childrens food, air, drinking water, and young bodies. Endocrine disruptors, glyphosate, phthalates, and PFAS have become common terms on voters tongues. Advertisement Republicans have decided to play craps with the midterm vote. The dice they have most recently tossed are in-your-face reductions in regulatory laws crafted to evaluate chemical risks for new and existing substances. The 2016 Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA) was a strongly supported bipartisan effort to strengthen EPA review of potentially dangerous chemicals. Now the GOP seeks to defang it completely, seemingly willing to toxify the midterms in service to economic growth and corporate profits. Sponsors of a proposal to file down the TSCAs teeth dont even hide their prioritization of corporate profits above constituents health, naming the January 22 hearing in the House Subcommittee on Environment Chemicals in Commerce: Legislative Proposal to Modernize Americas Chemical Safety Law, Strengthen Critical Supply Chains, and Grow Domestic Manufacturing. Advertisement An impetus to streamline the approval of newly created and insufficiently tested chemical contaminants is the rapid push to build more A.I. data centers. These centers are already raising voters eyebrows because they drive up energy costs and draw down massive amounts of precious local water resources. They require oodles of new toxins, too. Iowa has 105 data centers, with more planned. Invoking President Trumps executive order favoring A.I. development, the EPA announced that Advertisement it will be prioritizing the review of new chemicals under the Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA) that are intended for use in data center projects or for the manufacturing of covered components, as defined by Executive Order 14318, Accelerating Federal Permitting of Data Center Infrastructure. This prioritization of reviews will start with submissions received on or after September 29, 2025. This is the opposite of MAHA promises, and many Americans are not persuaded that they and their grandchildren should accept higher cancer, infertility, and birth defects in a devils bargain to modernize laws by taking them backwards, strengthen the spewing of toxins, or grow domestic manufacturing at the expense of rural health. The tone-deaf subcommittee did not even bother with a pretense of concern for public health drill, baby, drill! Advertisement Looking under the hood of voter sentiments reveals that this is political suicide for the GOP. A 2024 Iowa poll found that 94% of Iowans objected that the EPA does not conduct its own studies on chemicals and relies on studies submitted by chemical companies. The poll found that 87% of Republicans oppose granting chemical companies immunity from legal liability. GOP legislators hell-bent on gutting the TSCA are ignoring their constituents. Iowas state motto is Our Liberties We Prize and Our Rights We Will Maintain. The states grassroots denizens also prize their longevity and will maintain their voting rights to be protected from A.I. toxins. Advertisement Carbon dioxide is innocuous and easily sequestered. PFAS in drinking water are harmful and understudied, persist forever, and are extremely costly to extricate from the ecosystem. The issue is compounded by the Hawkeye States pre-eminence in new cancer cases. In 2024, Iowa gained prominence for the ignominious claim to the nations fastest-growing incidence of cancer. The Iowa Cancer Registry brushed off the alarming statistic as attributable to the carcinogenic impacts of alcohol and the states high rate of binge drinking, ignoring the exponential growth of factory farming and resulting nitrate pollution in its waterways. Forbes reports that more than 6,600 private wells in Iowa suffer from nitrate levels exceeding EPA safe limits, noting, Studies have linked long-term exposure to nitrates, even below federal limits, to increased risks of colorectal, bladder, and ovarian cancers, as well as birth defects. It is not alcohol that Iowans are bingeing on. Iowa is the only state where cancer rates are rising. Its binge drinking (of alcohol) has not increased in recent years, and other states with higher rates of binge drinking have not experienced cancer spikes. The Iowa Source noted: To really get to the root cause of the rise in Iowa cancer rates, researchers note that we need to look at what has happened in Iowa that isnt happening to the same extent in other states. What needs to be looked at are things that are probable or possible carcinogens that have increased beginning about 1990, because of the well-recognized latency of environmental cancers, says James Merchant, a retired professor of occupational and environmental health at the University of Iowa, in an article in the Des Moines Register. Most notable? The changing agricultural practices over the past two decades could be driving the trend, notes Merchant. The carcinogens associated with industrial agriculture are the ones that really need to be looked at very closely, he says. Instead, congressional Republicans are gearing up to look less closely, not only at the potential deleterious effects of existing agricultural chemicals, but also at the hundreds of new ones created annually in chemical company laboratories to modernize, strengthen, and grow industrial applications such as A.I. data centers. The January 22 hearing will weigh legislation that would pare back EPA oversight of new chemicals, hinder its ability to regulate existing chemicals by imposing nearly impossible standards, increase industry involvement in oversight, and limit evaluation of human health impacts. How will that resonate with Iowans if they remember in November? They will remember. MAHA is bipartisan. If Republican Iowans are agitated, imagine how independents and Democrats nationwide will revolt in midterm voting booths. Americans, already anxious about the threats to privacy and sovereignty posed by A.I. technologies, are not enamored with the prospect of untested chemical pollution in their kitchen faucets and their childrens reproductive systems. This might serve MAGA, but not MAHA. If the GOP does not deliver on the latter, it may sacrifice its ability to further the former. That would be lame-duck toxic. Image: Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. Credit: Gage Skidmore via Flickr, CC BY-SA 2.0. On Sunday morning in Minneapolis, a line was crossed that should sober every American who still believes in boundaries, reverence, and the right to worship without intimidation. A group of protesters stormed into Cities Church midservice, marching down the aisles, shouting accusations, and turning a sanctuary into a stage for their outrage. They didnt wait outside. They didnt hold signs on the sidewalk. They invaded the service itself, a deliberate act meant to shock, shame, and destabilize. Advertisement Just days earlier, at a field hearing in St. Paul, Rep. Ilhan Omar stood at a microphone and referred to this country as the U.S. g------ states. She said it with conviction, with disgust, and with the confidence of someone who believes there will be no consequence for speaking about her own nation with contempt. For more than half a century, Americans have listened to politicians promise that they would finally address the growing crisis of illegal immigration. Every election cycle brought the same familiar script: stern speeches, solemn vows, and dramatic declarations that the border would be secured and the laws of the nation upheld. Yet decade after decade, nothing meaningful happened. The problem grew, the consequences multiplied, and the political class kicked the can down the road. Advertisement This wasnt because the issue was too complex to solve. It wasnt because the laws were unclear or the federal government lacked the tools and authority to act. It was because too many leaders lacked the backbone to confront the inevitable pushback that real enforcement would bring. They preferred comfort over confrontation, applause over accountability, and symbolism over stewardship. That long era of avoidance is what set the stage for the moment the country is living through today. Advertisement When voters elected Donald Trump, they did so with a clear and unmistakable mandate: Enforce the immigration laws of the United States and remove those who are in the country illegally not some, not a symbolic handful, but all who violate the law. This was not a vague campaign theme or a subtle policy nuance. It was one of the most explicit promises in modern political history, and millions of Americans supported it precisely because they were tired of decades of empty rhetoric and political theater. But a mandate, no matter how strong, does not eliminate the difficulty of the task. This is where many voters must remind themselves of a truth that previous generations of politicians understood all too well: Real enforcement brings real pushback. The very storm that earlier leaders feared the media outrage, the political attacks, the emotional narratives, the protests, the lawsuits is now unfolding in full view. This is not a sign that something has gone wrong. It is a sign that something is finally being done. Advertisement For decades, politicians avoided this moment because they knew exactly how intense the reaction would be. They knew that enforcing immigration law would provoke accusations, distortions, and moral condemnation. They knew that activists, commentators, and political opponents would escalate their rhetoric to the highest possible level. They knew that the media would frame enforcement as cruelty rather than governance. And so they chose the easier path: Talk about the problem, but never solve it. But voters in 2024 rejected that pattern. They chose President Donald Trump, who promised to walk directly into the confrontation. And now that it has arrived, voters must not mistake turbulence for failure. Advertisement It is important for voters to understand that the difficulty of the moment does not mean the mission is misguided. In fact, the difficulty is evidence that the mission is real. When a nation begins enforcing laws that have been neglected for decades, the reaction will be fierce. Systems that grew comfortable with nonenforcement resist change. Political factions that benefited from the status quo fight to preserve it. Media narratives that once dismissed the issue now amplify every emotional angle. But none of this changes the underlying truth: A nation cannot remain a nation if its laws are optional. Advertisement The American people, and especially the American taxpayer, have borne the cost of decades of inaction. They have watched public services strained, schools overwhelmed, hospitals burdened, and cities stretched beyond capacity. They have seen fraud, exploitation, and abuse flourish in the shadows of a system that refused to enforce its own rules. They have paid, financially, socially, and civically for the political classs unwillingness to confront reality. Enforcement is not cruelty or extremism. Enforcement is the restoration of the rule of law. And restoring the rule of law is never easy. The men and women tasked with carrying out this mission Border Patrol agents, ICE officers, local police, and federal personnel understand the difficulty better than anyone. They are the ones on the front lines, enforcing laws passed by Congress and upheld by the courts. They are the ones who face danger, criticism, and hostility every day. Yet they continue to serve with discipline, courage, and commitment. Their backbone deserves the nations respect. But it also demands something from the voters: backbone of their own. This leads to the question many Americans are now asking: What is the solution? How should citizens respond in a moment like this? The answer is not violence, not shouting, not confrontation in the streets. The answer is the same answer the Constitution has always provided: the ballot box. If citizens believe in enforcing federal law, they must express that belief through democratic participation. They must vote. They must organize. They must mobilize their families, their neighbors, their communities. They must show up in numbers so large as to send a clear message about the direction they want the country to take. This is the peaceful, lawful form of pushback that defines a constitutional republic. In 2024, American voters provided President Donald Trump with a clear mandate. To strengthen this mandate, voters must support politicians who back President Trump, aiming for unprecedented turnout in the 2026 midterm elections a genuine demonstration of pushback by the American electorate. The voters who demanded action must now stand firm as that action unfolds. They must remember why they voted the way they did. They must remember the decades of avoidance that brought the country to this point. They must remember that the turbulence of enforcement is far better than the quiet decay of neglect. Above all, they must remain patient. Real change takes time. Real enforcement takes resolve. Real leadership requires endurance not just from those in office, but from those who put them there. To the American voter: By electing President Donald J. Trump in 2024, you delivered a clear mandate for change. However, this must not be viewed as a singular act. The responsibility to uphold and reinforce this mandate extends to every election cycle. It is essential to consistently vote for politicians who support President Trumps policies at all levels of government. Through this continued engagement, the American voter demonstrates meaningful pushback, a force that must grow stronger and more resilient with each successive election. Image: Gage Skidmore via Flickr, CC BY-SA 2.0. Ive watched our nations foundations crumble under the weight of communist-loving leadership, unchecked global threats, and open borders. Today, in 2026, President Trump faces unprecedented challenges, and his bold proposalsstriking Iran decisively, launching massive deportations via ICE, capturing Venezuelas Maduro and securing Greenland for strategic dominanceare not reckless gambles but essential acts of decisive leadership meant to ensure Americas survival. Our American way of life has been decimated into something unrecognizable, a shadow of the prosperous, secure republic we once knew. So no, Im not shocked by Trumps actions; Im shocked that we, the American people, allowed things to get so bad that drastic measures became necessary. Make no mistakethe worst things weve seen so far are the things that happened before Trump stepped in to right the ship. Advertisement Lets start with Iranian leadership: For decades, this apocalyptic death cult masquerading as a government has been a festering wound on the global stagesponsoring Hamas, Palestinian Islamic Jihad, and other terroristsdestabilizing the Middle East, and inching toward nuclear weapons. (Not to mention the toll theyve taken on the Iranian people.) The Obama era and Biden-Harris administration gave us appeasement policieslifting sanctions, releasing frozen assets, turning a blind eye to proxy attacks on U.S. forces. Everything they did emboldened Tehran. Iranian drones rained down on American troops, Houthi rebels disrupted global shipping, chants of Death to America grew louder. The world was long overdue for a good guy with a white hat and a spine to ride in and take charge. Advertisement Trump understood that the time for diplomacy was over: a targeted bombing campaign isnt warmongering; its preemptive defense. By neutralizing key nuclear sites and military installations, we protect our interests, secure global energy routes, and send a message that America is done being bullied. Critics cry escalation, and whine about isolationism like many did before Pearl Harbor. But whats the alternative? Waiting for a mushroom cloud over Tel Aviv or New York? Trumps boldness echoes Reagans resolve against the Soviet Unionstrength through action, not intimidation from the global ruling elite that hate everything we stand for. Which is why I applaud President Trump for withdrawing the U.S. from 66 international organizations that no longer serve American interests. Of course, a great many of us want the U.S. out of the United Nations as well. I suppose that might be awkward though, since the U.N. lives rent free in our largest city. Those sly Sorosian spiders have a giant web spun in Turtle Bay, where they can lure our president, shut off his teleprompter and sabotage the escalator. Next time they might not pull their punchesand we wouldnt even have jurisdiction there. Advertisement Then theres Greenland. To the uninitiated, Trumps interest in this icy expanse seems eccentric, but from a conservative lens, its genius. The Greenland play is pure strategic prophylaxis in a chess match with China and Russiathe average person had no idea of its role until Trump laid it out. It turns out Greenland isnt just a frozen rock with friendly fishermen; its a geopolitical goldmine, rich in rare earth minerals essential for everything from electric vehicles to military technology and renewable energy systems. China has been eyeing it for years, investing in Arctic infrastructure to dominate the region as new shipping lanes and resources become available. Advertisement Denmarks sloppy colonial oversight has left it vulnerable, and with Russia flexing in the North, we cant afford to lose this high ground. Taking controlwhether through purchase, lease, or assertive diplomacysecures our northern flank (think GIUK Gap), bolsters NATO, and ensures American dominance in the emerging Arctic theater. Our way of life depends on energy independence and supply chain security; Greenland can deliver both. Leftists scoff, but U.S. presidents have long expanded territory or influence for securityconsider President Franklin D. Roosevelts Destroyers for Bases Agreement for example. And as we consider our northern border and foreign rivals, lets reexamine that gaping hole on our southern border that bled our nation dry. Millions of illegal aliens flooded in under open-border policies, straining resources, spiking crime, and unraveling our cultural fabric. Cities like New York and Chicago were overwhelmed, schools overcrowded, hospitals went bankrupt, and fentanyl deaths skyrocketed as cartels exploited the chaos. Advertisement Our once-cohesive communities now grapple with increased crime, gangs, wage suppression, and a welfare system on life support. The American Dream was hijacked by those who cut the line, while veterans sleep on streets and families struggle. Trumps plan to unleash ICE agents for mass deportations isnt cruelty; its overdue justice. Agents have rightly gone after criminals and overstays first before rounding up the rest humanely but firmly. Activists fighting ICE agents are really fighting against the well-being of their own families, friends, and communities. We tried amnesty; it failed. Now, were going to restore the rule of law. Borders define nations; without them, were not America anymore. Advertisement How did we get here? Our way of lifea self-reliance rooted in faith, family, and freedomhas been systematically decimated. Globalist elites took our manufacturing jobs to China, imposed woke indoctrination in schools, and let Big Tech censor conservative voices. I dont know about you, but I remember friends whispering in public, while others were afraid to discuss current events on their phones. God forbid someone find out they were MAGA. It introduced the only time in American history where wearing a particular ball cap could get you assaultedor worse. We didnt recognize our country anymore: patriotism was labeled extremism and social media censorship reigned. The 2020 riots? Billions in damage, cities burned, while defund-the-police radicals ran amok. In a popular tourist town in the Adirondack Mountains of New York, a banner reading Racism is a public health crisis flew proudly from every streetlamp on Main St. for the bears to seeevery little nook and cranny in the country was infected with the Hate America First mind virus. COVID lockdowns and vaccine mandates crushed the economy, even as illegals poured in unchecked. Leading the insanity, mainstream media spin was surely to blame. Trump had that right too. He was the first to call them out way back in 2016. Now hes taking radical actions to counteract radical predecessors who prioritized global approval over American lives. Im not shocked by Trumps decisiveness; Im shocked we tolerated the rot for so long. So please dont feel pressured to go along with the fake righteous indignation as you hesitantly wince that maybe Trump is going too far. Remember the lies of Benghazi, Afghanistans humiliating withdrawal, and the unchecked masses pouring over our border. Remember the lives lost. History judges leaders by results, not optics. Sure the X crowd has a right to demand arrests and handcuffs for the crimes of the last several yearsId like to see that too. The left howls fascism as it distracts and deflects, but we remember who was responsible for eroding our freedoms. So in this pivotal moment, unity behind bold action isnt optional; its survival. Thats what some in the MAGA base need to realize as they fight each other: If we falter now, the republic falls. Weve only just begun to reclaim the Republic, and only drastic steps will save it. Susan D. Harris can be reached at www.susandharris.com] Image generated by ChatGPT. LOS ANGELES, Jan. 22, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- As winter weather patterns become increasingly volatile and Southern states face sudden freezes, ice storms, and power outages, Mercury Insurance is calling attention to essential preparedness guidance now available on the Mercury Insurance blog. The article "Preparing for Winter Storms in the South" equips homeowners with actionable steps to protect their homes, families, and finances before severe winter weather strikes. WHY THIS MATTERS NOW Winter storms in the South can bring conditions that many homes weren't built to withstand, creating a much greater likelihood for burst pipes, leaking roofs, and extended outages. With cold-weather events rising in frequency and impact, early preparation isn't just practical it's cost-effective and can reduce hazards, stress, disruption, and claims. WHAT THE ARTICLE OFFERS Mercury's resource provides a variety of simple steps homeowners and drivers can enact to help protect their homes and families. Exterior readiness: Winterizing plumbing, clearing gutters, and sealing drafts to prevent ice dams and leaks. Winterizing plumbing, clearing gutters, and sealing drafts to prevent ice dams and leaks. Interior protection: Last-minute tips and techniques to keep pipes from freezing, maintain safe indoor heat, and assemble emergency supplies. Last-minute tips and techniques to keep pipes from freezing, maintain safe indoor heat, and assemble emergency supplies. Safe travel and auto prep: Tips for icy roads and vehicle readiness if travel is unavoidable. Tips for icy roads and vehicle readiness if travel is unavoidable. Insurance insight: How homeowners can understand what their policy covers and what it doesn't before they need it. READ THE FULL BLOG POST HERE https://www.mercuryinsurance.com/resources/weather/preparing-for-winter-storms-in-the-south.html About Mercury Insurance Mercury Insurance (NYSE/NYSE Texas: MCY) is a multiple-line insurance carrier predominantly offering personal auto, homeowners, renters and commercial insurance through a network of independent agents in Arizona, California, Georgia, Illinois, Nevada, New Jersey, New York, Oklahoma, Texas and Virginia, as well as auto insurance in Florida. Mercury writes other lines of insurance in various states, including commercial, business owners and business auto, landlord, home-sharing, ride-hailing and mechanical protection insurance. Since 1962, Mercury has provided customers with tremendous value for their insurance dollar by pairing ultra-competitive rates with excellent customer service, through more than 4,200 employees and a network of more than 6,340 independent agents in 11 states. Mercury has earned an "A" rating from A.M. Best, as well as "Best Auto Insurance Company" designations from Forbes and Insure.com. For more information visit www.MercuryInsurance.com or follow the company on X , Instagram or Facebook . SOURCE Mercury Insurance In the vast expanse of the Western Hemisphere, the Greenland saga is as old as American ambition itself. But in our latest chapter, the push to bring this Danish-held island into the American bay kicked off in earnest back in August 2019, when President Trumps first administration floated the idea of purchasing that frozen strategic gem. It wasnt some whim; it was a calculated step at securing our future. Advertisement Lets be clear: Trumps vision for Greenland isnt pie-in-the-sky fantasy. Like it or lump it, his insistence that its vital to U.S. national security rings true, backed by cold, hard history. Flash back to April 9, 1940, when Hitlers forces overran Denmark in a mere six hours. With Nazis eyeing Greenland as a massive icy launchpad for air and naval assaults on America and Canada dominating the Atlantic the U.S. didnt hesitate. We seized control, a bold necessity that thwarted Hitlers frozen blitzkrieg. Thanks to decisive White House action, disaster was averted. Fast-forward to today, and the global chessboard has flipped. Pundits across the spectrum agree: the Arctic is the next great battleground. Russia, China, and even some EU players are salivating over trade routes, untapped minerals, and geopolitical leverage. Greenland sits smack in the middle, loaded with rare earth elements that could shatter our dependence on hostile suppliers chief among them, China. Right now, our military and high-tech sectors teeter on the edge, vulnerable to embargoes or sanctions if tensions with Xi Jinping boil over. Add in the escalating missile menace, where Russians boast hypersonic wonders with alleged unbeatable speed and resilience, and you've got a recipe for peril. Greenland isnt a luxury; its our shield, ensuring we fortify national security before the ice melts into chaos. Advertisement So, how do we return Greenland to where it is supposed to be under stars and stripes? Here are the three most plausible options. First, the civilized route: outright purchase. Weve done it before buying Alaska from Russia in 1867 for some 7.2 million USD, which is worth about 160 million USD today. Or scooping up the Virgin Islands from Denmark early in the 20th century. Americas got the wallet to offer a generous, fair deal. Greenlands locals? Theyd be over the moon with U.S. passports the gold standard on this planet, opening doors to opportunity and freedom. The hitch? Cutting a deal with the Danes, whove stubbornly stonewalled since 2019 and into now. Its baffling, really a textbook win-win: Copenhagen cashes in big, we gain the turf. But pride, or perhaps EU puppet strings, keeps them digging in their heels. Advertisement Then theres the no-nonsense option, the one thats pure gold for America but a bitter pill for others: a swift military operation, followed by seamless integration as U.S. territory. Weve seen the blueprint in Trumps masterful Venezuela law-enforcement operation crisp, effective, zero hurdles. Maduro was neutralized, and awaits his ruling in the court while our military hit cartels badly. Greenland would be a cakewalk by comparison. Bad news for Copenhagen? Absolutely theyd forfeit the island and any payday. But for Uncle Sam, its the ultimate power play, securing our Arctic flank without begging. Reliable sources in the military, who wished to remain undisclosed, said they expect literally a logistic operation with no backfire or any kind of resistance in case of military resolution of that Greenland issue. Just some hundreds of U.S. boots on the icy ground with a flag will make the land American. And the middle ground? Some hybrid deal, letting the U.S. operate like its our backyard bases, resource rights, the works. It sounds pragmatic, maybe even the most realistic path. But why settle for half-measures when such an attractive plan is on the table? Trump doesnt play small ball; with Option Two always in his back pocket, compromise smells like weakness. Advertisement At the end of the day, the path to Greenlands homecoming hinges on how the EU and NATO play their cards. Their recent antics? Downright hostile. That pathetic show of force dispatching a laughable 1 to 20 soldiers to troop the color on the island, only to scamper back after the White House growled about tariffs exposed their bluff. It was a miserable flop, a reminder that Europe talks tough but folds fast under real pressure. If they keep projecting impotence disguised as power, Trumps team will choose accordingly. Mark my words: Greenlands stars-and-stripes destiny is closer than ever, a triumphant return to American boldness. In this high-stakes Arctic poker game, were holding the aces. Advertisement Image generated by ChatGPT. During a speech at the preposterously pretentious WEF conclave, President Trump chided our European allies. I might be reading into this, but I could almost hear disgruntled murmurs when he said, paraphrasing: without the U.S intervention during WWII, much of Europe would be speaking German. Advertisement Theres plenty of truth to that. While Great Britain and its commonwealth hung tough, theres no doubt that Sir Winston Churchill saw the German-handwriting on the wall as he desperately cajoled FDR to enter once more into the breach, and beach. Help save us, please! Remnants of isolationism made that challenging at first. Then, after Japans day of infamy, Germany also declared war on the United States. That was probably their greatest mistake of all. The great might and resources of the U.S., including its extensive manufacturing capacity, were undividedly oriented towards defeating fascism. The sleeping giant was awakened. Thanks largely to the U.S., Euro-peon nations would continue with their native tongues. Advertisement For some historical amusement, lets turn the language-speaking scenarios on their head. Is it merely serendipitous that we are not speaking French? One reason were not is because Great Britain prevailed during the French and Indian war, resulting in gaining vast tracts of territory east of the Mississippi (including Canada). It was touch-and-go for a while, so imagine, if you dare, that the French prevailed, and continued to colonize North America. Dare to imagine that King Louis XVI was the tyrannical monarch from whom we gained independence. Worse still, imagine that our Founders spoke French as their first language. Advertisement Reflecting their pretentious persona, French can be distractingly puffed-up, and elegant to a fault. I get the sense that effete intellectuals and those who may be light in the loafers prefer it. Certainly, their current leader, Emmanuel (see what I mean about elegant) Macron appears to be a lightweight vis-a-vis his domineering wife. Emmanuel has an eye infection?! One wonders if Brigitte has been slap-happy again. Now back to President Trumps observation. Sure, the Euro-peons should be grateful theyre not speaking German (actually, German has a sort of matter-of-fact, austere charm). But turnabout is fair play: perhaps, in the cold light of day, we should be grateful were not speaking fancy French. While much of the English vocabulary comes from French, that is quite enough already, thank you. Advertisement President Trump is right to demand that our allies contribute to our common defense. Its noteworthy that Great Britain had to reimburse the U.S. for war resources under terms of the WWII lend-lease program (and sacrifice some far-flung outposts). Hmm! Great Britain, at a time when representation wasnt universal, paid heavily to ensure that we would be mostly French-free. As attributed to Sir Winston Churchill, paraphrasing: Americans and British are one people separated by a common language. Advertisement Image: Public domain. As if leftist, progressive indoctrination in Americas academic institutions werent a big enough problem, the Open Society Foundations and Bard College pressers announced today that Bard College succeeded matching a $500 million commitment from Open Society by raising an additional $500 million from other donors, securing a $1 billion endowment to support the colleges undergraduate and graduate programs, faculty, student scholarships, the arts, and international engagement. Advertisement Bard College in upstate New York has campuses in New York City, Boston, California, Germany, and Russia; Al-Quds University in the West Bank; Arizona State University; the American University of Central Asia in Kyrgyzstan; and BRAC University in Bangladesh, while also funding many other academic institutions. In January 2020, Soros chose the World Economic Forum in Davos to announce his most ambitious initiative, the most important and enduring project of his life: the Open Society University Network (OSUN). He pledged $1 billion to create what the world really needs: an international platform for teaching and research that existing universities worldwide could join, among other things, to fight dictators and would-be dictators. Advertisement Soros created the OSUN, a new kind of global educational network, to serve as a global indoctrination organ for training and fighting against climate change which at that time was the lefts hottest crusade; today, its anti-ICE and censorship and proliferating teaching against nationalism, along with supporting other opportune themes that advance his progressive-left diversionist agenda. All of this is under the guise of Soross distorted Open Society doctrine. Soros established the OSUN to guarantee that radical socialist political activism endures and spreads after hes gone. The OSUN, like other Soros-funded organizations, operates as both a teaching and an advanced finishing school not like the Swiss ones for the offspring of the well-to-do, but more like the Soviet Moscow-based Peoples Friendship University of Russia, AKA the Patrice Lumumba University, which had thousands of thoroughly indoctrinated foreign students who continued spreading the Marxist, anti-capitalistic, anti-West, globalist socialist utopia. Advertisement Man of the world that he is, Soros surely noted the effectiveness of the madrassas (Islamic religious schools) in spreading radical Islamic revolutionary principles around the world. Their efforts resulted in the 9/11 attacks on the U.S. and unending terrorist attacks everywhere, often by illegal migrants, making the West a much more dangerous place. Indeed, OSUNs global structure is not unlike the successful multi-billion-dollar worldwide Islamist propagation efforts of Saudi Arabia, Iran, Qatar, Turkey, and the Muslim Brotherhood. Soross Open Society doctrine serves as a clarion call to resistance and revolution, evoking ideas from Karl Marx and Leon Trotsky about permanent revolution. Judging by his heir, Alex Soros, who continues to fund progressive leftist resistance groups, Georges ideology is now promised to endure and spread. Advertisement Rachel Ehrenfeld is the author of The Soros Agenda. Advertisement Image: George Soros. Credit: World Economic Forum via Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 2.0. NATO leaders posture boldly in words, but invisibly in deeds. They foolishly oppose Trumps desire to protect America (and thus Europe) from Russian and Chinese nuclear missiles by securing Greenland for Golden Dome air defense. Advertisement Its in stark contrast with the obvious fear NATO leaders have of Russias President Vladimir Putin. For four years, NATO has been ultra careful to limit significant support for Ukraines valiant defense against Putins second invasion. Yeah, Putin scares them. During his first term, Trump nagged NATO members to increase their defense expenditures to at least 2% of GDP, which was what they should have been doing the whole time. Since then, Poland, Latvia, Lithuania, Estonia, Norway and Finland, which are nearest to Russias border, increased defense expenditures the most, some to over 5% of GDP. The big NATO economies of Germany, Britain, France, and Italy made meaningful increases in defense expenditures only recently. Advertisement Europes NATO leaders have relied on Americas dominant global military and nuclear arsenal to protect them. They have let the USA carry the budgetary and industrial burden of their defense. But, Trump is winding down Americas defensive umbrella for Europe. NATO has roughly 67 times the GDP of Russia, and can damn well pay for their own defense. NATO leaders are outraged that Trump wants Greenland under our control for strategic defensive purposes. They defend Denmarks ancient claim to Greenland. They ignore the racist cruelty Denmark inflicted on Greenlands women: as far back as the 1960s and as recently as 1991, Denmark had IUD contraceptives involuntarily implanted in hundreds of native Greenland women of child-bearing age. One must assume that Denmarks leaders wanted to minimize the problem of having too many native Greenlanders in Greenland. Advertisement Polls indicate that Greenlanders prefer total independence and sovereignty, but financially, this is unrealistic. To change this, Trumps negotiators need to define for the 57,000 Greenlanders the massive benefits America would bring. Earning the approval of Greenlanders renders European whining moot. A pragmatic judgement is: Advertisement Denmark is a poor custodian for Greenlanders. Having demonstrated weak interest in defending themselves, Europes NATO members should not be trusted to defend anyone else. Trump has the vision and will to make Greenland a key asset in Americas strategic defense. Greenlanders would benefit far more with the custodianship of Americans that value their defense and economic potential. Recent events emphasize the cowardice of NATOs leaders, largely demonstrated by their joint military exercise in Greenland: a few dozen soldiers, a flyby by a few aircraft, and a few small warships sailing by is laughably quaint compared to the typical military exercises of much smaller nations. NATO may expand their military presence in Greenland to a few hundred, which is slightly less laughable. So, to hell with European cowardice. America can treat them respectfully when they build serious military strength and Germany decides, finally, as the worlds third largest economy, to build an effective nuclear arsenal, thus joining North Korea as a feared nuclear power. Advertisement America can respect and ally with nations that take their own defense seriously. Otherwise, piss off until you can carry your fair share of defending Western civilization. Texas Hughes: Born in WWII, Army Security Agency Morse Code Intercept, MBA (Statical Analysis), computer programmer, State Agency budget analyst, small business owner, operations research analyst on US Army combat & air defense equipment evaluation tests. MAGA loyalist. Been poor. Been well off. Advertisement Image generated by ChatGPT. How are the majority of Americans across the country supposed to process all the hatred, violence, and hysteria going on in Minnesota, all to protect criminal illegal migrants who have raped and sodomized children and murdered, beaten, and robbed countless innocent people and killed thousands by driving drunk? What explains their thinking? Advertisement Only misguided zealots violently protest against the capture of vicious, evil people who do terrible harm to others. Apparently, they dont care about the massive fraud perpetrated by their Somali neighbors and their collaborators, who have stolen billions of taxpayer dollars from American citizens. Walz, Frey, and Ellison looked the other way for votes, for money, and for seats in Congress. They do not care about the thousands of victims of these thieving invaders. The funny thing is that these oh, so earnest paid protesters do not matter to these crooks, who come from nations with no concept of Jewish and Christian values. They are laughing at their defenders as they abscond with the billions they steal to enrich themselves with their fake daycare centers, autism clinics, phony medical transportation companies, etc. They have been sending billions of our dollars, suitcases full of cash, to Somalia to fund the terrorist group al Shabaab! And all those foolish tools are out there in freezing weather, trying to protect these men who have murdered, robbed, and raped children. Will wonders never cease? Advertisement It would be interesting to know, among all those AWFULs (angry white female urban liberals) and the mobs attacking ICE agents to protect violent thugs: If one of their own children, parents, or siblings were among the many victims of this criminal class that Walz and Frey have released onto the streets of Minnesota, would that provide them with a different perspective? Do they even consider the terrible damage done to the children who have been raped, to the families of the murder victims? It seems that has not occurred to them. Cruelty is one of the oldest festive joys of mankind ... for to practice cruelty is to enjoy the highest gratification of the feeling of power. Advertisement Friedrich Nietzsche, The Dawn One possible explanation is our scheming, lying media all those news readers whose brains are so rigidly, ideologically frozen by radical leftism that they cannot imagine that they are wrong about anything, ever. So confident in their own intellectual superiority, it does not occur to them that they might be wrong. None of them on CBS, ABC, NBC, CNN, and worst of all MS NOW can conceive of the possibility that it is they themselves who have been so thoroughly propagandized, so completely indoctrinated by the Marxist/communist professors who taught them in journalism school that no normal American wants to bother listening to a word they say. Those leftist on-air reporters are directed to report that ICE agents are Stasi or Nazis. They do what they are told. They never do any research on their own. So arrogant and so certain that they are better than the men and women who work for law enforcement, they have no compunction about demonizing them and advocating for continued violence against them. Advertisement Self-important, condescending leftist pundits, many of them paid shills, show up on the usual cable news sites and swear that American citizens are being targeted, randomly grabbed off the streets, and asked for their papers. What nonsense. But thats their mission in life: Do whatever it takes to take down Trump, even though the Biden regime nearly destroyed this nation. They hate that Trump won, that he loves this country and its working-class Americans whom they loathe. They hate that he is transparent, that he can take and answer questions for hours from a grubby press and is knowledgeable about any issue with which they try to trip him up. When the particularly nasty ones among the press corps try a gotcha question, he generally eviscerates them with ease. They never learn. That is what stands out about the press: They never learn. The Jake Tappers, Margaret Brennans, Kristin Welkers, etc. they continue to challenge any conservative without facts, but they never win those verbal exchanges. For example, not one of them has reported that Walz and Frey released about 476 violent criminals onto the streets of Minnesota to keep them out of the hands of ICE. Then there is the hapless Democrat party. It is shot through with angry leftists who hate Trumps openness, his vision for the country and its security. Hakeem Jeffries, AOC, Swalwell, Newsom, Polis, Crockett, Murphy, Whitmer there is not a single stand-out viable leader among them. They have no policy agenda beyond hating Trump and spending more money that does not exist. Trumps many successes only fuel their anger. Advertisement Any Democrat who might think that what the anti-ICE (Antifa) thugs are doing is counterproductive cannot say that out loud (except Fetterman); he would be canceled in a minute for bucking the party line. No Democrat deviates from the party line, ever. They are like trained seals. The Republicans, too, are a bunch of cowards, so afraid of challenging the D.C. establishment or risking the lobbyist money they have become used to. They do not dare to vote for what their constituents support if it is in opposition to the all-powerful uniparty. As things stand today, with all those pro-criminal moonbats protesting against ICE, Trump, and all law enforcement, we normies are very happy we voted for Trump, the good guy with a vision for America and the world. The left is still doing everything in its power to destroy the man and his vision and America as founded. That is leftists one and only agenda. They cannot possibly all be Marxists; they could be simply ignorant, thoroughly indoctrinated, and easily manipulated. It is anyones guess which of those explains the irrational anti-ICE people who no doubt think they are the virtuous among us by defending the worst of what human beings can be. If only they could recognize the damage they are doing, to their communities and to the nation. Advertisement Trump was amazing in Davos. His hour-plus-long speech was straight talk, delivered twenty minutes after flying twelve hours, including a turn-around. It offended the globalists and thrilled the nationalists. The little people sputtering about his plan for Greenland are as entertaining as the selfie videos of the AWFULs making fools of themselves for the benefit of brutal criminals. The evil of the weak wants to harm others and to see the signs of the suffering it has caused. Nietzsche Image via Pixabay. In the late nineteenth century, modern surgery was still emerging from an era in which hygiene was, by todays standards, startlingly poor. Operations were often performed with bare hands, instruments were reused with minimal cleaning, and postoperative infections were common and frequently fatal. Although ideas about germs were gaining ground, everyday medical practice lagged behind theory. It was in this transitional moment that Caroline Hampton, a surgical nurse, played an unexpected role in reshaping operative hygiene. William Halsted operating in the New Surgical Ampitheatre in 1904. Credit: Wellcome Library, London Caroline Hampton was born to a prominent Southern family in 1861 near Columbia, South Carolina. She was the niece of Confederate General Wade Hampton III, who was later governor of South Carolina and a US senator. Caroline was only a year old when her mother died of tuberculosis, and soon after, she lost her father in the Battle of Brandy Station in Virginia. In 1865, the familys fortunes suffered another devastating blow when the Hampton plantation was destroyed by the advancing forces of William Tecumseh Sherman. Orphaned and dispossessed, Caroline was raised by three aunts in a small house built behind the ruins of the former family manor. Her aunts expected her to follow the conventional path of a Southern belle and eventually marry a plantation owner. Caroline, however, resisted these expectations. Determined to shape her own future, she left for New York City to train as a nurse. After three years of study, she graduated from New York Hospital in 1888. The following year, when Johns Hopkins Hospital opened in Baltimore, she moved south once more and was appointed chief nurse of the operating room by the renowned surgeon Dr. William Stewart Halsted. Caroline Hampton William Stewart Halsted was among the most influential surgeons of his era. Trained by leading physicians in Europe, he later settled in New York, where he pioneered new surgical techniques for treating gallstones, diseases of the thyroid, disorders of the blood vessels, and hernias. He was best known to his contemporaries for introducing the radical mastectomy as a treatment for breast cancera drastic operation in which the surgeon removed not only the tumour but the entire breast and most of the muscles of the chest wall. A committed supporter of the germ theory of disease, Halsted was determined to bring scientific discipline to the operating room. At a time when many surgeons still treated cleanliness casually, he imposed an unusually strict regimen of hygiene. To reduce infection, he required everyone entering his operating theatre to scrub their hands meticulously: first with soap, then with a caustic solution of potassium permanganate, followed by immersion in a hot oxalic acid bath. Even this was not enough. After the chemical scrubbing, hands had to be washed once more in a mercury-chloride solution, a final step intended to eliminate any remaining microbes. These chemicals proved brutal on Carolines sensitive skin, causing severe irritation and painful dermatitis that soon threatened her ability to continue working. Faced with the prospect of losing his highly capable chief nurse, Halsted searched for a practical remedy. William Stewart Halsted At first, he suggested that Caroline coat her hands with collodion, a thick, gelatinous substance made from nitrocellulose that hardened as it dried, forming a protective film. Unfortunately, the collodion cracked whenever she flexed her fingers. So Halsted came up with another solution: gloves. Halsted had plaster casts made of Carolines hands and commissioned the Goodyear Rubber Company of New York to produce two pairs of custom-fitted rubber gloves. At the time, they were conceived purely as a barrier against chemical damage, not as a measure to prevent infection. When Caroline wore them during surgery, however, the results were immediate and dramatic. Her hands healed, the dermatitis subsided, and she was able to continue her work without pain. These early gloves bore little resemblance to the disposable latex gloves of today. They were relatively thick and designed for repeated use. Before each operation, they had to be sterilized by boiling and then pulled onto hands still slick with soap. Even so, they proved supple enough to allow fine manual control and did not interfere with delicate surgical tasks. The wider significance of this innovation soon became apparent. Other members of the surgical team began wearing gloves as well, and it was noticed that infection rates declined. Halsted, already an advocate of meticulous surgical methods, embraced the change. He promoted the routine use of gloves as part of a broader commitment to asepsisalongside careful handwashing, sterilized instruments, and disciplined operating-room protocols. An early rubber surgical glove, worn by Johns Hopkins surgeon John M. T. Finney. The use of gloves and Halsteds meticulous disinfection routine was controversial for some. In 1898, Dr Robert Morris said, I have been much interested in everything that seemed to be in the nature of progress in surgery...but have arrived at the conclusion that the practical disadvantages of gloves counterbalance their theoretical advantages. Surgeons who were doing first class work three years ago seem to me to be doing second or third rate now, on account of the interference made by their gloves. The greatest danger to be feared is that the younger generations of surgeons may fail to develop the sense of touch to the highest degree and we shall have much second rate work done, particularly in abdominal surgery ...to the younger generation of surgeons I say fight with your might against the idea of using a means that will damage your most precious possessionthe sense of touch. Yet there were also early adopters who eagerly embraced Halsteds approach to hygiene. Among the most influential was Dr. Joseph Bloodgood, one of Halsteds students and later his colleague at Johns Hopkins. Bloodgood began wearing gloves for all of his operations and carefully documented the results. In a ten-year review of hernia surgeries performed between 1889 and 1899, he reported a striking decline in postoperative infections. Before the routine use of gloves, 38 infections occurred in 220 cases; after gloves were adopted by the entire operating team, infections fell to just 4 in 226 cases. Other prominent surgeons soon followed. In 1897, Dr. Charles McBurney began using gloves regularly, and a year later he published a detailed paper outlining the advantages of having the entire surgical team wear them during operations. McBurney directly confronted common objections, particularly the belief that gloves dulled the surgeons sense of touch. Experience, he argued, proved otherwise. Dr James Mitchell performing a surgical operation wearing rubber gloves in 1893. Credit: Alan Mason Chesney Medical Archives This view was echoed by Dr. James Mitchell, a surgeon at Johns Hopkins, who noted that tactile skill could be cultivated through gloved hands from the outset. He wrote, When I began to operate, and ever since, I have always worn gloves, and the sense of touch has been developed from the first through gloved hands, as is the case with practically all younger surgeons of today. Caroline Hamptons contribution to medical history was largely indirect, but it was no less important for that. Her need for protection led to an innovation that transformed surgery worldwide. Rubber gloves became standard equipment, protecting both patients from infection and medical staff from injury and contamination. In an age when medical hygiene was still inconsistent and often inadequate, this small adjustment helped push surgery toward the cleaner, safer practice we now take for granted. References: # S Robert Lathan. Caroline Hampton Halsted: the first to use rubber gloves in the operating room. # Kevin Paul Lee. Caroline Hampton Halsted and the origin of surgical gloves # The Nurse Who Introduced Gloves to the Operating Room. Distillation Magazine Apple could be losing its privileged position as the most important customer at TSMC. For a long time, the only rule that governed the relationship between these two giants was that Apple paid the most, so Apple got the best technology and the quickest shipments before anyone else. However, the AI boom has changed the math. TSMC is reportedly ending the special treatmentAKA priority shipment statusthat they had with Apple because AI companies are now spending more money on chip production than ever before. Recent industry leaks suggest that the change in status is already having a tangible impact. TSMCs CEO, C.C. Wei, reportedly met with Apple executives to negotiate what is being described as the most significant price increase in recent history. Apples upcoming A20 and A20 Pro chips will still use the advanced 2nm process. However, they will no longer enjoy the first-in-line privileges that the company has relied on for over a decade. NVIDIA takes over: Apple is no longer the favorite child at TSMC The reason for this divorce from tradition is simple and familiar in the business world: money. Currently, NVIDIA has overtaken Apple as TSMCs largest revenue contributor. As the demand for AI hardware reaches unprecedented levels, TSMC is shifting its focus to the clients who are driving its record-breaking profits. For the first time, Apple has to share the spotlight with the giants of the AI world. When we talk about the limited supply of 2nm wafers, this was the natural result. This new reality is also driving up costs. Industry analysts estimate that the price of a single A20 SoC for the iPhone 18 series could climb to roughly $280. Without its special status to shield it from market pressures, Apple is facing the same rising costs as Qualcomm and MediaTek. TSMC is no longer absorbing the risks or offering the secret deals that once gave Apple a massive competitive edge. TSMC is currently investing over $50 billion this year alone to expand its capacity. But that investment is squarely aimed at the AI boom. Its unlikely that another phone manufacturer will secure a chip deal with TSMC that includes the priority shipment status removed from Appleat least in the near future. Apple still secures a massive amount of production capacity. But today, it no longer dictates the terms of the relationship. Until the hunger for AI chips settles down, the iPhone maker will have to operate as just another high-value customer in an increasingly crowded line. The Samsung Galaxy Watch 5 is receiving the January 2026 security update. The update is reportedly only rolling out to the non-cellular (Wi-Fi + Bluetooth) variant. Beyond security, this seems to be a much-awaited update, as many users were reportedly complaining about issues after the One UI 8 Watch update. The fresh update to the Galaxy Watch 5 weighs around 147.29MB in size and carries the firmware version R910XXU1DYLA. The January 2026 security update brings fixes to a total of 57 vulnerabilities present in the previous version of the OS. This means your wearable is more secure than before. Besides that, many users were reportedly facing issues with the One UI 8 Watch update. There were problems like battery draining quickly and lag in the system. In some cases, sensors were not functioning properly. Samsung reportedly promised to fix these, and it appears that the Galaxy Watch 5 is the first to get it. Though Samsung only says better system stability, it apparently does more than that by addressing the issues. Sammmyfans report that the watch feels faster and responds better when swiping and tapping through the UI. The lag in Quick Settings and Tiles is now apparently much less. The battery performance is also reportedly improved. The update is reportedly live in Europe, but we can expect it to roll out in other regions in the coming days. You can update your Galaxy Watch 5 by opening the Galaxy Wearable app and heading to Watch Settings > Watch software update > Download and install. It appears that other Galaxy smartwatches are yet to receive this update. There are a lot of flashy new apps launching these days, but sometimes, you just need something that works. Something thats reliable, and one that you can use daily. If youre the type that sets alarms on their phone to wake up for work or school, youre in luck because the Google Clock has been updated with new ways to dismiss alarms. Google Clock has new ways to dismiss your alarms According to PhoneArena, it looks like Google has released a new update for its clock app. This bumps Google Clock up to version 8.5, which also includes a new way for users to dismiss their alarms. With this new option, which you can find in Settings, you can choose between swiping or tapping to dismiss an alarm. Its not exactly a groundbreaking feature, nor is this exactly a game-changer either. However, it is what we call a quality of life update. By giving users the option to choose how to dismiss their alarms, it makes it easier. We know there are times when the alarm goes off and youre half awake. You reach for your phone but yet cant find a way to get it to stop. With this update, you can choose between swiping or tapping, whichever you find the most convenient. If one doesnt work, then just try the other, its really that simple. If you opt for Tap to dismiss, when the alarm goes off, youll see two buttons. Snooze is on the left, while Stop is on the right. If you choose Swipe to dismiss, you can swipe left to snooze, or swipe right to stop. Yes, right now Google Clock 8.5 is available for download via the Play Store. However, as PhoneArena notes, the new way to dismiss your alarm is a server-side update. This means that youll have to wait for Google to turn it on for your device in order to access it. Just make sure you have the latest version installed and you should see the new feature soon. You can check if its available by tapping on the three-dot icon on the right and go to Settings. If theres a Dismiss alarm with a preference, that means you have it. Otherwise, just remain patient. Google search is expanding how its newest feature, the AI Mode, works by rolling out a new personal intelligence update. The update enables the tool to provide answers to complex questions with more context from a users digital life. The update lets the user connect data from familiar services so that the AI can deliver responses that feel more relevant, timely, and tailored. The new personal intelligence update for the AI model in Google search is built on the work first introduced in the Gemini app. The company frames personalization as a way to reduce friction between questions and answers. In the AI mode, the system can now reference information from Gmail, Google Photos, Search activity, and YouTube history. Its a completely optional feature, and the user will have to manually enable the toggle to use it. The rollout begins in English in the United States for Google AI Pro and Google AI Ultra subscribers. Further, Google says that the feature relies on existing habits rather than new data collection. This also gives the company an edge over rivals with smaller ecosystems. Many users across the globe already plan trips, shop, and store memories inside Google services. The aim is to make the feature more reliable and personalized Vice President of Product for Search at Google, Robby Stein, says the goal is to make recommendations that fit naturally into daily routines instead of forcing people to restate preferences with every query. Personalization is going to be the most visible when planning scenarios. When someone searches for travel ideas, AI Mode can look at hotel confirmations in Gmail and past trips captured in Google Photos to suggest activities that fit everyone involved. Instead of providing a generic answer, the system will offer a personalized itinerary shaped by habits, interests, and timing. Moreover, Google says similar logic applies to shopping and other areas as well. WASHINGTON, Jan. 22, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- The National Restaurant Association and the National Restaurant Association Educational Foundation (Foundation) today announced their 2026 board officers, directors, and trustees. Mike Axiotis, CEO and president of Lehigh Valley Restaurant Brands, will serve as chair of the National Restaurant Association Board of Directors, and Carrie Leishman, president and CEO of the Delaware Restaurant Association, will serve as chair of the Foundation Board of Trustees. National Restaurant Association Educational Foundation logo (PRNewsfoto/National Restaurant Association Educational Foundation) Vice Chair Jeanne Cretella, co-founder and president of by Landmark, and Treasurer Theodore "Teddy" Balestreri, executive vice president of Hospitality Operations and Community Relations for Cannery Row Company, complete the Association's 2026 Board leadership. Other Foundation officers include Vice Chair Susannah Ryan, head of sales, National Restaurants for PepsiCo Foodservice, and Treasurer Greg Cocchiarella, vice president of Industry Relations for Ecolab Inc. "As a cornerstone of American communities, the restaurant industry is a stabilizing force in our economy, with its resilience and strength standing as a benchmark for the nation's overall business landscape," said Michelle Korsmo, President & CEO of the National Restaurant Association and CEO of the National Restaurant Association Educational Foundation. "Mike Axiotis and Carrie Leishman bring deep experience and unrivaled dedication to our industry and the people we serve. Their leadership will guide the Association and Foundation boards to advance and promote the restaurant industry as an economic leader and as a space that brings people together." Each of the officers serves a one-year term. Following is the list of 2026 Association and Foundation Board Leadership, along with new Directors and Trustees. National Restaurant Association Chair: Mike Axiotis is CEO and president of Lehigh Valley Restaurant Brands (LVRB). Through tireless hard work, love of the hospitality business and people, and his commitment to excellence, Axiotis worked his way up the ranks at LVRB, eventually being elected as CEO in 2018. Since becoming CEO, he has strategically diversified the business from one brand to multiple major brands, growing revenue through the new business streams. His history in the industry extends back nearly 40 years, starting with his family's restaurant. Axiotis believes his success is an opportunity to give back through impactful community involvement and support of the team members of LVRB. Vice Chair: Jeanne Cretella is co-founder and president of by Landmark, a multi-faceted company which owns and operates fine dining restaurants, event spaces, and boutique hotels throughout New Jersey and Pennsylvania. Cretella believes strongly in the connections built in the hospitality industry, focusing on creating a business culture based on making memories, and connecting with the communities where their businesses are located through a corporate-giving program, "Help Us Give." She devotes much of her time to supporting education programs and partnerships. She serves on the Foundation Board of Hudson County Community College, is a past Chair of the New Jersey Restaurant & Hospitality Association, where she is currently a Board Member, and serves as a Board Member for the Hudson County Chamber of Commerce. Treasurer: Theodore "Teddy" Balestreri is executive vice president of Hospitality Operations and Community Relations for Cannery Row Company, where he oversees a portfolio of boutique hotels; acclaimed restaurants, including The Sardine Factory and Esteban; and foodservice-based retail. With decades of experience in restaurant and hospitality management, Balestreri has also served as Chairman of the California Restaurant Association and is a past Chair of the California Restaurant Association Educational Foundation. His leadership extends to numerous industry and community boards, reflecting a deep commitment to advancing hospitality and supporting local initiatives. Newly elected Association Directors include: William Downs, Ford's Garage Ellis Winstanley, El Arroyo Erin Vranas, Parthenon Gyros Harshraj Ghai, Ghai Management Services Hugues Labrecque, Golden State Foods Jennifer Ray, The Monarch Joshua Secrest, Paradox Kajal Patel, The Hena Group Kelly Lefferts, Bloomin' Brands Kevin King, Donatos Pizzeria, LLC Marquis Heilig, Lazy Dog Restaurants Jane Tidwell, Chick-fil-A, Inc. Richard Frank, Lawry's Restaurants, Inc. Ronald DiNella, Swensons Drive In Restaurants Sharlene Smith, Zaxby's Susan Nelson, Dine Brands National Restaurant Association Educational Foundation Chair: Carrie Leishman is president and CEO of the Delaware Restaurant Association (DRA) and the Delaware Restaurant Foundation. Leishman is a passionate and fearless advocate for the industry and is credited with strengthening the DRA into one of the most influential business organizations in the state. The DRA created the first industry training for substance abuse awareness and prevention, and for this work, received recognition from the White House in 2018. Leishman grew up in upstate New York and graduated from the Newhouse School of Public Communications at Syracuse University. Vice Chair: Susannah Ryan leads National Restaurants for PepsiCo Foodservice. Her team is responsible for developing and executing annual operating plans across all lines of business for PepsiCo's strategic national chain restaurant customers. Ryan has held several sales leadership roles across Foodservice and Retail since joining PepsiCo in 2000. She is also a member of the Women's Foodservice Forum and the Society of Fellows of The Culinary Institute of America. Before joining PepsiCo, Ryan held several sales and customer supply-chain roles with Ralston Purina Co. and Phillip Morris USA. Treasurer: Greg Cocchiarella is vice president of Industry Relations for Ecolab Inc., where he is responsible for fostering strategic industry association and business relationships across foodservice and hospitality. For more than 35 years at Ecolab, Cocchiarella has been instrumental in supporting the industry through innovative programs and strategic partnerships. He serves in key roles for major industry organizations including the Multicultural Foodservice & Hospitality Alliance (MFHA), the American Hotel & Lodging Association (AHLA) and the AHLA Foundation (AHLAF), and the International Food Away from Home Association IFMA), advancing education and workforce development initiatives. New Foundation Trustees include: Angela Melton-Fray, Dat Jerk Caribbean Chargrill Carlos Bernal, Areas USA, Inc. Emily Williams Knight, Ed.D., Texas Restaurant Association Jason Wallace, Hospitality Concepts, LLC John Horne, Oysters Rock Hospitality Melvin Rodrigue, Galatoire's Restaurants Sara Quinteros, Cowbell Seafood & Oyster Scott Redler, Redler Hospitality, LLC About the National Restaurant Association Founded in 1919, the National Restaurant Association is the leading business association for the restaurant industry, which comprises more than 1 million restaurant and foodservice outlets and a workforce of 15.7 million employees. Together with 52 State Associations, we are a network of professional organizations dedicated to serving every restaurant through advocacy, education, and food safety. We sponsor the industry's largest trade show (National Restaurant Association Show); leading food safety training and certification program (ServSafe); unique career-building high school program (the NRAEF's ProStart). For more information, visit Restaurant.org and find us on Twitter @WeRRestaurants, Facebook and YouTube. About the National Restaurant Association Educational Foundation As the supporting philanthropic foundation of the National Restaurant Association, the NRAEF's charitable mission includes enhancing the industry's training and education, career development, and community engagement efforts. The NRAEF and its programs work to Attract, Empower, and Advance today's and tomorrow's restaurant and foodservice workforce. NRAEF programs include: ProStart a high-school career and technical education program; Restaurant Ready/HOPES Partnering with community based organizations to provide people with skills training and job opportunities; Military helping military servicemen and women transition their skills to restaurant and foodservice careers; Scholarships financial assistance for students pursuing restaurant, foodservice and hospitality degrees; and the Restaurant & Hospitality Leadership Center (RHLC) accredited apprenticeship programs designed to build the careers of service professionals. For more information on the NRAEF, visit ChooseRestaurants.org. SOURCE National Restaurant Association Verizon Home Internet + Free Samsung Smart TV or Tablet Expires: Feb 4, 2025 Contract at Finding a new home internet provider usually involves comparing speeds and monthly costs. But now, a big US carrier is trying to make that decision much easier. Through February 4, 2026, Verizon is offering a significant incentive for those who switch to their high-speed home internet tiers: a choice between a high-end Samsung tablet or a 4K smart TV at no extra cost. The offer applies to new customers signing up for either the 1 Gig or 2 Gig home internet plans. The plans target heavy userssupporting anywhere from 50 to 100 devices simultaneously. But the real draw right now is the hardware bundle. Last Call: Get a free Samsung QLED TV with Verizon home internet Verizon is giving new subscribers three distinct options to sweeten their connection. The first is the Samsung Galaxy Tab S10 FE 5G (Review). This isnt a budget-tier tablet, as it comes with a 10.9-inch display and S Pen support. These features make it a solid tool for anyone who needs to take notes or sketch on the go. The second option is a 43-inch Samsung Q7F QLED TV. While it may be a compact size, it packs premium features like 4K upscaling and integrated voice controls. It is an ideal addition for a bedroom, office, or kitchen where space might be limited but picture quality is still a priority. For those who dont need new hardware, Verizon offers a third path: a $15 monthly credit applied to the bill for the next 36 months. Samsungs QLED Q7F Smart TV Conditions for eligibility As with any major promotion, there are a few conditions to keep in mind. Prices for these high-speed plans typically range from $75 to $110 per month, depending on whether you already have a Verizon mobile line. Both tiers come with a free router and a five-year price lock, which provides some much-needed long-term stability in a market where rates often creep up after the first year. However, youll need to be patient. You can only redeem your gift between 14 and 60 days after your service is up and running. Once you claim it, shipping could take up to eight weeks. Most importantly, you must keep the service active for at least 180 days. If you cancel before that six-month mark, Verizon reserves the right to charge you back for the full value of the gift. If you have been considering an internet upgrade, this window is quite short. With the deadline approaching on February 4, it is worth checking if your home is eligible for these specific gigabit speeds to take advantage of the hardware bonus. A 20,000 reward has been offered for information as detectives try to solve a murder that saw the wrong man spend almost 40 years in prison. Diane Sindall, 21, was murdered in Birkenhead, Merseyside, in the early hours of Saturday 2 August 1986. Her body was discovered by a member of the public in an alleyway off Borough Road in the Wirral town several hours later. She had been sexually assaulted and suffered extensive injuries. Her cause of death was confirmed to be a cerebral haemorrhage. Then 30 years old, Peter Sullivan was convicted of her murder in 1987, leading to him being dubbed The Mersey Ripper and The Beast of Birkenhead. Mr Sullivan, who had protested his innocence for decades, had his conviction quashed in 2025 after the Court of Appeal heard DNA evidence showed the killer was someone else. He spent 38 years behind bars in what is the longest miscarriage of justice in UK history. Work to identify who the DNA actually belongs to continues, and detectives are urging anyone with information to come forward. Crimestoppers is additionally offering a reward of up to 20,000 for information that leads to the arrest and conviction of the person responsible for Dianes murder. Diane was murdered in Birkenhead, Merseyside, in 1986 (Merseyside Police) Merseyside Polices detective superintendent Rachel Wilson said: It is devastating for Dianes family that they are still waiting for the answers as to who was responsible for her murder, and we remain committed to identifying the person whose DNA was left at the scene. In 1986, DNA was very much in the early stages and as such was not available to the detectives who originally investigated Dianes death but her murder was fully investigated by the team. Unfortunately, there is no match for the DNA identified on the national DNA database and we know it does not belong to any member of her family or her fiance at the time. The investigation team has obtained samples locally, but screening has also taken place in Swansea, Perth, London, Hull and Newcastle with the voluntary DNA elimination samples, Detective Superintendent Wilson said. Some 461 males have been eliminated from the investigation, and the forensic results in relation to a further 43 samples submitted earlier this month are awaited. DSI Wilson added: Although it has been nearly 40 years since Dianes murder, we still believe there are people who know what happened, or have their own suspicions, who havent yet come forward. My message would be: It is never too late to do the right thing. Police said they know that, on Friday 1 August 1986, florist Diane had been working her part-time job at the Wellington pub in Bebington. Diane had left work in her blue Fiat van (Merseyside Police) She left work at 11.45pm in her blue Fiat van, but on her way home, the van ran out of petrol on Borough Road. Diane got out of the van and was seen by several witnesses at the time walking along Borough Road between midnight and 12.20am on the Saturday morning. Her body was found 12 hours later in an alleyway off Borough Road. DSI Wilson added: On 17 August 1986 property belonging to Diane was recovered on Bidston Hill. The investigation team at the time identified witnesses who had seen a small fire at the location where the property was found, on Sunday 3 August, and had witnessed a man running from the scene. Police wish to hear from those who were on Borough Road on the evening of Friday 1 August or the early hours of Saturday 2 August and saw or heard something suspicious. They have also asked for those who could help identify the man seen running away from Bidston Hill on Sunday 3 August. DSI Wilson added: We can trace and request a DNA sample from any person you suspect or even a relative if they have passed away or emigrated. The reward is available for three months and is due to expire on 22 April 2026. A new study has revealed that the number of people in the UK on attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) medication has tripled in the past decade, with a 20-fold increase in women aged 25 and over. Researchers at the University of Oxford examined health records in Belgium, Germany, the Netherlands, Spain and the UK and found that ADHD medication prescriptions increased in all five countries between 2010 and 2023. The UK had the highest relative increase for all ages, increasing more than three times from 0.12 per cent to 0.39 per cent. ADHD is a neurodevelopmental disorder that is characterised by symptoms including disorganisation, impulsiveness and difficulty concentrating. In the UK, the most widely prescribed medication to treat ADHD is Methylphenidate, which is sold under brand names such as Ritalin, Concerta, Delmosart, Equasym and Medikinet. The rise in ADHD prescriptions varies across the nation, with the highest increase in London, according to previous research. A study by researchers at Aston University and the University of Huddersfield found that, since the pandemic, theres been a 28 per cent average annual increase in prescriptions in the capital, compared to 18 per cent nationwide. So whats behind the rise? Do more people have ADHD? The latest data reveals that ADHD prescriptions have increased in the UK, but this does not mean that more people have ADHD. There's no evidence that the prevalence [of ADHD] is increasing, Dr Leon Rozewicz, a consultant psychiatrist at Priory Hospital North London, tells The Standard. Instead, what it shows is that more people are getting diagnosed. It used to be thought that ADHD is a condition that affects boys more than girls but thats because people were not looking at it carefully enough, Dr Rozewicz says. The rise in prescriptions is due to an improvements in diagnostics, says Dr Michael Swift, founder and clinical director of Swift Psychology. The rise in UK ADHD diagnoses mostly reflects better recognition and broader diagnostic criteria, rather than a genuine surge in cases, he told The Standard. ADHD for adults was not diagnosable before 2013 as the DSM nor the ICD (manuals on which diagnosis is made) did not include developmentally appropriate symptoms and thresholds for adults, said Dr Ute Liersch, a counselling psychologist at The Soke. Social media may have also helped make conditions such as ADHD more well-known. Dr. Naheed Ali, a physician and senior contributor at Vera Clinic, told The Standard that he has heard from plenty of people who struggled with focus, time management, or emotional regulation, but it wasnt until they saw someone break it down [on social media] in a way that clicked. Social media platforms can help raise awareness and reduce stigma around ADHD, Dr. Lafina Diamandis, a GP and Lifestyle Medicine Doctor and founder of Deia Health Clinic told The Standard. Many people undiagnosed as children are now seeking assessments as adults, Dr Diamandis added. She also pointed out that the expansion of private clinics, which are highly saturated in London, could also contribute to the rise in diagnoses by offering quicker access to assessments than through the NHS, which can sometimes take years. Is ADHD medication being overprescribed? The fact that ADHD drug prescriptions are on the rise may spark concern that the medication is being overprescribed, but according to Dr Leon Rozewicz, this isnt statistically true. Its estimated that 3 per cent to 4 per cent of adults in the UK have ADHD, which is considerably higher than the 0.39 per cent who are prescribed medication to treat it. Most people still go without treatment, he says. However, thats not to say that everyone being prescribed ADHD medication should be on it. Not everyone diagnoses it very carefully, Dr Rozewicz says. Diagnosing ADHD should include a careful assessment of a patients psychiatric history and their ADHD symptoms, as well as a conversation with one of their family members or a partner. We're not always diagnosing the right people with ADHD, Dr Rozewicz says. There are some very poor quality assessments around. Air India plane involved in deadly crash had issues from very first day it arrived in India, advocacy group claims The Air India plane which crashed in Ahmedabad last June had a record of technical and electrical failures, aviation safety campaigners in the US claimed. The London-bound Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner with 242 people on board crashed moments after taking off on 12 June, erupting in a fireball after hitting a medical college hostel. All but one of those on board were killed. Another 19 people were killed on the ground when the plane crashed onto a medical college hostel during lunch hour. The ill-fated aircraft, one of the earliest 787s, entered service with the Indian airline in early 2014 and went on to suffer a series of system failures, including an electrical fire in 2022 which led to the replacement of core system components, the Foundation for Aviation Safety alleged. The campaign group submitted the whistleblower report to the US Senate Permanent Subcommittee on Investigations on 12 January, claiming records showed the Boeing plane suffered problems on the very first day it arrived in India on 1 Feb 2014. Wreckage of the Air India plane that crashed in Ahmedabad city on 12 June 2025 (AFP via Getty) The group alleged that the issues were caused by "a wide and confusing variety of engineering, manufacturing, quality, and maintenance problems throughout its 11-year life. The failures ranged from electronics and software glitches to repeated tripping of circuit breakers and short circuits, leading to power losses and overheating across critical system components. In January 2022, the foundation said, a fire in the aircraft's P100 power distribution panel resulted in extensive burning around the L2 Bus Tie Breaker and surrounding wiring. The P100 received power from the left engine and distributed it to various vital aircraft systems. The damage was so severe the entire power panel had to be replaced. In April that year, the aircraft was again grounded due to confusing faults involving the landing-gear indication system, according to the campaigners. Air India replaced a proximity sensing data concentrator module of the plane, the left Common Core System remote data concentrator in the aft electronics bay, and a Remote Power Distribution Unit power module, the report said. Ed Pierson, executive director of the advocacy group, linked the Boeing aircraft's history to early manufacturing quality concerns about the 787 programme. The group said its concerns about the 787 went beyond the plane involved in the Air India crash, adding that it had also reviewed 2,000 failure reports involving hundreds of other aircraft in the US, Canada, and Australia. The crashed jet was only the 26th 787 built, Mr Pierson, a former Boeing senior manager, told The Free Press Journal. The sole survivor of the Air India crash, Vishwash Kumar Ramesh, in Oadby near Leicester (PA Wire) The Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB) is leading the inquiry into the crash with assistance from the US National Transportation Safety Board, the UK Air Accidents Investigation Branch, and Boeing. The bureau published a preliminary investigation report in July, as mandated by law, which triggered speculation that the accident was caused by pilot error. It contained excerpts from a conversation between the two pilots captured by the cockpit voice recorder indicating that both engine fuel control switches had moved from run to cutoff seconds after take-off, leading to an immediate loss of thrust. One pilot was heard asking about the fuel cutoff and the other replying that he hadnt flipped off the switches. Although a backup power system deployed automatically and one of the two engines began to recover, the aircraft was unable to regain altitude and crashed moments later. Boeing president and CEO Kelly Ortberg said in June 2025 soon after the incident: Our deepest condolences go out to the loved ones of the passengers and crew on board Air India Flight 171, as well as everyone affected in Ahmedabad. I have spoken with Air India Chairman N Chandrasekaran to offer our full support, and a Boeing team stands ready to support the investigation led by Indias Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau. On Thursday, Boeing deferred queries about the crash to the AAIB when The Independent reached out for a comment. In its August 2025 official update about crashed Flight 171, Air India said: The safety of our passengers, crew and aircraft is our foremost priority. Following the tragic accident involving AI171 in June, we have undertaken a series of proactive measures and conducted comprehensive checks ensuring that every flight continues to meet the highest global standards of safety and customer service. The measures included fleet inspections, safety pause and operational enhancements, safety protocols and training, and phased resumption of international flights, among others. The Independent has reached out to Air India for a comment. Alcohol maker could be forced to sell off its inventory as bankruptcy stalls A major alcohol producer has announced plans to sell off two of its U.S. brands inventory, as bankruptcy filings continue to stall. Luxembourg-based producer The Stoli Group confirmed last week that the move will affect its Kentucky Owl LLC and Stoli Group USA LLC brands, both of which filed for bankruptcy in November. The move comes as the brand battles with a quarter-century of unprecedented external pressures, claiming that a dispute with the Russian government damaged its productivity. Ownership of the firm is disputed between its Luxembourgish investors and Russian state company FKP Soyuzplodoimport, with the Kremlin seizing the brands distillery after it criticized the invasion of Ukraine. The Stoli Group is selling off the inventories of one of its beloved whiskey brands and one of its vodka brands (Getty Images/iStockphoto) The international brand was later hit by a massive cyberattack on its operations, limiting its ability to distribute its products. In a press release, the Stoli Group also blamed the slowing of the U.S. spirits market for its financial woes. According to a report by Gallup, just 54 percent of Americans now drink alcohol, the lowest in 90 years. That has left other companies, including Diageo, Pernod Ricard, Campari, Brown-Forman, and Remy Cointreau, with $22 billion in aging spirits, according to the Financial Times. The Stoli Group has been forced to go a step further to file Chapter 7 liquidation for the two brands. Over the past thirteen months, the Group worked to construct a viable reorganization plan aimed at preserving jobs, stabilizing operations, and protecting long-standing commercial partnerships, the press release read. Both Kentucky Owl and Stoli are American classics, with the former hitting the shelves in 1871. Following the prohibition era, the brand changed its commercial strategy and began releasing limited batches of high-quality whiskey. Stoli vodka is a nightclub staple in the United States, despite being made in Latvia (Stolichnaya) Each bottle was priced from anywhere between $50 and $600. Meanwhile, Stoli, which was originally marketed as Stolichnaya, is a U.S. nightclub classic despite being produced in Latvia. According to the alcohol company, its other brands will remain on sale. Stoli and Kentucky Owl products will remain on shelves for as long as stocks last. We believe there is sufficient inventory of Stoli brands in the US market to ensure consumers will be able to continue purchasing these products for the foreseeable future, the press statement read. Meanwhile, control of the Stoli Group USA and Kentucky Owl will be handed over to a court-appointed trustee who will their futures. The Stoli Group's factories in Spain, Italy, Argentina and the United States will be unaffected by the proceedings and the group has confirmed that it plans to maintain operations in 176 markets. Ovo Energy are to pay out millions in compensation over the warm home discount support. (Sipa US, Sipa US) Thousands of Ovo Energy customers are set to receive compensation after the supplier failed to deliver Warm Home Discount (WHD) payments on time to vulnerable households. Regulator Ofgem has ordered Ovo to pay 2.77 million after nearly 12,000 customers were left without vital support during the winter due to an internal error. The compensation package means some affected customers could receive up to 400, depending on their circumstances. What is the Warm Home Discount? The Warm Home Discount is a government-backed scheme designed to help people on low incomes or who are vulnerable to cold-related illness with their energy bills. It provides an annual rebate, currently worth 150, which is automatically applied to eligible customers electricity bills. The discount is not paid in cash, but credited directly to a customers energy account, usually between October and March, to help cover higher heating costs during winter. Energy suppliers across the UK deliver the scheme, with hundreds of millions of pounds paid out each year to support households in fuel poverty. The warm home discount is designed to help people on low incomes or who are vulnerable to cold-related illness with their energy bills. (Vladyslav Stepanov) Am I entitled to the Warm Home Discount? Eligibility for the WHD depends on your circumstances rather than your energy usage. In England and Wales, those eligible are: Low-income pensioners You or your partner is getting the guarantee credit element of pension credit People receiving certain means-tested benefits - including housing benefit, income-based jobseekers allowance and universal credit In Scotland, you qualify if you either: Get the guarantee credit element of pension credit Are on a low income in Scotland and meet your energy suppliers criteria for the scheme Most eligible customers receive the rebate automatically, without needing to apply, and are usually contacted by energy suppliers. How do I know if I am entitled to a rebate? The current compensation relates specifically to customers who should have received their WHD by 31 March 2024 but did not. Due to an internal systems error, Ovo failed to make payments on time, with 11,646 customers only receiving their rebate in November 2025 more than 19 months late. Of those affected, 7,726 were on the Priority Services Register, with another 4,066 classed as medically vulnerable. Some Ovo Energy customers could get up to 400 in compensation. (MPSigns) Under Ofgems ruling, Ovo must pay compensation directly to impacted households. This includes: 150 for all affected customers An additional 150 for customers who were medically vulnerable A further 100 for customers who self-disconnected between 31 March and 31 May 2024 because they could not afford to top up a prepayment meter This means some customers could receive up to 400 in total. Ovo has said all affected customers have now been identified and compensated automatically, so most people will not need to make a claim. Anyone who believes they were eligible for the WHD but did not receive it, or who thinks they may have been affected by the delay, is advised to contact Ovo directly. Andrew Gwynne (left) and Andy Burnham, who is said to be seeking a return to parliament to stand for the Labour leadership. Composite: Ian Forsyth/Getty/Danny Lawson/ PA (Composite: Ian Forsyth/Getty/Danny Lawson/ PA) Andrew Gwynne has said he will resign as an MP over his ill health, paving the way for Andy Burnham to potentially return to parliament unless the Greater Manchester mayor is blocked by Keir Starmer. On Thursday, Gwynne reached a settlement with the Commons that would allow him to retire, which would trigger a byelection. Burnham is said to be seeking a return to parliament to stand for the Labour leadership if there is a challenge to Starmer, but was thought to have limited options for a byelection in the north-west. Related: Andy Burnhams road back to parliament would be a bumpy one Gwynne, the MP for Gorton and Denton in Greater Manchester, had previously denied planning early retirement. But in a statement he said that his health had deteriorated to such an extent that he was forced to retire on medical grounds. He said that, while he was proud of his achievements in parliament, he had suffered significant ill-health over most of the 21 years Ive served as an MP. He called representing his home community the honour of my life, adding that he had suffered significant ill health. Quoting from his doctors note, he said he was extremely vulnerable and further stress will cause rapid deterioration. I wish the Labour government every success in meeting our countrys challenges head-on and providing the real change the people of Britain voted for in 2024, Gwynne added. The MP, who is suspended from the Labour party, had been offered a deal on his MPs pension that would allow him to retire on medical grounds. Friends of the MP told the Guardian that would mean he would receive a yearly payout until he reached retirement age, when he would be entitled to the full pension. Gwynne is still under parliamentary standards investigation, which was initiated last year after he was found to have been in a WhatsApp group called Trigger Me Timbers that shared vulgar and inflammatory comments about voters and other MPs. He was suspended from the party after the messages came to light. When asked about Burnhams potential return, Starmer said it was early stages, adding: Andy Burnham is doing an excellent job as mayor of Manchester. We work very closely together. Last year, we were responding together to the terrible attack on a synagogue in Manchester, more recently, we were working together on Northern Powerhouse Rail. I think Andy would acknowledge that working with this government has been much better than the experience he had of working with previous governments. The Manchester backbencher was said by some MPs to have reached an agreement with Burnham to allow the Greater Manchester mayor to stand in his seat after his early retirement, but both men denied that there had been any pact. Several allies of Gwynne said relations were not good since the height of the speculation about Burnhams future. Related: Andy Burnham, the man who would be king Burnham has made no secret of his ambitions. He prompted outrage within No 10 and among cabinet ministers after he said before the Labour conference last year that many MPs had urged him to run for Labour leader. But allies have cautioned not to overstate the extent of planning that might be under way, suggesting that he was passionate about his current job and would only ever make a decision to return to Westminster if a seat became available. People want to paint him as scheming and plotting but thats absolutely not where he is. It would only ever be an option if felt he had something to offer, one said. Burnham would have no guarantee of the nomination should he decide to try to return to Westminster in a byelection, with the candidate selected by a panel of members from the partys ruling national executive committee (NEC). Five members of the NEC told the Guardian they believed it would be impossible for Burnham to make it through selection given the number of Starmer allies on the body and how they could be handpicked to sit on the selection panel. They said this was not just down to personal animosity to Burnham, but the great cost and uncertainty of a mayoral byelection. It could mean that about 500,000 of party funding was diverted from other races across Britain. What if Reform won the Greater Manchester mayoralty? It would be totemic for them: their biggest win yet. We would be mad to let that happen, one said. Another added: It is deeply selfish of Andy to want to run for this costing us tens of thousands we dont have and diverting activist resources when we are fighting other crucial elections. It is absurd beyond description and cannot be allowed. However, other senior party figures suggested that even though the body was dominated by Starmer loyalists there would be significant disquiet among MPs, the unions and party members should it try to block Burnham. I dont think anybody wants a big fight within the NEC, one said. Thats not where anybody wants to end up. The unions are also a significant force on the partys ruling body, holding 14 out of the 25 seats. The Fire Brigades Union general secretary, Steve Wright, said: It would be a democratic outrage if Andy Burnham was blocked from seeking selection as Labours byelection candidate in this seat. There are historic examples of the full NEC rejecting shortlists drawn up by the selection panel because they did not initially include certain candidates, such as Jonathan Reynolds in Stalybridge and Tristram Hunt in Stoke-on-Trent Central. It is also possible the body could impose an all-female shortlist in order to stop his nomination. Labour figures in Greater Manchester suggested that Bev Craig, the leader of Manchester city council, could be asked to run in the byelection as No 10s preferred candidate. She is well liked inside Downing Street and Starmer himself called her last year to tell her she was being awarded an OBE. A party insider suggested that Downing Street had been closely observing the bounce in support that Kemi Badenoch received for acting decisively by sacking Robert Jenrick last week. Another warned that MPs and members were already concerned about the risk of destabilising the party with leadership speculation before the local and devolved elections in May. I dont think anybody would thank Andy for triggering more of that, one said. Gwynne has a 13,400 majority in the seat, which lies to the south-east of Manchester. Reform UK is likely to mount a significant challenge in any byelection, capitalising on support in the Tameside part of the constituency. Labour believes it is on firmer ground in the larger, City of Manchester part of the seat, although could face some pressure from pro-Gaza independents. Should Burnham return to parliament, he would have to secure the backing of 80 Labour MPs to challenge Starmer. This article was amended on 26 January 2026. An earlier version said that Labour believed it was on firmer ground in the Greater Manchester part of the seat; that should have said City of Manchester part. ONTARIO, Calif., Jan. 21, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- Ontario International Airport (ONT) today unveiled a striking new monument sign at Archibald Avenue and Airport Drive, marking a powerful visual statement of the airport's transformation and its continued momentum as it celebrates a decade of local control. Alan Wapner (second from right), President of the Ontario International Airport Authority (OIAA) Board of Commissioners, and Curt Hagman, Vice President of the Board, unveil the new monument sign at ONT. The new monument sign at Southern California's Ontario International Airport. The new monument replaces a narrow, understated sign that had greeted visitors since 1998 and ushers in a bold, modern landmark that reflects the renewed energy, pride and ambition of Southern California's fastest-growing airport. Featuring the iconic "ONT" airport code in towering letters backed by sculpted mountain forms inspired by the nearby San Gabriel Mountains, the monument creates an unmistakable sense of arrival for travelers and visitors alike. "For nearly three decades, our gateway sign quietly faded into the background," said Alan D. Wapner, President of the Ontario International Airport Authority (OIAA) Board of Commissioners. "Today, we proudly unveil a monument that unmistakably declares who we are and where we are headed. This landmark reflects the power of local ownership and stands as a bold statement of ONT's transformation one that reaffirms our role as a premier Southern California and international gateway." Standing approximately 12 feet tall, each of the three "ONT" letters is crafted from durable sheet metal, with the full installation weighing more than eight tons. The monument stretches roughly 60 feet across at its widest point, anchored by a deep concrete foundation that ensures its permanence for generations to come. A series of LED light bars will illuminate the sign at night, with the ability to change colors for holidays, special events and community celebrations. The unveiling comes as Ontario International Airport continues its yearlong celebration of the Decade of Local Control, which culminates this November, marking 10 years since ownership of the airport transferred to local leadership on November 1, 2016. That transition ignited a period of unprecedented growth, customer-focused innovation and regional economic impact, firmly reestablishing ONT as Southern California's gateway of choice. Designed and fabricated by Ontario-based Sign Industries, the monument reflects a close collaboration between airport leadership and local creative partners. The mountain backdrop is composed of multiple modular sections assembled on site, mirroring the layered peaks of the San Gabriel range and reinforcing ONT's strong sense of place. For visitors entering the airport campus, the new monument now delivers an unmistakable message: Ontario International Airport is no longer hidden in plain sight. It stands boldly as a source of regional pride and a beacon of the airport's continued ascent. About Ontario International Airport Ontario International Airport (ONT) is the second most popular mid-sized airport in the United States, according to J.D. Power's most recent North America Airport Satisfaction Study. Located in the Inland Empire, ONT is approximately 35 miles east of downtown Los Angeles in the center of Southern California. It is a full-service airport which offers nonstop commercial jet service to two dozen major airports in the U.S., Mexico, Central America and Taiwan. More information is available at www.flyOntario.com. Follow @flyONT on Facebook, X (formerly Twitter) and Instagram About the Ontario International Airport Authority (OIAA) The OIAA was formed in August 2012 by a Joint Powers Agreement between the City of Ontario and the County of San Bernardino to provide overall direction for the management, operations, development and marketing of ONT for the benefit of the Southern California economy and the residents of the airport's four-county catchment area. OIAA leaders include Ontario Mayor pro Tem Alan D. Wapner (President), San Bernardino County Supervisor Curt Hagman (Vice President), Ontario City Council Member Jim W. Bowman (Secretary), Retired Riverside Mayor Ronald O. Loveridge (Treasurer) and retired business executive Julia Gouw (Commissioner). OIAA Media Contact: Steve Lambert, (909) 841-7527 [email protected] SOURCE Ontario International Airport Anger as suspect in $100M jewelry heist said to be biggest in US history avoids standing trial because ICE deported him Last month, federal officials allegedly deported one of the suspects in a massive 2022 jewelry heist in Southern California where thieves made off with $100 million in merchandise, in what prosecutors have called the largest jewelry heist in U.S. history. The deportation angered parties impacted by the robbery and appeared to catch both the suspects attorney and federal prosecutors off guard. Jeson Nelon Presilla Flores was sent to Ecuador on or about December 29, according to court documents obtained by The Los Angeles Times. He was believed to be linked to a raid on a Brinks truck that netted a fortune in stolen jewels, gold and watches. In a January motion to dismiss the theft and conspiracy case against Flores, attorney John D. Robertson wrote he had just learned of the deportation of his client, who he said was a lawful permanent resident of the U.S. who had lived in the region for 25 years. Federal officials blindsided attorneys and prosecutors by deporting a suspect allegedly part of a 2022 jewelry heist in South California worth $100 million (LASD) Prior to the deportation, Flores had pleaded not guilty. His removal, which came after Flores was taken into ICE custody in September, appeared to stun observers and prosecutors in the case. When a defendant in a major federal theft case leaves the country before trial, victims are left without answers, without a verdict, and without closure, Jerry Kroll, an attorney for some of the impacted jewelry companies, told the Times. For our clients jewelers who lost their lifes work this outcome exposes a gap in the system that deserves transparency. They are entitled to clear answers about how this happened and whether safeguards exist to prevent it from happening again. In separate January court documents, prosecutors said Flores was taken into immigration custody unbeknownst to them, and that the officials played no role in ICEs decisions. The prosecutors added they remain eager to prosecute defendant for his crimes and vindicate his victims if he returns to the country. The officials said Flores appeared at an immigration hearing on December 16, where he represented himself, and admitted to the allegations against him then requested voluntary departure. Immigration and Customs Enforcement allegedly took custody of the subject in the fall, and he then asked to be removed from the country during a December immigration hearing Jeson Nelson Presilla Flores is a criminal illegal alien from Ecuador whose criminal history includes sexual battery, threatening with intent to terrorize burglary, vandalism, robbery, and more, DHS Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin told The Independent in a statement. In 2001, he entered the U.S. as a legal permanent resident. However, he became removable as an alien due to his criminal convictions. A judge issued him a final order of removal on December 16, 2025. Flores was deported on December 28, she said. Floress surprise removal is the latest twist in a case that began with an alleged early-morning raid and has turned into a multi-year, multi-country manhunt. In June, the Justice Department indicted seven people tied to the heist of the Brinks truck in Lebec, as well as a series of other high-dollar robberies throughout 2022. Things were set in motion as the robbery ring allegedly tailed a Brinks truck leaving from a jewelry show in San Mateo on July 10, 2022. Im pretty sure we were followed from the show where we got loaded, driver Tandy Motley told police on the scene of the heist. The alleged thieves then continued to follow the vehicle for about 300 miles south until it reached a rest stop in Lebec in the early morning the following day. Much of the stolen merchandise has never been recovered (FBI Los Angeles) There, the thieves broke into the truck without incident while one of its guards was reportedly sleeping and another was inside the rest stop getting food. The gang made off with 24 bags of merchandise including gold, diamonds, rubies, emeralds, and luxury watches. They then deactivated the burner phones they had been using. However, the night before the heist, one of the alleged robbers gave police his burner phone number when reporting a car crash, which allowed investigators to trace the number to a cell phone tower near the site of the heist, the Times reported in October. Five of the seven suspects have been arrested, one of whom was found in Panama. Much of the merchandise has not been recovered. The anti-American boycott app NonUSA app hit the top of the app charts in Denmark on 21 January, 2026 (iStock/ Getty Images) An app for boycotting American products has risen to the top of the App Store in Denmark following US President Donald Trumps threats to take control of Greenland. The NonUSA app allows users to scan a products barcode in order to pull up information about where it was made. The apps description says it helps you identify and avoid American products in everyday life by providing detailed information about a products origin. With our intuitive scanning feature, you can easily check whether a product is American-owned and find Danish alternatives, the App Store description states. The NonUSA app is currently only available on Apples app store, which requires American software and hardware to use. An Android version is expected to be available on the Play Store by Friday, according to the apps developers. It is not the only boycott-related app to see a surge in downloads in Denmark in recent days, with Made OMeter also entering the top 10, according to data from Appfigures. The two apps have also proved popular in other Nordic countries, including Norway, Sweden and Iceland. Their popularity forms part of a broader backlash against Trump and his administration, who claim that the US needs to acquire Greenland from Denmark for national security reasons. The semi-autonomous Danish territory already hosts a US military base, though Trump claims that it needs full control to protect against an apparent threat from China and Russia. Last week, the US president threatened new 10 per cent trade tariffs on countries that do not support his plans, which include the UK, France, Germany, the Netherlands and Finland. Trump announced on Wednesday that there was a framework of a future deal with respect to Greenland after talks at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland. No details of the deal were provided, though Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen said on Thursday that any talks must respect its territorial integrity. We can negotiate all political aspects security, investment, the economy but we cannot negotiate our sovereignty, he said. Barron Trump, the youngest son of Donald Trump, said he is very close to an alleged rape victim in a statement to the Metropolitan Police, a court has heard. (Getty) Barron Trump, the youngest son of Donald Trump, said he is very close to an alleged rape victim in a statement to the Metropolitan Police, a court has heard. Snaresbrook Crown Court heard the 19-year-old tried to reach UK police from the US after he saw the alleged victim, a woman in London, being attacked on a video call. Matvei Rumiantsev, 22, is on trial accused of assault and two counts of rape, among other charges, against the alleged victim, who jurors have heard is friends with Mr Trump. The court heard Mr Trump called the alleged victim, who cannot be named for legal reasons, last January 18. Shortly afterwards he spoke to police in London after he believed she was being assaulted, the court heard, and a transcript of the call was released by the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS). Oh Im calling from the US, uh I just got a call from a girl, you know, shes getting beat up, the transcript said Mr Trump told City of London Police in the call. First lady Melania Trump and her son Barron Trump. (Getty) This was happening about eight minutes ago. I just figured out how to, how to call someone. Uh, uh its really an emergency. In the call, Mr Trump said he met the alleged victim on social media. The transcript said Mr Trump said I dont think these details matter, shes getting hurt, when the City of London operator questioned him about how he came by the information. Can you stop being rude and actually answer my questions, the operator said. If you want to help the person, youll answer my questions clearly and precisely, thank you. The court heard on Thursday that in an email reply to police in London investigating the allegations, who asked if Mr Trump would be willing to provide a witness statement, the US presidents son wrote that what he saw was very brief indeed but indeed prevalent. I didnt expect her to pick up due to the time difference, the email from May 2 said, jurors heard. The phone was picked up. The individual who answered was a shirtless man with darkish hair. This view lasted maybe one second then the view flipped to the victim. The court heard the email continued: I made two of my friends call the Met Police in the UK, even though they are in the US. As per evidence, I do not have any. I was told by the victim who I am very close with that this individual was giving her difficulty for a long time. Jurors heard that police replied to the email from Mr Trump and did not receive a response to that or to a follow-up email sent on July 1. Rumiantsev, who wore a blue suit and white shirt in the dock, denies assault, actual bodily harm, two counts of rape, intentional strangulation and perverting the course of justice by pressuring the woman to withdraw her complaints. The trial continues. In a call heard by the court, Trump, then 18, was heard speaking to an emergency operator. Photograph: Chip Somodevilla/Reuters (Photograph: Chip Somodevilla/Reuters) Barron Trump, the youngest son of the US president, alerted police in London after witnessing a woman allegedly being attacked by a former boyfriend, possibly saving her life, a court has heard. Trump was on a video call a year ago with the woman, who cannot be named, when he saw Matvei Rumiantsev, a Russian citizen, repeatedly punch her, Snaresbrook crown court was told on Wednesday, according to reports. Minutes later, Trump phoned the police in a call that was played to the court. I just got a call from a girl I know. Shes getting beaten up, he told the emergency operator at 2.23am on 18 January 2025. Trump, who was then 18, could be heard providing the womans address and then said: Its really an emergency, please. I got a call from her with a guy beating her up. Rumiantsev, 22, of east London, is accused of two charges of rape, intentional strangulation, perverting the course of justice, assault and actual bodily harm. He denies all of the charges. Rumiantsev was allegedly jealous of Trumps relationship with the woman and became angry when he tried to phone her earlier that evening, the court heard. In the call with the emergency operator, Trump apologised for being rude after he refused to answer some of the questions put to him. Asked how he knew the woman, he replied: I met her on social media. Shes getting really badly beat up and the call was about eight minutes ago, I dont know what could have happened by now. When police arrived at the womans property, bodycam footage from the officers recorded her saying: I am friends with Barron Trump, Donald Trumps son. One of the officers is heard saying: So apparently this informant from America is likely to be Donald Trumps son. In the presence of the officers, the woman called Trump, who explained to them that he had seen her crying and being attacked during the earlier call. During cross examination, the woman said: He helped save my life. That call was like a sign from God at that moment. After the alleged assault, the woman told the police she had been raped twice by Rumiantsev, the court heard. When Sasha Wass KC, for the defence, suggested that the account was fabricated, the woman replied: I didnt invent that. That would be completely evil and disgraceful toward people who have been in that situation. The trial continues. Stanley Kubrick filming Barry Lyndon: a long, magnificent film The recent remarks of Picturehouse creative director Clare Binns, suggesting that films are far too long and could do with a rigorous edit, have struck a chord with many weary cinemagoers. Once, the average length of a film was two hours or less, and many would think them all the better for it. Casablanca runs to 102 minutes, Citizen Kane is a minute under two hours, and High Noon comes in at a svelte 85 minutes. Yet now, bloat and directorial self-indulgence have seen films such as the latest Avatar movie weigh in at a bottom-numbing three hours and seventeen minutes. The critically-acclaimed and Oscar-nominated films One Battle After Another and Marty Supreme, meanwhile, are both well over two hours. Binnss comments were partly made from an economic perspective long films can only be shown once in an evening, whereas tighter pictures can have an earlier and later showing, thereby doubling the cinemas potential revenue but they will also chime with those who look back to the old days of shorter, tighter pictures with nostalgia. Surely its time to get out the editing scissors, prune films to the bone and let audiences escape an hour earlier? Well, not quite. I speak as someone who revels in the experience of watching a long film, and who regularly describes Stanley Kubricks masterly 1975 picture Barry Lyndon (running time: 185 minutes) as his all-time favourite feature. Ive had the privilege of seeing the William Makepeace Thackeray adaptation in the cinema a couple of times now, with enraptured audiences, and while the film has an intentionally slow and deliberate pace, it is the unhurried, luxuriant way that the picture unfolds that makes it so mesmerising. Kubrick was perfectly capable of making shorter films Dr Strangelove is a snappy 95 minutes, and his penultimate picture, the Vietnam war epic Full Metal Jacket, comes in at 116 minutes but his decision to allow Barry Lyndon to breathe over three hours, in its peerless and picturesque evocation of eighteenth century Europe, makes for a truly ravishing and unforgettable cinematic experience. When I think about most of my favourite films, very few of them are short. Such classics of cinema as Lawrence of Arabia and Amadeus are all well over the two-hour mark Lawrence comes in at closer to four but they could do with being longer, if anything, rather than losing a moment of footage. In fact, some of the greatest pictures ever made only work if they are allowed to exist in their full, unexpurgated glory. Sergio Leones gangster classic Once Upon a Time in America was bowdlerised from its original 229-minute running time into an incomprehensible, neutered 139-minute version, which was released in cinemas to critical dismay. Roger Ebert, the best-known and most powerful critic in America, called it an incomprehensible mess without texture, timing, mood, or sense. Leones preferred version was later released after the directors death, and was justly acclaimed by Ebert and others as a classic. Granted, there are many films made by directors less talented than Kubrick and Leone that have no business being the length they are. I still shudder when I think about the metaphysical romantic comedy Meet Joe Black, with Brad Pitt and Anthony Hopkins, which was allowed to be released at a bloated 181 minutes, and suffered as a result. It is undeniably true that a good editor can trim away repetition and self-indulgence but it is equally true that few theatregoers have ever complained about Hamlet or King Lear being too long, if theyre done well enough. Nor do music fans who pay hundreds of pounds to see Bruce Springsteen or Paul McCartney live complain when their heroes perform an epic three-hour set. Binns is a considerable force for good in the beleaguered cinema industry, and we should take her comments seriously. Still, the idea that the long, luxuriant film which allows viewers to enter another world and forget worldly cares and concerns for a few hours should be an endangered species is enough to frighten true cineastes. So yes, lets have some shorter films and make the longer ones even more of a treat in the process. Specialist insurer Beazley has rebuffed a 7.7 billion takeover approach from Swiss rival Zurich Insurance, revealing it is lower than a previously-rejected proposal made by the suitor last June. Zurichs latest offer saw it table a potential offer of 12.80 a share, up from an earlier and previously undisclosed approach for 12.30 a share on January 4, which was rejected. But FTSE 100 listed Beazley said the latest approach was unanimously rejected by the board on the basis that it materially undervalues Beazley and its longer-term prospects as an independent company. It also said the proposal is lower than an approach made by Zurich late last June for 13.15 a share, valuing Beazley at 8.4 billion, which was also rejected. Beazley said: The board received three proposals from Zurich in June last year and engaged with Zurich appropriately, including providing Zurich with certain limited due diligence information in a good faith effort to come to a shared understanding of value. The terms of Zurichs latest proposal are below the last proposal put forward by Zurich in late June last year and rejected by Beazley. The board is very confident in Beazleys standalone prospects as a publicly listed company and in the attractiveness of Beazleys business model fundamentals and believes that Beazley is uniquely positioned within the global insurance market to maximise long-term shareholder value and realise the full potential of its specialty platform, it added. Shares in the Lloyds of London insurer soared to an all-time high after news of the Zurich proposal. Zurich said its latest approach marked a 56% premium on the value of Beazley shares on January 16, before the proposal was made public. It said it believes the potential offer provides Beazley shareholders immediate and certain cash value for their investment at a level that exceeds what Beazley could achieve over a reasonable timeframe through the execution of its strategy. Zurich added: The transaction would create a global leader in specialty insurance with around 15 billion US dollars (11.2 billion) of gross written premiums, exceptional data availability and underwriting expertise, leading market and distribution capabilities and outstanding reinsurance and technology infrastructures. This combination of two highly complementary businesses would establish a leading global specialty platform, based in the UK which would also leverage Beazleys Lloyds of London presence. Zurich said it would fund the deal through existing cash and debt facilities, with the remainder through an equity placing. It has until February 16 to either make a formal offer to buy Beazley or walk away under UK Takeover Panel rules. Panmure Liberum analyst Abid Hussain said Zurich has scope to increase its bid. He said: We would expect significant expense and capital synergies should the deal go ahead, meaning there is room for Zurich to pay more. Moreover, Beazley has demonstrated itself to be an excellent manager of risk and has exposure in key structural growth areas. Zurich has more than 63,000 employees and is headquartered in Switzerland. Beazley is a specialist insurer, with a burgeoning cyber cover offering, as well as cover across professional indemnity, property, marine, reinsurance, accident and life, and political risks and contingency business. History tells us that testifying was never Bill Clintons strong point - SAUL LOEB/AFP On Wednesday afternoon, the House oversight committee recommended that the full House of Representatives find Bill and Hillary Clinton in contempt of Congress for refusing to comply with subpoenas in the Jeffrey Epstein investigation. As well as being an extraordinary twist in the tale of the Clintons political careers, it raises important questions about privilege and equality under the law. It also emphasises the important power of Congress in oversight. The subpoenas to the Clintons were not a partisan whim or witch hunt. On July 23, 2025, the House oversight subcommittee on federal law enforcement, with both Democrats and Republicans in agreement, voted unanimously to subpoena 10 individuals, including the Clintons, as part of its investigation into Epsteins extensive and troubling web of connections. That bipartisan stamp should speak to the serious intent behind the move. That seriousness did not seem to be reflected in the Clintons response, however. They issued a blunt, unapologetic refusal to comply. History tells us that testifying was never Bill Clintons strong point. He was, after all, impeached as president for perjury and obstruction of justice. But his poor record with following process shouldnt be the committees problem. The committee says multiple dates were offered, first in October, then in December, then finally neither appeared for their depositions this month Bill on Jan 13 and Hillary on Jan 14. For Congress to allow anyone to just shrug off a lawful subpoena would surely undermine the legitimate oversight role of the legislative branch. Jeffrey Epstein and Bill Clinton This arrogance is not merely an apparent personality trait for the Clintons; it is a direct assault on the institutional integrity of Congress. More bizarre, the Clintons even tried to cast themselves in a heroic light in a letter to oversight chairman James Comer, a Kentucky Republican. Every person has to decide when they have seen or had enough and are ready to fight for this country, its principles and its people, no matter the consequences. For us, now is that time, the Clintons letter says. Its almost as if they think they have no legitimate questions to answer. While the public is by now familiar with the photographs of Bill Clinton released as part of the Epstein files, including one of the former president apparently lounging in a hot-tub, the committees interest in Hillary Clinton also seems to be substantive. Epsteins lawyers said in a 2007 letter that their client helped to conceive the Clinton Global Initiative, a claim that is disputed by official records. One of Epsteins charities was also a documented donor to the Clinton Foundation. Thus, the committee has an interest in finding out if the commercial interests of a former secretary of state intersected with those of a disgraced financier. Bill Clinton pictured in a hot-tub in an image released in the Epstein files Some Democrats have sought to suggest that the committees interest in the Clintons is a way to distract attention from Donald Trumps own connections to Epstein. But what about Trump? is a poor defence. Its no reason to excuse a refusal to comply with a lawful subpoena. Democrats could use this moment not as a shield for the Clintons, but as leverage against Republicans to pursue their own concerns about Trump. If the goal is truth, a refusal to enforce subpoenas merely because the subject is politically connected undermines the credibility of Congress itself. Some Democrats might have figured this out: nine on the oversight committee voted with Republicans to recommend holding Bill in contempt, while three did so in the case of Hillary. In a last-ditch effort ahead of the committee vote, the Clintons are reported to have pitched a compromise, which was that Bill would meet only with the chairman and ranking member in New York, and there would be no written transcript. That wasnt acceptable to Comer for good reasons. Former President Clinton has a documented history of parsing language to evade questions, responded falsely under oath, and was impeached and suspended from the practice of law as a result, Comer said. The absence of an official transcript is an indefensible demand that is insulting to the American people who demand answers about Epsteins crimes. Still, the offer was enough to give committee Democrats cover to say that the Clintons attempted to cooperate. James Comer speaks during a hearing at the US Capitol on Wednesday with images of Bill Clinton released in the Epstein files - Win McNamee/2026 Getty Images There is recent precedent for enforcing contempt. The justice department under Joe Biden pursued contempt prosecutions against Trump allies Steve Bannon and Peter Navarro for not testifying to the Jan 6 committee and those men were jailed for not cooperating. Why should the law operate differently for the Clintons? Moreover, there was substantial debate about the legitimacy of the select committee investigating Jan 6, and whether its makeup was legal. No such dispute appears to exist regarding the longstanding oversight committee. The question is not whether the Clintons have secrets they might wish to protect. It is whether the House of Representatives still possesses the will to exercise its oversight function. If a subpoena can be ignored by the right people without consequence, then the subpoena is a dead letter, and the committee is a theatre of the absurd. The Epstein saga has already done immeasurable damage to the publics trust in its institutions. The House could make a start with restoring faith in equal justice. To be clear, even if the House approves the committees resolutions, it would be for prosecutors and courts to decide how to proceed. But the symbolic power of Congress declaring that refusal to comply with lawful subpoenas will not be tolerated regardless of the individuals stature cannot be overstated. Fred Lucas is manager of the Investigative Reporting Project at The Daily Signal. He is the author of The Myth of Voter Suppression: The Lefts Assault on Clean Elections Bitcoin (BTC-USD) traded higher on Thursday as global risk sentiment improved after US President Donald Trump walked back his plan to impose new tariffs on European allies amid his push to acquire Greenland. The largest cryptocurrency by market capitalisation (BTC-USD) rose about 1% over the past 24 hours to hover near $90,000 (66,902), moving in tandem with equities in Asia and Europe. The broader cryptocurrency market cap climbed 2.7% to $3.18tn over the same period, according to CoinGecko data. Read more: Crypto live prices President Donald Trump signalled a diplomatic shift on Wednesday at the World Economic Forum in Davos, saying he would not pursue military action to acquire Greenland and had reached the framework of a future deal on the Danish territory with NATO allies. The remarks injected fresh volatility into crypto markets. Bitcoin (BTC-USD) fell to an intraday low near $87,300 before rebounding back toward $90,000 as traders reassessed US trade policy risks and broader macro conditions. More than $625m in leveraged crypto positions were liquidated over 24 hours, split roughly evenly between longs and shorts across about 150,000 traders, according to Coinglass market data. Analysts said the episode underscored how digital assets are reacting more directly to geopolitical and macro headlines. Todays sharp price swings highlight how closely crypto markets are tracking geopolitical and policy developments, said Rachel Lin, CEO of SynFutures, noting that Trumps signals on Greenland negotiations and a pause on potential EU tariffs briefly improved global risk sentiment, prompting a rapid rebound in bitcoin alongside US equities. Read more: Will bitcoin price sink to $50k or soar to $125k in 2026? Speaking to Yahoo Finance UK, Lin added that while the move was headline-driven, they reflect a deeper shift in market structure, describing bitcoin (BTC-USD) as increasingly behaving like a macro asset, reacting to changes in policy expectations and broader risk appetite. Over the longer term, she said, institutional participation is supporting bitcoins (BTC-USD) evolution as a maturing and globally relevant asset class, even amid elevated volatility. Stocks rally as Trump dials down trade tensions Global equities rallied as Trump withdrew his threat to impose additional 10% tariffs on eight European countries, including the UK, after receiving what he called the framework of a future deal in NATO discussions regarding Greenland. Read more: UKs new tax rules could trigger crypto boom, says Aave CEO In Asia, Japans Nikkei gained nearly 2%, while South Koreas Kospi broke above the 5,000 level for the first time. European markets opened higher, with the FTSE 100 up 0.7% at the open. Earlier on Wednesday at Davos, Trump insisted the US wanted Greenland, including right, title and ownership, but softened his rhetoric around military intervention. Hours later, he said on social media that the US had secured the framework of a future deal with respect to Greenland, and confirmed the tariff threat had been withdrawn. Read more: Download the Yahoo Finance app, available for Apple and Android. Sir Keir Starmer has not taken part in Donald Trumps signing ceremony for his Gaza board of peace over concerns about the inclusion of Vladimir Putin, in what will be viewed as a snub to the US president. Trump signed the document on the sidelines of the World Economic Forum on Thursday at a ceremony attended by Tony Blair, who was named on the board, as well as Trumps son-in-law Jared Kushner and US secretary of state Marco Rubio. The prime minister has expressed concerns about the board in recent days, with his spokesperson telling reporters that Britain was still looking at the terms. Foreign secretary Yvette Cooper cited unease about the Russian president being part of something which is talking about peace. Mr Putin was also not present. The Kremlin has acknowledged an invitation to the board and is studying the details to seek clarity of all the nuances, according to spokesperson Dmitry Peskov. The US president signed the document on the sidelines of the World Economic Forum at a ceremony attended by Tony Blair, who was controversially named on the board (Getty) The board of peace was originally laid out by Mr Trump as a small group of world leaders who would oversee the reconstruction of Gaza, but has since developed into playing a broader role. At the ceremony, Trump claimed just about every country wants to be a part of the newly formed board, adding that once it is completely formed: We can do pretty much whatever we want to do. When America booms, the entire world booms, Trump told the gathering. This board has the chance to be one of the most consequential bodies ever created and its my enormous honour to serve as its chairman. Countries represented on stage included: Bahrain, Azerbaijan, Hungary, Indonesia, Kazakhstan, Saudi Arabia, UAE, Uzbekistan and Mongolia (AFP/Getty) Mr Trump extended invitations to dozens of nations and suggested the board could soon mediate various international conflicts, akin to a pseudo-UN Security Council. Around 35 countries have committed to join including Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Egypt, Turkey and Belarus. Senior officials from 19 countries were introduced as founding members of the collective that Trump is set to oversee. Countries represented on stage at the ceremony included: Bahrain, Morocco, Argentina, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Bulgaria, Hungary, Indonesia, Jordan, Kazakhstan, Kosovo, Pakistan, Paraguay, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Turkey, UAE, Uzbekistan and Mongolia. The event featured Ali Shaath, the head of a new, future technocratic government in Gaza, announcing that the Rafah border crossing will open in both directions next week. But there was no confirmation of that from Israel, which said only that it would consider the matter. Yvette Cooper said Britain will not take part because of concerns about President Putin being part of something which is talking about peace (PA) Norway, Sweden and France have said they will not join the board for now as tensions rise between the US and Nato over Trumps desire to own Greenland. Italy is also set to reject the invitation, according to national paper Corriere della Sera. French officials stressed that while they support the Gaza peace plan, they were concerned the board could seek to replace the UN as the main venue for resolving conflicts. Sir Keir Starmer has expressed concerns about the board in recent days, with his spokesperson telling reporters that the UK was still looking at the terms (PA Wire) Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky, who was also invited to join, said it was hard for him to imagine being together with Russia on this or another board. UN officials have so far dismissed concerns that Trump is trying to sidestep the organisation, saying it is unlikely that decades of multilateral peacebuilding with the participation of more than 190 member countries could be replaced. Mr Trump insisted the board will work in conjunction with the United Nations and added: Ive always said the United Nations has got tremendous potential, has not used it, but theres tremendous potential in the United Nations, and you have some great people at the United Nations, but so far, it hasnt. Farhan Haq, UN deputy spokesperson, said: There have been any number of organisations regional organisations, defence alliances and others that have coexisted with the UN over the 80 years that the UNs been in existence. Trump's push for peace also comes after he threatened military action this month against Iran as it carried out a violent crackdown against some of the largest street protests in years, killing thousands of people. Trump, for the time being, has signaled he won't carry out any new strikes on Iran after he said he received assurances that the Islamic government would not carry out the planned hangings of more than 800 protesters. Andrew Gwynne (right) is expected to give up his Greater Manchester seat, making way for Andy Burnham Sir Keir Starmers allies are planning to block Andy Burnham from running for Parliament in a Manchester by-election. Andrew Gwynne, the Labour MP for Gorton and Denton, said on Thursday that he would stand down before the conclusion of an ethics investigation into leaked abusive WhatsApp messages, over which he was suspended last year. The by-election to replace Mr Gwynne could allow Mr Burnham, the Mayor of Greater Manchester, to return to Parliament and challenge Sir Keir for the Labour leadership. However, Mr Burnhams selection as Labours candidate could be blocked by the partys ruling National Executive Committee (NEC), which is controlled by Sir Keirs allies. Andrew Gwynne was suspended as a Labour MP over abusive WhatsApp messages Sources on the committee told The Telegraph that three arguments would be deployed in a briefing war against Mr Burnham that he would destabilise the party, spook the financial markets and drain Labours campaign resources by triggering a mayoral by-election. One member said Mr Burnham absolutely will not get through, while a second added that there was really no chance that Andy will be the candidate. Hes a sitting regional mayor [whose resignation would] trigger an even bigger by-election that would suck all money, energy and activists out of other elections the party needs to be focused on, said the second source. If Andy really wants to help the Labour Partys chances, and show that he is a team player, hed make it clear now that hes seeing out his term as a successful mayor of Manchester, and put his full weight behind the Labour Party candidate. Sir Keir declined to comment on Mr Burnhams apparent ambitions, saying only that he was doing an excellent job as mayor and that Labour would set out the process to select a candidate in the usual way. Mr Burnham did not rule out entering the race to be Labours candidate, but said he was very focused on his current job. Im as in the dark about this as anyone, he said, adding: People shouldnt rush to conclusions. Mr Burnham previously told The Telegraph that Labour MPs were urging him to return to Parliament and stand against Sir Keir. When asked if he one day hoped to be prime minister, Mr Burnham said: I stood twice to be leader of the Labour Party. And I think that tells you, doesnt it? Mr Burnham has repeatedly been critical of the Labour leadership in recent months, and on Thursday suggested there was a goldfish mentality in No 10 after repeated about-turns on a variety of policies. If Mr Burnham decides to run in the election, any attempt to stop him is likely to trigger a civil war in the party. The NEC is responsible for putting together a shortlist of candidates for the consideration of local party members, and could enforce an all-women shortlist that would exclude Mr Burnham. However, figures on the Left mounted a defence of the mayor, suggesting that any attempt to block his candidacy would have consequences for No 10. The Fire Brigades Union (FBU), which has a seat on the NEC, said such a move would be a democratic outrage and warned that it would not stand by and allow senior Labour politicians like Andy to be carved out of this process. An MP on the Labour Left told The Telegraph that Sir Keirs allies were mad, adding: They cannot use bureaucratic power to prevent an open discussion about how a Manchester seat should be represented. This will lead to disruption in the Labour Party, and it is heavy-handed, top-down politics of the worst possible kind. Karl Turner, a long-serving Labour MP, said: Any objective political commentator must see that Andy is the candidate that could convincingly win Gorton and Denton for Labour. We must always be consistent when we apply the party rule book but we must also act in the best interests of the party. We exist to win power. Speculation that Mr Burnham could re-enter Parliament prompted a minor tremor in the financial markets, pushing Britains borrowing costs up from 4.41 per cent to 4.48 per cent. That did not represent a large move in isolation, but it was the biggest increase seen by any G7 economy on a day when most experienced falling costs. A party source allied with Sir Keir suggested that financial instability was another reason that Mr Burnhams candidacy should be blocked. However, Wes Streeting, the Health Secretary, praised Mr Burnham, arguing that his party needed our best candidates to come forward and that the selection was ultimately for party members to decide. He added that the Manchester mayor makes a massive impact and makes a really big difference. Mr Streeting has been accused of plotting against Sir Keir for the leadership by the Prime Ministers allies in recent months. Angela Rayner, the former Labour deputy leader, is also praised by MPs as a possible replacement for Sir Keir, despite her sacking last year over non-payment of stamp duty on a second home. The Prime Ministers personal poll ratings have now hit an all-time low, and some surveys suggest that a change of leader would improve Labours overall popularity with the electorate. A source in Greater Manchester told The Telegraph: There are three people who dont want Burnham back: Keir Starmer, Angela Rayner and Wes Streeting. It was reported on Thursday night that Labour could decide to run a shortlist of black and minority ethnic candidates in an attempt to block Burnham. Mr Gwynne confirmed his intention to stand down in a statement on Thursday afternoon, admitting he hadnt got everything right and had certainly made mistakes... but Ive always tried my very best. He said: I have also suffered significant ill health over most of the 21 years Ive served as an MP, and this has been greatly exacerbated by the impact of last years events regarding leaked text messages. Mr Gwynne also shared a note from his doctor, advising that he does not return to work as an MP and remarking that he remains on a very high dose of medication. He has already stepped back from public life after the release of his WhatsApp messages in February last year, which revealed he had joked about a constituent being mown down by a truck. After the messages were published, Mr Gwynne was sacked from his role as a health minister and suspended from the Labour Party, pending a full investigation by the Parliamentary Commissioner for Standards for allegedly causing significant damage to the reputation of the House. Sources told The Telegraph that the conclusion of that investigation was imminent, and was likely to have found that he broke the MPs Code of Conduct. His decision to leave Parliament before the report is published will mean he avoids further scrutiny or sanctions for his behaviour. Although Mr Gwynne won a significant majority in Gorton and Denton at the last election, the area has since seen a surge in the popularity of Reform UK, which is now predicted to win the seat. b' ' A Reform spokesman told The Telegraph that the by-election could become a celebrity contest between Mr Burnham and Zack Polanski, the Salford-born Green Party leader. They said: We will fight to win. We will throw everything at it every bit of resource we have and we will hopefully find a star candidate for it. A Green Party spokesman said their candidate would be chosen by local members, who were prepped and ready to go. We were deadly serious when we said we are not here to be disappointed with Labour but we are here to replace them, the spokesman said. Mr Burnhams backers argue he is one of the partys strongest assets and can take the fight to Nigel Farage in a way that Sir Keir cannot. A Savanta poll on the eve of last years Labour conference revealed that Mr Burnham was leading the pack in potential replacements for leader, outperforming Ms Rayner, Mr Streeting and Ed Miliband, the Energy Secretary. More than a quarter of those polled, 28 per cent, said Mr Burnham would be better than Sir Keir as Prime Minister, while 14 per cent said he would be worse and 28 per cent were neutral. A Labour Party spokesman said: We look forward to local residents in Gorton and Denton soon having the opportunity to get the representation they deserve with a new Labour MP. CAROL STREAM, Ill., Jan. 22, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- Output Services Group (OSG), a leading provider of Customer Communications Management (CCM) and Customer Experience Management (CXM) solutions, today announced the appointment of Doug O'Reilly as Chief Information Officer and Mark Marin as Chief Revenue Officer. Both executives are based in OSG's Carol Stream, Illinois headquarters. Doug O'Reilly Mark Marin Doug joined OSG on January 14, 2026, and brings extensive experience leading enterprise technology organizations and modernizing complex platforms across large, regulated environments. Throughout his career, Doug has led large scale application development, cloud transformation, enterprise modernization initiatives, and enterprise AI adoption that improves decision-making, automation, and customer experience, with a strong focus on reliability, security, and scalability. As Chief Information Officer, Doug will oversee OSG's technology strategy, platform evolution, security posture, and operational scalability to support continued innovation and client growth. Mark joined OSG on January 19, 2026, bringing more than three decades of experience driving revenue growth, enterprise sales execution, and go-to-market strategy. Most recently, Mark held senior leadership roles at Quad (NYSE: QUAD), where he led enterprise and strategic client solutions supporting nearly $1 billion in annual revenue. His background spans enterprise sales leadership, revenue operations, sales enablement, complex client engagement, and extensive acquisition integration across marketing, print, digital, and distribution services. At OSG, Mark will lead revenue strategy, sales execution, and client growth initiatives. "These appointments represent an important step forward for OSG," said Dean Cherry, President and CEO of OSG. "Doug and Mark bring the leadership, experience, and execution focus needed to help us scale our platform, accelerate growth, and continue delivering exceptional value to our clients. I am excited about what this team will accomplish together in 2026 and beyond." The appointments reinforce OSG's continued investment in leadership, technology, and growth as the company advances its mission of creating engaging relationships one communication at a time. About OSG OSG (Output Services Group, Inc.) delivers leading print and digital Customer Communications Management (CCM) solutions that drive action, loyalty, and retention. With over 50 years of experience, OSG enables over 4,400 customers to create deeper relationships, one communication at a time. For more information, please visit https://www.osgconnect.com or follow us on LinkedIn, Twitter & Instagram. Media Contact: Sarah Guckes, [email protected] SOURCE OSG Andrew Jimenez, 45, was taken into custody in connection with the killing of his 55-year-old wife, Mayra Jimenez (ABC7) A veteran firefighter, who once helped battle major California wildfires, allegedly bludgeoned his wife to death at their home after discovering an apparent affair, authorities have said. Andrew Jimenez, a 45-year-old firefighter from Glendale, California, was taken into custody Wednesday in connection with the killing of his 55-year-old wife, Mayra Jimenez. At around 4 a.m. that morning, Jimenez walked into the Los Angeles Police Departments northeast station and asked officers to conduct a welfare check on his wife, according to law enforcement. When police responded to the couples home in North Hollywood, they found Mayra Jimenez with severe blunt force trauma. She was pronounced dead at the scene. Investigators believe Mayra was bludgeoned to death after being repeatedly struck with an axe, FOX11 reported. Andrew Jimenez, 45, was taken into custody in connection with the killing of his 55-year-old wife, Mayra Jimenez (ABC7) Neighbors told local reporters that investigators recovered an axe from inside the home. I could just hear them talk about how horrific it was it was just bloody, neighbor Camille Cabrera said. Next thing you know they found an axe. They said they found an axe. Hes supposed to be protecting us, she added. Whats come of this world? Police were also seen carrying out two large rifles from the scene. Investigators say the killing appears to be a domestic violence incident. From what weve determined, very preliminary at this stage, this was an isolated incident of domestic violence between cohabitating adults, LAPD Robbery and Homicide Lt. Guy Golan said. Theres no threat to public safety at this time. The individual who is in custody at Northeast Station, we believe, is responsible for the incident. Attorney Jose Romero, who has been retained by Jimenezs family, suggested a possible motive. Our office is currently in contact with law enforcement regarding a diary of the decedent, apparently read moments before the homicide, that verified infidelity by the decedent, he said in a statement. No further details about the alleged diary entry were released. Mayra Jimenez was remembered by friends and colleagues as a devoted and caring educator and advocate. She worked as a teacher at Wilshire Park Elementary School and served as a union representative with United Teachers Los Angeles. Mayra was also a non-denominational ordained minister who officiated weddings and was known as a devoted Dodgers fan. Jimenez, a veteran firefighter helped battle the Palisades Fire last year. After his arrest on Wednesday, he was placed on administrative leave (Copyright 2025 The Associated Press. All rights reserved) Her husband, who has served with the Glendale Fire Department since 2008, was promoted from paramedic to firefighter, and helped battle the Palisades Fire, according to city officials. Following his arrest Wednesday, Jimenez was placed on administrative leave. LAPD is the lead investigating agency and the matter is ongoing, the city said in a statement. In a separate statement, the Glendale Fire Department said it is cooperating with investigators. This is an extremely serious and deeply troubling matter. First and foremost, our hearts are with the victims family and loved ones, and we extend our sincere condolences as they grieve this tragic loss, the statement read. Due to the active and ongoing nature of the investigation, the City of Glendale and the Glendale Fire Department are unable to provide additional comments at this time. Court records show Jimenez was booked into jail on suspicion of murder and is being held on $2 million bail. President Catherine Connolly has congratulated Irelands Oscar nominees following the announcement of the Academy Awards shortlist. Posting to the social media site X, she said: Congratulations to Jessie Buckley, John Kelly, Richard Baneham, Maggie OFarrell, Element Pictures and Wild Atlantic Pictures on their Oscar nominations and to all involved in the Irish film industry for its continued international recognition. Element Pictures co-chief executive Ed Guiney said he was proud of everyone involved in Bugonia, which secured four nominations, adding were delighted to see the film receiving such wonderful recognition as the awards season continues. Element Pictures Ed Guiney (Ian West/PA) (Ian West) Mr Guiney is the producer of the film, which will be in contention for the best picture award. Its star Emma Stone was named in the best actress in a leading role category, and the film was also nominated for adapted screenplay and best original score. Dublin-based Element Pictures has secured 30 Academy Award nominations and six wins since it was established in 2001. The Irish contingent heading to the Dolby Theatre in Hollywood on March 15 will include Jessie Buckley, who was named in the best actress category for her performance in Hamnet. In a statement, Arts Minister Patrick ODonovan described her as a supremely talented actor with an incredible range. He added: I wish Jessie the very best of luck, and every possible success, at the Academy Awards ceremony on 15 March. The whole of Killarney, Kerry and Ireland will be cheering her on. Posting on X, Sinn Fein leader Mary Lou McDonald said: Great to hear that Killarneys own Jessie Buckley has been nominated for an Oscar! Shes joined by a raft of Irish nominations across a sweep of categories. Its a brilliant day for Irish talent and creativity on the international stage. Hamnet secured eight Oscar nods in total, including one for Coleraine-born Maggie OFarrell. Maggie OFarrell helped adapt her book Hamnet for the big screen (Ian West/PA) (Ian West) She was recognised for the screenplay of her 2020 novel, which she adapted alongside the films director Chloe Zhao. Dubliner Richard Baneham, who was named in the visual effects category for his work on Avatar: Fire And Ash, already has two Oscar statuettes for previous instalments of the Avatar franchise. Blue Moon, made by Irish production company Wild Atlantic Pictures, was nominated in two categories, best original screenplay and best actor for Ethan Hawke. The filmmakers of Retirement Plan are also due to attend, as it is in contention for the best animated short film award. Voiced by Domhnall Gleeson, Retirement Plan was supported by Screen Ireland through its Frameworks animated short film scheme, in partnership with RTE. Chief executive Desiree Finnegan said: These nominations represent a remarkable recognition of the artistic strength and range of Irish creative talent. It is another powerful moment for the Irish screen industry and underlines the importance of supporting talent and investing in filmmakers and artists. We are immensely proud to see Irish storytelling and talent so strongly represented on the global stage and wish those nominated all the best at the Academy Awards ceremony in March. A coroner has warned more babies could die without guidance on the role of unregulated birthing assistants, after the death of a 15-day-old baby raised concerns about delayed access to hospital treatment. Matilda Pomfret-Thomas died of a brain injury in November 2023, caused by a lack of oxygen to the brain either before or during birth, known as neonatal hypoxic-ischemic encephalopathy. Her mother had a difficult home labour and was not immediately transferred to hospital despite signs of foetal distress, an inquest concluded last month. Henry Charles, an assistant coroner for Hampshire, Portsmouth and Southampton, issued a prevention of future deaths report last Wednesday. He urged the Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) and the National Institute of Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE) to take action to avoid similar tragedies involving doulas non-medical professionals who provide emotional and practical support during pregnancy and birth, often alongside NHS midwives. Mr Charles believes the doula affected the work of the midwives from Portsmouths Queen Alexandra Hospital and felt their access was being restricted by the doula when the childs mother went into labour. He added that although the doula did not actively discourage the midwives, the doula was seen by them as a buffer for their access to the mother. A coroner has said the doula affected the work of the midwives from Portsmouths Queen Alexandra Hospital (Getty/iStock) The report explains how the birth of the familys first child had been traumatic, and they were focused on having a different experience for their second child, so they elected to use a doula to provide them with support at a home birth. However, doctors preference was for a hospital delivery, and there was a discussion as to what circumstances would result in the mother being blue-lighted to hospital. During the home birth, signs of fetal distress developed, but the mother was not taken to hospital immediately. Instead, the report describes a difficult atmosphere as the doula continued to follow the birth plan, providing hope that a home birth was still possible. Mr Charles said the mother developed the complications over several hours at home and that the doula had a negative impact on midwives being able to provide advice and the usual care to the mother. He said: An initial and appropriate offer at 7.19am of transfer to hospital upon meconium being found was not accepted, thereafter the implications of a deteriorating situation involving decelerations against a background of the presence of meconium including further clear signs of it at 10am, requiring hospital transfer was not communicated in such a way as to lead to a transfer to hospital. The coroner concluded that there were signs the baby was in distress, including meconium, the babys first stool, and a decrease in her heart rate. Maternity and Newborn Safety Investigations (MNSI) put in its report into the birth: MNSI acknowledges that there is no regulation of doula care or any guidance on how the two services interact with each other. MNSI considers the dynamics of a situation, where a third party are involved can provide additional challenges for staff, such as making clinical recommendations against personal recommendations or views and providing usual care that could be viewed as interference rather than surveillance. MNSI identified 12 cases in which there was evidence that doulas worked outside the defined boundaries of their role, and in which the care or advice provided by the doula was considered to have potentially influenced the poor outcome for the family. The issue of doula registration, regulation and training was also raised as an area of concern by Mr Charles. The report highlighted evidence given at the inquest by experienced midwifery professionals that suggested provision of guidance would be helpful for all involved with a birth at which a doula was present. Doula UK, the largest representative body for doulas but not a regulatory body, said: We were deeply saddened to hear of the loss of a baby, and our thoughts are with the family. Doulas support thousands of families each year by offering compassionate emotional, informational and practical care throughout pregnancy, birth and the postnatal period, working alongside midwives and doctors to help families feel informed and supported. Doula UK members undertake approved training, mentored practice and ongoing professional development, guided by a shared code of conduct. As an organisation, we reflect carefully on learning from reports such as this and remain committed to continually strengthening our guidance and support, so doulas can provide thoughtful, respectful care to the families they serve. A Department of Health and Social Care spokesperson said: Any death of a child so young is a tragedy, and our deepest sympathies are with the family of baby Matilda. We are committed to responding to and learning from all prevention of future deaths report and will consider this report in full before formally responding. US actor Dave Bautista said he had great chemistry with Jason Momoa in their latest film The Wrecking Crew. Speaking to the Press Association at a UK special screening of his latest film, the 57-year-old praised his positive relationship with his co-star, who he loves working with. Bautista stars in the action film as James, who reunites with his estranged half-brother Jonny (Momoa) to investigate the mysterious circumstances surrounding their fathers death. The pair also produced the film together, and Bautista reflected on how the project came to be. He said: This wasnt a project that came to us put together. The reason we developed it is because we realised we loved working together. We have such great chemistry on-screen and off-screen. The retired professional wrestler-turned-actor added: Jason is really funny, and we wanted to lean into that. He described the new film as entertaining, and added: I think people need to see a film like this. Its a feel-good film. Its an entertaining film, with a strong message. Bautista wore a black ensemble to the screening, dressed in a double-breasted jacket and trousers, paired with a white shirt and blue tie, and brown boots. Jason Momoa and Dave Bautista at The Wrecking Crew UK special screening (Yui Mok/PA) (Yui Mok) Momoa also praised his co-star and co-producer, and told PA he loves working with Bautista, adding: We really get on, its pretty stress free, we have a great time. He said: Hes fun to produce with. Hes a great guy, hes a good man. The 46-year-old wore a pink ensemble to the screening, dressed in a corduroy blazer and trousers, paired with a dark pink T-shirt and brown leather shoes. The Hawaii-born star also said he enjoyed filming in his birthplace, and said: Thats just going home, right? Anytime I can go home and make a movie [in Hawaii], thats the biggest praise. Momoa has worked with Bautista on Apple TV+ sci-fi series, See, as rival brothers (Yui Mok/PA) (Yui Mok) Momoa has worked with Bautista on Apple TV+ sci-fi series See, as rival brothers, and they have also both appeared in Dune (2021). Lawmakers Ruben Gallego, Joaquin Castro and Yassamin Ansari in this composite picture. Photograph: Getty Images (Photograph: Getty Images) Democratic lawmakers are lashing out at Immigration and Customs Enforcement after agents detained a five-year-old Minnesota boy with his father and transported them to Texas, with one congressman calling for the agency to be disbanded. Liam Ramos was taken into custody on Tuesday as he and his father arrived home from school in Columbia Heights, a Minneapolis suburb. According to school officials, an ICE agent used the child to knock on the familys front door to determine if anyone else was inside, before detaining father and son. Joaquin Castro, a representative from Texas, said his office has been working to locate the boy and demand his release, but that ICE has not provided information despite acknowledging the inquiry. Castro said his office suspects Liam may have been sent to the Dilley detention center, a family detention facility about 90 minutes from San Antonio. Ice and the other federal agencies under Donald Trump have gotten super secretive, Castro said in a video statement. This is the least transparent that an administration has been in generations. Castro said he was scheduled to visit the facility next week, and said he believes ICE should be disbanded and get zero funding. Theyve become reckless, theyve become lawless, he said, and its not about immigration enforcement any more. Its about abusing people. Ruben Gallego, a senator from Arizona, questioned whether the operation made Americans safer to begin with. These are the violent criminals Trump is going after. Liam Ramos is 5 years old. He was used as bait to knock on doors to see if anyone else was inside. Then they took him and shipped him to Texas. This is fucked up and it doesnt make anyone safer, he wrote on X. Yassamin Ansari, a representative from Arizona, on Thursday said it was absolutely disgusting that they used a 5-year-old child as bait so that they could arrest his father. She added: Murdering US citizens and kidnapping children in front of our eyes is pure evil. Jimmy Gomez, a representative from California, echoed similar sentiments. ICE just used a 5-year-old boy as bait, forcing him to knock on his own door so they could arrest his father, he wrote. Trump, ICE and CBP dont see these families as people, and thats exactly how theyre treating them. Marc Prokosch, an attorney representing the family, said the Ramos family had followed proper legal procedures. They have an active asylum case and entered the United States at an official port of entry, he said. The family did everything they were supposed to in accordance with how the rules have been set out, he said. They did not come here illegally. They are not criminals. Sydney Kamlager-Dove, a representative from California, said: This isnt about criminals. Its about cruelty. The homeland security department defended the raid, with assistant secretary Tricia McLaughlin saying ICE was conducting a targeted operation to arrest the father and did not target the child. She alleged the father fled on foot, abandoning his child, and that an officer remained with Liam for his safety. School superintendent Zena Stenvik disputed that account, saying the fathers car was still running when she arrived at the scene and that both had already been apprehended. She said another adult at the home had pleaded to take care of Liam but was denied. Why detain a five-year-old? Stenvik said at a press conference. You cannot tell me that this child is going to be classified as a violent criminal. Liam is one of four children in the Columbia Heights school district who have been detained by federal immigration agents during an enforcement surge in the region over the past two weeks, according to district officials. Greenland has demanded its red lines on sovereignty be respected after Donald Trump claimed an agreement with Nato would give the US full and permanent access to the Arctic island, the object of an increasingly bitter months-long dispute. Jens-Frederik Nielsen, Greenlands prime minister, said on Thursday he did not know what was in the deal but the largely self-governing territory wanted a peaceful dialogue with the US, and its sovereignty was non-negotiable. We have some red lines We have to respect our territorial integrity. We have to respect international law, sovereignty, Nielsen said, adding that if Greenlanders had to choose, we choose the Kingdom of Denmark, we choose the EU, we choose Nato. Nielsen told a press conference in the Greenlandic capital, Nuuk: Nobody other than Greenland and the Kingdom of Denmark have the mandate to make deals or agreements about Greenland and the Kingdom of Denmark without us. A day after backing away from his threat to use tariffs as leverage to seize Greenland, and ruling out the use of force, Trump said on Thursday that the framework of a future deal gave the US total access with no end, no time limit. The US president had on Wednesday hailed an ultimate long-term deal with Nato that he said would settle the transatlantic dispute over Greenland after weeks of rising tensions that risked the biggest breakdown in transatlantic relations in decades. But the precise terms of the agreement apparently struck between Trump and Mark Rutte, the alliances secretary general, remained unclear and the Danish government also insisted there was no question of it compromising territorial integrity. The Danish prime minister, Mette Frederiksen, said Nato states backed having a permanent presence in the Arctic, including around Greenland. Everybody in Nato agrees about that the Arctic states, but also other member states that we need a permanent presence from Nato in the Arctic region, including around Greenland, she said, arriving at an EU summit in Brussels that was hastily convened earlier this week in response to Trumps threats. Denmarks status as a sovereign state, she stressed repeatedly, was not up for negotiation and it cannot be discussed, it cannot be changed. Asked whether she trusted the US administration, she replied: We have been working very closely with the US for many years, but we have to work together respectfully without threatening each other. Speaking at a campaign-style rally in Ohio on Thursday, the US vice-president, JD Vance, said negotiations with Nato were going fine. Vance said Greenland mattered to US national security because our entire missile defence relies on security in the Arctic. Trumps repeated and aggressive assertions that the US needed complete control of Greenland have threatened to reignite a trade war with Europe and also risked unravelling the Nato alliance that has guaranteed western security for decades. At the weekend, he threatened to impose a 10% tariff on imports from Denmark, France, Germany, Sweden, the UK, the Netherlands and Finland unless they dropped their objections to his plans, prompting EU leaders to consider retaliation. After meeting with Trump in Davos, Rutte told Reuters on Thursday that Nato senior commanders would work out what is necessary, adding: I have no doubt we can do this quite fast. Certainly I would hope for 2026, I hope even early in 2026. The Nato secretary general earlier told the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, that he had had a very good discussion with Trump on how the transatlantic defence alliances members could bolster Arctic security. One workstream coming out of yesterday is to make sure when it comes to Greenland, particularly, that we ensure that the Chinese and the Russians will not gain access to the Greenland economy [or] militarily to Greenland, he said. EU leaders met in Brussels to discuss how to handle the unpredictable US president amid a sense that transatlantic ties have been badly damaged by his Greenland grab. Transatlantic relations have definitely taken a big blow over the last week but Europeans were not willing to junk 80 years of good relations with the US, said the EUs foreign policy chief, Kaja Kallas. Other EU leaders also showed determination to maintain the US as an ally. I still treat the United States as our closest friend, the Lithuanian president, Gitanas Nauseda, said, referencing the two US battalions deployed in his country. Polands prime minister, Donald Tusk, another staunch transatlanticist, said: Europe should be here absolutely united to protect our relations with our partners on the other side of the Atlantic even if it is much more difficult than ever before. But he added that politics needed trust and respect not domination and for sure not coercion. The German chancellor, Friedrich Merz, welcomed Trumps change of heart. I am very grateful that President Trump has distanced himself from his original plans to take over Greenland, and I am also grateful that he has refrained from imposing additional tariffs on 1 February, he said. Emmanuel Macron of France, still wearing aviator shades to cover an eye infection, said Europe needed to remain extremely vigilant and ready to use the instruments at our disposal should we find ourselves the target of threats again. Natos top military commander in Europe, Gen Alexus Grynkewich of the US, said the alliance had not yet received political guidance but was doing some thinking about how we would organise for it. No planning has started, but were ready. Shaken EU governments remain wary of another abrupt change of mind from Trump, considered by many in national capitals and Brussels to be a power-monger to whom the bloc will sooner or later have to stand up. Trump has repeatedly said the US needs to take control of Greenland for national security, despite the US already having a military base on the island and a bilateral agreement with Denmark allowing it to significantly expand its presence there. Media reports suggested Wednesdays putative deal could revolve around a renegotiation of that 1951 defence pact, which was updated in 2004 to take account of Greenlandic home rule. The US has one base on Greenland, the Pituffik space base. Frederiksen said Denmark wished to continue a constructive dialogue with its allies on ways to strengthen security in the Arctic, including the US Golden Dome [missile-defence system], provided this is done with respect for our territorial integrity. Related: Trump declaration of Greenland framework deal met with scepticism amid tariff relief European leaders had lined up to criticise what the French president, Emmanuel Macron, called Trumps new colonialism. The bloc also floated retaliatory economic action, including tariffs on 93bn (80bn) of US imports and the blocs big bazooka its anti-coercion instrument which would limit US access to European markets including investment and digital services. Teresa Ribera, a European Commission executive vice-president, said the EU needed to speak up against Trump. Silence is too ambiguous, too dangerous, she said in an interview with La Vanguardia. If Europe remains silent in the face of Trump, it fuels fear. A European diplomat agreed that a strong EU reaction had influenced Trump. EU firmness and unity have contributed to get him to change his position, they said. Obviously also internal political pressure in the US, and market reaction. However, Germanys vice-chancellor, Lars Klingbeil, said Europe should wait and see what substantive agreements are reached. No matter what solution is now found, everyone must understand that we cannot sit back, relax and be satisfied. Browsing social media or doomscrolling has ranked as Britons' least enjoyable pastime, despite it being the one people engage in most often, a new study has claimed. After surveying more than 2,000 people, researchers from the University of Sussex found that scrolling social media was the most frequent leisure activity, but it was also considered to be the least favourite. Coming out on top for the most enjoyable pastime was listening to music, with hobbies including reading and crafts also proving popular. The studys lead researcher, Robin Banerjee, said: The study provides compelling evidence that an important key to psychological fulfilment and wellbeing could lie in being more intentional with our leisure time. A study found social media scrolling was Britons least enjoyable pastime ((Alamy/PA)) Psychologists spoke to 2,182 people from across the UK, surveying them on a list of 21 common leisure pursuits and asking them how often they participated in each activity, and how much joy they got out of them. Listening to music topped the list for most joyful, receiving an average joy score of 6.16 out of 7. Coming in second was playing a musical instrument, and then reading, followed by crafting and volunteering. Mr Banerjee said: These findings highlight the importance of dedicating time to hobbies that are emotionally rewarding and socially enriching, offering a powerful blueprint for maximising personal wellbeing. It is also striking to see the activity we do with the most frequency, social media scrolling, is the activity that brings us least joy, suggesting that if we are led by what intrinsically motivates us as opposed to algorithms, we can move towards experiencing more joy in our lives. Liz Kendall said doomscrolling breaks would be considered in the governments consultation on a social media ban (Parliament TV) Previous research has identified the negative impacts of scrolling, with a study published in the Journal of Computers in Human Behaviour Reports finding a connection between doomscrolling and feelings of existential anxiety, despair, distrust, and suspicion of others. At a time when there is growing debate about young peoples relationship with social media, our findings underline the importance of enabling people of all ages to engage in activities that promote joy, mental health, and wellbeing, said Mr Banerjee. It comes as the government has recently announced it is considering an Australian-style ban on social media for under-16s, with technology secretary Liz Kendall saying that overnight curfews and doomscrolling breaks would be considered in the governments consultation. In a statement in the Commons, Ms Kendall said: I can tell the House we will bring forward a swift three-month consultation on further measures to keep children safe online. "The consultation will include a range of other options too, such as whether there should be curfews overnight, breaks to stop excessive use or doom-scrolling, how we ensure more rigorous enforcement of existing laws around age verification and action to address concerns about the use of VPNs to get around important protections." Resident Gabriel Ellenberg (The Standard/supplied) An estate in east London has had no water for nearly a week. Many homes throughout the Wellington estate in Tower Hamlets had no access to running water for six days from January 5 to January 11. Residents walked to a nearby community centre with buckets and kettles to fill up the vessels with water allowing them to wash, cook and clean in their flats. Gabriel Ellenberg, 68, told the Standard: First you wonder is it just you and then you talk to the neighbours and you realise its not. I went to the swimming pool to have a shower. We organised ourselves at the community centre so people could get water there. I went with my kettle and my buckets. It comes after another estate in east London had no running water for nearly a week due to a burst water main. Another burst water main, this time in Holland Park in west London, caused dramatic levels of flooding this week. Cars were submerged and residents had to be rescued throughout the night as water crept into their homes. Mr Ellenberg wrote to his local councillors, and by the end of the week he said bottles of water had been delivered to the estate on the Sunday, just before the pipes were temporarily fixed. He added there was a total lack of communication from the council about the outage which was a pain. The temporary piping (The Standard/supplied) He added the issue has been temporarily fixed with plastic pipes. He said: Theres all these temporary plastic pipes theyve attached them theyve dug big holes and blocked access roads off. A Tower Hamlets Council spokesperson said: We were notified of a loss of water at Wellington Estate, and our contractor attended promptly on 6th and 7th January to inspect the boosted water system, confirming it was operating correctly and that cold-water tanks were full. Following further reports from individual properties, our contractor returned on 8th January and arranged emergency water deliveries to the affected blocks, alongside access to Council leisure centres for residents. Since then, we have identified several issues requiring excavation works. A temporary repair has now restored services, and we are working with contractors to implement a permanent solution in the coming weeks. We understand how upsetting and disruptive it is to be without such a vital service. We have made every effort to keep residents informed throughout, using SMS updates and letters. We thank residents for their patience while works continue to secure a permanent solution. Dallas Pokornik (Facebook) A former flight attendant has been accused of pretending to be a pilot to get onto hundreds of free flights. Canadian man Dallas Pokornik, 33, worked as a steward for Air Canada between 2017 and 2019. But prosecutors said he was not employed by any airline when the alleged fraud took place. It was alleged that after he had stopped working as a steward, he asked various airlines for a jump seat in the cockpit, which is used by off-duty pilots and trainees when commuting. According to court reports, prosecutors said Mr Pokornik regularly showed a fake ID card to fly for free across three different airlines. He has plead not guilty to the charges. Dallas Pokornik, 33, is charged with two counts of wire fraud after he allegedly faked his way onto flights (Facebook) He was arrested in Panama on January 19 and extradited to the US where he remains in custody. He was charged with two counts of wire fraud in October for allegedly flying on two Hawaiian Airlines flights on Aug 16 and Oct 28 2024. It is not clear how many flights exactly Mr Pokornik has been accused of travelling in the jump seat in the planes cockpit. The Telegraph reported that in court documents filed on Tuesday, US assistant Attorney Michael Nammar said: [The] defendant is a Canadian citizen with no ties to the United States that was extradited from Panama. The investigation has established that the defendant, over the course of four years, falsely claimed he was an airline pilot and presented a fictitious employee identification card to obtain hundreds of flights at no cost. He added that there was a serious risk that the defendant could flee if given bail. Mr Pokornik could face up to 20 years in prison, alongside a fine of up to $250,000 as well as a term of supervised release if he is convicted. Media reports have dubbed the alleged crime as a Catch Me If You Can-style heist, referring to the popular film starring Leonardo DiCaprio as ultimate conman Frank Abagnale Junior who pretended to be a pilot. It comes months after Tiron Alexander was found guilty of posing as a flight attendant to take 34 free flights and book onto 120 more between 2018 and 2024. He will be sentenced on Friday. Predictions that AI bot swarms were a threat to democracy werent fanciful, said Michael Wooldridge, professor of the foundations of AI at Oxford University. Photograph: Cultura/REX/Shutterstock (Photograph: Cultura/REX/Shutterstock) Political leaders could soon launch swarms of human-imitating AI agents to reshape public opinion in a way that threatens to undermine democracy, a high profile group of experts in AI and online misinformation has warned. The Nobel peace prize-winning free-speech activist Maria Ressa, and leading AI and social science researchers from Berkeley, Harvard, Oxford, Cambridge and Yale are among a global consortium flagging the new disruptive threat posed by hard-to-detect, malicious AI swarms infesting social media and messaging channels. A would-be autocrat could use such swarms to persuade populations to accept cancelled elections or overturn results, they said, amid predictions the technology could be deployed at scale by the time of the US presidential election in 2028. The warnings, published today in Science, come alongside calls for coordinated global action to counter the risk, including swarm scanners and watermarked content to counter AI-run misinformation campaigns. Early versions of AI-powered influence operations have been used in the 2024 elections in Taiwan, India and Indonesia. Related: Grok AI generated about 3m sexualised images in 11 days, study finds A disruptive threat is emerging: swarms of collaborative, malicious AI agents, the authors said. These systems are capable of coordinating autonomously, infiltrating communities and fabricating consensus efficiently. By adaptively mimicking human social dynamics, they threaten democracy. One leading expert in propaganda technology, Inga Trauthig, said the adoption of such advanced technology is likely to be slowed by politicians reluctance to cede campaign control to AIs. Another cause for skepticism is concern that using such illicit techniques would not be worth the risk, given voters are still more influenced by offline material. The experts behind the warning include New York Universitys Gary Marcus, a prominent sceptic about the claimed potential of current AI models who calls himself a generative AI realist, and Audrey Tang, Taiwans first digital minister, who has warned: Those in the pay of authoritarian forces are undermining electoral processes, weaponizing AI and employing our societal strengths against us. Others include David Garcia, professor for social and behavioural data science at the University of Konstanz, Sander van der Linden, a misinformation expert and director of Cambridge Universitys social decision-making lab, and Christopher Summerfield, AI researcher and professor of cognitive neuroscience at Oxford University. Together they say political leaders could deploy almost limitless numbers of AIs to masquerade as humans online and precisely infiltrate communities, learn their foibles over time and use increasingly convincing and carefully tailored falsehoods, to change population-wide opinions. The threat is being supercharged by advances in AIs ability to pick up on the tone and content of discourse. They are increasingly able to mimic human dynamics, for example, by using appropriate slang and posting irregularly to avoid detection. Progress in the development of agentic AI also means the ability to autonomously plan and coordinate action. As well as operating across social media, they may use messaging channels and even write blogs or use email, depending on which channel the AI thinks best helps achieve an aim, said one of the authors, Daniel Thilo Schroeder, a research scientist at the Sintef research institute in Oslo. Its just frightening how easy these things are to vibe code and just have small bot armies that can actually navigate online social media platforms and email and use these tools, said Schroeder, who has been simulating swarms in laboratory conditions. Another of the authors, Jonas Kunst, professor of communication at the BI Norwegian Business School, said: If these bots start to evolve into a collective and exchange information to solve a problem in this case a malicious goal, namely analysing a community and finding a weak spot then coordination will increase their accuracy and efficiency. That is a really serious threat that we predict is going to materialise. In Taiwan, where voters are regularly targeted by Chinese propaganda, often unknowingly, AI bots have been increasing engagement with citizens on Threads and Facebook in the last two to three months, said Puma Shen, a Taiwanese Democratic Progressive Party MP and campaigner against Chinese disinformation. During discussions on political topics the AIs tend to provide tonnes of information that you cannot verify, creating information overload, Shen said. He said AIs might cite fake articles about how America will abandon Taiwan. Another recent trend is for the AI bots to stress to younger Taiwanese people that the China-Taiwan dispute is very complicated so do not take sides if you have no knowledge. Related: Scarlett Johansson and Cate Blanchett back campaign accusing AI firms of theft Its not telling you that Chinas great, but its [encouraging them] to be neutral, Shen told the Guardian. This is very dangerous, because then you think people like me are radical. Amid signs the progress of AI technology is not as rapid as Silicon Valley companies like OpenAI and Anthropic have claimed, the Guardian asked independent AI experts to assess the swarm warnings. In the election-heavy year of 2024 the capabilities were there for AI-driven microtargeting but we didnt see as much of that as scholars predicted, said Trauthig, an adviser to the International Panel on the Information Environment. Most political propagandists I interview are still using older technologies and are not at this cutting edge. It isnt fanciful, said Michael Wooldridge, professor of the foundations of AI at Oxford University. I think it is entirely plausible that bad actors will try to mobilise virtual armies of LLM-powered agents to disrupt elections and manipulate public opinion, for example targeting large numbers of individuals on social media and other electronic media. Its technologically perfectly feasible the technology has got progressively better and much more accessible. The best public interest journalism relies on first-hand accounts from people in the know. If you have something to share on this subject, you can contact us confidentially using the following methods. Secure Messaging in the Guardian app The Guardian app has a tool to send tips about stories. Messages are end to end encrypted and concealed within the routine activity that every Guardian mobile app performs. This prevents an observer from knowing that you are communicating with us at all, let alone what is being said. If you don't already have the Guardian app, download it (iOS/Android) and go to the menu. Select Secure Messaging. SecureDrop, instant messengers, email, telephone and post If you can safely use the Tor network without being observed or monitored, you can send messages and documents to the Guardian via our SecureDrop platform. Finally, our guide at theguardian.com/tips lists several ways to contact us securely, and discusses the pros and cons of each. Complaint Filed in Newly Formed Federal MDL Alleges Platform Failed to Protect Children from Online Sexual Exploitation KEY HIGHLIGHTS The complaint alleges that a Tennessee minor was misled by an adult user impersonating a child on the Roblox platform and was convinced through in-platform communications to transmit obscene images of herself. that a Tennessee minor was misled by an adult user impersonating a child on the Roblox platform and was convinced through in-platform communications to transmit obscene images of herself. The defendant, Roblox Corporation , operates an online gaming and social platform marketed heavily to children and used by millions of minors worldwide. , operates an online gaming and social platform marketed heavily to children and used by millions of minors worldwide. The lawsuit alleges that Roblox failed to implement reasonable safeguards, monitoring, and age-verification measures to prevent foreseeable sexual exploitation of children on its platform. PORT WASHINGTON, N.Y., Jan. 22, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- Parker Waichman LLP announced today that it filed a complaint against Roblox Corporation on behalf of a minor plaintiff from Tennessee, alleging that the company failed to implement and enforce reasonable safeguards to protect children using its online gaming platform. See Doe v. Roblox Corp, Case No.: 3:26-cv-00643. The complaint was filed in MDL No. 3166, In re Roblox Corporation Child Sexual Exploitation and Assault Litigation, pending in the United States District Court for the Northern District of California. According to the complaint, the minor plaintiff was allegedly misled by an adult user who impersonated a child on the Roblox platform. The adult allegedly gained the plaintiff's trust through in-platform interactions and communications and ultimately convinced the minor to transmit obscene images of herself. The complaint alleges that these events were foreseeable and preventable, and that Roblox failed to take reasonable steps to prevent such conduct despite knowing of similar risks to minor users. The lawsuit further alleges that Roblox inadequately monitored user communications, failed to implement effective age-verification and moderation tools, and did not provide sufficient safeguards to prevent adults from targeting and exploiting children on the platform. "Roblox has long marketed its platform as a safe digital space for children, yet this complaint alleges that the company failed to implement even basic safeguards to protect minors from predatory behavior," said Jason S. Goldstein, Senior Litigation Counsel at Parker Waichman LLP. "When a platform is designed for and heavily used by children, the responsibility to protect those children from foreseeable harm is paramount." Parker Waichman LLP continues to represent individuals and families nationwide in litigation involving online safety, consumer protection, and corporate accountability, and remains committed to holding companies accountable when they fail to protect vulnerable users Free Case Review for Affected Individuals If you or a loved one were subject to online sexual exploitation while utilizing Roblox, you may have a legal claim. Parker Waichman LLP is offering free, no-obligation case evaluations to help victims understand their rights and pursue justice. Contact Parker Waichman LLP Today For a free consultation, call 1-800-YOUR-LAWYER (1-800-968-7529) or visit YourLawyer.com to learn more about your legal options and how to protect your rights. About Parker Waichman LLP Parker Waichman LLP is a nationally recognized law firm dedicated to fighting for victims of defective drugs, dangerous products, accidents, and corporate negligence. With a proven track record of holding multi-national corporations accountable, the firm has secured billions in settlements and verdicts for injured clients. Media Contact: Jason Goldstein Phone: 516-466-6500 Email: [email protected] SOURCE Parker Waichman LLP The first asylum seekers have been moved into a former army training camp in East Sussex as part of Labours plans to close down controversial migrant hotels. A total of 27 migrants were moved into Crowborough military barracks under the cover of darkness early on Thursday morning. They are the first asylum seekers to arrive at the site, with more people expected to arrive in the coming weeks. The Home Office hope to scale up the number of asylum seekers at the barracks to 540. Asylum seekers will be housed there for three months while their claims are processed, and local councillors have said they have had assurances that the site will only be used for a year. The first asylum seekers have been moved into Crowborough army camp, with more to arrive in coming weeks (Home Office) Moving asylum seekers to large sites like Crowborough is part of the Home Offices plan to close down costly migrant hotels. The Crowborough camp was most recently used to house Afghan families on the resettlement programme. Larger sites, such as the Bibby Stockholm barge, have been used to house migrants in the past and RAF Wethersfield is still in use despite a legal action finding failings at the site. Asylum seekers will be housed at the site for three months while their claims are processed (Home Office) The National Audit Office (NAO) has previously assessed use of these large sites to be more expensive than paying for hotels. Migrant hotels became hotspots for protest last Summer after a migrant living at a hotel in Essex sexually assaulted a 14-year-old girl and a woman. Epping Forest District Council sought an injunction to bar asylum seekers from being housed at The Bell hotel but were ultimately unsuccessful in the courts, with the Home Office arguing that the loss of bed spaces would be significant. According to the latest government data, there are now fewer than 200 hotels in use around the country. The home secretary has said that asylum seekers should be moved into large sites so that they can close asylum hotels (Home Office) Home secretary Shabana Mahmood said opening Crowborough army camp for asylum seekers was just the start. She added: I will bring forward site after site until every asylum hotel is closed and returned to local communities. I will not rest until order and control to our borders is restored. She said that illegal migration has been placing immense pressure on communities. Crowborough army camp is now being used to house asylum seekers (Home Office) James Partridge, lead councillor for governance at Wealden District Council, reacted to the news saying the Home Office hasnt listened to any of us. He said that the council had asked for legal advice to see if they could bring a successful legal action against the governments decision. Crowborough Town Council said the site was not suitable to house asylum seekers, adding in a statement: The proposed accommodation of up to 540 adult men, when considered against the rural population size of Crowborough, is disproportionate and raises serious concerns about suitability, capacity and impact. Local councils have said that Crowborough barracks are not suitable to house hundreds of asylum seekers (Home Office) Local residents group, Crowborough Says No, have called for people to join a peaceful protest against the use of the barracks this Sunday. Shadow home secretary Chris Philp said that the move was another day of shame for the Labour government. He said thousands of army and RAF cadets would no longer be able to use the site for training. He claimed that the women and children of Crowborough would be exposed to risks from asylum seekers living at the site and urged the government to deport all illegal migrants within a week of arrival. Asylum seekers will have to sign in and out to leave and return to the site (PA) Imran Hussain, director of external affairs of charity Refugee Council, said that the use of the barracks wont make a dent in the overall number of people in hotels. He added: Even if 500 people are eventually moved there, thats just over one per cent of the estimated population in asylum hotels. Military camps have already been tried as a solution to asylum accommodation and failed. They also separate people who have fled persecution and violence in countries like Afghanistan from communities and essential services, leaving them unable to integrate. The Home Office has released photos of inside Crowborough army camp, including a hall with desks available for newly arrived asylum seekers (Home Office) Ann Salter, head of clinical services North West at charity Freedom from Torture, said that putting people in places like Crowborough undermines their ability to recover from torture. She said: Places like Crowborough...subject survivors of torture to overcrowding, a lack of privacy and conditions that only intensify anxiety, panic and hopelessness. Survivors tell us that living in a former military site can feel unbearable because it so closely resembles the places where they were detained and abused. This approach is not just inhumane, it is dangerous. Steve Smith, CEO of Care4Calais, said that the charity had supported people accommodated at camps such as Wethersfield, Napier and Penally. He said: Our experience of these sites has show that camps like these are isolating, retraumatising and bad for peoples mental health. The Labour government should be closing the existing one at Wethersfield, like they promised at the last election, not opening new ones like Crowborough. The Home Office have also said they will use Cameron army barracks in Inverness to house asylum seekers. The site has previously been used for Afghan families. Specialist security will be at Crowborough 24/7 with CCTV and strict sign-in procedures for residents, the Home Office said. Elections are to be cancelled for 29 councils including in London s commuter belt. Communities Secretary Steve Reed announced that legislation will be rushed through Parliament to postpone the elections ahead of the May polls. The move has been widely criticised by Opposition parties. Elections for nine councils in Londons commuter belt are being ditched. They include those in Basildon, Crawley, Harlow, Thurrock, Stevenage, Peterborough, Welwyn Hatfield, as well as for East Sussex County Council and West Sussex County Council. The Government has defended the cancellations given a major reform of local government meant councillors elected in May would only serve for a short period and the cost of holding elections. Communities Secretary Steve Reed (PA Archive) Announcing the decisions for 29 councils across England, Mr Reed said: This is a once-in-a-generation reform that will transform local government for the better. Cutting through two-tier bureaucracy means faster decisions on housing, simpler access to services, and more money going to potholes, tackling crime and caring for older people instead of being lost to duplication. Thats what residents want and thats what reorganisation will achieve. But Nigel Farages Reform UK, the Conservatives, and the Liberal Democrats have strongly condemned postponing the local elections. The decision has also been criticised by the electoral watchdog, the Electoral Commission. Where elections are axed, current councillors will continue to represent their local area. The other areas where elections are being cancelled are Adur, Blackburn with Darwen, Burnley, Cannock Chase, Cheltenham, Chorley, Lincoln, Exeter, Hastings, Hyndburn, Ipswich, Norfolk County Council, Norwich, Preston, Redditch, Rugby, Suffolk County Council, Tamworth, West Lancashire, Worthing. Sir James Cleverly (PA Wire) Shadow communities secretary Sir James Cleverly accused Mr Reed of "putting pressure on councils" to cancel their elections, and argued that it is due to "the Labour Party's collapse in the opinion polls, claims rejected by the minister. The senior Conservative added: He is putting councils in an impossible position, squeezing them financially, imposing the cost and disruption of large scale reorganisation on them, making promises about structures, about timescales, about funding, and then reneging on those promises. Mr Reed stressed that the cancellations were decisions that were locally-led. Labour MP Florence Eshalomi (PA Media) But Florence Eshalomi, Labour chairwoman of the Housing, Communities and Local Government Committee, said residents affected by postponed elections will be disappointed. Responding to Mr Reed's statement, Ms Eshalomi, MP for Vauxhall and Camberwell Green, said: "Our councils should not have to face choosing between frontline services or elections. Democracy is not an inefficiency that should be cut out, and every council should have the resources to run local elections. Speaking in the Commons, Mr Reed said: "I would reassure her, I have imposed nothing. I took representations and listened to them from local councils, and today I'm merely responding to the representations I have heard." He added: "It is the councils themselves that have reassured me that they have the resources to go ahead with elections and deliver the reorganisation that is so important to improving frontline services to local people." Gates and OpenAI in $50m deal that will help fight global aid cuts by Trump and others The Gates Foundation and OpenAI are setting up a $50m (37m) partnership to help several African countries use artificial intelligence to improve their health systems and mitigate the impact of international aid cuts, Bill Gates has said. The partnership, called Horizon1000, plans to work with African leaders to determine how best to use the technology, starting with Rwanda. In poorer countries with enormous health worker shortages and lack of health systems infrastructure, AI can be a game-changer in expanding access to quality care, said Gates in a blog post announcing the launch. Speaking to Reuters in Davos, Gates said AI had the potential to help get the world back on track after international aid funding cuts last year were followed by the first rise in preventable child deaths this century. A report from the Gates Foundation, published in December, projected that, by the end of 2025, there will be 4.8 million child deaths, compared with 4.6 million the year before. Until now, deaths of under-fives around the world had fallen every year since 2000, when the toll stood at 10 million. This year, sadly, is almost certain to be the first year of this century where that has not just stopped, but reversed, Gates Foundation CEO Mark Suzman told The Independent at the time. By far, the largest single cause of death is the cuts in international aid, he added. When you pull back at short notice, that has consequences, and sadly those consequences are measured in human lives. On Donald Trumps first day in office, he froze almost all US foreign assistance and later slashed funding to the United States Agency for International Development. If funding for health decreases by 20 per cent, in line with the cuts proposed by a number of nations, 12 million more children could die by 2045, the report said. Overall, global development assistance for health fell by just under 27 per cent last year compared to 2024, the Gates Foundation has estimated. AI could be particularly valuable in countries hit by these cuts, Gates said. In the UK, the government plans to shrink the global development budget by 40 per cent. With a much smaller aid budget, the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office is prioritising spending on big international funds like the global vaccine alliance Gavi and the Global Fund to Fight Aids, Tuberculosis and Malaria. These funds have still received cuts, but at a smaller scale. Using innovation, using AI, I think we can get back on track, Gates told Reuters, adding that the technology would revolutionise healthcare. Our commitment is that the revolution will at least happen in the poor countries as quickly as it happens in the rich countries, he added. The foundation has already set up a number of AI initiatives, while Rwanda last year established an AI health hub in Kigali. It is about using AI responsibly to reduce the burden on healthcare workers, to improve the quality of care, and to reach more patients, Paula Ingabire, Rwandas minister of information and communications technology and innovation, said in a video statement released on Wednesday. Horizon1000 aims to reach 1,000 primary health clinics and surrounding communities across several countries by 2028, Gates said, adding that some countries have only one doctor per 50,000 people even in big urban areas far below the ratio in most high-income countries. Gates told Reuters that the initiative would likely focus on improving care for pregnant women and HIV patients, by supporting them with advice before they reach the clinic particularly if they speak a different language from the healthcare provider. On arrival, AI would help reduce paperwork and link up patient histories and appointments more effectively, he added. A typical visit, we think, can be about twice as fast and of much better quality, he said. This article was produced as part of The Independents Rethinking Global Aid project Reuters contributed to this report How the AI datacentre next to the M25 in Buckinghamshire could look. Illustration: Greystoke (Illustration: Greystoke) The government has been forced to admit its own planning approval for a major AI datacentre should be quashed after it failed to fully consider the climate impact, in what campaigners described as an embarrassing climbdown. Angela Rayner, the former deputy prime minister, had overruled opposition from a local council to grant permission for a hyperscale datacentre on greenbelt land by the M25 in Buckinghamshire in line with Labours pledge to enable faster private investment in AI. But her successor, Steve Reed, has admitted the reasons for not requiring an environmental impact assessment were inadequate and that permission should be quashed. The government had made a serious logical error, it conceded, during a legal challenge to the approval this week. The scheme, also known as the West London Technology Park, has been hailed by promoters as having the potential to attract 1bn of foreign direct investment. The U-turn comes after environmental campaigners concerned about the carbon emissions and water use of energy-hungry datacentres claimed the approval was unlawful. They accused the government of being too accepting of the developers assurances about the environmental impact and failing to properly consider the energy use. The case is a blow to the governments strategy of accelerating the construction of datacentres to attract investment from technology companies. In September 2024 it designated datacentres which train and operate AI systems as critical national infrastructure, signalling their importance to the British economy. Peter Kyle, the former technology secretary, called them the engines of modern life, they power the digital economy and keep our most personal information safe. The 72,000 sq metre (18-acre) datacentre on a former landfill site in Iver is being developed by Greystoke, which declined to comment. It shouldnt take us having to drag the government to court for them to admit their decision to back big techs polluting datacentres was fundamentally wrong, said Rosa Curling, a co-executive director of the tech equity organisation Foxglove. For too long, ministers have been putting the profits of Trump-supporting tech billionaires ahead of the interests of the British public. Nowhere has this been clearer than their willingness to force through massive datacentres against the wishes of the local community, without a thought for the catastrophic damage they will cause to our environment. Sonja Graham, the chief executive of Global Action Plan, an environmental charity that was part of the legal challenge, said: This embarrassing climbdown could have been avoided had the government done its job and scrutinised big techs flimsy carbon commitments in the first place. She added: People across the UK are increasingly concerned about datacentres proliferation and what it means for access to water and power. The government being asleep at the wheel like this will do nothing to reassure them. The Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government said the government had confirmed to the court on Monday that the secretary of state wished to concede the challenge and accepted that permission should be quashed. The UK had approximately 1.6 gigawatts of datacentre capacity in 2024, which is forecast to rise up to four times by 2030. However, that may still not be enough to meet demand, government analysis found. Last year Kyle attacked the archaic planning processes holding up the construction of technology infrastructure and said: The datacentres we need to power our digital economy get blocked because they ruin the view from the M25. The best public interest journalism relies on first-hand accounts from people in the know. If you have something to share on this subject, you can contact us confidentially using the following methods. Secure Messaging in the Guardian app The Guardian app has a tool to send tips about stories. Messages are end to end encrypted and concealed within the routine activity that every Guardian mobile app performs. This prevents an observer from knowing that you are communicating with us at all, let alone what is being said. If you don't already have the Guardian app, download it (iOS/Android) and go to the menu. Select Secure Messaging. SecureDrop, instant messengers, email, telephone and post If you can safely use the Tor network without being observed or monitored, you can send messages and documents to the Guardian via our SecureDrop platform. Finally, our guide at theguardian.com/tips lists several ways to contact us securely, and discusses the pros and cons of each. Scots have been left squealing from paying increasingly higher taxes, Sir Tom Hunter has said, as he described the burden on nurses, teachers and policemen as unfair. Sir Tom, one of Scotlands leading businessmen, said he has friends who have left the country because of the SNPs decision to raise taxes higher than those in the rest of the UK. Despite his pleas for a more pro-business Scottish government, the East Ayrshire-born philanthropist said he will not make any donations or endorsements for the Holyrood election in May. Sir Tom Hunter said he will not endorse a political party ahead of the election in May (Jane Barlow/PA) (Jane Barlow) Speaking to the Press Association, he criticised MSPs for not making the most of Scotlands devolved powers, and he rejected the SNPs argument that Scotland could not fully flourish without independence. Sir Tom said Scotland would be in a strong position to move towards independence if the Scottish Government had made a success of the powers they have. On Wednesday, he made a clarion call to Scotlands political parties to back economic growth through a series of reforms to the tax, energy and the planning systems. In his Entrepreneurs Manifesto for Scotland, he claimed 100,000 jobs could be created and 20.2 billion added to the economy by stripping back regulation, cutting taxes and axing quangos, among other measures to make doing business easier and unlock opportunities in energy. Asked if Scotland is too prone to taxing, he said: I think thats it. The answer is, Oh, we dont have enough money, well just tax people more. We Scots invented the modern world. And Scotland has the talent and the ambition to be a high-growth nation once again. The countrys leading entrepreneurs have joined forces to develop The Entrepreneurs Manifesto for Scotland. It outlines a practical programme to help grow pic.twitter.com/n1iBxoosgY Sir Tom Hunter (@SirTomhunter) January 21, 2026 I think we are overtaxed in Scotland and people are now squealing. Im certainly squealing. Not because of my personal income tax, Ill always pay my income tax in Scotland, and Ill go with it. But the general population now, the hard-working people, are being overtaxed. Sir Tom said he wants to see a fairer system so that the tax take goes up, not the tax rate. Thats the sort of Scotland I want to live in, he added. He said while he knew friends who had left the country over high taxes, it is not just the rich who are taking home less pay as a result of decisions at Holyrood. Sir Tom Hunter said he knows people who have left Scotland because of high taxes (Mike Scott/East Ayrshire Council/PA) (Mike Scott/East Ayrshire Council) He told PA: If you earn between 43,500 and 50,000 in Scotland youre paying the equivalent of 50% tax because national insurance is worked in Westminster and income tax has worked from Holyrood. This is nurses, teachers and policemen. I wouldnt call these people particularly wealthy but theyre paying half of their income away in tax. I dont think thats fair on them. He urged political leaders in Scotland to look at countries such as Singapore and Ireland with similar populations to Scotland for inspiration on how to build a successful economy. The SNP has previously pointed to Ireland as an example of what Scotland could like be with the powers of independence. But Sir Tom said he takes a different view: I think Scotland is one of the most devolved nations in the world and we have not made enough of our devolved powers. Everybody says Oh, Thomas, you for or against independence? Well look, the way to get independence is through competent government. If the Government had made a success of the powers they have, then youd be in a strong position to say, lets go further. Sir Tom Hunter suggested independence could work if the Scottish Government was more competent (Jane Barlow/PA) (Jane Barlow) But our economy is lacklustre and our education system is falling down in the rankings. So we havent made the most of the devolved powers weve got. We would be in a worse economic position if we were an independent nation. Thats not a political point of view that is just arithmetic. But if we were to accept some of these policies, which we can all do within the UK, and prove that weve got competent government, then perhaps, why not? Deputy First Minister Kate Forbes said: Entrepreneurs and start-up companies are the backbone of our economy and the Scottish Government has been working systematically to develop the pipeline of support required to help businesses develop, grow and prosper. The facts show that we are making clear progress in establishing the right conditions to help business founders succeed. There was a 17.9% increase in Scottish start-up businesses in the first half of 2025, while investment deals in Scotland grew by 24% in the first half of 2025 compared to the second half of 2024. The Scottish Budget 2026-27 continues to support business, investment and a skilled workforce to accelerate economic growth, including record funding for our entrepreneurs and start-ups as we act to harness Scotlands strengths and opportunities to drive long-term prosperity. Finance Secretary Shona Robison said: The Scottish Governments tax decisions enable us to deliver higher investment in the NHS and policies like free tuition not available anywhere else in the UK, while ensuring the majority of taxpayers pay less income tax than elsewhere in the UK. Independence offers Scotland a fresh start, with the powers to raise living standards, grow the economy and shape a fairer, more prosperous future. The Duke of Sussex has returned to a court in London for the fourth day of the trial of his legal action against the publisher of the Daily Mail. Harry arrived at the Royal Courts of Justice for a fourth consecutive day around 10.05am on Thursday, after giving evidence in his High Court claim against Associated Newspapers Limited (ANL) on Wednesday. Wearing a dark suit, he waved and smiled at reporters gathered outside court, and when asked how he was feeling, replied: Great, thank you. Elizabeth Hurley arrives at the Royal Courts of Justice in central London (Aaron Chown/PA) (Aaron Chown) The duke, 41, is one of seven people, including Sir Elton John, Baroness Doreen Lawrence and Liz Hurley, suing the publisher over allegations of unlawful information gathering. ANL strongly denies wrongdoing and is defending the claims. A spokesperson for the duke said on Wednesday evening that he would attend court again on Thursday to support, and show solidarity with, the other claimants. The hearing before Mr Justice Nicklin is scheduled to resume at 10.30am, with Hurley expected to give evidence. Giving evidence for around two hours on Wednesday, the duke appeared emotional as he told the court that ANL had made his wife Meghans life an absolute misery. The Duke of Sussex arrives at the Royal Courts of Justice in central London (Aaron Chown/PA) (Aaron Chown) Answering questions from his barrister, David Sherborne, about how the proceedings had made him feel, the duke said: Its fundamentally wrong to put us through this again when all we wanted was an apology and accountability. Its a horrible experience. Sounding emotional and appearing to be on the verge of tears, he continued: They continue to come after me, they have made my wifes life an absolute misery, my Lord. In court, the duke said the case against ANL felt like a recurring traumatic experience and a repeat of the past, adding: I have never believed that my life is open season to be commercialised by these people. The alleged unlawful information gathering in the dukes case relates to 14 articles between 2001 and 2013. The Duke of Sussex arrives at the Royal Courts of Justice in central London (Jordan Pettitt/PA) (Jordan Pettitt) In written submissions for the trial, Antony White KC, for ANL, said the publisher strongly denies that there was any unlawful information gathering, including voicemail interception, directed at the duke. He continued that the articles were sourced entirely legitimately from information variously provided by contacts of the journalists responsible, including individuals in the Duke of Sussexs social circle, press officers and publicists, freelance journalists, photographers and prior reports. In court on Tuesday, Mr White said that the claims against the publisher were threadbare and had been brought too late. He continued that journalists at the organisation provide a compelling account of a pattern of legitimate sourcing of the more than 50 articles that are alleged to be the products of unlawful information gathering, including from the leaky social circles of the celebrities friends. During his evidence on Wednesday, the duke denied having leaky social circles, as he insisted he was unable to complain about press coverage because of the royal institution. In a frosty exchange between Harry and lawyers acting on behalf of ANL, the duke told the High Court: My social circles were not leaky, I want to make that absolutely clear. Flooding and travel disruptions are likely to take place across parts of the country on Thursday, as forecasters predict heavy rain to cause a danger to life. Amber and yellow warnings have been issued across areas of Scotland by the Met Office, along with further yellow warnings for Northern Ireland, parts of south Wales and south west England. The amber warning will run until 6pm on Thursday and affect parts of Clackmannanshire, Falkirk, Fife, Perth and Kinross, Stirling, Highlands, Eilean Siar, Aberdeen, Aberdeenshire and Moray. Another yellow warning for rain is in place for most of the north east of Scotland until 11.59pm on Friday. Forecasters expect up to 20mm of rain to fall on Thursday across South Wales, Somerset and parts of Devon and Dorset, where a yellow warning is due to start at 8am. Amber and yellow warnings have been issued across parts of Scotland by the Met Office, along with further yellow warnings for Northern Ireland, parts of south Wales and south west England (Met Office) The warning remain in place until 4pm on Thursday when the heaviest of rain will clear to the north east. Rain will be persistent and heavy during Thursday with widespread accumulations of 60-80mm likely, and as much as 100-120mm, over high ground in Scotland, the Met Office said. In some places up to 40mm of rain is predicted to fall mainly on high ground, with widespread rain of 15-25mm falling throughout the day. The Met Office has warned that homes and businesses are likely to face flooding in the more affected areas, with probable travel delays and cancellations to public transport, with some communities possibly experiencing power cuts. ScotRail has speed restrictions in place for its route from Perth to Inverness until 9.30am on Saturday, and its Aberdeen to Inverness routes until 12pm on Friday. Ferry operator CalMax has cancelled all Oban-Coll-Tiree services on Thursday and says some other services may be cancelled or delayed at short notice. Drivers are advised to proceed with caution on various crossings around Scotland, as spray and flooding is likely to cause difficult driving conditions and possible road closures. Police Scotland has urged drivers to take extra care when travelling while the weather warnings are in place. Restrictions due to high winds were issued on the Forth Road Bridge on Thursday morning. The Met Office has said there is a good chance that some communities will be cut off by flooded roads. The forecasting service has advised people in the affected areas to prepare a flood kit to save them from loss or damage to their home or business. The flood kit should include: insurance and any other important documents, a torch and spare batteries; a first aid kit, prescription medicines and supplies for looking after your family members or pets; and warm, waterproof clothes, blankets, food and water. Hero Barron Trump saved a womans life after learning she was being beaten by jealous man, court hears A friend of Barron Trump says he saved her life by calling the cops after seeing her being beaten up by her ex-boyfriend on a FaceTime call, according to a report. The woman, whose name has not been shared publicly, told a London court that she called Trump last January as her ex-boyfriend, Matvei Rumiantsev, 22, allegedly started hitting her because he was jealous of her friendship with the presidents son, Trump, 19, reached out to authorities in the UK, telling the 911 operator, I just got a call from a girl I know. Shes getting beaten up. After giving her address, he told the operator, Its really an emergency, please. I got a call from her with a guy beating her up, according to the report. Bodycam footage from when police arrived was also played in Snaresbrook Crown Court, showing officers telling the woman that someone from the United States had been in touch. I am friends with Barron Trump, Donald Trumps son, she told authorities, explaining that she called him on FaceTime earlier. One of the officers can then be heard telling a colleague, So apparently this informant from America is likely to be Donald Trumps son. The officers later asked her to call Trump back to confirm what she told them, with the footage capturing her saying, Hello, Barron did you call the police or anything? He can be heard replying, I had someone call the police. The US presidents son has been credited with saving his friends life (Getty) She called me. I picked up the phone expecting a nice hello or something. I just saw a ceiling and could hear screaming. I could see a guys head on the phone, and then the camera turns to her crying and getting hit, he said of the short, 15-second phone call. I called you guys that was the best thing I could do. I wasnt going to call back and threaten things to him because that would just make the situation worse, he added. During cross-examination, the woman was questioned about her claims that Trump saved her, and she doubled down on her claims. He helped save my life. That call was like a sign from God at that moment, she said. The woman told jurors that Rumiantsev assaulted her, including by strangling, after they got into an argument last January. Months later, she also filed a complaint to police that shed been raped by him twice, the second time just hours before police responded to the January assault, according to the report. Rumiantsev denies the assault, ABH (assault occasioning actual bodily harm), two counts of rape, intentional strangulation and perverting the course of justice, according to the report. Billy Connolly once wrote a song called My Granny Was a Cripple in Nashville, poking fun at the misery that is heaped on the protagonists of country music. In The History of Sound, Oliver Hermanuss second non-South African feature, a character is more forgiving, describing folk ballads as warm-blooded music, those plaintive tunes recounting the lives and often sorrows of ordinary people. This film, based on a short story by Ben Shattuck (who adapted it for the screen with Hermanus), follows the lives and often sorrows of Lionel Worthing (Paul Mescal) and David White (Josh OConnor). The film opens in rural Kentucky in 1910. Lionel is the narrator of his tale, recounting his musical ability: My father said it was a gift from God. A local teacher recognises the boys talent and soon he is studying voice at the New England Conservatory in Boston. Its 1917 and hes about to meet the love of his life. Hearing a familiar tune one night in a bar, he heads to the piano, where David is playing. A fellow student (of composition), David explains how he came across the song, travelling the world with his uncle in search for folk ballads. The mens attraction is instant and immediately consummated. Josh O'Connor is David and Paul Mescal is Lionel in The History of Sound (Fair Winter) The men are happy, and it is refreshing that there is no drama about their love that cannot speak or in this case sing its name. Yet David always stands a little apart. He has known immense grief, and when Lionel sympathetically tries to console him, he states: Everyone is going to die, you know that. What with the war and the folk songs, the stirring strings of the score and the gloomy sepia tones of almost every scene, its pretty much a given that somebody will be dying at some point in this film. The war sees David drafted and Lionel sent back to the farm in Kentucky, a one-room shack that he returns to sharing with his parents. The work is hard and Lionel is seen in a variety of fetching outfits a mustard-coloured top and braces, a pretty floral mauve ensemble as he goes about his agricultural endeavours. When a letter arrives from David, inviting Lionel on a road trip to record folk songs for posterity, he drops his hoe and dumps his poor ma with barely a backward glance. The men thus embark on an arduous journey, seeking out ballads to record on their Edison standard monograph. Lionel is an excellent communicator, his enthusiasm helping to gain access to people who view the machine and the mens work with distrust. Paul Mescal in The History of Sound (Fair Winter) The film moves around from the US to Rome to the UK and back, most of it seeped in the same murky hues. For a film about music and harmony, alas this story is pretty monotonous. Ironically, it is not helped by the score. Mescal and OConnor put in fine performances here, but the problem lies in the screenplay and direction, which allows little joy or change of pace to muscle their way in. The story is trite and does not bear great scrutiny for example, did impoverished rural farmers send telegrams to say someone was dying back then? When Oscar Coates, who wrote the score, moves away from strings and uses only voices, the film comes to life. At one point, the protagonist mentions a false note. Despite the beautifully sung songs and the truly lovely and sympathetic lead actors, unfortunately that is precisely what this film is. In cinemas from January 23 Inothewayurthinkin is on track for the Paddy Power Irish Gold Cup, with Gavin Cromwell optimistic his Cheltenham Gold Cup hero can put his best foot forward at the Dublin Racing Festival. The eight-year-old finished an eyecatching fourth in the Leopardstown Grade One 12 month ago, before turning the tables on Willie Mullins Galopin Des Champs in the Prestbury Park blue riband, but has somewhat underwhelmed this season beaten a combined 94 lengths in his two outings. However, his handler has been encouraged by what he has seen since his last run in the Savills Chase and has his fingers crossed of an improved display in a race that could be littered with star quality. Were happy with him and hopefully were going to see him next week, said Cromwell. Ive got my fingers crossed and Im happy with him at home and hopefully he can bring that to the track and return to his best. The Irish Gold Cup betting is headed by Galopin Des Champs who will bid to join Closutton great Florida Pearl as a four-time winner of the race on January 31. The brand celebrates 40 years with new store growth, franchise momentum, a major loyalty launch and reaching $2 million raised for Down Syndrome awareness CINCINNATI, Jan. 22, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- Penn Station East Coast Subs, the fast-casual sandwich franchise known for its craveable variety of grilled-to-order subs, deli done right classics, fresh-cut fries, and hand-squeezed lemonade, is closing the books on a successful 2025, celebrating systemwide sales that were stronger than the industry overall, numerous national accolades, and marked by meaningful community impact. As the brand celebrated its 40th anniversary, Penn Station continued to build momentum across its 320+ locations nationwide. With four new restaurants and an additional 15 franchise units sold, Penn Station expanded into two new markets and reinforced confidence in the brand's long-term growth trajectory. The system achieved three consecutive quarters of positive growth, a favorable contrast to an industry that struggled most of 2025. The brand also finished the year up seven of the last eight months in comparative same store sales, reflecting steady performance across the system. "2025 was a defining year for Penn Station," said Lance Vaught, President of Penn Station East Coast Subs. "As we celebrated our 40th anniversary, we remained focused on what has always made our brand specialgreat food, passionate franchisees and strong community connections. The growth and recognition we achieved this year are a direct result of that commitment." In celebration of its 40th anniversary, Penn Station launched Penn Station Rewards, a new points-based loyalty program designed to enhance the guest experience while helping franchisees increase foot traffic, strengthen customer loyalty and drive repeat visits. The program represents a significant investment in digital engagement and long-term brand growth. The brand also captured national attention through a collaboration with Barstool Sports' Pardon My Take hosts Big Cat and PFT Commenter, who partnered with Penn Station and Virtual Dining Concepts to introduce the Mega Cheesesteak, a limited-time offering featuring a mega portion of meat and cheese. The promotion resonated strongly with fans of both brands, driving traffic and excitement across Penn Station restaurants nationwide. "Our focus in 2025 was building smart, sustainable growth while continuing to support our franchise partners," said Craig Dunaway, Chief Operating Officer of Penn Station East Coast Subs. "From new restaurant openings to loyalty and marketing initiatives, everything we launched was designed to strengthen unit-level performance and position the brand for continued success in the years ahead." Penn Station's momentum was further underscored by a wide range of industry accolades in 2025. The brand earned a spot on Entrepreneur Magazine's Franchise 500, ranking No. 459, and ranked No. 171 on Nation's Restaurant News' Technomic Top 500. Penn Station was also inducted into QSR Magazine's Best Franchise Deals Hall of Fame, a designation reserved for brands that have earned recognition at least four times. Additional honors included ranking No. 3 on USA TODAY's list of Best Sandwich Shops in the Nation, being named Cincinnati's Best Cheesesteak for the 15th consecutive year and No. 1 French Fries by CityBeat readers and earning a spot on Fast Casual's Top 100 Movers & Shakers, ranking No. 36. Franchise Business Review recognized Penn Station across multiple categories, including Top Franchises for Culture, Top Recession-Resistant Franchises, Top Franchises Satisfaction Award, Most Profitable Franchises and Top Food Franchises. Franchisee John Doyle was also named a Franchise Rock Star Award winner. Beyond business performance, Penn Station continued to make a meaningful impact in the communities it serves, particularly through its longstanding support of Down Syndrome awareness. In September, the brand presented a $330,676 donation to the Down Syndrome Association of Greater Cincinnati (DSAGC) during a special on-field ceremony prior to a Cincinnati Reds home game. The donation was raised through Penn Station's recurring round-up campaign, where guests round up their purchases to the nearest dollar and the brand matches a portion. With this contribution, Penn Station's total donations to Down Syndrome organizations have surpassed $2 million. Throughout October, restaurants across the country also participated in the Deals for Down Syndrome promotion, selling $5 booklets valued at more than $20 in rewards, with all of the proceeds benefiting local Down Syndrome associations nationwide. As Penn Station looks ahead to 2026, the brand remains focused on continued franchise expansion, innovation and strengthening the guest experience, building on the momentum of a successful and celebratory year. About Penn Station East Coast Subs: Founded in 1985 by Jeff Osterfeld, Penn Station East Coast Subs is celebrating over 40 years serving award-winning grilled hot and classic cold subs, fresh-cut fries, and freshly squeezed lemonade. Privately held and headquartered in Cincinnati, Ohio, the brand is known as a community staple in states including Ohio, Indiana, Kentucky, and Pennsylvania while rapidly expanding into North Carolina, South Carolina, and Michigan. With more than 320 locations across the country, Penn Station is considered among the nation's fastest growing franchise systems. Learn more about Penn Station East Coast Subs at www.penn-station.com. Media Contact: Jennifer Gordillo [email protected] 954-893-9150 SOURCE Penn Station East Coast Subs Wearing a blue hat and Spiderman backpack, Liam Ramos is detained by ICE agents in Minnesota on Wednesday - Courtesy of Columbia Heights Public Schools A five-year-old boy is at the centre of a row after it was claimed ICE agents used him as bait to lure members of his migrant family from their home. A spokesman for the school that Liam Conejo Ramos attends said he was apprehended and forced to knock on the door of his familys home in the hopes that they could detain his relatives. The schoolboy and his father, Adrian Alexander Conejo Arias, were detained in their driveway in Columbia Heights on Wednesday, just north of Minneapolis, after walking home from school. The father and son were then taken into custody at a Texas detention centre. Pictures circulated online show the child facing towards a car, with his Spiderman backpack held by a uniformed adult behind him. An ICE agent stands behind Liam Ramos outside his home However, a spokesperson for the department of homeland security (DHS) denied the claims, saying: ICE did not, and has never, used a child as bait. ICE did NOT target a child. The child was ABANDONED, a post from the DHS X account read. As agents approached the driver, Adrian Alexander Conejo Arias, fled on foot abandoning his child. For the childs safety, one of our ICE officers remained with the child while the other officers apprehended Conejo Arias. Parents are asked if they want to be removed with their children, as per the previous administrations policy, the spokesman added. The agency also responded to a post on X by the BBC, captioned ICE detains 5-year-old during ICE operation. All the BBC does is lie, the post from the official ICE account on X read. Liam is one of four children in the school district who have been detained by ICE agents over the past two weeks, a spokesman for his school district said. The arrests come amid heightened tensions following the fatal shooting of 37-year-old Renee Good by an ICE officer earlier this month. Good, a US citizen and mother-of-three, was killed on Jan 7 in Minneapolis in an encounter that has prompted protests, legal challenges, and national debate over ICE tactics and use of force. Protests have erupted in Minneapolis following the fatal shooting of Renee Good - Angelina Katsanis/Copyright 2026 The Associated Press. All rights reserved Protests and unrest have gripped the Midwestern city ever since. On Jan 18, a group of activists stormed a church service, claiming a pastor affiliated with the congregation led a local ICE field office. Pam Bondi, the attorney general, announced the arrest of the alleged ringleader of the group, Nekima Levy Armstrong, in a post on X days after protesters during the Sunday service entered the Cities Church in St Paul. Listen loud and clear: We do not tolerate attacks on places of worship, Ms Bondi wrote on X. Chauntyll Louisa Allen, another alleged participant, was also arrested. Nekima Levy Armstrong, the alleged ringleader of a group that stormed a church, has been arrested However, the justice departments efforts to charge Don Lemon, a former CNN reporter who now works as an independent journalist and covered the protest, were unsuccessful. Ms Bondi was enraged by the judges decision, a source told CNN. On Thursday, Greg Bovino, Donald Trumps Border Patrol commander-at-large, claimed local police were not cooperating with immigration officers. In one instance, off-duty agents who were apprehended by protesters at a restaurant had to be rescued by a tactical team when Minneapolis police failed to respond to their call, Mr Bovino claimed. The City of Minneapolis Police Department has not commented. JD Vance, the vice-president, visited Minneapolis on Thursday to show support for the federal law enforcement operation. Describing the incident in which five-year-old Liam was detained as terrible, Mr Vance supported the agents in their decision. The five-year-old was not arrested; his dad was an illegal alien and when they went to arrest his illegal alien father, the father ran. So the story is that ICE detained a five-year-old. Well what are they supposed to do? Are they supposed to let a five-year-old child freeze to death? He later added that, whenever you have a law enforcement operation, even if 99.99 per cent of the guys do everything perfectly, youre going to have people that make mistakes. Before his departure, Mr Vance said that Minneapolis authorities were preventing ICE agents from doing their jobs. He has previously defended the ICE officer involved in Goods killing, publicly backing the officer and blaming Good less than 24 hours after her death. The Trump administration has sought to justify its crackdown on the Democratic-leaning state by saying that the officers are detaining immigrants convicted of violent crimes. Federal agents stand guard in Minneapolis on Wednesday - Angelina Katsanis/Copyright 2026 The Associated Press. All rights reserved A force of 3,000 federal law enforcement officers has been deployed to the area. Why detain a five-year-old? Zena Stenvik, the superintendent of the Columbia Heights Public Schools district, said at a news conference. You cannot tell me that this child is going to be classified as a violent criminal. There was another adult at the home who begged the agents to let them take care of the small child, but was refused, Ms Stenvik added. Instead, the agent took the child out of the still-running vehicle, led him to the door, and directed him to knock asking to be let in to see if anyone else was home essentially using a five-year-old as bait, she said. Liams older brother, a middle-school student, arrived home 20 minutes later to find his father and younger brother missing, Ms Stenvik added. Liam is one of four children in the school district who have been detained by ICE agents over the past two weeks Liam and his father are now being held in San Antonio in the custody of the department of homeland security (DHS). While neither is a US citizen, the familys attorney, Marc Prokosch, said Liam and his father have complied fully with the legal immigration process, presenting themselves at the border, applying for asylum, and waiting for their cases to be adjudicated. The family did everything they were supposed to in accordance with how the rules have been set out, he said. They did not come here illegally. They are not criminals. On the first day of his second term, Mr Trump pledged to launch a sweeping immigration crackdown targeting the worst criminal offenders. But critics, including some within his own party, say the criteria for arrests appear far broader in practice, with US citizens and people with no criminal records detained and community members accusing ICE of arresting anyone with an accent. A woman protests against the presence of ICE officers in Portland, Maine - Robert F. Bukaty/Copyright 2026 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. On Wednesday, Mr Trump insisted that his administration is only focused on the murderers and looking to get the criminals out. He suggested they were not focused on hard-working people like farm workers and hotel staff. We have a lot of heart, he said. Axios also reported that some Trump advisers were quietly discussing recalibrating the White Houses approach. He wants deportations. He wants mass deportations. What he doesnt want is what people are seeing. He doesnt like the way it looks. It looks bad, so hes expressed some discomfort at that, a top Trump adviser told the news site. Ella Sullivan, Liams teacher, described the child as very friendly and a bright young student. He comes into class every day, and he just brightens the room, she told the Post. His friends havent asked about him yet, but I know that theyll catch on. Liam Ramos, five, detained by ICE in Columbia Heights, Minnesota, outside of his home on Tuesday. Photograph: Courtesy of Columbia Heights Public Schools (Photograph: Courtesy of Columbia Heights Public Schools) US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) detained a five-year-old Minnesota boy on Tuesday as he returned home from school and transported him and his father to a Texas detention center, according to school officials. Liam Ramos, a preschooler, and his father were taken into custody while in their driveway, the superintendent of the school district in Columbia Heights, a Minneapolis suburb, said at a press conference on Wednesday. Liam, who had recently turned five, is one of four children in the school district who have been detained by federal immigration agents during the Trump administrations enforcement surge in the region over the last two weeks, the district said. Liam and his father had just arrived home when they were detained, according to Zena Stenvik, the superintendent, who said she drove to the home when she learned of the detentions. When she arrived, Stenvik said the fathers car was still running and the father and son had already been apprehended. An agent had taken Liam out of the car, led the boy to his front door and directed him to knock on the door asking to be let in, in order to see if anyone else was home essentially using a five-year-old as bait, the superintendent said in a statement. Stenvik said another adult living in the home was outside during the encounter and had pleaded to take care of Liam so the boy could avoid detention, but was denied. Liams older brother, a middle schooler, came home 20 minutes later to find his father and brother missing, Stenvik said. Two school principals from the district also arrived at the home to offer support. Marc Prokosch, an attorney representing the family, said the family had an active asylum case and shared paperwork showing the father and son had arrived to the US at a port of entry, meaning an official crossing point. The family did everything they were supposed to in accordance with how the rules have been set out, he said. They did not come here illegally. They are not criminals. He said there was no order of deportation against them and he believes the father and son have remained together in detention. School officials released two photos of the encounter, one showing Liam, in a blue knit hat, outside his front door with a masked agent by his side, and another showing Liam standing by a car with a man holding on to his backpack. Why detain a five-year-old? You cannot tell me that this child is going to be classified as a violent criminal, Stenvik said. Tricia McLaughlin, Department of Homeland Security assistant secretary, said in a statement on Wednesday night that ICE was conducting a targeted operation to arrest Liams father, who she called an illegal alien. ICE did NOT target a child, she said. McLaughlin also alleged the father fled on foot abandoning his child, saying, For the childs safety, one of our ICE officers remained with the child while the other officers apprehended [his father]. Parents are asked if they want to be removed with their children, or ICE will place the children with a safe person the parent designates, she added. The school district provided a statement from Liams teacher, who expressed shock over the boys detention: Liam is a bright young student. He is so kind and loving, and his classmates miss him. He comes into class every day and just brightens the room. All I want is for him to be back here and safe. The detention of a young child will have ripple effects, said Prokosch. Once his classmates learn the government took him away Im not qualified to talk about how much damage that is going to cause. Its not just the family, its the entire community and all of those kids who are now going to be facing secondary trauma. Also on Tuesday, a 17-year-old Columbia Heights student was taken by armed and masked agents without parents present, Stenvik said. That student was removed from their car, she said. In another case on 14 January, ICE agents pushed their way into an apartment and detained a 17-year-old high school girl and her mother, Stenvik said. And in a fourth case, on 6 January, a 10-year-old fourth-grade student was allegedly taken by ICE on her way to elementary school with her mother. The superintendent said the 10-year-old called her father during the arrests and said that ICE agents would bring her to school, but when the father arrived at the school, he discovered both his daughter and wife had been taken. By the end of that school day, the mother and daughter were in a detention center in Texas. Stenvik reported that as school officials were preparing for the press conference on Wednesday afternoon, an ICE vehicle drove on to the property of the districts high school and were told by administrators to leave. ICE agents have been roaming our neighborhoods, circling our schools, following our buses, coming into our parking lots and taking our kids, Stenvik said. Related: Pregnant woman in medical distress deported from US, says attorney The DHS did not respond to inquiries about the other arrests and the report of ICEs arrival on campus. In an interview after the press conference, the superintendent said the arrests and looming presence of ICE had taken an enormous toll on students, parents and school staff. Our children are traumatized. The sense of safety in our community and around our schools is shaken, Stenvik said. I can speak on behalf of all school staff when I say our hearts are shattered. After our fourth student was taken yesterday, I just thought someone has to hear the story. Theyre taking children. School officials said some families were choosing to stay home out of fear of ICE. Stenvik said school leaders were working to aid families affected by ICE. Our role is to educate children during the school day. But now were trying to help people navigate this legal system. She added: Our main priority is to keep children safe. Theyre children. They are not violent criminals. They are little kids. Rachel Leingang contributed reporting The Department of Homeland Security has complained its immigration agents are being prevented from taking bathroom breaks by hostile protesters. The DHS has sent around 3,000 ICE and Border Patrol agents to the state as part of Operation Metro Surge, causing protests to flare in Minneapolis, particularly after the fatal shooting of Renee Good, a 37-year-old mother-of-three, on a residential street on January 7. Today, Border Patrol agents who were in the Minneapolis-St Paul area as part of a targeted enforcement operation were repeatedly harassed and blocked by hostile crowds while simply trying to take bathroom breaks, the DHS wrote on X Wednesday. At each gas station where the agents stopped to use the restroom, groups of agitators appeared, yelled at them, stalked them, and even tried to prevent law enforcement vehicles from leaving, creating unsafe conditions. Federal immigration agents on the streets of Minneapolis as their operations continue (Reuters) At one stop, individuals in the crowd threw food at the agents, the statement continued. At their final gas station stop, someone spit on an agent. When an agent moved to detain the person who spit on him, the crowd tackled and attacked the agents while surrounding them. To safely clear the area agents had to use crowd control measures to disperse the hostile crowd. Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem was quick to accuse Good of stalking ICE officials in her Honda SUV and claimed she was intending to use her vehicle to commit an act of domestic terrorism when she was shot dead. Noem also leapt to the defense of Jonathan Ross, the ICE agent involved, by saying he had been in fear for his life and was injured in the confrontation. Her position was echoed by Trump and Vice President JD Vance, the latter speaking up angrily on Rosss behalf and berating the media over its coverage. A protester blows a whistle at U.S. Border Patrol agents in Minneapolis Wednesday (AFP/Getty) Vance is scheduled to visit the city Thursday on a trip that will reportedly include meetings with ICE personnel and a speech praising their efforts while condemning Minneapoliss sanctuary policies, which he claims restricts cooperation between state and federal authorities. Mayor Jacob Frey has demanded the governments forces get the f*** out of Minneapolis, Trump has threatened to invoke the Insurrection Act to restore order, and Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz has placed the National Guard on standby. Frey, Walz and Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison have meanwhile been subpoenaed by the Department of Justice as part of an investigation into accusations that local law enforcement have conspired to impede the governments operations. ICE has provoked further animosity on the ground since Goods death by shooting another person in the leg and by detaining a five-year-old boy. The protesters have also caused uproar among conservatives by demonstrating inside a St Paul church on Sunday, disrupting prayer services. Attorney General Pam Bondi announced earlier Thursday, prior to Vances visit, that two people Nekima Levy Armstrong and Chauntyll Louisa Allen have been arrested in connection with that episode. Irish stars Jessie Buckley and Paul Mescal are among the actors tipped to land Oscar nominations on Thursday. The duo are likely to receive nods for their performances in Hamnet, the big-screen adaptation of Maggie OFarrells award-winning novel about the family life of William Shakespeare and the death of his young son. Buckley is poised to be nominated for best actress for her turn as Shakespeares wife Agnes Hathaway historically known as Anne and is widely considered the frontrunner having already secured a string of trophies including the Golden Globe and Critics Choice award. Mescal is likely to get a supporting actor nod for his role as the Bard, while Chloe Zhao is expected to be recognised in the best director category. Zhao made history as the second woman and the first woman of colour to win the best director Oscar, for Nomadland in 2021. Hamnet is also tipped to be nominated for the best picture Oscar, but will face competition from One Battle After Another, Paul Thomas Andersons film starring Leonardo DiCaprio as a washed-up revolutionary on a mission to save his teenage daughter. DiCaprio and his co-stars Chase Infiniti, Benicio Del Toro, Sean Penn and Teyana Taylor are all thought to be in the running for acting nods, while Anderson is likely to receive a directing nomination. Leonardo DiCaprio is tipped to be nominated for One Battle After Another (Ian West/PA) (Ian West) DiCaprio is expected to compete for the best actor Oscar against Timothee Chalamet for his turn as an ambitious ping pong player in Marty Supreme, and Wagner Moura for his performance in Brazilian drama The Secret Agent. British-Nigerian actress Wunmi Mosaku could land a nod in the supporting actress category for her performance in Ryan Cooglers vampire drama Sinners. Radiohead star Jonny Greenwood could secure a nomination for his score for One Battle After Another. He was previously nominated for Phantom Thread and The Power Of The Dog. The Academy Awards will be hosted by Conan OBrien in Hollywood on March 15. The nominations will be announced by Danielle Brooks and Lewis Pullman at 1.30pm UK time on Thursday. Donald Trump labeled Jack Smith a deranged animal while the former special counsel who investigated the president testified publicly for the first time about his alleged attempts to overturn 2020 election results and his failure to stop a mob of his supporters trying to do so by force. In hours-long testimony to the House Judiciary Committee, a stoic Smith defended his federal criminal investigations while Republicans rehashed conspiracy theories and accused him of mounting a politically motivated assault. Smith told the hearing that Trumps insults and threats to throw him in jail are designed to intimidate him. I will not be intimidated, Smith said Thursday. I think these statements are also made as a warning to others if they also stand up. We followed the facts and we followed the law. That process resulted in proof beyond a reasonable doubt that he committed serious crimes. Im not going to pretend that didnt happen because he threatened me. The hearing follows the Trump administrations attempts to rewrite the narrative of the January 6 assault in the halls of Congress and his mass pardons for virtually every defendant charged in connection with the attack, including rioters who assaulted law enforcement. Some of those officers sat in the audience Thursday, brawled with far-right activists seated next to them and mocked Republicans who came to the presidents defense. The hearing also took place at a vulnerable moment for Smith, who Trump has repeatedly threatened to investigate and imprison. I believe they will do everything in their power to do that because theyve been ordered to by the president, the veteran prosecutor said. Former special counsel Jack Smith testified to the House Judiciary Committee January 22 in his first public remarks after two federal criminal investigations into Donald Trump (Getty Images) While Smith testified, Trump appeared to urge Attorney General Pam Bondi to prosecute him on his Truth Social. If he were a Republican, his license would be taken away from him, and far worse! Trump wrote. Hopefully the Attorney General is looking at what hes done, including some of the crooked and corrupt witnesses that he was attempting to use in his case against me. Trump called the investigations a Democrat SCAM and warned that a big price should be paid by them for what they have put our Country through! After the hearing, Trump accused Smith of perjury and said there is no question that he should be prosecuted. Smith feared Trump would obstruct investigations and threaten witnesses In testimony, Smith said he had great concerns about the presidents attempts to obstruct investigations and his targeting of witnesses, including election workers whose lives were turned upside down by Trump and his allies in the wake of the 2020 election. I had a duty to protect witnesses in this investigation, Smith said. That threat was only confirmed when we went forward in this case and Donald Trump suggested one witness should be put to death and issued a statement to the effect of, If you come after me Ill come after you. Smith said he considered that a direct threat. As Smith testified that Trump exploited the violence of January 6 after conspiring to overturn his election loss, the president called the former special counsel a deranged animal and suggested Attorney General Pam Bondi would investigate him (Getty Images) In his opening remarks, Smith said he would prosecute the president again today if provided with the same evidence. I stand by my decisions as special counsel, including my decision to bring charges against President Trump, he said in his opening statement. Our investigation developed proof beyond a reasonable doubt that President Trump engaged in criminal activity, he said. If asked whether to prosecute a former president based on the same facts today, I would do so regardless of whether that president was a Republican or a Democrat. No one should be above the law in our country and the law required that he be held to account. When it came to Trumps efforts to reverse his election loss, Donald Trump was not looking for honest answers, Smith said. He was looking for ways to stay in power, he said. When people told him things that conflicted him staying in power, he rejected them ... When individuals would say things that allowed him to stay in power, no matter how fantastical, he would latch on to them. Former Jan 6 cops spar with far-right activists and GOP members Former Metropolitan Police Department officer Michael Fanone and Capitol Police officers Aquilino Gonell and Harry Dunn sat behind Smith as he testified Thursday. Fanone wearing a T-shirt repping band the Dropkick Murphys with the slogan fighting Nazis since 1996 was dragged down the Capitol steps, beaten with pipes and threatened with his own gun as a mob surrounded him on January 6, 2021. Fanone suffered a heart attack after the riot. On Thursday, Dunn had to hold Fanone back as he confronted right-wing activist Ivan Raiklin, who amplified election conspiracy theories that fueled the mob. Later, when Republican Rep. Troy Nehls blamed Capitol leadership for the violence on January 6, Fanone coughed out f*** you loud enough for microphones in the room to pick it up. Former police officer Michael Fanone (right) sparred with far-right activist and election denier Ivan Raiklin (AFP via Getty Images) When a mob stormed the Capitol as lawmakers convened to certify election results, Trump caused what happened, according to Smiths testimony. Evidence determined that Trump exploited that violence, he said. Smith was the chief prosecutor for a war crimes tribunal investigating the Kosovo War at The Hague at the time of the January 6 attack. I was shocked. I was shocked by it, he responded, when asked by a Democratic lawmaker for his reaction to seeing footage of the mob. I was not frankly up to speed on the events leading up to it. Id just never seen anything like that happening in our country. Smith also appeared dumbfounded that Trump pardoned virtually everyone who participated. The people who assaulted police officers and were convicted after trial, in my view and I think in the view of the judges who sentenced them to prison, are dangers to the community, he said. I do not understand why you would mass pardon people who assaulted police officers. I dont get it, and I never will. Trump pardoned nearly 1,600 people charged in connection with the January 6 attack, including people who assaulted police officers, a move that Smith said he will never understand (AFP via Getty Images) Smith uncovered clear evidence before he was forced to close investigations Former Attorney General Merrick Garland appointed the veteran prosecutor to handle the investigations as an independent special counsel, following two federal grand jury indictments accusing the president of more than 40 crimes connected to his efforts to remain in power and withhold classified material at his Mar-a-Lago residence. A federal grand jury indictment in 2023 charged Trump with conspiracy and obstruction for his efforts to reverse his election loss and his failure to stop a mob of his supporters from breaking into the Capitol. Trump was separately charged with mishandling reams of classified documents hoarded inside his private Mar-a-Lago residence, and then obstructing attempts from federal authorities to get them back. House Judiciary Chair Jim Jordan, left, echoed Trump and Republican claims that Smith is part of a Democratic plot against president, while the committees top Democratic Rep. Jamie Raskin (right) said attacks against the former special counsel are revealing their own ignorance (REUTERS) In closed-door testimony last month, Smith defended the investigations and determined prosecutors were likely to secure convictions against the president should the two cases reach trial. Neither did. A Trump-appointed judge in Florida dismissed the classified documents case in 2024, arguing that Smith was unlawfully appointed. Weeks after Trump won the 2024 election, Smith filed the motions to dismiss both cases altogether, a decision that appeared inevitable. After months of delays, appeals and Supreme Court decisions that granted Trump broad immunity from criminal prosecution for potential crimes committed in office, the cases were ultimately upended by Trumps victory against Kamala Harris, throwing the courts and the Justice Department into unprecedented territory in which the special counsel determined he could not prosecute a sitting president. There had not been a case of this nature ever where someone was elected president with charges pending, Smith said. We consulted with the Office of Legal Counsel and determined pursuant to policy the cases needed to be dismissed. Smith delivered his final reports to Garland on January 7, days before Trumps inauguration, and then resigned from his position before Trump could fire him. The evidence made clear that President Trump was by a large measure the most culpable and most responsible person in this conspiracy, Smith said of the election interference case. These crimes were committed for his benefit, he said. The attack that happened at the Capitol, part of this case, does not happen without him. The other co-conspirators were doing this for his benefit. Stewart Rhodes, former leader of far-right military group the Oath Keepers, watched Smiths testimony January 22, nearly one year after Trump commuted his prison sentence on treason-related charges (AP) Court filings traced the history of Trumps bogus and ongoing narrative that the election was stolen and rigged against him as an attempt to cast doubt on the legitimacy of the election, despite knowing that his claims were false. Smith outlined Trumps increasingly desperate efforts to cling to power with knowingly false claims of election fraud, spelled out in hundreds of pages of evidence. Trump intentionally lied to voters, election officials, and his own vice president Mike Pence in what amounted to a criminal effort to stay in office, culminating in his failure to stop a mob that tried to do it with violence, according to Smith. The Justice Department released Smiths final report on Trumps alleged election subversion, but a second volume that details the Mar-a-Lago investigation remains sealed. A federal judge appointed by Trump will decide whether it can ever be released. The president has urged the court and the Justice Department against releasing the report, claiming it would improperly endorse and give legal effect to Smiths unlawful investigation and prosecution and irreparably harm Trump and his former co-defendants. Jane Fonda has offered pointed commentary about the current state of the U.S. under Donald Trump. The 9 to 5 actor, 88, appeared Wednesday night on The Late Show with Stephen Colbert, where she discussed the consequences of the presidents current polices. During the episode, Colbert asked her opinion on how Americans can protect their First Amendment rights under the Trump administration. If the government is not meeting the needs of its people, theres something wrong, right? Were seeing things happen that have never happened before. This isnt like it was in the 40s and 50s. Authoritarianism has made its way into every single nook and cranny of our government, she said. They are kidnapping people. They are legally deporting American citizens. Jane Fonda said during Wednesdays episode of The Late Show with Stephen Colbert that Americans need to form a community to protect their First Amendment rights (Getty) Fonda is known for her long-standing activism, including protesting against the Vietnam War and participating in the Civil Rights Movement (Getty) The veteran actor also referenced the fatal shooting of Renee Nicole Good by an ICE agent in Minneapolis earlier this month after her vehicle blocked a street during an active ICE operation. Department of Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem has claimed that officers were forced to open fire because Good had engaged in domestic terrorism. The incident has led to widespread protests across the country. Minneapolis, where they shot Ms. Goodthey are shooting people. They are blinding people, Fonda continued. All kinds of really, really bad things are happening. And its not a question of right or left. I dont care what party you belong to. Its a question of right or wrong. Right? I think lines are being crossed. And its enough. Weve had enough. Right? We are the land of the brave. Our loved ones fought and many died for these freedoms. We cant allow them to be taken away from us, because if we let them go, they wont be there later when we need them back. She explained that people need to band together in solidarity to protect their rights, adding that we have to not be alone. Fonda has been known for her activism for years, in addition to her long-standing acting career, as she notably participated in protests against the Vietnam War and was active in the Civil Rights Movement. Jane Fonda accepts the Lifetime Achievement gong at the 31st SAG Awards (Getty) She previously issued a dig at Trump at the 2025 SAG-AFTRA Awards, now rebranded as The Actor Awards. During her acceptance speech for the SAG-AFTRA Lifetime Achievement award, she did not mention the president by name, but she did shout out Sebastian Stan, who played the president in The Apprentice. Though you may hate the behavior of your character, you have to understand and empathize with the traumatized person youre playing, she said. Empathy is not weak or woke. And, by the way, woke just means you give a damn about other people, she said. A whole lot of people are going to be really hurt by what is happening, what is coming our way. And even if they are of different persuasion we need to call upon our empathy and listen with our hearts and welcome them into our tent. Because we are going to need a big tent to resist successfully what is coming at us. Fonda added: We are in our documentary moment. We mustn't for a moment kid ourselves about what is happeningWe must not isolate, we must stay in community, we must help the vulnerable. A former Washington, D.C. police officer who defended the Capitol from a mob of Donald Trumps supporters on January 6 had to be pulled away from a heated argument with a prominent election denier in the middle of Jack Smiths first-ever public testimony. Michael Fanone, an outspoken and heavily tattooed former officer with the citys Metropolitan Police Department, wore a Dropkick Murphys T-shirt with the slogan fighting Nazis since 1996 as he sat with other former police officers to watch Smiths testimony to the House Judiciary Committee. Those former officers had to hold back Fanone before things got physical with Ivan Raiklin, a far-right activist who was filming the interaction during a recess at Thursdays hearing. Fanone repeatedly told him go f*** yourself and called him a traitor to this f****** country before officers tried to pull him away. Raiklin, a Trump loyalist who named himself the secretary of retribution, was among key voices amplifying a bogus conspiracy theory urging then-Vice President Mike Pence to reject the results of the 2020 presidential election. Former Washington DC officer Michael Fanone, right, called far-right activist and election denier Ivan Raiklin a traitor during Jack Smiths testimony to the House Judiciary Committee January 22 (Getty Images) Fanone who was dragged down the Capitol steps, beaten with pipes, pepper sprayed and threatened with his own gun during a mobs assault in the halls of Congress on January 6, 2021 got a front row seat to the former special counsels testimony. There, Republican members of Congress accused Smith of joining a long-running Democratic conspiracy to undermine the president, whose false narrative of a stolen and rigged election fueled riots at the Capitol. More than 600 people were charged with assaulting, resisting or impeding law enforcement officers in connection with the attack, including nearly 200 defendants charged with using a deadly or dangerous weapon or causing serious bodily injury to an officer. Trump issued sweeping pardons for all of them on his first day in office. On Thursday, Republican Rep. Troy Nehls appeared to absolve Trump of any wrongdoing and blamed law enforcement failures that day on Capitol officials. At least 170 officers were injured in the riots, and four others later died by suicide. Fanone suffered a heart attack after he attack. According to the White House, which has adopted Trumps alternate history of the attack, Democratic leadership, not then-President Trump and administration officials, put peoples lives in danger, while Pence failed to dispute Joe Bidens victory in an act of cowardice and sabotage. In the audience, Fanone, who was flipping off Republican members during the hearing, coughed out go f*** yourself" loud enough for microphones in the room to hear. Fanone, who was among law enforcement officers beaten by Jan 6 rioters, said Raiklin had threatened his family (Getty Images) Raiklin introduced himself to Fanone during a recess in Thursdays hearing. Dude, dont pretend were not mortal enemies, Fanone said. Youre a traitor to this f****** country. Raiklin told him to contain your Tourettes syndrome. You threatened my family, and you threatened my wife, Fanone said. Why are you so spasmodic? asked Raiklin. Fanone challenged him to do something. Why should I? Im communicating with you, trying to calm you down, Raiklin said. Look at your face right now. I think you need to control yourself. F*** you, Im using a lot of restraint right now, said Fanone as former Capitol Police officer Harry Dunn tried to pull him away. See how many people are restraining you? Look at me, said Raiklin as another Capitol Police officer tried to get between them. Total control over my mind and body and Im dominating you. As Fanone was pulled away, he accused Raiklin of threatening his family and called him a sick bastard. After the hearing, Fanone wrote on Substack that when someone who made violent threats against your family walks up to you inside the Capitol smiling, filming, and trying to humiliate you restraint is the only thing preventing that moment from turning into something much worse. Raiklin, meanwhile, shared posts on X accusing Fanone of defamation and suggested he would sue the former officer. Irish actress Jessie Buckley has said she is honoured to be nominated in the Best Actress category for this years Oscars. The 36-year-old from Killarney has made the shortlist for her portrayal of Shakespeares wife Agnes Hathaway historically known as Anne in Hamnet. The film is an adaptation of Maggie OFarrells award-winning novel about the family life of the Bard and the death of his young son. Irish actor Paul Mescal starred in the film as William Shakespeare and was widely expected to be recognised in the supporting actor category. However, he did not receive a nomination on Thursday. Jessie Buckley spoke about receiving an Oscar nod for Hamnet (Sthanlee Mirador/PA) (Sthanlee Mirador) In an interview with the Hollywood Reporter, Buckley praised her co-star, and said: I think hes extraordinary in this film. I know Ive met a partner for life in doing this with him. I dont know what to say apart from he is, to me, my absolute. His artistry is something that will continue to grow and be a theme in so many different ways. Buckley added: I know what we created together is something thats so special to us, and I hold that so dearly in my heart, and theres no part of Agnes that exists without Paul. So, what is recognised belongs to him as much as him being recognised in his own category would. Buckley said that there is no part of her character that exists without co-star Paul Mescal (Corine Solberg/PA) (Corine Solberg) Speaking to the US magazine, Buckley also expressed her gratitude for her nomination, and said: Im so proud and honoured to be beside all those extraordinary women and to be there with Hamnet. Im delighted. The star is widely considered the frontrunner having already secured a string of trophies including the Golden Globe and Critics Choice award. US actress Elle Fanning is also among the stars who have reacted to their nomination, having taken to Instagram to express her shock and gratitude. The 27-year-old, who has been nominated for best supporting actress for her role in Norwegian film, Sentimental Value, posted a screenshot of herself crying while on a FaceTime call. She wrote: IS THIS REAL!?!?!?! IS THIS A DREAM!?!?!?! I cant catch my breath. I am in absolute shock. What an honour to have my first Academy Award nomination be for a film that acknowledges the power of moviemaking and family. My mum, grandma, sister, and aunt were here with me this morning to scream and hug and cry. Thank you, thank you, thank you. Fanning continued: To be amongst the beautiful women in this category is truly overwhelming. I was equally overjoyed to see our entire Sentimental Value family recognised. She said: I am filled with so much love. The whole house got nominated. Elle Fanning said she was in absolute shock after her nomination (Corine Solberg/PA) (Corine Solberg) In the post, Fanning named the members of the cast and crew who received Oscar nods, including Norwegian actress, Renate Reinsve, who was nominated for best actress in a leading role. She also named Stellan Skarsgard and Inga Ibsdotter Lilleaas, who were recognised for actor in a supporting role and actress in a supporting role, respectively. The star also named Olivier Bugge Coutte, who is up for the film editing Oscar, and writers Eskil Vogt and Joachim Trier, who received a nod for best original screenplay. Trier is also up in the directing category, and the film has been nominated for best international feature film. Irish actress Jessie Buckley has been nominated for an Oscar, while vampire drama Sinners has made history as the first film to score 16 nods. Buckley is recognised in the best actress category for her turn as Shakespeares wife Agnes Hathaway historically known as Anne in Hamnet. She is widely considered the frontrunner having already secured a string of trophies including the Golden Globe and Critics Choice award. The film is an adaptation of Maggie OFarrells award-winning novel about the family life of the Bard and the death of his young son. Buckley will compete against Rose Byrne for If I Had Legs Id Kick You, Kate Hudson for Song Sung Blue, Emma Stone for Bugonia, and Renate Reinsve for Sentimental Value. Jessie Buckley is considered a frontrunner for an Oscar (Sthanlee Mirador/PA) (Sthanlee Mirador) Sinners, Ryan Cooglers hit starring Michael B Jordan as twins, scored a record 16 nominations, beating the record of 14 nominations shared by All About Eve, Titanic and La La Land. British-Nigerian star Wunmi Mosaku is nominated for the best supporting actress Oscar for her performance in the movie, while Jordan is nominated in the leading actor category. Mosaku will compete against Elle Fanning and Inga Ibsdotter Lilleaas for Sentimental Value, Amy Madigan for Weapons and Teyana Taylor for One Battle After Another. Jordan will face off against frontrunner Timothee Chalamet for Marty Supreme, Leonardo DiCaprio for One Battle After Another, Ethan Hawke for Blue Moon and Wagner Moura for The Secret Agent. Sinners is also nominated for best picture, best director for Coogler and best supporting actor for London-born Delroy Lindo, as well as the Academys inaugural casting prize. The other directing nominees are Chloe Zhao for Hamnet, Josh Safdie for Marty Supreme, Joachim Trier for Sentimental Value and Paul Thomas Anderson for One Battle After Another. Wunmi Mosaku is nominated for her role in Sinners (PA) (Sthanlee Mirador) Zhao previously made history as the second woman and the first woman of colour to win the best director Oscar, for Nomadland in 2021. Radiohead star Jonny Greenwood is nominated for his score for One Battle After Another. He was previously nominated for Phantom Thread and The Power Of The Dog. Irish star Paul Mescal had been widely tipped to be nominated for an Oscar for his role in Hamnet but was missing from the supporting actor category. Benicio Del Toro and Sean Penn were both recognised in the category for One Battle After Another, alongside Jacob Elordi for Frankenstein, Stellan Skarsgard for Sentimental Value and Lindo for Sinners. Ariana Grande also missed out in the supporting actress category for her turn in Wicked: For Good. One Battle After Another, Andersons film about a former revolutionary on a mission to save his teenage daughter, scored 13 nominations, including best picture. The other best picture contenders are Bugonia, F1, Frankenstein, Hamnet, Sentimental Value, Sinners, Train Dreams, Marty Supreme and The Secret Agent. The Academy Awards will be hosted by Conan OBrien in Hollywood on March 15. The ceremony will air on ITV, ITVX, STV and STV Player in the UK. Jimmy Kimmel has ridiculed Donald Trump over his speech to world leaders in Switzerland, with a pointed jab at the First Lady. Trump discussed his efforts to takeover Greenland during a lengthy address to the World Economic Forum in Davos, Wednesday, referring to it as a big beautiful piece of ice. Kimmel took shots at the presidents performance in his opening monologue, joking that Trump wanted the Danish territory because the icy island reminded him of Melania. Greenland, Greenland, Greenland. He said: Greenland is not even land, its a big, beautiful block of ice, Kimmel joked. And, he should know: Hes been married to one of those for twenty years. Jimmy Kimmel said that Donald Trump was talking 'Donsense' at Davos (Jimmy Kimmel Live!) During Trumps address, he returned to his common theme of other nations needing to be grateful to the United States, particularly for its involvement in World War 2. We saved Greenland. We won it big, Trump said at the Davos event. Without us, right now youd all be speaking German anda little Japanese perhaps. Kimmel retorted: Does anyone want to guess what the predominant language in Switzerland is? Thats right, its German. They are speaking German. The comedian, who has a long standing rivalry with the president, described the speech as Donsense, and highlighted a number of errors Trump made. Trump seemingly confused Iceland and Greenland in his Davos speech (AFP/Getty) Buckle in, folks, were at Dementiacon 5, Kimmel laughed, pointing out that the president repeatedly pronounced Azerbaijan as Aber-baijan. The late-night show host also pointed out that Trump seemingly confused Greenland with Iceland and even offered the president a word of advice on the topic. Heres a tip to help you remember, Mr President, Greenland is covered in ice, and ICE-land is what youre turning Minneapolis into, Kimmel said, taking a swipe at the president flooding federal agents into the Minnesota city. Kimmel concluded his Wednesday night routine by pointing out that talk shows are once again facing threats from the FCC. Kimmel joked that Melania was a giant block of ice (AP) He shared a picture of one of the presidents Truth Social posts, in which Trump said that the federal agency could impose new rules on The View and Jimmy Kimmel Live! He shared this story about how his minions at the FCC are planning to make it difficult for shows like ours and The View to interview politicians they dont align with, Kimmel warned. For real, we are once again getting threatened by the FCC. I might need your help again, he added. Kimmel made headlines last year, after his show was abruptly suspended. The show was pulled after the Trump Administration took umbrage with a joke about the presidents mourning of Charlie Kirk, but was later put back on the air following a huge surge of support for Kimmel. SAN ANTONIO, Jan. 22, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- Quiddity Engineering is excited to announce that Ken Rogers, PE, CFM, has joined the firm as a Vice President in its fast-growing Public Infrastructure practice. With 25 years of experience performing complex drainage and roadway design plus delivering PS&E packages to clients across the State of Texas, Ken bolsters Quiddity's exceptional team of solutions-oriented professionals. Ken Rogers, PE, CFM As Vice President, Ken works out of the company's San Antonio office and will lead the development and expansion of Quiddity's Public Infrastructure practice in Texas. His work focuses on stormwater flood control, municipal street design, recreational shared-use paths, and major highway transportation projects, with an emphasis on serving the Texas Department of Transportation and other entities that prioritize multimodal transportation and safety initiatives. In addition to collaborating with multi-disciplinary design engineers, Ken's role includes management, marketing, stakeholder coordination and team performance, all while meeting and exceeding customer expectations. "For a long time, Ken has led his teams with innovation, quality, and an emphasis on safety," said Kevin Krahn, Quiddity's Chief Public Markets Officer. "He has proven to be proactive, highly proficient and technically excellent. We are thrilled to welcome and congratulate him on his new role at Quiddity." In his nearly three-decade-long career, Ken has proven himself to be adept at navigating constantly changing client needs and priorities. He has provided oversight and expertise while championing a culture of continuous improvement and uncompromising excellence for a wide variety of civil engineering projects. Ken has a B.S. degree in Construction Engineering from Texas Tech University and an M.S. in Civil Engineering from the University of Texas at San Antonio. He is a registered Professional Engineer and a Certified Floodplain Manager. Please congratulate and connect with Ken on LinkedIn or reach out to him via email ([email protected]) About Quiddity Engineering Quiddity is an Engineering News-Record Top 500 Design Firm providing innovative civil engineering solutions for public infrastructure and private development projects. Acclaimed as both a Top Workplace and Best Places to Work, Quiddity is a full-service civil engineering, planning, surveying and consulting firm with more than 700 employees in 11 offices across Texas and additional offices in Florida. Our team is organized around 12 services that support nearly 20 public and private market sectors. From wastewater treatment and highway design to multi-family housing and master-planned communities, we've been building community, inside and out, since 1976. For more information, visit https://quiddity.com. SOURCE Quiddity Engineering The report said judge-only trials were likely to be controversial and damage public confidence in the criminal justice system. Photograph: Leon Neal/Getty Images (Photograph: Leon Neal/Getty Images) David Lammys plans to introduce judge-only criminal trials in England and Wales will save less than 2% of time in crown courts, the Institute for Government (IFG) has said. In a report that casts doubt on the ability of the changes, which will slash the number of jury trials to achieve their goal of wiping out the courts backlog, the thinktank described the gains from judge-only trials as marginal. It said while the number of jury trials would fall by about 50%, there would probably be only a 7 to 10% reduction in total time taken in the courtroom as a result of the entire package of changes, with judge-only trials only contributing to a fraction of that. Cassia Rowland, who authored the report said: The governments proposed reforms to jury trials will not fix the problems in the crown court. The time savings from judge-only trials will be marginal at best, amounting to less than 2% of crown court time. Related: Slashing jury trials could clear courts backlog within a decade, says Lammy Hearing more trials in magistrates courts is a stronger proposal and would potentially save more time, but the government has yet to set out specific details of how it would do that and the estimates are highly uncertain. For a bigger and faster impact on the crown court backlog, the government should instead focus on how to drive up productivity across the criminal courts, investing in the workforce and technology required for the courts to operate more efficiently. The plans have already faced a significant backlash from the legal profession as well as dozens of Labour MPs and peers from across the upper chamber. The report said judge-only trials are likely to be highly controversial and to damage public confidence in the criminal justice system. Brian Levesons government-commissioned review recommended a single judge sitting with two people in a new bench division of the crown court but Lammy scrapped the lay element. The government said it had done its own impact assessment of the changes but would not publish it until the bill containing the proposals was ready. The IFG said that while the proposals would reduce demand on the crown court, in the number of cases and the total amount of time it takes to hear them, the reductions are not substantial for three reasons. It said a lot of court time is spent handling other types of cases and hearings and, second, that trials moving to the bench division or magistrates would be the least serious cases in the crown court, which on average only take half as long to hear as the most serious cases. Finally, while judge-only trials are estimated to be 20% quicker than jury trials, they would only account for about a quarter of crown court trials, and have an extremely marginal impact, according to the report. In contrast with the planned changes, improving productivity enjoys broad support across the sector and could begin much faster, said Rowland. She said the crown court was hearing almost 20% fewer hours per sitting day so far in 2025/26 than it was in 2016/17. If the crown court had got through an equivalent number of cases per day in 2024 as in 2016, the case backlog would have fallen by at least a few thousand cases. Instead, it grew by nearly 8,000 (10%), the report said. Mark Evans, the president of the Law Society of England and Wales, said: If the UK government is serious about tackling the appalling backlogs in the criminal courts, its focus must be on the investment and reforms that will make the most difference. A Ministry of Justice spokesperson said: We disagree with these numbers. Sir Brian Levesons independent review concluded reform could, conservatively, reduce case times by at least 20% and judges in Canada have said in practice it reduced case time by up to half. Victims are facing an unacceptably long wait for justice after years of delays in our courts. Thats why as this report says only a combination of bold reforms, record levels of investment and action to tackle inefficiencies across the system will get victims the swift justice they deserve. Justin Gaethje has claimed he is not earning $1 more despite the UFCs new broadcast deal with Paramount+, which is worth $7.7bn. On Saturday night, Gaethje will headline the first event of the UFCs Paramount+ era, fighting Paddy Pimblett for the interim lightweight title. Ahead of that bout at Las Vegass T-Mobile Arena, the UFCs long-criticised fighter pay has been a hot topic of discussion, with many fans hoping that it might increase. But that is not the case, according to Gaethje, who claimed at Wednesdays media day: I hear [UFC champion-turned commentator] Daniel Cormier saying everybody is going to get paid more on this card. Im not getting $1 more than I would have if this deal did not happen. Gaethje, 37, is known as one of the UFCs most-entertaining fighters, having produced and been on the wrong end of many all-time great knockouts. Yet he added that his post-fight bonuses have also not amounted to the kind of money that one would hope. To have 14 bonuses and not equal up to $1m is not right, said the American. Its not right. Justin Gaethje after his 2024 knockout loss to Max Holloway (Getty) It should be a lot more than that, and I should have had opportunities to do smarter things with my money, but I dont and I havent. In 2025, Gaethje threatened to retire from mixed martial arts if he did not get a title shot in his next fight. In December, it was announced that he would face Liverpools Pimblett for an interim version of the lightweight belt, while regular champion Ilia Topuria takes a short break from the sport. Gaethje previously held the interim title in 2020, failing to unify the belts against then-regular champion Khabib Nurmagomedov. He also came up short in an undisputed-title fight in 2022, losing to Charles Oliveira via submission the same way Khabib beat Gaethje. Many fans felt that Gaethje should not receive a title fight of any kind in his next bout, given his past opportunities and his somewhat disappointing recent form. Paddy Pimblett (left) during his stoppage win over Michael Chandler (Getty Images) The American outpointed Rafael Fiziev last time out, but that result in March 2025 followed a brutal loss to Max Holloway in his previous bout. Holloway, moving up from featherweight, dominated Gaethje before knocking him out in the final second of their 25-minute contest. Meanwhile, Pimblett is unbeaten in the UFC but fans have questioned the calibre of his opposition. In his most-recent fight, in April, the British star beat former MMA champion Michael Chandler by TKO, but the latter was 1-4 in his five previous outings. Still, Gaethje vs Pimblett is a fan-friendly match-up, and a victory for the latter should set up a grudge match with bitter rival Topuria. Sir Keir Starmer has been accused of denying democracy through the delays to local elections Sir Keir Starmer has cancelled elections for more than four million people. The Prime Minister was accused of behaving like a dictator after Steve Reed, the Local Government Secretary, announced he would postpone contests for 29 councils that were scheduled for May. Labour is relying on an obscure clause in the 2000 Local Government Act, which gives ministers the power to delay votes under exceptional circumstances. The Telegraph has launched a Campaign for Democracy, calling for ministers to be stripped of that power, which would mean Parliament would be allowed to vote on any delay to elections. The campaign has been backed by figures across the political spectrum, including Nigel Farage, who claimed the delays were the stuff of banana republics. In a post on X on Thursday, Mr Farage said: Only dictators cancel elections. Downing Street has defended the move, claiming that the elections would have created waste and confusion. The Prime Ministers official spokesman said the decisions were made due to operational needs of councils that had requested postponements, rather than politics. Ministers have insisted that some local elections need to be delayed to allow for a reorganisation of local government.. 02:39pm Thanks for joining Thank you for joining The Telegraphs coverage of Labours announcement that 29 local elections will be postponed this May. You can follow all the latest from our team in Westminster here 02:19pm Mapped: Where local elections have been cancelled 01:59pm Lib Dems accuse Labour of blatant stitch-up The Liberal Democrats accused Labour of a blatant stitch-up and said Sir Keir Starmer was running scared of voters. Sir Ed Davey, the Liberal Democrat leader, said: Labour are running scared of the electorate and denying millions of people a voice at Mays local elections. This blatant stitchup will allow some councillors to cling on to power for up to seven years without facing the voters. Ministers shouldnt just be able to delay democracy at the stroke of a pen, we need a change in the law so MPs can vote on any future election delays and hold the government to account. 01:55pm Farage: Starmer denying democracy through delays Nigel Farage accused Sir Keir Starmer of denying democracy after the postponement of 29 council elections. The Reform UK leader said: Today, Keir Starmer has colluded with Labour and Tory councils to cancel council elections on May 7. Millions of peoples right to vote has been taken away. Reform UK are fighting this denial of democracy in the High Court. 01:37pm From Prescott to Rayner, how Labour weaponised obscure clause to dodge democracy When the late John Prescott introduced the Local Government Act, he promised to bring decision-making closer to the people. A quarter of a century on, his Labour successors have used it to deny the people any chance of making decisions at all. An obscure clause within the 2000 act, intended for use in extreme circumstances, gave secretaries of state the power to delay local elections. It was deployed, for example, when the Covid pandemic swept through Britain at the start of this decade. But what Prescott may not have envisioned was that a future Labour government would weaponise his act to put off elections they feared they were going to lose. Read the full analysis here 01:25pm Farage: Only dictators cancel elections This from the Reform UK leader: 01:03pm Its undemocratic: Why the Speakers constituency is in uproar over cancelled elections No matter how diabolical or ineffective a council might seem, some comfort can be found in the democratic process every four years, local elections offer the voting public an opportunity to make their voices heard. In 2026, though, that opportunity is no longer a given. In what has been called an assault on democracy, more than a third of eligible councils in England are set to postpone ballots scheduled for May. The delays stem from Labours plans to overhaul local government through devolution and council mergers, with ministers arguing that elections should wait until new authorities are established a justification that conveniently sidelines voters in largely Labour-run areas. Critics say the postponements will benefit incumbents under threat from insurgent parties, particularly Reform UK and the Greens. Abigail Buchanan, Ben East and Natasha Leake have more here 12:46pm Downing Street defends election delays b' ' Downing Street has defended delaying 29 council elections, saying it would have created waste and confusion if they had gone ahead. The Prime Ministers official spokesman said the decisions were made because of operational needs rather than politics. Asked why the Government was denying the rights of almost four million voters, the spokesman said: Postponements have only been granted by local leaders provided sufficient evidence that an election would hold back vital reforms we are delivering to make local government more accountable and more efficient. This approach is a clear precedent and ensures decisions are made on operational needs and not politics, respecting local judgments and listening to local leaders as we pledged we would. The spokesman added: As we set out previously, our once in a generation reforms will scrap wasteful two-tier councils, bring services under one roof, cut duplication and streamline councils so that more time and money can be spent on things that people actually want: caring for old people, fixing potholes, creating great places to live and work. Running short-term elections for councils that are soon to be abolished would simply create waste and confusion, diverting capacity away from the work needed to deliver these essential reforms. 12:42pm Labour council leader loses job in rebellion over cancelled vote A Labour council leader has become the first to lose his job after a rebellion over his plans to delay elections. Chris Watkins lost a vote of no confidence as leader of Nuneaton and Bedworth borough council on Wednesday evening, by 19 votes to 18. His deputy, Councillor Steve Hey, has replaced him as leader. Chris Watkins suffered a vote of no confidence after an extraordinary meetng Mr Watkins, who will remain as a councillor, had written to the Government earlier this month. He said that holding a local election in May would not be a prudent use of resources. He said that he had discussed the issue at a full meeting of his Labour group and it was decided they would ask for a postponement. Steve Reed, the Local Government Secretary, confirmed this lunchtime that there will be no delay in Nuneaton and Bedworth. Fiona Parker has the full story here 12:39pm Chorley faces delay despite wrath of Speaker b' ' Local elections will be delayed in Chorley, the constituency of the Commons Speaker Sir Lindsay Hoyle, despite his opposition to the move. The Government confirmed that one local authority for which elections will be postponed is Chorley Borough Council. This comes despite Sir Lindsay declaring that he did not believe in cancelling elections in a leaked email to a councillor that emerged earlier this week. 12:34pm Full list of councils where elections will be postponed b' ' County councils in West Sussex, East Sussex, Suffolk and Norfolk will have their local elections postponed. Elections in the cities of Lincoln, Exeter, Norwich and Preston will also be delayed, as well as in large towns such as Basildon, Hastings, Stevenage and Thurrock. The Department of Housing, Communities and Local Government has released the full list of areas where voters will no longer be going to the ballot box in May. The full list of councils where legislation will be brought forward to postpone local elections is: Adur, Basildon, Blackburn, Burnley, Cannock Chase, Cheltenham, Chorley, City of Lincoln, Crawley, East Sussex, Exeter, Harlow, Hastings, Hyndburn, Ipswich, Norfolk, Norwich, Peterborough, Preston, Redditch, Rugby, Stevenage, Suffolk, Tamworth, Thurrock, Welwyn Hatfield, West Lancashire, West Sussex and Worthing. 12:31pm Jenrick: Local election delays almost certainly illegal Robert Jenrick, now an MP for Reform UK after his defection last week, claimed Steve Reeds delays to local elections were almost certainly illegally He said: Firstly would the Secretary of State stop saying this is a locally-led process? The power rests solely with him and each of these decisions is his decision and his decision alone. Secondly, the real question here is why to delay for a second year? When I was secretary of state the legal advice that I received, including from Sir James Eadie, the Governments chief legal adviser, was that it was not legally sustainable to delay for a second year. Hence, we didnt, even during Covid we kept the elections going... Protesters seen earlier this month in Redditch, where a delay to the local election has now been confirmed - Andrew Fox What the Secretary of State is doing is almost certainly illegal. If he is so confident of his position, publish his legal advice, and publish the legal advice that I received and the prime minister when we decided not to delay for a second year. Then we might be able to have faith in what hes doing. Mr Reed responded: He was of course the secretary of state who failed to act in eliminating the waste that came from duplication and allowed this two-tier system, with millions and millions of pounds of taxpayers money wasted on duplicate councillors, duplicate chief executives, duplicate finance directors, instead of ploughing that money into front-line services. 12:26pm Tory MP: I actually support push towards unitary councils Martin Vickers, a Tory MP and former councillor, said he actually supports the Governments move to unitary authorities. He said: When he reviews the two-tier area in the Lincolnshire county council area, can he give an assurance that he will leave the two unitaries that already exist exactly as the are? Steve Reed, the Local Government Secretary, said he had been impressed by the work of one of those councils with no prejudice to any eventual decision. 12:24pm Reed accuses Jenrick of hypocrisy over delays Richard Tice, Reform UKs deputy leader, told Steve Reed: A year ago, the then deputy prime minister assured us and promised us that none of the then delays would be for more than a year. And yet five of the current 29 that are going to be delayed are from last year. And 21 of the 29 are Labour-controlled councils. The Secretary of State is aware that we have a judicial review that is due to be heard in February. And I obviously dont want him to comment on the case. But can he confirm that, as the Government believes in the rules-based order, that this Government will adhere to and comply with the rulings of the judge? Mr Reed replied: He knows full well that I cant comment on legal proceedings. It would be entirely inappropriate. But I think the best response to his question would be to quote the new sheriff in town [Robert Jenrick] whos sitting directly in front of him who took exactly the same decision in exactly the same circumstances. And this is a direct quote from him. Elections in such circumstances risk confusing voters and would be hard to justify where members could be elected to serve shortened terms. For once, he got it absolutely right. 12:22pm Labour MP: My council doesnt seem to be listening on reorganisation Michael Payne, the Labour MP for Gedling, pointed to very clear guidance issued last February which said council leaders should ensure wider engagement with MPs, residents, workers and businesses on local government reforms and any delays to local elections. He said: My constituents are concerned that the proposal by Nottinghamshire City Council for reorganisation in Nottinghamshire fails to meet this test. Can the Secretary of State give me and my constituents in Gedling assurance that his department will firmly apply the guidance that he set on Feb 6, 2025? Steve Reed, the Local Government Secretary, replied: Yes, we will be applying the guidance that we have set and of course we will listen to all representations about proposals for reorganisation, including his own about Nottinghamshire. 12:14pm Labour MP urges Reed to fast-track council reforms Chris Curtis, the Labour MP for Milton Keynes, urged Steve Reed to fast-track reforms to combined local authorities. He said: Will the department look at the fast-track programme for the combined authorities, and look at whether its worth, given those delays, adding on those areas that dont face the reorganisation challenges, such as Bedfordshire and Milton Keynes? Mr Reed replied: This is of course the biggest reorganisation in a generation and it is very important that it is delivered with as much speed as we can possibly muster. 12:11pm Im disappointed by these delays, senior Labour MP tells Reed A senior Labour MP said it was disappointing Steve Reed had signed off on delaying more than two dozen local elections. Florence Eshalomi, the chair of the housing, communities and local government committee, said: The Secretary of State did reassure my select committee back in November that these elections would go ahead, so I think it will be disappointing for residents living in those areas who will see those elections being postponed. Ms Eshalomi added: I agree with the Secretary of State that we do need to respond to local leaders, especially where they have valid concerns about the process of reorganisations... But our councils should not have to face having to choose between front-line services and elections. Democracy is not an inefficiency that should be cut out, and every council should have the resources to run local elections. Mr Reed claimed that he had imposed nothing, adding: Im merely responding to the representations I received and most councils will go ahead. He added that it was not appropriate or possible for him to comment on a legal challenge brought by Reform UK against the delays. 12:08pm Reed accuses Cleverly of hypocrisy Steve Reed told James Cleverly: I have to say the Right Honourable gentlemans case would be much stronger and sound less self-righteous if he hadnt done exactly the same thing for exactly the same reasons when he was in government. Only unlike him, when he was in government, I have imposed nothing. This is a locally-led approach. He added: He seems to think hes become a Lib Dem, hes meant to have consistency in what he believes ... I would respectfully suggest to him that his argument is with those Conservative councils and leaders who have requested postponement so that they can get on and deliver reorganisation that will benefit their residents, that hes now trying to block for political reasons. 12:06pm Cleverly: Labour putting councils in an impossible position Sir James Cleverly said Steve Reed did not have the courage of his convictions. The shadow local government secretary said: In his statement, he plays heavily on what he claims is a wasteful system. He said publicly that he thinks that these elections are, and I quote, pointless. So it is clear what he thinks, it is clear what he wants. He wants to cancel all these elections, so why does he not simply say so? Why did he not have the courage of his convictions? Why did he write to councils asking them to ask him to cancel the elections? Sir James added: He wants to shift the blame. He wants to say I didnt make them do it. He wants a political gotcha. He is putting councils in an impossible position. 12:05pm Tories accuse Labour of cowardice over delays Sir James Cleverly accused Steve Reed of cowardice by delaying 29 local elections that were due to be held on May 7. He said: This Government has moved seamlessly from arrogance to incompetence and now cowardice. Some 3.7 million people are being denied the right to vote. It was the Government who rushed through a huge programme of local government reorganisation, imposing new structures and timetables, and it is the Government who is failing to deliver them. Rather than take responsibility for his own failure, the Secretary of State has chosen to dump the consequences of his own incompetence onto the laps of local councils. 12:03pm I have listened to the public, insists Cabinet minister Steve Reed concluded: Now, to those who say weve cancelled all the elections, we havent. To those who say its all Labour councils, it isnt. Ive asked, Ive listened and Ive acted. No messing about, no playing politics, just getting on with the job of making politics work better for local people. 12:02pm Reed: Tories delayed elections as well Steve Reed said the Conservatives delayed a handful of local elections during their time in government. He told Sir James Cleverly, his opposite number: I am not the first Secretary of State to seek to delay elections to speed up essential reorganisation. The shadow secretary of state suggested on Tuesday that the previous government had not done the same thing. But perhaps he has forgotten the postponements in Weymouth and Portland in 2018, or Aylesbury, Chiltern, South Buckinghamshire and Wycombe in 2019, or Cumbria, North Yorkshire and Somerset in 2021. Sir Lindsay Hoyle, the Commons Speaker, interrupted Mr Reed to urge Robert Jenrick, now the Reform UK MP for Newark, to calm down. 12:00pm Steve Reed postpones 29 local elections Steve Reed, the Local Government Secretary, confirmed 29 local elections will be postponed this spring. I have carefully assessed over 350 representations from those councils with elections scheduled in May and others who are interested in the outcome. I have carefully considered arguments made about capacity, reorganisation and democracy and Im grateful to everyone who took the time to express their views. I can now confirm my decisions to the House. I have decided to bring forward legislation to bring forward 29 elections ... I have received one further representation this morning. In all other areas council elections will go ahead as planned. Mr Reed said that out of 136 scheduled local elections, the vast majority will go ahead as planned. 11:58am Election delays will benefit local people, claims Reed Steve Reed said: The previous government sat back and ignored this problem. This Government will not and that is why we are committed to the most ambitious local government reorganisation in a generation. My priority is cutting out this waste so we can invest more in the front-line services that residents care about. And that means moving as quickly as possible to the new streamlined, single-tier councils that can make that happen. Ive asked councils to tell me where holding elections this year for positions that will rapidly be abolished would slow down making these vital reforms that will benefit local people. And I have listened to what councils told me. 11:56am Steve Reed: We must end two-tier council systems Steve Reed told MPs: This Government was elected on a promise to repair the broken foundations of local government. In 2024 councils were on the brink financially, while a third of the country was left paying for the wasteful duplication of two tiers of councils for their area. This cannot be acceptable after years of underfunding have led to a crisis in social care, decline in our town centres, and rubbish piling up on our streets. Visible failure that contributes to decline in trust, failure caused by Tory austerity and 14 years of economic mismanagement. This Government will not stand by and let that decline continue. We cant just snap our fingers and reverse the last 14 years overnight but we can act now to get to a better future. Mr Reed said: We need to eliminate the financial waste of two-tier councils so we can plough the service back into the front-line services people care about the most. 11:45am The failing Labour council leaders trying to put off an election Basildons lead councillor has a string of controversies trailing behind him involving bullying claims, abandoned policies and alleged mishandling of funds. Unsurprisingly, the Essex-based council is also one of the key areas pushing to delay its May local elections, supposedly for reasons of stability and capacity. But one thing we have learnt by now is that politicians are rarely so altruistic. Like Basildon, many of the councils asking for a postponement are the ones with lead councillors whose histories raise awkward questions or who dont appear to have the experience or the ability to do an important job well. Its why The Telegraph has launched a Campaign for Democracy to stop councils requesting a postponement if they claim that a vote while restructuring is too expensive or too difficult to organise. Melissa Twigg and Emily Smith have more here 11:38am Reed coming up in the Commons We are coming to the end of business questions with Sir Alan Campbell, the Leader of the Commons. After this, Steve Reed, the Local Government Secretary, will give a statement on local election delays before taking questions from MPs. Slight delays to the expected timings of ministerial statements are not unusual in the Commons, which can often run a few minutes late. 11:24am Reform to challenge Labours delays in the courts Earlier this week, Reform was given the legal go-ahead to challenge Labours election delays. In a ruling at the High Court, Mr Justice Chamberlain cleared the way for Mr Farages party to proceed with the next stage of a legal case against the Government. The legal challenge was brought earlier this month by Reform UK against the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government. Zia Yusuf, Reforms head of policy, and Nigel Farage have objected to the cancelled elections - Yui Mok The Telegraph understands there will now be a full hearing on the issue on Feb 19 and Feb 20. Zia Yusuf, Reforms head of policy, welcomed the news, saying: Reform will defend democracy against this authoritarian government and its Tory enablers. Let the people vote. 11:22am Sir Lindsay Hoyle: Local elections should go ahead The Speaker of the House of Commons said this week that he wants Mays local elections to go ahead, saying I do not believe in cancelling elections. Sir Lindsay Hoyles comments, contained in a leaked email to a councillor, make him the most senior figure in Parliament to oppose Labours plan to approve delays. Twenty-eight councils have applied to postpone the elections, scheduled for May, with 22 of them run by Labour. Steve Reed, the Communities Secretary, has opened the door to allowing postponements, claiming that they are necessary because councils face major restructuring. You can read the full story here 11:20am Telegraph has launched Campaign for Democracy The Telegraph has launched a Campaign for Democracy to stop councils requesting a postponement if they claim that a vote while restructuring is too expensive or too difficult to organise. The Government asked 63 councils if they wanted to delay elections this year in light of a local authority reorganisation that ministers suggested might drain their resources and make running a poll too onerous. A total of 20 have confirmed they will delay, 15 of which are Labour. The decision means 2.8 million people will be denied a vote in May. 11:18am Steve Reed to set out election delays Good morning. Dominic Penna here, The Telegraphs Senior Political Correspondent, guiding you what is likely to be a lively hour in the House of Commons. The Labour Government will shortly confirm which local elections will be delayed from this May. Four million people are expected to be denied the vote in Mays local elections in what has been branded a disgraceful attack on democracy. Steve Reed, the Local Government Secretary, will address MPs at 11.30am to give a statement on which elections have been cancelled. Mr Reed and Sir Keir Starmer are relying on an obscure clause in the 2000 Local Government Act, which gives ministers the power to delay votes if there are exceptional circumstances. The Telegraph has launched a Campaign for Democracy that calls for the rule to be scrapped and forces ministers to seek a full vote in Parliament for any delay to votes. Three killed in shooting in Lake Cargelligo, Australia (9News) At least three people have been killed, and a man wounded, in a shooting in a rural Australian town on Thursday, with reports that the shooter was still at large, the police said. Three people two women and a man were dead, while another man was taken to the hospital in a serious but stable condition, the New South Wales (NSW) police said. Residents of Lake Cargelligo, a small town of around 1,500 people west of Sydney, were urged to stay indoors and avoid the area where the shooting took place. Assistant commissioner Andrew Holland said the police have identified an offender, who is still at large. We have a large search in the area underway, he told reporters. The shooter, who has an apprehended violence order (AVO) against them, fled the scene in a council-owned vehicle, the local 7News reported. The AVO prohibits a person from threatening, intimidating, harassing, stalking, assaulting, or damaging the property of a person in need of protection. The Sydney Morning Herald newspaper reported that a gunman was believed to be holed up in the town with a long-arm weapon. The emergency services were called to the area at about 4.40pm local time following reports of a shooting. The public is urged to avoid the area and for local residents to stay inside, the NSW police said. Three shot dead in Australia's Lake Cargelligo (The Independent) A crime scene has been established, and an investigation into the circumstances of the incident has commenced, they said in a statement. A tactical operations unit armed with high-power weapons was on their way from Sydney to contain the threat, according to local media. Manisha, a local resident who did not want to give her family name, told Sydneys The Daily Telegraph that there were police cars and ambulances all over town. The town is made of just two main streets. We can hear the sounds of sirens, she told the newspaper. Lake Cargelligo is located in the centre of NSW, about 240km south-west of Dubbo City. According to the SMH, the incident was being treated as a suspected domestic violence attack, and not as an act of terror. A police spokesperson reiterated to ABC that people in the town should stay inside. We will be throwing everything at it that is available. Mr Holland has said that upon arrival, police located a male and female deceased in a vehicle, and a short time later, a second report of shots fired was made. Upon arriving at the second scene, police discovered another male and female with gunshot wounds, he said. He added: Any death in a small country town is confronting, but again, a scene where you have people shot by firearms is obviously going to make people very, very tense and very, very concerned. Im sure they'll be looked after by police, and well be caring for their welfare in the future. What I will say is that it's a tragedy that has taken place in a very small town that will have a big effect on the community. Roy Butler, the MP for Barwon, said in a social media post that he had learned the tragic news just moments after getting off a plane. Its a terrible situation, and its still live, so we dont have much information. My thoughts are with the victims and their families, he said. The shooting occurred as Australia observed a National Day of Mourning for the 15 people shot dead at Sydneys Bondi Beach during a Hanukkah celebration on 14 December. Prime minister Anthony Albanese said on Thursday he was profoundly sorry for his failure to prevent the Bondi Beach mass shooting. Addressing the families of the victims, he said: You came to celebrate a festival of light and freedom and you left with the violence of hatred. I am deeply and profoundly sorry that we could not protect your loved ones from this evil. Australia on Tuesday passed a new law to enable a national gun buyback and tighten background checks for firearm licences in response to the shooting. NSW, which has the most guns of any state in the country, has also passed laws to limit individuals to possession of four guns and mandate gun club membership for licence holders. The Legally Blonde prequel series, titled Elle, is set premiere this summer and has already been confirmed for a second season. The Prime Video series will follow Elle Woods, the main character of the 2001 cult classic Legally Blonde, during her high school years, before the events of the hit film took place. Although the highly anticipated series will air on July 1, the streaming service announced a second season has already been commissioned. The new series will star Lexi Minetree as Elle Woods (Prime Video/PA) Legally Blonde is based on the novel of the same name, and stars US actress Reese Witherspoon as pink-obsessed sorority girl Elle Woods, who enrols into Harvard Law to win back her ex-boyfriend, who dumped her to attend the same school. Elle is said to follow the character in high school, as viewers learn about the life experiences that shaped her into the young woman from the first Legally Blonde film. The series will see actress Lexi Minetree take on the role of the sorority girl, with her parents Eva and Wyatt played by comedian June Diane Raphael and That Thing You Do! star Tom Everett Scott, respectively. Witherspoon, 49, is revisiting the pop culture classic, as her production company Hello Sunshine has teamed up with Amazon MGM Studios for the remake. Reese Witherspoons production company is behind the remake (Ian West/PA) (Ian West) She said: Twenty-five years after the world met Elle Woods for the first time, its a dream come true to share the story of how she became the unstoppable force we all fell in love with. Discovering Lexi Minetree and watching her step into Elles fabulous shoes has been one of the most gratifying experiences of my career. Elle will also star Zombies franchise actress Chandler Kinney, as well as Gabrielle Policano, Jacob Moskovitz and Zac Looker. Dawsons Creek star James Van Der Beek, US actor and chef David Burtka, and Screen Actors Guild award nominee Amy Pietz are among the guest stars who have been named. Witherspoon starred in the Legally Blonde film franchise (Ian West/PA) (Ian West) Legally Blonde starring Witherspoon, Matthew Davis, Luke Wilson, Jennifer Coolidge and Selma Blair became a pop culture classic after its release. The majority of the cast returned for the 2003 sequel Legally Blonde 2: Red, White & Blonde where postgraduate Elle travels to Washington DC with the intention of persuading politicians to ban animal testing. Elle will be available to watch on Prime Video from July 1. Actress Liz Hurley was devastated by the allegation that her home landlines had been tapped, the trial in her legal action against the publisher of the Daily Mail has been told. Hurley is one of seven people, including the Duke of Sussex, Sir Elton John, Baroness Doreen Lawrence and Sir Simon Hughes, suing the publisher over allegations of unlawful information gathering (UIG). Harry returned to the Royal Courts of Justice in London on Thursday morning, a day after giving his evidence, before leaving the building shortly before 12.45pm. Associated Newspapers Limited (ANL) strongly denies wrongdoing and is defending the claims. The Duke of Sussex arrives at the Royal Courts of Justice (Aaron Chown/PA) (Aaron Chown) On Thursday, actress Liz Hurley, accompanied by her son, Damian, attended court to give evidence. The alleged unlawful information gathering in Hurleys case relates to 15 articles between 2002 and 2011. In her witness statement, she said the allegation that her home landlines had been tapped devastated her. She said in her written evidence: The Mails unlawful acts against me involve landline tapping my phones and recording my live telephone conversations, placing surreptitious mics on my home windows, stealing my medical information when I was pregnant with Damian and other monstrous, staggering things. Hurley continued: Above all, it was the discovery that The Mail had tapped the landlines of my home phones and tape recorded my live telephone conversations that devastated me. I had not come across this brutal invasion of privacy in either of my two battles with the other newspapers. I felt crushed. It represented the ultimate violation of privacy. She added: Theres a vast difference both indefensible between someone intercepting a voicemail and someone listening in on every single phone call in your home and concealing a tape recorder and attaching it to your home BT wire to record your live telephone conversations. I was seething when I discovered the Mail did this to me. Elizabeth Hurley and her son Damian Hurley at the Royal Courts Of Justice (Jeff Moore/PA) (Jeff Moore) Wearing a deep green, knitted dress, Hurley became visibly upset in the witness box, crying on several occasions as she was taken through a number of news articles. Giving evidence, she said she did not complain about the articles at the time, because from what she remembered, complaints were for libel. She added: They (the articles) were in essence true. I believe that is because people were listening to me speak. Hurley said: There were so many deeply hurtful and damaging articles about me in the media. It became just a business of unpleasantness. Hurley also told the court that sometimes she would worry if she had said something too loudly, but there were microphones on the windowsill of my dining room I was being listened to. Hurley said: Yes, there were leaks, but they were not from my friends. In written submissions for the trial, Antony White KC, for ANL, said the allegations of UIG by Associateds journalists, including of phone hacking and phone tapping, in connection with Ms Hurley or her 10 named associates are unsupported by the evidence before the court. He added: Not only are they entirely baseless but, as with the other claimants claims, they are borne of an attempt by members of the claimants research team, adopted by Ms Hurley and her legal representatives, to present a case of UIG against Associated based entirely on spurious and, or, discredited information. During his trial opening, Mr White said that the claims against the publisher were threadbare and had been brought too late. He continued that journalists at the organisation provide a compelling account of a pattern of legitimate sourcing of the more than 50 articles that are alleged to be the products of unlawful information gathering, including from the leaky social circles of the celebrities friends. Damian Hurley, who was sitting next to Harry, sat in court as his mother gave evidence. The trial before Mr Justice Nicklin is due to conclude in March with a decision expected in writing at a later date. Actress and model Liz Hurley has told the High Court that everyones privacy is being invaded, as she gave evidence at the trial in her legal action against the publisher of the Daily Mail. She took to the witness box at the Royal Courts of Justice on Thursday, watched on by the Duke of Sussex who attended court the day after giving evidence, but left the building shortly before 12.45pm. The pair, and five others, are suing Associated Newspapers Limited (ANL) over allegations of unlawful information gathering (UIG). ANL strongly denies wrongdoing and is defending the claims. Liz Hurley wiped away tears while giving evidence (Elizabeth Cook/PA) (Elizabeth Cook) The alleged unlawful information gathering in Hurleys case relates to 15 articles between 2002 and 2011. During an emotional morning in the witness box, during which she cried on several occasions, Hurley explained she had hoped her son, Damian, would never have to see some of the articles written about her, and his birth. She said: I felt really mortified that my son would be able to read all this stuff one day, and I feel really bad that that day is today when all this stuff is being regurgitated again. Yet again, everyones privacy is being invaded in this terrible way, and I feel very helpless about that. Hurley also told the court she used to think of the British press as the best in the world, and to some extent, still does. She added there were just some rotten eggs. Hurley said: I dont have a vendetta against the British press. I dont have a vendetta or hatred of Associated at all, I just feel some bad things went on with some bad people. In her witness statement, she said the allegation that her home landlines had been tapped devastated her. The Duke of Sussex watched on while Liz Hurley gave evidence, but left the Royal Courts of Justice at lunchtime (Jordan Pettitt/PA) (Jordan Pettitt) She said in her written evidence: The Mails unlawful acts against me involve landline tapping my phones and recording my live telephone conversations, placing surreptitious mics on my home windows, stealing my medical information when I was pregnant with Damian, and other monstrous, staggering things. Hurley continued: Above all, it was the discovery that The Mail had tapped the landlines of my home phones and tape recorded my live telephone conversations that devastated me. I had not come across this brutal invasion of privacy in either of my two battles with the other newspapers. I felt crushed. It represented the ultimate violation of privacy. She added: I was seething when I discovered The Mail did this to me. Hurley also said: There is a huge misconception about me and probably about anybody who lives their life in the public eye. I am not asking for sympathy, certainly not. She continued: The person the world sees is different from the person I choose to keep private, for just my family and friends. David Sherborne, who is representing the group that is bringing the claim against ANL, asked Hurley at the end of her evidence how she felt about having to come to court as a result of Associated denying the claims. Liz Hurleys son Damian joined her in court (Jeff Moore/PA) (Jeff Moore) She said: With all due respect, I dont really want to be here, didnt want to come. I find it intimidating. I find it quite traumatic. I dont really like talking about things that happened to me in the past. Choking up, she added: I find it very painful. Antony White KC, for ANL, asked Hurley during her evidence about her communications with ex-boyfriend and friend, actor Hugh Grant, relating to his work with media campaign group Hacked Off. ANL suggests that by at least July 2013 onwards, Hacked Off began to investigate and develop potential claims against the publisher. In his written submissions, Mr White said: By September 2013 Hugh Grant, who is a very close friend and associate of Ms Hurley, had become involved, and he provided funding for the investigation, Ms Hurley donated the damages she was awarded in her claim against Mirror Group Newspapers (MGN) to Hacked Off in 2016 something she was unlikely to have done without an understanding of what the organisation was working on. Ms Hurley told the court: They admitted to hacking me, and I was awarded 350,000, and it was a huge gift to Hacked Off. Mr White said: I am going to suggest that it is incredible that you werent kept informed of the emergence of that evidence by your close friend, Mr Grant. Hugh Grant works with media campaign group Hacked Off (PA) (Peter Byrne) Hurley replied that she was positive that she didnt have any involvement with what my ex-boyfriend, and good friend today, Hugh was involved in with Hacked Off. She added: I handed over money when I said would. That is, I am afraid, the limit of my involvement. I dont know anything about the investigation. In written submissions for the trial, Mr White said the allegations of UIG by Associateds journalists, including of phone hacking and phone tapping, in connection with Ms Hurley or her 10 named associates are unsupported by the evidence before the court. He added: Not only are they entirely baseless but, as with the other claimants claims, they are borne of an attempt by members of the claimants research team, adopted by Ms Hurley and her legal representatives, to present a case of UIG against Associated based entirely on spurious and, or, discredited information. During his trial opening, Mr White said the claims against the publisher were threadbare and had been brought too late. He continued that journalists at the organisation provide a compelling account of a pattern of legitimate sourcing of the more than 50 articles that are alleged to be the products of unlawful information gathering. Damian Hurley sat in court as his mother gave evidence. The trial before Mr Justice Nicklin is due to conclude in March, with a decision expected in writing at a later date. Shabaz Khokar has been jailed for two years and five months for the offences (Staffordshire Police) A man has been jailed for threatening to rape a teenage girl and encouraging her to self-harm. Shabaz Khokar, 24, threatened the victim in Staffordshire over social media, attaching images of train tickets he had purchased to travel to her home. Police were alerted to the threat, and Khokar was arrested at a Staffordshire railway station in August. Khokar was released on conditional bail, but proceeded to send further messages to the victim telling her to self-harm, and demanding she drop the case against him. He was arrested a second time and later charged. Khokar was sentenced at Woolwich Crown Court on Monday (PA Archive) Khokar, of Greenwich, admitted several offences at Woolwich Crown Court on Monday and was imprisoned for two years and five months. The offences included: sending communication threatening death or serious harm; encouraging or assisting serious self-harm by another; and committing an act with intent to pervert the course of justice. Khokar was also served with an indefinite restraining order against the victim as part of his sentence. According to Staffordshire Police, the case marked the first sentencing for the force under section 184 of the Online Safety Act 2023. The legislation introduced a number of new offences, which included encouraging or assisting serious self-harm, cyberflashing, sending false information intended to cause non-trivial harm, threatening communications, intimate image abuse and epilepsy trolling. The new legislation came into effect in January 2024. A long-lost portrait of Scotlands national bard that was found more than 200 years after it seemingly vanished has gone on public display for the first time. The portrait of Robert Burns painted by Sir Henry Raeburn, King George IVs own painter, had been missing for some 220 years, but was recovered in March last year during a house clearout in Surrey. The painting, commissioned in 1803, was purchased for 84,320 (including buyers premium) at auction in London shortly after it was discovered. Sir Henry Raeburns portrait of Robert Burns (left) on display at the National Galleries Scotland next to the original painting by Alexander Nasmyth (Jane Barlow/PA) (Jane Barlow) The portrait was sold to William Zachs, a Burns enthusiast and director of Blackie House Library and Museum, Edinburgh, who has loaned the painting to National Galleries Scotland in the Scottish capital. Poetry and art lovers alike can view the portrait, free of charge, at the gallery ahead of Burns Night on January 25. The painting then goes to the Robert Burns Birthplace Museum in Alloway, South Ayrshire, from July 21 onwards. After the discovery of the painting, it was cleaned and professionally examined, and experts determined it was the long-lost artwork. Having seemingly vanished from existence for so many years, its whereabouts were pondered for decades, until it was eventually discovered by chance during the house clearing. Sir Henrys portrait of the bard was based on another painting of him, created by Alexander Nasmyth in 1787. Mr Zachs said: This week at Burns suppers in Scotland and around the world we toast the immortal memory of the poet. Now we have a new immortal visual memory a once lost painting by Sir Henry Raeburn, the Scottish great portrait artist, that depicts Robert Burns not just as a genius poet but as a celebrated (and handsome) Scotsman whose significance would endure till a the seas gang dry. Lesley Stevenson, senior conservator of paintings at the National Galleries of Scotland, said: Raeburns expressive, seemingly effortless brushwork, the characteristic warm palette, soft, atmospheric lighting and sensitive rendering of the instantly recognisable Robert Burns are a joy. This is a significant discovery and one we can all celebrate. Duncan Thomson, former keeper of the Scottish National Portrait Gallery between 1982 and 1997 and curator of the last major exhibition on Sir Henry Raeburn, said: The rediscovery of this portrait of Burns, after having disappeared for 200 years, is of enormous significance, linking the poet with Scotlands greatest artist. Although Raeburn was working from an image made by another painter, the portrait has that wonderful freshness of observation that marks Raeburns work at its best. It is more than likely that Raeburn had seen Burns in his heyday in Edinburgh a decade earlier and had observed that glowing eye that had so impressed the young Walter Scott. The result is a portrait that speaks in an entirely new way of the warmth, the sensuality and the profound intelligence that we find in Burnss poetry. Lucy Letby is shown being questioned by police in a new Netflix documentary. (Netflix) A new Netflix documentary about the investigation into convicted child killer Lucy Letby will include never-before-seen footage of the former neonatal nurse being arrested and questioned. The Investigation Of Lucy Letby will release globally on Netflix on Wednesday, 4 February, and shows new material and testimony from police officers who investigated the case. It gives a glimpse of the media storm that followed Letby's arrest, and an ensuing debate (both on social media and among experts) over the official narrative, and whether there could have been a miscarriage of justice in Letby's case. Experts and lawyers on both sides of the case give a comprehensive look at a trial, which eventually saw Letby sentenced to 15 whole-life orders for the murder of seven infants and the attempted murder of seven others (with two attempts on one of her victims) at the Countess of Chester Hospital. The mother of one of the victims also speaks about her experience and involvement in Letbys trial marking the first time that a family member involved in the prosecution has spoken in a documentary. The announcement of the 90-minute documentary comes after Letby learned she will face no new charges over additional deaths and collapses of babies that were investigated by police. Bodycam footage shows police approaching Letby's home and saying, "we need to speak to you" at the doorstep. The trailer then shows Letby lying in bed in her dressing gown with a blank look on her face as an officer tells her she is being arrested on suspicion of murder and attempted murder. She is then shown being led out through her driveway by officers, sounding distressed as she tells someone: "Don't look, just go in." Never-before-seen footage shows Lucy Letby in bed in her dressing gown as officers show up to arrest her. (Netflix) Dressed in a grey tracksuit in a police interview room, Letby is then shown confirming her name when asked by officers before being questioned further. When Letby is asked about a note she wrote saying, "I killed them on purpose", the neonatal nurse replied: "No comment." Letby appears more emotional in another clip of the interview, in which she says: "It was all just spiralling out of control." Another shows a concerned-looking Letby sitting in a custody cell with her arms handcuffed behind her back. Bodycam footage shows Letby holding her cat before being taken into custody. (Netflix) What was Lucy Letby convicted of? Letby, 36, from Hereford, was convicted of murdering seven infants and attempting to murder seven others, with two attempts on one of her victims, between June 2015 and June 2016. While working at the neonatal ward at the Countess of Chester hospital, prosecutors said she killed four babies by injecting air into their bloodstreams, and tried to kill several others using this method. She was also convicted of attempting to kill two babies by injecting them with insulin, pumping air into one baby's feeding tube and force-feeding one with milk. She also faced a retrial on one remaining attempted murder charge as the jury could not reach a verdict. Following the retrial at Manchester Crown Court, Letby was convicted of the attempted murder of another and was sentenced to her fifteenth whole life order. A court artist drawing by of prosecutor Nick Johnson KC cross examining Lucy Letby. (Elizabeth Cook, PA Images) Senior Crown Prosecutor Nicola Wyn Williams remarked how Letby "used her craft and her skills to become a killer", and "pretended to try and comfort" the grieving parents, "knowing she was the person responsible". Letby's convictions have proved controversial, with a panel of 14 experts from six countries, brought together by Tory MP David Davis, claiming in February last year that they had found "no medical evidence" of Letby's crimes. The mother of one of the babies described the campaign to free her as upsetting and disrespectful and that she believes the jury "made the right decision". Lady Justice Thirlwalls inquiry report into how Letby was able to commit her crimes on a hospital neonatal unit is due to be published this year. Why is Lucy Letby trying to appeal her conviction? Letby, who has always denied any wrongdoing, has been told she will never be released from prison. She lost two bids in 2024 to challenge her convictions at the Court of Appeal in May for seven murders and seven attempted murders, and in October for the attempted murder of a baby girl, for which she was convicted during a retrial. The nurse has not been granted permission to launch a third appeal, but after the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) dismissed a series of fresh allegations against Letby, her lawyer says she has grounds for a challenge. A mugshot of Lucy Letby issued by Cheshire Constabulary. (Dorset Media Service) After reviewing evidence passed by police, the Crown Prosecution Service said earlier this month that it would not pursue the additional cases as "the evidential test was not met in any of those cases". These included eight potential offences of attempted murder and one of murder at the Countess of Chester Hospital, and two allegations of attempted murder and murder linked to one child at Liverpool Womens Hospital. In response to the decision, Letby's barrister Mark McDonald said it is "vital" that the case is referred back to the Court of Appeal "as a matter of urgency". Thirty-one reports have been submitted to the CCRC (Criminal Cases Review Commission) compiled by 26 internationally renowned experts, which provide overwhelming evidence that no babies were murdered. The reality is that a young innocent woman is in prison for crimes she has not committed. Supporters of Letby demonstrating outside the High Court during the nurse's appeal hearing in April 2024. (ZUMA Press, ZUMA Press, Inc.) But, in a rare step, Cheshire Constabulary spoke out against the CPS's decision, saying it believed the evidence met the "charging standard". The CPS did not agree, and despite our representations, we must respect the decision that has been made," the force said. "There will be some who will feel that this is news worth celebrating. We do not share this view and would ask that people respect the privacy and feelings of the families involved. Solicitor Tamlin Bolton from Irwin Mitchell, which represents the victims' families, said Letby's crimes have had a lifelong impact. Those families we represent continue to be affected by Letbys crimes, which she was tried over and convicted of in a court of law. The impact of her actions can never be underestimated and will have a lifelong effect on our clients. There may well be other families upset at todays decision." Raft's AI Mission System empowers CENTCOM operators with on-demand computer vision tailored to real-world missions broad-area satellite search, distributed maritime monitoring, and counter-UxS threat detection. MCLEAN, Va., Jan. 22, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- Raft, a leading defense technology company, powering the software-driven foundation of modern warfare, has been awarded a highly competitive Other Transaction Agreement (OTA) by the Chief Digital and Artificial Intelligence Office (CDAO), in partnership with U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM), following a five-day vendor bake-off. Hosted last fall by CENTCOM, the evaluation sought cutting-edge solutions to operationalize AI on the battlefield. Raft's win underscores its ability to rapidly deliver deployable, operator-ready technology that meets the evolving demands of the modern fight. Raft's AI Mission System ([R] AIMS) delivers a no-code machine learning system that puts the power of computer vision directly into the hands of operators. Raft built and deployed a fully containerized, Agentic AI platform that enables operators to train, evaluate, and deploy new Computer Vision models with confidence and verifiabilityno data science background required. "This wasn't about building another tool," said Shubhi Mishra, founder and CEO of Raft. "This was about rethinking how AI gets built for mission-critical environments and how we empower operators to adapt when the mission demands it. Raft exists to turn operators into super-operators, and that starts by putting AI creation directly in their hands." By integrating seamlessly with NGA Maven workflows, [R]AIMS enables model refresh in dayssupporting key use cases like: Satellite Broad Area Search : Quickly train gap-filler models on-the-fly to support large-scale overhead imagery tasks : Quickly train gap-filler models on-the-fly to support large-scale overhead imagery tasks Distributed Monitoring : Enable task forces like TF-59 to deploy and adapt CV models across maritime environments : Enable task forces like TF-59 to deploy and adapt CV models across maritime environments Counter-UxS Threat Detection: Build computer vision to detect, label, and characterize optical threats without waiting on centralized updates Built with Raft's agentic AI principles at its core, the system features built-in guardrails via [R]AIMS and machine-assisted feedback loops for Responsible AIensuring every model is traceable, adaptable, and aligned with mission intent. "[R]AIMS Vision enables something we've been chasing for years: COCOMs building their own AI at the speed of the mission," said Bhaarat Sharma, CTO at Raft. "This is how you scale intelligence across the forceby putting tools in the hands of operators and giving them the autonomy to iterate in real time." [R]AIMS validates what is possible when Agentic AI moves beyond conversational interfaces to deliver autonomous, operator-controlled computer vision that adapts at mission speed. Operators rapidly created new gap-filler models for unplanned ISR scenarioswithout needing data scientists on call. The system even handled optical threat detection and object tracking in real time, including NITF and other complex formats. [R]AIMS is now positioned for rapid expansion across combatant commands, supporting faster intelligence cycles, better decision-making, and real-time adaptation on the battlefield. About Raft Raft is the leader in autonomous data fusion and Agentic AI, equipping the Department of Defense and national security organizations with cutting-edge solutions to drive mission success. Trusted by over 25 federal agencies, we enhance legacy systems and accelerate modernization with limited-language, AI agents, enabling smarter, faster decisions from the tactical edge to headquarters. Our autonomous AI agents, powered by modular machine learning wrappers, deliver greater mission impact without the cost and disruption of full system replacements. For more information about Raft, visit www.teamraft.com. Follow us on LinkedIn Follow us on X (Twitter) Media Contact Meghan Grumbach [email protected] SOURCE Raft, LLC Barron Trump was a friend of the alleged victim and had exchanged messages with her, the court heard (AFP via Getty) A Russian man accused of rape has denied being controlling but told jurors he was upset by the womans sending messages to Donald Trumps youngest son. Matvei Rumiantsev, 22, is on trial at Snaresbrook Crown Court in London, accused of assault and two counts of rape, among other charges, against the alleged victim, who jurors have heard is friends with Barron Trump. The defendant said he later regretted his behaviour but denies all six charges. Giving evidence on Thursday, Mr Rumiantsev said he became aware of the womans friendship with Mr Trump, 19, while on a holiday in October 2024. The Russian citizen, who lives in London, told the court: She [the alleged victim] came up to me in the hotel room and she asked me to take a picture of her phone on which there was a chat with Barron Trump. The kind of chat they had didnt allow her to take a screenshot so she came up to me and asked me to take a photograph with the phone. Jurors heard that on 3 November 2024, Mr Rumiantsev and the alleged victim had an argument at her flat, and Mr Rumiantsev left the apartment after damaging her air fryer and dropping her kettle. He said that after he left, he received phone calls and text messages from the alleged victim, which made him concerned for her welfare, so he called the police. Barron Trump is the youngest son of US president Donald Trump (Getty) Jurors have heard that after police arrived, in body-worn footage the woman can be heard apparently telling officers: It was like jealousy, controlling of like who I can be friends with. Asked by his barrister, Sasha Wass KC, whether this was about the US presidents son, the defendant said that it was. Mr Rumiantsev, who wore a blue suit and white shirt in the witness box, told jurors that earlier that evening, the alleged victim had brought Mr Trump up and started showing him her messages with the 19-year-old. I started to explain that I felt upset as well about her talking to Barron Trump, he said. I was in no way controlling but I was trying to make her know that if she feels unwell seeing messages I had with girls 10 years ago, she could maybe understand how I felt when she was sat there this moment texting someone else. The court heard that later that day, Mr Rumiantsev sent the alleged victim a text in Russian, translated into English, which said: I honestly cannot believe what a f*** up I caused. This is just f***ing nuts. I behaved like an arsehole. Im very ashamed that I grabbed your phone, you started calling him sweetheart. I felt so unwell. Asked who him was, Mr Rumiantsev said Barron Trump. Jurors heard Mr Rumiantsev and the woman had been drinking together on the evening of 17 January 2025 and into the early hours of the next day. Mr Rumiantsev said they had consensual sex twice during that time. Giving evidence on Thursday, the defendant told jurors that before he answered a call from the US presidents son on the alleged victims phone, the woman had been in a stage of complete breakdown, partly because she had been drinking. She was just completely hysterical crying, screaming, shouting at me, said Mr Rumiantsev, who wore a blue suit and white shirt in the dock. I noticed her phone next to me on the sofa and it was ringing with a Barron Trump face call, the defendant told the court. I dont know what went through my head but I answered yes. At that point I was standing up, I stepped away from her maybe for a couple metres I answered the call and I immediately put the camera towards her. I dont know why I did that. Maybe I thought she would realise that her behaviour was unreasonable, that she wouldnt behave like this in front of someone else. Mr Rumiantsev denies assault, actual bodily harm, intentional strangulation, perverting the course of justice and two counts of rape, in charges dating between 1 November 2024 and 23 January 2025. The trial continues. An amber warning is in place (PA Archive) Heavy rainfall is set to bring the threat of flooding and widespread disruption across various parts of the UK today. The Met Office has issued a series of weather alerts, including amber and yellow warnings for Scotland, alongside further yellow warnings covering Northern Ireland, south Wales, and south-west England. An amber warning, valid until 6pm on Thursday, specifically targets areas within Scotland such as Clackmannanshire, Falkirk, Fife, Perth and Kinross, Stirling, the Highlands, Eilean Siar, Aberdeen, Aberdeenshire, and Moray. Additionally, a yellow warning for persistent rain remains in effect for most of north-east Scotland, extending until 11:59pm on Friday. Up to 20mm is forecast to fall during Thursday across south Wales, Somerset and parts of Devon and Dorset, where a yellow warning is coming into place at 8am. There's further rain on the way, with eastern Scotland looking to be the wettest over the coming few days. A yellow rain warning is in place here with flooding possible in places Some snow will occur over the higher ground too. Here's a look at how much rain may fall pic.twitter.com/CKMSUfr32q Met Office (@metoffice) January 21, 2026 The Met Office said rain falling on saturated ground could lead to flooding and disruption. The warning runs until 4pm on Thursday when the forecaster said the heaviest of the rain was clearing to the north east. A further yellow warning for Northern Ireland was in place from 10am on Thursday for the rest of the day. Up to 40mm is predicted in some places, mainly on high ground, with 15-25mm falling widely during the day. Were expecting a very wet and windy next couple of days, with weather conditions to be poor through until Saturday. Due to adverse weather, @NetworkRailSCOT have imposed speed restrictions on the following routes: Perth to Inverness from 18:00 today until 09:30, Saturday pic.twitter.com/WxJjjw59EK ScotRail (@ScotRail) January 21, 2026 The Met Office said homes and businesses are likely to face flooding in the more affected areas, with delays or cancellations to public transport, while some communities may be cut off. Drivers have been warned to take care and the Met Office said power cuts are possible. Cyclists and motorists navigate a flooded road in Mountsorrel, Leicestershire (PA) (PA Wire) ScotRail has speed restrictions in place for its Perth to Inverness route until 9.30am on Saturday, and its Aberdeen to Inverness routes until 12pm on Friday. Ferry operator CalMac has cancelled all Oban-Coll-Tiree services on Thursday and says some other services may be subject to cancellations or delays at short notice. Restrictions were in place on the Forth Road Bridge on Thursday morning due to high winds, while drivers were advised to take caution on various crossings around Scotland. Police Scotland have advised drivers to take care when travelling while the weather warnings are in place. Mike Johnson gets irritated when asked about Trumps mix up of Iceland and Greenland House Speaker Mike Johnson pushed back when asked about President Donald Trumps slurring of words and seemingly mixing up Greenland with Iceland during his speech at the World Economic Forum on Wednesday. The Independent spoke to Johnson ahead of votes ahead of votes Thursday morning, to which Johnson questioned why he was being asked about Trumps mental fitness. Is this a serious question? This president sleeps about three hours a night, Johnson said. He outwears Everybody in this building by a factor of two or three. He's gotten more done in the first year of his presidency than anybody in history. I cannot even believe you asked me that question. The president spoke at the World Economic Forum on Thursday where he railed against U.S. allies and NATO, though he said he would not use military force to take Greenland. During that speech, he also seemed to confuse Greenland, an autonomous territory which is governed by the kingdom of Denmark, with Iceland, the nordic European nation. Speaker of the House Mike Johnson, R-La., expressed frustration when asked about President Donald Trumps physical health issues. (AFP/Getty) Our stock market took the first dip yesterday because of Iceland, so Iceland has already cost us a lot of money, he said of Greenland. Later, he tried to say the people of Greenland supported him. Until the last few days, when I told them about Iceland, they loved me. They called me Daddy, Trump said in during the conference in Davos. The president has also shown visible signs of physical decline. During a press conference earlier this week in the White House briefing room, his voice sounded increasingly hoarse and his words were slurred. In addition, multiple photos have shown bruises on Trumps hands or heavy makeup on his hands. Trump, who became the oldest man to assume the presidency in 2017 and then again in 2025, will turn 80 in June. A poll from YouGov earlier this month found that 49 percent of Americans thought that Trump was too old to be president. Multiple photos have shown Trumps hands with heavy makeup on them. (AFP via Getty Images) At the same time, some have questioned Trumps wellbeing and the questions are like those that surfaced about President Joe Biden before Bidens disastrous June 2024 debate where his voice was weak and he made rambling incoherent remarks. That led to Biden stepping aside as the Democratic nominee for president. His vice president Kamala Harris would later lose the election to Trump. In an interview with The Wall Street Journal, Trump pushed back on claims about his health, saying he bruises easily because he takes a higher dose of aspirin than normally-recommended amount because I want nice, thin blood pouring through my heart. He later said that he was in PERFECT HEALTH and that he had ACED his cognitive examination. Thousands of protesters have taken to Minnesotas streets despite the brutal winter cold - Stephen Maturen/Getty Images Minnesota, the land of 10,000 lakes, was once known for its natural beauty and its residents superabundant American friendliness. Now it is looking more and more like a failed state. It all began with astonishing revelations about massive welfare fraud, perpetrated in large part by members of the states Somali population. Some of the stolen funds, which could total as much as $9bn in Minnesota alone according to one estimate, may well have been expatriated to Somalia, where they may have ended up in the coffers of al-Shabab, a designated terrorist organisation and al-Qaeda affiliate. Investigations have been under way for several years, and have so far resulted in criminal charges against 92 individuals, 62 of whom have been convicted. But just as damaging as the scale of the fraud has been the suspicion that leading Democratic leaders in the state had done little to stop it. There has certainly been significant pandering among Left-wing politicians to the Somali-American vote. Some have even pointed out that the states new flag bears a remarkable resemblance to that of Somalia, though we are reassured that this is coincidental. Democratic leaders, including state governor and failed 2024 vice-presidential candidate Tim Walz and Squad congresswoman Ilhan Omar, have angrily opposed Donald Trumps immigration policies, appearing to believe that the US should admit unlimited migrants, even from countries with high levels of corruption. Tim Walz opposes Donald Trumps immigration policies - Tim Evans Just before the New Year, however, the fraud scandal departed from the sober realm of federal jurisprudence for the world of viral journalism. Videos posted to YouTube by the 23-year old independent journalist Nick Shirley quickly captured the attention of Trump, Republican lawmakers, Elon Musk, and other influential personalities, who are now highlighting Minnesota as a nexus of corruption, illegal immigration, Democratic politics, organised crime, and, more recently, out-of-control street violence. Walz denounced Republican criticism as vile, racist lies and slander towards our fellow Minnesotans. But the evidence is already taking its toll. Allegations of racism cant deflect attention from the scandal or uncomfortable questions about what Walz and other leading Minnesota Democrats knew about the fraud. The issue now confronting the US is whether state and local governments in Minnesota can really be trusted to clean up the mess or will even allow federal law to be enforced particularly on immigration. The department of health and human services has suspended all federal family assistance to Minnesota, which totals $185m annually, until matters are cleared up. But Trump has also lifted temporary deportation restrictions that protected some Somalians, as well as announcing that as many as 2,000 extra federal agents would be unleashed on Minnesotas twin cities of Minneapolis and St Paul. This comes on top of the hundreds of other federal agents already operating in the duopolis. According to ICEs acting director Todd Lyons, this represents the largest immigration policing operation in American history. Trump has now placed 1,500 airborne soldiers and other troops on alert, for a potential deployment under the Insurrection Act of 1807, a measure last used in 1992, but one that allows the president to deploy the military on his own initiative to preserve law and order where they are not being enforced. Vice-president JD Vance visited ICE units in Minnesota on Thursday in a show of support. JD Vance in Minnesota on Thursday - Angelina Katsanis The Democrats are fighting back. Minnesota politicians, including Walz, have instructed concerned citizens to film immigration agents committing what he calls atrocities in an effort to collect evidence for future prosecution. This followed an incident on Jan 7 in which Renee Good was killed by an ICE agent, who the White House has said was acting in self-defence. But the behaviour of the Left in the state hardly disproves the need for federal intervention. Thousands of protesters have taken to Minnesotas streets despite the brutal winter cold. Reports have emerged of ICE agents being physically assaulted by protesters. On Sunday, a mob of anti-Trump protesters stormed a church to disrupt a religious service. The Trump administration blames Walz and his fellow Democrat leaders for the mess in Minnesota. [The] Minnesota insurrection is a direct result of a FAILED governor and a TERRIBLE mayor encouraging violence against law enforcement, posted deputy attorney general Todd Blanche on Tuesday. Last week, Walz, Minneapolis mayor Jacob Frey, and several other Minnesota Democrats were subpoenaed by federal investigators who believe their actions and statements may have illegally obstructed federal law enforcement. Back home, labour unions, cultural groups, and civic associations have called for the protests to escalate into an economic blackout set for Jan 23, an event approximating a general strike. If the tense situation gets out of control or even if it does not Trump has the Insurrection Act and the armed forces at his command. The time may have come to use them. Paul du Quenoy is a historian and president of the Palm Beach Freedom Institute Thousands of motorists wrongly caught speeding could claim compensation if they can prove financial losses stemming from a National Highways error. The agency has identified around 2,650 incorrect camera activations since 2021, attributing them to a technical fault. The Department for Transport has launched an independent review into how the anomaly occurred, Lord Hendy told peers. Not all flashes led to fines, as camera activations are not always enforced. The Press Association understands most of the motorists affected took speed awareness courses. Conservative former minister Lord Young of Cookham had earlier asked about compensation for those who had to take time off work to attend speed-awareness courses or drivers who lost their licences and therefore their jobs. The relevant police forces will contact those affected directly with details on what action is being taken to provide redress, Lord Hendy said. All those notified by the police will receive details on how to contact National Highways if they have evidence of cost associated with this incorrect enforcement, for example, those associated with licence loss. The Department for Transport has launched an independent review into how the anomaly occurred (PA Archive) However, for those erroneously caught, "points doesnt mean prizes," Lord Burnett of Maldon noted. The crossbench peer and former lord chief justice said: It means increased insurance premiums, and it can be extremely difficult for any of us to understand precisely why an insurance premium from one year to another has increased. Will the Government be sympathetic to those who are unable to produce precise figures because their insurers wont give them to them? Transport minister Lord Hendy of Richmond Hill said: I think the Government has to be a good custodian of public money, and therefore understand whether theres a loss and what it is. But Im sure that evidence of one years premium with another, which, if its solely related to points and not to any other form of driving, must be at least a if I was a claimant, I would think that would be acceptable. It is thought the number of drivers wrongly prosecuted for speeding or failing to pay a fine is in the low double digits, with a very small number of drivers wrongly disqualified. Most of the motorists affected took speed awareness courses (PA Archive) Conservative peer Lord Geddes said he was done for driving on a motorway at 60mph in a temporary 50mph limit, when in broad daylight, fine weather, no roadworks, no obstruction, no accidents. Asked to tell National Highways not to abuse these temporary limits, Lord Hendy said that variable speed limits were particularly used on busy urban roads to even out the flow of traffic. Stop-start conditions on routes such as the M25 both create some dangers themselves and also crucially lower the capacity of the road, the minister added. He said: So, my advice to people when the speed limit goes down is to follow it, because it will save you getting into a huge jam. Lord Hendy had earlier taken a question about rail infrastructure in south-west England. Crossbench peer the Earl of Devon asked what plans the Government had to re-route the railway at Dawlish, where trains run along the sea wall. A storm in 2014 washed away part of the railway, leaving southern Devon and Cornwall cut off from the rest of Britains railway network. Since the collapse of the line into the sea in Dawlish in 2014, about 140 million has been spent on resilience in order to keep the railway running, the minister said. There is work left to do, in particular the cliffs at Teignmouth, but there is no practicable, affordable alternative route that can be provided anytime soon. So actually, railway colleagues have to keep going on keeping that line open, whatever the weather. (Amy Till via REUTERS) A search is under way for several people missing, including children, following a landslide at a campsite in New Zealand. The landslide happened at 9.30am local time (8.30pm GMT Wednesday), sending rubble barrelling down on the campsite in Mount Maunganui, a popular tourist spot on the northern coast of New Zealands North Island. One witness, Nix Jaques, told Radio NZ she heard an incredibly loud noise as she was about to walk up a mountain. I turned around and I could see the land coming down onto some structures, she said. There were some vehicles that were moved. It came down on an ablutions block - I believe there were some people in the showers - and it shifted a campervan, there was a family with a campervan. Hundreds of families at the site were evacuated and emergency services were working to locate anybody who remains in the area, authorities said at a press conference. Eyewitness videos shot from a helicopter showed landslides that had occurred in northern New Zealand due to heavy rain, including one at a campsite in Mount Maunganui, a popular tourist spot on the northern coast of the country https://t.co/UZsVRsmbni pic.twitter.com/YXLZhVzqTx Reuters (@Reuters) January 22, 2026 The number of people missing was in the single figures, said Police District Commander Superintendent Tim Anderson. It is possible we could find someone alive, he said. At least six people including several children are missing, according to news site Stuff.co.nz. Emergency Minister Mark Mitchell earlier confirmed children were among those unaccounted for. Fire and Emergency Commander William Park said first responders had detected signs of life in the rubble but withdrew after concerns of further ground movement. Police and officials at the scene of the landslide in Mount Maunganui (AFP via Getty Images) My understanding was members of the public... tried to get into the rubble and did hear some voices. Our initial fire crew arrived and were able to hear the same. Shortly after our initial crew arrived we withdrew everyone from the site due to the possible movement of the slip, Mr Park said. Local media cited Emergency Management and Recovery Minister Mark Mitchell as saying children were among those missing and that helicopters had been deployed to help with search and rescue efforts. Heavy rains in the region have caused widespread damage and left thousands without power. Another landslide struck a house in neighbouring Papamoa and two people were missing, police said. An aerial view of an area affected by a landslide triggered by heavy rains in Mount Maunganui (Amy Till via REUTERS) In another incident on Wednesday, a person was missing after being washed away in their vehicle north of Auckland. Prime Minister Christopher Luxon said on X that he was actively monitoring situations across the country including in Mt Maunganui. The good news is everyone responded very quickly. There was time to get prepared, and that helps to mitigate and create a strong response, Mr Mitchell told Radio NZ. New Zealand Transport Authority reported road closures in Northland, Bay of Plenty and Waikato and local authorities said some small communities were cut off due to damage to the roads. New Zealand forecaster MetService has lifted all weather warnings in the North Island as the tropical low moves east. Some warnings remain in place for the South Island, but they are expected to ease on Thursday, it said. Sir Keir Starmer was warned against a stitch-up to block leadership rival Andy Burnham from returning to Parliament in a by-election triggered by MP Andrew Gwynne quitting. Mr Gwynne resigned on Friday, using the archaic way that MPs can stand down, by applying to be Steward and Bailiff of the Manor of Northstead. Chancellor Rachel Reeves confirmed his appointment to this notional post. However, the leader of a Left-wing union spoke out ahead of the suspended Labour MP announcing he is leaving the Commons, to warn the PM against blocking a Commons comeback by Mr Burnham. The decision by Mr Gwynne, who was sacked as a minister and suspended from the Labour Party last year over offensive messages in a WhatsApp group, will mean a by-election will now be held in Greater Manchester. Andrew Gwynne is now said to be standing down - triggering a by-election (PA Archive) It could be held on May 7, the same day as the local elections amid the controversy over the town hall polls being cancelled in 29 areas. Mr Gwynne has previously denied that he was intending to vacate his Gorton and Denton seat any time soon. But he announced his departure on medical grounds, reportedly after reaching a pension agreement. In a post on Facebook, the MP wrote: "It has been the honour of my life to have been an elected representative for almost exactly three decades, representing my home community firstly as a Denton West Councillor on Tameside Council and then in the House of Commons as MP for Denton and Reddish and more recently for Gorton and Denton. "Over those years I haven't got everything right and I've certainly made mistakes, but I've always tried my very best and I have helped tens of thousands of constituents with their issues along the way. Indeed it's been helping people that's given me the greatest pleasure in these jobs." He added that he had "suffered significant ill-health over most of the 21 years I've served as an MP", which had been "greatly exacerbated by the impact of last year's events regarding leaked text messages". He shared a message from his GP about his ongoing health problems which read: "I do not think that he will be able to safely return to work as an MP." Mr Gwynne won his seat with a 13,413 majority at the July 2024 general election, with Nigel Farages Reform UK in second place on 5,142 votes, behind Labour on 18,555. Mayor of Greater Manchester Andy Burnham (PA Wire) Greater Manchester mayor Mr Burnham is said to be seeking a Commons comeback from where he could challenge the Prime Ministers position. He has made clear his leadership ambitions, if there is support from within the party for him to return to the national stage. However, Sir Keir could seek to torpedo Mr Burnhams comeback, possibly with Labours ruling National Executive Committee blocking him from being able to stand in the by-election given that he is currently a senior mayor. One NEC member told The Times: Theres an overwhelming anti-Burnham coalition that spans left and right on the NEC. The committee could also insist on an all-women shortlist. But Mr Burnham, a good communicator, has the support of some MPs and party members for a challenge against Sir Keir. Fire Brigades Union leader Steve Wright (FBU) Steve Wright, general secretary of the Left-wing Fire Brigades Union, said: It would be a democratic outrage if Andy Burnham was blocked from seeking selection as Labours by-election candidate in this seat. In the event that a by-election takes place, as an affiliated union, the FBU will not stand by and allow senior Labour politicians like Andy to be carved out of this process. Our union will fiercely resist any attempts to stitch up the selection. Former Cabinet minister Mr Burnham has been critical of the Government and has repeatedly refused to rule out challenging for the Labour leadership. Im not going to rule out what might or might not happen in the future, he previously said. Angela Rayner who is expected to throw her hat into the ring if there is a race for the Labour leadership (PA Archive) Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood who could enter a leadership contest (PA Wire) However, if there is a coup against Sir Keir after the May local elections, when Labour is expected to do badly, or later, then there could be a range of contenders to succeed him. Health Secretary Wes Streeting has clashed with No10 insiders who accused his allies of already being on manoeuvres ahead of a possible leadership contest. He hit back at the Downing Street sources, accusing them of trying to knee cap him. Former Deputy Prime Minister Angela Rayner would be expected to stand, as could Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood. Sir Keir has previously dismissed talk of leadership challenges as wasted time. Health Secretary Wes Streeting who has accused No10 insiders of trying to knee cap him (PA Wire) Responding to the reports about Mr Gwynne looming announcement, Ilford North MP Mr Streeting said the Greater Manchester Mayor was someone who was making a massive impact. Mr Streeting, on the Right of the Labour Party, told BBC radio: If indeed there is going to be a by-election, we need to make sure weve got a strong candidate, that we fight really hard to win that by-election, and we need our best candidates to come forward. As to who that is, whether or not Andy will throw his hat into the ring, is for Andy to consider, and ultimately for party members to decide. But we need strong candidates. Ill just say about Andy, having just seen him just earlier this week, whether its in government nationally, or whether its leading the city and the region locally, he makes a massive impact and makes a really big difference. A Netflix documentary about the investigation into convicted child killer Lucy Letby will feature never-before-seen footage of the nurse during her arrest and questioning, it has been announced. The film will also include new testimony from police and contributions from the mother of one of the victims. It is the first time a family member involved in the prosecution has spoken in a documentary. The Investigation Of Lucy Letby will release globally on Netflix on Wednesday February 4. Lucy Letby is serving 15 whole-life orders (Cheshire Constabulary/PA) (Cheshire Constabulary) The trailer for the documentary includes footage of Letby in her bed as she is told by police she is being arrested for murder and attempted murder. It also shows her leaving her house under arrest wearing a dressing gown. The trailer also includes footages of her police interviews as she says: It was all just spiralling out of control. It also shows the global media attention her trial attracted, the frenzy it sparked on social media and the doubt that has been cast over her conviction. Interview footage in the documentary (Netflix) Letby, 36, from Hereford, is serving 15 whole-life orders after she was convicted of murdering seven infants and attempting to murder seven others, with two attempts on one of her victims, between June 2015 and June 2016. On Tuesday it was confirmed Letby will face no further charges over additional deaths and collapses of babies that were investigated by police. Police footage in the trailer (Netflix) Cheshire Constabulary passed additional evidence to prosecutors last year for consideration, linked to eight potential offences of attempted murder and one offence of murder at the Countess of Chester Hospital. Another two allegations of attempted murder and murder were linked to one child at Liverpool Womens Hospital. Lady Justice Thirlwalls inquiry report into how Letby was able to commit her crimes on a hospital neonatal unit is due to be published this year. The number of patients in hospitals in England with norovirus has reached a new high for this winter, NHS figures show. An average of 950 hospital beds were filled each day last week by people with diarrhoea, vomiting or norovirus-like symptoms, an increase of 15 per cent from last week. The figures have been published in the latest weekly snapshot of the performance of hospitals in England. Seasonal viruses continue to cause disruption and take up hospital beds, with cases of the winter vomiting bug triple what they were at the start of the month, NHS national medical director, Professor Meghana Pandit, said. You can prevent the spread of norovirus by frequent handwashing with soap and water and not returning to work, school or visiting hospitals until you are 48 hours symptom-free." Heres what you need to know about norovirus. What is norovirus? Norovirus is a highly contagious virus that causes gastroenteritis, which is an inflammation of the stomach and intestines, explained Dr Chun Tang, GP at Pall Mall Medical. It spreads easily through contaminated food, water, surfaces, or direct contact with an infected person. You can also get it by touching surfaces that have the virus on them and then putting your hands in your mouth, or by eating food thats been handled by someone who has the virus. Norovirus is often mistakenly associated with the flu. Older people, especially those in nursing homes, are at higher risk (Alamy/PA) Unlike respiratory viruses like influenza, norovirus specifically targets the gastrointestinal system, clarified Dr Ashwin Sharma, from online pharmacy MedExpress. In addition, many people think that because they feel better they must not be infectious anymore, and that isnt the case. Most people can remain contagious for up to two weeks or more after symptoms have resolved, Dr Sharma added. Who is most at risk of getting norovirus? Anyone can catch norovirus, but it tends to spread more easily in environments where people are in close contact, like in schools, hospitals, or nursing homes, noted Dr Tang. Young children, the elderly, and people with weakened immune systems are most at risk for severe symptoms because their bodies might not handle dehydration and other effects as well as others. But even healthy adults can get really sick from it because its so contagious. What are the symptoms of norovirus? Common symptoms of norovirus include nausea, diarrhoea, and vomiting, said Dr Sharma. In some cases, individuals may also experience additional symptoms such as fever, headaches, and body aches. It is important to monitor these symptoms and seek medical attention if they become severe or persistent. Dr Tang added: The most important thing to watch for is dehydration, especially in young children or older adults, as it can happen quickly due to vomiting and diarrhoea. Vomiting is a common symptom of norovirus (Alamy/PA) Over-the-counter medications can help with fever and aches, however, recovery mostly involves rest and letting the virus run its course while staying hydrated. The key is to stay hydrated by drinking plenty of fluids, especially if youre vomiting or have diarrhoea, advised Dr Tang. In extreme cases, where dehydration becomes a problem, some people may need intravenous fluids. Can we do anything to prevent it? The most important thing is washing your hands regularly with soap and water, especially after using the bathroom or before eating, said Dr Tang. Hand sanitisers arent as effective against norovirus, so good old-fashioned handwashing is key. Also, make sure to clean and disinfect surfaces, especially in kitchens and bathrooms, and wash fruits and vegetables thoroughly before eating. If someone around you has norovirus, its best to avoid direct contact and be extra on top of your hygiene. If symptoms continue, contact a GP. NYC Nursing Strike (Copyright 2026 The Associated Press. All rights reserved) Nurses involved in New York City's largest strike in decades returned to the negotiating table on Thursday with hospital administrators, aiming to resolve the significant industrial action. The New York State Nurses Association (NYSNA) confirmed that contract discussions recommenced this morning with officials from the three private hospital systems affected: Montefiore, Mount Sinai, and NewYork-Presbyterian. The union has expressed its commitment to daily bargaining to settle the dispute, which saw approximately 15,000 nurses walk off the job on January 12. This prompted the hospitals to employ thousands of temporary staff to maintain operations. Ahead of the renewed talks, the union stated, "Nurses stand ready to bargain to reach fair contracts and end the strike. Nurses will continue to picket and strike until tentative agreements are reached with the hospitals." Last week, single bargaining sessions were held with each of the three hospital systems, but these lengthy meetings concluded with minimal progress and no plans for further discussions. Each affected hospital is negotiating independently, as not all facilities run by the three systems are involved. Other private hospital systems had previously reached tentative agreements with the union, thereby averting walkouts, and city-run public hospitals are not part of these current negotiations. The resumption of talks this week follows urging from Gov. Kathy Hochul and Mayor Zohran Mamdani (AP) Nurses are primarily seeking to safeguard their healthcare benefits and secure contract provisions addressing staffing levels and protection against workplace violence. Conversely, the hospitals contend that the union is demanding "unrealistic" and unaffordable pay rises, while also asserting they are not proposing to cut nurses' health benefits, contrary to the union's claims. The resumption of talks this week follows urging from Gov. Kathy Hochul and Mayor Zohran Mamdani, both Democrats, according to the union. Mamdani spoke at a union rally on Tuesday in front of Mount Sinai's hospital on the Upper West Side of Manhattan, alongside U.S. Sen. Bernie Sanders of Vermont. In the news release, Real Good Foods Debuts First High-Protein Flour Tortilla, Redefining a Staple Category, issued 22-Jan-2026 by Real Good Foods Co. over PR Newswire, we are advised by the company that changes have been made. The complete, corrected release follows, with additional details at the end: Real Good Foods Debuts First High-Protein Flour Tortilla, Redefining a Staple Category New Tortillas deliver fewer carbs and no seed oils, broadening the brand's shelf-stable portfolio BOLINGBROOK, Ill., Jan. 22, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- The Real Good Foods Company, Inc ., a leader in high-protein, low-carb foods, today launches its Flour Tortillas, a meaningful evolution of the traditional flour tortilla designed for today's health-conscious consumer. The company developed burrito-style tortillas for consumers who want more nutritional value from everyday staples. Each tortilla delivers high protein and fiber, low net carbs and contains no seed oils benefits no other flour tortilla currently offers. Real Good Foods new Flour Tortillas offer a modern take on a classic staple, made without seed oils. (PRNewsfoto/Real Good Foods Co.) Unlike many low-carb tortillas that rely heavily on added fibers and gumsoften resulting in a dense or gummy textureReal Good Foods took a culinary-first approach. The result is tortillas that deliver strong nutritional benefits without sacrificing flavor or performance, reinforcing the brand's commitment to quality in better-for-you food. The tortillas are designed to fit easily into everyday routines by helping consumers meet a range of health goals without added complexity. They can be used across mealsfrom breakfast wraps and lunch burritos to quesadillas and casserolesand pair well with both classic comfort foods and lighter ingredients such as eggs, grilled proteins and fresh produce. The tortillas will debut at select clubs in the Southeast and California, marking an important step in the brand's expansion beyond frozen and refrigerated aisles. "Expanding into shelf-stable products opens the door for new ways consumers can incorporate Real Good Foods into everyday meals," said Rikki Ingram, chief marketing officer at Real Good Foods. "Our customers are looking for pantry staples that support their nutrition goals without sacrificing taste or ease, and we created these tortillas with that balance in mind." The introduction of Flour Tortillas also sets the stage for continued innovation in the center of the store, where the brand sees a growing demand for high-protein, low-carb options across categories such as wraps, snacks and chips. To learn more or find Flour Tortillas near you, visit www.realgoodfoods.com and follow @realgoodfoods on Instagram and TikTok. About The Real Good Food Company Real Good Foods is a leading health and wellness frozen and refrigerated foods company, providing a better way to enjoy your favorite foods. The Company's mission is to provide "Real Food You Feel Good About Eating," making delicious, nutritious meals that are low in sugar, low in carbohydrates and high in protein. The Real Good Foods family of products spans breakfast, lunch, dinner and snacks, and is available in over 16,000 stores nationwide. For more information, visit realgoodfoods.com or follow @realgoodfoods on social media. Media Contact: Anne Randolph Brown [email protected] Correction: An update was made to the fourth paragraph. SOURCE Real Good Foods Co. I am sorry to say that when I raised this question about the Trump bribe, one of my colleagues observed wistfully that $1 million dollars isnt that much nowadays, which raises the awful possibility that if the price were higher, say, 5 million pounds sterling, he might think about it. Certainly, being offered less than the price of a one-bedroom flat in central London seems on the frugal side. But when young people have to work for nine years to save enough for a deposit on somewhere to live, the prospect of 750,000 cash in hand (the sterling equivalent of the Trump offer) might just sway them, always supposing that they kept the NHS and life didnt change otherwise in any fundamental respect. What would your price be? Nothing, ever; go away. Or... it depends. In Britain, it wouldnt happen; the population is too large for a meaningful bribe. But if, say, the US were to discover that the Orkney islands were of real strategic importance, sitting on vast reserves of rare metals and crucial to Russian interests, well, what then? The population hovers around 22,000 and the islands have at times been more Norwegian than British. The offer of couple of million pounds each to purchase the Orkneys might well put the affiliation of those proud people to the test. The question is: do we all have our price? There is an occasion when we might realistically be asked to pay a far higher price than a mere million dollars for our country. That is, when our country goes to war and we are required to fight for it. Though, realistically, that would only mean young men of military age; feminism has its limits and no-one would want to compel women into combat roles. In the two world wars, that was exactly the position Brits were put in: they were obliged to fight for their country or, in the case of the Great War, for its ally, Belgium. Put it to yourself: how likely would be modern Brits to die for Belgium, let alone for Britain? Worse, how likely would you be to send your son or brother to die? That wasnt an abstract question in 1914-18; it was the real and immediate prospect for every family. The answer was, almost everyone did. In the terrible death toll that almost reached a million men, most people consoled themselves that their boy had died in a good cause. Ive been reading the memoir of Sir Oliver Lodge, a physicist who lost his son in 1915 from shrapnel. It was a terrible blow, but he quoted a speech from Platos dialogue, Menexenus, to the parents of those whose sons died in war. Endeavour to soothe and heal their wound, reminding them that of all the boons they ever prayed for the greatest have been granted to them. For they did not pray that their sons should live for ever, but that they should be brave and of fair fame. To the question whether modern Britons would fight for their country a far bigger ask than resisting a cash payment we do know the answer. Last year Ipsos did a poll to ask just this question. It turns out that almost half of the population, 48 per cent, would not take up arms for the country; only 11 per cent of young people would do so. Would a population that cant see themselves ever dying for its country in war turn down a cash payment for their nationality? Im really not at all sure that contemporary Brits can be relied on. But I hope Greenlanders can. The poorest Londoners in Kensington and Chelsea are set to see a huge council tax hike after the boroughs Government funding was slashed by 108million. The town hall is set to green light plans to cut its council tax reduction scheme to save 441,000. It means low-income residents that currently get a discount on their bills will see this reduced, and payments increase by at least 10% from April. The poorest households who do not currently have to pay the levy at all will now have to fork out for 10% of the bill. A second homes premium, which could see residents with two properties face their council tax bills doubling, is also set to be introduced. Tory-run Kensington and Chelseas lead member for finance, Cem Kemahli, said: This is a horrible thing that were having to consider. The reality is we do not have 108 million and we have to find the money. We have been one of the most generous boroughs across London, in fact across the country, in giving council tax support. In the current scheme people receive 100% discount on their council tax. As Conservatives we believe peoples money is best placed in their pocket, but equally we do understand that all now have to contribute to this challenge. Kensington and Chelsea includes some of the richest areas in the UK but is also home to some of the most deprived. In the Indices of Multiple Deprivation 2019 assessment, the boroughs Golborne ward was ranked as the poorest ward out of 633 in London. Council leader Elizabeth Campbell said: We knew things were going to be bad when we got our settlement, but it was worse than we expected. The Government's Fair Funding Review is taking money out of London and putting it elsewhere, despite the city having massive and costly challenges in housing and social care. This is a punishment for councils like ours, who have worked hard to be financially responsible and keep taxes low. Governments suggestion is that councils should simply raise council tax by extreme percentages to make up for the loss of funding. Its unsurprising given their tax-grab attitude nationally, but it is cruel to people who cannot afford it. Most of Londons 32 town halls are currently consulting on raising council tax bills by 2.99% to pay for services, plus another 2% for adult social care. This is the maximum allowed without a referendum. An aerial view of the A40 running through the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea (PA) It means thousands more households in the capital will face average council tax bills of over 2,000 for the first time next year, analysis by the Standard shows. Benchmark Band D households in half of London boroughs will see hikes of over 100 to their annual levy from April if bills increase by the expected 5%. Hackney, Hillingdon and Lambeth residents face paying more than 2,000 for the first time, while payments in Wandsworth, which famously has the lowest council tax in the country, will go over the 1,000 mark. Five councils in the capital - Wandsworth, Westminster, Hammersmith and Fulham, City of London and Kensington and Chelsea - have been given authority to increase bills by more than 5% in 2027/28 and 2028/29 without having to hold a referendum after having their funding from central Government slashed. The Institute for Fiscal Studies (IFS) predicted eye-watering 75% increases in council tax could be seen in these areas. In its analysis, the think tank said: The [Government] funding figures assume some very large increases in council tax bills indeed for these councils around 75% in the case of Wandsworth and Westminster. A federal agent wears an Immigration and Customs Enforcement badge at the immigration court in New York in June 2025. Photograph: Yuki Iwamura/AP (Photograph: Yuki Iwamura/AP) A 21-year-old woman who is eight months pregnant and in a state of medical distress was deported Wednesday afternoon, a human rights attorney said, despite a court order, issued too late, to keep her out of the air. We are trying to get her the medical attention she needs immediately, said Anthony Enriquez, vice-president of US advocacy and litigation at the Kennedy Human Rights Center, whose client, Zharick Daniela Buitrago Ortiz, was sent back to Colombia. US district court judge Sarah Geraghty held a hearing on Wednesday afternoon and issued a temporary restraining order at about 6pm, enjoining ICE from deporting Ortiz before 30 January and requiring ICE to provide adequate medical care to her while she was in their custody. By the time she issued that order, the government had already boarded her onto a plane, Enriquez said. She is now in Colombia. Ortizs mother told Enriquez that her daughter remained in a state of physical distress and was considering options for medical attention. ICE transported Ortiz from detention in Louisiana to Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta international airport before deporting her, which Enriquez finds curious. There are serious concerns about what kind of company would allow someone at this late stage of pregnancy and distress to fly, he said. A spokesperson for Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) in Atlanta verified earlier on Wednesday that the deportation was imminent and the woman was at the airport, and referred a request for comment to the agencys El Paso office. The Guardian has reached out for details. Ortiz and her mother crossed the border in Texas in November, seeking asylum, Enriquez said. They told an immigration judge in a credible fear hearing that is part of an official asylum application that Ortizs father had been killed after publicly confronting corruption. The mother was deemed to have a credible fear interview and permitted to file an asylum application, Enriquez said. Our client was not and was given an order of expedited removal. ICE under the Trump administration regularly detains and deports pregnant women, he said. A child born on US soil is automatically a US citizen by law, even though Donald Trump in his second term in the White House is trying to change that right and it is an issue before the US supreme court. Such birthright citizenship rights complicate deportation processes. There is an existing policy that pregnant women normally shouldnt be detained by ICE, Enriquez said. That policy, although it exists on paper still, its not being applied, and so we think generally speaking this aligns with a policy to detain and deport pregnant women as soon as possible. Ortizs mother told Enriquez that her client had shooting pain in her abdomen and her back, and is suffering nausea and vomiting. She has asked for medical care and has been denied it. So she is not currently receiving the medical care that she requires, Enriquez said. Questions have been raised about the quality of medical care for pregnant detainees since the Trump administration took over. Civil rights leaders say pregnant women have reported bleeding, miscarriages, being shackled and other instances of medical neglect while in US immigration custody. We are going to have peace in the world, declared US president Donald Trump as he inaugurated his board of peace in Davos, Switzerland, flanked by representatives from a hodgepodge of 19 countries. A quick scan of the figures, sitting somewhat uncomfortably on stage, revealed a lot. Among them was Hungarys authoritarian leader Viktor Orban. Glaring absences included the USs traditional and most powerful European and Nato allies. The UK, for example, has stayed away for now, concerned by the inclusion of Russia. Many are presumably reeling from Trumps repeated insistence on Wednesday that he deserves to take over Nato-partner Greenland (or Iceland, as he kept saying), an action that could itself trigger the end of the alliance and, potentially, war. But no matter. Donald Trump has unveiled his board of peace but what will it achieve? (AFP/Getty) After a characteristically rambling speech, in which Trump took aim at the United Nations and congratulated himself on single-handedly ending several wars, he heralded the beginning of beautiful, everlasting and glorious peace. He told the group, ranging from Azerbaijan to Paraguay: Youre the most powerful people in the world. We can do pretty much anything we want to do, he added with worrying prescience. And this is the concern. The fear is that this club, originally created to oversee the implementation of a post-war plan for Gaza, has a charter so broad that it amounts to an attempt by Trump to replace the UN, an institution he has made no secret of hating. Trump himself has spoken about the board replacing some UN functions and perhaps even making the entire body obsolete one day. (Although he did on Thursday say the work of the board would be done in conjunction with the UN). Trump with Vladimir Putin, who is currently looking over the details of the boards invitation, in Alaska last year (Andrew Caballero-Reynolds/AFP via Getty) Invites to join the board which also has Tony Blair as a member have been sent to leaders of around 60 states, including Russian president Vladimir Putin, which has worried Britain. On Thursday, Putin added an additional layer of absurdity to the proceedings by saying he would be willing to pay the $1bn price tag for permanent membership on Trumps peace board using Russian assets frozen by the US in part due to Russias full-scale invasion of Ukraine. Behind the scenes, diplomats are concerned that this club, which Trump is apparently set to chair indefinitely, is designed to concentrate global decision-making power in his hands. Leaks of the charter shared with the media suggest he would have the power to appoint the membership, which could only be removed by a two-thirds veto. There are unanswered questions about the location of its headquarters, the legal status it would hold, and how its decision-making might interfere with the work of international institutions like the UN. US secretary of state Marco Rubio at the board of peace launch in Davos (AFP/Getty) It is telling that those who did sign on publicly include Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Jordan, Turkey and the UAE, all of whom know Trump is the only world leader able to force Israel to abide by the terms of any truce for Gaza, and Palestine more broadly. Others, such as Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan and Mongolia, are likely motivated by rare access and leverage. As Dr Andreas Krieg, from Kings College London, told Al Jazeera, this offers a direct line to the White House and buys them insurance against future exclusion. This may be especially important for countries like Argentina, which also signed today, given Trumps emphasis on his Don-roe doctrine, which seeks to entrench US dominance in the western hemisphere, or as he sees it Americas back yard. This year alone, he has already bombed Venezuela, threatened Colombia and Cuba, and repeated his interest in taking over the Panama Canal. Even though Trump backed Javier Milei in Argentinas October elections, all are aware that his attention span is short and his actions unpredictable. The Trump administration has already forced regime change in Venezuela with the removal of president Nicolas Maduro (@realDonaldTrump/Truth Social) The US president has said that dozens of countries have signed on, without naming them. Israel, which did not participate in the signing ceremony, is apparently among them. US secretary of state Marco Rubio said some leaders have indicated they plan to join but still require parliamentary approval, while others that were not invited have requested to sign on. It remains unclear what can be achieved if key stakeholders such as China, the European Union, Canada, Ukraine, Norway, Sweden, France and the UK have either not committed or have already said no. But whatever happens, this is the strongest indication yet that Donald Trump 2.0, who campaigned on America First and apparent isolationism, is in fact an ambitious interventionist. He is an expansionist with the mindset of a real estate businessman, and that is reshaping the world forever. Courtroom artists portraits are rarely what youd call flattering. When its a regular Joe Bloggs entering the witness box, theres no real frame of reference for the casual viewer. When its an already-familiar face, however, it becomes far more obvious that the hastily rendered representation has about as much in common with the actual person as a cut-price caricature done by a down-on-his-luck street artist. One who, presumably, gets off on ritually humiliating his subjects. It's probably quite a knock for the old self-esteem so pity Prince Harry, whose latest pastel-sketched profile after his appearance in the High Court is unlikely to make it onto his wifes painfully overcurated Insta grid anytime soon. If a picture is worth a thousand words, a few choice ones might include haggard (the eyes weighed down with not just bags but veritable suitcases); angry (the forehead etched with deep frown lines); unkempt (the hair, both facial and head). But perhaps most damning of all is the impossible-to-ignore suggestion of a balding patch on top a few cannily placed daubs of flesh colour beneath wiry strokes of auburn conveying the dreaded thinning out that relentlessly pursues men of a certain age with all the tenacity of the Nazgul hunting the one ring across Middle-earth. Alas, the one-time poster boy for the follicularly challenged is finally going the way of his elder brother; one can only outrun genetics for so long. It all feels a bit Samson and Delilah-coded, tbh. Which doesnt bode well for Harrys current battle against the Daily Mail publisher, Associated Newspapers Limited (ANL), his third legal claim against a newspaper group to date. Is Meghan the Delilah in this scenario? Is the Dukes power waning in tandem with his hairline? Only time will tell, as he wraps up giving evidence as one of seven high-profile claimants accusing ANL of grave breaches of privacy over 20 years. Harry has described this latest court case as, simply, a horrible experience. But a rogue artists impression isnt the only image problem the beleaguered royal is currently contending with. Here are a few more choice words, these ones flung out by court reporters rather than captured by an unsympathetic sketch: terse, tense, and more defensive than the defence. Prince Harry gives evidence in his privacy lawsuit against the publisher of the Daily Mail (Reuters) He prickled and bristled and sulked on the stand; he described the idea that he shouldnt be entitled to a private life as disgusting and railed against the idea that the private lives of himself and those close to him should, in fact, be commercialised. I can sympathise. After all, nobody should have their private life monetised by the media, should they? Nobody should, say, have the ins and outs of their deeply personal family drama and dating and relationship history constantly written about and televised for all to see? Is the Dukes power waning in tandem with his hairline? Like in 2019, when ITV followed the Sussexes every move as they toured around Africa at the request of oh yes, the Sussexes. Fair play amid a swirling mass of lies and negative stories in the press, Harry and Meghan wanted to set the record straight, once and for all. Well, twice and for all: in 2021 came a high-profile interview with Oprah Winfrey, swiftly followed by Harry and Meghan, a six-part Netflix documentary series as part of the Sussexes multi-year deal with the streaming platform (rumoured to be worth around $100m). OK, OK, thrice and for all, mlud. Lest we forget Spare, Harrys scorching, no-holds-barred autobiography, which finally finally! allowed him to speak his unfiltered truth (and incidentally make a reported 16m). At long last, the Sussexes side of the story had been laid bare from every conceivable angle and put to rest! That record was well and truly set straight theyd practically used a spirit level and the Duke could stop talking about his hallowed and sacred private life for, oh, at least five minutes... Once hed squeezed in a few teeny-tiny deeply personal interviews with ITV, CBS and ABC (demonstrating a level of oversharing normally reserved for a night out with the girls after a bottle of sauv blanc and ill-advised 3am tequila shots). Miserable Meghan in the Christmas special of her Netflix show (Netflix) No point in breaking your silence if youre not going to do it multiple times a year across numerous media platforms, after all. But spare a thought for the real victim in all of this: Meghan. Harry broke down in tears at the end of his testimony in the witness box on Wednesday as he recounted his wifes abject suffering and the misery she has had to endure. Yes, she may put a brave face on things as she posts glossy, artfully framed snaps on social media of her perfect slice of Californian family life, or presents episodes of wonderfully beige lifestyle magazine show With Love, Meghan from her idyllic Montecito home*. (*not her actual home.) But we all know that the curse of Instagram versus reality can hit even the most A-list of A-listers just as the curse of male pattern baldness can. No matter the verdict, thats one image problem that cant be overturned. The BookTok to Hollywood pipeline is up, running and producing hits with page-to-screen adaptations coming in thick and fast. There was the murderous marriage thriller His & Hers by Alice Feeney, which went to No 1 on Netflix, and the chart-topping, globe-trotting love story People We Meet on Vacation by queen of literary romcoms Emily Henry. The classics are getting the same treatment, with a shiny new take on Agatha Christies Seven Dials starring Helena Bonham Carter and Martin Freeman. Meanwhile, a TV adaptation of George RR Martins A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms landed on HBO. Even this years Oscar frontrunner, Hamnet, started life as a book. Theres plenty more on the docket too and if youre one of those people who like to read the book first (if only to cast aspersions on the inevitably inferior adaptation when it comes out), well theres plenty of source material to get stuck into in the coming months. (FX/Disney Plus/Penguin Randomhouse) The Beauty by Jeremy Haun and Jason A Hurley (Disney+, 21 January) Beauty is pain. This comic book takes that adage to extremes in its story of a disease that makes people gorgeous: clear skin, sky-high cheekbones, luscious locks. The bad side? Its also killing people. If ever there was a book primed for Ryan Murphy, the king of camp behind American Horror Story, Nip/Tuck, and Scream Queens, this is it. Evan Peters leads the cast, but expect plenty of cameos: Isabella Rossellini,, Vincent D'Onofrio, Bella Hadid, Ben Platt, Meghan Trainor, and more. (Lionsgate/Penguin) H Is for Hawk by Helen Macdonald (in cinemas on 23 January) What is it about birds and sad people? Just as Max Porters memoir Grief Is the Thing with Feathers was adapted into a film starring Benedict Cumberbatch last year, Helen Macdonalds moving memoir about training a goshawk while grieving her father is getting the movie treatment with The Crowns Claire Foy stepping into the role of Helen, and Brendan Gleeson as her father. (Amazon MGM Studios/HarperCollins) Broken by Don Winslow (in cinemas on 13 February) The frenzy around last years Louvre burglary shows a jewel heist never fails to captivate us. This ones fictional and led by Thor himself, Chris Hemsworth, who enters the picture as Mike Davis, the prolific thief at the heart of Don Winslows exhilarating 2020 novella. Mark Ruffalo plays the detective hot on his trail in a dashing pas de deux. Barry Keoghan, Halle Berry, Monica Barbaro, Jennifer Jason Leigh, and Nick Nolte round out the cast. (Warner Bros/Penguin Classics) Wuthering Heights by Emily Bronte (in cinemas on 14 February) One of the biggest adaptations of the year, one of the biggest books of all time. Emily Brontes gothic tale is making its way to the big screen once again courtesy of Emerald Fennell (Promising Young Woman, Saltburn), which means all bets are off as to what this film could hold. So far the trailer, featuring Margot Robbies Cathy eating a comically large strawberry in a historically inaccurate costume, has been met with mixed reactions. At the very least, colour us intrigued. Buckleypremium (Warner Bros/Penguin Classics) Frankenstein by Mary Shelley (in cinemas on 6 March) Shelleys cobbled-together monster is proving mighty popular, with Maggie Gyllenhaals take on the classic horror story arriving just months after Guillermo del Toros underwhelming adaptation with Jacob Elordi and Mia Goth landed on Netflix. Gyllenhaals iteration, titled The Bride! and starring Christian Bale and Jessie Buckley, redirects the attention to the monsters sidelined bride. Lets hope this one has more bite. (Prime Video/Hachette) Postmortem by Patricia Cornwell (Prime Video, 11 March) Between Nine Perfect Strangers and The Perfect Couple, Nicole Kidman is doing a lot of telly these days. Next up for the Australian star is a Prime Video adaptation of Patricia Cornwells enormously popular crime series Scarpetta. Kidman will play Kay Scarpetta, a forensic pathologist whose brilliant scientific acumen makes her the perfect person to crack the toughest of cases. (Universal Pictures/Montlake, Amazon Publishing) Reminders of Him by Colleen Hoover (in cinemas on 13 March) Colleen Hoovers last film adaptation It Ends With Us was overshadowed by some serious behind-the-scenes turmoil, but the queen of literary romantic dramas is returning to screens once more with Reminders of Him. Former scream queen Maika Monroe (It Follows, Longlegs) will play Kenna Rowan, a young woman who returns home from prison following the accidental death of her boyfriend to find a very different place to the one she left and a man she cant seem to shake. (Apple TV/Hachette) Imperfect Women by Araminta Hall (Apple TV+, 18 March) This is one for everyone still mourning the end of Big Little Lies: Aramanti Halls bestselling psychological thriller tells the story of a devastating crime that has an impact on a decades-old friendship group. Add Elisabeth Moss, Kerry Washington, and Kate Mara into the mix and this is a show worth adding to your watchlist. (Amazon MGM Studios/Penguin Books) Project Hail Mary by Andy Weir (in cinemas on 20 March) The author Andy Weir is no stranger to adaptations; just look at the stratospheric heights reached by 2015s The Martian, which saw Matt Damon play a straggler left behind on Mars. A similarly terrifying situation awaits Ryan Goslings amnesiac astronaut in Project Hail Mary when he wakes up on a spaceship alone with no memory of how he got there or who he is. (Apple TV/Hachette) Margos Got Money Troubles by Rufi Thorpe (AppleTV+, 15 April) A witty and heartwarming story of motherhood in the modern age, Margos Got Money Troubles does what it says on the tin. Elle Fanning is Margo, a single mum who drops out of college to raise her child and has, you guessed it, money troubles. Enter OnlyFans. Michelle Pfeiffer plays Margos mother, with the gruff Nick Offerman stepping into the role of her ex-pro wrestler father. (Universal Pictures/Penguin Books) The Odyssey by Homer (in cinemas on 17 July) Granted, the prospect of reading Homers ancient Greek poem before Christopher Nolan turns it into a summer blockbuster is a big ask. If you do get around to it, youll discover an epic tale of a kings journey back home to his waiting wife after the Trojan war, and all the mythical creatures he encounters on the way. Nolan has gathered an appropriately stacked cast for his adaptation with Matt Damon playing Odysseus, plus Tom Holland, Anne Hathaway, Robert Pattinson, Lupita Nyongo, Zendaya, Charlize Theron, Jon Bernthal, and more attached. Phew! (Instagram/Penguin Books) Sense & Sensibility by Jane Austen (in cinemas on 11 September) Daisy Edgar-Jones steps into the coveted corset of Elinor Dashwood, Jane Austens reserved and stoic heroine most famously portrayed by Emma Thompson in 1995. Elinor is one of two sisters left destitute after the sudden death of their father. One could say theyve no money and no prospects! In the directors chair is Georgia Oakley, a promising indicator given the tenderness with which she directed her breakout film Blue Jean. Verity by Colleen Hoover (in cinemas on 2 October) As if one adaptation a year wasnt enough, Colleen Hover has a second on the way. Unlike the intimate romantic dramas shes become known for, Verity is a twisty thriller centred around the character of Lowen, a struggling writer (played by Dakota Johnson) who uncovers plenty of secrets when she is hired to complete the unfinished works of a bestselling author. Anne Hathaway and Josh Hartnett also star. (Getty/Hachette) Lucky by Marissa Stapley (AppleTV+, TBC in 2026) Frankly a TV adaptation was all but inevitable after Marissa Stapleys thrilling coming-of-age tale was selected for Reese Witherspoons Book Club back in 2021. Finally its coming to fruition with a seven-episode collaboration between Apple TV+ and Witherspoons production company Hello Sunshine. Anya Taylor-Joy is Lucky, a plucky grifter with a string of successful heists behind her and a boyfriend (Drew Starkey) by her side. When she wins the lottery on a whim, she must decide what to do: cashing it in would mean revealing her identity and risking capture; not cashing it in would mean giving up millions. What would you do? An aide collects a photo of Renee Good after a press conference at the US Capitol in Washington DC on 14 January. Photograph: Jonathan Ernst/Reuters (Photograph: Jonathan Ernst/Reuters) A private autopsy has determined that Renee Good, the unarmed US citizen and mother killed by a federal immigration officer in Minneapolis earlier this month, was shot three times, in her forearm, breast and head. The independent postmortem was commissioned by lawyers in Chicago representing Goods family, and its findings were released late on Wednesday, ABC7 News reported. The autopsy, described as preliminary, found three clear gunshot wounds on the 37-year-olds body, two of which were not immediately life-threatening. One struck her left forearm, and another entered her body through her right breast, but missed major organs. A third shot struck her on the left side of her head near her temple then exited on the right side of her head, the New York Times reported. The newspaper said there was also a graze wound consistent with a firearm injury, but with no penetration. Related: Unimaginable loss: Renee Good family urges empathy in call for justice The Good familys attorneys, Romanucci and Blandin, declined to release the full report, but said it would continue to gather evidence in connection with her death as it pursued what it said was a civil investigation, the Times said. The findings align with incident reports, including transcripts of 911 calls, into the 7 January shooting, which chronicled two apparent gunshot wounds to the right side of Goods chest, and a possible gunshot wound with protruding tissue on the left side of the patients head. The death of Good, who relatives said was acting as a legal observer of a surge of Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) activity in Minneapolis, has raised tensions in the Minnesota city and sparked a fight between the Trump administration and local officials. The White House and the Department of Homeland Security have repeatedly insisted that Good was a domestic terrorist who aimed her car at the ICE agent. The officer was forced to fire in self-defense, they claimed. Multiple video clips of the encounter, however, show that Good was steering away from the agent as she tried to drive away, and at least two of the shots were fired from the side of the vehicle. State officials are angry that they have been cut out of an FBI inquiry, and that federal authorities are looking into Goods widow and Democratic leaders in Minnesota, including the governor, Tim Walz, and the Minneapolis mayor, Jacob Frey, and not the officer who killed Good, Jonathan Ross. Separately, the justice department has said available video evidence cleared Ross, and that no criminal investigation was taking place. The Department of Justice doesnt just stand up and investigate because some congressman thinks we should, because some governor thinks that we should, Todd Blanche, the deputy attorney general, told Fox News on Sunday. The lack of an investigation led a wave of federal prosecutors to quit in protest. Meanwhile, the Trump administration has amplified its blaming of the victim, and support for an escalation of immigration enforcement activities, which have led to sometimes violent skirmishes with protesters and the arrests of US citizens and children. On Thursday, the vice-president, JD Vance, is expected in Minneapolis and will speak in defense of Donald Trumps decision to send 3,000 federal law enforcement officers to the area. Hasbro, which also owns brands like Monopoly and My Little Pony, announced last year its move to Boston by the end of 2026, concluding nearly 70 years of operation in Rhode Island (Getty Images) Rhode Island lawmakers are seeking to remove Mr. Potato Head from the states speciality number plates, following toy giant Hasbros decision to relocate its head office from the smallest U.S. state to Boston. The proposal, introduced earlier this month, would see the Rhode Island Division of Motor Vehicles stop offering the iconic character as an option for a specialty number plate. Republican Rep. Brian Newberry, from North Smithfield, stated in an email that he filed the legislation due to the "untold economic harm and loss of tax revenue" that Hasbros departure would cause. "There is no reason we should be advertising their products on our license plates," Newberry said. "It may seem trivial compared to many other things, but its a matter of self-respect." Currently, the Mr. Potato Head number plate costs approximately $40 (AP2000) Currently, the Mr. Potato Head number plate costs approximately $40, with half of that amount directly supporting the Rhode Island Community Food Bank. The plates, first issued in 2002 to commemorate the toys 50th anniversary, feature a small image of Mr. Potato Head holding a sign for the food bank and the slogan "help end hunger." Kate MacDonald, spokesperson for the food bank, which has received nearly $60,000 over the years from the initiative, noted: "The license plate started at a time when Mr. Potato Head was all over the state and was having a moment. And while it has tapered off over the years, its been a steady way for people to contribute." Hasbro, which also owns brands like Monopoly and My Little Pony, announced last year its move to Boston by the end of 2026, concluding nearly 70 years of operation in Pawtucket, Rhode Island. Mr. Potato Head, created in 1952, originally required children to supply their own vegetable for the facial features, before Hasbro acquired the brand and introduced a plastic potato body. Hasbro was contacted for comment. British Marines take cover during front-line fighting in Afghanistan in March 2007 - John Moore/Getty Images Donald Trump has renewed his attack against European and Nato allies by claiming their militaries avoided the front lines of the war in Afghanistan. In an interview broadcast on Thursday, the US president also alleged that America never needed support from European armed forces during the US-led invasion. Mr Trump made the comments after giving a speech in Davos on Wednesday in which he said he was not sure Nato would be there for us if we gave them the call, prompting a robust response from Mark Rutte, the alliances secretary-general. On Thursday, speaking to Fox News, the US president reiterated: Ive always said, will they be there if we ever needed them? Thats really the ultimate test, and Im not sure of that. Weve never needed them. Theyll say they sent some troops to Afghanistan and they did, they stayed a little back, a little off the front lines. Nato troops in Afghanistan Between 2001 and the withdrawal of coalition troops 20 years later, 457 British troops were killed in combat and during other operations in Afghanistan. Hearses carrying the coffins of six British soldiers killed in Afghanistan pass mourners in Wootton Bassett, Wiltshire, in November 2009 - Matt Cardy/Getty Images Denmark, which has been at the centre of Mr Trumps criticisms for allegedly not sufficiently defending Greenland, lost 44 soldiers, the largest proportion per capita other than the US, which lost nearly 2,500 troops in the war. Canada lost 159, while 90 French, 62 German, 53 Italian and 44 Polish soldiers also died. Mr Rutte has often sought to flatter the US president to placate him over a more aggressive approach. But the Nato chief told Mr Trump on Wednesday night: Theres one thing I heard you say yesterday and today. You were not absolutely sure Europeans would come to the rescue of the US if you will be attacked. Let me tell you, they will, and they did in Afghanistan. For every two Americans who paid the ultimate price, there was one soldier from another Nato country who did not come back to his family from the Netherlands, from Denmark and particularly from other countries, he added. Trump completely wrong Lord Dannatt, who was head of the British Army between 2006 and 2009 at the height of the Afghan conflict, told The Telegraph: Donald Trump has got his facts completely wrong. When the new operation was launched in southern Afghanistan in 2006, the UK agreed to take the lead on behalf of Nato and went into Helmand. Lord Sedwill, a former ambassador to Afghanistan, told Times Radio the families of British personnel who died would be right to be offended at Mr Trumps completely wrong comments. Mr Ruttes pushback against Mr Trump came before their meeting to ease tensions over Greenland. Mr Rutte told Mr Trump that Europe would come to the rescue if the US was ever attacked - Evan Vucci/AP Photo The pair reached an agreement, first reported by The Telegraph, that would effectively permit Washington to create sovereign military bases on the Arctic Island modelled on Britains RAF facilities in Cyprus. The deal, an update to a 1951 defence pact between Denmark and the US, will also block Russia and China from exploiting the islands minerals. A permanent Nato mission to bolster Arctic security, expected to be under the leadership of the US, is also expected to be launched as part of the agreement. But without a written legal text, it was unclear what special status any military areas hosting American forces would be granted. Denmarks prime minister insisted the deal negotiated between Mr Trump and Mr Rutte would not infringe on her countrys sovereignty. Before a meeting of EU leaders in Brussels, Mette Frederiksen told reporters: We have said from the very beginning that a discussion about our status as a sovereign state cannot be discussed. It cannot be changed. We are willing to work together with the US, of course, as we have always done about security, but our red lines that are also our democratic rules, cannot be discussed. Earlier on Thursday, she thanked the UK from the bottom of my heart for its support over Greenland during talks with Sir Keir Starmer. Get by with a little help from our friends The Prime Minister hosted his Danish counterpart at Chequers, his countryside residence. Ms Frederiksen said it was important Europeans stand together and dont get divided. She also praised the British way following Sir Keirs diplomatic efforts. Mr Trump told delegates at Davos that he was not sure if Nato would be there for us - Harun Ozalp/Anadolu via Getty Images To mark her visit, Mrs Frederiken signed the Chequers guestbook: Well get by with a little help from our friends, echoing the famous song by The Beatles. In Brussels, EU leaders welcomed the deal, which prompted Mr Trump to call off his threat to impose tariffs on eight European nations following their opposition to his Greenland plans. Emmanuel Macron, the French president, said: I welcome the fact that we began the week with an escalation, with threats of invasion and tariff threats, and have now returned to a situation that I find far more acceptable, even though we remain vigilant. By Thursday afternoon, the prime ministers of Norway, Finland, Iceland and Denmark had all called off a planned visit to Greenland on Friday. Jonas Gahr Stre, the Norwegian prime minister, said the trip had been called off in light of the contacts between the Kingdom of Denmark, the United States and Nato. It appeared that the trip was intended to be a show of solidarity in the face of possible US annexation, although Norway said the visit would go ahead at a later date. After departing Switzerland, Mr Trump said he had an incredible time in Davos. In a post on Truth Social, he wrote: The Greenland structure is being worked on, and will be amazing for the USA, and the Board of Peace is something that the World has never seen before Very special. So many good things happening! Hollywood stars Scarlett Johansson and Cate Blanchett, Breaking Bad creator Vince Gilligan and the band REM have signed an open letter accusing tech companies of theft of copyrighted artistic work to train AI models. The open letter, from the Human Artistry Campaigns Stealing Isnt Innovation movement, demands that the companies engage in ethical partnerships, rather than stealing. Other signatories include actors Joseph Gordon-Levitt and Olivia Munn, musicians Aimee Mann, MGMT, Common, Cyndi Lauper and Simon Le Bon, as well as author Jonathan Franzen. Cate Blanchett has also signed the open letter (Ian West/PA) (Ian West) The letter says: Americas creative community is the envy of the world and creates jobs, economic growth, and exports. But rather than respect and protect this valuable asset, some of the biggest tech companies, many backed by private equity and other funders, are using American creators work to build AI platforms without authorisation or regard for copyright law. Artists, writers, and creators of all kinds are banding together with a simple message: Stealing our work is not innovation. Its not progress. Its theft plain and simple. It adds: A better way exists: through licensing deals and partnerships, some AI companies have taken the responsible, ethical route to obtaining the content and materials they wish to use. It is possible to have it all. We can have advanced, rapidly developing AI and ensure creators rights are respected. Johansson has previously spoken out against the use of artificial intelligence, after Open AI launched a ChatGPT voice assistant that sounded like her. She said she was shocked and angered at how eerily similar the chatbot was, prompting OpenAI to say it would pause the use of the voice. Respected global leader in excess inventory solutions aligns with the premier operator of branded warehouse sales to create a seamless ecosystem that empowers brands CALABASAS, Calif., Jan. 22, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- Reflex Sales Group and Alternative Retail have entered into a strategic alliance to give leading brands expanded options for converting excess inventory into revenue. This collaboration allows premium brands to more carefully manage how, where, and when product reaches consumers, while maximizing excess inventory returns. Reflex Sales Group and Alternative Retail form strategic partnership to provide more control to leading brands for their off-price strategies. The companies blend excess inventory solutions and global reach with local high-return events, such as warehouse and sample sales, while protecting brand integrity and maximizing value across channels. (PRNewsfoto/Reflex Sales Group) Reflex Sales Group and Alternative Retail form strategic partnership to provide more control to leading brands for their off-price strategies. The companies blend excess inventory solutions and global reach with local high-return events, such as warehouse and sample sales, while protecting brand integrity and maximizing value across channels. The partnership connects Reflex's global distribution network with Alternative Retail's well-established brick-and-mortar, direct-to-consumer warehouse sales platform, creating a dynamic system that empowers brands to protect image, recover maximum value, and maintain full control over their off-price distribution strategies, including both e-commerce returns and traditional overstock. Under the alliance, Reflex will serve as a sourcing and buying arm for Alternative Retail, introducing qualified brand partners to its warehouse sale events. In turn, Alternative Retail will offer participating brands the opportunity to access Reflex's extensive international distribution network where appropriate. This two-way collaboration allows brands to choose the most strategic channel, whether U.S. consumer events or global distribution, based on margin goals, timing, and brand positioning. "Brands are looking to think outside of the box for how they move inventory, and each brand's taste and appetite is unique," notes Travis Smith, co-founder and CEO of Reflex Sales Group. "This partnership combines the strengths of two trusted operators to create a unified approach that protects brand integrity while maximizing value across channels." Scott Perkins, co-founder and CEO of Alternative Retail, adds, "We've seen firsthand how important it is for brands to feel in control of their off-price strategies. By aligning with Reflex, we're expanding exit opportunities for our brand partners giving them both the local reach of Alternative Retail's high return events and the global reach of Reflex's network all under a structure designed to optimize outcomes and uphold brand standards." The alliance builds on a history of collaboration between the two companies, both of which have worked with leading lifestyle, performance, and fashion brands. While specific brand names remain confidential to respect client discretion, the partnership will serve a broad mix of premium labels seeking controlled, strategic inventory management. The innovative program has recently launched and is now active across select categories, with additional brand integrations planned through early 2026. About the Companies: Reflex Sales Group helps brands move excess inventory globally, maintaining brand integrity and maximizing value. Based in Calabasas, California, Reflex works with thousands of leading apparel, lifestyle, and consumer brands, offering white-glove solutions across international off-price and value channels. Media Contacts: [email protected] Alternative Retail, based in Costa Mesa, California, operates large-scale branded warehouse sales primarily in Southern California, helping brands monetize overstock directly with consumers through controlled, high-impact retail events featuring leading lifestyle and performance brands. Media Contact: [email protected] Reflex Sales Group 5000 Parkway Calabasas, Suite 102 Calabasas, CA 91302 Phone: 818-935-5399 Toll-free: 866-213-1843 E-mail: [email protected] Web Site: www.reflexsalesgroup.com Media Contact: Marlene Moore Smith Miller Moore Phone: 818-708-1704 www.smithmillermoore.com [email protected] SOURCE Reflex Sales Group Only seven Democrats joined all but one Republican to fund the Department of Homeland Security as many Democratic voters continue to speak out against crackdowns by Immigration and Customs Enforcement. Reps. Don Davis of North Carolina, Tom Suozzi of New York, Henry Cuellar of Texas, Vicente Gonzalez of Texas, Laura Gillen of New York, Marie Gluesenkamp Perez of Washington and Jared Golden of Maine voted to fund the Department of Homeland Security. All of them hail from districts that voted for President Donald Trump. Only Republican Rep. Thomas Massie, a perpetual gadfly in the House, joined the rest of the Democrats to oppose the bill. The vote came as many Democrats have criticized tactics by ICE, particularly after the killing of Renee Good in Minneapolis earlier this month. Rep. Angie Craig, who represents the Minneapolis area and is running for Senate in the state, said she was a hell no on the legislation. In response to the killing, the Homeland Security appropriations bill included $20 million for body cameras that ICE would have to wear during operations. Rep. Marie Gluesenkamp Perez (D-Wash.) was one of only seven Democrats who voted to fund the Department of Homeland Security (Getty Images) I want to see standards around use of force, Rep. Seth Magaziner of Rhode Island, a member of the Homeland Security Committee, told The Independent. I want to see due process or a judicial warrant requirement before people's houses are broken into, I mean basic civil liberty protections. You know, they already have billions and billions of dollars that they haven't spent yet from the from the reconciliation bill. Magaziners words echoed what many other Democrats said about the billions of dollars Republicans gave to ICE in the One Big, Beautiful Bill that passed last year. And even Democrats from other districts that voted for Trump expressed hesitation. On Wednesday, Rep. Adam Gray, who represents a district that voted for Trump and who only won his seat by 187 votes, expressed hesitation about voting for the bill. One of the negotiating points that I'm most concerned about is what provisions and guardrails are in the bill to make sure that no, not one, zero US citizens are detained unlawfully, he told The Independent. It needs to be like a red line. You don't cross it, and the penalty for crossing it is severe. Democrats who voted for the bill expressed their anger at ICEs tactics. Gonzalez, who represents the Rio Grande Valley, told The Independent that he voted for the bill because it included funding for the Federal Emergency Management Agency and the Coast Guard. But he also said that the bill did not defund ICE. Now, you put a bill on this floor that will defund ICE operations in my district and around the country, and I'll vote a yes for it, Gonzalez said. Davis of North Carolina said that he wanted to see safeguards. I mean, obviously I think we should have the honest conversations about warrants, he told The Independent. We should have the honest conversations about taking off the mask. The House rushed to pass the final spending bills to keep the government open until the end of the fiscal year. While other spending bills were coupled together in what are called minibus spending bills, the Homeland Security spending bill received a standalone vote. In addition, many Democrats who had missed votes showed up to oppose the bill, such as Rep. Greg Casar of Texas who just had a son and Rep. Eric Swalwell of California, who is campaigning for governor. Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez of New York, who has long called for the abolition of the agency established in 2003 in response to the global war on terror, expressed satisfaction. Im very proud of our caucus, Democrats voted against DHS appropriations and I think it was the right thing to do in this moment, she told The Independent. An aerial view of the landslide, triggered by heavy rain in Mount Maunganui - Amy Till/Reuters A landslide smashed into a campsite in rain-swept New Zealand on Thursday, leaving multiple people including a child missing under tonnes of mud. The slip occurred at 9.30am local time (8.30pm Wednesday GMT) at the base of an extinct volcano on the countrys North Island. Videos showed a shower block and several campervans crushed and buried in rubble at Mount Maunganui, about 142 miles south-east of Auckland. Voices were briefly heard calling for help from beneath the rubble, witnesses and emergency officials said, but they soon went quiet. A child is among the missing. Our initial fire crew arrived and were able to hear the same, New Zealands fire and emergency commander William Pike said. Shortly after our initial crew arrived, we withdrew everyone from the site due to possible movement and slip. Credit: Reuters The rescue was called off due to fears of another slip - DJ Mills/AFP/Getty Mr Pike said no sign of life has been detected since. No one has been rescued so far and the campsite remains closed. Tim Anderson, the assistant police commissioner, said the number of people missing was in the single figures. A witness, Mark Tangney, told the New Zealand Herald that he had rushed to help those trapped by the landslide. He had set out on a hike when he heard the screams. I was one of the first there. There were six or eight other guys there on the roof of the toilet block with tools, just trying to take the roof off because we could hear people screaming help us, help us, get us out of here. Mr Tangney said they went hard for about half an hour and after 15 minutes, the people that were trapped, we couldnt hear them anymore. Several people, including children, are thought to be unaccounted for - Jason Dorday/New Zealand Herald/Getty A damaged vehicle remains stuck in debris - Dion Siluch After 30 minutes, the police called off the rescue saying it was too dangerous. An Australian tourist who saw the landslide coming down while he was sitting in a pool, told broadcaster TVNZ: Im still shaking I turned around and had to jump out of my seat and just run. Heavy rains have ravaged large parts of the North Island, with the countrys national weather service issuing a rare threat to life red warning in several regions. Some areas have received a months worth of rain in 12 hours. People living in low-lying affected areas have been ordered to evacuate. The number of victims is believed to be in the single figures - DJ Mills/AFP/Getty A police officer searches the debris for signs of life - TVNZ Another landslide hit a house in the nearby Bay of Plenty area. Two people escaped, but two others were still missing, according to Mr Anderson. Further north near the town of Warkworth, a man remains missing after floodwaters swept him from a road on Wednesday morning. New Zealands prime minister Christopher Luxon urged residents in affected areas to heed safety advice during the extreme conditions. Extreme weather continues to cause dangerous conditions across the North Island. Right now, the government is doing everything we can to support those impacted, he posted on social media. Several missing after landslide rips through popular campsite in New Zealand At least two people have died, and more are missing after landslides swamped a house and tore through a holiday campground on the east coast of New Zealand on Thursday morning. Search efforts continued through the night at the Beachside Holiday Park in Mount Maunganui, Tauranga, where a landslide crashed down on campervans, tents, and an amenities block. Rescue teams at the campsite said they initially heard voices calling for help from beneath the rubble but had detected no further signs of life by late afternoon. The number of people missing was in the "single figures" and included children, local media reported. A separate landslide hit a home in the regions Welcome Bay hours beforehand. Two people escaped the house, but the bodies of two others who were trapped inside were recovered hours later. The landslide comes after days of torrential rain linked to a tropical weather system, which has dumped extraordinary volumes of rain across large parts of the North Island. New Zealands emergency management minister, Mark Mitchell, said parts of the east coast resembled a war zone, with helicopters deployed to rescue families trapped on rooftops and local states of emergency declared across several regions. Mount Maunganui is a popular destination in the Bay of Plenty (Getty) Its a fluid and sensitive issue at the moment, Mr Mitchell told Radio New Zealand. Everyone is working as hard as they can to get the best possible resolution, but it is a very difficult and challenging situation. Fire and Emergency New Zealand said around 40 firefighters, including urban search and rescue teams and sniffer dogs, were working at the site, which has been fully evacuated. Two excavators have also been deployed to help remove debris. Fire and Emergency commander William Pike said first responders had heard voices when they arrived shortly after the slip but were later forced to pull back because of the risk of further movement. Initially, when the first arriving crews arrived, there were some signs of life, he told local media. But we withdrew our people to make sure the slip didnt move any further. Emergency crews look for missing people at Mount Maunganui in Tauranga (AFP via Getty) Police said the number of people unaccounted for was believed to be in the single figures, though the exact number remained unclear as some campers had checked out without notifying authorities. Witnesses described scenes of chaos as the hillside collapsed. Sonny Worrall, an Australian tourist who was swimming in nearby hot pools, told local media he narrowly avoided being hit by a caravan. I heard rolling thunder and cracking trees, he said. The whole hillside gave way. It was the scariest thing Ive ever felt in my life. The Bay of Plenty region recorded its wettest day on record (AFP via Getty) Mount Maunganui is one of the most important landmarks in the Bay of Plenty region. Hundreds of thousands of tourists visit it every month and it is popular with both international visitors and holidaying Kiwis. The landslide-struck campsite sits at the base of Mount Maunganui, also known as Mauao, an extinct volcano thats both a popular tourist destination and sacred Maori site. Surrounded by white sand beaches and with its main beach heralded as the best in New Zealand, Mount Maunganui also attracts tourists for its hot salt pools, which are described by the local tourist board as having healing properties. Authorities said the Bay of Plenty region recorded its wettest day on record, with the nearby city of Tauranga receiving about 295mm of rain in just over 30 hours roughly two and a half months worth of rainfall. Local states of emergency have been declared in Northland, Coromandel Peninsula, Tairawhiti, Hauraki and parts of the Bay of Plenty, with residents urged to evacuate low-lying areas and avoid all non-essential travel. Fire and Emergency New Zealand said it had responded to more than 230 weather-related callouts since Tuesday, including rescues from rooftops and flooded homes. In the east coast settlement of Punaruku, firefighters described houses buried in mud, logging debris and floodwater. At least 8,000 households remained without power on Thursday, down from 16,000 earlier, while dozens of roads were closed because of flooding and landslides. A closed road following the landslide in Tauranga (AFP via Getty) Elsewhere on the North Island, police were continuing to search for a 47-year-old man who was swept away with his vehicle while attempting to cross a river near Warkworth on Wednesday. His wife told Radio New Zealand she was holding out hope that he had survived. "I know his personality is strong, wise," she said, adding that he was a fisherman back home in Kiribati and knew how to swim and dive. In Papamoa, south of Mount Maunganui, two people were reported missing and one person seriously injured after a separate landslide struck a home early on Thursday. Communities across the island have also reported dramatic rescues, including neighbours pulling a 94-year-old man from floodwaters in Coromandel and a woman rescued by kayak as fast-flowing water rose to neck height around her home. New Zealands National Emergency Management Agency warned that further heavy rain was expected through Thursday, falling on already saturated ground and increasing the risk of additional landslides, flooding and dangerous river conditions. A police officer and dog search for people near where the landslide occurred (AP) Scientists say the pattern of increasingly intense rainfall is consistent with what is expected in a warming climate. It seems that these days, every storm brings with it orange or red flood warnings and devastation and misery somewhere in the country, said James Renwick, professor of climate science at Victoria University of Wellington. Sadly, this is exactly what we expect with a warmer climate that has more moisture in the air. Prime minister Christopher Luxon said the government was doing everything possible to support affected communities and praised emergency crews for their efforts. All those who are putting themselves in harms way to keep Kiwis safe, the whole country is grateful, he said. The number of police forces in England and Wales is set to be slashed under major a major overhaul of the system. Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood is preparing to unveil what government sources describe as the largest shake-up in decades on Monday, aimed at tackling "an epidemic of everyday offences". Under the proposed changes, the number of forces, currently standing at 43, will be significantly cut. The remaining, larger forces will be tasked with focusing on serious and organised crime, alongside complex investigations such as homicides. At a local level, each town, city and borough will be designated a "local policing area", where neighbourhood officers will concentrate on community issues like shoplifting and anti-social behaviour. Ms Mahmood believes the existing system, which requires each of the 43 forces to maintain separate headquarters and administrative staff, leads to a wasteful expenditure of funds that could otherwise be directed towards combating crime. Sources indicate these reforms are designed to generate savings by merging back-office functions, thereby freeing up resources to invest in more police officers. The reforms also seek to address inconsistencies in performance across forces, with ministers suggesting smaller forces often lack the necessary resources to manage major incidents effectively. The remaining, larger forces will be tasked with focusing on serious and organised crime, alongside complex investigations such as homicides (Joe Giddens/PA) A government source highlighted Wiltshire Police's response to the 2018 Salisbury poisonings, which necessitated support from 40 other forces, as well as significant disparities in charge rates for certain offences, as key examples of the current system's shortcomings. They said: Under this new structure, all forces regardless of where they are will have the tools and resources they need to fight serious crime. Where you live will no longer determine the outcomes you get from your force. But the changes will take time to come into effect, with the mergers only expected to be completed by the end of the next Parliament in the mid-2030s. And it is not yet known how many forces will remain after the reforms, with the number and location of the new forces to be decided by an independent review. Similar cuts have been proposed before, with then-Labour home secretary Charles Clarke announcing plans to cut the number of police forces to 24 in March 2006. But Mr Clarkes proposals were abandoned by his successor John Reid just four months later after the proposed merger of Lancashire and Cumbria police forces collapsed and senior officers turned against the idea. Allies of Ms Mahmood stressed her commitment to the reforms, saying the Home Secretary was a moderniser and not scared of bold reform and a political fight. But Conservative shadow home secretary Chris Philp said there was no evidence that merging police forces would cut crime or improve performance. He said: Top-down reorganisation risks undermining efforts to fight crime, inevitably leading to centralised control that will hit towns and villages across the country hardest. The biggest force, the Met, has the lowest crime solving rates and falling police numbers. Big is not necessarily better. The comedian and mum of four reflects on the realities of parenting and navigating criticism. Katherine Ryan is exactly as you'd expect: razor-sharp, relentlessly funny and entirely unfiltered. The 42-year-old comedian has built a career out of saying the things other people won't, whether she's appearing on shows like 8 Out of 10 Cats and Have I Got News for You? or being interviewed in a central London hotel, where she has me laughing within minutes of meeting her. But between the punchlines, Ryan gets serious about what it really means to be a woman and a mum in the public eye. The mother, who gave birth to her fourth child in October, says she's been criticised for "absolutely everything", including the decision to potty train her children earlier than most. "I get criticism for going back to work too early, for the job I have, for being outspoken, for using language people think is inappropriate for a mother even when my kids aren't around," she says as part of Yahoo's Unapologetically series. "I think it's important for my children to see that I have autonomy, that I exist as a person as well as their mother. I like that duality." Ryan shares three children Fred, four, Fenna, three, and Holland, three months with her husband, Bobby Kootstra, 42, a stay-at-home dad. Her eldest daughter, Violet, 16, was born when Ryan was 25. In addition to a busy home life, Ryan hosts a podcast, tours often and is the face of Buckwud Organic Maple Syrup a collaboration that makes complete sense for a proud Canadian. "Having children is a blessing, but it has also given me resentment, because it's a constant reminder of the gender imbalance in parenting," she shares. "It's stressful for my marriage when I'm touring. When you have small children, you cannot have it all. You can maybe have it all, but not at the same time. And you'd better hope there's a facelift on the other side to get you back into the mix." Unapologetically is dedicated to conversations with women who continue to evolve in the public eye. How do you live unapologetically? I wish I were more apologetic, actually. The beauty of getting older is that you start to shake all of that off. You start thinking, "I'm just going to do the things I want and be the way I want," and you end up having such a more fulfilling life. It's actually wonderful to be old. I look forward to being if I'm lucky enough an eccentric 80-year-old woman, possibly single again, with dogs. So many dogs, all in different hand-knitted jumpers. Because I'm over 40, I don't have a choice but to live unapologetically; it just comes naturally. I wish we could impart that wisdom to 23-year-olds, but you can't; they just have to live through it and get old. And then one day you realise, like Samantha Jones said in Sex and the City, "If I cared what every b**** in New York said about me, Id never leave the house." Unfortunately for me, I was born this way doing what I want, being outspoken and grabbing opportunities regardless of what anyone might say. I always knew I'd be criticised because that's just being a woman. So you may as well do what you want. That part of me has definitely grown stronger as I've gotten older. Ryan alongside (LR) Micah Richards, Mo Gilligan, Gareth Bale, Jamie Redknapp, Romesh Ranganathan and Jill Scott on A League Of Their Own. (2023 Sky UK Ltd) People can have unrealistic expectations around age and beauty. How do you navigate that in the spotlight? Badly. As much as I'm aware of the concerted effort in consumerism, society and the patriarchy to make me feel bad about myself as much as I know it exists I still succumb to it a bit because Im from a toxic generation. I'm kind of excited about Ozempic and all that toxicity coming back. I'm like a feminist Karl Lagerfeld. I grew up with Britney Spears and Christina Aguilera I'm from the girl-band generation. It would be a lie to say I've completely overcome all temptation. I'll probably have cosmetic surgery not to look younger necessarily, because a lot of the women I admire aesthetically are older than me. I love Dolly Parton, Bette Midler, Celine Dion, Shania Twain and Erika Jayne from Real Housewives of Beverly Hills. Many of them are older, but no matter what age I am, I wont want my jawline to completely give up on me. I'll probably always be interested in laser facials and Botox. I'll always have an awareness of show business and glamour. I want to look not my youngest, but my best for a paying audience, whether they're watching me on TV or coming to see me on tour. I have a sort of a 90sgay idea of glamour; I'm a bit of a drag queen. I succumb to it in a slightly toxic way, but I think being honest about it helps break the stigma. I don't want women sitting at home scrolling, thinking, "Why dont I look like that?". The answer is: because you haven't had a facelift. Ryan hosting The Real Housewives of London Reunion, filmed on 25 September 2025. (Dave Benett via Getty Images) How has being a mum changed you? I think women have to consider their biological legacy ridiculously early. It would make sense for everyone to wait until theyre 40 to have children, but the only people who get to do that are men. Sometimes they wait until they're 60 or 85, and they're still "not ready". I've parented at 25, and at 40. I've always wanted children, and I know not everyone is like that. But it would be a lie to say you can have it all. Having children is a blessing, but it has also given me resentment, because it's a constant reminder of the gender imbalance in parenting not just in my marriage, but among my peers. The mums take on more. It's gaslighting to say they don't. And its inaccurate to think your career will wait for you. Because I'm on camera, I've also had to consider that, during pregnancy, I look different; postpartum, my energy is different; I'm needed at home, but still want a career. Ryan and Kootstra with their children, (L-R) Fenna, Holland and Fred. (Justin Goff Photos via Getty Images) How did you do it? I'm very lucky I have a lot of support. But I didn't have that when Violet was born at 25. My husband is wonderful, but he doesn't breastfeed and he'll never be their mother. And I have some internalised misogyny or old messages telling me I should be home with my children. And I am home more now with this newborn though she's seven weeks old and I'm here. With Fred, I went straight on tour, and then Fred and Bobby came with me because the original setup wasn't working. Now, three babies in, the newborn sleeps with me. I look after her or bring her to work. It's fine, but it's a juggle. Its temporary, it's a season, and it's easier now that I dont gaslight myself. I don't tell myself the lie that you can have it all you can't. So I just feel more relaxed: I'll be up all night, and I'll be at work all day. That's fine. Ryan, with her daughter Violet, whom she gave birth to when she was 25. (Dave Benett via Getty Images) You've received backlash for potty training your kids all before they turned one. What else are you criticised for? Whatever you do as a woman, you'll be criticised. That's why it doesn't really bother me. I'm often a catalyst for conversations. Even the potty training thing every time I talk about it, it goes super viral, and people get mad. I think thats a good thing because it triggers something visceral. We love our kids; we don't want to feel like we've made mistakes or be corrected. I get criticism for everything. I went on Have I Got News For You? when Holland was two weeks old. The warm-up guy, who I love, told the audience I'd just had a baby. Everyone cheered. Then he said she was two weeks old, and that joy turned to judgement really fast. I thought, "She's [Holland] here also." Online, I get criticised for everything: having my child asleep in an apparatus someone thinks is unsafe; having a bouncy chair on the sofa instead of the floor; how I buckle my daughter into a car seat; the direction the pram is facing. I once expressed breast milk and put it in a bottle when I took Holland, at 10 days old, on Lorraine. I was criticised for bottle-feeding her... I was criticised for not looking down at her while feeding, because I was looking at [host] Christine [Lampard]. What haven't I been criticised for? Absolutely everything. And it doesnt bother me at all. Being in the public eye teaches you that its not about you it's about them. They'll criticise anything, so you might as well do what you want. A true Canadian, Ryan is the face of BuckWud Maple Syrup. (Rachel Nevin Communications) Katherine Ryan proudly teams up with the gud-ness of Buckwud's Maple Syrup not just for Pancake Day available in all major retailers now (RRP 6.20). For more information, visit @buckwud_organic_maple. This has been edited for length and clarity. Vampire drama Sinners has made Oscars history, becoming the first film to achieve 16 nomination at the awards, but what is it all about? Directed by Ryan Coogler, the writer of Marvels Black Panther, Sinners has seen Michael B Jordan pick up a nod in the leading actor category, and British-Nigerian star Wunmi Mosaku nominated for the best supporting actress as it beat the previous record of 14 nods held by All About Eve, Titanic and La La Land. Michael B Jordan who plays the two lead roles in Sinners (Ian West/PA) (Ian West) What is the film about? Sinners follows two identical twins and First World War veterans Elijah Smoke and Elias Stack Moore, both played by Jordan, as they return to Clarksdale, Mississippi, after spending seven years in Chicago. The twins start a juke joint for the local black community, but they soon come under attack from a group of vampires and the Ku Klux Klan. The story is directly inspired by the legend of Mississippi blues musician Robert Johnson selling his soul to the devil at the crossroads in return for fame and fortune. Who is in it? Sinners stars Jordan in its two lead roles, while Mosaku plays Annie, Smokes estranged wife. True Grit (2010) star Hailee Steinfeld plays Mary, Stacks ex-girlfriend, while musician Miles Caton makes his film debut as Samuel Sammie Moore, the twins cousin, which has seen him nominated for the Bafta Rising Star Award, legendary bluesman Buddy Guy also appears in the film as an elderly Sammie. British-born actor Delroy Lindo plays Delta Slim in the movie. What are Sinners 16 nominations? Jordan, Mosaku and Lindo have been nominated for acting roles, the film itself is nominated for casting, cinematography (Autumn Durald Arkapaw), costume design (Ruth E Carter), editing (Michael P Shawver), and make-up and hairstyling. Coogler is nominated for best director and writing, Ludwig Goransson is nominated for best original score and the films song I Lied To You is nominated for best original song. Sinners is also nominated for best picture, production design, sound, and visual effects. What do the reviews say? Sinners received strong reviews on its release, with The Hollywood Reporter describing it as rule-defying, while Rolling Stone said it was messy but rollicking. The Guardian said the film could do without the supernatural element, but called it spectacular if more-than-faintly hubristic. Esquire praised the movie for its urgent rumination on race, past misdeeds and unhealed wounds, summing it up as faithfully superb. Which awards has Sinners already won? At the Golden Globe Awards earlier this month, Sinners scooped the awards for best original score, won by Goransson, and for cinematic and box office achievement, it also received a number of nominations at the awards including best director for Coogler and best actor in a drama film for Jordan. It has also picked up gongs at ceremonies including the Critics Choice Movie Awards, US National Society Of Film Critics awards, and the Dublin Film Critics Circle. Two suspects were apprehended in Opera Square, police said. Photograph: Marc Bruxelle/Alamy (Photograph: Marc Bruxelle/Alamy) Six people have been injured after a knife attack at a demonstration in Belgium on Thursday evening, police said. Two of the victims were in a critical condition in hospital after the incident in the port city of Antwerp near the Operaplein (Opera Square), police spokesperson Wouter Bruyns said. Bruyns said police apprehended the two suspects who, based on initial findings, had mingled with the demonstrators. Four of the people who were stabbed were found in the square, with two others nearby in the vicinity of Rooseveltplaats and Sint-Elisabethstraat, local reports suggested. Police said the incident was being investigated as a case of attempted murder, not terrorism, and that officers were looking at CCTV footage to ensure no other suspects had evaded arrest. The demonstration outside the Opera House, attended by about 50 people, was initially peaceful, according to the newspaper Het Laatste Nieuws. Flags of the Kurdistan Workers party and national flags were waved during the protest in support of Kurds in northern Syria, where Kurdish-led forces have been fighting a government advance. However, shortly after the demonstration ended at about 7.20pm local time, the situation escalated. Orhan Kilic, a spokesperson for Navbel, a group representing the Kurdish diaspora in Belgium, said families, women, young people and children attended the protest. He said: Just as the protest was disbanding, the Kurdish demonstrators were attacked by a group of men. These men had sneaked into the demonstration and suddenly pulled out knives and began stabbing people indiscriminately. It is clear that this attack is not an isolated instance of senseless violence, but a motivated attack on a community. Forensic officers were seen at the square, and police have urged people to stay away from the area. Sir Keir Starmer visited a community group in Hertfordshire on Thursday as the announcement was made Labour announced plans on Thursday to deny 4.5 million people a vote, with two of Britains biggest councils allowed to delay elections. Tory-controlled Suffolk and Norfolk were among 29 authorities given permission to cancel Mays ballot. The Conservative-led Essex council is also said to have privately discussed the possibility of a cancellation with ministers, which would deny a further 1.1 million people a vote. The delays mean that millions of people will have been left with no say over who controls their local services and council tax for up to seven years. The Telegraph has launched a Campaign for Democracy, calling for ministers to be stripped of their legal powers to cancel local elections. MPs across the political divide reacted angrily to the announcement by Steve Reed, the Communities Secretary, that elections would be postponed in 29 areas, including 15 Labour-run councils. Ministers have justified the delays by saying they are needed to allow local authorities to merge as part of an efficiency drive, but critics have claimed that councils are cancelling ballots to avoid losing seats. Labour is widely expected to perform poorly at this Mays elections, given its dire national poll ratings, and faces losing seats to Reform on the Right and the Greens to its Left. Norfolk and Suffolk, which are home to 1.4 million voters, both claimed that they would not be able to hold elections and press on with the local government restructure, under which district councils are set to be abolished and merged into new unitary authorities. Both areas also cancelled their elections last year and last held a ballot in 2021, as did Tory-controlled East Sussex and West Sussex. However, ministers have admitted that the new unitary councils are not expected to be up and running until 2028 at the earliest, even on the most ambitious timelines, leaving some voters under the same council for at least seven years. Two million voters across five Tory councils will be denied a vote this spring. Party officials said on Thursday they backed local leaders to do the right thing for their areas. A Tory source insisted the party would not punish local leaders who had pushed for electoral delays. They said: The Conservative Party is a democracy and not a dictatorship. Its not like Reform, where everyone has to do what Nigel [Farage] says. We trust our local leaders to do the right thing for their local areas. However, in the Commons, the party strongly opposed the delays, with Sir James Cleverly, the shadow communities secretary, accusing Labour of cowardice. This Government has moved seamlessly from arrogance to incompetence and now cowardice, he told MPs. It was the Government who rushed through a huge programme of local government reorganisation, imposing new structures and timetables, and it is the Government who is failing to deliver them. Rather than take responsibility for his own failure, the Secretary of State has chosen to dump the consequences of his own incompetence onto the laps of local councils. Mr Reed hit back, saying that the Tories had previously cancelled local elections, including during the pandemic. To those who say weve cancelled all the elections, we havent. To those who say its all Labour councils, it isnt, he said. Officials in Mr Reeds department, the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government, also held private meetings with the leaders of both Norfolk and Essex councils, according to The Times. While Essex councils leader publicly denied the claims, the newspaper reportedly saw minutes of an internal meeting in which leader Kevin Bentley said his preference was to not have elections. Mr Bentley denied having asked for a postponement and insisted that elections in the authority, which includes Kemi Badenochs constituency, would go ahead. There are widespread concerns that Mr Reeds plans to have new unitary authorities up and running in 2028 are wildly optimistic and that the schedule will slip. Ministers have refused to rule out the possibility of further delays to elections next year when pressed by MPs. In response to a written question last month, Alison McGovern, the local government minister, said that elections in May 2027 before a go-live date in April 2028 were on the most ambitious timelines. One local government source said there was a very widespread feeling across councils that the Government would have to delay more elections next year. Politicians across the divide joined forces on Thursday night to demand that ministers rule out delaying elections again. Richard Tice, Reform UKs deputy leader, said that Mr Reed must now categorically rule out any further delay next year, while Nigel Farage called Sir Keir a dictator. Paul Holmes, the shadow local government minister, said: Having already cancelled elections two years running, it is outrageous that they might make it a hat-trick of democracy dodging. The only thing that should be postponed is Labours top-down, rushed restructuring not elections. Sir John Whittingdale, the MP for Maldon in Essex, said that the reorganisation was complete chaos and that he expected further delays to elections. I can just see in six months time theyre going to turn around and say weve been told the timetable for electing the new authority is unrealistic, he said. Sir Ed Davey, the Liberal Democrat leader, added: The Government need to categorically rule out that they wont come back asking for further delays next year. Voters rightly deserve the chance to decide who runs the vital local services that they rely on. The Liberal Democrats have tabled an amendment in the House of Lords that would force any delay to Mays elections to be voted on by Parliament before being approved. A spokesman for the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government said it was not true to suggest elections would be delayed again in 2027. Once reorganisation is agreed, residents will get the chance to vote for newly reorganised councils in May 2027, and those councils will begin operating the following year. We are on track with that timeline and were sticking to it, he said. It is impossible to see the last week as anything other than a diplomatic triumph for Sir Keir Starmer. He has stood firm on Greenland, faced down the White Houses tariff threats, brought together European allies and, by drawing a line in the sand, helped force a U-turn from Donald Trump that few saw coming. The clouds that had gathered have lifted. Sir Keir is correct with his strong stance. Of course, he has not worked alone, helped by acute pressure applied by almost all of Americas allies, by Republican senators, American public opinion and, perhaps most persuasively, by the adverse reaction of financial markets to Mr Trumps policy. Still, Sir Keir ended the week vindicated and enjoying enhanced respect. Combining respect with resolve, the special relationship somehow survived the turbulence. It was far from inevitable. All this is not to ignore personal poll ratings at home. They make for grim reading. Yet if Sir Keir were as successful in his domestic agenda as he has been in foreign affairs, he would be comfortably looking forward to the round of elections in May and, indeed, a likely second term of office. Nevertheless, being successful abroad only reinforces the prime ministers position at home. Those who would seek to cast him aside and replace him themselves are weakened by his growing influence on the international stage. None of his would-be adversaries has (yet) to show the authority and gravitas that the prime minister has earned from his international peers. As rumours again swirl about movement by the Greater Manchester mayor and leadership hopeful Andy Burnham, who supposedly has his eye on running for the seat being vacated by Labours Andrew Gwynne, we would do well to remember that. The ambition of every British premier is to act as a transatlantic bridge between the US and Europe. This has been true before, during and since Britains membership of the EU, but was obviously made hugely more difficult by Brexit and then by the arrival of Mr Trump for his second term of office in America First mode. Despite ending the week vindicated, the PM still faces a grim time in the polls (House of Commons) Against the odds and a legacy of bad blood from the Johnson and Truss era, Sir Keir has managed to reset relations with the EU, particularly in the defence sphere, while also negotiating a relatively advantageous tariff regime with the Americans, not to mention a trade deal with India. With Emmanuel Macron and France, Britain is playing a leading role in the coalition of the willing in defence of Ukraine while simultaneously offering measured support to the Trump peace plan. A similar approach has been followed with the war in Gaza, where the prime minister has mostly held his party together. He has done all this, it is worth mentioning, even after losing his ambassador to Washington, Peter Mandelson, and changing his foreign secretary. There is also better cooperation with France and Germany on Channel crossings by migrants though still not enough and encouraging talk about a process of rebuilding economic ties with the EU, not least to boost economic growth. Labour may yet commit to a more ambitious process of ever-closer collaboration in time for the next general election. It would be popular. But that wistful thought reminds us that, for all his dedicated work on foreign affairs, for which hes been unfairly dubbed Never-here Keir, it is indeed at home that the future of his premiership will be determined. It is difficult to imagine any of his principal rivals managing recent events abroad as successfully as the prime minister has done, and that goes for the many pretenders to the throne in his own party as well as Kemi Badenoch and Nigel Farage, who sided with Mr Trump on the Greenland issue just as the president was executing his U-turn. Now, with the economy showing signs of progress, and Reform UK looking more and more like a home for deadbeat Tories, Sir Keir will try once again to turn his attention homewards. He wants to talk and do something about the continuing cost of living crisis, public services and migration. He may even succeed if, that is, President Trump and overseas events allow him to. Nicola Sturgeon on her final official visit as first minister in 2023, when she opened a new treatment centre in Kirkcaldy, Fife - Peter Summers/Pool/AFP via Getty Images Nicola Sturgeon has been urged to come clean over whether she pressured a scandal-hit hospital to open before it was safe. NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde (NHSGGC) said this week that pressure had been applied for the Queen Elizabeth University Hospital (QEUH) to open on time in 2015, but it was not ready. Two child patients died and at least 84 fell ill with infections while being treated at the campus. They included 10-year-old Milly Main, who was being treated for leukaemia but was in remission at the time of her death. The health board did not specify where the pressure had come from but Ms Sturgeon, who was first minister of Scotland at the time of the hospitals opening, has been urged to disclose whether she was responsible. The hospital, which opened 10 days before the 2015 general election, is near her Glasgow Southside constituency. In closing submissions to a public inquiry, the health board admitted for the first time that on the balance of probabilities, infections among child patients had been caused by the hospitals water system. A report on the system, completed one week before the hospital was due to open, suggested it could cause infections, but the decision was made to open regardless of that. The Queen Elizabeth University Hospital in Govan, Glasgow, is close to Nicola Sturgeons constituency - Jeff J Mitchell/Getty Images The Scottish Tories have now written to Ms Sturgeon, who is standing down as an MSP in May, urging her to use a personal statement at Holyrood to come clean on whether she pressured officials. On Thursday, Holyroods opposition party leaders used First Ministers Questions to challenge John Swinney over the identity of the culprit. Ms Sturgeon was not in the chamber. Mr Swinney, who was previously Ms Sturgeons deputy, denied she or any other Scottish Government minister had lobbied the health board to get the hospital open. He repeatedly refused to say who he thought was responsible for applying the pressure, arguing he would wait for the findings of the public inquiry. Russell Findlay, the Scottish Tory leader, said: Nicola Sturgeon was first minister when the hospital began treating patients on April 27 2015 just 10 days before a general election. During the SNP election campaign, she kept bragging about the new hospital. John Swinney denied point-blank that Nicola Sturgeon or anyone else in the SNP government applied political pressure to open the hospital before it was ready. Well, if it wasnt any SNP minister, then who did apply this pressure and why? John Swinney wont say. Water contamination problem Anas Sarwar, the Scottish Labour leader, said: People have died. Their families deserve the truth. A hospital was opened too soon with contaminated water that infected patients and led to deaths. Asked if Ms Sturgeon or another SNP minister was responsible, Mr Swinney told MSPs: The direct answer to that question is no. The First Minister said the Scottish Government was only advised by NHS GGC that there was a water contamination problem on Mar 1 2018. He added that the question of who applied the pressure was absolutely fundamental to the conduct of the public inquiry, which Lord Brodie is undertaking. The statutory inquiry is due to conclude this week after costing taxpayers 31m. It was ordered following pressure from families of children who died or were taken ill at the QEUH campus, including Milly Main, who died in 2017 after contracting an infection at the Royal Hospital for Childrens cancer ward. Kimberley Darroch, Millys mother, accused NHSGGC of a cover-up after stating she was never given a clear indication of the cause. The public inquiry was ordered in 2019. Throughout the inquiry, the health board had denied there was any evidence for a link between the infections and water and ventilation systems at the hospital. Whistleblowers were mistreated But in its closing submission, the board said it had changed its earlier position after hearing all the expert evidence. It also admitted that whistleblowers had been mistreated for raising concerns But it insisted that there was no definite link between the hospital environment and specific individual cases of infection. NHSGGC has already been named by prosecutors in a corporate homicide probe, which is looking into the deaths of Milly, two other children, and a 73-year-old woman at the hospital campus. The death of Molly Cuddihy last year is also being investigated by the Crown Office. She developed septic shock while receiving cancer treatment in 2018. She died last year, aged 23, after being readmitted to the hospital and developing another infection. NHSGGC offered a sincere and unreserved apology to the patients and families affected, and said the hospital was now safe. The $54.5 Million Raised Marks Largest Fundraising Campaign in Company History DALLAS, Jan. 22, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- The Dallas Opera (TDO) concluded 2025 with the successful completion of a $25 million challenge grant from the Texas-based O'Donnell Foundation. The grant and monies raised, totaling $54.5 million, will fund both The Dallas Opera's endowment and general operations. credit: Kyle Flubacker The challenge from the O'Donnell Foundation required TDO to secure $25 million in new or increased gifts and pledges by the end of 2025 in order to receive a $25 million matching gift. TDO exceeded the goal by $4.5 million, bringing the campaign total to $54.5 million, the largest in company history. This challenge was a success thanks to well over 100 donors, with recent significant gifts from the Perot family; the Hamon Foundation; the VanSickle Family Foundation; Cece and Ford Lacy; an anonymous donor; and the TDO Board, Trustees, and Honorary Directors. "The Dallas Opera is incredibly grateful to our loyal donors for this forward-thinking investment into the company," TDO's Kern Wildenthal General Director and CEO Ian Derrer says. "Every new gift and pledge helped us meet this challengethe fact it was met in six months speaks to TDO's importance in the community. Thanks to our generous donors and the O'Donnell Foundation, the future of opera in North Texas is brighter and more secure." With this more-than-fully matched gift, TDO's current endowment of $30 million will more than double in value, strengthening the company's financial footing for years to come. The funds raised for general operations will provide annual support for the next five years while the endowment investments mature. TDO Board Chair Quincy Roberts concludes, "This seismic, transformational gift, will support The Dallas Opera's legacy as a lasting arts beacon for our community. While opera companies will undoubtedly continue to face strong financial headwinds in the future, we celebrate this historic achievement for TDO and recognize that not every company is so fortunate." Learn more about The Dallas Opera here. SEASON SPONSOR The VanSickle Family Foundation in honor of Edith and Elmer VanSickle The Dallas Opera is supported, in part, by funds from: the City of Dallas Office of Arts and Culture; the Texas Commission on the Arts; and the National Endowment for the Arts. Lexus is the official vehicle of The Dallas Opera. Advertising support from The Dallas Morning News. The Dallas Opera is a proud member of OPERA America. Follow us @DallasOpera SOURCE The Dallas Opera The 19-year-old made 38 appearances for Santos before joining Spurs (Getty) Tottenham Hotspur have completed the signing of highly-rated left-back Souza in a deal valued at 15 million (13m). The 19-year-old, who joined the north London side on a long-term contract, said he had realised a childhood dream by making the move. Souza told the clubs website: Its an incredible feeling to join a really big club in Spurs. I grew up watching the Premier League so this is a childhood dream for me and I cant wait to get going. This is a big step in my development. The Premier League is very different to what Im used to in Brazil, and Im really looking forward to this challenge and to being part of the squad here. Former Brazil under-17 international Souza made his Santos debut at the start of 2024 before the left-footed defender established himself as a regular during the past season. After 38 appearances for Santos, Sao Paulo-born Souza will now represent Tottenham and joint compatriot Richarlison at the north London club. Spurs boss Thomas Frank said: Im really pleased to add Souza to our squad. He is a talented, promising young full-back, who is forward-thinking and technically very good. Im looking forward to working with him and helping developing that potential, as we believe we have bought one of the brightest left-back talents in the world, who can give us something now but also for the future. Tottenham face Burnley at Turf Moor (Action Images via Reuters) Conor Gallagher comes back into the Tottenham team for what is a big game for Thomas Frank at Burnley. Gallagher was ineligible for Tuesdays 2-0 Champions League win over Borussia Dortmund and starts in midfield alongside Yves Bissouma. either Archie Gray is on the bench and Joao Palhinha remains sidelined. CLICK HERE TO FOLLOW BURNLEY VS TOTTENHAM LIVE! Dominic Solanke made his first start since returning from injury against Dortmund and leads the line again, but there is no room for Mathys Tel despite being eligible. Pape Matar Sarr has returned to Hotspur Way after the Africa Cup of Nations, but is not included today. Spurs are still without long-term absentees James Maddison, Dejan Kulusevski, Rodrigo Bentancur, Mohammed Kudus and Richarlison. Confirmed team news Burnley XI: Dubravka, Tuanzebe, Esteve, Humphreys, Walker, Ugochukwu, Luis, Pires, Edwards, Anthony, Broja Subs: Weiss, Ekdal, Sonne, Mejbri, Laurent, Bruun Larsen, Foster, Tchaouna, Barnes Tottenham XI: Vicario, Porro, Romero, Danso, Van de Ven, Gallagher, Bissouma, Odobert, Simons, Spence, Solanke Subs: Kinsky, Dragusin, Udogie, Byfield, Gray, Williams-Barnet, Tel, Kolo Muani, Scarlett Injured: Maddison, Kulusevski, Bentancur, Kudus, Richarlison, Davies, Bergvall Date and time: 3pm GMT on Saturday, January 24, 2026 Venue: Turf Moor Advanced Micro Devices (AMD) Chip stocks rallied on Wednesday following comments made by Nvidia (NVDA) CEO Jensen Huang at the World Economic Forum (WEF) in Davos. Huang said that the AI explosion has jump-started the largest infrastructure buildout in history". There are trillions of dollars of infrastructure that needs to be built out, Huang told BlackRock (BLK) CEO Larry Fink in a mainstage conversation on Wednesday. Read more: Stocks climb as Trump cancels European tariffs This propelled chip stocks higher, including AMD (AMD), with shares in the semiconductor company jumping 7.7% on Wednesday and rising by a further 2% in pre-market trading on Thursday. US president Donald Trump's pivot on Greenland also fuelled a broader market rally. Trump said in his speech at WEF on Wednesday that he wouldn't use force to acquire Greenland and in a social media post later on, dropped his threat of more tariffs on European countries over opposition to his proposed takeover. Intel (INTC) Another chip stock that surged on Wednesday was Intel (INTC), with shares closing the session 11.7% higher. The stock is up a further 1.7% in pre-market trading on Thursday, as attention turns to Intel's (INTC) fourth-quarter results due out later in the day. Intel (INTC) has guided to revenue of $12.8bn (9.52bn) to $13.8bn for the fourth-quarter and adjusted EPS of $0.08. Read more: Gold price to hit $5,400 this year, says Goldman Sachs Shares have been rising since the start of the year, buoyed partly by the launch of its AI PC chips, signalling further progress in the company's turnaround efforts. Intel unveiled its core ultra series 3 chips, dubbed "panther lake", at the consumer electronics show (CES) in Las Vegas in the first week of January. This is Intel's (INTC) first chip to be built using its latest 18A manufacturing process. Moderna (MRNA) Shares in US pharmaceutical and biotechnology firm Moderna (MRNA) jumped 15.8% in Wednesday's session and were up another 4.6% in pre-market trading on Thursday. The rise in shares came after Moderna (MRNA) and fellow pharma company Merck (MRK) announced positive results from its skin cancer treatment study. Merck shares rose 1.5% on Wednesday following the released of the findings. Read more: Stocks that are trending today The companies said on Wednesday that five-year data showed that a combination of Moderna's (MRNA) intismeran autogene vaccine and Merck's (MRK) Keytruda drug, used on patients with high-risk melanoma, reduced the risk of recurrence or death by 49%. "For many patients with stage III/IV melanoma, there is a significant risk of recurrence following surgery," said Dr. Marjorie Green, senior vice president and head of oncology, global clinical development at Merck Research Laboratories. "As such, demonstrating the longer-term potential of intismeran autogene and KEYTRUDA to reduce the risk of recurrence for certain patients with melanoma is a meaningful milestone." Associated British Foods (ABF.L) In the UK, Primark-owner Associated British Foods (ABF.L) is in focus on Thursday morning, after the company released its latest trading update. ABF reported group revenue of 6.76bn ($9.08bn) for the 16 weeks to 3 January, down 1% on constant currency basis. The company posted a 2.7% fall in like-for-like sales for Primark. Adam Vettese, market analyst at eToro, said that the update "confirms the weakness indicated in the profit warning earlier this month". Stocks: Create your watchlist and portfolio "Guidance remains cautious, with full-year adjusted operating profit and earnings per share lagging last year due to US consumer weakness and Primark pressures," he said. "Overall, ABFs (ABF.L) diversified model can help the company navigate difficult periods through resilient store expansion and balance sheet strength, but earnings reset tempers enthusiasm," Vettese added. "At current levels, patient investors will hold tight, betting on Primarks long-term rollout and consumer recovery, further upside will also be macro dependent." Young & Co's Brewery (YNGA.L) Shares in British pub chain Young & Co (YNGA.L) advanced 1.3% on Thursday, after the company reported strong trading over the festive season. Young & Co (YNGA.L) said that like-for-like sales increased by 11.2% in the three weeks to 5 January, in a trading update on Thursday. The company said that total managed revenue for the third quarter was up 5.6% and grew by 5.7% on a like-for-like basis. Young & Co also announced plans to move from the UK's alternative investment market (AIM) to the main market of the London Stock Exchange (LSE). Read more: UK government borrowing drops to 11.6bn in December The company said that it had grown "considerably" in size and performance in recent years and that its board believed moving onto the main market would enhance its profile. Simon Dodd, CEO of Young's, said: "Over the last two decades, AIM has provided a highly supportive environment for Young's, helping us to realise our growth ambitions and secure vital funding, especially during the difficult period of the pandemic." He added that the company believed a move to the main market is a "natural and exciting next step for Young's, and one that will open the door to a wider group of investors". Read more: Download the Yahoo Finance app, available for Apple and Android. Donald Trump has claimed the world is richer, safer and much more peaceful than it was just one year ago as he hosted a launch event for his board of peace initiative at the World Economic Forum in Davos. At a signing ceremony for the new organisation, the US president said it would be one of the most consequential bodies ever created in the history of the world. US and Palestinian officials also used the ceremony to lay out a blueprint for the next steps in implementing a ceasefire in Gaza, and putting the territory under the day-to-day control of a Palestinian-run technocratic administration, which has been assembled in Cairo. The presidents son-in-law Jared Kushner outlined a plan for the next 100 days, including a significant increase in aid deliveries, the rehabilitation of essential infrastructure, such as water, electricity and sewage systems, and the reconstruction of hospitals and bakeries. Kushner also presented an aspirational map of a future Gaza in which the territory had a buffer zone around the border with Israel but was unified, rather than partitioned as it is now. In the most dramatic moment of the ceremony, Ali Shaath, the Palestinian official chosen to run an interim administration in Gaza, appeared by video link to announce that the Rafah crossing from Gaza to Egypt would be reopened next week for traffic in both directions for the first time since May 2024. Describing Rafah as Gazas lifeline, Shaath said: Opening Rafah signals Gaza is no longer closed to the future or to the world. Addressing the people of Gaza, Shaath said: Step by step, with discipline and determination we will rebuild a capable Gaza capable of self-reliance and we will build it into a centre for freedom, opportunity and peace. The announcements are likely to alarm the Israeli coalition led by the countrys prime minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, which is opposed to a unified and Palestinian-run Gaza. Some ministers support the building of Israeli settlements on occupied territory, and several are opposed to the reopening of Rafah before the body of the Israeli hostage Ran Gvili, the last to be accounted for, is handed over by Hamas. The Israeli cabinet was due to convene on Thursday to discuss Rafah and the other developments announced in Davos. Trump himself focused on his past achievements and repeated his disputed claim to have stopped eight wars. We put out all those fires. Most people didnt know, including me, that some of those wars were going on, he said. Ministers and heads of government from 19 countries filed on to the stage and took their seats before Trump took to the podium and called it one of the most important meetings of all. Countries represented by the 18 men and one woman the president of Kosovo, Vjosa Osmani included Morocco, Hungary, Indonesia, Jordan, Kazakhstan and Saudi Arabia. Argentinas president, Javier Milei, was also present. Trump described them as in most cases very popular leaders in some cases, not so popular, but thats the way it goes in life. He also claimed that the organisation would be one of the most consequential bodies ever created in the history of the world. Trump was joined at a table on the stage to sign a document inaugurating the body by the Moroccan foreign minister, Nasser Bourita, and Sheikh Salman bin Hamad Al Khalifa of Bahrain. Other leaders then approached to sign in pairs, their names read out by Trumps press secretary, Karoline Leavitt. Some diplomats had warned that Trump might hope the organisation would supplant the United Nations, but the US president claimed the two could work together. I think the combination of the board of peace with the kind of people we have here, coupled with the United Nations could be something very, very unique for the world, he said, adding that the UN had tremendous potential that had yet to be realised. The board, to be chaired by Trump, was initially mooted as part of his plan for a ceasefire in Gaza. However, more recently he has suggested the board could take on a much broader geopolitical role. When asked by a reporter on Tuesday whether the fledgling body should replace the UN, Trump said: It might. Last week, he announced a founding executive board for the body, including the former UK prime minister Tony Blair, the World Bank president, Ajay Banga, and Kushner. Trump claimed the war in Gaza had been reduced to little fires. He said Hamas would have to give up their weapons and claimed that its members were born with rifles in their hands. Earlier on Thursday, the British foreign secretary, Yvette Cooper, said the UK would not be signing up to the board of peace for the moment. Theres a huge amount of work to do we wont be one of the signatories today, because this is about a legal treaty that raises much broader issues, and we do also have concerns about President [Vladimir] Putin being part of something which is talking about peace, when we have still not seen any signs from Putin that there will be a commitment to peace in Ukraine, and to be honest, that is also what we should be talking about, she said. Russia has not attended the World Economic Forum since invading Ukraine in 2022. Putin has said Moscow is still consulting with strategic partners before deciding whether to commit to the plan. US president Donald Trump has launched a fresh attack on Nato and Europe as he doubled down on his demands for Greenland but backed down on using force. In an extraordinary speech at the World Economic Forum in Davos, he said he wanted immediate talks to discuss acquiring the Danish territory, but vowed he would not use force to seize it. The increasingly volatile president hit out at Nato, claiming the US has never gotten anything from being part of the alliance and arguing that a US takeover of Greenland is a very small ask compared with what his country has done for its fellow members. Now what Im asking for is a piece of ice, cold and poorly located, that can play a vital role in world peace and world protection, he said. Mr Trump also launched a stinging attack on Europe, claiming it was unrecognisable due to immigration echoing a trope repeated by the European and American far right. President Trump says the US has never gotten anything from Nato and that taking over Greenland is a very small ask (AFP/Getty) His remarks will further fuel tensions between Europe and Washington over the Danish territory as Nato leaders attempt to prevent a diplomatic crisis. Hours later, Trump rowed back on his threat to slap tariffs on the UK and Nato allies who opposed his ambitions to annex Greenland and said he and the alliances chief formed the framework of a future deal for the Arctic region. Following a very productive meeting with Nato secretary general Mark Rutte on the fringes of the World Economic Forum in Davos, Mr Trump suggested he had now reconsidered and would scrap plans for new 10% tariffs on eight Nato countries, including the UK, as a result of their opposition to his ambitions for the mineral-rich territory. On his Truth Social platform, the US president said: We have formed the framework of a future deal with respect to Greenland and, in fact, the entire Arctic Region. This solution, if consummated, will be a great one for the United States of America, and all Nato Nations. Based upon this understanding, I will not be imposing the tariffs that were scheduled to go into effect on February 1st. Mr Trump also suggested there had been talks on creating a missile defence system to ward off potential attacks by Russia and China from across the Arctic, something which he had dubbed the Golden Dome. Speaking to reporters, Mr Trump later added that the putative outlines of the agreement included everything we wanted. But, he offered few specifics on what the deal entails other than saying it will last forever. It comes after Sir Keir Starmer used his most hostile language yet to push back against the US president, saying he will not yield in his stance over Greenland as he vowed to stand up to Mr Trump over his threats to annexe it. Speaking at Prime Ministers Questions (PMQs) on Wednesday, Sir Keir also hit out at the US presidents criticism of the UKs deal to cede the Chagos Islands to Mauritius, and said his change in stance calling the deal an act of great stupidity was made expressly to pressure him over Greenland. In his rambling Davos address, Mr Trump said that the US was the only country that could secure the island that he claims is needed for US national security purposes. Unless I decide to use excessive strength and force, where we would be frankly unstoppable. That is the biggest statement Ive made. I dont want to use force, I dont have to use force, I wont use force, he said. Mr Trump said he was helping Europe, Im helping Nato with his efforts to secure a Ukraine peace deal and urged his allies to change their opposition to a US takeover of Greenland. He continued: Its a very small ask compared to what we have given them for many, many decades. But the problem with Nato is that well be there for them 100 per cent, but Im not sure that theyd be there for us. The US president reiterated his desire to establish a Golden Dome of missile defences, a system that Mr Trump proposes would have its outer edge in Greenland. All we want from Denmark, for national and international security and to keep our very energetic and dangerous potential enemies at bay, is this land on which were going to build the greatest golden dome ever built, he said. Keir Starmer says Britain will not yield on Greenland (PA) Taking aim at Europe for unchecked mass migration, Mr Trump claimed the continent is importing entirely different populations from faraway lands. He said: Certain places in Europe are not even recognisable, frankly, anymore. Theyre not recognisable. And I love Europe, and I want to see Europe go good, but its not heading in the right direction. Between immigration and energy if they dont change, bad things will happen to them, he added. Mr Trump also appeared to misname Greenland, while making a bizarre comment about being called daddy. Im helping Europe. I'm helping Nato, and until the last few days, when I told them about Iceland, they loved me. They called me daddy. A very smart man said, Hes our daddy, hes running it. But now what Im asking for is a piece of ice, cold and poorly located, he said. Earlier in the day, Sir Keir laid out his position on the US presidents comments on Greenland in the strongest possible terms, telling MPs at PMQs: I will not yield, Britain will not yield on our principles and values about the future of Greenland under threats of tariffs, and that is my clear position. He also called out Mr Trumps criticism of the UKs Chagos deal, saying they were different to his previous words of welcome and support when I met him in the White House. He deployed those words yesterday for the express purpose of putting pressure on me and Britain in relation to my values and principles on the future of Greenland, Sir Keir said. He wants me to yield on my position, and Im not going to do so. The US president has threatened to hit Britain and other European allies with 10 per cent tariffs from 1 February unless they agree to his purchase of Greenland a threat the prime minister has decried as completely wrong. In a rare moment of disagreement with Mr Trump, whom he considers a friend, Reform UK leader Nigel Farage called out his comments about Nato, saying Britain has more than done our bit for the alliance. Speaking in Davos following Mr Trumps speech, Mr Farage said: He said Nato have never given us anything back. I would object to that politely by saying this: when the decision was made to go into Afghanistan, we went in with America and the coalition of the willing. We stayed by America for the whole 20 years, we proportionately spent the same money as America, we lost the same number of lives as America pro rata, and the same applies actually to Denmark and other countries too. So its not quite fair. Yes, in money terms, America has provided more. In terms of surveillance equipment et cetera, America still provides more, but we have, when it comes to honouring our commitments to America, more than done our bit in terms of action over the last 20 years. Donald Trump has mocked Emmanuel Macrons sunglasses during his rambling speech at Davos, joking, what the hell happened? regarding the French presidents appearance. Mr Macron drew attention yesterday for wearing a pair of aviators while addressing delegates at the World Economic Forum. He did not explain why he was wearing the sunglasses during his speech. Last week, Mr Macron appeared at a military event in southern France with a red eye, but later clarified he had a totally benign and completely insignificant condition. Emmanuel Macron has insisted his eye condition is totally benign (AFP/Getty) Later on, his office said the choice to wear sunglasses during his speech, which took place indoors, was to protect his eyes because of a burst blood vessel. As Mr Trump addressed the forum on Wednesday, he took aim at the French presidents eye condition and those beautiful sunglasses. What the hell happened? He added to laughter from the audience, before commending Mr Macron for acting tough in their previous meeting as they discussed drug prices. I like him, I actually like him. Hard to believe, isnt it? Mr Trump continued before he accused France of taking advantage of the US over prescription drugs for over 30 years. Mr Trump said he had threatened the French president with additional tariffs as his country had refused to raise drug prices. If you dont, Im putting a 25 per cent tariff on everything youre selling to the United States, Im putting a 100 per cent tariff on your wines and champagnes, he told the audience at Davos, before asserting that France had been screwing the United States for three decades. Macrons glasses have sparked discussion, although his office said they were to protect his eyes because of a burst blood vessel (AP) Frances relationship with the US has become strained as European leaders have pushed back with the United States plans to acquire Greenland. The US president threatened European countries earlier this week with 10 per cent tariffs on any and all goods sent to the US from 1 February, increased to 25 per cent from 1 June until a deal is reached for Washington to take Greenland from Denmark. Mr Macron said on Tuesday that Washingtons threat to impose tariffs was fundamentally unacceptable as an attempt to bend Europes resolve over Greenland, as he affirmed France would stand up to bullies. He warned that additional tariffs by the US could force the EU to use a trade bazooka anti-coercion mechanism for the first time. Trump said he liked Macron, despite disagreements between France and the US over drug prices and Greenland (AFP via Getty) The crazy thing is that we could find ourselves in a situation where we use the anti-coercion mechanism for the very first time against the United States, said Mr Macron, arguing that allied countries should be focusing instead on bringing peace to Ukraine. Can you imagine it? Its crazy. I regret it, but it is the consequence of unnecessary aggressiveness. Still, we must all remain calm. Further to disagreements around Greenland, Mr Macron said that France would not join Mr Trumps Board of Peace plans with foreign minister Jean-Noel Barrot alleging that the organisation had been presented as a replacement of the United Nations. Mr Trump responded to news that the French leader was unlikely to join by telling reporters: Nobody wants him because he's going to be out of office very soon. Ill put a 200 per cent tariff on his wines and champagnes and hell join, Mr Trump told reporters. But he doesnt have to join. Donald Trump during a meeting with Nato secretary general Mark Rutte in Davos, Switzerland, on Wednesday. Photograph: Evan Vucci/AP (Photograph: Evan Vucci/AP) It was quite a day in Davos. Donald Trump began his time at the World Economic Forum on Wednesday with a rambling, racism-drenched speech in which he attacked European leaders and reasserted his demand to acquire Greenland. But hours later, the US president backed down and eased off his threats to impose tariffs on several allied nations, claiming he had reached the framework of a future deal concerning the USs involvement in the Danish territory. The threat had prompted widespread apprehension; criticism from senior European politicians, who declared they will not allow ourselves to be blackmailed; and warnings from economists. Trump cited a very productive meeting with the Nato secretary general, Mark Rutte, but did not share many details about the deal he touted as a win for the US and its interests. In an interview the same day with CNBC, Trump said that a deal would include Natos involvement on his sought-after missile defense system known as the Golden Dome, and well as mineral rights for the US. Though official details are not being shared yet, the New York Times, citing unnamed senior officials, reported that military officers from member states of the transatlantic alliance discussed a compromise through which the US would be granted sovereignty over small pockets of Greenland. How do Denmark and Greenland feel about this? Some lawmakers pushed back on Trumps narrative. In an interview with Sky News on Wednesday, a member of Denmarks parliament, Sascha Faxe, said there cant be a deal without having Greenland as part of the negotiations. So its not real negotiations, Faxe added. Its two men who have had a conversation. Trump walks back Greenland tariffs threat, citing vague deal over territory The US will not hit Denmark, Norway, Sweden, France, Germany, the UK, the Netherlands and Finland with tariffs of 10% from 1 February after all, Trump wrote on his Truth Social platform. Trumps recent obsession with Greenland, after the US toppled the regime of Nicolas Maduro in Venezuela, has rattled global officials in recent weeks. Trump claims that Denmark owes Greenland to the US because it helped defend the territory during the second world war, which has been debunked, and that the US needs the territory for national security purposes. Read the full story Doge improperly shared sensitive social security data After months of denials, the Trump administration has acknowledged in a federal court filing that employees working for Elon Musks supposed cost-cutting operation accessed and improperly shared Americans sensitive social security data. Read the full story Netanyahu to join Trump board of peace despite previous objections Israels prime minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, said on Wednesday that he had agreed to join a US-backed board of peace proposed by Donald Trump, despite his office having earlier criticised the composition of its executive committee. Read the full story Pregnant woman in medical distress being deported from US, attorney says A 21-year-old woman who is eight months pregnant and in a state of medical distress is being deported from Atlanta on Wednesday afternoon, a human rights attorney said, pleading for emergency assistance for his client. We are trying to get her the medical attention she needs immediately, said Anthony Enriquez, vice-president of US advocacy and litigation at the Kennedy Human Rights Center, whose client, Zharick Daniela Buitrago Ortiz, is on the verge of being sent to Colombia. Read the full story Theranos founder Elizabeth Holmes asks Trump to commute prison sentence Theranos founder Elizabeth Holmes has asked Donald Trump to commute her sentence after she was convicted of defrauding investors in her now-defunct blood-testing startup that was once valued at $9bn, a notice on the US Department of Justice website showed. Read the full story ICE targets Somali communities in Maine in new Trump administration crackdown The Trump administration has begun another targeted immigration crackdown, sending a surge of federal personnel to Maine, an ocean fishing state, in a plan dubbed by the government Operation Catch of the Day. Read the full story US supreme court appears skeptical of Trumps bid to oust Lisa Cook US supreme court justices appeared skeptical of Donald Trumps case for firing a Federal Reserve governor on Wednesday, in a key test of the presidents power and his administrations battle to exert greater control over the US central bank. Read the full story US court allows ICE to arrest and pepper-spray peaceful protesters in Minnesota In a victory for the Trump administration, the eighth US circuit court of appeals on Wednesday granted the justice departments request for an administrative stay of a preliminary injunction issued last Friday by Judge Katherine Menendez. That order would have prohibited ICE agents from retaliating against peaceful protesters, arresting or detaining people who are participating in peaceful protests, using pepper-spray or similar non-lethal munitions and crowd-dispersal tools, as well as stopping or detaining drivers without reasonable cause. Read the full story What else happened today: Catching up? Heres what happened Tuesday 20 January European governments and their diplomats here in Washington are as relieved as they are exasperated by this extraordinary Greenland show and latest act which played out in the Swiss Alps over the past 24 hours. There is no "framework of a deal". Not yet. Donald Trump may claim there is, but that's only because he needed a way to back down from his threats when he realised that he wasn't going to be able to own Greenland. Trump to roll out 'Board of Peace' at Davos - live updates "Is this just Trump's off-ramp? No actual framework of a deal yet?" I asked one diplomat at the heart of it all. The response: "Exactly." Through the "Trump whisperer", NATO secretary general Mark Rutte, the Danish and Greenlander positions have essentially been reiterated to the American president. During a face-to-face meeting in Davos, pre-existing commitments in the 1951 US-Denmark treaty were reemphasised and European nations re-committed to increase their own defence of Greenland. When they did precisely this last week, by literally sending senior military officials to Greenland, Trump interpreted it as a provocation against him and issued the tariff threat. "I'm so bored of this now" one European ambassador told me over the weekend, such is the level of weariness over the American president's antics. Read more from Sky News: This crisis is far from over for NATO A trio of U-turns The day in Davos was dizzying even by Trump's standards. He first U-turned on the implicit threat of military action, then he U-turned on the tariff threat, and then he U-turned on the insistence that he take sovereignty of Greenland. All in the space of a day. The penny had dropped in his head, it seems. He realised his Greenland ownership plans were more than just unpopular at home (among his own side too). They were seen as self-defeating, undeliverable and frankly mad. He arrived in Davos to a wave of opposition. For once, Europe was united and firm. It can be incredibly effective when it's both of those things together. Of course, Team Trump will spin this as another blinding example of the president's "art of the deal" playing out; like they achieved something. But be in no doubt, that's nonsense. It's half show, half ineptitude, which is deeply damaging to the trans-Atlantic partnership. America under Trump is less reliable by the day. And the damage is lasting. Where are we now - and what next? On Greenland, we are now back at the position we were in last week when the Danish and Greenland foreign ministers met Trump's team. They agreed then to form a "working group" to seek a middle ground which addressed Trump's security concerns while not handing over Greenland's sovereignty. All that Trump really did today was to agree on the American participants in that working group. So where next? Both sides will look for a middle ground that doesn't hand over Greenland to America. There is plenty of space for ideas and creative thinking - there always was if only the American president was willing to listen. It's likely that the middle ground will involve some sort of arrangement similar to the UK military bases in Cyprus. New US military bases would be established in uninhabited parts of Greenland on a lease or sale deal. They would become American territory, but sovereignty of Greenland would remain unchanged. The study found a lack of health support for children and their families across England (Getty/iStock) Children in England are facing "some of the worst child health outcomes in Europe," prompting MPs to demand an "urgent" rebuilding of the health visiting workforce. A new report from the House of Commons Health and Social Care Committee has issued a stark warning, highlighting rising obesity levels and "uneven" vaccination coverage among infants. The cross-party group scrutinised the critical "first 1,000 days" of a child's life, from conception to age two, concluding that government action is imperative to improve national child health. Committee members urged ministers to expand pledges on Family Hubs, ensuring these vital support centres are accessible in every community. Crucially, they called for an immediate effort to "urgently rebuild the health visiting workforce," which has seen a significant 43 per cent reduction since 2015. This has resulted in a shortfall of 5,000 posts, with remaining staff managing dangerously high caseloads, the report states. The group studied the health services available to children throughout their first 1,000 days of life - from conception to 2 years old (PA Archive) MPs challenged the Government to immediately commit to recruiting 1,000 more of these health professionals, who have either a nursing or midwifery qualification and additional training in public health nursing. The report also calls for the target of giving 95% of children their routine childhood immunisations to be reinstated in the NHS. MPs challenged the Government to commit to achieve the 95% goal by July 2029. Committee member Paulette Hamilton said: Children growing up in our country today stand too great a chance of becoming overweight, developing asthma or tooth decay, or catching life-threatening yet preventable diseases due to missed vaccines. The Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health says the UK has some of the worst health outcomes for young children in Europe. This should be a source of shame. Over the last two decades we have seen a hollowing out of health services for infants the Family Hubs programme still barely touches the sides of what was once provided by Sure Start centres before they were forced to close. And our provision of health visitor appointments is woefully inadequate in some parts of the country. The Birmingham Erdington Labour MP added: This committee now calls on the Government to re-establish health visiting as a cornerstone of the states support for families in communities across England, offering help with perinatal mental health, advice on a range of issues on health and development and helping to get more children vaccinated against illnesses which should be all but non-existent in 21st century Britain. Alison Morton, chief executive of the Institute of Health Visiting, said that cuts to health visitors have left too many families without the support they need. She went on: We look forward to the Governments response and offer our ongoing support to turn its ambition to give every child the best start in life into reality. Commenting on the report, Dr Helen Stewart, officer for health improvement at the Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health, said: Waiting times for childrens health services are eye-wateringly high, childhood vaccination rates are plummeting, parents are often struggling to find the right support and advice, and children are being failed. It is imperative that we reverse the decline in childrens health to safeguard our future. Tamora Langley, head of policy at the Parent-Infant Foundation, added: The Governments 10-year health plan promised to roll out healthy babies services to every local authority, but they havent said when. Babies cant wait. Its key to get help fast to parents who are struggling to bond with their baby. This fundamental support should be available everywhere, to every family, so its great to see this respected Committee demand further action. The Department of Health and Social Care has been approached for comment. Former Uvalde school police officer Adrian Gonzales has been cleared of failing in his duty to confront a gunman who murdered 19 children in the 2022 shooting at Robb Elementary in Texas. Gonzales, 52, was acquitted on 29 child endangerment charges Wednesday evening after a nearly three-week trial. On May 24, 2022, 18-year-old Salvador Ramos opened fire on the elementary school, killing nearly 20 children and two teachers. Gonzales charges represent the kids who were killed and the 10 others who were injured. It took over an hour before police finally entered the classroom Ramos was in to kill him and put an end to the carnage. Adrian Gonzales, 52, was acquitted on 29 child endangerment charges in the Robb Elementary shooting case (AP) Thank you for the jury for considering all the evidence, Gonzales told reporters after the verdict. Gonzales legal team said he never saw the gunman before Ramos entered the school and that other officers had a better chance at stopping him, the Associated Press reports. The defense lawyers also argued that Gonzales and other officers tried to reach the classroom that Ramos was in, but were driven back by gunfire, and he also helped evacuate children from other classrooms amid the chaotic shooting. Special Prosecutor Bill Turner argued that Gonzales failed to act after being aware that shots were fired, being told the general location of the gunman, having time to respond, per news outlet WSBT. In 2022, a teenage gunman killed 19 children and two teachers, injuring 10 more kids at Robb Elementary in Texas (Brandon Bell/Getty) Some family members of the shooting victims were crying or wiping away tears after the verdict, it was reported. Faith is fractured, but you never lose faith, Jesse Rizo, who lost his nine-year-old niece Jackie Cazares in the shooting, told reporters. You dont lose faith because these children that are no longer with us that are at the cemetery they cant speak for themselves. We speak for them. We fight til the end. Tensions were high during the trial as evidence of the horrific shooting was detailed in court. After Zavala County Sheriffs deputy Joe Vasquez took the stand, in which he described finding a pile of the bodies, the sister of one of the teachers who was killed in the attack started yelling in the courtroom gallery, local outlet KSAT reported. Velma Duran said her sister Irma Garcia went into the fatal funnel. The fatal funnel is a law enforcement term for open spaces where officers are vulnerable, making it hard to engage with a shooter. Duran was escorted out of court for the outburst. Tensions were high during the trial, with Velma Duran, the sister of one of the shooting victims, being escorted from court after an outburst (AP) Ramos began firing shots into classrooms at around 11:30 a.m. local time on the day of the shooting. Before the first few police officers entered the school, Ramos had already fired more than 100 rounds, according to a timeline from CNN. The gunman continued to fire shots as officers moved through the school. Throughout the shooting, some adults and children managed to escape with the help of law enforcement. At around 12:50 p.m., authorities confronted Ramos, who came out of a classroom supply closet and opened fire. A breach team fatally shot the gunman. It took over an hour before police finally entered the classroom gunman Salvador Ramos was in to kill him and put an end to the carnage (Uvalde County Sheriff's Department) Gonzales had faced up to two years in prison if he had been convicted. Uvalde schools Police Chief Pete Arredondo is also facing child endangerment charges related to the shooting, to which he pleaded not guilty. Out of the at least 370 officers who responded to Robb Elementary, only Gonzales and Arredondo were charged. Arrendondos trial date has yet to be scheduled. Arredondos attorney, Paul Looney, told the AP he thinks prosecutors will drop his client's charges because of Gonzales verdict. These people have been vilified, and its horrible whats been done to them, Looney said. These guys didnt do anything wrong. The 10.4 Megawatt DC off-site solar project being developed by Pivot, is expected to supply 40% of CoorsTek's Colorado electricity use DENVER, Jan. 22, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- Pivot Energy , a Denver-based leading renewable energy provider and independent power producer, and CoorsTek , a Golden, Colorado-based global leader in technical ceramics, are bringing more solar energy to Northeastern Colorado. The Weld County Planning Commission approved three projects totaling 10.4 Megawatts DC (MWdc) off-site net metering solar energy project that will be built in Greeley. Pivot and CoorsTek reached a 20-year agreement for the offsite solar energy project that Pivot will develop, own, and operate. The agreement marks a significant milestone in the companies' shared commitment to expanding development of locally generated, renewable energy in Colorado. Once operational, the project is expected to generate approximately 20 million kilowatt-hours (kWh) of solar energy annually, enough to cover roughly 40% of CoorsTek's electricity usage at six of its Colorado facilities. "This partnership with Pivot Energy reflects our commitment to a more resilient and sustainable future for CoorsTek and our communities," said Dara Ward, Director of Sustainability for CoorsTek. "By securing clean energy and managing electricity costs, these projects meaningfully reduce our environmental footprint in Colorado and move us closer to achieving our long-term climate vision." The off-site solar system will consist of three co-located solar arrays with a combined capacity of 10.44 MWdc, located in Greeley, Weld County, approximately 50 miles northeast of Denver. Under the off-site net metering structure, CoorsTek will receive credits on its utility bills for energy produced by the project, with no upfront capital investment and no ongoing operations or maintenance costs. CoorsTek will also retain 100% of the renewable energy credits (RECs) generated by the project, enabling the company to claim the environmental benefits toward its renewable energy and emissions-reduction goals. "Pivot applauds the Weld County Planning Commissioners for approving the construction of this solar project and recognizing the value it brings to Weld County and the community," said Mat Elmore, SVP of Strategic Accounts at Pivot Energy "Pivot Energy's agreement with CoorsTek highlights how Colorado-based companies can work together to deliver tangible economic value, lower electricity costs, support local businesses, and provide meaningful community impact." Construction on the solar project is anticipated to begin the second half of 2026, with commercial operation expected in the summer of 2027. The solar arrays will utilize American-made solar panels, reinforcing both companies' commitment to domestic manufacturing and responsible energy development. By advancing this solar project, CoorsTek and Pivot are demonstrating how innovative energy solutions can help Colorado-based organizations reduce operational emissions, stabilize long-term energy costs, and contribute to the state's energy future. About CoorsTek Founded in 1910 and continuously owned and operated by the Coors family, CoorsTek is a leading global manufacturer of technical ceramics. By leveraging expertise in engineering and materials science, CoorsTek provides solutions to complex challenges in the semiconductor, medical, aerospace, energy, and other industries. With over 400 proprietary material formulations, vertically integrated systems, and unparalleled process capabilities, CoorsTek partners with its customers to make the world measurably better. Visit CoorsTek.com . About Pivot Energy Founded in 2009, Pivot Energy is a leading national renewable energy provider and independent power producer that develops, owns, and operates solar and energy storage projects. Pivot delivers renewable energy solutions that strengthen local economies, create jobs, and provide affordable, reliable power for businesses and communities across the U.S. As a Certified B Corporation, Pivot combines purpose and performance to ensure every project generates meaningful economic and social value. Pivot is an ECP portfolio company. Learn more at pivotenergy.net. Media Contact: Kate Laursen 2036105879 [email protected] SOURCE Pivot Energy A campaign to send Victoria Beckhams long-overlooked 2001 solo single to number one is gathering pace, just days after her bitter public fallout with son Brooklyn. In an extraordinary social media push, fans have rallied behind Not Such An Innocent Girl following Brooklyns explosive six-page statement announcing he would not be reconciling with his parents. The track has surged to number one on the iTunes chart in Ireland and was sitting at number two in the UK on Thursday morning. The momentum has been driven by a viral online campaign determined to fix the national tragedy that Victoria is the only Spice Girl without a solo number one. Nothing says British culture like collectively deciding to send Posh to the top of the charts because her son roasted her on Instagram, read one widely shared post, circulated by comedians and influencers including Katherine Ryan and Luisa Zissman. Victoria Beckham was the last Spice Girl to launch a solo career (Getty Images) Another Instagram account urged followers to download the track, calling it the plot twist of the year, while jokingly branding the chart campaign a national emergency. The song has also climbed the iTunes charts in Denmark and New Zealand, underlining the international interest in the family drama. Victoria was the last Spice Girl to launch a solo career and despite major promotion in the early 2000s, Not Such An Innocent Girl was famously held off the top spot by Kylie Minogues Cant Get You Out Of My Head. An earlier collaboration with True Steppers and Dane Bowers also lost a heavily publicised chart battle, despite posting the biggest first-week sales of any solo Spice Girl release at the time. The renewed attention comes amid intense scrutiny of the Beckham family, after Brooklyn accused his parents of controlling behaviour and claimed his mother hijacked his first dance at his 2022 wedding to Nicola Peltz. He said the moment left him uncomfortable and humiliated. Brooklyn Beckham pictured with wife Nicola Peltz (Getty Images for The Met Museum) Brooklyn announced earlier this week that he had cut ties with his parents and did not wish to reconcile, adding that he was standing up for myself for the first time in my life. Victoria has not publicly addressed the statement. Instead, she has continued to support her youngest son Cruz, whose upcoming London show sold out within hours. Sharing the news, she simply wrote: Wow. Meanwhile, Sir David Beckham declined to comment on the feud when questioned at the World Economic Forum in Davos, later speaking about the power and pitfalls of social media and how children are allowed to make mistakes. The Trump administration on Thursday appeared to admit it digitally altered an image of an activist who was arrested for organizing a recent anti-ICE protest at a Minnesota church to make it look like she was crying. On Thursday, the same day federal officials announced the arrest of protest organizer Nekima Levy Armstrong, the White House X account shared an image of the leader in tears, with a caption that accused her of being a far-left agitator who led church riots in Minnesota. Also Thursday, Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem appeared to share the same image, only with Levy Armstrong straight-faced as she is led by an agent. When asked about the discrepancy, including whether AI or other image-editing software was used on the White House image, the Trump administration directed The Independent to a tweet from Kaelan Dorr, the White House deputy communications director. Enforcement of the law will continue, the post reads. The memes will continue. Thank you for your attention to this matter. The White House on Thursday appeared to admit it digitally altered an image of activist Nekima Levy Armstrong being arrested for a recent church protest to make it look like she was crying (@WhiteHouse / X) Federal officials say they will charge Levy Armstrong under a conspiracy statute barring individuals from threatening or intimidating others from accessing their constitutional rights. On Sunday, Levy Armstrong led a group of protesters into a St. Paul church, where activists chanted ICE out and Justice for Renee Good, a Minneapolis woman who was fatally shot by an ICE agent as part of the Trump administrations ongoing crackdown in Minnesota. Video of the demonstration shows some worshippers leaving the church while others appear afraid or uncomfortable. Levy Armstrong, a prominent local activist and lawyer who previously led Minneapoliss chapter of the NAACP, defended the demonstration prior to her arrest. She said the action was in part meant to criticize Cities Church paster David Easterwood, who appears to be an official with ICEs local field office. Levy Armstrong, a prominent local activist and lawyer, has said the protest was inspired by the fact that the churchs pastor is allegedly an ICE official (AP) You cannot lead a congregation while directing an agency whose actions have cost lives and inflicted fear in our communities, she told the Associated Press. When officials protect armed agents, repeatedly refuse meaningful investigation into killings like Renee Goods, and signal they may pursue peaceful protesters and journalists, that is not justice it is intimidation. The ICE leader is among the Trump administration officials named in a civil rights lawsuit accusing immigration agents of carrying out police-state tactics and mass racial profiling as part of the Minnesota campaign. Trump administration officials and local leaders have condemned the protest. The First Amendment does not allow premeditated plots or coordinated actions to violate the sanctity of a sanctuary, disrupt worship, and intimidate small children, True North Legal, which is representing Cities Church, said in a statement. There is no press pass to invade a sanctuary or to conspire to interrupt religious services. Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz, who has echoed protesters criticisms of ICE tactics in the state, nonetheless called on activists to remain peaceful and his office told reporters that he in no way supports interrupting a place of worship. Former CNN anchor Don Lemon was also present at the protest, and a federal magistrate judge has reportedly dismissed prosecutors' efforts to charge him over the demonstration (Don Lemon/YouTube) As The Independent has reported, the White House has at times leaned into a communications strategy that distorts images or the truth itself. On Wednesday, the White House falsely claimed that President Trump didnt mix up Iceland and Greenland during a recent speech, even though he clearly did so multiple times. The administration has leaned into an AI-heavy strategy on social media, where accounts tied to the president have posted cartoonish images of the president attacking U.S. Chicago and using a fighter jet to bomb protesters. Tensions have been high in Minneapolis after an ICE agent fatally shot Renee Good (Charly Triballeau/AFP via Getty Images) Mike Ananny, an associate professor of communications and journalism at the University of Southern California, said such images being shared at the highest level suggest a new political paradigm is underway. Being caught using doctored or fake images used to be considered shameful, though that no longer appears to be the case. Theres no sense of, Oh no, we were caught using a synthetically generated image, he told The Independent. All gloves are off. People dont seem to care. Volodymyr Zelensky, the Ukrainian president, spoke during the World Economic Forum annual meeting in Davos - Fabrice Coffrini/Getty Images Volodymyr Zelensky said Europe was weak and fragmented in a speech at Davos, attacking its leaders for being too indecisive to stand up to Russia, China or Donald Trump. The Ukrainian president said European powers were too busy arguing among themselves to join together and become a truly global power. In a remarkably aggressive address to the World Economic Forum on Thursday, he said the countries funding the Ukrainian war effort love to discuss the future but avoid taking action today. He singled out the decision to send 40 soldiers to Greenland as insufficient to protect the island. The continent, he said, would remain a fragmented kaleidoscope of small and middle powers as it avoided the kind of forceful action that could intimidate its enemies. Instead of taking the lead in defending freedom worldwide, especially when Americas focus shifts elsewhere, Europe looks lost trying to convince the US president to change, Mr Zelensky said. He also revealed that before he visited Washington to discuss the war with Donald Trump, European leaders told him not to ask for US-made Tomahawk missiles so as not to spoil the mood. Mr Zelensky met Mr Trump on the sidelines at Davos shortly before the Ukrainian leader delivered his broadside against European political inertia. He said that the talks were important and that the documents needed to end the war were very nearly ready. Ukrainian, US and Russian officials will meet in the United Arab Emirates on Friday for a two-day summit intended to restart the peace process, he announced. Meanwhile, US special envoy Steve Witkoff and Mr Trumps son-in-law Jared Kushner were due to arrive in Moscow to meet with Vladimir Putin on Thursday night. Volodymyr Zelensky (L) with Donald Trump (R) during their meeting on the sidelines of the 56th annual meeting of the World Economic Forum in Davos - Shutterstock Throughout his speech, Mr Zelensky contrasted the forcefulness of the US president with the flakiness of European leaders. They had not spent enough on defence until Mr Trump intervened, he said. Why can President Trump stop tankers from the shadow fleet and seize oil, when Europe doesnt? he added. Moments after Mr Zelenskys speech, Emmanuel Macron, the French president, announced that France had seized a Russian shadow fleet tanker in the Mediterranean, working on British intelligence. Thank you, France! Thank you, @EmmanuelMacron! This is exactly the kind of resolve needed to ensure that Russian oil no longer finances Russia's war. Russian tankers operating near European shores must be stopped. Sanctions against the entire infrastructure of the shadow fleet https://t.co/6t0DbJ9xS1 Volodymyr Zelenskyy / (@ZelenskyyUa) January 22, 2026 Europe had failed to stop the sale of missile components to Russia and blocked the use of Moscows frozen assets to aid Ukraines war effort, Mr Zelensky said. Thank you Keir, thank you Emmanuel, he said, in recognition of pledges to deploy troops to Ukraine in the event of a ceasefire. But he added that Mr Trumps backstop was needed to truly secure peace. European leaders met with Volodymyr Zelensky at a summit in May when they held a phone call with Mr Trump - KuglerSteffen/Bundesregierung/Getty Images European leaders have previously counselled Mr Zelensky to flatter Mr Trump and may recognise the strategy in his speech. But the criticism is likely to rankle nonetheless, given that European nations are now providing almost all the funds and weapons going to Ukraine. While Mr Trump has ended US aid, the European Parliament approved a 90bn (78bn) support loan earlier this week. By openly validating several of Trumps core criticisms of Europe, Zelenskys Davos speech both flatters Trump and underscores Europes strategic hesitancy, said Natia Seskuria, an associate fellow at the Royal United Services Institute, a London-based think tank. This rhetoric is not, on its own, likely to rupture Ukraines relationship with its European partners given the depth of relationship. Yet it is undeniably a daring move as Europe has been Ukraines most consistent and reliable ally. Turning to Greenland, the Ukrainian president mocked European nations for sending too few troops to the island for any meaningful defence. Forty soldiers will not protect anything, he said. What message does that send to Putin, to China and even more importantly, what message does that send to Denmark, your close ally? Ukraine has the technology and expertise to sink any Russian warships that approach Greenland, Mr Zelensky suggested. We know how to fight there if we were asked and if Ukraine were in Nato, he said, adding: But we are not. The Ukrainian president began his speech with a reference to Groundhog Day, saying he was repeating his message from last year. Europe needs to know how to defend itself. A year has passed and nothing has changed. The continent ought to form its own joint armed forces, he said, as trust in Nato was fraying. That alliance exists on the belief that the US will help in the event of a crisis. But what if it does not? In one of his most pointed comments to date, he called out Hungarys Victor Orban, seen by many as Putins closest ally in the EU. Every Viktor who lives off European money while trying to sell out European interests deserves a slap in the face, he said. Mr Orban replied on X: It seems to me that we will not be able to come to an understanding. I am a free man who serves the Hungarian people. You are a man in a desperate position who, for the fourth year now, has been unable or unwilling to bring a war to an enddespite the fact that the president of the United States has provided every possible assistance to do so. Therefore, no matter how much you flatter me, we cannot support your war efforts. The Ukrainian people, of course despite your carefully chosen insults can still count on us to continue supplying your country with electricity and fuel, and we will also continue to support refugees arriving from Ukraine. Life itself will settle the rest, and everyone will get what they deserve. Volodymyr Zelenskyy has taken aim at Europe in a fiery speech at Davos, accusing leaders of being in Greenland mode as they waited for leadership from Donald Trump on Ukraine and other geopolitical crises rather than taking action themselves. The Ukrainian presidents call to arms, targeting some of Kyivs top allies, capped a week of extraordinary diplomatic drama at the World Economic Forum in the Swiss ski resort, where European leaders scrambled to end a standoff with the White House over Greenland, and several western leaders led by Canadas Mark Carney called for stronger pushback against Trumps territorial ambitions and political whims. Related: World is entering time of great power politics, warns German chancellor Zelenskyy used his speech to demand greater pressure on the Kremlin, as Trump dispatched his envoy Steve Witkoff to Moscow to meet Vladimir Putin on Thursday in the latest effort to advance peace talks between the two countries. Despite Trumps limited and scattershot support for Ukraine since taking office one year ago, Zelenskyy focused instead on Europes role in the conflict, accusing the continents leaders of complacency and inaction. Just last year, here in Davos, I ended my speech with the words Europe needs to know how to defend itself, Zelenskyy said. A year has passed, and nothing has changed. He added: Europe remains in Greenland mode: maybe someone somewhere will do something. Zelenskyys speech nodded toward the extraordinary demands by Trump for the US to take over Greenland, but largely eschewed criticism of the US president, instead blaming Europeans for remaining at the behest of an increasingly unpredictable White House. He delivered his speech as Ukraine endures a bitter winter, with Russian attacks on civilian infrastructure cutting power and heating to much of the capital, Kyiv, as well as other major cities. Headlines and talks during the annual gathering of world leaders and financial heavyweights have been dominated by Trumps demands to take over Greenland and then his announcement of the future framework of a deal that would allow the US access to Greenland for ever. Zelenskyy said: Everyone gave attention to Greenland, and it is clear most leaders are not sure what to do about it. It seems like everyone is just waiting for America to cool down on this topic, hoping it will pass away. But what if it [does] not: what then? Related: Might is right: US foreign policy held hostage to mad king Trumps whims Some European leaders have echoed those sentiments, with Polands Donald Tusk calling Greenland an unneeded distraction from Russias war in Ukraine and efforts to disrupt Europe. Irelands Micheal Martin said European leaders cannot lose focus on the situation in Ukraine, calling the situation desperate, but crediting the US with a critical role in achieving a just and fair and sustainable peace in Ukraine. Zelenskyy said: Sending 14 or 40 soldiers to Greenland what is that meant to achieve? What message does that send to Putin? To China? And perhaps, most importantly, what message does it send to Denmark? During his speech, he suggested Ukraine could help defend Europe in the event of a Russian invasion of Greenland, saying: We know what to do if Russian warships go near Greenland, Ukraine can help with that. They can sink near Greenland just as they do near Crimea. Zelenskyy said Europe should play a more muscular role in targeting Russias shadow fleet of oil tankers, which help bankroll its war machine, and said it remained too easy for Russia to bypass sanctions and to continue mass-producing missiles and other ordnance. The threats to Europe were existential for Nato, he said, and Europe needed a united armed forces that could defend the continent. Today, Europe relies only on the belief that if danger comes, then Nato will react. But no one has really seen the alliance in action. If Putin decides to take Lithuania or strike Poland, who will respond? Right now, Nato exists thanks to the belief that the United States will act but what if it doesnt? Zelenskyy delivered his speech shortly after he met Trump to discuss stalled talks for a peace deal to end Russias war in Ukraine. Trump told reporters that his meeting with Zelenskyy was good but that there was a ways to go. Witkoff, who met Putin later on Thursday, said the fact that the meeting was called by the Russians was a good sign. I think weve got it down to one issue and we have discussed iterations of that issue, and that means its solvable, Witkoff said before flying to Moscow. He was joined by Trumps son-in-law Jared Kushner. Trump, when asked at Davos whether he had a message for Putin, said: The war has to end. Putin greeted the Americans shortly before midnight in Moscow. Minutes after the talks began, Russia said it had carried out a patrol of strategic bomber planes something it regularly does as a show of strength and deterrence. The defence ministry said the Tu-22M3 bombers part of a long-range fleet that Russia has used throughout the war to fire missiles at Ukrainian cities, military targets and energy infrastructure flew for more than five hours over the Baltic Sea, escorted by fighter jets. On Thursday Trump launched his international board of peace, established to manage a peace process in Gaza. Critics have said the ill-defined board appears to be a shadow United Nations. Ukraine, along with Russia and Belarus, has been invited to join the initiative but has so far demurred. For us, its understandable that we will be on this board when the war will end, Zelenskyy said. For now, we are enemies [with the Russians]. Belarus is an ally of the Russians. We cant be with them. After Witkoffs meetings at the Kremlin, Ukraine, Russia and the US will hold three-way talks in Abu Dhabi this weekend, marking the first time that the three countries have sat down together since Russia invaded in 2022. It was not clear whether the meetings would be held through shuttle diplomacy with the US acting as intermediary. It will be the first trilateral meeting in the United Arab Emirates, Zelenskyy said, without giving details on who would be attending from each country. I hope [the] Emirates know about it. Sometimes we have such surprises from the American side. On the trilateral meeting, Trump said late on Thursday: Anytime we meet, its good. While the US has said that a deal is within reach, Zelenskyy was less bullish, saying that Russia had to be ready for compromises not just Ukraine. We will see what the result will be, he said. Its better than to not have any kind of dialogue. The tanker, called Grinch, was travelling from the Arctic port of Murmansk, loaded with Russian oil - SWNS Britain has helped seize a sanctioned Russian oil tanker in the Mediterranean. The operation was led by the French navy, which deployed troops from two military helicopters to raid the vessel. French authorities said the mission had been conducted in co-operation with our allies, including the UK. French troops secure the bridge of the seized Russian ship - French Military via AP Defence sources said Britain played a low-level role, providing France with intelligence about the whereabouts of the sanctioned tanker, called Grinch. No British troops or surveillance aircraft were understood to have been used during the mission, UK officials added. The French navy deployed troops from two military helicopters to raid the sanctioned tanker in the Mediterranean - AFP The tanker, which has been sanctioned by the UK, US and EU, was travelling from the Arctic port of Murmansk, loaded with Russian oil. We are determined to uphold international law and to ensure the effective enforcement of sanctions, Emmanuel Macron, the French president, wrote in a post about the interception. Sharing a photo of a helicopter hovering over a ship, he added: The activities of the shadow fleet contribute to financing the war of aggression against Ukraine. Emmanuel Macron, the French president, shared a photo on X of a helicopter hovering over the ship - @EmmanuelMacron News of the operations comes after Britain supported the US military in the seizing of the Russian-flagged Marinera off the Scottish coast. US Coast Guard forces had chased the ship across the Atlantic, with British spy planes used to monitor the vessels progress. Earlier this month, John Healey, the Defence Secretary, said Britain would be looking to step up its action against Vladimir Putins shadow fleet of tankers. French authorities said the ship was stopped in order to cut off the the financing of Russias invasion of Ukraine Speaking in Kyiv, Mr Healey said: We can and we will need to clamp down with other nations. Im looking at further military options that could help clamp down on the activities and then the movements of the shadow fleet. A spokesman for the Ministry of Defence added: Deterring, disrupting and degrading the Russian shadow fleet is a priority for this Government. Alongside our allies, we are stepping up our response to shadow vessels and we will continue to do so. Upgraded Typhoon fighters will be able to use the radar to simultaneously detect, identify and track multiple targets in the air and on the ground - Cpl Tom Cann RAF RAF Typhoon jets are to get new cutting-edge radar that can jam enemy air defences for the first time. John Healey, the Defence Secretary, is set to announce a 453m investment to upgrade 40 of the UKs supersonic Typhoon fighters. The Government claims the project to fit the planes with the European common radar system (ECRS) Mk2 technology will secure up to 1,300 jobs. The upgrade, which replaces the old Captor-M system, will give the Typhoons a suite of powerful electronic warfare technology tools designed to cripple enemy systems from range. Pilots in the upgraded jets will be able to use the radar to simultaneously detect, identify and track multiple targets in the air and on the ground. Britain has 110 Typhoons in its fleet and the upgrades will only be for the most recent batch of jets, known as the tranche three planes, which will remain in service until 2040. b' 2201 Typhoon ' The first Typhoon entered service in 2003 and older jets in the first tranche, which will be decommissioned in 2027, will not receive the improvements. The system is so advanced that pilots can attack enemy targets beyond the range of threats and while they are looking in another direction. It also meant that crews could fly inside the range of opposing air defences, with the radar able to jam and suppress enemy systems, the Government said. Mr Healey is visiting Leonardo UKs Edinburgh site on Thursday morning, where he will confirm the award of a contract to upgrade the Typhoon fleet. John Healey is set to announce a 453m investment to upgrade 40 of the UKs Typhoon jets - Thomas Traasdahl /AFP via Getty Images He said: Our Typhoon fleet is the backbone of UK and Nato air defence, operated across Europe by the Royal Air Force and our allies to protect our skies and security. As the threats we face increase, and as Russian drones continue to strike Ukraine and violate Nato airspace, this cutting-edge radar capability will keep Britain secure at home and strong abroad for many years to come. In Edinburgh and across the UK, were backing more than 20,000 skilled workers on the Typhoon programme who ensure our RAF remains ready to protect Britain. Under the contract, defence firms BAE Systems, Leonardo UK and Parker Meggitt will equip the aircraft with state-of-the-art radar systems over the coming years. The announcement comes amid growing pressure on Nato as a result of Donald Trumps stated intention to acquire Greenland. Earlier this week, the Government announced a 205m contract for the long-term provision of specialist Typhoon engineering support by QinetiQ. It said this weeks combined investment shows that defence is an engine for growth that can create skilled jobs and strengthen national security. Labour has committed to continue upgrading Typhoons as part of its Strategic Defence Review, and the planes are set to protect British skies until at least the 2040s. In October last year, the UK signed an 8bn deal to sell 20 Typhoons to Turkey, supporting 20,000 UK jobs The dramatic rise has been fuelled by increased awareness of ADHD Women are driving soaring use of ADHD medication, experts say. Researchers from the University of Oxford highlighted a 20-fold rise in use of drugs to manage the condition among women aged 25 and over, since 2010. The dramatic rise has been fuelled by increased awareness of ADHD, scientists said. Over the same period, cases in men of the same age group rose 15-fold. In recent years there has been a growing focus on ADHD, with rising numbers of cases being identified in midlife. Experts say the loss of oestrogen around menopause can expose the condition and exacerbate previously managed symptoms. The study published in The Lancet Regional Health Europe tracked adults from 2010 to 2013. Academics examined the rate of ADHD medication prescriptions across five European countries Belgium, Germany, the Netherlands, Spain, and the UK. Researchers looked at data on almost 200,000 people who initiated ADHD medication use during the study period, including 31,229 from the UK. b' 2201 Yearly prevalence (per 100) of any ADHD medication, UK ' Researchers estimated the prevalence of ADHD medicines methylphenidate, dexamphetamine, lisdexamfetamine, atomoxetine and guanfacine use among people aged three and older. We observed a substantial increase in ADHD medication use since 2010, the authors wrote in The Lancet Regional Health Europe. They added: We observed a dramatic rise in ADHD medication use among adults, especially among females. Overall prevalence of ADHD medications rose three-fold in the UK between 2010 and 2023 from 0.12 per cent to 0.39 per cent. Researchers noted particular rises in those over the age of 25, with use rising from 0.01 per cent in 2010 to approximately 0.2 per cent in 2023. Experts, led by academics from the University of Oxford, said this represents a more than 20-fold increase in females and 15-fold in males of this age bracket. The research team wrote: Among adults aged over 18, there was two to 15-fold increase in prevalence of use during the study period, with the most pronounced increases observed in females, especially in the UK. The increase in both prevalence and incidence use among adults reflects the increased awareness of adult ADHD, especially among females. b' ' Meanwhile the authors also found that in the UK and Spain over 70 per cent of people aged over 25 had previously used antidepressants. The authors said that the UK had the highest relative increase of all countries studied. As well as increases among adults age 25 and older, they also noted an increase of ADHD medication use among UK children aged three to 11 and among those aged 12 to 17. They also found that while ADHD medication use remained higher among men, the sex gap in treatment narrowed over time. Methylphenidate, which has the brand names Ritalin, Concerta, Delmosart, Equasym, Medikinet, the most commonly used ADHD medication in all five countries studied. We observed a consistent increase in ADHD medication use across Europe, but the most striking changes were among adults, especially women, said Xintong Li, lead author of the study from the University of Oxford. These findings likely reflect growing awareness and diagnosis of adult ADHD, but they also raise important questions about long-term treatment patterns and care needs. In Dec 2025, Wes Streeting launched an independent review into the rising demand for mental health, ADHD and autism services - Leon Neal In December last year, Health Secretary Wes Streeting announced he had launched an independent review into the rising demand for mental health, ADHD and autism services. The review will look at rates of diagnosis and the support offered to people. Henry Shelford, chief executive of charity ADHD UK, said: The percentage increase in adult women receiving treatment is significant in part due to how bad identification is for girls in schools and the catch-up needed in adulthood. He added: People with ADHD, and in particular untreated ADHD, have a lower overall life expectancy, an increased risk of multiple physical and mental healthcare conditions, and a much higher risk of suicide. We should be celebrating the increased identification and treatment we are seeing. The lives that we save and lives it will lengthen. We need to celebrate this improvement and fight for more. However, too often the stigmatising attitudes to ADHD mean attempts to reduce the treatment gap are met with derision instead of support. Jared Kushner, President Donald Trump's son-in-law, speaks during the Board of Peace signing ceremony at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, on Thursday, Jan. 22, 2026. - Krisztian Bocsi/Bloomberg/Getty Images We have a masterplan. There is no Plan B. Thus spake Jared Kushner, unveiling his vision for postwar Gaza in front of an audience of the World Economic Forum at Davos. If it failed, he said, blame would be easy to ascribe. If Hamas does not demilitarize, that will be what holds back the people of Gaza from achieving their aspirations, he said. The presentation, which felt somewhat rushed, took place immediately after the signing of the charter for US President Donald Trumps controversial Board of Peace, representing the next stage in the 20-point ceasefire plan agreed between Israel and Hamas in October. Kushner, the presidents son-in-law, who played a leading role in brokering that agreement, leaned into optimism, albeit with occasional notes of caution and at least one notable omission: the international stabilization force, a key part of Trumps original ceasefire plan for the Gaza Strip. Heres a look at some of the key points: Coastal tourism, an airport and a port A map of Gaza was pulled up on a screen to show how the enclave would be developed. A coastal tourism zone would run along the seafront long enough for up to 180 skyscrapers, many likely earmarked as hotels. Jared Kushner presents a plan for post-war Gaza following a signing ceremony for the Board of Peace at the World Economic Forum on January 22, 2026 in Davos, Switzerland. - Obtained by CNN A port was shown at the southwestern end of Gaza, alongside the border with Egypt, and immediately inland from the port, the map showed zoning for an airport. (A few miles to the south, not marked on the map, lies the site of a previous Gaza airport, destroyed more than 20 years ago in earlier Israeli attacks.) New cities Kushner highlighted two urban developments, which he referred to as New Rafah and New Gaza. At New Rafah, more than 100,000 permanent housing units would be built, along with over 200 schools and more than 75 medical facilities, he said. He expressed hope that the construction would be completed within two to three years. Work has already begun to remove the rubble, he said. Jared Kushner delivers a presentation by Trump administration officials about post-war Gaza following a signing ceremony for the Board of Peace at the World Economic Forum on January 22, 2026 in Davos, Switzerland. - Obtained by CNN New Gaza is to be a center of industry, with the aim of achieving 100% full employment, Kushner said. Computer-generated images suggest a metropolis bearing a strong resemblance to Persian Gulf cities like Doha and Dubai, with gleaming waterside accommodations and office locations. Jared Kushner displays plans for post-war Gaza after a signing ceremony for the Board of Peace at the World Economic Forum on January 22, 2026 in Davos, Switzerland. - Obtained by CNN Undoubtedly, the scale of the task is enormous, and the presentation was scant on details about how it would all be realized. Two years of Israeli bombardment, launched in response to Hamas attack on Israel on October 7, 2023, has left more than 80% of Gazas buildings damaged or destroyed. Whos going to pay for it? Governments will make the first contributions, Kushner said, with initial announcements to come at a conference in Washington in the next couple of weeks. He also appealed to the private sector to come forward, promising amazing investment opportunities. I know its a little risky to be investing in a place like this, but we need you to come, take faith, invest in the people, he said. While senior Palestinian officials have been slow to react to Kushners presentation, criticism from elsewhere has highlighted a sense that their powerlessness is being exploited. Palestinians face a plan to eliminate their very presence, based on domestication, subjugation, and control, Ramy Abdu, the Palestinian founder of the Euro-Mediterranean Human Rights Monitor group, posted on X. What about Israeli withdrawal Currently, Israels military is present in just over half the territory, including the city of Rafah. The original 20-point plan, which secured the ceasefire and the release of hostages in October, included details about the creation of an international stabilization force (ISF) that would facilitate Israels complete withdrawal. So far, third parties have been reluctant to commit to joining the force, and Israel, for its part, has objected to possible participants such as Turkey. Kushner made no reference to any international force, while Israels withdrawal was reduced to little more than a line on one of the presentation slides: Gaza-wide demilitarization enables full IDF withdrawal to the security perimeter. and Hamas demilitarization? The task of overseeing demilitarization, Kushner made clear, will fall to the new technocratic committee the on-the-ground component of Trumps Board of Peace structure, made up entirely of Palestinian appointees. Without it happening, he said, we cannot rebuild. Part of Jared Kushner's presentation on post-war Gaza following a signing ceremony for the Board of Peace at the World Economic Forum on January 22, 2026 in Davos, Switzerland. - Obtained by CNN The presentation said that heavy weapons, tunnels, military infrastructure, munitions and production facilities will be destroyed, but it did not dictate how the process will be carried out. Hamas has tended to say it would hand over weapons only to a Palestinian army in a Palestinian state. More recently, Basem Naim, a senior Hamas official, has spoken of freezing or storing its arms in the context of the current ceasefire. What about the PA and UNRWA? Quietly, the Palestinian Authority (PA) has expressed concerns that the new technocratic committee represents a threat to its centrality in Palestinian politics. Kushners reference to the committee as a new government in Gaza will not have allayed those concerns, though the PA did get one mention on a slide as the eventual sole civilian authority in Gaza, when it completes its reforms. By contrast, the UN Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA) which provides public services to Palestinian refugees, who number well over half the population of Gaza looks out of the running. We are studying the best practices from all over the world. Who does education the best? Who does health care delivery the best? Its not a secret IP (intellectual property), Kushner said, indicating a possible end to the role of UNRWA in Gaza. Have we heard some of this before from Jared Kushner? It is not the first time Trumps son-in-law has unveiled an ambitious vision for Gaza. In 2019, he hosted a summit in Bahrain under the title, From Peace to Prosperity, which also imagined a bustling commercial and tourist center in Gaza and the West Bank, where international businesses come together and thrive. With an almost complete lack of political will across the board, those plans never got off the ground. This time, the head of Gazas new technocratic committee, Ali Shaath, said in a video statement, it is important to turn this moment into action. To that end, he announced the opening next week of the Rafah crossing between Gaza and Egypt, signaling, he said, that the enclave is no longer closed to the future and to the world. For more CNN news and newsletters create an account at CNN.com There are so many dreamy small towns in Texas that its impossible to pick a best one, so I thought Id highlight a few that tend to fly under the radar. Whether you like the beach, mountains, Hallmark-style town squares, historic architecture, or virtually any other quality you can think of, chances are theres a town in the Lone Star State that has exactly what youre looking for. These four towns offer a little bit of everything, from a charming waterfront village to a high-desert escape to a pre-Civil War port town and a tiny blip on the map with one of the countrys largest antique shows. 1. Port Isabel Christopher stock.adobe.com Move over, Galveston, Corpus, and South Padre (just kidding). Port Isabel is a coastal gem that often gets overlooked despite being just five miles south of SPI. With a population of roughly 5,000, it isnt your typical beach town with constant noise and crowds that prevent you from enjoying the scenery. Instead, it feels more like a quiet New England maritime village, with colorful buildings, quaint shops and restaurants, and the iconic Port Isabel Lighthouse. Think laid-back beach vibes meet Hallmark charm. 2. Alpine Terlingua gets all the love when it comes to small towns in West Texas, but Alpine is my personal favorite. Home to around 6,000 residents, Alpine is a tiny mountain town surrounded by towering peaks that add to its obscurity. The close-knit community is best known for Sul Ross State University, but it also has lots of mom-and-pop shops and an unmistakable artsy ambiance. Its like Marfa without all of the commercialization. 3. Jefferson Roberto stock.adobe.com Since I live in Southeast Texas, Jefferson is one of my favorite day trips for a quick escape. Nestled in the lush Pineywoods region, this town of under 2,000 is known for its rich history as a pre-Civil War riverport due to its location along Big Cypress Bayou, which flows into Caddo Lake. Jefferson features Gothic architecture, charming bed-and-breakfasts, scenic steamboat tours, and even rumors of haunted buildings. It kind of gives New Orleans-I think a vampire series would do well here. 4. Round Top Alizada Studios stock.adobe.com Depending on the time of year you visit, Round Top is reminiscent of either an HGTV series or a Hallmark special. Truly one of the smallest towns in Texas, Round Top has fewer than 100 permanent residents, but that number soars into the tens of thousands every fall, winter, and spring, when the Round Top Antiques Fair takes place. This world-famous event features antiques from many different countries, drawing collectors and antique lovers from all over the globe. Outside of fair time, the historic buildings, live oaks, and market square, filled with locally owned shops and restaurants, are made for TV. Have you visited any of these dreamy small towns in Texas? What others would you add to the list? If youre feeling inspired to plan your own Texas trips, Only In Your State's itinerary planner can help. Charlie Kirk speaks at the 2025 Student Action Summit at the Tampa Convention Center in Tampa, Fla., July 13, 2025. Photo: Gage Skidmore / Flickr / CC BY-SA 4.0 / Cropped from Original (The Center Square) The Arizona Senate Public Safety Committee voted 4-3 Wednesday afternoon, along party lines, to back a bill renaming highway Loop 202 as the Charlie Kirk Loop 202. The legislation will go to the full Senate for consideration. The loop spans about 77 miles across the Phoenix area and connects with Interstate 10 on both ends. Senate Bill 1010 calls on the state Department of Transportation to install signs reflecting the new name. The Arizona State Senate Republicans Caucus said no fiscal impact is anticipated. The bill sponsor, Senate President Warren Petersen, R-Gilbert, said segments of the loop would still keep their previous designations. Petersen made the comment after Yvonne Pastor expressed concern that a segment would no longer be named after her father, the late U.S. Rep. Ed Pastor, D-Arizona, who the daughter noted was known for his bipartisan work on the behalf of Arizonans. Pastor urged the committee to name a highway segment closer to Kirks home in Scottsdale and Phoenix-based Turning Point USA, which Kirk started, after the conservative leader. A short while later, Petersen stressed the segment honoring Pastor, which would be part of the Charlie Kirk Loop 202, would still be named after the late congressman. The four Republicans on the committee backed SB 1010. Petersen talked about Kirk, the Arizonan who was assassinated Sept. 10 when he was speaking at a rally before thousands at Utah Valley University in Orem, Utah. His death was an act of political violence and terror that shocked our nation in renewed discussions on the importance of preserving civic civil discourse, Petersen told the Senate panel. Charlie understood better than most the beauty and necessity of the First Amendment. He championed the idea that disagreements should be met with dialogue, not division, and that vigorous debate strengthened our republic rather than weakened it. Petersen noted the new designation "ensures that this contribution to civic engagement, free speech and the public square will not be forgotten." Several people supported the renaming during a public comment period. The man accused of killing Kirk is Tyler James Robinson, 22, who appeared at his second in-person pretrial hearing Friday in Provo, Utah, as reported by The Center Square. Robinson is charged with six felonies, including aggravated murder, and one misdemeanor. Utah County Attorney Jeff Gray has said he will seek the death penalty if Robinson is convicted of murder. Robinson's attorneys are trying to get the entire prosecution team disqualified on the basis that one of the prosecutors has an adult daughter who was at the rally when Kirk was shot and killed. Gray, whose office told defense attorneys about the daughter, said he doesn't believe there's a conflict of interest.